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Index to the Klectrical Revi
Januan' 7th, 1921.

THE

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

^1 \ A

leXh no I

Iiiclex to the Electrical Rcvj,
January 7th. 1021.

THE

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

Vol. LXXXVII.
JULY 2 — DECEMBER 31, 1920.

LONDON :

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, LTD.,
4, LUDGATE HILL, E.G. 4.

Index to the Electrical Review,
January 7th, 1921.

/

Published by the Proprietors,
AT t, Ltidgatk Hill, E.G. 4.

January 7. 1921.]

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW INDEX.

INDEX.

List of tub-heading>:—AvTHORS, Bankrvpicv Proceedings, City Notes, Contracts Closed and Open, Correspondence, Institution and Lecture Notes, Leuai,
Lighting and Power Notes, Liquidations, New Companies, New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant, Obituary, Ofeicial Returns, Railway
Notes, Reviews, Telegraph Notes, Telephone Notes, Tramway Notes

A

BR.VSIVES, Artificial, 852

Acciilunls, Industrial, i37
Accidents, London street, 309
Accidents, rrevention of railway, H53
Accountants, The Institute of Cost and

Works, 622, 655
.\ccumulator works. Lead poisoniny in,

Accumulators, The efiicienc) of lead,
by T. E. Green. 168

Advertising Exhibition, The Interna-
tional, 719, 750

A. E.G.. The, 44, 239

Aero Exhibition, The, 74

.\ero-navigation lights, 736

.\eroplanes, British magnetos on, 492

.\greement, Electrical wages, 205, 251

Agreements with local authorities.
Electric supply, 834

.\griculture. Electricity in, 466; bs R.
E. Neale. 506, 537

.Mr Conference, 1920, 404, 603

.\ir. Power from the, 81

Alcohol from coke-oven gas, The re-
covery of, 201

.Alignment pins, by A London Foreman,

360

756

.\lloy sccrel

.\lloys. Magnetic and electrical propel

ties of iron nickel, 4
.Mternating current systems. Supply

pressure on, by R. J. H. Beaty,

297
.Vlternating current track circuiting,

by L. H. Peter, 253, —

A.C,

■cury

214

:ury-vapour lamp, 821
.Mum. mum, Neuhausen, 433
.Muminium, Nickel-plating, 499
Aluminium production in Germany, 398
Aluminium, Swiss, 650
Amalgamated Engineering Union, The

E.T.U. and the. 141
.Amalgamation of electrical enterprises

in Japan, Government, 212
Amalgamation. Trade union, 749
.American Bosch developments, 400
.•\merican business methods in Holland,

108
.American engineering societies. Fede-
rated, 595
.American foreign trade, 461
.American tramway rails for .Australia,

336
Ammeters, Notes on the temperature

compensation of moving coil, by

F. T. Chapman and A. T. Morris,

313
Ampere-hour meters for use on electric

vehicles, 788
Anglo-.American exchange of students,

147
Anglo-German arbitral tribunal, 689
Anti-dumping Bill, 527, 622
.Antipodes, Edaism in the, 162
Apprentices, The training of. 115
.\pprenticeship scheme, Barnsley, 532
.\pprenticeship system. The, 131
Arbitral tribunal. Anglo-German, 681)
.Arc lamp, .\ new projector, 467
Arc. The helium, 608
Arc W.Ming. A theory of metallic, 3,50
.Vrg.fnlina, Wireless telegraphy in, 245
Argentine Republic, Trade with the,

441. 782
Armature construction. The mechanical

details of d.c, by " A London

Foreman." 515
.Armistice, A new, 418
Arctic Canada. Oil in. 590
Artificial abta>ives. 852
Artificial coal. 628
Artificial d.->ylight. 819
.Vssetsments, Income tax and rmploytSs',

448

-Australia and research, 726

Austraha and trade with Germany, 89.

590
Australia, Diesel engines in, 304
Australia, Electric coal cutlers in, 236
Australia, Electrolytic smelting in, 590
Australia, Engineering wages in, 433,

782
Australia, English Electric Co., in, 44
.Australia, Import trade of, 807
Australia, Mails to, 44
Australia, Manufacture of telephone?

impracticable in, 336
Australia, Saturday work in, 398
Australia, Standardisation in, 288
.Australia, Trade and industry in 589
Australia, Trade with, 688
Australia, Wire manufacturing in, 400
.Australian criticism of British electrical

manufacturers, 397, 451
.Australian electrical manufacturing.

141, 336, 368
.\uslralian iron and steel works, 399
Australian labour, 335, 399
Australian lead mines, 846
Australian trade, 237, 689
.\ustralian tramways and the duty on

rails, 174
.\ustria. Bank for trade with, 317
.Vustrian-British debts, 597
.Vustrian companies, 12
.Austrian property, 590
Austrian railway electrification, 335
Authorities, Joint Electricity ; West of

England, 93
.Authorities, The responsibilities of road-
way, 204

.Authors—

Allcock, H., on Decimal coinage, 347
" .Anode," on Leaves from an in-
spector's notebook, 155, 331
.Austin, E., on The Electrification ol
laundries. 647; on Shop lighting,

Ball, W. v.. on Increase ol Rent Act
and business premises, 153

Beard, J. R., on Post-war conditions
and developments, with particular
reference to the electricity supply
industry, 668

Beaty, R. J. H., on Supply pressures
on alternating current systems,

Beauchamp, J. W., on Tariffs for
domestic electricity service. 71

Bekenn. C. F., on The application ol
turbine-pumps to water supply,
10

Hurv, F.., and Hutchinson, A., on
Electrostatically cleaning blast-
furnace gas, 391

Carlisle, C. G„ on Electric steels, 477

Chapman, F. T., and A. T. Morris,
on Notes on the temperature com-
pensation of moving-coil amme-
ters, 313

Clegg, .A., on Coal records, 455; on
Calculating machines applied to
the electrical industry, 648

Cole, C, on Technical education, 602

Dalrymple, J., on Repairs and de-
preciaticn in relation to capital

and

475

Dawson, Sir P., on Electric rail-
way contact systems. 59

Desch, C, on Ductile tungsten, 294

Dickson, G. T., on Motor starting
and controlling gear, 186

Dixon, W., on Electrification of the
Ebbw Vale Co.'s works and col-

425

\LTnous— coiKiiiuca

Eccles, Dr. W. H., on Wireless tele-
gj-aphy, 827

" E. H. S.," on Standardisation in
Germany, 520

" Electrode," on Electric welding, 356

Evenden, J. S., on The quality of
industrial coal supplies, 835'

" F. A. P.," on A push-button lift
installation, 188

F'ell, A. L. C, on Operating costs ;
Power expenses, 444

" Femina," on The power of pro-
paganda, 420

Field, S., on Electrolytic zinc, 294

Gillin, C. A., on The design of dis-
tributing networks, 6

Goodwin, H., and A. K. Smith, on
The design of a super-power sta-
tion, 25

Grant, L. C, on Harmonics
trouble and neutral earthing-
General considerations, 230

Green, T. E., on The efficiency of
lead accumulators, 168

Harrison, H. T., on Street lighting.
601

Haworth, H. F., on Resistance ol
electrolytes, 126

Henderson, J., on Circulating current
connections for delta-star trans-
formers, 203

Hicham, Councillor, and P. Priestley,
on Tramway fares, 361

Hodgson, E. S., on fndustrial psycho-
logy, 266

Horsfield, R. L.. on Repairs and
depreciation in relation to capital

and

475

The

Howe, Prof. G. W. O .

efficiency of transmitting aerials
and the power required for long-
distance transmission, 377

Hutchinson, A., and E. Bury, on
Electrostatically cleaning blast-
furnace gas, 391

Hutton, F. H., on Improvements in
motor cars : Electric lighting and
starting, 41; on The Crown mag-
netic motor car, 679

" Imperial," on Pulverised coal and
colloidal fuel, 825

Ingham, E., on External wasting of
fuel economiser pipes, 424

Jenkin. C. F.. Presidential address
at the B..\., 265

Jockel, L. Marshall, on Electricity
supply developments and national
fuel conservation, 484

Kapp, R. O., on Extra-high-tension
distribution by underground cable,
793

Kennedy, R. W.. on Synthetic insu-
lating materials. Artificial silk 836

Lee, Prof. F. C, on The testing ol
materials at high temperatures,
377

Lc-e, L. R., on Maintenance insula-
tion tests on electric cables. 154

" London Foreman," on Clamping,
turning, and re-turning commu-
tators, 196; on Alignment pins,
360; on The mechanical details
of d.c. armature construction, 51.5

MacBean. D., on Outdoor e.h.p.

nsfon

554

Drvsdale, C. V.. on Modern Marine

' problems, 379. 409. 442
ICddington, Prof. .\. S., Presidential
address at the B..\., 266

MacGregor-Morris, Prof. J. T.. on .\
portable direct-reading anemome-
ter for the measurement of venti-
lation of coal mines. 345

".Mfchanolectric," on Large turbo-
generator failures, 709

Mellanby, Prof. A. I... and W. Kerr,
on Steam action in simple
nozzles, 347

Moffett, F. J., on The lighting ol
machine shops, 826

.\UTHOKs— .Oii/iiiyeJ.

Moore, R. W. E., and F. D. New-
bury, on U.S..A. standard practice
in voltage ratings, 486

Morris, A. T., and F. T. Chapman,
on Notes on the temperature com-
pensation of moving-coil amme-
ters, 313

Neale, R. E., on Electricity in agri-
culture, 466, 506, 537

Newbury, F. D., and R. W. E.
Moore, on U.S.A. standard prac-
tice in voltage ratings, 486

Peter, L. H., on Alternating current
track circuiting, 253, 283

Pilcher, R. Stuart, on The future of
capital expenditure, 476

Raymond-Barker, E., on .Submarine
cable telegraphy, 164, 217

Ree, J., and J. Scott-Taggart, on An
ordinary triode used as a nega-
tive resistance oscillator, 602

Rich, T., on The University of Gre-
noble, 3 ; on Notes on trade-
marks, 185; on Electricity in the
German army, 299, 348, 411

Robinson, T. V., on Power station
design in relation to thermal effi-
ciency, 36

Sanford, E. G., on A large totally-
enclosed dynamo, 612

Sclar, D., on The measurement ol
power factor, 677

Scott-Taggart, J., on A double anode
vacuum-tube, a.c. rectifier, and

Scott-Taggart, J., and J. Ree, on An
ordinary triode used as a nega-
tive resistance oscillator, 602
Shaughnessv, E. H., on A new wire-
less cali signal, 68
Smith, A. R., and H. Goodwin, on
The design of a super-power sta-
tion, 25

Snell, C. E., on The function of the
earth in the transmission of elec-
tricity, 421

Stansfield, J. J. H., on National
Health Insurance Act. 1920. New
rates of contributions and bene-
fits, 10; on Extension of unem-
ployment insurance, 555

Stevens, T., on Severn tidal power :
An appreciation, 708

Stubbings, G. W., on Some notes on
metering devices used in connec-
tion with tariffs penalising low
powei- f.'ictor, 452, 505; on Some
notes on charging for wattlc-ss
current, 634

Sylyester. C., on Meter work in an
electricity supply .system, 228

Towlson, J. T., on The design ol
lifting tackle, 69; on Saying the
cost, 231; on Line shafting^
couplings, and journal seats, 315

Turnbull, C, on Power factor, 2(i8.
569, 811

Turner, Prof. H. H., on Prol. J.
Perry, 211

" Voltman." on Hints about house
bells, 197; on A few domestic
electrical "inventions." 360 ; on
Home lighting economics. 836

Wells, H. M.. on Lubrication and
the germ process, 294

Wood, L. K., on Water-power de-
velopment, 89

Woodhouse, W. B.. on The distribu-
tion of electricity, 710, 766, 775,
853, 8.54

Wordingham, C. H., on Distribution
pressures for domestic supply and
the cheapening of lioiis^> wiring.

generating station, Au, 215

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW— INDEX.

[.Januauv 7, l'.J21.

Automatic power : A " vvoiulri lul in-
vention, ' 181
Automatic slr.i-r liyhliny, 142, .Kti

Autom.ili, train conlrol, ilW, mi, ,5114

Aviation, Ci>il K:;o

Awiirds. .\;,ticniil, lilj

Awards of the Wjiitlcv Councils, The,

C3S
■■ AAV.P." welded iteel con»truelion,

688
.\jlesburv, Kxunsiuns at, 2(i(J

B

ANK (oi rr.„l, wllh Austria, iilT

li.MiUL^rCV I'lit.CKt.D.XC,S—

Uonncr, G. !■;., 334, 748

Urottn, D. A., 717

C.arrr, O.. 686

(hannon, A. E., & Co., 813

Clones, E., 588, 717

D.nn.ll, W., it Co., 270

D.ivis. .S., 558

Klam,' Ualiun & Co., 13, 110, 237

Kinch. A. .S., \. E. I). Hawker, (i20

Harrison & .Son, 525, 588, 653, 748

H.nwker, E. 1)., Ik A. S. Kinch, 620

Havman, C. J. V 1T< ■_><t'-,

Hod.son 8: N.hvm. ,-. (I " . -,

Ja^.^.er, J., UO. -n . : :: .:■. ~l

Kersh.iw &■ Woi.J, J ;r J.d .;n.!

Layton, J. \V., 7JS, ;:'.!. ,M,;, h4

Lester, G. W., 588, 1,53

Lewslev, J. W., 44

McClelhind De Uingham. 'I ., Ii20

Meggett, A. X., 140, 173, 270, 3;)5

Mellon, H., 110, 173, 3!I5

Mcmson, H. J., 620, 717

Palmer, A. S., 395

I'ordes, liernard, 44. 5.58

Skinnei, J., 535, .5.58, .588, 77!P

■Sniilh, \V. r., 3113. 30(i. .588

.Svniuns, J. J. lZ,„li,,c l'eerl.-ss E

tri, Lamp Co.l, 334, 3;I5, .•
Thiij], ,-, li. K,. 14(i 173. .tlili
Th,„n>un, J

4111

II.,

4311,

Ward, W. H. S., 588, 020, U53, 771)

Ijarnslej apprenticeship scheme, 532
Barrage, 1 he proposed .Severn, 713.

725, 750, 762, 788
H.ill.jri.s. German drv, 400
Haiii-W.illahs' Swietv, -Ihc, 4118
K.ittl.ships, Electricallv driv.n, 8.53

nauxite exports, French, 7111
H.iuxite mining in Germmx, 431
U.lgian companies, .New, Kis, ]43, 31)3,

308, 4(11, 589, 0.55, 749, 814, 840
Belgium recovering, 271
Belgium, The German in-again, 175
Bells, Hints about house, hv " \oll-

man," 197
B.lting, .\ new, 780
B.11S, .Static eleclricilv in. 820
Benevolent Kund, In^iUition o( Elc-c-

trical l-ngine,rs,- 474
Benevolent Inslitution, Ek-ctrical

■ir.ules, 028, 728, 750
Bin.vol.nl Institution, Annual Festival,

l-:ieclrica,l Trades. 830, 802
Bethlem Hospital X-r.-iv tkpartmenl,

532
Bill, Anti-dumping, .527, 022
Bill, Minimum wages, 622
Bill, The new Flectricitv SuppK . 787.

802 . Ki

BilHngham housing scheme. .5.52

Birmingli.'in

1 Kl.,n,

'. 310, 374

Bunimglviti

lulls lur l.un

Birminghai,

,■ 1- ,7,

l'..'l, ■

1 h. . 401

Birminghan

1 H.all

h Ex

hi hi lion, 1.57

173

Birminghan

1, Sleepe

red tr

aek al, 109

Bl.ick-lisl,

.\ trade.

023

cleaning, by A. Hutchinson and E.
Hurv, 391

Blindn.ss. EI.elrical treatment (or, 494

Blu.-prinl -, Win the, 199

Builc, li.in.,,, , I I,,. ■• turbine," .580

'■ B.iil. I- ■ in Su.den, Electric, 229

l-i.ilii-. \l. M III > -vapour lurhinis and.
520

Bumbav lilectrical \<hicle Co., New,
816

Bosch div.lopmenis, .\iniri,-.in. 400

Bradfoi'l Corporation's dnuhle-deck rail-
less car, 701

liraiUiini. The English Electric Co.'s
I'iKcnix Works, ,57

Brazil. Report on, 175

Brazilian i.ix on foreign companies, 141

Brilisl, .\ssociation, 227, 259, 204, 292,
345, 377

British h.iuxite, 725

British business methods in Switzer-
land, 719

British Chamber of Commerce (or llalv,
088

British Chamh.r o( Commerce lor
Switzerl.ind, .501

British Ch.imbers of Commerce in
China, 629

British Columbia, Steel industry in, ,597

British ICleetric.il and Allied Industries
Research Association, 797

British lOlectrical IVveloiinK-nt Associa-
tion (Inc.), .\nnual luncheon, 800

Rritish electrical manulacturers, Aus-
tralian criticism of. 397, 451
ish Empire Exhibition, The, 31K),

,i90

liiish Industries, Ihe Federation of,
719

rlish lnsulate<l cable dispute, 304

litish magnetos, 542, 561

ilish magnetos on aeroplanes, 41.2,
542, 501

itish manufacluiors in South Africa,
12

itish Manufacturers' Representatives'
.Association of South Africa (Inc.),
720

■itish Motor Cycle and Cycle Car Re-
search Association, 604

•itish railwavs, The electrification o(.

iuild. 4lilj

203

Iritish Ihomson-llouston fittings, 481
Iritlsh waler po«er. 18, 34, 58
Irokcn Hill strike, 46
Ironze, ,\ new, 750

Irushes on interpole generators, Shift-
ing, 467
Irussels Commercial Fair, 1921, 77!)
loried cables. The heating of, 801. 841
•Ihods in Holland, American,

106

Switzerland,

siness methods

British, 719
siness premises. Increase of Re

Act and, bv \V. N'. Ball, 153

/^.\BI.E drums, 492

Cable (aclor\, A Polish, 773

Cable-makers' strike ballot. 111

Cable telegraphy. Submarine, by E.

Raymond-Barker, 104, 217
C.ibl,- workers' wages, 176
C.ibl"s, French " Leader," 532
Cables, Maintenance insulation tosis on

electric, bv L. R. Lee, 154
t:ables, New 'York " Leader," 532
I'ables, The heating of buried, 801, 841
Calculating machines applied to the
ehctrical industrv, by A. CIcgg,
648
Call signal, A new wireless, by E, H.

Shaughncssy, 68
Camera, Submarine, 50
Canada, Conduits and fittings for, 528
Can.iila, Notes from, 455
('.mad. I, Oil in Arctic, 590
f.in.i.l.i. Plug standards in, 398
Cjinad.i. The electrical apparatus in-
dustry of, 124, 243
Canada, 'The ta-ade of, 123, 623
Canada, Trade with, 400, 597, 623, 654,

720
C.inadian contracts, 109
Canadian national electric code A pro-
posal for a, 368
C.inadian telephone requirements. Wes-
tern, 142
Canal improvements, 558
Canals, Decontrol oi, 188
Cape Town electrical dispute, 64, 154
C.ipital augmentations, German, 336
Car, Bradford Corporation's double-deck

lille:

761

Car lamps, " Lamlok " rings for, 558

Cardiff exhibition, A. 526

Cement, Portland: British standard

specification, 536
C.ntralising British research, 820
Chamber of Commerce, International,

751
Channel tunnel. The, 724, 750
Charges, Telephone, 839
Charging for wattless current, Soitie
cthods of, bv G. W .

ubbii

634

Chemistry of coltoids and some indus-
trial applications. The ph\sics anil,
052, 703

ChiUhen in industrv, 839

Chile, The demand for electrical goinls
in, 398

China, 225

China, British Chambers of Commerce
in. 029

44, .526 '' ^° """'' '"''"*
China, Import trade of, 490
China. The demand for niachinen in.

110
China, Trade with, 655
China, Westerii Electric Co.'s Exhil.i-

Chinese Exhibition, A, 330

Chinlse students and inlernalional

Irade, 238
Chrisllania developments, 757
Church lighting, 660

delta-star transformers, bv J. Hen-
derson, 203

.\be

Suburba

248

.\delaide Electric Suppiv, 279
.\.E.G., The, 376, 695, 790
.\ltrincham Electric Supply, 663
.Muntinium I'orporjition, 23, 53
Amalgamated Wireless (Austrtilas

599
Amazon Telegraph Co., 631
.\merican Telephone & Telegraph (

American Westinghouse Co., The,
Anglo-American Telegraph Co.,

Anglo-.Vrgenline Tramwavs Co.,

471, 791
Anglo-Ptirtugiiise Telephone Co.,

"liv .NoriiS — i:ontinued

Armstrong, Whitworth, Sir W. G.,
and Co., 471

.\ster Engineering Co., 631

Auckland Electric Tramways Co., 440,
470, 503

Australia, 184

Austrian Urown-Boveri Works, 599

.Austrian companies, 150

Automatic Telephones(Auslralasia),599

Avery, W. & T., 855

Babcock & Wilcox, 567

Barbados Electric Supply t.'orpora-
tion, 727

Barnslcv & Uistrist Electric Traction
Co., 119

Belgian Electric Cable & Rubber
Works, 031

Belgian Investment Co., 599

Bell Telephone Co. of Canada, 471.
855

Birmingham District Power & Trac-
tion Co., 55, 119

Bombav Electric Supply & Tramways
Co!, 87, 118, 599

Bournemouth & Poole Electricity Sup-
ply Co., 151

Brampton Brothers, 535

Brazilian Traction, Light Si Power
Co., 87, 343

Brightside Foundry & Engineering
Co., 184

Brisbane Electric Tramways Invest-
ment Co., 567, 695

Bristol Tiramways & Cttrriage Co..
184

British Aluminium Co., 407

British Columbia Electric Railwas
Co., 248

British Columbia Telephone Co., 22

British Electric Traction Co., 22, 54

British Insulated & Hclsby Cables,
375

British Mannesmann Tube Co., 727,

British ' Thomson-Houston Co., 87,
118, 182

British V.acuum Cleaner Co., 823

Brompton & Kensington Electriciiv
Suppiv Co., 215

Brotherton Ediswan Tubes & Con-
duits, 87

Browett, I.indlcv & Co., 140

Bruce, Peebles & Co., 375

Burmah Electric Tramwavs & Lighl.
ing Co., 759

Calcutta Electric SuppB Corporation.
375, 599, 696

Calcutta Tramways Co., 535

Calgarv Power Co., 376

Callenller's Cable & Construction Co..

Callendcr's Share 1

Trust, 727
Canadian General Elei

Inv

I'o., 311.
695, 759,

Cape Electric Trar

791
Cape Town Consolidated Tramwavs

ami Land Co. 791
Castn.r-K. Iln. a Alkali Co., 7.59
Chaill.nin, isl,i|,i' r,.|,.graph Co., 727
Charin- I M..., \\i .1 End S: Cilv

El. I nil m Suppiv Co., 184
Chatham St District Light Railwavs

Co., 151
Chelsea Electricitv Supply Co., 151
Chile Telephone Co., 85, 151, 791
Chloride Electrical Storage Co., 663
Citv of Buenos Avrcs Tramwavs Co.,

'184, 599
Citv of London Electric Lighting- Co.,

'311
Clarke, Chapman & Co., 311
Claude Hamilton, 376
Clontarf (Dublin) & Hill of Howlh

(Electric) To-amro:,! Co., 87
CIvde Valley Electric Power Co., 215,

'247
Companies struck oil the register, 87.

407, 535, 759
Constantinople Telephone Co.. 727
Cordoba Light, Power S: Traction

Co., 470
Counlv of London Electric Suppiv

215

Chain Co., 791, 855
Cromplon Sr Co.,' 23, 55, 85, 823
Cuhi Submarine Telegraph Co.. 471
Danish Si.niens-.Sehuckert Works.

The, 471
Davis Sr Tinmiins, 279
Direct Spanish Telegraph Co., 2-3,343
Direct United States Cable Co., 503,

535
Direct West Indi.i Cabk- Co., 407
Drake & Gorham, 507, 631, 8,55
Dublin Cnited Electric Tramways

Co., 87
Dumbarton Burgh 8; Countv Tram-
wavs Co., 407
Dundee, Broughtv Ferrv & District

Tramwavs C6. 471'
Dutch C.impanies, 247. 095
Eastern Ivxtension, Australasia and
China r.legrapli Co., 407, 7.59,

ICastern' Ti'legr-iph Co., 375, 759, 823,

Kleclric Conslruction Co., 696
ICIectric Supply Co., ol \'icloria, 507
i;ieclric Suppiv Corpor.ition, 504. .5"35
Electrical Distribution of 'i'orkshire,

184
Electrical Supplies (Liverpool). 727
Electrical Utilitie,s Corpofalion, .WS
Ivleetro-Bleach & By-Products, 22, 55.

Eric:

•23

.Me

an Telepho

Evered & Co.. 55

Ever Ready Co. (Great Britain), 603

Fellows Magneto Co., 504

Ferranti, 759, 790

I>.nih Companies, 22, VIS. 150, '247,

312. 343 396, 407, 503, 823, 854
Fuller's Cnited Electric Works, 85,

119, 7.59
General Electric Co., 23, 52, 84
General Electric Co. (U.S.A.), 663
Gcrjiian Companies, 149, 183, 400,

503, 599, 823, 855

GerTnan Tr;ir
183

Electr:

Co.,

Globe Telegraph & Trust Co., 22, 55,

375, 7'2?
Great Northern Telegraph Co., ol

Denmark, 83, 183
Guildford Electricitv .Supply Co., 343,

407
Halifax & Ik-rmudas Cable Co., 407
Henley's. W. T., Telegraph Works

Co., 279
Hong Kong Tramwav Co.. 184
Imperial Tramwavs 'Co., 22
Imlian Electric Suppiv & Traction,

631
India-Rubber, Gutla-Porcha & Tele-
graph Works Co., 23, 791, 854
Indo-European Telegraph Co., 535
International Light Ik Power Co., 599,

663, 824
Italian Pirelli Co., 343
Kalgoorlie Electric •Tramways, 311
Kaministiquia Power Co.. Wi, SC7,

824
Kensington &• Knightsbridge Electric

. Lighting Co., 151
Killurglin Electric Light & Powi-i-

Co., 471
L.inarkshire Tramways Co., 151
Lancashire Dynamo & Motor Co., 791
Lancashire Wire Co., 471
Lima Lighl. Power & Trainw.ays Co.,

55, 375
Liverpool Overhead Railway Co., 150
London Electric Railway Companies,

86

375

Major & Co., 55. 471

Manila Electric Railroad & Traction

Corporation, 375, 824
Mansfield & District Tramwavs Co.,

'215
M.inx Electric Railway Co., 823
Marconi International Marine Com-
munication Co., 824
M.irconi Wireless Telegraph Co., 21,

824
M.iT-eoni Wireless 1-elegraph Co., ol

Canada, 151, 599
Mather & Piatt, 86, 151
.Melbourne Electric Suppiv, 279
Metropolitan Railway Co^, 150
Midland Electric Corporation tor

Power Distribution, 407
Monte \idco Telephone Co.. 599. (i.:.i
Montreal Tramwavs Co., 567
Nairobi Electric Power & Lighting

Co., 375
National ElMtric Suppiv Co., 87
National Gas Engine C'o„ 184
National Telewriter Co., 631
Newcastle-upon-'Tvne Electric Suppiv

Co., 311
New General Traction Co., "A'
North London Railway Co., 185
North Melbourne lileclric Tramways

and Lighting Co., 567
North Wales Power OS: Traction Co.,

855
Norwegian Nitrate Companies, 8.55
Norwich Electric Iramways Co., 535
Oldham, .\shton Sr Hvdc Traii;wavs

Co., 503
Oriental •Telephone S: Electric Co.,

503
Oxford Kle.

Co., 407
Railw.iys & l.ighiing.

; Steam Turbine Co.,

amwavs & Power Co.,

22

696

Pope's Wire Lamps. 535

Power Gas Corportition, 695 701

Prospectuses, 22, ,55. 86. 119. 151,

215 375, 567. 631, 663, 690. 727,

759, 791, 824
Reduction of capital, 855
Kees RotiM-bo Manufacturing Co., S5,

695
Richardsons, Westgarth S; Co., 791
Rushden S: District Electric Supply

Co., 471
St. James's & Pill Mall Electric

Light Co., 119
Shanghai Electric Construction <'o.,

440
Miawinigan Water S: Power Co., '22.

80. 407, 8-24
Shr.ipshite. Worc.st.rshire & Stallord.

shire |.:lectric Power Co.. 87
Siemens Hroth.rs & Co.. 631
Simms Motor Units (1920), 23
.Singapore F'lectric Tramwavs Co.,

GSl
Smits Transh.rmer Works, 599
Socii'-ie .Suisse pour I'IndusIric Elec-

trique al Glarus, 631

January 7, 1921.]

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW— INDEX.

oni|x-

a(lc».

TW

Co., 855

South Loiiilim Electric Suppl) Cor-
poration, 343

South iMelroputitan Electric Light ami
Power Co.. HH

.Southern Brazil Electric Co.. 471

.Spanish Companies, 248, 375

Stewart & Lloyds, 312

Stock E.\ohange .Notices, 23, - , ST.
lia 150, 183, 315, 248, 279, 311,
343, 375, 4U7, 504, 535, 567, 631,
663, Wo, 727, 7'Jl. 824, 855

Stone, J., & Co., 407

Stothert Si Pitt, 407, 503

StratfordK>n-.\von Electricity Co., 1411

Siibinersible iMotors, 695

Swedish Companies; 631

Swedish Luth & Rosen Co.. 23

Swiss Brown Bovcri Co., The, 270

.Swiss Cornpanies, 470

raunton Electric Traction Co., 23

Tees Power Station Co., 791

Telegraph Construction & Mafnten-
ance Co., 87

Telephone Manufacturing Co. Il92i)l.

Tokio Electrical Co., 183

Tottenham District Light, Heat and

Power Co., 215
TraHord Park Estates, 535
Tyneside Electrical Development, 279
United Electric Tramways Co., ol

Car;

631

United Electric Tramways of Monte.

video, 21
United River Plate Telephone Co.,

535, 567
I'rban Electric Supply Co.. 855
Venezuela Telephone S; Electrical .Ap-
pliances Co., 737
Vera Cruz Electric Light, Power and

Traction Co., 215, 247 .
Vickers, 312, 854
\ictoria Falls & Transvaal Power

Co., 23, 343, 407, 470, 855
Ward & Goldstone, 118
Waste Heat & Gas Electrical General.

ing Stations^ 248
Wavgood-Otis, 22, 823
West .African Telegraph Co., 7'Jl
Western Power Corporation, 86
Western Telegraph Co., 343, 376, 759,

832
Westinghouse Brake & Saxbv Signal

Co., 791
Westinghouse Electric Manufacturing

Co., 695
Westminster Electricity Supply Cor.

pora

184

White, J. G., & Co., 22, 54

Vat<s & Thorn, 6%

Yorkshire Electric Power Co., 183

Yorkshire (West Riding) Electric
Tramwavs Co., 759

Yorkshire (Woollen District) Electric
■[■ramways, 87

Zurich Bank for Electrical Undertak-
ings, 311, 406, 470

Civil aviation, 820

Civil Engineers and salaries. The In-
stitution of, 179
Claims ag.iinsl Me.-iican Government,

560
Classification of engineers, 572
Clo<-k5, Electrically-wound. 414
Coal and colloidal fuel. Pulverised, bv

•• Imperial," 825
Coal, .Artificial, 628
Coal-cutters in .\uMralia. Electric, 23(i.

692
Coal-cutting machines, 756
Coal getting by machinery, 499
Coal mine regulations, 212
Coal miners' strike, 271, 304, 310 337,

573, 590, .597, 622
Coal mines, Irish. 19
Coal records, by .-\. Clegg, 455
Coal-stack temperatures. Measuring,

498
Coal strike and electricitv supply un-
dertakings. The, 528, 560
Coal supplies, The quality of industrial,

bv J. S. Evenden, 835
Coal,' The economic selection ol, 5%
Cockerill works reorganisation. 729
Code, A proposal for a Canadi.iii

national electric, 368
Coils, Repairing motor, 180
Coincidince? An unfortunate, 674, 7111
Coincidenca? Relatioi
Coke-oven gas, 'fhe

from, 201
Colloidal fuel. Pulverised coal and, b>

" Imperial," 825
Colloids and some industrial applica-

tions, 'ITie phvsics and chemistrv uf,

116, 652, 703'
Commercial depression, Japanese, 815
Commercial Fair, 1921, Brussels. 779
Commercial Motor Exhibition, The, 310.

of alcohol

517
mmercial tr.avelle
Commercial travellc:

le work ol the Elec-
tricity, 258

Cunuiiittee appointed for the investiga-
tion ol fuel economy, 346

( iiinmunications. The importance ol
Empire, 195

Comnmtator construction. Novel, 50<'

Commutators, d.c. : Clamping, turning,
and re-turning, by *' A London

Fore

196

Conipanv law in Greece, 780
Comparator, A d>nainomctrical, 405
Compensation, Workinen's, 130
Competition, Essay writing, 729

Compulsorv supph, Sni.ill untlertakings

and, 323
Condy-tivity in selenium. Illumination

and electrical, 360
Con.luiis a.id fittings for Canada, 52S
Conference, 1920. .\ir, 404. 603
Conference. Intern.uional ii aje, li88
C:ongre.>, Irade Union, 303
Constitution of the elements, 629
Contact sj stems, Electric railway, bv

Sir P. Da

ondit

397

CoNTKACrs CeosfcU —
Aberdare, 210
.Xberdee'n, 6^>'.K 755
Aldershot. 78li
.\ustralia, 49, 340, 374, 437. 465, 5;;l,

593. 627, 059. 723
.Vutoniatie teU-phones, 49
.\vlesbury, 850
Barnes, 146, 437, 563
Barnstaple, 593
Basingstoke, 310
Batlev, 497
BatteVsea, 564, 819
Bedford, 81
Belgium 16, 41. 81. 178, 627, 659,

850
Birlcenhead, 563, 755
Blackburn, 210, 374
Blackpool, 593, 627
Bolton, 115, 340, 497, .■;(i3
Br;idford, 81, 146, 374, 4:/7, 503, 780,

850

275

Bridgwate
Bridlington, 340
Bristol, 6'27
Burv, 49, 7,55
Can'terburv, 210
Carlisle. il5
Colchester, 275
Dartford, 17. 210, 497

Da:

341,

Derbv, 465. 723

Doncasler. 497. 786

Dublin. 819

Dundalk, 465

Dunde.-, 49. 755, 786

Edinburgh. 465

Exeter. 465

Folkestone, 178

Gillingham (Kent). 403

Glasgow, 17. 242

Glossop. 786

Gloucester. 140

Government contracts, 17, 140. 275,

437, 563, 724, 851
Grantham, 115
Great Varnouth, 178
Hackney, ]46

Hammersmith, 437, 504, 819
Highworth, 341
Hoddesdon, 308
Hvthe (Kent) 504, 593
Itilv, 723
Leeds, 147, 465

Liverpool. 81, 115 179. 210, 341, 755
London, 17, 49, 115, 140. 179, 437,

465, 497. 504, 593, 627, 692, 723,

755, 780. 819
Malvern, 81

Manchester. 49, 210, 341. 627, 723
Melbourn.-. 49, 437, 530
.Middlesbrough, 531
Monaghan. 179
\cwport IMon.), 403
New South Wales. 437
New Zealand. 242. 341, 027
Northamplim. 81
Norwav. 374
Perth, 374
Oueensland. 0.59
Richinond-on-Thames, 115. U7
Runcorn. 81
Rvde, 17
St. M:irvlebonc. 179. 437. 564. 0'.I2,

786
Sal ford. 49
South Africa, 819
-South Cr<island. 787
Spain. 374
StalTord, 179. 374
Stepnev. 147. 405, 593, 723
Stirling, 17, 275
Stoke Ncwington, 819
Slretlord, 81
Sunderland, 115, 242, 374, 531, 6.19,

787
Sweden, 692
Svdnev, 627, 659
Turkey, 147
Wallasey. 147
Walthaiiistow, 027
W.St Indies, 405
Wimbletlon. 465
Wishaw. 403
Wolverhainpl..n. 179. 197

Wr

850

Contracts, Conditions relating to
ICgvptian Government, 200

Contracts tor British firms. British, 19

Contracts, Government : The National
Roll. 238

Contracts. Norwegian c.ibl. . 173

CoNTR.irrs Oi-F.v—
Asia Minor. 723
.\lherlon. 49, 80
Auckland (N.Z.i, 850

oMKAcrs Ortri—toiilimied

Australia, 10, 49, 80, 114, 178,
241, 274. 308. 340. 373, 402,
464, 490, 531, 563, 593, 627,
691, 723, 755, 786, 819, 850

.Azores, 241

.Batley, 691

Ba

780

Belgium, 10, 81, 114, 140^ 178. '

340, 405, 497, 531 563, 593,

659, 091. 723, 755, 786, 819
Birkenhead, 436
Birmingham, 146, 178, 210. 241,

436, 465. 723, 755
Blackpool. 81, 114, 140, 178, 310,

786, 819
Bolton, 241. 308, 340. 474
Bradford, 178, 210, 242. 308, 403,

465, 474, 497, 593
Brentford. 16, 49, 81, 114
Bridguater, 140. 178
Bridlington, 308
Brisbane, 80. 114, 308, 340, 373,

436, 404, 496, 531
Bulgaria, 850
Canterbury, 659, 691, 723
Cape Town, 242
Chile, 146, 178. 210. 242
Costa Rica, 403, 497, .531
Cowdenbeath, 140
Crovdon, 210, 242, 274, 308
Darlington, 16, 49
Denny, 497
Dewsbury, 436, 627
Doncaster, 531, 563
Dublin, 210, 563, 593, 627
Durban, 8.50
Edinburgh. 16^ 49, 178, 210, 242,

308, 340, 373, 403, 850
Egypt, 81
Falkirk, 593, 627
France, 210, 308, 373, 430, 531.

593, 027. 659, 723, 755
Glasgow, 16, 114
Grantown-on-Sp.-v, 81, lla
Grimsby, 16, 49, 81, 115, 14(i,

627; 659, 691
Hull, 10, 49
Ukley, 503
India. 242, 274. 308, 340, 373,

43li 4li5. 497, 786, 819, 850
Indu-China, 436, 465, 497
ItaK, 531
Joh.'innesburg, 850
Langho (n,..r Blackburn), 274,

340
Leeds, 027. (.59. 091
i>i\ton. 755, 780. 819. 8.50
Lincoln, 340, j74, 403, 436
Lithuania, 308

Littleboroogh, 34(1 374, 692. 723,
Liverpool, 659, 780
London, 21(1. 242, 275, 308, 340,

.J03, 430, 497 0'27. 059, 692.

786, bl9
Macclesli.M, 275, 308, 340
Manches: r. 49, 81, 115, 146, 178,

242. 275, 308, 340, 374, 4(13.

465, 497, 531, 503, 593, 819, 8

Mci

8,50

.Melbourne. SO, 308, 340, 373, 436, -!

497 091. 723, 755, 786
Mertbvi' 'Ivdfil, 275. 308
Monte \'ideo, 659, 692. 723
Montreal. 563
Napier (M.Z.). 850
-Natal. 819. 850

New South Wales, 403, 430. 4li4.
New Ze.aland. 10. 49, :iOSi 340, 4

593. 027, 0-59. 755, 780. 850
Nunealon, 16, 49. HI, 115. 146. i

242 275, 308, 340. 374
Paisley, 780, 819
Ph mouth, 627, 659, 692
Pontypridd, 723, 755
Portrush, 755, 780. 819
Portsmouth, 16, 49, 81, 146, 178. i

242

850

Rwhdale. 403, 437

Rothwell, ;»8

St. Helens 340, 374, 403, 723, 755

St. Marylebone, 723

St. Pancras. 275

Salisbury (S.A.), 850

Sheffield. 340, 374, 403, 437, 405

South Africa. 210, 242, 275, 308. 755.

786. 819, 8.50
Southampton. 16. 340. 437, 723, 755
Spain, 81, 210, 242, 340, 437, 465, 497
Stalvbridge, 115
Stockton-on-Te.s, 210, 242, 275, 308,

593, 627, 692, 723
Sydney, 16, 49, 81, 723, 755, 780, 819,

8a()
Tasmania, 627, 659, 091
Turton, 497, 531, 563
L'ganda, 146, 178, 210. 242. 275. 308,

Uruguay, 403. 437. 46.5, 497
Aictori.r. 242. 274, 308, 340
Wakefield, 692
Wallasey, 092, 723, 7.55
Walthainstow. 242, 275, 308
Warrington, 16, 49, 81, 115, 140, 178.

210, 242, 375, 308
West Bromwlch, 437, 465
West Ham. 242. 375, 308
West Hartlepool, 465. 497, .531
Whitehaven. 6,59, 692
Wrexham. 092
York, (i59

Control, Automatic train. 342, 400, .W4
t'ontxolling gear. Motor starting antJ :

Some criticisms and suggestions, by

G. T. Dickson, 188

Convention, The European Glow-lamp,

, Northampton Polytechnic,
756
Conversion process. New ore, 798
Cookery and Food Exhibition, 460
Cooking in France, Electric heating and,
804 , ,

Cooking ranges. Electric; Standard

specification, 212, 263
Coolidge lamp patent. The, 179
Co-operative electrical repairing, 461
" Cooperite," 781
Copper output. The world's, 403
Copper production in Sweden, Electro-
lytic, 540
Copper trade in Japan, 461
Corona, Electrical, 405
Corporations and prices ol construc-
tional materials. Municipal, 17,.

Abu

107

conde

•Capacity."
v " A Lon-

.\n attack on foremi-n
don Foreman," 202

Award of the National Joint Board,
The, by "True Economy," 138;
by "Juslitia Fiat," 139

Cable lault localisation, by T. D.
Spark, -29

Cheap wiring for small houses, by
E. A. Pinto, 651

Commutator construction, by H. Ash-
down, 573

Composition v. porcelain insulators,
by G. V. Twiss, 63

Concerning a review, by S. P. Smith,
619

Cost of living in India, by P. L. T..
107; by .A. load, 1(2; b)
" M.I.E'E.," 605; by " En-
gineer," 630; by C. C. T. East-
gate, 863

Credit and prices, by E. Berkesley,
533

Crisis in electricity supply. The, by
"Query," 747; by "Pollux,"
747; by "Junior," 747; by
" Junior' Engineer," 777

Curious phenomenon. A, by J.
Knowles Hassell, 745; b; 1'. A.
Robertson, 811; by T. H. Muras,
864; bv E. Rothwell, 864

Current density in wires at high
temperatures, by C. O. Bastian,
28

Delivery rates, bv C. Culmcr Hodges,
574 .

Direct current compared with three-
phase current for driving steel
works plant, by R. S. Jones. 28

Domestic supply pressure and wiring,
bv J W. Beauchamp, 394; by 1.
Smith 395; bv B. W. Gothard,
430; bv E. Ellis, 458; by A. J.
Inch, 489; bv G. C. Allingham,
532; bv M. 'O. Fuller England,

573

:zlcd,'

Drying cupboard. A, by "

'715; bv Tomlinson Haas, Ltd.,
748; by E. G. Phillips, 748

Econoniiser tubes, by R. S. Ihorn-
thwaite. 488 ,. , c

Electric lawn mower, by A. E.
Saville, 680

F P E A. and the E.T.U., by A
Group of Senior Power Engin-
eers," 365; by " Se Delendendo,
392; bv "Another Power En-
gineer,'' bv W. E. Rogers, by
" Another 'Group of Senior Mem-
bers," 393; bv W. A. Jones, 394;

by •■A.v°'h<='-\,S"r ';,■>"•" ^^-

gineer, by G, by H. ^•

Silver 439; bv " Pollux," and

"E 'p. E. Atom." 4.58; by

" Juice." 488; bv " Ben Hur,'

488; by "Pollux;" 489
Electric vision, by LI. B. Atkinson,

748
Electric welding, by H I^-, Swift,

394 5-22: bv " Electrode," 4a7; by

J. W. Beswick, 458
Electrical Power Engineers' Assoeia-

tion by " Celt," 96
Electrically hardened taps, by !■.. P.

Barfield, 620 . . i

Electricity supply restrictions, by J.

M. Seddon. 367
Electricitv supply without stalutory

powe"r=^. by "J. W. S.." 619
l-;iectro-deposition of iron, by A. b.

Canning, 95
Eneineers' club for London, An. by

"M.I.E.E.," 715; bv S. Rentell.

748; bv C. H. Wordingham, 7(8;

bv H: T. Wilkinson, 778; by

E. T. Williams, 863
Ex-service men first, by II. M-

Tavlor, 457
" Extra-high pressure," by 1 . I'un-

shcath. 235 .

Extra long-distance transmission ol

electrical energy, by " Telephone

Engineer," 332'
Fault localisation, by E. Raymond-
Barker, 61
Future of Finsbury, The, by H. M.

Dowsett, 710 ■ . .,

Generator problem, by " \\ ireman,

778- bv T. A. Robertson. 803; by

C. A. Beslev. 863
German competition in the electrical

trades, by " W. H. M.," 812;

by E. P. 'Allam, 863
High-pressure direct-eurrent Iransmis-

sion, by " Ignoramus," 63

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW— INDEX.

[jANUARy 7, li)21.

COKKESI'ONDLNCE — continued

Imitation hair-watt lamps, b\ 13. B.

Gothard, 394
Imporial uireli-ss chain, Tlic, by G.

C. Isaacs, 139

I.M.E.A., and the National Joint
Uoard, by C. N. HefTord, 03; bv
" Con/used," 63

Information wanted, by " lilcctricus,"'
Bt>4

l.E.E. subscriptions, The, bv " Coun-
try A.iM.l.E.E,," 651; by D. K.
liroadbcnt, 651; bv l-'. VV. Turse,
liJl, 681, 74G; by f, O. Grinishaw,
681; by G. W. Paitridgc, 681;
by -1. Carter, 716; bv
'■ A.M.I. Mech.E.," 740; bv W. E'.
Warrilow, 746

Joint Industrial Councils, bv W. J.
Webb, 523

Jurisdiction of the Electricity Com-
missioners, by H. M. Sayers, 778
812

Labour questions, by " A Life-Lont?
Reader," 333

Larj^e totally-enclosed dynamo, A. by
H. N. Hickley, 652

Maximum load indicator. A, by R.J.
Beaumont, 107; by " E. D A "
202

Mechanical details of d.c. armature
construction, bv W. S. Daniels,
605

Municipal contractini^, by l. Smith,
202

Non-union labour and supply under-
takintjs, by " Electric "Supph,"
29 -^"^ ■

Position of the E.S.C.A., bv " Opti-
mist," 745; by " OutdoiM- Repre-
sentative," 745; by " London,"
745; by " Essex," 745; by " Fair
Play." 811

Power development in U.S.A., bv A.
E. Carr, 28

Power factor, by E. W. Dorey, 302,
365, 428, 490, 715. 745; by C. H.
Harvey, 332, 365, 605; by E.
Freeman Smith, 366, 522; by C.
Turnbull, 394, 811; by W. E.
Rogers. 428; bv R. G. Vanneck,
428; by H. Bentham. 680; bv

D. .Sclar. 746.

Power factor from the business man's
point of view, bv E. \V. Dorcv,
619

Professional salaries and the cost of
living, by " Inijuirer," 235

against lightning. The. by "Cap-
Road transport, bv " Tractor," 304,

605; by H. E.BIain, 489
Salaries of works engineers. The, bv

" Testbed," 811
Sea tunnels. Proposed, by D. R.

Broadbent, 458
Severn barrage. The, bv W. M.

Sandison, 811
Shop displays, bv "Retailer," 716,

777; by J. and T. Robinson, 746;

by " -Anotherofem," 747; by

" Provinces," 747; by " Injured,"

777; by R. Marshall Carr, 812;

by L. G. Tate, 812; by Watson,

Marsh & Co., 863; bv H. J.

Cosh, 864
Shop lighting, bv " The Retailer."

653 ■
Single-phase meters on three-phase,

three-wire svstems, by O. Sclar,

61; by C. C. Garrard, 138, 301;

by "Stop Watch." 332, 522; by

T. A. Robertson, 428
So-called half-watt lamp. The, bv

" E. W. U.," 302
Squashed again !, by J. W. Black, 172
Staff salaries and conditions of ser-
vice, by N. \\vW, 6'2; bv C. K.

Waddington, 62; bv G. ic Roet.

107
Submarine cable telegraphy, by " .\.

Sugt^estion for instrument makers .\,
by W. J. U. Sowter. 747

Technical books, by Rollo .^ppleyard,
62

Ten per cent, discounts, by " Elec-
trical Contractor," 172

Tests for electric welds, by H. li.
Donnithorne. 267

Thury system for ships' auxiliaries,
by " Kilowatt," 619

" Tumbler " switches, bv R. T. Turn-
bull, 172; by A. P. I.undberg and
Sons, 235

Under-run gasfilled lamps, by " Lu-

Use of condensers. The, bv " Stu-
dent," 681

Water powor development, h\ 1, Mar-
shall Jockel, 138

".We must e.vport to live." bv K. W.
Hayman. 139

What is a " Qualified eleeli ic.il en-
gineer ":■• by " Qucrieus." 574

What is the contractor doing? by
J. P. Epstein, 63; by " British
Manufacturer," 95; by "Live
Wire," 107; bv P. Walker. 171;
by C. H. Archer, 172

Why is the contractor permitted to
do it? by "A Contractor's
Managing Engineer," 302; by C.
A. Baker, 332; by S. O. Hoad,
364

Cost and Works AccountanLs. The In-
stitute of, fr22. 655

Cost of living .inj industrial unrest.
The. 4B1

Cost of printing and scientific proceed-
ings. The, 82

Cost of the coal strike. The, 622

Cost, Saving the, bv J. T. 'fowlson,
231

Costs, Electricity, 432

County of London Kojal Engineer
Volunteers, 628

Couplings, and journal seats. Line
shafting, by J. T. Towlson. 315

Court, Industrial. 660, 703

Crane, Floating dork and, 103

Credit and prices. 433

Credit scheme. The export, 529 558,
589, 687

Crewe signal-box fire, 405

Crisis in electricity supply, 641, 693,
708, 725, 738, 782, 814 '

Criticism of British electrical manu-
facturers, Australian. .397. 451

Crown-magnetic motor car. bv F. H.
Hutton, 679

Crvstal Palace Exhibition. The. 200

Cu'ba as an electrical market, 654

DALMARNOCK power station, Glas-
gow. 324
Damming the Severn. 115
Daylight. Artificial. 819
Debenhams' electric restaurant, 262
Debts, Austrian-British, 597
Debts to Germans, 780'
Decimal coinage, by H. Allcock, 347
Deed of assignment, 780
Deflation in the United States, 782
Delta-star transformers. Cio-culaling-
tions for. by J. Hen

rial travellers

derson, 203
Denmark, Com

Department of Overseas Trade, 460. 751

Design of a super-power station. The,

by H. Goodwin and A. R. Smith,

Design of distributing networks, bv

C. N. Gillin. 6
Design of lifting tackle, Ihe, by J. T.

"Towlson, 69
Designs Act, 1919, Patents and 397
Detector, A thunderstorm, 724
Detector, Iceberg, 466
Deterioration of nickel registers. 678
Detroit. Rapid development in. 148
Development. The world's industrial,

8'36
Developments, Christiania, 757
Diesel Engine. A. 309
Diesel Engine Users' -Association, 600
Diesel engines, German, 594
Diesel engines in .Australia, 304
D.c. armature construction. The mech-
anical details of, bv " A London

F"oreman," 515
D.c. coiiunutators ; Clamping, turning,

and re-tunring, bv " A Lonilon Fore-
man," 196
Direct-current railwavs. High-voltage,

136
Disabled men. Training, 148
Dish washer wanted. Electric, 814
Disinfecting fluid. Electrolvtic. .!:i7
f)ispute. British insulated cable. 304
Dispute, Cape Town electrical, 64, 154
Dispute. Inter-trade Union, 461
Dispute. Italian metalworkers, 431
Dispute. National tramways, 787
Dispute. nic engineering trade. 142.

205. 237. 304, 337, 369, 432
Disputes, 142, 205, 237
Dissolutions of partnership, 13. 45, 76,

111, 140, 205, 270, 303, 367, 395

430, 459 491, 525, 558, 588, 621,

680, 749, 779. 844
Distributing networks. The design of.

by C. A. Gillin, 6
Distribution bv underground cable.

Extra-high-tension, by R. O. Kapp.

793
Distribution mains in Italy. 532
Distribution of electricity, ' I'he, by W.

B. Woodhouse, 710, 760, 77a. 853.

Distribution pres;

and

ules.

for domestic sup-
ply and the cheapening of house
wiring, by C. H. Wordingham, 357

District Industrial Councils, Meeting
of employers' side, 852

I>istricl Joint Board for technical staffs,
780

District Kail«

838

oiling stock. Ne

Docks, Electric trucks in, 724

Docks, Electcicity in, 724

Domestic electric apparatus industr\,

Canada's, 243
Domestic electrical exhibitions, 527
Domestic electrical *' inventions," bv

" Vollman," 300
Domestic electricity service. Tariffs for,

by J. W. Beauch.-imp, 71
Domestic supply and the ch<-:ipening of

house wiring. Distribution pres-

357

for, by C. H. Wordingha

acuum-tube, a.c. recti-
fier and wireless transmitter. A, bv
J. Scott-Taggart, 298

Dowlais steel works. Big scheme for,
44

Drake «.- Gorham notes, 787

Drills, Portable electric, 276 438

Drums, Cable. 492

Ductile tungsten, hv Prof. C. H. Dcsch.
294

Duddell Memorial, Xr,. 629

Dutch capital augmentation, 400

Dutch co-operative trade, 11

Dutch East Indies, 433

Duty on rails. .Australian tramwajs and

the. 174
Dynamo. A large totally-enclosed. b\

E. G. Sanford, 612
Dyn.unomelrical comparator. 405

EALING electric railway extension
The Shepherd's Bush-. 160

Earthing : Harmonics trouble and neu-
tral—General considerations, by L.
C. Grant, '230

East Indies, The Dutch, 433

East Midlands schemes. Electricity sup-
ply districts, 155

Ebbw Vale Co.'s works and collieries.
Electrification of the, by VV. Di.xon,

Electricity in Holland, The use of, 398

Electricity in India, '243

Electricity in Italy: Statistical data, 70,

425

eloclit
Hom
836

of

596

lighting, by " Volt-

Economy, Private and public, 737
Edaism in the Antipodes, 162
Education, Board of, 81, 341
Educational, 50, 115, 179, 212, 341, 342.
374. 404. 438 406. 498. 532. 564 .,.
693, 735, 757, 787. 820. 852
Etficienc), Load factors and' station. 194
Efficieney of lead accumulators. The,

by T. E. Green, 168
Efficiency of power stations, The ther-
modynamic, 97
Efficiency of transmitting aerials and
the power required for long-distance
transmission, by Prof. G. W. O.

Ho

377

Egyptian Government contracts. Condi-
tions relating to, 306
Eight-hour day. The, 99
Eight-hour day in Switzerland, 597
Einstein's theory. 466
Electric furnace' development. 124
Electric furnaces. New use for, 152
Electric house. The, 104
Electric locomotives, 406
Electric steel production, 109
Electric steels, by C. G. Carlisle, 477
supply agreements with local

uthoril

834

Electiric Supply Committee of the
United Kingdom, The Provincial,
447

Electric tricycles, 6''28

Electric vehicles, 438

Electric welding, by " Eleelrode." 356

Electrical apparatus industry of Canada,

465

526

Electrical Development Association, 108,
396, 590, 751, 813

Electrical engineering industry. Position
of the Germ.m, 161, 174, 335

Electrical engineers' ball, 1921, 851

Electrical industry in Germany, Posi-
tion of the, 3'35

Electrical industry. The German. 161

Electrical Power Hngineers' .Associa-
tion. 46, 559

Electrical Power Engineers' Association.
Yorkshire Electric Power Co. and
the. 141

E.P.E.A. and the E.T.U., The, 483

E.P.E.A. schedule, 400

Electrical properties of iron - nickel
alloys. Magnetic and. 4

Electrical proposals for Parliament to
consider. New, 742

Electrical Research Association, 275

Electrical review, An. 673

Electrical Suburban Contractors' .Asso-
ciation, 613

Electrical Trades' Benevolent Institu-
tion, 628, 728, 756; Annual Festival,
830, 862

E.T.U. and N.F.E.A., 304

E.T.U. and the Amalgamated Engineer-
ing Union, 141

E.T.U. and the housing problem, 270

E.T.U., The E.P.E.A. and the, 483

E.T.U., The Rotherham Council and.

El

77

1 workers' wages, 337
Electrically-guided ships, 300
Electrically-hardened taps, 597
Electricall'v-propelled ships, 628, 686
Electrically-treated milk, '213
Electrically-treated seed, 403
Eleetricall'v-welded motor ship. An 8,800

ton, 359
Electrically-welded ship 50
Electricians' mates' yvages, 600
Electricians' strike, 659
Electricity and housing, .5:*!
Electricity and housing (the Billingh.im

housing scheme), 552
Electricity and oil production, 277
Electricit'y and public health, 179
Electricity .Authority, Joint : West of

England. 93, 809
Electricity Commissioners, Presentation

to, 343
Electricity Commissioners, The jurisdic-
tion of the, 739
Electricity Commissioners, The work of

the, S58
Electricity costs, 432
Electricity District, The .South Wales :

A local conference. 861
Electricity in a mint. 498
Electricity in .agriculture, 466; bv R. E.

Neale, 506. 537
Electricity in docks, 724
F-lectricity in factories, 508
Electricity in gold and silver mining.

242

Electricity in metal production, 404

Electricity in mines. 498, 772

Electricity in South Africa, Develop-
ment of, 18

Electricity in Ihe German Army, by
Major T. Rich. 299. 348. 411

Electricity on board ship. 342

Elc-ctricity supply authorities, '201

Electricity supply at Paris, 287

Electricity Supply Bill, The new, 163,
787, 802

Electricity Supply Commercial .Associa-
tion, The, 115, 461, 725, 781

Electricity supply. Crisis in, 642, 693,
708, 725, 738, 782, 814

Electricity supply developments and
national fuel conservation by L.
Marshall Jockel, 484

Electricity supply districts. 106, 155. 17.)

Electricity supply, Financial responsi-
bility for, 67

Electricity supply in London, 510, 514,
539, 744

Electricity supply in Shanghai, 137

Electricity supplv in the United King-
dom,'267

Electricity supply industry. The Joint
Industrial Councils for, 449

Electricity supply legislation, 707

Electricity supply legislation in Hol-
land, 378

Electricity supply, 1917-18, London, 235

Electricitv supplv problem, London's,
481, 611

Electricity supplv undertakings. The
coal strike and. 528. 560

Electricity supplv. Wages in. 46

Electricitv. The' function of the earth
in the transmission of, bv C. E.
Snell, 421

Electricity v. gas, 26

Electrification, Austrian railway, 335

Electrification, London it N.\\". Rail-
way, 244

Electrification of British railwais The,
474 ■ ■

Electrification of Liundries, b) E. Aus-
tin, 647

Electrification of raily^a.vs, The, 450,

Ele

130

of the Italii

lilways

Electro-deposited thermo-couples, 309
Electro-Harmonic Society, 404, 594
Electrolvtic copper production in SvKe-

den', 540
Electrolytic disinfecting fluid. 437
Electrolytic smelting in Australia, 590
Electrolytic zinc, by S. Field, 294
Electrolytic zinc industry, Australian,

175

Ele

82

ricit> in Hamburg, 570

Electromagnelism, The discovery of, 330

Electrometallurgy, Swedish, 396

" Electron," The, Scintillations from.

499
Electro-plating, A symposium on, 804
Electro-plating process. New, 093
Electroscope, .A new, 454
Electrostatically cleaning blast-furnace
gas, by A. Hutchinson and E. Bun,
391
Elements, Constitution of the, 6-29
Elements, Origin of the, 309
Emergency orders. 590. 617
Empire communications. The import-
ance of, 195
Employes' assessments. Income tax anti,

448
Employment abroad. 770
Employment. Gerntans in Japanese, 141
Employment, The state of, 46
Energy Scandinavia and the export of,

498
Energy, The world's supplv of. 479
Engineering and Machinery Exhibition,

1921, Shipping, 6-22
Engineering developments. Inter-.MK

electrical, 109
Engineering dispute, 115, 272, 355, 380,

399, 4^
Engineering in the U.S., Telephone,

524
Engineering industry, German, 432
Engineering industry. Wages in the,
6'22 - .. .

Engineering Societies, Federated Ameri-
can, 595
Engineering Standards Association

(Inc.), British, 115
Engineering tool standards, 242
Enginec-ring trade depression. 141
ICngineering trade dispute The, 304,

337, 369
l£nglneering training, 139
Engineering Training Org.nnisation, 291.

309, 499, 565
Engineering wages in Australia, 433
Engineers' Hall, 1921, Electrical, 851
Engineers, Classification of, 572
Engineers' clubs for London and Bir-
mingham, 813, 834, 851
Engineers, The registration of, 163
Engineers' Wages, 11, 99. 141, 687
English Electric Co.. in Australia, +4
English Electric Co.'s Phcenix Work^.

Bradford, 57
Ercole Marelli & Co.'s works, 846
Erith-Riley stokers, 399
Essay yvriting competition, 729
European countries. Tramways in, 418
European Glow-lamp Convention, 780
Examinations in electric light switch-
ing, 76. 271. 633
Excess profits duty. 13. 40. 70, 087, 780

January 7, liii'l.]

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW— INDEX.

li.r.U., -S.!'.!)." J bubsliluli: lor, bli

Hxchangcs, Labour, 751

lix-cnemv patents. Sic., 687

Exhibition, A Cardiff, 526

Exhibition, A Chinese, 336

Exhibition, A Riga, 237

Exhibition, \ suburban electrical, 781

Exhibition at Ghent, 397

Exhibition at Greenock, Electrical,- 493

Exhibition at Lima, Peru, International,

Exhibition, Birniingham Health, 108,
157, 173

Exhibition, Commercial Motor, 310, 517,
617

Exhibition, Cookery and Food, 460

Exhibition, Dominions Touring, 175

Exhibition, Foreign Samples, 561, 750

Exhibition, Glasgow's Housing, 310

Exhibition in China, Western Electric
Co.'s, 526

Exhibition, Physical Society's, 590

Exhibition, 1»21, Rubber, 719

Exhibition, Shipbuilding, Engineering,
and Electrical, 559, 614, 66a. 684,
730

Exhibition, The Aero, 74

Exhibition, The British Empire, 390,
590

Exhibition, The Crystal Palace, 200

Exhibition, The International Advertis-
ing, 719, 750

Exhibition, The Laundry, 732

Exhibition, The London Medici, 490

Exhibition, The Machine Tool and En-
gineering 45, 2115, 329, 362, 414.
446

Exhibitions. Domestic Electrical, 5'27

Exhibitions, Floating, 242

Exhibitions, Forthcoming, 622, 751

Exhibitions, Local, 814

" Exide " battery service, 492

Ex-officers' training, 693

Export credit scheme. 529, 558, 589, 687

Export duties, F'urther reductions in
German, 239, 460

Export ol energy, Scandinavia and the,
498

" Export to live !, We must,"^ 67

Export trade. Control of the German,
227. 396

Exports and imports of electrical goods
for June. 1920, 355; for Julv. 19-20.
319; for August. 1920. 362; for Sep-
t.mbir, 1920, 518; for October, 1920,
650; tor November, 1920, 800

Exports of U.S.A., Electrical, 649

lixports, Swedish, 271

Ex-service men, Training of, 197, 374,
468, 660, 749

Extension of Unemplojnient Insurance,
bv J. J. H. Stansfield. 555

Extension, The Shepherd's Uush-Ealing
electric railway, 166

Extensions at Aylesbury, 260

Extra-high-tension distribution by under-
ground cable, bv R. O. Kapp, 793

Eve-strain. Kinema', 276

"PACl DRIES, Eleclrivil; in. .508

Factories. Working conditions in. 637

Factorv inspectorate. Home Office. 244,
810

" Fahrdiagraph." The. 364

Failures, Classification ol large turbo-
generator, 18, 595

Failures, Large turbo-generator. bv
" Mechanolcetric," 709

Fair at Prague, The Samples. 400

Fair, 1921, Brussels Commercial, 779

Fair, Ljons, 623

Fair, 1921, The Birmingham, 461

Fair, The Leipzig, 237

Fair, Utrecht Industries, 813

Fairs, British Industries. 108. '206. 399,
623, 688

Faradav Societv, The, 126

Fatalities 50, '212, 276, 310. 404. 4^38.
466, 532, 564, 628. 660, 692, 820, 831

Federated .American Engineering Socie-
ties, 595

Federation of British Industries, 719

Federation of British Industries and
national expenditure, 75

Federation ol British Industries, Can-
cellation of orders, 77

Felten S: Guilleaume Co. 142

Film publicitv, 277

Finance and 'statistics. Tramway, 777 "

Financial responsibility for electricity
supply, 67

Finger prints. X-ray, 364

Finland. Imports into, 493

Finland's industrial production, 815

F'irc at Glasgow Technical College, 83

Fire, Crewe signal-box, 405

Fire signal telegraph, 594

Fires, 82, 212, 367, 400. 720

Fishing industry. Wireless in, 213

Fittings for Canada, Conduits and, 528

Fittings, Sliips' : -Standard specihcation,

408

180

fun

Floating tluck and crane, 103
Food Exhibition, Cookery and, 460
" Ford " Universitv, 400
Foreign Samples Exhibition, 561, 7.50
Foreign trade. 76. 238. 367, 653 779
Foreign trade, American, 461, 492
Forthcoming exhibitions. 632, 751
France, High pressure transmission in

323
l"rench b..uxile exports, 719
French company notes, 13, 46, 108

846

French export trade, 590
F'rench hydro-electric power 213
French Jeumont works, The, 110, 492
French manufactures, 108
French railways and electric traction,

832
French telephone industry. The,
Franch Thomson-Houston Co.. Activity

of the. -207
French war profits concealment. 111
Fuel conservation. Electricity supply de-
velopments and national, by L. Mar-
shall Jockel. 484
Fuel economiser pipes. External wast-
ing of, bv E. Ingham. 424
Fuel oil buriiing appliances, '277
Fuel position. Ihe. 116
Fuel. Pulverised coal and colloidal, by

■• Imperial," 8-25
F'unction of the earth in the transmis-
sion of electricity, by C. E. Snell,
421 ■
F'unds Research, 418
Furnace development. Electric, T24
Furnace for zinc ores, Resistance, 565
Furnace, The " Turbine " boiler 586
Furnaces for melting metals. Electric,

24
Furnaces, New use for electric, 152
Future of capital expenditure. The, by
R. Stuart Pilchor, 476

s, 328

Garlearini's rotating arc lamp, 50
Gas z". electricity, 26
Gas, Electrostatically cleaning blast-lur-

nace, by A. Hutchinson and E.

Bury, 391
Gasfilled v. half-watl. 483
Gasfilled lamps, 232
Gasfilled lamps, A lock lor, 781
Gearless lighting and starting set, 81
General Federation of Trade Unions,

303

245

857

Generating station statistics, U.S..\..
210

Generating stations. Private electricitv,
359

Generator, A low-pressure, large-current
d.c, 233

Generators. Shifting brushes on inter-
pole, 467

German armv, Electricitv in the, by
Major T.'Kich, 299, 348, 411

German capital augmentations, 336

■ " clivilv in China,

526

an companies, 75

the

cal

769

rman dry batteries, 400
rman Diesei engines, 594
rman Electrical Engineers, .Associa-
tion of, 466
■iTian electrical industrv. The, 161,

174, 559

rman electrical svndicate, A great, 33

rman engineering industry, 432

rman export duties. Further reduc-
tions in, 239, 460

■man export trade, -227. 396

rman heating apparatus. 271

rman in Belgium— Again. The. 175

rman industries. Trustification of, 186

rman industry, 590, 655
rman investment companies and

manufacturing firms^ 707

rman lamp industrv. The, 798

rman magneto invasion, 664, 089,
718

an price reduction. 281

an reconstruction. 674

an steel and electrical co

A, 815

Germans and Swiss investment com-
panies. The, 610

Germans, Debts to, 780

Germans in China, 44

Germans in Japanese emplovment, 141

Germany, Aluminium production in,
398

Germany, -An order for, .527

Germany and Japan, 468

Germany, Australia and trade with, 89,
590

Germany, Bauxite mining in, 431

Germany, Imports from, 590

Germany, Industrial conditions in, 1919,
65

Germany, Position ol the electrical in-
dustry in, '335

Germany, Socialisation of supplv works
in, 419

Germanv. Standardisation in, by " E.
S. H.," 520

Germanv. Strike in, 6-23

An exhibition at. 397

Gla

700

Glasgow's Housing Exhibition. 310
Gl.'isgow. The Dalmarnock power ;

Glow-lamp Convention. The I

iiuropean.

780

Gold and silver mining. Elect

ricilv in.

83

Government and industry. 13

Government contracts : The

National

Roll, 238

Government control, 718

Grants to aid research, 074

Graphite in belt dressing removes static

electricity, 468
Greece, A new company law in, 780
Greece, Patents in, 781
Greece, Trade and industry in, 94
Greenock, Electrical Exhibition at, 493
Grenoble, The University of, by T.

Rich, 3
Growth of plants, 728
Guatemala, Trade with, 023

TT ALF-WATT v. gasfilled, 483

Half-wave transmission lines, Quarter-
wave and, 289
Halifax war memorial, 787
Hamburg, Electricity in, 570
Harbour improvement, Zanzibar, 559
Harmonics trouble and neutral earth-
ing : General considerations, by L.
C. Grant, 330
Health, Electricity and public, 179
Health Exhibition, Birmingham, 108,

157

Elec.

Heating and cooking in Fr

trie, 804
Heating and Power (Emergency) Order,

1930, The Lighting, 546
Heating apparatus, German, '271
Heating of buried cables, 801, 841
Helium arc. The, 608

3-23
High-speed wheels for low-head hydrau-
lic turbines, 254
High voltage d.c. railways, 136
High-voltage transmission, 635
Holidays, Workmen's, 374
Holland, American business methods in,

108
Holland, Electrical conditions in, 281
Holland, Electricity supply legislation

in, 378
Holland Labour Act in, 635
Holland, Swedish enterprise in, 110
Holland, The use of electricity in, 398
Home Secretary and Herr Rathenau,

The, 493
Hospital X-ray dcp.irtment, Bethlem,

Ho

532

243

An ele

House-lighting plant. One h.p., 147
House, The electric, 104
Housing and electric transport, 600
Housing. Electricity and, 532
Housing, Electricity and (the Billing-
ham housing scheme), 552
Housing problem. The E.T.U. and the.

276
Hungary, Trade with, 756
Hydraulic turbines. High-speed wheels

for low-head, 254
Hvdro-electric development, 46
Hvdro-electric installation, The Insho,

803
Hvdro-electric loan, Tasmanian, 461
Hydro-electric Power Commission of

Ontario, 199
Hydro-electric power, French, 213
Hydro-electric power in Tasmania, 81,

Hydro-electric scheme. The Severn, 705
Hvdro-electric units. Regulation of, 278
H'vdro-electric works, Swedish, 594
H'vdro-ekclrlcs, A chair ol, 466

Cf;HERG detector, 466

lllumina

and electrical cond

360

littee of Great Bri

llluniinution
tain, 18

Illuminations, Electrical, 137

Imperial wireless chain, .\ proposed,
42, 67

Import duties on <'Jectrical goods, Swe-
dish, 6-22

Import trade of Australia, 807

Import trade of China, 490

Invports from Germany, 590

Imports into Finland, 493

Imports of electrical goods for June,
1920, Exports and, 255; for Julv,
1920, 319; for August, 1920, MZ; for
September, 1920, 518; for October,
1930, 650

Imports of manufactured goods, 653

fmports, Spanish electrical, 560

Inclinometer, An electrical hot-wire, 243
and employes' assessments.

448

71

35,

in South Africa, 70

I.M.E.A. meeting, 532

India, Electric vehicles in. 523

India, Electricitv in. 243

India, Industrial' development in. 390

India. Japanes. trad.- with. 41

Indi.i. Trade «ilh. 793

Indies. Netherlands. 719

Induction frequencv changers, 245, 276

Industrial coal supplies. The quality of,

by J. S. Evenden. 835
Industrial conditions in Germany in

1919, 65
Industrial content, 780
Industrial co-partnership, 590
Industrial Council, Municipal represen-

t;, lives on an, 686
lM.lu,hial Councils, 174
In.kiMrial Court, 660, 703
Industrial development in India, 390

Industrial development, Ihe worlds, 82t.
Industrial electric truck taxes, 724
Industrial expansion, Victorian, 839
Industrial League and Council, 718
Industrial medicine, 404
Industrial production, Finland's, 815
Industrial psychology, 321; b\ E. S.

Hodgson, 266
Industrial research, Scientific and, 443
Industrial situation, The, 193
Industrial unrest. The cost of living

and, 461
Industries Fair, Utrecht, 813
Industries Fairs, British, 108, 200. 3, -9
Industries, Trustification of German,

186
Industry, Children in, 839
Industry during and after the war.

The Russian electrical, 572
Industry, Government and, 12
Industry in .Australia, Trade and, 589
Industry in Czecho-Slovakia, Organi-
sation of, 142
Industry in Greece, Trade and, 94
Industry, Italian electrical, 650
Industry of Canada, The electrical

apparatus, 1-24
Industry of Norway, The electrical, 198
Industry, Position of the German elec-
trical engineering, 161, 174, 559
Industry, Radiography in, 693
Industry, The German lamp. 798
Indu-try, The necessity of stability in,

542
Industry, The Swiss electrical, 227, 655,

815
Informal ineetings, I.E.E., 611
Inshes hydro-electric installation, 803
Inspector's notebook. Leaves from an,

by " Anode," 155
Installations in Spain, Electrical, 213
Institute of Cost and Works Accoun-
tants, The, 632 655

Institution .and LliCTLKji NoTi-s—

Association of Consulting Engineers
(Inc.), 82

.Association of Engineering and Ship-
building Draughtsmen. 468

Association of Enginecrs-in-Charge,
597, 726

Association of Mining Electrical En-
gineers, 468, 533

.Association of Municipal Electrical
Engineers (Union of South
Africa), 662

Barrow and District Association ol
Engineers. 788

Birmingham and District Electric
Club, 501, 662, 788

Birmingham Wireless Soviet;, 853

Bradford Engineering Society, 500

Chelmsford Engineering Society, 468,
532, 566, 630, 768, 788

Cleveland Institution of Engineers,

694

As;

83,

Diesel Engint

788. 853
IMlnburgh Electrical .Society, 439,

501, 630, 853
Electrical Power Engineers' Associa-

Fngineering Association. N.S.W., 726
Faradav Society, 438. .501, 533, 566,

66-2; 758
Finsbury Old Sluilents' Association,

439
Glasgow and District Radio Club.

757, 821

Glasgow Corpor.ition Electricity De-
partment Engineering Society,
501

Illuminating Engineering .Society,

758, 821

Institute of Civil Engineers, 341, 788
Institute of Cost & Works Accoun-
tants, 12
Institute of Metals, 242, 468, 566, 662
Institute ol Mine Surveyors, 152
Institute of Patentees (Inc.l. 506
Insliiule of Physics, 630 694
Institute of Transport, 566. 62!
Institution of Civil Engine.-rs, 8-.;,

560. 757
Insiilulion of Electrical Engineers.
.50. 179. 597. 6-29. 661, 694. 821
East Midland Sub-Centre, 501,
7-26, 853

Liverpool Sub-Centre, 566, 61.),
■ 661
North-Easlcrn Centre, 661, (i94
N,„ih-\li.n ind Centre, 639, 694
N,„il,-\\ -1. ..1 Centre, 629, 699
s,.,ni.li 1 ,1,11.. 629, 694, 788
s„uih \l„jl.,n.l Centre, 213, 468,

629

(i(;7.

W.sl
701.

-202

■;!i4

n Centre. .533 602. 629,
.7
of Mechanical Engineers.

of Post Office Electrical

Engineers. 757, 821
Junior Institution of Engineers, 50,

.501, 757
King's College, London, Old Students

.Association, 500, 597, 788
Liverpool l-lngineering Society, "88
Liverpool Wireless Association, 439,

601. 7-26
Manchester Association of Engineers,

501. 560
Manchester Wireless Society, 403
Midland Junior Gas .Association. 597
Municipal Tramways Association. 341
National Physical Laboratory, 694
" Northampton " Past Day Students'

Association, .534
Nottingham Society of Engineers, 720

THE ELECTKICAL KEVIEW— INDEX.

[January 7, 1921.

INSTIIUTIOH AND LbcTURE NotES— COnI,
laislcy Association of Klivlric.il lin-

t'ineors, SOU, 3CG, "Tu
I'llysical Society of London, iii, 438,

661, 72e, 821
Kontgcn Society, 50, 726, 788
Koyal Astronomical Society, 243, 726
Koyal Society or Arts, 629, 661
Koyal Society, The, 597, 629 694,

' 758, 821
Socii5l<! des Ing^nieurs Civils de

I-'rance, 566
Society o( ICnyineijrs, 788
South African Institute of Electrical

Engineers, 662
South African Municipal Electrical

Engineers- Annual Congress, 533
lechnical tnspection Association, 757
\\'arrington Electrical Society, 501.

597
Wireless Societies, 694
Wireless Society of London, 408

Institution of Eleclfical Engineers, In-
augural address of Mr. LI. B.
.\tkinson, President, 697. 734

I i;.i:. Benevolent Fund, 474, 821

I i;.I'.. Infonnal meetings, 611

I.IM-. new session. The, 578

l.E.l;. still homeless, The, 514

I.E.I-;, subscriptions. The, 642. 738, 764.
787

I.E.i;. summer nnxting at Western
Centre, 102, 136

Insulating materials. Synthetic, .-Vrti-
ficial silk, by R. W. Kennedy, 836

Insulation tests on electric cables Main-
tenance, b\ L. R. I.c-o, 154 '

Insurance .Act, 1920. National Health,
.\ew rates of contributions and
benefits, by J. J. H. Stansfield. W

Insurance, Replacement-value, 75'

Intir-.\IK electrical engineering develop-
in. iit-, 109

Inlr, (Lroniitry, Vacuum arcs for, 243

Int. rn.ilional Advertising ENhibition,
The. 719, 750

International catalogue, 466

International Chamber of Connnorce,
751

International Exhibition at Lima. Peru,
622

International patents, 661, 781

International trade, Chinese students
and, 238

Inltrnational Trade Conference, 688

Interpole generators. Shifting brushes
on, 467

Inter-Trade Union dispute. 461
Inventions," .-\ few tlomestic electirical,
by " \oItman." 360

ufactur.

ing firms, German, 707
Irish coal mines, 19
Iron industries in South Africa. 336
Iron and steel industrv. .South .\frican.

239
Iron and Steel Institute, 148
Iron and ste<;l works, Australian. 399
lion nickel alloys. Magnetic anil elec-
trical properties of, 4
Italian companies. New, 206, 431. 5(;(l.

781, 814
Italian electrical industry, 650

Italian labour
Italii

396

Italy, Dritish Chamber of Coniu

for, 688
Italy, Distribution mains in, 532
Italy, Electricity in. Statistical data

242
It.ilv. Passports for, 303

ACKSON Elect!
389

Stove Co., Ltd.,

T ABOUK .\ct in Holland, 635

Labour, .Xuslralian, 335, 399

Labour crisis. Italian, 396

Labour exchanges, 751

Labour position, 'I'he skilled, 322

Labour protection in Luxemburg, 576

Labour questions. Specialism on, 451

Labour unrest, 453

" Lamlok " rings lor car lamps, 558

Lamp, .\ new projector arc, 467

Lamp, .\n a.c. mercury vapour, 821

Lamp. Electric safety, 20

Lamp lactory. I'he .Norwegian, 238

Lamp, Garlearini's rotating are, 50

Lampholder, The long-suffering, 386, 820

Lamp industry. The German. 798

Lamp-makers* wages, 460

Lamp, New type of, 566

Lamp orders, Russian, 622

Lamp works, Messrs. Pope's, 743

Lamps, A lock lor gasfilled, 781

Lamps, gasfilled, 232

Lamps in Japan, Electric, 336

Lamps in Switzerland, Wire, 559

Lamps, " Lamlok " rings for car, 558

Lamps, Swedish glow. 022

Latvian market. The, 493

Laundries, The electrificaiion of, by E.

Austin, 647
Laundry Exhibition, The, 732
Law in Greece, A new company, 780
Law? «ho is breaking the, 163
Lead, 44, 141, 205, 238, 271, 304, 335,

367, 396. 430, 559, 589, 622, 654, 686.

719. 749, 781, 814
Lead accumulators The efficiencv of.

by T. E. Green. 168
Lead poisoning in accumvilator works.

245

Lo,

note book,

Japan, Electric lamps in, 336

Japan. Electrical developments in, 5!MJ

Japan, Germany and, 468

Japan, Government amalgamation of
electrical enterprises in, 212

Japan, Strike prevention in, 335

Japan, The copper trade in. 461

Jap.in. The crisis in, 44

Japan, The situation in, 353

Japanes' commercial depression. 815

Japanese employment. Germans in. 141

Japanese enteu-prises. New, 206

Japanese exports, 446

Japanese trade with India, 41

Japanese railways, 712

Java, Railway electrification in, .559

Jeumont works. Krench, 492

Joint Board for tei-hnical staffs. A dis-
trict, 780

Joint Board of Employers and Members
of Staff. Electricitv Suppiv Indus-
try. National. 493 '

Joint Industrial Councils, .546

Joint Industrial Counrils for the elec-
tricity suppiv industrv. The, 449

.lointers' strike. Liverpool cable. 110

Journal siats. Line shafting, couplings
and. by J. P. Towlson, 315

Jugo-Slavi.i, Electrical trade in. 814

Jurisdiction of the Electricity Commis-

LEG.M. —
.\ssessiiient of electric motors, 75
Battery refills dispute, 179
Bre.ich of the Factory .Act, 556
British and .Allied Electrical Agency
V. Chemical Engineering Corpora-
tion, 525
British Thomson-Houston Co. r.
Corona Lamp Works, 75, 116, 661.
082
Cable missing, 556
Carmai then electricity supply, 606
Carriers and delivery to buyers, 767
Cathodes for Czecho-Slovakia, 661
Charges against Germ.in electrical

manufacturer, 844
Charges of forgery and false pretences

disn.issed. 651
Chief electrical engineer sentenced, 242
Claim for supply of electricity, 556
Claim against Newcastle-on-Tyne Cor-
poration, 341. 606
CoaU-utting machine fatality, 555
Crane driver's fatal fall, 269
Damages against traiiiw ay compan\ ,

779
Death by shock not proved. 714
Discount dispute. A. 5'25
East Anglian Electricitv. Ltd., 707
Electric Light Co. fined. 213
Electrician charged. 213
Electrician's mate's injuries, 715
Electricians as shopkeepers, 43
Electricitv suppiv contract, .Applica-
tion io annul'. 683. 767. 809
Engineer sentence<l. 43
Extension ol patents, liol, 779
Factorv .Act offence. 715
Failure to protect crane, 43
Fatal practical joke. A, 767
' German lamp patents, 43

" Half-watt tvpe " electric lamps, 714
Leatherhead Electricity C:o. fined. 139
Malicious damage of electric light

globe, 083
Maiconi's Wireless Telegraph Co. 1'.

Hamilton, 30, 75, 172, 525, 556
Mid<lle5brough tr.amwav arbitration,

606
Obtaining electrical . goods by false

pretences, 683
Oldham tramway arbitration. 606
Osram Lamp Works. Ltd., v. Maxim

Lamp Works. Ltd., 498
Osram-Robertson Lamn \\'orks i'. The

Public Trustee and another, 30
Plymouth Corporation fineil. 555
P.M.G. V. Blackpool &■ FlectwocKl

I .:imroid Co.. 532
Poulsen's patent, .Application for ex-
tension, 556
Rayner, C, Claim for commission.

606
Research grant protest, 684
.Speak. T.. Claim for pavmenl lor

work done, 683
Spencer v. Adams, 43
.Stealing lamps, 43
Stealing electricitv bv safely pin. 139
Stobie V. Newca'stle'-on-Tyne Electric

Suppiv Co., 525
Street box in collision. A, 651
Street obstruction, 269
Stepney Corporation. .Action lor nui-
sance against, 661
Telephone contract dispute, 767
Thefts, 498, i">59, 660, 693, 767, 779, 810
Walkington n. Howard Electrical Co..
30

T^ IN EM A eye-strain

, 276

What is
Workme

a reasonable profit? 812
n's compensation, 75

Kinema wages, Elcclri

and, 9
Kinlochleven, Turbines
Kobe, Developments at

ral Trade V,\

at. 18
, 175

ion Legislatior

Legislatini

Supplt

Leipzig I-:

1. I';iecliicit\ supiily. 7(17
1 in Holland. ' Elen
•, 378
lir. -237

Lilt installation, A push-button, by

"F. .A. P.," 188
Lifting t:ickle, The design ol, b> J. I

LiuHTiNC AND PowER NoTBS — Continued.
Dungiven (Co. Londonderry), fS24
Dutch Indies, 272

Towlson, 69 •

Eastbourne, 78, 143

Light— Its use \ma abuse, 249

East Ham, 402. 529

East Midlands. r,:n

Edinburgh, 78 143, 370, 721, 753,

Lii.iiTiMi .tNt> Powiiu NorEs—

848

Aberavon, 720

Egypt, 494

Aberdeen, 529

lilectricity Districts. 370. 434. 561, 591,

Abertilkrry, 720

721, 753, 848

Abenstwyih, 529

Elland, 753

Accringlon. 78, 337, 370. 400. 493. 5SI0.

Epsom, 14

655, 783

Erith. 338

.Mdershol. 176, 370, 561, 847

Eston, 434

Ammanfurd, 72(1

Exeter, 434

Annfield jPlain (Co. Durham). 4(NI

Falkirk. 434, 689

Anti

689

.Argentina, 78, 433. J2(t, 856

Australia, 46, 207, '272, S05,' 337, 400. .

655. 720, 752, D41! ' ' "

Austria, 78, 810

Aylesbury, 143 ' ■" ""

Ayrshire, 433 ■

Banffshire, 847
Barking, '239. 402
Barnes. 433. 816
Barnoidswick. 847
Barnsley, 111, 400, 847
Barnstaple, 462, 7.V2
Barrow.in-Furness, 400, 493, 752 783
Basingstoke; 529 ■
Bath, 13, 111, 207
Batley, 78, 337, 656, 689
Baitersea, 112, 849
Beachley, 752
Beckenham, 143, 816
Bedford, 370. 433. 752. 847
Bedwas and M.achen. 305
Belfast. 752, 783
Belgium, 14, 47, 494,- 656
Belmont (Co. Durham), 46
Bermondsev. ()34
Bethesda. 847
Hexhill. 40 143. 752. 847
Bexlev Heath iK.nt). '207
Bingl.y. 13, 143, 433, 590
Birkenhe.id. 176, 239, 462, 493. 561,

689
Birmingham. 272, 433, 623, 752
Bispham, 590
Blackburn, 13, 494, 753 '
Blackpool, 370, 752
Bodmin. 400

Bolton. 13. 143, 176, 402. r,in. 7N:l
Bo'ness. 433
Bootle. 561, 816
Bourne End, 783
Bournemouth, 847
Bradford, 370, 433, 494, 023. 089
Bradford-on-.Avon, 561
Bridlington. Ill, 816
Brierfield, 13
Brighouse, 46
Brighton, 207, 720
Brisbane, 337
Bristol, 207, 433. 462
British Columbia. 239. 305. 7.52
Bromlev (Kent). 848
Buckingham. 783
Buenos Aires. 656
Bulgaria. 816 , ■
Burnley. 143, 207,272, 370, 400. 501.

720
Burton-upon-Trenti 13. 337
Bury, 47, 434, 529, 689, 848
Bury St. Edmunds, 305, 400
Buxton. 207
Caerphilly, 462

Canada, 78, 272, 529, 752, 783
Cannock, 78, 462, 783
Canterbury, 494
Cardiff, 337, 494, 790
Carlisle, 400
Carnforth. 78

Ca\

529

Celebes, 27:

Cevlon, 400, 783

Ch'elmsford. 494

Cheriton, 370, 623, 783

Chester, 112, 816

Chesteirfield. 590

Chile. 13. 462

China. 111. 400

Chippenham. 78

Chipping Norton. 112

Chirk. 78

Chorlev. '272

Church Strctton, (i23

Clacton-on-Sea, 233, 650

Clayton, 14

Clcckhealon. 78. 590

Colchester. 370

Colne. 305. 591

Colwvn Bay. 848

Cookham. 7.52

Cork, 720

Coventry. 14. 170. .'.01

CoxhoctCo. Durham). 337

Cr

338

Crieff. 591, 783

Cullompton 305

Czeiho-Slovakia, 401, 816

Danzig. 272

Darlington. 78. 434. 494. 02;i. 7.5:

Darlford, 207. 494

Da

33S

Deal. 462

Denmark. 337. 783

DiM-bv, 494, 752

Dews-bury, -194. 591. 752

Doncaster, '207, 494, 784, SHi

Donegal, 401

Dorchester, '239

Douglas (Isle of .Man). 78

Dover. 78. 370. 434. 591

Dublin, 14. 143. 272. 3711. -KS

023. 689
Dunblane, 78
Dundalk, 402
DMndev, 112, 370, 401. 402

Islands, 112
Faversham. 784
Finchlev, 591
Finland, 591
Fleetwood, 561
Fort William, 401, 561
France, 14, 112, 143, 239, 305. 400,

434, 46-2 494, 561, 591, 752, 783,

816, 848
French Indo-China, 462
Frodingham. 462
Fulham, 112, 370, 401, 561
Galashiels, 561, 817
Galway, 305
Gellvgaer, 434

Germany, 401, 494, 624, 656, 848
Giffnock, 624

Glasgow. 78, -207, 239, 689, 784
Glossop, 591
Golborne, 529
Grantham, 112
Grays, 784
Greenwich, 112 144
Grimsby, 848
Guildford, 401, 462, 848
Halifax, 47, 462, 848
Hammersmith. 47. 434, 561
Harpenden, 848
Harrogate. 14. 721. 784, 817
Haslingden, 14, 143, 176
Hastings, 561
Hatfield, 370
Hcbden Bridge, 47, 721
Heckmondwike, 112
Hereloi-d, 112, 207, 784
Heslon and Isleworth, 784
Hevsham (Lancashire), 47
High Wvcombe, 78
Holmfirth (Yorks.), 529
Holyhead, 848
Hor'nsey, 207
Horsham, '338
Houghton-le-Spring, 784
Hove, 338

Huddersfield, 591, 656
Hull, 817

Hunsworlh (Yorks.), 401
Iceland, 112, 784
Illord, 144, 462
llkley, 78. 529
I me. 272

India, 112, 338, 370, 089
Invergoi-don. 689
Inverness. 434, 689, 7.53
Ipswich, 14
Ireland, '207
Isle of Wight, 112
Italy, 112, 143, :W5. M. 43J. 783.

'848
Japan, 176, 239, 689
Jerusalem, 753
Keighley. 529, 591. 624, 753
Kelso, 529

Kendal, 47. 305. 338
Kettering, 47, 143
Kilmarnock, 272. 848
King's Lynn. 112 143, 240. 5-29
Kingston-on-Thames,. 47, 207
Kingstown, 817
Kinsale, 112
Kirkburton, 624

Kirkcakh, 78. 5-29. 501. 753. 817
Kirkintilloch. .591
Knareshorough. '207, 370
Korea, 207
Lanark, 14, 848
Lancashire, 112
Lancaster, .591
Lcadgatc. 401
Leeds, 14, 143, 305. 530
Leicester. 207
Leigh (Lanes.). 112
Leith. 370, 591. 690
l.epton tnr ir Huddersfield). 5-2«

Lev

462

Lichfield. 240

Lincoln. 112, 6-24

Liitlebortnigh, 690

Liverpool. 14. 112, 144. 176. 207. 4(f2.

494. 501. 591, 056, 690, 721, 753.

817. 848
Llandudno. 305
London. 14. 47. 112. 144. 176, 240. •27-2.

370. 401, 434. 4I^2. .530, 561, 591,

6-24. 6.56. 721. 817.- 849
l.oughborouith. 144
Lowestoft. 112
I.urgan. 305. 370, 6-24, 784
I.ymington. 112
l.Milm. 7.53
Maidenhead. 47. 7«4
Maidstone. 78. .561
Malvern, 176 .
.Manchester, 47, 78, 305, 338. 46;!.

494, 561
Manly (N.S.W.), 337
Mansfield, 690
Market Drayton, 240
Marsden tVorks,). 47, .5.30. 6-24. 721
Maxwelltown. 207
.Mersey and West I.nncashire l-lL-ctri-

citv Distiict. 624. 753. 848
Mersey Power Co.. 7M
Mcrton. 194. 562-

Janl'arv 7. rj:.'!.]

THE ELECTRICAL KE VIEW— INDEX.

LiGHliNO ANU IN.IUH; NoTHS — LLUllilli

Mexborougli, li

Middleton, 14

Midgelev, lU

Midlands, HIT

Mitcham, (jlil

Montj^omei) , J-1

MorecamU-, 4(i3, "84

Morlcv, 3J(J, M

Mosley Common, «5«, CM

Mount Morgan (Ouwnsland), 33"

Mullinsar, 272

M) nvddt-sKvvn, 305

Mytliolmrovd (Vorks.l, 33^, 841)

iN:.van, 5:S0, 5()2

Nflson, 4114. «24, (iad, "84

N.u Hiunsuiik, 50-2

Niw,.a»llf Ko. Down), 112, 240

Newcasik- iblalTs.), 78

Newcastle-ui)on-'r\ne, 753

New Guinea, 721'

Newhavcn, 305, 403

New Mill, "21

Newport, 463

Newport (Mon.), 47, 024

New Ross (Co. Wexford), 403

New South Wales, 272, 055

Newtown (Mont.), 502

New Zealand, 78, 208, 273, 434. I

721, 849
North-East Lancashire, 273. 0!IO
North Wales, 208, 494, 591, 753
Norlh-West Midlands Llectricity I

tricl, 370
Norway, 78, 401, 783, 816
Norwich, 591, 849
Nottingham, 401, (ir,li, 817
Nuneaton, 14
Oldham, 208, 305, 371, 401
Ormskirk, 14
Osborne, 400
Oswaldtwistle, 305
0»we»lrv, .„ I
Paisley,' 144. 0:W, 7.J3
Palestine, 753

Pembroke (Co. Dublin). 113
Perth, 306, 721, 784
iVterborough, 371 403, 05(i
PIvmouth, 371, 591, 656, 817, S4!l
Pontelract, 176, 435
Portarlinglon, 090
I'urtishead, 208
Purtrush, 176 240. 784
Portsmouth. 463. 494, 849
Presteign, 817

Price increas<'N, 47. 113. 144. 2411.
Oueenborough. 4'I4
Kathmines (Dublin). 624, 7.53
Kawtenstall, 273
Repton, 144

Ki.hnlond (.Surrev), 530
Richmond (^'orks'.l. 79
Rickmansw.iilh. 208, .502
Risca, 401

Rochdale, 113. 144, 435, 494
Romlord, 338
a, 496

Run

721

Russia, 112, 272, 494, 656, 816

Sabden, 79, 371

St. Annes, 208, 784

St. Helens, 47, 7!), 306, 753

St. Marvlebone, 561, 817

St. Mel'lons, 784

St. Pancras, 14, 176

Sallord, 47, 494, 817

Scarborough. 849

Scotland, 849

.Seaford, 113

Sheffield, 79 113

Shipley, 240

Shr.

sbur

176

Skegness, 306

Skipton, 562, 624

Slaithwaile, 690, 7.53

Sligo, 240

South Africa, 47, 79, 113, 273.

463, 4!I5. 496. 6.56, 849
.Southampton. 144. 463
Soulhend-on-S.:,. 562, 849
.Southport, "9. 306, 7.53, 817
Soulh Shields, 338
South Wales, 591, 784
Spain, 14, 47, 143, 337, 401, 4:14.

752, 848
Spenborough, 47. 817
Stallord 79, 170, 371
Stalybridge, 306
Stepney, 11, 144, 656
Steyning (Susses), 144
.Slockton-on-'re<-s, G24
Stoke Newington, .530. (i5ti
Stoke-on-Trenl, 4". 463, .591
Stone, 494
Stourbridge, 817
Stratford-on-Avon, 371, 530
Sudbury, 176
Sumatra, 208
Sunderland, 47, 371
Swansea, 338, 495, 721, 817, 849
Sweden, 462, 783, 816
Switzerland, 239, 400, 783
Svdn.v, 46, 207, 400, 655, 847
240, 721, 753

240

lliirsk (YorVs.). 144. 371
Thorne (Vorks.), 240
Todmorden. 47, 817
Torquav, 79, 144, 591, 624
Truro, '338, 530
Tullamore, 784
Tunbriilgc Wells, 47, 176
■lurk.v, 784
lurlon, 495. 624. 817
I wlck-nham 240, 463, 784
Uganda, 144

United States, 306, .371, 401, 496,
849

LlUHTINO AND PuWKK NuTES — ConliliUt;d.

Walsall, 176, 371. 4;w, OoO, 6j6, 617
Warrington, 79, 113, 208, 273, 624,

784
Warwick, 530, 6,10
Waterlord, 306
Watford, 625, 849
Wellingborough, 435
West Uromw.ch, 47, 495
West Ham, 113, 208
West Hartlepool, 371
West Lanes., 721
West Riding ol Yorkshire, 144
Weymouth, 113
Whitefield, 623

Whitehaven, 24U, 338, 530, 562, 656
Willcsden, 591
Wimbledon, 463
Winchester, 240, 371
Windsor, 6::0

Wingate (Co. Uurliam), 14
Witham, 591
Woking, 240

Wolverhampton, 79, 177, 495
Woolwich, 240, 721
Worcester, 79, 371
Worcester Park. 338
Worksop, 753

Wrexham. 144. 177, 2U8, 463
Yarmouth, 113
Yeovil, 849
York, 47, 403, 657
Yorkshire, .591

Lighting. Automatic street, 142, 302

Lighting, Church, 660

Lighting economies. Home, by " VoU-

man," 836
Lighting. Heating and Power (Emer-

genL>) Order, 1920, The, 546
Lighting, Improvements in street, 541
Lighting of machine shops. The, by E.

Mollett, 826
Lighting question in Paris, The, 131
Lighting, Shop, 596; bv E. Austin, 729
Lighting, Street, bv H. T. Harrison,

601, 633
Lighting, The revival of public, 578
Lighting with low mounted unit..

Street, 200
Lights, Aero-navigation, 736
Lights, Motor car, 88, 856
Lights, N'ehicle, 564
Lignite coal and spontaneous combiis-

Lignile

179

Per

147

tional Exhibit

shafting couplings,
lats, b) J. T. lowls.

588,

Co., 813

.'\rmstrong, Stevens & Sons, 237

Bombay LIcclric Supply & Tramwajs
Co., 395

British & Overseas Engineering Svn-
dicale, 430

British Electrical Accessories, 525,
620

British Ever-Read\ Co., 748

British Gauge Manulaclurcrs' Asso-
ciation, 13, 367

British Rubber Manufacturers, 717

Brolt, 395

Hutler & Wilson. 749

Cannon Motor & Elc-ctrical Works.
779, 813, 844

Coates, E., Si Co., 459

Commercial Electrical .Vcccssories,
303, 367, S25, 588

Cox, H. W., & Co., 205

Dawson, Roger, 813

Eastern Engineering & Supply Co.,

686

Ele

& Gener.d Works, 430
Chemical Development:
Smelling Co., 303

ol Western

u|,pl

Electrical Engineering Societv, 779, 813
Electro-Chemical Developmenis, 6"21
Electrolytic Co. (Spain and Portugal),

525, 588
Elieson Electric Traction Co., 270
Emery's, T., Automatic Power Gene-
rating Motors, Ltd., 748
Koote & Milne, 653, 717
Globe Electric Co., 45
Gokak Water Power & Manufactur-

ing Co., 395
Graphite Plumbago Crucible Co., 270
Harding Bros., 491
Haslam & Stretton, 173
Hopkinson, J., & Co., 77
Hvdro-Electric Concessions, 430
Insulation & Metal Eitments, 108, 140
Jacobs, W. A., & R. J., 430, 491
Lithanode, 45
London Labe-1 Co.. 717
lAjwa Engineering Co., 430, 525
I.von, A., & Wrench. 270, 303
Masham & District Electric .Supply

Co., 525, 588, 844
New St. Helens Ik District Tl-aniways

Co., 270
Newalls Insulation Co., g44
Norman Johnson & Co.. 77
North British Electric Welding Co.,

205
Pearson's Electric Miners' Lamp

Manufacturing Co., 140, 205
Portable Tool &. Engineering Co., 45
Renew Electric l_amp Co.. 367
Kenshaw Generator Co., 748
Rex .\ccumulator Co.. 653
Riglitc M.anulacluring Co., 620

LiyuiDATlONS — continued
Kotasphere Co., 13, 813
Scott, W. (Rock Kerry), 748
Signal Electric Co., 334
Submarine Motor Ship Cleaner Syn-
dicate, 653
Telephos Domestic i Street Lighting

Co., 588
Tramways & General Works Co., '237
\ ariable Pumps & Motors, 430
Wensicydale Gas & Electric Co., 367
Westinghouse Electric Co., 779
Woods Gilbert (British) Rail Grind-
ing it Milling Co., 844
" Z " Eieclric Lamp Manufacturing
Co., 237, 334

261

110.

Living .-mtl the industrial unrest. Cost
ol, 461

Lloyd-'s Register of Shipping, 498

Load factors and station efficiencv, 194

Local exhibitions, 814

Lock foi g.asmied lamps. A, 781

l.ucli-out. Port of London, 303

Locomotive orders, Swedish, 335

Locomotives. Electric, 466

Lomlon and Birmingham, Engineers'
Clubs for, 812, 834, 851

London & N.W. Railway electrification,
244

London Counts Council scheme. The,
706

L.C.C. statistics and a moral, 290

London Electrical Engineers' re-union,
532

London Electrical Engineers' Old Com-
rades' .Association, 787

London, Electricity supply in, 235 481,
510, 514, 539, 610

Ixindon Medical Exhibition, 490

Lomlon street .accidents, 309

Long-distance transmission of electrical
energv. Extra, 219, 250, -282. 316,
483

Lost working days, 688

Low power factor. Penalising, 467

Low power factor. Some notes on
metering devices used in connec-
tion with tariffs penalising, by G.
W. Stubbings, 452. 505

Low-pressure large-current ^.c. gene-
rator, 232

Lubrication and the germ process, b>
H. M. Wells, 294

l-uxemburg, I^abour protection in, 576

Luxemburg's economic future 687

Lvons Fair, 623

MA( HINE shops. The lighting of,
bv F. MoHett, 826
Machine' Tool and Engineering Exhibi-
tion, 45, 295, 329, 362, 414, 446
Machiner\, Coal getting by, 499
.Machinery Exhibition. 1921, Shipping,

Engineering and, 622
Machinery in China, The demand for.

110
Machinery in the Trieste district.

Market for. 815
Machines, Coal-cutting, 756
Madrid mint equipment, 238
.Magnetic and electrical properties of

iron nickel allovs, 4
Magnetism, Terrestrial, 310
.Magneto invasion, German, 664, 689,

718
Magnetos, British 492, 542
Mails to Australia, 44
Manchester gas strike, 77
Manchester Wireless Society, 181
Manufactua-ed goods. Imports of, 653
Manufacturers in South Africa, British,

12
Manufactures, French, 108
Manufacturing, Australian electrical,

141, 336. 368
Marine problems. Modern, bv C. \'.

Drysdale, 379, 409, 442
Market, .\ critical : Australia, 473
Market, A neglected : South Africa,
Market, A promising: New Zealand

519

796

in the Tr
rid's. 204

Market for mai
district, 815

Market in Paris

Market. The Latvian. 493

Marks Merchandise. 2

Mart\r. An .\-ray, 724

Mciisurement of potter lactor, J he. by
D. Sclar, 677

Measuring coal-.slaek temperatures, 498

Mechanical details ol d.c. armature con-
struction, The, by " A London

833

.Mechanism
Medical Exhibition, The London, 490
Medicine, Industrial. 404
Melbourne strike. The, 238
Merchandise Marks, 2
Mcrcurv arc, A new a.c, 214
Mercury-vapour lamp. An a.c, 821
Mercurt -vapour turbines .and boiler>,

520'
Metal production. Electricity in, 404
Metal workers' dispute, Italian, 431
Metals, Electric furnaces for melting,

24
Meteorological forecasts, 276
Meter work in an electricity supply

svslem, l)V C. Sylvester, 228
Metc'ring devices used in connection

witli tariffs penalising low power

factor. Some notes on. bv G. W.

Stubbings, 452. 505

344

Zealand, Electricity,

Mete

for

electri

ehicle:

Ampere-liour, 788
Methods ol charging for wattlesn cur-
rent, Some notes on, by G. W .

Stubbings, 634
Metric system. The, 405
Mexican Government, Claims against

the, 560
Mexican trade openings, 653
Mexico, Trade with, 719
Mica, 400, 403

Midlands, Wages in the, 108
Milk, Electrically-treated, 213
Miners' National Wages Board, 659
Miners' wages, 5-27
Mines department, 756
iMines, Electricity in, 498, 772
Mines, New Welsh, 813
Minimum charge restored, 259
.Minimum Wages Bill, 622
Mining in Germany, Bauxite, 431
Mint, Electricity in a, 498
Monte Video, Submarine apparatus fur,

814
Motor-car lights, 88
Motor car. The Crown-magnetic, bj

F. H. Hutton, 679
Motor cars. Improvements in : Electric

lighting and starting, by E". H.

Hutton, 41
Motor Cycle and Cycle Car Research

.Association, British, 604
Motor Exhibition, Commercial, 310, 517,

617
Motor ships. Big, 466
Motor starting and controlling gear :

Some criticisms and suggestions,

by G. T. Dickson, 186
Motors, Good prices for electric, 336
Motors, Variable-speed, Shunt-tt'ound,

125

Note

Moving-coil

temperature compensation of, by E.

T. Chapman and A. 1". Morris. 313
Municipal Electrical Assucl.uior; Con-

Municipal El-

Un

of :

Municipal rvpr' - n :■■ "m -m In-
dustrial Council. 686

Municipal tramwav managers, 148

Municipal Tramwavs Association, 1 he,
361, 387, 444, 475

Mvsterv ol the site. The, 514

N-^

Na

351
nal

66

National electric code, .\ proposal for
a Canadian, 368

National electricity supply, 628

National expenditure. The Federation
of British Industries and, 75

N.F.E.A. and E.T.U., 304

National Federation of Professional,
&c., \\"orkers, 276

National fuel conservation, Eleclricity
supply developments and, b\ L.
Marshall Jockel, 484

National . Health Insurance .\ct. 1920.
New rates of contributions and
benefits, bv J. J. H. Stansfield. 10

National Joint Board of Employers and
Members of StafI, Electricity Sup-
ply Ii.duslry, 493

Nationtd Physical Laboratory, The, 27,
105, 156, 795

.Negative resistance oscillator, .\n ordi-
nary triode us<*d as a, by J. Scott-
Taggart and J. Ree, 602

N'ela Research Laboratories, II .S. A.,
280

Netherlands Indies, 719

Networks, The design ol distribuling.
by C. A. Gillin, 6

Neuhausen aluminium, 433

New Companies —
.\clapta Sign & Trading Co., 469
Advance Engineering Co., 311
Airedale Electrical & Manufacturing

Co., 789
Alkaline Miners' Lamp, 149
Associated Electric Traders, 406
Atlantic Engineering Co. (19'20). 149
Bankside Finance ft Industries, 117
Bath Tramtt-ays Motor Co., 215
Hell Electrical Co. (Northern), .534
Birmingham & Staffordshire Electri

cal Co., 502
B.M.C., 502

Brearley, W. (Rochdale), 83
Brentwood District Electric Co., 630
Brighton Lighting Sr Electrical En-
gineering Co., 149
Bristol & .South Wales Eieclric Weld-
ing Co., 149
British Electrical S: Allied Industries

Res.-arch .\ssociation, 598
British Eleclric-il Winders, 117
British Industries Fair (lUrminghaiu),

Incorporated. 8.53
British Timkcn. 207
Brown A. L.. & Co.. 598
Buenos Aires Town 5: Docks Ir.un-

wa\s. 406
Castled'erg Electric Supply Co., 20
Castletoh Electric Co., 51
Central Electrical Engineering Co.,

215
Centropolis Public Works Co., 117 '
Cobalt Magnet Sle-; Co., 182
Craven & District Private Telephone

and Electric Co.. 502
Cutting & Muir. 406

THE ELECTKICAL KE VIEW— INDEX.

[January 7. 1921.

New Companies — continued
Dagnall, S. ,311
Dalton, Downes & Co., S22
Darbyshirc, K., 310
Dawson Kkttrical Inslallalions, tH'Z
Davsohms, H'i
Deico-Kcmy, 181

Direct Electric Service (Bur)), 400
Dome liatlery & Accessaries. WJ
Dove, Percy, 247
Dungarven Electric Light & I'ower

Co., 598
Dynamo S: Motor Repairs, 30
Electric Brass Wares, 51
Electric Car & Accessories, 502
Electric Distributing Co., 343
Electric Gramophones, 439
Electro-chemical Industries, 310
Electro-Ferrous Engineering Co., 247
Ellerd-Styles & Co., 20

Elli!

Bn

lissex Light Railway & Property Co.,

livans, Alan, 469
Evans (Electrical), SOS
Escelall Metal Workers, 400
Fairless Electric W'eldings, 598
Farndons Power & General Electric
Co., 469

Light Castings, 247

La«

768

Fryer & Hartley, 502

Furlong, John. & Sons (1930), 6;J0

Garnet Tucker & Co., 149

Gates, E. S: C, 853

General Electirical Construction and
Maintenance, 567

Gilberts, 469

Grainger, T. J., & Co., 695

Gratze, 149

Grindiey, Ross & Co., 567

Halstead Electric Supply Co. 758

Harrison Brothers (Electrical Engin-
eers), 534

Hawcs Electric Lighting Co., 534

Hay, Maryon & Co.. 83

Heywood. W., & Sons, 534

Hough Electric Motor Co.. 117

H.P.R. Wireless, 343

Hydro-Electric Development Co., 181

Industrial Electrical, 726

Institute ol Transport, 311

Insulating Products, 343

lonoid Co., 662

Jacobs & D'Rane, 343

Jenner Light Si Power Co., 278, 310

Kable Electrical Co., 117

Kelvin-Hardy Electric Co., 343

Kenneth H. Kerr, 758

Kinetic Organ Blower Co., 181

Lithanode Co., 726

London Battery & Cable t'o., 789

London Factors & Agents. 149

Lowth & Smith, 598

Magnesium Co., 117

Manchester Private Telephone and
Electric Lighting Co. 789

Marine & Mechanical Electric Weld-
ing Co. (Cardiff), 149

Mcdway's Safety Lift Co., 789

Midland Counties Electrical Engineer-
ing Co., 51

Millo Co.. 469

Mitchells Electrical S Wireless, 83

Mountrath Electricity Supply Co., 11"

Mullard Radio Valve Co.. 439

Munday. A., 769

Nelson' Engineering Co., 469

Newcastle & Sunderland Oxv-Electric
Welding & Metallurgical' Co., 630

Norris & Dalton, 117

North British Premier Electric Weld-
ing Co., 181

North-Eastern Welding Co., 311

North-Western Anglo-Swedish Elec.
trie Welding Co., 789

Oldfield Engineering Co. 311

Oldham & Son, 630

Oliver Pell Control, 822

Perfection Electrical Co., 630

Pewsey Electric Lighting Co., 726

Pickering, F. H., 21

Pollock & Macnab (subsidiary), 406

Presteign Electric Co., 439

Radio, Clubs. 149

RawclilTe, W. T., 469

Rickard, Wright & Dean, 117

Rigby, T., 789

Rivers-Smith, Eric, 278

Saitax Manufacturing Co., 598

Saunders, E. J., & Co., 278

Scintilla, 181

Seal Co. (London), 51

Sheringham Daylight (Foreign), -20

Siddeley, H. C, & Co., 406

Society of Radiographers, 215

Spanish Companies, 493

Star-Port, 311

Stella Gill Coke and Bve-Products
Co., 20
.Stella Lights, 117

Stewart Thompson & Patrick, 51

Steyning Electric Light Co., 311

Supctlamp, 853

Surrey Scientific Apparatus Co., 181

Tham'es Valley Traction Co., 117

Thomson Woollard, 630

Thor Electric Safety Lamp Co., 247

Thornton, G. J., & Co., 789

Tillotsons, 469

Todman, Ryall & Co., 149

Torque Electrical and Enginccrinp
Co., 20

Tullamore Electric Light and Pow. r
Co., 726

United Lamp-Black Works, 822

Vcntock, 310

Mcker.<, South Africa, 567

\'ulcan Arc Welding and Transport
Co., 117

W,-.lsh. J. H., & Co., 695

Vew Companies — continued

Wareham Electric Supply Co., 534

Watt Motors, 51

Webb, T., & Sons^ 51

Welded Construction, 20

Welders, 534

Weldrics, 83

Westinghouse Brake Subsidiaries, 596

Wilson Lighting Co., 117

Woodcrow General Mechanical and
Electrical Heating Engineering
Co., 51

Yorkshire and District Lamp Re-
pairing Co., 51

" Z " Electric Lamp and Supplies Co.,
567

Zephyr Motor Ti

Zealand, Electricity meters, 344
Zealand, Electrical plant in, 761
"ng, Trade with

New Zealand

s'tiw Electrical Devices, Fittings .\nd

'■ A & A " electric radiator, 607

" Alco " electric car. The, 286

" Apex " switch and luse gear, 413

.Automobile battery indicator. An, 618

Automobile heat gauge, 557

Bench grii-der. The " Economic," 618

Bissell suction cleaner, 800

Cable winding drum, 159

" Cataract (1900) " electric washer,

318
Canedy-Otto battery vice, 333
" City " light and power plant, 318
" C.M.I." magneto, 90
Conduit joint and earthing clip, 543
Cooking and heating devices, Elec-
trical, 158
Dental X-ray tube, 168
Distance-controlled searchlight. An

electrically, 607
Domestic electric appliances, 799
Double-acting solenoid, A new, 456
" Dualite " lamp with two filaments,

543
" Edison-.Vme " accumulator, 671
Ediswan cooking apparatus, 189
Electro-vapour radiators and central

heating, 427
" Etna " electric boiling ring, 233
Field control pillar, 233
Fire, A new electric, 831
Fire-proof doors, 671
Fractional h.p. motors, British made,

763
Gallagheo-.Crompton baffle bridge, and

boiler efficiency calculator, 121
Gas-filled lamps, New, 91
" Grafton " brush holder, 334
Grill, Electric, 427
Hair cutter. An electric, 122
" Heatrae " electric fires, 413
High-pressure d.c. generator, A New,

382
High-pressure insulators, 509
" Ideal " log fire. The, 672
" Konled " bonding nipple, 543
Lawn tennis courts. Lighting covered,

618
Lighting set, A 1-kW, 840
Lighting transformer, A small, 90
Magnetic drill, 414
Magneto flash lamp,
Martin rotary converter, 90
Monorail electric hoist, 543
Motors, New a.c, 457
Multi-way pedestal heaters, 557
" One Lever " automatic telegraph

transmitter, 121
" Oxford " portable kinema projector,

122
Pendant lantern, 457
" Periscope " spark plug. The, 286
" Phoenix " regenerative dry cell. The,

287
" Plexsim " electric iron, 189
Plug gauges, " Leonard," 763
Porcelain-insulated grills^ 233
Porcelain-insulated heating elements.

456
. Portable arc welder. A, 333
Prepavment attachment for wall-
meter, A, 382
Pulpit lighting fitting. A. 799
Pyrometer outfit, A new, 280
" Pyrotip " electric lead burner, 122
*' Quidos " electric lamp food

189
' Sentinel '

nplex
333

■ibuli

board, A

Siren, The " City," 607

Small lighting and power plant, 233

Sparking plug, A new, 509

" Sunglo " electric fire, 840

" Super Switch Plug," 90

Telephone receiver. New, 221

Telometer, The, 671

Time-checking system, ..\ sinipli-. 221

Tire inflator. Electric, 91

Tungar rectifier, 382

Turbo-pump control switch. 831

Trollev-wire suspender. 318

I'niversal motor. A, 831

Universal vice jaw, 509

" Utility " current limiter, 61S

pote

r. New. 427
\'oltammeter. .\ rotary, 557
Watt motor. The. 221
Wilson dip-in cut-out for house scr

vices, 234
Wireless outfit for small vessels, 413
" Wireless " reflectors, 763
Worm reduction gear, 234
" Yule " cooking and heating devices

318

al wireless static

York " L.-ader " cables, .632
Ze;iland : .\ promising market, 796

.New Zealand tariff

.New Zealand's electrical inrlporls, 270

Nickel-plating aluminium, 499

Nickel registers. Deterioration of, 678

Nitrate plant, U.S.A., 180

Nitrogen in arc furnaces. The fixation

of, 180
Non-ferrous metals, 846
Non-statutory companies, 642
.Northampton Polytechnic conversazione,

756
.Norwegian Association of Supph

Works, 433
Norwegian cable contracts, 173
-Ncwwegian lamp factory. The, 238
Norwegian statistics, 399
Norwegian water powers, 169
.Nottingham's extended scheme, 744

Obituary

Abney, Sir W. de W., 758
Arbour, W., 822
Bain, Stewart R., 439
Ball, Sir J. B., 406
Black, G. L., 780
Blizzard, C, 83
Boardman, F. R., 310
Burns, F., 439
Cameron, A., 502
Cassircr, Dr. H.. 460
Clephan, T. J. S.. 375
Coyle, D., 566
Crawford, W. J., 181
Davidson, G. F., 140
Dewhurst, E., 181
Dihimann, H., 51
Downham, Lord, 51
Edmundson, J. E., 406
Finnegm, R., 695
Fuller, T. F., 630
Giles, G. W., 602
Greenwood, H., 61
Hales, G. E., 342
Hart, P. E., 246
Hickman, J. D., 695
Hopkinson. C. 342
Huddleston, P. F., 695

768

Joly, H. L., 310

Lockyer, Sir J. N., 246

MacLaren. Sir J., 502

McLean, C, 51

Mather, Sir W., 405

Mitchell, J., 149

Moore, F., 789

.Muirhead, Dr. A.. 789

Nicholson, J. S., 149

Parkinson, C. F.. 822

Perry, Prof. J., 181

Petrie, Sir C. 83

Preston. F., 662

Re.id, C, 695

Rigden, Flight-Officer C. O.. 758

.Sands, S. H. 215

Satchwell, F. J., 246

Sayers, H. B., ■J78

Smith, R. T.. 215

Steel, H., 502

Stewart, H., 375

Stoklev, A., 662

Tangve, G., 502

Taylor, W. H., '20

Thompson, P.. 342

Thornton, J. H., 406

\'ealey, M. L., 758

Ward, E. T., 51

Weir, J.. 116

Wilson Harlnell. ml

QBL

Obs

IGATION week, 611
sm as a fine art.
Rl

.Vccumulators of Woking, 790
Ackroyd & Best, 406
Acme Welding Co., 406
.\frican Direct Telegraph Co., 182
Allied Industries, 279
Aluminium Corporation, 215
Anglo-American Telegraph Co., 11!
Anglo-Portuguese Telephone, '279
.\rmstrong, Whitworth, Sir W. G.,

Co., 149
Auckl.ind Electric Tramways Co.. i

Bai(

Pat

662

Grundy & Barrett, 822
Baker, F. E., 311
Bankfool Power Co., 216
Bar Meter Co., 502
Barnslcv and District Tr.action to

406'
Barraclough Bros., 182, 215
Barsi Light Railwav Co., 790
Bastian Meter Co., 117
Bell's United .'Vsbestos Co., U!l
Bisseker, Henry, 853
Bolton Welding Co.. 853
Bombay Electric Supply and liati

ways Co.. 759
Borland Hageilorn & Co., 502
Bournemouth and Poole Electricil

Supply Co., 247
Bridgwater and District Elcctri

Supply and Traction Co.. 247
British Electric Vehicles. 406. 567
British L.M. Ericsson .Manufadurin

Co., 6C2
British Mica Co., .51
Brookhirst & Co., 279
Bullers, 470
Burnors, 598

Official RiiTUKSs — continued.
Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation,

789
Cambridge Electric Supply Co. 279,

598
Chepstow Electric Lighting and Powei

Co., 790
Chile Telephone Co., 440
Chippenham Electric Supply Co., 062
Chipperfield, 470

Chloride Electrical Storage Co., 440
Christy Brothers. & Co.. 502, 567
Corona Lamp Works, 667
County of London Electric Suppiv

Co., 853
Cox-Cavendish Electrical Co.. 662
Cox, H W., & Co., 247
Cranmer Brown, R., 758
Creed & Co., 854
Darbyshire, K., 759
Dawlish Electric Light and Power

Co., 502, 534
Delta Electrical and General Engi-
neering Co., 822
Dickinson Electrical Manufacturing

Co.. 439
Direct West India Cable Co.. 662
Dodd & Oulton, 21
D.P. Battery Co., 567, 719
Dugdale, A., 727
Ebonestos Insulators, 182
Electric Car and Accessories Co., 7:>V
Electric Motors (South Wales), 662
Electric Supply Corporation, 790
Electrical Appliances (Blackpool), 502
Electrical Industries, 790

Engineering Components, Ltd., 52
Engineering Equipment Co. (1919),

790
E.S. Co., 727
Essex Light Railway and Property

Co., 790
Everett. Edgecumbe & Co.. 502
Farad Electrical Co., 21
Folkestone Electricity Supply O., 182
Fors Accumulator Foreign Patents,

502 790
Foster & Pullen, 759
General Brass Fittings Co., 854
General Cable Manufacturing Co., 789
Gratze, 279

Halifax Bermudas Cable Co. 758
Hart Accumulator Co.. 149
Hendon Electric Supply Co.. 149
Henley's (South Africa) "Telegraph

Works Co.. 182
Heswall Electric Light Co., 149
Hindhead and District Electric Light

Co., 52, 853
Hobart .Manufacturing Co., 822
Hodges, Cecil, & Co., 502
Hongkong Tramway Co., 182
Ingleby & Co., 502'
Jackson, T. ft J., 117
Jacobs. W. A., it R. J., 279
Jenkins, W. J., & Co., 502
Kalgoorlie Electric Power and Light-
ing Corporation, 822
Kalgoorlie Electric Tramways, 598
Keith, James & Blackman Co., 51, 737
Laminated Gears, 759
I-ancashire Power Construction Co.,

439, 535
Lester & Brown (London), .502
Lester, J. E., & Folwell.-311
Lithanode. 117

Liverpool Electric Cable Co.. 440
London and Suburban Traction Co.,

Lucy, VV., & Co., 117

Magic Appliances. 439

Marconi International .Marine Com-
munication Co., 440

Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., 535

Meadows, W. A., & Co., 662

Merthvr Electric Traction and Light-
in'g Co., U7

Mirrlees Bickerlon & Day, 117

Mov, E. F., 759

Na'pier-Kimber, 21

National Electric Construction Co., 182

North British Tower Manufacturing
Co., 598

Oliver Engineering Co., 567

Orbit Electrical Co.. 279

Oriental Telephone and Electric Co.,
863

OxfonI Electric Co., 182

I^acific and European Telegraph Co.,

Pinknev & Forster. 790
Pirelli General Cable Works, 343
Pontelec Welding Patents, 247
Portable Electric Motors (1919), 51,

598, 662
Precision Engineering Co., 311
Railwav Finance and Construction

Co.', 822
Rangoon Electric Tramwavs and

Supply, 440
Ravner & Heald, 21
K..'\n,T, W. H., & Sons, '270
Ricr.lo S: Co.. Engineers. 822
Kii;lii. Manufacturing Co.. 117 406
Rohl., Walter, 406
Rodd, R. J., 182
Runbaken Magneto Co., 822
Rushmores (1919). 789
Salmon & P.agis. 43!)
Saunders Electrical Co., 439
Sc\'enoaks and District Electricity

Co.. 247
Siemens Brothers Dvnamo Works. 854
Sisson, W., & Co., SS7
Slack & Parr, 311
South Metropolitan Electric Light and

Power Co., 853
South-Wectam Engineering Co.. 4.19
Spanish Telephone Co.. 56^

January 7, 1921.]

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW— INDEX.

Official Keiukns — continued.
Splitdorf Etectriccil Co., of London, iiT
Starter, B. M., Co., 83
Slearn Electric Lamp Co., 567
Steele, H. E., 3U
Steel Wing Co., 247, 278
Sutton-in-Ashfield Motor and Electri-
cal Engineering Co., 759
Switchgear & Cowans, 182, 535
Tees-side Electric and Plumbers'

Stores, 439
Telephone Manufacturing Co., 502
Thermo-Electric, 567
Tinimins, E., & Sons. Titj?
Tok Manufacturing Co., 311
Tomey, F., & Co., 149
Torquay Tramways Co.. 567
Traction Development, 7.5H
Tranmere Engineering Co., 117, 535
Union Cable Co., 535
United Electric Car Co., 502
United Electric Tramways Co.. Cara-

Van Raden & Co., 567

Verity's, 132

Wardle Engineering Co., 502, 790

Watford Electric and Manufacturing

Co., 758, 790
Wellingborough Ir'ectrie .Supplv Co.,

52
West Coast of America Telegraph

Co., 117
West India and Panama Telegraph

Co., 117
West London and Provincial Electric

Supply Co., 215
Weston, G., & Sons, 51, 215
Wey Engineering Co. 853
White, J. G., & Co., 470, 567
White, Jacoby, & Co., 822
Willans & Robinson, 727
Willey & Co., 21
Windsor Electrical Installation Co.,

406
Woodbridge and District Electric

Light Co., 117, 406
Yorkshire and District Electric Lamp

Repairing Co., 439

Off-peak loads. Refrigeration, 308

Oil burning appliances. Fuel, 277

Oil fuel and railway electrification, 214

Oil in .\rctic Canada. 590

Oil industry, Rumanian, 688

Oil production. Electricity and, 277

Old Comrades' Association, London

Electrical Engineers, 787
Ontario, The Hvdro-Electric Power

Commission of,' 199
Operating costs : Power expenses, by A.

L. C. Fell, 444
Ore conversion process. New, 798
Organisation, The Engineering Training.

291, 309, 499, 565
Organisation, V\orks, 143
Origin of the elements, 309
Oscillator, An ordinary triode used as

a negative resistance, bv J. .Scott-

Taggart and J. Ree, 602'
Oscillograph, A portable, 500
Outdoor E.H.P. transformers, bv D.

MacBean, 554
Output, Workers' direct interest in, 660
Overseas Trade. Department of, 460,

640
Overtime, The embargo on, 238, 305,

367, 629
Oxford, .Science at, 290

"PAN-AMERIC,\N Postal Union, 7.50

" Paragonisation " of tramways, The,

686
Paris, A world's market in. 204
Paris, Electricity supply at, 287
Paris, The lighting question in, 131
Paris, Transport problems in, 165
Pariiamentarv, 212, 237, 718, 787, 820
Passports for Italy, 303
Patent Office report. 76
Patent, The Coolidge lamp. 179
Patents, &c.. Ex-enemy, 687
Patents and Designs ."Vet, 1919, 397
Patents and the Treaty of Peace, 174
Patents applied for 1920, New, 32, 64.

96. 128, 159, 191, 223, 255, 287, 320.

352, 384, 416, 448, 480, 512, 544, 576.

608, 640, 672, 704, 736, 768, 800, 832.

864
Patents Convention, International, 781
Patents in Greece, 781
Patents, International, 661
Patents, Renewal fee payments on, 845
Payment by results, 527
Peaceful penetration, 623
Penalising low power factor, 467
Perry, Prof. J., by Prof. H. H. Turner,

210

Peru, The trade position in, 76
Pctrograd, Power-station neglect at, 386
Petrol engine for wireless, New, 206
Phoenix Works, Bradford, The English

Electric Co.'s, 57
Photography, Telegraphic, 246
Physical Laboratory, The National, 27

105, 156, 795
Physical Society's Exhibition, 590
Physics and chemistry of colloids and

some industrial applications. The,

116, 652, 703
Piccadilly railwav rolling stock. New,

771
Pictures by wireless, 18
Pipes, External wasting of fuel econo-

miser, by E. Ingham, 424

Plants, Growth of, 72«
Plot, A Sinn Fein, 725
Plug standards in Canada, 398
Polish Cable Conipan\, 622, 773
Pope's Lamp Works, 'Messrs., 743
Porcelain in Germany, 13
Port of London, Lock-out, 303
Portable direct-reading anemometer for
the measurement of ventilation of
coal mines, by Prof. J. T. Mac-
gregor-Morris 345
Portable electric drills. 276, 438
Portable oscillograph. A, 500
Portland cement, British standard speci-

lication, 536
Post Office telephone charges, 664
Post Office training classes, 147
Post Oflice tube railwav, 18
Postal Union, A Pan-American, 750
Post-war conditions and developments,
with particular reference to the
electricity supplv industry, by J. R.
Beard, 668
Power factor, by C. Turnbull, 268, 394,

569 594, 811
Power-factor definitions, 180
Power factor, Penalising low, 467
Power factor. Some notes on metering
devices used in connection with
tariffs. Penalising low, by G. W.
Slubbings, 452
Power factor. The measurement of, by

U. Sclar, 677
Power from the air, 81
Power in the U.S.A., Economical

supply of electric, .595
Power of propaganda, bv " Femina,"

420
Power scheme. South .African, 499
Power station design in relation to
thermal efficiency, by I. V. Robin-
son, 36
Power station engineers' salaries. Elec-
trical, (555
Powe^ station, Glasgow, Dalmarnock,

324
Powtr-station neglect at Pelrograd, 386
Power stations. The threatened strike

in, 499
Prague, The Samples F.ur at, 400
Precipitation for silver fumes. Electri-
cal, 160
Precision galvanometer for thermo-
electric measurements, 328
Premises, Increase of Rent Act and

business, by W. V. Ball, 153
Presentation to Electricity Commis-
sioners, 342
Prices and profits, ma.ximum, 419. 469
Prices. Credit and, 433
Prices of constructional materials,

Municipal Corporation and, 175
Printing and scientific proceedings. The

cost of, 82
Private and public, economy, 737
Private electricity generating stations,

359
Private meetings, 109, 142, 173, 206.

270, 272, 303, 492, 845
Problem of reconstruction. The, 545
Problems. Modern marine, by C. V.

Drysdale, 379, 409, 442
Produce, Transport of refrigerated, 820
Profits concealment, French war, HI
Profits, Maximum prices and. 419, 469
Projector arc lamp, A new, 467
Propaganda, Swedish Trade, 846
Propaganda, The power of, by

"Femina." 420
Propagandas. Unw-elcome. 2
Pj^vincial Electric Supply Committee

of the United Kingdom, 447
P.svohology, Industrial 321; by E. S.

Hodgson. 266
Public lighting. The revival of, 578
Pulverised coal and colloidal fuel, bv

'■ Imperial," 825
Pumps, Elcctricallv driven, 10

">UALITY of industrial coal supplii
bv J. S. Evenden, 835
tluartcr-wave and half-wave transmi

Oueenstnn-Chippa

R

ADIOLOGY, The new, 692

Radiography in industrv, 693
Radium bv'the gramme, 276
Radium for Paris, 8.52
Radium " substitute," A. 594
Kailless car, Bradford Corporation's

double-deck, 761
Railless electric traction. The possibili-
ties of, 170
Railless traction in Shanghai, 243
Railwav accidents. Prevention of, 8.53
Railwav contact systems. Electric, bv

Sir' P. Dawson, 89
Railwav contract. The New Zealand

electric, 368
Railwav electrical workers. Wages of,

176'
Railway electrification, Austrian, 335
Railway electrification in Java, 559
Railwav electrification, L. & N.W., 244
Railwav electrification. Oil Fuel and,

214
Railwav extension. The .Shepherd's

Bush-Ealing Electric, 166
Railway management, 815

RAtLWAV Notes —
.Algeria. 144. 338
Argentina. 240
Australia. 79, 144. 463, 495. 625. 849

R.MLWAy Notes — continued.

ISelgium, 79, 372

Brazil, 177, 562, 657, 818

Brighton, 15

British railways, 401

Canada, 113, 306

Chile. 625

France, 113, 208, 306, 435

Germany, 402, 435

Gothard Railway electrification, 144

Guildford, 48

Hammersmith, 435

Highland Railway, 435

Italy, 240, 463, 754, 818, 849

Jamaica, 240

Japan, 113, 145, 177, 273, 530, 849

L. & N.W. Railway, 850

L. & Y. Railway, 502, 785

Liverpool, 177

London, 48, 145, 240, 273, 307, 3.39,
372, 403, 435, 464, 495, 530, 562,
626, 657, 722, 754, 785, 818

L.B. & S.C. Railway, 722

Melbourne, 625

Midland Railway, 562

New South Wales, 79

New Zealand, 626

North Eastern Railway, 15 402

Sale, 372

South Africa, 208

South .-VmC'rica, 209

Spain, 495, 657

Sweden, 306, 530, 625, 7,54, 818

Switzerland, 144

Sydney, 495

United States of America, 15, 307,
372, 496, 785

Wimbledon and Sutton Railwav, 811-

Railway, Post Office tube, 18
Railway rolling stock. New District. 83(
Railway rolling stock. New Piccadilly

Railway wireless communication, 147
Railways and electric traction, French,

832
Railways Association, Tramways and

Light, 95
Railways, High-voltage d.c, 136
Railways, Japanese, 712
Railways, The electrification of, 450, 474

500
Rain making, 32
Ramsay Memorial Fund, 148
Rapid submersible ship-cleaner, 798
Rates, Telephone, 139
Rathenau, Herr, The Home Secretary

and, 493
Rayleigh, Lord, Memorial, 148
Receiverships, 526, 558, 648, 845
Reconstruction. German. 674
Reconstruction, Rumanian, 589
Reconstruction, The problem of, 545
Recorder contracts, 460
Records, Coal, by A. Clegg, 455
Rectifier for small currents, 364
Reduction, German price, 281
Refrigerated produce, Transport of, 820
Refrigeration, Off-peak loads, 308
Refuse-screening plant, 728
Regan train control system, The, 570
Registration of engineers. The, 163
Registrations Company, 75
Regulation of hvdro-electric units, 278
Relation or coincidence? 820
Relief from onerous contract, 802
Renewal fee payments on patents, 845
Rent Act and business premises, In.

crease of, by W. V. Ball, 153
Repairing, Co-operative electric, 461
Repairing motor coils, 180
Repairs and depreciation in relation to

capital and revenue, by J. Dal-

rymple, 475; by R. L. Horsfield, 47.i
Replacement-value insurance, 751
Report, Patent Oflice, 76
Report, Telephone, 834
Research Association. British Motor

Cycle and Cycle Car, 604
Research Association. "The Electrical,

726
Research Associations, 466
Research, Australia and, 726
Research, Centralising British 820
Research funds, 418
Research, Grants to aid, 674
Research, Scientific and industrial, 443,

660 ■
Research yvith a bias, 609
Resistance furnace for zinc ores, 565
Resistanc of electrolytes, bv Dr. H. F.

Haworth. 126
Responsibility of roadway authorities.

204
Restaurant, Messrs. Debenham's elec-
tric, 262
Review, .\n electrical, 673

Rf,views —
Baudot printing telegraph system, by

H. W. Pendry, 190
Calculation of electric conductors, bv

W. T. Taylor, 285
Coal mining and the coal miner, by

H. F. Bulman, 31
Continuous current machines, by S.

P. Smith, 574
Controllers for electric motors, by H,

■ D. James, 285
Coolidge tube. The, by H. Pilon, 575
Course in electrical engineering. Vol.

I, Direct currents, by C. L.

Dawes, 860
Direct current motor and generator

troubles. Operation and repair, by

T. S. Gandv and E. C. Schacht,

Reviews — continued.

Electric oscillations and electric
waves, by G. W. Pierce, 361

Electric welding and welding appli-
ances, by H. Carpmael, 284

Electric welding : Its theory, applica-
tion and economies, by H. S. Mar.
quand, 860

Electric wiring by W. S. Ibbetson.
670

Electrical ignition, by M. A. Codd.
319

Engineering inquiry. The, by T.
Thompson, 669

How and why of radio apparatus, by
H. W. Se'cor, 383

Lignes ^lectriques a^riennes, by P.
Bergeon and A. Casten, 670

.Manufacture of chemicals by electro-
lysis, by A. J. Hale, 190

.Mathematics for engineers, by W. N
Rose, 191

Metals in aircraft construction, by W.
Hanby, 319

Modern illuminanis and illuminating
engineering, by L. Gaster and J.
S. Dow, 733

Motor cyclist's A. B.C., The, edited
by H. Wyatt. 575

Practical electric welding, bv H.
Bevan Swift, 251

Principles of electrical engineering
and their application, by G. Kapp,
587

Principles underlying radio communi-
cation, 31

Radio engineering principles, by H.
Uiuer and H. L. Brown, 319

Rudiments of electrical engineering,
by P. Kemp, 861

Selected studies in elementary physics,
by E. Blake, 352

Storage battery practice, by R. Ran-
kin, 190

Theory of electric cable and networks.
The, by A. Russell. 733

Thompson. Silvanus Phillips, by J. S.
and H. G. Thompson, B.Sc, 222

Whittaker's electrical engineer's
pocket book, edited by R. E.
Neale, 383

Wireless telegraphy and telephony, bv
H. M. Dowsett, 223

Wireless telegraphy, by W. H. Mar-
chant, 222

Year book of wireless telegraphy and
telephony, 587

Revival of public lighting, The, 578
Rifle League, Electricity Supply, 50
Riga exhibition. A, 237
Right to work. The, 578
Rio Tinto copper mines, 846
Road rollers. Electric, 659
Roadway authorities,

ties of, 204
Rollers, Electric road, 659
Rolling-mill equipment for Messrs. Steel,
Peech & Tozer, .Electric, 643, 675
Rolliig mills. Electric, 213
Rolling stock. New District Railway,

838
Rolling stock. New Piccadilly Railway,

Rotherham Council and the E.T.U., 77
Rotherham Electricity Works, 547, 579
Royal Air Force electricians' re-union,

852
Royal Engineer Volunteers, County of

London, 628
Rubber exhibition, 1921 719
Rubber, New uses for, 461
Rumania, Electrical developments in,

Rumanian oil industry, 688
Rumanian reconstruction, 589
Rumanian Wireless Co., New, 589
Russia, Water turbines for, 399
Russian electrical industry during and

sponsibili-

after the war, 572
Russian lamp orders. 622
Russian trade, 660, 668
Russian water power, 116

'AFETY FIRST," 277

Engl-

Safety lamp. Electric, 20
.Salaries, Electrical powt

Salaries, the Institution of Civil

neers and, 179
Salaries, Wages and, 686. 720, 749
Salving war wrecks, 532
S.imples exhibition. Foreign, 561
Sand from water. Removing, 498
S.aurday work in Australia, 398
Scandinavia and the export of energy

498

" .Science and the public," 259

Science at Oxford, 290

Scientific and industrial research, 443,

'The

499

Searchlights, Small, 461
Sea tunnels. Proposed, 405
Seed, Electric.lly-treated, 403
Selenium, Illumination and electr:

conductivity in, 360
Selfish polricv. A, 611
Selling catnpaign, Xmas, 719
Sequestration, 108

THE ELECTKIOAL REVIEW— INDEX.

[JANCillV 7. I'.ii.

(in; notes, I'J, 5U, 81. 110, 277, SIO,

:«2. ;t7j. i:», r,u, 7r,r, 787, 8ao,_85a

Mil I,.i; r.L^'-. I'he propuM'J, U5, 705,

ros

An appn

sii.ini^luii, Iikiiricity supply in, 127
Shi.nghai, Raillc-ss iraction in, 243
Slian-i Foreign purcliases of German

Si,;,ncns, 143
Sliawinigan power, 12
Ship, An 8,«0O-ton electrically \velde<l,

35!)
sIiipl.ulMin^, Kn^incrring and lileclrical

I !,il,i:i,,ii, -.r,'!, UU,'mr>, S84, 730
,s [. , , i 'li I apiU submersible, 7^>

M ... .\ ii-less, 49a

,shi|., ].: i-welclal, 50

Milp, l-.i«iiitii> un board, 343

Miip propulsion, lilectric, 4GG

Miipping, lingineCTing and Machinery

Lxhibition, 1921, li22
.Shipping Lloyd's register of, 498
Ships, Big motor, 406
Ships, lileitrically-guided, 300
Ships, Electrically-propelled, 628, C80
Ships' fittings, -Standard specifications.

408

■29

Shop lighting, 596; by E. A
Shunt-wound, d.c. motors. Variable-

speed, 125
Siam, Our tr.ide with. 75
Siamese market, 433
Siam's trade, 304

Siemens-Schuckert steel works, 622
Siemens shares. Foreign purchases oi

German, 143
Signal, A new wireless call, bv E. H.

Shaughnessy, 68
Signal-box fire,' 405
Silver fumes Electrical precipitation of.

180
.Simplified sub-stations, 137
Simplon tunnel. The second, 597
.Sinn Fein plot, 725
Site, The rnvsjerv of the, 514
Situation in'Japin, The, 353
.Skilled labour position, 322
Sleepercd track at Birmingham, 169
Small currents. Rectifier lor, 364
Smelting in Australia, Electrolytic, 590
Smoke abatement. No. 11
Smoke, Domestic, 20
Socialisation of supply works in Ger-
many, 419
Solent tunnel. Proposed, 201
South .-Vfrica : A neglected market, 519
South .\trica. British manufacturers in,

12
South .Africa, British Manufacturers'

Representatives' .Association of, 720
South Africa Development of electricitv

in, 18
South .\frica. Electrical supplies in, 46.

141. 179, 261, 304, 430, 621
South .Vtrica, Grain elevators in, 70
.South .\lriea Tjade prospects in, 335,

460, .559
South Alrica, Trade statistics of, 639
.South .'Vfrican iron and steel industry,

•239, 336
.South .\frican power scheme, 499
South .Africa's telephone system, 596
South Wales electricity district : A

local conference, 861
Soviet Russia, Trade with, 628
Spain, Electrical developments in. 212.

594, 6-38
Span in transmission line, Long, .533 .
Spanish company. New, 780
Sp.-iiiish Electric Welding Co., 368
Spanish electrical imports, 560
Spanish Electrical Manufai ' '

" S.P.D.'

Specialis,

846

uhstil

381. P
60Si.

for E.P.D.. 812

576.
8D0,

Lignlt

832, 864
.Spontaneous comht

and, 179
Spot-welding of tubes. The. 467
Stability in industry. The necessity of.

542
Staff Emplovds, Society of Technical

Engineer^ and, 34
Standard practice in voltage ratings,

U.S.A. bv F. D. Newbury and R.

W. E. Moore, 486
Standardisation, Electric wire, 12
Standardisation in .Australia, 288
Standardisation in Germany, bv '^ E. -S.

H.," 5-20
Standards Association (Inc.), British

Engineering, 115
Standards, Engineering tool, 242
Starting and controlling gear, Motor ;

Some criticisms and suggestions bv

G. T. Dickson. 186
Static electricity in belts, 820
Static electricity. Graphite in belt dress-

ing

468

Steel, Peech & Tozer, Electric rolling-
mill equipment lor Messrs,, 6^, 675
Steel workers, Wages of, 462
Steel works, Australian iron and, 399
Steel works, Siemens-Schuckert, 6'22
Steels, Electric, by C. G. Carlisle, 477
" Steinmetz " elc-ctric vehicle, The, 19
Street lighting, by H. T. Harrison, 601,

633
Street lighting, .Automatic, 142, 302
Street lighting. Improvements in, 541
Street lighting with low mounted units,

200
Strike, .An absurd, 527
Strike ballot, Cable makers'. 111
Strike, Electricians', 115 6.39
Strike fever, 'The, 257
Strike in Germany, 623
Strike in power 'stations. The threa-
tened, 499
Strike in Stuttgart, General, 304
Strike, Liverpool cable jointers', 110. 2Ij1
.Strike prevention in Japan. 335
Strike, Ihe coal. '271, 304, 310, 337, 513,

528, 560, 590, 597
Strike, The Melbourne, '238
Strikeji, 13, 44, 46. 76
Students, .Vnglo-American exchange of,

147

appa

for Monte \iil.o.

25
Supply authorities. Electricity, 201
Supply districts, Electricity, 106, 155, 179
.Supply districts. Electricity ; The East

Midlands scheme, 155
Supply of electric power in the U.S.A.,

Eeonomical, 595
Supply pressures on alternating-current

systems, by R. J. H. Beaty, 297
Supply works in Germany, Socialisation

of, 419
Sweden, A. E.G. in, 44
Sweden, Electrolytic copper production

in, .540
Sweden, Wages in, 12, 846
Swedish companies, 108, 272, 559
Swedi.sh electrical industry. The, 815
Swedish electrometallurgy, 396
Sweilish enterprise in Holland. 110
Sw'cdish exports, "271
.Swetlish glow lamps. 6''22
Swedish hydro-electric works, 594
Swedish import duties on cleclrical

goods, 622
Swedish locoittotive orders, 335
Swedish trade propaganda, 846
.Swiss aluminium, 650
Swiss electrical industiry. The. 227. 655
Swiss investment companies. The Ger-
mans and, 610
SwitchbCard. .A large, 764
Switching, Examinations in electric

light, 76, 271, 623
Switzerland, British Chamber of Co;ti-

mercc for, 561
Switzerland. Eight-hours' day in. 597
.Symposium on electroplating, ..\, 804
Synthetic insulating materials, .Artificial

silk, b> R. W. Kennedy. 836

"T^ well-:

K. Ir

ih. ,52(i

Station, The design of a super-power,
by H. Goodwin and A. R. Smith, 25
Statistics and a moral, L.C.C., 290
Statistics, Norwegian. 399
Statistics of South Africa. Trade. 639
Statistics, Tramway finance and, 777
Statistics, U.S.A. generating station. 210
Steam action in simple nozzles, by
Prof. A. L. Mellanby and W. Kerr,
347
Steel and electrical combination, A Ger-
man, 816
Steel construction, " A.W.P.," Welded,

638
Steel industry in British Coliimbia, 597
Steel industry. South African iron and.

Taps, Electrically-hardened, 597
Tarill policy, 89

TariB revision. New Zealand. 751
Tariffs for domestic electricity service,

by J. W. Beauchamp. 71
Tariff's penalising low power factor.

Some notes on metering devices

used in connection with, by G. W.

Stubbings, 4.52, 505
Tasmania, Hvdro-electric power in, 81,

368
Tasm.anian, Hydro-electric iotfn, 461
Tax on foreign companies, Brazilian,

A. 291

Taxes, Industrial electric truck, 7'24
Technical wlucation, by C, Cole, 602
Technical societies. Joint housing of,

148
Technical staffs, A District Joint Board

for, 780
Telegraph and telephone systems. Wes-
tern electric, 774. 807 '
Telegraph, Fire signal, 594

Telegraph Notes —
.Amateur wireless, 340, 562
Anglo-German cable communication.

658
Atlantic cable, 496

Australia, 80, 145, 464, 496, 592, 6,")8
Austria, -241
Baltic States 531
Barbadoes, 435
Belgium, .592
Brazil, 785
British cables, 658
Cable (;hargcs, 6-26
CaWc delays, 16, 145, 496
Cable ship, A new, 592
Canada, 209, 435, 464, 722
Chester, 339
Chesterfield, 48
China, 80, 372

U'ELEUItAl'H NOTKS— CO«/i«ueJ.

Colombia, -274, 339

Combined wire and wireless tele-
graphy, 274

Continental telegraph ratcj, 307. 785

Costa Rica, '241

Cuba, 435

Dairen-Nagasaki, New cable, 274
■ Denmark, 339

Devizes (Wilts.), 209

Dutch East Indies, 658

Ecuador, 241, 562

Europe-lntereommunication, 114

Fintand, ','0:)

Fi.HUr. 111. 114. 14.5, 178. 209, 241, 3.'i:l,
:ir- 1 1', ii'i. ifli,. UM, 8lh. 8.10

C..,„_ i: J4I

Gem:. r\,

G. 111! .111. Ill, ITS, J74 370, 4i|0, 4i;4
691, 754

H. mover, 372 .'di

High-speed wireless transmission, 6"27.
691

Holland. 496

Honduias, 431)

Hongan, 16

Imperi.ii wireless chain, 16, 627

India, 145

Ini.-i national Conference on Commu-
nications, 496, 503, 786, 819

Ireland, 241, 274

llalv, 339, 436, 691, 7.)4. 818

Jam'aica, 723

Liverpool, 241

Lizard wireless station, 274, 402 496

.Malta, 209

.\K

339

New telegraph charges, 114

Ne« Zealand. 339, 373, 436

North Borneo, 178

Pacific cable. 16, 026

I'.il.stine. 16

Phulogr,.phs by wireless, 80

P.M.G.'s lertificate, 210

Private wireless installations, 178

Rumani.i, 436, 496

.Sc-indinavia, 48

Shanghai, 241

Ship's wireless, 178, 209. 241

South Afric.-i. 496

South America, 145, 178

Spain, 404

Submarine cables, 593

Sweden, 436, 464

Switzerland, 531, 593, 658

Tahiti, 850

Telegrams by aeroplane, 531

Telegraph rates, 16

Telegraph service, 178, 274

Thermionic valves, 145

Trans-Atlantic wireless, 818

Inited States, 16, 145, 209, 241, 307.

373, 496, 503, 091, 755, 786, 819
Watchers, Wireless telegraplu, 436
Weather telegraphy, 723
West Indies, 274 •'
Wireless clubs, 373
Wireless (firection finding, 402, 496,

058
Wireless meteorological forecasts, 339
Wireless on lightships, 307
Wireless operatois, 16, 307
Wireless slalions, 627
Wireless telegraphy, 210, .340. 627,

658, 691
Wireless telegraphy watchers, 436
Wireless time signals, 755

Telegraphic photography, 246
Telegraphone resurrected. The, 469
Telegraphy, .Submarine cable, by E.

Raymond-Barker, 164, 217
Telegraphy, Wireless, by Dr. W. H.

Eccles, 826
Telephone charges. Post Office, 664, 839
Telephone directory. Trades, 367
Telephone engineering in the U.S., 5*24
Telephone industry, I'he French, 460

Iclephorie report, 83-1

Telephone rcquircmenis. Western Cana-
dian, 142

Telephone system. South Africa's, 596

I'elephone systems, Western electric
telegraph and, 774, 807

Telephones impracticable in Australia,
Manufacture of, 336

Temperature compens.-ilion of moving-
coil ammeters, .Notes on the, by F.
T. Chapman and A. T. Morris,' 313

1 empcratures, Measuring coai-stack, 49t

Terrestrial magnetism, 310

1 esting of materials at high tempera-
tures, by Prof. F. C. l.ea, 377

Tests on ek-i-iric cables. Maintenance in-
sulation, by I.. R. Lee, 154

Theory of metallic arc welding. A, 3.50

I heriii.al efficiency. Power station design
in relation to, bj I. V. Robinson,

36

Argentina, 592

Australia. 80. 339, 464, 058

Automatic telephones 16, 274, 373, 402

Baltic cable. New, 5'31

Brazil, 274

Canada, 402, 593

Cleckheaton. 435

Combined wire and wireless telephony.

274
Cuba, 435

France, 339, 754, 850
Germany, 402, 593
Holland, 241, 402
Hull, 464
Hungary, 16
India, 209

Italy, 209, '241, 722, 785, 818
Jam'aica, 274
Japan, 80, '274
London, 16, 373, 464, 850
New Mexico, 593

New Zealand, 80, 339, 373, 436, 7'23
.South Africa, 723
South America, 48
Spain, 464. 593

Sweden, 373, 436, 404, 058, 785, 853
Switzerland, 786

Telephone call recorder, 563, 786
Telephone cschanfjes. New, 307, 531
Telephone in Parliament, 755
Telephone rates, 48, 80, 563, 723, 818
Telephone service. The, 49, 114, 209.

626
Telephones, Sale of lines. 786
Tramway tcflephones, L.C.C.. 8.50
I'nderground telephone cable, 531
I'nitetl States, 209, 307, 339, 373. 593.

786
Wireless telephony, 80, 114, 146, 373.

436. 627. 658, 733

Thermionic voltmeter, .\ 678
Thermo-couples, EUetro-deposiled, 309

Ihermodynamic eflieiencv of power sta-
tions, 97

I hermo-electric measurements. Pre-
cision gahanometer for, 3*28

Thermo-el.clrieitv, 214

Three-shift system. 781

Thunderstorm detector. 724

'Tidal power. Severn ; .\n appreciation.

by T. Stevens, 708
Tooth diseases, Electrical treatuK'nt lor,
476, 532

Totally-enclosed dynamo, A large, by E.
G. .Sanlord. 612

" Touchbutton 'Hous<;," 98

Touring exhibition. Dominions, 175

Track circuiting, .Alternating current, by
L. H. Peter. 253, 283

Traction, French railways and electric,
832

Traction, Thi' possibilitie.i of raillcss
electric, 170

Trade aims, U.S.A., 782

Trade, .\merican foreign, 401

Trade and industry in .Australia, 589

Traile and industry in Greece. 94

Trade. Australian,' 237, Ij89

Trade black-list. A, 623

'Trade, Chinese students and inter-
national, 238

'Trade conference. International. 688

Trade, Control of the German export,
■227

Trade ilcpression, Engineering, 141

Trade, Foreign 76, 238, 367, 492, 653.
779

Trade, French export, 590

'Trade. German export, 396

Trade, Government's assistance to, 590

Trade yi I.aly, Electrical fittings, 76

I'rade in Japan The copper, 461

Trade in Jugo-Slavia, Electrical, 814

Trade in South Alrica. Electrical, 261

Tr.ade of Australia, Import, 807

Trade marks, 99

Trade marks, .Application for British,
109

Trade marks. Notes on. by T. Rich, 185

Trade of Can,ada, The, 123, 623

Trade of China, Import, 490

'Trade openings. Mexican 653

Tr.ade position in Peru. The, 76

Trade propaganda, Swedish, 846

'Trade prospects in South .\friea, 335,
559

Trade, Russian, 660, 688

Triide, .Siam's, 304

Trade sLuation in Western Europe, 837

Trade slump. The, 423

Trade statistics of South .Africa, 639

Trade Union amalgamation, 749, 845

Trade Union congress, 303

'Trade Union grievance. A, 780

Ti.ade with Australia. 688

Trade with Canada. 460, 597. 623. 654.
720

Trade with China, 655

Trade with Hungary, 7.56

Trade with Germany-, Australia ami, 89

Tr.ade with Guatemala, 623

Trade wi.h India, 792

Trade with India, J.apanesc, 41

Trade with Mexico. 719

Trade with New Zealand recovering.
765

Trade with Siam. Our. 75

Trade with Soviet Russia, 6-28

Trade with the Argentine Republic, 782

Trade with Turkey, 396

'Trades, German competition in the elec-
trical, 769

Trades telephone directory, 367

Trading, Dutch Co-operative, 11

Train control, .Automatic. 342 466. 594

Train control system. The Regan, 570

Training classes. Post Office, 147

Training disabled men, 148

'Training, Ex-officers'. 693

Training of apprentices. 115

Training of ex-Servicr men. 197. 374.
468, 660, 749

Training Organisation, The Engineering,
1-29, 291. 309, 499, 51)5

Tramway fares, bv Councillor Highant

and P. Priestly. 361
Tramway finance and statistics, 777

'Tramway industry. Wages in Ihe. 750

Tramway managers. Municipal, 148

Tramw.w Notes—
Aberdeen. 306, 370
Ashton, 463, 495

Australia, o3S. 401, 495, 721, S49
Bacup, 592

Barrow-in-Furness, 306. 392, 690
Belf.ast. 48. 625, 849
Belgium, 79, .591
Birkenhead, 46S

January , , rj21.]

THE ELECTKICAL EEVIEW— INDEX.

KAUUVY Non»- lOljInill,.,/.

Birmingham, W. SK
ISIaikliurn, 13, 113, jlili
Ml.ickpuul, IS, 306, 784, ma
Bolion, 4S, 113, 1«, 208, 30(i, (i25
Boolle, 7-'l

Un.Jl.jrJ, 15, 79, 113. 144, 371. 401,
41 i, .530, 0--.'5. G57, (JiH), 754, 817,

Br.

64a

784

liurnle\. 48, 240, 273, SOU, 530. 391,

72i
Camborne, 372
C.irdilT, 273, :»(!. 330 723
ChiU-, 372
ColchfSter. 208
Colne. 48, 30C, 754
Columbia, 372
Cork, 15, 144, 818
Croydon, 15, 177
Darlington, 15, 79, 208

Dat
Derby,

.530

48. 79. 208, 30(i, 339. 495.

Dublin. 177. 273. 306, 592, 785

Dudle^. 722

Dund.'f. 4(i3, 754

Durham Co., 372, 592, 090, 722, (

Eau Ham. 177, 530

Kdinburgli. 145, 690 818

ligypl, 849

l-:niplo\cs wages, 592

Essex, 562

Falkirk, 849

Kinchlev. 849

1-rance,' 562, 785

Oateshead-on-Tyne, 463

Ulasgow, 15, 273, 372, 434, 849

(ire»;nock, 339

Grimshv, 48, 690

H.ililax. 15. 79, 177, 208, 435, 495,

722, 754
Ilammci=,mith, 849
Haslingd^n, 592
Holland (Lines.). 495
Huddersfield, 145 402, S49
Hull, 240, 273 ■
llford, 15, 145, 177
India, 402, 463, 495, 592
Ipswi.h, 463
Itah, 402, 785
Japan, 48, 722
Keighley, 307, 339
Kirkcaldy. 79
Lancashire, 657, 754
Lancaster, 48, 79, 435, 625 818
Leeds, 15. 145, 177, 273, 372. 464.

625. 690
Lincoln', 208

Liverpool. 208, 273, 307, 402, 463.

592, 626, 691, 785
London. 48, 113, 145. 177, 273,

464, 495, 530, 562, 626. 657.

722, 785. 849
Longridgc, 495, 722
.Manchester, 15,. 80, 114. 177. 339.

626, 754, 818
Melbourne, 722
Middlesbrough, 145, 177
Middlesex. 15
Morecambe, 754
Motor-'bus taxation, 177
Mvtholmrovd, 7.54
Nelson, 273, 785
Newcastle-upon-Tyne. 177 435.

722, 7.51
Newport (Mon.). 177. 626. 785
New. South Wales, 721
New Zealand, 273, 626
Norlhampton, 145

Oldl.ur
Oldhan
I'alestii

r.

818

850

Plvm.ailh. 145
r.mlvpri.ld. :j07
I'ortrush. 495
I'ortsmoulh. 15
I'otteries. 657
Preston. 372. 592
Radcliffe. 145
Rawmarsh. 435
Rawtenstall. 273
Reading, 754
Rochdale. 495 592 "
Rothwell, 307
St. .\nnes. 372, .592
Si. Helens, 177. 209

.530

Salo, 372
SaKord. 48
Selbv, 722

TkaMWAV NOIUS— Ci,r./i..UC,J.

Sheffield, 563

Shildon (DurliamI, 145, 722

.Southampton. 241, 273

Southend-on-Sea. 241, 754

Soulhport, 241. 3tl7

South Shields. 754

Spain, 15, 177, 206

Stockton, 209, 402 626, 785

Stretford, 496, 657

Sunderland, 48, 114. 209, 273, 65:

722, 818
Swansea, 592
Sweden, 402, 435
• Svdnev, 495, 849
Taunton. 850
Traniu.iv employes, r,M
1 ui.k-nham, 464
I nii,-,l Slates, 114, 307, 372
\ .n.vu.la. 177
\ieloria, 401, 721
Wage demands, 657
Wallasey, 114, 722
Walsall, 372, 691, 818
West Bromwich, 80
West Ham. 80, 241
West Riding iVorkshire), 339
Wigan, 530

VXolvcrhampton, 80, 402, 496 562
Wrexham, SO
York. 80, 177. 626, 850

336

Tramwavs and Light Railways Asso-
ciation, 95

Tramways and the duly on rails, Aus-
tralian. 174

Tran.iy lis AsM.-iaiii.n. The Municipal.

■|,.KK ■ :i . , Nation. il, 787

111,

686

of,

rr.insformation from two to three
phase, 212

Transfonners, Circulating-current con-
nections for Delta-Star, by J. Hen-
derson, 203

Transformers, Outdoor E.ii.r., by D.
.MacBean, 554

Transmission, Extra-long-distance, 195

Trar

hall-.

High-voltage, 635
in France, High-pn

line. Long span in. 533

Extra long-distance, 57 291. 2.5b!
282, 316, 483
insniission of electricity. The func-
tion of the earth in the, hv f. E.
Snell. 421

Way

595

Transport, Improving. 856
Transport of refrigerated produce, 82tl
Transport problems in Paris, 165
Transport workers' wages, 337
Travellers in Denmark, Commercial.

687
Travellers' Union, Commercial, 750
Treatment for blindness. Electrical, 404
Treatment for tooth diseases. Electri-
cal, 476, 532
Tribunal. Anglo-German arbitral 689
Tricycles, Electric, 628, 756
Trieste district. Market for machinery

in the, 815
Triode used as a negative resistance
oscillator. An ordinary, by J. Scott-
Taggart and J. Rce. 602
Trucic taxes. Industrial electric, 724
Trucks in doi-ks. Electric. 724
Trustification of German industries. 186
Tunnel. Proposed Solent. '201
Tunnel. The Channel, 724. 7.56
Tunnel. The second Simplon, 597
Tunnels, Proposed sea, 405
" Turbine " boiler furnace, 586
Turbines and boilers, Mercurv-vapour.

520
Turbines at Kinlochleven, 18
Turbines for Russia, Water, 399
Turbines in England. The ma

nufa.

of

100

Turbines. l.nrf,c yvater, 636

Turbo-y. nerator failures, Cl.assification

of l.nge. 18. 595
Turbo-gener.itor failures. Large, b\

" Mechanolectric," 709
Turkey: An undeveloped market. 604
Turkey. Traile with, 396
Turnover, A tax on, 291

UiNDERTAKINGS and compuborx
supply, Small. 323
liiiemployment, 239. -161
Unemployment benefit, 718
L'nemployinent Insurance, E.xtcnsion

of, by J. J. H. Stanslield, 555
Unemployment problem. The, 750
Union, .\ Commercial Travellers', 7SC
Union, A l>an-.\merican Postal, 750
United Kingdom, Electricity supply in

the, 207
United Kingdom, The Provincial Elec-
tric Supply (l:ommittee of the, 447
United States, Deflation in the, 782
U-S-A., Electric vehicles in the, 472
I'.S.A-, Electrical exports ol the, 649
L'.S..\. generating station statistics, 2HJ
U.S.A., Nela research laboratories, 280
I'.S.A. nitrate plant, 180
L'.S..A. standard practice in voltage
ratings, by F. D. Neyvburv and
R. W. E. Moore, 486
U.S.A., Telephone engineering in th.-.

U.S.A. trade aims, 782

U.S.A. wages fall, 682

U.S.A., War Laws, 819

U.S..\, water-power Irgist.ilion. 115

" University," A Ford, 400

University of Grenoble. Th.-. by T.

Rich, 3
l^niversity, Winnipeg, 396 ■
Itrecht Industries Fair, 813

-17-ACl

V 24;

\'acuum-tube a.c. rectifier anil wireless
tritnsmilter, A double-anode, by J.
Scott-Taggart. 298
Vanadium production suspended, 845
Variable-speed, Shunt-wound d.c.

motors, 125
Vehicle Co.. .New Bombay Eleclric.il,

846
\ehicle lights. 564

Vehicle. The " Steinmelz " electric, 19
W-hicles. .\mpere-hour melers for use-
on electric, 788
Vehicles. Electric, 438
Vehicles in India, Electric, 523
Vehicles in the U.S.A., Electric, 472
Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker.

75
\ickers Norwegian Company, 783
\"ictorian industrial expansion, 839
\'oltage ratings, U.S.A. standard prac-
tice in, by F. D. Neyvburj- and R.
W. E. Moore, 486
Voltmeter, A thermionic, 678
Wiilcanising process. New, 18

w

\GES agreement. Electrical, 205

Wages and salaries, 68(!. 720. 749

Wages Bill, Minimum, 622

Wages Board, Miners' National, 659

Wages, Cable Workers', 176

Wages, Electrical Trade Union and

Wages, Electrical workers', 337
Wages, Electricians' mates', 600
Wages, Engineers'. 11, 99, 141, 686
Wages fall, U.S.A., 682
Wages in .\ustralia, Engineering. 433,

782
Wages in electricity supply, 46, 845
Wages in Sweden, Reduction of, 12.

846
Wages in the contracting industry, Na-

Wages in the engineering industry, 622

Wages in the Midlands, 108

^\'ages in the tramwav industry, 750

VV,iges, Miners', 527 '

Wages of railyvay electrical workers,
176

Wages of steel workers, 462

Wages, Transport workers', 337

Wages. Work and, 482, 564

War laws. U.S.A., 819

War time. Generating station ex-
pedients in. 857

War wrii-ks. Salving. 532

Washing machines. Manufacture of. .529

Wasting of fuel economiscr pipes. Ex-
ternal, by E. Ingham, 4'24

Water power', British, 18. 34

W'.iter-power developments, by L. E.
Wo<kI, 89

Water-power legislation. United Stales
of --Vmerica, 115

Watir-poyyrr i. ^uurce,-, lliilisli. ...s
Water-poyvcr, Russian, 116
Water powers, Norwegian, 169 ■
Water, Removing sand from, 498
Water tap, A 1-h.p., 709
Water turbines for Russia, 399
Water turbines, Lturge, 636
Wattless current. Some notes on

methods of charging for, b\ G. W .

Stubbings, 634
Wave transmission, 595
Welded steel construction. " A-W.P.."

688
Welding, A theory of metallic arc, 350
Welding, Electric by " Electrode." 351:
Welsh mines. New, 813
West Indies, Trade yvith, 526
West Midlands Whitley Council, 589
West of England Eleclrieilv Authorin.

The, 809

Electric Co.'s exhibition in

Chii

5-26

Western Electric telegraph and tele-
phone systems, 774. 807
Western Europe, The trade situation

We

837

L nil

felegraph Co.'s profit-
sharing scheme, 304
Whitley Council, West Midlands, 589
Whille'v Councils, A new acfivitv lor

the, 577
Whille) Councils, The ayvard» of the,

638, 770
Who is breaking the law?, 163
Wills, 20, 502, 534, 662, 758, 853
Wind power in Syveden, 559
Winding-up petitions, 688
Winnipeg University, 396
Wire lamps in Switzerland, ,5.59
Wire manufacturing in Australia, 400
Wire standardisation. Electric. 12
Wireless call signal, .\ new. by C. H.

Shaughnessy, 68
Wireless chain, A proposed Imperial,

42. 67
Wireless communication. Railway, 147
Wireless in fishing industry. "213
W ic-l-vs. N.nv petrol engine for. 206
Win I.-., I'i, lures by, 18
W II' I- - -iiiji control, 499
W 11. I. -- -11.11. IV. Manchester, 181
Wild.,, .-J.ilion. The New York Cen-
tral, 478
Wireless telegraphy, by Dr. W. H.

Eccles, 826

Wireless telegraphy in Argentina, 245

Wireless transmitter, A douhle-anode

vacuum-tube a.c. rectifier and, by

J. Scott-Taggart. 298

\\'iring rules, Distributiot? pressures

and, 355
Wolverhampton electricilv works exten-
sions, 131, 132
Work and w.iges. 482, 564
Work in Australia. Saturday, 398
Work, The right to, 578
Workers' direct interest in output. 660
Workers, National Federation of Pro-
fessional, &c.. -276
Working conditions in factories, 637
Workmen's compensation, 1"30
Workmen's holidays 374
Works, Messrs. Pope's lamp, 743
Works of the T.ismanfan Government.

Hydro-electric poyver. 368
Works organisation, 143
World's copper output, 403
World's industrial development, 826
World's supply of energy. The, 479
Wrecks, Sahint; war. 532

\r M.\S selling campaign, 719

X-ray department Bethlem Hospital,

532
X-rav finger prints. 364
X-ray martyr. An, 724

Y

.ACHT. An electrically-propelled, 18

Vorksliire Electric Power Co. and the
Electric Poyver Engineers' Associa-
tion, 141

ZANZIBAR Harbour improvement,
559
Zinc industry, Australian electrolytic.

Zinc ores, Resistance furnace for, 565

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to '

Index to the Electrical Review,
.Taniiarr 7th. 1921.

*^:m.'m

EXjEOTI^IOJ^Xj K/E'VIEJ'W.

Vol. LXXXVII.

JULY 2, 1320.

No. 2,223,

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

Vol. LXXXVII.]

CONTENTS : Jnly 2, 1920.

(No. 3,823.
Page
... 1

The I.M.E.A. Convention

Merchandise Marks

Unwelcome Propagandas

The University of Grenoble, by T. Rich (iHw«.)

The Incorporated Municipal Electrical Association

The Design of Distributing Networks, by C. A. Gillin
iillm.') iconcluded)

National Health Insurance Act, 1920. — New Kates of Con-
tributions and Benefits

Electrically Driven Pumpa

Business Notes • •••

Notes - ."

City Notes ... .« ... .~

Stocks and Shares

Market Quotations

The Design of a Super-Power Station, by H. Goodwin and
A. R. Smith (ilhts.') iconcludeS)

Gas rerxus Electricity

The National Physical Laboratory

Correspondence-
Current Density in Wires at High Temperatures

Power Development in U.S.A.

Direct Current Compared with Three-phase Current for
Driving Steel Works Plant... ... ... ...

Non-Union Labour and Supply Undertakings

Cable Fault Localisation (JW««.)

Legal

Reviews ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

New Patents Applied for, 1920

Abstracts of Published Specifications

Contractors' Column

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THE I.M.E.A. CONVENTION.

On Friday last the Convention, one of iJie most successful
ever held, came to an end, and the members dispersed to all
points of the compass ; many of them, however, would
meet again at the I.E.E. Conversazione last night, and
again, perhaps, at the summer meeting of the I.E.E. at
Cardiff shortly. The benefit derived from such meetings
and reunions cannot easily be over-rated ; apart from the
papers and discussions, the opportunities afforded for private
conversations and the exchange of views are fruitful sources
of new ideas and the solutions of knotty problems, and Sir
.John Snell laid great emphasis on the value to the public
of these conventions, in his speech at the annual dinner.

There is, however, one aspect of the matter with which
we were somewhat impressed. The speakers in the dis-
cussions are almost invariably well-known men, prominent
in the electricity supply industry, and it is rarely that one
of the " smaller " men takes part ; in fact, the same con-
ditions obtain as are observed at the meetings of the
Institution of Electrical Engineers. An admirable and
successful attempt to induce the juniors to practise the art
of debate was made when the " informal meetings " of the
Institution were inaugurated ; whether the same course
could be followed at the Convention is somewhat doubtful,
owing to the limited time available, but that the fact con-
stitutes a defect in the existing system seems manifest.

Another point, very similar to the former, is that although
the members are all units in the same fraternity, there seems
to the onlooker to be little intermingling of the various strata,
outside the meeting-rooms. Messrs. 50,000 kw., 20,000 kw.,
and 10,000 kw. are frequently seen in close communion,
and so are Messrs. 1,000 kw., 500 kw., and 100 kw. — but
does Mr. 50,000 kw. ever voluntarily associate with Mr.
50(1 KW. ? or dare Mr. 100 kw. button-hole Mr. 10,000 kw. ?
If so, the incident has escaped our notice, and so far as
our observations go, there is little intercourse between
the representatives of widely-separated layers in the
engineering social structure. We should hesitate to
describe the gathering as split up into cliques ; the
engineer, when you put him to the test, is remarkably free
from snobbery or "side," and is usually a thoroughly good
fellow, warm-hearted, sympathetic, and unselfish — in a
word, a gentleman in the true sense, but modest and
retiring to the last degree. That, we believe, is the root
of the trouble to which we have referred. The older
men fear to appear patronising, the younger ones fear to
be thought presumptuous, and so they seldom meet on the
level of common membership and equal rights. We venture
to draw attention to this flaw in the otherwise admirable
proceedings at the Convention, with a view to its removal
on future occasions. What is wanted is the spirit of
comradeship on all sides, the complete absence of " stand-
offishness," or rather, perhaps, shyness.

The papers and discussions at this Convention reached a
very high level of interest and usefulness, although they
afforded little opportunity for the " committee members "
to take part. JI*-. frillin's paper gave a comprehensive
survey of the distribution system, and fully merited the
award of the Association Premium. Mr. Robinson's paper
summarised the results of k questionnaire addressed to the
members of the B.E.A.M.A., and the author, therefore, was
[1] «

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

[Vol. 87. No. 2,223, JULY 2, 1920.

unable to give free play to his own views ; we note, how-
ever, that in his introductory remarks at the Wednesday
meeting he drew attention to the article on " The
Design of a Super- Power Station," part of which we repro-
duced in our issue of June 18th, and pointed out that many
of the conclusions put forward by the authors agreed with
those given at the end of his paper. We have now, there-
fore, a statement which may be taken to represent fairly
accurately the considered opinions of both British and
American engineers on present-day practice in connection
with the design of large power stations — but many new
ideas are in the air, as will be seen when we publish a
report of the discussion on this paper, and we both hope
and expect to see material changes in the near future. It
is significant that nothing is said with regard to gas-firing,
recovery of liy-products, &c. Apparently effort is
at present concentrated upon the improvement of the
power station as we know it, and radical depar-
tures from current practice are not at present
contemplated. A thermal efficiency of 25 per cent, was
foreshadowed in the discussion. We shall return to this
subject at an early date.

The paper by Mr. Beauchamp of the E.D.A., on "The
Standardisation of Tariffs," completed this symposium on
the electricity supply industry, which does credit to the
Council of the Association : the three papers, emanating
respectively from three Associations, with the discussions
will form a valuable source of information and instruction
for all engaged in the industry. Mr. Beauchamp'e paper
called forth a lively discussion, revealing widely divergent
views, but on the whole the sense of the meeting was with the
author ; a plain flat rate does not meet the needs of the
case, and some form of fixed charge together with a running
charge is generally regarded as the most appropriate basis
for an equitable and remunerative tariff.

The proceedings at the annual general meeting were no
less interesting, but the limits of our space compel us to
defer comment upon them to another occasion. We must
not, however, let pass the opportunity of offering our con-
gratulations to Mr. Roles, not only on the sucress of the
Convention, which was so largely due to his efforts und the
IoydI support of his staff, but on the personal success which
he scored by his admirable ponduct of the meetings and
otlier functions over whii'h he presided.

„ ^ ^. Although in the abstract and on broad

Mercbandlte i.- i j -i. , • , ,

Marks. national grounds it may seem desirable

that all goods coming from foreign

countries should bear some indication of their origin, it

may surprise some people to know that the case in favour

of this course is not absolutely overwhelming. The

Merchandise Marks Acts of 1887 and 1891 are familiar

documents in the business world, and they have for their main

object the protection of trade marks and trade descriptions,

but they deal also with the importation of goods and their

marking. These particular provisions, however, have not

been altogether satisfactory — at any rate, from the point of

view of those good patriots who believe that people in this

country have only to be told that an article comes from

some foreign country to refuse it. We venture to think

heresy though it be — that this is not quite the general

attitude, and it is becoming even less so under the lash of

high prices of British goods. However that may be. Sir

Auckland Geddes, when he was President of the Board of

Trade, appointed a Committee, the Chairman of which

was ]\Ir. Harry Greer, M.P., to in(iuire into and report

whether any extension or amendment of the Merchandise

Marks Act is required in respect of provisions relating to

indications of origin, and also with regard to the use of

national trade-marks ; and, further, how far international

action might be brought about for the purpose of

preventing the false marking of goods. This Committee

has now reported, and the first thing it came up against was

the conflict of opinion mentioned above. It may be said

that differences arise as between the British manufacturer and

the merchant or importer. The former's business has been

built up on the slogan, " British made," and undoubtedly it

carries enormous weight, probably more so in the foreign
market than the home market. To him, therefore, comes the
view that anything labelled " Made in Germany," or any-
where else, must impress the prospective buyer with a feeling
of its inferiority. Hence he wants all foreign goods labelled
to show their origin as conspicuously as possible.

< »n the other hand, there is the merchant. Superficially,
he puts forward the case that to label all foreign goods
with the name of the country of origin is to give that
country a free advertisement. Actually, the real fact is
that the merchant, quite naturally, does not wish always to
disclose the source from which he obtains his goods,
although it is difficult to imagine how he can avoid doing
so, if his customers insist on knowing. On the whole, we
agree with the Committee in thinking that in some trades —
we hardly see why there need be any limitation — it would be
to the general advantage for all goods to be plainly marked
with tlie nnme of their country of origin. The difficulty
eNperienced by the Committee is evidently considerable, for
it is unable to make any direct recommendation, but
places the onus on the Board of Trade, after an official
inquiry in each case, of dealing with the question by order.
The powers proposed to be given to the Board of Trade are
wide, and include specifying, not only whether an indica-
tion of origin (either specific or general) is to be given, but
the form of the indication, the manner in which it is to be
given — whether by mark to be placed upon the goods, or in
some other manner — and indeed, the whole question in all
its aspects will be dealt with. It is not indicated exactly
in the report what the machinery should be for setting the
Board of Trade in motion, but presumably an application
would be made by interested people, and then an official
inquiry would be held at which all parties concerned would
express their views. It seems a rather laborious
process, although perhaps the only way out with
a matter of this kind upon which views, as a whole,
are too conflicting for comprehensive legislation. As things
stand at present, of course, the position is circumscribed by
the Merchandise Marks Acts. The question whether jroods
should be marked to show their country of origin is
closely bound up with the use of false or misleading mark-
ings, although this latter applies equally to British-made
goods. In this respect, the Committee recommends the
amendment of Clauses 2, 8 and 6 of the Act to include in
the broadest possible manner all indications, descriptions, or
statements, oral, documentary or other, whether physically
attached to the goods or not, including statements in adver-
tisements and catalogues, and false indications given by
trade names or titles of firms or companies, which are
reasonably calculated to lead a purchaser to a false belief
as to the origin of goods. At present, a false indication, in
order to come within the Act, must be one in writing, and
physically applied to the goods. A number of other recom-
mendations are made, but on the question of national and
other collective trade-marks no amendment of the present
law is suggested. In the absence of general agreement,
there are grave objections to a British national mark.

Vawelcome
Propagandas.

The difficulties of the Piess are not
lessened by the efforts of those who seek
to make anonymous use of its " Corres-
pondence" columns as the agents of organised propagandas.
Experienced editors are not likely to be misled by the many
communications of the kind that have lately been issued
from various addresses in the liondou suburbs. They are
too obviously alike, and are the work of the professional
publicity man. We decline to lend ourselves in this way
to the making of public opinion witli regard to mining or
any other legislation. Everything is to be gained by free
and unfettered discussion of the great questions that
confront us in these critical days, but let us have a plain
statement of the case from central organisations which are
not ashamed to attach their names, or from individuals who
are expressing their independent views. Brown may write
from Battersea, Smith from Streatham, and Robinson from
somewhere else, letters apparently typed on the same
machine in the same office, arguiug for or against a certain
Bill, but so far as we are concerned the destination of these
uommunications will be the ,-ame in all cases.

Vol, 87. No. 2,22,S, July 2, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

THE UNIVERSITY OF GRENOBLE.

Technical and Vacation Courses.

By THEODORE RICH.

For many years it has beeu u.sual for numbers of stuJents
on the Continent to conclude their education by spending a
year or more at some foreign university. In recent years
comparatively few British students have gone abroad for

Fiu. 1. — Electric Fdbnaces at Grenoblk University, France,

student life. .The Fremh educational authorities are suffici-
ently broad-minded to realise that the presence of foreign
students at their technical schools will be to the national
advantage, and that the interchange of opinions, which the
presence of such foreigners naturally
encourages, will be of benefit to their
young people.

The commercial advantages of the
foreign student were so much realised
by the Germans liefore the war, that
riots and commotions were actually
organised by the German Foreign Office
in the Dnivfrsities of Russia to interfere
with education and encourage hundreds
of Russian students to fly for educational
refuge to the open arms of the German
professor of " Kultnr."

We hear from time to time of
pettifogging local legislalors at home
who object to the use of rate-aided
technical schools by the sons of those
who live in other districts ; the Muni-
cipality and University of Grenoble
have, however, assisted in the formation
of a Comite de Patronage des Etudiants
Etrangers to' assist foreign students,
showing plainly that they do not share
in such an infantile mentality as to
oliject to students from elsewhere.

The University of (Jrenoble is one
of the most go-ahead institutions in
Fraflce, and it has been in front of other
Frenc.'h universities in its efforts to
provide accommodation for its students.
The technical studies are centred at the

regular and post-graduate courses,
and owing to the inspired " puffing "
which every feature of German life
received at the hands of many pro-
fessors and others, who jooked upon
the " Fatherland " as their terrestrial
or " Spiritual " home, a -large pro-
portion of those who went abroad to
study settled down at such places as
Heidelberg, Charlottenburg, and
Darmstadt.

An organisation has recently been
formed, the Office National des T'ni-
vei'sites et F]coles Franraises, to
encriiirflge r,he interchan?e ff students
of all ages between the United King-
dom and France. It is to be hoped
that the movement will be successful,
and that it will tend to remove that
insularity, and some of that extrava-
gance, which have cften deservedly
been urged against much of our work
and methods at home.

In recent years the French
technical schools and universities
have received very litde attention
from British students, and it can be
said that the merits of the Frt.nch
system of education have been much
more appreciated by the Americans
than by ourselves, especially with
regard to architecture. The French
technical schools are noted on
the Continent for hard work, and
thao reputation for "beer swilling

have never earned
' and " swashbuck-
ling " which has for eo long been a feature of (Terman

Fig. 2.— Instruction in TK>^Tixf. Flow m Water at Grknoi;i,e I'np.kij^itv.

Polytechnic Institute ; one important branch of work being
devoted to electricity ' and hydraulics, and the other to
applied chemistry, with epecial attention bo electro-

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW^ [voi. 87. xo. 2,223, jult 2, 1920.

chemistry and the production of paper. The town of
Grenoble is situated in the centre of the " White Coal "
district, and much uf the activity in power transmission
and electrocliemistry in France has been due to the influence
of this University ; those, therefore, who become regular
electrical students have facilities for examining sonie of the
most up-to-date installations in the world.

Before the war it was somewhat the fashion to belittle the
woa'k of French electrical engineei's and commercial men,
and it must be said to their credit that they have not been
experts at the blatant drum-banging of some of our trans-
Atlantic cousins, or at the backstairs wire-pulling and
peaceful penetration of the German Cartel Organiser. They,
therefore, have not usually received the credit they deserved.
Some of our officers who were in touch with French tech-
nical men during the war were astonished at the high
standard of technical education and intelligence shown by
many company directors, station engineers, and foremen.

At the present time, power transmission worthy of the
name, and water power, are beginning to receive in the
United Kingdom the attention they deserve, and for a full-
time, or poet-graduate, course there' are few better centres
for their study than the University of Grenoble. Our
national finances are in such a state that we shall have
little money to waste on fads and fakements, and one com-
mendalile feature of modern French work is the avoidance of
urmecessary expenditure : the influence in the United King-
dom of a certain number of electrical men trained in France
is likely, therefore, to prove valuable. The large amount
of money raised in France for power transmission and allied
work since the Armistice shows plainly that commercial
men are not afraid of overhead lines, and do not doubt the
integrity of their Government.

In France during the war over half a million horse
power was developed from water power, and it is estimated
that by the end of 19i'l about a million kilowatts will have
been installed. When it is remembered that during the war
the only large projert in the United Kingdom was shelved
mainly because there was a danger that the promoters might
reap some benefit out of it, it can be said that our national
efforts up to date have been negative. It must be realised,
therefore, that the more young men there are who have
gone to see how things can be done, and have been done,
the better.

There are four regular courses pt the Grenoble Univer-
sity : — (1) The normal senior course of two years intended
for those who have already a good knowledge of mathe-
matics, physics, chemistry, and theoretical electricity. (2)
A preparatory course intended for French and foreign
students who have not sufticient qualifications to enter
directly for the senior course. (;'>) A special one-year
course for those who have qualified at other technical
schools and wish to take specialised instruction. The
latter course would be very useful to some of those who
took part in the war and wish to bring themselves up to
date before commencing or returning to practical life.
(4) An elementary course in theory, design, and practical
work intended for foremen and leading hands. It would be
a good thing if some of our important Trade Unions could
send a few of their young men to some of the leading trade
schools in France, and not concentrate the bulk of their
educational efforts on schools for grievancemongers, such as
Ruskin College and Earl's Court.

The fees for the regular courses at the Polytechnic
section of the University are moderate, and considering the
value of the degrees and diplomas obtainable, the cost of
education, including the cost of living, will be found
very low.

The laboratories and workshops are well equipped with
apparatus ; five electric furnaces are arranged for carbide,
ferro-silicon, and steel production, and allied work, and special
attention is paid to the study of synthetic nitrogen products.
Part of the power supplied to the Institute is delivered at
5,000 volts, and part from a neighbouring municipal power
station which has been put at the disposal of the students
by the municipality. Besides its activities in electricity
and chemistry, the University is also well known for its
courses of study in law, political economy, medicine, and
literature.

For a number of years before the war the Comity de

Patronage des Etudiants Etrangers had arranged short,
summer vacation courses dealing with the language,
literature, history, and geography of France, special facilities
being provided for English-speaking students ; arrangements
were also made for men and women past the usual student
age who wished to " brush up " their French. The
vacation courses start on .July 1st, and continue to October
31st, but the instruction is arranged so that a commence-
ment can be made at intermediate times, and short courses
can be taken. In 1019 the vacation courses were attended
by 447 students from all parts.

Arrangements are being made by which, if a sufficient
number of British electrical students join the courses,
some special lectures and excursions will be organised in
connection with local power schemes and French electrical
work generally ; as about 20 electrical students have already
sent in their names from one of the North of England
technical colleges, there is little doubt that those who join
these courses will have an interesting time. As the value
of French technical journals and literature is beginning to
be recognised, a working knowledge of French will prove
useful to many engineers, and a vacation course should be a
pleasant means to that end.

Arrangements are now being made for a six weeks"
technical course to commence in August.

Grenoble is situated in the centre of a group of moun-
tains forming part of the Alps, some of the neighbouring
heights reaching to 10,000 ft. ; there are facilities for sports
of all kinds, a number of excursions being arranged by the
Vacation Course Committee. The Foreign Students'
Committee has prepared lists of rooms and pe}ision>< recom-
mended for those attending the courses, the cost of board
and lodging varying from 300 to 500 fr. a month ; a student's
hostel has also been provided at an inclusive cost of 1 90 to
225 fr. a month. The French (rovernment is taking con-
siderable interest in these vacation courses, in the hope that
they will assist in the formation of the educational
" Entente." The P.L.M. Railway will probably issue return
tickets from Paris at single fare to those joining in these
courses ; those who wish to take part should remember that
passports are necessary.

Mr. H. Sloog, A.M.I.E.E., of 45. Great Marlborough
Street, TiOndon, W. 1, will be pleased to give information
to those intending to take regular or vacation courses at
Grenoble.'

Magnetic and Electrical Properties of Iron Nickel Alloys.

— A pupor in the Journal ot the A.I.E.E. deals with an in-
vestigation that was undertaken to determine whether tny
iron-nickel alloys could be found having a higher saturation
value than pure ii-on; alloys were prepared containing (J-lUfl
per cent. Ni, and to make them forgeable it was necessary
to add aUoymg elements like Mn or Ti. The results showed
that the saturation value decreased slowly with increase in
Ni content up to '20 per cent., then rapidly to 30 per cent.,
and again rose rapidly to 50 [ler cent., and fell off gradually
towards 100 per cent. Xi. At no point did it exceed that of
pure iron. For values of H between ItK) and 400 the per-
meability was about 5 per cent, higher for 6 to 8 per cent.
Ki than for pure iron, but this advantage was offset by_tho
large increases in hysteresis loss. Alloys containing 35 to
70 per cent. Xi had high permeability at low and medium
densities and low hysteresis loss, the highest i>ernieabihty
occurring for 50 per cent. ; 30 to 60 per cent. .aUoys were
characterised bv a nearly straight line b-h curve from the
origin to B = '2,d00 to 4.0iX) gausses, and al.so by low reten-
tivity and coercive force, properties of value in connection
with certain electro-magnetic meters. Previous investigations
on commercial Fe — Xi alloys showed th.at 25 to 30 pr cent.
aUoys had irrever.sible magnetic and electrical transformation
points occurring below ordinary t-craperatures; the present
investigation confirmed these results for pure alloys. .\ 30
i>er cent, alloy, annealed and cooled to room tomperature.
had its saturation value, 4 ir t^, jncreas<-d from '2.5tX) U>
17,800 gausses and its electrical resistance decreased from
SI to 32 microhms jier cu. «n. after being cooled to liquid
air temiiorature and reheated to room tomperature. .Mloys
containing 15, 35, and 50 per cent. Xi sliowed practically no
change aftor the above treatment. .-Xfter allowing all trans-
formations from tlv austenitie state to the o state to take
place, the curves for 4 ir i, and for clectiical resistance both
have definite cusps for 31.5 per cent. Xi. corresponding to
the comixiund Fe,Xi. thus gi\-ing evidence of the existence of
this compound. It is pointed put that the irreversible trans-
formation causes an enormous increase in the hyeterea* loss.

Vol. 87. No. 2,223, July 2, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAJLi BE'V'IEVV,

THE INCORPORATED MUNICIPAL ELECTRICAL ASSOCIATION.

The Annual Convention at Ilkley.

(Continued from pmie SOS.)

On AVednesday evening the annual dinner was held in the
King's Hall, Ilkley, Mr. T. Roles presiding over a large
gathering, which included many ladies. After the loyal
toasts, the toa.stmaster delighted the audience by calling for
silence for Major H. Richardson, R.E., M.I.r/o(//>/pE., who,
when the laughter had subsided, proposed " The City of
Bradford and the Urban District of Ilkley," and paid a
well-merited tribute to the hospitality of those munici-
palities. In the unavoidable absence of the Lord JIayor,
Councillor Wilfred Turner, chairman of the Bradford
Electricity Committee, responded, referring to the difficult
times that the electricity department had gone through,
under the able guidance of the President. He also drew
attention to the announcement of the delimitation of the
West Yorkshire electricity supply area, reported in our last
issue. Mr. Eckersley (clerk to the Ilkley Urban District
Council) also responding, expressed Ilkley 's pleasure in
being associated with Bradford — provided that the associa-
tion stopped short of absorption. Mr. S. T. Allen
(Wolverhampton), vice-president, proposed " Our Ouests
(including the Ladies)," and referred to the appointment of
Sir John Snell as Chief Commissioner as highly gratifying
to the I.M.E.A. ."^ir John, replying, said that the fact
that the ladies accompanied their husbands greatly added
to the pleasure and usefulness of the Convention, and dwelt
on the advantage of the interchange of views at the
Convention, which did more to promote economy and the
public welfare than reading many books. He referred to
Dr. Ferranti's prophetic forecast of the great development
of electricity supply, which the war had accelerated, and
rejoiced that Ferranti had seen his prophecy realised in
part. The Commissioners had received most welcome
assistance from the engineers of the country ; Mr. Roles had
presided over the conferences which led to the delimitation of
the West Yorkshire area, in which plant of over a million
kilowatts would be installed during the lifetime of some of
those present. There would be an enormous expansion of
electricity supply, and its relative price would come down,
while the supply became moi-e general. The cost of elec-
trical apparatus would also fall. Regretting that he could
not attend the presentation to Mr. H. Faraday Proctor, he
ascribed to Mr. Proctor's labours, with the help of Alderman
Pearson, the immense influence attained by the Association.

Mr. Ll.B. Atkinson (President-elect, I. E.E.) proposed the
I.M.E.A., in an excellent speech. Pointing out that the
only people who did not take the Association seriously were
its own members, he declared that the support it received
from the municipalities was absurdly inadequate ; for lack
of co-operation on the part of the local authorities, the
generation of electricity was passing to the State, and if
they did not wake up, the distribution would go too. Mr.
Roles had suffered from ill-health during the past year, but
had surmounted all his difficulties.

The President, in responding, said that in advocating
better support, Mr. Atkinson had followed on the lines of
his (Mr. Roles's) address ; the I.M.E.A. had done great
work, and could do greater still-^-but not without funds,
staff, and municipal support. In view of Sir John Snell's
remarks, he urged the Commissioners not only to sanction
the inclusion, in the delegates' expenses, of the cost of
bringing their wives with them, but also to disallow the
expenses of a married man who did not take his wife I

Bailie W. B. Smith, O.B.E., proposed " The Electrical
Manufacturing and Contracting Industries," and declared
that he had no fear of " rings " ; electrical manufacturers
were right in agreeing amongst themselves, instead of com-
peoing fiercely and cutting prices too low for a reasonable
profit. Mr. P. J. Pybus.C.B.E., in reply, said the B.E. A.M. A.
was tryins: to standardise plant so that the prices of apparatus
could be brought down ; he saw both sides of the industry,
manufacturing and municipal, and declared that corporations
were paying less than the market price — young men would
not enter the electrical industry because of the low rewards

offered them, and the industry would suffer. Mr. P.
Collinson (President, Electrical Contractors' Association)
referred to the differences that had existed between the two
Associations, and expressed a fear that the policy of the
I..M.E.A. was to crush the contractors out of existence.
But if they could get together the differences could, and
would, be settled. Bradford had already agreed with the
contractors, and got all it wanted without hurting them.

Mr. H. Faraday Proctor proposed " The President,"
referring to the difficulties of ill-health from which he had
suffered : he had overcome them, with the help of Mrs.
Roles, and brought about a Convention which was second to
none. Jlr. Roles, responding for himself and Jlrs. Roles,
said that the Association had no wish to crush the
contractors.

On Thursday morning the Convention proceeded to
Bradford by special train, and met in the Queen's Hall,
where Mr. J. W. Beauchamp (director and secretary of the
E. D. A.) read in abstract a paper on the " Standardisation
of Tariffs." In the discussion Messrs. Purse, Dykes,
Lieut.-Col. Vignoles, Messrs. Wordingham, Hoadley, JIajor
Richardson, Messrs. L. L. Robinson, and Long took part, and
Mr. Beauchamp briefly replied.

After a short interval the members re-assembled to
witness a presentation to Mr. and Mrs. Proctor. Mr.
Roles described it as the most pleasurable duty during his
year of office ; Mr. Proctor, after 15 years' service as hon.
secretary, had been obliged to retire owing to the pressure
of his duties not only to the Corporation of Bristol, but
also to the surrounding district, and the Council, feeling
that Bristol Corporation had been exceedingly generous,
could not oppose his resignation. Alderman Pearson, hon.
solicitor, and Mr. Proctor's chairman for many years, had
also resigned. The Council could not let the occasion pass
without some tangible recognition of Mr. Proctor's services ;
engineers and Committee members alike had willingly
joined in raising a sum of t'300, part of which had been
applied to the purchase of a wrist watch and a Queen Anne
silver tray. Alderman Jephcott, M.P., spoke of the
sacrifices made by Mrs. Proctor on behalf of the Associa-
tion and her invaluable assistance to ilr. Proctor, and
announced that a dressing-case would be presented to her.

The President then formally made the presentation, and
Mr. Proctor, in response, said he had been a member of
( 'Ouncil continuously for 2.5 years, and it was always a very
great pleasure to himself and bis wife to do anything
possible for the Association.

The membera were then again entertained at an electrically
cooked luncheon by the Electricity Committee of Bradford
City Council, Councillor Wilfred Turner presiding.

Mr. Roles, proposing the health of the Bradford Corpora-
tion, expressed the thanks of the guests for the generous
way in which it had entertained them ; all the Committees
had taken part in the preparations for the Convention.

The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor P. L. Craven),
responding, said that the city had prospered, but the out-
look now was not so good. Major Richardson toasted the
chairman, who briefly responded.

Afterwards special tramcars conveyed the party to the
Saltaire Mills of Sir Titus Salt, Bart., Sons & Co., Ltd.,
where the whole process of making cloth, from the raw
wool to the dyed and finished fabric, was shown to the
visitors. A reception was held at the Cartwright Hall,
Lister Park, by the Deputy Lord !Mayor, in the absence of
the Lord Mayor, and after the guests had partaken of light
refreshments and had been photographed in a group on a
stand specially erected, they returned by special train to
Ilkley. In the evening the " Committee '' members held a
private meeting, and the members of the Associated Muni-
cipal Electrical Engineers (Great Britain and Ireland) did
likewise. The representatives of the B.E.A.M.A. mean-
while organised a social evening and dance, which was kept
up until the small hours.

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi, 87. ko. 2,223, July 2, 1920.

At Ilkley, on Friday morning, the annual general meeting
was held, Mr. l^oles presiding. The report and accounts
were adopted, and the new members of council elected,
namely: President, Major 11. Richardson (Dundee); Vice-
President, Mr. S. T. Allen (Wolverhampton) ; Engineers
(large towns), Messrs. F. W. Purse (West Ham), A. Nichols
Moore (Newport, Mon.), S. .1. Watson (Bury), and J. II.
Bowden (Poplar) ; (small towns) Mr. E. Calvert
(Finchley) ; Committee members. . Alderman Walker
(Manchester) ; Alderman Sinclair (.Swansea), and Alder-
man Bird (Birmingham). The hon. officers were
re-elected. Major Richardson offered the Convention
a hearty welcome t<i Dundee for next year, but in view of
the difficulty of acconunodating so large a gathering in an
industrial town, the place of meeting was left for the
Council to decide. Resolutions were adopted urging that
the financial clauses of the E)ectricity,Supply Bill should
be passed as soon as possible ; that the ownership and
control of generating stations and main transmission lines
should be placed in the hands of duly elected public repre-
sentatives : that the Council should be instructed to consider
the question of developint; the sale of electricity, tariffs, &c.;
and that all awards of the National .Joint Board or Council
should be loyally observed. A new scale of subscriptions
was unanimously adopted, and votes of thanks were
accorded to all who had helped in promoting the success of
the Convention. Finally, a vote of thanks was given to
the President and Mrs. Roles, to which Mr. Roles
responded, drawing special attention to the assistance he
had received from Mr. Senior, electrical engineer to the
Ilkley Urban District Council.

For the afternoon an excursion in motor chars-a-bancs to
Pateley Bridge and the Nidd Valley had been organised,
and four car-loads took part in it. The remainder of the
party began to disperse after the general meeting, which
marked the close of a most successful Convention. The
attendance in all exceeded iOO, and I'li:! sat down at the
annual dinner.

Correction. — Ou p. b03 of uiir last issue we said that Mr.
Roles came into office as chief electrical engineer and manager
of the Bradford electricity department in 1912; he has, how-
ever, occupied that position since 1907.

The Design of Distributing Networlis.

By C. a. GILLIN, A.M.I.'e.E. (Bradford Electricity

Department). (Abstract.)

[Concluded frum p. t>U7.)

T (r). Cables .4nd Methods of I.avino.

.\i.i. up-to-date undertakings have adopted paper-insulated

lead-slieathed cables for general supply purposes.

For multiphase A.c. .sy.-^tems jiiulticore cables are essential,
and f(ir ir.c. sv.stenis they have become recognised as the
best. Single-core cables, however, have one great advantage
with regard to continuity of .supply. In the case of faults it is
usually found that .single-core cables will burn themselves
clear, and after severance, re-insulate themselves without
taking .sufficient current to blow the feeder pillar fuses. The
continuity of the cable is broken, but often the continuity
of supply is maintained, and, as usually more than sufficient
evidence has bei'U given of the existence of the fault, its
location and repair is effected without much ti-ouble. On
the other hand, a fault on concentric or multicore cable
almost invariably puts its section out of commission. Mult'
core cables are cheaper, very reliable, more convenient and
adaptable, and the respective advantages of these two tyni ;
<iccasionally make a choice of <'ither a matter of delicate
decision.

Solid systems have had their day. 'llie chief disadvantage^
are : That due to shrinkace, tlie pitcli or compound neitlie •
fills the troughing nor clings to the cable sheath, resulti;i;l
in access of moi-sture and often both chemical and elcctrolyt-c
action on the lead of the cable; the dissipation of heat is very
slow, and cables cannot therefoie be run safely for long periods
at even an economical density: after a few years faults occur
due to vibration crystallising the lead, which disintegrates and
allows the moisture refei'red to above to penetrate into and
ult'matelv destroy the insulation of the cable.

Conduit systems are good when used with discrimination.
Their construction is most useful in situations where it is very
probable that otherwise excavations will follow one another
in rapid succession. Under other conditions it is clieaper to
open out again : conduits usually cost more than re-opening
ground. Another disadvantage is the decreased carrying
capacity of the cables where drawn into ilucts. due to the
low rate of heat dissiiiation. It has been demonstiated that
a difference of 50 deg. F. exists between the c<ipner of a loaded
cable and its duct wall. Messrs. Keating and I^lueller give

35,000 K.v.A. as the maximum load any cable duct should be
called upon to carry, most of their troubles having developed
where this maximum has been exceeded. In spite of these
(ha whacks it is frequently exi>edient to make considerable use
of ducts, and the choice of the most suitable is often decided
by the circumstances of the case. Iron pipes are sometimes
.strongly advocated; if used they should be bonded at every
joint and to the cable sheath (and armour) at each end. A
very strong objection to their use is liability to weld to the
cable after a fault. Stoneware ducts of various types are
available. Fibre conduits are the greatest rivals of the above,
and experience substantiates the claims put forward by their
advocates. Both forms of conduit may be buried in concrete
or not ; in the cust- of a, nest of them, it is necessary to employ
concrete to mamtain their alignment and position. One
difficulty arising from the use of concrete is that workmen
simietimes mistake it for the remains of an old building or
wall and proce(.>d to demolish it.

\\ hen the saving in space is a matter of importance, fibre
conduits have an appreciable advantage. Stoneware . ducts
<-onduct away the heat more rapidly.

In connection with draw-in systems, the importance of
well-designed manholes .should not be overlooked. They should
be built tu prearranged approxinjate standards.

r,ead-coveied and armoured cables laid direct in the ground,
ami suitably protected against mechanical damage, are un-
doubtedly tile best proposition when the ground is chemically
suitable, /.('., free from ashes and organic matter. It is
advisable to protect the cables by layers of compound, com-
mencing at the lead sheath, and well compounded tapes of
.suitable material. In addition, good soil should be used to
protect the cables.

During the war, when the cost of armouring rose to a very
high price, Bradford decided to dispense with the use of
armour of any kind, for e.h.t. and all other cables. At normal
prices, and where e.h.t. lead-covered cables are built with
a copper earth sheath under the lead, the saving is not great.
But why retain the copper sheath? It is never used with
split-conductor and similar systems of protection. For 30
years unarmoured cables laid direct have been, and still
remain, in continuous use in the centre of the city, and for
over ten years there has not been a single fault on them.
They formed part of the original two-wire system, and when
the "third wire was laid it w^as an armoured cable. Such
few faults as have oc-curred in the district have been on the
armoured cable, which in all cases is the positive; practically
all these faults were a direct result of the effects on unbonded
armour of other faults further afield. Precautions should be
taken to prevent damage to the lead sheath by specifying
alternate layers of a suitable compound and at least two
layers of well compounded tapes. The ground should be
naturally suitable or made suitable, and the use of shovels
when putting on the first layer of soil should be strictly
forbidden ; the soil should be riddled over the cables, and no
tools used except by one or two picked men until after the
usual mechanical protecting material is in place.

For protection of cables from mechanical damage during
subsequent excavations the following is suggested as the best
order of reliability : Creosoted wood boards; reinforced con-
crete slabs; tiles; bricks. A thick board is a source of worry
to a man trying to dislodge it, not only on account of its
length, but also due to its resistance to the withdrawal of a
pick driven into it. Even when almost rotten, its presence
suggests exploration. A concrete slab is its most effective
rival. Brick suggests nothing but bricks.

Two reasons for allowing more space between cables than
is cu.stomary are liability of damage to sound cables, due to
faults on adjacent cables, and the necessity for making reasou-
able allowance for dissipation of heat. In each case the
pve.ssure is the most important factor, particularly when
'20.000 to 30,000 volts is in question, as the heat due to dielec-
tric hysteresis at hich voltages and rising temperatures is
very considerable. The maximum safe temjierature of the
<-opper in cables working up to a voltage of 11.000 is 150 deg.
F\ Below 11,000 volts a somewhat higher temperature may
be allowed for. Cables working at their most economical
<-arrying capacity would in general be well within the safe
temperature limit, but under emergency conditions (which
are becoming chronic) it is useful to know to what extent
risks may be taken. The energv loss in the dielectric and its
effect on tran.smission and distribution economy do not appear
to be appreciated at their true values. For instance, ou a
3-cove 0.25 sq. in. cable carrying '250 amps, at :^(I,(KK) voits.
50 periods, at a load factor of 40 per cent., the dielertric
energy loss is nearly 40 ner cent, more thnn the C'R loss.
Up to about ].50 deg. F. the dielectric loss is proportional to
the temperature, but afterwards increases rnpidly. .^s it is
also nearlv pronortional to the souare of the voltnae. it is
obvious thnt lower current-carrving values and iucrea-sed
snacin" distances must be adopted as the voltare is increa.sed.
The correct spacina of cables is a matter of the hifhest irn-
nortance, and should vary from about 8-in. for L.T. to '2 ft. 6 in.
for '20,(KI0 to 30,al0 volt's.

Overhead lines have a few .idvautages, of which continuity
of' supply is not one. Takimi into account w-ayleaves. repairs,
upkeep, renewals, and higher rate of sinking fund, their cost
is not mui-h (if any) less than underground construction.
After the first few years their mainteuanc-e is very heavy —
not twice, as is frequently stated, but many times the cost

Yol. 87, No. 2,223, July 2, 1920..

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

of underground construction. The only justification, with a
few exceptions, for their provision is in those cases where a
considerable reduction in route distance results, or over ground
not suitable for underground cables.

I (d). Jointing, Bonding, and E.4Rthing.

Properly made, a cable joint should have as good a factor
of safety as a cable. A " married " joint, properly sweated
by vising a metal pot, in.-<ulated with unbleached tape boiled
iu a .suitable oil compound and put on hot, will generally
be satisfactory up to fO.OtX) volts, .^bove this pressure it
may be advisable to use porcelain .spreaders in addition.
Expansion joints may be useful in some districts, but unless
the cables are persistently overloaded beyond their .safe limit,
or ground subsidence is a common occurrence, they do not
seem to be necessary. Faulty joints are sometimes the result
of cutting too deeply when taking oft' or trimming back the
lead sheath. When insulating the joint, the tape .should be
drawn tightly at every turn to avoid air pockets, and in
damp weather should be occasionally basted with the sleeve
filling oil compound heated to iJ30 deg. F. This .should always
be done before putting on the lead sleeves. An efficient
sleeve of chemically pure lead of reasonable weight, plumbed
on to the sheaths of the cables with wiped joints and then
filled with suitable viscous compound, should make the joint
egual in stability to the cable. Provision should also be ma-de
again.st the effects of faulty plumbing by enclosing the joint
in a box filled with a bitumen compound. If the cables are
ai-moured. the armour schould be bonded t6 the lead at every
joint. Many faults have been caused by neglect of this pre-
caution, as the result of arcing between lead and armour
due to fault currents from a distance. Probably inefficient
bonding of the armour, &c., has been responsible for more
cable interruptions than any other single cause. One of
the best forms of bonding armour is that used by Messrs.
Henley on all their boxes, &c. A very successful bond can

C.».f fl

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Cornmon defects are lack of essential lock-nuts, &c., defective
or inefficient soldering of connections iu isolating switches,
current transformers^ relays, &c. ; bad contacts and insufficient
contact area; small sectional areas and low conductivity, &c.
Some of these imperfections may not give visible results until
after the plant has been in commission for a considerable
time, and their consequences often obliterate the cau.se of
the troubles.

Feeder and section fuse pillars sliould be selected very
carefully before being adopted for extensive use, as it is
essential that all fittings, fuse jaws, and fu.se handles should
be interchangeable and satisfactorily perform their functions.
Sloppy cables and under-rated connections out of sight make
provision for trouble. For heavy networks, fuse jaws are
invariably deficient in both sectional area and contact surface;
the consequent heating-up sometimes causes sectional inter-
ruptions at mo.st inconvenient times.

Disconnecting boxes should be safe, impervious to moi.sture,
easy of access, and readily handled, most of the time occupiecl
in restoring a supply after clearing a fault being u.sed up in
opening, disconnecting, and closing these boxes. Every link
should be robust, have ample and efficient contact surface, and
point definitely in the direction of the cable it controls. Sim-
plicity is most appreciated on a dark wet night; intricacy of
construction and assembly, if it conduces to simplicity of
operation, is far preferable to constructional simplicity and
obscure operation.

During the last few years failures have been mitigated by
building around each gland where the cables enter a brick
box, and filling it with compound.

None but very high-grade compounds should be used in
joints or boxes. .\ good compound should be chemically stable
and neutral; tough but not brittle over a wide range of tem-
peratures; have a high melting and softening point; be non-
hygroscopic ; free i'rom ash, grit, or scum ; and have high
dielectric strength, hot or cold. Its coefficient of expansion

-Ton

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Fig. 8.

Fig. 9.

lie made by tinning the armour and plumbing it on to the
lead sheath by a wiped joint. Ibis requires very careful
workman.ship, otherwise the bond (like many others) is worse
than useless, as divorce is caused by heavy tault currents,
arcing results, and additional faults are thereby created.
Inefficient bonding is far worse than no bonding at all. Ad-
vantage should be taken at all points where several cables
meet to bond together all their lead sheaths and armour.

One particular point m each supply area should be adopted
as a point of hypothetical zero potential and connected
directly to the points at which the neutrals at the generating
stations are earthed through their resistances.

The earthing of the neutrals and star-points of L.T. systems
i.s compulsory, and if it is not now common practice in the
case ol E.H.T. .systems it should be, as the whole system is
thereby stabilised, surges are minimised, and the voltage to
earth being reduced increases the factor of safety.

The earthing of the neutral in three-phase, four-wire A.c.
district distribution is a matter upon which considered
opinions would be appreciated. So long as one transformer
chamber supplies its own district there is no difficulty, but
a time sooner or later arrives when the I..T. networks of
adjacent districts have to be paralleled. Earthed neutrals in
more than one place on the same system invite the circulation
of currents due to harmonics. It is usual to earth at only
one chamber in the centre of a group, but what is to be done
when all districts ultimately merge into one group? One
point only seems inadequate unless insulated cables are to be
run to various parts of the system from it and connected to
the cable sheaths.

I (f). Accessories.

Generally speaking, the detail work of such things as
pillar.s, street boxes, joint boxes, service terminal boxes, &c.,
is scrappy, badly designed, made of indifferent metal, badly
finished, unskilfully fitted, and they are put on the market
with an apparently fatuous insensibility to their unfitness.

should be as low as possible, and its tendency to stick tena-
ciously to cast iron as high as possible. The latter will be
helped if boxes are previously painted with bitumastic paint.

Thr Brst Means or Meeting Future Demands for EiiRCTRicAL
Energy.

Constructive foresight in network design is a matter brist-
ling with difficulties, as the magnitude of future demands
is quite unknown, but they are going to be very heavy.
These demands, so far as general heavy industrial supply is
concerned, can be quite satisfactorily dealt with as outlined
in section 1; but provision for those loads which may be
exijected in the future on the medium pressure supply net-
works is another matter altogether. Every house will have
electric lighting ; 70 per cent, of them will have an electric
radiator; the elective washing machine has a future now
undreamt of ; cooking is bound to boom ; irons, pans, grills,
toasters, are already extremely popular. The curves in tig. S
show the applications received for heating apparatus by the
City of Bradford during the last eleven years. The tigore.s
represent known installations, and probably .should be in-
creased b>' 50 per cent. Curve C represents the ratio of
KW. of heating to total number of consumers connected, and
is very significant.

In the business and shopping districts the small motor i.t
replacing all hand-operated mechanism ; office and shop tire-
places are gradually becoming anachronisms. Coincident with
these movements is the modern tendency in the direction
of higher buildings of many stories; these large blocks are
going to provide a huge future load in radiators and energy-
consuming devices (in spite of central heating arrangements),
which may easily reach 500 to 1,000 kw. each, .'^re they to
be treated like large individual consumers and given au
E.H.T. supply with a meter room on each tioor to which each
consumer will run his wiring? In some cases this will be the
best proposition if suitable arrangements can be made, but

THE ELECTRICAL RE\TEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,223, July 2, 1920.

in other cases, where every ten or twenty yards loads varjing
from 1 to ItX) kilowatts are required, the solution must be a
different one. i'or the sake ot economy the district loada
must be delivered by e.h.t. mains at 20,000 volts, or over,
to centres, and froin these distributed to various feeding
points. In a.c. districts the distribution would be ettccted by
6,600- or il.OOO-\olt mams supplying transformer chambers,
each of which would in turn supply its own limited area.,
but the ultimate demands will in all probability be so heavy
that the transformer chambers would have to be very close
together. Their cost, accommodation, and number would
seem at first sight to be prohibitive, but further investigation
shows this to be the best method where practicable.

D.c. areas would either have to be scrapped or numerous
heavy D.C. feeders would have to take the place of the ti.UUO
to 10,000-volt cables, unless the.se could still be iised fcy
employing improved mercury-arc rectifiers in similar chambers
to those in a.c. districts. Combined with e.h.t. distributors
the elficiency of rectifiers at fairly high load factors compares
favourably with medium-pressure feeders, but they would
add ±10 per kw. to the capital cost, which would go a long
way towards the cost of changing over the system entii-ely
to A.c, and they require attendance.

The only alternatives to the^ installation of large numbers
of transformer chambers, &c., are larger l.t. cables or higher
pressures at the consumers' .services. Larger mains than
those now in use are objectionable, and it also follows that
larger loads would be dislocated when faults occurred. One
is therefore forced to the view that the solution rnust be
found by • the adoption of higher pressures, which in turn
must involve either (a) the use of transformers at all services.
(6) the adaptation of lighting and other apparatus to those
higher pressures, or (c) the use of a system of distribution
consisting of primary and secondary cables with transformers
of a sufficient capacity- installed wherever necessary. After
careful examinatio* («) will be found to be prohibitive on
account of the extremely high cost of services each with a
separate transformer, (b) is in the hands of the future and no
doubt will come to fruition earlier than most people expect,
(t) appears to be a popular American .stunt when a factory
builds around it a mushroom town, and .should be useful in
the case of large residential blocks.

The curves in fig. 9 have been prepared to show the rela-
tive costs of-supplving an area of one square mile bv (curve
A) .3-phase, 4-wire, 400/2.30-volt mains fed from 6.600-volt
transfoi-mer chambers, and (curve B) supplving the same
area by ;3-phase. 3,0(X)-volt mains with a 3.000-v./400-v. or
'i30-v. transformer for every ffmr services. Although the
latter is shown to be cheaper, the former is the better com-
mercial proposition because it includes the further advantage
of making use of the 6,600-volt mains for supplying large
demands along the same routes, and, of course, its advan-
tages would be still greater if a pressure higher than 400/'23(»
volts were applicable. In each case it has been assumed that
a distributing centre is available in the district. Cm-ve A
includes the necessary transforiDer chamber equipments,
with duplicate transfonners, and the cost of half the build-
.ings, the other half being presumed to be on existing premises,
and one 6,600-volt split-conductor cable laid along the same
route and at the same time wherever a medium pressuie is
provided for; but curve B provides for one' 3,000- volt main
only and the necessary transformers. Both curves include
the cost of fuse pillars, switch pillars and services, and 8 miles
of mains.

Advantage should be taken of increasing the load-carrying
capacity of all cable.s and other plant by seizing every oppor-
tunity of improving the power factor. Raising the power
factor of the load on a cable from 0..'5 to unity increases the
load-can-ying capacity of the cable 100 per cent., from 0.6 to
unity 67 per cent., and from 0.7 to unity 43 per cent., the
losses and regulation remaining the same in each case. Con-
versely, for the same KW. load the losse.'? at 0.7. 0.6. and 0..5
newer factors would be respectively 2, 2.7, and 4 times the
losses at unity power factor.

Tt is almost impossible, except in extreme cases of very
low power factor, to induce consumer.'? to install synchronous
motors, phase advancers, condensers, &c.

Tariffs in all eases should be arranged so that the proportion
due to standing charges increa.ses in definite ratio to the
decrease, in power factor. The capital charges on the steam side
of a suoply undertaking are unaffected by low power factor
except in .so far as the additional output to compen.sate for
extra losses at oeak load i.= concerned, which may be neglecteil
in practice. The increased capital charges on the remaining
station pbmt. however, are not incon.siderable. and in a fairly
large station would be increased 44 per cent, to supnly a
power load operating at 0.7 power factor, compared with the
s.ime load operating at unity power factor. For the same
circumstances the capital charges on distribution would be
doubled, as these costs vaiy inver.sely as flie square of the
power factor. It is obvious, therefore, that in tariffs the
standing chames should not onlv lie based on k.v.a. demand,
but that equitable treatment justifies a rising increa.se p<M-
K.V.A. as the power fat'tor decrea.ses.

Single-phase welders and furnaces are becoming very popu-
lar in thi« country, and in a year or two thousands of the
former will be in common use. Their powev factors vary
f'-om 0.3 ^o 0 6 and their loads are erratic. The method of
charging for the energy supplied to them deserves considera-

tion at once, and should surely be based on at least three
times the k.v.a. demand plus a flat charge per unit used.
Transformer Chambers.

Transformer chamber buildings must be situated in dry,
clean places, or made dustproof, otherwise fluff prevents
^tisfactory operation of swilchgear, relays, ic. Jjuty m-
sulators are a contmual source of" expense, and dampnesa
mcreases maintenance and operation costs. They should bo
built of solid material, or rats, mice, Ac, gain acces.s, and
mische\ious peisons may cause trouble.

K<x>fs and buildings must be strong and fireproof to protect
apparatus from damage due to fire, collapsing adjacent walls,
&c.

To comply with the foregoing, buildings must be of stone,
brick, or other suitable material, and nave a reinforced con-
crete roof rendered waterproof by being asphalted. Experi-
ence shows brick buildings to be the cheapest and most
satisfactory.
-The design of buildings can only be standardised to a
limited extent, the buildings themselves not at all except for
certain sizes and suitable location. The design of the building
and its size dejX'nds on the type of switchgear used, whether
single-phase or three-phase transformers are installed, and not
least, on its position in relation to the generating stations
or distributing centres, i.e., to the short-circuit vadue of ita
location, as this fact(jr will influence the size and design
of its switchgear.

Standardisation of parts of buildings can easily be, and
should be, adopted. Such parts are ventilating louvres or
gi'ids, concrete bricks or blocks with holes cast in for rag
bolts and other fastenings ^to be cemented or leaded in.

The provision of adequate ventilation is the most im-
portant item in chamber construction. The dissipation of the
heat due to transformer losses requires on the average ap-
proximately 350 cubic feet of air per minute per KW. loss
for oil-cooled transformers and 70 to UO cubic feet of air for
air-blast -cooled transformers.

As in the case of building.s. so also with regard to equipment
is any attempt at haid and fast standards undesirable. Supply
authorities who are in a position to do so buy from different
manufacturers such items as they find most suitable for their
lequirements and assemble them in their own workshops
at little more than half the cost of tho.se purchased complete.

.\s the size of the generating station and the area of supply
increase it becomes expedient to adopt two or three different
sizes of oil switches for use at corresponding impedance dis-
tances from the generating stations, their rating depending
upon the total amount of running plant on the system. They
might have breaking capacities of, say, 50,000 k.v.a., 150-,00b
K.V.A., and 300,000 k.v.a. Installing the oil switches too small
for their duty is simply squandering money.

Standardisation of switchgear, if not impossible, is at least
inadvisable except within definite limits. Until manufac-
turers standardise their gear, and decide how to rate it ia-
telligently, supply authorities must remain free lances.

In designing the arrangement of transformer chambers,
one ought to commence at the generating station and adopt
a uniform methixl of notation, relative ai-rangement, and
colouring of phases. The same sequence should be observed
iu the cables, throughout the switchgear, and at the trans-
former terminals. Then on the low -tension side of the trans-
formers a similar sequence should be followed out, and Uke-
wi.se through the L.T. distributing or control boards to the
L.T. cables, network boxes, fu.se pillars, and the cut-out boxes
on consumers' premi.ses. The importance of this from tlie
standpoint of the operation staff' cannot be too strongly em-
phasised.

[Erratum.— In our last issue, p. Siii'.. figs, ."i and 7 shouM
lie interchanged.]

DiSCDSSION.

The discussion was oi)ened by Mr. C. H. \Vohdinoh.am, who
remarked that the mains weiv the most costly and important
item in an undertaking, but had not been so much iu evidence
as the geheratiug plant at such meetings. In the ease of a
large area under the national scheme, the transmission mains
alone might cost more than the generating plant, in addition
to the distributing network. If suitable cables were available.
the pressure would Iiq higher than ft-i.tXX) volts. Me preferred
lO.OIHl to 6.000 volts for fe<Hlers. The Research Committ<>e
was obtaining most interesting results with regard to the
carrying capacity of underground mains. " Earthing " was a
wide question, affecting not only the mains but alsi> private in-
stallations: the principle laid down in the report of the I.E.E.
Sub-Committee on earthing would involve great expense in
carrying it out. and he thought it would be better to use leak-
age cut-outs, to prevent the earth current from exceeding a
moderate value. He strongly objected to the author's pro-
posal to raise the pre,s.sure on con.sumers' installations; .for
large motors. &c., a high pressure was the right thing, but
not for small consumers and domestic appliances. Earthing
ciKiking ut<-nsils and irons was a nuisaiU'C. and might have the
opposite effi-ct to that which was intended. If, on the otiier
hand, the supply pressure were reiluccd to 50 volts, all wiling
i<>gulations could be relaxed, and tln' installation greatly
cheapened, a most desirable result, even if it cost a little more
to L'ive the supply.

Mr. Stanii.a.M) (Horusey). referring to the author's con-
demnation of the solid system, said that lead-covered cables

Tol. 87. No. 2,223, JuLT 2, 1920.]

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

laid flolid near « tramway had suffered damage, and the eoiJ
wa« not suitable for laying cables direct in the ground; but
by laying armoured cables^ on" the solid system all the diffi-
culties were overcome, and in 15 years there was only one
fault. He had used transported soil to protect cables, but
after a time that precaution failed to have effect. He did
not agree that bricks were ineffective as a protecting covering.

Mr. P. Ayton (Ipsw'ich) disagreed with Mi-. Wordingham re-
garding the supply pressure, and pointed out that electricity
was incomparably less dangerous than gas. With regard to
the continued use of low-pressure du'ect current, he hoped
that the mercury vapour rectifier would solve the problem, and
in a few months he would have, a rectifier sub'-station in
operation. •

Major Bell (HuU) regarded the proposal to dispense with
armouring as heterodox ; it would impose upon the lead sheath-
ing a function that it was never intended to perform. If the
author was right, the cost would be reduced, but if he was
wrong, the result of following his advice would in a few
years be honible to contemplate. In laying down heavy
cables in anticipation of a future load, difficulties arose in con-
nection with protecting devices; either these in the early stages
would be too large to be effective, or they would have to begin
with small ones and replace them later with larger ones, a
matter of no httle difficulty and expense. In the United
States all the big companies retained their d.c. network in
use, not increasing its area but adding to its load ; he doubted
the suggestion that a gradual change-over to a.c. would take
place, though naturally a.c. would be used in the outer areas.
He agreed with the author that the advantages of overhead
mains were more than outweighed by the drawbacks ; farmers
had a rooted objection to granting wayleaves, and the neces-
sity of placing the poles in dykes or fences made a pole line
look like a "Chinese fence." The designs of sub-station.?
shown by the author appeared unduly expensive. _ Manufac-
turers' phraseology with regard to the rating of switches was
open to criticism; what did "a breaking capacity of 300,000
KW." mean?

Mr. S. E. Pedden (Sheffield) congratulated Bradford on
the excellence of its mains department as evidenced by the
author's paper. He preferred to .generate at 11.000 volts, and
had never had a breakdown due to the use of that pressure,
which allowed of the adoption of a handy size of cable for
5,000 KW. over a lO-mUe radius. He would stop up to 60.000
volta when the cables were available. The only suitable pro-
tection for heavy feeders on a large system was the split-con-
ductor, with the possible addition of the Hunter-Beard system ;
capacity currents upset the other methods on a large system,
but they were useful for protecting transformers, &c., con-
nected to the system. He preferred not to exceed a sectional
area of 0.25 or 0.35 sq. in. in cables. The largest houses were
not necessarily the largest consumers; some small houses took
25 KW. Undoubtedly there was goinsi to be a big boom in
electric cooking, and it was most difficult to know how to
deal with it. With regard to the earthing question, it would
be most disastrous to have a larcre system all coupled up
together; they might couple up lightly, or provide means for
coupling up when necessarj'. He agreed absolutely with Mr.
Ayton with regard to the safety of electricitv. For protecting
mains laid in bad ground, he recommended the use of clay ;
wood was scarce, and he was using slabs made of ash con-
crete for covering cables. The power factor of big rolling-
raiU motors was extremely low — some as low as 0.3. For
domestic supply, he used 900 volts, and would not exceed 250;
but for big motors and rotary converters he used 11,000 volts,
and for motors of medium size 3.300 volts.

Mr. PORSE (West Ham) described, with illustrations, a
daring type of sub-station which he found in iise at West
Ham; the transformers were not surrounded by brickwork, the
room being open to the air, and only the switchgear was
completely enclosed. The design was cheap and good, and
had given satisfactory results over a period of 12 years. To
examine the transformers, they were rolled out from under
cover.

Mr. Watson (Bury), referring to the condemnation of over-
head mains both last year and at the present convention, said
he and others had considerable lengths of o.h. lines at 6,CKX)
and 11,000 volts; justice had not been done to that system.
The capital cost was reduced, and the mains could be carried
over ground where underaround cables could_ not be used
except at great expense. With 10 years' experience of 10 or
12 miles of e.h.t. lines at 6,000 volts, he found that the main-
tenance cost was not excessive ; continuity of supply was not
quite so good, but the restoration of service was much more
quickly effected than with underground cables. Tn the future
overhead mains munt be used, if many of the distant points
were to be supplied. It was unwise to belittle the advan-
tages of O.H, lines; the question must be considered on its
merits, and in many cases there was no alternative. The
duplication of e.h.t. mains was a matter of the first import-
ance. Under war conditions it had not been carried out. and
for individual consumers it was not always commercially pos-
sible, but in some cases, such as bulk supply from one autho-
ritv to another, it was indispensable. Transmi-ssion bv F,n,T,
polyphase current was now standard practice, and all large
schemes should extend on the polyphase system ; the cost of
changing-over lariie existing d,c. systems was too great, but
they should not be extended. The Board of Trade required
that only one point of a ej'stfim should be earthed, and in hia

opinion each district should have a separate supply ; it was
better not to interconnect the low-pressure networks.

Mr. J. H. C. Brooking (Cable Works, Warrington) said that
dispensing with the use of armour was a very momentous de-
cision; no other system was running on those lines. Success
depended largely on .continual attention to maintenance.
Practice was liable to change as one mains superintendent fol-
lowed another; when they had a good mains man they should
stick to htm. Al\ other classes of plant received immediate
attention when faulty, but troubles on the mains showed their
effects years after the cause occuiTed. He had seen one autho-
rity pulling out a sT,'stem at the same time that an adjoining
authority was putting it in. Inefficient bonding was worse
than no bonding at aU.

Mr. Webber (Keighley) had had serious trouble with cables
laid on the soUd system, with wooden bridges; minute faults
occurred two feet apart for mile^. The cables had been down
10 years, and there were three or four faults every week, with
thousands to come. He agreed with the author that ordinary
armouring was of little use ; it would not withstand a navvy's
pick, and it was a troublesome job to joint armoured cable.
He considered that overhead cables would not survive; they
gave no trouble in .summer, but lots of it in winter.

Dr. S. Z. DE Perdanti drew attention to the intensive pro-
paganda in favour of gas. which was cleverly organised; but
electricity required no such assistance to attain success. They
had to consider the cost of getting the electricity to the con-
sumer, and the uses to which he would put it ; the mains were
so important that the greatest possible amount of work should
be done on them. The problem was not to get the present
amount of electricity to the consumer at a lower price, but
to supply him with a vastly greater quantity at a price not
much higher than at present. He recalled the fact that 31
years ago the London Electric Supply Corporation had not
onlv to devise but actually to make paper-insulat«d cables;
present-day practice justified that decision. Twelve miles of
those origmal mains were still supplying London at 10,000 volts.

Mr. GiLLiN briefly replied to the discussion, and was accorded
a hearty vote of thanks for the paper.

A golf competition was one of the features of the meeting.
It was the second of the kind only, the first being held in
.Tune. 1914, at the Warmley course, during the Birmingham
Convention, This produced only a dozen competitors, whereas
the Ilkley competition brought 31, including two ladies, into
the field. It might be worth while to introduce into next,
vear's I,M,E,A, Convention programme a golf competition of
a more official kind, as so many are now interested in the
game, and there are few business associations that do not have
such a competition annually or even oftener,

Messrs. J. K. Brydges and W. G. Pickvance acted as the
Organising Committee for the competition, and everything
passed off smoothly. A sOver cup was contributed anony-
mously, and an optional sweepstake added to the interest of
the competition, which was played on the excellent links of
the Ilkley Golf Club on the Wednesday and Thursday after-
noons of the Convention week.
Mrs J. K. Brydces presented the prizes to the following : —

Brown. W^ A. (Pirelli) 93-17= 76

Silver Cup and 1st sweepstake prize.

Woodhouse, Mrs, W, B 119-36= ^3

Midgley, H, E, (English Electric)^ ,,, 91- 8= 83

2nd and 3rd prizes divided.
Other competitors returned cards as follows :—

Dickinson, H. (Liverpool) 96-15= 81

Speeding. T. (Sunderland) 100-14= 86

Heath. P. M. (Hon. Solicitor) 98-12= 86

Brydges. J, K, (Eastbourne) 101-14= 8'?

Bond, P, (Battersea) 91- 4= 87

Preece G. L, (Bruce Peebles) ... 96- 9= 87

Christie J. (Brichton) 113-24= 89

Deverill, A, G, (Brush) 105-14= 89

Stone, G, D, (Mirrlee,=^) 107-18= 89

Starkie, J. E. (Bumlev) "'23-14= 89

Brook-ing, J. H. C, (C,T,S.) 104-12= 92

Ferguson. R, P. (Hastings) '^^^- 1= 2^

Piclcvance, W, G, (Wrexham) .., 117-20= 97

Clothier, J. (Bootle) ]ll~ln"}^l

Brown. W. A., Mrs. . Ifx'^l^W.

S^Tuonds, G, .-. . 1.32-18 = ]14_

Other competitors, who evident) v forgot to return their cards,
were Messrs- Anaus, Davidson. Dexter. Hunter. Irving. Jack-
son Lunn Marshall, Milnes, Naylor. Bowse, and Torney_

We are' indebted for these particulars to Mr. J. H, O.
Brooking,

E.T.U. and Kinema Wages.— For some time the Elec-
trical Trades ITnion has bppn at lotrgerhcads with the Sussex branch
of the rinematograph Exhibitors' Association on the question nf
wapes demands. At last month's meeting the (lemands pnt forward
on behalf of the operators were rejected, and Mr, J. Webb. London
district secretarv of the E.T.U., warned the C.E.A. of the possible
consequences. The C.E.A., at a meetinsr on June 19th. decided that
a sub-committee be set up and authorised to neerotiate terms of
wages and^honrs with representatives of the E.T.U.. subject tocon-
firmationlby the sencral meeting.— Z'ajVy Herald.

r

10

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [voi. 87. No. 2,223, jult 2, 1920.

NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE ACT, 1920.
NEW RATES OF CONTRIBUTIONS AND
BENEFITS.

ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN PUMPS.

By JOS. J. H. STANSFIELD.

By an Act which received the Royal Aaeent on May 20th, 1920,
the rates payable under the National Health Insurance Act, 1911,
in respect of employed contributors, have been increased.

The Act will, except as otherwise expressly provided, come into
operation on July 5th, 1920, or on such later date, not being: more
than 12 months later than May 20th, 1920, ag the National Health
Insurance Joint Committee may appoint, and different dates may
be appointed for different purposes and different provisions of
the Act.

A memorandum (266/X) has just been issued under which the
weekly contributions payable for employed contributors in Great
Britain will be increased as from July 5th, 1920. The new rates
are aa follows, the rates payable under the Act of 1911 beinj; also
eiven for comparison : —

1920. 1911.

For male contributors
For female contributors

lOd.
9d.

7d.
6d.

In the oase of exempt persons (that is, employed persons to whom
certificates have been g-ranted) the rate has been increased to 5d.
per week.

Employers must stamp workers' cards from July 5th, 1920, this
date beinjr the commencement of the second half-yearly period
of 1920.

In the case of employed contributors, the employer may make
deductions aa follows :—

1920. 1911.

Men
Women.

5d.
4d.

4d.
3d.

but when a worker aged 18 or upwards is not in receipt of board
and lodging from the employer, and the rate of remuneration does
not exceed 48. a working day, the amounts that may be deducted
are : —

For remuneration over 3b., but not over 4s. f Men, 4d.

I'

a working day
Below 38. ...

. Women, 3d.
Nothing.

In the Act of 1911 it was provided that Parliament should pay a
certain part of the contributions in the case of low wage earners.
This provision now ceases to have effect.

The ordinary rates of benefit are to be increased from the before-
mentioned date as follows : —

1920. 1911. Per week.

Ordinary rate of sickness benefit : —

Men

15 0

10 0

Women

12 0

7 6

9

0

6 0

7

6

5 0

7

fi

5 0

40

0

30 0

Sickness benefit before 104 weeks ^rom
entry and payment of 104 contri-
butions : —

Men

Women

Disablement benefit : —

Men and women

Maternity benefit

The new rates do not apply to schemes in force which have been
approved by the Registrar of Friendly Societies under Sec. 72 of
the Act of 1911, and the Minister of Health may cancel certificates
already given in respect of provision for employment under the
Crown or any local or public authority, or in the service of a
railway or other statutory company where the terms are less
favourable than those now provided under the new Act, and for
the same reason schemes of approved societies may be revoked.
New certificates may, however, be given, or new schemes approved
on application.

Sanatorium benefit, except as regards Ireland, now ceases to be
inclnded among the benefits conferred by the Act of 1911.

Sub-section (1) of section 10 of the National Insurance Act, 1913,
which relates to the benefit of voluntary (jontribntora, haa been
amended, and £250 is now substituted for £160.

In the memorandum it is pointed out that employers are required
to pay contributions (a) for non-manual workers where the rate of
remuneration does not exceed £250 per year, and (fi) for manual
workers whatever may be the rate of remuneration.

Licensing Electricians in Sonth Africa. — The Tram-
way and Lighting Committee of the Johannesburg Munfcipality
recommends that the authorities of the South African School of
Mines and Technology be requested to take over the conduct of
examinations for the licensing of elec^tricians on the conditions
outlined by the principal of that institution at the meeting' of tht'
Board of Examiners held on December .Srd, 1919 ; and that the
By-laws for the Licensing and Regulating of Electricians within
the Municipality be amiended by the deletion of the words
" examining board " and the substitution therefor of the words
" Jioensing board." — S.A. Emjinter and Electrical Jleview.

At the summer meeting of the Institijiiok of Water En-
gineers, held on June 10th, 11th, and 12th, at Birmingham,
under the presidency of Mr. F. J. Dixon (chief engineer to
the South Staffordshire Waterworks Co.), Mr. C. F. Bekenn,
A.M.Inst.C.E., contributed a paper on "The Application of
Turbine-pumps to Water Supply." In the course of the
paper the author remarked that while turbine-pumps could
be diiven by any type of prime mover, he placed the electric
motor in the first place as regarded efficiency and conveni-
ence. The installation costs, including foundations; were low.
and the space occupied was small. The pump and motor
required very little attention as the bearings were automati-
cally lubricated with oil-rings. Low installation costs per-
mitted the sets to be conveniently distributed. They were
easily started up, ami could also be operated from a distance
or automatically stopped and started, either by varying levels
in the reservoir or by varying pressures between pre-deter-
mined limits. The Hlternating-current mot<^ir was preferable
to the direct-cunent machine owing to the absence of a
commutator, and most of the installations at work were
driven by a.c. motors. If a heavy current ru-sh on starting was
permis.sible, it was advisable to install squirrel-cage motors,
as the turbine-pump, owing to its low starting torque, could
easily be started up by this type of motor. One point that
had to be noted was that the slip between synchronous and
asynchronous speeds could not be exactly determined, and
might vai'v as much as 2 to 4 per cent. The b.f.p. required
to drive the turbine-pump varied as the cube of the speed.
so that .should the slip be le.ss by. say. 2 per cent, than the
makers' original estimate, the b.h.p. would be considerably
increased, with a proportionate increase of water. For squir-
rel-cage motors auto-tran.sformer starters of the oil-immersed
type should lie in.stalled. with no-volt and overload release
on the three eirrnits, these operating in the stator circuit. The
starter consisted of a transformer with tappings on the
windings, of varying percentages of the line voltage. The
tappings should be selected as best suitable for the startintr
torque, and as that was not more than .50 per cent, of full
load torque, a low percentage, sav, 25 per cent, or 30 per
cent., was sufficient. The automatic features were arranged
in the " running " position only, because, in the " starting "
position they would at once break the circuit owing to the
ru.sh of current, which was generally two or three times the
ordinary nmning current. This typve of starter only required
three terminals on the motor and six on the starter, namely,
three for the motor and throe for the line. In cases where
low starting currents were necessary slip-ring motors should
be installed.^ as those would start up with .50 per cent, of full
load torque using normal running current. With reference
t-o motor terminals, trifurcatins boxes were recommended as
providing, an extremelv neat finish and effectively enclosing
all the live part,s. Tn large pumping-stations. where the
current had to be carried some distance and the motor-power
was at least 150 b.h.p.. the motors could be wound for fi 000
volts, and so dispense with transformers. For motors of les«
than 1.50 b.h.p. a lower voltace was necessary on account of
the difficulties of insulation in the coil windincs.

Proceeding to discuss the relative co.sts of steam and electric
pumps, the author gave sevenl examples ■■s Rhowin<T that
economy was on the side of th° latter. Thus the Citv of
Hereford had three electrically-driven numns working off a
three-phase, .50-cycle circnit. two sets deh'verincr 00.000 gallons
per hour, and the other set d'^liverinc "0.000 gallons per hour,
against a' total lift of 120 ft. in each c.ise. Tlie costs, ps
recentlv determined, showed that with elpctricitv at 0.75d
per unit, the cost of electric pumping was 0.5d.. as compared
with 0.426d. per 100.000 gallons, the cost of steam numpincr.
Those figures included men's wages, lubricating oil. wa.ste.
itc. The Newburv District Water Co., early in the vear
1012. made careful tests of its compound condensinc steam
Dumns. and of its electric pumn.s. The latter were driven
by direct-current motors, one set hnvins a canacitv of 30.000
gallons per hour asainst 1R5 ft. lift one set 20.000 gallons
per hour again.st 1.50 ft. lift, and a further set 3.000 enllons
per hour acainst 104 ft. The 1912 costs workpd out pt l.lftd.
per lOO.OOO f(X)t-gallons for steam, as against 0.957d. for eleo-
tricallv-driven numps. but for 1020 the fiffures are 2.6''d. and
1.576d. resnectively. The Chester Waterworks Co. had in-
stalled a Diesel engine and dvnanio snpnlvircr power to
drive turbine pumps built by Sulzer and the Rees Roturbo
Co.. at two separate stations connected bv cable. The costs,
including all transmission losses and " shut-downs " due to
intermption in working consequent on erection of additional
plant, came to O.R.57d. ner 1.000 gallons. 100 ft. l^ft.

Tn the course of a discussion on the naper, Mr. F. Ptorr.
chief engineer to the Chester Waterworks Co.. remarked that
in the case of a pump efficiencv and relialiilitv should come
fiist. and those were points which wre not bv anv means
pronerlv anpreciated by either the maJ<ers of electrical plant
or the turbo pumn. and probably not by all users. When it
<-ame to the nnestion of generators and motors th^ lilitihtinr
influence of the lowest tender was apparent in all electrical
work. Everything had been cut down to the finest limit,
with the result that efficiency and reliability in working were
eacrificed. The mistake generally made was that manu-

Vol. 87. No. 2,223, JnLY 2, 1920.]

TEE FLECTKIOAl REVIEW,

11

factui'cis ilid not by any mean^ realise the extreme importance
of high efficiencies. It was usual to refer an inquirer to the
catalogiip when purchasing a pump, but his advice to water
engineers was to have theii- pumps made for the particular"
duty they had to perform. At Chester, when the question
of the adoption of electrically-driven pumps was under con-
eideration, the importance of high efficiency was strongly
pressed upon the makers, price bemg a secondary considera-
tion. Eventually they obtamed a pump from Me.^srs. Sulzer
Bros., of Winterthur, who guaranteed SO pev cent, efficiency
for the pump and 89 per cent, for the motor. The make of
motor was left entiiely to Messrs. Sulzer Bros., and they
paid a high compliment to British manufacturers by selecting
that made by Messrs. Lawrence. Scott. & Co. On the trial
run the specified efficiencies were attained, and they had
been maintained within a point or tw'o during the 5i years
the plant had been in operati<in. The puuip had only been
opened out once for examinatiun. and from the date it com-
menced to run up to the pii>:ent day not one penny had
been spent on repairs of either the pump or the motor. They
could, therefore, well understand why he was in favour of
turbine ptimps. When the question of a duplicate pump
came up for consideration the wnv was still on. and of course
the purchase of foreign plant was out of the question. Under
those circumstances some English makers were approached,
and eventually Messrs. ^!wynne's, Ltd.. of Hammersmith,
took up the matter, and agreed to design a pump -nhich they
guaranteed should equal il not excel the efficiencies stipulated.
The firm had been highly successful, nnd the Chester Water
Co. was now in possession of an English-made pump which
gave slightly over S'2 per cent, efficiency on the test bed.
Taking the quantity of water pumped, the double lift, and
assuming an over-all charge of Id. per Board of Trade unit,
every one per cent, of efficiency lost or gained represented
a capitalised value of ±'666. It was, therefore, obvious that
the company could afford to pay well for specially designed i
plant to meet its .special requirements. The author had re-
ferred to the costs of running the pumps " including all
transmission losses" as being 0.6.57d. per 1.000 gallons per 100
ft. lift. That figure was double that which obtained in 1914.

The explanation was that at Chester there were two pumping
stations, distant about 400 yards from each other. When the
electrically-driven turbo pumps were, decided upon it was
found expedient to generate all the electricity at the
works, where the Diesel engines were fixed, and connect the
two works by cable. Unfortunately the works were separated
by a main road along which the Corporation electric tram-
ways were laid. The Corporation owned the electricity works,
and when the question of using electrical energy for pumping
was under consideration, the Corporation was ' approached
as to the terms upon which it would supply the company.
Unfortunately, the price and conditions offered were pro-
hibitive, and the company had no alternative but to generate
its own current. On that becoming known, the Corporation
strongly objected to the company opening the streets, .and
obtained an injunction to continue in force dm'ing the war
iigainst its so doing. The company was then face to face with
the position that it must either have costly plant lying idle
and continue to use obsolete steam plant, or else assent to the
terms impo.sed by the Corporation, which practically meant
that the water supply would be controlled by the Electricity
Committee. Fortunately the company had two water mains
connecting the pumps at the two works. It was decided
temporarily to disconnect one of the mains and pass through
it a special twin cable made by the Helsby Co. That was
done by floating a copper ball through to which a cord was
sittached. Through connection having been established the
drawing through of the special cable was a comparatively
easy matter. The necessary connections of main and cable
were then made, and the supply of water through the main
was resumed. That arrangement had been in operation some
four years, and was quite satisfactory. The voltage drop wa.i
somewhat in excess of that usual for the length of cable
between the two works, but that had now been reduced to
a veiy reasonable limit, .3^ per cent. At Chester they were
determined to go ahead with turbine pumps. Had it not
been for the IMe-sel engines and the turbine pumps his com-
pany would not have been able tn pay a dividend; by following
the course described, it was iibie to pay the maximum and
have a httle over.

BUSINESS NOTES.

The " Electrical Review " Index.— The Index to Vol. 86

of the Electrical Review, which will shortly he. printed, will
be supplied only to those who, through the po8t, specially apply
for it. To such it will be supplied for sixpence post free. Any
reader or advertiser, at home or abroad, who requires a copy for
binding or for other purposes, is asked to make early application
therefor to the Publisher, Electrical Review, 4, Ludgate Hill,
London, E.G. 4.

Engineers' Wages.- — According to the lisbour corres-

(Hmdent of the Daili/ Telegi-a/ih, the claim of the Engineering and
Shipbuilding Trade Unions for a further larg-e advance in wage.-*
was to be presented to the Industrial Court for consideration and
decision on Tuesday. The present demand is possibly the heaviest
which has ever been submitted. It asks for an advance of fid. for
each hour worked. This is the main claim ; but in addition there
are several subsidiary claims, Including a standard wage of £ti per
week, and the doubling of the rates of pay, including overtime pay,
for week-end work. On the main wage claim, the proposed
increase of fid. per hour means an addition of 23s. fid. to the present
wage. " It can be forecasted with accuracy that the present claim
will be strenuously opposed by the employers as putting; a burden
upon the cost of production which would exclude British pro-
ductions from markets in which our products had to compete with
those of America." The writer refers to the steady rise in wages
in these industries as compared with the pre-war rates of wages.
The most recent award of the Industrial Court was issued on
■January 27th, and gave an advance of 5s. per week to all workers
of 18 years and upwards. The difference between the present
earnings and the pre-war earnings, is as follows : —

Weekly wages. Increase.

Aug. 4th, Feb. 20th, Per Per

Engineering- : — l-'H. 1920. week. cent.

Fitters and turners ... 38s. lid. 828. 5d. 43s. fid. 112

Ironmoulders ... lis. 8d. 858. fid. 43s. lOd. 105

Patternmakers ... 42s. Id. Sfia. 8d. 44s. 7d. 106

Labourers 228. lOd. 638. Ud. 41s. Id. 180

Shipbuilding : —

Platers 40s. 4d. 83s. 4d. 43s. Od. 107

Rivetters 378. nd. 80s. 5d. 42s. 8d. 113

Shipwrights 41s. 4d. 84s. fid. ' 4.3s. 2d. 105

Labourers 22s. lOd. 638. 7d. 40s. 9d. 178

Italian Foreign Trade Catalogue Enterprise. — An

example of the enterprise of certain foreign Brms is shown in the
activities of a well-known Italian electrical and g-eneral engineering
concern, who have decided to issue catalogues, &o., printed in
French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian, descriptive of their
lea<ling products. It is also proposed to publish and distribute
catalogues. &c., in the languages of Greece, Serbia, Switzerland,
Bulgaria, Russia, Brazil and Palestine. It is intended to distribute
these among all electricity supply authorities and power stations
in these oountries. — Board of 'brake Journal.

Dutch Co-operative Trading. — The Co-operatieve Inkoop

Vereeniging van Metaal Industriaellen (Co-operative Purchasing
Association of Metal Manufacturers), of Rotterdam, which had 101
members in 1919, and which also supplies iron and steel,
machinery, and plant. \c.. to non-members, has just issued its
report for last year. The report states that the prices for elec-
trical plant began to decline at the beginning of 1919 in connection
with the increasing imports of raw materials, and copper, cables,
transformers, motors, &c., became considerably cheaper. In the
second quarter, prices were fairly constant, but in the second half
of the year they rose regularly and continually. Many orders for
cables, transformers, meters, wire, ..^c, were placed In England at the
commencement of the year, but as raw materials arrived in
Holland in greater abundance, the Dutch works were again able to
compete with foreign manufactures, the result being that most of
the orders in the second half of the year were allocated to Dutch
firms. Moreover, the Germans gradually re-entered the market,
and in the final quarter they willingly accepted orders for cables
at " very competitive prices." The Association's turnover in
electrical plant in 1919 amounted to £648,000.

Shut Down. — The Sfar states that Messrs. Lyon,
Wrench i Co., electrical engineers, of Willesden, N.W., have shut
down their works. The business has been transferred to other works.
The reasons given are difficulty of obtaining raw material and
" the policy of the Government in matters of finaace." The factory
was erected during the war. Some 300 men are affected. The out-
put was dynamos and electric motors. " There is an almost
unlimited demand at the present time for dynamos and electric
motors," said an official, " but additional working capital is very
difficult to obtain at the present time. Then there was the
founders' strike, which kept back materials all over the country,
though we personally have not had any trouble with our
employes."

A Desk Folder. — We have received one of the " Pel "

folders for keeping together in handy accessible and easily-movable
form, loose desk papers, music, &c. It has the merit of being a
simple and strong, but most convenient, contrivance, and naturally
makes an additional appeal to U8 because it is the invention of an
electrical man. The covers have supports raising their outer edges
several inches from the desk, and the papers are kept loose for
withdrawal or rearrangement. The name " Pel " is derived from the
claim that the folder dispell muddle and compels efficiency. It is
supplied by Messrs. Manifoldia,Ltd, of 23, Holborn Viaduct, E.C.I.

Not Smoke Abatement.— About three months a^o

Messrs. Dick, Kerr & Co., of Preston, started the experiment of
allowing their men to smoke for 15 minutes each morning and
afternoon without any stoppage of work. The scheme has
proved so successful that henceforth the men will be permitted
to smoke from 9.30 to 11 a.m. and from 2.30 to 4 p.m,—DaU;^

12

THE BLECTKICAL REVIEWo

[Vol. 87. No. 3,223, July 2, 1920.

Wages ia Sweden. — In the course of a report on the
oommeroial and industrial situation of Sweden for 191fl, H.M.
Consul at Stockholm gives the following among other increases of
wages between 1913 and 1918 : —

Average yearly Per cent.

Metal and emii/iec

riiiq.

£

&

Men

73

146

100

Women ...

36

70

95

Power, light and ;

water installatiiins.

Men

72

157

117

Women ...

35

75

111

Transport.

Men

G7

151

125

Official inquiries into the cost of living show that there had been
a rise of 159 per cent, between July, 1914, and December, 1919.

An Austrian Company. — The report of the A.E.G.

ITnion Electricity Co., of Vienna, states that orders for industrial
purposes were brisk in 1919, and the undertaking was abundantly
supplied with work for a long time forward. It was probable that
the electrification of the railways and the extension of the use of
water power, which were only to be proceeded with provisionally
to a small extent, would afford occupation for the works in the
future. The net profits increased from 1,450,000 kr. in 1918 to
2,419,000 kr. last year, and a dividend has been declared at the rate
of 8 per cent., being the same rate as in 1918. It is intended to'
increase the share capital from 36 to 50 million crowns.

British Manufacturers in South Africa.— The newly-
formed South African Association of British Manufacturers and
their Agents, formed in Johannesburg with the object of safe-
guarding the interests of Ignited Kingdom manufacturers in South
Africa, and generally of promoting British trade interests in the
Union, held its first annual meeting on April 27th, when the title
of the Association and its draft constitution and rules were adopted.
The aim of the Association is not to supersede existing British
trade organisations in South Africa, but to strengthen them by
eflfective co-operation : —

1. To provide an organisation which can represent and speak for British
manufacturers as a body, and which through trade sections can equally repre-
sent a particular branch of British industry.

2. To concentrate the energies of any existing organisations in South Africa
working to protect British trade interests, and at the same time provide an
organisation wide enough to embrace all types of genuinely Britisfl firms with
their representatives or branches, whether these can-y stocks or samples or
tender to specification.

3. To provide adequate local representation for the many Manufacturers' •
Associations now in existenoe in the United Kingdom, and to make possible a
linking: up with the similar Associations of British Manufacturers and their
representatives in Australia and Canada.

4. To protect the interests of British manufacturers on the spot.

5. To provide His Maiesty's Trade Commissioner in South Africa with an
Advisory Council, and through the trade sections with technical advice, to
nominate at their request expert arbitrators and surveyors in cases of dispute
where British goods and British firms are involved.

6., To provide advice and guidance for British manufacturers, and to collect
information on trade matters at their request.

7. To co-operate with the British Standards Committee.

8. To see to it that when the time is rtpe for particular industries to be
located in South Africa, British capital and British plant are available for
their development. "^

At present the only office of the Association is in Johannesburg,
but it is proposed later to open a branch at Cape Town, and also to
institute a considerable number of trade sections. In order that
the Association may be made as representative as possible, it is
suggested that any I'nited Kingdom manufacturers interested in
trade with South Africa, who are not already members, should con-
sider the desirability of joining. Membership is confined to
United Kingdom manufacturers and their South African agents,
and all applications for admission should be addressed to the
Secretary (Mr. B. Silcock), Goldfields Building, ElofE Street,
(P.O., Box 5,644), Johannesburg.

Copies of the constitution and rules of the Association may be
seen on application at the Inquiry Room at the Department of
Overseas Trade in London, or a copy will be sent on loan to any
firms in the provinces who may be unable to call there.

Shawinigan Power. — The D.O.T. in London has received,
and has available for inspection, a pamphlet relating to the
activities of the Shawinioan Water and Power Co., and the
possible additional development of the company, which it is
thought may he of interest to United Kingdom electrical manu-
facturers.

Government and Industry. — In the course of his speech

at the annual meeting of Fetters, Ltd., at Yeovil, Mr. E. W.
Petters said that so far one had failed to see any indication of
improvement in the Government attitude towards industrial
enterprise, which it appeared to treat with callous indifference,
while at the same time, industry was expected to provide the
means for meeting the country's great obligations. Nothing had
happened since the war to injure the trade of the country so much
as the present Budget, which had struck* deeply at the foundations
of the credit upon which industry was based. In these days when
the normal conduct of business put a strain on managers, such as
they had never before experienced, it was against human nature to
expect the energy and the enterprise which were necessary for the
successful carrying on of undertakings when at the same time the
undertakings were robbed of the credit upon which they relied,
and were taxed beyond endurance. The speaker went on to show
that a 60 per cent. E.P.D. plus income-tax at its present rate on
balance was a burden altogether too heavy to he borne, and ^as
the greatest contributing factor to the present high prices.

The Institute of Cost and Worlds Accountants, Ltd.

(by Guarantee) The first annual general meeting of this Insti-
tute was held at the Hall of the Chartered Patent Agents, Staple
Inn Buildings, Holborn, W.C . on June 4th. Mr. R J. H. Ryall.
F.C.W.A., the chairman, in submitting the Council's report and
accounts, congratulated the Institute on the fact that, in spite of
the difficulties of the post-war organisations, the membership had
steadily grown. The increase in membership waa such that,
during the three months subsequent to March 7th, 1920, it wag
equal to the whole of the income for the past year, which, taking
into consideration the fact that all applications for admission to
the Institute had been most carefully scrutinised, and chat over
60 per cent, of the applicants had been deferred until such time as
they could prove, by examination, their suitability, was most
gratifying and encouraging for the future. The Right Honourable
Lord Leverhulme, P.O., had accepted the presidency, and the
following had become vice-presidents : — Sir Robert Hadfield,
Bart., D.Sc, F.R S. ; Sir Charles W. Macara, Bart. ; Sir Gerard A.
Muntz, Bart. ; Sir Herbert Austin. K.B.E.. M P. ; Mr. NevUe
Gwynne, Mr. W. Howard Hazell, and Mr. H. W. Allingham.

The Chairman further gave a n'wi/me of the various meetings and
lectures held by the Institute. The Chairman expressed, on behalf
of the Council, great aporeciation of the work done by the hon.
secretaries of branches, which had already been formed at Birming-
ham, Manchester, and Glasgow, strong programmes and lectures, &c.,
being arranged at these centres for the coming session. Branches
at Sheffield, Bristol. Newcastle, and other cities were in course of
formation. The Chairman pointed out to all members the
importance of standardised costing systems and the definition of
terms used in this most important profession. A Special Com-
mittee to deal with this subject was being formed, and would be
assisted by Sub-Committees created in all manufacturing districts.
A number of other Committees had also been brought into being to
deal with various subjects. The examination syllabus had been
extended by the inclusion of law subjects, and candidates entering
for the examinations of, and subsequent to, December, 1920, would
have to satisfy the Council of a thorough knowledge of the varions
Acta which affect factories and workshops, i:c.

Mr, J. Martin Blair, M.I.E.E., is secretary of the Institute, and
its offices are at Donnington House, Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C. 2

Annual Outings. — The annual outing organised by the
employes of Messrs. McWhirter& Sons, Ltd., Cardiff, took place
on Saturday last. The day was spent at Ogmore, on the Glamorgan
Coast, the journey being made by char-a-bancs. After luncheon,
Mr. G. Matthews (chairman of the committee) proposed the toast
of the firm, to which Mr. A. C. McWhirter responded. During the
afternoon, sports occupied attention, keen interest being taken in
all the items, which included 100 yds. open race, eag and spoon
race, high jump, needle race, boys' race, blind race, and long jump.
' During the evening the prizes were presented by Mrs. A. C.
McWhirter, and a musical programme followed.

On June 19th the employOs and a number of friends of the
Paisley Corporation Electricity Department went to Campbeltown
by the , tpiieen Alexandra, and most of the company journeyed
thence by the light railway to Maohrihanish. High tea was served
at Campbeltown, and Mr. W. Blair Smith, the engineer and
manager, in the course of an address, expressed the hope that now
that the outing had been resumed after a postponement of five
years, many more would follow. Mr. Henderson (Babcock and
Wilcox, Ltd.) thanked the committee, and Mr. Savage, station
superintendent, replied.

The employes of Messrs. T. W. Bboadbent, Ltd., Victoria
Electrical 'Works, Huddersfield, went for a char-a-bancs outing to
Buxton last week.

The second annual outing since the War, of the employes of
Mr. P. T. Kino, electrical engineer, of Luton, took place on
Saturday last. An enjoyable day was spent at Southend. The
staff took advantage of the opportunity to present Mr. King
with an illuminated address expressive of their appreciation of his
efforts to foster good relations between employer and employed.

The third annual outing of the staff, employes and guests of the
Ben.tamin Electric, Ltd., of Tottenham, was held on Saturday
last. The party, numbering well over a hundred, went by motor
chars-a-bancs to Brighton. Dinner and tea were served at the
Aquarium.

Henley's had a day in the country on Saturday, June 12th,
when Henley Cables and Henley Tyres blended in an outing by
chars-a-bancs to the Surrey Hills. The 227 members of the head
office staff from Blomfield Street and New T^nion Street spent the
day at the lovely village of Ewhurst, where lunch and tea were
taken at the Bull Hotel.

The Elba Dry Cell. — AVe have received from Messrs.
Jones & Pordes, of 8, Crawford Passage, Farringdon Road, E.C. 1,
a sample of their " Elba" dry cell, which is being placed upon the
market. The cells are of full size, being 2J in. in diameter, and
standing 6J in. high. It is pleasing to see that they are fitted
with two screw terminals ; the troublesome old " rat's tail " form of
terminal is not used. These cells are of British make, and
amongst the advantages claimed for them by the makers are
exceptional storage capacity and a long life in use. The latter
claim is borne out by the fact that the particular cell sent us.
although made over 12 months ago, still gives 10 amperes.

Electric Wire Standardisation. — The Accessories and
Components Committee of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and
Traders has appointed a Sub-Oommitt«e to meet representatives of
the Cable-Makers' Association on the question of the standaidisa- ■■
tion of electric wires. •n

Tol. 87. No. 2,223, JnLT 2, 1920.]

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

13

For Sale. — Ijincoln Corporation Electricity Department
invites offers for two 50-KW. Laurence-Soott, D.c. (jeneratinsr sets
direct-coupled to Willans & Robinson condensing enprines, also a
Gwynne centrifugfal motor-driven pump. Full particulars are
given in our advertisement pages to-day.

Bankruptcy Proceedings.— Edward Stirlino Elam and

.ToHN W.\LTON (trading aa Elam, Walton & Co.). 63, King Edward
Street. Kingston-upon-Hull, electricians. — The first meeting of
creditors herein was held on June 2.5th at Hull. Debtors' state-
ment of affairs showed liabilities in the joint estate of £339, and
net assets of £114. They attributed their failure to "want of
capital,' inexperience in the business carried on, and a loss of
£50 through a fire which took place at their premises on April 20th
last. The matter was left in the Official Receiver's hands.

French Company Notes. — Messrs. Henri Guedelin and
Rene Mathelin-Moreaux have formed themselves into a company
at Paris (Rue Rude 6). with a capital of 100,000 fr., fgr the manu-
facture, fixing, and repair of electric automobile apparatus.

Under the style of Sociute|de Construction de Materiel electrique,
Demarreurs et Appareillage, has been formed at Paris (H, Rue
d'Anjon), a company, with 400,000 fr. capital, for the manufacture,
trade, and representation of all kinds of electrical material.

Les Isolants Frangais is the title of a company formed at Paris
(21, Rue d'XJzes), for the making and sale of all kinds of
insulators, especially ebonite. The capital is 1,100,000 fr. in
500 fr. shares, 500 of which are allotted to M. Teraen, as payment
for his assets.

With the denomination of Society des Forces olectriques de la
Vallee de Gavarnie has been formed at Paris (41, Avenue de
rOpera), a company with a capital of 1,000,000 tr., for the genera-
tion and supply of electricity.

With a capital of 850,000 fr., P. Hinstin and A. Lehmann have
established themselves as a company at Paris (7. Rue Darboy), for
the manufacture and sale of articles pertaining to electricity.

The Electricite Appliquee announces its change of name to
Self (Societe d'Electricitc pour la Lumiere et la Force), retaining
the same offices, 103 and 105, Rue Saint Lazare, Paris.

Increase of capital from 14,000,000 to 20,000,000 fr. has been
decided upon by the shareholders of Energie Industrielle, in view
of the absorption of the Electrique de I'Orleanis.

The Etabliseements Paz et Silva have decided to raise their
capital from 2,500,000 to 10,000,000 fr.

Strikes. — A i;orrespondent says that a strike is in progress
at the Prescot Works of the British Insulated and Helsby Cables,
Ltd., said to have arisen through some irregularity in the clocking-
on arrangements. Following the dismissal of two men, 2,000 men
and women members of the General Workers' Union ceased work,
and by lajst Saturday (June 26th) no fewer than 4,000 men and
women were unemployed. It was reported that if the matter were
not settled within a few days the firm might close down the whole
of their works for an indefinite period.

At Southport, last week, some 40 electricians, members of the
E.T.U., struck work because the Southport masters had declined
to meet the official negotiating body of the Merseyside, to which
the Southport Branch is affiliated, in respect of the formation of a
set of rules and rates for Southport.

Company Liquidations.— British Gaugk Manufac-

TUBEBs' Association, Ltd. — Winding up voluntarily. Liqui-
dator, Mr. B, G. Arthur, 97, Cannon Street. E.G. Meeting of
creditors held June 30th.

RoTASPHEBE Co. , LTD. — Winding up voluntarily, "in view of
the financial position . . . due to the recent moulders' strike and
want of capital.'' Liquidator, Mr. A. S. Jopp.

Dissoiation of Partnership. — C. Redman & Sons,

machine tool makers, Parkinson Lane, Halifax — Messrs. T. J. and
E. S. Redman have dissolved partnership as from October, 1918.

Book Notices. — We liave received a copy of a most
interesting book, entitled " The London Assurance: 1720 — 1920,''
by 6. S. Street. It has been issued by the London Assur-
ance Corporation on the occasion of the celebration of its
Bicentenary. It is attractively produced, and in these very
different days it is restful, refreshing, and very amusing to read
of insurance doings in the days of long ago.

" The Elertririan Tables of Electricity Undertakings " (102 pp.).
London : Benn Bros., Ltd. Price lOs. net. — The 1920 edition of
this valuable work has been divided into more sections than
previous issues. Lists are given of undeveloped provisional orders
and projected supply schemes. Russian and Argentine under-
takings are classified in separate tables.

" Essai de Machines et d'Appareils Electriques." Part 1. By
Barbillion, Jolland, and Lafont. 268 pp., 164 figs. Paris : Biblio-
theque de I'lngenieur-Electricien. — This is the first part, dealing
with continuous current only, of a description of the experimental
methods employed at the Institut Polytechnique de Grenoble. The
work is essentially practicsl, and covers a wide area, dealing with
general first principles, dynamos, motors, illumination, &o., &c.

" B.B.C. Mitteilungen." Vol. VII. No. 3. March, 1920. 83 pp.—
Baden, Switz. ; Brown, Boveri & Co.

E.P.D. — Tlie Chancellor of the Exchequer was to meet

the representatives of the Federation of British Industries
yesterday, Thursday, to discuss the concessions to the Excess
Profits Duty which have been recommended by the Federation of
British Industries.

Porcelain in Germany.— The Syndicate of German
Electrotechnical Porcelain Works announces that customers and
consumers frequently complain of high prices charged for porcelain
for electrical and other technical purposes. The situation of the
market is being closely followed by the syndicate, which, however,
states that a reduction in prices cannot be made at present, as wages
and raw materials have recently again experienced an increase.

Catalogaes and List?.— Athol Engineering Co., 9.

Peru Street, Higher Broughton, Manchester. — Priced leaflet of
transparent polished sheet celluloid.

MESsas. F. L. Mitchell & Co., Ltd., 188, Rye Lane, Peckham.
S.E. 15. — Temporary illustrated list of wireless instruments
No. WT 10 (12 pp.). A comprehensive priced catalogue of
amplifiers, transformers, h.t. units, condensers, &c. Also a
description, priced, and illustrated of the " Mark El"
receiving set.

Messrs. Watson & Sons (Electbo-Medical), Ltd., Sunic
House, Parker Street, Kingsway, W.C. 2.— Bulletin 278., illustrating
and describing asphere-gap voltmeter, and giving a table of sphere-
sizes for various voltages.

The Genebal Electric Co., Ltd., 07, Queen Victoria Street,
E.C. 4.— Pamphlet No. 0 2,290 (8 pp.) illustrating and describing
the " C.M.I." magneto. Also Leaflet K 2,331 giving revised
up-to-date prices of telephones, switchboards and accessories.

The Waedle Engineering Co., Ltd., 196, Deansgate, Man-
chester.— Catalogue No. 12 (41 pp.). An illustrated and priced list
dealing with electric light lanterns, reflectors, and fittings for all
commercial purposes. The introduction gives a number of useful
notee on illumination.

Trade Announcements.— The United Electrical Co.

(BiBMiNGHAM), LTD., has removed from 8, Newhall Street, to
47, Summer Row, Birmingham.

Mr. W. E. Weekbs and Mr. Cha-s. H. Clarke have entered into
partnership, and are carrying on business as electrical contractors,
specialising in private telephone work to the trade, under the title,
W. E. Weekes & Co., at 50, Tottenham Court Road, W. 1.

The J. G. Brill Co. have removed from Cannon Street to 150,
Southampton Row. London, W.C. 1. .Telephone : " Museum 5313 " ;
Telegrams : "Axles, London."

Mb. F. Husband last week ceased his connection with the
business of Messrs. Electrical Industries, Ltd., of Pancras Lane, E.C.
Communications intended for Mr. F. Husband personally should be
addressed to him at 4, Grange Road, Gunnersbury, W. 4.

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES.

Bath. — Ybas's Working. — The accounts of the elec-
tricity undertaking for the year ended March 31st last, show a
total revenue of £35,547, as against £28,743 for the previous
period. The total expenditure was £28,888, as against £22,807,
leaving a gross profit of £6,659. Loan charges, i:c., amounted to
£10,779, causing a deficit of £4.120, compared with a loss of
£4,850 for 1918-19.

Bingley. — Year's Working. — The result of the working

of the electricity undertaking for the past year was a deficitof £860.
The payment of loan charges, kc, increased this to £1.598.

Blackbarn. — Year's Working. — The total revenue

accruing to the electricity department for the past financial year
was £91,321, and expenditure amounted to £70,744, leaving a gross
profit of £20,557, as against £16,898 for the previous period. The
payment of loan charges, sinking fund contributions, i-c, resulted
in a net loss of £345, comparing favourably with last year's deficit
of £2,226.

Bolton. — Extensions. — The Electricity Commissioners,
impressed with the growing demand for electricity in Bolton, have
suggested an extension of Back-o'-th'-Bank generating station
beyond the immediate intentions of the Committee. The present
capacity is 16.000 KW. A 12,000-KW. set and a 6,000-KW. set are
on order. It was suggested to the Commissioners that another
12,000-KW. set should be substituted for the 6,000 set on order,
bringing the total capacity to 40,000 KW. The Commissioners
expressed the opinion that it would be a mistake to get rid of the
6,000-KW. set, and that it would be a better policy to extend the
buildings so as to enable a second 12,000-KW. set to be installed,
bringing the total installation to 46,000 KW. This would involve
the extension of the boiler house, further boilers and other exten-
sions to buUdings, costing double the amount already decided upon
— £370,000. The electrical engineer is leporting on the suggestion

Brierfield. — Loan. — The Council is applying for per-
mission to borrow £5,000 for the extension of mains and services.
Bnrton-upon-Trent. — Year's Working. — The total

income of the electricity department for the year ended March 31st
last was £53,523, as compared with £34,955 in the previous period;
the total of working expenses was £36,970, compared with £21,255,
and the net profit, after payment of interest, taxes, &o., was £1,428,
a decrease of .£3,830 compared with last year's profit.

Chile.— Oil-Fiued Power Station. — A nO.OOO-KW.

oil-fired steam turbo-generator station supplying power through a
11 0,000- volt transmission line to copper mines in Chile is described
in a paper by Mr. P. H. Thomas, read before the American Institute of

14

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [voi. s?. no. 2,223, July 2, 1920.

Mining Engineers. The Tocopilla power house of the Chile
Exploration Co. is of specially substantial construction to with-
stand the effect of earthquakes and is in an area where practically
no fresh water is available. Oil fuel is pumped through a pipe
line laid out on floats from boats ancliored off the shore, as there is
no harbour, and is stored in three .55,000-gal. tanks. Marine type
water-tube boilers are used with short steel chimneys with forced
draught, and all feed water is distilled from the sea. Circulating
water is also taken from the sea and special precautions have to
be taken to prevent the ingress of seaweed. The generating plant
consists of five 10.000-k.v.a. 5,000- volt three-phase alternators.
The voltage is stepped up by transformers to 110,000 volts for the
90-mile transmission to the mines. The sub-station at the njines
converts to direct current partly by synchronous motor-generators
and partly by rotary converters. — Technical Nerieir,

Clayton. — AMALGA:\iiTiON. — Whilst a number of sur-
rounding townships are strenuously opposing the Bradford pro-
posed extension scheme, Clayton is anxious to join Bradford. The
terms of agreement, reached by representatives of the two places
last week, and subject to acceptance by the full local authorities,
include the construction of a tramway by the Bradford Corpora-
tion and the supply of electricity to Clayton within two years
after amalgamation. With regard to the clause relating to the
supply and distribution of electricity, details were left to the
Bradford electrical engineer.

Continental. — Belgium. — It is reported from Brussels
that the strike of gas and electricity workers at Namur has ended,
the men having agreed to accept arbitration. — The Times.

Although feeling the effects of the economic depression, the
working results of the Electricite de I'Escaut for laat year showed
an advance. Consumption of electricity had increased in most of the
communes served, 21,037,000 KW.-hours being supplied, contrasted
with 13,178,000 KW.-hours in the foregoing year. Many new contracts
for the supply of power to big industries had been concluded, and
others had been arranged, including onefor the supply of electricity
to the suburbs of Antwerp. The 5,000-K\v. turbo-generator set
carried ofif by the Germans had been recovered and placed in
service again, and further extensions of the plant were under con-
sideration,

France. — An important programme of extensions, under way or
projected, is engaging the attention of the Omnium Francjaia
d'Eiectricite. It is erecting low-tension networks for the towns
of Laval, Thouars, Avranches, Langres, and Chartres, a network
to supply the outskirts of Granville, and a 60-km. 30,000-voIt
transmission line between Avranches and Granville. This line
will supply electricity to the latter town, instead of drawing it
from the thermic station there, as hitherto. The new supply will
be obtained from the Ducey works belonging to the Societe
Anonyme des Forces de la Sulune, with which the Omniufn has
concluded an agreement. Among the projected schemes are a
15,000-volt tranmission line from Dreux to Chartres, and similar
lines from Alen(;,on to Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, La Hutte, and Beau-
mont. Other projects are a 30,000- volt feeder, on account of the
Societe de r Electricity de rOuest,'from La Chataigneraie to Saint
Vincent Sterlange, passing through Chattonay ; a 30,000-volt line
from Faymoreau to Parthenay and Thouars, and a 20,000-volt line
to supply Samois, Fontaine-le-Fort and Chatelet-en-Brie in the out-
nkirts of Fontainebleau. In Normandy a 30,000-volt line to run
between Aubes (Orne), Mortagne, and Nogent-le-Rotrou, is under
consideration ; and in the Department of Ile-et-Vilaine, a 30,000-
volt line between Rennes and Dinan, to supply the latter town
with extensions to all parts of the Department. The outlay on
these several works will total from 10,000,000 to 12.000,000 fr.

The Jonrni'e Indu.sti'ielle adds the following particulars of the
plana of this company to cover the Departments of the Yonne and
the Nierve with a huge network for the supply of electricity for
lighting, power, and traction purposes. (1) A group of three hydro-
electric stations developing a total power of 16,000 h.p., each
station designed to feed one of the three sections of the railway
network. The first will be built at Boia de Cure, and will yield
12,000 KW. from an 85-metre fall. The second, on the Chaulaux,
will give 7,000 KW. from a 75-metre fall. The third, on the
Laurel, will furnish 8,000 KW. from a 155-metre fall. The trans-
mission lines will probably be equipped for 65,000 volts. (2) A
network of electric railways of 1 -metre gauge, having a length of
200 km., divided into three main sections. The first will comprise
a line from Avallon-,to Chastelux-Lormes, with branches to Saint-
L^ger-Vauban, and a line, Avallou-Pontaubert-Vezelay-Chalet-
Censoir. The second section will be formed by a line, Auxerre-
Sainte-Colombe-Toucy. The third section wUl comprise a line,
Auxerre-Tonnerre, and a line, Courson-Chatel-Ceusoir. linking
with the first two sections. The concession stipulates that the
first section and the harnessing of the fall which will serve it shall
be finished in three years, and the whole of the programme in
nine years — three years for each section. The coat is estimated at
150,000,000 fr.

Spain. — The Spanish Government has recently granted conces-
sions for the establishment of plant to utilise the water power of
the river Asteasu, near Guipuzooa, and the river Cardevias, near

Baduran, for the generation of electricity.

Coventry. — Year's Working. — The Electricity Depart-
ment of the City Council showed a working profit for the past
year of £67,739. Capital charges absorbed £47,951, leaving £9,788
net profit. This sum, with .£26(), brought forward from last year,
makes a total surplus of £10,054. It is proposed to place £G,900 to
the reserve fund, the balance to be carried forward.

Dablin. — Municipal Officials' Strike. — Fears were
entertained that when the members of the Municipal Officials
Union employed by the Corporation went on strike last week for
the Civil Service bonus award, the electricity undertaking, among
other public utilities, would be interfered with, and work suspended.
The Strike Committee, however, decided against this, and, in any
case, it ia understood the workmen would have refused to act with
the higher officials had a contrary ruling been made.

Epsom. — Loan. — The Urban District Council has

aijplied for a loan of £4,000 for services and mains extensions.

Harrogate. — E.xtensio.v Difficulties. — The annual
accounts of the electricity department show that there ia neither a
rate charge nor relief. A note of warning was sounded by the
chairman of the Electricity Committee, who said that applications
to borrow for the installation of a boiler for the electricity under-
taking, and extensions at the works for the installation of a Diesel
engine, involving a sum of £11,000, had been m£ide, and there
would be difficulty in finding the money.

Haslingden. — Maxl^ium Installation Cost. — The

Town Council, on June 24th, decided that the maximum coat to
be incurred for installing services for domestic and small power
consumers should not exceed £5. It was agreed to enter into no
further contracts for the supply of electricity for a term of years,
and notice was given to terminate the agreement with Messrs.
Nobell's, Ltd.

Ipswich, — Year's Working. — The total income of the

electricity undertaking for the past year was £75,311, and the net
profit .€8,443. After deducting part of the previous year's deficit,
and debiting the cost of work on mains, a balance of £5,838 was
placed to reserve.

Lanark. — Electric Lighting Scheme. — The Town
Council his engaged Mr. J. M. M. Munro, of Edinburgh, at a fee
of 50 guineas, to report on an electric light scheme for the town,
either by water power or by a thermic station.

Leeds. — Year's Working— Correction By an error

in our last isaue (.June 26th, p. 81()), the grosa profit of the
Leeds electricity undertaking was given as the revenue. The
correct figures are as follows fthe previous year's equivalents being
given in parentheses) :— Total income, £468,718 (£327,176) ; total
working expenses, £237,823 (£186,700); gross profit, £230,895
(£140,476): taxes, loan charges, &c., £130,478 (£133,610); net
profit, £100,417 (£6,866); contributions to capital expenditure,
£56,008 (£6,217) ; leaving a surplus of £44,409 (£649).

Liverpool. — New Sub-Station. — The city electrical
engineer has been authorised to erect a aub-atation at the Hattou
Garden premises.

London.— Stepney. — As a result of the successful suit
brought , against the Corporation for compensation in respect of
damage and inconvenience caused by ashes and grit from the
Council's power station, and the injunction granted by the Court
to restrain the Council from causing future nuisances of this
nature (Electrical Review, June 18th, 1920, p. 778), the
Electricity Committee has appointed a deputation to interview the
Electricity Commissioners on the question, and experiments are to
be carried out with preventive devices in order to remove the
cause of the trouble, and comply with the ruling of the Court.

St. Pancbas. — The borough electrical engineer has formulated
a scheme for supplying electricity to small dwellings. The
estimated cost of a six-point lighting installation is £10 10s., and
this with the interest on the outlay will be repaid by the consumer
in quarterly instalments. Lighting will be charged for on a
fixed price basis, and the estimated quarterly cost to the consumer,
including repayment of outlay, ia £1 17s. 5d. for a three-years'
period, or £1 3s. for a period of 10 years, after which the only
charge would be that for the electricity consumed — 14s. 5d.

Mexborough, — New Cenerator. — The Council hiia
approved, subject to the sanction of the Electricity Commissioners,
the purchase of a 1,000-kw. turbo-generator, at an estimated coat
of £13,170.

Middleton. — Electric Lighting Scheme. — The
Council is considering the institution of electric lighting in the
town.

Montgomery. — Lighting. — There_ is some doubt as to
what lighting facilities will be available next seavJn, and a feeling
exists amongst members of the Council that if there is any undue
delay in announcing the arrangements of the lighting authority,
the Council should launch an electric lighting scheme.

Nuneaton. — Year's Working. — By an error the financial
result of the past year's working of the electricity undertaking was
stated to be a surplus of £900. It is now announced that the
correct result waa a deficit of £49.

Ormsklrk. — Time Extension. — The Board of Trade
has extended by one year from June 24th, 1920, the time for
compulsory purchase of lands under the Ormskirk Gas and Elec-
tricity Act, 1915.

Wingate (County Durham) .—Extensions.— The Pariah

Council has decided to extend the electric lighting installation to
the adjoining centres of Trimdon and Thornley.

Vol. 87. No. 2,223, July 2, 1920.]

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

15

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Blackborn. — Year's Working. — The traffic receipts for

1919-20 amounted to £117,413, and revenue from the carriage of
psurcelB, £2,546 ; working expenses totalled £91,911 ; and the net
result, after payment of loan interest, &c., w^ a profit of £413,
compared with a balance of £6,650 for the previous period.

Bradford. — Railless Car. — The Tramways Committee
has received sanction to proceed with the building of an experi-
mental double-deck, railless trolley car, designed by Mr. K. H.
Wilkinson (general manager). The car will have an enclosed upper
deck, and the total seating accommodation will be for 51
passengers. The oar, which is under construction at the Bradford
tramways' workshop, is the first of its kind in the country. It will
be driven by one standard tramcar motor, mounted on a solid
tramway axle. Mr. Wilkinson holds that improvement has been
chiefly handicapped by restriction of weight, which has hitherto
been limited to 5 tons loaded, and by uncertainty of the amount
that should be contributed to road maintenance. Mr. Wilkinson
has prepared a comparative estimate of the coat of construction of
railless and tramway cars on a new route, indicating up to what
density of traffic the railless vehicle is the more economical. The
present railless services are working at 4d. per mile less than
ordinary cars, and by increasing the seating capacity from 29 to 51,
and using the cars on busier routes, and over the ordinary car
gradients of the city rather than the existing favourable level
routes, the working expenses and sinking fund charges would
probably be about equal to those of the ordinary type. Even if
the charges were 2d. per mile greater than those of the ordinary
tramcar — meaning 6d. per mile, as compared with the present
railless car-service costs — the railless system would be more
economical. Mr. Wilkinson has coiLsidered the comparative
■ advantages and disadvantages of track and railless cars with
regard to passengers' comfort, liability to accidents, especially on
steep gradients, and general reliability. He agrees that railless
cars are less comfortable than tramcars if the permanent way is
in good condition ; that raUless cars are liable to skid in snow ;
and, being without track, are more liable to collisions in fog.
They make less noise than tramcars, and can draw closer to the
side of the road for convenience of loading and unloading. A
point also to the advantage of railless cars in the parcel service
is that by the adoption of batteries they may run beyond the range
of the trolley wires, as has been done between Bradford and Leeds
for nearly a year past.

Brighton. — High-Speed Railway. — The Corporation
has offered no objection to the construction of an experimental
high-speed railway, running between Brighton and Newhaven and
Rottingdean. This is to pass over an estate owned by the Corporation .

Continental. — Spain. — H.M. Consul at Vigo (Mr. Thomas
Guyatt) calls attention to the new project for extending the Vigo
electric tramways as far as Redondela — an extension of 8 km.
United Kingdom firms which may be interested in the matter from
the point of view of supplying materials may obtain the name and
address of an oSicial in Vigo on application to the Department of
Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, London, S.W. 1.

Cork. — Boycott of Military. — It is reported that the
men in charge of the cars of the Cork Electric Tramways Co.
have joined the movement — inaugurated by certain Irish railway-
men — for refusing to carry military and police bearing arms. The
movement is part of the Irish Labour protest against the importa-
tion and handling of munitions.

Croydon. — Year's Working. — The total revenue,

including bank interest, &o., for the year ended March 31st, 1920,
was £163,037, as compared with £136,443 for the previous period.
The total expenditure, including income-tax, loan interest, S^c,
amount^ to £180,290, as against £123,889, leaving a net deficit
of £17,253, compared with a surplus of £12,554 for 1918-19.

Darlington. — Extension Deferred. — The proposal to
lay a track between the Market Place and Bank Top station at an
estimated cost of £15,000, has been deferred.

Dundalk. — Price of Supply. — The Urban Council,
having considered the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) Co.'s
offer of red. per unit for electricity supplied during the year ended
December, 1919, decided that the offer was inadequate, and that the
minimum offer which the Council could accept was r9d. per unit.

Glasgow. — Year's Working. — The financial .statement
of the tramway undertaking for the year ended May 31st shows a
total income of £1,721,578— last year's figure was £1,531,320. The
total working expenses amounted to £1,558,161, as against
£1,249,989, leaving a gross balance of £163,417, aa against
£281,331. The addition of interest on investments gave a total
profit of £176,762, compared with £291,896 for 1917-18. The pay-
ment of rents, interest, income-tax, c&c, resulted in a net deficit of
£108,531, compared with a profit of £14,773 for the previous year^

Halifax. — Advertisements on Cars. — The Tramways
Committee proposes to discontinue advertising on the cars. The
advertisements yield about £1,000 per year, and the recommenda-
tion is expected to meet with the opposition of the Town Council.

Extensions Inqoiry. — The consideration of new tramway pro-
jKJSals of the Halifax Corporation oeoupied the whole of June 26th
before a Select Committee of the House of Lords, presided over by
Lord Newton. The proposals included a new tramway running
from the Halifax main tramway line at Satterhebble and pro-
ceeding throngh Elland to join the existing Huddersfield lines near
the Elland Town Hall. There was great opposition, Huddersfield
Corporation objecting on the ground of competition, and the West
Riding County Council, which demanded various road widenings
along this route and upon others. — Sheffield Daily Telegraph.

Ilford. — Fare Revision. — The tramway manager
reports that further increases of fares are necessary in view of
running costs.

Painters in the tramway department are to be paid £5 5s. 9d.
per week.

Leeds. — Loss on Working. — A return issued recently

showed that during the first nine weeks of the current financial
year to June 2nd, when the fares were advanced, the revenue waa
£169,746, but the gross expenditure was £176,023, leaving a deficit
on the period of £16,277, or £258 per day, despite the fact that the
revenue had increased by £6,843 on that of the corresponding
period of the previous year. Since the fares were increased, it is
reported, the total number of passengers carried has increased by
1 per cent., chiefly in the new short-distance penny fares ; the other
fares have shown a decrease.

The Minister of Transport has extended the time until August
7th, 1921, of the Leeds Corporation Act, 1914, for the completion
of Tramway Xo. 2.

Manchester. — Revised Fares. — Revised tramway fares
on several routes came into force on June 20th, 27th, and
onwards. After a long interval, workpeople's tickets have again
been introduced, the fares being the same as the old ordinary fares
before the revision. Any passenger travelling by car before seven
o'clock in the morning may take a special privilege ticket for the
double journey at workmen's rates. The return journey may be
made at any time the same day. The ticket is cancelled on the
return journey by the conductor, who will issue an ordinary ticket
in its place. These workmen's tickets will be available on each
route as the revised fares come into force. — Manchester (}u-ardian.

Employes' Wages. — Although they received an advance of 9b.
per week as a result of arbitration proceedings since their strike at
Easter, Manchester tramwaymen are still dissatisfied, and have
decided to send in a new demand for an increase of £1 per week,
with a threat to strike if the demand is not met.

Middlesex, — Tramway Fares. — At a meeting of the
Middlesex County Council a protest was made against the recent
increases in fares on the Metropolitan Electric Tramways. An
interim order has been granted to the tramway company by the
Ministry of Transport. Mr. Martin Read said that the Council
was a partner with the tramway company, which had no legal or
moral right to make application for an increase in fares to an outside
authority without the Council's consent. The Highways Com-
mittee's recommendation to support the company's application to
the Ministry of Transport for the issue of an interim order
authorising an increase of fares was withdrawn. — The Times.

N.E.R. — ^EW Branch. — A new branch of the N.E.R
near Stockton-on-Tees, and known as the Billingham Beck branch
was opened on June 21st. It is worked under the train-recording
telegraph regulations where the raUs are a double set, and the
electric train tablet system of signalling for the portion where
a single line of rails will carry the traffic. At present the new
branch is only to be used for freight traffic.

Portsmouth. — Result of Fare Increase. — An illustra-
tion of the fact that there is a point beyond which fare increases
are impracticable, is given by the result of increased fares at
Portsmouth. During eight weeks the passenger traffic has fallen
off by 1,500,000, causing a loss of over £6,000.

U.S.A. — Storage-Battery Car. — The Railwa// Review
gives details of an electric storage-battery car, manufactured by the
Railway Storage-Battery Car Co., New York, which wiU be
operated in daily service between Atlantic City and Ocean City, N. J.,
18 miles distant. The car will be run on a regular schedule,
making both forenoon and afternoon trips, a total of 72 miles each
day, which will give railroad opcials concerned in the mainte-
nance of isolated passenger traffic an excellent opportunity to
observe its performance under actual operating conditions. The
car weighs 30 tons without load. Its maximum free running speed
on level tangent track is 45 miles per hour. Motive power is
derived from a bank of 240 Edison-type A-12 alkaline storage cellB,
which, on a single charge, are capable of propelling the car a*
distance of 125 miles. By boosting the charges nominally, while
waiting for an exchange of passengers at terminals, this mileage
can be increased to 175. The journals of each of the four axles
run in frictionless bearings, each pair of wheels being propelled by
means of its own motor transmitting power through a single
reduction spur gear. The average energy consumption per car-inile
is 2 J KW.-hours, measured on the basis of input at the charging
station. In addition to the battery equipment mentioned, eight
additional cells are installed for the benefit of lighting circuits.
Ampere-hour meters are provided to ensure the proper charging
of the batteries. The car is 52 ft. 2 in. in length over vestibulea,
and will seat 50 passengers.

16

THE ELECTRICAL EEVTEW. [Voi. st. No. 2,223, July 2, 1920.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Cable Delays. — Though the efforts made by commercial
interests to effect an improvement in the London-Paris and
London-Amaterdam telegraph service have so far proved of little
avaC, it seems timely to draw attention once more to the delays
which are still experienced. These are of such a protracted
nature that it has become the ordinary and daily practice for
London Stock Exchange firms to wire Paris riu New York, and the
same device also obtains in the case of Amsterdam. That a mnch
quicker service may be obtained by these means seems hardly
credible, but, as a matter of fact, the existing times taken by the
two routes are 15 minutes and 1| hours respectively. — Tlie Tiniex.

France. — The exchange of urgent telegrams at triple
rates between the United Kingdom and France will be authorised
from July, 1920, on the same conditions as exist between those
countries in which this system of telegraphic correapogidence is
already in force.

Hangary. — Cohmunicatiox Interrupted. — Postal,
telegraphic, and telephonic communication with Austria has been
severed since June 20th, the only exception being Government and
diplomatic messages. — The Thiie's.

' Imperial Wireless Chain. — CoimiTTEE's Report. —

The Imperial Wireless Committee, of which Sir Henry Norman
was chairman, issued its report on Monday. We hope to publish
full particulars in later issues ; for the present the recom-
mendations are, in brief, that a scheme of Imperial wireless
communication be established, connecting the communities of the
Empire by geographical steps of 2,000 miles each. It is suggested
that the service between Leafield and Cairo, by the-Poulsen arc
system, shortly to be put into operation by the Post Office, be the
first link in the chain of communication with Africa ; this should
be continued by a station at Nairobi, in East Africa, and by the use
of the ex-German station at Windhuk, to complete the connection
with the Union of South Africa. For communication with India,
the Far East, and Australia, it is proposed that stations be erected
in England, at Cairo in Egypt, at Poona or other Indian stations,
Singapore, Hong-Kong, and at Port Darwin or Perth in Australia.
Similar communication should also be established between England
and Canada. The stations, it is proposed, should be planned by a
wireless commission of about four members, while their con-
struction might be entrusted to the engineering department of the
G.P.O. and the corresponding Dominion and Indian authorities.
The estimates of revenue and expenditure indicate an initial annual
loss of about £100,000, divided between the Imperial and other
Governments concerned ; this loss, however, might reasonably be
regarded as likely to decrease until after 10 years a profit would be
shown. The capital cost of the scheme outlined is estimated at
£1,243,000, of which £853,000 would be payable by the Imperial
Government. The total annual charges are estimatftl at £425,000,
of which £2i'.8,000 would fall upon the Imperial Government. The
total estimated annual traffic for the' whole service would be about
10 million words, producing a revenue of £360,000, of which
£205,000 would be receivable by the Imperial Government. The
proposals submitted by the Marconi Co. were examined by the
Committee, which says that it found them too vague to admit of
detailed account. The scope of the scheme was too great, and it
would involve too large a capital expenditure and annual expense.
The Committee decided that the Marconi scheme would provide
a virtual monopoly for that company, which was regarded as
undesirable.

London.— Automatic Telephones. — The first step in

the task of equipping London with automatic telephones has been
decided on by the Post Office. At a City exchange an experiment
is to be carried out with the panel selector system of the Western
Electric Co., Ltd., of London, and between 3,000and 4,000 subscribers
will be connected.

Pacific Cable.— Proposed Duplication. — Mr. Bonar

Law, in reply to a question in the House of Commons concerning
the cable system in the Pacific, stated that various nroposals for
duplicating the cable between Vancouver and Fanning* Island were
being considered, but no decision had yet been taken.

Palestine. — New Wireless Station. — A wireless station

to be erected on the Mount of Olives, will, according to The Timi-x,
be able to communicate with Paris and London.

Telegrapli Rates.— Aucjust 1st Revision.— According to

present arrangements, the new rates for inland telegrams of Id.
per word, with a minimum charge of Is. for 12 words, will come
into operation on August Ist next. The necessary Bill, without
which the new rates cannot be enforced, will be introduced in
Parliament next week by the Postmaster-General.

United States.— Large • Wireless Station. — The

Radio Corporation of America has purchased a tract of G,000 acres
at Rocky Point, L.I., about seven miles from Port Jefferson, where
it is planned to spend the sum of S 10,000,000 in erecting and
equipping a new wireless station, which wUl be the largest in the
world. The station will have 72 sets of antenme radiating from
a central station : the steel towers will be 400 ft. high. The
station will comprise five operating units— one for communication
with Argentina, one with France, one with Scandinavia, one with
Germany, and one with Italy and Poland. — T. and T. Age,

Wireless Operators.— Strike Ended,— At the Seafarers'

,)oint Council meeting at Liverpool, on June 23rd, an agreement
was reached which ended the strike of ships' wireless operators.
The men were asked to return to work pending discussions by a
Committee with the Marconi Co., the shipowners, and the Board of
Trade.

After a conference at the Ministry of Labour, on June 24th, with
representatives of the Engineering Employers' Federation, the
officials of the Association of Wireless Telegraphists decided that
work should be resumed immediately, pending negotiations. The
negotiations were opened on June 30th on the basis of the wireless
men's original demands. Mr. E. R. Tuck, secretary of the Associa-
tion, expressed complete satisfaction with the result of the strike,
particularly with regard to the full reinstatement of the men who
came out.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(The dale giceii in parentheses at the end of the paraqrapJi indicates
the issue of the Eleotsioal Bevikw, in which the " Official
Notice " appeared.

OPEN.

Aostralia. — Sydney. — August 4th. N.S.W. Government
Railways and Tramways. Two 1,000-KW. sub-station units. Chief
Electrical Engineer, 61, Hunter Street, Sydney.

August 3rd. Department of Public Works. Turbines and
generators for the Barren Jack hydro-electric development scheme.
Department of Public Works, Sydney.

N.S.W. — Postmaster- General's Department. August 2nd and
5th. Aluminium sheet, brass rod, &c., scBeduled 769 ; platinum
wire, gold and silver wire, scheduled 768. (June 11th.)

Western Atjstkalia. — Postmaster-General's Department.
August 3rd. 326 accumulators, schedule 608. (June 11th.)

Belgium, — August 7th. The municipal authorities of
Campenhout (Province of Brabant). Tenders for the establishment
of an electrical distribution system in the town. Paiticulars, for
two francs from, and tenders to, the Maison Communale.

Brentford. ^July 13th. Board of Guardians. Electric
lighting installations in the offices, infirmary, &c. (See this issue.)

Darlington. — July lOth. Electricity Department. One
5,000-KW. turbo-alternator and surface-condensing plant. (June
25th.)

Edinbnrgh. — July 13th. Corporation. Electric lighting
installations of houses at Gorgie. The Town Clerk.

Grimsby. — August 12th. Electricity Department. Two
water-tube boilers, economisers, fittings, fans, chimneys, &c. ; one
3,000-KW. high.-pre8Sure turbo-alternator and condensing plant.

(See this issue.) '

Glasgow. — July 6th. Tramways Department. One
10,000-KW. steam turbo- alternator, with condensing plant. (June

ISth.)

Hull. — July 12th. Electricity Department. One three-
motor electrically-operated overhead travelling crane. (June 25th.)

New Zealand. — July 31st. Waikato Electric Power
Supply. Delivery, c.i.f. Auckland, of 2,t00 pin insulators, suitable
for a line operating at 66,000 volts between phases. Tenders to
Secretary, Public Works Tenders Boar 1, Government Buildings,
Wellington. Specification, &c., may be seen at the D.O.T. in
London (Captain "Vandeleur, Room 49), until to-morrow, Saturday,
after which date they wUl be available for firms in the Provinces.

Auckland. — September 1st. Harbour Board. For the supply
of electric capstans and spares. - Messrs. W. & A. McArthur,
Ltd., 18-19, Silk Street, Cripplegate, London.

Nuneaton. — July 31st. Electricity Department. One
500-KW. rotary converter transformer and accessories. (See this
issue.)

Portsmouth. — July 20th. Tramways Committee. 1,000
tons steel girder tram rails ; 20 tons steel fish plates ; 5 tons fish
bolts ; 30 tons wrought-iron tie bars. (See this issue.)

Preston. — Tramways Committee. Converting plant.
(See this issue.)

Southampton. — July 3rd. Electricity Department.
E.H.T. and H.T. switchgear and D.c. control panel. (.June 4th.)

Warrington. — July 13th. Electricity and Tramways
Committee. Two 6,00O-kw. turbo-alternators. (June 18th.)

CLOSED.

Belgium.— Six concerns, including the Edison- Swan
Electric Co., Ltd., London, la.it week submittetl tenders to the
Belgian Post and Telegraph authorities in Brussels, for the supply
of l,(;00-km. of compound telegraph wire. The lowest offer was
that of the Societe des Ateliers de Constructions Eleotriques, of
Charleroi, who quoted 4S3,200 fr.

Vol. 87. No. 2,223, JnLY 2, 1920.]

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW^

17

Dartford. — Board of Guardians.

Electric light installation, intirni wards—MeBsrs. CretHeld.
Electric lanndry irons— S. \V. Gibson* Co,

Glasgow. — Electricity Committee. Accepted. .

For six months : —
C.I. boxes, section pillars, &c. — M'DowaU, Steven A Co.. Lion Foundry Co.,

Carron Co., Falkirk Iron Co., James Allan, Senr. A Co.
Malleable iron tnbe and fittings.— Dempster, Moore A Co.

For 12 months :- -

Ampere-hour meters. — Edison-Swan Electric Co., Ltd., Ferranti, Ltd.,

Chamberlain..^ Hookham, Ltd.
A.C. meters.— Edison-Swan Electric Co., Ltd., Met.-Vickers, Ltd.
Cables (general).- Callenders Co., W. T. Glover.
Cables (I.R. Hexibltsi. — Craigpark Electric Cable Co., Ltd.
Arc lamp carbons.— Beacon Carbons, Ltd.

Town Council Tramways. Accepted : —

Cables.— B.I. and Helsby Cables, Ltd.
Gear cases.— Equipment and Engineering Co., Ltd.
Two-ton motor chassis. — Leyland Motors. Ltd.
Lock washers. — Positive Lock Washer Co.

Government Contracts. — The undermentioned (xovern-
ment contracts were placed during May, 1920 : —

Admiralty (Contract and Purchase Department).
Accumulators for magazine lanterns. — Fuller's United Electric Works, I. Id.
Electrically-driven plate-bending rolls, — Soriven & Co., Ltd.
Electrodes. — Quasi-Arc Co., Ltd.
Mlcanite insulators.— .Micanite & Insulators, Ltd.
Micanite washers.— Birmingham Mica Co.
Micanite plate and tubing. — Mica JVlanufacturing Co.
Positive plates.— D. P. Battery Co., Ltd.
Carbon rods. — Morgan Crucible Co., Ltd.

Ministry of Munitions.
Electric cell battery boxes — Fuller's United Electric Co., Ltd.
Conduit tubing. — ftietallic Seamless Tube Co.; Simplex Conduits, Ltd.

India Office Store Department.
Baudot apparatus parts. — Elliott Bros. (London), Ltd.
Tropical cable. — Callender's Cable & Construction Co., Ltd.; Siemens Bros,

& Co.
Inert cells.— Fullers United Electric Works, Ltd.
Induction coils. — High Tension Co.
Carsak elements. — General Electric Co.. Ltd.
Transposition insulators. — Taylor, Tunnicliffe & Co.
Electric motors (parts). — General Electric Co.
Phonic motors. — D. Murray.

Copper tubes. — T. Bolton & Sons, Ltd.; Allen, Everitt & Sons.
Voltoids.— Brunner, Mond & Co., Ltd.
Copper wire. — Callender's Cable & Construction Co., Ltd.; Macintosh Cable

Co., Ltd.
Iron wire.^Shropshire Iron Co.
Jumper wire. — Peel-Conner Telephone Works Co., Ltd.

Post Office.

anufacturing Co., Ltd.; Inter-

:tric Co., Ltd.

Telephone & Electric Works

Telephone apparatus. — Automatic Telephi
national Electric Co., Ltd.; Westen

Testing and protective apparatus. — Phi
• Co.; Reid Bros. Engineers, Ltd.

Armatures.^British L.M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Battery boxes. — Wm. Duncan Tucker & Sons, Ll^.

Telegraph and telephone cable.— British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd.;
Callender's Cable and Construction Co., Ltd.; Glover & Co., Ltd.;
W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.; London Electric Wire Co.
& Smiths, Ltd.; Macintosh Cable Co., Ltd.; Union Cable Co., Ltd.;
Western Electric Co., Ltd.

Loading coils.— Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Compound. — Dussek Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Cords for telephones- — Phoenix Telephone & Electric Works, Ltd.; Siemens
Bros. & Co.. Ltd.; Western Electric Co., Ltd.

Ducts.— Albion Cloy Co., Ltd.; Donington Sanitary Pipe & Fire Brick C.>.,
Ltd.; Doulton & Co., Ltd.; J. Cakes & Co.

Distribution cable plugs.— Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Solder.— E. Austin & Sons; British I. & H. Cables, Ltd.

Insulator spindles.— Bayliss, Jones Si Bavliss, Ltd.

Copper binding wire.— British I. & H. Cables, Ltd.

Enamelled and cotton-covered wire-puller's United Electric Works, Ltil.;
Macintosh Cable Co., Ltd.

Transmission and receiving sets.— Devizes Wireless Station : Marconi Wire-
less Telegraph Co., Ltd.

Laying conduits.— St. Pancras, Finsbur)', Shoreditch and Holborn : D. R.
Paterson, Ltd. Chelsea (Beaulort Street). Old Broad Street, Thread-
needle Street. Westminster, Chelsea and Epsom,: J. Mowlem & Co.,
Ltd. Belfast, London-Bristol-Newport (S. Midland, Section IV) : J. F.
Hodge & Co. London-Bristol-Newport (S. Wales, Section I) : D.
Kettle & Son. Camberwell, &c., Kensington, Paddington, St. Maryle-
bone, Willesden. Wembley. &c., Hornsey-Islington : O. C. Summers.
Streatham-Tooting ; Whittaker-EIIis. Leeds-Harrogate (Section II):
Hodge Bros. (Contractors), Ltd. Douglas (Glasgow) ; W. Dobson.
Fulham, Battersea, Wandsworth, Merton, Hammersmith, &c. : Laing
& Co.

Manufacturing, supplying and drawing-in and jointing' cable. — London-
Slough : Western Electric Co., Ltd.

Repairing battery. — City (London) Telephone Exchange : Hart Accumulator
Co., Ltd.

Telephone Exchange equipment.— Fleetwood : Relay Automatic Telegraph
Exchange, Ltd. Accumulators : Hart Accumulator Co.. Ltd. Motor
generator set : Electromotors. Ltd. Wallasey : Western Electric Co.,
Ltd. Accumulators : Chloride Electrical Storage Co.. Ltd. Motor
generator sets : Electric Construction Co, Paddington : Western Electric
Co., Ltd. Stroud : Siemens Bros. & Co.. Ltd. Accumulators : Hart
Accumulator Co., Ltd. Charging machine with motor : English
Electric Co., Ltd. Eccles : Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd. Accumulators :
Pritchett & Gold & E.P.S. Co., Ltd. Charging machine : English
Electric Co., Ltd.

Crown Agents for the Colonies.

Cables.— Callender's Cable & Construction Co., Ltd.

Tonum cells.— Chloride Electrical Storage Co., Ltd.

Electric light fittings.— J. Stone & Co., Ltd.

Diesel engine spares.— English Electric Co., Ltd.

Phosphor bronze and white metiil. — Phosphor Bronze Co.. Ltd.

Telegraph poles.— Boilers, Ltd.; Siemens Bros. & Co., Lid.

Telegraph line material.- Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Telephone material.— British L.M. Ericsson Manuf.acturlng Co., Lid.

Static transformer. — British Electric Transformer Co., Ltd.

Bronze wire, &c. — Shropshire Iron Co., Ltd.

Copper wire.— Elliott's Metal Co., Ltd.

Londoa. — L.C.C. Highways Committee. Recommended :

St. PANOKA.S.— Electricity Committee. Coal for 12 months, for
the electricity stations. J. H. Beattie recommended ;—

New 1919-'20

contract. contract prices.

s. d. s. d.

14,400 tons Newdegate beans 43 10 31 2

ti.lOO ., Newdegate D.a. nuts 46 1 3a b

2,400 .. Grift peas 45 7 32 11

1,200 ,. Coleorton D.S. nuts 44 10 ■ii^

500 „ Mapperley small nnts 46 7 ,» ^ J}

10,000 „ Stanton nuttv 4-'i 1 •"'"1'

38,900

for King's Road

10,100 ., for Regent's Park

.Stepney.— Electricity Supply Committee. The Committee ha?
accepted the following offers for coal ; —

a,200 Bolsover U nutty slack, 42s. Id. pet ton ; 2,4C0
tons iSnibston'lJ nutty slack, 41s. •2d E, Foster & Co.

Earthenware pipes.

Sutton & Co. (accepted) £82

Doulton A Co., Ltd "°

W. T. Henley's Teleg. Works Co., Ltd *

Cable 110 yds. ':■; sq. in. l.t. cable, and i40 yds. '06 sq. in. L.T.

cable. ^, n.o-

W T. Henley's Teleg. Works Co., Ltd. (accepted) . . i.487

B.I. and Helsby Cables, Ltd 474

U miles '025 eq. in. L.T. cable, and i mile '007 sq. in. l.t. cable.

. (accepted) . . £860

Hammersmith. — Electricity Committee.

(«) Tenders for One 10,000-kw. Tdbbo-alternator, with
Condensing Plant.

C. A. Parsons & Co., Ltd.
J. Howden & Co., Ltd.
Fraser & Chalmers' Engl

neering Co.. Ltd.
Escher, Wyss & Co., Ltd.
B.T.H. Co.. Ltd.
Met. ■ Vlokers Elecl. Cc.

Ltd.
Ateliers de Con.'Oerlikon
English Electric Co., Ltd
Richardsons.Westgarth ai
Co., Ltd.

' At works in Switzerland.

Tenders for One Condensing Plant.

Steam con.

Delivery

plant.

plant.

Total.

perK\v,-hr.

months.

£41.100

£12.500

£53,600

19-15

40,750

13.369

54,119

12-9

50,432

13,369

63,801

40,960

—

54,329

12-52

43.'260

56,6'29

12 04

66,225

12,000

_

55,S69

12-5D

—

57.600)

—

-^

61,800 '

—

64,800 \

—

58,318

—

^

—

58,700

—

—

—

—

61,180

—

—

Cooling Water
surface required,
r.
Extra for sluice

type.
; 13,369

type.
.£14,209

sq. ft.
13,000

lbs. per hou
7,800,000

12,500

-

12,500

7,050,000

-

14,952

14,700

7,150,000

13,748

16.600

-

-

16.376

-

15,600

8,130,C00

16.832

17,112

16,000

-

Single
Name of tender
Mirrlees, Watson Co.. £13,369

Ltd.
C. A. Parsons & Co.,

Ltd.
Hick. Hargreaves and

Co., Ltd.
Worthington-Simpson,

Ltd.
W. H. Allen, Sons and

Co., Ltd.
Cole, Marchent and

Morlev. Ltd.

The Committee reports that in connection with the scheme for
plant extensions passed by the Council on March 24th, embodying
the installation of two 10,000-kw. turbo-alternators with condeng-
iner plant, the lowest tender received for two satisfactory sets
exceeded the estimates by approximately £14,000. In these cir-
cumstances, and in view of the jiresent high loan interest, the
Committee recommends that an order should be placed for one
complete g-eneratinfr set only for the time beinfr. This will be
possible in view of the purchase from the Liverpool Corporation of
one 2,000-KW. set, the Liverpool Corporation having accepted this
Council's offer.

The Committee considers that Messrs. C. A. Parsons's tender at
£41.000 for one 10,000-KW. turbo-alternator is the most suitable,
and recommends its acceptance.

As regards the condenser, the electrical engineer considers the
offer of Messrs. Hick, Hargreaves & Co. the most satisfactory. The
water required for this condenser is less than that in the case of
other twin types of machines, and the price includes an allowance
estimated at £400 for sluice valves. The Committee, therefore,
recommends the acceptance of the tender of Messrs. Hick,
Hargreaves &Co. for one twin type condensing plant at £14,952.

I^yjg__Isle of Wight E.L. Co. For the electric light
installation at the Congregational Church.

Stirling. — Town Council

Electric light installation for houses.- W. and P. Marshall, and Lockhart
and McNab.

PORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

6,600 tons of track rails and fastenings, for the
£154,747— Bolckow, Vaughan & Co., Ltd.

.vays departmenti

Tramways and Light Railways Association. — Friday, July 2nd. At
Caxton Hall, Westminster, S.W. At 2.30 p.m. Annual congresa. At
7.30 p.m. at the Connaught Rooms : Annual dinner.

Uoyal Institution of Great Britain. — Monday, July 6th. At Albemarle
Street, W. .\t5p.m. General meeting.

Institution of Civil Engineers. — Tuesday, July 6th. At the Insti-
tution, Gt, George Street, S.W. Conversazione from 8.30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

18

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

[Vol. 87. No. 2,223, July :.', 1920.

NOTES.

Tarbines at Kinlochleven.— deferring to our article on

the visit of the Institution of Electrical Enifineers to the British
Aluminium Cj.'s works at Kinlochleven, Mr. James (iordon informs
us that the latest addition to the plant, a 3,000-H.p. turbine, was
not, as stated, supplied by Messrs. Gilbert Gilkes, but by his own
firm. Messrs. James Gordon ^: Co. We very much regret the error.

National Illamination Committee of Great Britain. —

At a meeting held on June 21at, the Committee accepted with
reprret the resifrnation of the chairman, Mr. A. P. Trotter, and
Major Kenelm Edgcumbe (vice-chairman) accepted the vacant
pMt. Dr. F. P. Hyde, delegate from the American National
Committee, attended to discuss the future policy of the Inter-
national Commission, and to explain the views of various
Continental Committees he had met. It was unanimously agreed
that a meeting of the International Illumination Commission
should be held in Paris next year to discuss technical subjects.

Classification of Large Turbo-generator Failures. —

In a paper presented at the A.I.E.E. annual Convention, last month,
and abstracted in the June Journal of the Institution, Mr. Philip
Torchio classifies 5,5 generator failures of which he has a record.
The machines, installed in different parts of the U.S.A., range in
capacity from 5,000 to 30,000 KW., the smaller size dating back
from 12 to 16 years, and the larger being of more recent manu-
facture. The failures, several occurring on the same set, are
summarised as follows : —

Armature failure due to : mechanical damage, 3 ; heating of
windings, 17 ; heating of iron. 2 ; loose laminations, 1 ; moisture
in cooling air, 3 ; corona shield breaking, 2 ; heating at end-turn
clamping, 1 ; undiscovered causes, 2 ; total, 'M.

Field failure due to : open-circuited connections, 3; earthing, 7 ;
earthing caused by bus short circuit, 4 ; loosening of damper
windings, 2 ; total, l(i.

Armature ami Jield failures due to : moisture, 1 ; undiscovered, 3 ;
total, i.

Terminal failures due to moisture, 2.

To avoid similar troubles, the author advocates the use of
insulating materials of proved dependability, maintenance of low
copper temperatures by proper sub-division of copper and trans-
position of strands in windings, and the provision of liberal ventila-
tion. The operating copper temperatures should be limited to
100^ C. ; too great a range of operating temperatures is bound to
cause faQure. Mica insulation in hydro-electric generators operated
at steady load will last indefinitely at high temperatures, while,
under similar conditions, mica insulation in steam turbo-generators
operated intermittently will fail. The test voltage for windings
should be raised to three times f jU voltage, plus 1,000. Mica and
asbestos tape insulation for fields is more dependable than fibrous
insulation. Solid forged fields are preferable to laminated field
structures, or even to built-up plate structures. Great care should
be exercised in the supply of cooling air to prevent moisture or
condensation depositing on the windings.

Post Office Tube Railway. — Tenders have been invited
for the equipment of the Post Office tube railway, the initial section
of which is (j'5 miles long, extending between the eastern and
western termini at Whitechapel and Paddington respsctively.
There is only one tunnel between stations ; it is 9 ft. in diameter
and contains two 2-ft. gauge tracks. Separate tunnels ranging up
to a maximum of 25 ft. in diameter have been constructed at the
stations. Both lines are on the same level, and are 20 ft. apart ;
on this space, control cabins, together with lifts and shoots for
handling mail matter, are being installed. The depth of the tube
from the surface varies from 28 ft. to 87 ft. It is proposed to
operate the trains on the distant control system ; current excita-
tion on the track will take the place of the signal element, thus
dispensing with the need of an attendant on the cars. According
to the Engineer, the details of the system were worked out by the
Post Office engineering staff at Woolwich, where both the gradients
and curves of the actual railway were reproduced. Firms invited
to tender received an intimation that any suggested improvements
in the proposed method of operation or an alternative system would
receive consideration.

Appointments Vacant. —Resident eng^ineer (£400) for
Cambuslang Electricity and Refuse Destructor Works ; lecturer in
Electrical Engineering (£350 to £400) for the Technical
College, Loughborough ; lecturer in Electrical Engineering and
Wiremen's Work (£300) for the Barnsley Educational Committee ;
deputy charge engineer (£3 54) for the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Elec-
tric Supply Co., Ltd. ; shift engineer (£334) for the Ipswich
Corporation Electric Supply and Tramways ; shift engineer, for
the Perth Corporation Electricity Works. See our advertisement
pages to-day.

Britisli Water Power. — The Water Power Resources
Committee has recently issued a second interim report which, iuter
alia, recommends the establishment of a Water Commission for
England and Wales, possessing a number of statutory powers.
These include the administration of a special fund for the com-
mencement of enterprises in sparsely populated districts with an
abundance of water power ; the compilation of records concerning
water power with regard to future developments ; the adjustment
of disputes connected with allocations of water power ; to consider
the development of rivers, and to group the country into suitable
jireas controlled by Water Boards.

Pictures by Wireless. — A Dane, Mr. Th. Andersen, ha.s

made an important invention by means of which pictures and
sketches can be transmitted by cable and also by wireless over the
longest distances, as, for instance, from Europe to America. The
invention has been tested here by experts, who pronounce it to be
of great practical value, especially tor Press illustrations. The
apparatus used is of the most simple construction and easy to
work. It does not matter whether the telegraphic communica-
tion is interrupted some part of the time. The system includes
some special signals, which can be dispatched without being
affected by variations in the power of the current employed. Any
wireless telegraph or telephone system can be used for the trans-
mssion, and the cost of working is said to be very low. One of
the Copenhagen newspapers has published two photographs sent
by means of the new invention, one of them being a portrait of
Chancellor Bauer, dispatched from Berlin. — JJaily Telegraiih.

Development of Electricity in South Africa. — In a

papjr entitled '■ The Use of Electricity to Develop South African
Resources," read before the S.A. Institute of Electrical Engineers,
Mr. H. W. Clayden, according to the S.A. Engineer and Elect riral
lieriew, suggested that to secure the greatest benefit of electricity
for the development of the resources of the country, the Institute
should recommend the Government to go one step further than the
recent Railway Electrification Report, and request it to obtain a report
on the feasibility and co3t of a national power supply scheme to
cover the whole of the Southern States of South Africa at present
served by railways, allowing for extension of the scheme aa a more
forward policy of railway extension is adopted ; also, in the interest
of the conservation of the country's material resources, should the
scheme go forward to pass a power Act making it compulsory to
obtain power from that supply, by putting a premium on the coal
used by small inefficient steam power plant. "

An Electrically-Propelled Yacht. — Mr. Pemberton

Billing, M.P., is, according to the Erening iXewx, having a twin-
screw schooner of about 44 tons buUt for him at Southampton.
She is to be electrically propelled, and wCl thus be the first British
yacht to be driven in this manner. Each propeller will be driven
by a separate motor, the energy for which will be supplied by three
generators driven by paraffin engines.

New Vulcanising Process. — An entirely new process for

effecting vulcanisation has recently become available as the
result of the discovery, by Mr. S. J. Peachey, lecturer in
chemistry at the Manchester College of Technology, that by
exposing rubbei' alternately to the action of two gases, viz.,
.sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide, it becomes rapidly
and completely vulcanised, even at the ordinary temperature.
The process appears to be of fundamental importance for the
following reasons : —

1. It is a true sulphur vulcanisation (as distinct from the
sulphide chloride treatment) and yields a product entu'ely
comparable with that obtained by the Goodyear process.

2. It eliminates the use of heat, and to a great extent the
use of mechanical pressure.

3. It employs two gases, both of which can be produced on
the large scale at a very cheap i-ate.

4. It is rapid in action.

•5. It enables the manufacturer to employ organic fillLng
agents such as leather waste, sawdust, shoddy waste, and the
like, which cannot be used in connection with the hot pro-
cess. In this manner a number of cheap and highly-durable
materials may be fabricated from the various wastes, and
employed as floor and wall coverings, for boot and shoe manu-
facture, and for upholstery work.

6. Coal tar dyestuft's and even natural dyes, which, with
a few exceptions, are destroyed by the " hot cure," can be
introduced into mixings to be cured by the new process with
the production of delicate tints and shades hitherto unob-
tainable.

The process has the advantage of extreme simplicity, and
its translation from the laboratory to the works should prove
a very simple matter.

Already numerous samples of daintily coloured floor cover-
ings, fancy leathers, and felts, suitable for hat making, have
been produced in the laboratory, and these have an appear-
ance and a finish which could hardly be improved upon.
Several pairs of boots have been soled with leather reformed
from waste by the new process, and the practical test of
several months' hard wear has shown that the reformed
leather is even more durable than the real article.

The process can be extended to the vulcanisation of rubber
in .solution. If a solution of rubber in benzole or naphtha be
saturated or partly saturated with hydrogen sulphide and
mixed w-ith a solution of sulphur dioxide in the same solvent,
the liquid sets in a few moments to a stiff jelly, and on
eliminating the solvent by evaporation a fully vulcanised
rubber is obtained. The use of the mixed solutions for pro-
ducing perfectly vulcanised seams and joints has proved
highly satisfactory in practice, and inner tubes repaired in
a few moments by the new process have an excellent life.
Further, by the aid of the solution process, reformed leather
soles and heels may be attached to boots without the aid
of stitching or naiUng, and indeed a bixit may be produced
from the refonned leather without a single etitch being
necessary.

Vol. 87. No. 2,223, July 2, 1920.]

THE ELECTRICAL BEVIEW.

19

Service Notes. — Recruiting for the wireless branch of
the service is being pushed to the best advantage, and some excep-
tionally fifood men have been obtained, the bounty being a big
factor in the matter. The following warrant electricians have
been posted to ships : — F. R. Darely to the battleship ValUint,
Atlantic Fleet ; J. Haigh to the staff of the Venmn, torpedo school
ship at Portsmouth ; W. Beavia, to the Pre.sident. London.

An Admiralty order states that officers appointed to the follow-
ing wireless telegraph stations will be appointed normally for a
period of one year : — Aden, Bathurst, Bermuda, Ceylon, Demerara,
Falkland Islands, Jamaica, Mauritius, Port Nelloth, SeycieUes,
Singapore. Officers appointed to the following stations will be
appointed normally for a period of two years : — Ascension, Durban,
Gibraltar (North Front and Rock), Hong Kong, Malta (Rinella and
St. Angelo), St. John's. Officers appointed to stations coming
under either category will be allowed the option of an extension
of their appointments up to a maximum of three years. A list of
officers requiring relief should be sent in by the stations concerned,
80 as to arrive in England two months before the date they are due
for relief, this date being stated.

It should be noted, the order further states, that an appointment
of two years' duration coming within the terms of Article 1626,
K.R., and A.I. , or included in the lists subjoined to M.O.'s 378/lM
and 090/20, entitles the holder to repayment of half cost of passage
for his wife and famOy, but that the privileges of free passages for
wives and families is restricted by the provision of Article 1520
K.R. and A.I., to officers holding appointments, the duration of
which is five years or upwards.

The "Steinmetz'' Electric Vehicle. — Particulars are
now tu hand of a new electric vehicle motor system developed
by Dr. Charlea P. Steinmetz, chief consulting engineer of
the tleueral Electric Co., of America. Dr. Steinmetz has
organised a company under the title of the Steinmetz Motor
Gar Co., New York City, which plans to manufacture electric
commercial and industrial vehicles embodying this system
and other interesting features.

By his method of motor excitation, Dr. Steinmetz claims,
says the Electric Vehicle, that he is enabled to combine the
advantages of the series and shunt motor for vehicle pro-
pulsion to a certain extent. The system consists merely in
connecting a single storage cell across the field winding of a
series wound motor, floating the cell on the line. With the
battery voltage and the field winding employed, the voltage
drop in the field winding at about normal load is equal to the
voltage of the field storage cell, and, as the two voltages then
balance each other, no current will flow through the cell.

No matter how the load on the motor may fluctuate, the
field strength, it is asserted, varies only within relatively
uarrow hmits, the minimum field excitation being that due
to the storage cell alone. If the car runs down a grade under
the influence of gravity, its speed will increase until the
counter electromotive force generated in the motor armature
exceeds the electromotive force of the vehicle battery. Then
the motor, acting as a generator, will charge the battery,
thus recuperating some of the extra energy spent in ascending
the hill.

The experimental work has been done mainly on a J-ton
delivery vehicle built in Chicago. The chassis with battery,
but without body, weighs about '2,300 lb. It carries a 20-cell,
250 ampere-hour lead storage battery of the Exide type, and
has an average mileage under normal road conditions of
45 to 50 miles.

Dr. Steinmetz makes use of a motor having a revolving
field ring. The advantage claimed for this type of motor is
that substantially twice the output can be obtained from a
motor of given weight and absolute speed of members, as
compared with the ordinary motor with stationary field. The
motor is otherwise of conventional design.

The motor is arranged with its shaft at right angles to the
rear axle; to the forward side of the pressed-steel axle housing
la bolted a cast steel housing enclosing the reduction gears.
The armature is geared to one axle shaft through a pair of
spur gears and a pair of bevel gears, and the field frame
to the other. No differential gear is required, as the torque
on both field and armature naturally is always the same ;
consequently the same driving torque is impressed on the
two road wheels. At the front of the transmission case is
the motor, supported in bearings in a spider covered with
sheet aluminium. The motor housing is spring-suspended at
its forward end from the frame, and the motor and gear,
therefore, are not absolute dead weight on the axle. There
i.s a partition waU between the gear case and the motor
housing, so the gears can be run in oil without danger of
oil getting into the motor; annular ball bearings are used
on the shafts.

The speed control is effected by connecting the battery
cells either all in series or in two parallel rows respectively,
and by cutting a resistance in and out with each battery
combination. Thus four speeds are obtained : (1) Battery in
parallel, resistance in; (2) battery in parallel, resistance out;
(3) battery in series, resistance in ; and (4) battery in series,
re.^stance out.

On half voltage or with the 'controller lever in the low
speed position, the battery begins to recharge at a vehicle
speed of 10-11 M.P.H., and on full voltage it begins to recu-
perate at 19 to 20 M.P.H. The advantages resulting from the
comparatively flat motor characteristic and the recuperating
action are summarised by Dr. Steinmetz as foUowa ;—>

(1) The speed is well maintained on heavy up grades and
with heavy loads. (2) A quicker and less sluggish getaway at
.starting. (3) On level and slight down grades, the maximum
.speed IS hunted, so that a careless driver cannot race the
vehicle. (4) On down grades (and in stopping) the motor
automatically becomes a generator, acts as a brake, and feeds
the battery. Therefore the vehicle is perfectly safe when
on heavy down grades, as the motor checks the speed and
holds it down to a safe hmit. Incidentally this saves wear-
of the brakes, as they never need be used except to come to
a dead stop. This results in a better Uiaintenance of the
vehicle mileage in hdly territory. (5) Much of the power
wasted in the motor field at large currents is saved, thus
increasing the mileage.

The Steinmetz Motor Car Co. contemplates an output of
1,500 industrial electric vehicles and 500 electric delivery
wagons of 1,000 lb. and 2,000 lb. respectively during the first
year of its operations. Later other sizes may Be manutac-
tured. The construction wiU be as nearly standard as possible,
only the motor and control being of special design.

Irish Coal Mines. — It has been left to the energy

enterprise, and resom'ce — and incidentally the capital — ol
Mr. Samuel Kelly, a w'ell-known Belfast coal merchant, to
seriously tackle the problem of the Tyrone coalfield, which
has its centre at the village of Coalisland. The report just
made by the Irish Coal Industry Committee, whilst recording
the above fact, expresses most emphatically the unanimous
opinion that the State should do something to develop the
resources of the country, and towards this end the Minister
uf Transport should be constituted a Mmister of Mines, or a
Department of Mines created within the Department of
Agricultural and Technical Instruction. Some 18 months ago
borings were started a» 'Washing Bay, on the shores of Lough
• Neagh, under Government direction, but were abandoned at
a depth of 1,706 ft. without reaching the carboniferous strata.
A'lo.uOO was expended on these operations, and the Committee
now recommends that a further £5,250 be spent in sinking
these borings to a depth of 3,700 ft., in order to reach the
coal — for it is a practical certainty that there is coal to be
found. Mr. Kelly is making two borings in another part
of the Coalisland basin.

The late Mr. Griifith, mining engineer to the Royal Dublin
Society, divided the Tyrone coal district into two par-ts, and
named them the Coalisland district and the Annahone dis-
trict. The Coalisland coal district, he says, is six miles long,
from MuUaghmoyle on the north to Dungannon on the south,
its average breadth being about two mhes, making the total
area something like seven thousand acres. The Annahone
district is much smaller — one mhe long and half a mUe broad
— containing about three hundred and twenty acres. It is,
however, probable, accoiding to the authority mentioned,
that the district may extend a considerable distance further
to the south and ea.st. and that coal may be found beneath
the red sandstone in Killymurphy and Gortnacloghan. The
coal of Tyrone burns rapidly, and gives out an intense heat,
and bears a strong resemblance to that of Ayrshire. In the
interior of the Coahsland district great irregularity is observ-
able in the direction and inclination of the strata. Near its
southern extremity the main dip is north-east, and near the
northern, sfiuth-west; but the dip is frequently altered by
undulations in the strata. The direction of these undulationvi
is generally north and south, and their curves form an arch
of from ten to thirty yards in heigth, and of various breadths.
These undulations cause great irregularity in the coal working
by frequently changing the level, and where they occur the
coal is found thin and impure, and in many instances is
altogether lacking for a length of twenty or thirty yards.

The Commissioners in their report calculate the Tyrone
yield at .34 miUion-odd tons, and the Ballycastle at 13 million-
odd tons. The other coalfields of Ireland are calculated on
proved data at 180 million tons, and of that total the Kilkenny
(Castlecomer) coalfield contributes 160 million tons. Prac-
tically three-fourths of the proved coal reserves of the country
are in the Kilkenny area, and of the 92,000 tons mined in
1918 no less than 63,675 tons were in that area._ The coal
in the Leinster and Munster fields is of good quahty, mainly
anthracite, but the seams are all shallow, uniformly 20 in.
That means high cost in mining, since so much " dirt " has
to be taken out above and below the seam with the_ coal, to
cive head-room for working. As the Inquiry Committee put
it. the real difficulty i.s not the amount of reserves, but the
thinne.sa of the .seams in T/ein.ster and Munster that account.'^
to a large extent for the circumstances that the annual output
per underground worker in Ireland is only 140 tons, as
against 294 t6n.= in Great Britain. In the face of economic
facts, it is rather difiicult to see how the output of 500,000
tons per annum, which the committee suggests, might be
achieved, can be accomplished.

British Contracts for British Firms.— The Daili/ Tele-
graph says that officials of nil city and borough corporation.^
and urban district councils of the country have been asked by
the British Empire Union to pass resolutions providing that
no contracts should be given to any foreign firm connected
directly or indirectly with former enemy Powers, and that pre-
ference should always be given to Briti.sh firni.s^ employing
British labour. A number of corporations have intimated that
they have adopted resolutions along these hues.

2f)

THE ELECTRICAL EEYIEW,

[Vol. 87. No. 2.223, July 2, 1920.

Domestic Smoke. — A short interim report by the Ministry
of Health Committee on 8moke and Noxious Vapours Abatement,
recently published, while not recommending any particular scheme
of general domestic heating, makes several suggestions regarding
the use of electricity or gas. The Committee considers that htating
schemes should be incorporated in houses now being constructed,
and the question of cost is thought to be the chief factor in decid-
ing the method. The report concludes with the following remark :
— " With regard to the question of domestic heating in general, we
are struck by the absence of full and scientific knowledge. '

Electric Safety Lamp, — In an abstract of a paper read

before the Institution of Mining Engineers, the Collier;/ Guardian
gives details of a new type of miner's lamp, the " Oldham " patent
cap type.

The main idea has been to embody, as far as practicable, such
features as have been proved to be most satisfactory during 10
years' experiments and experience in standard electric safety lamp
practice. The main constructional features are, first, the fitting
actually worn on the cap, which, in ordertoensure aminimum weight,
consists of an aluminium piece shaped suitably to receive a silvered
reflector, which is screwed to take the lens ring, which in turn
secures and holds the lens in position. The lamp-holder is secured
to the inner side of the cap-fitting body, being connected electrically
by means of special contacts to a cable attached to one pole of the
accumulator. The cap-fitting connection to one pole of the
accumulator is made by means of a direct circuit through a
specially strong rubber-covered cab tire cable, carried and secured
to the cap lamp fitting by means of a metal containing-tube
supporting an ebonite block, from which connection is made to the
filament bulb. The return connection to the accumulator case is
by means of rubber-covered cab tire cable protected by flexible
brass J:ubing.

The accumulator containing-case consists of heavily tinned
sheet-iron coated with anti-aulphuric paint. The connections to
the two leads in the cap lamp fitting from the accumulator ter-
minals are made by means of spring plungers contained in specially
designed ebonite insulating blocks, so as to obviate the use of
spring connections on the terminals of the accumulator. Suitable
lead plug rivet blocks are provided both on the accumulator con-
taining case and on the cap lamn fitting. The cap worn by the
user of this type of lamp is of special design, and has attached to it
a fibre plate to which the cap lamp fitting is clipped. The plate is
so arranged that the weight of the cap lamp fitting itself is not
borne on one position of the head, but is distributed, whilst the
loop at the back enables the cable to maintain a central position
over the head and down the back. The bulb is of 2 volts and 0'5
ampere, having a nominal candle-power equal to O'T reflected
candle-power, which is equivalent to r6, and gives a beam extend-
ing over an area of 10 ft. at a distance of 2^ ft. A special design
of flange-tight switch fitted on the accumulator containing-case
enables the light to be controlled as required.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

2hs Edfitart invite electrical engineers, whether connected with, the
technical or the commercial side of the profession and indust?)/,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
EtECTBiCAL Review posted as to their m-nvements. ,

At the Summer Meeting of the Railway Electrical and Telegraph
Engineers' Conference at the North British Hotel, Edinburgh, on
June 22nd, Me. William Stevenson, who has just retired from
his position as electrical engineer of the Caledonian Railway, was
entertained to dinner and presented with a solid silver coilee pot.
Mr. Wood, electrical engineer of the North British Railway and
President of the Conference for the year, proposed the health of
Mr. Stevenson. Mr. Jackson, the oldest member of the Conference,
made the presentation. Mr. Stevenson suitably responded.

Mr. ERNisr Morgan, who is leaving the Yorkshire Electric
Power Co., to take up the post of technical and engineering
assistant to the chief engineer of the Wolverhampton Corporation
electricity department, was presented recently with a combined
thermometer and barometer, from the general staff of the com-
pany, and with a pair of large solid silver vases, from the operation
staff, of which he has been superintendent. Mr. Morgan has been
with the company for 10 years. The gifts were handed over by
Mr. W. B. Woodhouse, general manager, in the presence of a large
gathering.

A substantial cheque was handed to Mr. John Morris,
M.I.Mech.E,, on June 28th, as a testimonial for his services as
Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department of the Royal
Technical Institute, Salford. Mr. Morris had held the position
from the opening of the Institute in 189(j.

Mr. W. E. House, mechanical inspector in the instrument
department of the Chelmsford Works of Crompton & Co., Ltd., who
is leaving to take up another post, has been presented by his
colleagues with an attache case and a fountain pen.

Aylesbury Town Council has appointed Mr. Ernest Jordan, of
Rawtenstall, as works superintendent at the electricity works, at a
salary of £300 a year.

The Burnley Corporation Salaries Committee recommends
that the salary of Mr. J. E. Starkie, electrical engineer, be
increased from £800, by annual scale increments of £50, to the
maximum of £1,000 ; and that that of Mr. H. Mozley, tramway
manager (£691) be increased by annual increments of £60.

Glasgow Electricity Committee has recommended that Me.
Alex. P. Rodertson be appointed sub-station superintendent of
the electricity department in succession to Mr. Cowie, resigned, at
a salary of £600, rising to £750.

On riaturday last the employes of Messrs. Simpson Bros.'
magneto works, presented a stop watch to Mb. H. Park (foreman),
who is leaving to start on his own account, and a gold chain to
Me. R. Wade, who is going with him. Both had had over 20
years with the firm.

The Highways Committee of the London County Council recom-
mends that Mr. J. J. McGregor, A.M.I.B.E., boiler house ,
superintendent at Greenwich power station, be promoted to be
assistant power station engineer, at a commencing salary of
£100 plus temporary additions of 20 per cent., plus £120, making
the total salary £i;00.

In order to deal more conveniently with his consulting work in
the Lancashire district, Mr. C. H. Wordinoham, C.B.E., M.Inst.C.E.,
has taken offices at 11, Mosley Street, Manchester.

The Times states that last week the Royal Society elected Mb.
H. a. L. Fisher, M.P., and Sir James G. Frazee, Fellows of the
Society, under the statute governing special elections, on the
ground of their having " rendered conspicuous service to the cause
of science."

Mr. W. T. Rushton is relinquishing the post of representative to
the General Electric Co., Ltd., after 13 years' service, in order to
take up an appointment with Messrs. Farndon's Electric, Ltd., as
plant representative for London.

Mi;. F. C. Cheetham, assistant engineer to the Sale Urban
District Council, has been appointed mains superintendent to the
Weymouth Corporation.

Obituary.— Mr. W. H. Taylor. — We regret to record the tragic
death of Mr. W. H. Taylor, A.M.I.Mech.E., for some years manager of
the Manchester oSice of Messrs. Peter Brotherhood,' Ltd.. He was
accidentally drowned on Tuesday, June 22nd, at Bolton Abbey,
where he had gone with a party of friends for a holiday. Mr.
Taylor jumped the Strid, alighted on a moss-covered stone, lost his
footing, fell backwards, and was drowned. We understand the
place into which he fell was of considerable depth, and he was
sucked under by whirlpool effects, and never rose to the surface.
His body was recovered late on Wednesday evening. The loss is
very deeply felt by the firm, and a very large number of his friends
attended the funeral. There were many floral tributes from the
firm and his friends, including the Engineers' Club, Manchester.
Mr. Taylor was in his 38th year. He leaves a widow and two
children.

Will. — The late Mr. Herbert Standbiko, a director of the
Greengate and Irwell Rubber Co., Ltd., left £40,309,

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED,

Torque Electrical and Engineering Co., Ltd. (168,461).—

Private company. Registered June ilst. Capital, fo.OOO in ^1 shares. To
take over the business carried on by G. J. Walsh, G. M. Park and W. F.
Poulson, as " Pjirk and Walsh," at Salubrious Passage, Swansea. The sub
scribera (each with one share) are: J. Sanders, 54, I^aton Crescent, Swansea;
R. Scott, 34, Bayview Terrace, Brynmiil, Swansea. The subscribers are to
.ippoint the first directors. Solicitors ; Davies, Ingram and Harvey, 4, Goat

Sheringham Daylight (Foreign), Ltd. (168,516).'— Private

company. Kegistered June 23rd. Capital, £4,500 in Is. shares. To develop
and 'turn to account the invention relerred to in an agreement with G.
Sheringham. The subscribers (each with one sharej are : G. H. Sheringham
1, Clanricarde Gardens, Bayswater Road, \V.2, artist i C. C. H. Millar, 74,
Upper Gloucester Place, N.W.I, engineer. The subscribers are to appoint
the first directors. Solicitor: J. G. Bristow, 1, Copthall Buildings, E.C.

Ellerd=Styles & Co., Ltd. (168,467).— Private company.

Registered June 22nd. Capital, £2,000 in £1 shares. To take over the busi-
ness ol an electrical, mechanical and aeronautical engineer, &c., carried on
by W. EUerd-Styles at 287, Upper Street, Islington. 1 he first directors are :
W. Ellerd-Styles, 91, Forest Drive West, Leytonstone; L. F. S. 'i'oung, 24,
Brackley Koad, Chiswick. Solicitor; F. Burgis, 1, Budge Row, Cannon
Street, E.C. Registered office : 287, Upper Street, Islington, N.

Stella Gill Coke and ByeProducts Co., Ltd. (168,517).—

Private cor*iany. Kegistered June 23rd. Capital, £300,000 in £10 shares.
To manufacture coke and derive Irom coal all kinds of secondary residual
and bye-products, dealers in such products, gases and waste-heat, to acquire,
generate and distribute gas, water and electricity, to carry en business as
coal merchants, manJTaclurers of and dealers in chemical products, &c. The
first directors are : H. G. Plunkett, Kiltc«^agh, Foxrock, Dublin (director,
John Bowes and Partners, Ltd., Pelton Steamship Co., Ltd., chairman of
Owners of Pelton Colliery, Ltd.); Rose C. Bainbridge, Elfordleigh, Plympton,
Devon (director. Owners of Pelton Colliery, Ltd.); B. J. H. W'alsh, Stour-
bank, Nayland, near Colchester (director. Owners of Pelton Collierv, Ltd.);
R. S. Gardener, Nardres Court, Canterbury; H. Armstrong, 4. Sydenham
Terrace, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Secretary ; R. M. Weston. Solicitor : S. H.
Hargrove, 16, Victoria Street, S.W.. Registered oflice ; 39, Lombard Street,
E.C.

Dynamo and Motor Repairs, Ltd. (168,374). — Private

company. Registered June 18th. Capital, £10,000 in £1 sh.ires. To carry on
Che business of electricians, mechanical and general engineers, dealers in
electrical and motor apparatus, &c. The subscribers (each with one share)
are; H. W. Bosworth, 28. Victoria Street, Westminster. S.VV., electrical engi-
neer; C. R. Bates, 27, Martin's Lane, E.C. 4, electrical engineer. Electrical
Installations, Ltd., shall have the right, while holding 500 shares, to nominate
u director. The first directors are not named. Kegistered office : Mapesburv
Works, Willesden Lane, Kilburn, N.W.

Castlederg Electric Supply Co., Ltd. (5,017).— Private

company. Registered in Dublin. June 18th. Capital. £6,000 in £1 shares. To
carry oil the business indicated by the title. The subscribers are : S. Gailey,
M.Tin Street, Castlederg. provision merchant, 100 shares ; J. Crockett. Main
Street, Castlederg, provision merchant, 200 shares. The first directors are not
named. Solicitor: T. E. Nelson, 24, St. .Andrew Street, Dublin.

Tol. 87, No. 2,223, July 2, 1920.]

THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWo

21

Fred H. Pickering, Ltd. (168,438).— Private company.

Registered June 21st. Capital, flO.OOO in £1 shares. To take over the
business of an electrical engineer carried on by Fred H. Pickering at 6,
Stanley Street, Bury. The first directors are: F. H. Pickering (managing
director), 0. Stanley Street, Bury: S. Preston, 21, Starths Road, Birkby,
Huddersfield; J. Preston, Elsinore, Manchester Road, Bury, Lanes. Solicitor:
C. H. Pickstone, The Bridge, RadcliSe, Lanes. Registered office : 6, Stanley
Street, Bury.

Welded Construction, Ltd. (168,425). — Private company.

Registered June 19th. Capital, flO,000 in £1 shares. To lake over the busi-
ness carried on by Industrials, Ltd., as the Welded Construction Co., to carry
on the business of builders, contractors, electrical engineers, suppliers of elec-
tricity, founders &c., and to enter into an agreement with the said company
and the Alloy Welding Processes, Ltd. The first directors are : W. A.
Hunter, Charlton Lodge, Thornton Heath; D. G. Boissevain, 49, Thurloe
Square, Kensington: E. H. Jones, Dusbury, Kew Road, Richmond; J. Cald-
well, M.I.C.E., M.LE.E., Nanhans Grange, Grear Missenden, Bucks.
Solicitors : Slaughter and May, 18. Austin Friars, E.C. Registered office,
U-16, Cockspur Street, S.W.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Farad Electrical Co., Ltd. — Particulars of ^£1,500 deben-
tures created authorised May 29th, 1920, amount of present issue £1,000. Pro-
perty charged : the company's undertaking and property, present and future,
including uncalled capital. No trustees.

Napier^Kimber, Ltd. — Second mortgage debenture dated

June 14th, 1920, to secure £4,000 charged on the company's undertaking and
property, present and future, including uncalled capital (if any). Holder : A.
W. Kimber, Chevering, The Drive, Wembley Park, N.W.

Rayner & Heald, Ltd.— Issue on June 1st, 1920, of ^4,900

debentures, part of a series.

Dodd & Oulton, Ltd Mortgage on June 15th, 1920, to

secure £10,000. charged on 8-12, Stanley Strict, Liverpool. Holders: Mrs. C.
B. Hemelryk, Ihe Priory, Gateacrc, Liverpool, and others.

Willey & Co., Ltd. — Satisfaction in full on January 1st,

1920, of trust deed dated December 29th, 1904, securing £20,000.

CITY NOTES.

Presiding at the annual meeting, last
United Electric week, Sir G. A. Touche, Bt., .said that
Tramways of the business was now burdened with a
Montevideo, Ltd. standard of expenditure which was never
contempla.ted when the concession was
granted and the fares fixed, but, in spite of all the efforts
of the board, they had not yet obtained the required authority
to make the increase in tariffs necessary to bring them into
some sort of correspondence with the altered conditions. The
equity of their claim for an increase was incontrovertible.
There had been a general recognition of the fairness of the
claim for revision of rates which public utility companies were
Authorised to charge, and he did not suppose that Uruguay
would separate herself from other nations in that respect.
If she had been later than some countries in giving legislative
effect to the necessary changes, it was probably .jumg to
questions of procedure rather than any unwiUingness on the
part of her statesmen to recognise how circumstances hati
altered. Since the low level reached in the first year of the
wax the traffic receipts had been steadily progressing, anil
there had been a marked increase of travel during the year
under review. That was a ^^■elcome indication of greater
business prosperity and activity in the Republic. The traffic
receipts for the year were ^449, 694, an increase of ^63,394.
Although the emupany repre.«ented only part of the tramway
.system of the city, they had carried the equivalent of the
entire population 1.5'2 times over, as against 13'2 times in the
previous year. The dark side of the pictine was that which
showed the operating expenses. The coal bill, although
£13,000 less than in 191S, was three times what it was in 1915;
the average cost per ton c.Lf. Montevideo last year was 114s.
There had also been a substantial increase in the wages bill,
while repairs and maintenance had cost considerably more
than in previous years. ±'30.000 had been placed to renewals
and contingencias account. In doing this they were reverting
to the provision set a.side in the years immediately preceding
the war, and which they then hoped would not be a maximum
amount. Owing to the greatly increased cost of all materials
and of labour, the rate of pre-war provision should be increased
rather than diminished. While it was satisfactory to be able
to deal with the arrears of dividend on the preference shares,
the board regretted that no recommendation could be made
for the payment of any dividend on the ordinary shares.
Holders of those shares had now been without any distribu-
tion for five years, and since the comp.iny was formed, the
average annual return had been only 34 per cent. Such an
experience, if maintained, was not likely to encourage the
investment of capital in Uruguay. He did not, however, take
a despondent view of Uruguay in that respect, and it would
be a- glad day for the friejids of Uruguay when evcati showed

that their faith had been vindicated. Deahng with the case
of a revision of tariffs and the course the negotiations and
proceedings had taken, the chairman said that so far the course
of events confirmed the belief that the question would be
decided purely on its merits, but, unfortunately, a new com-
plication had recently developed. A question had arisen
between the Representative Assembly and the municipality
a.s to which had the right to determine whether a tariff re-
vision should be authorised, and while the company were
waiting for its solution, valuable time was being lost. They
had fulfilled their share of the contract on the untierstanding
that they would receive a certain recompense, but they were
not obtaining it.

The annual meeting was held on Tuesday

Marconi at the Connaught Rooms. Senatore G.

Wireless Marconi. G.C.V.O., LL.D., presided, and,

Telegraph after reviewing the financial result, he said

Co., Ltd. that their various affiliated companies were

making progress, and the reconstruction of
the Canadian company had been completed, and the companv
was now in a financially sound position. No settlement had
been made with any of the Government departments in respect
of any of the company's claims arisina out of the war or for
services rendered during the war. and no sum in respect of
any. of those claims appeared in the accounts. The arbitration
which had been agreed with the Admiralty in respect of the
Lodge patent had just been concluded, but Lord :^^oulton.
who had acted as arbitrator, had not vet delivered his judg-
ment. They misfht. however, confidently expect to have that
very shortly, and they thought there should then be no reason
for any further delay in coming to an amicable settlement of
their claims against the Admiralty, the War Office, and the
Air Ministry. With roL'ard to the services rendered in respect
of which they had a claim pending against the Post Office,
they were still hoping that that also might be settled ere
long in an amic.ible way. In that hone they had staved their
proceedings under the Petition of Right." Having" referred
in detail to the various countries and places where the com-
pany's wireless telegraph service had been extended. Mr.
Marconi proceeded to '-efer to the matter of the establishment
of an Imperial chain of wireless stations which had been under
the consideration of a Pprliamentarv Committee, of which
Sir Henry Nornian was chairman. He said he. thousht he
might safely claim that no company in the world, or Govern-
ment, possessed as much knowledge or experience of matter.<?
such as the committee were asked to consider as did that
company. They were the fir.st to conduct a long-distance wire-
less telegraph .service; they were the only ones to have con-
ducted such a service from this country; and the knowledge,
experience, and information which they po.ssessed as a>result
of their many years' work was very valuable to them, and
would be of the highest value to many others. It was with
great regret that they felt obliged to decline tn give evidence,
beftsre the committee so long as Sir Henry Norman was iU
chairman, having regard to the correspondence which that
gentleman conducted right up to the outbreak of the war
with a German competitor. That correspondence could leave
no po.ssible doubt that Sir Henrj' Norman was not only biased
against the Marconi Co.. but that what he learned in respect
of the Marconi Co.. either as to scientific development or
otherwise, he was ready to communicate to that German
competitor. Further, it was manifest from the correspondence
that he was contemplating becoming chairman of an English
company with which that German firm was to have been
a.ssociated. in order to compete with the Marconi Co. That
competitive company had since come into existence. They
did not know what, if any, foreign interests it might have,
nor yet who might be associate with it, either now or here-
after. It was no doubt no more than a coincidence that the
report of the committee, although dated May 28th. should
have been published the very day they were holding that meet-
ing. So far he had not seen a copy of it, and therefore he
could not discu.ss it with the necessary thoroughness, but
they might find another occasion .shortly to do so. Referring
in conclusion to the technical progress made by the company,
he said that very considerable advances had been made by
Capt. H. .J. Round in the practical application of what were
termed ionic valves, especially in regard to long-distance
transmission. The valves had not only proved their usefulness
for long-distance work, but had also considerably increased
the range and practicability of medium and short-distance
stations. Many new patents which he considered of value
had been taken out or applied for, and a new device with
which he first carried out tests on ships of the Italian Navy
had been considerably developed by Mr. 0. S. Franklin. By
means of that arrangement the electric waves were propagated
in a beam in any desired direction only, instead of being
allowed to spread out in all directions. The advantages of
the system were obvious, as it ab.solutely prevented stations
outsitle of a certain angle being able to receive messages or
signals which were not intended for them, besides greatly
reducing mutual interference. In addition, it was likely to
be of inestimable value to ships and shipping as an aid to
navigation during fogs, and in minimising all risks of collision.
In order to thoroughly test that and other similar devices
under the actual conditions prevailing at sea, he had lately
equipped an ocean-going yacht with all the necessary ap-
paratus, and. during a lecent voyage to the Mediterranean,
the great value of direction finding appliances was most clearly

22

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEWo [voi. 87. no. 2,223, jult 2, 1920.

demonstrated. Great progress had also been made not only
in wireless telegraphy, but in wireless telephony, which must
very soon be turned to veiy considerable couiniercial account,
botn in respect ol telephoning without wires and in the appli-
cation of their recently acquired knowledge to telephones
with wires.

Mr-. Godfrey C. Isaacs referred at considerable length to
the Norman Committee .^ proposals. He cl-iticised severely
the figures which Mr. 1'. J. iirowu, the a.ssistant .secretary to
the General Post Oflicc, had submitted to the committee,
and said he hiid no doubt that when the matter was con-
sidered by Parliument the hgui'es when they were looked into
would be very drlfeient to those which had formed the
basis of the report. When the matter \vas. before the Courts
in 1919, the Post Office declared that the Poulsen arcs which
they were then erecting, were the most up-to-date service,
and would do all that was required, and that they required
no Marconi patents. As a matter of fact, all the evidence
went to show that the Poulsen arcs belonged to the Marconi
Co., but that they were obsolete. Since then great strides
had been made with the thennionic valves, but the com-
mittee had had very little up-to-date information on that
lioint, because the only people who could give the information
was the Marconi Co. Although it was admittedly outside
their terms of reference, the committee recommended that
the Imperial chain of wireless stations should be State owned.
Personally, he was very confident that that would never
be the case. Supposing, however, the stations were going
to be built and worked and owned by the State, they must
have the thermionic valve. That valve was controlled by a
number of very important master patents, and most' of
them were patents taken out by gentlemen in the Marconi
Co. There were some very important ones which had been
taken out by very able people in America, and others equally
important which belonged to the Germans. He did not care,
however, which form of thermiunic valve the Post Office
used — whether it was American, German, or English, as all
those master patent,^ were the property in the whole of the
British Empire of the Marconi Co. Even if they did not
build stations they would be entitled to a very substantial
royalty on the working, so he feared nothing whatever from
the report of the committee. He might say that the esti-
mated figures of the cost of establishing the system as given
in the report were absolutely absurd.

Gross profit for the year ended March,
British Electric 19-20, =9346,717, against ^250,214 for the
Traction Co., previous year; general expenses, i'35,401;
Ltd. net profit, ^£'211,316 (against ^213,324 in the

previous year), plus ;gl30,952 brought for-
ward. After deducting debenture stock interest, 287,996;
putting ;68,035 to reserve ; paying 6 per cent, on the cumulative
■ participating preference stock, £42,765; and paying 4 iier cent,
on the ordinary stock, d653,050; i'150,422 remains to be carried
forward. The aggregate receipts of_ the associated companies
continue to show an increase, which is, however, more than
offset by the increased cost of operation, due to the continued
ri.se in the price of materials, in the rates of wages, and the
introduction of the 48-hour week. The investments stand at
i;4.(t27.792, a decrease of f '255,944, due to sales of undertakings
and realisations of investments. The investments yielded a
revenue of £212,747, representing an average of 5.28 per cent,
for the year, as compared with 5.08 i)er cent, for the preceding
year. Mr. 0. Jermyn Ford has resigned his seat on the board,
and Mr. J. S. Austen has been appointed a director.

Available balance, £24,416. After pay-
Imperial Tram, ing debenture stock interest and preference
ways Co., Ltd. dividend of 6 per cent, (less tax), 4 per
cent., less tax, is to be paid on the ordinary
capital and £966 carried forward. The Middlesbrough, Stock-
ton and Thornaby Electric Tramways had £114,260 gross re-
ceipts, an increase of £7,736. Passengers carried increased bv
087.227. Net profit for the year was £14,498, against £18.966
for the previous year. Continued advance in co.st of operation
reduced the net revenue. Arbitration proceedings are in pro-
gress with reference to the transfer of the undertaking to the
three Corporations, but until the purchase price is fixed the
company continues to work the system. The Imperial Com-
pany has again received no dividend on the preference or ordi-
nary capital held in the London and Suburban Traction Co.,
Ltd.

The Compagnie Generah des Cables de

French Lyon intends to make a distribution of 50

Companies. fr. per share for 1919, as in the preceding

year, the net profits having been 308,000 fr.

as against 2.'!2.000 fr. in 1918.

Tlie directors of the Coinpngnir rarisirnnr d'Elccirir\tc
have decided to pav a dividend at the rate of 4 per cent, for
1919 out of net profits of 3,783.000 fr., this comparing with
the same rate and net profits of 5,601.000 fr. in 1918.

The report of the Compagnie Confincnteh I'ldisnn of Paris
states that the general economic situation in 1919 did not
permit of the development of the electrical industry n« much
as desired. On the other li.ind, the diffu ulty of carrying out
internal installations brought about some delay in the progress
of the company's various affairs. The net profits reached
680.000 fr., and the dividend is at the rate of 30 fr, per shai^e,
being the same rate aa in 1918,

The Compagnie Fra caise Thomson-Houston^ reporting on
the past year, states that despite a combination of unfavour-
able cLrcum-stances common to all industrial undertakings
the results obtained in 1919 were satisfactory. The volume
of orders was increasing, and the de%-elopment of the under-
taking was proceeding in a favourable manner. As net
profits the accounts show the sum of 15,685,0<X) fr., as com-
pared with 13,566,000 fr. in 1918, and the dividend is at the
rate of 40 fr. per share for last year.

The Compagnie Genii rale de Telegraphic Hans Fil reports
that the company's activity was extended in 1919 to various
countries where permitted by legislative and administrative
regulations, and the results obtained caused the future to be
looked forward to with confidence. Agreements were en-
tered into with the American New liadio Corjioration in
regard to the rights held in the Tuckerton station, and the
French company had become the exclusive agent for the
former in France. The net profits are returned at 2,525,000 fr.
and a dividend has been declared at the rate of 40 fr. per
share.

J. G. White & Co., Ltd. — The report for the year ended

February 29th, 1920, shows a net profit of £28,052. During
the year the company amalgamated its construction department
with that of Dick, Kerr & Co.. Ltd., and formed a new
company called the Consolidated Construction Co., which will
carry out and fulfil all the current construction contracts of
Dick, Kerr & Co., Ltd. The w'hole of the capital of the new
company is owned by J. G. White & Co., Ltd., and the
management of it is under its supervision. After paying 7
per cent, on the preference shares and 7 per cent., less tax,
on the ordinary, £30,f)00 is put to reserve, and £15,286 carried
forward.

Globe Telegraph & Trust Co., Ltd. — Net revenue for year
ended May, 1920, after deduction of expenses, £263,950, plus
£1,629 brought forward. Total distribution on the ordinary
shares 10 per cent., free of tax. £7,000 to reserve for contin-
gencies. During the year the company issued 60.376 ordinary
shares, offering them to existing holders, in order to pay for
allotments of new capital issued by the Eastern, Eastern Exten-
sion and the ^^'estc^)l Telegraph Companies. The proceeds of
the sale of the whole of the company's holding in the Central
and South American Telegraph Co. and sales of other stock,
&c., have been re-invested in the stock and shares of the
Eastern, Eastern Extension and Western Companies.

New General Traction Co., Ltd.— Profit Jll,970, plus

£7,818 brought forward. Dividend 4 per cent., less tax, carry-
ing £9,308 forward. ITie profit of the Norwich Electric Tram-
way Co. waS' reduced by £2,484; greater part of its profits
put to reserve, track reconstruction, &c. ; dividend 2 per cent.,
as last year. Douglas Southern Electric Tramway Co., after
deducting from the satisfactory profit, the balance of loss
brought forward resulting from expenditure on upkeep during
long close down, had a balance of £2,134 remaining, and it
is carried forward ; prospects of Manx season excellent.

Prospectus. — Lou- Temperature Carbonisation, Ltd. — The
list is to close to-morrow, Saturday, in an issue of 250,000 ordi-
nary shares of £1 each at par. The principal object of the
company is the erection and operation of works for the car-
bonisation or conversion of raw coal by special process. Im-
portant contra<.-ts have been made with the Yorkshire Electric
Power Co., the Sheffield Corporation, and Messrs. Steel,
Peech it Tozer, Ltd., for the supply of gas for electrical gene-
ration and industrial purposes.

Waygood=Otis, Ltd. — Mr. H. C. Walker stated at the
annual meeting, on June 25th. that the net profit for the
year was £48,760, against- £27,252 in the previous year.
Finance was still quite difficult, as stock and work in progress
showed ; it was approximately £90,000 more than in the
previous yeav, and for that reason they ha<J had to adopt
a conservative distribution of dividend — li per cent, on the
ordinary .shares.

Electro^ Bleach & ByProducts, Ltd.— Profit for 1919, after
deducting repairs, standing charges, depreciation, bonus to eni-
ploves, directors' additional remuneration, and E.P.D.,
£34,6.37, plus £394 brought forward. Dividends 7 per cent, on
the preference and 14 per cent, on the ordinary; £5,000 to
reserve ; £4,277 carried forward.

Shawinigan Water & Power Co. — Dividend of IJ per
cent, on the common stock for the quarter ended at June.

Peterborough Electric Traction Co.. Ltd. — Dividend of

12 per cent, on preference shares for two years to December,
1917. £1..5li0 to reserve; .£3,000 to renewals; .£4,496 to repairs
and maintenance; £1,861 forward.

British Columbia Telephone Co. — Dividends for year

enilcd March, 1920. 8 I'or cent. : .-fslO.OOO to contingent reserve.
and ${;,38;) forward.

lidgar Mlea & Co., Ltd. I'inal (livid<M(l of 2s. per share

on tlu' (iriliiiaix. iii.iking 3s. for the year, free of tax. To re-
serve i'20,0(-K). ' Carried forward .£47.568.

Anglo-Portuguese Telephone Co., Ltd, — Final dividend
of 4 per cent., less tax, for 1919.

Vol. 87. No. 2,223, July 2, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

23

Simms Motor Units (1920), Ltd. — Mr. F. VV. Simms, pre-
siding on June '23rd at the statutory meeting, said that the
new Grange works had made good progress, and in two or
three months they expected to be able to commence the
manufacture of their new four-cyhuder hght car type of
magneto. The motor accessory department had been removed
to the new establishment, and they intended to develop this
lucrative adjunct to their business, for large markets existed
for their sparking plugs, magnetic i-ietrul gauges, mechanical
and electrical horns, vulcanisers, and luagueto couplings. The
magneto repair and spare part departments were progressmg
very satisfactorily, and formed a substantial and steady source
of profit. Owing to the growth of the company's dynamo
and electric motor repair department this had just been re-
moved to Percy Street, W. The main works were mainly
engaged upon magneto production for the leading commercial
vehicle manufacturers, and were progressing well and satis-
factorily.

Ericsson's Mexican Telephone Co. — The report for 1919
of the directors of the Mexikauska Telefon Bolag Ericsson has
been issued, announcing an increase in the number of sub-
scribers last .year, and a further expansion down to the end
of April, 19'2U. The circulating medium in the country was
formed of metallic currency, and a specially advantageous
lelationship was established between Mexican and Swedish
exchange, resulting in considerable profits on remittances from
Mexico. It was impossible to secure permission to raise sub-
scriptions last year, but it is hoped to receive sanction to do
so this year. The net profits amount to 200,925 pesos, as com-
pared with 195,134 pesos in 1918, and the directors recommend
a dividend at the rate of tj per cent., as in the previous year,
together with an extra 2 per cent, ilerived from the profits
on exchange.

Crompton & Co., Ltd. — Net profit for year ended March,
1920, ±'d2,878 plus £17,409 brought forward. £15,000 to
general reserve ; £9,000 to deprec-iation of investments ; divi-
dend 10 per cent, on the preference shares; dividend 10 per
cent, on the ordinary shares; £18,177 carried forward.

General Electric Co., Ltd. — The report received just as
we go to press shows that for the year ended March, 1920, the
net profit was £630,143. In the previous year it was £480,828.
The dividend on the ordinary shares is 10 per cent., free of
tax. £85,329 is put to depreciation; £150,000 to reserve;
£40,000 to Superannuation Trust Fund; and £251,423 is carried
forward subject to E.P.D.

Direct Spanisli Telegrapii Co., Ltd. — After payment of in-
come tax and Excess Profits Duty for 1918, the accounts for
!1919 show a balance of £34,794. Preference dividend 10 per
cent., £3,000; 7 per cent, dividend and 3 per cent, bonus on
ordinary, £6,465 ; to reserve, £5,000 ; carried forward subject to
E.P.D. , £20,328. Two interruptions of the company's Bilbao
cable occurred during the year; the necessary repairs were
effected after interruptions of 37 and 17 days respectively at a
cost of £36,494, which includes the renewal of 150 knots of old
cable, and which has been charged to revenue. Mr. F. T.
Preddle, whose services to the company extended over a period
of 47 years, and who occupied the position of secretary since
May, 1902, resigned in December, and Mr. C. E. Morgan, who
joined the company in 1874, has been appointed in his place.

The Swedisli Luth & Rosen Co. — The registration notice
has now been published for the new company which is to
take over the business of Luth & Rosens Elektriska A.B.,
by way of reconstruction. The share capital is put at a mini-
mum of 12,000,000 kr., and a maximum of 36,000,000 kr. divided
into shares of 100 kr., and preference shares can represent
8,150,000 kr. out of the total capital, bearing 10 per cent,
cumulative. The present company will subscribe for 81,470
ordinary shares in the new company, which is supported by
the Svenska Emissions A.B. The transfer of the undertaking
to the new company has just been confirmed at an extra-
ordinary meeting.

Stocli Exchange Notices. — The Committee has specially
allowed dealings m the following under Temporary Regulation
4 (3):-

CaOender's Cable & Construction Co., Ltd. — 100,000 new
ordinary shares of £1 each, issued at 22s., of which 15s. is
paid, Nos. 400,001 to 500,000; and 400,000 7i per cent. " B "
cumulative preference shares of £1 each, 15s. paid, Nos. 1
to 400,000, after issue of allotment letters.

Hvdro-Electric Power & Metallurgical Co., Ltd.— 56,2.30
ordinary shares of £1 each, fully paid, Nos. 181,001 to 237,250.

Midland Electric Corporation for Power Di-stribution, Ltd. —
200.0<X) 7 per cent, cumulative preference shares of £1 each,
fully paid, Nos. 1 to 200,000.

Aluminium Corporation, Ltd. — The report for the three
years ended December, 1919, shows that the balance at credit
of profit and loss, after deducting debenture interest and pre-
ference dividends to Dcc-euiber. 1918, amounts to £6p.624.
A dividend for the year 1919 of 7 per cent., less tax, upon
the preference .shock and share.s i,s rp<'ommended, and £30,000
is to be placed to reserve against imperial taxation and special
depreciation, the balance of £18,978 being carried forward.
Since the close of these accounts the Llugwy dam has been
completed, and considerable progress has been made with
the construction of the Cowlyd dam,

Taunton Electric Traction Co., Ltd. — The receipts for
1919 were £4,705 (including £293 brought forward), against
£3,813. After meeting expenditure, paying debenture interest,
and putting £750 to renewals, £214 is to be carried forward.

India-Rubber, Gutta-Percha & Telegraph Works, Co.,
Ltd. — Interim dividend of 2^ per cent., free of tax, on ordi-
nary shares.

Victoria Falls & Transvaal Power Co. — Dividend 6n the
ordinary shares of 5 per cent., less tax, in respect of 1919.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
The turn of the half-year having been accomplished without
any further rise in the Bank Rate, the Stock Exchange
markets are thankful for the small mercy of a 7 per cent,
minimum, and the prophets begin to talk of a possible easing
of the monetary situation. Close observers decline to commit
themselves to any optimistic speculation at present, and are
content to .say that we are by no means out of the wood of
dear money yet. Meanwhile, the trading community con-
tinues to feel the effect of the scarcity of financial accommoda-
tion. For good or for evil, the five banking power.s hold a
tight grip over the situation. The man wanting capit.al which
is refused by one bank, finds— sometimes to his surprise— that
other banks are equally inflexible. Employers of large bodies
of workpeople earning weekly wages are realising the value of
liquid cash resources as compared with large amounts of
stocks, and the probleni of financing business may loom more
largely than the obtaining of orders. Labour goes on making
more and ever greater demands in the matter" of money and
hours.

These factors investors know and reali.se. With his hu.siness
calling for cash, the employer has little to spare outside his
own sphere. Therefore indnstrial shares tend to languish in
price. Callenders found a good response for their new issue;
it will be interesting to know if the underwriters are left with
any part of their engagements. Many other industrial com-
panies would probablv like to is,sue new capital, but the times
are not auspicious. Several important concerns have decided
to postpone appeals to the public.

The White Paper issued as a sequel to the interrupted speech
of Sir Eric Geddes in connection with the po.sition of the rail-
ways was not out at the time the Stock Exchange closed this
(Tuesday) evening, but its expectation brought about improve-
ment in a few cases. Metropolitans, for instance, have risen
1| to 21f Underground Electric ordinary shares, however,
are back at 35s. Naturally, curiosity is greatly piqued bv the
reference made by Sir Eric Geddes to the arrangement between
the Metropolitan and the District companies with the Govern-
ment, and it is held that this bargain was a shrewd one from
the point of view of the companies. Possibly the latter, how-
ever.are disappointed that it has taken so long for them to get
permission to raise fares, which permission has, of course, still
to be granted by Parliament. According to the White Paper, .
the railway companies are to be arranged in groups with a
view to elimination of competition and reduction of expenses
in other directions. The sixth group is that of London local
lines, which for practical purpo.ses are already comformed to
the Government scheme.

Prom the spectacular point of view, the principal move-
ments of the past few days are tho.?e in Mexican securities.
Prices have gone up very substantially, and the Utilities a-d-
vanced with the rest. Indeed, the improvement is sufficientlv
noticeable to make compari.son interesting between to-day's
levels and the lowest which prevailed only two or three weeks
ago. The reason for the recovery is that advices from Mexico
certainly encourage the idea that, for the nth time, there
seems to be firm hope that order may be restored in the
country. We give a few representative examples : —

Lowest.
Stock. 1920. Now. Rise.

Mexican Light and Power Common ... 10 14 4
Mexican Light and Power Prefd. .. 15 26 11
Mexican Light and Power 1st Mort. ... 34 50i 16J
Mexican Light and" Power 2nd Mort. ... 21J .36| 15

Mexico Tramways Common 14| 17J 2J

Mexico Tramways 1st Mort 26J 40i 13J

Mexico Tramways 2nd Mort. ^ 18i .30 llj

Pachuca Bonds 30 41J ul

Monterey Deb 29 29J |

Mexican Electric Fives 21J 40| 39

Mexican Northern Power 8 15i 7}

The rises produced little busineas, because people naturally
decline to sell when the outlook is brighter in exactly the same
way as they refuse to buy when the position offers little hope.
Obviously, however, a determined effort is being made this
time to reorganise Mexican matters, and the pre.<eut form of
government is adopting methods both businesslike and sen.sible
in its efforts towards restoration of order. It may take some
time for Mexico to find its financial legs again, but once the
comer is turned, the recovery should be progressive, though
eetbacka and disappointments can hardly be avoided from time
to time.

24

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

[Vol. 87. No. 2,223, July 2, 1920.

The market for electricity supply ehares is little better,
although a rise in Westminster ordinary to 5i is a slight in-
dication of the investor's appreciation of the yields to be
obtained frouj tnis section. County ordinary are still ver\'
dull, and the improvement of last week in City Lights has
been lost, the .shares reverting to 22s. 6d.

Edison-Svrans slipped back to '25s. upon absence of any
authentic ne\v.s regarding the rumours of amalgamation which
were oireulatecl a fortnight ago, and which had the effect of
putting the pjice up to 27s. Gd. British Insulated drooped to
36s. 3d. Electric Constructions at 20s. are ex their dividend
and bonus, and India-Rubber shares at 13 are x.d. Callenders
went back to 27s. 6d., also ex dividend, and the old prefer-
ence shares are 17s. 6d. Electric and General Investment pre-
ference at 2J ex the dividend of 3s. are a trifle lower. There
has been a little business during the past few days on the
basis of 49s. cum dividend. English Electrics are steady at ^1,
and the preference 15s. 3d. Edmundsons' ordinary have gone
back to 5s. Shanghai Electrics fell 10s. to 15J.

Eastern Telegraph ordinary has lost 2 points at 145i, and
Westei-ns, on the other hand, after recovering their dividend,
fell Back to 15. Great Northerns have risen to 23i on the
report just out, the figures being very satisfactory; while, on
the other hand. Indo-Europeans at .32i are 50s. lower. Anglo-
American deferred is J down; Cuba Submarines and Oriental
Telephones lost i and J respectively. Marconis, after their
excited rise to 75s., have come back to 66s. 3d., in sympathy
with the dulness which is apparent in many of the other in-
dustrial parts of the Stock Exchange. The new shares have
gone back to 2J, and Canadian Marconis are practically neg-
lected. Armament shares have sagged on talk of possible new
issues. A decline in raw rubber to Is. lid. per lb. has had a
slightly advert effect uix>n the market for rubber shares.

SHARE LIST OF ELBCTBIOAL COMPANIES

Home Electmcity Companies,

Dividend Price

^ ■ , June 29,

1918. 1919. 1920. Rise or fall.

Btompton Ordinary 8 13 6| —

Charing OroBS Ordinary .... * 7 B* —

do. do. do 4JPreJ. .. *J 44 a! -

OhelBea § ,i ?? ~

Olty o( London 8 10 li — jj

do. do. 6 per cent. Prel. . . 6 6 17;- —

Oounty of Ijondon 7 8 84 —

do do. 6 per cent. Fret. 8 8 BJ —

KenBlngton Ordinary .... 8 7 4 —

London Bleotrio NU aj IJ —

do. do. Bperoent. Pref... 8 8 8 —

Metropolitan ^ * P. ~

do. 4J per cent. Prel, . . 4i 4i 8*1 —

8t. James' and Pall Mall .... 10 13 6| —

Sooth London 8 8 Ji —

Bouth Metropolitan Pref 7 7 18/9 —

Westminster Ordinary . . . . 8 10 H + J
Teleoeaphs and Telephones,

Anglo-Am, Tel. Pref 8 8 784 —

do. Del BB/8 H 171 -J

Chile Telephone 8 8 64 —

Cuba Sab. Ord . . 7 7 8J — J

Eastern Extension 8 10 144 —

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 HSJ -2

Globe Tel. and T. Ord 8 10 164 —

do. do. Prel 8 « 8| —

Creat Northern Tel 33 23 334 -^3

Indo-Enropean 18 10 334 +24

Marconi SB 26 3^ — a

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 12 2yi —J

United B. Plate Tel B 8 7j id —

West India and Panama . . . . 1/8 Nil ^ —

Western Telegraph 8 10 I6xd — J

Home Rails,

Central London Ord. Assented ..44 44J —

Metropolitan 1 IJ 214 +ii

do. District .. Nil Nil 15 —

Undereround Electric Ordinary.. Nil Nil If —J

do. do. "A" .. Nil Nil 4,6 —

do, do. Income . . 5 4 594 —

Foreign Trams, &c.

Angio-Arg. Trams. First Prel. . . Nil 54 3g —

do. do. and Pref. .. Nil Nil Bi —

do. do. 6 Deb. ..6 6 59 —1

Brazil Tractions Nil — n —2

Bombay Electric Pref 6 6 13 —

British Columbia Elec. Rly. Pfce. 6 6 674 —

do. do. Preferrred 24 6 .=■3* —

do. do. Deferred Nil 8 SSj -1^8

do. do. Deb. .. 4i 4} 63J —

MeilooTramsS percent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 404 +H

do. 6 per cent. Bonds. . Nil Nil 30 +44

Mexican Light Common .. .. Nil Nil 14 +14

do. Pref Nil Nil 26 +4 J

do. let Bonds . . Nil Nil SO4 4 44

MANUFAOTUSINa CoMPAMUS,

Baboook & Wilcox 16 16 Sgxd —

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 1 A —

British Insulated Ord 134 15 •(! —

Callenders 26 15 li xd —

„ 64 Pref 64 64 i xd —

Oastner-Kellner 20 17 aj —

Orompton Ord 10 — 82/- —

Edison-Swan, " A " .. .. 10 — li + ,^

do. do. 6 per cent, Deb. . . 6 6 794 xd —

Electric Construction . . . . 10 — 21 xd —

Gen. Elec. Pref 64 64 18/6 —

do. Ord 10 — 33/6 —

Henley 36 15 IJ —

do. 44 Prel 44 44 3i —

India-Rubber 10 in 13 xd —

Met.-Viokers Prel — 8 24 —

BlemeosOrd 10 10 36/- —

ir«llir»ph Oon 98 30 214 -

* 'Dividends paid Iree ol Income Tax,

Yield

P.O.

£9 8 9
10 0 0
8 8 8
8 0 0

8 17 10
7 12

9 17 0

7 6 6

8 16 0

6 0 0
10 0 0
10 8 8

8 0 0

8 16 10

9 12 0

7 0 0
9 15 3

T 13 10

8 9 0
*4 18 3

6 17 3
9 17 a

7 13 10
7 a 1

8 3 0
8 9 6

•6 14

4

« H

9

H 5

6

10 IH

2

7 H

7

6 4

7

9 I

10

7 12

4

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

It should be rsmembered, in making oae of the figures appearinir
in the following list, that in some cases the prices are only general,
and they may vary aooording to quantities and other oircumstanoes.

Tuesday, June 29th.

CHEMICALS. &c.

a Acid, Oxalic

a Ammoniac Sal

a Ammonia, Muriate (large crystal)

o Bisulphide of Carbon

a Borax

a Copper Sulphate

a Potash, Chlorate

a ,, Perchlorate

a Shellac

a Sulphate ol Magnesia

a Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers

a „ Lump

a Soda, Chlorate

a ,, Crystals

a Sodium Bichromate, casks

METALS. &c.

g Babbitt's Metal Ingots

c Brass (rolled metal 2" to 12" basis)

c ,, Tubes (solid drawn)

c ,, Wire, basis

c Copper Tubes (solid drawn)
g ,, Bars (best selected)

g ,, Sheet

g ,, Rod

d ,, (Electrolytic) Bars
d ,, t, Sheets

d „ „ Wire Rods..

d „ „ H.C. Wire ..

f Ebonite Rod

f „ Sheet

n German Silver Wire

h Gutta-percha, fine

h India-rubber, Para fine

i Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ...
; ,, Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual.

g Lead, English Pig

^Mercury

e Mica (in original oases) small ...
e ,. „ ,, medium .,

per lb.
per ton
per lb.

2/10
£100
£92.

'iia

£47
1/-
1/3
£33
£18
£28
£25

£1 dec.
£1 l()s'. inc.

£118:to £346
1/3
l/5i to 1/6
1/31
1/8J
£168
£168
£158
£105
£166
£120
1/3|
3/.
2/6
3/-
13/-
2/lJ
Nom.
£59
£36
£20
6d. to 4/6
5/- to 10/-
12/6 to 25/- i up

Jd. dec.

£S"deo.
£3 dec.
£3 dec.
£5 dec.

£6deo.
\i. dec.

I 30/. to 30/- dec.

g Phosphor Bronze, plain castings

,,

1/6 to 1/U

g „ „ rolled bars and rods

2/2 to 2/6

d „ „ rolled strip 4 sheet

,,

2/3 to 2/9

r Silicium Bronze Wire

per lb.

1/11§

^. dec.

g Steel, Magnet, in bars

„

1/8

n Tin, Block (English)

per ton

£246 to £247

£8 inc.

e „ Wire, Nos. 1 to 16

per lb. i

4/9

White Anti-lriction Metals

per ton

£90 to £845

Quotations supplied by —

a G. Boor & Co.
c Thos. Bolton & Sons, Ltd.
d Frederick Smith & Co.
c F. Wiggins & Sons.
/■India-Rubber, Gutta-Percha and
Telegraph Works Co., Ltd,

g James & Shakespeare,

h Edward Till 4 Co.

1 Boiling & Lowe.

/ Richard Johnson & Nephe

n P. Ormiston & Sons.

r W. F. Dennis S Co.

Electric Furnaces for Melting Metals. — At a recent

meeting of the Birmingham Metallurgical Society a paper on
" Modem Metal Melting," with particular reference to elec-
tricity, was read by Mr. A. J. G. Smout, A.I.M.M., A.I.C.
He pointed out that the type of furnace which most closely
approximated to the ideal was the electric furnace. There
were types which melted brass quite satisfactorily, and it
was, he felt, the furnace of the future. The question was
often asked -^xhether electricity was really applicable to the
melting of non-ferrous metals and aUoys; much depended on
lix'al conditions. What was a brilhant commercial success in
the U.S. .A., with cheap energy, or in Norway where it
was even cheaper, might be a complete economic failure in
this country, where they were paying 2id. per unit. At Buch
a figure there seemed Uttle prospect for the electric melting
(if non-ferrous alloys becoming a practical proposition, except
perhaps to a lunited extent on special work where the cost
of melting was quite secondaiy to the production of a really
tirst-class alloy. Even with steel, the electric furnace was
chiefly engaged in the manufacture of the more expensive
alloys, and many furnaces had to be closed during the past
12 to 18 months' on account of their inabihty to compete on
economic grounds with other furnaces. Obviously the most
economical method of melting metal by electricity was to
pass the current through it, as was done in the induction
furnace, but while that method was eminently suitable for
steel it had many disadvantages when applied to brass. Copper
and its alloys required t"he greatest care in melting to avoid
local over-heating and Joss by oxidation and volatilisation.
They usually had to conform to a rigid sj'^cification. anil must
be quite uniform in composition with the varying constituent.a
thoroughly alloyed. Those essentials ruled out several types
of furnace which gave excellent results in steel melting.
.'Vinong the advantages to be derived from melting non-ferrous
metals in electric furnaces were high thermal efficiency ; accu-
rate control of temperature; no fine losses; high quality of
castings, sulphurou,'! gases being entirely excluded; and neither
poise, fumes, nor excessive radiat-ed beat.

Vol. 87. No. 2,223, July 2, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIE^

'25

THE DESIGN OF A SUPER-POWER STATION.*

By H. QOODWIN, Junr., and A. R. SMITH, of the Qeneral Electric Co., U.S.A.

(^CiHwluded
Two circuits are provided for the blowers ami fans for each
set of four boilers. As each boiler has two blowers and two
fans, one of each would be connected to each circuit. This
should ensure the ofjeration of at least half of them, which
would allow the boilers to operate at a high percentage of
their rating at all times.

Since .stoker motors are of small size, it is proposed to
install two transformer banks, each consisting of three 37.5-
K.v.A. single-phase transformers, to supply them. .\ double

Fio. G. — Sections ov G6.0CI0-volt Outdoor Switch (Ikar.

circuit arrangement quite similar to that proposed for the
blowers and fans is suggested, with a double-throw Nwitch
for each stoker motor.

It is proposed that the circulating pumps be driven by
2.300-volt motors with the neutral brought out for difteren-
tial protection, and that this protection be provided from
the oil switch on tie switchboard to the neutral in the motor,

from page 810.)

It is proixiscil that buUer feed pump motors be made for
'2,yu0 volts and protected differentially, including theii' cables,
in a manner exactly similar to that employed for the cti'culat-
ing pumps, so that as long as there is any power, either
from the main bus or from the auxiUary turbine, it will
be possible to maintain feed to the boilers.
• It is to be noted in the proposals above that complete
alternating-current drive has been provided for the boiler
room. S<Mie of the most recent installations have adopted
this method. EUmination of apparatus for conversion from
A.c. to D.c. should increase the reliabiUty. For the blowers
and fans, brush-shifting motors are suggested. For the stokers
four-speed, multi-speed motors are suggested, and if a stoker
with mechanical arrangements for two speeds is used, six
speeds of the stoker may actually be obtained.

Figs. (J and 7 show the outdoor station in greater detail.
Fig. 7 shows the section corresponding to one generator and
the characteristic arrangement for an overhead feeder, an
underground feeiler, .station .service transformers, and tie to
the next .section of each bus. Pig. 6 .shows sections through
the outdoor structui'es at these various points.

The reactors to be used are of particular interest, on
account of their high voltage and use out of doors. For these
reasons an oil-cooled type of reactor is recommended. Thi.s
consists practically of a set of transformer coils of the
proper number of turns and current capacity, arranged' and
held just as they would be in a transformer, except that
the iron core is omitted. Such units would be water-cooled
like transformers, but the quantity of water required would
be comparatively 'small.

The high voltage of the cables proposed necessitates par-
ticular arrangements for testing them on installation and
after repairs. Also, it is considered that it would be better
practice to test any c-able before it is put back in service,
after the switch controlling it has opened automatically.
This means that airangements must be made for making
quick tests. To accompli.sh this a testing sef Is to be placed
in one of the galleries, and from this a connection made to
the test bus outdoors, shown in fig. 7. Disconnecting switches
are loc'ated at convenient iroints along this test bus so that
flexible cables can be carried easily from one of them to the
cable to be tested. This arrangement, considered in con-
nection with the fact that the operator can view the whole

^\

Fig. 7.— Pla.v oi- Umt Sf.ctiox ov Ci'p.OOI-volt Outdoor Switch Gear.

tlius also including the cable supplying the mot<ir. This
system will ensure the operation of the circidating-])umi>
motors under all conditions of voltage and frequency fluctua-
tion. For the various other auxiliaries for the turbines, two
circuits are proposed with overload protection, the individual
auxiliaries to be provided with no overload protection. For
the smallest auxiliaries a lower voltage will probably be
necessary, and it is suggested that adjacent to these auxiliaries
for ea/C'h turbine a bank of transformers be installed for step-
ping down to "340 volts.

" Prom the General Electric Review, May, 1920. Abstract.

switc-h yard, should make testing of cables and restoration
of service most exp<'ditious.

The outdoor structure has been planned with a view to
greatest convenience of operation, low maintenance cost, and
low first cost. It is propo.sed to use concrete poles with
.■structural .steel members connecting them at the top. This
design results in a veiy rigid structure from which the wiring
is supported at frequent intervals. The breaking of an in-
sulator will not result in dropping a bus or a connection and
such insulator can be replac-cd witli the greatest facility. The
few structural steel members will not require frequent paint-
ing. To provide for reaching the disconnecting switches easily

26

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,223, jult 2. 1920.

a plank walk raised slightly above the ground is proposed.
This will make it possible to reach all of the disconnecting
switches with a standard insulated switch hook, and it can
easily be kept free from snow and ice in the winter.

Kailway tracks are I'lin through the various aisles to facili-
tate the removal of tran.slormers and switches. In this con-
nection it is to be noted that the switches are also to be
provided with trucks similar to transfoimer trucks, so that
a whole switch may easily be slid out from its position and
taken to the repair shop in the station. To facilitate in.spec-
tion of switches it is planned to have a truck equipped with
an oil tank, a blower, and a pump, so that any switch re-
quiring inspection may be quickly emptied and the oil fumes
blown out of the tanks.

While this station was designed to meet certain specified
conditions, it is felt that the design described is such as to
be very generally applicable. This is important for local
conditions, as any plant may change slightly from time to
time, and the more flexible and generally adaptable the
arrangement the better able it will be to meet any slight
change in conditions. This same point also has the advan-
tage, when combined with unit arrangement, as in this case,
of making the design applicable to other changes in details,
such as higher transmission voltage, and in general, for the
conditions of almost any other location requiring such a large
station.

GAS versus ELECTRICITY.

On June 16th, Sir Dugald Clerk, K.B.E., &c., and Pro-
fessors Arthcr Bmithells and J. W. Cobb were present at
a. meeting of the Institution of Electrical Engineers to reply
to criticisms of the paper, on "The Distribution of Heat,
Light, and Motive Power by Gas and Electricity," read by
Sir D. Clerk before the Royal Society of Arts, and "The
Report on the Coal-gas and Electrical Supply Industries of the
United Kingdom," made by Sir D. Clerk and his colleagues
to the President of tht Institution of Gas Engineers. Mr.
Roger T. Smith (President, I.E.E.) opened the meeting liy
welcoming the visitors, and expressed his pleasure that it
had been possible to arrange for an open discussion of the
matter by experts. He referred to criticisms of the paper
that had appeared in the technical Press, and asked Sir
Dugald Clerk to read a short paper in commencement. . .

In the course of reading his " Note on the Thermal Effi-
ciency of the Generation and use of Gas and Electricity,"
Sir Dugald stated that he wished to be quite fair to electricity,
and that he had always mentioned in his papers on the subject
that the electric motor possessed enormous advantages, and
although the aggregate of gas engines in this country was
over 1,000,000 h.p., a great man> people preferred the electric
motor. Indeed, in large gas-engine works the electric motor
was used for a great many purposes. He welcomed the progress
of electricity, and recalled the fact that the first application
of a gas engine in Scotland to the driving of a dynamo fi>r
lighting purposes was one of his own engines in Lord Kelvin's
room at Glasgow. He claimed an advantage for the gas
engine in the matter of dealing with a uniform heavy load.
The Report of the Coal Conservation Committee stated that
by utilising electricity for power and heat a saving of 55,000,000
tons of coal per year could be effected. He (the sl)eaker)
did not know how the error, was made, but appa.rently the
committee had no idea of the present thermal efficiency of
the modern gas works. The gas industry had been looked
upon by certain people as a dying industry, but an industry
with a capital of ^200,000,000, and still growing, was certainly
not that.

Mr. C. H. WoRDiNOH.wt was then called upon. For many
years, he .stated, he had been a consistent advocate that the
two industries should join hands for the common good instead
of con.sidering themselves rivals, and had been equally criti-
cised by both parties. He was now more than ever con-
vinced that combination was the proper attitude to adopt.
He thanked Sir Dugald Clerk for the lucid way in which
he had made plain the meaning of his figures, leaving no
doubt as to his claims, and inviting criticisms. He (Mr.
Wordingham) felt that this challenge had to be accepted by
electrical engineers, as failure to do so would be construed aa
an admission of their accuracy. There were facts, and the
only way of ascertaining what those facts were was to ap-
proach matters in a siientific spirit. He did not propose to
criticise the figures himself, as other speakers were prepared
to do that, but would confine himself to general observations.
Sir Dugald had properly pointed out that electricity was
not a source of energy, but one might say that it was a
gearing placed between the fuel and the consuming devices
which had to utilise the fuel, and as a gearing it would have
to be judged not merely by its efhciency, but by its con-
venience and utility. There was no doubt that because of this
the average public liked "electrical gearing." and that was
a good reason for its employment. Its very convenience
meant that the heat economy was much higher than would
appear from Sir Dugald's figures. Electric motors could be
switched on or off as often as necessary, but this could not

be done with a gas engine. When the latter was running
light a great deal of heat, conserved from the coal, was being
wasted. Admitting the accuracy of the figures, it appeared
to the speaker that gas could be very much better applied
as an additional link in the chain, and be utiU.sed to drive
electric generators rather than be supplied in its crude form
to consumers. Thus the sujierior economy of the gas engine,
if it was superior, would be combined with the advantages
tif electricity leading to increased efficiency.

Professor J. W. Cobb thanked the Institution for inviting
him to take part in the discussion, which should be useful
in encouraging a direct interchange of opinion on a vital
subject. Proposals for the distribution of coal energy through
electricity had been made recently. These were of a very
drastic nature from the point of view of both industries, and
were made in the name of coal conservation. They raised
the question of what was the best method of liberating and
distributing the energy of coal — or rather w'hat were the
agencies available, and what were their merits or demerits
for a. wide range of uses. The process of transforming heat
units into power was very inefficient, in .spite of the attention
given to the subject by physicists and engineers. If the loss
was not incurred at a central station it would be
incurred elsewhere — in the latter case a heavier loss.
For this reason, the electrical power station was increasing
its hold on industry. When energy for purposes other than
power was required circumstances were completely altered,
and to take the power station for the supply of energy in
general was to load up a process with the 80 or 90 per cent,
initial waste of the station. An assertion of the position of
the gas industry, in this respect, was necessary, and would
be beneficial to all concerned. Technical developments in
the gas industry had been delayed by the extent to which it
was governed by statutory regulations, but legislative changes
were now being made. iTie vague accusation, or .supposition,
of the inefficiency in the gas industry was never justified,
even with regard to the older plant. The efficiency at gas
works was .so high and distribution ]os.ses so small compared
with the corresponding figures for electricity, that a hand-
some margin of economy remained with gas even when the
advantages of electricity at the point of use were taken into
consideration. Although efficient in certain special cases,
electricity was ill-adapted for heating purposes in general.
The ixjsition as regarded fuel economy of the most modern
power station was very unsatisfactory, and to lock up an
enormous amount of capital in large stations and works of
the same type would incur the danger of hindering progress.
The speaker mentioned that 90 per cent, efficiency in the
production of gas could be expected if cheaper oxygen were
one of the results of certain investigations by Prof. McLellan
into the production of helium. No one could foretaU the
developments in either industry, and the primary need of
each was freedom to develop along its own special lines.

Mr. C. H. Merz, speaking as vice-chairman of the Com-
mittee on Coal' Conservation, stated that the primary motive
of the committee was to deal with economy of fuel in the
jiroduction of motive power. Some small references were
made to heating, but it could not be said that the report dealt
with that question. Sir Dugald Clerk and his colleagues bad
referred to the whole report as if it dealt with heat energy.
There was not a point in the report regarding the distribution
of energy in a form available for motive power that he (Mr.
Merz) would alter, and he would be surpii.^ed if his colleagues
on the committee would differ from him. The speaker re-
pudiated the suggestion that the committee had recommended
the setting up of 16 large super-stations, it merely suggested
the division of the country into suitable electrical districts
and standardisation of periodicity. &c. It was never intended
that these areas should be supplied by one station only — it
would be uneconomical from the distribution point of view.
Tlie efficiency of future generating stations was repeatedly
given as 17 or 18 per cent., but these efficiencies were being
obtained already in a number of stations, and that with very
inferior fuel. If the fuel possessed the same value as that
taken for calculation purposes by the committee, mucli higher
values would be obtained. The speaker agreed with Mr.
Wordingham that the fuel point of view was by no means the
only aspect. The question was one of the be^t employment
of labour, and for practical purposes labour included coal.
Motive power, even at present prices, represented only from
5 to 10 per cent, of the labour bill. Therefore motive power
must be supplied in the most available form to reduce labour
costs. It was impossible to expect improvement in coal
conservation by distributing motive power in a form that
the manufacturer did not require. It was clear tliat the
question thus resolved itself into a comparison of saving
labour in getting coal or saving labour in industry generally.
The electric motor possessed the great advantage of being
capable of operation by unskilled labour. It would main-
tain its efficiency if it ran at all. The gas engine would
only maintain its 'JO oiv 25 per cent, efficiency under very
exceptional circumstances. Of recent factory installations
a large percentage had employed electricity, and it was only
the older factories, where the plant was in existence and
the money had been spent, where other forms of motive
jiower had been retained. The Coal Conservation Report did
not suggest that the gas industry should disappear entirely.
In Chicago, where electricity had been largely developed,
the gas industry had not suffered. It was to the interest

Val. 87. No. 2,223, Jult 2, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

27

of electrical engineers to encourage the gas industry. Elec-
tricity would make its way more and more as a distributing
agent, and better systems of generation ioight possibly be
obtained through the medium of gas, but they could not be
obtained at present except in special cases. The speaker had
figm-es of some of the largest gas stations in the world, which
showed that their elSciencies were not appreciably higher
than the efficiencies of the best electrical stations. The
figures were based on actual metered units, not on horse-
power-hours. Nevertheless, the two industries could be de-
veloped, and between them could do an enormous amount
to improve the efficiency of labour, and to redncf the onerous
part of it.

Mr. .1. S. HiGHFiKi.r. .said that the two industries should
certainly understand each other's point of view, and he
stated that he was one of the few electrical engineers who
had a joint contract for street lighting with a gas company.
It was clear from the paper that if thermal efficiency was
the deciding factor electricity would only be used for lighting,
but the growth of the industry in a few years proved that
thermal efficiency was not the main consideration. If effi-
ciencies of ItX) per cent, were assumed, and the prices of elec-
tricity, gas, and coal were taken as lid., 4s., and 40s. respec-
tively, at the expense of Id. electricity would evaporate
'2.36 lb. of water from and at boiling point; with gas 1'2.9 lb.
of water could be evaporated for Id., and with coal from 60 to
70 lb., so that co.st was not the determining factor, or no
gas would be sold. The speaker noted with interest that
in all his illustrations Sir Dugald contemplated the replacing
of gas by electricity, and never the reverse process, and that
gave him hope for the future. But it was out of the question
to talk about substituting one for the other; the works would
continue to exist and grow, to everybody's benefit. Each
had its particular field — electricity for colliery motors, &e.,
and gas for cooking, for example. If the gas engineer could
produce a better method of changing the heat energy of
coal into power it would be all to the good. One of the gas
engineer's handicaps had been the necessity for the con-
struction of plant of the very largest size, as under modern
conditions units of two or three thousand h.p. were not
.suitable.

Mr. C. P. Sparks made reference to the figure of 55,000,000
tons given in the report (section 1, sub-section 9) as the
annual saving in coal to be effected by the distribution of
power on comprehensive modern lines. A footnote stated that
no account was taken of possible saving on domestic
coal consumption as a result of a comprehensive systeu]
of electric power distribution, and yet the speaker thought
that Sir Dugald Clerk had mentioned that the figure
included a large amount for heating. The estimated saving
was based according to the paper on 1 lb. per electrical honse-
power-hour, but the C.C.C.'s report gave this figure as
U lb., and thus a 50 per cent, error had been made in the
statement. There was also an error of 1,(XI0,00(J tons between
two references. Electrical engineers were not wedded to any
particular source of energy, and the speaker stated he would
be glad if the gas engine could be u.sed to cut thermal lo.sses
and something like .50 per cent, would be gained straight
away. Gas was not available for detailed drive in factories,
and the gas engine was not sufficiently flexible. In Pennsyl-
vania, W'here natural gas was available, two of the largest
and most prosperous electric power companies in the world
were supplying motive power. With regard to the actual
efficiency suggested on page 13 of the paper, it was stated
that the ratio of thermal efficiency of gas to electricity was
13.4 to 10.4. Sir Dugald selected a gas engine, and said
that it would run at 75 per cent, load all the time, but in
small units this was not an operating condition. Even
taking his own figures, the difference instead of being .30 per
cent, in favour of gas, would only be 7 per cent., i.e., a ratio
of 13.6 to 12.8. Seven per cent, was a very small matter, and
with modern improvements it was going to be wiped out. A
direct comparison on a thermal basis was impossible. The
figures given for lighting gave a small advantage to electricity,
but an analysis of the figures and experience of lighting
gave a greater advantage ithan stated. Employing Sir
Dugald's own methods, Mr. Sparks calculated the compara-
tive ratio of consumption as 1 to '2.15 in favour of electricity.
Electricity, however, was not in direct competition against
gas except for small services. The .speaker concluded by
hoping that the two industries would co-operate to a greater
extent.

Mr. \V. H. Patchell thought that far too much had been
made of the so-called " attack on the gas industry," and Sir
Dugald had drawn inferences from the report that were not
actually in it. The committee had recommended the scrap-
ping of existing plant when modern works became available,
and 55 millions of the 80 million tons of coal per annum
at present used in this country's industry, would be saved.
The thermal efficiency of gas works was well known and
improving, but the thermal efficiency of an electric station
was also well known, and Sir Dugald Clerk knew that it was
hig"her than the average figure taken. For purposes of com-
parison. Sir Dugald Clerk should have taken 18 or 18.5 and
not 8.5 per cent. Mr. Patchell referred to the use of gas-
driven electric [xiwer stations by gas works, and quoted the
remarks of Mi-. Fisher, a gas engineer, on the poinilarity of
electricity for lighting and small motors. The speaker asserted

that the competition of electricity had been the making of
the gas industry, but there was still plenty of room for both.

Colonel E. E. B. Cro.mpton spoke of the relative efficien-
cies of gas and electricity for ordinary heating purposes, and
came to the conclusion that for purely local heating elec-
tricity was at an advantage. Col. Cronipton then dealt with
the cooking problem, and deplored the waste of gas by
servants. He gave an amusing account of a thermal storage
gas-heating apparatus constructed by Mr. Druitt-Halpin and
himself, that was so efficient, and took so little gas to heat
about 16 gallons of water a day, that it did not turn the
meter.

Sir DuGAf.L) Clerk, in reply, defended his attitude of alarm
at the Coal Con.servation Committee's Reixirt by quoting
various parts of the report suggesting the substitution of
electricity for gas. The only reason that the substitution of
electricity for gas was assumed in the paper was for purposes
of calculating the equivalent service to be given. He stated
that he would make a full reply in writing later.

Professor S.mithells expressed his thanks for the oppor-
tunity of discussion given by the Institution, and hoped that
friendly relations would continue to exist between the two
industries.

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Sir Dugald Clerk
and his colleagues for the pleasure given by their presence.

THE NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY.

Annual Inspection.

The annual^ visit to the National Physical Laboratory, Ted-
dington, by the general board took place on June '2'2nd, when
Sir Joseph J. Thomson, president of the Royal Society and
chairman of the board. Sir Arthur Schuster, vice-chairman,
and other members of the board welcomed a large gathering
at the laboratory.

The present director of the laboratory is Sir Joseph E.
Petavel, K.B.E., D.Sc, F.R.S., who .succeeded Sir Richard
Glazebrook last September. The laboratory is now organised
in seven departmeut.s — physics, engineering, aeronautics,
metallurgy, electricity, metrology (measurements of length,
area, volume, mass, and time), and the William Froude
national tank for tests of ship models; the physics depart-
ment includes divisions for heat and thermometry, optics,
radium and X-ray work, and tide-prediction.

During the past year new buildings have been erected, and
additions to the existing buildings will shortly be erected,
notably an extension of the engineering department. The
.\dmiralty also propo.ses in future to make fuller use of the
facilities afforded by the laboratory, and is erecting a building
for special Admiralty work immediately aajoming it. In-
vestigations of more general character will be carried out for
the Admiralty by the laboi-itory.

The normal work of the laboratory was displaced during
the war period by special work required for war purposes.
A return has now been made liy the laboratory to the dis-
charge of its ])re-war functions; there is much leeway to
be made up, and the large amount of routine work that is
undertaken to some extent hampers original research, but it
is understood that the matter is receiving attention, and it
is hoped to solve the present difficulty.

The apparatus and experimenta shown in the different
departments included many items of interest, and one wished
for more time in which to make a more extended inspection
of the various features of interest.

In the engineering department apparatus for carrying out
tests on the fire-proofness of magnetos was on view, as well
as an intere.sting new fatigue testing machine for reversals
of direct stress by means of an alternating magnetic flux.
The reversals per minute reach '2,000, and the range of load
of the machine shown was plus or minus (1.75 tons. The
machine was constructed bv Messrs. Brnnton's, Ltd., to the
design of Dr. B. Haigh.

In the electrotechnics building of the electricity depart-
ment experiments on moulded insulators to determine the
electrical .strength and mechanical .stiffness at different tem-
peratures, as well as .standard A.c. measuring apparatus,
and the calibration of a voltmeter up to 100,000 volts, were
seen. Measurements of the illumination given by coal-miners'
lamps, experiments on ship's navigation lamps with regard
to the design of lenses and the <-o!our of side lamps, standard
lamps so designed that the filaments are all in one plane,
together with the measurement in candles per unit area of
luminosity of radium-painted dials were demonstrated.

Manganin made in the laboratory with curves of tempera
ture coefficient of resistance were exhibited in the direct-
current division. Also a .selenium cell current regulator was
seen in operation. This device operated by means of a spot
of light falling on to one oi two selenium cells, the latter
being made to increase or decrease the current as the case
may be. The instrument worked in conjunction with a new
generator which has recently been installed for testing pur-
poses. It has an output of 5,000 amperes at 1'2 volts, and
consists of two generators and a, motor to drive them, all
three machines heing coupled together on ofae bedplate. A
separate exciter is installed.

28

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

[Vol. 87. No. 2,223, July 2, 1920.

At Bushy House an Abraham block multi-vibrator for the
absolute measurement of wireless frequencies,, and the
Board of Trade standard instruments and apparatus for
absfJute electrical measurements, were on view. The measure-
ment of constancy of frequency of oscillating values hy the
Campbell inductance-capacity bridge, and the measurement
of the effective inductance of 4-terminal resistance standards
was also demonstrated.

In the wireless hut in the meadow, methods of deteiToin-
ing the chaiacteristics of valves, and of measuring the effi-
ciency of a transmitting valve and the amplifying power of
valves at audible frequency were shown. Visitors were also
able to hear the reception of wireless telephony and tele-
graphy from the Marconi station at Chelmsford and from
Burlington House, London.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received by %g after 5 P.M. ON TnESDAY cannot appear until
t/ie/oUowi/if/ week. Correspond cuts should forward their ccmiimtni-
cations at the earliest possible moment. No letter can be published
unless we hare the luriter's name and address in our possession.

Current Density in Wires at High Temperatures.

Can you, or any of your reader.s, tell me why it is not
considered to be in ac<;ordauc« with orthodox theory to assert
that the physical stability of a wii-e, heated by "means of
electricity, is affected by cui-rent density as well as temijera-
ture'.'

Can it be that the effect of cm-rent density has hitherto
been regarded as negligible owing to non-appreciation of the
enormously high value to which cui-rent density may attain
in small wires at very high temperature?

Let us take, for example, the question of current densitv in
incandescent lamp filaments, and we find that it is of an
unexpectedly high value. I say unexpectedly advi,5edly, be-
cause I have asked men who should know the true value
to guess what it is in the case of an ordinary '2(XJ-volt, -lO-watt
tungsten filament lamp, and have never been able to obtain
a higher guess than 16,000 amperes to the square inch,
whereas the actual value is about tioO.OOO amperes to the
square inch.

In heating apparatus, current densities up to and exceeding
40,000 amperes to the square inch are in accordance with
everyday practice.

I suggest that the effect of such high current densities on
the "life" of hot wires should be made the subject of
exhaustive discussion and research, and that it is really
contrary to orthodox theory (as to the conditions produced
during the passage of electricity through a conductor) to
maintain that the value of the cuirent densitv is a quite
unimportant factor that can be safely disregarded.

It may well be the controlling factor as regards the different
results attainable with wires of small and large diameter,
respectively, in w-hich latter, under otherwise equal condi-
tions, the current density is relatively lo^-.

C. Orme Bastian.

London, \V.
June -Mtli. 19-20.

Power Development in U.S. .4.

Your issue of June 18th contains some statements ^^■hich
hardly do you justice as the leading organ of the electrical
trades, for your "recent" improvements, on page 779, and
" a novel scheme " on page 7/0, really, to use a vulgarism,
have whiskers on them.

It may interest you to know that the pa\vl starting device
describeil as a recent magneto improvement was used on
the old Mark I tank in 19i(j, and had been in existence for
some time previous to this even. A more positive and
better idea \vas used in the later improvements in tanks.
_ May I point out also that the principle involved in the
" novel scheme " embodied in the American power station
design has been in use at the Formby power station of the
Lancashue & Yorkshire Railway Co. for the past ten years.
But we went one better : we used the total condensate and
leed water as circulating water for the auxiliary condenser,
and have a system of auxiliary feed heating really without
an air pump, yet work on a 15 in. to 20 in. vacuum.

We originally installed the comphcated surge tank method
described in >our article on page 7'97, but .scrapped it for
.something simpler.

Referring back to page 770, you say that "it was clauued
that the kilowatt-houi- could be generated with a. consump-
tion of less than 1..5 lb. of good coal with generators of 60,000
to 75,000 KW.," and your following remarks convev the 'im-
pression that this comes as a startling fact. If "it is*^ not
generally known, I may tell you in all .seriousness that we
in England hope to generate the kilowatt-hour on 1 lb. of
good coal with turbines one-sixth of the American sizes.

The "house" turbine idea and high pressure economisers
will not, I venture to state, become standard on this side
of the pond; We. hgvo something better.

Perhaps our American friends w'ill let us know if the man
who opens the ash hopper doors wears a gas mask, or
translated into American " Sammy " language, a " breath
box," or perhaps the remainder of the article w'ill describe
the system of remote control with biased relays necessary
to prevent this man from becoming asphyxiated.
A. E. Carr,
Huperintcndent Engineer,
Furuiby. L. dt Y. R. Power Station.

June -Milt, 1920.

[With regai'd to the m^igneto improvements, the remai-ks
to which Mr. Carr refers were not ours, but were given, as
stated, on the authority of Messrs. A. R. Young and H.
Warren in the Proceedings of the Inscitution of Automobile
Engineers; if we cannot trust the experts, to whom shall we
turn for gmdance? Many improvements that were ma<le
during the war were ke^it secret, and are only now attaining
pubhcity, so that they justly rank as novelties to the outer
world. As regards jiractice at the Formby ijower station,
httle pubhcity has been given to its operations, and we cannot
be expected to know as much about it as the superintendent
engineer; when we vLsited the plant at its oiJemng in 1904, it
was by no means m advance ot current practice elsewhere.

With regard to the proposed generation of a kdowatt-hour
with one lb. of coal, we congratulate Mr. Carr on this (pro-
spective) success; we, also, "hope" to see it done. In the
meantime Mr. I. V. Robinson in his paper on "Rower Station
Design in Relation to Thermal Efficiency " at the I.M.E.A.
Convention states the following conclusion : ' " That a maxi-
mum consumption of 20,000 b.th.u. per unit generated be the
objective m large stations." His paper represented the views
of some ten British tui'bine-makers; and the objective to be
aimed at is given as 20,000 b.th.u., which is i^ractically 1.5 lb.
of good coal (13,500 b.th.u. per lb.). It is well known that
the size of turbine, above 10,000 or 15,00o kw., makes httle
difference in the economy. But !Mr. Carr seriously hojaes that
Mr. Robinson's present ideal will be beaten by one-thir-d in
this country — it is a bold forecast. We sincerely hope that it
will be justified by the event. — Eds. Elec. Rev. J

Direct Current Compared with Three=Phase Current for
Driving Steel Works Plant.

Under the above heading an extract from a paper read
betore the n-on and yteei Institute was publiskeu m tne
dime lltn issue ol your journal. 'j.ne autnox, wmist tieatmg
the subject m a very inieresimg manner, api>eareU to have
a bias in favour ol o.c. Oi-iving, whicn leu mm to include
in bis general ueprcciation of A.c. driNing many ca^es where
ibat niethoa can lully justity its use.

it cannot be granted, at lue outset, that owing to the rela-
ti\ely small areas coverea by iron and steel woriis, tile ques-
tion of the greater ease of transmission of A.c. power is ol no
great imix)iiajice. Ihe growmg popularity of A.c. power,
lUe large number of central stations which supply it, its
advantages from the pomt ol view of generation, transmis-
sion ana dis'tribution, and the savmg in the cost of mstalling
rotary converting plant, are alone sulhcient to make the
.steel Works engineer fully explore the possibilities of A.c.
driving before rejecting it lor D.c, ana these jKissibihties
are in certam instances such as fully to warrant its -adoption.
In many cases, isarticularly when used in conjunction with
ui>-to-date auxiharies, the A.c. drive is undountedly to be
preferred, even apart from the considerations touched on
above.

In making comparisons of the types of drives to be adopted
for rolhng mills, each case must be treated on its merits,
smce in no other class of drive must more varying conditions
be met. The writer of the pajjer referred to above makes
a comparison in the case of a merchant mill between a D.C.
motor rated at 1,200 h.p., full load speed 150 K.i'.ii., and an
induction motor of the same rating and synchronous speed.
Ihe speed of each motor is supposed to be reduced so as to
drive the mill at 115 K.p.M. The speed reduction is effected
in the case of the induction motor by inserting resistance
in the rotor ciixuit, and the author points to the large speed
valuation and inefficiency of the induction motor under these
conditions.

Does this necessarily condemn the A.c. drive'.' Surely it
only emphasises the fact that an unsuitable method has been
used to obtain the desired speed reduction. There is on- the
market a perfectly reliable and simple equipment by the
use of which the main motor speed can be reduced to the
required value at no load, the speed diop ou load being only
some S to 10 per cent, such as is necess;iry to obtain stored
energy from a Hyw-heel. Moreover, this speed reduction can
be obtained with a loss of only 2^ per cent, to 3 per cent, iu
overall efficiency. The use of this equipment has the further
advantage that the power factor of the main motor can bo
improved to unity on full load, and maintained at a high
value on overloads and light loads. The overload capacity
of the main motor is thus maintained, and does not fall off
as iu the case where a permanent resi.<;taMce is used in the
rotor circuit. This eliminates the argument that a smaller
c-apacity motor can he installed if a n.c. drive is adopted.

The speed variation obtainable by using this equipment
depends on the frequency of the supply. On a 25-cycle supply

Tol. 87. No. 2,323, July 2, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW ,

29

a speed variation ol 7a per cent., and on a 50-c.vo.le supply a
vanation of 4(3 pel' cent, can be obtained. The equipment
referred to is soiaJl and comparatively inexpensive. Assum-
ing the works obtains its supply from an outside source, that
supply wiU be a.c. in nearly every case owing to the lowei'
,cost of transmission. If power is generated in the works it
will agam — if turbines are installed — probably be A.C. In
both these instances the cost of an A.c. drive with auxiliary
speed regulating appai'atus will be lower than that of a D.c.
motor and i-otary converter.

Where extreme sjwed variations are required, as in the
example given of a 4f)0-H.i'. motor operating between M and
250 R.P.M., the D.c. drive is, of course, to be recommended,
but even so, a motor of large and expensive design would
be required' to give the desired .si>eed range. This is, further-
more, a. particular case, and not one on which to base a
comparison. One would be iU-advised to adopt an a.c. drive
in this case, just as in the present stage of development one
would not use an A.c. drive for a reversing mill. Other
extreme cases entii'ely in favour of the a.c. drive are as easily
found. Such is a continuous wire miU, where the A.c._ drive
is to be pi-eferred from the point of view of simplicity of
design and first cost.

If the nature of the rolling operation is such as to neces-
sitate close speed regulation, then the a.c. drive is the more
suitable, since the speed variation of the induction motor
with no external resistance added to the rotor circuit is less
than that of a D.C. motor of similar .speed and power. It
should be noted here that close speed regulation is not con-
sidered safe practice in- the case of d.c. motors, which have to
deal with varying and suddenly applied loads. To obfein
it the motor must be either of very large capacity, or else
be differentially compounded, with attendant dangers in the
case of excessive overloads.

It is again quite good practice to use the induction motor
drive for that class of mill where the load is of the nature of
sudden peaks lasting for, say, a few seconds, such as the
case illustrated in fig. 1 of the article referred to, and where
speed variation is not required other than to utilise flywheel
energy, and so smooth out peaks in the demand oh the supply
system. Here external resistance in the rotor circuit is used,
but this re-sistance must be only that necessary to reduce
the peak to a predeteimined value. This can be done .satis-
factorily by iUeans of a slip regulator of the contactor type.
This type of regulator is automatic and extremely rapid in
its action, the magnetically' operated contactors opening or
closing, .and thereby altering the amount of resistance in the
rotor circuit in the fraction of a second.

The author of the article dismisses this class of regulation
with the remai'k that it is too .slow in action to be of value,
but he doubtless has the sluggish and jerky liquid slip regula-
tor in mind, and it is only necessary to see the contactor
type at work to appreciate its rapid action. The regulator
is usually designed to combine the duties of starter and
slip regulator, and the contactors can be set to operate at
any desired curi'ent to limit the demand from the supply ti>
some predetermined value both T\-hilst starting and regulating.

Greater efficiency is obtained because the resistance in
circuit at the beginning of a pass is small. In the event of
loads occurring of small amount or .short duration, a small
amount of resistance will be inserted in the I'otor ciri'uit.
.\fter the load is removed the motor will attain its maximum
speed more rapidly if used with the slip regulator than if
used with a. permanent resistance, becau.se as the motor
speeds up the contactors clo.se and maintain the torque at
a high value.

Many general .statements in the article, other than tho.so
rcfen-ed to above, can be .shown to be correct only in pai-
ticular instances; but perhaps enough has been said to sho«
that the question whether D.c. or A.c. is the better system for
rolling mills depends on the circumstances of the case. It
may at least be said that a bias towards the o.c. system is
unwi.se, and this will be endorsed Iiy experienced steel works
engineers, and also by experts in the employ of those manu-
facturing concerns which, making all types of electrical
machinery, have in consequence no predilection for any.

R. S. Jones.

Rugbv.

Jvnr 21.<.f. 1920.

Non=union Labour and Supply Undertakings.

I do not know whether the electric supply industry fully
appreciates the seriousness of the proposal made in Mr.
Webb's letter dated June 14th which was published in your
i.ssuo of the lUth. In this letter it appears that the members
of the electrical trades and other unions in the employ ■ of
electricity undertakings may refu.se to connect \ip work done
by non-union labour in the Greater London area. This pro-
posal may fairly be reckoned to be a challenge from the
Electrical Trades IJnion to the employers. Tlie issue is not
between the ele<'trical undertakings and their own employes,
but between the unions and another branch of the industry
altogether. In other words, the unions calmly propo.se to
use the undertakings to enforce their claims in matters in
which the undertakers themselves have not the remotest
interest or control. There is here a most important principle
af .stake. . If the uhions are allowed to use the electric supply
undertakings in one quArrel, they would in another,' and no

one can say where it will stop. Certainly the matter is a
very serious one, and deserves the <'arnest consideration of
the industry. There should certainly be a clear-cUt policy.

■hi»r 'IWt, VJ-21).

F.lectric Supply.

Cable Fault Localisation.

In the Review dated .lune 4th. there was published a most
instructive article by Mr. Edward Raymond-Barker, referring
to a recent cable fault problem submitted by the writer,
under the pseudonym " Kon Denser." The fault as found
by the writer suggested a very interesting problem, and the
actual localisation was not .so simple as it appeared to be.
Two .single V.I.K. 7/14 S.W.G. cables, each lOCi yd. long,
were laid in single glazed-ware troughing, fihed in with pitch,
and covered with red tiles. At 8 p.m. on April '23rd, dis-
continuity occm'ied on one of these cables, and the following
afternoon the writer was requested by a friend to "have
a go" at the localisation of the break.

On arriving at 3 p.m., the writer, testing with the " Meg-
ger," found continuity on both the cables; the insulation
resistance between each cable and E was CO.OOO ohm's, and
between the cables also 60,000 ohms. Putting 100 volts
across one end of the cables, and a carbon filament lamp
across the ot^er ends, only a very dull glow was noticed.
Then replacing the carbon lamp with a metallic filament lamp,
a much brighter glow was obtained. Shorting the terminals
of the lamp, whilst it was burning, did not blow a .5-amp.

o, tC

c, tC

I^

— ®^

Two Single 7/14 Y.I.R. Cables in Guzed TrouctHing,
Filled in with Pitch.

fuse. This was sufficient proof that the fault was of a high
resistance.

The difference in temperature between 8 p.m.- the previous
day,and 3 p.m. the following day was sufficient to expand
the copper strands of tlie cable to test out to continuity,
and this was rather a rude shock to my friend, who alway.s
tested out a discontinuity ■ the previous evening. There being
no earthed sheathing, as surmised by Mr. Kaymond-Bai'ker,
and as -shown in the sketch accompanying his article, I
decided to resort to the inductive capacity test. On the spot
wa« a stand-by house battery of 100 volts, so I was able
to get any testing voltage from '2 to 100. In my mind I
diagnosed the fault to be as shown in the accompanying
sketch, one cable being broken and bared at x, and the other
one bared at y. giving me the constant test reading of 60,000
ohms. I found that I got the best residts by using the full
voltage obtainable, namely, 100 v., and a d'Arsonval galvo,
along with a highly insulated tapping key. I did not trouble
about the actual capacities in terms of microfarads, simply
jotting down the actual discharge throws in terms of scale
divisions. The first attempts were very misleading, there
being inconsistency in repeated discharge throws until the
fault, regarding its constitution as a condenser, settled down.
The sketch submitted by Mr. Raymond-Barker would not
have been of any use in this instance. Keeping the testing
voltage, test lead, galvo. and earth leads constant, I obtained
consistent inductive capacity discharge throws from point
A. then D, then b, then c, then from a, with d and c coupled,
and then from c with a and b coupled. Working upon these
calculations I made out the fault to be 3(i ft. from c. Upon
digging up. and chipping out the pitch, the fault was found
to be exactly as shown in the sketch. The pitch had not
been properly heated, it had the appearance of having been
laid in flakes; water had found its way into the cable, and
a small pocket of copper sulphate enclosed the fault at X. a
most beautiful high resistance job. By 6 p.m. the same even-
ing the plant was running on load again, the fault having
been repaired. I was rather of the same opinion that Mr.
Raymond-Barker holds, that a single cell giving a low testing
voltage would give the best results in this type of test, but
I found that this did not pan out in .actual testing. The
method suggested in the latter part of Mr. Barker's article
would work out quite well, giving a much quicker result.
Earthing the sound cable would be similar to earthing the
.sheathing wires of an armoured cable, the condenser effect
being set up between the broken ends of the faulty cables,
through the pitch, rubber covering of the sound cable, and
the earthed core of the sound cable. This would constitute
a sopnewhat sjmilar condition. to that used by the writer .in
his tests. ' the difference being that the capacity of the fault
would be greater than in the writer's test, owing to the

30

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Vol. si. No. 2,223, July 2, 1920.

.'■ounrl core bring dead earthed, H^ainst its lieinfi ft».(KK;i ohuiK.
The more one looks at the simple .sketch, the more numerous
do the different condenser effects become apparent. Each
of the seven strands of the broken cable, at either eide ol
the break, was eaten away to the very finest needle point.

I wish to thank Mr. Raymnud-Barker for his great kind-
ness and the interest he took in my problem, although I had
I'ound and localised this fault a week before the editors wo
kindly published his article in the Ekview. The conclusion
I came to was that in order to localise a fault of this de-
.scription, all apparatu.s, voltage, leads, earth connections,
mu.st be kept con.stant when testing from difl'erent points.
T. D. Spark, A.M.I. E.F..

Wliitchavcn.

LEGAL.

Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co. v. Hamilton.

This case was mentioned to Mr. .Tustice Astbury in the Chan-
cery Division on Friday, .lune '2.5th'.

Mr. Hogg. K.C. .said he had a motion on behalf of the
plaintiffs to continue an injunction that wa.s granted ex parte
in the previous w-eek by Mr. .Justice P. 0. Lawrence to re-
strain the defendant from publishing certain documents con-
trary to the terms of an agreement in writing entered into
by him. .\u affidavit had been filed by the defendant, who
now appeared in person.

Mr. .Justice Astbury : [ am interested in a company that
used to be connected with the Marconi Co.. but it is no longer
connected with it, as far as T know. I do not know whether
anyone objects to my hearing the motion. His Lord.ship
asked the defendant whether he objected.

Mr. Hamilton said he .had not had an opportunity of
instructing counsel, but he had a written statement which
he wished to submit, and which dealt with the matter his
Lordship had raised.

Mr. Justice .\stbury was handed the statement, which
he read and gave to Mr. Hogg, saying it might amuse
as weU as interest him. There were .statements in the letter
which were wholly untrue as far as his Lordship was con-
cerned, but in the circumstances the parties had better get
another judge to hear the motion.

Mr. Hogg read the letter, and said he appreciated what
his Lordship said; it did both amuse and interest.

His IjOBD.ship : There is a suggestion of guilt, and things
of that kind, but it is absolutely false. There was a time
when I had an interest in the American Marconi Co.. but
I understand that has now ceased. I do not know much
about it. His Lordship asked the defendant if there was any
other judge in the Division that -he happened to have an
objection to.

Mr. Hamilton said he had no objection to his I^ordship
hearing the motion. He wished to cast no reflection on his
Jjordship. The information in the letter was conveyed to him,
and he thought he ought to show it to the judge.

His Lordship : After reading that letter, I shall decline to
hear the motion. His Lordship said he would ask Mr. .Justice
P. O. Lawrence to hear the motion, and left the court to
si)eak to that judge. On his return, he said Mr. Justice
Lawrence would be pleased to hear the application " nomin-
ally " for him.

Later in the day Mr. Hogg renewed his application before
Mr. Justice Jjawrence. He read an affidavit in support of
it, which stated the facts relating to the action which Mr.
Hamilton brought against the companv in 1913. when he
recovered a sum of money. T^ater on he started fresh pro-
ceedings, and as the companv were anxious to get on with
their business, in May last they made the agreement with
TVIr. Hamilton which was the subject of the nresent applica-
tion. This agreement recited the facts that he had referred
to. and there was the payment of a sum of money, and a
release of all claims by the company or Mr. Isaacs against
Mr. Hamilton. ^ and a release by Mr. Hamilton. The latter
was to discontinue the Isaacs action, and not to bring any
more actions, and there was to. lie a withdrawal of all charges,
l^aragraph C statt^d that Mr. Hamilton would not in any
way rnolest Mr. Isaacs nor interfere with or do anything
prejudicial to the business of the company, and it was pro-
vided that Mr. Hamilton was not to be prevented from enter-
ing other service. At the same time Mr. Hanjilton covenanted
thati he would not at any time directly or indirectly produce
to anv person any of the documents or currespondence con-
nected with the action. The money, said counsel, was paid
on May 3rd. and on the same day Mr. Hamilton wrote to
the company asking them to employ him. Thev refused,
and a correspondence followed in which Mr. Hamilton spoke
of the neces.sity of putting his position right, and said he did
not _see how he could re-e.stablish his reputation without
making a public explanation of the whole matter, including
the terms of the agreement of May 3id. He said in another
letter that he proposed to submit all the particulars to every
member of the Marconi Co.

Mr Hamilton told his Lordship that he ba<3 not broken
thf terms of the agreement, nor threatened to act in violatioo

of its teims, nor did he desiie to act in that way. He said
he contended that under that agreement he had not under-
taken not to disclose the documents, and he believed that
he was entitled to do that so long as he did not go beyond.
the stipulations in the agreement.

His Lordship ; You are not to publish any of the docu-
ments relating to the case. Will you give an undertaking
until the trial of the action'!*

Mr. Hamilton said there was a meeting of the shareholders
of the company on Tuesday, when he wished to make ex-
planations of the matter to the other shareholders. If he
was debarred from doing that he could do nothing for twelve
months. He asked to be allowed to read an aflidavit he had
prepared.

Mr. Hogg said from what he had seen of it, this aflidavit
referred to the very matters which were the subject of the
r.r parte injunction.

Mr. Hamilton : The application for the injunction wa.s
made in open court, and I wish to read my aflidavit in opetv
court. I have been charged with dishonourable conduct. No
man can .stand under that, and I tru.st do all I can to vindicate
myself.

His Lordship : You are not allowed to do that which you
deliberately agreed not to do.

Mr. Hamilton : I am a shareholder in the company, and
as such I consider that the agreement was made with me
and the other shareholders. I submit, therefore, that I am
entitled to make explanations to the .shareholders at the
meeting on Tuesday.

His Lordship : I am afraid you will find yourself in prison
if you disclose to anybody any of the documents concerned
in this matter, whether they are shareholders in the company
or not.

Mr. Hamilton ; But I contend that no court in the world
can debar me from clearing my character.

His Lordship : I am not going to try the ease on this
motion. I am going to keep matters in statu quo for every-
body.

Mr. Hamilton : -A.m I to under.stand that I am not to go
to the meeting on Tuesday'.'

His Lordship : If you do go you are not to go counter to
the agreement.

Mr. Hamilton : Shall I be unable to tell the shareholders —

His Lordship : Y'ou would be well advised not to tell them
anything. He asked if he would Jae willing to give an under-
taking if there was a .speedy trial of the action.

Mr. Hamilton said he would do so if he had an early
opportunity of clearing his character.

His Lordship thereupon .said that upon this undertaking
he would order a speedy trial of the action, and gave liberty
to either .side tf) advance the hearing when the case was
ready.

O.sram-Robertso.v r.A.Mr Works. Ltd., c. The Public Tbustee

and .\nother.
In the Chancery Division, on Tuesday. Sir .\rthur Colefax,
K.C. applied to Mr. Justice Russell to take this case on
Friday. He said the question to be dealt with related to
patents which were (Jerman-owned at the outbreak of war.
and the Public Ti'ustee's position was that the plaintiffs had
got to make out their case. One of the difficulties of the case
was that an important witness had to go abroad at the end
of the week.

His Lordship .^aid it would be in the list for Friday morn-
ing (to-day).

Walkington i;. Howard Electrical Co.
.•\t the Notts Assizes, .Arthur \A'alkington, an electrical
engineering traveller, of West Bridgford, was awarded
£.57 and costs against the Howard Electrical Co.. of Notting-
ham, for wrongful dismissal. Plaintiff's case was that he was
engaged in February last year as a traveller at i'3 a week
and commission, and he duly carried on until September,
when he was dismissed without notice. He claimed tiree
months' notice. The defence was that he left of his own
accord, and that he had drawn in advance of his commissions
account by £(>i, but this was disputed. Judgment was en-
tered, as stated, for two months' .salary with agreed com-
mission.— HJirJiirlrl Telegraph.

Electricians as Coukt Assessors.
In the City <if l/ondon Court, on Monday, before .\ssistant
Judge Jackson, Mr. .\rthur Dunkley, trading as the City
Electrical Plant Co.. 31, Barbican, claimed ff^i against Seinco.
Ltd.. 19 and -Xi. High Street. Shoreditch. tor electrical work
done. There was a counter-claim for £.6A. Defendants said
that the work was done so negligently and improperly that
it was of less value to them th,i» the amount claimed by .t(VI.
They also said they had suffered damage by the plaintiff's
breach of contract to repair several motor.s. a ship's oscillat-
ing fan, a i-H.P. fan motor, kc. They alleged that the arma-
ture and brush rocker tests were weak, the fields showed
a dead earth, and workmanship was bad. and the wires u.'sod
were faulty. The bearings had to be rewownd and rebushed.
the armature was so unskilfully repaired that it struck the
pole pieces, and the motor ran badly for a short time Scrap
metal and lead wire nere- ust-d instead of white metal lining,

Vol. 87. No. 2,223, JuLT 2, 1920.]

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

31

and tHe bearings had to be relined. An amended cuuiitei-
elaim was filed increasing the amount to £'133.

Mr. W.MjTER Stewart, plaintiff's counsel, said there was no
justification whatever for the defendants' counter-cliuiii .
There would be many electrical details to go into, and he
wondered if the learned judge was familiar with such matters.

The Assistant Judge said he was quite ignorant of elec-
trical 'atiairs.

Mr. Stewart said he found some difliculties, although be
had had .<;omo practical experience. The counter-claim in-
volved the consideration of an immense amount of detail.

The Assistant .Judge felt that the case ought to go before
a man who thoroughly under.stood electrical business.

Mr. Stewart did not see how a judge, unassisted by an
electrical engineer as an assessor, could deal with the case.

Mr. Samuel Duncan, defendants' counsel, was not in favour
of the principle of substituting experts for judges. There was
bound to be a. certain amount of technical evidence.

The Assistant Judge was sure nf that.

Mr. Stewart suggested that if there was any point on which
the judge needed the services of an assessor, the parties would
lie quite willing that he should speak privately to .some inde-
pendent electrician.

The Assistant Judge was sure it would be more satisfactory
to refer the case to an electrical engineer.

Mr. Stewart remarked that the counter-claim had been
filed without regard to the well-known authority of Hadley
r. Baxendale as to the remoteness of damage. He could not
trust an electrical engineer to arrive at an accurate conclusion
as to the remoteness of damage.

The Assistant Judge offered to reserve all those questions.
He would apply to the president of the Institution of Electrical
Engineers to nominate someone.

Mr.- Stew.aet was anxious to minimise- expense. It ..would
be disastrous if the case ran on for days, as the assessor's fees
might then come to more than the claim.

The Assistant Judge did not think a. very eminent man
was neces.sary. One wanted a thoroughly practical man who
understood his business. He thought he could hit on someone
who would not charge a heavy fee.

Mr. Stewart suggested that they could reduce the .scope
of the reference.

The Assistant Judge did not think that would help. It
would only lengthen the case.

Mr. Duncan : Short cuts generally involve the longest way
round.

The .Assistant Judge concurred, and said the ca.se would
lie referred to an electrical engineer to be nominated by the
Court.

REVIEWS.

Coal Milling imd the Coal Miner. By H. F. Buljian. Pp.
338. 19 iIlu.strations. Jjondon : Metbuen & Co., Ltd.
Price 15s. net.

This is really a delightfui book ; and coming at a time when
most men's minds are more or less perturbed about the coal
question, and the rights and wrongs of the miners' claims,
it is refreshing to read something devoid of exaggeration and
prejudice.

The author, has a. life-long experience cf his subject, and
throughout the book there runs a deep sympathetic feeling
for the miner and his work. As he tells us in the preface :
" Having been a colliery manager and a director of colliery
companies, and having lived for many years amongst the .
working miners, the writer knows and appreciates their work
and their sterling qualities. Certainly they deserve to be
well paid, well boused, and not overworked." On the other
hand, "the book was written .before the Coal Commission
commenced its novel proceedings — and it may perhaps .serve
as a useful corrective to some erroneous ideas which have
arisen from the proceedings of the Coal Commission." Had
the book been written for this special object it could not have
served its purpose better.

The book is divided into some twenty chapters, dealing
with labour in mines, wages, disputes, accidents, science and
electricity in mining, the value and extent of our coal re-
.sources. legislation, distillation, and the economical use ol
coal, investment of capital, rescue work. ,and last, but not
least, miners' hou.^es are very fully dealt'with. It may be
remembered that at the Coal Commission Mr. Smillie said
a lot about miners' houses, and on this point Mr. Bulman
says in his preface : " The miners' representatives on the
Coal Commi.'ision did their best to create prejudice very
unfairly asainst colliery owners, by blaming them for the
bad housing of miners. The truth is that colliery owners,
most of whom, it should be remembered, are small share-
holders, have done more than most emplovers to provide
houses for those they employ. It was given in evidence
before the Coal Commission that during the ten years 1904-14,
there was spent ia purchasing or in building, or in improving
luiners' houses in Durhaon and Northumberland, f ■2,.'567,nOO"
lu Chapter XX the qucGtion of houses la ver/ fully dealt

with, and illustrated with plans and photographs, which might
be of considerable interest to some of the mmers' leaders, as
well as to the ordinary man in the street, who hears so much
on one side but so very little on the other.

Then with ergard to wages, we learn that the effect of
the Minimum Wage Act has been to raise miners' wages by
an amount variously estimated at JBl.OOO.OOO to £'2,000,000 a
year. Coal hewers in County Durham were earhmg eight
shillings a shift of seven hours in the year 1913, or working
full time of eleven days a fortnight, a hewer could earn
£i 8s., or £2 4s. per week. " Working full time, his hours of
work are 77 hours in the fortniglit. Thus his working hours
amount to '23 per cent, of the total hours in a fortnight, and
for 77 per cent, of his time he is free to do as he likes." In
1918 wages had risen to over £4 l>er week for the highest-paid
class as a minimum, and have continued to rise ever since
with the price of coaL On the other side, dealing with
capital, the author shows that the yield in profit to the
shareholder is about the least in any industry, and puts' it
at about 5 per cent. " The estimated cost of producing
19'2,000,000 tons of coal during the year ending Jufy 16th,
19'20, which has been supplied by the Government to the
House of Commons, allows for labour £''210,250,000, and for
owners' profits £12,500,000, out of a total cost under all heads
of £'281, '2-30.000. According to the.se figures labour gets 74.7
per cent, of the total cost, and capital only 4.4 per cent."
We might go on making interesting extracts from other parts
of the w'ork, especially those dealing with " the miner, and
his work," and "trade unionism ■" : but not only would this
l>e unfair to the author, we should in addition fail to give
to the reader the iropression of truth and sincerity of the
information given in its pages, the value of which cannot
be estimated to those who are anxious to get at the real
facts of this most interesting question. It is a book which
we hope will be widely read and discussed.

Thr Principles Lnderlying Radio Conimanication . Radio
Pamphlet No. 40 of the U.S. Army, Signal Corps.
Washington : Government Printing Office. Price .55 cents.

This is a very complete and taking little, volume prepared
by the Bureau of Standaras, under the direction of the chief
.signal officer of the U.S. Army, training section. It therefore
has an official standing, and it would be unfortunate if it
were otherwise than a praiseworthy production. With a
few exceptions the information contained is sound and reliable.
It is certainly worth much more than the 55 cents for which
copies can be obtained from the Government Printing OiSce
at W'ashington, D.C. As stated in the preface, the book
presents briefly the basic facts and principles of electro-
magnetism and their application to radio communication. It
is intended to suit students who have had very little mathe-
matical training. Some 355 pages with 238 illustrations are
corapri.sed, and the book is thoroughly well got up.

After a careful perusal of the book the reviewer is of
opinion that some improvement could be effected in the
method of treating the principles of electrostatics. The sub-
ject is of considerable importance in radio work, but it is
dismissed in a comparatively brief section. For some reason
magpetics are almq.st invariably dealt with in a much fuller
way in books of instruction, magnetic lines of force and
magnetic flux being quite adequately treated. There is no
obvious reason why electric lines of strain and electric flux
should not be just as fully explained. Some of the statements
made, show that the author or authors are imbued with many
of the prevalent fallacies; thus, the upper regions of the
atmosphere are definitely " fairly good conductors " owing
to ionisation, while "clouds and other meteorological con-
ditions " would cause great variation in the .sharpness of the
conducting boundary. As in most .\merican text books the
electronic theory of currents is accepted as an indisputable
fact. .\n explanation of the mechanism of radiation from an
antenna on the moving lines of strain view is attempted,
but is rather laboured and unconvincing. It is suggested by
the reviewer that the method of explanation, though it may
apply with some degree of accuracy to effects taking place
beyond a quarter wave length radius from the oscillator or
antenna, does not apply in its .simnle form within that dis-
tance. The explanation of the mechanLsm of reception given
is similarly unsatisfying. The cutting of an antenna by a
magnetic field does not convey an adequate idea of the drain-
ing of eneray frorn the parts of the dielectric medium within
its reach. In section 159 buzzer transmission for short ranue^'
is referred to, but it is very doubtful whether the scheme Uf
buzzer transmission .shown could be made to operate over
any useful distances. The method shown depends on the
charging of a minute condenser to a few volts. In practice
it is very much better to shunt the buzzer coils and rely on
breaking a considerable current which is caused to pass
throush the inductance coil of the oscillatory circuit. The
considerable magnetic energy then liberated starts the effec-
tive oscillations and radiations. Exception could also be taken
to several of the statements and explanations referring to
continuous wave apparatus. Whilst considerable improve-
ment is possible in the character of the information contained;
vf^ on the whole the book is a verv creditable and valuable
production.- J. E.T,

32

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [Voi. 87. No. 2,223, jult 2, 1920.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly (or this journal by Messrs. Sefton-Jones, O'Dfli, ANf
Stephens, Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, V\'C. 1.

16,016. " Electrical accommodation denoting cabinet." P. A. Tillinchast
June 14th. ^ ■ ■

16,034. " Arrangements (or coupling two allei-nating-current electric systems
in parallel." Ateliers de Constructions Electriques du Nord et de I'Est. lune
14th. (Erance. January 22nd, 1914.)

16.048. *' Connection boxes for electric conductuis." J M L Slater ind
R. Wightman. June 14th.

16.049. " Intercommunication telephones." Edison Swan Electric Co ind
J. C. Wrighton. June 14th.

16.050. "Switch devices for telephone apparatus." Edison Swan Electric
Co. and J. C. Wrighton. June 14th.

16.051. "Telephone apparatus." Edison Swan Electric Co. and J C
Wrighton. June 14th.

16,054. "Coil ignition appaiatus for internal-combustion cntiincs." D. A. V
Rist. June 14th.

16,064. " Production of high unidirectional voltages from an alternating
voltage. Siemens-Schuckertwerke. June 14th. (Germany, May 15th, 1918.)

16,066. " Reduction of inductive effect of telegraphic currents." Siemens &
Halske Akt. Ges. June 14th. (Germany, September 37th, 11)18.)

16,070. "Telephone systems." Western Electric Co. June 14th. (United
States, June 11th, 1919.)

16.094. " Vacuum tube apparatus, and method of controlling same." Mar-
coni's Wireless Telegraph Co. Juno 14th. (United States, June 14th, 1919.)

16.095. " Radio transmitters." . Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co. June
14th. (United States, June 14th, 1919.) ?

16,106. " Suspension of electric traction wires." Metallurgique Elcctriqur
June 14th. (France, February 19th. 1914.)

16,128. " Electrical switches." E. A. Griffin. June 15th.

16,148. " Electrical energy-distributing systems." J. W. Goodman. June

Western Electr;
Westinghouse Cooper Hewitt Ci

16,154. " High-frequency electrical signalling sys
Co. June 15th.

16,lt>4. " Vapour electric appars
June 15th. (Switzerland, June 20th, 1919.)

16,170. " Electric distribution systems." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.). June 15th.

16,177. " Transmitting and receiving circuits for wireless telegraphy and
telephony." A. K. Macrorie and G. Shearing. June 15th.

16,183. "Apparatus for directed wireless telegraphy and telephony." E.
Bellini. June lath. (France. November 4th. 1916.)

16,186. " Obtaining increased light electrical effect in light electrical cells,
&c." A. Sinding-Larsen. June 15th.

16,23-2. " Electrical fuses." H. E. Sutherland. June IGtIi.

16,235. " Sparking plugs." G.B. Sykes. June 16th.

16,257. "Electrically-heated bed warmers, heaters, &c." N. Hoseood. June
16th. fi J

Co. June 16th. (United

16,266. "Signalling svstcms." Western Ele
States, August 31st, 1915.)

16,274. " Telephone systems." Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co., f.
T. Bates and R. Mercer. June 16lh.

16,294. "Apparatus for heating water bv electricity." Luftfahrzeubuu
Schutte-Lanz. June 16th.

16.310. " Suppression of sparking at interruption of conductors traversed by
current." Siemens-Schuckertwerkc. June 16th. (Germany, July 29th, 1915.)

16.311. " Sparkless disconnection of conductors traversed by electric cur-
rents." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. June 16_th. (Germany, October 9th, 1915.)

16.312. " Distribution devices for motor engines." J. A. C. Bois and E. V.
Reno. June 16th. (France, January 29th, 1914.)

16,314. " Electric-heating elements." Akt. Ges. Kummler & Matter. Junu
16th. (Switzerland. June 16th, 1919.)

16,328. " Slip-rings for induction motors." T. Seisakusho. June 16th.

16.369. " Bow current-collectors in overhead wire systems of electric trac-
tion." Brecknell, Munro & Rogers and A. M. Willis. June irth.

16,389. " Electro-metallurgical process for manufacture of ductile bodies of
high-lusing metals. &c." E. Aoyagi. June 17th.

•16,399. " Interrupter switch." R. Alkan. June 17th. (France, Auuust 19lh,
1919.)

16,403. " Telephone transmitters." M. Miessner Inventions Corpoiatioii.
June 17th. (United States, June 23rd, 1919.)

•16,404. " Electrical signalling systems." L. de Forest. June 17th. (United
Slates, March 13th.)

16,407. " Electric lamp-holders." F. A. P. Payne. June 17th.

16,415. " Generation of electrical oscillations." British Thomson-Houston
Co: June 17th. (United States. July 8th, 1919.)

16.430. " Vacuum-intensifier with glow cathode and auxiliarv electrode "
Siemens & Halske Akt. Ges. June 17th. (Germany, May 3Ut. 1916.}

16.431. " Starting of electric arcs." Siemens & Halske Akt. Ges. June
17th. (Germany. July 21st. 1919.)

16,433. "Arc lamps for searchlights, &c." Siemens-Schurkertwerke. lune
17th. (Germany, August 20th, 1917.)

16,433. "Vacuum rectifiers with rotating electric arc." Siemrns-Schuckert-
werke. June 17lh. (Germany. October 23rd. 1915.)

16.457. " Brush-gear for dvnamo-electric machines." J. Stone & Co. lune
17th. (United States. February 16th. 1917.)

16,468. " .Automatic electrical magnetic cut-in and cut-out inechanlsnis " G
A. G. Knott and W. Dates. June 18th.

16,485. " Controllers for multiple electric circuits." E. .ind \. R Booth
June 18th.

16,499. " Electro-mechanical change-speed gear." P. E. H. Malerme and
R. E. Raynaud. June 18th. (France, June 30th, 1919.)

16,501. " .Alternating-current systems." Siemens-Schuckertwerkc. June 18th.
(Germany, December 20th, 1915.)

16,514. " Telephone instruments." S. A. Lazarus. June. 18th.

16,521. " Magnetic separators." F. Krupp Akt. Ges. Grusonwerk. June
18th. (Germany, July 11th, 1919.)

16,535. " Magnetic separators." F. Krupp Akt. Ges. Grusonwerk. June
18th. (Germany, August 2nd, 1918.)

16,547. " Current leading-out device in magneto-olectric ignition apparatus
for single-cylincfer internal-combustion engines?" Scintilla. Juno 18th. Swit-
zerland, June 21st, 1919.)

16,550. " Sparking plugs." C. Zorzi. June 18th. (Italy, August 28th,
1918.)

16.572. " Charginfi-apparatus for storage batteries." Igranic Electric Co.
(Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing Co.). June 18th.

16.573. " Spark plug." Plunkett Energising .Spark Plug Corporation. June
18th. (United States, August 31st, 1918.)

16, .585. " Interrupting powerful electric currents." A. M. Taylor. June
18th.

16,594. " IDevice for cleaning .sparking plugs." J. H. Wood. June 19th.

16,606. " Production of electrical oscillations by thermionic valves." N.
Lea and Radio Communication Co. June 19th.

16,618. " Push-button switches." V. T. Ohrstroin. June 19th.

16.630. " Balancing-device for commutators of electric machines.'
Schuckertwerke. June 19th. (Germany, June 27th, 1914.)

16.631. " Dvnamo-electric machines." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. June 19th.
(Germany, November lOtli, 1914.)

16.632. " Electric driving of ship propellers." Siemens-Schuckertwerke.
June 19th. (Germany, August 1st. 1916.)

16.633. " Self-starting induction motors." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. June
19th. (Germany, January 29th. 1918.)

16.636. " Electric cables." L. R. Lee. June 19th.

16,642. " Employment of telephone receivers in electric transmission receiv-
ing ..rcuils comprising thermionic valves." .Soc. Francaise Radio-Electrique.
June 19th. ^

16,644. " Magnetic work holders." H. Graf-Buchler and O. Coradi. June
19th. (Switzerland, June 19th, 1919.)

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in parentheses are those under which the specifications will be
printed and abri^Iged, and all subsequent proceedings will be taken.

XS17.

14,796. " Directive wireless telegraphy." E. R. Clarke. October 12th,
1917. (Complete specification accepted. February 4th, 1920. Patent sealed,
February 4th, 1920.) (143,580.)

XSX8.

12,656. " Electrical transmision, particularly applicable to radio-telegraphy
and telephony;" L. Levy. August 4th, 1917. (143,583.)

21,278. "Systems for driving hoists, rolling mills, and electric locomotives."
\ickers. Ltd.; C. F. Mackness and H. H. Broughton. December 19th, 1918.
(143,588.)

1919.

3,280. " Electrode and fastener for electro-medical appliances." E. E.
Greville and F. W. Read. February 11th, 1919. (143.593.)

4,220. " Electrical plug-and-socket switches." J. A. Crabtree. February
20th, 1919. (143,599.)

4,291. " Multi-speed djnamo-electric machines." F. Creedy. February 20th,
1919. (143,600.)

4,586. " Ignition magnetos." E. C. R. Marks (Splitdorf Electrical Co.).
February 24th, 1919. (143,614.)

4,622. " Electrodes for electrolytic recovery ol metals from solutions." H.
Wade (Central Mining and Investment Corporation). February 24lh, 1919.
(143,619.)

4,633. " Electrolytic recovery of metals from their solutions." H. Wade
(Central Mining and Investment Corporation). February 24th. 1919. (143,^0.)

4,719. " Winding-machines for electrical coils and the like." H. Wade
(Universal Winding Co.). February 25th. 1919. (143,624.)

4,751. " Electric selective signalling." Western Electric Co. (Western
Electric Co.). February 26th, 1919. (143,625.)

4,832. " Electric discharge devices." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.). February 26th, 1919. (143.630.)

4,940. " Protective devices for electric circuits." British Thomson-Houston
Co. (General Electric Co.). February 27th, 1919. (143.636.)

7,636. "Processes and apparatus (or sherardising." S. O. Cowper -Coles.
March 36th, 1919. (143,674.)

7.763. " Electric lamps." J. H. Hall. March 38th, 1919. (143,676.)

7.764. " \\'inding machine for covering straight lengths of wire or rods."
I. B. Blaiberg. .March 28th, 1919. (143,677.)

8,873. " Electrode holder for use in electric cutting and w»lding." E. C.
R. Marks (Electric Arc Cutting & Welding Co.). .April 8th, 1919. (143,685.)

10,319. " Sparking plugs." H. Singleton-Griesbach. April 24th, 1919.
(143,693.)

10,268. " Galvanic batteries." G. & J. Oldham, .\pril 24th, 1919. (Cog-
nate application 11,306/19.) (143,695.)

11,978. " Electric liquid-healers." ^. P. Watson. J. K. Greenhlll, H. B. C.
Pollard. May 13lh. 1919. (143,704.) ^

13,510. " Electron valves." Connecticut I'elephonc & Electric Co. .\ugust
8th, 1918. (130,965.)

13,812.. " Electrical generators or dvnamos." R. T. .Norton. May 31sl,
1919. (143,720.)

15,439. " Control for electric furnaces and the like." British Thomson-
Houston Co. (General Electric Co.). June 19th, 1919. (143,737.)

17,388. " Self-regulating dvnamos." W.K.Smith. July 11th, 1919. (Addi-
tion to 131,978.) (143,750.)

19.353. " Electric-plug connectors and lamp-hol.krs." W. lie. August «th.
1919. (143,759.)

23,270. " Electrically-driven talking-machines." J. S. Bradshaw. September
'22nd. 1919. (143.779.)

23,637. " Means for detecting unauthorise<l use of incandescent electric
lamps." A. Pohle. August 28th. 1918. (133,051.)

37.397. " Electric switches." British Thomson-Houston Co. and H. Trech-
man. Novemb.-r 6th. 1919. (143.795.)

28,265. " Appliances for regulating the hardness of Rontgen-rav tubes."
H. F. Eiken. November 14th. 1919. (143,797.)

.32.346. " Electrical circuit controllers." F. Beihoff. December 24lh. 1919.
(143,806.)

3'2,693. "Electrical tov motors." M. \'. O'U-arv. I>cemher 30th, 1918.
(Divided application on 141.105.) il4,-i,S07.)

Rain Making. — Mr- lialsillie's report of his raiii-making

experiments at Hopetoun (Vic.'), and his frank admission that he
was unable to make rain, have raised doubts whether it is
worth the Federal Government's while to continue the expendi-
ture of mone.y in experimentinjr any further. Aceordingr to the
Sydney Dailij Teleqrapli, the Minister for Defence has stated that
the operation of a rainfall stimulation station in a district had
apparently, in every instance, coincided with a more than averasre
amount of r.iinfall in the district for the period of working.
Increased rainfall was of such vital importance to Austr.alia
generally, that it ha»l been decided to continue for a time the
operation of the two existing stations. The Melbourne Agf cites
expert opinio'n to the effect that no useful result has been attained.

THE

ELEOTI^IO^Xj I?/Ei"VIE-W.

Vol. LXXXVII.

JULY U, 1920.,

No. J,224.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

Vol. LXXXVII.]

CONTENTS : Jnly 0, 1020.

[No. a,!24.
Page

... 33

... 34

... 3-4

35

A Great German Electrical Syndicate

British Water-Power

Staff Employes _

The Incorporated Municipal Electrical Asaociation (illus.')

Power Station Design in Relation to Thermal Efficiency,

by I. V. Robinson (illus.')

Improvements in Motor-Cars : Electric Lighting and Starting,

by F. H. Hutton

Imperial Wireless Chain (illus.)

Legal

Business Notes

Notes •• •" •

City Notes ... .~

Stocks and Shares

The English Electric Co.'s Phunix Works, Bradford (illii-i.)

British WaterPower Resources

Electric Railway Contact Systems, by Sir P. Dawson (iliii.i.) ...
Correspondence —

Single-phase Meters or Three-phase Three-wire Systems

Fault Localisation

Staff Salaries and Conditions of Service

Technical Books

Adieux en Route

The I.M.E.A. and the National Joint Board

What is the Contractor Doing .'

Composition i: Porcelain Insulators

High-pressure Direct-Current Transmission

New Patents Applied for, 1920

Abstracts of Published Specifications

Contractors' Column

Advertisement page zzviii

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[33]

It is comprehensible that just as manufacturers in each
branch of industry in this country loyally co-operated with
each other during the years of war, so in Germany and
other 'countries concerned was a similar mutuality of
interests recognised by the producing works in those
countries. It is, however, not so well known that some of
the lessons of the war and the probable results of the
Treaty of Peace have been so thoroughly learned by German
electrical firms, that their relations have been materially
strengthened since the Armistice, with the object not only
of conducting business in the inland market with a degree
of competition that is less than in former periods of peace
— even if there is to be any rivalry whatever in the home
market in the future — but also of promoting the export
trade on a scale larger than that which prevailed in IDIM.
Eightly or wrongly, it is claiined for the German electrical
industry that its total production seven years ago was
greater than the combined output of all other eiectrical
fijms in the whole of the rest of Europe. This claim is
based upon the development due to the expansion of both
the big firms and those of lesser importance in their indi-
vidual capacity, but times have changed, and the firms have
changed with them, and are adapting themselves to present
and future conditions for the re-assertion, if possible, of
their position in the markets of the world.

Xo shadow of doubt exists on this question, judging
from the proceedings at the second general meeting which
has just been held in Berlin of the Central .Syndicate of the
Electroteehnical Industry (Zentral Yerl)and der Elektro-
technischeo Industrie), which comprises a membersliip of
388 firms, employing approximately 240,000 workers and
officials. These figures are so large as to lead to the
assumption that most of the electrical firms in
that country have joined the syndicate, which,
while not exercising any crmtrol over the production of the
members individually, has a regulating influence on prices
in the home market. It is uncertain whether the activity
of the indicate will also apply to exjiort prices, although it
seems as if these will also be brouL'ht within its scope ;
otherwise the statement would not be made that tlie impor-
tance of the Teutonic p'-oduction, as a whole, will ensure
German firms a joint influence in the development of the
world's market prices in the long run, and that as a united
branch the electrical industry is very probably able to
co-determine the foreiirn market at the' present time. As
far as concerns the trade transacted since the Armistice, it
was asserted at the meeting that the exports of electrical
manufactures in 191'.! represented 25 per cent, of the
quantity in 1913, while the quantity has risen to the
equivalent of 40 per cent, in the months of the present year.
It is impossible to say whether these figures can be relied
upon, as the publication of the official statistics has not yet
been resumed or rendered available to the public.

The situation of the inland market was also discussed at
the meeting. It was mentioned that customers, particularly
retailers, partly for speculative purposes, had given orders
whi(_-h were far in excess of the market's capacity for absorp-
tion, and this fact and the difficulties experienced in pro-
curing materials had induced makers to cover their
requirements in raw materials by the placing of large orders.
As these materials are now more abundant, producers are
endeavouring to deliver as rapidly as possible and to com-

34

THE ELECTRICAL KEYIEWo

[Vol. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.

plete the orders, but on the other hand, customers are
ciusint,' difficulties, many retailers, for instance, being
financially too weak to accept delivery. The circumstance
of possessing large stocks of raw materials at former sale
prices hampers the makers in reducing the prices of manu-
factures, which, however, will not as a rule bring about
an increase in the consumption in such critical times. In
this connection it is contended that the Price Control
Department maintained by the syndicate has only followed
in a hesitating manner the general upward movement of
prices in the past, the addition to pre-war prices having
remained at 2,500 per cent, since iMarch in the present
year.

The director of the Price Control Department, replying
to attacks made on the price policy of the electrical
industry — which were provoked by electrical attacks on the
coal and iron and steel industries — submitted that it was
impossible to exercise over electrii-al prices a control similar
to that exercised by the Federation of the Iron and
Steel Industry (the self-governing body created by the
Government), owing to the multitude of electrical manu-
factures, one catalogue alone comprising 2,100 pages. He
also stated that it had been shown in the case of the
federation that the producer members, workmen members,
and merchant members, whose interests lie in the same
direction, vote increases in the sale prices of iron and steel
without further ceremony, and thus through their majority
decisions over the consumer members, legalise prices which
associations of consumers would be able far more easily to
contest in a free and open market, and not one controlled by
the federation. The director admitted that the inland
prices for electrical manufactures are at present higher
than the world's market prices, while the working expenses
are mostly below the world's level. Iron and steel, for
instance, are still slightly less in Germany than in foreign
markets, coal is considerably lower, and the wages are
lower, but copper and other raw materials have to be
calculated at the world's market quotations. Yet the
average costs per unit of finished products are said to be
higher than in other countries owing to the eight-hour day,
reduced average output of the workmen, frequent
strikes, A-c.

It is unnecessary to refer to any of the other questions
raised at the meeting. (^>uite enough, however, has been
written to show that German industry now ]>osse8ses a
pfiwerful commercial organisation, whereas a combination
on such ;i large scale as in the present case n as lacking
before the great war. No doubt the promotinn of the
export trade will become a prominent plank in the syndi-
cate's programme. " As a united branch," as one speaker
declared and as previously mentioned, " the electrical
industry is very probably able to co-determine tlie foreign
market at the present time." It does not necessarily follow
from this statement that the electrical industry is yet a
united branch for the export trade, but it would not be
surprising if the syndicate were expanded into such a com-
bination in the near future.

The second interim report of the

,,, , n AVater-Power Resources Committee, of

Water-Power. •

which we give an abstract in this issue,

puts forward definite recommendations for the establishment
eft a controlling Water Commission, to deal with the uses of
water for all purposes (not only for power) in England and
Wales. A Sub-Committee appointed in November, I'Jls,
to deal with Irish water-powers is still investigating the
subject. The Committee lays stress on the great import-
ance of the conservation and use of our water resources,
which have hitherto been neglected by the State ; the pro-
posed Commission is to be placed under the Ministry of
Health, but an Inter-departmental Water Committee is
proposed to assist the Commission, on account of the
variety of interests affected, and, in particular, it is suggested
that either the Board of Trade or the Electricity Commis-
sioners should be provided with powers and funds to
promote the development of water-power. While the
Electricity Commissioners have their hands pretty full

already, we cannot think that any other authority or depart-
ment would be better fitted than they to deal with this
question to the national advantage ; inevitably the genera-
tion, transmission, and utilisation of energy derived from
water power will be carried out by electrical means, and
will, therefore, come within their jurisdiction ; the same
consideration applies to the use of water for condensing in
steam-power stations, and while the interests of agriculture,
fisheries, navigation, and potable water supply will be watched
over by the Water Commission, with the assistance of an official
of the appropriate department, we trust that the greatest care
will be taken to prevent obstruction and delaydue to internal
friction between various ( ! overnment departments. A wise
dictatorship is preferable to divided counsels, and in our
opinion the Electricity Commission, which already possesses
wide powers in connection with water-power for generating
electricity, is the only body competent to deal with this
branch of the subject. Any legislation that is proposed
should be so devised as to facilitate to the utmost the use of
water-power — which, it may be observed, need not, and
should not, in any way conflict with the later use of the
water for agriculture, fisheries, or any other purpose.

It is interesting to note that in the ITnited States, where
water-power in abundance is available, and where its
national importance is fully realised, the Water Power Bill
which recently received the overwhelming support of
Congress was eventually defeated by the failure of the
President to give his approval to it. The whole of the
work will have to be done over again. We may be
thankful that in this country, in spite of the politicians, the
will of the people invariably prevails, and we need not fear
a similar calamity.

Staff Employes.

In a letter which we publish to-day in
our "Correspondence " columns, the secre-
tary of the Society of Technical Engineers responds to oar
suggestion that some information might with advantage
be given to the engineering world regarding the position in
which the Society now stands. It is gratifying to learn that
the foundations have now been completed and the constitu-
tion settled, and that we may hope in the near future to be
put in possession of full information regarding this new
factor in the social structure, which, as Jlr. Wyld remarks,
has passed a long time in the embryonic state, and therefore,
we trust, will be found to have developed into a highly
efficient organism. Incidentally, t'oe writer points out
that, outside the electricity supply branch. Joint Industjtial
Councils have not been set up for the engineering manu-
facturing industry, and that in any event they would not
meet the needs of the technical staffs, who would not be
represented on the Whitley Councils. As we remarked in
our leaderette, the only case in which this difficulty has
been solved is that of the power station engineers, who have
their Joint Board, and we note with interest that the pro-
visional executive council of the Society of Technical
Engineers is favourably disposed to the adoption of this
system by other sections of the industry.

The " Joint BocrJ " scheme, in fact, appears to us to be
the only practicable method of safeiruarding the interests of
the technical staffs, who are at present in an anomalous
position, being allied neither with the employers nor with
the manual workers, and having no machinery for negotia-
tion with either party. As we suggested, in the absence of
such Joint Boards, the Society of Technical Engineers
appears to be the only organisation that is capable of serving
the interests of the brain-workers, and it is interesting to
learn that the Society, even provisionally, endorses the
Joint Board system.

It will be observed that both Jlr. Wyld and another
correspondent who writes in support of the Society of Tech-
nical Engineers, lay special emphasis on the fact that the
staff officials constitute a third party in industry. This
has only been recognised within recent years, and has not
yet been brouglit home to the other two parties. The
Society of Technical Engineers, therefore, has a practically
untilled field to cultivate— a field of very wide area and of
the first importance to British industry — and we shall
look forward to the announcement of its propoBals with
keen interest.

Vel. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.]

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

35

THE INCORPORATED MUNICIPAL ELECTRICAL ASSOCIATION.

The Annual Convention at Ukley.

{('ontiniied from pai/e 0.)

While we have concluded oui' general report of the pro-
ceedings at the Convention, and have little to add thereto,
we think the accompanying snapshots may be of sufficient
interest to justify their insertion. We had hoped to include
a reproduction of the group taken by the official photo-
grapher at Cartwright Hall, but we find that this
photograph is not to be published. For most of the views
we are again indebted to the courtesy of Mr. C. H.
Wordingham ; the remainder are our own. One of the
noticeable features of
this Convention was
the large number of
visitors, including
ladies, who took part
in it ; some of these,
who will be readily
recognised, are seen
in the first group of
views, which will also
give some idea of
the sylvan charms of
Wharfedale. The
other illustration
shows groups of mem-
bers of the Conven-
tion on various oc-
casions and in divers
kinds of conveyances.
A word of praise
should be recorded
for the admirable or-
ganisation of the proceedings as a whole, which reflected
the greatest credit on those who had shared the burden of
preparation, and whose duties were so efficiently performed
— not excepting the Clerk of the Weather ; and we are
pleased to note that at the meeting of the Bradford Elec-
tricity Committee on Friday last, a resolution of thanks

' Kindred Associations." A Corner of the Abbey, interested Visitors.

At Bolton Abbey.

Joint Electricity Authorities, who would neressarily repre-
sent the companies as well as the local authorities within
their areas. Under the existing constitution these officials
would be excluded, and if, as seemed possible, he became
one of them, he would i;reatly regret to have to resign his
membership. The Assoriation had always been essentially
innniiipal in character, but he thought a branch should be
formed to include such officials ; otherwise a new association
would come into existence. Obviously it would be

highly regrettable
that so valuable a
member as Mr.
Proctor should find
no place within the
Association ; and
many other members
will doubtless be
affected in a similar

Another i|uestion
that was raised was
that of admitting
other electrical
associations to par-
ticipation in the
Annual Convention.
Mr. I. V. Robinson,
of the B.E.A.M.A.,
when acknowledging
the compliment paid
to that Association
paper, expressed a wish
be expanded so as to

by inviting it to contribute i

that the Convention stiould

embrace all branches of the electrical industry, and

the President, Mv. Roles, received the proposal very

favourably, remarking that he had long thought they might

be more catholic in that respect. Possibly we may yet tee

ITS, lililfy. At the Ph..-nix Works, starting for;8altaire. At Saltan
At the Windsor. Olt to Bolton Abbey. Leaving Cartwright Hall.

At Ilkley and Bradford.

was passed to a number of leading electrical and textile
firms in Bradford, and the members of the Electricity
Department's staff, for the facilities they afforded the dele-
gates at the Convention.

On toe occasion of the presentation to Mr. H. Faraday
Proctor, he pointed out that, as a re.sult of the uperation of
the national scheme, the Association would probably find it
necessary or desirable to enlarge the scope of its member-
ship, in order to provide for the admission of the otficials of

ileveloped out of the I.M.E.A. Convention a gigantic meet-
ing of electrical men like that of the National Electric
Light Association of the United States.

Fortunately, as may be gathered from bur report of the
Convention, the I.M.E.A. is broad-minded and progressive,
and whatever form its constitution may take in the future
we feel certain that.its Annual Convention will continue
to be held, to the great satisfaction of those who are
privileged to share in it,

86

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,221, jult 9, 1920.

Power Station Design in Relation to Tliermal Efficiency.

Bv I. V, EOBINSON, Wh.Sc, A.M. Inst. C.E., M.I.Mech.E.,
British Electrical and Mied Manufacturers' Association.
(Abstract.)
1. — Increase in Bange of Working Temperatores op Steam.
To improve the thermodynamic efficiency of any heat engine
we are guided by a fundamental law of thermodynamics to
increase the initial temperature and lojver the final tempera-
ture of the ste^m.

The upiier temperature limit has been raised by gradual
steps until now steam at 650 deg. F. to 700 deg. F. is in use
in many stations with success. The final limit has not yet
been reached, but progress must be slow.

Pressures of 300 to 350 lb. are becoming usual for the
larger stations, and units are now being constructed for higher
jiressures. Probably, in the near future, pressures of 500 lb.
will be generally used with a total temperature of 700 deg.
to 7-50 deg. F. for large sets.

-■Vt the same time, it must be remembered that an increase
of pressure in itself decrfea.ses the thermal efficiency of a
tui-bine for .several reasons, thus : —

(a) An increase in the steam density involves an increase
in the losses in the h.p. end of the turbine by increasing the
cJearance losses in reaction and the thsk and windage losses
in impulse turbines.

{b] With a constant initial temperature and, therefore, de-
creasing superheat with increasing pressure, the steam loses
its superheat sooner and becomes wetter, thereby decreasing
the blade efficiency of the L.P. end.

(r) With greater pressure and consequently greater- avail-
able heat drop, it is necessary to provide more stages or rows
to maintain the same efficiency ratio, and this is not always
possible within practicable limits.

{d) Dummy leakage losses in reaction and diaphragm leak-
age'losses in impulse turbines increase as the pressure in-
creases. ^

Retaining a fixed initial temperature of 700 deg. an increase
in pressure, by increasing the available heat drop, has a
beneficial effect upon the turbine efficiency by reducing the
volume of steam required for any duty, and so reducing the
leaving losses from the last row of blades.

In deciding upon a high steam pressure, the extra cost of
the boiler plant, pipes, valves, and turbines must be con-
sidered. In the isteani turbine cast steel should be used for
all parts subjected to temperatures of .500 deg. P. or above.

Whilst considerable improvement has been made by using
higher vacuum, there is naturally not so much scope as with
the upper temperatures. With a natural supply of circulating
water from river or sea in the North, at a temperature of.
say. 55 deg. F., a vacuum of 29 in. can be obtained economi-
cally. With cooled water a temperature of 75 deg. to SO deg.
can be "obtained under the average, atmospheric conditions,
according to the rating and design of the towers, and with
this a vacuum of 2S in. is economical. In some ca.ses. where
Water at 50 deg. F. can be obtained, a vacuum of 29.1 in.
has been \i.=<'d. Beyond this vacuum, coiTesponding to a
bottom temperature of 76 deg. F., no considerable progi'ess
towards lower temperatures can be made.

Owing to the difficulty of providing isufficient area through
the la.st row of blades for turbines working with a hish
vacuum, the relative turbine efficiencv is usuallv lower with
high vacua. With all high-vacua turbines the kinetic energy
carried away by the steam after leavinc the last row of
blades (usually called the "leaving loss") is a considerable
pronortion of the total losses. .\n increase from ^ in. to
39 in. vacuum doubles the volume of steam at the exhaust,
and with the same blading would increase the leaving lo.s.ses
fourfold. By providing higher bladfs in the last row the
area is increased considerably, but still it is almo.st impossible
to provide such area as is required to keep the leaving losses
at the ?S-in. figure. Higher vacua, therefore, reduce the
relative thermal efficiency of the turbine, but effect an over-all
imrtrovement in the steam consumption.

_ In determining upon the use of a hich v,acuum full con-
sideration must be given to the cost of obtaining it. expressed
both in capital charges on more expensive plant and increased
operating costs due to larger pumps.

2. — Saving of Low-grade Hfat.

Sorne progress has been made with this problem in two
directions: —

(a) By heating the condensate to comparativelv high tem-
peratures, usinp steam tapped from the main turbine, and

{h\ By reheating the steam after nartial exnansion in., the
tu'-bine until the original superheat is restored.

Consider.ible p'-ogress has been made in the direction of
hi'^her feed heating, and a Pood ca^" -"an be made out for
raising tho temperature to 150 deg. F. for the average boilc-
hou.se with economiser and to I'OO del. F. if suitable arrange-
ments are m!>de to utilise the heat in the flue pases to heat
the air snnnlied to the furnaces. Tlif bent carried awav by
the circulatinr water is approximatelv 1,000 B.TH.n, ner lb.
of steam condensed. If steam bo abstracted fmm the tur-
hine at a suitable noint (or points) and used in n surface
feed heater to heat the, condensate coming from thn main
condenser, the latent heat of the steam so abstracted is re-

turned to the boiler and not rejected to the circulating water.
Assuming that 10 jicr cent, of the steam is withdrawn at
suitable points, and that the condensate leaves the con-
denser at 75 deg. F., its temperature would be raised about
JOO deg. in the surface heater and low-grade heat saved to
the extent of 1,000 heat units per lb. of tapped .-.team which
would otherwise have been lost to the sjitem. With about
•33 iier cent, of the total steaiu tapped the feed could be
raised in temperature about 'i'io deg., giving a total tempera-
ture of 300 deg. F.

Steam should not be tapped for heating until it has lost
all its superheat, as it is most efficient in the turbine when
sui^erheated, and is, in that condition, most mefficient as a
heating medium in a surface heater.

The effect upon the turbine efficiency is a slight improve-
ment in spite of the fact that low-pressure blades in steam
turbines are more efficient than high-pressure ones due to
reduction of tip clearance losses or diaphragm leakage and
disk or windage lo.sses. Thus in the l,p. blades the indicated
efficiency may be 85 per cent., but at the h.p. end only 65 per
cent, to 70 per cent. As more steam has to be passed through
the H.p. end to compensate for the steam abstracted before
the L.P. blades are reached, there is some lo.ss of efficiency, but
most of this is regained by the resultant lower steam veloci-
ties in the l.p, blades. With high-vacuum turbines, the
leaving loss may amount to 3.0 per cent, of the available heat
drop of the turbine. If, as assumed previou.sly. 23 per cent,
of. the steam is abstracted for feed heating, the velocity is
reduced nearly proportionately, and the leaving losses, which
vary as' the square of the velocity, are reduced from 3.0 per
cent, to about 1,8 per cent.

For this reason the overall efficiency ratio of the turbine ia
slightly improved, but, of com'se, as the heat available for
useful work in the turbine is reduced, an increased quantity
of steam has to be supplied to the turbine.

The flue gas temperature could be reduced even below the
normal figure attained with feed water at 100 deg. F. by
using the economiser, in a modified fonn, for heating the
air .supplied to the furnaces. ,\s the air would enter this
air heater at a low temperature the flue gases could be re-
duced to a very low temperature and induced draught used.
Such an air heater with flue gases and air on the two sides
of the tubes would probably have to be much larger than
the usual economiser to ab,sorb an equal amount of heat.

Instead of heating the feed entirely by tapped steam, tapped,
steam could be used to rais<- the temperature as high as
needed and steam from auxiliaries used for the ^nal heating.

The 'Second method of saving low-grade heat, re-heating
the steam after partial expansion, has not yet been applied
as a cominercial proposition. Extensive experiments were
made some years ago. but no pei-manent adoption of the
principle resulted therefrom. The theoretical gains to be
anticipated from reheating the steam have been developed
vei'y completely in an address recently given by Mr. W. 1\I.
Selvey before the I.E.E.* Quoting from that address, it ap-
pears that, starting with steam at a pressure of 500 lb. per
,sq. in. absolute, suuerheated to 688 deg. F.. the hest result
is given by two reheats to the same initial temperature at
pressures of T50 or 215 lb. absolute for the first reheat and
■45 or 50 lb. absolute for the second.

The overall efficiency may be increased by two reheats in
the ratio of 30.37 to 37.76 jier cent, .\gainst this theoretical
saving of 4.1 jx^r cent, in the coal bill have to be set the
annual charges on the extra cost of the inter-heaters and the
cost of operation. It therefore ajiiiears very doubtful -nhethep
the application of reheating would be a commercial pro-
po.sition at present. Attention to feed heating by auxiliary
and tapped steam from the turbine will repay attention much
more than reheating.

3.— Size of Gener.wing Sets.

In considering the maximum size of generating sets the
limiting factors are not concerned with the actual design and
con.struction, but rather with the question of transport. Given
the demand, there are no insuperable ilifficulties to prevent
an\'> suitablv equipped shops turning out a turbine lor a normal
output of iaiOOO KW.

The maximum output varies, inversely with the .square of
the speed, the vacuum (29 in.) and leaving losses (2i per cent.)
remaining constant. The following outputs are obtainable
at the speeds stated : —

860 r.p.m, ... 100 000 K.w. 1.500 r.p.m. ... 33,000 K.W
1,000 ., ... 74,000 „ 18,00 ,. ... 22,900 „

1,200 „ ... 52,000 „ 2, too „ ... 12,800 „

Machines are now being built or are rimning for outputs
of 10,000 KW, at 3,000 r,p,m, and 16,000 kw. .at 2.4<"tO r.p.m.,
but no machine is yet on order in this country for the output
stated above for 1.500 r.p.m.. the Jargest being 25.000 KW.
In the United States a 4o,000-KW. set is running at Detroit
at a speed of 1.000 r.p.m.

The desirability of turbines of the maximum-'siTie is quite
another matter, as is al.so the question whether there is any
need for sets of outputs above, say. .30.000 KW. normal. The
two main considerations leading to the adoption of larger
units are : —

1, Reduced operating .costs, the chief item being the steam
coiisumption, and

2, Reduced capital cost, - •

• Electrical Review, February 6th, 19'20, p. 187.

Yol. 8T. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.J THE ELECTKIOAL REYIEWo

37

The curve of strain consumption against normal capacity
becomes very flat after an output 'of ■2U,<MM to ^o.OOO Kw.,
and in the present stage of the art of turbine design, there
is no decided advantage in gomg beyond 3(l,U00 KW. noxmal
capacity. A very similar limit is reached \\hen the question
is approached from the viewpoint of capital cost. Already
rail transport is impossible with the larger portions of 15,U0(J
to ■2U,tMJ-KW. sets, and the cost of road tran.sport rises very
rapidly with weight of parts handled. The capital cost per
kilowatt capacity wiU probably go on decreasmg up to an
output of, say, '30,000 KW. normal, but after that it will
probably rise.

When considered from the operating side it would appear-
that the limit is certainly not above 30,000 kilow'atts, but^
in all but a few stations, much below it. The maximum load
should be carried by either two 6r three rimning sets, with
two extra sets, one under overhaul or repair and one spare
If the maximum demand is such that this principle would
require the installation of sets of the maximum economical
BJze (30,000 KW.), then any increase in demand would be
met by the installation of further units of this size. It would
appear that the maximum number of large sets in a station
should not exceed eight, cari-ying a load of 180,000 KW. If
two such stations were comparatively close together and
could be linked, a larger turbine might be justified.

The 30,000-KW. turbines would run at 1,.300 revolutions per
minute, and whUst a station with eight of tliese machines
would be. more economical, it would not have much financial
or tliermal advantage over a .station containing eight sets
each I if 10,000 KW., which would run at 3,000 revohitions.

4. — Drive of Auxiliaries.

In determining the method adopted for driving the various
.station auxiliaries, the points to be considered are : —

1. The main turbines mu.st not start non-condensing, and

'2. Each main unit should be self-contained as far as possible
and not dependent upon any other plant for its continuity
of running.

Examining the alternatives from the thermal efficiency
•standpoint, steam drive throughout appears advantageous pro-
vided that all the exhausts can be led to a feed heater, but
there is one objection. Many of the units are small, and the
auxiliaries, engines, or turbines could not efficiently utdise
the high pressure and highly suiierheated steam u.sed for the
main set.

The thermal efficiency of the small turbines or engines as,
therefore, very low compared with the main turbine, and the
same .steam would probably generate double the power in
the main turbine. However, whil.st high thermal efficiency
is desirable, no method must be adopted which causes the
main turbine to be started non-condending.

An all-electric drive appears to be necessary from the point
of view of efficiency in a modern high-pressure station, but
power derived from the main set will not all(^\' the set to
start up condensing, as no power is available until it is up
to speed. Separate condensing turbo-generators are quite satis-
factory, and it exhausting into a feed heater are highly
efficient.

With a 2i5,(XX)-KW. main set a 1,000-KW. auxiliary set would
provide all the power ivquired unless there was a large
demand for a cooling tower. If the small set exliausted at,
say. 5 lb. per .sq. in. gauge into a- surface feed-heater through
which the condensate from the main set was passed as
circulating water, the heat available would probably be suffi-
cient to raise its temperature by about 90 deg. to 100 deg.,
and thus reduce the number of tappings required on the
main turliine. Thermally this is the most efficient method
of generating the auxUiary power, as by this means it is
generated without rejecting any latent heat to the circulating
water system. The cost of the plant is quite reasonable, ami
the saving in fuel considerable.

5. — Maintenance of Efficiency.

Whilst the manufacturer usually thinks of the steam con-
sumption guarantees as demonstrated (or not) on the official
test, the purchaser's inter<'st is more la.sting. It is the
con.sidered opinion of turbin<i builders that, as they -cannot
control the handling and ojteration of the machine after it
has been taken over, they cannot be resixmsible for the steam
consumption alter that time. If called upon to give a
guarantee of steam consumption during or at the end of the
maintenance period certain stipulations are made, but the
turbine builder endeavours to use s-uch materials for the
blades and nozzles as will withstand the scouring action of
the steam for the maxiniuin period. With this object in view-
many series of experiments have been made, and more are
now being initiated to ascertain the most suitable material.
It is proposed to insert blades made of various materials in
turbines that have given trouble owing to blade erosion or
corrosion and observe their condition from time to time.
The mat(>rials being .so tried include monel metal, phosphor
bronze, mild steel, 3 per cent, nickel steel and stainless steel,
&c. In these cases the makers of the material are supplying
it for the test free of charge.

Generally speaking, erosion does not commence until the
steam has lost its superheat and becomes wet. although cor-
rosion due to acids in the .steam will occur at any part of
the blade sy.stem. Erosion will naturally be greater the higher
the steam velocity, and, therefore, the greater the heat drop

per stage. Sonle deterioration in efficiency is bound to take
place, but the extent of it is dependent upon the design. For
moderate steam velocities and low-stressed blades standard
70/30 turbine bronze is very satisfactory, and for higher
stresses and velocities a 3 per cent, nickel steel is used very
largely and w'ith success. The maintenance of efficiency is
mainly dependent upon the condition of the blades, but
there are other factors affecting it in a minor degree. If the
shaft whips, the gland and diaphragm clearances, or in re-
action turbines the tip clearances, will be increased, with an
increase in steam consumption.

6. — Condensing Plant.

The whole art of condensing plant design as it is now known
owes its existence to the turbme. In the old engme days a
■i6-in. vacuum was all that an engine could reaUy use, and in
fact the author know's of a case w-here an exhaust control valve
w-as fitted betw^een engine and condenser to prevent too great
a vacuum getting into the c'ylinder. With the development
(if the turbine the advantages of higher vacua were at once
apparent, and condensers became more than the' box of tubes
which they had been considered.

k good design of condenfer allow-s the steam to spread over
the whole length of tubes easily ; reduces the drop in pressure
from steam inlet to air pump suction to a minimum; works
on the counter-current principle; and concentrates th6 cooled
air at the air pump suction, the degree of coohng depending
upon the relative sizes of the air pump and the condenser for
their respective functions.

All condensers are now based upon the counter-cur-rent prin-
ciple, and the chief ditferences between various designs are
the arrangement of baffles and guides which distribute the
steam over the cooling surfaces and lead the condensate and
air to their respective exits. Purchasers have different ideas
as to the merits of a compaiatively large surface and a small
quantity of circulating water or a smaller surface and more
water. The former combination increases the cost of the
plant, but reduces operation costs, and the latter acts in the
reverse direction. It is usually better to reduce operating
costs at the expense of increased capital charges, particularly
with the greater load factors under which the large sets in a
lX)wer station now run.

The rotary air pump has been developed almost entirely
within the last 12 to 14 years. There are many forms in use
at the present time, aU using either a water jet or a combina-
tion of a water and steam jet. The chief claim made for all
types using a steam jet is that all the energy in the steam
used for the jet is conserved to the system, that not used for
doing the actual work of discharging the air drawn from
the condenser against a higher pressure being absorbed either
direct in the condensate or in a surface feed-water heater.
The same thermal claim has been made regarding the power
used to cuculate the water through the water jet. but the
desire to reduce the number of working parts led engineers
to devise means of doing away with this w-ater jet.

As a result the steam jet ejector has been developed, and is
now in general use. These are always of the compound type,
having two sets of steam jets operating in series, but in one
arrangement there is an intermediate heater fitted between
the tws sets of 'jets. This results in a considerable saving of
operating steam. Thus assuming that in the first jet five
volumes of steam are required to remove one volume of air.
the total volume to be removed in the second jet without inter-
mediate condensation would be six, and sufficient steam
would have to be supplied to handle this volume. When
intermediate condensation is used, the volume delivered to the
second jet is reduced by the elimination of the steam used
in the first jet with a resulting saving of steam in the second
jet. .\s with rotary air pumps using a steam jet, the heat in
the steam used in "the jets can be recovered by passing the
<ondensate from the main conden.ser through the intermediate
heater and also through another heater for the steam from
the second jet.

The use of a surface heater for this purpo.se is preferable
to leading the steam from the ejector into an open tank
containing the condensate, as the latter method causes the
conden-sate to become saturated with air.

In all cases where steam is used direct for air-extractmg
nurpo.ses and the energy remainini' in the .steam absorbed as
heat in the condensate," there is one important point which
should not be overlooked. Owing to the fact that the boiler
efficiency is below 100 per cent., the raising of any steam
always involves certain boiler losses, which are expressed in
increa.sed fuel consumption and are not recovered in con-
densing the jet steam in the conden.sate.

The same argument may be used against steam-driven
auxiliaries and in favour of electric driving throughout.

7, — ^Feed-watkr System.

.\ development which is coming very much to the front at
the present is the " closed " feed-w-ater system to prevent the
conden,sate absorbing air en rout^ from the condenser, to the
boiler. If steam could be obtained free from air. and no leak-
age occurred, no air pump would be required. If air were
then admitted even in small quantities the condenser would
eventually become air-drowned, and no vacuum would be
f)btained. An air pump of a certain capacity is fitted w'ith the
object of abstracting air at the rate it is entering the con-
denser. If the volumetric capacity of the air extractor remains

38

THE ELECTKlOAi UEVIEW [Vol. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.

constant, any alteration in the amount of air entering the
condenser causes a corresixindint; alteration in the density of
the air, so that the volume abstracted remains constant, with
a resulting alteration in vacuum. 11', therefore, the amouno
of air .entering the system can be reduced an increase of
vacuum will follow with the same air extractor and circulating
water. Leakage of air at the turbine glands should be now
practically non-existent, and the air in the system has been
reduced to that entering the boiler with the feed water. The
condensate as it leaves the condenser contains the minimuni
possible amount of air, and should be passed through a closed
meter, if one is required, and a surface feed-water heater,
instead of being pa.ssed over a weir for measurement, and
heated by "means of .special nozzles introducing exhaust steam
below the water level in heating tanks. It can be discharged
either direct to the feed pump suction or, if some flexibility
is required, the extraction ijump could discharge into a header
with small connecting pipes to a surge tank, the feed pumps
ilrawing from the same header. Whilst this may allow some
air to be absorbed by the condensate it would be a great
improvement over the u.sual open hotwell.

The make-np feed water should be deaerated, and the
method adopted depends on the quality of tlie watei'. If
good, it may be introduced into the bottom of the conden.ser,
cooling the air pump suction. It is then deaerated with the
condensate. Ur it may be passed through a special surface
lieater and be heated by .some auxiliary ejchaust steam if
available.

If it is of poor quaUty it should be passed through an
evaporator and a condenser, and the pure water then intro-
duced in either of the above ways, this method being pre-
ferable to the use of any chemical water-purifying plant
owing to the attention con.stantly required to adjust the
reagents to the water quality.

8.— GUARANTEKS AND TESTING.

On account of the present high cost of coal and the higher
load factor always given to the latest and most economical
turbine in any power station, many, if not most, of the con-
tracts for large turbo-alternators are placed on steam con-
sumption guarantees. The basis on which such guarantees are
given and the method of testing them are matters of great
importance, and often of financial importiance to both parties
to the contract. One basis of guarantees which has been
adopted occasionally, but which is not satisfactory, is for the
purchaser to specify a consumption under given conditions
and state that he will, pay a bonus for all reductions below
this figure. The normal method of the contractor .stating
his consumption with a penalty or bonus should this figure,
plus or minus a margin of 2.5 per cent., be exceeded or
improved, is the standard, and is quite satisfactory.

As a turbine is designed for the moat economical output,
and other loads cannot receive the same consideration from
the designer, the guarantees should be given only on the
most economical load, or if other load guarantees are required,
the sajiie importance should not attach to them as to the most
economical load. A true mean load guarantee meets this
point and is calculated as the average of the following : —
Consumption at '2-5 per cent, overload X 3.
Consumption at full load (most economical load) x 4.
Consumption at J load X 3.
Consumption at i load X 2.

With larger sets the half-load is not .so impoitant. and may
be omitted. The multiplying factors may be varied to .suit
the prevailing load conditions obtaining in' any power .station.
As to the amount of the penalty, turbine builders are very
loth to accept a penalty which would fully compensate a
purcha.ser for any excess steam consumption, but are usually
prepared to accept a reasonable penalty provided that a bonus
is al.so offered.

Penalty and bonus are reminders of the eqrly days when
the art of turbine design had not advanced to its present
st.indard. and steam consumption guarantees, although given
in good faith, would not be always obtained on test. There
is now only a very remote chance that either penalty or
bonus will be payable in connection with a contract placed
upon competitive tenders from re.spon.sible manufactuvr; s.

.\s to the method of testing, there are many I'.illcent
opinions particularly regarding the duration of the te-.:. The
chief difiic-ulty with large .sets is to provi(ie a steady sti^tion
load, as a water load cannot be considered. Once a steady
load and steam conditions are obtained an hour is quite
sutfi"ient.

( )re point regarding consumption tests which causes some
('is'-iission is the difficulty experienced in such stations mi
n-pi )ducing for the test the stenm conditions for which (he
tur^'ne was ordered. Turbine builders now ask that the
iiKir.'jn of 2i per cent, be increased by an nnuuint equal to
()n;^-(iuarter of the total corrections, irres|M'<'tivc nf dirertion.
in excess of 5 per cent.

r. — OVERALI, TnHRMAr. EFFICIENCV OV 1\)\VKR ST.4TI0N.

For all stations it is possible to obtain a Willans line con-
necting fuel consumption and units generated jier day.* This
allows the fuel or heat consumption to be calculated for all
daily load factors, and the actual consumption should be
ihecked against this regularly. On account of the varying
i-alor!fic value of different fuels, it is far better to refer to

' S'ee Electricai, Review, February 21st, 1919. .Article by
Mr. !i. H. Parsons.

heat units per unit generated than to lb. of coal. Mr. Samuel
Insull has stated that when the daily records from the Chicago
stJitions sfiow a heat consumption exceeding 2(I,IJ<JU British
thermal units per unit generated he begins to inquire what
has gone wrong. In a modern power station with a daily
load factor of 40 per cent, to 50 per cent, this figure is
probably a good lead.

10. — Conclusions.
Reviewing the varions points touched upon in this paper
dealing with the improvement of the thermal efficiency of a
large power station, the following <'onclusions seem to be
reached : —

1. That .steam pressures of 3.50 lb. per sq. in. (gauge) and
total steam temperatures of 700 deg. V. are quite suitable,
and that the.se figures may soon be raised to .500 lb. and
751 1 deg. V.

2. That vacua should be as high as possible, the vacuum
temperature being about 21 deg. F. above the water tem-
perature at SO deg. and about 2(j deg. f . above if the water
temperature be reduced to 55 deg. F.

3. That heating the condensate by the u.se of steam tapped
from the main turbine is desirable, and that the heating can,
under certain conditions, be carried with advantage up to a
temperature of ;iflO deg. F. by exhaust steam from auxiliaries
where available.

4. That reheating of the steam after partial expansion in
the turbine does not promi.se an adequate return.

5. That the manufacturer could, if called upon, design and
construct turbines and alternators for any .size up to 100,IKIO
KW., bull at a very great expense.

G. That the economical limit in size with a vacuum of
29 in. and leaving losses limited to 2J per cent, is probably
about 30,000 KW., which would run at l,.5O0 k.p.m.

7. That auxiliaries should be electrically driven, the power
being obtained from an auxiliary turbine exhausting into
a feed heater.

8. That in comparing air-extracting systems due considera-
tion nul^^t be given to the boiler losses incurred in raising
steam used in connection therewith.

9. That a closed feed-water system should be adopted.

10. That overall consumptions be expr.sesed in British ther-
mal units ]x-r unit generated and not in lb. of coal.

11. That "a maximum consumption of 20.000 h.th.u. per
unit generated be the objective in large stations.

DiSCUSSIOiN.

Mr. Holes, introducing the .subject, referreil to negotiations
with the B.E..A.M..\. which had taken place during the year,
and said that Mr. Robinson would put forward the manufac-
turers' .side of the question; he hoiked the members would
give the users' .side, and thus help to smooth aw'ny any diffi-
culties that might exist.

Mr. Robinson explained that the pai>er \vas the outcome
of an invitation from the I.M.E.A. to the B.E.A.M.A. to
provide a paper on the subject from the manufacturers' point
of view; a questionnaire was addressed to all members ot the
latter .Association who made turbine plant, add the paper
represented the substance of the replies, though there was
much matter which he had not been able to use. The paper,
therefore, did not represent his own views. He noticeil that
an article had appeared in the General Electric Rcrieir * de-
•scribing a large power station, and that in maaiy of its
features the conclusions reached were identical wiili tho.se
appended to his paper.

Mr. A. Q. CAHNEfiiE (of Me.s.srs C. A. Parsons A Co., Ltd.)
said the new power .station of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Elec-
tric Supply Co., Ltd., at Carville. had now been running
at an inlet temperature of about 700 deg. P. for about four
years. The increased temperature was found to produce
certain strains on the blading, due to expansion effects brought
about by change of load, but the further .sub-division of ihe
.'hroudiug strips on the blade tips completely got over this
trouble. Their research departyient at Heatnn works had
carried out a very coinplcie investigation on the behaviour
of ditlerent metals for blades under the actual conditions of
temperature met with in steam turbines. One of the simplest
tests for a blading material was that given by the " Sankey "
machine (an alternating bend test in which the material was
stre.s.sed beyond its ela.stic limit in alternate directions until
fracture occurred). \ heavy heating current was .passed
tlirough tlie specimen to maintain it at the de.sired tempera-
ture, which was measured with a thermo couple. "Sankey "
tests showed that a number of materials were suitable for
blade making, whose strength and toughness at turbine tem-
peratures were perfectly satisfactory, even above 7.50 deg. F.
The best of these materials were manganese copper contain-
ing 3 to 4 per cent, of manganese, certain cupro-nickels. mild
and 3 per cent, nickel steel, and monel metal; 70/30 brass
was suitable only for the lower temperatures. Steel blades
had the advantage of great strength, but were liable to cor-
rosion and erosion to a much greater extent than some of
the non-ferrous metals: monel metal lt«d the strength of steel
without being corrodible. Blade deterioration did not occur
in reaction turbines except to a very slight extent at the
exhau.st end. and even then it took place at the back of the
Idade, where it had no effect whatever on the efficiency of

* See Eu;cTHicAi. Rkvibw, ,lune 18th.

Vol. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

39

the turbine. Mauulactuiers uf reaction turbines took the
greatest interest and pride in the steam consumption of their
machines long after the official tests had been completed.
If would be a very good thing if station engineers would
repeat the official test, say once every year. The 10,000-kw.,
2,400-R.p.M. Parsons turbo-alternators at work at the Carville
power station were all built during the war; the first one was
put into service in 1916, but it was not possible to carry out
any official tests until Noveniber, 1919. the second machine
installed being the first cue to be tested. This machine (B'2)
had run from May, 1917, until November. 1919, a period of '2i

J

/j.

K

A

^

/^

'/

....

"it

c ".r^

;h:

f

^

//

it

[-"""w'.s""'"

^

t

/

/

/

/

/

Fio. 1. — Tk.sts on Three Parsons TuKBO-.iLTERNATons of
Ki.OlM) Ku... •2,400 R.P.M., AT Carville Power St.ition.

years. Tests had also been carried out on machines Nos.
B4 and Bo, B4 having been at work three months and B.5
one month before their respective tests. The results of these
tests, which were carried out by the testing stafi' of the
Newca.stle Electric Supply Co., were shown in the diagram,
fig. 1, the upper line being the guaranteed figures under
contract conditions, and the lower lines being the actual
results obtained on the three machines tested. The test
results lay so closely together that without referring to the
distinguishing marks it was almost impossible to reali.se that
three tests were shown. These figures showed remarkable

^^

^'Sfc-J^l^-X*,

ffo ^,^

^^

-^.-^

^--^

now be done by machines at theiv capacity and speed. A
'25,000-KW. turbo-alternator was supplied by his company to
the Fisk Street power station of the Commonwealth Edison
Co. at Chicago in 1914; the diagram, fig. '2, showed the results
of tests made in June, 1914, as well as in March, 1918. The
figures lay quite snugly along the line, and a further test
had been made within the last few months with the same
result. British engineers would be proud to hear that this
machine had proved the salvation of the power station at a
time when certain .American turbiiles had been playing at the
unpleasant game of " letting go." The use of fine tip clear-
ances was avoided in modern reaction turbines by the adoption
of "end-tightened blading." The radial clearance with this
blading could be made as large as desired, the usual figure
being 3/lG to -i in. Fig. 3 showed a turbine cylinder and
shaft partially bladed ; the blade bases, instead of being made
flush with the surfaces of the cylinder and spindle, were

Fig. 3. — Parsons " E.\d-tightened " Blading.

extended up so as to form a continuous barrier, against
which the shrouding on the blade tips could bear. The edge
of the shrouding was thinned away to a fine edge, so as to
reduce the rubbing surface to a minimum, and the whole of
the shrouds were ground up into intimate contact with the
projecting barriers, with the turbine at as near its working
temperature as possible. After grinding up, the shaft was
lined ofl' to a suitably fine running clearance, by fitting liners
behind the thrust bearing. Figs. 4 and 5 showed a group of
end-tightened blades with serrated caulking pieces ready for
insertion into the groove. The caulking piece was inserted

Fig.

-Tests on 'Jii.dlNI-KW. Pahson.s Tuhho-alternator
AT Chicago.

eonfoimity of results, and clearly demonstrated that a goo<l
result with a reaction turbine was not due to chance. They
also showed that the newest machine had no advantage over
the machine which had done 2i years' work, and that, there-
fore, no deterioration in efficiency had taken place during
this time. The first machine installed (Bl). which had been
running 3J years, had still to be tested, as had also B3, which
had been runnihg about 1'2 months, and he had alisolutely no
doubt but that the steam consumption points of these two
machines would squeeze themselves modestly into line with
those of the three machines shown on the diagram. The
steam conditions u.sually obtaining at Carville were 2.50 lb.
stop-valve pressure, (J.SO/700 deg. F. temperature, and 29/29.1
in. vacuum, the actual .steam consumption' at full load being
between 9.9 and ]0 lb. per kilnwatt-hour. The Carville tur-
bines did not by any means represent the best that could

Fig. 4. — Side View. Fig. .5. — Front View.

Figs. 4 and 5. — Blade I^mt -\ssemhi.ed, Brazed Solid at

Roots and Serrated; and Locking Piece.

at the end of the group, and driven into position in a cir-
cumferential direction; the serrations in the spindle grooves
were thus filled quite independently of the caulking, and
the slight buckling of the caulking piece when driven up
circumfereutially, set tip a very powerful side component or
toggling action, which ensured a perfect lock, and was prac-
tically independent of deUcate workmanship. The turbine
.shaft was maintained in position in an axial direction by
means of its adjustable thrust bearing, which was of the.
pivoted-pad type, and the shrouds on the blade tips could
be adjusted to run with safety with an axial clearance ranging
from 8 to 1-5 thou.sandths of an in<-h. depending on the size
of the turbine. Even in the case of careless handling, which
might po.Sisibly cause the projecting portion nf the shroud to be
ground away so as to destroy the efficiency of the packing,

4e

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.

the old isliruud could be easily leuaoved and ieplaced by a
uew oue with but Little loss ol xunniag time.

Mr. W. M. Selvex said that the author's explanation of
the origin of the paper disarmed iiiticism; with most of the
points put forward he was more or less in agreement. None
of the result.s given in the paper showed an advance on those
obtained ten years ago; the sugge.sted standard of dU,(XJO
B.TH.u. per unit was reached a long tijne ago. Very great
advances had been ma-de in the gcuei'ation of electricity
because power stations were getting loads which enabled
them to use XJlant of high eliicieucy. He agreed that no great
benefit was to be derived from iutei'heating. There was no
necessity to incur great expense on experimental plant, as
the results could be closely foretold by calculation, lie agreed
that sets of 10U,UOO KW. need not be considered; 30,U00 to
35,000 KW. was quite big enough. With regard to the mate-
rials lor blading, much money might be wasted on unneces-
sary exjjeriments; the materials m the boiler \vater were
more important — ^foreign matter was the cause of blade
erosion. The blades would be all right if they u.sed clean
water. The same was true of corrosion. He had met ^vith
only two examples of un.suitable materials for blades, and
it was unneces.sary to use these fancy metals; mild .steel was
quite .suitable. They could not get all or even most of the air
out of the water by the u.se of a closed-feed system, and it
was unnecessary to waste money on it. With regard to the
margins of 2i per cent, and 5 per cent, in testing, he saw
no rea.son for them ; if they had to have margins of 3 or 4 per
cent., tests \Aere useless — they could calculate the efficiency
from the design nearer than that. He heartily endorsed Mr.
Carnegie's figures, the result of tests carried out by Mr.
Pawsett; the accuracy of the tests showed that there w^as
no need for a margin. With regard to the '20,000 b.th.c.
which represented 17 per cent, efficiency, he said that 17,.5O0
was in sight; but were they to waste 80 per cent, of the
heat energy for all time? They should look forward to
utilising that 80 per cent.; he had .shown that low-grade
heat was applicable to many purpo.ses. Engineers were work-
ing " too olo.se to their job." There should be a r>ublic
utility engineer to control the use of fuel for all purposes in
an area, and respon.sible lor getting^the maxiruum value out
of it — then they would get results.

Mr. Lawsox (Cole, Marchent & Morley) asked if it was
pos.sible to pet jierfect instmments.

Mr. Selvev, referring to his I.E.E. paper of 1914. said that
lie there .showed how to secure an accuracy within 1 per cent.
The instruments used were specially designed for accuracy.

Dr. S. Z. DE Ferranti said that the paper went to the root
of electricity supply, dealing as it did with the all-important
question of efficiency. He referred to Lord Moulton's mis-
leading statements with regard to the relative values of gas
and electricity, and said that visions had a way of coming
true, and stimulated others to work on lines leading to success
and to the benefit of the community ; ten years ago, in his
I.E.E. presidential address, he had outlined the " all-electric "
idea. With regard to the efficiency of power stations, he
referred to the valuable and stimulating papers by Mr. Shaw
and Mr. Selvey before the I.E.E., and said that with a few
exceptions he agreed with Mr. Robinson on the technical
facts. Improvement could be effected in three ways : by in-
crease of working temperature, by recuperating low-tempera-
ture heat, and by inciease in size of plant. The boiler house
was largely responsible for failure to realise in normal work-
ing the excellent "results obtained on test. They .should en-
deavour to maintain the efficiency of boilers irrespective of
the time they had been in u.se, and the boilers and furnaces
should be so designed that the stand-by losses were avoided.
With higher steam pressures, the plant would be more costly
to install and maintain. The best pressure was 500 lb. per
sq. in. The system of " bleeding " the turbine to heat the
feed-water was very attractive, and saved 5 per cent, on
pajx'r, but it was disappointing in reality. But progressive
feed heating effected a real thermal saving. He went into
this fully in 1906. Degradation of temperature was fatal to
economy, but progressive feed heating avoided degradation.
The condensate was taken from the hot well and progressively
heated by taking steam from different points of the turbine.
The system had a high theoretical efficiency, and was being
tried on tw5 '20.000-KW. turbines on the North-East Coast. With
the same turbines resui>erheat was to be used on the lines
which he applied long ago to a Vickers turbine. He believed
that no saving was too trivial to be taken into account if they
were going to supply eleclricity cheaply. ,\s the result of
a great many experiments during the past 15 years they would
soon have -stations which would return on the switchboard
28 per cent, or more of the energy in the fuel. There was no
fundamental difficulty in realising that result commercially.
Electricity would succeed on its own merits — nothing could
stop it; legislation was needed to put the electrical industry
m ordw, and everything .should be done along lines which
would fit in with the use of electricity foi' everything. In
his presidential addre.ss he had postulated a thennal efficiency
of 25 per cent.; they were going rajiidly in that direction,
and had not reached a limit. Efllciericics would go up. and
these visions would be realised. By obtaining this paper the
Association had done the indus-ti-y a great service.

Mr. G. W'lLKlNSON (Harrogate) said they had either to
cheapen production or to raise the price of electricity. They
ought to use part of that wasted 80 per cent, (of which they

ought to be ashamed). As a solution of the difficulty he
advocated the introduction into steam turbine stations of
some form of internal combustion engine, which would effect
an nnprovement of 10 to 15 per cent., and would materially
change the commercial aspect of the question. The internal-
<ouibustion engine, it was true, was not yet made in large
sizes, but the Germans had used oil engines up to 4(X) H.P.
per cylinder; with thi-ee cylinders acting on one <-rank, and
six cranks, they would gef 7,200 h.v. in one .set. Such
engines forming up to 25 or .30 per cent, of the plant would
provide sufficient boiling water for the boilers. Tlie et-ono-
iniser was getting out of date; it was the weak spot in the
boiler house, and if placed above the boilers was a source
of danger to the stokers, besides adding to the cost of the
buildings. Substituting a hot-air economiser, they would
increase the_ boiler efficiency, and burn .50 or 100 per cent.
more fuel efficiently, with mechanical draught, while a smaller
boiler capacity would suffice. The condensing plant would
be smaller and cheaper, less condensing water would be
required, and the cost of electricity would be reduced, thus
helping the country to make a rapid economic recovery.

Mr. Swallow (Messrs Richardsons, Westgarth & Co.) de-
.scribed the paper as a classic. With regajd to the condensing
plant, he agreed that electric driving was preferable for the
auxiharies, on the .score of reliability and economy. In large
installations his firm preferred to divide the pumping plant
into two .sections, each capable of dealing with the whole of
the load. If a steam ejectoiiwere u.sed in series with a water
ejector, the combination used only three-quarters the steam
required by a two-jet steam pump, producing a '2S-in. vacuum.
The use of evaporators to provide pure water was not as
w'idely adopted in this country as it should be; where hard
water was used there was continual boiler trouble, but by
installing evaporators that trouble was done away with.
The exhaust from the feed pumps could lie used for heating
the evaporators.

Mr. F. Ayton (Ipswich) referred to the importance of pre-
venting the corro.sion of turbine blatfing; it was his experience
that the corrosion took place when the turbine was standing,
and could be stopped by removing the water vapour from
the turbine casing by means of a daught of air. He doubted
whether Mr. Wilkinson could burn more coal of the quality
now available, on any grate; where efficiency was wanteil
was at the coal pit — in cleaning the coal. An interesting
report on the subject of power station design was submitted
at the N.E.L.-'V. Convention last month; it was .stated that
pressures up to 1.000 lb. per sq. in., and a maximum tempera-
ture of 8(X1 deg. P., were contemplated, but at preamt 3(KJ lb.
pressure and 700 deg. might be taken as the practical limits,
and would require a high degree of operating skill. Smaller
stations T\ould not exceed 2.50 lb. and (300 deg. for some time
.to come. Real operating difficulties had been met with in
connection with valves and fittings in the neighbourhood
of 300 lb. pressure. The serious turbine breakdowns in
America had all been in connection with the impulse t.vpe.
The initial cause was whipping of the shaft, causing rubbing
and heating, which increased the distortion. Tnited States
manufacturers had, therefore, changed the method of packing
the diaphragms, putting the teeth on the shaft instead of
on the diaphragm, and thus reducing the tendency to heat-
ing the shaft in case of contact. ,

Mr. I.EA (Lea Recorder Co.), referring to the author's
objection to passing the condensate over a weir, said that
there was great diversity of opinion as to the cause of corro-
sion, which had been known to take place where pure water
was used, without a weir. He denied that falling over a,
weir appreciably aerated the water, but held that a great
deal of an- was 'absorbed in the open hot well. The t'ondensate
was not so pure as it was supjwsed to be, and the weir notch
only added 2.5 per cent, to the air present in the water iu
the hot well.

Mr. P. V. Hunter emphasised the ini porta lue of small
gains in efficiency, to which Dr. Ferranti had drawn attention.
Nowadays load factors were high, and engineers ran their
newest and mo.st efficient plant on full load as many houis
as pos.sible; the station load factor had no bearing on that
of the new plant, which was very high. The maximum ther-
mal efficiency attainable if all the plant had nt> losses was
35 or 36 per cent., but in practice only half that value was
realised; hence a very small improvement in running effi-
ciency was important, apart from changes in design. How
could the low-temperature heat, now thrown away, he
utilised'? Possibly it could be employed to stimulate the
growth of plants. It was common knowledge that a station
designed on Dr. Perranti's lines was Iji-ing erected on the
North-Eas,t Coast, using a pressure of 5(Kt lb. and a tem-
perature of 700 deg. P. The steam would be reheated in
two .stages, and the condensate in three. The station was
designed for a thermal efficiency of 245 l^'r cent., and tliere
was little doubt that that figure would be attained. But
it was only worth while with a station load factor of SO l>er
cent., owing to the cost of installation and attendance.

Mr. RoDiNso.N, replying to the discussion, said that a
.special conmiittee of the B.E..'V.M..\. was considering the
materials for blading, and trial blades were to be fitted in
certain turbines that had given trouble. He had not sug-
gested the total elimination of air from the feed water: the
condensate contained the minimum amount of air,' and the

Vol. 87. No. 2,221, July 9, 1920.] THE ELECTKlCAL REVIEW.

41

closed feed system was intended to exclude additional air.
He agreed with Mr. Selvey that tests could be carried out
with an accuracy within '2| per cent., but in many stations
the specified steam conditions could not be realised, and the
necessary corrections sometimes amounted to 20 per cent. ;
if, then, the result fell '2 per cent, short of the guarantee
the manufacturer was penalised ! Hence the necessity of a
margin. Progressive feed heating with small differences of
temperature was the most economical method, but could not
be fully carried out ; he suggested four stages for a pressure of
300 lb. He did not favour the idea of an int-ernal combustion
engine with 18 cylinders. He agreed that evaporators were
desirable, but was not convinced that weirs did not aerate the
condensate. He doubted whether the gain due to bleeding
turbines would compensate for the increased complication,
and pointed out that reheating entailed losses. In conclusion,
he expressed the desire of the B.E.A.M..\. to help the
I.M.E.A. on the path of progress, and suggested that the
Convention should be expanded to include all branches of
the industry.

Mr. Roles, referring to the advisability of seeing questions
from both sides, said he had long thought that they might
be more, catholic in admitting other branches of the electricity
supply industry to the Convention.

IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTOR-CARS: ELECTRIC
LIGHTING AND STARTING.

By p. H. HUTTON.

The opinions expressed on this subject in the Times of
May 16th, while interesting, can hardly pass unchal-
lenged ; probably they were not expected to do so. The
writer of the article in question, apparently in all
sincerity, puts forward the view that, because of the
inexperience in electrical matters of the average motor-
owner and the consequent apparent complication of the
necessary apparatus, progress in this direction should
be stopped, and a return should be made to paraffin
and acetylene lamps and to the low-tension magneto.
From the same point of view would he recommend,
because the practice of wireless telegraphy necessitates
a grasp of electrical matters and some study of the
science by those who use it and have charge of the really
complicated apparatus involved, that we should revert
to the heliograph and semaphore? Undoubtedly in the
latter cases the desired simplification is retained. Sim-
plification in numberless other directions can be obtained
by following out the same principles to their logical
conclusion. If this idea were carried out as regards
electric lighting and starting on cars in this country
the natural result would be that other nations would
progress while we receded, for there is no standing still
in such matters — it is a case of going ahead or astern.
The magneto industry itself furnishes an example of
the danger of allowing other nations to acquire know-
ledge and experience of manufacturing scientific ap-
paratus while we go to sleep, for at the beginning of
the war the experience of magneto manufacture in this
country was practically nil, and it is to the everlasting
credit of a few energetic firms that the enormous difii-
culties of initiating such an industry in wartime were
overcome.

The writer of the article truly remarks that it is
self-evident that at the present moment electric light
is the most popular illumination system ^^r motor cars,
and that its superficial advantages are too patent to
admit of argument ; he contends, however, that the eost
is too high, and that although the average motor-owner
has aci]uired enough knowledge and experience to look
after such thinsjs as valves, magneto, carburetter, &c.,
he "fears and mistrusts electric light and engine
starters." \Yhy the magneto should be plagpd among
permissible .ippar.atu8 while dynamos and motors are
on the blank list is n-ot easy to understand, since many
more intricate problems are bound up in the former
than in the latter. It is presumably a rase of fami-
liarity breeding confidence, and it is just this argument
that it is wighed to bring forward with regard to other

electrical apparatus on cars. The civilised world is
becoming more .' electrified " every day; knowledge of
electrical engineering is increasing on all sides and
among all classes; electricity is used for lighting wher-
ever a supply can be obtained ; for the purpose of
applying power to industry and domestic needs it is
unrivalled; even for heating purposes, where the cost
compares unfavourably with other methods, there is
an insistent demand i'or it owing to the convenience f
and cleanliness which in the long run often outbalance
the extra cost. With all this increasing knowledge of
electrical engineering it will surely come about that the
average motor-owner will soon acquire enough famili-
arity with the subject to look after his electric lighting
and starting system, especially when he has become
aware of the enormous convenience which such systems
confer. For it is not only in connection with lighting
and starting that electricity is found useful on a car.
It is the most convenient means of sounding a horn;
it is by far the most adaptable method of warming the
carburetter, and so allowing the use of inferior fuels ;
it is invaluable for an inspection latup; it warms the
driver's gloves and the passenger's foot^mufi ; pumps the
tires; and it is ideal for heating the vulcaniser. Since
all these advantages in addition to the benefits of all
lights, both exterior and interior, and engine-starting
are to be obtained for the small amount of mental
exertion necessary to understand the elements of electri-
city, how many people would wish to return to the
miseries of fitful and inefficient paraffin and acetylene
lamps 1

On the argument of cost we have only to look across
the Atlantic, to the land of democratic motoring and
cheap cars, where there is one motor vehicle to every
14 inhabitants. In that country it would be about as
easy now to sell a car without an electric lighting and
starting system as a horse with only three legs, and, as
a matter of fact, ever since the year 1917 over 99 per
cent, of the cars have been so fitted. Even the humble
Ford h.as had to follow suit.

As regards reliability and the amount of attention
required for electrical systems, the following extract
from the Electricai. Review, giving the experience of
a private owner in this country, may be of interest.
" In 1915 I purchased an American car fitted with
electric lighting and an electric starter by secondary
cells charged from a dynamo which could also be used
as a motor. This equipment has given me complete
satisfaction over a period of nearly five years. Energy
is provided for starting the engine from cold even n
winter, for lighting seven lamps, for firing the engine,
and for actuating the horn. Up to date the car has
run some 9,000 miles, mostly on short journeys, and
the engine has never once been started by hand. The
small mileage is due, of course, to the war, but the
short journeys have meant very frequent engine start-
ing and a consequent heavy tax on the batteries, but
the three cells have stood up to the work, and have not
so far required any attention other than a little dis-
tilled water once a month."

One wonders what this owner of a five-year-old car
would remark if he were advised to eto back to a car
with paraflSn side and tail lamps, with acetylene head-
lights, and with low-tension magneto ignition !

Japanese Trade with India. — A correspondent of The

Timi's Trade Siiiipleiiipnt states that .Japanese competition in the
Indian market seems likelv 'o prove more serious than is ffenerally
realisf d. " So far as it has taken place at present it bears the
anpf arance of heiDjr part of a studied plan, an essential feature of
which seems to be to lull British traders into the feelin? that
Japanese goods will always bo of the cheap showy type for the
bazaar trade, whilst at the same time a sound footing- is bein^
oVitained for future business in heavy electrical plant, rubber and
chemical poods, cutlery and heavy metal prcdncts. . . .

" .4 part from the textile trade, refrardinir which snch strenuous
efforts are beiner msde by Japan, the principal inroads into Indian
trsde by that country will be in connection with electric cables
and accessories, plant and machinery, hardware, paper, cutlery,
paints, chemicals, aiid haberdaehery."

42

THE ELECTRICAL EEYIEWo

[Vol. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.

A PROPOSED IMPERIAL WIRELESS CHAIN.

The Committee's Report.

Thb Impbrul Wireless Committee, of which Sir Henry
Nonnan was chairmau, and which was appointed to prepare
a complet-e scheme ui Imperial wii-eless communication, issued
its report last week (Cmd. 777. Price 6d. net).

The ^^"ar Office presented to the committee a sc'heme calling
for the construction of '22 main stations and 23 subsidiary
stations, the total capital cost of which would be many mil-
lions of pounds. The committee is of the opinion that the
chief mihtary and aii- force needs will be met by the scheme
necessary for commercial requirements, and adopted the
principle that if one of the fighting services .should hereafter
require subsidiary communication with a locality where httle
or no commercial need exists, or is hkely to arise, the station
in such locality would be erected and maintained at the cost
of the service requiring it. It would be unreasonable to
handicap a commercial Imperial scheme with the cost of
purely mOitary needs of any kind.

In summary form, the conclusions reached by the Com-
mittee are as follows : —

Proposals for an Imperial wireless chain usually contemplate
links of about 4,000 miles each — the distances, for in.stance,
between England and India, and between India and Aus-
tralia. For these distances all spark systems are obsolete,
and the high-frequency alternator in its present state of
development is costly, difficult to repair, and as yet insuffi-
ciently tested in prolonged operation. Therefore the arc
system, the most widely used to-day for long-distance wire-
less communication, would have to be adopted. It is, how-

Proposed Imperial Wireless Chain.

ever, impossible to say beforehand what power would be
required at such ranges for a satisfactory commercial wireless
service, which the Committee defines as a 24-hours a day
service, not subject to frequent interruptions and repetitions,
reliable, working at high speed, and of a capital cost and
annual expenditure such that at rates low enough to attract
a large traffic it might speedily become self-supporting.

No satisfactory commercial service, as thus defined, over
even half the above range, is in existence anywhere at the
present time.

The cost of a pair of stations in England and India, equipped
in about two years with the smallest arcs likely to effect
this communication, would be £615.000, and the annual
charges -6155,000. Yet no certainty could be felt that this
power would be adequate, since no such arc is working
efficiently anywhere to-day under conditions enabling its
efficiency to be judged, and it would be unwi.se to incur the
cost of the larger arcs until acquainted with the results
of the workine of an arc of greater power than any hitherto
constmcted. shortly to be in operation by the French Govern-
ment.* Moreover, the possibility that the arc system is
obsolescent nmst not be overlooked. The Committee con-
cludes, therefore, that an Imperial wireless chain of 4,000-
mile links bridged bv arc transmission is, alike on technical
and economic grounds, for the present inexpedient, and seeks
another solution of the problem.

This is found in the two complemental facts that the chief
countries of the Empire can be connected, both commercially
and strategically, by links of about 2.000 miles, and that the
advance of wireless science has rendered it possible to produce
wireless nower sufficient for this range by the emnloyment
of thermionic valves. The current thus generated admits
of the sharpest tuning, allowing the use of a large number of

• Eleo. Rev., April 2nd, 1920, pp. 423-6.

contiguous wave-lengths, and it is particularly suitable for
high-speed working. Important experiments m the design
and construction of valves have been carried out at the Naval
Signal School at Portsmouth, in high-speed signalUng by the
use of valves at the Army Signals K.xperimental Establish-
ment at Woolwich, and at the Post Office. The valve system
js undoubtedly in the line of future development of wireless
telegraphy, and it promises tu cost le.^s than the arc sj'stem
to install and operate.

A Post Office wireless service by arcs, sanctioned by the
Cabinet last year, will shortly be in operation between Eng-
land and Egypt. In the Committee's opinion this service
should carry all the African traffic, through a new valve
station near Nairobi, East Africa, and the ex-German station
at Windhuk, South Africa, the latter being transformable at
slight expense into an efficient valve station. For the Indian,
Par Eastern, and Australian service it is propoesd that valve
stations should be erected in England, near Cairo in Egypt,
in India, at Singapore, at Hong-Hong, and on the north or
west coast of Austeha.

The Imperial wireless scheme recommended is shown in
the accompanying map. The Coujmittee is of opinion that
by this procedure official, commercial, and Press traffic will
be carried reliably, expeditiously, and economically, and that
essential strategic needs will be met.

Communication between England and Canada can be
secured by similar valve stations in each country, but this
highly desirable service must be decided upon by conference
lietween the British and Dominion
authorities. A satisfactory commercial
service between Western Canada- and
Australia is regarded as of such extreme
difficulty at the present stage of develop-
ment as to be beyond practical con-
sideration.

The capital cost of the scheme out-
lined above is estimated at j£l,243,0(X).
of which £853.000 would be payable by
the Imperial Government. The annual
charges, including interest on capital^ at
6^ per cent., and complete amortisation
of all plant and buildings within a pro-
per peiiod. are estimated at £425,000,
of which .£26.5.000 would fall upon the
Imperial Government. The total esti-
mated annual traffic for the whole ser-
vice would be about 10,000,000 words.
producing a revenue of £325,000, of
which £205,000 would be receivable by
the Imperial Government.

On balance, the opening years would
show an annual loss of about £100,000,
of which £63.000 would be payable by
the Imperial Government, £4,000 by the
Indian Government, £20.000 by the
Australian Government, and £13,000 by
the South African Government. The
Committee is of opinion that this initial loss is less than might
have been expected ; that its proposals represent the quickest
method, consistent with the greatest economy, by which a
satisfactorv Imi>erial service, embodying the latest scientific
progress, can be secured ; that these losses will decrease year
by year, and will be turned into a profit in ten years; and
that in any case the loss may he regarded as negligible m com-
parison with the Imperial benefits conferred.

The chain of stations, at least three-quarters of the material
of which would be supplied by commercial manufacturing
firms, should be completed in two years after the issue of
the plans and specifications. , ^ ....

The practical procedure to give effect to the Committees
recommendations would be the creation of a Wireless Com-
mission of about four members to plan the stations as units,
in accordance with modern wireless science, in order to secure
the necessarv correlation of all the <'onstituent factors. This
Commission would presumably he no longer requured when
the stations were completed. The Committee proposes that
the construction of the stations to the plans furnished by
the Commission .should be entrusted to the engineering de-
partment of the Post Office, which posses,ses the organisation
and experience necessary to the satisfactory execution of th! =
work, and to the correspondinfr overseas authorities.

The Committee has examined, as requested, the proposals
submitted to the Government by the Marconi Co.* It finds
these too vague to admit of detailed comment, but so far as
it can judge the scheme it appears to he of a scope and
magnitude so great, and involving such heavy capital and
annual exp<>nse, that even if it carried the whole of the
traffic handled to-day by all the cable companies s<mviiy'
it could only be remunerative, if at all.

the
by

same region.. .. — •„-- ,.- . r • i j j

duplicating the Postmaster-General s system of inland and

• Elec. Rev., March 19th, 1920, pp. 377-9.

Vol. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.]

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

43

continental telegraphy, and by competing with the State
telegraph systems of the various overseas Governments. It
is fui'ther of opinion that if fully carried out it would be
prejudicial to the interests of free vrireless research and
mdependent development.

Upon the technical side of the proposals the information
given affords no basis for judgment, but the Committee does
not accept the statement that an Imperial service can be
satisfactorily carried out only by the use of a particular patent
owned by the company.

On the other hand, the Committee is of opinion that of
Imperial wireless traffic were carried out by the State, long-
distance wireless traffic with foreign countries might properly
be left, under suitable conditions, to the commercial com-
panies. Both services would profit by this healthy competi-
tion.

The considerations and arguments upon which the above
conclusions are based are set forth in detail in the report.

LEGAL.

Spencer v. Adams.
In the City of London Court, on June 29th, Mr. George H.
Spencer, TufneU Park Road, .sued Mr. Maurice Adams, Bed-
ford Park, for ^15 19s. lOd. lor installing the electric light
at premises at Hounslow and Kuislip. Plaintiff said that the
work came altogether to ±'30, and he had been paid halt on
account. He admitted in cross-examination that he gave the
estimate to Maurice Adams Concrete Construction Co., Ltd.,
Fore Street, of which the defendant was the managing direc-
tor, but he was not suing the company because he did not
think they were liable.

Mr. CosTELLO, defendant's counsel, said the company gave
the orders and paid the sum mentioned on account. All the
documents showed that the company were the people with
whom the plaintiff dealt and not Mr. Adams personally.

.\ssistant Judge J.\ckson was afraid the plaintiff had made
a mistake. Why had the company not paid instead of allow-
ing the defendant to be sued?

Mr. CosTELLO said unfortunately the company was in liqui-
dation. This was the whole of the trouble.

Assistant Judge J.^ckson said it was very hard on the plain-
tiff that he ha<l fitted up the premi.ses nominated by the
defendant's company, and he had not been paid.

Mr. CosTELLO replied it would also be hard on Mr. Adams
if he had to pay the debts of the company.

Assistant Judge Jackson agreed, and said he did not think
the defendant was personally liable. Judgment for him w-ith
costs.

German Lamp Patents.

Before Mr. Justice Eussell, in the Chancery Division, on
Friday, July 2nd, an action was tried in which the Osram-
Robertson Lamp Works, Ltd., asked for a declaration that
they were the beneficial owners of letters patent Nos. 22S4
of 1912, 15360 of 1913, and 19729 of 1914, the latter granted
to the Public Trustee, and the two former vested in the
Public Trustee by an order of the Board of Trade of Octolaer
30th, 1918, and that they were entitled to have the letters
patent transferred to them. The Public Trustee and the
Deutsche Gasgluhlicht Aktiengesellschaft, of Berlin, were cited
as the defendants.

Sir Arthur Colefax, K.C., and Mr. Austin Cartmell ap-
peared for the Public Trustee as the custodian of the letters
patent; and Mr. J. Hunter Gray, K.C., and Mr. James White-
head, for the plaintiffs.

The letters patent related to improvements in connection
w-ith the manufacture of wolfram and molybdenum filament
lamps, and Mr. Gray said there was an agreement with the
German company under which the plaintiffs were entitled
to the benefit of anv improvements in this country which
might be made by the German company. From 1907 quite
a number of improvements were communicated to them by
the German company, were patented bv the plaintiffs, and
the patents were now vested in them. As lecarded the first
two the Germans were pure trustees, thp whole of the bene-
ficial estate having pas.sed to the plaintiffs. .\s to the third,
the communication of the invention was made in June. 1914,
hut the necessary papers could not be completed before the
war broke out. As a matter of law a person who got com-
munication from abroad of an invention was entitled to apply
for a patent for it as being the fir.st importer.

His Lordship : Of what?

CouNSKi : Of the invention. The person who first intro-
duces the invention into this countiw from some othc- countrv,
however he does it, is entitled to 'he the first and true in-
ventor within the meanirc of the Act. .4s regarded the
present rase, he submitted that the wholp of the beneficial
interest had passed before the cmtbreak of war.

Sir Arthdr Colefax explained that the jxisition of the
Public Trustee was that of custodian of the patents granted
to the German companv. and it was for the nlaiptiffs to prove
that thev had the legal rinht which thev claimed. In regard
to_ the first two. he thought they had proved their case, hut
with regard to the third there wag some question.

His LoRUSHiP, in giving judgment, said the procedure under
the agreement was that the invention or improvement, as the
case might be, which tlie German company made, was die-
closed to the plaintiffs, and the necessary papers were pre-
pared over here to be lodged at the Patent Office. The patent
would be sealed iu favour of the German company, and the
German company would assign it to the British company.
That practice was followed in all cases except two, the first
two. As regarded those, what happened was that the patents
were granted to the German company, and the assignment
by them to the plaintiffs was executed. But when the war
broke out they were, under the order of the Board of Ti-ade,
vested in the custodian. As regarded the third patent, by the
time the papers were ready to be sent to Germany for signa-
ture war had broken out. and the papers could not be sent,
and the patent was granted to the custodian as patentee.
The answer on behalf of the custodian was that the patents
were not patents within the meaning and scope of the agree-
ment of 1907. The first related to the description, and as
wolfram and molybdenum formed part of it he held that it
concerned an improvement of filament lamps of these par-
ticular descriptions, and was within the meaning of the agree-
ment. The second dealt with the addition of a reflecting
«siirface to the globe of the lamp, and the third was an inven-
tion designed to reduce the temperature of the gas in the
half-watt lamp so that the wires leading into the lamp would
be less likely to be fused. He held that .all three letters
patent came within the scope of the agreement and should
he assigned to the plaintiffs by the custodian, and he made
an order accordingly.

Engineer Sentenced.
At Greenock Sheriff Court, John Keith Robertson, engineer,
was sent to prison for sixty days foi' damaging the electrical
machinery in the shipyard of Messrs. Ferguson Bros.. Port
Glasgow. It was stated that Robertson had had a dispute
regarding wages, and had left the firm's employment. He
returned on Saturday night, entered the works, and put the
electrical machinery out of gear by running away the oil
and throwing .sand into the bearings. When the workmen
tried to start the engines on Monday morning a large volume
of smoke and flames burst out, the men's lives being en-
dangered. A number of men were thrown idle, and ^100 in
wages was lost.

Failure to Protect a Crane.
At the Gateshead-on-Tyne Police Court, on 2nd inst.. Sir
W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co.. Ltd., were charged
with having failed to protect an overhead electric crane " so as
to prevent danger, so far as was reasonably practicable " at
Cln.se Works, on April 29th.

Mr. Lauder, H.M. Inspector of Factories, said the crane
in question was supplied with direct current from trolley
wires which were underneath the crane, but above the crane.
on the roof girders, were three other trolley wires supplying
alternating current to other cranes. On the top of the crane
in question was a cnrriaae. and on one side of it was a plat-
form which faced the trolley wires. The three wires were
immediately over part of the platform, the distance being
4 ft. 1} in. They carried a 440-voIt current. On the day
of the charge two men were sent up to repair the crane; the
wi'-ps were alive.

J. Lanoley, chnrgeman millwright, said .since the inspector's
visit a fencinc had been erected on the crane to prevent
contact with the wires.

\ fine of £W was imposed.

Charge of Stealing Lamps.
.\t the West London Police Court, on Saturday, before Mr.
Boyd. Jack West. 17. was charged on remand with .steah'ng
electric lamns. The evidence given at the previous hearing
was reported in the Electrical Review. June 2.3th, p. 809.

To Det.-Sersi. Parsons he confessed to 17 cases, and had
rendered nssistance to the police in recoverinir the property.

He had not been in the hands of the police before, and
the magistrates hound him over in .£10 to come up for
judgment if called upon within two years.

Electricuns as Shopbreakers.
At Scarborough Qiiarter Sessions, on Fridav last, three
brothers, Harry (-30). Ernest (24), and William Thompson (22V
all living and c.irryinc on a business as electricians at 114.
Victoria Road. Scarhorouch. were sent to prison in connec-
tion with shopbreakina on the Sna and at North Side, and
.stealing a larfe quantity of valuable eoods. The two vounffer
brothers admitted the thefts, and the elder pleaded guUtv
to receivint;. It transpired that the young men are native.'?
of Rotherham, and only recently settled in Scarhorourrh.
where thev had established what seemed to be a hnna-fldr
business. They had agreed to purchase their premises, and
deposited £IW. Ernest had been caught in the act of shop-
hreakin? and the other two. who escaped, were arrested pt
home, where the proceeds of twelve rnhberies were recovered.
The father of the prisoners .said he could not nccoun* for th^ir
conduct, unless it could be attributed to their life in the
.^rmy. The police had no record aeainst the men.

The Recorder sent Harry to prison for three months, and
the others for six months, all in the second division.

44

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. s:. no. j.aa*. jult 9, 1920.

BUSINESS NOTES.

The " Electrical Review " Index.— The Index to Vol. 86
of the Elbctbical Review, which will shortly be printed, will
be supplied only to those who, through the post, specially apply
for it. To auoh it will be supplied for sixpence post free. Any
reader or advertiser, at home or abroad, who requires a copy for
binding or for other purposes, is asked to make early application
therefor to the Publisher, Electrical Review, 4, Ludgate Hill,
London, EC. 4.

Englisli Electric in Australia. — The appointment of Mr.

G. Weymouth, of G. Weymouth Pty., Ltd., Melbourne, and Messrs J. B.
Nicholson and A. A. Stewart, as managing directors of the English
Electric Co., of Australia, has been confirmed. An order has been
received from the New South Wales Railway department for two
tnrbo-alternators complete, to be manufactured locally. These
will be the first completed units to be manufactured in Australia.
The contract amount exceeded £60,000.— Tenders.

The A.E.G. in Sweden.— The Elektriska Aktie-Bolag
A.E.G. has decided to increase the share capital from 1,000,000 kr.
to 5,000,000 kr., by the issue of new shares of 1,000 kr. at par.
The right of subscription is esfclusively held by the A.E.G. of
Berlin.

Big Scheme for Dowlais Steel Works. — The Dail//
C/iroHifle states that Messrs. Guest. Keen & Nettlefold, Ltd,,
are preparing a site for the erection of an electrical power station,
arangeof coke ovens, and other developments, ,at Dowlais steel
works, at a cost of three-quarters of a million.

The Crisis in Japan. — An Exchange Telegraph dispatch
from Tientsin states, under date July 1st, that owing to the
serious industrial outlook in the copper and steel trades at Osaka,
the important Japanese centre, the Japanese Government has come
to the relief of these industries and is advancing 20 million yen,
thus averting an increase of unemployment.

Bankruptcy Proceedings.— J. W. Leaslet, electrician,

late of 103, Mansfield Road, Nottingham.— First and final dividend
of 20s. in the £ payable July 14th at the Official Receiver's oflnces,
4, Castle Place, Nottingham.

Ivor James Hodson, and Basil Howard Newman (trading
as Hodson & Newman), electrical engineers, 85, Queen Street,
Exeter. — The first meeting of creditors in this matter was held on
July Ist at Exeter. The statement of affairs showed liabilities
amounting to £745, and assets £225. thus leavi.ig a deficiency of
£520. It was stated in the deficiency account that the net trading
loss from July 10th, 1919. waa £138. and £150 was put down for
depreciation in stock-in-trade. The OiHcial Receiver observed that
the debtors had filed their petition in consequence of a levy of
execution upon their stock in-trade. They commenced business at
Exeter on July 10th, 1919, with a capital of £20. The chief item
in the unsecured claims was £524 for accumulators lamps, and
other electrical accessories. They "allege as causes of failure want
of capital and bad trade, particularly since Easter, 1920.

Bervard Pordbs (trading as the United Electrical Manu-
facturers Co ), 18-22, Christopher Street, London. Ths following
are creditors : —

Amoia, A i36 Morgan Cruolbla Co., Ltd. . . /SB

Blackwell, 8on« & Co., Ltd. .. H Magnus, D. & A 19

Baron, 8 l.S Maver, B. B., & Co., Ltd. .. 16

Beatrlca 4 Co.. Ltd 73 Neale, O. W. . . 73

Blythe & Co., Ltd 19 Pillivant, P. T 158

Connell & Co., Ltd. 31 Rotheiham & Co., Ltd U

Oromil Engineering Co 15 Rhodes & Son, Ltd. .. .. 17

Copley & Bank, Ltd l,07(i Sjer&Co., T. J 16

Derioott, H. 61 Smith & James, Ltd 12

Drayton Paper Works . . 56 Smith & Davis, Ltd 34

Dunn Davis & Whitner . . 120 Steiner, E 11

Dussek Bros , Ltd 14 Sweeney & Blockaidge .. .. 164

Express Lift Co 60 Testi & Sons 80

Foord, J., & Co 23 Tob'icro 21

General Eleotrio Co., Ltd. 2< Toy Campbell i- Co 68

12 Uiuted Kingdom Tea Co., Ltd. 23

2,'> Wilkinson A Sons 43

i<2 Pordes, M 113

88 Pordes, A 173

51 Bankers 495

12 Barley 4 Co.. Ltd 101

56 German creditors 1,894

Mails to Australia. — Australian papers just to hand
complain bitterly, and not without justification, of the serious
irregularity in the arrival of mails from this country. It is a
great handicap to business. A mail recently arrived after a lapse
of 28 days ! During all that time Australian business houses were
out of touch with the trade centres of Europe, and when the mail
referred to waa received, it proved to be in reality three or four
mails in one, and numbered over a million letters ! We do not
know that the arrivals in this country have been much more
regular. In the interests of traders both here and there it is
important that the authorities should do their utmost to afford a
regular and dependable means of postal communication at the
earliest possible date.

Supplies for Canada. — H.M. Trade Commissioner in
Winnipeg (Mr. L. P. Beale) has received an inquiry from a
Winnipeg company for vulcanite battery jars and celluloid theets
required for the construction of batteries. Deliveries from the
United States are said to be very uncertain, and the company state
that if a satisfactory source of supply can be found within the
United Kingdom, it is hoped to conclude permanent arrangements
with United Kingdom manufacturers. The D.O.T, (Capt. Vande-
leur. Room 49, " Victoria 9010 ; Ext, 29 ""), has full particulars and
esmples,

Hillbar Press

Hardware Trade Journal. .

Hardtcareman

Hall & Hall '.'

Hatton & Co

Hill & Co

Morris & Yeoman . .

Strikes. — The strike of Southport electricians, which
involved about 40 members of the Southport branch of the Elec-
trical Trades Union, ended on Monday, June 28th, the mastera
agreeing to concede the men's demands.

The management of the British Insulated and Helsby
Cable Works, at Prescot, intimated that their men on strike
would be reinstated, but the men remained out, and have been
endeavouring to induce the members of the otheis Unions who
remained at their posts to join them. In this they failed, the men
declaring decisively in favour of a continuance of work aa against
a lock-out. As we go to press, we learn that the strike has been
Eettled and after a few days' stoppage, 4.000 workers have resumed
their duties. Two men who had been dismissed, have been rein-
stated and the firm will loyally carry out any award or recom-
mendation from the Councils which have in hand all matters
regarding wages and conditions of employes.

Lead. — Messrs. G. Cawson & Co. report (July 3rd) : —

The position with regard to supplies remains unchanged. There is still an
ample supply offering for all requirements. The actual general consuming
trade is without improvement. Electrical works continue to take lead in
fair quantities. Some of them, however, have covered their requirements
for months ahead. The inquiry from .Jaxian has entirely ceased. America,
seems to be still in the market. The Customs difficulties, however, prevent
business bring earned through. Lead is still coming forward regularly Irom
Spain and Australia. . . . The position in Mexico continues to improve,
and this will, no doubt, eventually tend to ease the American sitoatioo.
. . . The outlook for the present rather points to a steady market.

Messes. James Foester & Co. state : —

The consumption of lead is well up to pre-war figures, and tends constantly
to increase. Rollers report active business both for sheets and pipes, and the
evidence generally on all hands, particularly in the City, shows that at last the
building trade is getting into its stride. The electrical trades are full of
orders. As far as imports are concerned, there is no evidence to justify hopes
of increased quantises, and without same there is only one .result to existing
conditions sooner or later, and that is pronounced scarcity.

Trade AnnonncementSt — Owing to rapid growth of
business, the Western Electric Co., Ltd., haa acquired an
additional building at 60 and 62, Finsbury Pavement, London. EC
(Telephone Nos. : " Loudon Wall 76o8 and 7609 "). The export
sales department has been removed from Oswaldestre House, and
the supply sales department from Norfolk House, to the new
address, and all sales business will ba carried on from Finsbury
Pavement in future, where they now have extensive showrooms.
The registered offices of the company will continue at Norfolk
House.

Ma. P Cabs, B.Esg., A.M.I.B.E., has commenced business as an
electrical engineer at Sun Buildings, CoUingwood Street, Newcastle-
on-Tyne.

The Coventry Electrical and Engineering Co. have opened
showroom premises at 23-24, Hertford Street, Coventry.

Mr. E. Goldston, electrical engineer, of Northampton, has
removed his business from 28, Marefair, to 13, Horse Market,

The Swift Electrical, Ltd., have moved to larger premises
at 6, Cork Street, Old Bond Street, W. 1, where they will carry a
larger stock of accessories.

Messrs. M. K. Cooper * Co. (M. K. Cooper, late of Messrs. T. C.
Smith & Co., of Aberdeen) have commenced business aa electrical
engineers at 16/21, Chapel Walks, Liverpool.

Germans in China. — The Shanghai correspondent of

The Times Trade Supplement says it is reported that arrangementa
have been made for the supply by German manufacturers of all the
necessary plant and machinery for a colliery which is being
opened up in the Province of Chekiang, near Hangchow. " The
Grerman engineer who is to superintend the instal.'ation of the
plant haa already arrived, and it is understood that the machinery
is now on its way. The engineer was formerly employed by the
Chinese Government, and was repatriated when the Germans were
sent back to Germany. In view of the fact that France is finding
it difficult to obtain the necessary machinery from Germany to
restore the collieries destroyed by the German army, it is curious
that Grermany should be able to sell colliery machinery to China."

Catalogues and Lists. — Messesi Higgs Bros., Dynamo

Works, Sand Pits, Birmingham. — Monthly Magazine, July, 1920
(24 pp.). containing stock lists of dynamos and motors, and notes
on the prevention of sparking.

Messrs. Ward & Goldstone, Ltd., Sampson Works (Salford),
Manchester. — Catalogue No. A105 (75 pp.). A priced and illustrated
list of lighting and power supplies covering a wide range, and
including ironclad switches, fuses, cables, insulators, bell
materials, &o.

The British Thomson-Houston Co.. Ltd., Rugby. —
Descriptive List No. 8,027 (12 pp.). An illustrated pamphlet
giving complete details and specifications of a ventilated interpole
traction motor (Type G.E. 200 K).

Automatic and Electric Fdrnaces, Ltd., 281-283, Gray's
Inn Road, W.C. 1.— Heat Treatment Bulletin for May, 1920,
" Concerning Pyrometers." A pamphlet dealing with the correct
methods to employ in pyrometry.

The Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd , Ponder's End, Middle-
sex.—A priced and illustrated list of new sizes of drawn tungsten,
gas- filled lamps, 40 and 60 watts.

Thb General Electbio Co, Ltd., 67, Queen Victoria Street,
B.C. 4. — Installation Leaflet No. P2,323, describing the rotaiy
converter equipment installed by the company at the Landore Tula
Works.

Vol. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAI. REMEW.

45

Electric Motors for Canada. — The Department of

Overseas Trade ia London has news from Toronto to the effect that
a local firm, who me motors varying: from i HP. to 5 H P. for
pump work, desire to receive quotations with particulars of
delivery from United Kingdom firms for electric motors of a high
starting torque and other characteristics similar to those of the
American 'Wagner" and "Century" makes. The name and
address can be ascertained from the D.O.T.

The Machine Tool and Eagineeriog Exhibition.— The

Machine Tool and Engineering Exhibition will be held at Olympia
in September next. The whole of Olympia has been booked up for
some months past, and the number of separate exhibitors will
exceed 200. It is anticipated that the public interest in the
exhibition this year wOl be greater than that shown in any
previous exhibition of machine tools, because the production of
munitions during the war educated the British public for the first
time in the fundamental importance of machine tools to British
industry. There will be over 1,000 machines in actual operation.
The exhibition is being organised by the Machine Tool Trades
Association, and it will be held from September 4th to 25th.

Book Notices. — We have recei?ed a copy of the summer

number of ■ Punch ; it is an extra number, beyond the ordinary
weekly issues, and is thoroughly well worth the shilling. The
cover depicts Mr. Punch in bathing costume playing cricket on the
sands, and puts you in holiday mood at once. More than 140
pictures are included, and an excellent feature is a special section
in full colour.

" Etude sur la traction e'.entrique par courant continu ; alimen-
tation des r&eaux de tramways et de m&ropolitains." (31 pp )
By F. Query. Reprinted from the Revue Geticrale de V Electrk-itr,
This is a reprint of a communication to the Societe Franijiise des
Electricians, and is a comprehensive study of the working of
electric traction systems gathered by the author in his capacity of
chief engineer of the electrical department of the "Omnium
lyonnais" railway and tramway systems.

'■ The English Electric Journal." Vol. I, No. 3 (40 pp.),— The
July issue of this journal contains a number of interesting and
informative articles. Among these are a description of the Phi^ais
Works, Bradford ; a description of a D.c. geared turbo-generator
installation, and notes on steel works drives— all photographically
illostrated.

"Reports for the year 1919 on the Science Museum, and on the
Geological Survey and the Museum of Practical Geology." ( 53 pp.)
London: H M. Stationery Office. Price3d.net. — The report shows
that the daily average of visitors to the Science Museum rose to
over 1,100, an advance on pre-war figures. The addition of
numerous new exhibits is recorded in detail, among them being a
double-needle telegraph instrument (1847), the original Neale
sounder (1873), the Henley needle galvanometer used in receiving
the first trans- Atlantic message (1S.>8), and a collection of vacuum
tubes used by the late Sir William Crookes in his researches.

" Science Abstracts "( i and B) Vol. XXIII. Part 5. No. 260.
May 31st, 1920. London : E ..t F. N. Spon, Ltd. Price 28. fii each.

'^ Prnceedingsoi theVhysicaX Society of London." Vol. X.XXtl.
Part 4. June 15th, 1920. London : Fleetway Press, Ltd. Price
48. net.

" The Metropolitan Vickers Gazette." Vol. V, No. 86 (23 pp ).
— The May number of this excellent house organ contains articles
on " Research and the Supply of Electric Power," notes on the
Clyde Valley E.P. Go's Yoker station, and a description of a
25,000-KW. alternator installed at the Stuart Street station of the
Manchester Electricity Department.

Dissolutions of Partnership.— R. Williams & Co.,

electrical engineers, 89, Liverpool Road, Stoke-on-Trent. — Mr. R.
Williams and Mr. J. H. Waterland have dissolved partnership. Mr.
Williams will attend to debts and continue the business.

Electeical Specialities Co., electrical specialists, 18, Nelson
Street, Liverpool. — Winifred E. Maddocks and A. B. Gregson dis-
solved partnership. Debts will be attended to by W. E. Maddocks.

Annual Outings, — Oa Siturday, .June 26th, the Crypto
Electeical Co., Ltd., went for their annual outing, spending
the day at Southend-on-Sea. Dinner was served at the Palace
Hotel, where some 200 employes were present, the chairman of the
company, Mr. T. E. Goodyear presiding, supported by Mr. C. R.
Shaw (managing director), and Mr. J. E. Buchanan (works
manager). Regrets were expressed that the senior managing
director, Mr. J. G. Shaw, could not be present owing to his being
abroad .

On Saturday, June 26th, the annual works outing of the
employes of Simplex Conduits, Ltd., took place, a party of 300
journeying to Bewdley-on-Severn, by special train. They were
accompanied by most of the management staff, and by a number
of the outside managers and representatives ; a considerable
number of ladies were present. Sports were held in the morning.
The luncheon was presided over by Mr. L. M. Waterhouse, technical
director of the company, who, in response to the toast of " The
Firm," congratulated the committee of the Simplex Social and
Welfare Club on the excellent arrangements for the day. The
outing was the seventeenth, although the first since 1914. A
photograph was taken of those present who had been with the com-
pany at the period of the first outing ; they numbered 36.

The staff and employea of Messrs. Gent & Co.. Ltd., Faraday
Works, Leicester, held their annual outing on Saturday, June 26th,
at the Boat Hou«e, Market Harboro. The day was spent in the
grounds and on the water. Daring the morning a cricket match,
arrantred between the machine shop and the rest of the employes.

was played and resulted in a win for the machine shop by 10 runs.
After luncheon the sports items w.^re keenly contested. The tug
of war resultel in the single men defeating the married team, and
thereby holding the cup untU the next annual event. After tea
the prizes were presented to the successful competitors by Mrs.
Ptu-sons, supported by Mr. Hardy Parsons, managing director. The
directors of the firm gave the outing their presence and enthusiastic '
support.

The employes of Messbs. Page & Miles, Ltd., electrical engi-
neers, of Brighton, Worthing and Eastbjurne, recently held their
ficst outing since the War. Accompanied by the directors, Messrs.
H. J. Miles, E. J. Page and J. T. Baker, and the secretary, Mr. J.
Harold Penf old, they left the head office, in three motor char-a-bancs,
to spend the day at Tunbridge Wells, with the Carlton Hotel as
headquarters. Here they were joined by some friends from
London. At dinner " The Firm " was proposed by Mr. F. Patching,
and responded to by the chairman, Mr H. J. Miles, who said that
their number had grown from 28 in 1889, to 82 to-day. He
welcomed back those who had served with the Forces. He also
referred to the loss sustained during the year by the death of the
chairman (Councillor J. W. P.'nfold) and three members of the
staff, Messrs. A. H. Page, W. Miller, and F. Lowe. Other toasts
followed.

Messes. Dtsele-X, Ltd., held their first annual outing on
Saturday, July 3rd. It was organised by the employes, and a
most successful day was spent at Brighton. Major H. J. Holmes,
the managing director, briefly addressed the party at the
luncheon.

The directors and staff of Messes. Maodonald, Steb &Co.,Ltd.,
engineers, of Gray's Inn Road, London, flew from Cricklewood to
Margate on the 3rd inst., the party being conveyed by three
aeroplanes, and one of the Handley-Page machines carried 16
passengers, women as well as men. This machine on the way
down did the journey in approximately 50 minutes, whilst one of
the smaller machines, a D.H. 4, did the homeward journey in about
30 minutes : the other employes went down by train, but the pilot
kindly offered to carry extra passengers back, and there was

keen competition for the seats. The party landed at Manston
Aerodrome, and were conveyed by car to the West End Restaurant,
Margate, where a most enjoyable lunch was partaken of, accom-
panied by instrumental and vocal selections. The speeches with
which the luncheon concluded showed plainly the true appreciation
and goodwill which exists in this firm between employe and
employer. The directors who accompanied- the party were Mr. C.
Stanley Syer and Mr. L. Evans. We give a view of the big aeroplane,
with the passengers and pilot.

This is the pioneer outing of its kind, and, no doubt, many other
firms will now follow this example. The firm of Macdonald, Syer
and Co , Ltd., certainly live up to their telegraphic address,
" Determined," London.

Company Liqaidations. — Portable Tool and Engi-
neering Co., Ltd. — Winding up voluntarily (resolution of June
22nd). Liquidator, Mr. H. D. Read, 13, Lime Street, E.C.
Meeting of creditors is called for July 9th. Particulars of claims,
&c., must be sent to the liquidator by July 23rd. A petition for the
winding up was presented to the High Court on June 25th, by
Messes. Accles & Pollok, Ltd.. of PaddockWorks, Oldbury,
Worcester, and will be heard on July 13th.

Lithanode, Ltd. — Winding up voluntarily. Liquidator, Mr. F. A.
Bell, Billiter House, Billiter Street, E.C. Meeting of creditors,
July ir.th.

Globe Electric Co., Ltd. — Particulars of claims, 4:c., must be
sent by July 24th to the liquidator, Mr. W. A. J. Osborne, Balfour
House, Finsbury Pavement, E.C.

For Sale. — The Stores and Works Committee of the
East Sussex Coanty Mental Hospital at HoUingby, invite offers for
9 tons of old lead b.vt'.ery plites, 2\ cwt o'd copper rods, 223 glass
boxes, &c. For particulars see our advertisement pages to-day.

Me. H. L. Faemeb, of Messrs. Leopold Farmer & Sons, of 46,
Gresham Street, the Receiver, invites offers for the lease and plant
of the Anti-Rust and Mital Deposition Cj., Ltd , 72, Granville
Road, Cricklewood Lane, N.W.

46

THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWe

[Vol.87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.

Copper and Lead Prices. — Messrs. F. Smith & Co.

report, July 6th :— Copper (electrolytic) bars, £109, £4 increase;
electrolytic sheets, no change; electrolytic wire rods, £124, £4
increase ; electrolytic B.C. wire, no chanfje ; ailicinm bronze wire.
Is. Hid., id. increase.

Messrs. James & Shakespeare report, July 7th :— Copper bars
(best selected), sheets, and rods, £161, £3 increase ; English pig
lead, £35 10s. ; 10s. increase on the week's prices.

London Exhibition of Frencli Products. — An exhi''i-

tion of French products, organised by the Office Commerci"''
Franvaise en Angleterre, wOl be held from July 15th to July 30th,
in the Exhibition Hall at 153, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. 4. On
this occasion the exhibition will include the following and other
articles : — Philosophical and geometrical instruments, electrical,
medical, and surgical apparatus, laboratory accessories. &c.

Wages in Electricity Supply. — The following is a reso-
lution passed by the Employers' Side of the Home Counties (No. 9
Area I Joint Industrial Council on June 30th on the decision made
by the National Joint Industrial Council for the Electricity Supply
Industry to refer to arbitration the demand made by the Trade
Unions' side of the National Council for an advance of 6d. per hour on
present rates to all workpeople over 18 years of age, and 3d. per
hour to all those under 18, as contained in their letter dated
June 18th : —

" Resolved that the Employers' Side of the Home Counties (No. 9
Area ) Joint Industrial Council strongly deprecate the action taken
by the National Council on June 18th in referring to Arbitration to
the Industrial Court the claim made for an advance of 6d. per hour
as contained in the letter from the Trade Unions addressed to the
National Council and dated June 18th, as the Employers' side of
this Council consider that in such matters action should not be
taken without reference to the District Councils, and without the
District Councils having any opportunity either to discuss the
matter or to forward their views to the National Council, and the
Employers' Side of this Council particularly regret that such
reference was not made to them in the present case, seeing that
this Council has just fixed consolidated rates which, the Employers'
Side claim, cover and include all increases applicable or put forward
to date and take into account all grounds for any increases which
occurred up to the time of formal approval by the National
CounciKJune 2l8t), and further, the majority of the undertakings
in the area cannot even pay these consolidated rates untO they have
received relief from the Minister of Transport. It is, therefore,
entirely out of the question even to consider any further increase,
and, whatever may be the result of the Arbitration, to which they
refuse, in view of the above, to become parties, directly or indirectly,
or whatever subsequent recommendations of the National Council
may issue in connection therewith, the Employers' Side of this
Council must most emphatically state that they cannot receive
same."

The Secretary for the Employers' Side informs us that official
notice ha-s been given to the Ministry of Labour that in view of the
special circumstances of the No. 9 Area, Home Counties Industrial
Council, the Employers' Side definitely refute to become parties to
the Arbitration, and have a^ked the Ministry of Labour to take steps
to make this clear in the terms of reference and to embody in the
award a specific notice that the award does not apply to the under-
takings in the Home Counties Area.

The Secretary hag also asked us to state that the above resolu-
tion was put before the whole Council, but that the Labour Side of
the Council decided that they could not support it, and the resolu-
tion therefore was passed by the Employers' Side only.

French Company Notes. — Appareils Electriques et

Compteurs Gamier is the ^title of a company formed at Lyons
(23, Rue Cevenna), with a capital of 1,200,000 fr., for the manu-
facture of, and trade in, electric meters, and, more especially, a
current meter on a new principle, invented by M. (iarnier.

Under the style of La Construction Electrique Fran(;'aise, ha-s
been formed at Clechy (Seine), (12, Avenue Lcon-(iambetta), a com-
pany for the manufacture, sale, installation, or working of all kinds
of electrical material and apparatus. The capital is 210,000 fr., in
500 fr. shares, 60 being allotted to M. Rene Chadeville as payment
for his assets.

With a capital of 1,789,220 fr. a company has been formed at
Paris (82, Boulevard Richard Lenoir), under the style of Veuve
P. Delaion et Cie. for the manufacture of electric cells and bells.

There has been established at Marseilles (14, Place Castellane), a
company styled the Midi Electric, with a capital of 500,000 fr., for
the erection, repair, and trade in electrical machinery, gas, and
water ; also by-products of their working.

Salvy et Beaute is the name of a company just launched for
trading in electrical material. Its capital is 129,049 fr., and its
offices are at 27, Faubourg St. Martin, Paris.

With the title Materiel de Tramways et Electricite a company
has been formed at Paris (36, Boulevard Magenta), with a capital
of .•!00,000 fr., for the manufacture, purchase, and sale of material
for electric lines and installations, tramways, railways, &c.

Society- d'Etude pour Liaisons Teli-phoniques et Telcgraphiques a
Longs Distances is the name of a company whose objects are the
manufacture and installation and working of long-distance tele-
graph and telephone networks of any system. Its capital is
500,000 fr., and its offices are situated at Paris, 25, Rue de Quatre
Septembre.

E.P.E.A. — At a meeting held at Maidstone, on June 2Gth,
a Kent Section of the E.P.E.A. was formed with the following
officials :— Chairman, Mr. H. Wilson (Maidstone) ; vice-chairman,
Mr. Lewis (Canterbury) ; secretary, Mr. E. E. Pope (Maidstone) ;

assistant secretary, Mr, C. Tritton (Maidstone) ; treasurer, Mr. G. E.
Wintle (Maidstone). The following were also elected to the Com-
mittee : — Messrs. Wampach (Folkestone) ; Pownall and Woolgar
(Tunbridge Wells) ; Bennion (Canterbury) ; Inge and Dunsby
(Gravesend) ; and Roberts (Richborough ). Messrs. Wilson and
Lewis were appointed delegates to the Divisional Council, and the
former was also appointed Section representative on the District
Joint Board.

South African Electrical Supplies.— Onr Cape corres-
pondent writes : — " For some time past British electrical supply
firms have been very dilatory in executing orders for sundries for
South Africa. For instance, no celling roses have been arriving
for several months, and substitutes have had to be used. The
supply firms usually promise quick delivery, but months pass
and no goods are received. It cannot be too strongly impressed on
British firms that this is acting very prejudicially on the Bpritish
export trade and driving South African buyers into the foreign
markets-i-in particular the Germans are again sending out
catalogues and circulars wholesale."

Hydro- Electric Development. — The Times Paris corres-
pondent says that at a general meeting of the International
Chamber of Commerce, it was resolved to recommend all countries,
in order to increase the world's stocks, to hasten the utilisation of
hydro-electric power and the carrying out of measures which tend
to the use of mineral fuel in the most scientific and economical way,
and to develop research in the extraction of the coal and fuel
resources of the world.

E.P.D. — The Chancellor of the Exchequer stated last
week that it was impossible to alter his proposals respecting the
E.P.D. increase to 60 per cent. The Finance Bill has been before
the House of Commons this week.

The State of Employment. — In reply to a question in
Parliament, last week. Dr. Macnamara said that employment in
the principal industries of the United Kingdom was still main-
tained at a high level, and was much better than a year ago. In
shipbuilding, although employment was still good, there had
recently been some decline owing to a shortage of raw materials.

Broken Hill Strike. — It was reported by Renter's repre-
sentative at Sydney, on July 2nd, that the Conciliation Commis-
sioner of the New South Wales Government had called a
conference between the Broken Hill mine-owners and miners.

Inquiries. — The addresses of makers of, or agents for,

the " Berwick " electric rivet heater are asked for.

A correspondent asks for the name of the manufacturer of
" Etcholite " for frosting electric lamps.

The Batti-Wallahs.— On ilonday, July 19th, at the
Holborn Restaurant, at 1 o'clock, the Batti-Wallahs hold a Grousers'
luncheon gathering.

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES.

Australia. — Sydney. — Owing to the rising cost of coal,
which is 173. 6d. as against 83. two years ago, the City Council is
considering the purchase of a coal mine. Three likely mines were
suggested, but the most suitable appears to be the Awaba
Colliery. The purchase price will be about £50.000, and the
equipment necessary to raise 1,100 tons a day will cost approxi-
mately £54,000, bringing the total expenditure on the project to<
£104,000. The construction of a power station, costing £2.174,000,
at Awaba, is also suggested.

Belmont (Co. Durham). — Electric Lighting Scheme.

— At a special meeting a large majority was obtained in favour of
a scheme of electric lighting for the parish.

Bexhill. — Year's WoRKiNt;. — The financial result for
the year ended March 31st last from the electricity undertaking,
was a gross profit of £6,400. The payment of loan charges, taxes,
^c, left a balance of £344. It is stated, however, that a charge of
£700 for the provision of meters has to be made against revenue.

Brighouse. — Year's Working. — The annual financial
statement showed that in the electricity department, which
receives a bulk supply from the Yorkshire Electric Power Co.,
there was a net profit of £256, an increase of £141 on the profit of
the previous year. There has been no advance in price during or
since the war, and the charge is the lowest, with one exception, in
Yorkshire.

Conversion of Supply. — Having rejected a proposal by the
Yorkshire Electric Power Co. for the conversion of the direct-
current supply to alternating current, the Electricity Committee
suggests as an alternative, that certain users near the sub-station
might be supplied with alternating current, provided the cost of the
conversion was borne by the company, and that the same charge
was made as for the present direct-current supply. Further con-
sideration of the scheme for the extension of the sub-station to
cope with increased demand has been deferred pending the
formulation of a full scheme, together with an estimate of the
cost. The Power Co. is to be asked to furnish plans aad estimates
of the extensions required. •

Vol. 87. No. 2,224, JutY 9, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

47

Bary. — Extensions. — Borrowing powers for £95,000
are beinpr sought by the Corporation for extensions to the electri-
city undertakinpr. Since the works were established 24 years ago,
the capacity has increased from 304 to 8,700 KW. The extensions
already in progress will ensure an increase of 2,000 KW., but appli-
cations for power amount to nearly 4,000 K\v. Last year the con-
sumption amounted to 15,367,000 units.

Continental, — Belsium. — The hands employed by the
Centrale electrique du Hainaut, at Montifrnies-sur-Sambre, have
struck for an increase of wages. As a result, a number of works
have had to close down, throwing some 10,000 men out of work.

Spain. — A concession has recently been granted by the Spanish
Government for the establishment of plant to utilise the water
power of the Rivers GenU and Riof rio, near Loja, for the generation
of electrical energy for lighting and power purposes.

Halifax. — Electricity Scfply. — Disappointment is

felt in adjoining districts at the failure of the Corporation to
obtain the consent of the House of Lords to the inclusion of the
electricity extension clauses in its Parliamentary Bill. Provisional
arrangements had been made with the Corporation by both the
Luddenden Foot and Mytholmroyd Tnion District Councils, the
former of which intended to have the streets lighted by electricity
during the coming winter, and it is considered that the only course
now wUl be to immediately open up negotiations with the York-
shire Electric Power Co., and, if suitable terms can be arranged, to
obtain a supply from that company, whose cables already pass
through the district. At Mytholmroyd further developments
are awaited. It would be possible to tap the company's cables, but
to use the latter's service for lighting would necessitate the putting
down of transformer plant.

New Sub-Station. — The Tramways and Electricity Committee
recommends the purchase of one 400-KW. rotary converter, trans-
former, and starting switchgear, and the necessary buildings and
land required for the provision of a sub-station in the Ovenden
district, at an estimated cost of £7,894.

Hebden Bridge.— Bulk Supply The District Council

has decided to ask the Y'orkshire Electric Power Co. and the Halifax
Corporation Electricity Department to quote terms for a bulk
supply to Hebden Bridge, as the local works have reached the
maximum output, and are insufficient to meet all the demands of
the district.

Heysham (Lancashire). — Electricity Supply. — The

Heysham Council and the Electricity Committee of the Morecambe
Corporation were recently in negotiation with a view to Morecambe
supplying electricity to Heysham either in bulk or in detail, but at
a subsequent meeting of the Morecambe Committee, a letter was
received from the Heysham Council stating that it was not
deemed advisable or feasible for a scheme to be arranged for the
time being.

Kendal. — '^'ear's Working. — The engineer reports total
receipts of £3,9.S1 for the past financial year, leaving a gross profit
of £336 and a net deficiency of £962.

Kettering. — Year's Working. — The accounts of the
Council's Electricity Department for the past financial year show
a total income of £40,632, as against £25,362 for the previous
period. Working expenses, loan repayment and interest totalled
£39,171, as against £25,380, leaving a net profit of £1,461, con-
trasted with a deficit of £18 for 1918-19.

Kingston-on-Thames. — Year's Workinc;. — The Elec-
tricity Department reports a gross surplus of £12,702, and a net
credit balance of £2,300, after payment of loan charges, i:c. The
output increased from 1,608,450 to 1,848,038 units, and a reduction
of l'064d. per unit was eifeoted in the cost of generation.

London. — Hamitersmith. — The Electricity Committee
has put in a tender of £3,500 for one of the two 2,000-KW. turbo-
alternators offered for sale by the Liverpool Corporation. This is
to enable the undertaking to cope with the winter load, as the
plant extensions, for which tenders have been invited, will not be
completed in time.

The Council has arranged to provide an additional bulk supply
of electricity to the Chiswick Electric Supply Corporation, subject
to the receipt of official sanction.

Price Increases. — The following towns have adopted
new scales of prices for electricity or have applied for sanction to
revise charges : — Bedford, Bromley (Kent), Coventry, Haslingden,
Maidenhead, Mansfield, Merthyr Tydvil, Rushden, .Stamford,
Todmorden, Wellingborough, and the towns supplied by the Isle of
Wight Electric Light and Power Co.

Newport. — Extensions. — At a special meeting of the
Corporation, a report recommending large extensions was adopted.
The total cost is estimated at about £209,000, and some of the
items are : — Turbo-alternator, condensing plant and switchgear,
£67,530 ; boiler-house plant and buildings, £51,557 ; rotary con-
verter and switchgear, £10,362 ; and mains and services, £61,655.
It was stated that the expenditure would add an annual amount
of £21,000 to the loan charges. The borough engineer is to confer
with outside experts upon the question of utilising water from the
River Usk for condensation and circulation purposes.

Maidenhead. — Loan. — The Town Council is applying
for a loan of £10,000 for mains extensions,

Manchester. — Sale of Undertaking. — The Electricity
Committee has agreed to accept £40,000 as the purchase price of
that portion of the Heaton Norris electrical undertaking to be
transferred to the Stockport Corporation in]September, 1920, under
the Stockport Extension Order, 1913 ; and, in addition thereto, the
amount of any expenditure incurred by the Manchester Corporation
in the area of Heaton Norris added to Stockport by the said order
since March 31st, 1920.

Marsden (Yorkshire). — Electricity Supply. — The

Council received a letter from the Electrical Distribution of
Yorkshire, Ltd., intimating that that company intended to apply
for a provisional order authorising it to supply electricity for
public and private use within the Marsden area, and asking for the
Council's approval. The clerk said the Council had been approached
by the company previously, but the matter had been held up by
the war. The company is being requested to send a representative
to meet the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

Salford. — Restrictions on Supply. — Owing to the
delay in obtaining delivery of generating plant, the Town Council
announces that for the present it is necessary to restrict all
additional supplies of electricity, and intending applicants are
requested to hold over applications for additional supplies until
next year.

South Africa. — Paarl. — At a meeting of municipal
voters held in connection with the proposed extension of the
electric lighting and power scheme, a resolution was adopted that
the Town Council take immediate steps to develop the electrical
installation as set forth in the new scheme of Mr. Hugh Purves,
the municipal electrical engineer, which entails the expenditure
of £71,434.

Spenborongh. — Year's Working. — A statement of

accounts for the past year's working of the electricity undertaking
shows a profit of £383, as compared with a deficit of £1,625 in
the previous year. It was reported that extensions were needed,
and application is to be made for power to borrow £9,000.

Stoke-on-Trent. — Year's Working. — The accounts of
the electricity undertaking for the past year show that the total
income was £124,000, as compared with £81,000 in the previous
year; the total expenditure was £75,000, against £60,000. The
gross profit of £49,000 was divided up as follows : — Redemption of
loans, £16,000 ; interest on loans, £12,000, leaving a net profit of
£21,335. Out of this the Committee paid £500 out of revenue
for changing over a number of meters from one place to another,
and approximately £2,000 for new meters, a clear net profit of
£18,886 remaining. After deducting the previous loss on the
undertaking of £14,597, there was a credit balance of £4,289.

Sunderland. — Year's Working. — The annual report of

the Corporation electricity undertaking states that in the year
ended March 31st a credit balance of £12,830 was realised, nearly
all of which it is proposed to apply in writing off debts on super-
seded plant. The total sales were 19,364,143 units, an increase of
4 per cent. The income for the year was £137,240, of which
£34,149 was received for private lighting and heating, £81,558 for
power, £17,261 for traction, and £3,337 for public lighting.
Generation, repairs and maintenance costs were £71,754 ; distribu-
tion, £7,910 ; management and general expenses, £7,058. The
balance carried,.to net revenue account is £46,522, and after writing
over £12,000 off for superseded plant, £520 is left to be carried
forward. The capital account shows a total expenditure of
£588,141, the loans repaid amounting to £317,906, and loans
outstanding to £267,564.

Todmorden, — Loan. — The Corporation is applying for
sanction to borrow £42,000 for laying cables to distribute a bulk
supply of electricity to be obtained from the Yorkshire Electric
Power Co.

Tunbridge Wells. — Year's Working. — The total revenue

accruing to the Electricity Department for the past financial year
amounted to £27,477, and total working costs to £15,191. The
interest and repayment on capital expenditure and income-tax
amounted to the sum of <;5,916, leaving a net profit on the year's
working of £6,370. The result of the previous year's working
was a loss of £27. The surplus has been allocated to the purchase
of machinery, &c., which would otherwise be a capital charge, and
the balance carried to working capital. The units generated
during the year increased by 280,000.

West Bromwich. — Year's Working. — The total income

of the electricity undertaking for the year ended March 31st, 1920,
was £66,230, as against £53,887 for the previous year. Working
expenses amounted to £48,876, leaving a gross profit of £17,354.
Interest and redemption of loans absorbed £10,575, resulting in a
surplus of £6,779. *

York. — Extknsion Approved. — The Electricity Commis-
sioners have intimated that the Corporation may proceed with the
carrying out of the works at Linton Lock.

Sale of Plant, — The Electricity Committee has agreed to
accept an offer for the purchase of two Willans-Crompton generat-
ing sets not now required at the works, for the sum of £775,

48

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

[Vol. 8*. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Belfast. — Year's Wokking. — At the monthly nieptin^'
of the Corporation on the Ut inst., Lord Mayor Coates presiding,
it was announced that the traffic revenue for the half-year ending
March Hist, amounted to £545,480, and the total receipts to
£545,.318, being an increase of £139,242 and £13!t,047 respectively
over the figures of the previous year. The working expenses
showed an increase of £121,925. The balance carried to
net revenue account was £169,476, an increase of £18,085. After
meeting income-tax charges and allowances for depreciation and
renewals there was a surplus of £36,150. as compared with £29,231
last year. The increase of wages stood at £2,000 per week, and if
the advances granted had been in operation the whole 12 months,
there would have been a deficit of £3,300. The city accountant's
figures for 1921 showed an estimated deficiency of £21,000, and a
recommended increase of wages would bring it up to £38,000.
Certain changes in fares and stages were passed. It was admitted
that the permanent way was in bad condition, and an expenditure
of £400,000 would be necessary if some 20 miles of it was relaid.

Birmingham. — Electric Vehicles: — The Corporation
has recently established a fleet of electric vehicles for collecting
house refuse. Twenty-five were ordered, and 11 have been
delivered, ana are in full use. The delivery has been impeded
owing mainly to the ironmoulders' strike, which held up the
makers for castings. In a report to the City Council this week on
the reorganised system, the salvage department states that it is
economically impossible with horse haulage alone, and the insti-
tution of the 47-hQur week, to deal speedily and satisfactorily
with house refuse collection. These difficulties are now being
overcome by the introduction of the electric vehicles, the areas
already brought under the new system representing a total of
31,800 houses, and a population of 160,000. It is further stated
that under the new system the city is being planned, and districts
will be re-allotted to fixed depots, and it is expected that when
sufiicient electric vehicles have Ijeen delivered, every house will be
visited weekly. Tuition classes for electric vehicle drivers have
been arranged so as to enable employes in the salvage department
to qualify, and over 70 have taken the course of instruction. A
steady flow of trained drivers will thus be ensured, and oppor-
tunities for promotion aiTorded to the existing employes.

Blackpool.— "Renewal of Track. — The tramway tracks
at Blackpool require to be relaid, and the coat of carrying out the
work is £254,000. The reconstruction of the track in the Marton
district will be commenced in October.

Bolton. — E.XTENSiON.— The Tramways Committee has

under coniideration the extension cff its already comprehensive
system to Darcy Lever and Little Lever, in one direction, and to
Westhoughton in another.

Barnley. — Year's Working. — The total revenue for the
year ended March 31st, 1920, was .£158,601, as against £124,213 for
the previous period. Expenditure totalled £137,952, as against
£95,940, leaving a gross balance of £20,649, compared with
£28,273. The net result, after payment of income-tax and other
enlarges, was a deficit of £2,096, which was taken from the reserve
fund.

Coloe. — Fares. — The Town Council has decided to
apply to the IMinister of Transport for an order permitting the statu-
tory maximum charges of the tramway undertaking to be increased
to an amount not exceeding 50 per cent., and also for an immediate
order, on the ground of urgency, authorising an increase in the
statutory maximum charges to 2Jd. for two miles, 3id. for three
miles, and in workmen's fares to lid. for two mil^s, instead of Id.

Loan. — -Application is to be made to the Minister of Transport
for sanction to borrow £1,115 for land on the Stanroyd Estate.
acquired for the erection of a new tramway depot.

TowEB Wagon. — The Town Council has decided to purchase a
petrol -electric-driven tower wagon for the tramway department,
at an estimated cost of £1,250.

Doncaster. — Proposed Fare Increase. — The Town

Council, sitting in Committee last week, decided to apply for an order
under the Tramways (Temporary Increase of Charges) Act, 1920.
giving power to the Council to increase the local tramway fares to
an amount to be sanctioned.

Grimsby. — Electric Vehicles. — The Town Council
has decided to apply to the Minister of Transport for sanction to
borrow £9,500 to cover the cost of purchasing six eleotricaUy-
drivan vehicles for household scavenging and highway purposes.

Gaildford. — Electrification PosxroNKD. — The London
and South -Western Railway Co. has decided to postpone the elec-
trification of the Cobham and Leatherhead lines to Guildford.
This decision is attributed by the directors to the abnormal
increase in the coat of material, the refusal of manufacturers to
give firm quotations and guarantee delivery, and " the impossi-
bility of raising fresh capital while the present uncertainty aa to
the future of railways^ontinues." — Morning Pout.

Japan. — Mdno-Rail Tramway. — To relieve the con-
gestion of travelling in Tokio, an I as an auxiliary to the municipal
electric car service, sjveral business men of the capital approached
the Government for permission to build a mono-rail electric tram-
way over the rivers and canals in Tokio. Details since to hand
show that the scheme proposes to start the line near Shimbashi.
over the canals, thence over the Sumida River as far as Yoroibashi,

near the Stock Exchange, The terminun will be Tabata, on the
Government railway. Each car will be capable of accommodating
50 persons, and will be run at an average speed of about 25 miles
\iei hour. The proposed company is to be capitalised at
15,000,000 yen. The estimated cost of building the line is about
1,6.30,000 yen per mile. — Eautrrn Engineering.

Lancaster, — Report ox System. — Mr. A. R. Feamley,

M.Inst.A.E., who was called in to examine the whole traffic system
of the city, has just presented his report. Since its inception the
tramway system has only made a profit of £562, against a total
loss of £36,189. Mr. Feamley states that on one route — from the
Castle Station to the Market — in 17 journeys only 69 passengers
were carried, an average of I'Kl passengers per journey. On the
return route 116 passengers were carried in 47 journeys — an average
of 2'44. It is, therefore, recommended that this route be
abandoned, and an annual saving of £1,100 is estimated. On
certain other routes, Mr. Feamley suggests the conversion of the
existing double-deck cars to single-deck with a consequent reduc-
tion of pcrxonnel and an annual saving of £1,200. An increaseand
revision of fares is also recommended, existing charges being con-
sidered much too low, in view of the advance in working coata.
The need for economy is to be impressed upon all employes to
ensure that power consumption is reduced to a minimum, and that
every fare is paid. The condition of the system is stated to be
good, and Mr. Fearnley considers that in the interests of the public
it is desirable to keep the tramcars running at least for a time,
after making the suggested alterations and improvements, to see if
the financial result permits the continuance of the system.

London.— L.C.C. Tramways.— The L.C.C. Highways
Committee's report on the working of the tramways for the past
financial year announces a total income of £4,295,846, as compared
with £3,578,256 for 1918-19. The working expenses reached a
total of £3,680,909, as against £2,858,414. leaving a gross aorploa
of £614,937, aa against £719,842. After debiting loan charges, &c.,
and crediting rents and other receipts, the net result wag a
deficiency of €100,722. This deficit has been partly met by the
general reserve and renewals funds, but a debit balance of £18,824
has to be carried forward to the next account.

Fare Reductions. — As the Metropolitan Electric Tramways
Co. finds that the recent increases are causing a loss on certain^
routes, it has reduced a number of stages from lid. to Id.

Tube Fabes. — When the London Electric Railway Companies
(Fares, i:c.) Bill came before the House of Commons for the third
reading, a motion for its recommittal was submitted on the ground
that the Select Committee had not carried out its instruotiona
regarding the fixing of fares to provide a fair return on capital.
The motion was defeated, and the Bill read a third time.

Sal ford. — The motor 'bus service proposed to be insti-
tuted by the Tramways Committee wUl be one of the most
ambitious and comprehensive in the whole of Lancashire.

Snnderland. — Year's Working. — The report of the
Corporation Tramways Department for the year ended March .Slat
last, states that over 3 1 i million passengers were carried, the
receipts being £149,125 (22'4d. per car-mile), as compared with
receipts of £118,029 in the previous year. There was a net balance
on the year's working of £26,342. After providing for repayment
of loans, renewals, new cars, &c., £5,000 ia to be given in relief of
rates, making a total sum of £77,027 disposed of in this manner.
The reserve and renewals funds have credit balances amounting to
£63,394. The total expenditure on capital account has reached
£309,770.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Chesterfield. — Time Signals. — The Corporation is
giving notice to the Postmaster to terminate the agreement for
time signals, and arrangements are to be made for erecting a wire-
less installation at the electricity works for receiving time signals
in lieu thereof, .at a cost of £35.

Scandinavia. — Telegraphic Communication with

Russia. — Negotiations have been opened between the Store
Nordeska Telegrafaelskab and M. Litvinov, representing the Soviet
Government, with a view to the re-eatablishment of telegraphic
communication between Scandinavia and Russia. According to the
Berling.ilie Tulrmle. the S N.T. has at its diaposal two cables, one
via the Baltic, and the other ria Sweden and Finland. Both these
cables could be made ready for use in a short time. The Soviet
Government has placed certain restrictions on companies' cablea
bstween Irkutsch and Pekin, and between Vladivostok and
Nagasa'ti. — Eronomic Reriew.

South America. — New Telephone System. — The

municipality of Girardot, in Columbia, haa called for tendera for a
telephone system, and according to the T. ,V T. Age, the contract is
to be awarded on August 1st next.

Telephone Rates. — Coming Changes. — The SelectCom-

mittee appointed to consider the revision of telephone rates held
its first meeting on July 1st, and appointed Sir Edward Ooatea
chairman. The Committee hold its first public sitting on July 6th,
and began by hearing evidence from experts in the Telephone
Department of the Post Office. Sweeping changes in telephone
charges were forecasted by Sir Evelyn Murray, Secretary of the Post
Office. The Department, he explained, proposed to abolish flat rates
and measured services and to adopt a uniform tariff on a message

Tol. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.]

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW o

49

Wte baais. Increased rentals v, ere suggested at £8 lOg. for Lond ju,
£8 for Birmingrham, Liverpool, Manchester and Gla5H-ow, and £7 lOa.
for the provinces generally, and the charge par call was to be lid.
■within a five-mile circle. While as a whole these charges were
intended to produce a considerably increased revenue in order to
wipe out the loss on the present rates— estimated at nearly
£9,000,000 in the current year — Sir Evelyn intimated that the
small user would benefit under the new system. With regard to
public call ofBoes, Sir Evelyn said that while the present rate of 3d.
per call was not remunerative, it would be difficult to increase it,
as the public would probably refuse to pay 6d., the charge which
would be necessary in order to show a balance of profit — Daily
Telei/ra/i/i. '

Telephone System. — Extension Delays. — The Post-
master-General, in a written answer to a question in Parliament,
attributes the delay in providing new plant for telephone exten-
sions to congestion at manufacturers' works. Every opportunity is
being taken, he states, to extend the list of firms capable of meeting
the Post Ofiioe requirements.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(The date given in parentheses at the end of the paraqraph indicates
the igiue of t/ie Eleotbioal REVIEW, in whick the " Official
Notice " appeared,

OPEN.

Australia. — Sydney. — August 4th. N.S.W. Government
Railways and Tramways. Two 1,000-KW. sub-station units. Chief
Electrical Engineer, 61, Hunter Street, Sydney.

Atherton.— July 20th. Urlian District Council. 150
yds. '022, L.T., concentric, paper-insulated, lead-covered and steel-
armoured cable. (See this issue.)

Brentford. — July 27th. Board of iGuardians. Electric
lighting installations in the ofiices, infirmary, &o. (July 2nd.)

Darlington, — July KHh. Electricity Department. One
6,000-KW. turbo-alternator and surface-condensing plant. (June
2.5 th.)

Edinbnrgii. — July 13th. Corporation. Electric lighting
installations for houses at Gorgie. The Town Clerk.

Grimsby, — August 12th. Electricity Department. Two
water-tube boilers, economisers, fittings, fans, chimneys, &c. ; one
3,000-KW. high-pressure turbo-alternator and condensing plant.
(July 2nd.)

Hnll. — July 12th. ElectricityDepartment. One three-
motor electrically-operated overhead travelling crane. (June 25th.)

Manchester. — July 13th. Tramways Committee. Tram-
way rail bonds (copper). Mr. J. M. MoElroy, General Manager.

New Zealand, — July 3 let. Waikato Electric Power
Supply. Delivery, c.i.f. Auckland, of 2,400 pin insulators, suitable
for a line operating at 66.000 volts between phases. Tenders to
Secretary, Public Works Tenders Boar 1, Government Buildings,
Wellington.

Nuneaton. — July Slst. Electricity Department. One
BOO-KW. rotary converter transformer and accessories. (July 2nd.)

Portsmouth. — July 20tli. Tramways Committee. 1,000

tons steel girder tram rails ; 20 tons steel fish plates ; 5 tons fish
bolts ; 30 tons wrought-iron tie bars. (July 2nd.)

Preston, — Tramways Committee. Converting plant.

(July 2nd.)

Warrington. — July 13th. Electricity and Tramways
Committee. Two 6,000-KW. turbo-alternators. (June 18th.)

August 10th. Electricity and Tramways Committee. Coal
elevator and conveyor. (.See this issue.)

CLOSED.

Australia. — Melbourne. — City Council. Accepted : —

Two 2,000 KW, rotary converters for Little Queen Street Bub-station, i'21,392 i
switchgear for same, £9,766 ; switchgear for switch liouse, Spencer
Street, i.'7,677.— Met.-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.

Switchgear for various statioos, £10,384.— Ferguson, Pailin & Co., Ltd.

Six 2S0-K.V.A. transiformers, £3,490.— Johnson & Phillips, Ltd. —Tendert,

Sydney.— City Council. Recommended. Consumers' electricity
supply meters : —

A c. meters, £11,7J!).— Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd.
B.C. meters, £4,000.— Noyes Bros., Ltd.

P.M.G.'s Department, N.S.W. :—

200 secondary line switchea ; 20 master switches (primary) ; and 300 meter
relay sets, for Guy Nortli Automatic Exchange, £617 : one 103 line auto-
matic unit and associated equipment, Burwood Automatic Exchange,
£994.— Automatic Telephones (Aust.), Ltd.

190-line and cut-off relays, Petersham Telephone Exchange, £195. —
Western Electric Co. (Aust.), Ltd.

Oae 100- line automatic unit and associated equipment, Vaucluse Automatic
Exchange, £991.— Automatic Telephones (Aust.), Ltd.

P.M G.s Department. Victoria. The following tenders have
been placed: —

10 tons of 100 lb. copper wire, £1, MO.— Australian Metal Manufacturers, Ltd.

N.S.W. Railway and Tramways Department : —

Two 2,500-Kw. turbo-alternators, with condensing plant complete.— English

Electric Co., of Australia, Ltd.
Three miles lead-covared l.t. cable.- Noyes Bros. (Sydoey), Ltd.
14 miles lead-covered telephone cable.— Western Electric Co. (Aust,), Ltd.

N.S.W. Public Works Department : —

For Cordeaux dam. Two electric derrick cranes (Australian manufacture),
£2,160.— J. E. Toole i^ Co.

Three single-phase wattmeters (testing), £.328 —Noyes Bros, (^vdney), Ltd.

2,5^0 straight pin-type insulators, 2.003 s.juare disks, 1,603 strain-type in-
sulators, £16,681.— Australian General Electric Co., htd—Ti-iidera.

Automatic Telephones. — In our last issue, under
" Grovernment Contracts," we regret that the name of the successful
tenderer for the Fleetwood telephone exchange was incorrectly
given ; it should read '' Relay Automatic Telephone Co., Ltd." We
understand that in addition to this order, the company has nine
other orders in hand for public exchange systems and a large
number of private in.stallation orders.

Belgium, — Four home firms competed for the supply of
two electric cranes for the docks at Antwerp. The lowest tender
for the 30-ton crane was that of Messrs. Pittevil & Co., Brussels,
whilst the lowest offer of a 10-ton crane was that of La Societe
des Appareils Electriques et Scientifiques, Brussels, the prices
being respectively £23,890 and 059,682 francs.

The municipal authorities of Voroux-Goreux (Province of Liege),
recently invited tenders for the concession for the supply of elec-
tricity for lighting and power purposes in the town. Not a single
tender was received.

Bury, — Town Council. Accepted : —

8/10, 00-Kw. set — Fraser & Chilmers, Ltd.
Steam pipes, valves. &c. — J. Spencer.
Exhaust pipes and castings. — J. Wolstenliolme,

Dundee, — Corporation. For Carolina Port station.
Accepted : —

The Clyde Structural Iron Co., Ltd., £30,167.- Steel work.
Babcock & Wilcox, Ltd., £10,4.50.— Pipe-work.

London. — Islington. — Lighting Committee. Recom-
mended : —

Two 20-H.i'. motors, £589; four 7.^-H-1'. motors, £649 (Century motors).—
Swedish General Electric Co., Ltd.

Hammersmith. — Electricity Department. Recommended : —

Three improved CO . recorders, £97.— W. R. Patents, Ltd.
Time switches, £407'.— Venner Time Switches, Ltd.

Mahylebone. — Electric Supply Committee : —
10-ton crane for Aybrook Street Station, £306.— Herbert Morris, Ltd.

On February 12th last the Council accepted the tender of Messrs.
Herbert Morris, Ltd., for a three-motor crane, capable of lifting
60 tons, for £4,815. Owing to the intervention of the Electricity
Commission, instructions could nut lit- jriven to Messrs. Morris to
procjed with the work, and they have now intimated that not
(inly has the price increased to £5,495, owing to the variations in
cost of material, &c., but a difficulty has arisen in regard to delivery,
particularly of the motor.s for operating; the crane. TheEleclric
Supply Committee has instructed Messrs. Morrii to proceed, leaving
open the question of the motors until further inquiries are made,

Shobeditch.— Standing Committee recommended : —

One Roto Feed Water Pump, £.-)10.— G. &■ J. Weir.

Whiston Street Extension, E.H.T. and L.T. Switchoear.

Nine tenders have been received as follows : —

Whiston Coronet De'ivery

Street Street in

Station, Station. weeks.

£9,740 £1,464 Coronet Street 33

Whiston Street iJG

9 510 1 ,070 46-52

10,150 2,020 .52

l(f,96i 1,490 48

lD,f40 2,230 50-60

10,865 1,630 52

10,052 1,5.'5 46

9,861 2,050 45 52

10,6l0 l,t80 45,52

Met.-Vickers Elec. Co., Ltd. ...

B. T. H. Co., Ltd

Bertram Thomas

Switchgear & Cowans, Ltd.

Whipp & Bourne, Ltd.,

New Switchgear ConsG. Co.. Ltd.

Ferguson, Pailin, Ltd.

General Electric Co.. Ltd.

A ReyroUe & Co., Ltd

The Committee recommend the acceptance of the tenders of
Met.-Vickers Electrical Co., at £1,461 for Coronet Street switch-
gear, and Brit. Thomson-Houston Co., at £9,510 for Whiston
Street switchgear.

Mancliester. — F/lectricity Committee. Recommended : —

Supplying and installing 33,000-volt underground feeder cable, from Stuart

Street to Dr jylsden.— W. T. Glover & Co., Ltd.
Static transformers for 12 months. — Ferranti, Ltd. >

For the first section of the overhead work for the supply of eleotrioity to

the Blacklsy Estate. — Twiss Eng. & Elec. Transmission Co., Ltd.

Saiford, — Electricity Committee. Recommended : —

Cable, £626.- Macintosh Cab'e Co., Ltd.

Metal plates on doors of oil-switch cubicles, £154 ; two 2,60C-k.v.a. trans-
formers, £1,900.— Met.-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.

Steel, steam and exhaust piping, for 6,000 kw. turbo-alternator set, £507. —
Babcock & Wilcox, Ltd. Piping for same, £J73.— Alton & Co., Ltd.

Meters.— Met.-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd. ; Reason Mfg. Co., Ltd.; Ferranti
Ltd. : Chamberlain & Hookham, Ltd.

PORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

Institution of Electrical Engineers (Summer Meeltag at the Western
Centre at Cardiff, from July 13th to 16tb).

Roentgen Society.— Thursday, July 15th. At liniversity College, Gower
S'.reet, W.C. At 9 p.m. Address by Dr. W. D. Coolidge, chief of tha
research laboratories of the General Electric Co., Schenectady, U.8.A.

50

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

[Vol. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.

NOTES.

Electricity Supply Rifle League.— The following are the

results and positions of clubs at the end of the first half of the
season in connection with the above League Competition : —
Brompton and Kensinjfton, 534 — Hampstead, 519 ; Metropolitan,
565 — Brompton, 542 ; Shoreditch, 577 — Brompton, 543 ; Shore-
ditch, 575 — Hampstead, 557.

, Scores \

Shot.

Won.

Lost.

For.

Against.

Points.

Metropolitan

... 8

8

0

4,559

4,307

16

Shoreditch

... 8

7

1

4,592

4,406

14

Central ...

... 8

6

2

4,512

4,381

12

City Co. ...

... 8

5

3

4,553

4,273

10

Hackney...

... 8

1

4

4,335

4,344

eS

Hampstead

... 8

2

6

4,238

4,379

4

Brompton

... 8

2

6

4,313

4,388

4

St. James's

... 8

1

7

4,230

4,428

2

Poplar ...

... 8

1

7

4,010

4,436

2

iducational.-^

- University

College,

LONDOK

[.—The

fellowing awards have been made in the Faculty of Engineering : —

Goldsmid Entrance Scholarship. — L. W. Ball, Royal Grammar
School, Guildford : F. E. Kay, St. Paul's School (divided).

Archibald P. Head Medal and Prize. — W. Hudson.

Jews' Commemoration Scholarship (renewed for second year). —
H. P. Porter.

L. F. Vernon Harcoart Prize. — E. F. Anderson, R. W. Taylor (div).

Engineering Diplomas : Civil, Municipal, and Mechanical. —
E. F. Anderson, W. Hudson (with distinction), R. W. Taylor.

Civil : A. Calmus.

Civil and Municipal : A. A. Clements, B. G. Leembruggen.

Mechanical : F. W. Jones, E. N. Varian.

Electrical : T. S. Pick.

Service Notes. — Lieut. J. R. Lang-Hyde, Tyne Elec-
trical Engineers, has been appointed a lieutenant in the Reserve of
Officers of the Territorial Army, with effect from the 26th ult.,
Lieut. H. S. Craig has resigned his commission in the London
Electrical Engineers from the 26th ult., and retains the-
rank of lieutenant. Engineer Commander H. S. Briggs, O.B.E.,
Royal Navy, has been appointed to Bathurst wireless station,
Gambia, West Africa. The wireless station at Bathurst— which is
the chief town of Gambia — is one of the new stations the com-
pletion of which is being hurried on, some £16,000 being allotted
for expenditure on it. Warrant Electrician H. B. Serridge has been
appointed to the cruiser Conqueror; Warrant Electrician D.
Tanguy to the light cruiser Dido, both temporarily for R.F.
exercises.

Garlearini'8 Rotating Arc Lamp,— The inventor of this

lamp seeks to approximate as closely as possible to the theoretical
point source of light, fully utilised and automatically maintained.
He uses, according to the Iterue Oenerali- de V Electricite, a cored
carbon rod of much the ordinary ty-pe as positive electrode, which
provides the luminous crater. The non-luminous negative elec-
trode is a metallic ring surrounding and presenting its inner edge
towards the crater ; the ring is cooled by circulating water or
spirit. By the action of the magnetic field of a coil the arc
between the crater and the inner edge of the ring is caused to
rotate at 500 to 3,000 b.p.m. The rotation is too rapid to be dis-
tinguished by the eye, and the art; only appears as a highly
incandescent spot surrounded by a bluish halo. Only the positive
electrode burns away and need be moved ; the regulation is
controlled by the dilatation of a metal strip, and is independent
of the arc current and voltage.

Electrically - Welded Ship. — The first electrically-
welded vessel built in Britain ran speed trials in the Firth of
Clyde on Friday. The new vessel, named the FuUafiar, was
built by Messrs. Cammell, Laird & Co., Birkenhead. The vessel
had on board a distinguished party of engineers and others
interested in the new method of construction. The ship is a 500-
ton coaster, and in the construction of the hull, riveting has been
entirely dispensed with, electric welding on the " quasi-arc "
method taking its place.

Submarine Camera. — The submarine camera, which was
supplied by Messrs. Siebe Gorman & Co. for taking photographs
under water for war purposes, may have some useful peace appli-
cations. The apparatus is composed of three gun-metal castings
bolted together, giving a height of 4 ft. 9 in., and a diameter of
3 ft. 4 in. The upper and lower castings are each formed with
four watertight chambers, in each of which a mercury vapour
lamp, giving 3,000 C.P., or 24,000 c.p. in all, is installed. In the
chambers composing the middle castings are housed the lamp
resistances and the cameras. The lamps used are of the silica type
of Westinghouse Cooper-Hewitt design. The mercury vapour is
contained in a quartz vessel, having an overall length of about 9 in.
The lamps operate in parallel on a D.c. supply of 200 volts at a
current consumption of 3i amperes, and the photographic effect, it
is claimed, is equal to that of other lamps using a very much higher
current. The lamps have been made as simple as possible, so as to
avoid all unnecessary complications, the tilting to start their
action being effected by means of special levers actuated by rods on
the outside of the box. These rods and the leads to the lamps pass
through staffing boxes. The cameras are of a special box type, and
are fitted with behind-lens shutters, which are electrically
oontroUed,

Appointments Vacant. — The University of I.,andon

Senate is inviting applications for the University Chair of Radio-
logy, tenable at Middlesex Hosjiital Medical School, at £1,000 per
annum ; assistant inspector of wireless telegraphy (£2O0-|-), for the
General Post Office. See our advertisement pages to-day.

Fatality. — T//e Times states that a 16-year-old lad
named Robert John Mort, was helping a smith to shoe horses at
the Cynon Colliery, Port Talbot, when he touched a live wire and
was killed.

INSTITUTION NOTES.

Junior Institution of Engineers On June 30th a dinner was

held at the Monico Restaurant, London, in celebration of the 36th
anniversary of the foundation of the Institution. Sir Eustace H.
Tennyson d'Eyncourt, K.C.B., president, was in the chair. After
the toast of " The King," Mr. A. Richardson, M.P. (vice-President),
proposed '' The Institution," which he said always retained the
characteristics of " juniorhood ' — virility and courage — and showed
the way to the more conservative institutions. The first generation
of scientifically trained engineers was now taking its place in
industry, and the great scientific institutions should take note of
the fact and adapt themselves to the new conditions ; membership
was a hall-mark of scientific ability, and they must see that the
status conferred by it was maintained at a high level. The Junior
Institution, with many branches at home and abroad, was decentra-
lising, but gaining strength thereby. Mr. B. E. Dtmbar Kilbum,
chairman, in responding, said that during his year of office, the
membership had passed 2,000, and the present rate of growth
made a fresh record. He had visited nearly all the local sections,
and everywhere found the same keenness and enthusiasm aa at
headquarters.

Lord Weib of Eastwood (president-elect), proposing " Naval
Architecture." referred to the great part which it had played under
the direction of their president, on and under the sea. in the air,
and on the land. Mr. W. H. Whiting, C.B.. responded, and
emphasised the importance of the registration of engineers, as well
as that of the education of apprentices.

Mb. W. J. Tennant (vice-president) proposed " Kindred Insti-
tutions," to which Capt. H. Riall Sankey, R.E., C.B.E., Mr. C. H.
Wordingham, C.B.E., and Mr. F. Merricks, C.B.E., responded. Oapt.
Sankey said the Civil Engineers were going to call a conference to
discuss the best course to follow in promoting the Registration BiU ;
Mr. Wordingham urged that engineers should all act together, and
present a united front, and referred to the help received from that
Institution by the I.E.E. in establishing its " Informal Meet-
ings " ; Mr. Merricks, also supporting the principle of registration,
asked Capt. Sankey to call a meeting of the various institutions,
to form the nucleus of an engineering council, and the latter
stated that on July .")th such a meeting would take place to
discuss Whitley Councils, which he hoped would be the beginning
of a permanent conference.

Mb. W. a. Tookey (past chairman and hon. secretary) proposed
'' The President," and expressed the readiness of the Juniors to
help the Seniors in making their weight felt in the councils of the
nation. The toast was drunk with musical honours, and Sir
Eustace, responding, remarked upon the extraordinary zeal with
which the J.E.'s did their work.

During the evening a musical and ventriloquial programme was
performed, and the proceedings were very enjoyable.

Institution of Electrical Engineers — On Thursday last week
the Annual Conversazione of the Institution was held at the
Natural History Museum, South Kensington. Mr. Roger T. Smith,
president, and Mrs. Roger Smith, with members of the Coimcil,
received the guests, who numbered, in all, over 1,300, and included
Sir John Beall, Sir A. Whitten Brown, K.B.E., The Hon. Sir J. A.
Cockburn, M.D., K.C.M.G., Sir G. K. Elphinstone, K.B.E., Sir
Lazarus Fletcher, F.R.S., Col. Sir T. H. Holdich, R.E., K.C.M.G.,
Admiral of the Fleet Sir H. B. Jackson, R.N., G.C.B., K.C.V.O.,
Rear-Admiral F. C. Learmouth, C.B.. C.B.E., Mr. A. Page, Major-
General Sir R. M. Ruck, K.B.E., C.M.G., and the Right Hon. E.
Shortt, K.C., M.P., as well as Col. R. E. Crompton. C.B., Mr. W. M.
Mordey, Sir John Snell, Dr. G. Kapp, and Mr. C. H. Wordingham,
C.B.E. (past presidents), Mr. L. B. Atkinson, Dr. W. H. Ecoles, Sir
James Devonshire, K.B.E., Mr. A. P. M. Fleming, Dr. C. C.
Garrard, Messrs. J. S. Highfield, W. B. Hird, J. F. NieUon, G. W.
Partridge, C. C. Paterson, O.B.E., W. M. Selvey. and P. D. Tuckett
(members of Council), and Mr. P. F. Rowell (secretary).

During the evening the String Band of the Royal Engineers,
under Lieut. Neville Flux, F.R.A.M., performed a programme of
music in the Central Hall, and a concert party, including a string
quartet, gave two performances in the Reptile Gallery ; demon-
strations of wireless telephony in the Shell Gallery, with the aid of
loud-speaking telephones, formed a novel feature of the entertain-
ment, and refreshments were served in the usual places. In spite
of the weather, which was by no means clement, the function was
marked by the cuatomary success, and many old friends availed
themselves of the opportunity to forgather in such pleasant
surroundings.

Roentgen Society.— A meeting of the Roentgen Society wUl be
held at University College, Gower Street. W.C. 1, on Thursday. July
15th, at 9 p.m., when an address will be given by Dr. W. D.
Coolidge, chief of the research laboratories of the General Electric
Co., Schenectady, U.S.A. Members of the Institution of Electrical
Engineers are cordially invited to the meeting.

Vol. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.;

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

51

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

Iht Bditort invite electrical engineers, whether ccmiiected with the
technical or the comviercial side of the pro/essMn and induftri/,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
Elkctbical Review posted as to their m^vemeiits.

NEW COMPANIES REQISTBRED,

The Melbourne Age states that Mr. W. H. Stone, chief
ele<;trical engineer ot the Victorian (Austraha) Railway Depart-
ment, is retu-ing, having reached the age limit, and it is undei-
Ktood Mr. H. i". Caldwell, assistant electrical engineer, will be
appointed to the position.

Acting on medical advice, Mr. Dudley Docker has resigned
his seat on the boards of Vickers, Ltd., the Metropolitan
Carriage, Wagon, and Finance Co., and the Patent Shaft and
Axletree Co.

Mr. VV. G. Watson, managing director of W. G. Watson &
Co., Ltd., of Sydney, is now in this country purchasing elec-
trical and other goods and arranging new representations in
Australia. British manufacturers can communicate with him
c/u The Editor, The Electrical Review.

Mr. E. W. SUDLOW, on the occasion of his marriage, has
been presented by the management and staff of Fuller's United
Electric Works, Ltd., Woodland Works, Dford, with a silver
tea service.

Swindon T.C. has increased tHe salary of the general man-
ager of the electricity and tramways department to £460 a
year, and that of the electrical engineer to £450, both as from
March 31st last.

.\n interesting function is being arranged at Glasgow in
honour of Mes.srs. W. W. L.ackie and .^rch. i'.^OK on their
lecent appointments as Electricity Commissioners. The pre-
sentations will take the form of illuminated addresses enclosed
in oak caskets.

Prof. Sir John Cadman, K.C.M.G., D.Sc, University of
Biimingham, Mr. W. B. Haruy, Soc.R.S., GonviUe and Caius
College, Cambridge, and Prof. Sydney Young, D.Sc., F.R.S.,
Trinity College, Dubhn, have been appointed by an Order of
Council dated June ■24th, 1920, to be members of the Advisory
Council to the Committee of the Privy Council for Scientific
and Industrial Research

We learn from Societe Anonyme Brown, Boveri & Oie. of
Baden, that Mr. A. C. Eborall, who for many years has been
in charge of their interests in Great Britain, has recently been
appointed an executive director of the company.

Obituary. — Mr. E. T. W'akd. — The death has occurred from
a sudden seizure of gastritis, followed by peritonitis, of Mr.
E. T. Ward, a Derbyshire electrician in the employ of the Great
Central Railway Co. He was only 4'2 years of age.

Lord Downham. — We regret "to report that Lord Down-
ham (Mr. Hayes Fisher, as he \\as known before he became
a Peer) passed away on July 2nd from heart failui'e after an
operation. Lord Downham, who was 67 years of age, had
been for many years connected with the financial side of the
electiical supply industry. He was chairman of the W'est-
mins'ter Electric Supply Corporation, and a director of the
Central Electric Supply Co.

Mr. Henry Greenwood. — We regret to record the death, at
the age of 83 years, of Mr. Henry Greenwood, a director of
Greenwood & Batley, Ltd., of Leeds.

Herr Carl Dihlmann. — The death is announced from
Berlin, at the age of 63 years, of Herr Carl Dihlmann, one
of the directors of the Siemens-Schuckert Co., of that city.
The deceased was an authority on works organisation.

Mr. C. McLean. — The funeral took place last week of Mr.
Charles McJjean, chief electrician for many years at Lord
Ellesmere's collieries and work.shops in W'alkden and adjoin-
ing districts. The deceased gentleman, who was 69 years of
age, had originated many improvements in Lord Ellesmere's
industrial electrical installations. He died suddenly whilst on
a visit to Blackpool.

Long Transmission Lines. — According to Mr. P. Bunet,

in the Herue Ghiirale ile V Elect r'u-ite, 500 km. and 100,000 volts
per phase represent the limits of transmission distance and pressure
with lines of the ordinary construction. The author then shows
that by usinsr the so-called " quarter- wave " construction, lines of
1.000 to 1,.500 km. become a practical possibility. Such a line has
the usual two conductors for single- phase and three for three-phase,
but frequency, capacity and inductance have such values that at
no load the line is in resonance. The current must be maintained
nearly constant at the generating end, and constant voltage will
be received at the other, with reasonable regulation, efficiency and
conductor cost. The theory is explained, a parallel beinp drawn
with the effect of sound waves in a tube. It is pointed out that in
the case of such long lines as those now considered the speed of
propafration of electricity, hitherto safely nepfligible, begins to
assume importance. An example is worked out of a line 1,200 km.
long at 50 periods, transmitting 75,000 KW., and tables are given of
efficiencies at various loads and power factors, and of pressure dis-
tribution throughout the line. Such lines would only be practicable
for the transmission of power in bulk to the distant point without
services en route. With regard to the problem raised by the necessity
for constant current generators, the author refers to the possibilities
of collector type alternators.

Essex Light Railway and Property Co., Ltd. (168,626).—

Private company. Registered June 28th. Capital, £10,000 in «1 shares. To
construct and work light railways or tramways in Essex or elsewhere. The
subscribers (each with one share) 'are : A. D. Holmes, 40, Ludgate Hill, E.C.4,
incorporated accountant ; T. F. Wills, 44, Wavendon Avenue, Chiswick,
managing clerk. The first directors are not named. Solicitor ; C. Greenwood,
1, Mitre Court Buildings, E.G.

Yorkshire and District Electric Lamp Repairing Co., Ltd.

(168,64-).— Registered June 28th. Capital. £30,000 in £1 shares. To take over
a certain licence granted or to be granted by the .Allies Electric Lamp Repair-
ing Co., Ltd., to C. G. Gordon-Young, and to carry on the business of manu-
facturers, importers, exporters and repairers of and dealers in electric lamps
of all kinds, electric light and general engineers, i-c. The first directors are :
H. J. M. Cockayne, 42, Kingfield Road, Sharrow, Sheffield ; A. S. Lee, 10.
Taptonville Road, Sheffield; A. C. Davy, 10. Oak Park. .Manchester Road,
Sheffield; C. G. Gordon-Young, Four Acres, Oughtibridge, near Sheffield; D.
W. Hogan, 6, Sinclair Road, Kensington, VV.; A. W. C. Bower, VVortley, near
Sheffield.. Minimum cash subscription, £1,000. Qualification, £100. Registered
office: 70, Queen Street, Shefiield.

Midland Counties Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd.

(168,549).— Private company. Registered June 24th. Capital, £3,000 in £1
shares. To take over the business of electrical engineers and contractors
carried on at Smethwick as the Midland Counties Electrical Engineering Co.
The subscribers (each with one share) are: \V. H. Baker, The Elms, West
Smethwick, clerk; C. F. .M. Skinner, 36, Arden Road, Handsworth, Birming-
ham, clerk. The first directors are not named. Registered office : 136, Sandon
Road, Smethwick, Staffs.

Thos. 'Webb & Sons, Ltd. (168,582).— Private company.

Registered June 25th. Capital, £100 in £1 shares. To carry on the business
of manufacturers, importers and exporters of and dealers in glass, electric
lamp bulbs, tubing and rod, bulbs for miners' lamps and wireless telegraph\ .
4c. The subscribers (each with one share) are : D. D. Smith, 11, Finsburv
Park Road, N.4, solicitor; G. W. Waspe, 325, Hertford Road, Waltham Cross,
Herts, clerk. The subscribers are to appoint the first directors. Solicitor : C.
W. Austin, 6, Austin Friars, E.C. Registered office : 6, Austin Friars, E.C.

Castleton Electric Co., Ltd. (168,622) .—Registered June

28th. Capital, £125,000 in £1 shares (50,000 6 per cent, cumulative preference).
To carry on the business of electricians, electrical and mechanical engineers,
dealers in electricity, motive power and light, switchgear makers, &c.. to
acquire all the issued shares of Whipp & Bourne. Ltd. (incorporated in 1915),
and to adopt an agreement with S. Whipp, C. W. D. Bourne. F. Whipp. R.
Walker, E. Tweedale and L. Tweedale. The first directors are : S. Whipp.
Pilstone, Llandogs; C. W. D. Bourne, Roche Hill, Rochdale; F. Whipp, Bam-
ford Cottage, Rochdale; R. Walker, Kingswood, Rochdale; E. Tweedale,
Rhvddings, Rochdale; L. Tweedale, Beaumonds, Rochdale. Minimum cash
subscription, £5,000. Solicitor : J. A. Hudson, The Butts, Rochdale.

Seal Co. (London), Ltd. (168,953).— Private company.

Registered June 2nd. Capital, £1,000 in £1 shares. To manufacture, install
and deal in electrical, chemical or electro-chemical or mechanical and mag-
netic, galvanic and other articles and apparatus, and to adopt an agreement
with R. S. Atherstone, F. .\. Eraser and F. H. Brewerton. The first directors
are: F. H. Brewerton, 370, High Road, Willesden Green, N.W. ; R. S.
Atherstonej 38, Cossington Road, Westcliff; F. A. Fraser, 370, High Road,
Willesden Green, N.W. Solicitor : G. O. White, 31, Great James Street, Bed-
lord Row, W.C.

"Watt Motors, Ltd. (168,712).— Private company. Regis-
tered June 30th. Capital, £25,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the business of
marine, mechanical, civil, electrical, steam, gas, venti'ali ig and hydraulic
engineers, manufacturers of motors, tools, &c. The subscribers (each with one
share) are: C. W. King, Pentre Gwylin, Llanishen, shipowner; G. St. J. Day.
83, Grove Park, Camberwell, S.E., electrical engineer. The first directors are
to be appointed by the subscribers. Registered office ; Premier House, 150,
Southampton Row, W.C.

Woodcrow General Mechanical and Electrical Heating,
Engineering Co., Ltd. (168,737). — Private company. Regis-

terc.d July 1st. Capital. £3.000 in £1 shares. To take over the business
carried on at High Street, Stourbridge, under similar name, and to adopt an
agreement with A. Pasfield. The first directors are : A. Pasfield, 118, High
Street, Brierley Hill, mechanical and consulting engineer; E. Crowther. 6.
Hagley Road, Stourbridge, mechanical and consulting engineer; T. R. Atkin-
son. Cairngorm, llfracombe, ropemaker. Solicitor ; T. F. Bache. Lombard
Street, West Bromwich.

Electric Brass Wares, Ltd. (168,534). — Private company.

Registered June 24th. Capital, £1,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the bi '
of electrical and mechanical engineers, manufacturers of and dealers ii
trical wires, cables and flexible cords for lighting, power, telephone and
less works, automobiles, high and low tension cables, wires for dynamos,
instruments and accessories for lighting, power, telephones, aeroplanes,
mobiles and motor cycles, he. The first directors are : F. C. Black
Allmands, Great Crosby, Lanes.; A. B. Gregson, 8, Wellesley Terrace
Park. Liverpool; J. Roberts, 15, Calderstones Road, Liverpool. Seer
E. A. Killip. Solicitor : J. Roberts. 5, Harrington Street, Liverpool. Regis-
tered office : 21, Tempest Hay, Liverpool.

Stewart Thomson & Patrick, Ltd. (168,596).— Private

company. Registered June 25th. Capital, £3,000 in £1 shares. To take over

- ' nical engineer carried on by S. R.

oria Street, Liverpool, as " Stewart
: S. R. Thomson (managing director),
Liverpool; T. A. Patrick, 35. Bank
nam Avenue, Sefton Park, Liverpool;
J. E. M. Crowther, 23,
10 and 13, Hart Street,

il'l. The
Princes

business of
Thomson at Palace Chai
Thomson & .Son." The fii
11, Mount Stuart Square, Oi
Street, Bootle; R. D. Kilgou
E. R. Patrick. 33. Bank Sti
.Abingdon Street, Westminstf
Liverpool.

bers, 21, Vi<
t directors are
Orrell, Bootle
3ur, 36, Sydei
et. Bootle
. Regisi

red office :

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Portable Electric Motors (1919), Ltd.— Debenture dated

June 16th, 1920, to secure £5,000, ch.irged on the company's undertaking and
property, present and future, including uncalled capital. Holders ; D. J. H.
(~unnick, F. Eley and A. J. Hopewell. 15, Bishopsgate, E.C.

British Mica Co., Ltd. — Particulars of ^£1,500 debentures

authorised by resolutions oi April 1st and May 6th, 1920, amount of present
issue £700. IVopertv charged : the company's propertv, present and future, in-
cluding uncalled capital. .N'o trustees.

James Keitti & Blackman Co., Ltd. — Satisfaction in full

on June 16th. 1920. of debentures dated December, 1901, securing £1,000. Also
issue on June 22nd, 1920, of £1,100 debentures, part of a series already regis-
tered.

Q. Weston & Sons, Ltd. — Particulars of .£999 debentures

authorised June llth. 1920. whole amount issued. Property charged: the com-
pany's undertaking and property, present and future, includinfi uncalled capita^
No trustees.

02

THE ELECTRICAL REYlEWo

[Vol. 87. No. 2,224, Jcly 9, 1920,

Welllagborough Ekctrlc Supply Co., Ltd.— Debenture

dated June iSlh, 1!«0, lo secure all moneys due or to become due Irom the
company to mortgagees, charged on the company's undertaking and property,
present and future, including uncalled capital. Holders: Northampton Electric
Light and Power Co., Ltd. Also isfue on same date of «"00 debentures, part
of a aeries.

Ozonair, Ltd.— Satisfaction in full on May 12th, 1920, of

charge dated May 24th, 1918, securing all moneys due or lo become due from
the company to bankers.

Engineering Components, Ltd. — EXebenture dateii June

18th, laiiO, to secure JE1,80«, ch.irged on the company's undertaking and pro-
perty, including uncalled capital. Holder ; C. Gordon, lt>, Priory Mansions,
Drayton Gardens, S.W.

Hindhead and District Electric Light Co., Ltd. (75,361).—

Capital, £30,000 in £1 shares. Return dated June a2nd, 1920. 25,000 shares
taken up. £14,S00 paid. £10,500 considered as paid. Mortgages and charges,
£4,450.

CITY NOTES.

The net profits for the year ended March
General Electric 31st, 1920, amounted to £630,143, as com-
Co., Ltd. pared with i;480,8'2a in the previous year.

Adding the amount brought forward
£141,502, there is a total of je771,046. After deducting de-
benture stock interest £8,000, depreciation £85,329, grants to
dependants of men on active service and contribution to pension
fund £6,766; 6J per cent, dividend on '"A " preference shares
£107,626; transferred to reserve account £150,000, there is
an available balance of £413,9'23. A dividend of 10 per cent.
per annum, free of income tax', on the ordinary shares will
require £122,500, and a further grant of £40,000 is made to
superannuation trust fund, leavmg to be carried forward
(subject tp excess profits duty) £251,4'23. The results are, in
the opinion of the directors, most satisfactory, especially as
they have been obtained during a year of reconstruction. _^The
capital employed during the y«ar was nominally three mTllion
pounds, but considerable credit was placed by the bank at
tiie disposal of the company. The new issue made by the
company in March, 1920, affects the year under review only
in so far as a large part of it has been used to repay the bank
for the advances it had made, which, up to March 31st, were
employed in the development of the following assets appear-
ing in the balance sheet : Approximate addition to — Freehold
land and buildings, £200,000; King.sway expenditure, £40,0tK);
plant and machinery, £100,0(XI; excess of trade debts over
liabilities, £600,00<.l; "stock in trade, £300,CTO: trade invest-
ments, £450,000; total, £1,690,000. From the nature of this
expenditure, it is apparent that a considerable proportion
is not yet productive, mainly on account of the .slow progress
of essential building operations. The latter include erection
of large telephone and ebonite works at Coventry, extension
of engineering shops and new buildings for switchgear works
at Witton, new administration 'buildings and club build-
ings at Witton. extensions to the Ivemington glass works.
Osram lamp works, and to the turbo works at Erith.
and finally the completion of the company's building
in Kingsway. The last is becoming daily more necessary,
as the company, in consequence of its growth, is at present
compelled to carry on its administration in London in '2s
different buildings. The company's woi'ks are fully employed
and, to judge bv orders in hand, they are likely to remain
so throughout the coming financial year. Independently of
its factories, the company has now established in the L'nited
Kingdom 31 sales branches and depots ; the overseas branches
and depots number fifteen. The number of employees exceeds
15,000; a considerable addition is anticipated as soon as the
works in process of building are completed. The contributory
pension scheme came into eft'ect on January 1st this year,
and has met with a gi-atifying response from the company's
employes. The annual cost of this scheme to the company
■will approximate £'20,000. Almost all the company's allied
and subsidiary enterprises continue to be satisfactory, the
notable exceptions being some small supply companies, such
as Maderia, Frinton, end Macclesfield, which have all suffered
through conditions created by the war. Mr. H. P. Wells
having accepted a position of greater responsibility with the
company, the assistant secretary, Mr. L. C. Gamage, has
been appointed secretary. Owing to the death of Mr. 'V\'illiam
Warburton, one of the trustees for the debenture stock
holders, it is proposed to appoint Mr. Edwai;(i Manville, M.P.,
as a trustee in his place. Annual meeting, July 13th.

The repoi* for 1919 states that the aver-
Anglo-Portuguese age rate of exchange for the year was
Telephone 2813/16d., as compared with 30id. for the
Co., Ltd. previous year. The capital expenditure

amounted to £39.006, as compared with
£28,927 for 1918. An issue of 2.50,000 new^ ordinary shares
of £1 each was made in December last at par. The profit
anS io.ss account shows a gross income of ,£109.313 (again.5t
£103,957), of which operating, management, and general ex-
penses absorbed £76.'238 (again.st £73.779), and royalties to
the Portuguese Government £3,277 (against £3,107), leaving
a gross profit of £29,797 (against £'27.071). After payment of
income tax £2.768, providing for debenture interest £3, .590,
and sinking fund £2,005. and writing off £9.965 (being one-
ihiii) of the expense attending the issue of extension deben-

ture stock and new ordinary shares, the amount for disposal
(mcluding £8,207 brought forward) is £19,675. The directors
recommend a further dividend of 4 per cent., less tax, making
7 per cent, for the year, leaving a balance of £8,8"28 to b«
carried forward. Owing to the persistent advance in wages
and the greatly enhanced cost of material of every kind,
says the Financial Times, the company's profits had recently
undergone serious contraction, but the Portuguese Govern-
ment has just authorised a substantial increase in the com-
pany's charges as from June 15th, 19"20.

Sir George Touche, Bart., presiding at
AnglO'Argentine the annual meeting, referred to the death
Tramways of the late chairman, Mr. J. B. Concanon,

Co., Lta. and to the rearrangements of the board

consequent thereupon, and upon the re-
moval of German elements from the directorate owing to
the war. No German element m the company would
be aceeptable to the British, French, or Belgian shareholders.
For the plain citizen, the war must blunt the edge of inti-
macy for this generation at least. While the dividends were
still heavily in arrear their position was not nearly so de-
plorable as a year ago, and there was every promise that a
reasonable prosperity awaited them in the early future. The
abnormal conditions under which they had been working
for some years continued to press hardly upon them during
the year, but he hoped that that period marked the close
of a very disagreeable era in the company's history. The
main adverse conditions were the excessive cost of electric
energy caused by the dearness of fuel and freights, the need
for increased wages to meet the higher cost of living, and the
reduction in the number of hours of work. They had also
suffered from the general upheaval in the labour world.
After referring to the strike of last year, the speaker, in
reviewing the accounts, said that the redeeming feature of
the year's operations was the continued and steady increase
in the traffic receipts, notwithstanding an estimated loss
of about £80,000 due to the labour troubles. This^ indicated
a great revival of business .activity in Buenos Aires. The
number of passengers reached the record total of 370,734,985.
an increase of 6.14 per cent., although the car mileage was
greater by only 1 per cent. The system now consisted of
395J miles of single track. Last year they carried 937,383
passengers per mile of route. The average fare paid was
2.01d. per passenger. The seating capacity of the cars is
32 and trailers are employed. The working expenses reached
the high level of 78 per cent, of the gross receipts. The total
expenifiture for the year amounted to £2, -573, 742. being an
increase of £198,178, or 8.35 per cent. Lender the head of
traction, £832,186, chiefly cost of electric energy, there was
a small decrease of £24,934. It was, nevertheless, an en-
couraging sign. It, showed that the tide of ruinous prices
was on the turn, although it would not go back to the pre-
war level. In the year 1918 when coal delivered at Buenos
.\ires was little short of £10 per ton, their electric energy
cost £531.215 over the normal pre-war days, when the price
of coal was 30s. per ton. They had still an immense amount
of leeway to make up, and the present fuel situation was
none too bright. In the years to come they must expect
renewals to ^involve a much heavier expenditure than in
pre-war days. He would be disappointed if the results of the
current year did not enable them to augment considerably
the transfer to this fund. The holders of the first preference
shares had not received any dividend since June 30th. 1917,
the arrears to December 31st last being £440,000 gross. The
directors now recommended the payment of a dividend on
these shares, less income tax, in satisfaction of the arrears
for twelve months to June 30th, 1918, absorbing £1-23,200.
A full Year's interest at 5J per cent, would, of course, be
£176,000. The difference of £52.,800 was deducted from the
shareholders to pay income tax. Although the amount brought
into revenue from 191S would be reduced by this payment
from £83,042 to £52,309 the directors were of opinion that
the payment of arrears should be dealt with as promptly as
prudence would allow. They had received the figures for
the first five months of the current year, and they encouraged
the hope that it might be possible to make increa.sing pay-
ments on account of arrears, and so ultimately to resume the
regular payment of current dividends. The eftimated figures
.showed that the current dividend on the first preference
shares had been more than earned. Without making any pro-
mise, the results encouraged their expectation that they might
be able to pay off another year's arrears of dividend on the
first preference shares before verv' long. On the second pre-
ference shares no dividend had been paid since December
31st. 1915. There were thus four years of arrears, amounting
to £.5.50,000. It would be unwise to forecast any date when
the payment of these arrears was likely to be commenced,
but. if labour conditions remained tranquil, the further de-
mands on the sorely tried patience of the shareholders might
not be excessive. The ordinan- shareholders hnd h.id no
return on their invested capital for six years. The sufferer.'?
in that resnect were the Societf Generale at Bru.s.«els, who
controlled the ordinary .share capital, and who.se patience
certainlv de.=erved to be rewarded, for during all that time
thev hid never grumbled, but had always done ever>'-
thing they could to strengthen the company and sup-
port the hands of the directors in following a careful
and fcmKPTvative financSal prtlicy. ^ATien it was rfmem-
bered that, in the year 1913, « dividend of 6} per

Toi. 87. No. 2,224, jult 9, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL BEVIEW.

53

cent, waa paid on ^,250,000 ordinary share capital, while
the average of the two previous years waa 8 per cent., they
wovdd realise how far they had fallen from pre-war prosperity,
and how iiTesistible was the company's claim to a revision
of tariffs. That revision has now been authorised, and should
have a favourable effect on futui'e revenues. He did not claim
that they had got all they wanted, or all that was desirable,
even in the public mterest. The settlement was necessarily
a. matter of some adjustment. The essential provision was
that a tariff of 1'2 cents was to be applicable everywhere —
on the surface Unes and in the subways — where previously
they charged 10 cents. Th^ increase of 2 cents paper was
fixed for a term of three years. The 1'2-cent rate was inau-
gurated on April loth. Some small awkwardness was experi-
enced on the first day, arising out of difficulties of payment
and change, but these soon disappeared. The new tariff was
now working smoothly, and the effect on the receipts was
already noticeable. They were trusting to the increase in
fares to enable them to meet the heavy additional burdens
which they now had to bear, but they looked chiefly to the
growth of traffic for an improvement in the margin of profit.
The chairman concluded his speech with a cordial welcome
to Mr. Pedriali, the manager in Buenos Aires, who was now
a director.

Mr. Samuel G. Bibby, the deputy chair-
AlumiDium man, presided at the annual meeting held
Corporation, on June 30th at the Great Eastern Hotel,
Ltd. E.G. Proposing the adoption of the report

and the balance sheet for the three years
ended December 31st last, he said that the issued capital
since the date of the last accounts showed an increase of
j667,210. The first debentures had been reduced by the first
half-year's operation of the sinking fund and an issue of
:£50,000 second debentures had been made to meet heavy
capital expenditure. Mortgages had been increased by ;£'2'2,028
due to the expensive purchases of land for the purpose of
extending the company's water rights. The profit and loss
account for the three years, before deducting debenture and
loan interest, showed the figure of £129,95.5, or an average of
just over i'43,000 per annum. That had enabled them to pay
the preference dividends for 1917 and 1918, leaving a balance
of ±'60,623. After paying the preference dividend for last
year, the board recommended that £30,000 of the balance
be placed to a reserve account for special depreciation and
possible Imperial taxation that might be imposed. £331,485
had been expended during the past three years on additional
works. That item included the construction of the Llugwy
dam giving a storage of .seventy million cubic feet, which
had been completed during the present month, and the work
for the construction of the Cowlyd Dam. which they hoped
to complete early next year. The latter had at present reached
the stage ■s\hen the concrete core wall was above ground
level, being the most difficult and costly operation of the
undertaking. That dam when completed would have a storage
capacity of four hundred million cubic feet, and was being
erected under the powers of the special Act of Parliament
•which waa passed during the war period. They had also
constructed at Dolgarrog a large extension to their rolling
mill, which had proved a .satisfactory addition to their plant.
A new recasting shop had been erected and fitted, and the
area of the works very considerably increased. A new 3-phase
alternator and switchboard of 1.200 kw. capacity with direct
coupled exciter had been purchased and installed, together
with a 34,000-volt transformer, and further plant had been
provided for the extended rolling mill. The investments and
loans to subsidiary companies stood at £18.167, which wa.s
some £8,000 less than in the last accounts. The stocks stood
at £77,191, which was not excessive for the amount of their
turnover. Sundry debtor.? at £43.999 16s. 9d. were the usual
trade items. The total figures of the balance sheet for the
first time exceeded the sum of one million pounds, and show-ed
in some measure the great expansion that had taken place
in the business. The Corporation had guaranteed the prin-
cipal and interest on £150,000 debenture stock in an associated
company, and it was not necessary for him to dilate upon
the services that Mr. Kenneth M. Clark, the chairman, had
rendered the company during the very difficult period that
they had gone through. He had on each and every occasion
come to the aid of the company in the mo.'st generous manner,
and he could confidently say that it would have been abso-
lutely impossible for any such statement as the present to
have been produced, had it not have been for the continuous
and very extensive financial assistance he had given. During
the period under review an opportunity occurred for the
purchase by the company of the controlUng interest in the
North Wales Power & Traction Co. That company was really
the parent company of the Aluminium Corporation, and it
was that company which sold to the .Aluminium Corporation
a portion of its estate, which was the original watershed of
the Corporation. The two companies were working to some
extent in opposition, and bearing in mind the fact that the
two stations were connected by a 20.000-volt transmission
line, they would easilv perceive the great advantages of the
amalcamation. Mr. Clark very generously found the amount
required in hard cash at a most difficult financial period, for
the purpose of the purchase, and accepted for the money
first debentures in the North Wales Power & Traction Co.
Since the date of the purchase n<*«' machinerv had j^een in-
stalled in both n^ver stations, the transmission line had been

strengthened, and they were now working in unison to the
manifest advantage of both companies. That purchase,
coupled with the purchases of land that had been made during
the last three years, gave the company the only economical
storage ground for water in Snowdonia, and it had con-
solidated and strengthened the position in a manner that
would appear, he confidently believed in the future history of
the undertaking. The crux of the whole position with regard
to the company rested upon the amount of electrical energy
generated, and that, of course, entirely depended on the
water storage. A great deal had been done in that direction,
they had an output now three times what it was in the early
years, but they still had a considerable water storage un-
developed, and they were as yet unable to provide a dividend
for the ordinary shareholder. In conjunction with the
North Wales Power & Traction Co., they now had large
possibilities with regard to the sale of electric energy to towns,
quarries, and other industries, in addition to their own con-
sumption, and the board felt that there was every prospect
of their being able to pay a dividend on the ordinary shares
providing the necessary developments could be carried out,
but that, of course, meant further heavy expenditure on
capital account. New dams to conserve the rainfall must
be constructed, further pipe lines were needed, and a new
power house must be built. So far they had not been able
to see their way to meet those requirements, a gi'eat deal
had been done, but a great deal more remained to be carried
out. The matter was receiving the careful consideration of
the directors, for they were confident that the extensions
would yield a very handsome profit, especially having regard
to the fact that a great deal of the expenditure which had
already been made would be contributory to those new
works, but in what form the necessary and essential expendi-
ture could be met he was unable at the moment to say. He
would, however, call their attention to the fact that that
was the only high pressure hydroelectric scheme in operation
in England or Wales. The Government was taking a keen
interest in the development of water power, and the position
of the country with regard to coal made it a national duty that
water power of that description should be developed to its
fullest capacity. A great deaL has been said as to the Govern-
ment providing the necessary funds, but they really could
not expect any Government to do ail the development work
required by the country, nor personally did he think that
that would be a wise course. England has obtained her pre-
eminence in the commercial world by the initiative of her
people, and it ,was, in his opinion, very much to be desired
that that polii!'^ should be continued, and that enterprises
of that sort should be carried out by private capital, but
of course labour was difficult and taxes were heavy. Unfor-
tunately they were one of those companies upon which excess
profits duty fell with exceptional severity, for they did
not reach remunerative production before the standard
period, the result was that they were handicapped by
the figures established for that period. The continuation of
that duty, was, to his mind, to be deplored, and he could
not help expressing the opinion that if the Chancellor of
the Exchequer realised how greatly that tax was hampering
the development of undertakings of that class and character
he would certainly not have increased it. The great need to
his mind was stability; he certainly thought the continuation
of the excess profits duty beyond the actual war period a
great mistake, but they, of course, realised that the national
expenditure must be met, and if the Government found that
they were unable to raise the necessary revenue by any other
means than that of continuing the duty, then he would sug-
gest that it should for the present year be not more than
.50 per cent., and that a definite undertaking should be given
that it would either be abolished after this year or reduced
by at least 10 per cent, each year until it was extinguished.
That would, in his opinion, make the raising of capital a very
much simpler problem, and it would ensure that when the
tax disapi^eared the expansion of business in this country
would have more than made good any deficit in the revenue
accounts. Although the production of aluminium had been
greatly increased during the war. particularly in .\merica
and Norway, he was glad to say that the demanil had kept
pace with the supply, and they had found no difficulty in
disposing of their output. When the Government decided to
dispose of their stocks of aluuiiniun). they took over a con-
siderable portion of the metal, which had been duly marketed.
The chief difficulty of the outlook was the question of supplies
of raw material : the freight market showed signs of easement,
but the co.sts of production had been considerably increased
by the continuous rise in wages, coupled with the reduction
of working hours and cost of coal, and it was now a question .
whether wages had not reached their economical limit.
There was a further possibility of the French Government
placing an export duty on bauxite, their chief raw material,
in which case they would be obliged to interest themselves
in the considerable deposits of the ore known to exist in
the British Empire, and the board had at present under con-
sideration certain negotiations in that direction. In conjunc-
tion with their interest in the North Wales Power & Traction
Co., thev were arranging to use a portion of their electricity
for public suppUes. and had in hand at the present moment
the construction of a high voltage transmission line, con-
necting their works at Dolgarrog with the towns of Colwyn
Bay apd Llandudno.

64

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

[Vol. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.

Addressing the annual meeting, on June
J. (j. White and aitli, Mr. L.. M. Booth said that having
Co., Ltd. regard to commercial conditions in general,

they were determined to pursue a policy
of extreme care, and were doing everything possible to con-
solidate theii' position and resources. Consequently the year's
trading had been quiet and the profits moderate, and the
current year was likely U> hud them less aggressive and satis-
tied if they held their own without loss. It would be a mis-
take to embark on any large enterprise at this juncture about
the completion of which, on financial grounds, they did not
feel entirely independent of money market conditions. The
period of readjustment after the war had begun. It would
certainly last some years, and in the earlier stages some
acute moments of distress were bound to occur, and in his
opinion the year 1920 was bound to contain jierhaps the most
acute of these crises. The general trading business, which
they now conducted under the name of J. G. White Com-
mercial Co., had been working under particularly difficult
conditions. They were progressing satisfactorily. As with
the engineering business, they were pursuing a conservative
course, and while every month showed handsome increase.s
in turnover, they could grow much more rapidly if they
were ready to do so but strictly conservative 'finance neces-
sitated the turning down of quite a number of orders. The
result of the amalgamation of their own construction depart-
ment with that of Messrs. Dick, Kerr & Co., Ltd., was
entirely satisfactoi-y.

Mr. B. Garcke, M.I.E.E., presiding at
British Electric the annual meeting, on Friday last, said
Traction that during the past year Parliament had

■ Co., Ltd. passed two .Acts with a view to the ame-

lioration of the adverse conditions in the
electrical industry. The Electricity Bill contained no asser-
tion of abstract principles of freedom, but it met unquestion-
able evils by practical remedies. The Act did not remove all
their grievances, but it authorised the appointment of Com-
missioners whose functions, they understood, were to examine
the conditions and to le'gislate for the varying cii'cumstances
of particular cases consistently with general policy. That was
the form of regulated freedom for which they petitioned.
The Government had given them that measure of freedom.
but had made the reservation that it would enact the objec-
tionable clauses which the House of Lords deleted. It was
to be hoped that the Government would announce at an early
date its abandonment of that policy, tor it was undoubtedly
true that further uncertainty had a serious deterrent effect
on enterprise in that important key industry. The other
Act — the Tramways (Temporary Increase of Charges) Act,
1920 — was of importance to the electrical tramway industry.
Tramways were overrun by increased costs, but were not
allowed to keep up with increased prices and charges. The
Ministry of Transport had, however, come to their rescue,
and, he beUeved, was doing everything it could to enable
those undertakings to hold their own. Referring to questions
of general interest, he said that the existing financial and
industrial conditions of the world gave rise to anxiety. The
need at the moment was that the simplest truths of economics
should be observed by all. War meant destruction of wealth.
and they could not be as wealt'hy after the desti-uction as
before imtil the loss was made good by new production. In
the next place, the war had changed their outlook with regard
to many social questions; the working cla.sses rightly claimed
an improvement in their status. That claim should be met
not in a haggling spirit, but by fair and sympathetic discus-
sion of the economic and social principles involved. If, as
had been said, the country had reached its taxable limit
because there was no satisfactory alternative to the admittedly
bad tax on so-called excess profits, then the only remedy
was ruthlessly to curtail national expenditure. This country
was again in a favourable position for securing world-wide
industrial prosperity, because foreign competition was not
effective, and practically the whole world was clamouring
for British goods; but it could not enlarge and extend its
foreign trade if taxation beyond its capacity discouraged in-
dustry and encouraged extravagance. The excess profits duty
had those effects, as every industrialist knew. Until the
world's production overtook consumption, prices would not
come down, and it would be a serious matter for producers in
this country if the simple remedies of earning more and
spending less were delayed, and they had to look for relief
in the form of foreign competition. The dangers of high
prices are great to every section of the community. The
labour situation was now discussed by all, but .suiScient con-
sideration was not. he thought, given to some of its aspects.
The wage.? system which regulsted the relations between
capital and labour during the past century on the principle of
unregulated .supply and demand, had broken down under the
stress of the friction to which it had given rise. The Whitley
Councils had brought the labour unions and the organis,ations
of employers together. So far, good. Those Councils per-
formed the function of cutting a thorny patli through the
jungle of premature ideals and over ripe realities, but in the
absence of guiding oriiiciples of national application, the
nath had no clear direction and no recogni.snble alignment.
It was a continuation of the old struggle with changed pro-
cedure; labour demanded more, employers resisted and finally
yielded; then the process was repeated. But no one knew

tile end. They needed further co-orciiuation of interests, and
the most helpful suggestion at this point was that the Whitley
Councils should be federated for debate and decision on the
lOot questions underlying the labour situation viewed naJ,ion-
ally and not only sectionally. In the present case capital
did not fully admit the social rights of labour, and labour did
not fully recognise its moral obligations to society. Proceed-
ing to refer to the results of their federated public utility
undertakings, excluding the London companies, he said the
receipts were i;'2,047,(X)0, an increase <jf £"i4y,(.KX); the expenses
were iil, 941,000, an increase of i'ysy.UUO; the working balance
was £706,000, or £'94,000 less. The percentage of working
expenses to gross receipts was therefore 74 per cent, in 1919,
compared with 67 per cent, in 19la. They did a larger volume
of work but made less profit, both ab.solutely and relatively
— not a satisfactory result, but unavoidable though regrettable.
The operations of the London undertakings had produced
even wor.se results. They had a total investment of over
.l;70O,0UO in the ixiudon group of tramway, omnibus, and
electricity supply undertakings. During the past two years
they had had a net revenue of only about £8,000 per annum
on the portion of that capital represented by debentures and
some preference stocks. In 1913 — the year before the war^
they received over £25,000 on about £7.5,000 smaller invest-
ment, and they then had good reason to hope that the yield
would improve. The falling away of the profit on the Lon-
don imdertakings had told heavily again.st them. In the case,
of their provincial undertakings, comparing only like with
like, and eliminating incomparable undertakings, the operat-
ing profits had, in the aggregate, increased since 1913. If
the London companies had done approximately as well, the
revenue account of the B.E.T. Co. would be at least £211,000
per annum better than it was. The tramway and omnibus
companies of the metropohs had increased their traffic receipts
between 1914 and 1919, but their cxi>enses had increased in
a much larger ratio, and at the beginning of this year they
were not earning sufficient to meet their actual expenses. It
was difficult to give a satisfactory explanation why the Lon-
don results were so much wor.se than those of provincial
undertakings — the reasons were many and complex. All the
transport services in the Ijondon area — the tubes, omnibuses,
company-owned tramways, and municipal tramways — were
reciprocally competitive, producing difficulties which even
administrative co-ordination could not entirely remove. There
was always a tendency for the lowest fares and the highest
wages on any of the services to become the standard for all
the undertakings. There was no doubt that basic wages were
higher in London than on their provincial undertakings, and
the cost of fuel and of all other materials was probably higher
also. Moreover, distances were greJiter and longer travel
had to be allowed for the minimum fare. Workpeople were
carried at a loss. Lord Ashfield, the chairman of the London
and Suburban Traction Co., at the annual meeting in May
last, expressed the belief that the public would pay such fares
as would produce a revenue necessary to keep the undertak-
ings in. a reasonably prosperous condition, but he warned
those who were constantly agitating for increased wages that
they could overburden the undertakings and bring disaster
to "themselves and to all those associated with them. Since
then the Ministry of Transport had under the new Act autho-
rised the Metropolitan and the London LTnited Tramway
Co.'s to charge increased fares; but the employes had at the
same time obtained a further increase of wages, although it
w-as not yet known what was likely to be the continued
result of the incieased fares. Speaking of the various depart-
ments of the business, Mr. Garcke said that with regard to
the tramways and light railways, the receipts continued to
increase; but the expenses increased in a greater ratio, and
the average increase in fares had been equal to only one-
tenth of a ijenny per passenger. Their automobile business
was showing satisfactory expansion in various parts of the
country. The increase in the cost of iietrol since pre-war
days by over 200 per cent, had, however, still further reduced
the narrow margin of profit; but in the case of omnibuses
they were not under the same restrictions as in the case of
tramways with regard to the fares they could charge, though
they had in many cases already reached the economic limit
beyond which fares could not be raised without discouraging
travel. In the case of the electricity supply business, there
was a precipitous falling off in demand immediately after the
armistice, but the expenses could not immediately be arrested.
During the year, however, the output of electricity sold
gradually increased, and the level of 1918 had been alniost
restored, a recovery which showed the satisfactory elasticity
of the r)iisint.ss. ITie main item of expense was fuel, and the
average price of coal had been much higher in 1919 than in
1018. In the manufacturing department of the business,
which was represented by the Brush Elci'tiical Engineering
Co., they had very g(XKl results to show. Owing to the
industrial lag caused by the war, all manufacturers of elec-
trical apparatus were full of orders, and .the demand upon
British manufa<'turers hud been accentuated by the f.ict that
foreign competition had been practically eliminated. The
Brush Co.. in which they had a substantial interest, had
made an excellent .showing for 1919. .\ dividend of l.") \>er
cent, had been paid, and there had beep a bonus capital dis-
tribution of 100 per cent. There was a large demand for the
special manufactures of the Brush Co., and they confidently
anticipated a continuance of the present prosperity of that

Vol. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.]

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

56

company. The chairman dealt in conclusion with the ac-
counts. He added that the boaril had acquired an interest in
a company formed in association with Sir Oswald Stoll to
produce kiuematograph pictures. Mr. (larcke said that was
his twenty-tifth year of service with the company, and after
nearly fifty years of strenuous industrial activity he felt a
desire for leisure to work at other things. He had. therefore,
resigned the chairmanship of the company, and Mr. J. S.
.\usten had agreed to succeed him iu that capacity. He would
be willing to remain a member of the board, and if it was
desired by the federated companies, he would continue to
act as president of the British Electrical Federation so as
to avoid any sudden changes in that organisation. Replying
to a shareholder, the chairman said the matter of paying an
interim dividend on the ordinary shares had been liefore the
board on several occasions. The bulk of their revenue was
obtained from investments in companies which made out
their accounts at the end of the year; but the risk of paying
an interim dividend was not a very serious one, and he
had no doubt the board would give the matter further con-
sideration.

For the year ended March .Slst, 1920, the

Edmundsons' directors report that after providing for
Electricity income tax, mortgage and note interest.

Corporation, and debenture stock charges, the net profit
Ltd. was .£8,099. as compared with ,£13,638

for the previous year. With £6,76.5
brought forward, the total profit available is £14..S6.5: £4,775
is to be applied in writing off the discount and issue expenses
of the £75,000 6i per cent, three year notes, and £10,090 car-
ried forward. Owing to the necessity under present con-
ditions of conserving the company's financial re.sources, the
directors are unable to recommend the payment of the cumu-
lative preference share dividend. To provide ?or the imme-
diate financial requirements of the company, the directors
have been reluctantlv compelled to resort to the issue of
£75,000 6J per cent.' three year notes .secured on £100.000
5 per cent, prior lien debenture stock. The various under-
takings have suffered severely from their inability to adjust
prices sufficiently to meet the constantly increasing costs of
.';upply. In the hope of overcoming this difficulty, the
directors promoted a Bill in Parliament which was rejected
hy committee. It has. however, served to bring home to the
authorities the urgent need for relief, and the Electricity
Commissioners and the Ministry of Transport are now con-
sidering hy what means relief can be most readily afforded.
In the meantime a large number of applications for sub-
stantially higher prices have been lodged with the Ministrv
of Transport. Investments in and advances to subsidiary
and other companies at March. 1920: Shares, £68.3.210: de-
bentures, £175,930; advances. £.567,928; total, £1,427,068.

Gross profit

{before pro-

Capitftl vidinp for Load

expended capital charKes connected

Dec. alst, and depreciation). in kw.

Name. 1919. 1919. 1919.

Alderlev f5.5,.<rn £2,2S4 1,319 KW,

Bromley 161,.1M 11. IRK .'>.in9

Folkestone . . ■244,03S lfi,R4R R,00n

Gnemsev .. .. 169,4"'9 B.OOn .';.447

Isle of Wight , . . . 278,29.') 12,42R (■,444

Ilfracombe ,. 35,fi6R l,16fi l.nin

Tjancashire Co, . . 8ra„'i6S ,-j.'),420 29,l.'ifi

LyminfTton 37,Ui) 1,881 911

Melton Mowbray . . 43..'il4 8,110 1,084

Newmarket 45,9,33 a.aiji 1,177

North of Scotland . . 123.183 fi.ian ^.mt

Ramsfcate .. .. 59,4,59 4,247 1,B79

Hcarhoro' Trams . . 99,4,30 2.849 —

Salisbury .. .. 74,a59 .5.81,1 l,9Rfi

Urban Co l.S77,622 63,221 43,297

Wycombe .. 125,437 2,845 3,182

Cromer .34,B03 109 682

Dorking 46,970 2,781 1,.314

Frome 64.741 21 2.S22

Hamilton ,85,827 ,5,317 3,261

Surbiton 72,005 4,642 2,323

Total 1919 .. .. £4,297,129 £008,652 ~ '"' 121,983 kv

„ 1918 . . . . f 3,972,.587 £194,282 G 112,191 kw.

Meeting : July 15th.

At the recent annual meeting. Sir John
Globe Telegraph Deni.son-Pender said that the three grent
and Trust telegraph companies, the Eastern, the

Co., Ltd. Eastern Exten.sion, and the Western, had

increased the dividends on their ordinary
.sto<'ks and .=;hares from 8 per cent, to 10 per cent, per annum,
and as the Globe Co.'s holdings in tho.se companies were very
large they were able, in consequence, to increase the dividend
on their ordinary shares in the same way. During the year
the three companies i.ssued new capital, and the proportion
of new shareq thus offered to the Globe Co. represented nearlv
£700,000. Thev took up the whole of the allotments to which
thev weir entitled, Thev had sold the whole of their holding
in the Central &■ South .\meric.i Telegraph Co. at a net profit
of more than £115.000. As the three <-ompanieR in which
they were interested had now announced their intention of
paying their dividend^, in future, by equal qnarterlv instal-
ments, this policv might enalile the board to equalise more
nearly than had hitherto been possible the quarterly dividends
on the ordinary shares of the comp.nny. However, the finan-
cial year upon which thev had jusF entered must clearly be
treated as an excentional or transitional one for dividend
purposes. When the present transitional period was past

and the cable companies were paying their full year's divi-
dividends on the new shares, the dividends the Globe Co.
w^ould receive on the new shares allotted to them would
amount to a little over £70.000, while the dividends the Globe
Co. were paying on the new shares would only cost them
a little over jE60,000 per annum, so that, so far as they could
humanly foi'esee, the prospects of the company were exceed-
ingly good.

Crompton & Co., Ltd. — The net profit for the year ended
March. 1920. after providing for depreciation, interest on
debentures, directors' fees, &c.. and a reserve estimated to
be sufficient to cover excess profits dutv for the year, is
£.52,878, plus £17,409 brought forward." There is put to
general reserve fund £15.000. to depreciation of investments
£9,000, dividend of 10 per cent, for the year on the preference
shares, £13,688. Dividend of 10 per cent, per annum on the
ordinary shares £14.422, leaving to be carried forward £18,177.
In view of the continued expansion of the company's business
and the increase in price of all material, it is considered ad-
visable that the limitation imposed hy article 80 on the bor-
rowing powers of the directors should be removed, and a
resolution to this effect was to be submitted to the meeting
yesterday.

Stock E.xchange Notices. — ^The Committee has speciallv
allowed dealings in the following under Temporary Regula-
tion 4 (3) : —

Ever Ready Co. (Great Britain). Ltd.— 102.007 7 per cent,
cumulative participating preference shares of £1 each, fuUv
paid; Kos. 1 to 102.007; and 28,000 7 per cent, cumulative
participating preference shares of £1 each, 5s. paid Nos,
102.008 to 1.30.007; and 230.000 ordinary shares of £1 each,
fully paid, Nos. 300.001 to 430,000.

Prospectus. — Durelco. Limited. — This company, whose re-
gistration was published in the Electrical Review for .lune
ISth, is now before the public inviting sub.scriptions to an
is.sue of 112.000 shares of £1 each at par. The company has
been formed to acquire and operate the business of Duram,
Ltd., Metal Manufacturers, Ltd., and Cryselco, Ltd., under
one control, to provide additional working capital, and extend
the plant and manufacturing facilities. The list is to close on
July 14th.

Electro Bleach & By=Products, Ltd. — .\t the annual meet-
ing, at Manchester, on .July 1st, Sir H. Mackinder, M,P..
said that the exchange of shares with Brunner, Mnnd it Co.
had now been carried through. He was quite convinced that
the success of the company was not due to the oeculiar
circumstances of the war, and he was confident that the
company would have been just as prosperous, or even more
so, had there been no war.

Lima Light. Power & Tramwavs Co. — Dividend of 2 per
cent., payable as to 1 per cent, in cash and 1 per cent, in
ordinary shares of the company.

Callender's Cable & Construction Co., Ltd. — Letters of

allotment in the new issue of preference and orciinary shares
were posted last Friday.

Rees Roturbo Manufacturing Co., Ltd.— Dividend of 1.5
per cent, on preference for the vears 1912. 1913, and 1914;
£3..500 for maintenance of buildings, plant. A-c. ; £1.683 to
bad debts reserve ; £2.8.53 forward. — Financial Times.

Major & Co., Ltd. — Final dividend of 2 per cent, on the
preferred ordinary shares, making 9 per cent, for the year;
10 per cent, on the deferred ordinarv. and a bonus of Is. per
share, free of tax. Carried forward £11,445.

Birmingham District Power & Traction Co. — To renewals

£10,000: to reserve £1,0-50; dividend of 6 per cent, on th*
ordinary shares; carried forward £4..354.

Evered & Co.. Ltd.— Net profit for 1919 J6,259, plus
£8,0.55 brought forward, making £14,314. which is to be
carried forward.

Anglo=American Telegraph Co., Ltd. — Interim dividend
for the quarter ended .Tune 30th 15s. per cent, on the ordinary
stock and -305, per cent on the preferred stock, less tax.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

TuF.sD.w Evening.
The fir.st week of the second half of the year brought to Stock
Exchange markets a measure of relief from the anxieties and
the apprehensions which had di.sturbed them during June.
Money is being released to some extent by capitalists, large
and small, who had kept the cash in their banks against
.Tune .30th. but who are now investing it in the various depart-
ments of the Stock Exchange. Industrials, however, ara
weighed down, and will continue to be affected by the 60 per
cent. E.P.D. The Stock Exchange rumour that Mr. Austen
Chamberlain is about to resign in favour of Sir L, Worthington

56

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

[Vol. 87. No. 2,224, JULT 9, 1920.

Evans has beeu denied by the Chancellor himself, but in spite
of this, there are some optimists who cling to the hope that
relief will be alforded even in the current financial year from
the shackles which the extra tax imposes upon business and
enterprise.

The passage of the third reading of the London Electric
Railways Company (Fares, &c.) Bill had a slightly depress-
ing effect upon prices in the Ufldergrouud market, though
they would probably have gone back in any case in sympathy
with the heaviness amongst the steam stocks on disappoint-
ment with the recent White Paper dealing with Home Rail-
ways as a whole. The Government's scheme holds out no
attraction to the public to put money into the industry, and
its various good points are obscured by the suggestion of
nationalisation involved in the willingness of the Government
to take a share in whatever extra profits may be made, though
not to shoulder any loss. People are disappointed, and it has
induced a general setback in prices. Underground Income
Bonds are 2 down at 57J, and the £1 shares fell J to, 32s. 6d.
Metropolitans are easier. The defence of his action by Mr.
Walter Runciman, in connection with the bargain made by
his departiuent with the District Railway, aroused languid
interest. Districts rallied to 15 on the Bill being passed; earher
the price fell to 14.

Electric lighting shares are .without any movement on the
week. The market has approached a state of stagnation, if,
indeed, it has not already reached this condition. To buy and
to sell are equally difficult, for dealers are not anxious to part
with shares for which they have given more money, while, on
the other hand, they are reluctant to take on their books fur-
ther supplies of stock unless they know where these can be
placed. The position therefore is that wide prices are quoted,
and business has become a matter of negotiation, in the course
of which buyers and sellers are as a rule dissatisfied. The
Bournemouth and Poole Co. is offering 7^ per cent, seven-year
notes at 100.

The General Electric report is considered decidedly good.
The net profits for the year show an increase at ^630,000,
which amount is raised to f 770,000 by the balance brought in
from last year. The ordinary shares again get 10 per cent.,
free of tax. The report states that the company's works are
fully employed, and to judge by orders in hand, they are likely
to remain so throughout the coming year. A few of the com-
pany's subsidiary supply companies continue to suffer through
conditions caused by the war. Next Tuesday's meeting will
certainly produce an interesting si)eech from the chairman.
Meanwhile the price of the ordinary shares remains at 3'2s. 6d.
and the new ordinary are 29s. Share for share, the latter are
a trifle cheaper to buy than the old, and during the past few
days some of the shareholders have been selling their prefer-
ence shares and putting the money into the new ordinary.
PVom the point of view of the investor who looks to security
and fixed interest, the company's 7J per cent. "B" prefer-
ence at 20s., or a. little under, appear attractive enough. The
6i per cent. " A " preference, as- shown in our list, stand at
18s. 6d. middle.

Electric Constructions at 20s. have lost Is., and the yield on
the money on the basis of the last dividend is therefore 10 per
cent. Callander's at 1 5-16 have gone back 1-16. The allot-
ments of the new shares are but, and dealings are taking place
in the new ordinary on the basis of 4s. premium. These
shares, it may be recalled, were offered at 22s. The new 7J per
cent. " B " preference, with 15s. paid, stand at 13s. It is
.stated in the market that the underwriters were left with
about 30 per cent, of the issue, which they had to take in the
way of what the Stock Exchange calls a "mixture of ordinary
and preference together.

Aluminiums are a steady market on the meeting the
other day. The chairman pointed out that while the
Government is taking a keen interest in the developments
o£ water power, he did not think it would be a wise course
for any kind of nationalisation to be. applied to the industry.
Prom the purely business point of view, there are not many
who would dissent from his sentiments. Under private con-
trol, industry is carried on much more cheaplv, and generally
with greater efficiency, than it is when the State assumes the
reins. The Aluminium Corporation, according to the chair-
man, has now an output three times w^hat it was in the.
early years of the company, but he went on to say there was
a considerable water storage under development. British In-
sulated are a few pence lower, but otherwise the list of manu-
facturing prices remains w^ithout alteration.
_ Mexico has taken a step backwards in the direction of restor-
ing settlement m the country, with the result that most of
the stocks and shares connected with Mexico have given w-ay
to some extent. The only exception is the preferred stock of
the Mexican Light & Power Co.. which is Ih higher at 27i
although the first mortgage bonds are lower at 49. Pachuca
fives are 4 higher at 47i, but the various other issues connected
with utility companies are mostly easier. Some fresh handful
of brigands is apparently causing trouble, and sporadic out-
breaks of this nature are bound to occur during the process of
Mexican reconstruction. Anglo-Argentine Tramways second
preferred moved up to 3J, business being done at this price:
the 5 per cent, debenture stock at 58J is a little lower, in spite
of the attractions which the security now offers to those who
look for a higher yield on their money, and who recognise that
the Anglo-Arcentine Tramways Co. is steadily working its waj^
back to prosperity.

The Treasury have notified that they will return on October
Ibt to the original holders the bonds and stocks of many
.\iuerican railroad and utility companies which were lodged
with the Government under the mobilisation scheme set up
during the war for the purix)se of regulating exchange between
here and the United States.

Indo-European Telegraphs have gone back to 30, a fall of
.50s., and Great Northerns are also £'1 down at 21i. Last
week's gains are, therefore, lost in both cases. The cable
market is uninteresting, and not even Marconis present any
|)articular degree of animation. The various new issues of the
Eastern group hold their prices firmly. Eastern Extension
new £i paid are 5, and the fully paid 13 ; Eastern new shares,
4.S. paid, lis., and the fully paid 27s., while the new Westerns
are 5| and I'Si for the partly paid and fully paid respectively.
The rubber market is quiet, maintaining, however, a fair
amount of steadiness in view of the pns.^ibihty that there may
be some shortage in the raw material develop during the next
two or three years. Some claim that the low price at which
rubber now stands, namely, about Is. lid. a lb., is artificial,
and that the consumers are dehberately holding back their
immediate purchases, with a view to getting their rubber more
cheaply later on. As to which, who lives will see. The arma-
ment markets, Vickers and Armstrongs particularly, remains
under a cloud. Vickers gave way as a result of the Sir Percy
Scott law-suit against the company. Evidence accumulates of
the difficulties experienced by industry in many directions, not
only by reason of the high cost of money, but owing to the
difficulty of obtaining financial accommodation where this is
necessary for extension of business. But the Stock Exchange
does not appear to hope for a reduction in the Bank Rate in
the near future.

SHARE LIST OF ELECTRIOAL COMPANIES

Home Electrjcity Companies,

Dividend Price

^ ' , Jalv 6,

1918. 1919. 19!10. Rise or fall.

Brompton Ordlntrv 8 19

Oharing Cross Ordinary . . . . < 7
do. do. do 4iPre(, .. 4 H

Chelsea B 4

City ol London 8 10 1^

do, do. 6 per oent. Fret, . . 6 6 17/-

Connty of London 7 8 8J

do do. 6 per oent. Fret, 6 8 B}

Kensington Ordinary .... 6 7 4

London Electric Hll 9i IJ

do. do. 6 percent, Fret... 6 6 B

Metropolitan.. 5 6

do. 4) per cent. Fref, .. 4} 4)

St, James' and FaU Mall . . . . 10 19

Sonth London 6 6

BoQth Metropolitan Fref 7 7 18/9

Westminster Ordinary .... B 10 ti

Teleorafhs and Telsfhones.

Anglo-Am, Tel. FreJ B 6 78i

do. De( B8/8 1) 171

Chile Telephone 8 6 6i

Cuba Sub. Ord 7 7 SJ

Eastern Extension 8 10

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10

Globe Tel. and T. Ord B 10

do. do. FreJ 6 8 8j — J

Qreat Northern Tel 99 211 91 j -9

Indo-Enropean IB 10 80 -H

Marconi 96 36 SJ — J

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 12 9,j —

United R. Plate Tel B 8 7J —

West India and Panama . . . . IfS Nil ^ —

Western Telegraph 8 10 15 —

Home Rails.

Central London Ord. Assented ..44 44) —

Metropolitan 1 li 20i - 1

do. District .... Nil Nil 16 —

Underground Electric Ordinary.. Nil Nil IS —1

do, do, "A" .. NU NU 4,6 -

do. do, Income .. 6 4 67) —2

FoBEioN Trams, &c,

Anglo-Arg. Trams. First Fref. . . Nil 5i 33 —

do. do. 2nd Frel. . . Nil Nil 8i -^ J

do. do. 6 Deb. ..6 6 63j — 14

Brazil Tractions Nil — 47 —

Bombay Electric Fref 6 6 IS -

British Columbia Eleo. Rly. Ffce, BR 68* +1

do. do. Frelerrred 3) 6 581 —

do. do. Deferred Nil B 634 —

do. do. Deb. .. 4i « 64 +1J

Mexico Trams 6 percent. Bonds.. Nu Nil 99 —1

do. 6 per cent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 30 —

Mexican Light Common .. .. Nil Nil 14 —

do, Fref Nil Nil 27J + 14

do, 1st Bonds.. .. Nil Nil 49 -1)

MANUriOTURlMa COMPAMIKS.

Baboook & Wilcox 16 16 Sij —

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 l,-, —

BriUsh Insulated Ord 12J 16 IjJ _ V-

Callenders 36 15 1,;, — ,•.

„ BiPref 6i 6J i —

Castner-Kelhier 90 17 3 — J

Crompton Ord 10 — 93/- —

Bdlson-Swan, " A " .... 10 — li —

do. do. 6 per cent. Deb. ..6 6 79) —

Electric Construction .... 10 — 21 —

Sen. Blec. Fref 6) 6) 18/S —

do. Ord 10 — aa/6 —

Henley 96 16 II -

do. 4) Fref 4J 4J SJ —

India-Bubber 10 10 13 —

Met.-Vlokers Fiel — 8 3i —

Siemens Ord 10 10 96/. —

TelegtsphCon 20 20 31) —

* DiTidssdB paid frii of Income TUi

8 16 10

9 19

0

7 0

0

9 15

9

7 19 10

R 9

0

•4 18

9

'8 4

S

♦« 18

(1

•6 17

8

•8 T

0

7 1*9

10 4

H

8 6

H

7 IS 10

•5 4

4

•6 12

a

6 13 4
9 1 10

7 19 4

Vol. 87. No. 2,224, JuLT 9, 1920.]

THE ELECTRICAL EEYIEW,

57

THE ENGLISH ELECTRIC CO.S PHCENIX WORKS, BRADFORD.

These works, which were visited by the members of the
I.M.E.A. during the recent Convention, were established 20
years ago by the Phdnix Dynamo Manufacturing Co., Ltd.,
for the manufacture of electric motors and dynamos of a
limited range of sizes and types. On the manufacturing
side, attention has been concentrated on the continuous
improvement of design and organisation of construction in
series and quantities.

factured for public authority contracts and industrial
installations.

When it was decided to consolidate under the title of
" The English Electric Co., Ltd.," the .several works now
owned by that company, the acquisition of the Phunix
Co.'s business was a very valuable part of the whole scheme.
The purpose of the consolidation was, on the one hand,
to obtain the benefit of a more comprehensive sales

Fig. 1. — PnrENix Electric Tkdcks.

Fig. 2. — Winding Stores.

In the first instance, it was natural that the business of
the company should develop in relation to local industrial
requirements, and particular study was given to the special
conditions pertaining to the Yorkshire coal-mining and the
woollen industry. The Phanix Co. was successful in
developing a rapidly growing business with these two
great local industries, in both of which there has been such

organisation throughout the world, and on the other hand,
to take full advantage of the policy of specialist pro-
duction in the several factories. The l^ha-nix '\\'orks have
thus been applied to the most efficient methods of manu-
facture of certain sizes and types, and the production of
larger electrical machinery has been allotted to other works
of the English Electric Co.

Fig. 3. — Small Machine Erection Depahtment.

Fig. 4. — Small Machining Department.

remarkable expansion during the past 20 years. But the
high technical reputation achieved by the company and the
efficiency of its methods of manufacture enabled it gradually
to extend its oiierations, and considerable business was done
in other parts of the country and abroad, while larger sizes
of machinery were, in more recent years, frequently manu-

The policy pursued at the Pha-nix Works is the
standardised production of quantities of electrical machines
of certain sizes and types by such methods as to combine
, the lowest cost with thorough soundness and efficiency. The
term " ma.ss production " is not properly applicable to this
work, as, while every advantage is taken of possible means

•OH

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [voi. 87.- No. 2,224, jult 9, 1920.

of conveniently handling quantities of standard parts, the
machine finally produced is in every respect a sound
engineering job, undergoing the usual tests and complying
with the most rigid specification requirements.

The Phcenix Works cover a large area, with ample room
for future expansion, and at present employ 1,200 people.
The great value of the local connection is continuously
experienced, but through the organisation of bhe English
Electric Co., the products of the Phicnis Works are steadily
increasing in general reputation and demand.

The lay-out of the factory is marked by the interposition
of the " central stores and inspection department," a bay
1)00 ft. in length, between the manufacturing departments
and the assembly shops ; in this large bay, of which we give
an illustration, all materials are received, and from it they

BRITISH WATER-POWER RESOURCES.

Fio. 5. — ^Larger Machine Erection Department

are issued to the workshops. After completion, the parts
are returned to the department for inspection, and are then
transferred to the assembly shops, of which views are given
herewith. Other illustrations show the small machining
department and the winding stores, and we illustrate also a
batch of electric trucks built at the Thornbury Works.

The foundry is situated at the Dick Lane Works, and is
equipped with automatic sand-handling devices and mould-

FiG. 6.— Central Stores anu Inspection Department.

ing machines, which enable it to supply all the require-
ments of the works for light castings on repetition lines ;
sidings running into these works from the Great Northern
main line provide for the reception and dispatch of goods.

Provision has been made in the adjoining " Phrcnix
Park " for the recreation of the employrs ; the site, whicli
covers 70 acres, includes cricket and football grounds,
bowling greens, and a nine-hole golf links, together with
buildings for social purposes, all of which are managed by
an association of the men themselves. Of the comforts of
the canteen the I.M.E.A. visitors will bear away pleasant
memories.

The .second interim report of the Water Power Resources
Committee, of which Sir John Snell is chairman, was recently
issued (Cmd. 776. Price 4d. net). The original terms of refer-
ence, to report upon the water power resources of the L'nited
Kingdom^ and the extent to which they could be made avail-
able for mdustrial pur|X)ses, were ext<-nded in October, 1919.
to include a consideration of the .'-tf p.s that should be taken
t(j ensure that the water rcsourcei <jf the country be properly
conserved and fully and .systematically utilised' for all pur-
poses. The report deals to some extent with matters of
general intere.st that do not,, however, directly concern us.
On the other hand, what the committee has to say on the
subject of water power development is of <'onsiderable interest.
Consideriug the importance in the national interest of the
utilisation of water power wherever this is corninercially
practicable, the committee recommends
that either the Board of Trade or the
Electricity Comiuissioners .should be
specifically charged with the duty of
studying, supervising, and promoting
the development of water power.

In considering which of the two de-
partments should be charged with this
duty the committee directs attention to
^the following matters: —

(a) In the development of water
powers, both large and small, faciUtie.«i
must be given for private enterprise of
different kinds as well as for public elec-
tricity supply. While there are localities
where water power will in the future be
jiroperly developed to assist the genera-
tion of electricity for public supply pur-
poses, there will also be cases, especially
in Scotland, where the geographical
situation of the water power will only
permit of its full utilisation if an in-
dustry is set Tip alongside or in direct
connection with the water power station,
e.g., the British Aluminium Co. at Kin-
hwhleven. In many cases the power to
be develojied may be small or remote
from a public electricity supply system ;
in such ca.ses private enterprise may be
the only means of securing its develop-
ment. It is necessary, therefore, that the department to
which control and supervision are given should be absolutely
impartial alike to public and private developments. It may,
therefore, be that the Electricity Commissioners, whose pri-
mary duty is to promote, regulate, and supervise the generation
and distrilnition of electricity would not be consiilered to fulfil
this requirement.

(6) Both the Board of Trade and the Electricity Commis-
sioners are " ( ireat Britain and Ireland" departments, and
their jurisdiction extends throughout the British Isles.

(c) The development of large water jxjwer undertakings
necessarily takes .some years, and during the constructional
period capital is expended without any accruing revenue
whatsoever. When once completed, however, the undertak-
ing would be a vakiable source of wealth, and it is important
to remember tliat by far the largest proportion of the total
I'unning costs is lepresented by interest and oUier charges
upon the capital sunk in the undertakiug. Private enterpri.se
will need encouragement e.sjiecially in the Scottish Highlands,
where the population is now too sparse to allow an undei-
taking of this nature to be established with funds nt\-
vanced by local authorities to whom the large capital in-
volved would be too great a burden to be practicable. It
will, therefore, be necessary to assist some of the st-hemes out
of national funds, the return on which should represent a
.sound investment for the State, and without which this
valuable s<jurce of power would continue to be wa.sted.

{J) The Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, includes certain
provisions in connection with the development of water power.
L'nder this Act, the Electricity Commi.s.sioners may conduct
experiments for the improvement of the utilisation of water
power, and they can authorise a joint electricity authority
to enter into arrangements for the utilisation of water power
for its own purposes. Under Section 1 of the Electric
Lighting Act, 1909, as modified by the Electricity (Supply)
Act. 1919, the Minister of Transport may authorise an elec-
tricity supply undertaker to acquire compulsorily or use land
for the purposes of a generating station, and the later Act
contains a provision which specifically includes the develop-
ment of water power for the generation of electricity among
the purposes for which a joint electricity authority may be
authorised to take or use land under that section.

(e) Either department will have to add to its staff if these
further powers are entrusted to it. If the duties are
entrusted to the Electricity Commissioners, the coiuaiittee
thinks that the portion of their expen.ses whicli is attributable
to this work should not be chaigeable to electricity under-
takings as is the case with the expenses of- the Electricity
Comtnissioners generally, but .should be borne out of public
funds or met by royalties on the power developed or by

Tol. 87. No. 2,224, July 9, 1920.

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

69

chaa-ges for licences which should be issued as indicated below.

Some witnesses expressed the view that there is compaxa-
tively little water power in England and Wales remaining
to be developed. The evidence of others, and the preliminary
surveys undertaken on behalf of the committee, do not justify
this view.

For example, ascertained facts regarding the water power
resources of the Hampshire Avon, the Chester Dee, North
Wales and Mid-Wales, Dartmoor and Exmoor, and the rivers
in the West Riding ot Yorkshire, represent a total catchment
area of about 1'2,000 square miles. These figures, summarised
briefly, indicate that in each of the instances quoted, i.e., for
various distri<-ts which liave different physical characteristics
and climatic conditions, the possible water power resource,s
average approximately 10 continuous H.i'. per .square mile of
catchment area. While it would be unsafe to assume that
this average is applicable generally throughout England and
Wales, the total area of which ig approximately o8,(X)0 square
miles, and while it is also obvious that it may not be com-
mercially fea,sible to develop the whole of the power resources
at present unused, nevertheless the figures justify the con-
clusion that the water powei* resources of England and Wales,
at any rate in parts of the country, are by no means negligible.

There are several parts of Great Britain in which there are
large sources of water power, but very few inhabitants. It is
unlikely that such sources will be developed unless .some
State assistance is available, and the department which is
charged with the duty- of developing water power should
be provided with a fund for the purpose of starting enterpri.ses
in such areas with the approval of the Treasury. There will
be many cases in which water power undertakings will in
the long run be remunerative if they are a.ssisted at the outset.

It is not rec'ommended that the State should make grants

to water power undertakings, but only that 'the State should
give financial assistance in the earlier stages of an undertak-
ing which takes several years to construct, and in which a
period of four or five years must necessarily elapse before the
undertaking is completed.

Whichever department may be charged with the control
and development of water power, the committee thinks it
essential that such department shall deal with water power
not only for the purposes of the public supply of electricity,
but also for its direct application to works constructed at the
site of the water power station or directly dependent on it
lor the power required, whether tlie.se works are for public
(ir for private enterprise, .so that this great national asset may
be utilised to the fullest pos.sible extent. Provision should
be made for securing that there is no interference with the
development by private enterprise of water power unless such
development is incompatible with the fullest utilisation of
the source of power concerned.

In order that water power may be developed in the interest
of the communitv as a whole, all schemes for the development
of water power should be submitted to the department con-
cerned, even if under the existing law no special powers are
required. The department should have power to grant licences
(in suitable terms to public or private undertakers. It the
terms of the department were not acceptable to the promoters,
then the latter could proceed by private Bill, the department
having power to give evidence in opposition.

.Additional details of what the committee proposes are
promised for the final report, to be issued shortly. Mean-
while the committee thinks it e.s.sential that some initial
lenislation should be promoted by the Government to broadly
cover the points set out above, and to enable certain schemes
to be initiated without further lo?s of time.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY CONTACT SYSTEMS.

By SIR PHILIP DAWSON, M.I.E.E.

^Abstract of paper read before the Institution op Electrical Engineers.)

tion were adopted in order to fullil tlie requirements mentioned
above, and it is extremely satislactory to Oe able to state that
whilst considerable alterations have had to be carried out
both in the United States and in Germany, the principles
adopted in connection with the overhead construction on the
Brighton Raiiw^ay were sucli nhat the oveiiiead construction in
operation to-day is practically identical with that originally
designed.
On the Brighton Railway the principles adopted in 19U(

Thkki: are two di.stinct tyjiesot contact sy.stems used on electric
railways from which the current to feed the trains is collected.
The older, and the one most generally in use in this country,
iieing the conductor or live rail, which is only in use with
direct current, at pressures varying from 500 to 1,300 volts,
though it is propo.sed to increase the pressure with this
svstem up to 1,500 volts.

" Where pressures of 3,000 volts, u.c, or 6,000 to 10,000 volts,
A.C., or 3,01X1 to 5,000 volts 3-pha.se are concerned, the questions
of .safety and of insulation have made it huiierative to use
overhead conductors. There is one case in this country where
an overhead conductor is used with a pressure of 1,500 volts,
D.c. The overhead conductor has been used in this ca.se to
clear the tracks and yards of live conductor rails.

It is not proposed to discuss the actual question of traction
.systems in this paper; suffice to say that so far only three
countries have decided to standardi.se any one system for
general railway electrification. These <-ountries are Sweden.
Switzerland, and Germany, which have definitely adopted the
.single-phase 16,000-volt ICi-period system with an overhead
conductor. Prance is investigating the matter, and it appears
probable thaf .she will adopt the 3,(l0()-volt d.c. overhead
system, thus standardising the voltage as well as the system.

Italy has so far not arrived at any definit<' conclusion,
although the majority of her railways so far electrified are
on the 3-phase, lO-period, 3,UII0-volt system. The T'niteil
States has no definite standard although the Pennsylvania
Railroad appears to have decided on the single-phase system
for all future electrifications.

In this country the whole question is under examination
as to how far any one system shall be adopted as a standard
for general railway operation.

Dealing with overhead con.struction for railways in a country
where traffics are very inten.se, and the hours of .service long.
the overhead construction must present factors of scciirit,\'
and safety at lea.st equal to those obtaining on the permanent
way, and it must be con.structed in such a way as to enable
any maintenance and .supervision to be carried out in the very
limited periods of time available for such purposes.

."^n overhead conductor can only be utili.sed w'here the
currents to be collected from it are relatively small, as experi-
ence has shown that heavy currents are not only difficult to
collect, liut also very greatly increase the co.st of maintenance.

Overhead Conductors.

The overhead construction and the collector arrangements
on the coaches or locomotives must be such as to make the
risk of a collector coming oft' the contact wire no greater than
the risk exi.sting to-day of the wheels of a bogie leaving the
track.

In 1907 when the first overhead lines for mainline pur-
poses were being laid out in Germany, in the United States,
and by the Brighton Railway, various principles of construc-

were : —

Ihat the conductor wire should be as flexible as possible,
and that all hard spots should be avoided.

That double insulauion was essential and that the mechanical
as well as the electrical factor of .safety of the insulators and
overhead construction must be very considerable.

That all insulators should be placed in positions where
they would be least .subjected to tfie direct effects of the hot
gases given off from the steam locomotives.
' That, with the exception of complicated yards and cross-
overs the up and down lines should be sectionalised .so as
to be'able to lie cut out independently, whilst the complicated
cross-over roads and yards were designed in such a way as
to be sufficiently short to be coasted over.

That insulators should be only utilised under compression,
and that elastic substancea .siiould always be placed between
the insulator and its solid support, as well as between it and
the mechanical construction wnicli it supported.

Provision was also made when designing the insulators
that there might be no possibility ofinoisture or water col-
lecting and freezing, thereby fracturing the insulator.

Pig. 1 shows the various clearances existing to-day between
the live portions of the bow gear, the loading gauge, and
the old and new- minimum structure gauges on the Brighton
Railwav. The contour of the bow practically follows the
contour of the loading gauge, also under present conditions
the ordinarv running width of the bow is 18 in., or 9 in.
on either side of the centre line. This is the stagger at present
adopted for the overhead construction on the Brighton Rail-
way, although for the future, in consequence ot the experience
gained this stagger will be increased to a maximum of 1 It.
on either side of the centre line. The width of the actual
collector strip is 9 in. greater on either side of the centre
line (in addition to the 9 in. allowed for .stagger), or 18 in.
in all on either side of the centre line, in order to allow for
the rolling of the coach and for special conditions existing on
very sharp curves, and this has been found ample in practice.

The lowest live conductor on the Ij.B. & S.C. Railway is
13 ft. 9 in. above rail level, i.e.. 3 in. above our loading gauge.

This 3-in. clearance has worked quite satisfactorily, though
a minimum of 4 in. is worked to when possible. It is con-
sidered that 4 in. will be quite satisfactory for 11.000 volts.

Pour inches is considered to be the minimum vertical point-
to-point electrical air clearance which should be allowed for

60

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,224, jult 9, 1920.

voltages from 6,000 to 11,000, therefore, a minimum of 4 in.
vertically and 3 in. horizontally is provi(led from any part
of the live bow to a stnicture at any height after the proper
allowance for rolling stock has been made. The rolling allow-
ance in the case of the Brighton Railway is 5 in. on either
side when the centre of the bow is at 16 >i't. above rail level,
which is the normal height of the trolley wire.

In this case it is also considered that the minimum point- .
to-point electrical air clearance from any live part of the over-
head line equipinenb to the structure should not be less than
4 in. vertically and 3 in. horizontally for voltages from 6,0(JO
to 11,000.

\^■orking on the principles given above we can get a flexible
overhead line construction within a minimum of 10 in. from
the loading gauge to the structui^, i.e., within 14 it. 4 in.
above rail level, which 10-in. space is utilised as iollow.s :
4 in. — ail' clearance between loading gauge and underside of
trolley wire; '2 in. — depth of flexible line construction; 4 in.
— air clearance between top point of live construction and
structure.

In practice it has been found that there are a few isolated
cases where the clearances required for a live conductor are
not available and where the cost of alterations necessary
to pnx'ure thes<» would be excessive, and would not be justified
l)y the results gained. On the whole of the running lines so
far electrified, equivalent to 70 miles of single track, there
are only four instances where sufficient clearances for a live
conductor do not exist. Tliree of the.se wcur at the bridges
at the entrance to or in Victoria Station, where, owing to the
lack of clearance, it has been found necessary to install earthed
conductors. The difticulty in this case is accentuated by the
.fact that owing to men having to circulate on the roofs of

the collector bow on a short section runs in contact with the
conductor wiies of two adjacent sections.

However, at certain pomts and crossings and complicated
junctions this was found to be a very difficult matter. Both
in Germany and the United States this difficulty has been
met by putting in .section insulators mechanically connecting
the adjacent sections. Exj)erience has shown that this methcxl
caused flashing and knocking of the bow collector, causing
complications and limiting the speed at which such connec-
tions can be negotiated. This difficulty has been entirely
overcome by a special patented <ieviie designed for the
Brighton Railway.

(To be concluded.)

Discussion.
Mr. R. T. Smith, president, took the .somewhat unusual
counse of opening the discussion himself, and said that the
results obtained on the railway system described in the paper
were unsurpassed anywhere in the world. It had been shown
that when the corrosive influence of smoke from steam loco-
motives operating over an electrified line could be eliminated
the cost of maintaining an overhead sy.stem would compare
favourably with that for a H-rail system. If the system was
not subjected to steam corrosion the cost of maintenance
would be very small indeed. He thought the most interesting
part of the paper was the set of curves; a careful study of
them would reveal an immense amount of information. With
regard to clearances, he thought that 4 in. vertical and 3 in._
horizontal clearance would be accepted everywhere as standard
when working at 11.000 volts. The conditions imposed on
the District Railway concerning pressure drop had necessitated
the 4-rail insulated return system being adopted, and other

A/ujlc Jor J'i.ting bow strips
Pin. 1.— End View ok Bow Gear Showino Clearancrs.

steam trains in Victoria Station, the height! of the trolley wire
inside the station is 19 ft. 9 in. above mean rail level, and
the drop from this level to the level under the bridges is
5 ft. 10 in., which is dealt with as a gradient of 1 in 10, as
the maximum speed at which the gradients have to be taken
does not exceed 25 miles per hour. In order to avoid danger
of short-circuits, a neutral section is interposed between the
live wire and the earthed section under the bridge. The
<-ontours of these sections have been designed in such a way
that they take care of the inertia of the bow and the rapidity
with which it rises and falls, with the result that there is
practically no hammering of the bow when entering or leav-
ing these .sections.

The line has been divided into s&ctions nhicli can, if neces-
Bary, be isolated from each other with a view to locating
faults and to minimising any delay that might be caused
thereby.

The only satisfactory manner df s-^ctionalising the line
W'ithout limiting the .speed at whidi trains can traverse, such
eections is by the use of air-gaps at the end of each section.
Under ordinary conditions, and where there are no complicated
crossings or junctions, this is a very easy matter, as one con-
ductor can be brought to a terminal and anchored whilst
another conductor is started at the point of section, so that

London railways had to follow suit for through running
purposes. There were, however, other railways which used
\ery much higher pressure drops, and there was no evideiue
that corrosion had resulted from the use of drops even as
large as 150 to 200 volts.

Mr. J. Dalziel (Midland Railway) wished to know why
the '2,500-volt 3-rail system had been abandoned in the U.S. .A.
He did not see the object of increasing the pressure to 15.00(1
volts; it would not be any safer than 2,400 or 3,000 volts,
and the maintenance cost would not be letluced either. How-
ever, 600 volts was much too low a pressure for main line
electrification. On the Midland Railway a great many cross-
ings, intersections, and complicated junctions existed, and on
this account high-si>oed conductor shoe working was very
problematacal. The difficulty <;uuld not be overcome by using
short overhead «;quipment over crossings, itc, because they
would be very numerous, and would necessitate the raising
and lowering of the collector bow very frequently. This
operation was sure to be neglected, with consequent damage
and breakage of bows. Further, in long tunnels, &c., water
<()ntinually dripped from roi>f and sides on to the track, and
such positions were mucli too damp for 3-tail working. It
w as his opinion that the overhead system was mucli the better
for main line electrification. This system ^ould not interfeia

Vol.87. No. 2,224, JULY 9, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWo

61

with track maintenance, and it need not be expensive. Tliere
was prejudice in this country agaiust using wood poles, but
the hie of wood telegraph and telephone poles was as long as
40 years. With i-egard to the author's statement that " an
overhead conductor can only be utilised where the currents
to be collected from it are relatively small," the speaker
drew attention to the fact that on the Chicago, Milwaukee,
and St. Paul Railway they were able to collect, at 3,000 volts
on the double trolley wne with a double shoe and quadruple
contact, cui-rents of 2,000 to 4,000 amps.; it was, however,
desirable to use a single bow if iwssible. He thought it
possible that electrolysis troubles with main line electrifica-
tion would be non-existent.

Sir J.iMES B.4LL explained that he had at first anticipated
experiencing trouble due to the overhead equipment in con-
nection with track maintenance work. When such work
was actually carried out, however, the overhead equipment
had proved' to be a blessing. They were not only able to
u.se electric light, and so keep the atmosphere, particularly
in tunnels, &c., sweet and clean, but they were also able
to work on the track without any inconvenience from live
rails.

Mr. H. E. O'Brien thought that both the overhead and
conductor rail systems had grave disadvantages. Could they
always find sufficient space on which to erect the steel work
that carried the overhead conductor'? and what percentage
of the total cost did the cost of such steel work come to'.'
The conductor rail system was so simple that it was possible
to estimate within 5 per cent, what its cost would be. This
could not be done with the overhead system, on which a
considerable amount of work must be completed before they
could form an idea of what the total cost would be. Con-
ductor rail sy.steuis were, on the other hand, a nui.sance to
the ground staff, and if they were going to increase the pres-
sure there would be some difliculty in guarding the live rails.
Even tiOO volts was treated with a considerable amount of
respect, and when they used higher pressures the guarding
should be such as to make it practically impossible to receive
a shock. The present method of guarding the rail was of
little use; it might be eflicient when new, but there was
considerable danger when old. A 3-rail in the form of an
inverted channel that had been used by the Great Western
Railway seemed to be well designed, and he wished to know
why it had not been copied. In his opinion, some form of
liybrid system would have to be adopted ; at complicated
junctions the rail gaps would not be excessive, and the
overhead structures to bi'idge such gaps need not be serious.
He hoped that all restrictions placed upon railways with
regard to electrolysis might be entirely removed in the near
future.

Mr. H. \V. PiRTH thought the results obtained as described
in the paper were very .satisfactory. Ooncei'ning which
system .should be adopted, that was practically a question of
voltage ; the removal of the obstniction of a third rail fi-oni
the track was also a great advantage. Methods of protecting
the rail, even with 600 volts, were not to be trusted. The
protection should be entirely free from the rail, as was the
case in New York, and not bolted to it. With regard
to the restrictions imposed concerning pressure drop, &c.,
something should be done to modify the present state Of
affairs, and it was also desirable to .simplify the overhead
system. If the conductor rail system were used in large
shunting yards and junctions, considerable inconvenience
and danger would be experienced by shunters who had
to continually walk along and cross the track. With regard
to the costs of the two systems, it was misleading to com-
pare the costs of parts of the two systems; the cost of the
whole system should be considered and not part of it only.

Mr. G. L. Drory (North-Eastern Railway) exhibited a
collecting bow which had run for over 8.000 miles, and also
contact strips of a 4-strip bow which collected 1'25 amp. per
contact, to demonstrate the heavy punishment received by
bows when doing heavy work. He pointed out that the
author had omitted to mention his experience of interference
by lightning. ^ They, the si^eaker's company, had not had
any trouble in this connection with their locomotives, but
they used lightning arresters on their overhead systems.

Mr. H. M. Sayers said that as a user of the railway system
described he had found it very free from delays. The over-
head str\icture, however, looked heavier and more expensive
than it might have been. It was better to err on the side
of safety, but at the same time it was desirable to simplify
aa much as possible. The speaker showed slides of overhead
work in America and el-sewhere,, showing that single catenary
or much lighter and cheaper construction could do the work
satisfactorily. The third rail was a nuisance on the track.
With regard to wear, he thought it better policy and cheaper
to .sacrifice the bow to the conductor wire. Due to the fre-
quency that was used the interference with neighbouring
telegraph circuits was much greater than with telephone
circuits. Concerning costs, one could not say that one system
was cheaper than the other, but with the overhead construc-
tion higher pressures could be used.

Mr. O. W. Partrtdge asked the author for information
about the failure of in.sulators due to lightning; also in con-
nection with the double insulators used, how could they tell
when one of the pair had failed'' By the use of static trans-
formers to reduce the pressure it would be a simple matti-r.
to run on a 3-raiI through tunnels^ especially on aingle-phase

systems, as was the case under discussion. The wear on
bows wa-s much greater with d.c. than when A.c. was used.

Sir P. Dawson, inreply, explained that it had been found
possible to cross from a third-rail to an overSead system at
high speed without any difficulty. As regarded costs, he
was willing to estimate and fix the price of an overhead
system to within 5 or 6 per cent, before work was com-
menced. He agreed that the system described was a heavy
one, but at the time it was built they could not afford to
take any chances, and had, therefore, tried to make failure
impossible. They had been particularly fortunate in con-
nection with the signalling, and had practically no alteration.'?
to make to signals on electrification. The '2,400-volt 3-rail
system was dropped in the U.S. .A., on account of troub.'e with
overpressures due to the make and break, leading to
motor burn-outs. A. one-bow .strip when running at full
speed would collect 40 amps. ; the maximum was 130 amps.
The cost of maintaining the bow strips was very small, and
the aluminium of the old bows was of considerable value in
making new ones. They had been very free from trouble
due to lightning; he did not remember the fracture of a
single insulator, and believed it was a fact that the higher
the pressure used the less trouble was experienced. The
use of arresters on the trains gave more trouble than they
were worth, and they had abandoned them. The use of
transformers as suggested by the last speaker would increa.se
the cost, and their operation in practice was not so simple
as it appeared in theory.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters rereired hij >is after 5 P.M. ON TUESDAY cannot appear untU
ths following week. Correspondents should forward their communi-
cations at the earliest possible moment. No letter can be published
unless we hare the writer's name and address in our possession.

Single'phase Meters on Three-phase Three=wire Systems.

In your issue of June 11th, Mr. H. G. Solomon writes in
his article " Single-phase Meters on Balanced 3-phase Sy.s-
tems " " that the use of one single-phase meter to register
thfe consumption of energy in a 3-phase network is still largely
prevalent."

The current coil of the meter is connected in one line, and
the voltage coil across that line, and any of the two remaining.
The number of units registered on this meter is then multi-
plied by '2 to give the total consumption of the 3-phase load.

This is a connection I could hardly credit anyone knowing
anything about 3-phase power mea.surement bemg capable of
making. The accuracy, as Mr. Solomon points out, depends
on the power factor of the motor being exactly unity, as
well as the load being balanced. The load, if an induction
motor, may be balanced, but the power factor is never unity;,
no matter what load the motor is working against.

The price of 3-phase 3-wire balanced or unbalanced meters
at the present time makes their use almost out of the question
for small motors, so that the use of a single-phase meter
(when the neutral point of the system is available) can be
resorted to. The single-phase meter reading is then multi-
plied by 3 to giye the total energy consumed in the circuit.
I have tried this method, connecting at the same time a 3-
phase 4-wire meter in the same circuit. The consumption
as registered by the single-phase meter is in some cases
exactly one-third that measured by the 3-pha.se 4-wiro meter,
whilst in other cases it is as much as 10 jier cent, to 20 per
cent, short of the third.

The price of a 3-phase 4-wire meter is not very much more
than that of a 3-pha?e 3-wire balanced meter, and is less
than that of a .3-phase 3-wire unbalanced meter.

Even with a small motor which is running continually, the
loss due to the use of a single-phase meter connected to the
neutral point of the system can be quite considerable, suffi-
ciently so to warrant the use of the .3-phase 4-wire meter, and
on a system with earthed neutral there is no other accurate
meter for 3-phase power measurement but the meter which is
connected in every line of the system, i.e., the 3-phase 4-wire
meter.

D. Sclar.

Cowdenbeath.
June mil, 1920.

Fault Localisation.

May I express to Mr. T. D. Spark my hearty appreciation
of the admirably clear description contributed by him to the
Electrical Review of .July 2nd relative to the methods he
employed in localising the cable fault first referred to by him
over the pseudonym " Kondenser " in the Review of May 7th?

Likewise, one welcomes so useful an example of fault
localisation as that described in the letter from your contri-
butor " .1. W. H." in the Review of .Tune 1.9th.

Similar, however, as may be both the.se excellent examples
of faults successfully localised by apt application of theoretical
principles, there is one salient feature in which both these
examples differ radically from the case described by the pre,-
eent writer in the Re\iew of June 4th.

62

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW^ [voi. sv. No. 2,22*, jdlt 9, 1920.

In this third-iiientioned case— as thown in the writer's
article here referred to — ordinary capacity methods, even with
lowest practicable E.M.F., proved of no avail owing to the static
charges getting past the jjigh-resistance semi-metallic film on
the india-rubber insulator surrounding the broken conductor.

Under these circumstances, it was only by adoption of means
described in the Electrical Review of June 4th that — in this
third case^localisation became possible.

If any other method can be shown to be successful under
like conditions, the present writer would be grateful to be in-
formed about it.

E. Raymond-Barker.

London, \V.
July 5th, 1920.

Staff Salaries and Conditions of Service.

In Hi leading article in your issue of June 4th, on certain
questions allecting salaries and conditions of service of tech-
nical engineers, you suggested that such matters might with
advantage be Drought to the notice of the Joint Industrial
Councils. A difficulty, however, arises, does it not, in the
tact that such Joint Councils have as yet been constituted in
small sections only of the engineering industry, and that there
does not apiiear to be any prospect of such Councils of Em-
ployers anrt \\ orkpeople, \\ith the wider powers contemplated
in the report of the Whitley Committee, Oeing set up, in the
near future, in connection with the engineering manufactur-
ing industry. Both the employers and the manual workers
appear,' at present, to be satislied that their old-established
Jomt Conciliation Boards meet their needs. Moreover, it
would seem that such Joint Councils of Employers and Work-
people would hardly be in a position to deal with the ques-
tions which ari.se in connection with the relations between
employers and technical staffs. The Provisional Executive
Council of the Society of Technical Engineers inclines to the
view that as an alternative to the formation of Whitley Coun-
cils in the engineering industry the setting up of Joint
Boards of employers and technical staffs, comparable with
the board which lias lieen constituted for the electricity supply
industry, might with advantage be considered for other
sections of the industry.

In the concluding paragraph of your article you were good
enough to suggest that, "so far as the field remains un-
covered," this society " is the body to look to for appropriate
aetion," and you suggest further.-^ that we "should abandon,
at least in part, our customary secretiveness and tell the
public something of our aims and work."

In your is.sue of June '25th your correspondent, Mr. (larton
l>e Roet, refers to this society, and expresses his opinion that
it has fallen a victim to paralysis, that its Council has aban-
doned all attempts to control the actions of its paid servants,
and that it has failed to publicly proclaim a definite policy,
and to secure the help of technical jom-nals and friendly em-
ployers. He remarks further,- that its public utterances are
chiefly notable for their contradictory character, and that
at a meeting which he attended the speakers voiced a wholly
opportunist policy. He concludes by suggesting that "the
efforts of all men who have the interests of the industry at
heart should be directed towards making both employes, staff.
and what is usually called Labour, realise that the technical
and management staffs in the engineering industry (and
for that matter in all industries) are, and n^ust remain, a
third party in industry."

May I remind your correspondent that the period of gesta-
tion of an organism varies with the size and complexity of
the adult, so that it takes almost as many months to produce
a whale as it takes days to make a mou.se. The promoters
of this society have planned its constitution in the view that,
when fully formed, it will have to live in a complex environ-
ment, and will need an organisation to correspond. May they
hope that when fully grown the society will resemble a whale
rather than a mouse in size?

As to the charge of your correspondent that the societ\'
has failed " to publicly proclaim a defined policy," I would
suggest to him that there are two ways in which a society
such as this may be run. On the one hand, it is possible
for an Executive Council to determine and proclaim the
]X)licy of a society and expect its members to acquiesce; but,
on the other hand, it is possible for the governing body to
act on the assumption that its members are educated and
responsible persons, and that it is desirable, before seeking
to elaborate a policy, to obtain the considered opinions of
those members, on questions of vital importance to them. The
liromoters of this society liave adopted the latter course.
When your correspondent states that the public utterances
of this society " are chiefly notable for their contradictory
character " I am not able to follow him, since the only autho-
rised public utterances of the society of which I am aware
have been devoted to a discussion of the theorem which your
correspondent himself thinks so important, namely, that " the
technical and management staffs are, and must remain, a
third partii in induttr^'."

In regard to your own proposal that " we should abandon our
customary secretiveness," may T suggest that there is nothing
sinister in such secrecy, and that indeed this " secrecy " is
nothing more than a proper reserve in regard to a general
i?cheme, the- details of which are under consideration. The
fact is that as the founders of the society have somewhat

ambitious aims as to the range and pos.sible future scope
of the .society, they have thought it best not to proclaim
those ambitions too loudly before the foundations of the society
were laid and its cons-titution settled. That stage has now
been reached. Ixxal and Central Councils are now being
elected under approved rules and by-laws, and will take office
.shortly. The society will then be in a position to consider
in detail the problems which face it. and to deal with them
within the limits of a defined constitution. I shall be glad
to send particulars of the society to any of your readers who
may care to communicate with me. and hope in the near
future to be in a po.sition to ask your sympathetic considera-
tion of its aims and objects and the methods by which it is
hoped to obtain them.

Norman Wyld,
General Secretary, Society of
102, Belgrave Road, Technical Engineers.

I^mdon. S.W.I.
■lulu li"^ 1920.

1 ha\e lead with much interest your recent reference to
the above, and the following letter oy Mr. Gaston Le Koel.
I will leave the details of this letter to be answered by abler
pens than mine, but would be glad of a small space to ofter
a few remarks.

In the first place, it is admitted on all hands that some such
organisation as the S.T.E. is an absolute and imperative
necessity if the technically trained man is to occupy his proper
niche in Stale building, to improve his status and emoluments,
or even retain, his present invidious position !

Yet such an organisation is exceedingly difficult to set up.
primarily. I think; because the average engineer is extremely
indei>endent. and has learnt to rely very much upon his own
resources. .\nd it has proved a very difficult task to co-or-
dinate the thousand and one views on every detailed point
that has arisen. I cannot help thinking that if Mr. Le Roet
had joined the S.T.E. and taken part in the setting-up of
it« constitution, he would have been rather less severe in his
criticisms. And one of the, to my mind, most astonishing
things is the large number of engineers who have deliberately
stayed outside the ranks of the S.T.E. (while admitting its
necessity), and stated as their reason that they " will wait
till something definite has been done by the S.T.E." How
any engineer can be capable of offering such an illogical
reason passes my comprehension. For is it not obvious that
the S.T.E., or any other organisation, can do nothing until
it has the majority, at lea.st, in its ranks of the men it pro-
fesses to reju'esent? All such men who are wavering I would
earnestly a.sk to join up at once, and give of their best to
help those who have made a start in the face of very great
difficulties towards establishing a powerful and representative
Society of Technical Engineers.

In conclusion, I would state that, as far as I am aware, it
has been the settled policy of the S.T.E. to be a. third party
in the State; and ^so that it has never proposed to stan-
dardise salaries.

Let us all, therefore, .sink our individualistic tendencies in
this matter and join the S.T.E. We shall stand, in the in-
dustrial strife and competition of the future, only if we are
united ; and thus only can we make ourselves heard by the
nation and its Parliament. As -\braham Lincoln said on a
notable cK;casion : "If we don't hang together, depend upon
it we .shall hang separately."

C. F. Waddington.

Bristol.
June ;30f/i, 1020.

Technical Books.

The plea so admirably put forward by Mr. Purday and Mr.
Fred Bland for reform in the making of technical books, de-
.serves to be supported by all who desire to assist progress in
British science, literature, and industry. Charles Darwin
taught us to regard books as tools to be adjusted to the needs
of the work before us. He would cut a heavy volume in
half to make it more convenient to hold. If he had lived to
see the modern engineer's year book, he would have divided
it into quarters to make it more convenient to lift. There
was never a more delightful technical book than the old
edition of Deschanel's Natural Philosophy when it appeared
in separate parts. In a single mixed volume, how stohd
it is. Those colossal creatures whose bones were formed for
our amazement, and whose very names were too long for
comfort, died of bigness, awkwardness, and forgetfulness. It
is a pity Ihat bookmakers do not more often go to the Natural
History Museum.

During the war the problem bow best to record technical
progress frequently arose. So far as the Admiralty was con-
cerned it was solved by the issue of a continuous series of
separate pamphlets. Each pamphlet was re-stricted to a single
subject, and was written by an officer or by a group of
officers, who had specialised in that subject. The pamphlets
were all of the same size (i;-! in. by .S in.), and each was given
a serial number. Indexing was .Miiiplitied. because references
were to the serial number and page. It was proposed to
issue a complete index every five years, and an interim index
when necessary.

For practical purposes the requirement among engineers is
a series of pamphlets, each restricted to aa account of the

Vol. 87. No. 2,221, JULY 9, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL _BE¥IEW.

63

present state ut' knowledge concerniug a particular subject,
the whole series to be indexed. Paper covers are good enough.
The cost of production of such pamphlets, even in 1919-19'20,
was not prohibitive. If the new Institute of Physics would
undertake to publish a series of this kind it would confer a
{,'reat benefit upon present and future technical workers.
Awaiting publication, the index should be on cards, and the
items for the index should be 'entered upon the cards
within two w-eeks of the issue of any given pamphlet. The
caifl-index should be available lor reference at the Institute
nf Physics.

Rollo Applejard.
Juki ith, 1920.

Adieux en Route.

1 had no time for farewells, so make use of your columns
fur the same. I am off to Malaya on tin mine engineering.
The Marconi operator repeated one of the old ones which
may amuse readers: " Given two .similar bars of steel, one-
magnetised and the other not. Decide which is which without
use of any other apparatus."

H. M. Taylor.
Port Said.
June iitit, lH-20.

The I.M.E.A. and the National Joint Board.

Considerable discussion took place at the general meeting
of the Incorporated Municipal Electrical .Yssociation, recently
held, with respect to Mr. Alderman Jephcott's resolution
regarding the acceptance by local authorities of recommenda-
tions of the National Joint Boards under the Whitley scheme.
There would have been, I think, even more discu.ssion, had
not the shortness of time available made it necessary to apply
the closure. I venture to think that the mover of the resolu-
tion had the unanimous support of the meeting with reference
to recommendations of the National Joint Industrial Councils.
A difficulty shared by the writer, however, la>- with the ap-
plication of the resolution to the National Joint Board. This
was not, I think, due to any objection, generally, to the
terms of the resolution applying to a Council, duly appointed
and duly recognised, to deal with the matter of staff salaries.
It did, however, appear that the resolution as put to the
meeting, if padfeed, could be taken as giving authority to tho
National Joint Board as now appointed, to continue to make
recommendations.

There is real difficulty in dealing with staff matters of
publicly-owned commercial undertakings by means of Joint
Councils, and the method adopted in the formation of the
^Jational Joint Board has placed the managers of many elec-
tricity undertakings in a most difficult position when dis-
cussing matters arising out of its recommendations, with their
respective committees.

It would appear to the writer that when the In<rirporated
Municipal Electrical Association was invited to provide half
tlic employers' side of the Board, it shotild have obtained a
mandat<' from the constituent authorities before accepting the
invitation. By giving such a mandate the various authorities
AViiuld have been morally committed to abide by any decision
arrived at. There is little doubt in the writer's mind that
such authority would have been given, probably unanimously,
and it would then have been necessary to discuss the method
of election of the six nominees of the .Association. This. I
venture to suggest, is not a matter for the Council of the
Ass(x-iation, but a matter for the general meeting. 'Whilst
the Council, as then formed, could have dealt with matters
of urgency, as, for instance, arbitration cases, its fir.st duty
would have been (following the example of the Industrial
Councils) to form Di.strict Councils, and instead of the
National Council formulating a scale of .salaries applying to
the whole country, the matter would have been properly
referred to the District Councils, and their recommendations
subsequently submitted to the National Council foi; confirma-
tion.
1 Apparently the nominees of the I.M.E..\. on the .Joint Board
for this year have yet to be appointed, and it was a matter
of very considerable surprise to the writer that no reference
whatever was made to the appointment of these gentlemen
at the recent conference of the I.M.E.A.

\s the matter .stands at the present time it would appear
Bere is likely to be anything but unanimity in accepting the
recommendations of the Board by the various authorities.

I/ceds.
•/»»-■ :!()(/(, 19-30.

C. Nelson Hefford,

Citii Electrical Engineer ami Ma\iaiir

1 >\i-A\ lie pleafpd if you will dear up tho following: —
The LM-E.-A., at the business meeting at Ilkley. on Fridav.

June 25th, passed the following resolution. I quote from three
ipers : —
Yorkshire Poxf. Saturday, .June 26th, 1920.—" Another in-

tere.sting discussion was introduced by \\d. -Tephcott, M.P.

(Birmingham), who moved a re-solution (which was carried).

stating that to avoid misunder.=;tanding the .Association desired

th^t all individual undertakings be advised that it is their

opinion that all awards, agreements, or recommendations of

the National Joint Board should be observed."

Electrical Times, July 1st, 1920, page y.— '"Whitley Coun-
cils. This Association in general meeting desire that all
individual undertakings shall observe all agreements, re-
commendations, or awards emanating from a 'Whitley Council
of the Joint Board."

Electrical Review, July 2nd, 1920, page G.— " And that
all awards of the National Joint Board or Council should be
loyally observed."

Can you, in your next issue, give the correct wording of
.this resolution, and say whether it relates to the National
Joint Board for staff members, or to the National Industrial
(Whitley) Council for workmen, or to both'?

Confused.

Julii 5ih, 1920.

[To both, as we indicated. The exact wording of the resolu-
tion is as follows : " This .Association in general meeting desire
that all individual undertakings shall ob.serve all agreements,
recommendations, or awards emanating from a Whitley Council
or Joint Board."— Eds. Elec. Rev.]

What is the Contractor Doing?

After reading Mr. Blake's remarks, one would come to the
conclusion that there is a sad lack of real interest taken in
the commercial sales side of the business. Unfortunately this is
the case with most contractors, who generally are satisfied
with having their front windows all dres.sed up with paint
and nothing for the man in the street to see but those magic
letters "Electrical Engineers and Contractors." Fortunately
there are others who turn their thoughts on making hay while
the sun shines, and who make heroic but unsuccessful at-
tempts to attract the eyes of the public to their goods; but
this is all in vain, due to the want of "flash" advertising
and publicity matter, and the necessary expense in creating
artistic show-room facilities. If manufacturers would follow
in the toot.steps of their American brethren and co-operate
with contractors, they would find that British industry and
goods would be first past the post in the great race for the
home trade which has still got to be won.

J. B. Epstein.

Glasgow. Jitnc -l^^tli, 1920.

Composition v. Porcelain Insulators.

In your issue of June I8th, you pubhshed a letter from
Messrs. Thomas De La Rue. replying to my letter published
in your issue of June 4th, in which I took exception to this
firm disparaging porcelain in favour of their own composite
material " Telenduron."

I showed that the figures published by them of tests taken
by the N.P.L. on " Telenduron " really showed the inferiority
of "Telenduron" against porcelain as regards electrical
strength, and hence that this material is not suitable for high-
tension work, for which they also claim it.

Messrs. Thomas De La Rue now say that for high-tension
work they make other grades of " Telenduron." For these
other grades to be of any use for high-tension work, they
would have to be vastly better electrically than the grades
of which they give tests. For Messrs. Thomas De La Rue to
be able to .say that the.se other grades are suitable for high-
tension work they would need to have had tests on these
also (otherwise how can they know?), so perhaps they will
publish tests on such other grades to substantiate, their elec-
trical fitness for high-tension work, or else withdraw their
as.scrtion.

Geo. V. Twiss.

London. June 29///, 1920.

High'pressure Directcurrent Transmission.

YCould you kindly tell me, through the medium of your
valuable journal, what are the drawbacks to the use of
extra-high- pressure continuous currents? •

If I am correctly infojmed. no system over a thousand volts
n.c. is in existence in this country. Is commutation the
trouble, or transmission?

Ignoramus.
June mil, 1920.

[The difficulties reside solely in the generating and convert-
ing machines, which cannot be built as yet for large powers
at pressures above, say, ,5,000 volts. Consequently machines
of about 1,(X)0 KW., generating at 5,000 volts, have to be
iiiupled in series to attain the necessary high pressure for
transmission, and similarly at the receiving station motors
of 1.00(1 KW. or so have to be emiiloyed. .several of which may
be coupled to one generator. In transmission, direct current
at high pressure is far superior to alternating current; it
requires the minimum amount of copper, has no dielectric
loss, involves the cheapest construction of overhead line or
underground cable, has no capacity current, can be used with
an earth return, and does not affect telegraph or telephone
communication. Underground cables can readilv be made
to work at 100.000 volts n.c.

The only such system at w-ork in this country, to our know-
ledae. is that laid down by Mr. J. S. Highfield for the Metro-
nolitan Electric Supply Co., Ltd.. in 1911. See Electrical
Review, June 14th and 21st, 1912, and June 20th, 1913.—
Eds. Elec. Rev.]

64

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,221, jult 9, mo.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

piled expressly for this journal by Messrs. Sefton-Jones, O'Dell.ani;
Stkphens, Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

16,630. " .'VuiOMVitic dectric;il .idjus'ting device.'; G. Wallace. June 21st.

16,651. "Machine fo/ stripping rubber, &c.,' from' electric cables, itc." G.
Wallace. June 21st.

16,672; It-V: Method of securing tnetal contact or electrical continuity between
unscrewed tubes and fittings in conduit wiring systems.'* .E.J. Stockwell. .
June 3Ist. i,

le.eyu. " Electric contact-makers and circuits connoted therewith for raij-
ways. Sc." .\. 1>. Roe.' June 2i«t. ■ • ' '

16.682. " EFijcA-ic contact-breaker for railways." N. P. Roe. June 21sl.

16.683. " Bracket for attaching electric contact-breaker to locomtjtivcs.*-''' I^.
r. Roe. June 31st. •

16,632. "•Radio-lclcphony." L. L. Jacquot. June 21st. (France, Jujie'iMth,
1010.)

16,695. " Testing electric cabli^s."' C. F.'Sti-ect. June 21st. ■

16,r01'. " Electrostatic Jjlant for depositing dUst, &c., ftfom . gases:^' Skin-
ningrovc Iron Co. and T. R. Smith. June alst. ...

16,705. "Support for telephone receivers." D. Vellin. June 21st.

16,726. "Process for electrical gas purificalion." J. E. Lilicnteld & Metall-
bank und Metallurgische Ges. June alst. (Germany, -August »th, I'JlS.)

16,737. " Rectifiers;" Siemens-Schuckertwerke. June 21st. (Germany,
June 10th, 1016.)

16,730. " Ignition magnetos for internal-combustion engines." P. J. M.
Lefevre. June 21sl. (France. March 27th, 1010.)

16,745. " Lifting magnets." Igranic Electric Co. (Cutler Hammer Manu-
facturmg Co.). June 21st.

16,747. " Electrical distribution and power-transmission systems." Igranic
Electric Co. (Cutler Hammer Manufacturing Co.). June 21st.

16,806. " Automatic switches for relay circuits, &c." Austin Motor Co. and
C. b. Walker. JuneSind.

16.817. " Block signalling sy»li-ms." J. Bithenod. June 22nd.

16.818. " Two-way rectilying crystal receiver for radiotelegraphy." R. S.
Spreadbury. June 22nd.

16,835. "Means :for suspending electric lighting bowls, &c." F. W.
Hollingsworth. June 22nd.

16,838. "Eeclric.l cont.icis of the pug-and-socket type." H. J. S. Thomas.
June 22nd.

16,847. " Electric burglar, &c., al.Tims." T. Gunn. Ltd., and H. J.
Tibbies. June 22nd.

16.860. •.' Magneto-electric machines." British Thomson-Houston Co. and
A. P. Young. June •22nd.

16,862. "Electric power-generating sets." .\. 15iro. June 22nd. (Hungar\,
February 3rd, 1019.)

16,883. " Electric incandescent lamps for pohpliase currents." E. Gciaid.
June 22nd. (Belgium, .November 26th, 1913.)

16.911. " Electric starting devices for internal-combustion engines." R.
Bosch Akt. Ges. 'June 22mi. (Germany. May 26th. 1010.)

16.912. "Commutators, «.c." K, Uoseh .\k.. Ges. June 22nd. (Germany,
April 20th, 1010.;

16,018. " Telegraph cabl.>." 11. W . bulliv.m. June 22nd.

16,944/5. " Electrical swi.Lhgear."' W. A. Coates, D. R. Davies, G. E.
Gittens and Melropolitan-\ ick.ii> Electrical Co. June 22nd.

16.050. "Commutator for electric dynamos, motors, &c." H. Rowlands.
June '23rd.

16,977. " Electric switches." J.C.White. June 23rd.

16,080. "Two-phase high-frequency electric alternating-current generators."
M. C. A.'Latour. June iiJrd.

16,999. " Anrangement for controlliag length of conversations for telephones,
&c." Automatic i ekphone Manufacturing Co., P. T. Bates and A. V.
Newell. June 23rd.

17,000. "Telephone systems." Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co., R.
Mercer and J. Savin. June 23rd. '

17,003. "Electric switch." J. Bii«barth. June 23ril. (Germany, January
31st, 1919.)

17,005. " Electro-magnetic feeding devices (or machine tools." F. Werner.
June 2Srd. (Germany, 'February 26th, 1>J16.)

17,011. " Magn<-tus for internal-combustion engines." E. J. I'ilbl.id. June
23rd.

17,030. "Switch on and off installation for electric circuits." F. Sinzig
and Hi Wenger. June 23rd. (Switzerland, October 9th, 1910.)

17.042. "Heavy-current relavs." E. C. R. Marks (Gleirichter Akt. Ges.)
June 23rd.

17.047. " Telegraphic -reception." Siemens & Halskc Akt. Gi s. June •23rd.
(Germany, September 27th, 1918.)

17.048. " Typewriting telegraphs." Siemens & Halske .\kl. (...s. June 23rd.
(Germany, December 16lh, lOlK.)

17.049. "Suspension insulators." Siemeiis-Schut'kerlwerk.-. lun. 2:ird.
(Germany, November 29ih, 1010.) .. , ,,, ;-,,j ,

17,055. "Heating device in electrical resistance furnaces." .Mlgcmeine •
Ges. fur Chemische Industrie. June ■23nd. (Germany, March Will, 11)10.)

17,074. "Electric li|liting systems for automobiles, S:c." J, S. Withers (L.
Renault). :June 23rd.

17,077. " Electric battery Jamps." F. J. Turquand. June 23rd.

17.()81. ' " Electric lampholders." H. Garde. Jjiire '23rd . .",

17.082. " Electrical fittings." H. Garde. June •23rd.

17,085. " JEIectrically-oporated speed regulators." Duplex Engine Governor
Co, June 23rd. (United States, June 23rd, 1919.)

17,103. "Electric arc lamps." H. Jackson. June' 24th.

17,123. "Locking devices for electric. &c., hoists." J. Barker & Sons and
J. Saxton. June 24th.

17,132. "Electric current interrupters, ' ( 1. H.nnelt. June 2.!lh.

(United States. June a4th, 1919.)

17,135. " Methixl of electrically welding steel." J. W. I'lanl. June 24th.

17,144. " Fltxtric diaphragm alarms." Apollo Plug Mariufacturing Co. and
F. Brown, June 34tht

17.189. "Dynamo-electric machines," Siemens-Schuckertwerke. June 24lh.
(Germany, July 25th. 1010.) , ;

17.105. " Fluid-.ictuat.d and elccliicalh -actuated borihg ' atiB drilling iii.i
chines." W. Kuhn. June 24th. ■ ''M.'i •

17,217. "Ignition apparatu.s of submarine mines." ' S. 'J'. 'Williams. Junr
•24th.

l?,-228. "Terminals for eKtric cables. &c." A. E. Parnacotl. Junerilh.

,17.239. " Distributing nn.l draw-in boxes fon electric- installations." .\.
Bakkek* and' Bureau voor Uitvinders. June 24th.

17,273. " Receivers for telephony and telegraphy." A. W. Dransflcld.
June. 25th.t „,,'■■■ , ' •

17,319. "Circuit making and breaking device." E. Schattnor. June 25th.

17,321. " Sparking plugs." P Mei. June asth. '

17,334. '.' Dvpatttp-elcctric machines.": SitllIen6•&ol1UcU^^I^Vcrlte. '. June' "^Sth.
(Gerfnany, September' 6th, 1919.)

17,33.1. " Dynamorelectric-niachme&.^' ^icmen«-Schuclcertwerke. June •25th.
(Germany, January l'2lh,' 1917.) ■•

17,348. " Electrolys.rs." R. Pethkranj. June 25lh. (.Switzerland, June
27ih, 1919.)

17,3.51. " Electric heating .-ipparatus.'^ .M. R. .Malhommc. June '25th.
(France. August 19th, 1919.)

17,.'J55/9. "Apparatus for detecting and deterrainiiig ^direction of wave
energy." Steward Davit & Equipment Corporation, JuiK.SSth. (United
States, June 2Sth, 1919.)

17.356. " Directive sound transmission." Stewart Davit & Equipment Cor-
poration. June 25th. (United States, June •25th. 1919.)

17.357. " Devices for detecting and determining dir^ion of sounds."
Steward Davit & Equipment Corporation. June 25th. (United States, June
25th, 1919.)

17,3.58. " Method of sounding and determining distances." Ste'uard Davit &
Equipment Corporation. June •25th. (United States. June 25th, 1919.)
. 17.360. " Electric compensators." Stew.-M-d Davit & Equipment Corpora-
tion. June 25th. (United St.ites, June 25th, 1919.)

17,304. " Electrical quick make-and-break switches." H. C. Sanders.
June 2<ith.

17,403. " Casings for electric lamps." J. Cein. ^unc 2()th.

17,408. " Magnetic niotor." D. Suchostawer. June 2Sth. '

17,413. " Electro-magnetic wave-receiving and transmitting arrangements."
Soc. Francaise R,adio-Electrique. June 26th. (Fiance. November 3rd, 1916.)

17.471. " Eleclro-mSgnetic relays." Creed i Co. and T. l-.^-nrighan. June
26th.

17.472. " Voltaic batteries." G. Calvert. June 26th.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in parentheses are those under which the specification« will be
printed and abridged, and all subsequent proceedings will be taken.

17,791. •■ £k
1.363.

19X8.

upholders." T. J. Jones. .April 30th, 1919. (143.941.)

1918.

Bruce Peebles & Co. and C. J. Hunt.

F. W.

January •20th, 1919. (143,015 )

1.985. " Suoporting device for overhead electric trolley
Fawdry and P. aiwson. August I'Jth, 1919. (143,946.)

2,197. '! Electric signalling systems comprising amplifying or rcp<-ating
apparatus." Western Electric Co'. (Western EliTtric Co.). January 20th, 1919.
(143,949.)

2,487. ".Apparatus 'for generating electric currents." Splitdorf Electrical
Co. June 8th, 1918. (128,100.)

4,592. " Electro-mechanical pocket lamps." K. K. Krag-Moller. F'ebruary
24th, 1919. (143,958.)

5,573. "Electric smelting furnaces." I. Hole. April ailh. 1918. (125,363.)

0,841. " Direct-current motors and generators." G. SUrk and J. G. Stirk.
March 10th, 1010. (143,080.) , _

5,964. " Electric lamps for motor-vehicles' or for other purposes." G. A.
Edman. March lHh, 1919. (143,985:) , '

6,610. "Contacts of electrical swi1chH<'ar." R. S. O'.Nidl. •'.Marth 17th.
1919. (143,993.) • .,•'.■ i.

7,870. " Electrical switches."- S. W. H-.mhn. .March 28th.- ISIi). (144.009.)

8.827. " Electric vehicles." W. Rtigers. October Zih. 1019. ,(144,031.)

8,080. " Dvnamos." E. A. Watson and'M.L. Magneto Svodicale. April
0th, 1019. (144,0-24.) , . '■ • ■ ''"',/'■

13,094. " Protective gear for alternalihg-current systems." H, Pcarec and
Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co. *la>^ •24th', 1919:. <M4,0?3.) :

13.109. " Radio-signalling systems." British Thomson-Houston Co.. (General
Electric Co.). M.iy 2Cth, 1019. (144,075.)

15,489. " Ignition attachment for the pi^evention of Joss by theft of motor-
vehicles untlfr their own power." T. .\. liirton. June '20th, 1919. (Cognate
application 2»,174/10.) (144,107.)

15,544. , " Electric switches." F. M. Burrell and C. W. Smith. June •20th,
1010. (144,108.)

17,073. •' Electric circuit controllers." K. Arabivton. July 8th. 1019.
(144,122.)

18,326. " Storage biitterv locomotives." M:HK-ha Storage B;itlery Locomotive
Co. August 31st, 1918. (1-33,234.)

21,514. " Combined telephone and telegraph systems comprising amplifying
or repeating apparatus." Western Electlie Co. Siiptcmber Snd, 1919. (Addi-
tion to 143,949.) (144.152.) . :

21,568. "Magneto-electric ignition niachilies." Sci(ltill:». .^eptcmber 2nd.
1918. (132,-2!l7.) . '

2.1,518. " Dvnamo-electric machines." B:iron Clifford of Chudleigh (W. H.
CliOord). October 17th, 1910. (144.175.) '"'-■ -

•26,485. " ElMtrical installations for controlling electric piiin4s and otiK-r
apparatus." C. Audran. July 18th, 1919. (144,183.)

•26,496. " Selective electric switching-devices." Allmannn Telefonaklicbolagel
L.'M. Ericsson. December 11th, 1918. a38.593.)

•27,026. " TroUev-heads for electric tramcars." F. Sharp and J. Martin.
.November 3rd, 1919. (144.183.)

•'7 923 " Bushings for electric conductors." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(G'encrai El«-tric Co.). Noyembc-r 11th. 1919. (144,191.)

28 448 '•Control of asynchronous ek-cirje- motors." Siemens-Schuckertwerke
Ges. August 31st, 1918. '(135,480.)

31,990. •' Magnetic toy." J. J. Tyndall. December 'iOih, 0919. (144,211.)

2,727. " Magnetic separators." F. Uhlig. October 10th, 1919. (144,221.)
5,039.' "Arrangement for protecting telephone installations from currents of

dangerously high tension." A. Forego. November •23rd, 1018. (139,198.)
7,235. " Magneto.<'lectric ignition apparatus." H. G. C. Fairwcather

(Akliebol..g-t Svenska Elektromagneler). M:.rch 10th, 19-20. (i44,234.)

Cape Town Electrical Dispute.— The dispute between

the Electrical Contriictors' Association and the Electrical Trailes
Union has been referretl to a .Toiut Board ooniposed of an eqnal
number of emplo.ver8 and employes in the buildinir trades, -with a
neutral referee. This .Joint Board has been formed for the purpose
of adjusting all differences arising in the buildins .and allied trades.
Each trade sends a delegate to the Board representing the emplo.ver
and another delegate representinsr the workmen. Mr. Bird, of the
Kitson Lighting Co., represents the Electrical Contractors' AsBocia-
tion on the Board,

TXIE

ELElOTIEe^IO^Xj I^/E-V^IE-W.

Vol. LXXXVII.

JULY 10, 1920.

No. 2,225.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

Vol. Lxxxvn.]

CONTENTS : Jnly 16, 1920.

[No. 3,525.
P»ge

Industrial Conditions in Germany in 1919

National Awards

'' We Must Export to Live ! "

The Imperial Wireless Chain ... •••

Financial Responsibility for Electricity Supply

A New Wireless Call Sigrnal, by E. H. Shaughnessy (illus.') ...
The Design of Lifting Tackle, by J. T. Towlson {illus.')

Electricity in Italy ; Statistical Data

The Incorporated Municipal Electrical Association

Tariffs for Domestic Electricity Service, by J. W. Beau-
champ

Supplementary Notes. — The Supply of Electricity to Small
Dwellings in Continental Cities

Anmial Report

The Aero Exhibition

Legal

Business Notes

Notes

City Notes ... ... •

Stocks and Shares

Market Quotations

Water-Power Development, by L. E. Wood

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (?7to*.)

Electric Railway Contact Systems, by Sir P. Dawaon Qllus.')

{cimcliiiied')

Joint Electricity Authorities ... ... ... ... ...

Trade and Industry in Greece

Tramways and Light Railways Association

Correspondence^

The Protection of Transmission Lines against Lightning

What is the Contractor Doing .'

The Electro-deposition of Iron

TheE.P.E.A

New Patents Applied for, 1920

Abstracts of Published Specifications

Contractors' Column

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INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS IN GERMANY
IN 1919.

[6,

It is not with any degree of satisfaction that we lay down
the report which was issued in the last week of June by the
Department of Overseas Trade (Development and Intelli-
gence) " on industrial and commercial conditions in
Germany at the close of the year 1919." The report is
decidedly " poor stuff " from an industrial and commercial
point of view ; it is no credit to the Department concerned,
and it is doubtful whether the industrial parts are worth
the money devoted to cheir preparation. Some eight pages
are occupied by fioance and taxation, five pages by coal and
railways, three by iron and steel, two by leather, three by
shipping, and two by aviation, while the remaining eleven
pages deal with statistics. Apart from finance and taxation,
and most of the statistics, practically all the information
has already previously been published in English journals
and newspapers, and the report is more remarkable for what
it omits than for what it contains.

The whole tenor of the section on coal and railways is
the great shortage of coal for industrial and domestic
purposes, and for the working of the railways and the gas
and electricity supply works, the latter of which had to
curtail their supply to consumers, and some even had to
shut down. It is also mentioned that a number of blast
furnaces and steel plants in the Siegerland were brought
to a standstill, but the situation of the great iron and
steel works in Westphalia, which own most of the mines
and works in the Siegerland, is not gven considered worthy
of notice from the point of view of the scarcity of coal and
coke. In the appendix on coal it is stated that the pro-
duction of coal in the Ruhr in December averaged 268,500
tons per day, or (5,471,000 tons for the month, and the price
of Ruhr coal, which was only 11 mai-ks per ton at the
pit in January, 1913, had risen to 105 marks in
January, 1920. It is, however, more to the point for the
public to be informed that, thanks to the employment of a
larg,er number of miners and the working at many pits of
two extra half shifts per week, the output of pit coal in the
Ruhr reached 7,092.000 tons in May, 1920, as compared
with 0,511,000 tons in April, and the daily production on
these special days now exceeds 300,000 tons. It is also
necessary to mention that such enormous advances have
been made in the Ruhr this year that at the present moment
the prices of coal range from 194 to 202 marks per ton, on
rail at the pits, while the wages now paid to underground
and surface workers average 45 marks per shift, as compared
with about one-seventh of this amount in former periods of
peace.

The transport services by rail naturally suffered from the
scarcity of coal, but this difficulty has now been overcome.
The report, however, does not give any information con-
cerning the amalgamation of all the Federal State railways
into one uniform network, which was under consideration
last year, and which has since been carried into effect.
But it does refer to the number of railway trucks and loco-
motives needing repair, and states that the Government has
closed some of the most important shops, " because it was
felt that nothing short of this sbep would have any effect on
the stubbornness of the workmen " ; that is, their idleness
and indifference, according to the report. A more important
question, however, was also at stase — the problem of piece
work. If it is possible for the report to cite the closing of
the shops in January, 1920, the authors should also have
been able to announce that the 13 State shops concerned
were re-opened a few weeks later on the men agreeing to
work on the piece system, and they began to turn out more

66

i'HE ELECTBICAX tlEVIE "W t^ol. 87. No. 2,225, July 16, 1920.

locomotives in a repaired condition weekly than were
sent into the shops for repairs every week. It is
necessary to state this fact, because innocent readers might
infer from the report that the shops are still closed, and no
improvement in repair work has taken place.

If we now turn to the iron and steel section, we find the
statement that it may be imagined from the remarks
concerning coal that the iron and steel industry also had
great difficulties to contend with last year. After ([uooing
from the annual report of a leading company, and from
observations made by chairmen at the annual meekings of
two important companies, the report enumerates the transfer
to foreign ownership of certain German iron-ore mines and
iron and steel works in Luxemburg, on the left bank of the
Rhine, and in former German Lorraine. As details of all
these matters have already been published in English
journals, no occasion arises for reproducing them in this
place ; and they represent the substance of the three pages
devoted to iron and steel ! The reader looks in vain for
any guidance as to the situation of the great steelworks in
Westphalia at the end of in 111 ; and he is given no
information concerning the Steel Syndicate's activity in the
home and export trade in 191.S-19 and the death-struggles
of the Steel Syndicate with the Government in the final
quarter of 19111 (continued early in lOi'O) in its attempt
to defeat the Ministry for Economy's scheme to replace the
syndicate by a so-called self-governing organisation composed
of representatives of producers, merchants, consumers, and
workmen. Nor is the reader informed of the production of
iron and steel in Germany in 1919. It is true that the
figures for November and December were purposely with-
held by the Association of Iron and Steel Producers, and
have been withheld ever since, but the output of pig-iron in
the 10 months ended with October was 5,281,000 tons, and
approximately (!, 280,00(1 tons for the complete year ;
while the production of steel was approximately 8,000,000
tons in 1919.

We pass over the questions of leather, shipping and avia-
tion, and then reach — not the chemical, electrical, ship-
building and engineering industries — but the " conclusion."
In this connection the report states that " a picture has
been drawn which can leave no doubt as to the state of the
country. Except for the idiosyncrasies peculiar to each, the
general condition of the great German industries presents
very much the same features as described in connection with
iron and steel." But what are these features 'i Extracts
from a company report and speeches of two company chair-
men I As for the chemical industry, the report remarks that
all the large concerns lie in occupied territory, and as they
have been under Allied supervision, hardly fall within the
scope of this report ; but as far as can be ascertained, they
also have suffered from the shortage of coal and of many
other essential raw materials. (^Juite so. But surely it
was not beyond the province of the report to have referred
to the great aniline dye trust, though mostly in occupied
territory, and its augmentation of share and preference
capital last Novemier by hundreds of millions of marks, so
as to prevent the introduction of foreign influence of a
dominating character, and to strengthen the bonds uniting
the several companies forming the trust. This was in
1919. We cannot understand this omission, but we can
comprehend, because applying to May of this year, that no
information is given concerning the enormous profits made
by the dye companies in 1919 through the disposal of stocks
abroad, at the world's market prices, and despite the obliga-
tion imposed by the Treaty of Peace to deliver 50 per cent,
of the stocks to the Allies.

The report is even more reticent regarding the electrical
industry ; there is nothing about the course of business,
prices, capital increases, labour conditions, iVc. So
insignificant is the German electrical industry considered to
be, that it is dismissed with less than a line. " The electro-
technical industry," the report states, " and the many
branches of machine construction are practically in the
same state " — that is, they have suffered from a shortage of
coal, and of many other essential raw materials. It is
impossible to leave the report without an expression of great
disappointment at the superficiality of most of the informa-
tion on the one hand, and the complete silence regarding
important matters on the other. Yet these obvious defects

could have been lessened somewhat by the placing at the
end of the report of one single page summarising the general
situation in Germany at the beginning of .June, and thus
bringing the report up to date. It is very much to be
feared that the Overseas department, like so many other
Government departments, does not yet possess a properly
(|ualified staff for dealing with (juestions — at all events with
regard to industries in Germany — in such a manner as to
depict the situation in a form conducive to the enlighten-
ment of the public. A report like the present one would
never have been signed by a Trade Commissioner ; it would
not have borne the signature of a commercial attache or
counsellor unless he were perfectly innocent of commercial
and industrial matters, and no man who possessed a
reputation he desired to maintain would have placed his
name at the foot of this uninforming, uninteresting, and
almost useless report regarded from a commercial and
industrial point of view.

National Awards.

The subject of Whitley Councils in the
electrical industries and their awards has
lately assumed prominence owing to regrettable hitches in
their working, due partly to the actions of the Councils and
partly to those of the constituent supply authorities, and
it came under discussion at the recent I.M.E.A. Con-
vention. We have already dealt with the cases of
Gillingham and Wimbledon, where awards of the Home
Counties Joint Industrial Council and the National Joint
Board of Employers and Staff Members were repudiated by
the municipalities concerned (in the latter case, we believe,
through a misunderstanding which was (|uickly rectified).
We now have to record the case of Worcester City Council,
which, on the recommendation of the Electricity Committee,
refused to accept an award, and substituted other advances
in salary for those due under the award. The explanation
was that while an award of the National Board was based
on plant capacity, it happened that the maximum load on
the plant was at the time less than half that value.
Whether this is or is not a legitimate plea we shall not
pause to discuss. Again, complaints were made at the
Convention that certain corporations, with Bradford cited
as the worst offender, had not confined their action to com-
plying with the award of the Tramway Industrial Council,
but had greatly overshot the mark by giving higher increases
of wages, and had thus upset the position throughout the
whole country.

All the foregoing are examples of local authorities refusing
to comply with the awards. But at the Convention a case
was cited in respeet of the London Whitley Council, on
which sat two representatives of London companies ; these
assented to an award, but on its publication the companies
concerned declined to accept it, resigned from the Council,
and withdrew their representatives.

The above are only typical examples : many others, we
regret to say, could readily be cited.

A totally different case involves the relations between the
National Council and the District Councils (Electricity
Supply). The ktter had agreed an award — of course, with
the full approval of the Trade Union representatives— and
all was proceeding satisfactorily when the National Council
threw a bomb in the shape of a decision to refer the question
to arbitration, without consulting the District Councils.
We published last week an emphatic protest from the
District Council for No. 9 area, the Employers' Side of
which flatly refused to take part in the arbitration, or to be
bound by its decision.

Now. what does all this represent but a state of instability,
discord, and indiscretion, which is not far removed from
chaos 'i And who are the responsible parties in all the
cases we have mentioned ? In fverii instance the em-
ployers are tlie remkitrants, although they are fully
represented on the respeetivc Ccuneils and the Xational
Board. Is not this a truly deplorable display of disloyalty
and insubordination ? and is it not a disgraceful example
to place before the Trade Unions, which have loyally
accepted the awards to which their representatives have
subscribed r There appears to be nothing to choose between

Toi. 87. No. 2,225, July 16, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

67

companies and municipalities in this respect. The native
sense of individuality retains its vigour even in the bosom
of a municipal council — indeed, it was that sense which,
under the disguise of democratic principles, led to the early
Electric Lighting Acts, enabling each local authority to
possess its own little undertaking, and thus produced that
unfortunate state of affairs which the 1919 Act was designed
to revolutionise. But the principles of democracy require
submission of the section, as well as of the individual, to
the will of the majority for the public welfare, and this
should be laid to heart by the committees and companies
which at present control the public supply of electricity.
AV^e warn them that the path that some of them are treading
leads either to a humiliating surrender in the near future,
or to what is much more serious, and may be disastrous —
the breakdown of the Whitley Council system.

That the Whitley Councils have already effected a very
marked and real amelioration of the relations between the
employers and employed who sit on them, is a fact which
cannot be denied. A strong appeal was made at the
I.M.B.A. Convention to the municipal authorities to
comply loyally with the awards of both the ( 'ounoils and
the National Board, and we would exteud that appeal also
to the companies concerned. The day of watertight com-
partments is past ; those who uphold it are the Sinn Fein
of electricity supply.

Mr. K ELLA way, the Minister in

1- .! I*!* ,.. Charge of the Department of Overseas
Export to Live : " „ , , , ^, . ... .„ , ,

Trade, has been speaking with jusiihable

emphasis on the imperative necessity for us as a people to
work with the greatest po.-sible enthusiasm to secure a rapid
and continuous increase in the export trade. It is true that
our export irade values are making an improving showing
in the monthly returns, but there is a fine opportunity for
sending the volume of foreign trade up far beyond any
hitherto recorded figures. It is reported from all directions
abroad that our products are urgently required, and the
warning is given that if we are not able to meet the demand
promptly, our international competitors will secure the
business. Mr. Kellaway follows his predecessors in office
with a clarion call to the industrial and trading sections of
the community. " WUhmd a great (./-port traik we ran
neif/ier feat nor doVie our people. We must e.rjwrl to tire."
One solitary speech, however compelling in its influence
upon a small audience of commercial men, can do little
compared to a campaign which shall get this commonplace
truth home to the minds of the million. Such words ought
to be prominently displayed upon every conspicuous
hoarding in the industrial centres. The words " increase
production I " have lost their app?al, but we will not
balieve that leaders lack the imagination necessary to
bring up before the workers what on a previous occasion
we ventured to describe as " The Export Vision." We
must needs work out our own salvation, and must try all
the harder now that the 60 per cent. E.IM). has to
remain.

In our last issue we gave an abstract of

wireless aim. ^^^ ^^^^^^ °^ ^^^ Imperial Wireless Tele-
graphy Committee, of which Sir Henry
Norman was chairman, showing that the Committee, which
was technically very strong, recommended the establishment
of an Imperial chain of stations about 2,000 miles apart,
relying upon the use of thermionic valves for transmission
and, of course, for reception. The adoption of the valve
would be a somewhat bold step, seeing that no commercial
service over such distances has yet been put in operation 1 ly
this means, but it cannot be denied that development is
rapidly proceeding in that direction. The practical alter-
native is the Poulsen arc system, which is actually in extended
use for long-distance working — even exceeding a range of
5,000 miles, as we have shown' — and this also has great
possibilities before it. In this connection we would refer
to the fact that the fundamental Poulsen patents have all
expired, and the statement of Mr. Godfrey Isaacs, reported
in our issue of July 2nd, that " all the evidence went to
show that the Poulsen arcs belonged to the Marconi Co.,"

* Elbctbical Re\iew, April 2nd, WM. p. \2\.

is therefore misleading ; the Poulsen arc is subject to no
monopoly.

That such a wireless chain is necessary and feasible is
beyond dispute ; but for the pernicious effects of political
wire-pulling — or should we say wireless-pulling ? — we should
probably have had it in operation before the war broke out.

Further, it ought to be owned by the States of the Empire.
But whether it ought to be operated by the State or by a
controlled company is a very different question. We have
seen so much of the effects of State opOTation, especially
during the War, that we have the gravest misgivings as to
the desirability of placing the wireless chain in the hands of
Government departments. On the other hand, there is one
bright, if solitary, example ofi efficiency to the credit of the
State — the management of the Pacific Cable by a Commis-
sion. In this connection we can hardly ignore the ambitions
scheme put forward by the Marconi Co. (see Electrical
Review, March 19th, 1920), which was curtly turned down
by the committee ; without discussing the merits of the
rival schemes, we must express the opinion that the decision
of the Marconi Co., owing to a personal quarrel between its
managing director and the chairman of the committee, to
abstain from giving evidence before the committee was a
strategical blunder of the first magnitude. In the past we
have defended the company against unjust political and other
attacks, but in this case we must admit that if it is cut out
of the Imperial scheme, it will only have itself to thank.

The scheme for a " West of England
Financial Joint Electricity Authority" is now

?or EleciJicIS ^PP^-'^'i^y ^loing forward for the judg-
S'jpply. ment of the Electricity Commissioners.

The feature which excites, perhaps, the
most general interest is the provision made to meet possible
losses. This has always been one of the questions which
arise in every schmee for co-ordinating electricity supply.
" Who pays if the expenses can't be met ? " Hope springs
eternal in the breast of the promoters, of course, but the
unemotional demand of finance is that security of some kind
must be forthcoming — in case things go wrong temporarily.
The West of England has solved the problem by proposing
that the authority, in the case of both ends not meeting, or
of its anticipating such eventuality, shall have power to
issue precepts on the member undertakings, County Councils,
and others represented, for the deficit — proportionately to
their voting representation on the electricity authority.

The provision is criticised, of course, such criticism
harping mostly on the refrain ; '• We don't know what we
are in for." This is true, of course ; but, on the other
hand, it is easy to magnify the possibilities, even the most
remote possibilities, into alarming dimensions. The
problem for such critics is — what do they propose as an
alternative ? An electricity authority must get funds
from son>ewhere. It cannot borrow money without security.
Someone must guarantee, and the West of England Authority
considers that the several members composing the body are
the rightful guarantors. The matter will be one of the
first to be considered by the Commissioners, and it will be
interesting to hear the alternative proposals that presumably
will be put forward. Here is a chance for financial
" experts" to be really useful. In the West of England
scheme the bulk of the interests are municipal. The
company undertakings, although there are a good number,
are mostly small, and con.sequently their financial responsi-
bilities in respect of any deficit are comparatively light ;
in fact, from the point of view of most of the companies,
the scheme is probably regarded with favour. The
future is none too rosy for small undertakings, and abounds
in " risks," so the whole question turns on whether the
risks under a joint electricity authority are greater than
the risks in isolation. The sporting chance seems, in this
case, decidedly in favour of the joint electricity authority.
The municipalities have eagerly backed the national scheme ;
as was pointed out at the I.M.E.A. ('onvention, they must
be prepared to find the money if they obtain control ; and
they must face the risks also. They cannot have it both
ways.

But, as a matter of fact, the risks are more itnJ^inary
than real.

68

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

[Vol. 87, No. 2,225, July 16, 1920.

A NEW WIRELESS CALL SIGNAL.

By E. H. SHAUQHNESSY, O.B.E., M.I.E.E.

One of the drawbacks of ordinary wireless reception has
been that it was until recently impossible to make the
received signals ring a bell, to call the operator to his post
when he was wanted. This was due to the received signals
being too weak to actuate reliably any ordinary telegraph
relay. This defect necessitated an operator Ijeing at the
receiving set continuously, if signals were expected at any
hour of the day.

The development of thermionic valves in the last few
years has enabled the weak wireless signals to be amplified
or magnified sufficiently to work a relay which will ring
a bell.

At some of the outlying small wireless stations in this
country working to lightships or islands, the traffic is so
small that it does not justify continuous attention by
operators, and the Pest Office has, therefore, developed the
calling device described below to overcome this difficulty.
The calling device could also be applied to the distress
signal at sea, commonly known as the S.O.S. signal. On
some of the smaller ships the saving in operators' wages by
this provision would be a very important one. The utility
of wireless for saving life at sea has been very fully
recognised for some time past, and a system which will
reduce its working costs is bound to be of considerable
benefit, and may lead to its wider application to ships
which are not at present compelled to carry wireless.

Several other systems of calling by ringing a bell have
been evolved recently, but they usually present some draw-
back, such as liability to jamming, or interference by
atmospherics, or are complex and delicate in their
mechanism.

The conditions which govern the design of a calling
device may be briefly stated as follows : —

1. The signal which is to actuate the calling device at
the receiving end should be such that it can be sent by hand
without difficulty, and with no more accurate timing device
than a watch or clock with a seconds hand.

2. The calling device should respond to the calling signal
even through strong jamming or atmospheric interference.

3. The calling device should refuse to respond to very
strong signalling or atmospherics which are unaccompanied
by the calling signal.

4. The complete receiving apparatus with the calling
device should not be less sensitive than a good crystal
detector on the same aerial.

.5. It should give an audible warning if from any cause,
such as a filament breaking, it ceases to be responsive.

C. It should ring a bell, in order to attract the attention of
the operator.

The type of signal which is most free from the effects of
atmospherics or jamming is a long dash, as the effects of
either form of interference assist the signal. Calling signals

Fig. 1. — Calling Apparatus.

which have spacing intervals as part of their make-up arc
liable to be interfered with by atmospherics or jamming
occurring in those intervals.

The long dash has, therefore, been adopted as the signal
in the wireless calling device described below. The
apparatus has been designed to ring the bell at the con-
clusion of a signal of 15 seconds' duration, but any longer or
shorter interval can be provided for.

The arrangement is intended to take the place of the
operator's telephone receiver when he is absent, and consists
of the chain of apparatus shown in fig. 1.

The thermionic trigger relay employed is that described
by Capt. L. B. Turner before the Institution of Electrical
Engineers, June 30th, 1919, but any other suitable
wireless relay can be used in lieu.

The retardation device may consist of either an oil, air,
or other dashpot or delay-action relay designed to ring the
bell at the conclusion of a predetermined interval, but the
arrangement preferred is one based upon the principle of
the long interval of time necessary to charge up a condenser
through a high resistance. See fig. 2.

3 megohms

pAAAMAAA

■4mfds

From Turner
O Relo^ p

RelosN^a

I RO Standard

IIH

Fig. 2. — Retardation Device.

Relay No. 1 of the retardation device is operated by the
Turner trigger relay. AVhen the tongue moves over to the
marking stop the condenser is charged slowly through the
high resistance of 3 megohms, and if it remains on this stop
for about 12 seconds (with the particular adjustments
employed in this case), the condenser accumulates sufficient
charge, so that when the signal ceases, and the tongue of
relay Xo. 1 moves back to the spacing stop, the discharge
can deflect relay No. 2, which rings the bell. If the tongue
of relay No. 1 dees not remain on the marking stop for a
sufficiently , long interval, the condenser will not have
sufficient charge to affect relay No. 2.

The latter relay is adjusted to neutral bias with a wide
gap between the contacts. In this position it is very stable,
and not liable to alteration of its adjustment.

It is possible to dispense with the two relays and work a
suitably designed continuously-ringing bell directly off the
contacts of the Turner relay, with the same retardation
arrangement of condenser and high resistance, thus reducing
the quantity of apparatus, but the original apparatus set up
has been described, as it illustrates the principle more
clearly.

Both the systems of dashpot and condenser-high resistance
retardation have been employed in the Post Office for a
number of years for calling the attention of operators at
and line and cable relay stations where the operator is not
listening on the set continuously, and have proved very
reliable and invaluable in practice. In their applicatiou to
wireless calling, the condenser-high resistance method was
found to be a slight improvement on the dashpot methods
tried, and it has accordingly been adopted. Trials of the
set have shown that no amount of jamming or atmospheric
interference will give a false call, or, on the other hand,
prevent the bell ringing when the long dash signal is sent
out by a distant station. The calling device has also been
fitted on the Post Office cable ship Momnrh, and has proved
([uite successful through heavy jamming up to ranges of
over 100 miles. It has also been found possible to work
the call device on an aerial tuned to 300 metres, when at
the same time another aerial, a few yards away, was trans-
mitting on 600 metres. The current induced in the
300-metre aerial from the adjacent aerial was half an
ampere, and in these circumstances the trigger relay recorded

Tol. 87. No. 2,226, July 16, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIE^

69

the 600-metre signals, but did not ring the bell. <)n the
arrival of the long dash on the 300-metre wave-length, the
bell rang satisfactorily. This is almost the most severe
test of jamming which could be devised.

It is possible that a false call may be received if another
operator in the vicinity is " tuning up " by depressing his
key for a long interval of time. This can be overcome
either by insisting on operators who are tuning up not
keeping their keys depressed for longer intervals than, say,
five seconds, or by increasing the time period of the retar-
dation device to any length of time necessary to avoid this
danger. The number of false calls received from this
source is remarkably few, but where it is desired to be
entirely free from this trouble, a clockwork arrangement
and an integrating mechanism are fitted to the receiving
set, and two or more long dash signals of about four seconds
each are employed. The clockwork is arranged to be started

by the arrival of the first signal and automatically to reset
itself and the apparatus at the end of 1^ minutes, so as to
restore the set in case it has been accidentally started by a
false call. The integrating mechanism consists of an elec-
tromagnetic step-by-step device which integrates the
remainder of the long dashes and rings the bell when a pre-
determined number have arrived. Thus, if the prearranged
calling signal is Ki long dashes, the step-by-step arrange-
ment will be set to ring the bell at the conclusion of five,
thus allowing a margin for some of the long dashes being
merged into one by the intervals being filled up with
jamming or atmospherics. The integrating mechanism as
it moves on each step also resets relay No. 2 in fig. 2, so as
to make it again available for the arrival of the next signal.
It should be understood that there is nothing very novel in
the design of this plant, but that the set is simply a com-
bination of existing devices applied to wireless purposes.

THE DESIGN OF LIFTING TACKLE.

By J. T. TOWLSON.

It will be readily understood when it is stated that " The
full story of bad lifting tackle can only be read in the
records of Coroners' inquests, conjointly with the hospital
casualty lists."

It is, moreover, undoubtedly true that the number of
accidents, fatal and otherwise, which have occurred as a
direct result of badly-designed eye-bolte would cover several
full pages of such records and lists.

It is not altogether true that such accidents have
happened because the lifting tackle, chains, hooks, and eye-
bolts have not been sufficiently large or heavy, but rather
(and this is the grand secret of strength) that some parts
of a particular member have been too strong — in a precisely
similar way as a steam boiler may be made liable to
fracture by being stayed too rigidly.

Uniformity of strength, then, is the aim of the best
designers of lifting tackle, and it will be found a patent

Fio. 1. — Faulty Dksign.

and signal fact that it is not generally necessary to add to
dimensions "f the various members of standard lifting gear,
but rather to reduce the heavy part, thus leading to
uniformity.

The writer has seen the lifting chain of a set of double-
hook chain blocks break on several occasions, and the chain
has invariably broken at a link closely adjacent to the first
heavy link nest the hook. That link next the hook has
been too strong for its neighbour, and greater safety would
follow if that particular link were reduced in strenLtth.
The same applies to all chains which are employed for lifting,
by passing one ring of a chain* through the ring, or link, at
the opposite end.

For the purpose of illustrating one concrete and depend-
able example where a reduction of diameter has resulted in
a considerable increase of useful strength, one need go

no further than the eye-bolt. If I wanted an eye-bolt to
be treacherous, and to break, and to lireak withaiil warnimi,
one as shown in fig. 1 would be chosen. But if one was
required that would stand rough usage, and a pull at bad
angles, and one that would give way. and give notice ere it
broke, and at the same time possess a useful sti-ength over
200 per cent, beyond that of fig. 1, I would choose fig. 2.
So the eye-bolt, shown in fig. 2, with the strength by
reduction which the example typifies, the writer swears by.
The bolt, after various tests by the highest authority in
Great Britain, has become " the standard " in several
important electrical concerns, and the writer, as a safety-
first man, hopes for and visualises the time when all such
bolts as shown in fig. 1 will be condemned as unsafe, and
ofiicially disallowed. Both examples, fig. 1 and fig. 2, are
represented as being applied for lifting the top half of a
D.c. motor yoke, or the stator of an a.c. machine.

The eye-bolts being as shown, and
:3 ft. (J in. apart, the strain on them will
be somewhat about GO" if a double
chain of proper length is used.

It will be noticed, however, that,
though fig. 1 would stand to suffer
much with a shorter chain, and a larger
included angle, fig. 2, by nature of its
design, would hardly feel the difference.
Therein abides the dependability of
fig. 2 ; it is considerably stronger than
fig. 1, and can never break without
warning.

These eye-bolts — hand-forged, of both
types — have been tested to complete
destruction at various " punishing "
angles, by Messrs. Kircaldy Bros., and
the verdict has been from 50 per cent,,
to 2.'')0 per cent, in favour of the "Silver-
town Bolt," shown in No. 2 sketch. I
call it the " Silvertown Bolt" for the simple reason that a
well-known company at Silvertown fully adopted it on
the designer's recommendation.

There is, obviously, nothing in the new bolt but what
common sense dictates. No. 1, with its rigid ring and
collar, and its fully-threaded screwed part, is designed to
break — as ue can easily see.

No. 2, with chains at an angle such as is shown, would
all but lift its load, were the part that enters the load quite
plain. So that the only strain which comes on the thread
is in a line, straight and true in respect of its geometrical
axis. The arrows depict the form and direction of the
strains, and such were precisely followed in the exhaustive
tests by Messrs. Kircaldy Bros.

The increased strength, as a result of decreased material,
refers to the reduced part A, for this reduction is an effective

Fig. 2. — The Silvertown Eve-bolt,

70

THE ELECTRICAL RE VTEW. [Voi. 87. no. 2,225, jult le, 1920.

factor which contributes to the need that the strain of the
load sliould be distributed over as large a volume of the
composition of the bolt as is possible.

Anyone may see that with a bolt, as in fig. 1, and with a
cross lift, such a bolt is actually dangerous. It will not
only break — before it ought — but it will break suddenly.

ELECTRICITY IN ITALY: STATISTICAL DATA.

The L'lettrotecnica gives the following interestintf details leffardingr
the machinery employed in the Italian electrical industry. The
machinery set up in Italy was, and is, to this hour, partly of native
manufacture and partly imported. Up to the end of 1911 the prin-
cipal sources of supply were Germany. Switzerland, America, Austria-
Hungary, and England, the first two having the predominance.
Foreign countries were the furnishers, as to-day, of the magnetic
sheet-iron required by machinery builders. Up to the war this
sheet was derived from Germany, and only to a small extent
from England ; since 1915, America and England have been the
providers. It is to be hoped that at no distant date Italy will be
able to supply her own needs. It is a question of industrial pro-
duction which, while modest in itself, will have, nevertheless, a
great influence on the life of this country.

Impo/is ii/ Electrical Machhierij. — During the period 1907 to
1917, the imports of electrical machinery were a? shown in
column 3 of the table which follows. A clear tendency to reduction
is evident. In the last two years (1918 — 1920) importation has been
half-extinguished, either by general commercial conditions or
Governmental restrictions.

Impo-tx of Magnetic Sheet- i run.— ConaidetiDg the same period,
1907 — 1917, imports of magnetic sheet-iron tended, as is natural, to
increase. In fact, while the yearly consumption of machinery has
varied but little, a larger importation of sheet-iron was required
as a set-otf to the lessened imports. In the 10 years, 1908 — 1917,
the average yearly importation of magnetic sheet-iron totalled
3,055 tons, its highest total, 1,014 tons, being reached in 1917.
In the years 1913-14 (when the war was beginning) the average
imports totalled 4,000 tons yearly.

W'eiijkt of Electrical Machinery. — Considering the total produc-
tion of electrical machines, taken in the aggregate and not by fixed
patterns of machine, the average weight of the finished machine
may be taken as IS kg. for each K.v.A. The relation between the
weight of the raw magnetic sheet employed and the weight of the
finished machine Ls about 0 42. These values refer to all the
machines employed in this country, and consequently take account
of the various patterns and dimensions according to which the
large and the small machine enter into the total. Dividing by the
ordinate of column 1 in the table below 042 gives the weight
of the electrical machinery manufactured in Italy in the 11 years
under review : —

Weight of

Total weight

Weight of

electrical

Weight of

of electrical

magnetic

machines

electrical

machines

Tear.

sheet

made in

machines

employed in

imported.

Italy.

imported.

Italy.

Tons.

Tons.

Tons.

Tons.

1907

1,862

4,450

6,070

10,520

1908

1,542

3,700

10,620

14,220

1909

1,918

4,550

8,987

13,537

1910

2,220

5,300

8,274

13,574

1911

2,415

5.800

7,475

13,275

1912

3,330

7,900

6,834

U,734

1913

4,090

9,800

5,479

1.5,279

1914

3,790

9,100

7,271

16,371

1915

2,576

6,200

2,385

8,585

191t;

4,033

9,600

2,386

11,896

1917

4,041

11,000

3,002

14,002

Strictly regarded, account should be given in the above table of
Italian exports of electrical material ; but as these are very moderate,
only 5 p3r cent, of the total, they may be sunk in the figures of
It ilian consumption. The figures of the imports given are I rora
official sources ; the others are deductions from considerations to be
stated.

Electrical M'lrhi/iex Employed in Italy. — The total average
demand for electrical machinery in Italy in the 10 years 1908-1917,
was 13,550 tons per year (weight of the finished machine).
Naturally, the weigiit of the corresponding raw material must go
on increasing to m.ke good depreciation, ii.a. Of the I3,5.'i ) tons,
7,300 tons are Italian produce, say, 54 per cent, of what the
country calls for. In the period immediately forerunning the war
(1913-1914), the weight of electrical machinery employed in Italy
rose (average of two yeais) to 15,500 tons. The national pro-
duction was 9,500 tons of fliiahed machines, say, 61 per cent, of
the total. Column 2 of thj table shows that notwithstanding the
accidental setback of 1915, Italian production iucreastd more
vigorously, and in 1917 the country supplied 78 per cent, of the total
demand. One may foreca-st as likely a rise to 16,000 or 20,000 tons
each year, with a corresponding weight of magnetic sheet of 6,500
or 8,500 tons, supposing the whole were produced in Italy.

The weight of a finished electrical machine ia divisible into ita
principal components, aa follows : — Cajt-iron, 52 per cent. ;
magnetic sheet, 25 per cent. ; copper, 12 per cent. ; iron and steel,
11 per cent.

K.V.A. Installed in the Ui Years 1 Ii'i^-!7.—Ab shown, the
weight of the finished machinery employed in Italy in the period
1908-17, totals 135,."i00 tons. If, as pointed out, each K.v A. corres-
ponds to 18 kg., it follows that —

135,500,000/18 = 7,500,000 K.v.A. as the total power installed,
that is, an average of 750,000 K.v.A. a year.

Hydranlii- Tiirhines. — The period 1885-1917 may be looked on aa
embracing the start of electrical applications.

Before ln8o hydraulic motors as power factors were of small
account. Of the turbinea employed in Italy, there were between
1885-1917, of native manufacture, 1,5117,349 H.i'. ; imported,
293,051 H.p. ; or a total of 1,861,000 H p., equal to 1,390.000 KW.
In 1917 alone the power actually at work was only slightly below
this figure, owing to machines out of service being included in the
reckoning. The imports, almost exclusively Swiss, amounted to
158 per cent, of the total. The exports, almost negligible aa an
entity, were only 1 per cent, of the national output. As may be
seen, thepcsition of the industry is perfectly sound in this branch,
and if we can say that 81 2 per cent, of the turbines in Italy
were made in the country, the percentage since 1917 has certainly
risen in Italy's favour. The power installed has rapidly grown from
year to year in consequence of the expansion of electrical applica-
tions. As a matter of fact, while in the 13 years ( l."<85-1907) Italy
required 460,000 KW, of turbines, in the 10 following years (1908-17)
there were 920,000 KW. called for. A further contrast arises while
in the former p?riod 86 per cent, of the power of the turbines
installed was used for electric purposes, in the latter period 95 per
cent, was used to drive electric generators. The following tabula-
tion shows the average and maximum power of the turbines
installed : —

Years.

Average power.

Maximum

power.

1881-1890 .

35 HP.

25-7 KW.

300 H.P.

200 KW.

1891-1906 .

.. 265 „

195 „

3,000 „

2,200 „

190719111 .,

.. 1,000 „

736 „

14,000 „

10,000 „

1917

.. 2,150 „

1,580 „

—

—

1918

.. 2,300 „

1,700 „

—

—

8-6;

In the 10 years 1908-1917 the average weight of the finished
machine, including regulating and working accessories, totall',d
about 12 5 kg. per HP., or hi T, kg. per KW. of turbine. This esti-
mation, as in the case of the electric machines, takes account of
type, power, model, &c., of the producing machines. On the basis
of the above figures, the average weight of the hydraulic turbines
employed in Italy from 1918-1917 is 17 v 92,000/1,000 = 1,560
tons. This weight is thus divisible— cast iron, 70 per cent. ; iron
and steel, 25 per cent. ; bronze, 5 per cent.

Belation hetu'pcn Electrical Machines and Turbines. — As
shown, there was, in the period 1908-17, employed in Italy
870,000 KW. of turbinea installed to drive electrical machines ;
on the other hand, there was installed about 7,500,000 K.v.A. of
electrical machines. Hence :

K v.A. electrical machines of _ 7.500.000
KW. of hydraulic turbines 870, OUO
that is, 1 KW. of hydraulic turbines installed in central stations
corresponds to 8'6 K.v.A. of electrical machines.
In another way the same outcome may be reached :

To 1 KW. of turbine corresponds about 14 K.v.A. of generator
which may be raised to 2 K.v.A. to keep account of the corresponding
thermic machines in the reserve and storage departments. It may
be remembered that 1 K v,A. for generators calla for 1 K.\'.A. for
traosformers at the start, 1 K.v.A. for transformers at arrival,
1 K.v.A. for transformers at the secondary distribution, 1 K.v.A. for
motors, 0 25 K.v.A. for sundry machines (regulators, synchroniaera,
converters, rotary tranaformere) — that is to say, a total of about
8'5 K.v.A. for electrical machines. Regarding the conaumption of
metal, it ia to be noted that 1 kvv. for tut bine calls for 17 kg. of metal,
and 8'6 X 18= 155 kg. of electrical machinery iu the station and the
dependent departments (weight per finished machine). To this
weight corresponds 155 x 0'42 = 65 kg, of raw magnetic sheet.
A connection of special interest may be mentioned in conclusion
between the KW. of turbine installed in Italy, and the weight of
raw magnetic sheet per corresponding electrical machine: — 1 KW.
of hydraulic turbine calla for about 65 kg. of raw magnetic sheet
iron.

A complement to the foregoing ia the quantity of copper
employed in mains and conductors in 1918. The figures relate to
Continental Italy, within the old borders, including Sicily and
Sardinia.

Length of lines
Kind of conductor. in km.

High-tension air line ... 27.600
Low - tension distribution

ditto 21,000

High-tension cable conductor 5,800
Low-tension ditto 5,600

We-ght of
copper in

34,000

11,000
3,900
6,100

Kg. of copper

per linear metre

of conductor.

1-23

0-525
0t)75
1-916

Totivl km 60,000 Tons S.i.OOO average 0 915

Copper employed in electric traction (tramways, secondary
railwaya, State railways), or for transpjrt lines, the property of the
State, ia not included.

Grain Elevators in South Africa. — T/w Times states

that grain elevators are to be erected at Durban and Cape Town
capable of dealing with 576,000 tons of maize per annum : a'so
71 elevators in other districts capable of dealing with .800,000 tons
per annum.

Toi. 87. No. 2,225, j0LY 16, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEWo

71

THE INCORPORATED MUNICIPAL ELECTRICAL ASSOCIATION.

The Annual Convention at Ilkley.

{Concluded
Tariffs for Domestic Electricity Service.

Bv J. W. BEAUCIIAMP, M.T.E.E.
Director and Secretary, British Electiical Development
Association. (Abstract.)
In November last the E.D.A. made inquiries amongst en-
gineers lor their views upon domestic tariffs and single-meter
systems. BrieHy, the majority favoured a single-meter system
and considered a fixed and running charge tariff essential
for the development of domestic electrification; the general
opinion also apiJeared to be that such a tariff' would not affect
the cost of wiring very much, and that the real difficulty lay
in finding a basis for the fixed charge which should be snfli-
liently accurate and also appeal to the users' .sen.se of equity.

I. — Principles.

A system which will .secure al Ithe fixed charges entailed by
the consumers' use of supply, count all units, need only
one meter, allow any circuit and outlet to be used for any
purpose, and drop the average cost of the unit as the con-
sumers' load factor rises, is the ideal in view.

The object of any tariff is to secure more business, and
particularly to mould the character of additional business .so
that it becomes increasingly remunerative or results in lower
average cost, which in turn enables lower basic rates tn be
charged to all consumers.

So far, in considering the subject of domestic tariffs, great
attention has been gi\eu to the requirements of the individual
consumer, his demand, hours of use, &c. It is one of the
principal objects of these notes to question whether in de-
signing domestic tariffs the time has not arrived when we
.should think less of the particular consumer and more of
the effect caused by adding him to the remainder of the users,
i.e.. his influence on the average.

It may simplify the formation of a domestic tariff' basis to
consider a number of average houses en bloi — a residential
thoroughfare may be regarded in the same way as a block
of Hats, and its distributing main as a large service, the
demand, and load factor, produced at the feed end of such
cable being the items of chief importance and repre.senting
the combined operation of all the hou.ses in a group.

It is apparently safe and equitable to start by charging a
minimum amount which, vai'ying somewhat with the ."reasons,
shall not be less on the year than the cost entailed by the
smallest service and meter which it is practicable to put in,
its maintenance, and the expense of reading and handling
the account.

In .some ca.ses .such a minimum charge might exceed the
value of 20 units pei- quaiter at the statuttiry maximum rate
per unit, but it would appear well to keep the minimum as
low as possible and endeavour to meet the difficulty by seem-
ing somewhat longer loan periods for .service cables and meters
than are now generally allowed. Where ample maintenance is
carried out at the expen.se of revenue it seems not unreason-
able to expect easier terms for repayment with regard to items
which exijerience has shown to be of a very pennanent and
lasting character.

Hithert-o in most of the fixed and running charge tariffs the
u.sual lighting account has been taken as the ba.sis of the fixed
charge, and if lighting only were used the largest portion of
the bill would be represented by that fixed charce. The
lighting basis is becoming more slender, whilst the peak-
producing capacity of other household uses tends to increase,
and we must look to cooking, heating, and power appliances
to bear a portion of the standing charges on station and
mains which their use will entail. So, in addition to the
minimum, further fixed charges must be secured in relation
to the capacity of apparatus of any kind installed, adjustment
being made for diversity factors as determined by experience.

II. — Formation of a Practical Tariff.

Agreeing for the moment that the fixed charge must be in
some way related to the consumer's maximum demand, the
alternatives are to use a demand indicator or to formulate
an estimate from time to time. The instrument method is
objectionable on the score of cost, whilst the estimation
method needs an amount of inspection which is never de-
sirable, but the chief objections are that the basing of a
fixed charge upon an instrument reading leaves the con-
sumer uncertain as to the average price he will have to pay
for the unit; predetermining a fixed charge by estimation
leaves the supplier uncertain as to the average price he will
secure for the unit.

Fixed and running charge tariffs have been based upon
((() rent; (/)) rateable value; (c) apparatus installed; (d) maxi-
mum demand, observed or estimated; (e) size, number and
purpose of rooms; {/) estimated allowance in units for normal
lighting.

(n) and (h) are not always indicative of the demand, (r)
checks growth of installation. Id) needs expensive in.stru-

/ro)n page 41.)

ments, or else is very rough and ready, (e) is promising, if
not carried out too rigorously — i.e., if based on class and
type of house rather than on exact details. (/) Has given
good results, but may raise difficulty as efficiency of 'lighting
increa.ses.

A relatively high fixed charge and a very low running
charge is not likely to form a perfect and adaptable tariff;
a mixture of (e) and (/) seems more promising. Say, for
example : —

1. h fixed charge per annum, payable in equal quarterly
instalments, or otherwise, to equal the amount payable at
current flat lighting rates for a portion (say, two-thirds) of
the lighting consumption normal to the house.

2. In addition all units used up to, say, l.W per cent, of the
lighting consumption normal to the hou.se to be chai-ged
at a rate equal to, say, one-third of the usual flat lighting
rate.

3. All further units used to be charged at a rate as low
as it is desired to offer for additional domestic consumption.

In this way the first item would regard the character and
.size of the house; the second item, the number and habits
of the occupants; the third item, encourage fuller electrifica-
tion.

In most districts information exists as to the average or
normal consumption for lighting in houses (the H.F. and E.
order figures could be used as a guide), and it should not be
difficult to set up a .scale in relation to the number of rooms
and their .size. It is necessary in this work to place more
reliance upon averages than has usually been done.

An alternative method safer with regard to fixed charges and
oft'ering more encouragement to long-hour use is that of using
one watt-hour meter for all purposes; taking into account
the capacity of the electricity-consuming appliances connected ;
making a primary fixed charge at a certain rate per kilowatt
r)er annum on a certain percentage of the capacity represented
by .some of the appliances in use; making an additional and
secondary fixed charge at a different and lower rate per
kilowatt per annum on certain percentages of the capacity
represented by the other appliances in use; making a flat-rate
charge per unit for all units consumed for any purpo.se; im-
posing a minimum on the account as provided by statute or
in some less amount.

Obviously the secondary fixed charge could be avoided and
all capacity calculated at a single rate per kw. for fixed charge,
the percentages taken as rateable varying with each class
of apparatus to cover the different diversities of use and to
allow for the different economic values of the unit to the
consumer as repre.sented by lighting, cooking, and other
uses.

If it were practicable, and it may become so, it would be
very desirable to associate the fixed charges with the size
of the consumer's fuse — to sell him, so to speak, a fuse capa-
city or a circuit-breaking setting at so much per year. This is
but a variant of the current-limiting sy.stem, and may be
worth a little more study by inventors.

III. — Demand and Diversity.

Naturally it is desirable to keep internal wiring as simple
as possible, but there appears room still further to explore
the idea of alternative switching with a view to keeping down
the peak demand and improving the load factor of a house.
Patents have been taken out for cookers in which the switches
of various parts are so arranged that the whole of the cooker
capacity cannot be put on at once. Devices of this kind
must be kept near the apparatus, or wiring becomes com-
plicated and costly.

The more we move towards the electrical kitchen the more
the principle becomes easily applicable. For instance, pieces
of apparatus like washing machines, general utility motors,
&c., might be switched alternatively with the cooker so that
either could be used, but not both at once.

The general use of electricity in dwellings upon a large
.scale will certainly bring business of a magnitude hardly
fore.seen to-day, but it will requiie foresight and a certain
adventurous courage with regard to distribution expenditure.
It would appear that our residence networks must be put
down in advance on generous lines, and their cost met a.s
soon as may be by extensive selling campaigns, hire of ap-
pliances, and a simple attractive tariff.

Supplementary Notes.

The Supply of Kiectricity to Small Dwellings in

Continental Cities.

In 1914 electricity was used for lighting in cottages and tene-
ment houses on a very extensive .scale, and almost exclusively
by means of " contract " tariffs without a meter. In many
ca.ses electricity replaced oil lamps, and acute gas competition
had not to be encountered; wiring and fittings of the simplest
descriptions were employed, the standard of lighting provided

72

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,225, July IC, 1920.

also being low in comparison with British ideas. Similarly
overhead mains work of the simplest and plainest description,
coupled with rather wide limits ol pressure regulation, com-
bined to olier a lighting service better than the one replaced,
but crude and inexpensive compared with the provisions
which have generally been insisted on in this country (ex-
treme simplicity in the electrical methods securing an economic
advantage over the necessarily more rigid sistems of gas
distribution). During the war, shortage of coal and oil caused
rapid extension of electric lighting in some areas rather on the
grounds of necessity than anything else.

The general use of " contract '' tariffs has led to great
simplification of accountancy and collection, the bills taking
the form of tickets or ration cards.

Current hmiters form a feature of many of these schemes,
whilst some introduce an interesting variation by charging
lor extra lamps or circuits at reduced rates subject to their
control by change-over switches, " alternative switching "
thus increasing load factor.

On most of the systems wiring and fittings are provided oh
hire-purchase, extremely low monthly payments being taken
[e.g., '2d. per month, pre-war price, tor a plain ceiling fitting
and reflector, with possession in three years).

In many of these supply areas special canvassing and
publicity methods have been employed to attract the small
user, the canvassers being, in some ca.ses, trained workmen
of the same social grade as the cottage and flat dwellers whom
it is desired to secure. The contract system is stated to act
as a good and safe introduction to the use of electricity, often
resulting in the consumer adoi)ting appliances for heating,
itc, and asking to be charged by meter.

Waste of electricity under this system of charging does not
appear to be serious (in such small property the limited
maximum demand is often less than sufficient to operate
even a flat iron) ; it is pointed out that the .shunt losses in a
small meter may account to 1'2 or more units per annum, so
that a normal consumption of 72 units (two 30-watt lamps
for 1,200 hours) may be increased by 15 per cent, on account
of waste before the saving in energy alone due to dispensing
with a meter is reached. Waste in lighting generally occurs
off-peak.

The argument that a contract system is unfair as between
the careful and the careless consumer is met by pointing out
that so large a proportion of the total cost of supply is inde-
pendent of units delivered (between, say, 10 and 25 per cent,
load factor) that the injustice is less than where meters are
used, when very short-hour consumers generally get the same
rate as the normal users, and .so secure an undeserved advan-
tage over them.

The consumer who wastes units on a " contract " charge
causes less loss to the supplier than one whose consumption
is abnormally low on a " flat rate " charge.

In some areas " assisted wiring " has been effected by
allowing free supply up to the value of the installation during
the fii'st year, subject to guarantee of a similar account for
two or three succeeding years; obviously installation costs
must be low where this method has succeeded. In England
to-day the cost of wiring a small house may easily be equiva-
lent to three or four years' electric lighting account.

Power supplies have also been given to a considerable extent
on contract systems, particularly in agricultural districts,
prices per KW.-year for " day work " and for " night and day
work " being quoted with little restriction.

The growing use of electricity for purposes not foreseen
a few years ago seems, however, likely to call for more
precise methods on the grounds of equity alone even where
" running costs " are low.

The following system has been adoiited by the Hydro-
electric Power Commission of Ontario : —

Domestic Service.

All electrical energy used for domestic or household pur-
poses except as provided for in Clause 18 will be charged at
the domestic rates.

The charge for domestic service wiU consist of a service or
floor-area rate, plus consumption or kilowatt-hour rates, as
follows: —

Service rate. — A rate per month per 100 sq. ft. of floor
area.

Consumption rates. — (1) For all consumption up to 3 kw.-
liour i)er month for each 100 sq. ft. of floor area charged.
(2) For all remaining consumption.

The floor area of a house is obtained by taking its outside
dimensions, omitting bay windows and similar projections.
The area derived from these dimensions multiplied by the
number of floors and reduced by 10 per cent., and taken to
the nearest 100 sq. ft. gives the area on which charges are
based. Exclude verandas, basements, unfinished attics, and
outbuildings, except where used for living or sleeping pur-
poses, in which case the net area so used will be charged for.

The minimum service charge in cities and towns will be
on 1.000 sq. h. of floor area; in villages and police villages
on 1,200 .sc^. tt ; and in suburban districts on 1,500 sq. ft.
The maximum service charge will be on 3,000 sq. ft.

There will be no optional consumption rate or omission
of. the service charge for domestic service, nor will any flat
rate contracts be permitted.

No electrical energy for domestic service will l)e sold at
power rates.

Where small single-phase motors, heating or cooking ap-
phances, or other electrical devices are used for domestic
purposes there will be no additional service charge therefor.
The energy so used will be included with the other domestic
consumption.

Free porch or other lights will not be allowed. There will
be no free lamp renewals. Lamps and appliances may be
furnished by the municipality at prices approved by the
Hydro-electric Power Commission of Ontario.

"wherever small stores with dwellings are supplied through
the same service, the consumer may be billed at either the
domestic or the commercial lighting rates, according to the
mutual agreement between the consumer and the Corporation.

Discussion.
Introducing his paper, Mr. Be.*uch.4MP remarked that in
considering tariffs now they must bear in mind the Electricity
Commissioners and the question of unification. It was very
desirable that the equity of the tariff should be capable of de-
monstration to the consumer. Electricity supply should be
developed for small domestic power, heating, and, above all,
cooking; great changes in cooking apparatus were coming,
and manufacturers were very busy.

Mr. Purse expressed his profound disagreement with the
author's views; any tariff' such as he sugge.sted would puzzle
the consumer, and no tariff' based on the number of rooms
or the rateable value could be universal— they must always
offer an optional flat rate. The rateable value system brougtit
little business but much worry. Cutting prices to get the
domestic load would help the manufacturers at the expense
of the supply undertakings. The power load was far more
valuable. They looked upon the heating and cooking load
as a by-product, but it might become the main load, and
what w'ould happen then? There was no need to tempt the
domestic load with a low tariff; the price was immaterial —
the saving of labour made it worth while. They would come
back to some form of maximum-demand tariff', and an im-
proved M.D. indicator was needed. They should pay for
meters and services out of revenue, and they could not afford
to be generous with the mains at present prices.

Mr. Dykes said that if the Electricity Commissioners would
allow a very higla maximum, they could offer alternative
tariffs which would pay both supplier and consumer. They
would have to frame some tariff' which depended on the
demand of a consumer. Ten years ago he had put forward
the " contract demand " system, but the consumer never
knew what he would have to pay ; a simple piece of apparatus
was needed to warn him when his maximum demand limit
was being approached, without cutting him off'. He still
thought it a promising system ; it covered the standing charges,
and allowed the use of all kinds of apparatus. The two-rate
system was still a good one; the consumer could be given the
option of putting ' in the extra meter, and the change-over
device could cut out the m.d. indicator during the off-peak
period. That .small consumers were still using gas for light-
ing was a standing disgrace; electricity would cost them less.
Thousands of lamps had been connected on the "fixed-price
light " system, which covered the cost of wiring. &c.. and
was a very good system indeed. It brought in 15 or 16 shil-
lings per lamp per annum, and had a great future. It was
easy to get 2 rupees per month per 2(J-watt lamp in the Indian
bazaars, and the same thing could be done here.

Lieut. -Col. 'ViGNOLES remarked that in his paper of 1914,
which dealt with the same problem, a suggestion was made
w'hich led to the formation of the " E.I)..\." The fixed
charges had greatly increased, and unless domestic consumers
took electricity for other purposes than lighting the price
would have to be much higher than 8d. a unit. Some tariff
such as the author suggested, with a fixed and a running
charge, would afford a solution. He had adopted the " tele-
phone " system in his town, which did not give much trouble,
but a system of inspection was necessary. The individual
should not be considered too closely — the aggregate maximum
demand was what affected the station. Thej- must give the
consumer satisfaction, and see that he really got heat, and
good cooking. He suggested that the Convention should
appoint a committee of engineers to take Mr. Hcauchamp's
paper as a basis and report on the subject.

Mr. C. H. WoRDiNGH.vM pointed out that the electrical in-
dustry had become a very large one, and they could not make
pets of individual consumers. No other industry used such
a variety of tariff's — he knew of nineteen different schemes.
Ought the charge to be proportional to the cost of produc-
tion, or to the value of the service rendered? The consensus
of opinion of engineers was in favour of the former principle,
which was the view of Dr. John Hopkinson in 1S93. and was
constantly being rediscovered. In a sound tariff nothing
should be left to the judgment of an official, the price should
be proportional to the cost of prduction the methods should
be the same for all. and the maximum demand on the station
should bo the dotei-mining faitor. The flat rate was entirely
wrong, and was only due to the .\ct of Parliament. A contrast
price per lamp per annum was hopelessly wrong, the rateable
value a false basis, and the size of rooms an objectionable
criterion — they should get rid of all inquisitorial methods.
Mr. E. E. lloADLEV .said tariffs were usually to<i couifilicatod
or too unfair; but every system must be a compromise be-
tween equity and expediency. In his town there was a big

Vol.87. No. 2,225, July 16, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

73

power load, but also a big field for the domestic load. He
had adopted the "telephone" system, based on the nmnber
of lamps installed, but too much promiuenee had been given
to the lighting load; where electric lightmg and gas cookmg
were employed, the gas bill was three or four times the
electricity bill, and evidently stronger effort should be made
to get tlie cooking load. A few appliances could be supplied
through the lighting wiring, but now 3- to G-kw. radiators
were becoming common, which could not be put on the
lighting wiring. It might be worth while to charge differently
for lighting from other uses— say. contract demand for light-
ing, and a flat rate for everything else, on separate wiring.
In new blocks of houses, he suggested running a heavy wire
to one point in each room, tapping off through small fuses
tor lighting, and providing plugs for heating and cooking.
He had connected up a very large number of heating
devices, which were much used for occasional heating in the
morning, but had little effect in the afternoon and on the
peak load. The difficulty of heating water might be met by
a simple device to divert the lighting current to the water-
heating apparatus when light w'as not required.

Major H. Eichard.son said the basic principle was already
standardised — a standing or service charge in addition to a
.small running charge. He offered a high flat rate, and an
alternative tariff under three headings : Industrial power
u.sers; shops, warehou.ses, and offices, and domestic consumers.
The running charge in all cases w'as Jd. per unit, and the
standing charge was based on the demand, which was easily
asc-ertained in the ca,sc of large users, but not in that of small
ones. He fovmd that the floor space afforded the closest ap-
proximation to the demand, and made the fixed charge 2s. per
100 sq. ft. of living rooms, per quarter. Shops were charged
at a higher rate, having a worse load factor. It was a simple
tariff.

Bailie Smith said that a very good system of covering the
standing charges was to charge for an average use of .Wi
hours per year of the lighting demand at 4jd. per unit, and
after that 3d. i)er unit. Tliat tariff .satisfied consumers, in-
volved no loss, requii'ed only one meter, and allowed of the
use of electrical appliances fed from a lampholder in any
room .

Mr. L. L. EoBiNSON .said the only true method was that of
Hopkinson, as develo]5ed by Mr. .\rthin' Wright. The various
systems discu.ssed were only means of complicating the Wright
system. They must still have a flat rate for the large cla.ss
who always wanted to pay for what it burned, and that
rate should cover the .short-period use — IJ hours' use of the
maximum demand per day. The charge for heating should
not be below that for power ; when a station developed
maximum demands at 10 a.m. and .S p.m., the addition of
the heating load, which on a cold day might amount
to 1.000 Kw.. was a serious matter. At Hackney they had
a variety of tariffs, because people w-ho moved in from other
areas wanted the tariff they had been used to. He found
that the "telephone" system was not popular; the high flat
rate and the m.d. system were the favourites.

Mr. Lo.\G said the rateable-value system had been very
satisfactory at Norwich. They must have a fixed and a run-
ning charge, the latter being as low as possible. More in-
formation regarding the load factor of the cooking load was
desirable. " Occasional " heating did not affect the peak
load; coal fires .should .still be used for living rooms, with
radiators only for occasional heating.

In a brief reply, Mr. Beadch.imp said he did not differ much
from Mr. Purse. He agreed with him regarding the cost
and delivery of cookers, but manufacturers were preparing
to niake them more cheaply and in large quantities — wonder-
ful improvements were on the way. He wanted the manu-
facturers to let him tell the Ai;so<^iation what was coming.
and would ask the members to say what Ihcij were doing to
prepare the way.

Aanual Report.

Thr raember.ship of the As.>=ociatioii stands at 399. made up
as follows : —

Connnittee members

Chief electrical engineers (members)

Honorary members

Chief assistants (associate members)
A.ssistants (associates)

188

1.S4

8

399

During the year 12 chief engineers and seven electricity
committees have joined the Association, while 17 engineers
have resigned on leaving municipal emplov.

On the resignation of Aid. G. Pear.son, honorary solicitor,
the Councd appomted Mr. P. M. Heath, deputy town clerk
of Man<'he.ster, to this position.

The Council ha.s appointed eight standing committees,
namely :—

Executive Committee (in future to be called Emergency
Coramitte/.); Ji'inance an(? General Purposes Committee: Edit-
ing Committee: Centres Oommitten: Peinuueration and Con-
ditions of Employment of Chief Engineers Committee; Re-
muneration and Conditions of Employment of Staff and Em-

ployes Committee; Selection Committee; and Law and Par-
liamentary Committee.

An " .Agreements " Committee has also been appointed to
de;il with the preparation of a-ny standard forms of agreements
for which a need may arise. The committee, m conjunction
with the hon. solicitor, is drawing up a standard forna of
hiring agreement, and at a later date the preparation of an
agreement for wayleaves for overhead lines will receive atten-
tion.

The British Electrical Development .\ssixiation (Inc.), of
which the I.M.E.A. is a founder, with six representatives
upon its Council, is mentioned with cordial approval, and
the Council urges all members of the I.M.E.A. to join it.

The B.E.D.A., in addition to its normal work of publicity,
has given assistance to the Council on a number of importent
matters, and is undoubtedly si>ending its resources with effect
and assisting to maintain that good will and interest on the
part of the community which are so necessary to the welfare
of any great public service.

l^as't autumn the Councd was asked by the B.E.A.M.A. to
render assistance in resisting the free importation of American
heating and cooking apparatus. It was felt, however, that
in view of the fact that this class of apparatus is undergoing
a process of rapid development, it was desirable that new
ideas and designs should be obtained and tested, and the
Council therefore decided that it was not advisable to support
this action. The Council also decided to form a Committee
with the B.E.A.M.A. to go iuUy into the exi.stiug ixjsitiou
with regard to cooking and heating apparatus, with a view
to possible improvements. This work has now- been taken
over by the British Electrical Development Association, and
investigations are in progress.

The National Joint Industrial Council for the Electricity
Supply Industry has now been in existence over a year, and
thirteen District Councils (practically aU of which are work-
ing) have been arranged.

The expenses of the Council were estimated at £500 for the
12 months, and, in proportion to representation, the I.M.E.A.
has had to find one-quarter of this amount. This ia a heavy
call upon the revenue of the .Association, already faced with a
deficit from last j'ear of £88.

In November, the Electrical Power Engineers' Association
(E.P.E.A.) approached the N.J.I.C. and a.sked that their
rates of salaries and conditions of employment, &c., might
receive consideration. As the trade unions object to staff
associations being represented on their .side, and the Ministry
of Labour wUl not agree to two Industrial Councils for the
one industry, a conference of employers and the E.P.E.A.
met at the Ministry of Labour, a member of the Ministry
being present, and agreed to establish a .Toint Board of Em-
ployers and Staff Associations. The associations represented
on the employers' side of the National Joint Industrial Council
were asked if they concurred, and, on their consent being
obtained, the board was duly set up. Tlie- staff side 9f this
board includes, in addition to the E.P.E.A., other associations
which are not represented on the employes' side of the National
.Joint Industrial Council, .such as the Electricity Supply Com-
mercial Association. The board is divided into mib-committees
with four a side to deal with the separate interests.

Considerable doubt seems to exi.st amongst the members
of the I.M.E.A. as to how far they are bound by the findings
of the National Joint Industrial Council and the Joint Board
of Employers and Staff Associations. The Minister of Labour
has stated that the findings of the various Industrial Councils
cannot be made binding until the unions and employers'
associations are mutually agreed that the .same shall be made
binding on all parties to the agreement. The Council of the
I.M.E..\., however, considers that as the Industrial Council
for the electricity supply industry is composed on the em-
ployers' side of six I.M.E.A. representatives out of a total
of twelve, the undertakings belonging to the Association
should adopt the decisions arrived at.

The Council appointed a committee to act jointly with the
B.E.A.M.A. on the various matters affecting the intere'><s
of the Members of the two associations, and sub-commirtees
have provisionally agreed to standard schedules of guarantees
and peiformances to bo embodied in specifications for turbo-
alternators and cooling towers.

The Electric Vehicle Committee nf Great Britain continues
to do good work in jjromoting the adoption and U6e of electric
battery vehicles. Its efforts are reflected in the rapidly
increasing numbers of such vehicles which are being brought
into use. The committee is now considering a proposal for
the formation of an Electric Vehicle Association into which
it wiU be merged.
The following scale of subscriptions was proposed : —
Undertakings with an output of under 5 million units per
annum, 5 guineas.

Undertakings with an output of over 5 millions but under
20 millions, 10 guineas.

Undertakings with an output of over 20 milHons, l.T
guineas.

The Council felt that a.-? the ARSo<>iation now represented
only the interests of employers, it was de.sirable that one pay-
ment should be made by each electiicity supply undertaking
to cover member.ship of both its coinmitteo, as represented by
one mendier. and its chief engineer.

The increased subscriptions, which tlie majority of under-
takings have agreed to pay, wUl enable the Conncil, it ia

E

74

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,225, July 16, 1920.

hoped, to meet the expenditure for the ensuing year, but
should it become neces.sary for the Association to have its
own olficcs and a paid technical secretary, it is certain that
the subscriptions will have to be still further increased.

The accounts for the year show total income i;940, expendi-
ture ;£1,U44, leaving a deficit of ^104. The balance sheet
shows a credit balance of ±'724 on March 31st, 1920.

At the annual general meeting, on June 25th, the new
standing orders were unanimously adopted, as were also the
annual report and accounts.

Mr H. Farj\d.\y Proctor moved a resolution that had been
passed by the Council, to the effect that no effective progress
could be made by joint electricity authorities without satis-
factory financial arrangements, and that the financial clauses
of the amending Bill should be passed at the earliest possible
date. Already considerable difficulties had arisen, he said,
in drawing up schemes, for want of the.se clauses, which were
absolutely indispensable. In one draft scheme, which was
in a very forward state, financial clauses had been inserted
on the lines of those in the Bill ; but they were useless unless
covered by the new Act. The resolution was earned unani-
mously.

Councillor Ti-rner moved a resolution recording the opinion
of the Association that in connection with any scheme that
might be put in operation, the control of the generation and
main tran.smission lines should be placed in the hands of
duly elected public representatives of the districts served.
This was on the lines of a resolution adopted by Bradford
Corporation. Tlie difficulties immediately ahead, he said,
could not be successfully met unless certain areas were left
to provide their own supply w'ithout comphcations due to
joint ownership. A delay of even a few years would be
disastrous. The matter was discussed for some time, both
for and against. It was pointed out that if the municipalities
wanted entire control, they would have to find all the money,
and that in some areas companies would have to be
bought out at great cost. Councillor Turner explained that

the resolution did not exclude the representation of large
consumers, &c. — provided that their representatives were
" duly elected " — and it was carried unanimously.

A motion by Lieut. -Col. Vignoles, that a committee be
appointed to consider the question of developing the sale
of electricity for dome.stic purposes, having regard especially
to tariffs, was adopted.

Alderman Jephcott, M.P., moved a resolution that all
agreements, recommendations, or awards of the National Joint
Board or Council should be comphed with by the hjcal
authorities connected with the Association. Some authorities,
he .said, were failing in their duty in this respect, and that
would ruin the Whitley scheme.

Alderman Walker .seconded, emphasising the national
character of the awards, which, therefore, must be upheld.
Nothing stimulated trouble with the men so much as di.s-
cordant action. The authority of the National Joint Board,
called in question, was described by Aid. Beaumont as being
the -same as that of the Indu.strial Council — namely, the
sanction of the Ministry of Labour. Unfortunately, in Lon-
don, when a recent award was made with the approval of the
company representatives, the companies refused to comply
with it, and resigned from the Board; this had brought about
an extremely awkward situation. -\ld. Beaumont said he
had .seen the improvement in the relations between the parties
due to bringing them together, and he believed there was
a .satisfactory future before the.se organisations — but agree-
ments must be honoured, if good results were to be obtained.
Mr. Webber )X)inted out that some authorities went too
far, and granted more than the award ; Bradford Tramways
had erred conspicuously in this respect. They should abide
by the recommendation, and not go beyond it without con-
.snlting the Board or Council. The reeolution was adopted
unanimously. The result of the ballot for officers was re-
-!x>rted, as given on p. 6 of our is.sue of July 2nd. Tlie
new scale of subscriptions was agreed to, and the proceedings
closed with vote.? of thanks to the retiring prei?ident (Mr.
Thomas Roles), and the committees and officials who bad
assisted in the preparations for the Convention.

THE AERO EXHIBITION.

At the first Aero Exhibition, held in 1909, exhibitors were
asked : " Will your machine fly ?" To-day, 11 years later,
comes the fascinating Olympia Exhibition, revealing
developments in aviation that can only be described as
wonderful. The 1920 Exhibition, which is the first post-
war show and the sixth of the series held under the joint
management of the Society of British Aircraft Constructors,
Ltd., and the Society of Motor JIanufacturers and Traders,
Ltd., was opened at Olympia, London, W., on .luly 9th, by
Lord Londonderry, Under-Secretary of State for Air, and
remains open until the 20th inst.

The show has been descrilied as the best of its kind yet
held anywhere, and as an indication of its importance it
suffices to record that deputations or representatives have
been sent by countries in every part of the world, including
Japan, Sweden, Poland, Holland, Belgium, Canada, Brazil,
Australia, the Argentine, Rumania, France, Tasmania,
Peru, and Greece.

Not so long ago a subject for jest, fear, and wonder,
aircraft has to-day become a definite factor in methods of
transportation, and the collection of flying machines and
component parts displayed at Olympia is at once educa-
tional and unique. In the course of a speech at the opening
ceremony, Major-General Sir F. H. Sykes, Controller-
General of Civil Aviation, said : " AVe have conquered the
air, and our immediat<» task is to exploit our victory
in the interest of commercial development." Figures given
by the General for the first year of civil flying were : —
Number of flights, 38,954 ; mileage flown, 734,200 ;
passengers carried, 70,000 (only one met with a fatal
accident); goods carried, 11G,4'.)8 lb.; aerodromes
licensed, 114; machines registered, 519. Up to the end
of March last, over £200,000 worth of imports and exports
were carried by air between this country and the
Continent.

The exhibition is divided into three sections :— (A) Air-
craft ; (B) aero engines ; and (C) propellers, models, com-
ponents, and .accessorie.M. Kinematograph displays and
lectures are given daily by arrangement with the Royal
Aeronautical Society. In the main hall some 100
exhibits are on view ; of these, 10 firms display accessory
electrical apparatus, m follows :—

British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., Rugby. — Several types of
magnetos as used durin<r the war, shown in the form of sectional
models, and actually operating at high and low speeds. A
number of 'Mazda" electric lamp bulbs, and "Fabroil" noiseless
pinions and gears.

Brown Bros., Ltd., London. — Electrically- heated clothing,
instruments, lamps, generators, wire, switches, and other
accessories.

Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd., London. — Aircraft
and portable wireless telegraph and telephone installations and
apparatus, and a marine type direction-finding outfit.

RiPAULTS, Ltd., London. — "Oleo" sparking plugs for aero
engines, and electrical accessories.

Automatic Telegraph Co., London. — The "One-Lever"
automatic wireless transmitter, which wOl be described and illus-
trated in a later issue.

Mr. A. E. Parnacott, London. — Electric cable terminals,
sparking plugs, and a sparking-plug testing machine.

Si.MMs Motor Units (.1920), Ltd., London. — High-tension
magnetos of various types ; sparking: plugs, " Vernier " flexible
magneto couplings, and magnetic petrol gauges.

North & Sons, Ltd., Watford. — Magnetos and revolution indi-
cators for aero engines.

Telephone Manufacturinr Co. (1920), Ltd., London. — Inter-
communication telephones of many types and sizes, including the
" Laryngaphone " for mine-rescue and aviation purposes, and a
number of accessories.

S. S.MiTH A; Sons (Motor Accessories), Ltd., London. — Types
of aero models of K.C.li. sparking plugs and M-L magnetos.

Robinhood Engineering Works, Ltd., London. — Sparking
plugs of the K.L.G. type and precision tools of various kinds.

The hiBtorical exhibit in the annexe is loaned by the Air-Craki
Disposal Co., Ltd., London, and includes a number of different
types of complete machines tosrether with engines, equipment, and
accessories, all of which are for disposal. This company holds
large stocks of electrical accessories of many different makes and
types, such as magnetos, sparking plugs, accumulators, instruments,
telephones. &c., samples of which are on view.

The Air Ministry's section is accommodated in the gallery,
which is given over to the technical departments of the R.A.F.
The section comprises models ; devices for ensuring safety and
reliability ; testinft of aircraft, materials and accessories ; instru-
ments ; wireless telegraphy and telejihony ; me<lical tests : meteoro-
logical apparatus, ic. in the testing sections interesting electrical
methods and instruments are on view. The ' Shakespeare "
liernieameter teats the gas-titrhtness of fabric ; as the ga-< permeates
through the material it comes in contact with platinum wires, the
resistance of which is thereby altere<i, causing the flow of the
electric current through them to alter. From these variations it
is possible to calculate the amount of gas that escapes through the

Tol. 87. No. 2,225, JnLY 16, 1920.

THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWo

75

fabric in a given time. An electric muffie furnace for the heat
treatment of small specimens, an electric gyro turn indicator,
and teste of thermionic valves, wireless telephone transmitters,
receivers, and generators are shown. An X-ray apparatus is
exhibited, together with samples of faults in materials and
defective workmanship, which are not visible to the eye, but are
detected by means of X-ray photographs. A number of magnetos,
spark plugs, armatures, condensers, distributors, &c., are shown
undergoing tests. In the Communications Section a 10-in. petrol-
electric searchlight, navigation, recognition, and other forms of
lights, together with wind-driven generators, and batteries, are
shown. Finally, in the Wireless Section an aeroplane fuselage is
fitted with a working wireless telephone outfit, the operation of
which is demonstrated, and the instruments exhibited include a
number of different types of transmitters, spark and continuous-
wave cabinets as fitted in aircraft, tuners, amplifiers, receivers,
relays, and other devices, some of which are of historical interest.

LEGAL.

The Asses.sment of Electric Motous.

Accoriliug to the Scottish Pres.9, the Valuation Appeal Court
on Saturday last decided a test case which rules over 2,000
Glawgdw appeals.

The .\s.sessor for Glasgow entered in the supplementary
valuatiiin roll a large number of electric motors owned and
u>e(l b\ tenants for commercial purposes.

The \'al\iation Oorumittee decided that while the motors
were machinery fixed or attached, in respect that they were
plant for producing or transmitting first motive power, they
were not erections or structural improvements in terms of
the Act.

The .\.ssp.ssor appealed, and Court sustained the appeal,
setting a.side the finding of the Valuation Committee.

The Court held that the motors were machines for producing

or transmitting first motor power, and were exactly com-
jiarable to gas engines or steam engines; and that the fact
that the motors could be removed without removing any
|)art of the building, did not disqualify them from being
assessed.

Workmen's Cojipens.wion.

L\ Ihe City of London Court, on Monday, Frederick
Westley, quartermaster, Forest Gate, claimed compensation
under the Workmen's Compensation Act against the Tele-
^;raph Construction i Maintenance Co.. Ltd., for an accident
tliat happened to him on December 11th on the cable shij)
Cnlonia while lying oif Enderby's Wharf, when he slipped
and fell 40 feet into an ash boat. His .spine and right lower
ribs were injured, there was shock to the sjstem. and other
injuries. His earnings were £15 iier month and provisions
and quarters.

Mr. W. E. Singleton, plaintiff's solicitor, said all he wanted
was a declaration of liability. Westley was rejoining his
ship at full wages, and he had been paid all the compensation
to which he wa.s entitled. The underwriters had consented,
lint they did not think the present application should have
been made. It was, however, inevitable.

Judge Atherley- Jones, K.C, concurred, and made a de-
claration of hability, and gave the costs.

British Thojiscn-Hoi-ston Co., Ltd., v. Corona Lamp

Works, Ltd.

In the Court of Appeal, on July l-3th, this came on for hearing

upon the appeal of the plaintiffs from f&e judgment of Mr.

Justice Sargant. The hearing was adjourned.

Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd., v. Hamilton.
It has been arranged that this action shall be down for hear-
ing on July '28th, in order to meet counsel's convenience.

BUSINESS NOTES.

The " Electrical Review " Index,— The Index to Vol. 86

of the Electkical Review, which will shortly be printed, will
be supplied only to those who, through the post, specially apply
for it. To such it will be supplied for sixpence post free. Any
reader or advertiser, at home or abroad, who requires a copy for
binding or for other purposes, is asked to make early application
therefor to the Publisher, Electrical Review, 4, Ludgate Hill,
London, E.G. i.

German Companies. — Under the style of the ilittel-
deutsche Stickstoffwerke A.-G. has been formed in Berlin a com-
pany, with a capital of C0,000,000 marks, all but 4.000 marks of
which has been subscribed by Government officials. The objects
of the company are the manufacture and sale of nitrates and other
chemical manures and products, in works already existing at
Piesteritz.

The great demand for, and the scarcity of, electrotechnical
porcelain since the end of the war, primarily occasioned by the
insufficiency in the supply of coal, has led the producers and users
to make common representations to the Government, with the
outcome that a Regulation has been issued giving preference in
export to moulded porcelain used in electric installations. This
article figures in the State Goods List under the export No. 912 e.

The V.D.E. — The Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker
((ierman Electrotechnical Union) will hold its yearly meeting and
" Electrical Week " this year at Hanover, from September 23rd to
20th. Some eight electrotechnical societies will take part.
Numerous lectures will be given, and an exhibition of electro-
technical novelties will be held.

F.B.I, and National Expenditure.— I-a^t week the

Federation of British Industries sent to the Prime Minister a long
and important communication on the subject of national
expenditure and taxation. The Chancellor's attitude has been that
he was carrying out the Government's decision in adhering to a
programme of taxation necessitated by the Government's scale of
expenditure. As taxation cannot be reduced until expenditure
falls, the F.B.I, has offered its criticisms, and suggested directrona
in which economy might be effected. A Financial Council, sitting
under the chairmanship of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is
proposed, its membership consisting of independent men selected
for their wide financial or business experience, assisted by the
senior permanent officials of the principal Government departments.

Anstralia. — IT.M. Trade CommisKioner at Sydney reports

that a local company desires to imdertake the sole -Vustraliau
agency of a British firm for electric wires and cables. The name
and address of the company referred to may be obtained by United
Kingdom manufacturers interested, on application to the Depart-
ment of Overseas Trade.

Address Required. — Messrs. Cook & Co., who

sent us an inquiry regarding voltmeters and ammeters, are
requested to forward their full address to enable us to reply.

Company Registrations. — In their table of company

registrations at Somerset House between January 1st and June

30th, 1920, Messrs. Jordan & Sons, Ltd., give the following
figures : —

yumher. Capital,

Electric, gas, &c 115 £3,450,200

Engineers 288 8,679,300

Telephones 6 1,622,000

Inquiry from Turltey. -The Commercial Secretary to
the British High Commission at Constantinople (Capt. C. H.
Courthope Munroe) in a recent dispatch states that he has received
an inquiry for the name of a United Kingdom manufacturer of
telephones with magnetos, all telephone accessories, telephone
wires and an exchange of 500/tiOO lines ; also electric bells, wires,
batteries, kc. The inquiry is from the Concessionaire of the tele-
phone system at Samsoun (Asia Minor). Correspondence and
catalogues should be addressed to the British High Commissioner's
Reoresentative at Samsoun. under cover to the Commercial Secre-
tary at Constantinople.

Our Trade with Siam.— During the year ended March

1st. 1914, the imports into Bangkok direct from England included
C 22,768 of electrical goods and apparatus. The Acting Consul-
General at Bangkok in a report on the commercial situation in
Siam at the end of 1919 mentions that the war has led to a cessation
of supplies from the United Kingdom, of carriages, cars, electrical
goods and apparatus, A:c. It is thought by some that Japan will
retain its hold principally upon the cheap lines, of which Germany
had a virtual monopoly in the past. American competition is
more to be expected, says the Acting-Consul. The American
exporter is learning to understand Eastern markets every day.
"A Bangkok importer of iron, steel, and machinery, is more
apprehfnsive of future competition from German than from
American sources ; he notices that the Germans are already
endeavouring to come into the Siam market again, and he points
out that the present low exchange value of the mark is all in their
favour." At even jjrices the most Asiatic traders prefer British
manufactured goods to those of any other nationality, but that
does not absolve the British manufacturer from the necessity of
putting forth every effort to meet foreign competition.

J. and P. Branch at Sydney.— Messrs. Johxson and

Phillips, Ltd., have opened a new depot at Sydney (212. Clarence
Street), as their Australian headquarters. Their business in
Australia is under the control of their branch manager. Mr. E. A.
Kingsley, who carries large stocks of cables, wirfs, &c., at the
address stated.

76

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,225, jult le, 1920.

Foreign Trade. — June Figures. — The following are
the values of imports and exports of electrical goods and machinery
in June : —

June. Inc. or 6 months. 1920

1920. dee. Inc. or ilec.

Imports. & £, &

Electrical goods, &c. ... 121,372 + 48,020 — 71,679

Machinery 1,717,897 + 670,011 + l,63s,355

Exports.

Electrical goods, &c. ...1,212,360 + 722,628 + 3,089,212

Machinery 5,026,283 +2,.'i77,-150 +11,929,518

Ke-exports.

Electrical goods, &c. ... 10,269 + 5,500 + 13,959

JIachinery 159,920 + 87,270 + 437,266

Electrical FittiDgs Trade in Italy.— According bo a

repoi-t by H.M. Consul at Turin, while the demand for all kinds of
electric fittings continues large, conditions have changed much of
late, as various local companies have been formed for the manu-
facture of these goods. Among the new concerns may be
mentioned Cinzio Barosi, of Milan, with a capital of 2,000,000 lire,
for the manufacture of electric heating and cooking a]jparatus.
The market is consequently overrun with tliese goods, and British
manufacturers will have strong local competition to meet. At the
same time, however, there is a great scarcity of all kinds of good
electric light fittings, which will take a long time to satisfy.
French, German, and Swiss competition will have to be reckoned
with as soon as production permits, and several newly-establislied
companies in Miliin are preparing to meet the demand. There is
also some importation from the United States, Spain, and .Japan.
When, as now, the supply is not equal to the demand, everything
sells as quickly as it arrives. Otherwise, the traie is largely of a
seaional character. It slackens during the early summer, but
revives again in August for inside plants and in the spring for
outside plants. The best means of trading is through a British
export house with local branches, travellers. &c., or through
locally-established Italian concerns. The most essential point is to
offer goods ready for early delivery, which will find a good market
provided prices are moderate. Payment is generally effected on
receipt of the goods, or at 30 to 60 days after the date of the
invoice. Card boxes for small articles and wood boxes for the
larger are recommended the cost of the packing oases to be paid
by the buyer. It is always better to give prices ci f. Genoa, if ,
possible. National or local regulations affecting types of goods
offered can be ascertained from the appointed officers of each
district. While restrictions are not, as a rule, severe, there is,
however, a Government monopoly on the sale to the public of
electric bulbs, which are subject to a tax of 25 per cent,, plus an
overprice varying according to the power and quality of the bulb.

Switching Examinations. — We have received from
Messrs. A. P, Ldndberg i: Sons, Pioneer Electrical Works,
•177-489, Liverpool Road, Holloway. N. 7, copies of their latest
preliminary, intermediate and advanced examination papers in
electric light wiring and switching, as well ajs a pamphlet
describing these tests. We are told that about 300 papers sent in
for the last competition are at present being examined. Since the
inception of the scheme in 1913 up to June, 1919, 871 preliminary,
439 intermediate, and 214 advanced certificates have been awarded
to entrants. The award of money prizes, which was discontinued
in 1916, has now been reinstituted, and besides increasing the
number of these prizes, Messrs, Lundberg have doubled their
value.

Tlie Trade Position in Pern. — A report on the finance.

industry, and trade of Peru at the close of the year 1919 has been
issued by H.M. Stationery OflSce. It was prepared by the Com-
mercial Secretary to the Legation at Lima. It contains, among
other information, tabulated statistical material relating to the
import and export trade from 1908 to 1918. There is a gre.at
demand for all British-manufactured articles. The country was ■
denuded of supplies during the war. It is suggested that a
valuable foundation for future trade could be established if it were
possible for British manufacturers to devote a certain percentage
of their output to export. ''It is clear that if export trade is
neglected, an opening is left for competitors to establish themselves
at a very favourable moment," Competition in foreign products,
very largely from the United States, and to a small and increasing
extent from Japan, was very great during the war ; in fact, from
1913 to 1917 by far the g»eater part of the import business was in
American products. The effect of this need not be permanent,
and given maintenance of standard in jiroduction and methods,
there is no reason why Great Britain should not again occupy the
same trade position as before the war. '' American goods are,
generally speaking, lower in price than British, but the quality is
also inferior. The market is, however, getting accustomed to
American prices and quality, and unless British goods appear
promptly, and on a closely competitive basis, a certain ,amoun(» of
trade may be jrermanently lost," The ([uestion of representation
in the market depends largely upon the business. There are a
number of strong and old-established British merchant houses
having ottices in Peru and in London, and a number of British and
Peruvian commission agents. If inquired of, the Commercial
Secretary at the Legation will lie pleaped to make suggestions on
such matters. A considerable number of public works arn under
consideration by the Government, but nothing definite has been
decided, and no tenders have been called for yet. If political con-
ditions remain stable, and the country continues prosperou), it is
thought that many of these .schemes may lie worth examination.

Boolf Notices. — Who'ft II ho in Eivjiaeering. 1920-19i'l.
Annual, Edited by J. E, Sears, C.B.E,, M.A., A.M.I.C.E. London :
Compendium Publishing Co. 2,5s. net. — This is a very creditable
attempt to develop the '' Who's Who " principle on practical line.s,
so as to cover the engineering profession. It is not pretended that
the collection is complete ; that will become possible with later
annual editions, and, as omissions are remedied, a shortening
process may become essential, unless the work is to reach very
bulky proportions. The "Personal and Professional" Section
occupies about 240 pages ; others relate to engineering institutions
and societies, centres of technical engineering training, trading
and research associations, companies and firms in the engineering
and allied trades, an index to manufactures, 4:2. To produce a
complete guide to all these persons and organisations is an
ambitious undertaking, and the work has great possibilities. The
general gel-ap and appearance are very satisfactory.

" Magnetos Simply Explained." 'Hie Model Emjlneer Series
No. 42. By F, H. Hutton. (67 pp.) London : Percival Marshall
and Co. Price 9d. net. — This is described as "a practical guide to
the construction, management and uses of the modern magneto,"
and, starting at the principles of the magneto, it deals successively
with manufacture, correct usage, and the "Inductor" magneto.
Special types, combinations, and accessories are then described in
detail, and, finally, typical standard devices are dealt with. The
photographic illustrations are good, and many diagrams of
connections, &c., are included.

"Repairs to Boilers and Engines by Welding." (23 pp)
Manchester : The National Boiler and General Insurance C!o.
Price Is. net. — The introduction to this volume presents notes on
the several welding systems in present-day use. Various examples
of boiler repairs follow, in which methods best suited to each
particular type of weld are described. These examples include the
building-up of flanged seams of flue tubes, repairing fractures in
chimney tubes and cast-iron sectional boilers. Repairs to gas-
engine cast-iron parts are also described.

"Inter-Imperial Communication Through Cable, Wireless, and
Air." By Sir Charles Bright, F,R,S.E., >Vlc, (15 pp ) London:
Fleetway Press. — This is an abstract of a paper read before
Section F of the British Association, on September 12th, 1919.
" Die Wirtschaftliche und Technische Bedeutung des Elek-
trischen Antriebes fiir die Textilindustrie," (55 pp.), 3s.. and "Die
Amerikanisierung Europas : Kritische Beobachtungen und Betrach-
tungen " (91 pp.) I's., by Gustav W. Meyer. Bodenbach : Tech-
nischer Verlag.

" TheM. & C. Apprentices' Magazine." Vol. IV, No. 14. (60 pp.)
— The Summer Number of this magazine is up to its usual high
standard. The articles are well written and illustrated, as well as
being numerous.

"Twelfth Annual Report of the Hydro-Electric Power Commis-
sioners of the Province of Ontario for the Year ended Octobsr Slst,
1919." Vol. I. (287 pp.") Toronto : A. T. WUgress.

"Report on Hydro- Electric Railways to the Hydro-Electric
Power Commission of Ontario." By W. S. Murray, Consulting
Engineer, New York. (15 pp.") From the Commission.

'■ Installation News," New Series No. 4, July 1920. Birmingham:
Simplex Conduits, Ltd. — The Uatest number of this interesting
quarterly publication includes notes on the manufacture of
conduit, on the " Plexsim " electric iron, and also a table of new
cable standards,

Strilie. — Simultaneously with a dispute affecting 4,000
building tratle operatives employed by the Port of London
Authority, some 500 electricians at the port were, last week, also
on strike owing to the refusal of the Ship Repairers' Association
to pay the district rate of 2s. 3d, an hour.

Annual Outings. — The employis of ^Iesses. Laurence,

Scott i; Co., Norwich, went for their :innual outing last Saturday
week. Dividing into four parties, they journeyed to Y'armoutli
by road and rail : to London ; or by char-a-bancs to Lynn and
Hunstanton. A most enjoyable day was spent, and thanks were
accorded to the firm for the generous financial support. The detail
arrangements were excellently carried out by the various committees.

The employes of Messrs, M.\nn', Eoerton's electrical depart-
ment, Norwich, held their annual outing (the first since 1911) on
Saturday last. The party trained to Wroxham. and boarded the
motor launches Oiiircij and Jilnsxuiii, at Messrs. Lloynes's quay, and
enjoyed a pleasant trip to Acle Bridge Hotel, whore luncheon was
served. A few musical items were rendered, prior to leaving for
" Ludham Dog " for tea. After Mr. Cowell had proposed a vote of
thanks to those responsible for the arrangements, itnd some further
musical items, the journey to Wroxham was resumed.

On Saturday last the staff and employes of Messr>. Burdette
AND Co., Ltd,, of Blackfriars, went for their annual outing by
char-a-bancs to Brighton. Luncheon was served at " Ye Olde
Barne,"

Patent Office Report.— Last year the number of appli-
cations was 32,853, the largest on record : complete specifications
filed numbered l,s,922. Applications from abroad numbered 1,320,
and under the International Convention, 2,661 applications were
made.

E.P.D. — In the House of Commons on Monday, Ifr. G.

Terrell moved the re<luction of the ICxcess Profits Duty fi-om (!0 per
cent, to 40 fev cent,, but the motion was defe.ited l>y 289 vot<>3 to
117, majority 172.

Dissolution of Partnersliip.— Ali.en ^t Parker, manu-
facturing electricians, 15, Summer Row, Birmingham. — Messrs.
A. J. Allen & B. J. Parkes have dissolved partnership.

Yol. 87. No. 2,226, July Ifi, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW^

77

Trade Annoancements. — Messrs. DorKEn, Bros,, l>ru.,

have removed their offices iiuii warehouse to i and t!. Moor Lane.
Moorgate Street, E.G. 2.

With reference to the " Busineas Notice " in our issue of July
2nd, entitled "Shut Down," we are informed that a new company
ha9 been formed, and is being- registered under the title of Todman,
RvAi.L & Co., Ltd., of 17, Victoria Street, S.W. 1, for the purpose
of purchasings the designs, jigs, tools, gauges, and goodwill of the
dynamos and motors previously manufactured by Messrs. Arthur
Lyon & Wrench, Ltd., at Willesden Junction, and it has been
arranged that production will continue without a break.

The Tudor Accu.mulat(ir Co., Ltd., are removing their offices
as from July 19th, to 2, Norfolk Stl-eet, Strand. W.C. 2.

Mr. T. H. Dav, who was representative of the Edison Swan
Electric Co. for about 13 years, is shortly joining the Newcastle
branch of Messrs. Albert Lee & Co., Ltd., of 8-9, New Zealand
Avenue, London, E.G., as representative.

Messes. Newton & Wrioht, Ltd., announce that their
business is now carried on at their works address, 471-477,
Hornsey Road, N. I'.i, which has become the head office. An
arrangement has been concluded with Messrs. Allen and
Hanburvs, Ltd., by which they become selling agents in the
London area for Messrs. Newton k Wright, Ltd., and also in
certain parts of the United Kingdom. Messrs. Allen it Hanburys,
Ltd , are taking over the electro-medical showroom and staff at
72, Wigmore Street, W., until recently occupied by Messrs.
Newton & Wright, Ltd., but Messrs. Newton X- Wright, Ltd,,
will also have free access to the showrooms, and one of their
directors will attend there by appointment.

Messrs. Wilson-Wolk Enoineeri.no Co., Ltd., of Bradford,
have appointed Messrs. Pooley & Austin, of li+, Broadway, West-
minster, S.W. 1 , as their sole agents for London and district, and
Mr. L. R. Erlynne is no longer their representative. The company
have completed the reorganisation of their works, and are con-
centrating on the mass production of fractional H.P. motors of
their new 11(20 ball-bearing patterns (x't to i H.P.), leaflets relating
to which have been received.

Cancellatien of Orders. — The following notice appears
in the Bulletin of the Federation of British Industries for the
current week : —

Ciuirelltition of Orders.

The Federati n has received complaints from various trades of
the cancellation of orders for goods by both home and overseas
bujers.

In order to gauge the extent of the evil, and to consider what
steps should be taken to remedy it, it is necessary that the fullest
information should be in our possession.

Those of our members who have had orders cancelled are
requested to write to the General Secretary of the Federation,
giving all relevant facts.

Company Liquidations. — Xorjian Johnson & Co., Ltd.,

Enfield, electric lamp manufacturers. — The creditors interested
herein were calkd together recently at the offices of Messrs.
Greenhalgh Sharp & Co., I A., 16, King Street, Cheapside, E C,
when it was reported that the shareholders had passed resolutions
for voluntary liquidation, and had appointed Mr. J K. Garioch to
act as liciuidator. Mr. Garioch submitted a statement of affairs
which showed ranking liabilities of ff^tf"), with net assets of £1,281.
The issued share capital of the company was £3,300, and as
regarded the contributories there was a deficiency of £2,884,
although there was a substantial surplus so far as the creditors
were concerned. The company wa"! registered in August, 1919,
with a nominal capital of £5,000, and took over the business
previously carried on at Baker Street, Enfield, by Messrs. N. Johnson
and E. J. Hawkins, under the style of N. Johnson & Co. The
purchase price was fixed at £2,000, which was discharged by the
issue to the vendors of fully-paid shares. The vendors were
appointed joint managing directors at a salary of £6 per week.
Mr. N. Johnson resigned his position as a director last September,
and Mr. 0. C. Gardner was appointed to a seat on the board in
February last. The latter had received 8C0 shares which were
subscribed for in cash, while 500 shares were allotted to Mr,
Hawkins for cash. Trading and profit and loss accounts prepared
as at Deceml)er 31st last had disclosed a loss on the trading of
£187. Since that date there was a further loss of £364, while
nearly £600 had been expended on experimental work. After a
short discussion, a resolution was passed confirming the voluntary
liquidation of the company, with Mr. Garioch as sole liquidator,
and an advisory committee of the creditors was also appointed.
The following are creditors : —

Newsome & Son, Ltd., \V. . . i'63 Davis 4 Timmins, Ltd £19

West & Sods, Ltd., J 60 National Metropolitan Electric

Walsall Electrical Co. . . 53 Power District Co 20

Pearce, Wm., and E. Cutler, Ltd. 47 Siemens Bros. Dynamo Works .. 18

SenioriCc, T. W 47 Warden & Co., A 18

Rctlecto Metal Co., Ltd 32 Young, Ltd., T. W. .. .. 20

The Efandem Co., Ltd 28 Engineers Universal Supplv .. 16

Farmer* Co 3D The Bright Co 13

Adams, Geo 27 Holdway & Co., E. W 12

Sturla & Sons, H. C. .. ..24 Toms, P 11

Delta Metal Co., Ltd 32

J. HoPKiNsoN i: Co , Ltd. — Winding up voluntarily for purposes
of reconstruction. Creditors should send the usual particulars to
the liquidator, Mr. C. E. Hobson, Britannia Works, Huddersfield,
by July Slst. Meeting, August 26th.

Rotherham Council and the E.T.U. — Tiie action of the

Electrical Trades Union was strongly criticised at a meeting of the
Rotherham Town Council on Wednesday last week. The Electric
Light Committee reported the receipt of a letter from the Union
on the question of electrical work installed by men who had

apparently not the (jualiflcations of an electrician, stating that
cable jointers would refuse to connect up the service to any
installation installed by cheap non-Union labour, or installed
by plumbers. The Committee recommended that a deputation
from the Union be asked to attend before it to discuss the matter.

Councillor Green, who commenced a discussion on the commimi-
cation, moved as an amendment that the following words be added to
the recommendation : — " And that they be informed that the Cor-
poration would not permit the Electrical Trades Union or any other
Union to decide what installations shall or shall not be connected
with the electrical service." He CMr. Green) said the attitude of
the Union was most surprising. He suggested that action of this
sort was in the nature of the Soviet system, also that the members
of the Electrical Trades Union should themselves pass an examina-
tion before they were employed. The Corporation had a system of
registration for plumbers, and he thought it might be advisable to
apply a similar principle to the electricians. The Mayor (Coun-
cillor W. G. Bingham) did not think it was necessary to move an
amendment. The feeling of the Committee was that tliey ha<.l
nothing to do with the question of who wired private houses, as
that was work that was undertaken by tradespeople.

After further discussion, the Mayor again asked Councillor Green
to withdraw his admendment, which he agreed to do ; the recom-
mendation of the Committee was then adopted.

Catalogues and Lists. — Messrs. David Shanks & Co..

Ltd., Denmark Street, Birmingham. — A profusely illustrated and
fully priced catalogue of electric light fittings C9s pp.), dealing with
pendants, brackets, standards, ships' fittings, lanterns, arc lamps,
signs, &c.

Messrs. Falk, Stadelmann & Co., Ltd., Efesca Electrical
Works, 83, Sfi and 87, Farringdon Road, E.G. 1. — Catalogue Edition
No. 4 44. A handsomely jiroduced list of electric light fittings.
The list, which is fully illustrated and priced, covers a wide field,
and includes brackets, shades, Louis Quatorze period designs,
statuettes, &c.

The Newman Electrical Co., 64, Newman Street, W. 1. —
Leaflet dealing with "Nuco" artistic fittings for semi-indirect
lighting. Priced and illustrated.

British Insulated .\nd Helsbv Cables, Ltd., Prescot and
Helsby, Lanes. — An illustrated list (12 pp.) of accessories for use
in connection with the "Prescot" wiring system, including wire,
joint-boxes, sealing ends, kc. Fully priced. List No. P 162,
a priced catalogue of aluminium, copper, lead, tin, and special
" Prescot " alloy fuse wires for currents ranging from 5 to 300
amperes.

Messrs. Downes & Davies, 1 and 3, Stanley Street, Liverpool. —
An eight-page list of "Xcel" domestic electrical appliances,
including kettles, cookers, suction cleaners, &c. Well illustrated
and fully priced.

Messrs. Thomas Broadbent & Sons, Ltd., Central Ironworks,
Huddersfield. — Photographically-illustrated leaflet, showing appli-
cations of an automatic centrifugal clutch for machines requiring
a large starting torque with minimum current consumption.

Messrs. Thompson & Co. (agents for the Societe Genevoise
d'Instruments de Physique), 48, Watling Street. E C. 4. — Prospectus
No. 281, dealing with "Rex" single-phase A.c. meters. Illus-
trated and priced.

The Electrical Apparatus Co., Ltd., Vauxhall Works, South
Lambeth Road, S.W. 8. — Leaflet B. 220. An illustrated description
of D.c. control panels for 100-250-volt motors up to 6 H.P. for
marine use, with prices.

The Macintosh CABiiE Co , Ltd., 22 and 23, Jewin Street,
E.C. 1. — Catalogue Section 1 (35 pp.). A fully-priced list of rubber
cables, flexibles and bell wires. Catalogue Section 4 (176 pp.)
illustrating and describing feeder pillars, joint boxes and jointing
accessories. Both lists consist of separate detachable sheets or
leaflets.

Medal Award. — The Arora Co., Loughborough, informs
us that the Arora apparatus, at the first exhibition at which it has
been exhibited, has secured the highest medal award given for that
class — namely, electric fires and cooking apparatus. The company's
agents for Holland — Messrs. De Goede \' Huf, of Amsterdam— state
that Arora apparatus obtained the silver medal at the International
Exhibition at the Paleis voor Volksvlyt, which wss the highest
award, as the gold medal was destined for other articles.

Bankruptcy Proceedings. — Ivor James Hodson and

Basil Howard New.man (trading as Hodson & Newman), elec-
trical engineers, 85, ijueen Street, Exeter. — The public examination
of these debtors was held on .July 8th, at the Castle, Exeter.
According to the debtors' statement of affairs the liabilities
amounted to £745, and assets amounted to £225, thus disclosing a
deficiency of £520. The examination was adjourned.

Annual Holidays. — The works and offices of Messrs.
HiGos Bros., Birmingham, will be closed from July 30th to
August 9th for the annual holidays, and correspondence will not
be attended to during that period.

The works of Bromell Patents Co., Ltd., Glasgow, are closed
from yesterday until Wednesday, 28th inst., and the oflices until
Tuesday, 20th Inst., for the Fair Holidays.

Electricity to the Rescue. — The gas strike broke out in

Manchester on Friday. In the afternoon of that day Messrs.
Simplex Conduits, Ltd., had a motor lorry loaded up with first
aid, in the way of electric kettles, and on the road to the stricken
city. By Saturday morning, Plexsim kettles were finding a ready
sale among Mancunians, some of whom are now learning for the
first time that, for many purposes, gas is aback number.

78

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,225, July 16, 1920.

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES.

Accrlngton. — Extension Abandoned. — The Corporation
states that it cannot see its way to supply electricity for lightinfr
to the neighbouring town of Huncoat, having regard to the capital
cost involved and the small revenue to be obtained.

Argentina. — Comi-any Report. — Some interesting figures
are given in the annual report of the Societe d'Electrioiti' de
Rosario, the headquarters of which company are in Brussels. The
total receipts last year showed an increase not only over those of
1918, but, as 'contrasted with 1915, the advance is no less than
50 per cent. In connection with the supply of electricity to
private houses, which is now 80 per cent, greater than in 1915, the
report refers to the rapid way in which domestic electrical
appliances, notably electric irons, are being adopted, these being
now used even in the most modest households. The consumption of
energy by business houses increased by 272,000 kw. -hours during
last year, and even greater progress is expected during the current
12 months. The energy supplied for power purposes went up to
the extent of 33 per cent., while the quantity supplied to the
Compagnie Gtincrale des Tramways de Rosario advanced from
5,100,000 to 5,435,000 KW.-hours. Altogether, the company is now
giving a supply to 21,630 clients, as against only 1,284 in 1915.
Although the receipts show a large increase, the working expenses
have also been much heavier. Owing to the great difficulty
experienced with regard to the supply of coil, during the year
33,621 tons of wood, 11,124 tons of bran and other miscellaneous
material, and 7,603 tons of petroleum were purchased. The total
production of the generating station of the company during
last year amounted to 29,812,600 KW.-hours, an increase of
2,818,200 KW.-hours, or approximately 10 per cent, over 1918.

Batley. — Year's Working. — The loss on the electricity
undertaking for the past year was £300, as against £2,000 for the
previous period.

Canada. — The Times states that the dispute between the
Ontario Hydro-Electric Power Commission and the men engaged
on the Chippawa Canal has been settled.

Cannock. — Bulk Supply. — The Electricity Committee
of the Trban District Council has met a deputation from Wolver-
hampton Corporation, in connection with a supply of electricity.
It is anticipated that Cannock will be able to obtain a supply of
electricity in bulk from Wolverhampton, and that arrangements
may be made to sell this at the same rates as obtain in Wolver-
hampton.

Chippenham.— Public Lighting.— The Town Council
has accepted the tender of the Electric Supply Co. for public
lighting at 6id. per unit, plus an annual charge for maintenance
of lamps.

Chirlc. — Electric Lighting Schejie .Vijandoned. —

The Urban District Council has decided to proceed with negotia-
tions for the purchase of the local gas works at a suggested cost of
£1.640, instead of installing electric lighting.

Cleckheaton. — Loan. — Borrowing powers for £9,000 for
extensions of electricity works in the Moorend district are being
applied for.

Year's Working. — The electricity undertaking- figures for the
year en(^g March 31st last showed that whereas at the end of the
period 1918-19 there was a deficit of £l,ii25, last year there
was a net profit of £383. Thislrepresented a working profit ; the
sale of old plant, &c., had resulted in additional profits being made.

Continental. — Nor\\ay. — The average cost of harnessintr
water power in Norway is at present kr. 700 or §194 per kw. The
expenditure thus amounts to 819.40 per KW.-year, and this price
is calculated to cover amortisation, interest, ice. In some cases
where it is necessary to convey the current over a long distance
the cost may rise to 850 per KW.-year, but even this is
cheap compared with prices in the U.S.A. From 1910 to 1918
the consumption of electricity for industrial purposes increased
from 145,000 h.p. to 770,000 H.p., i.e., at the rate of 80,000
H.p. per annum, or 130 per cent, in all. During the same period
domestic requirements increased from li8,000to 210,000 H.p., i.e., by
210 per cent. At the lowest estimate, the Norwegian resources in
water power amount to 75 mill. H.p., or 3,020 n.T. per 1,000 of the
population, as against 1,050 H p. in Sweden and 290 to 540 H.p. in
the U.S.A., also per head. The total amount of water power
actually harnessed in Norway at the present time is r25 mill, h p,.
or 0"5 H.p. per head, while in Sweden, where the resources are
approximately 6 mill, HP., riO mill. H.p. is harnessed, or 02 H.p.
per head. The corresponding figures for the Pacific Coast States^
i.e., Washington, Oregon and California, are 019 per head of the
total population of 6 mill., the amount of water power harnessed
being 940,000 h.p. — Economic lietieir.

ApsTRlA.— Employes of the Viennese municipal electric power
stations have come out on strike owing to their demands for an
increase in wages not having been met. — Timex.

Carnforth.— Public Lighting.— The Town Council has
decided to approach the Thrislington Colliery Co. with a view to
securing a supply of electricity for public lighting.

Darlington.— Transformkr Plant.— The Town Clerk
has been instructed to make application for sanction to borrow
Ji 6,000 for transformers for the electricity works.

Reduction Cancelleu. — It wits announced at a recent Corpora-
tion meeting, that the 10 per cent, reduction in power charges
would have to he withdrawn on account of the increased cost of
fuel and labour. The id. per unit rebate on lighting is to stand.
The charge for lighting energy is still only 4d. per unit, as against
:!{d. Ijefore the war.

Doagias (Isle of Man).^— Electric Lighting.— Electric

light orders have teen applied for by the Electric Light and Power
Co., Ltd., and the Corporation. The scheme of the former is esti-
mated to cost £100,883, and a maximum charge of Is. per unit is
proposed.

Dover. — Domestic Apparatus. — As an eiperiment, the

Town Council has sanctioned the expenditure of £100 for the pur-
chase of electric cookers, to be let out on hire at a rental of 98.
per quarter.

Dunblane. — Electricity Supply. — A limited company
is being formed locally to supply the district with electric light
and power.

Eastbourne. — Additional Loan. — The Town Council is

applying for sanction to borrow .£680, in addition to the £14,414
already applied for, to meet the increased costs of labour and
material.

Edinburgh.— Switchgear. — The Electric liighting Com-
mittee recommends the acceptance of estimates amounting to
£68,000 for switchgear for the large new power station now under
construction at Portobello.

Glasgow. — Electricity (Supply) Bill. — The town
clerk in a report to the Corporation, points out that the compulsory
purchase of the electricity undertaking provided for in the new
Electricity (Supply) Bill, would affect the city adversely, and
recommends that : — " In these circumstances, the Corporation
respectfully submits that the Bill should not be passed into law.
It appears that the powers conferred on the Commissioners by the
Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, above referred to, to promote,
regulate, and supervise the supply of electricity, are sufficient for
the purpose of effecting any needed improvements, and, in any
event, it submits that it is premature to proceed with the present
Bill until the electricity districts have been determined, and an
opportunity has been afforded for the submission of schemes, and
for the ascertainment of the further powers, if any, that may be
required."

High Wycombe. — Opposition to Application. — The

Town Council has decided to oppose the application of the Electric
Light Co. for permission to increase the maximum price of energy
to Is. 2d. per unit from 9d., on the grounds ithat the company is
over capitalised, and that part of the plant is obsolete and prevents
the economical generation of electricity.

Ilkley.— Extensions. — The District Council decided,
last week, to purchase a Garratt engine and dynamo, estimated to
cost £r> 000, at Hackney Wick, provided that the Electricity Com-
missioners approve the extensions to the works and sanction the
borrowing of the money. Instructions were also given to the
surveyor, in conjunction with the electrical engineer, to prepare a
scheme for the extension of the jiresent electricity works in Little
Lane.

Kirkcaldy. — Year's Working. — The statement of

accounts for the year ended May 15th lasi shows an income of
£32,221, compared with £23,007 for 1918-19. The working
expenses amounted to £25,223, as against £18,14(), leaving a gross
profit of £6,998 (£4,861). Payment of interest on loans, &c., left
a net balance of £830, compared with £170 for the previous period.

Maidstone.— Domestic Apparatus.— The Town Council
has received sanction to a loan of £1,000 for electrical apparatus,
to be let out on hire.

Manchester. — Year's Working. — The annual report
on the electricity undertaking for the year ended March Slst last,
shows a total incomeof £1,197,199, a? against £906,529 for 1918-19.
The total of working expenses was £705.357, compared with
£640,704, leaving a gross profit of [£431,842 (£2(;.-),825) distributed
as follows: — Depreciation, £211,232; loan interest, £93.2t)2;
income tax, £39,714 ; rate relief, £68,207 ; and the remainder,
£13,605, cancelled last year's deficit.

Newcastle (Staffs.).— Year's Working.— The annual
report of the electricity undertaking for the year ended March
31st last, states that the sale of energy amounted to £6,285, an
increase of £2,491, as compared with the previous year. The
gross profit on revenue account was £2,207, against .^1,383 last
year. After payment of loan charges and other items, there
remained a profit of £114, as against a loss of £286 in the previous
year.

New Zealand.— ^outh Island.— H.M. Trade Com-
missioner (Mr. R. W. Dalton), in a recent letter, refers to the hydro-
electric scheme which it is proposed to carry out in the Southland
district of the South Island of New Zealand. As indicating to some
extent the nature of the scheme, it is mentioned that the power is
to be generated on Lake Monowai. and will be conducted to the
boundaries of each of the towns in the area. It is the intention to
supply the consumers direct in the country districts, while the
boroughs and towns will have two alternatives — (<0 the respective
Borough Council or Town Board may purchase the power in bulk

Vol. 87. No. .2,225, July 16, 1920.]

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

79

and distribute tho eujiply withiu its own boundaries ; (/() the
respective Borouch Council or Town Boiird may permit the Power
Board to distribute the energ-y within its boundaries, just as it
proposes to do in the country districta. It is stated that within the
area proposed to be covered by the scheme there are some 4,000
farms, to each of which power will be supplied. A poll of the
inhabitants was recently taken on the question of raising:
£1,500,000 by loan for the purpose of carrying- out the scheme,
which resulted in an overwhelming majority in favour of the
proposal. It is understood that an endeavour will be made to
negotiate the loan in question in the United Kingdom, one of the
conditions being that the machinery required will be purchased in
this country.

Thames Valley. — A majority of ratepayers in the Thames
Valley and Hauraki Plains districts has decided in favour of
borrowing the sum of £2,000 for hydro-electric development.

Richmond (Yorks). — Sghe:me Deferred. — The proposed
electricity scheme has been deferred for 1 2 months.

Sabden. — Water Power. — It has been suggested to the
Burnley Rural District Council by the Sabden Parish Council that
the latter 's area could be economically lighted by electricity pro-
duced by water power. The cost of gas in the neighbourhood is
very high, standing at 6s. per 1,000 cb. ft.

Sheffield. — Electricity ChargcS. — A deputation of
representatives of local trade associations explained to the Elec-
tricity Committee the reasons against charging for power and
lighting at equal rates. It was pointed out that the lighting load
factor was only about 6 per cent, compared with 40 per cent, for
power. In reply to so-called " analogies " in the prices charged
for other commodities, it was emphasised that electricity was
generated and used at the same moment. The legal right of the
Corporation to make this drastic alteration was queried, as contracts
had been entered into over various terms of years.

South Africa. — Cape Town. — The Corporation has
received two new Babcock & Wilcox water-tube boilers, and these
are being erected by Messrs. Reunert & Lenz. A 1,000-KW.
Peebles converter is due to arrive, and a little later a 3,000-KW.
generator. The Corporation is also calling for tenders for a
7,500-KW. alternator and condensing plant to the specification of
Messrs. Merz & McLellan.

Sonthport. — Contractors' Protest. — The Southport

and District Electrical Contractors' Association has lodged a protest
against the Corporation running an electrical showroom in competi-
tion with the business of the members of the Association. In this
connection it is interesting to note that at the meeting of the Southport
Town Council, on July 6th, a resolution by the Electricity Com-
mittee was endorsed, instructing the electrical engineer to present
to the next meeting of the Committee a statement showing the
income and expenditure in connection with the showroom for
the past 12 months, setting out the amount of discount allowed to
contractors, and to whom such discounts have been paid. The
engineer has also been instructed to present a statement to the
next meetiBg of the Committee, showing the number of wiring
contracts at present in lorce, the amounts outstanding, and the
dates when the persons owing such outstanding amounts were last
pressed for payment.

Stafford. — E.xtensions. — At a recent meeting of the
Town Council, the Electricity Committee presented a report on the
extensions now being carried out at the electricity works. The
estimated coat of new plant, &c., was £56,150 15s., and £147,000
was estimated as the cost of buildings, foundations, &c. With
£7,085 for contingencies the total estimated expenditure was
£77,935 15s. The Committee's report was adopted.

St. Helens, — Loan Sanctioned. — The Town Council has
received sanction to a loan of £2,958 for extensions to the elec-
tricity works and £22,000 for aub-atationa, maina, rotary converter,
tranaformers, and switchgear.

Torquay. — Electricity Supply. — The Town Council
recently received a report of the conference in London regarding
the Devon Electricity Supply Scheme. The Commissioners would
not sanction any sub-division of the county for electrical admini-
stration. The Council, however, was of opinion that the four
centres previously suggested would be the better. A conference
will be held in Exeter later on the subject.

Warrington. — E.xtensions Defekrkd. — Pendins; further
consideration of the whole matter by the Electricity Commissioners,
the extension of the Warrington electricity undertaking has been
deferred.

Wolverhampton. — Mains Extensions. — The Council

is applying to the Electricity Commissioners for sanction to
borrow £30,000 for defraying prospective expenditure to be incurred
in connection with the laying of electric mains, made up as
follows: — General maina work, £20,000; and tranaformers and
sub-station equipment, £10,000.

The Electricity Committee has decided to purchase a 500- KW.
direct-current turbo set from Mr. F. Gilman, of Birmingham, for
the sum of £1,750.

Worcester. — At a meeting of the City Council, last
week, the Electricity Committee reported a letter from the
National Joint Board of Employers and Staff Members, urging
that all undertakings should accept the findings of the Joint Board
on all questions affecting staff members. The Committee resolved

not to accept tho findings of the Board, but to recommend the
Council to grant the following increases of salary, to date from
July lat :— Mr. K. Smith, chief asaistant, from £380 to £430 ; Mr.
n. p. AVaterhouae, mains auperinlendent, from .<;264 to £300 ; Mr.
P. J. Addyman, station auperintendent, £264 to £300 ; Mr. E. H.
Hounslow, meter assistant, £222 to £230 ; and Mr. A. W. Powell,
shift engineer, .*;234 to £250, &c. The High Sheriff pointed out
that the recommendation was brought to the Council in conse-
quence of a communication received from the National Joint Board
of Employers and Staff Members, submitting a scale founded upon
the plant capacity, and not upon the output generated. The plant
capacity was 4.050 KW., and the present output was 2,000 KW.
Having regard to the disparity between those two figures, the
Committee felt that it was not justified in recommending the
Councd to adopt the scale. The recommendations were approved.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Australia. — New South Wales. — The Railway Com-
missioners report the following statistics of the Government tram-
ways for the quarter ended March 31st last :— Total income.
£775,501, compared with £569,545 for the previous quarter;
expenditure, £658,616, compared with £472,756. The total number
of passengers carried increased by 18,069,313 to 84,845,634.

Bradford. — Renewals. — The Tramways Committee is
recommending the CouncU to seek borrowing powers to the fullest
extent possible for the renewals of the permanent way and rolling
stock, which are considered to be imperatively necessary.

Continental. — Belgium The tramway service is at a

standstill in the Charleroi basin, and the hauling at the coal mines
is threatened. Several municipalities are without light, and the
railway stations and wholesale bakeries are deprived of current. —
Economic Herlew.

The report of the central section in the Belgian Railway Budget
gives aome intereating notes on the proposed electrification of the
Belgian State Railways.

The scheme is to be carried out in three stages. The first stage
will embrace the whole of the lines and stations connecting Brussels
and Antwerp ; the second, the Luxemburg and branch lines,
including particularly the Marloie — Angleur- -Kinkempoia — Liege —
Ana line and the quadrilateral Marbehan — Lamorteau — Athus —
Autelbaa ; the third, aectiona of the different lines radiating from
Brussels ; Brussels (Nord)— Ghent (St. Pierre) and Ghent (Sud),
Brussels (Nord)— Lou vain, Brussels (Nord) — Terveuren, Brussels
(Midi) — Charleroi, Brussels (.Midi)— Braine le Comte and the Hal —
Enghien branch line, the Quest de Bruxellea Circle. On the
Brussels — Antwerp line it is first proposed to run 38 trains a day
of a carrying capacity of 550, for travellers only ; this will involve
the electrification of 87'3 km. of main and 15'3 km. of secondary
line, but when the entire first stage is completed 54 trains will be
rnn in each direction at intervals of 20 minutes. The whole
distance will be covered in 32 minutes, at an average speed of
83 kilometres per hour and at a maximum speed of 90 km. per hour.
Goods trains will be run at a speed varying from 17 to 45 km. per
hour. On the Luxemburg line the passenger trains will be run at
an average speed of 70 km. per hour, and at a maximum one of
90 km. ; the goods trains at 40 km. and 45 km. respectively. On
the basis of calculations made for the Brussels — Antwerp line, a
saving of 25 per cent, in the coal consnmption is anticipated. —
Economic Beiiew,

Darlington, — Extension. — At a meeting of the Town
Council on July 8th it was decided to carry out an extension of the
tramway system from the Market Place to Feethams and Bank
Top Railway Station at an estimated cost of £15,000.

Doncaster. — Loan. — Borrowing powers are to be sought

for £14,070 for the laying of a double track of tramway from
Cleveland Street to a point opposite the Balby Laundry, plus the
cost of widening Balby Bridge and overhead equipment. A
plan is also being prepared for the widening of Carr Houae Lane
with a view to an extension of the tramway system along this
route.

Halifax. — Parliamentary Bill. — By the passing of

the Corporation Bill, powers are conferred upon the municipality
to widen the tramway gauge to conform with that of neigh-
bouring towns ; permission is given to carry goods on the cars ; a
five years' extension of time is given for many ordera which were
near lapsing ; and permission to increase the fares to a maximum.

Kirkcaldy. — Year's Working. — The total income from
the tramways for the year ended May 15th, 1920, was £35,635, as
against £28,060 for the previous period. Working expenses
amounted to £25,949 (£19,695),- leaving a gross balance of £9,686
(£8,365). The net profit after payment of loan charges, kc, was
£3,720, as against £3,447 for 1918-19.

Lancaster. — Discussion on Report. — The Corporation

held a special meeting, on the 8th inst., to discuss the report of
the expert (Mr. Fearnley, of Sheffield), and the chairman of the
Tramway Committee (Councillor WUkinaon) indicated the possi-
bility of effecting economies to the extent of .£300 per annum.
By converting a number of double-deckers into single-deck
cars of the " pay-aa-you-enter " type there will be a saving of

80

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

[Vol. 87. No. 2,225, July 16, 1920.

iE2.5 per week in was;c«, £90 a year iu tiokcts, i£280 in repairs
and maintenance. Mr. Palterrion (the new tramway engineer)
haa instituted other economies which will save (;550. By 19
votes to 7 the report of the expert waa adopted in principle, and
the Castle Station line closed.

Manchester, — Year's Working. — The report on the
past year's workinff of the tramway department drives the follow-
ing: results ; last year's flprures are shown in parentheses : — Total
revenue, £1,586,863 (£1,369,609) : total workinsf expenses,
£1,207,231 (£969,3i)l); frross proBt, £379,632 (£100,218); bank
interest, £18,862 (£17,861); loan charges, Kc. £170,658
(£167,653), leaving a net profit of £227,837 (£250,428), which has
been distributed as follows : Renewals fund, 1 80,229 ; income
tax, £35,717 ; and contribution in aid of rates, £111,891. The
number of passengers carried increased by 31,106,711 to
285,046,914. The average fare paid increased from 1"294 to r342d.
per passenger.

West Brotnwich. — Inequitable Contract. — At a
Council meeting on July 8th, at which the annual report of the
electricity "undertaking was presented, it was stated that the
question of supplying power for the tramways was becoming more
serious, because the tramway company had a contract which
acted unfairly. It paid Id. per unit, which represented a con-
siderable loss, while much of the power was supplied outside the
borongh. That meant that the company, with a favourable agree-
ment, was running its cars outside the town on energy for which
it paid the Council less than half the cost of generating it.
The Committee had endeavoured to get some alteration in the
terms, but was unable to do so until the termination of the con-
tract.

West Ham. — Wages. — Claiming that their wasjes com-
pare unfavourably with the rates being paid in Croydon, Ilford and
Leyton, th« employes of the Tramways Department are asking for
a minimum rate of £2 7s. 6d., rising in one year to £2 10s. plus a
war bonus of £1 14s.

Wolverhampton. — Year's Working. — The total income
of the Corporation tramways for the year ended March 3 1st last
was £111,663. Against this was a total of working expenses
amounting to £89,835, leaving a gross profit of £21,828 ; there was
also a gross profit from the motor omnibus service of £376. After
payment of taxes, loan charges, &c., the result was a balance of
£13,330, transferred to the appropriation account.

Wrexham. — Company's Protest. — At a Council meet-
ing the chairman and manager of the Wrexham District Electric
Tramways entered a protest against the growing competition of
motor vehicles owned by private individuals, and promised the
Corporation another £60ii a year in respect of additional power
taken if such competition were stopped. Sir Leonard Rowland said
he did not believe in prejudicing the enterprise of small owners for
the benefit of a large combination. The matter is to be further
considered at a special meeting.

York, — Working Losses. — It -was reported at a recent
City Council meeting that over £2,000 had been lost on the 'bus
service in connection with the Tramways Department. The Council
waa also told that the tramway system was not paying its way,
and some scheme would have to be devised for increaaing the
revenue or diminishing the service.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Australia. — Wireless Restrictions Modified. — The

Federal Government has decided to modify, to some extent, the
restrictions placed on the use of wireless telegraphy during the war.
Subject to approval of the authorities, licences for the erection of
wireless plant will be granted to Australian ships, to technical
schools, and similar institutions, and to persons who desire to make
use of wireless for instructional purposes and scientific investiga-
tions.

Telephone Installation Delays. — It is stated that in Sydney
alone there are now about 5,000 unsatisfied applications for tele-
phone installations. The trouble is caused by a lack of materials,
instruments, exchange equipment and such like, and the depart-
ment has been expected to meet the ever-growing needs of a
complex Eervice without a sufficiency of capital. During the last
three years the minimum amounts asked for by the P.M.G. totalled
£3,032,000, but he was only allowed £1,697,000, and owing to the
late dates at which the amounts were made available each year the
programme of works was so seriously interfered with that it was
not possible to take advantage of the sums allotted so far as revenue
items were concerned. These items conse(iuently lapsed, although
the commitment had to be carried forward until the following
year, and be provided for out of the reduced sum allotted for that
year. The last annual report of the department states that the
delay and intermittent doling out of inadequate sums, apart from
the systematic cutting down of the bedrock estimates of the depart-
ment, is mainly responsible for the position existing to-day,
which must be seriously accentuated in the immediate future.

China. — Wireless Telegraphy. — The scheme of link-
ing up Pekin with the most distant provinces of China by wireless
should now be well in hand, according to latest information. The
scheme embraces the erection of wireless stations at Urga and

Kashgar, on the borders of inhospitable Turkestan (Chinese) with a
third at KoIkIo. A fourth station will be at Ilami, in Mongolia,
and it is the intention of the Chinese Government to have the Nami
and the Kobdo stations and a fifth one in Sian-f n, Stenzi, Mongolia,
working before the Urga and Kashgar stations are completed.

Japan. — Telei'hone " Brokers." — The Kobe corres-
pondent of the Ckaiiiher »/ Commerce Journal writes as follows
under date May 13th : — " Methods of trade here are too advanced.
In England it is still very largely the rule for a man to trade with
his own capital. In Japan, never. Every conceivable trade and
industry is carried on with advances from the bank and every con-
ceivable commodity has its broker. For instance, there are in
Kobe numbers of telephone brokers. There is a great demand for
telephones in Japan. The supply of them is a Government
monopoly, and the average time between application and installa-
tion is 10 years. When anybody gives up his telephone he can
transfer it to somebody else. This is where the telephone broker
comes in, and he knows the pulae of the market so well that,
whereas before the war it was easy to get a telephone for £100, it
is no uncommon thing to pay £300 now. The telephone is, in-
deed, an important gauge of business prosperity. When the slump
came last month telephones dropped sharply, probably in antici-
pation of many businesses closing up ; but the fall has not con-
tinued, so apparently there is confidence in business continuing to
exist, even dully. The prices which have declined were purely
artificial, and it is possible that the slump will do a great deal of
good. It would be a good thing if it only diminished the number
of brokers and reduced things to something like their real value."

Photographs by Wireless.— The Daihi Mali and the

Daily Mirror, of London, are contemplating the inauguration of
a service by which photographs for publication will be transmitte*!
by means of wireless telegraphy. Ten years ago Mr. T. Thome
Baker sent pictures by means of the telegraph wire from Paris
and Manchester to London. Recently a Danish engineer announced
the perfecting of a similar method.

New Zealand. — Long-distance Telephone. — The

Engineer-in-Chief to the Telegraph Department is coming to London
shortly, and part of his business will be to make final arrange-
ments for the purchase of a submarine cable and apparatus to
connect the North and South Islands by telephone. The cable will
weigh some 15 tons per nautical mile, and the cost will not be less
than £1,000 per mile. As the distance is about 60 miles, the total
capital cost, including the apparatus and the cost of laying the
cable, will easily absorb £100,000.

Telephone Rates. — Increased Costs. — Giving evidence

before the House of Commons Committee on Telephone Charges, on
July 7th, the Assistant Engineer-iu-Chief to the Post OfBce said
that the cost of labour and material for the construction of under-
ground lines had gone up 236 per cent. The over-all increase for
plant installed had gone up 204 per cent. The figure representing
the cost of administration and operating expenses had gone up
from £1,500,000 m 1913-14 to £4,710,000 in 1920-21. The increase
was due partly to the normal developments of the system and
partly to the increased wages. The costs kept pretty well level ai
the system increased." There was a research school, and a small
number of awards had been given for inventions by minor members
of the staff. Plant was coming in very slowly. It was the policy
to continue underground cabling wherever possible. It was more
economical. — Daily Telegraph.

Wireless Telephony. — It is proposed to establish wireless
telephonic communication between Newfoundland and England
with the object of keeping the delegates to the Empire Press
Conference, which is to be held at Ottawa in August, in touch
with this country during their voyage across the Atlantic. One
station is to be established in Cornwall, another at St. Johns, and
a third on board the as. VirtorUin, on which the delegates will

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(Th£ date giren in parenthesen at the end of the paraqraph indicates
the issue of the EI.EOTBIOAL BktikW, in which the " Ofiieial
Nut ice " appeared,

OPEN.

Australia. — Sydney. — August 4th. N.S.W. (government
Railways and Tramways. Two 1,000-KW. sub-station units. Chief
Electrical Engineer, 61, Hunter Street, Sydney.

Hrisbase. Arn'ust I'stli. City Electric Light Co. High-
tension switchgear. Secretary. Boundary Street, IJrisbane.

Melbodhne. — P.JI.G.'s Department. August 17th. G.I. and
steel stranded wire for all States (schedule l.i'c'i'O.

August 2 tth. Copper jointing sleeves for all States (schedule
1.1 -.3 2).

August 3l8t. Porous cells and outer jars for all States (schedule
1.627); bronze wire for various States (schedule 1.629); covered
and braided wire for all States (schedule 1 .i'.33>.

Atherton.— -Tuly 20th. Urban District Council. 150
yds. '022. L.T., concentric, paper-insulated, lead-covered and steel-
armoured cable. (July 9th.)

Vol. 8?. No. 2,225, July U, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

81

Belgium. — August 7th. Belgian Post and Telegraph
authorities at La Salic Madeleine. BrusaeU. Supply of a larjfe
quantity of miscellaneous telegrraph material, including .">. tUO metres
of cable.

Blackpool. — August 27th. Corporation. Two water-tube
boilers, superheaters, economisers. stokers. &c.; two induced draught
plants ; coal conveying. &o. plant. (See this issue.)

Brentford. — July 27th. Board of Guardians. Electric
lighting installations in the offices, infirmary, &c. (July 2nd.)

Egypt. — AugList 15th. Electric lift in the Kasr-el-Aini
Hospital. Cairo. A copy of the specification, in the French
language, can be iL.spected at the Department of Overseas Trade
in London (Mr. Sjkes. Room .Mi ; Victoria '.inlii. Ext. No. l').

Grantown-on-Spey. — July 3 1st. Electric light work in

connection with housing scheme. Specifications from Mr. H. .T.
Frazer. Burgh Surveyor. !'"■. High Street. Grantown-on-Spey.

Grimsby. — August 12th. Electricity Department. Tno
water-tube boilers, economisers, fittings, fans, chimneys, &c. ; one
3,000-KW. high-pressure turbo-alternator and condensing plant.
(July 2nd.)

Manchester. — August (!th. Electricity Committee.
Water pipes and valves. &c.. for Stuart Street. (See this issue.)

Nuneaton.— July 31st. Electricity Department. One
500-KW. rotary converter transformer and accessories. (July 2nd.)

Portsmouth. — July 20th. Tramways Committee. 1,000
tons steel girder tram rails ; 20 tons steel fish plates ; 5 tons fish
bolts ; 30 tons wrought-iron tie bars. (July 2nd.)

Spain. — I'lie Spanish Post and Telegraph authorities in

Madrid have just invited tenders for the supply of IT tons of
bronze wire. Ms m/m diameter, required for use in connection with
the Bilbao. Gibraltar and Madrid telephone lines.

Warrington. — August 10th. Electricity and Tramways
Committee. Coal elevator and conveyor. (July nth.)

CLOSED.

Belgium. — The municipal authorities of Slins recently
invited tenders for the concession for the electric lighting of the
little town, but not a single offer was received.

Bedford. — Education Committee. Accepted : —

F;iectiic-light installation at Queen's Park Schools, with "Kaleeco" wiring
system. — Messrs. Gollijigs & Ayres.

Bradford. — Electricity Committee : — •

Auxiliary piping for boilers. — Stewarts & Lloyds, Ltd.

50 chrome steel axles, £^lt'}. — Canimell, Laird & Co., Ltd.

2U0 steel tires for Iramcar wheels. £1,666.— J. Brown .1 Co., Ltd.

6 tons c.i. brake shoes, £162.— Nacional Rail i\; Tramway Appliances Co.,

Ltd.
Two electric lifts.— Waygood-Otis, Ltd.

Liverpool. — Corporation. Accepted ;-

nd accessories.

Malvern. — Urban District Council : —

Electrical Apparatus Co.— Meters for a year.

Northampton. — Town Council : —

Four tramcara.— Dick, Kerr & Co., Ltd., £3,407 each.

Runcorn. — Urban District Council : —

Installation of street lighting by electricity, with standards and running
stay wires.— Mersey 1 s^ver Co., Ltd., £20:^.

Stretford. — Urban District Council. Accepted : —

Callender's Cable & Construction Co., Ltd. — Laying feeder cable between
the power station and No. 2 sub station.- Met.-Vickers Electrical Co.,
Ltd. Air cooler for the new turbine set, at £1,6/5.

FORTHCOMINQ EVENT.

Batll-Wallahs' Luncheon.— Monday, July 19th, At the Holhorn Restaurant.
At 1 p.m. Grousers' gathering.

NOTES.

Appointments Vacant.^Northampton Institute wants
an aesistant lecturer and demonstrator in the Electrical Engineering
and Applied Physics Department, at £225 to £31.'') ; the Newcastle-
upon-Tyne Electric Supply Co. is inviting applications for the
position of deputy charge engineer atCarville power station, at £,'Mi
per annum. The Mersey Docks and Harbour Board invites appl'ca-
tions for the position of principal assistant to the engineer-in-chief.
He must be a fully qualified civil engineer, with a good knowledge of
mechanical ' and electrical engineering. Glamorgan Education
Committee is inviting applications for two appointments as travelling
lecturers in mechanical and electrical engineering, at £2.'>0, rising
to £450.

Two aaaistantchargeengineers, for Bristol Electricity Department ;
electrical engineer as assistant to chief engineer of the Madras

Electric Supply Corporation ; overhead linesman, for Burton-on-
Trent ; constructional draughtsman for the Doncaster Electricity
Department (£:!.')ii) ; cable jointer for Perth Electricity Works.
See our advertisement pages to-day.

Service Notes. — A Koyal Warrant has just been issued
authorising the formation, pay, &c., of the Corps of Signals, which
is to be formed out of existing signalling companies of the Royal
Engineers. It is officially intimated that the Administrative
services of the Army, including Corps of Signals and Telegraph
Supplies, are to be actively employed in peace time, so as to be
always ready for active service if required. It is also intimated,
amongst other things, that field officers of the Royal Engineers who
have held permanent, regular or temporary commissions in the
Army, Special Reserve, or Territorial Force during the War, will be
eligible for engineer pay in the Territorial Army. Officers
appointed to the Territorial Force since September, 1!I19. outside
the above category, will be eligible for engineer pay if qualified as
A.M.I.C.E., A.M.I. M.E., or A.M.I.E.E., or equivalent professional
qualifications. Lieut. H. S. Craig, London Electrical Engineers,
has resigned his commission, and retains his rank. Lieut. J. R.
Lang-Hyde, from the Tyne Electrical Engineers, has been appointed
i a the same rank to the Territorial Reserve of Officers.

A Gearless Lighting and Starting Set.— The Bowman-

Ashden " fly-wheel dynamotor and magnetic clutch brake " is a
new device which forms a gearless starting motor and charging
dynamo, and at the same time acts as a " clutch brake " to
facilitate gear changing. According to the Pi-nctical Engineer, a
" Gramme " ring armature, combined with the outer member of the
clutch, surrounds and overhangs a four-pole stationary field magnet
system. The free clutch member can thus be set spinning with
the gear in neutral and the clutch out, and the engine started up
gently by letting the clutch in. Normally, the arrangement gives
current as a lighting dynamo, and when the clutch is taken out
with the car in motion, the torque between field and armatnte
tends to slow down the spinning clutch member. A slightly more
complicated double clutch system is also referred to. — Teehnieal
Itefiew,

Board of Education. — The removal of the main offices
of the Board of Education from the Victoria and Albert Museum to
the premises formerly occupied by the Board in King Charles
Street, Whitehall, commenced on July 12th, and will, it is hoped,
be completed by the end of the month. On and after July 2tith,
the official address of the Board will be Whiteh.ill, London, S.W. 1.
Telephone number, Victoria 11800 ; telegraphic address, Aristides
Pari, London.

Power from the Air. — A Hamburg scientist named

Plouson, says the Da'dij E.rj/rexn, proposes to obtain a cheap supply
of energy from the air by sending up metal balloons to collect
electricity ; he hopes to supply all Germany with electric power.
No doubt he will uic extra-high (pressure) overhead mains to enable
the electricity to step down.

Hydro-Electric Power in Tasmania.— In our issue dated

November 'iil.st last there appeared a paragraph under the
above heading, which in due couri^e caiiie to the notice of the
cliiel' engineer and general manager of the Tasniauian Hydro-
electric Department, who has informed us that the infornia-
tion supplied was incorrect, and asks that it be corrected.

The actual position is as follows : A contract was entered
into some years ago between the Hydro-electric Department
of Tasmania, and the Electrolytic Zinc Co. Up to 30,(.K.)y h.f.
was to be supplied for the purpose of manufacturing elec-
trolytic zinc from calcines imported all the way from Broken
Hill, in New South Wales, via Port Pirie in South Australia,
and the terms of that contract were subsequently modified,
the present arrangements being as .set out in the paragraph
of the Electrical Eevibw referred to above. Tiiis contract
was for a period of 20 years, with an option of renewal for
another '20 years.

Long after this original contract was entered into, negotia-
tions between the Government and the Mount Read and
Rosebery Mines, Ltd., came to a head, but after reaching
a. more or less definite .stage the negotiations were suspended
at the request of the company, in order to enable it to
consider thoroughly the question of the comparative econo-
mics of establishing its treatment works either on the West
Coast of Tasmania, at the deep-water port of Hobart, or
not to establish them at all, but to have its ores treated ^t
the existing Electrolytic Zinc Co.'s works.

Throughout the whole of these negotiations the Government
has never once asked a price approaching £i 10s. per H.r.
per annum, and to state tbat the policy of the Government
is directed to building up the Risdon works at the expense
of another proposed works is erroneous.

A tentative contract has been arranged with the Mount
Read & Ro!;ebery Co. for the supply of 1.5,000 h.p. (as com-
pared with 30.000 at Risdon) for a period of 1.5 years (aa
compared with 20 years at Risdon) at a price of £'1 5s. iier
H.r. (as compared with £'■1 rising to £2 10s. under certain
conditions at Risdon), to treat ores mined clo.se to the \vork.9
on the We.st Coa.st (as compared with treating eonceiitrates
which have lieen railed from Broken Hill to Port Pirie, in-
cluding a <-hange of gauge, roasted at Port Pirie. loaded into
.ste^anior. and transported to Holiart as witli the Risdon Co.);
in addition to this the costs of hydro-electric machmery have
increased from 40 to -50 per cent._ between the dates when
these tw'o contracts were entered into.

82

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

[Vol. 87. No. 2,22.";, July 16, 1920.

Electricity in Goid and Silver Mining.— Under this

heading the Journal of Elcctricit)/ gives an interesting account
of the woikiiig ol tsuiiie IS'evada iiimes. Ihe data yivcii are
not confined to mining alone, but the larger power-consuming
operations of milhng are also dealt with.

The following table shows the actual power consumption
of a typical property in Nevada, that of the Goldfield Con-
solidated Mines Co., at Guldfield. The.'^e tigures repre.sfut
practice at Goldfield for the years 1915-16-17, and correspond
to a. production of 1,000 tons of dry ore per day. Mining was
carried on through vertical shafts with an average depth of
600 ft., with a moderate amount of water to be pumped, and
the mill was the usual stamp mill with cyanide treatment.

The volume of production does not afiect the power con-
sumption per ton provided the plant and equipment are of
proportionate size. Fur m.stance, at the Nevada-i'ackard mine,
at Packard, Nevada, where the production is only 100 tona
per day, the power consumption for all purposes has averaged
only 30.9 kw. -hours per ton for three years, measured on
the low-tepsion side of the transformers. This figure cover9
both milling and mining, but the only power used in mining
in this case ie that lor compressed air, about 4.5 KW-hours
per ton, since the mine is worked through a tunnel under
the ore bodies and above the mill. At Aurora, Nevada, the
power consumption for all purposes in the summer of 1916
was 43.4 KW. -hours per ton, of which (he mill alone was
responsible for 3(3.07 kw. -hours. Production at Aurora was
500 tons per day. Mining was done through a tunnel as at
I'ackard, and hence the only ixjwor for iiiiniii^' wa.s for com-
pressed air, 5.1 kw. -hours per ton, and for the electric trolley
railway in the tunnel, 0.93 Kw.-hour per ton. The greater
power consumption at Aurora in milling is accounted for
by the fact that the ore was entirely of hard quartz, and
came from the mine wet and sticky so that it would clog
up in the crusher and conveyors.

Motor H&ximnm All daj Kw.-hr.
xg- oapacitj. load. av«rag«. per ton

Mmes: b.p. w.i. h.p. dry or..

Light equivalent — 15 10 .2

Compressed air 400 430 260 5.3

Pumps 280 210 93 2.0

Hoists 750 1000 88 1.8

Miscellaneous power 100 30 7 .2

Total Mines 1530 — 458 9.5
Mill:

Crusher (gyratory) 150 50 10 .26

Conveyors to batterv 60 40 12 .29

Stamp battery ... ." 250 240 212 4.26

Tube mills 400 480 448 9.20

Chilean mills 200 300 190 3.86

Concentrate tables 60 34 31 .6:3

Air compressors (for agitation

chiefly) ... 250 250 240 4.9

Pumps ... 340 215 156 3.3

Miscellaneous power 270 100 50 1.2

Light and heat — 80 40 .8

Total Mill 1980

1389

28.70

General Depts., light, heat, and i>ower 1.4

Losses in line and transformers and in regulation 3.4

Grand total

43.0

Fire at Glasgow Technical College. — According to the

Th/iex, £14,000 damaofe was done at the Royal Technical College,
Glasgow, on Saturday, by a fire in the chemical store.

The Cost of Printing and Scientific Proceedings.—

Owing to the increased coat of printinfr, the Berlin Academy of
Sciences ia no longer able to publish its works. — Tiinex.

INSTITUTION NOTES.

Diesel Engine Users' Association.— The Association at the
June meetinpr discussed the proposed Research Association for
Liquid Fuels. Mr. Napier Prentice, who is chairman of the
Provisional Committee of the Research Association for Liquid
Fuels, read a report which had been prepared by Mr. Percy Still,
who is acting as hon. secretary of the Provisional Committee. This
referred to the diiBcuIties which had been experienced, and partly
overcome during: the war, in connection with the use of tar oil
fuel in Diesel enpinee, and to the importance of obainin;; further
information by systematic research with a view to the possibility
of the more extended use of home-produced fuel in Diesel and
semi-Diesel engines. It explained the steps which had been taken
to obtain Government support for a suitable research association
under the Government scheme of scientific and industrial research.
It was also announced that the Committee's application for the
loan from the Admiralty of certain Diesel and semi-Diesel types of
engines to be used for the purpose oE testing various classes of fuel
oils had received favourable consideration.

Mb. a. Abbott, of the Department of Scientific and Industrial
Research, addressed the meeting on the subject, and aildetl that the
Director of Fuel Research was of opinion that research work on

the use of liquid fuels would be of great value, and would not lead
to any overlapping of effort.

In the discussion that followed, Db. W. R. Obmandy said that
if the extended use of the internal-combnstion engine was to be
encouraged, it was desirable that such engines should be capable
of running on the widest possible range of fuels, on oils that might
be derived from any part of the world. It was also eminently
desirable for national reasons that increasing quantities of
creosote should be made available in this country as fuel for
internal-combnstion engines.

Mb. Geoffbey Pobteb referred to several problems which
members of the Association had endeavoured to elucidate, in
which research work would have been of the greatest service.

Mr. G. W. F. Horner, Captain N. E. Drury, Mr. H. A. D. Acland,
and Mr. A. J. Wilson, also discussed various points raised in Mr.
Abbott's address, and Mr. Abbott replied.

Institution of Civil Engineers On Tuesday, last week, the

annual Conversazione of the Institution was held at the Institu-
tion, Westminster. A large number of members and guests were
received by Sir John P. Griffith, president, and Miss Griffith, in the
Great Hall. The decoration of the ceiling of the Hall has recently
been completed, being a gift from the president to commemorate the
part taken by the Institution in the Great War. The work was
designed and executed by Mr. Charles Sims, R.A. The principal
subject of the large painting in the centre of the ceiling is a flying
figure of Renown, a mourning veil of purple about her. She
holds out a wreath of bays with a gesture of crowning ; on her
left shoulder is the flag-pole of a Union Jack, which half drapes
her and spreads over the sky, across which an aeroplane floats.
Officers in the uniforms of the several services appear along the
north side of the panel. 1 he other edges show engineering con-
structions. The picture appears to be lighted from the windows
of the hall, the best view being from that side ; but there is a base
contrived for each point of view. The various rooms of the
Institution building, which were tastefully decorated, were thrown
open to the guests, and refreshments were served on several floors.
During the evening a string band of H.M. Royal Engineers, under
the direction of Lieut. Neville Flux, F.R.A.M., and the Blue
Imperial Band, conducted by Mr. A. H. Pitman, rendered musical
selections, while the programme of the Ensemble Glee Singers was
much appreciated. The museum contained a collection of
specimens and photographs illustrating the deterioration of
gtrnctures exposed to sea action, and an exhibition of engin-
eiring models and scientific apparatus was arranged on
the ground floor. Out of the 71 exhibits displayed, some half-a-
dozen were of electrical interest. These included a lighting
dynamo for commercial vehicles shown by Mr. T. Blackwood
Murray, D.Sc, and telephonic repeater apparatus making use of
wireless valves by Messrs. R. M. Chamney, B.Sc, and C. Robinson,
B.A. Mr. F. C. Lea, D.Sc, exhibited extensometers for testing
concrete and metals at high temperatures, together with a small
furnace for Brinell testing at high temperatures. The furnace was
made to determine the efl'ect of temperature on the hardness of
alloys. Nichrome wire is wound round a steel tube, the wire being
insulated from the tube by strips of uralitelaid parallel to the axis.
The whole is embedded in asbestos fluff and encased in another
tube. Two holes allow of the insertion of thermo-couples. At the
end of the furnace is a fixed block on which the specimen rests
inside the furnace. A plunger, to which is attached a 10-mm. ball,
enters the other end of the furnace, and the load is applied to this
plunger. After the specimen is inserted, the whole is brought to
a steady temperature while resting on the table of any suitable
type of machine ; the load is then applied. The Brinell number is
measured in the ordinary way by determining the diameter of the
impression when the specimen ia cold. Corrections of this
diameter for temperature can be applied if necessary. The BrineU
number found in this way is a very useful indication of the suita-
bility of alloys to withstand certain temperatures. By favour of
Capt. H. Riall Sankey, C.B., C.B.E., Marconi's Wireless Telegraph
Co., in addition to historical apparatus, exhibited and demonstrated
a marine type direction finder with an aerial, a receiving set with
a 3-ft. frame aerial, and an automatic "calling-up" device. This
consists of a galvanometer so adjusted as to respond to a definite
wireless signal. When, for instance, an S.O.S. signal is intercepted,
the galvo needle commences to swing, its oscillationa increaaing
until contact ia made between the point of the needle and a piece of
carbon. This completes a circuit which energises a relay, which
in turn rings a bell.

Association of Consulting Engineers (Inc.) The report of the

committee for the year ended April 30th, r.i20, states that owing
to an increasing tendency to carry out works either by direct labour
or on a prime cost and agreed profit basis, a sub committee of the
Association is engaged in drawing up a model set of conditions for
use in the latter case. Negotiations are also in progress with the
Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors with a view to arriving
at an agreement with regard to an " over-riding " clause which the
Federation desires shall be inserted in all public works contracts
of a purely civil engineering nature.

The Association has also accepted the invitation of the Council
of the Institution of Electrical Engineers to nominate a member on
a committee to consider the revision of the Institution's model
general conditions of contract for electrical work, and hai appointed
as its representative its hon. secretary, Mr. A. H. Dykes.

During the year the Association has been asked by the British
Engineering Standards Committee to appoint representatives on
each of its various sub-committees. In addition to the representa-
tives set out in the last interim report, nine members have been
appointed to represent the Association.

A sub-committee has been sitting during the year to consider
clauses proposed by the British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers'

Vol. 87. No. 2,225, July 1», 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

83

AssooiaLioij for iusertiou iu contracta for steam turbines. The
8ub-oommittee, after securing the views of all members of the
Association interested in the matter, prepared a report which was
forwarded to the British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers'
Association in February last, and is now being considered by its
committee.

The Foreign Office and Board of Trade suggest that in all cases
where members are visiting foreign countries and various parts of
the Empire, they should furnish early notice of any such visits to
the Department of Overseas Trade, 4, Queen Anne's Gate Buildings,
so that the Department may notify His Majesty's Diplomatic,
Consular and other officers abroad concerned, in order that they
may have an opportunity of rendering assistance and of discussing
matters connected with British trade of very great interest to them.

The passage through Parliament of the Electricity (Supply) Bill
has naturally been followed with the closest attention by the
electrical — indeed, by all — members of the Association, and it is
hoped that it will inaugurate great developments in the engineeriog
industry of the United Kingdom. The Association records with
satisfaction that the Chief Electricity Commissioner appointed
under the Act is Sir John Snell, who was a valued member of the
Association.

The accounts for the year 1919-20 show a balance to the good of
£26.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

lh» JBditors invite electrical engi?ieert, whether connected with the
technical or the commercial side of the professum and indmtt i/,
also electric tramway afid railway officials, to keep readers of the
EliECTBlCAL Review posted as to their 'm/n'ertients.

The Torquay Town Council has increased the salary of the
electrical engineer, Mr. Woods, from iEoOO to J660O per anuuiu
as from luid-summer, and by fui'ther annual inci'emeuts of i'oO.

Doncaater T.(J. has appointed Mr. J. H. Bkamlei', of Lincoln,
as draughtsman at the electricity works at a salai-y of £3'25 a
year.

Mr. T. G. Richardson, manager of the Colne Corporation
Light Kailways, has been appointed general manager of the
West HartleiKKil Corporation tramway and omnibus under-
taking. He has been engaged in tramway work for 20 years,
the lirst 13 being spent with the Bradford city tramways, and
the remaining i^-riod as general manager and engineer to the
Colne Corporation Light Railways.

Mr. T. H. U. Aldkidge, engineer-in-chief and manager of
the Shanghai electricity department, was to leave Shanghai in
May on a visit to the United States and England.

Manchester Electricity Committee recently recommended
the Council to enter into an agreement with Mr. S. L.
Pearce, C.B.E., M.Sc.Tecii., in connection with the new-
Barton Power Station, and any future power station
that the Corporation may be required to erect during
his tenure of office, whereby he shall receive, in addition to
his present salary, a remuneration at the rate of one per cent.
on the contract amounts of the steam and electrical plant and
machinery to be installed, the items on which such remunera-
tion is payable to be scheduled to the agreement, and that
this arrangement be conditional upon Mr. Pearce agreeing to
remain in the service of the Manchester Corporation at his
present salary (±''2,000 per annum) untU reaching the age of
retirement under the proposals of the superannuation scheme.

When the matter came before the CouncQ on Wednesday last
week some discussion arose as a result of which the chairman
of the Committee consented to take the recommendation back
w'ith a view to seeing whether an arrangement could be come
to with Mr. Pearce on a salary basis. The chairman. Alder-
man Dagnall, said that Mr. Pearce v\as one of the finest elec-
trical engineers in the country, and they did not want to lose
his very valuable services. The commission would amount to
i.'7,(X)0 or f,S,(XKJ during the next ten or twelve years. The
grounds upon which the rex?ommendation was opposed were
that the principle of paying a percentage to a fuU-time salaried
official was wrong, and that if the salary was insufficient
the right thing to do was to come forward with a plain
proposal to increase it. After further consideration of the
matter between the chairman and Mr. Pearce it will come
before the Council again.

Mr. W. G. PiCKVANCE, chief electrical engineer to 'Wrexham
Corporation, recently tendered his resignation in consequence
of continued ill-health. The Coimcil at a st>ecially-called meet-
ing decided to accept the resignation, and expressed regret
at Mr. Pickvance's indisposition, and recorded its high appre-
ciation of his services dming the past 13 years, and its sincere
wislies for his complet'C recovery and future welfare. During
the war, when shells were urgently required, he took this
matter ui> with great energy and success. Pending the ap-
pointment of a successor the position of electrical engineer
will be filled by Mr. Pickvance's former assistant, Mr. S.
Thornton, of Thornton & Evans, electricians, Wrexham.

Mr. T. fj. R. Cooper (formerly managing director of Messrs.
Submersible Motors, Ltd., Southall), who for the last few
years has been acting as advisory electrical engineer to Messrs.
Arthur Lyon & Wrench, whose luisiness changes are referred
to in our " Business Notices " to-day, has removed from
Victoria Street to 11, TothiU Street, Westminster, where he

is dealing with his patents and carrying on advisory business
fur other firms,

Mr. J. V. Si'ARUOW, who for the past 15 years has been
representative for the General Electric Co., Ltd., at Cardiff
and Swansea, has now resigned to take up an appointment
with Messrs. Cooper & King, Ltd., of Cai'diii'.

.\ilvanee9 in salaries granted by the Worcester City Council
arc detailed in a note on p. 79.

Obituary. — Mr. C. Buzzard. — The death is announced from
Philadelphia, at the age of -56 years, of Mr. Chaiies Blizzard,
tlie third vice-president of the Electric Storage Battery Co., of
that city, and an active member of the old American Electric
\'ehicle Association and the .American Associated Manufacturers
of Electrical Supplies.

Sir Charles Petrie. — We regret to record that Sir Charles
Petrie, Bart., D.L., passed away on July 8th at his residence
at Liverpool at the age of 67 years.

NEW COMPANIES REQISTERED,

Mark
Bush
Bush

W. Brearley (Rochdale), Ltd. (108,892).— Private com-
pany. Registered July Bth. Capital, i'2,500 in £\ shares. To carry on the
business of makers of and dealers in metallic packings, boilers, steam pipes,
valve steam supports and supporting mechanism, valve stems, and similar
moving rods, marine and other engines, motor cars, dynamos, &c., and u>
acquire the business carried on by W. Brearley at Toad Lane, Rochdale. I he
subscribers (each with one share) are ; E. Freer, 45, Whitworth Road, Ro.h-
dale, newsagent; A. Fallon, 74, Oldham Road, Rochdale, baker; J. K.
Jenkins, 14, Baildon Road, Rochdale, secretary. The first directors are not
named. Secretary; J. L. Jenkins. Registered office : 52, Toad Lane, Roch-
dale, Lanes.

Weldrics, Ltd. (168,838).— Private companv. Registered

July 6th. Capital, f3,0UU in fl shares. To adopt an agreement with W. H.
Boorne, The Rose Street Foundry & Engineering Co., Ltd., F. A. Bullivanl.
V. J. BuUivant, B.S. Bullivant, and A. W. Bullivant, and to carry on the
business of mechanical and electrical engineers, metal workers, iron and
steel converters, ic. The first dinectors are ; .\. W. Bullivant, 72,
Lane, E.C.; S. H. Gordon, 2, Rose Street, Inverness; \V. H. Boorn.
Lane House, Cannon Street, E.C. Registered office : Bush Lane Hous
Lane, Cannon Street, E.C. 4.

Hay, Maryon & Co., Ltd. (168,803).— Private company.

Registered July 5th. Capital, fIC.UOO in £1 shares. To carry on the businesii
o( electrical, mechanical, mining, civil, agricultural, motor, and general
engineers, general engineers' sundriesmen, &c. The first directors are: M.
Hay, A.M.l.Mech.E., Pyrford Green House, Pyrford Green, near Woking.
J. F. Maryon, Hill View, Cromer Road, Sheringham; L. C. Lane, BarnnieaJ
Road, Beckenham. Oualification : £1(HI. Registered office: 14, Bride L;in.-.
Ludgate Circus, E.C.'l.

Daysohms, Ltd. (168,786). — Private company. Regis-
tered July 3rd. Capital, £25,000 in £1 shares (10,000 non-cumulative partici-
pating preferred). To acquire and turn to account certain patents for inven-
tions relating to electro-magnetic clutches and electric curreiit n-gulating
transformers, together with the trademark '* Daysohms," used in connection
therewith. The first directors are: Sir Philip Dawson, M.I.C.E., &c., Mav-
bourne, Laurie Park, S.E.; \V. B. Esson, M.LC.E., &c., 46, Parkside, Ken-
sington, VV.; W. L. Davies, M.I.E.E., 113, Kenilworth Road, Wimbledon
Park, S.W. ; A. Soamcs, 22, Westminster Mansions, S.W.; W. A. Hunter,
Charlton Lodge, Thornton Heath; J. Caldwell, M.LC.E., &c., Nanfans Grange,
Great Missenden, Bucks. Secretary: J. Lomax. Solicitor: B. H. Wilkinson,
108a, Cannon Street, E.C. Registered office: 14-16, Cockspur Street, S.W.I.

Mitchells Electrical & Wireless, Ltd. (168,754),— Private

company. Registered July 2nd. Capital, £5,000 in £1 shares. To take over
the retail and electrical contracting branch of the business of F. L. Mitchell
and Co., Ltd., carried on at 183 and 188, Rye Lane, Peckham. S.E. The
first directors are: F. L. Mitchell, 231, Peckham Rve, S.E. ; A. W. Knight,
26. Stanburrv Road, Peckham, S.E. Registered office : 188, Rye Lane.
Peckham, S.E.

Ellison Bros., Ltd. — Registered July 6th, to carry on the

business of electrical and mechanical engineers. Nominal capital, £6,000 in
6,000 £1 shares. Directors : A. Ellison, Wild Grove House, Thornbury, Brad-
foixi; F. Ellison, Wild Grove House, Thornbury, Bradford. Napier Works,
1,326, Leeds Road, Bradford.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

B. M. Starter Co., Ltd. — Land registry charge on H,

Ainger Road, N.W., dated June 25th, 1920, to secure £600. Holde* : T. 1!.
Stephens, 334-240, High Street, Stoke Newington.

Electromotors, Ltd. (60,826).— Capital, .£100,000 in £\

shares. Return dated June 4th, 1920. 84,740 shares taken up. £84,740 paid.
Mortgages and charges, nil.

CITY NOTES.

In their report for 1919 the director-i
Great Northern say that it proved impossible during the
Telegraph Co., year to repair all the company's European
Ltd., of cables that were interrupted during the

Denmark. war. " The large number of mines which

have beeu scattered broadcast in the sea.'^
by the belligerents, and which are swept up none too quickly,
prevent the repair of one of the Anglo-Danish and one of
the Franco-Danish cables. In addition, the cable between
Libau and Petrograd remains interrupted. k\\ the breaks
in the cables mentioned above that (xxurred outside the
minefields have, however, been repaired, and thus the neces-
sary preparatory steps for then- final restoration in the shortest

84

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Voi.st. no. 2,225, July ig, 1920.

possible tjiLie have beeu taki-u." Tlit' sei ond ot the com
pauy'a two cuules betwecu i'ianeo and Denmark was put
jnto working orUer last JNo\ember, and the dueot telegrapnic
aervice between the two countries was thereby re-estauhbtied
alter having beeu interniptetl lor '£1 luontha. During the
wliole ol lyiy the eoiniiany .s oUices at Vladivostock and
Irkutsk have kept up the telegraphic connnumcatiou between
Siberia and toieigu countries, via Japan and China reapee-
tively, but the internal strile in Bussia and the wars' between
iiussia and other countries have prevented the Maihvostock
and Kiachta routes from partieipating lu the transmission ol
the very heavy traffic between iiuroix; and the iar iiast, the
whole burden ol which has, consequently, tor a time been
thrown upon the Eastern Oo.'s route via India. The connec-
tions linking up Bussia with Western Europe still remain
broken. The trend ol events seems, however, to indicate
that the wall which so long has isolated Kussia Irom the
commonwealth ol nations is about to be pierced. In that
event the coiiu>any is prepared to resume oiJerations in Petro-
grad, and the moment is, perhaps, near \vhen the \'ladi-
vostock and Kiachta rouies will again be able to transmit
their share ol the traffic between Europe and the Far East.
The untrammelled intercourse between nations, wiiich lollowed
alter the armistice ol Movember, 1918, and the Treaty ol
Peace ol -June, 19iy, has given rise to an enormously increased
telegraphic coriespondence all over the world. iVlost ol the
lines have been, and still are, blocked W'ith telegrams. The
hnancial results ol the year prove that the company's cables
al.so have had an unusually large traffic to transmit. In the
Par East the local traffic has beeu subject to some delay,
and lioth there and in Europe the strengthening of the exist-
ing routes by new cables has become an absolute necessity.
The company has iu different directions had to face quite a
new order ol 'things, and negotiations have been entered into
with several Governments, especially with Finland and the
New Baltic States. The new cable steamer which is to
replace the H. 0. Orsted in European waters, will be built
at the Royal Naval Dockyard at Copenhagen. The cable
depot at Tuborg has beeu reiuo\ed to the new depot
at the Free Port of Copenhagen. According to exist-
ing agreements, rates have been reduced for the local
traffic in the Far East, as well as for the traffic between
Eurojje and America, on the one side, and the Far East on
the other. A loan of 4,tKJU,0b(.l Danish crowns has been granted
to the Finnish Government for the purpo.se of developing the
telegraph and telephone sy.stem of Finland. In order to
meet the increasing working expenses many telegraph ad-
ministrations have raised the rates for internal telegrams;
the international rates, however, remain as yet unaltered,
although it would seem to be necessary to raise them also,
at all events so far as the European regime is concerned.
The company's nearest future, both in its financial and other
aspects, will be strongly affected by the consequences of the
war. One of these is the continued interruption of the com-
I>any's main route, viz., that between Europe and the Far
East through the old Russian Empire. The very considerable
loss of traffic caused by this interruption has hitherto been
counter-balanced by certain revenues; but in the current year
.such compensation can be reckoned upon to a limited extent
only. As already mentioned, it is to be hoped that the com-
pany's transit route througli Ru.ssia may be re-established,
but, at all events, until this hope materialises, the receipts
will .show a considerable decrease. In view of the fact that
expenses aie increasing and receipts decreasing, the dire-ctors
recommend the distribution of a dividend of 22 per cent.
only, notwithstanding the satisfactory result of the year's
working. It will thus be ix)ssible to increase the amount
carried over to the year 1920 — which probably will prove a
meagre one. The receipts of 1919 are about i'520,170 higher
than those of 191S, but the expen.ses have increased by
£448,.36'2. Of the net receipts i'Gl.lll is put to reserve anil
renewal fund, and £5-5,5.56 to renewal fund for cable steamers.
Even with this addition the latter fund is in.sufficient to meet
the cost of the tw'o Tiew boats which are necessary. The
contrrbution to the pension fund of the staff ha.s been fixed
at £41,667, as against £13,889 la.st year. The balance carried
forward i.s £96,252 higher than last year.

Mr. Hugo Hirst presided over the an-
General nual meeting on Tuesday last at Win-

I:lectric Chester Hou.se, E.G. In proposing the

Co., Ltd, adoption of the report, he said that the

company was originally a private business.
and private interests controlled for many years, right up to
the beginning of the war, the destinies of the company. Under
such conditions it was only natural tliat the expansion of the
bu.siness was limited by the amI)ition, tastes, and qualifica-
tions of a numl>er of prominent shareholders, who, with a
j'egai'd for the safety of their possessions, were extremely
careful. To .some extent the company to-day Ijenefited froiii
that consen'atism. The sy.stem of generous reserves and de-
preciatioii.s which had at all times been practi.sed, and the
modest dividends that had been declared during the first
decade of its existence as a company, in spite of considerable
earning capacity, had contributed to give them solid founda-
tions of which they were now reaping the benefit. On the
other hand, at the outbreak of the war it was rpalis<>d how
backward was the state of the electrical industry in this
country, how much it depended on the foreigner as regarded
experience, processes, patents, and even materials. When

that .situation arose the company rrali.scd that it might have
lue nece.s.sary qualifications uj me<-'t tuc country a icquire-
menta. i'rlvatc iuteieala stepitcd uiiungiy aaiue tor lUc
common \\eai, and tue prograimue ol eXiJausion was conceiveU
m i'jio, tliougu the conuitions ol tbe war restricted ineir
iinnccuiate activities towards lis consummauou. it was ouij
tciuaius tile end ol the war, and particularly since the aruii.-.-
lice, tiiat tUe leal process ol expansion couiiueuced, and at
tlie rate at wuicli they were going on tlie process was liKeiy to
lasc lor some years. buder such condition.'), tbe diieciors
bad to be doubiy anxious and carelul tbat the non-productive
capital m tiie company auould be Kept within sucn iinjits tbat
It did not too seriously interlcie wiib the yearly net results.
Une could not carrj inrough such a piogramine by periodic
large increases ol capital vvimout great rioKs, but by huancing
It with a large credit irom the bank such as tbey have beeu
able to do, by just drawing the mouey as and wheu they
required it, and no more, it was possible. He would like
to take the opportunity iiublicly to tliank the late Sir i:>dwarU
J lolden, who granted them iu the iirst instance those fa<-ilicies.
Whilst aiming at covering, in due course, tbe whole held ol
the electrical industry, tbey had up to the present concen-
trated their ellorts maiuly on ttiengthening the sections
which were already represented. Some years ago they ac-
quired the firm ol Eraser &, Chalmers, and their turbine
department was one ol their principal assets. They had
made provi.siou lor doubling the output, and the work was
nearly completed. They were about to extend considerabl\
the mining machinery ilepartment, for which that tiiiu had
a great reputation. That policy brought along the nec-essit>
lor increasing the output on the electrical side at Wittou.
For large generators a big bay had been erected; a new
building for switchgear was in course of construction. New-
shops for fans and small indu.strial motors had been laid
down, and, although the programme would double their
electric plant output, considerable additions would have to
be made il, in due course, they were a.skeil to take a share in
the electrification of railways,- in the development ol the hydro-
electric ijlant, the laying, down ol big power stations, aud a
more generally exteiideil application ol electricity in the in-
dustrial held. The growing scarcity of coal and its iMesent
cost ol production might jeopartlise the industrial lile ot many
countries. Une and all, they were studying the utilisation of
every ounce of water power, so that they might be made
indeiJendent of so fickle a helpmate as coal had turned out
to be in recent years. Belore long, they hoped to double
their output ol electric lamps, one of the staple productions
ol the company. The new buildings at Hammersmith lor
that purpose were approaching completion; new patents,
methods and processes that had develoix>d during the war
had been studied by their experts in the States and on the
Continent. Machinery had been ordered, and some had
already been delivered. The, services w'hich their lamp works
had rendered diuing the war in other' diiections had ham-
pered their progress in the natural development ol that im-
portant department, and it was high time that they brought
themselves again up to date. The glass works at Lemingtou
had beeu largely extended in order to leed the increased
lamp works. The fixtures, accessories, heating, and cooking
apparatus works had all suffered through conihtions ol war,
but new buildings and equipments had been iM'Ovided, and
these departments, the original business ol the company, were
agam showing a pleasant upward curve. The carbon works,
partly through imixirtation, and partly through the arrival
of the half-watt lamp, had drifted back into their pre-war
impotence, and would be a difficult problem in the future.
On the other hand, the. lamp black works, which were origin-
ally started as an accessory to' the carbon works, had shown
great vitality and adaptability. Considerable capital had been
requh-ed for* the enlargement ot their various successful
enterprises, which figured in the balance sheet as trade in-
vestments. The Pirelli-Cieneral cable works had been extended
and considerable additions were again in progress. The Ex-
press Lift Co. promised to become a very important and
successful asset. Some 100 acres of land and some factories
had been acquu'ed at Wembley for the greater development
of their general engineering works, their lamp and glass
industries, and their research laboratories, buildings for which
were in process of erection. Finally, very big extensions
were contemplated at the Peel Conner Works, which were
practically owned by them. The whole of the telephone in-
dustry had been at a standstill throughout the war. Before
the war, as far as this aud other European countries was
concerned, it was already a back number. The demands, in
their opinion, w'ould be as great or greater than that of any
section of the future electrical business. The higher wages
ruhng throughout the world had made automatic telephoiiy
a practical proposition. Their present works at Manchester
were full up for .some years, and could not be extended.
They liad provided for the Peel Conner Works the necessary
capital for erecting entirely new works at Coventry, along-
side the magneto works, which were also controlled l>y them,
and formed part of their investments. Although those works
could easily be filled for some years to come witli contracts
for central batteries, exchange equipment* and telephone
apparatus for domestic use, they meant to .start immediately
on the construction of automatic exchanges as well, with the
as.si,staiue of .some of the most prominent telephone experts.
They had secured a system which they had every reason to

Vol. 8T. No. 2,225, July 16, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

85

bope would luoct with the approval of the authorities. They
laid so much stress and importance on having their full share
in the telephone business that they had decided to acquire
all the shares of the Peel Conner Telephone Co., which were
not yet theirs. They had also acquired considerable interest
in a French telephone company, which would use their pat-
terns and patents for the purpose of building up a telephone
business in France. Some f 50,00(J was being silent on welfare
buildings, sports grounds, and, to overconje the housing diffi-
culties, they were building 100 workmen's cottages on
their own site at Witton, and another 100 at C-oventry. If
they considered, by the side of all this construction work,
the higher prices of all materials, they would readily un3er-
stand that some part of the new capital recently acquired was
Avanted to finance their stocks, and nui.st also provide a larger
amount for debtors. There were those, tliinking in pre-war
\alues, who would regard their profits as excessive. As a
matter of fact, to make the profits shown they had had to
)u-oduce no ]ess than £7.000.00i3 W'orth of values, a real addi-
tion to the national wealth. In his view profits in a vast
manufacturing business were an index of efficiency and a
standard for mea.suring .strength, and, above all, a means for
maintaining and upholding the State and Empire. Without
profits they could not accumulate wealth. The State nowa-
day.s did not encourage profits; it seemed so much simpler
for the politician to encroach on capital. The excess profits
duty, as applied to them, was nothing short of an encroach-
ment on capital. He would rather .see the State encourage
profits and tax them even 1-5 per cent, or more by a profits
tax than continue to allow indu.=try to grope in the uncer-
tainty of an excess profits tax. If the workers only realised
that the aira to be self-reliant, and the desire to earn profits
were the main,5prings securing them continued employment,
they would listen with less favour to those well-meaning, but
nd.sguided idealists who di.sdained profits and believed that
the distribution of all capital wonld solve all social troubles.
Tliey would .soon find out — as he had recently convinced him-
.self they found out in Hungary — that capital by itself, unless
made to work, «as a will-o'-the-wisp. If the worlcers only
knew how little the total profit which flowed into the share-
holders' pockets was compared to the amount of wages paid,
tliey would ix-alise that nothing but increased production
would help thcin to higher wages, cheaper cost of living, and
better social conditions. In the balance sheet, the ratio of
wages and dividends was about S to 1. If ttey were to
deduct. from the amount of dividend paid the sum the share-
holders would have received had they lent their money to
the Government, the surplus obtained by them for their
risk, compared with wages paid, was in the ratio of 25 to 1.
Nobody wa.s moi-e anxious than thev were to assure the
workers better conditions of life. Nobody admitted more
readily the mistakes that had been committed by employers
of previous generations, but in the interests of employer and
worker alike, in the interests of the country, a way must
be found to stop what was commonly called the "vicious
circle." It started at the beginning of the war when the
rinvernment placed tremendous contracts in certain in-
dustries at cost, plus a certain percentage of profit. To
attract labour quickly, the manufacturers did not mind
what wages they paid — thev received their commission.
That created jealousy in other indu.stries less favourably
treated by the requirements of war, and the workers
naturally claimed equal treatment with the others. Al-
though it seemed at fir.st impossible to grant it, manufac-
turers soon found there was no competition from without,
and they could obtain their profit in spite of enhanced prices
of labour. Gradually, every section of the community was
80 affected by the levelling up of the industrial workers that
they claimed equal con.siderafion. so it came about that
materials, rates, foodstuffs, freights, and everything became
dearer, and labour, with higher wages, could not make ends
meet, and thus the process was repeated over and over
again. So long as, owing to the common danger, the Govern-
ment had unlimited borrowing powers, and so long as they
were shut off from the world of competition, that state of
affairs mattered little, but it all led to a deplorable state of
inefificiency of production. To-day, when the Government
had ceased to be a buyer, and was rather a seller of com-
modities, when the world's machinery of competitive industry
was again being set in motion and speeded up, they must
stop this inefficiency of production — they must produce
cheajx'r, and they could onlv produce at a. lower cost by pro-
ducing more. Therein lay the safety of the worker so far as
continued employment was concerned : thereiii lay the possi-
bility of the worker being able to continue to reap the benefit
of higher wages. If they produced commodities cheaply, so
that the greatest number of jieople could avail themselves of
such commodities, there would be continuous employment.
If they allowed prices to .soar higher and higher, only the
few could buy, and the world's demand would be .so curtailed
that there would be over-production ; factniies and works
would find out what was their duty. Tliat might be
a pessimi.stic picture, and he must give it them as his
considered view of the situation, but he did not doubt
that, in the Ions run. the common.sense of our people
would find out what was their duty. He was confident
that, after a period of uncertainty and hesitation, wi.ser
counsels would prevail, the peril to which the country was
exposed would be clearly seen, and every Englishman .would

put his .shoulder to the wheel of industry, and by a great
co-operative effort secure the future of the nation and the
Empire.

Mr. M. F. Armstrong seconded the motion, which, after

a short discussion of a congratulatory character, was carried.

The retwrt for the year ended March

Fuller's 31st, 19'20, states that the profits, after

United Elec= charging all expenses of administration in-
tric Works, eluding directors' fees, amount to £48,04.5.
Ltd. The directors recommend writing off as de-

preciation on plant and machinerv £5,000,
off prehminary expenses .£6,500, paying a further dividend on
the preference shares at the rate of 3 per cent, per annum, less
tax, making 10 per cent, for the year, and of 10 per cent,
per annum on the ordinary shares for the vear. less tax.
carrymg forward, subject to taxation, £8,040." \\'ith regard
to the liability for income tax and excess profits duty nego-
tiations are still proceeding with the Inland Revenue, and the
amount payable by the company is still undetermined. But
the dn-ectors are satisfied that the reserve of £14,000 and the
carry forward of £8.040 will lie more than sufficient to meet
the maxnnum liability. Tlie new buildings, machinerv. and
plant were complete only a few weeks before the year "closed,
so that t)ie results expected from the use of the new capital
received last year have been .scai'cely felt during the period
under review. Owing to the rapidlv increasing bu.siness
and the higher co.st of stocks it will be neces.sarv to raise
further capital, which the directors are of opinion can be
piofitably emp]oyeA.— Financial Times.

The report for the vear ended March.

Chill Telephone 1920. shows that the number of .sub.scribers
Co., Ltd. increased by 2.0.38 to 18,789. The lines in

operation increased bv 4,6.33 miles to
■30,/, 34. Gross revenue £225.011, a decrease of £11 091- total
expenditure (exclu.sive of income tax) £1.52.207. a decrea.se
of £1.74fi; net revenue £72,804, a decrease of £9 345 The
average rate of exchange during the period covered bv the
accounts was lljd.. as again.st 1.34d. during the preceding'
year; this decrease has adversely affected the sterling equiv.i"-
,,"* f'.,*''® ^'""■''s revenue. On the other hand, the rate on
March 31st. 1920, was 13 9/lfid., as against 9!d. a year pre-
viously and the difference on converting the liquid assets
and liabilities in Chile at the former rate was £22 647 which
amount has been carried to the general reserve account

I he balance to the credit of the revenue account after de-
ducting income tax. and including £8,511 brought forward
IS £68 500. In addition to the interi:m dividend of 3s. per
slLTve, free of tax, a final dividend at the same rate is to Re
paid; £10,316 to general reserve: £12,000 to the reserve for
renewal of plant; balance to be carried forward £19 843
from which any E.P.T). will bo provided. To enable ' the
company to .acquire the telephone business established in
Antofaga.sta. the capital was increased in -lanuary last bv the
issue of 11,000 fully-paid shares at par.

„ ^ Mr. A. A. Campbell Swinton, F.R.S.,

Crompton and presided at this company's annual meet-
Co., Ltd. ing on July StTi. He said that the item
o' freehold land, premises, plant, tools,
i^-c, .showed a considerable increase. Stock in hand also
showed a considerable increase on last vear's figures, partly
due to the expansion of the business, partly to the' higher
prices of materials, and partly to work held up as a result of
the moulders' strike. Sundry debtors also showed an increase.
Tliey were making a re.serve for bad debts, but they were
fortunate in that the percentage of debts they were unable
t-o recover was very small. He mi.ght say that of the total
debtors shown in the balance sheet about 80 per cent, had
lieen paid since the accounts were closed. Investments stood
at the same figure as a year ago. Cash at the bankers and
in hand might appear to he large, but was accounted for by
the fact that the last instalment on the new ordinary .shares
was paid in March. Turning to the other side of the accounts,
there was a change in the amount of issued capital. The
ordinary .shares were increased from 76.769 to 326.769, being
the 2.50,000 shares which were i.ssued last year. The year's
accounts had not benefited to any material extent by that
new capital, the bulk of which only came in towards the
close of the financial year. The number of preference shares
i.ssued had also increa,sed by 5,285, being the shares which
had been taken up during the year by the company's em-
ployes. Those employes' shares carried a bonus of 3 per cent,
per annum. The debenture issue was decreased by the annual
drawing which took place last December. Tlie reserve fund
was increased by the allocation which was made last year.
Sundry creditors had also slightly increased. Turning to the
profit and loss account, it would be seen that the amount
earned during the year, after deducting all charges and de-
preciation, and. as last year, making a re.serve for excess
profits duty, income tax. and bad and doubtful debts, was
£63..590. After deductincr interest on debentures directors'
fees. &r.. thev had £.52.878 to deal with, as against £38.828
a year ago. Tlie year with which thev were dealintr had in
many respects been abnormal. The demand for (he com-
pany's goods and manufactures had been quite unprece'
dented, and they had been obliged to decline a very great
deal of bu.siness which thev could have taken if the capacity
of their works bad been larger. Tlie orders" hooked during
the year showed an increase on the previou.s year of 80 per

86

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,225, jdly le, 1920.

teut., aud the unexecuted orders in baud at the clo.se of the
financial year represented a very large amount. The demand
lor electrical machinery had been equally brisk, both abroad
and at home, and though in some respects as far as the
home trade was concerned, there was some signs of falling
off, he was inclined to think that they were not likely to
feel that to the same extent in the case of the electrical
trade as in some other trades, for the reason that the high
cost of labour and material now rendered the use of elec-
trical machinery as a labour-saving contrivance an absolute
necessity in many industries. As a matter of fact, their
ability to secure business to-day was only limited by their
capacity to turn out the work. He did not anticipate any
alteration in that position for .some time to come. In view
of the increasing demand on their manufacturing capacity
they had been obliged to extend their original programme
for new buildings at Chelmsford. Unfortunately, the diffi-
culty of obtaining material and labour had delayed the execu-
tion of those works, and he was afraid it would be some
little time before they had the full benefit of the expenditure
that they were incurring, and as they would understand, a
certain amount of dislocation of business had been caused
by the carrying out of those building operations. The effects
of the unfortunate moulders' strike which began in September
last year had not even yet entirely passed away. It led to
a great deal of holding up of work, and it caused them extra
exi)ense in trying to minimise the inconvenience to their
customers, and it had had a very material effect upon their
profits for the year. It was. therefore, with some satisfac-
tion that they were able to present accounts showing a net
profit of j£5'2i878, which was approximately an increase of
37 per cent, upon the previous year's figures. For the year
just ended, the rate of the excess profits duty worked out at a
lower percentage than in the previous year, and no doubt
that had helped in liringing nl)Out their improved profit.
On previous occasions he had spoken rather .strongly on the
unfairne.ss of the incidence of that duty, which was particu-
larly hard on a company like theirs, which did not have a
very good pre-war record. It was, therefore, a matter of
considerable disappointment to the board that the Chancellor
of the Exchequer should not only have reimpo.sed the tax,
but that he was undoubtedly going to increase it from 40 to
60 per cent, for the current year. He did not know whether
the efforts of the business world to impress upon the Govern-
ment the injuiry which that heavy duty was doing to the
trade of the country would have any effect, but he ilevoutly
hoped it would. As to the current year, he had told them
that they started with a large amount of work in hand.
Their trouble really was not to get orders, but not to offend
their customers by their inability to supply them with what
they wanted. That being the position, the directors were
justified in looking forward with confidence to a successful
year. For a good many years they had rented a recreation
ground at Chelmsford for the benefit of their employes.
With the increasing number the ground was becoming too
small, and the board had taken an opiiortunity which afforded to
buy the ground, together with an adjoining field, in all about
12J acres, the whole of which was now being utilised as a
sports ground. He was confident that the shareholders would
approve of that action in providing adequate means of recrea-
tion for their .staff and employes who served them so well.
Sir Charles Parsons, one of the trustees for the debenture
holders, had felt obliged to resign that position, and in his
place the board had elected him (Mr. Swinton). Having
referred to the appointment of Mr. S. W. Armstrong Noble
and Sir Glvnn Hamilton West as directors to represent Messi's.
Armstrong', Whitworth & Co., on the board, he said that
thev were going to ask the shareholders to increase the bor-
rowing powers of the directors. The business was expanding
very fast, and in addition, owing to the very greatly increased
c<xst of labour and materials in order to carry out a given
volume of business, much more working capital was required.
Thev thought it desirable that the board .should be enabled
to borrow such money as might be required for the business
frt)ni time to time.

A resolution was carried removing the limit to the borrowmg
powers of the directors.

Presiding at the annual meeting, last
Anglo-Portufiuese week. Mr. H. Allen i-eferred to visits paid
Telephone to Lisbon liy Mr. Kerr and himself to
Co., Ltd. discuss with Mini.sters and their depart-

mental advisers the ques-tion of increa.«ed
charges, which had become imperative. The discussions were
complicated by changes in the Ministry, but they eventually
got a fairly substantial part of what they .sought, and the
decree was signed and the new rates came into force as from
June ].5th. Neither from ju-ivate sulj.scribers nor from the
commercial community was there anv .serious oppnsitimi. Tlie
directors could not very well settle the accounts and call this
meeting with this vitally important question of tariffs hanging
in the balance. Now. however, they felt justified in di.s-
triliuting. if not the entire profit of the year, at all events a
larger proportion of it than in the previous three years.
The increa.se in the tariff ranged for the dill'erent services,
from 1.50 to 19^ per rent., the higher rate applying to com-
mercial establi.shments. which, of course, constituted the
greater part of the business. That in itself was a very ini-
oortant pouit. This 150 to l.'^O )ier cent., by the way. was the
fncrease upon the original tariff, and was incjusive of the two

increases of 15 per cent. An increase of 150 to 180 per cent.,
of course, had a very attractive sound, but he warned them
against attaching an exaggerated value to its effect on the
profits, at least for the current year. Every expense attending
the extension and conduct of such a business had gone up
enormously of lat« years. After referring to the question of
exchange the speaker said that the new tariff, e%'en if it
did nothing more, would afford teuiporary relief until the
substitution of the measured or message rate for the inequit-
able fixed subscription for large and small users alike.
Hitherto the authorities had opposed this change, but the
Press and the public were gradually coming to see that i)eople
should pay for their telephone .service according to the use
they made of it. They might therefore expect that by the
time the company was prepared to give the requisite facilities
hostility to the institution of the message rate would have
disappeared. They were now concentrating their efforts
largely on the extension of exchange accommodation, which
was sadly behind the requirements of the times. For the new
Central Exchange in Lisbon, which was intended to have
an ultimate capacity of '20,000 lines, they had, with .some
difficulty, found a splendid site in the business centre of the
city. They were getting on with the plans and specifications.
The material for the extension of the switchboard in the
North Exchange arrived some months ago and was being
in.stalled. The extension of the building itself, in order to
give .still further ,switchl)oard acconnnodation, was also well
in hand. This, together with a small temporary exchange in
the present central building, would afford some slight relief
to the present congestion, but the only permanent solution
was to be found in an entirely new Central Exchange. The
number of calls passing through all the company's exchanges
last year was 38i millions, an increa.se of 3J milhons over the
number in the pi'evious year, .\lthough no arrangement had
yet been arrived at for taking over the (lovcrnment trunk
lines, the service of which continued to lie most un.sati.sfactory,
steps were in contemplation under which the company would
be enabled to introduce wireless telephony for the puri>ose
of linking up Lisbon and Oporto with the other important
towns of Portugal.

Undergrmind Elccfrir riuihrays Co. of
Londoji Electric London. — Subject to final audit the profit
Railway for the half-year ended -June, 1930. after

Companies. payment of 6 per cent, on the fir.'^ cumu-
lative income debenture stoc-k. is £'4'2. This
dees not allow of any payment on the 6 per cent, income bonds,
and together with .f '22.938 brought forward, it has been
carried to the st^ecial reseiwc for equalisation of interest.

London Electric Raihfaii Co. — Dividend on the 4 per c-ent.
preference stock of 2 per cent., and on the ordinary shares
of I iser cent., against 1 per cent, for the .same jjeriod of 1919.

City d South London Eaihrau Co. — Dividend on the 5 per
cent, preference stocks 1891, 1896, 1901, and 1903 of '2J per
cent., and on the consolidated ordinary stock of k per cent.,
against 1 iJer cent, for the same period of 1919.

Central London Railu-ay Co. — Dividend of i per cent, on
the undivided ordinary stock, and of i per cent, on the
preferred ordinary, against 2 per cent, for the same period
of 1919.

Metropolitan District Raihray Co. — Dividends of 2 l)er cent,
on the 4 per cent, guaranteed stock : of 2i i)er cent, on the
4^ per cent, first preference stock, and of IJ per cent, on the
5 per cent, second preference, against 2i per cent, for the
.same period of 1919.

London General Omnihuf! Co. — ^The financial position do<>
not justify the declaration of any interim dividend on the
shares

Prospectuses. — Sir IV. G. Arm.ttrong, Whitworth d: Co..
Ltd. — Tlie list is to clo.se on or before July 19th in an i.s.sue
of ,£2,000.000 .second mortgage debenture stCK-k at 95 per cent..
carrving interest at 65 lier cent, jier annum.

nourncmouth d Poole Electricity Supply Co.. Lid.—Tlw
list was to close yesterday in an issue of f 157,000 7J per cent.
seven-year notes at par. The money is required for providing
additional generating plant and mains.

Mather & Piatt, Ltd. — It is intended lo issue a furllicr
21(1,000 ordinary shares of £1 each to existing holders next
month. It is also probable that an issue of shares will lie
offered to the employes on favourable terms. Capital is
required to meet the cost of extensions now in progress at
the works.

Prance. — The reporl of the Compagnie Francaise pour
I'Exploitation des pro<-rdi's Thomson-Houston, of Paris, for
last vear shows a profit of 11,008.1120 fr.. as compared with
only 2.370.2.>3 fr. in 1919. The dividend is being maintained
at 40 fr. ix-r share.

The rcix>rt of the Socirt;' de I'Energie Electrique ilu
Sud-Ouest. of Paris, for last .vear shows a big drop in
both the turnover and the profits, the latter having amounted
to only ■I70,'26S fr.. as compared with 2,040.8(3 fr. in 1918;
nn dividend is being derl.Tred.

Western Power Corporation. — (Juarlerly dividenil of H
]vr irnl. oil I lie pirferred --tock.

Shawinigan Water & Power Co.— Dividend 13 ixr cent,

Karainistiquia Power Co. — Dividend 2 per cent.

Vol. 87. No. 2,225, juLT 16, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

87

Brazilian Traction, Light & Power Co. — The report for

I'Jl'J states that the revenue received uuder contracts with
subsidiary companies was !J)6,0U(.I,'2;J4, interest on investments
and uiiscellaueous income $370,771, together $8,877,005; less
general and legal expenses and administration charges,
$139,732; interest and charges on secured gold notes and
other loans, $663,305; provision for general amortisation,
$200,000; leaving net revenue $7,873,967. Dividends on pre-
ference shares at 6 i>er cent, per annum absorbed $600,000,
leaving surplus for the vear $7,273,967, which with the balance
of $7,613,041 brought forward gives a total of $14,887,008.
During the past three years $12,300,000 has been utilised
towards meeting capital expenditure on the properties, and
a corresponding amount has therefore been transferred to
general reserve account, leaving $2,587,(X18 to be carried
forward. — Financial Times.

British Thomson^ Houston Co., Ltd. — The report for 1919
shows profits, after deducting all expenses and charges other
than interest on debentures and loans, and after making provi-
sion for estimated war taxation, of ±'412,400, plug il.50,863
brought forward. To depreciations, reserves, and adjustments
i;220,602 is applied, and ±'208,431 is to be carried forward. Out
of the capital reserve account it is proposed to pay in full the
accumulated dividends on the preference shares. a6210.000
(beiu',' ±'5 5s. per ±10 share), and to the ordinary shareholders
i'40,000 (Ijeing ±1 per ±10 share). It is proposed to capitalise
this ±'i30.000. and to issue fully-paid ordinary shares to that
amount to the shareholders. Tlie share capital is to be in-
creased to ±4.000.000.

Companies Strucli off the Register. — The following com-
panies have been .struck off the register, and are dissolved : — ■

Phcsnix .VrmourinH & C^ible Co., Ltil.
Munst.r Kli-clric I.iKhlinK Co., Ltd.
Molybdenum, Ltd.

London
Cathod
Uliisbcrf; Kng

Ltd.

.il Works, Ll.l.

ng Co., Ltd.
Ali-x^]ndn:i Electrical and Engineerin(» Works, Ltd.
William Taylor (Electric Lamp) Co., Ltd.

Stock Exchange Notices. — Dcalinfjs with the following
securities have been si>ecially allo-ned by the committee, under
Temporary Regulation 4 (3) : —

Babcock & WDcox. Ltd. — 73.828 ordinary shares of ±1 each,
fully paid. Nos. 2.075.001 to 2.148.S28.

-Vpphcation has been made to the Committee to allow the
following to be officially quoted : —

Tramways. Light & Power Co., Ltd.— ±3-50,170 5 per cent,
debenture stock.

The following are to be officiallv quoted : —

Babcock & Wilcox. Ltd.— 448,828 ordinarv shares of ±1
each, fully paid. Nos. 1,660,001 to 2.148.828.

CreenwtKid & Batlev. Ltd. — 174,195 ordinary sliares of ±1
each, fully paid, Nos. 180,.391 to 3.54..585.

Brotherton Ediswan Tubes & Conduits, Ltd. — .\ccording
to the Financial Timett. the accounts for the year ended March
31. st show a trading profit of ±12.8.35. and after adding transfer
fees and rents receivable, and deducting the amounts written
off for depreciation of plant, bank charges and interest, direc-
tors' fees, excess profits duty, and with the amount brought
forward. ±19.119. a lialance of ±21.5fi2 remains. The directors
propose a dividend of 2-5 per cent, on the ordinary shares.

Pernambuco Tramways & Power Co. — Gross receipts for
1919. ±436.7.56. and increa.'^e of ±93.117 ; working expenses,
±324..523. an incroa.st- of ±71.595; net receipts ±112,2.33. in-
crease ±21,.522. .\fter meeting debenture and other charges,
±23.000 is put to renewal and general reserve, and 3^ per
cent., free of tax. is to be paid on the 7 per cent, non-cumu-
lative participating preference .shares, leaving £16,909 tn be
carried forward.

Dublin United Electric Tramways Co., Ltd. — Interim
dividends for the half-year ending June 30th at the rate of
6 |>er cent, per annum, less income tax. on the preference
sttK'k. and at the rate of 4 per cent, ix-r annum, less income
tax. on the ordinary.

Bombay Electric Supply & Tramways Co., Ltd. — .\ peti-
tion for confirmation, of a scheme of arrangement between
the company- and the holders of the 6 per cent, cumulative
pi-eference and the ordinarv shareholders is to be heard on
•hily -Mh.

Shropshire, Worcestershire, and Staffordshire Electric
Power Co. — Dividends of 7 jx'r cent, on the 7 per cent.
l)reference shares for the year and 6 per cent, on the 6 per
cent, preference shares for nine months to December. 1919.
Girried forward .±740.

Yorkshire (Woollen District) Electric Tramways, Ltd.

Dividend 6 jier cent, on the ordinary .shares for the year 1919.
Carri<'d for wan! ±9,677.

Clontarf (Dublin) & Hill of Howth (Electric) Tramroad
Co. — Interim diviilcnd of 3s. per sh.nre.

National Electric Supply Co., Ltd. — (nterim dividend of
5 p"'i' cent, per .nnnuiii. less tax. for the half-year, on the
orilinnry slinies.

Telegraph Construction & Maintenance Co., Ltd, — In-
terim dividend of 6s. per share, free of tax.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

TuESD.w Evening.
The e:igerly-exi>ected speech by the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer failed to give any hope to those who looked for reUet
in E.P.D. this year. Stock Exchange markets, however, took
very calmly whatever disappointment may have been felt with
Mr. Chamberlain's decision. A sustained rise in gilt-edged
sttxks has induced cheerfulness in various directions, and in-
dustrials, after momentary hesitation, rallied easily enough.
Cheaper money is declared to be advancing steadily nearer.
Investoi's absorb good stock with readiness. The foreign field,
as well as the domestic, is in favour.

.\nglo-.\rgentine Tramways preference shares of both classes
rose h on the chairman's speech, rejxjrted in last week's Elec-
trical Eeview, at the meeting. Substantial rises in Argentine
Railway stocks this week have .served to revive interest in the
industrial companies of the Republic, and the outlook is held
to be brighter for business than has been the case since armis-
tice-time. City of Buenos Aires Trams are firmer at 3|.
Brazilians, on the other hand, are heavy, with Tractions i
down at 46J. The effect of the report continues to be felt,
idthough the hoiieful still talk of the early resumption of 4 per
cent, dividends. Rio Tramways First Mortgage bonds are 805,
and the Seconds 63J. Para Electric ordinary keep about 14s.,
and the old and new preference at 12s. Sao Paulo Tramway
Firsts changed hands a few days ago at 85i; the 5 per cent,
con.solidated debenture stix-k was la.st dealt in at 58.

British Electric Traction ordinary stock is 35 cum div., but
will go ex this week. The 6 per cent, cumulative participating
preference is 63, affording yields over 9 per cent, at that price.
London United Tramways 4 per cent, debenture stock can be
bought at 31, and the preference at about a florin. London
General Omnibus 4^ per cent, debenture stands at 67, and the
5 per cent, cumulative income debenture stock at 6'25, which
latter is the same price as is quoted for Metropolitan Tramways
5 per cent, debenture stock. All the liveliness has subsided
from Ixmdon & Suburban Tractions, and the orcUnary stick at
Is. lOjd., the preference at 3s. The company's 4i per cent,
debenture stock is 40; the 5 per cent. "A" debenture stock
has fallen back to 68. Many of these stocks and shares change
hands but seldom, and the reason for their occasional men-
tion in this letter is that it uiay .serve to keep stockholders in
touch with prices which otherwise they might hardiv see at
all.

Marconis are recovering fiom the weakness which overt(X)k
them on the Government's announcement in reference to the
Imperial chain of wireless stations. The price has risen 3/16
to 3 7/16, and the preference are sympathetically better at 3s.
The new ordinary came up from 2| to 3 1/16. Canadians
keep close to 10s. United River Plate Telephones have eased
oft' to 7. Anglo-.\nierican Telegraph preferred hardened to 79^.
but the deferred at 17^ is os. lower. The Eastern group is
unusually quiet, so far as changes are concerned. Great
Northerns and Indo-Europeans remain flat.

In the home railway market, LTnderground Electric Income
Bonds have given way sharply, owing to the dividend declara-
tion of the company, showing that not only is the half-yearly
interest passed altog»;ther on the bonds, but the amount to
lie added to the carry-forward comes to the bagatelle of 40
guineas. The group has done badly, as the following figures
show : —

Interim dividends p«r cent.
Company. 1919. 1920.

Citv & South London Ord 2 i

r.ondon Electric Ord 2 i

Metroiwlitan District 2nd Pref. ... 5 2{

T^nd. Elec. RIys. Income Bonds ... 6 nil.

Central Ijondon 4' i

London General Omnibus 8 nil.

The 6 pev cent. Fir.st Cumulative Income Debenture stock of
the Underground Railways will receive its interest on Septem-
ber 1st at the full rate. It is not surpiTs-ing that in these cir-
cumstances the market for the stock should be flat, although
the optimi.sts maintain that prices may be regarded as at their
lowest level, having regard to the strong probability that Par
liament will give permission for fares to be raised in accord-
ance with the Bill which has lately passed the third reading in
the Houses of ParUament. Metropolitans and Districts are
both J higher.

The market for home electricity shares is still dull; not a
,-ign of life appears in any of its shares. The way in whidi
the gas strike spread was not regarded as a bull point for
electricity supply, while, of course, at this time of year popular
attention is always lacking, nor is it until the autmnn that
inve.etors begin tn take any interest in illumination shares as a
rule. Ednmndson's report showed ±14.800 available for distri-
Itution. but no dividend is paid. ±10.000 going to the carry-
forwaril. The ordinary stand at 5s.. the ±5 preference at 40.'.,
and the 6 per cent, non-cumulative preference at Uc, while
the 4J per cent, debenture ia about 63i.

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,225, July 1«, 1920.

Ci'omptons have gone back a shilling to 21s., in spite of the
chairman's statement at the meeting the other day to the effect
that the iloniaDcl for the eouipany'.'; manufaotures during the
]iast year had been quite unprecedented, and they had been
obliged to decline a good deal of business which, had the capa-
city of their works been larger, they would have been glad to
undertake. General Electric Ordinary stiffened to 33s., and
the new Ordinary to 30s. middle. Callenders old preference
are a better market at 18s. Babcock A' Wilcox went back to
"2 U/IC in company with various other engineering and similar
shares, but the decline was regained.

In the armament list, Viekers have recovered to 2.5s. 6d..
after the drop to 24s. which occurred on the success of Admiral
Sir Percy Scott in his lawsuit against the company. The issue
of Armstrong Debentures, the coming of which was mentioned
here a fortnight ago, has had no further effect upon the price
iif the shares, which improved to 2(5s. The cable manufac-
turing issues are marking time. Rublier shares improved
sharply, as buyers came in who are encouraged by the outlook
for a possible rise in the price of the raw stuff in the autumn,
\\hen evidence of shortage is expected to make itself manifest.
In eonunercial stocks and shares as a whole, there is a revival
of public interest this week, and rumours are current as to
several new issue.s which ai-e said to Ijc anxious to make their
appeals to the public before the holiday season .sets in next
month. Viekers has a million-and-a-half of 7 per cent, notes
to lie offered at 9.5. The Calcutta Electric has been under-
writing, at a commission of H per cent., half-a-million pounds
of 5 yier cent, tax-free debenture stock at 95. There is talk of
a possible new issue, too, from the Brush Co., in whose ordi-
nary stock the last-recorded bargain was at 120j three weeks
ago.

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

It should be remembered, in making use of the fignrea appearing
in the following list, that in some cases the prices are only general,
and they may vary according to q nan titles and other circnmstances.

SHARE LIST OF ELECTRICAL COMPANIES.

Home Electmcity Companies.

Dividend Price

^ ■ V Julv IS, Yield

1918. 1919. 1930. EiscortaU. p.o.

Brompton Ordlnsr; 8 19 6g — £9 8 9

Ohftiing Cross Ordinary . . . . < 7 ^ — 10 0 0

do. do. do 4JProJ. .. *i H 9J — BBS

Chelsea B 4 2j — 800

Oily ol London 8 10 1^ — 8 17 10

do. do. 6 per cent. Fret. . . 6 6 17/- — 7 19

County ol London 7 8 St — 9 17 0

do do. 6 per cent. Prel. 6 6 BJ — 7 6 6

Kensington Ordinary .... 8 7 4 — 8 16 0

London Eleotrio Nil 9i 1} — 6 0 0

do. do. 6 per cent. Prel... 6 6 B — 10 0 0

Metropolitan 6 6 92 — 10 8 8

do, 4i per cent. Fret. .. 4i 4i a\l — 8 0 0

St. James' and FaU Mall .... 10 19 6$ — 8 16 10

Sonlh London B 6 Sj — 9 19 0

South Metropolitan Pref 7 7 18/9 — 7 0 0

Westminster Ordinary .... 8 10 H — 9 15 9

Telegraphs and Telephones.

Aaglo-Am. Tel. Prel 6 6 79^ +1 7U 0

do. Det 88(6 li 17i - i 8 U 5

Chile Telephone 8 6 64 — M IB 9

Cuba Bab. Ord 7 7 8J — •8 4 8

Eastern Extension B 10 14) — 'B 18 0

Eastern Tel. Ord B 10 IISJ — 'B 17 6

Qlobe Tel. and T. Ord 8 10 I6i — '6 7 0

do. do. Pret 6 " Bj — 7 19

Qreat Northern Tel 99 23 91^ — 10 4 8

IndO'Enropean IB 10 80 — 8 6 8

Maroonl 96 35 3,, — ,:, 7 5 4

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 19 2:\i — '5 4 4

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 7 —J ♦6 14 4

West India and Panama .. .. 1/8 Nil ,^ — Nil

Western Telegraph 8 10 16 — '6 13

Home Rails.

Central London Ord. Assented ..4 4 44) — B 19 9

Metropolitan 1 li 21 + k S 19 1

do. District .. Nil Nil 16* + "4 Nil

Underground Eleotrio Ordinary.. Nil Nil IS — Nil

do. do. " A " . . Nil Nil 4 6 - Nil

do. do, Inoome .. 6 4 54^ —3 ~-

FoREiuN Trams, 4c.

Ang'o.irg. Trams. First Fret. .. Nil 5J 3( - i 7 17 2

do. do, 2nd Pref. .. NU Nil i'i + J Nil

do. do, 6 Deb. ..6 s 5)j — 8 11 0

Brazil T, -actions Nil Nil 414 —J Nil

Bimbay Eleotrio Prel 6 B 13 - 4 10 0

British Columbia Elec. Rly. Pfoe. 6 6 exj — 8 11 0

do. do. Preferrred 3i 6 5U — 9 7 0

do. do. Deferred Nil 8 64{ +1 5 10 1

do. do. Deb. . . 4* 4i 64 — 7 17 5

HezlooTramsS percent. Bonds.. Nfl Nil 3S —1 Nil

do. 6per cent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 2'.i —1 Nil

M iilcan Light Common .. .. Nil Nil 14 — NU

do. Pref Nil Nil 27J — Nil

do, Ist Bonds.. .. Nil Nil 48 —1 Nil

MAMUFAirruaiiie Compamibs.

Baboook & Wllooi 16 15 5g — ♦B 14 1

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 1,*; — 9 8 9

British Insulated Ord 19) 15 1 ^ j — 8 6 6

Callenders 95 15 I, ; — 118 6

64 Pref 64 64 IK/. +M. 7 4 6

Oastner Kellner 30 17 ,3 — 6 13 4

Orompton Ord 10 10 21/- —1/- 9 10

Bdlson-Swan, *' A " ., .. 10 10 ij — 7 19 4

do. do. 6 per cent. Deb. ,. 6 n isj — 6 6 9

Bleotrlo Oonstruotion .. ..10 10 1 —J/- 10 0 0

Qen. Bleo. Pref 84 64 18/6 — 7 0 6

do. Ord 10 -^ SS/. -M. 'BIB

Henley 96 ir, ij _ 8 0 0

do. 44Pret 44 44 at — B IB 6

Indla-Rubber 10 lu 13 — '7 IB 10

Mel VIcknrs Pret — 8 2} — 7 9 8

Siemens Oi-.i 10 10 26/- — '7 18 10

Telegrapli Con 20 20 914 — 'e U 8

• Dirldends paid free of luoome Tax.

Tuesday

July 13th.

CHEMICALS. Ac.

\

Datest
Price,

Fortnight's
Inc. or Dec.

a Acid, Oxalic

per lb.

2/10

0 Ammoniac Sal

per ton

£100

a Ammonia, Muriate (large crystal)

£93.

a Bisulphide of Carbon

a Borax

£43

a Copper Sulphate

£47

ildec.

a Putash, Chlorate

per lb.

1/-

a ,, Perchlorate

,,

1/3

0 Shellac

percwt.

£33

£1 ids! inc.

a Sulphate of Magnesia

per ton

£18

a Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers

J,

£28

a „ Lump

£35

a Soda, Chlorate

per'lb.

6d.

a „ Crystals

per ton

£12

a Sodium Bichromate, casks

per lb.

METALS. &c.

g Babbitt's Metal Ingots

per ton

£118 to £345

c Brass (rolled metal 2" to 12" basis)

per lb.

1/8J

Jd. inc.

c 1, Tubes (solid drawn)

,,

1/Ci to i/ei

}a. inc.

c „ Wire, basis

i/3i

Id. inc.

c Copper Tubes (solid drawn)

l/8i

Id, inc.

g ,, Bars (best selected)

per ton

£1IU

£3 inc.

g ,, Sheet

,,

£161

£3 inc.

g „ Rod

,,

£11^1

£3 inc.

d „ (Eleotrolytic) Bars

,,

£110

£5 inc.

d „ 1. Sheets

,,

£156

d „ „ Wire Rods..

,,

£120

£5"inc.

d „ „ H.C. Wire..

per lb.

1/4

id. inc.

f Ebonite Rod

,,

3/-

f „ Sheet

,,

3/6

n German Silver Wire

3/-

ft Gutta-percha, fine

14/-

Is. "inc.

ft India-rubber, Para fine

,,

1/11

2id. dec.

i Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ...

per ton

Nom.

/ „ Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual.

£5'J

g Lead, English Pig

,,

£37 10s.

£2 ids", inc.

g Mercury

per hot.

£30 10s. til 421

lU/- to 30/- iuc

e Mica (in original cases) small ...

per lb.

6d. to 4/6

e ,, ,, ,, medium..

,,

6/- to 10/-

g „ „ „ large ...

„

13/6 to 35/- & up

g Phosphor Bronze, plain castings

,,

1/6 to l/U

g „ „ rolled bars and rods

„

3/3 to 3/6

d ,, ,, rolled strip & sheet

,,

3/3 to 3/9

r Silicium Bronze Wire

per lb.

1/113

Jd. inc.

g Steel, Magnet, in bars

,,

1/8

n Tin, Block (English)

per ton

£266 to £267

£26")n:.

e „ Wire, Nos. I to 16

per lb.

4/9

White Anti-f riotion Metals

per ton

£90 to £345

Quotations supplied by—

a G. Boor & Co.

g James & Shakespeare.

c Thos. Bolton & Sons, Ltd.

ft Edward Till Jt Co.

d Frederick Smith & Co.

I Boiling & Lowe.

e F. Wiggins & Sons.

/ Richard Johnson &

Nephew, Ltd.

f India-Rubber, Gutta-Percha and

nP.

Orraiston A Sons

Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.

r W

F. Dennis & Co

HIectrical Utilities Corporation. — Ouarurly di\idend of
1.1 \>er cent, on the preferred stock.

Colombo Electric Tramways & Lightinf< Co., Ltd. — Prulit
for 1919 .£48,324. To i,'eneral reserve and renewal .£20,000;
dividend of 10 per cent., free of ta.x; carried forward
i:1.5,240.

Motor-Car Lights. — The probletn of motor-car head-
lights, which will give sufficient driving light and at the
same time will not dazzle is tiiscussed, as are also the difBcul-
ties experienced in illumination during fogs, in the Uptician
and Scientific Instrument Maker. Several devices which are
claimeti to satisf.v the conditions are described, the simplest
method being to paint dark the portion of the reflector which
sends light upwards, or the part of the lamp through whicli
the light reaches the reflector. In the oflfset reflector the two
halves are separated, the upper half being further from, and
the lower half nearer to, the lamp than the focal distance.
Thus both halves throw beams of light downwards only. In
another headlight the two halves of the reflector are hinged
at the vertex, so that b.v turning one half, or both halves,
the driver can concentr.ite the light upwards or downward.-;.
or distribute it evenly. A headlight with two lamps, arranged
vertically, with an opaque shield between, gives somewhat
similar results. The upper lamp is fixed in a position to
throw light, after reflection, at the upper half of the reflector,
downwards. The lower lamp may be moved inside or outside
the focus so as to give a beam of light directed downwards
or upwards, as de.sired. A number of different types of Ien,se8
have been designed to meet the required conditions. In one
type the lower half of the lens consists of two sets of obliquely
parallel prisms, so that the emergent light spreads out in a
broad fan over the entire surface of the road and the etrip
of land on either side. The upper half is made up of a seriea
of concentric senii-reetangular pri.sins which refract the raya
inwards and downwards to form a dense, brilliant, narrow
Bhaft of light ebining down the centre of the road. — Technical
Review.

Vol. 87. No. 2,225, July 16, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

89

WATER-POWER DEVELOPMENT.

Bv L. E. WOOD, A.M.I.E.E.

Never in the history of Great Britain has there been such
a pressing demand for an abundant supply of cheap power.
Previous to the world crisis, coal, with which these islands
are richly endowed, was so cheap and plentiful that it was
thought that no other source of energy could compete with
it. To-day we have the biggest trade boom the country
ever knew, when all the world is simply starving for sup-
plies, but our industries are totally unable to expand to meet
the demands, because there is a great shortage of fuel.

Coal is now more than double its pre-war price, and still
rising : moreover, the supply is totally inadequate to meet
onr wants.

Much the same may be said of oil ; though its production
has rapidly increased during the last few years, so has its
price ; crude oil, as used for raising steam, and in certain
types of internal-combustion engines, could, before the War,
be bought for £3 5s. per ton, whereas to-day, it is round
about £12 per ton. Moreover, the sphere of oil fuel is
extending in every direction, and at the present rate of
progress in the development of apparatus for using oil fuel,
the demand will far outstrip the supply.

There are other considerations which militate against the
universal adoption of oil ; at the present time we are, as we
always shall be, entirely dependent on foreign countries for
our supplies, which have to be borne long sea voyages in
ships which, in time of War, would be subject to submarine
attack. It is also subject to market manipulations, and
has to be handled many times before reaching the consumer.
The only other source of energy known to-day is water
power. Unfortunately, these islands are not so well blessed
in this direction as in the case of coal. We have no huge
waterfalls like Niagara, Victoria, Ignassu, &c., capable
of giving a continuous supply of millions of horse power,
neither have we any great non-tidal rivers like the St.
Lawrence with its great lakes, whose waters are derived from
large catchment areas, but we have a limited amount,
which, though of modest proportions, would, if developed,
help out our coal supplies considerably.

(^)uoting figures from a survey of the water potentialities
of the world, apart from tidal energy, it is estimated that
England possesses '.100,000 h.p. capable of development ;
but far greater possibilities depend on our ability to utilise
the tidal flow of such rivers as we possess, that meet the
requirements. The three great desiderata for a tidal plant
are : — First, that there should be sufficient lieight of tide
to obtain a good head ; secondly, that there should be two
natural reservoirs of large size, so that continuous power
can be obtained ; and thirdly, that the power plant should be
central to the population to be served.

Without the first and second, the case for tidal energy
is hopeless.

What promises to be the first great tidal development in
the world is to take place at Hopewell, in Canada, where
the initial development is to be 100,000 h.p., at an
estimated cost of t'2,100,000, or approximately L'21 for
each ir.p.

In this case the two most important features exist ; first,
the tide is most regular, and is one of the highest in the
world, with a spring rise of 45 ft., a neap rise of ;i8 ft., and
a normal neap range of 32 ft. In the second place, nature
has almost completely formed two large reservoirs where
two rivers converge upon a tidal bay.

Up to the present the importance of water-power develop-
ment has not been sufficiently appreciated in this country,
and such schemes as have been projected have met
with such fierce opposition, even from public sentiment,
that they have been abandoned. Thus to-day we have no
organised plans for future development of any magnitude,
though certain reports say that a scheme has been projected
to develop the tidal flow of the river .Severn at 15eachley,
estimated to cost between £s,000,000 and £'.),000,000, to
be completed in five years : the amounc of power resulting
therefrom is not stated.

Let us consider what effect 900,000 h.I'. would have on
our industrial life if we had at the present moment that
amount of power at our disposal. It represents consider-

ably more than the total combined output of all the electric
power stations in liondon. Imagine Greater London
obtaining its light and power without the aid of coal.

In the most modern steam plants 2 -5 lb. of coal is con-
sumed in producing 1 n.p.-hr. of electricity, so that 900,000
H.p. would require nearly '.),000,0(»0 tons per year ; 900,000
10-ton trucks and 900 of the largest locomotives we possess
would be required to haul this amount of coal, which water
power would relieve for other duties.

Water power is many times more efficient than power
produced from coal ; at least 90 per cent, efficiency is obtained
from the amount of water passing through the turbine,
against 20 per cent, from coal.

The saving in man-power by producing energy from
water power, as compared with steam power, is large,
especially if the number of miners required to provide coal
is considered. A large American power company has
published statistics comparing the number of men to
operate one of its hydro-electric plants, with the number,
including miners, needed to operate one of its steam
plants. In a water-power plant one man is required
per 6,000 h.p. of capacity, whereas in a steam plant
one man is required per 100 H.i-., and assuming that
900,000 H.p. of water power would replace the same amount
of steam power, over s,000 men would be released for other
duties ; furthermore, water power is the only power which
is not dependent for its source on the human element, and
is thus immune from sectional strikes.

(^uite recently the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Rail-
road of America opened for traffic a further length of 207
miles, making, with the 4 40 miles previously electrified, a
total of 647 miles, and when the remaining strip of 212
miles is electrified, 95 electric locomotives will replace 250
steam locomotives.

Electric power for the operation of this line is supplied
by water power, derived from the mountain ranges through
which the line passes.

Substitution of hydro-electric power on this system will
effect a saving in fuel, based on the business of 1918, of,
approximately, 300,000 tons of coal and 40,000,000
gallons of oil fuel annually. Thus, the mountains provide
the power whereby they are conquered.

France has water potentialities estimated to produce
9,000,000 H.P., of which only a fraction is developed : how
differently she would be placed to-day if only 50 per cent,
of the available amount had been developed.

Water power is the greatest asset a nation could possess,
and any scheme, tidal or non-tidal, capable of commercial
development, even at a great initial cost, should be pushed
forward with the least possible delay.

A Water Power Commission should be established with
powers to survey the whole country, to grant rights, and to
remove all obstacles, so that the community may utilise
the gifts of nature, now going to waste, and thus relieve
the ever-increasing difficulties of our coal supply.

Tariff Policy. — At a meeting of the Executive Com-
mittee of the Tariff Reform League, held on Thursday last week
tChamberlain Day), at the House of Commons, a report presented
by the General Purposes Committee was atlopted, setting: forth a
definite tariff policy, and recommending its adoption by the League
as the basis of an active educational campaign during the coming
autumn and winter.

Anstralia and Trade with Germany, — Accdrding to an

Australian paper just to hand, ic was stated at Melbourne in May
that in some cases Australian manufacturers had recently found
that they were in urgent need of certain " key " machinery or
tools which apparently could only be obtained fiom former enemy
countries. It was represented that by applying the continued
general embargo on trade with Germany and other former enemy
countries to these particuar cases, Australian industries were
seriously hampered, while no special harm was done to the former
enemy countries, as the things needed were generally quite small
items, though indispensable. This question was recently put before
the Federal Ministry. After consideration, it was decided that
where it was clearly shown that certain things were indispensable
to an Australian industry, and it was also Droved that they could
not be obtained excepting from Germany or some other former
enemy country, licences should be granted for their importation to
Australia. '' Licences of this kind have already been granted in
one or two special instances."

90

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

[Vol. 87. No. 2,225, JuLT 16, 1920.

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

Readerg art invited to tuhmit particulart of new or improved devices and apparatm, which will be published
if considered of suffieient interest,

A " Super Switch Plug."

Details of a new combined switch and plug .shortly to be
placed on the market are supplied by Mr. W. T. Rawcliffe, 3,
(jreengate, Victoria Bridge, Salford, Manchester, This device
(illustrated in fig. 1) consists of a double-pole, quick break
switch with earth connections, which is interlocking when the
plug is in position and the current switched on. \Vhen either
open or closed there are no "live" parts exposed, all details
being effectively enclosed. The locking pin works one way
only, and thus the same polarity is obtained in every case.
(Contact is made by inserting the plug and turning it to the
" on " position.

A Small Lighting Transformer.

There are many cases in which it is required to keep a
small light burning for long periods, and to effect this with-
out the use of small batteries the British Thomson-Houston
Co., J.Tij., Mazda House, 77, Upper Thames Street, E.G. 4.
has produced the " All-Nite-Lite " device, shown in fig. '2.
This is a small tran.sformer for use ou an a.c. circuit of from

Fig. 1. — A " Super
Switch Plug."

Fig. 2.— The " All-Nite-Lite '
Transformer.

50 to 140 cycles. It is made in two types, suitable for voltages
of 100-150 and 200-250 respectively. At one end of the case is
a bayonet adaptor to tit in the standard Jampholder, and at
the other end a miniature socket for a 6 volt, 3 c.p. bulb is
titled. The overall length of the device is 3i in., and it is
stalled that at ordinary supply rates a small light can be main-
tained for 40-GO hours at the cost of Id.

The Martin Rotary Converter.

In our issue of October 31st, lill'.l, we gave brief particulars
of the " Martin " rotary converter, a machine that is intended
to supply energy for battery charging, kinematographs, or
any other purposes that involve conversion of A.c. into D.c.
This machine is a speciality of the Electrical ENGiNEi:iUNCi &
Equipment Co., Ltd., of 109-111, New Oxford Street. W. 1.
On account of the difficulty encountered in starting, the de-
velopment and use of smaller sizes of rotary converters has
been retarded and preference given to other types of plant. In
the Martin rotary converter, however, this disadvantage has
been entirely overcome, and the machine can be started as
easily as an ordinary jxilyphase induction motor. On the
occasion of a recent visit to the North Metropolitan Electric
Power Supply Co.'s station at Winchmore Hill, N., we siiw
one of these converters running on load. The machine we
inspected was designed to run on a. 415-volt, 50-cycle,~
3-phase supply, and its D.C. output was 20 Kw. at from 70 to
no volts at 1,000 R.p.M. After a 3-hours' full load test run the
temperature of the machine had hardly risen above normal;
it ran quite sparklessly, and indeed it seemed difficult to
make it^ do anything that it should not do. Tliere was no
change in speed, and it continued to take its load without
protest, even when the field circuit w-as brolren. The Martin
rotary converter is designed on novel lines; high voltage in
the shunt fields w-hen .starting is eliminated by means of a
damper ring which is introduced between the arm.iture and
the pole pieces as shown in fig. 3. The ring acts as a mag-
netic screen for the armature flux, diverting it through the
magnetic circuit of the dam|X>r ring instead of the magnetic
circuit on which the shunt fields are placed. The damper
ring fonns a continuous laminated magnetic circuit from pole
to pole, ami has alternate slots and squirrel-cage bars ou its

inside periphery. The riveting or welding of these bars to
the copper end rings gives this inaproved converter the starting
characteristics of an ordinary induction motor, and prevents
hunting when once in step and under load conditions. The
apparent paradox in the construction of the magnetic circuits
is the secret of the machine's success. The continuous iron
laminations of the damper ring would .s<iem to short circuit
the flux from the field poles, but in reality this is only true

Fio. 3.— Component Parts of Martin Rotary.

when .starting up, and is necessary to prevent high voltage in
the shunt fields. In the slots of the damper ring is placed a
small portion of the shunt windings which presents magnetic
leakage from pole to pole when the rotary falls in step. Any
desired voltage regulation, from the characteristics of a shunt-
would to those of a compound generator, can be obtained
from this converter by pi'oper design of the .series winding
which is placed in the slots of the damjjer ring midway be-
tween the pole centres. This winding also maintains the
power factor of the rotary under load conditions. The con-
verter will not run away on account of the fact that the
series winding is placed on a .separate magnetic circuit from
the shunt winding, and the ratio of the amjierc turns is
such that there is no possibility of the flux from the .series
winding overcoming the stronger flux in the magnetic circuit
of the main shunt fields. The steel field frame is made with
inwardly projecting poles on which the shunt fields are placed.
The pole pieces are bored out so as to form a driving fit for
the damper ring which takes the place of the pole .shoes on
an ordinary machine.

Piegulation of the d.c. voltage where necessary, say, for
such purposes as battery charging, is effected in a simple
and efficient manner, namely, by means of selector or regulat-
ing switches connected to tappings on the transformer which
feeds the rotary ; 25 to 33^ per cent, regulation can be obtained
in this way without any resistance loss. For kinema work
the same transformer may be used to give a stand-by supply,
thus saving the cost of a .special transformer for the purpose.
A machine of this type is claimed to be mucli more efficient
than a motor generator set, and as it runs with a slightly
leading power factor, it is a desirable machine from a supply
authority's point of view.

The "C.M.I.

Magneto.

4) manufactured by the
Queen Victoria St., B.C. 4.

The "C.M.I." magneto (fig.
Oeneral Electric Co., Ltd., 67,

although not exactly new, having two or three years of war
service to its credit, deserves mention as an efficient ignition
device. It is particularly applicable to heavy car or lorry

Fig. 4.— The

engines on account of its uniform spark over the full range of
adjustment, thus obviating the use of a separate battery
ignition system for starting. The amiature is sui>iK)rted on
two high grade ball bearings, and the outer ball race is
adju.stable for wear. The ilistributor gear shaft is also in an

Vol. 87. No. 2,225, July 16, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

91

adjustable bronze bearing lubricated by means of a wick
immersed in an oil well. The condenser is composed of inter-
leaved mica and tinfoil tested at 500 volts a.c. The contacts
are made of a low resistance, hard wearing alloy of platinum
and iridium. The magneto passesses a high finish, and is
practically waterproof.

New GaS'Glled Lamps.

An important advance in the art of electric lighting is
announced by the BritisJ Thomson-Hodston Co., Ltd.,
Mazda House, 77, Upper Thames Street, E.G. 4. The costly
research and experiments that led up to the production of the
" Mazda " gas-filled electric lamp in 1914 have been continued.

It was recognised that the utility of the large sizes of the
gas-filled lamp 100 watts and upwards) was confined to the
illumination of wide areas, and householders and small shop-

-40 watts, lou-iyo

volts. Fig. G.— 611 watts, -aRI-'iGd volts.

" MaZI>A " Ci.AS-FIM.F.D LaMI'.S.

keei>ers had to be content with the vacuum tvpe. Now.
however, economically .successful gas-filled lamps of .smaller
.sizes have been developed, and a wide .sphere of use is pre-
dicted for them. These new "Mazda" lamps are shown in
the illustrations herewith. Fig. 5 is a 4ll-watt. l(«l-1.3(l-volt

lamp, and fig. 6 a 60-watt, 200-260-volt type. Tile dimensions
of the 40-watt size are '2| in. diameter and 4J in. long, and
the larger size is '2J in. in diameter and oj in. long.

Electric Tire Inilator,

Messrs. Garage " Service " Equipment, Ltd., have supplied
us with details of a new Briti.sh tire inflator, the " Garso
Junior" (fig. 7), designed to ojierate from an ordinary 1'2-volt
accumulator. This is a self-contained unit comprising a J-h.p.,
I'i volt motor, and a compressor measuring If in. square, which
will pump 1,000 cu. in. of free air per minute, and is capable
of starting up against a pressure of J.W lb. per sq. in. The

Llihric Tikk Tni-i.atou

motor is fan-cooled, the conmiutator being easily demountable.
The brushes are harried in two guides mounted on a ring con-
tact, being maintained by two flat coil .springs. The air is
pumped through a small orifice into the air chamber, where
it expands and cools, all oil, &c.. being expelled. A pressure
gauge registering from zero to IHO lb. is fitted. It is claimed
tliat the device will inflate an 87.5 mm. by 11-5 mm. tire from
flat to a pressure of 90 lb. per sq. in. in 8 min. 4'2 sec.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY CONTACT SYSTEMS.

By SIR PHILIP DAWSON, M.I.E.E.

iAhxtravt of jmjier read hefore the. iNsriTUTiON OP Electrical Enqiseebs.)

(Concluded

In connection with the electrification of the Brighton Rail-
way there is one section on the South Ivondon line over which
there is practically no steam traffic, and which is practically
entirely oi)eiated electrically, whilst on the other electrified
eections there exists in addition to the electric service a very
heavy steam service, which during the years of war was
exceptionally increa.sed owing to the abnormally heavy muni-
tion traffic handled by the Brighton Railway.

As will be seen from the following diagrams which have
been taken from very careiful records kept during the last
ten years, the maintenance costs and renewals of the overhead
construction are very largely affected by steam operation.

The efficiency of the overhead system as regards the very
small number of defects and delays arising therefrom is shown
in fig. '2. The larger number of defects in 1911 and 1912 over
tlio.se in ]9i;i is due to the fact that the Crystal Palace line
was opened in May, 1011, before it had lieen really properly
(■orapleted. and the decrease in defects in 1913 is due to these
having been remedied. The rise after 1914 is entirely due
to the war, owing to the heavy munition steam traffic over
the Crystal Palace line. Even .so the defects which caused
delays exceeding half-an-hour are extraordinarily rare.

Pig. 3 shows the percentage cif both the primary and secon-
dary insulators renewed on the whole system per annum ;
whilst fig. 4 .shows the total number and percentage of primary
and secondary insulators renewed on the South London and
Crystal Palace lines. Not a single primary insulator has been
renewed on the wholly electric section of the South London
line. Considering that there are altogether 7,000 primary
and 14,000 secondary insulators, the result shown can be con-
sidered to be eminently satisfactory.

Pig. 5 shows the percentage of trolley wire renewed on
the whole of the overhead system since it was first operated

from page 61.)

electrically in 1909. The wear of the trolley wire is largely
if not entirely dependent on the amount of current collected.
This is borne out by the actual measurements carried out
duiing the last ten years, the results of which are recorded
in fig. 6. The wear on the trolley wire where no current is
taken is nearly negligible.

Fig. 7 shows the percentage of catenary and dropper-wire
renewals during the last ten years. Here again the large
increase in these renewals during the years of war is practi-
aclly entirely due to the extraordinary heavy st<'am traffic.

Fipr. 2. Fis:. 3.

Fig. 2,— Overhead Dei-'ects Causing Delays to Traffic

Working Exceeding 3 Minotes.

Fig. 3. — Percentage Renewal of Primary and Secondary

Insulators per Annum.

The experience gained on the Brighton Railway, where very
great precautions were taken in order to ensure absolute

92

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [Voi. 87. No. 2,225, jdlt le, 1920.

safety of operation, has shown that a simpler form of construc-
tion and one which will considerably decrease the cost of
construction and maintenance can be adopted, and one has
been designed and tried, and will be employed in connection
with any extensions which may be carried out.

Conductor Rails.

At the present moment there are three types of conductor
rails in general use if we consider them from the point of
view of form of current collection.

OveT-Tunniiip, where tahe shoe rests on the top portion of
the rail, lieinfi kept there by means of gravity or springs.

Under-running, where the current is collected from the
lower surface of the rail, the rail being supported from the
top, and the contact being pressed upwards by means of
springs against the conductor rail. This system is not at
present in use in this country, although installed to a very
considerable extent in the United States and on the Con-
tinent.

M

MB

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

'V

J ■ 1 A

1 -T T

yp T

1*1 '

.- = =!=-'i 1 ! 1

iilissSssili

► 1

S A

&"

-^ ,3

o2 "^

:>^ ■"

j

1 1

FipT. 4. Fig. .-..

Fig. 4. — Insulators Renewed on Account of Stone-
THROWiNO, Electric, Mechanical, and Steam Causes.
Pig. 5. — Percentage Renewal of Trolley Wire per Annum.

Side-runniny, such as was designed and installed by Sir
John Aspinall on the Manchester-Bury section of the Lanca-
shire & Yorkshire Railway, where ttie current is collected
from the side of the conductor rail by means of a collector
pressed laterally against the conductor rail by means of
springs.

Conductor rails have to be interrupted at crossings and at
complicated portions of the track, and in order to enable
trains to leave and again make contact with the conductor
rail at high speed either vertical or lateral ramps have to be
installed to bring the collector shoe into gradual touch with
the conductor rail.

• Jumper cables have to be provided in order to connect elec-
trically the different sections of the conductor-rail system.
and experience has shown that where ix)ssible these should
be laid either above ground or on the surface, so as to be
easily accessible from the point of view of repairs and main-
tenance. Proviiiion has also to be made by means of section
switches to sectionalise the conductor rail so as to be able
to isolate portions of it when required, in order to renew or
repair portions of the track or in case of derailment.

The .shape of the conductor varies very much, and no
standard exists for this at present, neither has any standard
yet been definitely adopted by all railways for the height or
actual position of the conductor rail.

The rails must be of a special chemical composition so as
to give the highest conductivity consistent -nith durability.

Referring to the question of gaps, with pressures up to
1,300 volts, no very great trouliles with over-pressures have

an overhead construction to carry an overhead conductor rail
has had to be installed.

With conductor rails operating at 600 volts, experience has
shown that under normal condiuous no protection is required
or advisable, and, iu fact, there are many cases where such
protection having been originaUy installed has now been re-
moved, not merely to reduce the cost oi maintenance, but
because it has been found that a conductor rail without such
protection formed a smaller obstruction to the operating stall
than a iJrotected one. Notwithstauding the great mileage .■*>
far installed, the nuruber of fatal accidents due to iiersous
coming into contact with the conductor rail is very small, and
such accidents have more generally occurred in the case of
trespassers than of employes.

W here, however, a pressure of 1,200 or 1,500 volts is in use,
the conductor rail must be jirotected, and a very suitable form
of protection for a side contact has been adopted by the Lanca-
.shiie & Yorkshire Railway on their Manchester-Bury section.
The most suitable material for this protection in this country
has been found to be Jarrah wood.

Whilst on certain railways in certain cases it has been
found necessary to anchor the conductor rail, experience on
other lines seems to show that this is not always either neces-
.sary or desirable.

Insulators at pre.sent in general use are made of porcelain,
earthenware, " Siluminite,' reconstructed granite, and various
other substances, and the normal spacing is in the neighbour-
hood of y or 10 ft. apart.

The only serious delays which have so far been caused in
this country in connection with the conductor-rail system are
iu the case of those railways where top contact is made when
abnormal weather conditions have caused the rail to be covered
with a layer of ice. So far this difficulty appears to have been
overcome either by under-running or by side-running.

As regards the question of wear and tear, it is very difficult
owing to the varying conditions of chmate, operation, and
location, to come to any definite conclusion, but experience
in the open air on the Metroixihtan District Railway would
.seem to indicate that the loss of rail due to wear and tear
and corrosion may be taken at something like 1 lb. per yard
per annum, half of which is due to wear, and the other half
to corrosion.

So far as the systems of conductor rail adopted in this
country are concerned, it may be said that there are two
definite principles at present in operation, and a third has
been propo.sed. In the case of the Metropolitan and the
Metroiwlitan District Railways, owing to the fear of the drop
in the return circuit being limited to sucli a figure by the
Board of Trade as to make it difficult to realise with an
ordinary track rail return, these railways have adopted double
conductor rails, one po-sitive and the other negative, the track
rails not being utilised as a part of the return circuit. This
arrangement has brought about certain defects in connection
with insulation of the apparatus on the trains, particularly
when the negative conductor rail becomes earthed from any
reason, due to over-pressures. The necessity of using two
insulated conductor rails obviou.sly increases both the capital
and maintenance costs of the conductor system.

Tlie other system is that adopted by the North-Eastem, the
Lancashire & Yorkshire, and the London & South-Western
Railways, and is one where only one insulated conductor rail
is employed, the track rails being utilised for file return circuit
either with or without a supplementary bonded raD or return
conductor. This additional rail is bonded to the track rails,
and serves merely for carrying current, and is not, insulated
from earth.

With a view to getting the benefit of 3,000 volts pressure,
but at the same time not having to utilise any motors •\\ound
for a higher pressure than 1,.500 volts, and in order to do
away with anv large currents returning through the track

vom

■

■

u^

H

^

-

-

-

i

-

■

'•-

1

t

1

1

S

A, no current ; b, local running current ;
c, local starting current.

Fig. (i.
Fig. 6. — Relative Wear on Trolley Wire.
Pig. 7.— Percentage Renewal of Catenary Wire per Annum.

Fifr 7

so far lieen encountered owing to contact shoes making and
breaking contact, and it is quite po.ssible to coast over lengthy
gaps where multiple-unit trains are. used. This becomes diffi-
cult, if not impossible, where electric locomotives are used
to haul heavy loads, and where a gap would mean a complete
interruption of energy to the train. In order to overcome this
difficulty both on the New York Central and Hudson River
Railroad and on the Penn.sylvania Railroad, on complicated
sections where the conductor rail has had to be interrupted

rails, Mr. Raworth, the elei-trical engineer of the South-
Ea.stern & Chatham Railway, has proposed the adoption of a
conductor-rail .sy.stem requiring two insulated conductor rails
]ier track, the "track rails serving as a neutral. A similar
system has been running for some years ou the Nord-Sud
line in Paris, which operates with an civeihead conductor and
insulated conductor rail, the difference of potential between
these being 1,'200 volts, and the tracJc rails serving as neutral
of a three-wire system.

Vol. 87. No. 2,225, July 16, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW,

93

The permissible voltage drop in the earthed return is the
most important factor in the case of direct and alternating-
current systems of traction.

At the present time there have been very considerable de-
partures from the original standard as dictated by the Board
of Trade for maximum voltage drop in rails of electric tram-
ways where direct-current systems are concerned. The maxi-
mum allowance of 7 volts imposed on tramways has compelled
such railways as have electrified under parliamentary powers,
and who feared similar regulations being imposed upon them,
to install insulated return-current conductor rails.

Other railways not so situated are operated with rail drops
])erhaps exceeding for short periods 20 times that figure.
Either, therefore, the Board of Trade limit, as imposed on
tTaraways. is unduly severe if applied to railways, or there
is an amount of damage going on by way of electrolysis which
must sooner or later involve considerable trouble.

Since sub-station distance, and, therefore, the economic
operation of direct and alternating-current systems, are
directly affected by rail drop, a time seems to have arrived
when some decision should be taken on this point. The
anomaly of one railway being afraid of being limited to a
7-volt drop while another is unrestricted should be removed.

At one time it was considered that a.c. had no harmful
effect as far as electrolysis was concerned, and- in any case
this effect is very y.smyall compared with D.c.

The Board of Trade has recognised that a hiaher pi'essure
drop can be admitted with alternating than with direct cur-
rent. Tlie finst reculation laid down was 200 volt-minutes for
a period not exceeding 10 minutes, which means that for short
neriods the drop may be twice as much. The question of cost
is very largely governed bv the number of sub-stations, and
this in its turn is governed by the maximum drop allowed in
•the tra<'t return.

The limitations of rail drop are. therefore, governed bv
considerations of economy and of inductive effects. The latter
have not proved by anv means so troublesome as had been
nrnphesied. the effects of rail impedance being largely counter-
balanced by the comparatively .small current transmitted in
tbp A.c. system.

It is not the intention of this paper to make anv comparison
between the merits of conductor rails and the overhead
svstem. but merely to give information. It is, however,
obvious that the presence of a charged rail near the track
mu.st increase the cost of maintaining the permanent way.

JOINT ELECTRICITY AUTHORITIES.

M'est of England (Group E. 8).
A MEETING of authorised undertakers, representatives of
County Councils. &c.. concerned in the scheme for the supply
of electricity, was held at Bristol on July 6th.

The Lord Mayor of Bristol (Mr. -J. T. Francombe) welcomed
the representatives, and expressed the hope that their de-
liberations might be crowned with success.

Mr. H. Faraday Proctor (Bristol Corporation Electricity
Department), prior to taking the chair, moved a hearty vote
of thanks to the Lord Mayor. He stated that they were met
to consider the submission of a draft .scheme to the Electricity
Commissioners for the establishment of a joint electricity
authoritv in the West of Eneland. as stipulated in the Elec-
tricity (Siipply) Act, 1919. The Organising Committee which
was appointed at a general meetinc of various authorised
undertakers held on January 2nd, 1920, had nut forward this
draft scheme, which was not a scheme for affecting or secur-
ing any financial advantages from any particular alteration
in the area. Section 5 of the Act required a scheme for the
improvement of the existing organisation for the supply of
electricity, but from certain letters he had received it api^ared
that there w-as some misapprehension on this point. Some
appeared to have expected an encinoering scheme which dealt
with what generating .stations it was proposed to construct
or abolish. That was altogether outside the scheme. The
authority had to be appointed; when this was done, they
could get to work and formulate their scheme. Regarding
Herefordshire, this area was included at the request of the
Commi,s.sioners. and not by the decision of the Organising
Committee. The financial clauses of the proposed scheme
were modelled on those proposed for the new Act. It was
ab.sniutely essential to have power to raise money, and to have
facilities to raise it as cheaply as possible. The scheme dealt
with the levying of a deficiency rate. The chief reason for
putting that into the scheme was not because the Organising
Committee considered that the undertakine would not be
self-supportinc. but to provide a better security for the lenders
of money. The scheme was not binding: it would have to
go before the Commissioners, who might make amendments,
anrl it would come back to them for further consideration. To
facilitate discussion, he suggested the consideration of the
.scheme in sections, and moved that pages 1 to 15, together
with Schedule 2 be approver! and adopted.

Colonel Ru.ssEi.L Kerr (Glos. Countv Council) stated that
his Council was favourably disposed towards the scheme, and

was inclined not only to come in, but to come in with finan-
cial responsibility if it could be assured on one or two minor
points.

Mr. P. Lynden Coopee (Monmouth County Council) inquired
whether County Councils forming parties to the scheme
would have equal liabilities.

Sir Harry Hatt (Chairman, Bath Electrical Committee)
said he differed from the premises arrived at by the chairman.
He considered the first duty of the Organising Committee was
to devise a scheme which was going to comply with Section 5
of the Act, viz., which would conduce to greater efficiency
and economy in the generation and distribution of electricity.
The committee had misunderstood the reference made to it when
it was appointed. As it was, they had a scheme before them
for providing the money necessary to run a scheme which
was not before them. The sole object of placing electrical
engineers on the Organising Committee was that they might
have some infoniiation as to the practicability of the scheme.
The .scheme which was before them micht have been very
well done by the town clerk of Bristol without the assistance
of the electrical engineer. He suggested that the proper
course for the conference to pursue was to adjourn the meet-
ing, instruct the Organising Committee to prepare an en-
gineering scheme, and ask the Commissioners to postpone the
inquiry, and to that end he moved the following amend-
ment : —

"That in the opinion of this Conference a scheme should
be formulated for the grouping of districts so as to conduce
to the efficiency and economy of electricity, and that in the
meantime the Commissioners be asked to postpone their
inqiury so that the scheme may be presented. Also that the
Commissioners be respectfully asked to extend the date for
the making of objections or representations."

Aldennan G- Stevens (Swindon) .seconded the amendment.

The Town Clerk of Swindon .said his Council had given
very careful consideration to the proposals put forward in
the draft scheme, and desired to contribute in every possible
way to the carrving out of the policy laid down by Parliament
in the Act of 1919. but that did not say that a public repre-
sentative body with its responsibilities to its constituents
.should not examine very carefully, and in detail, anv proposals
that were made which committed them to financial liabilities.
His CouncU would take strong exception to the powers sought
for the levying a. deficiency rate in the event of the scheme
not being self-supporting. He drew attention to Clause 19
which was practicallv copied from Clause 14 of the Bill now
before Parliament. That Bill was not being proceeded with,
and he considered it a source of danger to pa.ss the scheme
with that clause in. Clauses 19 and 25 were quite nltra vires,
and he supported the amendment, as he considered more
information was desirable on some of the proposals put for-
wa rd .

Mr. P. Wardle (Town Clerk. Bath) stated that he expected
to receive some information at this Conference of a special
nature to enable them to arrive at a conclusion as to whether
the scheme was practicable. Boundaries of areas had been
defined without any reg.ard hein3 given to the encineering
possibilities of those ai"eas. The Commissioners would expect
both sides to be presented, and he considered they were riding
for a fall in proceeding with the present scheme.

Mr. E. Owen Seacombe (Town Clerk, Cheltenham) stated
that the area which was included in the scheme was not the
area selected by the Organisina Committee. It was selected
by the Commissioners. The idea of the Act w-as to widen
the area of electricity supply so as to do away with a large
number of smaller undertakings all working on different
lines, and to get one area under one control to develop elec-
tricitv in a more efficient manner. If there were anv amend-
ments desired in the scheme before them, they should be
proposed.

Mr. J. H. Edwards (representing a number of smaller
undertakings in the proposed area) .said it would be much the
better plan if speakers L'ave their attention to items of the
scheme. Until the joint electricitv authority was fonned
nothing could lie done. He strongly advocated the passing
of the scheme, reserving any objections until the inquiry of
the Corami.ssioners.

Mr. A. J. Howard (Taunton Electricity Department) said
that Taunton was undecided as to coming into the West-of-
England scheme. A joint authority was in process of forma-
tion at Exeter, which was nearer Taunton than Bristol,
although they were not keen on coming into either.

Mr. B. T. Gardom (Gloucester County Council) cnrnpli-
mented Mr. Proctor on the produ<^tion of the present scheme.
It had been subnutted to the Parliamentary draughtsman,
who had approved it. The Commissioners could alter the
scheme if they thought fit. Objections could be rai.sed at
the inqniry

Mr. H. Faraday Proctor, in replying to the discussion,
.said that the rcsnonsibib'tv incurred was in proportion to
voting power obtained. Personally, he thought it would be
absolute folly for such a small committee as had been set
up. assisted by a verv few engineers, to enrleavour to give
a report upon what should be done within the area during
the next five, ten. or fifteen years. This was the only .scheme.
He ought to make it quite clear regarding Beachlev and the
Forest of Dean. No action had been taken by the Organising
Committee directly. True, the Commi.ssioners had asked
him to take action on their behalf, but what had been done

9t

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,225, July 16, 1920.

bad been dcjue under CIiius<; IS of tbe Act (Interim Works).
It was the Commissioners who had the matter in hand. The
time was not opportune to consider the points rai-sed by Sir
Harry Hatt ; but they had not been lost sight of. If Taunton
thought it better not to be included, the Organising Com-
mittee would raise no objection to the line being drawn on
the near side to Bristol. If Hereford, Worcester, and Swin-
don desired to remain outside, the Committee would not
oppose them. The area as submitted was that of the Com-
missioners, and not of the Organising Committee.

On the amendment being put 2 voted for, 16 against. ^ 19
not voting. The chairman's resolution resulted in 20 voting
for and 5 against. The remaining portions of the scheme
were carried by a substantial majority in each case.

Mr. F. W. B. Cripps (Gloucester,shire County Council) urged
the necessity of )5roceeding immediately with the transmission
lines from Beachley to the Forest of Dean coalfields, and a
resolution making representations to the Commissioners to
that effect was carried unanimously.

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. H. Faraday
Proctor for presiding.

Loc.\L Inqdiriks.

With reference to the published notices dated as under of
the provisional determination by the Electricity Commissioners
of the following electricity districts : —

West of England or Lower Severn, .\pril -SOth {Elec. Rev.,
May 14th. p. G3I; 21st, p. 646; 28th. p. 679):

Mid-Lancashire, May 27th (Elec. Eev., .lune 11th. p. 767);

West Riding or Aire and Calder and South-East Lanca-
shire. June 18th (Elec. Rev., June 2.5th, p. 81-5);
and of their intention to hold local inquiries into the existing
organisations for the supply of electricity in those districts,
the Electricity Commissioners desire it to be known that any
person wishing to make any objection or representation with
regard to the inclusion of any areas in. or the exclusion of
any areas from, the districts so provisionally determined,
should do so in writing, as prescribed in the said notices,
and within the time specified therein. Any body or person
desiring to submit to the Commissionefs a scheme for effecting
an improvement in the organisation of the supply of elec-
tricity in a district can obtain from the secretary. Electricity
Commission. Gwydyr House, Whitehall. London. S.W. 1.
a memorandum on the preparation of such a scheme and
information about the steps to be taken in connection with
its submission.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY IN GREECE.

The Commercial Secretary to the British Legation at Athens,
in a report on the commercial and industrial situation of
Greece, mentions that, subsequent to the signing of the armis-
tice, industry in Greece made very considerable progress. A
very considerable number of new factories were in course
of erection or were projected. -Amongst these were cotton
spinning factories, w'ool manufactories, soap factories, oil
mills, flour mills, &<;. The leading industries, however, are
the tanneries and soap factories, of which there are more
in Greece than of other industries, and the greater part of
the raw materials necessary for the carrying on of these
industries is imported from abroad. During the latter part
of the war. and until some time after the .signing of the
armistice, many important factories in Greece were unable
to carry on at their regular output, or were obliged to shut
down altogether owing to the shortage of fuel. A certain
number managed to keep going in an rmsatisfactory manner
by using a mixture of wood and lignite. Amongst other
results of the shortage of coal may be mentioned the greatly
leduced supply of electric power, which was cut down to an
absolute minimum for lighting requirements, and current
for industrial purposes was for some time only supplied by
the Athens power station to such concerns as w-ere absolutely
necessary. Consequent upon this, a good many flour mills
at the Pirseus were obliged to suspend work. A further
result of the coal shortage was the shortage of gas. There
had been no gas available for domestic or industrial purposes
since 1916. practically to date, with a consequent disappear-
ance of coke from the market.

The war gave the Greeks an opportunity for making the
clo-ser acquaintance of the British in genera! and of British
goods, and the prolonged presence of tli:> British troops in
her territory and of British ships in her ports and around
her coasts, created a certain amount of unconscious pro-
paganda, with the result that the Greek traders became
exceptionally well-disposed towards Great Britain, and were
prepared, on equal terms, to gi'^c her the preference in trade.
The Exhibition of the Federation of British Industries- held
in the Zappeion at .\thens from October I9th until Noveuibei'
23rd. 1919. gave Briti.Ji manufacturers the opportunity of
bringing their products to the notice of the Greek buyers.

The state of the Greek markets at the close of the year
could be regarded as exceptionally healthy. The country
had become practically depleted of nearly b]1 imported goods

oumg to the ordinary difliculties experienced in obtaining
these during the war. The result of this was that prices
advanced quite disproportionately, and practically any manu-
factured goods which could be delivered found a ready sale.
Importers and merchants made large profits, and consequently
most of these became possessed of capital.

The report states that after the signing of the armistice,
the United States was first in the field of the Greek markets
with her industrial products, as was perhaps to be expected,
owing to the lesser degree in which her industries have
suffered owing to the war, and in the early days after the
armistice. In certain parts of Greece, Italy led the field in
imports, and she made strenuous efforts to retain her hold.
r.ater on, however, British goods, as the productive power
of British factories recovered from their enforced cessation
of work owing to the war, again obtained the lead in the
Greek market.

It is stated that if we are to maintain our trade supremacy
it will be necessary for British merchants to study carefully
the requirements of the markets. Quality and finish must
be maintained, and consideration must be given in manu-
facture to the particular requirements of the country, due
to chmatic conditions and custom- Further, in order to be
successful. British traders must learn to accommodate their
clients in the matter of quotations. It is not -sufficient to quote
goods at a certain price ex factory or even f.o.b. This con-
veys nothing to the Greek merchant. What he wants to
know is what the goods will cost him, delivered at Piraeus.
1 atras, or Salonica. Then he knows where he stands, and
is free to make his calculations accordingly and go ahead
with his business. Every effort should be made, therefore,
by merchants to quote prices c.i.f. at a Greek port wherever
possible.

" One of the reasons why German goods, amongst others
were .«o much to the fore in this country prior to the war.
was that the German manufacturer did the thinking for his
cu,?tomer. For example, before the war. practically the most
important engineering firm in Greece repre.sented almost
entirely German firms. On their being approached with a
view to taking up British agencies, they explained that they
were perfectly willing to do .so. but that in the past they
had represented Clerman firms simply owing to the additional
facilities they received from them. For example, when obtain-
ing quotations for iron material for a reinforced concrete
mill building for which they had obtained a contract to erect,
the German finiis when quoting for the material would sub-
mit complete plans and specifications for .such a building.
The British manufacturer, unfortunately, will not do this.
He delivers the iron rods or girders on rail outside his factory
;uid there his interest in the transaction often finishes."

It may he said that the commercial and indusfnal poten-
tialities of Greece are at present in the earliest stage of their
development. Greece has never had an opportunity of de-
veloping Macedonia, and numerous sciemes have been pro-
jected for the erection of mills, waterworks, and irrigation
schemes, and the Greek Government is giving very serious
attention to the development of the agricultural resources
of these new provinces.

The current Of public opinion in Greece at the present
moment runs very much in favour of Great Britain, and it is
a very opportune moment for British manufacturers to take
advantage ct this in order to open up trade relations with
this country.

The system of credit in force previous to the war has of
necessity been very much modified owing to the altered
conditions obtaining. In the old days foreign firms were
quite content to forward their goods to Greece on terms of
;-iO, 60, or iW days' credit, but the terms in force to-day are
usually those of part cash with order, and balance payable.
either again.st shipping documents in England, or through
a bank on arrival of the goods in Greece; or, and this per-
haps in the majority of cases, by confirmed letter of credit.
The Germans are not yet in a position to give protracted
credits, but certain -American firms of general export agents
have alreadv circularised importers here broadcast, offering
the old terms of 30, 60. or 9t) days' credit.

The general commercial status of the Greek trader has vastly
improved of late years. The Greek business man now realises
that it is to his interest to build up a steady regular trade
with the houses he represents, and by regularity and reli-
abihty in his dealings with foreign houses, to inspire con-
fidence and thereby increase his trade.

Chambers of Commerce have been formed within the la.st
two years in all the principal towns of Greece, under the
immediate auspices of the Ministry of Finance.

The most efficient manner of representation for British firms
is undoubtedlv that of appointing a local agent, with exclu-
sive rights of representation over the whole of Greece or a
certain portion thereof. There are many reliable Greek and
British firms, disposing of a fair capital, who are anxious
to obtain British agencies. Since the war a good many
British firms have opened up oiBces here for the purpose of
representing British manufacturers As the^e firms mostly
di.-.puse of competent uative travellers and arc in clo^t touch
with the requiiements of the market, this would undoubtedly
appear to be the most practical means of representation for
liritisli firms in this market.

If British firms wish to improve their business in these
markets tbev should not lose sight of the necessity of sending

Vol. 87. No. 2,225, July 16, 1920.]

IHE ELECTEICAL BETIEW.

95

(lut their ropie&entativcs or travellers regularly, and of supply-
ing them wiih a fair range of their samples and ample adver-
tising matter, if possible, in the vernacular.

Another important point, which can be once more reiterated,
is the necessity for quoting prices in the metric system and
using francs and kilos or metres when quoting, as the Greek
merchant, with few e.xceiitions, is befogged by quotations in
£. R. d. and avoirdupois.

Tho.se who are interested in developments in Greece should
obtain this report wherein are given names and particulars
of shipliuilding and other works, railways, ttc, and a gtHxl
deal of information ro.sixu-ting social conditions and trade
statistics.

TRAMWAYS AND LIGHT RAILWAYS
ASSOCIATION.

C>N the ■2nd inst., the twenty-third ordinary general meeting
of the Association was held at Caxton Hall, Westminster,
Mr. K. J. Howley, C.B.E., M.In.st.C.E., vice chaii-man, in
the chair, when the Council's report and the accounts for
1919 were aaopted. New members of Council lor the ensuing
vear were elected as follows : —

* W. G. Bowden Smith, A. L. Barber, Fred Coutts, E. H.
Edwards, H. England, A. L. C. Fell, L. E. Harvey, H.
Hollidav. Councillor R. Mayne, W. B. Pickering, *W. Shearer,
C. J. Spencer, H. L. White, *A. W. A. Chivers, 'P. M.
Ratfdale. *J. C. Whiteley, *J. A. Forde, E. R. Soames, C. G.
Tegetmeier. The names marked with an asterisk are those of
members that have been newly elected in place of others who
have retired by rotation. The chairman and vice-chairman
have not yet been nominated.

Following the meeting the twelfth Annual Congress was
held, at which the first paper presented was that by Mr.
C. J. Spencer. O.B.E., entitled " Some Notes on Transporta-
tion in .\nierica." The author said that his recent visit to
the T'nited States was an unqualified success from the point
(jf view of the exchange of experiences w'ith the very friendly
.\merican tramway njen. .^fter touching upon the financial
position of undertakings, tlat fare v. zone system, operating
costs, douhle-deck v, single-deck cars, English and .American
practice in rolling stock (the Americans had made considerable
progress as compared with conditions in this country), " pay
as you leave," one-man safety car, coupled cars and peak
loads, schedules, labour conditions, and maintenance and
labour-saving devices, Mr. Spencer concluded by saying :
■■ Generally, I came back impressed with the idea, that there
is room for considerable unprovements in our methods in this
country.

"On the other hami, I did not see very many indications
of fundamental changes in tramway evolution and operation.
1 believe nmch remains to be done to improve the electric
tramcar. We are all concerned with the excellent develoi)-
ment of the internal combustion engine type of street pa .
senger-carrying vehicle, and we cannot be blind to the pos.si-
I'ilities of the future. It must be remembered that we have
very considerable advantages in possessing a steel rail and
the consequently large carrying capacity unit, in addition
to an almost unlimited supply of power per vehicle and the
unrivalled qualities of an electric motor for traction work.
Much can be done to meet the development of the motor
'bus. but we must get down to fundamental design and .scrap
the idea of fixing trolleys, motors, and controllers to horse
cars. I found our colleagues in the Stales very much aHve
to the necessity of prosress in design, but most of the tech-
nical details did not differ materially from our own.

" We have in this country generally been first in really
new ideas. I am sure that in the tramway world we should
endeavour to regain our lead, and I hone the time is not too
remote when our American frif^nds are coming here to see
the late.<it in transport practice."

Mr. P. J. Pringle, M.I.E.E.. followed with his paper on
"One-man Cars, Rail Section.?, Corrugations, Differential
Wages, and Depreciation Allowances, from Australian Ex-
perience." After reference to the wide adoption and success
of one-man cars in the U.S.-'V., the author briefly described
his own system of one-man car operation, remarking that the
adoption of these cars had led to a marked reduction in plat-
form accidents, and a reduction of 40 per cent, in the cost
of iiisurance again.st third-party claims. The system could be
applied to existing rolling .stock.

The paper dealt at length with the subject of rail sections
and the c(5ning of rail and wheel treads. It said : —

"An increa.sc in the coning of rail treads by wear ad-
mittedly shortens the life of a rail : therefore, why not post-
pone this coning effect as much as possible by starting off
with flat rail and wheel treads'' I would suggest that the
Rail Standardisation Committee should suspend their present
proposals, and that careful tests on several systeuis be made,
as follows : (1) The extent of side swaying of the cars on
systems both w^ith hadly and lightly coned treads and wheels
compared with wheels turned up with flat treads: (2) that
current consumption tests should be taken in the tests above:
i'i) that if any undertaking is to-day running with an original

llat-rail tread in conjunction with a flat-wheel tread, the
resultant coning of the rails should be carefully investigated."

After alluding to "differential wages," which principle is
accepted by many of the .lustralian trade unions, the paper
passed on to depreciation. Mr. Pringle showed curves of
his own design, and said that 5 per cent, depreciation on
diminishing values has in the pa.st been allowed on all power-
station plant, this procedure being the same as that in force
here. This percentage is also allowed to any factory or works
working approximately 305 days per annum (Sundays and
holidays excluded) on the basis of 48 hours per week. It is
obviously inconsistent and unfair to only grant the same
allowance to undertakings which run continuously all the
year round. The Federal authorities have courteously con-
sidered this aspect, and now grant 10 per cent, depreciation
(m diminishing values for all jxiwer station plant and 5 per
cent, for all tramcars. With the enormous increase in the
replacement cost of assets which compose our tramway and
electrical undertakings, it is obvious that the old depreciation
allowances want entire revision. If the replacenjent cost is
double the original, then a 5 per cent, allowance is really
only equivalent to 2i per cent. ; otherwi.se it assumes that
the life is now double what it u.sed to be.

Both papers were briefly discussed, and the Congress ter-
minated in tinie to allow members to change and reassemble
for the annual dinner which was held the same evening at
the Connaught Roon:s, Kingsway.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters veceired hy ux aftir 5 P.M. ON Tdesdat cannot appear until
tlie folloa-in/i week. Correspondents slumld forward tJieir communi-
cations lit tilt earliest possible moment. Xn letter can be published
unless we hare the writer's name and address in our possession.

The Protection of Transmission Lines Against Lightning.

It is seldom that one comes across really reliable information
regarding the protection, against lightning, of h.t. transmis-
.sion lines.

\'arious types of arrester, whose makers claim immunity
from lightning trouble by their adoption, are on the market,
but many engineers out East are still looking for a satis-
tory protective device.

.4s H.T. lines are now common to all parts of the world,
T Wonder if any reader has useful experience of arrestera
in a really bad district. I believe that opinions, openly ex-
pressed in these columns, would be greatly appreciated by
many engineers. As a base, I would suggest a 6,600-volt.
:i-phase, 50-cycle installation, with star-connected generators
(unearthed neutral) feeding direct on to the line, and supply-
ing, at a distance of ten miles over hilly country, 6.000 ft.
above M.S.L., oil-cooled step-down transformers, deMa-con-
nected on the h.t. side, and star on i..t. — imearthed neutral.

India. Capricorn.

June mil, 1920.

[Much valuable information on this subject has emanated
from the engineers controlling transmission systems in the
Transvaal, where the conditions are very severe, and we have
summarised it from time to time in our pages. The Proceed-
inns of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers also
contain many papers on lightning arresters and their bo
haviour. — Eds. Ei.ec. Rev.]

What is the Contractor Doing?

I note the remarks of Mr. J. B. Epstein in your current
issue, and would like to know what possible chance the
British manufacturer has " in the great race for the home
trade which has still got to be won " under present circum-
stances. In a number of the large towns in this country at
the present moment displays of appHances, and particularly
electrical heating and cooking apparatus, of American manu-
facture, may be noticed. Secure in his home market, the
.American manufacturer is now " dumping " his goods into
this country, utilising the premises of complacent contractors
and others on terms of sale or return. While .American goods
are admitted practically free of tax into this country the
poor British manufacturer is groaning under the E.P.D..
income tax, lack of raw material and capital, such as to
render it practically imiwssible for him to succeed in holding
his own. let alone capturing the British home market.

British Manufacturer.

■Jiilii mil. 1920.

The Electro^ Deposition of Iron.

Regarding the article which appeared in the Electrtcal
Review, and the letter to the Editors published on -Tune 2.5th.
with reference to the process and its oriain, the electro-
deposition of iron is not something new discovered during
the Great War. We do not claim to have originated electro-
deposition of iron, but in the second edition of " Canning's
Handbook on Electro-plating. &c.." published in 1903. par-
ticulars of a recipe and general working instructions were

96

THE ELECTRICAL KEVIEW« [Voi. 87. No. 2,225. jhlt le, 1920.

yiven. Since then iuiprovod solutious and processes have
been from time to time put on the market, while the. electro-
deposition of iron, as a- commercial procPs.s. has been in actual
practice in factories in this country continually for at least
12 vears.

For W. Canning; & Co„ Ltd.,
Birminfiham. Arthuk B. Canning,
July 12th, 1920. Director.

The E.P.E.A.

Will Mr. Jones, the general secretary of the E.P.E.A..
explain why members are not excluded when they have
proved themselves to be blacklegs? I am referring to those
E.P.E.A. members at the Scottish Central Electric Power
Co., who have not been paid in full the £S0 bonus award
granted to the E.P.E.A.. and who .sooner than adopt the
.strike policy have decided to go without this said bonus,
although at the time the bonus award was given, they were
all joyfully exiiecting the payment of this award. A good
deal can be said about the methods adopted by the manager
of this company, due to a great extent to the action of the
E.P.E.A. members. Is it fair that when bonuses are granted
E.T.TJ. members must fight alone to obtain them, and. when
obtained, that thte E.P.E.A. members should receive the
same afterwards? E.T.TJ. members in general believe in
amalgamating with the E.P.E.A., but actions as above men-
tioned tend to make if imposi3ible.

Celt.

July nth, 1920.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly for this journal by Messrs. Sefton-Jones. O'Dell ane
Stephens, Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1,

16,834. " Electric switches or liijuid starters." Siemens-Schuckertworke.
June 23nd. (Ger.iiany, .August 30th, 1918.)

17,484. "Sparking plugs." H. S. Cooke. Juno 28th.

17,497. " Device lor working or driving electric light machinery, &c."
J. \V. Atkinson. June 28th.

17.530. " Ignition-timera for intcrnal-coinbustion engines." J. A. Holm,
June 28th.

17,545. " EHectrSc regenerative oonlrol." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.). June 38lh.

17,556. " Electric vehicles with storage batteries." A Couaillet. June 28th.
(France, August 19th. 1919.)

17,558. " Manufacture of electric heaters." Hungarian Elektbermax Co.
June 28th. (Hungary, August 22nd, 1919.)

17,5(>4. " Totally-enclosed electric machines." Siemens-Schuckertwerke.
June 28th. (Germany. 7th, 1914.)

17,565. " Dynamo-electric machines." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. June 28th.
(Germany, March 30th, 1916.)

17.580. " Magnetos." Remy Electric Co. June 28th. (United St.ites,
December 17th. 1919.)

17.581. " Diaphragms for submarine signal transmitters." Atlas-Werke
Akt.-r,..s. June 2Sth. (Germany. July 30th. 1918.)

17.583. " Electric fire and burglar ahirms." F. W. Conway. June 28lh.

17.589. " Electric heating bodies." S. Sokal (Luflfahrzeugbau Schutte.
Lanzl. June 28th.

17.590. " Electricalh -heated cooking plates," S. Solial (Luftfahrzeuijb.iu
Schutte-Lanz). June 38th.

17.591. " Thermallv-controlled circuit-interrupters." Igranic Electric Co.
(Cutler Hammer Manufacturing Co.l. June 28th.

17,595. Manufacture of zinc cups for drv cells for pocket lamps. &c. E. L.
Gaston. June 28th. (France. June 2«th, 1919.

17.611. " Sparking plugs." Soc. H. Trcntelivres et Cie. June 28th.
(France. May 28th. 1914.)

17,691. " Means of ignition for internal-combustion engines, &c." J. Evans.
June 29th.

17.707. " Electric lamp sockets." H. Kohn. June 29lh. (France, January
9th, 1917.)

17,709. " Electric repeaters." Western Electric Co. June 20lh. (United
St.Ttes, Mav 20th. 1919.)

17.714. '■' Spark-plugs." G. W. Noe. June 29th.

17,733. " Electrically .separating dust from gases and \apours." \A'. North.
June 29th. (Germany, August 27th, 1917.)

17,727. " Protective covers for electric ignition plugs." .A. F. Evans and
Roval National Lifeboat Institution. June 29th.

17.732. •' Electrical connecting devices." C. J. Marsollier. June 29th.
(France. Februarv 8th. 1916.)

17.733. " Electrical connecting devices." C. J. Marsollier. June 29th
17.7.3.5. " Dynamo-electric machines." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. June 29lh.

(Austria. January 29th. 1916.)

17.744. " A(>paratus for electrical treatment of gases." .\ Mond. (Inter-
national Precipitation Co.). June 29th.

17.747. *' Means for safeguarding electrical recording and nteasuring in-
struments against fraud." G. M. Daniels. June 29th.

17.760. " Process of electrolvtically working concentrated ores or allovs
containing copper and nickel." P. GoUbea-g. June 29th. (Germany, July
9th. 1918.)

17,769. " Electric switches." S. A. Bunn. June 29lh.

17.775. " Electrical calculating machines." A. Greier. June 29th.

17,822. " Electric motor controlPing switchgear." C. C, Garrard, M. Solo-
mon, and \V Wilson. June 30th.

17,843. " Electric generators." J. M. and J. W. Torrance. June 30th.

17.849. " Automalicallv-operated electric switch mechanism (or kinemato-
graph apparatus. J. W. Clifle and T. B. Rutter. June 30th.

17.857. " Electro-magnetic wave-receiving arrangements." Ges. fur Draht-
lose Telegraphic. June 30th. (Germanv. Mav 6th, 1918.)

17,874. " Ignition magnetos." E. A. Lay ton-Smith. June 3flth.

17.901. '* Electrode for depositing molten metal." \V. H. Boorne. June
30th.

17.946. " High-tension transformers." Siemens & Halske Akt.-Ges. June
30th. (Germanv. June 30th, 1919,)

17.947. " Vacuum apparatus." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. June 30th. (Ger-
many, August 13th, 1915.)

17.948. " .Anodes for vacuum apparatus." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. June
30th. (Germany. October 29th. 191.?.)

17.962. " Maximum and minimum cut-out switch for electric polvphase
altern.Tlini; current-circuits." V. Marlinetto. June 30th. (Italv, October
15th, 1915.)

17,963. " Emis.sion and reception of submarine waves." P. Langevin.
June 3(Jlh. (France, September 17th, 1918.)

17,967. " Means for fixing conducting wires lo insulators." C. Romagnoli.
June 30th.

17,975 and 17,976. " Ignition svstems (or combustion engines." M. Polak.
June 30th.

17,980. "Sparking plugs." F. L. Rapson. June 30lh.

17,986. " Automatic maximum switches." J. V, Balsley and A. Thode.
June 30th. (Denmark. December 15th. 1917.)

17,997. " Electric logs." L. C. Eddy. June 3Cih. (United States, Decem-
ber 4th, 1916.)

18,013. " Apparatus for electro-magnetically extinguishing arc produced on
breaking of electric circuit." F. Krupp Akt.-Ges. July 2nd. (Germany,
June 11th, 1919.)

18.018. " Electric switch operated by current of air." F. Krupp Akl.-(ics.
July 2nd. (Germany, December 27th, 1918.)

18.019. " .Arrangement for suppressing spark produced on breaking a
circuit having self-induction." F. Krupp Akt.-Ges. July 2nd. (Germany,
October 23rd, 1915.)

18.026, '* Apparatus for adjustment of distant continuous current motor."
F. Krupp Akt.-Ges. Julv 3nd. (Germanv, .March 16th, 1918.)

18,028. " Svstems of connection for regulating strength of current in divi.
sions of two-part divided-current cinuit." F, Krupp Akt.-Ges. Julv 2nd.
(Germany, January 2nd. 1917.)

18.057. " Sparking plug." A. Chambers. July 2nd.

18.070. " Electrical indicators." J. H. Collings. M. J. Railing, and C. W.
Saunders. Julv 2nd.

18.073. " Electric conduit boxes." M. J. Railing and T. Taylor. Julv 2nd.

18.074. " Holders for electric incandescent lamps." L. B.' Codd and C.
Martin. Julv 2nd.

18.097. "insulators." Ohio Brass Co. Julv 2nd. (United States, May
29ih, 1916.)

18,119. " Electric light fittings." R. Cox. July 2nd.

18.139. " Electric wiring system." D. M. G. Robinot de la Pichardais.
July 2nd. (France, Februarv 5th, 1919.)

18.140. " Regulating means for electrical machines." Soc. Anon. de»
Etablissements L. Bleriot. July 2nd. (France. Februarv 20th. 1919.)

18,153. " Amplifying devices." Siemens & Halske 'Akt.-Ges. July 2nd.
(Germany, October 25th, 1916.)

18,1.54. " Electrodes for vacuum apparatus." Siemens-Schuckertwerke.
July 2nd. Germanv, December 7th, 1918.)

18,168. " Electric' switches." H. Sachs. Julv 2nd. (Germanv, March 13th,
1919.)

18,170. " Dvnamo-electric machines." Lacknitzer Eisenwerk Ges. July
2nd. (Germany. December 3nd, 1919.)

18,193. " .Arrangement for testing lines, &c., in telephone plants." Relay
Automatic Telephone Co. (G. A. Betulander and N. G. Palmgren). July 2nH.

18,215. " Magneto-electric generators. " Quick .Action Ignition Co. Julv
2nd. (United Stales, February 17th, 1916.)

18,220. " Electro-capillarv contrivances." A. Orling & Orling's Telegraph
Instruments Syndicate. July 2nd.

18,223. " .Apparatus for reception of electro-magnetic waves." A. E. J.
Ball and I. H. Parsons. Julv 2nd.

18,235. " Continuous-current gyroscope motor." F. Krupp Akt.-Ges. Julv
2nd. (Germany, November 18th, 1915.)

18.240. " Apparatus for finely-graduated regulation of a current strength."
F, Krupp Akt.-Ges. Julv 2nd. (Germany. August 27th. 1917.)

18.241. " Overload switches having a power-storing device." F. Krupp
Akt.-Ges. July 2nd. (Germany, June 21st, 1917.)

18,261. " .Arrangement for testing electrical gyroscopic firing apparatus."
F. Krupp Akt.-Ges. Julv 2nd. iGermanv. Janu.i'ry 2nd. 1919.1

18,275. " Mine signalling visual indicator." R. S. Gardner. Julv 2nd.

18,307. " Detection and production of compressional waves." R. A. Fessen-
den. July 2nd. (United .States. March 23rd. 1918.)

18.313. " Electric amplifiers." Siemens & Halske Akt.-Ges. July 2nd.
Germany, July 7th, 1916.)

18.314. " System for controlling relavs for wireless high-soeed telegraphy."
.Siemens & Halske Akt.-Ges. July 2nd'. (Germany. Mnv 27th. 1919.)

18.316. " Electric arc-welding apparatus." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. Julv
2nd. (Germanv. Julv 11th. 1919.)

18.322. " Thirminn'ic vacuum tubes." E. R. Sloekle, Juh 2nd. (Vnited
States, June 13th, 1917.)

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

ed and abridged, and

inder which the specifications will b*
proceedings will be taken.

19X8.

elding operations.'

20,640. " Metallic electrodes for use in electric
C. J. Holslag. December 11th. 1918. (144.333.)

20.999. " Electro-magnetic apparatus for recording signals." E. S. Carey.
December 16th, 1918. (144,337.)

1919.

2,990. " Receiving or collecting devices or meclianism for sound waves or
vibrations." D. N. Browning. Februarv 7th, 1919. (144,345.)

4.218. " Electric switches." J. A. Crabtrce. February 20th. 1919. (144.3.52.)

5,617. " Electrically operated^ engine starters (or self-propelled vehicles and
other purposes." F. J. Gill. March 6th, 1919. (144,369.)

5,634. " Means for controlling or regulating dvnamo-electric machines."
F. E. Wilson, W. A. Shepherd, and Powell & Hanmer. March 6th, 1919.
(144.371.)

5 710. " Electric impulse motor." M. E. A. Baule. May 16lh, 1917.
(124.432.)

5,810. " Earth connection lor dissipating electric charges." E. Isherwood.
.March 8th. 1919. (144,376.)

6,189. " Method of making electrical condensers." \V, Dubilier. October
30th, 1918. (134,517.)

8,133. " Electrical fuses." A. C. Wynne. April 1st. 1919. (144.419.)

10,357. " Control of power, absorbed in an electric furnace." D. F.
Campbell, W. S. Giflord. H. S. Waite, and G. E. Taylor. April 25th. 1919.
(144.438.)

11.347. " Electrical water-heating apparatus." J. F. Barr. May 7th. 1919.
(144.446.)

11,433. " Bearings for electricity motor meters." J. Harris. May 7th,
1919. (144.447.)

12.530. " TWillev wheel fittings (or the trolle.- poles of electrically-pro-
pelled vehicles." C. W. Mallins and J. P. Barker.' Mav 19th. 1919. (144.456.)

17.902. " Electric arc (urnaces." British Thomson-Houston Co. and H. C.
Hiistings. Julv 17th. 1919. (144.503.)

18.903. " Combination sparking plug and inlet valve fittings lor explosion
engines." N. Hcrzmark. July 30th, 1919. (144,506.)

19,108, " Means for starting internal-combustion engines, adapted also to
be tised (or generating electric current." W. S. Jeal. .August 1st, 1919.
(144.,509.)

19 726 *' High-tension distributors in magneto-electric i,gnition machines.'
Scintilla. September 28th. 1918. (1.33,293.)

22 098 "Distributors for internal-combustion engines." S. S. Chcnhall.
September 8th. 1919. (144..'H1.)

22.646. " Electrical indicators and the like." J. C. Wrighton and Edison
Swan Electric Co. September 15th. 1919. (1*4,525.)

2.5.305. " Combined walking stick and quick-firing automatic pistol."
H. J. P. Renard and B. Demarteau. October 1.5th, 1919. (144,540.)

28 84.3. "Method and apparatus for duplex cable signalling." L. Cohen.
Mav 27th. 1919. . (143,834,1

TXXE

EXjECTS/IO^Xj K/E^VIE'W.

Vol. LXXXVII.

JULY 23, 1920.

No. 2,22fi,

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

THE

Vol. LXXXVII.]

CONTENTS : July 23, 1930.

[No

3,926.
Page

The Thermodynamic Efficiency of Power Stations 07

" Touchbutton House " '<^

Trade Marks W

Engineering: Wages ... ... W

The Eight-Hour Day W

The Manufacture of Water Turbines in England (iMM».) ... imi

Institution of Electrical Engineers (i/tes.) ... Iii2

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BMki Ntwgate StreM ^r(»BCU

THERMODYNAMIC EFFICIENCY
OF POWER STATIONS.

The public is periodically shocked by the announcement
that the average power station converts only about 10 per
cent, of the heat of the coal it uses into electrical energy.
The inference is drawn that 90 per cent., more or less, of
the coal burnt is wasted, and that something must be
seriously wrong to allow of such a reckless squandering of
our irreplaceable national assets. Now the average power-
station engineer, who tabulates his costs in thousandths of a
penny, resents the imputation of criminal negligence with
regard to economy, as he knows that he is ceaselessly en-
deavouring to reduce his coal consumption by every means in
his power. Yet he is confronted with the arithmetical fact
that a consumption of, say, three lb. of 12,500-b.th.u. coal
per KW.-hour, means the use of 37,500 b.th.u. in the coal
to provide only 3,412 b.th.u. of electrical energy. Thus,
whether he likes it or not, he is compelled to admit that in
such a case, the efficiency of his station would be little more
than 0 per cent. Efficiencies, or rather inefficiencies, of
this magnitude demand explanations. The fact that, viewed
from this standpoint, there is comparatively little difference
between the performances of different stations, tends to
exonerate the engineers responsible for their operation. We
do not mean to imply by this statement that a consumption
of 2 lb. of coal per KW.-hour is not an enormously better
performance than a consumption of 4 lb. per KW.-hour.
It obviously is, yet the difference, even between such
apparently widely separated operating results, is only the
difference between the utilisation of 13'6 per cent, and 6*8
per cent, of the total heat in the coal. If then the operat-
ing engineer lias comparatively so small a control over
the proportion of the total heat of the coal which he can
transform into electrical energy, where is the responsibility
to be placed, or, as a more useful question, in what direction,
if any, can greater efficiency be sought ?

Before discussing this question, we may look at the
matter from another pdint of view. It will be admitted
that, under good operating conditions, boilers can be
worked at 80 per cent, efficiency, or, in other words, 80 per
cent, of the heat of the fuel can be got into the steam.
Now, a turbine maker will guarantee a machine of large
size to convert, say, 70 per cent, of the available heat in the
steam into electrical energy at the switchboard. Thus we
have an overall combined efficiency of boiler, turbine, and
generator equal to ."i6 per cent, of the maximum possible.
This is a very different matter from the '^ per cent, which
we arrived at by a previous calculation, although, of course,
the operation of a power station involves certain losses other
than those directly concerned with the boilers and main
generating units. Nevertheless, whatever we allow for
such losses, we are faced with the question whether 9 per
cent, or 50 per cent, more accurately denotes the real
efficiency of the station.

The answer, of course, is that the first estimate takes into
account the total heat that the fuel contains, while the
second debits the plant with only the heat which is avail-
able for use. To illustrate how important this difference
is, we will assume that a station using coal of a calorific
value of 12,500 b.th.u. per lb., and working with steam at
180 lb. gauge pressure and 100' F. superheat, is equipped
w.th ideal boilers and turbo-generators which are theoreti-
cally perfect and entirely free from any sources of loss.
Assuming that the turbines iwork with a 28-in. vacuum,
this ideal and ideally-operated station will require about
[97] P

98

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

[Vol. 87. No. 2,226, Jolt 23, 1920.

0-948 lb. of coal per Kw.-hour, so that only about 28"8 per
cent, of the heat of the coal is transformed into work. As
>ve have made the assumptions that the boilers turn the
whole of the heat of the coal into steam, and that the
turbines convert the whole of the available heat of the
steam into electrical energy, we see that in no case could
any actual station, working under the same thermodynamic
conditions, attain an efficiency of 30 per cent. The trouble
is that only a portion of the heat tienerated in the furnaces
is really available for use, and the problem of the power
engineer resolves itself into two parts ; first, how to increase
the proportion of the total heat which is available, and,
secondly, how to increase the efficiency with whii'h this
available portion is utilised.

The availability of heat for conversion into work depend-i
only upon the range of temperature through which the
heated substance works, and it is superfluous to add that it is
independent of the nature of the working substance. These
facts should at onoe dispose of the foggy sort of idea held
by many people, that the inefficiency of the steam plant is
in some way due to the large latent heat of steam. If this
were so. we could get better results by the use of a fluid
with less latent heat. But if ime imagines such a fluid,
having all the properties of water, except that its latent
heat at all temperatures is, say, one-half that of water, and
then calculates the efficiency of the Rankine cycle with such
a fluid for the working substance, he will at once see that it
would have no advantiges. The large latent heat of steam
is, in fact, a benefit, in that it permits the bulk of the heat
in steam to be taken in at the highest temperature of the
cycle, and rejected at the lowest, so that most of the heat
can work with the maximum temperature drop.

The real factor which limits the availability of the heat
in the fuel is that our actual working substance, water,
is only used between comparatively narrow limits of
temperature. Our furnace temperature may readily be
2,500"" F. higher than the condenser temperature, yet the
temperature cf saturated steam at 2.50 lb. per sq. in. is no
more than about 300' F. above the same final temperature.
It is the degradation of the furnace heat to the temperature
of the steam, which increases so largely the quantity of heat
required for a given amount of work, for even though none
of the heat be lost, its power of doing work is va«tly
impaired by this irreversible, temperature change. We
cannot raise the working temperature of saturated steam
very much because the pressure rises so rapidly with
increase of temperature. At 200 lb. per sq. in. the
absolute temperature is 842 F., while at 800 lb. per sq. in.
it is no more than 877 F., so that a rise of not much more
than i per cent, in teraoerature has brought about a 50 per
cent, rise in pressure. In order to obtain a greater working
range of temperature, the steam may, of course, be super-
heated, but we soon come to practical limits in this
direction, and it must also be remembered that we do not
gain the efficiency due to the full increase of temperature
range, because only a comparatively small amount of the
total heat enters the working substance at temperatures above
that of the saturated steam.

In a paper on " Power Station Design in Relation to
Thermal Efficiency," recently read before the I.M.E.A.
Convention at Bradford, Mr. I. \. Robinson expresses the
opinion that steam at 350 lb. per sq. in., and at a temperature
of 700"" F., is quite a practical proposition, and hs thinks
that in the near future we may see the use of steam at
500 lb. per sq. in. superheated to 750"" F. He also con-
siders that where cooling water at 55" F. is available, a
29-in. vacuum can be commercially maintained. Taking
the above figures, we have for the two cases, available heat
drops of about 46'.t r.th.ii. and 502 b.th.u. respectively
per pound of steam. Again assuming, as before, ideally
perfect engines and boilers, we should utilise only 35-5 per
cent, and 37'3 per cent, of the heat in the coal, in the
respective cases. Thus we see that the gain in possible
efficiency of a steim plant is not very great, even whengoin"
to the practical limit with regard to pressure and tempera-
ture. Moreover, the fact that our boilers and turbines are
not theoretically perfect makes the gain from these high
pressures and temperatures- less than the theoretical
amount, even supposing that the plant can be designed to
perform thermodynamically ^s well under such conditions

as under less strenuous ones. As a matter of fact, it is con-
siderably more difficult to obtain high thermodynamic
efficiency in a turbine which has to operate over a great
range of steam pressure, than in one where there is less
difference between the densities of the incoming and outgoing
steam. Hence, in actual practice we stand to gain less by
extreme pressures and temperatures than one might at first
imagine. Supposing that a combined efficiency of boilers
and turbo-generators of (!5 per cent, can be reached, the
thermodynamic efficiency of the station cannot then exceed
about 25 per cent., even with the highest steam pressures
and temperatures contemplated.

If any really considerable advance is to be made towards
the better utilisation of the heat of the fuel in power stations,
it will only be by some radical change from existing practice.
The boiler-plant and the steam turbine are now almost as
near practical perfection as they can be. The dominating
factor in the efficiency of any heat engine is the
temperature range of the working fluid, and with steam
as our vehicle of heat, we seem to be well in sight
of both ends of the possible temperature range.
The suggestion to use mercury vapour for the high-
temperature work and steam for the lower is attractive
from the theoretical point of view, but it is impossible to
say whether it will ever get beyond the laboratory stage.
Nevertheless, if we are to use more of the heat of the fuel,
we must, somehow or other, find a means of working with
a higher initial temperature. The reciprocating gas engine
is out of the question, in view of the magnitude of the
generating units necessary in a modern station, and one
is driven irresistibly to the idea of the gas turbine. The
prospect, however, of obtaining prime movers of this type
in the near future is exceedingly probleniitical, so great
are the constructional difficulties. Meanwhile, all we can
do is to operate available plant in the most eoonomical
matmer, and remember that the sjope for improvement in
the working of the average power station is many times
greater thau the margin now left to the designers of boilers
or turbines.

It is with much pleasure that we

" Touchbutton draw attention to the opening of Mr.

House." H. H. Berry's " Electric House " in

, an article elsewhere in this issue, for it

represents the realisation of a scheme which, unaware of

his intentions, we advocated over a year ago.

The public are in sore need of help to cope with the
difficulties of the times in the household ; they are will-
ing to pay for that help, but they do not know thai it
i.-i available. The nation needs economy of fuel, labour,
and food. " Touchbutton House ' is a standing object-
lesson of the w-ays and means by which the desired ends
can be achieved; it has been patiently built up bv Mr.
Berry and his expert assistants, with the enthusiasm of
the connoisseur combined with the skill and jiidgment of
the engineer, at a- fabulous cost. It will achieve fame
(in its merits, and we believe that by its establishment
-Mr. Berry lias done a signal .service not only to the
cltctrical industries, hut al.so to the public.

It may he argued by those who hold — we believe mis-
takenly— that art is only for the wealthy, tiiat such an
exhibition appeals to the wealthy alone. This is not
true ; the benefits of electrical appliances in the home can
be enjoyed also by the less well-to-do, for the costly' set-
ting which Mr. Berry has provided for his display is not
a necessary accompaniment of the all-electric system. He
himself holds, in fact, that the system is applicable — on
an economic basis — to the homes of the masses. " Cen-
tral heating, and electrical topping-up " are the car-
dinal features of the system, for which economies of
50 per cent, in labour and 50 per cent, in cost are
claimed. We hope that the Housing Authorities will
give earnest attention to the matter, and that it will
not be long before similar electric houses are established,
on a more modest scale of course, in all parts of the
country for the enlightenment of the public.

Toi. 87. No. 2,226, JULY 23, 1920.] THE ELECTErCAL REVIEWo

99

When we recall past history as affect-
Trade Marks, ing matters of copyright, and the men-
tality of some of our American cousins
upon this particular point, it seems something like
Nemesis overtaking our friends on the other side of the
Atlantic to find them suffering from piracy in connec-
tion with trade marlis. The offenders in this case are
in South America, and the instance bears upon our
recent editorial note on the recommendations of the
Board of Trade Committee on the working of the Mer-
chandise Marks Act with regard to international action.
What has happened to the Americans in South America
may well have — indeed in some instances has already — ■
happened to British firms. A single firm in Rio de
Janeiro has registered under its own name more than
forty well-known American trade marks in the engineer-
ing trades. The moral, of course, is for all traders to
register their trade marlis in every country in the world.
That, however, involves a good deal of trouble and
expense, although neither should be shirked if the owner
of a trade mark in his own country desires full pro-
tection for his goods. The difficulties in the way of
international action with regard to trade marks are pro-
bably identical with those which have for so long stood
in the way of international patents. To the ordinary
observer it is not easy to see why there should be difficul-
ties, because neither patentees nor owners of trade marks
would expect to obtain their protection in foreign
countries without payment, and it ought not to be
beyond the wit of our politicians to arrange an inter-
national system which would automatically give protec-
tion in all civilised countries, by registration of the
patent or trade mark in the country of origin of the
applicant. In the business interests of the world some
co-ordination of these laws ought to be a first considera-
tion of Governments in order to put an end to the
unscrupulous piracy now going on. Only a few days
ago we heard it stated in public that the biggest enemies
of the international patent were patent agents, because
they see in it a reduction of their fees. We will not
give the name of the gentleman who made this allega-
tion, or the Institute of Chartered Patent Agents miglit
start an action for libel, and at the same time endanger
the goodwill between us and the Allied country to which
this leading man of industrial science belongs. Cer-
tainly, however, the question of international action with
regard to trade marks might be followed up more closely
at once,' as it is not encompassed by matters aft'ecting
priority, itc. as are patents. The Board of Trade Com-
mittee dealt with the difficulty to some extent, but did
not get much further than a suggestion, and the efforts
which have been made at International Conferences to
effect greater uniformity of laws and procedure in the
various countries shoiild be energetically continued.
Unhappily, the powers that be are too much engrossed in
other matters to give attention to anythinp; that will
help trade, and the only advice we can give to holders
of British trade marks meanwhile is to register them
all over the world if they do not wish to see tjoods other
than their own bearing the same trade mark and com-
peting witli them on the basis of tlio reputation they
tliemsolvcs have established.

the past week the award has been announced. The
Court finds that the claims submitted have not been

It has been understood for sdiiie
Engineering months past that the engineering trade
Wages. unions intended that when their fusion

into one big union became an accom-
plished fart their united influence and strength would
be brought to bear upon the question of wages. The
claim was duly lodged asking for an advance of six-
pence per hour, the request being based upon the in-
crease in the cost of living since the last demand was
dealt with, upon the advances given to other trades, and
upon the condition of the trade. The matter has been
fully investigated by the Industrial Court, and during

The attitude taken by the employers is that the ad-
vances already made were adequate to meet the increase
in cost of living since 1914; also that the position of
the trade is such that any further advance in wages
would be accompanied by grave risks of injury thereto.
An important part of the award reiterates an opinion
expressed by the Court when the last advance was made,
namely, that an alteration in the cost of living, though
of great importance, does not in itself, apart from
other considerations, necessarily warrant any corre-
sponding alteration in wages. The facts of the present
situation, according to evidence submitted by the em-
ployers, show that though the state of employment
in the trade is still good, there are indications in some
branches of the industry of a falling off in demand,
and the Court is not of opinion that since the last
decision was given, there has been such an improve-
ment in the state of trade, or alteration of conditions,
as to warrant a further increase in rates of wages.

No doubt there will be a great deal of discussion of
the finding, and the reasons for it, in industrial en-
gineering centres. We trust that the decision will be
weighed up dispassionately and with intelligence and
foresight, and that the rank and file will not allow them-
selves to be led by extremist sections. We have every
sympathy with those who find the still rising cost of
living adding to the burdens of life, but we believe that
it is now becoming more generally recognised that con-
tinuous additions to the wajje burdens of industry, in-
creasing the cost of production, cannot possibly find the
way out of our difficulties, while there is the danger that
a slump in trade may be occasioned — indeed signs of it
are not wanting in certain trades now — which will pro-
duce unemployment and distress, distress made increas-
ingly acute because the cost of everything is so high.

The pressing need at the moment is an all-round
spirit of self-sacrifice and hard work — producing more,
and therefore more cheaply. The conclusion may be
unwelcome, but it is inevitable. Some day the lesson
may have to be learned under more serious circum-
stances, and we will hope for the e'ood of the nation that
the reception which this award will meet with will
demonstrate a willingness to adopt a reasonable atti-
tude, and face a lighter hardship now, in order to avoid
a worse one later.

An interesting statement on this ques-
The Eight-Hour , . . ,, i i. « tt

P tion appears m the annual report of the

French Thomson- Houston Co. The law
limiting the working day to eight hours came into opera-
tion in the middle of last year ; it was caused by a
reduction in efficiencv exactly proportionate to this reduction
for those working by the hour. On the other hand, the
workman's effort and the improvement in methods and
equipment permitted of this reduction being compensated
for in a certain degree, but still insufficient in the majority
of the cases of men engaged on piece work. An experience
extending over nearly one year incontestably demonstrates,
on the whole, that the eight-hour law has resulted, and will
result, in a diminution of industrial efficiency. On this
noint — and at a time when the maximum production is
imposed as an imperious necessity — it is stated that the
law was at least premature. Supplementing this statement
at the recent annual meeting, M. Charles Laurent, chairman,
remarked that the transport crisis, the difficulties in obtaininer
raw materials, the long strike in the metpHnrgical and
mechanical industries in .Tune last vear, and the hastily
voted eight-hour day. had heavily handicapped production at
the company's works ; yet, possibly, the company had
suffered from the consequences less than others. The
improvement in the equipment and methods of working,
and the extension where practicable of the system of double
shifts, had rendered it possible to lessen to a certain e.xtenfc
the decrease in e^ciency resulting from the eight-hour
law.

100

THE. ELECTMCAX HEAIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,22r„ Jult

THE MANUFACTURE OF WATER TURBINES IN ENGLAND.

The Products of Messrs. Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., Ltd.

Interest in hydro-electric matters has received much
impetus during recent years, and we are not surprised to see
the most important firms taking the matter up. To those
interested in electrical development, it is indeed welcome
news that the vast resources which were behind the building
of battleships and ordnance should now become a ready
support to the development of the water turbine industry of
Great Britain, and to the development of water-power
schemes in the Empire and in the world in general.

The decision of the Armstrong group to take up the
manufacture of water turbines, and to undertake complete
hydro-electric schemes, including all civil, hydraulic and
electrical work, can only be considered a very wise one.
The turbines will, in the first instance, be manufactured at
the Germiston Works of Messrs. Armstrongs & Main,

Below we give some noteworthy examples : —

H.P. of

Head

No. of

each set.

metres.

Fl.l.M.

sets.

A/S Tyesefaldene

5,000

385

375

1

Rjukan (No. 1 Plant) ...

1.5,000

278

250

1

(No. 2 Plant) ...

16,100

250

250

1

A/S Bjolvefossen

12.000

847

375

1

Vamma Power Co.

12,000

26

214

1

13,000

26

2U

1

1.5,000

26

214

1

Tlerlands Foasen Power Co.

3,500

128

600

2

Aarlifoa

6,000

16-5

187-5

4

A/S Saudefaldene

7,500

282

375

2

6,700

161

750

3

A/S Traelandsfos

8,000

22

214

1

A/3 SkoUenborg

2,7.50

16

250

Fk;. 1. — Runner op 16,400-h.p. TcBniNE at R.iokan,

Glasgow, who are members of the Armstrong group, but
they will have the sujjport of all the works forming this
important group.

The commercial side of the business
will be conducted by the Hydro-Electric
Section of the Civil Engineering and
Contracting Department of Messrs.
Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and
Co., Ltd., of 8, Great George Street,
London. This arrangement is cer-
tainly an advantage, as all those
familiar with hydro-electric develop-
ment will be aware, since every
scheme will be considered round the
same table as an individual entity, and
not as a composition of detached
sections. In this way, technical cor-
rectness will be achieved throughout,
with all the advantages of economy and
efficiency attendant on such an arrange-
ment.

But the maximum output from a
given water supply can only be
achieved if the turbine is properly
designed. The designs which Messrs.
Armstrongs have decided to use, after
a thorough examination of the whole
question, are those of Jlessrs. Jensen
and Dahl, of ChrLstiania, Norway.
A good idea of the kind of work
which this firm has accomplished can be gathered from
a meution of a few of the turbines which it has delivered
in recent years,

From this list it will be seen that high, medium, and low-
pressure turbines are well represented,
but special attention may be drawn to
the Pelton wheel for Bjolvefossen,
working under a head of 2,780 ft., as
an example of the high heads with
which this firm is able to deal.

Fig. 1 shows the runners for the
lfi,400-H.P. set installed in the world-
famed plant known as Rjukan 2.
Fig. 2 shows the complete turbine.

Fig. 3 shows the 12,000-h.p. turbine
for the Bjolvefossen Co., Ltd., com-
pleted in the erection shop.

Fig. 4 illustrates an excellent ex-
ample of a low-pressure double Francis
turbine in steel-plate casing, with
an output of 13,000 h.p., as installed
in the power plant at Vamma, Norway,
which, when completed, will be one
of the largest and most compact power
plants in the world. A 1C),000-h.p.
set is now being constructed by
Messrs. Jensen & Dahl for the same
company. The efficiency obtained
on the 13,000-H.P. unit for this
plant can be seen from fig. .5, and the favourable com-
parison between this and the guaranteed efficiency should
be noted.

Fig. 2. — CoMPLETK TrBiUNE, 1

The main points in the design of turbines fall under two
heads, namely, (a) Hydraulic, (b) JIechani(jal.
It is difficult to see exactly how far the points coming

Vol.87. No. 2,226, July 23, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL BEVIEW.

101

under the
and how

heading («) are the result of the study of theory,
far of practice. More frequently than not,

worthy points in the design of Francis turbines, Pelton
wheels and governors.

Messrs. .Jensen & Dahl were, so far as we can trace, the
first firm of water turbine builders to adopt " outside
regulation " as a general practice. The necessity for this
was obvious from the fact that the highest possible
efficiency could only be obtained provided the flow of water
through the guide vanes to the wheels was absolutely smooth
and uninterrupted. A further advantage which outside
regulation ensures lies in the fact that all moving parts

Fio. 3. — Turbine foe Bjolvefossen Co., 12,000 h.p.

alterations in hydraulic design are an outcome of the
combination of both, and as the Christiania firm has t)een
building water turbines since 1849, it is clear that its

i

1 ifk^^^

— ^

IM^ ..^— -^

s

SI

W/ '-

-m

wk

f

fjL.

#

r.i^ C

Pf^sp

Bj

k

n

""•afrj^.My^&sisBmi

MM^MiiyHi^H

HHUH^HI

BFB._^H_i.

Fig. 4.— Double Franci.s Tuebine op 13,000 h.p., at Vamma

BFFiaCNCr CURVE FOR 13.000 8. H.P. WATER TURBINE

4000 6000 6000 7000 8000 9000 WOOO I'OOO '3000 13000

BRAKE HORSE POWER DEVELOPED AT AN EFFECTIVE HEAD OF 85 FBET, TURBINE RUNNING AT .214 R.RM.

Fig. 5. — Efficiency Curve.

accumulated experience must be of immense value, as,
indeed, has been proved by the work it has turned out.
It will not be out of place to mention a few of the note-

FiG. 6. — Speed Regulation Cuevb.

liable to rust are separated from contact with the water*
Instead of the guide vanes being bronze-bushed and moving
on separate pins, the pin and vane in the Jensen turbine are
solid cast and the pins are journalled in brass, and all
necessary lubrication can be done from the outside. The
buckets are of steel plate cast into the hub and band.

Another important point is that the bearings are in all
cases entirely separated from the water passages and can be
readily inspected.

As is well known, the main mechanical trouble with
Pelton wheels is the liability of the buckets to become
loose — and even to seek " fresh
woods and pastures new " through
the power-house walls and roof.
In the Jensen Pelton wheel this
is rendered impossible, as by a
method of keeping the buckets
together, they are made to form
a continuous ring, and cannot
become detached.

The turbine governors are of
the "automatic oil-pressure" type.
So much depends on the turbine
governor that it is perhaps well
to describe some of the special
features of the "Jensen Arm-
strong " governor.

1. The regulating valve is so
constructed that the governor only
works with an oil pressure corre-
sponding to the actual water
pressure acting on the turbine
gates. The safety valve remains
closed under normal operation.

2. The regulating valve is
directly connected with the gover-
nor proper, or pendulum, and
rotates with it. In this way it
will hardly be possible for foreign
matter in the oil (even of large
size, as, for instance, cotton waste,
&c.) to impede the action of the
valve and cause trouble.

3. The governor pendulum is,
practically speaking, free from fric-
tion. Its design is of remarkable
simplicity, and it works without
any tap or bolts whatever ; the
centrifugal weights simply move
over thin elastic sheet-steel strips.

4. There is no pressure-tank
requiring constant attention.

5. All rotating parts are amply
lubricated automatically. Wear
and tear is thereby reduced to a
minimum.

f). When the loose cover over the governor case is removed,

practically all parts of the governor are open for inspection.

7. The governor is so arranged that pump and regulating

102

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [voi. 87, No, 2,226, jult 23, 1920.

valve can be mounted on either side of the governor case,
and 80 be arranged to change places with each other.

The closing direction of the governor can be changed
by merely turning the governor 180 , because the base is
symmetric with reference to a plane through the regulating
shaft. This is a great advantage, because in the course of
time it someoimes becomes necessary to alter the governor
arrangement, or to utilise it for another turbine.

The ojjening — or closing — time of the governor, on which
the maximum speed fluctuations of the turbine depend, can

be adjusted as desired to suit existing conditions, with
reference to fly-wheel momentum and length of penstock, and
in accordance with the exactness of regulation required.

Fig. G showsatachogramof one of the governors working
under everyday conditions.

We hope in a future issue to give a description of a
Norwegian power station in which a large number of .Jensen
turbines are installed, and trust that it will not be long
before we may be able to describe sete actually delivered
by Messrs. Sir W. G. Armstrong, \Miitworth & Co., Ltd.

INSTITUTION OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS.

Summer Meeting at Western Centre.

On Tuesday afternoon. July 13th, a party of members and
friends of the Institution of Electrical Engineers assembled
at Cardiff to take part in the summer meeting of the
Institution at the Western Centre. The programme con-
sisted of a three days' tour of South Wales and Monmouth-
shire, in the course of which, in addition to civic receptions
and other social functions, visits were paid to works, docks,
and places of interest in the neighbourhood ; it wss
particularly requested that " shop " should be avoided as
much as possible, and consetientiy no papers were read,
neither did any discussions take place.

Fine weather was enjoyed throughout the whole of the
tour, which was admirably organised, and the various
reception committees are to be congratulated upon the

The following morning, AVednesday, the visitors were
conveyed by chars-ii-bancs to Newport, where the works of
the British Mannesman Tube Co. were inspected, and the
different processes in the manufacture of steel pipes were
watched with much interest. The company has secured
large contracts for oil and water pipe lines in Japan and
South Africa, as well as for the piping in connection with
the oil wells that are being bored in this country.

In the works it was noted that electric welding was
employed for Ijuilding up and joining component parts,
while for cutting purposes the oxy-acetylene flame was used.
The' large rolls are rope-driven by means of horizontal gas
engines, but a considerable quantity of electricity is used
besides to drive cranes, machine tools, Ac, in addition to

The I.B.E. at Caerphilly Castle.

IWelsh. Pictorial Ca.

manner in which the different functions were carried out.
The meeting was voted one of the best of its kind yet held,
and a high standard was set for meetings of a similar nature
to be held in the future ; the presence of the ladies of the
party was particularly appreciated.

The official proceedings commenced with a civic reception
at the City Hall, Cardiff, on the Tuesday evening, by
invitation of the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, Councillor
G. F. Forsdike, J. P., O.B.E., and the Lady Mayoress. An
excellent vocal concert and a musical programme were
enjoyed', following which guests joined in dancing, and
during the evening two demonstrations of wireless telephony
were given by Mr. Farfield. The receiving apparatus was
set up in the City Hall, the transmitting station being the
Marconi station at Chelmsford ; this was believed to be the
first occasion on which wireless telephonic reception had
taken place in the city of Cardiff.

lighting. The electric power is supplied by a generating
station situated in the works and containing two Belliss-
Crompton 714-K.v,A. three-phase alternator sets generating
at 3,000 volts, 50 cycles, at O'T p.f. and 333 r.p.m. On
leaving the works, each visitor was presented with a souvenir
of the visit in the form of a suitably engraved cup.

The visitors were now divided into two parties, one being
taken by chars-ii-bancs for a drive toUsk and Chepstow, Ac.
and the other and larger party proceeding riii the trans-
porter bridge to the Alexandra Docks. Newport, with its
excellent sea, dock, and railway facilities has become of con-
siderable importance as a Channel port, and as a coal-
exporting centre it ranks as the third port in the kingdom,
the annual shipments amounting to six million tons. It
is not our purpose to enter into a lengthy description of
the docks and their up-to-date hydraulic equipment, but a
few words about the new sea entrance lock may be interesting.

Vol. 87. No. 2,226. July 23, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

108

This lock is 1,000 ft. long x 100 ft. wide, being the largest
deep-sea entrance lock in the world. The depth of water
on the outer sill of the lock at high-water spring tides is
45 ft., and at neap tides 35 ft. For all practical purposes
the north and south docks, with their connecting junction,
may be looked upon as one dock, with a total deep-water
area of 125 acres. The power station, which was built in
connection with the new lock, contains two fine pumping
units. The engines, by Jlessrs. Cole, Marchent & Morley,
Ltd., Bradford, are of the triple-expansion, vertical, three-
crank, surface-condensing type, designed to run at from
80 to 125 R.p.ii., at which they develop 800 and 1,G00 h.p.
respectively; they are coupled direct to centrifugal pumps
by Messrs. Boving & Co., Ltd., London, which in practice
deliver 6,000,000 gallons per hour, against a maximum
head of 8(1 ft. The electrical generating plant consists of
two Howden-B.T.H. .sets ; triple-expansion steam engines
direct coupled to 500-Kw. three-phase alternators, star wound,
3,633 volts between phases, 50 cycles, 300 r.p.m. The
hydraulic pumping plant, which supplements the power
supplied from the main hydraulic station, was built by
Messrs. Galloways, Ltd., Manchester, and comprises a triple-
expansion horizontal surface-condensing engine capable of
delivering 1,250 gallons of water per minute against a
pressure of 830 lb. per sq. in. when running at 40 r.p.m.
Steam for the whole of the plant is supplied from a range
of six Lancashire boilers, with a working pressure of 180 lb.,
and a superheat temperature of 530 F. The boilers are
mechanically stoked, and the coal-handling plant is elec-
trically driven.

A cruise round the decks on board a tug terminated the
visit ; members then assembled at the Town Hall, where
they were received by his Worship the Mayor, Councillor
Peter Wright, J.F., and afterwards partook of luncheon by
invitation of the Mayor and the Electricity Committee of
the County Borough of Newport. During the luncheon,
Mr. ,1. A. Gaccon, F.R.C.O., borough organist, presided at
the organ, and Mr. D. IL Thomas's songs were much
appreciated.

In the afternoon the party was driven rid Bassaleg,
Machen, Radry, to Caerphilly Castle ruins, where a photo-
graph, a copy of which is reproduced herewith, was taken.
The Castle, which belongs to the Marquis of Bute, is sup-
posed to have been built between 1268 and 1271 by Gilbert
de Clare, the Red Earl, to guard the pass of Senghenydd,
and to keep out the Welsh from the Lowlands, and is
a splendid examp'e of the finesD fortresses of the middle
ages. It was besieged during the Civil War, after which
the leaning tosher, which is 9 fc. out of plumb, was tilted
in !Ui attempt to blow it up witli gunpowder. The only
part of the building which now has a roof is the old ban-
(|neting hall, in which tea was provided by the South
Wales Electrical Fower Distribution Co.

()a the journey back to Cardiff, the chars-a-bancs passed
under one of the longest spans of the overhead power line
erected by the .South Wales E.P.I). Co. The span, as
explained by Mr. W. A. Chamen, is i^-inile long, stretching
between two hills, and carries 2,000 kw. at 11,000 volts.
The three stranded copper conductors are of 0"1 sq. in.
section, and are placed one above the other with about 5 ft.
rlearance between each, the fourth and bottom conductor
being the earth wire. Wood poles are used, constructed on
Mr. Kqye's principle, .and no trouble whatever has been
experienced with the line. Two other long spans are a
quarter and half a mile in length ; at certain times the con-
ductors have been observed to stand 20 ft. out of the
vertical owing to wind pressure. They do not oscillate,
however, and there is no record of a single insulator failure,
although at other parts of the line a certain number of
insulators are broken by stone throwing.

In the evening a reception was held at the City Hall,
Cardiff, by ^Ir. R. T. Smith, president of the Institution
of Electrical Engineers, assisted by Mr. J. Dyer Lewis,
president of the South Wales Institute of Engineers, and Sir
.lohn Beynon, Bart., C.B.E., chairman of the Monmouth-
shire and South Wales Coalowners' Association, which was
followed by a dinner given by the latter Association, at
which some 200 covers were laid : at other functions the
number of guests averaged about 130.

On Thursday, the second day of the tour, the visitors

proceeded to Bristol by train, via the Severn Tunnel, and on
arrival at the Council House a civic reception was held by the
Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, Councillor G. T. Francombe,
and the Sheriff, Mr. W. A. Titley. The party then crossed
the street to the Grand Hotel, where luncheon was served,
the host being Alderman George Pearson, the popular
chairman of the Bristol Electricity Committee.

The afternoon was taken up by the most picturesque and
enjoyable drive of the whole tour, the route being by way
of Clifton Downs and across the suspension bridge spanning
the beautiful Avon goi-ge and onwards through shady woods.
The climb up over the Mendip Hills, passing en rmttr the
old Roman road and lead niinep, followed by the descent
into the majestic Cheddar gorge, was safely negotiated. To
ade(juately describe these beautiful cliffs, which have been
termed the finest inland cliffs in Europe, is beyond our
power, but the visitor cannot do other than take away
vivid mental photographs of cliff scenery so memorable.

Tea was taken at Cheddar, after a visit had been paid to
(rough's caverns, where excellent specimens of stalactite and
stalagmite formations were seen in profusion and electrically
illuminated. Continuation of the drive brought the party
to Weston-super-ilare, the arrival being well timed to
coincide with high tide. An excellent dinner was disposed
of just in time to allow the visitors to board the steamer
which conveyed them back across the channel to Cardiff.

On Friday, the last day of the tour, members proceeded
to Swansea by train, and after viewing the docks with their
up-to-date facilities for coal shipment, the Scherzer rolling
lift bridge which only needs a 10-h.p. motor to open it, and
the ship-breaking yard in which were seen two or three war
ships together with some ^30 German submarines, drove
round the bay to Mumbles pier, where his Worship the
Mayor of Swansea, Alderman A. Sinclair. .J. P., M.LE.E.,
entertained them at luncheon. During the afternoon the
party assembled in chars-a-ban s for a drive to Langland and
Caswell Bays. After a light tea, some of the visitors who
had elected to remain over the week-end went for an
extended drive into the Gower Peninsula, while the
niaj.jrity returned co Swansea in time to board the evening
train for London and the North. Thus concluded one of
the most successful tours ever planned by the Institution.

During the meeting, members were allowed free trans-
port on the Cardiff City tramcars, and, by the couitesy of
Captain S. B. Haslam, arrangements were made for visitors
to play golf at several clubs. Altogether the meeting was
highly successful in every way, aud in concluding this brief
account of the tour, the members of the Executive Re-
ception Committees, and in particular Mr. C. T. Allan, are
to be congratulated on the excellence of the arrangements
made, and the manner in which they were carried out.

Floatiag Dock and Crane.— The new 150 ton elec-
trically operated floating craue, which has beeu supplied by
.Messrs. Cowans, Sheldon & Co. to the Cockatoo I.sland Dock-
yard, Sydney, is of the same power and type as those which
have been already supplied to the British Admiralty. Tlic
ilesign is peculiarly British in character, presenting marked
diS'erences from the large floating cranes which have been
built by Continental hrnis. lu their practice the revolving
weight is poised on the centre tower, but Messrs. Cowan.
Sheldou & Co. have gi\en preference to a patented method of
their own, whereby the dead load is carried bV a large roller
pall on the deck of the pontoon, and the tower is utilised only
to carry the unbalanced force. This method not only saves
material — an important consideration at to-day's prices — but
by reducing the stresses bring wear and tear down to a
low figure. In addition to lifting 150 tons at 90 ft. radius
and 100 tons :it 125 ft., the crane is fitted with derricking
and revolving gears, as well as a transiiorter trolley. Power
for operating the crane is supplied either from an independent
source ashore, or by a steam-driven dynamo housed in the
pontoon. The electrical control apparatus is of the contactor
type, which presents the advantage that the motors can be
run at the same relative siieed under all conditions of loading.
The control apparatus and switchgear are installed in the
operator's cabin. The steam generators were supplied by
the British Westinghouse Co., and the motors and control
gear by the British Thomson-FIouston and Siemens Co.'s.—
Journal of Commerce.

104

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo [Voi. 87. No, 2,226, jdm 23, 1920.

THE ELECTRIC HOUSE.

In June last year, drawing attention to the immense possi-
bilities for the development of the applications of electricity
to domestic pui'poseB which had been opened by the new
conditions obtaining in respect of domestic service, &c., we
expressed the opinion that an exhibition should be held in
Ijondon devoted wholly to the demonstration of electrical
cooking and heating apparatus, " together with any other
electrical labour and fuel-saving devices that can be brought
together." We described and illnstrated a variety of such
appliances which had been developed in America, where the

Fio. 1.— Georgian Entrance Hall, and Chinese Lacquer
iRooM OF THE Queen Anne Period.

need for them had existed for many years, and in a later
issue (July llth, I'.IH)) we returned to the subject, and
mentioned that an exhibition on the lines we advocated —
" an ' Electric Home,' devoted entirely to the purpose of
illustrating the limitless possibilities of electricity in the
household" — was already in preparation.

Electric, Ltd., has brought together a most remarkable
collection of antique tibjets d'art and modem devices.

It is interesting to record that the house is the realisation
of a fairy story written by one of Mr. Berry's children (Miss
Nancy Berry) — "Mr. Touchbutton, or the Home of
Beautiful Ideals," published by .Messrs. Country Life, Ltd.,
— which we briefly reviewed some months ago. A3 a matter
of fact, the story largely consisted of a description of the electric
labour-saving devices which surrounded the young author
in her own home. Mr. Berry had previously contemplated
the arrangement of a permanent exhibition to bring home
to the public the amenities of electrical methods in the
household with his famous "Magicoal" fire as the nucleus,
and every conceivable labour-saving device, no matter what
its origin, as an additional feature. Thus came into exist-
ence " Touchbutton House," the very thing that, unaware
of Mr. Berry's plans, we called for.

The House is built around a definite theme — the origin
and development of the domestic fire.

A special point is given to this by the recent issue of the
interim report of the Comuiittee on Smoke and Noxious
Vapours Abatement, which directs attention to the fact that
even in industrial areas domestic chimneys contribute at
least 50 per cent, of the total smoke nuisance, and that
2.7 million tons of soot are discharged into the atmosphere
liy them every year. The cost to the community for
cleansing and for repairing damage to buildings, as well as
the injury to health, is enormous, whik- the necessity of
constructing fireplaces and chimneys adds some £30 to the
cost of a small house. '' Central heating " is recommended,
and is being installed in a colony of 2,000 houses at
Mant-hester, costing the residents from (jd. to Is. a week ;
and the adoption of central heating in individual houses
generally is strongly advised. The Committee considers
that not more than one, or at most two. coal grates should
be permitted in any of the houses built with the assistance
of the Government subsidy, and that smokeless methods of
supplying heat should be made essential features of building
schemes.

At Touchbutton House the evolution of the coal fire is
happily illustrated, from the primitive Norman hearth to
he present day, either with actual antique grates of the

Fig. 2. — TorcuBUTTON House : Heating and Washing Appliances, ko.. in Scullekv.

It has taken many months longer than was then antici-
pated to complete the arrangements, but on Friday last we
had the pleasure of inspecting the all-electric house —
" Touchbutton House," 86, Newman Street, Oxford Street,
London, W. — where Mr. Herbert H. Berry, of Berry's

various periods or with exact facsimiles of them, in which
Mr. Berry's " Magicoal " fires glow merrily, radiating
a pleasant feeling of comfort without the accompaniment of
heat. The grates are mounted in appropriate surroundings,
the fire-places and mantelpieces being original antiques or

Tol. 87. No. 2,22ti, July 33, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REYIEl

105

replicas, as shown in our illustrations. In parenthesis, we
should point out that the antiquarian interest of the
collection of beautiful furniture, including manj' specimens
of very great value, of panels, ceilings, and tapestry, of
pictures, and various other items, is in itself ample induce-
ment for a visit to the house. We carmot attempt to
describe these treasures — they can be seen at any time,
and we cordially recommend our readers to avail themselves
of the first opportunity of inspecting them in person. We
must pass on to explain the plan underlying Mr. Berry's
scheme.

In brief, his policy is to use the best available device —
in respect of economy of fuel or saving of labour — for each
purpose. With this principle in view, he advocates the
use of a highly efficient anthracite stove for heating water,
both for general heating and for domestic purposes, the
same apparatus (which is prominently visible in fig. 2)
supplying low-temperature water for the convectors, and
water at a temperature of l."iO'' F. for cooking, &c. Either
electricity or gas can be used for "topping-up" — i.e..
bringing water to the boil, Ac. — for while Mr. Berry's
leanings are naturally towards the former, he recognises

Fig. 3.— Elizabethan Hall, with guEEN Anne Panelled
Room beyond.

that in some localities and under some circum-
stances, the latter may happen to offer advantages.
That is the gist of the scheme ; upon that frame-
work everything else depends. We can do little more
than give a list of some of the more notable features of
the equipment, which are : a Permutit water softener ; an
electric geyser over ihe sink ; two or three electric washing
machines ; an ironing machine ( heated by gas) ; an electric
boot-cleaner ; the Hobart electric "kitchen-aid" (described
in our issues of July 11th and 18th, 1919) ; electric cookers,
large and small (250 of the latter size are being installed in
artisans' dwellings on Tyneside, on a price basis), an anthra-
cite cooking range which also heats water, a miniature
Ni^ara of hot water which washes and dries dishes without
their being touched by hand, a cabinet sewing-machine, a
self-contained electric lighting set, an electric piano, the
Dictaphone, a great variety of beautiful bowl fittings for
semi-indirect lighting, small table appliances for cooking
and toasting, &c., *c., for we cannot name all the delightful
devices here brought together. We may mention that the
ancient mantelpieces include Elizabethan, Queen Anne,
Georgian and other examples, from Plas Mawr, Tattershall
Castle, Woodsome Hall, &c. ; the collection is valued at
about £ 100,000, and some of the pieces are so rare that they
are not represented in the South Kensington Museum.

Everywhere is the Magicoal fire, which at a touch of a
button blazes forth instantaneously ; further buttons switch
on radiators which, on the principle of " topping-up," add
any desired degree of heating to the steady temperature
maintained by the central heating system.

By the use of the methods here briefly outlined, Mr,
Berry claims to save one-half of the cost and one-half of the

labour in running a house. When it is suggested that
servants do not know how to use the devices placed in their
hands, he replies that with the aid of a portable kinemato-
graph (the Oxford projector), he will show them the way,
and he will, in fact, provide a class of instruction for
domestics — and their mistresses — at Touchbutton House.

With the aid of thermostats, the temperature of the
house can be kept constant within a few degrees of 55° F.,
which is quickly brought up to 00^ or (i5' when desired.
The apparently blazing fire costs less to "burn" than a
wax candle, and the whole of the 44 rooms in Touchbutton
House are warmed and supplied with hot water by the one
small furnace illustrated in fig. 2.

Amongst other interesting items, we should not omit to
mention an apparatus for high-frequency treatment (with
which Mr. Berry has effected some marvellous cures). He
also proposes, in order to deal with a rush of visitors, to
devise a system of automatic salesmanship, according to
which a visitor will sit in a chair while a Dictaphone tells
him or her all about the contents of the room, and finally
invites him to pass into the next room and sit down on a
similar talking chair I

Crowded as Touchbutton House is with rare antiquities,
the atmosphere there breathes the very spirit of progress and
invention, and the presiding genius, surrounded by a staff of
experts in art and engineering, diffuses a sensation like that
of a fresh breeze on a hot day. (lo and see Mr. Touch-
button !

THE NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY.

The report on the Laboratory for the year 1919 has been
issued; it contains some particulars of special work done during
the war period which it was previously necessary to treat
as confidential. The past year was marked by the further
development of the method of working the Laboratory, under
the financial control of the Treasury, as a branch of the De-
partment of S<'ientific and Industrial Research. Reference
is made in the report to the new buildings and extensions
that have been completed, and to others that will be needed
in the near future ; H.M. Office of Works is now responsible
for the maintenance of buildings, plant, and services a«_ distinct
from equipment. Staff salaries and conditions of service have
lieen revised, and in many respects brought into line with
those holding generally in the Civil Service. Important changes
in staff are recorded; the number emploved in testing gauges
haa been reduced by 60 per cent., and the staff employed for
special purposes disbanded. On the other hand, there has been
a large increase in the staff engaged in testing clinical thermo-
meters,

A comparison of the number of tests made in the years 1918
and 1919 are respectively as follows : In the physics depart-
ment. 182.617 and 1,261,692; in the electricity department,
electrical measurements numbered 272 and 701 ; electrotechnical
apparatus 7,408 and 6,628; photometrv 24,673 and 12.986; in
the metrologv department 26,579 and 27,805; engineermg de-
partment 316 and 763; and in the William Froude tank 41 and
5.'^ tests were made.

With regard to commercial testing, proposals for State action
in respect of the promotion of standardisation, in which the
N.P.T;. would take a part, are now under consideration. The
Board of Trade Electrical Standards Laboratory was trans-
ferred to the N.P.T;. in May last, the Laboratory undertaking
the custody and maintenance of the standards on behalf of
the Board of Trade, and will carry out for the public such
comparisons as may be required ; approval of the pattern and
construction of electricity supply meters, and other instruments
submitted will be given by the Board on the T,aboratory's
report.

Brief reference may now be made to some of the more im-
portant researches. . . i.

The heat division of the physics department has been much
occupied recently with investigations relating to refrigeration
problems Considerable attention has also been directed to
the heat losses in furnaces employed in industrial processes,
and the thermal properties of materials used. ,. ■ i

In the thermometry division the extension of the clinical
thermometer testincr ha<' been the chief feature. This division
is also responsible for the testing of oils for flashpoint and
viscosity, and the investigational work in this connection in
progress before the war haa again been actively resumed.

In the eariy part of the year a considerable r.»Tr.ber of tele-
scopes and gun-sichts, binoculars, &;c., were subfii.tt^^d for test
in the optics division, under Admiralty, contracts. These testa
have since greatly diminished in volume. A new spe.'trometer
for measurements ofhigh accuracy has been designed and is
now under construction. .v j t ti.

In the radium and X-ray division a new method for the
meamirement of the radium content of radium wmples haa

E

106

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. sr. No. 2,22.,, jult 23, 1920.

been used with success. Equipment has been provided for the
investigation of protective materials for use in X-ray work.
The examination by means of X-rays of the material of the
pots prepared in the metallurgy department for use in the
production of optical glass has given useful results. '

The tide-prediction division has been asked to make predic-
tions for a number of New Zealand ports.

During the war Mr. F. E. Smith, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Pater-
son, and other iiieujliers of the staff in the electricity depart-
ment have been very much occupied with special war problems.
Some account is now given of a number of these investigations.
They include the development of wireless directional apparatus,
in which valuable assistance was given by the late Mr. Duddell.
and which, early in the war, was carried to a high degree of
efficiency at the Laboratory, the perfection of amplifying valves
for various special purposes, improvements in compass magnets,
and the investigation of sound-receiving and sound-ranging
apparatus. Mr. Paterson and Mr. Walsh siient much time
during the war in the development of height-hpding apparatus
with electrical transmission gear for use in anti-aircraft work
and in supervising the installation of such appaiatus in this
country and in Prance. During the war Dr. Rayner was at-
tached for three years to the Inventions Department of the
Ministry of Munitions as adviser on the practicability of sug-
gestions sent in, and to assist in the design and construction
of apparatus approved for trial. Mr. Smith's recent researches,
carried out for the Ordnance Committee, on the velocities of
projectiles and gun recoil have led to results of gi'eat interest.
Since the armistice work on the fundamental electrical
standards has been resumed ; this will need much attention
during the coming year. The research on buried cables, which
is under the charge of Mr. Melsom, has made good progress.
and valuable work has been done in the investigation of
resistance materials.

The metrology department has during the year been con-
cerned mainly with the gradual transition from w.ir to peace
conditions. A certain amount of private gauge work has been
received, and it is hoped that the experience of the war
has convinced coramercial firms of the high importance and
economic value of such tests. A considerable amount of work
has been done in an advisory capacity, in connection with the
design of gauges for standard specifications issued by the
British Engineering Standards .Association. In addition to the
gauge work, the department has been very much occupied in
the latter part of the year with the restoration of values of
various standards which have been left unexamined during
nearly five years of war.

The report of the engineering department gives an account
of a large number of interesting and valuable researches which
have been completed or are still in progress.

Xn investigation has been carried out on the lubricating
efficiency of a. series of animal, vegetable, and mineral oils,
and has furnished re.sults of importance. In connection with
this work apparatus was de.signed and constructed in the de-
partment for the determination of the viscositv of oils at
high pressures. Tlie problem was one of considerable difficulty
and the method employed presents novel and interestinc fea-
tures. The interesting experiments on the transmission of heat
from surfaces to fluids flowing over them have been continued :
the work has included the examination of the effect of surface
roughness. The experiments are of importance in connection
with the cooling of engines. Methods of mea.suring the skin
friction between flat .surfaces and fluids p.nssing over them
have been investigated. The researches into methods of
notched bar impact testing, and of hardness testing, have
been continued. Tests of gas cylinders, fatigue tests of wire
and camel hair ropes, and an investigation of the toolina
characteristics and brittleness of electrical insulating materials
may also be mentioned.

An extensive programme of aeronautics research has been
carried out under the control of the Advisorv Committee for
.\eronautics. Many improvements in detail have been intro-
duced in the methods of test employed.

The account given in the report of the metallurgy depart-
ment of the investigations carried out in relation to the war
contains much interesting material. The most important
work done was in connection with the production of light
aUovK. especially for aircraft and aero-engines. .Mloys were
developed to meet special requirements for ristings in general,
and for parts, e.rt.. pistons, working nt hiah temperatiires-
wrought alloys were produced for use in the constiuction of
rieid airships, aeroplane spars. !ic. : and the rollinu of light
alloys into thin sheets to .serve as a substitute for fabric in
covering aeroplane win^s was successfully accomplished. A
considerable number of special investigations were carried
out with a view to {he provision of suitable alloys as sub-
stitutps for other allovs used in the production of various
munitions of war when difficnlties arose as to the supplv.
Tnvp.stitrntions wevp carried out on steel for torpedo air vessels
and turbine searing and the causes of failure were success-
fully investicated. Methods of hardening and cnsehardcnins
of war material were examined and improved. \ larffe
amount of analvtical work has also been carried out. including
the analvsis of various materials used bv the enemv.

The researches relating to the production of optical glass
have Piade good progress.

T^irther pnrticulars of work of electrical interest carried
not during the year will he given in our next iasue.
{To bt concluded.)

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY DISTRICTS.

Notice is given that the Electricity Commifisioners have pro-
visionally determined that the undermentioned areas shall be
constituted separate electricity districts for the purposes of the
Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919 : —

London .\.\li Homi; Countuis.
The City of London.

The County of Loudon, i.e., the Metropolitan Boroughs of
Battersea, Bermondsey, Bethnal Green, CamberweU, Chelsea,
Deptford, Finsbury, lulham, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammer-
smith, Haijipstead, Holborn, Islington, Kensington, Lambeth,
Lewisham, Paddington, Poplar, St. Marylebone, St. lancras,
Shoreditch, Southwark, Stepney, Stoke Ncvvington, \\'ands-
worth, Westminster, and Woolwich.
The County of Middlesex.

So much of the County of Berks as is included in : The
Municipal Borough of New Windsor; the Rural District of
Wiudsor.

So much of the County of Buckingham as is included in :
The Urban Districts of Beaconsfield, Eton, and Slough; the
Rural District of Eton ; the parishes of Chalfont St. Giles,
Chalfont St. Peter, Chenies, and Seer Green Chapelry in the
Rural District of Amersham.

So much of the County of Essex as is included in : The
County Boroughs of East Ham and West Ham ; the Urban
Districts of Balking Town, Brentwood, Buckhurst Hill, Ching-
ford, Epping, Grays Thurrock, Ilford, Leyton, Lo'ughton,
Romford, Tilbury, Waltham Holy Cross, Walthamstow, Wan-
stead, and Woodford; The Rural Districts of Orsett and Pvom-
ford; the parishes of Childerditch, Little Warley, South Weald,
and West Horndon in the Rural District of Billericay ; the
parishes of Chigwell, Epping Upland, Theydon Bois, and They-
don Garnon in the Rural District of Epping; the parishes of
Lambourue, Navestock, Stamford Rivers, Stapleford Abbotts,
Stapleford Tawuey, and Theydon Mount, in the Rural Dis-
trict of Ongar.

So much of the County of Hertford as is included in : The
Municipal Boroughs of Hertford and St. .\lbans; the Urban
Districts of Barnet, Bushey, Cheshunt, Chorleywood, East
Barnet Valley, Harpenden, Hoddesdon, Rickmansworth, Ware,
and Watford ; the Rural Districts of Barnet, Hatfield, Hertford,
St. Albans, Ware, Watford, and Welwyn.

So much of the County of Kent as is included in : The
Municipal Boroughs of Hertford and St. Albans; the Urban
Districts of Beckenham, Bexley, Chislehurst, Dartford, Erith,
Footscray, Northfleet, Penge, and Sevenoaks; the Rural Dis-
tricts of Bromley and Dartford ; the parishes of Brasted (ex-
cluding the detached portion), Chevening, Dunton Green,
Halstead, Kemsing, Otford, Riverhead, Seal, Sevenoaks Weald,
Shoreham, Sundridge, and Westerham, in the Rural District
of Sevenoaks.

So much of the County of Surrey as is included in : The
County Borough of Croydon ; the Municipal Boroughs of Guild-
ford, Kingston-upon-Thames. Reigate. Richmond, and Wimble-
don; the Urban Districts of Barnes. Beddinaton and Walling-
ton. Carshalton, Caterham, Chertsey. Coulsdon and Purley.
Dorking, East and West Molesev, Egham, Epsom. Esher and
the Dittons, Ham, Leatherhead, Merton and Morden. Mitcham.
Rurbiton. Sutton. The Maldons and Coombe, Walton-upon-
Thames. Weybridge, and Woking: the Rural District of
Epsom : the parishes of Bisley, Byfleet. Pyvford, and Thorpe,
in the Rural District of Chertsey: the parishes of Dorking
Rural, Effingham, and Mickleham, in the Rural District of
Dorking; the parishes of .\ddington. Bletchinglv. Chelsham,
Crowhurst, Parleich. Godstone fexcept the detached portion).
Limpsfield. Oxted, Tandridae (except so much of the said
parish as lies to the south of an imaginarv straight line drawn
from the point where the we.'stern Iioundary of the said parish
joins the southern boundary of the parish of Godstone to the
point where the eastern boundarv of the said parish ioins the
southern boundary of the parish of Crowhurst). Tatsfield.
Titsev. Warlingham. and Woldineham. in the Rural District
of Godstone: the Parishes of East Clandon, East Horsley,
Merrow, Ockham. Pirbright. Send and Riplev, West Clandon.
West Hor.slev, Wislev. and Worplesdon. in the Rur.il District
of Guildford: and the parishes of Betchworth. Ruckland,
Chaldop. Chinstead. Gatton. Kinaswood. I.ibertv. Merstham.
Nutfield. and Walton-on-the-Hill, in the Rural District of
Reigate.

Mersey .4nd West Lanwshire.

In the Countv of Lancaster: Tlie City and C<mntv Borough
of Tjiverpool : the Countv Boroughs of Bnotle. Southpo'-t. St.
Helens, and Warrington- the Municipal Borouah of Widnec=:
the Urban District^ of Formbv._ Great Crosbv. Huvton-"ith-
Hobv. T nthom .Tud Burscouah. T.itherlnnd T.ittV Gro.sby. New-
top-in-Makerfield. Ormskivk. Present. Rninford Rkelmersdale.
nnd Waterioo-with-Senfnrth: the Rural Districts of Sefton.
Weot Lancashire and Whi«ton. and the p-rishes or tnwn=h!ps
of Burtonwood Cuerdlov Great RanVev. Il.-vuehtop Middleton
and \rburv Penkefh Pmilton with FeivTdiead, Routhworth
and Croft W'nwick-"itli-Hulme ae.l Woolston-with-Martins-
creft. in the Rural DUfrict of Warrinaton

In the Couptv nf Chester ■ The Countv Boron"},, nf Birken-
hend and Wallnsev: th*> TTrbnn Districts of Broomborouah
Flle.smere Port and '^liitbv. Higher Bebingt-on Hovlake and
West Kirby, Lower Bebington, Neston and Farkgate, and

Vol. 87. No. 2,220, July 23, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEWo

107

Runooin; the Eui'al Districts of Rancorn and W'ural, aud the
parishes or townships of Bridge Traftord, iJunhaiii-on-the-Hill,
JiJton, ffapsford, Jji<;e, Little Stanney, Stoke, Thornton-le-
Moors, and Wimbolds Traliord, in the Rural District of
Chester.

NoKTH Wales and Ohestbk.

The Counties of Anglesea, Carnarvon, Denbigh, Flint,
Merioneth, and Montgomery.

So much of the County of Cardigan as is included in : The
Municipal Borough of Aberystwith; the Rural District of
.A.beryst\vith ; aud the township of Scybor y C-oed.

So much of the County of Chester as is included in : The
City and County Borough of Chester; the Municipal Borough
of Crewe; the Urban Districts of Hoole, MiddJewich, Nant-
wich, Northwich, Tarporley, aud Winsford; the Rural Dis-
tricts of Malpas, Nantwich, Northwich, and Tarviu^ aud the
parishes or townships of Bache, Backford, Blacon-with-Crab-
hall, Capenhurst, Caughall, Chester Castle, Chorlton-by-Back-
ford, Christleton, Claverton, Croughton, Doddleston, Eatou
Eccleston, Great Boughton, Gieat Saughall, Hoole Village,
Lea, Little Saughall, Littleton, Lower Kinnerton, Marlston-
with-Leach, Mickle Traftord, MoUington, Moston, Newton-
by-Chester, Pickton, Poulton, Pulford, Shotwick, Shotwick
Park, Upton, Wervin, and Woodbank, in the Rural District
of Chester; and

So much of the County of Salop as is included in : The
Municipal Borough of Oswestry ; the Urban Districts of Elles-
luere, Wem, and Whitchurcli ; the Rural Districts of Elles-
mere, Oswestry, Weiii, and Whitchurch.

Local Inquiries.
Notice is further given that the Electricity Commissioners
intend to hold local inquiries into the e.xisting organisations
for the supply of electricity in the districts so provisionally
determined. Notice will be given of the dates of the proposed
inquiries. Schemes for effecting improvements in existing
organisations, including the formation of .Joint Electricity
Authorities for the districts, aud any proposals for altering
or adjusting the boundaries of the districts so provisionally
determined may be submitted, in the case of r.ondon and
Home Counties not later than December 31st ; and in tlie case
of Mersev and West Lancashire, and North Wales and Chester
not later than November 30th, 1920.

CORRESPONOENCe.

Letters received hy us after 5 P.M. ON Tuesday cannot appear until
the following week. Correspondents sliould forward their communi-
cations at the earliest possible vwiuetU. Ko letter can he published
unless we hare the writer's name and address in our possession.

A Maximum Load Indicator.

Could you or any ol your readers advise me of any load-
indicating device on the market in England for use in connec-
tion with determining the load on distribution transformers?
At present, so far as v\e know, various companies either
make a practice of occasionally testing transformers, or if
they use demand meters can check the load fairly closely.
This does not, however, cover the case of lighting trans-
formers very weU, and some indicating device is needed to
determine when the transformer has been subjected to a high
temi^erature by reason of load conditions.

R; J. Beaumont,
Shawinigan Water li Power Co.
Montreal,
June 'lath, 19-20.

The Cost of Living in India.

I have just read Mr. Dykes's letter in your issue of May
14th, and whilst I agree with him as regards appointments
which carry with them free quarters, he somewhat begs the
question when he states that, as the results of his recent short
visit to India, he is able to state with confidence that many
young men of public school and university education willingly
go out as assistants in merchants' offices at salaries one-half
of that mentioned {i.e., Rs. 1,000 per month). No doubt he
does know of some such who have willingly come out, in
ignorance, under such conditions, but he is careful not to
say that he knows of any who were satisfied, after they
had been out here for a few months, that they had been
wise in coming. I myself know of men of the class he
mentions who have been misled into thinking they were
laming out to a good thing, and have .since discovered their
mistake, although in cases of big merchant firms which pro-
vide " chuuiiueries " for their juniors to live in, the ca.se may
l)e different. Young engineers, as a rule, have to shift for
themselves when they first come out, as it usually takes some
time to get into an established "chummery."

There is, of cour.se. more chance of advancement in India
than at home, and I do not wish to discourage young men
from coming out, but for a man " of public-school or univer-
sity education " (i.e., one w-ho is used to keeping up "ap-
pearances " to a certain extent — a very necessary thing in
India), the minimum salary should. generaUv speaking, be
Re. 700 per month. For a married man, Rs. '900 at least. I

speak, of course, of the big Presidency towns, Calcutta,
Bombay, aud Madras, although the last-mentioned is a cheaper
place to hve m than the other two. Up-country, also, livmg
IS cheaper.

Regarding the. last paragraph of JVIr. Dykes's letter, it is
not likely that British engineers wiU ever be ousted by In-
dians, although a few of the latter will no doubt continue to
rise to high positions as in the past, but they will be the
e.\ceptions.

P. L. T.

Calcutta.
Jane 19t/i, 19-20.

Staff Salaries and Conditions of Service.

I think that we are jointly to be congratulated upon having
induced the S.T.E., in the person of its secretary, to emerge
from its self-sought obscurity.

Mr. \Vyld's letter in your current issue is extremely interest-
ing, but 1 am afraid that it is merely a clever piece of special
pleading.

Judged superficially, it apjiears convincing, but a critical
analy.sis would appear to confirm my original views. From
Mr. Wyld's letter it is easy to assume that he finds it diffi-
cult to judge of the relative importance of principles as com-
pared with points of administrative detail. Mr. Waddington
seems to be m the same plight, "and fails to observe that my
objection to the S.T.E. is not that it has not done anything,
but that I was unable to discover that it had any principles
to which I felt that I could honestly and whole-heartedly
subscribe.

Further, and this is by way of being comment on the
S.T.E. 's methods, although I am, in my proper person, well
known to many engineers of all classes, and iu daily and
hourly contact with them, it was only eight months ago that
I first heard of the existence of this wonderful society, which
in a district where there are estimated to be at least some
four to five thousand men eligible as members, has a member-
ship of less than 200 !

I quite realise, none better, that a big organisation takes
time to build up, but all the time in the world will not be
sufficient for the building up of an organisation which cannot
discriminate between fundamentals and unimportant details.

To fight a great cause, it is necessary to inspire the rank
and file of the ruovenient with ideals or principles to which
they can subscribe. 'Hie simpler in form and higher in
character these are, the more successful the movement will
be. In other words, what is required is a crusade.

Publicity spells life to good causes and, very often, death
to poor ones, and by that test I, for one, am content to judge .
the S.T.E. That which is conducted in dark corners, and in
secrecy, hasonly its authors to thank if it is classed with
conspiracies instead of crusades.

In conclusion, I wish to emphasise that I have no desire
whatever to "crab" the legitkuate eiforts of the S.T.E.,
and no one would be more pleased than myself to find that
it is on the right lines.

However, I am not convinced by Mr. Wyld's letter that this
is the case, especially as I am informed on good authority
that the efforts of Mr. Wyld and his friends are almost solely
directed towards political action, thus laying them open to
temptations to form undesirable alliances with various labour
organisations.

Carton le Roet.

July 15ih, 19-20.

About Condensers.

Would any reader kindly let me know details ol any books,
papers, &c., on the theory, design, and construction of static
condensers, especially those for power purposes, e.g., phase
splitting on single-phase motors, power-factor improvement
on A.c. systems, &c.?

Capacity.
Persia .
June 5th, 1920.

What is the Contractor Doing?

" British Manufacturer " asks why the contract<jr fills his
window with American heating and cooking apparatus. The
answer appears to me, as a contractor, to be obvious.

It is our duty to supply the consumer with what he wants
in the form of apparatus which will not only do the work
which it is required to do, but will also look artistic. The
" British Manufacturer " has apparently forgotten that there
is .such a word as " Art." The American manufacturer not
only remembers that word, but introduces it into his pro-
ducts.

When " British Manufacturer " learns this l&ssou. which
he does not appear to understand at the present time, he
may be quite confident that he will have the whole-hearted
support of the contractor in disixising of his goods.

Live Wire.

July 19th. 1920.

[Several letters have been unavoidalily held over to our next
issue.— Eds. Elec. Rev.]

108

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,32.5. july 2s, 1920.

BUSINESS NOTES.

Midland Rates of Pay.— At a meeting held at Notting-
ham, on July 13th, basic rates and working conditions were settled
by the Industrial Council for No. 7 Ea«t Midlands District,
including South Notts, South Derbyshire, and South Lincolnshire,
with the whole counties of Leicester, Rutland, and Northants. In
fixing rates and conditions, the area was divided into two grades,
large undertakings of over 6,000-KW. capacity, such as Nottingham
and Leicester, being placed in Grade 1, and smaller plants in the
second grade. The terms agreed upon will now be presented to the
National Industrial Council for approval, and, it is expected, will
come into operation as from August 1st next, a Committee being
appointed to deal with any anomalies which may arise. It was
determined that Burton-on-Trent and Mansfield should be directly
represented upon the Council, thereby raising the number to 14
upDn each side, representative of employers and employed.

Book Notices. — The .July issue of Conquest contains,

amongst a variety of interesting items, articles on " Electric
Melting Furnaces," by F. Rowlinson ; " Electrifying Seeds " ; and
a description of the punched-card system of dealing with statistics
and commercial data, the Hollerith machine being electrically
operated throughout.

" The Metropolitan-Vickers Gazette." Vol. VI. No. 87 (23 pp.).
—The June number of the " Gazette" presents several long, interest-
ing articles, including fully-illustrated descriptions of a new blast-
furnace hoist and contactor-type starters for motor-driven air
c impressore.

"Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn : Catalogue of the College of
Engineering, 1920-21." (119 pp.) This volume describes the
various departments and courses of the College, with the rules for
admission, particulars of degrees conferred, &c.

"The Trend of Regulation," by the Hon. Carl D. Jackson, and
" The Reward for Efficiency," by the Hon. Edward 0. Egerton
(24 pp.\ — These are two addresses covering the financing of electric
utilities and the regulation of public utilities given at the forty-
third Convention of the U.S. National Electric Light Association.

" The Technology Reports of the Tohoku Imperial University,
Sendai, Japan " Vol I. No. 1 (100 pp.). Tokio : Maruzen Co.

" Vickers' News," Vol. II, No. 19 (IH pp.), containing articles on
the "Cosmos "lamp works, London-Paris air service, submarine
photography, &c., all fully illustrated.

"Scientific Paper No. 379 of the U.S. Bureau of Standards,
" RefiecMng Power of Monel Metal, Stellite. and Zinc." (4 pp.)
Washington : Government Printing Office. Price 5 cents.

Amongst other publications of the Koyal Institution of Great
IJritain that we have recently received are the papers on "The
Gyrostatic Compass," read by Mr. S. G. Brown, F.R.S., on Jan. 30th ;
and "The Thermionic Valve in Wireless Telegraphy and Tele-
phony," read by Prof. J. A. Fleming, F.H.S., on May 2l8t, 1920.

Sequestration. — Jardine M'Kerlie, electrical engineer

and contractor, 195. Crow Road, Partick, Glasgow, and residing at
2, Thorn wood Drive, Partick, Glasgow. — Meeting of creditors at
the Faculty Hall, St. George's Place, Glasgow, July 28th. Mr.
J. L. Maokie, (i2, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, agent.

Tlie British Industries Fairs. — The President of the

Board of Trade has appointed a committee consisting of the
following, viz :— Sir Frank Warner, K.B.E , chairman ; Mr. W. A.
Anderson, Air. P. W. L. Ashley, C.B , Sir W. H. Clark, K C.S.I.
C.M.G , Mr. J. W. Murray, Mr. G. C. Vyle, and Major F. H. Wedgwood,
to consider the best policy to be adopted in future as regards
British Industries Fairs, particularly in respect of the centres at
which they should be held, the trades which should be included,
and the classes of exhibitors who should be allowed to participate.
Mr. A. G. Chuter, M.B.E., of the Department of Overseas Trade, has
been appointed secretary to the committee.

Health Exhibition. — The Health Exhibition at Bingley

Hall, Birmingham (under the auspices of the Royal Sanitary
Institute, which is this week holding its conference in that city),
was opened on Monday by the Lord Mayor (Alderman W. A.
Oadbury). The great hall was filled withstands of exhibits dealing
with health, sanitation, and domestic hygiene. Electrical
applianceB constituted a good feature. A silver medal was awarded
to the City of Birmingham Electricity Department, for a display
emphasising the hygienic value of electrical appliances : and
another was given to the Hoover Suction Sweeper Co., for electric
sweepers. Bronze medals were awarded to Messrs. Charles E.
Beck &Co., London, for the ' Thor " electric washing machine ; to
the " Gem " Labour Saving Device Co., Manchester, for the " Gem "
electric vacuum cleaner ; and the Western Electric Co., Ltd.,
London, for an electric sewing machine.

Catalogues Wanted in New Zealand.— Makers of

British lighting and power sets are asked to send catalogues and
price lists in duplicate, together with particulars of terms,
delivery, export arrangements, to H.M. Trade Commissioner, P.O.
Box 369, Wellington, New Zealand, as there is a market there for
these manufactures.

Inquiries. -Makers of the " Bowman Ashden " fly-
wheel dynamotor and magnetic clutch brake are asked for.

Company Liquidations. — Insulation and Metal
Fitments, Ltd. — Winding up voluntarily. Liijuidator. Mr. M
Jenks, 6, Old Jewry, E.G.

Small Sets for Nairobi. — H.M. Trade Commissioner.

Nairobi, East Africa, in a recent dispatch to the Department of
Overseas Trade, mentions that there is a reasonably good demand
in that country for small electrical power sets with battery.

Copper and Lead Prices. — Messrs. F. Smith & Co.,

report, July 20th : — Copper (electrolytic) bars, £111, £1 increase :
electrolytic sheets, no change; electrolytic wire rods, £120, £1
increase ; electrolytic H.c. wire, no change ; ailic!um bronze wire,
no change.

Messr,s. James & Shakespeare report July 20th : — Copper bars
(best selected), sheets, and rods, no change. English pig lead, £37 ;
10s. decrease on lait week's prices.

American Business Methods in Holland. — The following

advertisement appeared in a Dutch Daily Newspaper last week ;

'AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS

of highest standing require

CAPABLE CONCERN as
SOLE REPRESENTATIVE

for First class Motor Tractors with Ploughs
and Motor Trucks.

Both brands already introduced in this country.
Only those who have sufficient capital to carry
stocks need apply."
Comment on the suggested financial arrangements is needless.

E.D.A. — We have received a further bunch of pamphlets
from the Electrical Development Association. Couched in non-
technical terms, these are designed to point out the advantages
of " doing it electrically " to the lady of the house. Labour-saving
is, of course, the main theme, and one of the leaflets —" Start the
day the easy way " — demonstrates the benefit of electric kettle?,
toasters, c&c. Another — " The beginning of a perfect day "—deals
with electric cooking, and " Silent aids to comfort " emphasises
the cleanliness and convenience of electricity.

French Manufactures, — The sixth display of articles

manufactured in France is being given at the Office Commercial
Fran(,'3,i8 en Angleterre (French Commercial Intelligence Depart-
ment), 15S, Queen Victoria Street. E.G. 4, from July 16th to 31st.
The objects of this organisation £. e principally to foster and develop
Anglo-French commercial relations by procuring special informa-
tion and giving all possible assistance to exporters, Its accounts
are submitted annually to the French Ministry of Commerce, under
whose auspices it operates. The present display is divided into
three sections. The first comprises photographic apparatus,
philosophical and surgical instruments, laboratory apparatus, kc.
In this group are cameras, binoculars, compasses, barometers,
altimeters, theodolites, i:c., by well-known French companies ; in
all about 30 manufacturers are represented. A feature of this
section is an explosive testing machine, made by L. Doignon, of
Malakoff (Seine), embodying a small motor and other electrical
accessories, but apart from this, and some electromedical apparatus,
the electrical side is practically neglected. Group 2 exhibits
perfumery, ornaments, jewellery, fancy work, small leather goods,
brushes, &c., and the third sec'ion is devoted principally to literature \
— French commercial journals and reports.

New Belgian Company. — A new company has jnst been

formed at Forest-lez-Brussels, with a capital of 1.000,000 fr. and \
the title La Societe de la Soudure Electrique Autogene, to carry on
an electrical-welding business. Among the directors of the new
concern is Major James Caldwell.

French Companies. — The Socictc Force et Lumiere ~
Electrique (9, Rue de Rocroy, Paris) has acquired the Strassburg
and Metz branches of the A,E,G. in Alsace-Lorraine.

The Societe des Forges de Montalieu, with offices at I, Avenue
du Comte-Vert, Chembory (Savoy), has been launched as a com-
pany for the acquisition, installation, and working of hydroelectric
power, more particularly for use in the electro-metallurgical
industry. Its capital is 400,000 fr.

There has been formed at Paris (60. Rue Michel Ange), the
Societe de Constructions Electriques et des Moteurs Triphasea
Rous, with the objects indicated by its title. The capital is
300,000 fr.

Office Commercial des Fabricants Specialistes de I'lndustrie
Electrique is the name of a company forme<l at Lyon (32, Rue de
Marseille), with a capital of 100.000 fr., to further the interests of
electrical manufacturers of special lines.

With headquarters at 4, Rue Rosenwald, Paris, Adrien Fienx et
Cie. have established themselves as a company, with a capital of
115,000 fr,, for the manufacture of electrical apparatus.

New Swedish Companies. — Among the new companies
recently formed in Sweden in connection with electric lighting
undertakings are the llammerdals Elektriska Kraft Aktiebolag. of
Hammerdals, and the (tenea Elektriska Aktiebolag, of Stockholm.

Vol. 87. No. 2,22i;, JnLY 23, 1920.

HHm JliLi£i(Ji.Ki(JAIj lU^JViEWo

lua

Canadian Contracts: Thk Advaniaoes of Direct

Representation. — Ibe I'rovincial Governments and Munici-
palities tliioughout tlie Dominion of Canada frequently ad-
vertise locally considerable requirements lu macbmery and
other supplies, and, since it often bappena that tbe plant,,
Ac, is urgently required by the time that the necessary
exiienditure is authorised, the period allowed for the sub-
mission of tenders is usually short. This is an old difficulty
(if British traders in their relations with other and more
distant parts of the Empire as well. It may prevent British
suppliers from submitting tenders, or at least place them
ut a very considerable disadvantage as compared with Cana-
dian manufacturers and U.S.A. firms who for geographical
reasons are more favourably placed.

The authorities concerned are fully aware of the position,
but, while they appreciate that it is to their advantage that
United Kingdom firms should tender and are anxious to give
them every opportunity of competing, reasons of urgency,
a.s already stated, often render impracticable an extension of
the period allowed for the submission of tenders.

An effective way to surmount the difficulty is by having
direct representation in the Dominion. Provided the agent
has the desirable attributes for the position, and is given
powers wide enough to enable him to act promptly in the
interests of his principals the latter can enjoy all the advan-
tages of a local house. The substantial accuracy of this
statement is not infrequently confirmed in reports received
in the Department of Overseas Trade. Quite recently the tender
of a United Kingdom firm for motor lorries required by a
Canadian municipality was accepted provisionally. The local
agent of the tenderer was able to satisfy the municipal
authorities that their stipulations would be met, and the
tender was finally accepted. Not less important in point of
value are some of the orders placed by private firms, and
although si)eed in tendering may not in the,se cases be so
essential to success, the services of a responsible agent who
can, if required, conduct any necesscry negotiations or in-
quiries in person are likely to be of considerable assistance
to his principals in this country in their efforts to secure
Canadian business. Among ca.ses of successful tendering by
United Kingdom firms recently reported to the Department
of Overseas Trade may be mentioned : —

1. An order for a horizontal boring machine required by a Canadian firm
was secured by a United Kingdom manufacturer with a branch house in
Toronto.

2. A contract for copper pipe was obtained by a United Kingdom firm
whose success is partly attributable to the efforts of their Montreal agent.

In both these cases the successful firm first heard of the
opening through His Majesty's Trade Commissioners in the
Dominions, who are often in a position to assist agents in
their efforts to secure orders for their principals. United
Kingdom firms who have not already done so are invited to
communicate to the Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old
Queen Street, S.W. 1, the names and addresses of their
agents for the information of His Majesty's Trade Commis-
sioners in Canada.

Private Meeting. — Hewetfc, Riine & Co., 41, Lewis
Grove, Lewishaui, London, S.E., electrical engineers. — The
creditors interested herein were called together recently, at
the offices of Messrs. Corfield i4- Cripwell, accountants and
auditors, Balfour House, Fiusbury Pavement, E.C., when a
statement of affairs was presented which show^ed liabilities
of iSOo. The indebtedness to the trade was ;6802, the balance
being due to the bank. The assets are ^987, or a surplus of
£182. Mr. W. Osborne reported that the stock should reahse
favourably, wjiile the book debts were generally good. Only
a small amount was required to complete the work in progress.
He added that the position w-as somewhat unusual. A busi-
ness previously carried on at the same address under the style
of Messrs. Chapman & Co. was purchased for ^700, of which
£.300 was for the stock and the remainder for goodwill. The
money for the purchase was found by two gentlemen, but
one of them had never taken any practical interest in the
concern, and was now travelling on the Continent. A third
gentleman became identified with the business in July of the
present year, but no further capital was then introduced.
Messrs. J. C. Raine and S. Hewett had only drawn on the
average a sum of .£3 a week each. R-om the figures which
had been prepared it appeared that the business had been
conducted at a loss for some little time past, and the gross
profits had not been sufficient to cover the establishment
charges and the drawings. After a .short discussion a resolu-
tion was passed in favour of the matter being dealt with under
a deed of assignment, with Mr. W. Osborne as trustee. A
committee was also appointed consisting of the representatives
of Messrs. Falk, Stadelmann & Co., the Commercial Electric
Accessories Co., and the General Electric Co,

Electric Steel Production. — Statistics recently published

by the American Iron and Steel Institute show that while
the total annual steel output of the country has about doubled
in the last five years, the tonnage of electric steel has been
increased twenty-fold. The electric process has pa.ssed the
crucible and Bes.oeiner processes for the production of alloy
eteels, and is rihnost equal to the open-hearth acid process.
The total capacity of the electric steel furnaces of the
United States in 1919 was about 1,350 short tons. On the
basis of three heats per day, operating 300 days per annum,

these furnaces are capable of producing l,'2]5,(KXi short tons,
on an 8-hour day basis. -E'oc continuous operation of '24
hours per day the annual capacity would be ii,Uvl5,U00 short
tons. Electrical steel furnaces in the United States increased
from 155 in 1917 to 330 in 1919.

The results obtained in general average practice indicated
that the electric furnace steel was uniformly better by a
startling percentage. Due to the fact that electric steel can
be poured at a much higher temperature in a still or dead
condition, it has become possible to produce intricate thin-
section castings with regularity and without a high percentage
of rejections.

The demands of the Government on account of wartime
requirements brought out requirements which could only be
met by using the electric furnace. This naturally stimulated
the industry and placed it on a firm foundation. — American
Machinist.

Inter-Aily Electrical Engineering Developments. — A

correspondent states that some important mter-ally eJectrical
engineering developments are in progress. In November,
1918, there was formed m Paris a company with the title of
La Societe des Constructions Electriques du Rhone, to carry
on an electrical engineering business, the concern acquuing
through the English Electric Co., Ltd., the rights to use the
patents of the Phoenix Dynamo Manufacturing Co., Ltd.,
Bradford; Dick, Kerr & Co., Ltd., Preston; the Siemens
Dvnamo Works, Ltd., Stafford; and WOlans & Robinson, Ltd.,
Rugby.

Recently the title of the Rhone Co. was altered to that of
the Societe des Constructions Electriques de France, the
capital being at the same time increased to 4U,fX)0,000 fr. It
has also acquired the works at Tarbes of the Singrun Co. of
Epinal, and has secured an important contract from the Midi
of France Railway Co., in connection with the electrification
of that company's system.

One of the other developments of the Rhone Co. was the
formation some time ago of a Belgian branch under the name
of the Societe Auxiliaiie de Constructions Electriques de
Belgique. The Belgian concern, among other things, has
secured an interest in the Compagnie Internationale d'Elec-
tricite, of Liege, the capital of which has been increased to
40,000,000 fr., and purchased the engineering business of the
Anciens Ateliers Van den Kerckhove, of Ghent. To carry on
these undertakings a new company has now been formed
with the title Le Societe des Constructions Electriques de
Belgique, and arrangements are now in hand for the extension
of the w'orks both at Ghent and Liege.

The Enghsh Electric Co., Ltd., on its part has undertaken
to technically assist the new concerns in the direction of
railway electrification work, the construction of turbines, the
equipment of tramway systems, the production of electric
motors suitable for iron and steel rolling miUs, mining and
textile miU plant, signalling systems, telephone apparatus,
cable and wire manufacture, &c. At the same time the French
company will assist the Belgian undertaking in the direction
of electric locomotives, and electro-metallurgy.

Applications for British Trade-marks. — Appended is a
summary of the recent applications for British trade-marks in
respect of goods connected with the electrical trades and
industries : —

Bleriot-Phi (lettering combined with design). No. 307,872,
Class 6. — Machinery for generating light for vehicles, ships,
and boats. . Bleriot, Ltd., 57-59, Long Acre, London, W.C,
December 1st, 1919.

Eclat, British Made (lettering combined with design). No.
399,799. Class 13. — Electric lamps (ordinary), British made,
R. Edghill and L. Schaer, 2, Woodchester Street, Paddington
London, W. January 21st, 1920.

Junghans I (lettering combined with design). No. 381,961,
Class 13. — Electric pocket lamps and parts. Gebruder Jung-
hans Gesellschaft, 134, Gaishaldenstrasse, Schranberg, Ger-
many. September 13th, 1919.

Electrilac. No. 402,170. Class 50. Electrical insulating pre
parations. Arthur G. Brown, trading as the Rustnot Co., 73
Bridge Street, Manchester. March 23rd, 1920.

Prento. No. 400,479. Class 8.— Electrical distributing
boards and electric bell indicators. Herbert B. Prentice,
Progress Works, Crossland Street, Holbeck, Leeds. February
6th, 1920.

Gnome. No. 302,281. Class 6.— Electric machines, &c.
Societe des Moteurs, Gnome et Rhone, 11, Rue de la Boetre,
Paris. June 3rd, 1919.

C.M.C. (monogram). No. 402,720. Class 8.— Electrical
switchgear. Cleveland Metal Co.. Ltd., Bridge Works, Bridge
Street, Stockton-on-Tees. March 1st, 1920.

Lewcos. No. 401,894. Class 8. — Electric light flexibles and
telephone flexibles. No. 401,896. Cilass 60. — Impregnated
electric insulating tapes. London Electric Wire Co. & Smiths,
Ltd., 7, Playhouse Yard, Golden Lane, London, E.G. March
15th, 1920.

Klik. No. 403,345. Class 13.— Electric accessories. The
B.E. Co. (of London and Birmingham), Ltd., 67, Upper
Thames Street, London, E.C. April 24th, 1920.

Mercure. No. 492,367. Class 18. — Electric generators for
lighting and power purposes. Ward & Goldstone, Tjtd.,
Sampson Works, Salford, Manchester. March 26th, 1920.

110

THE ELECTRICAL EEVlEWo [Voi. 87. No. 2,226, Jtot 23, 1920.

Bankruptcy Proceedings. — Edward Stirling Elam
and John Walton, trading as Elaui, Walton & Co., electricians,
63, King Edwajd Street, Kingstou-upon-HuIl. — The public
examination of these debtors was held on 12th inst., at Hull.
According to the debtors' statement of alfairs the imsecuxed
liabihties amounted to £'S66, and assets £111, thus disclosing
a deficiency of Ji'i'25. The debtor Elam attended, and the
Official Receiver leported that the debtor Walton had written
a, letter to him saymg he was in L/ondon, and was unable to
return. This debtor's examination was therefore adjoui'ned.
With reference to Elam, this debtor stated that he jomed the
army in 1914, and was dischai'ged on account of ill-health in
1918. He admitted that neither he nor his partner were
electricians. The capital of the business wae i;4U, which was
found by Walton, and he (Elam) paid into it at diflerent
times portions of his pension. His total drawings from the
business were only £31 10s. In February they opened a branch
shop in Aivlaby Boad. He attributed their failme to want
of capital, inexperience, and loss through fire. The examina-
tion waa closed.

Mellon, W. H. (lately trading as H. B. Wallis & Co.),
electrical engineer, Chiswick. — Last day for receipt of proofs
lor dividend, August 5th. Trustee, Mr. T. Gourlay, 14, Bed-
lord Row, W.C. 4.

Foreign Goods in British Catalogues. — H.M. Trade

Commissioner at V\'eUington, JMew Zealand, writes that he is
continually receiving complaints from local firms which arise
from the inclusion m British catalogues of details of foreign
goods, without any indication that they are foreign. When it
IS found out in one case it naturaUy leads to a doubt as to
whether any of the goods in the catalogue are British, and
in a country such as jNew Zealand, where sentiment is strongly
British, harm is undoubtedly done to the trade of the firm
concerned. The extra import duty to be paid on goods of
foreign origin above the preferential tariff on goods of United
Kingdom manufacture has also to be taken into account. —
Hoard of Trade Journal.

Liverpool Cable Jointers' Strilie. — Oar Liverpool

correspondent writes ; 'Ihe strike of the Liverpool Corporation
cable jomtei's and street box examiners, members of the
Electrical Tiades Union, and navvies employed in excavating
for the laying of electric mains, drags on into the ninth week,
and no steps appear to be taken to arrive at a settlement.
It is and has been competent since May 17th, when the strike
was initiated, for any eight trade union representatives to
call a special meeting of the District Council to be held
within seven days, but no such action has been taken. The
grievance of the men is that they have not participated in
the aw'axds granted to certain grades employed at Livei-pool
and certain other towns, and their demand is that they should
benefit to the full. The recommendations have been accepted
without question throughout the north-western area except
the grades now on strike at Liverpool. Instead of challeng-
ing the decision, and their representatives asking for a meeting
(if the District Council to discuss the matter, the men ceased
work about May 17th. 'The representatives of the men then
asked for a meeting of the District Council, but neither were
the employers' representatives nor, in fact, several of the
trade union representatives, willing to attend a meeting prior
to the men now on strike returning to work. Thus, although
there exists machinery for dealing expeditiously with any dis-
pute as it arises, unless the rules are observed, it might as
well not exist.

'WritiBR later, our correspondent reports that the strike haa
extended to the Wallasey and Birkenhead Corporations.

The French Jeumont Works. — The report of the directors

of the Ateliers de Constructions Electriques du Nord et de
I'Est (Jeumont-Kord) is accompanied by accounts for the
past six years, circumstances having rendered it impossible
for balance sheets for the years of war to be submitted at an
earlier date owing to the late enemy occupation of the works
at Jeumont. It is possible for the company to pay two divi-
dends for this period of years, namelv, 4 per cent, out of
net profits of 3,677,000 fr. for 1917, and 5 per cent, out of
'2,200,000 fr. for 1919. The report states that despite the
reduced activity during the war the results had permitted
the company to make the normal rate of depreciation, and
also form a provision fund of 2,000,000 fr. These results were
achieved, thanks to the old workshops at Saint-Ouen, the
shops rented at Bezons dm'ing the war, and the establish-
ments purchased at Saint-Denis in 1916. The company was,
therefore, about to approach a period of activity with a well-
estabhshed financial situation, which was of the greatest
importance in view of the high cost of labour and raw mate-
I'ials.

Immediately after the amiistice, the report states, the direc-
tors devoted their attention to the recovery of the plant re-
moved by the German armies. 'Working at Jeumont was
begun as soon as circumstances permitted. The foundries
for pig iron, steel, and bronze were restarted at the beginning
of 1919. In the case of the engineering shops it was necessary
to wait for the restoration of the railway before the machinery
recovered could be transported, together with the replacement
of machinery purchased during the war. The machinery re-
covered, which had been worked intensively by the Germans,
had to undergo considerable repaii's, and a certain number
of machine tools had to be refused. Nevertheless it was
possible to consider the shops as reconstituted as from Sep-

tember, when 40 machines were still missing, but most of
these had since been returned. The cable factory, the wire
drawing mill, the rolling mill, and the factory for insulating
materials had experienced a more complete devastation than
the workshops, and the recovery of the plant and resumption
uf working required a longer time. Some idea of the quantity
of plant removed could be gathered from the fact that until
the end of April, 1920, 340 machines, necessitating the use
of 112 railway trucks, had been returned by Germany, and
there still remained to be restored imixirtant cable-making
plant which the Germans had sold to an Austrian firm, and
lor the return of which over 40 wagons would be needed.
The erection of the rolling mill was proceeding, and it would
soon be put in operation again, while the wire mill recom-
menced working at the end of 1919, and was now in full
operation. The factory for tubes and moulded insulating
materials had yet to be re-e.stablished. As a result of the
reconstruction of the works at Jeumont those at Saint Denis
had been specialised for the con.struction of low and high
tension apparatus, and as soon as the remainder of the plant
was restarted, the productive capacity of these two works
would be considerably greater than that in 1914. In conclu-
sion, the report mentioned that the orders on hand for the
different departments were numerous, and would find ftill
cKx;upation for them for a long time forward.

Baron Empain (chairman), replying to questions at the
recent annual meeting, stated that the sum of 14,000,000 fr.
provided for depreciation was not high, having regard to the
almost worn-out condition of the recovered machinery and
the necessity for having up-to-date machine tools in order to
produce cheaplv. The claims for war damages amounted to
29,466,000 fr. on the basis of pre-war prices, of which 16,680,0(Hi
fr. had been paid by the Bureau of Industrial Reconstruction.
As to the present position of affairs, the chairman remarked
that the situation was very favourable from an industrial
point of view; orders were abundant at satisfactory prices,
and supplies of raw materials were assured on appropriate
conditions, the only obscure question lieing that of labour,
the fluctuations in which had been considerable. The direc-
tors, however, had guaranteed theiii-selves as much as possible
against losses from this situation of labour, and they believed
they had been successful in this respect.

The Demand for Machinery in China. — In connection

with the presence in this country, on a visit, of Mi'. H. U.
Fox, C.M.G., Commercial Counsellor of H.M. Embassy in
China, the Board of Trade Journal publishes an article on
" The Chinese Market : Outlook for British Trade." In the
course of this contribution the writer comments as follows on
the demand for machinery ; " This indu-strial development
has naturally created a demand for foreign machinery, which,
owing to the cessation of supplies from Europe and latterly
from America caused by the war, has now assumed very con-
siderable dimensions. From all parts of China come orders
and inquiries for textile machinery, railway material, electric
light and power plants, motor cars and lorries, which our
engineering firms are unfortunately only able to cope with to
a limited extent, as they have difficulty in obtaining fixed
quotations and guarantees of delivery from manufacturers in
the United Kingdom, who are apparently fully occupied with
home orders. This is particularly regrettable in view of the
enormous expansion in the engineering trade of China that
is bound to take place within the next few years, and the
keen competition on the part of the Americans, Germans, and
Japanese. It is desirable that home manufacturers with an
eye to the future could see their way to give priority to some
orders at least from China in order to keep British manufac-
tures before the Chinese. It must be remembered that
machinery being still comparatively rare in China, each com-
plete equipment of, say, a cotton mill or an electric light plant,
attracts far more attention than it would in countries where
industries are more highly developed, and, indeed, serves as
the best of all advertisements f<u' not only the particular maker
of the goods, but for the manufacturers of the maker's country
in general."

London firms who are desirous of consulting Mr. Fox wliile
he is in this country should communicate with the Depart-
ment of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, S.W.I. He
will be touring certain industrial areas in the United King-
dom, during the months of September and October.

Swedish Enterprises in Holland. — Supplementing: the

information contained in the present annual report of L. M.
Ericsson's A.B., it is now stated that the company's new
subsidiary in Holland bears the title of the Nederlandsche
Erics.son Telefon Fabricken, and has a share capital of
3,000,000 florins, of which the parent company holds about
two-thirds. The Swedish company has received some large
orders from Holland. Among the.^e is mentioned one for a
modern telephone exchange for 5,1100 subscribers on the Hult-
man automatic system, for the communal local telephone
company in Rotterdam. It is said to be pixsbable that the
company or its Dutch subsidiary will also receive the orders
%\hich will result from the conversion to the automatic system
of the whole telephone service in the city, A contract has
also been booked for an interurliau exchange in Rotterdam
for the Dutch State Telegraph Administration, which it is
calculated will be one of the greatest and most modern in
the world. The company is also about to erect three other
exchanges in Holland, whilst various sections are to be es-
tablished in Java and Sumatra.

Vol. 87. No. 2,22c, July 23, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVTEWo

111

Catalogues and Lists.— The British Electrical

Plant Co., Ltd., 66, Garrick Street, Glasgow. — A well-produced
oataloffue (55 pp ) of A.c. motors — squirrel cage and slip-rinR
induction types — including illustrations and a great amount of
useful information. A table of metric equivalents is also given.

The a. & A. Electrical Co., Ltd., 13, Farringdon Road, E.G. 1.
— An Qluatrated and priced leaflet listing various tjpes of bulbs for
automobile lighting from 2 to 48 c.P.

The General Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Queen Victoria Street,
E.G. i. — Catalogue S (2} section (20 pp.), an illustrated and priced
list of " H. and H." Hart-anap switches of various types and
applications. Heater, electrolier, and Continental type switches
are included, and wiring diagrams are also given.

The Lea Recorder Co., Ltd., 28, Deansgate, Manchester. —
Leaflet G2, illustrating and describing totally-enclosed '' Lea "
V-notch meters for measuring boiler feed water.

Messrs. Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd., Palace Place Mansions,
Kensington Court, W. 8. — Pamphlet A 707, an illustrated description
of a ship's navigation lights indicator, complying with the require-
ments of Lloyds for electric navigation lights.

Messrs. Pritchett ..t Gold and Electrical Power Storage
Co., Ltd., 50, Grosvenor Gardens, Victoria, S.W. 1. — A well-
produced catalogue (64 pp.), containing useful notes on electrical
power storage, battery-booster plants, &o., describing and illus-
trating various types of secondary cells and batteries, and giving
photographs of Installations.

Messrs. Johnson & Phillips, Ltd., Chirlton, S.E. 7. — A
description (8 pp ) of six switchboard installations giving a
general view In each case. Boards erected for the Sydney muni-
cipality and the L.C.C. tramways are included.

The Electrical Supplies Co., 'The Lighthouse," 233,
Tottenham Court Road, W. 1. — A price list of '' Univeral ' elec-
trical appliances, illustrating irons, kettles, &c.

Messrs. George Kent, Ltd., 199-201, High Holborn, W.C— A
list complete to May, 1920, of 'Venturi" meter installations
(36 pp.).

Enterprise Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Gun Street Elec-
trical Works, Bishopsgate, E. 1. — A priced and Ulustrated leaflet
dealing with ironclad switch and fuse gear from 30 to 200-ampere
capacity.

Annual Outings. — On Saturday, July 10th, the staff and
employes of the firm of Stegman & Co., Glapham Junction, spent
a long day at Brighton. The company numbered more than 30.
Dinner was provided at the Queen's Hotel. The chair was occupied
by Mr. W. H. Mansell. The arrangements for the outing were
carried out by Mr. H. T. Mitchell, who acted as steward. The toast
'■ Success to our Firm" was well received.

On Saturday, July 10th, the employes and staff of the South
Wales Electric Welding Co. held their annual outing. They
proceeded from Swansea by train to Llanwrtyd Wells, where spor.s
were organised.

The annual outing of the G.E.G., Ltd. (The City Electrical
Co.) was held on Saturday last, when a char-a-bancs tour of the
Surrey HUls was made. In the morning trip. Great Bookham,
Merrow Downs, Newlands Corner, The Silent Pool Albury, Shere,
Gomshall and Dorking were visited. At lunch the opportunity was
taken to make a presentation to Mr. H. E. EUis, the managing
director and founder. The present took the form of a large
Seascape, by R. Weignal, R.A., with a suitable inscription plate.
Mr. Ellis, in acknowledging, welcomed back those who had returned
from the war. The toast of " The Firm " was replied to by Gapt.
H. E. 0. Ellis, M.G., late R.C. and R.F.C. The toast of "The
Ladies " was proposed by Capt. H. V. Ellis, late R.A.F.

Catalogues Wanted at Mombasa. — The Mombasa

Electric Light and Power Co., Ltd., P.O. Box No. lOi,
Mombasa, E.A.P., asks us to request manufacturers and factors of
the following goods to send them catalogues and illustrated
literature : —

Steam, gas, oil, and electi'ic power plant (engines, dynamos, and auxiliaries!,

Switchboards, switchgear, and instruments (a. and d.c).

Wires and cables, bare copper, V.I.R. asbestos insulated, paper-covered,
and lead-sheathed, steel-tape armoured.

Electric lighting fittings and accessories of every description.

Overhead transmission gear and materials of every kind.

Engineers' stores, machine tools, &c,

Cable-Makers' Strike Ballot.— A meeting of repre-
sentatives of the Executives of the Workers' Union, the National
Federation of Women Workers, the Electrical Trades Union, the
India-Rubber Cable and Asbestos Workers, the National Union of
General Workers, and the National Amalgamated Union of
Labour — all connected with the cable-making industry — has
decided to take a ballot of their members in the industry on the
question of a strike to enforce the claim made on the Cable-
Makers' Association. The claim is for 15s. per week for all
employes over 18 years of age, and 7s. 6d. per week for those below
18 years of age. An offer has been made by the employers which
is regarded by the Unions as totally unsatisfactory. — Daily Herald.

French War Profits Concealment.— M. Victor Buricult,

telephone apparatus manufacturer, has been condemned to three
months' imprisonment and the payment of a fine of 10,000 fr. for
concealing a sum of 1,698,944 fr. war profits. It transpired on
investigation, that while in 1911 his proiits on supplies to Govern-
ment totalled only 153,000 fr., in 1917 hU firm netted 1,135,000 fr.
of profits. Exalted military or civil personages are assumed to be
mixed np in the business.

Trade Announcements.— Messrs. W. Canning & Co.

Ltd., of Birmingham, have completed the extension of their
engineering works which are now fully organised for dealing with
mass production of dynamos and polishing lathes. It wtU be
remembered that in August, 1918, their engineering department
was completely burnt out, and the new works are fully equipped
with the latest machine tools. The new works have a capacity
four times that of the old ones.

The business of Messrs. Allen & Parkes, 15, Summer Row,
Birmingham, will be carried on as usual under the same name.
The dissolution of partnership referred to in our last issue related
to the retirement of Mr. A. J. Allen from the firm.

The Joseph Dixon Crucible Co. have appointed Mr. C. R.
Averill (28, Victoria Street, London, S.W. 1) as their sole agent for
the United Kingdom for their graphite products.

Annual Holidays. — The works and offices of Messrs.

HiGGS Bros., Birmingham, will be closed for the annual holidays
from July 30th till August 9th. Correspondence will not be
attended to during that period.

The works of Messrs. J. H. Tucker & Co., Ltd., Birmingham,
will be entirely closed from Friday evening, July 30th, nutU
Monday morning, August 9th, for the summer holidays.

The offices and stores of the Newman Electrical Co., Newman
Street. London, W. 1, will be closed from Saturday, July 31st, untU
Saturday, August 7th (inclusive) for the holidays. Urgent corres-
pondence will receive attention.

The works of Messrs. Ward & Goldstone, Ltd., Salford, will
be closed for the summer holidays from July 26th to August 2nd
inclusive. The offices, stores and packing departments wiU be
open as usual to deal with correspondence and orders.

The works of the Midland Electric Power Installation
Co., Wolverhampton, will be closed from Friday night, July 30th,
until the morning of Monday, August 9th, for the August
holidays.

The Trafford Park works and offices of the Metropolitan-
VicKERs Electrical Co., Ltd., will close down for the annual
holidays on Friday, July 23rd, and will re-open on Tuesday,
August 3rd. A small staff will attend to important matters.

The London offices of the City Electrical Co. will be closed
from July 31st to August 9th. No correspondence will be
attended to, but a small repair staff will be in attendance for
urgent matters. Works telephone : "North 365."

Dissolution of Partnership.— Clifford Butler and

Go , electricians and electrical engineers, 7 and 9, St. Peters Gate,
Nottingham.— Messrs. C. Butler and T. L. Hancock have dissolved
partnership. Mr. Butler attends to debts and continues the
business.

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES.

Barnsley. — Loan Sanction. — The Town Council has
received sanction to a loan of £36,250 for the installation of new
plant at the electricity works.

Bath. — Increased Loan. — In order to meet the addi-
tions to costs which have been incurred since the original estimate
of the cost of extensions at the electricity works, the Electric Light
Committee recommends application for a further loan of £7.712,
making a total of £38,117.

Bridlington. — Year's WoRKiNf) The statement of

accounts for the year's working up to March 31st last shows a net
deficit of £1,015. In spite of this, however, there is still a balance
of £686 to the credit of the undertaking, which has not cost the
ratepayers anything since its inception.

China. — Electrical Development. — There are only
ir,S electrical undertakings in China, 49 of which are under
foreign management. The Japanese have invested over .? 1 00.000,000
in such enterprises through the South Manchurian Railway Co..
and $759,000 throui;h other concerns ; and the British have
invested $25,000,000, of which about half is through Chinese concerns.
In Canton there are 22 power and light companies, in addition to
the British Tramway Co. No water power is used, most of the
power being derived from oil. except for two coal-burning
plants. They are all small, only four having a capacity of over
1,000 KW. There are also electrical enterprises in Kiangsu Province,
centred around the city of Shanghai, which develop twice the
power of the Canton plants. All of them use steam power. Of
the l.'i electrical companies in Shengking Province. Manchuria, 13
are manuged and owned by the Japanese, and the 30,000 KW, of power
generated is supplied to Chino-Japanese industry or transporation
enterprises. The largest single enterprise is the Xo. 1 Power
Houje of the railway company, which generates 4. .500 KW. by
steam. Although Shantung Province is one of the most populous
areas in China, there are but four Chinese and one Japanese plants,
generating a total of but 5,000 KW. In the other provinces there
are only the small native plants using gas power and operating on
a very small scale. — Journal of Electr'xcitu.

112

THE ELECTRICAL RE.VrE"W [Vol. 87, No. 2,220, July 2S, 1920.

Chesten — Yeak's Working. — The total income of the
electricity department for the past financial year amounted to
£.■(5,81)3, as compared with £27, .512 for the previous period. The
total expenditure was £25.088, as ajfainst £1(),750, leaving a gross
balance of £10,s0.t (i;lO,7il2). The payment of loan and sinking
fund charges, kc, resulted in a net profit of £1,070. The revenue
accruing from the hydro-electric works amounted to £4, 183, and
the capital expenditure upon this plant was £18,482. A grant of
£20O was made towards the expenses of the Dee inquiry.

Chipping Norton. — Pcblic Liohtikg. — Upon the invi-
tation of the Lighting and Watch Committee, the local gas and
electric light companies submitted tenders for public lighting.
The Council accepted the offer of the electric light company to
carry out the work for £300.

Continental. — France. — The Municipal Council of Paris
has accepted the proposal that a competition shall be held at which
plans shall be submitted for the greater utilisation of the motive
power of the Seine.— Fi nanciid Times.

Iceland.— The first annual report of the Danish-Icelandie
Installation Co. (Dansk-Islandsk Aniaegs-Selskat), of Copenhagen,
which was formed last year for the acquisition of water-power
rights and iron ore concessions in the north-western peninsular of
Iceland, states that Mr. Houth, a Norwegian hydraulic engineer, was
engaged to investigate and report on the water-powers in the area of
the concession made to the company. As a result of his investigation,
the engineer concludes that the water-power available would yield
35,200 turbine horse-power, or about 33,000 electrical horse-power
on the average throughout the year. It is proposed to utilise the
power for the winning of sale from sea-water, the smelting of iron
ore, the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen and general supply pur-
poses. It will, however, be nece.ssary to raise additional capital to
proceed with the work, but the financial situation is not considered
to be favourable at the present time for appealing to the market.
The Prime Minister of Iceland has intimated that a Government
guarantee of the share capital may possibly be given.

Italy. — At 10 o'clock on the night of July 14th, Rome was
suddenly phmged into darkness by the cessation of work on the
part of employes of the gas and electricity works. The workers
are claiming a substantial increase of wages.

Russia.— Peat Fdel.- At Shatura, some miles from Moscow,
a successful experiment on a small scale has been made in
generating electricity by burning peat in adapted marine engines
and boilers, and a scheme for building large generating stations
in the peat districts has now been prepared. — Daihj Neipf.

Dundee. — New Plant. — The Corporation Electricity
Department has resolved to get only one turbine for extensions,
instead of two. as the makers said that the neces.sary two could not
be delivered in less than 22 month.s, whereas if only one turbine
was ordered, there was every hope that it might be in uf!e in 11
months.

Faroe Islands. — ELECTRiciTy Supply. — It is reported

from Thorshavn, Faroe Islands, that an electricity works is to be
established for Thorshavn in the near future. The technical
manager of the Town CouncQ has been in Copenhagen in order to
make the necessary arrangements.

Grantham.— Price of Sopi'ly. — The Town Council
has decided to oppose the application of the Urban Electric
Supply Co. for the maximum price of electricity to be increased
from 7d. to Is. 2d. per unit, with a ch^ge of lOd. per unit for
lighting from July 1st.

Hereford. — Decrease in Output.— It was stated at a

recent Council meeting that the number of units sold during the
past financial year had dropped from approximately four millions
to slightly over two millions, causing a decrease in revenue of
£10,200.

Heckmondwike. — Year's Working. — At a meeting of

the District CouncU it was stated that a profit of £720, or of £1,491
if a disputed charge was taken into account, had been made on
the electricity undertaking. The previous year had shown a loss
of £1,634.

India.— Hydro-Electric Project. — The Sufclej Hydro-
Electric Scheme was referred to at the Punjab Engineering Con-
gress of 1919 in a paper on " A Project for Providing the Punjab
with a Cheap Supply of Electric Power," by Mr. F. L. Milne,
A.M.I.E.E., electrical engineer, Simla, from which the following ia
an extract :— The Sutlej River takes a big hair-pin bend from Oel
to Kirithpore. The distance round through the Bh.ikra Gorge is
some 40 miles, while across it is only some seven miles, but a
range of mountains, the top of which is 3,400 ft. above sea level,
intervenes. Therefore to get across this gap, a tunnel 10,500 ft.
long is needed, ending in an open cut and forebay. From this
forebay steel pipes can be laid to the power house 31 miles away.
After deducting losses of head due to friction in the pipes, 3U0 ft.
working head remains for the turbines. With a minimum supply
in the winter of 2,700 cb. ft. per second, it is estimated (iO.OOO KW.
can be generated. If, however, the Bhakra Dam is built, the
requirements of the canals below will entail that never lees than
7,50U cb. ft. per second must be passed down so that iaO,000 KW.
will probably be the ultimate output of this scheme. The
power generated, if the scheme develops, will be used to electrify
the Simla-Kalka Railway, provide light and fans at Ambala, and

probably power to the mills there, light to the hiU stations of
Kasauli, Dagshai and Subath, power possibly for pumping from

tubewclls in tracts of Patiala and Nabha not served by canals, and
for electrical extraction of metals from ores in the neighbouring
Himalayas. There may also be possibilities of extension to Delhi,
Amritsar and Lahore. — Indian Te.rtile Juurnul.

Isle of Wight. — Proposed Price Increase. — In con-
sequence of the application of the Isle of Wight Electric Light and
Power Co. to the various Councils concerned for permission to
increase charges, Sandown and Ventnor have decided to enter a
protest, and Shanklin has acquiesced to the increase.

King's Lynn. — Year's AVorking, &c. — At a meeting

of the Town Council, on Wednesday, the Electricity Committee
presented accounts for the year ended March 31st last, showing a
surplus of £1.219, as compared with £1,924 in the preceding year.
It was agreed, on the reconamendation of the Committee, to use
£525 to meet capital expenditure for which no loan had been
obtained, and to carry forward the remainder to the next account.
It was further reported that of the £60.4li8 expended to date on
worksand plant only one-fifth now remained unpaid, but considerable
expenditure was .about to be incurred tor extensions, mainly necessi-
tated by demands for power for the shipyards recently established
on the west side of the river, to meet which an A.c. turbo-
generator is to b3 installed and a submarine cable laid across the
harbour, with a transformer sub-station on the west liank of the
river.

Kinsale. — Lighting Contract. — The District Council
has accepted the tender of Messrs. O'Neill & Sons for supplying
electric light to the town for three years at a charge of £180 per
annum.

Lancashire. — Joint Authority. — A Conference of
electricity undertakings in Mid-Lancashire district was held at
Preston, on July 16th, when the following resolution waa passed : —
'■ That a Committee be appointed, consisting of one member of each
body of authorised undertakings, with the respective engineers, to
consider and report to a future Conference as to the preparation
of a scheme, or schemes, for improving the existing organisation
for the supply of electricity in Mid-Lancashire district, including,
if considered desirable, the formation of a joint electricity
authority for the district.' Mr, A. Howarth. Town Clerk of
Preston, was appointed secretary,

Lowestoft. — House Lighting. — The Electricity Com-
mittee has agreed to a scheme submitted by the engineer for
laying cables to the housing site. Beccles Eoad, at an estimated
cost as follows: — Distribution, £1,230; services to houses and
connections. £970; public light, £260; feeder cable, £1,350;
contingencies, £190— a total of £4,000.

Loan Sa.nctio.sed. — The sanction of the Electricity Commis-
sioners has been received to borrow £3,706 for the purchase of new
plant. The term of repayment is 15 years.

Lincoln.— Plant Purchase. — The Town Council has
purchased from Stockport Town Council a 2,000-KW. turbo-generator
set for £10,000.

Liverpool. — Wages. — The Corporation has adopted a
recommendation of the Tramways Electric Power and Lighting
Committee that, pending the decision as to the new schedule
of salaries for technical staSs of electricity supply under-
takings submitted by the Joint Board of Employers and Staff
Members of the Electric Supply Industry, payment under the
E.P.E.A. awards be continued from May 21st to those memt)ers of
the staff of the electric tramway, power, and lighting depart-
ments to whom the same has been made payable by previous resolu-
tions of the Council.

Leigh (Lanes.). — Year's Working. — The accounts

for the year ending March 31st last, show an income of £26,263,
compared with £23,296 for 1918-19. The working expenses
amounted to £18,395, compared with £18,930, leaving a gross profit
of £7,868, as against £4,360. Loan charges, new meters, &c.,
absorbed £0,651, leaving a net profit of £1,217, as against a deficit
of £1,740 in the previous year.

London. — Battersea. — The Electricity Committee has
undertaken the conversion of 364 gas-light standards for electric
100-watt lamps. The estimated cost of the work is £3,755, and the
annual maintenance charge £5 10s. per lamp.

Gkeenwich. — A battery for the operation of the main switches
is to be installed at the power station at an estimated cost of
£400.

FuLH.\M. — The accounts of the electricity department for the
year ended March 31st last, show an excess of income over expendi-
ture amounting to £13,614, making, with the balance brought
forward from last year, £19,814. This is to be distributed as
follows :— To reserve, £5,000 ; to rate relief, £5,000, and the
balance (.£9,814) is to be carried forward to the next accounting
period.

Lymington.— Price of Supply.— The Council has

decided to oppose the application of the Electric Light and
Power Co. for the charge for electricity to he increased from 9d.
to Is.

Newcastle (Co. Down). — Lighting Contract. — The

Urban Council agreed to renew the lighting contract with the
Irish Town Light and Power Co. for one year at £340— being an
inurea«3 of £ 1 10 over the previous contract,

Toi. 87. No. 2,22>i, juiY 2:!, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

113

Price Increases. — Increases in the charges for electricity
have been, or are being, made in the following districts : — Ashton-
under-Lyne, Barnsley, Chesterfield, Dalkeith, Derby, Hull, King's
Lynn, Newcastle- under -Lyme, Stafford, West Ham, and Weymoutli.

Pembroke (Co. Dnblln).— Electricitt Supply. — The

experts called in to advise the Council on the best means of pro-
viding electricity for the district recommend that a supply be
given by the Tramway Co. The latter is agreeable to this course,
and the scheme is to be laid before the Electricity Commissioners
for their approval.

Rochdale. — Small PlaiVT. — The Health Committee has
decided to expend about £230 on a small electrical plant for lighting
Wolstenholme Hall.

Seaford. — Electricity Supply. — Messrs. Bedford & Co.

having communicated with Commissioners regarding a proposed
supply of electricity to the town and Newhaven, the Urban
District Council has asked that it shall be consulted before powers
are granted to a private company.

Sheffield. — Electricity Charges. — At the City Council
meeting held on July 1 tth, a protracted discussion arose upon the
suggestion to charge for electricity for power and lighting on an
equal basis. Alderman Hobson predicted a great loss of industry
to the city if the drastic step proposed was taken. Steel manu-
facturers would erect works in Sweden where hydro-electric power
could be obtained at a very low cost. It was eventually decided
to appoint a special committee to deal with the question under the
chairmanship of the Lord Mayor.

Loans. — The Electricity Committee has authorised the town
clerk to apply to the Electricity Commissioners for sanction to the
borrowing of the sums of £250,000 for mains, £120,000 for sub-
stations and transformers, and £30,000 for services.

Sontii Africa. — Gape Town. — The report of the Mayor
for the year 1919, states that during the war period renewals have
been almost impossible to secure ; every unit has been running
constantly up to maximum load, so that a severe strain has been
placed upon the generating plant. In November, 1918, orders were
placed for two large boilers, and although it is hoped that one of
the boilers will arrive this summer, there is no guarantee, and if
the boiler is not delivered the position at the station during the
next winter will be a serious one. It is only during the summer
months that the work of installing new boilers ca,n be undertaken.
An additional 3,000-KW. alternator has also been ordered, the
manufacture of which has been delayed owing to strikes in
England, but it is hoped that within the next six or nine months
this machine will be received, erected and placed in commission.
Cable ordered in March, 1917, and for which the lead required for
the sheathing was dispatched from Cape Town in 1918, remained
undelivered at the close of the year, notwithstanding the fact that
the order was supported by the Railways and Harbours Admini-
stration and everything possible done to secure priority. This will
illustrate the delay which ensues in the delivery of material, for in
pre-war days similar cable was delivered in 12 weeks from receipt
of notice. On January 6th, 1919, the 3,000-KW. alternator broke
down, due to over-heating : the 2,000-KW. machine was at the same
time out of commission owing to the non-arrival of spare parts.
The city was thus left with generating plant of a capacity less than
in 1912, whereas the load was approximately 160 per cent, greater.
This created a very serious position at the power station, and t n
extraordinary effort was required to avoid a calamity. The city
electrical engineer, with commendable ingenuity and resource,
built up from the available parts a machine that enabled the
department to carry on. The experiment proved an entire succesp.
and the improvised machine greatly assisted in overcoming the
difficulties.

The Town Council has authorised the expenditure of approxi-
mately £4,000 as an extension of an ex sting contract with
Messrs. EeyroUe I'c Co., of Hebburn-on-Tyne, for awitchgear
for district sub-stations. The Council has also approved of the pro-
posal of the city e'ectrical engineer to provide duplicate high-
tension mains from Claremont to Muczenberg and tranformers for
Muezenberg sub-station. The cost of the proposed scheme is
estimated at £48,180, less estimated sale value of existing plant,
buildings, and overhead lines between Wynberg and Muezenberg.

Warrington. — Extensions Sanctioned. — The Electri-
city Commissioners have sanctioned the borrowing of £150,000 by
the Corporation to enable it to carry out the Initial part of the
extensions to the electricity undertaking.

West Ham. — Linki.\g-up The Council has agreed

to the proposal of the Electricity Commissioners to interconnect
with the East Ham, Barking, and Ilford undertakings.

Weymouth. — Year's Working. — The financial result of

the working of the Corporation s electricity undertaking for the
year ended March Slst last was a loss of £680.

Yarmouth. — New Plant. — The Council has accepted
the tender of the Brush Electrical Engineering Co. for a 1,400-KW.
turbo-generator, at C20,710; 500-KW. frequency changer, £4,902
10s. ; and of the General Electric Co. for a 500-K w. rotary converter,
at £3,838. In February the cost of modernising the plant
would have been £40,000, but by May and June the cost had
lisen to £i;0,000. The electrical engineer said that the
immediate expenditure was to have been £44,000, but they were
adviaed that a further sum would have to be expended, making a
total of £60,000.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Biacliburn.— Sunday Service.— After being suspended
since August, 1918, the Sunday morning service of tramcars was
resumed on July 11th, though on modified lines, a 40-minute
service being run on some routes.

Bolton. — Threatened Strike. — Subject to a joiit
conference being unable to arrange terms, Bolton is in danger of a
new type of strike. The tramwaymen have threatened, it their
demand for wages to be increased to the Rochdale level is not met,
to strike on Saturday, July 24th, and on every subsequent Saturday
until they get what they want. By this method the men would
only lose one day's pay, whereas the loss in revenue to the depart-
ment would probably amount to as much as on any two other
days.

Bradford. — Fares and Expenses.— The question of
iacreaslng the tramway fares has tesn deferred. It is stated that if
the fares remain on the present basis, the Tramways Committee
will be faced with a deficiency of £62,200 at the end of the
year. Very heavy equipment expenses are to be incurred to bring
the system up to its pre-war state of efficiency, and the great
importance attaching to the subject influenced the Council to give
it the fullest consideration.

Canada.— Hydro-Electric Railways.— In a recent
report to the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, Mr.
W. S. Murray, consulting engineer, New York, presented his con-
clusions arrived at after an exhaustive inquiry into various aspects
of the proposed construction of railways to be supplied from hydro-
electric plant. The report deals with the suggested Toronto and
Bowmanville, the Toronto, Hamilton and Niagara Falls, and the
Hamilton, Guelph and Elmira radials. Mr. Murray based his ideas
of flectrificatiou on the London and Port Stanley route, which h
actually in operation. The main points dealt with are, first, to
consider whether any existing steam or electric routes would be
duplicated under the proposed scheme. Secondly, to ascertain if
the proposed lines would be adequate, and if their construction
could be carried out at the figures estimated by the Commission's
engineering staff, and, lastly, to discover if the estimated income
was reasonably computed and sufficient to cover interest, sinking
fund and maintenance charges. After dealing with details of many
important parts of the projected routes, Mr. Murray arrives =.t the
following conclusions :— (1) The estimates submitted by the Com-
mission's staff for construction and operation are conservative. (21
The lines are admirably located, having due regard to the density
of passenger and goods traffic in the districts to be served. (3)
Existing lines will not be duplicated. (4) The decision of the Com-
mission not to proceed with the construction of these railways at
present, owing to the inflated prices of materials, is concurred
with. (5 ) It is recommended that the Commission proceed with
the full development of its plans applying to both finance and con-
struction, in order to be in a position to acquire existing lines and
property as may be economically purchased, and which will later
form parts of the systems. The report further expresses the
opinion that the excellent opportunities of industrial and civic
expansion are being retarded at present by inadequate transporta-
tion facilities.

Continental. — France. — By a decree of June 2nd the
Boulogne Chamber of Commerce is authorised to contract a loan
for :<,i million francs for the construction of an underground
railway connecting the Loubet Dock with the Nord Railway.
This project has been in abeyance since 1913. — Board of Trade
Journal.

Japan. — Railway Electrification. — The railway
authorities in Japan have decided to substitute electricity for steam
on all lines. A Bill will be brought forward during the present
session of the Diet. It is proposed to reduce the number of loco-
motives by 40 per cent. The estimated cost of the scheme is
200,000,000 yen. — Manchester Guardian.

London. — Fare Revision. — The Rates Advisory Com-
mittee of the Ministry of Transport has had under consideration
the following references by the Minister of Transport with regard
to the revision of workmen's fares, season-ticket fares, and other
fares lower than the ordinary :- -

(a) To advise him as to the best means of revising these fares,
both with respect to the rates and the times during which they
are in operation, in order that the relative passenger traffic may be
placed upon a paying basis, having due regard to the changes that
have taken place in industrial and social conditions and in the
hours of employment since workmen's fares were instituted, and to
the effect of such revision upon railway, tramway, and omnibus
passenger traffic (with the possibility of corresponding alterations
in the fares of passengers by tramways and omnibuses) and also
upon housing and labour generally.

(/') To review the whole question of travelling facilities by rail-
ways at rates lower than ordinary fares, and to advise what
modifications, if any, should be made in these lower rates con-
currently with any revision of workmen's fares.

Tube E.xtension. — The Ealing-Shepherd's Bush extension of the
Central London Railway has now been practically completed, and
trials are to be made in time for opening to passenger traffic early
in August,

114

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,22fi, Jult 23, 1920.

Manchester. — Furth kr AVage Claim. — Manchester

Iramwaymen have decided to ask the National Executive of the
Vehicle Workers' Union to make an immediate demand for an
increase of £ 1 per week, and it has been suggested that the clai m
should be made on a district basis, with the object of groupinpr
towns of comparable size.

Sunderland. — .Strike. — The skilled men employed on
the Corporation tramways at the Hylton Road car depot recently
struck because of the refusal of the Tramway Committee to concede
1 2 days' annual holiday with pay. There are about 30 men affected,
these including,' electricians, engineers, joiners and painters. The
matter was referred to at a meeting of the Town Council, when the
chairman of the Tramways Committee defended the Committee's
action, and said the men were trying to make the Council pioneers
in giving the holiday. The question was a national one, and should
be dealt with nationally. The skilled men's claim was one which
had never been made to, much less granted by, private employers.
It was true the unskilled tramway employes got an annual holiday
with pay, but their case was entirely different, because they worked
on Sundays and in the evenings, and it was included in their con-
ditions of service, whereas the skilled men were engaged on
general Trade Union conditions, which made no provision for a
holiday with pay.

Working Costs. — Alderman G. New, chairman of the Tram-
ways Committee, told the Town Council that the undertaking
was no longer making progress, owing to rising costs. They
were not going to touch fares again, and whUe present conditions
lasted, he warned the Council it could expect no further contribu-
tions in relief of rates. The undertaking would do exceedingly
well if it managed to pay its way without becoming a burden on
the rates.

United States. — Chicago. — The Times states that the
entire tramway system of Chicago was brought to a standstill on
July 15th by a strike of electrical workers, iicting under the
influence of a Union official recently imprisoned for extortion of
money. v

Wallasey. — Inquiry. — An inquiry is to be held in con-
nection with the borrowing of £3,000 for the purchase of electric
vehicles for the collection of house refuse.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Europe. — Intercommunication. — The League of

Nations was represented, together with various specialists from
different States, at the Conference which has just completed its
work in Paris for the re-establishment of postal, telegraphic and
wireless communication in Europe. The Council was called by the
French Government on the initiative of the Communications
Section of the Supreme Economic Council. A series of proposals
was adopted and will be submitted to the Governments con-
cerned, their object being to promote an improvement as rapidly
as possible in areas which are outside the ordinary scope of the
Postal and Telegraphic Convention, but which are at the same
time vital for quick and sure communication between different
countries. In order to arrange further meetings to carry out this
work, the Conference decided to invite the Communication and
Transit Section of the League of Nations to take charge of the
arrangements for further meetings in collaboration with the
postal, telegraphic, and wireless administrations of the various
countries. — Financier.

It was announced on Wednesday that the German wireless stations
were in full and unrestricted operation again.

France. — New Wireless Station. — The Lafayette
wireless transmitting station, near Bordeaux, has been completed.
The station, which is claimed to be twice as powerful as any other
in the world, has a range of 12,500 miles; it was built by the
American Army, and intended for communication with the U.S.A.
At the Armistice the station was only half finished, and it was later
ceded to France. There are eight antenna towers, 787 ft. high,
each tower being on three feet, and weighing 550 tons. The
antenme cover an area of about a mile long by a quarter of a
mile broad.

New Telegraph Charges, — The text of the new Post
Office and Telegraph Bill was issued on July Hth. It proposes to
legalise the increased charges foreshadowed in the Budget. Tele-
grams are to be Is. for 12 words or under, and Id. for each word
over 12. An extra fid. may be charged for telegrams on Sundays,
Christmas Day, and Good Friday. Postage for newspipers is to be
Id. for the first 6 oz. and Jd. extra for each additional 6 oz —
Morning Post,

The Telephone Service. — New Rates. — The report of

the Departmental Committee on Telephone Rates has been issued.
It contains a store of information regarding telephone charges, &:c.,
both in this country and abroad. "The principal recommendations
of the Committee are as follows : —

The " unlimited service " rate should be abolished. The
" message rate " — i.e., a fixed annual charge for the installation
and a uniform charge per effective local call, is the most equitable
and convenient method of charging, and should be adopted as the
basis of the general tariff. The same rates should apply to busi-
ness premises and private residences. A uniform charge of lid.
per call throughout the country is recommended, the annual rental

being £8 lOs. in London, £8 in Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool,
and Manchester, and £7 lOs. elsewhere. The local fee should
cover communication with any exchange within five miles of the
originating exchange, longer distances being charged for on a
ujiiform mileage basis. The Postmaster-General should have power
to refuse service to any subscriber on whose lines the number of
"engaged' calls exceeds 25 per cent, of the number of effective
incoming calls, if he refuses to rent an additional circuit, and the
charge for the latter should be £ I per annum less than for the
original circuit. The minimum charge for calls should be discon-
tinued. The public call office fee should be 3d. Accounts should
be settled quarterly. On the foregoing basis the telephone
accounts are estimated to show a surplus of £800,000 in 1921-22,
of £600,000 in 1922-23, of £200,000 in 1923-24, and a deficit of
£500,000 in 1924-25.

Loan. — On July 16th a White Paper was issued setting
forth the total amount of loans to be authorised under the
new Telegraph (Money) Bill at present before the House of
Commons. The Paper says : — In accordance with the general
practice of meeting capital expenditure of a reproductive nature
out of loan money, provision for the development of the telephone
system is made by advances of capital, which are repaid by means
of terminable annuities charged upon the Post Office Vote. The
last Act was passed in 1913 (Telegraph (Money) Act, 1913), and
authorised the issue of capital up to £10,000,000, which is now
exhausted. The present Bill authorises the Treasury to borrow a
further sum of £10,000,000 for telephone development. The actual
expenditure out of this sum in each year and the works to be carried
out are subject to approval by the Treasury.

Sanction for the expenditure was sought in Parliament on Monday
and granted. The Assistant P.M.G. said there were 200,000
unexecuted orders for telephone installations, and the P.M.G.
explained that they proposed building 20 new exchanges in London,
and 00 in the provinces, in addition to extending existing
exchanges. Thirty-eight schemes for laying underground cables
in all parts of the country were in hand ; present delays were due
to overloaded junction lines, but these lines were to be increased,
switchboards extended, and more operators put on, which should
result in an improved service.

Wireless Telephony.— Press News. — By permission of

the Postmaster-General, and with the co-operation of the Marconi
Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd., the Press Association on Monday
commenced a series of experiments in the distribution of news by
wireless telephone. The Chelmsford transmitting station of the
Marconi Co. was used as the distribnting centre. From this
ordinary news services were telephoned by one of the regular tele-
phonists of the association The messsiges were received at news-
paper offices in London, Burton-on-Trent, Sheffield, Newcastle-on-
Tyne, Manchester, Preston, and Belfast.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

( T)ie dale given in paren/heses at the end of the paragraph indicate.^
the issue of the EleotbioAL BbtIEW, in which, the " Otficial
Notice'' appeared.

OPEN.

Australia. — Brishane. — August 28th. City Electric
Light Co. High-tension switohgear. Secretary. Boundary Street.
Brisbane.

Melbourne.- P.M. G.'s Department. August 31st. Porouscells
and outer jars for all States (schedule 1.i;l'7) ; bronze wire for
various States (schedule 1.029); covered and braided wire for all
States (schedule 1.033).

Belgium. — August Hth. The Socii'tc Natiouale des
Chemins de Fer Vicinaux. of Brussels (4S. Rue Montoyer. Service
Electriques) is inviting tenders until August 11th for the supply
and laying of the armoured underground cables required (1) for
the Brussels-Haecht line and (2) for the GiUy-Hansart line.

Blackpool. — August 27th. Corporation. Two water-tube
boilers, superheaters, economisers, stokers, &c, ; two sets of induced
draught plant ; coal conveying, ice, plant. (July 10th.)

Brentford. — July 27th. Board of (Tuardians. Electric
lighting installations in the offices, infirmary, &c. (July 2nd.)

Chile, — February, 1021. The Chilean Legation at Paris
(23, Avenue du Bois de Boulogne) is asking for tenders for the
supply and installation of electric power in the first zone of the
Chilean railways. Sealed tenders are returnable before February 1 St.

1921.

France. — Competitive schemes are invited for the con-
struction of a direct electric traction line from Grenoble to Nice
through the Alps. Three premiums of 2.''>,0Ul>, 1.".000 and lO.OOO fr.
respectively are offered. Particulars to be seen at the Bureau du
Comite d'Initiative. 29, Boulevard Dubouchage, Nice. The latest
date for sending in preliminary schemes will be announced on
October 31st.

Glasgow. — Jnly 2(Uli. Corporation. Electric lighting
installation in connection with the Kennyhill and Riddrie housing
scheme. Schedules. l:o., from Corporation Electrical Engineer.
Tenders to Town Clerk.

{

Vol. 87. No. 2,226, juLT 23, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

115

Gtantown-on-Spey. — .Inly 3 1st. Electric light work in
connection with housing scheme. Speoifioaliona from Mr. II. J.
Frazer, Burgh Surveyor, 2r>. High Street, 6rantown-on-Spey.

Grimsby, — August 12th. Electricity Department. Two
water-tube boilers, economisers, fittings, fans, chimneys, kc. ; one
3,000-KW. high-pressure turbo-alternator and condensing plant.
(July 2nd.)

Manchester, — August nth. Electricity Committee.

Water pipes and valves. &c.. for Stuart Street. (July Kith.)

August i:-!th. Electricity Committee. One each 7.")ton and
l.'>-ton electric cranes for Barton power station. CSee this issue.)

Nuneaton. — July 31st. Electricity Department. One
500-KW. rotary converter transformer and accessories. (July 2nd.)

Stalybridge. — The engineer of the Stalybridge, Mossley,
Hyde and Dukinfield Electricity Board is to obtain tenders for a
B.OOO-KW. generating plant and auxiliary plant.

Warrington, — August 10th. Electricity and Tramwajs
(Committee. Coal elevator and conveyor. (July ;tth.)

CLOSED.

Bolton. — Tramways Committee : —

Hadfields, Ltd, — Tramway points and crossings.

Carlisle, — Town Council : —

Grantham.

Electrical installation, Westgate Hall.— J. Parr & Co., £83.

Liverpool. — Mersey Docks and Harbour Board.
Acospted : —

Scottish Tube Co., four 15-ton electric cranes. 0

London. — Hackney. — The Electricity Committee recom-
mends the acceptance of the following tenders : —

Messrs. Babeox * Wilcox, Ltd.— Poar water-tube boilers and accessories,

£52,560 ; four induced-draught plants, complete with Davidson fans,

.€8,780 ; four economisers and accessories, £l'2,U(i.
Messrs. C, A. Parsons & Co., Ltd,— 8,O00-10,O0O-kw. turbo-alternator and

exciter, £50,000.
Messrs. Hick, Hargreaves & Co., Ltd.— Complete surface condensing

plant. £17,700,
Rees Roturbo Mfg. Co., Ltd.— Two motor-driven pumps for condensing

plant, £6,111, ^

Messrs. A. ReyroUe & Co.— k.h,t. switchgear, £18,274.

RIchmoDd-on-Thames.— Town Council : —

FirenlMin installation.— Beard & Co., £2,160.

Sunderland. — Town Council Electricity Committee.
Accepted : —

Pirelli-General Cable Works, Ltd,— L,T,.single core cable.

Ferguson, Pailin & Co,, Ltd.— Switchgear,

New Switchgear Constraction Co., Ltd,— Switchgear,

Parmiter, Hope & Sugden,- Distribution board,

H, G, Jordan, - C.I. joint boxes,

W. G. Farrow & Co, -C I, joint boxes.

R. Farrow 4 Co.— Preservative compound.

NOTES.

U.S.A. Water-Power Legislation. — Contrary to expecta-
tion, the Water-Power Bill which has been before the United States
Congress for the last eight years, in one form or another, has at
last been finally enacted ; the signature of the President had been
withheld when Congress adjourned, and it was supposed that the
measure was thereby automatically cancelled. However, the
Attorney-General ruled that if the President signed the Bill within
the statutory 10-day period, the Bill would become law, and the
signature was duly affixed to the Bill. American engineers are
jubilant ; applications for licences relating to more than 600,000 H,p.
had already been lodged by the end of last month. The next most
important step is the organisation of the Federal Power Commission,
which will have wide powers to facilitate the development of
water-power on a vast scale throughout the United States.

Electricians' Strike. — The electricians employed at the
Penistone works of Messrs. Cammell, Laird ,.*c Co., have been on
strike for about three weeks on account of the refusal of a fore-
man to join the E.T.U. They, alternatively, demand his dismissal,
but Messrs. Cammell, Laird have decided to retain his services.

The Electricity Supply Commercial Association.— At

a recent meeting at Newcastle, the general secretary, Mr. G. H.
Smith, stated that the membership was nearly 3,000, the result of
two years' efforts.

Damming the Severn. — The Oreat Western Railway Co.

is ready to proceed with the scheme for bridging and barring the
River Severn at Beachley, at a cost provisionally estimated at
between six and seven millions. The matter now awaits the
verdict of the Ministry of Transport's experts, who have been
engaged upon it for some time.

Appointments Vacant.— A Grade III lectureship in

electrical engineering is vacant (jeSOO) at the University of Liver-
pool ; shift engineer for Carlisle ; assistant lecturer and demon-
strator in electrical engineering for Sheffield University (£350) ;
assistant lecturer in electrical engineering for Newcastle-upon-
Tyne Education Committee (£300 to £460); visiting teacher
(evening) of electrical engineering for L.C.C. Engineering School
at Poplar ; shift engineer for Wakefield ; teacher of electrical
engineering for Rugby Technical School (£30(i to £4.')(i); in-
structor in electrical engineering for evening classes at Kingston-
on-Thames Technical Institute. See our advertisement pages
to-day.

Educational. — Finsbury Technical College. — We

learn with regret that the future of this famous institution, from
which have come so many of our best engineers.and chemists, is in
tbebalance. In 1919, three times as many candidates sought admis-
sion as could be accommodated ; but great difficulties have been
experienced, due to the shortage of equipment and staff — the
latter, as we recently pointed out, being attracted from all
technical colleges into industrial life by the vastly better prospects
which it offers. The college will be carried on for a year as at
present, but after that its continued existeace is uncertain.

Imperial College of Science. — The Finance Committee of
the L.C.C. states that, since the CouncO decided in 1903 to limit
to £20,000 its annual grant to the governors of the Imperial
College of Science and Technology, the circumstances of the college
have materially altered. The expenditure of the governors has
risen from £30,216 in 1907-8 to £106, .532 in 1918-19, the Council's
grants in the meantime having advanced from £5.000 to £14,000
(including technical optics). The number of students in attendance
(1,045) is now more than in any previous year. If the Council's
assistance is to have the same relative value as bsfore the war, it is
clear that its grant will have to be increased. The Government
has recognised the urgent needs of the college by increasing its
grant from £32,000 to £65,000, and the Finance Committee
acquiesces in the proposal that the Council's grant shall be increased
on the agreed basis of 1 : 3 of the increased Government grant, not-
withstanding that the limit of £20,000 fixed in 1903 will thereby
be exceeded. If this is agreed to, the Council will be contributing,
apart from its contributions in respect of the technical optics
department, £20,70C a year, as against £55,000 from the Govern-
ment, i.e.. in the proportion of 1 : 2'75. This is slightly in excess
of the agreed basis of 1 : 3, but as the total grant of £20,700
includes the grant of £13,000 made on the former basis of 1 : 2,
it has been agreed to.

Gifts to Universities,— Sir Jesse Boot has given £50,000 to
the new Nottingham University scheme— £30,000 for building and
£20,000 for a Chair of Chemistry, A gift of £ 15,000 has been made
to Liverpool University by Alderman Louis Samuel Cohen, of
Messrs. Lewis, Ltd., the Liverpool store proprietors, — T!ie Times.

British Engineering Standards Association (Inc.).—

The Association held its second annual meeting on July 15th,
at the Institution of Civil Engineers, when the chairman.
Sir Archibald Denny, Bart., presented the report and reviewed
the position, dwelling with especial emphasis on the need for
further financial support. He said the Association was rendering
an indispensable service to British trade at home in co-ordinating
standards, promoting efficiency, and eliminating waste, and was
also doing much to push British trade abroad. It was, therefore,
regrettable that even after 20 yeaisof useful work, the engineering
industry of the country was only now slowly putting the Associa-
tion in a position adequately to cope with the increasing demands
made upon its organisation. There were some 300 Committees,
manned by over 1,400 members, who gave their time and experi-
ence often at great personal expense and inconvenience to this
great national work, and the country as a whole, as well as the
industry, owed a debt of gratitude to these public-spirited
gentlemen for their loyal service, and also the engineering firms
which allowed their engineers, managers, and others to take part in
the work.

Since the last annual meeting 27 British Standard Specifications
had been issued, and some 70 were under revision, the most
important of which, the steel sections for general building con-
struction, including shipbuilding, had just been completed.

The engineering public was making increased use of the British
Standard Specifications. The chairman stated that 31,000 of the
specifications had been sold, almost all in this country, against
about 3,000 in pre-war years. The accounts for the year were
adopted, and Messrs. Deloitte, Plender, Griffiths & Co., were re-
elected as auditors.

The Training of Apprentices.— The Bradford Technical

College proposes to institute a new course for the training of
engineering apprentices in September. The coarse will extend
over one day per week for the year, and wUl cover the subjects
usually taught in three years' evening class work with an attend-
ance of three nights per week. The employers in the engineering
trade of the city are to allow their smartest apprentices off from
work to enable them to take the course. It is stated that there ~
will be accommodation for about 50 apprentices.

Association of Mining Electrical Engineers. — On

Saturday, July 10th, the Midland and Yorkshire branches of the
Association paid a visit to the Neepsend power station of the
Sheffield Corporation, and were greatly interested in this up-to-
date plant,

116

THE ELECTKICAL REYIEWo [Voi. 87. No, 2,22^,, jdly 2n, 1920.

Service Notes, — The AdiniralLy Hnnounce that- a special
supernumerary list of Royal Marine offit-ers has been insti-
tuted for those officers of the Marines at present employed
on wireless duties who luay desire to continue on those
duties for the remainder of their careers. The list will
be known as the " Supernumerary Ijist, R.M. (W/T)."

Officers who have completed five years' continuous W/T
duties by January 1st, ]9'21, are to have the option of beini,'
transferred to this list or returning to corps duty. The option
is to l)e exercised not later than September 1st. — Tlie Times.

The question of transferring the maintenance of electrical
machinery of warships from the torpedo to the enfiineerinu
department of the Iloyal Navy is now under consideration
by the Admiralty.

The Fael Position. — The Fuel Research Board in a

recent report states that the estimated petrol requirements
of this country for the present year amount to 250,000,000
gallons, and the possibilities of other fuels for traction have
been fully investigated. It has been concluded that the pro-
duction of power alcohol from potatoes, barley, &«., is not
economically possible in this country. The production of
l)enzol from coke ovens and gasworks in this country during
1919 was 20,000,000 gallons, and it is not anticipated that this
figure will be improved upon to any great extent during the
present period. It is suggested that town and coke-oven gas
might be extensively used for omnibu.ses and passenger traffic
generally, safe containers could be con.structed, and charging
stations established on all principal routes.

Russian Water Power. — The Economic Review quotes

from an article in the Norwegian Social-Demohraten referring
to the great untapped natural resources of North Russia. It
is remarked that the North Russian waterfalls have not been
utilised to any extent, mainly owing to lack of systematic
'legislation. They are situated chiefly in the provinces of
Ulonetz and Pomor, in the course of the rivers Kivats, Girvas,
and Por-Porog. The coal shortage frequently makes itself
acutely felt in Russia, and the mines in the Donetz region
are by no means so inexhaustible as used to be assumed. It
is therefore highly probable that the North Russian water-
power will play an important part in the .subsequent electri-
fication of the North and Central Ru.s.sian railways.

The Physics and Chemistry of Colloids and their

Bearing on Industrial Questions. — The Faraday Society and
the Physical Society of London are arranging to have a joint
symp<isium and general discussion on this important subject
next October. The subject will be introduced by a brief
sui-vey of the present position of colloidal physics and chemis-
try, and discussion will then follow on the following' sub-
divisions of the subject : Emulsions and Emulsification ;
Physical Properties of Elastic Gels; Cataphoresis and Electro-
endosmose; Precipitation in Disperse Systems; Glass and
Pyrosols; Non-aqueous Systems.

In spite of the importance of colloidal physics and chemistry
in many branches of manufacture and of the interest which
the subject has aroused in recent years, much light remains
to be thrown on the nature of the manufacturing processes
in which colloids play a part. It is hoped that the discussion
will focus attention on some of these problems, and that its
result will be to indicate lines of advance and suggest further
researches, and that it will be fruitful not only in helping
to a fuller understanding of the laws of the colloidal state,
but also in suggesting new applications for colloids- in the
laboratory and in the works.

The exact date and place of meeting, and further particu-
lars will be announced later. In the meantime anyone
desirous of using the opportunity of the discussion to bring
forward experimental matter or theoretical considerations
bearing on the above-mentioned branches of the subject is
asked to communicate as soon as possible with the secretary
of the Joint Committee, Mr. P. S. Spiers, 10, Es.sex Street
London, VV.C. 2.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

2ln Sditors invite electrical engineers, whether ccmneoted with the
technical or the commercial sidt of the profegxion and industry,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
EiLECTBlCAL REVIEW potted as to their nu>reniewts.

Mr. W. McKillop, chief engrineer of the Midland Railway
Hotels Department, entertained at dinner the members of
the statfs of Liverpool and Manchester, on July 15th, the
occasion marking his departure for London on other important
duties. Mr. McKillop has been with the Midland Railway Co. 20
years. In 1918 he was called to prepare and arrange the electrical
plant in the five Midland Hotels, for the members of the Peace
Conference. Before taking up his position with the Midland
Railway Co., he was a seaeroin? enerineer. His colleagruea took
the opportunity of presenting him with a gold watch. Mr. F. 0.
Makeham presided, and made the presentation on behalf of the
staffs.
The Sunderland Town Council, after a long discussion, adopted

the recommendation of the Electricity Connuittec to increase the
salary of the electrical engineer and general maneiger, Mr. A. S.
Black.m AN, from £1,200 to £1,500 per annum. The voting was
30 for, 1 1 against, with one neutral. The terms of Mr. Blackman's
appointment were varied so that three months' notice instead of
six months' notice may be given on either side. Many compli-
mentary things were said regarding Mr. Blackman's work, and
his high ability both as an engineer and a commercial manager.

The Tinie.i states that Mr. Alan A. Campbell Swinton, F.R.S.,
has been elected chairman of the Council of the Royal Society
of Arts.

The Carlisle Town Council has increased the salary of Mr. Salt,
electrical engineer, to £885 per annum, rising to £1,000 on April 1st
next, the latter sum to include remuneration in respect of all
alditional duties imposed upon him as engineer for the proposed
extensions.

The Manchester Lailij Dispatch reports that two members of the
Manchester University staff ha re received appointments at Swansea
University College. Dh. Edwards, Professor of Metallurgy at
Manchester University, has been appointed to a similar position at
Swansea at £1,250 per annum. Dr. Evans, Lecturer in Physics at
Manchester University, has been appointed Professor of Physics at
Swansea at £800 per annum.

Mr. Maxwell Gabnett has resigned the office of Principal of
the Manchester School of Technology. A Press report states that
he has accepted the appointment of general secretary to the League
of Nations Union.

Capt. F. Risch Uate R.E.) has resigned the position of special
representative that he has held with the Edison Swan Electric
Co., Ltd., since his demobilisation last year.

Captain E. 1. Bax is to succeed the late Right Hon. Lord
Downham as chairman of the Westminster Electric Supply
Corporation, Ltd.

LiEUT.-CoLONKL GEO. G. EwEB, D S.O., A.M.I.E.E., has now
resumed his duties as. sales engineer to the Metropolitan Borough
of Stepney Elec ricity Sappiy Department, after an absence of
almost six years on active service — five of which have been spent
abroad in Gallipoli, Egypt, Palestine, and Syria.

Mr. Lascelles Parbington, A.M.I. E.E , of Collins Street,
Melbourne, who is Australian representative of the BUectric Construc-
tion Co., Ltd., is at present in this country arranging for representa-
tion out there on behalf of additional British electrical and general
engineering firms who are anxious to begin operations in the
.•Australasian Imarket. Communications may be addressed to him,
care of the Electric Construction Co., Ltd., at Daahwood House,
London, EC.

Captain John Muib Donaldson. M.C. M.I.E.E.. has been ap-
pointed engineer- in-chief to the North Metropolitan Electric Power
Supply Co.. in succession to Mr. E. T. Ruthven-Mniray, who has
accepted another appointment with the company.

Obituary. — Mr. James Weir. — We regret to learn of the death
of Mr. James Weir, who, in conjunction with his brother, founded
the firm of G. & J. Weir, of Glasgow, from which business he
retired many years ago.

LEGAL.

British Thomson-Houston Appeal.
In the Court of Apjieal, before the Master of the Rolls ami
Lords Ju.stices Warriugtou and \ounger, on July 13th, the
case of the British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., v. The Corona
Lamp Works, Ltd., was heard upon the appeal of the plain-
tiffs from the judgment of Mr. Justice Sargant in the Chancery
Division.

The action was brought to restrain an alleged infringement
of the plaintiiTs' letters patent granted in 1913 for improve-
ments in incandescent electric lamps, known as the half-watt
lamps.

Mr. CoLErAX, K.C., in support of the appeal, .said Mr. Jus-
tice Sargant had decided the issue of infringement in favour
of the plaintiffs and upon the issue of validity his Lordship
had found that the invention was novel and good subject matter
as an invention of a high order of merit and of undoubted
utility. It was also admitted that the specification was
sufficient to enable anyone to whom it was addressed to put
the invention into practice. It was also admitted that the
specification was framed bona-fidc, and without ambiguity.
Mr. Justice Sargant had dismissed the action solely on the
ground that the specification did not sufficiently describe the
actual ambit of the monopoly claimed. He (counsel) con-
tended that the judge had looked at the invention froin a
wrong standpoint, and that the plaintiiTs w'ere entitled to
.succeed as they had given to the world a lamp of remarkable
efficiency. Hearing adjourned.

Mr. Kerly, K.C, on behalf 'of the . respondents, in support
of the judgment of Mr. Justice Sargant, contended that if
the plaintiffs' specification was looked at carefully, all it came
to was that one got better results in a big lamp than in a
little lamp: that was the whole story of the patent, and unless
the plaintiffs could make out that " large " meant something
they must fail. In the defondiints' view it was quite possible
to take a filament which nobody would call large and run that
so as to get a valuable light.

Mr. COLEFAX replied on behalf of the apix-llants, and on the
conclusion of the arguments, their Lordships reserved judg-
ment.

Vol. 87. No. 2,22(i, July 23, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. 117

NBW COMPANIES REQISTERED.

Mouotrath Electricity Supply Co., Ltd. (5,024).— Re-
gistered in Dublin July 6th. Capital, *6,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the
business indicated by the title. The subscribers are: H Franks, J. P., Wood-
brook, Mountrath, estate agent (50J ; Dr. T. J. Nunan, Main Street, Mount-
rath (50); J. Miller, Main Street, Mountrath victualler (100); F. Wallis,
J. P., Main Street, Mountrath (350); P. J. Delaney, Main Street, Mountrath,
wine merchant (100); E. Gallagher, Main Street, Mountrath, wine merchant
(100); P. Sheeran, Main Street, Mountrath, draper (50); T, Moloney, Market
Square, Mountrath, draper (100). The first directors are not named. Secre-
tary ; T. Moloney. Registered office : Market Square, Mountrath.

Wilson Lighting Co., Ltd. (168,917).— Private company.

Registered Julv ath. Ljpital, £1,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the business
of manufacturers of and dealers in mantles, burners, and all accessories (or
gas and electric lighting. The first directors are : Mrs. L. F". Wilson, 57.
Summerfield Crescent, Birmingham; H. M. Wilson, 57, Summerfield Crescent,
Birmingham. Registered olKce : 57. Summerfield Crescent, Birmingham.

Bankside Finance and Industries, Ltd. (168,918). — Pri-
vate company. Registered July 9th. Capital, £250,000 in £1 shares. To
carry on the business indicated by the title and that of dealers in and
managers of lands, butldrngs, and hereditaments, constructors of electric
power stations, cold air stores, warehouses and shops, builders, builders'
merchants, contractors, timber merchants, engineers, electricians, restaurant
and hotel proprietors, repairers of ships, barges, lighters, boats, and other
vessels, dealers in wagons, horses, motor vehicles, engines and tractors, &c.
The subscribers (each with one sharej are ; J. B. Braithwaite, The Highlands,
New Barnet, stock and share broker; J. C. Bull, Edenholme, Stevenage,
Herts, director. The first directors are to be appointed by the subscribers.
Solicitor; W. Morris, 17, Throgmorton Avenue, E.G.

Stella Lights, Ltd. (168,912).— Private company. Regis-
tered July 9th. Capital, £100 in Is. shares. To sell the goods of the Stella
Lamp Co., Ltd. The first directors are : G. W. P. Goodchild (permanent
governing director and chairman), 23, Randolph Crescent, Maida Vale, W.;
C. H. Sowerbv, 58, .Maldon Road, Acton, W.; M. H. Copeland, 20, St.
James's Mansions, Muswell Hill, N. Secretarv : E. W. Mayhew. Registered
office : 17, Featherstone Buildings, Holborn, W.C.

Centropolis Public Works Co., Ltd. (169,015).— Private

company. Registered July 14lh. Capital, £50,000 in £1 shares. To carry
on the business indicated bv the title. The first directors are: Comdr. Sir
Arthur T. Dawson. Bt., R.N., 0, Great Stanhope Street. \V. (director, Wm.
Beardmore & Co., Ltd.. &c.); Sir Thomas G. O. Thurston, K.B.E., 26, Court-
field Gardens, South Kensington, S.W.5 (Vickers, Ltd., &c.) ; Lieut.-Col. W,
C. .Symon, 52, Hans Mansions, S.W.3 (Vickers, Ltd., &c.); G. P. Walford,
50, Courtfield Gardens, South Kensington, S.W.5 (director Ferro Concrete
Ship Construction Co., Ltd.); L.« H. G. Walford, Chessington Place, Esher,
Surrey (Anglo-Polish Steamship Line, Ltd.). Secretary ; C. Nevinson.
Solicitor : S. H. Hargrove, 16, Victoria Street, S.W. Registered office :
\'ickers House, Broadway, Westminster.

Vulcan Arc Welding and Transport Co., Ltd. (169,005).—

Private companv. Registered Julv 13th. Cpital, £10,000 in 1,000 founders'
and 8,900 ordinary shares of £i each, and 2,000 employes' shares of Is.
each. To carrv on the business indicated bv the title. Ihe subscribers (each
with one share) are : J. Jones, 83, Guther Street, Evcrton, Liverpool, motor
mechanic; T. A. Gillam, 13, Markfield Road, Bootle, Liverpool, electric welder.
The subscribers are to appoint the first directors. T. A. Morris signs as
"director." Registered office: 2-4, Harrington Street, Liverpool.

Rickard, Wright & Dean, Ltd. (169,029).— Private com-
panv. Registered July 14th. Capital, £4,500 in 4,000 HI per cent, cumulative
preference shares of £1 each, and 10,000 ordinary shares of Is. each. To
carry on the business of electricians, el ' '
founders, smiths, machinists, manufacturer
cables, and flexible cords, &c. The first <
worth Terrace, Br;Ldford; W. H. Dean,
Wright, 11. Fernbank Road, Underclifle
Ncal Street. Bradford.

Thames Valley Traction Co., Ltd. (168,948).

July 10th. Capital, £75,000 in £1 shares. To t.ikc over the business carried
on in Berkshire and neighbouring counties by the British Automobile Traction
Co. Ltd. The first directors are: S. E. Garcke, Wye Lodge, Belmont,
Maidenhead, director British Automobile Traction Co,, Ltd.; L. M. Myers,
2, North Gate, Regent's Park, N.W. 8, director, British Automobile Traction
Co., Ltd.; W. wolsev, Everley. Wickham Way, Parklangley, Beckenham,
director, Thomas Tilling, Ltd. Minimum cash subscription, 7 shares. Re-
gistered office ; Bridge Street, Maidenhead.

Kable Electrical Co., Ltd. (168,906).— Private company.

Registered July 9th. Capital, £2,000 in l.OflO 10 per cent, cumulative pre-
ference shares of £1 e.ach, and 2,000 ordinary shares of 10s. each. To take
over the business carried on by F. N. Kennett at 41, Jermyn Street, St.
James's, S.W. 1, as the " Kable Electrical Co." The subscribers (each with
one share) are: F. N. Kennett, 41, Jermyn Street, St. James's, S.W.I,
engineer; S. A. Curzon, 41, Jermyn Street, St. James's, S.W.I, engineer.
F N. K,-nnett is permanent governing director. Registered office : 41,
J.'Vmyn Street, S.W. 1.

British Electrical Winders, Ltd. (168,953).— Private com-
pany. Registered July 12th. Capital, £1,000 in £1 shares. To take over
the business of an electrical and mechanical engineer carried on by W. A.
Hymns at 17, London Ro.nd, Newbury, Berks, together with the rights
connetted with an invention for an ever-ready watch key and mechanical
cycle horn designed by him. The first directors are : Walter Alfred Hymas,
17. London Road, Ncwburv, Berks,; Walter Albert Hym.is, 27, Lower Anchor
Street, Chelmsford. Registered office : 17, London Road, Newbury. Berks.

Magnesium Co., Ltd. (168,971). — Private company. Re

gistercd July 12th. Capital, £75,000 in £1 shares (00,000 "A" and 15,001

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

nd deale

Rickard, 5, Duck-
n Road, Blackpool ; A.
Registered office ; 17,

-Registered

ufactu

,000
allurgical.

'' B "). To carrv on the business of che:
manufacturing, and consulting chemists,

its alloys, magnesium and alkali chlorates, and metal s.ilts of all kinds, ore
smelters, metal manufacturers and workers, &c., and to adopt an agreement
with the Magnesium Metal Co., Ltd., the M;ignesium Chloride Co., Ltd..
Electro-Chemical Development Co.. Ltd., and E. A. Ashcroft. The subscribers
(each with one ordinary share) are : G. Reader, 35, Coleman Street, E.C.2,
solicitor; W. A. Chadwick, 35, Coleman Street, E.C.2. The first directors
are : P St. Clair Matthey, R. P. Sellon, E. Caillard, A. H. Barker, and
E. A. Ashcroft. The first four named are nominees of the Magnesium Metal
Co., Ltd. The said company .ind K. A. Ashcroft have power to appoint
other directors. Solicitors : (jeo. Reader & Co..

Street, E.C.

Hough Electric Motor Co., Ltd. (168,963).— Private com-
pany. Registered Julv 12th. Capital, £2,000 in £1 shares. To carry on Ihe
business of electrical' engineers, dyn.imo and electric motor makers, elec-
tricians, S:c. The first directors are: J. E. Hough. 12, (Ireenhill Avenu.-,
Rochdale; J. K. Cotton, 309, Oldham Road, Rochdal.-; K Ranisden. 29.
Uaresbury Street, Cheetham Hill, Manchester. Solicitor: S. Turner. Layland
Chambers. Rochdale.

F. .4. Norris and Button, Ltd. (168,936).— Private com-
panv Registered Julv lOlh. Capital, £40,000 in £1 shares (20.000 preference).
To 'carrv on the business of mechanical, heating, ventilating, lighting, and
power plant engineers, &c. The first directors are : F. A. Norris (chairman
and permanent controlling director). West View, R.^1 Post Hill, Dulwich,
S.E. 21; and H. W. Dutton, 61, Goldhurst Terrace, Ilampstead, N.W. 6.
Registered office : 11-12, St. Andrew's Hill, E.C. 4,

Lithanode, Ltd.— K. .'\. Bell, of Billiter House, Billiter

Sirwt, E.C, as receiver on June 28th, 1920. under powers contained in
instrument dated December 18th, 1919.

Riglite Manufacturing Co., Ltd.— Particulars of ^1,000

debentures authorised June 18th, 1920, whole amount issued. Property
charged ; The company's undertaking and property, present and future,
including uncalled capital. No trustees.

T. and J. Jackson, Ltd. — J. Bracher, of 134, Hindes Road,

Harrow, as receiver or manager on June 19lh, 1920, under powers contained
in debentures dated July 9th. 1918.

Tranmere Engineering Co., Ltd. — Satisfaction in full on

July 8th, of mortgage d:.t,d January 31st. lifM. securing £600.

Merthyr Electric Traction and Lighting Co., Ltd.

(57,908).— Return dated May 11th, 1920. Capital, £100,000 in £5 shares (6,000
preferred and 14,000 ordinary), 6,000 preferred and 8,000 ordinary taken up.
£70,000 paid. Mortgages and charges £48,400.

W. Lucy & Co., Ltd. (51,908).— Return dated April 2nd,

1920. Capital, £15,000 in £10 shares (250 preferred and 1,250 ordinary), 250
preferred and 1.080 ordinary taken up. £10,810 paid. £2,490 considered as
•p.iid. Mortgages and charges £550.

Mirrlees, Bickerton & Day, Ltd. — Return dated June 18th,

19-20. Capital, £350,000 in £1 shares (250,000 ordinary and 100,000 >t per
cent, cumulative preferred), 249,430 ordinary and 50,000 preferred shares
taken up. £280,839 paid on 230,930 ordinary and 50,000 preferred, leaving
£91 in arrears. £18,500 ordinary shares considered as fully paid. Mortgages
and charges £21,111 14s. lid.

Woodbridge & District Electric Light Co., Ltd. — Issue on

June 25th, 1920, oi £7,420 debi-ntures, part of a series already registered,

Anglo=American Telegraph Co., Ltd. (2,891C).— Return

dated June 18th, I'JM. Capital, stock £7,000,000 and £376,340 ordinary
stock £3,311,830 preferred ordinary stock and £3,311,830 deferred ordinary
stock. All stock taken up. £600,000 paid. £6,400,000 considered as paid.
Mortgages and charges nil.

Bastian Meter Co., Ltd. (.53,304).— Return dated May 6th.

10-20. Capital, £-20,235 10s. in 68,942 ordinary shares of 5s. each and 3,000
preferred shares of £1 each. 2,011 preferred and 39,672 ordinary taken up.
£3,082 10s. paid, including £3 10s. paid on shares forfeited. Mortgages and
charges nil.

West Coast of America Telegraph Co., Ltd. — Return dateil

June 1st, 19-20. Capital, £-232,5241 in 53,008 ordinary shares of £2 10s. each,
and 100,000 preferred shares of £1 each. 45,008 ordinary and 100.000 pre-
ferred shares taken up. £100,020 paid on 8 ordinary and 100,000 preferred.
£112,500 considered as paid on 45,000 ordinary. Mortgages and charges nil-

West India & Panama Telegraph Co., Ltd. (11,116).— Re-
turn dated June 9th. 1920. Capital, £2,445,630 in £10 shares (34,.563 first
preferred, 10,000 second preferred, and 200,000 ordinary). 34,563 first preferred,
4,669 second preferred, :ind 88,321 ordinary taken up. £1,275,530 considered
as paid. Mortgages and charges £79,600.

CITY NOTES.

The annual mtHiting was held on July
Edmundsons' 15th, at \Yinchester House, E.C. Mr.
Electricity i'. D. Tuckett, who pie.sided, referred to

Corporation, Ltd. the Bill which the company introduced into
Parliament last autumn for regulating their
charges in accordance with their needs. He .said that it pro-
vided for increase of their maximum rates to Is. 'id. per unit,
with a sliding scale regulating the return on capital in ac-
cordance with the rate charged. They believed that tariff
would have proved to be an entirely equitable one. All their
costs had long since doubled, and were now all but trebled ;
their coal and wages bills alone having increased by ^665,000
last year, following on an increase of nearly ±'50,000 the pre-
vious year, whilst for the current year they were already
faced with an additional burden of ±80,000 on those two
items, bringing the total increase since 1914 up to over
±"250,000 per annum, quite apart from the heavy increase in
rates, taxes, repairs, and all the other items of cost. Those
figures were exclusive of the Lancashire Power Co., and
represented merely the increased price per tun and the in-
creased rate of wage per man, and not the total increases due
to increa-sed output. Yet, in face of such increases, lOd. a
unit was the highest figure to which they had been allowed
to raise their rates, and that only recently, and in a few
instances, whilst in some of their undertakings they were still
limited to 7d. Most of the Ixiudon companies, and many
of the large provincial undertakings had found it necessary
to double their pre-war rates of charge, and were now charg-
ing 8d., although with their far richer and more densely
populated areas, their large generating sets, and their in-
finitely larger outputs, they were in an incomparably better
position to meet the present adverse conditions. Apart frona
summer time, the 48-hour week, and early shop closing, all
legislative enactments which had seriously impaired the earn-
ing power of the business, they, like everyone else, were
mainly suffering from the diminished purchasing power of a
depreciated currencv. It was with regret that he had to
report the rejection of their Bill. At the same time it had
undoubtedly served a useful purpose in bringing home to the
authorities the urgency of their needs, and he believed the
Electricitv Commi.ssionprs were now taking steps to enlarge
their powers, so as to be able to grant them more atlequate
reUef. In the meantime they had been notified of their
readiness to grant them immediate further rehef withm the

118

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,226, jult 23, 1920.

limit of their existing powers, and they had accordingly
lodged applications which he hoped would enable theui to
charge substantially higher prices in almost all cases as from
the commencement oi the current quarter. Proceeding to
deal with the accounts, the chairman stated that with the
approval of the Debenture Stockholders' Committee they had
arranged to issue at a net price of about 94, i;75,UOO bi per
cent notes, redeemable iit par on February 1st 19'2;3, to meet
their pressmg capital leqairements. Under the ditfacult cir-
cumstances of the tinier, they could not have expected to
make a more satisfactory arrangement, however unsatistac-
torv it might be for them to have been compelled to resort
to so extreme and costly an expedient. They had, however,
no intention of succumbing without a vigorous struggle to
the short-sighted and grossly unfair treatment to which they
had been subjected during the past two years, and he hoped
it might not be very long Ijefore they sa-w a marked change
for the better. In the meantime the paralysing depletion ot
their resources, at the critical period when every encourage-
ment should have been afforded them to make good their
war-time los.ses, and provide for the needs of the future, would
inevitably compel them to restrict their commitments withm
the narrowest limits, thereby preventing their taking advan-
tage of developments which might otherwise have been open
to them. Now that the Electricity Commissioners had been
appointed to advise the Government and Parliament, he
sincerely trusted they might look forward to a more enlight-
ened and generous treatment. The gross profit was reduced
by £'2,773 and the net profit by £5,536. Owing to the com-
pletion of' the large Government orders on which they were
engaged in 1918, the gross trading profit showed a drop ot
£1800, but at £9,962 it still remained quite a satisfactory
figure. The net result of the year's operations was that they
had a balance of £8,099, making, with the balance of £6J65
brought forward, an available total of £14.865, of which they
recommended that £4,775 should be applied in writing off
the discount and issue expenses of the three-year note issue,
leaving £10,090 to be carried forward. It was deplorable that
they should be obliged to withhold payment of the preference
. dividend when with any semblance of fair treatment they
ought to have been paying an ordinary dividend. In 1913
and 1914 their net profits available for dividend exceeded
£23,000, having shown steady expansion year by year down
to that date, yet with their connections more than doubled
they were now' worse off than in 1909. During the war they
were able and were content to bear their share of the common
sacrifice, but that they should now be deliberately deprived
of all return on their capital, and almost the means of carry-
ing on their business, was flagrantly unjust, and they had
every right to feel aggrieved at the callous indifference to
their sufferings which had brought theiii to such a pass. As
he had already said, he hoped, the relief for which they had
been so long clamouring would shortly be forthcoming, and
that they would then be able to go forward once again with
the expectation of earning a reasonable return on their capital,
for, unless they co_uld, it was obvious that no further capital
would be forthcoming for the development of the business.
In the critical and anxious position in which they now stood,
and in the present uncertainty as to the treatment which
they were to receive, he hesitated to ofl'er them any advice
as to the value of their shares, but he thought it would be
a pity if they were to allow the natural disappointment and
discouragement of the moment to induce them lightly to
throw away their holdings. The enormous increase in the
cost of plant and buildings had greatly enhanced the value
of the property, and it was only the artificial and unfair
restriction of their rates of charge that prevented its produc-
ing a satisfactory return. Provided, therefore, they were
given the right to charge prices commensurate with the
increased costs to which they were now subjected, he saw
no reason why they should look forward to the future wiTh
any less confidence than formerly.

We were only able to refer briefly to the
British report of this company in our last issue.

Thomson- The directors state that the buildings and

Houston machinery of the company at Rugby.

Co., Ltd. Coventry, and Willesden were maintained

in good condition throughout the year. At
Rugby a number of extensions were begun, but their com-
pletion has been delayed by the various causes which have
interfered with building operations generally. At 'Willesden
a new building is practically completed, which will considerably
increase the manufacturing facilities. During the year 1919,
the company contracted to purcha.se a property at Blackheath,
near Birminfiham, which will hereafter be known as the
company's " Birmingham Works." It was not until early
in June this year that questions relating to titles were finally
arranged. The company has now obtained posse.s.sion . and the
necessary steps are being taken to make it available for manu-
facturing purposes. Tlie property consists of about 70 acres,
on which are several very suitable buildings with an aggregate
floor area of about 2.50,000 sq. ft. Plans are in hand for the
erection of further buildings on this site. Tlie profits for the
year, after deducting all expen.ses and charges other than
interest on debentures and loans, and after making provision
for estimated war taxation for the vear. were £412,400, plus
£150.863 brought forward, making £5f>3.263. Of this, interest
on debentures and loans absorb £134,230, and there ia to be

appropriated for depreciations, reserves, and adjustments,
£220,602, leaving £208,431 to be carried forward. The capital
reserve account has been increased from £245,555 to £251,772.
The directors recommend that dividends be declared payable
out of this reserve, free of further income tax, as follows : In
fuU payment of the accumulated dividends on the preference
shares, £210,000 (being £5 5s. per £10 share), and to the
ordinary shareholders, £40,000 (being £1 per £10 share). It
is proposed to capitalise this £250,000 and to i.ssue fully-paid
ordinary shares to that amount to the shareholders. It is
proposed to increase the share capital of the company to
£4,000,000, of which £2,000,000 will be ordinary shares "and
£2,000,000 preference shares, both of the denomination of £1
each, and the necessary meetings have been called to effect
this object. Of the 2,0(X),000 ordinary shares, 400,000 will
replace 40,000 ordinary shares now outstanding of the par
value of £10 each; 400,000 will replace 40,000 outstanding pre-
ference shares of the par value of £10 each; 2.50,000 will be
distributed in respect of the capital reserve account, as stated
above. The balance will be issued as may be required. The
preference shares will be entitled to cumulative dividends at
the rate of 7 per cent, per annum. The total par value of
debentures redeemed to date is £54,405. which leaves a net
amount outstanding at Julv 1st of £157,595. The amount out-
standing at December 31st, 1919, was £162,895. By a contract
recently concluded with the International General Electric
Co., Inc., which contract took the place of one previously
existing between this company and the General Electric Co..
of New York, the territorial and patent rights of the company
have been extended and for a long period of years. Much
closer relationships have also been established between this
company and its sister company in France — the Compagnie
Prancaise pour I'Exploitation des Procedes Thomson-Houston,
by acquiring a number of shares of that company. We have
also acquired an interest in the Society d'Electricit^ et de
Mecanique (Procedes Thomson -Houston & Carels) of Belgium.
Several of the directors of this company are also on the boards
of these French and Belgian companies. The directors have
followed their usual practice of making reserves to cover risks
in connection with bad debts and other contingencies.

,\ scheme of arrangement by the Bombay
Bombay Electric Electric Supply and Tramways Co., Ltd.,
Supply & Tram= was sanctioned by Mr. Justice Astbury iti
ways Co., Ltd. the Chancery Division on Tuesday. Mr.
Olanson, K.C., said although the scheme
involved very large sums, it was of the simplest possible
character. The company was a very old established one. It
was incorporated in England to run a tramway undertaking
in Bombay. For economic reasons — excess profits and double
income tax probably had not a little to do with it — it was
obviously to everybody's benefit that the company should
cease to be incorporated in England and become an Indian
incorporated company, and the real point of the scheme was
that iu respect of each preference share of £10 in the com-
pany three preference shares for 50 rupees in the Indian com-
pany should be issued, and in respect of each ordinary share
of £10, 5 of 50 rupees should be issued. Nine-tenths of the
shareholders were In Bombay, and meetings were held there
and supplemental meetings in England, the minutes of which
were telegraphed to Bombay and incorporated in the Bombay
minutes, and proxies were deposited in England so as to
enable English shareholders t<. vote at the Indian meetings.
Counsel added that all the meetings in England and Bombay
in connection with the scheme had been unanimous.

His Lordship : They always are if they wish to escape
taxation.

For the year ended March 31st (only the
■Ward and latter half of which period was under the

Goldstone, Ltd. new company's working) the directors
report that the net profit, after pro-
viding for bad and doubtful debts, depreciation, salaries,
comniissions, directors' fees, advertising, and all other
charges, excepting income tax and excess profits duty, amounts
to £33,147. Out of this has been paid to vendors, being pro-
portion of profits to date of formation, £11,325; dividend of

7 per cent, on the cumulative preference shares for the half-
year ending March 31st, and discount on shares amounting
(less income tax) to £1,969; 7 per cent, on the ordinary shares
for the half-year amounting (less income tax) to £1,348;
income tax, £1,827; leaving a balance (subject to excess profits
duty) of £16,678. It is proposed to pay a further 4 per cent,
on the ordinary shares, making 11 per cent, in all for the
half-year, amounting (less income tax) to £770. to pay a par-
ticipating dividend of 1 per cent, on the cumulative preference
shares (payable with the September interim dividend), making

8 per cent, for the half-year, amounting (less income tax) to
£'280, and to carry forward to next account. suhje<-t to excess
profits duty. £15,6'27. " Though it is not ix>ssible to state the
amount to be paid for excess profits duty, the directors are
satisfied that there will be a very substantial sum carried
forward after payment of this duty. The profit for the yea.r
under review, due to the iiureased turnover, substantially
exceed.'* that of previous years. The moulders', railway, and
other strikes rendered it impossible to remove to the new
works during last year; good progress, however, is now lieing
made in the new premises, where a number of Departments
are running satisfactorily. It is anticipated that the removal

Vol. 87. No. 2,226, July 23, 1920.] THE ELECTEIOAL REVIEW.

119

will b« complete by tbe end of the year. The demand for our
manufactures and supplies continues to be sustained, and the
works have booked a record volume of bu.siness ahead. In
order to ensure regular supplies of the internal combustion
engines sold with our well-known ' Mercure ' electric light-
ing plants, a controlling interest has been taken in the com-
pany manufacturing these engines, which interest, we believe,
apart from the value of obtaining preferential deliveries and
terms, should provide satisfactory dividends. The unfair
incidence of the increased excess profits duty, and the desir-
abihty of retaining resources for the financing of the enlarged
volume of business offered, compel for the present the necessity
of a conservative division of profits in the form of dividends."

Mr. George Fuller, M.I.E.E., presiding
Fuller's United at the first annual meeting, on July 14th,
Electric Works, at Chadwell Heath, said that the results
Ltd. had fully justified the union of the four

companies. Some of the difficulties of the
year had checked their progress somewhat, but the work had
been highly satisfactory and full of interest. The TIford Cor-
poration had not been able to supply them with sufficient
power to keep their machinery going at full pressure, but
that difficulty was being rapidly overcome. The mouldere'
strike had held up the delivery of their new machinery, and
the difficulty in obtaining raw material had prevented the
completion of the new buildings, until a quite recent date.
Such circumstances had prevented full use being made of the
extra capital received at the formation of the company. The
vear had been largely a transition period, so that it had not
been easy to earn large profits. After referrins to the financial
re.sults of the year and the dividends (see Eleo. Rev., July
16th), the chairman referred to the activities of various de-
partments of the business. In the primary battery depart-
ment they had acouired during the year a verv valuable
process: they had designed some batteries for wireless sets
which thev believed would be extensively used. Their pro-
duction of wires and cables had made rapid progress; the
trade grew faster than they could keep pace with it. though
they were continually increasing their machinery. They had
everv confidence that this department would crow into one
of the largest and most important cable bu.sinesses in the
country. The same remark.? as he had used in regard to
cables applied equally to accumulators. The miners' lamp
department would be increasingly imnortartt in the future.
They had had large contracts from collieries during the past
year, and the future opened out with most encouratring
prospects. The carbon department was making excellent
progress; the orders for the product were more than their
machinery could produce, and the orders for their carbon
block, especially from manufacturers of motor tires, were
alone a big item. The ebonite department was an interesting
and growing one. Ebonite and ebonite boxes of all .sizes and
shapes were in constant demand. With regard to the future,
he was filled with optimi.sm. Sneaking after lone experience,
he could not help thinking that notwithstanding all the
great evolutions in the science of electricity, the greatest
development was still to come in the vast application of the
science to the common wants of mankind. The demand for
electrical material would increase by leaps and bounds, and
fortunes would be made. Their own busine.s.s was well
equipped to meet such a demand, and as their manufactures
were es.^entials, they were bound to hnvp their share of the
work. The limit to their output would be fixed onlv by the
amount they could produce. They had more orders than ever
before in their history, in spite of the fact that their output
to-day was more than double what it was a year ago. The
further plant on order would enable them to considerably
increase the present output. The balance sheet for the first
year of their operations had proved their ability to make
satisfactory profits. The speaker went on to refer to the need
for further capital and the issue of £200.000 short term notes
(7 per cent., free of tax). The new capital would assist in
building up the businesFi and meeting the heavy demands
now made upon it.

BirmimJham District Power & Traction Co., Ltd. — Mr.

C S. B. Hilton, presidin" at the annua! meeting on July 13th,
said that after putting f 10.000 to reserve, and paying a 6 Per
cent, dividepd on the ordinary shares they were carrying
forward £4.3.54. The bu.siness had continued to he carried
on under extremelv difficult conditions. The total expenses
reached £30R.4fi5. as again.st an estimated £iM5.000: the _ re-
ceipts were £340,61fi. as against an estimated ,£3.53.000. Signs
were not wanting that trade in the district wa.=; betrinnincr to
fall in certain industries, and once that took place their
receipts would be affected, as tramwav receipts were a very
good barometer of the condition of trade.

Compania de Electricidad de la Provincia de Buenos
Aires. — The directors report that the results for the year
ended .Tulv. 191?), do not permit of the payment of the pre-
ference dividend. The net profit, accordinc to the Fiiiancinl
Times, was £54,691. against £40,8.35 in the previous year.
£14,841 was recovered from the Compania Alemana Trans-
atlantica de Electricidad.

Gravesend 4 Northfleet Electric Tramways Co., Ltd. —
Dividend 3 per cent, for 1919; £1,000 to reserve; £4,930 car-
ried forward.

Pernambuco Tramways & Power Co., Ltd. — At the an-
nual meeting on July ioth, Mr. W. Higgina said that the
outcome of the year's working was an mcrease of approxi-
mately £'21,oU0 in the net revenue. After placing £23,000 to
renewal and reserve, ajid providing for amortisation, and
paying 3i per cent., free of tax, on the preference shares,
£16,900 was to be carried forwai'd. In all the circumstances
this position was satisfactory. They had asked the Govern-
ment for power to raise their rates. Coal which was 33s.
per ton delivered at Pernambuco in 1914, now cost at least
£8 per ton. Nothing that they used had gone up less than
100 per cent., and many things had risen 3U0 per cent. The
cost of living had also occasioned an appreciable advance in
wages. They hoped that the Government would consider
their request reasonable. The tramways showed continued
development, and the electric light and power branch had
great possibilities. They were doing all they could to meet
the demand. Their gas undertaking had resulted in a loss,
but the number of subscribers to the telephone service in
which they held the bulk of the shares, was increasing.

Prospectuses. — Fuller's United Electric Works, Ltd.— The
list is to close on or before July '26th in an issue at par of
£'200,000 7 per cent., income tax free, short-term notes,
repayable at 105 per cent, in July, j9'25. It is stated that
owing to the increasing demand for the company's products
the present high cost of raw material and the necessity for
carrying heavy stocks, further capital can, for the time being,
be profitably employed, and this issue of £200,000 is made
to repay the bankers' loan {£165,3'20f, and provide further
working capital,

Messrs. Johnson, Mattliey £ Co. — An issue of £'250,0(.)O in
S per cent, notes (seven years) is being offered at 97^ per cent.

Midland Electric Corporation for Power Distribution. — This
company is offering until to-day 250,000 ordinary shares of
£1 each, these including 1'20,000 shares held by the British
Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd.

Vickers, Ltd. — An issue of £1,500,000 7 per cent, seven-year
notes has been oft'ered this week, at 95 per cent. It is stated
that the proceeds will be used for the extension of the busi-
ness chiefly in connection with the electrical interests of the
company.

Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd. — The list is to
close to-morrow, Saturday, in an is-sue of £500,000 5 per cent,
first mortgage convertible (registered) debentures, tree of
income tax. As explained at the recent meeting, capital is
needed for the purpose of large extensions and other purposes.

National Gas Engine Co., Ltd. — Interim dividend of 7^
per cent., less tax, on the ordinary shares for the half-year.

Stock Exchange Notices. — The Committee has specially
allowed dealings in the following under Temporary Regula-
tion 4 (3) :—

India-Rubber, Gutta-Percha & Telegraph Co., Ltd.—
750,000 ordinary shares of £1 each, fully paid, Nos. 1 to
750,000; 250,000 5 per cent, cumulative preference shares of
£1 each, fuUy paid, Nos. 1 to 250,000.

English Electric Co., Ltd.— 146,036 6 per cent, cumulative
preference shares of £1 each, fully paid, Nos. 552,529 to
698,564; and 90,000 ordinary shares of £1 each, fully paid,
Nos. 1,431,.510 to 1,.5'21,509.

The following are to be officially quoted : —

Brush Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd.— 210,488 ordinary
shares of £1 each, fullv paid, Nos. 1 to 210.488.

Stewarts & T.lovds, Ltd.— 82.500 deferred shares of £1 each,
fully paid, Nos. 1,700,001 to 1,782,500.

Norwegian Electro=ChemicaI Works. — The report of the
directors of the Norska Elektrokemiskverke. -\.S., which
covers a period of 15 months, ended with March 31st, 19'20,
deals at length with the work of the subsidiary undertakings
in which the company is interested. It states that the ac-
tivity of these companies, including hydroelectric works, ore
and smelting works, engineering works, cellulose works, and
trading companies in Norway, Finland, Russia, &c., waa
greatlv influenced bv the difficult conditions in industry. It
was necessary to write off 2,989,000 kr. on the Russiaii in-
vestments and including this sum the total amount written
off was 9,-500,000 kr., of which 8,000,000 kr. was transferred
from the reserve fund. The report mentions that an office was
opened in London during the year.

Barnslev & District Electric .Traction Co.. Ltd.— The
Financial 'Times states that the dividend is 12 per cent.;
£1,.500 to reserve; £10,3'34 carried forward, subject to E.P.D.

St. James's & Pall Mall Electric Light Co., Ltd.— Interim
dividends at the rate of 7 per cent, per annum on the prefer-
rnce and 7 per cent, per annum on the ordinary shares for
the half-year. ^^^^^^___^^^_^^^

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
There is a fair amount of investment business doing in most
of the Stock Exchange markets, and throughout the House
a steady tone prevails in spite of the holiday influence, which
becomes more pronounced the closer that August approaches.
It is said that people want to keep their money for holiday
expenses, and for paying the additional railway rates which
are threatened, but the stockbroker knows that in spite of

120

THE ELECTRICAL KEVIEWo [Vol. 87. No. 2.22c, July -.'3, 1920.

the adverse influences at work, there is a proportion of his
clients who continue to put away money. Were it not for
the new issues which come out so freely, prices of existing
investiiienl stocks would most likely be staudmy higher. But
it is impossible to expect any improVemeut in values so long
as really good shares can be bought to pay b [xn- cent, and
more. Ihe talk of cheaper money is not unlikely to be
reahsed, and this should have a quickening effect upon prices,
though if the Bank Rate were to be reduced, tbe general
understanding at present is that the banks would maintain
their present tight hold upon credits, and would refuse to
provide the financial facilities which so many industrial com-
panies and firms are in want of at the present day.

Of the new issues made within the last week. Fuller's
United Electric Works, Ltd., offered at par £200,iM} 7 per
cemt. income tax free short-term notes, repayable at 105 on
July Slst, 1925. The company was formed about 16 months
ago to amalgamate four concerns, and the original business
dates back to 1S75. The profits of the companies are not set
out in the prospectus, but a dividend at the rate of iLt per
cent, has been declared for the first year of the company
ended March 31st last. The security for the notes is well
covered; the company offers a high rate of interest — taking
redemption into account — for the money.

The Midland Electric Corporation for Power Distribution
has offered 250,000 ordinary shares of £1 each at par, being
the balance of the company's authorised ordinary share capital
of ±'400,000; there are also 200,000 7 per cent, cumulative
preference shares already issued. The ordinary shares may
earn big dividends in the future, but the present-day investor
requires, and receives, so many tempting offers that he looks
for handsome returns from the outset. As, of course, this
issue may provide.

Calcutta Electrics 5 per cent, tax free debenture stock, at
95, looks modest in the matter of yield compared with some
of the other recent issues, but the security is admirable, and
the right of conversion into shares is certainly valuable. The
underwriting commission was 2j per cent. Bournemouth and
Poole 7J per cents, are said in the market to have been taken
only partially by the public.

By all the storm that is raging at the present time round
the question of railway fares, the Stock Exchange market for
the stocks is scarcely disturbed. The rise in rates is bound to
come sooner or later, according to the market theory, and
from the merely financial point of view, it matters little
whether the change is made a month earlier or later, although
the over-taxed father of a family regards it in a different light
altogether. Metropolitans are a point higher at 22, and Under-
ground Electric income bonds have started to recover from
their heavy fall. The price has rallied to 56^. In our price-
lists we leave the dividend for 1919 as 4 per cent., but as
the company has passed the interim dividend in respect of the
past six months, the j'ield, of course, is a blank for the time
being.

Electricity supply shares show no changes at all, for the
second week in succession. There is, however, a fair amount
doing in Westminster ordinary, and the shares are changing
hands on the basis of 4s-5g. The market in City ordinary is
still overhung by the small block of shares which recently
came in, but which are steadily being disposed of at about
21s. 6d. As soon as the parcel is finished, it would not be
at all sm-prising to see City Lights recover to the extent of a
shilling or two, because at the present price they are certainly
cheap, and the financial jxisition of the company is sound.
Brush Electrical Engineering ordinary shares are quoted for
the first time as £1 shares, the price being 22s. 6d. Edmund-
sons 6 per cent, cumulative preference changed hands the
other day at 28s., and the 6 per cent. non-<;umulative prefer-
ence at half-a-guinea. The company's 4J per cent, debenture
stock is quoted ex dividend, and can be bought at about 60i,
at which the return on the money comes to £7 8s. lOd. per
cent. London Electric ordinary have been done this week at
23s. 9d., and the 4 per cent, debenture stock at 755. Many
rises have taken place this week in the various dollar' securities
of the American utility companies. Changes of this sort are
automatic, being made in accordance with the rate of ex-
change, and having no necessary relation to actual business,
which in the ordinary way is extremely limited in these
stocks. Cities Service common has risen to 422, and the
fractions are quoted rather less. Shawinigan Water 5^ per
cent, first bonds are 96, and the common shares 12oJ. Vic-
toria Falls ordinary keep firm at lis. 6d., and the preference
are 18s. 3d. ex dividend. The 5 per cent, first mortgage deben-
tures are attracting investors on the ba.sis of 91, and there is
little gouig on also in the 5 i)er cent, second mortgage deben-
tures at about 97. Prices of these issues are better owing to
the strength shown by the South African mining market, in
consequence of this week's rise in the price of gold.

The position in Mexico is still uncertain, and, in con.se-
quence, the market in the various utility stocks is uncertain.
Mexican Light preferred shares have gone back to 25i. Mexico
Tramway Common shares have receded to 18J, but the bonds
are 1 higher at 39. For the 6 per cent, second mortgage a
seller obtained no more than 27 a few days ago. The last
time that these bonds received any intere.st wag exactly six
years ago. and the last pavment on the company's first nioit-
gage bonds was made in September, 1914.

Marconis are ex 38. 6d. dividend, les.s tax, and 5s. bonus
paid free of tax, the market valuing the net payment at Ts. 2d.

per share. The price is a trifle lower allowing for this, at 3,
and Canadians have receded a few pence to 9s. 9d., but on
the other hand, Marines touched 1 13-16 before going back to
34s. 6d. The cable market is hard. Eastern Extensions re-
covered their dividend of 5s. and Eastern ordinary the SOs.
taken oft' the price last week. Globes, however, ex 14s. are
lower 14J. Western Telegraphs were, of course, ex dividend
at the end of June. Chili Telephones improved to 6i;
Orientals are i better at 2 7-16. There is not much doing
in the new shares, but Ea.stern Telegraph partly-paid are
lis.. Eastern Extension £o, and Western oi. The new Globe
shares are about 5|. The fully-paid shares in each case stand
about £S higher, except in the case of Eastern Telegraph fully
paid, which are £1 shares, now at 26s.

In the market for manufacturing shares, Cromptons are
19s. 6d. xd., and Edison-Swan have gone back a trifle to
•24s. 4Jd. General Electric ordinary at 30s. 6d. are also er
dividend, as are Telegraph Constructions at 20}. There is
nothing much doing in this section, which is, of course,
pecuUarly susceptible to the competition from new issues.
India-Eubbers are 25s. 9d. Rubber shares are no better, in
spite of the confident prophecies being made as to the pro-
bability of a rise in the raw stuff. It is said that a faUure
took place recently in New York, and the resulting realisation
of the raw rubber involved has caused the price to sag. Arma-
ment shares are better. The recent weakness has been super-
seded by a certain amount of support from the North, and
the new issues of Vickers and Armstrongs had the unusual
effect of making prices better instead of operating in the other
direction.

SHARE LIST OF ELECTRIOAL COMPANIES

HouE Elkctmcity Companies.

Dividend Price

.. " ^ July 20,

1918. 1919. 1930, RiseorftU.

BromiitOD Ordlnsr; 8 13 Bg —

Oharlog Oioss Ordinary .... i 1 B) —

do, do. do 4iPrel. .. 4)4^32 —

Chelsea 8 4 ii —

Olty ot London 8 10 l| —

do. do. 6 per oen», Prel. . . 6 6 17/- —

Ooonty of London 1 8 84 —

do do. 6 per cent, Prel, 6 6 8} —

Kensington Ordinary .... 6 1 4 —

London Eleotrio MU Si li —

do. do. 6 percent. Pre!.. . 6 8 8 —

Metropolitan 6 6 9i —

do. 4i per cent. Pref, .. 4) 4i 9;| —

St. James' and Pall MaU . . .. 10 19 61 —

Sonth London 5 6 ^ —

Booth Metropolitan Pref 7 7 18ff —

Westminster Ordinary .... 8 10 6^ —

Teleobaphs and Telbfhoneb.

Anglo-Am, Tel. Prel 6 6 794 —

do. Del BB(6 li 17i —

Chile Telephone B 6 ei + J

Cnba Bnb. Ord 1 7 M —

Eastern Extension 8 10 14{xd -i- i

Bastem Tel. Ord 8 10 146) -1-94

Giobe Tel. and T. Ord 8 10 lUxi —i

do. do. Prel 6 <f SHxi —

Sreat Northern Tel 99 23 Jli —

Indo-Enropean IB 10 30 —

Marconi 96 36 S^^xd — ^5

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 13 3^ -t- i

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 7 —

West India and Panama . . , . 1/8 Nil >; -f (

Western Telegraph 8 10 16 —

Home Rails,

Central Ix>ndon Ord, Assented ..44 44} —

Metropolitan 1 1} 33 + ^

do. District .. NU Nil 16i -H ^

Underground Electric Ordinary.. NU Nil Ig —

do, do. "A" .. NU NU 4.6 —

do, do, Income .. 6 4 SG^ +2

Foreign Trams, &c.

Anglo-Arg. Trams. First Prel. .. Nil Si SSxd +)

do. do, 3nd Prel, . . Nil Nil il —

do. do. 6 Deb. ..6 6 61i —

Brazil Tractions Nil Nil 474 -^l

Bombay Electric Pre! 6 6 13 —

British Columbia Eleo. Rly. Pice. 6 6 EOjxd —

do. do. Prelerrred SJ 6 531 —

do. do, Deferred Nil 8 64( —

do. do. Deb. . . 4} 4* e,". -H

Mexico Trams 6 per cent. Bonds.. NU Nil 39 -t-l

do. Bper cent. Bonds.. Nil NU 3'J —

Mexican Light Common .. .. NU NU 14 —

do. Prel NU NU 36i -2

do, let Bonds . . . . Nil Nil 48 —

MAHcrAcnuKma OoMPiiitis,

Babcock i WUoox 16 16 9g —

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 1^ —

British Insulated Ord 13} 16 IJj —

Callenders 36 16 1,% —

ejPref 64 6} 18/- —

Castner.Eelhier 90 17 3 —

Crompton Ord 10 10 19;6xd —

Edison-Swan, " A " .. .. 10 10 1 ,\ —

do. do. 6 per cent, Deb. .. 6 5 78) —

Electric Oonstmotioo .... 10 10 1 —

Qen. Blec. Pref 6} 6} 18/6 —

do. Ord 10 10 8O/6X1I —

Benley 96 16 12 —

do. 4i Pref 4i 4i a —

India-Rnbber 10 10 96/9 —

Met.-Vickers Prel — 8 31 —

HiemensOrd 10 10 96/- —

Tek'graph Cou 20 20 SOJxd —J

♦ Divi^leud^ t)aid free of Income. Tax.

T 11 0

ant

•4 16 0

•8 4 8

•a 18 0

•« 17 6

•6 18 0

8 6 8
•4 18 4

•6 1< 4

Vol. 87. No. 2,226, juLT 23, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

121

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINQ5 AND PLANT.

ReadtTs art invited to rubmU particula/rt of new or improved demces aiul apparatus, which will ie publitked
if considered of tufficient interest.

The " Oae Lever " Automatic Telegraph Transmitter.

A new automatic telegraph transmitter was demonstrated
for the first time recently by Mr. P. S. S. Wates, of the
Automatic Telegraph Co., 132, Charing Cross Eoad, W.C.2.
The instrument has many interesting features, and has been
designed particularly to enable pilots of aircraft to transmit
definite wireless messages with a minimum of time and
trouble, thus doing away with the necessity of carrying a tele-
graphist. The instrument may, of course, be applied to other
than aircraft work, and its feature is that its operation entails
no knowledge whatever of electricity, the Morse code, or
telegraphy. Fig. 1 shows the outside as well as the inside

where it is iutert->osed iu the passage of the cold air entering
the furnace door and passing through the bars, allowing
combustion to continue. The whole of the clinker and ash
can be removed in one operation, doing away with the
necessity of moving the live fuel from one side of the grate
to the other, and as a much larger body of fire is left to start
up with, the fall in steam pressure is reduced to a minimum.
On an evaporation test a saving of 8.81 per cent, was made
as a result of using a baffle-bridge furnace, which meant a
reduction in coal of 1-50 tons per boiler per annum ; the
evaporation was also increased by 13 per cent.

\ valuable instrument that is made by the same firm is the
" boiler efficiency calculator." This device, somewhat similar

Fig. 1.—" One Lever " Automatic Wireless Telegraph Transmitter.

appearance of the instrument, which weighs about 10 lb. On
the face of the box is a plate engraved with 60 messages iu
three columns. All the operator has to do is to insert a plug
in the hole corresponding to the message he wishes to trans-
mit, and to puU down the lever shown at the side of the in-
strument. This winds up a spring which drives a clockwork
mechanism, which in turn rotates a cyhnder. A series of con-
tacts arranged round the drum transmits in Morse the call
sign of the sending station and the signal representing the
message selected. In every case the whole of the message is
automatically repeated to make sure that it is received cor-
rectly. All the 60 messages are in code, the meaning of which
may, of curse, be altered to suit requirements. The call sign
of any particular instrument is capable of easy alteration. It
is not proposed to receive by wireless, but only to transmit,
and the instrument described, which was exhibited at the Aero
Exhibition. Olympia, takes the place of the Morse tapping
key only, the rest of the circuit remaining the same as usual.
The Gallagher^Crompton Baffle Bridge, and Boiler
Efficiency Calculator.
The following particulars refer to a patent baffle bridge
for eteam boiler furnaces, which has been designed by
Messrs. Gallagher & Crompton, of Romiley, near Stockport,
with a view to facihtating the use of coke breeze and other
low-grade fuels. The use of this bridge tends to materially
egse the arduous labour of cleaning fires which is inseparable
from the use of such fuel. In addition to fulfilling the func-
tions of an ordinary bridge, it assists the fiieman to clean
out quicker and without burning the fires down. In the
ordinary way, cleaning out (burning down, removing clinker,
and getting fires back to normal) generally occupies a con-
siderable period of time. It can be done in a few minutes
with the baffle bridge, and, further, cold air is prevented
from entering the flues during the operation ; it, therefore,
saves fuel and prevents loss of steam pressure during the
process of cleaning out. The bridge is shown in fig. Ia with
the fires in their normal position. As the gases are given
off from the fire they are not suddenly restricted, as with the
ordinary bridge, but a large combustion space is provided,
the pas-sage being more gradually restricted, and projecting
blocks provided to assist in mixing the air and gases. The
baffle also forms an extended heat radiating surface to assist
combustion and radiate heat to the flue gases. Fig. 2b shows
the position of the fires when cleaning out. The live fuel
is pushed baek on to the baffle instead of being burned down.

to a sUde rule, is designed to facilitate the calculation of the
thermal efficiency and other data in connection with the
running of boiler plant. By its aid the operator is enabled
to find the factor of evaporation for any given conditions,
without the use of tables, or arithmetical processes, by the
simple movement of a scale and chart. A special feature is
that this factor can be obtained either for saturated steam or
■steam superheated to any temperature within the usual
limits; the same simple movements only being required in

Fig. 2. A and B. — Gallagher-Crompton Boiler Bafflb
Brioob.

either case. The factor being obtained, the equivalent evapora-
tion from and at 212 deg. F., and the efficiency of the plant
can be worked out by moving a second sliding scale. ThuSj
by four movements of scales and chart, the efficiency can
be arrived at accurately, without recourse to steam tables
or mathematical formula. The increased efficiency due to
utihsing the waste heat in flue gases by the use of econo-
misers, or that due to superheating the steam, can also bo
worked out.

122

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. ko. 2,226, Jew 23, 1920.

A New Ignition Coll.

Bearing aD the appearance, externally, of a magneto but
at the same time employing the coil ignition principles, the
" Magniter " (fig. 3), being placed on the market l)y the Vnixo
Manufacturing Co., 397, Wightman Road, Hornsey, N.8, has
a number of advantages claimed for it. In the first place, its
design permits it to occupy the position of a magneto without
alteration to the chassis. The body being composed of one die
casting and stampings reduces the cost of production to half
that of a magneto, and the weight to one-third. Revolving

ilAGMTEK.

parts are mounted on ball-bearings, and it is stated that an
efficient spark is given at any speed. The device is thoroughly
waterproof and is easily timed. An additional feature is the
thief-proof ignition lock which prevents starting until a key
is inserted. The " Magniter " also provides a more convenient
plugging point for an inspection lamp.

An Electric Hair Cutter.

A contributor in a recent article on " Electrical Hair-dress-
ing " (Elec. Rev., May 7th, 1920, p. 580) stated that "electric
hair-cutting and shaving machines have not yet been intro-
duced." We have now received a pamphlet from the
Commonwealth Edison Co., of Chicago, describing an elec-
tric hair cutter, operated by a small motor through a flexible
shaft, which, we are informed, has been on the market for
four years.

The " Oxford " Portable Kinema Projector.

In our issue of August 1st last year and elsewhere we
described a portable kinematograph projector outfit that has
found an increasing sphere of usefulness in schools and for
other educational purposes. A similar device, but one which is
of entirely British manufacture, is about to be put on the
market by the Oxford Educational Film Supplies Co., Ltd.,
of 31(1. Regent Street, London, W. 1. The Oxford projector

4.— The " Oxford " Portable Bioscope.

will show a sharply defined picture 10 ft. by 7 ft. 6 in. with a
throw of 45 ft., and a smaller picture depending on the
distance between the screen and the machine. The device
uses standard films, and is claimed to be fireproof; it is simple
to manipulate, and may be carried from place to place as
easily as a bag. The whole of the apparatus is enclosed in
a neat camera-shaped box (fig. 4) SJ in. by 19 in. by 7 in.
in size, which is covered with leatherette; the whole outfit
weighs only 24 lb. The mechanism, fig. 5, is in two

parts, and all bearings are of phosphor bronze; the motor
will work on 90 to 110-volt o.c. circuits and up to tiO cycles
on A.c. circuits, only 4.5 amps, being required to drive the
outfit. If the pressure is greater than 110 volts a small
resistance is supplied. The incandescent lamp gives OOO c.p.
Irom a single point of light. X .simple attachment is fitted
to the machine by means of which the picture can be stopped
and held at the will of the operator. Whether the picture
IS stationary or not the cooling fan which is driven by the
iiiotor continues to function, and the speed of the picture can
lie regulated by means of a slide resistance in the motor
circuit. A slide resistance is also provided to control the
light given by the lamp, and if not central the picture can
lie racked by turning a .screw on top of the ca.se. The device

Fig. 5.— Mechanism of the " Oxford " Bioscopb.

does not require a .separate circuit, it may be plugged into
any lamp socket and run off the fighting circuit. For the
convenience of lecturers and others who wish to use still
slides as well as films a lantern attachment is supplied, which
can be attached to the machine or used separately. To
provide for places where no electricity supply is available
the firm will supply a complete outfit, by which an ordinary
motor car can be made to do all the work. The apparatus
is easily detachable, and weighs 70 lb. ; it consists of a dynamo,
.switchboard, governor to ensure constant supply, and the
connection between the motor and the generator. The whole
of the above apparatus is entirely of British manufacture,
being made near London, and replacement of spare parts
can be undertaken at short notice.

The B.T.H. " Pyrotip " Electric Burner.

The "Pyrotip" electric burner has been designed by the
British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., Mazda House, 77,
Upijer Thames Street, E.G. 4, to meet the demand for an
economical and convenient means of lead burning, such as
is necessary in the repair and construction of lead storage
batteries and in other operations involving the welding of
lead plates or strips. Essentially it consists of an auto-trans-
former by which the ordinary supply voltage is reduced to
a suitably low pre.ssure, and the current increased in the
same proportion.

Ffrom the .secondary or low-voltage side of the transformer
two heavy rubber insulated cables caiTy the current to the
wiii-k. One cable terminates in a spring clip which is attached

Fig. G.— B.T.H. " Pvrotip " Electric Burner

to the metal close to the point where the burning ia to be
done. The other cable is attached to a holder with an in-
sulated handle, containing a carbon electrode about 8 in.
long. The carbon electrode, when the circuit is closed by
applying it to the lead, produces an intense heat. One elec-
trode will burn from 250 to 300 joints. The double conductor
from the primary side of the transformer is fitted with a
2-pin plug top or adapter, as de^ired, for connection to a
wall socket or lamp holder.

"Pyrotip" electric burners can. of course, only be used
on alternating-current circuits, the standard types being
made for use on supply pressures of 100-110 volts and 900-240
volts, and for periodicities of 25-49 cycles and 50-140 cycles.

Yol. 87. No. 2,226, Joly 23. 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

123

THE TRADE OF CANADA.

[A Review of the Position by H.M. TRADE COMMISSIONERS.]

A BULKY document* (Ciiid. 72U) of 204 pages has been
issued containing a report by Messrs. F. W. Field and
L. B. Beale, H.M. Trade Commissioners at Toronto
and Winnipeg respectively, on the trade of Canada and
Newfoundland for the year 1919. Detailed reports on
the trade of Ontario and Western Canada are included.

Naturally it is only in certain parts that the report
is of direct electrical interest, but when so many eyes
are turned towards Canada as one of the lands offering
immense possibilities for the future, so full a review
should be of special value to the adventurous and enter-
prising.

It is not surprising to read that ' ' given more stable
political and social conditions than those obtaining
at the beginning of 1920," the Dominion should achieve
a degree of development far surpassing that achieved
hitherto. It is remarked that with her vast resources
Canada has reason to hope that in the difficult times
ahead she will create sufficient wealth to liquidate her
heavy burden of debt and to play a more important
part in the world economy. Financial conditions, the
exchange situation, natural wealth and income, the area
and yield of crops, minerals, railways, and other matters
are reviewed, after which it is pointed out that high-
tension transmission has been notably developed during
the last few j'ears, and has been one of the most impor-
tant factors in the utilisation of Canadian water powers.
There is a total of 5,940 miles of pole line for trans-
mission lines of from 10,000 to 100,000 volts. With
regard to immigration, it is expected that agriculture
will attract a greater number of people to Canada than
any other class of industry. " While the re-building of
devastated portions of Europe will occupy the attention
and give occupation to a large number . . . many with
the wanderlust will seek a country where they may forget
the scenes through which they have passed, and Canada
will receive many of the most desirable of these." Only
desirables will be admitted. Large numbers of an ex-
cellent class of settlers are expected from the United
States.

There is a section of the report devoted to industrial
conditions, and herein we find a good deal of informa-
tion respecting the manufacturing developments that
iiave occurred since 1911. Among others are the exten-
sion measures taken by the Dominion Steel Corporation
at .Sydney, Nova Scotia, in anticipation of prospective
developments. Notes on shipbuilding, pulp and paper,
textiles, chemicals, and other departments of industry
follow, as does also a section on export trade with statis-
tics of exports for the seven months ended October, 1919.
The rise in value of manufactured export goods during
the war was due to munitions output, and the figures
given since mark the altered conditions following upon
the cessation of hostilities, but Canada is to-day an
exporter of many manufactured lines as the result of
industrial activities entered upon during the war, and
these activities may be expected to increase. Iron and
steel products represent one of the most important groups
of imports, embracing as they do everything from the
raw ore, through semi-manufacturers, to machinery and
hardware of every description.

Mr. Field's report on Ontario Province mentions
Ontario as an attractive market for British manufac-
tures, " more especially in the lines in which United
Kingdom manufacturers have excelled for so long." The
prospect of German and Japanese activity in certain
departments is touched upon, and the larger operations
which may be engaged in by the United States. The
tendency of U.S. firms with trade connections in Canada
is to establish separate units there, either branch works,
offices, or agencies. The need for studying what patterns
of goods are suited to the market is once more urged,
also the necessity for supporting to the full Canadian
agents, when the right men have been appointed. It

*H7MrStationery Office, Is. 6d. net.

is thought that there is an opportunity for increased
sales of machinery of various kinds, including air com-
pressors, hoisting machinery, mining equipment, teiiile
iiiachinery, and other lines in which British firms are
specialists. Three of our weaknesses are said to be lack
of sufficient local representation and active salesman-
ship, failure to keep in constant touch with users of
our machines, and inability to effect repairs and supply
spare parts at short notice. It is suggested that uuiess
we remedy these shortcomings the imports of British
machinery will become smaller, but the reader sLuuld
see the report, and study it in detail, if he is inter«»ted
in this important aspect of trade expansion work.
Advice is given to shippers and principals of Bruish
exporting firms are recommended personally to vis:i the
market ; they will then understand better the diffieuXties
of agents, and give them greater sj-mpathy and support.
Water power matters, of course, come in for treatment,
but our readers have already had so much information
placed before them in these pages in our references to
the reports of the Hydro-Electric Commission, that we'
need not stay to enlarge upon that subject here.

In considering the industrial outlook, the factors
which have made for a high level of activity of la"e are
enumerated, and they include orders for railway equip-
ment, steel rails, European reconstruction re(,uire-
ments, road building, resumption of national vorks
interfered with by the war, revival of building trades
and mining industry, and general business and trade
expansion. The principal uncertainties mentioned Are
possible labour demands, coal supply, and ocean trans-
]portation. There is a '' Made-in-Canada " movement.
Several new industrial, trade, and engineering organisa-
tions have been started.

We quote the following references to electrical equip-
ment and electrical appliances: —

Electrical Equipment. — United Kingdom manufacturers have
had difficulty in obtaining business in face of keen United
States and Canadian competition, and on account of the differ-
ence in standards. British equipment of the smaller types,
such as motors and meters, has been solO. There is a Brow-
ing market for large water turbines and generators, ard the
United Kingdom firms which propose to specialise in this
work should be able to obtain some of the local business The
principal competitors are the United States and Sweden. The
following notes about electrical equipment may be of ialerest
to TTnited Kingdom manufacturers.

The enclosed type of switchgear is not used extensively in
Canada. Experienced Canadian engineers state that it sOould
he employed in works in which switchgear may be exposed
to heavy or careless use by rough or inexperienced laoour.
The standard lines of smaU motor control gear and s«rvice
boxes (the latter of heavy cast iron) made in the United King-
dom are regarded as too cumbersome to suit local praciice.

Transformer practice in the United Kingdom and in this
market are similar. The principal dift'erence is that a<niost
all United Kingdom manufacturers use paper insulation o« the
laminations of the core. A. somewhat crude method of tiling
fuses in pole type transformers is in use here as compared,
for example, with that employed in Sweden, which embodies
a regular control panel in the upper part of the case. There
is no demand in the United Kingdom for pole transformers.

Slip-ring motors are much more extensively used 'n the
TTnited Kingdom than in Canada. Canadian electrical en-
gineers, who have a knowledge of British works, appreciate
the finish and durability of motors made in the United King-
dom. Some of the lines are expensive, hut are undoubtedly
worth the extra cost when compared with those made else-
where.

Electric meters of United Kingdom manufacture are sold in
Canada and have a good reputation. The United Kincdom
firms at present catering for this market exhibit considjrable
interest in their oversea.s customers.

One of the problems of long-distance transmission systems in
Canada is the low-power factor, and in this connection the
vibrating phase advancer made in the United Kingdom should
be of service. '

Electrical Appliances. — Ontario is an excellent market for
all kinds of electrical appliances such as electric irons, wash-
ing machines, stoves, heaters, grates, hot plates, toaBters,
chafing dishes, coffee i^ercolators, house radiators, and desk
fans. The present sales are .sub'stantial. hut the demand is
rapidly expanding. In some of these electrical lines particu-
larly, firms in the United Kingdom should be able to »— are
a satisfactory volume of business, if proper attention is given

;124

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,226, jum 23, 1920.

to local representation. Generally speaking, the finish of
Canadian and United States appliances is superior to that of
those from the United Kingdom.

Local experts consider that the best developed . electric ap-
pliance in the United Kingdom is the electric grate or fire.
\yith an adequate sales policy, this line should be sold exten-
sively in Canada. Several Ontario buyers have obtained
samples of the British grates.

The domestic electric cooking stoves made in the United
Kingdom are not as attractive to the Canadian buyer as those
made on this continent. The heavy cast-iron frame is not
suitable for this market. The prices ruhng in this market
are from $100 to $150, which are considerably lower than the
United Kingdom prices. The development in large electric
cooking devices for factory canteens and public institution.s
is regarded by Canadian experts as notable. The prices of the
United Kingdom manufacturers, in this instance, are generally
lower than those of this continent.

The system of concentric wiring being developed in the
United Kingdom should prove of interest, in the larger sizes,
to Canadian buyers for use in connecting electric ranges.

There is a substantial and expanding market here for electric
irons. The United Kingdom products are higher in price
than the American, and the finishes are inferior. A much
lower wattage is in use in the United Kingdom than in
Canada.

There is a substantial demand for porcelain electrical fittings.
The.se were imported before the war largely from Austria.
In view of the rapidly increasing u.se of electric current by
Ontario these lines are worthy of serious con.sideration by
United Kingdom manufacturers.

The main report by Mr. Field, from which we have
quoted at length, is followed by others from Mr. Beale,
at Winnipeg, who deals with the trade of the Western
Provinces, and from Imperial trade correspondents in
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Alberta, and
British Columbia (Victoria and Vancouver). There are
also a number of tabular appendices.

ELECTRIC FURNACE DEVELOPMENT.

At the annual congress of the Society of Chemical Industry,
at Newca«tle-on-Tyne, on July 14th, a paper by Mr. D. F.
Campbell, M.A., A.R.S.M., upon " Recent Developments of
the Electric Furnace in Great Britain " was read by Mr.
Burton, in the absence of the author.

The writer said that in no branch of metallurgy had greater
advances been made during the war than in the development
of iron and its alloys, giving them materials of extraordinary
strength and physical properties. Steel for aero-engine parts
owed its power and lightness 'to the addition of small per-
centages of Uictals, the aeroplane wire its strength, and
bullet-proof steel its toughness to the addition of suitable
alloys, such as those of nickel, chromium, molybdenum or
manganese, and the electric furnace had been responsible in
most cases, for both the reduction of those refractory metals
from their ores, and the subsequent manufacture of alloy
steel.

Electric melting, he pointed out, had enabled them to use
advantageously the vast quantities of steel turnings from
shell factories. The remelting of nickel-chrome steel was a
wasteful and most difficult process in all other furnaces, but
the reducing conditions and absolute control of the electric
furnace made it possible either to retain, or remove, at will,
most of the chromium, and thus large quantities of a valuable
metal were saved. The economic manufacture of stainless
steel had been rendered possible only by the electric furnace
which was required both for the preparation of the refined
ferro-chrome and steel melting.

In 1914, the power used by electric furnaces in Britain,
excluding those used for aluminium, was probably less than
6,000 H.P., but on the dav of the armistice the total was in
excess of 150,000 h.p. The production of electric steel had
reached a total of more than 200,000 tons per annum. The
manufacture of large quantities of phosphoi-us by electric
furnace methods was necessary during the war, and the
excellent fused silica ware for laboratories and chemical
works made with such remarkable success on the Tyne, was.
perhaps, the most interesting example of the use of the
electric furnace for fine work.

Electric furnaces owed their value to their intense reducing
conditions, as they utilised the only practical source of heat
that did not require oxygen for its generation.

The utility of the electric furnace did not cease at the
end of the war. Shops equipped with electric furnaces for
war purposes had been re-constructed, and were producing
alloy .steels. The manufacture of artificial graphite, a new
industry to this country, had been established, and electrodes
of a size and quality equal to the best in the world were
being produced, and the manufacture of alloys and amor-
phous electrodes was being developed along the lines of
present requirements. The nest immediate development
would, probably, be the general application of electric smelt-
ing to the treatment of complex zinc ores.

On July 5th a visit was paid by the members of the Society
to the works of the Newcastle Alloy Co. at Rowlands Gill.
Dr. H. Piele, chairman of the company, mentioned that the
works were originally estabhshed to utihse some of the
waste heat from the adjoining coke ovens, which was used
to generate steam for the turbines in the generating station
During the war the Ministry of Munitions had looked to the
company to provide the whole of the country's requirements
of ferro-chrome. Since the war the company had been re-
organised, and special attention was being given to the pro-
duction of the low carbon ferro-chrome used in the manu-
facture of stainless steel. Three large Heroult furnaces had
been erected, and a plant had recently started at Blaydon
for the production of amorphous carbon electrodes for electric
furnaces.

THE ELECTRICAL APPARATUS INDUSTRY
OF CANADA.

(From a Correspondent.)

It is, of course, well known that the Dominion of Canada is
in the forefront of those countries in which the utilisation of
electricity, and particularly hydro-electric power, has been
carried to a high degree of development, and information which
has just been pubhshed by the Dominion Bm'eau of Statistics
at Ottawa would appear to indicate that the manufacture of
electrical apparatus has also reached important proportions in
Canada, the requirements of the various electrical plants
being very largely met by Canadian manufacturers rather
than by importation from abroad.

The information in question is contained in a preliminary
report issued by the Bureau of Statistics and containing
figures compiled for the year 1918, since which date there is
little doubt that considerable progress has been made by the
manufacturers in order to comply with the demands upon
them in connection with the numerous developments of
water power which are now going on all over Canada. In
1918. however, there were in operation in the Dominion some
68 plants for the manufacture of various descriptions of elec-
trical apparatus. Of these 4'2 were in Ontario. 13 in Quebec,
seven in Manitoba, three in British Columbia, two in Alberta,
and one in Saskatchewan. The total capitalisation of the
industry was $43,285,405, and some 8,863 persons were em-
ployed at wages and salai'ies aggregating $8,456,705. The
quautit\' and selling value at the works of all articles produced
during the year under review Ls given in the following table : —

Dynamos, generators, and converters

Transformers

Switchboards, panel boards, and cabinets...

Motora, all kinds

Storage batteries ■ ...

Primary batteries ... ... ... ... 4,

Incandescent lamps ... ... ... ... 3

Incandescent lamps (number not specified)
Sockets, receptacles, bases, Aic.
Electric lighting fixtures, all kinds

Telegraph apparatus

Telephone transmitters

,, receivers ...

,, interior systems

„ central switchboards

„ private exchange boards

Insulated wire and cable

Electrical machinery, all other

Carbons

All other miscellaneous products

Total selling value ...

Canadian exports of electrical apparatus during the past
fiscal year ended March 31st last amounted to only $301,932
(of which $159,788 was for batteries, telephone and telegraph
apparatus, and $142,144 for electrical apparatus, not otherwise
provided for), which total is a decrease from $2,167,545 in
1918-19 and $2,166,961 in the previous year. Imports of
dynamos, generators, and motors, however, increased from
$1,917,861 in 1917-18 and $2,353,722 in 1918-19 to $3,020,742
during the past fiscal year, when the figures were $1,976,703
for motors and $1,044,039 for dynamos and generators, the
business being almost entirely in the hands of United States
firms. Incandescent electric lamps to the value of $1,335,016
were also imported last year, nearly all from south of the
international boundary line, and other im(X)rtg during the past
fiscal year included electric insulators of all kinds, $614,523;
sockets, $142,748: telegraph instruments, including wireless
apparatus. $114,034: telephone instruments, $6.53.517; trans-
formers. $124,356; primary electric batteries, $124,833; electric
storage batteries, $1,474,724: electric cooking and heating
apparatus. $112.1,52; electric light fixtures or parts thereof of
metal, $732,020 ; electric meters, $230.868 : and electric appaia-
tus, not otherwise provided for, $7,435,239.

Selling

Value at

Quantity.

works.

14,249

81,503,443

193,904

2,291.874

—

990,898

115,111

2,727,673

262,514

212,624

,869,168

1,397,635

,601,288

1,525,198

—

399,547

—

415,856

—

311.844

—

71,230

26,175

60,000

56,750

95,000

46,478

444,000

37

750,000

323

110,000

—

5,154,984

—

1,738,085

—

1,362,666

—

8,492,843

$30,045,399

Vol. 87. No. 2,22«, JuLT 2.?, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL KEVIEW.

125

VARIABLE-SPEED, SHUNT-WOUND D.C. MOTORS.

Flash-over Tendencies and Iron Losses.

A USEFUL analytical treatment of the flash-over tendencies and
iron losses of variable-speed, shunt-wonnd D.c. motors is eiven by
F. Niethammer in a recent issue of Eleitrotechnik u. Magchinenhau,
from which the following abstract is prepared : —

The speed of shunt motors may be varied economically and over
a range of 1 : 6 by varying the main field 0, fig-. 1, this being
accomplished by varying the field current i^ = e/(k„ -f- R,"). At
the lowest speed »„, the flux 4>o is a maximum, and so is the field
current l„,(,— E/Be). At maximum speed n^, the field is a
minimum 0,, and is produced by a field current le, == E/(Re + B,,).
Commutating poles w are generally employed to produce at all

loads a voltage Cw, compensating for the sum of the reactance
voltage e^ and the cross-field voltage f,, which increase propor-
tionally with the speed. At high speed « with weak main field and
heavy load on the machine there is danger of flashing-over, owing
to the high potential difference between commutator segments
whilst between brushes of opposite polarity. Referring to fig. 2,
the main field H in the air gap combines with the armature cross-

a)

b)

field Bq to produce a resultant field Br, the maximum value of
which is Hm. Then, neglecting the small ohmic drop, the
maximum segment voltage is —

fm = (pla') X Bm X /i X r- X (z/k) X 10 * ... (1)

where 2 j> = number of poles ; 2 a = number of parallel
branches ; I, = armature length in cm., excluding air ducts ; r =
peripheral speed of armature in cm./seo. ; z = number of armature
conductors ; K = number of commutator segments. The same
exprsMion with the substitution of Hj for Hm gives the mean
voltage per segment, where Hd = mean field strength per pole pitch
b9tve«n two seta o£ brusbei. h^ i» approximately equai to Hi p/t.

where H, = max. value of main field H ; and plr = pole arc/pole
pitch. We have then —

Cm = '■d X Hm/Hd = (2 p e/k) X Bn,/H,l

where e = terminal voltage. Again, Bm = H, + Hq, ; and
(4x/10) Ai -f , = H, 5a, ; and (i TJIO) Ap = Bq, Sa'e ; where
A| + z = ampere-turns per pole for air gap and teeth. Other
relationships are: — Ap = A, p/t; Aa = I, z/8 up = armature
ampere-turns per pole ; l„ = armature current ; a^ (.approximately
eciual to a ,,■) is the addition to the reduced air gap 5 for the iron
ampere-turns in the armature iron.

There is obtained thence the important result : — Max. voltage
per segment —

e„, = (2jW e/k) X [tIp -f- a»;a, , ,] ... (2)

As the speed is increased, Ai + z becomes smaller, but A„
remains constant at full load.

In order that flashing be avoided, c,,, may not exceed a maximum
of 30 to 40 volts. Now, p/t lb practically fixed at i to }, and eqn.
(2) indicates the following means of avoiding flash-over : — C«)
Increasing the number of segments K ; ( /<) Reducing the armature
reaction A,, ; ( r) Increasing the field ampere-turns Ai - „. The
risk of flashing is, of course, greater, the higher the terminal
voltage e, but this factor is fixed in any particular case.

Considering each of the means (a), (h), (<•) above, the maximum
number of commutator segments K is determined by the breadth
of segment h = tt Hk/K, which must not be less than 4 or 5 mm. ;
and by the commutator diameter Dk, which must be somewhat
smaller than the armature diameter D, and must correspond to a
reasonable peripheral speed (preferably below 20 to 30 m/sec).
The armature reaction Aa increases with the number of segments k
as the number of turns per segment is reduced, thus the two effects
neutralise each other to some extent. We have A„ = t a/2, where
A = i„ 7.l2a TT D = ampere-conductors per cm. of periphery (as).
Thus Aa cannot be made as small as one chooses, because A must be

200-300 if the machine is to be an economical design. Finally, the
field ampere-turna A i -h , is increased by using a long air-gap o
and high tooth saturation. Considerations of stray field limit the
gap length to 5-10 mm.

The two main desiderata for rariable-speed mo^'r.? are thus a large
number of commutator segments and a long air-gap.

Mechanical means of reducing the risk of flashing are to under-
cut the mica between segments (the undercut surfaces being
lacquered) and to use from 1 to 2 mm. of mica between the
segments.

It should be noted that, owing to the armature reaction, the
voltage Em (fig. 2) is considerably greater between the points r f
than the terminal voltage E between adjacent brushes ay. We
have, in fact : —

E = 2./' X (7j-2a) X /i X T X 10"^ X Fe

F„ being given by the area ot g e dc h a. and E„, = 2 / x ( z;2 a) X
/, T X 10"'' X K|„ when f,„ = area /' h e d c. Hence : —

E,„/E = Fm/F, (3)

In fig. 2 the surface integrals / ii^ d.r are taken successively

from « to ', thus including both the terminal voltage B and the
maximum voltage E,„.

Taking Hq, = m H, and Hq„ = Bqi/c we have, if the Bj — curve
(fig. 2) be built up of straight lines : —

Em/E = 1/2 + l/2/« + (t/2p) X (m -I- m\r - 1) - m/2i.- ... (4)

In the extreme case, when ni = 4, »■ = 4, and p/t = 2/3 we have
eJe = 31.

In other words, there exists between the points c / on the com-
mutator, more titan three timex the terminal rnltage of the machine.

The highest potential difference between segments is then ;
fm = ei\\ + "0 t/p = 7i cj where ea = mean potential
diJGFerence between gegments.

The strong field distortion due to armature reaction causes con-
jiderable increase in the iron logsgs of the armature teeth and

126

THE ELECTEICAL KEVTEW. [voi. 87, No. 2,226, jdly 23, 1920.

armature core, the flux distribution in the oaae of a 2-pole motor
being as in fijr. 3. The expression for the iron losses in the teeth
and core is : —

P h + <, = /■ (cTh B-, V,. + o-'h B-k Vk) + /" A ' (<rw B-,. V,

+ a'w b\ Vk) (5)

where the subscripts :, k refer to the teeth and core, and h, w refer
to hysteresis and eddy currents respectively ; B = max. induction ;
V = volume ; / = k /;/60 = frequency ; A = plate thickness in
mm. ; and j, a' = constants of the material.

On liffht load, b, and Bk are proportional to Hj, but on load they
are proportional to Hm = H, + Hq,, hence the ratio of the iron
losses Fh on load to those Po on light load is (at given speed) : —

P„/P„ = [1 + (H„/Hi)]- (6)

Tke iron loxxes at full load with iveuh field mny easili/ be from 10
timeaas great agon light load.

Fig. 4.

Eqn. (5) may be written : —

P h + w = (n,/ + Cw/-') (H, + H„V •■■ (7)

Then. H, being the field corresponding to the lowest speed «o,
and the maximum speed «,, befng X «o- it can be shown that (with
Hqi = III H, at the lowest speed ; ci, = fw/'; m = \ ; and X = 6) : —

p'b/P .. = 9 approximately,
i.e., at full load and maximum speed, the iron losses are nine times
as great as on light load at minimum speed. Similarly, the ratio of
the iron losses at full load and maximum speed to those at full load
and minimum speed is (in the above case) about 4'2 : 1.

This means that it the iron losses are 3 per cent, at the minimum
speed, they increase to 13 per cent, at maximum speed (on full
load in each case), so that ^fr*' motor elficienry fallx from, say, 90 to
H(j per cent.

Since the armature reaction operates as an oscillation of double
frequency 2 /', it would be more accurate to write eqn. (7) : —

P ii + * = (fh /■ + <■»/■-) (h, + 2 H,,)- ••• (7a)

which corresponds to yet more unfavourable oonditione for the high
speed »i

In addition, the pole shoe loss is increased quite considerably at
the higher speed, especially at the pole tip where the high
induction Hq, is operative. Again, high values of Hm involve high

tooth densities which, in turn, lead to high induction in the slot in
the radial direction of the slot depth. This causes considerable
eddy-current losses in ths copper conductors, apart from the losses
due to current displacement through the cross field of the slot.

For all of these reasons, the heavy field distortion by the arma-
ture reaction causes a serious reduction in the efficiency of variable-
speed shunt-wound motors.

There is, however, a very simple means of compensating for the
armature reaction, eliminating its injurious effects, and preventing
flashing-over. This is accomplished by fitting cross-coils, as in
fig. 4. The compensating ampere-turns Ac are made = A,, = A, p/r
(fig. 5). In addition, one adds to the interpole ampere-turns
Aw so that A,. -)- A« = 1 . 2 to 1 . 3 Aa. Then H,, = d (approx.)
and Hm = H,. so that«m is much reduced (see eqn. (1)). liqn. (2)
for the maximum voltage per segment then becomes : —

fm = fd X H,/Hd = 2//eIk X t/p (8)

In general —

Pn, = (2^/k) X E [t/p + (Ap - A,.)/(PA1, + Jt")]... (9)

and when the desired condition Ap = Ac is fulfilled, eqn. (9) reduces
to eqn. (8).

The General Electric Co., of Schenectady, U.S.A., builds variable-
speed, shunt-wound motors as shown in fig. 4, for outputs of from
2 to 125 H.P., and states expressly that the lasses are thereby reduced
by 10 per cent. The heavy field distortion is avoided, the com-
mutating poles prevent sparking at the brushes, and the cross coils
eliminate flash-over.

THE FARADAY SOCIETY.

ReSISTAN'CE of ELECTKOLiTES.

At the June meeting of the Society an iaiixjitant paper was
lead by Dr. H. F. Ha worth, who put forward a method of
obtaining the true resistance of an electrolyte, by disentangling
from its apparent resistance that portion of it due to electrode
effects. The u.sual method ul so doing is the well-knowu
Kohlrausch method, by which alternating current is employed
and the resistance of the cell balanced in the ordinary way
with the Wheatstone bridge, using a telephone as indicator
instead of a galvanometer. In the first place, as pointed out
by Dr. Haworth, true balance is never obtained in this way,
and indeed it cannot be obtained except at one particular fre-
quency. Secondly, the assumption that the electrode effects
are eliminated by using an alternating current is an un-
founded one, for in truth the electrodes act as capacities and
mtroduce impedance into the circuit.

The method described consists in measuring the resistance
and the capacity with a special bridge arrangement at two
different frequencies which must be known, f'rom the mea-
surements obtained the true resistance — being that at infinite
frequency — can be calculated. Alternative methods arc de-
.scribed in the pajier, and so is the specially-designed alternator
used as the source of cun'ent. giving a true sine current at
all frequencies up to 1,00U, and the modified form of Duddell
vibration galvanometer used in the bridge.

The results point to the fact that the resistance as measured
consists, as already stated, of the electrolytic resistance proper,
and superimposed upon that a capacity due, it is assumed, to
a gas film interposed between electrodes and electrolyte. This
film behaves like a leaky condenser, and its thickness and
resistance depend on strength of electrolyte, tempei-ature. the
current flowing, and its frequency. If the impedance of the
cell be plotted in correct phase relationship to the current
through it for a number of different frequencies, the locus of
the impedance is a straight line cutting the current axis at
the point of infinite frequency. The intercept on the current
axis is the true resistance of the electrolyte, and this value
is, of cour.se. quite independent of the frequency used in the
measurements.

In the discussion on the paper. Prof. Porter doubted
whether the variations in the apparent resistance of an elec-
trolyte with frequency could be ascribed to variations in the
thickness of the gas films on the electrodes. Prof. Porter has
since given a generalised solution of this problem which shows
that it is unnecessary to postulaU' any alteration of the film
with frequency. Prof. Partington thought the results might
lie explained as due to p<ilarisation. The paper and discussion
made it clear that the question is more complex than would
be imagined from the current text-book knowledge of this
subject.
The Condt'ctiox ok Beectricitv throtgh Fused Caustic

SOPA.

An expeiimctital paper on this subject by Dr. A. Fleck and
Mr. Thomas Wallace, with accompanying discussion, showed
that many people's — be they chemists or physicists — ideas on
conduction through fused electrolytes are even at this time
of the day not so clear as one would expect. The experimental
work of the authors of this paper is both timely and useful :
they give us reliable tneasnrements — made on a works scale
with laboratory precision — of the conductivity constants of
fused caustic eoda, namely, specific resistance, variation with

Vol. 87. No. 2,226, juLT 23, 1920,] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

127

temperature, decomposition voltage, and eo forth. They
showed surprise, however, to the surprise of their critics, that
the resistance between these electrodes was not quite constant
when the distance between them became large compared with
their size, and they infeiTed that fused caustic soda did not
behave exactly as the dissolved salt — in other words, did not
obey Ohm's law on account of some residual electrode effect.
This result would be of considerable interest if it were con-
clusively proved, but Dr. Fleck did not succeed in convincing
his audience that his anomalous results were not due to the
comparative smaUness of the containing vessel.

Electrolytic Chlorate Formation.

The theory of the electroly.sis of the alkali cilorides to yield
chlorates and perchlorates has exercLsed the ingenuity and
knowledge of electrochemists for the past twenty-five years.
Mr. N. V. S. Knitts and Mr. H. Palfreman have approached
the subject as practical manufacturers, that is to say, their
theories are based on data obtained from large-scale electrolytic
operations. It does not mean that their work is either rough
and ready or unscientific. Indeed it is singularly careful and
methodical, and it can be safely said that their present con-
tribution to an important branch of applied electrochemistry
is the most important made since the classic work of Foerster
and Miieller. .\paii from the value of the theoretical discus-
sion, the data given in their paper wUl be of considerabe
value to those responsible for the technical control of the
processes under consideration.

The experimental portion of the paper contained conduc-
tivity measurements of the solutions of sodium chloride,
chlorate, and perchlorate, such as they occur mixed in prac-
tice ; a dynamical study of the hyperchlorite to chlorite reac-
tion: and a description of the determination of the resistance
and electrode potentials of technical chlorate and perchlorate
cells. For these results and a discussion of the deductions
made from them reference must be made to the full paper.

On the theoretical side, the electrochemistry of chlorite for-
mation was very clearly .set out by the authors. When a
• .sohition of sodium chloride is electrolysed in a cell in which
the two electrodes are close together, sodium hypochlorite
i.s formed. It results from the liberation of chlorine at the
anode, and its reaction with hydroxyl ions to fomi hypoch-
lorous acid,

c!., -I- OH' = Hoci -f cr

and a solution of chloride will at first evolve chlorine until
there is a sufficient concentration of hydroxyl ions present to
enable this reaction to proceed at the necessary velocity. The
hypochlorite concentration will continue to increa.se until other
reactions, electrochemical or chemical, which decompose it,
have increased to such an extent that the rate of decomposi-
tion is equal to the rate of formation by the current. The
decomposition of the hypochlorite is attributed mainly to
(1) discharge of hypochlorite ions at the anode with formation
of chlorate and liberation of oxygen, 6C10 = 3HjO = '2HC103-f-
4HCl-f-30, and (2) reaction of hvpochlorite irons with free
hypochlorous acid to form chlorate, OCH-2HOCl = C10'3 -1-21101.

It will be seen that, since oxygen is liberated in reaction
(1), the formation of chlorate by this process is necessarily
attended by loss of efficiency, and it may easily be shown that
the maximum attainable is 66.6 per cent. Moreover, there
is reason to believe that other reactions between the discharged
hypochlorite ion and water take place which result in the
liberation of an even larger quantity of oxygen, and that these
reactions predominate at elevated temperatures. The second
reaction, on the other hand, is purely chemical, and involves
no loss of oxygen, and therefore no loss of efficiency. On this
account it is the one selected for the production of chlorate
technically.

The authors proceeded to discuss the possible sources of loss
of efficiency in the hypochlorite-chlorate transformation, and
they arrived at the conclusion that it is due to the discharge
of hypwhlorite ions and at constant temperature proportional
to their concentration. An equation was then developed to
express the efficiency in terms of temperature and other
controlling factors, and finally reference was made to methods
designed to keep up the efficiency by maintaining hypo-
chlorous acid concentration.

The reactions leading to perchlorite formation were .similarlv
discussed. It would take us too far afield to go into
the .somewhat complex processes involved. Suffice it to say
that the authors' experiments support generally Oechsli's
theory that the perchloiite is formed as a result of chlorate
ion discharge at the anode, but that the actual reactions whicli
take place are the following : —

( 1 .■)~0,C1 - -(- OCIO, = O.Cl - 0 - OCIC).,.
(2.>~0,Cl-0-0-"ciOj-l-HOH = 0,Cl-0-n-f0.tlOH.
Ci.)— 0,01-0-0 -HOjClOH.
.'^n understanding of this mechanism leads to a discussion
of the factors that determine the technical efficiency of the
proc-ess and the amount of energy absorbed.

.\mong other papers also presented at the same meeting
were the folIo\\-ing : —

"The Measurement of Electrical Conductivitv in Metals and
Alloys at High Temperatures," by Mr. J. S. HAnoHTON.
Sorption of Iodine hy Carbon," bv Mr. J. B Ftrth
" Electrolysis of Sodium Nitrate," by Mr. F. H. Jeffery.

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY AT SHANGHAI.

The annual report of Mr. T. H. U. Aldridge, M.I.E.E.,
eugmeer-in-chiel and manager of the Shangnai Mumcipal
Luuncil ±,lectricity Uepartment, is always mterestmg ; lew
uudertakmgs have progiesi-ea with such plienomenal rapidity,
and m spite of his coutmued ellorts to lore»tall the demand,
Mr. Aldiiage has constantly been chasing it — mainly owmg
to the delays in delivery ot new plant resulting from various
causes, 'ilie new Kiveiside power station, \\u_ich was opened
m iyi3, was fully described in the Electrical Keview ol
November 5th, l'.ith, and liith, 1915; it then contained plant
of 14,UIKJ KW., in addition to the 6,0UU-KW. plant at Fearon
Road, and the annual output was oU million units. In Janu-
ary, lyiy, a 5,(XXJ-KW. I'raser & Chalmers- Vickers turbo-
alternator was put to work, and the two A. E.G. ■2,CKJ0-KW.
sets, repaired at Nagasaki, were restarted m the autumn.
Both the 5,0(X)-KW. A. E.G. sets again broke down badly
during the year at a most unfortunate time, when another
set was being overhauled. The erection of a new 10,00U-kw.
lai-sons set, and the first of two lS,tX)0-KW. American sets,
was commenced in 1919, and two trunk cables between the
generatmg stations were put in operation at 2'2,000 volts, hav-
ing previously been used at 6,G0U volts. A 3,5U0-k.v.a, West-
inghouse synchronous condenser was put into service, and
its success in improving the power factor led to the placing
of an order for a duplicate machine. A G.E.C. 6,50O-k.v.a.
synchronous condenser was also deUvered. ' The total generat-
ing capacity at the end of last year was 38,600 KW., with
46,000 KW. in course of erection. The maximum load was
2<S,365 KW., and the load factor was 42.39 per cent. The
total output w^as 102 million units, which is exceeded by only
four Bntish municipal undertakmgs, none of which has a
load factor of 3;3> per cent. ; the output showed an increase
of 18.6 per cent., mainly due to the power load. House
service connections increased by 2,S7U to 27,903 ; 108.75 miles
were added to the overhead cable system, and 18 miles to
the underground cables. Transformers installed in sub-stations
increased by 16,000 k\v. to 50,000 kw., and there were in all
73 sub-stations and li pole transformer stations. Several
large mills were connected, and many more are being built.
The undertaking has 824 motors on hue, and a total of 2,093
motors connected, of 33,000 H.F. Intensive industrial activity
followed the cessation of the war, the full effect of which is
still to be developed; the pro-siiects of Shanghai as an im-
portant industrial centre are exceedingly encouraging. The
demand for hired heating and cooking apparatus exhausted
the supply of radiators, of which 1,672 are in service, with
79 cookers.

The net profit for the vear, after providing Tls. 519,256 for
depreciation and Tls. 442,"l.52 for interest, was Tls. 386,326.

Mr. Aldridge's programme of extensions for the next three
vears (dated December 22nd, 1919) contemplated a demand
of 64,000 KW. in 19'21 and 80,000 kw. in 1922. Unless two
more 18,000-KW. machines were ordered very soon, he said,
the position in 1921 would be as critical as in 1919.

He recommended the extension of the power station during
1921 with two 18,000-KW. .sets, making a total capacity of
101,000 KW., together with two house turbines of 5,000 KW'.
each: the safe load would then be 78,000 kw., and the esti-
mated load 64,000 kw. In 1922 the whole of the A.E.G.
plant would be. removed, and the total capacitv increased to
122,000 KW.

Orders have been placed for a good deal of plant, including
eight boilers of 640,000 lb. total normal evaporation per hour,
of the B. & \\. and Stirling types, B.T.H. 22,0(X)-volt switch-
gear, and 40 miles of 0.2 sq. in. 22,000-volt split-conductor
armoured cable from the British Insulated A- Helsby Cables,
r.td. Hitherto trunk feeders of 5,000 kw. have been used,
liut in view of the greatly increased demand, feeders of
7. .500 K.v.A. are to be used in future.

Mr. Aldridge expects to sell about 300 million units in
1922, and to have a load factor, in a few years, of 45 per
cent.

Whilst he is in England he will call for tenders for two
18.(X)0/20,000-KW. turbo sets, coal-conveying plant, and various
other items.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT Vrr PUBLISHBD.I

Comoiled expressly for thig journal by Mes.sr.s. Spfton-Jones. O'Dpll /
Stbphins. Chartfrp<l Patent ABents, 285, High Holborn, London, VV C.

18.244 " .\rr.ingcment for excitation of continuous-current generators." F.
Krupp Akt. Ges. July 2nd (Germany, January 6th, 1915.)

18,335. " Electrical weldinp electrodes." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.). July 2nd.

18.373. " Cable conduits." F. J. Aubrey. July 2nd.

18,387. " Electrically-operated switch machines and interlocking svstcm for
railways." W, H. Simms. (General Railway Signal Co.). July 2nd.

18,407. " Telephonographs." Telegraphon Ges. July 2nd. (Germany, July
17th, I9I9.)

18,4)2. " Dvnamo-electric machines." H. Charlet. Julv 2nd.

18,430, " Switches (or electric bells, &c. T. B. Sharp. July 3rd.

18,442. " RIectric welding apparatus." R. F. Woodburn. July 3rd.

18.444. " Electro-mechanical starting and op<-r3ting from a distancB." R.
Mautseh. July 3rd. (Belgium, April 10th, 1914.)

128

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,226, July -'3, 1920.

18.462. " Telephone exchange systems." Western Electric Co. July 3rd.
(United States. December 29th, 1916.)

18.486. " Apparatus for electric transmission of motion." R. Joksch and
K. Schember. July 3ril. (Austria, July 11th, 1919.)

18 492. " Galvatiic batteries or cells." S. Brydon and E. Cummines.

July 3rd.

18,508. " Electric switches." R. J. Capener and A. V. Rose. July 3rd.

18,544. " Pendant electric light fittings." W. Broadbent. July 5th.

18,567. " Dvnamo-electric machines." Electromotors, Ltd. and E. Grern-
halgh. July 6th.

le.SrS. " Incande,scent electric lamps." W. J. Cameron. July 5th.
(Uhited States. February 14th, 191C.)

18,579. " Illuminating attachment for retractors," W. J. Cameron. JulV
5th. (United States. May 4th, 1916.)

18,584. " Electrical accumulators." C. Saunders and Saunders Electrical
Co. July Sth.

18.607. " Electric signalling." L. de Forest. July Sth. (United States,
April 17lh, 1919.)

18.608. " Electric lamps." A. Zoller. July Sth. (Germany, November 7lh,
1913.)

18,627. " Electrically inducing chemical action." \V. J. Rickets. July Sth.

18,641. " Telephone systems." Western Electric Co. July Sth. (United
States, June 14th, 1919.)

18,643. " Method of coating metallic articles." Western Electric Co.
July Sth. (United States, September 20th, 1916.)

18.643. " Radio-transmission system." Western Electric Co. July 5Th.
(United States, October 2nd, 1916.)

18.644. " Telegraphic ciphering and deciphering mechanism." Western
Electric Co. July Sth. (United States, September iSth. 1918.)

18,652 & 18,656. " Radio-signalling." Radio Corporation. July 5lh.
(United States, January 6th, 1916.)

18,653. " Receivers of electrical oscillations." Radio Corporation. July
Sth. (United States, June 18th, 1914.)

18,654/5. " Wireless signalling apparatus." Radio Corporation. July ."plh.
(United States, April Sth, 1915.)

18.657. " Wireless signalling apparatus." Radio Corpor.ition. July Sth.
(United States, April 2nd, 1915.)

18.658. " Wireless telegraphy." Radio Corporation. July Sth. (United
States, February 24th, 1915.)

18.659. " Receivers of electrical oscillations." Radio Corporation. July Sth.
(United States, February 25th, 1914.)

18,660 Si 18,664. " Apparatus for radio-signalling." Radio Corporation.
July Sth. (United States, February 1st, 1916.)

18.661. " Vacuum valve detectors." Radio Corporation. July 5th. United
States, March 10th, 1917.)

18.662. " Vacuum valve devices." Radio Corporation. July Sth. (United
States. March 10th, 1917.)

18.663. " Wireless signalling apparatus." Radio Corporation. July Sth.
(United States, February 1st, 1916.)

18,687. " Electric switches." Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Co. July Sth.
(United States, January 18th, 1917.)

18.690. " Brush-holders for electrical devices." Entz Motor Patents Cor-
poration. July Sth. (United States, October 18th, 1915.)

18.691. " Electric controllers." Entz Motor Patents Corporation. July Sth.
(United States, July 18th, 1917.)

18,702. " Electric arc-welding apparatus." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. July
Sth. (Germany, July 4th, 1919.)

18,718. " Electric steelyard weighing-machine." R. Joksch & K. Schember.
July Sth. (Austria, July Sth, 1919.)

18,726. " Means for connecting electrical conductors." H. A. Whitehead.
July Sth.

18,748/9. " Sparking plugs." J. E. Temple. July Sth.

18,751. " Electric lamps for motor vehicles, &c." Soc. Gdn^rale d'Electri-
cit6. July Sth. (France, February 4lh, 1919.)

18,764. " Electric lighting systems (or automobiles." L. Renault. July
Sth. (France, December 2nd, 1913.)

18.797. " Regulating transmission over electric circuits." Western Electric
Co. July 6th. (United States, September 10th, 1918.)

18.798. " Telephone sub-station circuits." Western Electric Co. July 6th.
(United States, September Sth, 1916.)

18.799. " Wireless signalling systems." Western Electric Co. July 6th.
(United States, December 1st, 1915.)

18,810. " Electric-ignition plugs." Michigan Spark Plug Co. July 6th.

18.831. " Starting and stopping devices for electromotors of pumps, &c."
Hundt & Weber Ges. July 6th. (Germany, July 8th, 1914.)

18.832. " Electric relays." A. Orling and Orling's Telegraph Instruments
Syndicate. July 6th.

18.837. " Galvanometer." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. July 6th. (Germany,
February 2nd, 1918.)

18.838. " Line telegraphy." Siemens & Halske Akt. Ges. July 6lh. (Ger-
many, December 18th, 1918.)

18.843. " Insulating material and body composed thereof." Ch.inipitui
Ignition Co. July 6th. (United States, August 22nd, 1917.)

18.844. " Spark plugs." Champion Ignition Co. July 6th. (United
States, September 25th, 1918.)

18.845. " Spark plugs." Champion Ignition Co. July 6th. (United
States. November 22nd, 1917.)

18,849. " Portable electric welding apparatus." SiiMiiens-Schuckerlwerkc.
July 6th. (Germany, May Srd, 1919.)

18.860. " Electric ship compasses." Siemens & Halske Akt. Ges. July 6th.
(Germany. December 16th. 1918.)

18.861. " Electric ship compasses." Siemens & Halske Akt. Ges. July 6th.
(Germany, December 9th, 1918.)

18,883. " Electric switches, &c." C. J. Margerison and F. J. .Shenton &
Co. July 6th.

18,892. " Electro-magnetic appliance for handling plates, &c." Colville &
Sons and J. J. Inglis. July 6th.

18,895. " Devices for showing telephone numbers." O. T. Smith. July 6th.

18.909. " Electrical resistances." J. Erskine-Murray. July 6th.

18.910. •■ High-frequency signalting." Western Electric Co. July 6lh,
(United States, .March Srd, 1916.)

18.911. " Telephone sub-station circuits." Western Electric Co. July 6th.
(United States, August 27th, 1917.)

18.912. " Telegraph ciphering and deciphering mechanisms." Western
Electric Co. July 6th. ('Jnited States, December 4th, 1918.)

18.913. " Telegraph ciphering and deciphering mechanisms." Western
Electric Co. July 6th. (United States. Decemb<r 9th, 1918.)

18,929. " Sparking plugs." S. L. Collins. July 0th.

18.938. " Protective devices for electric alternating-current distributing
systems." J. H. Bowden, H. A. Carney, Johnson & Phillips, and H. F. J.
Thomson. July Cth.

18.939. " Tran«mlsilon o( electric current ImpulsM." Petra Akt. Ge«. (iir
Elektromekhanik. July 6th. (Germany, March ISth. 1919.)

18.940. " Receiving radio sign«le." J. L. Hoe«n. July Sth. (United
SutM, Ko\'mnb»r iTih, 1918.)

18,957. " Method for reducing overUlking and overhearing in long-di«taiice
two or four wire circuits." Siemens & Halske .^kt. Ges. July Sth. (Ger-
many, March 22nd, 1919.)

18,958 i 18,959. " Electric furnaces." P. de Miles. July 6th. (United
Stales, January 25th, 1918.)

18,970. " Inductors or field magnets for magneto-electric machines." C.
von der Weid. July Sth. (Switzerland, June 12th.)

18.977. " Transformer of thrc^e-phase currents to constant direct current."
O. M. Corbino. July 6th. (Italy, May 26th, 1917.)

18.978. " Dynamo-elecu-ic machines." C. Macmillan. July 6th. (United
States, May 31st, 1917.)

18,987. " Vacuum fuse for electric circuits." F. Schrbter. July 6th. (Ger-
many, January 29th, 1914.)
18,991. " Electrical discharge valve." F. Schroter. July 6th. (Germany.

O. M. Corbino. July Sth.

January 23rd, 1918.)

18,992. " Transformation of polypha
(Italy, July 28th, 1917.)

18.998. " Wireless receiving systems." E. H. Armstrong. July 6th.
(United Stales, October 29th, 1913.)

18.999. " Electric discharge tubes." G. Scibt. July Sth. (Germany.
October 24th, 1913.)

19.004. " Transformer for measuring electric currents." Compagnie pour
la Fabrication des Compteurs et Materials d'Usines i Gaz. July Sth. (France,
June 30th, 1919.)

19.005. " Transformers for measuring electric currents." Compagnie pour
la Fabrication des Compteurs et Materiels d'Usines k Gaz. July 6th. (France,
June Seth, 1914.)

19.006. " Rheostat-transformers with adjustable transformation ratio and
phase difference." Compagnie pour la Fabrication des Compteurs el Materiels
d'Usines i Gaz. July 6th. (France, May 8th, 1919.)

19,009. " Electron discharge devices.' General Electric Co. and M.
Thompson. July 6th.

19.fl'20. " Galvanic batteries and electric lamps." R. Ziegenbcrg. July 6th.

19,052. " Electric pushes." E. A. Graham. July Sth.

19,«ul. " Current motors." J. J. Rebman. July 6th.

19,063. " Modulation systems for wireless .signalling. &c." Radio Com-
munication Co. and J. Scott-Taggart. July 6th.

19,068. '• Sparking plug, &c." H. F. Tierney and G. H. Ward. July 7th.

19,080. " Electric lamp controlling apparatus." F. E. Clipstone an.l
Falksley, Ltd. July 7th.

19,089. " Combination wall plug and socket and pendant ceiling fitting."
T. P. PolHtt. July 7th.

19,094. " Electric heating." J. Lightfoot. July 7th.

19,104. " Pneumatically-operated electric switches." F. Bushrod and W. J.
Thorrowgood. July 7th.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

printed and abridged, and all

X9XS.

21,276. " Systems for driving hoists, rolling mills and electric locomotives."
Vickers, Ltd., C. F. Mackness and H. H. Broughton. December 19th, 1918.
(144,742.)

X919.

827. *' Means for fixing a magneto brush-holder to a gear wheel." H. de
la Valette. February 27th, 1918. (123,724.)

4,029. " The«imo-electric apparatus." W. H. Wilson. February 18th, 1919.
(Cognate application, 18,612/19.) (144,757.)

S,611. " Apparatus especially useful as relay, oscillograph, telegraph, tele-
phone, automatic current or tension-regulator, and other arrangement sensitive
to variations of electrical tensions." K. Rahbek and F. A. Johnsen. March
6th, 1919. (144,761.)

6,195. " Electric heating units and methods of manufacturing the same."
British Thomson-Houston Co. (General Electric Co.). March 12th, 1919.
(144,767.)

6.342. " Pressureoperated electric cut-outs." H. Frost & Co., W. H.
Welch. March 13th, 1919. (144,777.)

6.343. " Electrical cut-outs." • H. Frost & Co. and W. H. Welch. March
13th, 1919. (144,778.)

6,353. " Supports or mountings for telephone receivers. " E. T. Jones,
March 14th, 1919. (144,781.)

6,366. " Electric driving and controlling ge.u- for planing-machincs."
Electromotors, Ltd., B. Longbottom, and E. Greenhalgh. March 14th, 1919. E
(144,782.) '

6.641. " Brush rocking-gear and terminal mechanism (or dynamo-electric
machines." H. D. Rohman. March 17th, 1919. (144,800.)

6.642. " Holders for globes, shades and the like for lamps.'* C. E. Adams.
March 17th, 1919. (144,801.)

6,654. " Electrically-heated furnaces." Morgan Crucible Co. and C. W.
Spelrs. March 17th, 1919. (144,802.)

6,781. " Galvanic batteries." G. & J. Oldham. March 18th, 1919.
(144,807.)

10,716. " Manufacture of lead-covered electric cables." A. Olier and P.
Rousillon. April 30th, 1919. (144,841.) \

10,858. " Means to be employed in the electiic welding of iron, or steel,
or alloys thereof." A. C. Hyde. May In, 1919. (144,842.)

11,483. " Sparking plugs for internal<ombustion engines." C. K. Shep-
herd. May 8th, 1919. (144,849.)

12,081. " System of and apparatus for obtaining and utilising electric
energy from a battery." E, L. Terrey. December 13th, 1919. a44,854.)

13,005. " Electric horns." D. V. L. Fellows. August 27th, 1919. (144,860.)

15,476. " Combined electric lamp and alarm clock." N. A. I. Neilson.
July Srd, 1918. (129,267.)

18,436. " Electric insulation testing devices." Dubilier Condenser Co.
August 26th, 1918. (131,879.)

19.534. " Electric lighting systems applicable to trains." P. Browne.
August 8th. 1919. (144,914.)

19,983. " Electric switch mechanism." Electrical Apparatus Co. and A. J.
Martin. August 14th, 1919. (144,915.)

27,530. " Receiving arrangements for electric waves." Siemens & Halsk*
Akt. Ges. June 18th, 1918. (135,177.)

*38,877. " Sparking plugs for internal<ombustion engines." G. L. DeTfosse.
November 20th, 1919. (144,957.)

29.056. " Device for indicating the effective sparking condition or other-
wise of the plugs ol motor road vehicles." T. W. Paterson. November 23nd,
1919. (144,958.)

30.234. " Spark plugs (or internal-combustion engines." V. Joly. Daocm-
ber Srd, 1919. (144,962.)

30,702 " Electric bells." A. S: J. Veron. December Sth, 1919. (144.964.)

1,157.
1,973.

xsao.

Electric hand-irons." B. H. Francois. March 12th, 1918. 037,846.)
Controllers for electric railways operated by means of hlgh-voItage

direct currtni." Akt. Ges. Brown, Boverl el Cle.' Januarv 21«t, 1919,
(138,107.)
a,6'25. " Mugnst coilt." Siemtnt Schucktrtwcrkf Cm, October 19th, J9U.

aM.M«.)

mxE

HiLE10TI?,I0-A-Xj I^/E'VIEl'W.

Vol. LXXXVII.

JULY 30, 1920.

No. 2,227.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

ENGINEERING TRAINING.

Vol. LXXXVII.]

CONTENTS ; July 30, 1920.

Engineerinff Training

Workmen's Compensation... ... ... ... ... ...

The Electrification of the Italian Railways

The Apprenticeship System

The Lighting Question in Paris

Wolverhampton Extensions

Wolverhampton Electricity Works Eistensions (illus.')

The Institution of Electrical Engineers (jibis.')

High-Voltage D.c. Railways

Simplified Sub-stations (iZisM.)

Correspondence —

Single-phase Meters on Balanced Three-phase, Three- wire
Systems ...

Water-power Development ...

A Trade-Price Code

The Award of the National Joint Board ...

The Imperial Wireless Chain ...

" We Must Export to Live "

Legal

Telephone Rates ...

Business Notes

Notes

City Notes

Stocks and Shares ...

Market Quotations

Increase of Rent Act and Business Premises, by W. V. Ball ...
Maintenance Insulation Tests on Electric Cables, by L. R. Lee

Leaves from an Inspector's Notebook, by " Anode "

The National Physical Laboratory (j-onc/uded)

The Birmingham Health Exhibition

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant ((7/«.«.)

New Patents Applied for, 1920

Abstracts of Published Speoifioations

Contiactois' Column Advertisement page

Page
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132
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136
137

13S
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139
139
139
139
H(i
147
149
ir.l
152
153
154
1,55
l.-iK
157
1B8
159
lliO
xxvi

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Buk, ^Jewgtte street Btaacb "

Milan : Fratelli Treves.

Paris: Boyveau & Chevillet, 22, Rue

de la Banque.
Perth, W.A. : Gordon 4 Gotch,

William Street.
Rome : Loescher & Co., Corso

Umberto 1= 307.
Sydney : Peter G. Tait, 273. George

Street : Gordon & Gotch, Pitt Street.
Toronto, Ont. : 'VVm. Dawson & Pons,

Ltd., Manning Chambers; Gordon

and Gotch, 132, Bay Street
Wellington, N.Z.: Gordon & Gotch-

Cuba Street.

Office, London) to be made payable to
crossed " London City and Midlanj

OuB readers have already been informed of the
decision which has been arrived at by the Man-
chester City Council as to the class of student who is,
in the future, to be admitted to the Municipal College
of Technology. This famous institution, which, so far
as the training of engineers is concerned, has no com-
peer outside London, has "hitherto been open only to
students of matriculation standard, who intend to take
a course of training in engineering culminating in a
university degree, the College being itself the Faculty
of Engineering of the University of Manchester. The
training can be carried beyond the point at which a
degree is granted, and there are unexcelled facilities
for post-graduate work.

As to these facts there can, we believe, be no dispute.
Our summary is very incomplete, but we wish to bring-
out the point that here is an institution which is capable
of doing, and has already done, work of a character
which cannot be carried out by any other educational
centre in the North of England.

At the suggestion of the Education Committee, as
we recently stated, the Corporation has now resolved
to admit pupils whose intention is to take a course of
training such as can be obtained in any one of half a
hundred secondary schools and technical colleges in
Lancashire and Yorkshire. To this end it has limited
the number of students of degree courses, who are to
be admitted to about one-third of the available accom-
modation, and the remainder is to be thrown open to
those who cannot, and in most cases do not wish to,
make full use of the potentialities of the situation in
which they will be placed.

We understand that the College derives its revenue
from four sources : The fees of the students, the rates
of the city, the Board of Education grant, and the
Government grant for degree students. The govern-
ment of the College is vested in the Manchester Cor-
poration, and it appears to be felt by some that the
benefits largely paid for by the citizens should be re-
served for the sons and daughters of the citizens. Some
mention has been made of " foreigners," by which term
is meant certain British subjects from overseas, and
a few members of the population of allied countries.
Objection has been raised to the admission not only of
these persons, but of students from neighbouring towns
in Lancashire.

One would think it would be quite clear, after a
moment's reflection, that the benefits derivable from
the possession of the College are not restricted to the
educational facilities thereby provided, important as
these are. There is another, and, in our opinion, a
greater advantage, arising out of the world-wide ad-
vertisement given to Manchester engineering by the

[129]

130

THE ELECTRICAL KEViEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,227, July 80, 1920.

men and women who derive their knowledge from a
Manchester institution. Further, there is a constant
stream of able engineers in embryo issuing from the
College, who can be, and are, to a very large extent,
absorbed into Manchester industry, which is constantly
in need of them.

Manchester engineering, and, indeed, British in-
dustry generally, need the best brains, trained in the
best possible manner, to the greatest possible extent;
and since the best brains do not grow, like cabbages,
all in one patch, they must be obtained wherever they
are available, and trained wherever the requisite facili-
ties can be given. At present the resources of our Uni-
versities and Engineering Colleges are strained to the
utmost to provide accommodation for even a portion of
the candidates for admission to their courses ; the im-
perative necessity for acquiring the best possible training
is increasingly gaining popular recognition, and in the
national interests it is desirable that our educational
equipment should be utilised to the best possible advan-
tage. It is for this reason that the reversion of the
Municipal College of Technology to the status of a tech-
nical " school," which it so recently repudiated (March,
1918) on the ground that it-was of University rank, is
a matter for the keenest regret.

For the moment, unfortunately, the narrower view
has prevailed, but we do not believe it represents the
opinion of the majority of the ratepayers of Man-
chester. We have sufficient faith in the far-sightedness
of this great business community to believe that when
the far-reaching effect of the new restrictive policy is
more fully realised the mistake will be remedied, and
that when the time arrives the Labour members, who
claim to have the interests of the less wealthy citizens
at heart, will be among the first to agree to, if they
do not actually suggest, its rectification. The Labour
Party has a full appreciation of the advantages of
education.

We purposely refrain from any comments on the un-
fortunate differences between the Education Committee
and Mr. J. C. Maxwell Garnett. the Principal of the
College, which have culminated in his resignation, as
we regard the future of the. College as of the greatest
importance, in which view we are sure Mr. Garnett
would concur.

In the earlier months of last year a

Workmen's committee was appointed by the Home
Compensation. Secretary to inquire into the working
of the present system of paying compen-
.satioa tu injured workmen, and to report whether it
would be desirable to establish a State system of accident
insurance, and also whether legislation is required to
remedy defects in the i)ri'seut law which experience has
disclosed.

Tlio Cuniiiiittec. which was presided over Ijy .Mr. Hol-
inan (iregory, K.C.. M.P.. has now reported, and very
fai-reaching recommendations have been made.

The payment of compensation to workmen in case
of injury, and to dependents in case of death, has now
become so much a matter of routine in business life
that it is a little difficult to realise that until the year
1 846 the family of a person killed in the course of
employment had no legal remedy against an employer.

In that year the Fatal Accidents Act was passed,
better known as Lord Campbell's Act, which permitted
the employer to be sued in case of pecuniary loss by
death if the death were due to default of tlie employer,
and an employer thereby became bound to take reason
able precautions, but the employe was supposed to run
the risks of common employment, and the employer
was not responsible in case of injury caused by another's
negligence.

In 1880 the Emiiloyers' Liability Act was pas,sed.
.Tud further legislation followed in 1897, 1900, and

I'.toe.

In the matter of workmen's compensation the war
has, as in Ko many other matters, hroiitrht about the

necessity from time to time for consideration of the
question of compensation in view of the decreased pur-
chasing value of money, and in 1917 the maximum in
weekly compensation was increased from £.1 to 25s., and
in 1919 to 35s. per week.

The present report proposes to bring within the scope
of the Acts large new classes of persons (including non-
manual workers earning up to ii350 per annum), and
largely to increase benefits, the maximum liability in
case of death to be £800, as compared with £300 at
present, whilst a maximum liability of two-thirds the
weekly earnings with a maximum of £3 per week is
now suggested in case of accident.

It is proposed to appoint a Commissioner to act under
the Ministry of Health, whose duty it will be to work
out a scheme to provide any medical and surgical attend-
ance required in addition to that already available
under the National Health Insurance Acts.

The Conmiittee points out that the annual premiums
of 65 insurance companies dealing with workmen's
insurance exceed £5,000,000, and that in addition oil
mutual indemnity associations pay about two million
pounds per annum in compensation.

Should legislation proceed on the lines suggested the
liurden on emploj'ers will necessarily be increased, whicli
must in turn be passed on to tlie consimier, althoupli
this will be partly met by the larger premiums now
payable in consequence of the increased wages bill. It
is proposed that there should be State supervision of
the rates of premium, and the heads of a working agree-
ment have been made with the association which repre-
sents insurance companies whereby not more than 30
per cent, of the premium income is to be expended in
profits, management, expenses, and commission.

The Commissioner is to approve maximum rates of
premium, and it is suggested that discounts should be
allowed where satisfactory safety devices are installed,
a move in the right direction, and following the now
well-established metliod of the fire offices with respect
to fire prevention.

Other important suggestions are made, and a Hill
on the lines proposed will, when brought before Par-
liament, merit the closest attention from all concerned.

The interpellation raised in the Italian
The Electrification' q , t i ..i. i_ c i ^r

„» .!,„ i.„ii„_ 'Senate on July i.t.h, by Senator Men-

of tlie Italian ... ■' •

Railways. garini, has somewhat cleared the air
concerning the intentions of the present
Government in the matter of the conversion of a consider-
able mileage of the State railway system to electric traction.
The Senator, who at some length pressed for an accelerition
of the scheme, pointed out that, accordine: to the calculations
of the State Kailway authorities, the electrification of the
2,(100 miles decided upon would represent an annual saving
in coal amounting to 1,7.^6,000 tons, or an economy of from
SOO to !)00 millions of lire on the basis of the present prices
of coal. The method proposed by Minister Peano for
carrying out the work was for the State Railway authorities
to proceed directly with one eronp of lines with the aid of
the 800 millions of lire provided by the De Nava and l^e
Vito decrees, to entrust afecond gronn to priyateenterpri.se,
and postpone a third to the future. In the opinion of the
.Senator, however, the State Railway authorities were not in
a position to assume such a grave task. The only solution
possible was to empower the railway authorities to construct,
or re-construct, the lines for the 2,000 miles, but to entrust
to private induftry all the installations, together with the
hjdro-electric generating stations, transmission lines, and
sub-stations. It would be possible in this way to electrify
about 300 miles per annum. Amid loud applause the
Senator concluded that the problem could only be solved
economically and completely within a brief period, by means
of the fulle.st co-operation of private firms with the State.

Minister Peano, who agreed with the necessity for
increased activity in the matter, stated in reply that a great
step forward was proposed by the Bonomi decree then
before the Lower Chamber. It was arranged that the
seryices which superintended all derivationg of public waters

Tol. 87. No. 8,227, July 30, 1930.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

131

and mountain basins, all drainage works, &c., should be
combined to examine and solve the problem completely.
Of the provisions in the decree for facilitating the con-
structioQ of hydro-electric stations, that which granted a
subsidy of 40 lire per horse-power was immediately to be
brought iuto operation. As to the suggestion that the
continuous-current system should also he adopted, the
Minister remarked that the three-phase method had proved
successful in Upper Italy, and it was therefore intended to
apply it also to the lines more urgently needing conversion,
while recourse might be had later on to another system
if shown to be superior. The Minister agreed that it
would be advantageous to utilise private enterprise, leaving
to the State the construction or reconstruction of the lines ;
but the question could not be settled or prejudged at that
moment. It was also necessary for the Department which
must supervise all the works to be able to carry them to a
conclusion, and when reorganised it would be able to enter
into agreements with private companies. In conclusion,
the Minister referred to the advantage of the electrical
nnchinery being provided by the national industry.

That a youth who is going to earn a
The Apprenticeship y . engineer by the exercise of

System. . . . . , .,, .

initiaDive and intelligence must neces-
sarily pass through a prolonged theoretical and practical
training is an axiom which cannot be challenged. It used
to be held that a youth who was to become an artisan, and
earn a living by his handicraft, must needs undergo an
equally long apprenticeship — but the war has completely
exploded that idea. The wonderful results obtained by the
intensive training of men and women, boys and girls, for
service in munition factories, proved to demonstration that,
with the help of skilled instructors and appropriate
apparatus, the degree of manual skill necessary to perform
efficiently a limited range of operations could be imparted
to the average learner within a few months, the period
required depending upon the class of work, but seldom
extending to six months.

Under modern conditions, the worker who has to be expert
at more than a few definite jobs is rarely called for. An
adequate degree of skill t3 justify the employment of a
young man as a turner, planer, wireman, armature winder,
or instrument maker can unquestionably be imparted to
him within six months at the outside ; if he take longer, he
is not adapted to the class of work, and should be tried on
something else. Of course, his skill will develop with
constant practice, and, in particular, the speed of his work
will increase ; but our point is that, with suitable instruc-
tion in lieu of apprenticeship, the improver stage can easily
be attained in a few months.

Abundant evidence of this fact was forthcoming during
tlie war ; further evidence was afforded by the Exhibition
which closed yesterday. That such excellent work could
b3 turned out by men — and disabled men — who had only
bjenafew months in training, could hardly be credited;
but the facts were indisputable, and the same phenomenon
was manifest not only in electrical work, but also in boot-
making, coach-body building, cal)inet-making — anything-
yon like.

Under existing circumstances, of course, the apprentice-
ship system cannot yet be dispensed with, but it is clear
that a long apprenticeship is not necessary provided that
efficient instruction is substituted for it. This so-called
system has been responsible for the waste of a great deal of
time. As the new Education Act makes its influence felt, the
average age of apprenticeship will tend to rise, and the duration
of the service to shorten, while systematic education on broad
lines will occupy a considerable portion of the time most
profitably, and will afford an opportunity for the keener
intellects to reveal their fitness for higher training. But
the old'fashioned " system " of apprenticeship is obsolete.

As is fairly well known, a monopoly of the

•! . ,.° . public supply business in Paris is held by
Question In Paris. \ ^ ^^ . _ . . , t^. ^ -l •

the Compagnie rarisienne de Distribution

d'Sleotricitc, while in the suburbs a similar position is
expected to be assumed by the Union d'Electricite, a
cocnparatively new undertaking which is gradually group-
ing around it all the companies in the envircms. and at the
same time is proceeding with the erection of a super- station
at G-ennevilliers. During the course of the War, the demand
for energy for power purposes on the part of industrial
works engaged on contracts for the national defence in the
region of Paris gradually increased until, instead of being
merely complementary to the lighting supply, it became
three times greater than the latter, although regard must
be had to the restrictions imposed on lighting and the
exodus of some of the population during part of the period
of the War. The natural reaction followed after the
Armistice, and it is thus found that while the consumption
for power purposes in 1919 met by the Compagnie
Parisienne decreased by over 45,8,53,000 KW.-hours, as com-
pared with 19 IH, the quantity used for lighting services
experienced an increase of 24,787,000 KW.-hours. In their
report for 1919, the directors mention that it has become
more and more difficult to procure machinery, cables,
transformers and meters required for the development
of the undertaking, although the number of new con-
nections established last year affords confidence in the
future. The net profits in 1919 were considerably less
than in the preceding year, but have yet permitted of the
payment of a dividend of 10 fr. per share. A new tariff
came into operation on May 1st, 1920, and the company's
partners — the Municipal Council of Paris — decided that the
proceeds resulting from the amount of the increases then
sanctioned should be placed to a special account— its dis-
posal to be determined at a later date. In the case of the
Union d'Electricite, it appears that contracts have already
been allocated for the delivery of the machinery for the
super-station previously mentioned. The report of the
directors of this company refers to the agreements con-
cluded with other supply companies in the vicinity of Paris,
and also admits a decline in the production, as compared
with the previous year, owing to the same reasons as apply
to the Compagnie Parisienne. As the undertaking is only
in an initial stage of development, it is yet too early
for sufficient profits to be obtained to permit of any distri-
bution among the shareholders. The company is not under
the control of the Municipal Council of Paris, whose share
in the gross receipts of the Compagnie Parisienne in 1919
increased by 1,240,000 fr. over 1918, despite the fact that
the company's net profits decreased by 1,817,000 fr. in the
two years respectively.

We are pleased to be able to give a
0 ver amp on (^ggg^iption in this issue of the important
extensions which were carried out at
Wolverhampton Corporation Electricity Works by the
birough electrical engineer, Mr. S. T. Allen, during the war,
under circumstances of extreme difficulty, of which only a
portion are known to the public. The original station,
dating from 1895, bore abundant evidence of its develop-
ment through successive electrical epochs, with the corres-
ponding changes in technii[ue ; without interrupting the
supply, it has been rejuvenated and transformed into a
modern installation in conformity with the latest practice,
working on very economical lines, the reduction in fuel
consumed representing a saving of over £20,000 during
the year. Moreover, the large extensions have been carried
out at a cost of only £16 a kilowatt. The undertaking
is, therefore, in a relatively favourable position, and as
it will form an important factor in the scheme for the
North-West Midland electricity supply district, which is
now under consideration, its future is assured.

Yesterday the Electricity Committee paid a formal visit
to the power station, to inspect the extensions, which h^ve
pqw been completed,

132

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [VoI.st. no. 2.227. j..v so. mo.

WOLVERHAMPTON ELECTRICIT^ WORKS EXTENSIONS

Amoxgst the many extensions of electricity works that took
Dlace during the War, those which were carried out by the
Qverhampton Corporation Electricity Department are of
exceptional interest, because they involved a drastic recon-
strucdon of the buildings, the substitution of new boilers
and generating set. for the plant previously iDstalled
Z the compfete reorganisation of the whole instaUation
without interruption of the supply. At the same
time the system of generation was changed trom low-
mss'ure D.c and high-pressure a.c. to alternating current
ITe transformed dow'n for the consumers in he outer
areas and converted to d.c. for the original network and the
tramways. By the courtesy of Mr. S. T. Allen, M.I.E.E.,
Swas appointed borough electrical engineer and manage
Tn 1913, we recently enjoyed the privilege ot visiting the
electr city works and obtaining particulars and photographs
of the eqnipnient, which are embodied in the following

^'*i?i914 the plant installed had a total output capacity
of 7,200 KW„ partly three-phase and partly direct-current^;
the total capital expended on the undertaking was £-8 - , J - -,

turbo-alternator had already been ins ailed ^7 f • ^^^^^
on a space which was fortunately ^^^'^^^e at the extreme
end of the existing station, and an order had been placed

'"it wmbTnoSd in figs. 1 and 2 that the roof at one
end of the station-over the smaller generating sets-is
lower than in the main building, and that a travelling
crlneninson a correspondingly lower track; Je onjnal
roof of the whole of the engine room was at this he ght
and the crane track ran from end to end at the leve
indicated in the illustrations. It was necessary, in order
to accommodate the new generating sets, to raise the wa Is.
provide a new crane gantry, and construct a new loof w th-
S interfering with the running of ^^^ P '^'^^t'" Td oof'
and this was successfully accomplished ; the old root,
which was a wooden structure, and therefore a constant
Source of danger from fire, was afterwards removed, a steel-
framed roof having been erected over the smaller turbo
setfThe switchboards, which formerly stood on the floor
alon<^ the right-hand wall shown m fig. 1. were
Smultaneously^ removed, and the d.c. board was

YiQ, 1.— INTBRIOE OF TuRBINE ROOM.

and the total connections amounted to 1 1 ,349 kw., including
motors of 8,7.U H.P. Supply was g^jen to consumers at
•>'0 and 440 volts D.C. and 230 and 400 volts A.C. in
Edition to a number of high-speed reciprocating-engine d.c
S there were two Willans-E.C.C. turbo-alternators of
1 000 Kw! each, and one of 2,000 KW. The _ boilers m the
old boiler-house were of three types-Economic, Lancashire,
•and Babcock & Wilcox, working at IGO lb per sq. in.,
with chimney and induced draught. Condensing water wa.
derived, as at present, from the adjoining canal, which also
served for the^ transport of coal. Before the outbreak of
war plans had been p.' pared for the reconstruction of the
lier station and extension of the plant,_ which had actua ly
hemi commenced. The rapid increase in the demand for
Xerdrio thewar rendered an immediate addition to
ClaSa matter of urgency. AWillans-Siemens^.OOO.KW.

re-erected in an annexe to the engine-room, ^^J^
entirely new switchgear for the a.c. plan . The election
of the new generatfng sets was then put in hand, and in
the meaS a new boiler house and cooling t..wers were
built What all this meant to the chief '.•"g"^^'r[.(;;^°
was responsible for the whole of the designs in addition to
Z eSon of the work, no cmisulting engineer being
emnloved^ can be better imagined than described. Mr.
Sn^paysTtribute to Mr. E. Forder. the station superin-
tendent and the various officials who so nearly discovered pe -
S 111 mo ion in themselves during this trying period. The
Fnc "ase in the height of the station buildings necessitated
the erect on of new%valls outside the old ones, the prepara-
ion of new foundations underneath the ootuigs o he
S^thii walls and columns, and the l^^-g .^-^^^^S
column to carry the new crane gantry and the upper wans

Vol. 87. No. 2,227, July 30. 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL BEYIEWo

133

and roof. The new columns, of reinforced concrete, were
tied into the existing columns, and the completed structure
formed a very satisfactory building, with ample strength to
meet all requirements. A special feature of the def^ign is
the provision of abundant side lighting from the windows
above tlie crane gantry, in addition to the lighting from the
roof, good lighting being in the opinion of the engineer a
most important factor in the efficient maintenance of the plant.

Fig. 2. — Another View oe the Thrbink Room.

A ncteworthy feature of the generating plant is the total
absence of a basement. It is a cardinal feature of Mr.
Allen's policy to have every item of the plant fully
exposed to \'iew and completely accessible ; the generating
sets are therefore mounted on high foundation blocks, and
the auxiliary plant — condensers, pumps, and air filters —
stands in the open on a lower floor (fig. 3),
where it is readily handled by the crane
and is constantly under observation. No
perceptible vibration results from the use
of the high pedestals ; tests have been
applied to every part of the building
which prove this statement.

The installed capacity of the plant is
now 23,500 kw.— three times the pre-
war value ; the total connections this
year amount to 21,381 k\v., including
motors of 18,975 h.p., and a tramway
load of 750 kw. The generators operate
at COCO volts, 50 cycles, three-phase,
and the supply is given on the four-
wire system at 230 and 400 volts, part
being converted as mentioned above to
n.c. for the old network and the tram-
ways.

j-ue large generating sets comprise
two Willans-Siemens and one British
Thomson-Houston turbo - alternators, of
5,000 KW. each, running at 3,000 e.p.m.
The condensing plant for the former sets
was made by Messrs. Willans & Eobinson,
Ltd. ; the third condenser was supplied
by Messrs. W. H. Allen, Son .t Co., Ltd.,
but in each case the .lo?e-Miiller patent
air-extrai-tion plant, manufactured by

densate, &c., are measured with the Cambridge Scientific
Listrument Co.'s apparatus with indicators on switchboards.
The wet-air filters were supplied, one by Messrs. Heenan and
Froude and two by Messrs. Grice, and are situated
close to the foundations of the generating sets ;
channels are provided in the concrete pedestals, through
which the heated air is carried away, being led into
the boiler-house by sheet iron trunks. The travelling
crane was supplied by Messrs. Herbert
Morris, Ltd., Loughborough.

Turning now to the steam - raising
p'ant. we find that this also was com-
pletely reorganised and extended
during the war. The boiler-hou,«e
extension was built of reinforced con-
crete filled in with brick, and was
so designed that the firing floor was
13 ft. above the ground level, so that
here again there was no basement. The
Lancashire and Economic boilers were
removed ; 4 Stirling boilers were fixed in
theii place, and a further five new Stirling
boilers were installed, each rated at
40,000 lb. per hour (fig. 6). These were
fitted with Underfeed stokers, and provided
with both forced and induced draught,
the whole making an extremely happy
combination, for during the war the sup-
]ily of fuel was of the most diversified
character, to say the least, yet it was
always possible to adjust the conditions
so as to secure most economical
results. Amongst the varieties of
fuel dealt with have been Durham
gas coal, anthracite, and coke-oven
refuse — wholly different in characteristics, calorific value,
and ash content, and liable to follow one another in
any order without warning — yet with the balanced draught
and the "A" type stoker of the Underfeed Stoker Co.,
Ltd., Mr. Allen has been able to burn anything that has
come along, and absolutely without the production of smoke.

, Messrs. AVillans
and Robinson, J^td., was installed, operated on the
" shunt " syf tem. A description of this system was given
in the Electricat. Rkview of September L'fith, 1!)13;
the air is extracted by an ejector throush which a
portion of the rirculating water is passed, while the con-
densate is removed by a separate centiifusral pump frrni the
bottom of the condenser. This system has proved highly
satisfactory. The condensate is pumped up to Lea recorders,
whence it gravitates to the hot well. The temperatures of
the steam entering and leaving the tui bines, of the con-

Fin, 3. — Condensers and Auxiliary Tlant.

The furnaces are of the " Dut^h-oven " type, combnstiou
being practically completed in the projicting furiiaa;
before the hot gases enter the boiler setting and come irifi
contact with tiio tubes. This is the secret of smokeless
combustion, and is in cx-'ct accordance with the i)rinciples
which we continuously pressed upon our readers' atteiiii"ii
15 to 20 years ago. when water-tube boilers were crming
into general ufc with furnaces whitli could only bedcsoribol
as soot-producers. The ccnibinatiou of induced draught
and forced draught enables the conditions of combustion to
be regulated to a nicety ; the air is drawn from a partly

184

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [voi. 87. No. 2,227, jdlt 30, 1920.

open chamber into which the hot air from the turbines is
discharged, so that the fans, while propelling all the hot
air into the furnaces, are free to draw additional air from
the stokehold. Thanks to the high degree of conservation
of heat in the engine-room and boiler-house, it is actually
on record that during the winter artificial heat had to be
provided in the stoke-hold, to enable the firemen to attend
to their duties in reasonable comfort ! Simmance CO^,
graphic recorders are constantly in use, showing a percentage
generally in the neighbourhood of 14 per cent. COj in the
flue gases, and the coal and water are regularly analysed and
tested in the chemical laboratory. The saving in fuel
consumption due to the policy adopted is conservatively
estimated at a value of £20,000 per annum.

The Green economisers are situated above the boilers, and
the course of the gases is such that there is little or no main
horizontal flue, the gases passing upwards from each boiler
to the economiser, through the fan, and out through a short
steel stack. The soot and dust scraped off the economiser
tubes fall into sloping shoots, which carry them out through
the wall of the boiler house, and enable them to be dumped
into trucks without any handling. Similarly the ashes fall
from the grates into hoppers from which they are discharged
by gravity into trucks running on the ground level. The
trucks are bottom tipping, and are lifted off the trolleys and
dumped into the ash hopper.

The ashes are removed in the Corporation's own electric
trucks, of which it has three of 3i tons load each, two of
2^ tons and one of 1 ton.

Considerable savings are effected by keeping the whole
plant above the ground level ; in the case of the ashes, of
which about 25,000 tons are produced per year, the extra
handling necessary if they were discharged into a basement
would cost approiimately £7,000 a year. It would also be
necessary to pump out water accumulating from seepage
into the basement. The greater facilities for inspection and
supervision when the plant is above ground materially
reduce the cost of maintenance.

The Corporation has its own wharves and a fleet of barges,
from which the, coal is lifted^by grabs andjconveyed by a

tinually changing, it is useless to weigh it out. The coal
is, however, weighed by the collieiy company and the canal
company, and is checked by the tare of the barges, which
are practically calibrated for this purpose.

Condensing water for a load of 5,000 KW. is obtained
from the canal through grids and two revolving screens, one
by Messrs. Waller, of Stroud, and the other of the Brackett
type. The main cooling, however, has to be done with
looling towers, of which there are five — namely, one Daven-
port, two Premier, and two Film (fig. 7). A duplicate system

Fig. 4. — Interior op Switch Room.

low-level telpher system to a hopper, whence it is carried
up over the bunkers by a high-level telpher, a complete
duplicate system being provided, so that there is no risk of
stoppage of supply due to a breakdown. There is also
a coal-storage yard on the other side of the canal, adjoining
the railway, and it is intended ultimately to extend the
low-level telpher to this yard.

The bunkers over the boiler-house are capable of holding
about a fortnight's supply of fuel, in addition to some eight
weeks' supply stored in the coal yard. The coal is gauged
to the stoker hoppers — where the fuel, as here, is con-

FlG. 5.- SUB-STATIOS AT POWER H( USE.

of suction and discharge is provided for the condensers, the
former consisting of an open trench under the floor of the
engine-room, while the discharge is effected through pipes.
The make-up water is derived from the town mains, and is
softened bv a Royle pressure purifier.

There are five turbine-driven feed pumps — three by Messrs.
Weir ife Co., one by the British Thomson- Houston Co., and
one by the Rees Roturbo Jlanufacturiiig Co. — and four
electrically-driven Rees
Roturbo pumps. The
Weir pumps are rated
at 28,000 lb. per hour,
and the exhaust steam
is used to heat the feed
water. The circulating
pumps were made by the
Rees Roturbo Mfgr. Co.,
Ltd., and Messrs. Mather
and Piatt, Ltd., and are
electrically driven.

When the station was
reconstructed, the exist-
ing cubicle high-pres-
sure switchgear was
scrapped and the debt
paid off, Reyrolle iron-
clad switchgear being
substituted ; the old d.c.
s witchboard was modern-
ised, and both sets were
installed in an annexe,
from which the whole
station is controlled.
Illuminated signals are
provided in the turbine-
room, and a hooter (• r
calling the attention of
the drivers ; each order is acknowledged by the driver, by
means of a hooter.

We give a view of the interior of the switch-room, fig. 4,
showing the A.c. switchboard on the left, the switches them-
selves being on the other side of the wall. The d.c. bus-
bars have been separated, one pole being placed overhead
and the other under the floor, with great advantage to the
persoimel. An adjoining sub-station, shown in fig. 5, is
controlled from this switch-room ; the sub-station contains
converter and hooter plant, having a total capacity o(
4,150 KW. There ii a basement under this sub-station,

Vol. 87. No. 2,227, July 30, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

135

and by mountinjj the transformers half-way between the
two floors, a useful cooling current of air is maintained
lound them.

A large Chloride battery, capable of giving 5,000 amperes
for an hour, is kept floating on the D.c. mains, and serves
as a reliable stand-by for tue auxiliaries. It is used to help
to deal with the peak load in winter, and has often proved of
great value in emergency, being capable of giving 10,000
amperes at 500 volts for a short time.

There are 22 transformer sub-stations, equipped with
Berry, Brush, and Ferranti transformers, and switchgear
by Messrs. Reyrolle, Ltd., and ^Messrs. Ferguson, Pailin,
litd. There are also five rotary converter sub-stations, and
three balancing sub-stations. A 5i>0-k\v. steam turbo-
alternator is installed in a destructor at the other end of tlie
town, steam being paid for at so much per unit, and a second
set is on order.

The mains are of Ih; pap)er-insulated lead-sheathed type,
S0M13 laid direct and S)me on the solid system ; the feeders
are drawn into Sykes ducts for the most part. The heavy
feeders are protected on the split-conductor system.

The (.'orporation possesses full powers fur wiring, Ac.
and has a large installation dejiartment, which hus proved
a great help to the undertaking — and incidentally to the
contractors, with whom the de]iartment's relations are very
satisfactory. The fact that in a few years the number of
local wiring contractors has increased from four to 20
shows that there is no question of their existence being
threatened by the municipal business, which hands on to
them a great deal of work, charging only a small com-
mission on the contract price, to cover the cost of specifica-
tion and inspection. Some 100 consumers are at present
awaiting connection, which is delayed by the shortage of
cable. The heating and cooking load is developing faster
than it can be dealt with — faster than the power load.

The annual output before the war was 1 3 million units :
the highest figure reached during the war was 34 millions,
but last year it was down to 18 million units. The pre-
war income was £.j."i,83-t ; in 1918-H) it amounted tn
£171,278, the highest value recorded, and the capital
outlay during the war was increased to £5.sl,366. The

which Mr. Allen was greatly aided by the loyal assistance
and administrative ability of his secretary, Mr. C. W.
Charlesworth. The whole administration was remodelled
to suit the new conditions ; the offices, formerly situated at
the works, were brought to a central position in the town,
and each department was provided with separate rooms and
offices, with excellent results. In the same building is
accommodated a showroom with large windows facing two

^mr- "■'jay yJIS

i ?l|

s

"atcREv" '^ 'IRK

m -^

Fig. 6— The New Boiler House.

undertaking is fortunate in that the important extensions
above described were carried out at a cost of only £Ui
per KW.

When Mr. Allen came into office in r.)13, he realised
that, in order to make satisfactory provision for the future,
broad views were necessary, and his reconstruction plans
were prepared on that basis. It was largely owing to the
fact that these plans were all ready and in course of
execution that the Government agreed to the continuation
of the work of conversion, and, in fact, greatly accelerated
it by affording special facilities.

In conjunction witQ the reconstruction of the plant, the
undertaking had to ba radically reorganised, a process in

Fig. 7. Cooling Toweks and Canal.

streets, which affords ideal opportunities for the display and
demonstration of all kinds of electrical apparatus. Here it
is intended to provide instruction in the use of electric
cioking, heating, and labour-saving apparatus— an essential
to the complete success of electrical methods.

During the War, the use of electricity in Wolverhampton
underwent a great increase ; Mr. Allen, who was on the
Development Committee, and had plans made showing all
the sites available for works, was instrumental in filling up
two-thirds of them with new industries of \ery varied
characteristics, including some very large undertakings. A
phosphorus factory absorbed a load of 8,000 K«. con-
tinuouslv, and a zinc production scheme was allotted to
Wolverhampton, but this did not mature in time.

The position of Wolverhampton with regard to the
national scheme of electricity supply is
of more than ordinary interest. The
delimitation of the North- West Midland
area, in which it is situated, has been
under consideration for tome time, and is
now approaching completion. A Com-
mittee of Engineers has drawn up a scheme
to form the i)asis of a joint undertaking,
under which Wolverhampton, besides
taking part in the generation of elec-
tricity, will be an interchange ^tation for
some 80,000 KW. The Corporation's
electricity department has tor some
years been iimicably working in ccn-
jum'tion with the Midland . Kitctric
Power Co., with which it is on the
best of terms, as well as with other
neighbouring undertakings, and a
33,000-volt underground main is about to
be laid between the Wolverhampton works
and the company's power station at Ocker
Hill: a similar main will be laid to
Cannock, the distance in each case being
about 8 miles. The step-up plant will
comprise six single-phase transformers in
two sets of three, each set being rated
at 6,000 K.v.A. The supply will be
controlled entirely on the (J.OOO-volt side.
The trunk mains will be provided with the Merz-Beard
pilot sheath method of protection.

The town is in an exceptionally favourable position for
industrial development, being conveniently situated outside
the congested area of the Midlands, but provided with
excellent facilities for transport by railway and canal ; the
Electricity Department maintains a progressive policy, and
there is every prospect of a successful future before both the
town and its electrical undertaking.

In conclusion, we tender our thanks to the borough elec-
trical engineer, Mr. S. T. Allen, for the facilities which
he kindly afforded us for the preparation of this article,
and to his staff for their courteous assistance.

136

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW- [voi. 87. No. 2,227, jult 30, 1920.

THE INSTITUTION OF ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERS.

Summer Meeting at \Ve8TEBn Cbntbe.

The first post-war summer meeting of the Institution of
Electrical Engineers that was recently held at the Western
Centre was pronounced by one and all who took part in it
to be an unqualified success. Its popularity was undoubtedly
largely due to the wise decision to avoid in the arrange-
ments anything in the nature of formal meetings, and
thereljy afford an opportunity of devoting the whole time to
the development of the purely social aspects of the meeting.

We are enabled this week, by the courtesy of Mr. C. H.
Wordingham, who, as usual, was noticed to be particularly
busy with his camera, to reproduce a selection of snapshots
taken in South Wales and Monmouthshire during the visit.

Everything favoured the event : on the whole the weather
was good, and the fresh breeze on the charabanc drives
and steamer trip was worth much to those city dwellers
who took part. Pessimists there were who foresaw no happy
issue, but well-thought-out organisation carried the project

MIOH-VOLTAQE D.C. RAILWAYS.

The unqualified success that has attended the operation of
high-voltage d.c. railways in the U.S.A. is attracting much
attention all the world over. The success of the higher D.c,
trolley voltages is due to a large extent to its logical develop-
ment from existing well-tried 600-volt equipment. The first
1,'200-volt car equipment used two 600-volt motors in series,
followed later by straight l,'200-volt motors. From this point
it was only a short step to 1,200/2,400 and 1,500/3,000-volt
motors for steam road electrification. Even less difficulty was
encountered in building sub-station equipment for the higher
pressures. Synchronous converters are operating at 1,500
volts on 25 cycles with the same success as 600-volt machines,
while 2,400- and 3,000-volt motor generators are giving un-
questioned reliability under severe service conditions. A re-
vised table in the General Electric Review contains interesting
information on additional equipment and new D.c. railroads.
Notable additions include the Othello-Seattle Tacoma division
of the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul E.R., with 217 miles
which has been electrified on the 3,000-volt D.c. system ; the
Hershey Cuban Railway in Cuba, at 1;2CK) volts; and the Salt
Lake, Gai-field & Western Railway, at l,.50O volts. The num-
ber of high-voltage d.c lines in the U.S..\. and Canada totals
45, of which 32 operate at 1,200 volts; 9 at 1,500 volts; two at
2,400 volts; and two at 3,000 volts. In 20 cases catenary
overhead suspension is used; in six catenary trolley; in nine

White Gowans.

At Caswell Bav.

: Figure. Masters and Mv

A Genial Guide.

The I.E.E. in South Wales.

The Transpotte
The End of a Perfect Day.

through almost without a hitch. Some there were who
found fault with the smallness of the number of participants,
but a large party is apt to become unwieldy.

With a group of moderate dimensions there is more
sociability and comfort, and opportunity is afforded for all
its members to become acquainted ; friendships formed
in such circumstances are of the best and most lasting.

Functions of this kind play an important part in the
life of young engineers, and, indeed, in the life of all
engineers. They provide an opening for the younger men
to come into contact on a plane of social equality with their
seniors, which is not possible in their everyday course of
work. Moreover, they enable informal exchange of opinion
on current topics of the day to be made in a way that should
be of the greatest possible benefit to all concerned.

In conclusion, it only remains once more to congratulate
all those who were concerned in planning and carrying out
the arrangements. Much time and unobtrusive hard work
was spent in ensuring the success of the outing, the reward
for which was the complete success with which the efforts
of those responsible were crowned.

dire<;t suspension; in three catenary double trolley; in two
direct suspension and double trolley; and one each of the
following : Catenary and direct suspension ; third rail over-
running dii-ect suspension ; third rail over-running catenary ;
third rail and catenary; and one eleven-point cateuai'y trolley.
The transmission hnc pressures vary Irom 2,000 to 100,0U0
volts; in 23 cases 3-phase, 00 cycle energy is transmitted;
in 12 cases 3-phase, 25 cycles; in two 3-phase, 30 cycles; in one
3-phase, 50 cycles ; in one 2-phase, 60 cycles ; and four systems
have no transmission lines. In five cases high-pressui'e D.c.
has superseded high-pressure single-phase; in nme D.c. 600-
volt; in 11 steam; and 20 of the lines are new. In addition
to the above there are five other d.c. high-pressure railways,
one each in Chile, Cuba, Japan, Chiim, and Australia. In
each of the latter cases steam oi)eration has been superseded
and catenary overhead equipment is u.^^ed. Three systems
operate at 1,200 volts: one at 1,500, and one at 2,400 volts.
The transmission pres.<;ure viries fi-om 2,300 to 33,000 volts,
being in three cases 3-phase,' 60 cycles, and in the other
two 3-phase, 25 cycles. ■, Finally, a recent report on South
African railway electrification was in faypur of the D.c. high-
pressure system, and the ]?i-ench Coiiimission on railway
electrification in France " does not hesitate to fonnally con-'
elude in favour of the adoption of this system." it "being
considered to be " the only system suitable for the dettrific.
cation of heavy traffic lines."

Yol.87. No. 2,227, July 30, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL BEVIEW.

1S7

SIMPLIFIED SUB-STAT10N5.

In our report of the recent I.M.E.A. Convention, in the dis-
cussion on Mr. Gillin's paper, we mentioned that Mr. F. W.
Purse, M.I.E.E., engineer and manager of the West Ham
Electricity Department, gave particulars of sub-stations of
rather daring design which, he found, had been in use at
West Ham for twelve years, and had given every satisfaction.
Mr. Purse has kindly furnished us with drawings of some of
these sub-stations, which are reproduced herewith. As he
stated at Bradford, no brickwork was used round the trans-
formers, which had been housed under corrugated iron or
concrete roofs in the open air; the switchgear only was enclosed
in a chamber. The transformers could be lolled out clear of
the shelters for inspection.

Fig. 2 shows a sub-station suitable for four 250-k.v.a.
transformers; the e.h.t. switchgear chamber and the con-
sumers' switch chamber, to _save floor space, are placed
together over the transformer chamber. Duplicate e.h.t.
service cables are brought into the e.h.t. chamber, one of
which only is switched in at one time. The transformers
are connected through oil switches, &c., to the bus-bars.
The L.T. switch-chamber is u.sed by the consumer as a dis-
tribution chamber, several large-sized underground cables
being brought into it by consumers to l.t. feeder-switches.
The meters are also installed in this chamber. The question
of increasing the capacity of the chamber 50 per cent, has
already been under consideration.

Fig. 3 shows an e.h.t. switch-chamber and transformer-
chamber for supplying two rotary converters of 300-k.v.a.
each installed in the engine room, against which the sub-
station is placed as a lean-to. Here the metering is done on
the e.h.t. side of the transformers, these transformers being
placed in the e.h.t. switch-chamber which is installed in the
engine room adjoining. Two oil switches are installed in the
switch-chamber (one for each pair of transformers), the
operating handles of these switches being on the consumer's
side of the chamber, inside the engine room.

Fio. L

Fia. 2.

At West Ham it had been found the best practice to put the
E.H.T. switchgear on one wall of the sub-station, without
stone and iron frame cubicles. Isolating switches, current
transformers, and oil switches, are kept in stock, and at com-
para.tively short notice can be installed in large or small sub-
stations to meet any likely immediate requirements; the whole
gear is protected by a glass screen with sliding panels. In
carrying out this work the cost of a few spare isolating
switches is negligible, and the space occupied for the same

Fig. 4 shows a section of the general arrangement
of e.h.t. switchgear. After fixing, all bare copper is taped
with " Empire " tape. The arrangement shown is compara-
tively cheap, safe, and easily inspected. Inconvenience has
been experienced in some cases by the cracking of isolating-
switch insulators, and several reasons have been sua

Fio. 3.

FiQ. 4.

number of ways is less than with the cubicles. The etandard
height of a switch-chamber at West Ham is 10 ft., and for
a transformer chamber the same as the switch-chamber, for
uniformity, or, say, 2 ft. above the transformers.

The accompanying illustrations show sub-stations for dif-
ferent capacities whi<h are actuaUy in use on consumers'
works. That shown in tig. 1 wa.s erected last year (1919)
at a cost of MlbO. and includes a chamber for low tension gear
in which the consumers' meters, main swit^'h, &c., are
installed. Transformer capacity of 200 Kw. could be easily
installed in the existing transformer chamber, and in the
event of extrn transformers being required a similar trans-
former chamber could be erected at the other end of the
existine eub-station.

as the cause. These porcelain insulators have now been
superseded by " SUuminite " ones, which have so far proved
quite satisfactory.

Electrical Illuminations,— On the occasion of an open-
air fancy dress ball in aid of the St. Dunatan's Blinded Soldiers and
Sailors, on Friday, July Kith, the whole of the decoration and
electric lighting work, including the coloured lamp illumination
of the liand stand and grounds at the Old Bull and Bush Hotel, at
Hampstead Heath, was carried out by the Gkay Electric Co., of
Denmark Street, W.C, 2,

K

138

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW^ [voi. 87. No. 2,227, jult 30, 1920.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Lttters received by us after 5 P.M. ON Tuesday cannot appear until
the following week. Correspondflttf: should forward their communi-
cations at th-t earliest possible moment. J\^o letter can be publis/ied
unless we have the writer's name and address in our possession.

Single-phase Meters on Balanced Three-phase, Three-wire
Systems.

The article which appeared under the above heading on
page 741 in your issue of June 11th is misleading.

Single-phase meters, when used to indicate the power on
balanced three-phase, three-wire systenas, are not connected
up in the manner indicated by the author. To do so would
be hopeless, as the readings would be entirely fallacious.

There ai-e several methods, however, whereby the difficulty
mentioned by the author, due to varying power factor, can
be obviated.

For example, if the three-phases be designated A, B, C,
then the current coil of the wattmeter can be connected in
phase A with the potential coil connected from phase A to
neutral point. Alternatively with the current coil connected
in pha.se A the potential coil can be connected from phase A
to a point midway between phases B and C.

Another method is to use two potential transformers suit-
ably conneofa'd, ur a single-phase potential transformer can
be used with two current transformers for feeding the current
coil of the meter.

All these methods have the effect that with unity power
factor the current in the series coil of the meter is in phase
with the voltage supplied across the terminals of the shunt
coU of the meter. It follows, therefore, that variations of
power factor do not impair the accuracy of the indications.
Such a single-phase meter, of course, when used to indicate
the power or energy of a three-pha.se circuit, is only accurate
a« long as the load is lialanced. This, however, is a condition
which rarely obtains.

For integrating watt-hour meters, therefore, which have to
work with a high degree of accuracy, even at low loads, the
use of single-phase meters is not to be recommended. Pro-
perly constructed three-phase meters, suitable for unbalanced
load, should always be used.

For integrating watt-hour meters, therefore, which have to
to .show the power being absorbed at the moment, a single-
phase instrument, owing to its simplicity of connections, is
often to be preferred. For indicating the power consumed
by a large inotor, for example, there is no objection to a
single-phase instrument being used.

Charles C. Garrard.

Witton. Birmingham.
July lafe, 1920.

Water Power. Development.

In connection with the interesting article on " Water-power
Development," by Mr. L. E. Wood. A.M.I.E.B.. in the
July 16th issue of the Review, the author appears to lav stress
upon the_ development nf tidal powers in this country apart
from ordinary hydro-electric schemes. Mr. Wood states that
" apart from tidal energy, it is estimated that England pos-
sesses _ 900.000 H.P. capable of development, but far greater
possibilities depend on our ability to utilise the tidal flow of
such rivers as we possess that meet the requirements."

Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to obtain accurate
estimates of the cost of any hydro-electric scheme at the
present time, but I think it is generally admitted that as far
as this country is concerned, the prohibitive canital charges
necessary in connection with a tidal energy scheme of anv
magnitude, rule it out of the question for near future de-
velopments, unless, of course, natural .storage basins exist.

As regards ordinary hydro-electric schemes, however, en-
gineers are generally in agreement that a start should be made
at once to develop those schemes which will prove capable of
economic depelopmenf, despite the somewhat high capital
expenditure involved under present-day conditions.

The author gives figures showing a saving of coal of nearly
9,000.000 tons per annum, based on the estimated develop-
ment of 900.000 H.P., and assuming that 2.5 lb. of coal is
consumed in producing 1 H.p.-hour of electricity. This is
certainly a modest estimate of the fuel to be saved, as translat-
ing the figures into electrical energy units, a coal consumption
of 3.35 lb. per KW.-hour generated is obtained, which is some-
what better than the average in this country, with poor
grades of coal. Assuming coal of a calorific value of 11,000
B.TH.u. per lb., and 3.35 lb. per KW.-hour generated, we get
a thermal economy figure of 36.85 r.th.u. per watt-hour gene-
rated, or an overall efficiency of 9.25 per cent., which is above
the average for Great Britain.

The statement that " water power is many times more
efficient than power produced from coal ; at least 90 per cent,
efficiency is obtained from the amount of water pa.ssing
through the turbine, against '20 per cent, from coal." seems
to require further _ det.iils to suppoit it. The me<-hauical
efficiency of a turbuie may reach 90 per cent, or over under
favourable conditions, but a steam turbine w'ill also .^how
90 per cent, or more as regards mechanical efficiency. Even
assuming 90 per cent, turbine efficiency and 94 per cent,
generator efficiency, the overall efficiency. of hydro-generation
trould be 84.6 per cent., somewhat above that to be obtained

under even favourahle conditions of operation. A 20 per cent,
efficiency from coal generation is consi<lered a creditable figure
to-day, and requires up-to-date plant, a high load factor, and
.■skilful supervision to attain it, and it is safe to say that a
thermal economy figure of approxunately 17 b.th.d. per kw.-
liour generated, is an ideal to aim at in large stations with
the present-day classes of coal.

Mr. Wood's article draws attention to a most important
subject as the production of cheap power w-ill largely depend
upon the efforts of electrical power engineers.

L. Marshall Jockel.

Glasgow.
July 18th, 1920.

A Trade-Price Code.

Why do not advertisers state the net trade prices of small
standard electrical apparatus and accessories, also of goods
in your " For Sale " columns? Is it because it would be
undesirable for the general public to know the trade price?
If so, could not this be overcome by the Electrical Review
adopting an advertising code such as X0 = 1U per cent., Y5=
•25 per cent., and so on? Trade buyers could then write you
for this code, and would know at sight the price of the article
advertised. Some firms may not desire their prices to become
generally known by their competitors, in which case they
could have their own advertising code. They may rest
assured, however, that competitors do get to know each other's
prices. After all, it is largely price that determines a pur-
chase, and I think such a code would save considerable time
and money in these days of changing prices and high postal
charges.

B. W. Gothard,

Electrical Engineer.
Aldershot Gas, Water £ District Lighting Co.

■luhj mh, 1920.

The .Vward of the National Joint Board.

Ho Worcester in your issue of July 16th. It seems a pity
that the Electricity Committee have nothing better to do
with the town's money than to sink it in superfluous plant
at the electricity works. If they have more plant than they
consider necessary to deal with their maximum load, why
not raise money on some of it? They might then be in a
position to pay their officials the just and proper staff awards.

True Economy.

July Wth, 1920.

With reference to your editorial remarks re Joint Boards
in your issue of July 16th, and the statement under " Lighting
and Power Notes," regarding Worcester, I should deem it a
favour if you will allow me a few lines to state the case from
the point of view of a staff' engineer.

I may state that I know no one at Worcester, and have no
l^ersoniil interest in the case. "The committee resolved not
to accept the findings of the Board." This may have been
after consultation with, and with the approval of, the Wor-
cester station staff', in which case my remarks may be sujier-
tluous. On the other hand, it may not have been. In any
case the decision of the Worcester Committee is unconstitu-
tional, and is likely to have a bad effect throughout the
country. They were, I presume, represented on the employers'
side of the Joint Board, and their representatives agreed to
" kilowatt capacity " as a basis of the schedule. By their
decision they are discrediting their representatives, and placing
themselves in the same position that the moulders occupied
in their recent unfortunate strike, although I do not expect
that this iwint of view has occurred to the Worcester 'T.C.
In any case their proper course of action was obvious. If
they considered that the schedule was unfair to them on
account of special conditions in their undertaking, they could
have paid the scheduled salaries under protest, submitted the
matter to the first meeting of the District Joint Board, and
waited patiently for its decision as .so many staff engineers are
doing throughout the country. Had they even paid the
increases which they considered fair, and left the matter over
to the District Joint Board for revision, their action w-ould
not have occasioned comment, but the resolve " not to accept
the findings of the Board " is openly asking for trouble. Even
if we admit the argument of the Worcester Committee that
" plant capacity " would be an unfair basis in their case. I
should like to point out that there are many stations through-
out the country operating with insufficient plant capacity in
relation to their maximum load, and taking the argument as
sound, it would be up to the .staff engineers in all these stations
to ask for salaries in excess of the schedule, on the cround
that their plant capacity was insufficient to provide adequate
.stand-by for their maximum load. Doubtless the Joint Board
considered the relative merits of " maximum load " and
" plant capacity " as a basis for the schedule, and having
arrived at a decision, it is the duty of all concerned to honour
that decision. In anv community citizens who fail to carrv out
laws framed by their representatives have to be brought to
their senses by the legal authorities of the community.

Tire Worcester Committee doubtless congratulate themselves
on having saved their borough a few pounds per annum, and
no doubt con.«ider that thev have given a lesson to an upstart
association. Nothing could be further from the facts of the

i

v«i. 87. No. 2,227, JnLY 30, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

139

case. Their resolve will have a more disastrous and far-
reaching effect. It is such resolves that lorce protective
associations to local and unconstitutional action, and drive
them back to the old policy of " get what you can" instead
of " get what is right."

The Elecljical Power' Engineers' Association has in a few
years grown to be an association of considerable influence,
and is beginning to be felt as a power in the land. It has
always been noted for its ability to look at a dispute from
both sides, and tor its constitutional methods. It believes in
the principle of joint conferences. It is quite ready and eager
to submit aU disputes to the District Joint Boards, and to
accept their decisions. It the employers' side can foster a
similar spirit all will yet go well. The Worcester resolve has
struck a blow at the very foundations of the Whitley Council
edifice, which has been the work of strenuous and fair-minded
men for years past, and it other Councils are going to follow
its example they may eventually bring down the whole struc-
ture, but let nic remind them that mighty structures make
a mighty crash in their fiill. and among the ruins strange
things may happen. On that day, if we are unfortunate
enough to .see it, I trust the Worcester Committee will re-
member that they once pulled a stone out of the foundations.

Justitla Fiat.
July mh, 19-20.

The Imperial Wireless Chain.

I have read the article in ynur issue of the 16th inst. upon
the " Imperial Wireless Chain," in which you say that " with-
out discussing the merits of the rival schemes, we must
express the opinion that the decision of the Marconi Co.,
owing to a personal quarrel between the managing director
and the chauman of the Committee, to abstain from giving
evidence before the Committee was a strategical blunder of
the first magnitude."

You will, I am sure, consider it fair to mc to make this
correction. There is not, and never has been, any personal
quarrel between the chairman of the Committee and myself.
nor have I ever had, so far as I can rememlier. a per.sonal
quarrel with anybody. The matters with which I have had
to deal, and in which I have figured, have been on behalf
of and in the interests of my company as managing director,
and in no ca.'^ have they been personal.

With regard to the question of the blunder of the Marconi
Co. refusing to give evidence before the Committee so
long as the then chairman presided over it, have you not
lost sight ot the fact that the company had indisputable
evidence that Sir Henry Norman had been in the habit of
communicating, with a German competitor of this company,
and promising to tiive him information with respect to the
Marconi Co., and its technical knowledge, which would have
been of great value to that German competitor?

In such circumstances, independently of other reasons, is
it to be conceived that the Marconi Co. could appear before
this same person as <'hairman of the Committee, and give
to him very confidential information of a nature which would
be of great assistance to a GtM'man or other competitor, and
to the prejudice of the Marconi Co.?

Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd.,
Godfrey C. Isaacs,
London, W.C. Managing Director.

JuJy ^Isf, 1920.

" We Must Export to Live."

It is well that in your issue of July 16th you draw attention
to what you call the "export vision." There can be no
two opinions about the vital importance of insisting on the
merits of British goods, and now, whilst the home markets
are busy, is the time for propaganda work.

Our own company is fully alive to its importance. Our
Mr. E. P. Bennett, whose informative articles in the Elec-
trical Review on continental opportunities have been of great
value to the trade, has just returned from another of his
tours, this time in the Scandinavian countries, and is now
starting again for southern Euroix". There have also been
extended journeys in Prance, Belgium, and Holland, These
are propaganda journeys; the immediate business results are
not part of our calculations, gratifying though these may be.
On his return Mr. Bennett will be pleased to give any in-
formation to manufacturers interested, either on general con-
ditions or business possibilities.

Our reason for writing is to encourage others, and to add
a little weight to your appeal to British manufacturers to
spend all they can on building up an export goodwill for
British electrical goods. It was by this " export vision "
that our country built up what success it had in the jiast, and
it is by this .same that our country's future will he made
secure.

The live trader owes a debt of gratitude to the PiKvif.w for
so con.stantly " rubbing in " this vital truth.
R. W. Hayman,
Manager Export Depailmmt, SiinpJex ('oiiduil.s. Lid.

Birmingham, July ^nd, 1920.

[Several letters are unavoidably held over to our next issue.
— Eds. Elec. Ekv.''

LEGAL.

Stealing Electricity by Safety Pin.
Frederick Roderick a Barrow shipyard clerk, was fined 20s.
and ordered to pay £1 8s. for advocate's fee, by Barrow magis-
trates on Friday last, for steahng electricity. Mr. Hanning,
solicitor, prosecuted on behalf of the Isle of Walney Estates
Company, which owns the bulk of the houses at Vickerstown,
Walney Island, and he explained that the defendant was a
tenant of one of the company's houses in King Alfred Street.
The company paid the Barrow Corporation for the electricity
supplied to the houses at Vickerstown, and then sold it agiiin
to the tenants, who were supplied by prepayment meter. On
Mr. Kay and a Barrow Corporation meter inspector visiting
the defendant's house on July 1st they found an ordinary
safety pi nconnectiug the wires just above the meter, with
the result that current was being used without having passed
through the meter. The defendant wrote a letter to the
Barrow borough electrical engineer saying that he did not
know that the current was not passing through the meter.
Mr. David Kay, manager to the Estates Company, said that in
this particular street there had been a loss of electricity to the
value of £13 10s. for 14 houses over a i>eriod of six months.
William Allington, meter inspector, said that in December last
he found a pin on the wires, and he told the defendant's wife
it was not playing the game. Defendant denied any intention
of stealing current. He said on June SOth he had no chnnge
for the meter, and a man told him to connect the wires with
a pin. He did this quite openly, and on the following morn-
ing the ofiicials found it.

IjEatherhead Electricity Co. Pined,
At the Epsom Petty Sessions, the Leatherhead & District
Electricity Co., Ltd,, was fined £5 and two guineas costs for
suffering offensive fluid matter to pass into the River Mole.

TELEPHONE RATES.

The Report of the Departmental Committee on Telephone Rates,
issued recently (Cmd. 804, price 9d. net), commences with a brief
history of British tariffs, and shows that prior to the war the
telephone service, as a whole, showed a fair margin of profit ; in
1912-13 there was a profit (after providing for depreciation and
interest on capital) of £303,343; in 1913-14 there was a profit of
£239,111, but in 1914-15 a loss of £111.018, The estimated loss for
1919-20 was £1,950 000. Administration and operating expenses
have risen by about £3,200,000, engineerin? salaries and wages by
about £2,500,000, the total for 1920-21 beins: estimated at
£8,175,000, under these heads, compared with £2,472,091 in
1913-14. Including all items, the expenditure in 1920-21 is esti-
mated at £13,700,000 (£5,952 073 in 1913-14), and the revenue at
£9,720,000 (£6,191,184 in 1913-14), leavings a deficit of £3,980,000
next year.

The allowance for depreciation in 1920-21 will be £2.310,000,
compared with £1,471,320 in 1913-14, and the contribution from
revenue in respect ot pension liability will be £740,000, against
£400,000, The gradual introduction into the system of an
increasing proportion of plant purchased at present prices, three
times the pre-war cost, will tend to swell the deficit.

Experience shows that there is no net reduction in costs as
development proceeds. Economies due to the increasing density
of service are neutralised by the increased complexity and cost
of the exchange plant and of the operating arrangements required
to give a large number of subscribers intercommunication. The
equipment of a small exchange is relatively cheap, but the cost
per line for " multiple " exchaneres is nearly twice as much in a
single-exchange area, and where several exchanges with junction
lines are required the cost per line of the exchange equipment
varies as follows : — •

Subscribers ... 200 1,000 5,000 10 000

Cost per line £8 13-2 14-6 IV

At the same time, an operator who can deal with 147 lines in a
single exchange can only cope with 72 in a large multi-exchange
area. The advantage gained by the individual subscriber from
the development of the system lies, not in a reduction of his
subscription, but in the increased number of persons he can
communicate with.

Hitherto telephone tariffs have favoured the large user at the
expense of the small user. The cost of operating a given number
of calls on a busy line is usually greater than that of operating
the same numbei' of calls distributed amongst a group of small
users, owing to the number of " engaged " calls. Increased traffic
means increased costs both for plant and operators, but on the flat
or " unlimited service " rate it brings no additional revenue, while
the flat rate is a direct inducement to the subscriber to overload his
line ; some one-line subscribers are making calls at the rate of over
10,000 a year, whereas the maximum capacity of a line, if its
efficiency for inward as well as out%vard calls is to be unimpaired,
is not more than 5.000 each way.

The Committee recommends that the flat ra(e be entirely
abolished (there are at present about 31,000 lines in London, and
90,000 in the Provinces rented at " unlimited service " rates) ; that

140

THE ELECTRICAL REVTEWo

[Vol. 87. No. 2,227, July 30, 1920.

the " measured service " rates, which also favour the large user,
should likewise be abolished, and that the "message" rate (a fixed
annual charge and a uniform charge per effective local call), which
places the large and small user on precisely the same footing, be
adopted as the general tariff. A preferential rate to residential
subscribers is not warranted by the cost of supplying the service,
but the minimum charge for calls, whether made or not, should lie
discontinued.

A careful study has been made of the detailed elements of plant,
operating, accounting, and administrative costs. The excess of
present over pre-war costs for the plant of a local system is 204
per cent., of a trunk system 114 per cent, over all. The annual
charges on the plant have risen by, for interest, 374 per cent.
(local), 209 per cent, (trunk) ; for depreciation, 204 per cent,
(local), 114 per cent, (trunk), and for maintenance 124 per cent.
in both cases.

Assuming that prices will remain constant for, say, five years
(though it is hoped that by that time they will be much lower), it
is estimated that for the years 1920 to 1924 inclusive, the t'jtal
expenditure on renewals and new plant will be £28,160,000 (local),
£7,455,200 (trunk). These figures have been compounded with the
cost and volume of pre-war plant expected to remain in use to the
end of the perird, for the assessment of the annual charges. The
results are as follows : —

London. Provinces.

Annual cost per line £7'5 £8'23

Total cost per message r65d. r38d.

The adoption of a uniform message fee enables a marked
economy to be effected in recording calls by the adoption of elec-
trical registration, a point of increasing importance, especially in
view of the development of the automatic exchange system. The
Committee, therefore, recommends a uniform message fee of lid.,
the provincial subscriber receiving a compensating reduction in his
annual rental, namely :— London, £8 10s. ; Birmingham, Glasgow,
Liverpool, Manchester, £8 ; elsewhere, £7 10s. For trunk calls a
sliding scale in multiples of lid. is proposed, according to distance,
tending towards a final value of Is. per 50 miles.

It is recommended that in future the London area shall comprise
exchanges within a circle of 10 miles radius from Oxford Circus ;
as a result. Provincial rates become applicable to over IJ.COO sub-
scribers at present paying London rates.

Numerous anomalies exist in the trunk system, and it is proposed
in future to adopt a uniform mileage scale, a special system of
charging, however, being devised for the London area, and the
other cities above-named'. The separate trunk accounts will bs
discontinued.

In order to diminish the number of " engaged " calls, due to the
overloading of lines, which at present cost more than i;l,000,OCO
per annum, the Committee recommends that the P.M.G. should
take power to refuse service to any subscriber who declines to rent
a sufficient number of circuits to receive at least four-fifths of his
incoming calls without delay. Additional lines are offered at a
rental £1 less than the first.

A uniform charge for extra mileage beyond the present specified
distances is recommended.

With regard to party lines, these offer no advantage for short
distances, but above one mUe radius a two-party line will be
offered. Farmers' lines will be continued, up to 12 subscribers per
line at £4 each, for unlimited local service. Extension instru-
ments, private branch exchanges, private wires, public call offices,
and various other matters are also dealt with in the report.
Quarterly settlement of accounts is recommended, though it
involves a loss of revenue of £3,600,000 in the transition year, less
£900,000 for additional deposits, the rental being paid in advance
and the message fees in arrear.

If the new tariff is introduced towards the end of 1920-21, it is
estimated that in the three following years profit balances of
£800,000, £000,000, and £200,000 respectively will accrue; in
1924-25 there will b3 a loss of £500,000, due to the increasing
proportion of post-war plant in use, to meet which it is proposed to
make a percentage addition to the subscribers' accounts, sufficient
to keep the service on a remunerative basis.

Appendices give numerous statistics and data relating to the
British and foreign telephone services.

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankrnptcy Proceedings. — Thomas, B.E., electrical

engineer, 12, Castle Meadow, Norwich. — Receiving order made
July 19th, on creditor's petition. First meeting, July 31st ; public
examination, September 13th ; both at Norwich.

Jaggeb, Johnson, electrical engineer and contractor (as J.
Jagger & Co.), 28, Northgate, Halifax.— Adjudication order,
July 2l6t. First meeting, August 5th ; public examination,
September 24th ; both at Halifax.

A. R. Meogett, electrical engineer, 45, Thrumpton Lane, East
Retford, Notts. — Receiving order, July 23rd, on debtor's own
petition.

Company Liquidations. — Insulation and Metal

Fitments, Ltd.— Meeting of creditors, August 3rd. All have
been, or will be, paid in full.

Pearson's Electric Miners Lamp Co., Ltd.— Winding up
voluntarily. Liquidator, Mr. A. E. Green, 100-104, Moorgate
Station Chambers, E.C. 2.

Dissolutions of Partnersliip. — Parkes *\: O'Sullivan,

electric welders and motor repairing works, &c.. Union Street,
Newport.- Mi^ssrs. W. G. Parkes and J. O'Sullivan, have dissolved
partnership. Mr. Parkes attends to debts.

Armature Repair Co., makers and repairers of motors and
dynamos, Llanrwst Street, Liverpool. — Messrs. J. Copland and
W. A. McGuire have dissolved partnership. Debts will be attended
to by Mr. Copland, who will continue the business.

Trade Announcements. — Messrs. Thain & Thomson,

who have recently resigned their positions with Sir W. G. Arm-
strong, Whitworth k Co.. Ltd., Elswick, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, have
started in partnership aa consulting electrical and ' mechanical
engineers at Commercial Buildings, 7, Side, Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
and wish to receive latest catalogues, price lists, &o. Tel.
" Central 2797," Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Mr. W. Kemp, previously employed in the electrical department
of the National Shipyards, and on the electrical staff of Thomas's
Soap Works, Bristol, has commenced business as an electrical con-
tractor at 7, Robertson Road, Eaatville, Bristol. He wishes to
receive manufacturers' catalogues of lighting, heating, and cooking
appliances.

Mr. C. B. Thompson, export engineer, has opened up business at
52, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W. 1, with a view to exporting
machinery and plant to the Far East. He invites correspondence
from manufacturers with regard to agencies.

Messrs, Topiei.d & Robinson, Ltd., of Birmingham, are openiuj;
showrooms and stores, in conjunction with contracting business,
at 17, Wells Street, Oxford Street, London, W. 1, with Mr. P. w!
Twentyman ag manager. The trade are asked to forward
catalogues there. Telephone, "Jfuseum 7892; telosrams, " Elec-
trocar. Phone, London,"

Catalogues and Lists. — Mr. W. M. Harris-Burland.

63, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. 4, sends us the following catalogues
of firms for which he is the London representative : — The Parsons
Motor Co., Ltd., Southampton. — A collection of illustrations and
designs showing the incorporation of " Parsons " engines in various
descriptions of stationary and portable plants (34 pp.). Ashworth
AND Parker, Bury (Lanes.). — An illustrated description of various
types of " Parker ' engines for use in a large variety of situations
(46 pp.). Mr. Harris-Burland also represents, among other firms,
R. A. Evans, Ltd., of Leicester, electric lift engineers.

Mb.ssbs. Simple.x Conduits, Ltd., Garrison Lane, Birmingham.
— Two illustrated booklets, comprising notes for salesmen and an
account of bow the manufacturers are helping to sell the new
" Plexsim " electric iron.

The Er.ECTRic La.mp Manufacturers' Association op
Great Britain, Ltd., 46, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. 4.— Booklet
(12 pp.) entitled " My Electric Home," an illustrated description of
an electrically-equipped dwelling.

The Electrical Engineering and Ei/uipment Co., Ltd.,
Bank Buildings, lO'.i-lH, New Oxford Street, W.C. 1.— Booklet
(16 pp.) and folder dealing with the " Matthews " fully automatic
lighting plant.

George ElllsON, Perry Bar, Birmingham. — Catalogue No. 304
(16 pp.). An illustrated and priced descriptive list of totally-
enclosed, self-resetting emergency and shunt-limit switches for
cranes, lifts. Sec.

General Electric Co,, Ltd.. 67, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. 4 —
Installation Leaflet No. 2,316. illustrating and describing the
electrification of a large aeroplane works.

The Sun Electrical Co., Ltd., 57-59, Neal Street, Long Acre,
W.C. 2. — An attractively-illustrated catalogue (:!2 pp,") of "Sunco"
electric signs of many types for all purposes.

Messrs. Johnson i: Pobdes, 8, Ciawford Passage, Farringdon
Road, E.C. 1. — Leaflet dealing with the " BUba " dry cell.

International Time Reookding Co., Ltd., 57, City Road,
Finsbury, E.C. 1. — Booklet illustrated in colour and dealing with
automatic time and costs recorders.

British Insulated and Helsbv Cables, Ltd., Presoot,
Lancashire. — General illustrated catalogue printed in French.

Watson & Sons, Ltd., Parker Street, Kingsway, W.C, 2.—
" Sunic Record," No. 11, June, 1920, containing illustrated
descriptions of sphere-gap voltmeters, notes on Cooliige tubes, the
Sunic exposure meter, a new fluoroscopic screen, and a new
apparatus for measuring heart dilatations.

Messrs. Isaacson & Brown, Ltd., 39, Furnival Street, London,
E.C. 4. — Leaflet, with prices of the " Bettalite " English-made
half-watt fitting, with bowl of pure white glass covered with opal.

The J.L. Electric Co., 30, Church Street, Birmingham. —
Leaflet, illustrating the J.L. Universal Clip for fixing C.T.S. lead-
covered and armour-shaathed cables of auy size.

Scbeme Abandoned. — The .Avoca (Co. Wicklow) Electro-
lytic Copper Co. intimate that they are abandoning their scheme for
the present, but hope to continue development work at the mioeB
and take up the elwtrolytic project later,

♦

Toi. 87. No. 2,227, jult 'io, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL KEVIEW.

141

Engioeering Wages. — On Sunday last, a largely-
attended meetinfr of the Manchester district members of the
Amalgamated Engineering Union in Manchester passed a resolu-
tion in which it demanded: — "That our Executive Council
immediately call into operation a national conference in accord-
ance with the rules of the Amalgamated Engineering Union. We
strongly recommend the national conference to adopt the restric-
tion of all overtime throughout the industry, such restriction to
be rigidly enforced on all classes of work irrespective of whether
it bs of a productive nature or breakdowns or repairs to plant or
maintenance or repairs generally, except in cases involving loss of
lite or limb, districts throughout the United Kingdom to be
instructed immediately to carry out these recommendations." —
Diiibi Telegrajih.

It is stated that the Executive of the Union has decided to
withdraw from the Industrial Court consequent upon the Court's
decision against the claim for a 6d. per hour advance.

According to the Dally Herald, under the 1917 agreement wages
were to be dealt with by the Interim Court of Arbitration, which
was succeeded by the Industrial Court. At a conference which it
is said is to be called by the Engineering Shipbuilding Trades'
Federation it will be considered whether wages shall continue to
be settled as now, by the Industrial Court, or by direct negotiation
'backed by the fighting forces of the Unions." Tom Mann,
secretary of the A. E.U., has deprecated the taking of local action
in some parts of the country to try to get the 6d. an hour which
the Court refused. He said that such action, if persisted in, would
weaken the Executive in its endeavour to obtain a national
advance. He claimed that £6 10s. per week was the lowest
minimum which the engineering trades should have. " Their
productivity for the good of the community was greater than ever,
and fully entitled them to the advance." Certain districts are
raising protests and advocating the taking of a ballot on a national
down-tools policy if the 6d. demand is not conceded.

Olympic Trial Race at Ragby.— On the afternoon of

July 2l3t, when the Olympic Cross-Country Trial race was run at
Rugby for selecting runners to represent Great Britain at the
Olympic Races in Antwerp, the British Thomson-Houston Co.,
Ltd., lent their ground for the purpose. The course was marshalled
by the Boy Scouts, and after the race the competitors and officials
were entertained to tea by the B.T.H. Co.

Lead. — In their weekly report, dated .luly ilth, Messrs.
James Forstbr & Co. state : —

The news troni Australia indicates a speedy settlement of the strike a
Broken Hill, which has now lasted over 14 months; but, whatever terms are
settled, it is highly improbable that the future output of these mines will be
anywhere near the pre-war level, and costs must be largely increased. . . .
The immediate effect of a settlement may lead to any stocks held there by our
Government and by the mineowners being shipped earlier than otherwise.

Imports this month so far are about on a par with those of recent months,
and are far below actual consumption. We again emphasise the fact that
available imports for home trade for the past eight months only amount to
about 40,000 tons, whereas the domestic trade (white, red, sheet, and pipe
lead), leaving out the important electrical trades, is consuming at the rate of
100,000 tons per annum, the difference so far being made up out of stock and
dismantfed war chemicil plant, which, of course, are only adventitious helps.

Messrs. G. Cawsos & Co. state : —

The news from Australia seems more reassuring, and from all reports the
strike seems at last to be in a fair way of settlement. Should an agreement
eventually be arrived at, there is not likely to be any decrease in Australian
shipments, as there is still a fair amount of old stock to come forward. The
trade demand for all descriptions of manufactured lead seems, if anything, to

be worse than ever. Consumers hold aloof from the market The

outlook for the present is very uncertain, owing to the action of speculators.
If they continue their operations, prices may be driven Btill higher, although
consumptive demand would warrant some decline.

Engineering Trade Depression.— The deprejsion in the

engineering trade of Lincoln has become much more pronounced of
late, upwards of a thousand workpeople being now unemployed in
the city. This state of affairs is attributed mainly to the policy of
the banks in curtailing traders' overdrafts. Owing to the high cost
of labour, material, and power, much more capital is needed to
finance a given amount of output than before the war, and as things
are the makers cannot finance the production of machinery for
which there is no present sale, although they would be quite willing
to accept the risks of the markets. The manufacture of general
engineering work is also being retarded by the scarcity of castings.
— Irnnmonger.

Annual Outings. — -On Saturday, 17th inst., the staff of
Mb. Harry Moss, of Bradford, had an outing to Morecambe, where
they were entertained to dinner and tea. A toast given by Mr. A.
Bairstow, seconded by Mr. C. T. Brown, was responded to by
Mr. Moss.

The Athletic Club of Messrs. Geo Kent, Ltd , held their annual
sports on the Chaul Eod Ground, Luton, on Saturday, July 17th.
Mr. Walter G. Kent (president of the club) acted as referee, and
Mrs. Kent distributed the prizes. There was dancing from 7 to
10 pm.

Pope's Social and Entertainment Club held their first sports on
Saturday, July 17th, at Gunnersbury Park, Acton (by kind permis-
sion of Mrs. Leopold de Rothschild). The programme of events
included over 400 entries. Mrs. Pope presented the prizes, and in
reply to an expression of thanks, said she hoped that the meeting
would be an annual one. The St. Pancras Silver Band (Comrades
of the Great War I played selections during the afternoon and in
the evening for dancing.

The staff and employes of Electeical Installations, Ltd.,
held their annual outing on Saturday, July 17th. The party,
numbering 82, went by charabancs to Brighton. At the luncheon
the chairman proposed " Sue jess to the Firm."

The Ediswan Staff Association Conoert Party, under the direction
of Mr. F. H. Holyday, gave selections from their extensive reper-
toire at a, fetea,Tii pageant given on Saturday, July 24th, in Bruce
Castle Park. Tottenham, in aid of funds for the extension of the
Prince of Wales' Hospital. Both the afternoon and evening
performances were well supported.

Yorksliire Electric Power Company and tlie E.P.E.A.—

At a meeting of the Executive Council of the Electrical Power Engin-
eers' Association, on July 24th, it wai resolved to raise the boycott on
the electricity undertaking of the Yorkshire Electric Power Co.
No objections, therefore, will be raised to engineers accepting
positions with the company. The Council also expressed its satis-
faction with the decision of the company to apply the Schedule of
Salaries to the members of the technical staff in the service of the
company, and also with the active interest shown by the engineer and
manager of the company in connection with the National Joint
Board.

Annual Holidays. — The works and offices of Messrs.

Aland & Co,, London, S.E„ will be closed from July 30th till
August 9th. Correspondence will not be attended to.

The works of The Tok Manufacturing Co., Ltd., will be closed
from this, Friday^ evening until the morning of Monday, August 9ch.

The works and offices of the Ben.tamin Electric, Ltd., will be
closed from to-day, July 30th, until Monday, August 9th for the
summer holidays.

The Meteopolitan-'Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd., of Trafford
Park, Manchester, whose works are closed from Friday,
July 23rd, till next Tuesday (as already announced in these
columns), opened a booking office in the works for the benefit of
their employes. That these facilities were much appreciated is
proved by the fact that the takings were over £2,000, Arrange-
ments were made for two special trains from the Central Station,
Manchester to Liverpool, one from 'Victoria .Station, Manchester to
Fleetwood, and one from Victoria to Blackpool, The bookings to
Douglas, I,O.M,, were 1,050, and to Blackpool 600,

Tiie E.T.U. and tlie A.E.U. — In the absence of a sufficient
number of votes the Electrical Trades Union cannot become
affiliated to the Amalgamated Engineering Union, Less than 50
per cent, of the total number of members m the Electrical Trades
Union voted, although the majority of those who did vote were in
favour of affiliation, — Mancheder Daily Dexpatch.

Electrical Supplies in Soutli Africa.— The South

African correspondent of the Ironmonger reports that prices for
electrical goods are on the up grade, as British quotations have
risen by from 20 per cent, to :iO per cent, " There is still a
shortage of many fittings and accessories such as porcelain and
woodware pushes. Wire is plentiful, but about 20 per cent, higher
in price than last month. Business, in spite of shortages and
enhanced prices, is, however, brisker than of late in Johannesburg,
and is expected to continue so in the larger towns, where electric
lighting and power are available everywhere. The dark winter
nights always give a fillip to the demand for electric lighting,
heating, and cooking appliances in such a 'gas-leas' country as
South Africa, The winter came in with a rush from summer
temp3rature (as understood in Europe) to below freezing-point in
the night of June 1st, and such severe cold on the High Veld has not
been known in June for many years. As the winter extends into
August and September, the season's trade promises well. The
present prices of electric wires (covered) are : — 3/20, 30s. to 33s. ;
3/22, 27s. to 308, ; 7/22, 403, to 443, ; and 7/20, 55s. to 60s. Very
few firms issue price lists, and in most cases quotations are given
from day to day. Tubes are fairly plentiful, but are offered at
enhanced prices in spite of a lull in building operations due to the
new Tenants Protection Bill, which will soon be in force. Lamps
are up to 24s. per doz., although in places keeping as low as 2C8, ;
flex costs from 55s. to 758. per gross yards ; and cleats are up to
35s. per 100. Some fittings, such as adapters, have advanced quite
400 per cent, over pre-war prices. The present price of adapters
is 2l8. per doz., with a possible plus ; before the war they were sold
at 48. 6d. per doz."

Brazilian Tax on Foreign Companies.— In a dispatch

dated Rio de Janeiro, July 2Bth, Reuter's Trade Service says that
decrees have been issued imposing a tax of 5 per cent, on the divi-
dends and interest paid on holdings in limited companies having
their headquarters in other couniries. These companies are
required to notify in Brazil all calls and dividend announcements
published abroad. The 5 per cent, tax will apply to the proportion
of the capital that is held in Brazil. Registration of these parti-
culars with the Tribunal of Commerce is compulsory.

Australian Electrical Manufacturing.— With reference

to the activities of the English Electric Co., of Australia, recently
referred to here Reuter's Trade Service states that the company
has purchased 20 acres of land at Clyde, upon which it proposes to
erect immediately large engineering works for the manufacture of
electrical equipment, turbo-alternators, &c.

Germans in Japanese Employment.— According to a

report from Wesel, Germans who have recently returned from
Siberia announce that, at the request of about 700 German
prisoners of war from Siberia, mostly technical men and trained
workmen in the electrical industry, the Chamber of Commerce of
Tokio a little time ago recommended the Government to permit
these Germans to remain and receive employment in Japan. They
arc said to have been given employment in railway construction
and in the electrical industry, and occupation has also been given
to German textile experts who were amon,; the prisoners.

142

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo [Voi. 87. no. 2,227, July .so, 1920.

The Felten and Gnilleaume Co. — The shareholders in

Felten k Guilleaume, Carlswerk, A.(i., of Cologne-Mnlheim, on
July 15th sanctioned the previously-reported proposal to increase
the share capital from (JO to 120 millions of marks in connection
with the agreement with the Luxemburg^ Burbach-Eich-Dudelingen
Co. and the Terres Eoupres Co. Under the agreement the two
latter will supply the German company with semi-finished steel
for a period of 30 years, and will take over the new shares of
60 millions at the price of 2."i0 per cent., in conjunction with a
Luxemburg bank. In return for their renunciation of the right
of subscription to the new shares, the shareholders in the F. ..t G.
company are to receive compensation at the rate of 500 marks
per share out of the premium realised in the near future, and a
further sum of 500 marks per share after the general meeting in
1921 if the working results for 1920 show no decline. The Berlin
A. E.G., which recently increased its holding of F. i; G. shares " in
the interest of the old shareholders " in the latter, has in the mean-
time concluded an agreement with the Luxemburg group, under
which the majntenance of German influence in the F. & G. company
will be guaranteed according to the rearrangement of the board of
directors under the scheme of capital expansion.

Western Canadian Telephone Requirements.— A large

number of particulars with regard to the demand for telephone
material and equipment for Western Canada have been collected at
the Department of Overseas Trade, and are available for British
manufacturers of sets or components. These particulars may be
seen by appointment with Captain Vandeleur, Department of
Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street. Westminster, S.W. 1. —
Hoard of Trude Journal.

Antomatic Street Lighting. — Some time ago (May 15th,
1914) we illustrated an electric street lamp devised by Mr. C. .1.
Turner, electrical engineer to the Hoylake Urban District Council,
in which a selenium cell, in conjunction with certain switching
apparatus, automatically controlled the switching on and off of the
light during periods of night and daylight respectively. We have
now had an opportunity of inspecting improved apparatus of a
similar character, based on the Turner and Schattner patents, at
the offices of Messrs. Electrical and Enoineeking Devolop-
MENT, Ltd., of 82, Victoria Street, London, S.W., which company
has taken over the development and exploitation of this system.
The apparatus is of an extremely simple and compact nature, and
can be relied upon to operate indefinitely without a hitch.

The property of a selenium cell, of changing its resistance to a
very considerable extent when exposed to daylight, or alternatively
in darkness, is well known, but owing to the very high resistance
of such cells and their very low current-carrying capacity, it was
necessary to devise, or rather to invent, an automatic switch which
would operate with certainty at very low currents, such as
irgoth of an ampere, and which was of robust and simple con-
struction. Furthermore, it must be capable of making and
breaking currents up to 5 amperes on a 250- volt circuit.

The apparatus that we saw fulfils these conditions in a simple
and efficient manner, and we hope to describe and illustrate it in
detail at an early date. The operation of the switch was perfect
and sparkless.

In these days of high-priced labour, central stations will be very
glad to have an opportunity of doing away with manual labour in
connection with the switching on and off of their street lamps,
and Messrs. Electrical and Engineering Development, Ltd., inform
us that they are surprised at the interest which has been taken in
their new system. They have already been offered the contract for
the equipment of several important street-lighting systems, and
hope to be in a position to carry out these installations in the
autumn.

Incidentally we may note that the firm is engaged in developing
several other electrical inventions, and for the purpose of keeping
a watch for new ideas, has established an organisation of experts,
which embraces not only this country, but also many important
centres abroad. By this means it is hoped to " catch them young " ;
the value to the nation of importing new inventions, and developing
them here, in addition to those of native origin, is obvious. Only
too often good British inventions have been rejected at home and
developed abroad ; we hope that in future every effort will be
' made to secure to this country the benefit of new ideas — for
continual progress is essential to the maintenance of our position
in the worlds trade.

Book Notices.— The July, 1920, " Bulletin," Vol. VII.,
No. 5, of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, con-
taining illustrated articles on Merchandise Accounting for Hydro
Municipalities, Metering the Consumer's Load, the Ranney's Falls
Power Development, Hydro Used for Treating Poles, and the
Organisation and Work of the Commission's Laboratories.

" The Detroit-Edison Synchroscope." Vol. 7, No. 5, (24 pp.")
The July (Midsummer) number of this journal contains articles on
" Things not generally known about a power plant," and the
Connors Creek installation. Profusely illustrated.

" Introduction a la thi'orie des Courants tel6phoniques et de la
radiotel^graphie." By J. B. Pomey. (510 pp., 100 figs.) Paris :
Gauthier-Villars et Cie. Price 50 fr. net.

We have received from the Latvian Consulate 1,4, Drapers
Gardens. London. E.C. 2) a copy of the I.atruni Ecvnom'st, a
monthly publication issued by the Finance Ministry of Latvia and
giving information regarding economic life and conditions of the
Republic of Latvia.

" Engineering Directory." No. 67. May, 1920. London : Engi-
neering, Ltd.

" Journal of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers."
Vol. XXXIX, No. 7. July, 1920. New York : The Institute.
Price $1.

" Vickers News," Vol. 2, No. 20, July 15th, 1920, containing a
constructive commentary by Mr. Harry Allcock upon the report of
the Royal Commission on Decimal Coinage. Also articles on
airship building at Barrow during the war, the firm's exhibits at the
Olympia aero show, and the turbine steamer Man-rman, which was
built at Barrow for the Isle of Man service, and recently recon-
ditioned after war service.

Organisation of Industry in Czecho-Slovakia. — The

Dutch Minister at Prague, Czecho-Slovakia, reporting on the
industrial situation in the Republic, states that a regular improve-
ment, both in the matter of quality and quantity, took place last
year in the machinery, metal ware, transport and electrical
industries. All the large works and many of those of average size
greatly increased their installations during the war, and are now
able to produce more than in 1914, notwithstanding the reduction
in the working shift to 48 hours weekly. The latter circumstance
has brought about an increase in the number of workmen employed,
particularly in the large works, where an expansion of from 50 to
100 per cent, is a common oScurrence. Worn-out plant has now
been replaced by modern machines, and the engineering industry is
particularly active. After referring to various departments, the
report states that the electrical industry has plenty of orders on
hand. The requirements in cables and insulated conductors are met
by the inland works, and works for glow lamps, meters and
batteries are in course of construction, in order to render the
country jilso in these respects independent of imports. All the indus-
trial groups are formally combined in the Syndicate for the Metal
Industry, which has nine departments in which are discussed all
questions relating to commercial policy and imports and exports.
The council of the syndicate, complemented by representatives of
the workmen, consumers and merchants, also acts as an official
advisory organisation on behalf of the State Import and Export
Commission for the metal industry.

Private Meeting. — A. M. Cramp, electrical engineer, VI,

Regent Street, Haslingden. — The creditors interested herein were
called together recently, when a statement of affairs was presented
which showed liabilities of £1,224, of which £924 was due to the
trade, and £300 to cash creditors. The assets were estimated to
realise £562, or a deficiency of £662. The assets consisted of
stock-in-trade, £298 ; fixtures, &c., £100 ; and book-debts, £164.
It was stated that the debtor started trading in 1911 with little or
no capital of his own, but he borrowed £200 from a relative, and
that amount was still owing. He purchased an existing business,
for which he paid £80 cash. The debtor was unable to state what
his turnover had been, although books of account had been kept.
The bank passbook showed that the turnover during the last year
had averaged about £60 a week, but the debtor pointed out that he
had had a number of losses on contracts. The position disclosed
was discussed at some length, and eventually it was decided that a
deed of assignment should be executed with Mr. .T. F. Warburton,
of Queen Street, Manchester, as trustee, and a committee of inspec-
tion was also appointed, consisting of the representatives of Messrs.
W. E. BeardsaU ,Sc Co., Ltd., Mr. Parkin S. Booth, Liverpool, and
Mr. Charles Turner, of Sheffield. The following are creditors : —

Glover, W. T. & Co i63 W. T. Henley's Telegraph

Baxendale & Co 26 Works Co £\0

BeardsaU, W. E., & Co. . . 101 Ward A- Goldstone . . 80

Downes & Davies Ill General Electric Co 93

Edison Swan Co. . . . . 37 Credenda Conduits . . . . 20

Sloan Electrical Co 59 Electrical Supplies .. 75

Vickers & Co 7« Palmer, Riley & Co 56

Palk, Stadelmann & Co. 21 Electric Lamp Factors . . .. 41

Parmiter, Hope * Sugden . . 23

Disputes. — Among the schemes instituted by the Dundee
Corporation to give work to unemployed men was the laying of
cables, and the recent award of 4 'd. per hour granted to labourers
in the building trade has been claimed by the " unemployed," who
"downed" tools to enforce their demand. According to Mr.
H. Richardson, the Corporatiou electrical engineer, the men left
work without giving the slightest warning, leaving open areas of
50 yards at one part and 200 yards at others. It is suggested that
as the work is not in a hurry, the streets should be closed, and the
work of laying the cable stopped.

The strike of cable jointers and street box examiners, members
of the Electrical Trades Union, and employed by the Liverpool
Corporation, has extended to Birkenhead, Rootle, and Wallasey,
where these grades of workers have also been withdrawn. The
dispute now continues into its tenth week, and has been described f
as a deliberate attempt to wreck the Whitley scheme in this area,
to which the Electrical Trades Union retorts that for these men
it is claiming the district rates paid to electricians, with any
variations that may follow.

A ballot is being taken of the electricians employed in the
Liverpool contracting industry as to whether they will accept the
offer of the employers in response to the wages application for an
advance from 2s. Ijd. to 2s. 3d. per hour.

The permanent- way men employed by the Newport Electricity
Committee are still on strike. About 70 men are involved, but the
strikers threaten to call out others. The men are paid Is. 6d. an
hour, and claim the same wages as builders' labourers — about 23. Id.
an hour. The Corporation reply to the men that their wages are
governed by the Industrial Council, and that until the men with-
draw from the Council the present wages must continue.

Tol. 87. No. 2,227, July 30, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

143

Works Organisation. — In order to obtain some insight
into the working and construction of their various manufactures,
the head office staff of Messrs. G. Kent, Ltd. (London) visited
Luton on July 17th. In the course of a tour of the works,
technical details were explained by experts in the different depart-
ments. They were also shown the latest improvements in
machinery and equipment recently installed.

50,000,000 Insulators Wanted for the States.— H.M.

Consul at Boston has sent to the D.O.T. in London samples of three
types of porcelain insulators of small size used in the bases of
electric bulb fittings, which are required by a firm in Massachu-
setts. Fifty million of these articles in assorted types, acoordinsr
to the specimens, are required, and early delivery is of importance.
The colour is immaterial so long- as the type is the same. The
samples in question may be seen on application to Captain
Vandeleur, D.O.T., Room 49 (Victoria ;),040, Ext. 2!0.

Catalogues Wanted for Riga.— H.M. Consul at Riga

(Mr. E, F. Cable) is establishing at the Consulate a collection of
British catalogues for inspection by callers and for distribution
amonji' local traders. British minufacturers are asked to send
catalogues and samples.

Foreign Purchases of German Siemens Shares. —

The Siemens & Halske Co., of Berlin, recently increased the share
capital from 63 to 126 millions of marks. At the meeting where a
resolution to this effect was adopted the directors mentioned the
probability that it would be necessary to place some of the new
capital in other countries. It is now announced that large parcels
of shares have been disposed of abroad, including the United States.
This circumstance does not make any difference in the position or
policy of the company, as the control remains in the hands of the
holders of the first 9,.500 shares — the Siemens family — as mentioned
a short time ago. •

New Belgian Company. — La Societe des Ateliers de

Constructions Electriques des Flandres (Joseph & Fils) is the name
of a new company which has just been formed in Ghent with a
capital of 2,000,000 fr. to carry on an electrical engineerinsr
business.

Hendon Aerial Derby. — The engines of the aeroplanes
that secured the first and second places in the " Aerial Derby "
held at Hendon on Saturday, July 2'tth, were equipped with B.T.H.
magnetos. These were also used on the aeroplanes which secured
first and second places in the 1919 Derby, on the R34, and on the
aeroplanes which secured some 28 aerial records. These results
support the high opinion in which these magnetos are held by pilots
for reliability in service.

Auction Sale. — Messrs. P. Huddleston &Co. will sell

by auction, on August 10th, at Dalling Road, Hammersmith, W., a
quantity of electrical apparatus, including motors, generator, fans,
cable and wire, &c. For particulars see our advertisement pages
to-day.

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES.

Aylesbury. — Expert Advice. — The Town Council has
appointed Mr. C. H. Wordingham, of London, as consulting engi-
neer in connection with the electricity works, at an inclusive fee of
50 guineas.

Beckenham. — Year's Working. — The financial result
of tlie past year's working of the electricity undertaking was a
deficit of £5,279, as against £6,00ti in the previous period. This is
regarded as satisfactory, inasmuch as a deficit of £8,000 was
estimated.

Bexhill. — Wages. — The Council has accepted the
Whitley Council's recommendation with regard to the wages of its
electrical employes, who will receive an additional 5s. per week.
It was stated at the Council meeting that the men were quite satis-
fied with the 7s. 6d. which was added in March, and made operative
as from the beginning of February. It is understood that the
rate of wages will shortly be based on the full war advance rate of
39a. 6d . plus 12j per cent., over pre-war wages.

Proposed Price Increase. — The engineer estimates that these
increases, with increased cost of coal, materials, kc. for the current
year ending March next will approximate £4,500. To meet
this additional expenditure the only course open is to advance
charges to the consumer. The Committee is, therefore, applying
to the Electricity Commissioners for an order increasing the
statutory powers of charge. Application is being made for a
maximum charge of Is. per unit, as against the maximum of
8d. authorised by the Council's iUectric Lighting Order of 1897.
It is thought that it may be suflScient, so far as future conditions
can be foreseen, to charge lOd. a unit for light and 3d. for power.

Loan Sanction. — The Council has received sanction to a loan
for the purchase of meters, which have hitherto been paid for out
of revenue.

Bingley (Yorkshire). — Breakdown. — The District

Council last week held a special meeting to consider what should
be done in consequence of a prolonged failure in the supply of
electricity to the town by the Keighley Corporation on Tuesday of
the same week. A letter had been received from the manager of
the Bradford tramway department, whose cars serve Bingley,
complaining that the tramway service on the Bingley section had
been maintained during the failure only by making use, at con-
siderable inconvenience, of a special supply of electricity from the
Shipley electricity works. It was reported that the stoppage of
Keighley supply had occurred from 2.47 a.m. on Tuesday, to 5.5 a.m.
on Wednesday, the cause being a fault in the transmission line
between Keighley and Bingley. The chairman of the Bingley
Committee said that in consequence of breakdowns this year,
Bingley users had already been without supply during 39 hours
22 minutes. He maintained that the Keighley Electricity Com-
mittee had shown not the slightest regard for continuity of supply
to Bingley nor for the position in which Bingley had been placed.
The chairman of the Council (Mr. J. R. Leach) said he felt that
the Keighley Committee must be in ignorance of what had been
constantly happening at Bingley. Mr. Pedley, the Bingley elec-
trical engineer, said there were two transmission lines, and when
the breakdown occurred, the Keighley department tried to change
over to the second line, but it was found that that line also was
useless. Several times it had been suggested to Keighley that the
duplicate line should be kept always in order and in service, but
they had not adopted the suggestion. It was decided, unanimously,
to make immediate representations either to the Board of Trade
or to the Electricity Commissioners, and that if satisfaction were
not obtained, steps be taken, under a clause in the supply
agreement, for an independent arbitration between Bingley and
Keighley.

Burnley. — Loan Sanction. — Sanction has been received
by the Electricity Committee to borrow £95,200 in connection with
necessary extensions.

Bolton. — Extensions. — A scheme for extensive additions
at the electricity works, involving an expsnditure of £500,000. is
to be carried out.

Continental.— France.— The report of M. Milan on the
scheme authorising the setting-up by the State of a high-tension
distribution network in the freed regions comprising three
sections — Nord, Ardennes, and Alsace — was presented to the
Senatorial Commission on Finance on June 8th. After the reading
of the report, the Commission called for the list of charges imposed
on concessionnaires before coming to a decision on the vote for
the scheme, which totals 135,000,000 fr.

Italy. — In consequence of the electricians' strike, the Province
and City of Rome are without light. Army reflectors and acetylene
lamps are being used, says Tlie Times, for street lighting.

Spain. — A concession has recently been granted for the
establishment of plant to utilise the water power of the River
Deva, near Deva, for the generation of electrical energy.

Dublin. — Strike.— Owing to strikes of Urban Council
employes, Rathmines, Pembroke, and Blackrock townships were
last week without electric lighting. Settlements of wages questions
have since been made.

Eastbourne,— Year's Working. — The total revenue of

the electricity undertaking for the year ended March 31st last was
£.".0,834. as compared with £35,012 for the previous period.
Working expenses amounted to £29,101, as against £22,443, leaving
a gross profit of £21,733, as against £2,569. The payment of
capital charges and the crediting of bank interest resulted in a net
profit of £5,756, comparing favourably with last year's deficit of
£4,490.

Edinburgh. — Estimated Deficit. — At a meeting of the
Electric Lighting Committee, estimates showed that there will be a
deficiency next year of probably £7,000. It is expected that a
small increase in price will be made for lighting and power from
October Ist.

Hasllngden.- New Service.s. — The Town Council has
approved the following applications for electricity supplies :— The
Scapa Manufacturing Co. ; Messrs. J. Cotton & Co. ; Messrs.
Constantine's 4: Lindsay's works ; and the Wesleyan Chapel,
Manchester Road.

Kettering. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Urban District
Council has received sanction from the Electricity Commissioners
to borrow £39,909 for the purpose of extension of plant, tec.

King's Lynn. — Extensions. — The Corporation is about
to incur considerable expenditure in installing an alternating turbo-
generator, and laying a submarine cable across the river, with a
transforming sub-station on the west bank, for the purpose of
supplying electricity to the shipyards at West Lynn.

Leeds.— New Turbo-alternator.— The Council has
accepted the tender of the British Thomson -Houston Co. to supply
a 12,000-KW. turbo-alternator, with condensing plant and
accessories, for £134,450. This is to be installed at the Whitehall
Road works as a part of the extension scheme.

144

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Vol. S?. No. 2,227, July 30, 1920.

Ilford. — Extensions. — Extensions to the electricity
works were officially inaugurated last Saturday. The new plant
comprises a, Fraser A: ChaliiierB impulse type turbine direct-coupled
to a Siemens alternator ; the cyndcnsinfr plant was manufactured
by Messrs. Worthinpfton-.Simpson, Ltd. The output of the set is
2,00U K\v. at:!,OOOR.P.ll. The tienerated pressure of 2,000 volts is
stepped up to l>,600 volts by three Brush transformers. The e.h.t.
switchboard (supplied by the General Electric Co., Ltd.) is of the
truck type,, and consists of five totally-enclosed cubicles con-
trolling ;the generator, rotary converters, &c. A 60-in. "Sirocco"
induced-draught fan and motor has been supplied by Messrs.
Davidson & Co., and a new steam feed pump by Messrs. Weir, of
Glasgow, has been installed. Mr. A. H. Shaw, M.I.E.E., is the
electrical engineer and manager to the District Council.

Liverpool. — Mains Extensions. — Further extensions to
27 electrical mains have been approved.

London. — <iREEN\\iOH. — Since the L.C.C. last Decenaber
voted £33,000 for coal-conveying plant at the Greenwich generating
station the price has increased to £66,000. — T/ie Times.

Stepney. — The Council has decided to enter an appeal against
the decision of Mr. Justice P. 0. Lawrence, in connection with
damage and inconvenience caused by smoke from the electricity
works (i-iVp Electrical Review, June 18th, p. 778).

The Special Committee on London Electricity Supply of the
L.C.C. has in hand a report on a scheme which it hopes to be able
to submit to the Council soon after the recess.

LonghboroDgb. — Extensions. — At a special meeting of
the Corporation, held on July 19th, a scheme, prepared by Mr.
C. H. Wordingham, was adopted for the extension of the electricity
works, involving an estimated expenditure of £149,000, and for new
mains costing £35,000. Alderman Bumpus, chairman of the com-
mittee, explained that the central feature would be the installation of
a3,000-KW. turbine, and the estimate covered a considerable portion
also of the expenditure necessary to the installation of a pecond
turbine, which it was anticipated would be required before the
extensions were completed. At the present time their mains were
overloaded, and whilst they could not cope with existing require-
ments, there were further demands in prospect. As to the
suggestion that the station might be closed when power was
obtained from a joint authority for the area, there was no doubt
that the financial conditions of the arrangement would be such
that they would not lose by the installation of this additional
plant.

Midgeley. — PROVisioNAii Order.— The Electrical Supply
Co. of West Yorkshire has informed the Urban District Council that
it is applying for a provisional order to supply electricity in the
district.

Paisley. — Year's AVorking. — The annual report of the
undertaking shows that the revenue for the year was £64,2.51 (as
compared with £40,943 last year). The expenditure was £42,699,
leaving a gross profit of £21,55§. Capital charges amounted to
£20,810, leaving a credit balance of £715, as compared with a
debit balance of £14,275 in 1918-19. The number of units
generated was 7,245,121. Units sold totalled 5,883,975, an increase
of 14i per cent, over the previous year. The maximum demand
was 2,950 KW., and 260 new consumers were added, making a total
of 2,278 to date.

Price of Electricity. — The charges for electricity are to
be Increased in the following towns : — Frome, Newmarket (from
8Jd. to Is.), and Bury (by 20 per cent, for lighting and power, and
by 10 per cent, for tramway purposes).

ReptOD. — ELEf'TRicAL PuMPiNG. — The Rural District
Council is to utilise electric power instead of steam at the Milton
waterworks ; the electricity will be supplied from the Burton-on-
Trent Corporation sewage pumping station.

Rocbdale. — W.\ges. — The Electricity Committee con-
siders the increases under the award of the National Joint Board,
regarding conditions of employment, salaries and holidays for
technical members of staffs of electricity undertakings as exorbitant,
and its resolution of protest against the scale is being sent to all
the undertakings represented on the Lancashire and Cheshire
Federation of Authorities.

Steyning (Sussex).— Electric Lighting Scheme. —

A meeting was held on July 20th to consider the formation of a
compaoy to supply electricity in the parishes of Steyning, Bramber,
&c., and it was resolved to form a company with a capital of
£10,000 ; £3,500 was subscribed at the meeting.

Southampton. — Purchase Abandoned. — The suggested

purchase of a local power station and jetty by the Borough
Council has been abandoned.

Torquay. — Joint Electricity District. — A conference

of representatives of the Town Council, and the Councils of
Paignton, Newton Abbot, and Teignmouth, was held on July iMst.
to consider a central scheme for the supply of electricity to the
district in bulk. Mr. H. F. Woods, electrical engineer at Torquay,
prepared the scheme, and the estimated cost of the station is
placed at £230,000. The scheme wag approved, and has met with
the support of the Commissioners. It is anticipated that energy
will be supplied at 2d. per unit.

Tbirsl{ (YorliS.). — Change ok System. — The Northern
Counties Electricity Supply Co., Ltd., has applied to the Rural
District Council for coueent to the changing of the system o-

supply from direct to alternating current, at a periodicity of
to cycles per second. The company announces that this will not
involve an increased price.

Uganda. — Em^X'tricity Bupii,y. — The Crown Agents
for the Colonies announce that the Government of the Uganda
Protectorate is inviting applications for concessions relating to the
development of the Ripen Falls for the production of electricity
and also for the supply of electricity to towns in the district.

West Riding of Yorkshire. — Joint Electricity

Authorities. — There is disagreement in the area with regard to
the composition of the joint electricity authorities proposed under
the powers of the Act of last year. Bradford, Huddersfield, and
Halifax Electricity Committees have passed resolutions contending
that any combination of authorities in the area should be wholly
municipal in composition, but Leeds is said to maintain that the
Yorkshire Electric Power Co. should be a part of the authority
supplying the West Riding. A meeting of many West Riding
local authorities recently rejected a Leeds proposal that the joint
authority should consist only of Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, and
Halifax Corporations and the Yorkshire Pawer Co., though the
meeting was not entirely in favour of the idea of the authority
being limited to municipalities.

Wrexham. — iNguiRv. — A public inquiry is to be held by
the Electricity Commissioners in connection with the Council's
proposal to expend £17,260 upon extensions to the electricity
undertaking.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Algeria. — Railway Electrificathon The Times states

that the Governor-General has appointed a Commission to investi-
gate the possibilities of electrifying the existing Algerian railways.
The scope of the Commission will also embrace the supply of elec-
tricity for industrial and agricultural purposes. The utilisation of
the Oued-Agrioum waterfalls for the generation of power for a
proposed line from Setif to Bougie, is also contemplated.

Australia. — Proposed Suhurhan Railway. — It has

been proposed to construct a branch railway, partly underground,
to serve the eastern suburbs of Sydney. It is stated that at present
it costs from 10s. to 14s. a ton to carry goods to the outer districts,
and a railway is therefore necessary. About 150,000 people are
without proper travelling facilities in the districts through which
it is proposed to run the line.

DODBLE Wages. — It is announced that tramway employes
received double pay for work done during the Prince of Wales's
visit. This affected 20,000 workers, and the concession involved
the sum of £30,000.

Bolton. — WAGES.^The application of the tramway
employes for an advance in the basic rate, bringing it up to the
rate in the Rochdale district, is to be submitted by the Bolton
Tramways Committee to the Whitley Council. The Committee
thinks the time has arrived for standardisation of the wages of
tramway employes in the area.

Bradford. — Track Renewal. — The Tramways Com-
mittee recommends the City Council to sanction the carrying out

of renewals of track at an estimated cost of £54,438.

Continental. — GtOtthard Railway Electrification. —

Dr. Georg Sinner comments in the llii/tx,/ie A/lgemeine /eitung on
the news which arrived from Switzerland that on July 1st, after the
Retom power works had commenced the previous night to generate
electricity, several goods trains driven by electric locomotives
passed through the Gotthard Tunnel without any interruptions.
It may, therefore, be said that the electrification of the (Jotthard
Railway, which presented numerous technical difficulties and has
been in hand for a number of years, has been completed. As
long ago as 1912, a report of the commission appointed to inquire
into the Swiss Federal Railways stated that the introduction of
electric traction would reduce the cost of transport by steam-
driven trains by between 22 and 25 per cent. After the increase
of the price of coal and the growing shortage of coal during the
war had made the exploitation of Switzerland's wealth of water
power imperatively necessary, it was decided in 19I('> to commence
the electrification of the Gotthard Railway. The railway is
226 km. in length from Lucerne to Chiasso on the Italian frontier.
The actual Gotthard Tunnel is 15'7 km. long and rises from 1.109 m.
at Gojchenen to 1,154 m. and falls again to 1,145 m. at Airolo ;
30 per csnt. of the total length of the line is in the tnnnel. The
Erstfeld-Bellinzona section now electrified is 100'3 km. in length.
In the light of experience gained in the Simplon Tunnel and else-
where it was decided to employ single-phase alternating current.
The requisite electrical power is generated in the works on Lake
Retom on the south side and at Amstig on the north ; the former
works, as mentioned above, have just been set going, and the latter
are expected to be finished next year. The Retom works in Piotta
use the Retom mountain lake as a collecting basin and utilise the
fall of the Fossbach from the lake to its mouth in the Ticino. At
the present stage of development the works employ four turbines
with single-phase generators of 52,000 HP. in all. Wlien the Amstig
works are finished they will provide 78,000 h.p. The single-phase
A.c. locomotives of the Gotthard Railway are of three types, a

Vol. 87, No, 2,227, JnLT :iO, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

14'5

Binall engine, a larfre express train engine and a goods train engine.
The heavy express engine weighs 108 tons, and supplies perma-
nently 1,720 H.r., and the goods engine weighs 121 tons, and
supplies 1,700 ii.r. — EcutioinU- Ileiicw.

Cork. — The Electric Tramway Co. has decided, in view
of the enforcement of a military curfew regulation providing that
all inhabitants must be indoors by 10 p.m., to discontinue the
service shortly after H o'clock to allow drivers and conductors to go
home in good time.

Edinburgh. — Tramc.\r r. Brs. — In a. recent report
on alternative traffic systems to replace the present cable cars, the
manager of the tramways department reviewed the comparative
advantages and disadvantages of tramcars and motor-omnibuses,
stating that the cost of electrification, including a through service
to Leith, would be about £695,700. In his conclusions he states
that the electric car would be preferable in districts where a
constant traffic is ensured, but infrequent services in other parts
could be met more satisfactorily by omnibus.

Electric Vehicles. — The .Shildon (Durham) Urban
Council is to spend £1,197 on a two-ton electric haulage wagon
for use in the scavenging department. The money will be raised
by loan.

In the course of a public inquiry held at Wallasey by a Ministry
of Health inspector upon application by the Corporation to borrow
jC 2,976 for the purchase of two electric vehicles for the collection
of house refuse, it was stated that they would displace six horses
and would save Is. 6d. per ton on loads carried, or i; .500 per year.

The Minister of Health, not being satisfied that house refuse
collection in districts near to the refuse tip can be done more
cheaply with mechanical than with horse traction, has decided to
sanction a loan for only one instead of two electric vehicles, for
which King's Lynn applied foe borrowing powers.

Haddersfieid. — Track E.xtension. — In connection with
the proposed doubling of the lines in Vicarage Road, Longwood,
the Tramways Committee has accepted a suggestion of the Minister
of Tranpport that the widening be carried out within the next 12
months. The Committee has deferred the question of doubling
portions of the Honley section.

Itford. — New Cars. — Six new tramcar.s have been
released to replace old cars, and 10 more are in course of construc-
tion. The new cars are made to seat eight more passengers. The
bodies and trucks are being built and supplied by the Brush Elec-
trical Engineering Co., Ltd., and the electrical equipments are being
supplied by the British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd.

Japan. — Proposed Electric Railw'ay, — It is proposed
to construct an electric railway, 460 km. in length, between Tokyo
and Osaka, at a cost of Yen 100 mill. The route chosen will be
110 km. shorter than that followed by the existing steam railway.
It is, according to II e/twhixc/m/t, doubtful if the .Japanese Govern-
ment will grant permission for the construction of the new
railway, fearing its competition with the existing line,-^.E(-owii«/u'
Meriew.

Leeds, — Traffic Decrease. — It is stated that, con-
seqmnt upon the recent increase of id. on all fares, the passenger
traffic has fallen oflE at the rate of half a million per annum.

London. — Tube Extension. — Tiie Shepherd's l?ush to
Baling (6.W.R.) extension of the Central London Electric Railway,
has been completed and will be open to passenger traffic on August
:!rd. We hope to give some particulars of the work in our next
issue.

Transpobt Co-ordination. — The Minister of Transport
announces that at the request of the London County Council he
arranged a conference between their representatives and the repre-
sentatives of the Underground group of companies to discuss the
relationship bstween the London County Council tramways and the
other forlns of London traffic, with the object of seeing whether it
U possible to arrive at an asrreement for co-ordinating and improv-
ing transport facilities in London. — T/ie Times,

MiddlesbroDgh. — Stock. — The Corporation is asking the

Ministry of Health for sanction to issue £1,2.')(),000 stock. Of this,
£160,000 is wanted for the acquirement of the tramways, and
£22,100 for the electrical transporter bridge undertaking.

Northampton, — Year's Working. — Tlie balance-sheet
of the Corporation tramways undertaking for the year ended March
Slst last, shows a total revenue of £6f<,77ii ; traffic revenue was
£67,089, against £17,020 last year, and revenue derived from
carriage of parcels was £-166, against £477, and from munitions
£9, against £307. Working expenses totalled £55,631, against
£40.368 last year ; interest on capital, repayment of loans, reserve
fund, &c., absorbed £11,745, leaving a surplus to be transferred to
the reserve fund of £1,816 ; last year there was a deficit of £4,386.
Car-miles run numbered 777,112, against 637,680 ; passengers
carried numbered 12,061,71)3, against 10,273,718 ; and parcels carried
numbered 46, ^33, against 43,402. The electricity purchased
amounted to 809,851. an increase of 767,772 units, the cost being
r89d. per unit. Electricity generated amounted to 615,932 units,
a decrease of 688,376, the cost being 3'36d., against 2'14d. per unit
last year.

Plymontb. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Ministry of

Transport has sanctioned the borrowing of a total of £63,000 for
the provision of new machinery and plant, 14 cars, and 20 motor-
Omnibuses.

Failure op Sdpply.— The failure of the supply to the tram-
ways last week, which resulted in the system being suspended for
an hour, was attributed by the chairman of the Electricity Com-
mittee to a large eel getting intp a pump at one of the generating
stations and choking it.

Radcliffe. — Loan. — The Council is applying for sanction
to borrow £1,725 in respect of its share of the cost of providing the
necessary sub-station and equipment for the carrying out of the
inter-connection of the systems of the Lancaahire Electric Power
Co.. and the Bury Corporation Electricity Works at the RatclifFe
electricity works.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Australia. — Wireless Licences. — The Si/dnei/ Morning
Hei-alii states that since the war, 900 wireless permits have been
issued to universities, technical schools, wireless schools, and private
individuals, and there are about 50 applications to be dealt with.
Licences are now to replace permits. The fee for an experimental
or instructional licence is £2 per annum, and for a vessel £1 per
annum. Guarantees are required for the proper use of the
installations.

Cable Delays. — The P.M.d., in reply to a question in
the House of Commons, said that the greatest delay which had
taken place during the last month so far as telegrams to the
Continent were concerned was about 22 J hours. This occurred on
the traffic to Italy, which had been much congested owing to staff
difficulties in that country. The average delay on telegrams to the
Continent during the month was about 4i hours. In the case of
traffic forwarded to the Near and Far East, the maximum delay
was about 24 hours, the average being about lOJ hours. To Nortli
America via the Imperial Cable the maximum delay was about
10 hours and the average about 3i hours. — The Times.

France. — Wireless Telegraphy. — At the final sitting
of the International Postal Conference held at Paris, it was
suggested, says The Times, that wireless telegraphy should be used
to a much greater extent for the dispatch of private telegfamg.

Germany. — State Wireless. — The Department of
Overseas Trade informs us that in order to supplement the ordinary
telegraph system, and to serve as a substitute in special cases, e <;.,
extensive breakdowns of the telegraphic communication owing to
storms or to forcible damage, the German State Ministry of Postal
Services has been engaged for the past year in establishing through-
out the Empire a comprehensive State wireless system, which is
being constantly extended. Some 16 transmitting and receiving
stations, and 23 receiving stations, have already been established.

India. — Kevision of Rates. — Increases of pay to the
lower grades of Indian telegraph and postal servants will amount
to over a crore of rupees (£1,000,000 approximately), and the public
have been warned that the Government of India is considering a
revision of inland postage rates. — The Times,

South America. — The Central and South American Tele-
graph Co. (All-America Cables, Inc ), has opened offioes in Rio de
Janeiro and Santos, and is now working the new cable laid from
the Argentine Republic to those places. Rates have been reduced
from 85 to 65 cents.

Thermionic Valves. — In the Board of Trade .Journal
for July 22nd, the Admiralty calls attention to the importance of
the thermionic valve-making industry in Great Britain. The
development of thermionic valves for wireless telegraphy increased
enormously during the war, and it is believed that the quality of
articles produced in Great Britain is now superior to that of any
other country. It is contended that the United Kingdom produces
a larger variety of standardised valves than other countries ; high-
power valves for any purpose requiring heavy oscillatory currents
have been developed and standardised to an extent which is
believed to be far in advance of that of any other country, and a
higher standard of technical knowledge has been attained in the
United Kingdom than abroad. A list of British manufacturers of
these valves may be obtained from the Department of Overseas
Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, London, S.W. I,

United States. — New Cables. — The Xew YorJc Times
states that the new cable being laid by the Western Union Tele-
graph Co. between Miami (Florida ) and Barbados is to cost
.$5,000,000, and will be open for transmission of traffic on or about
September 1st this year. The capacity of the cable is said to be
"lO.OOO to 60,000 words a day, or 20C/250 letters per minute. The
cable is being manufactured in England. The above cable will
connect at Barbados with a new cable being laid to Para, and all
countries in South America will thus be in direct telegraphic con-
nection with the United States by both the Central and South
America Telegraph Co. " ria Panama" and the joint new cables
" riti Barbados." The Western Union also, it is said, intends laying
direct cables to the West Coast of South America.

Wireless Operator's Wahes. — The demand of wireless
operators for increases of pay from $50 to S75 (rtlO to £151 per
month has been rejected. The extension, however, by 90 days of
the present wage agreement has been agrfed to by the Operators'
Committee. Meanwhile it is understood tb a'-, conditions of employ-
ment will be taken up and investigated by representatives of both

146

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,217, jum 30, im

Wireless Telephony.— Distance Record.— The C.P.O.S.

Victorian, which sailed from Liverpool on July 19th with the
Empire Press delegates on board for Quebec, is said to have on
board the moat powerful wireless telephone installation yet installed
on a passenger vessel. Transmission takes place on a wave length
of from 1,800 to 2,400 metres, and the land station is Poldhu,
Cornwall (3,500 metres wave length).

A new sea distance wireless telephone record was established on
July L'4th, when the passengers on board the liner, although
separated by :!i"i land miles and l..'..Mi miles of sea. were able to
enjoy a concert given by the Marconi station at Chelmsford. The
concerts were continued daily until the ship reached Sydney.
Nova Scotia, on the -'7th. Telephonic communication between
Newfoundland and the Victorum was established on the 2.'ith over
a distance of, approximately, (>'>*> miles.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

( The datp given in parentheses at the end of the paragraph indicates
the issue of the EleotBIOAI. Bevisv, in which, the " Official
Notice " appeared.

Government Contracts.— The following Government

contracts were placed during June, 1920 : —

CLOSED.
Barnes. — Electricity Committee. Recommended : —

Coal-lmndling plant— \V. 4 D. Conveyor Engineering Co., Ltd., fQ,.''.42.

Bradford. — Electricity Committee. Accepted : —

Transformer repairs and test room— Bnrtord, Taylor cVr Co.
Continuous-current meters.— Ferranti, Ltd. ; and Chamberlain X Hook-
ham, Ltd.

Gloucester. — United Schools. Governors :—

Lighting installation, Ribston Hall, Parsons Bros., £24!!

Admiralty {Contract ano I'urchase DtPAKruBNij.

G..s-filled lamps,— British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd.; Siemens Bros. & Co.,
Lid.

Liinips.— A. C. Cossor, Ltd.; Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd.; General Elev
trie Co., Ltd.; T. F. Braime S; Co., Ltd.

Insulating materials.— H. Clarke Hi Co. (Manchester), Ltd.; Connollys (Black-
ley), Ltd.

Mica.— Attwater & Sons; Mica Manulacluring Co., Ltd.; F. \V. Wiggins &
Sons.

War Ofpics.

Electric crane.— J. Carrick & Son.
Crucibles. — Morgan Crucible Co., Ltd.
Junction boxes. — A. C. Cossor & Co.
Electric lamps. — General Electric Co., Ltd.

India Office : Store De
Battery. — Hart Accumulator Co.
Electric cable, — Callender's Cable & Conslrucl
Co., Ltd.; W. T. Henley's lekgrapli U

OPEN.

Belgium.— August 11th. The Societr Nationale des
Chemins de Fer Vicinaux, of Brussels C^"^- Rie Montoyer, Service
Electriques) is inviting tenders until August 11th for the supply
and laying of the armoured underground cables required (1) for
the Rrussels-Haecht line and C2) for the Gilly-Hansart line.

Birmingham. — September 1st. Salvage Committee.
Two liMi-KW., liu-v.. D.C.. compoimd-wound, steam-driven gen-
erating sets, complete with surface condenser and switchboard.
(See this issue.)

Blackpool. — August 27th. Corporation. Two water-tube
boilers, superheaters, economisers. stokers. &c.; two sets of induced
draught plant ; coal conveying. &c., plant. (July Uith.)

Brldgewater.- August lOth. Town Council Electric
Light Installation, Town Hall and Municipal Buildings. Borough
Surveyor, (Returnable deposit of £,2 23.)

Chile,— February, 1921. The Chilean Legation at Paris
(•2:i Avenue du Bois de Boulogne) is asking for tenders for the
supply and installation of electric power in the first zone of the
ChUean railways. Sealed tenders are returnable before February 1 st.
1921.

Cowdenbeath (Fife).— .\ugust 4th. Electric Lighting
of new school. Barclay Street. Mr. G. Campbell. Architect. Methil
Bra», Methil, (Deposit of £1 Is. returnable.)

Grimsby. — August 12th. Electricity Department. Two
water-tube boilers, economisers, fittings, fans, chimneys, &c. ; one
.S,000-KW. high-pressure turbo-alternator and condensing plant.
(July 2nd.)

Manchester. — August (ith. Electricity Committee.
Water pipes and valves. &c,, for Stuart Street, (July Kith.)

August l.'Sth, Electricity Committee, One each T.'i-ton and
l.")-ton electric cranes for Barton power station, (July 2:ird,)

Nuneaton. — July 3 1st. Electricity Department. One
500-KW. rotary converter transformer and accessories. (July 2nd.)

Portsmouth. — August I7th. Tramways Committee,
stores for twelve months, including insulating materials, overhead
line equipment, &c. (See this issue.)

August 2."ith. Electric Lighting Committee. One 4.(I00-KW.
turbo-alternator ; two water-tube boilers, each of 3ii,0iiO lb. per
hour capacity, (See this issue.)

Uganda. — December 20th. Government of the Uganda
Protectorate. Tenders invited for a concession of a portion of the
Ripon Falls of the Nile for the development of power from 4.000
cubic feet of water per second for generation and distribution of
electricity in the surrounding district and supply of electricity to
townships of Jinja and Kampala and possibly Entebbe and to
plantations en route. Information from the Crown Agents for the
Colonies, 4. Millbank. London. S.W. 1. to whom tenders maybe
delivered by December 2iith. \'.i2<>.—Jlourd of Trade Journal.

Warrington. — August loth. Electricity and Tramways
Committee. Coal elevator and conveyor. (July '.(th.)

Co., Ltd.; W. T. Glover &
is Co.. Ltd.; Siemens Bros.

Co. &

Hi Co., Ltd.
Converters. — Bruce Peebles & Co., Ltd.
Globes. — Kitson Empire Lighting Co. ; Sun Electrical Co.
Holders, brushes, &c.— Greenwood 4: Batley, Ltd.
Osram lamps. — General Electric Co., Ltd.
Lantern fittings. — Sun Electrical Co., Ltd.
.Motors.— Lancashire Dynamo i Motor Co., Ltd.; Laurence Scott & Co.;

Kees Roturbo Manufacturing Co., Ltd,
Pumping plant. — VVorthington-Simpson, Ltd.
Switchboard. — British Switchgear, Ltd.

Telegraph and telephone sets, — Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co,, Ltd,
•lelephone exchange.— Automatic Telephone Manulacturing Co., Ltd.; Relay

Automatic Telephone Co.
Bronze wire,— T, Bolton 8: Sons, Ltd,; F, Smith & Co,
Electric wire,— W. T. Glover & Co,, Ltd,; London Electric \Vi

Smiths, Ltd.

Post Office.

.Accumulators.- Glasgow (CentraO Telephone Exchange ; U. P. Battery Co.,

Ltd.
Constructing manholes. — London-Southampton (South Midland section] : R. M,

Parkinson.
Laying conduits,— Birmingham (Stock Exchange P,0.) ; E. Jeavons 4 Co.,
Ltd. Barnet-Hornsey Junction: R, M. Parkinson. London-Bristol-.Nevw
port (South Midland, Section 3) ; Hodge Bros. (Contractors), Ltd. New
Cross (Waller Road): G. J. Anderson. Dulwich (College Iload) and
Holborn (S.E. area) : J. Mowlem & Co. Leeds-Harrogate (Section 3) ;
Chandler Bros. Stepney, &c. : O. C. bummers. London-Unstol-Newport
(South Midland, Sections 5 and 6): J. A. Ewart, Ltd.
Manufacture, supply, and drawing-in and jointing cable.— Heywood Loop :

British Insulated 8; Helsby Cables, Ltd.
Power plant. — Devizes Wireless Station : Westminster Engineering Co., Ltd.,
sub-contractors for oil engines, Robey Ik Co., Ltd., for battery, Tudor
Accumulator Co.. Ltd. Caister Wireless Station ; Westminster Engineer-
in-' Co., Ltd., sub-contractors for oil engine. New Pelapone Co.
Telephone Exchange equipment.— .\berdcen and Belfast : Western Electric
Co., Ltd. Clerkenwell (telephone school) : Peel Conner Telephone Works,
Ltd.
Protective apparatus. — Western Electric Co., Ltd.

IVlephone apparatus.— British L.M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co., Ud.;
Phoenix lelephone and Electric Works, Ltd.; Siemens Bros. & Co.. Ltd,;
Western Electric Co,, Ltd.
Testing apparatus, — General Electric Co., Ltd.
Iron channel arms.— Boilers, Ltd.

Submarine cable.— Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Co., Ltd.
Teleoraph and telephone cable.— Callender's Cable and Construction Co., Ltd.;
Hackbridge Cable Co., Ltd.; Henley's Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.;
London Electric Wire Co. & Smiths, Ltd.; Macintosh Cable Co., Ltd.;
New Gutta-Pea-cha Co., Ltd.; Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.
Dry cells. — Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.
Leclanch6 cells. — Si,emens Bros, tk Co., Ltd.
Compound. — Dussek Bros. Hi Co., Ltd.
Cords for telephones.— London Electric Wire Co. & Smiths, Ltd.; Phoenis

Telephone i Electric Works, Ltd.
Ducts— Albion Clay Co., Ltd.; Doulton & Co., Ltd.; Mountford Phillips 4
Co., Ltd.; Sharp, Jones & Co.; Geo. Skey A; Co., Ltd.; Stanley Bros.,
Ltd.; T. Wragg i Sons, Ltd.
Ear pieces. — North British Rubber Co., Ltd.

Insulators.— T. de la Rue & Co , Ltd. ^ , , ^^. ^ c, . ■ r

Glow lamps.— British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd.; Edison Swan Electric Co..

Ltd.; General Electric Co,, Ltd.
Indicator lamps.— Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd.; General Electric Co., Ltd.
Cable distribution plugs.— British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd.; Siemens

Bros, & Co,, Ltd.
Steel wire rope.— Whitecross Co., Ltd.

Lead sleeves,— G. Farmiloe & Sons, Ltd. ; T. & W . Farmiloe, Ltd.
Tumbler switches. — General Electric Co., Ltd,
Copper tape,— Bodill, Parker S: Co,, Ltd.
Valve holders. — General Electric Co., Ltd
Bronze wire.— British Insulated S: Helsby Cables, Ltd.
Enamelled rubber, and flame-proofed wire.— Western Electric Co.
Flame-proof wire.— British Insulated S: Helsby Cables, Ltd.; Macintosh Cable

Co., Ltd.
V.LR. wire.— Hackbridge Cable Co., Ltd.

H.M. Office of Works.

: Station, storage batte

I

Engineering services. — Hendon Va^
mulator Co., Ltd.

Crown Agents for

Tudor Accu-

: Colonies.

Cable,— Siemens Bros. Si Co,, Ltd.

Motor generator set. Sic- Premier Electric Welding Co., Ltd.

Meters. — Ferranti, Ltd.

Electric light poles.— J. Spencer, Ltd. . _ , .

Switchboard, battery. Sic— Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Telegraph line material.— Siemens Bros. St Co., Ltd.; Bullers, Ltd.

Telephones and Exchange apparatus.— British L.M. Ericsson Manufacturing

Co., Ltd. . ,- , .

Whoatstone apparatus.— Siemens Bros. S: Co., Ltd. r, . ■,

Copper, G.L and bronze wire.-Shropshire Iron Co., Ltd.; London Electric

Wire Co. Si Smiths, Ltd.
Insulated wire.— Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Electrical works and

Public Works. Dubun.
upplies.— Belfast : A. Steven)

London.— Hackney.— Electricity Committee. Tenders
for plant for extensions :—

(a) Four water-tube boilers, 33,000 lb. per hour capacity, super-
heaters, mechanical stokers and driving gear, settings, Hues, valves,
mountings, dampers, &o.

Babcock & WUcox. Ltd. (Rcoceptedi ^^?J?SS

JohnTlioropson Water-Tube Boilers, Ltd "fc.lW

147

Toi. 87. No. 2,227, Jult 30, 1920.J THE ELECTKICAL REVIEWo

(A) Four induced-draught plants, with motor-fans, steel
chimneys, dampers, &c.

James Keith Ot Blackman Co., Ltd. (capacity too small). . .. £6,953

Davidson A Co., Ltd .. .. 8,760

Babcock & Wilcox, Ltd, iDavidson fans) (accepted) . . 8.780

„ (Musgrave „ ) 9,166

John Thompson Water-Tube Boilers, Ltd. (Davidson tans) . . 9,097

Musgrave 4 Co., Ltd 9,701

(r) Economisers : —

Babcock & Wilcox, Ltd. (accepted) £12,116

John Thompson Water- Tube Boilers, Ltd. (not in orderl 11,449

(r/) 8,003-10,000 KW. turbj-alternator, exciter, and air-filter or
cooler : —

Ateliers de Construction Oerlikon .£45,26r>

James Howden & Co., Ltd., & G.E.C., Ltd 48,195

Escher, Wyss & Co., & G.B.C., Ltd 48,451

Escher, Wyss & Co., & Ateliers de Construction Oerlikon. . 48,828

Richardson, Westgarth & Co., Ltd 48,715

English Electric Co., Ltd 48,760

British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd 49,0a^>'

C. A. Parsons & Co., Ltd (accepted) . . .. 50,000
Fraser & Chalmers Engineering Works, Ltd., & G.E.C.,

Ltd 49,968

Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co 58,750(

* Corrected from £ 15,918 owing to the inclusion of a special item which made
comparison with other tenders impossible.

1 This price includes a larger plant than asked for.

After due consideration, the tenders of three firms, Eacher, Wyss
and Co. & Ateliers de Construction Oerlikon, British Thomson-
Houston Co., and C. A. Parsons &. Co., Ltd., were selected for
comparison.

The Committee considered that the offer of Escher, Wyss & Co.
gave the best value, but in view of probable objections to the
placing- of the contract abroad, it was decided to accept the tender
of C. A. Parsons & Co., as being on the whole the better of the two
British offers. Messrs. Parsons expect to deliver in 58 weeks
(turbine;, and 62 weeks (alternator). The B.T.H. Co.'s period was
21 months. Escher, Wyss expected to be able to deliver in II
months (turbine), and 14 i months (alternator).

(<■) Condensing plant, including condensers, air pump,
augmenter, &c.

Blck, Hargreaves & Co. Ltd. 'acceptedi ..£17,770

Cole, Marchant i Morlei , Ltd 18,541

C. A. Parsons 4 Co., Ltd 19,600

Worthington, Simpson Ltd 20,063

English Electric Co 21,310

W. H. Allen, Son & Co., Ltd 23,493

122 800
26'700
27,iiD0
(/■) Centrifugal vertical drive circulating water pumps ; ,S40,000
gals, per hour, 30-ft. head.

Bees Boturbo Manufacturing Co., Ltd, (accepted) £6,111

W. H. Allen, Bon & Co., Ltd 6,820

Hick, Hargreaves 4 Co., Ltd 10,500

ig) Su'Uc/igear. — 6,000-volt, three-phase switches, &o., on two
■ 20,U00-KW. coupler panels, one 10,000-KW. generator panel, six
2,000-KW., and one 4,000-KW. feeder panels for plant capacity
50,000 KW., &c.

Cellular Armoured
types. types.

Ferguson, Pailin, Ltd. .610,383

New Switchgear Construction Co., Ltd. 10,776

Park Royal Engineering Works, Ltd. . . 14,5()G

A. Bejr'olle & Co., Ltd. (accepted) £18,274

Switchgear A Cowans, Ltd 18,274

Bertram, Thomas . . 18,274

General Electric Co., Ltd. . . 19,205

Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co. .. 20,751

British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd. .. 24,750

St. Pancbas. — Electricity Committee.
Six automatic coal-weighing machines, i:410 each,— W. T. Avery,
Ltd. (recommended).

The price for similar machines in 1916 was i;241.

30-ton travelling crane for the King's Road station extension : —

Marsball, Fleming & Co. . .. £3,365 i recommended)

A. Jacket Co 3,430

Sir W. Arrol 4 Co 3,513

Herbert Morris, Ltd 3,750

J. Booth \ Bros. 3,785

Babcock « Wilcox, Ltd 3,835

Supply of pipes for 36-in. main between power-house and new
pump house : —

Wicks A Dale . . . . .£2,920 delivery in 12 months

Alton & Co 3,014 ., II to 6 months (recommended)

Erection of coffer dam and river wall in connection with the new
pump house : —

SomervilUe \ Co., i2,100 -|- lOO for removal of excavating material
(recommended).

L.C.C. — Highways Committee. Accepted. 4,000 driving-wheel
tires, and 3,500 trailing-wheel tires for electric cars.

Brown, Bayleys Steel Works. Ltd.. driving-wheel tires, £S Is. 3d. each ;

traiUng-wheel tires, £4 3s. 6il. each.
The list of firms submitting tenders included the Bochnmer Verein Steel
Works, offering to supply 800 driviuK-wlieel tires at £6 10s. each, and
7C0 trailing-wheel tires at Xi 10s. eacli.

Stepney. — The Council has considered quotations for the supply
of 440 yards of '5 sq. in. cable, as follows : —

W. T. Henley's Telegrapb Works Co., Ltd. (accepted) .. £325 10
British Insulated i Helsby Cables, Ltd 331 0

Leeds. — Electricity Committee : —

British Thomson-Houston Co., 12,030-kw. turbo-alternator condensing
plant and accessories, .£134,150, in connection with extensions (full
scheme £720,0i)0) at Whitehall Road Works.

RIchmoad-on-Thames. — Board of Guardians : —

Maintenance of electric lift, and third party insurance :—Marryat & Scott
Ltd., i'44 per annum.

Turkey. — Thiee British firms recently competed for the

electric installation of the Haidar-Pasha Railway Terminus and its
various dependencies — buildings, factories, &c., which had been
put up for public tender, and one of the British firms succeeded in
obtaining the important contract. There was keen competition
among the various local electrical contractors of many nationalities
for the contract. — Hetiter's Trade Serrice.

Wallasey. — Corporation : —

Drake A Gorham.— Two electric tipping wagons, £3,882.

NOTES.

Post Office Training Classes.— On July Slst, the Rig;ht

Hon. H. Pike Pease, M.P., Assistant Postmaster-General, visited the
Post-Office factory at Holloway, to present prizes to the youths
attending the Stores Department training classes. Mr. W. H.
Allen, Controller of the Department, who took the chair, gave a
brief description of the nature of the classes, and explained that
they were carried on with the co-operation of the L.C.C. education
authorities. All the instructors on the technical side were officers
of the Department. In addition to the 300 boys who received
training during the past session, 44 disabled ex-service men weie
alec taught. .Altogether 1,170 classes were held during the session,
which ran from September to July. After presenting the prizes,
consisting in the main of tools and books, Mr. Pike Pease heartily
congratulated both instructors and pupils on the quality of the
work produced. The proceedings concluded with votes of thanks to
Mr. Pike Pease and the chairman. Many examples of the work
done by the classes were on view. The exhibition displayed quite
good workmanship, and included lathe tools, gauges, calipers,
squares, Morse keys, buzzers, switches &c., nearly all accompanied
by the working drawings.

One Horse-Power. — The Notts Eipress publishes an
illustration of a new type of house-lighting plant, designed by an
'■ ingenious American." This involves a return to the " dark ages,"
as the invention consists of a geared generator operated by a horse
traversing a 14-ft. circuiar track. It is claimed that sufficient
electricity to light a farmhouse for a week can be generated in six
hours, which is a very inexpensive way of "doing it electrically"
if the R.S.P.C.A. has no obiections.

Railway Wireless Communication. — In I'.HS the

Lackawanna Railroad Co., U.S.A., began the installation of wireless
telegraph and telephone apparatus for the purpose of establishing
communication between terminal stations and moving trains, and
with the object of providing a means of communication between
main stations at times when the regular wire lines might be out of
commission. At the time when the U S.A. entered the war, the com-
pany had made (X)n8iderable progress in the new undertaking, and
the service, particulars and illustrations of which were given in our
issues of March 20th and August 14th, 1914, had reached a point
of reliability where, according to the T. .)• T. Ai/e, a considerable
volume of business was being satisfactorily handled. When the
Government, for war purposes, prohibited all private use of wire-
less, the Lackawanna installations were dismantled. Towards the
end of last year, however, when the ban was lifted, the company
took up the work once more, and this time it had available to
ensure success the numerous improvements that have resulted from
the development of wireless signalling during the war.

Fatality. — At the new works of Messrs. Cammell, Laird
and Co., Penistone, on .July 20th, a fitter, named Herbert Clough,
accidentally put his hand on a live wire while on a crane, and
immediately the switch was opened by fellow workmen he dropped
a diacance of 16 ft., and received injuries which proved fatal.

Lignite in Lister. — The company which has been making

extensive borings for lignite in the vicinity of Glenavy, on the
shores of Lough Neagli, has purchased considerable property over
which the borings were made. Lignite has been found on several
farms, and these have been purchased from the owners. The
specimens obtained seem to be of higher specific gravity than the
English and Scottish specimens, and were obtained at a depth of
from 100 to 130 ft. It has long been known th.at there is a tract of
lignite running from the Tyrone shores to Lough Neagh, right
under the Lough to the Antrim side, but the borings on the latter
seem to have been more successful. Lignite represents the inter-
mediate state between peat and coal, and is known in some places
by the name of " brown coal."

Anglo-American Excliange of Students.— The British

Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., has decided to establish two scholar-
ships, one of which will be allotted to Cambridge. It proposes to
select from the engineering graduates of that University who have
worked with the firm for not less than six months a scholar who
will be sent to the International General Electric Co.. with which
is associated the General Electric Co of New York. The company
proposes to allow for the student's expenses for one year an
equivalent of .S1.800 (about K 470) in gold. After a year's study in
America he wUl be expected to return to the British company
strengthened by the experience he has gained on the other side of
the Atlantic. — The Times,

148

THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWo

[Vol. 87. No. 2,227, July 30, 1920.

Training Disabled Men. — The exhibition of work done

by partially-iiiaabled ex-service men, which was held by the
Ministry of Labour during- the past week at the f antral Hall,
Westminster, was of quite exceptional interest. A great number
of trades were represented, and the work shown was of a very high
standard. Electrical exhibits were shown at the stands of the
Government Instructional Factory, Hackney, and of the South-
Eastem Counties, wliere the Croydon Central Polytechnic and
Wimbledon Technical School were well represented.

The Hackney workshops are conducted by the acting-manager,
Mr. Philip Wrigley, A.M.I.E E., who has 105 men in course of
training, with room for a total of 2.50. The course began in
February last, and as supplies of electrical material were wanting,
the men were started on elementary bench and lathe work, making
small tools, &c., of which excellent examples were exhibited,
showing a remarkable degree of accuracy and finish. The shops
are divided into four departments — namely, meter repairing,
electrical fitting, electrical contractors' work, and armature
winding. At the Exhibition the whole of the wiring for light and
power was done by the Hackney trainees, including a striking
illuminated sign over the stand. A prominent feature of the
exhibit was the winding of coils on formers and of armatures with
the coils, which was actually in progress ; a finished armature,
wound by two men in four days after a very brief period of
instruction, oifered little scope for criticism. Preliminary instruc-
tion ia given in making and reading drawings, and in electro-
technology generally, and the quality of the work indicates that
the results are liighly satisfactory.

We have previously described and illustrated the admirable
arrangements for training men at the Central Polytechnic of the
Croydon Education Committee, under the guidance of Mr. F. H.
Taylor, A.M.I.E E. (Electrical Review, May 9th. 1919) ; the
exhibits show that the efficiency of this Training Centre is
maintained at a high level. A charging board designed and made
by two of the trainees enables up to 6 batteries requiring 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, or 6 amperes to be charged simultaneously with the use of
only 6 resistance lamps and i; switches and fuses, the power con-
sumed never exceeding that require! for the largest battery, as the
batteries are all in series. An ordinary charging board with 15
lamps, all controlled by 4 switches, gives 15 different charging
currents. Oth=r exhibits include a complete starting panel
mounted on Weico frames, 2- and :i-core concentric cables fitted
with tails in dividing boxes, a fet of three right-angle bends in
i-in. conduit, faultlessly concentric and madn against time by hand,
as well as a perfectly regular set of 7 conduits off-set into adistributing
box, a complicated sample of tube-bending to illustrate 3-point
control, tubing and switch-boxes sunk into a wall and nicely finished,
a dfiraonstration board showing the 3-wire system with 2 4-volt
batteries and miniature lamps, drawings, mitred joints in casing,
■Sic, and not least interesting, letters from employers expressing
satisfaction with the trainees, and from the latter expressing their
appreciation of the help afforded them. Some 160 men have passed
through this Centre, and Mr. Taylor is to be congratulated on the
good work done.

The Wimbledon Technical Institute showed the drawings,
finished parts, and completed instruments of moving-iron
ammeters and voltmeters made at the Institute — the only purchased
parts being the hair-springs and some small screws. Other exhibits
were a variety of turning tools, lathe centres and dogs, clamps, a
detector galvanometer, electromagnets. &c., all showing a high
standard of workmanship. Wiring work and other trades,
includiug wireless operation, are taught at the institute.

When it is borne in mind that the exhibits are all the work of
men more or less severely injured in the war, and now taking up
new callings, the efficiency both of the instructors and of the
learners will be appreciated.

Ramsay Memorial Fund. — The Executive Committee of

this Fund has decided to close it, the total receipts having amounted
to £53 402. In addition. Dominion and foreign Governments have
founded scholarships estimated as equivalent to a capital value of
£30,000. The trustees have elected Mr. W. Davies, M.Sc, of Man-
chester, to a Fellowship.

Iron and Steel Institate. — The following arrangements
are announced in connection with the Cardilf meeting : — Monday,
September 20th, registration of members and issue of badges.
September 2l8t, general meeting of members, and a visit to the
Dowlais works of Messrs. Guest. Keen & Xettlefolds, Ltd., and to
Bute Docks. September 22nd, general meeting and reading of papers.
Luncheon at the City Hall, given by the chairman and directors
of Messrs. Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds, Ltd. Visits in afternoon to
Alexandra Docks. Newport, and Barry Docks. September 23rd,
visits to Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Co.s works and the
Chepstow shipyards of the Monmouth Shipbuilding Co. September
24th, visits to the Margam Iron and Steel Works, Port Talbot,
and various works at Swansea. Among the papers to be submitted
are : — " Electric Steels, " by C. ( 1. Carlisle, and " The Electrification of
the Works and Collieries of the Ebbw Vale Co., ' by W. Dixon.

Service Notes. — A/Capt. R. M. Moberly, from East
Riding Fortress Engineers, to be captain, T.F. Reserve. R.E.
Extract from the Limdi^n t!,i:ette, June 30th, 1920.

Appointments Vacant. — .\ssistant divisional engineer

for telegraphs and telephones for the Post and Telegraph
Department. Penang (iiiln dollars per month, <lollar = 2s. Id.):
telegraph engineering assistants for the Government of Tanganyika
Territory, Post and Telegraph Department C£35ir). See our
ftdvettisement pages to-day.

Joint Housing of Teclinical Societies. — According to

Sir W. Pope, of Cambridge University, an appeal for funds is about
to be made, under the leadership of Lord Moulton, to build head-
(juarters to house all the various interests, scientific, technical,
and commercial, of the county.

Educational. — University Grants. — Lord Crawford
stated in Parliament, on July 21st, that, subject to the over-riding
necessities of national finance, the Chancellor of the Exchequer
was prepared to submit to Parliament an increase in the present
vote to the universities of from one to one-and-a-half million
pounds in the Estimates for 1921-22.

Lord Rayleigti Memorial. — The Rayleigh Memorial

Committee has decided that the memorial to the late Lord
Hayleigh in Westminster Abbey shall take the form of a mural
tablet, by Mr. Derwent Wood. The balance will be used to establish
a library fund at the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge. — 'Jhe

Times.

Rapid Development in Detroit. — The United 'States

census shows that the City of Detroit has in 10 years doubled its
population, which now numbers nearly a million. The Detroit
Edison Co. (chief engmeer, Alex. Dow.) in 1909 sold 87 million
KW.-hours ; in 1919 the output was not double, but more than ten
times as much — 8725 millions a year. There are two main
•generating stations, at Delray and Connors Creek.

Municipal Tramway Managers. — The Huddersfield

Tramways Committee has decided to invite the Association of
Municipal Tramway Managers to hold their conference next year
at Huddersfield

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

2h> Ed/Uort invite eUctrioal engineers, whether connected with the
technical or the commercial side of tlie profession and industry,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
KiiEOTBiCAL Review posted as to their mnvements.

Lieut. -Col. G. P. Mu.ls, D.S.O., M.I.M.E., M.I.A.E., has
been a.ppomted chief engineer to the Aster Engineering Co.
(191.3), Ltd.

Fur the appointment of borough electrical engineer at
Soutliaiiipton there were 54 applicants. These were reduced
to SIX, who were interviewed by the coiumittee, with the result
that ^h. W. U. Turner, chief assistant engmeer, Newcastle
and District Electric Lighting Co., Ltd., has been appointed.

Kingston-on-Thames T.C. is recommended to increase the
salaiy of the electrical engineer from £OUU to ^750; that of
the chief assistant from HiUi} to ^587, and those of the five
shift engineers from H'lob to £3U3.

Aylesbury T.C. has increased the salary of the electrical
engmeer (Mr. \V. A. Tdrnbcll) from £iW to £485 a year; and
that of his assistant (Mr. West) from £130 to ±155.

The Mexborough Urban District Council has succeeded in
making an e^^hiuition of itself. On Friday last Mr. J. E.
Clifl: moved a resolution rescinding the decision of the Council
to increase the salary of the electrical engineer, Mr.
FBLTH.4M. He said he had no feehng against that official,
but he contended that Mexborough could not afford to pay
the proposed salary. Mexborough was on the verge of bank-
ruptcy, and he hoped the Council would consider seriously
before giving an official £13 i)er week, which, with emolu-
ments, was brought to £15 a week. He had no doubt that
the electrical engineer was worth the salary in a larger town,
but Mexborough could not afford it. Mr. H. Cliff' seconded
the resolution. Mr. W. Winstanley pointed out that Mr.
Feltham had increased the number of units almost threefold,
and he had also increased the revenue of the electricity
undertaking from £5,'.KX) to something approaching £15,(X)()
a year. The chairman of the Electricity Committee hoped
for the sake of their own honour the Council would not
repudiate an honourable agreement. Ultimately the resolu-
tion to rescind the minute was carried by six votes to five.

Mr. L. G. Gaunter has retired from the board of Baxter
and Gaunter, Ltd., owing to ill-health. Mr. G. W. Kettlewell
has again taken up his duties of director of the company
after an absence of three years, during which time he waa
engaged upon war work.

Mr. J. Wright, chief engineering assistant to the Bradford
Corporation, has lieen appointed deputy city electrical en-
gineer from .\ugust 1st next, at a salary. of i£l,000 a year,
providing that he does not leave the Corporation's service
before March, 19'2'2.

Mr. T. G. RiCH.ARnsoN, manager of the Colne Corporation
light railways, has been appointed general manager of the
West Hartleixjol Corjioration Tramways and omnibus under-
taking.

Mr. J. Mbnzies, on leaving Dundee to become tramway
manager at Kilmarnock, has been presented l).v the tramway
stair with a wallet of Treasury notes.

Mr. H. W. Drvev, of the p(n\or station staff (charge en-
gineer) of the Metroixilitan Railway, has been .appQinfced
a.ssistant electrical engineer to a large undertaking in Spain.
Mr. R. H. Spin'.R, who has been a director of Spicer & Co.,
I,td., for many years, and who was the lion, .secretary ot the
Electrical Accessories Association until that association was
merged into the Electrical Importers' and Traders' Aesocia-

Vol. 87. No. 2,227, July 30, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

149

tion, has resigned from the board of the company, and haa
commenced business for his own account under the name of
The Power Utilities Co., at 158, City Road, London, E.G.

With further reference to a notice that appeared in this
column last week we are informed that Mr. K. T. Buthven
MuRKAV has resigned his appointment as general manager and
engineer to the North Metropolitan Electric Power Supply
Co. to engage in private practice as a, consulting engineer.
His address will still be Manor House Offices, Finsbury Park,
N.4, as in future his connection with the North Metropolitan
Electric Power Supply Co. will be that of construction
engineer.

Marylebone B.C. Electric Supply Committee, having con-
sidered the position of the Council's chief electrical engineer,
Mr. C. H. Smyth, finds that he is the only officer of the
Council who has not participated in some manner in the
bonus schemes to meet the extra cost of living which have
been granted from time to time to the various grades of the
Council's service, and that he is now in the present altered
circumstances receiving only the amount of remuneration
which was paid to the chief electrical engineer for many years
before the w-ar. It recommends that award No. 101 as modi-
fied by the report of the Civil Service National Whitley
Council Cost of Ijiving Committee be made applicable to Mr.
0. H. Smyth as from the 1st of March, 19'J0.

Mr. P. C. McQuowN, secretary of the County of London
Electric Supply Co., Ltd., \\'as presented with a silver rose
bowl and salver by the staff on the completion of^ 21 years'
service with the company.

Obituary, — Mr. J. S. Nicholson. — Mr. .John Steel Nichol-
son, lecturer on electrical engineering at Glasgow University,
died on Friday, at the age of 40 years, after a serious ULness.
Mr. Nicholson recently wrote a thesis which was accepted
for the degree of D.Sc, but his illness prevented him being
capped. During the war he rendered valuable service in the
Airship Department in London, and he received the O.B.E.
He had held his appointment as lecturer on electrical en-
gineering since 1906. .

Mr. .Tames Mitchell. — ^The death is reported of Mr. .Tames
Mitchell, president of the Alabama Traction. Light & Power
Co., Ltd. During his career he had been largely interested
in hydro-electric and other electrical enterprises, including
the Rio de Janeiro Tramway, Light & Power Co., Ltd., and
the Sao Paulo Electric Co.

Mr. G. F. Davidson. — ^The death occurred suddenly on
Saturday last, while engaged at his office, of Mr. George F.
Davidson, managing director of Messrs. Wallis & Watson,
Ltd., electincal engineers, of Park Row, Leeds. He was
44 years of age. He had recently suffered from a severe
illness.

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED.

Marine and Mechanical Electric Welding Co. (Cardiff),
Ltd. (169,074). — Private company. Registered July 16th.

Capital, £20,000 in £1 shares. To carry' on the business indicated by the
tide, and to adopt an agreement with tlie Marine and Mechanical Electric
Welding Co.. Ltd. The first directors are: C. M. Burls, 4, Lloyd's Avenue,
E.C.3; T. McLellan, " Oakdene," Gordon Road, Finchley, N.3; A. Wood-
ward, 6, Palmerston Road, East Sheen, S.W.; W. Pollock, 3, Lloyd's Avenue.
E.C.3. Qualification, £500. Secretary : W. S. Keith. Registered office : 3,
Lloyd's Avenue, E.C.3.

Garnet Tucker & Co., Ltd. (11,341). — Private company.

Registeied in Edinburgh July IGth. Capital, £5,000 in £1 shares. To carry
on the business of electric.Tl and mechanical engineers, manufacturers of and
dealers in electrical and gas apparatus and steam boilers, &c. The subscribers
(each with one share) are: A. G. Tucker. 133, West Campbell Street,
Glasgow, electrical engineer; W. Craig, 190, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
.solicitor. The first directors are : A. G. Tucker. W. Craig and S. R. Woodger.
Registered office : 133, West Campbell Street, Glasgow.

Radio Clubs, Ltd. (169,130).— Registered July 19th.

Capital, £10,000 in £1 shares. To establish, maintain and conduct clubs for
wireless telegraphists, cable-telegraph operators and others ; to give special
privileges to the Association of Wireless Telegraohists and the Cable-Telegraph
Operators' Association. The first directors are : E. R. Tuck, 3, Warwick
Road, Ealing, W. ; E. A. Watkinson, 58, Southborough Ro.id. Hackney; C. I.
McCarthy, 48, Elvetharn Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. Minimum cash sub-
scription^ seven shares. Secretary : G. W. Pacy. Registered office : Hastings
House, Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C.

Gratze, Ltd. (169,151).— Private company. Registered

July 30th. Capital. £30.000 in £1 shares. To carry on the business of elec-
trical, mechanical, automobile, aeronautical and marine engineers, manufac-
turers of and dealers in electric, magnetic, telegraphic, teleohone and other
appliances, &c. The permanent directors are: E. V. H. Gratze (managing
director). " Ulidia," Wardstock Avenue. Hendon, N.W.4; F. Clavton 15. Han-
over House, Regent's Park, N.W.I. Register«l office: 44-6, Whitfield Street,
W.l.

Alkaline Miners Lamp. Ltd. (169,139).— Private com-
pany. Registered July 20th. Capital, £10,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the
business of manufacturers of miners' electric lainns, electrical and mechanir.il
engineers, 8;c., and to adopt an agreement with G. Pearson. The first
directors arc- : J. A. Tnvlor, The M.mnr House. Mansfield, Woodhou.se, Notts
(director, Sherwood Colliery Co., Ltd.); F. N. Ellis. Debdale Hall, Mansfield,
Notts (director, Sherwood Colliery Co.. Ltd.); G. Pearson, 1, Lancaster
Gardens. Southend.on-Sea. Secretary : F. H. Ellis. Registered" office : 14.
Fletcher Gate, Nottingham.

London Factors and Agents, Ltd. (169,125).— Private com-
pany. Registered July 19th. Capital, £200 in Ss. shares. To take over Ih.-
business of an electrical and general merchant carried on by F. P. Sexton at
3(!. . Parliament Street, Westminster, as the "London Factors and Agents."
The subscriber! (each with one share) are : F. P. Sexton. Ifi. Market Place,
Kingston-on-Thames, electrical engineer; F. L. Strausons, 15fl. Richmond Road.
Kingston, merchant. F. P. Se.xton is permanent governing director, Solicitor;
C. G. SherwoocJ, 53, Eden Street, Kingston-on-Thame«,

Bristol and South Wales Electric Welding Co., Ltd.

(169,1«).— Private company. Registered July 20th. Capital, £5,000 in £1
shares. To carry on the business indicated by the title. The subscribers (each
with one share) are: F, Sandiford, 1, Kensington Avenue, Victoria Park West,
Cardiff, clerk; W. C. Buck, 33, Borstal Avenue, Heath Cardiff, engineer.
The subscribers are to appoint the first directors. Qualification, 100 shares.
Secretary: F. Sandiford. Registered office; 236, Bute Street, Cardiff.

Atlantic Engineering Co. (1020), Ltd. (11,386).— Private

company. Registered in Edinburgh July 13th. Capital, £330,000 in £1 shares
(175,000 preference). To take over the British patent rights granted to T.
Morton relating to the lubrication of engines; the business carried on by the
Atlantic Land and Marine Engine Co., Ltd., at Wishaw; and the business
carried on by the British Marine Motor and Launch Co., Ltd., at Old Kil-
patrick, and to manufacture internal combustion engines and parts thereof,
engines for driving electrical generators, pumps, air fans or other mechanical
apparatus, &c. The subscribers (each with one share) are : T. Morton, Atlantic
Works, Wishaw, engineer; W, H. Howden, 195, Scotland Street, Glasgow,
engineer. The first directors are : T. Morton, W. H. Howden, J. H. Hume,
J- B. McGillivray, J. Morton, W. Morton and M. B. Auld. Qualification,
£500. Remuneration, £1,000 per annum for ser\ices, other than managing
director. Solicitors: M. Boyd Auld and Hunter, 113, St. Vincent Street,
Glasgow.

Brighton Lighting and Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd.

(169,143).— Private company. Registered July 20th. Capital, £5,000 in £1
shares. To carry on the business of electrical, mechanical and general engi-
neers, suppliers of electricity, manufacturers of and dealers in electric, mag-
netic, galvanic and other apparatus and machinery, &c. The subscribers (each
with one share) are: E. Heaps. 3a, Church Street, Brighton, engineer; H.
Banks, 5, Hartington Road, Brighton, electrical engineer. E. Heaps is first
managing director. Registered office : 46, Old Steine, Brighton.

Todman Ryall & Co., Ltd. (169,218).— Registered July

32nd. Capital, fl-J.OOO in £1 shares. To carry on the business of manufactur-
ing, electrical, mechanical, motor and general engineers, &c. The subscribers
(each with one share) are : J. C. Todman, 29, Goldsmith Avenue, W.3, engi-
neer; R. T. H. Rvall, 40, Forest Road, Kcw Gardens, Surrey, engineer; W. J.
Whinfield. 16, Montreal Road, llford secretary; J. Davidson, " Ellerslie,"
Eltham, S.E.9, share broker; J. P. J. Peregrine, 54, New Broad Street, E.G.,
company director. Registered without articles of association. Solicitors : Geo.
Reader and Co., 35, Coleman Street, E.C,

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Bell's United Asbestos Co., Ltd.— Issue on May 1st, 1920,

of £10,000 debentures, part of a series already registered.

Hart Accumulator Co., Ltd. — Debenture dated July 5th,

1920, to sicure £35,000 charged on the company's undertaking and property,
present and future, including uncalled capital. Holders; London County.
Westminster & Parr's Bank, Ltd.

Frank Tomey & Co., Ltd. — Satisfaction in full on July

12th of mortgage dated March 20th, 1920, securing all moneys due or to
become due from company to bankers.

Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., Ltd.— Trust

deed dated July 5th, 19'20, to secure £2,000,000 debenture stock and further
unlimited issue charged on various properties in Elswick and Benwell, New-
castle-on-Tyne, and Openshaw, Lanes, (subject to prior deed for £2,500,000
debenture stock) and the company's undertaking and property, present and
future, including uncalled capital. Trustees: Law Debenture Corporation,

Heswall Electric Light Co., Ltd. (55,482).— Return dated

June 11th, 1920. Capital, £1,500 in £1 shares. 1,225 shares taken up.
£1,3-25 paid. Mortgages and charges : nil.

Hendon Electric Supply Co., Ltd. — Trust deed dated

July 12th. 1920 (supplemental to trust deeds dated Julv 30th, 1907, and April
3nd, 1912) to secure £-25,000 debenture stock, in addition to £33.000 secured
by previous deeds. Property charged : the company's undertaking .and pro-
perty, present and future, including uncalled capital. Trustees : Beaver

CITY NOTES.

Meetings of the debenture holders and

Stratford=on= shareholders have been held to consider

Avon Electricity what course could be taken to enable the

Co., Ltd. company to end the present unsatisfactory

state of affairs. The chairman said that
if money could not be obtained to carry on with, either the
works would have to be closed, or something would have to
bo done with them. Last Christmas, in order to keep things
going, the directors supplied money out of their own pockets
to j)ay interest to the debenture holders. That could not
continue, and the bank would not honour the company's
cheques unless the debit balance was reduced, or unless the
diiectors gave a ixM-sonal guarantee. That they did not feel
inclined to do. The negotiations with the Corporation for
the purchase of the undertaking were abortive. The only
bright spot on the horizon was that the prospects of the
company were never better. In the course of the chairman's
speech and the subsequent discussion, it transjjired that new
mains to replace the existing ones were necessary at once,
and the meeting was asked whether the shareholders could
raise ;£10,(XlO to bring the undertaking up-to-date, as if not,
the concern must come to an end. It was decided to visit
the Board of Trade and a.scertain just how they stood in
regard to being allowed to wind up, and other matters, and
to .see whether any help could be derived from that source.
Failing that, another meeting will be called to pass resolu-
tions as to winding up.

The A.O. fur Elektrotechnische Unter-

German nehmungen, of Munich, recommends a

Companies. dividend of 6 per cent, on the preference

shares for 1919, as in the previous year.

Thi^ directors of Dr. Paid Metier A.G.; of Berlin, recommend

a dividend at the rate of JO per cent, out of net profits of

67.5,000 marks in 1919, as contrasted with 10 per cent, and

437,000 marks jn 1918.

150

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,227, jult 30, 1920.

The Continentale Gesellschaft fur Elektrische Lhiternehmxin-
grn, of Nuremburg, proposes to pay a dividend at the rate
of 3 per cent, on the preference share capital of 31,122,000
marks for 1919, being the same rate as in 1918. The net
profits are returned at 1,318,000 marks, as against 1,212,000
marks.

The accounts of the C. Lorenz, A.G., of Berlin, show that
after setting aside 1,151,000 marks for depreciation in 1919,
as against 1,903,000 nj:iiks in the previous year, the net profits
.amount to 1.568,000 ii)aik.s, as compared with 1,224,000 marks
in 1918. It is proposed to pay a dividend and bonus of 20 per
cent., contrasting with 22 per cent, in 1918.

The directors of the Akkurnulatoren Fabiik, A.G., of Berliii-
Hagen, recommeud a dividend at the rate of 17 per cent, for
1919, this comparing with 20 iier cent, in the previous year.
It is proposed to increase the share capital by 8 tu 20 millions
of marks; one half of the new shares will be offered to existing
shareholders at the price of 150 per cent., T\hile the remainder
will be devoced to an interchange of shares with other com-
panies.

The A.G. Mix £ Genest, of Be liin-Schoneberg , after allocat-
ing 107,000 marks to depreciation in 1919, as compared with
118,000 marks in the preceding year, reports net profits or
6.53,000 marks, as contrasted with a loss in 1918 in consequence
of the cancellation of army orders and labour troubles. The
directors recommend a dividend at the rate of 7 per cent., as
against no distribution in 191S. It is added that the orders
on liand will provide fnll occupation for the piesent year.

The report of the Deutsche Kahrhrerhe, A.G., af Berlin-
Lichienherg, states that sale prices in 1919 did not keep pace
with the growth in working expenses, .\fter making pro-
vision for depreciation, the net profits are returned at
1,392,000 marks, as compared with 8.56,000 marks in 1918. and
a- dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, is to be paid ns in the
previous year, together with a bonus of 5 per cent, for 1919.
It is stated that the cdpital invested in the English subsidiary
company will be received this year on the basis of the "ex-
change adjustment law."

The report of the Elektrizitafs A. G. Vorm. IF. LahmeyeT
<f Co., of Frankforf -cm-Main , gives a review of the situation of
the tramways and electricitv works in which the company is
interested, and mentions that the holdings in the German
Transmarine Electricity Co. and the Felten & Guilleaurae Co.
have been sold, kiter making provision for depreciation and
meeting the loan service, the accounts .-^how net profits of
.3.01.5,000 marks for 1919, as compared with 2,848,000 marks
in the previous year, and the dividend is at the rate of 8 per
cent., as in 1918, on ordinary share capital of 34,375,000 marks.

The directors of the Felten d Gnilleaume Carhu-erk. AG.,
nf Cnlogne-MuJheim. reporting on the past year, state that
owing to the scarcity of coal it was only possible partly to
meet the demands made upon the works. Great difficulties
were experienced in obtaining r,aw materials for the manu-
facture of products of the quality produced in former peace
times, as 7iiost of the materials had to be obtained from
abroad, and even semi-finished steel had to be imported, as
inland makers were unable to .satisfy the most urgent require-
ments. Tlianks to the appropriate adaptation of manufac-
turing to more highly finished products, as compared with
the pre-war period, it was possible to find occupation for work-
men and staff to approximately the same extent as formerly,
and as soon as the market was open the policy followed for
t^n years past of strengthening the internal 'finances enabled
the company to acquire sufficient quantities of copper, rubber,
woven materials, &c. — as being the mo.st essential raw mate-
rials. The great increase in sale prices resulting from the
favouralile situation contributed towards the profits for the
year. The holding of shares in the Steinfort .steel works was
no longer pos.sible owing to the conditions in T.uxemburg,
and the shares had therefore been sold to a French company,
and the most important problem for the company would be
to find .substitution for this loss of supply of semi-fipi.shed .steel.
.\s crro.ss profits the accounts indicaiie the sum of 29..5fil.000
ma'-ks. as compared with 2'2,63S,000 in 1918, and net profits
and bnlance forward amounting to 10,139.000 marks, as against
6,767,000 marks in 1918. amounts^ of 1,418.000 m.^rks and
3.717.000 marks having been previouslv written off for de-
preciation in the two years respectively. It is proposed to
pay a dividend at the rate of 15 per cent, on ordinary share
capital of 60,000,000 marks, this contrasting with 10 per cent,
in 1918. 15 per cent, in 1917, and 8 per cent, in 1914, The
.•^hare capital is now to be increased to 122,000,000 marks.

• .\t the ordinarv meeting of the F.neraie

French Com- EUctrique dit Littoral Metfiterranien the
panles. net profits were stated to be 4,910.462 fr.,

allowing of the di,stribution of a dividend
of 6 per cent,, the same amount as in the two preceding work-
ing vears. The report empha.si.sed in much detail the diffi-
culties met with in working the companv connected with the
crises in transport and coal, occasioned bv strikes, and stat^'d
that the year recorded the greatest rise in expenditure since
the beginning of the company. In apnrovipg the accounts and
report, the meeting fixed the dividend at 30 fr. per secnritv.

The Ccimpagnie lie:^ Prndiiitu Chiminnex d'AJain ef dr \a
Cainarpne fat Pechiney) and the Sneicii' Elecfro-mrfalhirgique
Franraiae (at Froge.s) are, it is said, about t« amalgamate.
The former companv h^s a remarkable record in the French
"hemical and metal-working industry. In late years it has de-
voted itself specially to aluminium. In 1911 it took a 33.7 per

cent, share in the Aluminium Franjais Company. In 1914 it
absorbed the Societe des Produits Electro-Chmiiques et Metal-
lurgiques des Pyrenees. In 1916 it absorbed the Societe des
Forces IViotrices et Usines d'Arve. Its amalgamation with the
Froges Couipany is not the least chapter of its remarkable
record, for that company takes rank as one of the largest
lYench producers of aluminiuuj. Before the war its yearly
output was about 5,000 tons. Besides its works at Froges, it
owns works at Argentiere, on the Durance River, the Praz,
and the St.-Michael-de-Maurienne, on the Arc — all three
works using the alumina made in another works of the com-
pany, .seated at Gardanne, for conversion into aluminium.
Moreover, the Froges company owns a mine of bauxite on the
Var which furui.shes 90 per cent, of its consumption.

Realising net profits of 1,132,625 fr., the Electricite de Stras-
houry Cu. have declared a dividend of 5 per cent., or 62..50 fr.
per share. The leixii't foresees the need for the installation of
r.ew lines and the enlargement of the central station to meet
the demand for energy. A high-tension line to link Mulhouse
to Strasbourg is now under construction, with low-tension off-
shoots to serve a cert.ajn number of communes.

With net profits of 613,515 fr., the Apareillage Electro-
industrial (Petrier, Tissot et Raybaud) have distributed a divi-
dend of 103 fr. per share to the old shareholders and 16.40 fr.
to the new shareholdeis, created by the recent increase of
capital (.500,000 fr.).

The shareholders of the Societe des Forces Matrices
d'Auvergne have sanctioned a dividend of 6 fr. per share. Not-
withstanding existing difficulties, the management have decided
to install a new reserve central station at Thiers, equipped with
two 600-H.r. Diesel sets.

The accounts of the .i.E.G. Union Elck-

Austrian tri;:itats Gesellschaft, of Vienna, show a

Companies. large increa.se in the gross profits in 1919,

as conipared with the preceding year.

.\fter placing l,(i6<l,000 kr. to depreciation, as against 720,000

kr., the net profits are returned at 2,419,000 kr,, as contrasted

with 1,490,0(.I0 kr, in 1918. It is proposed to pay a dividend

at the rate of H i>er cent., as compared with 5 per cent. The

report mentions that the share capital in the new financial

year has already been increased from 24 to 36 million kr., and

a further advance to 50 millions has been decided upon. .\n

abundance of contracts is on hand, including State orders for

hydro-electric works, and the conversion of the Alpine railways

to electric traction.

The report for 1919 of the Austrian Siemens-Schuckert
Werke, of Vienna, states that the works were well occupied,
but the production suffered from difficulties in working and
transport. The transition to peace manufactures proceeded
without interruption, although the depreciation of the cur-
rency rendered it almo.st impos.sible to procui'e raw materials
from abroad. Having written off 1.400.rKXI kr, for depreciation.
as against 1,600,000 kr. in 1918, the accounts show net profits
of 2,9.50,0(X) kr., as compared with a loss of 24:3,000 kr. in the
previous year, and the dividend is at the rate of 5 per cent,
on capitai of 32,000,000 kr., this contrasting with no distribu-
tion for 1918. It is stated that sufficient orders are now on
the books, and sale prices have almost reached the world's
market prices. Ihc share capital h;is been increased to
75,(XX),000 kr. .■^t the end of 1919 the number of workmen
and staff was 5.3.54, comparing with 5.092 at the close of
1918.

Stock Exchange Notices. — Dealings in the following
securities have been sjiecially allowed by the Committee under
Temporary Regulation 4 (3) : —

Johnson, Matthey & Co.— £2.50,000 8 per cent. 7-year notes,
issued at £91i per cent., fully paid, after issue of allotment
letters.

South Metropolitan Electric Light & Power Co.— .500 7 per
cent, cumulative first preference shares of £1 each, fully paid,
Nos. 292,969 to 293,468.

Tramwavs Light & Power Co.— .502,100 ordinary shares of
£1 each fully paid, Nos. 1 to .502.100. 247,900 new ordinary
of £1 each, Nas. 502,101 to 750,000.

The Committee has ordered the following to be officially
quoted : —

Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd.— 1,385,726 ordinary
shares of £1 each, fuUy paid (Nos, 1,500,001 to 2,885,726).

Telephone Manufacturing Co. (1920), Ltd.— Mr. F. T.
Jackson presided at the statutory meeting held on Friday.
He described the objects and operations of the company, and
the intention to extend the selling organisation throughout
the world. In addition to the installation companies operat-
ing in this country they controlled others in Belgium ami
France, and had contracts with firms in Spain and Egypt ;
they were starting a company in .\ustralia, and as soon as
the factorv extensions were completed, thev woirld be develop-
ing their business in practically every civilised country.

Metropolitan Railway Co. — Interim dividend for the half-
vear nt the rate of 1 per cent, per annum on the con.solidated
"stock, including the deferred ordinarv st(vk; also interim
dividend on the surplus laiul stock at the rate of 2J per cent.
per annum.

Livernool Overhead Railway Co. — Interim dividends for
the half-year ending June 30th at the rate of 5 per cent, per
annum on the preference shares, and 25 per cent, per annum
on the ordinary shares.

Vol. 87. No. 2,227, July SO, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

151

Prospectuses. — Dullcrs, Lid. — The list of subscriptioas is
to close on or before tomorrow, in an issue of ±'"250,000 first
mortgage ti per cent, (free of tax) redeemable debentures
of £bO and A'iOO each. The proceeds are required to replace
expenditure incurred in the erection and equipment of the
new works at Milton, and to provide additional working
capital. The net prohts for the past four years subject to
E.P.D. and income tax have been: 1916, ill, 794; 1917,
±71,461; 1918, io'i.LSS; 1919, ±71,U'21, and the dividends for
these four years were Ti per cent., 10 per cent., 10 per cent.,
and l'2i per cent., free of tax, on the ordinary shares.

The Telephone Manufacturing Co. (1920), Ltd. — This com-
pany is offering until August 4th an issue of 100,000 ordinary
shares of £1 each at par. It was formed in May last to
take over a complete organi-sation for the manufacture, in-
stallation, and maintenance of the " New System " inter-
communication telephones. The company acquires the busi-
ness and a.s.-ets of the Telephone Manufacturing Co., Ltd.,
and the entire issued .share capital of 13 allied installation
companies ^\hich are carrying on operations in different parts
of the United Kingdom. It is stated that contracts already
entered into provide a yearly rental exceeding ±'75,300. The
works are at West Dulwich, and they are being enlarged to
cope with the business offered. The object of the issue is
to pay for the extensions and to provide additional workmg
capital. The nominal capital of the coujpany is ±600,000,
and that issued (including the present offer) is ±410,000.
The purchase price has been fixed at ±307,400. The profit
for the last financial year is put at ±57,.304, subject to taxa-
tion, or over 18 per cent, on the purchase price, and five of
the installation companies have not yet completed their first
financial year. The company anticipates that the demand
for its installations will increase beyond the present large
dimensions in consequence of the introduction of higher tele-
phone rates by the Government.

The Biuxli klcrtricdl Eni/ineering Co., Ltd.— The list is to
close to-day in an issue of 339,512 ordinary shares of ±1 each
at par. The proceeds are required for paying for extensions
to buildings and plant, providing additional working capital,
and erecting houses for workpeople at Loughborough.

The issue of 7 per cent, seven-year notes by Vickers, Ltd.,
was fully subscribed.

The recent issue of short-term notes by Fullers United
Electric Works was over-subscribed.

Chili Telephone Co., Ltd.— Mr. C. W. Parish presided
on 20th inst. at the annual meeting. He referred to the
extension progress that had been made during the year of
trunk and other lines, new offices, the acquisition of new
sites, &c. The new automatic switchboard now being made
for Valparaiso would be installed in 1921. They had acquired
the business of the .\ntofagasta Telephone Co., and of the
company operating at Calama. Negotiations respecting the
renewal of the company's concessions were in progress, and
were expected to terminate this year. They could not de-
velop their business unless the Government granted reason-
able security of tenure ; in view of the increasing cost of
plant this was now very vital.

Electro Bleach & By=products, Ltd. — It is announced that
Sir Halford .1. Mackinder, M.P.. chairman of this company,
and Mr. E. G. Cubitt have retired from the board, the ex-
change of shares with Brunner, Mond & Co. having now
been carried through.

Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. of Canada. — Net profit
of $102,130 for 1919, increasing the surplus to .$395,918, which
is carried forward, subject to Government taxation. — Finan-
cial Timen.

Mather & Piatt, Ltd. — Interim dividend of 3 per cent.,
free of tax, on the ordinary shares for the half-year ended
June.

Chatham & District Light Railways Co. — Interim divi-
dend of 5 per cent, per annum on the ordinary shares for
the half-year.

Chelsea Electricity Supply Co., Ltd. — Interim dividend
of 5 per cent, per annum, less tax, on the ordinary shares
for the half-year.

Kensington & Knightsbridge Electric Lighting Co., Ltd.
— Dividend of 1 per cent, on the ordinary shares for the
lialf-year ended June 30th.

Bournemouth & Poole Electricity Supply Co., Ltd. — In-
terim dividend on the ordinary shares for the half-year ended
June, at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum, less tax.

Lanarkshire Tramways Co. — Interim dividend of 5 per
cent. [>er annum, less tax, for the half-year.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

TUKStiAV EVENINO.

Stock Exch.\ngr markets are in a somewhat depre.s.sed con-
dition. There is nothing much in the situation to induce
fresh enterprise, and the talk of cheaper money is stilled.
Foreign politics are in too much of a broil to infuse confi-

dence into the Stock Exchange markets, while at home the
deplorable chaos in Ireland is an undoubted factor in check-
ing business, though little connection may be apparent at
first sight between Stock Exchange securities and Sinn Fein
outrages. New issues come along at a rapid rate, and iu
spite of the public's caution in regard to money, the good
stocks are placed without difficulty.

LTnderwriters of the Calcutta Electric Supply 5 per cent,
debenture stock, tax free, issued at 95, were left with 40 per
cent, of their obligations, and the price started in the market
at 3 discount. It may illustrate the financial fashion of the
day if we mention that uhile the subscription lists were open,
orders to buy the stock were sent into the market for execu-
tion if the price, when dealings began, fell to the neighbour-
hood of 2J discount. This in iK)int of fact is the quotation at
which business was done at the start, and considering the
security, the stock is cheap at anything like this figure.

Puller'ii United issue was taken, we understand, without
the underwriters being called upon to pay for any of the
stoc'k. Several newcomers have put in an appearance this
week. An amount of ±'250,000 first mortgage 6 per cent.,
free of income tax, debentures in Bullers, Ltd., has been
offered at 100. The security is well covered. The subscrip-
tions were to close on or before Saturday in this week. The
Telephone Manufacturing Company offered 100,000 ordinary
shares of ±1 each at par, the list being due to close on or
before August 4th. The company was formed in May this
year to acquire the business and assets of a company of the
same name, together with those of thirteen allied installation
concerns. There ought to he wide scope for a company of
this kind, but the shares naturally possess a speculative
flavour. Brush Electrical Engineering has issued 339,51'2
ordinary shares of ±1 each at par.

Amongst electricity supply issues. City of London prefer-
ence have improved to 17s. 6d., and County ordinary receded
to 8. Otherwise there is no change in the iist. A fair amount
of business is being done in Westminster ordinary, and seeing
that the shares pay nearly 10 per cent, on the money at the
present price, it is not surprising that they are being in-
cluded among.st investment holdings by people who consider
it well to spread their interests over various branches of in-
dustry. Edisons in the manufacturing group cased off' to
'23s. 9d., and there is some little disappointment felt in the
absence of any announcement a.s to the outcome of certain
negotiations which were said to be going on a month or two
back with other companies. The rumours may have been, of
course, market gossip, but they certainly were substantial and
explicit. Siemens at 25s. 6d. are a few pence down.

The Kensington Company has declared an interim dividend
of 4 per cent, as against ii per cent, a year ago. This came
as a surprise. So much so, in fact, that the notification was
" checked " on the telephone by certain doubters who held
the news to be too good to be correct. But the price of the
shares is unchanged.

Already foresight is beginning to lay plans with a view to
taking advantage of what possibilities may come about by
reason of the partial removal of E.P.D. next spring. The
Government declining at present to make any material move
in the direction of economy, it is argued that other taxes will
have to be imposed in one way or another to take the place
of any taken off. This contention is weighing with those who
look at tax-free securities with particular attention at any
period when new taxes may be looming in the distance. TLe
cable group naturally comes to the front in such circum-
stances, and Eastern ordinary and Globe ordinary are both
better this week. It is asked whether the companies can
maintain the increased dividends of 10 per cent, on the
largely augmented capital recently raised by the Eastern,
Eastern Extension, Western and Globe undertakings. The
market view is that the companies would not have increased
their dividends had the directors not been able to see their
way to maintain them on the extra capital now employed,
and if the 10 per cent, dividends, free of tax, are continued,
certainly the yields now offered look tempting enough.
Eastern Extensions and Eastern ordinary both pay roughly
6s per cent., on the money, free of tax, equivalent to practi-
cally 10 per cent, with tax at 6s. in the ±. Going into the
matter mathematically, it will be found that the new shares
are a little cieaper than the old, though there is not much
in it.

Home Railway stocks have fallen sharply, owing to the
hopelessness of the position as it .stands at present. Though
rates may be increased, it is felt that this will stimulate
motor competition very considerably, and therefore that Sir
Eric Geddes is not justified in looking for such railway
receipts as will enable the companies to make good the deficit
of 56 million pounds per annum with whi<-h they are faced
under the existing fares. Metropolitans have dropped li to
20{, although Districts keep .steady. The Underground Elec-
tric Railway group is fairly firm, owing to the prospect of
the omnibus and charabanc part of the business being largely
developed and encouraged by the increased railway fares.
The ±10 shares, however, are lower at 30s., although the
shilling variety stiffened to 58.

162

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

[Vol. 87. No. 2,227, July 30, 1920.

There is not much doing in Marconis, the ordinary shares
remaining at 3 and the preference at 25. Marconi Marines
are 35s., Canadians lower at 9.s. Oriental Telephones at '2j
continue their upward advance, and other telephone shares
arc steady.

The curious anomaly is presented of Anglo-Argentine Tram-
way first preference, now in receipt of dividends, standing at
3i, while the second preference are i higher. The latter,
however, carry arrears of 4J years' dividends, which in time
will probably be paid off, because the Argentine f^iepublic is
certainly going ahead financially and industrially, according
to the comnjcrcial reports which reach this country week by
week. Brazilians, on the other hand, are inclined to be dull,
though at this juncture prices are swayed more by the finan-
cial atmosphere prevailing in Paris than by Brazilian con-
siderations. In Mexicans, the attitude is one of pronounced
caution. Everyone is looking for a rise, everything seems
ready for a rise, but the guerilla warfare breaks out
sporadically, and people are afraid of venturing into Mexicans,
although, on the other hand, holders of the stocks decline to
sell just as the outlook gives promise of better things.

In the armament group, the new issue recently made by
Vickers was taken by the public, and, although the Armstrong
Gi per cent, second debenture stock was partially left in the
bands of underwriters, a free market has sprung up in the
stock on the basis of 2J discount below the issue price of 95.
Rubber shares are listless, with nothing of consequence doing,
though the optimists continue to hammer away at their con-
viction that the price of raw material is certain to increase in
price during the next few months. Of which there is small
indication at the present time.

SHARE LIST 07 ILECTBIOAL OOMPANIES.

Home Elbctmcitt Coupamies,

Dividend Price

, ■ V July 27, yield

1918. 1919. 1930. Rise or fall. p.c.

Brompton Ordinary 8 la 6| — iCQ 6 9

OhariDg OroBS Ordinary .... 4 7 Bl — 10 0 0

do. do. do iiPret. .. 4) 4,'. 9! — BBS

OhelBea 3 4 9$ — 800

OilTOI London 8 10 l| — 8 17 10

do. do. 6per cent. Pre). .. 6 6 17/6 +6d. 6 17 2

Ooontj of London 7 8 8 — J 10 (JO

do do. 6 per oent. Fref. 6 6 B) — 7 6 6

Kensington Ordinary .... 6 7 i — 8 16 0

London Electric Nil 2i IJ — 6 0 0

do. do. 6 per oent. Piel. . . 6 fi' B — 10 0 0

Metropolitan 6 6 9} — 10 8 8

do. 41 per oent. Prel, ..41^4^ Iff — 8 0 0

St. James' and PaU Mall . . .. 10~ 19' 6] — 8 16 10

Bonth London 5 6 9| — 9 19 0

Booth Metropolitan Pret 7 7 18/9 — 7 0 0

Westminster Ordinary .... 8 10 EJ — 9 15 9

TELESBAfHS AHD TSLBrHONES,

Anglo-Am, Tel, Pref 6 6 79^ — T 11 0

do. Del 83/6 1) m — SUE

Ohlle Telephone 8 6 BJ — *4 16 0

OabaSnb. Ord 7 7 8i — «8 4 8

Baslern Extension 8 10 14} — *8 18 0

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 146* -H »8 16 6

Globe Tel. and T. Ord « 10 14| +} •6 1.'-, 7

do. do. Pret 6 6 sj — 7 19

Qreat Northern Tel 22 29 91) — 10 4 8

Indo-Boropean 13 10 30 — 8 B 8

MaroonI 95 96 SA — 8 6 8

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 19 9* -|- ,i. '4 16 0

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 7" — »6 14 4

West India and Panama .. .. 1/3 Nil \i — Nil

Western Telegraph 8 10 15 — *8 13 4

Home Rails.

Central London Ord. Assented ..4 4 44) — 8 19 .1

Metropolitan 1 u 201 — IJ 6 2 0

do. District .... NU Nil 164 — Nil

Underground Electric Ordinary.. Nil Nil ij —i Nil

do. do. "A" .. Nil Nil 5/. 4-6d. Nil

do, do. Income .. 6 4 56) —

FOREION Tbams, .&o.

Anglo-Arg. Trams. First PreJ. .. Nil 5i 31 — } 8 'I 2

do. do. QndPref. .. Nil Nil SJ — Nil

do. do. 6 Deb, . . 6 6 53^ — 8 1 1 0

Brazil Tractions Nil Nil 474 — Nil

Bombay Electric Pref 6 6 13 — 4 10 0

British Columbia Eleo. Rly. Pfoe. 6 6 EGl — 8 17 0

do. do. Prelerrred 9* 6 534 — 9 7 0

do. do. Deferred Nil B 544 — 5 10 1

do. do. Deb. .. 4* 4i 65 — 7 14 7

MeiiooTramse percent. Bonds.. Ni" Nil 89 — NU

do. 6per oent. Bonds.. Nil NU 29 — Nil

Meiloan Light Common . . . . NU NU 14 — Nil

do. Pref NU Nil 264 — Nil

do, Ist Bonds . . . . NU NU 48 — Nil

MANUrACIUKIMO OoHPAMlBB.

Babcook & Wilcox 16 16 9S — 'B 14 4

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 IX — 9 8 9

British Insulated Ord 19) 16 lu — 8 5 fi

Oallenders 26 16 Itu — 11 8 6

„ .. 64 Pre! 64 6i ■ 18/- — 7 4 6

OaBtner.Eellner 90 17 8 — 6 13 4

Orompton Ord 10 10 19;6x(l — 10 6 2

Bdlson-Bwan, " A " .. ..10 10 1, — < 8 8 5

do. do. 6 per cent. Deb. .. 6 6 78* — 6 6 9

Bleotrlo Construction .... 10 10 1 _ 10 0 0

Gen. Blec. Pref 64 «4 18/0 — 7 0 6

do. Ord 10 10 ao/a — •« 11 u

"5°'*'..i-n 96 IS IJ _ 8 0 U

do. 44Pret 44 44 Bl — 6 18 H

Indla-Rnbber 10 10 96/9 — M IB 4

Met..Vlokera Prel - 8 a/ _ . , ,; a

Siemens Ord 10 10 96/6 -6d '7 17 0

Telegraph Con 90 20 SOJ.xd — *6 17 C

• Ci»idcad5 p»id Iroc uf liicome.Tax.

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

It should be remembered, in maJcing use of the figures appearins;
in the following list, that in some cafies the prioes are only general,
and they may vsu-y according to quantities and other circumstanceB.

Tuesday. July 27th.

CHEMICALS. &c.

Latest
Price.

Fortnight's
Inc. or Deo.

a Acid, Oxalic

per lb.

2/4

6d. dec.

a Ammoniac Sal

per ton

£100

a Ammonia, Muriate (large crystal)

£92

a Bisulphide of Carbon

,,

a Borax

£50

£8"iiic.

a Copper Sulphate

^^

£44

£3deo.

a Potash, Chlorate

per 'lb.

1/-

a ,, Perchlorate

i/a

o Shellac

per owt.

£34

£lmc.

a Sulphate of Magnesia

per ton

£18

a Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers

£28

a „ Lump

^

£25

a Soda, Chlorate

per lb.

6d,

a „ Crystals

per ton

£12

a Sodium Bichromate, casks

per lb.

METALS. &c.

g Babbitt's Metal Ingots

per ton

£118 to £346

c Brass (rolled metal 2" to 12" basis)

per lb.

l/3i

c ,, Tubes (soUd drawn)

1/G to 1/6J

c ,, Wire, Ijasis

,,

l/3g

c Copper Tubes (solid drawn)

l/8i

g ,, Bars (best selected)

per ton

£104

£3tao.

g ,, Sheet

,,

£164

£8 inc.

g „ Rod

£164

£3 inc.

d ,, (EleotrolyUc) Bars

,,

£114

£4 ino.

d „ 1, Sheets

,,

£166

d „ „ Wire Rods..

,j

£130

£5 ino.

d „ „ H.C. Wire ..

per lb.

1/4

f Ebonite Rod

,,

a/.

f „ Sheet

9/6 ■

n German Silver Wire

,,

3/.

ft Gutta-percha, fine

,,

14/-

A India-rubber, Para fine

„

1/10

Id.' dec.

i Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ...

per ton

Nom.

/ „ Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual.

,,

£69

g Lead, English Pig

,,

£88 lOs,

£l'inc.

y Mercury

per bot.

£20 103. to £21

e Mica (in original oases) smaU ...

per lb.

6d. to 4/6

« „ „ ,, medium..

,,

5/- to 10/-

g „ „ ,. large ...

,,

12/6 to 25/- & up

g Phosphor Bronze, plain castmgs

,,

1/6 to 1/11

g „ „ rolled bars and rods

2/2 to 2/6

d ,, ,, rolled strip & sheet

,,

2/3 to 2/9

r Silicium Bronze Wire

per lb.

1/112

g Steel, Magnet, in bars

1/8

n Tin, Block (English)

per ton

£266 to £267

e ., Wire, Nos. 1 to 16

per lb.

4/9

White Antifriction Metals

per ton

£80 to £835

£10dec.

Quotations supplied by—

a G. Boor & Co.

g James & Shakespeare.

c Thos. Bolton & Bans, Ltd.

A Edward Till & Co.

d Frederick Smith & Co.

I Boiling & Lowe,

e F. Wiggins & Sons.

/ Richard Johnson & Nephew, Ltd.

f India-Rubber, Gutta-Percha and
Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.

nP.

Ormiston & Sons.

r W

P. Dennis & Co.

The Institute of Mine Surveyors. — At a general meeting

of the East Glam. Branch at Pontypridd, on July 23rd. under the
presidency of Capt. J. W. Walker, M.C.. it was gratifying to note
the large number present, which indicated the rapid growth of the
Surveyors' Institute, and the keen interest taken by all its members.
After the usual preliminaries, the President called upon Mr.
William Thomas, Principal of the Cambrian Correspondence School.
Porth, to read a paper on " The Magnetism of the Earth and its
Effect on Iron and Steel," which proved very interesting, and was
followed by a discussion. A limited number of typed copies of the
paper will be distributed gratis to anyone interested, on receipt of
three penny stamps to cover postage.

New Use for Electric Furnaces. — Electric ferro-allov

furnaces have been diverted to a most interesting: use commercially,
says Enqineerint]. quoting The Iron Age, of New York. A southern
company, which made synthetic pijr-iron, ferro-mangranese, ferro-
silicon, and other similar products durini? the war in its electric
furnaces, found itself after the armistice faced with the problem of
discovering: a profitable use for its equipment. Prices for ferro-
manganese and low -phosphorus pi^-iron had declined, and in the
production of certain other alloys there was keen competition. The
result of wide investij^ations ha.s been the manufacture in this type
of furnace of phosphoric acid and potash on a fairly larpre scale.
For making phosphoric acid, phosphate rock is smelted in the
electric furnace, the phosphorus being tiriven off as phosphoric
oxide, suspended in the gases. These are collected and treated by
the Cottrell electrical precipitation system, in which the phosphorus
compounds are collected electrically as a fine powder. By further
treatment and concentration a sujierior product is obtained, free
from any of the impurities which are present when sulphuric acid
is the disintegrating agent. In the manufacture of potash, southern
shales ai'e similarly treated, with the t'onuatiou of oxides of
liotassium in the gases and their electrical precipitation ;uid
collection. The substitution of electricity for expensive chemicals
in these interesting cases is not only a featun^ of this new practice,
but there is the other novelty that electricity is used both as the
destroying or breaking-down agent nud M the medium by which
the final produuts ai'e reoovered,

Vol. 87. No. 2,227, JuiY 30, 1920.] THE ELECTIIICAL BEVIEWo

158

INCREASE OF RENT ACT AND BUSINESS PREMISES.

By W. VALENTINE BALL, O.B.E.

Now that the Legislature is detiiiitely couiuiitted to the
policy of interfering between the landlords and tenants
iif business premises, it seems to be desirable to say a
few words about the recent Act of Parliament by which
this interference is effected. It should be observed that
what follows is but a brief summary of an Act which
abounds in qualifications and provisoes. It is essen-
tially a lawyers' statute.

The term " business premises " is not defined, but
it seems (having regard to S. 12 (1) (d) of the Act) to in-
clude all premises required for " business, trade, pro-
fessional purposes, or for the public services." It would
include, therefore, a shop for the sale of electrical
fittings, a factory or workshop, or the office of an elec-
tj'ical engineer. It only applies, however, to such pre-
mises wliere the annual amount of the standard rent
or the rateable value does not exceed in London .£105;
in Scotland £90; and elsewhere, £73.

The Legislature has thought proper to restrict the
powers of the landlord in two ways. In the first place,
he may not increase rent by more than a certain amount.
In the second place, his ordinary right of recovering
possession is considerably restricted.

With regard to rent, the Act provides by (S. 1) that
where rent has been increased since March 25th, 1920,
to more than the standard rent, the increase may not
(subject to an exception to be presently mentioned) be
recovered. " Standard rent " means the rent at which
the premises were let on August 3rd, 1914.

Certain additions may, however, be made to the
standard rent. These include: —

(a) Six per cent, on the amount of expenditure in-
curred on improvements or structural alterations since
August 4th, 1914.

(6) Increased rates paj'able by the landlord.

(c) In addition to the above amounts 35 per cent, of
the " net rent."

{d) Where the landlord is responsible for the whole
of the repairs an amount not exceeding 25 per cent, of
the "net rent," or where the, landlord is responsible
for part of the repairs, such lesser amount as may be
agreed, or as may be settled by a county court judge in
case of a dispute.

It will thus be seen that even in a case where a land-
lord has effected no repairs or alterations he may in-
crease the rent of business premises by 25 per cent.
So, if under a tenancy expiring on September 30th,
1920, the rent was formerly £100, the landlord might
refuse to renew except upon the terms of the tenant
paying £135 ; or he might let to a new tenant at £100.
In order to raise rent, however, a landlord must serve
a four weeks' notice in a form which is provided by
statute. It is to be observed generally that a transfer
by a landlord to a tenant of any burden previously
borne is to be treated as an alteration of rent.

No premium may be charged in addition to rent.

Coming now to the restrictions which tlie Act places
upon recovery of possession, it may be premised that
apart from legislation a landlord has the right to
resume possession of premises on the expiration of a
lease or tenancy, or, in certain cases, upon breach of
covenant by the lessee. The various Rent Restriction
Acts passed since 1915 have very much curtailed this
right of the landlord, and the Act now under notice
affects the landlord of business premises.

It provides that no order or judgment for the recovery
of possession of business premises, or for the ejectment
of a tenant, shall be made or given unless: —

(o) Any rent lawfully due from the tenant has not
been paid, or any other obligation of the tenancy so
far as the same is consistent with the provisions of the
Act has been broken or not performed.

(h) The tenant has been guilty of a nuisance, or the
condition of the premises has deteriorated owing to
acts of waste by, or the neglect or default of, the tenant.

(c) The tenant has given notice to quit, and in con-
sequence the landlord has contracted to sell or let the
premises, or has taken any other steps as a result of
which he could be prejudiced if he could not obtain
possession.

{d) The premises are reasonably required by the
landlord for business, trade, or professional purposes,
or for the public service, and (except as otherwise pro-
vided by this sub-section) the Court is satisfied that
alternative accommodation, reasonably equivalent as
regards rent and suitability in all respects, is available.

(e) (Omitted as not being of special interest), and

(/) The landlord became the landlord after service
in any of His Majesty's Forces during the war and
requires the premises for his personal occupation, and
offers the tenant accommodation on reasonaye terms
in the same premises, such accommodation being con-
sidered by the Court as reasonably sufficient in the
circumstances, or

{g) The premises are required for occupation as a
residence by a former tenant thereof who gave up occu-
pation in consequence of his service in any of His
Majesty's Forces during the war.

{h) The premises are hona-fide required for the pur-
pose of a scheme of reconstruction or inqirovement
which appears to the Court to be desirable in the public
interest.

The existence of alternative accommodation is not,
however, to be made a condition where (inter alia) the
landlord gave up the occupation of the premises in con-
sequence of his service in any of His Majesty's Forces
during the war, or ^v'here, in the opinion of the Court,
greater hardship would be caXised by refusing an order
for possession than by granting it. This latter proviso
only applies to cases in which the landlord became such
before September 30th, 1917, March 5th, 1919, or May
20th, 1920 — the date applicable depending upon the
Rent Restriction Act which was then in force.

The task of those who have to interpret this com-
plicated enactment is certainly not enviable. It may
be assumed that no tenant who is anxious to retain
possession will allow his rent to fall into arrears, or
commit any breach of his contractual obligation. But
what meaning is to be attached to the phrase " accom-
modation reasonably equivalent as regards rent and
suitability in all respects"? In the case of a factory
or workshop, will it suffice to offer similar premises in
another district?

Again, suppose the tenant has sub-let, and there is
no restriction against sub-letting, may he go on paying
£x in rent while he is making £x-\-y out of his occupa-
tion? It is a curious fact that although an Act passed
on December 23rd, 1919, placed some restriction upon
sub-letting, the new Act which repeals it does not do so.

It is material to notice that although in its general
application the Act is to remain in force until June 24th,
1923, as applied to business premises it expires on June
24th, 1921.

164

THE ELECTRICAJj REVIEWo [voi. 87. No. 2,227, jult 30, 1920.

MAINTENANCE INSULATION TESTS ON I
ELECTRIC CABLES.

By L. E. lee.

It is fairlj- certain that most engineers engaged in the
maintenance of large cable networks will agree that
even under existing circumstances time spent on the
s3-stematic and periodical testing of the principal cables
attached to a network is time well spent, and is, in fact,
an insurance again.st serious breakdown, and that thej'
who do not carry out such tests are to a certain extent
living in anything but a paradise. It may be thought
at first sight that the periodic insulation testing of
leiid-sheathed paper-insulated cables unless carried out
very frequently iinleeil would not result in saving break-
down, but it can be stated without hesitation that on
a modern and well-impregnated paper cable, a fault'
due to puncture of the lead sheath and the consequent
ingress of soil water takes two or three months to mature,
so that insulation tests taken, say, once every four
weeks, are quite sufficient to save a bad burn out."

Having, however, decided that the testing is well
worth the doing, one is up against the fact that in an
industrial area it is almost impossible to get a cable
down to permit of the testing, as usually carried out,
viz., from the conductors to earth or lead sheath, unless
the work be done either at night or on a Sunday. There
are even many cases where, unless the consumer is sup-
plied on a ring main, his supply cable cannot be switched
out at all for months at a time.

A method, therefore, of assuring oneself of the in-
tegrity of the lead sheath of a cable, and the consequent
well-being of the insulation, is required, which can be
applied at any moment, the cable being either " alive "
or "dead." It is claimed by the writer that he has
succeeded in devising such a method, which is automatic
in its action, and is not dependent on (1) the use of a
test battery: (2) the cleanline.ss of terminals, to which
tlie cable is attached; (.3) the accessories attached to the
cable being investigated (such, for instance, as current
transformers), and/or (4) the temperature of the cable.
To some extent the testing of a cable can be carried out
In- the incorporation in the cable of a conductor now
known as a " test sheath " or insulated " B.O.T. earth
shield," but supposing that the cable whilst being laid,
or at any other time, had become so bruised mechanically
that the insulation between the test sheath and lead
sheath of the cable was ruptured, and consequently
the lead sheath in actual contact with the test sheath
conductor, then an attempted insulation test on the test
sheath would give a " dead earth," although the cable
would probably be as good as ever under working con-
ditions. It is not suggested, however, that a cable
should be left in this condition. Again, with regard to
(4) above, the basic insulation figure of the ordinary
test sheath conductor is necessarily of very low order,
and with many miles of cable in series, and the cable
warmed up by use, such figure becomes so low as to be
unreliable as an indicator of the integrity of the lead
sheath.

With the new device mentioned above, which consists
of a conductor composed of wires or strips concentric
with the cable, and having alternate wires or strips
composed of dissimilar metals, such, for instance, as
zinc and copper, or any suitable two metals well sepa-
rated in the potential series, each being lightly insulated
and the whole again lightly insulated from the lead
sheath, no attempt is made to take an insulation test
in the usual way, as when the lead sheath of the cable
is broken or pierced, soil water obtains an ingress to
the bi-metal conductor, and a primary battery is the
result, so that on applying an indicating instrument to
either end of the conductor and across tlie two metals
a deflection is obtained. Thus, as above, even if the
insulation between the bi-metal conductor and the lead
sheath become broken and the two actually in contact,
no reading is obtained until an electrolyte is present.

Assuming in this case that owing to short circuit the
strips actually damaged gave no reading even with
the presence of soil water, then one would have several
other undamaged strips to fall back upon for the pur-
pose of obtaining readings — hence the necessity of keep-
ing the strips separately insulated throughout. There
is, in fact, no deflection obtainable from any other
cause than that of water chemically impure having
obtained access to the bi-metal conductor.

Indications are therefore of a very reliable character,
and having obtained a deflection it can be definitely
decided that water has obtained ingress, and that the
cable needs repair, for which unhurried preparations
may be made.

It can also be claimed that so much in the way of
spare cables need not be provided, or the tendency would
be that w'ay, and certainly on new cables all overtime
requisite for testing under present conditions wouhl
be abolished. Unfortunately, existing cables cannot In-
treated in like manner. Results which have been ol)
tained on a sample length of cable, made with the con-
centric conductor composed of alternate strips of zinc
and copper, are as follows: —

The lead sheath of the cable was punctured by a hole
1 umi. in diameter, and the portion placed in a tank
containing drinking water from a well.

Immersion

Deflection Cu — Zn

0 hours.

0

\

53 „

i 7

The instrument

72 „

5.5

used was a Paul's

119 „

10 5

Unipivot galvan-

145 „

11-4

ometer calibrated

215 „

12-7

1 deflection = 5

265 „

170

micro- amps.

529 „

23-0

As the water used in the test was apparently fairly
pure, it is safe to assume that ordinary soil water would
give larger or earlier deflections.

It will be seen that the device is equally useful when
applied to all classes of cables, whether metallic or non-
metallic sheathed.

It may be used with advantage on all e.h.t. and l.t.
power cables, on underground telephone and telegraph,
and deep-sea cables.

In practice on power networks the dissimilar metals
forming the auto conductor would be attached by leads
to a terminal board at some convenient place in tlie
generating or sub-station, and the switchboard atten-
dant would make observations as many times a day
as thought to be necessary'. On those networks, there-
fore, where an insulated test conductor is normally used
in any case on cables, the actual testing of the cables
can be carried out systematically, with reliability, and
at no cost, provided the conductor described above is
substituted.

It is perhaps hardly necessary to add that the dis-
similar metals are kept apart right throughout the
entire length of the cable, being bird-caged over the
conductor joints at each cable joint.

Application for patent rights has been made.

Cape Town Dispute. — Our correspondent writes : — " The

dispute in the electrical trade ha.s been settled by the Joint Board
of the Building: Trades, in coniunction with the claims of the
carpenters bricklayers, masons, plumbers, and painters The basis
of the settlement is a flat rate for all these trades of Sa, (id, per
hour - the carpenters, bricklayers and masons receive this amount
at once, but the other trades have to be brought up to the amount
in 18 months bv three instalments. The present wages for elec-
tricians will be 28. Hd. per hour for competent men, with a mini-
mum of 2a, per hour for other men above the apprenticeship stage.
These rates are based on the present cost of livine'. and the work-
men get a corresponding increase in case of any further increases
in the cost of living, but no reductions are to be made for 1 S months,
and after that period only after three months' notice, A feature of
the settlement is the provision of a holiday fund — 2d. per hour is
deducted from each man's wages and paid into a bank to his credit
each month. This money is to be paid out to the men before
Christmas each year, and the men are to have a fortnight's holiday,
except for indispensable work. The working hours are to be 44
per week."

!

Vol. 87. No. 2,227, July 30, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

155

LEAVES FROM AN INSPECTOR'S NOTEBOOK.

By -anode."

In all cases where you make an examination of plant
3'ou have to give the insulation resistance of each
machine, or a valid reason for not doing so. This
necessitates a Megger, and the Megger question is one
which makes an insurance inspector in a large district
sit up and say things about Messers. Evershed's that in
ordinary circumstances he would never dream of say-
ing. A Megger grows in weight when it is carried any
distance, and after a mile 1 guarantee it will weigh
■mything from 150 to 500 lb. according to temperature.

I fouiiil the best way to get over the difficulty was to
persuade my clients to buy a Megger for their own
use, so that they could take the pulse of each machine
once a week and get out statistics, and also that a
Megger could greatly help them in diagnosing faults.
(I must have sold quite a lot of Meggers in this waj',
but did not have the foresight to take up an agency
for them.)

A tip about using a Megger. When connecting up to
make a test, always make the earth connection first,
then touch the commutator with the end of the other
lead; if the "juice" is on, the needle of the Megger
will jump. This has saved me many a shock. I luive
often noticed how clumsily some people take a reading
with a Megger. They connect up the leads, take ofi
their waistcoats, and set about the Megger like unto
a cofiee mill and grind away for five minutes. Nothing
is more futile, and, let it be whispered, dangerous.
The proper way to handle a Megger is to turn ver^/
slowly for a couple of revolutions, this will bring the
needle to nearly its correct position, then increase the
speed in the next couple of revolutions, and you get
your reading, while turning for ever so long will
not alter it. To give a Megger to some so-called elec-
tricians is asking for trouble, especially if it is an old
220-volt installation and a 500-volt Megger.

I remember on one occasion inspecting a breakdown
in a repair works ; the trouble was an earth on a small
D.c. armature. Nothing was apparently wrong with the
coils, and I suspected the trouble was at the back of the
commutator. I asked that current be applied to the
job, so that we could see by the sparking, or smoking,
exactly where the trouble was. It so happened that at
the time the current was ofi, and to my astonishment
the foreman asked for the shop Megger. Hs put this
on to the job, and, after a few seconds' vigorous turning,
sufficient smoke came from the back of the commutator
to indicate the exact place of breakdown.

On another occasion I was sent out to a colliery to
examine a main cable which, I was informed, had a
dead earth on it. It was new, and had not up till then
been in use. Before starting up, the electrician tested
it with a home-made testing set, made out of a telephone
magneto and bell. He found that the bell rang, so
decided to leave the job for me. On testing the cable
I got a reading of 100 megohms from my Megger. What
!iad happened was that the cable acted as a condenser,
the action of which was as a sealed book to my worthy
friend.

There is a tremendous difference in the way in which
an inspector's reports are treated ; in some instances
the reports never get further than the office, in which
case their value is exactly nil, while if the reports go
out, as they should, to the electrical engineer, they are
a very valuable aid to him in keeping an eye on his
plant, and if they are tabulated the data are of inestim-
able value.

In one case, at a large colliery, the engineer asked
me to give, in addition to the name particulars of the
machine, the situation of the machine, and the work
it was doing. This enabled him immediately to locate
the machines, and have any defects or suggestions
attended to immediately. We found that at the end of
three years the number of breakdowns and stoppages
was reduced to almost nil; in fact, so satiafactory were

the results obtained, that the company decided to dis-
continue the insurance, but retain the inspection only.

An inspector, if he uses tact, can save his company
a lot of money in the course of a twelve-month, ana
himself a lot of trouble in making his inspections. Some
inspectors adopt a high and mighty attitude, and get
the engineer's back up, with the result that the rough
places are not made smooth for him.

One firm with a large installation insured its plant,
and I had to make the examination. On the occasion
of my first visit I was treated very cavalierly by the
engineer, who .seemed to think that I was there to spy
out the land and report any shortcomings on his part.
He refused to stop any machines for me, and told me
that my inspections could only be made in the dinner
liour, and, further, that 1 could have no assistance.
After remonstrating witli him, he very unwillingly
allowed one of his fitters to accompany me on my in-
spection. After making the inspection I reported the
result to him, and got him to look at several things I
did not like. I took the opportunity of pointing out
that my investigations were likely to be of great use
tj him in keeping his plant up to an efficient standard,
anil incidentally helping his output. This put the
matter in a different light, with the result that on any
future visits the works generally were at my disposal.

When my successor visited these works he made a
lengthy report on the machines, calling attention to the
dust in them, but saying notliing about the condition
of the bearings, brushes, starting appliances, fuses, &c.,
making it appear that the machines were neglected.
As if you could eliminate dust in a dusty works ! On
liis next visit his pathway was not strewn witu roses,
and he had a verv tliin time.

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY DISTRICTS.

The East Midlands Scheme.

.\n' exhaustive inquiry, before the Electricity Commisisioners,
Sir John Snell (presiding), Sir Harry Hawanl, and Mr. H.
Booth, was opened at Nottingham ou July '21st, and continued
iin the following day, relative to the Corporation's application
lor leave to borrow £868,000 to "carry out the first portion
of a scheme, the whole of which is estimated to cost ultimately
.£1,009,000, for extending the electricity supply in the city
and district by the erection of a new generating station, for
which land has been acquired contiguous to the river Trent
at Clifton and near the Clifton colliery, which is one of the
largest mining undertakings in the immediate vicinity of the '
umnicipal area. The application was contested by the Derby
and Notts. Power Co., which already possesses statutory
powers in relation to the district, and offered to supply the
raunicipahty with the necessary energy from a new generating
station to be provided at Col wick, which is on the other side
nf the city, and also close to the Trent. The proceedings were
notable for the support accorded to the company's project
by Mr. A. R. Atkey, one of Nottingham's parliamentary repre-
sentatives, and himself a member of the Corporation, who
adopted the view that any alternative scheme which would
enable the city to avoid so huge a capital expenditure should
be carefullv considered. The inquiry, therefore, resolved itself
into a consideration of the privileges of public v. private enter-
prise, the Corporation contending that the company's applica-
tion represented an interference with the rights of municipal
.supply. The plant which the Council suggested should \ye
installed in the first instance would consist of 20,000 kw.,
estimated to cost, with land, buildings, machinery, &c.,
£7.5'2,000. or £37.63 per kw., and the first and second sections
for 40,000 KW. installed £1.009,00(J, or £i5.225 per kw. The
project is to form part of the general East Midlands scheme
under which Leicester. Nottingham, and Derby may lie
linked up by an extension of trunk mains, Leicester also
building a new power station and Derby extending its present
arrangements.

The case for the Nottingham Corporation was conducted by
the town clerk (Mr. W. J. Board), whilst Messrs. Macmorran.
K.C., and Maconachie appeared for the company, Mr. Craig
Henderson representing coalowners and ironmasters of the
district. Mr. Macmnrran explained that the company had
powers to provide electricity for the whole of Notts, and
part of Derbyshire, including Derby, Chesterfield, Long Eaton
Mansfield, and Nottingham, but in those boroughs it could
not exercise its powers without the oon.sent of the Corpora^
tions concerned. The companv had an authorised capital ot
£1,800,000 in £1 shares, and it was already supplymg elec-

156

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,227, jcly 30, 1920.

tricity in Ilkeston, Heanor, Ripley, Sandiacre, Sawley, Bee-
ston, Eastwood, Chilwell, Stapleford, Kimberley, Nuttall,
Gossall, and Annesley, and it had laid cables and was
prepared to supply two other districts, Belper and Heage.
The units supplied in 1912 were 1,839,899, and for the current
year they were estimated at 10 millions. The proposal was to
provide a central supply for all purposes from the new works
to be erected .at Colwick, so as to permit of the other plant
being closed down. The company would be in a position to
supply energy in bulk to all of them, including Nottingham.
It could do so on reasonable terms, and within a shorter
time than could be done by any of the public undertakings.
There was another large power company in tlie south formed
for the county of Leicester. If the Notts. & Derby Co. suc-
ceeded in its application it would be possible, as the two com-
panies were practically under one management, to link up in
such a way that there would be an enormous saving to both
companies, and this would be very much to the advantage
of the public. He contended that the generating station which
Nottingham sought to set up was entirely unnecessary, as
the company could supply the city with all the electricity
requu'ed.

Mr. Alfred Holland, chairman of the company, stated that
since 1913 they had spent ^190,500 in that area. They -had
always had in view- the erection of a power station at Colwick.
and would have built it before this but for the war. The
Midland Coal Products Co., he explained, in reply to questions
by the town clerk, had selected a site at Colwick adjacent to
the proposed generating station largely because thev antici-
pated being able to dispose of their waste heat and gas to
the Derby.shire and Notts. Power Co. The gross estimated
revenue of the latter company for this year was £63.000, and
there would be a surplus of £17.000.

Mr. H. Ty. Williams, engineer for Messrs. Balfour. Beatty
and Co.. estimated the cost of the company's proposed station
at £840.000.

Evidence w's afterwards given by Mr. J. S. Highfield. vice-
president of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, w^ho did
not see how Nottinaham could ever require a 240,000-kw.
station, its supply to-day being 12,000 kw. nnlv; bv Mr. .'Vrthuv
Green, general manager and secretarv of the Midland Coal
Products Co.. Ltd., and by Mr. A. R. Atkey. M.P.

Mr. Macmorran, for the company, pointed out that since
19X2, £190,000 had been .spent, and the total expenditure to
date had been £3.50,000. That, he observed, did not look as if
it was a paper company. They were prepared to go on with
the developments in 19i2 and 1913, but they were held up by
the war, and after the war the Act of 1919 came into force.
The company was only now in a position to carry out the obli-
gations undertaken by it in 1901. The Corporation's appli-
cation had been made a stalking horse to commit the Com-
missioners to some action as regarded a joint scheme. If it
were only an application for the City of Nottingham be would
not be there to oppose it, but it was being made a colourable
excuse for something else. Sanction for its application was
absolutely necessary if the company was to carry on its
undertaking in the way in which it was constituted by Act of
Parliament.

The inquiry terminated after lasting two days, and the Con:-
missioners, who visited the sites of the projected generating
stations during their stay in Nottingham, will report in due

On the following day Mr. Macmorran. for the company,
stated with regard to the proposed terms of supply to Notting-
ham, that for a load not exceeding 6,000 kw. the maximum
price, with coal at 20s. per ton, would be £6 per annum,
plus 0.4.5d. per unit extra high tension, delivered in Not-
tingham.

Mr. G. Balfour, M.P., chairman of tlie parent company.
said that the £G was the maximum. The most modern gene-
rating practices would be adopted. He would be willing
to agree with the engineers of the Nottingham Corporation
as to coal consumption, and would be bound to reduce the
maximum according to an agreed scale of coal consumption.
Mr. J. H. Rider, who had prepared the Corporation's
scheme, expressed the view that the company's proposed sta-
tion had not been designed by people with experience in
such work.

Aid. E. Huntsman, chairman of the Corporation Electricity
Committee, empha.sised the consideration that the scheme
which they had proposed was in the best intei-ests of the
city. Replying to Mr. Macmorran, he said that there was a
deficiency of £8,000 on the city electricity undertaking in
1919. He admitted that during the last few years they had
been unable to supply the needs of some important con-
sumers. He denied that there had been any narrow shutting
out of offers upon the part of others to supply the necessary
energy because of a preference for a municipal supply.

Mr. C. Henderson, for the Notts. &- Derbyshire colliery
owners, suggested that the result of a recent conference be-
tween that body and the Corixiration and other authorities
was that the coal owners did not propose to take electricity
if it became a Nottingham Corporation scheme solely.

Aid. Huntsman said that he did not gather that, but no
doubt if it became a joint authority the colliery owners
would come in. If it were confined to Nottingham, they
would not offer electricity to the colliery owners.

Mr. Rider explained that the Nottingham station as pro-
posed was not a scheme for the East Midlands, but for
Nottingham alone. It w-as so planned, however, that it could
be added to, section by section, so as to fit it for the needs
of the larger area, thus making it a super-power station. If
consent was given to the Corporation's application, work couhl
be started on the new station in a fortnight.

Mr. C. H. WoRDiNOHAM gave evidence, pointing out that, if
the Nottingham Corporation scheme were not sanctioned, it
would completely upset the whole project for an electricity
undertaking for the East Midlands area.

The Town Clerk of Nottingham, in summing up the Cor-
poration's case, suggested that the company making the rival
application had been more prolific of legislation than generat-
ing stations. The company had possessed powers with regard
to this large area since 1901, but up to the present time had
exercised them to a very limited extent only. The position of
both apphcations, with respe^-t to a future joint authority,
had to be considered.

THE NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY.

(I'n/irhiilrd from //iigc 106.)
Continuing our review of recent work done at the Laboratory as
set oat in the annual report, an \ wiih particular reference to tlec-
trical work, it may be mentioned that in aidilion to special war
work, mueti work of a more routine character was carried < nt,
especiall.v as reefards inelrumentfl for the Admiralty and for power
plant and munition factories. The g>owth of the Xavy threw a
lieavy strain on the electrotechnics department as all switchboard*
and other e'p'-'rii'o.l instruments and materia s for the Xavy are
teste 1 at Teddington.

Fiit,(/,iiiientai ( i,iii: — The present fitncs'' of the Ayrton-Jcnea
biiance for the measurement of current in absolute measure i-4
doubtful, and some renewals are to be made. Satisfactory refults
have been obtained in the use of the balance to measure the mean
value of a slightly varyinsr curr»nt. The precision of measure-
ments in terms of International units of current, resistance and
E M.F. is not at present so gocd as before the war.

General Electrinil Mfasiin'mrnt.i —\n 1 9 l.S, anew method for the
measurement of the velocities of projectiles was devised, and experi-
ments have been made to determine the utility of the method and
to obtain information which might lead to considerable use of the
apparatus. In the latest form of the apparatus a shell is caused
to pass through several large coils of insulated wire in series and in
circuit with the primary of a transformer, the secondary of which
is in circuit with one string of an Einthoven galvanometer. When
a projectile pa«ses through the coils a current, or change of current,
is induced in the circuit, and this results in a momentary de floction
of the galvanometer string. The vhotograph of the d fl-ciion an
obtained on a fast-running kinematograph piper is in a form
approximating to that of a complete sine wave. Such traies. when
associated with a time trace, which will be referred to later, enab e
the time of passage of a projectile through two coils lOjormore
feet apart, to be determined with an error not greater thai o- e
fifty-thousandth of a second. In addition, by placing a coil on tte
muzzle of the gun, the time at which the base of the shell leavm
the '.run can be determined with an error not appreciably greater
than that already stated. The results are regarded as very val uabl< .
The timing arrangement used consists of an electrically-driven
fork having a frequency of 1,000 per second electrically-maintaiued
by a triode valve by the method of Prof. Feeler and Mr. Jordan,
except that the magnet used is a magneto magnet and the anode
and grid circuits are approximately tuned. A secondary coil is
coupled to the anode inductance coil and placed in circuit, through
a resistance, with one string of the Einthoven galvanometer toned
approximately to the frequency of the fork. The vibration of the
string is recorded on the photographs as a sine curve. At present,
the photographs are taken on bromide k-nematograph paper, the
paper travelling at about 3J metres per second, but this speed it is
hoped to increase very considerably.

Advance has been made in the calculation of effective resistanoea
at wireless frequencies, and the measurem^^nt of such reeist'iuiej,
using the very steady undamped osoiUatim s provided by triode
valves. The problem of the measurement of effective induutanoo
of four terminal standards of resistance is being attacked, and very
satisfactory results have been obtained. Comparison of standards
of radio- frequency has been commence I, with very encouragini;
result 8.

Investigatinns have also been made with regard to improvenrenta
in compass magnets and the most suitable temperature of quench-
ing. The magnetic properties of bars h iring various proportions
of carbon and tungsten have been determined, and some experi-
ments have been made on the rate of decay of the moment of magnets
which were magnetised immediately after (luenchiiig. Some
measurements on the hysteresis loop.^ of magnet steels at various
temperatures have been made, which show that remaneoM
increases and coercive field diminishes with rise of temperature.
These results indicate that the temperature coefficient of bar«
magnets can be made negative, positive, or zero by altering tha
ratio of length to diameter.

JCleftrctfcliiiii:i. — The economy of turbine-generators is tested by
the amount of steam used per unit of electrical energy generated.
A large number of instruments used in such testa are received for,
calibration, and the engineers of some of the largest generatioK

Vol. 87. No. 2,227, July 30, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL KEVIEWo

167

plant make a practice of Bending their reference instruments to
the laboratory from time to time. The experience of several years
of the accuracy obtained from instruments used for important tests
shows that there is often much to be desired in their performance,
the chief errors being commonly due to the properties of the series
transformers employed. Experimental revolution counters of an
electromagnetic type are in hand for the Air Ministry.

Experiments are being made, in conjunction with the Osram-
Robertson Research Laboratory, to adapt the gas filled lamp for
instruments whose indications are read by the reflection of light
from a mirror, and they promise to afford a satisfactory solution of
the problem.

A research on oils used in transformers was undertaken with the
assistance of the Ministry of Munitions in 1918-1919. Owing to
the war conditions prevailing, it was only possible to carry out a
portion of the progamme intended.

Owing to the delay in delivery of a motor-generator set, it has
not been possible to complete the research dealing with buried
cables. The values obtained for the temperature rise in cables laid
in different ways seem to indicate that cables drawn into ducts
become the most heated, armoured cables laid direct are the coolest,
whilst solid-laid cables occupy an intermediate position. But an
examination of the cables used in the tests showed that whereas
the thermal resistivities of the cables laid solid and in the duct
were of the same order, about l,iJ40 thermal units, that of the
armoured cables was considerably lower, about (567 thermal units.
This v^ifference between the thermal constants represents a differ-
ence of about 20 per ceat. in the current required to produce a given
temperature rise, and when corrected for, brings the results with
the armoured cables and those laid solid in bitumen much closer
together.

For practical purposes, a cable may be assumed to have reached
its maximum temperature when it has attained 98 per cent, of its
fall temperature rise ; this occurs after 20 hours in the case of a
cable in a duct, after 70 hours in a cable laid solid in bitumen, and
after about 80 hours in an armoured cable.

In order to ascertain the maximum temperature to which cab'es
can be subjected for long periods without damage to the dielectric,
the materials used in insulating cables are being examined
separately so far as samples can be obtained from the makers.

The difficulties experienced by instrument makers in obtaining
satisfactory supplies of special resistance alloys, and, more parti-
cularly, manganin, led to the investigation of these materials.
Difficulties experienced are want of coristancy and a large tempera-
ture coefficient of resistance. It was found to be impossible to
fix the reason for the large differences, and as an attempt to trace
these troubles from the source, some mauganin alloy was made in
the metallurgical department of the laboratory and rolled into
rods. These rods, when tested, had a temperature coetEoient of
resistance as small as that of the very best material hitherto
obtained from Germany. Subsequent drawing, however, showed
that the annealing between some of the drawing processes was
largely or entirely responsible for the change in the coefficient.
Further bars were, therefore, supplied to be drawn down as far as
possible without annealing. The samples were then tested for
temperature coefficient, annealed and re-tested. In this way wire
has been produced down to the very finest siz^s, in all cases
having a very small temperature coefficient. Further work has
resulted in one maker drawing all sizes of wire down to 0'07 mm.
without intermediate annealing.

Several new types of insulating materials have been tested
during the past year, both for Government departments and private
firms, and in addition, the research on composite insulating
materials, organised by the Research Committee of the Institution
of Rlectrical Engineers, has been put in hand.

The special requirements of the Air Ministry for light weight
accumulators having a high capacity have resulted in a number of
tests being made on the various types. Tests made to determine
the capacity at temperatures down to ~- 20° C, were uncertain to
within ± 10 per cent, owing to the inconsistency of the accumu-
lators, but, broadly, the capacity decreased by 50 per cent, when
the accumulator was maintained at a temperature of — 20° 0.

Jleat Dirisinn. — In the physics department a line of investi-
gation now in hand is the development of instruments for the
determination of the humidity of air in cold stores. One of the
two methods submitted is an electrical one depending on the
sudden evolution of heat from dry cotton when exposed to a moist
atmosphere.

Radiinii and X-Hui/ Work. — The number of samples of radium
of high c ntent tested during the year was 88, containing altoge' her
about 6,175 milligrammes of radium bromide of the approximate
value of £80,000.

The radium teats have hitherto mainly been carried out with a
combined gold leaf electroscope and an ionisation chamber. A
second method, due to Rutherford and Chadwick, has been
developed sind put into use this year, several improvements being
effected in the method of manipulation. It is a " null " method in
which the ionisation produced by the radium under test is balam^ed
against the ionisation produced in a standard chamber ; the balance
is detected by means of an electrometer. The results obtained by
this method agree with those obtained by the direct method of
comparison to well within =>= 1 per cent.

Measurement of the absorptive qualities of materials used for
protective purposes in radiography had to be abandoned owing
to pressure of other work in connection with the war. Prepara-
tion is now being made to proceed with the investigation. Recent
investigations on the diffraction of X-rays by crystals have shown
that Xrayg are of the same nature aa light waves, but have a
much shorter wave-length than light waves. It is proposed to
Ssd th« ftbaorption of the mateiial under test for de&uite wave-

lengths chosen from different parts of the X-ray spectrum, and
covering the whole range of wave-lengths likely to be met with in
ordinary practice.

With regard to the examination of materials by X-rays, a number
of specimens of clay pots have been examined radiographioally.
Minute air-holes, specks of heavy material such as iron oxide, and
bits of plaster from the mould embedded in the clay were readily
detected. After firing the pot, the iron oxide fused with the clay
in its immediate vicinity, leaving a cavity in the centre. Further,
examination of the green pots for air-holes was carried out with
the fluorescent screen ; this method proved efl'eotive and rapid for
detecting air-holes. Radiographs taken of magneto distributors
known to be faulty, show that the faults can readily be detected
by this method.

A large number of experiments were made and new devices
invented for war purposes ; some of these cannot be reported upon,
but a brief resumr of many of them, details of some of which have
already been published, are given in the report.

THE BIRMINGHAM HEALTH EXHIBITION,

(By Our Birmingh.am Correspoxdent.)

The must popular feature in connettiou with the Royal Sanitary
In^5titute Congress at Birmingham is the Health Exhibition
of Appliances for Housing and General Sanitation and matters
relating to health and physical welfare, at Bingley Hall. It
was formally opened on July 19th by the Lord Mayor of
Bii-mingham (Aid. W. A. Cadbury), with whom was Viscount
Astor, President of the Congress, and it will remain open until
August uth. The great hall is filled with an immense variety
of things of hygienic and home interest, and, naturally, elec-
trical appliances occupy a very prominent place in the exhibi-
tion.

The silver medals of the Institute were awarded to the
CiTV OF Birmingham Electric Supply Dep.4rtment for a large
and comprehensive stand of electrical equipment, to which
a numlier of the leading firms contributed ; and to the Hoover
Suction Sweeper Co., Ltd., for the electric suction sweeper.
Bronze niedals were given to Messrs. Ch.\kles E. Beck & Co.
for their " Thor " electric washing machine; to the "Gem"
IjAbour-s.aving Device Co., Manchester, for the Gem electric
vacuum cleaner; and to the Western Electric Co., Ltd.,
for an electric -sewing machine.

The display of the Birmingham Electric Supply Depart-
ment is contributed to by eight well-known houses, each
a specialist in its own particular line, so that variety, and
high quality, are assured. Callendrr's Cable & Construction
Co., Ltd.", devotes a considerable amount of space to a collec-
tion of Kalanite insulating materia!, which is in a wide range
of forms, and is said to be taking the place of ebonite and
porcelain. It is heat resisting and acid proof, and the samples
shown have been tested to 20,000 volts. The claims of the
Kaleeco wiring system are also emphasised, and there is. as
might be expected, a comprehensive display of rubber wires
and cables.

On the section devoted to the products of the General
Electric Co.. Ltd.. prominence is given to the new " Connor
Magneto." and popular attention is directed to a pedestal
heater which is easy to use, and is very effective in small
outside buildings. This pedestal, which takes 100 watts, will
boil a pint of water in ten minutes, and toa.st bread in less
than half that time. The effective application of the immersed
heater is demonstrated in sterih'sers. in handy form, for use
in hospital theatres, and towel heaters.

Tlie Creda electric still is an interesting feature in the
exhibit of Credenda Conduits, Ltd. This apparatus, which
will supply distilled water at the rate of four pints per hour,
is u.sed largely in disi>ensarie.s, laboratories, and the like, and
.sterilisers, of various types, are exhibited.

On the Metropolitan-Vickers Electricai, Manufacturing
Co.'s section the Cosmos lamp, and the new helium lamp are
conspicuous. The latter, for half-watt lamp lighting, .gives a.
diffused light, and is dust proof: a great advantage is that
it can be arranged for any half-wntt lamp up to 2,000 c.p.
A lot of artistic lighting fittings, and electric ventilation fans,
also have an interest to those anxious to give practical applica-
tion to hygienic principles.

Messrs. Berry's Electric Ltd., show their Magicoal electric
fire; its great claim is cleanliness and economy of work. The
fire is complete for four heat control with a maximum of three

KW.

Premier Electric Heaters. Ltd.. .show a collection of
heaters, stoves, &c. ; the British Thomson-Houston Co. ex-
hibits a variety of products for which the firm is well known ;
and David Shanks & Co., Ltd.. displays bnwls. in opal and
alabaster, as well as lamn standards and fittings.

Manv different types of electric vacuum cleaner are to be
■seen. Turner Aspir,\tors. Ltd.. display the "Little Briton,"
a box-tvpe machine, power being supnlied to the motor at
210 volts. On the st.ind of Charles E. Beck- the "Thor"
cleaner, with its horizontal motor, receives popular notice,
but chief interest here lie.=s perhaps in the "Thor" electric
washing machine, the merit of which has been recognised by
the Granting of an Institute award.

The electric sewing machine on the stand of the Western
Eleoteic Co., findg many interested vigitora, particularly

158

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Voi. 87. No, 2,227, jult 30, 1920

r \

la-dies, aud the ease with which garments were made^ without
pedalling, impressed many. Vacuum cleaners, soldermg irons,
fans, and intercommunicating telephones are displayed.

Messrs. Napier-Kimber, Ltd., give prominence to the Cana-
dian electric vacuum cleaner. Its powerful suction was de-
monstrated, this being explained to be due to a special design
of the six blade steel fan and efficient motor. Here, as on
many other stands, due attention is given to the claims of
the electric kettle.

Beatty Bros., Ltd., show their " Time Saver " electric
washing machine, which has advantages in simpUcity of con-
struction, and is easy in manipulation, mischief to clothes
being negligible.

Working demonstrations of the Hoover electric suction
Sweeper are given to show its distinctive character. The main
feature is that this appliance is so con.structed that the air

suction slightly lifts the carpet from the floor and beats it
upon a cushion of air. Electrical equipment is an important
feature in the working of the various appliances of Ozonair,
Ittd., and in an exhibition of this kind, considerable attention
is directed to the Ozonair system of ventilation, and to
apparatus for laboratory and research work, and for the puri-
fication and sterilisation of water by ozone. Magic Appli-
ances, Ltd., show an effective blower for use in factories.
J. & M. Steingold demonstrate the important part which
electricity plays in floor planing; and the Gem Laboi'r-saving
Device Co., is responsible for an attractive display of cleaners
and washers. It has the distinction of securing two bronze
medals — one for a hand vacuum cleaner for use with two
hands, and the other for the Gem electric vacuum cleaner,
which is suitable for various voltages and may be applied to
many uses.

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES,- FITTINGS AND PLANT.

JUadtri are invited to tuhmit partioulart of new or improved devicei and apparatus, which will be published
if considered of tufficient interest.

Electrical Cooking and Heating Devices.

Any improvement in electrical cooking apparatus is an im-
portant step, as it is generally felt that this application of
electricity is destined to have a great future. Among the latest
advances in this du-ection is an electric oven produced by the
Arora Co., of Ijoughborough, whose business has rapidly
expanded, necessitating new works to deal with the great
amount of business coming to the firm. This oven (fig. 1)
contains eight distinct elements with a switching arrange-
ment designed to give varying amounts of heat. Pour of
these elements are mounted in the top of the oven, and two
are fixed on each side. The four top heating elements have
a separate controlling switch which permits three degrees
of heat. At " high " all four bars glow at full red heat in

two 600-watt elements controlled by separate switches. The
terminals are protected by a specially designed box to enable
lead-covered cable to be easily jointed. These heaters are
finished in matt black or white enamel.

A B.T.H. Dental X=Ray Tube.

Modern denti.stry ov^-es a great deal to the science of radio-
logy, and especially to the Coolidge X-ray tube. For dental
work the radiator dental type of Coolidge tube (fig. 3) han

Fio. 3.— B.T.H. Dental X-ray Tube.

Fig. 1. — "Arora" Electric Oven.

Fig. 2. — Folished-brass " Fire."

Fig. 4.— Ship's Heater.

10 seconds, consuming about '2 units per hour. The " medium "
position sw'itches on two bars only, and at " low " all four
bars glow at a quarter heat. The side elements are controlled
by an identically similar switch. Very economical operation
is claimed for this oven, and it is said that cooking for a small
family can be done in \\ hours with the consumption of about
3 J units. As will be seen from the illustration, this cooker is
very similar in appearance to the usual type of gas oven. The
electric " fire " shown in fig. 2 is highly finished in polished
brass, and is meeting with a great demand. Fig. 4 illustrates
a new ship heater by the same firm. The usual type has a
(KW-watt loading, but heaters for use in large cabins possess

been developed, and is intended for use only with specially
designed apparatus. In the dental tube, by far the greater
part of the heat imparted to the target is conducted to the
copper radiator, instead of being radiated through the glass
wall of the bulb as in the ordinary universal tyjje Coolidge
tube. It is, therefore, possible to make the bulb of the
dental tube quite small — 3} in. in diameter. In addition, the
tube is self-rectifying within the limits of its allowable energy
output, and can be used directly across the terminals of an
induction coil or transformer without any auxiliary rectifying
device. The cathode arm extends 3 in. from the bulb at right
angles to the anode arm, which measures 9 in. from the

Vol. 87. No. 2,227, JuLT 30, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

169

bulb to the end of the radiator, and the rays are emitted from
the tube in a line with the axis of the anode, thus facilitating
the manipulation of the tube. The cathode circuit is earthed,
so that there is only one higti-tension wire, and this is always
connected to the part of the tube farthest from the subject.
It is thus possible to employ a minimum distance between
film and focal spot, enabling the operator to obtain satisfac-
tory radiographs of the teeth and jaws with comparatively
short exposures. The tube is designed for an energy input
not exceeding that corresponding to a current of 10 milli-
amperes, at a " useful " voltage equivalent to a 3-in. parallel
spark gap between points. As this tube is designed to operate
only in connection with special machines, and always at a fixed
voltage and current, the procedure is limited to closing the
switch for the length of time necessary to produce on the
photographic film the effect desired by the operator. The
time factor is the only variable in the making of radiographs.
The .short distance between the focal spot and film makes it
possible to take satisfactory radiographs of the teeth and
jaws with a very small expenditure of energy. With a dis-
tance of 8 in. between the film and focal spot the photographic
effect may be secured with one-fourth the energy which would
be necessary if the distance were 16 in. The IBritish Thom-
RON-HoD.STON Co., LTD., 77. I'pper Thames Street, London,
E.C. 4, is the owner of the Briti.sh patent rights.

A Cable Winding Drum.

The London Electric Firm, Brighton Road. Croydon, has
!<ent us particulars of a drum intended for feeding current
til a 3-phase A.c. motor-operated mine-sinking pump, or

Pio. .5. — Cable \Vi.\uim, Ijium.

similar service, and in the illustration (fig. 5) the three sets
of slip rings and brushes are insulated for .3,000 volts.

The bru.sh gear is totally enclo,sed and weatherproof. The
rings are fixed (the incoming cables being coupled thereto),
while the brushes revolve with the drum, .suitable connecting
clamps being provided for a 3-core cable, which is led from
the barrel over a guide pulley to the pump.

The drum acconuuodates a long length of heavy cable, and
is spur geared to give easy winding, provision being made
to prevent rotation when desired.

The " Sentinel " Excess Current Indicator.

\Vhile the current liiiiiter has been largely used in (•(unu'c-
ti(in nith the supply of electricity to siiiail dwellings, ic.

Normal state.
Fie. 6.— The " Sentinel '

After excess current has passed.
E.xcEss Current Indicator.

have that privilege and be quite willing to pay for it. The
cost of the current limiter is also continuously increasing. In
many other cases it is desired to record the passage of a cur-
rent stronger than a predetermined value, without actually
preventing it ; for example, insurance companies specify that
machinery insured with them shall not be overloaded, but
they have no means of detecting the breach of this proviso. A
new device which has been patented by the Electrical and
Engineering Develop.mk.nt, Ltd., and is about to be manu-
factured in London by Messrs. Electrical Utilities, Ltd., of
8'2, Victoria Street, S.W.I, provides a cheap and effective solu-
tion to this and similar problems. The device, fig. 6, consists of
a cast-iron fuse box containing, instead of a fuse, a suitably
graded resistance wire of Eureka or other similar material,
coated with crystals of urea. These are normally pure white,
and retain that appearance indefinitely unless they are heated
above a definite temperature, at which they melt and turn
dark brown. The device, therefore, if inserted in an elec-
trical circuit, will show no change until a certain current
passes for a few minutes, which may be only 10 per cent,
above the normal maximum current in the circuit; but that
excess current is still only one-fifth of the current at which
the wire fuses, so that there is no risk of the current being
cut off by the device.

The indicating wire is preferably enclo.sed in a glass tube,
so that a new element can be inserted without risk of damag-
ing the coating ; and a glass inspection window is provided in
tlie case, so that the condition of the wire can be seen at a
glance.

Other uses besides those to which we have referred will
readily occur to the reader. For instance, last week a corre-
spondent inquired for a device which would record the over-
loading of a transformer, and battery makers maintaining
batteries under contract would find the "Sentinel" useful.
It can be made to carry any normal current that may be
desired, and to change colour at any percentage excess of that
current.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YIT PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly for thii journal by Messrs. Septon-Jones, O'Dell ami
Stiphens, Chartered Patent AflenU, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

H. B.Trth. July 7th. (Germany, Apr!
i." H. B.<irlh. Jul.

Without the use of a meter, it has the characteristic that under
no circumstances can the consumer even momentarilv exc«ed
hi» ipfcified maximura demand, though he may be nn'xious to

19,10". " \oltage regula
1919.)

19,108. " Terminal connections of electric dyn
(Germany, April 5th, 1919.)

19,127. " .Starting devices for internal-combustion engines." R. Bosch Akt.
Ges. July 7th. (Germany, June 4th, 1919.)

19,146. " Electric lighting system's." J. Bethenod. July 7lh.

19,159. " Electrostatic separation of finely-divided discrete material." G. K.
Brown. July 7th.

19.165. " Arrangement for electrical distance control of valve gear of
hydraulic gun-pointing gear." F. Krupp Akt. Ges. July 7th. (Germanv.
November 27th, 1916.)

19.166. " .Arrangement for electrical distance control of valve gear of
hydraulic gun-pointing gear." F. Krupp Akt, Ges. July 7th. (Germanv,
Liecember 4th. 1916.)

19,180. " Electrom.ngnet chuck." F. Krupp Akt. Ges. July 7th. (Ger-
many, June 18th, 1919.)

19,183. " Sparking plugs." H. R. Bellinger and S. Travers. July 7th.

19,188. " Electro-hydraulic steering apparatus." San Giorgio Soc. Anon.
Industriale. July 7th. (Italy, September 17th, 1916.)

19.196. " Wireless signalling systems." British Thomson-Houston Co. Julv
7th. (United States, October 29th, 1913.)

19.197. " Electron discharge devices." British Thomson-Houston Co. Julv
rth. (United States, October 29th, 1913.)

19.198. " Amplication of electrical variations." British Thomson-Houston
r„. July 7th. (United States, Noveinber 8lh, 1915.)

19.199. " Electron discharge apparatus." British Thomson-Houston Co.
Julv 7lh. (United States, June .'ith. 1916.)

19,205. " Telephones." G. Seibt. July 7ch. ((iermany, March 1st, 1916.1

19,222. " Eliminating line resistance losses in clcetriciij apparatus." F. M.
I..wis. July 7th.

19,228. " Electric generating appar-'itus.'" Sil.-nt \'alve Motors Corporation,
July 7th. (United Stales. September 15th, 1913.)

19,243. " Electric contact thermostats." Vapor Car Hi-nting Co. Julv 7lh.
(l'nite<l States, January 19th. 1918.)

19,271. " Electric-arc welding." Rail Welding anil Bonding Co. Julv 7lh.
(United States, January 2Gth.)

19,304. " Automatic cut-out for electric motors." Vnile-Kimes Co. July
rih. (United States, June 16th, 1915.)

19.331. " Transmitters for wireless telegraphy, &c." Ges fur Drahtlose
Tclegraphie. July 7th. (Germany, July 3rd, 1914.)

19.333. " Cathode-tube generators." Ges. fiir Drahtlosc Telegraphic. July
rih. (Germany, July l.'ith, 1915.)

19,3.33. " Wireless telegraph transmission." Ges. fur Drahtlose Telegraphic.
July 7th. (Germany, December 24th, 1915.)

19.334. " Production of high power currents of constant frequencv." Ges.
(lir Drahtlose Tclegraphie. July 7lh. (Germany, December 31st, 1915.)

19.335. " Telegraphv." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic. July 7th. (Ger-
many, November 9th, 1916.)

19.336. " Electric condensers " Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic. Julv 7th.
.Germany, March 6th, 1917.)

19.337. " Wireless telegraph transmitters." Ges. fiir Drahtlosc Telegraphic.
July 7lh. (Germany, October 20th, 1917.)

19.338. '* Arrangement for minimising loss in production of oscillations bv
means of vacuum tubes." Ges. fur Drahtlose Telegraphic. July 7th. (Ger-
many. December 6th, 1917.)

19.339. " Wireless transmitters." Ges. (iir Drahtlose Teh-graphie. July
7th. (Germany December fith, 1913.)

19.340. " Electric condensers." Ges. fur Drahtlose Telegrnphle. July 7th,
(Germany, March 24th. 1914.)

19.341. " Means for maintaining constant the spe«d of an electric motor."
Cm. lUr nrahllOM Telejraphie. Jyly 7th. (Q,tJ;m»ni, February 9th, J916.)

160

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW. [Vol. SV. No. 2,227, July 30, 1920.

19.343. " Course and fine adjustment for tuning and coupling devices for
wireless telegraph apparatus." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegrapfiie. July 7th.
(Germany, November 10th. 1917.)

19,;^3. " Arrangement for locating underground, &c., conducting objects."
Ges. fur Drahtlose Telegraphic. July "th. (Germany, November 23rd, 1917.)

19.344. " Cathode tubes." Ges. fur Drahtlose Telegraphic. July 7th.
(Germany, January 29th, 1918.)

19.345. " Method for directive wireless telegraphy with separated antennae."
Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic. July 7th. (Germany, June 11th, 1918.)

•19,346. " Cathode tubes." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic. July 7th.
(Germany, October 10th, 1918.)

19.347. " Electric frequency multipliers." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic.
July 7th. (Germany. October' 26th. 1918.)

19.348. " Means for signalling to railway trains in motion." Ges. fiir
Drahtlose Telegraphic. July 7lh. (Germany, February 4th, 1919.)

19.349. " Wireless receivers." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic. July 7th.
(Germany, May 21st, 1919.)

19.350. " Conveyance and distribution of high-frequency electric currents."
Ges. fur Drahtlose Telegraphic. July 7th. (Germany, May 28th, 1919.)

19,353. " Electric soldering-bits." Bl^riot, Ltd. July 7th. (France, March
7th, 1918.)

19.361. " Connecting clamp tor electric wires." Allgemeine Elektricitats
Ges. July 7th. (Germany. May Uth. 1918.)

18.362. " Oil-break switch." Allgemeine Elektricitats Ges. July 7th. (Ger-
many, April 1st, 1914.)

19.375. " Electro-magnetic wave-signalling aerials." M. Latour. July 7th.
(France, November 11th, 1915.)

19.376. " Thermionic tube amplifying devices." M. Latour. July 7th.

19.377. " Gas relays for coupling electric circuits." Ges. fur Drahtlose
Telegraphic. July 7th. (Germany. February 9th, 1915.)

19.378. " Telegraphy and telephony signalling systems." Ges. fiir Draht-
lose Telegraphic. July 7th. (Germany. May 28th. 1919.)

19.379. " Electro-magnetic wave-transmission systems," Soc. Francaise
Radio-Electriquc. July 7th. (France, July 9th, 1919. )

19.380. " Electro-magnetic wave-receiving systems." Soc. Francaise Radio-
Electrique. July 7th. (France, May 7th, 1919.)

19,387. " Support for filaments used in tliermionic valves, Src." H. Morris-
Airey, A. R. Macrorie and S. R. Mullard. July 7th.

19,408. " Means of breaking high-tension electric currents." J. Schuil.
July 8th.

19,443. " Electric-current interrupters." C. Zeiss (firm of). July 8lh.
(Germany, May 28th, 1918.)

19,446. " Apparatus (or transmission and reception of pictures, SiC, by
wireless and land telephones." F. B. Underwood. July 8th.

19,451. " Reversing-switch for electric planing, &c., machines." J. l>-nnox
and R. M. Robertson. July 8th.

19,480. " Controllers for electric motors." Soc. Anon. Constructions Elet:Iri-
ques de Belgique. July 8th. (Belgium, March 18th. 1919.)

19.495. " Electric indication of fairways of great lengths." Siemens &
Halske Akt. Ges. July 8th. (Germany, December 19th, 1918.)

19.496. " Receiving arrangements (or electric detection of fairways o(
ships." Siemens & Halske Akt. Ges. July Sth. (Germany, December 18th.
1918.)

19.504. " Manufacture of stranded conductors." Siemcns-Schuckertwerkc.
July 8th. (Germany, December Uth, X917.)

19.512. " Device for strengthening telephone currents, &c." Telegraphon
Ges. July 8lh. (Germany, April 20th, 1917.)

19.527. " Electro-magnetic chuck." F. Krupp Akt. Ges. July 8th. (Ger-
many, June 23rd, 1919.)

19.529. " Overload switches." F. Krupp Akt. Ges. July Sth. (Germany,
May 15th, 1919.)

19.530. " ■VVeight-lifting magnet." F. Krupp Akt. Ges. July 8lh. (Ger-
many, May 28th, 1919.)

19.531. " Starters (or continuous-current motors." F. Krupp Akt. Ges.
July Sth. (Germany. May 14th. 1919.)

19.533. " .Appartitus for electrical long-distance control of valve gear of
hydraulic gun-mounting mechanism." F. Kruop Akt. Ges. July 8lh. (Ger-
many, November 10th. 1917.)

19^534. " Signallinii means (or submarines." O. yon Truppel. July 8lh.
(Germany, May 29th,"l917.)

19,537. " Electric plug contact arrangement." W. aus den Ruthen. July
Sth. (Germany, August Sth. 1918.)

19.539. " Electricity ttieters." Korting & Mathicsen Akt. Ges. July Sth.
(Germany, April 2nd, 1917.)

19.540. " Electricity meters." Korting & Mathicsen Akt. Ges. July 8lh.
(Germany, December llth, 1918.)

19,549. " Electrically inducing chemical action." W. J. Rickets. July Rlh.

19,560. " Telephone systems." Western Electric Co. July 8th. (United
States. February 20th. 1919.)

19.565. " Device for strengthening telephone currents." Telegraphon Ges.
July Sth. (Germany, May Uth, 1917.)

19.573. " Electron discharge apparatus." British Thomson-Houston Co.
July Sth. (United States, October 16th, 1913.)

19.574. " Electron discharge apparatus." British Thomson-Houston Co.
July Sth. (United States, March 20th, 1914.)

19,584. " Electromotors." Frankfurter Maschinenbau .Akt. Ges. vorm.
Pokorny & Wittekind. July Sth. (Germany, March ISth, 1916.)

19,611. " Continuous-current engine with constant voltage." Keisel & Co.
July Sth. (Germany, June 17th, 1918.)

19.636. " Electric generating systems." Kohler Co. July Sth. (United
States. August 20th, 1917.)

19.637. " Electric generating systems." Kohler Co. July Sth. ('Jnitcd
States, March 2nd. 1916.) •

19,682. •' Collectors for continuous-current machines." R. Boin. July 8lh.
(France. October 13th, 1917.)

19.685. " Conducting coils." Ges. fUr Drahtlose Telegraphic. July Sth.
(Germany, October 24th, 1917.)

19.686. " Wireless telegraph transmitters." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic.
July Sth. (Germany. September 12th. 1918.)

19.687. " Wave telephone systems." Ges. fur Drahtlose Telegraphic. July
Sth. iGermany, January 17th, 1919.)

19.688. " Receivers of electric w.-.ves." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic.
July Sth. (Germany, June 3rd, 1918.)

19.689. " Reception of electric oscillations." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphie.
July 8th. (Germany. May 2nd, 1916.)

19.690. " Production of high-frequency currents in static transformers."
Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic. July Sth. (Germany, February 26th, 1914.)

19,703. " Detecting presence in bodies of non-magnetic-material of bodies of
magnetic material." G, H. Jackson. July Sth.

19,713. ". Combined resistance with hollow conductors." F. Jacoviello.
July Sth. (Italy, December 21st, 1917.)

19,749. " Manufacture of electrical insulating-cement." Bleriot. Ltd. July
8th. (France. November Sth. 1917.)

19.756. " Electro-magnetic wave navigational or direction-finding svstems."
Ges. fur .Drahtlose Telegraphle. July 8lh. (Germany. October a3rd,"l918.)

19,767. " Electrical high-frequency current transformers*" Ges. fiir Draht.
loie T«legraphi*. July Sth. (GEarmany, July S9th, 191S.)

19,7.'>8. " Electro-magnetic wave, navigational or direction-finding Bystems."
Ges. fur Drahtlose Telegraphic. July Sth. (Germany, June 3rd. 1918.)

19.7.59. " Telephane, Sec. systems." M. Latour. July Sth. (France. .May
23rd, 1919.)

19.760. " Continuous electro-magnetic wave-transmitting system." M.
Latour. July Sth. (France, August 16th, 1915.)

19.761. " Thermionic tube amplifying devices." M. Latour. July 8lh.
(France, November 30th, 1918.)

19.762/3. " Telephone, &c., systems." M. Latour. July 8lh. (France,
June 25th. 1915.)

19,792/3. " Apparatus for assembling electric switches." J. P. Tucker and
J. H. Tucker & Co. July 9th.

19.799. " Armatures for dynamo-electric machines." V. G. Apple. July
9th. (United States, November 19th, 1914.)

19.800. " Terminal bending tools for armatures." V. G. Apple. July 9th.
(United States, December llth, 1916.) ,

19.801. " Armatures, &c., for dynamo-etectric machines." V. G. Apple.
July 9th. (United Sutes, December 30th. 1916.)

19,802/3/4. " Commutators." V. G. Apple. July 9th. (United States.
January 22nd, 1917.)

19.805. " Armatures." V. G. Apple. July 9lh. (United Sutes, January
39th, 1917.)

19.806. " Armatures for dynamo-electric machines." V. G. Apple. July 9th.
(United States. January 22nd. 1917.)

19.807. " Starting and lighting apparatus for self-propelled vehicles." V. G.
Apple. July 9th. (United States, April 23rd. 1917.)

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in parentheses are those under which the specificatiofM will h^
printed and abridged, and all subsequent proceedings will bt taken.

XSI6.

4.395. " Inductances for wireless telegraphy and allied uses, and the
n:anufacture thereof." E. Russell-Clarke. Complete. Accepted February 4lh,
1920. Patent scaled February 4th, 1920. March 33rd, 1916. (145,093.)

X818.

7,735. " Starting devices for internal-combustion engines." O. Imrav.
(R. Bosh Akt,-Ges.) May Sth, 1918. (145,095.)

1918.

1,012. *' Methods and apparatus for signalling and otherwise utilising
radiant impulses." R. A. Fessenden. January 14th, 1918. (122,418.)

6,898. " Installations for electrically lighting, heating, and ventilating
railway carriages and other vehicles." H. D. Rohman. Manch Uth, 1919.
(145,130.)

7,130. " Electric switching means for preventing the theft or unauthorised
use of motor vehicles." L. E. Cowey. March 21st, 1919. (145,132.)

7,174. " .Automatic contactors or electrically-operated switches and such-like
electrical devices." W. Brooke and E. M. Kerr. March 22nd, 1919. (145,134.)

7,389. " Electric relays, applicable more especially to relays for use in
railway signalling apparatus. W. R .Sykes Interlocking Signal Co. and
R. W. Tarrant. March 24th. 1919. (145,142.)

7.293. " Controlling devices for electric starters for internal combustion
engines." F. J. Gill. March 24th. 1919. (145,143.)

7,343. " Electric supply systems for lighting, heating, and ventilating
railway carriages and other vehicles." H. D. Rohman. March 34th., 1919.
(145.145.)

7,370. " Electric arc welding and cutting." A. Smith. March 25th, 1919.
(145,147.)

7,650. " Electrically-driven luggage trucks and the like." H. J. Carey.
March 27th, 1919. (145,163.)

8,074. " Method of and apparatus for the transmission of sound wave-s
by means of light and like radiant energy." T. W. Case. March 31st, 1919.
(145,169.)

10,018. " Electric lighting systems." 1). E. Weslcott. .April 22nd, 1919.
(145,300.)

10,414. " Electrically-operated camera shutters." H. M. Batten. April
26th, 1919. (145,303.)

10,773. " Sparking plugs." A. Lyonnet. April 30th, 1919. (145,208.)

14,167. " Electric fuse holders." Ironclad Switchgear Co. and E. W.
Morgan. June 14th, 1919. (145,338.)

14,809. " Fixing frame for securing electric meters, switches, fuses, and
the like to walls and partitions." E. A. Welch. June 13th, 1919. (145,349.)

14,877. " Process (or the production of plates and sheets by electro-<ie-
position." S. O. Cowpcr-Coles. June 12th, 1919. (145,350.)

15,369. " Clips for supporting and fi.xing electric cables and the like."
T. S. Jones, W. A. Mortimer, and E, Jones. June ISth, 1919. a*5.356.)

17,468. " Electric bell apparatus." A. L. Davis. July 13th, 1919.
(145,377.)

17,470. " Electric press-button." A. L. Davis. July 13th, 1919. (145,278.)

19,236. " Switches for use in electric lighting systems." D. E. Wescott.
August Sth, 1919. (145,293.)

20,073. " Ignition apparatus for internal-combustion engines." J. Kelly
and G. Honestchalger. August Uth, 1919. (145,300.)

20,892. " Electric switches." A. S. Cubitt. August 26th, 1919. (145.303.)

22,391. " Generators cf high frequency oscillations for wireless telegraphy."
V. J. F. BouchaitJon. November 21st, 1918. (135,464.)

23,906. " Antiparasitic receiving and selecting system for telegraphy and
telephony with or without wires." L. Levy. October Isl, 1918. (133,306.)

35,290. " Electrical ignition plug." Delta Co. April 39lh. 1919. (142.434.)

26.167. " Methods for and apparatus for automatic arc welding." British
Thomson-Houston Co. ^General Electric Co.). October 24th. 1919. (145.330.)

29.914; '* Sparking plugs for internal-combustion engines." A. G. Brown.
December 1st. 1919. (145^348.)

31.269. " Electrical connector boxes." M. H. Goldstone. December 13th.
1919. (145,356.)

32,347. " Indicators for electric controlling switches." F. Bechoff. Decem-
ber 34th, 1919. (145,360.)

isao.

1.844 " Electric lighting of automobile vehicles." .5. Bosch Akt. -Ges.
November 2oth, 1918. (138,103.)

1,992. " Clamp for electric wires." J. F. Schlepcr. January 21st, 1930.
(145.368.)

2.839. " Electrical resistance control." L. Hulbert. January 29th. 1920.
(145,373.)

3,001. " Windings for dynamo-electric machines. Siemens Bros. Dynamo
Works and J. W. Howard. January 31st, 1930. (145,375.)

5 796 " Selecting devices for automatic telephone svstems." Siemens
Bros. & Co., E. A. Petithorv, and J. E. Collver. February 26th, 1930.
(145.377.)

0,977. " Subscribers* instruments for automatic telephone systems." Sifr.
mani Broc. & Co. and E. A. Petithory. March 8lh, IW. a45.SS0.)

TXIS

HIIIjEIOTI^/IOJ^Xj T^lS'VTBrW.

Vol. LXXXVII.

AUGUST 6, 1920.

No. 2,228.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

THE GEKMAN ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY.

Vol. LXXXVII.]

CONTENTS: Aogast 0, 1920.

[No

3,22R.

Page
. Ifil
. 162
. 163
. 163
. 163
161
16-")

The German Electrical Industry

Edaism in' the Antipodes ...

The RepT'stration of Engineers

The Electricity Ci^upply) BUI, 1920

Who is Breaking the Law ?

Submarine Cable Telegraphy, by E. Raymond-Barker (;««.«.)

Transport Problems in Paris

The Shepherd's Bush— Ealing Electric Railway Extension

iil/m.) 166

The Efficiency of Lead Accumulators, by T. E. Green (Jllun.) 168

Electricity in Mesopotamia 168

Norwegian Water Powers ... 169

Sleepered Track at Birmingham (i7Z«.?.) 169

The Possibilities of Railless Electric Traction 170

Wilson-Wolf Motors (iHms.) 171

Correspondence —

What is the Contractor Doing .' 171

The Cost of Living in India 172

" Tumbler " Switches 172

Ten per cent. Discounts 172

Squashed Again I 172

Legal 172

Business Notea 173

Notes 179

City Notea 182

Stocks and Shares 184

Notes on Trade-Marks, by T. Rich ... 185

Trustification of German Industries ... ... ... ... 186

Motor Starting and Controlling Gear ; Some Criticisms and

Suggestions, by G. T. Dickson 186

A Push-Button Lift Installation, by " F. A. P." (illus.') ... 188

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (!//?«.) 18'.i

Reviews 190

New Patents Applied for, 1920 191

Abstracts of Published Specifications ... 1'.I2

Contractors' Column

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Bank, Newgate Street Branch."

The doleful statements which are lieing made in Germany
regarding the situation of the industries in that country
are becoming so frequent that we are gradually reacLiing
the coQclnsion that they are made for express purposes,
namely, to coerce the native workmen on the one hand, and
throw dust in the eyf s of other countries on the other. If
the statements were made by any other country with regard to
its own industries — any country in the same situation as
Germany — the Germans would call them imdenziiis, that
is, issued to create a definite but misleading impression.
It is impossible, so it is declared, to deliver the specified
tonnage of coal to the Allies ; yet the production of pit coal
in the first half of this year was 10,000,000 tons greater
than in the corresponding period of 1919, while the daily
output of lignite is greater than at any period in the
existence of the country. The -production of pig iron has
recently so much improved as a result of larger imports of
Swedish ore, that makers of castings are able to dispense
with further imports of pig iron for the present. On the
other hand, the steel makers are also apparently satisfied
with the tonnage of their make of steel, but neither they nor
the makers of pig iron desire any one to know the actual
figures of production, as reliable statistics might impart too
much information to other countries.

The electrical industry is less reticent, but one
firm after another keeps the ball rolling in order to
depict the situation both for the benefit of native
labour and for foreign consumption. This time it is
Director Henrich, of the Siemens-Schuckert Works, who
recently addressed a general meeting of the " labour com-
munity ■' of the electrical industry. According to the
reports of the proceedings, the director claimed that
Germany provided 40 per cent, of the world's production
of electrical manufactures in 1913, but at the present time
the world importance of the Teutonic industry has been
severely shaken owing to the rise of foreign competition,
particularly American, whilst the inland prices now exceed
the world's market prices, in consequence of the situation
of the currency. New orders have recently declined by more
than .'iO per cent., and no customers are to be found for
some products, the result being an increase in unemployment.
The manufacture of cable, the meeting was informed, is in
the worst position. During the first half of this year the
production of cables throughout the country amounted to
190,000,000 marks, corresponding to a pre-war value of
9,000,000 marks, or only 30 per cent, of the value in former
peace times for the same quantity of material, and the
percentage is expected to fall to 25 in the current half-year.
The situation is stated to be identical with regard to coudur-
tora. and small motors, and in the installation department,
especially as the " overland " central stations are unable either
to proceed with new works or to undertake renewals and exten-
sions of the stations owing to the threatened socialisation
[161] »

In

162

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW, [voi 87. No. 2,228, Atrousr e, 1920.

the event of the nationalisation of these works, the speaker
declared, the electrical industry apprehends a permanent
decline in the orders from these sources ; the charges for
supply will become still dearer, and this will stop the
further extension of the transmission of power. The tram-
ways, too, afford a scarcely favourable outlook as their
financial situation hampers the provision of new plant and
rolling stock.

The glow lamp industry, to which the director next
referred, is stated to have produced 70,000,000 lamps last
year. Prior to the war, 50 per cent, of the output was
exported ; the exports have now fallen to less than 2.") per
cent., and foreign competition abroad is brisk. In the cafe
of telephony, telegraphy, &c., orders are on hand for a year,
and the position, therefore, is not unfavourable, although
new orders are falling off, and foreign business is weak.
All the electrical firms are seriously concerned in the matter
nf finance, and, despite increases in capital, companies which
formerly possessed liquid funds now have to avail them-
selves of oppressive bank credits, some even having to
consider the question of restricting their output. The speaker
also referred to the difficulties in the matter of obtaining
) aw materials, and stated that the economic problems facing
the industry could only be solved, if at all, in close co-
operation between employers and workmen.

If the figures (]Uoted by the director are correct— quoted
before a meeting of representatives of the workmen in the
electrical industry in general — the Germans would appear
to have every reason for congratulating themselves on
having done so well so soon after the conclusion of the war,
instead of complaining about the situation as a whole.
Apparently, Director Henrich did not inform his audience
that the recent decrease in exports is due partly to the
control exercised by Government Department^ over export
prices, and partly to the refusal of German firms to give
binding offers, either in the matter of prices or time of
delivery. If these departments did not insist upon the
observance of minimum prices, with extras, surcharges, and
other additions, the German " sale," or selling off policy in
export markets, would not have come to an end for the time
being, but dumping would have continued, whether profitable
or otherwise, so as again to obtain access, or stronger access,
to foreign markets pending tha recovery of the industry.

EDAISM IN THE ANTIPODES.

From Australia there comes to hand an interesting report
of a meeting held by the Electrical Traders' and Contractoi s'
Association, of Victoria.

Mr. L. G. Hinwood, who appears to be a '• live wire,"
submitted a paper on " Co-operation for Improvement in
the Electrical Industry," and opens his statement by saying
that " the electrical industry is probably the only one in
Australia which is not making money to-day " ; as in
another great key industry, farming, it appears difficult to
find anyone who will confess to working for anything
beycmd the benefit of the race. However, this Association
of Australia does not seem to include the supply undertakings
or manufacturer, but to consist of contractors and im-
porteis, many "of whom no doubt deal in non-electrical
goods also. Mr. Hinwood, who seems to have preached the
gospel of mutual help for a number of years, complains of
price-cutting, distrust, and lack of substantial support for
his enterprise, all " growing pains " with which we at home
have been only too familiar in the past, but which we now
see giving place to a sounder conception of responsibility to
the public and to fellow traders, The change reflects the
greatest credit upon the faith and tenacity of our leaders
md association organisers,

Says the speaker, with his finger on the weakest of weak
spots : —

To-day, if a central station has a shut-down, do we search for a
good and legitimate reason as we would if the undertakin?8 were
our own ? No. We are altogether too prone to adversely criticise,
even to the consumer, with the result that he loses confidence, not
in the central station, but in electricity, our livelihood. A com-
petitor supplies or installs a piece of apparatus, or does some work
which proves defective, or in some way gives trouble. Again, we
have a tendency, perhaps more than a tendency, to criticise adversely,
and again our livelihood is affected. Before we reach the maximum
of success, we must realise very clearly that we, in the electrical
industry, are all interdependent, and that one firm, or community
of firms, cannot be affected for good or evil without the condition
being very materially reflected in the rest of the industry.

This appeal for a wider outlook amongst all engaged in
the service of electricity has been made very often, and there
are signs that it is producing results.

The enthusiastic speaker dwells at length upon the magni-
tude of the co-operative work done within the American
electrical industry, but he does not emphasise the support
given thereto by such bodies as the National Electric
Light Association of U.S.A., or the Association of Elec-
trical Contractors. Work performed by such associations
as these is invaluable ; the considerable sums contributed
to them have probalily proved more remunerative than
any other items of expenditure in the budget of their
member undertakings.

Experience has shown that joint work of this kind is not
only more remunerative than individual effort, but in
addition it adds to the efficiency of individual effort, and
enables each firm to cut waste and get the best result out
of its expenditure on pushing its own particular business or
specialities.

The best way to sell spades is to encourage a taste for
gardening.

In theory, everyone believes in co-operative action for
work of this kind, but in practice it has too oft°n been the
experience of far-seeing promoters to find themselves
regarded as cranks whose efforts are rather grudgingly
supported by contributions, which generally amount to
something small in guineas, possibly less than the donor
pays for his daily papers.

To-day every business man advertises in some form or
other, and the time has come for a clear recognition of the
fact that all particular and personal business-getting efforts,
which are by their nature narrow and intensive, should
follow Itehind a pioneering system of propaganda in favour
of the industry generally.

If every trader would set aside a definite proportion of
the money he is able to spend on business-getting for the
support of such general pioneering, he would find the
remainder of his expenditure more productive, his path
easier, and, moreover, have the satisfaction of knowing that
he was helping to create new markets for the future, and
not merely exerting himself to secure the biggest share of
an existing demand.

The speaker concluded with a few figures showing
the possibilities of trade in Victoria ; they are worth
repeating : —

Here are some interesting figures. In Victoria to-day there are
206,000 dwellings within the areas reticulated for electricity, but
only '.111,000 consumers. The manner in which the statistics are
prepared do not enable us to determino how many of the 90,000
consumers are factories, theatres, ,.>cc., but let us assume that there
are 20,000 of these. Thiit would leave 70,000 dwellings wired for
electricity — 70,000 dwellings I IIow many of these are /iilli/
eqiiipppil electrically / I venture to say not one. Very well. That
means that right now there is a market here in this State for at
least ; —

50,000 fan motors.
50,000 vacuum cleaners.
50,000 flat-irons.
50,000 kettles.
50,000 radiators.
50,000 washing machines.
50,000 table standards.
Assuming: the following selling prices : —

Fan £3 0 0

Vacuum cleaner 15 0 0

Flat-iron 2 0 0

Kettle... 2 0 0

Itadiator .S 0 0

Washing machine 25 0 0

Table standard 6 0 0

This moans that wo have sales to the t?stent of £2,750,000
waiting for ue to collect,

Vol. 87. No. 2,228, AuousT 6, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

163

In addition, there is a balance of 135,000 dwellinprs waiting to
be wired, at an average cost of, say, £20, makings an additional
£2,700,000 waiting for collection by us.

What are we. as a community, doing to convince these house-
holders of the advantages, if not the necessity, of electricity 1 Not
a thing. We fight like tigers amongst ourselves when an inquiry
is served up to us on a sUver salver, but individually or collectively
we do nothing to create the desire among the people for electricity,
which wonld mean more business for us. Are we going to continue
these tactics, or are we going to help each other to take advantage
of the wonderful opportunity awaiting us .'

Although for some reason which one would be glad to
hear, the cooking range is not included, the magnitude of
the load to be secured suggests the urgent need for co-
operation between the Association and the supply under-
takings.

Although the attempt ot the Insti-
The Registration , , ■ ,„..,„. \

of Ei^ineers ™"°'i of C'lvil Engmeers to secure powers
to register civil engineers failed, owing to
the opposition of the other engineering institutions, which
believed that such powers granted to the Civils would
endanger their own position, some good is likely to come of
the effort. It is known, of course, that the Institution of
Civil Engineers did not proceed with its Bill even to the
first reading stage of the first House of Parliament, but
although little has been heard of the nature of the con-
ferences which took place between the Oouncil of the Insti-
tution of Civil Engineers and the other engineering
institutions — beyond the uncompromising determination of
the latter to oppose the Bill in the form in which it was
deposited in Parliament — yet it is probable that a far more
comprehensive scheme of registration will be raised upon
the ashes of the Civils' first Bill. In short, what is in mind
is the formation of a body representing all classes of
engineers on the lines of the General Medical Council,
upwn which all the engineering institutions would be repre-
sented. It would then be much easier to frame a scheme to
place before Parliament for the registration of engineers,
with powers to prosecute unregistered practitioners whose
mode of business in any way suggested they were registered.

The terms upon which registration could be carried out
would then be subscribed to by all branches of the engi-
neering industry. For instance, we presume that the
conditions concerning electrical engineers would be laid
down by the Institution of Electrical Engineers, but they
would be put forward and enforced by the federated council,
by whatever name it was known. If such a closing of the
ranks could be effected, and such a central body formed, a
registration scheme would have a much better chance of
getting through Parliament, for it would eliminate all
opposition, so to speak, from within. That, however, would
not necessarily imply an unopposed passage, although it
would considerably strengthen the case for registration.

There would, nevertheless, still be many special cases to
consider, because the case of engineers is not quite so
straightforward as that of the medical profession or the law.
There are large numbers of what might be called working
engineers, now in business as such, whose standard of
theoretical education would not enable them to pass the
present examination tests set by the leading institutions,
and if these tests were to be applied before registration
could be obtained, and a man without registration was not to
be allowed to call himself an engineer for the purpose of
business, then considerable hardship would be effected, and
a strong case could be made out for the class who, for the
most part, are not members of any of the institutions,
although their practical knowledge would probalily far
transcend that of many members of the existing institutions.
Apart from this special case, a federal council of all engi-
neers, working on the lines laid down in the Bill of the
Institution of Civil Engineers, would add enormously to the
status of the engineers, although a scheme of registration
even then would not be easy to work out, having regard to
the complexities of engineering, taken in the broadest sense
of the term.

It is interesting to note that a federation of engineering
societies is being organised in the United States on
somewhat similar lines,

The interview accorded by Mr. A.

(Supply) Blll^ Neal, M.P., and the Electricity Com-
1920. ' missioners to a deputation from the
Association of Municipal Corporations,
which we report elsewhere, is of considerable significance in
several respects. The deputation supported the view put
forward by the I.M.E.A. at the recent Convention — that the
financial clauses of the Bill should be passed as a matter of
urgency, to provide funds, or, at least, security which would
enable the Joint Electricity Authorities to raise loans on
good terms. As Sir Robert Fox pointed out, all the
authorities in course of formation were up against this
difficulty. But the reply of Mr. Neal afforded them little
consolation.

In the first place, he hinted that the formation of Joint
Electricity Authorities was going along so well that in all
probability the District Boards would never be required.
Nothing would be done with the Bill before the autumn
— and it was clearly doubtful whether it would be pro-
ceeded with at all. The financial question was the rock that
split the Bill in the House of Lords, and we infer from Mr.
Neal's remarks that the Cxovernment is not at all anxious to
court a repetition of that experience : he pointed out that
public companies could raise money on the security of their
undertakings, and urged that the Joint Authorities could do
the same, while he addressed a special appeal to the
corporations '' to give the backing of their rate guarantees,"
and so help to frame the schemes. Once more the point
was driven home — that if the municipalities were to obtain
control, they must also find the money.

We take it then — though Mr. Neal was most carefully
non-committal — that the present Bill will dwindle away
to what he called a " short and non-controversial measure "
(i.e., obviously, one that deals neither with District Boards
nor with finance), or will be dropped altogether ; and that
the component authorities of the Joint Electricity Author-
ities will be invited to solve the financial difficulty by
pledging their rates, and/or undertakings, as security for
such proportion of the necessary capital as their share in the
venture justifies.

Incidentally, Mr. Neal pointed out that small isolated
undertakings, which could neither derive advantage from
inclusion in a joint scheme, nor confer any benefit upon the
latter, need not be uneasy as to their future, for the existing
Act imposed no obligation upon them to come in. Clearly,
as when the Bill was before Parliament last year, many
people raise objections, or ask questions, who have never
troubled to read the provisions of the Act, which are
perfectly clear on this point.

We wonder how many Electricity Supply
Who Is Breaking tt j ^ i • t <.u l^■ J

.. , .^ " Undertakings are aware of the obligation
the Law .■' . " ... ° . ,

imposed on them under Section SI of the

recent Electricity (."Supply) Act, 1111!). This clause penalises
any employe who breaks his contract of service, if by so
doing he jeopardises the supply of electricity. The clause
extends Section 4 of the Conspiracy and Protection of
Property Act, 187.5 (which up to the present has covered only
gas and water) to the supply of electricity. But — and we
wonder how many of those in charge of supply under-
takings have carefully read the Section in question — there
is an obligation also placed on every undertaker. This
obligation is to post up a printed copy of the Section in
some conspicuous place in the electricity works where it
can be conveniently read by the persons employed ; and as
often as the copy becomes defaced, obliterated, or destroyed,
to have it renewed with all reasonable dispatch. The
penalty of not doing so is, " on summary conviction," some
sum not exceeding £5 a day for every day during which
the default continues. Moreover, there is a maximum fine
of 40s. provided for anyone who injures, defaces, or covers
up the notice. Some lit*le time ago we commented on the
desirability, if not the necessity, of all those in positions of
responsibility in electricity undertakings making themselves
familiar with the statutory provisions applying to their
departments, and the present is an obvious case in point.
Verb, sat inq.

164

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,228, AtrousT e, 1920.

SUBMARINE CABLE TELEGRAPHY.

A Rising " Cab\e-Constant " : A Make-shift Term.

By EDWARD RAYMOND-BARKER.

Matter relating to signalling speeds through submarine
telegraph cables is no novelty to readers of the Elec-
trical Review, who will not have forgotten, infer alia,
the leading article on " Speeds of Atlantic Cables " in
the Electrical Review of June 24th, 1898, as well as
the useful assemblage of data and closely knit argument
afforded by the special article "Absorption and Cable
Speeds"*' in the same journal of June 9th, 1899.

During many years, various circumstances have kept
the subject of " cable-constants " (so called) in the mind
of the present writer. t Especially has this been so in
recent times owing, principally, to seeming anomalies
connected with the use of certain .symbols, and of ap-
parently not always consistent numerical equivalents.

Notwithstanding that the articles and books by Dr.
John A. Fleming, F.R.S., Dr. A. E. Kennelly, and Dr.
H. W. Malcolm, amongst others, have shed much light
on the higher mathematical solutions applicable to these
nuitters, the present writer will not be thought presump-
tuous if, in connection with a quite recent Press refer-
ence to developments due to modern current-amplifiers
or Diar/nifiers. he ventures to submit to the editors and
readers of the Electuh'al RiniEW one or two practical

Fig. 1.— Early (\'.<\2) Pattern Oriing Amplifier Ocean]
Cable Signals. Constant = :^ x :^00 l.p.m. = 1200.

considerations relating to the so-called " cable-constant "
as used by cable authorities and others in modern every-
day practice.

The very useful and informative review, in the Elec-
trical Review of June Uth, 1920, over the initials
"A. F.," of Prof. Dr. J. A. Fleming's book "The
Propagation of Electric Currents in Telephone and
Telegraph Conductors,"! includes reference to "the
Oriing and Heurtley relays."

These relays are instanced by the reviewer as examples
of improved submarine-cable current-receivers, which,
in his opinion, have " badly upset " preconceived data
regarding the "cable-constant" as referred to in Dr.
Fleming's above-mentioned notable work.

Apt and pertinent as is this allusion to the current-
amplifiers or magnifiers of Heurtley and of Oriing (with
which — by the way — the selenium current-magnifiers of
Cox and of Dixon might have been bracketed) there is
one sense in which the reviewer's words relating to the
effect of these improved apparatus on the " cable con-
stant " seem to have failed to coincide al)S(ibitcly with
historic practice.

With permission, the present writer will reproduce
"A. F.'s " words on the subject in point: —

* This article was from the pen of our esteemed contributor,
Mr. J. Rymer-Jones, M.I.B.B.— Eds.

t See " The Speed of Submarine TelcRraphy. A Cursory
Historical Sketch," written, at special invitation of the
Editor, by E. Raymond-Barker, for the Etrrtricitm of Sopt^^m-
ber 1.5th, 1910. " Now— with articles by other writers— re-
print<Hl and published, in book form, by Messrs. Benq
Brothers, Ltd., 8, Bouverie Street, London. fj.CA.

* Constable & Co., Ltd,

" . . . In the chapter dealing with the speed of sig-
nalling in cables reference is made to the " cable con-
stant,' which is defined as the product of the capacity
of the cable, its resistance, and the letters per minute
which can be sent through it. This, however, is a very
arbitrary quantity, which has already been badly upset
by such delicate receiving instruments as the Oriing and
Heurtley relays, to say nothing of the possibilities in-
herent in the modern amplifier." (Three-electrode ther-
mionic oscillatory valve relay.) §

This constant cited by "A. F.," namely, the product
of K R and (eligible maximum) l.p.m., can hardly be
accurately described as " a very arbitrary quantity."

Nor has this constant, during the past half century
or more, been a C07istant absolute, and final up to the
moment' at which — somewhere about 1910 — it was
" badly upset " by the performances of the two " re-
lays " mentioned by "A. F."

On the contrary, whilst during that period of time,
the " cable constant " has, in the main, evinced a rising
tendency indicating improvement in circuit efficiency on
a cable of given k r, that same "cable constant" has
varied according to attendant circumstances. To take
one out of many instances, up to the present time, the
cable constant for duplex working — other things being
equal — has always been lower than with simplex.

Naturally the striking results (bj' inference) referred
to by "A. F." as having been obtained by means of
" the Oriing and Heurtley relays," appear high up on
the rising cable-constant curve as plottings, each of
which, ever and anon, owing to some further improve-
ment effected, is moved still further up the curve, the
topmost limit of which is, as yet, unknown.

In a word, the term " caXAe-constant " has been a
misnomer, and is but a makeshift. For, in truth, this
term is applicable only (a) to comparison of two cables
of approximately similar K r's and (i) to speed-test
data obtained not only with certain apparatus among
others of varied design and characteristics, but with
that same apparatus adjusted and tuned up to the same
given relative standard of efficiency; not necessarih-
uniform in degree, but relatively suitable to each par-
ticular degree of required periodicity.

In the late 'fifties, and early 'sixties. Thomson's
(afterwards Kelvin's) mirror and siphon-recorder raised
trans-Atlantic cable speed from something between three
letters and seven letters per minute to quite 85 l.p.m.,
this being equivalent to k w x l.p.m. =34(1 x 10° — an old-
time " constant " on the 1865 Atlantic cable. ||

Then the curve, to which Thomson's inspiration had
given so good a start, continued to climb.

This upward progress, little by little, was, in a general
way, maintained throughout the succeeding half-century,
partly owing to increased experience and skill of an
o|)erating staff tiiat has always taken a pride in getting
the most out of the cables under given conditions, but
principally due to a chain of improvements, a flash-
summary of which may here be cited : The successive
or cumulative adoption of signalling condensers at one
or both ends of the cable, curb-sending, automatic traiis-

§ Regarding possible appHcation of the valve amplifier as
a relay for qua.si-steady currents, e.g.. for suliniarine cable
telegraphy, Captain Ij-. B. Turner, M..\.. in his Paper on the
'■Oscillatory Valve Relay" (I.E.E.. January .30th. 1919) ex-
pressed the opinion that " the valve relay in this forni nuist,
it is thought, be adaptable to Rubmarine cable working ; but
thi.s is not an easy problem, and only preliminary trials have
.so far been made. ..."

N.B. — The tt^ms amplifier (Fr. nmplificalcur) and magnifier
as applied to certain high-sensitivity receivers designed for use
on submarine cables were in use before the apiioarance of the
thermionic valve relay."? now <'alleil amplifiers. — E. E.-B.

II Derived from d.itn in Chaps. IT and III in Sir Charles
Briglit's most u.sefid book of reference : " Submarine Tele-
graphs." Crosby I/ockwood. E. R.-B. See also the Eire-
irician, September 15th, 1916.

Vol. 87. No. 2,228, AuausT 6, 1920.1 THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

165

mission curbed and uncurbed, various methods of in-
verse-current working, shunted condensers, Mr. S. G.
Brown's magnetic shunt, and various other forms of
self-induction shunts, Dr. Muirhead's and other's, con-
nection arrangement of receiving apparatus as an
oscillatory circuit with shunted condenser, also resist-
ances, inductive and non-inductive; above all, the advent
of current amplitiers or magnifiers. Each one of these
improvements contributed its quota towards the increase
of the "letters per minute" factor in the expression
K w I. p.m. or " cable constant."

The numerical equivalent of this last-mentioned ex-
pression has thus risen to considerably over 1,200 (mil-
lions); indeed, recent experiments on the cables have
rendered certain the attainment of a " cable constant "
of well nigh 2,000x10°.

To digress for a moment. So long ago as in 1912 was
the " cable constant " 1,200 attained by a early-pattern
Orling jet relay, which, in experimental trials over an
ocean cable of Kn = ixl0°, recorded signals at very
nearly 300 letters per minute, which speed happened
to be the maximum limit of the particular transmitter
used. The fact that this constant of 1,200 has often
been referred to in technical articles and books adds
interest to inspection of the accompanying fig. 1, which
shows some of tlie actual received signals there referred
to; actual words being: "Cable company " and "His
sister." Any cable man sees, at a glance, that had still
faster transmission been available, the reception would
have greatly exceeded 300 I. p.m. with easily decipher-
able signals. The " fly in the ointment " was, in those
days, the inability of* this sensitive reception (except
under semi-suicidal modification) to stand the shock of
duplex out-going signals. This phase of the matter —
now satisfactorily settled — will be dealt with further on
in this article.

When considering these " cable constants," one does
not lose sight of the circumstance that, with regard (1)
to the expression kw I. p.m., the higher the k \v factor
(say 8 X 10°) the more easily is a high constant attainable,
for, in this case, the mechano-electric necessities do not
involve any ultra-high-speed movements of mechanism.
Whereas, (2) with a low or medium k r factor (say 2
X 10°), before one can reach the high-speed constant
attained in the first case, transmitting, receiving, and
relaying electric mechanisms have to be brought into
play under conditions of exceedingly high instrumental
stress — conditions under which only very high-class de-
sign and construction can ensure stability, and time-
uniformity of operation.

For example, let the k r in the former instance = 8
X 10°. In order to attain a "speed constant" of
1,600x10", I. p.m. must = 200 which, at 4 contacts per
letter (in round numbers), =800 contacts per minute =
about 13 contacts per second. Whereas on a k r of
2x10°, in order to attain a "speed constant" of
1.600x10°, l.p.m. must =800, that is 3,200 contacts
per minute = about 53 contacts per second — a high
figure, though not impossibly so, especially under con-
ditions as advocated by Major-Gen. George 0. Squier,
Chief Signal Officer, U.S. War Department — namely,
tliat submarine cable transmission should be effected
through the medium of an unbroken single-phase alter-
nating current of the sine-wave type using three diSei-ent
aii!i)litudes severally for spaces, " dots " and " dashes "''
a style of transmission excellently adapted to tluple.r
conditions, owing to the wave-like shape of the trans-
mitted alternations, as compared witli the customary
square-topped current-impulses so awkward for duplex.

The foregoing comparison of two highly divergent
kr's is merely an illustration of one of the anomalies
of the K R law, the shortcomings and limitations of whicli
have been so clearly summarised and explained by Dr.
Malcolm in " The Theory of the Submarine Telegraph
and Telephone Cable," pp. 232-241, also p. 259.

Clearly, then, it is desirable that the expression K r
l.p.m. as a "cable constant" — for ordinary practical

* See the Elkctrical Review, July 30th and August 6th,
191».

office use — be replaced or supplemented by some more
comprehensive expression which will take into account
the varying relativities severally between "kr" and
"l.p.m." factors. At the present time, if "A" tell
"B" that a new magnifier brings about a "speed
constant" of, say, 1,800, B, before he can estimate
the nature or extent of the feat involved, has to ask
" Over what k r? "

{To he concluded.)

TRANSPORT PROBLEMS IN PARIS.

It was recently mentioned that a scheme was being pro-
moted in Paris for the amalgamation of the transport
undertakings on the surface in the capital and its
vicinity, and it was suggested that the working of
the combined companies would be entrusted to an
operating company. The details of the project have
now been put forward in a report prepared by the Prefect
for the consideration of the Paris Municipal Council, and
the General Council of the Department of the Seine.
The public authorities and the Commission for the
reorganisation of transport services in common, are of
opinion that the undertakings of the six companies con-
cerned should be purchased in order to unify the system
of working, whicli would be entrusted to a company
in which the authorities would be also interested.
To amalgamate the companies and effect a settlement of
the purchase price all at once would necessitate the
flotation of a large loan. In order to overcome this
difficulty the idea has been conceived of proceeding with the
redemption by the adoption of a system of annuities. These
would be spread over a period of 30 years, and in return the
obligation would be placed upon the companies to surrender
their movable and immovable property forming the
public domain included in the concessions, or forming part
of their private domain. On the other hand, the companies
would retain their cash funds, portfolio securities, and
banking accounts, whilst the stocks would be purchased by
the Department of the Seine at the invoice prices. As a
result of the negotiations the companies have formulated
their claims for compensation on an annuity basis. The
largest undertaking — the Compagnie Gcnerale des Omnibus,
which is chiefly a tramway concern — asks for an annuity of
20.000,000 fr. on combined share and loan capital of
263,000,000 fr. ; the Compagnie des Tramways de Paris et
du Departement de la Seine applies for an annual
payment of 6,500,000 fr. on capital of 78,000,000 fr. ;
the Compagnie Gcnerale Parisienne de Tramways, an
annuity of 5,000,000 fr. on 65,000,000 fr. ; the Tramways
de I'Est Parisien, 4,500,000 fr. on 41,000,000 fr. ; the
Chemins de Fer Nogentais, 2,960,000 fr. on 20,000,000 fr. ;
and the Tramways de la Kive Gauche an annuity of
6,500,000 fr. on capital of 12,000,000 fr. The amoimt of
the annuities would suffice for the payment of interest on,
and the redemption of, the loans, and provide 6 per cent,
for the interest and redemption of the share capital. If the
six companies are able to obtain the grant of the annuities in
question, it is probable that they will be glad to withdraw
from the transport business, having regard to present diffi-
culties in working and the uncertainty of the future. Whether
they will unite to constitute an operating company with the
object of competing for the working concession which is to
be granted in the event of the amalgamation of the under-
takings being carried into effect, so as to secure uniformity
in working, administration, and in the formation of new
connections — well, this is quite another matter. The
companies certainly have before them the experience of the
Compagnie Parisienne ae Distribution d'Electricite, which
is a combination of the former Secteurs, or local companies,
and in whose gross revenue the Municipal Council partici-
pates without sharing the risks of the shareholders ; and
they also have within their reach the similar experience of
the Metropolitan Railway and the Xord-Sud Railway, in
which the financial advantages are all on the side of the
local authorities.

lea

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. st. »o. 2,228, aoooh e, 1920,

THE SHEPHERDS BUSH— EALING ELECTRIC RAILWAY EXTENSION.

The Central London electric railway service over the Great
Western Railway extension from Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush,
to Ealing Broadway, was officially inaugurated last week, when
a special inspection train, carrying directors and officials of
the Great Western and London Underground Itailway Com-
panies and a party of guests, was run from I>iverpool Street
to Ealing Broadway and back to the British Museum.
After the trip luncheon was served at the Ilolborn Restaurant,
the Right Hon. Viscount Churchill, G.C.V.O., chairman of
the 6.W.R. Co., being in the chair.

Fio. 1.— 6.W. AND C.L. Railway Extension.

It will be remembered that the Central Ijondon railway
was opened for passenger traffic on July 30th, 1900,
between Shepherd's Bush and the Bank. During the first
six months of operation oyer 14^ million passengers were
carried over the line ; that number increased iinnually until
in 1919 the passengers carried numbered nearly 48^
millions. On July 27th, 1912, the extension from the
Bank to Liverpool Street was opened to traffic. In 1905
the G.W.R., by Act of Parliament, obtained authority
to construct the new line, and in 1911
another Act gave the C.L.R. powers to
connect up with the new line, and run
its trains through to Ealing.

Work was commenced at the beginning
of 1913, and good progress was made, but
the incidence of the war delayed the com-
pletion of the undertaking, particularly
in so far as the electrification was con-
cerned, it not being possible to secure
the necessary equipment. It is, there-
fore, to the credit of all concerned that
the new service has been inaugurated so
soon after the Armistice.

It is proposed to run a 10-minute
service on week days between (I a.m. and
8 p.m., and between the latter hour and
midnight a 14-minute service: on Sun-
days a 15-minute service will be avail-
able. The new line will develop the
previously badly-served districts through l-

which it passes, and will afford residents
a more direct route to the West End and City of London
with connections to all parts. It should also considerably
relieve the District Railway from Ealing during the busy
portions of the day.

The extension, which is 4 miles 22 chains in length, the
C.L.R. from Wood Lane to Liverpool Street being G miles
76 chains long, forms a connection with the West London
line near the Uxbridge Road, and is available for use by
G.W.R. passenger and goods trains ; freight traffic had
already been conveyed over it by G.W.R. steam trains prior
to the commencement of pissenger traffic on August Srd.
The new line, the location of which is indicated in fig. 1

by the thick black and white line, from Ealing Broadway
parallels the G.W.R. main line for about half a mile, after
which it turns northwards towards the G.W.R. liOndon-
Birmingham line, adjacent to which it pursues its course
to Gld Oak Common, running under the G.W.R. lines at
that point and proceeding along the west side of Worm-
wood Scrubbs. Physical connection is made with the CL.R.
at AVood Lane station.

Additional platforms have been constructed at Ealing
Broadway and Wood Ijane stations, and a new intermediate
station has been built at East Acton.

The electrification of the new line has been carried out
on the same principle as is already operating on the Central
London Railway, namely, what is known as the three-rail
principle, with centre positive conductor rail and running
rail return. Electricity is supplied from the Great Western
Co.'s power station at Park Royal. The supply is three-
phase at (1,000 volts, and is transformed and converted to
000 volts DC. at Old Oak Common sub-station where the
supply to the line is given. In addition to a supply for
traction purposes a single-phase supply at 460 volts is pro-
vided for the electric signalling system.

The working of the trains is safeguarded by the provision
of automatic signalling, the line being divided into sections,
eight on the down road, and nine on the up road, the longest
section being about 1,100 yards, thus enabling a service
with the minimum of interval to be run when necessary.
There are three signal boxes. The Wood Lane Junction
box controls a fly-over junction, fig. 4, connecting the West
London and West London extension lines to Addison Road
and Clapham Junction south of the Thames. The signal
box works the facing points of the junction, mechani-
cally and electrically controls the necessary signals for the
protection of the junction. The North Acton box controls
the junction between the new line and the Great Western
direct line to Birmingham. The interlocking apparatus
required for the new terminus is operated from the District
Co.'s signal-box at Ealing Broadway, and is of the electro-
pneumatic type, there being six sets of points. All signals
are of the three-position type, worked in the upper
quadrant, fig. 4, which are controlled liy a.c. track circuits.

The signals are put to " danger " on the passing of a
train, and do not alter in position until the train has cleared

2.— LuoKiNG East from Ealing Broadway.

the track circuit of the first section ahead, when the signal-
arm works automatically to the 45 degrees position. Upon
the train clearing the second section ahead, the signal
assumes the vertical position. At the junctions the signals
are controlled by the signaller in addition to the track
circuits. In each signal-box there is an illuminated
diagram, by means of which the signalman is able to
follow the movements of trains over the sections of line
applying to the signal-box. At each signal a train-stop is
provided, working in conjunction with the signal-arm,
which on being passed in the "danger "position automatically
applies the brake on the train. For foggy weather, repeating-

Vol. 87. No. 3,928, A0OO8T 6, 1980.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

167

light signals are provided along the lino at a distance of
goo yards from the signals.

The signal work has been carried out by the Mackenzie
Holland and Westinghonse Power Signalling Co., under the
direction of the signal engineer of the Great Western
Railway.

The trains consist uf sis cars — two mntor-cars, and four
trailers. The latter are standard C.L.R. stock, while the
motor-cars were specially designed for this extension. The
control equipment supplied by the B.T.II. Co. is of the
relay automatic typo. The normal position of operation is
to place the controller at once to the full-on position when
starting a train. The contactors are then picked up in
their correct sequence by the current-limiting relay, which
operates as soon as the motor current has dropped to a pre-

FiG. 3. — ApPBOAca TO Wood Lane, looking East.

determined value. The relay consists of two shunt coils
and one main coil ; the latter carries current equal to that
of one motor only.

The actuating coils of the contactors are energised through
•one or other of the two shunt coils in a manner such that,
if one is energised through one shunt coil, the next one to
close will be energised in series with the other shunt coil.
The two relay shunt coils act on two plungers controlled by
gravity. Each plunger, when in its
normal position, closes a disk switch in
series with the other shunt coil ; but
when raised (due to its coil being
energised) opens this switch. Thus,
when one of the plungers is raised, the
shunt coil acting on the other cannot
be energised because of the break in
the circuit produced by the above-
mentioned switch, but although it is the
control current that raises the plunger
so as to produce this break, it is the
current passing through the main coil
which maintains the break and the
plunger is not released until this current
has dropped to the pre-determined value.
Then the plunger falls and closes the
switch, which completes the circuit for
the next contactor coil to be energised.

The principle underlying the method
of control adopted in connection with
the current-limiting relay is that after a
contactor has been picked up, as des-
cribed above, its coil is immediately transferred (by means
of inter-locks) to another wire. There are thus essentially
two operating wires, the picking-up wire and the retaining
wire, although other wires are introduced for forward and
reverse, circuit-breaker setting, &c.' As there are no main
bus lines down the train a potential relay is fitted on each
motor-car, which drops all contactors on that car when the
motors lose current. This is necessary, because when no
current passes through the main coil of the current-limiting
relay it ceases to exercise its control over the rats of
picking-up of contactors.

The controller has four forward points and two reverse
(series only), of which Nos. 2 and 4 are running points,

where all resistance is out out. A useful provision ie that,
if in the course of the automatic notching up the controller
handle is brought back to the first or third notch, as the
case may be, the automatic closing of contactors is stopped,
but those already closed are kept up. The working of the
safety button on the controller handle differs from the
C.L. Railway standard in that the safety button cannot be
released, except when the handle is at the off position. If,
however, the handle itself be let go, it flies back to the off
position, when current is instantly cut off, and the brakes
applied throughout the train. .Vnothor safety device is the
control circuit governor. By interrupting one of the
control circuits it prevents the train being driven forward
unless the train pipe of the Westinghonse brake is charged
with air and the trip cock is cut in.

Each motor-car is fitted with two CE. il2 motors of
240 H.P. geared for a free-running spjed of 3.")-40 .m.p.h.
The brake equipment is of the Westinghonse type with im-
proved triple valves on the motor-cars and quick-acting
tri[ le valves on the trailers. The brake blocks are f f
unchilled cast-iron. The air-compressor is of the B.T.H.
Co.'s C.p. 28a type. The motor-cais are provided with a
covered vestibule at the trailing end and middle doors.
The control of the latter is similar to that described in oiir
issues of April Kith and 23rd, 1',I2U, in connection with
the new Bakerloo stock.

The interior steel panels of the motor-cars are painted a
light brown to tone with the colour of the moulding, &c.,
which is of teak or steel, painted to match. The lamp
fittings and ends of cress seats are finished in oxidised
bronze ; other fittings are of aluminium alloy. The ceiling
of the arched agasote roof is ensmelled fiat white. With
regard to ventilation, in addition to the ordinary drop liahts,
an air duct with perforations runs the whole length of the
motor-car, and is open to the air at the ends.

The motor-cars are constructed mainly of steel, with some
teak interior finish. The sole bars consist of 12 in. x 4 in.
X O'G in. bulb angles, upon which the body framing is
built up. The motor trucks are built of plate and angle
iron. The trailer trucks are built up of pressed-steel
sections, and are fitted with the ordinary laminated side-
bearing springs. The motor-cars were constructed by the
Cammell Laird Co. from diagrams drawn by the Ealing
Common Krawing Office of the Underground Companies.

The leading dimensions and weights of the trains are as

Fio. 4. — The Flv-oveb West of Wood Lane Station.

follows : — Length overall, 47 ft. 0 in. ; width over body,
8 ft. ',) in. ; total height from rail, 9 ft. 3i in. ; centres of
bogies, 29 ft. G in. ; diameter of motor wheels, 3G in. ; wheel
base of motor bogie, 6 ft. 8 in. ; diameter of trailing wheels,
29 in. ; wheel base of trailer bogie, 5 ft. The weight of car
completely equipped is — motor end, 22^ tons ; trailer end, 9^
tons, the weight of a six-car train (unloaded) being 128 tons.
The first ordinary passenger train over the new line left
Ealing Common station at i> a.m. on Tuesday morning last,
the complete journey to Liveipool Street occupying 35
minutes. At a later date it is proposed to bnild two
additional intermediate stations, at East and West Acton
respectively.

168

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. Sr. No. 2.228, August 6, 1920.

THE EFFICIENCY OF LEAD ACCUMULATORS.

By T. E. QREEN.

Act'UMDLATOR efficiency can be measured in two ways ;
either by what is known as the quantity efficiency, or the
energy efficiency. The usual method of calculating these is
as follows : —

Q (Quantity efficiency) = Output in ampere-hours/Input
in ampere-hours.

E (Energy efficiency) = Output in watt-hours/input
in watt-hours.

Of these two expressions, the latter is the more accurate,
because it includes the voltage at charge and discharge,
which the former ignores altogether. For this reason also,
E will always be smaller than (}. When calculating the
output and input, it is necessary to take the output first, and
then the input, which is required to complete the equation,
' t/ic amount nccossarij to briny the cell hack to ejncttij the
same comlifion as before discharge.

It is, of course, a well-known fact that the capacity of
cells varies with the rate of disiharge and the tempera-
ture. We may, for the present, safely neglect the latter.
The variation of capacity with the rate of disihai;/e is
shown in fiir. 1. Xow, what is the effect of variation of
discharge rate (or capacity), on the efficiency of a cell ?
This is also shown in fiir. 1, and it will be seen from this
curve that the higher the rate of discharge, the lower is the
efficiency of the cell.

Undoubtedly the most efficient type of battery is the
floating battery ; repeatedly charging and discharging a
cell for short periods of time gives a much higher efficiency
than long charges and discharges. Referring to fig. 2, we
see that for, say, one minute charge and discharge we get an
efficiency of about O-t per cent., whilst for four or five hours'
charge and discharge the efficiency is only 70 to 74 per
cent.

.^

f'

.'^f-

P

/

t

p)>

^

^

^

r

/

/

DISCHARGE BATE

Fig. 1.

Pig. 2.

ELECTRICITY IN MESOPOTAMIA.

We are indebted to Lieut.-C!oI. S. H. Bridcut, O.B.E.,
A.M.I.E.E., Diiwtor of Electrical and Mechanical Services,
Mesopotamia, for the I'oDowing information respecting elec-
trical activities in that country. As an example of British pro-
gressiveness against tremendous handicaps this will no doubt
prove of interest to our readers.

"The original E. and M. Section of the Boyal Engineers
in Mesopotamia was started in the early days of the war to
undertake all ai'rangemeuts for the provision of electric lights
and tans and water supplies for the troops at Basra and on
the hues of communication. Its main functions were the
provision of these necessities for the hospitals.

'■ Towards the end of 1916 the activities of this unit were
largely extended. Under the late Brig.-General Stokes-
Roberts, C.B. (Director of Works), and Col. J. S. Pitkeathly,
G.V.O., C.B.E., D.S.O. (commandant of- the unit), an exten-
sive programme for the provision of adequate anangements
for electric lighting and fans, pure water supplies, ice supplies
and refrigeration for the whole force, and extending up to
divisional areas, was undertaken. The accomplishment of
this programme was an important factor in the vast improve-
ments that wore made for the health and comfort of troops
in a country notorious for its evil summer climate.

" The scope of the unit continued to grow until it ulti-
mately embraced such works as the eret:tion and maintenance
of a large number of irrigation pumping sets to improve the
food supply in the country, the erection of flour mills and
baling pre.'sses for hay and btioosa, the assembling and main-
tenance of road rollers, and the working of a small oilfield
that had been commenced by the German engineers with the
Turkish Army. ^Vorkshops at Basra and Baghdad were con-
siderably enlarged so as to be able to deal with all classes of
electrical arul mechanical repairs, and a third workshop was
started at Mosul.

"In November. 1919, Major-Gen. B. H. de Y. Atkinson,
C.B., G.M.G., CLE., took charge of the combined appoint-
ment of chief engineer and secretary to Government in th<'
Puljlic Works Department. Under his charge the electric;il
and mechanical section was made a separate department, with
Lieut.-Col. S. H. Bridcut. O.B.E.. as Directer.

"The E. and M. directorate now control the electrical and
mechanical services throughout the country. At Basra the
power supply extends seven miles up the river, and on both

banks, and provides energy for a large number of electric
cranes and cargo-handling devices. At Baghdad the electrical
distribution covers a very lai'ge area, which includes power
supplies for railway workshops and a Government tlour mill.

" Small power houses are in operation at numerous other
stations in the country, including Aniara, Kut. Nasii'iyeh,
Dewaniyeh, Hilla, Tekrit, Baiji, Kirkuk, and Mosul, so that
the essential comforts of the electric fan are enjoyed by prac-
tically all British personnel in Mesopotamia.

" At Basra and Baghdad, the power station plant is
steam driven from oil-fired water-tube boilers, and at Dewani-
yeh small marine type steam sets, with oil-iired vertical boilers
ai-e installed. At ail other stations, internal combustioa
engines are used as prime movers.

" The E. and M. directorate have erected and maintain most ■
of the water supply services throughout the country. By
central control, uniformity of treatment of water is ensured,
with the result that water-borne diseases have now almost
disappeared. Close upon four million gallons of water is j
daily pumped, chlorinated, and piped to consumers.

"The department maintains an up-ti>date laboratory under J
the control of a qualified chemist. This branch is responsible]
for the control of water treatment, and for the examination ]
of all fuels and materials used by the E. and M. services.

"Ice and refrigeration is an imixirtant side of E. and M. i
directorate activities. During the hot weather an average of 1
SO tons of ice is produced daily, and refrigeration barges and j
stores can maintain up to \JM tons of frozen meat. The
large ice plants at Basra and Baghdad are ele<'trically driven.

" With the establishment of a s<'ttled Govermnont in Meso-
potamia, it is expected that a considerable number of the
electrical and mechanical works put into this countiy by the
Army will ultimatelv be taken over by the civil administra-
tion and develojied for the bcnetit of the inhabitants. When
the British came to Mesopotamia they found a barren land
that had hardly known »ny of the benefits of modern engineer-
ing science. Within the short .space of five years they have
given it a start unrivalled in modern history, and with the
sweeping away of the lethargy that charactevis<nl the Turkisli
Administration, Mesopotamia may again develop into a great
coimtry in W'hi<h the electrical and mechanical engineers will
play an important part."

TJieut.-Col. Bridcut wishes it to be known that all inquiries
regarding these and future developments, and all catalogues,
itc. should be addressed to him as Director of Electrical and
Mechanical Scrrices, Office of the Chief Engineer, Baghdad.

No. 2,228, August 6, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWo

169

NORWEGIAN WATER POWERS.

As in many other countries, so in Norway ha.s the scarcity
of coal owing to the absence of national coal deposits brought
about a serious state of affairs, and Norwegian ships are
having to proceed to different parts of the world in order to
fetch coal where and when coal is obtainable. As a conse-
quence, it is said that hundreds of millions of Norwegian
crowns (kroner) are being unnecessarily squandered at a
time when, if the past action of tlie State had not destroyed
private enterprise, the country would be independent of
foreign coa.1 supplies, except for bunkers, and Norway would
be covered with a network of transmitting and distributing
mains, supplying energy for lighting purposes and for all the
industrial needs of the country. The indictment brought
against the State by Norges Handelstidende, of Christiania.
for its action with regard to the water powers is very strong.
Ten years ago, the newspaper states, far-sighted men foresaw
on the one hand the enormous economy which would result
from the extensive utilisation of the national waterfalls, and
on the other the dangerous situation in which the country
would be placed in the event of British coal supplies becoming
less easily obtainable than formerly. Some of the mo.st
competent Norwegians took up the question with the greatest
energy ten years ago. and if they had been permitted to con-
tinue the work as it wa.s begun, the country would to-day
have had at its disposal so much electrical energy that very few
industries would have been dependent npon coal.

Unfortunately the State placed itself in the way. Tlie
Storting (Parliament) passed a concession law which went
too far in the conditions imnosed npon the utilisation of water
powers. Tn the opinion of the new.snaper the rigorous law
was exercised in such a manner that it stopped privat^^ enter-
prise in this direction, and it even arrested municipal efforts.
Not onlv does the law put the greatest obstacles in the way
of the beginning and carrying out of work with generating
stations, but it can also be applied to existing works in such
a manner as to deprive the owners of the economic results.
and even cau.se them sreat losses. This was the case, the
newspaper remarks, with Mr. Blakstad. who was practically
compelled to sell the Hngefoss works at a heavv loss, whilst
he has been specially hampered with the Tvsse works. These
and other ca.ses have shewn that the State not only has
complete control over those who utilise water nowers. hut
also that it uses this power to their detriment. TTnder these
circumstances it is obvious that no one will invest nrivate
capital with such a law suspended over their heads, and
with an administration ready to exercise Ihe law to one's
injury, at anv time whatever; to invest money would be
equivalent to throwing it away.

On the other hand, the State itself has
The Effect proceeded to purchase and utilise water
of powers. But there is only one thing to

State Control, say about the State's supply of electrical
energy — practically no energy has yet been
supplied. Excepting the Glomfjord works there is practicallv
little of electric power stations to be .seen. Tn the case of
the Norefalden, where the State has had possession for over
ten yeans, the work has reached a beginning. The consumers
in the Bu.skerud's district have waited all this time in vain
for a gupplv. Tn the meantime the costs of erection and
equipment have increased bv at least three times since the
original step taken bv the State; but the communes receive
no compensation for havins been held up with promises all
this time; they must accept the situation as it is to-day and
pay for energy at the price represented by three times the
former cost of construction. Tt remains to be seen whether
an.vthing will ever he completed with the Norefoss. but in
any case_ all tho.se who have been fed with promi.ses of power
from thi.s works have hitherto been bitteriy disappointed,
and this is the case wherever the State proposes to deal
with water powers. Some of the communes have built
■works, mostly of small dimensions, but the results have
often been poor. The case has been more satisfactory where
existing works have been acqm'red hv the communes. Tlie
municipal council of Ohristiania unfortunat<>lv ne-ilected to
acquire the TCvkkelsrud works when offered to it; the council
IS now erecting works in the Solbert'sfoss. the supplv from
which will be excessivelv dear. Tn conclusion . the newspaper
"tates that the result of Oovernment intervention has been
that the State has placed its naralysint; hand on water power
utilisation m the less costlv times, kept prospective customers
waiting, and prevented private enterprise, whereas if the
latt«r had been allowed to develop it would not now be
necessary to send ships all over the worid in search for coal.

A later issue of the same Norwegian
The Smelting of newspaper contains a report of an inter-
Ore view with Mr. Ragnvald Blakstad, dealing
Concentrates. with the identical and incidental problems.
Discussing the question of the position of
Norwegian currency in international exchange. Mr. Blakstad
is reported to have stated that the unfavourable situation was
due to the unsatisfactory trading balance; the Norwegians
were constantly importing, but the exports were at a mini-
mum. For instance, thev paid for and imported from
300,000 to 400,000 tons of iron and steel per annum, notwith-
standing that they lived in one of the richest iron ore countries
in the world. It would easily be pos!5ible, in his opinion,
to produce from 4.000,000 to 5,000.000 tons of iron ore con-
centrates per annum, and with the assistance of the water
powers make sufficient steel to meet the requirements of
the country. He had in Tvssedal an ironworks with furnaces
completely ready for smelting iron concentrates by electricity,
but could not get permission to carry on the work. Yet
year in and year out thousands upon thousands of horse-power
wi'ie flowing into the seas without being utilised.

After confirming the statement that by
The Cost of means of a rational development of the
State Inactivity, water powers it would be possible to render
the country independent of imports of
supplied. Excepting the Olomfiord works there are hardly
;niy electric power station^ to be seen. Tn the case of
loans were unobtainable for the purpose, and as a consequence
no power was available, Tt had long been proposed to erect
works in the Numedalslaafen for ,snnplv to Ohristiania. but
evervthing went slowlv. Tf the authorities were not willing
to ut'Hse Power from Tvs.se which was offered to the State
and Christiania in 1P1S, the State chould see that power was
ti'apsmitted from Numedalslaagen as speedilv as po.ssible ;
th" work could be completed in tbp course of two years.

The speaker's offer to supnlv the Ostland with electri'^al
enercv received no response frnm the State authorities. TTe
offered to defray the cost of mains on condition of being
iriven permission to supplv Chri.stiania and OstHnd with power
for a T>eriod of 20 vears. at the expiration of which the mains
would pass into the possession of the State free of charge •
but the authorities were not agreeable to the proposal, Tt
would have been possible for him to deliver TfVI 000 kw.
from Tysse to Christiania at Vi kr. per kw.. or 68 kr per
bor.se-power. As compared with this offer the power from
the SolberiTofnss works, when it was once comnletod would
''ost about ROO kr. n^r horse-power delivered in Christiap'a.
Tn conclusion Mr. Blakstad expressed the opipion that the
onlv reasonable and economic method was to devise a scheme
of electrification for the whole of the countrv. npder which
♦be most favourablv situated water powe>-s would be utilised
for larffe work= having connection with th«> existipg network
of mains; and in this wav it would ffradnally bpenme nnt!=nble
to make oxtensions so as to cover the whole of the south and
ea.st of Norwav.

SLEEPERED TRACK AT BIRMINGHAM.

The Tramwav Department of the Citv of Birmingham has just
completed the construction of a tramwav on the sleeper prip-
ciple at Salford Bridge, Erdin^ton. situated about 2^ miles
from the centre of the city. The ,srheme was sanctioned bv
Parliament in 1914. and con.sists of about three miles of double
track, of which nearly two miles ha.s just been opened.

The track commences at the iunction of Gravelly Hill and
Slade Road, and finishes at Holly T.ane, close to the new
factories recently erected by the Dunlop Rubber Co.

Tt is the intention of the citv authorities at some future
date to make this new road 103 ft. wide, with a track laid
on sleepers in the centre and a carriagewav on either ei<3e.
a system which the road-using public are already beginning
to appreciate.

Tt was decided to construct the whole of the permanent-
way by direct labour, without the intervention of a con-
tractor. 3nd_ judging from the quality of the work the tram-
wavs committee has no cause to rcret the decision.

The construction of the new road has not presented any
enuineering difficulties except at one point where n bank of
red sandstone about 30 ft. high near Gravelly HiU had to
be cut through. This bank is about .300 vards long, and the
rock was first loosened by blasting and then loaded into
tip wagons and carted to low-l.ying land in the vicinity.

Tn layiuf the nermanent wnv the cround was first excavated
to the required depth, and owing to its liog'iv and water-logged
nature a Gin .perforated drain pipe was laid on concrete in
the centre of the dearwav at an apn'-oxiniate depth of
3 ft, 8 in, from the top surface of the rail. The trench con-
taininc the pipes was filled up to the correct level with 9}-in.
.slag, apd the excavation, which was anproximatelv Ifi ft. wide
to allow for a double track, was then hand pitched with
9-ip. blast furnace slag obtained from the Black Countrv. and
this was covered to a depth of 3 ip. with 2 in. dag. The
sleepers are of creosoted deal 7 in. by 9 in. by 4J in., and are

170

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. no. 2,228, august 6, 1920.

spaced 2 ft. 5 in. ap.irt centre to centre. On these were laid
special rails having a B.S.S. No. 4 head, so that they would
easily fish up to the existing hues. The rails, which are .3 in.
deep with a oh in. flange, were spiked to the sleepers by the
use of dog spikes. The joints were then fished with ordinary
fishplates with four bolts to a joint. The holes in the rails
are oval to allow for expansion, and a space of i in. is left at
the joints for this purpose. Flexible wire bonds, 4/U S.W.G.
having J-iu. pin terminals, were fixed at each joint, and
cross bonds and intercross bonds at the usual intervals. Points
and crossings of the Birmingham standard patterns were sup-
plied by Messrs. Hadfield's, Ltd., of Sheffield.

The road, after the rails had been fixed in position, was
filled up to the sleeper level with 2 in. slag, and will be boxed
up eventually to within '2 in. of the rail level with this
material, and then covered in to the raO level with clean
hard engine ashes, of which plenty are available on the site.
Tie rods fixed approximately 12 ft. apart were used to line
up the road.

The road has only slight gradients, the greatest being 1 in
70, and the sharpest curve is of 300 ft. radius. The track
only crosses two public roads, the remainder being through

Bradford raiiless vehicles, every possible charge was included,
and all renewals were paid for out of revenue. It ia found,
however, that as the traffic density and mileage increase the
difference between the working expenses of the two systerna
becomes less marked, and finaUy the raUless car shows a
greater charge than the tramcar. It is, therefore, of advantage
to ascertain the point at which this takes place. The initial
cost of a service will however, be a most important factor in
new undertakings. fVom figures prepared by Mr. Wilkinson,
the cost of construction of one mile of tramway route ia
£29,000 single line, or £54,000 double hne, as compared with
±'4,500 for a mile of overhead equipment necessary for the
operation of raUless cars. It ia calculated that the point at
which a tramway becomes more economical in operation
than a raiiless system is reached, in the case of a single line
at a five minutes' service, with an annual mileage of 160,000,
and as regards a double track, at a three minutes' service, with
an annual mileage of 266,000. In computing these figures
due allowance has been made for the smaller earning capacity
of the raiiless car on account of less seating accommodation.
The carrying capacities of the tramway and raiiless vehicles
have been taken as 00 and 51 reajjectively — a difference of 15

Fig. 1.— General View ov Track AprROACHiNa Terminus.

Fig. 2.— View of Track Looki.\g East.

open country and fields. Where it crosses the roads the
usual Birmingham standard method of construction is em-
ployed, and to conform with the existing paving of the road,
plascom macadam paving is used.

The construction of the track was commenced by the per-
manent way department of the Birmingham Corporation
Tramways on January 13th, 1920. and, notwithstanding the
abnormally wet weather which prevailed, and the difficulty
of obtaining material, the work was finished and the traffic
running on May 13th, 1920, four months from the commence-
ment.

THE POSSIBILITIES OP RAILLESS ELECTRIC
TRACTION.

Althodqh railleas electric vehicles have been in operation
in this country for the past nine years, tbey are still looked
upon BM an adjunct to the main track systems. Consideration
of their performances, however, leads to the conclusion that
a much brighter prospect is before them. The imposition of
a weight restriction of 5 tons loaded has acted against im-
proved design, and hitherto the vehicles have been constructed
of materials too light to withstand heavy service, a circum-
stance which has led to frequent breakdown and consequent in-
creases in working expenses. This weight restriction has now
been amended to 5 tons unloaded, and this will lead to more
satisfactory construction. .\n interim report of the Departmen-
tal Committee on Road Vehicles recommends a fixed annual
charge for road adaptation and maintenance ba.sed on the
seating capacity, of the vehicle, and the present Finance Bill
contsing a clause giving this effect. In connection with the
working exjienses of the raiiless car in comparison with the
track vehicle, Mr, R. H. Wilkinson, general manager of tlae
Bradford Corporation Tramways, states that in the case of
tlu- .-system under his control the railles.s cars, although not
of the most satisfactory constnu-tiop. are approximately 4d,
per mile cheaper in operation than the ordinary tramcar.
This is chiefly due to their smaller weight and their running
on more level roads. In arriving at the cost of working the

per cent, less in the case of the latter type. This difference,
however, would only hold good at busy times, when all cars
were full, and this would occur for about 15 per cent, of
the time the cars were in service. Thus with a fare of Id.
per mile the decreased Earnings in the case of the radless
vehicle would be, taking a daily miie.age of 12tl, 15 per cent.
of 120 miles at 9(i., or 15s. 6d. per day, or 1.35d. per car-mile
over the total mileage. The question of cost, although from
the undertakers' point of view the most important, is, never-
theless, not the only consideration. Most important from
the viewpoint of the passenger is the question of comfort in
travelling. The reply in general is that the tramway, provided
the track is in good condition, is the better in this respect.

.\nother consideration is safety, and in this respect it is
thought that raiiless cars are liable to skid on snow, and
not having a defined track, are more likely to colhde with
other traffic in foggy weather. On the other hand, raiiless
vehicles have several advantages not possessed by the track
vehicles. The breakdown of a car does not affect other parts
of the service as in the case of a tramcar. Gars may be drawn
up closer to the sidewalks for loading and unloading — this
feature is important in congested thoroughfares. RaUless
vehicles make considerably less noise in operation, and offer
greater facihties for inter-running. In addition to these points
in their favour, raiiless vehicles may be employed beyond
the limits of the trolley wires by the installation of batteries.
This has been done for the past few months on the Leeds-
Bradford parcels service at a running cost of 18. 7d. per car-
mile, or with the addition of interest and sinking fund charges,
22.5d., or 7s. 6d. per hour. Had two trips per day been
run for a longer period the cost per mile would have been
reduced. .\s an actual example of the parallel running of
the two systems, the following statistics, of the Bradford
Tramways Department for the period .\pril 1st, 1919, to
March 2nd. 1920. are interesting : —

On the tramways the total running cost, including charges
of all natures, for a mileage of •1.807,32'^, was £464,872, an
average of 23.207d, fier car-mile. The total revenue amounted
to £518,558, or 25 888d. per carmile, giving a profit ix>r
car mile of 2,680d. In the case of the raiiless vehicles the
total mileage was 3.50.221. and in<lnsive runnint! ei^st £2(i.432
— IS.Oold. j-ver car-mile. The revenue was £17.010, or n.6.56d,
per car-mile, resulting in a loss of R,.395d. per car-mile. A
(■on.siderable reduction in the power costs is noticeable in the
ca.se of the raiiless vehidea. the figure being ].749d. per
car-mile, aa compared with S.254d. for the tramc&ra.

\oh 87. No. 2,228, August 6, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL KEVIEW.

171

WILSON-WOLF MOTORS,

Appbeciatino the strong and growing demand for very email
electric motors, the Wilson-Wolf Engineering Co., Ltd., Bradford,
has laid itself out to meet it with intensive organisation, adopting
methods of manufacture which are believed to be unique. The
machines have been completely redesigned, the works reorganised,
and a policy of mass production of a limited range of sizes has been
adopted. Naturally the most up-to-date methods of manufacture
are employed, all operations are carried out under skilled super-
vision, with the help of special fixtures, tools, jigs, and gauges, and
every part is manufactured to limits, subjected to instjection after
each operation, and rejected if not found within the limits of
tolerance required for interchangeable assembly. -By means of
these methods, and the use of the beat materials obtainable, a high-
class machine is produced for which guaranteed performance
figures are given with regard to efficiency, temperature rise, spark-
less running, silence and freedom from vibration : a variety of
attachments has also been standardised, enabling the standard
machines to be used with spindles vertical or horizontal, and to be
adapted to fans, grinders and polishers, &c. For this reason, the
stock motors are completed without feet or pulleys, these being
added if necessary after manufacture ; fan motors need no additions

thing of approved manufacture and adaptability, but the only
firm (so far as we can discover) to meet us for mutual benefit
is "an American firm." And it pays them! Wake up, Eng-
lish manufacturers ! and when you do, attend to the small
details. They are the things that count. Finally, remove
unfair competition from supply companies and put a little
foresight into the management of English manufacturers, and
there will be no need to ask " What is the contractor doing "?
if you do, they wiU be too busy to answer.

Percy Walker.
Hdrlingham Electric Co.
London, S.W., July %th, 1920.

As one of the pioneers in the electric heating industry of
this country, perhaps my remarks may be of interest.

In your issue of July SSrd. " Live Wire " asserts emphati-
cally that the British manufacturer is much behind in the
articles he puts on the market. Now, while this was true
some years ago, to-day I think it is not true.

Many progessive concerns to-day making electric heating
appliances have realised that well-designed and finished ap-

FiG. 1.— The Wilson-Wolf lii-'O d.c. .Mutor.

FiG.82. — Parts of the Motok.

but are provided with three tapped radial holes for attaching them
to the arms of the fans. The motors are of the protected type,
with Hoffmann ball bearings, but enclosing covers can be fitted.
The cylindrical frame with two poles is of cast-iron, the poles being
shaped so as to eliminate humming ; the armature is of the drum
type with half-closed slots, wound, like the field coils, on special
machines, and impregnated by the vacuum process. The brush-
gear is of the firm's patented design, with few parts, and is of the
box type using coppered carbon brushes.

The motor, fitted with power feet and pulley, and its parts are
shown in the accompanying figures.

The motor illustrated develops j h.p. at 2,100 R.P.M., or i h.p.
at 4,200 R.p.M. on 110 or 220 volts D.c, series or shunt- wound, and
is the first size ready for delivery ; other ratings have been stan-
dardised, but none will exceed i H P.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received by us after 5 P.M. ON TUESDAY caniwt appear imtil
the following week. Correspondents should forward their communi-
cations at the earliest possible moment. Aw letter can be pitblislied
unless we hare the writer^s name anA address in our possession.

What is the Contractor Doing?

" Live Wire " condenses the question, but does not go far
enough. The contractor as a whole is in a very difficult posi-
tion. Two factors are working against him. In the first
place the supply companies, whose unpaid and unblessed agent
he is. are unfairly cutting the ground from under his feet,
first by (until lately, at any rate) paying under non-union
rates, and secondly, quoting for jobs much under cost price — a
suicidal method, when they, at any rate, should know that the
very contractors they sublet jobs to would carry out the work
in an efBcient manner for a minimum of profit and sli\l secure
them the market for current. In the second place the manu-
facturers are cutting their own " business " throats by not
encouraging the contractor who. with a limited capital, has a
^howiiiiiin nnd window for the furtherance nf trade. .^. small
firn] cannot uosmIiIv iifTord to nurehase stock for show purposes
and let it lie idle. .\ Httle forethoncht from manufacturers
and factors would work wonders in disposing nf their goods.
The sm.nll contractor, who is out to get businesK. will do his
best to push articles of approved commercial asi^t. lint he. in
most cases, cannot afford to sink a large proportion of his little
capital in dead stock. We are open to show — and sell — any-

paratus is essential if they are to prevent the Americans
from commanding the British market. As an instance, take
the electric iron.

There are perhaps half a dozen English makes which are
fully the equal of any American iron. There is one make
in particular which has a much higher class finish, embodies
all the features which have been so prominent in the American
product, and, in .Tddition. has certain advantages over its
rival. It is properlv boxed and commercialised, and there
is no reason at all for buying an American iron.

Again, in the circular cooker for use on the table, there
is now an entirely Briti.sb-made article fully equal in every
resnect to the American product. It is made on similar hues
with eveleted mica supports in grid form, red-hot coils,
standard plug connector, two pans which slide underneath
the hot coils or rest on ton as desired, the whole appliance
being at least the equal in finish and appearance of the
American product, and again it has the advantage of a
renlacable element.

British kettles are mode to suit the English market de-
mand, and are shaped for such a utensil. That this is correct
is proved by the fact that the .American manufacturer has
gone to the trouble of making a model practically the same
as the standard English model, to endeavour to capture our
market.

Electric fires are too numerous to mention, and are every-
thing that can be desired regarding design. The .American
is very much behind in this respect. The same may be said
.about toasters, and several ofher anpliances. but what i.i
lacking in the British financier and manufacturer is the
recognition that the nroduction of electric heating and cook-
\nv anpnratus is no longer a side-line, but is an important
industry.

Flitlierto. nnd even un to the present moment, the genera-
tor, telephone, and other nnnaratus engineer, has locked
upon electric heating as a " thing " hardiv worth attention,
vet it is the heater that uses a goodlv portion of his product.
To show that this attitude is a false one. one has only to
visualise the bu^e concerns which linve been graduallv de-
veloninrf in flip States until thev h.nve reached output figures
quoted in millions of poimds sterling. .\fter all. what we
:ire all here for is to get hold of somebody else's money, and
T ventuie to say that the manufacture of electric heating and
cooking anpliances will help in that direction just as much
as any other brnnih of the oloctrical industry.

Like all modernisation, the notential user must have the
apnaratus forcibly brought to his notice. As a rule. _he_ i.s
not on the lookout for such things. He wants convincing
that it is good for him to have them and when you_ do
this by proper methods, you create the demand. No article,

172

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo [Voi. 87. No. 2,228, august e, 1920.

however perfect it may be, will cominand a satisfactory sale
without suitable propaganda work. This aspect of industry
in this country is unfortunately lacking to a deplorable de-
gree, and this is where the U.S..\. man scores,
laverpool. Charles H. Archer.

Jidy mtli,19-20.

The Cost o{ Living in India.

" The toad beneath the harrow knows
Exactly where each tooth point goes;
The butteiiiy upon the road
Preaches contentment to that toad."
ThiUB does the great authority upon India, Kipling, enunciate
one of his many epigrams, and I cannot help but think how
applicable it is to the correspondence upon the " Cost of
Living in India."

That a clear idea of the conditions of the country can be
gathered from a " short " visit is totally erroneous, the more
60 it being during the cold season !

As one who has visited India since 1897 for periods varying
up to six years in duration, I, too, would add a warning to
those who' are tempted to a-ccept such positions. Will Mr.
Dykes define "free quarters?" I have found the cost of
furnishing even " ftimished " quarters considerable, sufficient
indeed to cripple me for many months.

Why is it that most young men become fieavily involved in
debt for the first few years in the country? Not always the
glamour of the East and extravagance, but a hopelessness
brought about in an attempt not to be "out-caste" amongst
one's countrymen.

What type of " mechanic " would Mr. Dykes import for
rupees 450 per month? Not the type of man that won us
respect and prestige in India as the missionaries of " Western
Science."

That the Indian will yet rise to the higher positions there is
no doubt, once he learns to apply our " science," and I ven-
ture to say it would be better accomplished by precept than
contempt.

The publishing of figures in rupees conveys nothing to the
man at home, who when in India discovers that the rupee he
is forced to spend purchases less than a shilling, and would
be worth double as much if he could remit it home!

There are other considerations— illness, " privilege leave " to
the hills, provision for " long leave " in England, unemploy-
ment, old ape, iSrc— too many to discuss in your valuable
space, and all of which are responsible for the murmurs of
distress which your correspondent has interpreted as the croak
of discontented toads. A. Toad.

" The Plains."

" Tumbler " Switches.

It was interesting to read Mr. E. Fowler Clark's letter
on the above subject. If my memory serves me over the
past expanse of some 36 years, I remember meeting Mr.
A. B. Blackburn in 1884 in the Edison station established
under Holborn Viaduct. Mr. Blackburn, later, went to the
Edison & Swan Co., and evolved, amongst other things
concerning the reticulation of electrical energy, the ''Tum-
bler " switch. Originally, and for a long time following, it
was capped in cover with a reeded dome. Nowadays it is
fitted with a " pill-box " cover in china or metal. The
original pattern had a cylindrical coiled spring and solid
jaws. Now one has the flexible spring copper contacts.
Fuse terminals were added early, but are now generally
discarded. To my certain knowledge, the " Tumbler " switch
was devised by Mr. A. B. Blackburn, and has never been
displaced in universal British practice.

It is a marvellous testimony to Mr. Blackburn's inventive-
ness that the pattern should have stood, with spring modifica-
tions, for nearly 40 years.

R. T. Turnbiill.

Wellington, N.Z.
Jitne 'Sird, 1920.

Ten per cent. Discounts.

I should be interested to know the views of traders in
connection with the amounts that are considered sufficient for
an electrical contractor to trade with, as it i.s, of course,
common knowledge to most people connected in the trade
that engine and accumulator manufacturers, as well as certain
others, consider that a 10 per cent, discount is ample to allow
the retailer for profit on resale.

This would no doubt be perfectly true if the money of
the retniler was obtained at the same speed that the wholesale
man obtains his, as where the wholesale man is paid every
month, the retailer will probablv, in many cases, think
himself very lucky if he receives it in six months.

With reference to the question of 10 per cent, being con-
sidered sufficient, I note from my balance sheet, which is
based on a fairly large turnover, that during the period
ending March, 1917, the trading costs amount to 15 per cent,
on the turnover, in 1918 12 per cent., and in 1919 13 per cent. ;
it therefore naturally follows that if 10 per cent, is going
to be the absolute limit for traders to work upon, something
drastic shotild be brought into operation to compel the pay-
ment of accounts.

Under Government orders the oil suppliers demand caah on
delivery, and the same applies to wine and spirit merchants,
but as regards the ordinary retail trader he is left to get his
money the best way he can, and if he asks for it in a peremp-
tory way, he not only loses customers, but these customers
will in nine cases out of ten do him all the injury they possibly
can, and it is no use any firm considering it is so powerful as
not to mind.

Another point that is overlooked entirely with regard to
the discounts allowed is that the smallness of the discount
does not allow for the expenses in connection with the order;
I have in front of me at the present time a case which illusr
trates this very clearly with regard to the sale of an auto-
matic electric lighting plant.

I find the actual out-of-pocket expenses entailed in the
visits only paid to a certam customer, reached the amount
of £11 lUs., and that the profit on this article will be £22,
so that if one takes into account the oflice working expenses
in addition it naturally follows that it would have been better
never to have had the order at all, as it is doubtful what
benefit one gets except it may be at some future tune I shall
get the repair work, which is a very doubtful honour.

I quite understand Jt is almost hopeless to fight any questions
like this, as the percentage of firms that belong to the
Employers' Association is so small as not to be worth con-
sidering, and so long as it is possible by aid of the wholesale
houses for any man to start in business in the electrical line,
whose sole capital consists of unlimited hope and a pair of
pliers, it is hardly likely any remedy can be found to put
matters on a fairer business footing.

One firm, when I made a suggestion that the 10 per cent,
was too small for trade discount, told me they had large
exiDenses to meet in advertising, and they, therefore, con-
sidered it was not possible to allow any more, informing me
that the contractor could obtain his real profit out of the
wiring, which is, incidentally, that part of the work that takes
the most looking after' for the least return.

I have also had several cases where a customer induced
me to carry out the wiring, and afterwards purchased the
whole of the plant through his business house, and, I suppose,
as he would buy it for his business house, through the opera-
tion of E.P.D., it would cost him nothing.

I shall be interested to have the views of any other con-
tractors in connection with this matter.

Electrical Contractor.

July 21th, 1920.

Squashed Again I

In the article on " The Manufacture of Water Turbines in
England, " which appeared in your issue of 23rd inst., it is
stated that the turbines will be manufactured in Glasgow.

In order to correct a misapprehension which appears to exist
in the South, I wish to state that Glasgow is not in the North
of England, but is situated in that wild and mountainous
tract of land, to the North of England, which is called " Scot-
Land " on the map, but which is frequently referred to by war
profiteers as " my grouse moor " or " my deer forest, N.B."

It may appear incredible that the wild red-haired and kilted
savages of the.se remote parts may be taught the mechanical
arts, but the EngUshman's skill in this direction is proverbial.

John W. Black.

Glasgow, July 29t/i, 1920.

[We plead guilty, and sue for mercy. Evidently there is still
a Scotsman in Glasgow.— Eds. Elec. Rev.]

LEGAL.

Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd., v. Hamilton.

This case came before Mr. Justice P. 0. Lawrence in the
Chancerv Divi.'^ion on July 28th, when the defendant applied
for an adjoununent. He said he had instructed solicitors and
counsel, but on the previous afternoon he was informed by
his leading counsel that he had been called away and was
unable to appear for him. He wished to have an adjournment
in order to have the advantage of his counsel's presence.

Mr. Hamilton said Sir John Simon, K.O., had promised to
take his brief, but he had been called away.

Mr. Hogg said he communicated with junior counsel for Mr.
Hamilton the previous day asking him whether the case should
be adjourned on the ground that his leading counsel could not
be pre.sient. He then learned that Sir John Smion had returned
his brief. He added that since the defendant gave his under-
taking he had written a long letter to the solicitors instructing
him (the speaker), in which he asked them to communicate to
every director of the company a letter, which in every respect
broke the terms which he made in the undertaking. The cora-
panv were not moving against him. but he would ask his
Lordship to point out to him that he should refrain from
writing to anvbody connected with the case in that way.

His LoRDSfiip informed Mr. Hamilton that he must not write
or say anything at all to anybody, and he then adjourned the
case over the T^ng Vacation.

Vol. 87. No. 2,228, AUGUST 6, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

173

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankruptcy Proceedings. — C. J. T. Hayman, electrical

engineer, Tij, Malvern Road, Leytonstone, lately carryin<r on busi-
ness at 111'., Woodhouse Road, Leytonstone, and 1, Goodmayes Road,
Qoodmayea. — At a sitting of the London Bankraptcy Court, held on
July 23rd, before Mr. Registrar Francke, this public examination
was held. The debtor filed his own petition on June 2nd, and has
lodged accounts showing liabilities £221, against assets ''a bad
book debt £85." Questioned by Mr. Daniel Williams, Official
Receiver, the debtor stated that he commenced business in January,
1919, without capital, at 9(1, Woodhouse Road, Leytonstone. The
business was successful, and with a view to extending it, Hayman
Wood & Co., Ltd., was formed with a capital of £1,000 in £1 shares,
of which 827 were subscribed for in cash. In December last the com-
pany took over the business and book debts in return for £1,000 in
shares, 600 of which were allotted to a cash creditor, and they also
undertook to pay the other liabilities of the business, amounting to
between £200 and £300. Witness was appointed managing
director of the company at a salary of £500 a year. They agreed
to purchase the lease of engineering works at Goodmayes, together
with the plant, kc, for £5,500, payable by instalments, only one
of which i£ 750") was paid. The business was continued at both
premises until the end of last January, when the effects at 96,
Woodhouse Road, were removed to Goodmayes, where the business
was carried on until the end of March, when, through want of
capital, it was closed, and the vendors took possession of the
premises. Witness attributed his insolvency to the failure of the
oompiny to discharge his trade liabilities in accordance with its
undertaking to do so. The examination was concluded.

Bebnard Esmond Thomas, 12, Castle Meadow, Norwich,
electrical engineer. The following are creditors : —

Cottram, .1. L i'2l Morris, Wm., & Sons . . . . *83

Attoe, George 12 Boyce, H 157

Bjrdesley Electrical Co. .. 11 Dickerson, G. B 151

B. E. Co 55 Eocles, F .100

Callender's Cable Co 46 Flux, W. F 52

Dennes 4 Co., Ltd 13 Garrod, R. E 201

Dage, H. E., & Co 21 Hammocl. W. H. .. 52

General Electric Co 153 Lancaster, W. S 106

Hand4Co.,E. B 22 Harris, H.T 153

Norwich Corporation .. .. 39 Wellingham, T. A 159

Tyce, George 16 Wray, H. E 151

Times Electrical Co la Sanderwall. W. H IH

Stella Lamp Co . . 50 Dodson. John 15

Walter Henry Mellon, late trading as H. B. Wallia &. Co ,
electrical engineer, 37, Elliott Road, Chiswick, Middlesex, late 43,
Tarnham Green Terrace, Chiswick, Middlesex. The following are
creditors : —

Works,

Fishman, S. Z., £11

General Electric Co., Ltd. . . 53
Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical

Co., Ltd 41

North British Rubber Co. . . 15

Siemens Bros. Dyii

■ Ltd.
Wood, Milne, Ltd..
Bell, Thos., & Co. .
Nonchi, H. K.,
Robertson. A. V., .

£42
23
23

A. R. Megoett, electrical engineer, i5, Thrumpton Lane, East
Retford, Notts. — First meeting, August 9th : public examination,
September 16th ; both at Lincoln.

Birmingham Health Exhibition. — The name of the

Bawlplug Co. Ltd.. should have been included among the list
given last week of exhibitors who received the Bror ze Medal.

Company Liquidation.— Haslah & Stretton (Bristol),

Ltd. — Meeting to receive liquidator's report of the winding-up,
August 30th, at 11, Windsor Place, Cardiff. All claims satisfied in
full. This notice in no way affects the parent company of Ilaslam
and Stretton, Ltd.

Trade Announcements.— 0 wine; to the growth of their

business in the Midlands district. Messrs. Simplex Conduits,
Ltd , have opened a sales office at 41, Church Street, Birmingham.
It is in charge of Messrs. Underwood & Westwood, who have been
representing the company in this area for many years.

Messrs. Vickers, Ltd., Broadway. London, S.W. 1. have opened
a depot for Wales and the South West of England at 43, Park
Street, Bristol.

Catalogues and Lists. — The Wilson- Wolf Engi-
neering Co, Ltd., Thornton Road. Bradford. — Leaflets giving
particulars of fractional horse-power motors.

The British Electric Tbansfobmer Co., Ltd., 50, Oxford
Street, W. 1. — Illustrated catalogue Xo. 36 S, together with price
list, printed in Spanish, and dealing with " Tricity " heating and
cooking apparatus and " Flamingo " fires. A French edition will
shortly be available.

Messrs. JI. E. Dn Bois & Co., 1, Guildhall Chambers, Basinghall
Street, EC. — Illustrated catalogue No. 2, and price list, dealing
with "Calora" electrically-heated pillows, rugs, bandages, cloth-
ing, &c.

Messrs. F. & A. Parkinson. Ltd., Guiseley, Leeds. — Illustrated
catalogue No. 4, which, in addition to giving prices, states the
number of weeks in which delivery can be made according to the
type of motor selected.

The Chloride Electrical Storage Co., Ltd., Clifton
Junction, Manchester. — Illustrated priced catalogue (S.L.I., Section
XC). dealing with "Exide" batteries for starting, ignition, and
lighting purposes ; a reduction on the prices quoted in the previous
list is noted.

The J. L. Electric Co., 30, Church Street, Birmingham.
— Priced leaHet of the "I'niversal" clip for fixing C.T.S. lead-
covered and armour-aheathed cables.

Messes. Isaacson i: Brows, Ltd., 39. Furnival Street, Holborn,
E.C.4.— Illustrated priced leaflet of the " Bettalite ' half-watt bowl
fittings.

Messrs. Eraser & Ch.\lmers Engineering Works, Erith,
Kent.— Illustrated publication No. 2,324, dealing with the No. 6
table concentrator, which is claimed to possess a number of advan-
tages, including the ability to effect a practical separation between
two or more classes of mineral of differing specific gravities.

Private Meeting. — Lester & Brown, electrical engineers,
Surbiton Road, Kingston, Surrey. — -i meeting of the creditors of
the above was held on July 3i th. at the offices of Messrs. Wood-
ham, Smith & Borradaile, solicitors, .5, Chancery Lane, W.C. It
appeared that the business was carried on by Mr. Lester, who com-
menced to trade at Surbiton Road about the beginning of the
present year. The liabilities to the creditors were in the neigh-
bourhood of £1,100. A few months ago the business was
transferred to a limited company, which took over the assets and
issued shares to the vendor. The assets acquired by the company
were understood to consist of goodwill, fittings, &c., valued at
about £600 ; furniture, &c.' £500 ; stock, £150. together with the
lease. A branch was opened at Nottingham, but that resulted in a
considerable loss. The company was formed with a view to getting
further capital. The creditors were first called together some
weeks ago, when Mr. Lester offered to deposit shares in the company
as security for the payment of the claims. Mr. Borradaile
said that Mr. Lester could not attend the meeting owing to
ill-health, and the best offer that could be made was a composition
of 63. Sd. in the &. That was the most that could be done. Mr.
P. Houston (Messrs. Corfield & Cripwell) said that when the
creditors were first called together they definitely refused 6s. in the
£, and stated that they would not accept a less composition than
10s. in the £. There had been several adjournments, and the only
increase was Is. 8d. in the £. Very little had been achieved by the
adjournment. He added that he could not recommend his clients
to accept lis. Sd. in the £, and he understood that none of the
creditors would take less than 10s. in the £. He pointed out that
the debtor had transferred his assets to a company, and subse-
quently bad offered his creditors shares in that company as security
for their claims. The so'.icitor said that if the offer was not
accepted the creditors would have to pursue their own remedies"
and Mr. Houston repMed that other action would be taken. The
meeting broke up without any resolution being passed, but two or
three creditors stated that proceedings in bankruptcy would be
commenced. The principal creditors are : —
Pope's Electric Lamps ...£53 International Electric Co. £60

Oriental Tube Co 60 Siemens Bros Dynamo Wks. 73

Johnson & Phillips ...457 Shenton, F. J 120

Stella Lamp Co., Ltd. ...370 Treloar & Co 50

Annual Outings.— On .July 24th the emplojes of Messrs.

Ridodt & Radcliff, Ltd., went for their annual holiday in the
country. The party went by rail to Chesham, and thence by
brakes to Cholesbury. near Tring. Lunch and tea were provided
at the Half Mcon Hotel. Mr. N. Jones, representing the firm,
occupied the chair at the luncheon. Mr. C. Evans proposed the
toast, " Prosperity to the Firm," and Mr. Jones suitably responded.
Bowls and quoits and a cricket match arranged with the local club
occupied the afternoon.

The Union Cable Co. held their annual outing on Saturday,
July 24th, when a large number of the employes, both works and
staff, spent the day at Southend-on-Sea, whither they travelled by
charabancs. At the Maisonette Cafe they were received by Mr.
J. Snow Huddleston (general manager) and Mrs. Huddleston, Mr.
F. W. Johns (secretary), Mr. Howitt Smith (works manager) and
Mrs. Smith, and Mr. T. Johnstone (works foreman). During the
luncheon selections were rendered by the band of the Union Cable
Co.'s employes. Mr. Huddleston expres-sed hispleasureatthepresence
of so many of the company's employes, and hoped that it would be
possible on the next occasion to arrange for the presence of every-
one in the company's employ. On behalf of the management, he
appreciated the manner in which the output of the works had
grown, and he felt sure that, with the promise of it creased
supplies of raw materials, even the present records would be
surpassed. On behalf of the works, Mr. Howitt Smith responded,
and in thanking the management for their generosity in giving
such an outing, assured them that it was the wish of everyone
present to see the Union Cable Co. make great progress.

Annual Holidays. — The works and offices of Messrs.
Allen West & Co., Ltd., Brighton, are closed until Monday
morning. August itth, for the summer holidays. Urgent corres-
pondence is being dealt with.

The works of Messrs. Cleworth, Wheal & Co., Castleton,
Lancashire, will hi closed from Friday, August 13th, until the
morning of Monday. August 30th, for the annual holidays. A staff
will be in attendance for urgent business.

Norwegian Cable Contracts.— It is stated that the

Norwegian A.S. Skandinaviske Kabel og Oummifabrikker has just
received two large orders for the supply of cable to the Telegraph
Administration, and the Christiania Electricity Works. The two
contracts, which comprise 1130 miles of single cable, have been
allotted in competition with a number of foreign rivals, the
Norwegian offers being from 10 to 20 per cent, lower than the
prices quoted by the latter. In aildition, the company is reported
to have obtained orders for 217 miles of cable for Holland and the
Dutch Indies, and a number of small orders from England,

174

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi, 87, No. 2,228, august e, 1920.

Book Notices. — "Journal of the Institution of Elec-
trical Engineers." Vol. LVIII, No. 292. June, 1920. London :
E. & F. N. Spon, Ltd. Price 10a. 6d. — This issue contains the
followiner papers : — "Notes on Operatinpr a By-Product Producer
Gas Plant," by Mr. W. H. Patchell ; " Production of Power from
Blast Furnace Gas," by Mr. S. H. Fowlea ; " The Electrical Equip-
ment of Artisan Buildings,' by Mr. L. Milne ; '' Alternating-
Corrent Track Circuiting," by Mr. L. H. Peter; "The Effect of
Shunted Resistance or Plug Leakage, on the Sparking Performance
of an Electrical Ignition System," by Mr. G. E. Bairsto ; also the
Report of the Earthing Sub-Committee of the Wiring Rules
Committee, and the Chairman's (Mr. F. S. Grogan) Address to the
East Midland Sub-Centre.

A novel pocket-book for engineers, entitled " The Engineering
Inquiry," compiled by Mr. Tomey Thompson, will be published on
August 10th, price Ts. 6d., by Messrs. J. W. Arrowsmith, Ltd..
of Quay Street, Bristol. The volume specifies the complete
information which engineering manufacturers and sellers need in
intiuiries from prospective buyers, and covers the bulk of mechanical
and electrical products and accessories.

"Science Abstracts (A and B)," Vol. XXIII, part 6, No. 270.
June 30th, 1920. London : E. & F. N. Spon, Ltd. Price 28. 6d.
each, post free.

The July, 1920, " Chloride Chronicle," No. 11, contains a number
of interesting notes and comments in addition to the illustrated
articles.

■ Abstracts of Papers in Scientific Transactions and Periodicals."
New Series, No. 4. July, 1112". London: The Institution of Civil
Engineers.

IndDStrial Councils. — The District Industrial Council,
No. 5 (West Midlands Area) has issued a schedule showing the
duties to be performed by and the inclusive rates approved by
the Council to be paid to the employes of the several electricity
supply undertakings in the District as from June Hth, 1920. The
undertakings have been classified into three zones, of which Zone A
includes Birmingham, Coventry, and the Shropshire, Worcestershire,
and Staffs. Electric Power Co. (Smethwick) ; Zone B covers the
Midland Electric Corporation for Power Distribution, Ltd., Redditch,
Rugby, Stoke-on-Trent, Shropshire, &c.. Power Co. (Dudley),
Stafford, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Worcester, and West Brom-
wich ; and Zone C includes the remaining undertakings in the
area.

For an electrical fitter and electrician. Grade 1, or a fitter-driver,
the total minimum rates per hour, including all bonuses, are 2s. Id.,
2s. Id., and 2s. repectively : Grade 2, Is. lOid., Is. lOJd., and
Is. 9id. For an electrician's mate (over 22) the rates are Is. TJd-,
Is. 7jd., and Is. &\A. For an engine driver, (Jrade 1, or switch-
board attendant, Grade 2, the rates are Is. lOd., Is. 9|d., and Is. !1d.,
plus extras (a). Id. as consideration for men working night work
on rotating shifts where no specific rate for night work already
exists, and (i) Id. as consideration for men working Sundays on
rotating shifts where no equivalent rate for Sunday work already
exists, the extras applying to all hours worked by such men.

Regular night shifts and Sundays, it will be observed, do not
rank as overtime, special provision being made to meet these cases.
The schedule, which deals with 58 classes of employe, is dated
July 21st, 1920.

Anstralian Tramways and the Duty on Rails. — An

Australian newspaper says that should the proposed duty of 35 per
cent, be imposed on steel rails, the extension of tramways in
distant suburbs may be delayed. The Tramway Board has under
consideration many schemes for extensions, and has represented to
the Commonwealth Government that the present duty of 17^ per
cent, on grooved rails should not be increased until these rails are
manufactured in Australia. The Board has intimated that it is
anxious to co-operate in the encouragement of industries in
Australia, but does not consider that a public utility should be
hampered in its operations because it is desired to increase duties
for revenue purposes.

The Liverpool Dispute. — The strike of cable- jointers at
Liverpool, Bootle, Birkenhead, and Wallasey was the subject
of comment at the monthly meeting of the Wallasey Town Council,
when the chairman of the Electricity Committee said that their
men had gone out on strike claiming a higher rate of pay than
that conceded by the Whitley Council, with all back pay and condi-
tions of employment as from September 4th, 1919. The Electrical
Trades Union had put forward a claim for increases for cable-
jointers, on the ground that another class of men employed by
installation or wiring contractors had obtained an increase. The
fact that the Trade Union representatives on the Whitley Council had
not demanded a meeting to consider the matter, indicated that the
E.T.X^. could not obtain the support of the other Unions for what
was considered an unjust demand. While sympathising with the
ratepayers who were being inconvenienced waiting for installations,
the Committee felt it was not justified in breaking an agree-
ment entered into with the full consent of all the Unions until it
had been considered by the Whitley Council, which was set up for
the express purpose of adjusting legitimate claims.

Patents and the Treaty of Peace. — In the Lomhm

Oazette of July 30th, the Board of Trade publishes the "Patents
(Treaty of Peace) Rules, 1920," which were to come into operation
on July 19th, 1920. The Rules relate to assignments and licences
in connection with restored patents, as well as revisions of licences,
the expropriation or sale of restored patents, &c. Schedules of fees
and forms for applications are given.

Winnipeg. — We have received from the Winnipeg Board
of Trade a fat little book entitled " Facts About Winnipeg,''
wherein a good deal of information is given respecting the public
authorities of the city, its schools, public parks, hospitals, the
hydro-electric system and its finances, the new water supply,
street railways, &c.

"Weico" Prizes. — Messrs. Welco Patents, Ltd., of

150, Alma Street, Birmingham, are offering a series of prizes for
photographs which may be sent to them showing electrical switch-
gear and apparatus mounted on their "Welco" patent fixing
frames. For every such photograph sent in, whether they use it or
not, they will award 2s. lid. ; they will pay one guinea every week
for the photograph selected for use in their advertisement appearing
in the 'Ei.ectrical Review ; and, further, an additional £5 per
month will be awarded for the best photograph published in such
advertisements in our pages during the month.

Position of the German Electrical Engineering

Industry, — According to a Renter Trade Service dispatch from
Berlin, dated July 24th, an address on the present position of the
German electrical engineering industry was given by Herr Henrich,
manager of the Siemens-Schuckert works, to the members of the
Workers' Association of the German Electrical Engineering
Industry, at their meeting in the Siemens building.

Herr Henrich said : " In 1913 the German electrical industry
occupied a prominent position both within our own borders and in
the world, and it was responsible tor 40 per cent, of the world's
production. To-day the world position of the industry is deeply
shaken, on account of the foreign, and particularly the American,
competition which has sprung up in the interval, and all the more
so as our inland production prices, in the present state of the
exchange, are already above the market prices of the world, with
the result that we are no longer capable of competing in foreign
countries. Instead of the economic catastrophe which was feared
in the autumn of 1918, there came, with a falling exchange and a
growing inflation of prices, a disquieting rise, and the disenchant-
ment followed overnight. Unemployment increased, orders fell
off by 50 per cent, or more, and many electrical engineering works
found themselves with no biuiness at all. The market is dead.
Such is the general position. Amongst the various branches of
the industry the position is worst in the cable business, while the
installation and small motor industry is in much the same state.
In the incandescent lamp industry, provision has been made for an
output of about 70,0C0,000 lamps. The export trade, taking before
the war over 50 per cent, of the total production, has fallen to
below 25 per cent., and there is now lively competition abroad.
To-day there is no electrical engineering firm that is not in the
gravest financial difficulties. Many firms have already had to
think of curtailing their activities. Since the beginning of the war,
the production of the electrical engineering induatry had declined
heavily ; during the war, because the factories were busy with war
contracts which were mostly outside the ordinary scope of the
electrical industry, and since the revolution because of the
numerous strikes and the general unwillingness to work.
According to a statistical return, there were 80 separate strikes in
the Berlin metal industry during 1919, covering altogether 162
days. In one of the Siemens works — an example which is typical
of the electrical engineering industry — only 63 per cent, of the
available working hours were worked. The works tallies show for
the current business year a production of 2,250 kilograms per head,
as against 4,400 kilograms before the war. On the other hand, the
wages paid per kilogram of finished goods rose from 43 pfennigs
to 2 marks in 1919, and are now reckoned at over 4 marks. Sharply-
rising prices led to the dissatisfaction of the workers, because their
wages and salaries did not rise in the same proportion. The sales
prices, however, are governed by the cost of the materials, while
cost of the necessary rubber, shellac, copper, &e., are absolutely
dependent on the exchange." Ilerr Henrich concluded by saying
that the rebuilding of the industry would never be successful
unless the workers came to an understanding of the realities of the
economic position.

Engineering Wages. — The decision of the Industrial
Court respecting the tid. per hour demand is occasioning growing
discontent in various parts of the country. There is a desire to
discontinue the Industrial Court method of dealing with such
matters, and to return to the pre-war practice of settling wages by
direct negotiations. The Labour correspondent of the Mtinehe^ei'
Guiirdiiui writing on the subject, says : —

" It seems probable that the employers will be no more willing
than the Industrial Court to grant a further advance, and there
are, therefore, serious prospects of big disputes extending through-
out the industries concerned. This, however, is not likely to occur
for some time, as direct negotiations will have to ba undertaken
with the employers, and the Unions may even regard themselves
as boimd to give four months' notice of termination of the present
agreement before taking action. Such notice could in that case
date from the day of the recent award and disputes could not occur
until autumn.

" Unrest is, however, so serious and general throughout all
sections of the workers concerned that it may be impossible to
delay action so long. The continual failure of the engineering
employers to come to terms with the Unions on any of the big
questions of post-war conditions materially £iggravates the present
unrest and may lead to hasty action with or without the eridorse-
ment of Union executives."

According to another Press report, Mr. Tom Slann, of the
Amalgamated Engineering Union, advises preparing for a severe
struggle with the employers and the Government, without delay.

II

Vol. 87. No. 2,228, AUGUST 6, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

175

Developments at Kobe. — A Tokio dispatch through

lleuter's Trade Service states that a fcrcat scheme is under way for
the improvement of Kobe. The rough estimate for the work is
between 300,000,000 yen and 400,000,000 yen, with every possibility
of a further increase as the work proceeds. More tram lines will
be laid all over the city, and part of the hills behind the city will
be converted into residential quarters, mostly for the working
classes, and a tramway system is to be laid across the hills to
facilitate communication between these quarters and the city
proper. The present Government railway is to be greatly
improved, whether the system should be underground or overhead
being' stDl under discussion. The suburbs of the city will undergo
great changes. Various private suburban electric companies are
doing their utmost to secure official permission to bring their
respective lines further into the city. Special quarters east of the
river will be allotted to factories.

Sweden. — The Aktiebolaget Zander och Ingestroem, of
Stockholm (electrical engineers, &c.), is to increase its share capital
from 1,000,000 kr. to 1,250,000 kr. by the transference of accumu-
lated profits. — Renfer'.i Trade Serrice.

Dominions Tonring Exhibition.— The Department of

Overseas Trade has issued a pamphlet in connection with this
exhibition, which is b ;ing organised with a view to pushing British
manufactures in the principal cities of South Africa, New
Zealand, Australia and Canada. The exhibition, which will consist
of half-unit, or unit, shows at £126 per half-unit, or £210 per
unit, will leave England early in 1921, and will travel for two
years. We have already placed the scheme and its merits before
our readers, and have commended it to the sympathetic and enter-
prising attention of British manufacturers, so that all that now
remains for us to do is to advise trailers to apply to tlie Depart-
ment (35, Old Queen Street, S.W. 1), for copies of this pamphlet,
wherein are set out a good many particulars, accompanied by illus-
trations of the proposed show-cases. A demonstration kinema
lorry will accompany the exhibition for the display of trade films
in the places visited.

Inquiries. — Makers of 2-ton pulley blocks marked
"Record," and British agents for the " Royal " vacuum cleaner, are
asked for. Makers of an all-British electric clothes-waahing
machine are asked for.

Report on Brazil. — Brazil has wonderful and unlimited
resources, and that fact often elicits ths question : " Why is it,
with all these resources, she has not made more progress in her
export trade and internal development .'" In a report by Mr. E.
Hambloch, Commercial Secretary to H.M. Embassy, Rio de
Janeiro, the causes which impede production are summed up thus :
" Lack of adequate transport facilities (.the enormous territory
occupied by Brazil must always be remembered) ; absence of a
developed system of credits, especially in agricultural districts ;
deficiency of technical education ; onerous municipal and State
imposts ; and, in the northern districts, severe droughts." Mr.
Hambloch's report deals generally with the economic and
financial conditions of Brazil for the year 1919, and we commend
it to the study of those of our readers who are specially interested
in the future of the great foreign markets where British traders
have an opportunity for doing a greatly-increased business. It is
obtainable at H.M. Stationery Office (Cmd, 840— 6d. net). It
reviews the natural resources and the difficulties of development .
deals briefly with legislative matters, transport facilities, and
covers such trading points as importi and exports, internal trade,
foreign trade, methods of trading, public utility companies, &c.
In discussing methods of trading, the importance of carrying
stocks of goods is referred to as follows : —

" It is high time that British manufacturers should convince
themselves of the imperative necessity of having stocks of
machinery on the spot. In the past they appear to have refused
almost entirely to admit this point of view. The average customer
in this country will always buy on the spot, even if the machinery
offered is not exactly what he requires, in preference to waiting
for some months until his order can be executed. It is, therefore,
essential that standard types of machinery should be stocked.
British houses here have lost no inconsiderable business in the
past through not having goods in stock. Gas engines, for instance,
are stocked by local Swiss houses for account of the Swiss manu-
facturers. These remarks apply to cities like Rio .Janeiro and Sao
Paulo, and it can, therefore, oe imagined that they apply even more
in such towns as Curityba, Porto Alegre, &c., where the farmers go
into the towns at fixed intervals, and want to be able to buy at once
such stocks of machinery, agricultural implements, A;c., as they
require in exchange very often for their produce. German stocks
of electrical and agricultural machinery in this country enabled
them to do a big business for a very long time after the outbreak of
war in spite of the fact that they received no direct supplies from
Germany. '

Earlier in the report Mr. Hamblosh reviews Germany's trading
position and activities in the country. He says, in the course of his
remarks : —

" British goods have always enjoyed such a splendid— and, be it
said, well-deserved— reputation for high quality in Brazil that they
may almost be said to have sold themselves. But the specious
advantages of cheapness and long credits offered by our (ierman
competitors had begun, at the outbreak of war, to create a jiosition
for our own trade that might eventually have become serious. In
a new country where accumulated capital and wealth hardly exist,
the lure of cheapness and long credit must tell, and there are many
cases where the Brazilian importer, who would have preferred to
purchajse a British article which he recognised as far superior and

worth more money, waa obliged to buy from Germany on account
of the immediate advantages which he could obtain by so doing.
There is, moreover, no phase of national industrial expansion in
which the Germans did not interest themselves. They thus found
themselves allied with the powerful industrialist class, alluded to
elsewhere, and to important political people. British enterprise
has also (perhaps more recently) interested itself in this branch of
local internal trade (though it is almost impossible to make any
accurate estimate) to a much lesser extent. Certainly, as in so
many other things, the Germans appear to be pursuing a deliberate
policy in this direction. There is one other point — an important
one — which must be mentioned in connection with German trade
with Brazil, and that is tlie extraordinary knack which the German
trader possessed of captivating, if not capturing Brazilian clients
who visited Germany. There is ample testimony to this 'on all
hands. There is no desire to imply that Brazilian traders visiting
England were not well treated — they undoubtedly were ; but the
fact remains that the Brazilian visiting Germany was made to feel
that he was singled out for attention. Quite apart from business,
the smallest details for his personal comfort and well-baing were
thought out and arranged. It may appear a small point, but
though the German is undoubtedly a bad psychologist in forming
general estimates, he studied the psychology of his individual clients
with care and with success."

It appears that the introduction of the Statutory List during the
war was received with much derision by Germans and their friends
in Brazil. "But as time progressed, those 'who came to scoff'
remained to admit its efficacy and to set about trying to evade its
effects. The usual array of clocks and straw-men appeared and
were dealt with as discovered. The real value of the list began to
be felt from the moment that it was generally realised that it did
not pay to have dealings with listed firms. But though the list
did all that could reasonably have been expected of it, it wasnnable
to uproot in a few years the German hold on commerce here which
had been the work of many years. New channels of trade were,
indeed, created, and it is to be hoped that many of them wUl remain
permanently ; but if Germany herself is in a position to take
advantage of the situation (and there seems much doubt on this
point), she will find awaiting her in Brazil the old avenues of trade,
a little ragged at the edges, and a little rougher than of old, but
still existing."

Mnnicipal Corporations and Prices of Constrnctional

Materials. — A number of the Metropolitan borough councils have
been considering the increased prices of constructional materials
where such prices are controlled by associations of manufacturers.
It is csmplained that it is becoming more common on the issue of
invitations to tender, to receive a series of quotations of identical
amounts, merely a printed schedule frequently being submitted.
The Westminster Council holds that the effect of the system is to
stifle competition and the consumer is forced to pay arbitrarily
fixed prices. It has communicated with the Board of Trade on the
matter, asking it to take measures to stop the practice of price
control by combinations of manufacturers. The Hammersmith and
St. Marylebone Councils are among the authorities which have been
recommended by their committees to support the action of West-
minster. The action has resulted from the issue of advance notices
respecting prices of stoneware pipes and cement by the Midland
Pipe Association and the Cement Marketing Co., Ltd.

The German in Belgium— Again.— A German corres-
pondent at Antwerp, writing to a Frankfort newspaper on the
interchange of trade between Belgium and Germany, states that a
large quantity of goods from the latter country reaches Belgium
by way of neutral countries, and frequently under a " neutral flag."
Even German machine tools, aluminium, cutlery, &c., are said to
be shipped from England. A number of German merchant
importers living in Belgium before the war, have been permitted
by the Belgian Government to return, although it is known that
they will devote themselves chiefly to the import of German goods.
On the other hand, Belgian importers will only purchase German
articles where the origin is not visible, " as the feeling among the
Belgian population towards German products must be considered as
continuing hostile." Yet it is declared there is a market for
Teutonic machinery of all kinds, metal boxes, electrical
articles, &o.

Australian Electrolytic Zinc Industry.— The Melbourne

Aqc announced in June the official statement of the board of Electro-
lytic Zinc, Ltd., that it was expected that within a few weeks the
output of electrolytic zinc would be increased from 100 tons to 140
tons per week by the use in portion of the large new plant of an extra
1,750 HP. of electrical energy to be supplied to the Risdon works,
Hobart, under arrangement with the Tasmanian (government. The
construction of the first half of the new 100-ton zinc plant was
being steadUy advanced, and work on the buildings and plant for
the treatment of by-products and the development of subsidiary
industries was also proceeding.

Renter's Trade Service agent at Hobart reported, on July 30th,
that the Electrolytic Zinc Co. of Australia had absorbed the Mount
Read Co., Ltd., in consideration of 350,000 ordinary fully-
paid £1 shares of the Electrolytic Co. and the option to take up a
further 150,000 cumulative participating preference shares of £1
each at par. The former company proposes to increase its
authorised capital to £2,500,000. The ore reserves of the Mount
Read Co. are estimated to exceed 1,000,000 tons, and the capacity
of the Electrolytic Co.'s plant is to be increased from 16 tons to
100 tons daily. As a result of the amalgamation the Electrolytic
Co. wUl be largely independent of the Broken Hill Mines for con-
centrates. The Electrolytic Co. has also taken over the option to
purchase the Zeehan Smelting Works from the Government.

176

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW, [voi. 8-. No. 2,228, august c. 1920.

Wages of Railway Electrical Workers.— The claim of

the National Union of Railwaymen tor an increase of id. an hour
on the pre-war rate, plus the recent 68. advance, the 33a. 6d. a
week, and the 12 J per cent, war wase, for men employed in the
elfcctrioal power and sub-stations belonjjrinff to the controlled
railways of Great Britain, has not been approved by the Industrial
Court.

The Court accepts the contention of the companies that the
existing rates and conditions of service instituted for the London
district be confirmed, and that the rates obtaining^ in London should
be extended to similar grades of workers in the country, less 10 per
cent., except in the cases of Glasgow, Liverpool, and Manchester,
where the rates would be -5 per cent, less than in London.

For the stations which supply railway workshops with lighting
power, the Court decided that the conditions of service shall be the
same as those obtaining- in the workshops of which the power
stations virtually form a part. The decision is to have effect on
and after December 1st next. — The Times.

Electric Conduits for Cuba.— A Cuba company is
desirous of promptly receiving from British manufacturers quota-
tions for black enamelled ridged conduits in 10-ft. lengths,
diameters from A in. rising by i in. to 1 J in. and then by
J in. to 4 in. The quotations should be based on delivery
c.i.f. Havana. Quotations are desired for four car load lots
of J-in. conduits, and two car load lots of each of the other
sizes. The company is stated to be an important concern pre-
disposed towards British goods. This would appear to present a
very favourable opportunity for the introduction of British-made
fittings. Manufacturers may obtain the name and address of the
inquirer from the D.O.T. in London.

For Sale. — West Hartlepool Corporation Electricity
Department invites offers for one Hall's compound vertical feed
pnmp, one Nichol's single-cylinder ditto., one water softener,
various valves, steam pipes, and one Green's economiser. See our
advertisement pages to-day.

Cable Workers. — Wages. — Six Unions are taking a
ballot of cable workers on the question of enforcing the claim for
an advance in wages of 15p. a week for all workers aged 18 and
over, and 7s. 6d. under 18, with a guarantee for pieceworkers. The
'Cablemakers' Association, following meetings of the Industrial
Council, made what is described as a final offer of a further war
advance of 5s. per week to male workers of 18 and over, and an
increase of the minimum for women of 18 and over from 41s. to
438. The ballot papers state that the ofi'er, in the opinion of the
affiliated societies, is '^ wholly unsatisfactory." — Tlie Times.

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES.

Aldersbot. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Urban District
Council has received sanction to a loan of £7,000 for new feeders.

Birkenhead, — Loa\ Sanctioned. — The Town Council
has received sanction to a loan of £20,000 for mains and services,
and £12,500 for meters.

Bolton. — ExTEN.sroxs. — The borough electrical engineer
has reported on a suggestion by the Electricity Commission that
Back-o'-th'-Bank generating station should be laid out for a plant
capacity of 46,000 KW. Extensions would be required to buildings
and to generating, boiler house, and condensing plant. The
Electricity Commission approved his scheme and requested the
Finance Committee to apply for sanction to borrow £497,000 for
extensions, in addition to £374,379 for extensions to plant and
buildings now in hand.

Coventry. — Plant Insurance. — The manager haa

reported upon the present value of the boilers and economisers at
the generating station, and suggests that the insurance should be
considerably increased. It was decided that the total insured value
of the plant be increased from £89,000 to £141,500, and that in
addition a further cover, to the extent of £10,000, be ob'amed by
means of a floating policy. With regard to extensions, teuJcrs have
been invited for the erection of offices at the Sandy Lane station.

Haslingden. — Bulk Sui'plt. — The agreement for a
bulk supply from Aoorington is to be renewed upon revised terms
under which the cost is considerably increased.

Japan. — The Fuji Water Power Co. has decided to
amalgamate the Shiratakigawa Water Co , the Soko Water Power
Co., and the Tsukui Electric Co., which own their plant and wires
within the Fuji zone of supply. When this amalgamation is
accomplished, tfie company will enlarge its business possibilities
by erecting a big transformer station at Kozu. — Reiitcr.i Trade
Sei rice,

Liverpool.— ExPENDiTUKK.— The Secretary of the Elec-
tricity Commission has forwarded to the Corporation sanction to
borrow £145,000 for purposes of the electricity undertaking. Of
this sum, £ 100,000 is for plant and foundations, and £ 15,000 for
cooling towers and foundations at the Lister Drive power station.

Further large expenditure on the city's electrical undertaking arc
(X)ntemplated, and on the recommendation of the Tramways and
Electric Power and Lighting Committee, it has been decide! that
application be meide for sanction to extension of the generating
plant at Lister Drive power station, and borrowing powers to the
extent of £115,000 for additional generating plant, and £200,000
for extensions of eleotric mains.

London. — St. Paxcuas. — Mains extensions at a cost of
t592 have been sanctioned.

Messrs. Bruce Peebles A: Co. quoteil £7,250 per set for two motor
converters for the Regent's Park station. This is an increase of
£900 per aet on their contract price for similar plant ordered for
the proposed new sub-6tation in Prince of Wales Road in the
previous March. The quotation was not accepted, but there are
two similar sets on order for the proposed new sub-station, one of
which is a spare aet. It will, therefore, be installed at the Regent's
Park station to serve the present needs. Tenders are to be invited
for two new boilers for the King's Road station. The chairman of
the Electricity Committee (Alderman F. L. Combts) has been
appointed as the Council's representative on the executive com-
mittee of the Conference of Local Authorities owning electricity
undertal ings in Greater London.

Malvern. — Mains Extensions. — Subject to a loan being
secured, the Urban District Council has decided to extend the mains
to West Malvern at an estimated cost of £4,500, on condition that
guarantees are given representing 7 per cent, on the outlay for
five years.

Pontefracf. — Provisional Order. — The Eural District

t'ouncil has received notice of the intention of the Electrical Dis-
tribution of Yorkshire, Ltd., to apply for a provisional order to
supply electricity in the district.

Portrush, — Loans. — The Urban Council having applied
to the Local Government Board for Ireland for sanction for loans
towards, among other things, constructing electricity supply works,
Mr. A. D. Price, one of the Board's engineering inspectors, has
been appointed to hold the usual official inquiry.

Shrewsbury. — Year's Working. — The total income

from the electricity undertaking for the year ended March Hat
last was £16,821 ; working expenses were £12,617, leaving a gross
profit of £4.203. After payment of £777 for interest on loans and
£2,711 for sinking fund charges, there was a net profit of £713.

Loan.— The Town Council has applied for a loan of £4,000 for
mains, services, and retrospective expenditure.

Stafford. — Extensions. — Extensions involving an esti-
mated expenditure of £ 80,000 are to be carried out at the electricity
works. Tenders for brickwork and the erection of a new boiler
house and extensions to the power station have been accepted.

Sudbury. — New Station. — There was a large attendance
on July 23rd at a public meeting in connection with an electricity
project for the town. The Mayor (Alderman H. Alston), who
presided, on behalf of the Town Council and the inhabitants, gave
the undertaking his benison. Mr. Napier Prentice, A.I.E.E., said
Sudbury was a town where cheap power was essential if they were
to carry on their present industries with success, and encourage
others to come amongst them. The want of this jjower made not
a few industries go north. What the company wanted was the
goodwill of the inhabitants, whom they askeil to allow the tops of
their houses to be Med for the carrying of wires. They haid, of
course, the right to object, but in that case application might be
made to Parliament to pull the streets about for the laying of
cables. That would be very expensive, and increase the cost of
power and light. They had bought the necessary land for a power
house, and intended to start a supply as soon as possible. Mr. C. H.
Wordingham, C.B.E., Past- President of the Institution of Electrical
Engineers, pointed out that there were great advantages in a com-
pany undertaking the supply in a small town, especially where
the business was to a very large extent speculative, for a munici-
pality could not stand the loss of a new undertaking in its initial
stages. The company was prepared to place at the disposal of the
town for this scheme the technical and commercial knowledge and
ability, which a municipality could not afford to pay for. Mr.
P. C. N. Peddar, chairman of the company, in the course of his
remarks, said that 23 or 24 years ago, he and Mr. Prentice
established a company in Stowmarket, where he thought there
was hardly a man to-day who would not thank them for what they
did. They did not depreciate the gas shares, and some of the
largest consumers of electricity were gas shareholders.

Tnnbridge Wells. — Loan. — The Town Council has

decided to apply for a loan of £1,500 for two superheaters, ic,
for the electricity works.

Walsall. — Mains Extensions. — The Electric Supply
and Housing Committee recommends that electric lighting be
provided for the whole of the houses to be erected at Blakenall ;
that an expenditure of £3,935 be authorised for the necessary
distributors, &c. ; and further, that mains be extended at an esti-
mated cost of £1,565. and that the Council authorise a further
expenditure estimated at £5,000 for necessary feeders, &c. The
Mayor (Councillor H. H. Tucker) said he was alarmed at the
expense involved, amounting to nearly £17,000, whilst the estimated
income was only £1,400 per year.

Yoi. 87. No. 2,228, AUGUST G, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVTEWo

177

Wolverhampton, — On the invitation of the chairman of
the Corporation Electricity Committee (Councillor Thompson), the
members of the Town Council on Thursday last week paid a visit to
the Cor])oratiou electricity ^eneratiuif station at Commercial Road.
Very extensive additions have been made to the station, and a con-
siderable amount of constructional work has also been carried
out recently. These alterations were fully described in our
laat issue. A numerous company assembled, and after a tour
of the works, the members of the Council coG!;re?ated in
the offices. Here Sir Charles Mander, who was chairman of the
Electricity Committee when the works were opened by Lord
Kelvin in 1894, proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman. He
mentioned that the capacity of the plant at that date was a meer
700 H.P., while at the present moment it was 30,000 H.p. Councillor
Thompson, responding:, thanked the Council for the support it
had given to the Electricity Committee. At the moment, he said,
the plant could produce about twice as much power as it was
doinfr, and if the use of electric power grew, as he thought it would, '
they would soon want a works as big again. The plant had cost
three quarters of a million, of which a quarter of a million had
been written off. Mr. S. T. Allen (borough electrical engineer")
said he was very optimistic about the future of the works. If
there was one thing about Wolverhampton that he would like to
condemn, it w.as the spirit of pessimism that was shown in some
quarters. He was proud of the town, and saw great possibilities
ahead. Wolverhampton was attractive to new industries, and
possessed all the advantages of Birmingham and the Black Country
without any of their disadvantages. Mr. Allen, in closing, paid a
fitting tribute to his staff.

Wrexfaam. — Loan. — An inquiry was held on July 27th
respecting the application of the Town Council for a loan of
£17,260 for a boiler, economiser, buUdings, water softener, &c.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Brazil. — Railway Electrification. — After prolonged
negotiations, the Paulista Railway Co. has placed an order with an
American company for the electrification of part of its system, says
The Timef Trade Sii/i/ilement.

Continental.— Spain. — Lisbon is again without a (ram -
way service, owing to a dispute between the Municipal Council and
the company.

Croydon. — Fare Revision. — The revised fares on the
Corporation tramway system will allow a passenger to travel a
distance of J mile for Id.

Dablin. — Breakdown. — A serious interruption cf the
electric tramway system occurred one morning last week through
a breakdown of the overhead wires.

East Ham. — TjOan Saxctioneh. — The Town Council has
received sanction to a loan of £8,37.? for the purchase of equipments
for 10 new tramcars.

Electric Vehicles. — The Ilford Urban District Council
has received sanction to a loan of £8,500 for the provision of electric
vehicles for refuse collection.

Halifax. — Fare Increase. — The Tramways Committee
has recommended an increase in the tramway fares. It is proposed
to charge 1 id. for the first mile on the routes radiating from the
centre of the town, though existing 2d. stages will remain unaltered.
Stages outside the town will be increased 100 per cent, on
pre-war rates, and motor-bus fares by 50 per cent, on existing rates.
The changes are subject to sanction by the Corporation, and the
Corporation Bill receiving the Royal Assent.

Japaff. — Railway Electrifhation. — The Department

of Railways, which has planned the erection of a power station at
Akabane, will use the power generated to operate electric trains on
several sections radiating from Tokio. At Yokokawa, near
Karuizawa, the Department plans to erect a water-power station.
— neuters Trarh' Service. Tokio.

Leeds. — Year's Working. — The annual report on the
city tramway undertaking for the year ended March Slst last,
shows that the receipts amounted to £876,527, an increase of
£153,493 on the previous year, the earnings per car-mile averaging
21'28d., compared with 18'95d. Working expentes amounted to
£606,347, an increase of £184,938. After providing for interest on
loans, redemption fund, &c., the net surplus profit of £83,758, com-
pared with £90,000 last year, was transferred to the relief of the
rates, the amount utilised in this manner to date being £l,376,77t).
Traffic expenses increased by £90,815, and general expenses by
£14,712 ; general repairs and maintenance increased by £58,7:i3,
permanent-way repairs have cost £28,199 more than last year.
Heavy expenditure was rendeied necessary, owing to overdue
renewals of track. The extra cost under the heading of "cars"
was £22,708 ; 30 extra cars were placed in service during the year.
The increase in "power" expenses amounted to £18:522; cost of
energy generated was £C1,783, or r26d. per D.c. KW.-hour, and
l'09d. perA.c. and D.c. KW.-hour ; cost of energy purchased was
£39,494, or l-13d. and 0-99d. Amount of D.C. generated at 500
volts was 224,410 KW.-hours ; A.c. generated at 6,600 voits,
13,378,300. KW.-hours ; A.c, puichased at 6,600 volts, 9,517,999

KW.-hours. Coal consumed amounted to 18,924 tons, or 3'116 lli.
per unit generated. The number of passengers carried increased
by 16,:!14 061 to i:f6,567,011. During the year the parcels depart-
ment grew considerably ; 183,676 parcels were dealt with , compared
with 39,032 last year. The number of passengers carried on the
railless traction section of the undertaking was 1,047,541 : the
receipts were £11,510, against £9,304 last year, and the working
expenses totalled £9 878, or 13'36d. per car-mile.

Liverpool. — Loan Sanctioned. — Sanction has been
received by the Corporation from the Ministry of Transport, for the
borrowing of £18,350 for the purchase of the Liverpool and Pregcot
light electric railway undertaking. The amount is to be repaid
within 30 years.

Accident. — Two point cleaners were knocked down and seriously
injured by a light electric train outside the Exchange station on
July 30th. One man was pinned under the train, and two hours
elapsed before the coach was raised and he could be released.

London. — L.C.C. Fare Revision. — Subject to the
approval of the Ministry of Transport, the London County Council
has adopted a new maximum scale of tramway fares. The Id.
fare distance will be reduced from 1'2 miles to i''ii mile,
converting the present Id. fare into ltd. The deficiency on the
tramway undertaking this year may exceed £1,000,000. The
increases will not be put into operation before September 25th.

East Ham. — The Medical Officer of Health reports that the
overcrowding on the District Railway causes a good deal of ill-
health in the borough. — The Times.

Manchester. — Works Committee. — A mass meeting of
tramway depot workers in Manchester decided to set up a Works
Committee representing the three depots in the city, and having
power J:o appoint shop stewards, who in turn will have power to
deal with petty grievances. They will exercise no executive
powers beyond interviewing the depot foremen. By this means it
is hoped to bring about a greater degree of contentment amongst
the men. Any grievance which cannot be settled between the
shop steward and the foreman wUl be brought by the district
secretary before the management in the usual way.

Middlesbrough. — Extensions. — The Corporation has
again rejected the suggestion that a conference should be held
with Stockton and Thornaby, with the object of establishing a
joint control of tramways in the respective areas (to be taken over
shortly from the Imperial Tramways Co.). Speaking recently, the
Mayor of Middlesbrough (Councillor E. Spence) said he believed
the town would have to subsidise the tramway system when it
got it.

A Sub-Commii tee of the Tramways Committee has been appointed
to consider various sites for a depot, and the tramway manager
and the borough engineer have been instructed to consider the
planning of future tramway routes consequent upon the develop-
ment of the town.

Motor-'Bus Taxation.— The Ministry of Trarsport has
given an important decision on the subject of damage to roads by
motor-'bus traffic. Three local authorities in South Durham — the
Darlington Rural Council, the Auckland Rural Council, and the
Shildon Urban Council — granted permission to the United Auto-
iliobile Services, Ltd., which has arranged an extensive service of
omnibuses in the area, to lun over new routes on payment of 2d.
per bus-mile. The company appealed to the Ministry against the
impost, on the ground that it was unjustifiable. The Ministry
has decided, after hearing the evidence of both sides, that the
charge of 2d. per 'bus-mUe is a reasonable one, and must be paid
pending the passing of legiflation authorising the taxation of
motor vehicles, when the question will be reviewed as from the
beginning of the present year. — Jiinnineiham Pod.

Newport (Mod.). — Strike. — The strike cf tramway
permanent-way men extended on July 28th to the power station
employes ; the cars are not running, and the town is without
electricity supply. The permanent- way men ask for 2s. Id . per hour.
The Mayor has rep;ated hia promise of a conference if the men
resume work.

Newcastle-npon-Tyne. — The Minister of Transpoit has

extended until August, 1921, the time limited by Sec. 7 of the
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Corporation Act for the completion of
tramways.

St. Helens. — Fare Increase. — The Minister of

Transport has issued an interim order authorising the modification
of the statutory charges in respect of the tr-amways. As a conse-
quence, the Tramways Commission has given notice of a general
increase of fares, one basis of which is a rate of I Id. per mile, or
part of a mile, with a slight concession to passengers travelling
four miles or more.

Loan. — The Minister of Transport has sanctioned the borrowing
of £2,500 by the Tramwajs Committee for the purchase of top
covers for four tramway cars. At present none of the tramcars
have top covers, due mainly to the lownesg of the bridges on certain
of the routes.

Veneznela. — Extensions. — The tramways of Maracaibo
have been sold to a syndicate composed mustly of United States
financiers. The purpose is to extend and improve the existing
system, says Tl^e Times Tratie S»/'/'!eiiiefU.

Yorlf. — Fare Increase. — The costs of working the

tr.amway undertaking are growing to such an extent that the
Committee proposes to apply for power to charge a universal
2d. fare, except with respect to special cars.

178

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,228, august e, 1920.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

France. — International Communication. — At the

instance of the Communications Section of the Supreme Economic
Council, a Conference, sd.ys the Ma nrliesi er (luardian, has been held in
Paris of postal, telegraph, radio-telegraph, and railway experts of
various European countries for the purpose of improving communi-
cations as a help in tlie economic reconstruction of Europe. The
Telegraph Sub-Committee decided upon a list of additional inter-
national telegraph lines, and reached agreement as to degree of
urgency attaching to each. It is expected that the arrangements will
result in considerable improvement in the telegraph service between
Western and South-eastern Europe. In considering facilities
available for wireless communication between European countries
and the possibility of increasing them, the Radio-telegraph Sub-
Committee expressed the opinion that within the limits of Europe
radio-telegraphy should be regarded as an extension of the ordinary
telegraph system, and used interchangeably with it according to
the needs of the moment, and at the same rate, senders being given
the option of objecting to this course by marking their telegrams
" fil" (meaning wire). At the instance of the British delegates,
however, the right was reserved to any two countries to make other
arrangements regarding wireless communication between them-
selves when this could be done without affecting the interests of
other administrations. Certain snggented alterations in inter-
national wireless regulations were also considered.

Teleobafhic Photography.- -Two machines for transmitting
photographs or autograph writing "by telephone " have been ordered
by the Italian Government from M. Belin-, a French scientist. They
will be used for instantaneous reproductions of handwriting
between Milan and Rome. The French Government has also
ordered two similar machines for experimental purposes. The
device weighs 20 lb., and can be fitted on any telephone. — Duily
Mail.

Germany. — New Cadle. — In order to make telegraphic
and telephonic communication with East Prussia independent of
Poland, a cable has been laid between East Prussia and the Pome-
ranian Coast, and will be ready for use about the 4th prox. The
cable, which begins at Lebal (Pomerania) and ends at Tenkitten
(East Prussia) is 170 kilometres in length. — Reuters Trade Servire,
Berlin.

North Borneo. — Wireles.s Telegraphy. — At the half-
yearly meeting of the British North Borneo (Chartered) Co., held in
London last week. Sir West Ridgeway (president, in the chair)
is reported by The Times to have said that the wireless system was
working most efficiently. Uninterrupted communication was
maintained between all the stations throughout the year 1019,
except for a day and a half, when the Sandakan station was closed
for transmission. Public messages for 1919 showed an increase of
33 per cent, on the figure for 1917, and Ki per cent, on that for
1918. The inauguration of a wireless service between Jesselton
and Sarawak had been followed by the establishment of regular
wireless communication between North Borneo and the Philippine
Islands.

Private Wireless Installations.— Messrs. R. S. Dalt^diesh,

Ltd., coal exporters and shipowners. Newcastle-on-Tyne. have been
refused permission to install a private wireless set for communi-
cation with their ships. The Post Office says that an adequate
system of coast stations is in existence, and that the station at
Cullercoats serves shipping using the Tyne. Private stations, the
Post Office adds, would entail heavy loss to the State by the with-
drawal of traffic from State-owned wireless stations, and would
cause " great confusion and Interference.'' — Daily Mail.

Sliips' Wireless. — New Rules. — The Merchant Shipping
(Wireless Telegraphy) Act, 1919, and the rules made by the Board
of Trade thereunder, and dated July 15th, have been published
(price 3d.), and wUl, says the Bnard o/ Trade Journal, come into
operation on September 1st next, as regards vessels registered in the
Tnited Kingdom. The Act and the Rules will apply to other ships
trading to ports in the United Kingdom on December 1st, 1920, as
provided in Sec. 2 of the Act. This means that after December 1st,
1920, all passenger steamers and all cargo steamers of 1,600 tons
gross, and upwards, whether British or foreign, which come to this
country will be required to be fitted with a wireless telegraph
installation and provided with operators and watchers in accordance
with the Rules.

Sontli America. — New Wireless Station. — The Argen-
tine Government has issued a decree allowing the Marconi Wireless
Co., as stated in our pages some months ago, to install a high-
powered wireless station to be used exclusively for communication
between the Argentine and Great Britain. — MeiUer's Trade SerHce,
Buenos Ayres.

Tlie Teiegrapli Service.— Sunday Telegrams. — The

second reading of the Postmaster-General's Bill to sanction
increases in postal and telegraph charges not included in the
Budget, was agreed to in-the House of Commons on July 28th. It
was explained that telegraph clerks being paid time and-a-half for
Sunday duty, it was proposed to charge Od. extra for Sunday,
Good Friday, and Christmas Day telegrams.

Government Telegrams. — In reply to a question in the House
of Commons last week, the P.M.G. explained that during I9I9, the
number of telegrams exchanged between the United Kingdom and
India was 629,571, of which 71,142, or H'3 per cent., were Govern-
ment messages. They did not necessarily have priority over private
telegrams, only in urgent cases. If sent by a company, he imagined
such telegrams would be paid for at the ordinary rates.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

( T/ie dale yiren in parentheses at tlir end of tlie paragraph iiidicalet
the issue of the El^EOTBIOAL BbTIXW, in which the " Official
Notice" appeared.

OPEN.

Australia. — Commonwealth fjdvernment. November
24th. Protected cable terminals and cable distribution boxes.
Specifications &o., will be available at Australia Hou?e, Strand.
Vf.C— Renter s Trade Serrice. (Brisbane).

Belgium. — August 11th. The Societe Nationale dee
Chemins de Fer Vicinaux. of Brussels (4S. Rue Montoyer, Service
Electriques). .Vrmoured underground cables required (1) for the
Brussels-Haecht line and (2) for the Gilly-Hansart line.

August nth. The Belgian State Railway authorities, at La
Salle de la Madeleine, Brussels, are inviting tenders for the supply
of 3ii lots of material required in connection with the Stone electric
train lighting system.

Birmlngliam. — September 1st. Salvage Committee.
Two IiMi.KW., 440-v.. D.c. compound-wound, steam-driven gen-
erating sets, complete with surface condenser and switchboard.
(July 30th.)

Blaclcpool. — August 27tb. Corporation. Two water-tube
bo'lers. superheaters, economisers. stokers. &c. ; two seta of induced
draught plant ; coal conveying, ko., plant. (July Hlth.)

Bradford, — September 9th. Electricity Committee.
Contract R. l.'ili. No. 4 boiler house and equipment, including
buildings, water-tube boilers, economisers, induced draught plant,
feed pumps, coal-handling plant and piping systems. (See this
issue.)

Bridgwater. — August lOth. Town Council Electric
Light Installation, Town Hall and Municipal Buildings. Borongh
Surveyor. (Returnable deposit of £2 29.)

Clille. — February, 1921. The Chilean Legation at Paris
(23. Avenue du Bois de Boulogne) is asking for tenders for the
supply and installation of electric power in the first zone of the
Chilean railways. Sealed tenders are returnable before February 1st,
1921.

Edinburgh. — September 6th. Electricity Department.
Converting plant for Port obeUo generating station and snb-station.
Specification No. 2i;. (See this issue.)

Grimsby. — August 12th. Electricity Department. Two
water-tube boilers, economisers, fittings, fans, chimneys, &c. ; one
3,000-KW. high-pressure turbo-alternator and condensing plant.
(July 2nd.)

Mancliester. — August 13th. Electricity Committee.
One each "."iton and I")-ton electric cranes for Barton power
station. (July 23rd.)

August 3i>th. Electricity Committee. Barton power station :
Cable manufacture and laying 33.0(iii-volt. .'l-phaae trunk feeders
(2i; miles), pilot cables (104 miles), telephone cables (19 miles).
Specification B. 7. (See this issue.)

September 20th. Electricity Committee. Six 33,000-volt, 19..->0ii
K.V.A., 3-phase static transformers, house service and testing trans-
formers, (See this issue,)

Portsmontli. — August 1 7th. Tramways Committee.
Stores for twelve months, including insulating materials, overheail
line equipment, &c, (July 30th.)

August 2.'ith. Electric Lighting Committee. One 4,000-KW.
turbo-alternator ; two water-tube boUers. each of 30.000 lb. per
hour capacity. (July 30th,)

Uganda. — December 20th. (xovemment of the Uganda
Protectorate, Tenders invited for a concession of a portion of the
Ripon Falls of the Nile, See this column in our issue of J aly 30th,

Warrington. — August 10th. Electricity and Tramways
Committee. Coal elevator and conveyor. (July 9th.)

September 7th. Electricity and Tramways Committee, Surface
condensing plant. (See this issue.)

CLOSED.

Belgium. — A new feature of the electric cable business
In Belgium was the receipt last week of a tender from a Spanish
company for the supply of cables to the municipal authorities of
Schaerbeek, Brussels. The lowest bids, however, came from
Belgian concerns.

Folkestone. — Electricity Committee : —

Electric light installation.— North and Sidney Street Schools; Webster
and Bon, .tlSl.

Great Yarmouth. — ^Ve have received the following list
of tenders submitted for the electrical installation at Grundy's Net
Works, Great Yarmouth : —

Mann, Egerton A Co jE7«

Wembly Heating Co 698

Bower & Barr 660

Cunningham, Ltd 4R0

Gray & Palmer (acceptedi 460

Vol. 87. No. 2,228, August 6, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEWo

1?9

Power and Lighting

Liverpool. — Tramways, Electric
Committee. Accepted : —

Sutton Heath and Lea Green Collieries Co., Ltd., tor a minimum quantity
of 60,000 tons of steam slack to the Lister Drive electric power station

The Corporation has accepted the offer of the Hammersmith
Borough Council to purchase a 2,000-KW. generating set at Lister
Drive power station, for £3,500. Messrs. Madden, McKee, Ltd.,
have bought from the Corporation the other 2,000-KW. Westing-
house generating set from the same station at £2,300.
Electricity Committee. Recommended : —
Transformers to the extent of 10,000 kw. during the next IS months.—
British Electric Transf :rmer Co., Ltd.

London. — St. Marylebose. — Electricity Committee.
Recommended. Plant extension scheme ; —

Boilers and high-pressure steam piping—

Babcock & Wilcox, Ltd i'8,380

AitOD & Co.. Ltd. (recommended) 7,737

Feed water tanks.
Whessoe Foundry and Engineering Co., Ltd.— Two boiler feed tanks,
i2,290; and two hot well tanks, f843. (Recommended.)

Moaaghan. — Accepted. — Electric lighting installation at
St. McCartan's Cathedral, McCartan's Seminary, and at the resi-
dence of the Bishop of Clogher. — J. J. Woods.

Stafford, — Town Council. Accepted : —

Brickwork in connection with the electricity works extensions, jei,6 10.—

Poulton & Son.
Erection of new boiler house and the extension of the existing power

station, £5,104.— Blair & Lyell.

Wolverhampton. — Town Council. Accepted : —

Two oil switches, ic, £700.— A. Reyrolle 4 Co., Ltd.

Eight Bingle-deck tramcars, ,fl4,781.— Brush Electrical Engineering
Co., Ltd.

Three double-deck tramcar bodies, £6,462.— English Electric Co., Ltd.

Sixteen 249a motors for use on the tramcars, i'5,076.— British Thomson-
Houston Co., Ltd.

NOTES.

Electrical Supplies in South Africa. — The S.A. and

Miniiiq and H/iifiiieeri/ig Juiinuil for July Mth, states : " Dealers
advise that electrical materials are now coming in fairly freely,
more particularly fittings, which are very welcome after the late
acute shortage. Wood blocks, which have alsn been in great
demand recently, are also coming in plentifully. Notwithstanding
the influx of electrical goods, it is not expected that prices will
recede, but rather, in view of the numerous uncompleted orders on
hand, that prices will go even higher. As a matter of fact, the
past week has witnessed a rise generally in electrical goods.
Lamps are now 27s., 28s. ; lampholders. ceiling roses and ailaptors,
being practically unprocurable, are unquotable. '

Electricity Supply Districts.— In view of the numerous
applications received by the Electricity Commissioners for maps of
the Electricity Districts already provisionally determined by them,
arrangements have been made whereby copies can be supplied to
those interested at a charge of 29. per copy, inclusive of postage.
Applications for copies should be made in writing to the Secretary,
Electricity Commission, Gwydyr House, Whitehall, S.W. 1. and
should be accompanied by the necessary remittance.

Edncational. — City and Guilds (EngineerinCx)

College. — The Council of the City and Guilds of London Institute
has awarded diplomas of "Associate" to the following students
who completed a full course of instruction in engineering at the
close of the recent session : —

R. H. Allen, W. de Ascanio, W. G. Ayerat, R. Baillie, T. N. Baines,
L. H. Bedford, D. Beresford, H. Bishop, F. la T. Budgett. T. S.
Blair, W. A. Bowden, J. H. W. Buckell, S. T. Burkitt, F. W. Batler,
R. H. Carter, A. R. Chapman, 0. H. Chilton, S. Clifford, L. P.
Coombes, E. de Cousinery, ( ;. C. Cowie, W. Cramer. H. F. Cronin,
J. Cnshny, G. W. Davis, J. S. Davis, A. Day, A. .1. Dean, G. E.
Dovaston, W. A. Dovaston, E. Downes, F. T. Edmunds (Henrici
Medal), V. M. Falkner, J. M. Fenton, L. B. Firnberg, R. Eraser, R.
Gabel, G. H. Glasspoole, R. T. W. Goodman, L. V. Gordon. H. J.
Gowring, E. R. Green, J. W. Grose, T. F. B. Hall. H. A. Harris,
M. Van Hasselt, F. B Haward. F. R. Heading, R. F. Highett, B. A. C.
Hills, L. T. Hinton, H. W. Hodge, E. G. Holley (Siemens Medal),
J. E. Holmatrom, T. F. Hurley, R. T. .Tames, J. P. Johns, E. M. R.
Jones, E. R. Jones, G. B. King, W. Y. Lee, W. H. Lobjoit, A.
Maccnlloch, J. C. Macgregor, E. N. Macqueen, G. W. Martin, J. D.
Maaghan, A. E. May, R. C. McLeod, A. McVie, A. McL. Moonev,

D. W. Morphy. F. D. Moul, M. Nachshen, H. F. Naish, E. J.
Naylor, A. L. Paget, A. Pearlman, H. Peters, P. L. Pomary y
Tenaud, R. D. Ringang, B. G. Robins, K. Rowell, F. D. M. Ryves,

E. M. Shipman, W. E. E. Sich, W. F. Simonson (Bramwell Medal),

A. Stavridi. M. Stern, S. G. Stevens, C. G. Sturt, A. H. Swann,

B. W. 0. Townshend, E. H. Turner, B. Tutleman, H. C. Vereker,
E. H. Webster, D. Whyte, R. A. Wilson-Jones, L. J. Wood.

Institution of Electrical Engineers. — Stidents'

Scottish Visit. — The London students of the Institution visited
Glasgow last week, and spent a delightful time in sight-seeing, in
addition to visiting a number of works in the district, and inspecting
power plants. The party, numbering 40, was received on arrival

by the Scottish Students' Section, which entertained the visitors at
a social meeting, when they were welcomed by Mr. J. E. Sayers.
On Wednesday a visit was paid to the Corporation's Dalmarnock
power station, as well as the Dykehead Colliery, Larkhall, and the
Sammerlee Iron Co. On Thursday the works of Messrs. Mavor and
Coulson. electrical engineers, Glasgow, and the engineering labora-
tories of the Royal Technical College and the University were
inspected, whUe on Saturday the party was shown over the works of
Messrs. G. & J. Weir. Cathcart, and Messrs. John Brown & Co , Clyde-
bank. The programme also included sails to Rothesay and Arran.

Electricity and Public Heallli.— An informative lecture,
on popular lines, on the hygienic value of electricity, aroused a
good deal of attention at the Birmingham Health Exhibition
[see Electrical Review, July 30th, page 157]. It was given by
Mr. W. Y. Anderson, the commercial engineer of the Birmingham
Corporation electricity supply department, who pointed to the
rapidly-growing use of electric labour-saving appliances in the home,
which were gradually solving the servant problem. It was
surprising, he said, how few persons really appreciated the
value of electricity as a servant to mankind, there being only a
hazy notion of its importance. The position that a nation held
was in direct proportion to the significance it attached to the solu-
tion of the problems of industry, physique and education.
Electricity was, perhaps, the greatest factor which enabled a
nation to find a satisfactory solution to these questions. Electricity
was no longer a luxury, it was a necessity ; few persons could,
in fact, afford to do without it. In industry and in the home it
was the enemy of disease because of its cleanliness, dirt and dust
being reduced to a minimum. There was, too, an enormous saving
in the upkeep of a house, and in the outlay on its internal decora-
tion, where electricity was u;ed, and he believed that in the
future, when the house shortage had been dealt with, there would
be as much difficulty in letting a house which was not electrically
equipped as there was in letting one that had no bathroom.

Legal. — Battery Refills Dispute. — In the City of
London Court last week, before Mr. Assistant Registrar Tattershall,
a claim was made by Calmont Ki :g & Co., Ltd., electrical engineers,
84, Milton Street, E.C., against Mr. George Smith, of the Royal
George Motor and General Repair Works, 79, Myddleton Road,
Bowes Park, for the sum of Hi 10s , balance of account for battery
refills supplied. Mr. Harry Strouts, solicitor, appeared for the
plaintifi's. The Assistant Regis rar said the case would have to be
adjourned for a proper detailed account to be made out, showing
what goods had been supplied and those returned. In the mean-
time he thought the parties should put their heads together and
come to a settlement. If no settlement was arrived at, the case
would be gone into upon proper accounts being filed.

Appointments Vacant.— Head of the Electrical Engi-
neering Department (£500), assistant lecturer in Electrical Engi-
neering, assistant lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, at the
Rutherford Technical College, for the Newcastle-on-Tyne Educa-
tion Committee ; mains superintendent, for the Bermondaey
Borough Council Electricity Department ; plumber-jointer, for the
Derby Corporation Electricity Department ; assistant control engi-
neer (£:{13). for the Yorkshire Electric Power Co. : shift engineer
('.lis.), for the Eawtenstall Corporation Electricity Department.
See our advertisement pages to-day.

The Institution of Civil Engineers and Salaries.—

The Council has issued a statsment pointing out that many
members of the Institution who hold official salaried positions have
suffered hardship through increased cost of living without corres-
ponding advances in the salaries paid to them. This has been
especially felt by the junior members of the profession. The
Council has drawn the attention of the members to this subject, in
the hope that all of them who are able, will use their influence
with both public and private employers to secure their practical
sympathy in remedying what is an undoubted hardship.

The Coolldge Lamp Patent.— The Coolidge wrought-

tungsten patent, under litigation for nearly five years, has been
declared valid in all of its claims, and to have been infringed, in a
decision handed down on June 29th by Hugh M. Morris, Judge of
the United States District Court, in the matter of suit brought by
the General Electric Co. against the Independent Lamp and Wire
Co., Inc. Considerable importance is attached to the outcome of
the case, because of its fundamental application to the manufacture
of incandescent lamps. In the opinion of the Court, the solution
of the tungsten problem involved invention, and in that invention
the specific problem was to make tungsten ductile and eliminate
brittleness. It has be; n held that Dr. Cool'dge accomplished this in
the production of his wrought tungsten from the natural tungsten
metal. The main product and process claims are held valid in the
Court's opinion. — Electrical World.

In this country the patent has been declared invalid, but an
aopeal is in process of decision. An appeal has also been lodged
against the foregoing judgment in the U.S.A.

Lignite Coal and Spontaneous Combustion.— In an

article by Mr. A. W. Morgan in the Electrical World of July 10th,
it is stated that raw lignite cannot be stored safely, as it takes fire
quickly from spontaneous combustion. At a new power station at
Denver, which is 30 miles from a large lignite field, the fuel is
delivered and burned within 24 hours. The bunkers take the shape
of ferro-concrete pockets, each capable of holding only one day's
supply for one boiler (75 — 80 tons). These bunkers have to be emptied
when a boiler is laid off ; failure to do this has caused two bad fires,

180

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo [voi. 87. no. 2,228, august e, 1920.

Power- Factor Definitions. — At a Convention of the

American Institute of Electrical Enj^ineers, last month, reported in
the Klcctriral ]\'„r!,l of July Itth, one of the subjects discusaed
was the definition and measurement of power factor in polyphase
circuits. A Joint Committee of the N.E L.A. and A.I.E.E. had put
forward two definitions, namely :—(!") Power factor in a polyphase
circuit is the ratio of the total watts to the arithmetical sum of
the volt-amperea in the several phases, each measured to a non-
inductive neutral point. This definition may be otherwise
expressed as the weiprhted mean of the individual power factor in
the phases (weighted according to the volt-amperes in each phase) ;
C2) power factor in a polyphase circuit is the ratio of the total
watts to the vector sum of the volt-amperes in the several phases.
It was pointed out that definition 2 was mathematically accurate,
but definition 1 had a broad field of usefulness when applied to
unbalanced circuits. All power companies had come to the con-
clusion that they must penalise low power factor, the greatest
obstacle to this being the chaotic condition of metering. Strong
support wag given to the second definition, as this gave results
which were entirely independent of the question of unbalancing^
on the other hand, it was urged that there was no such thing as
the power factor of a polyphase circuit ; power factor and
unbalance factor should not be conbined in one factor. Finally, it
was agreed that polyphase power factor should be defined as the
ratio derived from the active power and the reactive power, and
the Committee was instructed to dtvise deSnitions on the basis of
the discussion.

Electrical Precipitation for Silver Fumes.— The electrical

method of precipitating line particles is especially useful in
connection with metal refineries, because of the high value
of the materials recovered. An installation has recently been
made in the silver refinery of the United States Metals Re-
fining Co., Chrome, N.J., which is of special interest, because
it represents both a successful commercial instaUation and
an advanced development of precipitating apparatus for this
kind of service. Installations of this type present many en-
gineering difliculties, for not only must practically 100 per
cent, of the fumes be recovered, since every particle escaping
represents a financial loss, but the material precipitated in
the tubes is particularly troublesome. This substance is not
a fine, dry, easily-handled dust, but a semi-liquid sludge,
that is hard to remove, and is especially liable to build up
on the electrodes and cause earths. It also contains a con-
eiderable percentage of selenium compounds, which not only
attack iron and steel, but ordinary commercial lead also,
and only lead free from antimony can withstand destruction
froni the .selenium-carrying gases. Hence, every part of the
equipment with which the fumes come in contact must be
covered with chemically pure lead. According to the Elec-
trical Neivs, the treater installation consists of three units of
30 lead-lined tubes each. The electrode system, in this case
at 6.5,000 volts, contained in the tubes is rigidly suspended
from the top, so that bottom insulators can be dispensed with.
The gases from the furnaces are first passed through scrubbers
and sprayers, which remove a portion of the fumes and cool
and nroisten the gases to the' proper degree. They then pass
into the top of a large header, into which the precipitating
tubes project several feet, so that irregularities in the gas
How are broken up, all the pipes are heated to the same tem-
perature, and a uniform flow is established through each
pipe. After passing through the pipes, the gases now free
from fuuies, escape into the atmosphere. Aa soon as the
maximum permissible amount of precipitation has taken
plac« in the pipes of any unit, the gas flow and the electric
current to that unit are cut off, and the precipitate is flushed
out of the_ pipes by a washing .system. The electrical eqiup-
ment consists of a motor-generator set, a high-voltage trans-
former, and a mechanical rectifier. The motor-generator set
is made up of a 40-h.p., 220-volt Westinghouse d.c. motor,
and a 2.5-k.v.a., 220-volt, 60-cycle Westinghouse a.c. generator.
The motor is driven from the power circuit of the plant and
the generator supplies the current for the precipftation system.
The low-voltage current from the generator goes to the trans-
former, which is of a special design made by the Westing-
house Co. It is of 2-5 K.v.A. capacity; takes low voltage cur-
rent at 220 volts, and has taps in the low tension winding for
transforming to 55.000, 65,000, 70.000, and 75.000 volts re-
epectively. After the low -voltage a.c. has been transformed
to high-voltage it goes to the mechanical rectifier, which is a
simple form of commutator, and is kept in s>'nchronism with
the current by being mounted on the generator shaft.

Repairing Motor Coils. — Much time may be saved by

using sheets of varnished cambric between the overhanging ends
of motor coils instead of wrapping them with tape. In a US.
repair shop, says the Ktecfricil World, a triangular strip of the
fabric is cut out of the sheet and inserted under the end of each
coil, with an extra one between phases ; when all the coils are in
place, the fabric is trimmed to the shape of the coil.

U.S.A. Nitrate Plant.— The U.S. nitrate plants, located at
Bheflield and Muscle Shnals. .A.la., were constructed during
the vvar for military purposes. At the time the armistice
was signed, plant No. 1, using the synthetic ammonia process,
was only in the experimental stage, but plant No. 2. using
the cyanamide process, was ready for production. K Bill
has beeii placed before the Senate Committee on Agriculture
and Forestry, authorising the establishment of the U.S. Fixed

Nitrogen Corporation, the stock to be owned by this cor-
poration, to purchase and operate the plant for the production
of nitrogen fertiUser compounds. No. 2 plant will be used
for this purpose, while No. 1 plant will be used to further
development and research. It is estimated that $12,500,01^
will be required to finance the corporation.

The Fixation of Nitrogen in Arc Furnaces. — The

technique of fixation of nitrogen in the form of oxides, pro-
duced with the electric a.rc, has remained almost unchanged
«mce the construction of the first works. Mr. Ferdinand
Gros has made some industrial experunents which have led
to improvements which he regards as of importance, and
which give hopes of others.

Hitherto the best industrial yields have represented 55 to
Gj grammes of nitric acid NUjH per kilowatt-hour, the aver-
age production of several works being often less; even as low
as 45 grammes. These yields are obtained by coriveying
atmospheric air into the furnace, i.e., humid air. Leaving the
furnace, the air containing nitrogen oxides, passes into a
system of oxidation cheimbers and large towers where, in
contact with water or alkaline solutions, it gives off the
nitrogen oxides. Thus nitric acid or nitric or nitrous salts
are collected (usually a mixture of both) in the form of low-
percentage solutions which must subsequently be concen-
trated and transformed into commercial products. The effi-
ciency of the absorption plant is never complete, so that the
gases which escape into the atmosphere on leaving it, carry
away a portion of the nitrogen oxides which is thus lost.

The yield of 65 grammes NU^H per kilowatt-hour corre-
sponds to the formation of 31 grammes of NO in the furnaces,
only utilising 22 calories, each kilowatt-hour being equivalent
to 860 calories. The result is that 2.5 per cent, only of the
electrical energy is employed for the production of NO. The
other 838 calories serve to heat the gases treated. Only a
email part is recoverable, which can be utilised for the
evaporation and concentration of the solutions mentioned.
Some manufacturers maintain that only 30 per cent, of the
calories conveyed in the gases are recoverable in the boiler*.

This poor utilisation of electrical energy is not so far as
one might think from the theoretical limit for work with
humid air. It is in fact estimated that it is hardly possible
to exceed a production of 120 grammes of NO3H per kilo-
watt-hour, which represents the utilisation of about 4.8 per
cent, of the energy consumed in- the furnace. Thus the prac-
tical yield is about 6/120 = 54 per cent, of its theoretical
limit.

This calculation also demonstrates that the unfavourable
effect of the humidity of the air is far from being negligible,
and that the employment of oxygen should result in a greater
improvement from the point of view of yield than that
generally admitted. For example, with a dry gas, containing
50 per cent, oxygen and 50 per cent, nitrogen, the theoretical
limit would be 264 grammes per kilowatt-hour, and this with-
out reckoning the recovery of heat conveyed in the gas. If,
thus, the same practical yield of 54 per cent, were attained,
the production of the furnaces would be equivalent to 145
grammes per kilowatt-hour, viz., more than double that of
the best actual productions.

According to the results obtained in these experiments,
applying the principles given (dry gases and high percentage
of oxygen), with an industrial plant representing 200 to 300
kilowatts, the accuracy of the opinions previously given was
demonsti-ated. In some conditions of w-ork the yields
amounted to 90 grammes of nitric acid per kilowatt-hour.
Working with a mixture of dry oxygen and nitrogen, the
yield of NO was 50 per cent, greater than with humid
atmospheric air. A new series of experiments now being
made leads to the conclusion that this yield can be exceeded.

Tlie plant employed comprises a i^rfectly new type of
device for the recoverv of nitrous fumes (French application
(or patent 116,293. August 18th, 1919) by a physical instead
of the usual chemical way. The gases give off their nitrogen
peroxide in cooling at a low temperature. They circulate in
a closed circuit, and consequently remain dry. One has
merely to supply the necessary dry oxygen and nitrogen to
maintain a specified working percentage.

Owing to the method of recovery adopted the peroxide,
NO, can be directly transformed into nitric acid with any
degree of concentration. Finally, all the recoverable energy
in the hot gases is thus freed, and is more than equivalent
to that required by cold recovery and manufacture of the 1
requisite oxygen.

These few improvements are calculated to make a profound
alteration in the general arrangement of a works for the
production of nitrogen oxides, in particular, by allowing, with
equal furnace power, considerable reduction in height and
surface of the buildings (in some works the height of tie
absorption plant building is 25 metres), and direct production,
in recovery, of a mat<^riiil with high percentage of nitrogen
of much greater value than the diluted solutions of nitric
acid, nitrates, and nitrites given in actual practice. — Compto*
Hendus. March 29th, 1920.

A 900-niile Network, — When the hydro-electric power
svstem'i of Georgia and Alabama are connected by a transmission
line 52 miles long, the extent of the entire interconnection will be
about 900 miles. The voltage is 110.000, and the capacity of the
line is 22,000 K.yji.,— Electrical World,

Vol. 87. No. 2,228, AuonsT 6, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW,

ISX

Manchester Wireless Society.— The ordinary meetings

have been suspended as from July 28th, and will be resumed on
Wednesday, September Ist. from which date the experiments
already arranged for the winter months will commence. Those
interested, and wishing; to take advantafje of these lectures and
experiments, are advised to communicate with the Hon. Sec, Mr.
Y. Evans, 7, Clitheroe Road, Longsight, Manchester.

A " Wonderful Invention." — We recently drew attention
to the ridiculous claims of an "inventor" who, with remarkable
effrontery, has revived the moss-grown idea of perpetual motion,
under the style of " Automatic Power," and has induced a number
of newspapers to print announcements regarding his momentous
" discovery," and the miracles which he is going to perform with
its aid, "in a very short time." We regret to say that the
Finnncial Times has permitted this egregious mountebank to
occupy nearly half a column of its valuable space with a resital of
his claims — and his portrait !— in the form of an editorial, without
even appending the usual " Advt." We think our contemporary
would be well advised to forgo the doubtful benefit of such an
asEooiation ; the confidence of the financial public is surely worth
more than a few inches of advertising space.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

lh$ Eiitori invite electrical engineers, whether connected with the
technical or the comviercial side of the profession and industrij,
alio electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
Elkctbioal Review posted as to their m/roements.

The Times reports that General Sir John Monash has been
appointed manager of the Morwell Brown coalfield scheme, by
which it is intended to provide Melbourne and other parts
of Victoria with cheap electricity. The appointment is for
five years, at a salary of £3,000 per annum.

At the Barrow Town Council meeting on July 26th, the
Electricity Committee recommended " That the scale of
salaries recommended by the Incorporated Municipal Electrical
Association Chairman's Committee be approved, and that the
borough electrical engineer be paid a salary at the rate of
£950 per annum as from April 1st, 1920." The Mayor (Col.
Wadham) said the committee who had made the recommen-
dation corresponded to a Whitley Council. It was a joint
committee representing employers and engineers, and the scale
of salaries recommended was based on the output of units of_
the different undertakings. £950 was the salary based on the'
output from the Barrow works. Coun. LongstafFe considered
that it was preposterous to base increases on output. Coun.
Barrie, vice-chairman of the committee, said he had attended
some of the conferences. It was all very well to find fault
with output as a basis, but what else could they take as a
basis? It was quite a popular cry to call for payment by re-
sults, and payment on output seemed to be something near
that. The engineers did not get all they asked for, and the
committee, which had the support of the Ministry of I^abour,
was making what was con.'^idered the best recommendation.
Considerable discussion followed, in which Aid. Manson said
there had been a loss on the electricity undertaking in the
past year. The Council rejected the recommendation by
15 votes to 14 votes. The Council approved the grades of the
technical staff and the new scale of salaries as submitted by
the borough electrical engineer as follows : —

Present
Salary with
Salary Bonus.
Grade, (per ann.) (per ann.)
A'ORKS Staff —

Works Superintendent 3 £52.3 £420

Constructional Engineer and Draughtsman 7 £380 £300

rising to

to 6 £407

Assistant Worlds Superintendent 6 £407 £300

Cliarge Engineers 8 £34n £2(B

Junior Charge Engineer . P £30:1 £240

M*iss Staff—

Mains Superintendent

£&

Assistant

fr,2:!

£371 £300

£371 £204

£371 £252

Installation and Ma

Meters and Testing

Sub-Stations and E.H.T. Assistant

Consumers' Staff — „^„ „.,,„

Consumers' Eneineer 4 £472 £378

Techniral Assistant. Consumers' Dept. ... 8 £349 £252

NoTl.— The above salaries are based upon an increase in the cost o( living

of 125 per cent, over the conditions obtaining in July, 1914. provision

being made for adjustment for each complete 15 points vari.ition in such

cost. At the present cost of living (1.50 per cent, above the 1914 figures).

the above salaries will be subject to an adjustment varymg from 3.6 per

cent, on salaries up to £350 per annum, to 2.G per cent, on salaries between

£500 and £550.

The revised salaries operate from June, 1st last.

Major W. E. Simnett. M.B.E.. Asi50c.Inst.C.E. (late R.E.).
has retired from the direction and editorship of the Technical
Review on his appointment to direct the Intelligence Branch
of the Ministry of Ti'ansport.

Leek (StafTnrdshire) U.D.C. has decided to increase the
salary of the .\ssistant Electrical Engineer by £30 per
annum to £250.

After further consideration of the question of the remunera-
tion of the city electrical engineer, the Electricity Committee

of the Manchester Corporation recommended the Council
to enter into an agreement with Mr. S. L. Pearce, chief engi-
neer and general manager, whereby for a period of seven
years he receives in addition to a salary of £2,500 a year the
sum of £1,000 per year for special services rendered in the
construction of the Burton station or any other new power
station that may be requu'ed during the period of the agree-
ment. The recommendation came before the Council meeting
on Wednesday this week, and was approved.

Mr. James Clark, for over twenty years connected with the
firms of Ridout & Co. and Ridout & RatcUfE, Ltd., has recently
resigned his position as manager. He was presented with a
cheque.

Mr. G. 0. H.AZAHD, London representative of Messrs.
Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd., for tlie past 10 years, has resigned
to take up a position on the management of Messrs. C. ^Yright
& Son, engineers, of Edgware, where letters should now be
addressed.

Barnstaple T.C. has increased the salary of the Electrical
Engineer from £375 to £4'2o a year.

Mr. H. W. Pender, of Manchester, has resigned the posi-
tion that he has held with the Premier Accumulator Co., Ltd.,
Northampton, for the past thirteen years.

Mr. A. H. Smith, after 18 years' service with the General
Electric Co., Ltd., at Witton and Cardiff, has accepted an
appointment with the Commercial Electrical Supplies Co., 8,
Westgate Street, Cardiff.

Mr. H. NiMMO, M.I.E.E., &c., who since being disembodied
from the London Electrical Engineers, R.E. (T.) has been em-
ployed on the Government of Burma, Hydro Electric Survey,
has now been appointed, temporarily, officer-in-charge. Hydro
Electric Survey, Burma.

Obituary. — Mr. \V. J. Crawford.— We regret to record the
death from drowning, at Bangor, of Mr. Wm. Jackson Craw-
ford, lecturer on mechanical engineering at Belfast Technical
Institute.

Mr. E. Dewhurst.— The death took place on July 29th of
Mr. Edward Dewhurst, who had for about 30 years carried on
business as an electrical engineer at the Mount Street Works,
Preston. He was 57 years of age.

Prof. John Perry, F.R.S.— We regret to learn, just as we
go to press, that Prof. John Perry, F.R.S., passed away on
Wednesday at the age of 70 years. The funeral service will be
held at St. Peter's Church, Bayswater, to-morrow (Saturday)
at 12 noon. Interment at Wendover Churchyard, 2.15 p.m.

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED.

Surrey Scientific Apparatus Co., Ltd. (169,325). — Private

company. Registered July 2Hth. Capital, £5,000 in £1 shares. To carry on
the business of electricians, electrical engineers, manufacturers of electrical
apparatus, comprising electrical, telegraphic, telephorie, wireless, scientific,
high frcquencv, electro-medical, and kinematograph instruments and com-
ponent parts, '&c. The subscribers (each with one share) are : J. D. Mackin-
tosh, 63, London Road, Kilmarnock, solicitor; M. Henderson, 71, Dundonald
Road, Kilmarnock, C.A. The first directors are not named. Registered
ofRce : 101a, High Street. Mortlakc, S.W. 14.

North British Premier Electric Welding Co., Ltd.

(169 231) — Private company. Registered July 23rd. Capital, £40,000 in £1
shar'es. To take over the business of the North British Electric Welding
Co., Ltd., to carry on the business of welders of metals or other Slibstances
by electrical, oxy-acetylene, or other process, marine, electrical, civil, and
mechanical engineers, electricians, founders, ship builders and repairers,
boiler makers, owners of boats, ships, S:c. The subscribers (each with one
share) are- Capt. J. G. de O. Coke, R.N. (retired). Bank Buildings, St.
James's Street, S.W.; A. L. Haggerty. Bank Buildings, St. Jameses Street,
S.W., secretary. The subscribers are to appoint the first directors. Qualifica-
Son, £100. Remuneration, £100 each per annum. Solicitor: E. A. B.
Maurice, 46, Parliament Street, S.W.

Hvdro=Electric Development Co., Ltd. (169,240).— Private

company. Registered July 23rd. Capital, £50.000 in £100 shares. To in-
ves'tigate, develop, or assist propositions or schemes for the utilisation of
water Dower in the generation or production of electricity for power, lighting,
heatine or otherwise, in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. The first
SirSs are: Sir H^nry Babington Smith, G.B.E., K.C B., C S.I , 121 St
lames's Court S W (member of London Committee, Agricultural Bank of
Egypt, director British Trade Corporation, British Italian Corporation
Ltd., Central London Railway Co., Mortgage Co. of Egypt Ltd., and
Oriental Telephone & Electric Co., Ltd.); G. Manzi 1-e 1, Porchester Gate.
Bavswater. W. 2 (director British Italian Corporation, Ltd and Compagnia
Ita'lo-Britannica). Secretary: J. S. Barnes. Solicitor: R. R. J. Turner.
115, Leadenhall Street, E.G. Registered office: 12, Nicholas Lane, Lombard
Street, E.C.

Delco.Remy, Ltd. (169,225).— Private company. Re-
gistered July 23rd Capital, £50.000 in £1 shares (30.000 7 per cent, cumula-
five preference). To take over the business of automobile and electrical
enffineers carried on by \V. H. Johnson and W. O. Kennington at 14,
Panton Street W.. as " Waller H. Johnson," to .idopt agreement with
the said vendors and General Motors Corporation. The first directors are :
W H lohnson 14 Panton Street, W.; W. O. Kennington. 14, Panton
Street W- A P Sloan, junr. 1764, Broadway, New York (vice-president
Ge"Ll Motor's Corporat J): E. e' Eby, Metropolitan Tower Maddison
Avenue, New York (director Hyatt, Ltd.); J- H- W.^on. 1, Thurloe Place,
Brompton Road. S.W. (general manager. United Motors Ltd.) R M
Emslie, 14, P.anton Street, W. Solicitor: A J. M. Duncan, 21, Leadenhall
Street, E.C. Registered office: 14, Panton Street, Haymarket, W.

Scintilla. Ltd. (169,261).— Private company. Registered

lulv 24th Capital, £5,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the business of
le^^^lrical,- mechanical, and automobile engineers "^""'='<^?7'^"' 'Xs a"d'
and contractors for the supply of, agents /or, and d"''^" >"■ "'Jif^^'^°\,Xt
icnitlon devices starting equ pments for internal combustion engines, iigni
^g and o h r ^uSpmenls, \c' The first directors are: G Bov|r, Sw.tze ■
and (director. Brown, Boveri & Cie. Societe Anonyme of Baden S^.^xerl?nd

- f , J ci^ii « CdMiTorlnnH ^mnnnCint! director, wriniiiid .juvici'^

I Scnnvaer, Solothurn, »wiizeriana vniJiKi^'i'h * w.'<«!tmin<!lcr

s Bjo^rei^/c^; ^':'Lri'^ gSe^rL;d.)"i=;

W. T. Holland, 65, Bishopsgate, E.C.

182

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo [voi. 87. No. 2,228, Aoonsx e, 1920.

Cobalt Magnet Steel Co., Ltd. (169,265).— Private com-
pany. Registered July 26th. Capital, i'.WO in £1 shares. To carry on the
business of melters and manulacturers of or dealers in magnet and other
-^teel. engineers, rollers, manufacturers of files, tools, electric or other plant,
founders and general contractors, &c. The subscribers are : C. G. Morton.
M, Burcot Ro.id, Sheffield, manager; H. Priest, 4«. \incent Road. .Sheffield,
secretary. The first directors arc not named. Solicitor: J. Barber, 2'J,
Banic S'treet, Sheffield.

Kinetic Organ Blower Co., Ltd. (169,204).— Private com-
pany. Registered July 22nd. Capital, £500 in £1 shares. To take over
the business of electrical and general engineers and manufacturers of and
dealers in electric, water, and other engines, and apparatus for blowing
organs, air compressors and exhausters, general importers, exporters, mer-
chants, and commission agents lately carried on by the liinetic Co., Ltd.,
at Lincoln, and to enter into an assignment with E. J. Jackson, J. H.
Swanton, and J. Day, and the said company and T. Rimington. the liquidator
thereof. The permanent directors are : \V. \tobbs, 71, Portland Street.
Lincoln; C. Rawding, lli, Ashfield Street, Lincoln; R. G. Chatfield, 96,
Studdridge Street, Fulham. S.W.6. Qualification. 50 shares. Secretary :
W. Mobbs. Registered office : Kinetic Works, Swanpool Court, Lincoln.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

National Electric Construction Co., Ltd. (53,364).— Re-
turn dated July t24h, 191lt (filed ^tay 21st, 1920). Capit.il, £125.000 in
10s. shares; 170,000 taken up; £75,574 10s. paid; £9,425 10s. considered as
paid. Mortgages and charges, £75.000.

African Direct Telegraph Co., Ltd. (21,895).— Return

.lated June 30th, 1920. Capital, £aOU.0O0 in £10 shares; 23,600 shares taken
up; £236,000 paid. Mortgages and charges, nil.

Verity's, Ltd.— Satisfaction in full on July 16th, 1920, of

mortgage dated June 26th, 1917, securing £3,850.

Switchgear & Cowans, Ltd.— Issue on July 19th, 1920,

of £150 debentures, part of a series already registered.

Oxford Electric Co., Ltd Particulars of ^50,000 deben-
tures authorised .May 28th, 1920. .Amount of present issue £25,000. Pro-
perty charged ; the company's undertaking and property, present and future.
No trustees.

R. J. Rodd, Ltd.— Deposit on July 1st, 1920, of deeds of

properties in Walton-on-Th.Tnies and Surbiton to secure all moneys due or
to become due from company to Barclay's Bank. Ltd.

Folkestone Electricity Supply Co., Ltd. (51,825).— Return

dated May 14th. 1920. Capit.Tl, £1(XI.000 in £5 shares. .Ml shares taken up.
£100.000 p.iid. Mortgages and charges, £94.080.

Barraclough Brothers, Ltd. — Agreement dated June 24th,

1920. to secure fl,48U 19s. lOd. charged on' certain moneys and three electric
motors. Holders: W. H. Spencer & Co., Ltd., Bowling Dyke Mills, Halifax.

Hongkong Tramway Co., Ltd. (75,486). — Return dated

April -JSth. 1920. Capital, £81,250 in 5s. shares. .Ill shares taken up and
lonsidered as luHy paid. Mortgages and charges: $700,000 = £170.625.

Henley's (South Africa) Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.

(77,781).— Return dated April 9th. 1920. Capital, £2.000 in £1 shares. All
shares taken up and paid for in full. Mortgages and charges : nil.

Ebonestos Insulators, Ltd. — I^gal Mortgage dated June

'lOth, liJ'X, to secure all moneys due or to become due from company to
liarchiy's Bank, Ltd., charg<d on E.vcelsior Wharf, RoUin Street. Depttord.

CITY NOTES.

Mr. H. C. Levis presided at the annual
British Thomson^ meeting held at the offices, 83, Cannon
Houston Co., Street, E.G., on July 'iTth. He said that
Ltd. at the last annual meeting he stated that

the directors were considering the question
of now capital required by the constant growth of the com-
pany's business, and higher manufacturing costs, and that
proposals relative thereto would in due course be laid before
the shareholders for consideration. The share capital hatl
been comparatively small, consisting of i'400,000 in 4 per
cent, cumulative preference shares, and £'400,000 in ordinary
shares. The floating debt, mainly due to the General Electric
Co. of New York — and afterwards to the International General
Electric Co. of New York — had been large. No dividends had
been paid on the preference shares for a number of years,
as the directors, after consultation with the holders of a large
majority of these shares, considered it best to conserve their
resources for the expansion of the company's business. Under
the articles of a.ss(3ciation, any holder of preference shares
had the right to require that his holding should be converted
into ordinary shares, and if the holders of a certain percentage
should so require, then the company could declare all of the
remaining outstanding preference shares to be ordinary, so
that the conversion should be complete. Recently the neces-
sary percentage made a formal request to the company to
make this conversion, and this had been carried into effect,
con.sequently the company had now no preference shares
luit.standing, but only an issue of ^800,000 ordinary shares.
.\t an extraordinary general meeting the necessary resolutions
were passed by which each of the £10 shares was divided into
ten £1 shares, and the ordinarv shares were increased to
£2.000,000. consisting of £'2.000.(Klb shares of the denomination
of £1 each. The necessary resolutions were also passed creat-
ing '2.00O.000 preference shares, of the denomination of £1
each, bearing cumulative dividends at the rate of 7 Per cent.
per annum. These resolutions had been ratified, so the autho-
rised capital of the companv at this time consisted of
£2.000,000 in ordinary .shares,' and £2,000.000 in 7 per cent,
preference shares — all of the denomination of £1 each. Sub-
ject to confirmation at that meeting, it was proposed to issue

to the holders of the old preference shares, in full payment
of all accumulated dividends and free of further mcume tax,
ordinary .shares of the par value of tive gumeas for each £10
preference share held. .\lso to issue £40,000 par value of
these ordinary shares as a dividend at the rate of 10 per cent.,
free of further income tax, to the holders of the old ordinary
shares. The.se dividends — payable out of the reserve account
— would absorb £'i50,00*J of ordinary shares. The remaining
ordinary shares and all the preference shares would be issued
from time to time as might be necessary for the requirements
of the company. Their debt to the International General
Electric Co. Inc. — payable in dollars — had been settled by
advances in sterling from the bankers. This involved a lo&s
in exchange, which was dealt with in the last year's accounts.
The amount due to their bankers would be hquidated in due
course by the proceeds of their share issue. During the year
they expended on additions to factories at Piugby, Coventry,
and Willesden £184,660, and wrote off £59,660, leaving the
net book value at £950,0(JO, which, having in mind their coet,
was a very conservative figure. In September they entered
into an agreement to purchase some factory buildings and
land at Blackheath, near Birmingham. Due to various diffi-
culties that arose in connection with titles, they were unable
to take possession until June this year. The floor space at
present available in the buildings acquired was about 2.50,000
sq. ft., and the area of the land was over 70 -acres. Manu-
facturing operations would commence as soon as possible.
Plans were in hand for further extensions at these works.
Considerable additions were ijeing made to the factory at
Rugby, which would greatly accelerate and increase the
output of turbines, large motors and generators, and incan-
descent lamps. Negotiations had been completeti for a con-
siderable area of land in another part of the country, where
it was proposed, among other things, to erect a lamp factory,
as the facilities at Rugby for the manufacture of lamps could
not advantageously be extended much beyond their present
limits. Turning to the profit and loss statement, it would
be observed that the profits for the year, after deducting all
expenses and charges, other than interest on debentuies and
loans, and after making provision for estimated war taxation
for 1919, were £412,399, which he thought might be con-
sidered very satisfactory, particularly as the ascertained loss
in exchange to December 31st had been deducted. In view of
the fact that the accumulated dividends on the old preference
shares would be paid up by the issue of new ordinary shares,
and that the old ordinary shares were now receiving a divi-
dend of 10 per cent. — hkewise payable in new ordinary shares
— they had not recommended to the shareholders that any
further distribution be made at present. It was hoped that
the company would next year resume the payment of dividends
on a satisfactory basis. The large electric steel rolling mill
equipments to which he referred last year had now been in
commercial operation for several months, and their perform-
ance had been in every way up to their expectations, and had
given entile satisfaction to the purchasers. These were among
the largest equipments for this class of work which had ever
been built. Last year he stated that, judging from the in-
quiries which they received after the signing of the armistice,
there was an enormous amount of business in sight: the volume
of orders placed with them since then, justified this statement.
The orders received for the first six months of this year were
larger than those for the corresponding period of 1919. though
1919 was a record year, and the volume of orders on hand
was the largest in the history of the company. One of the
greatest hindrances to their output had been the shortage
of castings occa.sioned by the moulders' strike, the latter part
of last year. All branches of engineering had been, and were
still, embarrassed by this shortage, and it seemed almost
impossible to make up for the time lost. It had seriou.sly
interfered with their output, in spite of the great efforts they
had made to overcome the difficulty. They had made a con-
tract with the International General Electric Co. Inc., of
New York, which took the place of the one previously existing
between the General Electric Co., of New York, and them-
selves. This substantially increased the possibilities of the
company's business, and was a very valuable asset, having in
mind the fact that it conferred on tliem for their territory
the patent rights of all the inventions cvf the General Electric
Co.. of New York, as well as the benefit of its research labora-
tories, which were undoubtedly the leading electrical research
laboratories in the world to-day. So that they might keep in
close contact with bu.siness on the Continent of Europe, they
bad taken a financial interest in the Conipagnie Francaise pour
r Exploitation des Prix'edt's Tliomson-Houston. and the Societe
d'Electricite et de Mecauique (Procedes Thomson-Houston
et C;irels), of Belgium, and several of the directors were
on the boards of the.se two companies. This was an important
connection, and they expected it would be of material benefit
to the company in various directions. He did not think it
was fully realised how much was done by many manufactur-
ing companies for the benefit of their employes. Most com-
|ianies gave a good deal of attention to such matters, and
their company was no exception to the rule. They had
estalilished canteens on a large scale, where goyjd food was
supplied at very reasonable prices, and under attractive con-
ditions. At Rugbv thev h,id purchased a large tract of land,
which would be devoted to sports and recreation, and it was
their intention in due course to provide similar facilities at
other points where they had manufacturing establishments.

Vol. 87. No. 2,228, August 6, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

183

They also encouraged ajid assisted various movements, such a3
welfare clubs, boy scouts', bands, Hcc, and particular attention
was given to education. Their booklet giving particulars of
the company's educational arrangements had attracted much
favourable comment, not only here but also abroad. The
company had recently established two scholarships, under
.which two young men would be sent every year to America,
free of expense, for a year's training in engineering, manufac-
turing, and commercial work. It was felt that not only would
this be a valuable experience to young men who they expected
would remain in the service of the company, but that it would
also be a factor — even though small — in maintaining and
developing good relationship between the two countries. One
of the serious difdculties confronting a great many com-
panies to-day was the excess profits duty, which was unfair
both in theory and in practice, in that it penalised most those
who were the most progressive. If two companies were
making the same amount of profit, and one happened to have
a good pre-war standard, that one had little or no excess profit
duty, whereas the other, whose business had increased, had
to pay heavily. It was equitable that tho,se companies whose
jjusiness increased during the u-ar should not profit unduly
during that period by reason of such increase, but the business
which was being done to-day had nothing to do with the war,
and should not be subject to these special war conditions.
The only fair tax was one that applied equally to all. It was
particularly hard on a progressive company, because progress
in itself involved the tying up of capital, while this unfair
tax absorbed the greater part of the return from that capital,
and thereby actually chilled the incentive to progress. Con-
sequently, when new capital was required, it was difiicult
to obtain it under such conditions. During the year, notwith-
standing the many difficulties which had been encountered,
the members of the staff had worked hard and loyally. They
had done all they could to reinstate ex-service men.

Lord Carmichael seconded the motion, which was carried
unanimously.

The directors of the Elcktra A.G.. of

German Dresden, which is interested in a number

Companies. of supply works and tramways, state that

most of these undertakings yielded better

ro.^^ults in 1919 than in the previous year. After having made

provision foi- depreciation, the accounts show net profits of

•288.000 marks; and permit of the payment of a dividend at

the rate of 5 per cent., whereas a loss was incurred in 1918,

which was covered out of the reserve fund.

The Einkmifs Vercinigung fur Elektrotecluiischc Bcdarfs
Artikcl (Buying A.ssociation for Electrical Requirements), of
Franhfori-on-Main. which reports an increase in the member-
ship from 318 in 1918 to 432 la.st year, earned net profits of
98,000 marks in 1919 as compared with 46,000 marks in the
preceding year. The dividend is at the rate of 8 per cent, for
1919, and it is mentioned that the value of the turnover at
•38.860,000 marks was about twice that in 1918.

The Continentale Gen. fur Elcktrisclie Unternelimungen of
Nuremberg, reporting on the company's investments for 1919,
states that it was possilile for the electricity works, by increa.s-
ing prices, gradually to recover from the reaction, but the
railways and tramways showed varying results. It was iin-
possibie to predict the development of the undertakings in
the near future ow-ing to the general uncertainty. The net
profits increased from 1.37'2,000 marks in 1918 to 1,384,000
marks last year, and the dividend on the preference shares.
which compose most of the share capital, is at the rate of
3 percent., as in 1918.

The report of the Accumulatoren Fabrik A.O.. of Berlin
and Hagen, states that the disposition to place new orders in
1919 decrea.sed in .iccordance with the advance in sale prices,
and the output of the works consequently declined as com-
pared with the previous year. On the other hand, an increase
in the number of %vorkers and officials took place owing to the
reduction in the working shift and the lower average efficiency
of the men. The provisidu made for depreciation was 444,000
marks, as against 411,000 marks, and the net profits were
2,-525.000 marks as contrasted with 2.993.000 marks in 1918,
permitting of the payment of a dividend at the rate of 17 per
cent, for 1919, as compared with 20 per cent, in the previous
year.

The report of Brown. Boreri & Co., A.G.. of Mannheim.
oovers a period of nine months as a result of the transfer of
the financial year to the calendar year. The directors state
that owing to the scarcity of raw material the production of
manufactures was again only a fraction of that in former
peace periods: estimates w^ere impossible, and fixed price.s and
binding periods for delivery to customers could not be given.
Tf. nevertheless, satisfactory results were achieved, these wjere
due to the market's extraordinarv capacity for absorption.
The sale of electric motors for agricultural purposes was ex-
tremely active, but the department for large machines was
not well employed. The construction of steam locomotives
was in full nrogress. while .satisfactory results were obtained
in the new branch for the production of sjjecial articles f(ir
installations. After writing off 1.3'27.000 marks for deprecia-
tion in the nine months ended with December, as aeaiiist
702,000 marks and ^.•298.000 marks for war expenses in 1918-19.
the accounts show net profits nf 834.000 marks, as compared
with 827,000 marks. It is proposed to pav a dividend at the
rate of 6 per cent., as in 1918-19, on .share capital of 9,000,000
marks, which has since been increased to 15,000,000 marks.

Yorkshire Electric Power Co. — The directors report
satisfactory progress during the half-year ended June. The
costs of coal, labour, and materials have been higher, but
ow'ing to production on a larger scale the profit earned on
the larger capital employed nas been more than propor-
tionately increased. After payment of bank and other
interest, the net profits for the three half-years ending
June 3Uth were; 1918, ,£23,683; 1919, ^19, '229; 1920, .630,146.
In view of the strengthened financial pos.ition of the com-
pany the board have decided upon the payment of an interim
dividend on the ordinary shares at the rate of 3 per cent,
for the half-year. New contracts have been made to supply
large additional amounts of power which will bring a
further increase of revenue. Additional plant and mains
have been ordered to meet these further demands. The
recent issue of i;'230,UUU debentures and £'400,000 of ordinarv
stock has enabled the finances to be regulated and the loans
from the Government and from the bankers to be repaid.
" An inquiry has been announced by the Electricitv Com-
missioners as to the present and future position of electricity
supply in the northern portion of the company's area, and
will be held at a date to be announced by the Commis-
sioners. The board will be prepared to co-operate in any
satisfactory scheme that will be to the advantage of the
area."

Stocli Exchange Notices. — Application has been made to
the Committee to allow the undermentioned to be ofticially
quoted: —

General Electric Co., Ltd.— 1,600,000 seven and a-half per
cent. " B " cumulative preference shares of i£l each, fullv paid,
Nos. 1 to 1,600.000.

The Committee has sj>ecially allowed dealings in the
following under temporary regulations 4 (3) : —

Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation.— ±'500,000 5 per cent,
first mortgage convertible (registered) debentures (free of in-
come-tax), issued at 95 per cent., of which 15 per cent, is paid.

Vickers. — ±'1,500,000 seven per cent, seven-year notes, issued
at 95 percent., scrip, 15 per cent. paid.

BuUers. — 2.50,000 first mortgage 6 per cent., free of in-
come tax, redeemable debentures of ±50 and ilOO each
(registered) after issue of letters of acceptance.

Durelco, Ltd.— .55.095 shares of ±1 each, 12s. 6d. paid,
Nos. 1 to 55,095.

Telephone Manufacturing Co. (1920).— 100,000 ordinarv
shares of ^1 each, fully paid, Nos. 1 to 7, and 310,008 to
410,000, after issue of allotment letters.

The Committee has ordered the undermentioned to be offi-
cially quoted : —

ChiU Telephone Co., Ltd.— 11,000 shares of ±5 each, fully
paid (Nos. 88,001 to 99.000).

English Electric Co., Ltd.— 1,431,509 ordinarv shares of ±1
each, fully paid (Nos. 1 to 1,431,509), and 698,.564 6 per cent,
cumulative preference shares of ±1 each, fully paid (Nos. 1
to 698,564), and ±1,0(X),000 5J per cent, sinking fund first
mortgage debentures (Nos. 1 to 10,000) (bearer).

Stewarts >t Lloyds, Ltd.— SoO.OOO deferred .shares of ±1 each,
5s. paid (Nos. 8.50.001 to 1,700,000).

The German Transmarine Electricity Co.— The Compania

Hispano-Americana de Electricidad of Madrid is the title of
the company formed to take over the assets of the Deutsch-
Ueberseeische Gesellschaft of Berlin, whose undertakings are
situated in Buenos Ayres and other South American cities.
The promoters of the former are the Banco Central, the Banco
Urquijo of Madrid, the Banco de Vizcaya of Bilbao, the Banco
de Barcelona and the Sociedad Arnus Gari of Barcelona.
Particulars of the financial details of the transaction have pre-
viously been published. It only remains to mention that the
Spanish company is redeeming the loans and preference shares
in the German company, while 91 per cent, of the ordinary
shares has already been exchanged for certificates in the
Spanish company pending the final settlement. At the same
time the transaction has afforded the Electric Light and Power
Investment Co. of Berlin, as a large shareholder in the Trans-
marine Company, an opportunity for coming to an arrange-
ment with its Swiss holders of a loan of 10,000,000 fr. under
which the latter is paid off partly in interest bonds and shares
in the Spanish company and partly in new shares of the Ger-
man company.

Tokio Electrical Companies. — The Tokio Electric Co.
held a semi-annual meeting of shareholders at Tokio on June
22nd, when a dividend of '20 per cent, per annum was declared.
The company's net profit for the six months amounted to
1,087,000 yen. The Tokio Gas and Electric Engineering Co.
at its .semi-annual meeting on June 30th was to declare a divi-
dend of 20 per cent, per annum. The net profit for the six
months amounted to 1,963.-526 yen. against 1.452,647 yen for
the previous .six months. — Rruter'.t Trade Service.

The Great Northern Telej^raph Co., Ltd., of Denmark.—

The proposal to distrilnite a dividend and bonus of 22 per cent,
for 1919 (inclusive of o per cent, already paid) was duly passed
at the general meeting held at (Copenhagen on 3]8t ult.
The final dividend and bonus for 1919— .34s. per ±10 share— is
now payable at Messrs. C. J. Hambro & Son, 70, Old Broad
Street, B.C., against Coupon No. 21.

184

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,2''8, August 6, 1920.

Australia.— The Electric Light & Power Supply Corp.,
Ltd., Balniain, intends increasing its nominal capital to
.£500,000, and the sanction of shareholders was to be sought
at the yearly meeting in June. The additional capital is
required to provide further generating plant, enlargement
of power house, erection of overhead bunkers, extension of
trunk mains, and substations. — Tenders.

National Gas Engine Co., Ltd. — Interim dividends of
6 per cent, per annum, less tax, on the preference shares,
and 7A per cent, per annum, less tax, on the ordinary, for
the June half-year.

Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd. — Interim divi-
dend for the half-year ended June at the rate of 3 per cent.,
free of income tax, on the ordinary shares.

Charing Cross, West End & City Electricity Supply Co.,
Ltd. — Interim dividend on the ordinary shares of the West
End undertakings for the half-year ended June at the rate of
2s. 6d. per share.

Brightside Foundry & Engineering Co., Ltd. — Accounts
not yet completed, but the results admit of a dividend of
10 per cent., free of tax.

Westminster Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd. — Interim
dividend at the rate of 8 per cent, per annum, less tax, for
the half-year ended June.

City of Buenos Ayres Tramways Co., Ltd. — Dividend of

Is. 3d. per share (5 per cent, per annum), less tax, for the
quarter ended June.

North London Railway Co. — Interim dividend of £2 10s.
per cent, for the half-year ended June 30th last on the Con-
solidated ordinary stock, an increase of i per cent.

Electrical Distribution of Yorkshire, Ltd. — Interim divi-
dend on the ordinary shares at the rate of 6 per cent, per
annum, free of tax, for the June half-year.

Hong Kong Tramway Co., Ltd. — Interim dividend of
Od. per share, less tax, for the half-year.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
Markets in the Stock Exchange are characterised by a fair
amount of firmness. In some departments there is even busi-
ness doing. The Bank HoUday weather is said to have deter-
mined some men to cut short, or postpone their hoUdays, and
thus to account for an unexpected degree of interest being
taken in certain markets. The pessimist points out that on
the Tuesday following any Bank Holiday there is an accumu-
lation of work generally awaiting attention, and that it is not
just to credit the weeping weather with being a support to
the Stock Exchange.

From whatever cause it proceeds, however, the interest in
market matters is welcome enough in what ought to be these
sultry days. The agitation against fare-raising on the rail-
ways has already died down. Some there are who think the
farthing increase will not make a vast amount of difference
after all. On the Tube lines, any permission to raise the fares
would certainly have a pronounced effect upon receipts. The
Central London has just opened its new branch to Ealing.
Side by side with the announcement of this, the company is
advertising that it paid i per cent, dividend on the undivided
ordinary stock for the last six months, and carried 25^ million
passengers to do it. However, in hope of better things,
Underground incomes are again 1 higher, the ^10 shares have
gained 5s., and 'Bus " A " strengthened to 5s. 6d. London
Electric Railway debenture stock at 53J is lower.

One of the features of the moment is the way in which
dollar securities are rising. Substantial advances have teen
secured this week by Montreal Light and Tower at 265,
Shan-inigan common shares 127i, General Electric of New
York fives 115, Canadian General Electrics 116J and preferred
112J, American Telephone and Telegraphs 124. The reason
hes, of course, in the w^ay that the New York exchange is
moving— a matter which gives rise to concern amongst those
who foresee the possibihty of the pound sterling becoming
worse — in relation to the dollar— before it improves.

The condition of other foreign affairs does little to encourage
enterprise in most securities abroad. There is a touch of
exasperation in the comments on Mexico, for revolution seems
to have broken out again as usual, and there is no peace for
holders of Mexican stocks. So prices are much as they were,
with a point rise in Mexico Tramways first mortgage bonds
to add " contrariness " to the position. With Brazilians, the
uncertainty is due more to Paris than to Rio, because recently
the French financial atmosphere has been verv uncertain anil
Brazilian Tractions, held largely in R'auce and Belgium have
come to market rather freely. A rise in the milreis' more
than checked the fall, and the price is i higher on the week.
The Argentine Republic already notices the effect of its
Government's edict upon unrestricted grain exports, traffic
decreases taking the place of previously expanding revenue.
So Argentines are dull for choice, as the Stock Exchange has

When so much is being said and written about E.P.D. and
the Corporation tax, it is a little surprising that greater
attention is not paid to the fact that electricity supply com-
panies stand amongst those which escape the Corporation tax
altogether. TubUcity has been given to the fact, it is true,
but many people do not realise it, all the same, as any stock-
broker knows whose business leads him into this particular
field for investment. Electricity supply shares continue as
lifeless as ever. St. James and Pall Mall, quoted ex dividend,
have joined the ranks of ordinary shares in this market from
which the investor can draw, at to-day's prices, 9 per cent, or
more on his money.

Manufacturing shares are quiet, with a dullish disposition.
Babcock & \Vilcox have gone back to 50s., Edisons to 228. 6d.,
and General Electrics to 30s. The new ordinary shares of the
last-named stand at 28s. 6d., and the 7J per cent. B prefer-
ence at 19s. 7^d. Telegraph Constructions changed hands the
other day at 19J. Marconis are 1-16 lower at 5ds. 9d. Tech-
nical difficulties have arisen in connection with the starting
of a market in Radio Corporation shares — the old American
Marconis. It appears that some of the certificates carry
voting rights, and that others do not. The Stock Exchange
Committee seem to be rather nonplussed as to which class
they shall grant the necessary permission to deal in. Out-
siders might ask : " Why not in both classes?

Eastern Telegraph ordinary is harder, and Globe ordinary
again rose 5s. United River Plates are J down. The various
new issues of the Eastern group are very w-ell maintained.
Armaments lean sUghtly to the heavy side.' The rubber
market is a trifle undecided, because Americans are selling,
instead of buying, the raw product, and this keeps the price
down.

SHARE LIST OF ELEGTBIOAL OOHPANIES,

HOUE ELECTBICITY COUPAHIEB,

Dividend Price

, • ^ Aug. 8,

1918. 1919. 1930. Rise or (kU,

Brompton Ordinary 8 13 68 —

OhMlng OrosB Ordinary .... 4 7 3* —

do. do. do 4iPret. .. i) U 3| —

OhelBea 3 4 3j) —

City of London 8 10 1) —

do. do. 6 per cent. Pret. . . 6 6 17/6 —

Oonnty of London 7 8 8 —

do do. 6 per oent. Pref. 6 6 8} —

Kensington Ordinary .... 6 7 4 —

London Electric Nil 2* H —

do. do. 6 pet oent. Pref .. . 6 6 3 —

Metropolitan .. 5 6 3| —

do. 4J per cent. Pref. . . H U 3'-S —

Bl. James' and Pall Mall . . ..10 19 63sa —

Booth London 5 6 2^ —

Booth Metropolitan Pref 7 7 lB/9 —

WeBtminster Ordinary .... 8 10 6J —

Telegraphs and Telephones.

Anglo-Am. Tel. Pref 6 6 79j| —

do. Def 33/6 14 17i -

Chile Telephone 8 6 fxd —

OnbaBnb. Ord 7 7 H —

BaBtern Extension 8 10 14^ —

Baatern Tel. Ord 8 10 I47i -H

Globe Tel. and T. Ord. .„ .. 8 in 16 +i

do. do. Pref 6 6 8i —

Great Northern Tel 22 23 91) —

Indo-Bnropean 13 10 80 —

Maroonl 96 36 3|i — j'j

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 19 9i —

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 6| — J

West India and Panama .. .. 1/3 Nil fj —

Western Telegraph 8 10 16 —

Home Rails.

Oentral London Ord. Assented ..44 44^ —

Metropolitan 1 U 19jia —

do. District . . NU Nil 16 — i

Underground Eleotrio Ordinary.. Nil NU Ij -t- }

do. do. "A" .. NU NU 6 6 -f6d

do. do. Income .. 6 i 67^ +1

FoKEioN Trams, &c.

Anglo-Arg. Trams. First Pref. .. NU 5J 31 —

do. do. SndPref. .. Nil Nil Bi —

do. do. 6 Deb. .. 6 B 581 —

Brazil Tractions NU Nil 4S -f J

Bombay Electric Pref 6 6 13 —

British Columbia Eleo. Rly. Pfce. 6 6 6fiJ —

do. do. Preterrred 34 6 5-.>j - 1

do. do. Deferred Nil 3 634 -1

do. do. Deb. .. 41 4i 6r> —

Mexico TramB 6 percent. Bonds.. Nil NU 39 —

do. 6 per cent. Bonds.. NU NU 29 —

Mexican Light Common .. .. NU NU 14 —

do. Pref NU NU 9S4 —

do, iBt Bonds.. .. NU Nil 49 +1

MANCTACTrUBIKa COHFAHIES,

Babcock & Wilcox 16 16 34 —4

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 1,J. —

British Insulated Ord 134 16 Hi —

Oallenders 3S 16 1,\ —

,, 64 Pref 64 64 18/- —

OaBtner Eellner 30 17 S —

Orompton Ord 10 10 19 6 —

Bdison-Swan, " A " .. .. 10 10 U — ,',

do. do. 6 per cent. Deb, ..6 6 784 —

Blectric ConBtruction .... 10 lu 1 —

Uen. Bleo. Pref 64 64 18/6 —

do. Ord 10 10 80/- - Hd.

Henley 96 16 II —

do. 44 Pret 4« 44 bI —

India-Bnbber 10 10 36/9 —

Met.-Vlckers Pref — 8 '-Vj —

Siemens Ord 10 10 36 6 —

Telegraph Con 30 30 S04xd —

* Diridends paid free of Income Tax.

♦9 18 0
•6 16 6
•a 13 4

8 11 0

Nil

4 10 0

8 17 0

9 10 6

6 12 9

7 14 7
HU
NU

1

Vol. 87. No. 2,228, AUGUST 6, 1920.] THE ELECTKIOAL REVIEWo

185

NOTES ON TRADE-MARKS.

By THEODORE RICH, O.B.E.

In the early days of civilisation only a very small proportion
of the community could read, and therefore traders and other
individuals used marks or sij^ns to denote their shops, busi-
nesses or the families to which they belonged. When the
industrial revolution took place and goods began to be
manufactured in bulk by machinery, business men found it
desirable to distinguish the goods they manufactured or
supplied by particular marks, to keep up the ijuality of the
goods and make it possible for satisfied purchasers to ask
for the same make of goods again, even if they could not
read or understand the language spoken in the country of
production.

About 100 years ago the law began to recognise the pro-
prietory rights in trade-marks, and experience showed that
dishonest traders frequently copied the marks in order to
foist inferior or imitation goods on to the market. In 1838
Lord Cottenham decided that an injunction could be
obtained to restrain infringement of a trade-mark, even in
cases where it was due to ignorance and done without
fraudulent intent.

In the early days the essence of the mark was the associa-
tion of the goods with some particular maker or trader, and
therefore in order to prosecute an infringer, it was necessary
to prove that a certain mark was known by the general public
as being associated with a certain firm. The difficulty of
preventing infringement was enhanced by the fact that many
of the infringers were men of straw. The Merchandise
Marks Act of 1802 was mainly connected with the criminal
side of law, but it facilitated the protection of the owner of
a mark from infringements, and after much controversy,
the registration of marks was started. The Trade-Marks
Registration Act of 1875 put the question of trade-marks
on a new and firmer basis, and subsequent legislation has
been mainly built up from this Act. The Act made regis-
tration prima facie evidence of the right of the registered
proprietor to the exclusive use of his own trade-mark for
the class of goods specified by him.

The earlier marks were very largely composed of well-
known objects such as a horse, a dog, or some tool or
implement, and it must be obvious that it soon became
almost impossible for a trader to use such an object for all
classes of goods, and claim a monopoly for its use, in fact in
recent years it is usually difficult to find a striking object
usable as a mark which has not been appropriated to one
or more classes of goods.

The law of trade-marks was to a certain extent codified
in I'.IO-J, and slightly modified in 19111, to make it more
elastic. The modern mark is the creation of statute, and
unless a mark was in use before IsT."), it is impossible to
take action for infringement unless it has been registered,
and the necessary fees paid. It must be said, however, that
even if the mark is not registered, or cannot be registered,
it is possible to get a certain equivalent of mark protection
by an action for passing off goods got up with the assistance
of marks in order to deceive the public.

At present under the 1!I05 Act as recently modified, a
person i.'laiiuing to be the proprietor of a mark who wishes to
register must apply in writing to the Registrar, who may
refuse to accept it, or may accept subject to modifications
or conditions, and, if required, the Registrar must state the
grounds of his decisions which can be the subject of an
appeal to the Board of Trade or the Court. xVfter appli-
cation, an official search is made, and if no objections are
raised on legal or practical points, or on the ground of
previous use or similarity to existing marKs, the mark
is advertised, and time is given for anyone to raise
objections either on the grounds of infringement of rights,
or other grounds. Those who oppose the granting of the
mark, and who are dissatisfied with the decision of the
Registrar, can appeal to the court. The I'Jl',) Act makes
registration after seven years after the passing of the Act,
or after seven years from the registration, practically con-
clusive of validity.

It must be pointed out that existing legislation does not

require " user " before registration, and it is open to a
manufacturer, trader, or even a designer, to design some
device, and to get it registered, provided it complies with
certain conditions. It should be noted that when an article
has been introduced and manufactured under a patent, the
name of the article becomes common property, and it becomes
descriptive of the article itself, and not of the maker, and
the restrictive rights to use such name expires with the
patent.

In order to obtain registration, the following are the
conditions in the I'.iO.S Act, as modified by the 1919 Act.
The mark must contain one or more of the following
particulars at least : —

1. " The name of a company, individual, or firm repre-
sented in a particular manner." This means that some
particular printing scroll or other device must be used, and
the name as such must not be used without some
peculiarities.

'2. "The signature of the applicant or his predecessor."

3. "An invented word or invented words." The 1883
Act mentioned " Fancy " words, but this expression gave
rise to much difficulty, and its use has been abandoned.
At present an " invented word " can, to a limited extent,
refer to the (juality or character of the goods. It is neces-
sary for the invented word to be " coined " for the purpose
of being applied to the goods in question, and it must not be
mertely one or two words joined together and j umbled up or
misspelt ; in general, a foreign word, although not one
generally known or understood in the United Kingdom,
cannot be registered.

4. " A word, or words, having no direct reference to the
character or ([uality of the goods, and not being according
to its ordinary signification a geographical name or surname."
The objection which there is to the use of a mark of
matter descriptive of the goods in i[uestion is to prevent
one firm having a monopoly in the use of certain laudatory
or other terms. It would, for example, seem unfair to
register " First Class " or " Best Quality" as trade-marks
for some make of boots, workshop tools or appliances, when
another maker might say that his goods were also of the
same character ; and where a geographical name is that of
a place where the goods are manufactured, or specially sold
or handled, it would be unfair to prevent others carrying on
business at the same place from using the same geographical
name for their goods. Place-name trade-marks have been
allowed in some special cases.

The earlier statutory trade-marks were limited to those
coming under the above categories, Nos. 1 to 4, but as a
number of well-known marks were being shut out from
registration, a clause was added in the 1905 Act enabling
any other distinctive mark to be registered, subject originally
to the sanction of the Board of Trade or the Court ; this
has again been somewhat modified, allowing a " distinctive
mark adapted to distinguish the goods of the proprietor of
the trade-mark from those of other persons." In order to
register under this section, evidence of use is an important
factor.

The recent case of the National (talvanisers. Ltd., is of
interest. The company manufactured metal hollow-ware
goods in the United Kingdom, and wished to register the
word " National " as a mark in respect of goods of this class.
The Wrought Hollow- Ware Trade Employers' Association
opposed the application, stating that such a mai-k would make
the public think that the goods were produced under public
auspices and for the public benefit, and that such a mark
would interfere with the business of competitors ; and that
to allow such a mark would be against public policy. The
Comptroller-General exercised his discretion and refused
the application, and the applicants appealed to the Court.

It was submitted in support of the appeal that the mark
contained " no direct reference to the character or quality
of the goods," and also that the word " National " had been
registered after appeal in connection with cash registers.
It was submitted on behalf of the respondents that in the

186

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87, No. 2,228, AuausT c, 1930.

National Cash Register case " user " had been shown for
80 years, and that the goods were known to be of American
make, whereas in the case of! this company five years' use
only could be shown, and there was a danger that the
word National might be thought equivalent to British ;
further, as regards earlier registrations of the word National
opposition had been absent.

Mr. Justice Astbury, in his judgment, held that the two
cases where the word "National" was in question, were
distinguishable. In the Cash Register Case there had been
no trade opposition, although the use of the word had been
objected to by the Registrar as undesirable.

In that case the opposition was unfortunate, as on the
appeal it had been proved that a secondary meaning had
become attached to a word which was in itself undesirable ;
the judge agreed with the judgment in that case, but in
this case the facts were the opposite. The Comptroller-
General had in this case exercised his discretion and hud
quite correctly refused the application.

As a general rule, word trade-marks, apart from distinctive
devices, are not favoured by the Registrar, and when there
is trade opposition and an appeal to the Court, the applica-
tions are not often successful. The Court will not protect
a trade-mark which gives a false description of the article
in question, and it is no answer that the trade or any other
class of persons are aware of the actual facts and are not
deceived by it. It is to be regretted that the Companies'
Registrar has not, apart from similarity of titles, the same
discretionary powers to check the registration of companies
with names of a deliberately deceptive character.

The number of marks used in the electrical trade is not
large, and their use, as might be expected, is largely con-
fined to lamps, fittings and cable, although with regard to
the last of these, where the quality depends mainly on the
mixture used, protection by a trade-mark or some distinctive
label is a matter of considerable importance.

The object of this vast ncheme ii to necure the beit
utilisation of the material resources of the country, with a
view to re-establishing the industries on a sound footing,
Considerable opposition has always been offered since the
signing of the armistice to the " compulsory economy " or
Government control of industry ; while, on the other hand,
as stated above, Labour aspirations have been in the direction
of securing more adequate representation in the development
of all industries.

In connection with the above organisation, the Workers'
Council Bill was made law some time ago, and will, it is
thought, go a long way to secure the objects aimed at by
the Government. Under this new law, every works employing
at least 20 workpeople is bound to form a Works Council,
on which Labour will be represented in proportion to its
numbers. A similar organisation will be formed by the
capitalist, and by the terms of the Act, the two bodies,
representing Capital and Labour respectively, are bound to
discuss matters of interest to both of them. Capital is
pledged to secure the best conditions of working, while
Labour must undertake to advise and co-operate in carrying
out rules, regulations, &c., drawn up. Welfare work,
housing problems, internal factory conditions, in addition
to wages questions, come within the scope of the Councils.
Disputes are to be settled at a Joint Regional Committee of
Employers and Employed ; or, in the event of no settle-
ment being reached there, the Industrial Committee of the
Government will have the final say.

Industrial experts and economists are doubtful of the
success of the proposed scheme ; but they agree that it
affords a better solution than socialisation, because it will
give the worker a certain amount of responsibility, while
suiRciently safeguarding the employer. — E.S.H.

TRUSTIFICATION OF GERMAN INDUSTRIES.

Indications that have appeared in the German Press from
time to time foreshadow a gigantic trustification of all
German industries. The scheme outlined, which is due to
Von Moellendorf and other officials of the German Ministry
of Industry, is offered as a counterblast to socialisation, to
which capitalists are averse, and which even the workmen
themselves agree would not be in their best interests.

The new scheme is termed by its originators " combined-
plan industry," or "combined-plan economy," and is
intended to include, sooner or later, all industries. Each
industry will be grouped under one organisation, in which
the capitalist, the worker, and the consumer (through the
merchant), will be represented. Each organisation will fix
its own prices, control raw material supplies, control exports,
stimulate production — in a word, exercise supreme authority
in all matters connected with the development of the ])arti-
cular industry whose interests it represents. The whole of
these organisations will ultimately be subjected to the
control of a super-trust, controlled by the Ministry of
Industry.

A start has already been made in the iron and steel
induscries, as the firms hitherto belonging to the Steel
Works Trust are joining the new organisation. Different
departments of the organisation will have their own sub-
organisations, and the whole will be under the control of a
Steel and Iron Parliament, with representatives of Capital,
Labour, and the Government. The coal and potash
industries will also shortly be organised in the same way.

As regards the electrical industry, no particulars are yet
available. The Government has, however, taken the first
step in passing a law authorising it to take over certain
electricity stations, utilise water power on a large scale, and
run these in the way best calculated to benefit the
community.

All firms will subsequently be compelled to join -the
particular organisation connected with their industry, and
heavy penalties are to be provided for in the case of any
infringement of the regulations laid down by the
organisation.

MOTOR STARTING AND

CONTROLLING GEAR: SOME CRITICISMS

AND SUGGESTIONS.

Bt G. T. DICKSON.

The ever-increasing tendency which laige industrial
firms are exhibiting towards the adoption of tlie inde-
pendent electrical drive for machine units of all types
has been the means of introducing many probleurs for
the designer of motor starting and controlling gear.

The natural result is that this jjarticular branch of
the electrical industry is receiving far more attention
than was formerly the case, and in addition to the
numerous firms wliich specialise in motor starting and
controlling apparatus, there are, of course, many large
concerns where motors and starters, Ac., are made and
tested side by side.

It is, however, a regrettable fact that, in spite of the
marvels which exist in the way of automatic gear, there
is still room for a great deal of iiiiprovemeut in the
design (tiid manufacture of the majority of the various
types of motor-starting and kindred apparatus at pre-
sent being turned out. Indeed, it would seem that the
old idea, that starters and controllers were but neces-
sary evils, is yet lingering, and is going to die very
hard. In support of this contention it would be easy
to cite many instances in wliich large machines, turning
out vitally important work, have been held up for several
hours owing to the failure of a Himsy starting switch,
and any plant engineer will say that he experiences
far more trouble with his starters and controllers than
he does with the motors which tliey are supposed to
control.

It is, therefore, proposed to enumerate as briefly as
possible, in the following article, some of the more
outstanding faults which are to be found in almost all
the existing types of controllers and starters, faults
which tlie writer has had good reason to note in the
course of a fairly wide experience in industrial electrical
work.

rei. 87. No. 3,228, AvovsT 6, 1980,] THE ELECTBICAL BEYXEW,

187

Let us first consider the ordiQar7 motor starter, fitted
with the usual overload and no-volt releases, There
are many variations in the design of this kind of starter,
but almost all of them exhibit the same faults when in
use. We will assume that we are dealing with a 2-h.p.,
320 volt, D.c. starter of the type just referred to.

Common to all designs we have the two coils which
act, as it were, as a safety valve for the motor ; a mov-
able switch arm, and the contact studs.

Now, presumably, it is the function of the no-volt
coil to hold the switch arm in the " full on " position
just so long as the motor is intended to run and no
longer. Immediately an overload comes on the motor,
or as soon as the main switch is opened, the de-ener-
gised coil should allow the arm to fly back to the " off "
position. In how many instances, however, does the
residual magnetism in the iron core of the coil more
than suffice to retain the arm " hard over " long after
the overload has done its worst? or, assuming that the
motor was switched off at the main, the arm will be in
a very suitable position for fuse testing and other tire-
work displays.

It is true that this residual magnetism is generally
counteracted either by drilling the cheek of the coil
frame and inserting a brass peg, or by knocking one
of the cheeks over until an air gap is obtained, but in
a very short time the peg will wear away, or should the
second metliod be used the magnet frame will become
loose and self-aligning. The trouble is, of course, caused
by the hardness of the iron core, which, again, is due
either to the fact tluit the casting was " chilled " or
that the wrong kind of iron was used. It is naturally
assumed that the coil has been correctly wound.

Turning to the overload release, in the majority of
types this is calibrated (save the mark !) to operate on
a 25 per cent., 50 per cent., and 100 per cent, overload.
Are these calibrations accurate? In nine cases out of
ten they are not. This is not to be wondered at when
it is considered that starter testing is generally the
work of raw apprentices, or at best, semi-skilled im-
provers, who care little about the accuracy of their work.
Very often you will find calibration marks nearly l/16th
of an inch thick where the least fraction of an inch up
or down makes an appreciable difierence. Furthermore,
the armature hinge will often be found clogged with
sticky paint daubed on after test " to give a finish."

Again, the brush wliich, on an overload, should make
good contact with the brass pins connected to the no-volt
coil, will often require to be pushed well home before
functioning.

A very little extra trouble taken with the fitting and
calibrating of this overload trip would undoubtedly
result in a smaller bill for motor repairs.

Let us next consider the switch arm. Here we get a
fruitful source of trouble, for, while it may be compara-
tively easy for an expert to start up a motor without
" making the sparks fly," it must be borne in mind that
the average machine hand is not only very inexpert, but
is also not a little frightened of his starter, and will,
at the least sign of sparks, loose the arm and thereby
aggravate the trouble.

A properly designed starter switch arm should really
be of the " slow movement " type, that is to say, it
should only be possible to advance the arm from stud
to stud at a uniformly slow rate. There are, of course,
several types of these slow movement starters on the
market, but as they are more costly than the ordinary
kinds the latter are usually installed. Furthermore,
engineers are generally endowed with an ingrained shy-
ness of anything partaking of the nature of rat traps.

Before leaving the subject of switch arms it may be
remarked that, if for any reason it has been found
necessary to remove the arm, it is more often than not
a job for two men to get it in position again owing to
the way the spring is arranged. As far as the contact
studs are concerned there is not much to complain of
except that the fir.st two or three studs should always
be capable of renewal {from the front of the starter), for
it is only those studs that suffer when sparking occurs.

This remark only applies to' the smaller types of starters,
for on most of the heavier types renewable contacts are
fitted throughout. Again, on the majority of starters
there is nothing to indicate to the operator that the arm
has left the " dead" studs, of which there are usually
one or two, according to the size of the starter. It should
be easy to mark the first " live " stud, or to make the
"dead" studs of some hard insulating material; in-
deed the latter alternative has been adopted by some
makers.

Most starter face-plates are simply slabs of plain slate
which are rubbed over with an oily rag after being
drilled. Now and again one comes across starters which
have enamelled slate face-plates, but this is the excep-
tion rather than the rule. Enamelled slate is, of course,
greatly preferable to plain, but here again the ques-
tion of expense crops up, and the poor starter has to
suffer.

So much for the externals : let us now consider the
actual starter winding. Here the writer is confronted
with weird memories of positive juiigles of (more or less)
insulated leads connected to resistance coils by little
lumps of solder which ivill come unstuck owing to bad
soldering. Here, too, we find perhaps a couple of coils
within an eighth of an inch of one another when a
" short" would mean the cutting-out of half the start-
ing resistance; a shake is all that is needed to complete
the "short" (and the starter will get that shake in
transit), and bang goes the motor directly the arm is
moved over.

The ideal system of connecting the various leads to
the resistance coils has yet to be devised ; some makers
prefer to use copper bands, whilst others still swear by
the soldered joint. Sometimes one even finds starters
where the connections have been merely twisted round
the tubes and left to take their chance.

Should any engineer be so misguided as to take a
starter to pieces in order to repair burnt-out coils, he
will find himself in the fortunate position of the man who
took a grandfather clock to pieces, and who, upon try-
ing to reassemble it, found that he had two or three
wheels left over. However, the daring man who does
try to repair coils will often find his stock of small nuts,
washers, and screws considerably augmented from the
reserve stock which is always to be found loose, inside
the box.

The actual winding calculations of most types of
starters appear to be fairly satisfactory, although here,
too. we find some measure of thoughtlessness. It does
not seem to be understood by winding calculators that
12, 13, or U S.W.G. resistance wire, if wound on, say,
a |-in. mandrel, will make tolerably good springs, and
that such coils are liable to buckle all ways after being
placed in position.

Tlie designer might also give some little thought to the
kind of insulated wire he uses, and if beads be selected
as the best means of insulating leads, these beads should
certainly be of the unbreakable variety.

While on the subject of design the writer would appeal
for the introduction of a starter winding in which burnt-
out coils could be replaced in a reasonably short space
of time. At present it takes three or four liours to do
a job of this kind.

Perhaps tlie writer has been unfortunate, but he
can honestly state that it has rarely been his luck to
happen upon a motor starter of the enclosed or semi-
enclosed type where it has been an easy matter to remove
the cover, and, having removed it, to get it on again.
The cover will also be found, in many cases, only just to
clear the " live " parts of the overload coil.

The faults described above may also be traced in field
regulators, with the exception, of course, of those faults
jieculiar to the releases.

Controllers are generally constructed in a much more
robust manner, but even here we can trace evidence of
careless design and manufacture. For instance, blow-
out coils will often refuse to function just when their
good offices are required, and the contact between fingers
and segments is exceedingly sketchy in many instances.

188

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo [Voi. &7. No. 2,228, auoubt e, 1920.

Then, in operating some types of controllers, a very
strong jerk is required to pull the handle on to the
"start" position. Once over the first notch, however,
the handle will slip round all too easily.

In conclusion, it may be remarked that, while there
are some really excellent designs of starters, &c., on the
market, there are just as many of the other kind which
hardh' merit the term " design," and it must be under-
stood that the complaints in the foregoing article are
directed against the latter. It is indisputable that a
little more time and thought given to the study of this
all-important question of motor control would result in
a far less worrying life for the plant engineer, and a
longer period of usefulness for the motor.

A PUSH-BUTTON LIFT INSTALLATION.

By "F. a. p."

The following particulars of a small push-button-con-
trol passenger lift may be of interest to contractors who
have the opportunity of pushing business in blocks of
flats or similar buildings where no lift at present exists
and where a fair-sized staircase makes a shaft practic-

A SiJiPi.E Passenger Lift.

able. Even where a comparatively small staircase only
exists, a lift to carry two passengers is generally possiltle
without encroaching on the rooms.

The premises in question were originally fitted with
a tradesman's or plate lift, which was worked by pulling
on a rope. Owing to being carelessly handled and over-
loaded with sucli things as sacks of coal, for which it
was never intended, it was constantly out of order, and
was also the cause of sovcial minor accidents, and gradu-
ally fell into disuse.

Some time ago a simple push-button, low-speed lift
was installed, and has worked satisfactorily for six
years without an accident. It is frequently used by
tradesmen's boys, but not by children ; in places where

there were children it would probably be necessary to
fix the push buttons out of their reach. AMiat little
trouble has arisen has been caused by passengers letting
their luggage or umbrellas project beyond the car, caus-
ing slight damage to the casing or temporary stoppage of
the lift, but no personal injur}- has been caused, so we
may consider these lifts quite safe for ordinary use
without an attendant.

The whole installation cost about £iOO (^in,1914), and
is in constant use daily, the number of double journeys
amounting to over 100 per daj'. It is oiled and ex-
amined about once or twice a month, and has a good
overhaul every other year.

The cost of electricity, repairs, and maintenance
comes out at about £.'2a per annum, making the cost of a
double journey under ^d., which we may consider a
negligible expense considering the convenience.

Very little structural alteration was required when
installing, a hole being cut round the original small
lift and trimming joists put in to take the load on the
joists cut through. As the topmost floor is not served
by the lift, the motor was placed on the floor level with
the control gear above, so that all parts are readily-
accessible for overhauling or attention.

The motor stands on steel joists stiffened by an angle
bracket let into the wall of the building, and is of
4-H.p., J-hour rating, working at 900 revs, per minute,
giving the car a speed of about 100 ft. per minute.

The usual causes of trouble, if not inspected regularly,
are due chiefly to the plungers of the solenoids on the
control panel sticking, and also to the gates not fully
closing when not properly oiled or through the guides
not being kejjt free from dust. In the latter case, the
safety switches fitted on the door framework, which
break the circuit when the door is open, are not thrown
sufiiciently far over to make contact if the door is not
quite closed, thus preventing the lift from working. A
fortnightly inspection has been found suffieient to pre-
vent these troubles. . - .

The motor is geared by a worm and worm wheel to
the 5-grooved pulley over which the car and counter-
weight are hung, the whole forming a compact unit on
one bedplate ; a spring-controlled brake with a pull-ofi
solenoid is fitted between the motor and g«ar box. The
shaft is cased in with strong wire mesh, but can be
boarded in if preferred. The accompanying illustra-
tion shows the general arrangement, showing how simple
is the lay-out.

Considerable business should be done in fitting lifts
of this kind, and contractors might do worse than take
up this work, the installation of the smaller types being
comparatively simple. Landlords should be induced
without much difficulty to go to the initial expense, if *;
the increased letting value of the upper floors, when a »,
lift is fitted, is pointed out.

The example described has paid for itself in a
few years, besides adding to the value of the property. ,
These are points that should be put before prospective
users, who naturally only wish to spend money on sound
business propositions wliero a return can bo anticipated ,
with safety.

De-Control of Canals.— Sir E. Geddes (Transport.

Minister) said, in the House of Commons, on July 26th, that the
controlled canal companies had been informed that control would
cease on Au-rust Slst. He was prepared forthwith to take possession
of the controlled uudertakiiit;-8, and to set in motion the machinery
for increasing- the tolls and charfjes. He had no power to increase
the charges until the matter had been referred to the Hates
Advisory Comniittce. The Government was desirous of maintaining
the canals as an effective transport aireucy. and would consider
favourably applications for adrances to meet working- expenses
until authority could be given to increase charges. He hoped to
give this authority before the end of September. It was impossible
to come to a decision on canal charges until they saw where they
were on the railway rates iiuestion. Although the subsidy wai
coming to an end, they proposed to give the canals temporary aid,
under a strict arrangement with the Treasury, in order that they
might keep themselves going until they could overhaul their
arrangements. They would be merely taken over in the technical
sense, to enable them legally to put up their charges.— .Bi>«/i«(7A<JBi
Post.

Vol. 87. No. 2,228, August 6, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW,

189

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

Reader$ art invited to tubmit partieulart of ntw or improved devices and apparatus, which will be published
if considered of sufficient interest.

Ediswan Cooking Apparatus.

Soiue new lines of hcatiny: and cooking apparatus, some of
which aj'e illustrated heiewith, have recently been put upon
the market by the Edison Swan Electrical Co., Ltd., of
Ponders End, Middlesex. The boiling plate, fig. 3, is 8 in. in
diameter by 3.75 in. high, con.sumes 1,000 watts, and can be
supplied either for one or three-heat control. The top and
base are of cast iron, the top being ground and polished
bright to give a pleasing appearance; the remainder of the
plate is finished in black enamel. The combination saucepan,
tig. 1, is made of cupper tinned inside and heavily nickel
plated and"lpolished outside. Its capacity is two pints and its
loading 500 watts with single-heat control. The container can
be used for heating milk, porridge, &c., its capacity being
1.5 pints; the egg cruet holds five eggs. The fish frier, fig. 1,
is made of entirely welded steel plates supported on a sheet
metal casing with a wired top and bottom; the size of the
pan being '24 in. by 18 in. by C in. deep. The elements are

baby's food at a temperature of 100 deg. F. all night, while
suflicient light escapes round the pan to serve as a night-light
and indicate its exact position. For u.se as a foot warmer
it is covered with a flannel jacket and laid on its side.

It is remarkable to how many uses this simple device can
be applied. It .serves to vaporise scent, disinfectants, and
the volatile substances which allay the irritation of the
breathing passages in whoopinc-cnngh, &c.; it can be put

(B^

Fig. 3. — Boiling Plate.

f^=^

*^.^

■f 1

^ \

ii -

l^i

m

0

Fig. 1.— Fish Fbieb.

Fig. l.-C

Saucepan.

easily replaced by lifting the pan, to which the elements and
connections are all fixed, from the casing. A drip pan and
shelf are provided for draining the fi.sh after it has been
cooked. The loading is 5.8 kw., and the two or three-heat
control is by rotary switches giving 7 degrees of heat. The
frier is ready for use '30 minutes after it has been switched on.

The " Quidos " Electric Lamp Food Warmer.

The electric food warmer and toot warmer devised by Mr.
Leoline Edwards, of 81, St. Margaret's Eoad, Twickenham,
which we described in our issue of March l'2th last,
p. 3-'50, has been greatly improved by making it in
the form of a jacketed cylinder. Using a single 2^-candle
carbon lamp, the device was actually rather too warm for
use as a foot-warmer in bed; the jacket remedies this, and

Fig. 2. — Tue " Quidos " Fuou and Foot Warmer.

at the same time increases the efficiency of the apparatus
as a food warmer. In other respects it is essentially the
same ; as shown in fig. 2, it contains a slider carrying a small
lamp, and when standing vertically it can be used to keep

in a cupboard to air clothes, u.sed as a reading -lamp with a
suitable wire-frame shade, and as a plate warmer; placed in
a wardrobe, with a light carbon compound in a dish, it
fumigates furs, &c., and drives out moths. When it is used
as a foot warmer, a switch can be provided with which it
can be turned on or oil without rising, and under all con-
ditions it is clean, dry, odourless, and free from fire risk —
which cannot be said of the customary devices used for the
above purposes. It is supplied in various finishes — tin, nickel,
copper, and brass. A 25-candle lami) takes only 10 watts;
larger .sizes can be used if desired.

The " Plexsim " Electric Iron.

The new Plexsim electric iron, which is made by Messrs.
Simplex Conduits, Ltd., of Garrison Lane. Birmingham, is
about 5.5 lb. in weight, and is well finished in nickel plate all
over, including the sole plate. Each iron is sent out complete

Fig. 5. — Plexsim Electric Iron.

with thr-ee yards of flexible cord and a lampholder connector,
and, as seen from fig. 5, is fitted with a firrn and safe self-
contained stand. The special points about the iron aje that its

190

THE BLEOTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No, 2,228, auomi e, 1920.

point is always hot, and the handle, the ends of which are
shrouded to prevent burning, is always cool. The heating
element is designed with ample emissive surface, and the con-
nector and round terminals are made to the dimensions recom-
mended by the Engineering Standards Association. The
double spring fixed to the connector is claimed not only to
keep the tiexible out of the way when the iron is in use, but
,'Jso to prevent those sharp bends in it near the connector which
are so frequently the cause of trouble. Further, the flexible
cord itself is of special design; among the fine strands of
copper wire which form the conductor are several stronger
strands of hard spring steel wire. These strands reduce the
flexibility but Uttle, and add greatly to its durabihty. The
guarantee attached to each iron reads as follows : If an
element fails when in use on the voltage for which it is marked,
the makers will supply and fit a new element free of cost at
auv time; there is no time limit.

REVIEWS.

The Baudot Printiny Telegraph System. By H. W. Pendry.
Second edition, revised. 184 pages. London : Sir Isaac
ritman & Sons, Ltd. Price 6s. net.

The first edition of this book appeared in 1913. The British
Post Office administration had at that time considerably
extended its use of the Baudot system of aiachme telegraphy.
Prom being employed solely on circuits to the Continent it
had been adopted also for important inland telegraph channels
and had proved itself of great utility in its new sphere of
action. As a result of this extension, a knowledge of the
Baudot sy.stem, till then more or less confined to officials
in the cable room of the Central Telegraph Office, became
essential to a much wider circle of telegraph men. It was
to meet this demand that the first edition of Mr. Pendry s
book was produced, and it certainly did so in a most satis-
factorv manner. Without going into advanced theoretical
considerations, it gave a complete account of the whole system,
including the then recent advance made by the British Post
Office of duplexing the Baudot, and nothing further was
needed by a man in daily touch with the actual apparatus
under working conditions for him to obtain a thoroughly good
grasp of the whole system.

During the period which has elapsed since the appearance
of the first edition the development of the Baudot system
by the British Post Office has been continued, and m the
second edition the earlier book has been brought up to date
to include these recent advances.

The book is divided into eleven chapters. After a brief
introduction, in which the fundamental essentials of a multi-
plex printing telegraph system are discussed^ the various
pieces of apparatus which comprise the Baudot system are
described in detail. Chapter II deals with the distributor,
Chapter m with the keyboard. Chapter IV with the re-
ceiver, and Chapter V with the various relays used in the
system. Then follows a- chapter on the electrical connections,
with a description of the method of synchronising the ap-
paratus at the two communicating stations, and a discussion
of the effect of the line capacity in retarding and distorting
the signals. The following four chapters deal re.=:pectively
with Baudot double, quadruple, duplex Baudot, and
Baudot repeaters, while in the final chapter is given an
account of the faults most likely to occur, with their remedies,
and of the manner in which the adjustments of the various
parts of the apparatus should be made.

The portions of the book which deal with essentially prac-
tical details are excellent. Some of the theoretical points,
however, are treated in a rather loofe and illogical manner,
and it would be a great improvement if in subsequent editions
of the book, which will no doubt be required, these points
could be revised.

For in.stance, in the de.scription of the theory of the action
of the Baudot governor, the following .sentences occur : —

." Centrifugal force mav be defined as that force ■nhich
tends to throw a mass off from a centre " (the fact that the
mass is rotating is not mentioned). " and the point from which
the weight flies is known as the uris of rotation."

" It should be remembered also that the tendency towards
an increase in the speed of rotation of the weight is restrained
by the fact that the amount of centrifugal force required
varies not in proportion to the increa.sed sjwed, but to the
square of that speed."

'I'he writer then gives the formula f=ii-n'(i for the value
of the centrifugal force, where " n- " is defined as tlie mn,';s
or weight ( !) of the rotating body, and " .f " its snced \ The
correct formula, of cour.se. is funis' /a. where m is the masK
nf the body, and « the speed of its centre of gravity. The
formula given in the book holds good if w is the mass (not
the weight) of the body, and .<t its nnflular velocity.

\ little further on. in the same section of the book, the
writer says : —

" In order that the distributor speed shall remain constant
it is essential that the resistance shall uniformly balance the
energy " !

He also speaks of "the energy of machinery" in a train
of wheels I

In the diagram of the Gulstad relay (fig. 50) the actual
receiving apparatus is not shown. It would be an improve-
ment if this were inserted.

The following portion of tTie paragraph on the effect of
the line conditions on the signals is susceptible of consider-
able improvement: —

" The impulses may be considered as transmitted by undula-
tions of electromagnetic waves. When passing through a
non-inductive resistance, such as that of an ordinary resist-
ance box, the deteriorating influence experienced by an im-
pulse is simply a falling away of its magnitude, or attenua-
tion, due to the ohmic resistance " ! The writer appears to
be unaware that the attenuation along a pure resistance is
nil— there is no " falling away " at all of the magnitude of
an impulse, but, on the contrary, the amphtude is the same
throughout the whole length of the resistance.

To continue the same paragraph : —

"But on all except very short lines the transmission waves
suffer from the effects of capacity and inductance, the one
producing a ' lead ' and the other a ' lag ' in the wave." The
writer appears to have an extremely hazy conception of the
action of line capacity on a transmitted impulse. He is mixing
up the effect of serie^t capacity in an alternating current
circuit with that of capacity between the two .sides of the
circuit, or, in the ca.se of an ordinary telegraph circuit,
between line and earth.

We would strongly advise the writer to modify the points
we have indicated above, w'hich, as they stand, somewhat
mar what is otherwise a most excellent book.

The Manufacture of Chemicals by Electrolysis. By Arthdr .1.
H.4LE, B.Sc., A.I.O. Pp. 89. London : Constable & Co.,
Ltd., 1919. Price 6s. net.

This monograph forms a section of a treatise on electro-
chemistry which is being issued by Messrs. Constable under
the general editorship of Mr. Bertram Blount. The idea
itself is an excellent one, but judging from the present
instalment it does not appear that the editor has conceived
very clearly the kind of reader he has in view. In our opinion,
the treatise should be a really comprehensive one. written
by and for the specialist, something in fact on the lines of
the German monographs on electrochemistry — if less ponderous
— that used to be issued Ijy Kapp of HaUe. The present
volume is much too general, and the. treatment too " skimpy
(if we may be pardoned the use of this expressive term) to
be of much use to the specialist, nor, we think, will it appeal
very strongly to the general technical reader, except that it
will reveal to him in a cumulative way the quite astonishing
number of chemical products that either are or can be made
by electrolysis.

The author confines himself chiefly to electrolytic oxidation
or reduction products, such as [>er-salts, hydroxylamine,
nitrates, and hydrosulphites, metallic oxides (chiefly pig-
ments), and organic compounds. A chapter is devoted
to the production of hydrogen and oxygen, in which,
however, not much reference is made to the recent develop-
ments, and there is ii short chapter on electro-osmotic and
electro-colloidal processes, in which a good deal of interesting
matter might have been included. There is no reference to
the process for purifying clay that is now- finding industrial
application. The manufacture of alkalis is not dealt with ;
it will doubtless have a special volume devoted to it.

The compilation is a very industrious one, and copious
references are given, but a readable text-book cannot be
written by merely stringing together short references, or by
uncritical descriptions of patent specififations. Nevertheless,
the book will serve a useful purpose in indicating both to the
manufacturing chemist and the engineer how very potent an
agent electricity may be in fields not at present usually
associated with the electrical method of applying energy.

Storage Battern Practice. Bv Robert E.^nkin, B.Sc, M.I.E.E.
Pp. 169. London: Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd., 1919.
Price 7s. 6d. net.
This very useful handbook is intended to guide the user
of accumulators in their installation and operation. It there-
fore fills an undoubted gap in our technical literature, for
most existing books on storage batteries treat of their manu- 1
facture and characteristics rather than of their erection and '■
use. The engineer with batteries under his charge will find ;
Chapters HI. V, and VI. in particular, dealing with " ins^talla- j
tion and setting to work," " the practical working of cells." 1
and "overhauls and repairs." full of wise guidance and use- 1
ful infonnatinn. The failures of accumulators to attain what 1
is expected of them in capacity and life would almost dis- j
appear if the man-in-charge who is really responsible for *
the failures, erected and treated his cells in the manner -
prescribed by the author. Ifore emphasis should, however,
liave been laid on the necessity for perfect cleanliness — free-
dom from dust and fumes of all kinds — in the battery room.
Where accumulators are used in works, as apart from central
stations, there is a real danger of their being allocated to a
dark and dirty portion of the factory. The writer knows
of more than one battery which has come to an -untimely
end through not being sufficiently protected from deleterious
chemicals in the form of spray, dust, or fumes. Ammoniacal

Vol. 87. No. 2,328, August 6, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

191

fumes have been known to destroy a battery in an incredibly
short time.

A chapter that will be found of general interest to the
electrical engineer is that on " Uses of Stationary Batteries, '
where it is shown how useful a part the accumulator may
play in the central station as a load equaliser. The various
methods of control by means of boosters are described, and
the examples given of the economies actually obtained on a
fluctuating load by the installation of a battery and booster,
indicate very forcibly the advantages of the system. We
miss, however, a statement as to the relative capital cost
involved.

Mathematics for Engineers. Part II. Bv \V. N. Rose, B.Sc.
Pp. 419, figs. U-2. London : Chapman & Hall. Price
IHs. Od. net.

This is the second volume of Mr. Rose's book on mathe-
matics which is designed to " embrace all the mathematical
work needed by engineers in their practice, and by students
in all branches of engineering science." The first volume,
which we reviewed in our issue of August '2iiid, 191S, covered
the preliminary mathematics leading up to the calculus, and
the present volume, with the exception of two chapters, is
devoted to the study of differential and integral calculus and
its appUcation to engineering theory and practice.

There is no doubt that a treatise on the calculus from the
engineer's standpoint wDl be welcomed by all types of en-
gineering students. Some of the recent books on practical
mathematics have touched upon the subject in a practical
manner, but there is still room for the more thorough treat-
ment here given by Mr. Rose. It is in fact a standing
reproach that our engineering mathematics have been left
to the pure mathematician, who has only given an engineering
bias to his professional mathematical gymnastics in response
tu the insistent demand made by engineering students.

The thoroughgoing treatment of engineering problems by
means of the calculus has seldom been part of the training
of the engineer — the mathematician has forged the tool, but
its u.se has been restricted to problems of academic rather
than practical interest. It is therefore good to find a sound
text-book of mathematics, written tii/ an engineer for en-
gineers, which, while avoiding the academic subtleties of the
pure mathematical school, does not omit to emphasise the
scientific basis upon which all sound mathematics is built.
As the author puts it in his preface : " Much thought has
been given to the elimination of all rules and processes of
academic interest only ; but the fact of the importance and the
necessity of logical reasoning has not been overlooked."

The notation and first principles of the differential calculus
are very rightly introduced by u.sing the ideas of velocity
and acceleration already familiar to every engineering stu-
dent; in fact we note with sati.sfaction that the symbols dy
and d.r do not appear until many pages have been traversed
in which ds, dt, and dv appear with marked frequency.

Having broken the ice with commendable judgment in
Chapter I, the author plunges into the theory of differentia-
tion in Chapter II. Every rule is illustrated by a definite
engineering problem — expansion of gases, temperature coeffi-
cients, deflection of beams, and inductance effects all being
used to provide material for practical differentiation. Then,
having developed the rules for the differentiation of algebraic,
logarithmic, and trigonometrical functions, a chapter is de-
voted to the solution of problems on maximum and minimum
values, and the calculation of small corrections.

The study of integration is commenced in Chapter V. The
tact that it is of far more extensive application and more diffi-
cult of comprehension has led the author to illustrate the
fundamental principles of integration at considerable length.
Graphical methods, and the interpretation of integrals by
graphical constructions, are given a fair .shai-e of attention,
but the conception of integration as an essentially algebraic
process, often capable of graphical illustration, but in no w-ise
dependent upon it, has been emphasised throughout the
treatment. The Conradi integraph and the proof of Simpson's
rule are introduced in the fir.st chapter of this section, and
serve to give a flavour of practicality to the very earliest
stapes of the integral calculus. All the standard methods
and artifices used in integration are amply illustrated, and
a most useful list of integrals likely to be of service is in-
cluded at the end of Chapter VI.

The next 80 pages are devoted to the applications of
integration to the determination of mean values, areas,
volumes, centroids. and moments of inertia. No less than
4'2 examples are fully worked out in the text, and over 80
other problems are proivi.sed for ,soIution. Sei'ing that it is
to such problems that the calculus is most frequently applied
Mr. Rose has done well to deal with it so thoroughly, and
he has been equally happy in his choice of the worked out
questions and those which he has left for the student to
work out for him.self.

At this point a short but useful chapter on polar co-ordinates
is in.serted. Their employment in the finding of areas is
described and illustrated by means of the Rousseau diagram
mr the determination of mean spherical candle powers,
Fleming's metliud for finding R.M.S. values, and in the
theory of the .\msler planimeter.

The chapters on simple differential equations and applica-
"ons of the calculus conclude a treatment of the calculus
which is unique in its practical outlook and wealth of illustra-

tive examples. All the types of differential equations with
which the engineer has to do are fully explained and apphed
to problems in mechanics, electricity, and heat. A brief
summary of the final chapter will serve to indicate both the
thoroughness with which the author has covered the ground
and the practical nature of the problems taekled. In ther-
modynamics— expressions for the work done during adiabatic
and isothermal expansions, the entropy of water and steam,
the efficiency of a Rankine cycle under varying conditions;
in mechanics — examples relating to loaded beams, shearing
stress in beams, the catenary, oscillating systems, stresses in
thick cylinders, tension in belts, and centres of pressure ; m
applied electricity — problems on transients, and circuits with
inductance and capacity.

The chapter on harmonic analysis deals in a simple and
clear manner with Fourier's theorem and its application to
the resolution of periodic functions.

To the engineer the final chapters on spherical trigonometry
and mathematical probability will not make the same appeal
as the earlier pages. The surveyor will no doubt find in them
much useful matter, but we doubt whether Mr. Rose has
been altogether wise in burdening his book with the.se 30
pages. The examples have altogether too academic a setting,
and we fear that even the " exclusive events " mentioned in
Chapter XIII will fail to attract the man for whom the rest
of the book is so obviously written.

An excellent appendix of mathematical tables, including
natural and logarithmic trigonometrical functions and tables
of Napierian logarithms, completes a volume for which we have
much of commendation and little of criticism— a text-book
which will rank high among modern treatises on practical
higher mathematics.— P. H.S.K.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YIT PUBLISHED.)

Compiled eipressly lor this {ournal by Messrs. Sbpton-Jones. O'Dill »m
Stjphins, ChartM-ed Patent Agents, 285. High Holbom. London, W.C. 1.

." V. G. Apple. July 9lh. (United Stales, Feb-
V. G. .'\pple. July aih. (Lniled States, February
al." \'. G. .\pple. July Dth. (Unile.l
.llinj! regulators."

19.808. " Commul.
ruary Uth, 1918.)

19.809. " .^rnlatur.
Uth, 1918.)

19.810. " Moulds (or pla
States, May 17th, 1918.)

19.811. " Conductor members for vibration-t
V. G. Apple. July 9th. (United States, February Uth, 1918.)

19,812/3. " Dynamo-electric machines." V. G. Apple. July 9th. (Vnilcd
States, February 14th, 1918.)

19.814. " Armature cores for dvnamo-eli-etric machines. " V. G. Apple. July
9th. (United States, March Sih, 1918.) •

19.815. " Dynamo-electric machines." \'. G. Apple. July 9th. (United
States, March 21st, 1918.)

19.816. " Armatures." V. O. Apple. July Hth. (I niled States; \pril 2rth
1918.)

19.817. " Armatures." V. G. .(Vpple. July 9th. (United Stales, May 7th,
1918.)

19.818. " Inductor elements for dynamo-electric machines." V. G. Apple.
July 9th. (United States, May SOth. 1918.)

19.819. " Armatures." V. G. Apple. July 9th. (United States, May SOlh.
1919.)

19.820. " Terminal-bending tool of .irmature conductors." V. G. Apple.
July 9lh. (United States, December 23rd, 1918.)

19.821. " Current-controlling devices." V. G. Apple. July 9th. (United
States, January 17th, 1919.)

19.822. " Armatures for dynamo-electric machines." \'. G. Apple. July 9th.
(United States, September 15th. 1919.)

19,837. " Switchgear for electric motors." P. S. Brook and J. A. Hirst.
July 9th.
19,842. " Incandescent electric lamps." E. Y. Robinson. July 9lh.

19.844. Self induction coils. &c." Soc. Fran^aise R.-idio-Electrique. July
9th. (France, May 20th, 1915.)

19.845. " Electro-magnetic wave receiving systems." Soc. Fran^aise Radio-
Electrique. July 9th. (France. July 1st, 1915.)

19.849. " Electric arc lamps." Siemens-Schuckert\y.rke. July 9th. (Ger-
many, April 5th, 1917.)

19.850. " Electrically-driven vehicles." British Thomson-Houston Co. July
9lh. (United States, June 9th, 1915.)

19.851. " Means for controlling electric currents. &c." British Thomson-
Houston Co. July 9th. (United States. February 5th. 1914.)

19.852. " Dynamo-electric machines." British Thomson-Houston Co. July
9th. t'.Iniled States, January 16th, 1917.)

19.853. " Electric motors." British Thomson-Houston Co. July 9th.
(United States, February 14th, 1918.)

19.855. " Electric regulating systems." British Thomson-Houston Co. July
9lh. (United States, July 10th, 1918.)

19.856. " Wireless receiving systems." British Thomson-Houston Co. July
9th. (United States, June Wth, 1918.)

19,8.',7. *' Electric starting systems for internal-combustion engines." British
Thomson-Houston Co. July 9th. (United States, January lllth, 1917.)

19.858. •' High-frequency alternators." British Thomson-Houston Co. July
9lh. (United States. Septemh.r 23rd. 1916.)

19.859. " Means for transforming direct current." British Thomson-Houston
Co. July 9th. (United States, December 29lh. 1913.1

19.860. " Enclosed electric arc devices," British Thomson-Houston Co.
July 9th. (United States, October 30th. 1915)

19.861. " Wireless receiving systems." British Thomson-Houston Co. July
9th. (United States, October 'Uth. 1917.)

19.862. '* Enclosed electric arc devices." British Thomson-Houston Co.
July 9th. (United States, October 30th, !!15.)

19.863. " Dvnamo-electric machines." British Thomson-Houston Co. July
9th. (United States, October 13th. 1915.)

19.864. " Electron discharge devices." British Thomson-Houston Co. July
9lh. (United Stal.-s. October 31st. 1917.)

19.865. " Electricallv-driven vehicles." British Thomson-Houston Co. July
9th. ' (United States, July 24lh. 1914.)

19.866. " Electric motors." British Thomson-Houiton Co. July 91h. (United
States, February 13th, 1918.)

iXUCj JhUrjfu ±J\i.Kj J\1U XVIli V iXj VV . L»01- «'• wo. 2,2ii8, august 6, 1920.

19,867. " Electron discharge apparatus." British Thomson-Houston Co.
July 9th. (United States, October 16th, 1913.)

19,86S. " Wireless signalling systems." Britisli Thomson-Houston Co. July
nth. (United States, December 29th. 19l:i.)

19.88J. '* Wireless telephonv svstcms." Soc. Fran^aise Radio Electrique.
July 9th. (France. February 2'4th,'l917.)

19,886. " Multiplex telephonv." Ges. fur Drahtlosc Telegraphie. July 9th.
(Germany, December 14th, 1918.)

19.899. " Apparatus for generating high-frequency currents for wireless tele-
graphy, &c." Ges. fiir IVahtlose Telegraphie. July 9th. (Germany, Janu-
ary 19lh, 1915.)

19.900. " Arrangement for operating direct-current relays by electrical
oscillations." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic. July 9th. (Germany, Febru-
ary 8th, 1916.)

19.901. " Generation of electric oscillations." Ges. fur Drahtlose Tele-
graphic. July 9th. (Germany, September 28th, 1917.)

19.902. " Wireless telegraph transmitters." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphie.
July 9th. (Germany, December 22nd, 1917.)

19.903. " Cathode-ray tubes." Ges. fur Drahtlose Telegraphie. Julv 9lli.
(Germany, January 9th, 1918.)

19.904. " Wireless telegraph receivers." Ges. fur Drahtlose Telegraphie.
July 9th. (Germany, April 9th, 1914.)

19.905. " Cascade high-frequency amplifiers." Ges. fur Drahtlose Tele-
graphic. July 9th. (Germany, July 25th, 1918.)

19.906. " Cathode-tube generators." Ges. fur Drahtlose Telegraphic. July
9th. (Germany, October 25th, 1918.)

19.907. " W'ireless telegraph receivers." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphie.
July 9th. (Germany, September 10th, 191.'>.)

19.908. " Electric discharge tubes." W. Kassel. Julv 9th. (Germany,
December 23rd, 1916.)

19,931. " Electricity meters." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. July 9th. (Ger-
many, March 15th, 1918.)

19,934. " Dynamo-electric machines." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. July 9th.
(Germany, June 15lh, 1918.)

19.936. " Voltametric electricity meters." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. July
9th. (Germany, March 11th, 1919.)

19.937. " Manufacture of stranded conductors for electricaf machines."
Siemens-Schuckertwerke. July 9th. (Germany, Dcccmbor 29th, 1917.)

19,942. " Primary batteries." C. Fery. July 9th. (France,' December 1st,
1914.)

19.989. " Subaqueous sound signals." Signal Ges. July 9th. (Germany,
December 16th, 1914.)

19.990. " Subaqueous sound signals." Signal Ges. July 9th. (Germanv,
May 8th, 1915.)

19.991. " Submarine sound producing d.-viccs." Signal Ges. July 9lh.

'ing devices." Signal Ges. July 9th.
!iver." Signal Ges. July 9lh.

(Germany, June 14th, 1915.)

19.992. " Sound producing oi
(Germany, February 29th, 1910.)

19.993. " Subaqileous sound producer
(Germany, November 1st, 1916.)

19.994. " Submarine sounding apparatus." Signal Ges. Julv 9th. (Ger-
many, March 10th, 1917.)

19.995. " Sound apparatus." Signal Ges. Julv 9lh. (Germanv, .August 6lh.
1917.) ' . K .

19,996 " Subaqueous sound producers, &c." .Signal Ges. Julv 9lh. (Ger-
many, .November 27th, 1917.)

19.997. " .Subaqueous sound producers, He." Signal Ges. Julv 9th. (Ger-
many, February 25th, 1918.)

19.998. "Polarised electro-magnetic sound iipparatus." Signal Ges. Julv
9th. (Germany, May 4th, 1918.)

19.999. " Polarised .electro-magnetic sound apparatus." Signal Ges. Julv
9lth. (Germany, May 4th, 1918.)

20.000. "Sound-transmitting arrangement." Signal Gps. Julv 9lh. (Ger-
many, August 12th, 1918.)

20.001. "Submarine sound receivers." Signal Ges. Julv 9th. (Germanv,
August 12th, 1918.)

20.002. " Submarine sound receivers." Signal Ges. July 9th. (Germany,
October 26th, 1914.)

20.003. " Listening devices." Sig'nal Ges. Julv 9th. (Germanv, March
20th, 1917.)

20.004. " Electric switching apparatus." Aulo-Combinator Soc. Anon.
July 9th. (Germany, April 2and, 1919.)

20,009. " Signalling systems." British Thomson-Houston Co. Julv 9lh.
(U.S.. October 14th, 1919.)

20.030. " Electron amplifiers." British Thomson-Houston Co. Julv 9th.
(U.S., January 3rd, 1919.)

20.031. " Means for obtaining unidirectional potential differences or current
of constant value." British Thomson-Houston Co. Julv 9th. (U.S., Decem-
ber 22nd, 1915.)

20.033. " Generation of high frequency oscillations." British Thomson-
Houston Co. July 9th. (U.S., June 3rd, 1918.)

20.034. " Electron discharge apparatus." British Thomson-Houston Co.
July 9th. (U.S., October 28th, 1915.)

20.035. " Electron discharge apparatus." British Thomson-Houston Co.
July 9th. (U.S., October 29th, 1913.)

20.036. " Electron discharge apparatus." British Thomson-Houslon Co
July 9lh. (U.S., December 29th. 1913.)

20.044. " Magneto casing." C. Rouguct. July 9th, (France, April 26th,

20.045. " Commutator box." C. Rouguct. July 9th. (France, .April 26th,

20,048. *' Device for closing an electric circuit by magnetic induction "
W. Augereau. July 9th. (France, August 1st, 1916.)

20,058. " Electric switches," P. Aufranc. July 9th. (France, Julv 13th

1918.) • .1 !

20,090. " Tran.smitters of high frequency oscillations." Ges. Fur Drahtlose
Telegraphie. July 9th. (Ormany, November Cth, 1918.)

211,091. " Multiple telephone wires." Ges. fur Drahtlo.se Telegraphie.
July 9th. (Germany, May 27th, 1919.)

20.092. " Reception of continuous electric oscillations." Ges. fur Draht-
lose Telegraphie. July 9th. (Germany, October 15th. 1915.)

20.093. " Electric current amplifiers." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphie.
July 9th. (Germanv, November Ifith, 1915.) ^ "^

20.094. " ElmTlric discharge tubes." W. Kussel. Julv 9th. (Germanv,
March 1st. 1917.) i ". .

20,116. " Dynamo electric machines." W. Hoin. luK 9th (France
October 13th. 1917.)

20,145. " Choking coil." Allgcmeine Elektricitats-Gcs. July 9th. (Ger-
many, July 10th, 1914.) J ? t r

20.1.53. " Driving system for alternating current meters." Allgemeine
Ekktrkitats-Gcs. July 9th. (Germany, January 14th, 1919,)

20.177. " Starter for internal combustion engines." Soc. des Phares et
Equipments Electriques. July 9th. (France, June 17th, 1919.)

20.226. " Telephony." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. X: S. Loeive. Julv 9lh
(Germany, December 31st, 1915.)

30.227. "Telephony." Dr. F. F. Huth Ges. & S. Ucwe. July •9th.
(Germany, November S8th, 1916.)

20.228. " Vacuum tubes." Dr. E. F, Hulh Ges. July 9th. (Germany,
March 30th, 1918.) ,

30.229. " Aerial conductors for wireless telegraphy." Dr. E. F. Huth
G..S. July 9lh. (Germany, July 1st, 1915.)

20,2:!0. " Wireless messages." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. July 9th. (G. r-
many, October 21st, 1914.)

20.231. " Arrangement for carrying wireless stations." Dr. E. F. Huih
Ges. July 9th. (Germany, October 30th, 1913.)

20.232. " Reels, &c., for winding and unwinding aerial conductors." I)r
E. F. Huth Ges. July 9th. (Germany, January 16th, 1918.)

20.233. " Reels, &c., for winding and unwinding aerial conductors." 1)1.
E. F. Huth Ges. July 9th. (Germany, .May 6th, 1918.)

20.234. " Sources of electrical energy for use in aircraft." Dr. E. I".
Huth Ges. Juiy 9th. (Germany, February 1st, 1916.)

20.235. " Wireless receiving apparatus." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. & S. l^«r
July 9th. (Germany, December 20th, 1915.)

20.236. " Method of tuning the sending connections for wireless t< !. .
graphy." Dr. E. F. Huth* Ges. &: S. Loewe. July 9th. (Germany, Scpten.-
ber 18th, 1915.)

20.237. " Aircraft stations for wireless telegraphy." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges.
July 9th. (Germany, December 4th, 1914.)

20.238. " Coils for high frequency purpose." Dr. E. F. Hulh Ges. July
9th. (Germany, November 29th, 19'l6.J

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in parentheses are those under which the specifications will be
printed and abridged, and all subsequent proceedings will be taken.

3,.543. " Apparatus for recording and reproducing sounds and cleciri
•ignals." E. Russell Clarke. March 9th, 1916. (Complete accepted Fcbruar
jth, 1920. Patent sealed February 5th, 1920.) (14.5,805.)

21,922. " Methods and apparatus for the detection and generation of sound
or like waves." R. A. Fessenden. December 31sl, 1917. (14j,812.)

ISIS.

5,047. " Electron discharge apparatus, and process of operating the sani. ."
Connecticut Telephone & Electric Co. March 23rd, 1918. (134,721.)

7,715. " Synchronous operation by electrical means of two or more meclKMi-
isms." A. Robinson & Co., J. F. (Jill, and J. N. Chaviara. March 27th. 191M.
(145,835.)

7,722. " Electric arc apparatus employed in the generation of osciltatiDL;
currents." W. S. Entwistle. March 27th, 1919. (145,837.)

7,749. " X-rav apparatus." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General Eleclrii
Co.). March 27th, 1919. (145,839.)

8,163. " Telephonic repeaters." C. Robinson and R. M. Chamney. April
1st, 1919. (145,809.)

8,278. " Dynamo-electric jiiachines." R. W. Myers. April 2nd. 1919.
(145,879.)

8,312. " Systems of electric power transmission. British Thomson-Houston
Co. (General Electric Co.). April 2nd, 1919. (145,881.)

8,449. " Machines for making bobbins for electric batteries." National
Carbon Co. October 1st, 1917. (125,382.)

8,795. " Electric furnaces." R. Steiger. April 8th, 1918. (125,391.)

9,745. " Electric fault-detecting devices." E. J. Simon. April 16th. 1819.
(145,907.)

10,045. *' Commutators for dynamo-electric machines." H. Chitty. April
22nd, 1919. (Patent of addition not granted.) (145,909.)

10.249. " Miners' electric lamps." Haslam & Stretton, T. Stretton, and
J. W. Jones. April 24th, 1919. (145,913.)

11,921. " Electro-magnetic controlling devices." Soc. .Anon, des Etablisse-
mcnts L. Bli^riot. August 28th, 1918. (131,875.)

13,751. " Electric radiators." J. R. Quain. May 30th, 1919. (145,950.)

15,301. " Electric voltage regulator." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.). June 18th, 1919. (145,966.)

15,748. " Electric induction apparatus." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.). June 23rd, 1919. (145,972.)

16,248. " Insulation of the leads passing through the case of electrical
measuring instruments. W. H. L. Wood and MetropoUtan-Vickers Electrical
Co.). June 27th, 1919. (145,975.)

16,256. " Fault localisation for underground electric cables." C. W. Kay
and Callender's Cable & Construction Co.). June 27th, 1919. (145,976.)

18,004. " Electric furnace." E. Piquerez. September 2nd.' 1918. (132,232.)

18,647. " Electric plug couplings." A. Chalmers and W. F. .Mitchell. July
28th, 1919. (145,992.)

18,879. " Apparatus for testing of magnetos and sparking-plugs as use!
for the ignition of internal-combustion engines." J. M. 'iumbelty. July 30th,
1919. (145,995.)

20,137. " Incandescent electric lighting apparatus." C. von der Wcid.
September 13th, 1918. (132,501.)

22,288. " Current-reversing devicevfor dynamos turning in both directions."
F. Mauron. September 10th, 1918. (132,517.)

23,193. " Electric switches (or signalling and like purposes." D. Desplats.
.September 20th, 1919. (140,013.)

24,495. " Protecting means for ignition coils used in connection with
explosion motors." Scintilla. October 19lh, 1918. (134,201.)

'35,712. " Electro-magnetic clutches." H. M. Beyer. March 14th, 1919.
(140,366.)

27,941. " Electric regulators." A. E. White (U.S. Light & Heat Corpora-
tion). November 11th, 1919. (146,033.)

28,100. "Sparking plugs for inlirnal-combustion cngini'S." J. Atkinson,
S. G. Atkinson W. .\tkinson, and R. Atkinson. November I2th, 1919.
(146,034.)

29,547. " Electric condenses." W. E. Barber. Noiember 27th, 1919.
(146,038.)

30,495. " Electric motor controllers." C. R. Galer. December Slli, 1919.
(146,041.)

:t2,l'24. " Sp.Tiking plugs for internal combustion engines." M. Evqueni
February 4th. 1919. 1138.596.)

isao.

1,500. " Devices for preventing, the .accidental or unauthorised starting of
electrically-ignited internal-combustion engines." R. Bosch Agt.-Gcs. March
27th. 1916, (137,865.)

3,940. " Ignition magnetos for internal<ombuslion engines." Fabriques des
Montres Zenith. June'Uth, 1919. (144.608.)

4,390. " Sparking plugs." J. L. Platel. September 28th, 1919. (138,934.)

6,318. " -Switchboard arrangements particularly for field telephone appara-
tus." Siemens & Halske, Akt,-Ges. March 4th, 1916. (139,779.)

7,365. " Safety device for electric generators.'* Siemens-SchiKkerlwerkc.
October 'JSnl, 1918. (140,100.)

TXXE

ELEGTI^IO^Xj I?/E3'VIEI"W".

Vol. LXXXVII.

AUGUST 13, 1920.

No. 2,229.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

THE INDUSTRIAL SITUATION.

Vol. LXXXVII.] CONTENTS : August l:i, 1920.

[No. 2,93!).
Page

The Industrial Situation l'-'-^

Load Factors and Station Efficiency 19*

Extra-Long-Distance Transmission 195

The Importance of Empire Communications 195

D.C. Commutators : Clamping-, Turning and Re-turning, by

A London Foreman (Mtes.) 196

Hints about Housebells, by " Voltman " 197

The Electrical Industry of Norway 198

The Hydro-electric Power Commission of Ontario 199

The Crystal Palace Exhibition 200

Street Lighting with Low Mounted Units (illu.t.') 200

Electricity Supply Authorities 201

The Recovery of Alcohol from Coke-oven Gas 201

Correspondence —

Maximum Load Indicator 202

Municipal Contracting 202

An Attack on Foremen 202

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers 202

Circulating Current Connections for Delta-Star Transformers,

by J. Henderson 07i«»',) ... 203

The Responsibility of Roadway Authorities 204

Business Notes 205

Prof. John Perry, D.Sc, LL.D. F.R.S., by H. H. Turner ... 211

Notes 212

City Notes 215

Stocks and Shares 215

Market Quotations 21fi

Submarine Cable Telegraphy, by E. Raymond-Barker (ilUis.')

{concluded) 217

Extra-Long-Diatance Transmission of Electrical Energy ... 219

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (jllus.) 221

Reviews 222

New Patents Applied for, 1920 22.3

Abstracts of Published Specifications 224

Contractors' Column

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Place.

4 Chevillet, 22, Rue

Gordon 4 Gotch,

>., Corao

Launoebton: Gordon & Gotch,
Cimitiere Street.

Melbocbnk ; Peter G. Tait, 90, Wil-
liam Street; Gordon & Gotch, Queen

Paris : Boyvei
J gj de la Banqui

and i Perth, W.A. :
I William Street.
Bo&iK : Loescher

Dmberto 1° 307.
Sydney : Peter G. Tait. 273, George
Street ; Gordon & Gotch, Pitt Street.
Toronto, Ont. ; Wm. Dawson A Sons,
Ltd., Manning Chambers ; Gordon
and Gotch, 132, Bay Street
Wellington, N.Z. . Gordon 4 Gotch.
Cuba Street.

Street.

Cheques and Postal Orders (on Chief Office, London) to be made payable to
Tux BiioTKioAL Kkview, LIMITED, asd crossed " London City and Midland
Bank, Newgatt« Street Branch."

During the past week or so, in accordance with annual
custom, many industrial works in the United Kingdom have
been closed for the holidays.

While we were at war in Europe and the factories were
places of ceaseless activity in the high-speed production of
munitions, it was frequently pointed out that occasional
periods of holiday and rest were essential, in order that the
workers might be able to pursue their arduous task with
fitness and with less industrial irritability and unrest. In
more recent times the hours of labour have been shorter
and the task less arduous, but the holiday is considered
indispensable : in some places it has been lengthened. A
general holiday is not unacceptable to those responsible
for the direction of industrial manufacturing works where
the pressure of orders has fallen off or where the ban on
overtime has made overhauling and repair operations
impracticable without a complete shut-down for carrying
out such work in day-time, though in some cases even
repair work during the holidays has been prohibited. A
period of reflection is also beneficial to all ranks for the
purposes of mental overhaul.

In many works the holiday period is now ended or
ending, and there will be a resumption of productive
activity ; but, unfortunately, there is coming in from
various industrial centres a good deal of disquieting
evidence showing that unrest is far too general, while there
is also much discussion concerning slackening trade and the
outlook for the coming winter. We are, further,-faced with
Lord Haig's righteous demand on behalf of nearly two
hundred thousand men from the Forces who have no
work to do to-day and no prospect of any to-morrow.

On the part of the employing interests there has lately
been a marked weariness with the continuous uncertainty
of everything. It hangs over all business, restricts enter-
prise, limits confidence — that important factor which has
always made for prosperity, just as the lack of it has generally
preceded the slackening of trade — and forms a gnawing
anxiety. Government taxation and lack of financial assist-
ance from the banks contribute to the depression occasioned
by the uncertainty.

On the part of the employed there is with us in a
somewhat menacing shape a widespread wage-increase
demand, while, on the other hand, a growing army of
unemployed clamours for the opportunity to work. The
relative wages of skilled and unskilled are still a source of
grievance and discontent.

It is stated that the inability of engineering and other
employers to give firm ([uotations, due to the foregoing
wage uncertainty, has caused many contracts to be placed
with American and other foreign competitors. The Sheffield
Chamber of Commerce has issued a memorandum warning
of the grave injury caused to British trade, and especially
to our export trade, by manufacturers finding it necessary
to stipulate for prices ruling ac the date of delivery. " It
[193] D

194

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW, [Voi. 87. no. 2,229, auocst 13, 1920.

is unreasonable to expect foreign buyers abroad to give carte
blanche to their suppliers in this country to ship goods at
unknown prices." The root of the trouble, says the
Sheffield memorandum, is the constant demands, without
proper notice, for wage increases. It seems that the
practice has become general of demanding immediate
advances, and, in some cases, making them retrospective.

In some trades manufacturers have had to notify con-
siderable advances in cost, owing to wage increases, after
contracts have been accepted, and cancellation of orders has
followed.

The engineering, foundry and shipbuilding trades have
their own particular problem awaiting solution, and con-
ferences have been held. Impatience with the decisions of
the Industrial Court occasions the desire for the termination
of this tribunal for settling wages. In the ordinary course,
the agreement relating to it ends when the Wages
(Temporary Regulation) Act expires on September 30th.
The prevailing disposition is to have done with the four-
monthly hearing agreement made in r.ll7, and to resume
direct negotiations between the employers and the employed.
Time will prove whether the permanent interests of industry
will be adversely affected by such a resumption. Probably
they will not, but we are not inclined to assume the cloak of
prophecy.

While we see no useful purpose in magnifying the diffi-
culties of the present situation, it would be folly to fail to
take due note of the facts. They are sufficiently disquieting,
and it were unwise to encourage a spirit of apprehension
which can only add to the want of confidence and precipitate
economic disaster.

In our opinion we are suffering directly from the unsettle-
ment of affairs in Europe. This has upset all calculations
of prophets of the year before last, and early last year, who
told us how many years of industrial prosperity we might
expect to enjoy before the inevitable period of inactivity and
distress arrived. We have done with prophets in these
days, whether politicians or economists — temporarily we
have little use for them, for there have been so many
unknown factors cutting across their forecasts that it were
perhaps better if we had never listened to them. We are
afraid that they too readily assumed a world at rest from
strife — a millennium.

The facts of the situation — not the hopes and promises of
prominent orators — are what we have to deal with to-day.
The cost of living shows no inclination to fall — indeed it
seems bound to go the other way for some months to come,
in consequence of the Government efforts to straighten out
railway finances, withdraw subsidies, and put house rents on
an economic basis. Wage questions are restricting business
in trades which normally should have had a long period of
prosperous activity ; the improved wages and conditions are
enjoyed by some with the immediate consequence that
expenditure on new work at home is rendered prohibitive,
and thousands of would-be workers are out of employment
and earn no wages at all ; foreign producing countries are
getting into their stride, and imports are coming to these
shores and to other parts of the Empire and to foreign
markets, at an increasing rate ; there is reported to be
almost everywhere throughout the world a deplorable and
demoralising disinclination to work.

One must not be blamed for wondering whither we are
tending. We are floundering in the refuse that the war has
left behind it, pre-occupied with the muck-rake, turning
over rivalries and self-interests, so that we lose sight of the
golden crown. Instead of sinking our differences and
joining all our forces together in industrial partnership
to pull things round, we are chaotically pursuing our own
selfish ends, and the new world that a Premier promised,
at a date which he subsequently said he had left open, has
not yet been born. Possibly all the disquieting movements
of the moment are but the pains of labour preceding the
delivery of the mouse of the mountain. We shall bring in
no new world either by hope or by prophecy. It can only
come from within the individual heart and from the united
practical effort of all in the nation acting under the
inspiration of a lofty vision.

LOAD FACTOES AND STATION
EFFICIENCY.

The importance of a good load factor in reducing the cost
at which electricity can be produced is so well known that
there appears to be a considerable risk of the actual effect
of this factor being misunderstood. It is very evident that
the higher the load factor for a given output, the less will
be the cost of capital and of labour per unit generated, and
it is often assumed, in a vague sort of way, that the fuel
consumption per unit will also be reduced. This belief
appears to be quite unjustified. Of course, if in a given
plant the load factor is improved by filling up the hollows
of the load curve, the operating efficiency will be increased,
but this increase is only due to the extra load, and not to
the improvement of the load factor. It would, in fact,
have just the same beneficial effect, so far as the coal bill is
concerned, if the extra load came right on the top of the
existing peak, as if it came during a time of less activity.
The load factor, pn se. has no influence whatever upon the
coal consumption of the plant per kilowatt-hour.

We should not have thought it worth while to point this
out were it not for the fact that misunderstanding is
prevalent on the subject. In his recent paper on " Power
Station Design in Relation to Thermal Efficiency," read before
the Incorporated Municipal Electrical Association at the
Bradford Convention, Mr. I. V. Robinson fell into the error
to which we have referred, and as his remarks in this connection
passed unnoticed in the discussion, it seems advisable to draw
attention to the fallacy. He accepts the fact, demonstrated by
Mr. R. H. Parsons in these columns, that for all steam
power stations it is possible to establish a straight line law
connecting the fuel consumption with the total daily output
of the plant, and claims that such a relationship " allows
the fuel or heat consumption to be calculated for all daily
load factors." As a matter of fact, it does nothing of the
kind. What it does do is to enable the fuel or heat con-
sumption to be calculated for all daily outputs, which is a
very different thing. If the straight line law is accepted as
correlating total output and total fuel consumption over a
shift, a day, or for any other period, the load factor during
the period in question can have no influence on the efficiency
one way or the other. It follows from the very nature of
the straight line law that if a station with an output of, say,
100,000 KW.-hours per day, uses a certain amount of coal
per Kw.-hour, the coal consumption will not be altered,
whether the load factor be 1 per cent, or 100 per cent. It
is very clear that Mr. Robinson did not realise this fact, for
he expresses it as his opinion that a modern power station
" with a daily load factor of 40 per cent, to 50 per cent."
should aim at a heat consumption not exceeding 2ii,000
H.TH.u. per KW.-hour. If such a figure can be reached in
any station, it will be found that it is dependent upon the
total daily output only, and that with a given output it can
be repeated, wlratever the load factor may be.

We notice a similar misapprehension concerning the effect
of load-factor upon thermodynamic efficiency running
through an article by Mr. E. R. Briggs, which appears in
the current number of the EwiUsh Klerlric Jomnnl. In
this article l\Ir. Briggs starts from what he terms the
" Parsons law." and proceeds to develop curves purporting
to show the performance of power stations at various load-
factors. But as all these load-factors relate to conditions
in which the maximum load is the same, any change in
load-factor really connotes a change in total output. What
the curves really show, therefore, is how the efficiencies of
stations vary with varying output, and the fact that, under
the assumed conditions, the load-factors vary at the same
time is quite immaterial.

To prove that, if the Parsons law is true, the coal con-
sumption of a station is unaffected by the load-factor, we
will consider the case of the Canadian station to which
Mr. Briggs refers. The law for this station, at the time
the conditions were investigated, was as follows : —

V = 20,000 + 2-917 K,
where c is the total coal burnt per eight-hour shift, expressed

Vol. 87. No. 2,229, August 13, 1920.1 THE ELECTKICAL EEVIEW,

196

in pounds, and k is the total units generated during the
same period.

We will assume that on any particular shift the output
is 10,000 KW.-hour, and that the load-factor is 50 per cent.
Such a load-factor might be obtained by a load of
4,000 K\y. for four hours, and a zero load for the remainder
of the shift. We see from the formula above that the total
coal consumption for the first half of the shift would be
10,000 + 16,000 X 2-917 = 56,672 lb., while for the
latter half it would be 10,000 lb. Hence, for the whole
shift, 66,672 lb. of coal would be burnt, or 4'167 lb. per
KW.-hour.

Now let us assume that the load factor is 100 per cent.,
which is equivalent to a steady load of 2,000 kv.: throughout
the shift. The coal consumption will now be 10,000 +
8,000 X 2'917 = 33,336 lb. for either half of the shift,
or a total of 66,672 lb. for the whole shift, which is the
same as before. Thus, for equal total output, we find that
the coal consumption remains the same, whether the output
is obtained on a load factor of 50 per cent., or on one of
100 per cent. Precisely the same reasoning will hold good,
if the yearly load factor, rather than the load factor per
shift, is considered. Hence, one is justified in the con-
clusion that, so far as coal consumption alone is concerned,
any extra load is just as useful on the top of the peak
demand, as it is during the hours when the station is running
light. Whether it is equally welcome, is, of course, quite
another matter.

We have dealt with the question of the efifect of load factor
upon efficiency at some length, because we wished to correct
a false impression which seemed to be gaining ground. The
straight line, or " Parsons " law appears to be of such
general application and, as shown in the little book on
" Coal Consumption of Power Plants," published by this
office, so many really useful deductions regarding power
plant operation can be drawn from it, that we should regret
to see it discredited by unwarranted inferences.

The phrase "extra-high-tension" is
Distance frequently used as a convenient means of

Transmission, discriminating between ordinary high
voltages and the much higher pressures
used for bulk transmission of electrical energy, but the
term has also been used extensively for all pressures
exceeding 3,000 volts, which is distinctly a low pressure as
judged by modern practice in the tiansmission of electrical
energy. Already pressures of 100,000 volts, and distances
of transmission of 100 to 200 miles, are almost common-
place, and we are badly in need of an expressive phrase to
describe such installations. Duplicated superlatives are not
satisfactory — as witness the Best, Best-Best, and Best- Best-
Best of the iron trade — but we may very reasonably adopt
the term "extra-long-distance transmission" to cover the
transmission of electrical energy over distances exceeding
200 miles, such transmission being an achievement made
possible, under the conditions for which it is likely to be
required, by the so-called quarter-wave and half-wave
systems described elsewhere in this issue.

These systems employ transmission lines, the charac-
teristics of which are such that the time taken for an elec-
trical impulse to flow from one end of the line to the other
is one-quarter of the periodic time of the current in the
quarter-wave system, and one-half of the periodic time in
the half-wave system. The velocity of electricity — so high
that the time of propagation may be neglected in all ordinary
transmission and distribution problems — here plays a part of
primary importance. Another startling fact is that the
quarter-wave line is in resonance on light load. It will,
indeed, be strange if resonance — hitherto regarded as the
particular bele )ioire of the transmission engineer — should
prove to be the means of extending 10-fold the economic
radius of transmission of electrical energy.

Only the basic principles of quarter-wave and half-wave
transmission lines are as yet understood, and there are many
difficulties to be overcome before these systems can be
utilised in practice. At least for the quarter-wave system
a suitable alternator must be designed for constant- current

variable-voltage operation, and the inherent magnitude and
risks of the whole scheme will demand no small amount of
courage on the part of the pioneer. On the other hand,
these difficulties and risks are no greater than those which
have already been encountered and overcome in electrical
transmission practice, and, whatever may be the practical
future of the quarter-wave system, the remarkable properties
of the latter cannot fail to interest every electrical engineer.

We do not know that the general public
Tlie Importance j^j^gg ^^^^^ interest in the proceedings of
of Empire , , t • , r, ^ / ~i ■ i

Communications. ''^^ Imperial Press Conference, which
opened in Canada last week. To news-
paper men, however, and to all who are consistently zealous
for securing the one-ness of the British Empire, they make
a direct and imperative appeal. Naturally, when Pressmen
from all parts of the Empire meet together, they confer upon
many matters of purely mutual or domestic concern, but
the Press exists to perform a great public function, how-
ever much it may, under individuals, have fallen into line
with the commercialism of the age, and, therefore, the
proceedings, in the main, have a world-wide influence.
Penny postage, in years gone by, was hailed as a boon, and
its pioneers were public benefactors to whom monuments were
erected. To-day we double the rate and pay homage
to those who discover this and other misgaided ways for
helping us to bear our national financial burdens. Dreams
of a universal penny-postage have now gone for a generation,
and it remains to be seen whether the increased cost will
lessen correspondence between ourselves and our kith and
kin beyond the seas. If it does so, the moderate financial
advantage will have been gained at a substantial cost, for,
in our opinion, oft expressed here, few things are of greater
importance in connection with the maintenance of the unity
of the Empire and the utilisation for the good of all of the
vast resources thereof, than the greatest possible freedom in
communication. At the present time, there is an astoundicg
want of frequency and regularity of mails between the
Mother Country and certain distant parts of the Empire.

The Imperial Press Conference at the Canadian meeting
has again expressed its views regarding the urgency of ithe
need for providing improved facilities for the telegraphic
transmission of news within the Empire, the institution of
cheaper cable rates, the fullest reasonable utilisation
of wireless telegraph and telephone facilities now,
and their extended use as they develop. The sub-
marine cable companies are laying new cables and
adopting other improvements, but the newspaper men are
so impressed with the need for greater accommodation and
cheaper rates that one of their chief spokesmen (Mr. Eobert
Donald) advocated a competing cable service between
Great Britain and the Far East. We are afraid that
in these days suggestions for a universal cable rate for the
British possessions of a penny a word are not worth serious
attention ; there was a feeling among some delegates that
a resolution asking merely for a speedy and better cable
service was more likely to be listened to. The policy urged
upon the Conference was to aim high, and everybody who
takes the long view will agree that our ambition must be
the provision of electrical means of communication on the
amplest scale and at the lowest possible cost to all parts of
the Empire, for that is one of the great essentials for the
maintenance of the well-being of the British race and for
the development and utilisation of the vast resources which
lie awaiting enterprise and effort. In the course of the
discussion the ridiculous use of the existing cables for
Government messages was blamed as being responsible for
some of the congestion on the lines and the delays to which
other messages are subjected. Sir Roderick Jones says that
the Government use of the cables is as bad now as during
the war, and we believe that he is in a position to know.
The urgency of Government messages was understood while
war conditions prevailed, but even then they were, we
believe, needlessly detailed ; officials seated in places of
government authority should be made to understand that
to-day there are other claims quite as imperative as theirs,
and thoughtless or wanton use of telegraphic facilities
should not be permitted.

196

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,229, August 13, 1920.

D.C. COMMUTATORS: CLAMPING, TURNING AND RE-TURNING.

By A LONDON FOREMAN.

Foreword. — With a multitude of products, either mechanical
or electrical, it is a case of "dill'erent firms, different
methods," in respect of the manner in which commutators
of generators and motors are produced.

The writer, a machine-shop foreman, has no hesitation
in assertinir that there are firms whose mechanical accessories
of elertrical machines are produced by electricians, and with
distinct disadvantage. Other concerns there are, which place
the production of such mechanical accessories under the
care of mechanics — not electricians. The latter provision,
all who understand will atrree to freely, for with all due
respect to the electrician, it by no means follows, because
he is such, that he is a mechanic.

For instance, the writer was enijaged some few years since
as mechanical foreman to a larj,^e concern manufacturing
D.C. motors for electric passenger lifts. An electrical foreman
was head of the department, while the writer was second.
The concern had Been building generators and motors for
many years, but how on earth they were able to compete
in the open market is a mystery yet. It was this way : —
A man built a commutator (how it was built will be told
shortly), and as turning a commutator for its sleeve and
ring was assumed to be such a particular piece of work, and
exclusive to anybody but an electrical man, he was
allowed to take his built-up and clamped commutator to
the turnery ; where, with a considerable amount of

Figs. 1. 2, 3 and 4.— A D.C. CoMMnxATOB.

preparation and not a little " show," he turned the recesses
in the copper for the sleeve and the ring respectively, but
took about as much time to do one, as should have been
sufficient for about five. There was no complaint from
the heads ; all was accepted as " necessary and proper."

But was it ? The copper was turned at a speed of 40 ft. per
minute, while 240 would have been much nearer the proper
speed, and besides a regular turner would have beaten the
electrician's time to a frazzle, as will be readily understood.

It is, therefore, advised that the section that deals with
the copper and the mica should build the commutator and
clamp it, and that the turning for sleeve and ring should
be done by the regular turner. If a dozen, or a score, or
fifty, or a hundred, can be built, and clamped, and sent to
be turned in batches, all the better, for in such a case,
the machine-shop boss is well able to keep a set of men on
the work of commutator turning, and the men, and the
hoys, too, will easily become proficient at the work, and
turn them out inexpensively and well.

Though it is true that in connection with the turning of
a commutator, both separately and when attached to" its
armature, there are certain simple rules (as regards
cleanliness, &c.), which do not obtain in respect of the
regular work of a turnery, all is extremely simple and the
rules easily grasped and fully learned.

Gommufator Design and Clamping Rings. — The design
and construction of the clamping accessories, which are

intended to closely constrain the number of copper and mica
sections which compose a coiumutator into a reasonably hard
and endurable mass, has a considerable influence on the
endurance, the general behaviour and cost for repairs of
such commutators. A cammutatnr, well designed, and
properly clamped for turning the tapered keeps, and
efliciently constrained by its sleeve and ring, will, other
things being equal, last much longer, behave better under
operation, and will cost much less for upkeep and repairs
than one which has been unwisely designed, wrongly,
clamped, and has its sleeve and ring so disposed (as
some are) that their construction absolutely prevents the
constraining of the copper sections, and defeats the purpose
for which the tapered form at the ends of the copper sections
of the commutator have been designed.

There is nothing at all new in the statement that
the primary object of a commutator clamping set is to
secure a combination of alternate copper and mica strips,
disposed ring-wise " hard and tight " into a circle. It is of
interest, however, to observe how far the common methods
are successful.

How often does one see {vide Test Book) when readers
are being told how to design and construct commutators,
"The ( ring of) sections are gripped end-wise between two
rings, having projections of equal form of the reverse of the
recesses turned in the sections. When these rings are
pulled together tightly, the projections of
the rings entering the recesses previously
p,T turned in the ring of copper sections,

constrain these sections into a hard
and endurable mass."

This instruction, which does not
presume that the commutator sections
have been previously squeezed up tightly.
is responsible for the hundreds of slack
commutators there are, and one might
as well expect a boiler to be tight without
" plating " as a commutator to be tight
without previously being pressed into a
hard mass ere the end recesses are bored
to receive the sleeve and the ring.

Were it that the only task of the
recesses in the sections and the projec-
tion on sleeve and ring respectively, was
to hold the sections asially, the angles at
which the recesses should be bored and
the projections turned would matter
but little. But even with the most perfectly-pressed
commutator it has been found necessary to provide means
whereby the sections may be further constrained and
assisted towards a continued hardness after the machine to
which the commutator is attached has been put into
regular service, and it is noticeable that leading makers,
in company with a well-kno^vn Silvertown company of the
writer's acquaintance, provide for this need of continued
hardness, with such excellent results that commutabDrs so
provided run for years without being touched.

A commutator is either a good one or a bad one ; if
a good one it will give no more trouljle than a " fast "
pulley, and certainly less than a '• loose " pulley. If it is a
bad one, loosely built and inefficiently constrained, there is
no remedy but scrapping and rebuilding it, and time and
cost and unending trouble will be saved by so doing.

Ajiproved Design of Commutator and Means of ( on-
s//-i/r/(o//.T- Attached are sketches of the writer's design of a
D.C. commutator and means of primary construction of the
copper sections.

Conjointly with the necessary qualities of hardness and
durability, economy of copper must be strictly observed. In
this direction there must be sufficient material (and only
sufficient for constructing strength) at its inner diameter,
and a sufficiency of material at its outer diameter to allow
for the commutator to be turned up several times ere it is
necessary to renew it. How much is left for this latter

Tol. 87. No. 2,229. AUGUST 13, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL KEVIEWo

197

purpose is decided by the maker of the macliine ; if wise,
he will provide a liberal amount.

In the design, while economy is observed in respect of
the inner diameter, a liberal amount has been allowed for
re-turning.

In the order of Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 are given the com-
mutator (with its sleeve and ring), the edge of the clamping
shoe, a plan of the shoe, and the method of constricting the
copper sections a into a hard mass, by means of the Ij-in.
and 4-in. mild steel ring, and the 14 cast-iron interlocked
shoes, and the 14 1-in. diameter Whit, set screws.

When assembling for constriction the shoes are insulated
from the copper sections, so that insulation of the sections
may be tested, while the commutator is in the lathe, for
the purpose of having the V grooves bored for the sleeve
and ring.

This is a necessary provision, for it is quite easy for the
copper to " span " the mica space and cause " shorts " while
the Y grooves are being bored.

'After nipping up the sections by means of the ring c, and
the shoes n, and the 14 1-in. diameter Whit, screws as
tightly as it is reasonably possible to do with hand and
spanner, the rommutator and clamping gear complete, is
baked in a vacuum. The coefficient of the copper being
greater than that of the steel clamping ring, the copper
expands more than the ring. It caunot expand to a larger
diameter, so it is compelled to do so centripetally, and is
hardened. The 14 screws, which were heretofore as tight
as possible, can now be pulled up about another half-a-
turn. The commutator is now ready for the grooves to
be turned in, and the formed mica rings, which have
been provided for insulating the copper sections from the
sleeve and the ring respectively, are used as gauges to bore
the grooves to.

The grooves being bored, the turner's work is done, and
the commutator is sent to the electrical section to be tested
for " shorts," and to be attached to its sleeve and ring.

Being pulled up tightly by means of the provisions made
in the particular design of sleeve and ring, the sleeve is
fitted on to the armature shaft, and the electrical work of
connecting the commutator lugs to the armature is com-
pleted, the whole is sent again to the turnery, for the com-
mutator to receive its first turning.

7'iiinini/ the ( ommiitato)-. — This is brought to the
turnery, all complete with the spider, the core, and the
armature winding. In some shops it comes with as much
pomp and ceremony as a corpse is taken to its burial, with
all and sundry looking on. In other concerns, a thousand
kilowatt armature weighing over live tons — one, two, and
sometimes three in a day — come along, are popped in
the lathe, and the " corns " are turned as a part of a
day's work.

There are, however, simple rules to be oliserved, and they
are imperative, too, as before stated.

Absolute cleanliness and immunity from the usual
products of a machine shop, such as iron turnings or
borings, is by no means one of the least observable rules.
So the armature is tightly bound with clean hemp sacking,
and carried in a clean wood cradle, the weight resting on a
solid part of the armature, such as the end-plates or the
binding-bands.

It is lifted into the lathe with an expanded rope sling, and
is raised to the exact height of the lathe centres by a
screw connection between the crane-hook and the sling that
carries the load.

The shaft now loaded in centres, the truth of the
journals is tested with a dial indicator, and if found to be
"dead true to a turn." and the winding protected from
copper turnings and dust, the turning of the " com " is
proceeded with, with a sharp-pointed no-rake tool at a
rotating speed of about 300 ft. per minute. Two or three
cuts are taken at about 120 ft., and then the "com" is
buffed with glasscloth attached to a wood sector, cut with
a radius corresponding to that of the commutator. This
operation being completed, the armature is sent to the
testing-house and run for trial.

After this primary trial it comes to the lathe again —
the " com " is tightened up and turned again. A further
test is taken. It comes usually to the lathe a third time,
and the final turning is done, and an extra finish put on

with the buffing arrangement. There is, as in many other
tasks, nothing in it — when you know how ; but unless it
is done on the lines advocated above, a good, sound,
enduring commutator cannot result.

HINTS ABOUT HOUSE BELLS.

Bt"VOLTMAN."

It is not so muck a matter for surprise that the average
suburban house bell " goes wrong " now and again, as
that it works at all 1 There are those who put up bells
and circuits who would seem to have a profound con-
tempt for Ohm's law or any other electrical laws what-
ever.

Of the many experiences of the ' ' cheap and nasty
bell installation, the writer has had one which was un-
canny, in that the front door bell would, on occasion,
ring vigorously at dead of night or early morning. No
human hand had pressed the button, and the only way
to stop that bell ringing was to get out of bed and dis-
connect a battery wire. Investigation showed that the
two wires from the push, just where they entered the
zinc tube, had worn through the insulation, and there
was a ' ' touch and go ' ' short-circuit on to the zinc
tube, and a little vibration from the street was enough
to close the circuit. Judicious application of a few
turns of insulating tape to the wires cured the nuisance.
This bell, like some others the writer knows of, had
contacts of some metal a very long way removed from
the orthodox platinum. They developed sufficient re-
sistance every few weeks to stop the current from the
feeble pair of dry cells put in. The only thing to do
was to regularly give the contacts a clean up with the
point of a pen-knife blade.

Another suburban house bell had a good store of resi-
dual magnetism, and its armature regularly "struck
work" till a piece of gummed paper was put on to
keep it ofi the magnet ends. Bad connections and loose
terminals are ordinary defects on bells, and it will
usually be found that the connection between the two
magnet bobbins is simply twisted. A touch of solder
to the joint will make it more reliable.

Many bells are of poor quality, but the average dry
cell is often worse. The writer revived a couple of
" dead " and useless cells, and they worked for two more
years by simply breaking the pitch sealing at the top
and pouring in a few teaspoonfuls of common salt solu-
tion. This soaked in, and greatly reduced the internal
resistance of the cells. Quite recently another pair of
dry cells gave out and failed to produce a tremor at the
bell, but the simple expedient of applying Ohm's law,
and connecting the two cells in parallel instead of series
has brought the bell to life, and it rings even better than
ever. Incidentally, the cost of a pair of new batteries
was saved at the same time.

Another tip which is worth knowing is that when a
pocket-lamp battery is no longer able to energise the
lamp, it usually has a lot of life left, and will ring a
set of house bells vigorously for weeks. Even when it
fails to perform this duty, it is not necessarily down
and out — one or two out of three cells will often be
found to be quite lively, if separated from the " dud "
which has developed a high internal resistance.

Training of Ex-Service Men— The large buildipg—

SeJswiok St. Mill in Preston, is being- transformed into a training
centre tor ex-service men under the Ministry of Labour. Here
ex-soldiers wUl be tauerht furniture makiner, electrical entrineering,
joinery, armature winding, &o. The centre will accommodate 200
men, who wUl be able to get their meals in the canteens on the
premises.

IW

iiiJli JliljiliLiiriiUAlJ JiVHi V-LCiW. L'«».

THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY OF NORWAY.

There has been prepared by the Commercial Secretary to
H.M. Legation at Christiana (Mr. C. L. Paus) a report
on the commerce and industry of Norway down to the
end of the year 1919. It has been published by H.M.
Stationery Office (Cmd. 839. Is. net).

Norwegian prosperity was, as everybody knows,
greatly enhanced during the war, and the industries
of the country have undergone important development.
The story is told at length in nearly 130 pages, including
tabular appendices giving lists of works carried out
between 1914 and 1919, and those in progress at De-
cember 1st, 1919.

The natural resources of the country are described, its
legislation is summarised, labour conditions are re-
viewed, social questions, including cost of living and
social legislation, are discussed, transport facilities are
detailed, and a considerable section is devoted to in-
dustry and trade.

No doubt many of our readers will desire to study
the complete document, but for the benefit of others
we may refer to two sections which should interest elec-
trical men.

Mr. Paus, in the section deahng with
Electrical electrical machinery and fittings says :—

Machinery "It is estimated that prior to the war 75

and Fittings. per cent, of the Norwegian trade in elec-
trical material was in German hands. Ex-
ports from the United Kingdom were small, practically only
one firm of British manufacturers trading in this market. The
articles in which they dealt consisted of generators, trans-
formers, and switchgear, principally large machines specially
designed to meet Norwegian requirements. The reason why
other British manufacturers did not compete is stated to be
that the standard British designs of all kinds of small material
do not comply ^^ith Norwegian regulations.

" The total Norwegian trade m electrical material before
the war is estimated by an expert to have amounted to ap-
proximately 60 inillion kroner, of which Germany held
45 milhon, England -2 milhon, Sweden 4 milhon, Switzerland
4 milhon, and Norway 5 milhon.

" During the war the Gei-mans succeeded in maintaining
theii' pre-war standard of trade until about the summer ot
1916, after which time it fell olf considerably, particularly as
regards heavy machinery. They were, however, unable to
make dehvery ot cable after early in 1915.

" A considerable change in the situation took place from
1916 onwards, and it is estimated that the average annual
value of the trade in electrical material during the years 1916-
1919 inclusive has been as follows: —

Norway i3 million kroner.

Sweden IS million kroner.

Switzerland 2 milhon kroner.

England 4 milhon kroner.

Germany 16 million kroner.

America 14 million kroner.

" It wiU be observed that a very much larger proportion of
the trade has fallen to Norviay, and that America has ap-
peared in the field as a new competitor. All classes of materials
have been dehvered from the latter country, while Norwegian
production consists mainly of the smaller classes of apparatus.
Germany continued to hold the leading position in the lamp
market, although some shipments of lamps were received from
Holland.

" Dehveries from the United Kingdom were hampered by
war conditions, and in spite of the increased value of British
exports their value did not increase. It is estimated that the
trade in small machines is held 60 per cent, by Germany and
40 per cent, by Norwegian factories.

" The present position in the trade appeal's to be the follow-
ing : The Norwegian electrochemical industry is passing
through a period of acute depression, and only one large
inquiry for electrochemical plant is at present in the market,
viz., for dehvery to .\/S. Bremanger, who are harnessing
waterfalls, and ^viU build a zinc factory at Bergen. It is
expected that the contract for their plant will be given to
an American firm who speciaUse in this type of machinery.
The present demand for electrical machinery comes principally
from the Norwegian Government, who require material for
railways and their own power schemes, and from county and
municipal bodies, who have initiated schemes for providing

beat and hght for domestic purposes, and power for the use
of small industrial concerns. Many such schemes have been
launched during the war, and most of them will probably hi-
completed, but few new ones are at present being initiated,
owing partly to industrial depression and the fear of financial
difficulties, and partly to the adverse state of the American
exchange.

" It is beheved that British manufacturers cannot at present
produce machines for over 50,0(X) volts (which form a great
portion of the Norwegian business), or electric railway plant
for which there is sure to be a large future demand in this
country. There is aheady a constant and considerable demand
for every kind of electrical fittings and cable, particularly for
domestic, heating, and fighting apparatus. All the details for
lighting fittings are imported from Germany, while heating
apparatus comes almost exclusively from America and Swit-
zerland.

" During the last six to eight months German firms have
booked large orders in Norway for all classes of elecfrical
goods, including cables, but Norwegian buyers are at present
disinclined to place further contracts in that country, as
dehvery under existing contracts is subject to great delays.
" British manufacturers who contemplate competition in
the Norwegian market must be prepared tu secure adequate
local representation, to manufacture material which comphes
with Norwegian regulations, and to keep in the country a
staff of expert fitters capable of installing and putting into
service the machinery which they deliver."

In referring to the Norwegian electro-
ElectrO'Chemical chemical industry, Mr. Paus remarks that
Industry. this industry " would appear to find a

peculiarly suitable home in Norway owing
to the immense supply of cheap water power which is avail- .
able." It is, however, very largely dependent on imported
raw materials; the zinc refineries require spelter, the carbide
factories anthracite or coke, the aluminium factories alumina,
and so on, all of which, in addition to electrodes, must be
imported from abroad. It was, therefore, natural that these
factories should during the war mainly have been engaged
upon contracts for the AlUed Powers, who were in a position
to supply them with the necessary raw materials, and received
in return carbide, cyanamide, nitrate of hme, nitrate of
ammonia, aluminium, refined zinc, ferro-chrome and ferro-
silicon. Exports to the Central Powers consisted of carbide
and minor quantities of refined zinc and nitrate of hme.

" As all these commodities were required for war purposes,
the Norwegian electrochemical industry experienced through-
out the war a period of unprecedented prosperity, which
induced some factories to extend their plant and encouraged
the estabhshment of others. The erection of two large plants
for the production of carbide and one for production of alumi-
nium was commenced, while the existing aluminium factories
under French control extended their operations. The cost of
plant imported under war conditions was necessarily very high,
and it is probable that the new estabhshments will have to
write down their capital before they- can compete in the open
market under normal conditions.

" Exports to Germany grew gradually smaller as the war
progressed under pressure of the blockade, and by the middle
of 1918 consisted only of small quantities of carbide and
nitrate of hme, the largest carbide factory working for the
Central Powers, the Usines Electrochimiques de Hafslund,
which had hitherto been under Austrian control, having then
been transferred to Norwegian ownership and ceased to supply
the enemy.

" The demand for electrochemical products diminished con-
siderably in 1918 and 1919; the war having ended, the period
of prosperity came to an abrupt termination. It was then
found that owing to the high cost of coal and labour in this
country the Norwegian factories, with the exception of Norsk
Hydro Elektrisk Kvcelstofaktieselskab, could not compete with
the Americans even in the European market. A period of
stagnation then set in, punctuated by strikes and other labour
troubles. For many months the whole of the industry was
at a standstill, and, although the labour questions have now
been settled, production is reduced to a minimum except in
the case of Norsk Hydro, who, since August, have been work-
ing at their full capacity on the manufacture of nitrate of
lime and nitric acid. It is stated, however, that even in the
case of this firm, which has its water-power practically gratis,
costs of production are so high as to leave only a small margin
of profit.

" At the end of 1919 the position remains practically un-
changed, but a more hopeful feeling than prevailed four or
five months ago is now noticeable, and it is felt that costs
of production in the various countries all over the world must
sooner or later assume the same relation as they held before
the war, with the result that Norway will resume her old
jilace in the world market. Xo coal is, however, produced in
Norway, and so long as freights remain excessive it
seems impossible that Norwegian industries, which largely
employ coal as a raw material, can hope to compete with
similar industries in coal-producing countries, even if the cost
of labour becomes approximately the sams in all countries."

Vol. 87. No. 2,229, Aoansi 13, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

199

THE HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER COMMISSION
OF ONTARIO.

In presenting the twelfth annual report of the Hydro-electric
Power CkjmmLssion of ths Province of Ontario to the Hon.
Lionel H. Clarke, Lieut. Governor, Sir Adam Beck, the
chairman, emphasises the dilficulties experienced during the
period under aurvey caused by the return to peace conditions
upon the signing of the armistice in November, 1918. At
that time the Commission was supplying approximately 7(J
per cent, of its total output to 400 plants engaged in the
production of war material. The result of the cessation of
hostilities was almost complete idleness so far as these factories
w'ere concerned, with a corresponding bad effect upon the
sales of power. But so quickly was the machinery and plant
adapted to peace-time needs that by the following August
(1919) the output had reached normal conditions, and, gradu-
ally improving, by the end of the year the whole available
power generated was being taken. At the beginning of the
year covered by the report a schedule of rates to cover the
cost of service to all municipalities was fixed, which brought
in a revenue of $3,7'29,7U0, but the aggregate operating costs
amounted to $3,StJO,701, and the net result was, therefore, an
excess of expenditure over income of $130,995.

In spite of the many difficulties encountered owing to
delay in the deUvery of plant and materials, development
work has steadily progressed, obsolete plant has been replaced,
new stations have been erected, and new plant installed.
On the system of the Ontario Power Co. at Niagara Palls,
taken over by the Commission in 1917, a Io.OOO-k.v.a. gene-
rator, delivered in 1918, was erected on temporary foundations,
and put into service as a synchronous condenser, in which
capacity it acted up to July, 1919, supplying about 1'2,0{)U
reactive k.v.a. to a l'2,000-volt bus. This machine was dis-
mantled and re-erected in its permanent position in 28 days.
What wiU be the two largest water-wheel generators in
the world are on order for the Queenston generating station.
These are being manufactured by the Canadian Westing-
house Co.. Ltd., and are designed for an output of 45,0CK1
K.V.A. at .8 power factor, 3-phase, 25 cycles, 12,000 volts, at
187.5 R.p.M. The generator frame will be 25 ft. in diameter,
and the whole machine, with a 173-KW., 250-volt exciter and
thrust bearing, will weigh approximately 1,380,000 lb. Speci-
fications are being prepared for two further generators of the
same rating as well as thirteen 15,000-k.v.a., 12,000—63,500-
volt single-phase transfonners. The Canadian General Electric
Co. is constructing a large capacity synchronous condenser
for the Niagara system. This machine is rated at 10,000 k.v.a.,
three-phase, 25 cycles at 13.200 volts, and 315 r.p.m. It is to
be fitted with an 80-KW., 125-volt exciter, an auto-transformer,
and a motor-driven high-pressure oil pump. The four lines
from^ Niagara to Dundas were fitted with 110,000-volt oil
circuit breakers during the year, and metering equipment
for the 110,000-volt load was put into service in September,
1919. The designs for the con.struction of the Nipigon generat-
ing station in the Thunder Bay system are well under way.
The first step taken was the erection of a temporary '250-
K.v.A. station for the provision of light and power for the
construction of the main works. The Nipigon station will
eventually house six 10,600-k.v.a. vertical water-wheel-driven
generators, and three 24,000-k.v.a. transformer banks, each
consisting of three 8,000-k.v.a. units. Three fully equipped
110,000-volt lines are to be taken from this station, as well
as a number of 12,00(J-volt feeders. The first part of the
installation will consist of two generating units, one bank
of transformers, and one outgoing line. In the Eideau
system, work has been commenced on the High Falls generat-
ing station ; the equipment of this station is to consist of four
3-phase, 60-cycle, 3-50-k.v.a., and one 875-k.v.a. horizontal
shaft generators. The 350-k.v.a. machines will be driven
by two turbines, one generator direct connected to each end
of the turbine shaft. The 875-k.v.a. generator will be direct
connected to a separate turbine. Three 750-k.v.a. step-up
transformers are also to be installed.

Extensive power and storage surveys have been carried
out on all parts of the Commission's systems, particularly
on the Trent, Severn, and St. Lawrence rivers.

Excavation and construction work has been proceeded with
at Niagara, where two new 20,000-h.p. turbines have been
installed. This new plant necessitated the excavation of
147,000 cubic yards of material and the placing of a wood
stave pipe 13.5 ft. in diameter and 6,600 ft. in length. The
water-wheels run at a speed of 187.5 r.p.m., and develop
20,000 H.P. under a head of 180 ft. Construction on the new
development from Chippawa to Queenston has proceeded
rapidly. Some idea of the magnitude of this work may be
obtained from the fact that the largest electric shovels ever
built are in operation, and that .50 miles of standard-gauge
railroads have been laid in connection with the work. The
river section is being deepened and widened by means of
dredges and a cableway, and 492,000 cubic yards of material
had been removed up to the time the report was made.
The foreliay which has involved a great deal of rock drilling
is assuming shape, 437,000 cubic yards of rock having been
taken out. On the canal proper 3,675,000 cubic yards of
eaxth and 283,000 cubic yards of rock have been excavated,
and the walls and canal linings have been treated with con-
crete. The two 50,000-H.p. turbines are being built by the

Wellmau-Seaver-Morgan Co., and dehvery is expected early
nest year. The Nipigon development at Cameron Falls is
supplied by a drainage area of 9,100 square miles. A dam
consisting of a gravity section with about five sluices is to
be constructed. The headworks will be of reinforced concrete,
from which concrete pipes will carry w'ater to 12,.500-h.p.
turbines operating under a 72-ft. head at 120 k.p.m. These
turbines are to be set in reinforced concrete scroll cases.
The tail race of the Healey Falls development was excavated
to the extent of 48,000 cubic yards to permit the installation
of a new 12-ft. diameter steel penstock to supply an additional
5,600-H.P. turbine direct connected to a 3, 750-k.v.a. generator.

The total mileage of lines built and aequiied by the Com-
mission was, up to October 31st, 1919, 2,584. This total
includes 467 miles of 110,000-volt steel-tower line in the
Niagara system, and 964 miles of lines erected on wooden
l)oles. In the Central Ontario sy.stem the total length of
lines is 369 miles. The greater part of these transmission
lines are of aluminium, and the rest are of steel reinforced
aluminium, copper, copper-clad steel, galvanised iron and
galvanised steel. In the report the various types of wires and
cables employed are tabulated, telephone lines being included
with transmission lines. The comparative weights of material
u.sed are interesting. The weight in pounds of materials
u.sed up to the end of October. 1919, are as follows : Alumi-
nium, 2,864,381; copper wire, 2,467,351; galvanised steel cable,
1,296,669; galvanised iron wire, 777,242; steel reinforced
aluminium, 498,928, and copper-clad steel, 230,466. The total
number of steel towers erected to October 31st, 1919, was
446, and wooden poles numbered 76,6.56.

Electric railway work, which was curtailed to a minimum
during the war by a si>ecial Act of the Legislature, was re-
sumed during the period surveyed in the report. Although
little constructional work has been caiTied out, plana have
been prepared, and municipalities have been ascertaining
the desires of their citizens regarding new lines. In many
cases the proposed lines are identical in parts to the Grand
Trunk Railroad, and the Dominion Government, which prac-
tically owns this system, is being urged to secure for the
municipalities the right to run cars on such portions of the
line as run through their districts. This will effect a tremen-
dous economy, and many townships will be concerned.

The position of the Commission's laboratories has become
one of increased importance, and quite 50 per cent, of the
work done in them may be designated»as research. Among
the many investigations carried out by this department during
the year may be included the following : Analysis of the
conditions to be met by high-tension insulators and corre-
sponding tests, relative merits of different types of line con-
.struction from 12,000 to 44,000 volts; factors affecting the
interference of power lines with communication lines, due
to electrostatic and electromagnetic induction, and the effect
of various modifications in present apparatus for protection
against lightning, A great deal of test work has been done
on new plant. The Meter and Standards Laboratory has
executed a large number of tests, but the work on the whole
has been of a constructive nature. The Photographic
Laboratory had an increased volume of orders to attend to
from the engineering staff'. The Chemical Laboratory con-
ducted tests on oils and greases, paints, varnishes, and
analysis of a wide range of materials from rubber to coke
and steel. A 100,000-pound capacity motor-driven, and a
20,000-pound hand-driven Olsen screw testing machines have
been added to the equipment of the Structural Materials
Laboratory for the carrying out of ten.sion, compression, and
bending tests. Four thousand tests have been made on
concrete mixtures to determine the correct proportion of
mixtures to give desired results.

In concluding his letter presenting the report. Sir Adam
Beck acknowledges the untiring zeal and faithful attention
to duty of the staff of the Commi.s.sion, and says: —

" The Commission submits its report with a feeling of
satisfaction, knowing full well that its activities have been
subjected to an inquiry of the most searching nature, the
result of which is a vindication of the policy of public owner-
ship and operation of electrical utilities, andof the Commis-
sion's methods of management and operation," the truth
of which statement is borne out by this last record of the
Commission's work.

Why the Bine-Print ?— Under this title a contributor to

the American Machinist comments on the inconvenience, owing to
size and occasionally to faulty reproduction, of the blue print, and
sofrfreats an alternative method of eupplyinp; working details to
shops. By the employment of photo-engraving upon zinc, detaiU
can be clearly shown in a considerably smaller space, and it is quite
possible to reproduce many drawings measuring 30 in. X 20 in.
upon a block the size of a postcard. This, of course, is constantly
being demonstrated in reproductions of detail drawings in technical
journals. The writer suggests that any manufacturer interested
in the proposal might select one drawing or tracing for this
purpose and thereby ascertain what points need accentuating to
make the system a practicable one from the mechanic's point of
view. The cost of the process is very economical if a large nurnber
of reproductions is required, but in cases where one or two prints
only are wanted, it would not be a paying proposition.

200

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,229, aogdst 13, 1920.

THE CRYSTAL PALACE EXHIBITION.

Although it requires a stretch of imaginatiou to appreciate
the fact, an exhibition of engineering products is actually in
being at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, S.E., as a sort of
supplement to the Imperial War Museum and Great Victory
Exhibition that is now being held there. Contrary to what
one would be led to expect from the grandiose title given it,
the Exhibition is a very poor show (not on account of the
quahty of exhibits, but in point of numbers), and must, we
fear, prove disappointing to the few firms who have taken
the opportunity of exhibiting. Conspicuous by his absence
is the business visitor, and the show, from a business point
of view, must support the opponents of a serious exhibition
as part of a general fair.

Apart from the War Museum in the main hall and the
pleasure ground, the Exhibition is divided into four sections :
Engineering, oil, gas, and electrical, and, be it noted, the
last section is the poorest of the lot. These four small
sections, the business aspect of which recedes far into the
background, sprawl for the most part under the main floor,
and may easily be overlooked by the average visitor.

The engineering section, which is general in character,
nevertheless contains much that will interest electrical en-
gineers. The section comprises 29 stands, ten of which,
however, are occupied by one firm and its as.sociated under-
takings, and is in reality one large stand. The three most
prominent stands are those of the Vickers, Beardmore, and
Armstrong Whitworth combinations.

The oil section is housed in a separate building removed
from the rest, and is made up of ten stands, on which are
seen some good examples of oil engines in motion, pumps,
boiler oil-furnace systems, and samples and the products
of various oil companies.

In the gas section, which contains 13 stands, some of
which were unoccupied at the time of our visit, one sees
gas engines, cookers, ii'ons, stoves and radiators, water
heaters, lighting fittings, &c.

The electrical portion, which, as stated above, is a poor
show, excites httle attention. The only apparatus of any
.size exhibited on the 17 .stands in the section, is that shown by
Messrs. Wm. Geipei & Co., which includes switchgear, motor
starters, and speecT regulators. A feature is the coiifnctor
type of panel for automatically control-
ling D.c. motors which has recently been
placed on the market. It consists of a
single-pole contactor main switch which
operates in the main circuit between
magnetic blow-outs and a master rheo-
stat. The latter is of novel construction,
comprising a series of contact fingers
corresponding to the number of rheostat
contactors. When the master controller
is in the " off " position the contactor-
operating coils, which are arranged in
series in a common circuit, ' are short
circuited. They are brought into opera-
tion one after the other by the operation
of the master solenoid, until the whole
of the resistance is cut out. The ex-
hibit includes dimming and automatic
time switches, wires and cable, resistance
units, and instruments for measur-
ing, testing, and electro-medical purposes. A portable kine-
matograph projector that was recently described in our pages
is shown by the Oxford Eddcational Films Supplies Co.,
Ltd., while the Vdlco Magneto Co. has on view accumula-
tors, ■ dry batteries, and ignition coils.

The British Ebonite Co., Ltd., Messrs. Ebonestos In-
sulators, Ltd., and Messrs. Attwater & Sons each have a
show case containing samples of their well-known insulators
and insulating materials. Messrs. F. L. Mitchell & Co.,
Ltd., exhibit wii'eless telegraphic and telephonic apparatus,
medical coils, instruments, and electrical novelties, the main
exhibit being the " world wide " wireless receiving set which
covers all wave lengths of from 150 to 25,000. By a special
process of winding the inductors, capacity effects are mini-
mised. Fine adjustment is rendered possible by the com-
bination of selector switches; two valves are used for high-
frequency amplification and two for low-frequency, a
separate h.t. battery being employed for each pair of valves.
The cabinet containing the outfit is but 3 ft. square, and
the makers claim that it will receive messages from any
average-power station in the world. A new type of 3-valve
amplifier is also shown by means of which an almost un-
limited variety of circuits can be arranged by connecting or
disconnecting to the terminals, mounted on the amplifier,
which intercommunicate with plate and grid connections in-
side the insti'ument.

Messrs. A. Winston & Co., Ltd., exhibit X-ray apparatus,
while the Synchronome Co., Ltd., provides the time-keeping
service throughout the electrical and engineering sections of
the Exhibition, the various clocks being operated from one
self-wound controlling pendulum exhibited in the electrical
section. The London Electric Wire Co. & Smiths, Ltd.,
shows a selection of wires and cables, while amongst the
exhibits of Messrs. A. Gallenkamp & Co., Ltd., in the en-

gineering section are seen electric furnaces for the Lessing
coking test of coal, and electric laboratory furnaces.

Domestic electrical appliances form the majority of e.xhibits
in the electrical section; suction sweepers are shown by the
Hoover Suction Sweeper Co., Ltd., and Messrs. Magic
Applunces, Ltd., and Messrs. Charles Beck & Co., Ltd.;
the latter firm also has on view electric washing machines and
iroiiers, which are only partly electrical inasmuch as they are
heated by gas or petrol.

So far as concerns the War Museum, which is intended
to be a national record of those things which helped in the
painful spelling of the word " Victory," it will suffice, without
going into a detailed description, to record that relics from
captured and surrendered German submarines, including elec-
trical cooking and heating apparatus, motors, accumulators,
switchgear, instruments, <i-c., are in the collection. There are
also types of British searchlights, German landing lights for
aircraft, cable wagons, cables, air line stores, telephones,
PuUerphones, wire and wireless telegraphic apparatus, and
many other exhibits of interest.

STREET LIGHTING WITH LOW MOUNTED
UNITS.'

The Kensico reservoir, located east of the Hudson River,
about 30 miles approximately north from the New York City
Hall, is an artificial lake tonned by the Kensico dam across
the valley of the Bronx river about three miles north of White
plains, near the village of Valhalla, N.Y.

The arts of structural and landscape ai'chitecture have been
employed to make the entire construction a work of beauty,
in keeping with its magnificent proportions.

A public highway, carrying con.siderable automobile traffic,
traverses the top of the dam. The part of the roadway cross-
ing the top is approximately 2,200 ft. long and 26 ft. wide.
It is bordei'ed on one side by a sidewalk about 4 ft. wide.
The roadway is brick paved and runs between cut stone para-
pets approximately i ft. in height.

The architectural specifications for the dam would not per-
mit the use of poles in connection with a lighting system of
the roadway. It was, therefore, decided that the lighting

r* ■

ij^S^H^BHSm'

H

nm

R

h^^b:

RkiJM:ii«i'.'>r

• <-«a', ;.-

iji'jy- ■"

^

. 1

Pig. 1. — Exterior
Lighting Unit.

Fig. 2. — Interior View, showing Prismatic
Glass Door, Reflector, and Baffle m Position.

should be provided from ports located in the side of the
parapet wall. Openings were cut in the stone work approxi-
mately 13^ in. square and 1.5 in. deep, spaced approximately
37J ft. apart and located on both sides of the roadway with a
staggered arrangement of spacing. The centres of the open-
ings are 26^ in. above the surface of the roadway.

The complete lighting units are neat in appearance and of
weather-proof construction. Each unit comprises a reflecting
device with baflle and mounting, a dis^x'rsing door and a
transformer. The mirror is approximately lis in. in vertical
diameter and lOJ in. in horizontal diameter, and the
shape is that obtained when a series of conical frusta,
each I in. in width, is cut by a plane parallel to the axis and
I in. distant, the smaUer portion being used, and two such
joined together. The sections of conical frusta above men-
tioned are such as would be tangent at their middle points
to an inscribed parabola of 2i in. focal length. There is a
curved baffle located directly in front of the lamp so as to
screen direct rays from the lamp filament.

A cast metal frame of suitable size fits the opening in the
parapet wall, and carries a hinged door which is fitted
for supporting the prismatic glass. The dispersing glass in the
door consists of one piece of .sheet prism glass with the prisms
placed vertically, and its fuuction is to give some diffusion and
give additional spread to the beam of light so as to produce
uniform illuminaton over the surface of the street.

The source of light consists of a O-volt lOS-watt Mazda " 0 "
headlight lamp. As these lamps operate at a very high
efficiency and are designed for shorter life than is considered
practicable for street-lighting service, it was deemed desirable
to operate them at a somewhat lower efficiency than rated.

'Transactions of the Illuminating Engineering Society, April
30th, 1990. Abstract.

Vol. 87. No. 2,229, August l.S, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

201

Consequently, power is supplied by means of individual trans-
formers giving 5i volts. Operating at this voltage, the lamps
will consume approximately 94 watts and give an average life
commensurate with that of lamps designed for street-lighting
service. Figs. 1, 2, 3 show in detail the location and construc-
tion of the lighting units. In addition to the ones used on the
roadway, similar lighting units supply illumination for the
terrace along the base of the dam.

There is a very wide sprea^d of light in the horizontal plane
and consequently the illumination over the whole roadway

, . n ,1. 1

3,I0J

FiQ. 3.— Skction and Plan of Lighting Unit.

and parapet walls is comparatively uniform. The illumination
falls off rapidly above the horizontal, and at the eye level of an
automobile driver the intensity is comparatively low. Critical
observations of the lighting effect show it to be adequate to
meet the usual requirements of first-class highway lighting and
agreeable to travellers. The night views, figs. 5 and 6, show
the illumination results obtained, the former Ijeing taken look-

PlG. 1.— NlliUT PHOTOGRAl-n, I^OOKING ALONG i jEVEL OF
R0ADW.«.

ing along the level of the roadway while the latter was taken
at a considerable elevation. A system such as that described
may or may not be practical foi- the lighting of ordinary streets
or roadways, depending upon conditions and requirements.
However, the results obtained in this particular case are grati-
fying and may form a basis for other installations of similar
requirements. The power consumption is not prohibitive
(approximately 5 watts per running foot of roadway), the

RLECTRICITY SUPPLY AUTHORITIES.

We have received from the Secretary of the Association of Muni-
cipal Corporations a report of the proceedings on July 13th, when
a deputation from the Association attended at the Ministry of
Transport with regard to the Electricity (Supply) Bill. Sir Robt.
Fox, Town Clerk of Leeds, and chairman of the Law Committee of
the Association, said the Association held that there was no need to
proceed with the whole Bill ; they had better be given an
opportunity of seeing how they could work the 19111 Act, but that
Act made no financial provision. In the opinion of the Associa-
tion, the main requirement of the moment was the enactment of
the clauses of the 1919 Bill, which dealt with finance, providing a
sum of 25 millions for the Electricity Commissioners to lend to the
joint electricity authorities. Municipal authorities were experi-
encing very great difficulty in raising money, and in oider to get
the national electricity supply scheme on its feet, they must have
from the Exchequer either money or a guarantee. They objected
to the rates being employed as security — they could not afford it ;
they looked to the taxes for a guarantee. Incidentally, Sir Robert
raised the question of small isolated undertakings such as those at
Folkestone or Harrogate, which required electricity supply, but
were remote from industries ; could they not be left alone to carry
on as before .'

In reply, Mr. Arthur Neal, M.P. (Parliamentary Secretary to
the Ministry of Transport), said the Act did not insist on the
inclusion of all undertakings in the national scheme ; it was
permissive only. He was well aware of the position outlined by
Sir Robt. Fox. The Commissioners had reported to him that they
had no reason to be dissatisfied with the signs with reference to
the formation of joint electricity authorities, and if those
authorities came into existence throughout the areas delimited, the
question of district boards would disappear. It was not proposed
to proceed with the present Bill until the autumn ; it might be
thcu jht unnecessary to proceed with it in its present form. With^
regard to raising money, he could not agree that it could be done'
only in two ways — on the security either of the rates or the taxes.
Public companies which had no rates to fall back upon were under .
statutory obligation to find money. The joint electricity authority
would always have the security of the undertaking itself. He '
agreed that it was easier to raise the money with the backing of
the rates or taxas, and it might be cheaper, but that was only a
question of terms. The main attack in the House of Lords was ou
the financial clauses. Government guarantees were extremely
diflicult to get from the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In many
cases it would be for the corporations whose undertakings were-
being pooled to guarantee the capital in respect of the joint
authority. That would not involve a charge on the rates, unless
the undertaking became financially unsound. The Commissioners
were very anxious that Corporations helping to frame the schemes
should back them with the rates.

Sir Robt. Fox again "implored" Mr. Neal not to ask them to
charge the rates, and urged that where there was some Government
assistance, it would tide the joint electricity authority over the
first short and difficul t period during which money had to be spent
before there was any revenue. There was no difficulty when the.
revenue began to come in, and there wad no chance of a charge OB^
the rates. "''"Z

Fig. 5.— Night Photograph, Looking Down dpon Roadway.

illumination is of sufficient uniformity, there are no poles to
mar the architectural beauty of the structure, light is confined
and distributed so as not to be objectionable from the stand-
point of glare — all of which are factors that have considerable
bearing in striving for the ideal of the illuminating engineer.

The idea of using low mounted units for street lighting is
not new, but grave doubts had been expressed concerning its
practicability. This successful application demonstrates its
possibilities.

Proposed Solent Tunnel. — Sir Eric (leddes, Minister of
Transport, on July 28th. received a deputation from the Isle of
Wight, which pressed for improved means of communication
between the island and the mainland. It considered that the best
solution of the difficulty was to construct a tunnel under the Solent,
In reply. Sir Eric Geddes said that at present the cost of con-
structing a tunnel under the Solent would be more than £2,000,000,
and he was doubtful if the revenue would be sufficient to make the
tunnel self-supporting.

THE RECOVERY OF ALCOHOL FROM '
COKE-OVEN GAS.

At a meeting of the Cleveland Institution of Engineers in
December last, a paper by Messrs. Ernest Bury and 0.
Ollander on " By-product Development in the Iron and
Steel Industry " was read by Mr. Bury. Particulars of the
plant for the electrostatic deposition of flue dust at the Skia-
ningrove Ironworks were to have been given, but the plaut,
had not been completed; it is intended for the recovery of
potash. We have now received from Mr. Bury a printed copy
of the paper, of which the following is an abstract.

The national requirements of motor spirits for all purposes
are 160 miUion gallons per annum, towards which only '30
millions are home-produced. In 1913 Mr. Bury suggested
that ethylene could be recovered from coke-oven gas, which ■
contains 2 per cent, by volume of ethylene and its homo-
logues. By the fixation of ethylene 23.4 million gallons of
alcohol could be recovered from the by-product coke- ovens-
of the country, as well as 27 million gallons from the gas-
works; with 30 milUon gallons of benzol from the- former,
and 34 millions from the latter in addition, a total of 114.4
million gallons could be home produced, out- of a total of
160 millions.

Research was undertaken during the war for the prodno-.
tion of ethylene, and after the armistice attention was- turned
to alcohol. Strong sulphuric acid was used as the absorbent,
in preference to charcoal, and it was found that 70 to 80 per
cent, of the total ethylene present in the gas could be ab-
sorbed, at a temperatuj-e of 60 to 80 deg. C. From the result-
ing ethyl hydrogen sulphate, an 80 per cent, yield of acetic
acid could be obtained by electrolysis; a 70 per cent, yield
of ethyl alcohol could be obtained by hydrolysis with super-
heated steam. The process involved the formation of sulphur
dioxide in the acid, but on p,issinc the SO. waste through
the coke-oven -gas; it reacted; with the IT.S in the gas, -both

202

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2.229, August 13, 1920.

purifying the gas aDd providing sulphur for the manufacture
of sulphuric acid, to be used for alcohol recovery and for the
manufacture of sulphate of ammonia.

The heat required to raise the temperature of the cooled
gas to 80 deg. C. was obtained from the wet gases evolved
from the coke-oven plant at '2.50-3(X) deg. C, and that required
to heat the absorbent acid wa.s derived from producer gas
made from waste coke-dust briquettes. The ethylene ex-
tracted from the gas represented only 4.7 per cent, of the
total calorific value of the dried gas, and only 1.1 per cent
of that of the moist coke-oven gas, hence the heating value of
the gas was not appreciably lowered.

The authors explained the arrangement of the recovery
plant and its operation, and claimed as new the use of a
temperature of 60 to 80 deg. C. for the absorption process,
the utilisation of waste heat and fuel for the purpose of the
reactions, and the utilisation of the decomposition product
(SOj). They were satisfied that they could make cheap
alcohol from coal gas on an industrial scale.

In the discussion. Dr. Strau said the paper marked an
epoch, and was noteworthy for the discovery of the best tem-
perature to employ and the utilisation of waste heat. Other
speakers paid tribute to the pioneering work done at Skm-
ningrove; Mr. Alfred Hutchin.son, the head of the firm,
stated that Mr. Bury was one of the first in England to
recover benzol from coke-oven gas. The result of his patient
work was such a yield of alcohol as, mixed with benzol, would
produce the most perfect motor fuel yet devised, and almost
double the national resources in this respect. In the process
he not only recovered ethylene, the source of numerous
valuable substances, but also used the by-product SO, to
recover sulphur from the H.S in the gas, used part of
the sensible heat in the gas, and finally used the only
remaining waste material— the fine coke dust for which
no one had previously found any use. By thus producmg
alcohol from coke-oven gas he saved the food-stufl's hitherto
consumed for that purpose. Mr. Hutchinson pointed out
that the authors' work emphasised the value of anadequate.
highly-trained staff, capable of undertaking organic as well
as inorganic research, in modern steel works.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received ty us after B P.M. ON Tuesday cannot appear until
the foUounnq week. Correspondents should forward their communi-
cations at the earliest possible moment. No letter can IcpuUished
unless we hare the writer's name and address in our possession.

Maximum Load Indicator.

In your issue of July 23rd an inquiry is made for a device
for checking the maximum load on transformers.

We believe the Reason Co., of Brighton, has made a special
form of its maximum demand indicator for fitting on trans-
formers and in feeder pillars.

For checking the loading of transformers by the maximum
temperature reached it has been found useful and practicable
to employ maximum and minimum thermometers.

It is necessary, of course, to have one in or closely adiacent
to the transformer and another exposed to the outside air.

E. D. A.

London, W.C. 2.
August 6tfc, 1920.

Municipal Contracting.

I ghall be glad if you' will allow me to correct a statement
which appears in the description of the extensions to the
Wolverhampton Corporation Electricity Works in your issue

of July 30th. . . , , X. 1

Therein it is stated that the electricity department s rela-
tions with the contractors of the town are very satisfactory,
and with the view presumably of giving proof of the healthy
condition of affairs, it is added that sixteen new contractors
have sprung up within the past few years.

Lest your statement be accepted by your readers, and used
by supnorters of municipal trading as evidence of the bene-
ficent influence of this particular form of communism, or
perchance lead to a further influx of budding contractors in
search of an El Dorado, it is but fair to state that the leading
contractors of the town are far from being satisfied with
the methods adopt.ed by the electricity department, and look
vrith dismay on the degradation of the industry which is in
progress.

As evidence of this, a deputation of the four leading con-
tractors called on the engineer and chairman of the Electricity
CommittPe to ventilate their grievance, and to ask for a
modification of the treatment they were receiving at the
hands of the department. T am sorry to say that the inter-
view did not bring about any improvement.

Unfortunately the attitude of the deportment has materially
changed during the past few years, and it appears that an
endeavour is being made to hasten the demise of the contractor
by an overdose of kindness.

It is very obvious that a system which enables a powerful
public department to handle tenders, and " pass on " what

it thinks fit while charging a commission on the process
of " passing," can l)e operated very much to the detriment
of those who accept the passes.

I agree that on the face of it this rapid sprouting is an
indication of the fertility of the soil, and perhaps more so
of the efficacy of the artificial manure supplied by the elec-
tricity department to stimuhite their growth, but the best
result will not be attained unless the process is accompanied
by .suitable selection.

Mr. Allen could give very material assistance to the con-
tracting industry, while at the same time enhancing the
publicity of himself and his department, were he to use his
influence to improve the status of the legitimate contractor,
by supporting those who are in a position to maintain the
respect and prestige of the electrical profession.

I venture to say that no consulting engineer worthy of the
name could survive were he to give support to a retinue
such as Wolverhampton's twenty contractors.

Wolverhampton.

August 7th, 19'20.

Thomas Smith.

Smith d Bellhou$e.

An Attack on Foremen.

The current issue of The Electron, the official organ of the
B.T.U. contains an extract from the " Business Man's Maga-
zine," 1908, entitled " But Still True." It is a virulent
attack on the personal characters of foremen generally. The
anonymity of the original contrilmtion is to be deprecated ;
but, at the same time, it should be refuted — it is too general.
No sane man would write such a deliberate perversion of
the truth, unless afflicted with a bad attack of cacuethes
scribeiidi. What was the editor doing to publish such stuff
on the front page of a iournal which has (or at least .should
have) as its object to tell the truth to its readers?

As the contributor has made himself responsible for one
narticular paragraph by ti-an.sforming the common letterpress
into italics, that paragraph is given here : "... Wlienever
I find a workman employed uninterruptedly for a great num-
lier of years in a large works where other men are being
frequently suspended or ili.scharged. I am suspicious of that
man's integrity or ability." In inv opinion, and I have
been a foreman of engineers for nearly forty years, the .state-
ment is as fal.se as hell, and should be refuted by all
mechanics — honest and able, and who have been able, as a
direct result of their integrity and ability, to hold their
positions, while others less honest, and le.ss able, have con-
tinued to compose the flotsam and jetsam of the casual labour
crowd, who are bound to be discharged first when trade
slackens.

I have not the slightest antipathy towards the E.T.U. nor
its official organ, but as a foreman who has always been a
particular friend and helper to men who have served under
me. I strongly resent the attack on myself, and on many
splendid men of my own personal acquaintance, by the
writer to The Electron.

.4 London Foreman.

August 2h(7, 1920.

THE INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL
ENGINEERS.

At the Lincoln meeting of the Institution, last month, a
number of papers were read on subjects more or less directly
allied to electrical engineering, which are briefly abstracted
below. I '^JSI

M.\RSHAU.s' Nrw Power Station.

Mr. F. J. Cribb described the new power station of Messrs.
Marshall. Sons & Co., Gainsborough. Tlie old station in 1916
was overloaded 100 per cent. .A site was purchased on the
river Ti-ent, and new plant of 3,000 KW. was installed, consist-
ing of two 1,500-KW. Ljungstrom turbo-generators working
at 6.600 volts, 50 cycles. 3-pha,se, at 3,000 r.p.m.. with Eey-
roUe ironclad switchgear, and four Babcock & Wilcox boilers.
A Oaird & Rayner evaporator provides pure make-up feed
water.

During the six months starting November 1st, 1919. about
li million kw. -hours were generated, with a fuel consumption
of 2.85 lb. per Kw.-hour (inferior coal). The old station in
1913 generated three million units, at 5J lb. per unit. Tested
in March, the steam consumption of the turbines was 12.42 lb.
per KW.-hour. Power is transmitted half a mile to the Britan-
nia Works, and converted to d.c. at 220 volts by motor con-
verters.

The TJNtFi.ow Ste.\m Engine.

In a paper on this subject. Mr. F. B. Pbrrt stated that
the IJniflow encine was invented in this country in 1885
by T J. Todd, but ilid not come into vogue until the idea
was developed in Germanv : its manufacture was then taken
up bv Continental and British firms, and as much as 6.000
H r has been obtained from a single cvlinder at 120 R.P.M.
With a boiler pressure of 180 lb. and 900 deg. F. superheat.
consumpHons of 10.5 lb. and 10 lb. per i.H.P.-hour have been
recorded with engines of 500 and 1,500 i.h.p. respectively.

Vol. 87. No. 2,229, AuQTJST 13, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REYEEWc

203

the high economy being due mainly to the reduction of cylinder
condensation resulting from the design, which enables a very
high ratio of expansion to be secured. The space occupied is
also small, and the economy is maintained at low loads. As
the whole of the power is developed in one cylinder, the
governing is extremely quick in action, and the simplicity of
the engine reduces the cost of upkeep, oil. and stores. The
author described two engines, built by Messrs. Eobey & Co.,
Ltd., and by Messrs. Galloways, Ltd., respectively.

Some Lincolnshihe Oil Engines.
This was the title of a paper by Mr. P. H. Livens, in which
he traced the history of the oil engine using heavy oil.
culminating in the invention by .\kroyd Stuart of the separate
vaporising chamber in 189fl. which was the origin of the
" Hornsby-Akroyd " type of oil engine. The.se engines in
their latest development (Ruston & Horn.sby) are made up
to 170 H.p. in a .single cylinder, attaining a consumption of
0.4 lb. of fuel oil of 18,000 b.th.u. per lb., equivalent to a
thermal efficiency of 30 to 3.5 per cent. This engine is as
economical as the Die.sel, without requiring an air-compressor
for injecting the fuel or being liable to excessive explosion
pressures. The two-stroke hot-bulb engine is also briefly
described.

CIRCULATING-CURRENT CONNECTIONS
DELTA-STAR TRANSFORMERS.

FOR

By ,T. HENDERSON.

A GREAT deal of confusion has resulted from the non-
uniformitv of connections of three-phase power transformers.
This chiefly results when the transformers are protected by
circulating-current gear, and when it becomes necessary to
parallel two oransformers supplied by different makers.

When three single-phase transformers are connected up
delta-star, it is usual to make the delta in such a way that
the star currents are 30° leading or lagging on the corres-
ponding delta currents, assuming unity power factor.
When, however, three-phase transformers are supplied as
single units, it is found in cases that the star currents are
150'" leading or lagging on the corresponding delta currents.
It is, therefore, possible to have on one system four different
types of connection, and as each type gives a different
method of connecting up the protective gear, it means that

marked in accordance with the • above rule. The delta
connections may be indicated by simply writing down the
ends of the windings connected together, thus : —
A, C„ B, Ao C, Bo

I I I

Phase ABC

A reversal of the delta is got by connecting as follows :—

A, Bu B, Co C, Ao

III"
Phase ABC

The normal star polarity is as shown, ^o *o '^o being
starred and the ends «, J, (\ being brought to the terminals.

PROTECTION

TRANSFORM

TRANSFORMER

If a, J, f, were starred, this would lead to a reversal of th
star polarity.

The four methods of connection are tabulated below, and
in each case the phase difference between the corresponding
delta and star currents is given: —

Fio. 2.

Fio.i .■?.

unless some method can be found of laying down a
standard system of connections, these must be made by trial
and error.

The first question to be settled in all cases should be the
transformer polarity. This ought to be indicated on the
transformer case, and the ends of all windings should be
brought out to the top of the transformer, and marked
according to the rule laid down by the British Engineering
.Standards Association. This is reproduced as follows : —

" The two ends of every winding shall be marked with
the letters 0 and 1, the end marked 1 being positive. The
direction of the e.m.f. from t„ to t, in the primary shall be
the same as from t^ to /, in the secondary. The same rule
shall apply to the different phases a, b, i\ Ac., of a
polyphase transformer."

Fig. 1 shows a sketch of a three-phase delta-6tar trans-
former connected to give normal polarity with the windings

1. Normal Delta and Star. — Star current leads delta
current by 30°.

2. Reverse Delta, Normal Star. — Star current lags 30"
behind delta current.

3. Normal Delta, Reverse Star. — Star current lags 150'
behind delta current.

4. Reverse Delta, Reverse Star. — Star current leads 150^
on delta current.

Fig. 2 shows the primary and secondary current vectors
for a transformer with normal polarity as in fig. 1.

The correct connections for the circulating-current pro-
tective gear can be obtained at once from the vector diagram ,
fig. 8.

The protective transformeis on the piianry side of (be
power transformer are star-connected, fig. 4. Assuming
that the polarities are known and marked, as in fig. 4,
Ap, A^, Bpi B^, Cj,, Cpo, it is the general practice to star the

204

THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWo [Voi 87. No. 2,229, august 13, 1920.

^\i and bring out the I'e. Thus the current in the pilot
-■vrires- leaving the primary protective transformers will
be in phase with the corresponding current in the primary
cables. This is shown in fig. 3 by the vectors ia^„ ib^„
IC,,. In order to get the current circulating in the pilot
wires, it is necessary to have the current in the leads, leav-
ing the secondary delta connected protective transformers
180* out of phase with the corresponding current from the
primary transformers. To obtain this, the delta of the
protective transformers must be reversed. This causes the
current in the pilots to lead 30° on the corresponding
.current in the secondary cables. This is shown in fig. 3
by the vectors i„p, itp, icp, leading 30° on the vectors !„, ij,
If. There is now G0° difference in the corresponding cur-
rents in the pilots, and we must have 180". This can only
be obtained by crossing over the pilot wires, as shown by
the vectors, or what amounts to the same thing, by con-
necting the leads Aj,, b^, Cp on to the terminals apo, hp„, cp^.
This is done in fig. 4.

Using the same argument, the connections can be drawn
out for any power transformer protected by circulating-
current gear provided the polarity is known. If it is not
knoivn, a simple test with a small cell and polarised volt-
meter will soon give the necessary information.

It cannot be urged too strongly, however, that the makers
should all conform to one standard or, failing this, that they
should bring out the ends of all windings and mark
the phase letters with 0 or 1 to indicate the polarity.
This would have the advantage that supply undertakings
could in a few minutes change over the connections to suit
requirements.

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ROADWAY
AUTHORITIES.

In "early days the highways were in charge' of the
inhabitants of the parishes, and they were responsible
for their repair. During the nineteenth century they
Were gradually taken over by more responsible bodies
under different Acts of Parliament. According to the
old common law the surveyors of highways could not be
sued for personal injuries resulting from the non- repair of
highways, or according to 'the legal terms they could be
sued for misfeasance, but not non-feasance. That is to say
a highway authority could not be sued for the result of an
accident due to a rut, but could if it was due to an
obstruction such as a heap of stones left in the roadway.
The dividing line between misfeasance and nonfeasance has
always been very fine.

Although local bodies are. not liable for injuries due to
the non-repair of a highway, there are circumstances where,
as highway authorities, they are liable, because they are
acting in another capacity which does not carry with it the
same immunity from the result of some negligent omission.
For example, when an accident takes place from a faulty
gully grating, the local authority may be liable as the owner
of the sewers ; and similarly where a water-meter box had
a faulty cover, liability was held in the capacity of an
authority for watering a street.

When the Tramways Act was passed in 1870 the pro-
motera of the tramways were, by Sec. 28, held answerable
for the repair of the roadway between the rails and 18 in.
outside the outer rails. By Sec. 5-") "the promoters or
lessees shall be answerable for all accidents, damages, or
injuries happening through their act or default of any
person in their employment by reason or in consequence of
any of their works or carriages." In accordance with
Sec. 29 of the same Act, in order to enable the same
authority to be responsible for the whole roadway it was
enacted that the road authority could enter into an agree-
ment to keep the tramway strip of roadway in repair, and
the liability would then he transferred to the latter. In the
case >>l Howett r. N 'ttin'.'ham Tramways in 1883, it was
decided by the Court Of Appeal that in such circumstances
the road authorities could then be sued in case of injuries
due . to the nonrepair, despite the old principle of
nonfeasance.

A case was recently tried before Mr. Justice Darling, that
of Wrench &. Son v. Sobey and the London County Council,
which illustrates the law on the question. Servants of
Mr. Sobey were wheeling a hand-cart containing a 25-ft.
ladder along Gray's Inn Road. There was a rut in the
paving abaut 1 ft. from one of the tram lines. The rut wag
about 3 ft. long, 4 in. wide, and 1 in. in depth. One wheel
of the truck went into the rut, the hand-cart slewed round,
and a passing tramcar drove it through a shop window
belonging to the plaintiffs, doing considerable damage.

The Judge found that the L.C.C. was guilty of negli-
gence in failing to keep its part of the roadway level or
free from danger to other traffij ; he found, however, that
the driver of the tramcar was free from blame. He also
held that the servants of Mr. Sobey ought to have seen that
they did not wheel the truck into the hole, and that as
there was plenty of room they need not have wheeled it so
close to the tram lines, and they were, therefore, also guilty
of negligence. As the accident was held to have happened
owing to the combined negligence of Sobey's men and the
L.C.C, judgment was given, with costs, against both
defendants.

Some interesting cases are on record dealing with
accidents to drivers through over-bridges and arches ; they
illustrate the question of non-feasance, misfeasance, and the
effect of statutory duties. In 188 'J a carter sued the
Wandsworth District Board, which had taken over a
roadway passing under an arch, the road at one end of the
archway being lower than the other. The carter when
passing injured his head at the low end of the archway. It
was decided that the road had been dedicated to the public
subject to this obstruction, and, therefore, an action could not
be maintained. In another case a contractor employed by
the Tottenham Urban District Council, when making up a
road under a bridge, left a ridge, and owing to the jolting
of a passing cart, the driver struck his head against the
bridge. It was held that an action lay. as the local authority
bad, through their contractor, been guilty of negligence in
raakLug an obstruction in the roadway. A third case, con-
nected with an archway, was decided by the Court of Appeal
in the spring of this year, in which the Finsbury Borough
Council was the defendant. In 1U18, during the time of
the lighting restrictions, the driver of a mail cart had to
take a circuitous route owing to the results of a fire, and
passed at night down a street that was strange to him. He
turned down a side street, and was killed, because his head
hit against a low archway. The street lamps had been painted
grey, and the driver had not seen the arch. According to
the iletropolis Local Management Act, 185."), the Council
had a duty to see that their streets were well and suitably
lighted, and the Judge decided that an action would lie
against a public authority for having done negligently an
act which the legislature authorised them to do.

It would seem, on the face of it, unfair to make the
Council responsible for an accident during the time of
compulsorily-reduced lighting, but it must be remembered
that in times of great change or emergency it is impossible
to adjust the laws to such conditions, and, therefore, under
such circumstances, hardships are bound to occur ; and it
is remarkable how few the legal hardships have been,
considering the peculiar circumstances the country has
passed through.

A World's Market in Paris, — The Federation of British

Industries has undertaken the direct representation for Great
Britain and the Dominions of the Paris " Marche du Monde." The
idea of establishine: a" World's Market ' in Paris wa3 conceived in
1919. and from the first received the cloae attention and approral
of the Federation. After a year's work the scheme has now come
very close to practical realisation. The site for the building is
beini; cleared, and contracts for its erection have been placed. Already
a very considerable number of American, French. Italian, and
other Continental as well as some British firms have reserved space
in the " Marche du Monde ' when completed.

The Federation recommends manufacturers enga^red in, or oon-
teraplatinu, export trade to give the " Marche du Monde " scheme
their earnest consideration.

Any further information desired may be obtained immediately
on application to the "Marche du Monde ' Exhibition Section of
the Federation of British Industries, 39, St. James's Street,
London, S.'W. 1.

Vol. 87. No. 2,229, August 13, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

205

BUSINESS NOTES.

"Electrical Review" Index.— The Index to Vol. 86 of

the Electrical Review has been printed, and copies may be
obtained (Gd. pDst free) from the Publisher, Electrical Review,
4, Ludsate Hill, London, E.G. 4.

Bankruptcy Proceedings.— J- Jagger (J. Jaeger & Co.),

electrical engineer and contractor, 28, Northgate, Halifax.— The
first meeting of creditors was held at Halifax County Court, la*t
week. The gross liabilities estimated by the debtor amouni, to
£1,3.'>S, with £l,r!0:^ expected to rank for dividend. Mr. A. Crray
WM appointed trustee, with a committee.

CrTHRERT Joseph Thohas Haymax, 70, Malvern Road, Lejton-
stone, late 96, Woodhouse Road, Leytonstone, and 1, Goodmayes
Road, Goodmayes, electrical engineer.— The following are creditors
herein : —

Fird H £30 Vallot, J £99

Redolilte, E. A. D 53 Preferential creditors . . . . 16

Btrathdee. K 15

Liabilities, £221 : assets, nil.

Company Liquidations.— North British Electric

Weldixu Co., Ltd. — Winding up voluntarily. Draft agreement
between the company and the North British Premier Electric
WeMing Co., Ltd. (now in course of formation) approved.
Liquidator, Mr. W. Gilchrist, 30, George Square, Glasgow. A
meeting of creditors was called for August 12th. Particulars of
claims must be sent to the liquidator by September 30th.

Pearson's Electric Miners' Lamp Masufacturino Co., Ltd.
— A meeting of creditors was called for August 10th. Liquidator,
Mr. A. E. Green.

H. W. Cox it Co., Ltd. — Meeting of members September 30th,
at Twyford Abbey Works, Acton Lane, Harlesden, N.W., to hear an
account of the winding up from the liquidator, Mr. B. H. Morphy.

Dissolutions of Partnersliip.— Wild & Booth, plumbers,

hot-water and electrical engineers, 117, Stalker Lees Road, Sheffield.
— Mr. D. Wild and Mr. M. Booth have dissolved partnership.

Caisley, Jacques & Co., electrical contractors and motor engi-
neers, 2, Devonshire Place, Grange-over-Sands, Lancashire. — By an
order of July 14th of the Lancashire County Coutt. held at Birrow,
in an action Jacques r. R. Caisley and F. W. Kenward, it was
declared and adjudged that the partnership lately existing between
Mr. J. W. Jacques, Mr. R. Caisley, and Mr. F. W. Kenward, ought
to stand dissolved as from June 8th, 1920. Mr. F. J. Harrison,
accountant, Ulverston, has been appointed Receiver, and will attend
t) debts and claims.

Trade Announcements.— The Compression Starter

AND Switchoear Cc, Ltd., of Penny Lane, Lancashire Hill,
Stockport, has acquired from Messrs. Ferranti, Ltd., the section of
their business relating to direct-current compression motor starters,
together with raw material, manufactured parts, machinery, and
patent rights relating to these articles. Mr. T. N. Robinson,
formerly with the Stockport Corporation electricity department, is
managing director of the company.

The Enterprise Electrical Co . Bradford, announce that
their new address is at <)77, Little Ilorton Lane.

It is announced that the business of the late Mb. Edward
Dewhurst, electrical engineer, of Mount Street and Theatre
Street, Preston, and Higher Bank Road, Fulwood. will be continued
by Ihi executors.

Mb, C. B. Maurice, of Russell Square Mansions, 122, South-
ampton Row, W.C. 1, informs us that he has resigned his offices of
chairman and director uf Messrs. Catchpole & Maurice Ltd., as
from 5th inat.

Mr. Ashton Bbejineb, of 125, Pall Mall, London, S.W. 1, Is
open to consider agencies for electrical machinery, &c., and will be
glad to hear from manufacturers.

Catalogues and Lists.— Messrs. Cohnolly Bros., 6'.),

St. Stephen street, Salford, Manchester. — Price list No. 122a, and
samples of white, JO mils, thick, and black, 12 mils., " Nonsol"
adhesive rubber insulating tapes.

ME8S68. PuHiT SPECIALTIES. LTD., Park Street, Birmingham. —
Illustrated and priced booklet. No. D.L S. 3, dealing with the
" D.L.S." one, two and three-arm lighting fitting. Also illustrated
and priced leaflet dealing with " D.L S." reflectors.

Messrs. Metal Industries, Ltd .Sunbury-on-Thames. — Illus-
trated booklet on the method of protecting iron and steel from
corrosion by " Sherardizing " or dry vapour galvanising, accom-
panied by a sample of the work.

. The British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., Rugby. — Illustrated
dpscriptive list. No. 4,221a, on automatic circuit-breakers for A.c.
and D.C. circuits.

The National X-R\y Reflector Co., 235, West Jackson
Boulevard, Chicago, U.S.A.— Illustrated booklet and detail plates
showing examples of lighting from concealed sources.

The General Electric Co., Ltd., ij7. Queen 'Victoria Street,
E.G. 4. — Revised catalogue price lists dealing with " Freezar " fans
(V. 2 333); bells, batteries, accessories, &c. (L. 2,335i; also a
"Koolah" fan leaflet (V. 2,338), and a coloured "Efficiency"
leaEet (2.336).

The Waltha.v Maxupacturino Co., 2, Jackson Road. Hollo-
way, N. — Two leaflets describing electric arc lamps — automatic and
hand-feed — horizontal and vertical. Illustrattd and priced.

Sterling Telephone and Electric Co.. Ltd., Telephone
House, 210-212, Tottenham Court Road, W. 1.— Publications No. 280

and 282 — revised price lists of telephone apparatus and accessories
No. 281, leaflet dealing with the " Stsrling " electric bell indicator
(pendulum) ; illustrated and priced.

Lead. — Messrs. G. Cawson & Co., in their report, dated
August 7th, say : —

The general trade detuand remains without any improvement, and we fear it
is not likely to improve with holidays and prospects of strikes and labour
difficulties in all directions. Engineers in some directions are already .on
strike, and, sh-utd this extend, it will interfere seriously with the demand from
electrical works, which at the present is the mainstay of the trade.

Annual Outings. — On Saturday, July 31st, the head office
staff of Messrs. F.4.LK, Stadllmann & Co., Ltd., went for an
outing to Rye House, Hertfordshire, in 20 privately-hired motor-
'buses. The company were entertained to dinner and tea by the
directors. After the toast of " The King," proposed by Mr. Max
Falk. Mr. J. W. Laidler proposed "The Firm," which was replied to
by Mr. Max Falk, the chairman, who pointed out that the firm had
one of their first outings to Rye Hnuse some .30 years ago. when the
guests numbered about 50, compared with G80 on the present
occasion. During the day some impromptu sports were held,
prizes being presented by the chairman. Other diversions included
dancing and boating.

The directors and staff of Sib J. F. Payne Gallwey. Brown
and Co., Ltd. consulting engineers, held their annual outing
on Saturday last. A party of 50 travelled by charabancs to Windsor,
where they boarded a private launch and went for a two-hours'-
trip on the river, during wliich time, tea and refreshments were
provided, to the accompaniment of a band. A return by charabancs
was made to the Clarendon Hotel, Hammersmith, where dinner
was served. After the toast " The King." a vote of thanks was
parsed by the guests.

Disputes. — The Sheffielil Daihj Teleijraph says that at
the Penistone works of Messrs. Ca.mmell, Laird & Co., a number
of e'ectricians who "downed tools" about five weeks ago because
a foreman was not a member of the E.T.U. are still out. The firm
are endeavouring to carry on without them.

The Sheffield Iiidfpenderit sa^s that the dispute has been referred
to the Eogineering and National Employers" Federation, the
Emergency -Committee of which called a conference of repre-
sentatives of the various Trade Unions operating in the Sheffield'
area, to be held yesterday at York. The ijnion representatives will
be advised as to the policy the Employers' Federation proposes to
adopt. The trouble arose over the refusal of one man, who, until
recently, was a member of the Electrical Trades Union, to resume
his membership of the Union on his promotion to the position of
foreman. The Employers' Federation support his action in declining
to rejoin the Union, and contend that there should be no compul-
sion used in respect of staffs joining Trade Unions, particularly
the same Unions as the workpeople they control are in. On the
other hand, it is alleged by the Trade Unionists that there is a
personal element in the matter.

The Birminqliam Piift states that the ballot papers were return-
able on Monday from cable workers connected with six Unions on
the question of tendering notices to cease work to enforce the claim
for an advance of 15s. a week for all workers of IS and over, and
7s. 6d. to those under 18, with a guarantee of 331 per cent, for
pieceworkers. " The result will be announce<l, and the next step
decided upon at a conference in London on Wednesday of next week.
Mr. Kelly (Workers' Union) said that so far as he had seen the
returns — and he had seen those from some of the largest districts —
there was a preponderating vote in favour of a cessation of work.
If all districts were in line with the returns to hand, there was
every probability of a large majority for tendering notices. The
Unions concerned, in addition to the Workers' Union, are the Elec-
trical Trades Union, the National Union of General Workers,
National Federation of Women Workers, National Amalgamated
Union of Labour, and Amalgamated Society of India-rubber Cable
and Asbestos Workers."

The Glasgow correspondent of the Dailij Herald reports that
a crisis has arisen in the Scottish electrical trades owing to
the refusal of the Contractors' Association to grant the demand
for a minimum of 2s. 3d. an hour, the rate paid in all the
English centres except London. " The present minimum is Is. lOd. ;
the employers offer 2s. Id., to come into force from the date of accept-
ance. This offer was rejected by the men, who are voting on a
proposal to strike to enforce their full demand. About 2,500 elec-
tricians are affested, and a number of district meetings have
already decided to ask the Union Executive to sanction a strike..
The ballot will finish in a few days."

Electrical Wages Agreement.— An agreement has been
entered into bttween the National Federated. Electrical Asfociatioil
and the Electrical Trades Union with regard to the standardising;
of wsges nationally. It was signed on August 7th. A copy has
reached us at the moment of going to press and we shall quote it
fully next week. The schedule rate for Grade A, London, is 2s. 6d.
per hour ; Grade B. Mersey and other specified districts. 2*. 3d.;
Grade C. varicMs specified towns and district?; 2p. Id.; Gr-ide D;
other counties and towns in England and Wales, Is. Hd.

New Lamp Works.— The BuiTi-sn Thomsox-Houston-'

Co., Ltd , have entered into a contract with th« Chesterfield
Corporation for the purchase of over 13 acres of land adj-jiLing th^
sewage works, npjn which it is piopjseJ to erect a factory for the
manufacture of electric lamps. It is contemplated that the factorj
will eventually employ about 1,000 people.

206

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,229, augcst 13, 1920.

New Italian Companies.— The Societii Elettrica della

Venezia Giulia has been formed at Trieste, with a capital of
20,000,000 lire, for the production and distribution of electrical enerjry
throughout the province of Venezia Giulia.

Under the style of Soncini e Ca. has been formed at Turin a
company, with a capital of 500,000 lire, for the development in
Italy and abroad of the Soncini electric resistance furnace.

The Societ.a Anonima Splendor has been established at Milan
(Via S. Maria Falcorina) for the manufacture of electrical apparatus.
Its capital is 200,000 lire.

With the title of Societa Termoelettrica Piemontese S.T.E.P.,
has been formed at Turin a company, with a capital of 50,000 lire,
for the manufacture of electric and heatiner apparatus.

Tesio, Viola e Billo have formed themselves into a company at
Montanera (Mondovi) for the production of electrical energy. Capital,
IOC ,000 lire.

Enrico Knappworst e Ca. have been constituted a company at
Milan (10, Via Canova), with a capital of 800.000 lire, for trade in
electrotechnical articles.

The Societa Anonima Eadiotelegrafica Italiana has been estab-
lished at Milan, with a capital of 200,000 lire, for the manufacture
of telegraphic and wireless apparatus.

At Milan (Via Carroccio, 20) has been formed the Industria
Milanese Motori Elettrici Rag. G. Bachella, Colombo e Ca., for the
construction and repair of electric motors and transformers.

There has been formed at Alba the Societa Elettrica Indus-
triale Albeae, with a capital of 400,000 lire for the working of
refrif-erating- plants and the distribution of electrical energy.

The Societa Imprese Forniture Elettriche, with a capital of
200,000 lire, has been established at Bologna to carry out electric
supplies contracts.

The Societa Anonima Mulino e Trappeto Elettrico is the style of
a company launched at Cupello, with a capital of 100,000 lire, for
the erection and working of electricaUy-driven mills.

Hamilton e Gorman have established themselves as a company at
Genoi, with a capital of 100,000 lire, as electrical and mechanical
engineers.

There has been formed at Legnano, with a capital of 250,000 lire,
the Societa Idroelettrica San Giorgio, for the purchase or generation
of electric current for illumination purposes.

At MUan Uia Tadino 52) Dottor Bortini e Ca. has been con-
stituted a company, capital 300,000 lire, for the manufacture of
electrotechnical and other scientific apparatus.

The Societa Apparecchi di Riscaldamento Elettrico has been
established at MQan, with a capital of 200,000 lire, for the manu-
facture of electric heating apparatus.

With a capital of 310,000 lire, Bianchi, Pozzi, Todeschini e Ca.
have been launched as a company at MOan, with works at
Crescenzago, for the manufacture of electric station apparatus and
for repairs.

New Petroi Engine for Wireless.— A new 2-h.p. two-

■troke petrol engine, suitable for wireless telegraphy and telephone
work, is shortly to be put on the market by Messrs. C. B. Harrison
(1909), Ltd., of the Endurance Works, Sheepcote Street, Bir-
mingham.

New Japanese Enterprises, — Capital invested in banking
and other forms of business during the past five months aggregated
2,159,740,000 yen, according to investigations conducted by the
Bank of Japan. The figures compiled by the bank show the follow-
ing for the various lines of businesses for the period, and for the
same period of the four preceding years ; the figures are on a
million yen basis : —

1920 1919 1918 1917 1916

Banking 201 49 29 39 8

Trust and monetary . . 110 7 —

Warehousing 36 — —

Insurance 11 6

Mining 178 62 108 63 22

Electrical 199 40 — — _

Shipping and railways . . 150 54 88 53 10

Fishery 9 4 3 1 _

Manufacturing .. .. 679 18a 193 220 78

Agriculture 5» 8 15 2 _

Commercial 628 133 219 63 16

Renter's Trade Service (Tokio).

Book Notices. — " Vickers News." Vol. II, No. 21. —
The August issue of this well-produced house organ contains
articles on "The Building of a Rigid Airship," on the "Rapid
Handling of Cargoes by Pneumatic Conveyors," and an account of
Messrs. James Booth's non-ferrous metal works at Birmingham, &c.

"Technology Reports of the Tohoku Imperial University.
Vol. I, No. 2. Sendai, Japan : Maruzen Co., Ltd. 1920.— Con-
taining an account of a fundamental study of Japanese coal by
Chozo Iwasaki.

We have received a list of important publications issued by the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 29, West Thirtv-Ninth
Street, New York.

" The Engineering Enquiry." By T. Thompson. Bristol : J. W.
Arrowsmith, Ltd. Price 7s. 6d.

Scientific Papers of the U.S. Bureau of Standards, No. 3S3,
"Measurement of Hysteresis Values from High Magnetising
Forces" (9 pp.), and No. .SS4 "The Variation of Residual Induction
and Coercive Force with Magnetising Force " (8 pp.). Washington
Government Printing Office. Price 5 cents each.

Britlsll Industries Fair, 1921.— The Dai!// Chronicle
states that the Department of Overseas Trade has entered into a
contract for the use of the White City for holding next year's
British Industries Fair (February 2l8t to March 4th).

Private Meeting. — C. W. Dixon, electrical engineer,

lA, Clark's Buildings, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W.C— The
creditors interested herein were called together recently at the
offices of Mr. G. W. Spencer, I.A., 139, Cannon Street, E.G., when a
statement of affairs was presented, which showed liabilities of
j;378. The indebtedness to the trade was £239. The assets were
estimated to realise £306, or a deficiency of £72. It was stated
that the debtor served for four years in the Grand Fleet, and
started in business on his own account in March of last year, with
a capital of about £25. Subsequently he borrowed £100 from
Mr. E. C. Simon, who was now a cash creditor for that amount.
The book debts were all good, while it was anticipated that the
stock would realise the amount at which it was set down. After a
short discussion, it was decided that a deed of assignment should
be executed with Mr. W. Osborne, of Messrs. Corfield & Cripwell,
Balfour House, Finsbury Pavement, E.G., as trustee. A committee
was also nominated, consisting of the representatives of the
Electrical Supplies Co., the Sun Electrical Co., and Mr. E. C.
Simon. The following are creditors : —

Electrical Supplies Co £^^ Standard Metal Co.. . -. ..ill

Johnson & Phillips 16 Woodfall, H 14

Sun Electrical Co 69

For Sale. — Re Lithanode, Ltd. (in liquidation). — The
Receiver, Mr. F. A. Bell (of Messrs. J. Baker & Sons, Billiter
House, Billiter Street) is offering for sale by tender, by August 2.'jth,
the leasehold premises, 190, Queen's Road, Battersea, and 177, Kirk-
wood Road, Peckham, and the goodwill, plant, machinery, fittings,
stock, and patents of the above company.

Cardiff Corporation invites tenders for the following plant
installed at Roath power station — two 300-KW. Musgrave- Westing-
house vertical cross-compound .500/550-volt D.o. steam generators,
with jet condensers. Full particulars are given in our advertisement
pages to-day.

Conditions Relating to Egyptian Government Contracts.

— lu the Egyptian Journal Utticial the general conditions
under which tenders are received for Government contracts
are set out. The conditions include the following ; —

rhe tenderer must be a person residing in Egypt, or must
have a representative m Egypt, and will give in his offer an
address at which notices may be served upon him. Every
tender submitted in the name of an incorporated company
must be accompanied by authenticated copies of the docu-
ment.s defining the constitution of the company. Every tender
submitted in the name of a private firm or partnership must
be accompanied by such extracts, duly authenticated, from
the partnership deed as shall sutfice to show what persons
are authorised to enter into contracts on behalf of the firm
or partnership, and what persons are responsible for the due
execution of such contracts and can give vahd receipts on
behalf of the firm or partnership. However, firms established
in Egypt and having constant dealings with the Government
may deposit with the Ministry of Finance authenticated copies
of the above mentioned documents. In submitting tenders,
these firms should then simply state that the documents in
question have been so deposited, and that no subsequent
changes in the constitution of the company, partnership, or
firm have taken place. Each tender must be aceompanied by
a provisional deposit of 2 per cent, of the total value of the
otter in money. Post Office orders or cheques on local banks
will be accepted, but not cheques on banks abroad. The pro-
visional deposit may be replaced by a letter of guarantee from
an approved bank in Egypt to the effect that the bank will
hold at the disposal of the Government a sum equivalent to
10 per cent, of the total value of the contract in the event
of the tenderer obtaining the same. Letters of guarantee
from the banks abroad may also be accepted, but in that case
the administration may require the endorsement of such letters
of guarantee by an approved bank in Egypt.

Within ten days after the acceptance of the tender a sum
equal to 10 per cent, of the total value of the contract will
be deposited by the successful tenderer as security for the
due execution thereof. This deposit must be either in cash
(on which no interest will be allowed) or in Egyptian Govern-
ment or other approved securities, calculated at market value
with a margin of 5 per cent. Cash may be paid to the con-
tracting department or to the Ministry of Finance. Securi-
ties will be deposited \\ith the Ministry of Finance, in Cairo,
or with tlie National Bank of Egypt, in Alexandria, or in
London, for the account of the Government. The coupons
maturing on the.se securities may be detached by the con-
tractor. The deposit will be retained until the contract has
been duly carried out to the satisfaction of the Government.

In the case of unsuccessful tenderers, their provisional de-
posit, if made in cash, will be returned to them; letters of
guarantee will be returned to the bank which issued them,
.•simultaneous notice being sent to the tenderers that this
has been done.

Contractors may effect a permanent deposit in cash or securi-
ties with the Ministry of Finance, in Cairo, on which cer-
tificates for provisional deposits may be granted to accompany
their tenders, and also certificates for final deposit of 10
per cent, on value of contract accepted.

Tenderers are permitted to attend w-hen tenders are being
opened or be represented by an accredited delegate and hear
the prices road out of the various tenders as opened. — Reuter't
Trade Service {Cairo).

▼oi. 87. No. 2,229, AuouBT 13, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW»

207

Activity of ttie Frencli Thomsoo-Honstoa Co.— The

report of the French Thomson-Houston Co. shows that that concern
has lately booked some important orders. In the first place, it has
secured the order for the equipment of the GennevUliera super
station which the Union d'Electriciti- are havingr erected there ; also
an order for 25,000-KW. turbo-generator groups for the Energie
Electrique du Nord Co. ; an order for the supply of 50 automotors
and 50 trailers for the tramways of Bucharest : an order for tele-
phone material from the Administration des Postea, Telegraphea et
Telephones ; and an order for a new set for the central station at
Paris. In adilition, the company has in hand a by no means small
scheme of setting up electric haulage on the canals of the Marne
and the Rhone, covering a distance of 350 km.

Auction [Sales. — By direction of the Disposal Board,
Ministry of Munitions, Messrs. Harris & Gillow will sell by
auction, on August 18th, at Shoreham Camp, Sussex, the camp
buildings and equipment, including the main switchboard, electric
meters, and other electrical appliances.

Assets Auctions Co., Ltd., will sell by auction on August 18th,
at 119-121, Newington Causeway, a quantity of electrical stores, &c.

By order of the Disposal Board Ministry of Munitions, Mr. M.
Marshall will sell by auction on September Ist and 2nd at the
Central Stores depot, 83, Georgetown, Houston Station, near
Glasgow, plant and machinery, including electric motors, generating
sets, cable, electric cranes, electric fittings, &c. For full particulars
see advertisement pages to-day.

Boiler Makers' Wage Claim Rejected.— The Industrial

Court has rejected the claim of the Boilermakers' and Iron and
Steel Shipbuilders' Society for an advance of 7s. per week for
boilersmiths employed in the running sheds of the Great Western
Bail way, and of advances varying from .'is. to 33. for other grades.
The rates of pay of the workers concerned, the award states, have
been increased by 3s. per week from May 31st under an award
relating to railway shopmen. The company contended that no
advance should be given to the boilermakers, which would again
upset their relationship with other skilled grades, and the Court
agrees that it would be unwise to disturb the present relationship
between the rates of the various grades of skilled craftsmen. —
Times.

New Company. — The Birmingham Gazette and E.rpress
states that under the title of British Timken, Ltd., a new all-
British company has just been formed to take over the manu-
facture of the well-known Timken -roller bearings in this country,
formerly carried on by the Electric and Ordnance Accessories Co.,
Ltd. The capital is fixed at £50,000, and the head office and works
are at Ward End, Birmingham, where a fuUy-equipped modem
factory is already in existence, manufacturing these bearings on an
extensive scale.

LIQHTINQ AND POWER NOTES.

Anstralia. — Sydney. — In order to avoid seriously over-
loading the generating plant, the City Council has prohibited the
connection of electric radiators to the system during the hours of
8.30 a.m. and 9.30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thurs-
days, and Fridays. Owing to the sudden advent of cold weather,
this will cause a great deal of discomfort to consumers.

Bexley Heatli (Kent).— Bulk Supply.— The Urban

District Council has abandoned a proposal to obtain a bulk supply
from Woolwich owing to the heavy capital charges that would be
required for converting machinery.

Batb, — LoAU Sanctioned The Electricity Com-

mijgioners have sanctioned a loan of £34,000, part of the cost of
new plant, &c. The balance will be sanctioned when the actual
cost has been ascertained.

Brighton. — Year's WoEKiNG.^The total income of the
electricity department for the past financial year was £158,01)2, as
against £130,557 in 1918-19. Working expenses totalled £105,755,
as against £86,476, leaving a gross profit of £52,307 (£44,080.
The payment of loan charges and taxes resulted in a net profit of
£13,374, an increase of £10,262 upon the previous year's gain.
Sales increased by 858,443 units.

Bristol. — Joint Authority. — The Council has re-
ceived a report from the Electrical Committee relating to the
recent provisional formation of a Joint Electricity Authority for
the Lower Severn or West of England Electricity District. The
Minister of Transport is prepared, if the Treasury agrees, to con-
struct transmission lines between Beachley, the Forest of Dean,
Gloucester, and the Stroud Valley, at an estimated cost of £365,000.
on the understanding that the authority is set up as early as prac-
ticable. It is, therefore, expected that local authorities will take
the necessary final steps to that end, and the Committee advises
that Bristol shall join in forthwith. — Bristol Times and Mirror,

Bnmley. — Licensing Electricians. — The Burnley and
District BuOding Employers' Association wrote to the local Elec-
tricity Committee, last week, asking that the Corporation should
obtain powers to examine the qualifications of electricians and
others undertaking electrical work in the town, so as to prevent
unqualified and unskilled persons doing the work. The Com-

mittee decided to take no action, as the Corporation is already
empowered to refuse a supply where the lines, fittingiland apparatus
are not in good condition.

Baxton. — Year's Working. — There was a loss of £3,378
on the working of the Council's electricity undertaking during the
past year.

Dartford.— Loan Sanctioned. — The Urljan District

Council has received sanction to a loan of £12,106 for electricity
purposes.

Doncaster. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Electricity Com-
missioners have formally sanctioned the borrowing of £85,000 on
account in respect of the amount df £106,850 included for plant,
and state that as soon as the cost of the latter has been approxi-
mately ascertained, they will consider sanctioning the balance.

Glasgow. — New Station. — -The new station at Dal-
marnock, the construction of which has been considerably retarded
by the war, is to be formally opened on September 2nd. Its
ultimate capacity will be 200,000 H.P.. but only half of this plant
is installed at present.

Hereford.— Severn Valley Scheme. — In consequence

of urgent representations to the Electricity Commission, the Here-
ford electricity undertaking has obtained the sanction of that body
to apply for a special order modifying the proposal to include only
the Ledbury, Ross, and south-eastern rural part of the county in
the Lower Severn Valley supply scheme, Hereford already has
a scheme for supplying the whole county, and the Commissioners
have now permitted one of the cables to be laid from Hereford,
which is able, on the understanding arrived at, to proceed with
its entire scheme, — Tlie Western Mail.

Hornsey. — Linking Up. — The Electricity Commis-
sioners have agreed that th« Town Council shall retain the
electricity undertaking, providing the latter is linked up to the
Finchley station. A programme of extensions, which will cost
£50,000, has been prepared.

Ireland. — Hydro-Electric Schemes. — One of the

several projected schemes for the utilisation of water power in
Ireland is the one which has its base in the loc£dity of the Rosses,
County Donegal. The proposal is that Loughanure should be
barraged, so that it could be enlarged beyond its present size of
three miles in length by three-quarters of a mile in breadth,
taking several other streams and lakes into the catchment area.
The power of the Loughs Dunlewy and Upper and Lower Naounu
could be similarly reservoired and brought to Dowros by a cut, the
fall being about 200 ft. Lough Owencarrow, which is part of the
Rosses lakes system, could also be utilised, the estimated h.p. of
the lakes mentioned above being nearly 5,000. The County of
Donegal is rich in short swift running rivers, and their amalga-
mated energy would not be far short of 12,000 h.p. The swift
rivers which empty into Gweedore Bay could be used for industrial
purposes, and the co-operative system which has such a hold in the
Rosses could be more fully expanded.

Kingston-on-Tliames.— Loan — An imiuiry was held
last week into the application of the Town Council for a loan of
£15,200 for electricity purposes. There was no opposition.

Knaresborongh. — Water Power. — The District Council

is in negotiation with Messrs. Vickers, Ltd., about the cost of a
scheme for generation of electricity for town supply by utilising
the water power of the River Nidii. An expert has suggested that
the provision of " flash-boards " I ft. deep on the crest of the weir
would give a 10 per cent, increaae of power, but would probably
put the boat landing stage, one of Knaresborongh 's chief
attractions to pleasure seekers, under some inches of water. The
most economic position for the plant, it was thought, would be the
existing turbine-house at the linen mill of Messrs. Carson, and the
firm is to be approached on the matter.

Korea. — Hydro-electric Scheme. — A hydro-electric

power scheme is contemplated on a large scale, with the object of
utilising the waters of the River Hwangsu-won, a tributary of the
River Yalu in South Hamkyeng (Kankyo) Province. The project
is backed by the Oriental Development Co., and the capital to be
raised is I0,00ii,000 yen. The Province of South Hamkyeng ia
rich in timber and minerals, and it is anticipated that there will
be a large demand for electrical power. It is calculated that the
installation will take three years to complete. The principal items
of expenditure will be the power station, 3,153,8.")0 yen ; trans-
mission plant, 975,000 yen ; and distribution plant, 366,435 yen.
It is understood that the scheme has been approved by the
authorities of the Government-General, — Board of Trade Journal.

Leicester. — New Station. — The scheme for the erection
of an additional generating station having been sanctioned by the
Electricity Commissioners, formal application is being made for
power to borrow £723,000, the estimated cost of the undertaking.

Liverpool. — New Houses. — The Lighting Committee
has instructed the city electrical engineer to carry out the work of
wiring the new houses that are 'oeing built. •

Maxwelltown, — Street Lighting. — The Town Council
has accepted the offer of the Dumfries Electricity Supply Co. for
street lighting, at a cost of £940 for the installation, and energy at
4}d. per unit.

208

THE ELECTPiICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2.229, August 13, 1920.

North Wales.— Electricity DisTiircT. — At a recent

meeting of the Anglesey Couuty Council the opinion was expre88e<l
that North Wales should be constituted a separate electricity
district instead of being grouped with Crewe, Chester, North wiob.
&c., as proposed. The Electricity Commissioners did not concur
in this, and it was, therefore, decided to ask all the County
Councils of North Wales to send delegates to a Conference, with
the object of protecting the interests of their areas.

New Zealand. — Wellington. — The "VVelliDgton City
Council has decided to borrow £300,COO for the purpose of extend-
ing the city's power plant. The scheme includes the installation
of one 3,000-K«'. and one 1,500-KW. steam generating set. — Seiiter's
Trade Service, Wellington.

Oldham. — Applicaxts' Protest. — The Electricity
Committee last week received complaints from would-be consumers,
pointing out that although applications for supplies were granted
in March, there had been no connections made yet. It was con-
tended that the Committee should have told consumers of the
dispute between the Electrical Trades Union and other workerp.
The Mayor said the matter was getting serious. Some time ago
the E.T.U. stated that it would not connect up any work that
had been done by either plumbers or non-Unionists. With a little
reason on both sides, perhaps they could get out of the difficulty.
The Mayor, vice-chairman and the engineer were appointed a sub-
committee to interview the local Union.

Portishead. — Change of System. — The Urban District
Council has assented to the North Somerset Electricity Supply Co.
changing the system of supply from D.c. to A.c.

Rickinansworth. — Time Extension. — The promoters
of the Rickmansworth and Chorleywood Electric Light Order,
191i, having applied for a further extension of time for
carrying out the Order, the Urban District Council has informed
the Commissioners that it considers that the time has arrived when
the compulsory works should be carried out, or the Order cancelled.

St. Anne's, — Year's Working, — The report for the

year ended March 3Ist, 1920, shows a total revenue to the electri-
city department of £27,546, compared with £22,722 in 1918-19.
Expenditure totalled £22,467, as against i 18,989, le.aving a gross
profit of £5,079 C£3,733). The net result was a profit of £132.

Sumatra. — Hydro-Electric Power. — In connection
with the concession granted for the purpose of generating hydro-
electric power, needed for the manufacture of fertilisers, from the
river Moesi, near Benkoelen, several features appear to be of
unusual interest, and, it is stated, will result in considerable saving
of cost in the construction of the works.

Amongst others, special mention may be made of the manner in
which the dam wOl be built across the absolutely dry bed of the
river, as well as of the proposal to make use of a by-station of
50,000 H,p. in the second year of the work, so that the manufacture
and organisation at the factory, may be running smoothly, and a
return be obtained upon the outlay long before the full power
can be available for use.

The surveys for the scheme are not yet completed, but it is stated
that 150,000 H.P. will be obtainable from the turbines, at a cost of.
in all probability, 100 guilders per h,p,, and of not more than 133
guilders.

The cost of power per Kw.-year is estimated to be about 12
guilders.

Several large firms of manufacturers in the United States are
stated to be endeavouring to find capital to finance the scheme in
the hope of thus being able to supply the necessary plant both for
the works as well as for the construction of the same. — Bminl of
Trade Jurnal.

Warrington. — E.xtbnsions Needid. — Representatives of
the big Warrington manufacturing firms have met members of the
porporation Electricity and Finance Committees to discuss proposals
with reference to the extension of the electricity works. The
general opinion was that large and immediate extensions, which
would involve a considerable expenditure, were necessary. The
meeting was adjourued to enable the Corporation to submit proposals
to manufacturers individually, and to ascertain how they could
assist in financing the scheme. In the event of the propo=ais going
forsvard, one firm is prepared to assist to the extent of £."i-i,OL)0.

West Ham. — Year's Wohkikg. — The . report on the

electricity undertaking for the year ended March 31sl last records
a total income of £380,013, as against £253,914 for the previous
period. The working expenses amounted to £310,777, compared
with £227,312 for 1918-19, leaving a gross profit of ;<;69,23i;, as
against £26,602. The net result, after payment of loan charges,
&c., '"« a profit of £14,350, comparing favourably with last year's
deficit of £24,975. The total number of units sold rose from
38,216,253 to 41,i;28,4 7(!.

■ Wrexham. — Ikql iry. — The Ministry of Health recently
conducted an inquiry into the circumstances under which the
Corporation sought«8anction to a loan of £17,260 for a boiler and
accessories. The inspector considered that the Corporation had
fully established its case, and thought it rather wonderful that the
'supply had been uninterrupted under such a handicap. The
chairman of the local gas company urj^ed an increase of charges, aa
the undertaking had cost the ratepayers £(i,i.N.i0 in working losses.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY N0TE5.

Bolton. — E.KTENSiONS. — There is every prospect of a
through tramway service from Bolton to Aocrington as the result
of a Bill which is being promoted by Bolton Town Council for
dealing with tramway extensions.

Brighton. — Strike. — The tramwaymen struck work at

midday on August 5th, and returned the cars to the depots. The
trouble arose over grading for wages purposes ; the men complained
that they had been placed in Grade 2, while Portsmouth, South-
ampton, Bournemouth, &c,, men were in Grade 1. The amount in
dispute was Is. per week.

Alderman Garden offered personally to pay the extra la. for a
month, and to refer the matter back to the Industrial Council, but
said he could not go behind the award of that body. The men
refused the ofi'er.

The men eventually agreed to resume work on August 9tb. the
Tramways Committee having promised to give their claims full
consideration .

Tramway Fabes. — There may be a distinction between the
Corporation tramway fare to the racecourse and profiteering, but
without gome explanation, says the Daihj Mail, it is far too subtle
for popular understanding. Ordinarily the fare is 2d. ; on race
days it used to be 6d., but last week it was Is.

Colchester. — l^oss or Traffic. — The recent increases in
the tramway fares have resulted in a falling off ot traffic to the
extent of 10,000 passengers per week.

Continental. — France. — The Compagnie d'Orleacs,
which proposes to electrify 3,350 km. of its 7,787 km. system, has
received permission to establish the requisite seven power stations
on the Upper Dordogne and on its connecting lines Chavanon and
Ehue. All the sections between Chateau-Roux in the north,
Limoges. Perigneux and Agen in the east (with two spurs to
Poitiers and Angoulome) down to the frontiers of the Midi, and the
Paris-Lyon-Mcditerrance railways in the south and east will be
electrified. Initial power requirements are estimated at 280
mill.-KW. ; for a later date at twice that figure. The annual saving
in coal will be about I'S mill. tons. — Economic lieriew.

Spain, — For the past ten days the electric tramways service
of Lisbon has been completely paralysed, owing to a dispute
between the company and the Municipal Council. — Iienter's Trade
Si rriee, Lisbon,

Darlington. — Extensions Deferred.— At a meeting

of the Corporation on August I5th, the decision arrived at
at the previous Council meeting to exterd the tramway system
from 'the Market Place to the Victoria Road entrance of Bank Top
Station, at an estimated cost of £15,000, was rescinded.

Doncaster. — AVaues. — The tramwaymen are asking for
an increase in wages over and above the recent award. The matter
is being negotiated upon, but it is stated that if an agreement is
not come to the men have threatened to strike.

Halifax. — Fare Revision. — A proposal to, restore the

old pre-war stages, doubling the Id. stages and permitting the

overlap system, has been carried.

Lincoln. — Y'ear's Working. — The report on the tram-
way undertaking for the year ended March 3l8t last shows a total
revenue of £14,800, compared with £14.193 in 1918-19. Working
expenses amounted to £11,887, as against £8 280 ; a gross profit of
£2,!il3, against £5,913 in the previous year. The net result was a
credit balance of £313. Last year £3,236 was transferred to the
depreciation account.

Liverpool. — Pi RCHASE of Light Railway. — The

Ministry of Transport has forwarded to the Liverpool Tramwaya
and Electric Power and Lighting Committee sanction to borrow
£ls,350, repayable in 30 years, for the purpose of acquiring and
developing the Liverpool and Prescot Light Railway.

Oldbury. — Time Extension. — The Birmingham Council
has applied for a year's extension of time for constructing the light
railway to Quinton, ria Warley.

South Africa. — Railway Electrification. — The
announcement that the South African Railway authorities intend
to proceed at once with the electrification of the Cape Town —
Simonstown suburban line and the Natal main line from Durban
to Pietermaritzburg, is of importance. The Union's railway
administration will acquire experience with electrical working in
the case of two sections of entirely difllerent type— a suburban
line with fairly dense passenger traffic and a difficult length of
main line with severe gradients and curves and a very heavy
freight traffic. Two large coal-burning power stations at Cape
Town and Durban will be required in connection with the electri-
fication scheme, and the necessary plant, together with the
transmission and motive equipment, will represent a series of
attractive orders. There will be keen competition for the large
contracts involved. The unsatisfactory performance of recently-
imported locomotives from the United States may add to the
likelihood of these orders being placed with British firms, but they
will not come to this country unless the price and date of delivery
quoted by United Kingdom manufacturers are satisfactory.—
Times Trade Supplement,

Vol. S7. No. 2,229, August 13, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

209

Stockton. — Tramway Sale. — At a meeting of the Town
Council, on the 3rd iuat., the award of the arbitrator on the
aojuisition of the local tramway systems by the Corporations of
Stockton, Thornaby, and Middlesbrough was submitted. The price
to be paid by the three Corporations is £390,456, in addition to
which an amount is to be paid for stocks upon valuation, to be
made at the time of transfer. The costs of the arbitration have
also to be borne by the Corporations. The capital expenditure of
the Tramway Co. was £282,948, and its claim was for £563,340 ;
the Corporations offered £281,766.

Electric Vehicles. — Subject to the sanction of a loan, the
Town Council has decided to purchase, at £1,497 each, two two-ton
electric vehicles for the collection of refuse.

South America. — Railway Elkltrification. — A con-
temporary states that a contract, amounting- to nearly $2,000,000,
for the electrification of the first main-line railway has been awarded
to the International General Electric Co. , over the line of the Paulista
Railway Co. between Jundiaby and Campinas, Brazil, a distance of 54
km., or about 28 miles, or of double-track construction the total mile-
age, including switches and extra track, amounts to 76 miles. The
equipment to be supplied consists of eight freight and fourpassenger
engines, material for the transmission line and sub-station, and a
3,000-volt overhead equipment. The project anticipates further
extensions amounting to 100 additional miles of route, which
may eventually bring the total electrification up to 128 miles,
extending between Jundiaby and San Carlos. Power for the
operation of the lines will be supplied by the San Paulo Light and
Power Co. at 88,000 volts, 60 cycles. The locomotives will be of
the geared type, 3,000-volt. D.c.i The freight locomotives will weigh
100 tons each, all weight on driving axles, and the passenger
engines 120 tons, equipped with two axle guiding trucks at each
end. All of them will be equipped with regenerative braking
apparatus. The design parallels closely the Chicago, Milwaukee and
St. Paul electrification, while the locomotives will be almost
duplicates of those used so successfully in the Butte, Anaconda and
Pacific Railway, except for slightly increased weight and the
addition of regenerative braking. It is expected that the new line
wiU be in operation in July, 1921.

St. Helens. — Leasing of Track. — Tiie Tramways Com-
mittee recommends the leasing of the track and equipment from
Brooks Bridge to the King's Arms to Liverpool Corporation.

Snnderland, — Holidays. — There is some prospect that
the strike of skilled men at the Corporation tramcar sheds will be
settled by a compromise. The men struck over three weeks ago
because of the refusal of the Corporation to grant 1 2 days' annual
holiday with pay, which had already been conceded to skilled men
in non-trading departments, on the ground that it was never
intended to give the holiday to these men. This led to a fresh
application from all the men concerned for a holiday, and a special
committee has decided to recommend the Town Council to grai t
seven days' annual holiday with pay to skilled men in all depart-
ments of the Corporation—including tramways— providing they
have 12 months' consecutive service with the Corporation. If
the Council approves the recommendation, the men will probably
accept it.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Canada. — Press Conference.— On the opening day,
August 5th, of the Imperial Press Conference at Ottawa,
-greater facihties for the interchange of cabled news was dis-
cussed. The present condition of cables was worse than that
prevailing before the war, it was said, and Sir C. Stuart,
representing The Times and Daily Mail, in seconding a re-
solution that was carried unanimously, " that the Empire
and the world should be provided with the advantages of
wireless telegraphic and telephonic communication," said,
however, that the newspapers were diffident about the use
of wireless tor the transmission of news, as it was a medium
which might be tapped by rivals. Mr. Burroughs, news
manager of the Marconi Co., explained that there was no
danger of high-speed wireless messages being tapped. The
Conference disposed of the cable question by a resolution
calUng upon the Empire Union to take immediate steps to
secure facilities for better, quicker, and cheaper conveyance
of news throughout the Empire.

Devizes (Wilts.). — Wireless Station.— The wireless sta-
tion which was erected during the war, but was not com-
pleted, has been taken over by the G.P.O., and is to be
refitted by the Marconi Co. for long-distante communication
(1,000 miles) with vessels at sea.

Finland. — New Cables.- The " Store Nordiske " Telegraph
Go. is to erect a new cable station at Helsingfors. The agree-
ment with the Finni.sh Government is vahd for 20 years. A
eimilar arrangement has been made w'ith Latvia, w'here a new
station commenced operations in May of this year. Agree-
ments have been concluded with Esthonia. Lithuania and
foland. The company has issued credits to Finland of Kr.4
inillion for the construction of new telegi-aphic and telephonic
lines of communication. It h.as i.ssued loans to various foreign
States foir this purpose, amounting in all to Kr.lG million.—
Economic Review.

France. — Commercial Wireless. — In order to, iraprove the
Lyons silk market, a request has been made to the postal
authorities for permission to use the wireless station near
tlie city for the transmission of daily market rates to and
from the Far East. It is found that a delay of 10 or 12 days
necessitated in the case of messages by cable, seriously
hampers business. The wireless station is already used by
a Japanese business agency and by the American Press. —
The Times.

India. — New Telephone Service.— On July Ist last a new
trunk telephone service, with a charge of 1 rupee for a
three-minute conversation, was opened to the public between
Bombay and Poona.

Italy. — New Telephone Service.— The Italian Government
is occupied with a scheme to estabhsh telephonic communica-
tion with Albania (telegraphic connection already existing).
The projected line will start from Rome, and will be carried
under the sea to Valona, and end eventually at some important
Greek centre. The exact length of the existing Otranto-
Valona telegraphic cable is 99 km., but a new point of de-
parture will probably have to be chosen for the telephone line,
the length of which, in consequence, may be about 106 kilo-
metres. The Societa Pirelli has been instructed to draft the
necessary plans.

Malta.— Secret Wireless.— A wireless telegraph outfit has
been discovered by fishermen off Melleha Bay; it was
anchored in 20 fathoms of water with the masts and working
parts below the surface to a depth of 8 fathoms. The ap-
paratus, which is said to be complete in every detail, and
of German manufacture, was removed by the dockyard autho-
rities for expert examination.

Ships' Wireless. — New Rules. — ^The Board of Trade has
made new rules under the provisions of the Merchant Ship-
ping (Wireless Telegi-aphy) Act, 1919, which refer to the
provision of wkeless telegraphic apparatus, operators, and
watchers on board coasting trade vessels exclusively employed
between ports in the British Isles. The rules, dated July
10th, 1920, will come into operation, says the Board of Trade
Journal, on September 1st, 1920, and will apply to vessels
carrying under as well as over .50 persons, including the crew.
.Telephone Service. — The P.M.G. in Parliamentary papers
states that the number of telephones per 100 of the population
is approximately as follows: U.S.A., 13.6; Sweden, 6.4;
Norway, 4.4; Germany, 2.2; United Kingdom, 2; Prance, 1;
and Italy, 0..3.

United States. — Telephonlnq over e.h.t. Lines. — At last
successful telephone communication has been conducted over
live high-tension lines by the American Gas & Electric Co.,
which has been convinced thereby that the method employed
will solve one of its most important problems, namely, insur-
ing a reUable and less expensive mode of communication
between its load dispatchers and interconnected stations. The
test which proved the practicability of the method was
conducted during July, says the Electrical World, between
two of the company's stations, over a live 11,000-volt, 60-cycle
transmission line, 12 miles (19.2 km.) long. Between the
transmitting and receiving sets were the windings of the
power transformers at both ends of the line and an under-
ground cable, making the equivalent length of transmission
about 21 miles (33.6 km.). The system employed works on
the principle of the wired or directed wkeless, and involves
the use of apparatus to tune out the power-circuif frequency.
The carrier current for the communications had a frequency
in excess of 5,000 cycles. The transmitting and receiving sets
were connected with the 2,300-volt buses at each station, but
they could have been attached to the 440-220-volt circuits
with just as satisfactory results according to engineers who
have developed the system. Owing to the fact that the
invention is still in the patent stage details of the apparatus
and connections cannot be obtained at this time. Among
the chief advantages of the scheme are that the investment
and maintenance expense connected with private telephone
hues are eUminated, the necessity of paying high rental
charges for leased telephone lines is avoided, no interference
from power circuits or static is experienced, no disturbance
to neighbouring telephones is produced, the system can be
used with any voltage transmission, the possibility of tTie
power circuits breaking is remote, and even if they all fall
to the ground communication can still be maintained pro-
vided there is not a dead earth on the lines. The invest-
ment for apparatus will be only about $500 a station, that is
more" economical than an ordinary wired telephone system,
and especially so the further apart the stations are. Accord-
ing to the operators who communicated over the system the
audibility is higher than with ordinary telephones. The
American Gas & Electric Co. is planning to apply the com-
munication scheme to all of its properties in various parts
of the United States for system load dispatching.

New Cable Dispute. — American destroyers are patrolling
the Florida coast to prevent the British cable ship Colonial
(which has been, instructed by the British Embassy at
Washington to suspend operations pending further instruc-
tions) landing a cable at Miami which the Western Union
Telegraph Co. is laying from Barbados to connect with the
British cable from the latter plac« to South America. The
U.S. Government's intention is to prevent the laying of the
cable pending the meeting of the International Communica-

^210

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo [Voi. 87. No. 2,229, AnotiBt 13, 1930.

tions Congress at Washington on September 15th, when the
matter is to be discussed. A British cable company has a
virtual monopoly of cable rights in Brazihan waters, although
an American concern desires to initiate a direct line from the
U.S.A. to Brazil. Permission to land the cable has, there-
fore, been deferred pending the determination by the State
Department whether the terms of the Western Union Co.'s
arrangment with the Briti.sli company would not further
extend the British monopoly.

Wireless-steered Ship. — Some time ago the U.S.A. Naval
authorities announced that the old battleship Iowa was to
be fitted with apparatus to permit of her being steered by
wireless telegraphy. It is now announced that when her
boilers have been converted to burn oil, she will be used as
a target by the Atlantic Fleet, and will be controlled by
wireless.

Wireless Telegraphy. — P.M.G.'s Certificate. — H.M. Sta-
tionery Office has issued an official pamphlet (ref. (37) 10,820
Wt. 2,136, 451/582) on the impending changes in the scope
and method of conducting examinations for the P.M.G.'s
certificate in wireless telegraphy.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(Tlie date given in parentlieses at tlie end of the paraqraph indicates
the issue of the Eleotbioal Bkvikw, in which the " Official
Notice " appeared.

OPEN.

Australia. — Commonwealth Government. November
24th. Protected cable terminals and cable distribution boxes.
Specifications &c., will be available at Australia House, Strand,
y^.C.—Reutera Trade Seriice. (Brisbane).

Birmingham. — September 1st. Salvage Committee.
Two lOO-KW., 4i0-v., D.C., compound-wound, steam-driven gen-
erating sets, complete with surface condenser and switchboard.
(July 30th.)

Blaclipool. — August 27th. Corporation. Two water-tube
boilers, superheaters, economisers, stokers, &c.; two sets of induced
draught plant ; coal conveying, &o., plant. (July KJth.)

Bradford, — September 9th. Electricity Committee.
Contract R. 1.5!». No. 4 boiler house and equipment, including
buildings, water-tube boilers, economisers, induced draught plant,
feed pumps, coal-handling plant and piping systems. (August (ith.)

Cliile. — February, 1921. The Chilean Legation at Paris
(23, Avenue du Bois de Boulogne) is asking for tenders for the
supply and installation of electric power in the first zone of the
ChDean railways. Sealed tenders are returnable before February 1st,
1921.

Croydon. — September sth. Tramways Department.
Supply and installation of a new feeder cable. (See this issue.)

Dublin. — August 17th. Electricity Supply Committee.
Soot evacuating apparatus of the Vulcan type. (See this issue.)

Edinburgh. — September 6th. Electricity Department.
Converting plant for Portobello generating station and sub-station.
Specification No. 20. (August Cth.)

France. — Paris. — September 1st. Supply of three
tenders for multiple-commutator switchboards, for the central
telephone offices at Saint Germain-en-Laye, Montreuil-sous-Boia
and Boulogne-8ur-Seine respectively. Particulars of the Direction
de lExploitation Telephonique, 4f Bureau, 103, Rue de Grenelle.
Paris.

London. — Walthamstow. — September 8th. Urban
District Council. Electricity Department. Two water-tube boilers
and economisers ; one ."',00o-kw. turbo-alternator and condensing
plant ; one l..)iiO-KW. and one 1,000-KW. rotary or motor con-
verters ; one natural-draught cooling tower ; b.h.t. and l.T.
switohgear ; e.h.t. cables. (See this issue.)

Manchester. — August 30th. Electricity Committee.

Bju-ton power station : 33,000-volt, 3-phase trunk feeders (2(i miles),
pilot cables (1U4 miles), telephone cables (19 miles). Specification
B. 7. (August 6th.)

August 24th. Electricity Committer. One steam turbine-driven
boiler-feed pump, for Stuart Street generating station. Mr. F. E.
Hughes, Secretary, Electricity Department, Town Hall. Deposit
£1 Is. (returnable).

September 2Dd. Markets Committee. Pumps, motors and fittings,
for Smithfield and Elm Street cold stores. Specifications. &c., from
General Superintendent, Markets Department. Town Hall.

September 20th. Electricity Committee. Six 33,UOO-volt, lii,.^00
K.V.A., 3phase static transformers, house service and testing trans-
formers. (August lith.)

Nuneaton. — September 20th. Electricity Department.
H. and L.T. switohgear, connecting cables and accessories. (See
this issue.)

Portsmouth. — August 17th. Tramways Committee.
Btorej for twelve months, including insulating materials, overhead
line equipment, &c. (July 30th.)

Au/ust 2.)th. Electric Lighting Committee. One 4,000-KW.
turbo alternator ; two water-tube boilers, each of 30,000 lb. per
hour capacity. (July 30th.)

South Africa. — Johannesburg. — September 6th. Gaa
and Elsctric Supply Department. Class A. One or more light
electric passenger vehicles. Class B. One or more light electric
delivery vehicles. (See this issue.)

Spain. — September 2l8t. Spanish Department of Public

Works in Madrid. Conceasion for the construction and working,
during a period of Ho years, of an electric tramway between
Mataro and Agentoaa ( Province of Barcelona).

Stockton-on-Tees. — August 30th. District Fund, Gas
ani Electricity Committees. Articles ani stores for six months.
(See this issue.)

Uganda. — December 20th. Government of the Uganda
Protectorate. Tenders invited for a concession of a portion of the
Ripon Falls of the Nile. See this column in our issue of July 30th.

Warrington. — September 7th. Electricity and Tramways
Committee. Surface condensing plant. (August 6th.)

CLOSED.

Aberdare. —

(Overhead equipment, underground and overhead feeders, for tramwayi
extension. — .Idessrs. Clough, Smith & Co., Ltd.

Basiogstolie. —

Contract for lighting of St. Stephen's Chapel ; also for lighting of house'
under housing scheme, placed with Messrs. Bennett, Bardwell & Co.

Blacliburn. — Corporation : —

aicipal houses in Green Lane —

Caaterbury. — Town Council : —

Electric water-van.— Messrs. Newton, £',123.

Uartford. — Urban District Council : —

General Electric Co., Ltd.— Rotary converter, £7,125.

Johnson & PhUlips, Ltd.- Cable and switohgear for converter, i'1,2:^:
mains extensions, £1,237.

Liverpool. — Mersey Docks and Harbour Board : —

Metallic-tllament lamps.- The Corona Lamp Works, Ltd., and the Electric
Lamp Factors, Ltd.

Manchester. — Tramways Committee. — Accepted : —

Iraniwaj rail bonds.— British Insulated S: Helsby Cables, Ltd.

Electricity Committee. Accepted : —

Two 2,350 K.V.A., 3-phase transformers. — Ferranti, Ltd.

Cable.— Enfield ; Ediswan Cable Works, Ltd., Connollvs (Blacklej), Lid.
Cable and stores for 12 months to June SOth, 1921 :—

Cable.— British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd.: Callender's Cable &
Construction Co., Ltd.; Western Electric Co., Ltd.; Enfield Ediswan
Cable Works, Ltd.; Johnson & Phillips, Ltd.; W. T. Henley's Tele-
graph Works Co., Ltd.; Macintosh Cable Co., Ltd.; .New Gutla-Herifia
Co., Ltd.

.Adhesive tape. — L. Andrew & Co.

Blackley's tape. — Connollys (Blackley), Ltd.

Dry batteries and flash lamps. — Siemens Bros. & "

Bos compound (lor E.H.T. work), resin oil and
Cable it Construction Co., Ltd.

Box compound (for L.T. work).- Dussek Bitumen Co.

Carbon brushes. — Le Carbone, Morgan Crucible Co., Ltd.

Crucibles.— Morgan Crucible Co., Ltd.

Dynamo brushes and copper tape brushes. — W. Patterson, Ltd.

Earthenware cable bridges.— Doulton & Co., Ltd.

Earthenware pipes and bends, &c. — Doulton & Co.; Isherwood Bros., Lid.

Fuse boxes (six months only). — Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Insulating cloth.— L. Andrew & Co.

Insulators. — Bullers, Ltd.; Doulton & Co., Ltd.

Auto-balancers and auto-transformers. — General Electric Co., Ltd.

Static transformers. — Ferranti, Ltd.

E.H.T. u-ifurcating boxes —British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd.

L.T. trifurcating boxes.— Johnson & Phillips, Ltd.

Tubing and accessories. — IJrotherton Ediswan Tubes & Conduits, Ltd.

Tubing and fittings. — Simples Conduits, Ltd.

D.C.C. wire (six months only).— London Electric Wire Co. & Smiths, Ltd.

Wire (resistance and bending).— Bruntons, Connollys (Blacklov), Ltd.

Fuse wire.— Hawkins Bros. & Co., Ltd.; F. Smith & Co.

Main and auxiliary switohgear for Barton Station. — British Thomson-
Houston Co., Ltd.

Housing Committee. Accepted : —

Electric lighting of houses on the Mount Road Estat

tape.— Callender**

Gorton. — J. .\rm- |J

U.S.A. Generating Station Statistics.— According to

reports filed with the Public Service Commission, the gas com-
panies and electricity works in New York City in 1919 consumed
a total of 3,453,408 tons of coal. Of this quantity the gas com-
panies used 1,646,619 tons of coal and coke, and the electricity
works used 1,806,789 tons of anthracite and bituminotu coal.
Figures based on reports obtained from over 3,000 central stations
give an average, says Power, of 3 lb. of coal per KW.-hour ; the
most economical plants operate on about 1'5 lb. An analysis of 60
of the large electrical power systems in the U.S.A. shows that 49
generate at 60 cycles, six at 25, four at 60 and 25, and one at 50
cycles A.c. There are approximately 43 million K.v.A. of 60-oycle,
\\ million K.v.A. of 25-cycle, and 160,000 k.v.a. of oO-oyole
generating capacity installed on these systems.

Vol.87. No. 2,229, AuausT 18, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

211

PROF. JOHN PERRY, D.Sc, LL.D., F.R.S.

By Prok. H. H. turner, F.R.S.
(General Secretary, British Association.)

The comparatively sudden death of John Perry came as a
great shock to his many friends. It is true that he had
been already six years in retirement from active teaching,
that his years had reached three-score-and-ten, and that he
was not. robust ; but nevertheless, vitality seemed to
radiate from him ; no company could be insensible to the
keen interest which beamed from his spectacles, or to his
jolly laugh ; and if the conversation should di'ift towards
controversy, in which Perry's Irish blood seemed to delight,
even opponents could enjoy the aggressive things said with
80 much good humour (in all senses). In Perry's presence
there was nothing to suggest collapse. But the trouble
which recently led him to take a long voyage was apparently
more serious than was thought ; he returned without much
benefit, ultimately took to his bed, and, after a few days'
serious illness, died peacefully on August 5th.

The most important link with the outer world thus
snapped is his T'reasurership of the British Association,
which he took over from Carey Foster in 1904. He was
earnest in this work as in all other, and was gathering
funds with which to meet the emergency caused by the
war. But his interest in the work of the Association did
not begin or end with this office ; as President of the
Education Section, he gave a vigorous address at Sydney,
in 19 U ; and he presided over the Engineering Section, in
1902, at Belfast, in the very lecture-room in which he had
begun his own early studies in ISlio. His address on the
training of engineers opened a discussion (jointly with the
Education Section ) on that great topic. Perry caught the
attention of his audience by quoting from H. G. Wells
the distinction between the " degraded, useless, luxurious,
pleasure-loving people doomed to the abyss " and the "salt
of the earth, or saviours of society," who had an engineer's
training and possessed the engineer's methods of thinking ;
and thereupon proceeded to recall the debt he owed to
James Thomson and others who had taught him, and to
appreciate their methods. " They revealed to the student
that he himself was a man, that mere learning was unim-
portant, that one's own observation of some common
phenomenon might lead to important results unknown to
the writers of books." Perry was warm and generous in his
acknowledgments. It has often been stated that he had the
first public school physical laboratory at Clifton in 1871,
and the first school workshop ; but in a footnote to this
address he acknowledges the priority of the Rossall work-
shop, and continues : " These ideas were not mine ; they
were those of the head master " [Dr. Percival].

It was natural that such a man should do specially good
work in collaboration, and his partnership with Ayrton is
world-famous. It began in Japan, whither be went in
1875, after four years' work as a schoolmaster at Clifton.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Percival, who had a keen eye for
ability in his staff, appointed Perry at the early age of 20
to carry out the novel ideas above mentioned. But he felt
the need of a wider horizon, and ultimately joined the small
band of teachers invited by Japan to instruct them in
Western civilisation. The instruction was so effective and
80 rapid that the Japanese Government soon found itself
able to bid a courteous farewell to its benefactors, and entrust
the continuation of the good work to their pupils. But the
teaching was, nevertheless, so far from absorbing all the
available energy, that a stream of important memoirs issued
from the same source. [Possibly their production was a
not unimportant part of the teaching.] Ayrton and Perry,
for instance, made the first determinations of the dielectric
constant of gases, and there followed an important memoir
on the significance of this constant in the definition of the
electrostatic unit of quantity. They wrote on the viscosity
of dielectrics, the theory of terrestrial magnetism, electro-
lytic polarisation, contact electricity, telegraph tests ; the
volume of work was so great as to draw from
Clerk-Maxwell the jest that the " centre of elec-
trical gravity seemed to have shifted to Japan." Things

specially Japanese were not neglected ; the partners gave
an ingenious solution of the problem of Japanese " magic"
mirrors, and joined in the general interest in earthquake?.
Perry continued to follow the seismological work of hia
friend Milne till the day of his death, and Milne's 1896
Seismological Report contains the description of a " Perry
tromometer," the only fault of which seems to have been
its too great sensitiveness. The collaboration with Ayrton
survived the return of both partners to England ; together
they invented a surface-contact system for electric railways,
which guaranteed an absolute block, and on taking over
telpherage after Fleeming Jenkin's death they used this
device. They invented a clock meter and motor meter,
from which, owing to the vagaries of patent laws, other
people made yast fortunes ; and they produced the first
electric tricycle in 1882. After producing more than
70 memoirs, the partnership was dissolved soon after their
ammeter received a silver medal at the Paris Exhibition of
1889, the last joint paper appearing in 1891, after which
date they found it more convenient to work separately. But
the friendship was not dissolved, and Perry was one of the
friends chosen to make Ayrton's funeral orations.

He has told, with much enjoyment at the recollection,
the story of his first meeting with Sir William Thomson,
with whom he worked for a time in 1874-5, and for whom
he always retained the deepest veneration. Thomson having
come across a question to which he understood Perry had
paid some attention, he wrote to ask him to call, and
left word with his servants and assistants that Perry was to
be admitted whenever he should appear. This happened to be
when Thomson was giving a lecture, but the instructions
were carried out, and suddenly Perry found himself in the
presence of a large class, for whose benefit Thomson was
writing on the blackboard. Without the least hesitation or
embarrassment the lecturer asked the class to excuse him
for a few moments, rubbed the board clean, and used it to
make diagrams of the matter on which he wished to consult
his visitor I

Perry left Japan in 1879. Ayrton had come home the
year before, and (with H. E. Armstrong as the only other
Professor) had started technical instruction at what came
to be the City and Guilds of London Technical College,
Finsbury, his first class consisting of one old man and a boy
of 14. Perry joined him in 1881, and under these three
great educational pioneers — Ayrton, Armstrong and Perry —
progress was very rapid. Perry remained 15 years at the
College, and while there wrote his " Practical Mechanics"
(1883), and his well-known "Spinning Tops" (1890), the
latter being substantially a British Association lecture to
working men. But his appointment at the Royal College
of Science in 1890 led to a more copious educational ouput.
" The Calculus " and " Applied Mechanics " both appeared
in 1897, " Steam and Practical Mathematics " in 1899, and
" England's Neglect of Science " in 1901, the year in which,
at the Glasgow meeting of the British Association, he
opened a crusade for the better teaching of mathematics —
a crusade still in vigorous prosecution, though its opener be
now gone. Probably the effects of Perry's educational work
will be even more permanent than his engineering achieve-
ments, though these extended to the close of his life, which
was marked by a notable contribution to the theory and the
practical improvement of the gyrocompass.

Again, we note that this last work was done in the
happiest circumstances of collaboration — with his nephew
by marriage, Mr. S. G. Brown, F.R.S. A few dates and
details may be added : he was born in Ulster on February
14th, 1850, the second son of Samuel Perry, of Garvagh.
Ability has shown itself in several other members of the
family, both in his own generation and the next. He
married Miss Alice Jowitt, of Sheffield, who died in 1904,
and was buried in the churchyard at Wendover, where they
had a country cottage ; there, too, her husband was laid on
August 8th. There were no children. In boyhood. Perry
attended classes at the Model School, Belfast, and later
went to Queen's College. He was a Whitworth Scholar,
Peel's Prizeman and Gold Medallist. He was elected F.R.S.
in 1885, and received honours from various Universities.
An invitation to receive an Honorary Degree from the
University of South Wales reached him, and gave hinr
pleasure only a few hours before his death.

212

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWc [Voi. s;. No. 2,229, augdst 13, 1920.

NOTES.

Parliamentary. — Royal Assent. — The Royal Assent
has been given to the following Acts : —
Airdrie and Coatbridge Tramways Order Confirmation .Act, 1920.
Dunfermline and District Tramways Order Confirmation Act, 1920.
Tramways Orders Confirmation Act, 1920.
Wrexham District Tramways Act, 1920.

Central London and Metropolitan District Railway Co.'s (Works) Act, 1920.
Hastings Tramways Act, 1920.
Edinburgh Boundaries Extension and Tramways Act, 1920.

Coal Mine Regalations. — The ITome Secretary notifies in

the Liindon Gazette that on July 30th he made general regulations
under Sec. 86 of the Coal Mines Act, 11)11, to apply to all mines
under the Act, and relating to safety precautions and the use of
electricity on the surface.

Government Amalgamation of Electrical Enterprises in

Japan, — A dispatch from Tokio (Reuters Trade Service"), dated
June 13th, says: — "The expansion of electrical enterprises in
Japan was one of the most prominent features of the war-trade
boom. With the sudden slumps in the financial world, and the
refusal of bankers to advance credits, however, many of these
schemes have become unworkable, and the • iovernment is now intend-
ing to amalgamate all electrical enterprises, thus hoping to stabilise
the industry. How greatlytheshortageoffundshas affected thetrade
may be seen from the fact that the Nippon Electrical Association
and other similar big enterprises have been applying to the Bank
of Japan for funds. The Ministry of Communications, which has
also been asked to render assistance, is apparently of opinion that
the advance of capital to the promoters is a temporary measure,
which will not place the industry on a permanent basis. The
Government, therefore, issued instructions to Prefectural Governors
in June that electrical industries should be amalgamated under
the direction of the local authorities, and that power enter-
prises should be managed on a greater scale than now planned.
In the opinion of the Ministry of Communications, this amalga-
mation of plans and the enlargement of enterprises will not only
render the exploitation of water power easier and more economical,
but will also make it easier for the promoters to raise capital. The
advance of capital asked for is considered of secondary importance
by the Government.

Transformation from Two to Three-Phase.— A new

method of transforming electrical energy from two-phase to
three-phase and rice rerxd is outlined in the February Bulletin of
the Schweitzerischer Elektroteohnischer Verein and in the March
7th issue of Flel'trofrchjiil; viid Mii.schinenhau. The advantage
over the Scott method consists in the use of a normal three-phase
transformer suitably wound, instead of two single- pha^e trans-
formers, which leads to a lower initial cost. The new method is
also simpler than the arrangements devised by Stern and theGesell-
achaft fiir Elektrische Industrie. It is aleo shown that the transi-
tion from two-phase 40-cycIe supply to three-phase 50-cycle supply,
which is commonly being carried out in Switzerland and Austria in
order to connect existing systems to the long-distance distributing
systems, can be effected by very simple re-connections of the trans-
former windings that can be carried out on the site. The voltages
on load are better balanced than in the Scott system. The
originator of the system now described is J. Kiibler, particulars
being given in Swiss Patent No. 82,681.

The accompanying figure shows the arrangement of the secondary

ARRiNOEMENT OF TRANSFORMER SECONDARY WINDINGS.

wiLdings of the tranaformer, the primary being a normal three-
phase winding in star or mesh connection.

One limb of the transformer carries the winding u' — (.X y), the
second the winding v'—(x Y), and the third the windings u — u',
o' — v',andv' — v. If w. is the number of turns on each of the
star-connected portions of the secondary winding and w,' the
number of turns on each of the portions u— u' and v' — v', then
Wj'/Wj = sin a/sin ji = sin IS'/sin 4.')°, and w,' = (VS — Vi vtji.
It r, is the current per phase on the two-phase side, the sections
n — d' and v — v' carry the current i, the sections (x y) — c' and
(x \')— v' carry currents l,\/ 2/\'3 displaced iW from each
other in phase, and the section u' — v' carries the current
r, (VS — 1);V6 or approximately 0'3 l.,. The latter section acts as
an equalising winding, that renders the symmetrical transformation
from three to two-phase possible.

A calculation of the total copper losses showg that if a k.v.a.
to be transformed from two to three-phase, the three-phace
transformer required is one of which the normal rating is 107 a.
The article discusses the 40 to 50 cycle, two to three-phase change
referred to above, and shows how it may be carried out, and it
appears that after the change the output of the transformer may
be increased 30 per cent, for equal heating.

The connection shown in the figure is given for a two-pha?e
system with common third wire, but connection for a two-phase
system with four wires may also be obtained by a modification of
the arrangement. — Terhnicul Heciew.

Fatalities. — An inquest was held at Redcar last week on
Harry Martin, aged 51, a plater's helper, of Midclesbrough. who
was killed by an electric shock at the Warrenby steelworks, of
Messrs. Dorman, Long & Co., Ltd. It was stated that deceased
and a boilersmith were completing repairs to an electric crine.
Instead of approaching the electrician, Martin asked a filter who
was working in the drivers cab if the switches were out. All
those in the cab were off, and the fitter, thinking that these cut off
the power from the whole crane, replied "Yes." Almost immedi-
ately Martin collapsed, and his companion received a shcck when
he went over and touched him. WitCout their being aware of it,
a switch on the top of the crane was on. The power was
promptly shut off, but Martin was dead. An electrician was on
duty in the portion of the mills where the accident occurred. He
was the proper person to approach to ensure safety when work was
to be done on the cranes. The Coroner, in returning a verdict of
" Accidental Death," said deceased was slightly to blame, he
thought, for not having found a responsible man before beginning
the work. No doubt Martin took a great deal for granted.

At Beverley, an ir quest was held touching the death of Robert
Thomas Smith, electrician on the estate of Lieut.-Col. E. W.
Stanyforth, J. P., Kirk Hammerton Hall. He was found lying dead
beside his motor cycle on the road near South Dalton. It was pre-
sumed that he was seized with a fainting fit and fell off his
machine, fracturing the base of hisskull. Verdict, " Misadventure,"

Institution and Lectnre Notes.— The Institution of

Electrical Engineers South Midland Centre. — A Students'

Section has been formed in connection with this Centre. Full
particulars may be obtained from the Hon. Sec, Mr. J. Wallis
Bailey, 14, Carlyle Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. The first
session will open with a meeting on October 12th, and meetings
will be held monthly thereafter ui til April, 1921. The Secretary
will be pleased to hear from student members prepared to read
papers during the session.

Electric Cooking Ranges: Standard Specification.—

There has just been issued by the British Engineering Standards
Association a British Standard Specification for Electrically- heated
Cooking Ranges (B.S. Specification Xo. 106—1920). Standard
sizes for two cooking ranges are included ; the ranges are each in
two parts, so that the specification includes two sizes of cooking
table and two sizes of oven. These sizes are intended to be suit-
able for cooking for five persons and ten persons respectively ;
the cooking table provides hot plates and a grill, with a spice to
act as a warming chamber. This is the first attempt that has been
made to bring about standardisation in this class of appara us. acd in
the preparation of the specification the British Electrical and
Allied Manufacturers' Association, the Incorporated Municipal
Electrical Association, the National Electrical Contractors' Trading
Association, and others interested have co-operated. The Sub-
Committee of the British Engineering Standards Association
responsible for this work was first under the chairmanship of Mr.
C. H. Wordingham. C.B.E., and now is under the chairmanship of
Mr. S. T. Allen, chief engineer to the Borough of Wolverhampton.

It is hoped that the experience gained by the use of the specifi-
cation will b3 forwarded to the B.E.S A. for the use of the Sub-
Committee when the specification comes up for revision next year.
The specification is published by the British Engineering Standards
Association 28, Victoria Street, where it can be obtained from
the secretary (price Is. 2d. post free).

Educational. — Rutherford Technical College. — In

anticipation of the impending changes in the scope and method
of conducting examinations for the Postmaster-General's certifi-
cate in wireless telegraphy, the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Education
Committee has drawn up a revised syllabus for the Department of
Wireless Telegraphy at the above College. In the past the classes
have not received the support they deserve, probably because it
was not generally known that such facilities existed. The Institution
is recognised by the Po8tn-s=t'"--Oeneral as an examination centre,
and periodic examinatii rs are hel I on the various installations, for
which the College is well ciju-ppsd, and the curriculum extends well
beyond the scope of the Postmaster-General's examination.

Electrical Installations in Spain.— It is estimated by

an electrical engineer that electrical installations of 250.000 HP.
are in course of construction in Spain. Active investigations are
being made in the valley of Aran (Province of Lerida) relative to
the possibility of utilising existing falls in that region and forming
now ones. The force already in exploitatation is calculated at
600,000 H.P. — Renter f Trade Serrice, Madrid.

Fire. — Many thousands of pounds' worth of damage was
done by a fire which broke out on Saturday afternoon in the
dynamo house attached to the joiners' shop at the sbipboilding
yard of Messrs. Hawthorn, Leslie *; Co., Ltd., Hebbum-on-Tyne.

Vol, 87. No. 2,229, August 13, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

218

Electrically-treated Milk. — The Medical Research
Oommittee haa published a report on the destruction of
bacteria in milk by means of electricity. This method waa
introduced at Liverpool in 1911.* The present account i* by
Prof. J. M. Beattie, of Liverpool, and Mr. F. C. Lewis,
Lecturer of Bacteriological Methods, University of Liver-
pool. An independent trial of the method was aliK>
made at Birmingham, where Piof. R. F. C. Leith
repeated and extended the Liverpool observatiouii. Sir
Ohver Lodge superintended the study of the electrical
action on its technical side, and Prof. Beattie put
apparatus at Dr. Leith's disposal. The results of both experi-
ments agree, sajs the Times, in supporting the value of the
electrical method of sterilisation. The Birmingham worker*
found that the electrical method showed a close parallelism to
the old method of sterilisation by heat, and are inclmed to
think that the current does its work of killing the bacteria by
virtue of the heat which it generates. They wei-e led to
beheve that in the electrical method the current raises the
temperature of the milk more quickly, and since it passe*
through every part of the mUk, the heat w hich it generates
reaches every part of the milk at the same moment. . It has
this advantage over the simpler thermal method. Further,
though the heat is generated always at the same rate, it
increases with the length of the milk column traversed by the
electrical current, and hence, as in the thermal method, the
temperature of the milk will continue to increase until it
reaches its highest point as it issues from the tube. The
heat conditions of the two methods are, therefore, very
similar. Their sterilising power ia also similar, though th«
electrical is quicker in its action, and Prof. Leith summarised
his report by saying that " both the thermal and electrical
methods have a high practical value, and deserve considera-
tion in any endeavour made to injprove milk supplies. The
thermal is simpler and cheaper, the electrical quicker in
•ction." Prof. Leith suggested further that both methods
could be made more efficient by adopting the practice
ot pasteurising by two treatment applications, with rapid
cooling of the milk after each, and that even with a. single
application the milk would store better if rapidly cooled after
treatment. In the opinion of the Medical Research (Committee
the experiments at Birmingham, though they entirely support
the practical results obtained by Prof. Beattie and Mr. Lewis
at Liverpool, were not complete enough on their bacteriolo-
gical side to settle tiually the question whether the electrical
current in this method has a direct bactericidal action or
whether it acts purely as a thermal agent. Sir Ohver Lodge
was strongly of opinion that its action was purely thermal.

According to the Manchester Guardian the conclusions of
the investigators are that this electrical treatment is much
more effective in ridding milk of bacteria than are processes
at present in general use. The results are regular, and the
risks of after-contamination are comparatively small, if the
rules of ordinary cleanliness are observed. The milk,
especially if rapidly cooled, can be kept for .several days at
ordinary room temperature without any apparent change.
The use of refricerating plant is recommended as a neces-
sary adjunct to the electrical apparatus in large-scale practice,
in order to ensure rapid cooling and so improve the " keeping
Quahty."

The Lancet concludes that milk can now be rendered frep
from B. cnli and B. iuberculosis by the electrical method
described, without raising the temperature higher than 6-3 deg.
or 64 deg. C. The temijerature effect is very short in dura-
tion, and in itself is not the principal factor in the destruction
of the bacteria. It is stated that though the milk is not
sterilised in the strict sense of the word, yet the percentage
reduction- of the bacteria, taken over a period of a fortnight,
is 99.9.3. The keeping power of the milk appears to be in-
crea.sed, the ta.ste is not altered, and, so far as careful chemical
examination can determine, the properties not impaired.
Finally, it is definitely stated that the niilk so treated can be
de,i?cribed accurately as raw milk free from pathogenetic
bacteria. No very extensive work has been done nor .safe
conclusions deduced about the biological value of the milk so
treated, but so far babies fed on the milk are reported to
have done " extremely weU."

Electric Rolling Mills. — A valuable paper on the
"Power Requirements of Rolling Mills" was recently read
before the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers by
the President, Mr. A., du Pasquier, M.I.E.E. The paper is
unsuitable for brief ab.straction, but the author's concluding
remarks are of con.siderable interest. He says : " This (the
saving of fuel) is, of cour.se, not the only benehl, in addition
to the general advantages with regard to space, cleanliness,
lower upkeep, more regular speed, and consequently better
output that are inherent to electrification, in rolling mills and
particularly reversing mills, the perfect speed control afforded
by the Ward-Leonard system is a most important factor in the
output of a large mill. Electrically-driven mills of 10,000 to
15,000 H.p. are capalile of being reversed 20 to 2.5 times a
minute, with a full-load speed of 60 r.p.m. This is far beyond
the possibilities of a steam engine, and indeed beyond the
actual requu-ements of the naill, but the ability to reverse in

'Elec. Rev , February 20th, p. 317; April 24th, p. 713;
May 8th, p 790; and July 31st, p. 169, 1914.

so small an interval of time is an index to the general speed
control available. An ingot leaves the rolls at the velocity of
the rolls, and for. economy in time the speed of the roll must
be so decelerated before the pass is completed that the ingot is
deUvered and its progress arrested close up against the roll
ready for the next pass. When one considers that the time
element of the earher passes is only a matter of a second or
les.s, the capacity for rapid reversal is a very valuable feature."

Appointments Vacant. — Power-house superintendent
(£523), for the Borougrh of Stoke-on-Trent Electrical Eagineer's
Department ; switchboard attendant (-138. fid. + 333. 6d. + 124 per
cent.), for the Lancaster Corporation Electricity Department -,
installation and meter foreman (llos.), for the County Borough of
Salford Electricity Department ; temporary engineer in connection
with hydro-electric surveys in Bombay and Burma (Rs. 675 to
Rs. 1,175 per mensem, accordingtoage), for the Public Works Depart-
ment, India ; teachers of electrical wiremen'a work and electricity
and magnetism, for the Guildford Technical Institute ; sub-station
engineer (£500), for the Durban Corporation Electricity Depart-
ment ; two switchboard attendants (ilOs. ltd.), and one electrical
fitter (,948.), for the Southend Corporation Electrisity Department ;
mains engineer' (£300), for the Colne Borough Council Elec-
tricity and Tramways Department ; assistant divisional engineer
for the Government of Straits Settlements telegraphs and tele-
phones (360 dollars per month + 20 per cent. Dollar = 2s. 4d.)
See our advertisement pages to-day.

Legal. — Electric Light Co.Aii'iNy Fined. — The Wins-
combe Electric Light and Power Co. was recently fined £5 for an
offence under the Factory Act, by not having the flywheel of a
gas-engine securely fenced.

Electrician Charged — At Hull last week, George Knight,
chief electrician of the British Oil and Cake Mills, was remanded
for seven days on a charge of stealing a dynamo. Mr. W. J. Stuart
opposed bail, and said property of the value of from £800 to £2,000
might be involved. Prisoner had threatened to leave the country.
Bail was refused. — Yorksliire Herald.

French Hydro-electric Power. — The Paris correspondent

of the Fiiia/ici/tl Times says that according to recent estimates
France possesses — mostly in an inert and unutilised condition — the
greatest hydraulic power of any country in Europe. Though
engineers and others frequently drew attention to the hydraulic
possibilities of France, it required the great war and the destruction
of the chief French collieries by the Germans to bring these possi-
bilities to official notice. Officialdom in France is an exceedingly
slow mover, and it takes ages for any new scheme to crystallise in
its mind. The coal shortage at least has had the advantage of
bringing the hydraulic question to the front, and the Under-
Secretary of State for Hydraulic Power has now elaborated a
definite scheme for the electrification of a large portion of the rail-
ways of France. These raQroads have Ijeen under direct Govern-
ment management, but the direction has now been restored to the
companies. In any case, the permanent ways are the property of
the State, and are only held on lease by the companies. It is this
fact that enables such a vast question to be taken up and decided
by the State as a central railway authority.

In a recent interview. Mr. G. Tochon, the Chief of Staff to
the Under-Secretary of State, said : — " The special Railway Com-
missions which have been engaged in studying the matter for over
two years, estimate that the total cost of electrification of the
Orleans system will amount to 760 millions of francs (nominally
£30,400,000), for the Paris. Lyons, and Mediterranean lines 1,190
millions of francs (nominally £47,600,000), and for the Midi, or
Southern Co.'s system, 740 millions of francs (nominally
£29,600,000). Thus the three railway systems, covering about
8,000 kilometres, or 4,800 miles, can — according to these estimates
—be electrified for a total outlay of £107,600,000.

"In 1913 the Orleans Co. utilised for train haulage 450,000 tons of
coal, the Paris, Lyons, and Mediterranean Co. between 650,000 and
700,000 tons, and the Midi Co. 370,000 tons. This is far below
our present requirements, but even taking the figures for 1913, we
shall, by the electrification from hydraulic power of our railways,
save, ill 20 years' time, a minimum of 3,000,000 tons of coal per
annum. At the present prices of coal this implies a saving of
£7,200,000 per annum."

Wireless in the Fishing Industry. — (^uite a number of the

North Sea trawlers, and many of the little steam-drifters as well,
have been fitted with wireless telegraphy. Their sending radius is
small, but they can receive messages from long distances. Accord-
ing to the Evening Xews^ the real purpose of the installations
is receiving ; and most of the messages sent concern the state of
the fish market. 'When the market is glutted, and the price of fish
right down, they are instructed to stay out and go on fishing for
another day or two. Similarly, when railway congestion forces
dealers to sell fish as manure, the fishing hauls can be diverted to
other ports more fortunately situated.

The Late Prof. Perry. — The Institution of Electrical

Engineers was represented at the funeral of Prof. John Perry,
F.R.S., Past President, at Wendover Churchyard, by Mr. Roger
T. Smith, President, Mr. L. B. Atkinson, President-elect, Dr.
W. H. Ecclea, Vice-President, and at the Memorial Service at
St. Peter's Church, Bayswater, by Mr. A. .Siemens. Mr. W. M. Mordey,
Past Presidents, Sir James Devonshire, Honorary Treasurer, and
Mr. R. H. Tree. Chief Clerk.

214

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,229, augttst 13, 1920.

A New A.C. Mercury Arc. — It is common knowledge
that under ordinary conditions an A.C. arc is not maintained
between metallic electrodes. Aarons has shOwn in fact that
interruption of continuous current flowing through an arc
between mercury electrodes for so short a period as 1/100,000
eee. is sufficient to e.xtingui.sh the arc. The 3-electrode mer-
cury lamp (in which one electrode is connected to the central
point of an auto-tran.sfuniier, the terminals of which are
connected to the other two electrodes), is not an A.C. arc
because each half of the lamp is traversed by a current
always in the same sense. On the other hand, research with
mercury rectifiers has shown that an A.c. arc is possible be-
tween mercury electrodes provided that : (1) The electrodes
are already hot. (2) The voltage exceeds 600 volts. (3) The
circuit has consideralile self-induction. (4) The pressure of
the mercury vapour exceeds 1 cm.

M. Henri Georges found that an a.c. arc could be main-
tained between mercury electrodes which were not pre-heated
by using about 400 volts, and striking the arc by breaking
a thread of mercury connecting the electrodes in an atmo-
sphere of neon at a pressure of about 20 cm., and he now
describes (in a recent note to the Academic des Sciences),
a 2-electrode lamp based on a diffeient principle. The new
lamp starts with cold electrodes, and operates at voltages
exceeding 500 volts ; it has a quartz tube, and develops a
vapour pressure exceeding 2 kg. per sq. cm. Ee.servoirs at
the ends of the quartz tube contain an extremely small
quantity of mercury (1 cc. for a 2-kw. lamp), and the lamp
contains a rare gas (preferably neon) at a pressure, when
cold, exceeding 1 cm. of mercury. The lamp is connected
to the secondary terminals of a transformer containing self-
induction in the primary, or a leakage transformer (trans-
foTmateur d fuites) may be used, the lamp being then .started
merely by closing the primary circuit.

It takes about 7 mins. before the lamp reaches its steady
operating conditions, and the several stages of starting can
be distinguished easily, but are quite stable. The succe.ssive
etagea are as follows : (1) Luminescence of the inert gas, the
spectrum emitted being that of the gas and the terminal
voltage being about 2 volts per cm. This stage lasts only
for a fraction of 1 sec, the mercury being rapidly vapori.=;ed.
(2) As the mercury evaporates, the pressure falls to 0..5 volt
per cm. of arc, and there is luminescence of the mixture
of inert gas and mercury vapour. During the next few
seconds the inert gas is driven' into the bulbs at the enda
of the tube, where it as.sists in condensing the mercury.
The light emitted is Mien that of the low-pressure mercury
arc. (3) From this moment, as the quantity of mercury is
very small, the vapour pressure rises rapidly (this being a
condition of stability), and the voltage increases simultane-
ously to about .50 volts per cm. The arc becomes a fine
thread of high brilliancy, and the temperature of tlie waUs
of the lamp rises to 700 deg. C. This steady, high pressure
arc is obtained about 7 minutes after lighting the lamp.

For .satisfactory operation it is e.s.sential that the lamp be
dimensioned very accurately' so that the vapour pressure
rises very quickly at the start, otherwi.se the arc becomes
unstable and goes out. Similarly, the cooling must be such
that stable operation is maintained indefinitely.

The first pattern of the new lamp has a tube 40 cm. long
and consumes 2 kw. in the arc when running steadily. The
lamp is supplied by a 110/3,000-volt transformer, and takes
1 amp. at a terminal p.d. of 2,250 volts, corresponding to
a power factor of 0.7. Smaller lamps can be made for
laboratory use, but the principal interest of the new type
lies in the possibility of building very ixjwerful units. Lamps
of 10 KW. or over are considered to be practicable, and these
would be more powerful than any otner source of ultra-
violet light yet available.

Thermo - Electricity. — In a recent lecture before the
Institute of Metals, Prof. C. A. F. Benedicks shortly sum-
marised his theoretical views upon the metallic conduction
of electricity which explained many matters not made clear
by the former electron theory.

According to the Technical Review a consequence of this
new theory is that one has to conclude that, even in a single
homogeneous metal, thermo-electric currents do occur;
hitherto such currents were believed to be produced only
when two different metals were present. Prof. Benedicks
gave a concise demonstration of the most important experi-
mental evidence of the truth of this conclusion, utilising for
the purpose various metals. In liquid mercury it had been
possible for him definitely to prove the existence of thermo-
electric currents, thus disproving the negative results of
previous workers. A consequence of what the lecturer termed
his " homogeneous thermo-electric effect " was that there
must exist the reverse effect, the " homogeneous electro-
thermic effect," including as a special case the well-known
Thomson effect. The reality of this effect was duly made
clear. An interesting demonstration was given of a new
rotating thermo-electric apparatus made entirely of copper
and rotating in a magnetic field, the driving force originating
solely from unequal heating (by means of a tiny gas jet) of
thin strips of copper. The point at wbich the new know.
ledge brought forward by Prof. Benedicks might have some
practical intere.st lay in the possibility of reducng the thermal
conductivity of metals by* insulated sub-division into fine
wires without impairing the electrical conductivity.

Oil Fuel and Railway Electrificatioa. — The increasing
cost and scarcity of fuel are hastening the development of
electric traction on the Pacific Coast of the U.S.A. In a
paper before the recent N.E.L..^. Convention, U.S.A., Mr.
J. E. Woodbridge states, according to the Technical Review,
that since May, 1915, crude oil .stocks in California have de-
creased from over (j(J,(lWI,O0() bbl. to less than 29,000,0(JO bbl.
in March, J920. The available supply of crude oil in stock
to-day is less than 13,00<I,0(KJ bbl., and at the present rate
of consumption and production the available stocks will be
exhausted in about J 2 months. The Standard Oil Co., of
California, is installing new processes by which it is estimated
that more refined products, including ga.soline will be re-
covered from crude oil in such quantities that the company's
production of fuel oil will be reduced about .30 per cent,
within a year. In an ordinary steam station developing from
185 to 200 KW. -hours per barrel the cost for fuel alone will
be at least 1 per cent, per KW.-hour, and this figure, added
to other steam operating costs and fixed charges, will make
the total cost of steam power much higher than that of
hydro-electric power. This being the ca.se for steam turbine
plant it is much more true for steam locomotives, so that,
apart from all other reasons, the cost of fuel will compel
steam railways to be electrified on a wholesale basis. Under
present conditions central station companies cannot meet
their ordinary commercial demands, and the outlay involved
by a comprehensive railroad electrification supply can only
be met by power rates under which the railways themselves
will make a suitable contribution.

\^'ith regard to this country there is the question of how far
a coal strike would aid in the development of oil as a substi-
tute fuel. Last year's railway strike emphasised the men-
ace of road transport to the railways, and there are Govern-
ment officials who, according to the daily Press, hold the
lielief that a coal strike would serve the same purpose in
relation to oil. Further, it is stated that certain Government
departments are considering how far it may be possible to
rely upon oil for fuel ajid electricity for internal heating in
the event of a strike.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

1K$ EditOTt imnte electrical engineers, whether connected with the
technical or the commercial side of the profession and industry,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
EiBCTBicAL Review posted as to their movements.

The Liveri _iil Corporation Tramways Committee has re-
commended the following increases of salary to oflicers of
the department : Mr. P. Puiestley, general manager, £250
(total salary and bonus j£l,6.50) ; Mr. C. G. Jackson, assistant
general manager, iOlOO (making a total of £850) ; Mr. H. I.
Palmer, general traffic assistant, £100 (£6.50) ; Mr. J-. Wood,
chief clerk in traffic office, £100 (£600); Mr. E. R. Myers,
overhead lines superintendent, £100 (£600) ; Mr. C. Birchall,
£65 (£365).

Torquay T.C. has granted the following increases of salary :
Mr. G. B. Dent, station superintendent, from £250 to £310;
mains engineer, Mr. A. J. Waring, from £250 to £300;
draughtsman, Mr. J. B. Neck, from £3 to £3 10s. per week;
charge engineers, from £220 to £250.

Mr. H. E. Cordem., works manager's assistant, L. & Y.
Railway carriage works, Newton Heath, has been appointed
superintendent at the Manchester Corporation Hyde Road
tramcar works, at a salary of £500 per annum, plus Civil
Service bonus.

At a largely attended meeting of the electrical contractors
of Dublin, a presentation was made to Mr. F. W. Parkes
on the occasion of his leaving the Edison Swan Co. to com-
mence bu.siness on his own account. Mr. A. G. Bruty, chair-
man of the Contractors' Association, handed to Mr. Parkes
a cheque and an address. Mr. Parkes appropriately rephed.

There were 129 applicants for the post of electrical engineer
at Wrexham, and four gentlemen were selected for further
consideration by the Electricity Committee.

Mr. R. Ferguson, northern manager of Messrs. Hays,
Hunter &. Staiiden. Ltd.. is joining the Mycromet Manufac-
turing Co.. of Oldham, who have equipped their works for
the manufacture of electrical accessories.

Mr. G. F. A. Norman, director of Tredegars. Ltd., and
Mr. Rabbetts, supervising engineer, have severed their con-
nection with that firm, having joined the firm of F. G. Minter,
contractor, of 10, Davies Street. Berkeley Square, W., where
catalogues and prices of electrical goods are wanted.

Rotherham T.C. is recommended to increa.se the salarv of
the tramways manager, Mr. T. P. Svkes, from ,£500 ta £700 a
year, rising by two yearly increments to £90(1. and that of
the traffic superintendent (Mr. W. G. Marks) from £324 to
£380.

Southampton T.C. has increased the salary of the tramway
manager and engineer, Mr. Dobson, from £700 to £900 a
year, rising by two annual increments to £1,000.

Vol. 87. No. 2,229, August 13, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVLEW.

215

Mr. James A. Wishart, Burgh electrical engineer, Mother-
well, has tendered his resignation to the Motherwell Town
Council in order to take up an appointment in Western
Canada with a private concern. Mr. Wishart has been in
Motherwell for the last ten years, and for the last nine years
as Burgh electrical engineer.

Obituary. — Mr. S. H. Sands. — The death occurred, sud-
denly, last week, at the age of 87 years, of Mr. Samuel
Herrick Sands, an ex-mayor of Nottingham, and formerly
a prominent director of the National Telephone Co., Ltd.

Mr. R. T. Smith.— The death occurred on Bank Holiday,
through an accident whilst motor cycUng, of Mr. Robert
Thomas Smith, electrical engineer, who was in business at
Kirk Hammerton, near York. He was 43 years of age, and
was estate electrician to Lieut.-Col. E. W. Stanyforth, .J. P.,
Kirk Hammerton Hall.

NEW COMPANIES REQISTERED,

Central Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd. (169,436).— Pri

vate company. Registered August 4th. Capital. £500 in £1 shares. T(
acquire the business carried on at 26, Paradise Square, Sheffield

the business of electrical
The subscribers are : J. H.
al engineer: Mrs. B. Horner.
is sole director. Registered

Central Electrical Engineering Co., and
and mechanical engineers in its branche
Horner, 26, Paradise Square, Sheffield, ele.
26. Paradise Square, Sheffield. ]. H. Hor
office: 26, Paradise Square, Sheffield.

Bath Tramways Motor Co., Ltd. (169,379).— Registered

July 30th. Capital, £60,000 in £1 shares. To adopt an agreement with
Bath Electric Tramways, Ltd., for the acquisition of the company's under-
taking so far as concerns the company's foundry at Walcot Street, Bath,
and its services of motor omnibuses and other motor vehicles and certain
assets connected therewith. The first directors are : J. B. Hamilton, Kenston,
Kirkstall, I-eeds; H. F. Chutterbuck. Dicketts. Corsham, Wilts.; A. A. C.
Swinton. 66. Victoria Street. Westminster; E. H. R. Trenoiv. Balfour
House, 125, Finsburv Pavement. E.G.; W. E. Hardy, York Villa. Kensington,
Bath. Directors' borrowing powers restricted to £100.000. Qualification.
£150. Remuneration £50 each per annum (chnirman £100). Registered
office : Balfour House, 125, Finsbury Pavement. E.G.

Society of Radiograpliers (Word " Limited " omitted

from the title by licence of the Board of Trade). (169.483).— Registered
August 6th, as a company limited by guarantee. To promote the science
.Tod regulate the practice of radiography. The first directors are : Dr. F.
Herman-Johnson M.B.. 87-89. Mortimer" Street. W. 1. medical practitioner;
Dr. R. Knox. M.B.. 38, Harlev Street. W.. medical practitioner; Dr. S.
Melville. L.S.A.. 9, Chandos Street, W.. medical practitioner; Dr. G. H.
Orton, M.A., 67, Upper Berkeley Street. W., medical practitioner; Sir
Archibald Reid. K.B.E., C.M.G.. 90, Welbeck Street, W.. medical prac-
titioner; Prof. S. Russ. 19. Northumberland Mansions, Northumberland
Str»-et. W., medical practitioner; Dr. W. H. Eccles. 2. Rvder Street. W..
professor. Finsburv Technical College; J. S. Highfiekl. 19. Cottesmore
Gardens. Kensington. W.8. consulting engineer; C. C. Peterson, O.B.E.,
10, \\'alpole Gardens, Strawberry Hill,. Twickenham, electrical engineer;
A. A. Campbell Swinton, F.R.S.. 66. Victoria Street. S.W.. electrical en-
gineer; Dr. R. M. Walmsley. F.R.S.E., 23, Hilldrop Road. V. 7. Principal,
Northampton Polytechnic Institute; C. H. Wordingham, C.B.. Beechgrove.
Ridgewav Road. Redhill. consulting engineer; R. G. G. Blackall. Romany
Villa. Endway, S. BenHeet. radiologist; C. O. Forder. 55, Playfield Crescent.
E. Dulwich, radiologist: H. Henry, Queen Alexandra Military Hospital.
Millbank. radiologist; H. Turner. Middlesex Hospital, W.C, radiologist;
G. F. Westlake. 93. Clarendon Road, Putney, S.W.. radiologist; F. E.
Doran, 46. Carill Drive. Fallowfield. Maiichester radiologist. Solicitor:
O. W. Bristow, 1, Copthall Buildings. E.G.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

G. Weston & Sons, Ltd. — Satisfaction in full on June 11th,

1920. of debentures dated October 17th, 1913. securing £2.000.

Barraclongh Brothers, Ltd H. S. Dickinson, of Brig-
house. Vorks,, as receiver or manager on July 27th, 1920, under powers
contained in debentures dated November 14th, 1915.

Aucldand Electric Tramway Co., Ltd.— Trust deed dated

March 29lh. 1930 (supplemental to trust deed dated July 14th, 1903) to
secure £374.088 debenture stock outstanding. Charged on £500.000 debentures
issued by the Corporation of Citv of Auckland. N.Z., in substitution (or
property, charged by original deed and all residue and remainder of pur-
chase moneys payable to the company by the Corporation, and company's
undertaking, and other assets, present and future. Trustees : Electric and
General Investment Co., Ltd.

West London & Provincial Electric Supply Co., Ltd.

(82.097).— Return dated May 26th, 1920. Capital. £150,000 in £1 shares
(80.000 6 per cent, cumulative preference and 70,000 ordinary), 23,354 ordinary
and 49,077 preferred taken up. £57,431 paid, £15.000 considered as paid.
Mortgages and charges. Nil.

Aluminium Corporation, Ltd. — Issue on July 27th, 1920,

of £10.000 debentures, part of a f-eries, already registered.

Bankfoot Power Co., Ltd.— Satisfaction to the extent of

f.VOOO on September 30th, 1919. of debentures dated July aSth, 1911, securing
p\t\ nnA J . . . b

CITY NOTES.

County ol London Electric Supply Co., Ltd.— Interim

dividends on the preference shares at the rate of 6 per cent,
per annum, less tax, and on the ordinary shares at the rate
of 5 per cent, per annum, less tax, for the half-year ended
June.

Clyde Valley Electrical Power Co.— Interim dividend of
•«4 per cent, actual, less tax.

Stock Exchange Notices. — The Committee has ordered the
following to be officially quoted: —

General Electric Co., Ltd.— 808,334 ordmary shares of ii
each, fully paid, Nos. l,2'2o,UUl to '2,033,334.

Morgan Crucible Co., Ltd.— £400,000 6 per cent, first mort-
gage redeemable debentures (registered), within Nos. 1 to
.5,00(.) (£100), in lieu of the scrip.

Ruston & Horusbv, Ltd.— 818,568 ordmary shares of ±1
each, fully paid, Nos. 1,'231,433 to 2,050,000.

Prospectuses. — Buth Tramways Motor Co., Lfif.— This
company is offering 30,000 shares of £1 each at par. holders
of shares in Bath Electric Tramways. Ltd., receivmg pre-
ference in allotment. The company will acquire from the
latter company and maintain and develop the motor omnibus
and motor vehicle undertaking of that company.

Telephone Manufacturing Co., Ltd.— Letters of allotment
have been posted.

Bullcrs, LW.— Letters of acceptance in connection with the
recent issue of debentures have been posted.

Vera Cruz Electric Light, Power & Traction Co., Ltd.—

Dividend of 5 per cent, for the half year, making 10 per cent,
for the year. i'lo.OtK) to depreciation and reserve, and £'23,398
carried forward.

Brompton & Kensington Electricity Supply Co., Ltd.— In-
terim dividend on the ordinary shares at the rate of 9 per
cent, per annum, less tax for the half-year.

Tottenham District Light, Heat & Power Co., Ltd.— In-
terim dividend of 3J per cent, per annum on "A." stock and
'2i per cent, per annum, less tax, on " B " stock for half-
year.

Mansfield & District Tramways Co., Ltd.— Interim divi-
dend of 3 per cent., less lax, on the ordinary shares for
the half-year.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
Stock Exchange markets remain in a very subdued condition,
owing to the Russian-PoUsh position. The announcement
made by Mr. Lloyd George in the' House of Commons on
Tuesday was not known during business hours, but the ad-
vance intimations as to its purport served to check any severe
fall which might have occurred at the prospect of the AlUes
being dragged into a fresh war. Investment stocks kept
steady, owing to the general impression that neither this
country nor France would enter upon active hostilities for the
sake of Poland, although it was recognised that assistance
might be afforded in other ways. The War Loan, and other
such securities which are regarded at all times of crises as
being the bellwethers of the Stock Exchange, held their
ground, and this firmness was quoted as evidence of the in
vestor's refusal to be .scared by the Polish situation, and also
by the possibility of dearer money.

It may be that the Bank Rate will have risen before this
issue appears, for Lombard Street is fidgetty about the money
outlook, and if the Rate remains at 7 per cent, this week, the
expectation is that it will be put up to 8 per cent, before the
end of August.

The heavy fall in New York exchange adds another factor of
disturbance, though, of course, it is regarded without dis-
favour by tho.se investors in this country who held dollar
stocks — such, for instance, as those of the American and Cana-
dian utiUty companies whose bonds carry coupons payable in
dollars as well as sterling. The Commercial Cable Company
is offering to buy, from the proprietors of the 4 per cent,
debenture stock, their holdings at 80 per cent. This is an
excellent price, and the money can be used to better advan-
tage in other tlirections, so that the holders of the stock will
be well advLsed to accept the price offered.

Home Railways continue in doleful case. If prices go up
J. they slip back twice as much, and while the Undergrounds
are not much affected by the general malaise in the market,
they are precluded from improvement, owing to the weakness
of the steam stocks. That Underground Electrics, Districts
and Metropolitans should keep as .steady as they are doing in
the face of flatness amongst the rest, is a point in their favour
which infers the promise of better things, if and when the
Home Railway market does settle down to firmer conditions.

The British Columbia Electric Railway Company has de-
clared dividends of 3J per cent., free of tax, on its preferred
and deferred stocks in respect of the year ended .Tune 30th
last. The manner of declaration arouses some little surprise.
l)ecause the preferred is a 5 per cent, stock, and it is asked
in the Stock Exchange why the company should not have
declared the dividend .it 5 per cent, gross instead of 3i per
cent. net. The result, of course, is the same, but it would
be interesting to know the reasons that led to the unnsnal
step. Argentine Tramways second preference at 31 have come
into line with the company's first preference shares. Mexico

216

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEWo [voi. 87.

No. 2,229, August 13, 1920.

Tramways 6 per cent, bonds are 2 up and Mexican Light first
bonds at 50 are a point to the good. There i.s nothing doing
in Brazil Tractions, and other foreign issues are very quiet.
- The Bromi)ton & Kensington Electric Lighting Company
has declared an interim dividend at the rate of 9 per cent, on
its ordinary shares, the price of which remains at tig. Charing
Cross ordinary at yj are ^ lower, and this is the only altera-
tion in the lighting list. Some of the manufacturing shares
are easier. General Electric ordinary at '2Ss. are a tiorin down.
British Aluminiums went back to '20s. Metropolitan-Vickers
preference at 2J are 1-16 lower, and the ordinary have fallen
back to li, the i per cent, debenture .stock at .55j also being
easier. Eleitrie Constructions are 1-16 lower, and the 4 per
cent, debenture at 57i is 2 points lower. It is said that an
issue of Pii-elli 7^ per cent, three-year notes is to be made at
95 under the auspices of the General Electric Company. Deal-
ings are expected to begin this week in the lately-issued
Fuller's United debenture and in Brush new shares. The
Calcutta Electric convertible debenture, issued at 95, is a firm
market at li discount.

Cable stocks press quietly upwards. Eastern ordinary has
regained the round 150, and " China " shares are 5s. better
at 14J. The Marconi group is heavy, and the parent shares
have been down to a little under 55s. Marines are 33s. 9d.
United River Plate Telephones at 6i have again lost an eighth.

The rubber share market is placid and uninteresting. Busi-
ness is on a meagre scale. The price of the raw product re-
mains dull. Armaments are not a good market, Armstrongs
falling to 26s., with Vickers remaining in the neighbourhood
of 24s. 3d. ; the Vickers new Notes, however, hardening to H
premium. Babcock & Wileox at 50s. are unchanged.

SHARE LIST OF ELECTRIOAL COMPANIES

Home Elkctbicitt Comfanibb.

DiTidend Price

, ■ V Ang. 10,

1918. 1919, 1990. Blee or (all,

Brompton Ordinary 8 19 M —

Charing OroBS Ordinary .... 4 7 3| —i

do. do. do 44Prel. .. 4) a 9; —

OhelBea 3 4 9i —

Olty cl London 8 10 1| —

do. do. SperoenI, Fret. .. 6 6 17/6 —

Ooonty of London 7 8 8 —

do do. 6 per cent. Fret, 6 6 8i —

Kene^gton Ordinary . . . . 6 7 4 —

Eiondon Eleotrio Nil 9i li —

do, do. 6 percent, Pre!.. . 6 6 3 —

MetropoUtan 6 6 2i —

do. 4^ per oent. Pref. .. 4^ 4^ 9>| —

8t. James' and Pall MaU . . .\ 10 19 G| —

Bonth London 6 6 9i —

Bonlh Metropolitan Fret 7 7 lS/9 —

WeBtminster Ordinary .... 8 10 5| —

TeLEORAPHB AMD TEI,BPHORBa,

Aoglo-Am, Tel, Fret 6 6 T9i —

do. Del 83/6 1) 17J -

Chile Telephone 8 6 6 —

Cuba Sab. Ord 7 7 84 —

BaBtern BztenBlon ' S 10 14; + i

Bastern Tel. Ord 8 10 ISO +i»

Globe Tel. and T. Ord 8 10 16 — '

do. do. Fret 6 6 8} —

Qreat Northern Tel 29 99 91 j —

Indo-Baropean 18 10 BO —

Marconi 95 96 9$ — j\

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 19 5* —

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 6| —J

West India and Panama .. .. 1/3 Nil U —

Western Telegraph 8 10 15 —

Home Bailb,

Central London Ord, Assented ..44 44^ —

Metropolitan 1 li 19jxd —

do. District .. .. • NU Nil 16 —

Underground Electric Ordinary.. Nil Nil 1| —

do, do. "A" .. Nil Nil 5 6 —

do. do. Income ..6 4 6Ti —

Foreign Traus, Ac.

Anglo-Arg. Trams, First Fret. .. Nil 6i 31 —

do. do. 9nd Pref. . . Nil Nil 8J — J

do. do. 5 Deb. ..6 6 68^ —

Brazil Tractions Nil Nil 43 —

Bombay Electric Pref 6 6 13 -

British Columbia Elec. Bly. Pfee, 6 6 64i - 9

do. do. Preferrred 9i 6 52) —

do. do. Deferred Nil 8 68i —

do. do. Deb. .. 4} 4} 65 —

Mexico Trams 6 per cent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 89 —

do, 6per cent. Bonds.. Nil NU 31 +2

Mexican Light Common . . . . NU Nil 14 —

do. Pref Nil NU 95i —

do. Ist Bonds.. .. Nil NU CO -fl

MAHUTAOIUSma COMPASIKS.

Babcock ft Wilcox 16 16 ii ~

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 1 — ^

British Insulated Ord 19^ 15 lU —

Callenders 96 IS 1^^ —

I, ejPref 6i 6i 18/- —

OaBtner-Eellner 90 17 3 —

Crompton Ord 10 10 19,6 —

Hdison-Swan, " A " .... 10 10 IJ —

do. do. 6 per cent. Deb, ..66 78i —

Bleotrlc Construction . . . . 10 10 ; — t*-

Qen. Elec. Pref 6i 6i 18/6 —

do. Ord 10 10 98/- — 9/-

Henley 96 15 11 —

do. 4} Fret H *i Bi —

lodla-Bubber 10 10 95/9 —

Het.-TlokerB Fret — 8 2i — A;

Siemens Ord 10 10 96/- -6d.

Telegraph Con 90 90 90i —

*, Dividends paid iree of Income Tax.

"6 15
»6 13
*6 18

9 1 10
•4 16 0

♦6 18 6

•o 13 i

6 13 4

7 14 7

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

It should be remembered, id making use of the figores appearkii;
in the following list, that in gome cases the prices are only general,
and they may vary according to qaantities and other circomstanceg.

Tuesday, August lOth.

CHEMICALS. &c.

a Acid, Oxalic

per lb.

9/5

Id. inc.

a Ammoniac Sal

per ton

£100 '

a Ammonia, Muriate (large crystal)

£92

a Bisulphide of Carbon

a Borax

£50

a Copper Sulphate

£44

a Potash, Chlorate

per lb.

1/-

a „ Perchlorate

1/3

a Shellac

per cwt.

£34

a Sulphate of Magnesia

per ton

£18

a Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers

ji

£98

a ,, Lump

£9S

a Soda, Chlorate

per lb.

6d.

a „ Crystals

per ton

£12

a Sodium Bichromate, casks

per lb.

METALS, &c.

g Babbitt's Metal Ingots

per ton

£116 to £346

c Brass (rolled metal 2" to 12" basis)

per lb.

1/3*

id. inc.

c ,, Tubes (soUd drawn)

1/6J to 1/6A

e ,, Wire, basis

l/3i '

c Copper Tubes (solid drawn)

1/9

Jd. inc.

g ,, Bars (best selected)

per ton

£l(i6

£2 inc.

g „ Sheet

,,

£166

£2 inc.

g „ Rod

J,

£166

£imc.

d „ (Electrolytic) Bars

,,

£117

£3 inc.

d „ „ Sheets

,,

£159 1

£3 inc.

d „ „ Wire Rods..

J,

£133

£3 mo.

d „ „ H.C. Wire..

per lb.

l/4i

M. inc.

f Ebonite Rod

,,

8/- I

f „ Sheet

9/6

n German Silver Wire

3/- 1

h Gutta-percha, fine

14/-

h India-rubber, Para fine

,,

l/9i

Jd. inc.

i Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ...

per ton

Nom.

; „ Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual.

£59

g Lead, English Pig

,,

£40 1

30/- inc.

g Mercury

per bot.

£20 10s. to £21

e Mica (in original cases) small ...

per lb.

6d. to 4/6

e ,, „ ,, medium..

,,

6/- to 10/- ,

g ,, ,, „ large

,,

19/6 to 25/- & up '

g Phosphor Bronze, plain castings

,,

1/6 to 1/11

g ,, „ rolled bars and rods

„

9/2 to 9/6

d ,, ,, rolled strip i sheet

,,

2/3 to 2/9

r Silicium Bronze Wire

per lb.

llUi I

g steel. Magnet, in bars

n Tin, Block (EngUsh)

e ., Wire, Nos. 1 to 16 ...

White Anti-friction Metals

per ton
per lb.
per ton

£276 to £277

4/9
£60 to £835

Quotations suppUed by-

a Q. Boor & Co.
c Thos. Bolton & Sons, Ltd,
d Frederick Smith ,S Co.
(. F. Wiggins & Sons.
f India-Rubber, Gutta-Percha and
Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.

g James & Shakespeare.

A Edward TiU & Co.

i BoUing Jc Lowe.

/ Richard Johnson & Nephe

n P. Ormiston & Sons,

r W. F. Dennis & Co,

Research in Wireless Commnnication.— The Department

of Scientific and Industrial Kesearcb has now estabhshed four
^^ub-committees to assist the Eadio Research Board in the in-
vestigation-of certain problems in connection with the wcirk
of the Board. The constitution of the Board and its sub-corn-'
mittees is at present as follows : —

Radio Research Board. — Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Henry B. '
Jackson, G.O-B., K.C.V.O., F.R.S. (chairman); Commander J. '
S. C. Salmond, E.N. (representing the Admiralty) ; Lieut. -Col.
A. G. T. Cusins, C.M.G., H.E. (representing the War Office);'
Wing Commander A. D. W. Morris, C.M.G., O.B.E. (repre-
.'icnting the Air Ministry) ; Mr. E. H. Shaughnessy, O.B.E.
(representing the General Post Office); Prof. Sir J. E. Petavel,
K.B.E., F.R.S. (representing the National Physical Labora-,
torv); Prof. Sir Ernest Rutherford, F.R.S. ; Prof. J. S. E. ;
Townsend, F.R.S. ,

Sub-Committee A on the Propagation of Wireless Wat;«s.— ''
Dr. E. H. Rayner, Sc.D. (chau-man); Prof. E. H. Barton,
D.Sc, F.R.S. ; Major J. R. Erskine-Murrav, D.Sc. ; Prof. H. M.
MacDonald, F.R.S. ; Prof. J. W. Nicholson, D.Sc, F.R.S.

Sub-Committee B on Atmospherics. — Colonel H. G. Lyons,
D.Sc, F.R.S. (chainnan); Mr. -A. A. Campbell Swinton,
F.R.S.; Prof. S. Chapman, F.R.S.; Major H. P. T. Lefroy,
D.S.O-, M.C-, R.E. ; Mr. G. L. Tavlor, F.R.S.; Mr. R. A.
Watson Watt; Mr. C. T. R. Wilson, F.R.S.

Sub-Committee C on Directional ICire/ess.— Mr. F. E. Smith,
O.B.E., F.R.S. (chairman); Mr. N. P. Hinton; Capt. C. T.
Hughes, M.C., R.E. ; Capt. J. Robinson, M.B.E., E.A.F.

Siib-Commiftcc D on Thermionic Valves. — Prof. 0. W.
Richardson, D.Sc. F.R.S. (chairman); Mr. E. V. Appleton;
Capt. S. Brvdon, R.E. : Capt. H. L. Crowther, R.A.F. ; Prof.
C. L. Fortescue, O.B.E.; Mr. B. Hodgson, M.Sc; Prof. F.
Horton, D.Sc; Major A. G. Lee, M.C., R.E. ; Mr. H. Morris
Airey, C.B.E., M.Sc; Mr. R. L. Smith Rose; Prof. R. Whid-
dington, D.Sc

1

Vol. 87. No. 2,229, AnonsT 13, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

217

SUBMARINE CABLE TELEGRAPHY.

A Rising " Cab\e-Cottstant " : A Make-shift Term.

By EDWARD RAYMOND-BARKER.

(Concluded from page 165.)

Parallel with the above-mentionecl increase in the
speed factor over any given K r, has been the rise in
message traffic output, due, first of all, to successful
application of the duplex principle to cables. Likewise
general circuit-efficiency has been conduced to by satis-
factory working out — on truly theoretical, and, there-
fore, essentially practical lines — of effective systems of
cable automatic retransmission or translation. Such
have been the results of using S. G. Brown's drum-
relay, Dr. Muirhead's vibrating-gold-wire relay, and in
recent times the Eastern Telegraph Co.'s and B. Davies's
" Dipper " cable-relay, not forgetting the amplifiers.

Therefore, according to requirements of present-day
practice, the working efiiciency of a chain of cables —
with, perhaps, a considerable stretch of land-line, over-
•head or underground, at each end of this telegraphic
system uniting, maybe, two capital cities — is determined,
not so much by high " speed constants " severally per-
taining to the cables, as by discriminating adoption and
effective maintenance of an auto-transmission system,
duplexed, in conjunction with cable auto-repeaters con-
jointly, perhaps, with amplifiers; this combination per-
mitting practically direct working between the two
extreme terminal stations at important commercial
centres. At both these places, signals, received at a
speed sufficiently high to cope with traffic demands, are
automatically printed in duplicate in Roman type, re-
spectively for delivery to the public, and for possible
future official reference. In order to attain a big traffic
output, high "speed constants" certainly are most
desirable, but more desirable still is "through" auto-
matic translation with automatic Creed typing at ex-
treme terminal stations, which, in this manner, are kept
in direct unbroken touch, one with the other.

It is true that on a given cable circuit, duplex does
not double traffic capacity, that is to say, the maximum
legible signalling speed in each direction is not the
equivalent of the speed possible over the cable simplex.
This increase in traffic output is not 100 per cent., but
about 90 per cent., or even less.

The main cause of this decrease, apart from reasons
given by Dr. IMalcolm on page 476 of his valuable book
before referred to,* is that the electrical devices adopted
to mask or smooth down a necessarily imperfect duplex
balance — exposed as this is to abrupt impact of out-
going currents — tend to lower sensitiveness and effective
speed of reception.

This mention of balance imperfection does not reflect
on the keen men responsible for the attainment and
maintenance of cable duplex balances, because, obviously,
the ordinary artificial cable, whether built up on
Steam's, Muirhead's, or Dearlove's system, balances only
inductive capacity and conductor resistance, and the
rate at whicli this combination takes up electric charges.
Recently the use of a certain amount of inductance has
been adopted. Conditions regarding inductance, leak-
ance, and other complex electrical characteristics differ
greatly in the artificial line compared with the real
cable, so these many contributive minor causes conduc-
ing to a " ragged " balance, have to be masked or " got
round " somehow by devices — some theoretical, others
purely empirical.

Naturally, with the appearance of the cable receiver
current-amplifier or magnifier, the afore-mentioned diffi-
culties have become greatly accentuated, for the more
sensitive the amplifier, the more easily is its delicately
contrived high-speed signalling upset by impact, at the

• " The Theory of the Submarine Telegraph and Telephone
Cable," by H. W. Malcolm, M.A., Ph.D., D.Sc. Benn
Brothers, 8, Bouverie Street, B.C. 4.

apex of a «t</i -absolute bridge balance, of out-going
abrupt comparatively high-potential square-topped cur-
rents at present in general use.

This accounts for the existing difference between
" cable constants " duplex and " cable constants " sim-
plex. As, recently, a leading cable man succinctly ex-
pressed himself to the present writer : " Of course, all
duplex speeds with magnifier apparatus depend on the
degree of perfection to whicli the balance can be reduced
and maintained under working conditions. This is the
limiting factor with magnifier reception."

One of the most effective ways of attaining and main-
taining a high standard of circuit efficiency is the sup-
pression or elimination of sources of trouble due to
untoward electrical conditions.

An instance of such untoward conditions is afforded
in the already-referred-to enforced limitation of ampli-
fier speeds due to necessarily imperfect duplex balance
which though, perhaps, good enough for direct recep-
tion, shatters the working of the ultra-sensitive mag-
nifier, unless this last-mentioned instrument — the very
raison d'etre of which is high speed — is mercilessly
damped down, being thus, in great part, robbed of
its most striking characteristic — speed. In short, the
problem has been the paradoxical one of how to work
duplex without sacrificing signalling speed.

At last, this — at one time — seemingly insuperable
difficulty has been overcome. We are face to face with

^^

ORLING SELECTOR

C.iBLE Signals. Dcplex. Outgoing Transmission Continuods.
Fig. 2.

facts in the shape of specimen slips from a duplexed
and duplex working ocean cable — proving that this
problem has been solved by Mr. Axel Orling, inventor
of one of the relays or amplifiers mentioned by "A.
F."

The electrical device (patented at home and abroad)
effecting this improvement, dates from laboratory ex-
periments before the great war which, in a hundred
ways, delayed verification on the cables. It was devised,
in the first instance, shortly before the war, for use
at an ocean cable station, as a selective damper of
local inductive disturbances due to adjacent electric
tramways; and, indeed, it has recently been proved
perfectly effective in blocking out spasmodic, local elec-
trical disturbances.

From its inpeption, the present writer has felt con-
vinced that this device would prove equally effective
and equally selective in the duplex difficulty, and would
flatten out abrupt disturbances due to small irregulari-
ties in the duplex balance.

In a letter published in the Electrician of February
25th, 1916, the present writer expressed himself as
follows with reference to actual trials, on the cables,
of the Orling jet relay and amplifier, though, in the
letter in question, no mention is made of any particular
inventor or instrument : —

"... Sending-current impact in duplex working,
in one instance, and local electric disturbances in

218

THE ELECTBICAL BEVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,229, augosi 13, 1920.

another, arose as obstacles, in two concrete cases." (On
the cables.) " These difficulties have been successfully
overcome, it is reasonably believed, without any im-
pairing or lowering of amplifier sensitivity or high-
speed characteristics. Further trials — after war — will
show this. . . ."

Whether, or not, these last-quoted words were justi-
fied is shown by the accompanying illustration, fig. 2,
wliich requires little explanation.

This short piece cut from many yards of actual
traffic slip throughout the whole of which outgoing as
well as incoming traffic proceeded without cessation,
shows received signals, as recorded through the medium
of an Orliug relay, under two conditions, namely : —

1. With selector device applied, that is to say, on,
and

2. With the device off.

In the latter case signals are shattered ; in the former
case duplex disturbance is eliminated, while cable
signals are left unimpaired. The foregoing test was
made with an Orling amplifier in shunt with other
receiving apparatus 'plus a high resistance, and using
only 1/24 of the available received current. No adjust-
ments were made to shape up the signals, the test being
only as relating to elimination of disturbances.

The said selective device of Mr. Axel Orling has been
referred to and illustrated in the Electrical Review
of February 6th, 1920.

We now return from a digression made to show, by
an excellent example, how under certain conditions —

CONSTANT
1900

1800

IJOO

I60O
„I500
^1400
I13OO

eizoo

JilOO
JlOOO

£ 900
^soo
12700

J 500

^400
300
200
100

(i

^,j

rfil

Id

15

ku

'

1

&20

<i

'■I 4

21

25,

^h

C,

2* ,

• 0'

'"<

llJ

4

II

^19

.u°

nl?.

(

i3

•I

• 1

1

YfARl855 60 '70

80 QO

Fig. 3.

I'^OO 10 20

in this case, cable duplex — an amplifier will suffer, so
to speak, from the faults of its good qualities, until,
under the discriminating action of a well-contrived
device, disturbances are eliminated, circuit efficiency
increased, and the high possibilities of the modern
'"cable constant" rid of all clogging obstructions.

In conclusion, fig. 3 shows what — on the basis of
data noted by the writer for many _years past, and up
to the present time — may be considered a rough ap-
proximation of the " cable-constant " curve — a curve
developed purely and simply by improvements in sig-
nalling methods in conjunction with increased dimen-
sions of cable cores ; though here it may be remarked
that adoption of a highly efficient amplifier would
render possible satisfactory and paying speeds over
cables with comparatively light cores — a fact involving
material reduction in cable manufacturing costs.

In fig. 3 the higher plottings may not, as yet, be
in actual daily practice, but they certainly are feasible,
and enough has been done over ocean cables to justify
the said higher plottings as here presented.

Though quite apart and independent in their respec-
tive lines of investigation and achievement no two
names can be more fittingly associated in the later for-
mation of the curve than are those referred to by the
Electrical Review's reviewer, "A. F.," in his in-
teresting compte rendu of the most recent edition of
Dr. Fleming's book on "The Propagation of Electric
Currents in Telephone and Telegraph Conductors."

There remain a few notanda relating to plottings in
fig. 3:-

Ordinates. — ■" Cable constants."

Abscisste. — Time, in years.

Black plottings refer to "constants" simplex, direct
reception.

Small circular ditto mean duplex, direct reception.

Plottings with outer circles signify amplifier-magni-
fier reception.

Plottings Nos. 1, 2, and 3 are based on values de-
rived from data found in Sir Charles Bright's book on
'■ Submarine Telegraphs."

Plotting No. 4 is a graph equivalent of a constant
derived from speed test made by Dr. Muirhead on the
Western Union, 1883, Penzance-Canso cable. Useful
data regarding the same have appeared for many years
past in " Munro and Jamieson." kr = 7.19 at sea
temp.

No. 5. — A N. Atlantic cable (kr = 6.2) cited on p. 810
of the Electrician, September 15th, 1916.

No. 6. — A S. Atlantic cable. kr = 4.67.

No. 7. — From published data.

No. 8. — Brest-Cape Cod cable. Working ke = 7.5 or
( .') 8.

No. 9. — .San Francisco-Honolulu cable. kr = 5.

Unofficial speed-test made at Honolulu by E. R.-B.
shortly after the la3'ing of this cable from the telegraph
steamship Silvertown.

No. 10. — From general data given in the Electrician,
September 15th, 1916.

No. 11a. — "Anglo-American," 1894, heavy-core
cable. KH = 2.42 with speed results of 250 l.p.m. by
Mr. P. B. Delany.

No. 11. — Same cable with speed noted by Mr. A.
Dearlove, 237.5 l.p.m. (47.5 w.p.m.). See Mr. Dear-
love's interesting article in the Electrician, October
12th, 1894; also the most useful article in the Elec-
trical Review, June 9th, 1899.

No. 12. — An ocean cable of still heavier core, but
longer than the last mentioned. kr = 2.64 (early re-
cord).

No. 13. — Ditto, ditto, with Magnifier (Dx).

No. 14.— Ditto, ditto, with Magnifier (Sx).

No. 15. — Successful experimental trial with M. on
ocean cable. kr = 4. Observed speed — by no means
maximum — very nearly 300 l.p.m. Already referred
to, and illustrated in this same article.

No. 16. — Heavy core cable, kr nearly 8. Experi-
mental trial with magnifier with successful results.

No. 17. — Ditto, ditto; a more recent test.

No. 18. — Vancouver-Fanning Island cable. kr =
9.11.

No.

No.

No.

No.

No. 23. — A N. Atlantic cable with magnitier. KRt
= 5.

No. 24. — Cable kr = 5.46, and speed of 135 l.p.m.
cited in " Notes," the Elecirician, April 23rd, 1897.^
(Editorial data evidently inspired by E.T. Co. antho- -
rity.)

No. 25. — Pernambuco-St. Vincent No. 1 cable. KB
= 4.57 and 155 l.p.m. actual traffic. Test made in
1880 at Pernambuco l)y H.-B. (See " .Munro and
Jamieson.")

19.— Ditto, ditto; later.
'0. — Ditto, ditto; later with magnifier.
!1. — Ditto, ditto; simplex with magnifier.
22. — Ditto, ditto; duplex with magnifier.
23. — A N. Atlantic cable with magnifier.

No. 2,229. ATJQT7ST 13, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

219

The foregoing few instances of k r I. p.m. in prac-
tice are but a " drop in the ocean " compared with
the host of examples available elsewhere. However, the
general trend of the "cable constant" is roughly in-
dicated by these plottings which — while they are not
exactly in accord with " A. F.'s " expression " a very
arbitrary quantity," as applied to the cable constant —
amply justify " A. F." in his suggestion that generally
received standards, whatever these may have been, have,
of late years, " been badly upset by such delicate
receiving instruments as the Orling and Heurtley
relays."

Errata. — In the first portion of this article [p. 164, .\ugust
6th issue] under fig. 1, for " 3x300 " read " 4X300 "; and in
column two. second paragraph, for " (eligible maximum) "
read " (legil)le maximum)."

EXTRA LONQ-DISTANCE TRANSMISSION OF
ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

Principles and Applications of the Qcabtbr-Wave
AND Half-Wave Systems.

The world-wide rise in costs of fuels, the short supplies thereof,
and the increased demand for industrial power are factors which
have made the long-distance transmission of electrical energy a
matter of primary importance. The economics of electrical trans-
mission at moderately low voltages and over distances up to 200
miles may be said to be understood completely, and to be capable
of exact calculation. Accepted limits may, however, be removed,
and the economic possibilities of hydro-electric and super-power
station schemes enormously extended by the so-called " quarter-
wave " and " half-wave " systems which, it is claimed, make
possible economical trunk line transmission over distances up to
600 or 1,000 miles. Such a claim deserves to be considered in
detail, and in the following paragraphs we reproduce the most
important statements from papers by M. P. Bunet in the Renie
GeneraU de V Elect riciti-, and a communication by M. Brylinski to
the Academie des Sciences.

Limits to TranxiiiissioH from Constant- J'oltai/e Stiition. — As
representing a reasonable limit to electrical transmission by
ordinary means, we may consider the delivery of 27,000 Kw. at a
distance of 310 miles (.")00 km.), and at a pressure of 100,000 volts
between lines and earth, i.e., 173,Ci.iO volts between wires. This
would necessitate the use of about 460 tons of aluminium in the
conductors, and the frequency being 50 cycles per second, the
pressure increase needed to maintain constant voltage at the supply
end of the line would be : —

1'2 % at cos 0 = I'O, corresponding to 78'4 % efficiency,
9-5 % at cos </> = 0-9, „ 827 %

14-0 % at COS <t> = 0-8, „ 85-3 %

and 19'4 % at cos ^ = 07, „ 827 %

On the basis of pre-war costs. Is. Id. per lb. for aluminium, the
cost of line conductors would be 40s. 6d. per max. EW. transmitted,
i «., a relatively low amount compared with the total cost of hydro-
electric and receiving stations which exceeds £ 80 per K w. installed
and transmitted.

Suppose, now, that it is desired to transmit energy to a much
greater distance — say, 930 miles (1,500 km.). The working pressure
can hardly be pushed much higher than the 173,000 volts assumed
as the delivered pressure in the above example, corresponding to
200,000 volts at the generating station. At such pressures troubles
with corona discharge have already become considerable, and, this
limit depending upon the natural dielectric (air) between overhead
lines, it is improbable that further advances in practice will make
possible such increase in working voltages as would enable energy
to be transmitted economically over distances of 600 to 950 miles
by a mere extension of existing methods.

Moreover, where such distances are concerned, the variation in
transmission voltage needed to maintain constant voltage at the load
is a serious factor, and, owing to the influence of inductance and
capacity (which increases almost in proportion with the distance),
it is not sufficient merely to double the cross section of the line in
order to transmit a given power for double the distance at given
voltage and with given efficiency.

For a distance of 310 miles (500 km.) a self-induction reactance
w L of 04 ohm per km. at 50 cycles gives a total of 200 ohms, and
corresponds, in the case of 100 amperes in an aluminium cable of
1 sq. cm. section, to 20,000 volts per phase in quadrature, or 20 per
cent, of the total voltage. The capacity, about O'Ol microfarad per
km., is responsible for a charging current of 157 amperes, i.e.,
about li times the useful current. Taking a cable of twice the
above section, carrying twice the current, the charging current is
reduced to three-fourths the useful current, but the voltage in
quadrature risea to 40,000 volts, i.e., to 40 per cent.

Thus, from thS point of view of voltage regulation, 310 miles
(500 km.) and 100,000 volts per phase are practically the limiting
distance and preuure. Automatic pressure regulators might be

used to maintain constant voltage at the distant end of the line by
operating upon the generators, but in such extreme cases the con-
ditions are unfavourable both for automatic regulators and for
satisfactory parallel operation of the generators.

In order to understand how these difficulties and limitations
may be overcome, it is necessary to consider certain fundamental
laws and characteristics relating to overhead conductors.

Relatiou.shij) Between Capacity and Inductance in Ocerhead
Lineg.—Th.e coefficient of self-induction of an overhead line, in
which the distance D between conductors is large compared with
their diameter rf, is given by L, = 4-6 x log 2 (dM) x 10' henry
per km. The capacity between conductor and neutral is given by
c, = 0'24 X [l/(log 2 d/(/)] X 10:/ farad per km. From these
two expressions it is found that Vd/L, C,) = 300,000 km. per
second, which is the speed of light. The same result is obtained
by using the values L, , c, , the self-inductance and capacity of all
the conductors per unit length. Inductance per unit length has,
in fact, no dimensions, and the square root of the inverse of
capacity per unit length has dimensions L T ', i.e., the dimensions
of a velocity.

Similarly, considering the case of a small conductor of radius B , ,
placed at th« centre of a cylinder of radius B and separated there-
from by an insulating medium of specific inductive capacity /.•
and permeability /x — these being the fundamental components of a
concentric cable — we find that R, R, cancel out and that v'(1/l C)
in this case = [l/«/Gx i)] X 300,000 km. per second. The
coefficient l/\/(,u /.) is that given by Maxwell for the ratio of
the speeds of propagation in various media.

Let us assume a current of frequency /' and a line open at
its far end and of length I such that, with speed of propagation v,
the manifestation of a certain state at the emission end arrives at
the far end when the phase has changed i period. Then Ijy =
1/(4 /■), and this equation is satisfied by a length of 1,600 km. in the
case'of 50 cycle current, i.e., 1,500/300,000 = 1/200 = 1/(4 X 50).

Such a circuit is in resonance for frequency/' under the influence
of self-inductance and capacity distributed along the line. In the
case of a circuit containing a single inductance l and capacity c,
the condition for resonance is/ = l/[2 w -J (LC)]. In this case,
however, to allow for the distribution of the industance and
capacity, and for the quarter-period difference in phase along the
line, we must modify the product of length by unit inductance
(or capacity) by the extra term 2/7r. Then l c = 2/7r X ? x L, x
2/71- X i X Ci = (lii-'/TT-) L, c,. Hence /' = 1/L4 iV(L, C,)] = v/4 I,
and therefore v = V (i/L, c,), which shows that y is independent
of the length I.

These relationships show that the velocity of electricity-— hitherto
considered to be negligible in connection with the distribution of
electric power — plays an important part where distances of the
order of 900 miles are concerned. Also, these relationships form a
basis for considering the special properties of quarter-wave lines.

(Quarter- Wave Lines. — The quarter-wave line comprises two con-
ductors for single-phase working, or three for three-phase opera-
tion, so arranged that they are in resonance on light load. On
applying a p.d. to one end of such a line, the voltage at the other
end would be infinite if the resistance were zero. This charac-
teristic is repeated for all the odd harmonics.

With a frequency of 50 cycles per second, the condition of
resonance is satisfied by the natural inductance and capacity of
overhead lines 1,500 km. in length ; and with a frequency of 25
cycles per second, the corresponding distance is 3,000 km. It is not
necessary, however, to adhere to these distances and to use only the
inherent inductance and capacity of the lines. It is always
possible to increase the inductance by inserting reactance coils in
the lines and the difficulties in constructing e.h.t. condensers are
avoided, because the capacity of the conductors themselves is
sufficient in the present system.

If, instead of being open at the far end, the above line be
connected to a load-circuit, constant p.d. is obtained at the point of
delivery if constant current be maintained at the beginning of the
line— the effect of the resistance of the line being left out of con-
sideration. On this basis the received potential is constant if the
input current be constant, and, inversely, the received current is
constant if the p.d. be constant at the beginning of the line.

The received current is in quadrature with the voltage at the
supply end, and the delivered p.d. is in quadrature with the current
at the supply end. In other words, the power factor is the same at
both ends of the line.

The losses in the line and its regulation are due only to the
resistance of the line, and, in spite of this resistance, a better result
is obtained than with constant-voltage transmission.

Characteristics of the (Quarter- Wine Cine Alloiriny for Resistance.
— The following example shows the results obtained in a practical
case, allowing for the effect of resistance. With resistance present,
it is no longer possible to obtain constant delivered p.d. by main-
taining constant current at the supply end of the line, hence it is
convenient to inquire : — What variation of current is required at
the supply end to maintain constant delivered p.d. at various loads
and various power factors .' Choosing 50-cycle operation and a
distance of 750 miles (1,200 km.), we have a margin for adjusting
the conditions of the line if resonance is not obtained on open
circuit. If I = length of line ; L,,Ci = self-induction and capacity
respectively per km. ; x = 2 tt /l, = say, 0'5 ohm : and h =
2 IT /Ci = say, 3'5 x 10 *' ; then, by a simple transformation of
/' = l/[ 4 Z \/ (lc)], we have that resonance is obtained when
>J (fix) = ir/2 I, if resistance be neglected. In the present case
^ \bx) => 1-32 X 10-^ and 7r/2 / = r31 X 10 '. Let us suppose
that there is delivered 250 amperes at 100,000 volts phase-voltage
(173,000 volts star). Choosing an aluminium cable of 5 sq. cm.
section, the resistance per km. is r = 0'07 ohm, and the weight of
the lines is 5,000 tons, i.e., 148 lb. (07 kg.) per kw. transmitted,

220

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.i[Voi. 87. No. 2,229, August 13, mo.

which is a very reasonable figure for transmitting 75,000 KW. a
distance of 1,200 km.

Table I shows corresponding values of the input-curyent, and of
the current delivered for full-load, 3 -load, J -load, and i-load at
various power factors, and finally for operation on light load and
for operation with 75,000 K.v.A. all reactive.

TABLE. I.— Current input to and Corbent Delivered
BT Qdabter-Wavb Line.

eliverea (at 100,000 volts).

Input.

-

KW.

Power
factor.

Amps.

Volts.

Amps.

Power
factor.

KW.

Effici-
ency.

75,000

ro

250

106,600

2932

0993

93,000

80-5 %

0-9

278

115,100

294-9

0-882

90,000

83-3 %

0-8

312

126,5r0

296-0

0797

S9,600

83-7%

07

357

142,100

297-4

0713

90,300

83-0%

56,2.50

1-0

187-5

82,700

286-3

0-994

70,600

79 7%

09

208

88,600

287-3

0886

67,700

83-0%

0'8

23i

97.000

288-2 0-801

67.200

837%

0-7

268

108,400

289 0 0715

67,20')

>'3-7%

37,500

I'O

125

58,800

279-2 0-995

49,000

76-6 %

09

139

62.200

280-0 0 899

47,000

797 %

0-8

156

67,300

280-5 1 0-817

46,300

81-1%

0-7

178

74,400

281-0

0-727

45,500

82-5 %

18,750

lu

62-B

35,000

272-1

0-!»98

28,500

65-8 %

09

69-5

36 000

272-5

0930

27,300

68-6 %

0-8

78

38,000

2728

0-863

26,800

69-8 %

07

89

40,900

273-1

0-785

26,200

71-5%

Open circt.

-

11,300

265-2

0-994

9.000

-

75,000 KVA.
reactive.

Zero

250

94,600

270-0

0-194

14.900

-

Obviously, it would be poasib'e to construct an apparatus regu-
lating the current input in accordance with the load on the basis
of the figures given in Table I. Column 5 of the latter shows that,
in order to maintain 100,000 volts phas5-voltage at the point of
delivery, it is sufficient to increase the current input from 265
amperes on light load to 295 amperes on full load, (.«,. by about
1 1 per cent. The received voltage will be* constant within about
1 per cent, if the current input be 2i->3 amperes plus 7 amperes per
1 8,000 KW. This regulation is better than that resulting from
ohmic drop alone, and it will ba seen from the table that tlie power
fucfor nfthe lurid has no inipuriant int/iience on the I'fgiiliifion. The
input current leadi on the voltage received by from S9° 10 to 94'
40', i.f., always about 90". Similarly, the p d. at the input end of
the line leads on the current delivered by from 87" 40' to 100' 20'
— again a nearly constant lead of about 90°. Thus the power factor
is practically equal at both ends of the line (see Table 1).

The input voltige equals the quotient of the delivered voltage
by the power factor at full load, and decreases with the load to
11,300 volts on open circuit. Assuming that the power factor does
not fall below 0 8 on full load, the maximum voltage between lines
at the genera'.ing station is 219-,OO0 volts. At and above half-load
the efEoienoy is practically independent of load, and is about 82 per
cent It may be increased by using larger conductors. Comparing
this with continuous-current transmission on the series system, with
the same weight of conductors, say, two of 7 5 sq. cm. section, and
assuming an input voltage of 22.'), 000 volts, there will be delivered
420 amperes .it 178 000 volts, i.e., an efficiency of 79 per cent.,
which falls to 65 per cent, on half-load. Again, the A.c. system
would gain about 10 per cent, at the delivery point at full load, and
15 per cent, at half-load, by the use of transformers in place of the
machines required by the D c. series system, hence at half-load we
may compare 82 per cent, efficiency in the a,c, system with 50 per
cent, net efficiency in the D c. system, Xt quarter-load the efficiency
of the -A.c. system is 69 per cent, compared with 48 percent, for the
D.C. system, and to this difference of 21 per cent, there may be
added another 20 per cent, due to the elimination of the rotating
machinery required by the D.C. system.

Disadrantaiies of the (iliiarter-Ware System and Precautions
Nece.':.siirii. — The above results are excellent, and much better than
would ordinarily be expected for the transmission of 75.000 KW.
over such small conductors for a distance of 750 miles. Nevertheless,
the quarter-wave system has certain disadvantages and limitations
which we may now proceed to discuss.

(«) Mu.rimiim Line Vinl'ige. — The first point to be investigated
is the nature of the pressure distribution along the transmission
line. At full load the volta,?e8 at the two ends are of the

TABLE II. — Phase Voltaoe at Intebmediatk Points on
Quarter-wave Line.

Distance from point of delivery.
Km.

0 (delivery end")

300

600 (mid-pointl

800

1,200 (station end)

Voltage at point considered, with power
factor.

L-

0-9.

0-8.

07 ■

100.000

100,001

100,000

100,000

101,000

121,(100

134,000

145,000

100,000

125,000

141,000

156,000

99,000

124,000

140,000

158,000

106,600

115,000

126,000

142,000

points, when supplying full load (75,000 KW.) at various power
factors.

At J-load the phase voltage does not exceed about 130,000 volts ;
on light load the over-voltages disappear ; and on purely inductive
loads they reappear, being of the same order as on full load when
the current is 250 amperes.

The star voltage between lines may rise to alx)ut 275,000 volts,
which does not constitute a limiting f;ictor, because it is obviously
easier to insulate a line for 275.000 volts than it is to insulate
transformers and switchgear for 225,000 volts, the latter being the
normal requirement of the case considered.

(Ji) J<)ft'ect III Openinrj I'lrrnit. — Suppose that the line be
operating under full load, with a supply voltage of 113.000 volts,
corresponding to a power factor of about 0-9. what will be the
effect of opening the circuit suddenly at" the load end .' It is
assumed that the supply station is equipped with extra-rapid
regulators, so that the current falls instantly from 295 amperes to
265 amperes (see Table 1) , the works pressure being reduced
simultaneously to 11,300 voUs. i.e.. to one-tenth of its full-load
value. The pressure at the delivery end remains constant at
100,000 volts, and the line being in resonance on open circuit, the
pressure required at the station end would be zero but for the
presence of resistance.

Suppose, however, that the regulators in the supply station
do not operate instantaneously. Instead of the 11.300 volts
required to maintain 100,000 volts at the far end of the line, we
shall then have 113,000 volts at the works, and we might expect
the voltage at the far end to rise to 1,000,000 volts. This corres-
ponds to the risk of infinitely high voltage in the D.C, series
system should the line circuit be opened, but, as a matter of fact,
there are in both cases circumstances which restrict these dangerous
pressure rises.

Let us consider how the load may be interrupted. At the
delivery end of the line there is a transformer station which may
be connected to the line through cut-outs operating after those on
the low-tension side. Thus, when the latter open, the trans-
formers remain connected to the line. The saturation of the trans-
formers may be made such that their no-load current is 5 per cent,
of the normal current, absorbing 5,000 k,v.a. for 100,000 K.v.A.
full load, the induction being, say, 13.000 gauss, requiring 9 ampere-
turns per cm. The current absorbed will then be 5,000 K.v.A./
(100 KV. X 3) = 16-7 amperes.

If the terminal voltage be increased to 125,000 volts, or to
135,000 volts, we have the following conditions : —

Terminal voltage ...
Induction, in gauss
Ampere-turn psr cm.

Current

Kilovolt-anperes ...

1 25,000 volts 135,000 volts

16,200 „ 17,500 „

60 „ 100 „

110 amperes 185 .,

33,000 „ 55,500 „

These transformers are not of standard design, but there is no
reison why they should not be built, using iron of very low
hysteresis loss.

We have seen that the over-voltage is suppressed with about
250 amperes reactive at the delivery end, and if with 35 per cent.
over- voltage we have already a current of 185 amperes, we shall not
have voltages much above the latter.

Again, supposing that 125,000 volts at the delivery end is
obtained with 60 amperes in quadrature, there is required 23,700
volts and 335 amperes at thestation end. .'Similarly, 125,000 volts
and 120 ampar^s in quadrature at the delivery end requires 4 4,500
volts and 351 amperes at the station end ; and 135,000 volts
180 amperes iu quadrature requires 66,800 volts, 410 amperes at the
station.

Thus, in order to produce a considerable over-voltage at the
far end of the line, the current in quadrature rising rapidly with
the voltage, it is necessary for the current to rise considerably at
the station end, and this offers a good opportunity for the use of
supplementary regulating gear or automatic cat-outs.

Another case to be considered is that of total removal of load.
including the reactive current, as in the case of line breakage near
the delivery end. In this case also the current regulating devices
at the station end prevent excessive voltage rise at the delivery end
of the line. If these devices do not operate promptly, the delivered
voltage cannot rise considerably without the current rising at the
station end because, when the delivered current is zero, the input
conditions for various voltages at the delivery end are as in
Table III :—

TABLE in. — Input Conditions for Various Delivery
Voltages on Open Circuit.

Delivered
voltage.

Input,
ampereg.

Station
voltage.

Input,

100,000
125,000
135,000

265
331
359

11,300
14,100
15,300

9,000
14,000
16,600

same order, but the question naturally arises whether excessive
potentials may not be attained at intermediate points. The figures
given in Table II show the phase pressures attained at intermediate

Even in this case where the transformer losses have not to be
considered (the break being on the station side thereof) the power
absorbed by the line increases rapidly with the delivered voltage,
and the current input rises sufficiently to ensure that the station
regulators or cutoutscome into action.

The rapid increase in the power absorbed by the line and di«-
persed by radiation at increased pressures must not be overlooked.
Electrolytic and lead oxide lightning arresters have both the
property of absorbing an amount of power which increases rap'dly
with voltage once the latter exceeds a critical value By dis-
tributing such arresters along the Hue, the latter is protected
against lightning as well as over-voltages.
(To be continued.)

Tol. 87. No. 2,229, August 13, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWo

221

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

Beadert are invited to tub-mit particular! of new or improved demcet and apparatus, which will be publithed
if considered of rufieient interest.

A Simple TimeChecking System.

The device described below was in use in one of the large
French works during the war, and was employed in that
particular instance for checking the total time, each day,
during which the individual units of a, number of cold draw-
benches were actually operating.

The sketch (fig. 1) shows, diagrammatically, one unit of
the time-checking apparatus which consisted of the following

FXG. 1.— A SlMl'LE TiME-CHF.CKING Si'STEM.

parts : a is an ordinary cheap clock fitted with a pendulum
B, and is situated in the foreman's or shop manager's office;
c is an electromagnet, energised by a battery d, and e is
a contact maker, completing and maintaining the battery
circuit when the draw-bench is tight, i.e., doing its
work.

The operation is very simple. The electro-magnet c is set
with its poles almost touching the pendulum rod at the end
of its swing. Now if the contact maker E clo.ses the circuit
the magnet will be energised and hold the pendulum just
eo long as e makes contact, thus stopping the clock; when
E breaks circuit the pendulum is released, and the clock runs
normally until again stopped by e closing. The contact maker
E is fitted on the draw bench .so that when the chain is tight
E makes contact, and the clock is stopped ; directly the chain
slackens e breaks circuit, and the pendulum is released. Each
draw bench is furnished with a contact, and each has its
corresponding clock in the foreman's office. Every morning
the clocks are set to the correct time, and at the end of the
day each will have lost to the extent of the time during which
its draw bench has been in actual operation.

The system can, of course, be applied to any kind of
machinery, and enables an accurate record to be kept of
intermittent operations on a number of similar machines.

The Watt Motor.

Much interest was shown in the demonstrations given re-
cently at Faraday House, London, by The Watt Motor Oc. of
Premier House, 1-50, Southampton Row, W.C. 1. of a motor,
fig. 2. having a squirrel-cage rotor that will start with almost
a full load with a starting current of only 40 to 50 per cent,
above the normal current. It may be constructed for single or
polyphase currents, for various speeds, voltages, and periodici-
ties, and at pre.sent in sizes of from 1 to 7.5 H.p. The motor is
simply started by means of a star-delta switch on the stator
frame, which at the same time takes the place of the com-
monly-used knife switch. No starting resistance is used.

iiG 'J— iHE Watt Motok.

Thus attendance becomes easier as no starting or regulating
devices are necessary. The absence of slip rings and bush gear

aids in the elimination of junning troubles, and reduces
maintenance costs and the fire risk. Space is also economised,
due to a squirrel-cage motor being from 15 to 20 per cent,
shorter than a corresponding sUp-ring machine. Particulars
of the motor tested are: 7.5 h.p.; 1,420 r.p.m. ; 380 volts;
squirrel-cage rotor; 50 cycles, 3-phase.
The results of efficiency tests are set out below : —

B.H.P

7'.")

.-)i;:i

H'7.j

rs7

Nil.

Amps

ini

'.y^

7-0

y>

;^•!l

Power factor ..

O'Sl!

0>2

U-73

U-.vl

(.1-22

B.P.M

141.5

1440

145.-,

117:;

14it7

Slip%

."i'7

4-(i

3U

IV

0'2

Efficiency %

SI!

,><:>

84

i:,

NU.

The testing pressure was approximately 390 volts, and the
current taken by the motor with the switch in the first posi-
tion was about 15 amps., while with the rotor locked it was
about 18 amps. The torque at standstill position was 22.9 lb.,
or about 83 per cent, of the full-load torque.

A New Telephone Receiver.

Our illustration, fig. 3, which we reproduce from the T. & T.
Age, shows a cross sectional view of an automatic receiver for
manual telephone systems, that has been invented by Mr.
E. E. EiES, of New Y»rk. The receiver is about the same
width, but only half as long, as the ordnary standard disk
set receiver, and the novelty is that the receiver is not used to
close the signalling circuit. The Eies receiver has a self-
contained switching element which renders switching gear
inside the telephone stand unnecessary. The received does
not need to be hung on a hook, but may be set on a desk
anywhere w'ithin reach of the user. In the centre in a sealed
cup-like receptacle is a deposit of mercury ; when the receiver
is lifted arid moved toward the ear of the user the mercury
falls in a direction so that it effects a momentary electrical

Fig. 3. — A New Telephone Receiver.

contact between the metal of the cup and a contact di.sk,
shown just above the mercury in the illustration. The closing
of this contact accomplishes the same purpose as does the
switch-hook in a standard desk .set; that is, it closes the
signalling circuit which attracts the attention of the operator
at central. Should the oixjrator not respond promptly, when
this receiver is used, it is not necessary to " iuggle " a switch-
hook, but only to tilt the receiver sUghtly so that the column of
mercury may once more make a momentary contact. The use
of a receiver of this type does away with switch-hook troubles,
and as the quantity of mercury employed is sufficient to in all
cases insure proper contact between the points to he con-
nected, it would seem that the operation of the -signalling
circuit is at all times positive, and the contact of sufficient
duration to give a positive signal. One difficulty with the
switch-hook is that the average telephone user, not under-
standing the necessity for reasonably prolonged contact,
operates the hook too rapidly to permit the lamp at central
to light up. .Also, it is evident that the entire list of .service
defects, resulting from users failing to restore receivers to the
hooks when finished talking, are avoided by the use of the
Ries receiver. The receiver is so designed that no matter bow
it may be set down on a table or desk it will automatically
assume an upright position, thereby disconnecting the signal-
ling circuit to the eschange.

222

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,229, August 13, 1920.

REVIEWS.

Silvanua Phillips Thompson, D.Sc, LL.D., F.K.S. His Life
and Letters. By Jane Smeal Thompson and Helen G.
Thompson, B.Sc. London : T. Fi.sber Unwin, Ltd. Pp.
ix+372; 13 illustrations. Price 21s. net.

The many students and workers in various paths of science
who have had the privilege of passing under the genial guid-
ance of Silvanus Thompson will welcome the glimpse that is
afforded by hi.s wife and second daughter, in this book, of his
upbringing, huiiie life, and manifold activities in other direc-
tions than tlan.se in which they themselves came in contact with
him. The authors are conscious of their difficulty, because of
their nearness to him, in seeing the man in his true perspec-
tive ; how much more difficult then must it be for those to do
so who encountered but one or two facets of this " many-sided
crystal."

Most of us who knew " the Doctor " (as he wa.s always
called) encountered him at the most impressionable period of
our lives, and at the very outset of our profes.sional careers.
His wealth of knowledge and his enormous activity provided a
splendid example, while the influence of his personal character
and of his genial wisdom has shone as a guiding light through-
out the lives of many who have never had the opportunity of
acknowledging the fact.

Born a Quaker, married to a Quaker, and regarded as a
prophet among them to the end of his days, the Doctor was a
truly Christian gentleman — upright and honourable, yet free
from any narrowminded bigotry. He loved music, was a
talented painter, occasionally wrote vetse which contained evi-
dence of real poetic feeling, and was a master of lucid English,
both as lecturer and as writer.

His career as a teacher of science began at University Col-
lege, Bristol, in 1876; but in 1885 he became principal of, and
professor of physics in, the City and Guilds of London In-
stitute's Technical College at Finsbury, and it was in this
capacity that he did his best work and will be chiefly remem-
bered.

The list of his printed books, papers, addresses, and com-
munications to societies, extending over 40 years, fills nearly
ten pages of the " Life " ; and of these there is no doubt that
his " Elementary Lessons in Electricity and Magnetism," fre-
quently referred to in lectur-es as " this little red book of
mine," was the most widely known. This was first published
in 1881 and was many times revised, the last occasion being in
1914. Of contemporary reviews, that which appeared in
Nature from the pen of Sir Oliver Lodge seems to have been
the only one which pointed out a tendency to dogmatise, which
we afterwards came to regard as characteristic.

He had a habit of putting forward a theory in such con-
vincing form that it came to be accepted as gospel by his
students. Thus he announced that many persons, including
himself, were disposed to regard electricity as identical with
the luminiferous ether — and how, if we are to believe Einstein,
the luminiferous ether is simply not there.

We find the chronological method adopted a little difficult,
for 'it is not always possible, without turning back a few pages,
to tell what year is being referred to. It is probably best, in
writing the biography of one who has been active in many
directions, to pursue one branch of activity from the beginning
to the end, but every reference to a date should contain the
year, and a marginal note showing the year that is being
written about facilitates reference immensely.

Thompson was always an attractive speaker at the Institu-
tion of Electrical Engineers, though occasionally his forceful
manner of speaking made him appear more dogmatic than may
have been his intention. At least one student committed him-
self in an examination to the statement that no ordinary
flexible conductor for an electric lamp would stand 120 volts,
because the impression gained from the Doctor's contribution
to a discussion on a paper on 200-volt lamps by the late Gustav
Byng was that a pressure of 50 volts was much better, and
anything over 100 was dangerous.

There are one or two inaccuracies in the book, which should
be removed from any future edition. Mrs. Ayrton was not
elected as, and she is not now, an honorary member of the
Institution of Electrical Engineers. The list shows her as an
ordinary member who has compounded for her annual subscrip-
tion. Lord Kelvin was not the first, nor was he at any time
the only, honorary member. It is true that the statement that
he was the first purports to be drawn from a letter of his own
(p. 281). but this is phrased in a curiously misleading manner.
Until 1899 the I.E.E. for some reason debarred itself from con-
ferring the distinction of honorary membership upon persons
who were stiJl in active practice. Of those who had retired.
Adolphe Coehery had been so honoured in 1881. and Henry
Wilde in 1898. and both were living in 1899. Kelvin was the
first to be elected under the new rules, which removed this
illogical disability, and Swan, afterwards Sir Joseph Swan,
was the second. The evening reception of the Institution and
of the Finsbury Technical College has always been the coii-
versasionc, not the soiree. Professor Miles Walker is not at
the University of Manchester (p. 91), but at the Manchester
Municipal College of Technology. Von Hefner-AJteneck (p. 171)
was not two men, but one. Dr. Walmsley fp. 136) has only
one e in his name; "bracketed" (p. 19) has only one t;
Eeichsanstalt (p. 121) is grnerally written as one word; Albe-
marle (p. 1.56) has only one r: Elihu Thomson (p. 170) is given

wrongly as Thompson. The Junior Institution of Engineers
was formerly the Institution of Junior Engineers (p. 102). The
judgment of Lord Justice North (p. 117) in the telephone case
was not that " every surface which can vibrate is a
diaphragm," but that " a diaphragm is something which
separates something from something else."

The work which' Thompson did at Finsbury is worthy of more
generous commemoration than it appears hkely to get. The
College is not ideally situated, and for many years was inade-
quately equipped. The absence of corporate feeling among the
•students (p. 132) (in which respect it differs from many of the
later polytechnics) and the apparently moribund condition of
the Old Students' Association are undoubtedly in some measure
due to the lack of any common-room or opportunity for the
.students to mingle together out of working hours. The college
authorities declined to afford a suitable situation for any memo-
rial to be erected there and it now appears from the papers
that the end of the College itself is in sight. The only
memorial now existing or, apparently, contemplated, is that
his library has been purchased and presented to the I.E.E. to
be preserved intact as the Thompson library. There is, or will
be, a bust of the Doctor in the library.

There seems little doubt that Thompson's views on national
and international matters, particularly on, the subject of the
Boer war, were not popular in official quarters. Hence he
received no knighthood, no distinction at the hands of the
State, and was not elected to the principalship of London
University, which post was given by the Government of the
time (1901) to Professor Arthur Eiicker, M.P.

Sir William Ramsay, who had unsuccessfully applied for the
headship at Finsbury when Thompson secured it, was the
recipient of many official honours; and after his death the col-
lection of a large sum of money for the foundation of research
scholar.ships to his memory was embarked upon. The endow-
ment of Thompson Memorial Scholarships was discussed to
some extent, but found little favour, there being apprehen-
sions in some quarters that " scholarships were going to be
overdone." But it is not even now too late, and surely the
best commemoration of a teacher is to extend his activities to
future generations.

Of the 13 illustrations in the " Life," the one which gives
the truest impression of the Doctor's never-failing geniahty is
that at p. 3.52, where he is shown in the company of his first
grandchild.

Wireless Telegraphy. By W. H. Marchant. 305 pages.
201 figs. London : Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd. Price
7s. 6d. net.

The success attained by the first edition of this book, which
was printed five times in as many years, is the best evidence
that could be offered as to the value of the treatise. In its
second edition the book is revised and enlarged to cover modern
practice, and the author has again succeeded in producing a
volume which should just meet the requirements of seafaring
operators and of students preparing for the P.M.G. certificates
in radio-telegraphy. A considerable number of fresh diagrams
have been added (the clearness of these has always been an
excellent feature of the book), the notes on the Marconi sys-
tem have been materially extended, and a very useful glossary
has been added. The book remains one for the practical man.
entirely free from mathematics, excepting the simple funda-
mental formulao which must be introduced. Operating prin-
ciples and constructional details are explained clearly, siniply.
and in such manner that the reader can proceed from this book
to the study of any more advanced treatise without having to
" unlearn " anything.

The introductory chapter deals very well with the funda-
mental quantities and phenomena of capacity, inductance, elec-
trical oscillations, waves and resonance. The treatment given
brings one, with very satisfactory promptitude, to the con-
sideration and comprehension of transmitting circuits and
equipment. E^eceiving circuits are then discussed, and it is
quite remarkable in these introductory chapters how the author
eliminates tedioii.s elementary matter whilst still catering for
the needs and limitations of the student who has little or no
previous knowledge of electricity. For instance, it is no mean
accomplishment to de.scribe clearly the construction and prin-
ciple of operation of ammeters, voltmeters, wattmeters and
frequency meters all in half a dozen pages.

.\11 the main types of detectors are described in Chapter IV.
their characteristics being clearly explained, together with their
circuits and the adjustments required. Miscellaneous receiving
apparatus — the testing buzzer, shunted buzzer, telephone relay,
and variometer — are discussed in the next chapter. The use of
the vacuum valve as a detector and a? an amplifier is ox-
plained clearly and in sufficient detail for the present needs of
the average operator: it is probable, however, that one or more
entire chapters will have to be devot<\1 to the three-electrode
tube and its applications in the next edition.

The next half dozen chapters provide a verv useful descrip-
tion of the equipment and operation of the ]\Iarconi Ponlsen,
Telefunken, and Lepel syst^^ms. the Goldschmidt high-
frequency alternator, and portable installations and small
power sets. With one or two unimportant exceptions, the
illustrations and wiring diagrams are particularly clear, and
the reader will find that these chapters give him an excellent
survey of the various systems. Similarly, the last five chap-
ters provide an excellent treatment of radio-measurements,

Vol. 87. No, 2,229, AUGUST 13, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWo

223

wiring diagrams, regulations and instructions, abbreviations
and codes, and the localisation of faults.

The chapter on measurements covers the principles and
apparatus employed and the calculations involved in measur-
ing capacities, insulation resistance, wave lengths, induct-
ances, coupling and resonance, strength of received signals,
and so on. The operator should have no difficulty in under-
standing and applying all the methods described. The chap-
ters on wiring diagrams and their interpretation ; regulations
and instructions for ships and statioqp licensed by the Post-
master-General : and abbreviations and codes, call for no
special comment save that they are arranged conveniently for
reference. The final chapter on fault localisation is, of course,
very important, and the procedure laid down should lead to
the speedy detection and correction of any probable fault.
The author need have no fear that the success of his hand-
book will not be continued.

Wireless Tclffraphy and Telephony. First Principles, Present
Practice and Testing. Bv H. M. Dowsett, M.I.E.E..
F.Ph. Soc. Lon., M.I.Rad.E. 331 pages; 306 figs. Lon-
don : The Wireless Press, Ltd. Price 9s. net.

The author of the present book is the joint author with
Mr. J. 0. Hawkhead of the Handbook of Technical Instruc-
tions for Wireless Telegraphists, which is no doubt well
known to all our readers who are engaged in wireless tele-
graphy. In that book is given a description of the construc-
tion and action of the various commercial .^ets of apparatus
produced by the Marconi Company, sufficiently detailed to
enable the operator to work and adjust the gear under his
charge. The present book is more theoretical. It describes.
as fully as possible in the space available, the fundamental
physical phenomena on which wireless telegraphy is based,
and, W'ithout going too far into mere operating details, gives
an up-to-date account of the utilisation of these phenomena
in wireless practice. A considerable portion of the book is
devoted to useful descriptions of methods by which the various
measurements and tests necessary in wireless telegraphy are
carried out.

The first chapter is devoted to a short account of the work
on atomic structure and the nature of electricity, which has
been carried out in recent years by J. J. Thomson, Rutherford,
and other scientists. The subject of the nest chapter is described
as " Pha.se displacement effects in elementary circuits." In
this chapter are discussed tlie effects produced by inductance
and capacity in alternating current circuits, the effects of phase
alterations on the alternator generating the current, the theory
of the transformer, with special reference to its use in wireless
telegraphy, and a brief account of the use of vector diagrams
in alternating current problems. The third chapter deals w-ith
the spark discharge, and discusses the theory of the ordinary
spark transmitter, the Marconi synchronous disk discharger,
and the quenched gap.

In the fourth chapter brief descriptions are given of the
high-frequency alternators of Duddell, Alexanderson, the
Societe Fran^aise Eadio-Electrique, and Gold.schmidt, the fre-
quency increasing devices of Vallauri and Joly. and the " timed
spark" system of the Marconi Company. Then foUom^s an
account of the theory of the Poulsen arc, with a short descrip-
tion of actual Poulsen arc transmitters.

The fifth chapter is devoted to a description of the effects
due to the emission of electrons from heated metals, and the
practical application of these effects in the design of the three-
electrode valves so largely used at the present day for sensitive
receiving apparatus, and for the generation of continuous
waves for ordinary wireless telegraphy and for wireless tele-
phonv. Descriptions are given of some sets of apparatus re-
cently produced by the Marconi Company for wireless tele-
phonv.

The following chapter deals with high-speed wireless tele-
graphy. The .system of transmission using a high-tension
switch controlled by a Creed air engine operated from a Wheat-
stono transmitter is described, followed by an account of the
methods of receiving high-speed signals either 9n a dictaphone
record or photographically by means of an Einthoven string
galvanometer.

The remainder of t)ie book is occupied with method.s ot
measurement and testing. In Chapter VII is given a fairly
full account of current and electromotive force measuring ap-
paratus. Chapter VIII deals uith resistance measurements,
including descriptions of the portable resistance measuring in-
struments known as the ' Ducter " and the " Megger," and
Chapter IX with the measurement of the low and high fre-
quency capacity of ordinary condensers and of wireless aerials.

In the next chapter arc given methods for measuring induct-
ance, both at low and at high frequencFes, and in the following
one methods for the measurement of frequencies, ranging from
that of a rotating piece of machinery to that of the electric
oscillations used in wireless telegraphy.

Chapter XII is devoted to the measurement of the dielec-
tric strength of materials, the testing of the insulation of
electrical machines and condensers, the designing of insulators
to resist high voltages, and the methods by which they are
tested, while in Chapter XIII is given an account of the
phenomena of damping, and a description of the methods used
for measuring the decrement of wireless telegraph circuits.

The final chapter deals with fhe measurement of the direction

and position of transmitting stations, and of the intensity of
received signals.

It will be seen from the foregoing brief summary of its con-
tents that the book under review covers in a very complete
manner what may be described as the more theoretical side
of practical wireless telegraphy. It is very fully illustrated,
and although some of the reproductions of photographs of
apparatus and machinery are not very clear, the diagrams are
excellent. The book is well printed on good paper, and we are
sure that it wUl be found of great use to those readers who,
without the advanced mathematical knowledge necessary to
read the more abstruse books on wireless telegraphy, yet desire
to continue their studies of the subject beyond the stage neces-
sary to enable them merely to handle the gear, without having
a clear idea of the functions of the different pieces of ap-
paratus concerned.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly for this journal by Messrs. Sefton-Jones, O'Dell anc
Stephens, Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

any, March 13th, 1915.)

ubaqueous signals." Signal Ges.
ices." Signal Ges. July 10th.

July lOlh.
iignal
July

reiver." Signal Ges. July lOlh.

Signal Ges. July 10th.

Signal Ges. July 10th. (Ger-

Signal Ges. July 10th. (Ger-

sound signals." Signal Ges.

lany, March

Signal Ges.

July lOlh.

y, November

IV. February

July

20.354. " Mem
July lOth. (Gerr

20.355. " Subir
(Germany, September 8tb, 1915.)

20.356. " Transmitting and receiving de
Signal Ges. July lOth. (Germany, April 4th, 1916.)

20.357. " Sound producing or receiving devices." Signal Ge
(Germany, June 5th, 1917.)

20.358. " Sending or receiving device for subaqueous sound waves."
Ges. July 10th. (Germany. September 17th, 1917.)

20.359. "Sound producing or sound receiving devices." Signal Ge
10th. (Germany, February 22nd, 1918.)

20.360. " Subaqueous sound produ
(Germany, July 11th, 1918.)

20.361. " Sound-transmitting arr,
(Germany, April 14th, 1919.)

20.362. " Sound producers and re
many, July 31st, 1919.)

20.363. *' Sound producers and
many, August 4th, 1919.)

20.364. " Receiving device lor submarine sound signals
July 10th. (Germany, August 10th, 1917.)

20.365. " Listening devices." Signal Ges. July lOlh. I
30th, 1917.)

20.369. " Device lor ascertaining direction o( sound wav<
July lOth. (Germany, May 29th, 1915.)

20.370. " Electro-magnetic vibratory devices." Signal I
(Germany, July 12th, 1915.)

20.371. " Sound receivers." Signal Ges. Julv 10th. (Ge
29th, 1915.)

20.372. " Sound apparatus." Signal Ges. Juh 10th. (G.
17th, 1916.)

30.373. " Sound apparatus " Signal Ges. July 10th. (Germans
15th, 1916.)

20.374. "Sound-signalling device." Signal Ges. July lOlh. (Ge
March 3rd, 1917.)

20.375. " Subaqueous sound producers and receivers." Signal Ges.
10th. (Germany, November 5th, 1917.)

20.376. " Direction finder (or sound waves." Signal Ges. July 10th.
(Germany, July 10th, 1915.)

20.399. " Multiplex telephonv." Ges. fur Drahllose Telegraphic. July 10th.
(Germany. May 27th, 1919.)

20.400. " Thermionic tube electro-magnetic wave generating arrangements."
Ges. fur Drahtlose Telegraphic. July 10th. (Germany, October 25th, 1918.'

30.401. "Generation of high-frequency currents." Ges. liir Drahtlose lele-
graphie. July 10th. (Germany, January 19th, 1915.)

20.402. " Thermionic tube electro-magnetic wave generating arrangements."
Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic. July 10th. (Germany, September 9th, 1918.)

20.404. " Electrodes for searchlights." Optische Anstalt C.P. Goerz Akl.-
Ges. July 10th. (Germany, September 19th, 1918.)

20.405. " Electrodes for searchlights." Optische Anstalt C. P. Goerz Akt.-
Ges. July 10th. (Germany, September 24th, 1918.)

20.406. " Arc lamps for searchlights." Optische Anstalt C. P. Goerz
Akt.-Ges. July 10th. (Germany, October 14th, 1918.)

20,408. " Electric arc lamps." Optische Anstalt C. P. Goerz Akt.-Ge».
July 10th. (Germany, June 11th, 1919.)

20.414. " Electro-magnetic tension devices." F. Krupp Akt.-Ges. July
10th. (Germany, Juno 23rd. 1919.)

20.415. " Electric resistance connections." F. Kiupp Akt.-Ges. July 10th.
(Germany, November 21st, 1918.)

20,426. "Adjustable ignition means fur combustion engines." D. J.
I'ickee. July 10th. (Germany, August 16lh. 1919.)

20,431. "Using dvnamo of vehicle as speed indicator." K. Gaulhi.
Co. July 10th. (France, April 26th, 1919.)

20.440. " Electrical annunciator. &c." G. Schmidt and IJokcr Co
10th. (Germany, March 27th. 1918.)

20.441. "Electric heaters, &c." Majestic Electric Development Co. July
10th. (United States, December 26th. 1917.)

20.465. " Electric accumulators." G. Fromont. July lOlh. (Fr
lember 21st, 1916.)

20.466. " Electric accumulators." G. Fromonl. July lOlh.

20.498. '• Cathode generators." Ges. tilr Drahtlose Telegraphic. Julv Kith.
(Germany, September 9lh, 1918.)

30.499. "Conducting roils." Ges. fur Drahllose TelegrapKic. July 10th.
(Germany. March 4th, 1918.)

20.500. " Production of oscillations by cathode tubes." Ges. fur Drahtlose
Telegraphic. July lOlh. (Germany, April 30th. 1919.)

20.505. " Bow collectors for electric vehicles." C. Conradty.
(Germany, June 17th, 1918.)

20.506. "Slip pieces for bow collectors." C Conr.idty.
(Germany, September 1st, 1915.)

20.507. " Antenna systems for receiving electric waves." Ges.
lose Telegraphic. July 10th. (Germany, June 18th, 1918.)

20.508. " Bow collectors for electric railways." C. Conradty.
(Germany, April 28th, 1916.)

20,.510. " Flash lights, &c." Diamond Electric Specialiti<
July lOlh. (United States, May 2nd, 1918.)

July

July lOlh.

July 10th.

I. fiir Draht-

. July 10th.

Corporation.

224

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,229. August 13, 1920.

a0,536. •■ Purification of service air lor compressors, tujbo-dynair.os, &c."
Deutsche Luilfiltcr-Bauges. July 10th. (Germany, July 28th, 1915.)

20,552. " Oscillating watt-hour meters." Kortlng & Mathiesen Akl.-Ges.
July 10th. (Germany, June 9th, 1915.)

20.562. "Sparkplugs." Champion Ignition Co. July 10th. (United States,
November 22nd, 1917.)

20.563. "Sparkplugs." Champion Ignition Co. July 10th. (United States,
Sept'ember 25th, 1918.)

20 573. "Process for regenerating energy in direct-current electric motors.
Conitruclions Electriques dc Belgique Soc. Anon. July 10th. (Belgium,
June "th, 1919.)

20 574 "Contact finger for rheostats, &c." Constructions Eleclr.ques de
Belg'ique Soc. Anon. July 10th. (Belgium, April 2nd, 1919.)

20 580. "Driving systems for alternate-current meters." Dr. P. Mi'y<-r
Akt.'-Ges. July 10th. '(Germany, June 12th, 1919.)

20,583 " Electric induction furnaces." W. Grundhofer. July 10th. (Ger-
many, January 21st, 1918.) ,,...<-

20 600 ".Sparkplug." Champion Ignition Co. July Mth. (United States,
March 3id, 1917.) , .,

20 613 " Ground connections for wireless stations." R. Goldschmidt. July
10th! (Germany, November 8th, 1917.)

20 617 " Ground connections for wireless stations." R. Goldschmidt.
July 10th. (Germany, March 22nd, 1917.)

30,632. "Apparatus for rhythmically influencing electric waves produced
by cathode tubes," Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. July 10th. (Germany, April 3rd,

20!634. " Method of connection for producing oscillations with vacuum
tubes." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. July 10th. (Germany, September 27th, 1917.)

20 635 "Service arrangement for transmitting stations." Dr. E. F. Huth
Ges.' July 10th. (Germany, September 8th, 1916.)

20,636. " Coin-freed meter for electricity, gas. water. &c." Allgemcine
Elektricitats Ges. July 10th. (Germany, July 13th, 1917.)

20,655. " Multiple electric fuses." Ncue Industrie Werke. July lOlh.
(Germany, December 23rd, 1914.)

20 662 "Arrangement for reception of electrical waves." Dr. E. F. Huth
Ges. July 10th. (Germany, April 26th, 1919.)

30,667. " Process for distribution of light of electric lamps." F- ^^ • and
Dr C. Killing, Westfalische Gasluhlicht Fabrik. July 10th. (Germany,
December 4th, 1915.)

20,676. " Dynamo electric machines." F. H. Schroeder. July 10th.

20 688 " Production of electric carbons." Dynamobursten-Fabrik Nori-
bcrg'-Reichelsdorf Schmidthammer & Magnus. July 10th. (Germany, March
20lh, 1918.) „ u c I ■

20,701/2. " Machines for manufacture of electric lamps. H. S. Irwin.

July 10th. , . , ,.f- , ■, ,■ j„ 1,

20,710. " Sparking plugs." Soc. Internationale pour 1 Exploitation de la
Bougie Sol. July 10th. (Franca, March 5th, 1918.)

20,717. " Sparking plugs." Soc. Internationale pour TExploitation de la
Bougie Sol. July 10th. (France, July 15th, 1919.)

30,723. " Interrupting devices for sparking apparatus," R. Bosch Akt.-Ges.
July 10th. (Germany, June 1st, 1918.)

20,738. " Electric switches." P. .-Vufranc. July 10th. (France, July Uth,

^'20 739. " Holders, &c., for electric lamps." Bamberger, Leroi & Co., and
K Gutmann. July 10th. (Germany, February Uth, 1919.)

20,744. " Electric advertising signs." O. Fehler. July 10th. (Germany,
June 6th, 1918.)

20 755 "Continuously renewable cathode for anode surface." M. F. L. A
Aym'ard.' July 10th.

'20,756. " Electrolytic cell." M. F. L. A. Aymard. July 10th.

20,761. "Adjustable ignition means for combustion engines." D. J,
Pickee, July lOtb. (Germany. February 16th. 1918.)

20.782. " Thermionic valves." H. Morris Airey, A. K. Macrorie, S. R.
Mull'ard, and G. Shearing. July 10th.

20.783. " Use of multiple seals with silica valves, &c." H. Morris Airey,
A. K. Macrorie, S. R. Mullard, and G. Shearing. July 10th.

30 784. "Insulation and support xif valve electrodes." H. Morris Airey.
A. K. Macrorie, S. R. Mullar3, and G. Shearing. July 10th.

20.807. " Electro magnetic wave signalling systems." M, Latour. July
10th. (France, December 16th. 1918,)

20.808. " Electro-magnetic direction finding systems," M, Latour, July
10th. (France, December 7th, 1918,)

20.809. " Receiving arrangement for reception of electro-magnetic waves,"
M. C. A, Latour. July 10th. (Prance, Ociober 27tk, J91«,>

20.810. " Inductances." M. Latour. July 10th. (France, December 13th.
1918.)

20.811. " Telegraphic systems." M. Latour. July 10th.

20.814. " Electromagnetic wave-receiving systems." Soc. Francaise Radio-
Electrique. July 10th. (France, November 31sl, 1916.)

20.815. " Wireless telegraphy." Soc. Francaise Radio-Electrique, July 10th,
(France, October 26th, 1916,)

30,817. " Electrically-driven vehicles." Hansa-Lloyd Werke Akt.-Ges. July
10th. (Germany. July' 3rd. 1919.)

■ 20,819. " Railway signalling apparatus." J, Bethenod. July 10th. (France,
May 3rd, 1919,)

20,834, " Electric contact device," Ges, fur Nautische Instrumente, July
10th. (Germany, May 11th, 1916,)

30.829, " Electric connecting device for floating or .submarine ve-'seli,. ■
Neufeldt & Kuhnke. July 10th. (Germany, July 31st, 1916.)

20,831.—" Circuit arrangements of automatic telephone exchanges." C'-,.
lur Elektromechanische Telephon apparate. July 10th. (Germany, Januarj
10th, 1914.)

20.832. " Sending device for subaqueous sound signals. Signal Ges. luly
10th. (Germany, February 6th, 1915.)

20.833. " Submarine sound-signalling apparatus." Signal Ges, July lOlh
(Germany, March 18th, 1910.)

20.834. " Signal transmitting davices." Signal Ges. July lOlh. (Germany.
September 25th. 1917.)

20.835. " .Sound transmitting installations." Signal Ges. July 10th. (Ger-
many, October 1st, 1917.)

20.836. " Electro-magnetic sound producers and receivers." Signal Ges.
July 10th. (Germany, Auj<ust 14th. 1918.)

20.837. " Device for adjusting degree ol coupling in sound apparatus."
Signal Ges. July 10th. (Germany, August 16th, 1918.)

20.838. " Electro-magnetic sound apparatus." Signal Ges. July 10th.
(Germany, November 1st, 1918.)

30.839. " Electro-magnetic sou
(Germany. November 18th, 1918.^

30.840. " Devices for assisting
many. December 27th. 1918.)

30.842. " Sound signalling device'." Signal Ges. July 10th. (Germany,
April 27th, 1917.)

20.845. " Electro-magnetic sound producers and Tcceivers." Signal Ges.
July 10th. (Germany, January 20th, 1919.)

20.846. "Signal transmitting devices." Signal Ges. July 10th. (Germany,
September 25th, 1917.)

90.847. " Reception of submarine sound signals." Signal Ges. July 10th.
(Germany, January SJth, 1917.)

apparatus." Signal Ges, July 10th,
.igation," Signal Ges. July 10th. lOer-

20.848. " Submarine sound signalling." Signal 6es. July 10th. (Ger-
many, October 1st, 1915.)

20.849. " Submarine sound transmitter. Signal Ges. July 10th. (Germany,
May 3rd, 1918.)

20.850. " Receiving device for submarine sound signals.'* Signal Ges.
July 10th. (Germany, May 19th, 1917.)

20.862. " Keyboard telegraph transmitter." J. Cell. July 12lh.

20.863. " Telegraph receiving instrument." J. Cell. July 12lh.
20,865. " Electric furnaces." B. A. Pilkington. July 12th.

20.877. " Receiving circuits for wireless telegraphy." H. J. J. M. Je
Regnauld de Bellescize. July 12th.

30.878. " Electro-magnetic wave receiving systems." H. J. J. .M. de
Regnauld de Bellescize. July l^h.

■20,879. "Railway, &c., signalling systems." J. Bethenod. July 12th.
(France, December 20th, 1919.)

20.880. " Electro-magnetic wave signalling systems." J. Bethenod. July
12th. (France.)

30.881. " Railway, &c., signalling systems." J. Bethenod. July 12th.
(France, April 28th, 1919.)

20.882. "Generator of electric oscillations." Ges. fur Drahtlose Tele-
graphic. July 12th. (Germany, August 7th, 1917.)

20.883. " Electro-magnetic wave-receiving arrangements." Ges. fiir Draht-
lose Telegraphic. July 12th. (Germany. February 8th, 1916.)

20.890. " Secret telegraphic, telautographic, telephotographic, wire, or wire-
less transmission systems.^' E. Beliu. July 12th. (France.)

20.891. "Thermionic tube relay arrangements," M, Latour. July 12th.
(France.)

30.892. '* Electrical systems involving three electrode thermionic tub*
elements." M. Latour. July 12th. (France, December 16th, 1918.)

20.893. " Thermionic tube element arrangement." M. Latour. July 12lh.
(France.)

20.894. "Telegraphic communication systems," .M, Latour, July 12th,
(France,)

20,912, " Electric cable attachment," Vulcan Motor & Engineering Co,
and C. B. Wardman. July 12th.

20,916. "Automatic, Sic, telephone systems," D, A, Christian and Siemeni
Bros. & Co. July 12th.

20.919, " Paper insulated wire." V. Planer, July 12th. (Germany, July
24th, 1917.)

20.920, " Paper band covering for electric wires," V, Planer. July 12th.
(Germany, October 15th, 1917.)

20.921, " Power line for indoor wiring." V. Planer, July 12th. (Austria,
November 13th, 1916,)

20,924. " Energy translation connection by vacuum tubes." Dr, E, F.
Huth Ges. July 12th. (Germany, October 19th, 1918,)

20.927. " Mono telephones." E. Rumpler. July 12th. (Germany, Novem-
ber, Mth, 1917.)

20.928. " Installation for operation of Rbntgen tubes," S. Loewe. July
12th. (Germany, March 5th, 1919.)

20.929. " Arrangement of connections for generating and receiving elec-
trical vibrations." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges, July 12th, (Sweden, Julv 7th,
1917.)

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in parentheses
printed and abridged, and all

xaxe.

5,308. " Form of light-intensifier for metal filament electric lamps." E, F.
Roberts. March 4th, 1919. (146,558.)

6,067. " X-ray apparatus." M. B. Rodriguez. March 11th. 1919. (146,561.)

6,097, " Wireless and other signalling systems using high-frequency cur-
rents." Western Electric Co. (Western Electric Co.), March 11th, 1919.
(146,562.)

6,168. " Systems of signalling in fluid media." R. A. Fessenden. March
13th, 1918. (146,563.)

8,198, " Electrode for perforating metal plates." C. J-. Holslag. April 1st,
1919. (146,573.)

8.563. " Syvitchgear for electromagnetic yvave transmission and reception
systems." P. P. Eckersley.-. April 4th, 1919. (146.586.)

8.650. " Station sets for intercommunication telephones," R, L. Murray.
April 5th, 1919. (146,589.)

8.651. " Station telephone sets for intercommunication telephone systems."
R, L, Murray. April 5th, 1919. (146,590.)

8.652. " Driving mechanism for the selector arm of automatic selector
switches," R. L. Murray. April 5th, 1919, (146,591.)

9,055, " Electromagnetic wave transmission systems." P. P. Eckersley.
April 10th, 1919. (146,610.)

9,157. " Miners' safety lamps and other electric hand lamps," G. Oldham
and J. Oldham. April 10th, 1919. (146,615.)

9,186. " .Apparatus for forming electric battery elements." H. Wade.
(National Carbon Co,) April lOlh, 1919. (146.618,)

9,281. " Dynamo-electric machines." Siemens Bros, Dynamo Works and
R, H, H. Janzten. April Uth, 1919. (146,624,)

9,294, " Electrical gear for operating bulkhead doors." Harland S: Wolff
and H. H. Bentley. April Uth, 1919. (146,626,)

13,997. " Electric lamp fittings." C. P. Fairless. June 2nd, 1919. (146,694.)

14,471. " Electric motor and like controllers." H. Crochat. June 6th, 1919.
(146,700,)

15,531, " \'acuum tube rectifiers or generators of alternating current especi-
ally for use in wireless telegraphy," J. Scott-Taggart, June aOlh, 1919. (Cog-
nate application 20,269/19,) (146,708,)

17.243. " Electro-magnetic brake for trannvav, railway, and like vehicles."
E. Bazley. July 9th, 1919. (146,723.)

17,469. " Electric telegraphs." A. L, Davis, July 12th. 1919. (146.724.)

18,006, " Resistance for electric furnaces," E, Piquercz, February 26th,
1919, (139,448,)

18,734, " High-tension apparatus for use with hot cathode X-ray tubes." A.
C. Gunstone. July •Xlih, 1919. (146,731.)

19,389, "Radio signalling apparatus," Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co.
February 7th, 1919. (138,588.)

19,903. " Electric heaters." L, V, Leonard, August 13th, 1919. (146,741.)

21,898, "Automatic electric couplings." R. Belfield (Weslinghouse Air
Brake Co.). September 5th, 1919. (146.746.)

21,984. " Electrical receiving apparatus, particularly for use in connection
with telegraphs and telegraph rel.Tys." K Rahbek and F. \. Johnscn. Sep-
tember 6th, 1919. (Addition to 5.611 19.) (146.747.1

35.466. " Jointing metallic sheathed electric cables." A. E. Wilson and
Calender's Cable & Construction Co. October 17th. 1919. (146,763.)

33,693. " Electric colls." M. V. O'Leary. (December 30th, 1918.) (Divnded
application on 21,807/19.) (146,786.)

loao.

1,959. " Brade magnets for stectricity motor meters." J. Harris. (May 7th,
1919.) (Divided application on 11,433/19.) (146,791.)

TI3LE

EXjEOTK/IO-A-L I^E'VIE'W-

Vol. LXXXVII.

AUGUST 20, 1920.

No. 2,230.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

Vol. LXXXVII.] CONTENTS : Angust 20, 1920.

[No. 2,280.
Page

China 225

Obstructionism a3 a Fine Art 227

Control of the German Export Trade 227

The Swiss Electrical Industry 227

Coming Events 227

Meter Work in an Electricity Supply System, by C. Sylvester

(iUus.') 228

Harmonics Trouble and Neutral Earthing : General Con-
siderations, by L. C. Grant 230

Saving the Cost, by J. T. Towlson iillut.) 2:n

A Low-Pressure Large-Current D.o. Geaerator (iUm.} ... 232

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (!7Z?;s.) 233

The WOson Dip-in Cut-out for House Services 234

Correspondence —

"Tumbler" Switches (iWws.) 235

Professional Salaries and the Coat of Living 235

Submarine Cable Telegraphy 235

"Extra-High Pressure" ... ... ... ... ... -3'

London Electricity Supply, 1917— 1918 («ito».) 235

Business Notes 237

Notes 242

City Notes 247

Stocks and Shares 248

Light— Its Use and Abuse 249

Extra Long-Distance Transmission of Electrical Energy

(ilhu.) CcoiUinned) 250

National Agreement on Electrical Wages in the Contracting

Industry 251

Beviews 251

Alternating Current Track Circuiting, by L. H. Peter (illus.) 253

High-Speed Wheels for Low-Head Hydraulic Turbines (illus.) 254

Exports and Imports of Electrical Goods for June, 1920 ... 255

New Patents Applied for, 1920 255

Abstracts of Published SpecificationB 256

Contractors' Column AdTertUement page zzvi

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CHINA.

Under the prevailing conditions there is a natural tendency
for manufacturing and trading representatives to limit their
attention to markets that are of immediate practical import-
ance, where orders in plenty are waiting to be picked up.
There is bo much business in hand that there is no pressing
need to think much about what we may describe as the
remoter markets. The difficulties of dealing with what
we have are sufficient to go on with, without worrying
about things that are far ahead. The disposition, as we
say, is not unnatural, considering the conditions. Happily,
however, there are some British electrical industrial concerns
which are able to rise superior to the temptations of the
times, and their foresight and enterprise in many parts of
the world will bring their reward in due couree, when our
constantly increasing productive capacity will be subject
to less strenuous and exacting demands for manufactures
for home consumption.

During the last si.\ years we have been more or less
deprived of trade reports from Government agents abroad.
Iq pre-war days we quoted a good deal from those despised
documents ; but while we could do little export trade,
repDrts were less necessary, and their absence did not
matter much. Shortly after the Armistice was signed, we
collected articles from experts in several Colonies regarding
the prospects for electrical trade after the war, but even
then things were so unsettled everywhere that the study
could be little more than a stop-gap contribution to foreign
electrical trade literature.

To-day we are being favoured with a revival of the
Government reports, and though some of those so far
received have been of very little value, as in the case of
the German one that we recently criticised, others that are
coming to hand deserve careful attention from those
who want to know the trade conditions and prospects as
they appear to commercial counsellors and secretaries on the
spot.

One of the reports that now lie before us deals with
China, a land of vast distances, much mystery, hundreds
of millions of pDpulation, immense resources — really a most
fascinating land for those who do not live too much in the
present. The document has been prepared by Jlessrs.
H. H. Fox, C.M.G. (commercial counsellor at Shanghai),
C. A. W. Rose (commercial secretary at Peking), and H. .J.
Brett (commercial secretary at IIong-Kong), and it reviews
the conditions and prospects of British trade with China.
Consistently with our previous attitude — for we devoted a
large amount of our space to the future of China in pre-war
days — we incline to give prominence to this document with
a view to commending it, and the country to which it
relates, to the close attention of our readers who may find it
a little refreshing to lift their eyes beyond Europe for a

few moments.

In the year 1919 there were nearly 340,000 foreigners

[225]

226

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW^ [voi. 87. No. 2,230, august 20, 1920.

resident in China ; over 300,000 of these were Japanese or
Russian — mainly in Manchuria and the Province of
Shantung. The third in importance numerically were the
British, who numbered 13,221, with 644 firms, and the
Americans came next with G,659 and 314 firms. The
French (4,415), Portuguese (2,390), and Germans (1,341
with two firms) follow, and the rennininjr nationalities all
stood at bebw four figures. Ttie commercial capital,
Shanghai, had a rapidly increasinfij foreign population,
owing to the commercial and industrial expansion of the
pirt, and partly due to a temporary ioflax of Rassian
refugees from Siberia.

For many years under nominally Republican (xovern-
m-jnt, internal dissensions hive produced a condition of
administrative chaos, but seemingly the ordinary life of
the people and the interests of trade have been less affected
than might have bsen expected, by a condition of things
bordering on anarchy, excepting in the areas of actual
fighting. Financial and administrative confusion is never-
theless a very real obstxcle to that great development of her
natural and industrial resourci.3 for which China would
se3m to be ripe. While fundamental changes do not happen
in so vast a territory at a very rapid rate, it is unlikely that
the present state of unstable eqailibrium can be maintained
indefinitely.

The development of trade, and, indeed, the whole
national existence of China are stated to be mainly
dependent upon the rapid extension of internal communi-
cations, more especially railways. It is now many years ago
since we gave particulars here of vast schemes of railway
construction which leading authorities were eager to see
carried out, but events have willed otherwise, and the great
developments that we then hoped for at a fairly early date
have not been proceeded with yet. We read, hoivever, that
within the last few years a strong movement has arisen
toward the unification and standardisation of the various
lines, and the technical aspects of the question have recently
been studied by foreign experts engaged by the Chinese
Government.

It is said that China has been suffering for a long cime
from the want of a strong man, and if Chang Tso-lin, " a
superman among the Tuchuns," be the one whose shoulders
are able to carry the mantle of Li Hung-Chang and Yuan
Shih-Kai, as a writer in the Times of August 12th suggests,
the situation may improve and movement take place in the
direction of the long-desired progress. An enterprising
transportation policy must involve the construction of many
thousands of miles of railway and the modernisation of the
serviceof the innumerable waterways upon which motor-boat
trattic is already developing and creating a good opportunity
for foreign manufacturers. I^ittle that is creditable can be
said regarding Chinese roadways, though the introduction
of motor-cars is having an improving effect in this con-
nection. Aeroplanes have their special value, but doubt is
thrown upon the early use of these — at any rate, as a com-
mercial proposition ; they might be of service to enter-
prising foreign trade investigators or organisers on special
expeditions bent.

China contributed little save labour tn the European War,
and her direct gains from it were not very extensive. The
principal way in which she suff"ered was from the inability of
the Allies while they were so seriously pre-occupied to
render assistance in developing her trade and resources.
Perhaps, in the long run, it will be seen that her greatest
gain, though indirect, is from a hastening of the gradual
awakening of the Chinese peojile to a realisation of their
own backwardness, and to a conviction that the growing
force of public opinion should ultimately be to the
advantage of the country. Notwithstanding the stills dis-
turbed state of Europe and the economic difficulties of all
countries that were long engaged in hostilities, the Allies
are now freer to assist in the development of Chinese
resources, but the will is necessarily subordinated to the
financial situation. The nations that are first ready to
render assistance have a grand opportunity awaiting them.
The British share in whatever is done should be large, if
we are to place any special value upon the predominance of

Britishers among the " foreigners " in the numerical
summary that we have given above.

So far as mining enterprises are concerned, there are
important obstacles in the way of foreign participation, and
in this matter progress must be slow until the mining laws
are rendered moi'e acceptable to foreign capitalists. China
has, of course, innumerable industrial establishments, bnt
we are advised in the report before us that there is little
reason for British manufacturers to fear competition from
these for many years to come. They are devoted mainly to
the production of cheaper goods, and with the growing
prosperity of the country, imported articles of a higher
<iuality than can be supplied locally will be in increasing
demind. It is considered that the industrial development
of China will offer a valuable market for all kinds of
machinery, and a most promising field for investment in
local enterprises.

British merchants and British goods enjoy an exception-
ally high reputation there, and this fact naturally renders
oar prospects excellent if our manufacturers are prepared to
make the necessary effort to meet the demand. " By far
our most serious competitors ... are the Japanese and
the Americans." America's trade with China has tripled
within the last six years, and, as for Japan, well it might
have been supposed that, with so vast a market so close at
hand, she would be able to do so much quick trade that she ,
would not be very anxiously concerned to compete with
other manufacturing nations in the fields where the latter
have been so long established, except from the standpoint
of the desirability of maintaining a general interchange of
trade with all parts of the world. Chinese boycotts of
Japanese goods do not seem to have any serious effect upon
the volume of trade.

It may be remarked that all of this information is
interesting enough, but very general. We have only
attempted to give a general review of the situation, in order
to bring the future greatness of the Chinese market once
more under the notice of British engineering and electrical
firms. The British Engineero' Association did a good deal
a few years ago to nurse Chinese trade, and though
the war inevitably did much to interfere with the
practical success of its activities, some of the spade work
then done will, no doubt, produce good results. There are
many centres in China where electrical works are in exist-
ence, and the number of these is increasing, and must
rontinue to do so at an accelerated rate, if general headway
now begins to be made with the development which will ^
ensue upon the settlement of internal dissensions, assuming
that strong government of the Republic will become an
actual fact before long.

British electrical manufacturers who have been on the
ground for many years, and a number of British electrical
and other traders now there, are ready to lend a hand with
the general boosting of electrical applications. The
Shanghai municipal electrical undertaking affords a very '■.
fine example of a successful electrical enterprise rendering i
immense assistance to the development of industrial works, |
and its reputation must have some penetrating influence J
upon the Chinese mind. And what of the work of the ^
Hong-Kong University, where Chinese students are con-
tinuously under British tuition and in the presence of
British electrical engineering equipment ?

These things are all part" of the whole contribution of I
British influence in electrical affairs in China, and they
should help ns to achieve much when the time is ripe. But
now, even now, there are substantial electrical competing
organisations of other nations alert and active on the spot,
and we cannot afford to rest content with what we are
already doing, however busily we may be occupied.

The report before us contains a good many suggestions
for the development of British trade in China. They relate
to the standing of British merchant firms, to selling methods
suited to the market, to trade propaganda, and many other
matters, and give various, hints regarding what British firms
should and should not do. These, the manufacturer or
trader who is sufficiently interested in the subject, will
naturally want to investigate closely for himself, and to that
end we refer him to the complete document [Cmd. S.")3 —
9d. net.], which is obtainable at H.M. Stationery Office in
London,

Vol. 87. No. 8,230, August 20, 1920.1 THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

227

Few industries have given so fine a
"""'annrAr" *** ^^'^^ ^°^ obstructionism as the electric
supply industry. Practice makes perfect,
and the history of the industry is little more than a succes-
sion of ulcimate triumphs over a considered and deliberate
inertia in the body itself. And this developed genius for
obstruction seems, almost through sheer habit, to show itself
perennially. At the present time, despite the general, one
might almost say, universal welcome given to the Electricity
Act of last year, and the mutual congratulations over what
now it would be possible to do, this old spirit of passive
resistance is again showing its head. A signal instance- is
the case of Bath in connection with the West of England
Joint Authority. Bath authorities have no tangible objec-
tions to the proposed scheme. They confess they are merely
apprehensive. Why not, therefore, they say, postpone the
whole matter until all misgivings have been laid to rest.
They are urging the Electricity Commissioners, therefore, to
defer the delimitation of the area and other pressing matters
until someone (they does not seem clear who) satisfies them
that by not the remotest contingency could any harm come to
Bath. No reasons have been furnished, they querulously
complain, in support of the proposed boundaries of the area ;
no opinion can be formed, they say, as to the position of
Bath consumers under the scheme, as to price or conditions of
supply, and so on. But who, we ask, is to prognosticate at
this juncture ? What will happen depends on the sufficiency
of the scheme, and this in turn depends (a point ISatli
apparently does not realise) upon the voluntary co-operation
of the big undertakings.

It is not an outsii/c scheme which Bath is asked to accept.
The essence of the whole proposal is that Bath is asked to
join with others in formulating an engineering scheme.
Bath will have proportionately as much " say " as anyone
else. The situation resolves itself into a logical circle.
Bath will not join in until the success of the scheme can be
assured. But a preliminary condition of such success is
that Bath, and other similar undertakings, join in at the
beginning. In a word, Bath and everyone else must all
take the same share in risking eventualities. It is to be
hoped that the Commissioners will not accede to the
slumberous appeal, natural though it might be, for did not
Swinburne sing of the city —

" City lulled asleep by the chime of passing years,
Sweeter far thy sleep than the radiance round thy peers."

But however much " sleep " may be a cherished posses-
sion traditionally and poetically, it is not a characteristic to
be encouraged on the present occasion.

The electrical industry in Germany, as

,. in the case of other industries in that

dermaa • i ,

Export Trade, wintry, is under the control of a separate
foreign trade department in regard to the
export trade. At the instance of the Foreign Trade Depart-
ment for Electrical Engineering, a meeting was held
recently at Berlin, when there were present representatives
of the Chambers of Commerce, the authorities concerned,
representatives of merchants and export organisations, and
a number of firms whfi, either as merchants or manu-
facturers, have a special interest in the common and
intelligent regulation of export questions and export prices.
The object of the gathering was, by general discussion
between all parties interested, to clear the air concerning
the method of working and effects of the department and
its control over foreign trade. Herr Brandt, manager of the
department, stated that the department was established in
order to adapt the trade to the changed conditions as
soon as possible, and to aim at a simplification of the
conrBe of business. The reduction in the so-called social
export tax of up to 10 per cent, of the invoice value, which
had been asked for, had been sanctioned by the Special
Committee of the Federal Board for Economic Affairs in
the case of a number of electrical productions. As to the
suggestions made in various quarters for the complete
abolition of the control over foreign trade, the opinion of
the Special Committee in question was that the time had
not yet arrived ifor entire freedom, as stability in industry

had not yet been established. The representatives of producers
laid emphasis on the fact that the Council of the Central
Syndicate of the Electrical Industry had again adopted a
resolution in favour of the maintenance of the department
in its present form. This decision was prompted by the
consideration that the difference between inland and export
prices should not again be allowed to be the cause of a
" sale " or dumping through an impending reduction in
prices. The representatives of the merchants were also in
favour of the retention of control, although they urged a
simplification of the regulations ; and the workmen likewise
supported the maintenance of the department. It was
finally mentioned that the department had established a
foreign information service which, with the support of
makers and of exporters, would afford an opportunity for
all interested parties to be informed of the situation and
changes in the markets of the world.

The Union of Swiss Electrical Works,
Electrical reporting on the situation in the present
Industry. year, states that the prospects are unsatis-
factory, and a recovery of the world's
economy is hampered by the involved political and economic
conditions in most of the late belligerent countries. In the
case of many undertakings in the Swiss electrical industry,
the cost of production is no longer in proportion to the
profits, and if the situation does not soon change, some
works will have to continue to employ their workmen with-
out realising any return. If this position of affairs should
become general, as appears likely, the industry will be con-
fronted with a serious crisis in the near future. Under
these circumstances the report states that a reduction in the
prices for manufactures cannot take place at an early date ;
on the contrary, an increase in prices must be reckoned
with owing to the increased wages and salaries simul-
taneously with a reduction in the working week which has
been introduced.

Coming
Events.

On Tuesday morning next the British
Association for the Advancement of
Science commences its annual meeting at
Cardiff. The proceedings do not nowadays open with the
great evening assembly at which a large and distinguished
company of scientists — and some others — listens to the main
presidential address. Members plunge right into the
sectional work on Tuesday morning, and Prof. A. S.
Eddington, F.R.S., reads his address as President of the
Mathematical and Physical Science Section ; Prof. C. F.
.Tenkin, C.B.E., delivers his discourse in the Engineering
Section ; and the numerous other sectional presidents open
up before their respective meetings of specialists in
economics, education, and so forth. A few papers in each
Section will doubtless follow, and, after much hand-shaking
and renewals of friendship in the afternoon, the privileged
ones will dress, dine, and otherwise prepare for the
evening meeting, when Prof. W. A. Herdman, F.R.S.,
Professor of Oceanography in the University of Liverpool, is
to deliver the Association address. From Tuesday until the
following Saturday will be occupied with the reading of
papers, discussions, visits to places of interest, and evening
discourses.

A week thereafter we shall turn from the scientific and
the sublime to something far more prosaic and practical
from the engineering point of view, for on Saturday.
September 4th, the long-prepared-for Machine Tool and
Engineering Exhibition will open at Olympia. It will
remain a live centre for all interested in machine tool and
general engineering matters, including electrical applicaoions
to tool driving, until September 25th. While it is in
progress the Municipal Tramways Association will be holding
its annual convention. The meetings of the Iron and Steel
Institute and the Institute of iletals are also near at hand.

These gatherings and the exhibition will, no doubt,
afford a good deal of interest for electrical men during what
may be — save from the point of view of political possibility,
and from the standpoint of the general electrical trade,
which is very much alive— a somewhat unexciting vacation
month.

228

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,230, auqust 20, 1920.

METER WORK IN AN ELECTRICITY SUPPLY SYSTEM.

By C. SYLVESTER, A.M.I.E.E., A.M.l.Mech.E.

Meter work in a supply system is, in the majority of cases,
looked upon as something of minor importance, and it is by
no means unusual to see it carried on in some out-of-the-way
corner of the power-house, in a position that is not suitable
by any means, and where the ill-effects of damp and dust
are not considered in the slightest degree.

When one considers the function of meters in a supply
system, it seems strange that efficient means of testing and
checking them are thus ignored. The meter calculates the
income of the company. If a meter is running slow, it
causes a direct loss of income. If it runs too fast, it is
robbing the consumer, and he will very quickly become
dissatisfied.

I have in my mind's eye several meter " test rooms " of
some large power companies. The most prominent,
perhaps, is one in Scotland, where I was engaged some time
ago erecting some power units. The room is situated in
one corner of the battery room. It is quite a good battery
room, but a very poor test room. The test bench consists
of a wooden box, turned upside down, and on the front of
this bos a bank of lamps is fastened — quite a convenient
arrangement.

One end of the box is broken, but a half -brick serves the
purpose of levelling it up. You see, even here, it is realised
that the meter must be comparatively level if it is to be
read anything like correctly. A rheostat is fixed on the wall
in a convenient position for handling, but the resistance is
an electrical curiosity. It is a mixture of German silver,
" eureka," and wrought-iron wire, merely twisted together
as necessary to allow a certain amount of current to pass,
according to the test being carried out. The tester knows
which ends to twist together to obtain a certain joint
resistance.

Three ordinary tumbler switches are used, instead of neat
rheo3tit contacts. If the tester forgets to switch one off
before he puts the other one on, the fuses blow. When a
test is being carried out, the tester has to stand with his
legs almost crossed between two carboys of acid. Can it be
wondered at that an efficient test cannot be carried out
under such conditions ?

It is not necessary for me to go into details concerning
any of the other test rooms similar to the one I have des-
cribed above. They do exist, and the engineers in chari;e
of them are ashamed of them. In some cases it cannot be
helped, because money cannot be obtained to build a special
test room with first-class facilities for systematic inspection,
control and repair of the meters. In many cases, however,
temporary test rooms can be made with little or no expense.
He is a poor engineer who cannot obtain a certain amount
of material and labour for such an important purpose.

I have seen many up-to-date test rooms which contain
everything that can be desired for the correct and efficient
testing of electricity meters. Many of them, as a matter of
fact, contain much more equipment than is really necessary
for such a purpose. < )ne test room I know of boasts of a
Daddell oscilldgraph. What on earth it is there for I do
not know," unless it is to loan to electrical contract-
tors who may wish to determine the shape of their
alternating current or electromotive force wave. However,
it ig an ornament to the test room, and even as such it is
appreciated.

It is not my object in this article to go into details of
meter testing. It is rather my desire to discourage slipshod
methods of testing, and to encourage the erection of even
passible teet rooms. I hope with these few words to arouse
a keener interest, from an efficiency point of view, in some
of the meter departments which are open to considerable
improvement.

To build a test room, even in these days, does not require
a large amount of money. It must be built of brick, at
least to a height of about 5 ft., to allow for the rigid fixing
of instruments and rheostats. Above 5 ft. in height the
walls and roof may cheaply be continued with wood, covered
with " Uralite" or other fire-proof material. If the brickwork

and " I'ralite" be distempered on the inside, quite a nice job
will be made of it. The test room should be erected away
from the main building of the power house in order to
eliminate the vibration from the steam turbines, especially
if they happen to be running " on atmosphere.'

The fitting-up of the test room and the location of the
necessary instruments should receive very careful con-
sideration ; it is only by experience and judgment that the
correct position of the instruments may be chosen. Each
instrument must be considered not only from a light and
convenience point of view, but with regard to the
surrounding instruments, and the machines it will be
necessary to erect in the test room for testing purposes. In
other words, each instrument should be fitted in such a
position that it will not be affected by stray magnetic fields.
The rheostats used in the test-room should be wound with
resistance wire of sufficient cross-sectional area to enable
the maximum amount of current to pass through it without
causing an increased temperature rise in its vicinity. The
temperature rise of carelessly chosen resistances will be
responsible for errors in calibrating which, if not carefully
checked, will cause the " units " usually put down to
" mains losses " to increase considerably. As it is usual
for the instruments to be placed near the rheostat, to
facilitate handling when under test, the resistance wire

Bfi-i

W

tj

should be non-inductively wound upon its insulator.
Resistance units consisting of wire wound on an enamelled
steel tubs should be avoided as far as is possible, even
though the wire is wound upon the tube nou-inductively.
A set of storage cells should form part of the test-room
equipment, and is an essential item if a photometer is used.
The position for the erection of these cells is outside the
test room. If they are placed inside, trouble will commence
through the effect of the corrosive fumes upon the
instruments.

It is the practice in several test rooms of which I know,
to have a wooden bench fitted round a portion of the walls.
This bench is covered with green baise, and the instruments
are placed upon this during the test. This is not an ideal
system by any means. It would appear that a much better
method is to let pieces of angle iron into the wall, and
to place slate slabs upon them. There should be .no
difficulty in fixing these, because a wooden strut will hold j
them in a levelled-up position until the cement is set.
Failing the obtaining of angle iron, the next best method
would be to have brick pillars built up to the required
height. However, no matter what method is adopted, it is
necessary that the test bench should be perfectly rigid, and
not susceptible to vibration.

The equipment of a test room should include instruments
for testing, in addition to the power-house instruments,
meters for both alternating and direct currents.

In a direct-current supply system, a small motor-generator
can be used to produce alternating current at the generator
end. The direct- current leads into and around the test
room to the various rheostats and points of use, should be
carried in pairs upon insulators. That is, when one wire
is run to a testing point in one direction, the return wire
should return upon the same insulator, and as close to the
first wire as possible. This will prevent stray fields which
would be set up if the wires were run quite indis-
criminately.

Vol. 87. No. 2,230, auodst 20, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

229

It will sometimes be necessary to test meters of very
large capacity. For this purpose it will hardly be con-
venient to run insulated copper cables round the test room.
Difficulties of obtaining a good contact upon these cables
will be great. An excellent method appears to me to be
that illustrated in fig. 1. Here the large main cables are
conducted to two terminal blocks, n h. From these blocks,
round the test room to the point where it is necessary to
control the heavy currents, usually carried out with the aid
of a Kelvin balance, bare copper rods are run on special
insulators. A tapping may be made from these rods to the
meter to be tested through copper links, l. Three of these
links would be sufficient over one bench, and the link
nearest to the meter to be tested would be diBConnected,
and heavy cables from the meter inserted in its place.
Fig. 2 illustrates the construction of the link and the blocks
connected to it.

Heavy carrents may be obtained from a motor-generator.
The motor would operate from the power supply mains,
and would be direct-coupled to a generator of large current
capacity, with a range of four to eight volts. It may be
shunt-wound, with a shunt rheostat of large current capacity
in series with the field windings. Circuit- breakers may
not be fitted, since the insertion of the whole of the
resistance in the shunt field should reduce the generator
voltage to zero. The instruments used in connection with
this generator would be a low-reading voltmeter and
ammeter. The ammeter would, of course, be of the shunt
type, since a series ammeter would mean a considerable
distortion of the main cables, and the loops would be liable ,
to set up stray fields.

The method of regulating the current through the Kelvin
balance is by means of large carbon blocks, which should
be able to carry the whole of the current without over-
heating. This is a point which should be very carefully
watched in a test room. I have known these blocks, when
they have been removed from their troughs for cleaning
purposes, to be handled carelessly. The rcBult has been
that they have been chipped, and their surfaces have become
uneven. When it has been necessary to use the instru-
ment, considerable arcing has taken place on the faces of
the blocks. This makes matters much worse, because, in
subsequent tests, as the carbons are squeezed together, a
large amount of current passes through a much more limited
contact surfaca. The result is that the carbon blocks,
getting red hot, are entirely destroyed.

Even the poorest test room would not be complete without
a potentiometer. It only needs a few meters to be brought
in for test that are all reading too fast, or too slow, as the
cage may be. for some doubt to be thrown upon the accuracy
of the standard instruments. When this happens, it is
quite a relief to be able to assure oneself, with the aid of
the potentiometer, that the standard instruments are not
erratic. The potentiometer will measure current, pressure,
and resistance very accurately, hence it is an asset to any
test room.

The standard instruments desirable in a test room may be
classified as follows : — (1) Ammeter ; (2) voltmeter ; (;'.)
_, wattmeter ; (4) reflecting galvanometer, for use with
- Wheatstone bridge or testing test ; (5 ) chronometer.

A considerable amount of importance is attached to the
last item from the fact that it is necessary to create a
standard of time. When one is testing a meter with an
ordinary stop-watch, errors are liable to occur, especially if
the revolutions of the meter disk are very high. A chrono-
meter will effectively check any chronometer stop-watch,
which is liable to fluctuation, and which certainly has a
starting and stopping error.

It will be necessary to have step-up transformers in the
test room. These may be no larger than the ordinary
potential transformers used for operating the instruments in
I any a.c. generating system. Their function will be to test
the insulation resistance of instruments and apparatus after
repair, or after being received from the makers.

To test watt-hour meters, the most convenient instrument
is the Drysdale double wattmeter. This will test meters
for either alternating or direct current. . It will al.so be
necessary to include a frequency meter in the instrument
equipment.

It is useless to have a test room fitted with up-to-date

instruments for meter testing, if errors are likely to occur
through a lack of facilities for inspection. To my mind,
the best aid to inspection is a pea lamp, mounted upon a
small ebonite rod about 5 in. long. This will enable it to
be placed inside any portion of the meter, so that the moving
portions can be easily examined. The voltage of this lamp
should not be more than 8 volts. Two wires can be led
from storage battery tappings, to obtain the correct voltage,
round the walls of the test room. A few miniature plug
sockets fitted at various suitable points will make electrical
contact for this lamp quite easy.

I'or testing the torque of the moving element of a motor
meter, it will be necessary to have a torque balance. This
instrument is very simple, merely consisting of a stationary
and weighing elements. The former is a metal cylinder
mounted upon a special base. The latter, which is really
the balance, consists of a horizontal arm carrying a standard
weight, and a vertical arm. There are three small loops in
the upper half of the vertical arm, and the lower half of the
arm extends through the cylinder and terminates through a
slot in the side. This end <if the arm is fitted with a small
index or pointer which moves up or down in the slot. The
whole moving system of the balance is suspended on pivots
and bearings to minimise friction as far as possible. The
balance is connected, by means of a wire link, to a lever
which has four small loops similar to those in the vertical
arm of the balance. This lever is attached to the meter
shaft by a friction clamping sleeve. There are two weights
usually used with this instrument, these being 1 gram and
I gram in value respectively.

The person who is to be in charge of the test room should
be very carefully selected. He should not only be clever at
his work, and know exactly what he is doing, but he should
be conscientious and trustworthy in every way. There
should be no "half-and-half" methods about his system of
testing. He must be accurate and realise that the efficiency
of the entire plant, or at least the calculations for efficiency,
depend upon him. Again, he should be a person who will
take a considerable interest in his equipment. He must
not encourage anyone in his test room who has no right to
be there. Ho must frequently examine his instruments and
plant in order that defects may be located immediately they
occur.

He should see that he lias a complete set of tools neces-
sary for his work. He should have screwdrivers, small
ones bent to different angles, which will easily tighten up a
screw without having to tap the screwdriver handle with a
pair of pliers — a procedure which will do a meter a con-
siderable amount of harm. Spanners should be very thin
and light, and bent to suitable shapes to reach any nut in
the meter. For making calculations, there is nothing better
than the slide rule.

It is absolutely essential, for the successful working of
any power scheme, for the tester and the mains super-
intendent to work hand in hand with each other. There
should be no friction between them. If the mains supervisor
desires a meter to be tested on site, then the tester should
do his duty without raising objections or questioning why
the meter cannot be brought into the test room. Where
the tester and the mains department have not worked in
harmony, the result has been that something has been
neglected.

Electric " Boilers " in Sweden. — The paper mill and

sulphite fui-tory at \argo, Sweden, which were destroyed by
fire in 1918, have been rebuilt and again sot in operation.
Owing to the difficulty experienced iu obtaining coal the
directurs of the Vargo company in connection with the work
I if rccoiisti-uction decided to adopt electricity throughout,
iiuHuding the steam plant, and the works now consume no
coal, whereas 2H,000 tons per annum would be needed under
i'onner conditions. The boiler house contains seven " elec-
tric " boilers, each of 3,0U0 h.p., and the current enters the
liciilers at a pressure of 10,UU0 volts without having to be
ti;iiiNtV)nned down. Each of the boilers is provided with three
clcclnides, and the coupling arrangements are such that steam
gituTiition can be regulated within 5 per cent. It is stated
tlial full steam pres.sure can be raised in from five to ten
minutes after switching on the current, and con.siderable
economy in attendance is obtained, as compared with coal
firing. A steam accumulator has also been erected iu order
to ensure an even consumption of and (>(»nomy in steam.
The installation is the first of its kind in Sweden.

230

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,230, august 20, 1920.

HARMONICS TROUBLE AND NEUTRAL EARTHING: GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS.

By L. C. GRANT.

An analysis of the wave-form of any alternator will
usually disclose the presence of certain irregularities,
or ripples. The most prominent of these ripples is that
due to the presence of the third harmonic which may
be superimposed on the fundamental wave in several
ways. In general, the third harmonic may be classified
as being in phase with, in opposition to, or out of phase
with the fundamental wave.

A little familiarity with oscillograms enables the
relative position of fundamental and harmonic waves
to be readily determined ut a glance. Or, the harmonic
may be separated graphically by superimposing the
generator wave form (if known) or a sine wave, upon
the power wave.

It is difficult to eliminate the third harmonic entirely
in a commercial machine, and owing to its extreme un-
desirability steps are usually taken to render it inno-
cuous. The simplest way, and at the same time the
most common solution with a three-phase machine, is
to couple up the phases in star.

The power wave form of a generator is necessarily
symmetrical about the time base, that is, the negative
half wave is exactly the same as the positive half. From
this it follows that no even harmonics are to be found
in the wave, otherwise it would be distorted. Were it
otherwise, and even harmonics possible, the harmonic
wave would alternately be in phase with and in opposi-
tion to the power wave at each half-cycle of the funda-
mental.

In a three-phase generator the harmonic wave occu-
pies the same position relative to the power wave in
each phase. As the fundamental phase voltages are
displaced by 120 deg. per phase, the harmonic is dis-
placed by a like amount, which brings the harmonic
waves in each phase into such a position that they cancel
one another out, and, therefore, between the terminals
of a three-phase star connected generator, the third
harmonic cannot exist. This provides an easy means
of removing the third harmonic from the line.

On a three-phase supply system, it is now generally
recognised to be advantageous to earth the neutral point,
as by so doing the potential to earth from any phase
terminal is limited to the phase voltage alone. Other-
wise any phase would become liable to be subject to the
full terminal pressure — which is V^ times the phase
pressure — to earth. Under certain circumstances an
even higher pressure might exist.

Earthing of the neutral point is also necessary for the
working of several types of protective gear.

So long as a generator is operating alone on a feeder
or distribution system, the neutral point can be earthed
in any manner thought to be desirable, but as usually
happens, several generators are paralleled up to the same
set of busbars. Should the neutral points be earthed
under such circumstances the separate phases will be
paralleled through the neutral point and earth con-
nection. This will cause the third harmonic again to
appear between each phase and the neutral terminal
as the cancelling-out action cannot then take place.
Moreover, the three phases will each contribute to the
harmonic current, and for the triple-frequency current,
the three phases of each generator will be in parallel.
The result is that a current circulates between the gene-
rators from the point at which they are paralleled, and
through the earth bar or earth connection. This cur-
rent may very easily reach considerable proportions,
and some means of limiting its value are usually
adopted.

The current-limiting device employed depends upon
the characteristics of the generators and upon the allow-
able fault current. If a number of similar generators
are operated in parallel it is often quite feasible to earth
all the neutrals together and direct to earth without any

intervening resistance or other device. Even then,
except under ideal conditions of operation, cross cur-
rents are liable to be exchanged.

The general plan in such cases is to earth one neutral
only, or at the most two, as a measure of safety.

Earthing direct carries with it the further disadvan-
tage that the earthed generator has to bear all the
trouble on a fault at any point on the mains to earth.
Under such circumstances, it is liable to suffer badly.

For this reason, it is considered advisable to earth
through a limiting resistance and so keep the fault cur-
rent down to a finite figure. Such resistances can be in-
serted in the generator neutral lead, or else between the
earth bar and the earth plate. The advantage of the
latter arrangement is that only one resistance is neces-
sary, but with such a scheme there are corresponding
operating disadvantages which are eliminated by the use
of a separate resistance for each machine. For instance,
with one resistance it is unsafe to jaarallel two neutrals
when changing over generators, it is equally bad to
attempt to operate with two neutrals earthed at the same
time, as they will be directly connected together, and
no limitation is imposed upon harmonic currents be-
tween machines. With only one neutral earthed, there
is the danger of failui-e of that particular machine,
which would cause the system to be left entirely without
an earth connection.

On the whole, the soundest scheme is to use separate
resistances with oil switches for each generator.

Resistances are in some cases replaced by single-phase
reactance coils in the neutral lead.

There are certain disadvantages attendant upon the
use of reactance in such a position, owing to the rela-
tively high impedance imposed upon high-frequency
currents, such as harmonics and surges. Under these
circumstances, reactance may easily be worse than
useless.

In fact, it is preferable to rely upon the reactance of
the generator windings alone, and so dispense with
external reactance. Owing to the relatively High react-
ance of a modern generator, this scheme is quite feasible
in many cases.

The foregoing is, of course, only applicable to star-
wound generators, but for delta-connected machines or
a mixed collection of star and delta windings, the case
is very difierent.

When delta-connected machines are in use, an artificial
neutral point must be created. One way of doing this
is to use an auto-transformer, but the soundest scheme
is to use an interconnected reactance. A neutral com-
pensator or choker wound on the interconnected star
style gives the best results, and this is connected right
across the busbars. Two can be used if thought desir-
able. Interconnection and splitting of the phases in
this manner offers a high three-phase impedance to the |
magnetising current, which is thus kept very small. The
single-phase impedance is very low, and on a fault this
is what has to be chiefly considered ; with interconnected
star coupling, the single-phase impedance is practically
negligible. In order to limit the fault current, a re-
sistance becomes necessary, and is desirable for this
function at any time. The resistance is connected in
series with the choker neutral point and the earth con-
nection. Copperwork between the phase terminals and
the busbars and between the neutral and earth should
be heavy, as under fault conditions the compensator
becomes virtually a continuation of the busbars.

An oil switch can be included in the circuit between
the compensator and the busbars ; the non-automatic
type should be used, being correct in principle. Should
the compensator be coupled up without any switch, it is
advisable to use a specially robust construction having
heavily insulated and braced windings as the factor of

Tol. 87. No. 2,230, August 20, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REYIEWo

231

safety should be as near as possible to that of the bus-
bars themselves.

In some cases, a transmission system is fed at an
extra-high-pressure through transformers having their
primaries connected directly across the generator ter-
minals; the transformers and generators being run as
units on their low pressure side and not being electrically
interconnected. A transmission system fault under such
circumstances will not affect the generators, so that all
the neutrals can be earthed direct with perfect safety,
even though the transformers be all in parallel on their
high-pressure windings. It is clear that in this case
the generator pha^e windings are not paralleled up so
that the third harmonic cannot pass.

Should it be desirable to establish and earth the
neutral point of the transmission system — which is
Ubuallv the case — the interconnected reactance method
can well be adopted. The insertion of resistance in the
neutral connection is here again desirable, and neces-
sary, if control is to be effected over the fault current.
In the somewhat rare event of the power transformers
having starred secondary windings, the transformer
neutral can be earthed through a resistance as with the
generators. With delta-connected transformers, ar-
rangements could be made for bringing out the neutral
point on one or more phases and earthing this, but is
not a desirable practice.

To again take up the question of generating plant,
it will be clear that the earthed machine or machines
have to take the full fault current. On this account,
they are likely to get some very severe treatment, and
it is a good plan to leave work of this sort to the oldest
plant available which can the most easily be spared in
case of the machine giving out under the treatment.

The fault current, assuming a dead earth, will be
limited externally by the resistance in the neutral con-
nection, and the actual ohmic value of the resistance
depends upon the operating conditions to be fulfilled.

Sufficient current must be passed to operate the pro-
tective gear, and, so far as feeders running separately
are concerned, this is a straightforward enough matter.
Generating plant is another matter altogether, as is
also a large distribution system.

With feeder protective gear of the Merz-Price class,
the resistance can be quite high, with a corresponding
lessening of the strain on the plant and cables. Over-
load and leakage protection necessitate a larger setting,
normally up to 300 ]ier cent, and 50 per cent, of the full-
load current respectively, per feeder.

In the case of a completely interconnected distribu-
tion system, employing overload and leakage gear, the'
resistance must be of large current-carrying capacity
and low resistance. Anj-thing up to perhaps ten times
full-load current is possible on a fault, and must be
dealt with. At the least, the operation of the protective
gear must be assured, and a small margin will not
assure this. Therefore, quite a bulky resistance will
be required, which is a comparatively expensive item.

Metallic resistances are normally of the grid type,
and rated to carry full current for two minutes. In
coupling these resistances, careful setting and insula-
tion is necessary. The insulation should be such that
it will stand the tests, in" the same way as that of the
generator windings and switchgear.

The Brazil carbon powder resistance has peculiar
advantages for work of this nature, as it has a n'egative
temperature coefficient. The resistance is built up of
units having carbon powder laid out in grooves, and
can thus be considered as practically indestructible.
It can be operated at a red heat. Should the fault cur-
rent develop gradually and be sustained for some time,
the resistance of the carbon powder will fall as it heats
up, thus allowing the fault current to rise to tripping
point. Of course, this feature is only exercisable within
limits. With certain types of protective gear this
gradual rise in current is something of an advantage.

When reactance is used in the earth connection the
coils can be of several types. The coreless iron type does
not require special housing, but is expensive to buy.

The air-core concrete type of reactance is cheap in first
cost, and is very strong. It needs to be specially housed,
on account of the live metal exposed, which adds to the
expense to a considerable extent. It is, however, likely
to be cheaper than the iron type when a station is
being newly laid out, and provision made for every-
thing at the outset.

Another type of concrete reactance has paper in-
sulated, lead-covered coils. It can be said to occupy a
midway position as regards cost between the iron and
the air-core bare conductor types, and needs no special
housing. The convolutions are usually embedded com-
pletely in the concrete and dividing boxes or sealing
ends used to couple it into circuit. One much used
an<l very effective way to house a reactance of this de-
scription is to bury it in the ground, where it can be
almost forgotten.

SAVING THE COST.

Illustrated by an Inexpensive Method of Fixing
Accessories to Walls op Buildings.

By J. T. TOWLSON.

In the following article it is by no means the writer's wish
to give offence to anyone, but only to state a fact, and to
offer something sincerely believed to have some little value.
If, however, while stating the fact, and adversely criti-
cising the wasteful methods frequently adopted when it is
required to firmly fix a frame, a switch, or any similarly
formed piece of mechanical equipment, the orthodox
methods are spoken ill of, it can be no fault of the writer
if such criticism touches some susceptibilities. We must

Fig. 1.— .a. W.4LL Borer and Plug.

forsake the time-wasting ways, traditional and revered
though they be, if a better way comes along. It is
reasonably believed that such is quite acceptable. I have
worked with men for many years who hang frames on
walls, and the way they do it, the time it takes, and the
cost incurred in respect of such a simple piece of work, is,
frequently, enough to make angels weep. I have tried, with
only a little success, to get a better way adopted ; the better
way has been passed as good, acknowledged to be a distinct
improvement, and they, the men who hang things on walls,

232

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,230, August 20, 1920.

have gone on in just their own sweet way — " As it was in
the beginning," &c. I happen to be attached to a large
electrical concern in London, and, of course, we hang a
lot of things on walls ; besides pictures.

To hang these things, we do not call the mason — as we
use no cement, nor mortar — nor do we use the niaflon's lump
hammer and lump of steel, wherewith to cut holes in the
walls. We simply do better without these, as the wireman
or the switch erector can do all the fixing necessary without
the mason's help. The old way has had its day.

The plan to be proposed — of which the writer is, it is
believed, the originator — is really good. We, in Silvertown,
have found it so. What is the traditional way by which
preparation is made to hang frames, &c., on walls of
buildings ? It is this way : — The wireman runs his leads
to the switch position ; and, desirous that the switch-frame
shall be fixed ere he runs his leads beyond it, he marks the
holes for the frame on the wall by means of a wood template.
He sends for the mason, and stands by and /rails until he
comes. He wails a long while sometimes, just by way of
habit, and not with evil intent.

The mason arrives, with his mate (two men), and while
the mason with his lump hammer and his stump of a chisel
is hacking the holes in the wall, his mate may, or may not,
be mixing up a bit of cement.
When the holes have been
chopped out and the walls
sufficiently disintegrated, the
carpenter is called in to block
the holes with wood — yet
sometimes the conditions are
»lightly improved — for the
wireman sometimes does this,
though he must not let the
carpenter see him do it. Then,
when the wood is grouted
in the wall, it must, perforce,
have time to set ere the
switch is hung. So it is a
case of " Leave it till the
morning," and this is done.
When the cement is set, the

electrical man (or the carpenter) bores holes in the wood,
and the wireman hangs the frame and screws in the square-
head coach-screws. A day's work for a little job.

That is the case fairly stated, and it is believed that the
time has come for these things to be done in a better manner.

The " Silvertown" plan is this(see sketches on page 231): —

The holes are cal cleanly by means of a four-point or
four-edged chisel a, made from Messrs. Beardshaw's star-
section conqueror steel. After each blow with a hammer,
the chisel is turned 45', just as is an IngersoU rock-drill
when used for tunnel boring.

The bolt B has a rough flat head and a square neck, and
is tapered larger towards the head. The bolt is shown to
the hole in the wall.

Lead washers, c, sawn from common lead pipe, are driven
over the bolt shank or neck, and hard into the hole, by
means of the hollow drift d. The hole is filled hard with
these washers, quite to the wall face as shown, and as they
are driven tightly home, over the enlarging neck of the bolt,
they push their way, by expansion, into the brickwork, as
shown. The square neck prevents the bolt turning. It is
altogether a firm and permanent fixing. There is nothing
now to do but to hang the switch and to tighten up the
nuts. The bolts cannot draw out, and they cannot turn. I
have hung a half a ton on one ^-in. bolt, and that was just a
year ago. It is there in position now, and aa firmly fixed
as ever it was.

Let the two methods be compared. It is " minutes versus
hours " and "coppers versus pounds."

A LOW-PRESSURE LARQE-CURRENT D.C.
GENERATOR.

On the occasion of the recent annual visit of inspection to
the National Physical Laboratory, at Teddington, a special
motor-generator set that has recently been installed in
the Electrotechnics Department, was seen in operation.
Although the battery, having an output of something like"
5,000 amperes, that has up to the present been used for the
supply of heavy currents for testing purposes, has had its
positive plates renewed and subsequent systematic tests made
of its capacity, it has been found inadequate for the pur-
poses for which it was intended.

Messrs. Crompton & Co., Ltd., were, therefore, commis-
sioned to construct the machine referred to above for the
purpose of facilitating the research dealing with buried
cables, which investigation was delayed pending the
delivery of the machine, and also for supplementing the
existing sources of supply of heavy current for experi-
mental and testing purposes generally. By the use of the

Gas-Filled Lamps. — We understand that the two new
sizes of low-wattag-e Royal Ediswan gas-filled lamps— 100/130 volts
40 watts ; 200/240 volts 60 watts— recently introduced, are aheady
making great headway on the market. Tlie Edison Swan Elec-
tric Co., Ltd., has made very considerable extensions to its
Ponder's End Works, especially for the manufacture of these lamps.
and with improved methods of manufacture now in operation,
lar^e quantities are becoming available for quick delivery.

Fig. 1. — A Special Motor-gbnebator Set at the N.P.L.

new machine, in conjunction with the battery, the depart-
ment will now have available low-pressure d.c. current up
to very nearly 10,000 amperes.

While minor difficulties have pre-vented full use being
made of the new set, many of the important points, and in
particular that relating to steadiness of current, have been
fully satisfied. With a quite steady source of supply applied
to the motor, the current drawn from the generators —
■i.e., 5,000 amperes at G volts — doc3 not vary by more than
plus or minus 0'5 per cent, at full load.

The motor-generator set, as will be seen from the
accompanying illustration, fig. 1, consists of a three-phase,
slip-ring, induction motor driving two generators, each of
which is provided with two commutators. The three
machines are direct coupled on one bedplate, the shaft being
supported on four bearings. The generators are designed
to give a normal continuous output of 1,250 amperes from
each commutator at a pressure of six volts. Arrangements
are made to enable the four commutators to be connected in
series, when an output of 1,-J50 amperes at a pressure of
2i volts would be obtainable. Alternatively, if the com-
mutators are connected in parallel, the output would be
5,000 amperes at a pressure of six volts.

The. speed at which the set runs is approximately
485 R.P.M., the driving motor being wound for a 50-cycle,
3,000-volt supply.

The illustration shows at the side of the machine the bus-
bars, by means of which the -outer commutators of the
generators are connected to the link board. Similar
connections, which do not appear in the illustration, are
provided to connect the inner commutators to the board.
It is by means of the links shown that the commutators
can, as explained above, be connected in series or parallel
to suit particular requirements.

In conclusion, we are indebted to Messrs. Cromptons for
the illustration and the essential details of the set. and
to Sir J. E. Petave), F.R.S., director of the laboratory,
for allowing their publication.

Vol. 87. No. 2,230, AaocsT 20, 1920.] THE ELECTBICAL REVIEW.

•233

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINQ5 AND PLANT.

Bsadtrt are inmttd to tubmxt particulart of new or improved demeeg and apparatui, which will be puhliihed
if considered of tufficient interest.

Porcelain Insulated Grills.

One of the latest improvements in grills for toasting, boil-
ing, and frj'ing, comes from Canada. The innovation lies in
the fact that the mica insulation has been replaced by porce-
lain, which is claimed to give much longer life to the apphance.
The S-in. grills are made with four hents to consume 165, 300,

A Small Lighting and Power Plant.

We have recently received particulars of the "Matthews"
fully-automatic lighting plant, the sole British agents for
which are The Electrical Engineering & Equipment Co.,
I^TD., Bank Buildings, 109-111, New Oxford Street, W.G.I.
The set illustrated in fig. 5 is suitable for supplying
hghting and power to a large farmhouse, hospital, country
estate, or even a small village. The engine is a 20-h.p., 4-
cylinder, 4-cycIe overhead valve type, with cylinders cast in

T^^

Fig. 3.— Tailor's Iron.

Fig. 5.— .5-kw. Lighting and Power Plant.

3-50, or 6-50 watts, or with a single heat of 6o0 watts, they
are of sturdy construction of sheet steel and heavily nickel
plated. To meet the increasing demand for aluminium cooking
utensils, the pans, tigs. 1 and 2, are made of heavy aluminium
and well polished. A new design of toaster has a heavy
cast-iron base and pressed-steel sides and top, all heavily
nickel plated and beautifully polished ; 6(X) watts capacity
ensures red heat which toasts quickly. The very best resist-
ance wire is used throughout by the makers, the Superior
Electrics, Ltd., of Canada, who also make special tailors'
irons, fig. 3, from 10 to 22 lb. in weight with nickel finish
and a substantial cast-iron ventilated stand. Mr. C. F. Barton,
1. Regent Street, London, S.W.I, is introducing these pro-
ducts in the British market.

A G.E.C. Field Control Pillar.

field control i)illar shown in fig. 4 is constructed by the
ClLNFRAL Electric Co., Ltd., of 67, Queen Victoria Street,

The

4.— O.K.C. Field Control Pillar.

E.G. 4. It is fitted with concentric handwheels for adjust-
ment, and with a fieW switch, anmieter, and voltmeter.

block. The H.T. ignition is obtained by means of a " Dixie "
magneto driven off the pump shaft. The generator is of 5 kw.
capacity working at 110 volts. The set is accompanied by a
110-volt, 12G amp. -hour " Willard " l)attery.

A New Heating Element.

The accompanying illustration, fig. 6, shows a new type of
heating element of very simple construction. It consists of a
spiralised resistance wire enclosed throughout its length by
closely fitting fireproof beads, which can be wound up in a
flat spiral as shown ; in this foi-m it is used for enclosing in
kettles, saucepans, Ac, and in the " Etna " electric boiling

Fig. 6.— a New Heating Element.

ring illustrated in fig. 7, the top of which presents a red-hot
di.sk about 5 in. in diameter in direct contact withthe utensil
to be heated, with very eflieient results. The ring is loaded to
(JOO watts.

The element can also be made up in any suitable shape for
use in electric ovens, grillers, &c., and as the conductor is
entirely enclosed, perfect insulation is ensured, and risk of
personal contact with it is obviated.

234

THE ELECTEICAL EEVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,230, auoust 20, 1920,

The patents for the construction of elements in this form
are held by Mr. J. A. roLQi-eoox, of 29, Effra Road, S.W.,

Fig. T.-Thk " Etna " Boiling King.

who will be pleased to receive applications for licences to use
these elements in any form of cooking or heating apparatus.

A Worm Heduction Gear.

The London Electhic Fii;m, Brighton Road, Crovdon, is
the manufacturer of the small (i h.i>.) motor operate'd worm
reduction gear, shown in fig. 8.

The worm is fitted with ball thrusts, plain journal bearings
bemg provided for the worm wheel shaft.

Practically any speed reduction may be obtained by the
use of single and double start ^Aorms, and where the re-
duction is considerable, by running two worms in series.

Fig. 8.— Wohm Reduction Gear.

The unit is usually fitted to a combmation bed which carries
the motor, but may be fixed independently if desired. The
primary drive may be duect, or otherwise and in the case of
the secondary drive, the shaft may be left bare or fitted with a
pulley or sprocket, &c.

THE WILSON DIP-IN CUT-OUT FOR HOUSE
SERVICES.

This cut-out was designed by a mains engineer to meet a
definite demand which has arisen as a sequel to the new
housing schemes, and it .should be of particular interest to all
engineers who are cou.sidering the question of mains and
services m such schemes. A typical housing scheme in which
this cut-out has been adopted was briefly described in our
issue of July 18th, and the system was commended to the
notice of supply undertakings by a letter from the Electrical
Development .'Association in our following issue.

The dip-in wiring system has for many years superseded
all other systems for the interior wiring of premi.ses. but it
was scarcely applicable to the outside distribution until houses
began to be buUt simultaneously and in considerable numbers
under the new housing schemes. Under these conditions
each house may be regarded as equivalent to a " point " on
an internal wiring system, and by means of the Wilson dip-in
cut-out can be supplied by a two-wire distributor without
any underground joints or " T " boxes. The system has
many points which will appeal to the supply engineer; they
may be summarised briefly as follows: —

No underground joints or " T " boxes. The Wilson dip-in
cut-out is a " T " box and out-out combined, and its price
compares very favourably with the combined cost of a " T "
box and cut-out.

It makes a sounder job when installed than was given
by the old arrangement of " T " box and cut-out. The cable
\9 worked" at fewer points, and these points are nlwavs
available for inspection, moreover, the points at which the
cable 18 opened are above ground and on consumers' premises
where the cable is far lees liable to be damaged by the pene-
tration of moisture than in the oa.se of underground joints

It gives the full capacity of the main in each house.
TTiis IS a great advantage, as there is considerable prospect
of the adoption of electric heating and cooking in the new

houses in the near future, and a service put in now for light-
ing demand only may soon be inadequate if heating and
cooking are installed. Moreover, as heating and cooking
wiU inevitably be installed in some houses, which parti-
cular houses will be unknown at the date of laving the
service, before the houses arc tenanted, it follows that if the
services are to deal with heating and cooking loads tbev must
all be of sufficient capacity to do .so. In this ca.se possibly only
a small proportion of the hou.ses will eventuallv take a light-
ing supply only, which will mean that the capital costs of
the large services will stand without an adequate return
in the way of revenue, the revenue fiom lighting onlv being
barely sufiicicnt to cover the capital costs. The Wilson cut-
out solves the problem by giving the full capacity of the main
in each hon.sc. The supply engineer is then at liberty to
canvas any consumer to install apparatus of any capacity
without anxiety about the advisability of relying the con-
sumer's service to avoid overheating or drop in pressure.

The cost of the dip-in system for housing .schemes is not
in excess of the cost of the old arrangement of one main in
the road with services to each house. Under the new hous-
ing schemes the houses stand well apart and also well back
from the road. This under the old scheme would mean
many long services, and a great many " T " or service
boxes — all points of possible breakdown. Under the dip-in
system a twin conductor armoured cable is laid direct along
the front of the houses on each side of the road, and is dipped
in from house to house. Loop mains are adopted wherever
possible so that each consumer can be suppUed from either
side. This gives increased reliability, a better distribution of
the load, and the minimum drop in pressure up to the con-
sumer's terminals.

The dip-in system with the Wilson cut-out gives a per-
manent control of the balance on a balanced system, whether
this be a three-wire direct, or a four-wire, three-phase, a.c.
system. This permanent control is the result of the accessi-
bility of the main in each house, and is accomplished by
varying the number of houses or the area fed by each polarity
or phase. The point in the road up to which one polarity
or phase feeds can be varied by disconnecting the live con-
ductor of the distributor at two adjacent houses, leaving one
conductor " dead " between the two houses and feeding
from separate pha.^es or polarities on either .side up to the
break in the live conductor. The position of the bre^ik can
be varied as desired. Under the old arrangement all that
• duld be done to balance systems was to supply ecpial num-
bers of houses from each phase or polarity, and as only some
of the consumers installed heating and cooking apparatus,
the system soon became hopelessly out-of-balance. and the
only means of rectifying this was to dig up service lioxes and
change certain services over on to another phase or polarity—
a very unsatisfactory method.

A point about the dip-in system which will appeal to
the mains engineer is the ease with which faults can be
located. Both ends of every length of cable are available,
60 that a location test can be at once taken without opening
any ground. Also the main can be cut by removing a link
in any cut-out, and the trouble located to a short length of
main without any elaborate testing or opening of the roadway.
The cut-out is made in one size only, and will accommo-
date if necessary three 0.1 sq. in. two conductor cables, eo
that each cut-out can be used as a three-way distribution
box, and the u.se of road and path boxes becomes unnecessary.
It con.sists of a rectangular case 13 in. by 4 in. by 7 in.
neatly made of stout leaded sheet iron treated with a pre-
servative paint, and has the usual sealing arrangements. The
bottom portion of the front is made to .slide off, and when
in position forms the front of the sealing trough, the armour
of the cables being finished immediately below a hardwood
bush in the bottom of the cut-out, the lead entering to a
point 1 in. inside the bush. The bush is suppUed solid and
eUdes in. It can be drilled by the user to take two or three
cables up to 0.1 sq. in. in section, the bush being cut in two
after drilling so that the front half can he slipped in after
the work on the cables is finished and before the compound
is put in.

The internal fittings are simple and effective, and consist
of two 1 in. by J in. copper strips to which the cable lugs
are bolted by § in. round-headed brass screws and nuts. The
two copper strips or bars are insulated from the hardwood
blocks on which they are mounted simply and effectively by
mica and porcelain insulators.

The armour of the cables can be bonded if required by
means of wrought iron clips immediately below the cut-out,
these being made for two or three cables as required.

The supply to the consumer passes from the " live " bar
through a 15 amix^ie Dorman A- Smith fuse, having a remov-
able bridge piece which will withstand heavy overloads, and
is too well known to need further description. The neutral
conductor to the consumer is connected direct to the neutral
bar and is not fused. The two rubber-covered wires are
taken out of the top of the cut-out through substantial insu-
lating bushes fixed by backnuts, so that the insulators do not
fall down each time the cut-out front is opened.

'Though designed especially for housing schemes, the cut-out
can be u.sed to replace an ordinary cut-out and " T " box
on any distribution system, as in the case of two houses sup-
plied by one service from the main. Feeder l>oxes can also
be arranged in rectangular bases of ordinary street lamp
columns.

Vol. 87. No. 2,230, August 20, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL BEVIEWo

235

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received hy us after 5 P.M. ON Tuesday cannot appear nntil
the following week. Correspondents should forward their communi-
cations at the earliest possible moment, No letter can be publislied
unless we have the writer's name and address in our possession.

" Tumbler " Switches.

With reference to Mr. E. Fowler Clark's letter iu your
issue of April Itith, we are pleased to see that Mr. Eobert T.
Turnbuli, ot WelUngton, N.Z., conlirms the fact that Mr.
A. B. Blackburn, late of the Edison Swan Co., was the inven-
tor of the original type ot tumbler switch.

Although our Mr. A. P. Lundberg is now in his ninetieth
year, his memory and other faculties are still in excellent
preservation, and he is of the opinion that either L88y or
1889 was the year of the advent of the tumbler type of
switch. We have unearthed from our museum of antiquities
a sample of this origuial switch, and as a matter of interest,
send it herewith for your inspection ; also an Edison Swan
Co.'s leaflet illustrating it.

You will r.ote that the base is of slate, that the moving
contacts have breaks of about 1/lG in., .and that all the
brass parts on the base are evidently hand-made from castings.
paper finished and lacquered ! The cover is the reeded dome
type referred to in Mr. Turnbull's letter in your issue of
August 6th.

It was undoubtedly the convenient up and down movement
of the knob which popularised this type of switch, and caused
it to become a stand.ird in this country. In passing hurriedly
a switch position, one can so easily flick the knob into its
on or olf position (a method of actuation much more conve-
nient than that necessary for its predecessor, the " Turn
Button " type of switch), even if it be fixed round a corner.

Original Ediswan Tumbler Switch.

Often, when laden, the article carried can be pressed into
service to actuate the switch knob. Lazy and corpulent users
have tjeen known to express appreciation of its merits, when
able to actuate, by means of the foot, switches fixed on the
skirting board, usually for heating control.

The single- way type is self-indicative — knob up " ofl',"
knob down "on." The convenient rocking-knob action has
been so far embodied in nearly a score of different types of
switch, other than the single-way. We naturally think, some-
thing beyond spring modifications represents the improve-
ment on "the origin.al pattern of 1888. e.g.. improved leverage
with locking action, long and independent lireak, absence of
jar, improved terminals and insulation, and general adapta-
bility of these improvements and rearrangement of the parts
to fulfil numerous requirements called for in modern switch-
ing.

It is interesting to note in the leaflet sent herewith that
the switch illustrated is called the " tumbler." The word
" tumler " was evidently a word coined for it later, ap-
parently with the object of distinguishing it from its numerous
imitations of hazy origin and meagre workmanship.

A. P. Lundberg & Sons.

London, N. 7.

August Uth, 1920.

[We duly received the switch and leaflet referred to, from
which the above illustrations were reproduced.— Eds. Elec.
Eev.]

" Extra^High Pressure."

In a leaderette this week you refer fo the difficulty of
finding an expression to replace " extra high tension " for
the latest increases in high voltages. We have our " super-
men." Why not appropriate a prefix so expressive, and use
the term " super tension "? p_ Dunsheath.

Acton, W. 2.
Auguit Uth, 1920.

[It is not considered desirable to use the word " tension "
to signify " pressure " or voltage. The words have not quite
the same meaning.— Eds. Elec. Rev.]

This concerns the operating side, where the pay of en-
gineers is in many cases public property, but it would be
interesting to have an expression of opinion from yourselves
and your readers about the pay of important officials on tho
manufacturing side, which is, I believe, in many cases also
very poor under present conditions.

If £1,000 per annum is not over-generous for Southampton,
and £450 is scandalous for Wrexham, what would be fair
pay for, say, the chief of a technical department, aged not
less than 40, with good and varied practical and designing
experience, in, say, (1) a fairly leading company making
switch gear, control gear, accessories, &c. ; (2) a leading com-
pany m,aking also a.o. and d.o, machines, &c. I think it would
be ifairly generally agreed that (1) would have carried guite
£300. and (2) £400 before the war, now equivalent respectively
to about £750 and £1,000. How many such officials are
getting these figures?

Inquirer.

[It is important that justice should be done to essential
men; otherwise their financial sditus stands far lower than
in pre-war days. The merits of knowledge and training, and
the high qualities of management, are deserving of adequate
reward, and those who possess them will not be content to
remain permanently at a disadvantage in comparison with
those whose work they plan and control. Why should they?
They will seek other fields — and we hope find them— probably
to the detriment of their earlier undertakings or interests.^
Eds. Elec. Rev.]

Submarine Cable Telegraphy.

I am at one with Mr. Raymond Barker in his desire that
the expression for the " cable constant " be replaced or
'jupplemented bv one th.Tt will t.nke into account the vary-
in? relativities of the f.nrtors involved.

When I used the expression " arbitrary constant," I
merely embodied the idea suggested by Mr. Raymond Barker's
supnositious case where B. before he can estimate the actual
performance of the cable circuit, must know over what k r bis
speed constant is based.

To say that a particular circuit has a definite speed constant
is a distinctly arbitrary statement, the so-called constant being
dependent on the terminal conditions of the particular cable.
With the rising curve of the so-called " speed constant," fol-
lowing on improved types of receiving apparatus,^ the term
is clearly a misnomer; and it was with this in view that I
applied the term " .arbitrary " to the expression as currently
used.

A. F.

LONDON ELECTRICITY SUPPLY, 1917-^1918.

Protessional Salaries and the Cost ot Living.

I noticed recent editorial remarks, also those of corre-
spondents, concerning the pay of the electrical engineers at
Southampton and Wrexham.

The London County Council return relating to electricity
supply in and around London, which has just been published,
is of considerable interest, and especially so since the pro-
visional determination by the Electricity Commissioners of
the area forming the London and Home Counties Electricity
District. The proposed area is a large one, with a huge
population, and it includes some hundreds of supply and other
authorities. Proposals for the reorganisation of the electricity
supply in the area will take some time to formulate; last
Nove]nber the Ij.C.C. appointed a committee, which hopes to
report in the autumn, to prepare a scheme, and the local
inquiry, when it comes to be held, will not be a simple or
brief affair.

The return contains a list of the various authorities with
the authorised areas of supply, together with an analysis
of the accounts of each undertakiflg for the year ended
March 31st, 1918, or December 31st, 1917, and also miscel-
laneous statistics relating to capacity, output, prices, assess-
ments, &c. . .

In the area under consideration, namely, that compnsmg
the administrative County of London and adjacent " extra-
London " areas, the number of authorised distributors of
electricity is 79, of which 40 are municipal concerns, and 39
companies. The number of Local Government areas contain-
ing authorised distributors is 135. the total acreage of which
is 708,869, the population being 7,575,359, and the assessable
value £65,843,460. The 36 distributors possessing statutory
powers to do so, supplied 77,019,422 units in bulk in the
period under consideration ; of this amount 16,717,714 units
were given by municipal and 60,901,708 by company under-
t.akings. In addition a bulk supply of 1,226,536 units was
received bv St. Pancras from the L.C.C. ; the Northwood
Co. took 273,6.50 units from the Metropolitan Railway Co.,
and the Lots Road station sold 1,569,580 units to the Rich-
mond Co. , ^ it

The municipal undertakings had a total plant capacity ot
203 8,52 KW.. and that of the companies was 231,329 kw. The
maximum load on the feeders (company figures bemg m
parentheses) was 132,.565 kw. (1.37,874); number of consimierR.
119,590 (144,250) ; connections, 127,404 kw. lighting (liL,5iJt
and 174,168 kw. power and heating (107,310).

238

THE ELECTKICAL EEVIEW= [Voi. 8?. no. 2,230, august; 20, 1920.

During the year finder review municipal undertakings
generated 372,560,419 units, from which 13,848,499 units pur-
chased between undertakings has to be deducted. The com-
panies generated 407,564,641 units from which 10,722,431 units
purcha.sed by municipal authorities have to be allowed for.
The number of units sold by the municipal authorities was
308,743,593, and by the companies 318,869,018, the power
factor being 28 and 25 respectively.

The statistics show that those municipal boroughs supply-
ing electricity at the cheapest rates have made the largest
profits, whilst those charging higher rates for electricity make

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2

Pig. 1.— Total Units Sold in London in 1917-18.

a further charge upon the borough rates. The information
available for the year ended March 31st, 1919, and tabulated
in order of the cheapness of supply, is as follows, the first
figures being the average price, the second the working costs
per unit, and the third the surplus or deficit : —

Local /lui/iori'ifes,— Poplar, l,48d., 1.06d., ^08,948 surplus;
Hammersmith, 1.55d., 1.28d., £1,347 .surplus; Stepney, 1.61d.,
l,02d., £22,245 surplus; Fulham, 1,63d., 1.22d., £9,058 sur-
plus; Battersea, 1.64d., 1.23d., £1.118 surplus; Hackney,
1.64d., 0.94d., £9,308 surplus; St. Pancras 2.10d., 1.89d.,
£20,239 deficit; Shoreditch, 2,14d., 1.55d., £1,487 deficit; Ber-
mondsey, 2.18d., 1.69d., £1,679 surplus; Islington, 2.52d.,
1.78d., £145 surplus; Stoke Newington, 2,78d., 2.24d., £850
deficit; St. Marylebone, 3.17d., 1.66d., £1,003 deficit; South-
wark, 3.30d., 2.84d., £3,531 deficit; Hampstead, 3.72d., 3.04d.,
£13,144 deficit.

Companks. — The figures for the companies only deal with
the average prices and working costs, as follows : —

d. d.

London Electric 1.60 ... 1.27

South MetropoUtan 2.39 ... 1.49

South London 2.80 ... 1.63

County of London 2.99 ... 2.02

Westminster 31.7 . . 1.92

City of London 3.70 ... 2.60

MetropoUtan 3.75 ... 2.28

St. James's and Pall Mall ... 3.82 ... 2^20

Charing Cross and Strand ... 3.83 ... 2.67
Brompfon and Knightsbridge ... 4.61 ... 3.03
Kensington and Knijjlit.-ibridge 4.64 ... 3.28

Chelsea 4.90 ... 3.28

Kotting Hill 6.30 ... 3.56

The London Electric Supply Corporation supplies largely in
bulk to the L.B. & S.C. Railway, and, therefore, any com-
parison is not legitimate, Tlie only company that can com-
pare favourably with local authorities is the South Metro-
politan Co.

In giving evidence before the (Sankey) Coal Commission,
the engineer at Poplar submitted the following statement
relating to undertakings in the Metropolitan area for the
year 1913-14, viz. :— *

Two local

Thirteen

aathorities

Thiiteen

loot

with company

companies.

autlioritics.

inception.

2-3ild.

I'.iilL'J.

2.i2d.

riisj.

if:t04d.

roysd.

0-212d.

0121d.

o-2o:Hd.

2-01%

i -22 -i

2-62%

i-:i7l

2-,-.2',

HH%

Income per unit
Workiiifr expr, per unit sold...
Manajjement cost per unit ...
Depreciation or sinking fund
Interest on dividend

The statistics for the year ended March 31st, 1919, in the
ca.se of local authorities, and December 31st, 1919, in the case
of companies, are as follows : —

Income per unit sold
Working expr. per unit
Management cost per unit ...
Depreciation or sinking fund
Interest or dividend

In the case of the thirteen companies, the average charge
advanced 34 per cent., and in that of the thirteen local
authorities the increase was llj per cent.

Thirteen
companies.

Thirteen

local

authorities.

One local

aothority

with company

incepticn.

:r:ii.5d.

l-ss4d.

31 7d.'

2ISHd.

rn.-..->d.

ni6d.

ir:«2i3.

n i:t4d.

nl.id.'

.i-38%

2 -ill 7%

2- 13%
3-21%

i

—]

—

TFT
ELECTRIC

1
ITY

iuppiiv

—

n

—

H

—

.1.

„ l.L^lr. 1 1

""1"

'

"

/'

/

/

•^,

I.'..

■—

\"

_

-^

—

e-;

•:t.

■'

^

^

,,

.-'

--".

p5H

,..^

1

,-

—

--'

"

/

_^ — '

^^

i 1

1

[ 1

1

1

Fig. 2.— Load Pactoe in London in 1917-18.

The working cost in the former instance increased 96i per
cent., and in the latter 50 per cent., whereas management
costs increased 56i per cent., and 10 per cent, respectively.

The curves shown in figs. 1, 2, and 3 enable comparisons to

\

/I

VE

RP

CE

'R

CE

'EF

)N

1 , 1 1

-v^

\

\

^

^

^?

•?;

■'C-S'

^

■'!".

^

1

t,,i

c— ,

c.;J

^

-

■•-"It

K...^

..,

LS,

i-^.

.<"•..

•-',

—

-

-

~

---

^

r::^

5^

-

- c

=-

-^

.

•n^

ICiT.

f<^

Fig. 3.— Average Prices in London in 1917-18.

be made between municipal authorities and company under-
takings with respect to total number of units sold, power
factor and the average price charged per unit in the year
1917-18. In fig. 1 the figures for power and heating exclude
those for traction and bulk supplies.

Electric Coal _ Cutters in Australia. — Abolition

Demanded. — Serious' trouble has occurred at Mount Kembla
Colliery. The emplovt^s declare that the mine is dangerous
because of the large percentage of inflammable gas in certain
sections of the pit, and the large quantity of dust created
by the electric coal-cuttiug machines. It is stated that the
machines cause sparks when they strike stone or brass or
other foreign substances, and the risk of igniting the gas and
the coal dust is too apparent to be regarded hghtly.

The miners' district secret.iry states that since the introduc-
tion of electric coal-cutters tliere has always been uneasiness
among the men because of the dust created and the danger
of sparks. The upshot of these apprehensions was that at
a recent meeting of the Mount Kembla Miners' Lodge it was
decided not to go to.^Yorli until the electric coal-cutters were
abolished, - ■■'

Vol. 87. No. 2,230, August 20, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

237

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankruptcy Proceedings,— A. Kebshaw and C. H.

Wood (Kerehaw & Wood), electrical enerineers and merchants,
9, Bradford Road, Dewsbury. — Receiving order made August 6th.
on debtors' own petition. First meeting, August 20th. Public
examination, October 7th, both at Dewsbury.

J. Jaoger (Jagger & Co.), electrical engineer, 28, Northgate,
Halifax. — ^Trustee, Mr. A. Gray, 9, Fountain Street, Halifax,
appointed August !'th.

E. S. Elaii and J. Walton Ctrading as Elam, Walton .>c Co.),
electricians, (i3, King Edward Street, Kingston-on-HuU. The
following are creditors : —
.^t' as .Advertising .\ssooiation. . .£31 Universal -Advertising Co., Ltd. ilO

Bellamy, NV. T. II Young & Peck, Ltd 28

Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd. OT Scotter, Stanley 12

Jones, E 11

At the Hull Bankruptcy Court on Monday, the failure was
attributed to want of capital, inexperience, and loss by fire.
Walton, who is 24, said that some time after being discharged from
the Army on account of ill-health, he and Elam commenced
business in King Edward Street. He had no experience, but Elam
said he had. The statement of affairs showed unsecured liabilities
to about iU creditors of £337, with assets £112, a deficiency of £225.
The examination was closed.

Liqaidations. — Armstrong, Stevens & Son, Ltd. —

Meeting of creditors at 5, Waterloo Street, Birmingham, August
16th, under Section l>is of the Companiei (Consolidation) Act,
lilOS. All debts have been, or will be, paid in full.

"Z" Electric Lamp Manufacturing Co., Ltd. — Winding up
voluntarily. Liquidator, Mr. B. H. Binder, 80, Biahopsgate, E.G. A
meeting of creditors is called for August 3 1st. at Orient House,
New Broad Street, E.G. A communication, issued by Mr. W.
Crawford and Mr. J. Scrivener, who have been associated with the
company for many years, states that they are acquiring certain
asfets of the com|>iny, and will continue the business as a going
concern. This will avoid interruption in the conduct of the
business, and will provide for the payment in full of all creditors.
A new company will be formed to operate from a London address,
which will be announced later.

Tea.mways and (Je.neral Works Co., Ltd. — A meeting is called
for September 21st, at Finsbury Court, Finsbury Pavement, E.G., to
hear an account of the winding up by tbe liquidator, Mr. E. C. Price.

Trade Announcements. — I'or the convenience of their
Irish customers, Messrs. R. B. Hand & Go. have opened a branch
at 44, Temple Bar, Dublin.

The Enterprise Manufacturing Co., Ltd., have appointed
Mr. B. H. Ileckie, of 58, Dundas Street, Glasgow, to look after
their interests in Scotland.

Messrs. Jones & Pordes have appointed the following as sole
agents for the sale of "Elba'' dry cells :— Scotland — Mr. D. J.
Esterson, 52, St. Enoch Square, Glasgow ; Lancashire — The Arc
Electrical Co.. Trevelyan Buildings, Corporation Street, Man-
chester.

The Southern Electric Co.. Ltd.. have left l<i. Bush Lane.
Cannon Street. E.G. 4. and have taken temporary premises at
3. Clo.ik Lane.

Parliamentary Royal Assent.— The Royal Assent has
been' given to the following Acts : —

Post OfBce and Telegraph Act. 1020.

London Electric, Metropolitan District, City and South London, and Central
London Railway Companies (Fares, &c.t Act, 1920.

Telegraph i.Money) Act, 1920.

Catalogues and Lists.— British Insulated and

Helsby Gables, Ltd . Presoot and Helsby, " Catalogo Geral "
(40 pp.). — A Portuguese list of " Prescot " products, including
cables, joint-boxes, switch and fuse-gear, cells, magnetos, &c.

SooiETE Francaise des Pompes et Machines " Worthing-
ton," 1, Rue des Italiens, Paris, agents for the 'Terry" turbine.
— A photographically illustrated description (3i) pp.) of the
"Terry'' non-condensing turbine, giving constructional details and
examples of installations. Also a leaflet (in French) giving a list
of apparatus for which the company are agents.

Bell Battery Go., Ltd., Laburnum Grove, Ilford. — "A Silent
Success " ; an eight-page booklet dealing with various types of
"Bell" dry cells, giving illustrations and a chart of performances.

The Palnut Co., Ltd., 6, Great St. Helens, E.G. 3.— Folder,
giving an illustrated and priced description of the " Palnut " safety
lock washer, together with samples of the device.

Automatic and Electric Furnaces, Ltd., 281-283, Gray's
Inn Road, W.C. 1. — "Heat Treatment Bulletin," No. 23, "Con-
cerning Pyrometers " ; also a leaflet describing and illustrating a
new pyrometer outfit.

Hyatt. Ltd., 24, Devonshire Street, Theobald's Road, W.C. 1.—
A profusely illustrated catalogue (24 pp ). dealing with "Hyatt"
roller bearings for many purposes, with photographs of installations
in which they are employed.

The " Z " Electric Lamp Manufacturing Co., Ltd., South-
fields, S.W. 18. — Li6t SS. 16. monthly stock list of general supplies
for August, including accumulators, lighting accessories, telephone
apparatus and domestic electrical appliances.

The General Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Queen Victoria Street.
E.G. 4.— Bulletins No. 13 (80 pp.) and 13A (50 pp.) Two well-
illustrated publications dealing in an exhaustive manner with the
construction and working of the various types of turbines manu-
factured by the company.

Disputes. — Electricians employed by the Scottish Con-
tractors' Association are threatening to strike owing to the
employers refusing their demand for a minimum rate of 2s. 3d. per
hour. The employers have offered 2s. Id., but this has been declined.
In the meantime a ballot is being taken of the members of the
Electrical Trades Union on the question of a strike. Over 2,500
men are involved in the dispute. As a majority of 50 per cent, was
not obtained in the ballot of electricians on the question of afiilia-
tion with the new engineering Union, the Electrical Trades Union
will continue to be a separate body.

Newspaper reports show that a conference in respect to the
dispute at the Penistone Works, Sheffield, was held at York
last Friday. The matter was discussed by the Emergency Com-
mittee of the National Federation of Employers and representatives
of various Unions connected with the engineering and steel
industry. It was made plain to the workers that the employers do
not insist upon foremen or officials withdrawing from their Unions
on appointment. Upon ascertaining this fact the workers decided
to hold a conference with the Executive of the Electrical Trades
Union at Manchester, on Tuesday this week, to discuss the whole
matter. " As far as the electrical trades were concerned, it was
intended to bring about a general lock-out in view of the Trades
Union attitude at Penistone," but this intention was suspended at
the suggestion of the general workers until after the meeting in
Manchester.

The Maiu'hexter /rioinlian reports that the embargo on overtime
which has been in operation for about a month among the men
doing maintenance work in the engineering works of Manchester
and other districts, has been extended by the adoption of a similar
policy among the members of the Electrical Trades Union in the
Manchester district. " The embargo was originally put into force
by the local members of the Amalgamated Engineering Union for
the purpose of enforcing an application for increased wages."

Catalogues Wanted. — Tue Kable Electrical Co.,

Ltd.. of 41, Jermyn Street, St. .James's, London, S.W. 1, want
manufacturers' catalogues and price particulars.

Australian Trade. — The Commonwealth official returns
of Australian Trade for the first half of the current financial year,
include the following imports of electrical goods, cable, and
wire, &c. : —

Firxt 6 months, Firxt 6 months, Increase on
Imports. 1918-19. 1919-20. 191.'<-19.

Electrical and gas ap- £ £ £

pliances 244,937 329,044 84,107

Electrical material,
cable and wire

(covered) 244,102 290,548 46,446

—Inilustrial Australian and Mining Standard.

The Leipzig Fair. — Twelve thousand firms will show

exhibits at the Leipzig Fair, which is to open shortly. — 7'imes.

Book Notices. — " Beama." Science Research Number II,
August, 1920. Vol. VII, No. 2. London : Oakley House, Blooms-
bury, W.C. Price Is. 6d. net.

" The Theory of Electric Gables and Networks " (second edition).
By A. Russell. (Pp. x + 348, 87 figs.) London : Constable & Co.
Price 24s. net.

"Contact." The Journal ot the IHationai Association of Super-
vising Electricians. Vol. II, No. 1, August, 1920. London : The
Association.

•■ Income Tax Up- to-Date." By H. J. Gully, F.G.A. London:
Finnnciiil Xeivs. 9d. — Contains the Rules and Regulations relatingr
to incometa^ for 1920-21, and an explanation of the E.P.D.. and
the new Corporation Profits Tax.

Electric Lifts for Singapore.— H.M. Trade Commis-
sioner at Singapore reports that a new firm who are just starting
business in Singapore desire to take up an agency for British manu-
facturers of electric lifts. Owing to the shortage of office
accommodation in Singapore, a considerable number of new
buildings will be erected there in the near future, assuring a
good market for lifts. The Dapartment of Overseas Trade will
give British manufacturers particulars of the firm referred to.

Annual Outings. — On Wednesday last week the employes
of the Wakefield Corjjoration tramways department, with wives
and friends, had an outing to Roundhay Park, Leeds, travelling
from Wakefield by special car.

The employes of Messrs. R. Sutherland .fe Co., electrical
engineers, Bolton, had an outing to Blackpool and Morecambe last
week.

A Riga Exhibition. — We have received from the Britihii
and Russian Transport Co., Ltd., of 6, Lloyds Avenue, London,
E.G. 3, particulars of the aims and organisation of the Brito-
Latvian Trade Fair, which is to open at Riga in the laat week in
September, the postponement from the middle of this month having
been decided upon in order to make the exhibition of a wider
international character. The Fair will extend over five weeks in a
building which can accommodate more than 500 exhibitors.
Particulars of the classes of exhibitp. and other arrangements, may
be obtained from the above address.

238

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,2so, auoubt 20, 1920.

New French Electrical Companies. — liyons-France-

Electrique (Montagnier et Faisant) is the title of a company con-
stituted at Lyons (92, Rue de I'Hotel de Ville) for the manufacture
and sale of electrical apparatus. Its capital is 135,000 fr.

With a capital of 1,000,000 fr., the Ateliers et Specialites Elec-
triques et M^caniques has been formed at Paris (22, Rue de la
Banqne) for the making of, and trade in, electrical and mechanical
articles, and more especially electric clocks and other instruments
of precision.

The Fil Electro-Email is the style of a newly-launched company
whose object is the manufacture of insulators, and more especially
insulated wire. Its offices are at t'.i. Rue de la Republique, at
Lyons. Capital 200,000 fr.

There has been formed at Paris (218, Rue du Faubourg Saint
Honore)a company with the title of L'Electrique de Gonesse, for the
manufacture of glow and other electric lamps and electric
apparatus. Capital 6.50,000 fr.

The Societe des Accumulateurs Monoplaque has raised its
capital from 500,000 fr. to l,250,00n fr. by the issue of 1,500 shares
of 500 fr. each.

The directors of the Compagnie Electrique de Franche Comte
are seeking sanction to increase the company's capital by the issue
of shares to the extent of 562,240 fr.

The shareholders of the Etablissements Industriels E. C. Cram-
mont et Alexandre Crammont have decided to raise the company's
capital from 14,000,000 fr. to .^0,000,000 fr. by the issue of new
shares.

In order to carry out its development plans on the River Truyere,
the Forces Motrices de la Truyere has decided to raise its shara
capital from 15,000,000 fr. to 30,000,000 fr., and to issue bonds for
15,000,000 fr.

To realise its schemes of extensions of its network, the Com-
pagnie Centrale d'Energie Electrique is raising its capital from
20,000,000 fr. to 35,000,000 fr. by the issue of 30,000 500 fr. shares.

Foreign Trade. — July Figures. — The

the values of imports and exports of electrical goods
in July : —

Imports.
Electrical goods, kc.
Machinery

Exports.
Electrical goods, &c.
Machinery

Re-exports.
Electrical goods, &c.
Machinery

July.

1920.
£
, 142,258
, 1,689,320

, 964,836
. 7,344,057

11,087
135,129

inc. or

dec.

£

41,969

373,711

+ 435,018
-t-4,623,629

5,253

-f 85,730

following are
and machinery

7 mmiths, 1920.
Inc. or dec.

£
— 29,710
+ 2,032,066

-1- 3,524,230
-H6,553,147

+ 8,706

-f 522,976

Chinese Students and International Trade. — Reference

has been made from time to time to the advantages of attracting
British and foreign students to this country from overseas to com-
plete their education and training. ' There is an excellent case for
devoting the Boxer indemnity to defraying the expenses of the
technical education of Chinese students in the United Kingdom.
Jt is uuderstood that the British Government have such a scheme
under consideration. France has set the example, and has made
plans to pass a minimum of 6,000 Chinese through her technical
and other schools, with the idea that tliey shall complete their
training in French workshops. A similar programme is being
carried out in the United States. An American engineer who is in
charge of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Peking
University, has been very active in this movement and ia trying to
raise £1,200,000 in the United States for the provision of buildings
and equipment for a new department of mechanical engineering at
Peking University. The State which offers the greatest induce-
ments to Chinese and other students to acquire industrial training
and administrative experience will assuredly reap a rich reward in
the future. Firms which train foreign students in their shops are
engaged in excellent propaganda on behalf of British industries
and commerce. One illustration may be given which may be
regarded as typical. An engineering and shipbuilding works has
recently been promoted at Canton by a fctudent who has returned
from the United States. He has placed orders in the States for the
whole of the necessary machinery and equipment.— Times Trade
Siijiplemeiit.

Lead. — In their report dated August 14th, Messrs.
G. Cawson & Co. say :—

Lead has shown considerable weakness, and pric^ have steadily declined.
Prospective arrivals are so heavy that there has been a great desire shown to
get rid of early lead. The decline in price has been 30s. to -lOs. per ton.

The reports from altnost all producing countries continues favourable for an
increased output. The only unfavourable country is Australia, from which
there is no news as to the settlement of the strike.

The general home trade consumption shows no improvement, and even elec-
trical works appear to be taking less lead. Then there is to be taken into
account the continued heavy imports of lead products of all descriptions, which
will naturally seriously interfere with the output of our own manufacturers,
and have an unfavourable influence on the consumption of the raw metal.

The outlook is certainly not encouraging. It must not be overlooked, how-
ever, that lead is still comparatively at a very high price, and a fall of even ±*5
per ton would still leave prices some 100 per cent, above the average of those
ruling for the three years prior to the war.

Madrid Mint Eqaipment. — The Madrid Mint is about to

renew its material, and as the Spanish industry will probably be
unable to supply all the apparatus required, it is likely that the
Mint will be obliged to acquire a certain quantity abroad, — J{eiiter'.i
Trade Sercire (Madrid),

The Embargo on Overtime.— A correspondent states

that serious inconvenience to Lancaahire electricity undertakings
is being oaased by the embargo placed on overtime by the engi-
neering Trade Unions. An illustration of how the embargo works
under certain circumstances was given at Ashton-under-Lyne Town
Council last week, when Alderman G. H. Coop, the chairman of the
Electricity Committee, gave an instance of how the works were
affected. One of their turbines, he explained, was undergoing its
annual overhaul. Last Sunday evening a pinion driving the air-
pump in connection with the condenser gave out. The fitters
were sent for to repair it. but they refused to come, and the elec-
trical engineer had to pull his coat off. and with what assistance he
could get. undertook the job himself, in order to keep the station
running. That was serious enough, but in addition one of the
fitters who had had his holiday, now refused to work during
Wakes Week, as previously arranged, although he had been paid
for holidays. It had been arranged to overhaul the Belliss set during
the Wakes holiday, but owing to this man's refusal to fulfil his
obligations, the work could not be done.

The Melbourne Strike.— Australian papers jnst received
contain particulars of the settlement arrived at between the newly-
formed Consultative Disputes Committee of the Melbourne City
Council and the chairman of the various Committees affected by the
strike of engine drivers and firemen employed in the city's electrical
undeitakings. The final offer made by the City Council of 3s. 6d. per
day increase for engine drivers was accepted with a corresponding
addition to the differential increases previously offered to other
employes. The men had claimed an increase of 4s. a day all
round.

As the settlement of the dispute between the engine drivers and
firemen and the Melbourne Electric Supply Co. was contingent upan
the settlement of that between the men and the Melbourne City
Council — both undertakings agreeing to pay the same wages — the
whole of the trouble relating to electric supply and power is now
practically at an end.

A comparison of the new offer with the former and with present
wages is given below :

"^

Latest offer

Minimum

by City

demanded

CouDcU'a

Present

by Asso-

Disputes

wages.

ciation.

Committee.

s.

d.

S.

d.

s. d.

Leading engine drivers

14

6

18

6

18 0

Kngine drivers

13

6

17

6

16 6

Leading firemen

14

0

18

0

17 6

Firemen and greasers...

12

6

16

6

15 6

Trimmers

11

6

15

6

14 6

Ashmen

IX

6

15

6

14 6

Conveyor attendants ...

12

4

16

0

15 0

Switchboard attendants

14

0

18

0

17 0

Sub-station attendants

14

0

17

6

16 6

Dynamo attendants ...

11

9

15

6

14 6

Motor attendants

11

9

16

6

14 6

Cleaners

11

9

15

6

12 3

Boiler cleaners

11

!)

15

6

12 U

The Norwegian Lamp Factory.— German Capital.—

The only lamp factory in Xorway — that of the A. S. Norsk
Elektrisk Lampefabrik, of Drammen — is to pass into foreign
ownership. At a special meeting of the shareholders, held on
August 4th, a resolution was adopted deciding to dispose of the
company's assets to a syndicate composed of the Norsk Elektrisk
Brown-Boveri, Per Kure, the Auer (Jesellschaft, and Siemens-
Schuckert, and one-half of the capital is to be German. The new
owners have reserved the right either to continue or suspend
working at the factory, but it is stated that they intend to engage
additional workers, so as to increase the production. Some time
ago the Norwegian company decided to issue 700,000 kroner in
preference shares, but as the amount subscribed was considered
inadequate, this is one of the reasons for the sale. It is assumed
that the purchase price will permit of the return of 50 per oent. of
the ordinary share capital to the shareholders.

Government Contracts : The National Roll. — A

Select Committee which has been appointed to inquire into the train-
ing and employment of disabled ex-Service men is reported to have
recommended that the placing of Government contracts be limited,
after a date to be fixed, to firms whose names are on the National
Roll — that is, firms who are employing the percentage of disabled
men fixed for their particular trade.

We recently referred to the excellent work that has been carried
out at the Croydon Central Polytechnic by disabled ex-Service men
(July 30th, p. 148). Mr. F. H. Taylor, who has been responsible
for the course of training, desires us to mention that his assistant,
Mr. V. A. M. Bulow, has had charge of the workshops for some
time, and has taken the greatest possible interest in the work.

Conference at Olympia. — During the run of the Machine
Tool and Engineering Exhibition at Olympia (.from September 4th
to 25th), there is to be a conference of employers and employed
organised by the Industrial League and Council. It will take place
on Tuesday, September 21st. There will be morning and afternoon
sessions, between which luncheon will be held in the Banquet Hall.
At the morning session the Rt. Hon. O. N. Whitley, M.P.. will
preside, and the Rt. Hon. G.N. Barnes, M.P., will open a discussion
oj '' Unemployment and Production " ; at the luncheon Mr. E.J. P.
Benn will be the speaker ; and in the afternoon, under the chair-
manship of Sir George Paish, there will be a debate on " High Prices
and World Competition,'' the Rt. Hon. G. N. Barnes, M.P., bein^th«
tpener.

Tol. 87. No. 2,230, August 20, 1920.1 THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

289

Sonth African Iron and Steel Industry.— After au

animated debate, the Union House of Assembly, on Friday last,
confirmed, by Gl votes to 35, the draft agreement between the
Pretoria Ironworks and the Government. The agreement stipu-
lates that for a period of 17 years the Government railways will
purchase .50 per cent, of their requirements in steel rails, &c., from
the Pretoria Ironworks at imported cost. Vigorous criticism
was directed against the agreement by the Unionist and
Labour benches on the ground of creating a monopoly, especially,
it was urged, as the Union Steel Corporation and other smaller
producers had for years been promoting the iron and steel industry.
General Smuts, in emphasising the benefits of developing the great
iron and steel industry of South Africa, which had, he said, unique
opportunities owing to coal .and iron ore being plentiful and very
cheap, and there being splendid resources of unskilled labour,
pointed out that there was no question of monopoly, as the other
50 per cent, of the business of the railways was open to competition
from everyone. The agreement before Parliament was also
expressly subject to the prior agreement with th.e Union Steel
Corporation. It was still in the power of the Union Steel Cor-
poration to move on to success in their undertaking, and produce the
whole of the Administration's railway requirements under their
agreement for the next eight years. Sir Thomas Watt, Minister of
Railways, claimed that no great steel industry could be established
without the Government's assistance, and they considered the
inducement offered to the Pretoria Ironworks an exceedingly cheap
method of securing the establishment in South Africa of an enter-
prise requiring the investment of from £1,500,000 to £2,000,000 to
assure manufacture on a large scale, because only on a large scale
could such an industry hope to make good. — Reuters Trade Service
(Cape Town).

Copper and Lead Prices. — Messrs. F. Smith & Co.

report. August 1 7th :— Electrolytic bare. £1Iin £1 decrease;
electrolytic sheets. £1.">8. £1 decrease; electrolytic wire rode.
£i:i2. £1 decrease ; do. H.c. wire. jd. to id.. Jd decrease.

Messrs. James & Shakespeare report. August ISth : — Copper bars
(best selscted). sheet and rod. no change ; English pig lead.
£:is Ids., a reduction of :iii3. p3r ton on last week's prices.

Further Reductions in German Export Duties. — The

Reicli.iaiKeiijer publishes further alterations in the export tariff
affecting wire, electrical machinery, telegraph and telephone
apparatus and railway wagons. The following are now duty
free : — 'Wire made of base metals (formerly subject to export duty
of :i per cent,), marine and underground electric cable (formerly
1 per cent,), and insulating tubes of paper or pulp (formerly ,5 per
cent,), — Reuters Trade Sert-ice (.Berlin).

Tlie A.E.G. — The AUgemeine Elektricitiits Gesellschaft
is proposing to increase its share capital by 250 million marks by a
preference issue at 6 per cent. These shares will be redeemable
from January 1st, 1925, at lib.— Renter s Tmde &rcicc (Berlin).

Unemployment. — It is stated that about 50 per cent, of
the workers of the semi-skilled class in Sheffield are unemployed.
They have been stopped at Messrs. Firth's, Hadfield's, Brown's,
Viokers', and other big works. In addition, workpeople have gone
to Shefiield from other towns, where trade is falling off, and they
are straight-away disappointed. This is increasing Sheffield's un-
employment roll.

For Sale. — By direction of the Disposal Board, Ministry
of Munitions, Mr. M. Marshall will sell by auction, on September 1st
and 2nd, at Central Stores Depot, Houston Station, near Glasgow,
plant and machinery, &o,, including motors, generating sets,
electric cable, electric fittings, &o. For particulars see our
advertisement pages to-day.

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES.

Barking. — Electricity in Dock.s. — The County of
London Electric Supply Co,, Ltd,, intends to erect at Barking a
large generating station to supply the whole of the riverside area.
Including Tilbury.

Birkenhead. — Loan Sanctioned. — Sanction has been

received by the Corporation to the borrowing of £20,000 for ex-
tensions to electricity mains and services, and £12,500 for electricity
meters.

New Sub-Station. — Land owned by the Corporation at Ilchester
Wharf is to be used for the erection of a high-tension sub-station.
British Columbia.— Water Power. — The potential
Water-power of British Columbia, experts declare, is etjual to that
of five Niagaras, Pouring down the mountains comes enough
water to develop 3 000,000 h.p. At Niagara Falls, there is now
developed about 725,000 h.p. Only 123,000 e.h.p, is now developed
by the plants supplying Vancouver, New Westminster and the
towns in that vicinity. This power turns the wheels of mills and
factories, propels the tramway cars of these cities and provides
light for the streets and homes. If the entire wealth of British
Columbia in water were harnessed, it would be sufficient to
provide power, light and heat for 40 cities the size of 'Vancouver
and New Westminster combined. With this cheap power available,
economists predict that some day the province will become one of
the greatest manufacturing centres of Canada, — Power.

Clacton-on-Sea. — EijEctricity Charges. — The Ministry
of Transport has informed the Urban District Council that, under the
Order granted, the price of electricity must not exceed lid. per unit.

Continental.— t'RANCE.— The Chamber of Deputies has

sanctioned the scheme submitted by the Minister of Public Works
granting to the Orleans Railway Co, the utilisation of the Uppelr
Dordogne River, in order to carry out the electrification of part
of its lines. The State will carry out, at its own cost, the works
necessary for the utilisation of hydraulic power and leave to the
company the installation of machinery and the equipment of works
and lines. The company will repay the State at a rate to be fixed
by a special agreement. Any surplus energy will be sold by the
company to third parties at rates which will be fixed by the Govern-
ment, A reserve of power will be specially allotted to companies,
trusts and agricultural and co-operative societies at preferential
rates. The profits of the sales will be shared between the State
and the Orleans company I'm rata with their respective shares in
the outlay on first establishment. The financial arrangement con-
templates the constitution of an unique society formed by the State,
the Departments, the communes and the Orleans company.

The French Sociote generale d'Enterprises and the Swiss Soci^t^
Locher, of Zurich, have come to an agreement to build a dam on the
Rhone, near the Swiss frontier, in connection with a hydroelectric
station which is to be established at Pougny-Chancy, to yield
50,000 H.P. The Banque Suisse des Chemins de Fer, of Basel, ia
financing the scheme.

The Compagnie clectrique de la Loire et du Centre has decided
to raise its capital to 60,000,000 fr., with a view to increasing its
generating power, in order to supply its enlarged clientele. Its
plans embrace the construction of a 25,000-H,P, capacity water-
power station on the Haute Loire ; the acquisition from the State
of an additional thermic generating group ; shares in the Societe
d'Energie e'.eotrique de la Baese-Iscre and in the Societe hydro-
clectrique de I'Eau d'OUe, with a view to obtaining additional
supplies, &c.

Switzerland. — There are over lii,000 electricity works in
Switzerland, although the population is under 4,000,000. The
electricity produced is used either for lighting, industrial pur-
poses, electrochemical and electrometallurgical purposes, electric
traction on railways, or for heating and cooking purposes.
Rivers such as the Rhine, Aare, Reus, and the Limmet, have at
various points been dammed at their full breadth, and the water
used for the production of electric power.

A recent innovation in Switzerland is the tapping of mountain
lakes (Kloenthal and Ritom), and the artificial creation of lakes for
purposes of power production by damming up whole valleys. Such
artificial lakes have advantages over wild torrents, inasmuch as the
water supply can be regulated at will, and liberated or alternately
retained, as may be required.

Before the war the Swiss power stations had altogether at their
disposal more than 620,000 h.p., taken at a yearly average, the
maximum being 887,000 and the minimum 345,000. The erection
of electric power stations was delayed owing to the war, but did not
come to a complete standstill. In spite of the unprecedented rise
in the cost of labour and materials, great progress is now being
made ; the shortage of coal makes the erection of further power
stations a matter of urgent necessity.

The amount of water power immediately available in Switzer-
land is estimated at 1,189,000 H.p. Of this amount the electri-
fication of the railways will require 245,000 h,p., but it is estimated
that power stations in Switzerland could be built to produce
8,000,000 H.P., and even more, or 20 milliards of KW.-hours per
annum, whereas the power needed in Switzerland during 1914 ia
estimated to have been less than one-fourth of this amount. The
shortage of coal caused by the war, which has been most bitterly
felt, particularly in winter, has ded to a tremendous demand on
the part of the public for electricity. In addition to power and
lighting, for which the electricity has, so far, been particularly
used, electricity is now being employed to a much greater extent
for heating purposes and for cooking, &c., in private houses as well
as in public institutions. — Board of Trade Jourmd,

Dorchester.— Purchase of Undertaking. — The Dorset

County Council has offered the County of Dorset E.S. Co. £9,000 for
its Dorchester plant, subject to the necessary sanction being
obtained.

Glasgow. — Year's Working. — The report on the elec-
tricity undertaking for the year ended May 31st last shows a gross
revenue of £977,488, as against £865,039 in the previous year.
The working expenses totalled £713,451, as compared with
£567,259, leaving a gross surplus of .•t;264,035 (£297,780). The
payment of loan interest and sinking fund charges reduced this to
£!),st4 (£'.13,226). Writing off the depreciation in value of the
plant resulted in a deficit of £54,614— met by the reserve fund—
a& contrasted with a surplus of £32,762 in 1918-19. The total
number of units sold during the year increased by 2,721,523 to
146,223,311. The total capital expenditure during the 1919-20
period was £910,626.

Japan. — E.H.T. Transmission. — A UO-mile trans-
mission line between Seto and Osaka, Japan, now under con-
struction, will be operated at 16t 1,000 volts, three-phase, 60 cycles,
with neutral grounded through resistance. This is part of an
extensive hydro-electric development programme involving an
ultimate capacity of 200,000 KW. and transmission lines totalling
more than 400 miles in length. The project is being undertaken in
three successive steps of 30,000 KW. for the first, 70,000 kw, for the
second, and 100,000 kw. for the third development. All of the
power plants will be operated eventually in parallel over two
circuits on a single steel-tower line having a capacity of 100,000 KW.
The first development now under wa'y is the construction of two
plants, one of 11,000 kw, at Mosegawa, and one of 19,000 KW. at
Seto. — Electrical World.

240

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. tVol. 87. No. 2.230, August 20, 1920,

KIng'9 Lynn. — Elkci'rioity Supply — The Town

Council has decided to institute inquiries as to the probable con-
sumjition of electricity with a view to supplying the villag'es of
Terrington and Clenchwarren by means of an overhead
installation,

Lichfield. — Ei-ectricity Supply. — The Town Council
has appointed a Committee to meet a deputation from the Walsall
Town Council, and discuss the question of a supply of electricity
for the city, by means of a proposed cable to supply Whittin^rton
Barracks

London. — Prick Increase. — The Charinj? Cross, West
End. and City E.S. Co. has applied for permission to increase Its
maximum charpre to 8d. per unit, instead of (id. to put it on terms
of equality with other supply companies in the Metropolitan area.

Woolwich. — In order to comply with the Electricity Commis-
sioners' wishes that the electricity undertaking should be further
developed, the Council has decided to carry out plant extensions
at an estimated cost of £200,000, and extensions of mains costing
£30,000.

Market Drayton. — Public Lighting. — In connection

with the lighting of the district during the coming winter, the
Urban District Council has accepted the tender of the Market
Drayton Electric Light Co. at £,i lOs. per lamp.

Newcastle (Co. Down). — Public Lighting. — The Urban

Council has agreed with the Electric Lighting Co., Belfast, for a
supply of electricity for public lighting at .-CSiO per annum, with
100 lights of 50 c.P. each, 34 of 25 C.P., four of 100 C.P., and five
of 200 C.P.

Portrush. — Electricity Scheme. — Mr. A. D, Price,
engineering inspector to the Local Government Board for Ireland,
held an inquiry recently into the application by the Urban Council
for sanction to a loan of £15,000 for constructing electricity supply
works. Evidence dealing with the financial, commercial, and other
features of the scheme was given by Mr. W. Pleavance, consulting
engineer, and others. The Town Clerk said a rate of Is. fljd. in
the £ would cover payment of principal and interest, spread over
a period of 25 years, in the case of the electricity loan, and a further
loan for £2.000 for the purpose of providing lands for use as
pleasure grounds. Mr. S. A. Wray, Cloraine, on behalf of residents
in the Dhu Varren district, urged the immediate inclusion of that
district in any electric lighting scheme that might be carried out.
The Inspector will report in due course.

Shipley. — Electricity Supply. — The Urban District
Council has decided to raise no objection to the proposed applica-
tion of the Yorkshire Electric Power Co. for a Provisional Order to
supply electricity within the district, provided no monopoly is
created. The company has informed the Council that if the Order is
granted, full protection will be given to the Council on this point.

Sligo.— Public Lighting. — By a majority, the Corpora-
tion has accepted the offer of Mr. T. Kilgannon, Thomas Street, to
install and maintain public electric lighting, beginning with 15
lamps— nine of 200 C.P., and six of 100 c r. — and as many other
lamps of 50 C.P. as may be required within a specified area, the
price to be Is. per unit — subject to revision every three years,
according to increase or reduction in price of coal and Trade ITnion
labour.

Thorne (Yorlishire) . — Electricity Supply. — The

Electrical Distribution of Yorkshire, Ltd., is to apply for a
Provisional Order to supply electricity for all purposes within the
township and the rural area of Thorne. Mr. Wells, on behalf of
the company, interviewed the Rural Council last week. It was
pointed out that two local colliery companies at Hatfield and Thorne,
would oppose the Order, and th.at the Stainforth Colliery Co. is
already supplying its own houses with electric light. Mr. Wells
said the company was satisfied .that, despite these facts, a supply
to the district could be made to pay. The opinion was expressed
at the meeting that no colliery company would be willing to
become general distriljutors, although it would probably be
prepared to supply energy in bulk. The Council, before coming
to a decision about the electricity supply company, decided to
inquire from Messrs. Pease & Partners, colliery proprietors, and
the Hatfield Main Colliery Co., whether they would be willing
to supply and distribute their spare power for public lighting in
Thorne, and to undertake the work which the E.D. of Y. Co. pro-
posed to do.

Tasmania. — Water Power.— It is announced that the
Tasmanian Government intends to introduce legislation during the
forthcoming session of Parliament for the purp,-)se of dealing with the
question of the rights of the Crown to the waters of the State, and
establishing an authority to control them, carry out systematic
gaugings, surveys, i:c., and especially to consider the qutaiion of
the utilisation of waters for the various purposes of power, irriga-
tion, domestic supply, and mining.

The Government has also instructed the chief engineer and
general manager, Mr. J. H. Butters, to proceed to the United
Kingdom and Nortli America in the near future, to investigate
systems of management of electricity supply undertakings, to study
the results that have been obtained, and the working of existing
legislation, with a view to devising the soundest possible scheme tn
suit conditions for the control of hydro-elect ricity in Tasmania.
Mr, Butter's mission is also to obtain raa^hinoiy for enlarging the
power scheme as already decided upon, and now involving an outlay
of £2,500,000,

It is ofiicially stated that Tasmania is at the present moment
committed to an enormong works programme in connection with
the hydro-electric scheme, which will exhaust all the available
labour and funds during the next three years. — Timen 'Trade
Siipjilciiient.

Taunton. — Electricity Area. — The Town Council has
asked to be excluded from the Lower Severn electricity district, on
the ground that the cost of linking up would be out of all pro-
portion to the possible benefit, and recommending that it the
town is to be included in some area, it should be in the same one
as Exeter,

Twickenham. — Electricity Charges. — At a conference

of local authorities, it was decided to recommend the Ministry of
Transport that an increase of 2d, per unit, making the charge Is.,
would be acceptable, and failing the acceptance of this by the
E.L. Co,, the application for the maximum charge to be fixed at
Is. 2d. should be opposed.

Whitefaavsn. — New Plant. — The Town Council has
decided to apply for a loan of £12,000 for a generating set.

Winchester. — Year's WoRKran. — The figures given in
the statement of accounts for the year ended JIarch Slat
last, are as follows, the figures given in parentheses being
the corresponding results for the previous year : — Total
revenue, £25,986 (£18,095); total working expenses, £17,333
(£11,839); gross profit, £8,653 (£6,256) and net profit, £2,680
(i;026). The total number of units sold increased by 186,394 to
1,325,466.

Woking. — Overhead TRANSiiissiON. — The L'rban
District Council has consented to the Electric Light Co. erecting
an overhead cable in the district for the transmission of energy.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Argentina. — Eailway Electrification. — Among the

various improvements and extensions on which the Central
Argentine Railway contemplates spending 40,000,000 pesos is the
electrification of the line to San Martin, which it is hoped to put
in hand shortly, the preliminary calculations and plans now being
completed. — lieiitfr's Ti-uilc .Serrice (Buenos Ayres).

Bnrnley. — Wages. — The Tramways Committee, on
August 12th, decided to approve of any agreement arrived at between
employers and employed in the engineering trade in connection
with the present application for a wage increase. If the overtime
embargo continues and is applied to fitters, it is probable there will
be no Sunday service, and a reduced Saturday service of cars in the
district.

Continental. — Russia. — Moscow reports that the first
electric train in Russia has been buUt in the Baltic works, and
that it will have a speed of 31 miles an hour, — Tlie Timex.

Italy. — At the second session of the Consiglio Superiore delle
Acqua it was decided, in the matter of the electrification of the
Italian railways, that the existing three-phase system should be
maintained throughout the zone northward of the Pisa-Florence-
Faenza line ; that continuous current should be used on the
Benevento-Foggia section ; and that, experimentally, industrial
frequency three-phase traction should be employed on the Rome-
Tivoli and Rome-Anzio lines,

HulL — Wage Increase. — On August 13th the Corpora-
tion Tramways Committee decided to grant its traffic employes
an extra Is. per week, to make up the lOs, advance demanded by
the men, though the national award was for 98,, leaving local
authorities with power to give the extra shilling or not. It was
stated at the meeting that practically every other tramway
authority in Yorkshire had given the extra shilling. {

Jamaica. — Uailway Electrication. — A mail dispatch
from Kingstown, Jamaica, says that the Government has under
consideration a scheme for the electrification of the railway system
in that island, and that the British Admiralty looks favourably on
the project. Considerable improvements are under review, the net
effect of which will greatly help trade atd commerce.

London. — " Underground " Fares. — The London
Underground railways have issued a statement with regard to
the Fares Act, which was among the private measures to
receive the Royal Assent on Monday. The revised fare ratea
are being prepared at the " Underground " headquarters, but
it is not anticipated that they will come into operation until
the end of next month. It is explained that the new powers
granted to the companies under the new Act will permit the
continuance of the policy of preference to the long-distance
passenger, who is, generally speaking, an employeil person of
the industrial, business, or piofesfional cl.iss, and, therefore, a
regular traveller. Under the Act, the "Underground " sjstems
are empowered to charge ordinary fares at a rate not exceeding
1 id, for a mile or part of a mile, with a minimum of 2d, ; while
"workmen's" lickets will be issued up to 7,30 a,m. on all the
systems, and will be available for the return journey any time
during the day at rates not exceeding the ordinary single faie for
the double journey, with a minimum of 3d. (return). These, how-

Vol. 87. No. 2,230, August 20, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL BEVIEW.

241

ever, are maximnm powers of ebarjje. designed to provide the
companies with a reasonable margin within which tooperate, without
the necessity of constant reference to Parliament. Even for short
journeys in the inner areas it may not be necessary to make full
use of the maximum powers of charfje. The necessary increases
will be imposed where they will be least felt, and the long:-distance
fares under the new schedule will still be found to work out at a
very cheap mileage rate, both positively and relatively. — Hfuniing
Pod.

SoDthend-on-Sea. — Extensions. — The Light Railway

Commissioners have granted the Town Council an order for the
extension of the electric tramways.

Sonthampton. — Strike. — On the afternoon of
August 15th the tramway employes ceased work on account of
the dismissal and refusal to reinstate one of their members. An
offer to take the man back when a vacancy occurred was refused.

Sootfaport. — Time Extension. — The Minister of Trans-
port has extended the time of the Southport Corporation Act for
the completion of the electrical equipment and apparatus for the
working of trolley vehicles until August, l;i21.

West Ham. — Year's Working. — The results of workinK
for the year ended March 31st laat are given below, the previous
year's figures being shown in parentheses : — Total revenue,
£283,345 (£237,487); total expenditure, £253,61)4 (,£215,019):
gross profit, £29.fi51 (£22,408) ; net deficiency, £44.777 (£7,703).

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Austria. — Strike. — The Post Office notified during the
week-end the temporary suspension of the telegraph service with
Austria, owing to a strike ia that country.

.Costa Rica. — Wireless TELEGRArHY. — The 6are/a
0/hciitl (^San Jose) of June 10th publishes the following decree,
which may interest United Kingdom firms : —

The Executive Power is authorised to employ the sum of
260,000 colons from the Public Treasury in the purchase and
installation of a wireless telegraphic or telephonic station of
sufficient power to obtain direct or indirect communication with
the places in the world where wireless-telegraphic and telephonic,
cablegraphic, or telegraphic public offices have been opened. This
station must be established by preference in the capital of the
Eepublic. From the same sum will be taken the amounts
necessary for the purchase and installation of sub-stations in
distant regions of the national territory, and by preference in the
cantons of Osa, Puntarenaa, and Liberia, and in the region of
Siscaola in those places in which the towns and State may derive
the best service and in which the exigencies of wireless-telegraphic
technique may be satisfied. Decree No. 34 of April 10th of the
current year, issued by the Government of Dr. Francisco Aguliar
Barquero, is ratified, by which the wireless telegraph and tele-
phone are declared of public utility and State monopolies. — Jiaajd
of Trade Juiirnal.

Ecuador. — Wireless Telegraphy.— According to La

Prensa, of Lima, the Government, in order to set up speedy means
of telegraphic communication across the mountainous regions of
the P.epublic, is contemplating the establishment of a wireless
network, and has iplaeed the contract with the Societe Fran^'aise
Eadioelectrique. The stations forming the network will number
five of lu K\v. each, five of 5 KW., three uf 1 KW., and one of 70 Kw_

France. — Wireless Telegraphy. — The re-organisation

of the French systems of posts, telephones and telegraphs and
the amplification of the wireless network were the subjects
recently of a speech by M. Deschamps, under-.secretary of the
department concerned with these services. Existing stations, said
M. Deschamps, already had received or forwarded 4,500 radio-
telegrams in January, 4,8uO in February, and 5,730 in March. The
long-distance network organisation was under weigh. While
awaiting the establishment of a station specially designed to
exchange radiograms with the great European stations, the
Administration purposed utilising the Tour d'Eiffel station, and
perhaps that of Dona, near Lyons, and, if agreeable to the Ministry
of Marine, the station of Basse Lande, at Saint Philibert de Grand
Lieu. There was already a service of several hours' duration daily
with Hungary, and another was about to be opened with Belgrade,
Negotiations had been begun with the American Radio Corporation
with a view to setting up connection with Tuckerton, when
inaugurated, and the Doua station. The last-namtd would only be
naed for Franco-American traffic until the completion of the
Croix d'Hins station, near Bordeaux. Lastly, the Administration,
in agreement with the Ministry of the Colonies, had framed a
programme for a network of very powerlul stations directly linking
the French capital with all its oversea colonies. The construction
of the colonial network would take some time, but meanwhile a
temporary system was under consideration for the use of the Press.
and private telegrams by means of fairly powerful stations linked
up to the Doua station and that of Croix d'Hurs, which will shortly
be working. This programme. M. Deschamps says, when com-
pleted, will render France independent of the Ensflish system.

Georgia (Russia). — Wireless Station. — Negotiations

are under way between the Georgian Government and a Frenck
company for the establishment of a powerful wireless station
Tiflis.

Holland. — Wireless Telephony. — By arrangement

with the Government the Committee of the Amsterdam Bourse has
made provision for the introduction of a system of wireless tele-
phony next month in connection with transactions with the
provinces and with Rotterdam, says the Financial limes.

Ireland. — Secret AVireless. — Last week a complete
wireless installation was reported to have been found In a house at
Drumsna, Co. Leitrim ; the police attach much importance to the
capture of the installation.

Italy. — Automatic Telephones. — The intention of the
Government to spend 10,000.000 lire on the introduction of
automatic telephones has been linked with the statement that
native firms are to be passed over, and the orders placed in Germany.
The Tribiiitii explains that the Government, not to compromise the
success of its large scheme, was bound to invite competition.
During the war there was an agitation against orders for automatic
telephones being placed with the English Siemens Co. and with
the Western Co., and as a consequence, the Societa Construttori
Telefoni Italiani was constituted, consisting of the five principal
firms specialising in this branch, namely, the Societa Industrie
Telefoniche Italiane, the Societa A. Perego, the Societa Telefoni
Privati, the Societa Adriatica Telefoni. and the Societa Giulio
Galanti e Ca. There seems little risk of the Government passing
over the native industry.

Liverpool, — Wireless Fire Call. — The Fire Brigade
last week experimented in calling the brigade to a scene of fire by
means of wireless telegraphy, A similar test was recently made in
London.

Siianghai. — New Wireless Station. — A powerful

wireless station, which will be available for commercial and
official purposes. Is to be established at Shanghai, says Tlie Times.

Ships' Wireless. — D.O.R.A. Regulation Revoked. —

An Order in Council, published in the London Gazette of August
13th, revokes, from September 1st, Regulation 37 B, under the
Defence of the Realm Regulations, which made it compulsory for
every British ship of 1,600 tons or over to be provided with a
wireless outfit, and to carry two certified operators.

United States. — New Wireless Service. — The

"Naval Communication Service" began on August 17th, when
commercial, private, and Press messages were accepted fcr trans-
mission to France by wireless. The commercial rate is the same as
that charged for messages sent by cable, while the Press rate is
10 cents a word. Messages will also be accepted for Belgium, the
Xetherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Czecho-Slovakia, and
Jugo-Slavia, via Lyons. — Financial Times.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

C The date given in parentheses at the eid of the paragraph indicates
the issue of the ElecTKIc.u, KevieW, in which the " Official
Notice " appeared.

OPEN.

Australia. — Commonwealtli Government. November
24th. Protected cable terminals and cable distribution boxes.
Specifications &c., will be available at Australia House, Strand.
W.C. — Reuters Trade Service. (Brisbane).

Victoria. — October JOth. Victorian State Rivers and Water
Supply Commission. Two I.hOo-b.h.p. steam turbines, with
mechanical reduction gearing and condensing jilant. — Iteudr'.i
Trade Swire (Melbourne).

Azores. — September 28th. Specifications (in Spanish)
of electric lighting plant, required for the city of Ponta Delegada
S. Michel, Azores, may be seen on application to Capt. Vandeleur,
Department of fiverseas Trade. London (Room 4s).

Belgium. — September 10th. Municipal authorities at
Antwerp. Switchgear boxes required for the electric cranes to
be erected on the quays of the new doclts (Nos. 2 and 3). Three-
phase, alternating. 3ii(.i volte. Specifications (in French) may be
seen on application to Capt. Vandeleur. Room L-^ (Department of
Overseas Trade. London).

Birmingham. — September 1st. Salvage Committee.
Two luO-KW., 440-V., D.c, compound-wound, steam-driven gen-
erating sets, complete with surface condenser and switchboard.
(July 30th.)

Blackpool. — August 27th. Corporation. Two water-tube
boilers, superheaters, economisers, stokers, &c.; two sets of induced
draught plant ; coal conveying, kc, plant. (July Iijth.)

Bolton.— September ICth. Electricity Department. One

12,0UU-KW. turbo-alternator. (See this issue.)

^g^^SH^f^j^

•^2i2

■^■M^iatflirtiAfiiBAififtritfkArittH

iidi^UMiUB^

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2.230, auoust 20, 1920.

Bradford. — September 9th. Electricity Committee.
Contract R. 150. No. 4 boOer house and equipment, inclndinK
buildings, water-tube boilers, economieers, induced draught plant,
feed pumps, coal-handling plant and piping systems. (August iith.)

CapeTowa. — August 23rd. The Department of Overseas

Trade has received specifications for transforming apparatus, switch-
gear, poles, cross arms, insulators, hou.se connections, street lighting
fittings, switches, lightning arresters. &c., for the electric lighting
scheme at Mosael Bay. Copies may be seen at the oflSce of the
Department, Boom 48 (Capt. Vandeleur'), but it should be noted
that Monday. August 23rd, is the closing date for tenders.

Chile.— February, 1921. The Chilean Legation at Paris
(23, Avenue du Bois de Boulogne) is asking for tenders for the
supply and installation of electric power in the first zone of the
Chilean railways. Sealed tenders are returnable before February 1st,
1921.

Croydon. — September 8th. Tramways Department.
Supply and installation of a new feeder cable. (August 13th.)

Edlnbnrgh. — September 6th. Electricity Department.
Converting plant for Portobello generating station and sub-station.
Specification No. 26. (August 6th.)

lodla. — Aoiii. — October 22nd. Municipal Board.
Complete generating plant, comprising : four Diesel engines and
H.T. alternators ; h.t. and l.t. switchgear. transformers and sub-
station equipment; 1.') miles underground h.t. cables, 2S miles
overhead l.t. three-phase mains and street lighting equipment,
complete with all accessories. (.See this issue.)

London. — Walthamstow. — September 8th. Urban
District Council. Electricity Department. Two water- tube boUers
and eoonomisers ; one .'.oixi-KW. turbo-alternator and condensing
plant ; one l..iOO-KW. and one l.OOUKW. rotary or motor con-
verters ; one natural-draught cooling tower ; e.h.t. and L.T.
switchgear; E.H.T. cables. (August 13th.)

West Ham.— September '.'tb. Board of Guardians. Electrical
fittings for six months. Mr. T. Smith. Clerk '..o the Guardians,
Union Road. Leytonstone. E. 1 1 .

Manchester. — August 30th. Electricity Committee.
Barton power station : 33,000-volt, 3-phase trunk feeders (26 miles),
pilot cables (104 miles), telephone cables (19 miles). Specification
B. 7. (August 6th.)

August 24th. Electricity Committee. One steam turbine-driven
boLler-feed pump, for Stuart Street generating station. Mr. F. E.
Hughes, Secretary, Electricity Department, Town Hall. Deposit
£1 Is. (returnable).

September 2nd. Markets Committee. Pumps, motors and fittings,
for Smithfield and Elm Street cold stores. Specifications. &c., from
General Superintendent, Markets Department, Town Hall.

September 20th. Electricity Committee. Six 33,000-volt, 19,.">iHi
K.V.A., 3-phase static transformers, house service and testing trans-
formers. (August 6th.)

Nnneaton. — September 20th. Electricity Department.
H. and L.T. switchgear, connecting cables and accessories. (August
13th.)

PortsmoDth. — August 25th, Electric Lighting Com-
mittee. One 4,000-KW. turbo-alternator ; two water-tube boilers,
each of 30,000 lb. per hour capacity. (July 30th.)

Soulh Africa. — Johannesburg. — September 6th. Gas

and Electric Supply Department. Class A. One or more light
electric passenger vehicles. Class B. One or more light electric
delivery vehicles. (August 13th.)

Stockton-on-Tees. — August 30th. District Fund, Gas
and Electricity Committees. Articles and stores for six months.
(August 13th.)

Spain. — The Direccion General de Correos y Telegrafos,
invites tenders, up to the end of the month, for the supply of 4n
tons of electrolytic copper wire of 3J m/m dia., to be employed on
the telegraphic lines from Bilbao to Gibraltar and Madrid to BObao.
— Meiiterx Trade Serrice.

Uganda. — December 20th. Government of the Uganda
Protectorate. Tenders invited for a concession of a portion of the
Bipon Falls of the Nile. See this column in our issue of July 30th.

Warrington. — September 7th. Electricity and Tramways
Committee. Surface condensing plant. (August 6th.)

CLOSED.

Glasgow. — Electricity Committee.

Recommended :^

. step-down ti'anatormei'S, £29,211.— Met. -Vlckers Electrical
BritiBh Electric

nine 1,»75k.v.

Co., Ltd.
Nine l,875-K.v,A. Btep-down transformers, j£29,S

Transformer Co., Ltd.

New Zealand. — The New Zealand Government has
ordered from Messrs. British Electric Vehicles, Ltd.. of Sonthport,
l.uree of their locos, to haul loads of 20 tins, complete with three
uiotor-generator sets, switchboirds and all the necessary accessories.
TiiBy are for use in conjunction with the hydro-electric schemes
bioh are being carried out in New Zealand.

Sunderland. — Council. Accepted by Electricity Com-
mittee : —

B. I. & Helsby Cables, Ltd.— Cable.

Armstrong, Addison 4 Co.— Creosoted redwood trougliiiig and creoAoted
rapping.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS.

British Association for the Advancement of Science. — 88th anntui
meeting at Cardiff, from August 21th to 28th inclusire.

Tuesday, August 21th. At 8 p.m. In the Park Hall. PresidentUt
address on " Oceanography," by Prof. W. A. Herdman, F.R.8.

NOTES.

Institute of Metals. — The autumn meeting of th
Institute will be held at Barrow-in-Furness, on September 15ti
and 16th. — An attractive programme has been arranged, whio
includes civic receptions, social functions, &c., visits to iron an
steel works in the district, and visits to the Fumess Hailv
works, the Barrow paper mills, and the Hodbarrow mines. Dn
the meeting the following papers are expected to be submitted fi|
discussion : —

W. E. Alkins, M.Sc, on " The Immiscibility of Metals from the
Point of View of the Pha?e Rule."

Eng. Lieut.-f'omm. G. B. Allen, R.N., on " Service Experieno
with Condensers."

T. G. Bamford, M.Sc, and W. E. Ballard on " The Influence o:
Gases on High-Grade Brass."

Kathleen E. Bingham, B.Sc., on "The AUotropy of Zinc."

Prof. H. C. H. Carpenter. F.R.S., and Constance ,r. Elam on
"Crystal Growth and RecrystaUisation in Metals."

J. H. S. Dickenson, " Note on a Failure of Manganese Bronze."

D. Hanson, M.Sc , and Marie L. V. Gayler. B.Sc., on " The Con-
stitution of the Alloys of Aluminium and Magnesium."

0. F. Hudson, D.Sc, and J. H. Darley on "The Constitution and
Structure of Certain Tin-Antimony-Coppar Alloys."

F. Johnson, M Sc, on " Some Features in the Behaviour of Beti
Brass when Cold-Rolled."

R. T. Rolfe, F.I.C., on " The Effect of Increasing Proportions o
Antimony and of Arsenic respectively upon the Properties o:
Admiralty Gun-Metal."

H. B. Weeks, F.I.C., " Notes on Brass- Foundry Practice at MessiB
Viokers. Ltd."

Engineering Tool Standards.— A report (Is. 3d., pee

free) issued by the British Engineering Standards Association, 26
Victoria Street, S.W. 1, deals with British standards for millinf
cutters and reamers. The first part of the report gives definitioni
of the various classes of these tools, followed by a series of defini
tions of various types of each cla?3, each type being accompanie<
by an explanatory diagram. The second part contains 5S tables
giving the standard dimensions and tolerances of the various tools
including tables of Brown and Sharpe and Morse tapers. Standait
dimensions for arbors and keys and keywajs are also given.

dan I
iciM

Charity Sports Meeting.— The C.A.V. Athletic Assooii

tion is holding a closed and opsn sports meeting to-morrow on i
ground at Old Oak Road, Shepherd's Bush, in aid of the Ac
Cottage Hospital. Such a worthy object should ensure a larg#
number of visitors ; the meeting comprises many open eveul*
besides those confined to the London business houses, and, after thf
sports, there will be a conceit and dancing.

Floating Exhibitions. —A committee of Italian busine
men has chartered a yacht which is to visit North Afrioap
and Spanish ports and Marseilles this month, for the purpose cd
exhibiting the products of 1,200 Italian firms.

An ex-German 2.000-ton vessel is being refitted at Brooklyr
before making a world business tour. She will carry 1 ..iOO exhibits
of I'.S. manufacture and will make a year's voyage to Soutl
America. Europe and Asia. The trip hag been organised by »
company of U.S. business men.

Electricity in Italy. — The total consumption of electrical
energy in KW.-hours in Italy in the last six working years was u
follows : —

Veara. Kw. -hours. Diflference— Kw.-houti.

1913-1914 ... 2,311.930,347 —

Un4-191B ... 2,o73,017,;i31 -f 264,000.000

1915-1916 ... 2,859.724,982 -(- 286,000,000

1916-1917 ... 3,796,719,209 + 937,000,000

1917-1918 ... 3,391,588,933 -t- 595,000,000

1918-1919 ... 3,743285,194 + 342,000,000

Sentence. — At Hull Police Court on Monday, (Jeorge
Knight, chief electrical engineer to the British Oil and Cake
Mills, Ltd., was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment in the
second division on charges of theft. It was stated that the goods
stolen, and the cost of the firm's labour employed on the residence
prisoner was building, totalled in value £1,400. The defence was
that accused, who was suffering from cansumption, succumbed to
temptation in his anxiety to provide for the future of his wife.

toi. 8t. No. 2,230, AUGUST 20. 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

243

Electricity In India. — Considering the pre-eminent)

tnportance of irrigation in the Province of Lahore, it is not
urpriain? that the majority of the papers contributed to the Lahore
Snpineering Congress should have dealt with that subject, says
hulian Engi/irerinp. Nevertheless, the paper by Mr. F. L. Milne,
V.M.LE.E,, on a "Project for Providing the Punjab with a Cheap
Supply of Electric Power." was welcome. The electrical industry
n India is notoriously very backward ; the figures given by Mr.
mine, according to the journal referred to above, show that while
n India the number of watts installed per hesid of population is
)nly 0742, the corresponding figure is 33 for the British Isles, 148
lor Canada, 61'8 for Australasia, and 5ti'9 for the Union of South
Vfrica. Similarly, taking the percentage utilised of the total
lorse-power available, India is very behindhand in the development
if the water power at her disposal as compared with other countries.
'This was, however, only to be anticipated. A country, where the

X . • constfvettv\

Hydbo-Electbical Installations of India.

ndustry has been mainly agricultural, where the labour rates are
ow, and the teeming millions are simple people with few wants,
las not the same incentive to exploit the water power available as
xiimtries confronted with very different conditions. If India has
noved slowly, there are reasons why she should have dawdled.
But that does not mean that she is going to be content to loiter
'or ever. A spirit of enterprise is awakening, and will in time
jeoome much more awake and alive to the potentialities, and Mr.
Milne's paper comes opportunely as a sign-post to point the way."
[n concluding a series of articles on the existing and proposed
lydro-electrical installations in India, Indian Indnxtriex and Power
■eoently published a map, which we reproduce above, pointing out
;hat most of the places where hydro-electrical development has
;aken place in that country lie along two lines — an east-west line
iliing the Himalayas, and a north-south line along the Western
jbats. In the illustration those installations that are in operation
ite marked with a dot ; those under construction are marked with
i cross, while those indicated with a circle are not working.

Rallless Traction in Stiangliai.— At the Private E.xhi-

bition Hall of the Inter-Ocean Photoplays Co., Ltd., on the 11th
intt., Mr. D. McCoU, engineer and manager of the Shanghai Tram-
ways, by request of Messrs. RaUless, Ltd., showed an interesting
Urn depicting the railless service at Shanghai, and afterwards
;aTe a description of the system. A feature of the cars is
the life-guard in front of the wheels, which makes it practically
impossible for anyone to sustain serious injuries. A rope net is
Bied in front of the car, so that if it collides with a pedestrian he
is picked up into the net, and feels nothing more than the shock.
Ihe cars wind in and out of the traffic with ease, and can be drawn
io the side of the road, thus allowing passengers to alight and
board the car without stepping on to the road. This advantage is
found extremely useful in the case of a breakdown, as it does not
impede the progress of the cars following behind. Mr. McCoU, in
x)3cluding his remarks, said that he was of the opinion that any
further extensions of British tramways should be on railless lines.

Royal Astronomical Society. — Meetings for the coming

ession have been arranged for the first and third Fridays of the
nonth. The subjects chosen for discussion include geodesy,
errestrial magnetism, seismology, and meteorology. Fellows of the
'hysical Society are invited to attend.

An Electrical Hot-wire Inclinometer.— The above instru-
ment was the subject of a paper read by Mr. J. S. G. Thomas before
the Physical Society of London in June last. The instrument con-
sists essentially of two fine platinum wires (diameter about O'l mm ")
mounted parallel to one another in a closed chamber at a distance
apart equal to about 1 mm. A constant current of from 0'4 to
1.5 ampere (according to the sensitivity desired) is maintained in
the wires, which constitute two of the arms of a Wheatstone
bridge arranged so that the bridge is balanced in the zero position
of the inclinometer. If desired, the bridge may be constituted of
two pairs of heated wires as above. The irclinometer wires, in the
zero position, may be either vertical or horizontal or inclined at any
angle to the horizontal. The indications of the instrument are
dependent upon the relative heating or cooling effects experienced
by the respective wires when the orientation of the wires about a
horizontal axis is altered. The galvanometer deflection occurring
with alteration in such orientation serves to indicate the inclina-
tion of a definite radius vector to the horizontal, and calibration
curves were given for the cases where the axis of rotation is hori-
zontal, and («) in the plane of the wires and parallel to the wires,
and (*) at right angles to the plane of the wires. The charac-
teristics of the calibration curves were discnsssd and curves given
showing how the resistances of the respective wires depended upon
the orientation of the wires. Attention was directed to the finite
width of the column of heated gas ascending from the wires, and
an empirical formula was deduced expressing the maximum
deflection as a function of the bridge current employed. In the
course of the discussion on the paper, Mr. F. J. W. Whipple referred
to practical applications, such as the use of the instrument in an
aeroplane. How would the results be effected by angular accelera-
tion of the system .' Mr. F. E. Smith emphasised this point. It
appeared that this inclinometer would give precisely the same
indication as a mechanical inclinometer, such, for instance, as a
suspended bob or a marble in a glass cylinder. In the two possible
cases of unaccelerated flight, viz., right way up and upside down,
there was never any doubt. Dr. Hopwood asked how the behaviour
varied with the diameter of the wire used .' Some time ago he had
heated two loops of fine wire in series in coal gas. At atmospheric
pressure the finer of the two glowed perceptibly and the other did
not. On reducing the pressure it was possible to get the thicker
wire glowing while the other was dark. Could any anomalous
effects arise from such causes as this .' Mr. Thomas, in reply, said
that he had determined the ratio of the thermal conductivity of
various gases to that of air. He had found the same ratio at
600° C. as at ordinary temperatures, and had interpreted this as
indicating the existence of a skin of occluded gas round the wire.
The thickness of this skin would be the * term in King's formula.
He had not yet investigated the conditions below the wire. He
agreed that the instrument only indicated the apparent direction of
gravity, but he had had the impression that there was some
difficulty in discriminating between right and wrong way up in
certain cases, and that there was no satisfactory indicator for this
purpose in use. Another application connected with aviation was
in setting the nose of experimental models exactly head on to the
wind. Experiments had been made with various wires, and no
anomalies of the type mentioned by Dr. Hopwood were found. The
gas was at atmospheric pressure in practice.

Vacuum Arcs for Interferometry.— A paper on the use

of vacuum arcs for interferometry was recently rea.d by Mr. J.
Guild before the Physical Society of London, Ln which he discussed
the relative merits of short and long mercury arcs for this work,
and pointed out that the defect of the former was due to the
broadening of the spectrum lines consequent on the high vapour
pressure within the lamp. He showed that by attaching a
condensing bulb to the lamp, so as to prevent excessive rise of
vapour pressure, the short lamp could be made practically as good
as the long one as regards sharpness of lines, while still being of
much greater intrinsic brightness.

Canada's Domestic Electric Apparatus Industry.— The

report of the Bureau of StatUtics for 1918 shows that 68 under-
takings manufacturing electrical apparatus were in operation, with
a capital investment of over £ 1 0.OOi i,00( i and employing 8,863 people.
The following quantities of material used by these industries
are of interest : — Foundry castings, iron, brass, copper, and
aluminium, 95,099 tons ; pig-iron, 4,190 tons ; steel, bar-sheet and
castings, 6 i87 tons ; insulating materials, 6,290 tons. The total
selling value of articles produced in 1918 was £7,000,000. Canada
in 1919 imported electrical apparatus to the value of *2,600,000,
most of which was from the United States.

Inquiry.— The name of a North of England firm, that
makes chimney corner castings (four comer brackets with bolts), to
which insulators are bolted for carrying overhead mains, ia
asked for.

Appointments Vacant.— deputy engineer-in-chief and
manager, for the Shanghai Municipal Electricity Department
(salary 1,000 taels per month ; tael = 5s. 6d.) ; director of posts and
telegraphs (£600), for the Government of the Somaliland Pro-
tectorate ; electrical and general draughtsman, technical instructor
in electrical engineering, and chief instructor in dynamo and motor
manufacture, &c., for the Government Instructional Factory,
Ponders End ; assistant lecturer (£300), and demonstrator in civil and
mechanical engineering, and one for the Electrical Engineering
and Applied Physics Department (£300), for the Northampton
Polytechnic Institute ; shift charge engineer (£276), for the
Walsall Corporation Electricity Supply Department. Bee out
advertisement pages to-day.

244

"IKE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,230, auoubt 20, 1920.

Australian Developments, — With the issue of our con-
temporary, ihB-/«(/«.it/iiit Australian luul Minhiq iStiindard, tor June
17tn, l\fM, mere is lucluOea a special supplement of 50 odd pa^es
Uescribing, and very tuUy iinistraliug, the " Harneasin;; ot
Australia s Ureateat Kiver," the Kreac scueme undertalcen by the
Uovernmeuts of ine LommonweaUn of Australia and of the states
of Mew &outn v*fale8, Viutoria, and South Australia, with a view to
the more profitable use of the waters oi the river Murray.

Home Office Factory Inspectorate. — An important

scheme oi' leuryanisauon uas beeii sanctioned tor tlie lactory
departmeut ol tue JdoJiie Olhce, and will be brought into opera-
tion as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made.
Among the alterations are lue louuwing : It nas become
necessary, owing to the increase in the number ol lactones
and woi'Kshops, and the great growth in ttie duties devolving
on the mspectorate, to reduce me areas ol the divisions and
districts into which the country is divided tor mspectiou
purposes, ihe number ol divisions will be increased Irom
SIX to ten, and the number of districts irom &A to bO, whiie
a corresponding reduction will be made m tne number ot
junior inspectors, ihe scientrhc and technical stall ot the
departmeut will be considerably strengthened in order to
enable it to cope with new developments witn regard to safety
and health, ihe medical staff is to be increased trom three
to hve, one of whom will be a woman, ihe special engineer-
mg staff' which is more particularly concerned with problems
ot salety, ventilation, i^c, arismg in connection with the
admmisiration ol the iTactory Acts, will be reconstituted and
enlarged; and, in view ol the great growth m the use of
electricity tor industrial purposes, lour additional electrical
mspectors will be appoinced to enlorce the salety require-
ments of the electricity regulations. the changes involve
considerable redistribution ol the staff' as between the various
grades, and in particular the number of women mspectors
will be considerably increased, but the total number ol the
staff' will remain about the same. At the same time, the
scales of salaries of the inspectorate have been revised in
view of the increase in the remuneration which technical
qualilications and experience command in mdustry.

A New Transmission Gear. — We were recently priviledged

to examine an invention for which a great futm-e is
predicted. In general, present-day variable-speed gears
are not entirely satisfactory, then' chief drawback resid-
ing, of coirrse, in the process of changing from one
speed to another. In all spur gears a certain amount
of skill on the part of the man in charge is absolutely neces-
sary to the well-being ol the mechanism, 'ihe gate system of
gears permits of certain delinite ratios only, thus limiting the
majority of gears to a small number of changes. To obviate
these and other undesirable features in transmission and
speed control the present invention, the work of Mr. Franxis
J. He.^lev, has been evolved. Mr. Healey's invention consists
uf two expanding and contracting sprockets mounted on
parallel shafts, and connected by an endless chain of constant
length. The use of expanding pulleys in this connection is
probably not new, but the driving connection in previous de-
signs of this nature has been purely frictional, and the
employment of a chain drive fitting into accurately cut gear
teeth is a novel departure. In the application inspected,
which was a typical example of the gear applied to machine-
tool operation, the sprocket device consisted of a number of
eegments mounted and free to operate in radial slots between
two retaining plates. Each segment consisted of a block
into which two or three teeth were fixed, a spring allowing
a small temporary circumferential displacement to permit the
teeth to adjust themselves to the cham and returning them
to their normal position when past the chain. Entering the
centre of the wheels and mounted upon each of the two
parallel shafts were cones bearing ribs of dovetail section to
coincide with and support the toothed segments. These cones
were coupled together in such a manner that, by the operation
of a lever, as one receded from the sprocket wheel, thereby
allowing the segments to fall towards the centre and reduce
the diameter, the other entered the wheel on the opposite
shaft forcing its segments outwards, and thus keeping the
chain at the same degree of tightness. The action throughout
was very smooth and noiseless, even when the lever was
quickly brought over from one limit to the other. The range
of speeds extended from 1 to 9 in each direction; any inter-
mediate fractional ratio was obtainable, the only operation
necessary being the movement of the controlling lever. The
cases in which this gear might be installed with advantage
are innumerable, hut the makers anticipate that the greatest
demand will be forthcoming from makers of printing machines
as well as lathe and other machine-tool manufacturers. Its
application to automobiles is also contemplated. It is pro-
posed to incorporate the gear in the lathe itself, and thus do
away with the present headstock and countershaft sy.stem.
As an indication of its practical and commercial worth, it
may be mentioned that in the negotiations for the purchase
of a works by the British Universal Variable Gears, Ltd.,
who have acquired the sole British rights of the invention,
the vendors have signified their willingness to take the whole
of the payment in shares. Furthermore, the purchase price
agreed upon was not excessive, but rather in the opposite
direction,

'. L. & N.W. Railway Electrification.— The rearrange mente
anu improvements on the London d, ISorth-Western iiailway
lines between (Jhalk Farm and Kuston, which were begun
m iyl3, but were interfered with at the outbreak of war, and
hnally closed down as a result of an order issued by the
Mmistry of Munitions at the end of 1917, under which the
Government took possession of the contractors' plant, have
recently been resumed, says the Times, and already consider-
able progress has been made. The principal object ot the
alterations is to provide a means whereby the electric traine
which for some time past have been rurmmg from Broad
Street, City, to Watford, uia the Hainpstead Junction line,
should also be able to run via Chalk i'arm, and also from
Eustou to Watford. \\ hen the work is completed it will
be possible for passengers to travel between Watford and
Euston and vice oersa by an electrified line. The approach
to a busy terminus such as Eu.ston is naturally much con-
gested, and the congestion has been largely increased by tht
necessity which has hitherto existed for trains to cross ovei
from one side to the other, with the necessary consequenct
that while doing so they block two Imes of rails. .\n im
portant part of the new scheme of alterations is the remova
of this inconvenience. The proposal is to lower both up anc
down slow Lines to allow ot the up fast line crossing ovei
them by means of a bridge, thus avoiding any crossmg or
the level. Some idea of the compUcated nature of the plar
may be gathered from the fact that three lines are almos
entirely superimpo.sed. At Chalk Farm the railway is beinj
widened on the north (up side) and the existing hnes re
arranged on the widened area. This is to provide tor th.
construction of the additional lines which are to connect th'
present slow (or local) lines from Euston aud the Nortl
London lines from Broad Street with the new tunnels. Thes
tunnels are constructed almost parallel with the presen
steam line tunnels between Chalk Farm and Loudoim Road
from which point on\sard there will be two additional line
reserved for Watford electric services. Another new featur
which will be of the greatest convenience and conduce greatl
to efficiency of working is a new tunnel by means of whic
empty coaches can be brought from the carriage sheds a
Willesden to Chalk Farm over the existing up slow line an
can cross over underground to the departure platform
at Euston. This means that the lines on the level at th
approach to the station are freed from being blocked b
■' empties." Elaborate arrangements have been made t
interfere as little as possible with the outgoing and ingoin
trains at Euston while the work is in progress. It is nc _
expected that the scheme will be completed before 1922.

Seivice Notes. — Naval Telephones. — It has beeij

decided that the rental of telephones required for offio
naval pm'poses in private residences will no longer be who
paid for by the .\dmiralty. Fresh arrangements are
nounced in Navy orders, which take effect as from April
last, " and no exceptions can be permitted." This decia
does not affect the telephones installed in official resideno_
which are regarded as part of the Official equipment of sue
residences, and_ the officers concerned are not charged wit!
the rental of the instruments, .\ccording to the Times, EJ
regards private houses, in cases where an officer is in rec
of emoluments of i£840 per annum or over, including
bonus, he will bear the whole of the rental, together w|
any surcharge. Officers with emoluments of between £4
and i'S40, including bonus, will be required to contribute]
the extent of £1 per annum. All other salaried officers
pay a contribution of 15s. per annum. The last two claa
will also pay the same proportion of surcharge as of the rens
The charges mentioned are to be revised in accordance
any alteration made in the public rates for telephones,
all cases, payment for outward calls in excess of the numbe
covered by the minimum annual subscription is to be map
by the officer concerned direct to the Post Office at his ow
charge. Officers and others will pay rent and sure
direct to the Post Office in the first instance, and reclas
these, less the amount of their contribution, from the At
miralty, or from the local paymaster in the case of establisi
ments abroad. When the transfer of a telephone is nt
necessitated by service reasons, its cost in normal casesui
to be borne by the officer concerned. '

\ tablet to the memory of the 50 officers and men of «
Portsmouth Division of Electrical Engineers who gave tlil
lives for King and Country in the Great W'ar was unveil
last week in H.M.S. Vernon, torpedo schoolship at Pon
mouth. The tablet was presented by the electrical artific^
mess of the TVniou.

Lieut. A. A. Davis has resigned his commission in
Tyne Electrical Engineers, which he j'oined in 1016. getti
his second star in August, lOlS. Major A. V. Sine
.^.M.I.E.E.. late Royal Engineer.'!, has been pn.sted to
^^'elsh Divisional Engineers. He served with the Royal
gineers in the late war.

The Transport Problem in Paris.— The General Coub

of the Seine has now adojited tlio scheme for the expropriatl
of the siirfaie transport undertaking's, to wliidi refere
was made in a previous issue, and has fixed the redempti
annuities to be paid for 30 years in francs as follows :
Omnibus Co.. an annuity of 16.800,00(1. as compared
17,975,000 which was claimed; the TVamways de la Se

Vol. 87. No. 2,230, AnotrsT 20, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL SEVTEWo 245 ^

5 400,000, as against 6,500,000 asked for ; the Tramways Sud
I'lOO.OOO in place of 5,00(J,000; the Est-Parisien 3,600,000 in
lieu of 4,500,000; the Ti-amways de la Rive Gauche 620,000,
instead of 65U,UOO, and the Nogeutais tramways 2,000,(JUO fr.,
IS contrasted with the demand for 2,965,000 fr. One company
IS stated to have refused the offer, while m the other cases the
respective managers are consulting the directors of the com-
panies concerned. The Paris municipal council, which is also
jiterested in the scheme of amalgamation under local ad-
flinistrative control, has endorsed the action of the general
council. AU the undertakings in question are proposed to
je transferred as from January 1st, 1021, to an operating com-
pany according to terms to be arranged between the general
■ouncil and the representative of the new company to be
X)ustituted for working the lines. M. Mariage, manager oi^
;he Compagnie des Omnibus, has undertaken to form the
lew company, so that it may be assumed that the existing
ximpanies will still take an interest in the future of the
;ervices in question.

Lead Poisoning in Accumnlator Works. — The Manchester

?ity Coroner held the adjourned inquiry on August 11th into
;he death of Nellie Farringtou (22), who was employed at
\dessrs. Oldham A- Sons, electrical works, at Denton, as an
iccumulator assembler, her duty being to file off a lead portion
)f the accumulator to make the cells fit correctly. Deceased
lad worked on this particular job from February to June of
bis year, and in the middle of the latter month she cpm-
)lained of a pain at the back of the neck, and was treated
jy a doctor for neuritis. Later acute pains in the shoulder and
eft arm developed, and early in July the girl was removed

0 Ancoats Hospital, where she died the day following ad-
nission.

Dr. Walton, of Ancoats Hospital, who gave evidence at
he preliminary inquu-y early in July, repeated that when
idmitted to the institution the deceased was in a moribund
•ondition, and she was suffering from paralysis of the wrists
wrist drop), a common feature of lead poisoning. He could,
lowever, find no visible traces of lead poisoning.

Dr. Harry Heap, pathologist at Manchester University, said
hat oil analysis of the brain of the deceased woman he found
here 2.44 milligrams of lead, in the kidneys 0.57 milhgram,
ind in the Uver 11.18 milhgi'ams. Asked what his experience
vas as to the amount of lead likely to be present in cases of
ead poisoning, Dr. Heap said that in such cases idiosyncrasy
)layed such a great part that it was almost impossible to state
he exact amount of lead. It was well known that in females
he incidence of lead poisoning was greater. His experience
hewed him that fatalities occurred ' both when smaller and
arger amounts of lead were present than in this case. He
lid not think it could be laid down that a definite amount
if lead would exert definite symptoms in anybody. Some
leople, he said, developed resistance — they tolerated lead
aore than others. He had found in a typical case of lead
)oisoning less lead than was found in the liver in this case.

The coroner said the case was a most important one in
he interests of electrical workers, and thence the reason
or the microscopic examination by the pathologist. This was

1 clear case of lead poisoning, and his verdict would be
' Death from nephritis, caused by lead poisoning." No blame
vas attached to Messrs. Oldham's, who took every possible
irecaution, and provided all necessary requisites.

Indnction Frequency Changers. — A recent issue of
'ou-er describes a new application of the high-speed induction
iiotor to certain clas.ses of machine drive which has been made
lossible by the development of an induction frequency
•hanger by the General Electric Co. (U.S.A.). This device
tenerates power at frequencies that will produce speeds of
8,000 R.p.M. or higher, and as a result high-speed induction
notqrs can be dii-ectly applied to various types of machines,
■liminating belts or gears with their disadvantages.

The frequency changer consists of a wound-rotor type
nduction motor, the stator of which is connected elec-
rically to an alternating-current source of power. By
otating the machine in a direction opposite to that in which
t would run as a motor, frequencies are generated in the
otor equal to that of the exciting chcuit plus that djie to
he reversed rotation of the rotor.

Practically all the energy taken from the commercial circuit
8 transformed into high-frequency energy, the over-all effi-
•iency being approximately 90 per cent. \Vhcre direct cur-
ent only is available, an inverted rotary converter can be
ised both as a motor to drive the frequency changer and to
iupply the excitation for the stator. The high-frequency
iupplied by this device being always three-phase secures
iniformity as well as economy and simplifies both the motors
ind the frequency changers. The most economical sets are
hose having driving motors directly connected to the fre-
[uency changers.

The high-speed motors used in connection with these fre-
juency changers are constructed the same as the small stan-
lard squirrel-cage motors, having rotors of the cast-alloy
ype and are very compact. In the construction of
he rotor the punchings are held securely in place, and the
lots completely filled with cast alloy. In the stator the
vmdings are thoroughly impregnated with moisture-proof
nsulating compound which acts further to prevent movement
1 Wires and unites the cud turns into a solid mass which

readily dissipates the heat that is generated in the interior
of the winding.

The standard motors are two-pole, and wound in two series,
the first x'ated normally at 120 cycles 220 volts, the second
at 200 cycles 110 volts, to operate at a range of from 200 to
300 cycles. The operating voltage of the motors must vary
in proportion to the speed and frequency, but this change is
accomplished automatically by the frequency changer. The
normal slip is from 5 to 7 per cent., but where the load is
such that the starting torque is the factor in determining the
size of the motor, it can be increased by increasing the slip
to 8 or 10 per cent., although such changes are objectionable
if the motor must carry full load. Successful appUcations
have been made with speeds ranging from 7,200 to 12,000
revolutions per minute.

Wireless Telegrapliy in Argentina. — The local Press of
Buenos Aires recently devoted much space to a prospectus
of " Transradio : Argentine Eadiotelegraphic Co., Ltd.," and
according to the Times Trade Supplement, its keynote is struck
in the very first paragraph, which states that : " The idea
of forming the company took shape in Germany, backed by
the following institutions which have and will give it their
most hearty support : The \Yireless ' Telefunken ' Co.,
' Overseas Wu-eless Traflic,' Ltd., Deutsche Bank, and the
Dresdner Bank, all of Berlin. The mere mention of these
names signifies for shareholders most flattering prospects.
These institutions conjointly form the most jiowerful banking
and industrial consortium in Germany, and bring to the new
company technical and financial capacity of the first order."
To those who followed the discoveries made during the war
period relative to German commercial and financial expansion
abroad, this paragraph practically tells the whole story. The
formation of a powerful transmitting station in Argentina
able to communicate in any weather with Nauen. Berlin, and
with all other stations of the group using the " Telefunken "
system, is not new, at any rate, in so far as the idea is
concerned, for on more than one occasion during the war
tentative efl'orts to establish at least a receiving station in
Argentina were made by local German interests.

The mitial capital has been fixed at $10,000,000 Argentme
paper, of which sum $4,.500,(X)0 has been found, in ordinary
shares. The Argentine public are asked to subscribe $3,000,00(J '
in 7 per cent, preference shares, the bulk of which has already
been promised, and the balance will be available for issue
as and when required. Complete control thus remains in
German hands, and the invariable practice of modern Ger-
man industrial finance is strictly adhered to.

Reduced tariffs, primarily put at tw'o-thirds the actual rate
charged by the cable companies, plus " freedom from delay
and extraneous interference " — this last advantage is insisted
on again and again — are calculated to give the new concern
a revenue of $1,830,000 Argentine paper per annum, and that
on the assumption of a bare 5,000 words daily service, which
is but a quarter of the capacity of the new station. With
six steel masts 210 metres in height, and a 400-kw. trans-
mission set, it is claimed that the station will prove one of
the most powerful in the world.

The company takes over the concession for the working
of a high-power wirele.ss station granted by the National
Government on March loth, 1919; the term of the concession
is 80 years, after which period all the installations become,
gratuitously, the property of the State.

Commenting on the prospectus, the Review of the River
Plate says that " All the foregoing is very interesting and
sounds quite practical. It seems a pity that British ' wireless '
enterprise should have left neglected so important a field as
Argentina for so long. A company subsidiary to the Marconi
Co. was established here nearly 15 years ago, and still exists
(we believe). The thousands of persons (mainly Italian
residents) who took up shares from motives of patriotism
(inspired by the talented inventor of the system) have never
had any return, and now we learn that the Marconi rights in
Argentina (controlled by the parent company in London) have
been ceded to a United States enterprise which contemplates
the early erection of a high-power station at Maschwitz."

Automatic Generating Station, — We have referred to or

described in our columns, on several previous occasions,
automatic sub-station installations, and now the Journal of
Electricity gives a faiily long description of a remotely-con-
trolled hydro-electric plant. Tliis is the Ontario plant No. 2
of the Ontario Power Co., California, situated in San Antonio
Canyon.

The equipment of plant No. 2 consists of one single Pelton
impulse turbine, overhung from a Westinghouse 500-k.v.a.,
50-cycle generator, with direct connected exciter. The tur-
bine is rated at .5.50-h.p., 290-ft. head, and receives water
through a duplex needle nozzle. A third separate nozzle is
used as a by-pass around the uuit in order to permit unin-
terrupted flow to plant No. 1, in case the upper plant is
shut down. All three of the nozzles are operated by electric
motors provided with interlocking limit switches, in order
to maintain fixed relative action between the three. This
arrangement is made for the purpose of maintaiuiug maximum
efficiency at all degrees of load and water consumption.
Governor operated jet deflectors are also provided for emer-
gency control and speed regulation.

Plant No. 2 is completely controlled from plant No. 1,

246

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,230, auoubt 20, 1920.

situated three and one-half miles down the canyon, by means
of a double throw switch. The adjustable contact limit
switches in the mechanism of the remotely-controlled plant
are responsible for the operation of the motors, but do not
themselves directly ailect the operation of the motors. 'Ihe
contact switches act on relays and contactors ou the switch-
board jxmel, and these in turn cause the motors to operate.
The various operations occur in proper sequence in the follow-
ing order : —

vVhen the plant is operating on full load, both power nozzles
are full open, and the by-pass nozzle is closed. If it is de-
sired to reject all of the load, the duplex switch in plant
Mo. 1 is thrown to the " to close " position, and the hrst action
is to close the relay which starts the closing of the upper
power nozzle. After a certain predetermined interval a contact
switch on the upper nozzle acts to close a relay, which starts
the closing of the lower power nozzle. Then for a certain
interval both nozzles are closmg together. Uu reaching a
certain point of closing, which corresponds to a predetermined
minimum stream flow, a contact switch on the lower nozzle
acts to close a relay, which effects the (jpening of the
by-pass nozzle. Then for a sliort interval both power nozzles
are closing and the by-pass nozzle is opening.

The upper nozzle, which starts to close lirst, reaches the
full closed position first, and its liuut switch acts to open
its closing relay to prevent jamming of the mechanism. By
the time the lower power nozzle reaches its full closed posi-
tion the liy-pass nozzle is opened to the predetermined point
which discharges the required flow, aud the limit switch on
the lower power nozzle acts to open all relays and stop all
action. Water then flows through the by-pass only, and
the generator is unloaded and removed from the line.

When it is desired to put the plant on to the line, the
duplex switch in plant No. 1 is thrown to the " to open " posi-
tion and the sequence of operations is started, but in the
reverse order, thus : —

1. By-pass closes aud lower power nozzle opens.

'2. Upper pov\'er nozzle opens with by-pass still closing, and
lower power nozzle opening.

3. By-pass nozzle reaches full closed position with both
power nozzles still opening.

4. Lower power nozzle reaches full open position and its
limit switch acts to stop all action, both power nozzles being
open and the by-pa.ss nozzle closed.

The operation of the plant is not limited only to the full
on or off positions, as any position between may be reached
and held by the manipulation of the central switch in plant
No. 1. This is a necesswry provision to permit the synchronis-
ing of plant No. 2 with plant No. 1, and to regulate for
different loads or stream flows.

Synchronising is accomplished altogether by the remote
control of the power nozzles, the synchroscope and main
generator switch being ou the panel with the nozzle control
switch in plant No. ]. A Tirrill regulator is installed at the
upper plant to effect voltage regulation of the remotely-con-
trolled unit in the normal way through the exciter field.

Telegraphic Photography.— By a process invented by

Mr. E. Belin. a Prencli engineer, a photograph of Swedish
women athletes marching in the Olympic Games Stadium
at Antwerp was " telephoned " '2(X) miles from Antwerp to
Paris last week in eight minutes, and appeared in the Matin.
According to the Times, the invention makes use of the in-
equalities of the surface of a carbon photograph. The in-
equaUties, which are exceedingly minute, vary with the depth
of shadow — that is to say, w^itli the effect of the light upon
the surface of the medium. The method of utilising these
conditions is as follows : The photograph to be transmitted
is placed on a cylinder in every respect hke the cyUnder used
in phonography, which, as it revolves, presents to a needle
every point of its surface. The needle and cylinder form
part of a telephone circuit, and the sound of the needle as
it passes over the diminutive elevations and depressions of
the photograph are amplified by means of a microphone
attached to the needle, that is to say, current which pas-ses
through the telephone wire varies in conformity -nith the
inequalities of the surface of the photograph. It remains
only to translate at the receiving end these variations of the
current in such a fashion as to reconstitute the picture. This
is done by means of a Blondel oscillograph.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

IK* BdUori invUt electrical engineer!, whether connected with the
teohmioal or the commercial side of the profesxion and ind/attry,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
E1.EOTBICAL Review posted as to their mnvetnsnts.

Mr. H. B. Clarke, A.M.I.E.E., on resigning the position
of chief assistant engineer to Messrs. Boots Pure Drug Co.,
T,td., to take up tliat of engiueer to Messrs. British Glues
and Chemicals, Ltd., Kiugsway. was presented with travel
ling requisites by Mr. C. H. Jessop, A.M.I.E.E., chief en-
gineer, on behalf of the members of the department and
friends.

The Commonwealth Engineer states that Mr. H. W. Glapp,
vice-president of the St. Louis Railway Co. (U.S.A.), who
has been appointed chau-man of the ^'ictorian Railway Com-
missioners, is about to take up his duties, lie was educated
in Melbomne, and later served his apprenticeship as an en-
gineer with the Otis Engineering Co. From Melbourne, he
went to Queensland as an electrical engineer in the Brisbane
Tramway Co. He rehnquished this position to acquire addi-
tional technical training in the United States, and for several
years he was with the General Electric Co. of U.S..\. Later
he took up a iwsition with the Atlantic, Camden, and New
Jersey Railroad Co., and afterwards was employed as an
electrical engineer by the Southern Pacific Railroad Co.

Mr. E. G. FosTEU, electrical engineer aud tramways man-
ager to the Invercargill Borough Council, N.Z., has resigned
his position to join the firm of Carrick, Wedderspoon & Co.,
electrical merchants, Christchurch. The Council has promoted
Mr. A. C. Carman to the position of borough electrical en-
gineer, and Mr. B. J. Glancefield to the position of tramways
traffic manager. — Cummonwealth Engineer.

Sir LoMEB GouiN has been elected a director of the Shaw-
inigan Water & Power Co., Quebec, and it is understood he
is to be one of the first directors of the British Empire Steel
Corporation. — Times.

Mr. T. G. W'lLSON, late electrical engineer to the Hamilton
(N.Z.) Borough Council, has been appointed by the Timaru
Borough Council from among 3'2 applicants, electrical en-
gineer for that town.

Accorduig to an Auckland newspaper report, Mr. A. W.
RoDtiER, chairman of the Invercargill Electric Power Board,
has been presented with an address and a draft for ^2,000
in recognition of his services to the province as chairman
of the Southland League and Electrification Committee, which
carried out the preliminary work 111 connection with the
provincial electrical scheme.

The King has awarded the silver medal for gallantry in
saving life at sea to Mr. G. H. Elavel, chief officer of the
Post Office cable ship .llert. The Times states that in Feb-
ruary last, while the Alert was engaged in operations for the
repair of the Abbots Chff-Grisnez No. 2 cable, a mine was
brought up to the bows of the vessel entangled in the cable.
Mr. Flavel took on himself the work of releasing the mine.
He was accordingly lowered in a boatswain's chair over the
bows, and released it by cutting the wires with which it
had been entangled. By his prompt and courageous action
he probably averted a serious disaster, involving considerable
loss of life.

On his marriage, Mr. T. A. Klngham, borough electrical
engineer at Kingston-on-Thames, has been presented by the
staff with a drawing-room clock.

St. Helens T.C. is recommended to increase the salary of
the electrical engineer to ^dUii a year, and that of the tram-
ways manager to j6650.

Mr. H. W. Watt, meter inspector in the Birkenhead Cor-
poration electricity department, having resigned, Mr. R.
Shallcross, formerly employed in the same department, but
who has been away some years ou war service, has been
appointed his successor.

Mr. B. R. Barclav, A.C.I.S., has resigned his position
with the Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway Co., Ltd.,
upon his appointment as secretary to Automatic & Electric
Furnaces, Ltd.

Mr. WiLLUM Lemjion, departmental manager for Messrs.
Reyrolle & Co., electrical engineers, of Hebburn-on-Tyne, is
shortly to leave the district for Austraha, where he will be
the firm's representative. Mi'. Lemmon has been with the
fijm 19 years. He is going at first to supervise the erection
of an installation of switchgear at Melbourne, and, later, he
wUl proceed to Sydney for a similar purpose. At a gathering
at the County Hotel, Hebburn, at which Mr. W. Ilarriman
presided, Mr. .\. E. Nichol presented a silver tea service to
Mr. and Mrs. Lemmon on behalf of the staff and workers.

Obituary. — Mr. P. J. Satchwell.— The death has taken
place, at .Aylesbury, of Mr. P. .T. Satchwell, who was formerly
engaged witli Sir Joseph Wilson Swan, Clarke, Chapman
and Parsons, Gateshead-on-Tyne, and Sir Hiram Maxim.

Sir J. Norman Lockyer.— We regret to record the death
of Sir John Norman Lockyer, F.R.S.. the famous astronomer,
which occurred in his 85th year, at Sidmouth, on Monday
afternoon. Our esteemed contemporary Nature was founded
bv him in 1869, and in the same year he was elected P.S.S.
lie was president of the British Association in 1903-4, and
nf the British Science Guild in 191'2.

Mr. p. E. IlART.-W'e regret to note from the Times
" Deaths" column that Mr. Philip Ewiug Hart. M.C., chief
electrical engineer to the Burma Mines, Ltd., passed away
nt Namtu. North Shan States, Burma, on August 10th, at
the age of 4'3 years.

Vol. 87. No. 2,230, August 20, -1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

247

NEW COMPANIES REQISTERED,

ElectroFerrous Engineering Co., Ltd. (169,546).

nipany. Registered August 10th. Capital, £10,000 in £1 shares

-Private

To carry
on the business of iron, steel, and non-ferrous metal smelters, refiners, and
founders, mechanical, chemical, electrical, and marine engineers, manufac-
turrs of agricultural implements, tube makers, motor engine or vehicle manu-
facturers, Ac, and to adopt an agreement with B. H. Thomas and D. .S.
Kennedv. The first directors are : D. S. Kennedy, Bar Close Barn, Kenlev
Road, Caversham; B. H. Thomas, Uplands, Haslemere; E. A. Rose, lb,
Pembridge Place, W.; H. Niblctt, Gorse Cottage, Hook Common, Hants.;

D. J. Smith, 40, Woodberry Grove, Finsbury Park, N. Solicitor: H. F.
G.ilpin, junr., 4, George Street, O.xford.

Percy Dove, Ltd. (169,554). — Private company. Regis-
tered August 10th. Capital, £600 in £1 shares. To take over the business
of an electrical and mechanical engineer carried on bv P. Dove, at 15.
Greenhill Street. Stratford-on-Avon. The first directors ' are : P. Dove, 21,
West Street, Stratford-on-Avon; A. Kendrick, 7, Albany Road, Stratford-on-
Avon ; A. Mole, Lo.xiey, Warwick. Registered office : 15, Greenhill Street,
Stratford-on-.^von.

Thor Electric Safety Lamp Co., Ltd. (169,558).— Private

company. Registered August 10th. Capital, £25,000 in £1 shares. To adopt
an agreement with Haslam & Stretton, Ltd., to develop the business referred
to therein; including the trade mark "Thor Electric Safety Lamp," to carry
on the business of manufacturers, importers, and exporters of and dealers in
electric, oil, or other lamps, &c. The subscribers (each with one share) are :

E. Mellor, White House, Kings Norton, solicitor; G. H. Nash, 913, Stratford
Road, Birmingham, clerk. Ihe first directors are to be appointed by the
subscribers. Solicitor: S. Hosgood, 10, Newhall Street, Birmingham.

Ferrous Light Castings, Ltd. (169,600).— Private com-
pany. Registered August 12th. Capital, £40,000 in £1 shares (30,000 " A "
and 10,000 " B.") To carry on the business of manufacturers of fine castings
for the electrical trade, founders, moulders, manufacturers of iron and steel
castings and castings of ferrous and non-ferrous alloys, importers and ex-
porters of raw, partly manufactured and partly finished castings, &c., in the
United Kingdom, British Dominions and foreign countries. The first
directors are: P. S. Brook, 13, Curzon Park, Chester; J. A. Hirst, Dona-
cloney, Deganwy, North Wales (both directors of Brook, Hirst & Co., Ltd.);
E. N. Humphreys, Caerycael, Hoole Road, Chester (director. East Halkyn
Mining Co., Ltd.); J. E. Grace, Glenside, Thclwell, New Road, Grappenhall,
Warrington. Registered office: The Foundry, StafTord Road, Wilderspool,
Warrington.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Sevenoaks & District Electricity Co., Ltd. — Particulars

of £20,000 debentures authorised June 15th, 1920, vshole amount issued,
charged on the company's undertaking and property, present and future,
including uncalled capital. No trustees.

Splitdorf Electrical Co. of London, Ltd. — Satisfaction in

full on July 31st, 1920, of debentures dated October 9lh, 1019, securing £5,000.

Steel Wing Co., Ltd. (formerly Krieger Electric Carriage

Syndicate, Ltd.).— Mortg.ige dated July 29th, 1920," to secure all moneys due
or to become due from company to National Bank, Ltd., charged on certain
moneys and company's undertaking and other assets, including uncalled
capital. .

Harry W. Cox & Co., Ltd. (in liquidation). — Satisfaction

in full on Julv 1st 1920, of debentures dated December 10th, 1912, June 28th,
1916. and January 22nd and March 27th, 1919, securing in all £6,950.

Pontelec Welding Patents, Ltd.— H. S. Brown, of 8,

Newhall Strcn, Birmingham, as receiver and manager by Order of Court,
dated July 15th, 1920.

Bridgwater & District Electric Supply & Traction Co.,
Ltd. (75,429).— Capital, ,£20,000 in 15,000 ordinary and

5,000 preference shores of £1 each. Return dated July 10th, 1920. 12.899
ordinary and 2,657 preference taken up. £6,674 paid on 4.017 ordinary and
2.657 preference. £S,882 considered as paid on the r.iiiainder. Mortgages
and charges £12.8.50.

Bournemouth & Poole Electricity Supply Co., Ltd.

(55,189).— Capital, £500,000 in 25,000 ordinary, 7,500 4i per cent, preference,
and 17,500 6 per cent, second preference shares of £10 each. Return dated
March 25th, 1920. 15,000 ordinarv, 7,500 preference, and 17,500 second
preference taken up. £400,000 paid. Mortgages and charges £187,500.

CITY N0TE5.

For the half-year ended June, 19'20, the
Tyneside surplus of receipts over expenses was

Tramways and f 2,667, plus f2,237 brought forward. After
Tramroads Co. meeting interest ch.irges, the available
balance is i'3,4o9, and after adding ;£3,0UU
transferred from special resen'e, 5 per cent, per annum, less
income tax, is paid on both the preference and the ordinary
shares, £1,500 is put to reserve for renewals, A-c, and ±1,011 is
carried forward. The traffic receipts increased by £4,528. but
the running costs exceeded that amount. Under the Bill
which had received the Royal .\ssent, the company was em-
powered to charge fares which would enable it to meet the
large increase in oper;iting costs.

At the half-yearly meeting on August 10th, Dr. J. T. Merz
said that while there was an inci'ease of :64,.500 in the traffic,
the expen.ses had increased by over £8,000, and to meet this
they had to dntw upon the permanent reserve to the extent
of £:H,00U, as against £1,500 last vear. The reserve fund
stood at £40,900 odd, though thev must understand that that
amount was not really available. They had only available
£29,000, for they bad used up a very large amount of reserve
for capital purposes, and it was the object on the present
occasion to take the necessary steps to bring up the capital
investment reserve fund to the higher figure. This they could

do by issuing the amount of loan capital they were entitled
to offer. They must have that money where it could be got
at if the necessity arose, either in investments which could
be reaUsed, or in loans that coukl be drawn at a short notice.
In addition they had spent on capital account for car-sheds
and three new cars £8,302. As to the issue of new bonds they
could make in the near future, it was only for a small sum —
£12,500 — which was hardly enough for theii- purpose. The
bonds would bear interest at the rate of 5i per cent., free
of income taax. As for their Bill, by it they had really
obtained what they wanted. The three points they asked for
were : first, the right to increase their fares, which were being
advanced, roughly, from Id. to IJd. ; secondly, they had the
right to issue loan capital bonds in proportion to the share
capital subscribed ; and, thirdl.\ , the right to run motor
omnibuses.

In his address at the annual meeting.
Vera Cru^ on August 11th, Mr. V. W. Yorke said that

Electric Light, during 1919 the revenue from both sec-
Power and tions of the company's business showed an
Traction improvement. In the light and power
Co., Ltd. .section the gross revenue showed an in-
crease of approximately 10 per cent., and
in the tramway section over 4 per cent., and while operating
expenses as a wliole remained very much the same as in 1918
the combined net revenue showed an ina'ease for the year
of approximately 17 per cent. Exchange account again showed
a profit. Excess profits duty had this year been increased
and a new burden in the form of a corporation tax had been
imposed. So far the company had incurred no liability for
excess profits dirty, for the rea.son that it had several lean
years during the Mexican Revolution, and spread o\er the
whole period of the tax tlie assessable" profits had been offset
by the lean years when the profits were ct)nsiderably less
than the pre-war standard. Although conditions in Mexico
could not be considered settled, they had every reason to
believe that the part of that country which they served was
again occupied in its normal pursuits. The history of the
past few years had proved that in times of revolution public
utiUty companies were allowed to carry on their business
with little or no molestation, and their properties were on
the whole respected. This company, largely because of the
skill and tact of the management, had been particularly for-
tunate in this respect. In recognition of the valuable services
rendered by Mr. Worswick, who had been general manager
of the company since its formation, it was the intention
of the board to elect him managing director. The extension
of the tramways to Balneario, a sea-bathing resort, had
proved a valuable asset to the company, and the board had
recently authorised the purchase of additional shares in the
company which owned this establishment. This would give
the company a controlling interest and would enable the
Balneario Co. to complete work already in bund, and to erect
a dancing pavihon for the working-class population. This
additional attraction should materially add to the revenue
derived from this section of the tramways. The company
continued to receive its power from the Tuxpango plant of
the Puebla Tramway, Light & Fo«er Co., and during the
year under review practically a continuous service was pro-
vided by that company. During the few interruptions which
were of short duration, their own plant bad carried the load,
but as this plant, which consisted of six Diesel engines, was
now very old. tlie board was con.sidering the advisability of
installing a new steam turbo unit of some 2, .500 h.p. as a
.stand-by in case of need. In that event, the existing plant
would be disposed of ;it the best price obtainable. For the
first five months of the current year the net earnings in
Mexico were somewhat lower than in 1919. owing to increased
labour charges, and the fact that there had recently been
an outbreak of plague in Vera Cruz. Places of amusement
were again open to the pubHc. The prosperity of this com-
pany, as well as that of any other company whose earnings
were collectible in Mexican currency, must necessarily de-
pend on the exchange value of such currency. This was a
danger they always had to face, but so long as gold and silver
continued to be the basis of the currency in Mexico, they
had every reason to believe that the earnings would continue
to improve, and he hoped that it might be possible to main-
tain the dividend at the present rate.

A Dutch Company. — The report for 1919-20 of the Hen-
gelosche Electrischeen Mechanische Apparaten Fabrik, of
Hengelo, records net profits of 782,000 florins, as compared
with 434,000 florins in the previous year, and a dividend at the
rate of 10 per cent, has been declared, as against 8 per cent,
in 1918-19. The directors state that all departments are now
amply provided with orders, and those received in the first
half of 1920 are four times greater than in the corresponding
period of 1919. In addition the company has opened up
markets outside Holland.

France. — Despite the difficulties of the period the
Societe d'Eclairage, ChaufCage et Force Motrice made a gross
profit of 9,402,676 fr. in 1919, compared with 9,^55,318 -fr. in
the previous 12 months. Net profits amounted to 4,915,555 fr.,
as against 5, .565, 557 fr. The dividend is maintained at 4 per
cent., or 10 fr. per share.— Retder'a Trade Service (Paris).

Clyde Valley Electrical Power Co.— Interim dividend of
2J per cent., less tax, on ordinary for half year.

248

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.8?. No. 2,230, auodst 20, 1920.

stock Exchan>;e Notices. — Application has been made to

the Committee to allow the following to be officially quoted : —

Pinchin, Johnson & Co., Ltd. — 247,992 ordinary shares of £1
each, Nos. 1 to 247,992, and 500,OU(.) 6i per cent, cumulative
j)reference shares of £1 each, Nos. 1 to 500,000.

Dealings in the following have been specially allov?ed by the
Committee under temporary regulation 4 (3) : —

Bournemouth & Poole Electricity Supply Co.— iE150,000 7J
per cent, seven-year notes (registered), Nos. Al to A20 (^5),
Bl to B40 (i;lO), CI to C40 {£'25), Dl to DlOO (£50), El to
E700 (£100), Fl to F147 (£500).

The Committee has ordered the following to be officially
quoted : —

General Electric Co., Ltd.— 1,600,000 7i per cent. " B "
(cumulative preference shares of £1 each, fully paid (Nos. 1
to 1,000,000).

Newxastlc-upon-Tyne Electric Supply Co., Ltd. — 5,215 6 per
cent, preference (non-cumulative) shares of £1 each, fully
l)aid (Nos. 1,354,287 to 1,359,501); 1,500,000 7 per cent, cumu-
lative preference shares of £1 each, fullv paid (Nos. 1 to
1,. 500,000).

Spain. — Tlie net profit realised by the Electra Industrial
Espanola during the past financial year amounted to 507, .5.55
ln'setas, gross earnings being 813,752 pesetas and working
I'xpen.ses 306,197 pesetas. The dividend is 10 per cent., or
.■)ll pesetas per share. — Renter's Trade Service (Madrid).

South Metropolitan Electric Li)^ht & Power Co., Ltd. —

Dividends on the 7 per cent, cumulative first preference shares
and the 6 per cent, cumulative second preference for the June
half-year.

Aberdeen Suburban Tramways Co., Ltd. — Profit for the

\ear ended July £1,262, plus £5,719 brought forward. £1,000

to renewal and depreciation; 7 per cent, dividend; carried
forward £2,432.

British Columbia Electric Railway Co., Ltd. — Dividends
of Hi per cent, on preferred and deferred ordinary stocks,
free of tax.

Waste Heat and Gas Electrical Generating Stations, Ltd.

— Interim dividend of 2j per cent., less income tax, for the
half-year ended July 31st, 1920.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
Foreign politics, money and August are the three pre-
dominant factors in Stock Exchange markets. It is no bad
thing, in one way, that the Eusso-PolLsh entanglements should
have arrived — if they had tcr come — during the slackest season
of the year, when Stock Exchange business would have been
idle in any event. And it is singular to notice how little the
markets are influenced by the near approach of dearer money.
Reeogni.sod as a handicap, an 8 per cent. Bank Rate is con-
templated without nei'vousness, and the prospect which
would have aroused undisguised anxiety a year ago is now
faced with equanimity.

The declines in manufacturing .shares, General Electrics,
Edisons, Electric Constructions, British Aluminiums, Siemens,
Callenders. and the like, are largely the reflex of monetary
conditions. Banks decline the faciUties obtainable in the past,
.ind, accordingly, money for extensions, &c., has to be ob-
tained from the public. Issues of ordinary shares are none
too popular, owing to the possible influence of E.P.D. ami
other taxes. The investor asks for something more certain
and secure, in days when Stock Exchange speculation is doi-
mant. Therefore, such rates as 7i and 8 per cent, are offered,
by good concerns, on pieference .shares, and this automatically
rai.ses the yield per cent, which the buyer of ordinary shares
expects to get. It is not only from mining issues that the
speculative investor demands 10 per cent, on his money. In-
dustrials, too, must return that rate in these days, and so it
happens that in lists such as ours, the level of prices has a
tendency to droop towards the basis of double-figure yields.

It may lie reasonably argued that the ever-ri,sing "costs of
living and the diminishing spending value of money must
have the logical effect of increasing the value of such assets
as power-stations, machinery, jilant, &c. The intrinsic
security of shares, backed by assets like these, should there-
fore be growing all the time that costs advance. There are,
however, obvious flaws in this contention, and the investor
a.sk.s whether to-day'.s values, upon the security of which he is
invited to lay out his money, may not prove temporary and
artificial. Whether, in short, his old-fa.shioned ideas of
.security are not in .some danger of being lost altogether as one
result of t.lip war.

Turning to the practical side of the. business, prices are not
much changed in the various electricitv sections. Several of
the new issues in the cable group are a little lower, although
the senior stocks hold their ground. New .Western Telegraphs

are 55, Eastern Extensions 51, and Globes the same price—'
all these being £2 paid. Eastern Telegraph new shares are
quoted about 12s., and the fully paid at li. Marconis are
5s. higher at 3. The muddle over starting a market in Radio
L'orporations is not yet disentangled. It is quite possible that
there may be further delay ranging from four to eight weeks
before dealings begin in this country. In New York, the
prices work out to about 22s. M. for deferred, preferred and
" as.sets certificates " combined.

Electricity Supply shares arc licing quoted ex their interim
dividends', and the effect is to make the yields look more hand-
some than ever. Coal and laliour uncertainties are declared
in the Stock Exchange market to be the two main reasons
that keep investors away from this department. One or two
of the leading London companies are said to be thinking of
new issues, but the conditions of the money market are not
encouraging.

Home Railway stocks display rather more resistance to their
long depression; the electrical issues have not moved at pre-
sent, although the steam descriptions are distinctly better.
(Jther traction varieties keep tolerably hard, and the dis-
jiosition in regard to Mexico is more cheerful. The British
Columbia Electric Railway deferred and preferred stocks are
now ex the dividends of 3i per cent., free of tax.

In the rublier .share market, there is next to nothing going
on. Iron, steel and kindred descriptions arc inclined to give
way. The armament market is kregular, w-ith changes
narrow and Vickers the firmest spot. The Notes recently
offered by Vickers are good at li premium, and Armstrong
second debenture is dullish at 2J discount. The new Calcutta
debenture is being quietly absorbed at about IJ discount.

SHARE LIST OF ELECTRICAL COMPANIES

Home Elsctbioify Coufanies.

Dividend Price

/ ^ . Aug. 17,

191S. 1919, 19aO. RiseorfkU,

Bromptoo Ordlnarv 8 13 if — .

Ohsrlng OroBB Ordinary . . . . 4 7 3Jxd —

do. do, do iiPrel. .. 4) ih gjxd —

OhelBes 3 4 aj —

City of London 8 10 1) —

do, do. 6 per oent. Fret, . . 6 6 17/6 —

County of London 7 8 8 —

do do. 6 per cent. Fret. 6 6 81 —

Kensington Ordinary . . , . 6 7 82x(l —

London Eleotrio Nil 2J ij —

do. do. 6 percent. Fret... 6 6 3 —

Metropolitan 5 6 ajxd —

do. 4i per cent. PreJ. .. 4J 4i a}| —

Bt, James' and FaU Mall . . .. 10 13 6i —

Sontb London 6 6 S| —

Bontb Metropolitan Fref 7 7 ls/9 — >

Westminster Ordinary .... 8 10 6 — |

TeLEOKAPBS and TEI.BPH01rBS.

Anglo-Am, Tel. Pre! 6 6 79i —

do. Del 83/6 li 17J -

Chile Telephone 8 6 6 —

Cuba Sub. Ord 7 7 8J —

Eastern Extension 8 10 14^ —

Bastern Tel. Ord 8 10 ISO —

Qlobe Tel. and T. Ord 8 10 16 —

do. do. Fret 6 6 8j| —

Qreat Northern Tel 23 23 9l| —

Indo-Enropean 13 10 80 —

Marconi 26 26 8 -i- J

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 13 2J —

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 6i —

West India and Panama .. .. 1/3 Nil {J —

Western Telegraph 8 10 16 —

Home Rails,

Central London Ord. Assented ..44 44* —

Metropolitan 1 li 19jxd —

do. District .... Nil Nn 16 —

Underground Eleotrio Ordinary.. Nil Nil IJ —

do. do. "A" .. Nil Nil 5,6 —

do. do. Income . . 6 4 67^ —

Foreign Trams, &o.

Angto-Arg. Trams. First Fref. .. Nil 5J 31 —

do. do. 3ndFref. .. Nil Nil BJ —

do. do. 6 Deb. ..66 58* —

Brazil Tractions Nil Nil i',}. —J

Bombay Electric Pref 6 6 12 j - J

British Columbia Elec. Rly. Pfce. 6 6 64* —

do. do. Freferrred 3J 6 49jxd —

do. do. Deferred Nil 8 En x,l —

do, do. Deb. .. 4i 4^ 65 —

Mexico Trams 6 per cent. Bonds. . NU Nil 39 —

do. 6 per cent. Bonds. . Nil NU 31 —

Mexican Light Common . . . . Nil Nil 14 —

do. Pref Nil Nil 25i —

do. 1st Bonds.. .. Nil Nil eo —

MANnrACTuaiRS Oohfimibs.

Bataoook ft Wilcox 16 IS 2) —

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 1 —

British Insulated Ord 13) 15 1-:.J —

Callenders 36 16 1} — X

,, 6JPref 6J 6i 18/- —

Castner Eellner 30 17 3 —

Crompton Ord 10 10 19 6 —

Bdison-Swan, "A" .... 10 10 H —

do. do. 6 per cent, D«b, .,6 6 78} —

Eilectrlo Oonstruotion ,, ,, 10 10 ;, —

Qen. Biec. Pref 6i BJ 18/6 —

do. Ord 10 10 I.- —1/9

Henley 96 16 li —

do, 4iFref 4« 4i a} —

Indla-Rnbber 10 10 9.V9 —

Het.-Vickers Fret — 8 2} —

Siemens Ord 10 10 36/- —

Telegraph Con, 20 20 iOi —

♦. Diridends paid tree of Income Tax.

»6 IS
•« 13
*a 18

Vol. 87. No. 3,230, August 20, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL KEVIEW.

249

LIGHT— ITS USE AND ABUSE.

»

In the days when there was a less general appreciation
than exists to-day of the fundamentals of good pub-
licity, there was apparent a marked tendency to buy
space by the square inch, as it were, and without a
proper understanding of the principles underlying the
effective use of the space which had been bought. The
next stage in the development of publicit}- seems to
have consisted in a realisation of the fact that amongst
the primary requirements of an advertisement was the
power to attract attention. Success, however, demanded
a somewhat closer study of the psychological truths in-
volved in advertising than was betokened by a mere
appreciation of the value of size and power of attrac-
tion. Even to-day, we are all well acquainted with the
advertisement which is of ample size and which often,
by the use of crude and ugly devices, compels our
attention, yet fails utterly to awaken in us either
a desire for the advertiser's goods or the intention to
gratify it. The science of publicity has, of course,
travelled many leagues since advertisements of this
character were the rule, with the result that the high-
class publicity of to-day not only attracts our atten-
tion without the use of any " stunts," but succeeds
in lidding our interest while we are being impressed
with the desirability of the article advertised.

Such a digression from the subject of this article
would be unwarranted were it not that the development
of illuminating engineering has followed so similar a
path, and that lighting, moreover, so often serves as
a publicity medium in addition to its main purpose.
The principles of good lighting have, of course, been
reduced to almost exact dimensions, and the knowledge
which we have at our disposal is such as to enable us
to make the most effective use of those sources of light
which are at present known to us. Coincident, how-
ever, with such an exact knowledge of the subject as
exists in illuminating engineering circles, we have in
our houses, streets and shops, some of the most ghastly
examples of bad and even vicious lighting, of which it
is possible to conceive.

One explanation of this is no doubt to be found in
the comparative closeness with which new sources of
light have followed one upon the heels of the other,
each necessitating some modification in the practice, if
not in the principles, of illumination. Unfortunately,
there has been a noticeable ' ' lag ' ' between the adoption
of each new light sourc^by the public and an appre-
ciation of the new methods of lighting which it has
entailed. In part, thetefore, bad lighting evidences
itself to-day as a failure to suitably screen light sources
of high intrinsic brilliancy. On the other hand, some
of the most glaring examples of poor lighting, in shop
windows and the like, are doubtless due to a desire to
crowd the maximum amount of light into the available
space, quite regardless of the real lighting requirements
of the situation. One of the worst exhibitions of this
form of over-illumination was to be seen in pre-war days
outside the shops of one of the big tobacconists of the
Metropolis, some three big arc lamps being crowded
along a frontage of about 12 ft. These lights did not
serve to illuminate the goods in the window in the
slightest, and much the same result might have been
obtained by means of a steam whistle or a continuously-
operating Klaxon horn.

Fortunately the public has a legal remedy in the case
of objectionable and distressing noises, but with the
removal of wartime restrictions, misguided lighting
enthusiasts show signs of renewing their activities with-
out let or hindrance, and with greatly increased oppor-
tunities by reason of the half -watt lamp. In the days
of gas lighting (it is almost safe to speak of those times
in the past tense) there was comparatively little oppor-
tunity for the concentration of high-power light sources.
With the coming of the arc lamp the scramble for ex-
cessive illumination commenced, and to-day the half-

watt lamp not only enables over-illumination to be
indulged in at a moderate cost, but also presents the
problem of an illuminant of high intrinsic brilliancy
wiiich is widely used without any form of shade or
screen. This, of course, is not intended as an adverse
criticism of the half-watt lamp, which, on the contrary,
is proving an inestimable boon to the community.
Like all good things, however, it is capable of abuse,
and it is being badly abused to-day. Walk down any
shopping thoroughfare, except perhaps in the most
fashionable quarters, and note not only the number of
exposed half-watt lamps, but also the frequent examples
of excessive illumination, presumably with a view to
attracting attention.

The disadvantage of such forms of lighting even to
the user should be sufficiently obvious. In the case of
shop lighting, a glance at a few shops from the top of
a tramcar or omnibus is a sufficient proof of the fallacy
of indulging in over-illumination as an advertisement.
Where the principles of good lighting are followed out
the display is thoroughly illuminated without having
any lamps in the direct line of vision or any un-
necessary waste of light upon the pavement outside,
and it will be noticed that it is the window which is
lighted in this manner which, even from a distance,
stands out from the rest. The cynic will suggest that
it is by reason of its rarity, but actually it is on account
of the contrast which it offers to the comparative dark-
ness of the street, in much the same way as the stage
of a theatre shows up against the darkness of the rest
of tlie building. Where unscreened lights inside the
window, or excessive external lighting are indulged
in, however, the result is merely a " light-screen " be-
tween the observers and the displayed goods, which
latter, from a short distance, are very effectively
obscured.

Tlie wider and more important effects of bad lighting
upon the eyesight are, unfortunately, insuflSciently
realised, and it is rapidly becoming necessary that
steps shall be taken to guard against the extended use
of injurious methods of illumination. In the case of
objectionable sounds, there is, as has been previously
indicated, a legal remedy, and the use of freak noises
by motor vehicles has long been forbidden, although
in neither of these cases is there any permanent damage
to the auditory nerves. The results of continued bad
lighting, however, very soon evidence themselves as
permanently impaired vision. In certain cases, too,
such, for instance, as the dazzling effects of high-power
motor headlights, there is immediate danger from the
temporary blindness which results to pedestrians and
the drivers of other vehicles. Were it possible, however,
to institute legal proceedings in individual instances,
it is open to doubt whether the desired result would be
obtained. The only method of ensuring a permanent
alteration would appear to be by the education of the
public to the point where it will appreciate the virtues
of god lighting and shun the results of bad.

The (juestion how this process of education is to be
carried out, is bound ere long to become a problem ■ f
some importance. Much, of course, might be done by
means of a Press campaign, but the question arises, who
will be willing to finance such a movement? With the
rapid extinction of gas lighting, the matter becomes
primarily the concern of the electrical industry, but the
electrical bodies which might interest tliemselves in the
subject are already using part of their financial
resources to counter the work of the British Com-
mercial Gas Association. As far as manufacturers are
concerned, those firms which have specialised in lighting
and have spent an immense amount of time in the
development of efficient methods, do not, unfortunately,
com© into direct touch with the users.

There remains the electrical contractor who is in
daily contact with consumers, and one is driven to the

250

THE ELECTliiCAJj KEVIEWo [voi. 87. No. 2,230, august 20, 1920.

conclusion that he is the only person who is in a posi-
tion to exercise a decisive influence in the direction of
improved illumination. That a steady and systematic
campaign by contractors in favour of better lighting
TvouJd eventually achieve the desired object can hardly
be doubted. That it would result in a consider-
able accession of business to the contractor is not
less certain, while the user would himself be benefitted
by an improved illumination, probably at a lower cost.
That contractors are not, as a body, lighting specialists
is perhaps true, but since a closer study of the subject
would be of such inestimable benefit to everyone con-
cerned, and not least to themselves, it seems reasonable
to suggest that they should include a specialised know-
ledge of illuminating engineering amongst their quali-
fication.s. Tliat they will eventually need to do so is
hardly in que.stion, and since the need for Ijetter liglit-
rng^ is so clamant an early movement in the direction
indicated would appear desirable.

EXTRA LONQ-DISTANCE TRANSMISSION OF
ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

Principles and Applications of the Quarter-Wave
AND Half-Wave Systems.

(.Continued from page 220).

Intermetlhde Taiipingx Iiiipriicticahle.—kW of these considerations
are reassuring- regjarding- security of operation of a quarter-wave
system, but there is one serious limitation which is inherent to the
system, viz., that the pressure along the lines varies with the load
at the end of the latter, hence it is impracticable to take energy
from the line at intermediate points. The system is, tharefore,
restricted to the transmission of energy in bulk from one point to
another.

Efiect of Harmonies. — When a condenser and a reactance coil
are connected in series and supplied at frequency /' = u/2 rr, there
is resonance when LCw- = 1. Similarly, if the inductance and
capacity are distributed, as in a transmission line, there is a
frequency /' giving resonance in a quarter-wave line. This
frequency is F = l/[4 I V (L, c,)] ; / being the length of the line,
and L,, c, the self-inductance and capacity per unit length.
Unlike the case of separate capacities and inductances, this is not
the only frequency producing resonance.

The quarter-wave line, such that an impulse travels from one
end to the other in the time representing one-quarter of a period
of frequency /', may be likened to a closed sound tube. In the
latter when an impulse is produced at one end, the whole mass of the
enclosed air enters into vibration and produces a sound of frequency /'.
One end of the tube is at a loop or maximum of vibration, and the
other at a node. Such a tube may, however, vibrate for all the
odd harmonics 3 /', 5/', &c., with the formation of intermediate
loops and nodes. In the same way, the quarter-wave line gives

'

—

-—

-—

.^

-

^

-"

,^

^

STATION

LOAD

\

.

^'

-

N

A

'^

s

\

/

\

N

s

/

\

s

LOAD

STATION

N

s

/

\

V

\

,/

\

^

/

■-

^

Fig. I.

reciprocal transformation, from constant current to constant
potential, and rice versa, for all odd harmonics, which are, there-
fore, transmitted under the same conditions as the fundamental.
In fig. 1, the upper diagram illustrates a quarter- wave of the funda-
mental, and the lower diagram illustrates the corresponding
current (l)and pressure (v) waves for the third harmonic.

If the even h.armonics be now considered, it will be found that
conditions are analogous to those in an open organ pipe, and this
leads to the consideration of half-wave lines which are discussed
later. It will be seen that very long lines, of the order of 1.870
mill's, for 50 cycles per second and 3,7.50 miles for :;5 cycles, can
be made to operate with only the pressure drop duo to resistance.

Bfect of Frequehcy Variations. — The remarkable properties of
quarter-wave transmission being dependent upon resonance they
are naturally sacrificed if the frequency changes. Some variations
in frequency of supply being inevitable in practice, it is necessary
to consider how these will affect the transmi sion.

Apart from abnormal fluctuations, which may be expec.ed to
disturb the transmission in other respects than as regards frequency
alone, it is possible to keep the frequency constant within — 1 per
cent., or within ± 2 per cent, at the outside.

Keeping to the example chosen above, we have found that if the
station current be increased automatically according to the law
(2G5 amperes + 7 amperes per 18,000 KW.) nt 50 cycUs, t'ue
voltage between lines at the lead is 173,010 volts coLstant with-'n
1 per cent. If now the frequency rises 4 per cent., i.e., to
52 cycles, we have the following variations in current input
required to maintain constant voltage at the load or approximately
these variations in delivered voltage if the current input be
constant. (See Table IV.)

TABLE IV. — Variation in Current Input ior

Constant Delivered Voltage at 52 Cycles co.mpared

WITH .50 Cycles.

Per cent, variation in current input
for constant delivered voltage.
Power factor. Full load. Half load. No-load.

10 07 Ot"!

09 2-8 re I Open circuit,

0-8 4-0 2-4 f 02.

07 51 2-9j

For frequency variations of =*= 2 per cent., the percentage
current variations are about half those shown in Table IV. and
therefore, do not constitute a factor of practical importance. If
desired, the above law of current-input variation with loid might
be modified to take frequency variatiims into account.

Gen-rotiirx to lie Adopteil. — Alternators of the type now generally
employed are not suitable for the supply of a quarter- wave line, an i
the donsidcrable variation.s in pressure involved by the quartei-
wave system necessitate the modification of the material used in
constant-voltage stations. Alternators do not operate favourably
at reduced voltage, particularly if the current is leading. One
method of converting energy generated at constant potential into
constant current would be by means of special transformers such as
are used in A. 0. series arc-lighting circuits. It is doubtful, however,
whether constant-current transformers can be constructed for
outputs of tens of thousands of kilowatts, und we are forced
reluctantly to contemplate the series operation of generators.
Existing synchronous alternators cannot be connected in series, at
any rate, unless special precautions be taken.

According to M. Bunet, the solution probably lies in the use of
commutator-type alternators, and, for experimental purposes, one
might commence with a machine similar to a D.c. dynamo, but
arranged for A.c. excitation. Reversing the field of a D.c. generator
reverses the e.m.f. of the armature, and with A.c. excitation an
alternating e.m.f. of the same frequency is produced at the brushes.
Generators would be required for each phase. The field current,
maintained accurately at 50 cycles per second, would be controlled
by apparatus designed to maintain the current output of the
generators at the predetermined value. The speed of the generators
would have no influence on the frequency.

Such generators would present difficulties with regard to commu-
tation, but. on the other hand, since they would necessarily be
used in conjunction with transformers, their characteristics could
be se'ected over a wide range to facilitate commutation. The
sections of the windings short-circuited by the brushes would be
the seat of e.m.f.'s induced by the alternating flux. The short-
circuit currents might be reduced by high-resistance connections,
but the problem is, broadly, the same as that in A.c. series-motors
for traction purposes, and is one which has not been solved very
satisfactorily, particularly for 50-cycle supply.

Another possibility lies in the use of polyphase machines with
rotating fields, the commutation ditticulties being reduced by sup-
pressing the e.m.f.'s induced statically in the short-circuited sections.
In this connection, M, Bunet recalls a polyphase generator with com-
mutator which he saw running some years ago in the works of the
Etablissements Postel Vinay. This machine operated satisfactorily,
and had the characteristics of a series dynamo. It had a normal
stator and a rotor analogous to that of a D.c. machine ; the stator
and rotor were connected to suitable induct.ances, and the machine
was self-exciting. Its frequency varied somewhat with the load,
but it would not be difficult to vary the speed automatically so as
to maiutain constant frequency. This machine was presented by
GratzmuUer to the Societe Internationale desElectriciens*, together
with its characteristic curves and a communication which said,
inter alia, that " the generator appeared tj be applicableto constant
current distribution."

Though it cannot be said that there are yet available alternators
and other station equipment suitable for a quarter-wave trans-
mission system, there is no reason to doubt that suitable material
could quickly be developed by research baaed upon our present
knowledge of electrotechnics. Such research work is justified by
the fact that quarter-wave transmission undoubtedly offers the
possibility of transmitting economically large quantities of elec-
trical energy over distances far exceeding the limits of transmission
hitherto accepted. The fact that the system is limited to " through
transmission" from one point to another is not a very serious
objection, because such transmission over long distances will form
the main arteries of country- wide transmission and interconnection
schemes in the near future. The quarter-wave line can be con-

* See Bull, de la Soc. Intcrnat. des Electricians, January, 1903.

Vol. 87. No. 2,230, August 20, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEWo

251

nected in parallel with a local network fed on the ordinary present-
day syatem and the half-wave system discussed in the concluding:
portion of this article offers the advantage that it can be tapped at
or near the centre of its lengrth if desired. In addition, the half-
wave system requires no special type of alternator, and " artificial '
half -wave lines should not be difficult to construct even for relatively
short distances.

( To he continued.')

REVIEWS.

NATIONAL AQREEMENT ON ELECTRICAL
WAGES IN THE CONTRACTING INDUSTRY.

The following is a copy of the Memorandum of Agreement
between the National Federated Electrical Association and the
Electrical Trades Union, to which we made a brief reference in our
last issue : —

1. This settlement to be a complete national settlement as and
between all districts in England, Wales and Ireland.

2. The new rates and grades shall come into effect on the first
pay day following acceptance nationally by all districts, and signa-
ture by those authorised to sign on behalf of the respective parties
to this agreement, i.e., the N.F.E.A. and the E.T.U.

3. No change in the existing rates in any district to take place
pending a notification of acceptance or rejection being officially
given by the E.T.U. and the N.F.E.A. Such notification not to be
later than four weeks from July 1st, i;t20.

4. In the event of acceptance, the rates of pay for the various
districts shall be those set forth in the schedule, which shall be
standard rates. They shall not be altered except in accordance
with this agreement, and shall not be subject to alteration under
the rules provided for in district agreements. This clause does not
prejudice the payment of more than the standard rate to any
particular employe or employes selected on the ground of special
ability or responsibility or long service.

5. Where, under this agreement, the increase due in any district
exceeds 3d. per hour, the increase to come into effect on the date
mentioned in Clause 2 shall be 3d. per hour only, and the balance
of such increase shall come into effect on the first pay day in
December, 1920.

6. Any alteration in grading may be agreed locally where due to
incorrect grading, but no application for alteration shall be made
on the grounds of any national variation in the cost of living.
Failing settlement, the matter shall be referred to the Joint
Executives of the N.F.E.A. and the E.T.U., whose decision shall be
final and binding. No such alteration of the grading set forth in
the schedule shall, however, take effect before February, 1921.

7. There shall be a review of wages in February and July of
every year. Any application for increase or reduction must be in
the hands of the secretaries of the N.F.E.A. or the E.T.U. not later
than January 1st or June 1st, in any year, for consideration at the
following joint meeting. Decisions arrived at on wages questions
shall become operative aa and from the dates agreed at such
meetings.

8. This agreement shall apply to all qualified journeymen being
members of the E.T.U. who are employed by electrical contractors
in England, Wales and Ireland, except such employes who may be
engaged for full time on manufacturing work under agreed engi-
neering conditions.

Schedule.

Grade A, 28. 6d. per hour. — London. This rate includes a
travelling allowance. No further allowances to be paid except as
provided by Rule 9 of the London Rules, dated February, 1920.

Grade B. 2s. 3d. per hour. — Mersey District, Southport, Man-
chester, South Wales. Those towns and districts which have
agreed to follow the Mersey and/or Manchester rates. Tyneside,
The Hartlepools, Sunderland, Stockton-on-Tees. Middlesbrough,
Darlington, West Riding of Yorkshire, Sheffield, Hull., Those
towns in Yorkshire which have agreed to follow the West York-
shire or Sheffield rates. Bristol, Birmingham, Coventry, Wolver-
hampton. Those towns which have agreed to follow the Bir-
mingham rates.

(irade C\ 2s. Id. per hour. — The towns of Southampton, Ports-
mouth, Plymouth, Devonport, Chatham, Bournemouth, Bath, Luton.
Towns and districts not specified above which are in the counties of
Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire, Lincoln-
shire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex (outside London area), Hertfordshire
(outside London area), Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derby-
shire, Northamptonshire, Staffordshire, Sussex, Kent (outside
London area), Surrey (outside London area), Middlesex (outside
London area), Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckingham-
shire.

Grade D, Is. lid. per hour. — The remaining counties and towns in
England and Wales.

Note.— The grading of Belfast to be left open for further
consideration.

Signed as at this date, August 7th, 1 920.

On behalf of the National Federated Electrical Association : —

On behalf of the Electrical UVades Union :-

P. COLLINBON.

G. E. Taylob.

J. Rowan,

J. KiNNIBUEGH,

Practical Electric Weldmg. By H. Bevan Swift, A.M.I.E.E.
London: E. & F. N. Spon, Ltd. 1919, Pp. ix+102; 6G
figs. Price 7s. 6d. net.

The title of this book describes it accmately. It ia a small
and bandy practical guide to electric welding of the three
kinds in general use, and can be thoroughly recommended
for the instruction of welders and teachers uf welders. It
does not profess to enter into the scientific questions of
metallurgy, chemistry, and electrical matters involved, but
it does touch on some of these things where the welder will
come in contact with them and require to know something
about them. In this abstention the book corresponds to the
.state of the art, as well as confines itself to its subject &a
indicated in the title. The art of electric welding is dis-
tinctly in the empirical stage iu most respects, especially aa
regards arc welding. It has attained to its present stage
by trial and error. There has been little research work on
the subject of which any results have been pubhshed, and
although there is a voluminous amount of material to be
found in print, very little light -has been thrown on the
general prmciples, physical and chemical, involved.

The fii'st chapter gives a short historical resume of the
art, which commenced with Klihu Thomson's discovery
of resistance welding about i»77. This very simple process
has since made immense strides in variety of apphcations
and magnitude of the work handled. Benardos carbon
arc welding followed about Ibba, and about 1895 Slavinoff
introduced the bare metallic electrode; in 1905 Kjellborg
applied a fluxing covering to the metallic electrode which
revolutionised arc welding, and has made possible the sub-
sequent wide development in its use and apphcation. There
has been a great deal of experiujcntal work done in recent
years on the composition of the electrodes themselves and
their coverings, which has rejsulted in the production of
covered electrodes suitable for v\-elding dilierent kinds of
iron and steel. The results of this work are either guarded
as trade secrets or covered by patents. Very good practical
results have been obtained, but as is usually the case where
competition is a powerful factor, the general principles guid-
ing such work are not public property.

Carbon arc welding is described by the author with a
short preliminary description of the carbon lighting arc,
^\hich, however, difl'ers considerably from the metal-carbon
arc used for welding. The minimum voltage for a steady arc
is considerably lower, due doubtless to the higher conduc-
tivity of the metal vapour than of the carbon "mist " in the
carbon arc. Stress is laid on the importance of using graphite
electrodes, and of making the woi'k, i.e., the metal, the
positive electrode, in order to avoid carbon being carried
into the weld. The author remarks that the carbon arc is
mo.stly used for comparatively rough work, such as filling
in large flaw holes in castings or building up defective por-
tions, and for cutting metal, as in the demolition of bridges.
This is true, yet the carbon arc has been used for many
years past in work of a higher grade which has to stand
severe tests, e.g., in the manufacture of steel barrels. It
is rather curious that its use for such work has not been
extended in other fields, but there can be little doubt that
metallic arc welding is superior, and has out-distanced the
older method. The carbon arc can be used for welding
copper, even copper to iron, and is largely used for track
bonding with much success. The fact is rather remarkable,
especially as it has not been shown that similar welds can
be made with metallic electrodes.

Metallic arc welding is the method most fully described,
and the instructions given, as might be expected from the
author's practical knowledge, are very ' complete, and, on
their practical side, accurate. In a statement of the proper-
ties of ferrous metals and their amenability to welding, a
summaTy is given of the relevant differences between the
varieties of iron and steel, as derived from the processes_ of
manufacture, re.;ulting composition, and behaviour at high
temperatures. In describing the ordinary smith's weld, the
main leason why this succeeds with wrought iron, &c., and
not with other metals is missed. That reason is that the
oxide scale which forms on the heated pieces is fusible, or
at least plastic, below the melting point of the metal, and
is, therefore, beaten or squeezed out by the smith's hammer,
so that clean hot surfaces in a plastic condition are brought
into contact. In most other metals the oxides formed have
higher fusing points than the metal, and are, therefore, not
removed by the pressure; this is the only obstacle to welding
them, as is proved by the success of resistance welding, wt'ere
heat is applied without oxidation of the surface. Arc welding
is probably a misnomer; the union is effected by fu.sion of the
surfaces, and it is really a process of " autogenous " solder-
ing. It is doubtful whether the succe.w of metallic arc
welding has any relation to the amenability to welding of
wrought iron and some of the st<>els, since cast iron and
steels which are not weldable in the forge are successfully
handled bv the metallic electrode process. It ia probable that
success with the non-ferrous metals is only a question of

252

THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWo [Voi 87. No. 2,230, AuausT 20, 1920.

experiment and research, as is forcibly suggested by the
success of welding copper and copper to iron with the carbon
arc.

Welding with the bare iron electrode is rather lightly dis-
missed by thu author. He is probably correct in thiiiking
that the flux-coated electrode gives superior results. It cer-
tainly calls l'c<r a less skilled operator, and good work is
done With it on various kinds of ferrous metals, which, so
far as is known, has not been paralleled with bare electrodes.
But a Jai-ge amount of good work has been done with the
latter, especially in the United States, and there are large
scale users here who consider that the advantages of flux-
covered electrodes are not worth the extra cost. This may
be ti'ue for welding on very low carbon material, where
the weld metal forming the joint can be practically pure iron,
and still approximate suUicieutly to the physical and mechani-
cal ijroperties of the parts to be joined. But it seems clear
that where it is desirable that the weld metal shall carry
carbon and other elements to approximate to the properties
of higher carbon steels and other £i>ecial metals, a flux coat-
ing is essential. It is in adjusting the composition of the
electrode and the flux to attain this end that the art of the
electrode maker is shown. The flux also has an important
influence on the smooth flow of the fused metal, and relieves
the operator of the difficulties arising from the iron oxide
formed on both the electrode and the work in the absence
of a flux.

The author shows a distinct preference for direct-
current welding, though admitting that good work can bo
done with alternating current. This preference seems to
rest upon use and wont. One finds that a welder wbo
has generally used direct current prefers it, and
vice versa with one who has generally used alter-
nating current. There is, in fact, a little difference
in the manipulation. With alternating current the best arc
length is shorter than with direct current, and it is
perhaps a little easier to " hold the arc " with the longer
arc. But that is about all that can be said. Reasoning from
the known fact that in the carbon arc carbon is transferred
from the positive to the negative electrode, on which the
transferred carbon forms a luu.shroom tip in short arcs, it
might be supposed that the iron arc behaves similarly, i.e.,
that the electrode should be the jxjsitive pole. But the
transfer of the molten electrode metal to the joint certainly
does not depend on any such uni-dii-ectional transfer. If it
did, welding could only be done with direct current and
the eleetrode positive. But welding can be done with alternat-
ing current, or with the electrode negative. So that if there
ia any uni-directional transfer of metal, and we do not know-
enough of the physics of the ii'on ai'c either to affirm or to
deny this, such transfer is quite masked by other actions.
What seems to happen is that the molten "electrode metal
is torn otf and projected across the arc m very small particles,
and at a high velocity, overcoming gravity, or "overhead "
weldmg would be impracticable. The nuinediate cause of
this transter of metal and the quantitative relations between
the amount of metal, the current, the potential ditterence, and
the temperature of the electrodes have not been mvestigated.
They call for inquiry, and the results ot such researcn can
hardly fail to benefit arc weldmg practice. Mr. Swilt wiseJj
retrains from speculation on this attractive subject.

With reference to the polarity of the work, it is recom-
mended that the work be made the positive and the metal
electrode negative. Ibis is general practice, but the authur
adds that the work does not get so hot with this polai'ity.
Presumably he has observed this in practice, but one would
expect the dilierence to be in the other diiection, because m
the carbon arc, at lea;,t, the positive crater is hotter than
the negative tip. There is also a greater surface potential
drop at the crater, and consequently more heat developed
theie. It seems likely that the same thing obtains m the
iron arc, and this should be the reason for making the work
positive. Owing to its much greater mass the heat is con-
ducted from the seat of the arc much more rapidly through
the work than through the electrode, consequently to keep
the work at welding temperature, the greatest evolution of
heat should occur there. Even so it will be at a considerably
lower temperature than the electrode. If this is .correct, then
for a given welding current the work will be" hotter— not
cooler, as the author says, when made the positive electrode.
A possible explanation of the apparent contradiction is that
when the -n-ork is negative a greater current is necessary to
keep its surface at the necessary temperature. Or it may
be that the iron arc does not follow the carbon arc in the dis-
tribution of temperature and heat evolution. We really want
someone to do for the iron arc what Mrs. Ayrton did for the
carbon arc, before we can profess to understand iron arc
welding in a scientific way.

Mr. Swift goes very fuUy into practical details. The
electrode holders, protective screens, and other items of equip-
ment are described, illustrated, and commented on. The
various kinds of joints which have to be made are shown, and
the exact way of attacking each is described. The importance
of observing the weld in progress, the position of the dag,
how to join up to a w«ld, and how to terminate it neatly,
are all dealt with in the direct and clear way of the expert
who can not only do the job, but describe the how and why
of each action; what to avoid as well as what to do. The
table of electrode sizes and current, and the procedure with

welds in work of different thicknesses will be found of great
utility to the beginner and the instructor.

In deahng with the adaptation of general electric supply
to welding uses, Mr. Swift shows a due appreciation of the
supply engineer's point of view, and how the user can meet
his just requirements. Tiie conditions of the work are shown
to affect the choice of equipment. It makes all the difference
to the most economical arrangements whether a group of
welders are to work close together m a workshop, or are
scattered about a shipyard, »tc. There is already a consider-
able choice of outfits, motor generators, transformers, i-c, on
the market to suit welding. Something of this kind is re-
quired in every case where the energy is taken from supply
mains, because the welding arc voltage is much lower than
supply voltages, and direct use with a resistance is too waste-
ful— as well as too disturbing to voltage — to be contemplated
for other than small or temporary jobs where the cost of
energy is not regarded.

Passing from arc welding, Mr. Swift gives a good descrip-
tion of resistance welding and various forms of welders on
the market. The great adaptabihty of this process is well
illustrated, but the magnitude practicable is perhaps insuffi-
ciently indicated. Resistance welders are in being which
will spot weld steel plates three inches thick. There is a very
great future for resistance welding, it will probably become
much more impoftant as a manulacturmg process than arc
welding, though the latter has no doubt great potentiahties,
and th(?twu methods nre really coadjutors rather than rivals.

With regard to the important question of protective screens
for arc welding, Mr. Swift's remarks are pre-eminently cau-
tious and practical. One gathers that he is not altogether
satisfied with the glasses now used. The outstanding difli-
culty is that glasses which efficiently protect the eyes from
the arc rays are too dark to permit vision of the surround-
ings of the arc, so that the oiJerator cannot see his tools,
lie, through them. It would be a great improvement to
have a combination of glasses efficient as shields, and yet
allowing other things than the arc to be seen. The direction
to work in is to find gla.sses which allow only light about
the yellow-green part of the spectrum to iiass. Ihis is the
most efficient part of the spectrum visually, i.e., it produces
the greatest effect on the retina in proportion to the radiant
energy involved. The si)ectral rays which carry the most
energy are the infra-red and the red, these are to be feared
as burning the skin and external eye. Violet rays damage
the retina, but they are not difficult to exclude. Clear water
stops the infra-red almost entirely in very small thickness.
It should not be difficult to arrange a shield with a ceD
containing this cheap absorbent and readily refilled. For
the rest, the work of the makers of light filters for photo-
graphy ought to be able to supply glass or gelatin films
giving a nearly monochromatic yellow-green. Gelatin has
some advantages over glass for the purpose. It may be
mentioned that one of the speediest cures for the sore eyes
produced by arc radiations is a very dilute (1 grain per ounce)
water solution of sulphate ot zinc. It was always kept in
the arc testing rooms of arc lamp factories, and removes the
smart and int^ummation magically.

There are a few points in the book which call for criticisn},
rather because they tend to mislead the reader on other
matters than because they detract from its immediate pui-pose.
On page 4, dealing with the formation of an arc, it is
stated that the air at tlie point of contact is heated and
becomes of loiver conductivity, thus enabling the arc to be
maintained. Obviously higher conductivity is meant. On
page 18, the process of making malleable iron castings is
described in language which will hardly convey a correct
idea. On page 41, the ratio of metal lost in overhead welding
with alternatmg current as against diiect current seems rather
overstated as against alternating current, but the author
may have measured it, and the reviewer has not.

In describing (pp. 75 and 76) the Ulbricht method of getting
a single from a b-phase supply, by joming the three secon-
daries of a three-phase translbrmer in series, reversing one
of them, the author says that the resultant current has triple
the primary frequency, and 1.73 times the pressure of one
secondary. In fact the pressure is twice that of one secondary
and the frequency is not increased. (See " Polyphase Electric
Currents," Thompson, Chapter XIV, which describes also
some other methods of obtaining single from three-phase, per-
haps worth the attention of users of arc and resistance
welders.) On p. 77, the author suggests that the phase dis-
placement caused by a choker results in economy, because
the meter will show a lower reading for the same current.
Ibis does not seem quite true; at least it is an awkward
way of saying what is true.

Perhaps the most reinarkable omission is that hardly any
mention is made of tests to be applied to determine the
quahty of welds. The author's silence is perhaps best ex-
plained by the fact that there is no specific test for welds.
But some reference might have been made to microscopic and
radiographic methods, which have a certain measure of utility
and liave been developed to some extent. Also to mechanical
tests on both welds and weld metal which have been made
and published on good authority.

These points are, however, trifling, and the book is to be
strongly recommended to everyone anxious to know what
can be done by electric welding, and how to set about doing
it on correct lines. — H. M. S.

Tol. 87. No. 2,230, At7GUST 20, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

253

ALTERNATING CURRENT TRACK CIRCUITING.

By L. H. PETER, A.M.I.E.E.

{Abbtnict u/ paper published in the Journal of the Institdiion ov Electrical Enguneeus.;

It is not the author's intention to deal with the methods of
applying alternating current to track circuits, but rather with
the factors that must be taken into account when deciding
on the apparatus to be used. The apparatus forming a track
, circuit of the simplest kind may be considered as comprising
a tran.'iforraer or other method of supply, a regulating device
for adjusting the supply, and a relay. To illustrate good
and bad combinations of relays and uupedance bonds, vector

Fig. 1.— Single rail tracks without impedance Fig. 2. — Train shunted at trans-
bonds, with a resistance in feed, and galvano- former end.
meter relay. Supply = 33', cycles. Traclt
circuit = 1,000 ft. long. Track cleau.

Figs. 1 and 2.= Vector Diagrams.

diagrams are di'awn with the " in phase " and " quadrature "
operating values of the relays used; the corrected values for
the relays operating at the phase angles shown on the various
diagrams have been omitted to avoid complication. Some
explanation is due for adopting the non-inductive shunt for
these diagrams. If the shunt circuit formed by a pair of
wheels joined by an axle and standing on the track is con-
sidered, it may be i-egarded as consisting of three parts : (a)
The contact resistance from the rail to one wheel. (6) The
inductive circuit formed by the axle and two wheels, (c) The
contact resistance from the second wheel tcj the second rail.

Both (u) and (c) are non-inductive; ib) is inductive and.
owing to the half loop formed by the wheels and axle and
the skin efl'ect of both these, it may have a comparatively low
power factor. Tests have shown that the contact resistance
between rail and wheel is many times the impedance between
wheel and wheel, and we have, therefore, a series circuit
with two high resistances in series with a small inductance,
the net result of which is to give a circuit that for all prac-
tical purposes may be taken as non-inductive. This is still
more the case when the rail and wheel contact resistance
increases to a value which would be commensurate with the
shunting-out value of the relay, as the contact resistance,
which is non-inductive, will then be so many times greater
than the .small impedance between wheels that the latter
may be neglected and the shunt-circuit power factor taken
as unity.

Taking first the A.c. track circuit in which one rail is
given up wholly for signalling purposes. The electrical state
of such a ti-ack circuit with an " in phase " relay is that
shown in fig. 1 when the track is clear, and as shown in
fig. 2 when the track is shunted by the maximum train shunt
at the transformer end. The relay is operating with the '
track current 32 deg. displaced in phase from the local current,
and we must, therefore, divide the " in ph'ase " operating
values by the cosine of .32 deg. to get the correct operating
Values with this phase displacement.

When the track is shunted by the application of a non-
inductive train shunt (resistance 1.4 ohms) at the transformer
end, the phase displacement between track and local cur-
rents is reduced to 23 deg.. and the release values for the
relay will accordingly be the " in phase " release values
divided by the co.sine of 23 deg. The diagrams show a ther-
mal resistance between the track transformer secondary and
the rails, this resistance being so ndiusted that the" total
current output from the transformer to the track may be
sa^ to remain constant whether the track is occupied or' not.

Fig. ,5 shows tlie values of such a resistance ; with a pres-
sure ri.se across the resistance from 4.76 volts in fig. 1 to the
S.46 volts shown m fig. 2. the current increase would be prac-
tically ml, as we should be working on the flat portion of the

The relay track current vector is comparatively large; if
we can increase the relay impedance and also reduce the
volt-amperes required for it from the track, we shall greatly
improve the shunt value.

The conditions shown above are good so long as one of the
track rails can be spared for signalling purposes only; but
when both rails are required for the propulsion return cur-
rent the addition of the impedance bonds necessary to carry
this current alters the vector diagram. With impedance
bonds of low power factor connected across each end of the
track circuit and a relay of the " in phase " type, the com-
paratively low impedance and low power factor of the two
bonds reduce the shunt at the transformer end of the track.
The phase angle between the track and local currents is also
large when the track is clear, and small when it is shunted.
This is a bad case, as the relay condition is improved when
the track is shunted, thus necessitating a lower shunt re-
sistance to drop the relay. The " quadrature " relay is
obviously more suitable for use with this type of impedance
bond. The large currents passed by the two bonds, however,
account for the high total current, and if the impedance of
the bonds could be increased so as to reduce the current
vectors, we should also be able to reduce the size of the
track tran.sformer, resistance, and leads to correspond. The
reduction in track current is made by the use of resonated
impedance bonds, and improves the shunt values considerably
on the same track circuit, and with the same relay. In addi-
tion we must also count the improved phase relationship
of the track and local currents, and particularly the small
relative change in this phase relationship which now takes
place when the track is shunted. It is still possible, however,
to improve the relay-operating conditions by adjusting the
reasouated impedance bonds to have a leading power factor,
and so compensate for the difference between the track and
local currents. It is unsatisfactory to use a " quadrature "
relay with the resonated type of liond and resistance in the
track feed. To be able to place the ti-ack relay some
distance from the end of the track circuit economi-
cally with regard to table, a relay transformer is inserted,
the track voltage being stepped up for tran.smission to the
relay. Tlie result, however, is the introduction of further
comphcation in the vector diagram, the net result of intro-
ducing the relay transformer being a decrease in the power

Fig. 3.— Double rail track with resonated Fi;;. 4.— Train shunted at trans-
impedance bonds, two-element vane relay and former end of track,
oondenser in track winding . Supply ^60 cycles.
Track circuit ^ 1,000 ft. Ion;;. Track clear.

Figs. 3 and 4. — Vector Diagrams.

factor between the relay and the track at the relay end of
the track. The current taken from the ti'ack is now
also high. There is no great advantage in substituting a
" quadrature " for the " in phase " relay. Several method.s
have been adopted for varying the power factor of the relay
in order to enable the best operating conditions to be obtained.
One of these, which has been u.sed on the " quadi-ature " relay,

2M

THE ELECTKICAL KEVIEW. [Voi, 87. No. 2,230, auoubt 20, 1930.

consists in adding another winding to the iron core on which
the track windinp of the relays is mounted, and connecting
this additional Tviriding to a small capacity. By this means
the power factor of the track winding can be brought up to
" unity."

Figs. 3 and 4 show a double-rail track circuit with resonated
impedance bonds, and a relay in w-hich the power factor of
the track winding Jhas been made " unity " by this method.
This gives a very good combination for a double-rail track
circuit, the normal phase displacement on the relay being
no dog. and the phase displacement when shunted varying
only 2 deg. : the high shunt value of 1.62 ohms is obtained.

Another method of controlling the phase angle on the reUiy
is to feed the track circuit through a condenser of variable
capacity, or to use a capacity and inductance in series, the
two being so adjusted in relation to one another that the
current supply to the track may be given an angle of " lag "
or " lead " as desired. This method is shown in fig. 6. Tlie
supply feeds the primary of a " step-down " transformer
through a condenser, the secondary of the trani5former being
connected dii"ect to the track rails with or without inter-

HIOH-SPEED WHEELS FOR LOW-HEAD
HYDRAULIC TURBINES.

One of the difficulties encountered in hydro-electrical work
is the suitable treatment of cases where the available head is
unsuitably low. The account, which we abstract below from
the Electrical World, of a typical low-head plant that was
put into commission in .January last by the Consumers' Power
Co., near Plainwell, Mich., tJ.S..\., will, therefore, not be
out of place.

In the new plant, which is novel in several respects, and
is probably the first of its kind, there are three penstocks each
of which contains a 72-in. (183-cm.) AUis-Chalmers NX type
turbine, operating at 16-1 R.P.M., and delivering .380 b.h.p. under
a head of 12 ft. (3.6 m.). This type of machine as developed
by Mr. F. Nagler, constitutes a material -advance in turbme
design, and shows at increasing speeds the characteristics of
the Fourneyroa turbine, with the result that much higher
speeds have been attained than is possible with any other
type of machine.

I

UjDjjLLii/

mo

Fig. 5. — Thermal Resistance.

Fig. 6. — A.C. Track Circuit with Capacity
AND Inductance in Feed Ciucorr.

Fig. 7. — A.C. Track CiRcriT with

Relay Transformer and Condenser

IN Series with Relay.

mediate means of regulation. Adjustment may be made by
varying the number of turns of the primary winding, capacity
being maintained constant.

Damage from pressure-rises due to any cause is protected
against by the use of safety spark-gaps across the condenser
terminals. By adjusting the number of primary turns in
relation to the cajiacity, the voltage across the condenser can
be maintained at a point slightly above the pressure of the
mains while the track is " clear." When the track is
" shunted," the short-circuit of the secondary winding of
the transformer so reduces the inductance of the transformer
that the pressure of the mains only is placed across the con-
denser terminals. This results in a decrease of the current
passed by the condenser, and a corresponding decrease in
the current output to the track on the secondary side. This
is of great value in the track circuit as it enables a higher
shunt value to be obtained.

In addition, a change in the phase angle of the current
also is made which can be utilised to improve still further
the shunt value, by so arranging the track circuit that with
the track " clear " the relay is operating at its maximum
efficiency, and that when the track is " short-circuited " the
phase angle changes in such a way as to make the relay-
operating conditions less efficient. This method of feeding is
most suitable for single-rail track circuits fitted with quadra-
ture relays. In this case the capacity and inductance in
series are so adjusted that their power factor is " unity," the
quadrature relay itself being designed so that its two windings
have widely different power factors.

When the track is " clear," the capacity and inductance
supply current which gives a 90 deg. phase displacement on
the relay; and when the track is short-circuited and the in-
ductance of the feed transformer thereby reduced, the con-
denser supplies a leading current which brings the phase
angle of the two currents on the relay to a phase displacement
of less than 90 deg.

Another method of altering the power factor of the relay
track element to suit all the conditions consists in introducing
a capacity between the high- voltage side of a relay trans-
former and the relay track element, as shown in fig. 7. This,
however, does not give to the tr.ack when " shunted " the
falling current outjiut which can be obtained by feeding tlie
track circuit through the combination of inductance and
capacity.

A small capacity introduced "between the .secondary of the
relay transformer and the relay track winding, fig. 7, gives
.similar results to those of adding a condenser winding and
condenser to the relay, but has the advantage that the relay
need not be altered. This is an advantage, as a standard
design of relay can be u.sed with or without the relay trans-
former, and with either the resonated or non-re.sonated bond.
(V'n he rnnrUulrfl.)

Physical Society of London. — As a result of replies

rer^eived in responee to a questionnaire recently circulated to
Fellows with reference to days and time at which science meetinirs
should be held, the Council has arranged to hold meetings ilurin? the
comin? session at the uniform hour of 5 p.m. on the second and
fourth Fridays of the month.

At full gate -opening the Plainwell turbines show a type
characteristic of 143. The runner is an entire dei)arture from
the Fiancis, or so-called mixed-tlow turbine, it being of the
.louval type with important innovations. The arms of the
old Jouval machine to which the bucket ring was fastened, are
eliminated enth-ely, and the buckets drawn back to the hub.
The reduction of the number of Idades has been carried to
the limit, having been reduced to 4, which are placed widely
apart, so that the blades and clearances between them each
occupies about J of the total projected area of the runner.
In this manner a very high tyjie characteristic has been
obtained. The new turbines at present show a maximum
Holyoke efficiency of from 80 to 87 per cent. The two views,

Figs. 1 .and 2. — New Type of Hydr.aulic Turbine Runner.

figs. 1 and 2, show the new type of runner, which has tho
general appearance of an ordinary propeller. The runner
is made of cast iron, and is placed in a turbine case of ordinary
design. The wide space between the blades is of gi'eat advan-
tage from an operating standpoint, as it makes it impossible
for the wheel to become clogged by tra.sh.

The new type of turbine requires a draught tube of as great
a length as possilile in order to attain the necessary efficiency.
The tube is made of steel plate in the form of a flaring cone
with a vertical axis of the hydraucone type. The characteris-
tic of the tube is that the distance from the tailrace bottom
tip the draught-tube edge is comparatively .small, and the flare
at the lower diameter is great.

On account of the large size of the turbine for the head,
and the high elevation of the centre of the turbine case madp
necessary by the length of the draught tube, the wheel centre
of the Plainwell plant came too near the head water to ensure
.satisfactory operation in the ordinary way. The so-called
" vacuum-turbine " setting, first introduced by the Escher-
W'yss Co., of Switzerland, was, therefore, used as illustr-ited
in fig. 3. The Plainwell machines are still, however, under
the ordinary headwater, but the water level over the turbine

Vol. 87. No. 2,230, August 20, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

255

when operating is raised about 6 ft. (1.8 m.) above the head-
water in the pond, and rises to the underside of the generator
room floor, the entrance being sealed by a curtain wall. The
concrete penstock, therefore, is entirely closed, and operates
under a partial vacuum, the ail- being constantly removed by
means of a small water ejector. The water consumption of
the latter is insignificant compared with the discharge of the
turbine.

With the plant in operation the vacuum was tested and
found to be .5.75 in. (13.3 cm.) at normal pond level, which
slioned that the penstock was full of water to the underside
iif the generator tloor. The turbines have not yet been tested,
but are fullilling the power guarantees.

.\u interesting feature is the unusually small size of the
generator, as compared with the .size of the turbine; this is
due to the high turbine speed, which also permits the economi-
ciil use of direct-connected exciters on top of the generators.

Tlip latter are 4(X>-K.v..4., 3'20-KW., 0.8 power fector, 164-
B.P.M., ;2,.500-volt. 3-phase, 60-cycle General Electric Co.
machines. They are provided with alarm thermometers and
oil gauges to control the oil level in the thrust bearings, which
are of the G.B. Co. spring-thrust and guide-bearing tvpe.
The Woodward governors are of 6,700 ft. lb. {9-24.6 kg. "m.)
capacity, and are belted to the turbine shaft. At times of

Fig. 3. — SKCTrnNAL View of " Vacuum-turbine " Setting.

low water one or more of the machines may be used as a
synchronous condenser to improve voltage conditions on the
transmi.ssion hnes. This is possible becau.se in this type of
machine no bearings depend on the passage of water through
tlip wheels for lubrication or cooling purpo.ses. Three single-
phase. H-type. 4(HJ-K.v.A., 2,500-i.5,0lK)-volt, outdoor trans-
formers step up the generated pressure for transinission, and
the 40,(XlO-volt, 4ftlt-amp. switch is automatically and hand
oncratcd. The entire plant is operated by one man on each
shift.

EXP0RT5 AND IMPORTS OF ELECTRICAL
GOODS FOR JUNE, 1920.

The oficial returns of electrical exports and imports for the month
of June show, aa regards the exports, total values of £l,3s5,974, as
compared with £1.1.50 2?14 for the previou.s^ month, an increase in
values of i;2:!5 740, the increase bein? accounted for by the large sub-
marine teleerraph cable exports of £41ii,000. A fallintr off in export
va'ues durinjr the month occurred in electrical goods (£10.000),
insulated wire (£67,000). batteries (£11.000), and meters (£10,000X
whdst the values of electrical machinery, lamps, telegraph and
telephone expurta were somewhat above those for May.

The electrical imports for the month were valued at £219.440,
an increase of £2t'i,000 on the May totals of £10.S 25.5, nearly every
section of the imports showinjr an improvement with the exception
of insulated wire carbons and lamps.

Re-exporti of foreign and colonial electrical goods for .June show
a falling ofT of £r).000, the total values for May and June being
£lS,6;»'.t and £12,.512 respectively.

For comparison, we give iierures showing the electrical exports
for the first six mouths of 191.S, 1919, and 1920 :—

1913. 1019. 1920.

J inuary to June ... £3,843,720 £2,806,013 £6,205,296

The total weight of electrical machinery exported during June
totalled ^17 tons, as compared with 6ii7 tons in May, '.tl5 tons
in June, nn'.i. and 2.52 7 tons in June. I'.il3.

For the six months ending June 3otb. I'.m:'., I'.ilHand r.i'Jii. the
total weights of electrical machinery exported were as follows : —

19W. 1919. 1P20.

13.785 tons. 4,754 tons. 1.77s tons,

Values op Electrical E.xports and Imports fob June, 1920.

Exports. Imports. Re-exports.

'^'"'"'(trut:rat:dT"'")- *1^2>««^ *««•«" ^'■'''

Insulated wire 346,248 11,454 1,174

Glow lamps 27,520 2,403 237

Arc lamps and parts 2.825 743 —

Batteries 39,734 5,288 —

Meters 34,904 12,702 521

Carbons 10,650 7,233 3,905

Electrical machinery : —

Railway and tramway motors... 3,203 — —

Other motors and generators ... 115,415 — —

Elec, machinery (unenumerated) 54,996 95,068 2,243

Switchboards (not teleffraph or

telephone) 9,695 — —

Telegraph and telephone cable and apparatus : —

Telegraph and telephone wires

and cables (not submarine)... 89,615 1,175 —

Submarine telegraph and tele-
phone cables 416,853 — —

Telegraph and telephone instru-
ments and apparatus ... 81,509 14,533 1,600

Totals...

...£1,385,974 £219,440 £12,512

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly for this journal by Messrs. SErroN-JoNis, O'Dell and
Stephens, Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

20,248. " Electrolytic production of tin deposits." M. Schlotter. July 9tll.
{Germany, March 15th, 1917.)

20.263. " Contact fingers (or controllers." Soc. Anon. Constructions El«c-
triqucs de Belgique. July 9th. (Uilgium, March 18th, 1919.)

20.264. " Electric traction." Soc. Anon. Constructions Electriques d«
Belgique. July 9th. (Belgium, May 34th, 1919.)

20,279. " Electric heating apparatus." L. de Soissan. July 9th. (Bel-
gium, December 19th, 1913.X

20.288. " Electric generating systems." Kohler Co. July 9lh. (U.S..
March 20th, 1919.)

20.308. " 'Electric signalling." A. van T. Day. July 9th. (U.S., July
17th, 1916.)

20.309. " Automatic railway traffic controlling systems." A van T. Day.
July 9th. (U.S., October 18lh, 1916.)

20,319. " Arc lamps for producing flashes of lightning." Schwabe & Co.
July 9th. (Germany, December 10th, 1914.)

:30,322/3, " Insulators." R. M. Johnston, July 9th.

20,338. " Telephone and telegraph cables." Soc. Industriclle des Tel-
phones. July 9Ui. (France, April 4lh, 1919.)

20,343. " Generating continuous currents by means of machines." C.
I.orenzals & K. Schmid. July 9lh. (Germany, February 13lh, 1919.)

20.930. " Telegraphy, &c." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. July 12th. (Germany,
September 15th, 1915.)

20.931. " Method for generating and reinforcing vibrations for wireless
telegraphy." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. July 12th. (Germany. July 17th, 1918.)

20.932. " Appliance for vacuum tubes." S. Loewe. July 12th. (Germany,
July 9th, 1918.)

20.933. " Arrangement for wireless telegraphy from submarines." Dr.
E. F. Huth Ges. July 12th. (Germany, December 8th. 1916.)

20.934. " -Method of connection to produce oscill.itions with vacuum tubes."
Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. July 12th. (Germany, July IBth. 1917.)

20,933. " Reception process for electrical vibrations." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges.
July 12th. (Germany, May 5th, 1919.)

20.936. "Antenna for wireless telegraphv." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. July
12th. (Germany, July 14th, 1915.)

20.937. "Connection for sending and receiving electric waves." Dr. E. F.
Huth Ges. July 12th. (Germany, October 13lh, 1917.)

20.938. "Device for transmitting high-frequency energy to vacuum tubes."
S. Loewe. July 12th. (Germany, October ]9th. 1918.)

20,947. " Manufacture of electrodes for soldering, .tc." Alloy Welding
Process, Ltd., and E. H. Jones. July 12th.

20,952. " Inclined carbon lamp." R. Mylo. July 12th. (Germany, January
28th, 1918.)

20,953/4. " Process for photographically recording sound waves." R.
Mylo. July 12th. (Germany, November lOth, 1915.)

20.955. " .Arrangement for surging reception of electric waves." Dr. E. F.
Huth Ges. July 12th. (Germany, April 29th. 1919.)

20.956. " Combined transmitting and receiving arrangement." Dr. E. F.
Huth Ges. July 12th. (Germany, Dcember 14th, 1917.)

20.957. " Multiple boosters, &c." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. July 12th. (Ger-
many, March 8th, 1917.)

20.958. " Electric discharging vess.ls." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. July 12th.
(Germany, .■\pril 3rd, 1917.)

20.959. " Receiving arrangement for wireless telegraphy." Dr. E. F.
Huth Ges. July 12th. (Germany. October 28th, 1918.)

20.960. " Device for preventin.g self-sounding in vibration producers. &c."
Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. July 12th. (Germany. July 4lh, 1917.)

20.961. " Connection for telephony." S. Loewe. Julv 12th. (Germanv.
October 29th, 1918.)

20.962. " Radio-telegr.aphic apparatus." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. Julv 12ih.
(Germany, August 28lh, 1917.)

20.963. "Transmitting undamped electric vibrations." Dr. E. F. Huth
Ges. July 12lh. (Germany. July 2l5l, 1917.)

20.964. " Connection for obtaining a strengthening ol wireless messages."
Dr. E. F. Huth Ges July 12th (Germany, June 11th, 191",)

20.965. " Mode of putting in circuit of audion receivers." S. Loewe.
July 12th. (Germany. April 18th, 1918.)

20.992. " .Apparatus for wireless transmission of messages." S. Loewe.
July 12th. (Germany, October 26th, 1918.)

20.993. " Wireless telegraphy and telephony." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges. July
12th. (Germany. August 18th, 1917.)

20.994. " Three-arm choking coil." Allgcmcine Electrlcitats-Ges. July
12th. (Germanv, September 17th, 1914.)

20.995. " Receivers with strenglheners." S. Loewe. July 12th. (Ger-
many, April 18th, 1918.)

266

THE ELECTRICAL REYCEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,230, august 20, 1920.

:illa

20.997. " Arrangement for receiving elec
Hulh Ges. July li2th. (Germany, April 26lh, 1919.)

21,000. "Sparking plugs." J. Hanman. July 12th.
' 21,003. " Receiving connection with vacuum tube." Dr. E. F. Huth Ges.
July 12th. (Germany, October 13th, 1917.)

21,004. " Electric contacts (or switches, &c." G. Page and A. West & Co.
July 12th.

21,023. " Electrolytic devices for use with meters, switches, &c." Thorpe
Meter Syndicate and W. B. Thofpe. July 12th.

21,025. " Sound-detecting systems." E. A. Graham and VV. J. Rickets.
July 12th.

21,027. " Manufacture of coils for static transformers." British Electric
Transformer Co. and J. Roothaan. July 12th.

21,040. " Manufacture of armatures of electric rotating machines." T.
Tanaka. July 12th. (Japan, July 11th, 1919.)

21,047. " Electromagnet for locking devices." Luftfahrzeugbau Schullc
Lanz. July Hth. (Germany, October 17th, 191C.)

21,051. " Manufacture of carbon electrodes." S. E. Sieurin. July 12lh.

21,056. Driving system for 3lternating.curTent meters. Allgemeine Elck-
tricitats Ges. July 12th. (Germany. December 31st, 1918.)

21,058. " Generator with movable grates." Allgemeine Elektricitiits Ges.
July 12th. (Germany, June 17th, 19181)

21,060. " Vacuum tube." S. Loewe. July 12th. (Germany, April 20th,
1918.)

21,067. " Safety switch for installation systems. &c." Allgemeine Elek-
tricitats Ges. July 12th. (Germany, November 6th, 1913.)

21.077. " Coin-freed meter (or electric current, gas, water. &c." Allge-
meine Elektricitats Ges. July 12th. (Germany, September 19th, 1914.)

21.078. " Coin-freed meter for electric current, gas, water, &c." Allge-
meine Elektricitats Ges. July 12rh. (Germany, July 4th. 1917.)

21,092. " Device (or heating running water by clectrlcitv." H. Lipke.
July 12th. (Germany, April 25th, 1914.)

21.094. "Talking machine with electric impulsion." A. Ebner. July 12th.

21.095. " Automatic disengaging devices for talking machines worked by
electric motor." A. Ebner. July 12th.

21.103. " .Apparatus for electrical transmission over wires or by wireless
of photos and pictures." M. R. Howard. July 13th.

21,106. " Vehicular electric lighting and starfing." VV. J. Branson. Julv
13th.

21,113. " Long-distance electric power transmission." A. M. Taylor. July
13th.

21,128. " Means (or retaining trollies on wires." L. F. Brommage. July
13th.

21,139. " Electrically bonding metallic circuits." C. Lye. July 13th.

21.149. "Portable electric hand lamps." Concordia Elektricitats Akt.-Ges.
and F. R. Wade. July 13th.

21.150. " Sparking plugs." T. S. Price. July 13th.

21.178. " Electric propulsion of ships." .M. de Coulnck. Julv 13lh.
(France. July 15th, 1919.)

21.179. "Three-electrode ionic tubes." Radio Communication Co., J. Ree,
and L. B. Turner. July 13th,

21,202. " Appliance (or testing magnetos and sparking plugs." E. R.
Gardner. July 14th.

21,231. "Trollies (or overhead electric Iramwavs." W. Lawrence. Julv.
14th.

21,251. " Portable dynamo-electric lamp." G. Poole. July 14th.

21,256. " Radio signalling systems." L. de Forest. July Hth. (Uniti-d
States, May 10th, 1915.)

21,271. " Electric transformers." British Electric Transformer Co. and J.
Roothaan. July 14th.

21,304. " Dynamo electric machines." British Thomson-Houston Co. and

F. P. VVhitake'r. July 14th.

21,317. " Devices (or locking incandescent electric lamps." G. F. Colsoit.
July 15th.

21,330. " Earthing clip (or electric cables, pipes, tubes, &c." H. Willis.
July 15th.

21,336. " Means for electrically reciprocating hammers, pistons, &-c."

G. F. Campbell, J. Knight, and J. Tattersall. July 15th.

21.340. " Electric fuse holders." R. T. Waite. July 15th.

21.341. " Electrically driven vehicles." F. M. Walters. July 15th.
21,354. " Wireless telephone transmitters." A. R. Taylor. July 15lh.
21,370. " Switches for electric lighting." A. Schellenberg. July 15th.

21.381. " Driving electric mechanism for operating rail track apparatus."
T. Ducousso. July 15th.

21.382. " Reception of wireless signals." Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co.
July 15th. (United States, July 28th, 1919.)

21.383. " Variable electrical controlling elements for wireless telegraphy,
&c." Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co. July 15th. (United States. July 31st,
1919.)

21,385. " Dynamometers." T. H. Jones and W. J. Walker. July 15th.
21,389. " Electric induction regulators cooled bv forced draught." Akt.-
Ges. Brown, Boveri et Cie. July 15th. (Switzerland, July 15th, 1919.)

21.420. " Dynamo electric machinery." H. E. M. Barlow and L. Barlow.
July 16th.

21.421. " Electric bells. &c." A. Fisk. July 16th.

21,450. " V\'ireless directional transmission and reception apparatus." T. (I
Gill. July 16th.

21,461. " Electrical and mechanical locks for lift gates." W. G. Carter.
July 16th.

21.481. " Electric arc-welding apparatus." Siemens-Schuckertwerke. July
16th. (Germany. August 19th, 1919.)

21,490. " Electric arc welding." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.). July 16th.

21,492. " Apparatus for converting heat into electrical energy." F. E.
Beeton. July 16th.

21.,'-.04. "Circuit closers." E. F. Nichols. July i6th.

21,505. " Apparatus for breaking, commutation, inversion and deviation
of an electric current." Z. R. Delia Veneria. July 16th.

21,507. " Dynamo electric machines." A. E. Honey and J. Stone & Co
July 16th.

21,.'>11. " Electrically driven trucks." J. E. Slott. July 17th.

21,522. "Support of accumulator boxes to seat pillar of motor cycles, &r "
S. E. Pope-Arridge and VV. S. Firth. July I7th.

21.537. "Trigger relays for radio communication, ic." R.idin Communita.
lion Co., J. Scotl-Taggart. and L, B, Turner. July 17th.

21.538. " Modulation systems. &c., in radio communication. Sc " Radio
Communication Co. and J. Scott-Taggart. July 17th.

21,541. "Cover for electric switches." S. S. Sodring and N. P E
Winther. July 17th. *" . r. i..

21.568. " Portable electric lamps." J. Marsh. July 17th.

21.572. "Globe with device for showing action of earth's magnetism"
E. G. Schlatyer. July I7th. ''

, ^' ■■'*'• ^l^^"''"^'^" telegraphy." S. O. E. T. Trost. July 17th. (Denmark,
July — , 1919.)

21.595. " Electrical ceiling roses, &c."
Pearn. July 19th.

21,596. " Driving magneto-ignition apparatus for internal combustion
engines." M. S. Connor and C. C. Puckette. July 19th.

■21i604. " Telemeters." Firm of C. Zeiss. July 19th. (Germany, July
21st, 1919.)

21,609. " Relays for automatic telephone, &c.. systems." Automatic Tele-
phone Manufacturing Co. (Automatic Electric Co.). July 19th.

21.619. " .Apparatus for distance control of electric switches." E. Schattner.
July 19th.

21,628. " Conduit fittings for electric conductors." H. March, March and
Newey, and W. Newey. July 19th.

21,641. " Adaptors (or holding carbons in arc lamps." G. C. Bridgland.
July 19th.

21.655. " Insulating material." J. A. van der Nolle. July 19th. (Hol-
land, July 19th, 1919.)

21,666. " Electric clocks." L. Pillon. July 19th.

21,676. " Burning carbon electrodes in electric furnaces." S. E. Sieurin.
July 19th.

21.683. " Signalling through water or air." R. A. Fesstnden. July 19lh.
(United States, July 21st. 1919.)

21.684. " Telephone repeating circuit." Western Electric Co. July 19th.
(United States. July 31st. 1919.)

•21.699. " Battery-6Hing machines." L. A. Freedman. July 19th.

21.712. "Amplification of telephone currents. &c." T. F. Wall. July 20th.

21.713. " Electric lamp holders, &c." E. E. Hopwood and VVardle En-
gineering Co. July 20th.

21,721. " Magnetic motors." W. Thompson. July 20th.

' Automatic switch for electric hoists, &c." A. Satterthwaite. July

21,725.
20th.

21,726.
July 20lh

21,732.

21,735.

21.745.

21,755.
20th.

21,756.

' Electric incandescent lamps." U. Cristofoletti and N. Manetli.

' Spark plugs." H. A. Myers. July 20th.

' Telephones." G. B. Riley. July 20th.

' Electric welding." E. Greenhaigh and B. Longbottom. July 20th.

■ Electric switches." C. L. J. B. -Nadaud and F. Young. July

treatment of vapour:
ut-outs, &c." " VV. A.

.\pp3ratus for electro-chemic;
Cherry. July 30th.

21.766. " Contacts for electrical fuses,
and A. Reyrolle & Co. July '^Oth.

21,827. " Locking device for electric lamp bulbs." H. H. Bailey and A. C.
Pritchard. July 21st.

21,831. " Electric illuminating devices (or theatrical stages. &c." T. H.
Rochford. July 21st.

21,855. " Electro magnets." Soc. Anon, des Etablissements L. Bleriot.
July 21st. (Belgium, Jaly 31st, 1919.)

21,860. " Means for improving electrical contact between collectors and
conducting rails. &c.. of electric railways, &c." VV. H. Lawes. July 21st.

21,863. " Variable inductance devices for tuning." J. Joseph and H. VV.
Sullivan. July 21st.

21,868. " Termimal receivers for electric wires." J. T. Callaway and
S. A. Callaway. July 21st.

21,873. " Electric welding apparatus." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.). July 21st.

21.875. " Magneto-electric lamps." Philipps Akt.-Ges. July 21st. (Ger-
many. July 24th, 1919.)

21.876. " Small magneto-electric machines." Philips Akt.-Ges. July 2l5t.
(Germany, July 21st, 1919.)

21.899. " Electric switches." Igranic Electric Co. (Cutler-Hammer Manu-
factoring Co.). July 21st.

21,912. " Alternating current meter." .Allgemeine Electricitats-Ges. July
21st. (Germany, July 22nd, 1919.)

'21.914. " Wireless receiving apparatus." Metropolitan-V'ickers Electrical
Co. July 21st. (United States, August 5th. 1919.)

21,934. " Electrical junction, &c., boxes." H. Evans and St. Helens Cable
and Rubber Co. July 22nd.

21,958. "Electric batteries." E. Alber. Julv 22nd. (Switzerland, July
26th, 1919.)

21,967. " Apparatus for heating water bv electricity." R. G. Higham,
July 2'2nd.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in pai
printed and abridged.

intheses are those under which the specifications will be
and all subseciueilt proceedings will be taken.

& Co., and J.

11,562. " Energy-regulating arrangement for electric circuits."
Schuckertwerke. June 13th, 1917. (141,653.)

XS18.

1.430. " System of control for maintaining the relative speeds of a number
of electric motors." F. G. Warburton. January 20th, 1919. (147.243.)

5.764. " Manufacture of carbon electrodes." C. H. Thompson. March 8th,
1919. (147,247.)

7.179. " Electric cells or batteries." A. T. Austin and H. Adkins. Septem-
ber 22nd. 1919. (147,249.)

8,175. " Electric coin-operating bioscope." J. .M. Davey and S. M. Green.
April 1st, 1919. (147,250.)

8,293. " Sparking plugs." S. Fisher and VV. Priddev. April 2nd, 1919.
(147.251.)

8.619. " Thermionic valves." B. Hesketh. April 5th. 1919. (147.351.)

9,013. " Telephone cables." G. C. Pearson and Johnson & Phillips. April
9th. 1919. (147,364.)

9,443. " Elei-tric signalling and indicating apparatus." McKenzie. Holland
& Westinghouse Power Signal Co. and H. M. Proud. April 14lh, 1919.
(147.269.)

9.483. " Electrodes (or electric welding." A. Le Chatclier. April 14th,
1919. (147.270.)

9.865. " Electric incandescent lamp and similar articles and methods of and
apparatus for manufacturing the same." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.) April 17th, 1919. (147.293.)

10.048 " Electric switches" R Norton .April 22nd. 1919. 1147.302.)

11.789 " Electric fuses. • H. R. RiversMoore. J. T. Burden and W. J.
Hawes. May 10th. 1919. (147,316.)

13.135. " Electro-magnetic wave signalling systems." N. Lea and J. Ree.
May 24th. 1919. (147.3'20.)

15.823. " Electro-deposition of metals." J. H. B. Jacpmbs. December 23rd,
1919. (147.338.)

18.321. " Thermostatic devices." Relay Automatic Telephone Co. and G. H.
Bry.nnt. July 23rd, 1919. (147.354.)

18,674. " Diaphragm for reception and reproduction of sound." E. M. C.
Tigerstedt. July 26th, 1918. (130.600.)

22,126. " Sparking plugs." H. Longton. September 9lh. 1919. 047,370.)

TXIES

BLEOrrK^IO-A-Ij K/B'VIB'W-

Vol. LXXXVII.

AUGUST 27, 1920.

No. 2,231.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

Vol. LXXXVII.] CO STENTS: Angust 37, 1990,

The Strike Fever

The Work of the Electricity Commiasioners ...

The B.A. at Cardiff

" Science and the Public "

The Minimum Charpre Restored

Extensions at Aylesbury (j.llux.')

Messrs. Debenhams' Electric Restaurant {i/liix.)

The British Standard Cookinp Range ...

The British Association. — I

Engineering Section ...

Mathematical and Physical Science Section
Industrial Psychology, by E S. Hodgson
Electricity Supply in the United Kingdom
Correspondence —

Electricity Supply Restiictions

Tests for Electric Welds

Power Factor, by C, TurnbuU

Legal

Business Notes

Notes

City Notes

Stocks and Shares

Market Quotations

Electrical Conditions in Holland

Extra LongDistance Transmission of Electrical
(eoiitinned) ... ... ... .,. ...

Alternating Current Track Circuiting, by L. H, Peter
(^conchided)

Reviews

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (_illiis.)

Electricity Supply at Paris

New Patents Applied for, 1920

Abstracts of Published Speoifioationa

Contractora' Colnmn Adveztiaement page

Energy

Page

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THE STRIKE FEVER.

The grave situation which has arisen out of the electricians'
strike at Messrs. Cammell, Laird & Co.'s works at Penistone,
is attracting general attention, as it may lead to a complete
stoppage of the engineering industries. Hri tly, the position
is this : An electrician at the works was promoted to the
office of foreman, and resigned his membership of the Elec-
trical Trades Union. The latter demanded that he should
rejoin the Union, or be dismissed, but the foreman and his
employers respectively declined to accede to these demands,
and the E.T.U. declared a strike, whii;h has now been in
progress for about seven weeks. On the appeal of the com-
pany for support, the Engineering and National Employers'
Federation took up the matter and opened negotiations with
the Union, but the latter maintained its uncompromising
attitude, claiming that in future all foremen over electricians
should be members of the Union, and as this involved an
important (|uestion of principle which the Employers'
Federation could not concede, a deadlock resulted. As the
dispute affected other Uuions, notably the Amalgamated
Engineering Union, the Iron and Steel Trades Confedera-
tion, and the National Federation of General Workers, con-
ferences were held between them and the employers, in the
hope of bringing about a settlement, but without success,
and the Employers' Federation decided to issue notices to
the effect that they would not employ any members of the
E.T.U. These notices were to have been issued on Monday
last, but action was postponed until to-morrow, the notices
to e.xpire on the first Saturday in September. A meeting
of the Executive Committee of the E.T.U. was held on
Tuesday at Manchester to consider the situation. O.i
Friday last the National Federation of General Workers, of
which many members will be affected by a general strike or
lockout of members of the ?].T.U., at its annual conference
e.xpressed regret that its member Unions had not been
Cfinsulted by the E.T.U. before action was taken, and decided
to call a conference of the E.xecutivcs of the Unions to
discuss the matter.

The (juestion at issue is no new one ; only recently it
led to a law suit (Hodges r. Webb), and it has repeatedly
been the subject of local sDrikes. Now, however, it has
assumed still greater importance, owing to its having
become national in character, and it is desirable to consider
exactly what it means.

In the first place, it should be clearly realised that if an
agreement is not (|uickly reached, an immense amount of
damage will surely be inHicted upon the naM'on at large.
As electricity is the handmaid of all other engineering
industries, it follows that the latter will be brought to ;i
standstill by a strike or lock-out, and that at least half a
million men belonging to other Unions will be thrown out
of work. Those other Unions are by no means pleased with
the prospect, and the secretary of the Natio-al Federation
of General Workers, Mr. .T. O'Grady. M.P., has expressed
himself forcibly on the subject ; he says : — " It is high
time that this damned nonsense was .stopped. Over and
over again we have had thousands of our members thrown out
of employment through disputes about which we have not
been consulted. ... On the merits of the dispute, we
hold the view that the policy of the Electrical Trades
Union is wrong.

[257]

258

THE ELECTRICAL KEYIESV. [Voi. 87. No. 2,231, auoust 27, 1920.

Secondly, it should b3 uadirstood that the claim of the
Electrical Trades Uoion that foremen should necessarily be
members of the Union is not in accordance wioh Trade- Union
practice. On this point we m;iy i|Uote Mr. G. N. Barnes,
M. P., formerly general secretary to the A.S.E., as reported
in the Enning Standard -, Mr. Barnes said that the A.S.E.
had never made such a demand as that put forward by the
E.T.U. The National Association of Supervising . Elec-
tricians, a Trade Union embracing a lan.,'e number of
foremen in its membership, is strenuously opposed to the
claim, which, it maintains, would render the life of a
foreman unendurable.

Lastly, let us understand the inner significance of the
movement. It is the avowed policy of the Electrical Trade.s
Union to compel first foremen, and ultimately managers,
of electrical firms to become members of the Tnion, with a
view to securing complete control of the industry. That is
a policy which naturally cannot be tolerated by the
employers. It is indistinguishable from the policy which has
brought ruin upon Russia, in the;shape of the worst form of
tyranny, violating the fundamental principles of democracy,
and destroying the last remnants of personal liberty. 83
long as this policy is pursued by the Electrical Trades
Union, so long will the electrical industry — and the count-
less industries which depend upon its operations — be
harassed and perplexed, and deprived of the opportunity
for peaceful development and increased production which is
the key to future prosperity.

We do not believe that the rank and file of the E.T.U.
are in sympathy with, or responsible for, the policy adopted
by their hot-headed leaders ; it is certain that other Trade
Unions regard it with strong disap])roval. According to
The Times of Jlonday last, Mr. Frank Smith, secretary of the
Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades Federation, which
is likely to be involved, on Saturday earnestly appealed for
industrial stability ; he said : " I am convinced that neither
side wants to fight. Industry is going to pass through a
great trial during the winter and the early spring, and all
the evidence we can collect indicates that unemployment
will increase. But we have no evidence that employers
want a slump in the shipbuilding and engineering trades,
and given 12 months' stability — a period free from the
threat of striking or any menace of lock-out or unemploy-
ment— I believe we should pull through." He hoped that
the Trade X'nion Congress next month would " take a firm
stand and discourage this policy of strike action which is
affecting us all."

We hope so, too ; the last thing we could wish for is a
stoppage of work, especially at such a time of difficulty and
uncertainty as the present. But we prize liberty above all
other blessings, and, if that can be safeguarded by no other
means, we regretfully conclude that a struggle is
unavoidable.

Would that this were the only dispute that threatened
disturbance to the electrical and engineering industries '
Unfortunately, a far greater calamity looms ahead
in the shape of the miners' further effort towards
the nationalisation of the coal mines, the ballot
for which is now , in progress. The disastrous
conseijuences to the whole nation of such a strike
need no demonstration ; there is not one of us who
would not suffer, and those who would suffer most are also
those least able to bear the strain — the workers in other
industries, who, at the will of the miners, would be thrown
idle, deprived of coal and gas, and quickly reduced to
famine, for the sake of a cause in which they have nothing to
gain, but a great deal to lose. The crafty attempt of the
miners' leaders to make the strike appear to be in the public
interest by combining with their claim for increased wages
a demand for a reduction in the price of coal is a master-
piece of hypocrisy ; the stoppage of our exports of coal would
not only throw a greatly increased burden on taxation, it
would also cut off the inflow of goods to pay for those
exports, lower the exchange, and increase the price of all
imported foodstuffs. The miners' policy is dictated by crazy
folly ; their demands cannot possibly be conceded, and it
will take weeks of misery and months of hardship, imposed
upon the whole country, to demonstrate that obvious fact.

The Work of

Although the five members of the
. p. ElectricityCommissionwereonly appointed

Commissioners, eight months ago, they have in that com-
paratively short period of time managed
to get through a considerable amount of work. The scope
and importance of the work that has been brought to suc-
cessful fruition this year is not readily apparent to those
who have not followed closely the Commissioners' activitie?.
The report of the Minister of Transport respecting the pi'o-
ceedings of the Ministry under the Electricity (Supply)
Acts, 1S82 to 1919, during the past year is, therefore,
worthy of notice.

From the abstract of the report which will be found
elsewhere in this issue, it will be seen that the preliminary
survey of the present and prospective electrii'al requirements
of the greater part of the country, \\ hich led to the provisional
determination of seven electricity districcs, embraced other
districts of great importance from the point of view of
electricity supply ; numerous conferences were held, and
much time and thought was given to the problems
involved in the improvement of existing organisations
Before formal or ])rovisional consent could be given
in the case of applications for consent to the estab-
lishment of new, or the extension of existing, generating
stations, the Commissioners had to satisfy themselves
that the need was urgent, that the proposals were
technically sound, and that there was no economical
alternative source of supply available at the moment or in
the immediate future. This was no light task, and
it is gratifying to learn that in the mijority of applicatiins
a good case was made out for the works or plant in question.
The need for increasing the output of electricity in certain
districts is. at the moment, very real and urgent.

Another point that will oc3ision general satisfaction is
thit in the few cases where proposals have been submitted
for the establishment of new p"ivate generating stations, thi
Commissioners have prescribed regulations governing the
type of current, frequency, and pressure to be used with a
view to the standardisation of electricity supply in the
districts concerned. This is in conformity with the policy
followed in dealing with applications for permission to
extend existing stations, which for the most part relate to
plant only, and not to buildings, and has been governed by
considerations of the necessity of facilitating the develop-
ment of the electrical industry in any district ; the effect of
any given extension upon the ultimate development of elec-
tricity supply in the district ; and the undesirability of
extending a badly-placed station in one district when a
Ijetter situated station in an adj lining district could be
extended, and thus enabled to assist the first-named station.
It will be noted that the Commissioners have, on the
application of certain authorised undertakers, consented to
such applicants subscribing to the I.M.E.A., the B.E.S..\.,
and the E.D.A. This decision was made possible by
Sec. 30 of the Act of 1919, and will result in nothing but
benefit to all concerned. It may also be pointed out that
Sec. ::iO enables undertakers to send delegates to confer-
ences, meetings, exbiliitions, Ac, which they were unable to
do under the conditions prevailing in the past.

The Minister of Transport draws attention in the Report
to the fact that " the fund out of which the expenses of the
( 'ommissioners are defrayed will be provided by contri-
butions levied upon thi' industry (although temporarily
financed by advances from the Exchequer.)"' This comes
under Sec. 29 of last year's Act, where it provides that for
the first two years the Commissioncis can borrow from the
Treasury. Thereafter, over the next three years, repayment
is to be made by equal annual instalments. The under-
takings, of course, will have j lintly to find this money,
on the basis provided in the .\ct, namely, proportionately
to the units generated. ( )ne thing certainly seems sure in
this connection, namely, that the Commissioners are running
the Department with scrupulous economy. (;«rydyr House,
despite its archaeological prest'ge, is by no means palatial.
Its appointments are modesty itself. One might almost
think it the home of an ascetic order vowed to poverty,
obedience, and — of course — chastity. Anyhow, undertakings
may take comfort to themselves that there is no reckless
expenditure going on. Further, no one could say that the

yol. 87. No. 2,231. August 27. 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

259

Department was over-staffed. Altogether, if things go on
as they are going, the electricity supply undertakings stand
ti get exceptional value for any contribution they are
ultimately asked to make.

In conclusion, the Electricity Commissioners are to be
congratulated upon the success with which their initial
efforts have been crowned. The formation of Joint Elec-
tricity Authorities in various parts of the country is
progressing satisfactorily, and it is to be hoped that the
success so far achieved in directing the reorganisation of
eiisting sources of supply, and in supervising the initiation
of new ones, will continue in connection with future
proceedings.

The B.4. at
Cardiff.

The British Association is to be con-
doled with on the unfortunate coincidence
of its meeting at Cardiff and the strike of
Corporation employes, which cannot fail to interfere with
the comfort and convenience of the members to a marked
degree. To this circumstance, combined with the high
costof railway travelling, is the small attendance doubtless
tj be attributed ; insteiul of the usual number of 1,500 to
1' iiOO members, fewer than 1,000 are present, and the
alLfndance at some of the Sections is very scanty. ,\dmir-
:.hle arrangements had been made by the local organising
unnmitteefor the accommodation of the various Sections,
1 nd a full programme of papers and discussions was pro-
\ ided, covering a wide range of subjects ; on this occasion,
however, there appear* to be a comparatively small propor-
tion of matter liktly to bj of direct interest to the electrical
industries.

We give elsewhere abstracts of two of the Presidential
iddreEses. That of Prof. C. F. .Jenkin is noteworthy in
that it directs attention to the lamentable deficiencies which
still exist, in spite of the vast amount of research that has
Ijeen carried out, in our knowledge of the properties of
materials used in the engineering industries, with the
result that we are still compelled to cover up our ignorance
by the use of large factors of safety. As in other depart-
ments of science, we are only now learning to realise the
(normous importance of small causes from which great
effects arise : the strength of a steel shaft, for instance,
may be appreciably affected by producing a high polish on
its surface, instead of leaving it scored with infinitesimal
f cratches resulting from the use of abrasive polishing
materials.

On the other hand, we pass to the opposite extreme in
the address of Prof. Eddington, who showed how science
conid penetrate into the interior of the " giant stars,"
cons-isting of incandescent gas — situated at distances so
great that light has taken 100,000 years to pass from the;n
to us — and gather from these "borings" information
regarding the constitution of the atoms themselves. It is
interesting to note that the observations thus made tend
to confirm the theories with regard to the constitution of
matter wbicb have gained acceptance during this century,
and that no phenomenon conflicting with those theories has
vet been observed.

This is the heading of a leaderette in

'iif^'u^l',-*"? the Dailij Mail, which states that " Light
the Public." . , -^ , , ,. , ,

IS to be ' caught bending next week at

Cardiff." It goes on to say that " We have in Britain
to-day as original a group of scientific men as any country
in the world ; and they are beginning at last to see the
wisdom of coming out of their caves and laboratories and
applying their brains to practical affairs ; to the laws that
govern heredity, to wireless apparatus, to the uses of alcohol,
to the migration of fish, to medicinal thought-reading, to
the possibilities of intensive I'ultivation — which bulks
largely this year — indeed to scores of practical themes to
which their more abstract studies are leading.

" In any case, it is time most profitably spent if for one
week in the year onr men of science bend their united
energies lo the work of intcujling ihc public in the

advance of science. It is as much the duty of the public to
appreciate the men of science as of men of science to come
to meet the public."

Now, what does the Daili/ Mail think " our men of
science " had been doing during the period before they
began to see the wisdom of coming out of their caves and
applying their brains to practical affairs? I >oes it really
think that they have suddenly awakened and hurriedly
worked up papers on the laws of heredity, on wireless
apparatus, &<•., just for the purpose of interesting the
public during this British Association week ?

The Mail speaks of " our men of science " with a
patronising air, a kindly condescension which implies that
they are rather weird uncanny folk, not quite normal, who
dwell in "caves and laboratories," and do not usually apply
their brains to practical affairs — so unlike the brainy
trumpeters of the daily Press, who gaily talk of " catching
light bending" without having the faintest conception of the
significance of the allusion. This superior attitude of the
journalist who, in many cases, cannot even write English
correctly, and whose mind is blankly opaque to the most
elementary notions of physical science, is galling to those
who are able to appreciate the nature and value of the work
of that band of British scientific heroes, without whose
efforts, the result of long years of patient training in
research, the war would inevitably have been lost, on the
land, on the sea, and in the air. If the lay Press would
descend from its wooden pedestal and inculcate in the
public mind that knowledge and love of science through
which " our men of science " — unexcelled in the wnole
world — acquired their equipment for winning the war,
instead of perpetuating the silly and antiquated notion
that they are habitually immersed in useless hobbies of no
practical utility, it would do real service to the country.

Up to the present the minimum charge

'''"''%'!!'°i'""'° has been under a ban. For some time
Cliar^e

Restored. P^^^ ^^^ Board of Trade, when granting
an increase of statutory price, has taken
the opportunity afforded by the application made by the
supply undertaking, to cut out the minimum charge
The main motive was to act consistently with the other
Government departments which in war-time were preaching
economy and exhorting all and sundry to decrease their use
of electricity. Now, however, when consumers can again
be as prodigal as they like in such use, this reason
vanishes, and the Electricity Commissioners, giving heed to
the woes of small electricity undertakings, are once more
inserting the minimum charge in orders. Of course,
throughout the whole time, the minimum charges existing
in orders which were not brought to the Board of Trade
for review still continued operative ; so it was only the
undertakings which were unfortunate enough not to make
their undertakings pay, and which were thus compelled to
have recourse to the Board of Trade, which were thus
mulcted — obviously an anomaly, although, in the circum-
stances, unavoidable. However, the paternal benevolence
of the Commissioners has seemingly been touched, and in
some new orders, at any rate, the minimum charge is re-
appearing.

There is a change, however, in the method. Pre-
viously the minimum charge was 20 units per quarter
for all quarters alike. This is now being changed to
15 units for the winter quarters, and 10 units for the
summer quarters. This is a substantial reduction, of
course, but it has to be borne in mind that a greatly
increased charge per unit is now in vogue, so that
monetarily the present charge is not so discrepant with the
old charge as appears at first sight. There is, of course,
still an anomaly, namely, the case of undertakings which
have lost their minimum charges on recent orders. These,
unfortunately, cannot regain their minimum until such time
as they are entitled to make a further application for a
revision of charges. Those which have received increases
under the Statutory Undertakings Increase of Charges Act
can, however, apparently make further application forth-
with— if their individual circumstances warrant it.

260

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW^ [voi 87. No. 2,231, acgost 27, 1920.

EXTENSIONS AT AYLE5BURY.

The first Local Government Board inquiry into tlie
Council's application to borrow f21,o28 for the purpose of
erecting the borough electricity supply works was held in
May, 1914. The initial plant installed consisted of two
sets of vertical, three- lincWillans-Diescl oil engines direct-
coupled to 100-KW. E.C.C. generators, together with a 600-
ampere-hour battery.

Fig 1 —Stirling 2i),000 lb iBojlers ,

The public supply of electricity commenced in May,
r.)15 ; a large number of consumers was connected to the
mains, and the manufacture of munitions of war led to a
demand for considerable i|aantities of electricity. By the
end of 1016 the battery had been enlarged by an additional
.'lO per cent, capacity, but by this time the demand from the
munition factories had increased to such an extent that it
became imperative to further estend the
generating - station plant. A Premier
horizontal four -cylinder, suction -gas
engine direct coupled to a G.E.C. 200-
KW. generdtor, which was provided with
a static balancer, was, therefore, put into
operation in January, 1018. This ex-
tension, which we described at the time*,
was found to be insufficient to meet
the rapidly-growing demand, but for
various reasons brought about by the
war, further plant could not be in-
stalled at that time.

It may be of interest to recall that
Aylesbury was the first Diesel engine
station to start, in August. 1916, the
use of tar oil (creosote) as a fuel, and up
to February, 1918. £996 was saved on
the fuel bill by so doing. Later, by
the use of anthracite peas in the gas
plant, a consumption of 1'2 lb. (I*.") lb.
average) per Kw.-hour was shown in
favour of the gas engine. This was a
saving of 0-2d. per unit, and at that
time represented a saving on the fuel bill ' ' ^ '~

of about i'500 per annum : the figure would have been still
gi'cater if a large amount of the output had not to ba made
up by the use of the Diesel engines.

Following the Armistice, the Government gave sanctioH
'Electrical Review, April i:»th. 1918 ; pp. 3G5 -6.

for further extensions to be proceeded with, and tenders
were received for a -lOO-KW. gas engine set. In .January,
1919, however, an application for a large amount of power
swayed the decision in favour of a steam installation. This
was oflicially inaugurated on August .')th by the Mayoress
in the presence of a representative gathering.

The generating station is conveniently situated near the
centre of the town, by the side of the canal, which supplies
the necessary cooiing water, and will facilitate the con-
. venient handling of fuel from barges. Two Stirling boilers
of the five-drum tyjie have been installed, each as a single
and independent unit, having a heating surface of i),SOO
sq. ft., and working at a pressure of 200 lb. per sq. in. The
boilers, fig. 1, are each capable of evaporating 20,000 lb.
of water per hour ; superheaters are fitted to each boiler
capable of imparting a final temperature of 650 F. to the
steam. One boiler is fitted with two Babcock & "Wilcox
chain-grate stokers, the other will be fitted with chain-
grate stokers by the Underfeed Stoker Co. In addition to
the coal-firing machinery, oil- firing accessories are being
fitted, as a stand-by in cases of emergency, which will deal
with any kind of crude oils. The fuel-burning arrange-
ment is so designed that practically any type of fuel, from
anthracite to a poor quality of bituminous slack, can be
handled.

The feed-pumps are of the double-acting type, by Messrs.
"Weir, each pump being capable of supplying the two
boilers on full load ; they take their supply of water from
an adjacent hot well, which is in turn fed from three
sources : first, from the condensed steam from the turbine
condenser ; secondly, from the old cooling water tank, this
being an emergency supply controlled by a ball valve placed
in the hot well ; and, lastly, from the Paterson water
softener. The canal water has a hardness of 24' ; it is
softened by the addition of soda ash and lime to a hardness
of 3V.

There are two steel chimneys, each boiler being supplied
with its independent draught system. Sirocco fans,
driven by variable-spaed 30-h.p. motors, supply the
necessary draught for the fires.

The steam is led from the boilers to the turbine through
a 5-in. solid-drawn steel pipe, which is fitted, with two
Sentinel steam traps and a centrifugal water separator.
The turbo-generator, by the British Thomwn- Houston
Co., Ltd., is of the Curtis type, having three compound

Frtj;. ■2.— A B.T.H. Turbo-Generator Ski at Avlesbcrv.

impulse stages. Although the steam is supplied at 200 lb.
pressure, it is reduced to about 50 lb. before it reaches
th? turbine blade? by baiag passed through contractiuf
orifices. In addition to the usual fittings, the tarbine
is provided with a speed-limiting device to cut ofif the

Vol. 87. No. 2,231, AnoD8T 27, 1920.] THE ELEOTEICAL REVIEW.

261

Bteam supply should the normal speed of 3,000 e.p.m.
be exceeded by 10 per cent. Should the lubricating
oil pressure fail, the steam would also be cut off. The
governor controls the speed within ^ per cent, for
normal chars;es of load. The turbine, fig. 2, is rated at
1,000 Kw., or with a 25 per cent, overload, which can be
safely carried for a period of one hour, it is capable of
giving an output of 1,G00 h.p.

The condenser, by Messrs. Cole, Marchent & Morley, is
placed in the basement immediately below the turbine, and
is of the contraflow type ; it has a cooling surface of
1,600 sq. ft., and is capable of giving a vacuum of 28.^ in.
with the barometer at 30 in.

The three Edwards air-pumps are driven by a O-h.p.
electric motor through gear-wheels, and run at 120 r.p.m.
The circulating pump delivers 82,000 gallons of cooling
water per hour through the condenser, and is driven by a
14-H.P. motor. The cooling water is drawn from the canal
through a set of straining grids connected to an 18-in.
cast-iron pipe ; the pipe has branches placed in position to
supply three future turbo-generators, and is designed to
take a supply of water from the mill stream should the cooling
capacity of the canal be insufficient. 'The discharge from the
condenser is delivered into the canal basin.

The alternator is of the revolving-field, totally-enclosed

■ ■ ^

^^g

Fio. 3.— New Switchboard and Cubicles.

type with a d.c. exciter mounted on the turbine shaft. The
stator core is made of transformer iron, built up in sectionss
insulated from one another to reduce eddy currents to
a minimum. The alternator is ventilated by a fan attached
to the rotor, and receives air from a wet air filter placed in
the basement ; the air discharge tak^s place at the top of
the stator frame. The alternator generates three-phase
current at a pressure of 6, GOO volts, which is led through a
wire-armoured, lead-covered, and paper-insulated three-core
conductor to the cubicle-room.

The cubicles, fig. 3, are built up of concrete slabs, and
house the e.h.t. switchgear and instruuient transformers.
The operating board consists of black enamelled slate, upon
which the operating handles, indicating and integrating
instruments, and meters are fixed. The Tirrill regulator
automatically regulates the voltage as the load varies
within 1 per cent, of normal, thus obviating the constant
attention of the switchboard attendant. A modern system
of protective gear is installed to safeguard the alternator and
auxiliaries from damage in the event of overloads, earths,
and short circuits. A 500-k\\-. reversible rotary converter
is being installed at the generating station.

The rotary sub-station is placed about one mile away
from the generating station, and is fed through a 0'1-iucli.
three-core, steel-tape armoured, lead-covered and paper-
insulated cable, capable of transmitting, in addition to the

power at present required, a further 1,500 h.p. to meet
future requirements. The present installation at the sub-
station consists of a 500-K\\ . transformer and rotary. The
H.T. switchgear consists of two truck cubicles, built up of
cast-iron plates, housing the instruments and protective
gear. The l.t. switchboard consists of five black-enamelled
slate panels. A static sub-station is fed by a 0"05-in.
feeder, and will provide the supply to the housing scheme
and other consumers.

There are some 17 miles of cable laid in the town, the
supply being laid on to all the 289 street lamps, and thus
bringing electricity within the reach of practically every
resident. From the works five feeder cables run to five
different areas of the town, terminating in cast-iron feeder
pillars from which the distributors run and branch off down
the different streets. The whole of the cables are paper
insulated, impregnated with insulating oil, lead covered and
armoured with steel tape. The cables vary in coppei-
section from 0'3 to 0'0125 sq. in., and are laid direct in the
ground. The distributor cables are four-core, three of the
cores being used for the general supply and the fourth core
for the street lighting.

The street lighting is controlled in a novel manner from
the works by means of remote-control switches placed at
the end of the feeders, and operated by means of the feeder
voltmeter pilot wires which run in the same core as the
feeder cables. The immediate control of the street lighting
from the electricity works effects a great saving in labour.
A special street lighting wire is advisable, considerably
reducing maintenance of the mains, ;md labour of lighting
and extinguishing. Special all-night lamps or other lamps
can efficiently be dealt with by means of time switches.

There are 426 consumers, who last year consumed
1,023,845 units of electricity. The excessive strain on
the plant will be appreciated from the fact that a list of
16 comparable undertakings shows an average output of
790 units per kw. of plant, as compared with Aylesbury's
2,000 units per kw. of plant.

The capital cost of the undertaking is about £36,682,
involving an interest and loan repayment charge of about
£3,206 per annum. The financial result of the working of
the undertaking for the year ending March 31st last is as
follows : —

Income, £11,262 ; expenditure, £6,604 ; interest and
loan redemption, £3,206 ; leaving a surplus of £1,450.

The lighting and power connections are equivalent to
923 KW'., excluding a stand-by supply to two works, which
about doubles the figure. The total plant capacity at the
works, excluding the battery, is 1,400 kw.

In conclusion, thanks are due to Mr. W. A. Turnbull,
A.M.Inst.C.E., A.M.I.B.E.. borough electrical engineer and
manager, who designed the above extensions aud to whose
specifications they were carried out, for his help in the
preparation of this article and for supplying the photo-
graphs from which our illustrations were reproduced.

Liverpool Strike Settled.— The protracted dispute, in-
volving- the cable jointers and street box examinera, between the
Electrical Trades Union and the Corporations of Liverpool,
Wallasey, Birkenhead and Bootle, has been settled, and the men
agreed to return to work last Monday. The Liverpool men had
been on strike 13 weeks. The trouble arose through the men,
whose rate of pay had been arranged by the Whitley Council,
demanding a further increase, on the ground that men employed
by private contracting firms were being paid a slightly higher rate.
The Corporation declined to concede the advance, contending that
the Joint Industrial Council was the proper authority to deal with
the application. Thereupon a strike ensued. Last week, after a
conference, the Liverpool Electrical Trades Union intimated that
the men would return to work, having agreed to the matters in
dispute being referred for arbitration to a committee of the
Whitley Council, which sat in Manchester on Tuesday.

Electrical Trade in South Africa.—?'/,^ S.A. Minimi

and Eiui'iiteeruiq Journal, of July 24th, says :^" Business in the
electrical goods market is very slow, both in town and country,
and prices remain about tlie same with a tendency to fall.
Electrical materials are coming in pretty freely, and according to
general reports, good stocks are on the way and shortly expected.
No big contracts are going just now, and dealers are principally
busy in sales of goods for repairs. However, on the whole, electrical
goods dealers are not much perturbed over the present slackness,
which they say occurs periodically, and are looking forward to a
general improvement in the near future."

262

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,231, ahoubt 27, 1920.

MESSRS. DEBENHAMS' ELECTRIC RESTAURANT.

An interesting installation of electrical cooking apparatus
was recently completed, and is now in operation, in the
restaurant at Messrs. Debenham & Freeb(]dy's well-known

yj" 1.— TaiciTY Electkic Cooking Range.

West End establishment, which both serves as an attraction
and provides refreshment for the firm's customers in a
manner that is beneficial
to both parties.

The electrical equip-
ment, of which what
follows is a description,
was the joint work of
two firms that need no
introduction, namely, the
British Electric Trans-
former Co., Ltd., and
Carron Company, to whom
we are indebted for our
illustrations.

Dealing first with the
" Tricity " apparatus, the
cooking range illustrated
in fig. 1 comprises three
ovens having heating
elements at their tops
and bottoms. The inside
measurements of these
ovens are 24 in. cube :
they are constructed of
cast-iron with sheet-steel
sides and backs, and are

lagged with slag wool. The maximum loading of each
oven is 5 KW., i.e., 2 kw. at the top and 3 K\v. at the
bottom, the elements being controlled by two three-heat
switches.

Three aluminium fish-fryers have also been inftalled :
their inside dimensions are l.s in. by 10 in. by C. in. deep.
Each fryer is controlled by a three-heat switch, and ii loaded
to 2-5 KW.

Fig. 2 illustrates a combined carving table, hot cupboard,
and Bain Marie. The length of the cupboard is 6 ft. ('. in.
overall, its height being 2 ft. 5 in. The overall height,
including the top shelf, is 3 ft. .0 in., the width of tlie
shelf is 12 in., and the width of the cupboard and table
2 ft. The loadings of this piece of apparatus are : — Carving
table top, including dishes, I-,') k\v., controlled by onethre(_-
point switcli : hot cupboard (which has doors at both sides),
2-t) K\v., controlled by one three-heat switch, and the hot
shelf is controlled by a three-point switch ; Bain Marie,
4 KW., and is controlled by one three-heat switch.

Two switches and two fuses are mounted on each Kartret
panel and a pilot lamp is provided beside each switch.

Turning now to the " Carron " tciuipment, fig. 3 shows a
standard electric boiling table, the dimentions of which are
8 ft. 'J in. long X 2 ft. 4 in. iwide ; this appliance is built

Fk; 2.

up of six standard-type boiling fillings, each measurlLff
l(i in. wide x 22 in. deep, which are fitted in a cast-iron
frame with a polished moulding all round, ample provision
being made in the frame for expansion and contraction ('f
the fillings. Four of the fillings are fitted with two boiling
sections, measuring 12 in. x 10 in. each, and loaded to
approximately 2 kw., whilst the other two fillings in the
centre, are fitted with four smaller boiling sections, each
measuring 7 in. x G in., and loaded to approximately 1 Kw.
Provision is made that each individual filling can be raised
to an up-right position in the fiame, so as to afford eaty
access to the heating elements and connections when
necessary.

A wrought-iron pan rack is provided, and the whole
apparatus is supported on six strong cast-iron kgi stayed
with heavy angle iron, which ensures a rigid surface to tl e
boiling table. The switchboard is mounted at a conveuiei t
height over the apparatus, and each circuit is separately
controlled by a rotary indicating switch, fuse, and pilot
lamp.

Fig. 4 illustrates an elecLric hot-cupboard and Bain
Marie, the first-named piece of apparatus being constructed
of cast-iron, with dimensions of (! ft. i; in. long x
2 ft. '.I in. high x 2 ft. (> in. deep, and provided with
a ground and polished top-plate and moulding all round.
The sliding doors are of wrought-iron, with polished banc's
and handles, the back and ends of the appliance being also
panelled. A shelf is fitted inside the hot cupboard, th.)
heating elements, arranged under a covering plate, being
loaded to a maximum of
o'5 KW., and arranged for
three-heat regulation. The
top-plate is independently
heated with elements
loaded to a maximum of
1"5 KW., also arranged for
three-heat regulation as in
the case of the hot cup-
board, both sets of heating
elements being indepec-
dently controlled by
switches fitted to a separate
ironclad switchboard on
which are also mountel
the necessary fuses and
pilot lamps for each
circuit, together with the
switches, fuses, and pilot
lights for the Bain Marie.

The Bain Marie is con-
structed of heavy gang.;
copper, tinned inside with
jiiiro block tin and n^li^he<l
outside ; its dimensions
are 4 ft. long x 2 ft. 8 in. deep. The heating elements
arc clamped to the undeiside, loaded to a maximum

TiiiriTY Combined Cakvino Table, Hot Cupboard
AND Bain Marie.

Electric Boiling Table.

of 1.') KW., and arranged for thiee-heat regu'ation, which is
suHicient to raise a 4-in. depih of water from 45° F. to

Tol. 87. No. 2,231, August 27, 1920.1 THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

263

boiling point in appro.ximately 3.') minutes. A removable
cover is also provided, which is shown in a raised or upright
position in the illustration.

Fig. 5 shows a standard treble-compartment electric grill,
constructed of cast-iron, the interior dimensions of each

Fio. 4. — Cabron Hot Cupboard and Bain Marie.

compartment being i'4 in. wide x is in. deep, giving a
total grilling area of approximately H sq. ft. The heating
element in each compartment is loaded to a maximum of
6 K\v., and arranged for three-heat n uulation, the "low"
heat having a consumption of approximately 1"5 KW.

Each section is provided with a polished wrought-iron
brander, with cool-grip handles, and the four pairs of
runners fitted to each compartment are sj spaced that the
top one brings the bars of the brander close up to the heating
element, but allows si>fficient clearance for toasting bread.
The bottom of each grilling compartment is white porcelain
enamelled, with an outlet in the centre, under which a
rem ivable gravy pan is fitted, as will be seen in the illus-
tration.

The hot cupboard elnwn over the grilling compartments
is the same width ani depth as the grill, with a height of
18 in. A perforated centre shelf is provided, and the whole

Fig '). — Carron Tbkblecompartment Grill.

apparatus is mounted on substantial cast-iron legs to bring
it to a convenient working level. The hot-cupboard is
heated by waste heat from the grill elements below it, and
wrought-iron sliding doors are provided withpolisihed centre
panels. The switchboard is fitted on the top of the

apparatus, and each circuit is arranged for separate control
by a rotary indicating switch, fuse, and pilot light.

In addition to the above plant, there is also a three-tier
" Jackson " steaming oven and two stock pots of cast
aluminium; the. latter simply stand upon ordinary
'•Tricity" hot plates. The stock pots, fish fryers, and
all other cooking utensils are made of aluminium, on
account of its light weight. It is found possible to make
aluminium pans with a fiat bottom more readily, and a
noteworthy point is that once the pan has commenced to
boil, the heat can be reduced, and the pan will continue
to boil with the lid removed if necessary. With iron par;»
full heat is required to keep them boiling when un-
covered.

As steam is available on the premises for other purposes,
it is used to heat all water that is needed in the kitjh< n.
The apparatus is giving entire satisfaction, and is capable
of providing between 400 and GOO midday meals, the
dinins' rooms having a seating capacity of about 4C0
persons.

Witti regard to cost of electricity the kitchen is, perhaps,
fortunate in being situated in the Borough of St. Maryk-
bone, but it may be said that, roughly, electric cooking is
25 per cent, cheaper than tie old method of using coal and
coke. In addition, there has to be taken into considera-
tion the easy temperature control, cleanliness, and other
well-known advantages of the electrical method, besides the
e imination of the cost and labour of fuel handling.

Messrs. Debenhams, Ltd., to whom thanks are due
for facilitating the preparation of this article, have shown
commendable enterprise in the use of electricity for heating
and cooking, as well as for lighting and power purposes,
the installations in their various establishments being
of considerable dimensions.

THE BRITISH STANDARD COOKING RANGE.

Specification No. lOii of the British Engineering Standards
Association is of more than technical interest, for it marks
an epojh in the development of domestic electrification, and
shows that experience has now become sufficiently ripe to
indicate primary requirements, and to permit cheaper
methods of production without cramping initiative in respect
of design or detail. We have for many years urged upon
manufacturers the importance of adopting such measures of
standardisation as may be found possible, particularly in
connection with the replacement of heating elements,
terminals, &c., and we cordially welcome this step in that
direction.

Only those who have worked upon the Panels of the
British Engineering Standards Association know the large
amount of valuable and voLintary service which it has been
able to enlist ; the engineering world, however, appreciates
the results, and looks upon its work with growing respect.

The specification for cookers deals with two standard
sizes, for families of five and ten persons respectively, and
offers little scope for criticism ; moreover, it will, no doubt,
come forward for revision as soon as progress warrants
change in definition or requirements.

(Generally the specifications issued by the B.E.S.A. suffer
only from the fact that they define requirements, and cannot
digress into comment or general observations. In ihe
making of them most interesting discussions arise ; points
culled from experience in use and ditticulties in
production are carefully exploied, and information is
often revealed which cannot well be incorporated in a
specification. Much of it might, however, prove valuable
in the form of memoranda on the subjects dealt with,
exhibiting as they would something of the scaffolding by
means of which the specification had been erected.

In the general clauses, reference is made to the insula-
tion of conductors leading to the elements, by means of
beads ; it seems probable, however, that the use of semi-
flexible connections, and such doubtful protection as is
afforded by beads, may become obsolete in well-designed
ranges. The possibilities of rigid connections of the bus-
bar type are promising, as well as the elimination of many

264

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW. [Voi. st. No. 2,231, A0g08t 27,1920.

dry or bolted joints by means of electric welding, which has
proved so adaptable to internal jointing in the winding of
motors.'

A number of valuable tests are set out, and conditions for
their performance specified, but reference is not made to
any definite ambient temperature, or to conditions con-
cerning the size of, or ventilation in, the testing room, the
air temperature of which might change considerably after a
number of ranges had been tested.

Earthing is provided for, but the directions suffer from
the weakness common to most earthing clauses ; they
prescribe the size of cable connectors to be used, in this
case 0'007 sq. in., but cannot take into account the length
of wire which may have to be employed to reach a suitable
earth, or the possibility of indifferent connections. As the
larger size of range may have a total capacity of 8,5 amperes
at 100 volts, it will probably be fused on the main at not
less than 120 amperes, and for such a low working
pressure, the earth connection mii,'ht with advantage be
heavier to avoid risk of overheating.

The protection of live metal by guards is dealt with, but
it is not easy so to tjuard radiant grill and boiler
elements as to prevent their being touched with forks and
at the same time to avoid screening their useful radiation ;
many elements have come to grief through attempts to make
skewers red hot or to warm curling irons on them.

Clauses 9 and 10 deal with sectional switches and cut-
outs, calling for d.p. cut-outs on each circuit except where
one pole of the supply system is earthed, a condition which
is so general that it would he worth while to emphasise the
necessity for arranging all switches on the live or feed side
of the supply.

Where the total loading exceeds 25 Kw., elements are to
be divided iilto approximately e(]ual circuits, each with its
own pair of terminals. One must hope that these will not
be used for the purpose of internal balancing across a three-
wire system ; such an arrangement may be tempting in
lightly cabled areas, but will probably bring much trouble
in its train. One house, one pair of wires, one meter, is
surely an essential for general domestic supply.

The limit of range height (3'.i in.) seems substantially

too much for the handling and inspection of heavy sauce-
pans ; it might prove more troublesome to a small cook than
the usual low oven door is to a big one.

One of the important clauses (21) calls for oven elements
to be self-contained and readily fixed or removed. So far,
in this connection, " readily " has been a comparative term.
A hand lamp, a few spanners, and one's head in the oven,
will more or less readily achieve the removal of some oven
elements ; others can be changed with but little trouble.
We have not yet found the " cartridge " element which
will go in and out as easily as a lamp, and it is, perhaps,
not worth while to increase cost very much to secure it, but
standard centres, bolt holes, and terminals should help a
great deal, and also, if possible, the ability to do all repairs
without working inside the oven and without taking ont the
lagging.

There seems room for further improvement with regard
to the temperature gradient at the ends of element wires ;
even where a good mechanical connection is provided
between the hot wire and its connecting lead, the tempera-
ture change is abrupt, and if the heat could be dissipated
gradually from the incandescent portion to the practically
cold connection, some of the causes of failure would
probably disappear.

The specification concludes with useful limits and instruc-
tions for testing the range and its components, so that
uniform conditions may be secured.

From the figures given for energy consumed to raise
the apparatus from cold to working temperature, and to
keep it so, it is obvious that out of the four or five units
per day needed to cook for the average family, something
like half fails to reach the food, and is dissipated in what 18,
after all, from the point of view of heat conservation,
the most efficient form of stove yet produced. This is a
useful refiection which should prevent us from dwelling too
much on the fact that the conversion of electricity into
heat in an incandescent wire ha.s an efficiency of almr st
100 per cent. ; there may yet be room for someoGe to
evolve the " half-watt " cookery range by a radical change
of method, such as an immersion heater in every pot, even
if not eddy currents within the joints of meat.

THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION- 1.

TwENTY-NiNK years liave elapsed since Cardiff was
last chosen as the meeting plaie of the Uritish Associa-
tion for the Advancement of Science, and much has been
accomplished in the interval. In 1891, the late Sir
William Huggins, F.R.S., acted as president, and his
address dealt with spectroscopic astronomy. Papers
dealing with electrical subjects occupied a more impor-
tant place in that programme than in the present one,
and among them may be mentioned those on
"Electrolytic Problems," by Mr. Robert L. Mond;
" Measurement of Liquid Resistances," by Mr. J. Swin-
burne; " The Lighting of Railway Trains Electrically,"
by Mr. Smith; and " The Telephoning of Great Cities,"
by Mr. A. R. Bennett, M.I.E.E., in which the author
said: "A matter which has never yet been seriously
faced is how the demand for telephonic exchange connec-
tion, which, after the lapse of a few more years, is bound
to arise in all large cities, is to be met. As yet the
merest fringe of telepliony, as it will ultimately be \vhen
developed, has been touched. A tiirie will come when
every shopkeeper, and almost every householder, will re-
ipiire his telephonic exchange connection." The propliecy
contained in the last sentence has been more thiui ful-
tilled, cidiiiinating in the modern problem of the ]iro
vision of sufficient exchanges, lines and instruments to
meet the demands of would-be subscribers. Another
paper on telephony was contributed by the late Sir W.
H. Preece, F.R.S., \vho described the working of the
(then) new telephonic connection between London and
Paris. Bearing in mind the fact that conversation on
this line cost eight shillings for three minutes, the pro-
jected increases in telephone rates may perhai)s be borne
vith fortitude.

Cardiff City itself has undergone changes since those
days, l)ut has never looked back. Tlie population, num-
bering about l.'52,000 in 1891, has steadily increased
until to-day it is estimated at well over 201,000. I'ntd
the outbreak of war the coal exports had gradually been
increasing, and in the last pre-war year, 1913, reached
a maximum.

This year's President is Prof. W. A. Herdman, who
has for some time past held the office of joint hon. secre-
tary. Prof. Herdman has carried out a great deal of
important work for the Government in oceanographic
research, &c. One of his missions was an investigation
of Eastern pearl-oyster fisheries, which involved a
journey to Cej'lon. Among his more recent accomplisU-
nients was tlie establisiiment of a marine biological
station in the Isle of Man. Prof. Herdman holds the
Chair of Oceanography at Liverpool University, and is
luuiorary director of .scientific \york to the Lancashire
Sea Fisheries Committee. The Vice-Presidents for the
Cardiff meeting include the Lord .Mayor of Cardiff
(Councillor (t. F. Forsdike. .I.P.), the Marquis of Bute,
tlie Karl of Plymouth, P.C. (Lord Lieutenant of
(ilamorgan), Major-(ien. Lord Treowen, C.H., Lord
Aberdare, D.L., Lord Pontypridd. D.L.. and Lonl
Tredegar, D.L. The following are the sections chietly
interesting to electrical engineers: — A. — ^h»tllematil■aI
and Physical Science. President, Prof. A. .S. Kd4lin';-
ton. m!Sc.. F.R.S. B.— Chemistry. President, (\ T.
Hevcock, M.A.. F.R.S. F. — Economics. President. J.
H.Clapham, C.B.E.. Litt. D. G.— Engineering. Pre-
sident, Prof. C. F. Jenkin, C.B.E.. M..\. L. — Educa-
tion. President, Sir Robert Blair. M.A.

The usual procedure was departed from, the proceed-

Vol. 87. No. 2,231, August 27, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL EEVIEW. 265

ings commeuciug, early ou the morning of Tuesday,
August 24th, with meetings of the orgunisiug and
sectional committees. The Presidential Address was
delivered at the Park Hall at 8 p.m. the same day. The
buildings placed at the disposal of the Association for
the purpose of the meeting were the City Hall, Park
Hall, University College, the Technical College and the
South Wales Institute of Engineers.

The Presidential Address related to "Oceanography
and the Sea Fisheries." Prof. Herdman, in his open-
ing remarks, paid tribute to the memory of those in the
world of science who fell in the war, making particular
mention of Mosely, Jenkiuson, Geoffrey Smith, Keitli
Lucas, Gregory and Leonard Doncaster. Proceeding,
Prof. Herdman said that many great advances had been
made in the science of the sea during the past quarter of
a century. At the previous Cardiff meeting there were
at least three papers of oceanographio interest contri-
buted by Prof. Osborne Reynolds on the action of waves
and currents, by Dr. H. R. Mill on seasonal variation
in the temperature of locks and estuaries, and by
Dr. Evans Hoyle, on a deep-sea tow-net capable of being
opened and closed under water by electricity. The
speaker noted that he was the first oceanographer to be
chosen as President of the Association — but oceano-
graphy was the youngest of the sciences, depending
chiefly upon the methods and results of other sciences —
physics, chemistry and biology. Oceanography was
world-wide in its scope, but also extended beyond our
globe, and included astronomical data in their relation
to oceanographical phenomena. In a brief review, the
President traced the history of oceanography as a science
from 1873 to the present time, mentioning the names of
Sir John Murray, Mr. J. Y. Buchanan, and others pro-
minent in this field. The extent of present-day know-
ledge of the science of oceanography was then outlined,
in the course of which Prof. Herdman said that a great
deal was known about the organisms floating or swim-
ming in the surface waters (the epi-plankton) and also
those brought up by dredges and trawls from the bottom
in many parts of the world. Much still remained un-
known, or only imperfectly known, even in matters that
had long been studied and where practical applications
of value were obtained — such as the investigation and
prediction of tidal phenomena. Another point of prac-
tical value was the investigation into the ultimate causes
of variations in the abundance, sizes, movements and
qualities of the fishes of our coastal industries. He gave
many examples of estim.ates and calculations made by
oceanographers in this direction, and in conclusion em-
phasised the importance of oceanography to the whole
population of these islands — a m.iritime people which
owed everything to the sea.

Engineering Section.

Presidential Address by Prof. C. F. Jenkin, C.B.E., M.A.
(Abstract.)

As the result of his work on problems connected with
materials of construction for the Air Service, the author has
come to the conclusion that the time has come when the
fundamental d.ita on which the eiiriiueerin!! theories of the
strength and suitabilitv of materials are based require thorough
overhauling and revision.

Again and again in aeroplane engineering the problems to be '
solved have raised fundamental questions in the strength and
properties of materials which had never been adefjuatelv solved.
The strength of timber is enormously greater along tlie grain
than across it. How, then, is an encinoer tn calculate the
strengh of a wooden member? Tlierc is no thenry, in a form
available for the engineer, by which the strength of members
made of an anisotropic material can be calculated. It is
obviously important toget the grain in exactly the right direc-
tion to bear the loads it has to carry.

Many of the tests applied to timber are wrong in theory and
coDspfjuenHy misleading. For example, the common method
of determining Young's modulus for timber is to measure the
elastic deflection of a beam loaded in the middle and to cal-
culate the raorbdus by the ordinary theory, neglecting the
deflection due to shear, whicli is legitimate in isotropic ma-
terials: but in timber the shear modulus i.s very small— for
examnle, in spruce it is only ationt nnc-siTtieth of Yoiin'-''s
modulus— and conspqnently the shear deflection becomes qiiife
appreciable, and the results obtained on test pieces of the

common proportions lead to errors in the calculated Young's

modulus of about 10 per cent.

Steel is not strictly isotropic — but we may consider it to be
so to-day. The first obvious question the engineer has to
answer is: "What is its strength? " The usual tests give
the Ultimate Strength, Yield Point, Elastic Limit, the Elonga-
tion, the Reduction of Area, and perhaps the Brinell and Izod
figures. On which of these figures is the dimension of an
engine part, which is being designed, to lie based? If we
choose the Ultimate Strength we must di\ide it by a large
factor of safety — a factor of ignorance. If we choose the Yield
Point we must remember that none of the higher-grade steels
have any Yield Point, and the nominal Yield Point depends on
the fancy of the tester. This entirely imaginary point cannot
be used for accurate calculation except in a very few special

cases. Can we base our calculation on the Elongation the

Reduction of Area — the Izod test? If we face the question
honestly we realise that there is no known connection bet\#en
the test results and the stress we can safely call on the steel
to bear. The only connecting link is that cloak for our ignor-
ance— the factor of safety.

I feel confident that the only reliable property on which to
base the strength of any engine part is the suitable Fatigue
Limit. We have not yet reached the position of being able to
specify this figure, but a considerable number of tests show
that in a wide range of steels the Fatigue Limit for equal
-t- and - stresses is a little under half the Ultimate Strength,
and is independent of the Elastic Limit and nominal Yield
Point, so that the Ultimate Strength may be replaced as the
most reliable guide to true strength, with a factor — no longer
of ignorance, but to give the fatigue limit — of a little over 2,

If the Fatigue Limit is accepted as the only sound basis for
strength calculation for engine parts, and it is difficult to find
any valid objection to it, then it is obvious that there is urgent
need for extensive researches in fatigue, for the available data
are most meagre.

Improved methods of testing are also needed — particularly
methods which will give the results quickly. Stromeyer's
method of measuring the first rise of temperature, which in-
dicates that the fatigue hmit is passed, as the alternating load
is gradually increa.sed, is most promising. It can probably b«
simplified in detail and made practicable for commercial uso
Better methods of testing in torsion are also urgently needed,
none of those at present used being free from serious defects.
Finally, there is a fascinatins field for physical research in in-
vestigating the infernal mechanism of fatigue failure. Some
most suggestive results have already been obtained, which'
extend the results obtained by Ewing.

For members of structures which are only subjected to steady
loads I suggest that the safe stress might be defined by limiting
the corresponding permanent set to a small amount>--perhaps
i per cent, or J per cent. This principle has been tentatively
adopted in some of the aircraft material specifications.
Whether this principle is suitable for all materials and how it
will answer in practice remains to be proved by experience.
It is at any rate a possible rational basis for determining the
useful strength of a materia! under steady loads.

If we admit that the fatigue limit is the proper basis for
engine-strength calculations, there are a number of interest-
ing modifications required in the common theory of the
strength of materials. It will no longer be possible to neglect,
as has been so general in the past, the uneven distribution of
stress in irregularly shaped parts of machines. It has been
generally recognised that sharp corners should be avoided
when possible, but no theory is available to enable the stresses
at corners to be calculated or to enable their effect on the
strength of the member to be estimated. If fatigue is the
critical factor in failure under fluctuating stresses, such theory
is most necessary. Even the roughest guide would be of
great value. The nature and magnitude of the concentrations
of stress which occur in practice have been investigated ex-
perimentally by Prof. Coker by his elegant optical method,
which has given most valuable rpsults, some of which are
already being used in designing offices. Tf the mathematical
theorv is too difficult, it may be possible t<i lay down practical
rules deduced from such experimental re.sults — but the method
still has manv limitations, perhaps the most serious being that'
it can onlv be used on flat models. I believe Prof. Coker
expects to be able to extend the method to round models.

As a simnle example to show the importance of the subject;
let us consider the effect of a groove round a straight round
bar subject to alternating tpnsion and compression — such a.
groove as a screw thread. There will be a concentration of
stress at the bottom of the groove. The ratio of the stress at
the bottom of a groove to the mean stress in the bar has been
worked out mathematicallv hv Mr. A. A. Griffith, and bis cal-
culations h.ave been confirmed experimentally by his elegant
soap-bubble method. The ratio depends on the relation be-
tween the depth of the groove, the radius at the bottom, and
slightly on the angle between the sides. For a Whitwortlr
form of thread the ratio will be about 3. Tf the Fati/nip Limit
is exceeded at the bottom of the groove the metal will fafl and
a minute crack will form there: this crack will soon spread
riaht across the bar and total faihire will result. Tims we see
that the safe mean stress in the bar will be reduced to one-
tbirrl nf w'nt n plain bar ^-ill bear. Tlie trntli of this theorv
regarding the importance of concentrations of stress has stdl
to be proved experimentally; if true, it is of far-reaching rm-

266

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,231, august 27, i»2o.

portance, since it applies to all concentrations of stress in
machine parts subject to fluctuating loads.

The theory does not apply to steadily loaded members; in
these, the local excess of stress is relieved by the stretching
of the minute portion which is overloaded, and no further
consequences follow.

The theory appears to apply to grooves however small, and
has an important bearing on the smoothness of the finish of
machine parts. The surface of any engine part finished by
filing is certainly entirely co\ered with scratches. Emery like-
wise leaves the surface scratched— though the scratches are
smaller. If, however, polishing be carried further the surface
mav ultimately be freed from scratches and left in a burnished
coudition. In this condition amorphous metal has been
smeared over the surface— the smooth appearance is not simply
due to the scratch. 's bfiiiy tdo small to see. The strength—

undaf alternating stresses appears to depend on the form

of tne scratches, and if the ratio of radius at the tjottom of
the scratch to its depth is fairly large, very little weakening
occurs. It seems probable in the ordinary engineering finish
produced by emery and oil that the scratches are broad and
shallow. This subject is being investigated. A con.siderable
amount of evidence has been collected from practical experi-
ence pointing to the important effect which a smooth finish
has on the strength of heavily stressed engine parts.

There are more fundamental questions still which must be
tackled liefore the simplest questions of all which meet the
engineer can be answered scientifically. The two most urgent
and most important questions which I met with during the
war in connection with aircraft were always the same— Why
did some part break? and, What is the best material to use
for that part? It was most disconcerting to find how inade-
quate one's knowledge was to answer these two simple ques-
tions. , , , •,

Until the nature of the load which caused the failure is
known, it is very difficult to take steps to guard against similar
accidents. For the most urgent reasons, therefore, we require
to be able to understand the fracture, as in nearly all aircraft
problems men's hves hang on the answer.

Perhaps the quality of steel which an engineer fears most is
brittleness. He believes that annealing will soften it and re-
duce the brittleness; so he anneals, blindly. The fact is that
we do not know what brittleness is— we cannot define it^ — we
cannot measure it — though there are endless empirical tests to
detect it. Till we know what it means and can measure it we
arc in a miserable position.

The suitabilitv of different materials presumably depends on
their fundamental phvsical properties. These may be many,
but some nhysicists think that thev are probablv reallv very
few. and that, knowing these few, it may be possible to deduce
all the complex properties reauired by the engineer and to
state with certainty how materials will behave under any con-
ditions of service. This is the most fundamental problem
which needs solution to enable the knowledce of the strength
of materials to he put on a sound foundation. It will need
the co-operation of able physicists, metallurgists, and engineers
to solve it.

Mathematical and Physical Science Section.

Prenideiiftal Address by Prof. A. S. Eddington, F.R.S.
{Abstract.)
The author in his address dealt with " The Internal Constitu-
tion of the Stars." and explained some of the remarkable
discoveries which have been made in recent years in connection
with this subject. In the " giant " stars, which consist of a
diffuse mass of gas. heat is present in two forms— the energy
of motion of material atoms, and the energv of ether ^yaves;
in hot bodies famihar to us the latter form is of insignificant
proportion, but in the giant stars the two forms are of approxi-
matelv equal importance. The outflowing stream of ethereal
energy distends the star and relieves the ^pressure on the
inner parts; and the transparency of stellar material to the
radiation traversing it links the subject of inquiry to phvsical
investigations now being carried on in the laboratory. In the
stars we are dealing mainlv with ether waves of verv short
■wave-length, which might be described as very .soft X-ravs.
It can be shown that the mass-coefficipnt of -absorption in the
star must be between 10 and 130 O.G.S. units, the most likelv
value being about 35. which is of the same order of magnitude
as the absorption of X-rays found in the laboratory; more than
half the radiation is absorbed in a path of 20 cm. at atmos-
pheric pressure, and this explains why a star is so nearly heat-
tiaht. and can store vast supplies of heat with comparatively
little leakage. At the high temperatures of the giant stars the
opacity is the same for all, showinrr that the absorption of
which an atom is capable has a b'mitine value, which is never
approached in the laboratory. The total radiation of n giant
star depends onlv on its mass, and as these stars all have
nearly the same luminositv. it follows that the masses are
remarkablv alike— mostlv within limits of 3 ;1.

The source of heat' of the sun and stars is usuallv said to be
the cravitatiopal energv converted as the star steadily con-
tracts but this theorv is untenable; the stars are drawing
upon some vast reservoir of energv. which can scarcelv he
other than the sub-at/^mic epergv which exists abundantlv m
all matter, and is well-nich inexhaustible— if it could only be
tapped. It appears certain that all the elements are con-

stituted of hydrogen atoms bound together with negative elec-
trons, and if only 6 per cent, of a star's mass consists initially
of hydrogen atoms, which are gradually being combined to
form more complex elements, the total beat liberated will mora
than sutiice to account for the star's energy.

INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY.

By E. S. HODGSON.

Practicallt all industrials are agreed that a proper
system of scientific shop management and payment by
results offers the ideal solution to the labour problem.
Objections come, however, principally from the trade-
union side. The workers object, quite rightly, that
any system of payment by results which is based on
the achievements of the most skilled is unfair, as it
makes no adequate allowance for the many workers
who, through lack of proper training, have been unable
to attain the necessary degree of skill. German in-
dustrials seem to be recognising this objection, and
many of the larger firms are being attracted seriously
to the question of applying psychological and fatigue
tests to determine a man's suitability for certain work,
evidently inspired by the maxim that the right man
should be in the right place.

During the war a laboratory for psychotechnical in-
vestigations was established at the Berlin Technical
College to deal in a systematic manner with the selection
and training pf apprentices and workpeople. Various
instruments have been designed and tests prescribed,
which a number of the larger concerns in Berlin are
aJready using. For the apprentices, a number of
simple tests in attention, sight, touch, feel, have been
drawn up, and these are applied gradually in the works,
sometimes by means of suitably designed instruments.
The apprentices and others are then sent to the labora-
tory, where the tests carried out in the shop are repeated
and the results compared. In this way the director
of the laboratory is able to give the works management
valuable advice as to the ultimate suitabilit)- of th«
apprentices for the work for which they are destined.

As these tests reach a more advanced stage, they ar«
combined with motion studies and time records, as a.
result of which careful charts are drawn up, and a
suitable average is struck,

Dr, Schlesinger, one of the directors of the laboratory,
recently delivered a lecture on the subject before tha
German Society of Engineers, showing the useful in-
formation that had been gained as the result of a com-
prehensive series of tests made at various establish-
ments. At one works, careful records were kept of the
progress of a group of apprentices, and their efficiency
in various subjects (shop practice, uiathematics. and
professional knowledge, designing, and gymnastics)
noted. By taking a group of subjects in this way, and
comparing the results in each group, the skilled ob-
server can readily determine in just what branch of
engineering or shop practice the apprentice will make
good. One of the large Berlin electrical firms adopted
the same idea with regard to female winders, being
able, as the result, to reject those whose ultimate pro-
gress would not justify their employment. In the same
way the telephone operators in one of the telephone ex-
changes were tested at the laboratory for psychotechnics,
by means of a specially designed instrument calling
into play all the faculties in which a high degree of
development is necessary in their calling, the result*
being plotted in efficiency curves.

The idea is gaining ground in Germany, and many
of the workpeople themselves seem to be interested in
the results, because they realise that they are not likely
to be put on jobs for which their physical and mental
efficiency fits them ill. Institutions have also been
established for testing the suitability and efficiency of
engine drivers and road vehicle drivers, and for deal-
ing with the psychology of advertising, to which latter
subject the Americans undoubt«dly owe a great deal of
their sucoeis in publicity.

Toi. 87. No. 2,231. AueusT 27, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

267

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IN THE UNITED
KINGDOM.

Electriciti Commission's Work in the Past Year.
The report of the Ministry of Transport respecting applica-
tions to, and proceedings of, the Ministry under the Electricity
(Supply) Acts, 1882 to 191'J, during the past year has just been
issued by H.M. Stationery Office L132. Price 2d. net], -and i^
dated June 26th, 1920. It deals with the work done since the
last report was issued by the Board of Ti'ade on June '25th,
iyi9, and since the transfer of the powers and duties of the
Board tu the Ministry on January 23rd last.

In the early part of the period under review the Board of
Trade received four applications for Provisional Orders; the
documents lodged in cunnection therewith were in due course
transferred to the Electricity Oonimissioners.

Between the date of the Board of Trade's last report and
the date on which its powers were transferred to the Ministry,
the Board gave consent to the construction of a generating
station by the Purtrush Urban District Council and by the
Stroud Electric Supply Co., Ltd. Orders were also issued per-
mitting 18 undertakings to supply electricity to certain speci-
fied premises outside their prescribed area of supply, extension
of time for the performance of duties or the exercise of powers
under 12 Acts and Orders was granted, T6 undertakings were
permitted to modify their charges for electricity, consent
was given to the placing of electric lines above ground to
22 concerns, and a deed was made transferring the powers,
duties, and liabihties of the undertaker under the Warminster
Electric Lighting Order, 1911, tu the Warminster Electric
Supply Co., Ltd. In addition, the Board served notices uud
regulations [dealing with restrictions to the placing uf electric
lines, &c.] on the owners of lines and works constructed with-
out statutory authority in seven districts.

It is common knowledge that, since their appointment, the
Electricity Commissioners have made a preliminary survey of
the present and prospective electrical requirements of the
greater part of the country, and have held numerous confer-
ences in this connection. They have provisionally determined
six electricity districts* [the London area has since been deter-
mined], and the preliminary survey has embraced other dis-
tricts of great importance from the point of view of electricity
supply.

'ihe Commissioners considered the four above-mentioned
apphcations made to the Board of Trade for Provisional Orders ;
the three applications from the South Wales Electrical Power
Distribution Co. are still under con.sideration, but that from
the Havant Urban District Council was refused.

The Commissioners have given consent to the construction of
a temporary generating station by the Belfast Corporation
pending the completion of the station authorised in January,
1918. Certain applications for consent to establish new
generating stations and a considerable number of applications
for permission to extend existing stations have been dealt with.
and in the majority of cases a good case was made for the
w'orks or plant in question. With regard to the establishment
of new stations, special reference is made to the apphcations
of the Manchester and Leicester Corporations, which have
been granted, to establish at Barton, and Aylestone Eoad,
Leicester, respectively stations with initial capacities of 50,0(_K)
and 10,000 kw., with the possibility of ultimate extension to
150,000 and 50,0t)0 kw. Concerning the applications of the
Nottingham Corporation and the Derbyshire and Nottingham-
shire Electric Power Co., the Commissioners are satisfied that
two large stations are necessary in the neighbourhood, and they
have held a local inquiry.! Three other applications for con-
.sent to establish new stations are still under consideration ; in
one case the propo.sed initial capacity is tJ6,lX)0 KW., with the
possibihty of ultunate extension to 200,000 kw. ; in another case
an initial capacity of 45,000 kw, is proposed; and in the third
case the capacity is as yet undecided.

In certain cases of the few proposals that have been suts
mitted for the establishment of new private generating stations
regulations governing the type of current, frequency, and pres-
sure to be used have been prescribed by the Commissioners,
who have also approved of arrangements for mutual a.s.sist-
ance being entered into between Bristol Corporation and the
Keynsham Electric Light and Power Co., Ltd., and between
•the Corporations of Nelson and Colnc.

A scale of maximum periods to be allowed for the repay-
ment of loans raised by local authorities has been fixed, and
during the six months ended June 2fith last, 227 applications
to borrow money have received consideration. Formal sanction
has been issued in the case of 55 applications in England and
Wales involving a total sum of £1,863,405, and in three cases
m Scotland involving £263,830; no application was received
from Ireland.

The Commissioners have, on application, consented to cer-
tain authorised undertakers subscribing to the funds of the
Incorporated Municipal Electrical Association, the British
Engineering Standards Association, and the Electrical Develop-

" Electricai, REvrEW, May 21st, p. 646; June lltb, p. 764;
Jnne 25th, p. 815: July 23rd, p, 106.
t Electrical Rsview, July 30th, 1920; p. 155.

ment Association ; they have also prepared draft rules of pro-
cedure with respect to apphcations for special orders under the
Act.

The Commissioners have, during their period of office, per-
mitted 23 undertakers to supply electricity to certain specified
premises outside their prescribed area of supply. The Minister
of Transport has allowed 19 concerns 'to modify their charges
for electricity; has extended the time for the performance of
duties or the exercise of powers in the case of five Acts or
Orders; and has consented to 17 undertakers placing electric
lines above ground. The Minister, in March last, made an
order for the cesser of the powers of the Gloucestershire Elec-
tric Power Co. as to the whole of the area of supply under
that Act. In addition, he has at present under consideration
two important applications for the construction of interim
works.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received by us after 6 P.M. ON Tuesday cannot appear until
the following week. Correspondents should forioard their communi-
cations at tht earliest possible moment. Jfo letter can be published
unless we have the writer's name and address in our possession.

Electricity Supply Restrictions.

I shall be interested to know to what extent different elec-
tric supply concerns are justified in imposing very difficult
conditions with regard to the electric motors installed on their ■
mains. It seems to me that the requirements imposed by the
Ealing Municipal Undertaking are frivolous and vexatious,
and are a severe handicap on any manufacturer who has the
misfortune to be in the district.

The large number of different kinds of electricity supply in
Great Britain make it difficult enough for electric motor manu-
facturers and users. Surely the added inconvenience of use-
less conditions, which are expensive to attain and which
achieve no result, is an unnecessary obstruction.

I shall be pleased to hear the views of other engineers on
this question.

J. M. Seddon.

London, S.W.I.
August 19th, 1920.

Tests for Electric Welds.

I have read with great interest your review on " Practical
Electric Welding " by Mr. H. B. Swift. There is one para-
graph towards the end on which I should like to make some
remarks. It runs : —

" Perhaps the most remarkable omis.sion is that hardly any
mention is made of tests to be appUed to determine the quality
of welds. The author's silence is perhaps best explained by
the fact that there is no specific test for welds. But some
reference might have been made to microscopic and radio-
graphic methods, which have a certain measure of utility and
have been developed to some extent."

I have been interested for some tune in the practical ex-
amination of materials by X-rays, and 1 used to think that
welds formed one of the most hopeful fields; for certainly at
the present time there is no method apart from X-rays by
wliich a weld can be tested without destruction. In practice
this applies to the microscopic method, as this means cleaning
and etching.

X-ray photography of any weld up to 1 in. in thickness is a
quick, easy, and certain job (greater thicknesses can be done,
of course, but the difficulty increases rapidly). The amount of
detail shown is extraordinary, and even those welds passed by
inspection as practically perfect are shown under X-rays to be
full of defects.

Frova 12 in. to 24 in. length can be taken at one time, the
wliole process occupying a fraction of a minute. If, there-
fore, there is any object in the laborious photomicrography of
a small piece of a weld, surely there is far greater use in the
easier photography of a greater length, and the argument that
it would take too much time to do the whole of a long length
of weld falls to the ground. It would take years to do it
by photomicrography.

I enclose you an illustration of a particularly interesting
weld, supposed by the expert who made it to be perfectly good.
When cleaned off, it was difficult with the naked eye to dis-
tinguish between the welded portion and the untouched
IKirtion of the plates. There were no blow-holes or flaws
visible on the surface, yet radiography shows a large number
of flaws. The actual presence of one or two of these I tested
by cutting the metal, the two dark spots being datum points
formed by lead pellets.

Few welding people appear to be in the slightest degree
interested in this new departure; indeed, their remarks lead
one to believe that they are too much afraid of what the
X-rays might show in their so-called perfect welds.

Lloyds do not consider the method useful because ithaa
never been tried, and they have no data to cheek it against.
T wonder where Lloyds would have been if ships had never
been tried.

H. E. Doanitborna.

London, N.W., Augugt ^rd, 19Q0.

268

THE ELECTRICAL RE VIE Wo [voi. st. no. a.asi, adoubt 2r, i»to,

POWER FACTOR.

By C. TURNBULL.

In the Electhical Review of June 4tli there appeared
an article by uie entitled " Power Factor from the Busi-
nesB Man's Point of View," and in the June 25th issue
tliere followed a criticism by a correspondent which is
welcome for two reasons: it keeps the subject alive,
and it is frank. Frankness is a fine thing in technics,
for it elucidates dark places, and tends to correct
errors. A regular course of frank discussion between
•tudents and professors at our colleges would do more
to brighten up educational methods than the ap-
pointment of five hundred highly paid inspectors, par-
ticularly if old students were brought into the mel^e,
after they had had enough outside experience to enable
them to know what's what, and also had gained suffi-
cient confidence to state their opinions plainly.

Possibly to " Correspondent " the article seemed to
be written for the purpose of educating business men
in the technical matters relating to alternating supply,
but this was not quite its purport. The real object
of the article was to put into the hands of the sales
department a weapon bj' which the man, who is negotiat-
ing the price for energy, can persuade the consumer to
do something to improve his power factor, or else to
pay extra for energy used at low P.F.

The consumer is not generally anxious to understand
the problem, for as soon as he does understand it, he
must admit that it is just that lie should pay a higher
rate where his power factor is low. But why should
he pay extra for such current? The answer is that
electricity supply is a kind of co-operative concern, and
the total expenses of the undertaking are spread over
all consumers, and hence everyone is concerned when
any one consumer uses current at low power factor.

" Correspondent " points out, justly enough, . that
wattless current has a useful function in that it supplies
magnetising current to ind-uction motors. But this
argument does not make it clear that the magnetising
current sliould be supplied free. On the contrary, the
fact that wattless current does useful work is a good
reason why it should be paid for. Consumers who have
synchronous motors which operate at unity P.F., or
which even run with leading P.F. (and so bear the
burden of other people's sins), should get off with a
lower price. It may happen that the running of a large
synchronous motor at leading P.F. may do so much to
reduce the load on the system, that it would pay the
supply autliority to supply energy free to the consumer
who had it. Yet at present nothing is dene to encourage
people to put in such useful motors. If magnetising, or
wattless current were charged for on a sound basis, it is
probable that some large users would install a motor
generator to give a supply of direct current by which
they would run many of their motors synchronously.

Now comes the problem ; Why cannot we charge the
consumer extra for his bad P.F. ? People buy all kinds
of things, the composition of which they don't under-
stand, and still less do they understand how the price
is made up. A man buys sausage, for instance, without
the remotest notion of how it was made, or what went
into it. Why should he not pay for electricity just what
the supply authority likes to charge, when the power
factor could be allowed for in making up the bill? The
answer to this is that supply authorities, unlike sausage
makers, are not free to charge as they like. They must
sell kilowatt-hours, and the problem of charging for a
current which oscillates between a motor and the system
does not seem to have been solved. Suitable meters are
either not in existence, or if they are, they have not
coma into common use. The problem will be solved

some day, and then " wattless " or oscillating current
will pay its share of the generating costs of the system.

Here we may usefully discuss in detail just what
lagging current really is, for lagging current is what
troubles our mains systems. The text books are not
very clear on the point, indeed British text books are
not clear throughout, at any rate to learners (and that
is just where a text book ought to be clear if it is to
be of much use). Their authors seem far more anxious
to cram pupils to pass examinations than to leave them
with an entirely lucid and workable understanding of
their subject.

The explanation is something like this: When alter-
nating current passes through a circuit which has
resistance only (resistance is much the same as friction)
it behaves like direct current. The current at any
instant is proportional to the pressure, and what is
most important, it ceases as soon as the pressure be-
comes zero, and reverses when the pressure reverses. In
a word, the current is in phase with the pressure. When,
however, there is inductance in the circuit — and there
generally is — the current ceases to act in this highly
respectable manner. Instead, when the applied pres-
sure becomes zero, the current over-shoots the mark,-
and continues for a short time in the same direction.
Even when the voltage reverses, the current continues
to move under what is virtually its momentum, even
though it is running against the supply voltage. (Of
course, current never goes against the voltage really im-
pressed on it. What really happens is that the momen-
tum generates a voltage of its own, and the current flows
in accordance with the algebraic sum of the outside
voltage and that generated by its own momentum.)

There is nothing very surprising in all this. AVhen
one is pedalling along a good road on a bicycle, motion
does not stop when we cease pushing the pedals. If a
cart suddenly appears right in front, the bicycle will
continue to run along some distance in spite of the
most vigorous application of the brakes, or against the
back-pedalling efforts of the rider, if he happens to
have a fixed wheel which will res])ond to back pedalling.
The bicycle in fact runs along against the pressure,
and does work on the rider. Now, when current runs
witli its pressure it absorbs energy, just as the bicycle
does, but when current runs against its pressure, it
does work instead of absorbing it. Thus when a gene-
rator is working with low power factor current, it is
only giving out energy when the current is actually
flowing in the same direction as the pressure. AMien
the current overshoots at the end of each pressure wave,
the generator becomes a motor, and absorbs energy
from the mains system.

This gives us the reason why it is possible to have
apparently 10,000 K.v..-i. going out of a generator,
with little steam on the engine. The power is there
right enough, in spite of the airy use of the term
" wattless current," a phrase which has (justifiably)
puzzled so many, and is likely to puzzle a good many
more before our text-books become a little clearer. What
is happening, of course, is that current is driven out of
the generator during part of the cycle, and during
the rest of the cycle it surges back again and motors
the generator. It is only necessary for the engine to
make up the difference between the power which goe.s
out and the power which comes back.

When this energy is metered the meter disk is impelled
round one way for part of each cycle, and in the re-
verse direction for the rest of the cycle. If the disk
had little or no momentum, it would oscillate to and
fro, moving further in one direction than in the other,
but having momentum it strikes a balance between the
forces, and moves forward awording to the difference
between them.

Toi. 87. No. 2,231, AnouBT 27, 1020.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

269

One may illustr.ite the matter by an analogy. Let
us imagine a single-acting air-compressor driven by a
D.c. motor, without any fly-wheel, and let us suppose
that the air compressor cylinder is connected to a 600-lb.
pressure receiver, without any valve in the connecting
pipe. .The motor drives the piston against a steady
resistance until it returns, and then the compressor
drives the motor. We, therefore, get on the d.c. mains
an oscillating current, first from the mains into the
motor, and then, when the motor is being driven as a
dynamo, back to the mains.

If we try to integrate the power by means of an in-
dicator on the cylinder, we will find that there is prac-
tically no consumption of energy, and if we have agreed
to accept pay on this basis, we shall find we have made
a very bad bargain. This is practically what we do
when we meter low-power-factor current on an ordinary
integrating meter, taking no note of the loss that occurs
in dealing with the power which oscillates through the
mains system from the generator to the motor and bank
again.

If consumers were in the habit of putting loads like
this on D.c. mains, it would not be long before a method
would be devised for making them pay up. In the
case of alternating current, the oscillations take place
8o rapidly, a complete cycle taking about the fiftieth of
a second in most cases, that the whole thing is masked.
Some rolling-mill motors take their power in a series
of rushes, with a 0.3 power factor, and at that they
are probably paying the same rate as they would if
the P.F. were unity 1

A large consumer may take 1.000 k.v..\. of "watt-
less " current without paying for it. Although classed
as " wattless," the current requires as much generator
capacity, as much switchgear, and mains as if it had
l)een " wattful " current, while coal consumption is also
increased on account of mains and other losses. In his
criticism of my first article, " Correspondent " was
severe on my omission to note that the engine and boiler
capacity is not increased by wattless current. It may
seem a strange omission to on? outside the commercial
side of generation on a large scale, but if " Correspon-
dent " will have a heart-to-heart talk with one who is
familiar with an undertaking supplying thousands of
square miles, he will find that the statement was not so
far wrong. The other day I had the pleasure of seeing
some switchgear for a large station. The cost of it was
said to be £5,000. It was rated in amperes, and carried
precisely the same number of them as wattless current,
as at unity power factor.

Definition of Power Factor. — We have seen from the
above that when current is supplied to apparatus which
causes the current to lag behind the supply voltage, it is
not all effective. Part of the current works the machine,
and the remainder oscillates to and fro between the
machine and the mains. The effect when currents lead
is similar, but currents do not often lead on present-day
systems. The apparent power got by multiplying the
volts by the aniperes is, therefore, not the effective
power.

Precisely the same thing happens in an oil engine.
The burning charge gives the piston an impulse which
is transmitted to the crank on the outstroke, but on the
return stroke much of the power is taken back to com-
press the gases in the cylinder. We might use the
words power factor equally well to denote the ratio of
the work done in the cylinder, if tiiere was no compres-
sion, to the work done when compression is deducted.

It would be awkward if we had to get at the power
factor by taking oscillograph diagrams in each case,
working out the effective power, as we do in the case
of an oil engine. Fortunately for us, our instrument-
makers have provided us with instruments which give
us by inspection the power factor in the form of a
multiplier which we can apply to the ammeter reading.
If the P.F. indicator shows a reading of 0.5, it means
that only half the power put into the motor is effective,
the remainder being wasted (commercially speaking) in
oscillations which bring in no money to the suppliers.

In such a case, if the copper in the supply mains costs
£200, it means that £100 worth of copper is taken
up with unremunerative currents.

In conclusion, let me once more press the bank
analog^'. A man pays his checjue into the bank,
and straightway issues cheques for income tax, rates,
and (if there is anything left) for other bills. , Within
a few hours the money has evaporated. It has not in-
creased the balance at the bank, and the effect has been
" wattless.' Does the banker let the transaction go free J
Not at all. He charges for it as turnover. Before long
we will be charging for " wattless current " too.

A very interesting note on the loss which occurs
through low-power-factor current is given in Glover's
Almanac for August 20th. The following extract from
the note will explain itself. The full statement may
be seen by the fortunate possessors of that most useful
calendar : —

The total I R losses of the generating and transmission
system outhned below have been reduced from 5,610 KW. to
'2,670 KW. by the installation of a 7,880 k.v.a. synchronous
condenser.

An alternative is to supply the motor magnetising cur-
rent from a synchronous condenser near the motor load. A
7,880-K.v.A. synchronous condenser installed as suggested in-
creased the power factor to unity at the generating station,
reduced the I R losses of the system by 2,940 k\v., and mini-
mised problems of voltage regulation.

This should convince the most sceptical of critics that
'' wattless " current is neither wasteless nor costless.

Conclusion. — The conclusion of the whole matter is
that up to the present time, the power-factor problem
has not received the commercial attention that it
merits. This is partly due to the unfortunate word
" wattless," which has masked the expensive nature
of oscillating currents. It would help to focus attention
on the problem if we were to make use of a term de-
noting inverse power factor. This might be named
current factor. Instead of speaking of a P.F. of 50 per
cent., we would speak of a current factor of 200 per
cent., which would indicate that the motor was taking
twice the current that was necessary at unity P.F.

The time has come for commercial engineers to en-
courage inventors to bring out instruments which will
measure the wattless component of lagging currents.
Too often, when an invention comes out, commercial
men 'think it a good thing to get the patent quashed in
the courts on one of the frivolous pretexts which judges
think good enough to damn patent cases with. The
policy is a ruinous one, for it prevents many much-
needed ideas from seeing the light of day. It would
be worth while trying to give our commercial men some
idea of technics, if it could bring them to look on in-
ventors with the same honesty that they show in other
transactions.

LEGAL.

Street Obstruction.
At Darwen, on .\ugust 19th, Messrs. Callender's Cable and
Construction Co., Ltd., Blackburn, was summoned for ob-
struction. It was explained that in the course of excavation
the workmen struck an electric lighting cable and sent for the
Corporation men to do the jointing. The latter asked them
not to fill in the excavation until they had finished. Fined lOs.

Crane Driver's Fatal Fall.
\ CASE was heard on .August 18th, before Judge T. Mordaunt
Snagge at the Rugby County Court, in which Edith May
Chamberlain, of Hillmorton, sued the British Thomson-
Houston Co.. Ltd., for i'300 compensation alleged to be due tn
her in consequence of her husband's death in the course of his
work. In June last he fell from a crane and died three days
later. It was urged for the company that, as the man fell in
stepping from one crane to another by means of a girder in-
stead of using the ladders provided for tho purpo-se, the claim
could not succeed. For Mrs. Chamberlain it was pointed out
that there was absence of definite instructions by the com-
pany, and evidence was given to show that the practice wai
conunonlv indulged in by crane drivers. Judgment was given
in Mrs. Chamberlain's favour for the full amount claimed.

270

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW„ [Voi. 87. no. a.asi, augdst a?, i9ao.

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankroptcy Proceedings. — Arthur IvERsHiw, 7, Ches-

nut Terrace, Thornhill Lees, Dewsbury, and Charles Heebket
Wood, 31, Warwick Road, Batley, trading in partnership as elec-
trical engineers and merchants at 9, Bradford Road, Dewsbury. — ^A
meetinjf of creditors was held on Friday last, at the Dewsbury
County Court. The statement of affairs showed liabilities expected
to rank for dividend amounting to £4,484. The assets were set
down at £2,828, leavinpr a deficiency of £1,858. The causes of
failure are alleged to be ' losses on contracts due to fluctuations in
mirket prices and workmen's wages, shortness of capital, law
costs, and heavy initial business expenses." The deficiency account
shows, amongst other items, net loss arising from carrying on
business from April 1st, 1919, £471 ; depreciation of stock, tools,
trade fixtures, fittings, A:o., £717 ; drawings from business for
household and personal expenses since April, 1919 — Kershaw, £186 ;
Wood, £185; and damages for breach of contract, £100. The
Official Receiver states that Kershaw and Wood are each 22 years
of age, and unmarried. They both joined the Army in 1914, and
were demobilised in March, 1919. Kershaw commenced the busi-
ness on April 1st, 1919, with £108 capital, and borrowed £200
subsequently from a friend. Wood became a partner in the
business on May 27th. 1919, and introduced £90 capital— £50 of
which he borrowed from a friend. That amount was still owing.
Further sums were borrowed by debtors, amounting to £290, from
the friend who had previously lent Kershaw £200, and th3y gave
him a promissory note for £490. On March 31st. 1920, a chartered
accountant prepared for them a balance-sheet, which showed a
deficiency of £862. The trading account gave the turnover for the
year ending March ,^lst last £4.674, and the loss on trade during
that period £833. Debtors stated that in June last, when the
stock was again taken, they discovered an error in the March
stocktaking, and that the stock in that balance-sheet should be
increased by £300. They were first sued on December 31st, since
which time they had been sued by 12 creditors. The unsecured
creditors include 52 claims for cable, lamps, conduits, and electrical
accessories, &c., £3,281, and money borrowed, £490. In the
separate estates, Kershaw has an unsecured creditor for clothing,
£10 10s., and one for money lent on joint and several promissory
note, £320 ; and Wood has one unsecured creditor for money lent
(June, 1919), for £50, and another for money lent on joint and
several promissory note for £320. Neither debtor has any assets.
On the proposition of the Deputy Official Receiver, who said special
proxies had been sent in for the appointment of Mr. Charles
Turner, chartered accountant, Sheffield, as trustee of the estate,
amounting to £1,831 out of £2,925 proofs filed and admitted for
voting, seconded by Mr. E. P. Lobley, Mr. Turner was appointed.
The following Committee of Inspaotion was appointed :— Bdiswan
Electric Co., Ltd. ; Hallamshire Electric Co., Ltd., merchants,
Sheffield ; and Mr. Harry Haley, Batley, merchant.

Walteb Dennell (trading as W. Dennell & Co.), engineer,
483, Glossop Road, Sheffield. — The following are creditors : —

Alexandre, P. C. G £55 ' Imperial Motor (1917) Industries

Broomhall Motor Co 30 Ltd ' .. ,. ilB

City Tyre and Vulcanising Co., Radium Fire Extinguisher Co.,

Ltd 40 Ltd 15

Drive's, Ltd 10 Vacuum Oil Co., Ltd li

General Electric Co., Ltd. .. 10 Ward, W U

Qrifflth Asbestos and Rubber Retter, S. V. 16

Co., Ltd la "Bankers" 21

Hather, H. i B IS2

A. R. Meggett, electrical engineer, 45, Thrnmpton Lane, East
Retford. — The following are creditors herein : —

£133

MayallA Co., Ltd...
Overseas Engineering Co
Premier Accumulator Co.

B.T.H. Co

Callender's Cable Co.
Neecroft, J. A.
Sun Electrical Co. . .

Ward & Goldstone £35

65 Bradford Armature Trading Co. 92

87 Sterling Telephone Co 18

45 Haigh. Ben '. 40

48 Hopkinson, Thos., 4Son.. .. 13

81 Teasdale & Humphreys . . . . 10

3J Drake 4 Gorham, Ltd 12

Company Liquidations. — New St. Helens and District

Tramways Co., Ltd. — Meeting of members, Septembsr 24th, at
10, Dale Street, Liverpool, to hear an account of the winding up
from the liquidators, Messrs. E. H. Edwardes and H. P. Conibear.

Graphite Pldmbaoo Crucible Co., Ltd. — Meeting of mem-
bers, September 21st, at 40 and 42, Queen Victoria Street, E.G., to
hear an account of the winding up from the liquidator, Mr. E.
Phillips.

Elieson Electric Traction Co., Ltd.— Meeting called for
September 21st, at 25, Finsbury Square, E.C., to hear an account of
the winding up, from the liquidator, Mr. J. Zillhardt.

Arthdr Lyon & Wrench, Ltd. — Winding up voluntarily.
Meeting of creditors, September 1st, at Victoria Road, Willesden
Junction, N.W. Liquidator, Mr. R. J. H. Ryall.

Catalogues and Lists.— Marshall, Sons A- Co., Ltd.,

Britannia Ironworks, Gainsborough. — A well-produced catalogue
(36 pp.) dealing with " Marshall " high economy, superheated-
steam semi-portable engines. Profusely illustrated by photo-
graphs.

The General Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Queen Victoria Street,
B.C. 4. — .i 12-paged booklet, " Electric Vacuum Cleaners, "
describing various types of cleaners and accessories ; also Leaflet
No. H 2345, dealing with art-metal electric fires. Both publica-
tions are fully priced and illustrated.

Messrs. Simplex Conduits, Ltd., Garrison Lane, Birmingham.
— Illustrated and priced leaflats dealing with house-service out-
outs and ironclad distribution boards of a new type.

" The Monthly Magazine " of Messrs. Higos Bros., Sand Pita,
Birmingham, Vol. II, No. 6 (pp. 24, figs. 4), September, 1920, com-
prises a price-list and stock-lists of D.o. motors of from 017 to
50 HP., and of A.c. machines of from 1 to 35 H.P.

Messrs. Belling & Co., 3, Darby Road, Edmonton, N. — Two
booklets illustrating and describing " Belling " fires, cookers, and
other electrical domestic appliances.

Messrs. A. E.manuel & Sons, Ltd., 7, George Street, Man-
chester Square, W. 1. — Illustrated and priced preliminary folder
dealing with electric light fittings. The firm is able to deliver
from stock all the fittings illustrated in the finishes specified.

Messrs. Matthews & Yates, Ltd., Swinton, near Manchester.
— Four illustrated and priced lists. Nos. 22/4 and 22/5 deal with D.c.
" Cyclone " motors ; No. 129 describes hot-air blast bottle-drying
apparatus ; and No. 131 deals with a compact and adaptable steam
heater.

Messss. Automatic and Electric Furnaces, Ltd., 281,
Gray's Inn Road, W.C. 1.— Heat Treatment Bulletin No. 24 :
" Volume Changes in the Heat Treatment of Steel,' by Dr. L.
Aitchieon.

The BEN.JAMIN Electric, Ltd., Tariff Road, Tottenham, N. 17.
— Illustrated and priced interim list No. 615, containing illustra-
tions of several newly-designed lighting fittings.

Trade Announcements. — The London Electric

Stores, of Fulwood House, High Holbom, W.C. 1, have been
appointed sole selling agents for Great Britain for the Electro Con-
struction Co., of Wandsworth, London, manufacturers of ironclad
fuseboards, A:c.

The J. G. Brill Co. have removed from 110, Cannon Street,
London, to 150, Southampton Row, London, W.C. 1. Telephone
number: Museum 6313. Telegrams: " Axles, London."

The Cambridge and Paul Instrument Co., Ltd., has
changed the address of its head office and showrooms to 45,
Grosvenor Place, London, S.W. 1. Telegrams : Unipivot, Sowest,
London. Telephone : Victoria, 7640.

Messrs. Murray Coombs & Richards, advisory and inspecting
engineers, of Cross Keys House, 56, Moorgate Street, E.G., have
been appointed representatives for the United Kingdom and
Europe by Messrs. W. G. Watson & Co., Ltd., Sydney, Australia,
and are moving forthwith to Premier House, 150, Southampton
Row, W.C. Telephone No. : Museum 5303.

New Zealand's Electrical Imports. — The values of the

imports of electrical goods into New Zealand from 1916 onwards
were as follows :— 1916, £474,455 ; 1917. £332,587 ; 1918, £343,395 ;
1919. £560,539.

Dissolution of Partnership.— S. Platt & H.C.Lawdhasi,

Shenfield Garage, motor and electrical engineers, Shenfield, Essex. —
Messrs. S. Platt ^t H. C. Lawdham have dissolved partnership.
Mr. S. Platt will attend to debts.

Private Meeting. — H. H. Speke, electrical and motor
engineer, 10 and 11. Queen Street. Wolverhampion. — A general
meeting of the creditors in this matter was held on the 17th inst.
in London, when the representative of Messrs. Hogan k Wardrop
presided. The statement of affairs which had been prepared by
Mr. D. E. Campbell, of Messrs. Campbell ..^ Jordan, I..\ , Wolver-
hampton, showed liabilities to unsecured creditors £2,900, and
assets comprising stock in trade at estimated cost £5,634, plant,
fixtures, and fittings £204, book debts £552. estimated to produce
£450, and cash in hand and at bank £12, making a total of £6.300,
from which had to be deducted preferential creditors £43, leaving
net assets on the basis of a going concern of £6,257, or a surplus on
this basis of assets over liabilities of £3,358. The statement also
set out the assets on a realisation basis, and these totalled £3,900,
or a surplus of £ 1 .000. Mr. Campbell, in expleiining the statement,
said that the debtor started business 10 years ago, with a capital of
£3U3. so that it was obvious from the figures which were now
submitted that he had done a substantial business, and had made
considerable progress since he started. In 1913 the sales were
£623, in 1917 they had increased to £2,543, in 1918 they were
£4,529, in 1919 i 6,540, whUe for the period up to July 24th, 1920,
they were £4,192. On the basis of a 25 per cent, gross profit the
gross profits of the business would have been £1,132, £1,635, and
£1,018 for the last three periods that he had mentioned. The
expenses in 1919 were about £950. The net profits, which in 1913
were estimated at £84, gradually increased, and for the whole of
the period under review totalled £2,486, against which the drawings
had been about £1,100. 'Mr. Campbell stated that the only way in
which he could account for the surplus was that the profit that
the debtor had made had exceeded the figures that he had put
down.

Mr. Poppleton said that whether they took it as a going concern
or on a break-up basis, it was obvious that there was a very sub-
stantial surplus. He understood that the debtor was anxious to
carry on the business, and it was clear enough that he was justified
in this expectation. He had kept his books in an orderly way, and
the only question for the creditors was to determine how the
creditors %vere going to get their money. The debtor had executed
an assignment, and a good many of the creditors had assented, and
it was advisable that they should try and husband the business as
far as possible.

Mr. Houston pointed out that the real decision come to at the
previous meeting was that the debtor should consult hia frienda

vou i7. iTo. 8,231, AuausT 27, 1980.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

271

with a view to a j;uarantee being found for the payment of 20!, in
the £, spread over a period. Mr. Campbell stated that the debtor
had not been able to find any guarantee.

Mr. Houston said that the real obstacle in the matter was
the suing creditors, Messrs. Brown Bros., Ltd., who had obtained
judgment, and it depended on what they were likely to do.

The representative of Messrs. Brown Bros, stated that his
instructions were to " vote against everything," which led to the
observation on the part of a creditor that this was not a very
hopeful outlook.

One creditor said that the business had mostly been concerned
with the motor trade. The trustee was asked what the stock con-
sisted of, and he said that Mr. Speke dealt largely in electrical
goods, and the stock comprised £3,1 13 worth of such goods, while
there were tools to the extent of £1,661.

A lengthy discussion then ensued, during which many sympathetic
remarks were made concerning Mr. Speke, several creditors express-
ing the view that he should be allowed to continue trading. In
the result, a resolution was passed to the effect that a new deed of
assignment should be executed to Mr. Campbell and Mr. G. G.
Poppleton as trustees, with a Committee of Inspection consisting
of some of the principal creditors. The estate, therefore, will be
administered under this deed.

Threatened Coal Miners' Strike.— On Tuesday last the

ooal miners commenced to ballot for or against a national strike ;
their leaders expect a majority in favour of a stoppage, and fore-
shadow a strike within three weeks. There is no public sympathy
with the miners, the disastrous results that would follow a strike
being fully appreciated. The miners' demands are : —28. a shift
increase in wages, and a reduction of 14s. 2d. per ton on the price
of household coal. The Government's reasons for refusing the
demands are : — Coal is supplied to home consumers at the present
cost of producing it, and the present profits on export coal bslong
to the country, and should benefit it through the Exchequer. The
important dates in connection with the ballot are ; — August 30th,
ballot result ; August 3 1st, Triple AUianJe (miners, railwaymen,
and transport workers) meet ; September 2nd, strike notices
to be handed in if ballot favours stoppage ; September
18th, strike notices expire ; and September 20th, strike
to begin if decided upon. The Government is arranging to main-
tain, as far as possible, the essential services of the country in the
event of a strike. The motor-transport services for the conveyance
of foodstuffs, which were worked last autumn during the railway
strike, would probably again be employed. In the event of a
strike, export of coal would probably be stopped immediately, and
the train services restricted. The Government is said to have
already requested coal retailers to ration their customers evenly,
allotting them only a proportion of their full orders. This week,
Mr. Robert SmiUie revealed the real reason for the demand for a
reduction on the selling price of household coal. If this is taken
off, many pits now producing coal for internal consumption will
be unable to supply it except at a loss. Mr. Smillie says that this
loss and the increased wages can be met out of the £6ij,000,000
profits that the State now takes from the export of coal. This
means that the taxpayer wOl have to provide £66,000,000 in
some other form of taxes, and, what is more — and this is said to
be the real object of Mr. Smillie's demand — the whole machinery
of State control over the coal industry will have to be reimposed.
Mr. Smillie wants this as a prelude to nationalisation.

For Sale. — Mr. D. B. Nettleton will sell by auction,
on September 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th, at Messrs. J. Whitley, Ltd.
(in voluntary liquidation). Eagle Works, Well Lane, Halifax, an
extensive engineering plant, including electric power and lighting
installations, tools, kc.

Swansea Corporation electricity department invites offers for
one 600-KW. D.c. Westinghouse generator with control panel direct
driven by a marine type triple-expansion engine with circulating
pump, &c. ; also three Lancashire boilers complete. For full
particulars, see our advertisement pages to-day.

The Overtime Ban. — The Manchester District Com-
mittee of the Electrical Trades Union gives notice that the men will
not work overtime or on breakdowns, repairs of plant, or mainten-
ance work generally, inclusive of meal times or on the usual holidays,
until a satisfactory settlement is arrived at between the employers
concerned and the Union.

The announcement that the Partington Steel and Iron Co.,
Manchester, which employs over 5,000 men and youths at its
works on the Ship Canal at Irlam, has placed its employes on
day-to-day employment, is now followed by the statement that
other leading firms in Manchester and Salford will follow
this example. Amongst others affected are Beyer & Peacock,
Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., Crossley Bros., Hetherington's,
BaOey & Co., and Jackson, Brookes & Doxey, who jointly employ
over 30.000 men and youths. The refusal of the men to work over-
time is a consequence of the rejection by the Industrial Court of an
increase of 6d. an hour. — Daily ffera/i/,

Belginm Recovering. — There is a fairly general belief in

this country that Belgium is recovering from the ravages of war at
a more rapid rate than any other of the late combatants, and an
American commercial report from Brussels confirms this with some
solid facts which might be brought to the notice of certain people
in this country. " More work, more economy, and less paper
money," we are told, are the dominant factors in the economic
reconstruction of Belgium, and it is significant that the banks in
their annual reports should agree that the first stage — more work

has beeu accomplished. Each day sees all olasges of industries
increasing their pre-war output, and the Belgian miners certainly
show us the way in now producing at leskst as much ooal as they
did before the war.

Examinations in Electric Light Switching.— Sending

us a special notice of the resumption of their plan of awarding
money prizes in connection with their free examinations, Messrs.
A. P. Lundberg & Sons comment severely on the action of the City and
Guilds Institute in dropping the Ordinary-grade examininations in
" Electrical Engineering " and " Electrical Installation Work,''
leaving only the Honours Grade, which will probably be discon-
tinued also for want of support — for the entrants for the Honours
Grade were the successful examinees in the Ordinary Grades.
Messrs. Lundberg hold that efforts should be made to revive the
examinations in the Ordinary Grades, under the control of some
body more familiar with the practical requirements of the industry
than the City and (Guilds Institute or the Education Department.

In the meantime, their own examinations, to some extent, fill
the gap, and they have doubled the total value of the prizes, besides
increasing their number, the prizes in the three grades varying from
£111 downwards ; the aggregate value is £27.

L.W. Dynamos and Motors. — Having purchased the de-
signs, jigs, tools and goodwill of the dynamos, motors, &c.,of Messrs.
Arthur Lyon & Wrench, Ltd., the firm of Todman, Ryall & Co.,
Ltd., 17, 'V'ictoria Street, S.W. 1, has been formed to carry on the
manufacture and sales without a break. The actual manufacture is
being undertaken by the Aircraft Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (pro-
prietors, B.S.A., Ltd.), Hendon, N.W., in accordance with Messrs.
Todman, Ryall & Co.'s designs, and solely to their orders. The
machines are all tested by the company's engineers at the Air
Co.'s works, and all parts are interchangeable with the A. L. & W.
machines ; the A. L. & W. staff engaged on the production has been
largely transferred. Further supplies of machines and of spare
parts can be obtained from the new company, a large stock being
available.

Congratalations. — We are pleased to learn that a
conference took place last week between representatives of the
National Alliance of Employers and Employed and the Industrial
League and Council, as a result of which it was agreed to recom-
mend the amalgamation of these bodies. The Joint Executives
will meet shortly to consider the report and to work out the
details. There will then be created the most influential body of
employers and employed which has ever existed in any country.
Many leading employers and prominent Trade Unionists are
connected with one or other of the amalgamating bodies, and the
main object to be pursued will be the bringing together of Capital ■
and Labour with a view to the avoidance of labour troubles, the
joint consideration of matters appertaining to their industries, and
the general industrial welfare.

Swedish Exports. — The imports of electrical machinery
into Sweden in the first half of the present year were of the value
of 7,128,000 kr., as compared with 9.51,000 kr. in the corresponding
period of 1919. On the other hand, the exports of electrical
machinery, which amounted to 4,116,000 kr. in the first six months
of 1919, increased to 6,459,000 kr. in the corresponding period of
1920. The exports of telephone and telegraph apparatus, however,
declined from a value of 4,672,000 kr. to 2,579,000 kr. in the same
periods respectively.

Lead. — In their report dated August 21st, Messrs,
G. Cawson & Co. say : — The market this week has not shown much
change. Prices are 7s. 6d. to lOs. per ton dearer in all positions.
There is still a premium of 5s. to 10s. per ton on forward lead.
Closing prices are ; — August and September, £35 15s. to £36 ;
October and November, £36 to £36 5s. Prices have been main-
tained entirely by some further demand from the States. Although
this demand is not important, it is at present sufficient to maintain
prices. The home trade demand has entirely ceased for the present,
and there has been some falling-off in the inquiry from electrical
works, as there are serious indications of a strike, which may hold
up consumption. Meanwhile, arrivals continue to come in freely,
and there Is a plentiful supply of lead.

The reports from producing centres continue satisfactory, and
even Germany is now sending more lead to this country. So long
as transport difficulties continue in the States, we may still expect
some demand from that direction. The high price ruling there,
however, will soon have its influence on American producers, and
cause them to protect their own market against large imports of
foreign lead. The settlement of the Australian strike appears to be
imminent, although it will take them some time to get back to the
pre-war output.

Messrs. James Forster & Co. say : — Large business has again
been done for America this week, and we know that transactions
up to at least 3,000 tons have taken place, most of the lead sold
being for immediate shipment. This sort of thing has been going
on for several weeks now, and we shall not be surprised if exports
this month exceed the total imports.

German Heating Apparatus.— As an instance of the

influence exerted by the German tax on exports, it is stated that
while the home price of a certain size and type of electric heating
apparatus is 45 marks, orders for export have to be accepted at
42 marks, as the apparatus otherwise is unable to compete. As,
however, the exporters have to pay 8 per cent, export duty, and
there thus only remains 38'60 marks, it is said that they are now no
longer able to compete in external markets.

272

THE ELECTRICAL RE\TEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,231, auoust 27, 1920.

Meeting of Creditors.— /J« John Smalwood, electrical

engineer, 7, High Street, Hitchin.— Meeting of creditors heUl
Auffuat 18th, Mr. Alfred Waters presiding:, at Balfour House,
EC 2 The statement of affairs as at Aufruat 18th, i;i20, sub-
mitted by Messrs. Corfield & Cripwell, showed that there were
liabilities of £752, and assets amounting to £7i:i, leaving a
deficiency of £32. It was stated that the debtor bad been m the
electrical trade a good many years. Early last year the business
was handed ever, free of all liability, to the son, H. W. Smallwood.
returned from the Army, but the change was not a success. Ihe
debtor considerei that the present position had been brought about
entirely owing to the unsatisfactory management of the business
by the son, who gave up some seven months ago. The father
again assumed control ; there was never any partnership arrange-
ment between them. It was resolved at the meeting that the
debtor should execute a deed of composition to Mr. W. Osborne,
of Corfield & Cripwell, as trustee, he to discharge a composition of
16s. 8d. in the £ on terms to be determined by a committee of
inspection.

Outing.— The Sheffield Electrical Social Union had a
very enjoyable outing on Saturday, August 21st, when a party of
members and friends, numbering 56, had a motor tour round the
Dukeries. Tea was partaken of at the "Hop Po!e' Hotel,
OUerton.

Book Notices.—" The Metropolitan- Vickers Gazette."
Vol. VI, No. 88 (20 pp.).— The July issue of this interesting journal
includes articles on "Labour in the United States," " An 80-ton
Floating Crane," and " Electrical Characteristics of Transmission
Circuits." . ,

Circular No. 02 of the U.S. Bureau of Standards, Operation and
Care of Vehicle-Type Batteries" (94 pp.).— A very complete
manual describing types of accumulators, the keeping of battery
records, and proper operation.

"Text- Book of Engineering." By Dr. A. Thomalen, translated
by G. W. 0. Howe. Pp. xi + 482 ; figs. 480. London : E. Arnold.
Price 28s. net.

" Industrial Control : The Application to Industry of Direction.
Control, and Light." By F. M. Lawson. Pp. xiv -I- 130 ; 19
illustrations. London : Sir I. Pitman & Sons, Ltd. Price
88. 6d. net.

"Journid of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.
Vol. XXXIX. No. 8. August, 1!»20. New York : The Institute.

Cifttijxe.st for August includes, amongst other interesting items,
an article on "The Mechanism of the Thunderstorm." by W.
Parkinson, dealing mainly with cloud forms.

Tiie Chinese Electrical Market.— A recent trade report

states that "electrical equipment" figures among the principal
imports into Mukden (China) : the Japanese at present have the
bulk of the trade, while American electrical apparatus is being
used in constantly-increasing quantities.

Electricians' Lock-Ont Suspended.— The River Thames
Dry Dock Proprietors and Ship Repairers' Association of the Port
of London, which notified the E.T.U. that a lock-out of its members
would commence on the 23rd inst., has suspended the notices as a
result of informal meetings between the Union and the Association.

Swedish Electrical Companies.— Norrkcepings Elektr<id

Aktiebolag (Norrkkoeping Electrode Co.) has decided to increase
its share capital from the pTesent kr. 825,000 to kr. 1,425,000 by the
issue of new shares at psLt.—IteHterx Trade Service.

Motala Stroems Kraft Aktiebolag (Motala Electric Power Co,)
has decided to increase its share capital by kr. 330,000, raising it
from the present kr. 1,980,000 to kr. 2,310,000 by the issue of new
kr. 1,000 shares at par. — lieuter's Trade Serriee.

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES.

Australia. — J^^w Soith "Wales. — The Town Council
of Wagga is considering an electricity scheme which is to cost
£75,000, including £13,000 for reticulation. — Better's Trade Service
(Sydney).

Birmingham. — Electricity Supply. — Mr. E.- J.

Jennings, secretary of the Birmingham Electric Supply Department,
has replied to complaints made last week in the Birmingham press,
as to the inability of manufacturers to obtain sufficient electricity.
He points out that the work of putting down the new generating
plant has been greatly hindered by strikes and shortage of building
labour. It was due to the Government embargo that the new
Nichells power station was not put in hand sooner. Recently it
had been found necessary to place restrictions on certain power
users, owing to the breakdown «f two large machines a few werks
ago. One of these machines, it was expected, would be again in
commission in a fortnight's time, when the position would be some-
what eased. The other machine would not be ready for return to
the Birmingham works for 10 weeks. The only consumers to
whom it has been found necessary to limit supplies were those who
contracted for a night supply only, and who had hitherto been
allowed unrestricted supplies, or those who signed an undeitaking
not to make use of the supply during any portion of the day in

which the department might find it necessary to curtail output^
The department was not in a position at the present time to accept
applications for new supplies.

Burnley. — E.xtexsions Dekebred.— The Electricity
Committee has decided not to make any further extensions of
electrical mains until it possesses adequate generating plant. The
Council has already sanctioned the installation of further plant.
but there is no possibility of this being in use next winter.

Canada. — New Brunswick Water Power. — Plans
for the development of Lepreaux River under the Water Power
Act, passed at the last session of the New Brunswick Legislature,
are being worked out.
' At the Big Falls, where there is a head of ICO ft., the plans call
for the development of 2,250 H.p. for a 24-hour day, and 5,000 H.P.
for a 10-hour day. At the Lower Falls, where there is a head of 70 ft.
at low tide, about two-thirds of the power of the Big Falls is
available. Up the river there is the Ragged Falls with a head of
90 ft., making for the three falls a total head of 260 ft.

At the Big Falls the dam would be about 600 ft. long at the
crest, and would give a pondage 6 miles long by an average
breadth of 350 ft.— Electrical Xtics.

Stand-Bv Plaint. — The Hydro-Electric Power Commission of
Ontario has given instructions to its engineering staff to install
a 50,000-H.P. steam plant at a point which is yet to be determined,
in time for the winter load of 1921-22. This will be in two
25,0O0-H.P. units. At the present moment a number of Hamilton
sites are being considered. — Electrical Sfeics.

Celebes. — Water Power. — Fiunnn and Commerce 1
leains that preparations for opening up the immense deposits of |

iron ore and other minerals in the Celebes are going rapidly
forward, the first business being to provide the water power from
the adjacent lakes. In the meantime, says the journal, firms
interested in the supply of machinery should be keenly on the
watch for contracts ^or mining, smelting, and refining plant, elec-
trical plant, and all sorts of accessories. — Reuters Trade Service
(Shanghai).

Chorley. — Power Station. — At the Rural Conncil
meeting, on August 19th, a notice was read of a proposal to con-
struct a generating station near Preston by the National Electric
Supply Co.

Continental. — PtUSSiA. — Prof. Lomonossow, head of the
Russian Traffic Department, referring to plans of the Soviet Govern-
ment for the unification of the electric power stations of Russia,
said that three such stations were at present being formed— the
first on the River Svir, which connects Lakes Ladoga and 0ne,ra ;
the second on the River Volkhov ; and the third north of the Black
Sea, on the Dnieper, between Ekaterinenburg and Alexandrovsk.
An obstacle in the way of the unification of the electrical system
was the shortage of water turbines, the only countries really able
to deliver which were, the Professor is repjrted to have said,
America, Germany, and Sweden. — Bciiter's Trade Service {BirMu).

Daszio. — The Danzig City Council recently approved a new
scheme of charges for electricity, and the tariff adopted provides
for a coal clause. The basis price for coal is 460 marks per ton
deliveied at the works, and the variation in the charge to the con-
sumer will be 1 pfennig per KW.-hour for every variation of
250 marks in the coal price. The cost of production of electrical
energy at Danzig has risen from 10'66 pfennigs per KW.-hour in
1913-14 to 12205 pfennigs in 1920-21.

Dublin. — Labour Dispute. — Labour trouble at the
North Wall Quay, Dublin, has involved the stoppage of electric
lighting in the London and North-Western Railway Co.'s extensive
premises there.

Dutch Indies. — Water- Power.— It is reported from
Weltevreden, Java, that the Exploratie Maatschappij Assahan,
which has obtained a concession to utilise the water-power of the
Assahan River, is having plans for this purpose prepared in Europe.
The company proposes to erect a large factory for the fixation of
nitrogen.

Ince. — Pumping Plant. — The Urban District Council
has applied for a loan of £9,000 for the provision of electrical plant
at the Golbome pumping station.

Kilmarnock. — Floods. — A serious stoppage of the Kil-
marnock generating station, last week, is reported by the Gl<i.i(jow
llecord. It seems that the embankment of the river Irvine gave
way, and the Corporation works were completely flooded, the water
in the basement being 9 or 10 ft. deep, and a good deal of damage
was done to plant. The supply of electiicity wm interrupted, and,
in consequence, most of the public works in the town and
throughout a large part of North Ayrshire had to close down.

London. — Electricians' Wages.— A settlement of the
dispute between the L.C.C. and its electrical workers was arrived at
early this week, at a conference between the Highways Committee
and the London District Committee of the E.T.U. It is claimed
that an average of 2d. per day less than the average diitrict rate
has been paid by the L.C.C. for the last month.

Mullingar,— Electric Light Proposals. — The Town

Commissioners have directed the Clerk to communicate with local
firms who might be willing to submit proposals for the installa-
tion of public electric lighting.

Toi. 87. No. 2.231, aooust 27, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL KEVIEW.

273

New Zealand. — Hydko-Elecxrii' Suuejik. — The Muni"

uipal Council at New Plymouth has supplied the ifoUowiupr
particulars of proposed extensive additions to the local hydro-
electric scheme : —

The completed scheme provides for an intake on the Waiwakaiho
River and the conveyance of the water up to a maximum of 200
cb. ft. per second by means of a tunnel into the valley of the
Mangamahoe Stream.

The construction of a weir across the Waiwakaiho River at
the intake to the tunnel for the purpose of raising the head of
water at the tunnel.

The buildinfT of a dam across the Mangamahoe Stream, to
impound the waters of the Mangamahoe, and also the Waiwakaiho,
in a storage reservoir having an area of 95 acres, and a capacity of
50,000,000 cb. ft., with a 15 ft. draw-off.

The building of two embankments on the south side of the pro-
posed reservoir to prevent the water overflowing the adjacent lands.

The construction of a second tunnel to convey the water from
the storage reservoir to the forebay overlooking the power house.
The construction of a forebay or surge chamber, also the laying of
three penstock pipes 5 ft. internal diameter supported on concrete
cradles, together with all necessary expansion joints, anchors, kc,
also the conveyance of the water from the termination of the 5-ft.
penstock pipes by branch pipei to the various units at the power
house.

The units when the full power of the station is in use will be
as follows: — Two of 1,000 h p., two of 1,500 H.P., and two of
2,000 H.p.

The construction of a new power house consisting of generator
floor, switchboard platform, workshop, shift room, telephone
office, together with tail race to link up with the existing tail
race and enlargements of the latter.

The estimated cost of the complete scheme is £233,308, excluding
present works, transmission, and reticulation, the capital cost of
which to date is £87,500.

It is not intended to proceed with the whole of the scheme at
present, but work to the value of £ 112,000 is to be carried out.
The complete scheme will be auflSoient to meet the needs of the
provincial district of Taranaki for many years. — Reiifer's TrmJe
Set rice (Wellington).

North - East Laacashire. — Electricity District. —

Burnley and other authorities in North-East Lancashire have
decided to appeal against their inclusion in the mid-Lancashire
district, under the electrical supply scheme. They consider the
supply of electricity in the area would be more economically and
efficiently controlled by an authority having jurisdiction in Notth-
East Lancashire only, instead of one running from Colne to
Blackpool.

Price Increases. — It is proposed to increase the charges
for electricity at Huddersfield, and also in the Twickenham and
Teddington district.

Rawtenstall.— Electricity ])istrict. — Tlie Corporation
has passed the following resolutions : — (!) That having regard to
the serious financial responsibility which would be involved, this
Corporation protests to the Minister of Transport against the
proposal that the said Minister shoTld erect a generating station
on the south bank of the River Ribble at Preston.

(2) That this Corporation strongly objects to being included in
the proposed mid-Lancashire electricity district on the ground that
the supply of electricity in this borough can be more economically
and efficiently controlled by an authority having jurisdiction in
North-East Lancashire only.

South Africa. — Simons Towx Sanction to the pro-
posed expenditure of £10,000 on the electricity undertaking is to
be asked for next week.

Warrington. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Town Council
has received the sanction of the Ministry of Health to borrow
£130,000 and £34,892 for the purposes of the electricity under-
taking.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Burnley. — Ban on Overtime. — The town was again
without a service of cars on Sunday, August 22nd, owing to the
embargo on overtime impo3ed by the Engineers' Association.
There was a conference between the parties on August 21st, but it
was without successful results.

Cardiff.— Strike.— On Monday, August Kith, 300

employes of the Corporation tramway repair department ceased
work in consequence of the Corporation's refusal to grant them
the district builders' rate of 28. Id. per hour. The majority of the
employes in other municipal departments cea?ed work in sympathy.
The power station was kept running by means of voluntary
labour.

Dublin.— Proposed Fare Increase.— The Dublin
United (Electric^ Tramways Co. (1896), Ltd., has applied to the
Minister of Transport for an order under the Tramways (Temporary
Increase of Charges) Act, 192ii. authorising an increase in the
msiximum fares chargeable on the system, which covers the whole

of Dublin, and parts of Ralhfor, Rathmines, and Pembroke,
Apparently, the long-distance routes — to Kingstown and Howth —
are not to be included. The areas included have at present Id.
and 2d. fares, and the proposed revised charges are to be IJd.,
and 3d. The I Id. fare to apply as a maximum from any of the
city termini to the city boundaries as existing in 1897.

Glasgow. — Strike. — The 24-hours' strike against the
increases of rent sanctioned by the Rent Act, began on the 23rd
inst., and the city seemed almost tramless. On most of the usual
routes the ordinary services were suspended, and the few that were
kept going were irregularly served. Beyond the absence of tram-
oars, there was little sign that a strike was in progress, other trades
being opposed to it.

Edinburgh was also without a tramway service.

Hull. — Year's Working. — The working of the tramways
during the past year has resulted in a loss of £9,646.

Japan. — RAIL^\■AY Electrification. — The
Hydro- Electric Railway Co. is going to extend its line a distance
of seven miles from Shingu, Ibo district, Banshu, to Yamasaki, Shiso
district, in the same province. The work is estimated to cost
1,250,000 yen.

In connection with the scheme for the electrification of railways
in Japan, it is proposed to build a power station at Ojiya. on the
Shinano river, capable of producing 250,000 H.P., at a cost of about
lii0,000,0Cii yen. The project is to be laid before the present extra-
ordinary session of the Diet for approval.— if«?/?(';-'.s Trtiile Service
(Tokio).

Mono-rail System.— Traffic congestion in the streets of Tokio
has led a number of business men to approach the Government for
permission to build an electric mono-rail line over the rivers and
canals. The scheme proposes to use cars accommodating 50
passengers, and the average speed is put at 25 miles per hour. A
company is to be formed with a capital of $7,500,000, and the
estimated cost of the undertaking is $815,000 per mile.

Leeds.— Tramway Losses. — The Corporation tramways
are still running at a loss, though this is less than in the early part
of the year. The average deficit per day during July is recorded
to have been £158, as against an average of £228 during the
four months April-July. The receipts per car-mile during the
period of the July report were 24'lCd., with an expenditure of
25'45d., so that the total deficit during the month was £4,418. The
receipts were higher by £12,001, in consequence of the Increase
of fares, than during the corresponding month last year, but the
increase has not met the increased expenditure. There was a
decrease in the number of tickets used since the increase in fares,
especially for short distances.

Liverpool. — Work for Ex-Service Men. — Liverpool
Tramways Committee contemplates building a carriage works to
find work for unemployed ex Service men. — ihe Times,

London. — New Trains. — Within the next three weeks
the first of the new trains, with extra doors to allow quick filling
and emptying, will be' run on the District Railway, and about
another dozen will be introduced by the winter.

Cheap Mid-Day Fares. — The concession granted by the Ii.C.C.
to tramway passengers during the slack period of the day, a
maximum of 2d. for any distance, is under consideration for with-
drawal. Although this concession has proved satisfactory to the
L.C.C., the omnibus companies regard it as detrimental to their
interests, and offer to charge only Id. for 'C mile if it is withdrawn.
A resolution embodying this suggestion was submitted to the
Council by the Highways Committee, but was rejected by the
Council at a special meeting on Tuesday last.

Nelson. — Wages Settlement. — A settlement has been
reached in the wages dispute, which threatened to cause the tram-
way workers of Nelson and Colne to cease work. The lucal
Tramways Committee has decided to adopt Grade I. scale of Jd.
per hour increase.

New Zealand. — Coal Shortage. — Owing to the coal

shortage, brought about by the waterside men's dispute,
Wellington is practically in darkness, and no tramcars are running.

Rawtenstall. — E.xtknsions, &c. — The Town Council, on
August 19th, resolved that the plan be approved of the new tramear
shed to be erected on Longholme Meadow and relaying of the
tramway track to be laid out on Bacup road ; also resolved that
the estimate of Jleasrs. Hadfields, Ltd., Sheffield, be accepted for
the laying of the tramway track, and that of Messrs. Lambourne
and Co., Ltd, steel constructing engineers and contractors, Opeu-
shaw, Manchester, for the builder's work. It was further resolved
that application be made to the Ministry of Transport for permis-
sion to borrow £'1,690 for laying tramway track, £11,750 for the
erection of the building, and £30,000 for the purchase of eight new
tramcars already ordered.

Southampton. — Strike Settled. — The strike of tram-
way workers, which lasted nine days, was settled on Monday.
The Town Council agreed to submit the case of the conductor who
was dismissed, to a joint industrial council.

Sunderland. — Year's Working. — There is a net balance

of £26,000 on the working of the tramways during the past year.
Altogether a sum of £77,000 has been contributed to the relief x>t
the rates.

274

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 8t. no. 2,231. Auorar 27, 1920.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Aotomatlc Telephones. — Preparations are being made

to introduce an automatic telephone system at Fleetwood. The
work is expected to be completed by February next.

Brazil. — New Telephone System. — The Board of
Trade Department of Overseas Trade informs us that information
has been received from the British Chamber of Commerce of Sao
Paulo and Southern Brazil to the effect that it is proposed by the
Government of the State of Alajoas to install a complete telephone
system, and it is suggested that interested firms should send their
representatives to Alagoas to study the requirements on the spot,
unless, of course, tbey have agents in that district. The contract
excludes the city of Maceio, and the concessionaires must undertake
to connect at least 12 municipalities within two years after the
signing of the contract, and the remaining municipalities within a
further period of two years. The maximum time for the conces-
sion to run is 25 years. The Governor is empowered to permit the
concessionaries to utilise waterfalls for the furnishing of electric
energy, and to concede to them the necessary importation of
material free of duty. Before becoming [effective, any contract
must be submitted to the State Legislature for approval and
sanction. The official decree (in Portuguese) may be seen by
interested parties on application to the Department (Room' 48 ;
Captain Vandelenr).

Colombia. — Wireless Telegraphy. — In March, 1919,

the Colombian Government contracted with Marconi's Wireless
Telegraph Co., Ltd., for the construction of a large wireless station
atiBogota, and this has now been followed by an additional contract
for the construction of a similar station near Barranquilla. At
present the latter place is suffering badly from lack of cable
accommodation, notwithstanding that it is Colombia's chief port
of entry, and the distributing point for a large portion of the
interior. There is, for instance, no direct service to Colon,
Panama, in order to make connection with the cables of the
Central and South American Cable Co. to New York and London.
All messages for Colon must be transmitted ria Bogota to Buena-
ventura, where there is a cable station. This means that the
messages must be sent over approximately 2,000 miles of single
wires in the rough interior of the couutry, and they are often
delayed for more than a we^k. According to an American com-
mercial report, plans are being made also to improve the cable
service.

Combined Wire and Wireless Telepiiony.— Easiness

messages between the London offices of a commercial firm and a
passenger-carrying aeroplane owned by the firm on its way to
France, were exchanged on Thursday last week by a combination
of the ordinary and wireless telephones. According to The Times,
after the machine had flown away from Croydon aerodrome, it was
found to be urgent to convey some special instructions to the pUot.
The Air Ministry was communicated with and assisted in connecting
the firm's office telephone with the wireless installation at
Croydon, and spoken communication was obtained by the combined
telephones. At one point in the conversation, communication was
interrupted at the telephone exchange, and was restored again in
the ordinary way after conversation with the operator there.

Germany. — Wireless Telegraphy. —Negotiations have
taken place in Berlin with regard to the restoration of direct
wireless communication with America for private traffic, but untU
a state of peace is established, says The Times, the traffic will, as
hitherto, be dealt with by the American naval station.

Cable Pbopaoanda. — The Imperial Ministry of Posts announces
that an agreement has been negotiated with the (American) Hearst
newspaper combination, and also with another American group,
intended to promote the development of German international
cable trafllc.

Ireland. — Wireless Station Burned. — The coast-
guard station at Browhead (Co. Cork), which was also a Lloyd's
signal station, and which was raided less than a fortnight ago,
was burned to the ground on the night of August 20th by armed
men, who carried off a quantity of stores.

Sinn Feiners added to their wireless equipment by a raid on
Dunfanaghy (Co. Donegal) post-office, on August 18th, when they
took away telegraph and telephone instruments and a wireless set.

Several wireless stations on the Irish coast have been attacked
in the past fortnight, and damage caused to them. In some places
inland, wireless stations have been got into operation at military
centres so as to control news when ordinary telegraph and tele-
phone lines are destroyed.

Jamaica. — Telephone E.xtensions. — The telephone
system is, for the most part, confined to Kingston, and although
the Governor of the Island has recently suggested to the Council
the desirability of an expert investigation with a view to'extending
the system to the whole island, he did not succeed in achieving his
object. The present equipment comprises some 600 instruments
and 400 miles of double wire, and is of American make. An
American commercial report recommends American firms to
approach the Council on the question of extending the system.

Japan. — Naval Wireless. — The Japanese Navy will no

longer depend upon wireless telegraphy, says the Wireless World,
the perfection of wireless telephony having induced the Ministry of
the Navy to recognise this latter system before all others. Wire-
less telephony has already been inatalled in vessels of a unit of the
First Squadron, and the remainder of the fleet is to be similarly
equipped.

New Cable. — Dairbn-Naoasah. — A new telegraph cable

is to be laid betrreen Dairen and Nagasaki, the route being along-
side of the South Manchurian Railway. According to an American
Consular report, the Japanese Government wUl provide and lay the
cable, and bear the expenses of upkeep, but the cost of laying will
be borne by the railway company, the Japanese Government paying
7 per cent, per annum on this cost, so long as the Government con-
tinues to use the cable. The total cost is put at $1,350,000. All
the materials have been orderes in England, for delivery by
November, 1920, and the work is due for completion in March,
1921.

Telegraph Service. — Wireless Services. — The only

public wireless services at present in operation to Continental
countries are those of Spain, Norway. Denmark, and Sweden,
stated Mr. lUingworth in Parliament last week. The question of
providing similar services to other Continental countries, including
France, is under consideration.

Increased Rates. — The advance in telegraph rates to Id. per
word with a minimum charge of Is. will come into operation
on Wednesday next.

West Indies. — Cable Delays. — Telegraphic com-
munication, during and since the war, has been in a chaotic con-
dition in most parts of the world, but nowhere has it been worse
than in the West Indies. Recently messages to the Islands could
only be accepted at sender's risk, and subject to heavy delay.
Government-owned and worked wireless stations, erected for war_
purposes, endeavoured to conduct a commercial service unsuccess-
fully, and such a result, under the circumstances, can only be
regarded as natural. The whole telegraphic system is in need of
overhauling. In this connection, various resolutions were pissed
by the Chambers of Commerce in the West Indies, and the Ninth
Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire had a
resolution on its agenda for the gathering at Ottawa. The
opportunity should also be taken to free the West Indian tele-
graphic systems from foreign control.

Wireless Station Closed.— An Admiralty notice to

mariners states that the Lizard wireless direction-finding station
has been temporarily closed, and mariners are warned that the
station will be out of action until further notice.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(The date given in parenthesis at the end of the paragraph indieatei
the issue of the Electmcai Review, in which the " Official
Notice" appeared.')

OPEN.

Australia. — Commonwealth Government. November
24th. Protected cable terminals and cable distribution boxes.
Specifications &c., will be available at Australia Houie, Strand
W.C. — neuter's Trade Sercice. (Brisbane).

Victoria. — October 20th. Victorian State Rivers and Water
Supply Commission. Two l.ilOO-B.H.p. steam turbines, with
mechanical reduction gearing and condensing plant. — Reuters
Trade Service (Melbourne).

Birmingham. — September 1st. Salvage Committee.
Two IOOkw., 440-v., d.c compound-wound, steam-driven gen-
erating sets, complete with surface condenser and switchboard.
(July 30th.)

Bolton, — September 16 th. Electricity Department. One
12,000-KW. turbo-alternator. (August 20.)

Bradford. — September 9th. Electricity Committee.
Contract R. 159. No. 4 boiler house and equipment, including
buildings, water-tube boilers, economisers. induced-draught plant,
feed pumps, coal-handling plant and piping systems. (August 6th.)

Croydon. — September 8th. Tramways Department.
Supply and installation of a new feeder cable. (August I3th.)

Edinbnrgh, — September 6th. Electricity Department.
Converting plant for Portobello generating station and sub-station.
Specification No. 26. (August 6th.)

September 7th. Corporation. Electric lighting installation at
the Public Health Oflices, Johnstone Terrace. Plans at Engineers
Office, Dewar Place.

India. — Agra. — October 22nd. Municipal Board.
Complete generating plant, comprising : four Diesel engines and
H.T. alternators ; H.T. and l.t. switchgear. transformers and sub-
station equipment ; 16 miles underground h.t. cables. 28 miles
overhead l.t. three-phase mains and street lighting equipment, f.
complete with all accessories. (.August iOth.)

Langho (near Blackburn). — Ssptember 15th. Manchester i

Board of Guardians. Replating a battery of accumulators (98 I
cells), at the Epileptic Colony, for the Manchester Union. Further |
particulars from Medical Superintendent at the Colony.

Vol.87. No. 2,231, AUGUST 27, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

276

London.— St. Pancras.— September Uth. Electricity
Department. Two water-tube boilers, each of 40,iu)(i lb, per hour
evaporation, (See this issue.")

Macclesfield. — September J 8th. Cheshire County
Asylum. Supply of electrical groods. Mr. W. F. Tingay, Parkside
Asylum.

Manchester. — August 30th. Electricity Committee.
Barton power station : 3S,000-volt, 3 -phase trunk feeders (2ti miles),
pilot cables (104 miles), telephone cables (Ifl miles). Specification
B. 7. (Auerust 6th.)

September 2nd. Markets Committee. Pumps, motors and fittings,
for Smithfield and Elm Street cold stores. Spscifications, &c., from
General Superintendent, Markets Department, Town Hall.

September 14th. Corporation Tramway Committee. Steel
eirdera, tramway rails, permanent way special track work. Mr. J. M.
McElroy, General Manager, ho, Piccadilly, Manchester.

September 20th. Electricity Committee. Six 33,000-volt, 19,500
K.V.A., 3-phase static transformers, house service and testing trans-
formers. (August 6th.)

Merthyr Tydfil. — September 6th. Electrical fittings for
six months for the Board of Guardians. Mr. F. T. James, Clerk.
Hifrh Street.

Nnneaton. — September 20th. Electricity Department.
H. and L.T. switchgear, connecting cables and accessories. (August
13 th.)

South Africa. — Johannesburg. — September 6th. Gas
and Electric Supply Department. Class A. One or more light
electric passenger vehicles. Class B. One or more light electric
delivery vehicles. (August 13th.)

Stockton-on-Tees. — August 30th. District Fund, Gas
and Electricity Committees. Articles and stores for six months.
(August 13th.)

Uganda. — December 20th. Government of the Uganda
Protectorate. Tenders invited for a concession of a portion of the
Kipon Falls of the NOe. See this column in our issue of July 30th.

Walthamstow- — September 8th. Urban District Council
Electricity Department. Two water-tube boilers and economisers ;
one .'i.OOO-KW. turbo-alternator and condensing plant ; one I,."iOO-KW.
and one 1,000-KW. rotary or motor converters ; one natural-
draught cooling tower ; e.h.t. and L.T. switchgear ; e.h.t. cables.
(Auguat 13th.)

Warrington. — September 7th. Electricity and Tramways
Committee. Surface condensing plant. (August 6th.)

West Ham. — September 9th. Board of (Guardians.
Electrical fittings for six months. Mr. T. Smith, Clerk to the
Goardians, Union Road, Leytonstone. E. 1 1 .

CLOSED.

Bridgwater. — Town Council : —

H. WeBt & Son, Electric light installation. Municipal Buildings, £48S.

Colchester. — Board of Guardians : —

Truslove, Ltd., Electric light installation at the Infirmaiy, £66.

Government Contracts — The following Government

contracts have been placed during July, 1920 : —

Admiralty (Contract and Purchase Dkpartuent).
IClectric cables.— Johnson & Phillips, Ltd.

Internal electric lighting and powt-r wiring. — Foot & Milne.
Lampholdcrs.— Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd., W. McGeoch & Co., Ltd., C.

H. Parsons, Ltd., Rainsford & Lynes, Ltd.
Electric navigation and fishing lanterns. — Troup, Curtis & Co., Ltd.
Electric radiators. — General Electric Co., Ltd.
Carbon rods. — Morgan Crucible Co., Ltd.
Equipment for dealing with turbine blading.— J. Brown St Co., Ltd:

War Offici
emens Bros., Ltd.
-Lucas Electrical Co.

Manulacturing Co., Ltd., Int.

Electric cells.
Magneto spa:

Post Office.

Protective apparatus.— Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co., Ltd., British^
L. M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Phoenix Telephone and Electric
Works, Ltd.. Western Electric Co., Ltd.

Telegraph apparatus.- Siemens Bros & Co., Ltd.

Telephone apparatus.— British L. M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Peel-
Conner Telephone Works, Ltd., Phoenix Telephone and Electric Works,
Ltd., Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd., Sterling Telephone & Electric Co., Ltd.,
Western Electric Co., Ltd.

Testing apparatus. — British L. M.
national Electric Co., Ltd.

Battery boxes. — W. Duncan Tucker & Sons, Ltd.

Submarine cable.- Telegraph Construction & Maintenance Co., Ltd.

Telegraph and telephone cable.— British Insulated i Helsby Cables, Ltd. John-
son 4 Phillips, Ltd., London Electric Wire Co. & Smiths, Ltd., Nlacintosh
Cable Co., Ltd., Pirelli General Cable Works, Ltd., Union Cable Co., Ltd.,
Western Electric Co.

Distribution cases.- H. White & Co., Ltd.

Casing and cover —W. Duncan, Tucker & Sons, Ltd.

Joint box castings.— Falkirk Iron Co., Ltd., Finedon Foundry Co., McDowall,
Steven it Co., Ltd.

f:ompound.— Dussek Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Conduit.— Brotherton Ediswan Tubes & Conduits, Ltd.

Cords for telephones —London Electric Wire Co. 4 Smiths, Ltd., Phosnii
Telephone & Electric Works, Ltd.

Ltd , Hepworlh

Co,,

Ducts.— .Mbion Clay Co.. Ltd., Doulton U'

Ltd., J. Oakes 4 Co.
Electric light fittings.— Edison Swan Electric Co., IM.
Telegraph ironwork.— Bayliss Jones & Bayliss, Ltd., Bullers, 1M., C.

& Sons, Ltd.
Electric hand lamps.— Benjamin Electric, Ltd.
Jointing sleeves. — C. M. Powell Bros.
Lead tube.— T. & W. Farmiloe, Ltd.
Insulated bronze wire.— Johnson 4 Phillips, Ltd.

lilk covered copper wire.— British Insulated 4 Helsby Cables,

Ltd.
Leclanche

■ns Bros. & Co., Ltd.
Casey 4 Darragh, Ltd.

ics. — Eyre Smelting Co., Ltd., Si(

Laving conduits, &c.— Paisley-Greenock (Section :

'(Section II): Westminster Public Works, Ltd. Amersham and Hull-
Grimsby ; Hodge Bros. (Contractors), Ltd. City of London, Gerrard-East
Junction, London-Bristol-Newport (S. Midland, Section VII and Section
VIII): J. Mowlem 4 Co., Ltd. Chester-Hawarden : A. R. Cleghorn.

.Manufacture, supply, drawing-in and jointing cable.— Hop-Victoria Junction :
W. T. Henley's' Telegraph Works, Ltd. Greenwich-East Junction: Western
Electric Co., Ltd. London-Southampton (Guildford-Southampton) Section ;
Siemens Bros. 4 Co., Ltd.

Posting box band conveyor. — Glasgow H.P.O. : G. Robson 4 Co. Sub-
contractors for motor and starting switch ; Veritys, Ltd.

Power plant.— Leicester Telephonic Repeater Station : Western Electric Co,,
Ltd. Sub-contractors for batteries : Pritchett 4 Gold 4 E.P.S. Co., Ltd.
For charging m.ichines : Electric Construction Co., Ltd.

Repairing battery.— Central (London) Telephone Exchange :
Storage Co., Ltd. Stockport Telephone Exchange ; Tudo

Ltd.
Telephone exchange equipment. — Birminghar
Electric Co., Ltd. Sub-contractors for
Co., Ltd. For batteries : Tudor Accumul,
Wembley : Western Electric Co., Ltd
Chloride Electric Storage Co

Co., Ltd. Lee Gi
Co., Ltd. Glasgow (Central)
Ltd. Sub-contractors for ba
chines : Crompton 4 Co,
Sub-eontractors for battel
machines : English Electi
4 Co ■

(East) .ind Stratford : Western

arging machines : Crompton 4

)r Co., Ltd. East (London) and

Co., Ltd. Sub-contractors for batteries;

Ltd. For charging machines : Electric Con-

n and Liverpool (Bank) : Western Electric

nd Dundee: Peel-Conner Telephone Works,

rics : D. P. Battery Co. For charging ma-

Ltd. Weymouth ; Siemens Bros. 4 Co., Ltd.

i : Hart Accumulator Co., Ltd. For charging

Co., Ltd. Hamilton, Winchester and .Ascot :

Sub-contractors for batteries : Pritchett 4 Gold

E.P.S. Co
bridge (Dublin)
Tudor .Accu
Co., Ltd.

ging machines: English Electric Co., Ltd. Balls

Bros. 4 Co., Ltd. Sub-contractors for batteries ;

English Electrit

lator Co., Ltd. For charging mach
India Office : Store Departm

n. Drew 4 Clyde,

Ringing apparatus. — Western Electric Co., Ltd.
Batteries, &c.— Siemens Bros. 4 Co., Ltd.
Fuse boxes. — Callender's Cable & Construction Co.,
Cable.— Callender's Cable 4 Construction Co., Ltd.,

Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd., Union Cable Co.
.Vrtificial Cable.— Telegraph Condenser Co., Ltd.
t:rucibles.— Morgan Crucible Co., Ltd.
Cubicles. — Ferguson, Pailin, Ltd.
Generating sets. — Lancashire Dynamo 4 Motor Co ,
Lamps.— General Electric Co., Ltd., J. Lucas, Ltd.,

dale.

Searchlight parts.— Chance Bros. 4 Co., Ltd.
Unit switch.— Erskine Heap 4 Co., Ltd.

Transformers. — British Electric Transformer, Ltd. •

Wheatstone receivers.— Elliott Bros.. Ltd.
Copper wire. — T. Bolton 4 Sons, Ltd.

Crown Agents for the Colonies.

Electric travelling crane.— Stothert & Pitt, Ltd.

Electric light fittings.— J. Stone 4 Co., Ltd.

Motors and switchgear. — British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd.

T.legraph switchboards, 4c.— British L. M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co , Ltd.

Telephone material. — Western Electric Co., Ltd.

Telegraph line material.— Bullers, Ltd., Siemens Bros. 4 Co., Ltd.

Telephones.— British L. M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co.. Ltd.

Telephone line material.— Bullers, Ltd.

Copper wire, 4c. — Shropshire Iron Co., Ltd..

H.D. copper wire, 4c. — Shropshire Iron Co., Ltd.

Galvanised iron wire. — Shropshire Iron Co., Ltd.

H.M. Office of Works.

Engineering services.— Epsom Ministry of Pensions, storage battery : Premier
Accumulator Co., Ltd. French Institute, South Kensington, electric wiring :
Alpha Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Manchester Ministry of Pensions, electric
lift : Marryat 4 Scott, Ltd.

Board op Pt«uc Works, Dublin.

N, w public offices. Dublin, electric lifts : Gimson 4 Co., Ltd. Electric light-
ing : v. G. Middleton 4 Co.

Stirling. — Town Council : —

Electrio lighting, Shiplaugh houses, W. & T. Marshall A Lockhart and
Macnab, £1,629.

FORTHCOMING EVENT.

Machine Tools & Engineering Exbibition at Oljrmpia, W 14.— Saturday
September 4th to Saturday, September 2oth.

NOTES.

Electrical Researcli Association. — The Electrical

Research Committee is about to be registered at the Board of Trade
as an Association with the object of promotinj; research work in
the electric£tl and allied trades, and with ptiwer to establish
laboratories and carry on experiments to that end. The Committee
was established in 1917 to take over all investigations initiated by
the I.E.E. and the B.E.A.M.A. A research scheme has been
approved by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research,
which department will make giants when registration has been
completed ; this should add ecope and value to the Association,

Appointments Vacant. — Overhead linesman (84s.) for
the Burton-on-Trent Corporation electricity and tramways depart-
ment ; foreman telephone linesman (£250 + £30 + 20 per cent.)
for the Government of Fiji ; junior shift engineer for the Borough
of St. JIarylebone electricity department. See our advertisement
pages to-day.

1276

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,231, auocst 27, i9so.

Portable Electric Drill. — One of the latest developments

of post-war activities in shipbuilding has been the perfecting of a
special device for countersinking- ship plates. Button-head rivets
on the bottom of vessels tend to retard the speed of ships ; they
also pick up obstructions such as sea weed, &c. ; consefjuently, the
order went forth that these rivet heads should be countersunk, so
that the surface would be perfectly flat, making a rustproof and
airtight joint. The machine designed for countersinking is 22 in.
long, weighs 125 lb . and takes direct current at 220 volts. Its
maximum speed is 125 r.p.m. It will countersink holes up to 1 in. in
diameter. It is claimed that a ,'-in. hole can be countersunk in
7 seconds. In operation the plates are laid out on tlie Hoor. and in
this position it is a simple matter to pass the buggy, on which the
drill is mounted, from one hole to another as the work progresses.
Amerirnn Mnchinixt.

Kioema Eye-strain. — The Joint Committee appointed by

the Illuminating Engineering Society, on which the kinematograph
industry, the Council of British Ophthalmologists, and the
Physiological Society were represented, and to which several L.C.C.
ofScers gave assistance, recently presented its report on eye-strain
in kinematograph theatres to the L.C.C. Undue proximity of seats
to the screen, which causes fatigue due to the upward tilt of the
eyes, is the chief point dealt with. It is suggested that the " angle
of elevation " of vision to the top edge of the pictures should not
exceed 35° ; a limit is also set to the lateral angles of view to the
side edges of the pictures. Other questions considered include the
effect of flicker and defects of film and projecting apparatus. It is
explained that by suitable distribution of diffused light, sufficient
artificial illumination can be provided during the performance
without detriment to the appearance of the picture.

Fatalities. — Whilst engaged in repair work on the signal
lines alongside the Manchester-Bury electric railway, on the I9th
iBst., Walter Eckerley, aged 20 years, received a shock in con-
sequence of a signal wire coming in contact with the electric
line. He was severely burned all over the body, and died the same
evening.

At an inquest, last week, on George Fletcher C62 ), of Halifax, for
the past 43 years a railway telegraph wireman, a verdict of
" Accidental death " was returned. He died from injuries received
whilst soldering a connection to an earth wire, a train of trucks
passing over his leg. He had no look-out man at the time, though
he had had one the previous day.

A public inquiry was held, on Friday, in the Justiciary Build-
ings, Glasgow, regarding the death of Duncan Wilson Hardie,
electrician, 2, Firpark Terrace, Govan. Hardie, a son of the late
Mr. Keir Hardie, had been reading a meter in the engine-room at
Port Dundas electric power station, on May 13th, when an
explosion occurred and blew oat the meter. Hardie was severely
burned about the face, and wag removed to hospital, but died on
May 31st. A formal verdict was returned.

Induction Freqaency Changers. — With reference to our

note under the above heading, on page 215 of our last issue. Captain
William P. Durtnall points out that the system of frequency
changing or variable frequency generation, as described, is the
subject of his American patent No. 1,098.345, dated May 26th,
1914, and resulted from experiments in the development of his
well-known " Paragon " polyphase A.c. power transmission system
for ship propulsion, railway traction, and other industrial applica-
tions of thermo electrical energy.

Meteorological Forecasts. — The Air Ministry, in an

official yutice tn Ainmn. issued on August 19th, details innovations
recently introduced in the dissemination of meteorological statistics
and forecasts by wireless telegraphy for the use of aircraft.
According to The Times, reports are issued from the Croydon
aerodrome on a 900-metre continuous wave each day, including
Sundays, at hourly intervals between 7.35 am. (G.M.T ) and
4.35 p.m., the data in each consisting of observations made 35
minutes previously at the following places : — Felixstowe, Croydop.
Biggin Hill, Lympne, Beachy Head, Dungeness, and Botley Hill
(North Downs). In addition to the usual information, the messagts
now include the direction and speed of the low clouds, the character
of the sea-swell, and the visibility towards the sea as distinguished
from that over the land, the latter important feature being observed
at various points along the Channel coast. A statement is also
added regarding the conditions prevailing on the North Downs as
viewed from Biggin Hill, while at 8.35 am. the complete results
of a pilot-balloon ascent at Croydon or Lympne are appended when-
ever available. Every statement is suffixed by the latest Meteoro-
logical Office estimate of the probable weather during the remaining
hours of daylight. Reports of a similar character are also issued
on the same wave-length from Le Bourget seven times daily, the
observations transmitted in this case being derived from St. Ingle-
vert, Abbeville, Maubeuge, Havre, and Le Bourget.

Tlie E.T.U. and the " Daily Herald."— The Electrical

Trades Union, apparently anxious to render the Daih/ Heralil
independent of Bolshevik subsidies, has decided by a ballot vote to
invest £3,CiiO in the Herald.

In a message of July 30th from M. Chicherin (the Bolshevik
Foreign Minister) to M. Litvinoff, the former said :— " If you have
not enough ready money for the subsidy to the Ilenild, tell him at
any rate the subsidy wQl be paid by those who have authority to
organise the financing of our institutions abroad."

The editor, Mr. Lansbury, states that he has not received any
subsidy from the Bolsheviks ; but which Bolsheviks does he
mean /

The E.T.U. and the Housing Problem.— We have

received from the Electrical Trades Union No. II Branch,
Plymouth, a copy of an admirable letter addressed to the members
of the local Housing of the Working Class Committee. The letter
urges that electricity be installed in all the houses that are being built
on the estates at Mount Gold and North Prospect : that all roads
and avenues, &c., be illuminated by electricity : and that the
Committee authorise the installation of electricity in all houses
and flats under its control.

In support of the application, it is pointed out that the medical
profession affords ample evidence that for general sanitation elec-
tricity fills a very important position, helping materially to lessen
the inroads of disease, aggravated by an overheated and impure
atmosphere. It is regarded as a scandal that whilst every
endeavour is made to install electricity in hospitals, public
buildings, kc, for hygienic purposes, very little progress has been
made at Plymouth towards obtaining this benefit in the people's
homes. Further, houses fitted with electricity for illuminating
and cooking only require renovating every 10 years ; with gaa
they require renovating every two years, and the original outlay is
recovered in a few years on this item alone. Chimneys, grates. &c ,
can be abolished, resulting in increased cubic capacity of rooms,
and a great saving can be effected in the erection of houses. Last,
but not least, the cause of mothers and housewives is pleaded, for
electricity supply without any doubt will reduce to a considerable
extent the drudgeries of those who have to toil an untold number
of hours. The Electrical Trades Union is prepared to assist the
Housing Committee to the utmost of its power.

The president (Mr. R. A. Savage), and secretary (Mr. W. J.
Edmonds), are to be congratulated on their timely action, to which
we wish all success.

Prize Competition. — We have received from the Associa-
tion of Engineer- Electricians trained at the Institut Electro-
technique Montcfiore, Liege, particulars of the international prize
competition known as the Fondation George Montefiore. This is a
triennial event, and the present competition is that which should
have taken plaoe in 1917. if circumstances had permitted of it : it
will be decided in 1921. The subject is the best original work
dealing with the scientific advance and progress in the technical
applications of electricity in all domains. The jury consists of 10
engineer-electricians, five of whom are Belgian and five foreigners.
The total amount of the prize money is 20,000 fr. The essays must
be received not later than April 30th, 1921, by M. le Secretaire-
irchiviste de la Fondation (ieorge Montefiore, Rue Saint-Gilles,
31, Li^ge. Belgium, from whom particulars as to the conditions to
be observed can be obtained. A few copies of these particulars are
in our hands, and will be forwarded to applicants.

National Federation of Professional, &c , Workers. —

The August issue of ( unfart, the journal of the National Associa-
tion of Supervising Electricians, contains the draft constitution
(as amended) of the National Federation of Professional, Technical,
Administrative, and Supervising Workers. After stating the objects
of the Federation, it gives particulars of the administrative organi-
sation, annual fees, Arc. A list of the Associations which have
already joined the Federation is also given ; it includes the
N.A.S.E , the Association of Engineering and Shipbuilding
Draughtsmen, the Electricity Supply Commercial Association, and
nine other bodies.

Radium by the Gramme. — The day has passed when
the milligramme was the only unit used for measuring qnantities
of radium salts. The world's available supplies are steadily mount-
ing up. For example, the total radium production up to 1920 by
the Standard Chemical Co. (Pittsburg, Pa.) is stated to amount to
50 grammes of radium element, with a present output at the rate
of IS grammes per year. The world's total available supply pro-
duced since the discovery of radium by Mme. Curie in 1898. is
estimated at about 120 grammes. The company states that if the
demand justifies it, it is prepared to produce 50 grammes of radium
element yearly. Since 1913 three new radium factories have started
in America, and several in France, the latter producing an average
of IS grammes of radium yearly during the war. Incidentally,
practically all the British purchases of radium salts have been
certified by the National Physical Laboratory, at which institution
the British Radium Standard was deposited in 1913.

The Government bought a large quantity of radium daring the
war for use in gun-sights, dials of aircraft instruments. &o. The
unused surplus from this has been lent by the Ministry of Health
to the Middlesex Hospital for treatment purposes. The quantity
of radium involved is nearly five grammes of the hydrated bromide,
and it is being used at the Middlesex Hospital in experim'ental
work connected with the treatment of cancer. Up to the present
time it has been a matter for speculation whether the clinical
results of exposing a malignant tumour to the rays from, say, a fifth
of a gramme of radium for a certain number of hours would be
improved if the density of the rays were increased 25 times, the
time exposure being correspondingly reduced ; the opportunity ha;i
now been provided for putting this important question to the test.

The possible danger to those concerned in handling such a
quantity of radium as that in question has been carefully con-
sidered. When not in use, the radium is kept in a safe, inside
which is a lead case weighing over a ton, the radium being placed
in a cavity in the middle of the lead. The thickness of lead used
ensures that not more than 1 part in l.OOO.OOO of the gamma rays
emitted by the radium penetrates the safe. All manipulations are
made without the operator's hands coming in contact with the
radium receptacle. — -Journal of the Roentgen Soeiety,

Vol.87. No. 2,231, AcGusT 27, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL BEVIEWo

277

" Safety First." — Thanks to the doctrine of " Safety
First," the slogan of the Accident Prevention Movement, in the
streets of London, between 19U and lal8, traffic casualties were
reduced by nearly 50 per cent. In factories and workshops
accidents are diminishing, and results have been achieved beyond
the most sanguine expectations. The small band of enthusiasts
who set themselves to protect persons who needed protection
against themselves is no w j ustified by results.

At the Machine-Tool Trades Exhibition, to be held at Olympia
next month, a great Convention will be held, under the joint
auspices of the Home Office and the British Industrial " Safety
First " Association. There will be two sessions, at which papers
of absorbing interest will be discussed. Invitations to the Con-
vention are being extended to the managements and workers
of the principal industries throughout the country, to employers'
federations, employes' organisations, Whitley Councils, the
Federation of British Industries, and the National Union of
Manufacturers ; also to representatives of Government Depart-
ments and numerous other personages prominent in commercial
and industrial circles. The arrangements for the Conference are
in the hands of Mr. Gerald Bellhouse, C.B.E., the Deputy Chief
Inspector of Factories and Workshops, and Mr. H. E. Blain, C.B.E.,
the well-known Operating Manager of the Underground Railway
and London General Omnibus Group.

Visits to Electrical Works.— By courtesy of the Elec-
tricity Committee and the city electrical engineer (Mr. J. W. Hame),the
members of the York Sab-Branch of the Association of Shipbuilding
and Engineering Draughtsmen paid a visit of inspection, last week,
to the Fobs Islands electricity works of the York Corporation.

The members of the Leeds and Bradford Branches of the above-
named Association, on August 19th, visited the Phienix Works of
the English EUectrio Co., Ltd., at Thornbary, Bradford, by invitation
of the directors and Mr. P. J. Pybus.

Service Note, — It has been decided by the Admiralty to
issue periodically papers on engineering subjects, and the first series
is now about to be distributed. The object of this publication, says
The Tiims, is to bring to the notice of engineer officers, from time
to time, information not otherwise generally available to them,
which is likely to prove of value and assistance in carrying out
their official duties.

Film Publicity. — The need for making clear the path
of the electrical contractor by educatmg the public up to the
utiUty and methods of using electi'icity is a paramount one,
and no better medium can be found than the kinematograph
fihu. There are probably more patrons of the kinema than
of the printed page, and in its report to the National Electric
Light Association of the U.S.A., the Motion Picture Films
Division Advertising and Publicity Service Bureau outlines
the merits of this form of publicity, and suggests methods of
employing motion pictures to the best advantage, at the same
time reconuuending a further careful study of the possibihties
involved. It is pointed out that thousands of pamphlets and
other printed pubhcations are daily swept away without
receiving so much as a glance. At the best the average
reader of such matter merely glances through it, perhaps
noting points here and there without attaching a great deal
of importance to them. Un the other hand, the mental im-
pression made by the visuahsation of actual processes, &c., is
much more lasting and influential. This is uo doubt all very
well if a suflicient number of proprietors of picture theatres
can be induced to " screen " the matter provided by an Asso-
ciation utilising films for the purpose of combined advertise-
ment and instruclion. Payment will naturally be required in
a great number of eases, based probably on the number of feet
of film displayed. This raises the question of cost as com-
pared with the cost of printed propaganda. This is a matter
for investigation, as circumstances will differ to a great extent
in various districts depending chiefly upon the attitude of the
theatre owners. It is asked whether it is possible to establish
such close relations with o\\'ners, directors, authors and others
connected with the film producing industry that electrical
apphances could be used in the ordinary film playi; this would
constitute a much more subtle form of propaganda, and would
do its work imperceptibly — probably a much better way of
gaining the attention of the public. Fmally, the possibilities
of the small portable projecting set are touched upon, and
there is no doubt that a wide field could be opened up by this
means. Contractors in a large way of business could arrange
for private displays on their premises or for use in lectures at
local halls and institutions. If not overdone, as a great deal
of pubhcity is nowadays, the use of the film should prove a
great power for good from the electrical contractor's point of
view.

Electricity and Oil Production. — In an article on the
development of oil fields and the production of oil the Journal
of Electricity describes the economies effected by the em-
ployment of electricity to supersede other forms of motive
power. Oil producing companies which have made this change
claim a much greater production by electrical methods. lu
the steam driven unit the steam pressure at the well will
vary accordin<5 to the temperature of the atmosphere, inas-
much as the steam lines from the boiler to the wells are never
sufficiently lagged to ensure uniform temperature of the line.
In addition to this the accumulation of water in the steam
line causes at times a drop in pressure, and in each case a

drop iii pressure means a slowing down of the engine which
in its- i' causes a reduction in production. The attendant
when lie makes his periodical rounds adjusts the speed of
the equipment, but in the meantime the well has lost in
prodi. jtion due to the lower speed at which it was operated.

This IS not the case, however, with an electrically driven
pump, inasmuch as the motor always operates at the pre-
detejiuined speed until changed by an attendant. This en-
sures a unitonn production.

The gas engine, due to engine troubles, has not the re-
liabilit\' of the motor. One operator who has replaced his
gas engine by motors, claims that his production increased at
least 20 per cent, due to the uniformity of drive.

The oil companies utilising electric motors say that they
would under no consideration return to the other methods
of drive. They prefer the motor for its reliabihty in service
and the ease with which it can be handled.

The yearly load factor of the oil fields is very high at the
sub-station, dup t„ llie fact that the load is continuous for
24 hours per day, 365 days in the year, the only interruption
being when the well is cleaned. On a system where there
is a large number of motors working it is hardly noticeable
on the sub-station load chart .when wells are being cleaned.

The power factor, however, of this load is very low. It
varies in the different fields of the San Joaquin Light and
Power Co. from 60 to 70 per cent, at the sub-station. This
low power factor is due to the equipment used, and also to
the character of load on the motor. The motors are mostly
of the two-speed type or the low-speed star-delta type,
both of which have a fairly low full load power factor. The
motors are seldom loaded to full load for pumping duty. The
load is pulsating in charajter varying with the stroke of the
pump, this being smui Hied out to some extent by counter
balancing the pump rods at the motor end of the walking
beam. These features account for the present low power
factor of this load.

The average installation of motors is 10 h.p. for pumping
and 30 h.p. for puUing the well. These are not separate
motors, but one motor connected for 10 n.p. continuous duty
as a pumping motor, or 30 h.p. intermittent duty as a pulhng
motor. The size of motor being used with standard tools
in drilling, is at present 75 u.i'. Un a rotary installation, the
company working in the Santa Maria fields used a 75-h.p.
variable speed motor operating the rotary, and a 40-h.p. con-
stant speed motor for ojierating the circulating pump.

It is stated that the cost of operating steam and gas plants
is 50 and 60 per cent, respectively greater than the working
cost of electrical plant.

Fael Oil Burniog Appliances. — In these days of
expensive and inferior coal any notes on the employment of
oil fuel in generating plants are of value. In an article pub-
lished a short time ago the Jnurnal of Electricity gave some
interesting details of the various accessories I'equired by the
station employing oil fuel.

For power plants large cylindrical steel storage tanks arc
used. These are usually set on the ground outside the plant
and are built in any desired size up to 60,000 barrels capacity.
They are built up of riveted steel plates, the thickness of plate
and strength of riveted joint being proportioned in accordance
Avith the usual safety rules based on the internal pressure
due to the head of oil inside the tank. Thus if the tank
is 30 ft. high the internal pressure will be that due to 30 ft.
bead of oil or approximately 15 lb. per sq. in. It is customary
to surround the storage tank by a concrete wall about 6 ft.
high far enough away from the tank so that the entire con-
tents of the tank will be held in by the wall in case of a
leak in the tank.

Most power plants are provided with tanks of sufficient
size to enable them to keep from ten to thirty days' supply
of oil on hand. This storage capacity should preferably be
divided among two or more tanks rather than all concentrated
in a single tank, as this will enable one tank to be emptied
for cleaning and repairs without shutting down the entire
plant.

In some districts it is not permissible to locate the storage
tanks above ground. The National Board of Fire Under-
writers has adopted certain rules for the location of oil
storage tanks. In general these rules provide that within the
fire limits of cities the tank must be located so that its top
is at least 3 ft. below the level of the fire room floor and
below the lowest pipe in the building to be supphed. The
tank must be set on a firm foundation, and covered with
soft earth or sand, uo air space being allowed immediately
outside the tank.

Every oil storage tank must be provided with the following
attachments : Filling pipe, suction pipe, vent pipe, smother-
ing pipe, overflow pipe, and measuring rod or chain.

Oil is ordinarily measured by passing a rod or chain down
through the top of the storage tank, the rod being marked
off in feet, inches, and fractions of an inch. By sounding
to the bottom of the tank, the depth of oil can be determined
very accurately. A more convenient method, though not
quite su accurate, is to uso a float with a chain passing over
a pulley at the top of the tank, the outer end having a
ixjinter which indicates the height of oil in the tank on a
suitably calibrated scale. The height of oil in the tank may
also be determined by an indicating or recording pressure
gauge. A\hich depends for its operation on the hydrostatic
pressure produced by the oil.

278

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,231, august 27, 1920.

The oil is taken from the supply tank by the or Dump.
The type of pump ordinarily used for this purpo.se ^ the
ordinary duplex steam-driven reciprocating pump, llu i ump
must have brass valves, and packing that will nut be ai'ected
by the oil. The pump should be provided with a larg"- air
chamber to prevent pulsation of oil pressure due to the stiokes
of the pump. It is customary to install the pumps in duplicate
so that one may be kept shut down at all times ready to
go into service immediately if the other has to be shut down
for repairs.

The oil pumps should be provided with a pump governor
for the purpose of maintaining a steady oil pressure.

Every oil-burning plant must be provided with some form
of strainer to remove the dirt and foreign matter which would
be liable to remove dirt and foreign matter wl.ich would be
liable to cause stoppage of the burners. The stiuiner may be
placed either in the suction line between the supply tank and
the pump or in the discharge line after leaving the pump, or
both. The strainer usually consists of a perforated metal
basket mounted in a suitable container, arranged so that the
basket can be readily removed for cleaning.

In addition to the main strainer on the oil line, it is
advisable to provide a small tine mesh strain?r at each oil
burner.

To clean this strainer it is only necessary to turn the
handle on top so as to run the oil through the by-pass, place
a bucket under the blow-out valve at the bottom and lilow
steam through by opening the small valve on the side.

Regulation of Hydro-Electric Uaits. — The Electrical

World for August 7th contains some useful notes regarding
the regulation of hydro-electric prime movers, by an American
hydro-electrical engineer. There is a ^ ist difference between
the regulation of steam turbines and waterwheels, due prin-
cipally to the smaller inertia of the latter, the nature of con-
struction, and the medium of propulsion. A large tlywheel
effect is a helpful factor in speed control. The three main
points to be borne in mind when consideriag speed-regulating
devices are : —

(1) Ability to hold a constant, predetermined or normal
speed at no load or at any constant unchanging load.

(2) Inherent regulation, usually expressed in terms of per-
centage of normal speed, and meaning the drop in speed from
no-load to full-load conditions without manual adjustment.
As a rule a prime mover can be arranged with a relay-type
governor so as to have the same speed at full load as at no
load without manual adjustment, but .such a condition usually,
and in the case of two. prime movers operating alternators in
parallel, would most certainly result in a condition of unstable
equilibrium ; so it is the usual practice to adjust all governors
for an inherent regulation of from "2 to 3 per cent. Few
regulate more closely and a great many not so closely.

(3) Momentary changes of speed due to changes of lead,
occurring either gradually or suddenly, usually expressed in
percentage of normal speed for a certain percentage of load
change " on " or " otf," and 'the time required, in seconds,
for restoration of normal speed at the new load.

A modern well-designed and constructed hydro-electric in-
stallation may be and frequently is installed so that it will
satisfy the first two points above quite as well as any steam-
turbine installation; but to satisfy the third point as well is a
practical impossibility and always will be, because the de-
signer is confronted by unchanging natural laws.

Waterwheel governor design has settled down to one rather
generally accepted type known as the " hydraulic relay com-
pensated type," using a llyball governor, either belted or
mechanically connected to the waterwheel shaft as a primary
control and through a pilot valve, with restoring and com-
pensating mechanism, and a relay valve controlling the flow of
a fluid under pressure to one or more servo-motor cylinders
that are suitably connected to and operate the speed gates
through a combination of links and levers. The operating
fluid has usually been a mineral oil, and in earliei' designs
each governor had its own individual pump, pressure tank and
vacuum tank. The pump was wontinuously discharging oil
into the pressure tank, which was partially filled with air to
give elasticity and quick action, and the servo-motor cylinders
discharged into the so-called vacuum tank, whence the oil was
picked up as it came over by the pump. This was a closed
system and was comparatively simple, but the oil was expen-
sive, short-lived and gave off considerable carbon deposit.

In the last few years this system has been improved upon
by substituting a discharge tank under atmospheric pressure
for the vacuum tank and installing a pressure -operated un-
loading or by-pass device on the pump. In multiple installa-
tions a central pumping system has been installed, the pumps
being motor-driven with automatic pressure-controlled start-
ing and stopping devices. Both of these arrangements repre-
sent an improvement, and. owing to the relief of the oil.
which is somewhat warm, from the vaporising effects of the
low pressure in the vacuum tank, the oil appears to have a
much longer life than previuusly and a reduced carbon deposit.
In recent years and in larger installations it has become quite
common practice to use water under pressure as the operating
fluid, introducing 1.5 to 3 per cent, of soluble oil. The func-
tion of the oil is primarily to prevent corrosion of the working
parts of the system with which it comes in contact. This has
in most cases worked very well.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

2A» Editori invite electrical engineert, whether connected with the
technical or the commercial tide of the profession and induttry,
also electric tramway and. railway officials, to keep readtrt of the
EliBCTBiOAIi Review posted as to their m/»:ementi.

Buxton Corporation baa increased the salaries of the borough
electrical engineer and his chief assistant in accordance with the
latest Civil Service scale, the increase to date from June Ist. Mb.
A. Bishop's salary is increased from £302 to £156, and Mb. M. S.
Mason's from £ii50 to £343 per annum, including the fluctuating
bonus,

Mr. G. H. Robebts, M.P., has joined the Board of Megsrf.
Scholeyi^c Co., Ltd., electrical and mechanical engrineers, 56, Victoria
Street,' S.W.

Darwen Corporation Electricity Committee recommends that the
salary of Mr. Fletcher, electrical engineer, be increased from
£430 to £500 per annum.

Mr. G. Douglas Coe, an assistant electrical engineer at the
Blackburn Corporation electricity works, has been appointed
borough electrical engineer of 'Wrexham, out of 129 applicants. He
will commence his duties on October lat.

Last week, at the Telephone Bkchange, Crossley Street, Halifax,
Mb. Simpson, chief inspector in the engineering department, who
is leaving Halifax for York, was presented by his colleagues with a
silver keyless watch. Mr. Simpson is succeeded by Mr. Trickett, of
Blackburn.

The Maiicheder Guardian stated that on August 19th Mb. S. L.
Peabce, chief of the Manchester Electricity Department, and
Alderman Dagnall, chairman of tbe Electricity Committee,
were about to leave on a tour of the United States and Canada.

Mb. Alex. Spencer has been elected a director of 'Vickers, Ltd.,
to fill the position recently vacated by Mb. Dudley Dockeb. Mr.
Spencer is a director of the Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon and
Finance Co , Metropolitan-'Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.

Mr, Rali'HS, station superintendent at the Wrexham Corporation
electricity works, who is leaving to take up an appointment at
Bootle, has been presented by the staff with a case of silver-
mounted pipes.

Hastings Corporation has increased the salary of the electrical
engineer (.Mr. Russel F. Fkbguson) from £600 to £964 (salary
and bonus). The assistant electrical engineer has been given a basic
salary of £250, which, with bonus, totals £420. The technical
employes now receive an increase of 20 per cent, on the pre-war
salary of the office, plus £120.

Obituary.— We learn with regret that Mb. Henby B. Saykbs,
second son of Mr. Henry M. Sayers, MI.E.E., died on August 23rd
at his father's house in Streatham, in his 29th year. He has lately
been on the staff of Alloy Welding Processes, Ltd., and coUaborattd
with Major Caldwell in a paper on electric arc welding, presented
to the I.K.E. last year.

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED,

Jenner Light and Power Co., Ltd. (169,663).— Private

companj. RcgiMMcd .\ui;usl Itiih. C.ipil..l, £5,000 in fl shares (4,000 pre-
ference)'. To take over the business of electrical engineers and contractors
carried on at 11, Red Lion Square, W.C. as " H. Jenner & Co.." and to
.idopt an ;igreement with H. Jenner. The first directors arc : H. Jenner. 35,
.\uckland Road, lllord; C. G. .Maisey, Warlingham, Jersey Road, Osterlev
Park; C. G. Wood, Bernvood, Wimbledon. S.W. Secretary: D. J. Gaillard'.
Registered office : 11, Red Lion Square, W.C.

Eric Rivers-Smith, Ltd. (169,658).— Private company.

Registered August 16th. Capital, il.OOO in 800 ordinary shares of 10s. each
and 600 deferred shares of £1 each. To carry on the business of electrical
engineers and contractors, manufacturers of and dealers in fittings, accessories
and appliances, &c. The subscribers (each with one deferred share) are: Mrs.
i;. Funnell. 26, High Street, Hanipstead, N.\V.3; J. H. AnneveW, 8, .Albe-
marle Mansions. Holloway, N.7, accountant. The first directors are : K.
Stagg and Eric Rivers-Smith. Solicitor : \V. V. Reeve. 35, Coleman Street,
EC.

Zephyr Motor Transmission, Ltd. (169,702).— Private

company. Registered August 17th, Capital. £75.000 in 10s. shares. To ac-
quire improvements relating to tlie application and transmission of motor
power to bicycles and other light road vehicles, lathes, drills and other power
machinery; to adopt an agreement with the Rhodesian Enterprises. Ltd.. and
the Westminster Industrial Syndicate, Ltd. The subscribers (each with one
share) are: W. A. Colver. 329. High Holborn, W.C, solicitor; A. D. Vasev.
St. Michael's Vicarage,' New Southgate. N.ll. clerk. The first directors are:
Arnold J. Marks. Sir Buchanan Scott, K.C.LE.. W. A. Colver and two others.
Qualification. £100. Remuneration, fl-W each per annum (chairman. £300)
a'nd 5 per cent, of the net profits divided. Registered office: 25, \'ictoria
Street. Westminster.

E. J. Saunders & Co.. Ltd. (169, 71-2). —Private company..

Registered August 18th. Capital. £2.000 in £1 shares. To take over the
business of builders, painters, decorators, locksmiths, electricians, contractors,
builders' mer'chants, &c., including goodwill and effects, but excluding book
debts, carried on bv E. J. Saunders. J. J. Saunders and H. J. Saunders at
79 and 81. Albany Street, St. Pancras, as " E. J. Saunders & Co." The first
directors are: E. J. Saunders. 91. Belstze Lane. South Hampstead, N.W. :
1 J Saunders. 52, Dewsburv Road, Willesden. N.W. Secretary : H. J.
Saunders. Registered office: 81. Albany Street. St. Pancras. N.W.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Steel Wing Co., Ltd. (formerlv Krieijer Electric Carriaga

Syndicate, Ltd.l.— Mortgage dated Aufust' tllh, 1920. to secure advances up
to £2.000. charged on certain money. Holder : D. J. Moonev, 48a, Gillingham
Street, Wsstmnister.

Vol.87. No. 2,231, AUGUST 27, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

279

Gratze, Ltd. (old company) .—Dtbenlure dated July 28th,

1920 to secure f 10,000 charged on company's undertaking and property, in-
cluding uncalled capital. Holder : F. Clayton, 15, Hanover House, Regent's
Park, N.W.

CambridiSe Electric Supply Co., Ltd.— Particulars of

£10,000 authorised March 10th, 11*20, present £3,500 charged on company's
undertaking and property, present and future.

W. A. and R. J. Jacobs, Ltd.— Debenture dated July 29th,

1920 to secure all sums not exce&ling £2,000, which the mortgagee may bu
called upon to pav under a guarantee to company's bankers, charged on
company's property, present and future, including uncalled capital, but cn-
cluding certain leases. Holder ; T. H. Dey, i)3. .\mhur»t Park, N.

W. H. Rayner & Sons, Ltd.— Mortgage dated July 28th,

1930, to secure £1,000, charged on certain properties in Nottingham. Holders :
Sir James \V. McCraith, Kt., J. P., The Park, .Nottingham, and others.

Allied Industries, Ltd. (in liquidation). — Satisfaction tu

the e.\tent of £18.666 2s. 3d. on .\ugusl 10th, 1920, of debentures dated Octo-
ber 17th, 191S, securing £33,000.

Brook Hirst & Co., Ltd. (95,264).— Return dated January

13lh (filed July Tlh, 1920). Capital. £20,000 in £1 shares. 12,500 shares taken
up. £12,500 considered as paid. Mortgages and charges, £7,000.

Anglo>Portuguese Telephone, Ltd. (24,545).— Return

'dated July 19th, 19'20. Capital, £500,000 in £1 shares. «0,000 shares taken
up. £63,.'i46 paid, being £1 per share on 51,0-46, and Is. per share on 250,000.
£98,954 considered as paid. Mortgages and charges, £79,015.

Orbit Electrical Co., Ltd.— S. Thompson, of 37, Lime

Street, E.C. as receiver and manager on .Vugust 6th, 1920, under powers
contained in'debentures dated July 1st, 1919.

CITY NOTES.

The report of Bruwu, Boveri at Com-
The Swiss pagnie of Baden, Switzerland, dealing with
Brown, Boveri the year ended March 31st, 19*20, refers tu
Co. the issue of new shares for 1'2,(XX),000 fr. in

September, 1919, a second issue of 7,UUU,00U
fr. in connection with the couclusiou of a community of in-
terests with Vickera, Ltd., who received a participation to this
amount, and a third issue of 1,U00,(X)U fr., thus making a total
increase of '20,0OU,00O fr., and bringing the share capital up
to 56,000,000 fr. The gross profits amount to 15,137,000 fr., as
compared with 11,811,000 fr. in 1918-19. Aitec defraying
general expenses, interest charges, &c., and making provision
for depreciation, the accounts show net prulits and balance
forward of 5,084,000 fr., as contrasted with 4,104,000 fr. in
1918-19, and it is proposed to pay a dividend at the rate of
8 per cent., which will absorb 4,'2OO,U00 fr., as against 9 per
cent, and 3,'240,O00 fr. respectively in the preceding year. Of
the new shares, those representing 7,000,000 fr. participate in
the dividend to the amount of one half, while on the remainder
the full rate is payable.

The directors, referring to the course of business, state that
the orders received at the end of 1918-19 and the beginning
of the past financial year exhibited some weakness, but this
situation of affairs was followed by a strong revival, and the
total orders booked by the Swiss works reached 75,(i00,tXX) fr-.
in the year, of which about 30 per cent, applied to the inlaml
market. As a result of the agreement with Vickers, Ltd., the
company took up an interest in the Ateliers de Sticheron ol
Geneva, which was reorganised first by reducing the share
capital from 10,000,000 fr. tu 5,000,000 fr. and then increasing it
to 10,000,000 fr. A participation was also taken up in the
Micafil A.G. of Altstetten, makers of insulation materials, etc.
The report proceeds to refer to other undertakings in which the
company is interested, including the Scintilla A.G. of Solu-
thurn, whose share capital was raised fruin 1,000,1100 fr. tu
3,000,000 fr. The Gleichrichter (Rectifier) A.G., of Glarus, was
still burdened with the high costs of experiments and develop-
ment, and had suffered losses through the fall in foreign ex-
change, but the company still had a wide scope for the future.
The Audiflren Singruu Kalte Maschiiien .\.G. had removed its
headquarters tu Basle, and it could not be foreseen whether
complications wuuld result from the situation of manufacturing
in the district of the Saar.

The report further mentions that the Elektrizitats Ges.
Alioth, of Basle, made a distribution of 5 per cent, for 1919, as
in the previous year, and the Motor A.G., of Baden, paid 5 per
cent., as against 7 per cent. In the case of the Compagnie
Electro-Mecanique, of Paris, the share capital was raised tu
25,000,000 fr. in November, 1919, and a further advance to
40,000,000 fr. was made in the spring of 19'30 so as to absorb
the Societe Francai.se Westinghouse, in connection with the
agreement with Vickers, Ltd., the French company having
paid 8 per cent, for 1919 as in the preceding year. The
Tecnomasio Italiano Brown-Boveri, of Milan, increased its share
capital to 1'2,000,000 lire last year, upon which n dividend at
the rate of 8 per cent, was paid, and a further capital expan-
iion -was impending in order to incorporate the Societa Itali.ana
Westinghouse as a result of the agreement with Vickers, Ltd.
The Brown-Boveri AG., of Mannheim, raised its share capital
from 9,000.000 to 15,000,000 marks, and .subsequently to
40,000,000 marks, while loans for 24,000,WH» marks were also
issued. In addition the Isaria Zahler Werke A.G. (Meter
Works), of Munich, doubled its share capital to 5,5fl0,000 marks,
and a minimum dividend of 15 per cent, for 1919-20 was ex-
pected, this being the same rate as in 1918-19. The A. S.
Norsk Blektrisk & Brown, Boveri, of Christiania, again paid

a dividend of 10 per cent., and the Austrian Brown, Boveri
Werke, of Vienna, one of 7 per cent., while favourable results
were also obtained by the subsidiary companies in Belgium,
Holland and Spain. It is further stated that at the general
meeting held in December, 1919, Sir Francis Barker, Sir Ernest
Hiley and M. Guilleaume Pictet were elected to the board of
directors in connection with the new arrangements previously
mentioned.

Stock Exchange Notices. — The Committee has ordered the
undermentioned to be officially quoted: —

EngUsh Electric Co.— 90,000 ordinary shares of £1 each, fully
paid, Nos. 1,431,510 to l,5'il,509.

India-Rubber, Gutta-Percha and Telegraph Works Co.—
500,000 ordinary shares of £1 each, fully paid, Nos. 1 to 500,000;
and '250,000 five per cent, cumulative preference shares of £1
each, fully paid, Nos. 1 to 250,000.

The Committee has specially allowed deaUngs in the follow-
ing under temporary regulation 4 (3) : —

Oxford Electric Co.— ;6'25,0OO eight per cent, second mortgage
debentures (regstered), Nos. 1 to 151 (£100); 1 to 184 (£50);
and 1 to 35 (£'20).

W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.— Dividend on
the preference shares at the rate of 4i per cent, per annum,
less income tax, for the half year ended June 30th. Interim
dividend on the ordinary shares of Is. per share, less income
tax.

Adelaide Electric Supply. — Dividend at rate of 6 per cent,
per annum on 6 per cent, cumulative preference, less tax, for
half-year ending .August 31st.

Melbourne Electric Supply. — Dividend at rale of 7 per cent,
per annum on 7 per cent, cumulative preference, less tax, for
iialf-year ending .August 31st.

Davis & Timmins. — Interim dividend of 3 per cent., free
of tax, on the ordinary shares for the half-year.

Tyneside Electrical Development. — Interim dividend of 3
per cent, on preferred ordinary for past half-year.

Para Electric Railways and Lighting. — Dividend of 6 per
cent, per annum, less tax, on ordinary and preference for
half-year.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.

There is a rather more cheerful tendency about Stock Ex-
change markets in the gilt-edged departments. Business
remains retail, but in spite of the holiday season, the purely
investment stocks show a good deal of strength, owing to the
monetary outlook having taken a turn for the better. The
threatened 8 per cent. Bank Rate is thought to be rather less
of a certainty, and those called optimists are hopeful of the
autumn stringency being circumvented without a rise in the
Bank minimum. Indu.stnal issues that depend upon coal con-
ditions are mostly lower, in consequence of the outlook in
the coal trade. There has been trouble in Sheffield, over the
action of the Electrical Ti'ades Union, and this served to
depress the engineering shares generally.

Decided dulness developed amongst the various manufac-
turing shares. Crompton ordinary gave way to 18s. 6d. and
changed hands as low as 17s. Edison Swans have been dealt
in below a pound. Telegraph Constructions went back to 20.
Henleys have dropped to 35s. General Electrics are excep-
tionally better at 'iZs. (id. Telephone Manufacturing went
back tu 18s. 6d., and Siemens to •24s. 6d. English Electrics
are 18s., and the 0 per cent, preference 15s., with the 5J per
cent. Sinking Fund debentures 82J.

British Electric Ti-ansformers have eased off to a guinea,
and the 7 per cent, preference are 16s. 3d. Callender's new
ordinary lately marked ■25s. 6d. ; the 7i "B" preference
drooped to 19s. 3d. Fuller's United Electric ordinary are dull
at 15s. 9d., and the 8 per cent, participating preference can be
bought for about 17s. 6d. The new 7 per cent, tax-free Short
Term Notes stand at a trifle over 100.

The heaviness in the maVket for these various industrials is
directly attributable to the Electrical Trades Union attitude,
but this latter consideration simply serves to underline and
emphasise the reasons set out in this column last week to
explain the investor's reluctance to buy ordinary shares in
most industrial companies. New issues continue to make their
appearance — each ottering more tempting terms than the last.
While the public can get 7i to 8J per cent, on good-class pre-
ference shares — and 7 to li per cent, on debentures — a round
10 per cent, is demanded from the ordinary shares. Nor does
even this latter rate entirely satisfy those who argue that
E.P.D. may lead to reduction in the dividends paid during
the past few years. With the coal outlook so closely approxi-
mating the colour of the mineral, there is not much induce-
ment to buy anything likely to be affected by a strike.

Home Railways, nevertheless, remain tolerably steady, and
amongst Undergrounds, a rise of 1 restored Metropolitans to

280

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,281, AnansT 27, 1920.

20. The prospect of the various Tube lines starting to make
profits under the fare-raising scheme is directing mild atten-
tion to Central Londons. Of the three clusses of Guaranteed
Assented stocks — ordinary, deferred ordinary and preferred
ordinary — the first two stand about 4'2J, the preferred beiup
3 higher than the others. The ordinary stock, non-assented
and non-guaranteed is 37i, the preferred ioi, and deferred .%}.
For 1919 the last-named received 3 per cent, dividend. It is
very doubtful, however, whether there is any appreciable
amount of stock in the market at these prices. Indeed, the
non-assented ordinary, although nominally 37J, changed hands
at 42 towards the end of last week.

Cable stocks have begun to crumble a little in price, declines
being shown by Eastern Extensions, Globe ordinary, Great
Northerns and Cuba Submarines. Here, again, the influence
of new issues operates as a factor of disturbance. The finan-
cial fashion of the moment is to offer securities upon which
dividends will be paid fi'ee of tax, and these come, of course,
into dii'ect competition with the usually popular favourites
amongst telegraph companies' stocks. Marconis soon lost their
strength of a week ago, and are back to 56s. 3d. Direct
United States gave way to 4|. Foreigners make a poor show-
ing. Mexican Light and Power common are supposed to be
about 18, but a recent seller could get no better than 11 for
the shares. Mexico Tramways sixes shed 3, and the news
from the country is disappointing. Brazilian Tractions lost a
trifle, and the Argentine market is dull. In the rubber share
market s stiffening in the raw material is a hopeful feature,
and helps to keep prices hnrd. Armaments are not bad, in
spite of the coal trouble. Vickers notes are 3 premium, but
Armstrong second debenture remains about 3 discount.

SHARE LIST OF ELECTRIOAL COMPANIES.

Home ELBCTBiciTT Comfamibs.

Bronipton Ordinary

Obsrlng OroBS Ordinary . .

do. do. do «iPre(. ..

OhelBea

Oltyol London

do. do. 8 per oent, Prel. , .

Ooonty of London

do do. 6 per oent, Preli
KenRlngton Ordinary .. .,
London Bleotrio

do. do. 6 per oent. Prel...

Metropolitan..

do. 4i per oent. Pref . . .
Bt. James' and Pall Mall . .

South London

Booth ^Metropolitan Pref

Westminster Ordinary

Prloe
Ang. 24, Yield

1930, Rise or faU, p.o.

li
17/6
7i

f.i

R

9

in

15

«

H

H

K

8

n

n

8 17 10

6 17

'i

10

(i

0

Bisd

Teleobiphs and Tblsfhomes,

Anglo-Am, Tel, Pref,
do, Oef,

Ohile Telephone ..
Onba Bab. Ord.
Bastern Extension . .
Bastem Tel. Ord. ..
Qlobe Tel. and T. Ord.
do. do, Preft
Great Northern Tel,
Indo-Bnropean
Maroonl

Oriental Telephone Ord,
United B. Plate Tel.
West India and Panama
Western Telegraph..

83/6 H

Hi

8 8 8
8 8 0
•4 18 0

Home Bails,

Central London Ord. Assented

Metropolitan

do. Dlstriot

Underground Eleotrio Ordinary
do, do. "A"

do, do. Income

iJfl

Foreign Trahs, Ac.
6J

Anglo-Arg, Trams. First Pref. .
do. do. and Prel,

do. do. 6 Deb. .. 6 e

Brazil Tractions Nil Nil

Bombay Eleotrio Pref 6 6

British Golambia Elec. Rly. Ploe. 6 K

do. do. Preterrred H 6

do. do.' Deterred Nil 8

do. do. Deb. .. M M

Mexico Trams 6 per oent. Bonds " •' ""•

do. 8 per oent. Bonds
Mexican Light Common . .
do. Pref.

do, 1st Bonds..

MAMUTACTtnuIla OOHPAIIIBS,

Baboook 4 WUoox 16 16 9)

British Alninlnium Ord 10 10 1

British Insulated Ord 13^

Oallenders 25

., 6iPrel 6i

Oastner-Kellner 30

Orompton Ord 10

Bdlson-8wan, "A " .. .. 10

do. do. 6 per oent. Deb. ., 6

Blectrlc Oonstruction .. .. 10

Qen. Blec, Pref 6^

do. Ord 10

Henley 96

do. «i Prel 44

Indla-Babber 10

Met.-VloketB Piel —

Siemens Ord 10

Telegraph Oou 90

*. DifidendB paid free ol luooiiie Tax,

m

_

8 6 8

li

—

11 S 6

18/.

—

7 4 6

a

—

6 18 J

18/6

-1/-

10 15 '2

7^^

9 8 6

_

8 6 9

it

10 18 4

18/6

7 0 6

^

^t

•7 6 6

1?

8 11 6

Bi

6 IB 6

96/9

—

•7 16 4

n

—

7 6 3

94/6

-6d.

•8 a t;

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

It should be remembered, In making use of the fignres appearinff
in the following list, that in some cases the prioes are only general,
and they may vary according to quantities and other circumstances, _

Tuesday, August 24th.

CHEMICALS, &c.

I Acid, Oxalic

I Ammoniac Sal

I Ammonia, Muriate (large crystal)

I Bisulphide of Carbon

1 Borax

I Copper Sulphate

I Potash, Chlorate

I ,, Perchlorate

I Shellac

I Sulphate of Magnesia

, Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers

I ,, Lump

■ Soda, Chlorate

I ,, Crystals

I Sodium Bichromate, casks

METALS. &c.

g Babbitt's Metal Ingots

c Brass (rolled metal 2" to 13" basis)

c ,, Tubes {solid drawn)

c ,, Wire, liasis

c Copper Tubes (solid drawn)
g ,, Bars (best selected)

g ,, Sheet

g „ Rod

d I, (Electrolytic) Bars
d I, II Sheets

d I, I, Wire Rods..

J „ „ H.C. Wire..

f Ebonite Rod

f „ Sheet

n German Silver Wire

h Gutta-percha, fine

A India-rubber, Para fine

( Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ...
/ „ Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual.

g Lead, English Pig

g Mercury

e Mica (in original oases) small

£118 to £846
1/4

i/e^toi/ei

1/32

1/9
£166
£166
£166
£116
£168
£132

1/34

8/G

3y-

8/.
14/-

1/9J

Nom.

£59

£3« 10s.

£20 10s. to £21

6d. to 4/6

£1 de<
£1 dec.
£1 de^
id.de
Dd. inc.
6d. inc.

e „ 11 n medium.!

6/- to 10/-

g „ ,, ,. large ...

13/6 to 25/- & up

g Phosphor Bronze, plain castmgs

,,

1/6 to 1/11

g ,, ,, rolled bars and rods

2/2 to 3/6

d ,, ,, rolled strip & sheet

2/3 to 3/9

r Silicium Bronze Wire

per lb.

l/UJ

g Steel, Magnet, in bars

1/8

n Tin, Block (English)

per ton

£363

£14 to £15 dec.

e , Wire, Nos. 1 to 16

per lb.

4/9

White Anti- friction Metals

per ton

£80 to £335

Quotations supplied by —

a G. Boor & Co.
c Thos. Bolton & Sons, Ltd.
d Frederick Smith & Co.
« F. Wiggins & Sons.
f India-Rubber, Gutta-Percha and
Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.

g James & Shakespeare.

A Edward Till & Co.

1 Boiling & Lowe.

/ Richard Johnson & Nephew, Ltd

n P. Ormiston & Sons.

r W. F. Dennis & Co,

-4

Nela Research Laboratories, U.S.A. — Xela Research

Laboratory wa? organised in 1908, under the directorship of Dr.
Edward P. Hyde, as the Physical Laboratory of the National Elec-
tric Lamp Association ; the name was changed to Xela Research
Laboratory in 1913, when the National Electric Lamp Association
became the National Lamp Works of the (Jeneral Electric Co.,
U.S.A. For some years the Laboratory was devoted exclusively to
the development of those sciences on which the art of lighting has
its foundation, but in 1914 the functions of the Laboratory were
extended by the addition of a small Section of Applied Science,
which had an immediate practical objective. The Section of
Applied Science is now being largely extended as a separate
Laboratory of Applied Science under the immediate direction of
Mr. M. Luckiesh, who becomes Director of Applied Science, and
a new building is being constructed to house this branch of the
work, which will be carried forward -with a staff of several
physicists, an engineer, an architect, and a designer, together with
the necessary technical and clerical assistants.

Dr. Ernest Fox Nichols, formerly President of Dartmouth College,
and more recently Professor of Physics at Yale University, as we
recently stated, has accepted an invitation to assume the immediate
direction of the Laboratory of Pure Science, under the title of
Director of Pure Science. The work of this Laboratory will be
continued in the present building, and somewhat further
extended.

The Laboratory of Pure Science and the Laboratory of Applied
Science will, together, constitute the Nela Research Laboratories,
and will be co-ordinated under the general direction of Dr. Hyde,
who becomes Director of Research.

This announcement illustrates three noteworthy tendencies of
the present day. on which we have commented from time to time ; —
The importance attached to research in modern industrial
concerns ; the importance attached to research in jmiv ».'ii'»(V, as
well as in applied science ; and the migration of highly-trained
scientific investigators from the Universities to the works — which
will have very serious consequences (or the former, unless means
are found to retain their services as teachers by paying them
adequate salaries.

Tol. 87. No. 2.231, August 27. 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

281

ELECTRICAL CONDITIONS IN HOLLAND.

I A Government Ofkicial's Review of the Situation.!

The Department of Overseas Trade has issued a report on
the " Economic, Financial, and Industrial Conditions of
Holland " in 1919, prepared by Mr. R. V. Laming, O.B.E.,
cormnercial secretary to H.M. Legation, The Hague. The
report and appendices extend to 114 pages, and a summary
of those parts which will be of interest to our readers is
given below.

The report, dealing with industry and production, states
that the activity of the engineering works continued to im-
prove, and orders for home account experienced an increase,
it was possible to obtain coal and other raw materials more
regularly, and the only competition that was feared wa.s from
German imports, but these were not popular owing to the
deliveries and methods of payment being irregular, <-ontract
prices not being adhered to, and being liable to continual
increases as the value of the mark declined. The future ex-
pectations were based upon the possibility of obtaining Dutch
raw materials which would stabilise the costs of production
and enable manufacturers to quote firm prices. In the case
of the copper and metal fuundi'ies, the pre-war activity had
been resumed by the end of the year, although raw materials
and the cost of production were liable to fluctuations. The
prospects were considered favourable for the most part.

The electrical industry was confronted with much competi-
tion from imports from Germany, namely, elements (bat-
teries), &c. On the other hand, makers of electrical machinery
did not experience any foreign rivalry. The production of
electric lamp bulbs continued to increase owing to the large
demand and the excellent quality of the output, this branch
not being influenced by the adverse exchanges. Makers of
enamelled ironware were faced with competition from abroad,
but were able generally to maintain their position in the home
markets. The copper rolling mills in general found an im-
proved demand, but the reduction in working hours was felt
to be a handicap. The gas works benefited by the improved
conditions after rationing of the supply was discontinued, and
the fuel deliveries were more regular and of better quality.
It is noted that the effects of rationing have been main-
tained, economisers being generally in use, and petroleum
also being more widely employed, both for cooking and heat-
ing purposes. In this connection it is mentioned that while
electricity was generally being utilised for lighting pm-poses
as much as possible, for reasons of economy, the consumption
of gas generally declined, as compared with the conditions
before the war. Not only so, but the development of the
distribution of electric power in many districts rendered it
possible tf) extend the milling of flour in these areas.

The general conclusion is that the Dutch industries were
able to resume activity sooner than was expected after the
l(]ng period of stagnation due to war conditions.

The report quotes from a commercial
Radio> journal an article by Prof. 0. L. van der

Telegraphy. Bilt, of Delft Univer.sity, dealing with the
development of wireless telegraphy. It is
first mentioned that the Government station erected at
Scheveningen in 19(14 now works within a radius of 50(1 miles,
and the wireless installations on Dutch ships, which were
controlled by the Societe Internationale de Telegraphic Sans
Fil, were taken over by the Dutch Telegraph Co., " Radio-
Holland," last September.

The question of establishing direct communication between
the Netherlands and the East Indian colonies Tias now been
juactically solved. After various experiments, the Dutch
(jovernment commenced the construction of two powerful
stations at Kootwijk, near Apeldoorn, Gelderland, and at
Sambeek, near Boxmeer, North Brabant. It was decided
to erect a tran.smitting station with a high frequency machine
and frequency duplicators on the Telefunken system, with a
separate receiving station. A preliminary credit of 5,(X)0,(XXJ
ti. was voted by the States General, and in September, 1918,
u contract was concluded with the Gesellschaft fiir Drahtlose
Telegraphie for the supply of separate transmitting and re-
ceiving stations for direct communication with the East
Indies, and, if desired, with other countries. The stations are
SI) planned tliat a duplex service is said to be possible.

The receiving station at Sambeek was begun in August,
1919; the anteunaj will be in harmony with the transmitting
station situated on the plateau of Bandoeng, Java ; and the
station is equipped for receiving danqjed and undamped waves
up to a wave length of 4(),(K)0 metres. On the other hand,
the transmitting station at Kootwijk contains a high fre-
queiuy ;iltciii:i ting-current generator of 5(K) k\v. at ti,()(Hl
(leriods, together with frequency transformers. By the u.sf
of various combinations it will be po.ssible U> generate waves
of G,(X)0 to 1'2,(X)0 metres and more in length. Trial mess;iges
from .lava have been frequently heard at Hui/en and Blaricum,
North Holland.

It is al.fo mentioned that a powerful station has recently
been constructed at Curacoa, and plans exist for the erection
of another station at Surinam, so that the Netherlands West
Indies will also be able to participate in wireless communica-
tion all over the world.

Coming to consider the subject of the
Electrification of electrification of railways and tramways,

Railways and the report states that the conversion of the
Tramways. railway between The Hague and Amster-
dam and Amersfoort is projected, and many
of the steam tramway companies are contemplating similar
action. The railway companies have sent a commission
abroad to inquire and report on the systems of electric traction
in use in England, Switzerland, and America, and on the
completion of the tour, a decision will be reached as to the
most advantageous method for use in Holland. Although
no railways were converted during the war, there was a
tendency in the public administration towards the general
electrification of all power schemes, mines, large industrial
undertakings, &c.

The Minister of Public Works appointed

State=controlled a commission in April, 1919, to report on a
Electricity scheme for the supply of electric power
Supply. under one uniform conti'ol. In the course

of its report the Commission expresses the
opinion that the production of electric power as a whole should
be entrusted to the State, power being supphed in bulk through
liigh-tension feeders from central stations to tran,sformer
stations; that the work of transmitting energy from the
distributing centres to the principal places of consumption
.should he allotted to the provincial governments, and that
the direct supply to consumers ought to be placed in the
hands of the municipal councils. It is, however, recommended
that the provincial governments should be empowered to
furnish energy independently of municipalities to undertak-
ings of more than a local character, such as tramways, works
for the draining of marshes, large factories, &c., and that
certain towns already having generating stations .shoulil be
exempt from these proposals.

The execution of the scheme would requii'e the erection of
a liigh-tension overhead network for a minimum pressure of
■')0,OXI volts, fed from a number of generating stations, whilst
the energy would be distributed at 1(),(KX) volts through the
transformer stations. It is mentioned that generation in the
long run will be effected most economically from a small
number of stations, each of a capacity of 75,t>00 kw., that the
cost of several stations of from 200,000 to ii(XI,000 kw. would
amount to 50,000.000 fl., and a network of mains and trans-
former stations for these powers would represent a further
75,(X)0,(X)0 fl., extended over a period of from 5 to 10 years.
The Commission makes suggestions for initial works, proposes
the formation of a joint stock company to undertake the
work, in which the shareholders are the State, the provincial
governments, and the municipalities, and suggests the con-
stitution of an Electricity Council of at least 15 members tki
control the industrv, and the appropriation by Bill of
10,000,000 fl. for the State electrical industry in 19-M.

The appendices contain a report from the Acting British
Consul at Amsterdam, who states that there is a general
tendency to combine the electrification of large parts of the
province. Thus a new company was formed under the title
of the P.E.G.E.M.. vifhich is really a combination of the
electrical works of .Amsterdam, Haarlem, and Alkmaar. A
jiroject is on hand to electrify the whole of the Watergraaf-
iiieer " polder " (drained marsh) at a cost of '2,(XW,(X)0 fl., and
it is also proposed to t-onvert to electric traction the existing
steam railway between Amsterdam and Hilversum, and Am-
sterdam and The Hague. A further appendix gives the follow-
ing figures concerning the Dutch exports of electric glow
lamps in 1919 : —

Exports of (!t,ow Lamps in 1919.

Weight in Value in

Destination. metrical tons. rtorins.

Fi-ance .'")9.5.9:i ... 5,403,3(14

Great Britain •289.05 ... 3,993,810

Belgium '204.14 ... •2.338,939

Italv '299.99 ... '2,330,397

Sweden 177.44 ... 1.435,660

Argentina 1'28.'2'2 ... 1,196,870

Spain 114,01 ... 9'20,196

Brazil 87.7'2 ... 835,906

Denmark 98.18 ... 796,7^21

.\ustralia an.l New Zealand 97.95 ... 799,191

Total, incliidiii;j

destination:

•2,745.06

i23,56I,258

German Price Reduction. — Thesalepricedepartmentof the
Union of the German Electrical Industry, despite increase in wages,
ealaries, and general expense?, has reduced the war-time additions on
machines and transformers by 10 per cent., in the price determin-
ation of which the prices of iron and steel play an important part.
In the case of other manufactures, however, it has not been possible
to lower prices, as the costs of production are mainly based upon
wages, salaries and general expenses, or upon tfie cost of raw
materials such as porcelain, marble, insulating: material, zinc
oastingg, &;c., the prices of which have not yet fallen.

282

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,231. auoubt 27, 1920.

EXTRA LONQ-DISTANCE TRANSMISSION OF
ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

Principles and Applications of the Qdabter-Wavk
AND Half-Wave Systems.

(,('ii)t/inufd from page 251).
r/ie Uulf-wzre 'fninxmixxhni Line —In the earlier portions of
this article we have considered, with numerical data, the trans-
mission of high power— in the neighbourhood of 100,000 KVV. —
over distances such as 30ii miles, using- the constant voltage system
of transmission now employed almost universally. It has a!sj
been shown that the quarter- wave system makes possible, in certain
casse, economical transmission over greater distances and under
better conditions, pirticu'arly w.th regard to regulation. This
was demonstrated by aid of a numerical example for transmission
over a distance of 750 miles

It is now proposed to show, again by the aid of a numerical
example, that under certain conditions yet better results can be
obtained over even greater distances and n't/mi/t iishig ami other
geii-.rjting-iit,itione,ji,ij,m<nt than that irhich is ulreadtj well'ltmnpii
and jironn in iiulnstrial serrice. To this end we employ the ' half-
wave line," and, for the present, we will assume that it is desired
to transmit energy in bulk from point to pjint without inter-
mediate tappings.

In the quarter- wave 8y.stem the line is such that the time required
for electrical propagation from end to end is oiie-i/nid-ter of the
periodc time of the allernbting current employed. The relation
between frequency, velocity, and length of time is then : / = v/1 I.
In the half-wave system the line is such that the tim3 of propaga-
tion is nne-halj of the periodic time of the current. Then /' = \72 /,
corresponding to a line length of 1,880 miles (.3,000 km.) in the case
of SOcycle working. Also./ = 1/2 / V(L, c,), where L, c, represent
the inductance and capacity per un'.t length.

^ Fundamental Kqu.afinns — Assuming that the delivery end of the
line is connected to a circuit absorbing a current i„ at voltage n,„
the current i and voltage u required at each point in the line, to
yield ]„ and u„ at the load, are given by : —

I = i„ cos /Ji — jv„ ■J (C|/l,) X sin jil
and u = u„ cos jil — /t„ \'(i,|'C|") ■: sin ,il. the line resistance
being neglected tor the first approximation. The angle fil, called
the angle of phase distance, is sujh that for a half-wave line,
fii = IT ; ji being a constant. Substituting cos ii I = — 1, and sin
jJl = 0, we have for a half- wave line I = — l,, and u = — r,,.
The c^irrespjnding result for a quarter-wave line, or for the centre
paint of a half-wave line, is : l, = - j u„ VCCi/l,), and u, = —
./l„ \/(L,/c,).

From these equations it will be seen that tho half-wave line is
suitable for the transmission of energy at constant voltage, and
that it justifies the hope that exceptionally favourable results will
be obtained, for— neglecting simply the resistance— we find that
the self-induction and capacity of the line vanish from our
equations, and so do the resistance and power factor of the load.
The capacity current which is often so troublesome and, in lines
of moderate length, more troublesome the greater the distance,
here disappears. When l„ = 0, I = 0 as well. In other words, the
alternators have not to supply any current when the line is on open
circuit. The centre of the line is nevertheless traversed by an
appreciable current under these conditions, and it U this current
which remains constant when the load varies (as already discussed
in connection with quarter-wave transmission). Thus, on open
circuit 1,1 = 0 and I, h,as the value given above, and may be
regarded as made u|) of two component currents flowing in opposite
directions from the centre of the line, and becoming z3roateaoh
end. We have thus a form of resonance, a current flowing in the
central portions of the line, but no demand being mads upon the
alternator.

In the preceding paragraphs it has, of course, been assumed that
the lineresistance is zero, and in order to ascartain the influence of
line resistance and to study quantitatively the characteristics of
half-wave lines, we may take a numerical example.

JVivnerica/ E.rjniple of naif-Ware Transmissi„n.—ln order to
facilitate comparisons, the line considered is assumed to be identical
with the quarter-wave line already studied, except that it is about
twice as long, viz. 2,370 km. (1.185 mileO, instead of 1,200 km.
(750 milesl. Aluminium cables of o sq. cm. section are assume!, and
the cases considered are transmission of 100,000 KW., 75.000 K\v , and
50,000 KW. with power factors TO, 0 9, O^s, and 07. The phase of
the delivered voltage is taken as zero, and it is assumed that the
delivered phase-voltage is 100,000 volts, i.e., 173,000 volts between
lines.

Table V shows the conditions obtaining in the several cases con-
sidered. It is found that :— (1) To obtain 100,000 volts delivered
phase-voltage, it is sufficient to maintain at the beginning of the
line a pressure rising from 102,600 volts on open circuit to 131,000
volts on full load. Tne ratio of these initial voltages is only
1 : 128, and the actual value of the initial voltage is practically
independent of the power factor of the load. If automatic voltage
regulators be usad to control the input voltage according to the
law : —

U = (101,500 + 7.000 volts per lO'.OOO KW. input), the delivered
voltage will remain 100.000 volts constant within 1 per cent. The
regulation could probably be rendered yet better by taking into
acjount pjwer-factor, since the power-factors at tho two ends of
the line vary together.

2. Ttiree aluminium conluctjrs, each of 6 sq. cm., can thns
transmit lOU.OOU KW., with a station voltage not exceeding 131,000

volts between line and neutral, or 225,000 volts between phases.
The weight of the conductors would ba abont 100 kg. (22o lb.; per
KW. transmitted, so that their cost would certainly be no obstacle
to the use of the system.

3. The efficiency, above 50,000 or 60,000 KW., is about 60 par cent,
for all power fajtors within the range considered. Higher
efficiency could be obtained, without undue capital expenditure, by
using larger conductors.

4. The light-load current is practically nil, and the current then
delivered by the machines is at unity power factor.

6. The delivered voltage is displaced in phase by 180' to 19.i
from the input voltage, and the delivered current ia displaced 171°
to 17y from the input current, i.e.. in both cases the phase dis-
placement is about 180 . The power factor is, therefore, practically
the same at both ends of the line, such difference as exists being in
a favourable direction, i.e., higher power factor at the station tr.d
of the line.

TABLE V. — Load Cbabactbeistics ok Half-Wave Link.
1,485 Milks (2,370 km.) in Length.

Power

Load.

Input.

EfBci-

lOj.OOO volts

Power

Current

Pliase

Currc-nt

Power

Poweri

%

factor

amps.

voltage.
130.400

amps.

factor.

KW.

100,000

10

3333

399 2

09998

156,000

64 0

0<»

371

130,500

430-6

0 965

162,900

61 4

0-8

416

1.30.900

470-2

0-925

170,800

58 5

0-7

476

131,900

527 2

0-886

184,400

51-2

75,000

10

250

123,400

314-2

09998

ll|-.,600

61 5

0-9

278

123,200

339-3

0963

I20,s00

62 I

08

312

123 500

3697

0 914

125.000

60-0

07

357

123,900

410-3

0-871

133,700

56 2

50,000

10

1667

11(;,500

228-7

09997

79,700

62 8

09

1855

116 200

241-7

0-966

81,300

615

08

208

116 200

259-5

0-922

83,400

60 0

Open
circuit

07

238

116,400

2S1-3

0-872

86,600

57 8

-

-

1C2.500

58-3

0 998

17,950

-

Small variation) in frequency have no serious effect, the line
remaining a half-wave line to the same extent that its half
remains a quarter- wave line. Nevertheless, it is of course, desirable
that the frequency should be as nearly as possible constant.

Oner-Voltaqe.'^. — The general magnitude of over voltage attained
may be determined by neglecting the line resistance as a first
approximation. On the basis of calculations which it is unneces-
sary to reproduce, M. Bunet concludes that : — (1) At the middle of
the half- wave line the load current of 476 amperes (corresponding to
100,000 kw. at 0'7 power factor) would produce a phase pressure
of .17.">,000 volts, or 300,000 volts between phases: (2) maximum
over-voltage would be reached at about 75 per cent, of the distance
alone the line {.i.e., at the quarter point near the load), and would
there be about 18 ),000 volts, or more than 300,000 volts between
phases when the load current = 4 76 amperes at cos (p = 0-7.

Obviously, line pressures in the neighbourhood of 300,000 volts
constitute a practical objection to the system, but this actual value
applies to the hvpothetical example here considered, and it is to ba
hoped that by the time it becomes necessary to transmit electricity
1,500 miles, the sate limit of voltage will also have been increased.

When the half-wave line is on open circuit, the voltage— equal at
the ends — decreases to about 07 times the initial value at the
quarter-points, and almost to zaro at the mid-point. As viewed
from the axis of distance, the voltage curve ia then very convex.
Oa increasing the load, the voltage curve becomes less convex, and
assumes successively the form of a lower and upper lip ; ultimately
the over-voitages appear. For given power, the voltage curve is
less convex, or more concave, in general form, the lower the power
factor. The curve rises less rapidly when the inductance
diminishes or when the capacity increases, since l/c is the
coefficient determining the progressive displacement of the curve
with load.

The effect of increasing capacity (by the use of insulated cables)
is considered later, but, without having recourse to this expedient,
the natural coefficients for overhead lines allow 50,000 KW. to be
transmitted by a three-phase line without serious over- volts gea,
even if the power factor falls to 0 7 (the actual phase voltages
being then about 90,000 volts at the mid-point and 124,000 volts
at the quarter-points. With a higher power factor, 75,000 KW.
could be tiansmitted, and even 100,000 kw. could be transmitted
without exceeding 225,000 volts between phases if the power factor
be near un ty. Even if it be necessary to limit the pjwer to
. 50,000 KW., the cost of conductors is not prohibitive.

Since l.i and Ci do not vary much with reduction in the size of
wire, over-voltages might be eliminated by using smaller conductors
conveying less pjwer. Three conductors each of 1 sci. cm. section
would' transmit safely much more than one-fifth of the power
transmitted by lines of 5 sq. cm. section, but the efficiency would
be low, because the current at the centre would remain about
275 amperes (corresponding to quarter-wave constant-current
conditions) whatever the power absorbed.

Protection against excessive voltage resulting from excessive
current would be obtained by overload circuit-breakers : and
lightning arresters would be installed along the line and adjusted
for a pressure lower than the puncture- voltage of the insulator.^.

('(>ni/iari.< in a'ith .'iDH km. 'J'ran.tnii.sximi. — Table VI makes possible
comparison between the performance of a half-wave line and that
of an ordinary three-phase line using^ aluminium cables of

-■^ -w ^. ^■^--■■^■■jr.^OT;^

Toi. 87. No. 2,231, AnooBT 27, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

288

500 aq. mm. section or copper cables of 300 aq, mm. The maximum
power transmitted is taken to be 75,000 K \v. at power factors of from
I'O to 07, and with 173,000 volts between phases at the load. The
snffix a after the power factor at the station indicates that the
current leads on the voltage ; similarly, ;■ indicates that the
current lags.

TABLE VI.— Load Ch.\sacteristi:s nv Ordinauv Three-
Phase Line, 312 Miles (500 km) in Length.

Power

Load.

Input,

-

100,000 volts

Power

Phase

Effici-

inKW.

factor.

amps.

voltage.

amps.

factor.

%

75,000

10

2 50

105,600

259

0 995 a

81,500

92-0

09

278

126,500

212 ! 0-995 ;•

80,300

93-5

0-8

312

141,100

202 j 0-958 r

81,900

91-6

0-7

357

154,803

205 1 0-876 r

83,401)

90 0

37,.W0

10

125

88,600

192 1 0-780 "

39,900

94-0

09

139

101 200

154

0 840 a

39 500

950

0-8

156

107,200

136

0-891 a

39,100

96 0

Open
circuit

07

178

115,500

120

0-945 a

39,200

95-7

-

-

79,300

163

0-045 a

600

The principal facts disclosed by the table are as follows : — (O To
maintain loj.ooii volts phase-voltage at the load, the input voltage
must be varied from 79,300 volts on open circuit to 154,i<oo volts
when supplying 75,oiio KW. at 07 power factor, /.«., in the ratio
1 : 1'95.

From the point of view of maximum line voltage the ordinary
transmission line for 5oo km. is practically equivalent to the half-
wave line for 2,4011km. This is only what might be expected;
the maximum pressure in a half-wave system is near the quarter-
points (of its length), and is there about equal to the voltage which
would ha 76 to be provided for ordinary transmission over this
quarter distance,

la the 500-km. transmission the input voltage for given delivered
power varies considerably with the power factor (the ratio being
1 : r46 for cjs 4> varying from 1 0 to 0 7 with 75,000 KW,, and
1 : r29 for the same variations with 37,500 KW,). It is, therefore,
impossible in this case to vary the input voltage according to a
simple law so as to maintain constant voltage at the load.

2. The three aluminium lines, each of 5 sq, cm,, transmit
50,000 KW. without exceeding 130,000-volt8 phase voltage ('225,000
volts between lines) at the station. This corresponds to 42 kg. per
KW,, which is economical as regards line cost, but the regulation
is bad.

3. The efficiency is good, viz , about 95 per cent, over a wide
range of load and power factor, and the section of the conductors
might be reduced without serious inconvenience.

4. The capacity current is about three-fourths of the maximum
delivered current. The power factor on open circuit is very low,
and the alternators are then difficult to operate ia parallel.

5. The power factor ia very different at the two ends of the line,
the current being considerably more in advance at the station end.

On the whole the comparison is more favourable to the 2,400-km,
transmission than to the 500-km line. The half- wave line would
eliminate the bad regulation experienced in certain large networks
now in service. In some of the latter it has been necessary to
install very large over-excited synohionous motors in order to
modify the power factor and keep the voltage reasonably constant
at the load. For instance, the Southern California Edison Co. has
installed at Los AngeJes, at the end of a 250-mile (400-km.) line
operating at 150,000 volts, 60 cycles, two 15,000-k.v,a. synchronous
motors running light. Even these are unable to maintain good
regulation, and a third unit of 30,000 K.v.A. is being installed.
Auout 3,0l0 KW. will be dissipated as heat in order to maintain
steady voltage. This is a serious factor, but the use of synchronous
motors in such a case is preferable to taking the current several
times the distance in order to make the line a half-wave system.
The pjssibiiity of other arrangements ia considered la'er.

I'omhineil Half-Wiue und Qiuirter-Ware Tntmmissioii.—%mce
the voltage along a hall-wave system varies in a manner which
itself cnauges with the power transmitted, the half-wave system
is inherently restricted to the transmission of energy en bine from
end to end of the line. At the centre of the line there is, how-
ever, pactically constant current as in the quarter-wave system.
Wiih 10J,UOO volts constant phase-voltage at the loa-l the current
half way along the half-wave ey»tem varies only within the limits :
I.; = 26,> -I- 7 amperes per I80011 kw, in the case already con-
sidered, the voltige varying from r., = ll,3oo volts, when the
load circuit is open, to 126,£00 volts wlicn the load is 75, 000 kw. at
coj<#> = 0 8,

It is possible, under certain cond.tions, to draw energy from, or
near, tUe centre of the line. If a variable lesistance B be con-
uccitd in each conductor at this pjiiit, it is nei-essary to maintain
at the station a voltage u instead of n, as though the load current
were ]„ instead of I,,. This does not, however, change the voltage
regulation at the station ; the current is simply increased in the
ratio lu : lu' The resistance may be inductive. In either case, if
the load at the centre is small compared with the total power, the
Bjetem is practicable.

lus.ead of a more or less inductive resistance, one (r several
translorm'^rs may be connected in Eeries in the line (at or near the
Centre point), the secondaries serving constant current circuits.
Alternatively, the c-^ntral load may take the form of motors or
converter groups. The motors would have to be alternators, with

series characteristics, runuiug at a couataut speed when traversed by
constant current, the terminal voltage increasing with the load.

Allowing for the resistance of the line, the current is not quite
constant. In the example already considered, it was 265 amperes
on open circuit, 28o amperea when delivering 37,5oo kw., and
295 amperes when delivering 75,oo0 KW., or, aay, an average of
280 amperes =1= 5 per cent. Similarly, there would be certain
variations in delivered voltage with variations in the intermediate
series load.

Such an arrangement might consist in constant- voltage trans-
mission from Niagara to New Orleans with a constant current
tapping at St. Louis ; or from the Zambesi Falls to the Cape, with a
tapping at Pretoria ; or from Montenegro and Dalmatia to Petro-
grad, with a tapping to serve the industrial district of Poland ; or
the same transmission to Paris with a detour through Berlin.
These examples are offered simply to illustrate the distances
involved by half-wave transmission at 50 cycles per second. At
lower frequencies the distance would, of course, be increased, whilst
at 125 cycles psr second (which has bsen exceeded in lighting
circuits) the distance would hi about iJ25 miles for half-wave and
315 miles for quarter-wave transmission.

f'liilergniiind Cahlex. — Hitherto underground cables have not
been made for such high pressures as those considered in the above
examples, Perhapa auch cables could be built up in xitu by placing
unarmoured cables in cast-iron pipes and filling the latter with
insulating compound after preliminary evacuation : the cost of
auch a cable might be no higher than that of armoured cables auc.i
as have been used, or proposed, for D,c. aeries aystems. Whatever
may prove to be the voltage limit of underground cables, it it
worth while to investigate briefly the principal characteristics of
quarter- wave and half -wave transmission using underground
cables.

The velocity of propagation ia reduced from v to v/v' (m k) in
a medium of permeability ,u and specific inductive capacity K,
With At — 1 and K = 3 the speed of propagation is reduced by the
factor 1/v' 3, and the quarter-wave and lialf-wave distances are
reduced bv the same factor, I'nder these conditions the half-wave
distance at 50 cycles per second becomes a little less than 1,060 miles
(1,700 km,). The transmission would hive the same general
characteristics as in the case of overhead conductors with the very
important advantage that, owing to the increase in capacity and
reduction in self-inductance (compared with overhead lines), over-
voltages would b3 eliminated. The characteristics of the e,h,t.
cable required can only be estimated approximately, but when
delivering 100,000 KW,, the voltage at the centre of a half-wave
system would b3 about 26,000 volts, and at the quarter-points
84,000 volts (compared with 180,000 volts at the quarter-points of
an overhead line). In other words, the maximum voltage along
the cable would be lower than the voltage at the ends.

This, however, involves a corresponding increase in the current.
If the pressure be 25 per cent, of the terminal value at certain
points in the line, the current becomes simultaneously four times
as great, with a corresponding increase in losses and heating,

A combination of overhead and underground lines might combine
the advantages and eliminate the disadvantages of the individual
systems. In addition, such a mixed installation might conform
very well to the practical requirement that extra high-tension lines
be carried underground in closely populated areas. Clearly there
is room for further study concerning the best distribution of self-
inductance and capacity in lines of different lengths, and the
benefits to be gained by modifying these factors,
iTo be eunti/iueil.')

ALTERNATING CURRENT TRACK-CIRCUITING.

By L, H. peter, A,M,I.E,E.

{Absiraft of paper published in the Journal of the Institution
OF Electrical Engineers,)
(Concluded from page 254,)

lu case.s where .\.c. track circuits are installed on electrified
roads using the running rails for the propulsion return cur-
rent, it is essential that the a.c. apparatus should not be
affected by D.c. Where single-rail track circuits are in,stalled,
the return traction current has two paths hack to the power
station. One lies on the continuous return rail, and a
parallel path is formed through the relay track-winding and
back on to the continuous return rail. The resistance of this
alternative path must be kept sufficiently high in relation to
tliat of the continuous return rail to limit the L),c. passing
through the relay and tran.sformer secouilary windings to a
value which will not affe<:t the operation uf the relay or
transformer by saturation.

This protection may also be obtained by placing small
impedance coils across the transformer secondary and across
the relay, these coils having relatively large impedance, but
low ohmic resistance.

The impedance of a bond is to some extent dependent on the
track voltage at which it is worked, the rise in impedance
with the track voltage lieing greater with small air-gaps.
Variation in impedance due to D.c. unbiilancing of the bond
is greater with the non-resonated than witli the resonated

type- . .

The impedance curves of a bond having .a capacity of
750 amperes (u.c.) per rail are shown in fig. b. The tests were

284

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,231, auguk 27, i»3o.

made at 50 cycles. With the 0.06-iii. air-gap the impedance
only rises slightly over a wide range of track voltage. The
same bond was used to obtain fig. 9, a condenser coil now
being connected up and the number of turns in circuit in the
coil being adjusted to give the bond as nearly as possible
unity power factor. In both figures it has been assumed
that the d.c. propulsion return current in the two rails is
equal. This is not always the case, and the bond impedance
varies as the d.c. unbalancing current changes. If the bond is
situated at a point on the line where there is always a certain
amount of unbalancing cunent present, the drop in impedance
can be overcome by altering the tapping of the condenser coil,
thus giving the bond a leading power factor when no
unbalancing exists, and the power factor then becoming unity
when the predetermined unbalancing current is present. The
variation in impedance of the bond is less at lower frequcn-
cieS| and at 25 cycles it is possible to build a resonated bond
havmg less than 10 per ceiit. variation in impedance between
(I and 200 amperes (d.c.) unbalancing current over a range
of track voltages of from 0.25 to (5 volts.

This variation in impedance, which appears to grow as
the frequency of the signalling current supply is increased,
would appear to be due to the increase in the watt loss in
the laminated core of the bond. It is not advisable to reduce
the volume of the iron in the bond c«re. The normal working
flux-density of these bonds is in the neighbourhood of from
5(111 to 6CHI lines per sq. in. It is only by working at low
densities that the bond losses on the a.c. side can be kept
siiKiU. The keeping of these losses low is of great importance,
particularly in the resonated bond.

The necessity for u fling a large quantity of iron in the bond
only applies in the case of D.c. electrified roads where the
heavy return traction current necessitates the bond having
an air-gap to avoid saturation.

Reference has been made to the iitilisation of the resonated
bond. This consists in varying the number of turns in
circuit in the condenser coil of the bond until a tapping is
found which gives the desired result on the relay. This varia-
tion of the condenser circuit varies the bond power-factor,
and in soma cases is futile, and although the phase angle
at the relaj^may 1)e improved, the impedance of the bond
may be decreased sufficiently to nullify the advantage of this
improvement. If, however, it is found po.ssible to vary the

^

^0-QZ

003'

-+T

"ur

^

rijiSi

■—

—

^

„

"W

M^

t

....

ZAP

0 t

a >

0 ■*■

■0 y

a M

f,-»fiO

,.ru •

0,0

,130^1

C_£2

-

^

ON-HtiO

Fig. 8.

Fig. 9.

Fig. 8.— Impedance and PF. op Resonated Bond with

VARions Air Gaps.
Fio. 9.— Impedance and P.F. ok Resonated and Non-

RESONATED BoNDB.

conHeriser in snch a way that both the voltage across the
relay track winding and the phase atigle between the relay
local and track currents are improved, then the adjustment
is a good one, and improved shunting of the track and pos-
sibly a reduction in the track feed current will result. To
obtain the best results from any double-rail track circuit with
impedance bonds, it is necessary to make these adjustments
when tlie track circuit is installed, and as nearly as possible
under the normal working conditions of ballast resistance
and unbalancing current, both the voltage across the relay
and the phase angle being checked while the adjustment is
being made.

We may now consider the effect of direct current on the
relay. Relays of the galvanometer, vane, or induction-motor
type are all immune from operation by D.c, and the only
effects on them are those which will cau.se the relay to drop —
3 " safe " failui'e, but one which must be guarded against
to prevent traffic delays. If the relay is of the " in phase "
galvanometer type containing no iron, the d.c. effect is not
marked and only adversely affects the relay as far as heating
is concerned. Excess of D.o. through the relay track winding

may damage flexible connections to the moving armature,
but otherwise this relay may be considered to be non-affected
by D.c. The " quadrature " relays contain iron in some part
or another, and, if used for single-rail track circuits, must be
protected against saturation by d.c. passing through the
parallel path mentioned above. In practice the relay is
protected in a similar way to the track transformer by keep-
ing the resistance up as much as possible, and it may also
have an aii'-gap in its iron circuit which will assist in this
prfitection ; D.c has the same effect) on this type of relay as
on the impedance bond, that is, it decreases the impedance.

No mention has so far been made of the relays adopted
for track -circuiting roads on which a.c. traction current is
r'etm'ued to the power house through both running rails. In
such cases it is customary to adopt a higher frequency for
the signalling current and to use a relay which is definitely
selective, and is, therefore, not operated by the lower-fre-
quency traction current. Such relays, if of the two-element
type, come under the same classification as that applied to
all other two-element relays, namely, " in pha.se " or " quad-
rature," and are treated in the same way when constructing
the track-circuit vector diagrams.

REVIEWS.

Eh-rtrir -Welding and Wrlding Appliances. By Hkubkrt Carp-
.MAEr., A.M.I.C.E., A.M.I.E.E. Pp. 12H; »4 drawings ami
other illustrations. London : Constable & Co., Ltd., 192tl.
Price IHs. net.
This book, the preface states, is an almost oerbutim reprint
ol articles which appeared in The Engineer during some
rbonths of 1919. The character of the book is well defined by
that fact, it gives a good descriptive account of the different
systems in use, of the machines and apparatus required, and
of the character of the work actually done on a commercial
scale by each of them. The history of the art is only hghtly
touched on, the detailed craftsmanship involved is not
minutely dealt with, and the scientific principles are only
referred to as incidental to the descriptions. But as a con-
temporary account of the " state of the art-" in 1919, and a
useful guide to the would-be user of the methods available,
from which he may judge which will best suit his require-
ments, the book can be recommended. There is only one
word of caution to be given in this connection : electric weld-
ing is an art which is undergoing rapid development, both in
respect of methods and applications. Nevertheless the reader
will get a very fair idea of both, and will at least be informed
as to the directions in which to seek for up-to-date informa-
tion.

The history of electrical welding is very well summarised
in the introductory chapter, but one may supplement it by
the fact that forty years ago carbon arc welding was practised
by some continental firms in the burning up of accumulator
sections, on erection jobs where the gas blow-pipe was not
available. Arc welding and resistance welding were very
nearly contemporary in their birth. Doubtless the sticking
and fusing of switch contacts and similar phenomena which
became unpleasantly familiar to the earliest experimentahsts
with strong currents from dynamos gave the idea to many
of them. Elihu Thomson and Benardos are. however, identi-
fied as the effective inventors of the t-^o processes as com-
mercial propositions. The development of the resistance
method has been one of magnitude, and .speciahsed apparatus.
The arc method made some progress in variety of application,
hut little else until Siavinoft' substituted a metal electrode
for the carbon of Benardos. Even then it took something
like 20 years before the possibiUties of metal arc welding
were appreciated. Perhaps the necessities of war time have
c.outiibuted more than any other single influence to the pro-
gress made in the use of metal arc welding. Those necessities
stimulated experiment and invention, disclosing a far wider
range of application and utility than had been recognised.
There is every indication that this range will be much ex-
tended within a few years.

The considerable impetus to metal arc welding which has
followed the intioduction of flux covered electrodes is pointed
out, and the views of inventors and users are fairly set out.
Very wisely the author does not enter into the controversies
which have arisen on this question. These controversies v.i\\
be settled by practical and conmiercial considerations; pos-
sibly aided by disinterested research, of which, however.
hardly anything seems likely to be done in this country.
The Admiralty made a commencement of such research, but
it was shut down soon after hostilities ceased.

Tno chapters are devoted to descriptions of the principles
and elementary apparatus of carbon arc and resistance weld-
ing respectively. These chapters iiulic;ite very well a funda-
inental difference between the arc and the resistance methods.
Arc welding recjuires few and simple appliances, which are
easily adapted to almost any kind of work. Resistance welding
requires specialised tools for each kind of job, and for each
magnitude of job. .^rc welding is essentially a jobbing pro-
cess, resistance welding essentially a manufacturing or quan-
tity production process. This is not to say that arc weldinj
is not suitable for manufacturing, or that resiBtanoe welding

Yol. 87. No. 2,231, AuansT 27, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

285

cannot be applied to repairing and other odd jobs. But the
resistance welder is essentially a machine tool with a nar-
rowly defined range of capacity. An arc welding outfit is
essentially a hand tool with a wide range o£ adaptability.
There are differences in the character of the welds made.
The resistance weld resembles closely that made by a smith,
the arc weld is more correctly autogenous soldering, in which
metal is added to the original material and fused into it.
Arc welding, at present, is almost confined to the ferrous
metals, lesistance welding is applicable to almost any metal
or alloy.

The work curried out by the Steel Barrel Go., of Uxbridge,
has a chapter to itself. The subject is a good one, because
carbon arc welding has been used at these works for more
than twenty year.s, and more recently resistance and oxy-
acetylene welding have been added for certain portions for
which they are more convenient than the carbon arc. As
the whole process of making a steel barrel is described, the
reader will get a good idea of this manufacturing application.

The quasi-arc process, essentially a coated metal electrode
method, is described in another chapter, which gives a good
deal of information about the details of manipulation, elec-
trode sizes and current sti'engths for various thicknes.ses of
work, giving altogether quite a good notion of the most
recent methods of arc welding. Four chapters are devoted to
descriptions of machines and apparatus for arc welding. In
the main, these are descriptions of the generators, motor
generators, and transformers designed by various firms for
the supply of energy at suitable voltages and current strengths.
A number of useful portable sets axe described and illustrated.
As arc welding requires a lower voltage than those generally
used for other purposes and currents up to a few hundred
amperes, whilst it is desirable for several reasons that the
voltage shall be limited, some kind of transforming apparatus
is almost essential where a supply is available on the work.
Where no supply exists, evidently a portable generating set
is required. It will be seen from the descriptions that these
requirenient's can be met by a number of makers. More
or less automatic regulation is provided in various ways, both
for continuous and alternating current. ' As arc welding in-
volves some deUberate and more or fewer accidental short
circuits, such automatic regulation, or at least limitation of
the current is very necessary. Practical welders seem to be
coming round to the view that there is little to choose between
continuous and alternating current for metal arc welding,
so it is hkely that converting sets will not be much in demand
in future.

Perhaps the most elaborate automatic regulating arrange-
ment in use is that of the American Plastic .\rc Welding Co.,
in which a solenoid carrying the welding current varies the
pressure on a carbon pile resistance. This is fully illustrated
and described. The general reader may be more interested
by the fact that this apparatus was used in repairing the
damaged engines of some of the German vessels interned
in American ports, and by the illustrations of such damage.

The apparatus of the American .A..C. Cutting & Welding
Co. also has a chapter to itself. This apparatus is a trans-
former with .self-regulating characteristics, adaptable for
various working ranges, and for connection to ordinary supply
systems.

These chapters will show that a good deal of attention has
been paid to the problems of energy supply for arc welding.
Practically that is all the machinery there is to it. The actual
welding equipment is little more than an electrode holder
with a flexible lead, protective screens or hoods, gloves, ,&c. ;
a suitable connection lead and clamp for the other pole of
the circuit connected to the work, and a stock of such elec-
trodes, carbon, or metal, as the work requii'es.

The case is very different with resistance welding. No
fewer than six chapters are devoted to resistance wejding
machines. It will be seen that a large variety is available,
adapted to butt, spot, and seam welding for many metals
and many jobs. The current strength and mechanical pres-
sure needed to make a good weld vary with the kind of metal,
its thickness, the area of the weld. The arrangements for
holding and feeding the work naturally vary also with the
shape of the parts and the kind of weld to be made. Neces-
sarily, therefore, resistance welders are rarely general utility
machines, even in a restricted sense. They have to be designed
for theu' jobs, like a repetition machine tool, to which class
they really belong. The six chapters mentioned illustrate and
describe a very large number of such tools, they will show
the would-be user either that there are machines which will
do his work, or which of the designs can be most readily
altered to suit him, so that he will have guidance as to where
to direct his inquiries. This is perhaps the most valuable
feature of the book to the manufacturer or de.signer of metal
articles in the fabrication of which rapid and ' economical
joining of parts is a necessary feature.

.^11 resistRncp welders are operated by alternating current,
and all have the transfoi"mer incorporated into the design.
This is a necessary con.sequence of the requu'ements of very
large currents, up to thousands of amperes, and very low
voltage, never more than 4 or .5. .-Vpart from these charac-
teristic's the designs are of illimitable variety.

The chapter on tbp strength of electric welds summarises
the available rnforraation on this miportant subject. The
most debatable point has been the strength of arc welds,
which has been the object of a good deal of suspicion. The

data given show that ample strength can be secured for most
purposes. Experience on this is still accumulating with the
rapid extension of the process. The skill and care of the
operator are important factors, just as they are in snaiths'
welds, but progress is being made not only in the training
of operators, but also in designing control apparatus which
imposes conditions making for good work.

The book is well got up, well printed, and well illustrated,
and can be confidently recommended as fulfilling its pro-
fessed purpose. - ■ ■■, H. M. S.

Controllers for Electric Motors: BJ II: D. James,' B.S., M.B.
Pp. 354-t-xiv, '259 figs. London : Crosby Lockwood and
Son. Price 'ils. net.

The work is a reprint of a series of articles which have
appeared in the Electric Jonnia?, additional text and diagrams
having been inserted where necessary. It is essentially a
speciaUst book, and is designed to give a complete account
of control possibilities for both alternating and continuous
current types of motors. .

Following several chapters of a preliminary nature, we first
find a consideratit)n of manually operated controllers. Com-
paratively little information is given regarding face plate
type devices, but drum controllers are described at greater
length.

The most valuable section of the book deals with automatic
control in which use is made of contactors operated electrically
or by other means. Great stress is laid on the necessity, in
such a method of working, of closing the contactors in suc-
cession at the propeir time, and a very interesting chapter
discusses the methods available for effecting this operation.
The succeeding chapter gives an account of a series of oscil-
lographic records obtained in connection with this method
of control, and attention is drawn to the fact that these
show that comparatively few steps are really necessary in
the starting resistances of small or moderate sized machines.
This fact is of great practical importance, since it means fhat
few contactors are necessary, leading to simplicity and cheap-
ness.

The various protective devices desirable in the case of large
motors, some of which are probably not well known to the
average electrical engineer, are also adequately described.
Special attention is devoted to series-parallel controllers for
series motors, the several means available for passing from
the series to the parallel position being considered at lenglh.

The concluding chapters are devoted to a consideration of
the actual arrangements commonly used in certain definite
applications as mine hoists, rolhng mills, rnachine shops, &c.
These, of course, on account of the American origin of the
book, may be taken as representative of practice on the other
side of the Atlantic, and will be valuable for purposes of
comparison to those who are famiUar with methods used in
this country. Certain terms, too, are introduced frf)m time
to time which will be strange to English readers, but this
does not cause any ditficulty, since the exact meaning is in-
variably carefully explained.

A very useful feature of the work is the tabulated statement
of the advantages and disadvantages attached to the use of
any particular appliance or method of working which in-
variably follows the description of the subject under con-
sideration. A special word of praise may also be given to the
numerous diagrams of controller connections which are ar-
ranged in such a manner that the mode of operation can be
readily followed.

The book certainly deals with a phase of Electric working
in which there is a paucity of information available in a con-
venient form, and may be well recommended^ to men whose
work is concerned with controllers, whether ' Ffoln the con-
structional, installation, or maintenance points of view. The
mode of treatment, which is one leading quickly to the
important points to he considered, will als(j appeal to such
readers. Students taking advanced courses can also peru.se
the book with advantage, the most useful chapters from their
point of view being tho.se dealing with the esspntial principles
of operation.

Calriilatioii nf Elrcirir Coiuhirtorn. Bv Wll,i,IAM T. Ta\I,oi;.
Pp. :«. London : Constable & Co.. Ltd.

This work contains chiefly a description of a njethod of
making cable calculations by means of a logarithmic chart.

The book is well printed and bound, the chart being kept
in a pocket in the cover, but there are sonje printers' eiTois
and omissions which should not have escaped notice, and point
to rather carele.ss reading of the proofs. For instance, in
two of the four forms of working the " typical example," on
page 13, errors are found which tend to shake one's faith
in the whole of the book; also a very ■ glaring omission, twice
made, on page '2.5. is very obvious.

It is doubtful whether an engineer would prefer to use a
chart of this description or not. in order to save himself a
few. usually, simple calculations, and unless the chart was
frequently used it would require a certain .amount of study
on each oc<:a6Jon it was required.

Certainly if the cable was an expensive one, the average
engineer would make h)s own cnloolation?.

The bald statement that bv addmg a fourth wire to a
three-phase (-3 wire) svstem the tr^insmiseion capaaty will
be raised three-fold requires further explanation. A, J., S.

286

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,231, August 27, 1920.

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

Rsadert are invited to tuhmU particulars of new or improved device/ and jipparatui, whioh will be publit/ui
if oonsidered of lufioient intereit.

A New Pyrometer Outtit,

Messrs. Aittomatic & Electric Furnaces, '2.Sl-'28:i, Gniy's
Tnn Road, W.O. 1, have recently placed a new pyrometer
outfit iipou the market. The indicator (lis;. 1) is a movinf;-
coil instrument of the wall type, and .special attention has
l>een paid to the pivoting to obtain a minimum of friction
consistent with robust construction. Tlie case is black
I'liamelled with nickel finish, and is of handsome appearance,
('(jnipensatinc leads are provided, making the cold junction
file actual tcnninal of the instrument, which is in accord-
ance with tlie most approved practice. The thermo-couples
provided are of two types. The first (fig. 2) is a nichrome-
nickel protected couple intended for u.'-.e in salt bath and
c:i.se-hardening furnaces, gas muffles, metal melting furnaces,

at the siiles between the wheels; they can be grouped to give
either '24 or 48 volts, while they can be recharged in four
groups at 12 volts. The capacity is stated to lie 30 miles
on one charge at an average speed of 10 miles per hour,
while gradients of one in nine can, it is claimed, be mounted.
Tlie forward and reverse speeds, as al.so the brake, are ar-
ranged to be operated either by hand or foot. The littl<^
vehicle, which is efjuipped with wire wheels and pneumatic
tires, is stated to weigh, complete with battery, but without
passenger, 6 cwt.

The " Periscope " Spark Plug.

The advantages of a spark plug that would permit a view
of the conditions obtaining within the cylinder while the
engine was working, have long been realised. The " I'eri-

FiG. 4.— The " Alco " Electric C.\r.

Fig. 2. — Prutei'teu i'lu. 3. — Unprotected

Thermo-coui'le. k*--.^ Theemo-coople.

Fig. 5. — The " PERiscorE '
Sp.^rklxg Pldg.

Fig. 0. — " Phu;xix " Kegenerative
Diiv Cell.

&c. For radiation furnaces and muffles free from deleterious
fumes a cheaper type of couple may be used (fig. 3). This is
unprotected, and therefore much quicker in action. Both
types of thermo-couple are made for working temperatures
up to 1,000 deg. Centigrade.

The " Alco " Electric Car.

The accompanying illustration, tig. 4. .shows the "Also"
single-seated electric carriage, which has recently been in-
troduced by Messrs. .Arthi'r Lvon i- Co., of 36. Victoria
Street, Westminster, S.W., and which made its first public
appearance at Regent's Park, N.W.. in .Tune last. The httle
vehicle is fitted with a body resemblini; that of a motor-cycle
sidecar, and is ennipped with a small electric motor w-hich
o|iprates the rear wheels throuch a chain drive. The neces-
sary electrical energy is supplied by (wo bat (cries carried

scope " plug, tig. 5, the patent rights of which are owned
by the Metropolitan Labor.atories. of " Elmhm-st."
Twickenham Park, Middlesex, embodies within a sub-
stantially designed plug all the advantages of a view
plug, petrol injector, and compression release, a is the
silica view lens attached to the nut B and removable for
cleaning the lens or for jietrol injection : c is the tubular
electrode; P the .sparking point, which is seen from outside
the cylinder through A : E is the body ; F the insulator, and
o the spring. The spark can be seen under actual working
conditions, and the carburation can be judged by the colorir
of the flame. The view lens is of heat-resisting material,
and is remote from the explosion products of oil vapour.
being cushioned therefrom by a column of inert gas. and,
therefore, is claimed to keep clean in the dirtiest of engines.
The lens and nut can be readily removed for petrol injection.

Vol. 87. No. 2,231, August 27, 1920.1 THE ELECTEICAL EEYIEW.

287

and every part of the plug is replaceable if damaged. During
manufacture the plugs are tested at 300 lb. pressure for both
tightness and insulation.

The " Phoenix " Regenerative Dry Cell.

Dry cells become stale, and are generally discarded, long
before they are really \vorn out. If they could bo provided
n ith an extra supply of regenerative fluid in a convenient
manner their life would be considerably prolonged at small
additional cost. Particulars of a cell that fulfils these con-
ditions have been sent us by the Meti{OP(ii.it.\n Laboratoriks,
nf " Elmhurst," Twickenham Park, Middlesex. In the

I'luienix " cell. fig. (J, A is the carbon, B the depolariser, c
the paste, and u the zinc. The extra supply of regenerative
fluid is contained in the glass tube e, which is fitted in the
icli during manufacture. When the cell becomes weak any
unskilled per.son can easily revive it by simply driving the
]ilug G, which is waxed in, down until it is level with the
top of the cell. The glass tube b is thus broken on the anvil
I' and the thiid relca.sed.

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY AT PARIS.

The Gennevii.liers Sui'Er-Station.

Up till about seven years before the war, Paris was supplied with
electrical energy by a number of small generating- stations, owned
by various companies, serving different portions of the Paris area.
It wai felt, however, that this arrangement had serious drawbacks,
leiiding to the wastage both of effort and capital. In conse-
quence, a convention was arranged in 1907, whereby the Com-
pagnie Pari^ienne de Distribution d'Electricite was superseded by
Secteurs, which took over the supply of electricity throughout
Paris until 1924. an item of the conditions being that the Muni-
pality shared bath in the receipts and the profits. The programme
of new w.Drks arranged included the installation of two new
central stitions. that of St. Ouen sur-Seine to the north, and that
of Icsy-les-Moulineaux to the south-west of Paris. New sub-
stations and transformer stations were also planned, and the con-
version of the network from two to three or five-wire, with the
establishment of a new distribution service in north-eastern Paris.
The system chosen was two-phase, 12 periods, A.c , at 12,300 volts.
The works thus planned were carried out just before the war broke
out. During the years of the war the equipment of the several
stations had much deteriorated by bsing unintermittently used day
and night, while large contributions for war purposes were levied
on many, and the conviction was forced that capital used for the
rehabilitation of these stations would be better employed in the
construction of one " supsr-station. ' Hence the foundation of the
I'Qion Frangiise d'Electricite — a company formed to carry out this
idea. It his been generally recognised that the several Sacteura,
if freed from the manifold costs of renovations and the care of
generating their own power, may devote their efforts the more
effectually to developing their respective networks and the dis-
tribution of energy. On August 25th, 1919, the Compagnie
Gcncrale de Distribution d'Energie E!ectri(iue. whtoh owned the
important Vitorz station (S.i.OOO KW.). and the I'.illancourt station
(22.000 KW.), amalgamated with the Union Fran<,-iise d'Electricite,
and founded the Union d'Electricite for, specifically, the con-
struction of the super-station at Gennevilliers, and to carry
out the reorganisation programme of electricity supply in the
Piris region. Some weeks later the Energie Electrique de la
Region Parisienne was absorbed. This company was originally
established in 1913 to supply electric power for traction pur-
pises for the State railways, and owned works at Nanterre
(.22,000 KW.). and Issy-les-Monlineaux (22,000 KW.l Agree-
ments were later made with four of the most imjiortant com-
puiies serving sections of the outskirts, namely, the Tri phase, the
Ouest-Lumiere, the Est-Lumiire, and the Rive Gauche. Their
works were sold to the Toion Electricite, but are being temporarily
used till the Gennevilliers super-station is completed and ready to
work, when they will fall into the position of reserve plants. The
following are, in round numbers, the yearly outputs of the five
stations which will be superseded by the Gennevilliers station : —
(I) Energie Electrique de la Region Parisienne Company.

«. Nanterre .".o.OiiO.OOO KW.-hours ... (in 1918).

I>. Issy-les-Moulineaux 50.000,000 KW.-hours ... (estimated).
(2) Triphase Company.

c. Asnierei .^0,000,000 KW.-hours ... (in 191s).

(3) Est-Lumiere Company.

'/. A'fortviUe 33,000,000 KW.-hours ... (in 1918).

(4) Ouest-Lumiire.

i: Puteaux 90,000,000 KW. hours ...(in 1918).

The super-station at (Jennevilliers is situated on a bank of the
K ver Seine, and is linked with Paris by the Paris Mantes- Pontoise
riilway, ri,i Argenteuil. At the outset, the station will have
:in installed capacity equal to 200,000 KW., which may be increased
I iter on to .SOO.OOO KW. The equipment will comprise
:i5.i'00-KW tnrbo-alternators ; Babco;k & Wilcox marine boilers,
<a';h h.\ving 1,350 sq, m. heating surface; a superheater of
552 sq. m. heatin,' surface; a 480tube economiser ; and a 1,000

sq. m. surface air-heater. The boilers will be grouped in fours,
and will be on the Prat system. Work was begun on this station
at the beginning of the year, and it is expected to be out of hand
by January 1st, 1922. The greater number of existing stations
being available as reserves, the aggregate output of power when
the Gennevilliers station is at work, will approximate to
700,000.000 KW.-hours a year.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly for (his journal by Messrs. Sefton-Jo.nes. O'Dkll anc
SlEniENs. Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. L

21,876. "Control devices for telephone services." A. J. If. Hi.dd.in (K, \V.
Hull). July 22nd.

22,007. " Wireless telegraphy and telephony." Marconi's Wireless Tele-
graph Co. (A. N. Goldsinith). July 22nd.

22.018. " Electric signalling devices lor road vehicles." P. C, Middleton.
July 22rd,

22,030. " Rotary discharges for radio telegraphy, &c." D, O. Morris. July
23rd.

22,065. " Electric storage batteries, &c," f. E. Kohlmevcr, July 2:ir.l.

22.076. " Protecting casings for transformers in induction furnaces." W,
Grundhofer. July 23rd.

22.077. " Voltage regulators for electric current generators." Scintill.i.
July 23rd. (Switzerland, August 8th, 1919.)

23,084. " Electric current regulating devices." \V, H, Glaser. July 23rd.

22,106. " Electric switches." A. Stringer. July 24th.

22,120. "Conveying electric current to movable truck, S:c," 11. Huartsun
,ind H, K, Lamb.' July 24th.

22,131. " Dynamo electric machines." R. L. Cleaver. July 24lh.

32,154. " Electric junction boxes. &c." H. E, W,ilker, July2tlh.

22,168. " Electrical acconmiodation indicator lor theatres, S.c." 1'. A.
Tillinghast. July 24th.

22.172. "Sparking plugs." 1-". Kay and N. Kay. July 26th.

22,180, " Electric bell." V. Thompson. July 26th.

22,189. " Electric tumbler, Stc, switches." J. A, Crabtret-. July 2fith,

32,204. " .Sparking plugs." H. V. Chandler and H. G. Dashuoud, July
2i;ih.

L>J,_'l.".. " Electro-magnetic telephone receivers." H. G. Shrivell. July 26th.

22,3:U. " Receiving signals by wireless telegraphy." Hall Res-.aich Cor-
poration." July 26th. (United States, August 13th, 1919.)

22.237/8. " Electric discharge gap apparatus," Metropolitan-Vickers Elec-
trical Co. July 26th. (United States, August 15th, 1919.)

22,244, " Electrolysis." M. A. Adam, July 26th.

^,245. " Electrolysis." M. A. .■\dam, J. Ficldhouse and J. Stevenson.
July 26th.

22.258. "Telephone receivers." Siemens & Halske Akt.-Ges. July 2(illi.
(Germany, July 24th, 1919.)

22.259. " Sparking plugs." M. P, Seneze, July 26th. (Belgium, October
8th, 1919.)

22.260. " .\pparatus for production by electrolysis of gas under pressure."
r. \,-me. July 26th.

■li.lli. " Apparatus (or electric ivclding." T. Waddington. July 26th.

22,2:15, " Switchgear for controlling supply of electricity to machinery,
&c," W, de Renzi. July 2rth.

22,290. " Balanced electrical relays." C. C. Garrard"; A. H. Railing, and
\V. Wilson. July 27th.

22.:U3. " Means for electrically driving bowls of centrifug,il separators,"
A .M, lotte. July 27th. (Belgium, December 26th, 1919.)

22.:aK. " Signalling devices, &c." A. L. Davis and A. K. T. Smith,
Julv 27ih,

■-'•-', Ull. " Sparking plugs," A. E. Heath. July 27th.

2J,:l.-,K. " Dynamo-electric machines." W. V. Higgs. July 27th.

■.•-', :i:.'l. " Alternatimj-rurrent meters." Dr. V. Meyer Akt.-Ges. July 27th.
t( ;.r rn, my. January 27th.)

2J,:!i;:'. " Electric motor starting device for internal-combustion engines."
K H.-s.h Akt.-Ges. July 27fh. (Germany. September 22nd, 1919.)

il:.Ki. " Electric light sconce fittings." S. W. Hamlyn. July 27th.

JJ,:i'-4. " Switch control devices." A. A. Lippold. July 27th,

22.:1:HI. "Alternating current electric motors," Carey-Gav?y Syndicate,
July 27. h.

22,4;i9, "Trolleys of overhead electric cables." J. W. Player. July 28lh.

22,449. " Electric lamp supports." A. C. Runkel. July 28th.

22.448. " Terminals for electric conductors." G. H. Sykes. July 28th.

22,4,16, " Mounting of electric motoi-s." C. V. Barnholdt. July 28th.

22.458. " Electric controlling devices." British Thomson-Houston Co. and
V. E, Hall, July 28th.

22.472. " Process for protecting app.-iratiis against electrolytic destruction,"
V. von Wurstemburger. July 28th. (Switzerland, August 2nd, 1919.)

22.484. " Electrical chain welding machine." Unipn. July 28th. (Switzer-
land, S<ptember 2nd, 1919.)

22. .508. " Electro-magnetic reception arrangements." E. J. Chambers, July
2!llh,

22,527. " iMulti-electrode valves, &c." S, R, Mullard. July 29th.

22,547, " Regulation of electric currents." W. Langdon-Davies and A.
So....irs. July 29th.

22„"ii;3. " Electro-magneticallv-oper ited controlling devices." Cutler-Hammer
M..nufacturing Co. and Igranic Electric Co. July 29th.

22,li07. " Alternating-current induction motors." E. S. Carey. July 29th.

22.617. " Long-distance power transmission." A. M. Taylor. July 29ih.

22,669. " Electric stop motions." A. Roberts. July 30th.

22,673. " Electrical current plugs, &c." W. de Renzi. July 30ih,

22.685, "Method of m.vasuring lengths of electric waves." P. J. & S, ,M.
T, Armagnat and Veuve C, iVI, A. de Ncrbonnc. July 30th.

22,703. " Reception of wireless signals." H. J. Round. July 30lh.

22,727, " Overload cut-out with power storage," E. Krupp .\kt,-GeN,
July 30th, (Germany, August 7lh. 1919;)

22,732. "Electric switches an.l switch-holders." Jl. i;.ir.).-. Julv :Wih.

22,761. "Synchronous motor for polvphas.' current," .Maschinenlabrik
Oerlikon, July 30th, (Switzerland, August 26th, 1919.)

22.797, " Electrical .levice lor withdiawing metal splinters from the eye."
A. Gatti, July 31st.

22.805. " Dynamo-electric machinery." I). P. Alexander, W. Hunter, and
R. Kerr, July 31st,

22,817: " Electric.illv-operated safety device f..r auloinatic.lly stopping
machinery." R. H. b«rry. July 31st.

288

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2.231, august 27, 1920.

22,819. " Rotary electric machines." K. Nobuhara. July 31st.

22,823. " Recording dynamometers." M. Rotkslroli. July 31sl. (Germany,
August 4th, 1919.)

22 828 " Transmitting photograpiis, &c., by telephone or » ircless tele-
phony." F. Wyndham. July 31sl.

22,874. " Electric switches." R. A. R. Bolton. August 3rd.

22.892. " Magneto-electric machines." British Thomson-Houston Co. and
A. P. Young. August 3rd.

systems." G. O. Squicr. - August 3r'l.

ts for heating apparatus, &c." I*". Husbaiid.

II. Morris-Aircy, A. K. M.itrorie, ;nid S.

T. li. Goldup, A. K. M.ici..rie and S. K.

A. K. Macrorie, S. R. Mullard and G.
)paratus." C A. Moscdale and G. 'J"a)l(>r.
mica for electrical purposrs." Rai Sahib S.
ies." A. E. Alexander (Slu.nl

22,901. " Radio-communicati.
(U.S., August 3rd, 1919.)

23,932. " Electrical hcaling-l
August 3rd.

22.941. " Thermionic valves,
R. Mullard. August .3rd.

22.942. " Thermionic vah.s.
Mullard. August 3rd.

22.943. "Thermionic valves
Shearing. August 3rd.

22,950. " Ships' telegraphic
August 4tli.

22,973. " Process for utilisin
Mull. August 4th.

22,980. " Electrode and electrolytic
Electrolytic Cells Inc.). August 4th.

22,996. " Portable telephones for the deal." W. Burkinshaw. August 4lh.

23.007. " Magneto-electric machines." British Thomson-Houston Co.. H.
W. H. Warren and A. P. Young. August 4lh.

23.030. " Electric welding machines." J. V. Johnson and Cnind States
Chain & Forging Co. August 4th.

23,045. " Electrical rectifying apparatus, &c." \V. H. Gla^er and \V. H.
Glaser, Ltd. August 4th.

23,090. " Electric emergency lighting installations." P. Uas. August 5th.

23,092. " Electric switches." F. W. Easter. August 5lh.

23,103. " Induction motors." British Thomson-Houston Co. and General
Electric Co. August 5th.

23,109. " Continuous wave telephony and telegraphy." C. S. Franklin.
August 5th.

23,115. " Manufacture of electric rotating machines." T. Tanaka. August
5th. (Japan, July 11th, 1919.)

23,123. " Dynamo-electric machines." F. Creedy. August 5th.

23,126. " Sparking plugs." L. Grillette. August 6th.

23.142. " Electrical transmission of power." R. L. AspJrn and F. H.
Bowman. August 6th.

23.143. " Electric incandescent lamps, &c." LI. Cristofoletli and N.
Manetti. August 6th.

23,176. " .Apparatus lor starting single-armature converters from alter-
nating-current side." Akt. Gcs. Brown, Boveri et Cie. August 6lh. (Swit-
zerland, August 16th, 1919.)

23.181. " Electric vehicle controllers." G. L. Meylarth. August 6th.
(Switzerland, August 18th, 1919.)

23.182. " Ignition magnetos for internal-combustion engines." Fabriqucs
des Montres Zenith successeur de Fabriques des Monfres Zenith G. Favre-
Jacot ct Cie. August 6th. (Switzerland, August 26th, 1919.)

23.183. " Magnetos having rotating armatures." Fabriques des Montres
Zenith successeur de Fabriques des Montres Zenith G. Favre-Jacdt et Cie.
August 6th. (Switzerland, November 6th, 1919.) '

23,185. " Instrument for converting wireless direction-finder bearings into
mercator bearings." R. E. Carey. August 6th.

23,187. " Means for securing metal, &c., bodies to insulating, &c., maleri.il."
Crompton & Co. and W. F. Jones. August 6th.

23,201. " Electrically treating foods, &c." F. S. Smith. August 6th.

23,249. "Automatic electric indicator for motor vehicles." T. W. Bennett.
August 7th.

23,252. " Handle, &c., for electrodes used in welding, tutting, &c." V.
Buckley and Buckley, Saunders & Co. August 7th.

23.267. " Electrical connecting and supporting devices." Electric Outlet Co.
August 7th. (United States, January 10th.)

23.268. " Electrical connecting and supporting devices." Electric Outlet
Co. August 7lh. (United States, April 9th.)

23,282. " Electric switches." R. C. S. Jamie. August 9th.
23,288. " Electric door-bells." R. L. Irvine. August 9th.

23.308. " Electric lighting svstems." C.L.I. Manufacturing Co. and E. A.
Watson. August 9th.

23.309. "Trolley-heads lor electrically-driven vehicles." G. H. Donovan.
August 9th.

23,329. " Electrical resistances." W. Clark and Clark's Neo El.ctric De.
vices, Ltd. August 9th.

•23,333. "Ignition magnetos." M-L. Magnetu-Svndicate and E. A. Walson.
August 9th.

•23,337. " Et-ctric radiators." E. C. R. Marks (l.and.-rv. Frary X: CI. irk).
August 9th.

•23,338. "Headlights and electric bulbs Ihirelor." J. .M. RiUiardson„.
August 9th. (United States. August 28th, 1919.)

23,347. " Receiving methods of radio-telegraphic anil radio-telephonic
signals." C. Bardeloni. August 9th. (ttaly, January 10th, 1918.)

23,368. " Means for interrupting electric currents." J. A. Slee. August 9th.

23.373. " Gas exits for galvanic batteries." G. Oldham, J. Oldham and O.
Oldham, and Oldham & .Sons. August 9th.

23.374. " Miners' safetv. &c., electric lamps." G. Oldham, J. Oldh.im and
O. Oldham, and Oldham 5i Sons. August 9th.

23.375. " Electric motor for driving phonographs, S:c." H. Wade (Mills).
August 9th. »

23,391. " Modulation systems, &c., in radio-communication, &c." R.idio
Communication Co. and J. Scott-Taggart. August 10th.

23,427. " Electric luminous-writing machines." F. Silbcrmann. -August
10th.

23,442. "Telephone svstems." Western Electric Co. (Western Electric Co.).
August 10th.
■ 23,450. " Electrical co;jplings." W. C. Lee. August 10th.

23,461. " Electrostatic igniter." H. Kuhner. Augusi lOlh.

23,470. " Electrical apparatus." E. L. W. Byrne. .August llth.

23.479. "Electric arc lamps." A. E. Angold and A. H. Railing. Augusi
llth.

23.480. " Means for charging electric accumulators." A. E. Angold and
A. H. Railing. August llth.

23,529. " Safety apparatus for preventing overheating ol electric irons." T.
Klotzio & Sohn. August llth. (Switzerland, Augusi llth, 1919.)

23.535. " Electrical converter or generator." T. G. Wright. Augusi llth

23.536. " Magnetic blow-out devices." \'. Breeze and A. West & Co.
August llth.

23.537. " Electric furnaces." E. P. Barlield and L. W. Wild. Augusi llth.

23.540. " Systems of electric ship propulsion," British Thomson-Houston Co.
and J. Martin. .August llth.

23.541. "Electric resistant;? devices." British Thomson-Houston Cii).
(General Electric Co.l. August' llth.

23,.544. " Drums for automaticariy coili,ng loose portione of electric cables."
W. E. Lawton and H. Marryat. August llth.

23,565. " Transmitting and receiving circuits for wireless telegraphy." H.
Morris-Airey and A. K. Maororie. August llth.

23,583. "Power for driving dynamos, &c., on vessels." J. Jones. Augusi
12th.

23,603. " Dynamo-elt<;lric m.ichincs." J. E. Calverlcy and W. E. Highfield.
August 12th.

23,607. " Sparking plugs." P. Chaliis. August 12th.

23,610. "Methods ol protecting electrical apparatus and distribution s\s.
l.ms." British Thomson-Houston Co., li. Trcncham and J. M. Wallace.
August 12th.

23,645. " Electric bells." F. G. licll, W. C. Davey and Sterling Telephone
& Electric Co. August 12th.

23.650. " Electric-current regulating devices," W. H. Glaser and W. II
Glaser, Ltd. Augusi 12th.

23.651. " Renewal of Ih.rmionic valves or aniplili.rs." F. Harriviii.
August 12th.

23,658. " Lighting and signalling d.-vice l..r ..utojnobiks." I,. H. Alitor,,
August 13lh,

•23,664. " .Apparatus for measuring maximum demand from electricity
supply." O. Howarth. Augusi 13th.

23,693. " AUernaling current electro-magnetic engine." \'. J. C. Payne;
August 13th.

23,696. " Cooling arrangement for electric machiner\." Siemens-Schuckcrl-
werke Ges. August 13th. (Germany, October 8lh, 1919.)

23,7-27. " Determining transmission equivalent ol an .-lectrical circuit."
Western Ekclric Co. (Western Electric Co.). August 13lh.

23,740. •' Brush-holders for dynamo-electric machines." W. R. Hopper and
A. R. Woods. August 13th.

23,750. " Pouring-channels for electric, &c., furnaces." D. de Luca. .August
13th.

23,761. " Armatures for dynamo-electric machines, &c." E. S. Banks.
August 14th.

23,783. " Means for testing and reinagnetising internal-combustion engine
ignition apparatus." A. C. Pritchard. August 14th.

23,794. " Allernating<urrent motors, &c." E. S. Carey and Carey-Gavey
Syndicate. August 14th.

23,798. " Dynamo-electric machines." Soc. Anon pour I 'Exploitation des
Precedes M. Leblanc-Vickers (formerly Soc. Anon pour I'Exploitation des Pro-
cedes Weslinghouse-I.ehlanc). August 14lh. (France, September 18th, 1919.)

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in parentheses are those under which the •p«cific;
printed and abridged, and all subsequent proceedings will be taUen.

181T.

6,600. " Apparatus for forming filaments for t-U-clric lamps." British
Thomson-Houston Co. (General Electric Co.). (147,955.)

19X9.

9.966. " Magneto-electric machines for engine ignition purposes." H. A.
Sheppard. April 22nd, 1919. May 9th, 1917. (147,981.)

9.967. " Construction of electric generators and motors lor working under
water or other liquid." C. H. Hall. April •22nd, 1919. (147,982.)

10,130. " Electric furnaces." A. M. Teixeira. April 23rd, 1919. (14r,98».)

10.'248. " Electric cells for miners' lamps and for similar purposes." Ilaslain

i Stretton and T. Stretton. April 24th, 1919. (147,994.)

Borel and 11. R

10.273. " Automatic appar;
driven clocks." F. Guye, L,
(147,997.)

11,115. " Electric switches.

11,348. " Electrical water-l
(148,009.)

11,551. " Electric lamps I
(148,012.)

22,913. "Galvanic cells."
18th, 1918. (132.803.1

28,678. " Electric switches." W. E. I
(148,086.)

31.908. " Eleclrolvtic apparatus (or the di
I'. P-.staln7za. December l!)lh, 19K1. il4K,li:l,

motor for winding spring-
imseyer. April 24lh, 1919.

Wight
elements.

of J,

k. May 3rd, 1919. (148.006.)

J. F
l.ein.

Ba

Ma

ih. 1919.

zkv

May SIh, 1919.
K. Dukes. Jul>
November 19lh, 1919.
luction (il hypochlorites."

Standardisatloa io Australia.— The Institute of Science
;init Industry of the Commonwealth has drawn up a scheme
for the creation of an Austrahan Engineering Standards Asso-
tintiou. This has been agreed to b,v tlie engineering societies,
and a recommendation has been made to the Comnionwealtli
Government for the e.stabhshment of a standarils as.sociaticm.
-Tn the meantime the question of reducing the number of
structural steel sections used in .\ustralia. and of standardising
the steel used for these sections, has received attention. The
annual consumption of steel and steel products in the Com-
monwealth is between 700.000 and .-^(«I,(KX) tons, while of that
quantity only '200, (XIO to 2.50,000 tons are produced locally.
This is the beginning of a tlefinite attempt on the part of the
Institute of Science and Industi-y to attack the general ques-
tion of standardisation of .Australian engineering materials
iind processes. Already considerable progress has been made
with electrical standardisation, and conferences will shortly
be held to deal with railway and tramway rails and tishplates.
The Institute of Science and Industry of the Commonwealth
will afford assistance in carrying out any investigations re-
quired, and also in .supplying funds for such work as might
be required in deciding on standards With the permission
of the British Engineering Standards .\ssociation. the iVderal
(Government has reproduced illustrations of the various sec
tions, and they are being circulated for the use of all interested
in building and constructional work. .Accompanying the
illustrations are full specifications, to be known as " Tlie
Australian Standard Specification for Structural Steel."

XKE

ELElGTie/ZOJ^.'Lj K/E^VIE'W-

Vol. LXXXVII.

SEPTEMBER 3, 1920.

No. 2,232.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

QUARTER-WAVE AND HALF-WAVE
TRANSMISSION LINES.

Vol. LXXXVII.] CONTENTS: S ptember 3, 1920.

[No. 2fi32.
Page

Quarter-Wave and Half- Wave Transmission Lines 289

Science at Oxford 290

L.C.C. Statistics and a Moral 2S0

The Engineering Training Organisation 291

A Tax on Turnover 291

The British Association.— II 292

Lubrication and the Germ Process 294

Electrolj tic Zinc 294

Ductile Tungsten 294

The Machine-Tool and Engineering Exhibition (jllim.') ... 295
Supply Pressures on Alternating Current Systems, by

R. J. H. Beaty (i«««.) 297

A Double Anode Vacuum-Tube A.C. Rectifier and Wirele.'s

Transmitter, by J. Scott-Taggart (illus.) 298

Electricity in the German Army, by T. Rich ... 299

Electrically Guided Ships 300

Correspondence —

Single-phase Meters on Balanced Three-phase, Three-wire

Systems 301

The So-called Half-watt Lamp 301

Power Factor 302

Why is the Contractor Permitted to do it .' 302

Business Notes 303

Notes 309

City Notes 311

Stocks and Shares i{l2

Notes on the Temperature Comp?n9ation of Moving-Coil
Ammeters, by F. T. Chapman, D.Sc , and A.T. Morris, B.Sc.

{illiix.) 313

Line Shafting, Couplings, and Journal Seats, by J. T. Towlson,

Olliis.) 315

Extra Long-Distance Transmission of Eleotri.al Energy

(^concluded) ... ,,, ... ... .,, ... ..; 316

New Electrical Devi es. Fittings and Plant (jWks.) 318

Exports and Imports of Electrical Goods for July, 192ff ... 319

Reviews 319

New Patents Applied for, 1920 320

Abstracts of Published Specifications 320

Gontracton' Colnmn Advertisement page zxvi

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[28

E.YTRA-LONG-DiSTANCE transmissioa of electrical energy
is not a matter of primary importance to the British
electrical engineer in his own country, but it is a matter of
the utmost importance to him in relation to Lis interests in
colonial and foreign electricity undertakings. In every
country there is increased interest in hydro-electric
projects — the stimulus, which is likely to be a permanent
one, being the shortage ami high price of fuel — and there
are likely to be important hydro-electric developments in
all countries possessing surplus water power directly the
markets of labour and materia's are sufficiently stable to
justify firm estimates. The economic possibilities of water
power are determined largely by the availability of a market
for electrical energy within the radius of economical trans-
mission. Increase in the distance to which electrical
energy can be transmitted economically increases the water-
horse- power which can be utilised by making it profitable
to develop falls hitherto too remote from industrial centres.

With the materials, equipment, and experience in design
and operation hitherto at our disposal, we have been able to
transmit electrical energy at pressures between 100,000 and
150,000 volts for distances up to 200 miles or so. Trans-
mission at 200,000 volts and for distances up to 300 miles
represents about the limits which can be entertained in
polyphase transmission systems such as those in service at
present. These limits are, moreover, in the nature of
physical limits which cannot be surmounted by mere
extension of present-day transiirssion practice. The line
voltage is limited to a pressure in the neighbourhood of
150,000 to 200,000 volts by the appearance of corona
discharge, and the distance is limited to, say, 300 miles by
the impedance of lines of such section and such arrangement
as can be afforded on economic grounds.

If, whilst retaining the same pressure limits, the economic
distance of transmission can be increased four- fold, this is an
achievement of importance to every electrical engineer,
for whatever extends the distributicn of cheap electrical
energy is of benefit to the whole of the electrical industry.
If, in addition, a corresponding economy can be realised in
comparatively short-distance transmission lines, the matter
is of iniDortance to British engineers, not merely in its
relation to foreign and colonial power schemes, but also in
its possibilities for this country.

Broadly speaking, the quarter-wave and half-wave
transmission systems, discussed so fully in an article
which is concluded in this issue, utilise a line which is in
resonance, and thus reduce the transmission losses to those
due to ohmic resistance alone. The phrases " quarter-
wave " and " half-wave " in this connection are very
appropriate, a " quarter-wave" line being one in which an
alternating current is transmitted from end to end in one-
quarter of the periodic time of the current concerned.
Similarly, a half-wave line is one in which the time of trans-
mission is one-half of the periodic time.

A quarter-wave line necessitates constant-current input,

if constant-voltage supply is to be maintained at the load,

and constant-current alternators and transformers are not at

present available for large outputs. There is no reason to

9] D

290

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,232, septembeb 3, 1920.

doubt tliat they i-ould be d-vclaped, but the necessity for
perfecting a new class of station equipment is obviously
a serious handicap to a transmission system which represents
in itself a radically new application. Fortunately, the half-
wave line requires only standard constant-voltage station
equipment, and there is no reason why its possibilities should
not be determined practically at relatively small expense by
interconnection of existing transinission lines.

"Without going into details which are presented so fully
in M. P. Bunet's article, it may be said that the " natural "
length of the half-wave line is from 1,500 to 1,'JOO miles
for 50-cycle operation {i c, twice that of the quarter-wave
line), and that the half- wave system operates at constant-
voltage at each end and at constant-current at the centre.
Supply cannot be taken from a quarter-wave line at any
intermediate point in its length, but transformers, the
secondaries of which serve constant-current circuits, can be
connected in series at or near the centre of a half-wave line.
There is a point of maximum pressure in a half-wave line
about one-quarter of its length away from the load, and the
voltage is there equal to the station voltage required in
ordinary constant-pressure transmission to deliver (over this
quarter distance) the same voltage at the load as is actually
delivered by the half-wave line. In other words, for a
given maximum voltage in the system and a given voltage
at the load, the half-wave line delivers energy over four
times the distance possible by ordinary transmission, and
with a station voltage greater than the load voltage only by
the amount corresponding to the ohmic drop. The station
voltage in the half-wave system is materially lower than
the maximum voltage along the line. Adhering, however,
to the same maximum line voltage as is dictated by present-
day practice in the matter of insulation, we have the
practicable range of transmission quadrupled.

The question now arises : do we need such distances of
transmission ? Is there any demand for " through " trans-
mission over such distances as those between Niagara and Xew
Orleans, Zambesi Falls and the Cape, or Montenegro and
Petrograd, with at the most a tapping near the centre
point ? Probably not, but whereas a half- wave line
which has half-wave characteristics by virtue of its own
length and spacing in accordance with usual practice, is
necessarily very long, it is possible to " load " a much
shorter line so as to give it half- wave characteristics.
This may be done by increasing the reactance and/or the
capacity of the line. Up to about 10,000 kw., it is sufficient
to connect reactance coils in the circuit, but for higher
power it is necessary to obtain the desired product of
reactance and capacity by using a relatively smaller
reactance, and a relatively larger capacity. Up to
50,000 KW. or so, it is sufficient to increase the capacity
by using split conductors, which opens up the possibility
of operating two or more transmission lines as a single
half-wave system. For yet higher power, condensers would
have to be used to produce the requisite line characteristics,
and this could apparently be done at a capital cost quite
reasonable in comparison with the results obtained. At
higher frequencies, the natural length of a half- wave line is,
of course, reduced in inver.se proportion, but 50-cycJe supply
is the most generally useful, and the bfst means of applying
the half-wave principle to ordinary distances of transmission
certainly appears to be by loading the line. The loading
need not, however, be entirely artificial. l'>y combining
overhead and underground transmission, the resultant
inductance of the line may be reduced and the capacity
increased, compared with purely overhead transmission, and
the underground sections of the line may be located in
densely populated areas where overhead lines are undesirable.

These are points which must be decided for each case on
its own merits. The basic fact of importance is that half-
wave transmission makes possible — by the use of standard
alternators, transformers, and line material— efficient trans-
mission of electrical energy over distances of 300 miles or
more with the following principal advantages :— (1) Lower
weight of conductors per kilowatt per mile than is recjuircd
for ordinary transmission systems. (2) Much better pressure
rtgulation than is possible in ordinary transmission .sy&tcins,
the station voltage in the half-wave system being practically
independent of the power factor of the load and varying with
load to about one-quarter the extent of the variation occur-

ring in an ordinary transmission system. Half-wave trans-
mission makes possible transmission over a distance of 1,500
miles with better regulation than is possible in ordinary
transmission over one-fifth of this distance and, by loading
the system, corresponding advantages can be obtained in
shorter transmission lines down to 300 miles or so. For
still shnrtei' distances ordinary transmission is sufficient.

„ . , An earnest appeal for funds for the

Science at Oxford. ^. j j , , j

erection and endowment of adequate

buildings and equipment for the School of Chemistry at
Oxford has been issued by Prof. W. H. Perkin, Prof. F.
Soddy, and Prof. Benjamin Moore. At present the accom-
modation available for the hundreds of students who are,
and seek to be, in attendance, is utterly and lamentably
insufficient — in fact, it can hardly be said to exist. That
such a state of things should obtain at Oxford is deplorable
in the highest degree, and we hope that the sum required,
amounting to about half a million sterling, will be
forthcoming.

Oxford is the nursery of the Civil Service, whose utter
ignorance of science and scientific methods of thought has
been in the past, and will long continue to be, a blighting
influence upon the progress of this country and of ihe
Empire itself. The modern Universities are free from this
reproach, but they are not the favoured source of civil
servants, and until Oxford is reformed and modernised by
the development of her scientific sid", we cannot hopj for
much improvement. Let us, then, by all means help Oxford
to do this.

Opening the L.C.C. Electricity Returns
■-■ .. . for 1917-8 recently published, we ccme
across first a couple of maps, of the
County of London and of Greater London respectively,
showing in contrasted co'.ours the areas supplied by local
authorities and those supplied by companies. This reminds
us of what has hitherto been one of the insoluble elements in
London electricity problems, namely, the fact that muni-
cipalities and companies jostle each other, elbow to elbow,
in a most mad and mixed medley throughout the whole
area. Further, their relations have often been in the past best
designated as of the " cat and dog " type. But it is to be hoped
that in future wiser counsels will prevail, and this wholly
unnecessary antagonism will disappear. One point which
should tend in the direction of mutual conciliation is the
fact that the sides are so equal, that " honours are divided."
The present L.C.C. statistics are interesting as indicating
such " balance of power." For instance, taking the Ctmnty
of jjondon itself, and measuring the undertakings by the
units generated, the companies show 328 million units, and
the local authorities 23>i millions, a balance in the companieo'
favour : but taking extra-London, the case is reversed, and
local authorities are atop with 13i million units, as against
the companies' 78 ; and taking both together, tliat is, the
whole area nf (Ireater London, there is not much to choose y
between the 372 millions of the local authorities and the
406 millions of the companies.

Numerically, too, the undertakings respectively are, in
total, very near together, being, for Greater liondon, 3!)
local autboiities and ;'>3 companies. When wc come to
extent of area, we still find no great discrepancy, so far as
the County of London is concerned, the local authorities" an a
l)eing 55.', sq. miles and the companies' area 64^ sq nnlei'.
When we look at extra-London, however, we notice a big
divergence, the companies" area being over 15o 6i|. miles, as
against the local authorities' lt;7 sq. miles, implying, of
course, that the companies have big undeveloped areas.
Altogether, therefore, things lie at present very evenly
between the two, and it is to be hoped that such an atmosphere
of harmony will prevail in the present scheme-foi'mulatii g
period as will exclude altogether any of the old-tinic
differences, which are, afte'r all, entirely political and in no
way technical or electrical.

We would point out, in conclusion, that it should be
borne in mind, when inn king a comparison of the working

Vol.87. No. 2,232, September 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

291

of municipal and company imdertakings. and more particu-
larly when comparing the working costs per unit, that
inasmuch as the municipal accounts are made up to
March 31st and the corresponding company accounts to
December 31st, the comparison, especially for the year
1919, during which there was a considerable rise in the
price of coal and in wages, should make allowance for the
fact that whereas the local authorities' accounts only include
three months of this rise, the companies' accounts include
the whole 1 2 months.

A MEETiKd of the Council was held on
The Engineering -^^gdnesday last at the Institution of
Training „..,„. . , „

OrganUatlon, ^'^'^' Engineers, to receive the first report
of the Executive, and to discuss the future
of the movement in the light of the fact that, for financial
reasons, it does not appear to be possible to carry it on as an
independent organisation. The E.T.O. was founded on
October 25th, 1917, and the whole of the work to date has
been done by voluntary effort, the initial fund of nearly
£1,200, which was subscribed by the leading Engineering
Institutions and certain colleges and firms, having been
expended on printing, postage, &c.

The report is a volume of 330 pages, and incorporates a
register of the available facilities for engineering training
at the various engineering works and colleges throughout
the country, but, unfortunately, the funds at command were
not sufficient to permit of nnre copies being printed than
would suffice for the memb rs of Council.

The Executive, finding the expenditure too heavy to be
borne by the Engineciing lustitutiocs and Associations,
invited 246 engineering firms to become members at a
minimum subscription of 10 guineas per annum, but only
30 firms consented, and therefore it is feared that the
organisation will hp-e.

This unexpected and unhappy conclusion will be deplored
by all who are interested in this most important subject.
Those who were present at the inaugural meeting will
remember the enthusiastic support which was then accorded
to the movement, and which certainly justified the promoters
in devoting their unselfish efforts to the evolution of a
comprehensive scheme on a permanent foundation. The
originators of the movement — Mtssrs. A. E. Berriman and
A. P. M. Fleming — deserved the hearty thanks of the
engineering industries for the valuable work they had
already accomjilished during the several years preceding the
meeting, and since then they have not relaxed their efforts ;
Ml. Berriman 1 as acted as honorary organiser, in which
capacity he must have shouldered a heavy burden.

The scheme was directed to the provision of adequate
training not only for the engineer, but also for the rank
and file of the industry, and was intended to remove a great
defect in our educational system by providing a ladder
which would enable promising youths to climb " from the
bench to the university," and thus make available for the
benefit of the whole nation, the potential talent and intel-
lectual ability of which an inexhaustible store exists in
every class of society. Other objects of the organisation
were to increase the efficiency of engineering training, and
to provide a central information bureau.

Eighteen months ago the Executive advertised for an
" engineer secretary," a first-class man with a good salary,
and an appeal was made to engineering firms to provide the
necessary funds (Electrical Rev»:\v, February 7th,
1919) ; but the response was evidently very disappointing,
and the appointment was not made. It is exceedingly
regrettable that the necessary support was not forthcoming ;
if but 200 firms had contributed the trifling amount asked
of them, in addition to the contributions of the engineering
institutions, the organisation could have been established
on a satisfactory basis and enabled to produce results which,
we have no doubt, would have commanded the confidence
of the industry in the future conduct of the scheme.

Without for a moment reflecting on the efficiency of the
organisers, whose capacity for work must have been taxed
to the utmost, we venture to suggest that the true caufe of
the indifference manifested by the industry to the claims of

the Organisation is tn be found in the lack of publicity.
We remarked in February last year, when commending the
movement to our readers, that it had not been much in
evidence — and that is the whole thing in a nut-shell. The
whole of the engineering Press, we believe, cordially
supported the scheme, and would gladly have kept it before
the public, but the promoters, doubtless overburdened with
work, were not able to supply the information required for
that purpose, while the Press was not aware that it was in
difficulties. Ninr iJ/ir hirhii/inic.

As we go to press, we learn that the Council proposes to
hand over the work to the Federation of British Industries
(see our " Notes " columns).

A REPRESEKTATivE of the Financier
*" "" recently had an interview with Mr. B. H.
"'°"^*'' Morgan, F.R.S.S., M.I.A.E., who advo-
cates a tax on turnover, instead of the destructive and
unfair device known as the Excess Profits Duty. Mr.
Morgan lays stress on the fact that the Excess Profits Duty
is a positive bar to enterprise, its incidence being uncertain
and often grossly unfair.

Why should a standard of profits earned by establif-hed
firms six years ago be made the basis for taxation tcday ?
This crude device was bad enough during the war, but
to-day, when reconstruction of industry is urgently calling
for the starting of new businesses, it seems to be a most
extraordinary anomaly that every new business should be
handicapped, less or more, from the start, owing to the
absence of the pre-war standard of profit enjoyed by
established firms in the same line of business.

It is, of course, obvious to everybody that it is a hopeless
task to attempt to establish a new firm to-day to compete
with firms established before the war, and having a pre-war
standard of from 5 to 15 per cent.

Such firms can underquote a new concern every time,
and put it out of business very quickly. A tax of 1 per
cent, on the turnover, however, as proposed by Mr. Morgan,
would fall, like rain from heaven, equally upon new and old
firms and upon those which were successful or unsuccessful
before the war. In the opinion of Mr. Morgan, a tax of
only that moderate amount on turnover would produce a
much larger amount than the Excess Profits Duty. There
would also be the advantage to the Chancellor that, by
terminating the Excess Profits Duty, he would save himself
from having to pay ba5k considerable sums of excess profits
already received by the Treasury as the result of the con-
tinuation of the tax. It will be remembered that under
the provisions of this strange and ill-considered impost, any
fiim may average its profits throughout the whole period of
the duration of the tax, and, if it should now be incurring
losses, can demand back excess profits already paid and taken
fully into credit in previous Budgets. There is a growing
impression that Mr. Austin Chamberlain's obduracy will
not result in bringing in the revenue expected, but, on the
contrary, will subject him to a very serious disappointment.

The Excess Profits Duty is just one of those things that
anyone with a scientifio turn of mind can hardly find the
patience to discuss. It could hardly have been invented by
anv other combination than that of a Labour man and a
lawyer. Certainly no engineer, electrical or otherwise,
could have had anything to elo with it. Our own view is
that anything that would remove the gross injustice of
taxing the small men and the new firms more heavily
than the big men and the old-estalilished firms, would
be welcome. Apart from that, however, any simplification
such as that suggested by Mr. Morgan, which would enable
the taxes to be collected with less difficulty and expense,
would be really a permanent economy. The present com-
plex of taxes, duties, and stamp fees, combined with the
present habit of the Government of using the trading
institutions of the country, such as the Post Office and
the railways, for the purpose of imposing special taxes o i
persons using those services, should be swept clean away
and a new start made with some simple form of taxation,
which could be understood by a plain man, and collected at
one-quarter the cost ; from this point of view, Mr. Morgan's
suggestions are worthy of careful attention.

292

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,232, September 3, 1920.

THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.— II.

Earlt in the moiuing of Tuesday, August 24th, the
organisiug aud sectional committees got to work, and
soon the reading of papers was commenced in the various
buildings allotted to the sections. In Section A (Mathe-
matical aud Physical Science) Mr. J. Evershed, F.R.S.,
read his paper on " Measures of the shifts of the
Frauuhofer lines and their interpretation, particularly
with relation to the Einstein theory." In Section B
(Chemistry) a paper on " Industrial Alcoholism," by
Capt. A. Des'borough, was read and discussed. " A
Criticism of the Majority Uejjort of the Royal Commis-
sion on Decimal Coinage," by Mr. H. Allcock, was the
lirst paper read in Section F (Economic Science aud
Statistics). Three papers were read and discussed in
Section (i (Engineering): "Testing materials at high
temperatures," by Prof. F. C. Lea; "Experiments on
impact torsion," by Mr. Eric Jones; and " The cutting
edges of tools," by Col. R. E. Crompton, C.B. The
report of the Committee upon Training in Citizenship
was presented in Section L (Education). Several excur-
sions were arranged for the afternoon, including visits
to Cardiff Docks, Grangetown tJas Works, and the Power
Station. About 20 members secured tickets fur the last
named, but, owing perhaps to the lack of tran.sport dur-
ing the municipal strike, only eight were present ; the
electricity works is at the tramway terminus, and under
normal conditions easily accessible. The visitors found
a very small volunteer staff " carrying on," but half the
plant was shut down, partly on account of the lack of
men aud partly because the traction side which occupies
a large part of the station was not needed. Much in-
terest was evinced in the Siemens and Westinghouse
2,000-KW. turbo-alternator sets and the large English
Electric d.c. generators for supplying the tramways.
The visitors then crossed over to the tramcar repair
shop, where the item which attracted most attention was
the arc-welding plant, which was being used for the
repair of gear cases.

Many eminent men were on the platform at the in-
augural general meeting in the Park Hall at 8 p.m., in-
cluding the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, the Marquis of Bute,
Lord Treowen, Lord Pontypridd, Lord Tredegar, H.H.
Maharaj Rana of Jhalawar, Sir Oliver Lodge and Bishop
Welldon. Sir C. A. Parsons, the retiring President, in
a brief speech, introduced Prof. Herdman, giving a short
sketch of his life and achievements. Prof. Herdman
tlien read his address, which was briefly noticed in the
Electuical Review of August 27th. The Lord Mayor
extended a hearty welcome to the Association on behalf
of the citizens of Cardiff, and in a witty speech touched
upon the importance of the science of oceanography to a
city situated as Cardiff is. In seconding a vote of
thanks to Prof . Herdman, Sir. Oliver Lodge recalled the
events of twenty-nine years ago, when they were work-
ing togetlier. He remembered that when Prof. Herdman
secured a ship from the Government for the purposes of
oceanograpliical research, he (Sir Oliver) was asked to
accompany the party, not because Prof. Herdman
thought a great deal of him as a biologist, but because he
was a strong and healthy young man. SIt Oliver, amid
nmch laughter, said that one of his first tasks as a mem-
lier of the expedition was the carrying of sacks of coal
over the coast of a verj- rocky island.

It was announced that the number of members attend-
ing the annual meeting was 1,370 — a very satisfactory
total.

On Wednesday. August '27>t\t. the morning was devoted
to sectional pajiers and discussions. In tlie Mathe-
matical and Physical Science Section, Dr. F. W. Aston
read a paper entitled " Mass spectra and the constitu-
tion of chemical elements," and Sir E. Rutherford,
F.R.S., discoursed upon the biiilding-up of atoms, ex-
plaining the electronic theory to his audience by means
of diagrams. He discussed the bombardment of the
atomic nucleus with alpha particles, explaining that

these were repelled at varying distances and thus pre-
vented from reaching the nucleus. He stated that if the
nucleus could be reached by these particles, the explosion
would very probably disintegrate the atom. The time
of the Chemical Section was devoted wholly to the con-
sideration and discussion of papers on lubrication, in
which many members took part. Section F (Economics)
listened to the reading of papers on " The present supply
of coal and its effects on the shipping interests of
Cardiff," by Mr. J. O. Cheetham, and ou " The conduct
of the mining industry," by Mr. R. F. Adgie. Among
the papers read before the Engineering Section was one
on " High-speed petrol engines," by Mr. H. R. Ricardo;
Prof. Watkinson's paper on " Some methods of obtain-
ing ignition in internal-combustion engines with low
compression pressures " was cancelled.

At their afternoon meeting the members of the Physio-
logical Section were presented with two papers by Prof.
A. D. W^aller, F.R.S. The hrst dealt with'the applica-
tion of electricity to plants and the responses obtained.
Prof. Waller demonstrated that the result of passing an
inductive shock through a plant was an after-current,
the direction of which depended upon the condition of
the plant. If the plant was in a state of growth in all
parts, the after-current w-ould have the same direction as
that of the first current. If one part was physiologically
inactive and another active, the after-current would have
its direction from the active to the inactive section. The
second paper was a consideration of the effects of emotion
upon the human body. The apparatus described con-
sisted of a Wheatstone bridge, the fourth arm of which
was connected thrQUgh a potentiometer to two electrodes
applied to the subject under test. By means of oscillo-
grams Prof. Waller showed that when the mind was at
rest a small current passing through the circuit kept a
connected galvanometer in a state of rest. The effect
of a threat was shown to be a violent deflection of the
galvanometer needle, and the shock given by means of a
pin-prick or electricity caused a still greater deflection.
Similar tests having the electrodes connected to the sub-
ject's foot, leg and forearm were illustrated, the effects
varying somewhat. Prof. Waller stated that his theory
to account for the deflection of tiie galvanometer needle
was that the various emotions opened the pores of the
skin and lessened the body's electrical resistance or in-
creased its conductivity. A pressure of 1/10 volt was
generally used for the experiments described. Upon the
conclusion of Prof. Waller's papers the members of the
Section made a tour of inspection of the new phjsiolo-
gical buildings, which are stated to be some of the finest
m the United Kingdom. Among the various visits, Ac,
arranged for the afternoon was the inspection of the
Western Mail and South Wales News printing works,
A party of members went to the Castle at the invitation
of the Marcjuis and Marchioness of Bute, and others
visited University College, where the Senior Deputy
Chancellor (the Rt. Hon. Lord Kenyon) conferred degrees
upon a number of British and foreign scientists. At
the Park Hall in the evening. Prof. A. W. Kirkaldy,
M.Com., delivered a public lecture on " Present Indus-
trial Conditions " to a fairly large audience of the
citizens of Cardiff.

On Thursday, August 2Gth. there was a rather larger
number of matters of indirect if not direct electrical
interest. In Section B (Chemistry) Prof. C. H.
Desch, who recently succeeded Prof, .\rnold in the Chair
of Metallurgy at Sheffield University, gave an interesting
account of the manufacture of tungsten tilaments for in-
candescent vlectric lamjis. of wliich we give an abstract
elsewhere. To the chemists, the jiaper, together w ith one
by Mr. J. L. F. Vogely on the tvingsten industry, proved
exceptionally interesting, although they recorded facts
known to metallurgists and makers of tungsten wire for
electric lamps. Neverthele.ss. it was s\iggested that if the
traile Press did not publish the p.ipers in full, a report
should be made to the Association to do so. These two

Tol.87. No. 2,232, September 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

293

papers were followed by an exceedingly valuable one on
the prospects of establishing an electrolytic zinc process
in this country. This paj^er we abstract at some length.
The zinc industry in this country is in low water at the
present time, and three important South Wales works
have been shut down during the past few months.

In Section B on Thursday, also, the report of the B.A.
Fuel Economy Committee was read and briefly discussed.
It is to be regretted that the feud, if we may use the
term, between the Committee and the Fuel llesearch
Board still continues. The point is that it was practic-
ally out of the proi)aganda work of the B..\. Committee
i.i I ill 5 tiiat the Fuel llesearch Board was formed, with
Sir (ieorge Beilljy as the Director. When the Board was
established, the Fuel Economy Committee offered its
assistance, but judging by what Prof. Bone said last year
and again this, the Fuel Research Board has declined to
avail itself of any assistance from this quarter. The
case for the existence of the Committee is that it is practi-
cally the only body wliich can be said to be looking after
tlie interests of the consumer, but even as such, the Fuel
Research Board ignores it to the extent that no notifica-
tion is given to the B.A. Committee of any conferences
and meetings such as have taken place in connection with
the new legislation for the gas industry. Exasperated by
this treatment, the B.A. Committee went to the Board of
Trade direct, and had reason to believe that something
would come of its action. This was at a time when Sir
Auckland Geddes was at the Board of Trade, but a
change in the political head of that department seems
to have been disastrous for the objects which the
B.A. Committee had in mind, viz., a limitation of the
impurities which gas undertakings may put into gas
under the new legislation. This was the burden of the
story which Prof. Bone, as chairman of the Connnittee,
had to tell the Section, a story which he repeated in the
afternoon at the joint meeting of the South Wales In-
stitute of Engineers and the B..\. Fuel Economy Com-
mittee, when two papers dealing with coal were dis-
cussed.

In Section G, Prof. J. T. MacGregor-Morris described
a portable direct reading anemometer for measuring
ventilation in coal mines, which has been taken up by
several people, especially in the North of England.
This was followed by a paper, by Mr. H. T. Tizard, on
" Specific Heat and Dissociation in Internal-combustion
Engines," which reminds us that no report from the
B.A. Gaseous Explosion Connnittee was presented this
year. The work of this Conmiittee has been interrupted
liy the war and the lamentable death of Prof. Bertram
llopkinson. Thus tliere lias been little advance in I'ecent
years in the thermo-dynamical theory of internal-com-
bustion engines. On the other hand, there have been
great practical advances, and it is said that the actual
efficiency of a modern high-speed engine is higher than
tlie theoretical efficiency calculated on the old specific
heat figures of Clerk and Langer, even if no allowance
is made for the loss of heat; the paper dealt with this
aspect of the matter.

Another paper in Section G was by Prof. A. L.
Mellanby and Mr. W. Kerr, dealing with steam action
in simple nozzles. This was a short study of the
variants in nozzle expansion.

Friday saw the close of the Sectional meetings. Several
of them were busy until a late hour in the afternoon,
whilst the more fortunate members of those Sections
which had concluded their labours were able to enjoy
various excursions. The weather remained fine — indeed
it improved as the week progressed, and in this respeot,
at least, the B.A. maintained its reputation. During
the last 12 years we hardly remember an occasion
when the British Association has had wet weather.
'Ihe inconvenience caused by a week's accumulation of
dirt and litter in the streets through the strike of muni-
cipal employes was not abated, for although tlie strikers
were reported on Thursday to have settled their differ-
ences, they were still having acrimonious discussions
among themselves as to whether they shoulil or should
not go back. Even the gravediggers joined the mal-

contents, and thus, as a speakjer in one Section face-
tiously put it, there was no inducement even to die in
Cardiff. The meetings of the strikers, indeed, aft'orded
an interesting opportunity of studying psychology in a
practical form, after listening to a whole series of papers
on industrial psychology written more or less from what
might be termed the theoretical aspect. Outside the
City Hall, the men's organisers, after having success-
fully induced them to strike, were that morning finding
it an exceedingly difficult task to induce them to return
to work. " You go back to work," cried the organiser,
wagging a finger of authority at a crowd of some hun-
dreds. " That's the second time you've told us that,
and we ain't gone back," cried one man. However, the
men went back, and by the time we left on Saturday
morning the streets were being rapidly cleaned and the
tramcars were running normally.

Another aspect of the psychological problems which
have been discussed appealed to us. Quite a large body
of men are now taking up the study of industrial
psychology, and are making a brave effort to put it upon
a common-sense and practical level. Thej' lay down
laws which should be applied to workers to keep them in
good health and spirits, and they prescribe that not more
than so many hours' work a day should be done if the
best results are to be obtained. These same men who are
striving to make the path of the average worker easier
are themselves, to all outward appearances, working
double time. If they are not careful they will bring
about, in themselves, the very conditions of reduced out-
put which they are striving to prevent in the case of the
general worker. We shall have to start a study of the
psychology of the psychologist to save him from himself.

Section G on Friday morning was concerned with only
one electrical paper, viz., that of Prof. G. W. O. Howe,
the Recorder of the Section, who gave a most interesting
lecture on the efficiency of transmitting aerials and the
power required for long-distance radio-telegraphy.

The Psychological Sub-section of Section I (Physio-
logy) has been one of the most active of all the Sections,
and its aspiration to become a full Section next year
seems more than likely to be fulfilled. This active young
Sub-section, presided over by Dr. C. S. Myers, F.R.S.,
met morning and afternoon all tlirough the week, and
on Friday it devoted the whole of its energies to a con-
sideration of industrial psychology. There is a great
deal more in this than many people, even industrialists,
imagine, and we are pleased to note that those who have
taken up the problem in this countrj- are striving to get
away from the effect of the American ideas on industrial
management — so-called — so far as these have tended to
turn the worker into a machine. Particularly in-
teresting was a paper by Prof. E. L. Collis on the
psychology of industrial convalescence, which raised an
important question concerning the present regulations
applying to national health insurance and sick club
benefits in illness. The argument put forward is that
the system by which all benefit ceases the moment a man
recovering from an illness does even half an hour's work
per day is wrong in principle, and that a man should be
nursed back to the full enjoyment of his physical and
mental faculties by a gradually increasing amount of
employment, the amount of sick pay varying propor-
tionately. Problems of vocational selection, and the
aims and work of a National Institute of Applied
Psychology, were the subjects of other papers dealt with
by this Sub-section.

Late on Friday afternoon in Section K (Botany). Sir
J. C. Bose, F.R.S., had an overcrowded meeting to wit-
ness a demonstration of the growth of plants by means
of the magnetic crescograph, and in Section L (Educa-
tion) in 'the morning. Principal J. C. Maxwell Garnett
dealt with higher technical schools in a national system
of education. In tliis paper diagrams were exhibited to
illustrate certain recommendations recently published by
the Federal Council of Lancashire and Cheshire
Teachers' Associations, the paper Ijeing specially con-
cerned with the provision of the highe.st technological
education in a national system of education.

29 i

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,232, septembeb 3, 1920.

Lubrication and the Germ Process.

By II. M. Wbixs .axul ,1. E. Southcomf-.k. MS,-.

{Abstract.)

Section B. — Chemistry.

The autlii.r.-< drew attention to the fact that the uKjderu view
of lubncatiuu on the phy.sieo-chemical side was the existence
of a residual valency or affinity between the oil and the solid
surfaces of the bearing and journal. The problem had, there-
fore, to be considered as a kind of intimate relationship be-
tween the oil and the metal. This was quite a different view
to that held by investigators in the past, who thought that
the property of " oihness," so strongly manifested by fatty
oils as compared with mineral oils, resided in some particular
physical characteristic of the oil itself.

The modern point of view had been elaborated recently by a
number of students of the subject. The authors had dis-
covered the " reason " why tlie fatty or fixed oils possessed
friction-reducing properties superior to those of mineral oils.
They had shown that this was due essentially to the presence
111 fatty oils of minutt- quantities of free fatty acids, which
were absent in the majority of mineral oils, in consequence
of this discovery they had added small quantities (about one
per cent.) of fatty or organic acids, which were easily access-
ible and relatively cheap, to mineral hydro-carbon oils. The
products so obtained possessed remarkably low frictional co-
efficients. As an example, the addition of '2 per cent, of
common fatty acid to a mineral hydro-carbon oil reduced the
coefficient of friction shown by this oil on a friction-testing
machine from 0.0U84 to U.005'2, a diminution of '26 per cent.

By suitably choosing the type of fatty acid to be added to
mineral oii the behaviour of oils in the presence of water and
other contaminating substances could be modified at will. It
was also shown that the risk of metalhc corrosion was even
less with these oils than with the usual compounded oils,
because the latter frequently developed in working notable
quantities of free acid.

The principle of making mineral lubricating oils possessing
increased frictional-reducing properties by adding to mineral
oils suitably chosen fatty acids in relatively minute amounts
had been patented throughout the world, and had been some-
what fancifully called the " germ process," because the fatty
acid was the germ of the idea.

The value of the process lay in the fact that oils possessing
friction-reducing properties much superior to mineral oils could
be prepared at relatively little extra cost to mineral oils.
Secondly, by tlii.? means an immen.se quantity of fatty oils,
suitable for the manufacture of margarine and other food-
stuffs, was liberated for the country's needs and replaced by
a much smaller amount of commercial fatty acids, which were
quite unsuitable for food and were more or less in the nature
of by-products.

Finally, it might enalile lubricating oil manufacturers to
produce the highest class of friction-reducing oils from com-
paratively thin — therefore cheaper — mineral oils, and incident-
ally this might have the utmost significance to-day when they
were striving to foster and develop tlie mineral nil production
of this country and the Empire.

Electrolytic Zinc.

By SAMri;i, Fiku), A.H.C.Sc. (I.ond.). F.C.S.

{Abstract.)

Section B. — Chemistry.

The Zinc Industry. — It is advocated that, in view- of the pre-
sent depression of the British zinc industry and the very
limited output of less than 10 per cent, of the pre-war con-
sumption, attention must be given to the application of the
results of modern research in order to retain and adequately
develop this " key " industry. The current method of dis-
tillation is severely handicapped and overburdened by scarcity
of home supphes of .suitably pure raw materials, by the poor
recovery of metal from any but the highest grades of ore and
the best types of fuel, by a very low- thermal efficiency, by
the poor quality of the product, iind by high fuel and labour
t-osts.

Adrantit(irs (if titc Elect rulytic I'mccss. — During the p.tst few-
years, however, considerable attention has been given to the
possibility of the establishment of an electrolytic zinc industry
in (Ireat Britain. .\s a result of this work, it may be slateci,
with (-onfidence, that Briti.sh electrolytic zinc is n;)W an
economic proposition. Research work has been carried out
at Swansea during the past four years. In the later stages,
in a J.l-ton per day plant, over Til tons of metal have been
produced, which commanded an appreciable premium over
the ordinary spelter, and demonstrated (1) that the electrolytii-
product is a icrtainty from even the complex ores available in
the country, and (2) tliat the process can be carried out with
much greater efficiency and less co.st than that of distillation.

Outstanding advantages of the method are : (1) The high
purity of the product, ranging up to 99.9.5 per cent, zinc
and over; (2) high recovery; (3| the almost entirely mechanical
handling from ore to ingot, thus eliminating excessive labour
cost; (4) the easy concomitant recovery of accompanying metal
values, such as lead and silver, and (.5) the availability of largt-
resources of home ores (w-hich, by reason of their complexity,
are not amenable to di.stillation). thus en.suring an establislu-d
home production of a metal so largely used in the galvunising

industry in which flreat Britain once occupied the premier

position.

Iiiitlinc of Process. — The process l>rieHy is as follows : Ores
or concentrates suitably crushed are calcined, sulphur being
rec(jvered as sulphuric acid or other sulphur product. The
calcination is designed to meet the special requirements of
the later operation.s, and thus markedly differs from methods
foUoweil in the case of distillation. From the calcined product
the zinc is extracted with the acid zinc sulphate hquors from
the electrolytic cells. The Uquor is reduced to low acidity
by means of the ore, and then completely neutrahsed by
available waste zinc products or by whiting. An important
point in the process is the prevention of gel formation from
soluble silica, thus completely .surmounting a dilficulty .still
experienced in established electrolytic zinc works. The liquors
are separated from the insoluble residue (which contains the
lead and silver) and the crude zinc liquor now contains about
lu per cent, of zinc together with .small amounts of impurities
such as arsenic, antimony, copper, cadmium, iron, nickel, and
cobalt. The effect of each of these impurities on the process
of zinc deposition has been carefully studied. Each of the.se
impurities, even in very small quantities, had a most detri-
mental effect in the electrolysis of acid zinc sulphate liquors.
One of the chief problems of electrolytic zinc is the reduction
of these deleterious impmities down to harmless quantities.
Xew methods of purification have been worked out for each
impurity, and methods are available for their removal in two
stages or even in a single oiieralion. \\'hen present in sufficient
amounts, copper and cadmium are recovered as well as elimi-
nated, and provide additional sources of revenue. The purified
liquor now contains only exceedingly minute traces of cad-
mium, with nickel and cobalt each reduced to much less than
one part per million of liquor. The pure liquor is now acidified
with outflowing solution from the cells, bringing the com-
position to approximately 8 per cent, zinc and 3 per cent,
acid, and electrolysed between lead anodes and aluminium
cathodes. In this operation, the average cell P.D. is 3.5 volts,
or less with current efiiciency of about 9<.l per cent, giving an
energy consumption of S;M units per ton of cathode zinc.
The zinc content of the electrolyte is brought down to 3 per
cent, or less with an increased acidity up to 10 to 11 per cent.,
and this liquor is used cyclically for the extraction of zinc
from the calcined ore, and for acidifying the pure zinc sulphate
solution prior to electrolysis. The electrolysis of acidified zinc
sulphate solution is attended by insuperable difficulties except
when pure hquors are employed, and the preliminary purifica-
tion process constitutes thei'efore the most important stage
in the cycle of operations. The cathode deposits are allowed
to grow- for two days with a current density of "25 to 30
amperes per sq. ft. They are -sound and compact, and readily
detached from the aluminium sheets, and after rinsing are
melted down to ingots containing not more than .02 per cent,
cadmium, .02 per cent, lead, and .01 per cent, copper and
iron. Electrical power consumption in the subsidiary mechani-
cal proces.ses is amply covered by an allowance of 8t>0 Kw.-
hours per ton, giving an overall consumption of iXKK) KW. -hours
per ton of zinc, approximately from one-thiid to one-half of
that requii-ed by the electro-thermal method. The residues from
the extraction process contain all the lead and silver which
are recovered as argentiferous lead by blast furnace smelting.
It can only be reasonably anticipated that, in addition to the
well-known outlets for the metal, new and still wider fields
will open up for a product, the purity of which can easily be
guaranteed at 99.95 per cent.

Ductile Tungsten.

By Pkok. Cecil H. Desch. {Abstract.)
Section B. — Chemistry.
Tlie properties to which the metal tungsten owes its im-
portance, ap.irt from its use in the production of alloy steels,
are its high melting point of 3,350 deg. C., and its great duc-
tility and tensile strength when drawn into the form of fine
wire. These properties have led to its almost universal adop-
tion for the filaments of incandescent electric lamps. Ihe
ductile metal is prepared from the powder, which is pres.sed
into rods and then made compact by heat, the particles being
sintered together by the passage ot an eh-ctric current. Even
in this condition it is quite brittle, and ductility is only obtained
by swaging at a very high teiiiperatiire after heating in
hydrogen. The swaging is followed by drawing, the metal
becoming progi-essively more ductile until it can be bent or
drawn cold. The tensile streJigtli of a wire (I.IKUl in. in
diameter is nearly 27(1 tons per sq. in. Tungsten dilfers from
other metals in being m-ire ductile when cold after .severe
working and deforinatijii than in the annealed i-ondition.
The pnssiliility of drawing tung.sten cold depends on the grain
size of the original sintered ingot, and it is the practice to
examine every ingot micro.scopitally. all those ingots which
show more than a certain limiting average grain size being
rejected. The grains grow on long exposure to high tem-
pi-ratures. as when used in lamp filaments, and in order to
prevent this growth from becoming excessive, and so rendering
the filaments brittle, a small quantity of thorium oxide is
mixed with the tungsten powder in making the original
ingot, and the infusible and nonvolatile particles of this oxide
present an obstacle to the growth of the gi'ains.

Vol.87. No. 2,232, SEPTEMBER 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

29&

THE MACHINE-TOOL AND ENQINEERING EXHIBITION.

A PERIOD of eight years has elapsed since a reprrsentative
collection of machine tools was last brought together in the
United Kingdom. During tliat period many changes have
heen brought about in the British machine-tool tra le, and
the lessons of the war have had a wide iufluen;e on the
iadiistry.

It will be remembered how, goon after the outbreak of
war, it was quickly discovered that the main obstacle to the
supply of " munitions" was the fact that the machine tools
necessary far their rapid production in quantity did not
exist. As a consequence, energetic steps were taken ti meet
the urgentdemands of the situation, and great developments
were made in the machine-tool trade of this country ; many
valuable lessons were learned by both makers and users of
such tools and machinery.

Repetit'on work was introduced into hundreds of factories
where it had previously been considered impossible, and as
these factories have gradually turned over from war work to
peaceful trade, the repetition idea has in many instances
persisted and continues to be employed on commercial lines.
1 he need for a higher degree of accuracy of workmanship,
for greater care in the selection and treatment of material.«.
has resulted in a development of technir|ae. The tendency
to specialisation has increased, and the continually advancing
costs of labour have made it imperative to employ machine
tools of efficient type on a constantly increasing scale.

These causes, together with the shorter hours now worked,
have combined to create such a demand for ma hine tools
as has kept the trade relatively wdl supplied with orders.

The prtsdnt exhibition, which is the second organise! by
the Machine Tool Trades Association, is being inaugnratid
by a dinner at Olympia. liondon, W., to-nigufc, and will be
opened to the public to-morrow. It will remain op-^n daily
until September 2.'ith, and offers a unique opportunity of
observing the results that have been attained during the
unprecedented period that has elapsed since the last
e.vhibition was held, in October, 1912.

Neaily 200 exhibitors, of whom a number will have
on view tools or machinery of an electrical or allied
nature, will show over 3,000 tons of exhibits. The whole
of the available space has been readily let, and will be
fully occupied. In addition to the productions of home
manufacturers, collections representative of the latest
achievements of America and other machine-tool pro-
ducing countries will be displayed, but the Association has
declined to permit any products of German or Austrian
firms to be exhibited.

In the following brief review of the exhibits, attention
will be confined to objects of an electrical interest.

Messrs. Greenwood & B atley, Ltd.. Leeds, will exhibit amongst
other things a " Greenbat " iaduatrial electric truck capable of
carrying 2 tons and fitted with a Chloride storage battery. Also
a standard ventilated and enclosed 10-H P. shunt-wound motor
running at a speed of 1,000 R.P M., in addition to a 30-H p. De Laval

Fio. 1. — De Laval 30-h.p. d.c. Turbo-Generator.

stenm turbine, direct coupled to a 20-KW, d.c generator, as illus-
tiated in fig. 1. This is a standard ship-lighting set as supplied
to the Admiralty and most of the shipping lines and cross-channel
services. This type of plant is also used to light and drive small
mills. &c ; it ia made in standard eiz38 from .'i to I'lMO n.H.P.. and
fitted with double helical gearing and forced lubrication.

Messrs. Imwin & Jones. Ltd., London.— This stand will
iuolude, amongst other exhibits, Hunt" electrical industrial

trucks. The standar 1 truck for factory, dock, kc . use has a spur-
gear double-reductiou drive and a capacity of two tone. Tie
three-wheel truck is ppecially designed for use where space 'S
rettricted. and also in conjunction with lifts. It has a " motor-in-
wheel " drive and a cnpacity of .30 cw'-. Fig. 2 shows a truck
fitted with an electrically operated self-sustainirg jib crane. Tbs
D F-i'.O type of crane has recently been improved in two respects.
First, the length of the jib has bsen increased from (IG to 70 in. ;
secondly, a chain has breu substituted from the winding-drum
over the crane post sheaves and over the jib sheave, with a h^iok
and weight in the usual way. On the jib sheave there has been
provided a special ratchet gear, which can be lockei at any
time, and thus allow the chain in winding up to pull up the jib
with the load. To keep the jib in a desired position, the anchoring
of the jib ha^ he-n improved by providinga notched quadrant arm,
which slides through a guide on the crane post, where a ratchet
or detent engages in i.he notch of the nuadrant arm, eo that the jib
can be fixed at will in one of several positions. The whole of the
controls of the crane are worked electrically — that is, there is a

Fig.

-Electrically-Operated Truck and Crane.

separate winding motor connected through a worm gear to the
winding drum with a reduction of 102 : 1, and as the worm gear is
non-reversible, the load is self-sustained. A reversing switch ia
provided, and the same controller which controls the speed of the
truck, controls the starting and stopping of the winding motor ;
as there is a two-way switch provided, it is impossible to run
the truck and the crane at the same time. The truck itself is a
two-ton vehicle having a platform space 5 ft. long x 3 ft. 1 in.
wide, which platform is only II in. from the ground. It is pro-
vided with a four-wheel steer, and has an exceptionally small
turning radius, 5 ft. s in. measured outside the wheels. The truck
is propelled by two motors of the coupled-gear type, built into the
road wheels, fitted with bevel reduction gear, and although entirely
built into the wheel, they are get-at-able by taking out four holts
of the steel cover, whioli then exhibits the motor and the bevel
gear for examination. The crane can also be fitted to one of the
firm's standard A-type trucks. The truck is fitted with 12
" I M V 8 " ironclad Exide cells.

The Igranic Electric Co., Ltd., London, will have on view a
variety of types of control gear both on its own stand and on the
stands of other exhibitors where it will be applied to machine
tools in operation. The exhibits will include manually-operated
and automatic motor-starting rheostats, amongst which special
mention may be made of the " counter-E .M r." starter that is
suitable for motors up to 2 H.P. and in which the speed of cutting out
the starting resistance is automatically governed by the load con-
ditions. Automatic starting and speed-regulating panels (time
element controO, battery-charging panels, and a mill type con-
tactor panel will be on view in addition to AC control gear. In
connection with the latter it should be noted that the three-pole
" acrofs-the-line' starter for polyphase squirrel-cage induction
machines has both fuse and low-voltage protection in the running
position. Also the A.c. "conspede" control panel for slip-ring
motors shows the patent split housing. One handle controls both
the stator and the rotor circuits, and the device is consequently
very simple to handle ; magnetic contactor switches open and
close the main circuit. Electric "Leesona" coils, master switches,
different types of push-buttons and other accessories will complete
the exhibit.

The Consolidated Pneumatic Tool Co., Ltd., London, will
show a series of pneumatic and electric tools ; the latter will
include A.c and D c. drills, hammers, portable blowers, grinders,
polishers, &c. Fig. 3 illustrates a sensitive drilling stand, and
fig. i a magnetic drill post for various sizss of drills. The
600-volt D.c rail drill, shown in fig. 5, is a very useful tool. The
frame does not need bolting down, but is simply hooked over the
rail to be drilled, the operator holding down the other end of the
frame by sitting on the seat shown, which places him in a con-
venient position to operate the feed. The side spindle of the drill
permits drilling close to the ties without the use of an angle
attachment, and the vertical adjusting screw, with guides for the

296

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,232, September 3, 1920.

drill, affords ready means for locatiDK the holeB vertically on
ordinary tee or g-irder rails. Fig. G shows a hammer drill equipped
with a universal motor, which will operate on either A.o. or D.c.
It is designed for drillini? stone or concrete where a hammer blow
is necessary ; the blow is delivered on the head of the drill by
a piston governed by compressed air, consequently the motor is not

'Little Uiant " Portaule Dbills.

eubjected to serious me^ihanicil strains or vibration. The motor is
wouod for 110 or 220 volts, the maximum capacity of the drill
shown being 1 in, its weight equalling 215 lb, and its overall
length 17 6 in. The portable electric blower, illustrated in fig. 7,
will also operate on either A.c. or D.c. at any periodicity of single-

-rxivERSAL Hammer Drill a.sd Blower.

phase ; for two or three-phase i:ircuits the machine may be operated
on one leg of the system, or from a lampholder. A steady pressure
ot about 6 oz. above atmosphere is delivered from the 1 25in.
orifice. The mtiohine weighs only 15 lb., and is very convenient to
handle.

Messrs. C. E. Lttoard .V: Co., Nottingham, will show two
things ot interest to the electrical trade. The "shunt cut"
meter affords a simple and convenient method of indicating tho
output or speed of machine tools in any desired terms. The
instrument consists of an ammeter, which has the maximum
reading on the left-hand side, instead ot on the right ; the scale
may be marked in Ft. P..M., or any other value, to give direct

readings of the speed of the driven tool. The ammeter is inserted
in the shunt circjit of the motor, and since the shunt current is
proportional to the spetd of the motor, within certain limits, and
the motor speed is proportional to the speed of the driven tool, a
relation can be obtained between the shunt current and the speed
of the machine tool. Thus, the ammeter is operated by the current
in the motor shunt, and the scale reads the speed ot the machine
tool. The "Vulkan" electromagnetic clutch drive uses external
and internal gears, and special switching arrangements by which
any cutting or return speed is claimed to be obtainable on a

Fig. 8. — A 20-h.p. Electromagnetic Clctch.

planing machine, in addition to other advantages. Fig. 8 shows a
1.5 to 20-H p. clutch equipment suitable for a 4-ft. planer, and fig. 9
is a di.igiam of connections for open and crosaed-belt drive with two
cutting speeds and one return speed. The reversing electromagnetic
clutch consists of a cast-steel shaft, drilled for central lubrication,
on which a disk armature is shrunk, and two electromagnetic
bodies running loose on the shaft. Each magnetic body is fitted
with an annular ener^iising coil, enclosed in a metal case which is
easily removable and impervious to oil or moisture, and wound for
any convenient voltage up to 5.jO. A ventilating ring i^ fitted to
each magnetic bjdy to dissipite any heat that is generated.
The' disk armature is fitted with a wood thrust or friction ring,
which can be adjusted or renesved without dismantling the clutch.
When D.c. is .supplied to one ot the energising coils through the
slip rings, the loose-running magnetic body, which is mounted on

FiQ. 9 — Diagrammatic Sketch of "Vilkan" Electro-
Magnetic Drive.

a gunmetal sleeve, compresses the springs and advances towards the
disk armature (.the movement being about ^V, in.), thus bringing the
ventilating ring in contact with the friction ring through which
the drive u imparted to the shaft. The construction of the clutch
is such tbat an air gap is always maintaine 1 between the magnetic
surfaces, even when the clutch is energised, so that the?e surfacM
cannot wear or stick from residual magnetism. To reverse the
shaft, the current is switched by an automatic switch over from
one energising coil to the other. No non-inductive resistances are
required, and the excitation current can be broken on a pear
switch.

Vol.87. No. 2,232, September 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

297

The Carborundum Co., Ltd., Manchester, will have a display
of abrasives. Carborundum is an artificial abrasive or grrindin?
material, and is a product of the electric furnace. It is taken from
the furnace in the form of masses of crystals, which are crushed to
the individual crystals of varyin? degrrees of fineness, mixed with
bonding materials, and moulded into the many and varied sizes and
shapes of stones, files, grindingr wheels, powder, paste, &c.
" Alaxite " is another product of the electric furnace, and is used
particularly for making- extra ha;rd fine varieties of the above-
mentioned abrasive articles and tools. Carborundum is not only a
wonderful abrasive, it is also a super-refractory material. Produced
in the intense heat of the electric furnace, it cannot be melted,
and possesses an extremely low coefficient of expansion, coupled
with hiff h thermal conductivity. Carborundum refractory bricks
inherit the remarkable properties of carborundum combined with
great hardness and mechanical strength. They withstand the
highest temperatures, resist abrasion, and do not spall or crack
under rapid changes of temperature. Their value in the upkeep
of high-temperature furnaces is definitely established. Carborun-
dum refractories include carbo-fras and refrax bricks, muffles,
cements and firesand.

Walter McSee & Son, Ltd.. Paisley, will have on view 2'5
and 5 H.p. " Emcol " totally-enclosed induction motors. In size
and shape this type of motor is similar to ordinary open motors,
but it is so constructed that the windings and vulnerable parts are
oompletely isolated from contact with the surrounding atmosphere.
The air oircub.tion is obtained from fans mounted on the rotor
shaft, which force the internal air through a series of tubes spaced
round the stator, and also the external cooling air through spaces
cored in the stator, which, striking on the tubes, serves to keep
the internal air cool.

Messrs. Alloy Weldistg Processes, Ltd., London, are manu-
facturers of A.W.P. electrodes to weld cast-iron and all classes of
steel ; also composite electrodes for depositing manganese and high-
speed steel for wearing and cutting surfaces, and suppliers of com-
plete welding plant and equipment. There will be shown in actual
use a special single-unit motor-generator welding set, the generator
of which has been specially designed, and has characteristics of
efficiency which make it small and economical. The motor is of only
7"5 H.P., which is a point of considerable importance now that the
power consumption has increased to such a large proportion of total
working costs. The plant to be shown is designed for a DC.
supply, and is specially suitable for tramway and light railway use
where a D.c. supply is readily available. Mounted on a suitable
truck and connected to a trolley wire or third rail, the whole plant
is very portable, and owing to its light weight, can be easily moved
from place to place. There will also be shown a portable welding
plant for use on A.C. supplies consisting of a static transformer,
special reactance coil, and necessary switchgear. Demonstrations
will be given showing that with A.W.P. electrodes highly efficient
welding can be done with either D.c. or AC. plant. A.W.P. elec-
trodes are manufactured in 14 different types to suit all classes of
iron and steel, and the demonstrations will give visual proof of the
excellent results attainable on all thicknesses of material. A.W.P.
electrodes have successfully passed the exhaustive series of tests for
Lloyd's Register of Shipping, whose approval has been obtained for
their use on ship construction. Samples of electrodes, welds and
welded articles will be on show, together with the actual test
pieces submitted to Lloyd's Register of Shipping.

The Rapid Magnetting Machine Co., Ltd., Birmingham,
claims to be the only firm in the British Empire specialising in
magnetic separators. A selection of four types of separators will
be shown ; probably the most important from the point of view
of the mineral mining industry will be the "Rapid" (Thompson-
Davies patent) electromagnetic ore separator for treating feebly
magnetic ores, such a wolfram-tin, zinc blends, tin sands, magnetic
sands, corundum, &c. Prior to the war, the manufacture of
apparatus for such purposes was a virtual monopoly of Germany.
A feature of the apparatus, which will be shown in operation, is
the ease of tuning up, each part of which can be done while the
machine is working. Delicate setting can be made in a very short
time, and sbs the effect of any alteration can be instantly seen, there is
no time lost in experiments of trial and error. Two machines very
largely used in the metal trades are the standard type drum
separator, which will successfully treat a mixture of 1)9 per cent.
of iron and 1 per cent, non-fen-ous metal, and type B.B., which is
specially suitable for treating quickly metal containing only a
small percentage of iron. It is also used largely for removal of
iron likely to damage crushing and grinding machinery if allowed
to get into same. The fourth exhibit will be an electromagnetic
drnm (type H"), in connection with which is a patent feod belt
fitted with feelers, which, becoming magnetised by induction, are
claimed to add 50 per cent, to the efficiency of the apparatus. The
firm lists upwards of a dozen types and over 100 sizes, and claims
that there is no problem amenable to magnetic separation which
cannot be dealt with by one or other of its different types or
modifications.

The Rawlplui; Co., Ltd., London, manufactures a fibre plug
which obviates the difficulties previously encountered in securing a
firm fixing into any material. By the use of the plugs fixing can
be accomplished with far greater efficiency and in one-fifth of the
time taken by the old method. By means of a steel plugging tco'
or a brace and bit a hole can be quickly ma<le the exact size
required, and then the fibre "Rawlplug'' is pushed into position
ready to receive the screw. The plug expands as the screw is
turned home, thus ensuring a perfectly firm fixing. It is a labour
and time-saving device, and results in a neat job, the " Rawlplug "
being invisible when in position. They are made in all sizes and
lengths for use with any screw. The exhibit will include examples

showing how the plug can be used to advantage in different
materials. There wUl be shown different wiring systems fixed
with "Rawlplugs" on plaster, switchboard fittings, on polished
slate, and electric light fittings on glass, marble, plaster, &c.

The Telephone Manufacturing Co. (1920), Ltd., London,
will exhibit a oomi>lete range of automatic intercommunicating
telephones, from single to .'JO-line, specially designed to meet works
and office requirements. Instruments will be shown fitted with
visual indicators, round call and secret keys, hygienic mouthpieces,
&c A speciality is made of the " Laryngapbone " hand set for use
m boiler shops or other excessively noisy positions. Numerous
types of accessories and details, including terminal and junction
boxes, electric bells, relays, magnetos, kc, will be on view, and
other specialities wUl include automatic line-finder telephones,
" Mixed " service instruments for use. on exchange or private
lines, and the " Laryngaphone " adapted to all requirements from
mine-rescue work to aviation.

( To be vonttnufil. -

SUPPLY PRESSURES ON ALTERNATING-
CURRENT SYSTEMS.

By R. J. H. BEiTY.

On reading a report of the discussion onMr. Gillin'sI.M.E^A..
paper, I was pleased to note that Mr. Wordingham advocated a
supply pressure of M) volts for domestic and other small
appliances, because that is precisely what I have been advis-
ing my friends for the last 17 years.

Nothing retarded electric lighting more than the advent
of the tramcar, followed by the misguided eagerness with
which many engineers in this country hastened to advise al
and sundry that the ideal pressure for a 30-watt lamp was
exactly half that which had been found most [suitable for
driving a tramcar.

Of course the d.c. men had a very good reason for this
camouflage, but unfortunately the A.c. men followed fashion
rather than reason, and gave away their birthright.

The 200-volt carbon-filament lamp was never a success.
It blackened early in life. The candle-power gradually
went down and the watts went up. The 100-volt lamp was
better, but the 50-volt was better still.

We all remember how the early metal-filament lamps
had to be run two in series on 200-volt circuits, and how
we were assured that a 200-volt lamp would soon be pro-
duced. It was ; at a higher price, with lower efficiency and
shorter life. The gas-filled lamp is at a still greater dis-
advantage on 2<»0-volt circuits.

Small single-phase motors of the commutating type would
be cheaper, more reliable, and more easily repaired if wound
for .50 instead of 200 to 250 volts. Take the Dictaphone
motor, for example ; it is wound for 20 volts, so when it is
used on a 250-volt circuit, 20 volts are utilised and the odd
230 volts are dissipated in the resistance.

200 volts is not a safe pressure. It is more than 20
years since a youth was killed through larking with a lamp
bracket in a lavatory. The excuse was made that : " He
must have had a weak heart, and the floor was unusually
damp." There have been similar cases since, but surely
the industry is now so well established that we can afford
to drop these weak excuses and face the facts.

There is no need to have a dangerous pressure on lighting
fittings or small appliances of any kind. The use of a
compensator or auto-transformer does not ensure safety. It
is far better to use a double-wound transformer and have
the house wiring, or, at any rate, the sub-circuits, entirely
insiilated from the mains.

"Where the distributing mains are at 440 volts, three-phase,
single-phase lighting transformers should not have their
primaries wound for 250, but for 440 volts, so that no
connection need be made to the neutral wire, and therefore
it can be dispensed with, thus saving 25 per cent, of the
copper. But with the introduction of low-pressure trans-
formers and the abolition of the fourth wire, the distributing
pressure could be doubled, so that we could supply the
same power with three-eighths of the copper now used.

I suggest that the medium-pressure mains should have a
phase voltage of 500, cori'esponding roughly to 870 line
volts. This pressure is suitable for motors of from ?, u.i'.
to 1,000 H.P., and is approaching the limit beyond which it
is advisable to break away from the methods of construction
usual with low-pressure motors.

298

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.st. no. 2,232, sbptbmbb. 3, 1920.

Induction motors of between 5 h.p. and 3 h.p. ehould be
wound for 87 line volts, and supplied from a three-phase
delta-star transformer, which could also supply the lights
from phase to neutral, as shown in fig. 1.

Supply authorities now stipulate that these small motors
must be protected by oil-switches fitted with automatic
devices costing as much as the motors; so, on existing
systems, if one has a few small motors it pays to step down
to a lower voltage, and substitute triple-pole switches and
fuses for the expensive automatics. .

Motors of more than 1,000 h.p." should be wound for
connection to the high-pressure mains. High-pressure
voltages appear to have been chosen at random in the past,
as there are at least six different pressures in use in this
country between 5,000 and 10,000-line volts, all of which
represent odd figures for the phase voltages, and there would
appear to be no reason why a round figure of 5,000 phase-volts
should not be adopted for new schemes. This gives 8,700
line volts and 15 k.v.a. per ampere. The high-pressure

transformers for use with the scheme outlined above should be
wound for star-star connection, and to obtain sound reliable
articles, sizes smaller than 15 k.v.a. should be avoided,
and the number of tappings kept down to the minimum.
On large extra - high - pressure transformers connecting
feeders to the high-pressure mains there should be no tap-
pings at all. Where variation is necessary, it should be
obtained by means of separate boosters.

Based on the above considerations, the following defini-
tions may be suggested : — Low-pressure, not exceeding 50
volts to earth ; medium-pressure, not exceeding 500 volts
to earth ; high-pressure, not exceeding 5,000 volts to earth ;
extra-high-pressure, exceeding 5,000 volts to earth.

The once fashionable pressure of 2,000 volts is not likely
to be much heard of in the future. It is high enough to
necessitate special insulation of cables, transformers and
motors, and too low to transmit any considerable amount of
power.

A DOUBLE -ANODE VACUUM-TUBE

A.C. RECTIFIER AND WIRELESS

TRANSMITTER.

By JOHN S0OTT-TAG6ART.

The following description of a novel full-wave rectifier of
alternating current may be of interest. A single highly-
exhausted vacuum tube (fig. 1) contains two cylindrical
anodes, 7 and 6, which surround a common filament 1,
which is heated to incandescence. The structure shown is
particularly applicable to high-power valves, and more
simple tubes are made of small jwwers and for use in
receiving circuits. The source of current to be rectified
causes the potentials on the anodes to be of oppDsite sign
at any given moment ; consequently, the flow of electrons
from the filament passes to each anode in turn.

Pig. 2 illustrates a practical arranggment for converting
A.C. into high-voltage u.c A source of a.c. feeds the
primary 16, of a step-up transformer having two secondaries

6 and 7, which have a common point joined to the
filament 3, which may conveniently be heated by a.c.
through a step-down transformer 2. The ends 12 and 14
of the windings 6 and 7 are connected to anodes 13 and 15
respectively. Instead of two separate secondary windings,
only one may be used, and its middle point connected to the
filament, the ends being joined to the anodes. The high-
voltage alternating potentials in the secondary windings
cause, say, the anode 13 to be positive with respect to 3.
An electron current flows to 13, and rin 6, charges up a
reservoir condenser 10, which may have a capacity of several
microfarads. Across this condenser is connected the load 1 1 ,
which in wireless telegraphy and telephony is usually the
anode circuit of a transmitting valve. Meanwhile the cylinder
1 5 is negative and attracts no electron current. When the next
half cycle comes along, conditions are reversed ; the anode
15 is now positive, and a current flows to 15, through 7,
and charges up 10 in the same direction as before. Thus,
full-wave rectification is obtained, and both half-cycles arc
utilised. The current drawn from the condenser 10 is
practically pure direct current, the ripple being very small
indeed if 10 is large and the current drawn from it is
small. A system of chokes and condensers may be used
but is not usually necessary.

Fin. 1. Fig. 3.

It is found that practically the whole of the electron
current from the filament passes to the operative anode ;
consequently almost half the filament current normally used
in other arrangements is saved. The vacuum is identical
for both anodes, and the pumping, construction, and final
cost, is considerably cheaper than in the case of two single-
anode rectifiers.

The third figure shows a continuous wave generating
valve circuit. The valve of fig. 1 now has a single grid
common to both anodes, and this grid may be used to
control the current passing to whichever anode is operative.
The rectified current is made to pass through the
inductance 15 : the grid oscillatory circuit 17 is connected
across grid 16 and filament 3, and air choke coils 10, 14,
and 11, are intended to protect the transformer 5, 7, S.
The condensers 21 and 22 are to by-pass the high-
frequency current generated, and also to improve the power
factor of the transformer 5, 7, ^ ; other features of the
arrangement are shown in the figure. In this manner fairly
pure continuous waves may be produced with a single valve
and an a.c. supply.

Apart from these uses, the two types of valve mentioned
have numerous applications in wireless reception and tele-
phony. The writer is indebted to the Edison Swan Electric
Co., Ltd. (which has purchased the British patent rights)
for permission to publish the above details.

Vol.87. No. 2,232, skptembeb 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

299

ELECTRICITY IN THE GERMAN ARMY.

By Major T. RICH, O.B.E.

The following notes are the result of the examination of
lirisoners, documents, power hnes, and depots in Korthern
France and Belgium by the author, and are published by per-
mission of the Controller of H.M. Stationery Office : —

In technical mattei's attention to detail must be one of the
almost invariable factors for success, and this applies with
special force to mihtary technology. If one nation can obtain
tlie same technical result with simple apparatus or by methods
which cost one half or a thud of the man power, money, and
tune to carry out that another nation takes, the former will
have a great advantage both during and after the war which-
ever side ultimately wins.

It is easy to demand elaborate appliances which are difticult
to produce during war, and whicli may arrive too late to be
of use. An officer or man who can obtain results good enough
for the actual conditions with apparatus improvised from local
or easily obtainable materials or items shows his capacity for
the work on hand.

Details have, therefore, been given to show what has been
done under the difficult economic conditions due to the almost
complete lack of copper and rubber and the existence of very
limited quantities of .coke-oven benzol in lieu of petrol.

There have been apparently no epoch-making discoveries
during the war with regard to electric power works, and some
of the work done and methods used cannot be considered free
from criticism. Both 'the Germans and the French have
shown under peculiar conditions what can be done with simple
appliances by those who have sufficient technical training and
what might be termed technical pluck.

Policy. — Information obtained in Germany before the war,
and the examination of prisoners and machines, show plainly
that on the outbreak of hostilities the German General Statf
was fully alive to the use of electric light and power as an
aid to warfare, and had collected before the war a large
amount of useful information regarding electric power systems
in France. Soon after the advance in 1914-15 a general elec-
trical survey took place, and a beginning was made with the
collection of electrical apparatus for the use of the army or
for munition and general industrial work in Germany.

At first the power stations were left in the hands of the
owners, but as soon as the situation regarding lubricating oil,
liquid fuel, rubber, and copper began to get serious, the power
stations, especially in forward areas, were placed under seques-
tration and worked largely with civil labour under military
direction, .\mong the first large power systems to be utilised
was that of the Cie. Electrique du Xord, who.->e main lises
at 45,000 volts reached from I'ont-a-Venden, near Lens, to
Beautor, via Douai, Cambrai, and St. Quentiii.

The main line apparently proved .so .satisfactijry that when
the economic situaticju necessitated the utmost utilisation of
the power stations throughout the occupied area, it was
decided to u.se 45,000 volts for the pressure of the main inter-
connecting power lines in the north of France. At first the
armies worked to a large extent on their own account, but the
variations of arm\' and lines of communication areas, and the
existence of so many inter-area power lines, made some form
of central control absolutely necessary.

.•\t fir.st it was assumed that the smaller local stations could
supply most of the requirements for electric power, and at
the time when textile and other factory machinery was being
sent back to Germany a quantity of generating plant, such
as steam turbines .and boilers was taken up. One set of turbine
machinery was .sent as far as Constantinople, and other plant
to Austria. It was found later that demands for power in the
occupied area exceeded previous anticipations, and. further,
owing to the shortage of liquid fuel and gas coal, electric
light had to be supplied to a number of towns and villages
for both civilian and military purposes. In many instances,
especially in Belgium. Communes were induced to pay the co.st
of special high-pressure branches, transformer stations, and
low-pressure distributions; the facihties thus paid for were
then u.sed by the Germans for hutment and other lighting to
the greatest extent.

Owing to this demand it became necessary to utilise the
large pn^^er stations to a greater extent than before, and the
increasing danger from aircraft attack made it very desirable
to link up the main power stations to render mutual assist-
ance and to enable them to work with the greatest economy.
The loss of Vimy Ridge, which necessitated the shutting-down
of Henin Lietard. and the French advance to the neighbour-
hood of the power stations at Beautor. made such linking-up
imperative, and by the end of 1917 an extensive system of
4.5.000-volt mains was in use or under con.strnction connecting
Lille (Croix Wasquehal) with Valenciennes. .Teumont, Hir.son,
St. Quentin. I-aon. and Cbarleville. Tlie smaller power .'stations
at Ostend, Bruges (steel works). Zeebiugge, Courtrai. Zevene-
chem. and elsewhere, were connected by overhead mains at
15.000 volts. inter"onnp''ting transformers being placed at
suitable points, su-h as Flines-les-Raches and Bruges, so that
the system at 15,000 volts could supply one at 10,000 or 5,000
or vice versa.

When the Germans advanced in March, 1918, steps were
inmiediately taken to reconstruct the lines to Bapaume and
elsewhere, and quantities of stores were ordered and delivered.
Large reserves of stout poles, steel cross arms, and aluminium
cable were collected at the main depot at Jeumont suitable
for the bridging of the devastated area. During the retirement
in the end of September and October very large quantities
of stores were removed from power stations, sub-stations,
depots, and dumps, and placed on rail and barge, and long
lengths of power line were dismantled. The special efforts
made everywhere to salve electrical materials and apparatus in
the face of great transport difficulties proves the extent to
which the German General Staff recognised the importance of
electric transmission as an aid to warfare

French mhabitants, on whom tru,)j)s were billeted even in
front areas, say that the electric light was in general satisfac-
tory, although in places no aerial cable could stand against
the artillery fire which was ultimately experienced. Inhabi-
tants and civiUan electricians have stated that the power
supply in back areas proved satisfactory. The examination of
sub-station log books shows that the supply was reasonably
reliable.

Urganisatiun. — The electrical units were developed primarily
to take charge of Ughting and power installations and captured
apparatus in army main areas and lines of conununication, and
to give technical advice to the troops in forward zones regard-
ing the use of electricity for tactical purposes such as mine
lighting, ventilation, and pumping, well boring, trench pump-
ing, and concrete mixing. A certain amount of non-
electrical machinery was handled by these units. They were
known as Starkstrom (strong current) units as distinguished
from Schwachstrom (weak current) telephone and telegraph
units. The organisation was very similar to that of signals in
the British service, the men wearing special badges, and
authority was given to them to enter any building where
light and power was officially or unofficially installed.

One ."Vbteilung or battaUon was allotted to each army. In
general oldish men were used, but no age limit was fixed
for good tradesmen.

A certain number of French and Belgian prisoners were
returned from Germany to areas where they had local know-
ledge, and in a few cases were allowed to live in their homes
in order to assist in the maintenance of high and low-pressure
power and Ughting systems. A certain amount of civilian
labour, mostly unskilled, was used in repair shops in back
areas; for such work as accumulator repair a number of women
were employed.

Ow'ing to the fact that the army had first call on skilled
tradesmen, and trade unions did not apparently interfere with
the supply of electricians and other workers, the senior tech-
nical non-c(jmmi.s.sioned oflicers seemed to be, as in the French
Army, a high-class lot of men. Many of them were foremen
electricians, and some of them branch managers or partners
in wiring and contracting busine.si3es. Judging by the nature
of the drawings found and works carried out, competent
draughtsmen and designers were attached to the electrical
services.

The work done by Electrical Units was on a territorial
basis; large and small detachments were detailed for towns,
dumps, and groups of villages. Each detachment had a small
depot. The maintenance of main and subsidiary power lines
was split up among the detachments. Small areas were under
the control of non-commissioned officers. Periodical reports
and certificates had to be forwarded through company head-
quarters regarding maintenance of power lines and state of
lighting and power installations in the sun-area.

The close liaison which must have existed between the
financial and commercial firms, the German War Office, the
General Headquarters, and the officers commanding the tech-
nical troops is shown by the quantities of electrical machinery
and apparatus, high and low-pressure cable, and other material
specially collected and sent to Germany, and the protection
given to certain undertakings which owed money to firms
such as the Siemens and Halske Co.

Systems in Use. — As a general rule except in the forward
zone the system and low-pressure voltage used were those of
the supply companies in the areas occupied.

In the first two years of the war a good deal of 3-phase cur-
rent was used for lighting and other work in the forward
2,000-metre zone. At one time a considerable amount of
3-phase lighting was used by taking single-phase branches
into dug-outs, sometimes with the use of earthed returns to
the neutral point.

The development of trench telephones and the use of h'sten-
ing detectors made the use of this system in some places
very inconvenient, so in a number of forward areas D.C. at
110 or '2"30 volts was used, supplied from benzol engine sets
or motor generators, the latter being frequently supplied
through buried cable, and also u.sed to charge accumulators
for trench lighting. As a general rule the use of small petrol
engines was reduced to an absolute minimum, and every effort
made to utilise existing systems.

300

THE ELECTRICAL BEYIEW. [Vol.s:. No. 2,232, September 3, 1920.

In most parts of northern France and Flanders 3-phase
current at 50 periods is customary, although in Mons, Tournai,
and a few other parts of Belgium 4'2 periods is found. ' The
high-pressure voltages in use are mostly 5,000, 1U,000, and
15,000 volts. The povifer line extensions made into new areas
were mostly at 15,000 volts, this being considered the highest
pressure at which detailed distribution could be made with
inexpensive apparatus. In France the low-pressure voltage
was usually 110-120 volts to neutral and 190-'i20 volts across
phases. A pressure of 'iiO-asO volts was being developed in
Belgium especially in quiet sectors. By the use of induction
motors with wound rotors, the same machine- could be used
on either of the above voltages, and practically all the new
German 3-phase motors found were wound for use with eii!aer
of these two pressures.

Store Depots and the use of Captured Plant. — A number of
main and subsidiary depots were arranged for handUng elec-
trical plant and apparatus. Factories in the north of France,
and to a smaller extent in Belgium, were systematically
stripped of their electrical and steam plant. INIanufacturers'
and agents' stocks were packed and listed, and the whole
forwarded to collecting stations where they were numbered,
sorted, tested repaired, and then sent into a special depot
for issue. Many out-of-date or otherwise useless machines
were broken up for the sake of the copper, brass, and cast-
iron they contained.

Although most of the large electrical mauufacturiug con-
cerns in France ai'e found in Paris and outside the invaded
areas, electrical factories which existed, such as the Thomson-
Houston factory near Lille, and the Atehers de Constructions
Electrique du Nord et de I'Est at Jeumont, were used for
electrical repair works.

Up to the end of 1917, with the exception of apparatus
required for the newer sections of the 45,000-volt lines, the
bulk of the transformers, motors, and general heavy apparatus
used was that taken or requisitioned from the occupied area.

The requisitioning, numbering, and listing of French and
Belgian machines was most carefully done, the numbers had to
be quoted on stock lists and railway way-bills. According to
correspondence, machines were at times examined to see that
these numbers were in order. Owing to this care it has been
possible for the French and Belgian factory and power-station
owners to trace and recover quantities of electrical and other
machinery from dumps in France, and also from factories in
Germany and Austria.

Electrical Stores, Indoor Wiring and Substitute Materials. —
The accessories used by the Germans did not differ materially
from those customary in civil life ; preference was given to
simple and inexpensive patterns. Quantities of more expen-
sive French fittings captured in 1914 remained in store unused.
French fittings were used to a large extent, and German
makers of French pattern fittings forwarded then' stocks on
hand to army authorities for use on the Western Fi"ont. When
these stocks of completed fittings were exhausted a number
of porcelain parts of French pattern were fitted with galvanised
contacts and conducting parts.

It was ftiund that some of the contacts and connections made
of iron inside low-pressure fittings had been badly galvanised,
the process used being apparently electrodeposition. The
wiring used was done on cleats and knobs, but a certain
amount of work was done in Bergmann paper-Uned steel tubes.
The manufacture of wire and cable from substitute materials
began at an early date. Stranded ii-on, zinc, and latterly
aluminium was used for low-pressure insulated conductors.
One difficulty with iron conductors lies in the small size
of the contacts usually found in fittings, and the comparative
stiffness of the insulated conductor, which is liable, when care
is not used, to cau.se short circuits in fittings. Some of the
iron of the insulated conductors was of poor electrical quality,
giving a resistance ten times that of copper. Some of it was
specially soft, giving a resistance of six to seven times. Lamp
flexibles were made with iron wire.

Owing to the absence of rubber, oiled paper, bitumenised
paper, and bitumen compound were used for insulation. A
c-ellon tape was used with paper-insulated cables for jointing.
Some of the iron cable had very poor quality insulation, con-
sisting of one layer of paper and braid. The Germans, like
the Fi-ench, apparently made no attempt to use a high-grade,
expensively-insulated wire for cleat and knob wiring in huts
and offices, looking upon the covering largely as a mechanical
protection. Owing to the absence of jute, impregnated
stranded paper was often used for braiding.

According to prisoners, little difficulty was experienced
through the use of low-grade insulated wife.

A considerable quantity of ]0-mm= (about 9 S.W.G.) solid
aluminium wire was found paper-insulated, lead-covered with
bituminised jute and paper sheathing. This was apparently
used for lighting dug-outs in trenches, and it has been stated
by a prisoner that the lead sheath was used for the return
circuit. A number of drums of ■5fl-mm-. ]9-strand iron cable,
with paper insulation, was found. This was first used on
1,500-volt electrified barbed-wire circuits, and later was used
to a certain extent for general wiring work. The use of iron
for motor and similar connections led to a heavy drop in
voltage.

Electricity, meters were rarely used; civilians were usually
■eypplied with light on a fixed price per lamp per irionth.

(7*0 be continued.)

ELECTRICALLY QUIDED SHIPS.

It is now cormnon knowledge that during the late war the
British Admiralty made use of the electric " leader " cable for
the purpose of guiding ships through narrow channels or along
dangerous coasts. It is obvious that, with the aid of a sub-
merged cable along which electrical signals are sent, ships may,
in times of war, be guided safely through mine fields; or on
the other hand, in nicjre happy times of peace, the method
w'ould render sbips independent of julots and would enable
any vessel to enter a dangerous harbour in the thickest fog,
or on very dark nights, without any previous knowledge of the
locality.

What appears to be the first post-war apphcation of the
method was 1he subjecf; of the announcement in March
last, that the Admiralty had installed a " leader " cable
in the approaches to Portsmouth Harbour. The cable, which
is an armoured one, lies at the bottom of the fairway, the land
end being connected with an alternating source of supply. In-
terruption of the current corresponding to prearranged signals
of the Mor.se code conveys to ships fitted with the necessary
receiving apparatus their position in the fairway to within
500 yards of either side of the cable.

Early in August the United States Navy Department an-
nounced its intention of testing the method in guiding ships
up the Ambrose Channel into New York Harbour. It is pro-
posed to utiUse a cal)le about 16 miles long, connected to a
500-cycle alternating-current source of supply, the indications
of which, it is beheved, will be picked up by all vessels within
half a mile. The cable is to be laid on the Ijottom of the har-
bour from Fort Lafayette, on the Brooklyn side of the
Narrows, near Fort Hamilton, out to the Ambrose Channel
lightship. In foggy weather shipping is at present piloted up
to the lightship by means of five wireless direction-finding
stations .situated at difl'erent points in the harbour.

The Fi'euch Navy also fully appreciates the advantages
of the electric submarine cable for faciUtating navigation in
thick weather, and on .\ugust 21st, M. Landry, Minister of
Marine, witnessed experiments that were conducted off the
coast of Brittany.

From what has been said, it will be readily appreciated that
the " leader " system is likely to prove of very valuable assist-
ance to navigators of ships when low visibiUty prevails. It
.will do much to increase safety and efficiency at sea. In the
past many vessels have been lost for the lack of means for
sufficiently accurate guiding in dangerous channels and in fog.
Moreover, vessels are often held up for considerable periods
of time at harbour entrances; for instance, at New York,
where the financial cost for delay may amount to as much as
£500 per hour for a single ship. It is beheved that re-
occurrence of such losses may be greatly minimised, if not
altogether prevented, by the " leader " system of pilotage.

Obviously the exact types of cables, instruments, and signals
used would vary with local conditions and resources, but it
is fairly clear that the cost of the installation would be amply
repaid in a very short period by the time saved by vessels in
foggy weather, freedom from accident, &c.

The signals are picked up by means of detector gear fitted
in the bottom or at the sides of the ship, and are rendered
audible or visible as the case may be by telephone or galvano-
meter attachments. The strength of the signals being kept
at the maximum indicates to the navigator that the ship is
following the proper course ; the signals can also be so
arranged as to give the distance from either end of the
channel. There would, of course, be separate cables for in-
going and outgoing traffic. The signal-carrying conductors
may be installed along the sides or at the bottom of the
i-hannel ; the latter position would probably be the more prac-
tical one.

The following data relative to the subject under considera-
tion were abstracted from the Journal of Electricity and the
T. (£• T. .Age.

The ship receiving device may consist of a coil of wire on an
iron core attached to the bottom of the ship with the core
athwartship for receiving from a submarine signal wire or
vertically to the side of the ship for receiving from a wire
parallel to the channel. Where conditions will permit, the
signal may be the spoken word " In " for the inbound
channel and " Out " for the outbound channel. If desirable
and conditions permit, difl'erent frequencies of alternating cur-
rent may be impressed on the guide conductors, one fre-
quency for inbound and one for outbound. These signals may
be picked up by both telephones and a signal-.strength-indicat-
ing device, as for example, a sensitive ammeter or galvano-
meter in a circuit resonant to the frequency of the current im-
pressed on the guide conductor. With two or more such in-
dicating devices the relative strengths of the fields of the in-
l)0iind and outbound signals and the relative strengths of fore
and aft nnd athwartship fields may be ascertained. Also by
contiolling the strength of the signal in accordance with the
disfance from a given point, for example, by earthint; a portion
of the current through suitable resistances at fixed distaiii-es
from the source of supply, the sii-efigth of sianal wciuld be
relative to the distance from that .source. Such indications of
strength of signal relative to the source of supply {e.g.. the
dock) and relative to the inboinid and outbound signal con-
(liirtors, anfl fejative to the angle the ship makes with the

Vol.87. No. 2,232, septbmbbb 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

301

signal cuuductur, offer the means for a t-omparatively high
degi'ee of ac-curac-y in .steering the vessel clear from danger.

A further complexity of circuits may be provided which will
aiibrd sufficient accuracy in certain places, fur example, the
guide may consist of several conductors in one cable, the con-
ductors being of several suitable lengths and suitable speech
currents being impressed on tfiem. For e.\ample, one con-
ductor could carry a speech current which says periodically
" One mile in," while the next in length would say " Two
miles in," and the outbound signal wire in that vicinity
might say " Nine miles out." The ship's receiving circuits
may be arranged fore and aft and athwartship in such manner
as to indicate whether the ship is approaching the signal (jon-
ductor or leaving it or is parallel to it or at some angle to it.

Structural conditions of ships, channel conditions, financial
and poUtical conditions have their bearings on what structural
arrangements would be best to carry out the method. For
example, in New York harbour it would probably be practi-
cable to provide all possible rehnements and strong accurate
signals which could be followed both by vessels equipped with
simple and by those with more expensive and more highly
accurate apparatus.

In the lung passages in Alaska it may be practicable and
sutficient for the present to follow the army cable lines. This
may be made possible by picking up the telegraph signals and
guide signals which might be supplied by the army at intervals
between telegraph signals.

To do this is more difficult than would be the case if the
cable were made for directing purposes, because .Ai'my cable
cui'rents are weak and the cable is covered with a sheath con-
taining iron. Also, the resistance, inductance and capacity of
the long cables limit the quantity and kind of signals that may
be impressed on them.

However, there are several ways which can be used as may
be necessary to pick up the weak cable signals, although they
are in an iron sheath.

For example, the pick-up circuit (which can be relatively
small) may be lowered from the ship to near the bottom and
maintained in the same relative position to the ship; also pre-
scribed frequencies may be used on the cables and tuned
receiver circuits, and very weak currents may be ampUfied.
The receiving circuit may include a coil virtually wound
around more or less of the hull. One coil could be wound in
a fore and aft plane and another in athwartship plane, or a
coil or coils inside, or above the hull, depending on practic-
ability.

Portions of the guide conductor may be enclosed in iron for
reducing the signal strength at desired points or for desired
sections. Such arrangement might prove desirable for certain
of the conductors where several conductors are used. One.
conductor might have the words "Port ninety " for a sharp
turn, and be in iron beyond the turn. It may be desirable to
make the incoming and outgoing guide conductors into a
circuit, instead of having an earth return for each, or it may
be desirable to have a common metallic return conductor for
both. The return conductor might be bare wire. Some con-
ditions might permit the use of a bare wire conductor on shore
on insulators with a return bare conductor circuit under water,
the bare conductor being of such low resistance that it would
be the principal current path, and so serve as a guide, cheaper
than where under-water insulation was u.sed.

The signal current in the conductor along the channel may
be Uke that in the antenna of a radio transmitter, and the
radio receiving outfit on shipboard may be used to receive it,
using a regular antenna or a coil. Also, the coil might be
revolvable on its axis so that it could be turned to pick up the
signal and then the boat turned so that it had the proper
fore and aft position relative to the coil, and, therefore, was
headed right in the channel.

At this date it is hard to say what is the most practical
arrangement to use. It may be best to make the best direc-
tion control apparatus irrespective of the radio apparatus, and
leave the latter free to handle other things.
■ A wave-length of 1.5,01)0 m. probably could best be impressed
on a submerged insulated wire about 3,000 metres, or tw'o
miles long if the wire was earthed at the one end, probably
the end near the transmitter generator. That frequency pro-
bably would do well in even longer wires or a succession of
■wires one mile long inductively or otherwise coupled at the
ends, in which case the ship in passing over the points of
coupling would note differences every mile, which would be
used as a measure of distance and further contribute in the
matters relative to location. All things considered, possibly
the most practicable form for common service would include
a standard frequency for all ocean-going vessels and for all
ports of, say, 750 cycles, and enough current in the signal
circuit so that the receiving circuit would not necessarily in-
clude anything but a revolvable coil on top of the pilot house,
a fixed condenser and a pair of 'phones with an indicating dial
and coil-turning handle in the pilot house.

Such a frequency is appUcable to quite long wires, and long
■wires might be required in some places. Also, such a
sinusoidal frequency and current can be fairly easily obtained
from a dynamo and maintained with very small percentage
yariation. .^nd such a receiving coil and condenser and
'phones can be maintained comparatively constant. Sinusoidal
current and the frequency of 7.50 ur 1,500 would serve to cut
out some interference, those frequencies being different from
the commercial 60 cycles, radio generator 500 and 1,000 cycle

frequencies, and sufficiently different from common motor and
dynamo conunutator and field frequencies. The average ear
is probably must sensitive to about 750 cycles, but quite sensi-
tive to 1,.500 cycles.

Special vessels (e.p., ferries) which do not use regular
channels, probably should be provided with additional special
frequencies. On the Alaska cable route special very low fre-
quencies, perhaps twenty cycles or less, would be more prac-
tical. It might be found that the lungest Alaska cable run
has a minimum iniiiedance for a frequency of four cycles or
less.

The theory of the magnetic field surrotmding an immersed
cable when carrying an alternating current is of interest, and
was dealt with in the Revue Gcncrale de I'Electricite for
December 'iOth, 1919. .iVlso some results of an investigation
of the magnetic field in the neighbourhood of the surface of
the water covering a cable carrying alternating currents of
various frequencies, which w-as made in 1918 by the Under
Water Signalling Section of the Kiel Torpedo Inspection De-
partment of the German Navy^ were given on p. (591 of our
issue of May 2Sth last. An article on the same subject by Mr.
H. R. Rivers-Moore, B.Sc, appeared in our issue of August
'29th, 1919.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received by us after 5 P.M. ON Tdesdat cannot appear until
the folloioing week. Correspondents should forward their commvMi-
catiom at the earliest possible vwmeat. jV« letter can be published
unless we have the writer s name and address in our possession.

Single=phase Meters on Balanced Three=phase, Three'^vire
Systems.

With reference to my letter which appeared on page 138 of
your issue of July 30th, there was a clerical error in the last
paragraph, which should read as follows : — •

" For indicating instruments, however, which simply have
to show the power being absorbed at the moment, a single-
phase instrument, owing to its simphcity of connections, is
often to be preferred. For indicating the power consumed by
a large motor, for example, there is no objection to a single-
phase instrument being used."

C. C. Garrard.

Witton, Bii-mingham.
August ilth, 1920.

The So=calIed Half=watt Lamp.

Lamp manufacturers have now brought on to the market
two new sizes of gas-tilled lamps (so-called " half-watt ")
these being 100/130 volt, 4U-watt, and 200/250 volt, 60- watt.
The price hst of one of om' leading manufacturers prints these
new sizes in red, and in defining the haU'-watt type lamp
points out that the consumption is approximately 0.5 watt
per c.P.

There is no doubt that the public in general, and the
majority of those more intimately associated with the electrical
industry are under the impression that the haU'-watt type
lamp does give approximately 2 c.P. per watt. This absolutely
false assumption is most damaging to the electric lighting
industry, as it is sure to result in the indiscriminate use of
these gas-filled lamps, particularly the above-named low-wat-
tage ones.

The fault Ues in the fact that the metal filament and half-
watt type lamps are rated in watts, and are not sold under
any guarantee as to the amount of Ught they emit.

The new unit of Ught rating for lamps, the Lumen,
expresses in an accurate way the value of the total light flow
(in all directions) from a lamp, and is the amount of light
which will illuminate one sq. ft. of surface to the intensity
of one foot-candle. The Lumen therefore should be used as a
basis for the comparative efficiencies of lamps.

Utihsing data from manufacturers' lists, I find the follow-
ing :—

200/250 Volt.
Metai, Filament. Halp-Watt Type.

Watts. Lume

Lumens

Lumens

per Watt.

Watts.

Lumens.

per Watt

7'3.5

60

t>20

10-26

8'60

1 MO

26,000

17-33

The number of lumens per watt of the 1,-500-watt half-watt
lamp is 69 per cent, greater than in the case of the GO-watt
of this type, but despite this, the manufacturer's price hst
from which these figures are taken, heads the schedule with
the definition of efficiency quoted above " 0.5 watt per c.P."
If one is half-watt the other is not, that is very obvious; but
as a matter of fact neither is.

Now we come to the most interesting comparison : The
60-watt metal-filament lamp costs 3s. 6d. and emits 515 lumens,
whereas the 60-watt " half-watt type " lamp costs 7s. 6d. and
emits 620 lumens; an increase therefore in Ughting efficiency
of 20 per cent, only (not 100 per cent., as is generally sup-
posed) for an increased cost of no less than 114 per cent. Also
the life of the half-watt lam] is considerably less than tkat
of the metal-filament type.

802

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Vol. S?. No. 2,232, September 3, 1920.

There aie undoubteiUy cases, mostly in domestic house
lighting, where these new low-wattage lamps will be found
beneficial if not quite so inexpensive as the metal-filament
lamp, but speaking in general terms and for industrial work
in particular, the new low-wattage half-watt type lamps are
not a sound jjroposition commercially, that is to the user; to
the manufacturer it is doubtless otherwise.

The concentrated nature of the filament gives one the
impression that the half-watt lamp is a very powerful onej and
few would as a result of a practical demonstration believe,
without further evidence, that the 60-\vatt haU'-watt gives 2(J
per cent, only more light than the (JO-watt metal, hut as per
manufacturers' price lists it is so.

As one interested in the contracting business, I protest
against the issue of such misleading information in makers'
price lists, as it is quite difficult enough to educate the user
in Uiatters connected with illumination without having to
contend with such false definitions as : " A lialf-watt type
lamp consumes 0.5 watt per c.p.," when it does nothing of
the sort.

E. W. D.

Auyust ■Mil, 19'30. _ _ ^ _

Power Factor.

Again we are treated to a dose of power factor by Mr. C.
TurnbuU, viz., in your issue of August 27th, and as he en-
larges on the desirability of frankness in criticism, perhaps
I may be permitted to be perfectly frank.

Mr. TurnbuU reiterates his horrible analogy about the man
going to the bank where he does some very wonderful jug-
gling with cheques, but now goes one worse by quoting as
an analogy the case of a compressor driven by a D.c. motor
which does no useful work, although it expends a considerable
amount of power (actual power, not apparent power) to the
extent of perhaps 28 or 30 per cent, of the total output of
the compressor, this being absorbed in efficiency losses of
the motor running as a motor and dynamo respectively, and
also of the compressor itself. This further analogy is absurd
in the extreme as the motor in question would actually absorb
a considerable amount of useful current, and to compare this
to apparent power or wattless current would only lead the
consumer into further difficulties in trying to understand this
iliflicult problem. Again, Mr. TurnbuU says that a large
consumer may take 1,000 k.v.a. of wattless current without
paying for it, which I think is absurd, as obviously a con-
sumer would not be taking 1,000 k.v..^. of wattless current
unless he were taking a considerable amount of true energy,
in this case to the extent of perhaps .3.000 KW., and it stands
to reason that the supply authority in negotiating rates for
supply will have assumed a reasonable power factor, say,
HO per cent., and will have based its rates accordingly, so that
a large portion — perhaps the whole — of this 1,000 k.v.a. watt-
less is actually paid for.

Mr. TurnbuU goes on to say in regard to synchronous motors
that " it may happen that the running of a large synchronous
motor at leading P.F. may do -so much to reduce the load
on the system that it would pay the supply authority to supply
energy free to the consumer who had it."
Let us take an example : —

A synchronous motor with an input of '200 KW. is made
to run with 0.7 P.V. leading (to run with higher leading power
factor is usually not sound commercially), i.e., the wattless
leading component of the load is approximately 200 k.v.a., the
total input of the machine being 286 k.v.a. at 0.7 P.F. leading.
This machine, therefore, would be able to correct the power
factor of 2S6 k.v.a. of industrial motor load at 0.7 P.F. to
unity P.F.— a saving in demand of 86 k.v.a. Even under best
conditions the saving would not be more than approximately
100 k.v.a.

This reduction of 100 k.v.a. is worth to the supply authority
about £4 per k.v.a. per annum, or £400, whereas the syn-
chronous motor, even \Aith 20 per cent, load factor, would
consume approximately 350,(X)0 units per annum, which at
Id. = £1,460. The supply authority, therefore, would be the
lo.sers by the difference, i.e., £1,060 per annurn. It is evident,
therefore, that Mr. TurnbuU has not .sufficient knowledge of his
subject, or imagines that supply authorities are philanthropic
institutions.

The analogy of the man on the " push-bike " leaves me
speechless.

The crux of the whole thing is that Mr. TurnbuU has got
hopelessly mixed up between power and apparent power, as
he refers to both as power in his analogies and elsewhere,
and instead of helping to elucidate the problem, his efforts,
as far as I am concerned, lead entirely in the other direction.

All this about sausages, push-bicycles, oil engines, compres-
sors, i-c, is wholly unnecessary if the one who is dealing
with the_ consumer (and I speak from experience) has the
consumer's confidence and sufficient common sense not to
burden him with explanations and analogies in which he is
not in the least interested.

Numbers of power supply authorities, presumably unknown
to Mr. TurnbuU, are to-day charging on a k.v.a. demand basis,
and meters are in use which indicate the demand in k.v.a..
even on unbalanced three-phase. 4-wire systems.

..\s I pointed out in an article published in the is.sue of the
Electkicai. Revikw for October 17th, 1919. and in succeeding
issues, it is ^iseless to try and aryuc the point with the con-

sumer who can't or tvon't understand the question of power
factor, but the thing to do is to charge him on a K.V.A. demand
basis, and so touch his pocket, when he will very quickly come
to his senses. It is really akin to the old saying " spare the
rod and spoil the child."

Frank criticism was asked for, and I have given it gratis,
and must leave Mr. TtirnbuU to the mercy of other critics.

Enfield. E. W. Dorey.

Auyu.it 30th, 1920.

Why is the Contractor Permitted to do it?

In common with many of my fellcjw citizens, I have been
" canvassed " on the subject of investing any capital I may
be lucky enough to possess in 6 per cent. Hou.sing Bonds.
My interest being aroused, I took an opportunity recently
afforded me to inspect a number of the houses on which some
of this money will be expended.

The houses in process of erection by a contractor working
to a Ministry of Health specification were being " wired " for
electric light. Under these circumstances I expected to find
that the wiring would lie carried out in accordance with the
I.E.E. Wiring Rules, but, at any rate as to Rule 63 (a), this
was not the case, as ordinary " push-joint " conduit without
continuity fittings was being installed.

Are we, then, to assume that the Wiring Rules Committee
is regarded by the Ministry of Health and local building
" authorities " as a " wash-out '"? And, further, .since Rule 6:^
(a) is quite definite on the subject of push-joint conduit, why
do supply authorities connect such installations to their mains,
in view of the fact that most of them require the installation
to comply with I.E.E. rules'?

Again, how does a tenant (not in these cases a purchaser)
stand in the matter of insurance'.' since the majority of insur-
ance companies require compliance with the I.E.E. Rules, and
in the case of these officially approved houses, the I.E.E. rules
are ignored both by the building " authority " and the supply
" authority."

Referi'ing to recent correspondence in your hospitable
columns, I am impelled to inquire — " Why is the contractor
permitted to do it? "

A Contractor's Managing Engineer.

August ,31sf, 1920.

Antomatic Street Lightinjg. — Any innovation that

affords an opportunity of eliminating nuinual labour is wel-
comed in these days of high-priced labour. In this connection
our recent note in these columns on the method of automati
cally controlling street lamps by means of selenium cells
seems to have conveyed a wrong impression. It appears to
have been assumed that another method of switching on
and off street lamps, which was initiated some years ago, is
in abeyance.

We refer to the " Handyell " system, a joint invention of
Mr. W. Duddell and Messrs. Handcock & Dykes, which was
fully described on pp. 3'25-7 of our issue of February 21st,
1913. The Oliver-PeU Electric and Manufacturing Co.. Ltd.,
is handling the system, and, contrary to popular belief,
it is very much alive. Indeed, the method is in everyday
use in a number of places in this country, and fulfils the
conditions required of it in a simple and efficient manner.
It is also by no means unknown abroad.

The underlying principle is to control relays, which may
be inserted anywhere on the general system of mains, by
means of a superimposed current impressed on the main
current flowing in the system. The main current may be
either a.c. or d.c, and the apparatus is ingeniously designed
and compact in nature; it may be reUed upon to perform its
functions efiiciently, and is automatic, the pressing of a
button being all that is required to set it in operation.

It may be mentioned that it is possible to control a single
lamp out of. say, 2,000 independently without affecting the
others. The system has a number of advantages, for once
the apparatus has been installed, it can be employed for other
purposes besides controlling the street hghting, at practically
no extra cost. For instance, it may be u.sed to control distant
meters, sub-station gear, or even to give consumers on the
mains daily time or other signals. Other uses to which the
device can be put will be apparent to those interested in the
subject of automatic control.

Anstralian Market. — PointiDg out that in the great

majority of cases the commercinl community in overseas
centres is a comparatively concentrated and small one. Mr.
S. B. McGregor, H.M. Senior Trade C<immissioner for Aus-
tralia, reports that every fault or foolishness perpetrated by
the home manufacturer or merchant is talked about and
magnified out of proportion to its real significance. Accord-
ing to the report, there is a deep-rooted conviction among
many .Australians that " the British manufacturer is intensely
conservative, unenterprising, generally out of date, and rapidly
losinc his hold on the world's markets." Tliese allegations
are directed against the manufacturer rather than the mer-
chant, and piirticularly again.st manufacturers connected with
the machinery (including electrical), motor car, small tool,
hardware, and allied trades.

Tol.87. No. 2,232, Skptkmbeb 3, 1930.] THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWo

308

BUSINESS NOTES.

New Postal Subscription Rates.— Owing to the increase

in the postal rates ou newspapers in the United Kingdom, the
subscription rates to the Electrical Review will, in future, be
as follows : —

One year £1 H 8

Six months 0 17 4

Three months 0 8 8

The Colonial and Foreign rates remain as at present.

Onr Electricity Supply Handbook.— It is essential for

manufacturers and distributors of electrical appliances to be in
possession of information regarding the nature ami pressure of the
electricity supply in towns to which their products are being sent.
Other facts in connection with the supply, such as methods of genera-
tion, type of plant, boiler capacity and prices charged, are of lesser
importance, although required on occasion. To meet this need of
the electrical industry, we have aimed to give the essential
information in as small a compass, and at as low a price,
as possible. This we have achieved in our '' List of Electricity
Undertsikings," now to be obtained at these offices. After circular-
ising municipalities and power companies in all parts of the world,
we have collected information respecting about 1,500 stations at
home and abroad. The particulars given are the names of the
supply authority and the chief engineer, the nature and pressure of
supply for lighting, power, &o., and the capacity of the plant. The
whole is contained in 40 octavo pages, price 2s. net, or, post free
28. 2d.

Bankruptcy Proceedings. — W. T. Smith, electrical and

mechanical engineer, Victoria Street, and 60, Hampden Street.
Bolton. — -Following scheme sanctioned by the Court : — Fees per-
centages and cost and preferential debts to be paid in full, and
."is. in the £ to all unsecured creditors by instalments. Receiving
order discharged.

A. Kershaw and C. H. Wood (Kershaw & Wood), electrical
engineers and merchants, Dewsbury. — Trustee, Mr. C. Turner,
155, Norfolk Street, Sheffield, appointed August 24th.

Company Liquidations. — Arthur Lyon & Wrench,

Ltd. — Particulars of claims to be sent to the liquidator, Mr.
R. J. H. Ryall, Victoria Road, WUlesden, N.W., by September 3oth.

Electric Smelting Co., Ltd., and the S. D. Investment
Syndicate, Ltd. — Meeting of members, October 6th, at 4, London
Wall Buildings, E.G. Liquidator, Mr. G. A. V. Narraway.

Commercial Electrical Accessories, Ltd. — Meeting of
creditors is called for September 10th, at the Institute of Chartered
Accountants, Moorgate Place, B.C. Liquidator, Mr. N. Bell.

Private Arrangement. — Re John Smallwood, elec-
trical engineer, 7, High Street, Hitchin. The following are
creditors : —

. . il68

Barker & Son, P. H.
B.T.H. Co. . .
Cbolkley & Son
Crompton & Co.
Callender'8 Cable Co,

IS

Hodges .t Co

Loftus, Ltd. . .

Siemens Bros. Dynamo Works

Sanders & Sons

Siemens Bros. & Co

H

Counbrough, J. W. .. .. .. 5 Tucker & Co., J. H 4

Drake & Qorham 35 Veritys, Ltd 3

Emanuel & Sons 21 Walsall Hardware Mfg. Co. .. 41

Edison-Swan Electric Co 9 Weeks., Ltd., L. . . ; . . 13

Ellis & Everard 25 Waters & Sons 80

Falk, Stadelmann & Co 39 Hitchin and District Gas Co. .. (i

Fuller's United Electrical Co. . . i Bankers 9

General Electric Co 56 Durham, Ltd., W. H 100

Glover & Co 42

Trade Announcements. — Mr. H. W. Booth, electrical

engineer, of Princes Road, Margate Road, Ramsgate, has disposed
of the business to Messrs, H. G. Maxted & F. G. Lyne.

Mr. Albert Maund, electrical engineer, of Southport, hag
opened new showroom premises at 9, Houghton Street.

Mr. Percy Moffitt, late with the Northwich Electric
Supply Co., has commenced business as an electrician at 35, Faraday
Road, Wiunington.

Messrs. Jones & Pordes have appointed Messrs. Simm and
Richardson, Custom House Chambers, Quayside, Newcaatle-on-
Tyne, sole selling agents for the Northern Counties (Northumber-
land, Durham, Westmorland, and Cumberland).

Me. Lascelles Pareinoton, A.M.I. E.E., Collins House,
360-366, Collins Street, Melbourne, has been appointed sole agent
in Australia for Wild-Barfield electric furnaces.

Catalogues and Lists. — Messrs. C. A. Vandervell and

Co., Ltd., Acton, W. 3. — " Running Instructions for the C.A.V.
Magneto," pp. 8 ; figs. 2. A little booklet which should prove
useful to magneto users.

Messrs. Prices' Co., Ltd., Battersea, S.W., 11. — A brochure,
pp. 12, written from an historical and practical point of view, and
dealing with Diesel and semi-Diesel engines.

Messrs. Johnson & Phillips, Ltd., Charlton, S.E. 7.— New
illustrated catalogue (12 pp.) of oil switches, switchboard- mounting
pattern. With full descriptions and dimensions.

City Electrical Co., Ltd., 1, Emerald Street, Holborn, W.C. 1.
— Leaflet dealing with " City " light and power plants of outputs
ranging from i to 11 KW. Giving full prices and particulars of
sets, switchboards and storage batteries.

Messrs. Ferranti, Ltd., Hollinwood, Lancashire. — A set of
abbreviated catalogues of meters, d.c. and A.c, prepayment meters,
ammeters and voltmeters, relays, instrument transformers, and
"wwer transformers. These catalogues are issued separately in

English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Scandinavian, and
Dutch ; metric weights and measures are used throughout, and
the prices are stated in decimalised coinage. We congratulate
the company on this admirable policy — using the language, coinage,
and weights and measures of each country — which is indispensable
to the full development of export trade.

Messrs. Siemens Bros. & Co., Palace Place Mansions, Ken-
sington Court, W. 8. — New and enlarged edition of catalogue 637,
dealing with a large selection from 600 different types of dry cells
and batteries manufactured at the company's Woolwich works.
The preface contains some useful notes on care and maintenance.

Messrs. Chrlstian Bergh & Co., Bank Chambers, 329, High
Holborn, W.C. 1. — Five leaflets dealing respectively with : — 'Trans-
formers of various types ; high and low-pressure switch and fuse
gear, &c. : electric light fixtures ; various small electrical accessories
and cable joint boxes.

The Electric Heating Co., George Street, Croydon. — Illus-
trated post-card, advertising the " Elect " iron of different weights
and loadings. Fully priced.

The J. G. Brill Co., Philadelphii, U.S.A.— "The Birney Safety
Car and some interesting results of its operation." Publication
No. 245 (32 pp.). A well illustrated brochure, descriptive of the
small light-weight " Birney " tramcar.

St. Helens Cable and Rubber Co., Ltd., Warrington, St.
Helens. — Works "Text" No. 1, decrying dirt, waste, and untidi-
ness, and mounted on cardboard.

The General Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Queen Victoria Street,
E.C. 4. — Latest edition of low and medium-pressure switchgear
catalogue (48 pp.). A fully illustrated and priced list of switch
and fuse-gear for all purposes, including battery, main and shunt,
field-breaking and voltmeter and ammeter switches. Also Leaflet
No. V-2,339, " Fresh air by electricity," illustrating the " Koolah "
celling fan.

The Westminster Tool and Electric Co., Westool Works.
Putney Bridge Road, S W. 15. — Two leaflets dealing with the
" Westool " D.c. portable electric drill, with illustrations and
dimensions.

Dissolution of Partnersliip. — Cook & Co., electrical

^nd mechanical engineers, 62, HoUy Lane, Smethwick, 7, Ingestre
Road, Stafford, and New Street, Dudley.— Messrs. S. P. Cook and
B. R. ChurchUl have dissolved partnership. Debts will be attended
to by Mr. B. R. Churchill, who will continue the business under the
same style at New Street, Dudley.

General Federation of Trade Unions.— Mr. W. A.

Appleton, secretary, in his review of the work of the above
Federation during the quarter ended June 30th last, states that
during that period there had been 86 disputes, involving 22,688
members. The largest and most costly dispute was that of the
London piano workers, where 5,500 workers were directly affected.
The membership of the Federation was 1,548,591, and the two-
million mark did not seem impossible.

New Belgian Electrical Co.— A new company, to be

known as the Etablissements De Man, has been founded at
Antwerp for the manufacture, repair, installation of and trade in
all kinds of electrical instruments and apparatus, especially those
employed in the medical application of electricity and in wireless
telegraphy. The capital of 1,000,000 fr. is represented by 2,000 shares
of 500 f r. each. Eight hundred and sixty shares have been allotted
to the Electricite De Man et Cie. in return for the whole of their
assets and liabilities ; the rest of the shares have been subscribed
and paid up to the extent of 50 per cent.— Renter s Trade Service.

Passports for Italy. — A further rela.xation in the pass-
port arrangements for visiting Italy is announced by the London
oSioe of the Italian State railways. British and American subjects
can obtain from any Italian Consulate a visa for six months, avail-
able for any number of journeys to and from Italy within that
period without any further formalities. This, with the French
yearly visa, now renders matters very simple for visiting Italy.
Having obtained these two "period" visas, travellers need not
visit any Consular oflices (French, Italian or British) either before
starting for Italy or before returning from Italy to this country
through France, however many journeys are made to and from
Italy during the period of validity of the visas. The fee for this
new visa is the same as for the old single- journey visa, i.e., 8s. No
registration with the police in Italy is necessary, as the hotels
themselves report the name and nationality of all visitors.

Trade Union Congress. — The Trade Union Congress
opens at Portsmouth next week, and in view of the present critical
labour position, special importance attaches to its deliberations.
The Trade Union Parliamentary Committee left London for
Portsmouth on August 29th. The Congress is favoured this year
with one of the strongest of labour leaders as chairman ; Mr. J, H.
Thomas in his presidential message will make a pronouncement on
the whole situation. The chairman's address is, of course, a
personal statement, but it has a powerful influence on subse-
quent discussions of policy. Numerically by delegation and actual
representation the Congress will be the largest yet held. Approxi-
mately six million workers will be represented.

Port of London Lock-Out.- Agreement having been
reached between the London District Committee of the lUectrioal
Trades Union and the Ship Repairers' Association, the lock-out,
which affected 600 electricians, came to an end last Friday.

304

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,232, September 3, 1920,

Book Notices. — "Municipal Year-Book for 1920-1921."

London : " The Municipal Journal," Ltd. Price 2l8. net.

r«)i'y «(?.<< for September contains articles on the use of wireless

• telephony for fightinjj tire, the photography of projectiles with

the electric spark, the Entz system of electric power transmission

used on the " Crown-Magnetic " automobile, the hardening of steel,

and aluminium.

" Electric Furnaces in the Iron and Steel Industry." By W.
Rodenhauser, J. Schoenawa, and C. H. Vom Baur. Third Edition.
Pp. xxi + 459 ; 133 figs. London : Chapman & Hall. Price
24s. net.

"Vickers News." Vol. II, No. 22(15 pp.). — This issue of the
magazine has a description of the " Darenta " toy factory at Dart-
ford. Notes on the manufacture of concrete tiles and bricks are
given considerable space, and an illustrated article on the manu-
facture of disk wheels for an Indian railway is included.

Diesel Engines in Australia. — The Commonwealth
Government is seeking to encourage the manufacture in Australia
of Diesel engines. In pursuance of this object, a Customs by-law
has been approved permitting the free entry into the Common-
wealth of one Diesel engine to each firm of engineers which agrees
to send a specially-selected, technically trained enginer to Switzer-
land to assist in the construction of the engines at the works of
the makers, who will train the men in the intricacies of the work ;
it is proposed that such engineers should subseijuently supervise the
construction of similar engines in Australia, — Tcmlers.

Telegraph Company's Profit-Sharing Scheme. — The

Western Union Telegraph Co , in pursuance of a profit-sharing
policy, announced more than a month ago, last week began paying
to employes all over the world nearly §2,000,000. This additional
remuneration represents a share of the company's earnings during
the first six months of 1920 ; each employe receiving 54 per cent.
of his January earnings. The payment for the last half of the
year, based upon July salaries, will be made on February l.'ith,
\92\.— Reuters Trade Serdre.

The Engineering Trades Dispute. — All attempts to

bring about a settlement of the dispute between the Electrical
Trades Union and the Engineering Employers' Federation during
the past week faUed ; on Saturday last the lock-out notices
were issued, will take effect in most cases to-morrow. The
E.T.U. has given its Executive power to retaliate by calling a
national strike. A conference of other Unions affected by the
dispute was to be held on 'Wednesday last.

On Monday, representatives of the E.T.U. and other Unions con-
cerned were received by Sir David Shackleton, who, after hearing
statements, said he would communicate with the employers. The
Executive of the E.T.U. was to meet in London yesterday.

If the lock-out is consummated, about a million workers will
probably be thrown out of employment by the stoppage of elec-
trical plant.

The E.P.E.A., according to the Daily Jleraltl. anticipates the
extension of the trouble to electricity supply stations, and urges
both parties to accept arbitration. If either refuses to do so, the
Aksociation, if involved, intends to throw its weight into the scale
against that party.

Siam's Trade. — The King of Siam has formed a Ministry
of Commerce for the purpose of facilitating the expansion of the
country's trade. The two advisers to the Ministry are British.

Electrical Goods in South Africa. — In its comments on

the market for electrical goods the iS.A. Mining and Eni/ineerin;/
Journal for August 7th states : — Business in the electrical wares
section is rather quiet in the absence of any outstanding building
operations in town or country. Prices remain about stationary,
but the tendency is towards lower levels. Ceiling roses, adapter?,
and sundry other lines, which were heretofore in demand and
practically unobtainable, are now on hand, and, if one excepts
pear pushes and rosettes for bell-work, one may say generally the
electrical goods market is now well supplied. Town business is
rather on the (juiet side, but fairly large orders are coming from
outside, particularly at the present moment, from the Free State,
which is now installing its municipal electric plant. Vereeni-
ging is also ordering pretty freely.

Copper and Lead Prices.— Messrs. F. Smith & Co.

report. August 31st : — Electrolytic bare, £ 1 1 7, £ 1 increase ; electro-
lytic sheets, no change ; electrolytic wire rode, £133, £1 increase ;
do. H.C. wire. Is. 4id., id. increase ; silicium bronze wire, 2s .
id. increase.

Messrs. James & Shakespeare report :— Copper bars (best
selected), sheets, and rods, no change ; English pig-lead, no

British Insulated Cable Dispute. — The recent strike at
the Prescot works of the British Insulated and Helsby Cables,
Ltd., was settled by the company paying or agreeing to pay the
employes in the cable-making departments, the last award of (is. to
the engiiftering trade. It was at the request of the Workers'
Union secretary that the company agreed to treat the cable-makers
as coming under the engineering employes' award. Now the
Workers' Union comes along with a demand that the award made
by the .loint Industrial Council for the cable-making industry on
August 18th, should be applied to those of the workers who are
employed on cable-making oper.itions. This demand is regarded by
the company as a distinct breach of faith, and it has declined to
meet the demand. It is feared that another strike may take place.

The Miners' Threat to Strike.— During the week the

results of the miners ballot have been published, from which it
appears that, on the whole, there is a majority of 3 to 1 in
support of the leaders — we doubt whether it could be said to be in
support of the proposal to strike — but in Yorkshire there is but
a small majority, and in Notts, and Derbyshire the minority is very
strong. On Tuesday the railway and transport branches of the
" triple alliance '' held a conference with the miners to discuss the
situation. Apart from the miners, other Unions show no desire to
bring industry to a standstill, and, doubtless, every effort will be
made to avert a' national disaster.

At the conference on Tuesday, the Triple Alliance resolved that
the miners' claims were reasonable and just, and should be con-
ceded forthwith. It does not follow, however, that the Alliance
will support the strike ; allowance must be made for tactical
manit'uvres. The conference was to meet again on Wednesday.

The official figures for the miners' ballot, declared on Tuesday,
were: — For a strike, r,06,782 ; against, 238,865; majority for a
strike, 3fi7,917.

The necessary two-thirds majority has, therefore, been obtained,
but only by 43,000. and as boys under 18^ who number Hper cent,
of the total, no doubt voted unanimously for a stoppage of work,
it is clear that if their votes were excluded, thene would be a shortage
of some «0,000.

In view of the short stocks of coal in hand, which would be
urgently required on restarting work, many manufacturers have
decided to close their works in the event of a strike being
declared.

While the number of workers at collieries has increased from
1,110,000 in 1913 to 1,206,000 in 1920, the annual output has
fallen from 287,500,000 to 240,500,000 tons. The average annual
earnings have risen from £82 to £220. and the miner worke. on
the average, 4 9 days per week. Since l!il.i the output per man
has fallen, with each increase of wages, progressively to 77'4 per
cent, of its value in 1915 ; the seven-hour day introduced in 19\'.\.
which the miners' leaders said would lead to increased production,
had the contrary effect.

Annual Outing. — Ou Saturday, August 21st, Messes
RoBSON & CoLE.MAN, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, held their annual
excursion at Ryton Willows. The party totalled 100, including
staff, and employOs with their wives, and an enjoyable day was
spent. During the afternoon a football match was energetically
decided and sports were held, prizes for which were kindly provided
by Mr. R. E. Robson.

The employes of the Hart Accdmulator Co., Ltd., electrical
accumulator manufacturers of Stratford, London, held their
23rd annual outing on August 21st on the river, the well-
appointed steam launch England being chartered for the return
journey from Richmond to Chertsey. Fine weather prevailed, and
the party, which numbered 120. had an enjoyable day. A presenta-
tion was made to Mr. E. J. Clark, late managing director of the
comjjany, as a mark of appreciation and esteem for the 22 years he
had held his position ; it took the form of an English lever gold
hunter watch, suitably in.soribed. IVIr. F. J. Holmes, M.I.E.E ,
manager, made the presentation to his late chief, and in a few weU-
ohosen words eulogised the work which Mr. Clark had done for the
company. Mr. Clark briefly replied. During the day, the hard-
working Cook's orchestra added greatly to the enjoyment of the party
with numerous selections of music. The thanks of all concerned
were accorded to the committee which arranged the details, especially
Mr. E Thompson, who acted in the capacity of hon. secretary.

Lead. — Messrs. Ja.mes Forster & Co. report that the
closing prices on August 27th were at £36 for all positions, practi-
cally the same as the previous week. Transactions approximattd
3,500 tons. Total sales to America for the week ending August 20th
were 4,500 tons. Last week there was continued buying, but not
on so large a scale.

Messrs. G. Cawson & Co. say there is plenty of lead available,
both prompt and forward, and as the Australian strike now appears
to be practically settled, supplies are likely to increase. There is
no improvement in the general trade demand, and electrical con-
sumers hold aloof from the market, fearing Labour troubles, and,
no doubt, anticipating lower prices.

N.F.E.4. and E.T.U. — At a meeting with the Liverpool
Electrical Trades Union, which is asking for an advance of wages
(the present rate is 2s. 3d. per hour), the local employers in the
N.F.E.A. stated that they were not in a position to discuss wages at
all, as they had been agreed upon by both executives nationally.

For Sale. — By direction of the Disposal Board, Ministry
of Munitions, Messrs. G. F. Dixon ic Co. will sell by auction on
September 21st and following days at II.M. Factory, Letherland,
near Liverpool, the modern chemical plant and new spare parts,
including many electrical items. Full particulars are given in our
advertisement pages to-day.

National X-Ray Reflector Co.— Mersks. the British

Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., wish us to state that they are the
sole agents m this country for the above American company.

General Strike in Stuttgart.— A general strike .was

declared at Stuttgart on August 'J8th. in connection with the look-
out at the Daimler and Bosch motor works. The cause of the
dispute is the 10 per cent, deduction from the wages of all workers
as income tax, which was recently prescribed by 'aw. — lleuter's
Trade Strriiv (Berlin).

Vol.87. No. 2,2:^2, September 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

805

The Overtime Embargo. — The National Exectitive of

the AmaJgamated Ensirieering t'liion ordered tho embargfo oh over-
time on maintenance jobs, set up by the Lancashire mcmbera, to
be withdrawn, but the men have refused to comply. The ban on
overtime in productive work remains in force.

The Manchester District Committee of the Amalgamated Engi-
neering Union has. resigned en liluc, and the men support its action
against the order of the executive. According to the Daily
iJis/intc/i. men who disobeyed the Committee's order not to work
overtime (unless paid an advance of 9d. an hour), were fined by the
Committee, but men discharged for refusing to work overtime were
deprived of the contingent and federation benefit by , thg National
Executive. . .o ■•.

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES.

Australia. — -New Sydney Station.— Opinion in Sydney

is still divided as to the more economical position for the proposed
new power station. The question is whether it will be better to
build it at the coal mine to be purchased by the State, or nearer
the centre of the area to be supplied. While the coal can be miued
at a very cheap rate, it is thought that the cost of the extra plant
required, and the necessity for long transmission . lines, will more
than counterbalance any economy effected in the fuel supply.
Some of the coal ia of very low calorific value, and ais; freight rates
are high, many authorities consider that transport costs for the 60
or 100 miles from the mine to the city are prohibitive,

Supply Restrictions. — The manager of theSydney Electiicity
Department states that the restriction imposed upon the use of
radiators during certain hours of the day, has resulted in a drop of
2,000 K\v. in the daily load. A 12,O0(i-K\v. alternator hag now
come to hand, but the arrival of another 8,000-KW. set has been

Bedwas and Machen. -^ Provisional Order. — The

Urban District Council is making application to the Electricity
Commissioners for a provisional order for the supply of electricity
within its district.

Britisli Colambia. — Hydro-Electric Plant.— Com-
pletion of the Bridge River power plant, which calls for an
expenditure of 830,000,000, will mark an era in manufacturing and
industrial development in British Columbia. Work has just been
begun on the project. The plans contemplate a tunnel a niile-and-
a-half long through Mission Mountain, through which Bridge
River will discharge into Seaton Lake, six miles from Lillooet.
The fall will be 1,400 ft., and 400,000 H.P., it is estimated, will be
developed. Much of this power will be distributed to cities at a
distance. The plant, it is said, will make Vancouver and Victoria
the most important manufacturing centres on the Pacific Coa^t.
Engineers declare the Bridge River site has enormous possibilities
of power development. — Retiter'x Traile Sen-iee (Lillooet, B.C.).

Bury St. Edmunds. — Extensions.— The East Anglian
Daily Times says : — With reference to the application of the
Town Council for sanction to ;the borrowing of £12,536
for electricity purposes, the borough electrical engineer reported
that at the request of the Electricity CommissioT he attended
the office at Whitehall for the purpose of giving informa-
tion on the subject. Comment was made regarding the irregularity
of proceeding with work before sanction to borrow the money
required had been given, and he (the engineer) laid special emphasis
upon the fact that it was imperative to secure the generating
Bet and boiler without delay, otherwise the opportunity of pur-
chasing them might have been lost, having regard to the circum-
stances involved. The danger of working the plant without an
adequate stand-by margin was also strongly commented upon by Col.
Ekin (a Government inspector), and warning given of the risk in-
curred thereby. The importance of installing a condensing plant to
meet the full requirements of the works was urged. Severe criticism
of the charges for . energy, particularly for lighting purposes,
was made by Col. Ekin, who considered them totally inade-
quate having regard to the increased price of coal, wages, and
all other materials pertaining to the cost of production, and early
adjustment to enable the department to become self-supporting
was urged. On the same afternoon he had an interview with an
official from the office of the Ministry of Transport regarding the
application that had been made for permission to increase the
maximum price to lOd. per unit, and he advised that a fresh appli-
cation be made to increase the maximum price according to the
requirements of the department, a. d he (the engineer) suggested
that steps be taken to increase the maximum price to Is. p r unit.
The, Committee decided to make an application to the Electricity
Commission for the issue of a further order authorising the
maximum price for electricity being raised to le. per unit.

Colne. — Electricity District.— Councillor Thompson,
chairman of Colne Electricity Committee, reported on August L'6th
that Colne was one of the North- East Lancashire towns which
oppoaeiJ the suggested central station at Preston. They were a long
way from Preston, and they comprised a large centre where elec-
tricity was supplied and would have to be brought. Electricity
could be more efficiently distributed by having a station nearer,
A big population was covered by Burnley, Accrington, Nelson,
Colne, Rawtenstall and Bacup.

Continental. — France. — A company has been formed at
Paris (6S, Rue du Rocher), the Socictr Anonyme Gaz et Electricite
de la Ville de Laon, with the object of acquiring and working
concessions for lighting, heating, and motive power by gas
or electricity, and more particularly concessions for lighting
the city of Laon and its outskirts, and the Commune of Bruyerea-
et-Montberaut. The capital is 1,COO,000 fr.

There has been formed at Paris (93, Avenue Ledru Rollin), the
Electrique de Saint Julien du Sault, a company whose object ia
the generation and distribution of electricity, more especisdiy in
the Communes of St. Julien du Sault, Villevallier, Cezy, Themes,
St. Anbin-sur-Yonne, Villicien, Been la Fontaine, and La Celle
St. Cyr, and elsewhere, where concessions are obtainable. The
capital of the company is 180,000 fr.

Italy. — The encouragement and assistance given by the Italian
Government to schemes for the development of the country's
water power is dealt with by a correspondent in a recent issue
of. The Tiiiiex Eiujineeriiiy Siipjjli-ment. The estimated available
power is 5475 H.p. per sq. mile, being second in Europe to
Switzerland with 12.'>'2 H.p. per eq. mile. The conditions
under which concessions are granted include the sale of all
developments at cost price to the State upon the expiration of a
period of .")0 years. Substantial financial assistance is freely given
undeF satisfactory guarantees, and 15-year subsidies of 40 lire
per nominal H P. are granted free of tax. Subsidies are also paid
to the erectors of new transmission lines for pressures above 2,000
volts. The amount is calculated upon the weight of copper
employed, and ranges from 0'15 to 0'25 lire per kg. Special
grants are made to individuals and companies on account of poH er
used exclusively for agricultural purposes ; this amount is
generally O'O:! lire per K\v.-hour, payable for a period not exceeding
10 years. Owners of hydro-electric plant in receipt of State
subsidies are required to reserve a proportion of their output for
agricultural purposes.

CullomptOD. — Overhead Transmission. — The Electric
Light Co. has applied to the Devon County Council for permission
to erect overhead lines for the supply of electricity to the town.

Galway. — Pdblic Lighting. — Complaint was made at
the Urban Council of the absence of public electric lighting for
some time, and it was explained that it had been agreed that there
should be no lighting during the summer months. Some members
thought lighting should have been resumed in August. A
suggestion was adopted that a main should be provided for
the lighting of the town alone, so that street lights could be
extinguished, if necessary, at 1 a.m. ; meanwhile the Electric Co.
was asked to have full lighting resumed.

Lurgan. — Electric Lighting Scheme. — At a special
meeting of the Urban District Council last week, Mr. R. Levin,
chairman, presiding, the question of an electric lighting
scheme for the town was considered. The scheme which had been
submitted by Mr. Pleasance, Belfast, would cost about £20,000, and
would include the conversion of the pumping station at Castor Bay,
Lough Xeagh, from steam to electric power. It was finally decided
to submit the scheme to the Local Government Board, and ask for
a loan to carry out the work.

Kendal. — Loan. — The Town Council has applied for a

loan of £7,469 for electricity purposfs, which includes £6,464 for
a Diesel set.

Leeds,— Extensions. — The Electricity Commissioners
ha?e sanctioned large extensions of the electricity works, at an
estimated cost of £450,000, the money to be borrowed in instal-
ments as required.

Llandudno.— Supply Difficulties. — The electrical
engineer reported to the Council that one of the generating seta
had broken down and would take aome months to repair. In the
meantime, the available plant waa greatly overloaded and there was
no stand-by in case of further breakdowns. The excessive load
was mainly due to the increased demands for traction supplies,
which were being sold at a loss to the Council. A motion to
terminate the contract with the Llandudno and Colwyn Bay Electric
Railway Co. was referred back after some discussion for considera-
tion in committee.

Manchester. — Proposed E.xtension. — The City Council

has had under consideration proposed extensions to the Barton
electric power station at an estimated cost of £700,000.

Mynyddeslwyn, — Provisional Order. — The Urban

District Council is applying to the Electricity Commissioners for
powers to provide and distribute electrical energy within its
district.

Newhaven. — Public Lighting As the London,

Brighton, and South-Coast Railway Co. is unable to supply elec-
tricity for the public lamps, the Urban District Council has
approached the Brighton Town Council about a supply.

Oldliam. — Additional Loan. — The Electricity Com-
missioners have pointed out that the total of the tenders accepted
by the Corporation in connection with the electrical extensions is
a great deal in excess of the amount put forward for sanction.
The Town Clerk has accordingly been instructed to apply for
permission to borrow a further amount of £22,678.

Oswaldlwistle. — Electricity Supply. — The Council

has decided to apply for an order from the Electricity Commi:-
sioners authorising it to obtain a supply of energy in bulk from a
neighbouring authority.

306

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.s?. No. 2,232, septembbb 3, 1920.

Perth. — Year's Working. — The electricity department
of the Town Conncil, after paying off the sinkinn fund and interest
on temporary loans, shows a profit of £2,129 on the year's
workinff. A sum of £2,000 is allotted to the reserve fund.

Skegness, — ELEfTRiciTy Supi'ly. — The report of Mr.

C. H. Wordingham on the question of a public supply of electricity
for the district at an estimated cost of about £44,000, has been
considered by the Gas Committee, which has referred it to the
Council for consideration at its next meeting.

Sonthport. — Year's Working. — The electricity depart-
ment accounts show that the gross profit for the year was £18,819,
and the net profit £3,197. The total increase in expenditure was
£6,690. The report refers to the great difBoultie3 experienced in
obtaining supplies of materials.— i!Cf/yw«/ Daily Courier.

Stalybridge.— Electricity Area. — The future supply
of the district has brought about opposition between the Staly-
bridge, Hyde, Mossley, and Dukinfield Tramways and Electricity
Joint Board and the Electricity Commissioners. The Commis-
sioners have suggested that the area for the supply of electricity
should take in Stalybridge, Hyde, and Dukinfield, but should not
include Mossley, and, on the other hand, from statements m^e at
the Joint Board's meetings some time ago, it would appear that it
was desirous of being linked up with Ashton and other neigh-
bouring authorities like Oldham, Rochdale, and Manchester. The
Joint Board points out that the Stalybridge, Hyde, and Dukinfield
area is, for the most part, a rural one, which would require miles
of cabling and tramways to link together, with the danger of its
being years after such linking before it began to yield any profit,
whereas the Joint Board, after being a tax on the ratepayers of the
four towns since its inception, is just beginning to become self-
supporting. Under these circumstances, the Joint Board is opposed
to the Commissioners' proposals, and is asking for the support of
the respective Corporations in the matter.

St. Helens. — Extensions. — Following a conference
with a representative of the Electricity Commission, together
with representatives of neighbouring electrical undertakings, the
Electricity Committee of the Corporation reports that the Elec-
tricity Commission has informally consented to the extension
of the boiler plant at the power station, in order to meet the
increased load, at an estimated cost of £40,000, as follows : — Two
additional boilers, 9,273 sq. ft. heating surface, with stokers and
coal-handling plant, of an approximate steaming capacity of
35,000 lb. per hour each ; one additional cooling tower of 250,000
gallons per hour capacity ; an additional chimney ; a new power
house, and an additional water-softening plant. The electrical engi-
neer has been authorised to obtain tenders for the necessary plant,
with the exception of the additional chimney. The space now
occupied by the destructor is to be taken up for the installation of
the new boiler plant, and the Health Committee has decided to
remove the destructor to another site.

Wallasey. — Economical Generation. — The Wallasey

Electricity Committee claims that it is generating electricity at
less cost than anywhere else in the Mersey-side area. The chairman
of the Committee (Mr. Bellis) told the Town Council that throug'u
building a new generating station they had effected so great an
economy that, while last year they generated 4,500,000 units more
than in 1914, the fuel consumed was 7,00o tons leas. They had
contributed £24,000 to rate aid during the past six years.

Waterford. — Electric Lighting. — The Public Lighting

Committee again considered the electric lighting scheme, which
will be undertaken immediately, with a view to the installation
being available for the winter months.

U.S. 4.— New Power Plant.— The Oil Belt Power Cd.
is buildmg a large electric power plant near Eastland, Texas, at a
coat of S 5,000,000, to supply power for oil-well pumping and the
oil-field industry.— /Jewfsr'.* Trade Service (Eastland, Texas).

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Aberdeen. — 1 ear's Working. — There was a loss on the

tramway undertaking for the past year of £5,203. In the
preceding year there was a net profit of £6,823.

Barrow-ln-Forness.— Purchase ok Cars. — The Tram-
ways Committee, to meet the need of more tramcars for the public
service, is buying second-hand cars from various places. Four
have just arrived from Southport, and the Committee has
obtained an option on six single-deck cars belonging to the
Sheflield Corporation. Twelve new cars are on order, and are
expected to be delivered in July or August next year.

Fare Concessions.— The Tramways Committee has recom-
mended the issuing of certificates entitling all hoiiA tide manual
workmen to ride on the cars at workmen's rates. Those workmen
having irregular hours for their meals are not to be placed at any
disadvantage. The certificates, it is understood, will be issued by
the men's Unions. The proposal is to be discussed before the full
Council at the next mteting on September 6th.

Blackpool, — Fire in Car. — Through the fusing of a
wire in the control box, the woodwork of a tramcar on the
Promenade took fire, last week. As alarmed passengers made a
hurried exit, the glass at the side of the car was broken. All
escaped serious injury, although one or two complained of shock
and bruises.

Balton. — Year's Working. — The recently published
abstract of accounts for the year ended March Slst last shows a
total income from aU sources of £244,172. The total of working
expense was £157,335, leaving a gross profit of £86,837. After
the payment of loan interest, &c., £29,811 was set apart for
renewals, ^15,600 for rate relief, and a balance of £2,659 carried
forward to the next account, as compared with £534 in the previous
year.

Burnley. — SirauAY Services. — The Tramways Com-
mittee met on Thursday last to consider the situation through the
ban placed on overtime by fitters employed at the tramway depot,
resulting in the service being suspended on Sundays. The diflBculty
was overcome, and last Sunday there was the usual service of cars.

Canada. — Railway Electrification. — The shortage of

both fuel oil and of coal in certain parts of Canada has brought the
question of the electrification of railways to the front, and it is now
reported that the Canadian Pacific Railway Co. has taken steps to
electrify its British Columbia lines.

The Bonnington Falls plant of the West Kootenay Power and
Light Co. will be used to operate the railway between Kootenay
Lake and Similkameen, and it is possible that a transmisgion line
may be run up the Arrow Lakes to the main line. The company
has definitely decided ti install hydro-electric plants at the Donald
Canyon on the Columbia River, four miles below Donald, and at
Surprise Rapids on the same stream, 25 miles downwards from its
junction with the Beaver River, where there is a faU of 112 ft.,
and ample storage accommodation in the low-lying country to the
southward.

This is the first development of steam-railway electrification in
British Columbia, and it is likely to be followed by similar works at
Death Rapids, on the Columbia River ; at Adams River on Shuswap
Lake ; and on the Thompson and Fraser Rivers, which would afford
ample power for the electrification of the entire main-line system
in British Columbia. — Times Trade Supplement.

Cardiff, — Return to Work. — The tramway services
were resumed on Friday, last week, as the result of the decision of
the municipal employes to return to work. Casual labourers accept
Is. 9d. par hour, while other workers have agreed to arbitration.

Colne. — Loan Sanctioned. — At a meeting of the Town
Council, on August 26th, the town clerk reported the receipt of
sanction to borrow £10,345 for the erection of a new tramway
depot.

Continental. — Sweden. — It is reported that the Swedish
state Railways have recently concluded a contract with the Motala
Lindholmens works for the delivery of 11 electric locomotives
iotended for use on the line between Gellivare and Luleaa. The
price fixed is Kr. 725,030 for each locomotive. — Reuters Trade
Seriice (Stockholm").

Fbasce. — The Chamber of Commerce of Boulogne has been
authorised to raise a loan of 3,500,000 fr. for the building of an
underground railway linking the Loubet docks with tlie Fer du
Nord Railway. This scheme has been hung up since 1913.

Doncaster. — Threatened Strike. — The Corporation
tramway employes have theatened to strike during the race week
— which includes the famous St. Leger — unless they are granted a
further advance of 2s. per week in wages, being discontented with
the advance made to them under the National Award. As a matter
of fact, although Doncaster was graded " C," the Tramways Com-
mittee, taking into consideration its applicition for power to
increase fares, decided to pay the grade " B " advance of 8s., an
increase of a Is. on the rate it was required to pay under the
award. The tramways are at present being run at a loss of about
£1,000 per month, the increase of fares not having yet received
sanction. The Committee contends that it cannot afford to make
a further increase, and that the threat of the employes is a breach
of the award as well as an act of ingratitude. The receipts last
year in race week were £3,298, an increase of £2,116 on those of
the 1914 race week, and the loss of this income would mean that
it would have to be made up out of the rates. Doncaster tramway
workers are at present receiving two guineas per week more than
before the war, and their hours have been reduced from ,^4 to 48
per week. They refuse to work overtime, or to allow the Com-
mittee to employ auxiliary labour during race week.

Dnblin, — Tramway Fares. — The Pembroke (Co.
Dublin) Urban Council has decided to oppose the application of
the Dublin United (Electric) Tramways Co. to the Ministry of
Transport for powers to increase the city boundaries and termini
fares by 50 per cent., and to create new stations involving increases.
Mr. C. R, Dunbar said the English and Scottish companies had got
powers to increase fares, and he believed the Dublin Co. would get the
same powers. He was surprised that the company had carried on
so well. Sir Gabriel Stokes remarked that it would cost the
tramway company practically nothing to give the Pembroke area
certain advantages in respect of the service. Thus, before the war
they had a 4 minutes' service to Donnybrook ; now it wag a 6i
minutes' service. One branch, that at Kenilworth Road, was
virtually useless as it was run at present. He pointed out that it

Tol. 87. No. 2,232, September 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

307 «

was proposed to oharpe 3d. from Donnybrook to Nelson's Pillar, in
the heart of the city, a distance of 2 miles I! f urlonirs, whereas the
fare from Clonskeagh to the Pillar was 2d., a distance of 2 miles
7 furlongs.

Liverpool. — Dekailment. — The derailment of a shunt-
ing: engine and two wagons on the Lancashire and Yorkshire
Liverpool-Southport line caused a complete block of the electric
lines on the west side of Sandhills. Inward trains to Liverpool
had to disembark their passengers at the station before Sandhills
nntil the lines were cleared.

London. — " Unuergrdund " Ijiprovement.s. — Writing-
in the Hveiihig Neirs, Lord Ashfield outlines some improvements to
be effected by the Underground companies when fares are raised
to a level which will enable the work to be carried out. The City
and South London Railway — the first of the "tubes"— is to be
enlarged to the present standard tunnel gauge of 1 1 ft. 8 ', in. in place
of the existing gauge of 10 ft. 2 in. The platforms at stations are to
be lengthened. At present only five cars at a time can be accomo-
dated at each station, and the extensions will enable seven cars to
to be drawn np at the platforms. The Bakerloo section of the
London Electric Railway is also to be improved, and a surface
railway will be constructed from Golders Green to Hendon.

Fares. — The Daily Telegraph, in the report of an interview
with Mr. Arthur Neal, M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the
Minister of Transport, says that the main points of difference
between the L.C.C. and the Underground Companies on the question
of fares are : —

1. The amount of the initial fare to be charged at certain stages of
the journey : The Underground Co. proposes that there should be a
minimum initial fare of Ud. The County Council, on the other
hand, was of opinion that it would be advisable to retain a penny
minimum fare in certain circumstances, and Lord Ashfield indicates
his willingness to endeavour to meet the wishes of the County
Council as regards omnibus fares.

2. Stage Points : Agreement has not yet been arrived at between
the Underground Co. and the County Council as to the points
between which the new fares should apply, but it is admitted
there are many clearly defined points, and no difficulty is antici-
pated in arriving at an agreement.

3. Cheap Mid-day Fares : The County Council proposes that cheap
mid-day fares on the basis of 2d. for length of journey should be
retained, and, further, that during mid-day passengers he allowed to
travel over any ordinary 2d. stage for Id. The Underground Co.
strongly dissents from this suggestion, and feels that the introduc-
tion of fares of this description is wrong in principle. It was
understood from Mr. Hume that, provided satisfactory arrange-
ments were come to on Points 1 and 2, he would use his best
endeavours to arrive at an agreement with Lord Ashfield on this
point.

New Workmen's Fares.— The new workmen's fares came into
operation on Wednesday last, and the North London railway was
one of the first lines to announce the new rates. Under the scale
abolished it was possible to travel from and between Broad Street
and Poplar or Camden Town in any direction for 2d. The one-
price ticket has been abolished and a varying table of fares brought
into operation.

The fare from Broad Street to Poplar in each direction will be
6d., and to Camden Town 6d. In the case of intermediate stations
the fares are also considerably higher. A ticket from Hackney to
Broad Street will cost -IJd., and from Hackney to Poplar or
Camden Town 6d. — Finuncial Tinier.

Extension ok Time.— The Minister of Transport has extended
the time of the London Electric Railway Act, 1913, for the con-
struction of works, 4:c., until August, \'Ji\.

Nottingham.— Free Travei-.— The Tramways Com-
mittee has decided to continue the privilege of free travelling
granted to disabled ex-Service men for a further 12 months, until
the end of July, 1921.

Pontypridd. — Strike. — Owing to a strike, the whole of
the Council's tramway system ijs shut down. The trouble is
stated to be due to the failure of the Council to settle a wage
question.

Rothwell.— Time Extension.— The period in which the
Tramways Co. is to complete its services has been extended to July
3l8t, 1923.

Sonthport. — Year's Working. — The annual report of
the Corporation tramway department states that the gross
profit for the year was £21,707, against £20,347 for the previous
year. The sum of £2,100 was applied in aid of rates, and after
various other items had been met, including interest and sinking
fnnd, a balance of £si9 was left to be applied in reduction of the
previous deficit. — Literjiool Daily Courier.

U.S.A.— Brooklyn Strike.— The whole of the Brooklyn
(New York) tramways, tubes and elevated railways were suddenly
shut down on August 29th by a strike of employes. The latter
demand recognition of their Union and arbitration on wages
questions.

Keighley.— Railless Car Mishap.— AVhile the only
double-decker railless car on the Utley-Eastburn route was being
placed in its depnt at the Utley terminus on August 27th, it began
to move rapidly down an incline immediately the driver had

detached the overhead running gear. The conductor had left the
car to open the doors, and the driver, at considerable risk, managed
to get to his seat, but was unable to reach the brake gear in time
to stop the car. It ran over the road embankment, which has a five
or six yards slope, but remained upright. The driver was thrown
from the car, but escaped with a severe shaking and minor bruises.
The front wheels of the car were broken off. This car is believed
to be the only railless double-deck one in use in this country ;
it is of Viennese make.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Continental. — Telegraph Rates. — The Postmaster-
General gives notice that by agreement with the Governments con-
cerned the rates for telegrams to Belgium, France and Holland was
increased on and from September Ist from 2d. to 2|d. a word, and
that to Algeria and Tunis from 2Jd. to 3d. a word. The rates from
these countries to the United Kingdom were correspondingly
increased.

New Teleplione Exciianges. — A number of subscribers
in the area served by the May fair telephone exchange have received
notice that they will be transferred, in three or four months' time,
to Langham, a relief exchange which is being erected. The new
exchange will be at first limited to about 2,000 subscribers, and
will begin at the number 1,000, as it is hoped to make this exchange
automatic, similar to those in operation at Epsom, Leeds, and Derby,
says The Times, An automatic service is promised in the City some
time next year. A new City exchange, the "Gower," is in course
of erection. A trunk " no delay " service, serving places within
2."> miles of London, is also being put through as speedily as possible.
The Mayfair exchange is the second largest of the five great London
exchanges; it serves from 5,000 to 6,000 subscribers. Its capacity
has been full for some time. As far as possible, subscribers will be
given numbers corresponding to their former Mayfair ones, but,
where this is not possible, they will be given quite different
numbers, so as to avoid confusion.

United States. — A working agreement has been entered
into between the American Telephone and Telegraph Co. and the
General Electric Co., of the U.S.A., whereby both obtain the
mutual use of all patents and scientific secrets. The G.E. Co. is
already associated with the Radio Corporation of America, and
Mr. H. B. Thayer, president of the Gfeneral Electric Co., says,
with reference to the new agreement : —

" The world system of the wireless universal service and the
Bell system are thus brought into a harmonious relation that will
facilitate the public use of linked-up wireless and telephone servi es.
The service will be extended to ships at sea and to Europe and
foreign countries."

The arrangement also makes it possible, according to Mr.
Thayer, for several conversations to take place on the same wire
simultaneously.

Telephone Rates. — For the third time within a month, the
New York Telephone Co. has petitioned the Public Service Com-
mission for permission to increase subscribers' telephone rates.
The latest request is for an increase of 33 per cent., which, if
allowed, will add £3,200,000 to the annual cost of the telephone service
for residents in New York city, or, on a basis of 800,000 instru-
ments, an additional £4 to each subscriber.

Wireless on Lightships. — Re-installation.— At the

beginning of the war, the wireless telegraphic installation on the
Mersey Bar lightship, Liverpool, had to be dismantled, otherwise
the craft, as a matter of international law, would have been liable
to be torpedoed by an enemy submarine. The installation has been
out of operation since, but negotiations are now in progress for the
re-installation of wireless on the lightship.

Wireless Operators. — Wages Dispute Settled. — It

will be remembered that the strike of wireless operators was called
off at the end of June on the understanding that a satisfactory
settlement of their demands should be concluded within a month.
The operators originally asked for an eight-hour day, and a
minimum weekly wage of .ii2 16s. for qualified men, rising to
£7 14s. after nine years' service. Conferences were held between
the Association of Wireless Telegraphists and the London and
District Association of Engineering Employers, but no agreement
was reached. The month's truce expired at midnight on July
23rd, the men, however, carried on pending the result of further
negotiations. On Friday last week we were informed by the
Marconi International Marine Co., Ltd., that the dispute had been
settled.

The settlement gives the men an average increase of 156 per
cent, on pre-war rates of pay ; the men claimed 177 per cent.
War bonus is merged in salary at the rate of £60 per annum, and
the increases are retrospective to May 17th last. A risk allowance
of 7 J per cent, on salary is to be paid for service on oil tankers.
The new scale of payment is in three grades : — Grade 1, £22, £24,
and £25 per month ; grade 2, £16, £18, and £20 ; grade 3, £11,
£12, and £14. The Marconi Co. intends to institute a higher class
composed of sea-going operator inspectors at £26, £28, and £30
per month, for service in the large liners.

The question of examinations which the companies desired to
institute has been waived, as has also the provision whereby shore
allowance of 38. 6d. a day was not payable until seven days after
arrival in port, and this allowance will now be paid from the day

308

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,232, September 3, 1920.

after gierninjt off articlea until the day before re-eugagement. The
" in-charge " allowance of 58. a week, payable during the first three
years of service when men are in charge of a ship's station, will be
continued. The Ijaggage allowance of 78. 6d. has been increased to
10s. For foreign service allowance, instead of a fixed sum per
week, the National Maritime Board Regulations governing
salaries, plus a percentage for that service, will be instituted in
fature.

Annual leave of two weeks on salary without shore allowance
will lie given. Sick leave has been reduced from eight weeks in
any consecutive 12 months on full pay to 14 days on half the
actual salary, less the amount received from the National Health
Society. The agreement was signed Ijy the London and District
Association of Engineering Employers, the Marconi Co., and the
Association of Wireless Telegraphists as from August 2iith.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(The date given in parenthesis at the end of the paraqraph indicates
the issue of the Electrical Heview, in which the " Official
Notice " appeared.')

OPEN.

Australia. — Commonwealth Government. November
2'lth. Protected cable terminals and cable distribution boxes.
Specifications, &o., will be available at Australia House, Strand,
yf.C— Renter s Trade Serrice (Brisbane).

Brisbane. — December nth. Department of Public Works.
Seventy three-phase oil-cooled core type static transformers —
1."), 20. 2."i. :^ii, Xk 111 and ."lO K.v.A. capacity, (l,('iiin/44n volts. —
Reuters Trade Serrice.

Bbisbanb.— January 20th. 11121. and February 2:.th. 11121. The
City Electric Light. Co. A Io.oookw. turbo-alternator set;
transformers and switchgear. — Reuters Trade Serrice.

Victoria. — October 20th. Victorian State Rivers and Water
Supply Commission. Two I.HOO-b.h.p. steam turbines, with
mechanical reduction gearing and condensing plant. — Renter's
Trade Serrice (Melbourne").

Melbourne. — September 2:ird. Melbourne and Metropolitan
Tramways Board. Supply, delivery and erection of two 3."iO-h.p..
A. c. motors, also switchgear. (Contract No. 101.) Particulars from
the offices of the Boai-d in Melbourne. — Reuters Trade Serrice.

Bolton. — September 16th. Electricity Department. One
1 2,000-KW. turbo-alternator. (August 20.)

Bradford. — September 9th. Electricity Committee.
Contract R. 159. No. 4 boiler house and equipment, including
buildings, water-tube boilers, economisers, induced-draught plant,
feed pumps, coal-handling plant and piping systems. (August 6th.)

Bridlington, — September 5th. Electric light installa-
tion at Corporation's Sanatorium, on Henley's system of wiring.
Particulars from A. J. Beckett. Electricity Works.

Croydon. — September 8th. Tramways Department.
Supply and installation of a new feeder cable. (Augiist 13th.)

Edinbnrgli. — September Gth. Electricity Department.

Converting plant for Portobello generating station and sub-station.
Specification No. 2(j. (August Gth.)

September 7th. Corporation. Electric lighting installation at
the Public Health Offices, Johnstone Terrace. Plans at Engineer's
Office, Dewar Place.

September 27tb. Electricity Supply Department. Coal, ash
and flae-dust handling plant, circulating pumps and pipework.
(August 27th.)

France. — 'The Department of Overseas Trade informs us
that the Chamber of Commerce of La Rochelle has been authorised
to raise a loan of 2.1oii,ii00 francs for the purpose of effecting
certain improvements at the port of La Pallice. including the
acquisition of eight electric cranes, and the construction of electric
tracks for the same, and the enlargement of the electric sub-
station.

India. — Agra. — October 22nd. Municipal Board.
Complete generating plant, comprising : four Diesel engines and
H.T. alternators ; II.T. and L.T. switchgear, transformers and sub-
station equipment ; 1.3 miles underground H.T. cables, 2S miles
overhead l.t. three-phase mains and street lighting equipment,
complete with all accessories. (August 20th.)

Langlio (near Blaclibarn). — September 15th. Manchester
Board of Guardians. Replating a battery of accumulators (98
cells), at the Epileptic Colony, for the Manchester Union. Further
particulars from Medical Superintendent at the Colony.

Lithaania. — The Department of (Overseas Trade last
week-end was asked to telegraph quotations to H.M. Commissioner
in the Baltic States, for one hundred and fifty miles of good light
field telephone wire.

London.— St. Panceas. — September 14th. Electricity
Department. Two water-tube boilers, each of 40,000 lb. per hour
evaporation capacity. (August 27th.)

Westiiinstee. — September 15th. Board of Guardians. Supplies
of electrio lamps, fittings, &c. Mr. W. J. Lickley, Clerk tio the
Guardians, Princes Row, Buckingham Palace Road, S.W. 1.

Macclesfield. — September 18th. Cheshire County
Asylum. Supply of electrical goods. Mr. W. F. Tingay. Parkside

Asylum.

Manchester, — September 14th. Tram tray Committee.
Steel girders, tramway rails, permanent-way special track work,
Mr. J. M. McElroy. General Manager, .'.'j. Piccadilly. Manchester.

September 20th. Electricity Committee. Six 33.000-voU, 19,500-
K.V.A., 3-phase static transformers, house service and testing trans-
formers. (August (Jth.)

Merthyr Tydfil, — September Sth. Electrical fittings for
six months for the Board of Guardians. Mr. F. T. James. (Herk,
Hip-h Street.

New Zealand. — Invercargill.— October 1 9tli. Borough
Council. HM'iOi) lineal yards of !^ii-lb. grooved girder steel rails in
40 ft. lengths ; 3 miles of copper trolley wire ; 1 i miles of stranded
copper feeder cable with weather-proof insulation. Particulars
from Chief Electrical Engineer. — Renter's Trade .Serrice.

Nuneaton, — September 20th. Electricity Department.

H.T. and L.T. switchgear, connecting cables and accessories. (August
13th.)

Rothwell, — YoRKs. — September Sth. Urban District
Council. Internal electric wiring of ."■4 houses for Urban District
Council. Particulars from the Clerk.

South Africa, — .Johannesburg. — September 6th. Gas
and Electric Supply Department. Class A. One or more light
electric passenger vehicles. Class B. One or more light electric
delivery vehicles. (August 13th.)

Stockton-on-Tees. — August 30th. District Fund, Gas
and Electricity Committees. Articles and stores for six months.
(August 13th.)

Uganda, — February 19th, 1921. Government of the
Uganda Protectorate. Tenders invited for a concession of a
portion of the Ripon Falls of the Nile. (See this oolnmn in our
issue of July 30th.)

Walthamstow- — September Sth. Urban District Council
Electricity Department. Two water-tube boilers and economisers :
one ,'>,uOO-Kw, turbo-alternator and condensing plant ; one 1,500-KW.
and one 1,000-KW. rotary or motor converters ; one natural-
draught cooling tower ; e.h.t. and L.T. switchgear ; e.h.t. cables.
(August 13th.)

Warrington, — September 7th. Electricity and Tramways

Committee. Surface condensing plant. (August 6th.)

West Ham. — September 9th. Board of Guardians.
Electrical fittings for six months. Mr. T. Smith, Clerk to the
Guardians, Union Road, Leytonstone, E. 11.

Hoddesdon.-

CLOSED.

-Urban Council :

r Co., Ltd., repaii-£ to dust destructor.

FORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

Qber lotli and 16th, at Barrow-in-Fumesg.

Machine Tools & EnglneeiiDg Exhibition at Olrmpla.— September 4th to

September 25th.

Institution of Mining Engineers. — Wednesday. September IGth. At the
Town HaU, Manchester, at 10.30 a.m. Annnal General Meeting. Septem-
ber 16th totd 17th, visits to places oi interest.

Off-peak Loads: Refrigeration.— In k Genie Ciril,

the advantages of ice-making as an off-peak load for small elec-
tricity works are detailed, a special feature of this load being the faot
that it is heaviest during the summer, when the normal load is at
the minimum. M. Follain, in the hujrnicur Const ructeur, gives
figures showing that with a consumption of 600 KW.-hours, 18
hours per day, during five months, an output of 25 kg. of ice per
KW.-hour supplied to the refrigerating machine can be secured, or
225 tons a day. This, he shows, can be done on a commercially
profitable basis.

Vol. 17. No. 3,232, septembbb 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

309

NOTES.

Origin of the Elements. — This was the title of a

paper recently presented to the Physical Society of London
by Dr. J. H. Vincent, who explained that atomic weights were
regarded as the weighted mean values of the atomic weights
of the isotopes of the elements; but it was assumed that,
as a rule, the atomic weight was near that of some one
isotope. Figures and tables were drawn up showing how
this accounted for the values of a large number of atomic
weights, if one also assumed that the weights and positions
in the periodic table of any isotope were conditioned by laws
sirnilar to those holding in the recognised radio-active famihes.
The elements were all supposed to be derived from parent
elements by processes known to occur in actively radiating
famihes; but their radio-activiiy was not in general detectable
by the usual means owing to the velocity of expulsion of the
particles being low. The possibility of the reversibihty of
some radio-active processes was regarded favourably. The
various difficulties m connection with the views advocated
were discusseil, and some suggestions for experiments were
made. Finally, the theory was used to explain the so-called
laws of the atomic weights of elements of low atomic weight,
and the shape of the curve obtained w'hen the atomic weights
were plotted against Moseley's numbers.

Prof. A. O. Rankine explained that discovery in physics
had been making very rapid strides, particularly in relation
to the dimensious and constitution of atoms. There were, in
addition to the remarkably copious information regarding
isotopes obtained by Dr. Aston, two other equally ''ruitful
researches, the results of which had been recently published.
He referred to the connection between atomic dimensions and
atomic number revealed in July by Prof. W. L. Bragg at the
Boyal Institution, and to Sir E. Rutherford's discovery —
announced in the Bakerian lecture — of a new isotope of hehum
obtained by disintegrating oxygen. In such circumstances.
Dr. Vincent might be regarded as rather bold in having pre-
sented his paper w'hen he did. But the speaker felt con-
vinced that, although the views expressed would have to be
modihed in details as discovery proceeded, the new discoveries
were themselves most hkely to point to connections betw'een
the elements on a broad basis similar to the hues indicated
by Dr. Vincent. It might, indeed, turn out that the changes
suggested by the author were not actually spontaneous or
radio-active, but that they might be eft'ected by the supply
of energy from outside. The speaker did not see what justi-
fioation there was in assummg that every element which
was a mixture of isotopes was bound to have a predominant
isotope which had an atomic weight equal to the integer
nearest to the mean atomic weight of the mixture. There was,
indeed, definite evidence that this was not always the case.
In the case of bromine, the accepted atomic weight of which
was 79.92, there was no isotope of weight 80, but bromine
was a mixture in very nearly equal proportions of two isotopes
79 and 81. Thus there was no bromine of zero isotopy, as
assumed by Dr. Vincent.

Dr. Vincent, replying, said it was purely an assumption on
his part to take the predominant isotope as always existing.
It was very rarely indeed that it did not fit in with the facts.
He had purposely kept off the subject of end products in
the meantime. There were some well-marked alphatopic
series among classes 1 and 2.

Electro-deposited Thermo-Conples.— In a paper recently

read Li'lmr tlir rii\>ir;il Suriety of London, Mr. W. Hamilton
Wilson ;ii[(l ills,-, r. 1). Lpps gave an account of the con-
structmn of thermo-couples by means of electro-deposition.
The method, which was devised to overcome the difficulty of
making satisfactory soldered joints betw'een the elements of
thermopiles having a large number of closely-packed junc-
tions, consisted of using a continuous wire of one of the
elements, and coating those parts of it which had to form the
other element with an electrolytic deposit of another metnl.
If the conductivity of the latter was consideral>ly greater
than that of the former, Snd a fairly thick sheath was
deposited, a thermo-couple was produced which was not
appreciably impaired in efficiency by the short-circuiting
effect of the core. Constantan wires, coated with either copper
or silver sheaths, were found to be suitalde for most purposes.
In the discussion that followed the reading of the paper,
Mr. E. S. Whipple explained that there were many cases
in which the device would be of the greatest .service to
physicists; for instance, in the measurement of radiation.
He mentioned that Prof. Hill, of Cambridge, had recently
been measuring the rise of temperature of nerves in action
by means of the.se couples. Mr. F. E. Smith explained that
the method would be a great labour-saving device, and Dr.
•I.S. Anderson emphasised its utility for spectro-radiation
work, as the total .hreadtli could be made very small and a
large number of junctions per centimetre employed. He had
used such couples, and was very pleased with fhern. In his
reply to the disi-usaion, Mr. W.' H. Wilson said theie would
be no difficulty in measuring low surface-temperatures with an
instrument employing the.se junctions, .^s regarded measure-
able temperature difference, he had not gone beyond about
1/1,000 deg. C He had not tried WoUaston wire, but he

found that a patent had recently been applied for using such
wire and dissolving olt the sheath from one " element." Many
of the couples shown were wound on lathes. In other cases
the grooves were lathe-cut and the wire put on by hand,
which was' almost as quick. His results appeared to be due
to ordinary thermo-electric effects.

The Engineering Training Organisation. — The attend-
ance of members ol the Orgauisatioii at the meeting held at
the Institution of Civil Engineers on Wednesday last, was
rather unsatisfactory, as important resolutions were dealt with,
affecting the futUiC of the work carried out by the Organisa-
tion during the jxist three years. Sir M.^URlCE FitzMadrice,
C.M.G., who occupied the chah, said that in 1917 when the
body was formed, it was not to be expected that engineering
firms would be able to give much attention to the subject, as
theh whole efforts were required in the production of war
inuteriel, but the three leading Institutions gave a subscription
of £2-50 each, which was probably meant to be an annual
subscription. The post-war response to theh appeals, how-
ever, was a very small one, and as a consequence the Organi-
sation now found itseh unable to continue as a body owing
to lack of funds.

Mr. C. H. WoRDiNGHAM, C.B.E., said that it was through
no fault of the Executive that the present unfortunate posi-
tion had been reached, but cuxumstances beyond their control
had forced them into it.

Sir WiLLiA.M Ellis expressed his indebtedness to Mr. Wor^-
iugham for the way in which the latter had taken over the
chairmanship of the Executive. The Organisation had found
that its scope, as originally formulated, was not wide enough.
The outcome of the work had been to compile a vast amount
of statistics and information regarding the conditions of
apprenticeship in this country, and their labours, therefore,
had not been in vain. Sir William blamed the heavy taxation
imposed upon industry for the lack of financial support. They
had found that placing boys in engineering works was no
simple task, as the majority of firms had long waiting Hsts
of candidates for apprenticeship.

Mr. WoRDixGHAM then submitted four proposals to the
meeting, the substance of which w-as as follows ; That the
Executive Committee should be authorised to negotiate with
the Employers' Association and the Federation of British
Indu.stries, with a view to one of those bodies taking over
the duties of information gathered by the Engineering Train-
ing Organisation, and that from the date of the transfer of
activities to either body, the Organisation should cease to
exist.

Sir W. Ellis said that the Council had kept a small balance
in hand, and this w^ould be handed over to the body agreeable
to taking over the work.

Votes of thanks were then passed to Mr. Berriman, who,
in reply, said much credit was due to his secretary; to Mr.
Wordingham, and to the Daimler Co. for the facilities and
help afforded the Organisation.

London Street Accidents.— Durinp; the year 1918-19,

says the report of the Commiasioner of the Metropolitan Police,
688 persons were killed, and 19,027 injured in street accidents in
the London area. Before the war the yearly loss of life in London
street accidents was rising: ; in 1913 the total killed, 596, and the
lives lost bv the agency of motor-omnibuses and electric tramway
cars, 190 and 58 respectively, had not been reached in any previous
year. The reduction in omnibus traffic duringr the war reflected
itself in fewer accidents. In 191S only 121 lives were lost by this
a<renoy in London, but the toll taken by the tramway cars, which
carried more pasFeng-ers, was reduced by one only to 58. The latest
police returns show that with increasing traffic motor- driven
vehicles cause more accidents. In 1919 omnibuses accounted for
136, but tramway fatalities fell to 41. A large increase appears in
the number of deaths caused by " other mechanically-propelled
vehicles" ; in 1918 such vehicles killed 319 persons in London, and
last year the number rose to 398. The total of all accidents
caused by vehicles in London streets rose from 15.588 in 1918 to
19.685 in 1919. Clearly street accidents are becoming more
daneerous. There was never greater need for the constant
monition of " safety first." with the practical addition of more
street "refuges." — Daily Mail.

A New Diesel Engine. — Mr. C. M. Schwab, chairman of

the Bethlehem Steel Corporation (Inc.), U.S.A., announces that
the company has perfected a new two-cycle internal-combustion
engine, which is adaptable for ship propulsion as well as for
stationary purposes, will produce the same horse-power as a four-
cycle engine twice its size, and effects a saving of two-thirds of
the fuel expense as compared with a steam-driven oil-fired vessel.
A successful trial of the engine is reported to have been made in
an ore-carrying ship. Sir Trevor Dawson, vice-chairman of Messrs.
Vickere. Ltd., is reported to have said that simUar results have
already been accomplished by British engineers.

Appointments Vacant. — Engineering assistant (£350)

for the St. Helens Corporation Electricity Department ; chief
assistant (£450), mains assistant (£20u), four improver assistants
(£2 to £3), for the City of Worcester Electricity Department;
junior assistant engineer (.(;:!.".iO for the Corporation of Wimbledon
Electricity Department j telegraph engineer (£4So) for the Govern-
ment of the Gold Coast ; general works manager for the English
Electric Co.. Ltd. For particulars see our advertisement pages
tp-day.

310

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. no. 2,232, sbptbmbeb 3, 1920.

The Threatened Coal Strike.— A correspondent writes :—

Leeds. — Industrial concerns are trusting in Providence that the
strike will not materialise, and coal traders say that there has been
no particular rush of orders. Stagnation in the textile trade has
released much coal for other industries. The city electricity
department is stated to be fairly well situated, having a stock
of coal sufficient to last about four weeks at ordinary working,
and longer by curtailment of output and consumption of electricity.

Bradford. — Industrial concerns are not greatly worried here,
because trade is slackening. Domestic supply is rather good,
owing to wise stocking in advance. The electricity and gas
departments are not so well placed, and neither is likely to be
able to continue producing through anything like a lengthy strike.
A couple of weeks is mentioned as somewhere about the limit of
endurance. Special emergency stocking has been handicapped by
the advent of the local general holidays.

llcilifa.r. — The electricity and gas departments are in a position
to withstand a strike for some considerable time, probably seven to
eight weeks in the case of the former, and at least a month in the
case of the latter, so long as there is no waste by consumers.
Industrial coal stocks are low. Good quality house coal is short,
though there is a fair amount of common quality. Some 3,000
tons has been stacked in various yards in anticipation of a possible
winter shortage.

Doncii.ster. — Owing to recent restrictions in coal supply the elec-
tricity and gas departments here have been unable to stock, and if
there is a strike have only about three weeks' coal supply.

Bluili CniMtrij. — In the event of a miners' strike, the Shrop-
shire. 'Worcestershire, and Staffordshire Electric Power Co., which
supplies many of the most important industries of the Black
Country, would be able, with its present coal stocks, to continue
full output for five weeks. It is anticipated, of course, that there
would be a heavy falling off in the demand, so that the supply
should suflioe for two months,

BirminffhiiiH.—At the Electric Supply Department, the coal
stock is sufficient for five weeks' full output, or, probably, a
decreased supply for a couple of months.

Fatality. — The Manchester City Coroner (Mr. W. "W.
Surridge) last week returned a verdict of " Accidental death " on
'Walter Eckersley (19), a linesman's labourer in the employ of the
L. & Y. Railway Co., who died after being badly burned through
coming in contact with a "live" rail on the railway line near
Prestwich Station. Another linesman testified that Eckersley
thoroughly understood the "live" rail and its dangers, and said
special regulations with regard to the working of the " live " rail
were issued by the railway company in book form, and Eckersley
had had a copy.

Inquiries. — Makers of vitreous enamel for electric light

shades, and firms that do enamelling, are asked for.

Glasgow's Housing Exhibition.— Rapid preparations are
being made for the Housing and Health Exhibition, which, under
the auspices of the Corporation, will be officially opened at the
Kelvin Hall of Industries, Glasgow, about the middle of September.
So great has been the demand for space, that it has only been with
difficulty that the management has been able to meet the wishes
of all prospective stallholders, despite the fact that since the
holding of a similar exhibition a year ago, the Kelvin Hall has
been greatly extended. The display will be one of unusual import-
ance to everyone interested in the building and allied trades.
Among the exhibitors will be the following : —

Electrical Appliances, Ltd., Glasgow (electrical appliances').

'Western Elfctric Co.. Ltd., Glasgow (electrical appliances').

Falk, Stadelmsnn & Co., Ltd., Glasgow (electrical goods).

Electric Suction Sweeping Co., London (sweepers).

Glasgow Corporation Electricity Department (electric stoves and
other domestic electrical appliances).

Allies Electric Lamp Co., London (electric lamps, kc ).

R. & A. Main. Ltd., Falkirk (gas and electric stoves, &c.).

The Exhibition will be under the direction of Mr. James M.
Freer, who officiated in a similar capacity on the occasion of the
last local Exhibition, when he was paid the unique compliment of
a special vote of thanks from the Glasgow Corporation at the
conclusion of the Exhibition.

Commercial Motor Exhibition.— A Commercial Motor

Vehicle Exhibition is to be held under the auspices of the Society
of Motor Manufacturers and Traders at Olympia, and will be opened
on October 15th. During the week of the exhibition the Imperial
Motor Transport Conference will hold a number of meetings,

Motor road transport is entering more and more into every
phase of national life, nor is it likely to diminish in importance
while our coal difficulties are so great. An exhibition of the latest
types of chassis and the proceedings of the conference should
therefore prove of exceptional interest.

Service Notes, — Lieutenant M. II. Kirby. Xcrth Riding
Royal Engineers (Electric Lights Company) has resigned his com-
mission, and retains his rank. Major A. V. White has resigned
his commission in the Hants Fortress Royal Engineers (Territorial
Force), in which he held field rank from June, 1916, and was
associated with it from the outbreak of the war. Lieutenant E. E.
Mann on retiring from the Hants Fortress Royal Engineers (Ter-
ritorial Force), has been given the rank of i captain, which he held
temporarily during the war. The following subalterns of the
same corps who were employed with the electric light companies,
have resigned their commissions : — Lieutenants D. A. Bevia, G. J.
McDonald, F. E. Pipe, H. Vf. Knapp, H. C. Holroyd, F, A, Geary,
and E. H, Bond, all subalterns of 1916-17.

Birmingham Electric Club. — The Club commences its

winter session on September 11th. The meetings are held on
the second Saturday in each month, at the Grand Hotel, Colmore
Row, at 7 o'clock. The arrangements for the first half of the
session are as follows : —

September 11th. — "Some Considerations with Be^rard to Low-
Tension Switchgear," by Mr. R. Gregory.
October 9th. — " Thermo - Electric Currents as Applied to

Pyrometry," by Mr. F. S. J. Pile, M.A.
November 13th. — " Some .\spects of Modern Works Manage-
ment," by Mr. H. C. Young, A.M,I,E,E.
December 11th. — Annual general meeting.

Terrestrial Magnetism. — Owing to the energy and well-
laid plans of Dr. L. A. Bauer, the general magnetic survey of the
earth is within sight of completion. The next step in the cam-
paign of the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie
Institute at Washington. Bays the Jmir/ial of the Franklin Institute,
is the promotion of additional observatories in various parts of the
world. The dearth of such stations in the southern hemisphere
led to a search for a suitable site in Australia. The spot finally
selected is 12 miles west of Watheroo, on the Midland railway,
132 miles from Perth, where the Government of Western Australia
presented 240 acres of land for the observatory. Several lines of
work will eventually be conducted at the institution, but up to the
present not all types of work have been provided for. Observations
in terrestrial magnetism began on January Ist, 1919, and meteoro-
logical data are also obtained.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

ZA» EditoTi invite electrical engineer!, whether connected with the
technical or the commercial side of the profession and induttry,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
Electbical Review posted as to their movements.

Colne Tramways Committee has recommended the appointment
of Mr, J. Thompson, eleetrfoal engineer, as manager of the tram-
ways, in succession to Mr, Richardson, Mr. Thompson will
combine the two positions, at a salary of £700 a year. This has
been confirmed.

A presentation of a dressing outfit was made, on August 26th,
to Mb. H. Ainsworth, assistant store- and time-keeper at
Blackburn tramways shed department, Intack, who is leaving
for Canada,

Mb, C, Bailey, who is leaving the Woking Electric Supply Co,,
Ltd,, to take up duties in Bury, was presented, on Friday last, with
an oak clock by the staff and employes.

Me. W. G. Tueneb, A.M.I.E.E, chief assistant engineer to
Newcastle and District Electric Lighting Co., Ltd,, has been
presented with a silver salver by the officials and staff upon the
occasion of his leaving the company to take up the pisition of
borough electrical engineer to Southampton Corporation.

Mr. S. L. Martin has resigned the position of sales manager to
Messrs. Robert Warner ^^ Co.. Ltd., as from August 27th.

Obituary. — H. L. Joly. — We learn with regret that Mr. Henri
Louis Joly, A.M.I.E.E,, M.CJ.S,, died on August 26th, As an
active promoter of the electric vehicle, and an authority on storage
batteries, Mr, Joly had accomplished valuable work in the electrical
field, and he was also an expert on Japanese art, of mature and
refined judgment.

F. R. BOARDMAN. — The death occurred at East Ham, on August
19th, of Mr. Frederick R. Boardman, manager of the electrical
department of Messrs, Marion & Co., and the inventor of an arc lamp
and the Boardman light for photographers. He was 63 years of age.

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED.

Re-

Jenner Light & Power Co., Ltd. (169,663).— The notice

under this heading in our last issue should be amended by the omission of
the name ol Mr. C. G. Maisey, Warlingham, Jersey Road, Oslerley Park,
who. we understand, has no financial or other interest in the company.

Ventock, Ltd. (169,725). — Private company. Registered

.\ugust 18th. Capital, £5,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the business ol

electrical, mechanical, constructional, and general engineers, manufacturers

and workers of electricity, electrical conduits, switchboards, and apparatus.

\c. The subscribers (each with one share) are: H. Craske. 20,

Road, S.W. 17, engineer; G. D. Hine, 13a, Waterloo Place, S.W, 1. sui
The subscribers are to appoint the first directors. Registered office :
House, Victoria Street, S.W. 1.

R. Darbyshire, Ltd. (169,746).— Private company.

gistered August 19th. Capital, £10,000 in £1 shares. To acquire

to account any lands and buildings in the U.K., U.S.A., Canada, ». ^.=^

where, and to carry on the business of electricians, mechanical engineers. &c.

The sub'icribers (each with one share) are : R. Darbyshire, 10, Upper Talbot

Street, Blackpool, electrical en^neer; W. Darbyshire, 27, ^aunce Street,

Ulackpool, electrical engineer. The

ll.rbyshire, and J. Hollas. Regis

r.l.ickpool.

Electro-Cbemical Industries, Ltd. (169,790).— Private

companv. Registered August Slst. Capital, £10,000 in 9,000 20 per cent.
cumulative prel. shares of £1 each and 20,000 ordinary shares of Is, each. To
carry on the business indicated by the title and that ol smelters and reducers
of ores and minerals, S:c. The subscribirs (e.ich with one preference share)
:.re: E. Howard. 79, Boyson Road, S.E. 17. secretary; R. Radcliffe, «. Talbot
Koad, Bayswater, W. 3, secretary. Directors
Richardson & Co., S, Howard Street,
House, Regent Street, Londtin.

and

Caun
:: R. Darbyshii
Upper Talbot Street,

W.C.

amed. Solic
Registered office :

Lloyd.
Regent

Vol.87. No. 2,232, Septbmbeb 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

311

S. Dagnall, Ltd. (169,775). — Private company. Regis-
tered August 20th. Capital. «5,000 in £1 shares. To acquire the business
o{ an electrical, mechanical, and general engineer and contractor carried on
by R. S. J. Dagnall, as " S. Dagnall," at 420, Stratford Road, Sparkhill,
Birmingham. The first directors are: R. S. J. Dagnall, 420, Stratford Road,
Sparkhill, Birmingham; S. Phillips. 394, Shaltmoor Lane, Hall Green, Bir-
mingham. Solicitor : T. Coates, 57-8, New Street, Birmingham. Registered
office: 420, Stratford Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham.

Star.Port, Ltd. (169,801).— Private company. Regis-
tered .'\ugust 21st. Capital, flOO.OOO in £1 shares. To acquire certain
patents belonging to O'Neil's Recorder Syndicate, Ltd., and relating to the
navigation of ships and otherwise, and to carry on the business of mechanical,
electrical, hydraulic, and general engineers and contractors, manufacturing
of signalling and similar apparatus. &c. The subscribers (each with one
share) are: C. A. Beldam, 57, Gracechurch Street, E.C., engineer; R. S.
0*Neil, 57, Gracechurch Street, E.G., engineer. The subscribers are to appoint
the first directors. Registered office : 16, Philpot Lane, E.C.

North=Eastern Welding Co., Ltd. (11,390).— Private

company. Registered in Edinburgh August 21st. Capital, £10,000 in £1
shares. Fusers of metal (electrically or otherwise) for welding or repairs,
metal workers and manufacturers, boiler makers, shipbuilders, shipwrights,
electrical engineers, &c. The first directors are : Stewart H. Fullerton, 8,
Gower Street, Ibrox, Glasgow, engineer; A. Proctor, Roman Wall House. 1.
Crutched Friars, London, E.G. 3, merchant. Secretary: J. T. Simpson. Re-
gistered office : liB, Union Street, .Aberdeen.

Oldfield Engineering Co., Ltd. (169,770).— Private com-
pany. Registered August 30th. Capital, flO,OOI) in £1 shares. To carry on
the business of engineers, millwrights, manufacturers of rubber machinery,
gas and oil engines, electrical and gasworks plant, &:c. The subscribers (each
with one share) are: J. W. J. Walker, 24, Kivington Road, Pendleton, Man-
chester, works director; J. Hodges, 89. Albert .Avenue, SeUgeley Park, Prest-
wich, electrical engineer. I'he subscribers are to appoint the first directors.
Solicitor : S. Taylor, 8, John Dalton Street, Manchester.

Advance Engineering Co.. Ltd. (169,75.5). — Private com-
pany. Registered August 20th. Capital. £10.000 in £1 shares. To carry
on the business of mechanical, motor, electrical, marine, mining, consulting,
and general engineers, fc. The first directors are: J. V. Coonan, 403, Spring
Bank West, Hull ; W. F. Hall (managing director). Halcyon, Avenue Halcyon,
Hesslc; H. R. Hall. 4. Alliance Avenue, Hull; D. .\. Livingstone, 19, Argyle
Street, Anlabv Road, Hull; W. E. Shuttleworth, 210, Victoria Avenue. Hull.
Registered office: 195, High Strwt, Hull.

Steyning Electric Light Co., Ltd. (169,904) .—Registered

August 2tith. Capital, £10,000 in £1 shares. To acquire the business carried
on by S. C. D. Oxley at Steyning, as the "Steyning and District Electric
Lighting, Heat and Power Supplv Co." Minimum cash subscription, £7.
The first directors are: \V. L. B'urt, " Penland," Steyning, Sussex; W. A.
Carter, The Gables, Bramber, Sussex; G. A. Flowers, Steyning, Sussex,
solicitor; A. Linfleld. "Thistledown," Bramber, Sussex; G. S. Mitchell, 31,
Ixmdon Road, Horsh.im. Sussex; E. Prior (managing director). 30. Church
Road, Burgess Hill, Sussex; H. G. Sugden, " Burletts," Bramber, Sussex.
Qualification : £200. Secretary : S. C. D. Oxley. Registered oflice : High
Street, Steyning, Sussex.

Institute of Transport (169,896).— Registered .August

26th, as a company limited by guarantee, not formed for purpose of profit,
the word " limited " being omitted from title by licence of the Board of
Trade. The number of members is unlimited, and each member is liable
for not more than £1 in the event of winding up. The objects are : To
promote and encourage knowledge of traffic science and the art of transport.
and the means and appliances connected therewith, to provide facilities for
study and the exchange of ideas, to grant certificates, medals, diplomas, and
scholarships, to raise the status of those engaged in traffic and trans-
port, to promote exhibitions, to form a library, &c. The income and
property of the Institute is to be applied solely towards the promotion of
its objects, but payment in good faith of interest, and not more than 5 per
cent., on any loans advanced by members, to promote th,. objects of the
Institute. The Institute is to consist of members, associate members, gradu-
ates, students, and honorary members. Members and associates only are
to be " members " for the purposes of the Companies' Acts. Thev must have
had respectively 10 or 5 years' experience involving official responsibility in
dealing with traffic or providing transport or works connected therewith, or
fulfil other specified conditions. Members and associates mav describe them-
selves as " M.Inst.T.," and " A.M.Inst.T." The following' have consented
to become members of the Council, viz. : Sir Eric C. Geddes (Minister of
Transport); J. Allen (Oxford Steam Plough Co.. Ltd.); Lord Ashfield ; J.
Bagwell (general manager, G.N.R.. Ireland); H. E. Blain ; Sir A. A.
Booth; Sir J. G. Broadbank (Member, Port of London Authority);
Sir A. H. Butterworth (general manager, N.E.R.); H. P. Currie; Sir F.
Dent; G. A. Dulfield ; Sir J. E. Eaglesome (general inanager. Aire & Calder
Navigation); Sir S. Fay (general manager, G.C.R.); Sir H. Fitzmaurice;
S. E. Garcke (director, British Automobile Traction Co.. Ltd.); H. H. Gordon;
J. B. Hamilton (commercial manager. City of Leeds Traniwais); Sir W.
Joynson Hicks. M.P.; R. J. Howley; Sir L. L. Macassey, K.C; D. A.
Matheson (general manager, Caledonian Railwav); Sir H. P. Mavburv (direc-
tor.general of Roads); ]. C. Mead (Mead. Son & Hussev); J. M. lilcElrov;
Sir P. A. M. Nash (Director-general o( Traffic); Sir J. 'W. Orde (secretary
and general manager of R.A.C.); S. Preston (member. Canal Control Coni-
mittee): Sir W. R.-ieburn. M.P. ; Sir A. Read (managing director. Coast Lines
Ltd.); G. Renwick; Sir A. Stanlev (chairman. Tramways and Light Railways
Association); E. S. Shrapnell-Smith (Transport Director); F. Tatlow (eeneral
manager, M.R.); Sir H. A. Walker (general manager, L. & S.W.R.); J.
Willmot, and W. Wolsey (director, Thos. Tilling, Ltd.). .Solicitor : R. D.
Baxter. 12, Victoria Street, S.W. Registered office : 2-3, The Sanctuary,
S.W. 1.

CITY NOTES.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

H. E. Steele, Ltd. — Two mortgages dated .'\ugust 9th

»nd 17th. 19-20. to secure £2,350 and £H,000 respectively, charged on certain
land and premises in Wcstgate and High Street, Cheltenham. Holders: J. P.
Winterbotham. Essex Place, Cheltenham, and H. Ripley, J. P., 41, Hans
Mansions, S.W.

Slack & Parr, Ltd.— Satisfaction in full on May 18th,

1920. of debentures dated July 31st, 1917, and June 26th, 1919, securing £300
and £1,000 respectively.

J. E. Lester & Folwell, Ltd. — Two mortgages dated

August 17th. 1920, to secure £1..5O0 and £3,500 respectively, charged on 60,
London Road, I.eicester, and stables. &x.. in rear thereof. Holders : North-
amptonshire Union Bank, Ltd., and C. Fox, Cropstone, Leicester.

Tok Manufacturing Co., Ltd Particulars of £2,000

debentures authorised July 28th, 1920, whole amount issued, charged on the
company's undertaking and property, present and future, including uncalled
capital.

F. E. Baker. Ltd.— Particulars of ^£15.000 debentures

authorised August llth. 1920, whole amount Issued; charged on the com-
pany's undertaking and property, present and future, including uncalled
capital.

Precision Engineering Co., Ltd.- Issue on August 12th,

1920. of £500 debentures, part of a series.

.^s a result of the war and the inter-
The Zurich Bank nationality of its transactions, the directors

for Electrical of the BanJ; fur Elektrisohe Unter-neh-
Undertakings. mungen of Zurich have been compelled
to bring forward a drastic scheme of re-
construction in order to terminate the present unfavourable
situation of the undertaliing. The banli was formed many
years ;igo with the co-operation of the German .\.E.G. group
not only as a holding company, but also as a hnanciug com-
pany for electrical undertakings in different countries, par-
ticularly German, and its development in the course of'years
has been regularly recorded iii the columns of this journal.
The collapse of the currency of Germany and Russia, and
the heavy depreciation in those of Italy, Prance, and Belgium
are the primary causes of the present disaster.

The directors of the bank have issued a statement announc-
ing that the accounts for the financial year ended on June
;iOth, 19'A), after the absorption of the whole of the reserve
funds, show a loss of 6,666,000 fr., as compared with a
deficiency of 4.131.000 fr. in 1918-19. Moreover, there exists
what must also be considered as a loss, namely, the " un-
covered exchange losses " amounting to 49,344,000 fr., as
compared with 18,509,000 fr. in the preceding year. These
have hitherto been entered as assets as a result of the order
issued by the Federal Council in December. 1919, con-
cerning the consequences of depreciations in the cur-
rencies held by companies and co-operative societies. In
view of these unfavourable results which are solely due
to the depreciation of foreign currencies, particularly
the exchange for the German mark, the directors con-
sider that they are no longer authorised tu continue the
repayment of capital. The holders of the o per cent, cash
notes and the 4 per cent, bonds maturing on August 31st
and Uctober 1st, 1920, have therefore been asked to consent
to postponement until the submission of a comprehensive
scheme of reorganisation. The scheme will, aim at adapting
the claims of the various parties interested to the actual
conditions now existing, and the capacity of the bank, without
causing any displacement of the existing mutual rights of
ci'editors and shareholders.

The following arrangement is proposed for these purposes :
(1) The substitution for the bonds, cash notes, and other
debts, of preference shares having a cumulative dividend of
6 per cent., and capable of being redeemed by the company
at a rate of premium yet to be fixed; (2) the removal of the
existing book deficiency by reducing the ordinary share capital
to one-fourth of its nominal amount ; (3) the replacement of
the sum of 7.50 fr. by which each share is written down by
tlie issue of a profit share of no nominal value, but having a
claim on the distribution of profits after the satisfaction of the
cumulative dividend of 6 per cent, on the preference shares,
as well as a non-cumulative dividend claim of the ordinary
shares also of 6 per cent. ; and (4) a corresponding rearrange-
ment of the legal condititas in the event of liquidation.

The existing share capital, which is .said to be now mainly
held in Switzerland, would be reduced under the scheme
from 7.5.000,000 fr. to 18.7.50,000 fr. The bonds at the end
of 1918-19 amounted to 84.340.000 fr., while cash notes for
10,000.000 fr. were in circulation at that time. It is men-
tioned that full details of the scheme will be given in the
company's forthcoming annual report.

Stock Exchange Notices. — Dealings in tlie following have
been speciallv allowed by the Committee under temporary
regulation 4 (3) : —

Midland Electric Corporation for Power Distribution.— 30,000
ordinary shares of £1 each, fully paid, Nos. 1 to 30,000; and
'250,000 new ordinarv shares of i'l each, 10s. paid, Nos. 30,001
to 280,000.

Mather & Piatt. — 210,000 new ordinary shares of £1 each,
")s. paid. Nos. 1.0.50.001 to 1,260,000.

Clarke, Chapman & Co., Ltd.— Dividend at the rate of
7 per cent. (7s. per share) per annum, le.ss tax, on the 7 per
cent, preference shares for the .six months ended June 30th,
and an interim dividend of 5 per cent. (Is. per share) on
the ordinary .shares.

Canadian General Electric Co.. Ltd. — Dividenci of 2 per
cent, for the three months to SepteiAber 30th on the common
stock, and 3§ per cent, for the half-year on the preference
stock.

Newcastle-upon=Tyne Electric Supply Co. — Interim divi-
dend of '2i per cent, on the preference and ordinary shares,
less tax. First dividend on the new 7 per cent, cumulative
preference will be paid September 30th, calculated on the
amounts p.Tid up.

City of London Electric Lighting Co. — Inlerini dividend
of 7J per cent per annum (9s. per share), less tax, on ordinary
shares. Dividend of 6 per cent, on cumulative preference
shares.

Kalgoorlie Electric Tramways. Ltd.— The accounts for
1919, after deducting £3,750 for depreciation, show a debit
balance of £43,.520 io be carried forward.— Financier.

812

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,232, September 3, 1920.

Vickers, Ltd. — Interim dividends for the half-year ending
June 30th of 2J per cent., less tax, on the preferred 5 per
cent, stock and 5 per cent, preference shares. 2^ per cent.,
free of tax, up to 6s. in the £, on the cumulative preference
shares. The question of interim dividend on the ordinary
shares is to be settled when the accounts for the years 1916
to 1919, inclusive, are ready for presentation to the share-
holders.

Centrale Pour I'lodustrie Electrique. — During last year
the Centrale Pour I'lndustrie Electrique did business which
brought in 1,049,587 fr. net profit, as against 891,009 fr. in
the previous 12 months. The dividend was maintained at
25 fr. per share. There was no disti'ibution of dividends in
1917.— ^cutcr^s Trade Service.

Stewarts & Lloyds. — Interim dividends at the rate of 6
per cent, per annum on the preference and at the rate of 10
per cent, per annum on the preferred ordinary shares for the
June half-year.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tdesd.w Evening.
The shadow imposed upon Stock Exchange markets by the
threatened coal strike has already been to some extent reUeved
by the developments of the past few days. Throughout what
some people call the crisis, the House steadily declined to
credit the idea of the strike coming to a bead, the assumption
being that with the public so much opposed to it, and the
voting of the men being so considerably m the hands of boys,
it is mipossible to suppose that there can be any real fear of
such a disaster as a strike would involve. Consequently
prices have not been flat, although they gave way in certain
cases on apprehension of seUing. Anyhow, the pubhc senti-
ment is more cheerful, and Stock Exchange quotations are
following this. The firmness of gilt-edged stocks is worthy of
notice as exemplifying the steady investment business which
continues to flow into Stock Exchange channels io spite of the
hohday season and the depressing influences at home and
abroad.

The lock-out which is proceeding in various sections of the
electrical industry is only part of a policy that is being pm-sued
in other branches of trade. Employers have got to that point
at which they decline, in numbers of cases, to accede to any
further demands on the part of labour, and, exasperated to the
fuU hmit of their patience, they are deciding to close down
until a more reasonable frame of mind supervenes amongst
their employes. The position is, of course, unpleasant enough
for holders iu the shares of companies affected by the disturb-
ance, and makes one more reason for dullness in the shares of
the electi-ical manufacturing department. Edison-Swans fell
back to 18s. 3d., before they recovered Is., and Electric Con-
structions are weak at the former ' price. Siemens fell to
23s. 6d. India-Eubbers gave way to 2os., Cromptons lost an-
other Is. at 17s. 6d.

So far as electricity supply shares are concerned, there are
not many changes on the week. South Metropolitan prefer-
ence fell to 17s. ex dividend; Chelseas are better at 2^. The
rise in the price of coal has come as an unpleasant incident
just now, more especially as the miners profess to be working
for a substantial reduction in price as one excuse for then-
threatened strike. It is naturally supposed that earnings of
illimiination companies will be affected by the rise in coal if
this is permanent.

Meanwhile, the City of London Company has declared an
interim dividend at the rate of 7| per cent, per annum, being a
rise of 1^ per cent, as compared with that of a year ago. This
is a distinctly cheering performance, and has made the price
of the shares a little firmer at 23s. Gd. Moreover, it encour-
ages the hope that, after all, electric lighting companies may
be able to maintain their aistributions of last year provided
the coal outlook clears up before the final accounts are adjusted,
for which, of course, there is plenty of time. The yield on the
leading shares is exceedingly good, and when 10 per cent, or
thereabouts can be obtained from investment in Westminsters,
as well as other first-class shares in the Ust, it is not likely
that proprietors are going to part with their holdings at such
levels as rule to-day.

The market in cable shares is better. Eastern Extensions
hardenmg to 14J and Globes to 15, although these improve-
ments merely replace falls which occurred last week. Anglo-
American preferred is a point up at SOJ. Marconis have kept
steadily around 2 13-16. Marconi Marines, after touching If
went back to 31s. 3d. The American Telephone and Telegraph
Company is joining forces with the General Electric Company
of New York, and associated witli these is the Radio Corpora-
tion, more familiar on this side as the American Marconi Com-
pany, dealings in the shares of which are not yet permitted
in tlie Stock Exchange.

Home Railway stocks are inclined to recover after passing
through a period of weakness on nocouiit of the coal outlook
Underground mcomes at 55i are 2 points lower, and the £10
shares at 32s. 6d. have fallen 2s. 6d. Central London ordinary

and Metropolitans are both down. Nor is the foreign list in
much better case. Mexicans, are heavy, and British Columbia
Electric preference at 525 are 2 down. Iron, steel, and kindred
shares are better. There was a .sharp fall in Vickers to 21s. 3d.,
on the pas.sing of the interim dividend, but a recovery to
24s. Gd. occurred early this week, and was accompanied by sub-
stantial improvement in various other armament^ engineering
and coal issues. The rubber market is very quiet, with the
jirice of the raw produce about Is. 9Jd. per lb., and no business
worth mentioning in any of the various sections devoted to
rubber shares.

From the spectacular point of view, the principal feature
(jf the last few days has been the rise in dollar securities.
Owing to the drop in the value of the £ in terms of the
dollar, Montreal Light & Power Common shares have risen
20 points to 290. Improvements of 3 to 5 dollars have made
Canadian General Electrics 123, New York Telephone 4i per
cent, bonds 101, Kaminisjtiquia capital shares UOJ, Electric
Development of Ontario fives 111^, Bell Telephone of Canada
fives 110^, Shawinigan 134, and so on. There are probably a
good many bonds of this class still held over here, and,
although the New York exchange may move further against
this country, it mu.st be acknowledged that the current quota-
tions are distinctly tempting from the point of view of those
who take the longer outlook and who foresee the time when,
with a less abnormal rate of exchange, such prices as those
just quoted will certainly not obtain. The securities are mostly
out-of-the-way stocks, and the changes may not be noticed by
holders unless brought to their attention in this manner.
.^gainst these sharp advances, the only fall to be chronicled
is in Calgary Power shares, which have dropped to 12J, a loss
of 5 points this week.

SHARE LIST OF ELBCTRIOAL COMPANIES.

HouE Electricity CoufAMiES,

Dividend Price

/ ■ s Aug. 31, yield

1918. 1919, 1930. Rise or (all. p.o.

Brampton Ordinary

Oharlng Oroae Ordinary . .

do. do. do tiPrel, ..

Chelsea

Olty o( Iiondon

do. do. 6 per oent. Prel. ..

Ooanty of London

do do. 6 per oent, Prel.
Kensington Ordinary .. ..
London Eleotrio

do. do. 6 per cent. Prel,..

Metropolitan..

do. 4A per cent. Prel, ,.
Bt. James' and Pall Mall ..

Booth London

Booth Metropolitan Pre!

Westminster Ordinary

4i 4i

Nil ii

6}xd

3i

2J

8xd
3i_

8 17 10
6 17 a
10 9 10

TELEOKlPHa AMD TELIPHONEa,

Anglo- Am, Tel. Prel.
do. Del,

Chile Telephone
OnbaSab. Ord.
Eastern Extension . .
Eastern Tel. Ord. ..
Qlobe Tel. and T. Ord,
do. do. Prel,
Great Northern Tel,
Indo-Bnropean
Marconi

Oriental Telephone Ord.
United R. Plate Tel.
West India and Panama
Western Telegraph..

83/6 li

SDJ

-H

7 9

"J

^

« 11

6

•6 0

7*

- i

•9 6

Hi

- 1

•6 14

U9i

•8 14

15

-r i

•6 18

Home Rails.

Central London Ord. Assented .

Metropolitan

do. District

Underground Electric Ordinary,
do. do. "A"

do, do. Inoome ..

4Uxd

191

IS
IS
5/6
65i

-J
-i

Foreign Traus, 4o.

Anglo-Arg. Trams. First Prel. . .
do. do. and Prel,

do. do. 6 Deb.

Brazil Tractions

Bombay Electric Pref

British Columbia Eleo. Rly. Ploe,
do. do. Preferrred

do. do. Deferred

do. do. Deb.

Mexico Trams 6 per oent. Bonds. .
do. 6 per cent. Bonds. .

Mexican Light Common . .

do. Pref

do. 1st Bonds.,

Bl

81

57j

Nli

MAKUTAonrsnia Ookpaitiib.

Baboock ft Wilcox U

British Aluminium Ord 10

British Insulated Ord 13)

Oallenders 36

„ ejPrel 6J

Oastner-Eellner 30

Orompton Ord 10

Bdlson-Swan, "A " .. .. 10

do. do. 6 per cent. Deb. .. 6

Oleotrlo Construction .. .. 10

Sen. Eleo. Prel 6^

do. Ord 10

Benley 36

do. 4iPre(.
India-Rabber. .
Met.-Vlokers Prel,
Siemens Ord...
Telegraph Con,

10

m

_

8 6 6

H

^

11 8 6

18/-

—

7 4 6

8

—

6 18

17/6

-ly-

11 8

19/3

-2/-

10 7

784

6 6

18/3

_

10 19

18/6

~.

7 0

18

—

•7 6

Ijxd

-n/-

8 11 6

^Xvl

—

8 18 a

1}

-9J.

•8 0 0

2|

._

7 6 3

aa/6

-!/■

•8 10 a

so

•6 0 0

Dividends paid tree of Income Tax,

V<4. 87. No. 2,232, Septembbb 3, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAIj REVIEW.

313

NOTES ON THE TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION OF MOVING-COIL AMMETERS.

By F. T. CHAPMAN, D.Sc. and A. T. MORRIS, BSc.

CoxTiNCJOUS currents of any magnitude can be measured
by means of a moving-coil instrument in conjunction with
shunts of suitable resistances. The moving coil is usually
wound with fine insulated copper' wire, and the control
springs, which also serve to carry the current into and out
of the moving coil, are made of some alloy, such as
phosphor-bronze. A modern shunt is constructed of strips
of some material which has a very low resistance-
temperature coefficient, such as manganin or eureka. These
strips are soldered into large copper terminal blocks, to
which the cables carrying the current are bolted. Two small
terminals on the copper blocks serve to connect flexible
leads to the instrument circuit. Since the shunts are of

to cases where such a high standard of accuracy is not
necessary, and then the series resistance need not be more
than, say, eight to ten times the moving-coil resistance.
The diagram of connections employed in this method is
shown in fig. 1.

Changes in temperature also affect the instrument in
other ways than by changing the resistance of the moving
coil, such as changing the strength of the control spiirgF,
and affecting the strength of the magnetic field produced
by the permanent magnet. The errors thus produced wil 1
depend on the material of which the springs are made, and
on the quality of the magnet steel, but the following are
average values of the errors involved. Control sprirgs
decrease in stiffness about 0'02 per cent, per degree F. rise
in temperature, and the permeability of the steel magnet

practically constant resistance, a given current will apply a
definite potential difference to the moving coil, and will
therefore produce a given deflection on the instrument
scale. If now the temperature of the moving coil varies
by reason of changes in the air temperature and of the heat
generated in it, its resistance will also tary to the extent of
about 0-4 per cent, per degree Centigrade. This will cause
the current and deflection to vary, also to the same extent.
It has been suggested that if the shunts were all made of
copper, this would automatically compensate for any
temperature changes, and if the temperatures of the moving
coil and shunt remained the same, this would be the case.
However, the shunts would have to be rather bulky to
obtain the necessary resistance, and in practice the
cooling facilities of the shunt and coil differ greatly, so
that temperature differences would be inevitable. In
order to get adequate compensation for these temperature
changes several methods may be adopted.

Method I. — The first method is to insert an extra
resistance made of manganin or eureka in series v^ith the
moving-coil circuit, and thus reduce the temperature

decreases about 0-01 per cent, per degree F. rise. It will
be observed that these errors tend to cancel out, and in
many cases very nearly do so.

Method II. — The second method consists of using a fonr-
armed bridge circuit made up of copper and manganin or
eureka resistances. Opposite arms of the bridge are made
of similar material, the moving coil being connected between
two of the opposite junctions and the potential leads to the
other opposite pair, as in fig. 2.

It is found that if the resistance of each copper arm is
about equal to the moving-coil resistance, and if each
manganin arm is about one-third of the resistance of the
copper arm, very good compensation is obtained. This
compensation is, however, only between certain ttmperature
limits, and there are many other combinations which will
also give the required compensation. It is proposed to show

R, 3

\

^-

coefficient of the whole system. If R is the resistance of
the moving coil and control springs at 60° F., and if we
put about 23 times this resistance of manganin in series,
the temperature coefficient cf the whole circuit will be
reduced from 0-238 per cent, per degree F., to about O'Ol
per cent, per degree F. A change of temperature of 20° F.
would then produce an error of only 02 per cent., which
would be within the range of sub-standard accuracy.
However, putting such a large resistance in series with the
moving coil necessitates a much higher voltage across the
shunt in order to produce the normal working current in
the moving coil. This voltage might be as high as one
volt, and the shunt becomes unduly large, and a lot of
power is also wasted. This method then is best applicable

in this article how the compensation is obtained, and also
to show graphically how the compensation varies with
different combinations of resistances in the bridge »rms.

Let R ohms be the resistane of the moving coil at 60" F.,
and let r.<' be its value for a temperature t" F., so that x
will be equal to 1 -f- (t — CO) 0'(i02y8.

In fig. 3 let A li, D 0 represent the arms of manganin
wire, each of resistance r, ohms, and let ad, bo
represent arms of copper wire, whose resistance will be
R,, I ohms each. A constant current flowing in the shunt s
will produce a constant potential difference between a and o,
and we will call this v volts.

Let r, (■,, I-, be the currents respectively flowing in the
arms a x, Rj, Rj x.

814

THE ELECTRICAL BEVIEWo [voL87. no. 2,232, surrKMBBB s, mo.

fi R, + f, Rj J',
R, + (■ Tl X,

Then we have v =
and also v = 2

and '■j = '■, — r.
Therefore 2 fi R, + r' R .r = fi R, + ('', — c) R^ .r,
whence c, = r (rj + ■RjX)j{h.,x — r,).

Substituting this value of '■, in equation (2), we get —
V = 2 c Ri (R.r + R,,)/(R, X — R,) + cnx

= rx [2 UiU, + R (El + R,.j)]/(R, .'• — R,)

.-, r = V (r, X — ni)lx [r (r, + r^ x) + 2 Rj r,]

= V ( Ra - 5^) /[R (R, + R, r) + 2 R, rJ (3)

This expression represents the current in the moving
coil, and by substituting various values of .' in it, we can
see how e will vary with ./■.

Fig. 7.

Let .'• be infinite, then r approaches zero. If ./• equals
r,/r,, c is nothing, and if ./• is nothing, c has a value of
minus infinity. By putting in other values of '•, and giving
R, R,, Rj definite values, we find the general shape of the
curve for c is that given in fig. 4.

When .'• = R,/Ro, represented by a d, r is zero, and for
some value of a b greater than rJRj, the curve reaches a
maximum. On either side of this value A b, the current r

be considered as some multiple of r, and will be taken as
equal to a R where n is a variable.

Fig. 5 shows the new arrangement of resistances. Let R
be known, and let the copper arms have each a resistance of
a R ohms where « is a variable quantity, and let R, be the
resistance of the manganin arms, as before. Since we are
now only considering changes in ». R at a given temperature
for which x equals unity, we can omit it from our
expressions.

Substituting a R for Rj in (3), we get —

r = V (,, R - R,)/R (R, + uR + 2 R, «) ... (4)

Now V is constant and r is known, so that we can find
how R, will vary with „..

Differentiate equation (4) with respect to R ;
then (k dr = [(„. R- + 2 r, r a + R R,) u — (u R — R,)

(2 a R + 2 R, „ + Ri)] ^ R- (R, + 2 a Ri + a R)'^.

Equating this to zero we get —

„- R- — 2 a R R, — 2 a R,' — Ri' = 0... (5)

whence r/Ri = (1 ± ^/ 2 + 2 a)la ... (C)

By giving n, different values we obtain a curve showing

how the ratio u u, varies with „, and this curve is given in

fig. 6.

From this curve we see that if a is 1 and r is 3 ohm?,

then Ri is 1 ohm, which was the combination previously

mentioned.

In order to show how the compensation will vary with

a, curves of current have been drawn for several values,

and these are given in fig. 7. From them it will be seen

that as u increases, the curves get flatter near the maximum

point, and hence the cuir.nt will be more constant over a

given range of temperature variation.

.^

'^

—"^

^^

.^

i

<^

y

^

1

V

X

"^^ rv.

M

1

8
/ 6

\

^.

^-^

A

^

^

e:

\

^

2

\

I

2

1

"""-^^

'

— " ~

—

o

/

e

—

^

1- t

) 6

is approximately constant for a small vaviatirn of A b and
it is this part of the curve which is used to obtain the
necessary compensation. The value of '■ at A is may be
considered as unity, and the limits of .'• for temperature
changes of, say, 20" F. would then be 1 ± 20 x •0023H, i.e.,
between 1'047G and 0'9 j24. We have seen that .'■ must
be greater than Rj/Rj, and hence R, will be greater than R,.
In general, the resistance R of the moving coil will be
known, and it remains to find what values of r, and u, will
give us m-vximnm values of c. The copper arm will now

It should also be observed, however, that the currents
and the sensitiveness of the combination decrease as „
increases, and we must therefore consider the effect that
varying „. has on the ratio between c and the total bridge
current ,(r, + r,,), and of the voltage across the moving coil
to V, the shunt voltage.

In fig. 5 let E be the voltage across R, the moving coi'.
and let i be the total current supplied to the bridge circuit
through the flexible leads.

We will suppose that u is one ohm and that v is O'l voU.
It is required to find the ratios i '• and v/e for different
values of a.

Now I = r, + (•., and r, = r (\\ + „ r) (a R — R,),

also c, = f, — '■ = '■ (R + R.V'a R — R,).

.-. ^, +'•.,= '• (« R + R, + 2 r)/(u R — R,),

or ]/r = (a R + R, + 2 1.) („ R - Ri) ... (7)

From this equation the ratio j/c may be plotted for
various values of n, and the curve is shown in fig. 8.

With regard to the ratio /'/e, from equation (4), we have

-■ = V (u R — R,) R (R, + a R + 2 R, u)

and E = r R,

.-. r\t\ = (H, + „R + 2 It, „)/(,< R — R,')... (8)
This curve is also shown in fig s for different values of ,t.
and it will be noticed that as a increases the ratio i/r
decreases, but the ratio rJE increases. For efficient working
i/c should be kept low, that is. o should have a high value.
but at the same time ?'/e should be kept low, or a should
have a low value. It will, therefore, be seen that a corr-
promise must be made, and probably „ will have some
vaJue between 1 and 2. Using the same fiirures as in fig. 8,
values of current have been calculated for two or three
values of a over a given range of temperature, and the curves

Vol.87. No. 2,232, September 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

315

in fig. 9 show the percentage error at various temperatures-
From these it will be observed that very good compensation
may be obtained without sacrificing too much sensitiveness.

Mcfliod III. — In the third method, a manganin, or
Eureka, resistance R, is placed in series with the moving
coil R ./■, and a second copper resistance R, ■' is placed in
parallel with R.cand R,. A third mangamn resistance R3
is put in series with both of these, as shown in fig. 10,
which also shows the connections to the shunt s.

The value of c, the current in the moving coil, is given
by the equation —

I- = V Rj .//(R R,, ./•■- + R| R,./' + R, Rj ./■ + R,, R ./■ + R,, R,),

aal the curve of current for different values of ./■ is some-
what similar to that in the second method, compensation

o

^ ®

being olitained in the same way. The chief disadvantage
of this method is the rather higher voltage required across
the shunt.

In conclusion, we would point out that the effect of the leads
between the instrument and its shunt has not been included.
Unle-s the resistance of these is kept low in comparison with
that of the instrument, it will affect the compensation
advesely. It is, however, comparatively simple to have
leads of quite low resistance. There is one other assumption
to which attention should be drawn — viz , that the tempera-
ture of the copper bridge arms is the same as that of the
moving coil. However, since all of them are heated by the
curnnts they carry, the rise in temperature above that of
the rest of the instrument, due to this cause, would be
;i,iproximately the same for them all.

LINE SHAFTING, COUPLINGS, AND
JOURNAL SEATS.

By J. T. TOWL^.ON.

TiiR subject of the present article is " Line-shafting,
c.ooplings, and journal seats," and consideration will be
I'lveu to these, with the view of enlightenment as regards
the comparative uti'ity of the orthodox and the new, with
K|ecial reference to their adaptability, or otherwise, to

through one or more bearings and couple np as one goes
along, with keys and screws or keys alone. We need not be
told how such a line of shafting generally runs, and we can
visualise many running " out of true " and wobbling about
in such a way as to be a painful sight to a mechanic.

And again, when for one reason or other, it is required
to dismantle the shaft, i.e., to take it down out of its bearings
and uncouple — that, indeed, is a bigger and a more tortuous
job thao its erection. The keyed couplings have to be taken
off, and often the hangeis have to be taken down, so as to
get room for the shafts to be drawn out of their solid
bearings.

Xow, my ideal of a line shaft and its appurtenances is
this : — I must have a coupling, good and inexpensive,
which can be fixed to the shaft in a few minutes, and taken
off quite as quickly ; no matter how many times it is
applied or taken off, no damage accrues, and it trues the
shaft at the joint every time it is put on. It must have no
keys, it must have no screws, and yet be just as fiimly joined
in respect of the various lengths in the line as if it possessed
both keys and screws.

It must also have journal seats, equal to, and even better
than, the usual solid bearings, but provision muit be made
for the whole of the line, or (when uncoupled) a part of
the line, to bo easily lifted out cf its journals, and whtre
no end motion is r€(iuired, as in the orthodox bearings.

How nearly the author's desijjn satisfies the ideal may Ic
judged from the following sketches and description.

Fig. 1 shows A and b, the two ends of shafts joined
together by the halved coupling c, and meeting at the non-
square facts D. The two halves of the split couplirg
ate held together by n its, as shown, and, further, moie
intensely gripped to the shaft by means of the 30° seats, on
which the tapers of the nuts bear when pulled tightly up.
The usual provision is made to allow of this by clearing
the thread away a little on its enterirg side.

The shafts have recesses 1 in. wide and ^ in. diameter,
into whi^h corresponding parts of the halved couplii g fall.
Now, it will be readily perceived that the piovision of
these shouldered recessess jointly with the non-square ends
of the shafts, effectively locks both shafts together and
compels them to run as one thaft. It is, as reasonably
claimed, an automatic lock— firm, rigid, durable and always
true— and may be applied or taken off in a few minutes.
That is the coupling.

Figs. 2 and 3 show the bearing : — a is the usnal
hanger, b is a bush. The bush is solid, and when the
bushes are drawn along the shaft, out of the way of tach
bra'^ket, the shaft may be dropped into the brackets by w ay of
the gap c, and the bushes pushed endwise into position and
held by the screw d. To dismantle the shaft, slip the bush
endwise, clear of the bracket, and lift the shaft out bodily.
It is the opinion of the writer that such details as these

< V."->s IV," f^-'l" -y

Fig. 1.

Fio. ?..

inex|)ensive erecting, and also (which is of equal import-
ance) dismantling.

Take, ff)r example, a line of light sliafting, say, 1 in. in
diimeter, having various muff-uouplings, keyed, or keyed
and screwed, to their respective ends.

Tiie bearings for such a siz; of shaft would hardly be
halved bearings, but would bs solid. So, to erect such a
shift it would b2 necessary to thread each length of shaft

improvements comprehend may be called a system, and that
manufacturers would do well to adopt it. Placed in good
hands, each coupling should cost but a few coppers, and
the bearings would be equally inexpensive to prcduce.

The line shafting of such small dimensions as 1-in. dia.,
nsually seen in factories and driven by electric motors, would
be vastly improved both in appearance and in running costs
by a wise application of the system set forth above.

316

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [VoLST. No. 2,232, September 3, 1920.

EXTRA LONQ-DISTANCE TRANSMISSION OF
ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

Principles and Applications of the Qhabteb-Wave
AND Half-Wave Systems.

(^Concluded from jiage 283.)

Artificial Ifii'f- Ware Lin's. — Comparison between Tables V and
VI shows that half-wave transmission makes possible transmission
over a distance of l,5<iii miles, or so, with better voltafre regulation
than is possible in ordinary transmission over one-fifth of this
distance. Also, the power factor of the load has no considerable
effect on the regulation of such a system. The question arises
whether half-wave characteristics cannot be imparted artificially
to a shorter line. By mndifyinp; the inductance and capacity, can
we not combine the high efficiency of a line, say, oOn miles long
(Table VI) with the excellent voltage regulation of a half-wave
sjstem (Table V) .' If we can do this for a3i"i-mile line, it will be
easier to do it for a longer line, whilst for shorter distances
ordinary transmission is sufficient. Let us begin by considering
the ca^e of an underground cable.

Half-Ware Transmi.isi.m for :J1'> wile i (.-WO Itiii.) hij rnlergroniiil
Ciihle. — We may as well consider at once an extreme case, v z., a
phase pressure of lni.iooo volts (173 niiO volts between lines), and a
c inductor section of 5 6q. cm. in alnminium, or the equivalent in
lopper. In the absence of actual data concerning the
characteri%tios of such a 'able, we may take ;•, = (! uTohms p-rkm ;
L| = (I'ii0u3 henry per km. ; and c, = nl mfd. per km. Leaving
out of consideration for the present an increase in capic-ty, we
must increase L,' to L, = Ooiil henry per km. in order to secure
half- wave characteristics for a distance of 5<"i km. at 5ii cycles per
teoond. This necessitates the connection of inductance coil< at
intervals in the line to increase the inductance by n'(U4 — u 00J3
--- UIIU37 henry per km.

Assuming the use of one reactance coil per km , this might be
built to the following specifijation : -Iron section, 420 aq. era ;
length of iron, Sii cm. ; number of tarns, 42. Magnetic circuit
open at the ends, and even including some small gips in its length
so that there may be added to the ampere turns 'equired by the
iron those required by 2'5 cm. of air at equal induction. The
weight of iron in such a coil would be 260 kg. When traismitling
a maximum power of lOiKmO k\v at a minimum pDwer factor of
0'7, the current per phase = iVi amperes and the total effective
current = 476 amperes, corresponding to an induction of 10,110 J
gauss. The loss in the plates is then about 8o0 watts, or, say,
1,200 KW. for all the reactiucesin a aoo-ktn. line, i.r., aoout 1.2 per
cent, of the delivered power. The length of the windings is about
45 m. per coil representing an addition of 4'5 per cent, to the
resistance of the line. These losses might be reduced by adopting
a more expensive construction for the reactances By mounting
the whole reactance on suitable insulators, it wou'd be unnecessary
to insulate the cora from the windings for loii,oOo volts.

It is unnecessary to calculate the station pressure, current, and
power factor as a function of the delivered load, because the results
would be exactly analogous to those given later for oveihead line".
Two points, must, however, be verified: — (I) The practically
constant current at the centre of the line must be acceptable in
value. Actually it is about 5oo amperes, '.''., practically equal to
the full-load current at the two ends of the Hoe. (2) The
voltages at the mid and qua ter-points of the line (which are the
danger points) must be acceptable, with maximum current and
lowest power factor. At co3 (p = 0'7, with 333 amperes in phase
and 339 amperes in quadrature, the voltage at the centre is
9'),250 volts, and at the quarter-point 126,0011 volt?. Themaximum
over-voltage is thus abjut 26 per cent., and, to reduce it, we may
either :— («) reduce the maximum current, i p., the piwer trans-
mitted, or (?i) obtain half-wave characteristics in the line by
increasing the capacity of the system and uiing smaller reactances.
This method is considered more fully in connection with overhead
linfs.

Half-Ware Tranimisxion for olo mileg (500 iw.) liy Orerhcad
Conductors. — The difficulties being greater, we may here consider
two extreme cases, viz. — (I) Three -"lO sq. mm. aluminium lines
transmitting a maximum of 12oook\v. at 173 000 volts between
lines. (2) Three aluminium conductors of-4oo to Boo sq. mm.,
transmitting up to Ioo,o00, or even 15o,0j0 K\v. The working
frequency is taken to be 50 cycles per second in both cases.

Case I. — The 50 sq. mm. line consists of three aluminium cables,
0"3 cm. overall diameter, 450 cm. apart, and 12 m. (average) above
ground. Then /• = 0'65 ohm per km. ; Li = 14'3 X Ur' henry per
k-n ; Ca (between lines) = O'OOS mfd. per km. Adding an earth
wire at the same mean distance, we have a supplementary capacity
Ct = O'OOS mfd. ^er km. The capacity with regard to earth is
Cc = 0 0064 mfd. per km. It is not necessary to add these com-
ponent capacities, owing partly to the poor conductivity of the soil
and chiefly to the fact that each component is modified by the
pre ence of the others. The value taken for c, is, therefore, 0 0111
mfd. per km.

In order to obtain half-wave characteristics in the line by
increasing the inductance alone, it is necessary to add about
0'0315 henry per km. The transmission characteristics of the line
may then be tabulated as in Table VII, from which it will be seen
that : — (1) The light-load current is small and the power faietor
nearly unity. (2) The station voltage is practically independent
of the power-factor of the load, and the slight variation in this
voltage with load can be provided easily by automatic regulators.
(3) The efficiency is rather low, but could be increased by adding

to the weight of conductors, which is at present about 17'5 kg. per
KW. delivered.

The current at the midpoint is 55'o amperes, i.e., less than at the
ends of the line. The pressure at the mid-point for 12,0o0 KW. and
cos 0 = 0'7 is 10,3oo volts; and at the quarter point is 133,000
volts. This is an over- voltage of 33 per cent., which increases on
overload unless the power factor be high. With a load of
18,ooo KW. at about unity power factor.the voltage is lo8,0U0 voltB
at the centre, and 105,oOo volts at the quarter-point.

TABLE VII.— Half-Wavs Tean.smission fob 315 MILES

(500 KM ) BY THREE 50 SQ. MM. OVERHEAD ALUMINIUM LiNES.

Delivered at 100,000 volts.

Input.

Power,

Power

Current,

Pressure,

Current,' Power

Power,

ency.

%

KW.

factor.

amps.

volts.

amxis. factor.

KW.

12,000

1-0

400

106.900

45-2 ' rooo

14,600

82-7

Oil

44-5

106,800

491 0932

14,650

81-8

0-s

500

106,800

54-1 0-860

14,900

80-5

07

671

106,900

60-8 ir7Sl

15 250

7.X-7

6,000

ro

200

103,700

25 2 I'UOO

7,850

76-5

09

222

103,600

2«-9 1 0910

7,8.50

76-5

0-8

250

103,600

292 0-876

7,960

75-5

07

28-6

103,600

32-3 0799

8,000

75-0

Open

circuit

~

~

100,400

61 0-9994

1,530

~

Au'omatic circuit breakers might be installed to interrupt over-
loads at low power factor, and the points on the line which would
be exposed to serious over-voltage in event of slow operation of the
circuit breakers might be protected specially, or provided with
reinforced insulation. Within certain limits, the voltage distri-
bution along the line may be changed by not distributing the
additional inductance uniformly. Also, the over-voltage on over-
load might be reduced by increasing the saturation in the
reactances so as to reduce the inductance to heavy currents, but
this expedient is not free from objections.

M. Bunet shows that the requisite additional inductance (o'0315
henry per km.) could be provided by connecting at intervals of
10 km. in the line, reactance coils of 0345 henry having an Iron
section of 72o sq. cm., length of iron 80 cm., and a number of
turns 24tl. The weight of iron in such a reactance would be
450 kg ; the total iron loss would be less than 2 per cent, of the
delivered power ; and the reactance windings would add about
3-5 per cent, to the line resistance.

Case II. — The characteristics of the line with three 400 sq. mm.
aluminium conductors would be : — r, = 0 0 jo ohms per km. ; L, =
00012 henry per km.; c, = 0 0 143 mfd. per km. ; L, (for half-
wave characteristics) = o028 henry per km. Table YIII
shows the transmission characteristics obtained, and comparing
this table with Table VI (relating to ordinary transmission of
similar power by three 500 sq. mm. cables), it will be seen that the
voltage regulation is incomparably better in the half- wave system,
and that the station voltage can be regulated much more easily to
maintain constant delivered voltage. A section of 400 sq. mm. is
assumed above, but in order to allow for the losses in the reactance
coils, the line section may be increased to 500 sq. moi., whilst
retaining r = 0085 ohm per km. The two lines are then strictly
comparable.

TABLE VIII. — Half-Wave Transmission fob 315 Miles

(500 KM.) BY THREE 400-SCi. MM. OVERHEAD ALUMINIUM LiNES.

Delivered at 100,000 volts.

Input.

Effic-

Power,

Power

Current,

Pressure,

Current, Power

Power,

iency,

KW.

factor.

amps.

volts.

amps, factor.

%

150,000

ro

500

110,600

501-1 1000

166,200

90-2

09

556

110 700

556-5 ' 0 923

170200

88-2

0-8

624

110,900

624-1 0-845

175,100

85-5

0-7

714

111,100

718 0 0 768

182,200

82 3

75,000

10

250

105,300

261-1 i rooo

79,500

94-3

09

278

105,300

279 0 : 0911

80,400

93-3

OS

312

105,400

312-5 0 829

81,900

91-6

07

357

105,400

357-2 0 738

83,400

900

37.500

10

125

102,600

126-1 rooo

38.900

96-4

09

139

102,600

1398 0-906

39,000

96- 1

08
07

156
178

102,600
102,600

lo6--

179 0

1816
1719

39.400
39,600

96'3
94-8

Open
circuit

— — I 100,000 j 1-1 1000 330

The ratio between the station voltage when delivering 7o.ooo kw.
at 07 power factor, and that on opn circuit is r95 in the case of
the ordinary transmission sys'em (Table VI). and only I'Oo in the
half-wave lina (Table VlII). Transmission of 1 00,001 1 kw. would
be practically impossible in the "ordinary" case considered, bat
would require only about lo per cent, increase on the open circuit
voltage in the case of the half-wave system. Finally, the light-
load current is 163 amperes at cos 0=0 o45, i.e., 49,o0o K.V.A., in
the ordinary transmission, compared with 11 ampere at cos 1^ = 1
ie. 3:io K.v.A. in the half-wave system.

Unfortunately, the over- voltages en route make impracticable the
actual half-wave system considered, but if the half-wave character-
istics were obtained by increasing the capacity (and not merely the
self-induction). Table VIII would represent a practicable case.

Vol.87. No. 2,232, sbptembbb 3, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

317

The current at the centre of the half -wave line would be about
71 amperes at all loads (including light load), that is, only one-
tenth of the maximum current at the end of the line. The phase-
voltage at the centre of the line when delivering- 150,0ii0 KW. at
0'7 power factor is abont l.Odii.OOO volts, i.e. 1,730, nOO volts
between lines. At the quarter-point the phase voltage is 760.000
volts, or 1,300,000 volts between lines. Whatever may be the
progress of the future, it is evident that these pressures are far
above the practicable limit. The maximum power which could be
transmitted for 315 miles (500 km.) by a half-wave line operating
at lii0,O0ii volts phase pressure is about 12,0Cti KW., but this limit
could be raised considerably — possibly to .")0,000 kw. — by increasing
the capacity.

Comhiiied Oeerhead anil I'mlei-ground Tranfmisshni hij Half-
Wi(re System. — A half-wave. 5il-cycle line 5i«i km. long must be
such that the product of self-inductance per km. L, and capacity
per km. c, is about 4 ■ In^'". On the other hand, the over-
voltage is determined by \'(l,7c, ), and may be halved by doubling
the capacity and halving the inductance, the half-wave charac-
teristic of .the line being unaffected by this readjustment of
constants.

If, for example, three-fourths of the transmission were by over-
head line and one-fourth by underground cable, the two being
regularly interspersed in short sections, we should have ; —

(Overhead. Underground. Resultant.
Self-inductance, henry per km. iiu012 O'OOOS 00iiii975

Capacity, mfd. per km. ... Oiil4.'l o.l n'03o7

Then, if reactance coils were added to bring the inductance up to
II (1112 henry per km., the phase voltage would be PB.inih volts at
the centre and 128 tmn volts at the quarter-point when trans-
mitting 1211 amperes per phase, ie., 38,iiiiii kw. If the proportion
of underground cable were increased to half, 5(iO0O KW. could be
transmitted under the same conditions.

S/ilit-Coni!urfirr Lines fur //irrean?i/ ('ujnirih/. — If, instead of
using a single conductor for each phase, we were to use two con-
ductors for each phase, these being, say, 5ii or lOd ft. or more
apart, the capacity current would be doubled, but for a given
current in each line the inductance drop would be the same, i.e., it
would be divided by 2 if referred to the total current. In other
words, whilst retaining purely overhead transmission, we should
have a circuit of doubled capacity abd halved inductance.

Instead of two lines per phase, we might use In or more ; thus
instead of transmitting l.">ii_(i(i()KW. by a single line (Table VIII),
we might use I'l lines, e.ach with conductors of 50 sq. mm. Apart
from practical problems, this offers a means of effecting all trans-
mission on the half- wave system.

It would not be convenient as a rule to have such a multitude of
lines. A compromise might be effected by reducing the spacing of
the lines to, say, 2i i cm. Instead of towers, portal-frame supports
might be used with three cross members, on which would be slung
the conductors of the three phases. Between supports the
parallelled conductors would be tiei together to equalise sag and
prevent twisting. Above (and below also if desired) there would
be a layer of earthed conductors, and the thre series of line con-
ductors would be transposed at intervals to equalise the charac-
teristics of each phase.

The inductance of such a split-conductor line would be mu-h
lower than that of a single wire, but the capacity would be in-
creased in the same proportion, the product of inductance and
capacity remaining constant.

Suppose that instead of a single cable of 5'ti sq. mm. section, we
use 2ii cables each of 25 tq mm. slung in the same horizjntal plane
2ii cm. apart, each of them with a central steel wire and six
aluminium strands. Then the total capacity, between line wires,
between the latter and earth wires and between line conductors and
earth, will be about n i'5 mfd. per km., compared with 0 (I11773 mfd.
per km. for a single 5Cii fq. mm. cable relative to another at
450 cm. To give the line half-wave characteristics, reactance coils
would have to be added, bringing the inductance up to 111H13 henry
par km. Then for 50,<«I0 KW. at 07 power factor the delivered
current = 238 ampere per phase ; the current at the centre of the
line would be 25(i ampere at 95,2(10 volts per phase, and the
pressure at the quarter-point would be 12.'^,(iiiii volts per phase.
Thus four times greater power could be transmitted by the split-
conductor system than by the single-conductor system.

It should be noted that all the ab^ve examples relate to a trans-
mission distanceof 315miles(5(«ikm.). If the distance bd increased
to 440 miles (7(1(1 km. \ the problem is greatly simplified, because the
distance being increased by the factor 14 the product l/ r,' is
divided by (.l'4)-, i.e., practically halved. Halving the inductance,
whilst keeping the capacity constant, we have \'(L,7c,') divided by
1'4 and the over-voltage therefore re lucad in the same ratio. As a
result, we could transmit 17,i'(iii KW. by the single conductor
system, and 7(i,("»i kw. by the split-conductor system.

The ('imde)iser ProJjleiii . — The general solution of the problem is
clearly dependent upon the realisation of high power condensers,
suitable for industrial service. Returning to the half-wave trans-
mission for 315 miles, using three 4(1" or oixi sq. mm. cables
(Table VIH), which was satisfactory except as regards over-
voltaz(8 :— The factor V(ii7o,') was l,4(i(i under the conditions
previously assumed. If we reduce this factor to 12(i by increasing
the capacity aid reducing the inductance, we find that (for
1.50,( i( 10 KW. at oo> ■/) — 0 7) the current at the centre is 833 amperes at
85,(iJ0 volts, aid the pressureat the q iirter-pjiot is 122,0('i( volts.
These are acceptable values, and to obtain them we must make
L|' = (I 0(124 henry per km. ((.<•.. double the natural inductance of
the line by using relatively small reactances) and c,' = 0167 mfd.
per km.
To attain this value of c,', we must add 015 mfd. per km. to the

line. This requires a condenser absorbing 47 amperes, i.e., 47" k.v.a.,
80 that 700,060 K,v.A. of condensers is required for the complete line.
At pre-war costs this would represent an investment of about
36700,000 or, say, £4 12s, per kw. delivered, which is not unrea-
sonable considering the result secured.

The use of condensers would make possible also the use of 1 1 f
voltages and cheaper material.

//ill/- Wars TrinismissiiiH at 12l),<lii(l ruUs bitivfen Line.i.—A9
final example, let us consider the transmission of 150,oiio KW. at
50 cycles per second by three oOO sq. mm. aluminium cables for a
distance of 315 miles (."lOO km.), with a phase voltage of 70,oo(i volts
(120000 volts between lines).

The ratio V (r., /c,') being reduced to 81) by increasing the inductance
of the line from (i 0012 to o'ooK; henry perkm. and by adding about
(i'225 mfd. perkm., by condensers taking 4itl amperes, or 31(?o K v a
per km., we have the following leading data : — Current delivered
l,o2o amperes per phase for 15o oooKW. at cos f/> = o 7 ; current at the
centre of the line s 7 j amperes at 8 1 ,600 volt s ; pressureat quarter-poii.t
99,000 volts. Thus the insulation at the danger points on the line
has not to provide for more than l(io,ooo volts above earth
potential.

The total condenser capacity required would beS^oooo kva.
costing (at pre-war rates) about £3 Os, per kw.

TABLE IX. — Hali'-Wave Tb.*.nsmission fob 315 miles (S( o km )
BY Three 500-sq. mm. Ovebheau Aluminium Lines, at

70,0tl0- VOLTS PHASB-PBESSDBB.

Delivered at 70,000 volts.

Input.

Effici-
ency.
%

Power,

Power

Current

Pressure,

Current,

Power

Power,

KW.

factor.

amps.

volts.

amps.

factor.

KW.

150 (too

10

715

,S 1,200

752

1-0

189,.''oo

79.1

0-9

794

84,100

831

0 936

156,50(1

763

, 0-i .

894

84,200

932

0 872

201,500

73-3

07

1,020

84,400

1.058

0814

217,5rMi

69 0

75,000

10

357

78,000

385

10

90,100.

. 833

09

397

77,800

424

(1-926.

91.400

821

0 8

417

77,800

474

0-851

91,000

79 8

0 7

510

77 800

535

o;78

97,100

77-3

37,500

lu

179

74 80:)

202

ro

45300

82 7

09

198

74,700

221

0-925

47,20(1

79-4

(18

223

74,700

259

0-845

48,900

766

0 7

255

74,700

288

0-766

49,400

75-7

Open

circuit

~

~

71,700

19

ro

4(190

~

Table IX shoivs the transmission characteristics of such a system.
They are quite satisfactory except, perhaps, that the efficiency is
rather low owing to the high-current density in the conductors at
maximum load (over 2 ampere per sq, mm , or l,3oo ampere per
sq, in.) ; larger cable! ould hardly he used, but lo per cent, higher
efficiency could be secured by using coppSr lines. The station
voltage varies only from 71,700 volts on open circuit to 84,500 volts
when delivering 1500110 KW,, i e., less than 18 per cent., notwith-
standing the high resistance of the line. This voltage rises
steadily with load, and being independent of power factor, it could
be provided easily hy automatic regulators.

('onclii.viiiiii. — Artificial half-wave lines, i.e , lines which are
given half-wave characteristics by adding reactance coils or con-
densers, or both, thus make possible efficient transmission of elec-
trical energy for distances of 3oo miles or more under acceptable
conditions. Up to l(i,(.ioii KW. it is sulBcient to connect reactances
in the line, but for higher power the maximum voltages in the line
become dangerously high, and it is necessary to use condensers to
increase the line capacity. Up to .">0,000 kw. sufficient extra
capacity c»n usually be obtained by merely aubiividing the con-
ductors in each phase.

The problem of transmitting electrical energy over distances
much greater than those in current practice is technically capable
of solution, and without employing material other than that which
is already proven in service. Electrical engineers in general owe a
debt of gratitude to M. P. Bunet for the pains with which he has
developed quantitative examples of the new transmission system.

Bank for Trade with Austria.— Renter's Agency is

informel by the Austrian Lega'ioa that, with the support of
American and Dutch capital, and under the auspices of the Austrian
Government, a joint stock company has been formed in Vienna to
act as intermediary between foreign capital and Austrian manu-
facturers. The company especially undertakes the importation of
raw material, either directly or by acting as trustee for the foreign
capitalist who is sending raw material to Austria to be manufactured
there. Special legislation protects the foreign capitalist, who
retains his full rights upon the raw material through all the stages
of manufacturing the same. The new company, which is called
"Treuga," has a nominal capital of 30,000,000 kronen. An
interest in the company has already been acquired by Dutch
capitalists, and for this purpose a Dutch company, the "Recon-
struction Bank for Austria." with a capital of 10,0)0,000 Dutch
florins, has been founded. The - Treuga " is also acting as trustee
for the Austrian Government with regard to the credits granted by
the Allied Powers and neutral Powers to Austria for buying food
and raw material.

318

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. No. 2,232, septbmber 3, 1920.

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

Btaderi are invited to luhmU particular of new or improved devicei and apparatut, toAicA will be pnilUhed
if contidered of euffieitnt intereit.

" Yule " Cookin>5 and Heating Devices.

It has been bruUKht to (.iir nctiiv, m cimiiection \yitb the
Canadian porcelain-insulated tjnlls thiit we illustrated in these
columns in our August 'iUth issue, that the luLE Electric
Co. of 47, Station Road,' Winchniore Hill, London, N. il,
introduced jiorcelain instead of mica insulation in its
criller element .some twelve months ago. This elenient,
known as the -Open" type, is used in all the firms
cooking apphances, griUers, figs. 1 and 2, boilers, toasters, and
in its small 1-KW. fires. It is of robust consti-uctiou
the spii-al being supported in a number of special perforated
porcelain insulators held in parellel position by a framework
<,f pressed steel. The claims that are made for this form
,,f porcelain insulator are: They are not m any way attected
bv rapid changes of temperature; are a better support tor ttie
spiral- and, as they become red hot in a very short time, they
make 'a much more efficient element than when mica is used.
The firm has introduced two new specialities in the tonn ot
a hot plate and a copper kettle for use on circuits served by
30 to 50-volt countrv-house lighting plant. The kettle is ot

Undoubtedly the foremost requii'ement of any plant is
reliability, and the makers have been at exceptional pains to
obtain and prove this feature.

Of importance for lighting purposes is an efficient governor.
The type u.sed in this instance is centrifugal, of large .size,
mounted on one end of the crankshaft and enclosed in the
timing-gear cover. The control rods from the governor are
carried inside the crankcase where they are protected from
damage and freely lubricated. .\ .small spring is provided
on the throttle lever by which the speed can be rai.sed (jr
lowered about 20 r.p.m. aliove or below the normal governed
speed. The governor can be set for any desired .speed, and

Fios. 1 AND 2.— Yule Hot Plates.

City " Light axd Power Plant.

the immersion-beater type of an improved design, with a
capacity of two pints, and although only having a loading ot
300 watts, it has proved a very quick boiler. The low loading
is, of course, necessary on account of the limited output ot
the low-pressure plant in conjunction with which the kettles
are intended to be used. The firm also .sulimits special designs
for high-class electric fires where they are required m a
particular style of ornament or of sjiecial dimensions.

A Trolleywire Suspender.

Lc Gciiir. Cii'il describes a device patented in France by
N Antenori for suspending trolley wires, which is illustrated
in fig. 3. Vsuallv these clips are of ca.st metal; the inventor
uses stampinus of anv suitable metal, and prefers to attach

Fig. 3.— Stami'ed-mktal SusrENDEit.

the clip to the stem of the insulator with a spherical nut s,
which allows the clip to accommodate itself to some extent
to the forces in action. A lock-nut d can be used with this
device.

The City Light and Power Plant.

The ■' City " light and power plant has an extensive range
from i to li KW., and can be supplied for any voltage— shunt
or compound wound according to requirements. The hundred
and one household conveniences that electricity offers such
as cooking, heating, washing, and vacuum cleaning machines,
butter makers, water pumps. &c., can all be installed, and
a " Citv " plant selected that, in capacity and voltage, is best
suited to the job. The 2 to 6-KW. sets are fitted with Webber
single-cyhnder engines as illustrated, fig. 4, and the 7 to 11-
KW. sets wdth the 2-cylinder model of the same engine, which
■was described on page 776 of our issue of .June 18th.

The generators fitted throughout are the well-known ball-
bearing K type " City " dynamos. The adaptability ot the
sets is shown by the fact that any range of pow-er between
3 and 20-h.p. can be obtained at speeds from 500 to 1,100
R.P.M. , and this power used direct by means of the crowned
pulley fitted on the extension of the engine shaft or from the
fly-wheel. This arrangement i.i of considernlile value on
f.irms and country homesteads, where liiliuur-.saving m.-ichinery
is lioing cxteu.sively introduced.

will maintain that speed with a variation of less than 3^ per
cent, between full load and no-load and without a tendency
to hunt. .\ single governor spring is u.sed which is con-
centric with the crankshaft so that it is not subjected to
centrifugal stresses and, being in compression, there are
no attachments to .shake loose or break aw'ay.

The '*City " plant can be supplied as a complete unit
assembled on a steel-frame truck arranged for radiator and
fail cooling suitable for kinema and other pm'poses where a
piirtable set is required.

Tlie set is made by the City Electrical Co., Ltd., of 1.
Enieralil Street. London, W.C. 1.

The " 1900 Cataract " Electric Washer.

Yet another electric clothes washer is being placed on the
market in this country. This time it is the " 1900 Cataract,"
which is handle<l by the Electrical MAxriACTCRERS' Expokt
CiiiiioK.iTloN. of New York. The London agents for the device

JiUKi Catakact " Washek.

are Messrs. F. .1. Shenton & Co.. Ltd.. of 68. Shoe Lane.
E.C. 4, who also deal in hghtiug and domestic beating ap-
paratus, vacuum cleaners, electrically-driven plate and dish
washers, &c. In addition, for the c-onvenience of country

Vol. 87. No. 2,232, sbptbmbbk s, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

319

iCfiJciitK, hflliug arrant'ements have been umdf with Mt-. t.i^.
Parker, Winan, Aehiuxh. Ltd., Broad Street, Buuimghaui,
and the Municipal Electrieit}" Departments at Stockport, Brad-
lord, and Wolverhampton.

As will be seen from fig. 5, the substantial all-metal frame
ol' the wa.sher is mounted on castors, with four adjustable lift-
ing levers. The soHd copper tub has a detachable cover, and is
oscillated by means of a spring and lever arrangement. The
rocking of the tub is claimed to give a " figure eight " move-
ment to the water and articles being washed, in addition to
the scrubbing action, which is obtained by means of the
corrugated inverted V shape of the bottom of the tub. Pro-
vision is made for oiling all moving parts of the mechanism
and cog w-heels, a good feature of which is that they are
all enclosed. Power is transmitted from the motor mounted
(in a swinging base, which is under spi'iug tension, by a Hat
belt. Above the tub a reversible shaft-driven wringer is
mounted, which may be adjusted to any position or removed
entii'ely if required. The wringer has a wood frame, white
rubber rollers, and is fitted with a quick safety release attach-
ment. The " family " size of machine has a capacity of
eight bed sheets at a time, and is driven by a J-h.p. motor,
the dmiensions of the wringer rolls being 11 in. by I3 in., and
the net weight of the machine 272 lb. A larger size is made,
which is suitable for laundry purposes.

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS OP ELECTRICAL
GOODS FOR JULY, 1920.

The July returns of electrical export buai^ees show a reduction of
iS 2 1 9,000, as compared with the previous month, due to a decrease
in submarine cable exports, these being- some £370,000 less than
the June total. All other sections of electrical exports, however,
show an improvement, the electrical export values for July totalling
£1,166,798, as compared with £1,385,974.

The electrical imports for July of £237,498 are slightly in excess
of the previous month, the June figures being £219,440.

The re-exports at £13,036 show a small advance on the June
tota' of £12,512.

Values of Electrical Exports

Electrical goods and apparatus ...

Insulated wire

Glow lamps

Arc lamps and parts

Batteries

Meters

Carbons

Electrical machinery ; — ■
Kailw.iy and tramway motors ...
Other mijtors and generators ...
Electl. mekchineryCunenumerated)
Switchboards (not teleg. or telep.)
Telegraph and telephone cable

and apparatus : —
Wires and cables (not submarine)
Submarine cables ...
Instruments and apparatus

AND Imports t'oit July, 1920.

Exports.

Imports.

Re-exports.

£185,907

£74,638

£4,688

386,08S

17,247

211

28,015

5,247

578

.-1 885

1,219

60,351

8,719

—

34,001

9,769

474

l(i,933

8,967

160

2,983

114.203

84,776

95,240

1,949

7,656

100

—

86,218

545

1,148

44,039

109,713

15,807

5,828

1,166,798 237,498 13,036

REVIEWS.

Mrfals ill Mriraft ('oiistnictiiui . By \\ IM'HEH Hamiv. I'p.
vii+112. London; The Standard Air Press, Ltd. Price
Cs. net.

This book is the outcome of a series of lectures given Ijy
the author in connection with an aeronautical engineering
course at ' the Aeronautical Institute, and contains the sub-
stance of those lectures supplemented by additional matter.

.\n introduction to the work of the metallurgist is given
in Chapter I. ITiis touches on the selecting and handling
of metals, advantages of alloy steels, and the scientific heat
treatment of metals.

In Chapter 11, strength of materials is considered, and par-
ticul.irs are given of the various types of machines used for
carrying out impact, hardness, tension, fatigue, and bending
tests, anil in some cases the results of tests are .shown.

Very u.seful information is given on steel defects, and the
best and most satisfactory methods of eliminating piping,
blow-holes, roaks, and laps in steel ingots are dealt with in
a pra<-tical manner. Thermal and niechanicnl treatment of
steel, tosjether with the proccs.ses of heating for forging,
nnrmahsmg. annealing, hardening, and tempering take up
eight pages, and cover well-known ground. Case-hardening
fi|uipment used in heat treatment, control of heat, and treat-
ment temperatures syc all dealt with.

Some really useful inftirmation is given in Chapter VIIL
Her.3 particulars are given of various metals and alloys used
in the construction of aircraft and their engines. In the
majority of cases, there is indicated not only the composition
of the metal or alloy, but also the treatment which it should
undergo in order that when a detail or part is made from this
metal or alloy, it shall be in the best physical condition to
fulfil the requirements of that detail or part in actual practice.

Autogenous welding is dealt with in an up-to-date manner,
and useful information is given on tluxes for aluminium,
welding cast iron, heat treatment of welds, and fluxes for
aluminium alloys.

Although the book is not put forward as covering, either
practically or scientifically, the entire field of alloy' steels,
it can be said to contain a very large amount of really useful
information, not "only for tho.se specially interested in aircraft,
but also for the general engineer who wi,shes to obtain helpful
practical knowledge of the testing and treatment of metals
and alloys.

The book is well printed, and published at a verv reasonable
price in these days. ' E. P.

Radio Engineering Principles. Bv Henri Lauku and H.mjhy
L. Brown. 300 pages, 241 figs. London : Hill Publishing
Co., Ltd. Price 21s. net.
In the words of Major-General G. O. Squicr, this book
" covers fully and clearly, without too great use of mathe-
matics, the theory involved in the wonderful developments in
radio-comrnunication during the war, except for certain reser-
vations which it is not possible to release at present." The book
thus belongs to a class which we are glad to find becoming
more numerous, viz., that of books written for specialist
students and for men in practice vvith a minimum of repetition
of fundamental matters which, having once been well estab-
lished, should not be repeated indefinitely in every book deal-
ing with .subjects involving these fundamentals. " This book
embodies new matter to an unusual degree, being largely de-
voted to the characteristics and use of the three-electrode
vacuum tube in wireless telegraphy and telephony. There is,
however, a valuable preliminary treatment of the principles
involved by older radio-apparatus, this treatment oc-cupying
about half the volume, and giving the student a sound exposi-
tion of underlying electrical theory, the proix-rties of oscillatory
circuits, aerial systems and radiation, and dami)ed and un-
damped wave radio-telegraphy. Throughout the book the
description of specific apparatus is purposely avoided in order
that as detailed treatment as possible may be given to the
principles of radio-communication and to the general means of
utilising these principles in practical work.

Mechanical analogies are avoided in developing the principles
of radio work, and this is a good feature, the assistance derived
from such analogies being very problematical. The authors,
state definitely that the earnest student of radio-engineering
must have a general knowledge of the electron theory of matter
and of the interpretation in terms of that theory of the pheno-
mena of electric conduction and induction. It is assumed that
the reader is familiar with the usual electrical phenomena, and
those of special importance in radio work arc reviewed from
the standpoint of the electron theory. This being accom-
plished, the proiierties of oscillatory circuits are dealt with in
Chapter II, special attention being, of course, paid to coupling
and resonance. The mathematics introduced is as simple and
as small in amount as po.ssible, but the treatment provides for
the definite quantitative analysis of circuits. This is a matter
which has received too little attention from many earlier
\yriters on wireless subjects, and even in this volume we should
like to have a chapter devoted specifically to the quantities
affecting radiation and transmission, giving the simplest pos-
sible equations, and illustrating by numerical examples the
relative importance of the different variables and the calcula-
tion of sending and receiving currents, &c. Such a chapter
seems to come distinctly w-ithin the scope of the book.

Dealing with antenna systems and radiation, the authors
consider closed and open oscillators, and give a very clear con-
ception of the phenomena of wave propagation. Antenna con-
stants and types are di.scus.scd rather more briefly than is
desirable, and it is questionable whether a book devoted
specifically to radio-engineering principles ought to rest con-
tent with the statement that it is " rjitlier difficult to calculate
accurately the constants of an antenna from its dimensions
becau.se of numerous variable factors, .tc." There is surelv a
happy medium between an over-abundance of mathematics
and a mere reference to a Bureau of Standards circular, where
such a vital matter is concerned? Similarlv the factors affect-
ing transmission range deceive more detailed treatment than
is here given, and it would be an excellent thing if the authors
could give any convincing experimental data regarding the
actual directional effect of various aerials at considerable dis-
tance.?. A very clear expo.sition is given of the conduction
theory of radio-communication.

Chapters IV and V give a lucid explanation of the character-
istics and relative merit.s of damned and undamiied wave
systems and of the various circuits employed for receiving.
Little more than the bare outlines are given concerning the
high-frequency alternator and arc systems, both of which
underwent considerable development during the war. The
pro.stiects of the hich-frequenev arc sv.stem are by no means so
slender as might be deduced from the paucity of literature

320

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,232, sbptbmbek 3, 1920.

describing its achievements; the recent article in this journal
describing the Elwell equipment was a timely reminder that
there are more ways than one of effecting wireless communica-
tion round tbo world. The authors make the best use of the
small space which they devote to the alternator and arc sys-
tems, and it is to be hoped that they will give a more detailed
treatment in subsequent editions.

The general properties and certain constants of the three-
electrode vacuum tube are discussed in Chapter VI, and its use
as detector, amplifier, oscillator and modulator are taken up
in the succeeding chapters in detail proportionate to the enor-
mous importance of these tubes in present day radio work.
It is in connection with the vacuum tube that the book reaches
its greatest value, but, as the authors point out in their pre-
face, not all of the developments during the war^ nor indeed
the most wonderful of them, are published " because of the
wishes of the military authorities to keep them secret." Pro-
bably such an attitude is defensible, conditions being as they
are, but it is deplorable from the standpoint of the student and
it contrasts ironically with the dedication of the book which
is " to the advancement of mankind in peace " !

In the chapters dealing with the vacuum tube, the authors
present a number of characteristic curves, and deal adequately
with the mathematical theory and physical interpretation of
the characteristics of the tube in its various applications.
Here, as throughout the volume, the line illustrations are
beyond reproach, but the photographic reproductions are not
particularly clear. This, however, is a minor pomt. the main
aim (viz., explanation of the characteristics and applications of
the vacuum tube) being well accomplished. The reasons for
various constructions are made clear, and the circuits and ad-
justments in various applications are discussed fully.

The chapter on radio-telephony is probably the best treat-
ment yet provided concerning the principles and circuits em-
ployed. To the reader with imagination the facts recounted
represent extraordinary developments, but the authors do not,
of course, indulge in any sensationalism. The s.nme remarks
apply to the final chapters on directional radio and loop
antennae, radio-goniometry, and nii.scellaneous applications of
radio circuits in aeroplanes, submarines and other circuits.
The authors are to be complimented upon an able treatment of
the latest radio principles and applications, which treatment
may be expanded in later editions, but is ceHainly open to no
destnictive criticism.

Electrical Ignition. Bv M. A. CoDD. Pp. vii-flG4; 120 figs.
London : E. & F. N. Spon. Cs. net.

This hand-book on ignition for internal combustion engines
contains such a wealth of practical detail, and shows so wide
and general a knowledge of actual structures and their care
and repair that it seems ungracious to offer any adverse
criticism. While we note the modesty of the author's claims
as to definitions, &c. in the Introduction, we feel bound to
express regret that the confusion between quantity and rate
of flow which troubles the very " lay mind " for which the
book is written should be perpetuated on pages 1 and 93.
Again, the distinction between e.m.k. of accumulators and
the far more vital I'.D. under load is marked by a suggestion
that high resistance voltmeters are actually inferior for test-
ing cells.

The layman scarcely ever realises that the lower limit of
1.8 should be measured with a voltmeter of the highest re-
sistance possible, under normal conditions of load on the
cell. There are other little points of theory which we think
might have been more carefully dealt with, but we prefer
to lay emphasis on the real excellence of the greater part
of the book. There is scarcely a practical system or appliance
of importance that is not described fully, and the chapters
on faults, remedies, and repairs are exactly what the average
motorist requhes.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)
Compiled expressly for this journal by Messrs. Sefton-Jones, O'Dell »nc
Stephens, Chartered Patent Agents. 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

23.859. " Devices (or regulating amplitudes and damping in sound
apparatus." Signal Ges. .^gust 16th. (Germany, .'August 18th. 1910.)

23.Sm. " Frequency fillers." British Thomson-Houston Co., F. W. Carter
and R. C. Clinker. August ICth.

23,861. " Radio-receiving systems." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.). August 16th.

23,863. "Variable electrical condrn^rs." J. Jiii.ph and H. W. Sullivan.
August 16th.

23,899. "Telephone, &c., circuits." Western Electric Co. -(Western lilectric
Co.). August 16th.

23,!K)6. " Permanent magnets for electric machines." D. J. I'ickce.
August 16th. (Germany. August 16th, 1919.)

23,909. " Reversing direction of rotation of direct-current dvnamo-electric
machines." R. Bosch Akt. Ges. August 16th. (Germany, August lUth, 1919.)

23,038. " Electric motors." Hoover Suction Sweeper Co. (H. E. Hoover).
August lith.

23,901. " Tliermionic valves, fie." 11. L. Crowther and \V. Makouer.
August 17th.

23.964. " Radio-recei\-ing systems." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.). August 17th.

23.965. " Electric switches." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General Elec-
tric Co.). August 17lh.

. 23,977. " Ceiling-roses, cut-outs, connectors. &c." H. B. Prentice. August
17th.

23.978. " Electric snitches." H. B. Prentice. August 17th.

23.979. " Electric distribution of fuse boards Sc." H. B. Prentice. August
17th.

24,011. " Electrical transmission systems." A. M. Taylor. August 18th.

24,018. " Filament electric lamps." A. G. France. August 18th.

24,024. " Process of manufacturing insulators." P. J. H. Bernard.
.\ugu5t 18th.

24,029. "Sparking plugs." W. A. Clark and Sphinx .Manufacturing Co.
.\ugust 18th.

24,042. " Electrical oscillatory circuits." W. J. Lyons and Selective Signal
Co. August 18lh.

24,046. " Current-collecting trolley." J. Jassaud. August 18lh. (France,
August 21st, 1919.)

24,054. " Signalling systems." Western Electric Co. August 18lh. (United
States, October 31st, 1919.)

24.058. " Devices lor supplying and.'or controlling electricity." A. R.
Angus. August 18th.

24.059. " Electric generators." H. J. Warner. August 18th.

24,004. '' .Machine for making lamp bulbs, &c." British Thoinsun-iloustun
Co. (General Electric Co.). August 18th.

24,077. " Lighting machines lor cycles, motor-cars, &c." R. Bosch Akt.
Ges. August 18th. (Germany, September 22nd, 1919.)

24,112. " Sparking plugs." E. A. Albrigt. August 19th.

24,16'2. " Electrically-heated hair-waving appliances." A. .M. Taddei.
August 19th.

24,166. " Electrolytic rectifiers." R. W . McClintock and D. .McKinnon.
August 19th.

24,198. " Three-phase electric furnaces." D. Mauri. August 19th.

24,210. " Electrolysis of acetone solutions." E. F. Morris. August 2Ulli.

24,241. " Electric switches." G. H. Brader. August 20lh.

24,243. " Means of cooling electrodes." W. E. John. August 20th.

24,253. " Electrical circuit-breakers." \V. B. Ensign and H. E. Wads-
worth. August 20th.

24,263. " Electric motor-control." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.). ' August 20th.

24,263. " \ ibration apparatus for reception and production of sound waves."
Signal Ges. .August 20th. (Germany, August 21st, 1919.)

24,275. " Regulating resistances." .Akt. Ges. Brown, Boveri et Cie. .August
20th. (Switzerland, August 26th, 1919.)

24,278. " Electrical transformers." British Electric Transformer Co. and
J. Roothaan. August 20th.

24,296. " Electrical heater:" H. Lipke. August 20th.

24,311. " Electric switches." F. Zuckschwerdt. August 20lh.

24,314. "Galvanic batteries." G. Oldham, J. Oldham, O. Oldham and
Oldham S: .Son. August 20lh.

24,320. " Electric batteries." A. C. Brown. August 21st.

24,238. " Fuse-holders (or electric cor-lighting systems." C. A. Miller,
F. J. Miller, and E. A. S.iunders. August 21st.

24,329. " Circuit arrangements for controlling automatic selector switches."
Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co. and R. Mercer. August 21st.

24,356. "Electric service lilts." E. R. EIHston. August'20th.

24,360. " Electric cut-out and theft preventing devices (or motor vehicles."
F. W. Andrews and W. J. Brough. August 21st.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in parentheses are those under which the speci&cationa will be
printed and abridged, and all subsequent proceedings will be taken.

191S.

10,2811. " Ionic relays." W. H. Eccles and F. W. Jordan. June 21st, 1918.
(148,582.)

1919.

2,243. " Signalling apparatus." S. Oulianine. January 2;ith, 1919.
(148,586.)

2,584. " Methods and apparatus for submarine signalling and detection."
R. A. Fessenden. February 1st, 1918. (148,589.)

7,624. " Magneto-electric- generators." S. G. Brown. March 2Uth. 1919.
(148,600.)

7,727. " Wooden stakes, posts, poles and the like for electrical and other
purposes." H. Nobs. March 27th, 1918. (125,068.)

9,,536. " Electro-mechanical propulsion and control of submersible vessels."
N. H. Wood. April 15th, 1919. (148.605.)

10,532. "Transmitters for telephony." H. J. Round. April 28th, 1919.
(Cognate application 26,374/19.) (148,632.)

10,857. " Electrodes ftjr use in (dcctric welding." A. C. Hyde. May 1st,
1919. (148,646.)

11,192. " Electrical resistance controls for vehicles." Tilling-Stevens, Ltd.,
and A. H. Silcock. May 5th, 1919. (148,651.)

11.916. " Controlling means (or controlling a series of electric motors." F.
G. W'arburton. May 12th, 1919. (148,(i55.)

12.254. " Electrical precipitation of particles from gases." D. K. .Morris
and F. H. Haviland. May 15th, 1919. (148,659.)

13 023 " .Manuf.icture of electric cables containing conductors conveying
currents in parallel." Johnson & Phillips and D. A. S, Porteous. May 23rd,
1919. (148,667.)

16,228. "Electric transformers." II. L. Crowlher. June 27lh. 1919.
(148,679.)

16,982. " Device lor measuring eletlricd nsistance." C. E. Foster. July
7th, 1919. (148,686.)

18 517 " Electric re.ictance coils or transformers." Electrical Improve-
ments, Ltd., and J. R. Beard. July 25th, 1919. (148,691.)

18,896. " Electric heating devices and methods of making the same."
British Thomson-Houston Co. (General Electric Co.). July 30th, 1919.
(148.693.)

19 300. " Magneto-electric generators for use in connection with internal-
combustion engines." G. P. Godfree. August 5lh, 1919. (148,695.)

21,327. " Electric lamp holders, fitments, and the like." W. Preston.
August 30th, 1919. (148,700.)

23,623. " Electro-magnetically-operated vibrators." W. J. Mcllersh-Jackson.
(Submarine Signal Co.). September 2olh. 1919. (148,703.)

25.160. " Machine switching telephone exchange systems." Western Elec-
tric Co. and L. Polinkowskv. (May Kl. irtlS.I (Divided application on
7,309/18.) (148.708.')

27 226. "Portable electric lamps" I Tweedie. November 5th, 1919.
(148.712.)

isao.

4 470. " Terminal connections (or electric conductors." O. Jmray (R.
Ros'ch Akt. Ges.) February 13th, 1920. (148,725.)

11,771. " Method of making spark-plug insulators." A. E. Alexander
(General Ceramics Co.). .April 28th, 1920. (148,731.)

the:

E3LEaTK.XO-A-.Tli I?/E3"VIEI"W-

Vol. LXXXVII.

SEPTEMBER 10, 1920.

No. 2,233.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

INDUSTEIAL PSYCHOLOGY.

•Vol. LXXXVII.] CONTENTS: September Id, 1920. CNo. 3,!i33.

Page

Industrial Psychology ... ... ... ... ... ... S21

The Skilled Labour Position 322

Hiprh-Presaure Transmission in France 323

Small Undertakings and Compulsory Supply 323

The Dalmarnock Power Station, Glasgow (iZtea.) ... ... 321

The Maohine-Tool and Engineering Exhibition (.ill us.) (.caiit'd) 329

Leaves from an Inspector's Note-Book, by "Anode" ... ... 331

Correspondence —

Power Factor •■ 332

Why is the Contractor Permitted to do it ' 332

Single-phase Meters on Three-phase, Three-wire Systems 332

Extra Long-Distance Transmission of Electrical Energy 332

Labour Questions ... ... 333

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (i7/«s.) 333

Business Notes 331

Notes 311

City Notes 343

Stocks and Shares ... 343

Market Quotations 344

The British Association. — III.

A Portable Direct-Reading Anemometer for the Measure-
ment of Ventilation of Coal Mines (///«,<.) ... ... 345

Third Report of Committee appointed for the Investiga-
tion of Fuel Economy, &c. 346

Steam Action in Simple Nozzles ... 347

Decimal Coinage ... 347

Electricity in the German Army, by T. Rich (illus.') {fontinued) 3 18

A Theory of Metallic Arc Welding (afe«.) 3.50

Eeviews 351

New Patents Applied for, 1920 352

Abstracts of Published Specifications 352

Contractors' Colnmn ... ... AdTertisement page xzvi

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[3

Onb: of the less noted features of the British Association
meeting at Cardiff this year was the great activity of the
Psychological Sub-section of Section I (Physiology). We
believe it stood alone in meeting on both mornings and after-
noons throughout the whole duration of the meeting, and
that fact itself, together with the hirge attendance, demon-
strates the development of the study of psychology during
recent years. So important is psychology, as a subject,
becoming that a determined attempt, which in all pro-
bability will be successful, is being made to establish the
p'»ycho logical sub-section as a separate .section, and this year's
meeting probably will see the end of this sub- section as
such. Our particular interest, of course, lies in the con-
sideration of industrial psychology, which received an
enormous impetus during the war, although it may be
doubted whether the new and young school of psychologists
which has come into existence has yet got to work on what
may be regarded as standardised lines. Of course, the
psychological factors which come into play in the human
being are so multifarious, and many of them perhaps
unsuspected, that standardisation of this study in
the ordinary acceptance of the term will always
be out of the (juestion, but when considering
industrial psychology certain definite lines must of
necessity be followed. The Sub-section devoted the whole
of Friday, August 27th, to the study of industrial psychology
from its many aspects, and although special consideration
was not given to the electrical industry as such, yet the
points of view put forward cover industry as a whole so
completely that some attention can profitably be paid to
them. There was, for instance, the ijuestion of the value
of psychological tests for the determination of vocational
fitness, which may be said generally to be recognised as
desirable — at least by the psychologists ; and there are,
furthermore, many instances in practice where such methods
are being adopted. Industrial psychology will inevitably
force itself upon us more and more in this country, not-
withstanding that many students of it here have, to some
extent, gone astray in their interpretation of the early work
in America. That, however, is being gradually rectified^by
an increasing appreciation of the great difference between
labour in America and labour in th''s country.

One would have thought it would have been the first task
of the psychologist to detect that differentiation, but the
neglect of this may, perhaps, be excused on the ground that
the study of industrial psychology, which until recently
went by the name of industrial management, has only
lately been taken up in a serious manner by any body of
workers here. As was truly pointed out in one of the
papers, there are twn streams of experimental activity in
respect of industrial psychology, between which it might be
desirable to distinguish. On the one hand, there has been
the search for authentic tests for general intelligence in
determining vocational fitness, and on the other there is the
attempt made by F. W. Taylor — whose name will always
21] D

S22

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW« [toi. «7. No. 3,233, BEPKm»BE lo, mo.

be associated with the expression "Ecientific management "
— and taken up by other organisers, to select workers for
specific occupations not so much by virtue of their general
all-round ability as for particular aptitudes they may
possess, such as steadiness of hand, accuracy of movement,
rapidity of reaction or quick recognition of sizes and shapes,
which would facilitate their economical and effective
ada]itation to the demands of an industrial system based on
the functioning of highly specialised activities.

This represents the commercial application of the results
of psychological study in its most elementary form, and makes
no attempt at lifting the worker from out of his environ-
ment. Indeed, it is charged with changing the worker
from a human being into a machine. This possibility was
(juickly recognised in this country, and not the least
quickly by labour itself : hence the odium which soon
surrounded the term " scientific management," and the
opposition which was manifested to any attempt to apply
Taylor's methods here. The determining factor in this
attitude was, of course, the great difference between labour
here and in America. Labour in America is of a far more
cosmopolitan character than it ever can be in Great Britain.
In the Carnegie works before the war, for instance, we
know that the labour available came from all parts of the
world, and mostly from those disturbed European countries
from which men were only too glad to escape. Roumanians,
Pules and such like were to be found in large numbers, and
they were necessarily a type of individual upon whom such
systems as Taylor's could be tried. It was the fault
of the joung men here who first practised as the advocates
of scientific management that they failed to perceive this
fundamental differtnce in type. That is now being rectified,
however, and greater progress may be expected as the
result. In the Ford works in America, we bslieve, the
task of one individual is to screw the fastening on one
particular wheel on one side of the finished car. Imagine
the mentality of the person condemned to this monotonous
task day in and day out ! Ocganised labour in this country
is too intelligent to tolerate that kind of thing, and we must
ad^pt our methods to our environment. The newer line of
thought is all in that direction.

Another subject of great importance, and of practical and
immediate intertst, is that of industrial convalesceuce.
It is probable that the general body of people have never
given thought to the absurd system under which a man who
lias been ill, and is getting better, has all National Health
Insurance or sick club benefit stopped if he does so much as
balf-an-houi's work per day. A close study of the subject,
however, has shown that convalescence is hastened by a
gradual return to work, but the position at present is that a
man must either remain at home until he is fully able to do
a complete day's work again— a process which nectssarily
retards his recovery by reason of financial worries — or be
must take the risk of going back to woik btfore he is really
fit again, and suffering a relapse. The plea put forward
liy Prof. E. L. Collis that a change should be made in the
system of pajment for sick benefit, so that a man might
return to work on the basis of a few hours a day at first,
with a corresponding reduction in his sick pay benefit, has
much to recommend it, if only in the interest of national
output.

A plea was also made for the establishment of a Xational
Institute of Applied Psychology, to be administered by
private funds. Such Institute, it was urged, would act as a
clearing house for informaticn, and have a staff of
psychologists who would be available to ad\ise small firms
that were not able to retain such e]fficials on their
staffs. We are not at all sure that the time is yet ripe for
such a venture, although we do not doubt it will have to
come. There is a tremendous amount of preliminary work
yet to be carried out in bringing the rial value of induti ial
psychology to the appreciation of thote most concerned, for
it cannot be gainsaid that in some quaiters it is not taken
seriously. Nevertheless, we feel that the Bi-it'sh Asscria-
tion meeting of 1920 marks an epoch in the development
of psychological study in general and industrial p-ychology
in particular, and it is a matter to which all employers of
labour will do well to pay greater attention than they
generally have done in the past.

THE SKILLED LABOUE POSITION.

The position with regard to skilled labour in this country
is liable to be affected by the increasing tendency in the
Colonies towards the manufacture on the spot of many
goods hitherto imported. That tendency was beginning
to show itself to an appreciable degree in the decade
preceding the war, but during the past few years it has, of
course, become pronounced. The result is that in order to
maintain the standard of manufacturing progress, quite a
mass of skilled labour is required, and in Australia the
position has become so acute that one expedient proposed is
the insertion of advertisements in Britisti newspapers
offering tempting terms to skilled men who are willing to go
t» Australia. The situation, however, is by no means a
straightforward one for employers to handle, because theie
is, in fact, a shortage of skilled labour practically through-
out the world, for two reasons. In the first place, the w.ir
prevented the normal flow of young men into the ranks
of the skilled trades, and, secondly, Trade I'nions
imposed restrictions with regard to the number of
apprentices. The cumulative effect of these two causes has
created, apparently, an extremely serious condition of
affairs in Australia, where the apprenticeship question has
been handled very drastically by the Unions. At the same
time the I^nions are also opposed to any extension of
methods of dilution, and engineering works managers are
at their wits' end to know how to meet the situation.

The iron trade section of the Victorian Chamber of Manu-
factures is said to have taken in hand the question of the
extension of the apprenticeship system with a vie iv to increasing
the number of apprentices to each journeyman, but that iu
itself, although essential when looking to future needs, can
have no bearing upon the present urgent necessity for more
skilled labour. Some employers in Australia are inolineJ
to take what might seem to be the line of least resistance at
the moment, and endeavour to import skilled labour from
other parts of the world, with a preference for Britishers, as_
a means of helping them out of their difficulties. The Trade
Unions in Australia, however, are at least as strong as they
are here, and it is perhaps with a view to meeting their
opposition that the proviso is added that such skilled
labour importation shall be stopped when the present
shortage is relieved. We, on our part, of course, cannot
spare our skilled laliour for the simple reason that there is
more than enough work for all, and it is necessary to retain
our artisans if we are to rebuild our trade. We, too, are
suffering from a shortage of skilled labour from the reasons
already pointed out, and our troubles as regards the appren-
ticeship (juestion and dilution are not less acute than they
are in Australia. No country can hope to solve labour
problems of this character by the simple expedient of
" poaching " upon the preserves of other countries - even
within the Empire — in the manner which some Australian
manufacturing and repair engineers appear to advocate.

The supply of sufficient skilled labour in any country is a
national (juestion, and can only be solved, in the present
position of Trade Unionism, by harmonious working between
employers and the Unions. Whilst we doubt very much
whether Trade Unionists in Australia, having already
restricted the number of apprentices, would agree to the 1
importation of fully-fledged skilled labour from other
countries, it will be the duty of our employers— speaking
only for (ireat Britain — to endeavour to counteract any such
attempts. At the same time, we do not think any efforts
to induce skilled labour to leave this cjuntry at the present

Vol.87. No. 2,233, sbptbmbbr 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

323

mciuent for Australia would meet with any threat success.
A few malcontents would doubtless go — and we can spare
them —but with plenty of work for all those who are willing
to do it, and high wages, any offers from other parts of the
world would have to be particularly seductive to tempt
any great number of skilled workers out of the country.
On the other hand, they could hardly be above Australian
Trade Union rates. On the whole, we think the Australian
engineers will have to set about putting their house in
order on recognised, and not on what might almost
be called panic, lines. For instance, the present limitations
as to apprentices are the result of negotiations between the
Government, the employers, and the employes, and they
provide, to quote two examples, for two apprentices to every
five journeymen in the general engineering trade, and two
apprentices to each journeyman in the case of armature
winding. Apparently, therefore, the machinery exists for
endeavouring to add to the number of apprentices in order
to make up some of the lost ground. In another direction
a great deal could be done. Australia, in spite of being, in
comparison with Great Britain, a new country, has, to a
large extent, developed its manufacturing activities on
haphazard lines. Many of the present manufacturing
concerns have developed out of repair shops, and manu-
facturing inefficiency has inevitably followed the attempt to
turn out many different products. Specialisation has not
been strongly resorted to ; if it were, it would result
in the amount of skilled labour available being put to far
more effective use. In this country, it has long been
recognised that repair work and manufacture must be kept
entirely separate. As we have said, the skilled labour
problem is acute all over the world, and any immediate
alleviation seems out of the question, except, perhaps, by
way of dilution, which again brings in the question of
harmonious working between employers and workmen.

Whilst we are publishing elsewhere a

_* " , , condensed account of Major Rich's ex-
Transmission , ,,.,,,,,
in France. haustive report on the highly-developed

electrical system laid down by the German
military authorities in the occupied regions of France, our
esteemed contemporary, the Revue Generale do f Electririte,
has just printed the text of a law authorising the establish-
ment by the State of a network of high-pressure electrical
transmission lines in the same areas, which we are now
happy to describe as the liberated regions. The purpose is
to connect with maius at a pressure of 1 20,000 volts the
great power stations which already exist or are projected, in
order to euable them to co-operate in case of need. Owing
to the extreme urgency of the works for the reconstitution
of the devastated areas, they have been commenced in
advance of legal authorisation ; up to the end of July,
87 million francs had already been expended, and the whole
outlay will amount to 13."i millions, of which 40 millions
have been allocated to the Budget of 191!) and 70 millions
to that of lO-'O.

In the courseof the discussion in the Senate, on July 31st,
a representative of the Department of Mines and Water
Powers stated that this interconnection scheme was not
limited to the northern areas ; it was to extend to the
whole of France, like the canals and railways. Technical
difficulties due to the existence of different systems of
supply, economic difficulties arising out of the fears of
vested interests, would be encountered, which were absent
from the liberated regions, where so many installations had
been destroyed that the administration had a clean sheet to
work on. The mining area of the north offered a copious
supply of energy, which would be connected to the network
of Alsace, fed by blast-furnace gas, and, above all, by
the Rhiiie, and to the Paris area, so that mutual aid
could be afforded in case of emergency. Only by carrying
out this vast scheme would it be possible to utilise
low-grade fuel at the mines for the supply of electricity to
Paris, to distribute the 'J million h,p. obtainable from

water power, and to apply efficiently all the sources of
energy at the nation's disposal, so as to make good the
deficiency which compelled France to purchase annually
15 million tons of foreign coal at heavy cost.

It seems to us that we have much to learn from France.
Crushed as she is with a burden of debt, and the onerous
necessity of reconstituting the areas turned into a desert by
the devastating Huns, with clear vision she sees that the
supply of energy " // bun marr/u' " is the key to recon-
struction and to the restoration of prosperity and staliility ;
and she does not hesitate to incur an outlay of i;^>5,000,000
francs for the attainment of that end — say, at the present
rate of exchange, £3,000,000. She, also, has her national
scheme, and she does not propose to starve it. Here,
on the other hand, we have a scheme, but no
funds ; we boggle at a transmission of 30 miles, and
shudder at the thought of 50,000 volts overhead — so
dangerous, you know I We would not dream of linking
London tn the nearest coal-field — Lord Moulton says some-
one might cut the mains (gas mains, of course, are immune).
We must not let companies do the work, lest they make
a profit ; we won't let the State do it, for we know it would
make a heavy loss ; the municipalities say they will do all
that is wanted — if someone else will find the money. The
House of Lords says the State is not going to foot the bill,
so the Government dare not proceed with the financial
clauses omitted from the 1919 Act.

What fools we are ! Truly, we have the Government
that we deserve. They do these things vastly better in
France.

CoiiPANiES — that is, the smaller com-
Small panies, which have a difficulty just at

anTcomJulsSry P''^'^'^'' i° providing themselves with
Supply. adequate capital — view sometimes with

uneasiness the statutory provisions under
which supply can be demanded for premises off the route of
the distributing mains. The additional capital outlay
required is, in such cases, a matter for serious consideration,
mitigated but very little by the statutory allowance of
20 per cent, per annum on the outlay as a minimum
payment for the supply taken. But the conditions under
which this obligation is placed on undertakings are such
that an undertaking could, if it so elected, choke off any
applicant. It can, first of all, require " security " for the
payment of all moneys to be thus due to it for the first two
years. Also the clause (Sec. 27 — Electric Lighting Clauses
Act, 1899) only applies to occupiers of premises within
.JO yards of any disfribu/i/ii/ main. Moreover, the
occupier can be made to pay for all the service line beyond
20 yd., and for all the line in the occupier's own giounds.
So the extreme liability is only the cost of 20 yd. of service
line.

As regards the previous sections 24 and 25, where six
occupiers can requisition mains to be laid down a new street,
the undertakers have a right of appeal to the Board of Trade '
(now to the Ministry of Transport), which can quash the
requisition, or vary the terms or conditions on which the
supply mains are to be laid. Such right of appeal is now of
enhanced value, seeing that it must be considered by the
Electricity Commissioners, who, in quite a special sense, are
entrusted with the welfare of the industry, and who may
be relied upon to be sympathetic where a good case is made
out. Altogether, therefore, compulsory supply is suffici-
ently hedged about with conditions to be a not too serious
menace from the point of view of the amount of capital
involved.

The foregoing applies, of course, to all undertakings work-
ing under orders made subsequently to 1890. Those under
very early orders and prior to that date do not come under
these conditions except in so far as they may be embodied
in any way in their individual orders, the Act of 1899 not
being a " General " Act.

324

THE ELECTKICAL KEVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,233, September lO, 1920.

THE DALMARNOCK POWER STATION, GLASGOW.

The two earliest electric power stations in Glasgow
were erected in Miller and John Streets in 1890. At
that time the economic position of the industry was
very doubtful, but the demand increased until it became
necessary to erect another station to displace the first
two, and the third station was erected in Waterloo Street
in 1893. The only advantage presented by this site
was its proximity "to the load, but the disadvantages
of extremely low efficiency and the difficulty uf handling

boundary of the site is the river Clyde, ami the advan-
tages of the site are apparent. There is an abundant
supply of cold water for the condensers, coal supplies
come direct by rail, and the distance from the load
centre is not excessive. The ultimate electrical load on
this site is to be 200,000 kw. The station, of which some
preliminary details together with a plan iiave already
been publislied in our columns,* is being constructed in

Dalmahnock Towkr Station, Glasgow

the fuel supply and ashes far outweighed it, and soon
made it evident that a further step must be taken. Ac-
cordingly the Port-Dundas and St. Andrew's Cross sta-
tions were erected and equipped with reciprocating
plant in the period 1900-1904. Later the stations were
equipped with turbo-alternator plant, which supplied
three-phase current to sub-stations, in which it was
converted to d.c. for general use. The stations at
Port-Dundas and St. Andrew's Cross could readily ob-
tain fuel supplies and dispose of ashes, and a fair supply
of cooling water for condensing purposes was available.
At that time the annual output of the Corporation Elec-
tricity Department was about 17 million units, witli
a maximum load on the stations of nearly 13,000 kw.,
the installed plant capacity being slightly under that
figure, and the power applied for equalling over
25,000 KW. The increa.se in the load throughout the
city continued, and in ten years' time both stations
were nearly at the economical limit of their capacities,
but extensions were impracticable owing principally to
lack of adequate supplies of water for condensing pur-
poses. In 1914 the annual output reached nearly
92 million units, the maximum load on the undertaking
bavins ri.sen to just under 40.000 kw., with the plant
capacitv equalling about 5.5.000 kw., and the power
applied for standing at 90,000 kw. In 1912, on
tlio advice of Mr. AV. W. Lackie, then engineer and
iiiiinager of the electricity department, the Electricity
Committee reconmiendcd the Corporation to procure
another site where an abundant supply of condensing
water would be available, and to erect a new station.
A site. 13 J acres in extent, was accordingly purchased
for the Dalmarnock power .station. The south

Fig. '2.— Layout of Tdrbine Eoom.

two sections, each main section comprising a turbint
house, two boiler houses, and a switch house. iTigs.
1. 2, and 3 show the irround plan and lay-out of Nos. 1
and 2 turbo-alternator sets. The first section of the
station, which comprises a coal store and coal-convey-
ing plant, a workshop, two boiler rooms, turbine room,
switch house, control room, and a sub-station, is now
approachinsx completion.

Fig. .S.— Si-.rrioN of Tdrbine and Thansformf.r Rooms.

In view of the necessity for sound foundations,
although the sub-soil was suitable for supporting hc.ivy
buildings, a 5-ft. tliick concrete raft was laid over the
whole area. The original plans were for steel buildings,
hut these had to be discarded during the war, and re-
inforced concrete was substituted ; the drawings for
the concrete work were prepared by the Considere Con-
struction Co., Ltd. Fig. 4 is an outside view of the

' Electrical Review, March 19th, 191.5. and March Sth, 1918

Tol. 87. No. 2,233, Septembbb 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW^

326

station from the south, and shows the condensing water
inlet. The cooling water supply from the river passes
through the main sluice gates to specially- designed
screening plant, fig. 7, which removes as much as pos-
sible of the su.spended matter. After use the water is
returned to tlie river below the intake.

The first portion of tlie station to be completed was

The boiler house is a three-story building ; the ground
floor accommodates the forced-draught fans, their driv-
ing motors, and tlie ash removal hoppers. The first
floor is the firing level, fig. 11, and the top floor houses
the induced-draught plant, economisers, coal silos, and
hot wells. Each boiler room contains eight Babcock
and Wilcox water-tube marine-type boilers, arranged

Fig. 4.— Station Buildings irom the South.

Pig.

-Coal TiiANSPORTER.

Fig. 6.— Ash Tdnnel.

the coal-handling sei:tion. T!ie coal is delivered direct
from the mines by rail, and at Dalmarnock sidings each
truck passes over a weigh-liridge to a tipping platform.
The truck is then emptied into a filler pit by an electri-
cally-operated ram (the coal can be crushed if necessary),
from whence it passes b}- means of a bucket conveyor to

ill two rows of four on eacli side of the room. Each
boiler has three chain-grate stokers, a superheater, and
an economiser. Tlie normal evaporation of each boiler
i.s 50,000 lb. per hour; its heating surface, 6,918 sq. ft.,
and grate area, 273 sq. ft. ; complete weight without
water, 122 tons; water evaporated per lb. of coal of

Fig. 7.— Circulating Water
Screens.

Fig. 8.— Bucket anh Tray
coai, coxvevors.

a distrilnitiiig centre, from which other conveyors de-
liver it to tlie boiler-liouse silos or to the coal store as
required. A travelling gantry with a grab and bucket
conveyor is provided for handling the contents of the
coal store. The capacity of the plant is 100 tons per
hour, and the illustrations, figs. .5, 8, and 9, give a gcne-

9.— Boii.KR .House Tray
Conveyor.

Fig. 10.— A 15,000-kw.

MeTROPOLITAN-ViCKERS TUHIilNE

in Course of Erection.

10,. 500 B.TH.u., 8.05 lb.; efficiencj' at full load, 80 per
cent. ; the feed-water temperature being 150 deg. F. at
the economiser inlet. The heating surface of each super-
heater is 2,452 sq. ft., and that of each Green econo-
miser, 5,155 ,sq. ft. Each forced-draught fan, by Messrs.
Davidson >V Co., Ltd.. is driven by a 35-d.h.p. B.T.II.

n.— No. 1 BnIM
House.

Fig. 12.— Mirreees-Wats
Condensing Plant.

•'IG. 13. — .\U.\I1.I\RV

Tiiruo-geneuatou.

ral idea of the equipnieiit. wliii li was supplied liy .Messrs.
Babcock & Wilcox, Ltd. The aslics fall from the boilers
into hopjiers, fig. G, and can l)e taken direct from the
latter by trucks, but Babcock &^ Wilcox suction ash
plant is being installed as the better method of removal.

•uotoi'. and carli induced-draught fan by a 125-
n.ii.i'. iijotur. Working under forced and induced
draught tlie niaxinium output of each boiler is G2,000 lb.
of steam jier lioiir, tlie final steam conditions benig 275
lb. pressure per sq. in. (gauge), with 700 deg " ■ ■ '

F. total

326

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,233, bbptbmbm 10, 1920.

temperature; with induced draught only the output is
50,000 lb. per hour. Three boiler.s suffice to supply
steam for one turbine, and tlie coal silos are of sufficient
cupai'itv to maintain the supply for about 20 hours, in
the event of the sto])page of the conveyors. One of the
chimneys, all of whieli are of steel, is provided for each
pair of boilers, thus giving four per section of tlie
boiler house ; in the second boiler house each chimney

Fig. 14. — Interior of Ti;uBo-GENEr!.\TOB Room.

has a grit and dust settling chamber at its base. The
feed pumps are housed separately, and each pump room
contains two pumps, one of which is steam driven, and
the other electrically driven. The pumps were supplied
by Messrs. G. & J. Weir, Ltd., Holden & Brook, Ltd.,
and the British Electric
Plant Co., Ltd., and each
has a capacity of 200,-000
lb. of water per hour.
Every effort has been
made to secure economical
working by the provision
of measuring instru-
ments; the ecpiipment of
each boiler includes auto-
matic coal-weighing ma-
chines, steam-flow meters,
tliermometers, pressure
and draught gauges, and
a CO; indicator.

The first turbine room,
fig. 14, will contain five
turbo-alternator .sets; the
maximum continuous out-
put of each machine i;
18,750 KW., but the most
economical load is 15,00(1
KW. The first machine is
of Messrs. Eraser and
Chalmers' manufacture,
the second and tliird arr
being SUpJilied by tlic
Metropolitan - \'itkei-
Electrical Co., Ltd., fig.
10, and the fourth and

fifth by the English Electric Co., Ltd. At
the point of maximum efficiency tlie steam
consumption of the sets is guaranteed not to
exceed 10 lb. per Kw.-hour, the steam being supplied
at 250 lb. pressure per sq. in., and a temperature of
700 deg. F. with a vacuum of 29.1 in. of mercury
when the barometer indicates 30 in. The steam con-
sumptions at loads of 18,750, 11,250, and 7,500 kw. are

respectively 10.1, III. 5, and 11.3 lb. per KW.-hour. The
weight of the heaviest portion of a set, viz., the alter-
nator rotor, is 108 tons.

Each turbine discharges its sti'am into a condenser
having a cooling surface of 26,000 si], ft., the quantity
of circulating water being 225,000 lb. per minute with
an average velocity of 4.9 ft. per sec. The guaranteed
vacua with varying inlet temperature of circulating
water between 40 and 70
deg. F. and constant
steam flow of 160,000 lb.
per hour are 29.32 to
28.5 in. The first and
fifth condensers were sup-
plied by the Mirrlee.s-
Watson Co., Ltd., the
.second and third by the
Metropolitan - Vicker.s
Electrical Co., Ltd., and
tlie fourth by the English
Electric Co.^ Ltd. The
lirculating pumps, by
.Messrs. Drysdale it Co.,
Ltd., are capable of pass-
ing 22,500 gallons of
water per minute

through each condenser,
tig. 12; the circulating
Ijumps and air and con-
densate pumps are driven
respectively by 270-
B.H.P., 290-B.H.P., anil

155-B.H.P., 730-K.P.M.,

three-phase induction

motors operating at 400
volts and 25 cycles. The
air pumps are capable of
extracting 60 lb. of air
per hour, and each set is provided with a stand-by sys-
tem. The condensate is pumped from each condenser
through a Lea recorder, and thence pas.ses through a
feed-water heater to the hot wells. The air filters were
supplied'by Messrs. Heenan & Froude, Ltd.

IJcviiiij.i.E •i(l,0()(i-\ui,T SwiTCn-(;i;Mi,

Two 500-K.v..\. geared turlio-alternator sets, fig. 13,
tin' tiirl)ines lunniiig at a s]n(d of 3,500 U.P.M., and
geared to 41()-voU, "-'n-cycle, .'i-itliase, 750-K.p.^f. alter-
nators, are provided for operating auxiliary plant at
the station under special conditions, but normally the
auxiliaries will be supplied from the sub-station, or
from the special auxiliary windings on the step-up
transformers.

Vol. 87. No. j,233, 8KPTBMB2B 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

327

A 75-ton crane spans the turliine room, fig. l-t, and
a second one of the same size is installed in the work-
shop, so that it is a comparatively easy matter to move
1he iieaviest parts of the machines installed into or out
of the buildings. All crane motors are of the induction
type, with wound rotors.

The first three main alternators are being supplied by
the Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd., and the
fourth and fifth machines by the English Electric Co.,
Ltd. EiTjch main alternator has a maximum continuous
output of 2.3.-100 K.v.A. at 6,500 volts, and runs at a

Fig. 16. — Coktrol Room.

speed of 1,500 n.i'.M. The machines are of the most ro-
bu.st construction, and have been specially designed with
a view to withstanding the severe stresses they may be
called upon to bear. The rotors are all of the cylindrical
type, and.are built from solid forgings. Each machine
has its own exciter mounted on the alternator shaft.
Tlie pressure rise, when maximum continuous output
at O.S lagging power factor is switched off, is 15 per
cent. The maximum instantaneous

short-circuit current of an alter- ^ ^"'

nator alone, when short-circuited on
maxinmm continuous output condi-
tions, is 53,000 amps, or of an
alternator and transformers, .3.3,000
amps. The permanent short-circuit
current of an alternator alone is
.3.500 amps., or of an alternator
and transformers, 3,400 amps. The
field current and alternator
efficiency at 18,750 kw. and 0.8
lagging power factor are 350 amps,
anil 96.3 per cent, respectively.
The quantity and pressure of the
idoling air is 70.000 cu. ft. per
minute at (> in. water gauge, and
the maximum temperature rise of
the stator is 55 deg. ('., that of tlie
iiitor being 75 deg. C.

The last important building of
the power station is the switch

house and control room, fig. IC, in which are housed
the step-up transformers, by the Metrojiolitan-Vickers
Electrical Co., Ltd., and the switches and control
apparatus for all the machines and feeders. The
main generator and split-conductor feeder con-
nections are shown diagrammatically in figs. 17
and 18. The working pressure on the busbars is
20,000 volts. Each alternator is directly connected to
a bank of three single-pha.se delta-star connected trans-

formers, wliich are forced oil-cooled with an external
water cooler. The transformer voltage ratio is 6,500
delta to 20,000 star; impedance voltage, 6 per cent.;
(■oj>per lo.ss at maximum continuous output, 67.5 kw.;
iron loss per phase, 22 kw. ; efficiency at maximum con-
tinuous output, 98.72 per cent. ; weight of complete
transformer, 28 tons. The quantity of oil used per
transformer is 1,700 gallons, and the cooling water
3 X 80 gallons per minute. The cooling-water pump
is driven by a 10-h.p. motor running at 1,440 r.p.m.
The transformers have no features of note except their
size, 7,800 k.v.a., and a
third winding for supply-
ing the auxiliary ma-
chinery at 440 volts.

All switchgear is of the
ironclad 20,000-volt
type ; no live parts are
exposed, and the esti-
mated rupturing capacity
of each switch is
1,500,000 K.v.A.

The switchgear, fig. 15.
is of verj- novel design,
and is worthy of special,
attention. All of it was
designed and supplied by
Messrs. A. Reyrolle & Co.',
Ltd. In place of the con-
ventional concrete - cell
work, ironclad construc-
tion is used throughout,
and every effort has been
made to ensure that the
switches will be as safe
and satisfactory ^s any
other part of the system.
This condition can hardly
be said to have been ful-
filled in the past, but it is
hoped that this design
will remedy the defects of the apparatus ordinarily
used, and special precautions have been taken to ensure
that the danger to operators will be reduced to a mini-
mum. All the switches are operated from the control
room, fig. 16, in which the electrical measuring instru-
ments and signalling devices are situated.

The first section of the switch house contains five

Main Grnerator and Si'lit-condittor Fkf.dek PnoTrcxioN.

alternator switches, 18 feeder switclies, two coupling
and two sectionalising switches.

A large 250-volt battery, consisting of 125 cells, hav-
ing a capacity of 3,000 amp. -hours at a discharge rate
of 300 amperes for ten hours, supplied by the Premier
Accumulator Co., Ltd., is placed in the basement of
the switch house. The battery will be used for the excita-
tion of the main turbo-alternator exciter fields, the
switch house travelling crane, and emergency station

328

THE ELECTKICAL REVLEWo [Vol. 87. No. 2,233, September VO, 1920.

lighting. Tivo 100- volt batteries, each consisting of
55 cells, having a capacity of 2oU ampere-hours at a
one hour rating of discliarge, have been installed below
the control room foi- the operation of the main switch-
gear controls and telegraphs. These batteries arc in-
tended to be used alternately.

The charging of all the batteries will be performed by
duplicate motor generators, supplied by the Electric
Construction Co., Ltd., each consisting of a 440-volt
induction motor coupled to a D.c. generator, giving <;.')()
amperes at 225 to 325 volts, and another giving IdU
amperes at 75 to 150 volts. The switchboard is bv
Messrs. Kelvin, Bottomley & Baird, Ltd.

Tlie neutral point of the 20,000-volt system will be
earthed through a resistance capable of passing. 500
amps, at 11,500 volts; a -water resistance will be used
for this purpose, in the first instance at least. The
neutral point of each alternator will also be eartlied
through a resistance, the exact form of wliich has not
yet been definitely decided on ; this resistance will pass
1 ,500 amps, at 3,800 volts.

The electrical energy will be transmitted from Dal-
raarnock power station at 20,000 volts to various sub-
stations, where it will be transformed by step-down
transformers, supplied by Messrs. Ferranti, Ltd., the
British Electric Transformer Co., Ltd., and the Metro-
politan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd., to 6,500 volts to
supply the existing e.h.t. mains. Transformation to
440 volts for a.c. distribution and conversion to d.c. at
500 volts would provide for l.t. supplies. The 20,000-
volt cables manufactured by Messrs. Callender's Cable
and Construction Co., Ltd., and W. T. Glover & Co.,
Ltd., are of the 3-core split-conductor and C-core types,
and are controlled by the Merz-Hunter system of protec-
tion. A twelve-pair air-spaced telephone cable is laid
with each feeder for signalling and telephone purposes.
At the distributing centres banks of 1,875-k.v.a., single-
pha!5e (three in a group), step-down transformers,
20,000 to 6,500 volts, are installed. Switchgear of the
ironclad type is provided on both 20,000- and 6,500-voIt
sides. The distributing centres will be interconnected
by 20,000-volt feeders.

Tlie laying, jointing, and connecting-up of the system
of distribution has been carried out with direct labour
by the Corporation Electricity Department. The design
of the station and the working-out of all the details of
construction was accomplished by the department's own
staff, to whom very great credit is due.

Messrs. Merz & McLellan, consulting engineers, acted
in an advisory capacity. On the api)ointment of Mr.
W. W. Lackie to be one of His Majesty's Commissioners
under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 191 i), Mr. R. B.
Mitchell became the engineer aijd manager of the depart-
ment, some idea of the magnitude of which will be
gathered from the fact that in 1920 the output of the
undertaking is expected to reach a total of nearly 180
million units, which figure was exceeded in 1918. In
1919 the maxinmm plant capacity of the undertaking
was approximately 67,000 kw. with a maximum load
of about 65,000 kw., and the connected load reached
nearlv 160,000' kw.

TllK power station, erected in the Easlcni district of
the city, was formally inaugurated and insjiectcd
on September 2nd, a large company, including
engineers from all parts of the country, being present.
The ceremony was performed by es-Bailie Kennedy,
convener of the Electricity "Conunittee, and ex-
Bailie Sadler, the sub-convener, the former turning on
the steam to one of the turbo-alternator sets, while the
latter closed the excitation switch and brought the pres-
sure up to 20,000 volts. At the sub,se(|uent luncheon.
Lord Provost Stewart presiding. Councillor Bruce
Lindsay, convener of the Electricity Conjmittee of -the
Edinburgh Town Council, proposed ''The Corporaticm
of Glasgow," and expressed satisfaction with the man-
ner in wliicli the city hinl met the increased demands for
i'lectricity at a cheav rale. In Edinburgh they were

building a new power station, but had been delayed by
tlie Miuistz-y of Munitions during tlie war. Ultimately
the Glasgow Electi icily Departiiieul would have a capa
city of 2011,000 KW., and they iu Edinburgh would have
something under lialf of that. He understood, however,
that the price of electricity in Edinburgh was lower than
that in Glasgow, and for that the " Capital " was en-
titled to some little credit.

Lord Provost Stewart, in acknowledgment, said that
what they had seen at Dalmarnock must have convinced
them that the Corporation was determined to do its
utmost to ensure that electrical power would not be lack-
ing to supply the needs of a great industrial community.
The history of the Electricity Department was a record
of progress throughout. In the first year's working,
that of 1893, it had produced 408,590 units for 108 con-
sumers. Last year they had increased the outjjut to
over 174,000,000 units, while the number of consumers
had reached 43,000. When he was convener of the Elec-
tricity Committee in 1906 the capital of the department
was £1,800,000; now it was nearly £4,500,000. The
revenue was then £245,000; now it was not far short of
£1,000,000. In the same period the output had been
increased by over 400 per cent. They would not claim
that this success was due to their own admini.-itration or
refuse to admit that much of it had been effected by their
highly capable staff.

Mr. J. Train, of Messrs. Train & Taylor, building
contractors, proposed " The Electricity Committee,"
and ex-Bailie Kennedy, in reply, explained that the
excavations fpr the station had been nuide in 1914, but
it was not till 1917 that building was really begun, and
even then the Government put a restraining hand on
them.

Ex-Bailie Sadler submitted "Tlie Contractors," an<l
pointed out that the contractors had received up to the
jiresent about £1,250,000, and that by the time the
work was finished they would have received over
£2,000,000. The committee hoped that before the winter
was over the contractor who was setting up the second
turbo-alternator woidd have completed the work [one set
is already in connnission and two others are under con-
struction]. Glasgow would then be free from any troubles
in the way of electricity supply. Mr. A. M'Kinstay
(Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.), who replied,
congratulated the Corporation on being the first to com-
plete what was now generally termed a " super-power
station," and asked .Messrs. Kennedy <t Sadler to accept
on behalf of the contractors a silver t)ay and tea service
each. The health of the engineci' and manager was
proposed by Mr. H. \V. Bewsher. manager for Scotland
for Messrs'. Babcock A- Wilcox, Ltd., and .Mr. It. M.
Mitchell replied.

Precision Galvanometer for Thermo-Eiectric Measure-
ments.— A new principle has bfen developed by Meaers. T. R.
Ihuiisiin anil 1\ 1). Footc whei'cliy an (ndinaiy millivult-
meter may be couverteil into an instrnnient in which thi-
usual errors arising from variable line resistance are eliminated.
According to a paper in the Jt)uniul of the A.I.E.E., the
instrument measures true E.Nf.F. in a simple circuit or. if
ciinnectcd across a resistance or network thmugh which cui-
rent tliAvs, it indicates the potential drop which would have
existed had the instrument not been cormci-tcd. .'Mthnugh it
operates as a potentiometer in this respect, the instrument docs
not recpiire a stanilard cell or an auxiliary battery. The only
H.M.K. employed is that of the source measured. There is no
lo.ss in precision of setting results; in fact, the adjustments
may be made to ten times the scale accuracy. Various wirinji
iliagrams ami methods are discussed for building instruments
of zero tenipeiatnre coethcient and proper damping. \ new
deflection potentiometer is described which otters considerable
advantages over the ordinary type for small k.M.k.'s in a
circuit of variable resistance. Although the instrument was
designed for pyrometric work, its u.sefulness is not confined
to this field. It may be used as a galvanometer with an ordi-
nary potentiometer, and then forms a dellcction potentiometer
which reijuires no compensation other than that provided by
the inilicator. The compensated nnllivoltineter may be u.sed
in ninlliple installations of thcrniocoiiplcs having dill'erent line
resistances, as many resistances being nsi^d as there are thermo-
couples. Other appliiations are discussed in the paper, and
the theory of compensation and damping, \i-., is fully con-
sidered,— Technical llcoieiy.

vo].87. No, 2,233, SBPTEMBHB 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

329

THE MACHINE-TOOL AND ENGINEERING EXHIBITION.

(Cuuthtiied from jMtge 297.)

Since the first instalment of our review of the Exhibition
appeared last week, many of our readers will have visited
Olympia themselves and have seen all there is to be seen.
For the benefit of those who have not yet had the oppor-
tunity of inspecting the display of up-to-date machinery
that is on view, it may be explained that, apart from the
ijeneral excellence of the machine tools shown, the Exhi-
bition is of interest from the electrical point of view.

Although only about 20 stands out of the total of nearly
200 can be described as exhibiting electrical apparatus,
which incidentally is mostly already familiar, the machine
tools themselves are noteworthy from the point of view of
electrical driving. A large number of the machines on view
are to be seen actually working, a good policy, as there is
nothing like actual demonstration for convincing the
visitor.

For exhibition purposes, electric motors and switchgear,
supplied by a variety of well-known manufacturers, are used
exclusively for driving the tools. But an inspection of the
exhibits at once conveys the impression that a large
majority, if not quite all, the machines are adapted to eleo
trical driving for normal operation, and those that are not
can with little difficulty be converted.

Three methods have been adopted for speed reduction
between tne electric driving motor and the machine itself,
for which purpose either gears, chains, or belts are used. In
general it would appear that the last-named method is only
employed in the case of what might be termed the smaller
machines, all the larger ones having individual motors from
which the power is transmitted by means of gears or chains.

Before continuing our brief review of the electrical or
allied exhibits, it may be mentioned that during the three
weeks in which the Exhibition will remain open, a number
of conferences has been arranged to take place at Olympia.
On the 21st inst. the Industrial League and Council has
arranged a conference of employers and employed, and on
the 22nd inst. an Industrial "Safety First" Cdnvention,
under the auspices of the Home Office and the British
Industrial "Safety First" Association, will be held, in con-
nection with which j\Ir. Leon Gaster, secretary of the
Illuminating Engineering Society, will speak on the subject
of " Lighting as an Aid to Safety."

The Exhibition was opened last Friday evening for the
purpose of a private inspection, which was followed by the
inaugural banquet, at which Sir Alfred Herbert, K.B.E.,
president of the Machine Tool Trades Association, presided.

It was explained that the Ministry of Transport had
made possible the holding of the Exhibition l)y facilitating
the transport of exhibits both by road and rail, the railway
companies having refused in many instances to transport
the machinery. It was also suggested that the Ministry
might cause excursion trains to be run becween the northern
industrial centres and London, so as to encourage and
attract visitors to the Exhibition.

The Technical College, Lousjhborough. — TMb well-known
institution, which provides technical trainin)? facilities in elec-
trical, mechanical, and automobile engineerinpr, chemical technology,
pure science, commerce, law, and economics and the arts, has
accommodation for 1,000 students, the present enrolment beinpr
1,100. Its machine-tool equipment consists of 600 pieces of
modem sin^rle-purpose and automatic machinery. The whole of
the exhibits on the stand of the Colletre are the products of the
students in the enj^fineerinpr departments, ami consist of limit
gaugres, a physical balance and component parts, parts of hosiery
machines and various components, in addition to a number of
instruments, ^c.

Thk Integral O.kyoen Co., Ltd., London, exhibits component
parts of an improved electrolytic t,'enerator of intef,'ral unit, or
cell type, which is claimed to set a new standard of i|uality and
performance in oxy-hydrogen ffeneratiner apparatus ; the " I. 0. C."
syatem and plant was described and illustrated in our issues of
August 1st and 8th, 1919, and is compact and efficient ; the claims

made for it include flexibility of operation, and the production of
the maximum volume of gases of a high degree of purity at a
minimum cost.

Messrs. Brampton Bros., Ltd., Birmingham, exhibit inverted-
tooth, roller and compound-roller types of driving chains, as used
for the transmission of power, also chain wheels and chain-whee
cutters. Inverted-tooth type chains are employed extensively for
high-speed transmissions, such as line-shaft drives, machine-too
transmissions, &c., whilst roller chains are used for light and heavy
drives of medium and low speeds. Each type of chain is suited
for work of a specific nature, usually decided by the speed at which
the chain has to run. The employment of chains for the trans-
mission of power affords many advantages, and the field of appli-
cition for their use is practically unlimited. Of the many
recommendatory features of chain gearing which warrant consider'
ation, the following are, perhaps, the more important : —

The positive action of chains prevents the leakage of powo
through slip, and enables them to run without the initial tension

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Fio. 10. — Brampton Chaini Drive.

required for belts, thereby reducing bearing friction to a minimum.
Actual experiments have proved that the loss of power in a well-
made chain drive does not appreciably exceed 2 per cent,
throughout practically the whole life of the drive, so that chain
gearing has a high maintained efficiency. Chains are adaptable to
varying conditions in respect of speed ratios, shaft-centre distances,
nature of load and power to be transmitted, temperature, &c.

For transmissions on machines for repetition work, the even
turning movement of a chain drive— owing to the multi-tooth
engagement of the chain on the wheels — gives a superior quality
of finish to the work produced, and increases the rate of pro-
duction. Chains run silently, and require little attention beyond
efficient lubrication.

Fig. 10 shows an application of the Brampton inverted-tooth
type of chain for a direct drive from a motor to a lathe.

Messrs. Metal Industries, Ltd., Sunbury-on-Thames, are
showing samples which have been treated by the Sherardising. or
dry-vapour galvanising, process as a protection for iron and steel
against corrosion and pitting. A small plant for carrying out the
process is also on view.

The Relay AuTOMiTic Telbphonk Co., Ltd., London,
exhibits a number of different types and sizes of apparatus and
accessories. With this telephone system a call is effected by
rotating a dial attached to the instrument to indicate the number
required, and the switchboard makes all the necessary connections
automatically in four seconds. The manually-operated switchboard is
replaceil by a series of electromagnetic relays, which are non-
mech.anicol .and have a maximum arm.ature movement of 1/32 in.,
whereby wear and tear is reduced to the minimum. Each tele-
phone is connected to the central exchange by two wires, in pliice
of a multi-wire cable, and it is possible to extend to any capacity
from a small number of lines without interfering with existing
apparatus.

E

330

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,233, September 10, 1920.

The Simoon Enqineering Co., Ltd., London, has on view a
range of D.C. motors covering powers from ii'S to 12 H.P. The
motors are made in three types — open protected, semi- and totally-
enclosed — and all parts are standardised and interchangeahle. In
addition, there are various parts of representative series of
stampings, armature and commutator details, a panel showing
representative types of fuse switches, and a series of castings.
Finally, there is a 6-h.p. 220-volt D.c. motor and control gear
driving a repetition lathe for mass production of bar work up
to If^is in.

Messbs. W. Canning k Co., Ltd., Birmingham, are exhibiting
machinery, chemicals, and materials, for general electro-plating
and polishing, including a belt-driven low-voltage dynamo, motor-
generator, a polishing lathe, electric polishing motors, ea.ery
grinders, disk grinding majhines, overhand buffing machines,
flexible shafts, &c., in addition to polishing mops in all sizes and
qualities for polishing all metals, felt-polishing bobs, polishing
leather, leather bobs, polishing brushes, polish, and composition
plating chemicals, including nickel, copper and brass salts, and
nickel, copper, and brass anodes.

Messes. Alfred Herbert, Ltd., Coventry. — This extensive
exhibit comprises nine stands in all, situated in various parts of the
exhibition hall, and includes the three stands occupied by the
French, Italian, and Belgian agents. As sole distributors for the
Lumsden Machine Co., Ltd., and Messrs. Tangjes, Ltd.. the firm
has an interest in two other stands. Chief electrical interest
centres round the machines which are arranged for electrical
driving or control, and in the various tools, such as drills, hammers,
etc., that are electrically operated. The firm has been appointed
the world-wide sole agents for capstan dial gauges, the use of
which in connection with electrical work may be extended to the
measuring of mica disks and the like. This gauge was
required for testing the thickness of various mica disks, and
however light the anvil pressure might be with regard to accurate
readings, it was found impossi le to push the disk between the
anvils without scratching it. A swinging arm is fitted, a spring
holding the lever against the push-pin. and causing the plunger
to be always in its upper position. The disks are held by the
operator between the thumbs and fingers of the hands, pushea
between the anvils, and the disk then released, and on being
released the operator's hand moves the swinging lever outward,
allowing the plunger to come down on the mica disk and reg'ster
its thickness. Immediately the operator gi asps the mica disk again,
the swinging lever comes back and automatically lifts the plunger
off the mica disk, which can be very easily withdrawn. The
capstan dial gauge lends itself very readily to repetition gauging.

The range of the electrical industry is so large that there are
few machine tools which are not suitable for insta lition in works
carrying on the manufacture of electrical goods. The lirm has an
extensive experience in the tooling-up of capstan lathes, turret
lathes, full and semi-automatics for the expeditious machining of
parts for motors, rotors, magnetos, &c., and a number of such
machines are on view.

Dealing with the small-tool section of the exhibits, figs. 11 and 12
show a Van Dorn electric grinder and drill, while fig. i:i is a
phantom view showing the mechanism of the latter.

Figs. 11 and 12.— Van Dokn Electric Grinder and Drill.

The gear case is a light aluminium casting reinforced with ribs
which prevent distortion, and is not only an efficient housing for
the gears, but forms a grease chamber from which the gears and
main spindle bearing receive ample lubrication. The bearings are
made of materials with long wearing qualities ; each end of the
armature shaft runs in a ball journal bearing fitted in a steel
housing, and the thrust is also taken on a ball thrust washer. The
gear spindles run in high grade phosphor-bronze bearings.

The motor is series wound, which renders tlie speed automatic,
the pressure used to force the drill into the work governing the
speed of the drill. The armature and field coils are former wound.
The armature is of the slotted drum type, built up of soft steel
laminations : on the DA 2 and larger machines the armature is
built on a hollow shaft to preserve lightness. The brush holders

are simple in construction with a uniform adjustment, and while
firmly held may be readily removed,

These tools, designed to withstand severe usage, are easy to
handle, being light and compact, and yet will develop a large amount
of power. Drills up to 1 -in. capacity may be operated by either
direct or alternating current ; they are. therefore, available at all
times, and another advantage of the design lies in the fact that the
drill spindle is offset, so that holes may be drilled close to a flange or
similar projection. Machines up to ; in. are fitted with a fuse ; all
sizes are suitable for connecting by means of a two-pin plug to a
socket fitted on the nearest wall. The connection is not included
with machines. On machines over l-in. capacity a double pole-
fuse can be fixed between the main switch and connecting socket.

All sizes are provided with a three-core cable, which is con-
nected to earth, thus ensuring the safety of the operator against
shock. Accissibility is one of the chief featores of the design ; by
removing the screws which hold the bottom head and armature
end-plate, all parts may be readily cleaned. Tools are very easily
inserted and removed. Machines up to J-in. capacity are fitted with
a drill-chuck specially adapted for the purpose. On the larger
sizes the drill is inserted into a removable s cket or adapter having
a square driving part which fits the spindle ; this permits the
ready removal of tools without the use of a drift. The gears,
accurately generated, are made of special heat-treated steel
hardened and ground ; they will run for a long time without
appreciable wear.

Fir. 13. — Mechanism of Van Dorn Electric Drill.

Otlier exhibits are magnetic chucks, the use of which for
holding work on the machine has greatly increased in the last few
years. They can be applied to most operations and their use often
increases the production of a machine by 5i i per cent, by elimi-
nating " setting-up " time. Cooper Hewitt mercury-vapour laups
usually supply the illuminant for the photostats marketed by the
firm. The apparatus is a large camera, with self-contained
developing and fixing arrangements for prints without the use of
a dark room. Tracing and hand-copying are superseded, and con-
siderable saving of time and labour is effected by the use of the
device. A rotary print-washer and electrically-driven drying
machine are provided with the outfit. The dryer consists of a
revolving cylinder, heated by electricity or gas ; the wet prints
are conveyed between the absorbent surface of the cylinder and a
continuous band, being delivered quite dry after one revolution of
the cylinder.

The Electrical Appliances Co., Ltd., London.— Those
interested in cleaning problems should visit this stand, where the
merits of the " Imperial-Eureka " vacuum cleaner are demonstrated.
It is electrically-driven and combines convenient operation with
the portability of a broom. The cleaner is used for a variety of
industrial purposes ; London's omnibuses are cleaned by its aid,
and it is also employed in hotels, theatres, .tc, and on board ocean
liners. During the war it was used to clean out periscopes during
assembly, and Naval turbines were cleaned out during manufacture
by means of the device.

The I'NivKnsAL Ghindino Wheel Co., Ltd., Stafford.— This
firm is exhibiting a variety of grinding wheels and sharpening
stones, and is also showing inside the stand kinematograph pictures
of the various stages in the complete manuf.acture of grinding
wheels, which were taken recently at its works at Stafford. By
this happy thought the company brings its factory to the con-
sumer, and shows him the many different operations in the manu-

Tol.87. No. 2,233, Septembkb 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

331

facture of grinding wheels fur every purpose, suited to every sort
of material from the coarsest fettlinfr to the finest gauge grinding.
Among other exhibits are shown wheels of less than j in. in
diameter to over 30 in. ; and, as proof of the performance of " Uni "
wheels, are shown examples of actual jobs, internal combustion
engine crank-shafts, cam shafts, and gudgeon-pins, together with
the wheels themselves.

Of special interest to pattern-makers will be the new line of
sharpening stones. There are also joiners' oil-stones, gauge
sharpening stones, razor hones, i:c. Mention should also be made
of the head stock of a Snow grinding machine carrying special
sandstone segments as used for grinding tobacco knives, &c., and
also of samples of corundum, emery, silicon carbide, and fused
aluminous abrasive materials.

The '• Coventry " Chain Co., Ltd.. Coventry, manufactures
high-duty, high-precision driving chains suitable for all sorts of
power transmission. The exhibit comprises specimens of inverted-
tooth (noiseless) and roller chains for transmission of power,
together with a drive, fig. 14, having a ratio of reduction of 680
to 1, which illustrates the ease with which considerable reduction
or increase of speed can be obtained with chain gearing. The
'educ'ion is accomplished in three stages ; the first, a reduction of

LEAVES FROM AN INSPECTOR'S NOTE BOOK.

By "ANODE."

Fig. 1 1 — Coventry Noiseless Chain Drive.

32 to 1, is effected by the chain triple-reduction speed box, type
D D D 2 ; a further reduction is obtained by means of a duplex
roller drive, having 1 ^ and 40 teeth, operated by the duplex
roller chain No. 260 D of 1 ir-. pitch. TEe final reduction is made
by a chain drive utilising 11 in. pitch, 8x9 combination of the
inverted tooth (noiseless) chain with wheels having 21 and 144
teeth, the ratio of these being 6'8.'i to 1 .

The Electrical Apparatus Co., Ltd., London, has an exhibit
comprising various types of D.c. and a.c. motor control gear, and
A.c. switch gear, suitable for use in conjunction with motor-
driven machine tools, manufactured by itself and its associated
company, Messrs. Bray, Markham & Reiss, of Walthamstow. The
automatic and hand-operated D.c. control gear comprises a group
of standard starters of various types and sizes for hand operation,
heavy-duty slow-motion starters, commercial type panels, auto-
matic starters of various types for push-button control, totally-
enclosed motor control pillars suitable for hand and automatic
operation, and multiple-lever starters for large D.c. motors.
Several of the various types of automatic starters and control
pillars are shown in operation with a 15-h.p. d.c. motor of Messrs.
C] ompton & Co.'s manufacture. The A.c. control gear includes
faceplate starters, suitable for three-phase induction motors of
40 H.p. and upwards ; several typical starters are shown with and
without overload and no-volt releases, and of the open and tota ly
enclosed patterns.

In addition to the various faceplate starters referred to above,
the firm has developed a very complete series of drum-control gear
for A.c. motors, contact fingers and drums of a standard pattern
being used throughout the whole series, both of the oil-immersed
and air-break patterns. The exhibits of this form of control gear
include auto-transformer starters, star-delta switches, reversing
star-delta switches, rotor starters with step-by-step slow-motion
device, and combined stator and rotor starters, with automatic
trips, which form a complete controlling unit for induction motors.
Finally, examples of the firm's AC. ironclad oil-immersed H.T.
switches are shown. These are so designed that they can be used
alone or in combination with others, to form distribution panels, or
with starters to form motor control panels ; the same form of con-
tact finger and switch drum as those used in the drum type control
gear are employed. Points particularly noteworthy are mechanical
strength, simplicity of design, the mica and metal construction, and
accissibility of all parts when opened up for inspection.
(To be continued.)

A fair portion of an electrical inspector's time is
iiccupied in dealing with breakdowns, and it is in the
luindling of these that an inspector either makes or
mars his position.

A breakdown of an insured machine presents many
iliHerent aspects; first, the owner of it wants the neces-
sary repairs executed quickly, so that his output is
diminished as little as possible; secondly, the inspector
lias to satisfy himself that the breakdown constitutes
a legitimate claim, and, further, has to see that the
necessary repairs are carried out in a proper manner,
yet to ensure that his company does not pay for any work
which may come under the heading of maintenance;
thirdly, the firm executing the repair has a different
way of looking at the job. It wants the repair to do
it credit, and generally puts all the obstacles it can
in the way of repairs being done.

By repairs I mean a repair to an armature, as op-
posed to a rewind. To repair an armature winding,
1 will candidly admit, is not the sort of thing I care
for, yet here comes the fourth aspect, the view taken
by the insurance company's head office mandarins,
who naturally expect all repairs to be carried out at
the least cost, and that if a repair will make the
machine serviceable, it shall be carried out.

It will be seen, therefore, that a breakdown, of neces-
sity, receives very careful attention from quite a num-
ber of interested parties, and to reconcile all these
conflicting interests sometimes calls for the exercise of
no small amount of tact on the part of the inspector.
I mentioned tliat the inspector has to satisfy himself
that the breakdown constitutes a legitimate claim, and
although I have had very few instances where this was
not the case, yet on one occasion I had to advise my
company that, in my opinion, a claim made was not in
accordance with the terms of the policy, the circum-
stances being as follows : —

A firm had a number of .300-kw. generators in its
power house, each of these being direct coupled to an
engine running on producer gas. The conditions under
which these sets were run were not ideal, owing to the
bad ventilation of the power house, and as the insula-
tion resistance of the machines were extremely low,
owing to the effect of the gas fumes, I put forward a
suggestion that fans should be fitted to give a current
uf air across the house from the generator end to the
engine end. I further suggested a thorough cleaning-
out of the generators, and re-varnishing of the wind-
ings.

Some six weeks later I was advised that one of these
sets had broken down, and on attending, I found the
armature of the machine in question earthed at one
(if the slot ends.

I had the machine sent to a firm of electrical en-
gineers in the vicinity for repairs, and advised head
ulHce accordingly. On examining the machine at the
repairers, I found the insulation of the coils to be
very brittle, and that the only way to carry out the
job satisfactorily wa,s to have the armature completely
stripped and rewound. Orders to that effect were there-
fore given, and in due course the armature was re-
turned to the firm, and put into use again.

In the meantime, my recommendation as to ventila-
tion had been carried into effect, so no further trouble
was anticipated on the score of gas fumes, which I
considered wore the cause of the armature giving out.
Within three months tjiis same armature broke down
again in precisely the same manner as on the previous
occasion, and had I not seen the repairs carried out,
I should liave suspected that the repairers had not
exercised all due care in the rewind.

I was satisfied in my own mind that the trouble was
not with tlie armature, yet could not at the inoment
point to any likely cause' of the trouble, so advised my
company that I would report later on.

332

THE ELECTRICAXi REVIEW. [Voi. s?. No. 2,233, septbmber lo, 1920.

A few days afterwards, I visited the scene of the
catastrophe again, not that I had any particular reason
for doing so, but just to have a general look round.
In the course of my tour I spotted an oil barrel full
of water, and further on, a piece of wood with a couple
of sheet iron plates fastened on it.

As the engineer in charge on the occasion of my last
visit could not suggest any cause for the breakdown,
it was no use asking him what the barrel was for, so
I asked the engine driver. He said the use of the con-
traption was to start the engine by motoring the
dynamo, the engine being difficult to get away. I then
tackled the engineer, who reluctantly admitted that he
had motored the dynamo. On reporting this to head
office, they promptly declined to pay, on the ground
that the machine was used for a different purpose to that
for Avhich it was insured.

Speaking about liquid starters reminds me of one
occasion when I was called in to examine a motor which
persisted in blowing its fuse immediately an attempt
was made to start it. I found that the starter had been
taken to pieces, and wrongly connected internally. As
the motor was doing work of national importance,
being engaged in pumping at a brewery, it was essen-
tial in the best interests of the nation that it should
be promptly put to work, so I rigged up a liquid starter
with the aid of a bucket lying handy, and a piece of
sheet iron, insulating the whole affair by standing it
on a piece of dry timber. After getting the motor
away, I was leaving the job, when I heard a magnifi-
cent flow of language from the neighbourhood of the
motor. It transpired that the bucket belonged to a
labourer, and I had quite unwittingly taken it. On
looking round for his bucket the labourer took hold
of it, not noticing the wires connected to it. Hence
liis remarks, which point the moral that all electrical
plant should be efficiently earthed in accordance with
the rules laid down for our guidance.

CORRESPONDENCB.

Letters received by us after B P.M. ON Tuesday cannot appear until
th« following week. CorrespondetUs should forivard their com muni-
cations at the earliest possible moment, A^i letter can be published
iiiiless we have the writer's name and address in our possession.

Power Factor.

Permit me to add a few remarks to the discussion on power
factor. 1 agree with Mr. Dorey in his objection to many
points in Mr. TurnbuU's article, and would suggest even going
further and charging for K.v.A. only, the charge, of course,
being modifieil in accordance with the P.F. of the whole
system. The cousumer would then do all he could to keep
his load at unity P.F., and he would lose nothing if he kept
at the P.F. of the system, the charge being based on that.

One point Mr. Dorey does not take up. Mr. TurnbuU
states that at one part of the cycle current comes from the
generator and at another pai-t it receives current as a motor.
This, I presume, refers to the " extra " current which we call
" wattless," for if it referred to the negative hah' of the wave,
a generator would never give any power since as much would
be returned as given out during the positive half of the wave.

Mr. TurnbuU evidently thinks the " wattless " cuiTent is an
oscillating power. That the main current is increased at one
moment and reduced at another. In the sense that the cm'-
rent is alternating this is so, but the real fact is that the
current is increased all the time by the " extra " or " watt-
less " current, which is a quarter of a cycle out of phase with
the power current, and when added vtctorially gives the cur-
rent which is measured on instruments, as a root mean
square. This " wattless " current is there all the time, a
varying portion of the measured current at times in the cycle
and an opposing current preventing a portion being measured
at other tunes, but always there, as an alternating current,
never taking power from the generator (it causes heat losses
in the copper and iron, but this only adds a small percentage
to the power current and is measured as power to the regret
of the consumer), and never giving power back. It is merely
circulating through low-resistance windings and maintaining a
magnetic flux doing no work, being merely a medium to pass
work through.

I hope this may clear the matter and prevent any reader
from obtaining a wrong impression of reversing power, and I
trust Mr. TurnbuU will take this criticism as bping intended
to assist him and not try to rub in analogies which are irri-
tating to many technical men. We quite realise that it is

difficult to follow the actions of alternating currents, in our
muids. I am often out of my depth. In conclusion, may I
suggest there is no need for the word " horrible," as used by
Mr. Dorey — it is an unkind word. Why not " incorrect
analogy," and keep to pure argument?

Chas, H. Harvey,

B.iic. [Lgtid.), dc.
Ponder's End, 6'fp(c-m(jer 5f/i, 1920. -

Why is the Contractor Permitted to do it?

.Mter reading your correspondent's letter, the counter ques-
tion occurs to me " Why should not the contractor be allowed
to do it? " 'The I.E.B. very exceUent whing rules are not
law, and cannot be enforced by anyone except, if he so desires,
ijy the owner of the property that is being built; without
being thought guilty of expressing a word of disparagement
concerniug the I.E.E. rules, I may venture to suggest that
they are perhaps more useful to the architect or civil engineer
than to members of the I.E.E., who are competent to judge
and to decide for themselves whether one system or another
is suitable, and a man who ventures off the well-worn track
of every-day practice should be complimented rather than
decried. The push-joint conduit is very useful material, and
in my opinion by no means to be despised. This does not
mean that I advocate it for the job in question, because I
do not know the details; for a similar reason I should refuse
to condemn it.

As to the supply authorities declining to connect a push-
joint installation, they of course have no voice in the matter,
nor are they entitled to know anything about the sort of con-
duit that is used ; provided that the insulation is up to the
standard indicated in the Board of Trade regulations, the
supply authority is compelled by the Act of Parliament under
which it has the right to carry on its business to connect up
and supply the energy demanded.

As to the insurance — the tenant would only be interested in
insuring his furniture and effects — in issuing a poUcy to cover
these no inquhy is made about the systerp of conduit em-
ployed in connection with the wning of the house.

Chas. A. Baker.

Loudon, September 1th, 1920.

Siagle=phase Meters on Three=phase, Threeovire Systems.

I have followed with considerable interest the comments on
the article, written under the above heading, which appeared
in your issue of June 11th.

Being interested in integrating watt-horn' meters, both D.c.
and A.C., I should Uke to see a good practical and instructive
article on the above-named subject.

Mr. J. Henderson writes: "If E is the star voltage and I
the current in the corresponding meter element, the single-
phase meter will read EI cos <t>.

The total power will be 3EI cos i^."

In the issue of July 9th Mr. D. Sclar mentions that he has
checked a single-phase meter, connected in the above manner,
against a 8-phase 4-wire meter, and has found that, in some
cases, it read 10 per cent, to 'iO per cent, less than it should
have done.

Following this there is a letter in your issue of July 30th
from Dr. Charles O. Garrard. He states that the difficulties
mentioned by Mr. H. G. Solomon can bo overcome, e.g., the
current coil of the wattmeter C4in be connected in phase a,
with the potential coil connected from phase A to the neutral
point.

I take it that this is the same arrangement that llr. Sclar
made and found, as already stated, to register slow in some
cases.

Continuing, Dr. Garrard says : " Another method is to use
two potential transformers suitably connected."

I .should be glad to know what are the suitable connections
for the various methods, and hope someone will be good
enough to deal with this matter.

Stop Watch.

September 5th, 1920.

Extra Longdistance Transmission of Electrical Energy.

I have been reading with interest the articles appearing
under the above heading. I am in disagreement with them
in so far as they advocate quarter- and half-wave transmis-
sion lines, and even venture to say that telephone engineers
already have (at least in part) solved the problem; power
engineers now having only to design suitable apparatus with
the necessary operating characteristics, which are briefly a
constant ratio of voltage to current, i.e., as the power to bo
transmitted is increased then the voltage and current are
both to be increased in the same proportion.

We already have in operation generally constant- voltage
systems of all kinds as well as the Thury constant current
system. So why not a system where the ratio of voltage
to current is constant? The conditions necessary for the
long-distance transmission of power by alternating currents
are : —

1. The equivalent of a line of infinite length.

Tol. 87. No. 2,233, Septembkb 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

333

2. The ratio uf volkige (volts) to uiUTcnt (aiuiieres) to be
kept equal to the characteristic impedance of the line in
ohms. For an overhead line approximately the impedance
equals the square root of the ratio of the inductance (henries)
to the capacity (farads) of the line per unit length.

3. In order that the system may he equivalent to an in-
finite line it will be necessary for the motor at the distant
end to keep the voltage and current in the prescribed ratio
at all loads.

4. Where the characteristics of the line change trans-
foi'mers will h.ave to be inserted such that their ratio of
transformation is as the square of the line impedances to be
joined together. Alternatively the impedances could be made
equal by the insertion of series inductance in one or other
of the lines. Inductance could also be added if a higher
voltage per ampere of cm'rent was desired for economical
reasons, or to compensate for pieces of underground cable.
The system would have the following advantages : —

1. Independent of frequency.

•2. The efficiency constant at all loads, the losses varying
directly as the power transmitted. ." ■

3. The voltage would fall uniformly from tlie power station
to the load.

4. Intermediate taps could be made to the line provided
condition ('2) above was fulfilled. Possibly some form of
variable-ratio transformer where a drop in voltage in the line
could he produced proportional to the current taken out could
be used. The principal disadvantage of the proposals is that
no power could be taken out at an intermediate point unless
power was passing along the line, i.r., there would be no

Voltage or current in the line with no power being trans-
mitted.

It would be interesting to have the opinion of power en-
gineers and designers on all the aspects of the problem.

I subscribe myself

Telephone Engineer.

Sepfcmhcr ^rd. 19'2*).

[We .should be glad to have the views of other engineers
on this subject. — Ens. Elf.c. Kkv.]

Labour Questions.

We agree with Mr. O'Grady — why all this nonsense? as a
sane, middle-aged mechanic and trade unionist. The editor
thinks the E.T.U. is wrong; so do we, and hundreds more.
We prate about liberty — where is it? Is there any? Without
a doubt we have wild adventurers and wasters in the present
(.iovernment. The .same ajjplies in the Labour world, and all
ti-ade unions — every .Jack in the Box W'ants to be an official.
Our unions say w-e must all have alike; we say they are
wrong. .\ friend of mine wrote a letter through your columns
for a job, although not out of work; the answer was : " Pro-
vided you will do an honest day's work for a fair day"s
pay, you can start any time." That appears to be sanity; the
idler and unpractical even to-day make it hard for the prac-
tical to get on. Ai'e we ever going to settle down to industry,
or to listen to praters ui Parliament, in. unions, and even in
the newspapers to benefit- a g.ang of idlers?

A Life^Iong Reader.

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

Seadert art inviUd to luimit particulart of new or improved dtvictt and apparatut, whioli uyill he publUk»d
if conndered of tuffident interest.

The CanedyOtto Battery Vice.

In view of the ever-increasing use of accumulators in con-
nection with electric lighting and engine starting sets on
■ motor cars, quite a number of tools and devices specially
designed for use in motor garages and repair shops, for the
repair and maintenance of batteries, are making their ap-
pearance ill the United States. Among the latest of the
kind is the battery vice shown in fig. 1. which has lately

Fig. 1.— The C'.\nedv-Otto B.wterv A'ice.

been put on the market by the C.anedy-Otto M.^NTFACxniUNO
Co., of Chicago Heights, 111., the selling rights being in
the hands of the H. B. Shontz Co., of 157, West 54th Street,
New York. As will be .seen, the appliance takes the form of
a vice adapted to be secured to the floor of the garage; it
comprises a sliding jaw carrying two pawls which engage
with ratchet teeth on the base. The other jaw is connected l>y
a toggle link to a pedal, a light pressure on which securely
holds the battery ca.se without risk of damage theieto. while
removing the terminal lugs. itc. By means of the adjustable
jaw, the vice, which weighs '27 lb., can be made to accommo-
date any make and size of battery in general use.

A Portable Arc Welder.

We have received from Mr. R. Humphries, tramway en-
gineer to the Birmingham and Midland Joint Committee of
Electricity. Tramways, and Motor Omnibus Undertakings, a
photograph from which the accompanying illustration, fig. 2,
was reproduced, showing an obsolete traction motor that he
has converted into a portable arc welder for use in repairing
hammered-rail joint work. The connections of the fields
of the machine have lieen changed from series to .shunt. The
armature has been provided with a commutator at each end
of the shaft, and a double winding with a 10 to 1 ratio.

Fiii. -2.— Por.T.MiLi: Auc Well^eh.

thus changing the 500-volt pressure on the h'olley wire to
50 volts for the metallic arc. Thanks are due to Mr. Johnson,
resident engineer at the West Smethwick depot, for the
photograph.

A New Simplex Distribution Board.

Messrs. Simplex Condihts, Ltd., of Garrison Lane, Bir-
mingham, have placed upon the market a new pattern of iron-
clad distribution board, which is fitted with their new fu.se
unit, for which special claims are made. The board and the
mounting of the fuses are of special design, as .shown in hg. d\
it complies with the Home Office regulations, and is designed
to aflV.rd the greatest simplicity in erection, wiring, and in-
spection. The whole interior is mounted by a four-point sys-
pension, which bv the removal of two easily accessible screws,

334

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,233, September 10, 1920.

allows the frame to be swung outwards, either to the right
iir left, or by the removal of four screws, to be entirely removed
from the case. The appearance is good, and all component
parts are interchangeable and easily replaceable. The dividing
fillet is of non-warping fireproof material rigidly attached to
the hinged frann'. Tlic new fuse unit, tlie cuntact clips of

which openings arc covered with smooth faced cast-iron re-
movable tnjughs, which allow extra clearance for cables, and
are drilled and tapped with standard drillings. The finish is
stove-enamelled jet black.

The " Grafton " Brush Holder.

Messrs. Ouakton Dynamos, I.th., 4:t. Queen Street, flovan,
(Jlasgow, send us particulars of the ''(Irafton " brush-holder
of tbeii- Miauufacturc. Scvrral advantages are claimed for
Ibis biiisli holder (lig. 1), aiiioUL; thcjii lieing iicces.sibility for

Pig. 3. — Np.w Simples Di.stribhtion Board.

which are of phosphor bronze, is easily rewireable ; the live
metal parts are .shielded; and the gases of explosion are dis-
charged away from metal parts. The cases are strong and
watertight; they are cast with slots at the top and bottom,

in.sp^ction ; even pressure on commutator due to the spring
construction: the brush is roller-guided, and therefore will
not stick; and the main current is not carried by the spring,
so the latter will not become overheated.

BUSINESS NOTES.

Trade Announcements. — The Enterprise Manufacturing
Co., Ltd., of Gun Street Electrical Works. Biahopsgate, owing to a
considerable increase of business, have appointed Mu. A. E. Outh-
WAITE, of 63, Lancaster Avenue. Manchester, to look after their
interests in the whole of Manchester and Liverpool.

Mr. Robert Jenkins (representing Messrs. Joseph Sankey and
Sons, Ltd.) is removicg from 57, Biahopagate Street. E.G., to IJIster
Chambers, 168, Regent Street, London. W. 1. on September lUh.
Telephone : Regent 5508. Telegrams : Permeable, Phone, London.

Mb. R. J. Clarke, electrical engineer, of 17, Great Brunswick
Street, Dublin, has removed to 11. Townsend Street, where all
future inquiries will be dealt with.

Mr. Watson, managing director of W. 6. Watson & Co , Ltd .
Sydney, Australia, electrical engineers, who is at present in London,
has taken up his quarters at Messrs. Murray, Coombs and
Richards, l.'iU, Southampton Row, W.C. 1, and will be pleased to see
manufacturers and exporters desirous of extending their trading in
the Colonies.

Messrs. J. H. Deeisle & Sons, consulting and contracting
electrical engineers, of 2">, Arwenack Street. Falmouth, have opened
a branch buaineaa at .'U River Street, Truro.

The Foster Engineering Co.. Ltd., announces that the New-
castle branch has been removed from Milbnrn House to lar^rer
premises at 2(!, St. Mary's Place, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

Messrs. R. & H. Barkes, of 9, Clavering Place, Newoa^tle-on-
Tyne, have been appointed by Messrs. S. Wolf 4: Co.. Ltd , of
London, S.E. 1, as sole agents for the sale of their portable electric
drills, grinders, ice., for the N.E. Coast.

Melbourne City Council, on the recommendation of the Electricity
Committee, has decided that, as the necessity for an agent in
London no loQger exists, the agreement with Messrs. McIUwraith,
McEaoharn & Co., entered into in 1913, shall be discontinued. —
Tenders.

Company Llqnidations. — The " Z" Electric Lamp Manu-

KACTUBiNO Co., LTD., Southfields, London, S.W. — A meeting of the
creditors was held recently at the offices of the company. Orient
House, New Broad Street, London, E.G., when it was reported that
voluntary liquidation had taken place, and that the shareholders
had appointed Mr. B. H. Binder, of 80, Bishopsgate, E.G., as liqui-
dator. From figures presented by the liquidator it appeared that
the liabilities were in the neighbourhood of £77,000. Of that
amount £40,000 was due to cash creditors, while the indebtedness
to the trade was £37,000. The assets were set down at £86,."i00,
and a considerable surplus was thus disclosed. The assets consisted
of cash in hand £1,500, book debts estimated to realise £33,C00,
stocks, stores, &c., £37,000, and plant, machinery, &c., £15,000.
In addition to these assets there was the factory, upon which at
the moment no value had been placed, although, if sold, it would
realise a very considerable amount. The liquidator added that
theie was no doubt that all the creditors would be paid in full.
Negotiations were in progress for the sale of a portion of the

business to a new company. The cash creditors had a charge upon
a p^rtion of the stock of lamps and some of the book debts, but
they had given an undertaking in writing that they would release
their charge on the book debts, and rank only as ordinary creditors
with the rest of the trade creditors. A resolution was unanimously
parsed by the creditors approving of the voluntary liquidation,
with Mr. Binder as liquidator.

Signal Electric Co.. Ltd.— By an order of the H'gh Court,
dated August 30th, Mr. E. H. Hawkins, 1, Charterhouse Square,
E.G., has been appointed sole liquidator, with a Committee of
Inspection, in the place of Mr. G L. Winn, retired.

Bankruptcy Proceedings.— J. J. Svmok.s (Zodiac Peer-
less Electric lamp Co.) 25, Dimmark St , Charlrg Grn«9 Riad. W G,
— Receiving order made September 2nd, on creditor's petition.
First meeting, September IGth ; public examination, November
I Cith : both at Carey Street, W.C.

G. E. Bonneb, electrical agent, 105, Fox Lane, Palmer's Green.
— .Application for debtor's diacharge will be heard at the Court
House, Upper Edmonton, October 22nd.

Catalogues and Lists. — The Brush Electrical Esni-

neerino Co., Ltd., Falcon Works, Loughborough. — " Supplement
to the Brush Ljungstnim Brochure " (23 pp.). This is a well-
illustrated addition to the previous publication, giving a large
amount of further information relating to the installation of
the plant. It also gives conaiderable information regarding the
special features of the S,iiOO-KW. blade system.

Messbs. Anode, Ltd., 13, Greek Street, London, W. 1. — Circular
explaining the advantages of the Rymer- Jones marine galvano-
meter slide, which is provide! with simple means of balancing the
coil accurately, and suspending the coil without employing solder.
The coil is doubly wound and can be used in series or differentially.

Messrs. Iba Miller & Co., Ltd., '.•2 and 91, Paul Street,
E.G. 2. — A comprehensive catalogue of " Apex " tools (20 pp.),
including stocks and dies, taps, tap-wrenches, reamers, squares,
drilling machines, .*^o. Illustrated and fully pr;cjd.

Gr.\eton Dvna.mos. Ltd., 13, Q leen Street, Govan, CUasgow. —
Leaflet with photographically illustrated description of the
" Grafton " brush-holder, which possesses a number of new
featuies.

The Genebal Electbic Co., Ltd. C7, Queen Victoria Street,
E.C., 4. — Leaflet H. 2,281. illustrating and describing the "Column"
and "Cabin" types of electric hot water radiators. Fully
priced.

The British Thomson- Houston Co., Ltd., Rugby. — A very
complete and fully-illustr.ated dejcription of fliw meters for steam,
water, oil, air or gas. (20 pp.) Dimensions and instructions for
use are given.

The a. .t A. Electrical Co . Ltd., 13, Farringdon Road, E.G. 1.
— List A. 24. A priced leaflet illustrating and describing a number
of automobile fittings and accessories, including roof lamps and
switches.

Vol. 87. No. 2,23.3, aEPTBMBKB 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

385

Messbs. J. G. Stattkk & Co., Quceu Auuo a Ohambera, West-
minster, S.W. 1. — Publicity literature dcalinsr with AC. autnmalic
oil switches, field break switches ; the " Hindle " electric balintr
pl-esses, and the Anderson-Grice Co.'s fras engine and suction gas
plant (including a direct-coupled lighting set).

The Power Utilities Co. (Edward H. Spicer), City House,
IB.'^-IGO, City Road, E.G. 1. — Leaflet illustrating and describing the
" Beadrite " pocket voltmeters, ammeters and volt-ammeters.

Electric Fires, Ltd., King Street, Norwich. — An illustrated
and priced catalogue (n pp.) describing 'Heatre" electric fires of
various types.

The British Electric Transformer Co., Ltd., "Tricity"
Showrooms, .50, Oxford Street, W. 1.— A "Move-o-graph," showing
the flame effect of "Tricity ' fires. Instructions on the back have
been printed also in French and Spanish.

The General Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Queen Victoria Street,
E.G. i.—Hiilletiii No. 14, "Switchboards." This publication is
deserving of special mention, as it embodies examples of the most
up-to-date switchboard practice. Excellent photographs are repro-
duced of boards installed in many municipal and company stations.
The division dealing with DC. boards contains photographs
of installations in the Cardiff and Sunderland power stations, as
well as a switchboard for use on board ship. A number of illus-
trations of the ironclad " unit " type boards are given. Cubicle
switchboards, including truck and lock-up types supplied to various
firms, are shown and described. A section is devoted to remote-
control switchboards, and photographs of a large steel works
installation are included.

New French Electrical Companies.— The SocieU' pour

la Vente de Materiel et les Installations d'Usines is the style
of a company formed for the importation and exportation of all
kinds of goods and machinery pertaining to the electric, metal
working, and mechanical industries. Its offices are at 145, Rue de
Rome, Paris, and its capital HH 1,000 fr.

Messrs. Defrance Fri-res et Cassot with offices at M^reau, dep.
Cher (Usine de Port-Dessous), have been enrolled a company, with
capital of 350,000 fr., for manufacture and trade in electrical
apparatus, &c.

With the title of La Porcelaine Haute-Tension, a company has
been formed at Paris (13, RueTaitbout), with 500,000 fr. capital, to
take over and work certain specialities acquired from La Metal-
lurgique Electrique.

Bossaert FrC-res have been constituted a company at Paris (10,
Rue Pauquet), for the manufacture, purchase, and sale of all kinds
of electric and mechanical material. Capital, 250,000 fr.

For the exclusive sale in France and and abroad of the '' Phebus."
" Oto." and "Meteor" electrical apparatus, MM. Rault et J.
Vermont have established themselves as a company, with capital of
100,000 fr. Offices, 82, Rue de la ThibaudiLre, Lyons.

The Maison Colombo, otherwise Messrs. Marchand, Dibon, AUs
et Cie., electricians at Rennes, have formed themselves into a com-
pany for the development of an electric commercial and industrial
lighting business. The capital is 300,000 fr., and the offices are at
Rue Nationale 5, Rennes.

With a capital of 137,428 fr.. Soulat Frcres has been created a
company at Paris (Rue Michel Le Comte 5), for the manufacture of
electro-mechanical apparatus and clocks.

Austrian Railway Electrification.— The Austrian A.E.O.-

Union Electricity Co., of Vienna, has opened a railway department
at Innsbruck, in connection with the proposal of the Austrian
Government to electrify railways in the Vorarl berg, Tyrol, Salzburg,
Upper Austria and Carinthia at an expenditure of 300 to 400
million crowns.

"Anclior" Works Hospital and Distress Fund. — The

ninth annual meeting of this fund was held iu the Leigh Works
canteen of Callender'a Cable and Construction Co., Ltd., on
August 24th, Mr. J. Bowyer, J.P., chairman of the fund, presiding.
The secretary's report stated that during the past 12 months the
Committee had made grants in 29 cases, the amount expended
being £157. The amount to the credit of the special war fund on
June 3<ith, 1919, was £l,3ii0. Payments- of £25 each had been
made to the dependents of 25 of the company's employes killed at
the war, and £Biiii had been paid to disabled soldiers and sailors,
leaving a balance of £175. One employe had received assistance to
enable him to set up In business, and a sum of £200 had been set
apart for the benefit of another who had had both feet blown off
by an enemy shell. The Hospital and Distress Fund now stood at
£74.S, and the Disabled Soldiers' and Sailors' Fund at £146. The
report and hon. treasurer's accounts were unanimously adopted.
From the Hospital and Distress Fund substantial grants have
been made to local and Manchester hospitals. Commenting on the
work of the past year, the chairman, on behalf of the members,
heartily thanked the Committee and officers for their services,
which he was sure were highly appreciated by all concerned.
The following officers were reappointed : — President, Mr. T.
Peterson ; trustees, Mr. Bowyer and Mr. C. Hulme ; hon. treasurer.
Mr. Wm. Mort ; secretary, Mr. W. Hulme Jones ; chairman, Mr.
Bowyer ; auditors, Messrs. T. Kearsley and E. Rigby. The scheme
is systematically subjcribed to by all the " Anchor " employes of
17 years of age and upwards. An active Committee was appointed.

Australian Labour. — A correspondent of the T/^j^fts states

that a movement, started in New South Wales by the building
Unions, to abolish all Saturday work, has extended to the engi-
neers, moulders, boiler-makers, &c.. who have given notice that
they will not work on Saturdays in future. Those who absented
themselvfes on Saturday last were locked out on Monday, and a
seriouB situation has arisen.

Slrilie Prevention in Japan. — It is reporte<l that the

Japanese Government has under consideration the introduction of
a Bill to prevent what we know as lightning strikes of employes
in electric lighting and tramway undertakings, waterworks, and
on the railw.ays and postal and telegraph services. All these
employes would, under the Bill, be compelled to present their
grievances to a specially constituted tribunal, which would give an
impartial judgment, and inflict punishment where necessary.
Further, it would be considered a misdemeanour for employes to
strike without first presenting their grievance to the tribunal. We
are not told whether the impartial tribunal would have legal power
to enforce its awards. It is the lack of these powers in Great
Britain which often renders arbitration on industrial disputes
useless here, and if the Japanese can point a way out of this
difficulty they will have done an international service.

Trade Prospects in South Africa. — The expansion now

going on iu the manufacturing industries of South Africa offers
exceedingly promising prospects for electrical machinery. For
instance. Port Eliz.ibeth is expending £5(i,ii{)0 on extensiohs to its
footsvear factories ; the managing director of the recently-formed
South African Iron and Steel Corporation is in this country
purchasing plant for developing the iron-ore deposits of the
Transvaal ; a new wool-washery is to be erected in H.arrismith ;
and the South African Alkali Co., of Johannesburg, is to spend
£4(1,1 11 j{ I on new plant. .Vll these developments open up a market
for electric motors and plant of a miscellaneous character, which
our manufacturers should not overlook. South Africa can
undoubtedly support many industries, and it is largely a question of
obtaining the necessary machinery, electrical and otherwise.

Position of the Electrical Industry in Germany. —

For some time now the position of the electrical industry in
Germany has been steadUy growing worse. Orders have decreased
by 50 per cent, and more, many electrotechnical articles no longer
finding buyers. Worst of all is the situation of the cable industry,
though trade in conductors, small motors, and installations in
general is not much better, as the central stations no longer under-
take renewals or extensions of their works, because of their fear of
the socialisation of industries. As the financial situation of most
tramway companies is very unfavourable, business prospects in this
field also are very bad. The glow lamp industry boasted of
exports to the amount of 50 per cent, of output before the war,
but they have now fallen to 25 per cent., and the decline is still
going on.

The prices of German electrotechnical products have now
nearly reached those current on the world's market, and some
have even exceeded them. The manufacturers, therefore, are
demanding the abolition of the export duty. Deliberations have
lately taken place at the Foreign Trade Office (Aussenhandelsstelle)
for electrical products in the presence of representatives of the
Government, of the Chambers of Commerce and of the manu-
facturers, with regard to the control of and duties on exports.
The director of the Export Office for Electrical Products tried to
prove that, by introducing the control of prices charged for exports
of electrotechnical products, a milliard marks more had been
realised. It was then decided that the abolition of the export
control should not be recommended for the time being. In the
middle of August the export duty on a great number of electrical
products, previously 6 to 8 per cent., was reduced to between 1
and 5 per cent.

The bad state of the electrical industry was made obvious at
Leipzig Technical Fair, which this year began a fortnight before
the general fair. The number of exhibitors rose to 3,400, but
business was very poor, the failure being due to the generally
unfavourable situation and high prices. The exhibitors mentioned
as a further cause the separation of the Technical Fair from the
general fair, and urged, at a protest meeting, the reunion of the
two fairs. A good many exhibitors left their goods for show at
the general fair now being held.

Foreign business was particularly bad. At the last technical
fair in the spring, 300 Swiss purchasers attended, whilst they
numbered 38 only this time. With the present rate of the
German exchange, there is no longer any possibility of cheap
purchases in Germany, and in addition, expenses are very high.
The unfortunate experiences of many firms doing business with
Germany, the unfair business methods of certain GJerman manu-
facturers, especially the non-delivery of firmly ordered and pre-
paid goods, the subsequent arbitrary increases of prices, and the
complicated, time-wasting official control of exports appear, how-
ever, to have been the main obstacles to the attendance of foreign
buyers at the fair. — Renter ■■< TraiU Serr'ici-.

Lead. — Messrs. .Ja.mes Forster & Co. report, under
date September 4th, that Monday's market opened firm and dearer,
with October selling at £36 10s. to £36 ISs., and during the week,
with slight daily fluctuation.s, prices remained steady at these
prices for all positions. The total turnover for the week was
approximately 3,500 tons. There was a fair demand from con-
sumers for early delivery, and further shipments were effected to
America.

Swedish Locomotive Orders.— It is announced from

Stockholm that the Administration of the Swedish State Railways
has just entered into contracts with the Montala-Lind-Holmen's
Engineering works for the supply of 1 1 electric locomotives for use
in connection with the conversion to electric traction of the Lnlea-
Gellivare RaUway. The first locomotive is to be delivered at the
beginning of 1922. The Aktiebolag A. E.G. and Siemens-Schuckert's
Elektriska A.B. are to co-operate in the execution of the order,

336

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.i7. no. 2,233, sbptbm«bb lo, lezo.

Book Notices.— Scientific Paper No. 381 of the U.S.
Bureau of Standards. " An Electron Tube Transmitter of Com-
pletely Modulated Waves." (13 pp.) Washington: Government
Printing Offlue. An illustrated description of an electron tube
transmitting set designed and constructed at the Bureau of
Standard?.

'The Detroit Elison Synchroscope," August, 1920 (24 pp.),
containing a description of constructional work being carried out at
a 130,000-KW. generating plant at Marysville (I'.S.A.) ; notes on
ooal costs, A:c.

Science Abstracts, A & B. Vol. XXIII, Part 7, No. 271. July
3l8t, 1920. London : E. &F. N. Spon, Ltd. Price 2e. ijd. each net.

" Direct-Current Motor and Generator Troubles." By T. S. Gandy
and E. C. Schacht. Pp. ix + 274, lii9 figs. London : McGraw-
Hill Publishing Co., Ltd. Price 15s. net.

Annual Report for 1919 of the British Chamber of Commerce in
Paris.

"The Municipal Year-Book, 1920-21." London: The Municipal
Journal, Ltd. 21s. net. — We welcome this work on its reappear-
ance after a lapse of five years. For various reasons it could not
be published during the war. The present edition is re- written,
the main features of earlier issues having been retained. The
Electricity Supply and Tramway .Sections have been recast in
order, it is stated, to make the statistical tables uniform with those
relating to other municipal undertakings. A new table is
incorporated, showing the results of the operations of municipal
omnibus services in different towns. There are 20 sections in all,
particulars of all municipal authorities and public services and
undertakings being given.

German Capital Augmentations. — The Bergmann Elec-
tricity Works Co., in the announcement relating to the issue of
new shares for 36,500,000 marks and 4 J per cent, debentures for
20,000,000 marks, states that on the basis of existing orders, the
production is sold for a long time forward, so that satisfactory
results can also be expected for the year 1921. The directors of
Voigt & Haeffner, of Frankfort-on-Main, propose to increase the
share capital by the emission of 6 per cent, preference shares for
10.000,000 marks at the price of 110 per cent. In addition the
United Insulator Works, of Berlin, is raising the share capital from
1,000,000 to 3,000,000 marks, the price of issue being 110 per cent.

Iron Industries in South Africa^ — A review of the

production of the iron and steel industry is contained in the
annual report of the Secretary for Mines and Industries. The
Union Steel Corporation's works at Vereeniging had a successful
year, the production being 10,318 tons of open hearth steel from
scrap or pig, the value of the output being £200,753. The newly
installed 3i-ton Heroult electric furnace had lo months' work, and
produced 13,945 tons of steel of the total value of £30,485. Most
of this output goes to the mines in the form of shoes, dies, rails,
and tube-mill bars. The Corporation are now arranging to forge
the shoes and dies after casting by means of a 600-ton hydraulic
press. The TransTaal Blast Furnace Co. produced 676 tons of pig
iron of the value of £2.855. The output of pig-iron by the
Pretoria Iron Works was 1,286 tons of the value of £9,645. It is
intended to increase the capital .and to work on a much larger
scale, and to produce not only pig-iron, but also steel in the form
of angles, bars, tees, beams, raUs, sleepers, &c. At the Dunswart
Iron and Steel Works little alteration has taken place. During the
latter part of last year an 8-in. roller mill was installed, and the
average monthly output increased to about 550 tons of bar, rod,
and angle iron. The total output was 5,596 tons, of the value of
£ 139,660. The total output of shoes and dies by the Witwatersrand
Co-operative Smelting Works was 1.043 tons of the value of
£22,400. The Newcastle Iron and Steel, Ltd., are erecting plant
at Newcastle (Natal) to produce pig-iron from ore, opsn hearth
steel, and iron and steel castings up to 20 tons weight. This com-
pany expects to start smelting in October, 1920. The production
of iron and steel is now attracting great attention, and the country
is on the eve. apparently, of large expansion in this new branch of
industry. The total value of iron and steel goods produced in
South Africa in 1919 already amounted to the respectable total of
£,i05JSS.~Beut.er\i Trade Senice (Cape Town).

Electric Lamps in Japan. — The electric lamp trade in
Japan is a very prosperous one. The consumption of electric light
in 1917. as compared with 1912, shows an increase of 250 per cent.
Accordingly, the demand for electric lamps has increased steadily,
and for this year is estimated at 23,000,6<iO bulbs. The value of
bulbs exported rose from 160,284 yen in 1912 to 2,847,187 yen in
1917, when approximately 8,000,i>Oi) bulbs were exported The
total for this year is estimated at 14,00ii,00n. Between 80 and 90
per cent, of all electric lamps manufactured in Japan are made by
the Tokio Electric Works, which is a branch of the General Electric
Co.— Renter s Trade Service (Tokio).

Manufacture of Telephones Impracticable in Australia.—

In reply to statements made in the Australian Press to the effect
that switchboards and telephones could be produced locally, Mr.
G. H. Wise, the Postmaster-General, said that such was not the
case, as the work would necessitate the establishment of a factory
with a larjre amount of specialised machinery. Moreover, improve-
ments were constantly being made in the designs of instruments,
and the consequent scrapping of dies, jigs, &c., would not be
warranted by the small output. A large scientific research staff
could not be maintained, and certainly foreign organisations would
not consent to an Australian factory profiting by their research
work. For these reasons switchboards and telephones had to be
imported, but. on receipt of the parts, they were assembled, wired,
and fitted in the departmental workshops. — HeHter.t Trade Serrice,

Electrical Manufacturing in Australia.— The English

Elkctkic Co. oi' Au-tbalia, Ltd., is proceeding with the con-
struction of works at Concord West, near Sydney. The buildings
will be of steel and concrete. The eijuipment will include 20 and
40 ton cranes, and the foundry will be capable of producing castings
up to 30 tons in weight. Heavy machine tools to the value of
£100,000 are now being selected and ordered. The first section of
the works, which will involve an outlay of £150,000, is expected to
be in operation within 12 months. The works are being equipped
for the manufacture of the largest size turbo alternators, rotary
converters, transformers, etc., which will be manufactured to the
designs and technical data provided by the English Electric Co., of
London. The N.S.W. Government railways and tramways depart-
ment has placed an order for two 2,500-KW. turbo alternators and
condensing plant, to be manufactured in Australia. The amount of
this contract is approximately £60,000, the Government giving
considerable preference over the landed cost of similar machines, it
being realised that in the initial stages of manufacturing this type
of plant, the cost of production will be considerably in excess of
subsequent machines. The capital of the company is £600,000, of
which the English Electric Co., of London, has subscribed £100,000.
— Tenders.

A Chinese Exhibition. — According to the Japan Times
and Mail, an International Exhibition is to b3 held at Peking in
1921, under the auspices of the Government, which has allocated
one million yen for the purpose, and has appointed a Commissioner.

Good Prices for Electric Motors.— At a sale held by

direction of the Disposals Board of the Ministry of Munitions at
Georgetown Factory, near Glasgow, on Thursday, last week, there
was a keen demand for electric motors and machinery, and
unusually high prices ruled. Buyers were present in large
numbers from all parts of the United Kingdom. Altogether over
£4,1100 was realised by the sale of 41 electric motors, the highest
price obtained being £26ii for a motor of 35 H.p. Other prices
were — Electrically-driven 2-ton overhead crane, £200 ; Churchill
universal grinding machine, £200 ; twin-spindle heavy-duty
vertical drilling machine, £200 ; 6-in. double-ended billet-breaker.
£210; electric generating set, £170; 9-in. centre-sliding,
surfacing, and screw-cutting lathe, £140 ; overhead electric crane,
r2-ft. span, £145 ; No. 1 Sentinel three-stage air compressor, £100.
A number of lots lying at the works of Messrs. William Beardmore
and Co., at Whifflet and Dalmuir, Jlessrs. Babcock & Willcox.
Renfrew, the Renfrew Aerodrome, and other firms were also sold,
and brought good prices, including Yarrow small-type tube boiler.
£3,000 ; 4''C-I.H.p. inverted reciprocating triple-expansion engine,
Beardmore's standard trawler type, £2,000 ; 270 I.H.P. triple-
expansion engine, Beardmore's standard drifter type, £1,500 ; 7-ton
steam road-roller, £350. The sale was conducted by Mr. Matthew
Marshall, auctioneer, Glasgow.

American Tramway Rails for Australia. — In order to

counteract the overloading on the Newtown and West Geelong
tramway routes, and to prepare for future extensions, the
Melbourne Electric Supply Co. has placed an order in America for
a supply of grooved rails for duplication purposes in Ryrie and
Aberdeen streets. According to the lleruld, English rolling mills
could not quote for the rails, and the price shows an advance of
400 per cent, on pre-war rates ; the raUs are expected to arrive
toward the end of the month. — Benter's Trade ^rric-e (Melbourne).

South American Electrical Company. — The Inter-
national Western Electric Co. has organised a new concern at
Buenos Aires for the supply of telephonic material and other
requirements in the lower part of South America. The capital
will consist of 5,000 shares of a par value of 100 pesos each. —
Beuter'.-i Trade Serrice.

A Canadian Inquiry. — A company in Nova Scotia
desires to get into touch with United Kingdom firms manufacturing
submarine telephone and telegraph cables, both paper and gutta-
percha insulated. It invites firms to forward outline specifications
and catalogues. The Department of Overseas Trade (85, Old Queen
Street, S.W. 1), will furnish the name and address on application.

For Sale. — ilESSRS. P. Huddleston it Co. will sell by
auction, on September 16th, at Dulling Road, Hammersmith, the
stock of an electrical engineer. For full particulars, see our
advertisement pages to-day.

Annual Outing. — Ellison's Athletic and Recreation

Club held their first annual works sports on August 28th, in the
Recreation Ground at Perry Barr, when a lengthy programme of
athletic events was cairiei through successfully. Representatives
from all sections of the staff and works competed for the prizes
before an audience of about 200 supporters. Members of the staffs
at London, Cardiff, Manchester. Leeds and Newcastle were present,
and also engineers from the Scandinavian and Dutch agencies.

New Swedish Electrical Company. — Aktiebolaget

Membra, the Stockholm firm engaged in the manufacture of elec-
trical material and accessories, has decided, owing to the consider-
able extension of its activities which has taken place since its
foimation in 1917, to raise its share capital to a minimum amount
of Kr. 4S(i,0ii0, with a maximum fixed at Kr. 1 ,350,000.— i?*K/«r'<
Trade Serrice.

The Discovery of Electromagnetism. — On .\iignst 81st

and September Lst. the centenary of the discovery of electro-
magnetism by Oersted, was celebratetl at Copenhagen, by meetings
of Scandinavian scientists,

Vol. 87. No. 2,233, septembeb 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

337

The Threatened Coal Strike. — We have received from

the Federation of British Industries a copy of the following letter.
which has been forwarded to all the leading manufacturers and
_, trade and manufaoturingr associations in the United Kingdom :—
" It has been suggested in certain quarters that in the event of
a coal strike, manufacturers throughout the country should
promptly close down their works in order to put pressure upon the
coal miners and to prevent funds from reaching them from other
Unions. In our opinion, this course would be in the highest
degree undesirable.

" It must be remembered that the quarrel is not one between the
miners and their employers, but is a direct challenge of the policy of
the Government. The manufacturers of the country and the
innocent workers in other industries are equally threatened by
such a strike, which must involve all in heavy losses and serious
unemployment, since few firms will be in possession of coal
supplies sufficient to carry on for more than a very short period.

" It seems, therefore, to be the plain duty of employers in this
national crisis to keep open their works as long as possible, in
order to mitigate the hardships which must result from the strike
to the community at large.

" The dangers and difficulties of the situation must inevitably
be very great, but they cannot fail to be aggravated by every
addition to the ranks of the unemployed."

The letter is signed by Sir Allan M. Smith, chairman of the
National Confederation of Employers' Organisations, and by Mr.
W. Peter Rylands, preiident of the Federation of British Induatr'e",
During the week there has been no important development in
connection with the threatened coal strike. It was decided to
hand in notices to cease work on September 25th, and the Miners'
Unions are proceeding with the preparations for a strike. The
Trade Union Congress opened at Portsmouth on Monday last, but
until Wednesday the subject was not mentioned. WhUst going to
press we learn that on Wednesday morning the question was raised,
and the President (Mr. .T. H. Thomas) made a statement on behalf
of the Triple Alliance, to the effect that that body unanimously
endorsed the miners' claim. The matter was referred to the
S anding Orders Committee. At a later stage, Mr. Hodges
(secretary of the Miners' Federation) announced that it had
accepted an invitation from Sir Robert Home to meet him in
London on Thursday and discuss the situation, and the Congress
passed a resolution declaring that the miners' claims should be
conceded forthwith.

On Friday last the President of the Board of Trade suggested that
the wages claim should be referred to the Industrial Court ; this
proposal was rejected, and on Sunday the President said that if the
miners preferred it, the rates of pay should be reconsidered and based
on output, but no reply was given. With regard to the reduction in
the price of coal demanded by the miners, which is universally con-
sidered a political question, the Government remains firm.

A Sub Committee of the Triple Alliance, which has declared
itself in sympathy with the miners' claims, is continually in session
for the purpose of dealing with the coal crisis.

The National Union of Colliery Enginemen, Mechanics, and
Electrical Workers has decided to give notice to withdraw its
members from work on September 25th.

Electrical Workers' Wages.— The Industrial Court issued

an award on Saturday on a cliim by the National Warehouse and
General Workers' Union for minimum rates of wages for their
members employed in the London district by the General Electiic
Co, Ltd., Siemens Bros. Dynamo Works, Ltd,, and the British
Thomson-Houston Co,, Ltd, The Court decided that the clerical
staffs and counter salesmen should receive minimum weekly rates
virying from £1 5s, for male employes of 16 years of age t]
£3 Bs. at 23 years of age. In the case of females the minim un
rates were 208. at 16 years of age, rising to £2 Ts. 6d. at 21.
The Court did not fix a minimum for workers over those ages,
because it considered such cases should ba dealt with by the firms
cmcerned upon the basis of the worker's knowlidge, experience,
and ability. Having regard to the advance) which employes in the
stores and packing departments had received since the beginning
of the war, the Court did not consider that any case had been
made out for a further general advance.

The Engineering Dispute.— "a Saturday last the lock-
out of members of the Electrical Trades Union came into operation ;
it is estimated that 10,000 men were immediately affected by it,
and a much larger number of members of other Unions are likely
to be involved. The Minister of Labour (Dr, Macnamara) decided
to set up a Court of Inquiry to investigate the dispute, and recom-
mended that in the meantime work should be resumed : to this
proposal the Unions assented, but the Engineering Employers'
Federation has not accepted it. On Wednesday a conference of
employers was he'd in London, but no statement was issued.

Many of the electricians at Messrs, Vickers's naval construction
works at Barrow-in-Furness are members of the Amalgamated
Engineering Union, and have remained at work. In some places
members of the E.T.U. have resigned from the Union. During the
week-end interviews took place between the Minister of Labour and
Sir David Shackleton on the one hand, and representatives of the
contending parties on the other, without effect. On Tuesday
notices were issued by l»he London District Sub-Committee of
Station Engineers of the ET.U. calling a meeting on Thursday of
shop stewards in the electrical railway, tramway and public supply
undertakings, to discuss the position.

Representatives of the National Federation of General Workers
endeavoured to bring about an agreement, but were unsuccessful.
It is reported that this Union gave instructions to its members to
remain at work, and to do electrical work if called upon.

At many Midland centres, mass meetings of local members of the
E.T.U. have passed resolutions condemning the action of the
executive in provoking a lock-out.

The E.T.U. withdrew the whole of its members employed by firms
connected with the Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades Federa-
tion at Barrow.

Up to the time of writing, whatever may be in store, no serious in-
convenience to works resulting from the lock-out had been reported.

Whilst going to press we learn that the Electrical Power En-
gineers Association, which had warned both parties that it would
throw its weight into the scale against whichever refused arbitra-
tion, has renewed its warning, and urges both sides to submit the
outstanding points to arbitration.

Sir David Harrell has been appointed chairman of the Court of
Inquiry, and Mr, H. W, Meikle, of the Ministry of Labour, is the
secretary.

Some ,'!,iHi{i members of the E, T. U. are said to have been locked
out in the London area. About 2(i per cent, of the total member-
ship is affected by the lock-out, and ballot papers have been issued
for a national levy.

Transport Workers' Wages. — The Unions connected

with road transport which are affiliated to the National Transport
Workers' Federation have been asked to authorise the Federation to
give notice to the employers, in order to enforce their demand for
increased wages.

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES.

Accrington. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Electricity Com-
missioners have given sanction to the borrowing by the Corporation
of £65,11(11] for the purpose of extending the electricity undertaking.
The original application was for £7ii.(X>ii.

Aastralia. — Mount Morgan (Queensland). — The Town

Council of Mount Morgan is considering a proposal to light the
town by electricity. The Mount Morgan Co. has agreed to supply
the electricity at Sijd. per unit, and it is proposed to sell it at 5d.
per unit to consumers. It is estimated that it will cost the Council
£7,5uo to put in distributing mains.

Manlv (N.S.W.). — The Municipal Council has practically com-
pleted the purchase of the Manly Electric Light Works, at a cost of
£15,000. It is understood that the present machinery is to be sold,
and a transformer is to be put into the station. The Council will
buy in bulk from the City Council, and then retail to customers.
The necessary alterations to the station are estimated to cost
£7,000. The Council expected to take over the works about the
middle of August. A conference wiU he held bgtween the Council
and the District Shire with the object of endeavouring to bring
about an agreement whereby the electricity supply can be extended
throughout the whole district. — lleuterx Trade Senice (Melbourne).

Brisbane (Queensland). — Among the extensions recently
carried out at the City Electric Light Co.'s works was the installation
of an .'<,500-H.p. turbo-alternator costing approximately £48,000.

Batley. — Street Lamp Conversion. — The Lighting
Committee is considering a scheme for the replacement of many of
the existing street gas lamps by electric lamps, and the conversion
of others to the automatic gas lighting system.

Bnrlon-on-Trent. — Incre.\sed Loan. — The Town

Council has increased the amount applied for in connection with
supplying Milton Water Works with power, from £6,000 to £7,278,
owing to the increased cost of materials and labour.

Cardiff. — Year's Working. — The statement of accounts
for the year ending March 3l8t, 1919, which has recently been
published by the Corporation, records a total revenue from all
sources of £81,011, as against £79,712 for the previous year.
Expenditure totalled £61,599, as against £56,522, leaving a gross
balance of £22,412 (£23,190). The net surplus after payment of
capital charges, &c., was £7.'^7, being a decrease of £1,383 upon the
previous year's balance.

Continental. — Denjiaric. — At the present time between

4,1 Hill and 5 oiiii h.p. is used in water-turbines in mills, provincial
factories, electricity works, &c., chiefly distributed among turbines
of under Imi H,p. When the large power station at Tange is in full
working order there will be between lii,0CO and ll.Oiin h.p, available
for water- turbines. 8,iiii0h p.of which will be used in the generation
of electricity. The estimated annual production of water power
for the whole country is 4O,ii00,000 to .")H,i'"",0"i' KW., or one-third
to one quarter of the entire electricity consumption of Denmark
during the next few years. In works of the average size, and
as compared with the ordinary coal now available, 40,iiii0.iiiiO KW.
will correspond to Bo,Oiiii tons, or to an annual expenditure of
Kr. 111.1100,111111, reckoning the price of coal at Kr. 20ii per ton. A
capital of Kr. 5ii,000,CiiO to Kr. 7i>,i 100,000 will be required for the
establishment of works to produce 4o,iioo.OOO KW. The economic
importance of this undertaking is considered by experts to be very
considerable. — Economic Reriew.

Spain. — A concession has recently been granted to the
Sociedad Hispano-Alemana de Estudios for the establishment of
a plant to utilise the water power of the River Cueva at Riogordo
(Province of Malaga) for the generation of electrical energy.

Coxhoe (Co. Dnrham).— Public Lighting.— The Parish
Council has accepted the offer of Messrs. Walter Scott, Ltd., for
lighting East Hetton by electricity from September 1st to April Ist
at £5 per 50-c.P. lamp.

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,23.% septejibbb 10, 1920.

338

Crewe. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Electricity Comtnis-

Bionerg have sanctioned the borrowinpr of £3,100 for new plant,
mains and services. The amount applied for was £ti,OO0, but the
Commissioners have withheld sanction to £l,flOO — the difference
between the amount paid to Ilford Corporation for certain plant
and the estimated cost ; to £4'i0 for mains — the cost to be ascer-
tained and further application made ; and to £550, the amount
expended over and above loans sanctioned since 1911.

Darwen. — Electricity Supply. — The Electricity Com-
mittee of the Town Council has authorised the purchase of the
necessary cables to take a supply of electricity for motor purposes
from Blackburn Corporation to Queen Street Mill, Darwen.

Erith. — LixK-iNfi-DP. — At a meeting of the Urban
District Council satisfaction was expressed at the terms of " linkingr-
np " the Erith and Woolwich electricity undertakings, put forward
by the Woolwich Boroug-h Council. The agreement was approved
subject to the legal points being found satisfactory.

Greenock. — Foreign Plakt Inspection. — Provost
Mitchell, Councillor N. M. Brown, and the Corporation electrical
(ngineer have gone to Switzerland to inspect electrical plant by
which, it is claimed, labour costs are greatly reduced.

Horsham. — Year's Working. — The accounts for the

year ended March SIst last record a total income of £7,675, and
expenditure of £4,891. leaving a gross balance of £2.784. The
payment of interest, &c., and the deduction of last year's deficiency
of £4,212 resulted in a net loss of £:l U7.

Hove. — Lighting Experiment. — In order to ascertain

the comparative costs of street lighting by gas and electricity, the
Corporation arranged an experiment ranging over 12 months.
Lamp? of equivalent efficiencies for the two agents were erected,
and the following results were obtained : —

Gas. Electric.
Church Road. Western Road.

Number of lamps erected .30 14

Number of separate burners J80 14

Capital cost of erecting £282 7 11 £323 9 U

Maintenance cost per month 4 10 4 2 4 1

Cost for gas and electricity per hour ... 0 2 4i n l o
Cost per annum for lighting 1,000 ft.

of roadway ... 295 3 8 131 13 6

Cost for gas and electricity per annum,

3,761 hours £448 10 0 £188 1 0

Maintenance cost for 12 months ... 54 4 0 26 9 0

Total operating costs for 12 months... £502 14 0 £214 10 0
In making a comparison of the cost of the two systems, it should
be noted that the gag company has only charged for extending the
lamp standards in height, and has not shown anything as to the
cost of the original standards and connections to the mains, while
he expenditure for the electric installation is for an entirely new
nstallation, including all costs of connection from the electricity
mains to the lamps, and it includes £35 5s for a tower ladder,
which would not occur again. Eliminating the cost of the tower
ladder, the capital costs were :— Gas, £28^ 7s. lid. ; electricity,
,t288 4s. lid.

The above figures are taken from statistics supplied by the gas
company and the electricity department respectively, and the com-
mittee considers that they are clearly in favour of electricity.

India.— Cauvery Falls Scheme. — With the flow of
water now available at the Cauvery Falls, the supply of power can
be raised to several thousand more horse-power than the capacity
of the existing generating plant, and the Mysore Government has
given instructions for additional generating plant to be installed.
At the same time, several schemes are before the Government for
ftUl further utilising the waters of Cauvery Falls. The first main
installation of plant was at Sivasamudram, but there are, in
addition, two sites where power stations can also be installed in the
Cauvery Valley, viz , at the Shimsha Falls and at the Mekadatu
Falls. The possibilities of the falls at Shimsha are said to be great ;
the drop is considerably greater than that at Sivasamudram, from
which they are distant about 4 miles. When the original works
were extended a scheme was proposed to provide the additional
supply from the Shimsha Falls, instead of from Sivasamudram, by
carrying the water in an armoured concrete pipe-line, 40 miles
long, direct from the Krishnarapasagara Reservoir to Shimsha.
The proposal was, however, shelved, and the works at Sivasamudram
were enlarged, and the water of the new reservoir made available.
There now appears to be a desire, however, to utilise the drop at
Shimsha for a new power supply station. Mr. P. H. Gibbs, now at
the Tata works, carried out preliminary investigations for generating
power .it these falls with the aid of Cauvery water, which was to
be carried from Sivasamudram to the Shimsha site by a canal and
conduit about 11 miles long. The second scheme suggested, called
the Mekadatu scheme, would be on a much smaller scale. Investi-
gations have shown that a net height of nearly 140 ft. will be
available about 4 miles below the Arkavati junction. A scheme
has been worked out by the engineer-in-charge, Mr. Forbes, for
generating s,000 H p. The chief electrical engineer to the Mysore
Government has the matter in hand. — American Commerce Hejxirts.

Kendal.— E.xtensions — Application is being made to
the Electricity Commissioners for their sanction to the installation
at the electricity works of a Diesel engine, direct connected to a
D.C. generator, .at a cost of ,t 6,464.

Manchester. — Bdlk Supply.— On August 11th, the

Electricity Committee considered and adopted a report to the
Finance Committee relating to an application from the Lancashire
Electric Power Co. for a bulk supply of electricity from the station
now building at Barton, to the extent of 20,000 kw. Compliance
with this demand would necessitate the installation of an additional
-'.5,000-K\V. set at an estimated cost of £700,0C0, for which borrow-
ing powers are needed ; the Electricity Commissioners had
expressed approval of the scheme as being in accordance with their
views. The company would provide the main from Barton switch-
board to its area, and would pay the Corporation, in addition to the
actual CDS'-, plus 1 per cent, on the capital outlay (to be handed to
the City Fund), a further item of 7i per cent, as a commercial
profit. The net result would be a return of 3 per cent, on the out-
lay of £700,000, and the contract would be for seven years certain,
with the option for the company to renew it for three years.

Eccles Corporation had since aaked for a supply of 2.000 kw. ;
this would be given at a reduced price through the company, which
already supplied Eccles.

The Finance Committee, on August 19th, in submitting the
above report to the Council, pointed out that the circumstances
were peculiar in that the proposal was to supply a company
working for profit, and the Corporation would receive a return of
3 per cent, on cap'tal. The Finance Committee regarded the pro-
posal as pledging the city's credit to raise capital for the benefit of
a company operating outside the city, and did not support the
recommendation, suggesting instead that the Electricity Commis-
sioners were the proper authority to provide the funds. The Com-
m'ssioners, however, intimated that they were not in a position to
do this, and the matter had to go back to the Finance Committee
for reconsideration.

Morley. — Bulk Supply. — At last week's Council meeting
it wa.s decided to obtain a " stand-by " supply of electricity in bulk
from the Leeds Corporation on the scale of charges obtaining in that
city, with a proviso that a minimum payment of £500 should be
made whether any electricity was used or not.

Mytholmroyd (Yorkshire).— Application for Terms.—

The Tradesmen's Association, last week, decided to promote an
application, to be submitted to the Yorkshire Electric Power Co.,
asking on what conditions and terms electricity could be supplied
for lighting and power purposes for local traders and the public.

Romford. — In(,|Uiry. — The Electricity Commissioners

announce that a public inquiry will be held on October 6th at
the Middlesex Guildhall, Westminster, in connection with the
Romford and District Electric Lighting Order, 1913.

South Shields. — Year's Working. — The annual report
of the electricity supply department for the year ended March 3l8t
last records a total revenue of £66,377, compared with £42,169 for
the previous period. Working expenses came to £43,138, against
£311,744, leaving a gross profit of £23,239 — more than double the
1918-19 figure, £11425. The net result, after payment of capital
charges, was a surplus of £3,514, comparing favourably with the
previous year's deficit of £7,287. The total number of units sold
rose from 5,766,398 to 6,962,929.

Swansea. — Year's Working. — The following are the

results of working for the year ended March 31st last ; the corres-
ponding figures for the 1918-1919 period are given in parentheses : —
Income, £77,329 (£5^,765) ; expenditure, £.i6, 190 (£39,012) ; gross
profit, £21,1311 (£19,753); loan charges, &c., £16,733 (£14,928) ;
and net profit, £4,406 (£4,825). The number of units generated
increased from 10,221,867 to 12,852,133.

Truro. — Electric Lighting Scheme. — The Town
Council has decided to discuss with Messrs. Herd & Smith an
electric lighting scheme for the city, the firm having offered to
find all the necessary capital for carrying it out.

Whitehaven. — Electkic Lighting Order. — The Rural

District Council has decided to apply for a provisional order for
electric lighting for the whole of its area.

Worcester Park.— Electricity Supply. — The South

Metropolitan Traction and Lighting Co., Ltd., has secured an
order from the Commissioners authorising it to extend its
supply of electricity to Worcester Park.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Algeria. — Railway Electrification. — The Governor-
General of Algeria has appointed a commission to study the
question of electrif.ying existing railways, as also that of supplving
electricity to industries and agriculture. The falls of the Oued
Agroum are to be utilised to supply an electric railway to be built
from Setif to Bougie.

Australia.— Brisbane ((Queensland). — Giving evidence

in connection with the tramway employes' claim in the .Arbitration
Court, Mr. Slade, assistant manager of the company, said that since
1914 the wages of conductors had been increased two or three
times. The increases in some instances were as high as 122 per
cent. The cost of materials, which had to be imported from over-
seas by the company, had risen by 250 per cent. On the other hand,
transportation remained unaltered. Brisbane being the only city

ToLi7. Ko. 2,233, SEPTEM6EK 10, 1940.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

889

In the Commonwealth, and probably the only one in the world, in
which tramway fares had not been raised. The demand for higher
wages in the present application involved about £l.',,00i.>. If this
added burden was placed on the company, fares would have to be
I'aised correspondingly. — Ei'enimi Xews (Brisbane).

Brighton. — Wages Settlement. — The Town Council
has agreed to pay its tramway employes Grade 1 rates instead of
Grade 2, as decided ,l)y the Whitley Council. It is stated that the
financial position of the undertaking is so unsatisfactory that the
extra wages will entail an immediate increase in fares.

Cardiff. — Year's Working. — The recently-published
accounts for the year ended March Slst, 1919, show a total income
of £25G,38S, as compared with £213.958 for the previous year.
Working expenses amounted to £147,477, against £126.806, leaving
a gross profit of £10S,,'<11 Cc87,152). The net balance, after pay-
ment of income-tax, interest, &c., was £.'i2,5l8, as compared with
£27,144 for the year ended March 31st, 1918,

Greenock. — Proposed Municipalisation. — A

recently put before the Council for the purchase of the tramways
by arbitration was referred back for 'further investigation and
consideration.

Doncaster, — Renewal of Track. — It was decided,

at last week's Council meeting, to re-lay the double tramway
lines from Cleveland Street to Oswin Avenue, at a provisionally
estimated cost of £42,000.

Strike Averted. — By conceding the tramway men a Jd. per
hour advance, the Corporation, on September 2nd, averted the
possibility of a strike during the St. Leger week.

Free Travel.— The Secretary of the Great War (Bentley
Branch) having requested that free car parses should be granted to
ex-soldiers who had lost a leg in the war. The tramways manager
has been instructed to reply, asking for a list of names and
addresses of the soldiers referred to, when the Committee will
favourably consider the granting of the request between the hours
of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Keighley. — Reorganisation. — At the next meeting of

the Town Council a recommendation from the Tramways and Elec-
tricity Committee for the discontinuance of the single management
for the two departments, and that a separate tramway manager,
at an inclusive salary of £400 a year be advertised lor, will be
considered.

London. — Reduction op Services. — It is stated that

in the event of a miners' strike the number of trains upon the
Underground Railways will be considerably reduced — by 20 per
cent, at least.

Failure of a signal at Charing Cross just after 7 a.m. last
Friday morning, caused delay to the westward section of the Dis-
trict Railway.

Manctiester. — Estimated Lo.ss. — The manager of the

Corporation tramways has reported that if the fares are not raised
there will be a loss of £30.t,000 this year on the undertaking.

Oldham. — Arbitration Expenses. — The local authori-
ties concerned in the purchase of the undertaking of the Oldham,
Ashton, and Hyde Electric Tramways Co., have been asked to
contribute £4,0ii0 towards the expenses of the recent arbitration,
and the amount has been allocated as follows : — Ashton, £2,500 ;
Hyde, £1,250 ; Denton, £7.")0 ; and Audenshaw, £500.

West Riding (Yorkshire).— Fare Increase. — The

Yorkshire (Heavy Woollen District) Electric Tramways, Ltd., give
notice that they have applied to the Ministry of Transport for
power to increase their charges. The increases, if permitted, will
affect Dewsbury, Batley. Birstall, Liversedge, Heckmondwike
and Spenborough.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Australia.^AuTOMATic Telephones. — Tenders have
been accepted by the Postal Department for the construction of a
new automatic telephone exchange at CoUingwood (Melbourne) at
an estimated cost of about £123,000. The work will be started
almost immediately, and will take, it is expected, about 10 months
to complete. It is the intention of the Postmaster-General shortly
to submit to the Public Works Committee proposals for the estab-
lishment of three other automatic exchanges. — Beiifer'.i Tnide
Sertire (Melbourne).

Chester. — Wireless Installation". — On the roof of the
Town Hall, a military wireless station has been erected, the
War OflSce agreeing to indemnify the Corporation should any
damage be incurred.

Colombia. — Wireless Telegraphy. — A merchant of

Barranquilla, on account of the deficient public telegraph service in
the Department of Magdalena, Colombia, has entered into a contract
to introduce a wireless telegraph service. He has given a bond of
1,OijO pesos, which will be forfeited if work on the installation is
not commenced within six months of the signing of the contract.

The bond will also be forfeited unless the service Is established and
working within a period of one year from the date of the signing of
the contract.

Denmark. — Cable Cut. — The Daihi Mail's Copenhagen
correspondent rejiorts that a heavy telegraph cable was caught in
the tackle of a fishing culter while she was cruising just outside
Danish territorial waters in Aalbaek Bay, South Scaw, Jutland,
during the week end. The crew hauled l.lOn fathoms of the cable
on board, and. as the cutter could carry no more, the cable was
cut and the place marked with a buoy. The fishermen thought it
was a disused German "spy " cable, but it is suggested that it
might be the cable belongini; to the Danish (treat Northern Co.,
which connects the Scaw with the Island of Marstrand. off the
coast of Sweden, iccordini; to the maps the latter cable is laid
in approximately the same position as that in which the fishermen
report their " catch."

France. — The Telephone System. — Reporting upon
the elaborate programme of telephone development and expansion
planned by the French Government, the American Vice-Consul at
La Rochelle says that in comparison with other European
countries, France ranks eighth in number of telephone subscribers,
having 354,155 on January 1st, 1918, or nine to each 1,000 of
inhabitants, whilst Germany at that time was reported to have
had 1,421,000, and Great Britain 812,000, or 22 and 18 per l,0OO
inhabitants, respectively. A new feature of the project involves
abandonment of the present system of financing. The State has
heretofore furnished the entire funds for telephone construction
expenditure, and instead will now call for the financial co-opera-
tion of the different departments ; they, in their turn, to be
assisted by the local communes interested. The estimated cost of
the extensions proposed, will amount to 1,518,000,000 fr., to be
spread over a five-year period, and it is in providing revenue for these
disbursements that local officials in the above consular district are
interested. The scheme, as planned, involves the installation of
20 circuits to serve the central regions of France, totalling
91,000 km., to which will be added 44,000 km. of new lines con-
necting with department centres, and 12,o00 km. of communal
lines. In addition to the lines named, 53,000 km. of independent
lines or cables will serve the Paris distiict. Another system, with
20,000 km. of new circuits, is to be established between Alsace-
Lorraine and the rest of French territory ; and 25,000 km. of
cables, or three times the mileage existing in 1914, will be reserved
for international communication. Briefly stated, following the
installation of 256, oO J km. of new circuits — without counting
the departmental extensions, the amount of which will depend
upon the demands of the rural population — the French public will,
should the scheme be carried out, have at its service 400,00o km.
of telephone lines, which will be able to care for 1,000,000
subscribers.

New Submarine Cables. — According to the Economic Review,
the establishment is proposed in the near future of the following
new submarine cables : — Marseilles-Tunis, Marseilles- Algiers or
Phillippeville, and Marseilles-Oran.

Italy. — Wireless Communication with Sweden. —

Direct regular wireless telegraphic communication has been estab-
lished between the Karlsborg Station in Sweden and the San Paolo
Station at Rome. — Renter s Trade Serrice (Stockholm).

Mexico. — ^E^^' Wireless Stations. — The Department
of Commerce officially confirms the announcement that the
Government intends to install immediately 30 new wireless stations,
at an approximate cost of .S 1,000,000. — Renter's Trade Service
(Washington).

New Zealand. — Telegraph and Telephone Exten-
sions.— There was not a very extensive development of telegraph
lines during 1919, the mileage of wire at the end of the year being
50,898. compared with 50,291 at the end of 1918. There were
165,962 miles of telephone wire, with 57,572 telephone connections,
compared with 154,799 miles of wire and 56,808 connections at the
end of the previous year. Extensive improvements are contemplated,
however, both in the telegraph and telephone \ services during the
next few years, in order to keep pace with the general develop-
ment of the Dominion. At present there are 4,500 party lines in
operation, serving 15,000 subscribers, and the Postmaster-General
is making every effort to develop the party-line system for outlying
districts, with the object of bringing the farmer and stock-raiser
more closely into touch with the business centres.

United States.— First WiRELEsis Telephone Ex-
change.— The city of Avalon. Catalina Island, is about 30 miles off
the California coast. One of the earliest applications of wireless
telegraphy was that between Los Angeles, Cal., and Avalon. It ia
reported now that the Islanders are to be given telephone con-
nection with the mainland by means of wireless. The Pacific
Telephone and Telegraph Co. announces that an ordinary telephone
exchange is to be installed at .\valon and that conversations
between subscribers' stations on Catalina Island and stations on the
mainland will be carried on by wireless telephony without manual
relaying. — T.atid T. Age.

Wireless Meteorological Forecasts. — A " Notice to

Airmen,'' issued on August 30th by the Air Ministry, announces
that the necessary data for preparing a complete synoptic weather
chart will henceforth be issued thrice daily, at 3.15 a.m., 8.45 a.m.,
and 8.15 p.m. (G.M.T.). by wireless telegraphy, on a 1,400-metre
continuous wave from London, and four times daily on a 3,300-
metre wave from Aberdeen.

340

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.st. no. 2,233, septembeb lo, 1920.

Wireless Telegraphy. — Amateur Installation s. —

Since the Postmaster-General again permitted amateurs to erect
wireleBS installations, the growth of amateur wireless cluba haa
greatly increased, There are now 41 of these clubs in the United
Kingdom with a membership of over 1,500. The Post Office
authorities are receiving applications for licences every day from
amateurs. To a considerable extent the pre-war activities of the
wireless amateur are restricted by the new rules. No amateur may
erect an aerial more than 100 ft. in length or more than mO ft.
above the ground. The power used in transmission of messages
must not exceed a certain unit, and a specified wave length must
be adhered to. These restrictions are imposed so that wireless
amateurs may not interfere with Government stations. In certain
cases special permission is granted for the use of the thermionic
valve for the reception of signals. — The Times.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

C The date given in parentkesis at the end of the paragraph indicates
the issve of the Electricai Eeview, in which the " Official
Notice " appeared.')

OPEN.

Australia. — Commonwealth Government. November
24th. Protected cable terminals and cable distribution boxes.
Specifications, &c., will be available at Australia House, Strand,
yf.C— Renters Trade Serrice (Brisbane).

Brisbane.— December Hth. Department of Public Works.
Seventy three-phase oil-cooled core type static transformers-
Is. -JO. 2.-). Ho. :i->. 4ii and ."jO K.V.A. capacity, (i.r.00/440 volta.—
Bfuters Trade Serrice.

Brisbane.— January 20th. 1H21. and February 2.5th. I!)21. The
City Electric Light. Co. A 10,000-KW. turbo-alternator set ;
transformers and switchgear. — Renter x Trade Serrice.

Victoria.— October 20th. Victorian State Rivers and Water
Supply Commission. Two 1.(100-r.h.p. steam turbines, with
mechanical reduction gearing and condensing plant. — Renter's
Trade Serrice ('Melbourne').

Melboubne.— September 2.trd. Melbourne and Metropolitan
Tramways Board. Supply, delivery and erection of two S'^O-hp..
A.c. motors, also switchgear. (Contract No. 101.) Particulars from
the offices of the Boa'd In Melbourne. — Renter's Trade Service.

February 24th, 1 92 1. The Victorian Electricity Commissioners.
Turbo-alternators of 25,000, 12,500 and 600 Kw , also condensing
plant, circulating pumps, transformers, switchgear, synchronous
condensers, copper and steel cables, steel towers, &c., for use in
connection with the Morwell power scheme.- -Reuters Trade
Service.

Queensland.— October (!th. P.M.G.'s Department. Instruments
and parts (schedule 49i0. (See this issue.)

South Australia. — October 20th. P.M.G,'8 Department.
Telegraph instruments (schedule 546). and telephone instruments
(schedule 54 11).

November ,Srd. P.M.G.-'s Department. Telephone instruments
(schedule .".l.v). (See this issue.)

Belginm. — The Municipal Authorities of Schaerbeek
have just invited tenders for the supply of 2oD electricity meters
for a ^)-amp.. liO-volt, ."ii period, monophase circuit.

Bolton. — September 16th. Electricity Department. One
12,000KW. turbo-alternator. (August 20.)

Edinbnrgh. — September 27th. Electricity Supply
Department. Coal, ash and flue-dust handling plant, circulating
pumps and pipework. (August 27th.)

India. — Agra. — October 22nd. Municipal Board.
Complete generating plant, comprising : four Diesel engines and
H.T. alternators ; h.t. and l.t. switchgear, transformers and sub-
station equipment; 15 miles underground H.T, cables, 28 miles
overhead l.t. three-phase mains and street lighting equipment,
complete with all accessories. (August 2oth.)

Langho (near Blackburn).— September 15th. Manchester
Board of Guardians. Replating a battery of accumulators (98
cells), at the Epileptic Colony, for the Manchester Union. Further
particulars from Medical Superintendent at the Colony.

Lincoln. — October 8th. Electricity Department.
Spray cooling plant, 500,000 gallons per hour, with pipe and
pipework. (See this issue.)

Littleborough. — September 22nd. Urban District
Council. One group of two 50 k.v.a, transformers, with e,h,t.
switchgear and cable connections ; one group of three ,'00-k,v.a,
do. do. ; one group of two lf<o/200-K.v.A. do. do. Transformers to
be oil cooled, wound for 6000/400 volts, ^ phase, 50 cycles. (See
this issue.)

London.— St. Panoras.— September 14th. Electricity

Department. Two water-tube boilers, each of 40.000 lb. per hour
evaporation capacity. (August 27th.)

Westminster.— September 15th. Board of Guardians. Supplies
of electric lamps, fittings, ice, Mr. W. ,T. Lickley, Clerk to the
Guardians, Princes Row, Buckingham Palace Road, S.W. I.

Metropolitan Asylums Board. -September 29th. Extensions
to the telephone installation at the Grove Hospital. Tooting,
(See this issue.)

Macclesfield. — September 1 8th. Cheshire County
Asylum. Supply of electrical goods. Mr. W. F. Tingay, Parksida

Asylum.

Manchester. — September 14th. Tramway Committee.
Steel girders, tramway rails, permanent-way special track work.
Mr. J. M, McElroy, General Manager, .'.". Piccadilly. Manchester.

September 20th. Electricity Committee. Six :H3,o00-volt, 19,500-
K.V.A., 3-phase static transformers, house service and testing trans-
formers. (August 6th.)

New Zealand. — Invercargill.— October 19tli. Borough
Council. lii.iWMi lineal yards of sn-Ib. grooved girder steel rails in
40 ft. lengths ; 3 miles of copper trolley wire ; 1 J miles of stranded
copper feeder cable with weather-proof insulation. Particulars
from Chief Electrical Engineer. — Renter's Trade Service.

Auckland. — Mr. Wylie. the city electrical engineer, has left for
Europe. He has been empowered to open tenders, in London for
the supply of machinery and other equipment in connection with
the electrical fxtansions for which a loan of £,"iOii.oiiO has been
authorised. — Reuters Trade Serrice.

Nuneaton. — September 20th. Electricity Department.
H.T. and l.t. switchgear, connecting cables and accessories. (August
13th.)

Sheffield. — October 12th. Electric Supply Department.
Two lii,000-KW. steam turbines, condensing plants, pipework, &c.,
alternators and exciters. (See this issue.;

Southampton. — September 10th. Board of Guardians.
Electric installation at the Children's Homes, HoUybrook Estate,
Winchester Road. Shirley. Messrs. Gutteridge & Gntteridge,
architects, 2, Portland Street, Southampton.

Spain, — Tenders have recently been invited b_v the
Municipal Authorities of Villafranca. for the concession for the
electric lighting of the town.

St. Helens. — September 30th. Electricity Department.
Cast-iron low pressure water piping, and one natural draught
cooling tower. (See this issue.)

Uganda. — February 19th, 1921. Government of the
Uganda Protectorate. Tenders invited for a concession of a
portion of the Ripon Falls of the Nile. (See this column in onr „
issue of July 30th.)

CLOSED.

Australasia. — Hobart, Tasmania. — Tramcar equipment

contract : —

The City Council Tramway Committee reported that with reference to A'
order lor 12 Iramcar equipments placed with thd English Electric Co.,
letter had been received from the Sydney agents stating they had been com
polled to increase the cost by 12^ per cent., and asking the Council to agree'f
the usual conditions as to t>earing any additional cost caused by tncreaa
price of wages and materials during the currency of the contract. It W>
ascertained by cable that the offer of the Australian General Electric Co. ((h
second lowest tenderers) still held good subject to immediate acceptance,
special meeting of the committee was called to consider the position, which
that the English company's offer for the total contract was £720 above I
of the ,\ustralian General Electric Co.'s less a possible amount of £200 fi
account of the rale of exchange then ruling, the .A.G.E. Co. offer being It
American equipment, .^fter full consideration the committee decided to c^
firm the order with the English Electric Co. in order to give effect to
policy of this Cognci! to give preference firstly to .Australian goods l
secondlv to those ol British manufacture as against goods coming from oth.
countries. The Council confirmed the action of the committee.— Toid^-rj.

Sydney. — City Council. Electric Lighting Committee. AcoeptsA

Supplv of motors (Spec. 594), Section A £2.339, Section B £878. Section "X
£1,521, Section D £1,437, Section E £2,389, Section F £1,981.— AustraC
General Electric Co. ' J

Cables (weather proof) (Spec. 607), £2,735.— Lawrence & Hanson Elect™
Co., Ltd. ■ ■ : V

Rubber insulated cables (Spec. 608) £.5,397.— AusttaUan General Electric A

Submarine H.T. cables (Spec. 617), £898.— Siemens Bros. Dynamo Wt^t

Witlf reference' to tenders for 10,000/415 volt transformers (Spec. 592), 'Y
which a tender of Messrs. Johnson & Phillips had been accepted, the firm li:
<ieclined to enter into a contract, the time for acceptance having expired beip
the letter of acceptance was read. The Council accordingly accepte^l the
lowest tender, that of the Australian General Electric Co. at £20,995,
spare parts £215, total £21,210.

Six 50 K.V..4. 10.000/415 v.; S-phase transformei*, £1,850, Metropoli*
Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.

The Council renewed its promise, in connection with the cancellation of <l
contract in 1918 for a turbine, to order the next main generating set fro
to Messrs. Willans 4 Robinson, viz., the English Electric O

Ltd.

Accepted : —

Healesvillb (Victoria) Shire Council,

For the electric light installation :—

Engines and producers, £1,231,— Ruston & Hornsby.
Alternators, switchgear, &c.. £1,031.— Kvnochs, Ltd.
Bare and insulated cables, £aW — British Insulated & Helsbv Cables,

£242; erection of poles, line wire, &c., £323.— Clements & SleVlfll

Accepted :^- ,^

ilian General Electric Co!
& Hookh.im).— British Ctii

Tenders.

Launceston (Tasmania) City Council.

1,000 K.V.I. h)dro-turbo set, £l2.:a4,— AusI
rm .l.xUnUv meters, £1,031 (Cha
F.lectric Co., Ltd.

P.M.G.'s Department, N.S.W. Accepted : —

Switchboard material for the Glebe automatic telephone exchange, £l,0O8|

Automatic Telephones (Ausl.). Ltd. , f

10.000 Commonwealth type Diamond dry cells, £2.135.— Auslrolcctric Co.; |

P.M.G.'s Department, '\'ictori,a. Accepted : —

2.W wall telephones and 500 table telephones, £2,787.— Automatic Telepliol
(Aust.), Ltd.

P.M.(i.'s Department, West Australi.a. Accepted : —

IKO automatic table pattern telephones, £.990; 270 do, wall pattern, £l,3itli
Autom.itic Telophoncs (Aust.), Ltd.— ToiJcrs.

Bridlington. — Town Council ; —

Ediswan Elootrio OOn Ltd,— Two elaocric fans for the Oraiid Pavilion, <§

Tol.87. No. 2,233, September 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL BEVIEW.

341

BoltOD. — Electricity Committee. Accepted : —

Plant in connection with the extensions at Baok-o'th'-Bank generating

station, viz : —
Met.-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.-E.H.T. switchgear,
Hick, HarKreavGs & Co., Ltd.— Condensing plant.
Babcock A Wilcox, Ltd. — Eight boilers.

Darwen. — Town Council. Accepted : — ■

Macintosli Cable Co., Ltd., tor the supply of high tension feeder cables
for the Blackburn supply.

Highworth. — Rural Council : —

J. Lott & Son.— Electric light installation, ofhces, £71).

Liverpool. — Electric Power and Lighting Committee.

Recommended : —

Met -Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd , for the supply and erection, at Lester
Drive electric power station, ol 12,500 -kw. turbo - alternator and
accessories.

Manchester. — Electricity Committee. Accepted : —

High-tension switchgear. — Met.-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.

Cable.— Callender's Cable & Construction Co., Ltd.
Stores for 12 months : —

Service bo.xes- — J. Stubbs, Ltd.

Tee service boxes.— Siemens Bros. & Co.. Ltd.

Trough boxes, bends, iron troughing and bends. — Hardy & Padmore, Ltd.

Steam turbine-driven boiler feed pump. — G. & J. Weir, Ltd.
Tramways Committee : —

Universal type rail-grinding machine.— Engineering & Equipment Co., Ltd.

Reciprocating rail grinder. — Hitchcock, Lloyd A Co., Ltd.

New Zealand. — The Government has accepted the
tender of the English Electric Co. for the electrification of the
Otira tonne], and that of the National Electrical Engineering Co.
for the supply of the necessary equipment. Each of the tenders
involves an outlay of about £30u,o0u. They provide for tlie elec-
trical equipment of a 4,000-H.P. generating station and the supply
of six electric locomotives. — Renter's Trade Serrire (Wellington).

FORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

Birmingham and District Electric Club.— Saturday, September llth. At
the Grand Hofel, Colemore Row, Birmingham. At 7 p.m. Paper on " Some
Considerations in Regard to t-iow-tension Switchgear," by Mr. H. Gregory.

Salford Technical and Engineering Association.— Saturday, September llth.
At the Royal Technical Institute. At 7 p.m. Paper on " The Present Day
Development and Practical Application of High-.speed and Carbon Steels,"
by Mr. T. shawcross.

Machine Tool & Engineering Exhibition at Olympia, W.— Open to Sep-
tember 25th.

Institution of Mining Engineers. — Wednesday, September 16th. At the
Town Hail, Manchester. Annual General Meeting. September 16th and
nth. Visits to places of interest.

Institute of Metals. — Wednesday and Thursday, September 15ih and 16th.
At Barrow-in-Furness. Autumn meeting.

Municipal Tramways Association.- September 15th to 17th. At the City
Hall, CardilT. Annual Conference.

NOTES.

Institution and Lectare Notes. — The Mnnlcipal Tram-
ways Association. — The nineteenth annual conference of the
Association is to be held in the City Hall, Cardiff, on September
15th, 16th and 17th. On Wednesday, September 15th, there will
be a meeting of the Executive Council and a reception by the Lord
Mayor of Cardiff. The agenda for the conference includes papers
on Fares, by Councillor Iligham, chairman of the Blackburn
Corporation Tramways, and Mr. P. Priestley, general manager of
the Liverpool Corporation Tramways. The conference will be
resumed in the afternoon, after a luncheon at the City Hall, when
a paper on Operating Costs will be read by Mr. A. L. C. Fell, of the
L.C.C. tramways. The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress will hold a
reception in the evening at the City Hall. On Thursday several
financial papers are down for reading and discussion, and the annual
general meeting will be held in the afternoon. Friday, the 17th, will
be devoted to an excursion to Weston-super-Mare and Cheddar.

Institution of Civil Engineers.— The annual dinner of the
Institution has been arranged for Wednesday, October 6th, in the
Institution Hall. Untransferable tickets, price £2 lOs. each, will
be issued to members for their personal use. It is intimated that
accommodation is limited.

Educational. — The Polytechnic. — We have received
the prospectus of courses in electrical engineering (evening depart-
ment) for the session 1920-21. from the Polytechnic, 307-31 1, Regent
Street, W. 1. The classes, which commence on September 27th,
are divided into four grades. The first-year course deals with the
underlying principles, and aims at providing a thorough ground-
work for the succeeding courses. The second-year course is
devoted to d.c. engineering, and the third and fourth-year courses
deal with more advanced subjects. There is a special course of
technical electricity for P.O. workmen. The fee for the course,
subject to t,'uaranteed minimum attendance, is £1 Is. Enrolment
can be made between 6 and 8.30 p.m. from September 15th to 17th,
and from the 20th to 24th.

Battkrsea PoLYTKOHNic, S.W. 11.— The next session com-
mences for day classes on September L'lst, and evening courses
September 27th. Arrangements will be made to provide special
combination (day and evening) courses in electrical engineering
and electric traction for shift engineers, provided that sufficient
entries are obtained before .September 27th. An abridged calendar of
evening classes can be obtained gratis on application to the secre-
tary. See our advertisement pages to-day.

Prize Competitions. — The Royal Academy of Science of
Turin announces that the 2l8t and 23rd awards of the "Bressa"
prizes will be conferred on the scientists responsible for the most
notable discoveries in physical science, &c., in the periods 1915-1918
and 1919-1922 respectively. The amount of each prize is 9,000 lire.
Applications must be submitted to the Secretary in both cases,
not later than December 31st, 1922. These prizes are awarded
irrespective of nationality.

Appointments Vacant. — Mains and meter superintendent
(£5 5s.), for the Alloa Corporation Electricity Department ; elec-
trical draughtsman (£300), for the Department of Electrical
Engineering, City and Guilds Engineering College ; assistant
draughtsman (350 taels per month, tael = 58. 8d.), for the Shanghai
Municipal Electricity Department ; draughtsman, for the North-
ampton Electric Light and Power Co. ; two assistant lectureships in
electrical engineering for the Birmingham University ; assistant
lecturer in electrical engineering (£3O0) for the Huddersfield
Technical College ; electrician for the Sheffield Corporation
Waterworks at Ewden Valley Reservoirs. See our advertisement
pages to-day.

Bacup Town Council is advertising for a chief electrical engineer
for the electricity station, at a salary of £450 per annum, plus
9 per cent bonus on net profits.

Legal. — Claim Against Ntw castle-on-Tyne Corpora-
tion.— At Neweastle-on-Tyue County Cuurt, ou August 20th, au
application was made ou behalf of Margaret Jane Coates
Histon, an infant, of Gateshead, for compensation in respect
of the death of Robert Taylor C'oatcs, from the Newcastle
Corporation, the amount flainicil liciiig i"iUU.

Mr. C. B. Fexwick (tor the iipplitant) said it was an
application for dependency by a httle ghl, through her
mother. The father of the applicant was a man named Robert
Tayloi' Coates, who was employed hy the Corporation as an
electrician. In April last the deceased man was working on
a tower-wagon, and was cutting liranches when either the
saw, or a branch, broke, and Coates was thrown to the
ground, receiving such injuries that he died later. The Cor-
poration's answer to the claim was that the accident to. the
deceased did not occur in the course of his employment.

Evidence having been given as to the accident, Mr. Frank
Morgan, surveyor of the central district of Newcastle, de-
clared that it was not Coates's duty to cut away branches.
Robert Simpson, a foreman, said that Coates had been in-
structed to point out the trees that needed cutting; he (hs-
tinctly instructed Coates not to cut any branches. He ad-
mitted that, the day before he had been working in the .same
capacity as Coates, and he had used the clippers on some
branches. Any man not wishing to work to rule exactly, he
said, would lend a hand in removing obstructions. .

His Honour, after hearing an argument by Mr. Feu wick on
the pomt, said that in view of the evidence of Sunpson, it
would be impossil.de for him to say that the accident arose
in the course of Coates's employment. However, as Coates
liad previously been in Osliorne Road repahing wu'es, and
hiid then removed branches, it was natural that on the day
nl tik- accident he should have helped forward the work of
the Cor|ioration. " It is with the worst will in the world,"
lie added, " that I make an award for the respondents. I
think it is a very hard case indeed, and one which should
not have come here. I am rather astoni.shed it has been
.Icfended."

Mr. Towlson's Wail Fixings.— As numerous inquiries

have reached Mr. Towlson, some dhectly and others through
the meilium of the Electrical Review, in respect of his article
on " Wall Fixings " -(Elec. Rev., August '20th, 1920), he has
asked us to state that : —

(1) The required section of steel can be procured from the
well known steel makers who specialise in such sections, i.e.,
Messrs. Beardshaw & Sons, Baltic ^\'orks, Sheffield.- Having
procured a bar or two of their cruciform light section, i in.
across wings, have it upset to 1 in. across the wings about j in.
up, grind up the face to a knife edge, as shown in the sketch,
the chi.sel having an entering angle of an included 1'20 deg.
Harden the point.

(2) Any smith can make these, and the rougher the better.
(a) The hollow drift can be cheaply made in any machine

shop ; the precise form shown in his sketch is not at all essen-
tial. A piece of steam tube with the right diameter hole to
suit the bolt w'ill do just as well. Case-harden the ends.

(4) To provide a means of punching a hole in a wall, flne
brick thick with the mortar not set, as requested by a corre-
spondent, is a difficult problem. Mr. Towlson would prefer to
wait until the mortar hardened. Even after having succeeded
in getting the hole in the wall, he would not give much for its
condition after the lead washers were punched up hard. No
appliance of the kind set forth can make a good base out of a
rotten wall.

Mr. Towlson adds that he has learned of a valuable appliance
called a " spring hammer," sold by a well-known firm in Feu-
c-hurch Street, by which the lightest of blows can be struck,
and varied to heavier blows by a simple adjustment of a spring.
The wall puncii would be attached to this hammer and pre.ssed
against the wall with a breastplate. The operator, white push-
ing on the breastplate, turns a handle, and the drill .strikes
hundreds of blows per minute. This device is peculiarly suit-
able for use in conjunction with his system of wall fixings. He
will give the address of the vendors to anyone who writes to
him for it.

342

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,233, septembeb lo, 1920,

Electricity on Board Slilp. — The s.s. Yorkshire, which
has just bcLMi completed lur the Bibby Line by Messrs. Har-
liind it W'ulIT, Bell'ast, is extensively electrically equipped. The
main yenerut.jrs are in the engine room, and include forced
lubrication engines driving dynamos of the multipolar type.
Each dynamo has an output of 55 K\v. Another dynamo,
di-iveu by an oil engine, is installed aft, well above the water
line, from which lighting, wireless, signal lanterns, pumping
apparatus, stearing gear, water-tight doors, Ac, can be
actuated, a very complete electrical ventilation plant and heater
plant is a feature of the cabius, &c., whilst Messrs. Harland
& Wolff's latest type of electrically-operatetl \j\iter-tight doors
can be operated from the bridge, where an indicator shows
the captain the e.xact position of the doors at any time. The
wireless telegraphy installation is up to date, and in addition to
being operated from the main and emergency plant, can
also be worked from batteries in the vicinity of the instrument
room. Telephonic conununication for navigating purposes,
electric lifts, and an electrically-heated hot press are other
features of this ship, which has gross tonnage of 10,oU0.

Service Notes. — A revision has been made of the

regulations governing appointments to the wheless stations
under the Royal Navy. The periods of service were recently
fixed at 19 stations abroad. The Admiralty has directed
that the conuuanding olHcers of such stations, together with
the chief petty officer telegraphists and petty officer tele-
graphists, are to undergo a special course in the type of
apparatus fitted at theh oversea wheless stations before pro-
ceeding abroad. This course will be at the Signal School,
Portsmouth. In order also that they may be uljli cClicicntly to
superintend the works at the station, all .(inmiir-sKincd
officers who are appointed to conunand wireless .slatiuns aliroad
ai'e to undergo a special cour.se of instruction m oil engines.
Warrant telegraphists are not to undergo this course.

Electrical Engineering Edacalion. — Piof. W. H. limbic,

of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, describes, in a
recent issue of Scicnve, a co-operative course in electrical engi-
neering arranged between the Institute and the American
General Electric Co. The whole course covers a period of Ivc
years. The first two years are devoted to the regular Institute
course, and then the last three years are divided fah'ly equally
lietween in.struction in theory at the Institute and practice at
the l.ynn works of the G.E. Co. During the works period
students are paid an hourly rate by the company, and the
remuneration is stated to cover the cost of theii- tuition. For
a successful completion of the course the degrees of Bachelor
and Master of Science are conferred. The General Electric Co.
has provided a club house for the students, and the latter while
at the works are not allowed to lose touch with the Institute.
The success of the cour.se is shown by the company's decision to
increase the limit placed on the number trained in this way
from forty to sixty students.

Automatic Train Control. — Major G. \j. Hall, of the

Mniistry of Transport, in his report on a colUsiou between two
trains on the Caleilonian Paiilway at Eglinton Street Station,
(.dasgow, on July J7th, blames the driver of the train which
ran into another standing at the station for failing to observe
and obey the .signal. The accident is of the type, he says, " in
which the human element is primarily concerned. Liability to
such lapses must always exist, and the eaidy consideration of
the general problem of automatic train control, which is the
only possible safeguard, is a matter of importance."

Presentation to Electricity Commissioners. — An

interesting presentation took place in Glasgow on the i2nd
inst., when illuminated adikesses, presented by the various
sections of the engineering industry in the West of Scotland,
were formally handed to Messrs. W. W. Lackie anti
Archibald Page on theh appointment as Electricity Com-
mi.ssiouers. Owing to the fact that Sir .John Snell was on
holiday, and that Mr. Lackie, as the immediate ex-engineer
and manager of the Glasgow T.C. electricity department, had
to be present tliat day at the inauguration of the station at
Dalmarnock, Mr. Page was unavoidably detained in London.
The presentations were made by Mr. J. A. Rudd, who re-
ferred to the honour conferred on Glasgow by the .selection
of West of Scotland officials to till two of the highest elec-
trical posts under the Crown.

Mr. Lackie apologised for the absence of his colleague,
Mr. Page, and read a message, part of which was as follows :
" I need hardly a.ssure such old friends that my absence on
such an important occasion is due neither to indifference
nor want of appreciation of your great kindness. I left Glas-
gow with some misgivings; it is no light thing to tear up
roots with 2'2 years' growth behind them, but I am finding
that my past experience in your midst can be relied on to
carry me through. My work is congenial and stimulating,
and there is plenty of it ; it is a pleasure to be associated with
such colleagues as my brother Commissioners. We do not
aim at doing anything revolutionary, but by steady progress
in the dii'ectinn of co-ordination, and the avoidance of waste
either of capital or natural rcsomres. we have a strong, hope
that w^e can materially assist the electricity supply industry
towards its succes.sful development."

Mr. Lackie on his own behalf said, in part : " t^-iendship
Kuch as I have enjoyed, and will I trust, continue to enjoy
with the signatories to this address needs neither seal nor
sign of any tangible kind; and yet one is always gratified

and proud when his friends use the occasion of some out-
standing chcumstance in his hfe as an excuse for the expres-
sion of their good feehngs m some tangible w^ay. I came to
Cilasgow before I was 20 years of age, and I spent the thirty
best years of my life in this hospitable and strenuous metro-
))olis. I w-as present at the l>uth of the pubhc supply of
electrical energy in Glasgow, and I saw it grow from' a lusty
infancy to a vigorous youth. The midwife was the enter-
prising firm of Mavor & CouLson, but the foster mother was
the Glasgow Corporation. I am sure we are all prepared to
give the fullest measure of credit to the important contribu-
tions which were thus made to the development of electricity
supply, but I maintain that but for the constant help and
co-operation of tlie electrical indu.stry in Glasgow', and especi-
ally of the electrical contractors, Glasgow would not hold its
present premier position in connection with electricity supply
in this country. There is nothing in my own professional life
of which I am so proud as the happy and harmonious relations
w hich I always had as a Corporation official with every branch
of the industry in Glasgow. No one was more stu'prised than
I was when the call came to go to London. The experienre
of counting the cost before making the hnal decision w.ns
painful and difficult. The work is strenuous, and will continiir
to be so for a considerable time to come, but at the end of
the day I am able to escape, and the sound of the telephone
bell no longer speUs nervous tension (laughter); mains and
turbines are as interesting as ever, but they have ceased to
strike the terror wJiich they frequently do to whoever is
personally responsible for their behaviour. Signatures speak
and I know that every name in.scribod in this beautiful volume
will continue to .speak to me of happy days spent here amongst
loyal and trusted friends."

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

'J'he Editors invite electrical engineers, whsther connected with the
technical err the commercial side of the profession and industry,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
Electbical Review posted as to their mocenents.

Prof. J. B. F.AR.MKU, D.Sc, M..\., E.R.S., Imperial College of •
Science and Technology, has been appointed to be a member of
the .\dvisory Council, to the Committee of the Privy Council *
for Scientific and Industrial Research.

Mr. John A. Cussev, charge engineer at Barnsley electricity |
works, was married at Nottingham on Satnrday last to Miss '
Hilda Catling, of Peterborough. t

The name of Mr. T. J. Gh.mnger, of Messrs. T. J. Grainger]
A: Co.. Newcastle-on-Tyne, has been added to the Commission i
of the Peace of the Countv Borough of tSateshead.

Mr. A. E. DD P.vsguiER, M,I.E.E.. president of the Souths
.\frican Institute of Electrical Engineers, was entertained to
dinner in June last by the Council of the In.stitute prior to his
departure from that coiintry in July to take up an appointment
in England for his firm.

Mr. S. G. Foittjss, the Chief Electrical Engineer in Mysore,
has left for Englalid and .-America on deputation in coriuection
with the eighth installation of power at the Cauvery Falls, and
the acting appohitment is being held by Mr. S. i). Seshadri
Iyengar, the chief operator at Sivasamudram. — Indian
Knjiiiicering.

Mr. E. F. HoLDEN, A.M.I.E.E., until recently Scottish repre-
sentative for the British Electric Plant Co., Ltd., Glasgow, has,
joined the stall of Messrs. Barrus it Cullen, Ltd., London, as ,
Continental representative.

Mr. W. D. BnA.ssiNoTON, of the Clyde Valley Electric Power
Co., has been recommended for appointment as borough elec-
trical engineer at Motherwell. .

Greenock Corporation propo.ses to increase the salary of its 1
electrical engineer by £'1011. making it .i'1,100 per annum.

Obituary. — Mr. P. Thomi'So.\. — The death occurred on
-\ugust '29th, at the age of 81 years, of Mr. Peter Thomiison,
who was for a long period secretarv of the Kesw-ick Electri- .
cal Co.

Mr. Ch.\kles Hopkixson. — We regret to record the dealh.
which occurred at Cambridge on September 5th from lirjii
failure, of Mr. Charles Hopkinson. B.Sc. M.I.C.E., M.I.M.E .
consulting engineer, of Manchester, at Go years of age.

]\Ir. G. E. Hai.es. — We regret to record the death of Mi'.
G. E. Hales, late a.ssistant sales manager of Edison .Accumu-
lators. Ltd. Mr. Hales had been identified with the elcitric
\ehicle world since the introduction of the Edison battery in
this country, and his decease has caused a con.siderable kiss to
the industry.

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED.

Electric Distriliutinit Co.. Ltd. (169,982).— Private com-

p.nny. Rpi;ist<r«l August 31sl. C;ipit,il, £2,000 in £1 sh.ires. To c.irrv on
the ' business of workt-rs of and tlt-.Tlcrs in eli-ctricitv, motive power, lijihl,
.ind he.nt. &c. The subscribers (e.ich with one share) ar " '
The Cottage, Wincle, Macclesfield, gentleman: H. Coope
Road. Hale. Cheshire, chartered accountant. Registered office ;
Court, 35, King Street, Manchester,

res. I o carry on

itive power, light, , .

; I. A. Grantham, | j

Redcot. Leicester I I

lice ; 1, Loflhouse f I

Vol.87. No. 2,233, septembeb 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

343

Jacobs & D'Rane, Ltd. (1,0,028).— Private company.

Registered September 3ntl. Capital, *l,000 in *! shares. To carry on the
business of electrical, mechanical, automobile, and general engmeers, genera-
tors of electricity, manufacturers of and dea.lcrs in machinery, motors, motor
cars and cycles, tool makers, metal workers, &c. The first directors are :
H O Jacobs, 34, Lansdown Crescent, Cheltenham; B. J. D'Rane, 54, Milton
Road, Wailington; H. E. Warne, St. Hilda, Litchfield Road, Sutton, Surrey.
Secretary: H. E. Warne. Solicitor: W. S. Sharpe, 12, New Court, Carey
Street, W.C.

H. P. R. Wireless, Ltd. (169,943) .— Registered August

28th. Capital £3,000 in fl shares. To acquire from H. P. I'owell Rees his
rights in the business of a manufacturer and vcndbr of wireless tekgraphv
and telephony receiving instruments, &c. The first directors are : H. I'.
Powell Rees, 55, Fetter Lane, E.C., advertisement expert (managing director);
W. T. Wallace, " High Bridge," The Drive, Wimbledon, Surrey, publisher.
Registered office : Regent House, Kingsway, W.C.

Kelvin=Hardy Electric Co., Ltd. (169,932).— Private com-

panv. Registered .\ugust 2rth. Capital, £2,000 in £1 shares (one life gover-
nor's, carrying half the tot.-il voting power). To carry on the business of
manufacturing electrical engineers, electricians, repairers, and manufacturers
of and dealers in engines, motors, cars, ships, boats, aircraft, and other
vehicles. S:c. The subscribers '(each with one share) arc; G. A. Edward>,
96, Tithebarn Street, Southport ; A. Whittingham-Jones. 41, Castle Street,
IJverpool. Life governor: G. A. Edwards. Registered office: 41, Castle
Street, Liverpool.

Insulating Products, Ltd. (169,944). — Private companv.

Registered August 2Sth. Capital, £10,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the
busim-ss of manufacturers of insulated wires lind cables, electric light, and
general electrical engineers, &c. The first directors are : H. T. Baxter
Tmanaging director), 12, Park Avenue, Whitley Bay; W. Muir, CIcadon Lane,
East Boldon. Qualification £250. Secretary : W. Muir. Solicitor : F. B.
Kent, 6, Market Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Registered office : Cleadon Lane,
East Boldon, Co. Durham.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Pirelli General Cable Works, Ltd. — Trust deed dated

August Ifith, 11120, to s./cure iJWJ.OOO charged on certain leasehold premises,
,.nd the comp.inj's undertaking and property, present and future, including
uncalled capital. Trustees: British Trusts Association, Ltd., 32, Bishopsgate,
E.C.

CITY NOTES.

French
Companies.

Tlie S.irirfc ch's AvriiiHiilutciirs Tudnr
reports gmss iinifits .miounting to 1,0U7,(K1U
I'r. fur lUl'.l, whirh ^iiui has been mostly ap-
plied to tloliri'iiatioii, and the lialauc-e
carried forward. .\ new site has l)een acqnired at Lille for
the re-erection of the company's factory which is to be
undertaken with the co-operation of the Compagnie Gent^rale
d'Electricite.

The Societe des AiiparciUayes Electriques Grivolas reports
net profits of 982,000 fr. for 1019-20, as compared with 754,000
fr. in the preceding year. It is intended to pay a dividend
at the rate of 10 fr. per share, being the same rate as in
19LS-19; and a portion of the premium reali.sed on the last
issue of shares is to be returned to the holders of the latter
in the form of a dividend on the actual payments ah'sady
made.

The directors of the Compagnie des Foryrs et Acicries FAec-
triqtirx I'tdil (linid, reporting on the past year, .state that it
coulil be cunsiili'ied as ;i period of transition, as it was all'ected
by (iifticullies of all kinds— the trtinsport crisis, strikes, the in-
troduction of tile eight-hour day, increases in wages, the
dearness of r;iw m;iterials, and the obstacles in the way of
obtaining them, &c. In addition, it was necessary to adapt
the machinery and plant to peace manufactures and reor-
ganise the works; the final result was a loss for the year
which, however, was amply covered by the reserve funds.
Tlie new l'm;inri;il year was yielding .satisfactory results, the
Works gnidiinlly resuming their activity.

Guildford Llectricity Supply Co.. Ltd. — Total revenue for
1919 ±16,7S3, against " £10,776 for 1918; increase of i'G.OOO.
.\fter crediting depreciation fund account with ±'2,01)0, the
lialance on revenue account is £2,10.5, and after providing for
debenture and loan interest there is a net revenue balance
of i£312, which is to l)e carried forward. The connections
increased from 1,40-5 to 1,528. Tlie total co.sts were £12.677,
against £8,420 for 1918. and the gross profit was i'4.105,
against £2,35l'i. Mr. C. E. H. Master has been elected a direc-
tor in place of the late Mr. H. P..SmaIlpeice. Mr. R. H.
Piper, secretaiy imd accountant for over K! years, has re-
signed owing to ill-health.

Stock Exchange Notice. — The Connnittce has ordered the
undermentionetl to be officiallv quoted: —

Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd. — 11,000 .") |irr
cent, cumulative preference .shares of £5 each, fuUv paid,
Nos. 210,001 t(i 221.(11 10.

The Italian Pirelli Co. — .\n exlranrdiiuirv- meeiing of
Pirelli & Co., of Milan, was convened for yesterday to con-
sider a proposal for increasing the share capital, which st;iiHls
at present at Gd.OIHl.OOO lire. The amount of the projected
augmentation is not mentioned in the official notice convening
the meeting.

The 'Victoria Falls & Transvaal Power Co. — .Anieeting of
the debenture holders of this company was appointed to be
held at the ollices of the company, 2, London Wall Buildings,
on Thursday afternoon, last week, but at the time appointed
there was nut a (quorum present, therefore no resolutions
could be passed, antl the meeting was formally adjourned
fur three weeks.

Direct Spanish Telegraph Co., Ltd. — Dividend at the rate
of 10 per cent, per tiiinum on the preference shares, and an
interim dividend at the r;ite of JS per cent, per annum, free of
income tax, on the ordinary shares, for the half-year ended
•June.

Western Telegraph Co.. Ltd. — Dividend of 7s. per share,
niakinij; a total of 10 per cent., free of ta.\, for the year ended
at June.

South London Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd. — .\n in-
terim dividend of 5 per cent, per annum (2s. per share),
less lax, on ordinary for half-^ear.

Brazilian Traction, Light & Power Co. — Ouarterly divi-
dend of 1\ per cent, un cumulative preference shares.

American Telephone & Telegraph Co. — Dividend of $2
per share, less tax.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

TuKSD.w Evening.
Stock Exchange markets have taken on a brighter aspect,
it is generally held that the difficulties in the way of seiue-
luent to a coal strike are not insurmountable, and that with
both sides professedly anxious to avoid a stril-.e, some way out
will be found whereljy both the miners and production ot coal
will be assisted, in these circumstances, tue markets have
taken on a fresh lease of activity. The cautious view natur-
ally looks to the monetary outlook, and to the various elements
of disturbance at home and abroad, as being still very much
in the picture, but investors — and speculative investors as well
— are taking courage in both hands. Prices in many of the
markets are harder, nor is the improvement entu'eiy due to
professional support.

The lock-out ot the electricians which began on Monday in
this week has failed to stop recovery in various electrical
manufactiu"ing .shai'es. It seems as though the actual es'ent of
the lock-out serves rather as a stimulus, la that it brings
nearer the .settlement of the points in dispute. At any rate,
Ellisons are a better market at 20s., General Electrics have
moved up to 2«s. 3d., Engli.sh Electrics stitiened to 17s. 3d.,
Siemens to 24s., and various other small movements in the up-
ward dii-ection have occurred in such shares. The atmosphere
in the electrical trade has been charged for weeks past with
so much uncertainty, that the lock-out is deemed to be a clear-
ing of the air. That there should be a rally in prices at the
pjuticular time when a coal strike threatens appears contra-
dictory enough. Buyers, however, are attracted by the low
prices to which shares have fallen, and the stiff drop which
has taken place should certainly discount unfavourable factors.
The performance of the English Electric Co. in declaring an
8 ijer cent, dividend, at first regarded as disappointing by
those who were looking for 10 per cent, at least, is regarded
by the hopeful folk as an indication that the company will be
able to do very much better when labour conditions settle
down. The disappointment felt at the non-payment of an
intei-im dividend by the Edison-Swan Co. is tempered by
reflections concerning the future. Moreover, some of the elec-
triciil iii;inufactuiers are evidently doing well, and the report
of Royre, Ltd., show'ing an increase in profits from £8,000 in
liU'.i til i'l 1.7(10 for the twelve months to March 31st last has
not iiiisM'il ijjinoticed.

In the cable manufacturing group there is not much change.
Iron, steel and armaments are inclined to be better in sym-
pathy with the improvement in other parts of the Stock Ex-
change, and industrials as a whole are beginning to re-attract
popular attention. Babcock & Wilcox have gone back to 21.

Home i;;iilway stocks hold their ground with a good deal of
firmness, but there is little public backing to the market, and
until more definite developments have occurred in the coal in-
ilustry, it is not likely that money will go into Home Railway
issues. INIoreover, even when the strike is forgotten, its effect
upon the coal bill is bound to remain. The price movements
of the week are slight so far as electrical stocks are concerned,
and in the steam group the changes are unimportant. British
Electric Traction ordinary is lower at 32i, and the preference
al.so, at 62i, .shows a decline.

Mexican affiiirs ;ii-e once more engaging interest. The news
(bat President ( ibicgon has come into power is accepted as one
of the must bupiliil items of news that has been received for a
long time finiii the country, for the new President is a man
nf considerable wealth, and obviously it is to the interest of
capitalists thiit Mexican att'airs should be composed with as
much speed as possible. Con.sequently Mexican Government
bonds and a few of the Utilities are decidedly better on the
week. As usual, however, the rises consist principally in a
mechanical marking up of prices, comparatively little stock
changing hands. The other stix-ks in the foreign division are

344

THE ELECTBICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. No. 2,233, septembbs lo, 1920

tolerably steady, with the exception of British Columbia Elec-
tric deferred, which has gone back a couple of points to 48J.
Cordoba Liglit and Power shares fell back 9d. to 3s. The
dollar securities are well maintained at the material advances
mentioned here last week. Milwaukee Electric Fives make
almost the only exception to the general strength, the bonds
losing 2i points at 119, and Monterey Fives, at 28s. 2d., are
the only Mexicans that have given way this week. Cape
Electrics improved to lis. lOJd., and Bombay preference to 13j.

In the list of electricity supply stocks, Metropolitan 4J per
cent, debenture has lost 5i, the price Ijeing marked back to
(j'25 on the apiiearance of a small seller. Newcastle-on-Tyne
ordinary are also heavy at 16s. The London group has hardly
changed. The City of Loudon increased dividend has given
ri.se to talk of the possibility that the companies may, after all,
manage to make a better showing at the end of the year than
they did for 1919, and this consideration serves to hold prices
steady.

Calile shares are inclined to give way a little here and there.
( ireat Northerns have fallen ^1 to 20. Westerns and Globes
are Ixith easier at llj. Anglo-American Telegraph preferred
parted with the point which it put on a week ago. Marconis
are 1/16 down, but there has been a little demand for Cana-
dians at 10s. Marconi Marines keep their price at 30s. There
is not much doing in the cable market at present, and in spite
of the strength of gUt-edged investments elsewhere, the tend-
ency has been to let prices slide. Rubber shares show further
weakness on a drop to Is. 8d. per lb. in the raw material.
This is well-nigh a record low level for the produce, and \\'hy
rubber should be the only commodity to stand at a price lower
now than prevailed before the war is a most difficult question
to answer. It is safer not to consult golfers on the subject.

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

It should be remembered, in making nae of the figures appearing
in the following list, that in gome cases the prices sure only general,
and they may vary according to quantities and other circumstances.

SHARE LIST OF ELEOTBIOAL COMPANIES.

Home Elkotbioitt Coufaniks,

Dividend Price

/ ■ s Sep. 7, Yield

1918. 1919, 19-JO. Rise or (an, p.o.

Bronplan Ordinsrv 8 19 Biicd — £9 19 0

Oharlng Orose Ordinsry .... 4 7 8} — 10 16 6

do. do. do «iPret. .. H 4i n — 8 8 8

Ohelsea 3 4 i'i — 7 6 6

Oily o( London 8 10 1( — 8 17 10

do, do, eperoeni, Prei. .. 6 6 17/6 — 6 17 9

County oJ London 7 8 78 — 10 9 10

do do. 6 per cent. Fred 6 6 eg — 7 8 0

Kensington Ordinary .... 6 7 BJ — 9 0 6

London Eleotrio Nil 9) 1} — 6 0 0

do. do. 6 percent, Pret... 6 6 8 — 10 0 0

Metropolitan 6 6 9| — 10 18 0

do. 4i per cent. Prel, ..4^4^ 9;§ — 8 0 0

Bt, James' and PaU Mall . . .. 10 19 6g — 9 19

Bonth London 6 6 9i — 9 19 0

Bonth Metropolitan Pre! 7 7 17,'- — 8 4 8

Westminster Ordinary .... 8 10 6 — 10 0 0

TeLBOBAPHS AMD Telbfhokes.

Anglo-Am, Tel. Prel 6 6 79i -1 7 11 0

do. Del 83/6 li 17i - 8 11 6

Chile Telephone 8 6 6 — 'BOD

OnbaSnb. Ord 7 7 7i — '9 6 8

Eastern Extension 8 10 14) — 'B 14 4

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 149* — »6 14 4

Globe Tel. and T. Ord 8 10 Hi — i '6 14 4

do. do. Prel 6 6 84 - 119

Qreat Northern Tel 29 99 10 -1 1100

Indo Bnropean 18 10 80 — 8 6 8

Marooni 96 96 92 — ,', 9 1 ID

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 19 3^ — •4 16 0

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 6g — '6 10

West India and Panama .. .. 1/3 Nil U — Nil

Western Telegraph 8 10 14^ —i *i U i

Home Rails.

Central London Ord. Assented . . 4 4 4U.\d — 9 13 10

Metropolitan 1 11 191 — 6 6 9

do. District .. Nil nTi IB — Nil

Ondergroand Electric Ordinary.. Nil Nil IS — Nil

do. do. "A" .. Nil Nil B;- -6d. Nil

do. do. Income ..6 4 66J +1 —

FoEEioN Trams, &o.

Anglo- Arg. Trams. First Prel. .. Nil 64 Bi — 8 9 9

do. do. 9ndPrel. .. Nil Nil 8} — Nil

do. do. 6 Deb. .. 6 B 671 — B 19 6

Brazil Tractions Nil Nil 47J + i Nil

Bombay Electric Pre! 6 6 1"! + i 4 10 7

British Columbia Eleo. Rly. Ploe, 6 6 S'2i — 9 10 6

do. do. Preferrred 9i 6 48j — '7 4 4

do. do. Deferred Nil 8 43) -9 >7 4 4

do. do. Deb. .. 41 4» 65 — 7 14 7

MexlooTramse percent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 42 -f8 Nil

do. 6 per cent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 30 -fa Nil

Mexican Light Common .. .. Nil Nil 18 — Nil

do, Pref Nil Nil 93i — HI]

do, Isl Bonds.. .. Nil Nil 63 -f2 Nil

MAMorAatnBiHa CoHrAiiiEs.

Baboock 4 Wilcox 16 IB 13 — i »8 6 1

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 1/ — 10 0 0

British Insulated Ord 13) 16 fu — 8 6 6

Oallenders 96 15 U — II 8 6

„ 6) Prel 6) 6) 18/- — 7 4 6

Oastner-Kellner 90 17 8 — 6 18 4

CromptonOrd 10 10 17/6 — 11 8 6

Bdlson-Swan, " A ■' .. .. 10 10 19rJ -l-6d. 10 0 0

do. do. 6 per cent, Deb. ..66 78) — 669

Electric Construction .. ..10 10 IB/3 — 10 19 2

Qen, Blec, Prel 6) 6) 18/6 — 7 0 r,

do, Ord 10 10 S8;3 49il. '7 I 7

Henley 96 16 li — 8 11 6

do, «) Prel 4i 4) Si — 6 18 6

Indla-Rnbber 10 10 li — ^e 0 0

Hel.-Vlokem Prel — 8 2) — 7 6 9

Siemens Ord 10 10 94f- 461I. 'BBS

Telegraph Con 90 90 90 — •6 0 0

• Dividends yaid free of Income Tax,

Tuesday, September 7th.

CHEMICALS. &c.

Latest
Price.

Fortnight's
Inc. or Deo.

a Acid, Oxalic

per lb.

2/6

a Ammoniac Sal

per ton

£100

a Ammonia, Muriate (large crystal)

,,

£99

o Bisulphide of Carbon

a Borax

,,

£41

£9'dec.

a Copper Sulphate

,,

£49

a Potash, Chlorate

per lb.

1/-

a ,, Perchlorate

„

1/8

a Shellac

per cwt.

£34

a Sulphate of Magnesia

per ton

£18

a Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers

,,

£98

o ,, Lump

£96

a Soda, Chlorate

per lb.

6d.

a ,, Crystals

per ton

£19

a Sodium Bichromate, casks

per lb.

'.'.'.

METALS. &c.

g Babbitt's Metal Ingots

per ton

£lIBto £346

c Brass (rolled metal 2" to 19" basis)

per lb.

1/3J

id.dec.

c 1, Tubes (solid drawn)

l/6i to 1/6J

c ,, Wire, basis

,,

l/4i

id."uic.

c Copper Tubes (solid drawn)

,,

l/'J

g ,, Bars (best selected)

per ton

£166

g „ Sheet

,j

£166

g „ Rod

,,

£166

d „ (Electrolytic) Bars

,,

£117

£l'i'nc.

J 1, „ Sheets

,,

£168

d „ „ Wire Rods.,

,,

£133

£l'inc.

d „ „ H.C. Wire..

per lb.

1/43

id. inc.

f Ebonite Rod

,,

8/6

f „ Sheet

„

3/-

n German Silver Wire

,,

8/-

h Gutta-percha, fine

,,

14/-

A India-rubber, Para flne

,,

mi

Id.dec.

i Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ...

per ton

Nom,

/ „ Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual.

,,

£59

g Lead, English Pig

,,

£38

lOs'dec.

g Mercury

per bot.

£19 lOs. to £20

£1 dec.

e Mica (in original cases) small ...

per lb.

6d. to 4/6

e u II II medium..

,,

B/- to 10/.

g „ ,1 11 large ...

,,

12/6 to 25/- & up

g Phosphor Bronze, plain castings

„

1/6 to 1/11

g ,, 1, rolled bars and rods

„

9/9 to 2/6

d ,, ,, rolled strip & sheet

,,

a/3 to 9/9

r Silioium Bronze Wire

per lb.

2/-

id."inc.

g Steel, Magnet, in bars

,,

1/8

n Tin, Block (EngUsh)

per ton

£264 to £265

£3 to"£3 inc.

e „ Wire, Nos. 1 to 16

per lb.

4/9

White Anti-friction Metals

per ton

£80 to £335

(JuotatioDs supplied by—

a G. Boor & Co.

g James & Shakespeare,

c ThoB. Bolton & Sons, Ltd,

A Ed

ward Till & Co.

d Frederick Smith & Co.

i Boiling & Lowe.

e F. Wiggins & Sons.

/ Richard Johnson & Nephew, Ltd

/ India-Rubber, Gutta-Percha and

nP.

Ormiston & Sons

Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.

r W

F. Dennis & Co

Electricity Meters for New Zealand. — In a recent

iiJiiimiiiiicatinii to the D.U.T., IJ.M. Trade Coiumis.sioner in
Nru Zealand (Mr. K. ^V. Ualtou) gives some particulars
(ilitaiiiud from the chief electrical engineer, Puhlic Works
liepartment, Wellington, of the types of meter found suit-
aiilc lor that market. It is stated that the maximum demand
system is very suitable for hydro-electric power systems, and
would have been used more \Aidely if a cheaper and more
accurate instrument were available. The only reasonably
cheiip types are said to be wanting in accuracy. The clock-
work types are too expensive. A good serviceable maximum-
demand indicator, costing, say, £i to £i without wattmeter,
or £-i to £ti with wattmeter dial as well as maximum-demanil
dial, would find a ready sale.

A satisfactory commercial maximum-K.v.A. meter suitable
for service on demands of 5 up to 500 K.v.'.^., graduated for
4(.I0 volts, 3,300 volts, and 11,000 volts is required. -So far
no suitable instrument for measuring maximum k.v.a. has
been available, and consequently it is necessary to take the
maximum kilowatts averaged over half an hour and deduce
therefrom the maximum k.v..a. from the power factor ob-
served during heavy loads. This system is obviously unsatis-
factory if a suitable maximum-K.v.A. or maximum-current
measuring instrument is available.

The standard frequency for New Zealand is 50 cycles.

.X copy of the latest scale of charges has been forwarded,
and may be seen by British firms on application to the inquiry
room at the Department, at 3-J. Old Queen Street, quoting
l).O.T./'2"218/ED. According to this four rates arc in opera-
tion, viz.. Rate A. a fixed rate for domestic and farm service;
Hate R, a two-rate system for domestic purposes; Rato. C,
meter rate for general purposes; and Rate D, maximum
diMiiand for general purpnse.s. ( )f the w bolesale rates the
most popular is Kate D based on maximum k.v.a. ijeinand,
and a large number of consumers will come on this rate in
the (Canterbury and W^aikato districts.

The chief eleitrical engineer will be glad to hear from
firms otTering purely Briti.<;h material likely to be of use for
the above purposes.— B.O. IT. Journal.

Tol.87. No. 2,233, September 10, 1930.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

346

THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION— III.

A Portable Direct=reading Anemometer for the Measure^
ment of Ventilation of Coal Mines.

By Prof. J. T. MacGregor-Morris, M.I.E.E.
Section G. — Engineering.

At the Dundee meeting of the British Association in 191'2 the
iiuthor read a paper entitled " The Electrical Measurement
(if Wind Velocity," and showed certain experiments illustrat-
ing the application of the principles involved. Suhseciuently,
in order to ohtaiu correct measurements of the velocity of air
at variou.s atmospheric temperatures, it Ijecame necessary to
introduce a moditication of the method lirst described.

The principle which is utilised in the apparatus which is the
subject of this paper may best be illustrated in the following
manner : When a length of thin wire in air is heated by the
passage of an electric current of constant strength, the wire
attains a steady temperature in a second or two. Heat is then
being taken away from the wii-e, by the motion of the ati-
passing it, at the same rate as that at which it is receiving
fieat from the electric current, and the rise in temperature
will be the smaller the higher the velocity of the air. This
fact can be utihsed to determine the rate at which the au"
is passing. Generally speaking, when a wire changes in tem-
perature its length changes, as does also its electrical resist-
ance. Either of these two effects can be used. In many
ways the change of length would be simpler to use, but owing
to the minuteness of the change of length it is probably better
to use the change in electrical resistance. To obtain the same
magnitude of effect mechanically, a wire w-ould require to
double in length when raised to a temperature of 400 deg. P.
or 50*J deg. P. However, as the principle of the instrument
about to be described may be more easily grasped by some
mechanically, the following crude mechanical model (fig. 1)
is put forward.

-Diagram of Principle.

Pour thin wires a, b, c, and d, each of the same length,
are arranged as shown, and a constant electric current is
maintained liowing through the two paths in parallel ab and
id, entering at x and leaving at Y ; () and c are enclosed in,
but not touching, two thin-walled metal tubes which shielil
these two wires from the cooling effect of the moving air.
The other two wires a and d are fully expo.sed to the air.
If the material of the wires is such (say, for example, iron)
that an appreciable change of length takes' place w'ith change
of temperature, then the gi'eater the velocity of the wind
blowing upon the apparatus, the .shorter the wires a and d
will become, whilst wires b and c remain practically unaltered
in temperature, and cinsecjuently in length also. \ pointer,
made of insulating material, connecting the junction of a
and b with the junction of c and d will move over to the right
as the velocity of the wind increases.

Such apparatus as this of necessity gives, for low velocities,
a more open scale than for higher velocities. Consider, for
instance, the case of a wire for w'hich the temperature eleva-
tion above tlie atmospheric temperature is reduced to half
by a wind velocity of three miles per hour, then any further
increase of velocity, no matter how great, can do no more
than reduce the temperature to that of the atmosphere.
Such an instrument would, therefore, have the three miles
per hour mark half-way across the scale, whilst a hundred
miles per hour or more would only double the reading. This
shows that the apparatus in this form is mainly suited to the
measurement of low velocities, say, up to 10 miles per hour
or |)erhaps '20 miles per hour.

We now turn from the method of using the change of length
with temperature, to that of utilising the change of resistance
with temperature, and then the only alteration which we
have to make is that of replacing the insulating pointer con-
necting the junction of a and b to that of c and d with a
sensitive voltmeter or galvanometer. This arrangement then
constitutes the well-known Wheatstone bridge. In both the
mechanical and the electrical models it is obviously essential
that the current through (or the voltage applied to) the bridge
be maintained constant, as variations in these quantities
seriously affect the indications of the pointer in the mechanical
model, and the voltmeter in the electrical arrangement.

In the present paper attention is confined to the
development of a practical fonn of portable anemometer
for use in coal mines. A consideration of the materials avail-
able siiLTLrcsts the use of platinum, nickel, or tungsten. Plati-
inmi. though in many respects suitable, is hardly robust
enough to stand the kind of treatment it is likely to receive.

Nickel is good if extreme care is taken in its selection. Simi-
larly, excellent results have been obtained with tungsten.
Thei'e are many points which call for considerable experience,
in the choice and the handling of these wires, in the soldering
and the adjustment of tension, and in other matters, including
the elimination of errors due to thermoelectricity. In the
apparatus about to be described a very special nickel wire
has lieen used having an electrical resistivity temperature
coefKcient of 0.474 per cent, per deg. 0. reckoned on '20 deg. C.
The whole apparatus is entirely contained in a box measur-
ing 10 in. by (ij in. by 7 in. deep and weighs 13i lb. com-
plete. It is illustnitcil in the accompanying figure '2.

Pig. 2. — Portable Dii'.kct-rkadiiVo Anemometer,

The pair of expo.sed .sensitive heated wires, the enclosing tubes
for the other pair of wires, and the thermometer which
together form the anemometer head (shown diagrammatically
in section in fig, 3) are carried by the ebonite handle, and
are shown on the right in front. Tlie protecting cage (which
has been removed only for the purpose of showing the details)
will be seen at the back. The recess in the box underneath
the indicating instrument holds the anemometer head and
the connecting length of flexible when the instrument is not
in use. The two-volt accumulator will be seen on the left,
and behind it the switch for connecting the battery by a
tm-n of the key. In the centre the indicating instrument is
seen with its pointer deflected half-way across the .scale,
which is illuminated, if need be, Ijy means of a small shielded
electric lamp carried in an overhanging holder. There are
two switch handles on the right, the one m front being a
rheostat handle for adjusting the voltage applied to the bridge
to the correct value for the particular air temperature, this
adjustment bemg made when using the indicating instru-
ment as a sensitive voltmeter, the switch handle at the back
being placed on the right-hand .stud marked " standardise,"

Prcteetiivg

LirectCcn
of Air FLo\

Exposed Wire

Via. 3. — Section Throikih .'Anemometer Head,

After this adjustment, which takes only a few seconds, has
been made, the switch handle is thrown over to the left-hand
stud marked " anemometer," when the pointer of the measur-
ing instrument swings to a reading giving the velocity of the
air passing the anemometer head in miles per hour. There
is a simple but effective device which only allows of the box
being closed if the needle of the indicator has been clamped,
and, should the battery by acci<lent be left on, it is auto-
matically switched off by tlie action of closing the box.

To obtain the be.st results, the anemometer head should be
held at arm's length with one of the two Uttle brass screws
at the top of the ebonite handle facing in the direction of
the wind, and the checking of the standardisation at the
right temperature should uatur;dly be looked to at intervals.

As the instrument has such an open scale near its zero,
it is very exceptional to find it indicating zero velocity, as
it easily gives an indication for a velocity of one-twentieth
of a mile per hour, and probably even a fifth of this would
give a measurable indication. In its present form, however,
its liest range is from i mile per hour up to, say, 5 miles
per hour. Movements of air, which it is quite impossible for
one to feel are indicated by it. Tlie calibration curve of one
of these instruments is given in fig. 4.

As the indication of this class of instrument is dependent
on mass flow, and, therefore, on the temperature of the air
stream, an error comes in if the temperature alters, hut for

846

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,233, September 10, 1920.

practical purposes this can be automatically compensated
for by an adjustment of the voltage on the bridge. Hence,
there are certain temperature index marks on the scale, whicli
show the proper po.sition for the indicator tor these tempera-
tures of the air .stream when standardising. (The maximum
temperature reached in jjractically all E'nglish mines is not
more than Ho deg. Fahr., though in exceptional cases it may
reach 95 deg. Fahr.) It is important that the standardising
adjustment should be done with care, as the indications are
dependent on the cube (or more nearly 2.8th power) of the
voltage applied to the bridge. The effect of water-vapour in
the air on the indications of such instruments might be
expected to be very considerable, but the experiments of
Ivennelly, and later, those of -J. S. G. Thomas, have conclu-
sively shown that such effect is negligible. Thomas has
shown that saturating air with water-v:ipour does not affect
the indications by 1 per cent.

IS:

1^ ec

-—

-

'^:

^

—

S

/

/

-■

/

•?•

S5<-

f

1

1

1

Miles per Hour

Fifi. 4. — Cai.ibr.wrin CiUiVK.

The present apparatus has the ('(jllowing jiuints of note : —

1. It is portable and contained in one box.

2. It gives a reading directly in miles per liour, and the
variations can be followed.

3. The precision attainable with ordinary use is higher than
with existing apparatus.

4. It is a simple matter to check approximately the indica-
tions of the instrument.

The author is indebted to the Cambridge and Paul Instru-
ment Co., Ltd., tor many minor points in the design of the
portable instrument which materially contribute towards
rendering it a practical portable instrument. He desires
especially to thank Sir Horace Darwin and Mr. R. S. Whipple
for their .share in the work, and Dr. Thornton for useful in-
formation in connection with its application to woi'k in mines.

Third Kepurt o( Committee Appointed for the Investigation
of Fuel Economy, &c.

(Ah.irart.)
Hrctioii B. — Chcmistrii.
The Committee, constituted as follows: Prof. \V. .\. Bone
(Chairman), Mr. H. James Yates (Vice-Chairman), Mr. Pvobert
Mond (Secretary), Mr. A. H. Barker, Prof. P. P. Bedson, Dr.
VV. S. Boulton, Mr. E. Bury, Prof. W. E. Dalby, Mr. E. V.
Evans, Dr. W. Galloway, Sir Robert Hadfield, Bart., Dr. H. S.
Hele-Shaw, Mr. D. H. Helps, Dr. G. Hickling, Mr. D. V.
IloUingvvorth, Mr. \. Hutchinson, Principal G. Knox, Prof.
Henrv Louis, Mr. II. M. Morgans, Mr. \V. II. Patchell, Mr.
A. T. Smith, Dr. -J. E. Stead, Mr. 0. E. Stromever, Mr. G.
Blake Walker, Sir .Toseph Walton. M.P., Prof. W. W. Watts,
Mr. W. B. Woodliouse, anti Mr. C. H. Wordingham, has held
iiltogether six meetings since its reappointment last year, and
is investigating (inter aJin) the following matters: —

(ii) The present official nn-thods of arriving at coal mining
statistics (e.(/., output of (-(jmI, \-c.) in this and otln'r roiil
producing countries.

((/) The eflect of the war uji-m the Briti.sh coal export trade.

(c) The chemical constitution of coal.

{(J) The low temperature carbonisation of coal.

(c) The thermal efficiencies at present attainable (i) in the
carbonisation and gasifu-aticm of coal by various .systems, (ii)
in domestic lires and heating appliances, (iii) in metallurgical
and other furnaces, (iv) in steam rai.sing and power produc-
tion, and (v) with regard to the generation of electricity in
public stations.

(/) Sources of supply of liquid fuels.

Although the Committee has made satisfactory progress with
its inquiries in certain directions during the past year, both
tnnf and opiiurluuity have been wanting for completing them.
'i'lie in. r ht i;.|iort, therefore, is of an interim nature, but the
('iHiiniii In- li(i|ics to report mine fully on the above matters to
the J'jdinliurgh meeting of the Association next year.

According to information kindly furnished to the Committee
liy the Statistical Department of the Board of Trade, the total
output of coal in the L'nited Kingdom during the year 1919 has
been provisionally estimated at 2"i9,lJ(J8,U0U tons, and the total
output per person employed (below and above ground) in the
mines at 197.5 tons.

Owing to abnormal circumstances during the period of coal
contiol, it is difficult to give strictly comparable figures for
the average pithead prices of coal in the years immediately pre-
ceding and following (respectively) the war. According to
official estimates .supplied by the Statistical Department of the
Board of Trade, the pithead prices per ton of coal rai.sed in
J9i:ii, and in Julv 1919, re.siiectivelv, were approximately as
follows:— Average for 1913, 10s. IJd.; on Julv Kith, 1919,
2(;s. OJd.

In the report recently made to the Prime Minister by Messrs.
.Mfred Tongue & Co., chartered accountants, of Manchester
and Glasgow (Cmd. .»5), it was estimated that the average
cost per ton of coal raised in British mines during the year
ending Miirch :31st, 19-iO. was 27s. 3Jd. It would thus appear
that the pithend co.st of coal has been nearly trebled as the
result of the war.

Dviring the year con.sideral)le progress has been made with
the researches on the chemistry of coal under the direction of
Prof. Bone at the Fuel Laboratories at the Imperial College of
Science and Technology, fin-ther details of which will be pub-
lished .shortly.

Appendix I (Memorandum upon Coal Mining Statistics),
touches upon the methods in vogue in different countries
of computing coal production. The varying systems eir»-
ployed in this country make it impossible to difl'erentiate
definitely between the coal mined (including dirt. &c.) and the
actual weight sold. Appendix II consists of two tables. The
first (a) shows the number of tons of coal exported from the
rnited Kingdom yearly from 1913 to 1919 inclusive. TTie
figures show that the total tonnage exported dropped from
73.4IKi,118 in 1913 to 35,249,.568 last year. Tlie second table
(li) .shows the various districts of the United Kingdom and
the amount of coal exported yearly from 1913 to 1919 inclusive.

Appendix III is a meiAorandum upon the Skinningrove pro-
cess for the production of alcohol from coke-oven gas. It
gives a brief outline of the process devised by Messrs. Bury
A ( )llaiider for the removal of ethylene from debenzolised coke-
oven gas and its conversion into ethyl alcohol, an account of
whidi aiipeared in the ELECTRICAL Rr.viRW for .\ugust 13th,
192(1.

Discussion.

Prof. W. A. Bone, in introducing the report, referred to the
establishment of the Committee in 1SKJ5 at the Newcastle meet-
ing and the work done during the past year, as outhued in the
report. Although we were approaching a coal crisis which
might have very far-reaching effects, the Committee was not
concerned with what might be called the pohtical aspect of the
situation, although the figures which had been collected in the
report would have a bearing upon the question now in di.spute.
Having outlined the contents of the report, he said that it
was lioped at the Edinburgh meeting next year to present a
fuller report upon all the matters touched upon in the present
report, especially with regard to the methods of arriving at the
data concerning coal outputs, &c.

An important matter which the Committee had been con-
cerned with during the year was the question of the future
standards of gas supplies in this country. During the war the
question was raised whether the gas undertakings should
not be allowed greater liberty than they had had in the
past in deciding the quality of gas which they might distri-
bute. In the early 'eighties, the practice of generating water
gas by the action of steam upon the resultant coke after car-
bonisation of the coal began to come in, and since the 'eighties
some of the gas undertakings had been in the habit of mixing
a certain proportion of water gas with the straight coal gas.
They were limited in the proportion by two considerations, iie
first by the fact that in the old days there was an illuminating
power standard, and, secondly, by various economical factors.
It was now claimed by the industry that gas could he
iheapened if they were allowed to go in for complete gasifica-
tion of the coal, i.e., they woul.l start by carbonising part of
the coal and then convert the coke, or a very large propor-
tion of it. into water gas, mixing the two gas supplies and dis-
tributing a mixed water and coal gas.

The gas industry, however, was claiming to he free and
above all restrictions, and on that point the B.A. Committee
could not agree.

Mr. Cosmo Jones said he was in agreement with Prof. Bone
on the question of the chemical composition of gas. In fur-
naces, for instance, it was of the utmost importance that cer-
tain chemical lliiiils should be followed. It might be that when

Vol. 87. No. 2,233, septmibeb 10, 1920.] THE ELECTBICAL REVIEW.

M1

burning ga3 in mantles another composition might be per-
mitted. Certainly a limitation was desirable m the case of
gas used for industrial purposes. Great success had been
claimed in .-Imerica with colloidal fuel, and it was particularly
important to the anthracite urea ot youth Wales, where large
quantities of fine anthracite coal had accumulated, which was
very high in fixed carbon. These accumulations were near the
spot where the Anglo Persian Oil Co. was erecting its huge
refineries, and it seemed a place where the study of colloidal
fuel might be taken up.

Mr. A. J. C.4RTER emphasised the necessity for keeping a
control on the gas undertakings with regard to impurities.

Dr. EDG.4R Stanskield said that, coming from Canada, he was
extremely interested in hearing the account of the work of the
British Association Fuel Economy Committee. In Canada they
were working on similar lines and similar problems, although
on a very small scale. The problems there were as big as they
were in Great Britain, but unfortunately there were very few
workers to take them up. The Canadian Government w;is
dealing with the problem of fuel economy, and in conjunction
with the provincial Governments was tackhng the question of
the utilisation of lignites. A big plant was being erected in
Southern Saskatchewan for the low temperatine carbonisation
and briquettiiig of lignites, whilst a Peat t'ommittee was work-
ing on a big scale. With regard to colloidal fuel, he had had
the pleasure of meeting the inventor who had done a lot of
work on the suspension of carboni.sed lignite in oil, and had
found it quite an easy thing to do. The pos.sibilities of the
process were very great.

Mr. S. R. Ili.ino WORTH said that when the Committee was
dealing with the question of export trade, he hoped it would
use every endeavour to cia.ssify coals into particular species, as
far as possible.

Sir KoBERT Robertson .said he was greatly interested in tlie
work being done with regard to the production of alcohol at
the Skinningrove Ironudiks. He could only hope that the
quantity of alcohol hoped for from these works, which was
about one-tenth of the total used in this country at the present
time, would materialise.

Dr. IjANDEk said that although he was an official of the Fuel
Research Board, he wished to make it clear that he was speak-
ing in his personal and private capacity. The consumers were
represented at the conference by chemists and technical people
from the large steel works, railway companies, &c., and also
from the Consumers' Association, which had been a very active
body and assisted greatly during the war in bringing this
matter to a head.

Prof. Bone briefly answered the que.stions raised.

Steam Action in Simple Nozzles.

By Prof. A. L. Mki.lvnhv, D.Sc, and .Mr. W. Kerr, A.R.T.C.

{Abstract.)

«SVrh'i)i! 0. — Engineering.

The paper gives an exposition of a simple method of dealing
with variants in " straight " nozzle expan,sion. The problem
of the expansion of a Huid through a nozzle is one of out-
standing practical importance and of gi'eat theoretical interest.

Cousideiatjon of the main difficulties in nozzle How can only
be achieved by a study of the internal jet conditions which
result from the varying boundary and fluid conditions impu.sed.

In taking a general view of the extensive experimental wnrk
on this subject the observer is struck by the restriction of
method in the more comprehensive researches to one, or a
combination of two. out (jf three main methods. The.se
methods are : Determination of tiow, of reaction and of im-
pact. In addition some experiments have been made by the
" search tube " method, in which the pressure fall along the
jet is observed. The.se are, however, of minor extent, and
have only resulted in more or less confusing curves of pressure
Variation. Of flow measurements little more can be said than
that they determine the flow in the individual cases examined.

Reaction determinations would seem to be of di.stinct value
in arriving at total efliciencies of expansion. The method,
however, provides " overall " information only, and fails en-
tirely to give any indication of internal efl'ects. It might be
imagined that comprehen.sive research of this type could deter-
mine the influence of, .say. entry curve on the expansion, by
dealing with nozzles having this as a variable factor of form.
But this is not so. since change of entry could, and may, alter
the conditions of flow in the following parts, and the result,
as obtained, would only show the lialance of change.. .A.gain,
the reaction eHects are u.su.illv based on the expansion ratio
of exhaust and supply pressures, but it is hy no means certain
that the range of the actual nozzle operations, on which the
reaction depends, is in exact agreement therewith. It would
seem necessary to accompany this determination with a
measurement of the exact action range of the nozzle itself.

The measurement of impact efl'ect is probably of use for
direct application to turbine work, but as a method of pure
research on nozzles it is hardly satisfactory. Like the reaction
method it is of the " overall " type, but it has the additional
demerit that it includes in its consideration any occurrence
beyond the nozzle mouth, since the impact plate cannot be
made coincident with the outlet.

Both reaction and impact processes are methods of search
for the jet energy.

-\U tnings considered the impact method seems less sound ■
tlian the reaction as an examination of the expansion efficiency
oi the nozzle itself. Detailed ob.servation of the action in the
free space would be necessary to relate the two ditierent results
and since this may be affected by various accidental factors it
IS unlikely that the relationship would be finite and general.

The " search tube " method is entirely one of internal ex-
amination, but it only serves to determine one of the factors
involved, and is therefore, of itself, insufficient. But it would
seem necessary to believe that some such process should be
an essential part of a nozzle research scheme. This pressure
measurement is the simplest of the " internal " methods,
temperature observations are troublesome to obtain, and are
perhaps less valuable, while velocity or density determinations
present many difficulties.

it has seemed desirable to discover how much information
could be extracted from experiments combining the simplest
of the " internal " methods with the simplest of the " over-
all " methods, i.e., " prcssure-tlow " experiments. No doubt
further comlnnation with the reaction method would be still
more valuable, but tliis would lead to complications rather
undesirable at lirst, and, indeed, such developments could
a fiord to await the demonstration of their necessity.

The present paper outlines the uiethod of analysis and
discusses general points arising therefrom.

ihe point universally recognised in nozzle action is the
existence of a critical pressure, imposing a definite throat con
dition and minimum cross section for maximum flow. T'lie
ratio of this pressure to the pressure of supply is readiiy
evolved from tlie equations of perfect expansion, being ..54l)
for superheated (or supersaturated) steam and, approximately,
.5H for wet .steam. Of course, the actual expansion is imi^er-
fect, but this is not customarily supposed to affect the throat
condition to any appreciable degree.

Now it has to be realised that the flow of a gas into and
through a nozzle is liable to adventitious influences arising
anywhere in the jet length. Thus, too fine an entry, too quick
a curve, too large a throat, a wire edge, inconvenient path of
appz'oach, errors in the divergence and faults on the boundary
surfaces would all have their due effects at the points where
they occur; and these effects would have their influence on the
actual flow, on the jet form and on the expansion law.

A constant efficiency is an unlikely condition in nozzle ex-
pansion, since the potential value of a fault in nozzle form,
area or finish is manifestly dependent on its position. The
conclusion is, therefore, reached that in order to study possible
variations in the internal conditions of a jet, any kind of
expansion must be envisaged, and a special form relegated to
its proper place as merely one type, and not as a permissil)le
approximation to all types. Consequently it is desirable to
develop a suuple method capable of embracing widely different
expansion types.

A series of equations is given in the original paper from
which to obtain the desired method of calculating expansion
for various types of nozzles, and conditions to he observed in
the study of particular forms are laid down.

Decimal Coinage.

By H. AU.COCK, M.I.E.E. (.Ihxtnict.)

Section F. — Kconntnicn.

On Tuesday. August '24th, Mr. Harry Allcock, M.I.E.E.,
read a criticism of the Majority Report of the Royal
Commission on Decimal Coinage. He attributed the failure
of the Commission to .solve the problem to differences
between the advocates of reform rather than to any opposition
to the principle. Two Bills were before the Commission, one
pi-oposing to decimalise the pound sterling, and the other to
create a new unit of 1(10 halfpence; at least 15 of the 'Al com-
missioners clearly preferred to decimalise the pound, but
they could not all see their way to support the former Bill
owing to its effect on the present penny— the same difficulty
that has blocked the way for a century. The penny, however,
requires alteration quite apart from the decimal question; its
value is now loo low, and the next stage, Ud., besides in-
volving the use of two coins and compelling the (iovernment
to mint last year over three times the normal quantity of
copper coins, is an unnecessarily high value. The penny is
nierclv a token, representing 1/-24U of a pound, and the
Government could declare that in future it should represent
1/-2II0 of a pound, thus relieving the shortage of coppers,
hastening the reduction of prices (from 1..5d. to the new-
penny worth ].2d.). and removing the only obstacle to the
decimalisation of the pound. This alteration would raise the
value of all copper coins in circulation by 20 per cent., but the
values of the existing notes and silver coins relative to the
pound would remain unchanged, and the shilling would repre-
sent 10 new pence. By sub.sequently reducing the value of the
farthing by 4 per cent, to represent 1 mil, the decimahsation
of the £ would be completed. The halfpenny would become
•2i mils, and a nickel coin of 2 new pence =10 mils would he
issued, the present 3d. piece being withdrawn.

Every countrv in the world outside the British Empire, and
some within it." have decimalised their coinage, and it is high
time that we shared in the advantages of the decimal system.

348

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,233, septembbb 10, 1920.

ELECTRICITY IN THE GERMAN ARMY.

By Major T. RICH, O.B.E.

[Ciiittinuci!

Low Pressure Outdoor Circuits. — Stranded l>are iron, usually
50 sq. mm. (about 19/15), was largely used for low-pressure
village distriiDution. A certain amount of 100 sq. mm. wire has
been found. In most places where lighting previously existed,
the copper was taken down and replaced by stranded iron.
(Jwing to the reduction in power load in towns and villages,
the load on pre-war distributing mains was often much luwei-
than in peace time, and workshops were generally arranged
with special transformers to avoid the use of long low-pressure
mains.

A number of towns, for instance, Solre-le-Chateau, neai-
Maubeuge, «hich previously had gas only, were supplied with
electric light, and in newer installations, for instance in West

from p. 300.)

galvanised iron. A small quantity of badly galvanised cable
has been found at depots, but the bulk of the mains examined,
which have been in place for three to five years, show very
little sign of corrosion.

Tlie poles u.sed for 45,000-volt lines were usually 10-m.
(33 ft.) and 11-m. (30 ft.) long, about 18 to 22 cm. (7 to « in.)
diameter at the top, and 22 to 30 cm. (8 to 12 in.) at the butt.
'Ihese poles were barked, and usually tarred at the butt
liefore being placed in position. A large proportion of them
came from Gennany by rail. A special circular letter has
been found forbidding the use of these large poles for 15,000-
volt circuits or other work. With aluminium wire the span
of these 45,000-volt lines varied up to nearly 70 metres. They
were .strung comparatively tightly, with anchor posts about
every two kilometres. Although no earth wire was used,
very little disturbance from lightning was experienced in the
nurthcin area on these lines. Figs. 2 and 3 show the general
construction. The design of channel cross anns used was
devel(jped in Germany .shortly before the war began.

A certain number of 30,(lOO-volt insulators were found, pre-
sumably intended for work in the southern area.

Practically all the new branch circuits at 15,000 volts and
under were arranged with coach-screw, swan-neck stalks.

CHAKUVtUE p

Jfdjns lit Umer voJtd^
conmct most of the
awiiJT Bowtr stilt ions
with the :ffstem.

Fir,. 1. — Power Fines .at 45.0(10 volts in thk GccnpiRn Zhxr.

Belgium, where 220/380 volts was used, low-presi5ure mains
over 1 km. long have been found. Transformers have nt
times been placed on the road between two villages.

Farge telegraph insulators on coach-screw swan-neck stalks
were the rule, screwed to rough imbarked poles or cemented
into the walls of houses. Small porcelain inlet tubes were
used to take the wires into the houses, conuection being made
usually through aerial fuses.

Fio. 2.- ST.ANiiMin Cro.9s-.4rm for 45,OOi)-voi,t Powfi; Finf,.

High-prr.asurc Lines and hisiihitors. — In a number of cases
the copper in existing high-pressure aerial mains was taken
down and replaced by aluminivnn or iron. The newer 45,000-
volt ti'unk mains were mostlv arranged with 120-sq. mm.
aluminium. Some of the la.OtIo, 10.CK)0, ami 5,000-volt trunk
mains were of aluminium. Most of the branch mains were
arranged with 10, 25, 35, or 50-square millimetre 7 ur 19 strand

Fic. 3.— Anchor Po.st j-ihi 45.oOO-vo[.t Fixe.

and in most cases unbarked forest timber was used for poles
(fig. 6). The spans were froju 35 to .50 meti-es. The conduc-tor
wa.s usually placed on the inner side of the insulator, not in
the top groove, so that if the binding wire gave way it would
fall into the swan-neck. Tiees when in a convenient po.sition
were frequently used to support insulators up to 15,000 volts
dig. 7). Ordinary line insulators on swan-neck stalks were
used as terminals; shackle insulators were never used. Pole
roofs were not used, although the tops of poles were some-
limes tarred. Insulators both high and low-pressure were
arranged with an internal thread. The stalks were made of
square bar reduced to circular section inside the insulator,
with several diagonal cuts opposite the insulator threads.
The insulators were usually fixed on to the stalk by screwing
on to a circular cap of corrugated bitumcnised paper; this
made a very solid fixture. The insulators were white and
green ; those above 6,0(X) volts were usually made in two
pieces, separately tested and then cemented. .-Mthough there
was not the same shortage of zinc in (Germany as there was
in the United Kingdom, practically all the high-pressure,
low-pressure, and telegraph insulators had painted uugal-
vanised stalks.

Use of Iron Wire. — Tlie experience of the Germans coupled
with that of the French .Aiiny and California power coni-
I)anies tends to show that the use of iron wire for high-
luessure circuit* does not involve the inconveniences that
would appear at first sight.

When one or two villages have to be supplied at 11,000 or
15,000 volts, it is impossible on branches of average length and

Vol.87. No. 3,233, SEPTEMBER 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

849

capacity to cut down the section of ii copper \Aiie to that
necessary for economic reasons, owing to the lack of mechani-
cal strength. For example, the current per conductor to give
30 kilovolt-amperes at 15,000 volts is 1.2 amperes, and for a
branch 3 km. long a copper wire of 22 or ^i S.W.G. would
be of ample capacity. Such a line would hardly stand a

amount of 3,000-volt and 5,000-volt cable was laid in forward
areas. Large quantities of cable were taken up in France and
Belgium and sent to Germany. As a general rule, where
tlupUcate cables were originally in place one was taken away.
It is generally assumed that a high-pressure cable cannot be
used again with safety after it has been taken up, but ex-

Fio. •!.— Stock oi' PoMvS and Ckoss-akm^
(jEUMAN Military 4.j,(XKI-volt

AT .Jki'-Miint hjr
Link.

Fig. .5.— Gkhman 4">.i««i \.

SthANDED Al.L.MlM

I I ,i\i \sh .\nchor Polu;
M LiMO 1-20 sy. M^f.

heavy storm of rain. A single or stranded iron wire would
meet a case of this kind.

It has been found that provided the wire is stranded to
reduce eddy-current losses, and the current per strand is
reduced to not more than about 1 ampere, the heating losses
and voltage drop in the conductor will not materially exceed

Fig. 6.— Branch Line Construction, ur to 1.5,000 voM's.

those to be expected witli a copper conductor of the same
ohmic resistance.

Telegraph, Telephone, and Road Urossinys. — These were in
most cases arranged by placing the poles close together and
supporting a net of galvanised ix'on wire on an angle-ii-on

perieucc in Germany with armoured cables which have been
laid directly in the earth tends to show that the fear is largely
groundless. Notes in the American technical Press tend to
confirm this.

Power Stations. — As far as information goes, opposite the
British sector no power stations of any size were put up by
the Germans. Auxiliary 3-phase power stations were put up
opposite the Fi-ench sector near Anor and Mont d'Origny,
and a power station in Alsace was enlarged. Every effort was
made to interconnect existing public power and private min-
ing stations.

An auxiliary steam power station of 125 k.v.a. on a railway
truck was stationed at Erquelines, near Maubeuge. This
station contained a 3,000-volt generator, belt-driven by a
steam locomobile engine fitted with forced draught and a jet
conden.ser for u.se when canal w'ater was available. A step-up
transformer to a 15,000-volt sw'itchboard, automatic oil
switches, and three sets of outlet insulators made it possible
to supply three 15,(X)0-volt circuits. The lay-out of a portable
station of this voltage inside the Continental rolling gauge
is a matter of some ingenuity. Several smaller power stations
on railway wagons were found. One of 34 KW., 220 volts, 3-
phase, with a locomobile steam engine, was arranged to drive
by means of a direct-coupled motor a multi-blade reciprocat-
ing log saw on a second truck. With the aid of this plant
the power station could be taken on the rails into a forest,
and logs passed through the saw-mill truck and placed direct
on fiat trucks for dispatch. This plant was arranged in the
State railway work.shop in Berlin in 1914.

Transformers and Siib-stationt!. — At the beginning of the
war most of the transformers used were those requisitioned
in Fiance and Belgium, but apparently in 1915 a certain num-
ber of 3-pha.se transformers with special windings were sent
to the northern section of the Western Front. These were
arranged with the high-pressure windings in two sections
per phii.se, which could be placed in series or parallel (fig. 10).
When the two windings were placed in parallel and the phases

Fig. 7.— Tree used to carry
10,000-voLT Line.

ViG. 8.— EoAD Crossing for
15,000-VOLT Line.

Pig. 9.— Method of Crossing
Overhead Line.

frume. fig. 8.. In some instances an inverted net was placed
over the wires to be protected, fig. 9. Road crossings were
sometimes arranged by doubling the wires and insulators or
doubling the insulators.

Cables. — Comparatively Uttle high-pressure underground
cable was laid in the sector between Laon, Spa, Antwerp, and
Knocke. Lidirect information has been received that a certain

connected in mesh, the transformer could be used on 5,000
volts: when in mesh with windings in series, on 10,000 volts;
and with the aid of a tapping with series windings and a star
connection, the tran,?former could be connected to 15,000-volt'
mains.

The windings were connected by means of a 3-way con-
troller, with the fingers mounted on a hard-wood frame, the

350

THE ELECTEICAI' REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. s,233, septbmbbb lo, 1920.

\vhole being immerBed in oil in the transformer tank, and
operated by means of a key-handle from outside. These
transformers must have been very useful in the area between
^'alenc•iennes, Douai, and Lens, where 5,(X)0, 10,()00, and
15,000-volt mains are to be found close together.

A certain number of interconnecting transformers -nere
received from Germany to enable interchange of power from
different circuits; for instance, at Flines les Raches a trans-
former of 1,000 KW., 1.5.000 to 5,000 volts, -nas installed, and
somewhat similar transformer stations were arranged at
Bruges Steel Works, Henin Lietard and el.sewhere. A number
of 2 and 3-k.v.a., 15.00(1-volt, single phase transforniers and

the ampere capacity per conductor to a minimum with iron
wires, the wisdom of this choice of voltage can be seen. The
Germans in 1918 began to use single-phase transformers off
:i-phase circuits to supply small villages and depots with light.
The same system had been also adopted successfully by the
E.E. at Havre and by the French in the Vosges. The low-pres-
.sure windings of practically all transformers u.sed to supply
low-pressure lighting and power systems direct were star-
connected, with, in most stations exiimined, the neutral point
earthed direct.

Tlie low-pressure windings of a large number of German-
made transformers were arranged in star-zig-zag. This wind-

?, !,r

10.— HiGH-riiEssuRK Connections of German
Teansfoemer.

Fiu. 11. — Low-pressure Zig-zag
Winding ov 3-i'hase Tuansformer.

a number of 3 and 5-k.v.a., 3-phase, 15,000-volt ones have been
found. These sizes have up to recently been considered very
small in capacity for -the voltage used. Experience during
tile war has tended to show that as far as the size, equip-
ment, and capital cost of power lines and sub-stations are
concerned a ]5.(XH1-volt line differs very little from one at
3,300 or 0,000 volts. Above about 15,000 volts the cost and
operating difficulties increase rapidly.

When it is remembered that the capacity of a line with
equal losses is as the square of the voltage, for instance a
15.000-volt line has 25 times the capacity of one at 3.000 volts,
and taking into consideration the nece.ssity for cutting down

ing, tig. 11, ha.s been used considerably on the Continent,
but is hardly knoun in the United Kingdom and America ;
in comparison with the normal mesh connection, it gives the
advantage of the larger conductor and reduced voltage to
earth, without the same danger due to disturbances and vari-
able voltage ratios which are sometimes found w'ith plain star-
star connections.

These advantages are accentuated with small transformers,
and those likely to be connected to a power line through fuses
alone, without the use of an automatic oil switch, which would
cut out all the pha.ses in case of a fault on one phat«.
{To be continued.)

A THEORY OF METALLIC ARC WELDING.

In the .summer of 1918 the Welding Conuuittee of the United
States Emergency Fleet Corporation initiated an investiga-
tion of metallic arc welding in which special attention was
to be given to the determination of the cause and nature
of the transmission of metal from an electrode to a plate.
A research of this character was conducted in the laboratories
of the Massachu.setts Institute of Technology, and the results
obtained were set out in a paper pre.sented to the -American
Welding Society. The following information relative to the
experiments, which were conducted with the aid of photo-
graphic records of successive phases of the welding arc by
means of n high-speed motion picture camera, instantaneous
jihotographs obtained with a short-exposure focal-plane
shutter, and magnilied views on ground glass, is abstracted
from the Electrical World.

No satisfactory explanation bad, up to the time of the

Fig. 1.— Effect of Arc Length upon Size of Electrode Globdle (magnified)

investigation, been given for the transmission of metal from
an electrode to the plate. Calculation of the magnitude of
any electrical forces that may exist during the process of
welding indicates that they are negligible, and may. therefore,
be eliminated as po.ssible causes of the action. This view
is further substantiated by the fact that satisfactory weldmg
may be performed with a.c. or with current flowing in either
direction.

Since the melting points and other thermal constants of
the elements and their compounds found in steel electrodes
vary widely and their chemical affinities are quite difTercnt,

it is to be e.xpected that the constituents of an electrode sub-
jected to a high temperature will change from solid to liquid
or gaseous form successively, and not at the same instant ;
the iron constituent will melt last, with the- exception of
carbon, which combines rapidly with oxygen to form carbon
monoxide. In metallic arc welding the temperature changes
which take place differ to a marked degree from the changes
incident to the usual methods of heating metals in that a
small mass of the electrode is subjected to a high tem-
perature for a very short interval of time. The distinctive
thermal feature is then the sudden rise and fall of tempera-
ture in the metal transmitted to the plate. Under the cir-
cumstances the melting of the ii'on is delayed by the heat
absorbed by the other constituents of the electrode and this
fact, together with the limited time of application of high
temperature, disproves the possibiUty that the iion is com-
pletely vaporised in the welding process.
While changes in volume, following tem-
perature increase, may take place among
the constituents of the electrode during
welding, the greatest possibility for such
expansion may be found in the formation
of carbon monoxide. It is. therefore, to be
expected that a globule will l)e formed by
such expansion on the end of the electrode.
Typical electrode globules developed in this
manner by various lengths of arc dm'ing the
welding procos are .shown in tig. 1. M the
right, globule develoivd with a very short
ai'c; in the middle, with a moderate length
of arc; and at the left, with a very long arc;
3/lt;-in. electrodes were used, and the cur-
rent in each case was 100 amps. Each
globule contains a cavity which may be seen
clearly during welding on the ground glass
of a camera, and is also present in the cold
contracted globules shown in the figure. In
the smaller globules the cavities are usually
open and resemble small ilrill holes, w-hile
lobules they are usually closed and surrounded

in the larger

by a thin skin of meta

.\n electrode globule maintained in continuous contact with
the plate to prevent the formation of a glaring arc and heated
by ii heavy current, may be seen under magnification on
ground glass to expand and blow out minute particles at hiah
velocity from the thinnest side walls, a contraction of the
globule occurring after each expulsion of particles: the latter
appear to originate in the iniier electrode surface of the
clobule. If the globule is suddenly detached and the arc
interrupted at the same instant in ordhuiry long-arc welding,

Vol. 87. No. 2,233, September 10, 1920,] THE ELECTRICAL EEYIEW.

351

the inner electrode surface of the globule presents the ap-
pearance shown in fig. 2. The pitted surface suggests irregu-
lar fusion, due to different temperatiu-es of fusion, vaporisa-
tion, and chemical combination of the ingredients under the
iuHuenco of rapid changes in temperature.

Owing to the complex structure of the electrode, it is not
easy to determine the exact natare of the vapour content
of the globule. That the vapour consists, partly at least, of
carbon niono.xide gas, is suggested by the fact that globules
ilo not form in general when the end of the electrode is
heated in a deoxidising atmosphere; it is also impossible to
weld in a reducing atmosphere with an electrode containing
no carbon. In welding under water, bubbles of gas rise
continuously to the surface and burn, indicating the possible
dissociation of the water with the absorption of oxygen by
tlie electrode, and the rejection of hydrogen to the surface of
the water. When a globule is maintained for several minutes
at high temperature in contact with a plate in air, all ex-
jiulsion of particles ceases, from which it is inferred that all
the vapour-forming constituents of the globule have by that
time burnt out.

If the electrode while welding is suddenly swept across
an adjacent flat insulated surface, small spots of metal are
found on the surface at regular intervals over the surface
traversed by the hot electrode. (A magnified view of one of
the spots is shown in fig. 3.) The same effect was observed
by holding an incandescent electrode — just removed from
ordinary welding — over the rim of a revolving iron wheel.
It was determined in this way that the average frequency of
projection v\'as .5(1 per second. The duration of such projection
was approximately one-fifth of a second, the projection ter-
minating with the cooling of the electrode.

It would appear from the observed facts that the metal
deposited during metallic arc welding is transmitted, in part
at least, in the form of minute particles -nhich are projected
from the electrode globule by the internal expansion of some
vapour, possibly carbon monoxide. The expelled particles
|)ass through the arc too rapidly to become vaporised, and
reach the plate in a fluid state. If the expelled particles strike
solid metal, they either ricochet along the surface — which
explains the accumulation of iron dust in the welding room —

the sides of the electrode globule. It should also be noted
that since h'on oxide (rust) has a higher melting point than
steel, rust should not be removed from electrodes, and that
rusty electrodes will usually work better than bright, clean
ones. In many cases the outside layer of bare electrodes
may be changed by drawing and heat treatment so that it
has a higher melting point than the interior. The ideal
electrode would have a high melting-point shell — tungsten,
for example — surrounding a lower melting-point interior con-
taining sufficient vapour-forming constituents to eject metal
constantly when heated.

Fig. i shows the magnitied du.st which accumulates round
the work during the process of metallic arc welding, and,
the author of the paper, Mr. Hud.son, states that he has found
that a weld made in a reducing flame is more ductile, and
reveals less formation of nitride; in conclusion, he suggests
certain promising subjects for further .study.

REVIEWS.

Electric OnciUatiiiHs and Electric Waves. With avplicaiion
to Radiotelegraphii and incidental application to Telephovu
and Optics. By Grorge W. Pierce, Ph.D., Professor of
Physics in Harvard ITniversity. .517 pp. -his:. London:
Hill Publishing Co., Ltd. Price 30s. net.
In this volume the author, who is well known to readers
in this country as the writer of " Principles of Wireless Tele-
graphy," divides his subject into two books. Book I being
devoted to electrical oscillations, and B(jok II to electric waves.
Hints are given as to the sequence in which the books and
chapters should be read according as the student is interested
in optics or in i-adiotelegraphy.

In Book I, which occupies 17 chapters. Dr. Pierce discusses
fundamental laws and equations, geometry of complex quan-
tities, circuits having resistance, inductance and capacity, elec-
trical resonance, free oscillations in inductively-coupled circuits,
ttc, and Book II, which consists of 9 chapters, includes

Kl

iL- rt^^H

^^k^^^^S^^pS

Fiu. 2.— SuRi'-ACE OF Electrode on Fig. 3.— Nucleus of Metal Projected
[Electrode Side of Globule. ox Cold Plate from ^candescent Globule.

Fig. 4. — Welding Dust.

or flatten out without fusion, the most common cause of
p(jor welds. If the particles strike a fluid metal, they pene-
trate the fluid and .solidify with the molten surface of the
plate.

The l>est wcliiiug is oiitained with the shortest arc, and
fig. 1 shows that the size of the electrode globule increases
with the length of the arc, the best welding being obtained
with the smallest gloliule. A small globule implies greater
concentration of projected particles iu the du'ection of the
opposite fluid spot. In downward welding a large globule
1 ecomes elongated by gravity, the lower part of the hollow
globule becomes thickened liy downwai'd flowing metal, the
side walls become stretched and thinned, and particles are
projected wastefully through the side walls at right angles
to the arc. The globule as a whole frequently breaks away
from the electrode and drops \\ithout fusion on th<' plate.
Electrode ends rejected by a welder and presenting the
appearance shown in fig. 1 constitute sulistantial evidence of
ineffective long-arc welding. In upward welding a largo
gl'ibule tends t<i fall to one .side or the other by gravity and
I ri-vents the efficient projection of metal.

Any material which serves to increase the melting point
of the surface of an electrode must, in accordance with the
stated theory, improve the conditions under which particles
are projected from the electrode globule. The cu|i-,shaped
-'irlace formed at the end of .such an electrode will reduce,
amount of indirect projection of partii-les to a minimum,
I the increa.sed stability of the an- will reduce the dill'i
.;jllv of mnnijMilation of the elei-trode. .since the length of
arc may be v,iried over a greater range without interruption.
It would appear that most of the coatings suggested for
electrodes perform the function of cooling the surface of the
electrode by vapfirisation, and in some instances, owing t<\
the rapidity of the action, remain in a fluid condition about

Maxwell's equations, energy of the electromagnetic field,
reflections of plane waves from a perfect conductor, waves in
an im[ierfectly conducting medium, and theoretical investiga-
tions of the radiation characteristics of an antenna.

At the outset, Kelvin's equations for the discharge of a
Leyden jar are dealt with rather fully in order that the
.student may trace the successive steps in the solution of the
dill'erential equations involving current and quantity, and
these are further discussed in tlie appendix, where the proof
is given that the sum of two or more solutions of a homo-
geneous linear differential equation is also a solution.

In the multiplication and division of complex quantities the
advantage of using the exponential form rt'''' in prefer-
ence to the more tedious algebraic multiplications is illustrated
in a few well-cho.sen examples.

In the succeeding chapters of the first book the advanced
student of wireless telegraphy is furniehed with mathematical
investigations which are mainly concerned with " coupling "
wave lengths and periodicities. The chapter on amphtude and
mean square current is interestin,", iiuismuch as the author,
in his investigation of the value of the current in the secon-
dary circuit of a coupled sy.stem. departs at a certain point
from the method followed by Drude, who appears to have
overlooked the fact that the constant in a given expression
for the value of !.,. is a function of the time, an oversight
which has resulted in the consequent error being repeated
in much of the literature on the subject.

The chapter (Chapter XI) in which the coupled system
has a sinusoidal electromotive force impressed on one of its
members is an excellent exposition of forced oscillations, not
the least interesting part of which is the determination of
the condition for the transfer of power to the .secondary
circuit at maximuni efficiency.

In Chapter XVII the author deals with waves on wires in

352

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,233, September 10, 1920.

a steady state, aud formulse are established for the attenuation
constant, surge impedance, reflection coefficient, &c.

Book n opens with a chapter on electrostatics and magneto-
statics, which the author treats vectorially. It is observed that
a departure is made from the usual nomenclature of certain
of the quantities usually met with in this branch of the
subject, e.g., the older terms " specific inductive capacity "
or " dielectric constant " become " inductivity," and the
charge at a point is termed the " intrinsic charge," which is
defined, neatly, we think, as "a charge wlidse time derivative
within a region gives the ordinary electric current flowing into
the region."

The chapters on Maxwell's equations, the energy of Jhe
electromagnetic field, and the following chapters on wave
equations and reflections are of interest not only to the
electrical reader, but equally so to the student of optics.

In his iinal chapter, Dr. Pierce investigates theoretically
the radiation characteristics of an antenna, and takes the
opportunity of correcting certain errors which appeared in
the original publication in the jiroceedings of the American
Academy of Arts and Sciences. Here the student in " wire-
less " is furnished with n full mathematical investigation
into everything connected with the radiation of an " aerial."
No intermediate steps arc left for the reader to puzzle over,
the successive -stages in the various integrations being com-
pletely worked out.

The volume concludes with an appendix giving the complete
mathematical proofs of various differential equations intro-
duced throughout the work.

The work, on the whole, is one which the student of wireless
telegraphy, who desu-es to obtain a thorough grounding in
the principles of that subject, cannot afford to dispense with. —
A. F.

Selected Sliidics in Elementary I'liysict. A hand-book for
the wirele.ss student and amateur. By E. Blake,
A.M.I.E.E. Pp. 176; 43 ligs. London: The Wii'dcss
Press, Ltd. Price 5s. net.

This little book is intended for radiotelegraphists and others
who may not have the time, the opportunity, or the inclina-
tion to undertake the systematic study of physics, and who
are consequently hindered in their study of the more advanced
works on wu'eless telegraphy.

The author certainly has a clear conception of the needs
of the type of reader he is catering for, and has summed up
those portions of physics which are absolutely essential to the
wireless student in a score of carefully written chapters. He
commences with a general survey of the subject, and after
dealing with space and time, proceeds to a chapter on matter,
force, and motion. Such topics as the law of inverse squares,
harmonic motion, and wave motion are given considerable
attention, on account of their fundamental importance in
radiotelegraphic theory. The sections on inertia, elasticity,
and the eleinontary treatment of the electromagnetic theory
are also written in such a way as to convey correct ideas in
appropriately simple language-."

The second part of the book deals largely with heat and
chemistry, and, while less coherent tiian the earlier sections,
includes many useful paragraphs, notably those on the thermo-
chemistry of the simple cell, chemical and electro-chemical
equivalents, and the gas laws'.

.As a text book of physics for the ordinary student this book
has little to recommend it, and its author would probably
make no such claim for it; but for the wii'eless amateur and
the wu-eless student for whom the practice of his craft is
of greater moment than the theory, we can reconunend Mr.
Blake's book as giving that minmium of theoretical physics
without which even the expert operator may sometimes find
himself at a disadvantage. P. H. S. K.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)
Compiled expressly for this journal by Messrs. Sefton-Jones, O'Dell anc
Stephens, Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

24,394. '• Engine starters." Brolt. Ltd., and W. Holt. August 23ril.

24,425. " Measurement of temperature of electric cables." E. Kawsselt.
August 23rd.

24,433. " Lighting and starting set lor motor vehicles." D. S. C.
M.icaskie. August 23rd.

24.43H. "Amplifying systems for electric currents." British Thomson-
Houston Co. (General Elwtric Co.) and ti.-ncral El.-ctric Co. August 23rd.

24.443. "Engine starting anil ignition apparatus." J. K. Delano. August
23rd. (United States, August 3n], 191S.)

24.444. "Starting apparatus for aeropl.inc engines." J, K. Delano. August
23rd. (United States, August 3ril. 1918.)

24.4.".l. " High-frequency alternating-current machines." A. Young. August
23rd.

24,456. " Klectrolvtic apparatus." G. O. Seward. August 23rd.

24.50fi. " Fault indicator for electric ignition svstems." F. A. A. Ullmure.
August 24lh.

•34,515. " Flexible electric conductors." G. Dadd. August 24th.

24,525. ." Electric igniters." O. Haake and G. Hagedorn. August 24th.

24.528. " Electric heating device." T. D. Macfarlane and J. R. Spink.
August 24th. /■

24.546. " Electric inoandescent arc devices." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.) and General Electric' Co. August 24th.

24.547. " Electric discharge devices." British Thomson-Houston Co. (Gener.il
Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. August 24th.

24..565. " Electricallv-driven air compressors." C. A. Vandcrvelf and C. A.
Vanderv'ell & Co. August 24th.

24.a(i6. " Electric switches." H. Baiky. August 24th.

34,589. " Electric generator or motor." E. L. Davies. August 25lh.

24.592. " Electric motors and generators." A. M. Young. August 25lh.

24.593. " Electrically-driven motor wheels for automobiles, &c." G. A.
Bishop and K. A. Chadwick. August 25th.

24..51)r. " Miners' electric lamps." E. A. Hailwood. August 2jlli.
24,607. " Electric generator lamps." C. J. Turner. August 25th.
24,(>.i2. " Electric fires." W. H. Sturge. August 25th.
24,6.51. " I'rimary cont.ict light." G. J. Humphries. August .25th.
24,654. " Insulating chain lor electric transport lines." £. L. Gely. August
25th.

24.659. " Electrolyte for electro-deposition of metals and metallic alloys."
O. Marino. August 25lh.

24.660. " lilectric incandescent lamps," General Electric Co. and J. W.
Kyde. August 25th.

24,675. " Sparking plugs." G. Calvert. August 25th.

24,683. " Electrically-actuated gongs. &c." E. Magerlc. August 25lh.
(Austria, February 24th, 1919.)

24,688. " Wacuum tube circuits." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. August 25th.

24.690. " Selecting and receiving system Tor telegraphy and telephony." L.
Levy. August 2r)lh. (I-Yancc. August 25th, 1919.)

24.691. " Eleclrical measuring instruments." \V. Clarke and Clark's Neo-
Electri. Devices, Ltd. August 35lh.

24,693. " Electric cables." Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whilworlh & Co. and
O. Smalley. August 25th.

24,697 " Containers of electric accumulator cells." Soc. de I'Accumulalrur
Tudor. August 25th. (Belgium. September 27th, 1!I19.)

34,701. " Magneto-electric generators for internal combustion engines!" (-.
Godfrec. August 25th.

24.741. " Electric vehicles." A. C. Nobbs. August 26th.

'24,744. ".Sparking plugs." .'\. Watkins. August 26lh.

24.751. " Electric window, &c., cleaning device." J. W. Bradlev. AugUat
26th.

24,753/4/5. " Electrical systems of automatic sub-stations." .Metropolitan-
\ ickers Electrical Co. and Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co. (West-
inghouse Eicctric & Manufacturing Co.). .August 26th.

24.773. " Means for regulating allernaling currents." Igranic Electric Co.
and Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing Co. (Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing Co.).
August •36th.

24.774. " Means for regulating alternating-current circuits." Cutlcr-Ham-
iner M.inufacturing Co. and Igranic Electric Co. August '26lh.

•24.77.3. " Feeding and rotating means (or electrodes." H. H. Thompson.
August •2Gth. (United States, March 26th, 1918.)

24,777. " Ele. iric heating." P. M. R. Sallcs. August Seth. (France.
August 27th, 1919.)

24,789. " Electric furnaces." L. Renault and J. S. Withers (Renault).
August 26th.

•24,793. " Electrical heating appliances." A. Warne. August 2Cth.

24,8-30. " Electrically-heated cooking utensils." B. C. Jos<ph and N. C.
Joseph. August 27th.

■24.822. " Electric theft-prevention device for motor cars." F. W. T.
JaiTjfs. August 27th.

24,833. "Telephone, &c., call indicators." J. E. Collyer anJ E. A. Peti-
thory and Siemens Bros. & Co. August 27th.

24.835. " Electric discharge lamps." H. Filippu and D. Leiy and Naam-
looze Vennootschan Philips' Gloeilampenfabrieken. August 27lh. (Holland,
August 27th, 1919.)

24.836. " Electric arc-welding systems." Wilson, Welder & Metals Co.
August 27th. (United States, February 18th.)

•24.837. " Electric rheostats." Wilson, Welder & Metals Co, August 27th.
(United States, May 7th.) -'

24.838. " Connections of electrical conductors." Wilson, Welder & Metals
Co. August •27th. (United States. June 19th.)

24.839. " Electric arc-welding svstems." Wilson, Welder S: Metals Co.
August 27th. (United States, June 26th.)

34,841. " Electric signalling arrangements for railways, &c." L. dc M. li.
Ferreira and Siemens Bros. & Co. August '27th.

24,854. " Electrolytic tanks with diaphragm cells." G. Haglund. August
27th. (Norway, September 17th, 1919.)

24,880. " \Vireless receiving systems." N. Lea and Radio Communication
Co. August 28th.

•24.910. " Miners', Sic, electric safety lamps." C. D. Moltram. August 28th.

34.942. " Me.ins 'for operating constant-voltage circuits from vari.ible-speed
d;ii:.inos." Ellison Aocumul.ilors. Ltd.. and J. F. Monnot. August 28lh.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in parentheses are those under which the specification* will be
printed and abridged, and all subsequent proceedings will be taken.

19X8.

4.943. " Method of generating electric osc
■■. W. Jordan, March 20th, 1918. (149,018.)

X9X9.

W. H. Ecdes and

May 1st. 1919. (149,044.)

" E. Delille. September 25th.

in electric

8 .'.78. "Regulating ine.ms (or electric generating sets." Domes!
giniering Co. April 6th, 1918. (135,386.)
IO,8.'i5. " Electric radiators." J. R. Qu;
10,939. " Electrically-heated smoothing i

1918. (133.018.)
10,980. " Transformation of polyphase currents particularly for

furnaces." J. Bibby. May 2nd, 1919. (149,049.)

11,099. " Letter combination electric switch for the protection agamst steal-
ing of motor vehicles while left standing." W. Mason and J. Richardson.
idav 3rd. 1919, (Cognate application, 16,688/19.) (149.057.)

li,140. " Apparatus for mine signalling and like purpos.^s." J, R. L.
Allott and E, Dean. May 5th, 1919. (149,059.)

11,327. "Wireless telegraphy." H. J. Round and G. M. Wright. May
6th. 1919. (149.076.)

11.578. " Construction of thermionic valves." S. R. Mullard. May 8th,

1919. (149.066.)

18 809. "Dynamo electric machines." I., H. R, de P.aemelaire. September
19th. 1918. (132,777.) , .

21,415. " Electric signalling svstems. especially applicable to combined
telegraph and telephone systems.'"' Western El«-tric Co. (Western Electric
Co.). September 1st, 1919. (149,139.)

•23,288. " Sparking plugs for internal combustion en
September 22nd, 1919. (149,144.)

24,394. " Composite electric signalling svstems,"
(Western Electric Co.). October 6th. 1919, (149.146.)

28,603, "Signal lights for aerial navii;ation." 11, I., M. J. Bcnard. May
3.1,1, 1919, (Divided application on 10,981/19.) (149.159,)

x,sao.

358 " Electric power svstems," Domestic Engineering Co. April 6th, 1918.
(Divided application on 125,386.) (137,5-22.l
4,102. " Apparatus for testing sparking plugs (or internal combustion en-

'. E. Trigg.
Electric Co.

Wolff. February 10th.
" 4,'269. " Current distributor for m:
Strobel. March 2nd, 1918. (138,920.)

11,307. " Self-producing electric moti.
Thomas, April 2-2nd, 1920. (149,188.)

apparatus.

M.

I

TXXE

H3XjE!OTI?,IO-A-Zj I?/E1'7"IEI"W.

Vol. LXXXVII.

SEPTEMBER 17, 1920.

No. 2,234.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

THE SITUATION IN JAPAN.

Vol. LXXXVII.) CONTENTS: September 17, 1930.

[No. a,234.
Page

... 3r,3

... 355
... 355
... 356

The Situation in Japan

Distribution Pressures and Wiring Uulea

The Electrical Lock-out and Strike

Electric Welding, by Electrode" (iito«.)

Distribution Pressures for Domestic Supply and the Cheapen-
ing of House Wiring, by C. H. Wordingham

Alignment Pine, by a London Foreman (j.Uu*.')

A Few Domestic Electrical 'Inventions," by ■'Voltman" ...
The Municipal Tramways Association (Inc.) ...

Tramway Fares

Exports and Imports of Electrical Goods for August, 1920 ...
The Machine-Tool and Engineering Exhibition iillus.') (^cont'd) 362
Correspondence —

Road Transport

Why is the Contractor Permitted to do it ,'

The E.P.E.A. and the E.T.U

Power Factor ...

Engineers' Salaries ... ... ... ... ■■■ ...

Business Notes

Notes

City Notes

Stocks and Shares

The British Association. — IV.

The Testing of Materials at High Temperatures Villus.)...

The Efficiency of Transmitting Aerials and the Power

Kequired for Long-Distance Transmission

Next Year's Meeting

Electricity Supply Legislation in Holland

Modern Marine Problems, by C. V. Drysdale (iH?/«.)

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant {illvx.)

Reviews

New Patents Applied for, 1920

Abstracts of Published Specifications

357
360
360
361
361
362

364
364
364
365
3(;6
366
371
375
376

377

377
378
378
379
382
383
3S4
384

Contractors' Column

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\Viii;x the World War began in 191-t Japan was " experi-
eiiiing strong reaction " from the economic activity
wliii'h followed the Russo-Japanese war. During the
remainder of that year the downward tendency- of busi-
ness became accentuated, but early in 1915 there was a
suilden and strong revival, and the large munitions
orders from Europe and the disappearance of German
and other European goods from markets in India, Java,
China, and other countries in the Far East, created a
strong demand for Japanese manufactures. This ex-
tended over several years, but with the signing of the
Armistice in November, 1918, there began a period of
deep depression and gloomy foreboding, for another
twelve or eighteen months of hostilities had been ex-
pected. Orders were cancelled partly due to the falling
off of war needs, but chiefly owing to the prospect of
South Africa and Australia receiving renewed ship-
ments of British and other European goods.

Electrical readers do not need to be reminded that
Japan availed herself of the trading opportunities
created by the war. Nobody will take exception to
that enterprising action ; it was the most reasonable
thing for a rising manufacturing people to do, and
temporarily it was very useful to the rest of the world.

Some Japanese manufacturers and merchants, how-
ever, in their anxiety to make hay while the sun shone
and to accumulate big profits rapidly, placed goods of
very inferior quality on denuded markets. We heard
a good deal of this in the electrical field for some time.
This imprudent policy (says Mr. Hugh Home, Commer-
cial Secretaiy to H.M. Embassy in Tokyo, in his report
on the Commercial, Industrial and Financial iSituation
of Japan in 1914-1919j* was largely responsible for the
uiuiierous post-armistice cancellations, and has aggra-
vated the difficulty of consolidating positions in such
countries as India and Java. In other words, a reputa-
tion for inferior quality is not easily lived down.

Prior to the war it used to be considered that the cost
of labour in Japan was very low indeed, placing her
industries, as they might develop, in an exceptionally
favourable position in respect of export prices. But the
war, which brought great prosperity, altered the atti-
tude of the workers, who were not slow to realise that
they had not received a fair share of the results of
tlieir labour. " They are beginning to feel their
strength." Before the war there was, " properly speak-
ing, no labour problem in Japan," but the workers
have organised their forces, claiming advancing wages,
shorter hours, improved conditions, a share in the
profits, and a voice in control. We judge that they have
not made much progress in certain of these directions.
While the Government punishes strikes, itc, with im-
prisonment, it intends to allow Trade Unionism and
combined action in general to develop on natural lines ;
lint Japanese Trade Unionism differs from that of the
West, as it is limited to " Unions operating in in-
dividual factories, and not for any industry or employ-
irient as a whole."

Under the new legislation of the last few years a work-
ing day of 12 hours is provided for; but factories em-
jtloying onlj- male operatives over 15 years of age mav
exceed this limit. The present average wages ai'e
stated to be over 100 per cent, in advance of pre-war
rates, but in certain cases the rise is considerably
larger. The conductors and drivers on the electric
tram cars in Tokyo, for example, now receive Yen

*H.M. Stationery Office, 9d. net. (cmd. 912).

[353]

354

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,234, septembm 17,

(iO per month, as against a pre-war wage of Yen 20.
Though a 70 hours' week is common in Japan,
there is a general eight hours day agitation. Mr.
Home sajs that the principle lias been fairly generally
accepted in theory, but the eight hours really constitutes
a basis for the settlement of wages for overtime working
conditions, and the Japanese labourer, speaking
broadly, prefers to work long and leisurely, and re-
quires little time for rest, food and recreation. Em-
ployers find that the eight hours system is acceptable,
because they can reduce their wages bill when work is
slack, and the employes favour it because they can claim
the same wages for an eight hour day as they formerly
received for 10 or 12 hours. The increase in efficiency
required to ofi-set a shorter working day, when the
eight hours day is accepted in practice, is one of the
chief problems of Capital.

The handling of machinery in Japan is stated to leave
much to be desired, and labour-saving devices are at
present comparatively little used. Taking all the cir-
cumstances into account, it is open to doubt whether the
actual cost of production of competitive goods is to-day
lower in Japan than in England. In any case, says Mr.
Home, " the difference in favour of Japan is not enough
to justify the alarmist views which find wide expre.ssion
in Great Britain and her Colonies."

Fear of a future shortage of coal for industrial pur-
poses led to a great deal of attention being directed to
hydro-electric enterprises during la.st year. Numerous
companies have been formed for the utilisation of water
rights. Between 1908 and 1918 the number of com-
panies interested in hydro-electric development increased
from 262 to 852, and the h.p. developed advanced from
110.000 to 1,002,000, but at the end of 1918 schemes for
a further 2,000,000 h.p. were in process of actual
development, while it was also calculated that 5,000.000
a<lditional h.p. could be developed economically in areas
not then leased for hydro-electric operations. A survey
.scheme has been instituted by the Japanese Government
under which an examination of the country's resources
for the live years 1918-1922 is being made.

During the war, copper, antimony, tungsten, and
graphite were among the goods shi]i])ed in large quan-
tities to the Allies, and there were big increases in porce-
lain, glassware, enamelware. electrical goods, and otlier
lines. We note that Mr. Home does not include elec-
trical goods among those most likely to retain their war-
time position. Last year the total exports of all goods
increased slightly in value, but quantity decreased owing
to economic cau.ses, one of which was the renewal of
European competition. There was a large increase in
exports to China.

In general export trade, metals and metal manu-
factures show a strong tendency to fall away. The
e-xports of insulated electric wire should be quoted as
showing the great advance made in two years and almost
maintained up to the end of last year : —

line...

ItUT...

mis...

HUH...

1..7."52.8(i.S
3.4.-) 1. 1, 58
9..i.iH.794
0.375,767

1,12.5,632
3,llH.91n
8,324.333
•8.411,700

Electrical macliinery and textile machinery are giiiiig
out of Japan in increasing quantities; the electrical goes
chief!}- to China and the Kwantung Province (througli
Dairen), which between them took over 60 per cent, of
the shipments.

So far as import trade is concerned, Briti.sh machinery
is as much in deiuand as ever in Japan, but so long as
tliere is difficulty in our giving satisfactory delivery, and
high prices continue, the buyer is being driven into the
American market. The needs of Japan are being closely
attended to by American manufacturers, who are deter-
mined to spare no effort to retain their hold. The
heaviest items in the list of inqiorted machinery during
the last three years include steam boilers, dynamos.
electric motors, transformers, gas compressors, pneu-
matic tools, metal and wood working machinery, il-c.

" Given a model on which to work," says Mr. Home,

Japanese local production, especially of electrical ma-
chinery, is now of satisfactory quality, and several con-
cerns have made agreements with British and American
concerns whereby the latter allow their patents to be
worked in Japan against payment of royalty. The
American General Electric Co. ha,s considerable interests
in two large concerns in which its models are pro-
duced for the local market. Japanese engineers have
been securing training and instruction in America, the
trade-getting value of which to the States is obvious.
"Japanese electrical practice," we read, "has always
followed America and Germany, and mining engineering
America." Where do ue come in? That question will
no doubt receive attention from British manufacturers
as they read this British report.

So far as methods of trading are concerned, our firms
are advised that, in the absence of direct representation,
where big or complicated business is handled, b}- far
the most satisfactory course is to function through the
medium of the established British firms in Japan, be-
cause their experience of local conditions enables
them to avoid many difficulties which might otherwise
occur. Co-operative selling is recommended, but Com-
mercial Secretary Home reiterates his warning of the
danger that high prices and delayed deliveries handicap
us in re-establishing nuirkets for British goods. He
points emphatically to the growing danger that some
fields in which we were formerly paramount may pass
into American and other hands. There is a general im-
pression that full efforts are not being made to retain
and maintain the pre-war position. " The British re-
putation for quality and square deals is as high as ever,
but cost and delivery are naturally very strong factors of
decision when important contracts have to be placed."

The report Ijefore us does not contain mention of the
branch activities of British electrical manufacturing in-
terests which we understood to be on foot. Possibly more
may be said regarding tliese when Mr. Home again deals
with the situation. It is very important that we should
h'i alert, for considerable railway electrification sciiemcs
are in contemplation as part of the Imperial Government
railway system, including the Kobe-Osaka-Kyoto section
and the Yokoliama-Kozu section : large business interests
have organised a scheme for a high-speed electric rail-
way between Tokyo and Osaka : and a further private
enterprise is for the construction of underground rail-
ways in Tokyo.

Such reports as tluit to which we have made reference
in the foregoing give rise to greater impatience than
ever with the shortsightedness and folly which charac-
terise our Iiome industrial situation. It is deplorable
that when there is such urgency for our getting into our
stride in foreign markets, so ftdl of opportunity for
enterprise, we shoiild be consumed with our own indu.s-
trial differences. What a boon to British industry it
would be, and what a guarantee of future full employ-
ment for hundreds of thousands of British workers, if
we could induce a ship-load oi agitators to study the
needs of the world, and to understand the urgency for
strong and united Briti.sh action in whole-hearted pro-
duction. We need to lift our eyes beyond the immediate
details of life at home for a time, and look afield — beyond
liussia. Beasonable rest in place of incessant industrial
unrest, would promote such stability that future .security
and prosperity would be assured.

Is it too much to urge the Government and manufac-
turing interests, too, to do sometliing to bring home to
the understanding of the millions of workers of Britain
the advice of the expert trade observers which is con-
tained in the recently-issued reports to the Department
of Overseas Trade? Through the trade Press we are
enabled to carry their, facts and conclusions to in-
dividual trades, but even a wider and fuller propaganda
should be made. It is true tliat tliese reports are ]ire-
l>ared chiefly for the manufacturer and the trader witli
wliiim lies tlic exercise of coiniiicrci.il initiative, but
tliey vitally concern the l)read-ijctting of the worker.
Ills wife and children, and his childrens children, and
he ought to know what they contain.

Tol. 87. No. 2,234, Sbptembbb 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

366

»

The article contributed to this issue by
Distribution jjj._ g_ g -vyordingham (Chairman of the

Pressures and " ^

Wiring Rules. I-EE. Wiring Rules Committee) deals
with a subject which at this time is of
exceptional importance not only to electricity supply
authorities, but also to manufacturers and contractors.
We appear to be approaching an epoch in the history of the
utilisation of electrical energy — an epoch that was clearly
indicated in Mr. Oillin's masterly paper before the T.M.E.A.,
and has been foreseen for some years by engineers who have
investigatci the conditions which will probably obtain in
electricity supply at no distant date. The public is learnirg
to appreciate the unique advantages of employing electricity
for every possible purpose in tHe home, the office, the shop
and the factory, and is developing a constantly-increasing
appetite for electrical energy. How shall that appetite be
satisfied ?

If, and when, the use of electricity is fully developed, the
demand will be so immense that the employment of dis-
tributing mains on the lines of present practice will become
commercially impracticable. Electricity will have to be
distributed at pressures much higher than the present limit
of 250 volts, and the question arises : AVhat system shall
take the place of that which has become standard practice
in all large towns ?

Various alternatives have been put forward, such as the
multiplication of transformers in street-boxes at almost
every street comer, the short low-pressure distributing
mains being fed at the present voltages and the tiansformers
from high-pressure distributing mains ; or the substitution
of a complete high-pressure distributing network, with
transformers on consumers' premises ; or the adoption of a
higher pressure for distribution directly to consumers'
installations. Only in the last-named case can the continued
use of direct current be c( nsidered, and even in that case it
offers no appreciable advantage over alternating current,
while its drawbacks are patent. We may take it, therefote,
that the use of alternating current will ultimately become
universal.

With regard to the raising of the supply pressure, the
arguments against this proposal appear lo us to be over-
whelming. Even at 2 20 volts, the lamps available, or
likely to be available, are neither so efficient nor so robust
as those made for lower voltages, and the range of cand !e-
powers for which they can be made is limited, especially iu
the case of the gas-filled type. The stress on the insulation
of the wiring and fittings is quite high enough at 220 volt-,
and the construction of switches and fuses for that voltage
is materially more costly and difficult than for 110 or 50
volts. .M ireover, the risk of accident would be very
seriously aggravated by any increase in the voltage of supply.
We d(i not agree that there is any appreciable risk to the
person at the voltages customarily employed in domestic
applications ; it is true that fatal accidents have occurred
with both A.c. and d.c. at 200-250 volts in houses, but
they have been almost wholly confined to the bath-room, to
the special conditions in which we have repeatedly drawn
attention, and we cannot call to mind, during the whole
period of use of pressures above 100 volts, more than one, or
at the most two, cases of fatal shock in living rooms. The
risk to life in houses at present voltages is, in our opinion,
so remote as to be absolutely negligible ; but if the voltage
were increased, this immunity from accident would quickly

The second alternative, which is advocated by Mr,
Wordingham, does not commend itself to us so much tis
the first. The experience gained with the house trans-
formers so generally adopted in the early days is, it is true,
of little weight, in view of the vast improvements in
technique that have been made, but the initial cost would
be enormous, the waste of energy in myriads of small trans-
formers deplorable, and the risk of accident due to carrying
3,000 or 5,000 volts into a private house, despite all pre-
cautions, a grave objection. We prefer the multiplication
of street transformers, which would involve the minimum
disturbance of distributors, would retain the transformers
under the control of the supply authority, and, owing to the
shortness of the distributors, would minimise the need for
increasing their cross-sections.

As for the interior wiring of buildings, we have long felt
that, with due respect to the admirable Rules of the Institu-
tion of Electrical Engineers, the matter has been overdone.
The Rules were introduced at a time when the multiplicity
(and, we regret to add, in many cases the fatuity) of different
codes rendered the promulgation of a single standard & t of
Rules acceptable to all parties a real blessing. Thanks to
those Rules, the incoherent mass of contradictory and petti-
fogging regulations has been swept away. But the Augean
task has only been accomplished, apparently, by constantly
raising the standard — to a final pitch approaching absurdity.
No experienced engineer can deny that thousands of installa-
tions which defy the Rules in almost every particular have
given satisfaction over long periods of years, and are giving
satisfaction to this day. It is a plain fact that our standard
of wiring is far in excess of reasonable requirements ; there
are exceptional cases, we grant, but let them be treated as
such— and let the ordinary household be wired more in
accordance with common sense and less in accordance with
idealistic standards.

Thanks to the action of the Electrical

I „i ^\ ^ '^ Trades Union, the area of the dispute
Lock-out and , . , , , , , , , . . ,

Strike. which led to a lock-out of electricians by

the Employers' Federations has been

widened ; the E.T.U. has given notice to withdraw its

members from work in electricity supply stations, in the

hope of shutting down electric light and power, traction,

&c., throughout the whole country.

This means that in order to bring pressure to betr upon
the Employers' Federations, the Electrical Trides Union
has declared war on the general public, who will be the
real sufferers if its purpose is effected.

Next we have the Electrical Power Engineers' Association
offering to take a hand in the game — a move which we
regard with amazement and regret. Bound by an alleged
agreement with the f).T U., the E.P.E.A. declares that it
must take sides against the employers, rfi/ari/liss nf Ihe
merits of the question in dispute. That a body of te<;hiii' al
staff employes, trained to use their brains, and hitherto
regarded as good cit z°ns, should commit itself to such a
compact is incredible ; we simply refuse to believe it.

But the leaders of the E P.E.A , neveitheless, appear to
have innocently blundered it, to a trap of this sort, and thus
a very serious situation has aris.n — frautj;ht with grave
consecpitnces either to the public welfare or to the Executive
Council of the E.P.E.A. We do not suggest that the
Executive harbours any intention of sharing in the political
mann'avres to which the E.T.U. E\<.'cuti\e is addictel, any
m-^rc than the members of the As ociation ; but the fact is
that the E.T.U. has been too astute for the E.P.E.A., and
has put the latter in its pocket like a tame monkey, with
the result that the Association is being jojkeyed into a
" direct-action " strike. Do the members realise what they
are in for ?

Let us see what the quarrel is about. It is constantly
alleged by the lay Press, with most mischievous effect, that
the dispute is about the appointment of a foreman at
Penistone. It is nothing of the sort. The question at
issue is an old one, which was fought out in ISO 7, but hiis
been resurrected by the E.T.U. — namely, shall engineering
employers retain the right to manage their business, or shall
they hand over control to the employes ? That is the
question in a nutshell ; and should the E.T.U. win, the
E.P.E.A. would be its humble servants.

To-morrow the power-station members of the E.T.U. are
expected to stop work. The E.P.E.A Executive has not
called upon its members to follow suit, but it threatens to do
so. Weconfidently appeal to the membersof the Association to
rememl)er that their duty to the State takes priority of their
duty to their Executive, and to remain at their posts.

'The question at issue is one which cannot be submitted
to arbitration ; it lies at the root of industrial organ-
isation. The E.T.U. is out for " the control of industry."
The secretary, Mr. Rowan, has referred to the employers as
" the enemy," who are to be " swamped." We quote from
the Electrirnl Trades Journal, the organ of the E.T.U.
If the employers are swamped, the staff will have a poor
time ; let them consider the situation and step warily.

856

THE ELECTBICAL REYIEWo [Voi.87. No. 2,234, septembeb i:, mo.

ELECTRIC WELDING.

By " ELECTRODE."

Electric welding has come to the fore-front rapidly, and
is to-day in general use for all branches of engineering, as
by its aid, defective castings or faulty machinings can be
rectified in the early stages of manufacture, thus preventing
the " scrapping " process, which was some few years ago, the
natural sequence of error or aciident. To-day, however, it
is possible by judicious " welding up " of worn members to
postpone the day of obsolescence, and it is in this connection
that there is a tendency to be too optimistic regarding the
prolongation of life which such a fitting may have after
repair.

It is a sound principle to thoroughly examine each
defective detail, and also to look into the history of its

Fig. 1. — Aec Welding. Diagram of Connections.

service, bearing in mind the fact that years of duty often
cause the metal structure to become crystalline in nature,
especially if the metal has been exposed to the weather and
undue strain.

Much has been written and many are the papers that have
been read regarding the process of electric welding, but in
the main these have not been written for the practical man.
It has been found as a result of long experience that the
success of an electric welding operation lies very largely in
the hands of the operator himself, the personal equation,
which we so frequently omit from our calculations and
discussions.

In the early days of reconstruction, when shipbuilders
were receiving more orders than they could undertake, it
was found that we still had a great deal to learn about
electric welding and its applications. Early experimenters
insisted that a minimum voltage of 100 was essential with
a corresponding current value of 100 to 200 amperes.
To-day the voltage figure, by common consent, has been
reduced to 60, and in some cases to 25, with corresponding
varying current values.

Shipbuilders were quick to note the advantages to be
gained by welding and to appreciate the impetus which pro-
duction would receive once a thoroughly reliable and
approved method of electric welding was adopted, and many
enterprising firn s hnd to ascertain by trial which type of
electrode and what voltage limits were required for all
classes df work. To do this they had to rely very largely
upon the results obtained by the welding operator, who, in
turn, had to find 1 ly means of trial and error which particular
set of values and type of electrode furnished a weld of
" good hard metal." This can best be tested by chipping
the newly deposited metal with a hammer and chisel, which
will at once reveal the texture of the weld and also prove
its amalgamation with the metal member.

( 'iirlinn Kkrtrodes. — For some years practically all the
defective castings in foundries have been rectified by
welding, using carbon electrodes and building up the
" blow holes " by fusion. This operation requires a heavy
■current, generally 300 amperes, depending upon the size of
the depression to be levelled while the arc voltage necessai-y
is approximately from 4.5 to .")0. It is interesting to note that
for this work the job to be renovated is laid on a steel table
which is generally connected to the positive pole of the
circuit ; this always gives better results than can be obtained
by a- reversal ot polarity. The carbon electrodes for

average foundry practice are i} in. in diameter, and 14 in.
long, and the rate of consumption with 300 amperes is
about 2 in. per hour.

Metallic Elcdroilcfi. — These have come into marked
prominence more recently for all classes of welding repairs,
especially for fine metal seams. The voltage required by
the arc is 25 to 35 for fine electrodes (uncoated) ranging to
(10 for the larger-diameter electrodes which are coated with
a heat insulating covering consisting chiefly of a.sbestos,
which thus prevents radiation from the electrode and
maintains the temperature gradient. The size of electrode
to be used must be determined by the size of repair to be
effected ; this applies to all welding operations.

As a useful guide for general practice, it should be noted
that coa,ted electrodes require a higher arc voltage pro-
portional to the thickness of the covering while at the same
time a reduction in the current density should be made in
order that the correct welding heat may be maintained. In
tramway and railway track repairs, special electrodes of
12 per cent, manganese steel are usually employed for
levelling up the rail corrugations or curves, and to fill up
the worn edges of points and cross-overs. These latter
being of manganese steel, it is imperative that the metal to
be deposited should closely approximate to that of the rail
under repair, hence the adoption of the manganese steel
electrode. For such operations as this GO/80 volts with a
current of 160/300 amperes has been found quite satis-
factory. Immediately upon completion of the weld, the
welded area should be " swabbed " with water to chill it,
thus ensuring a hard impervious metal skin.

Slag-covered electrodes are used largely where it is
essential that the welded area should be perfectly free from
any blow holes, and where maximum penetration of the

SECONDARY VOLTS

i

/

/

y

/

/

RATED f

ULL LOAD

/

Fig. 2.— Characteristic Load Cfkve.

metal is required. Owing to the slag covering, a com-
paratively high voltage is required, say, from XO to 90.
The slag floats on the top, thus sealing the weld as it
progresses, and when finished and cool the slag can be
easily chipped off, leaving a clean surface.

Mild steel rods of s s.w.r,. are becoming increasingly
popular for steel plate and bulkhead work in ship repair?.
When these are coated with a flux which sometimes consists
of graphite and china clay, the metal runs qiiite freely.
For this size of electrode a current value of 120 amperes,
with an arc vohage of 30, is now customary for average
welding work.

For each size of electrode there is a certain current value,
and this should be determined ;ind adhered to, as excessive
current only results in the welding metal being blown away

Tol.87. No. 2,234, September 17, 1980.] THE ELECTRICAL BEYTEWo

357

from the end of the rod instead of being quietly and
smoothly deposited on the work in hand.

Weldiriij Plant Eqiiifmrnt. — The plant required for arc
welding is of a simple design, and requires very little
skilled attention during operation and maintenance. It
consists of a motor-generator set, the motor being wound for
the requisite supply voltage, and the generator capable of
giving a voltage range between, say, 30 and 100. The
generator should, preferably, be of the reverse compound-
wound type ; that is, with the series turns arranged to
oppose die shunt excitation, thus allowing the voltage to drop
at the " arc," reducing the heavy current peak when striking
the arc. This equipment, when of a portable nature,
becomes very useful, and can be transferred to any part of
the factory, and brought near to the work to be
welded, minimising the voltage drop in the electrode
leads.

This " drop " should not exceed five volts when fine elec-
trodes and low arc voltages are being used. It is necessary to
include in series with the arc, a steadying or ballast resist-
ance to prevent a "dead short' across the generator
armature when the arc is struck. This resistance should
be of ample capacity, and should, preferably, consist of
grids admitting of free ventilation. If the generator equip-
ment is fitted in a permanent situation the steadying
resistance can be sub-divided and connected to s.p.
switches to permit of current adjustment, as shown in fig. 1.
When the welding set is portable this resistance adjustment
can best be effected by fitting to the cable a clamp or clip,
which can be withdrawn, or re-inserted, in any grid at will.
The set requires no special design, but the generator should
be capable of withstanding the racking loads, as these may
vary from zero to 50 per cent, overload in a few seconds as
the arc is struck. Where the welding has to be carried out
remote from the welding plant, it is better to arrange for
the generator field to be cumulatively wound, so that on
load the series windings assist the shunt excitation and
maintain the voltage at the arc.

The size of the welding e(juipment must be decided upon
according to local conditions, but in practice it has been
found, as the result of prolonged observations, that 5-k\\". per
welder is sufficient for average conditions. At one time it
was considered to be more efficient to lay down a large
welding plant sufficient to keep 30 or more welders working,
but in practice it has been found that much better results
and a steadier welding voltage can be obtained by installing
a motor-generator set sufficient for two or three welders.
This keeps the plant within the limits of portability.

A.C. versus B.C. — Electric welding by means of alter-
nating current possesses several advantages over the use of
direct current, the chief claim put forward being that
deeper penetration is possible by using a.c, and also that
when reactance coils are installed a " dead short " across
the welding electrodes produces no serious effect. Perhaps
its greatest use and advantage is seen in the application of
alternating current for the cutting of metals, and to-day it
is possible to cut mild steel plates i in. in thickness with a
current of :.'50/300 amperes quite easily, and in a very clean
manner. For overhead work on ships' beams and bulk-
heads, A.c. has given satisfactory results.

On the other hand, it is contended (and, in the writer's
opinion, justly so) that "safety first" should be the
primary consideration, and that a.c. is more dangerous to
use. It is quoted, as an instance, that a shock of 50 volts
A.c, if received under damp conditions by a welder, would
be sufficient to disturb his balance, and if he was employed
on staging work such a shock might be accompanied by
serious results.

At one time it was found that cast-iron could only be
satisfactorily welded by means of an alternating current, and
this was a strong point in its favour, in view of the large
number of castings which fracture in service. Satisfactory
cast-iron welds are now possible by experienced welders on
the D.c. system, and the point is evidently one which has
been solved by experience.

Fig. -1 gives results of the characteristic regulation of a
small transformer designed for welding with its primary
arranged fur 400 volts. This transformer was specially
designed to withstand complete short-circuit on the secondary
side.

DISTRIBUTION PRESSURES FOR DOMESTIC

SUPPLY AND THE CHEAPENING

OF HOUSE WIRING.

By C. II. WORDINGHAM, M.Iust.C.E.

In the course of a discussion on mains at the recent
I.M.E.A. Convention the writer ventured to refer to
the pressure at which the supply to domestic consumers
should be given. Since the time then at his disposal
was altogether insufficient to enable him even to outline
what was in his mind, it may be well to call attention
in these columns to some of the considerations afiecting
this question.

However desirable a " cheap and abundant supply "
of electrical energy may be, and however successful H.M.
Commissioners may be in securing such a supply to
authorised distributors in the form of untrajisformed
high-pressure energy, it will not help the domestic con-
sumer much if the distribution costs which have neces-
sarily to be added in his case be heavy, and the cost
of the installation in his house be prohibitive or the
restrictions on his use of the supply vexatious.

Let us recognise the situation clearly: Either we do
or do not believe that electrical appliances have such
merit that they are desired by the man in the. street,
and that it is for the general well-being that they should
be brought within his reach. In other words, is there
a real practical need for electric cooking ranges, wash-
ing machines, vacuum cleaners, flat irons, curling
tongs, hair driers, toasters, radiators, and small motors
in the British home? If so, can they be bought at a
price and run for a charge which the consumer can
afford to pay ; also can they be so made that they will
bear the wear and tear of use by unskilled hands?

Most electrical engineers believe that the answer is
" Yes," but many realise also the difficulties in the
way of so supplying these appliances that the condi-
tions as to cost and reliability can be met. How many
central-station engineers to-day could honestly say that
if all their consumers to-morrow applied for a 3 or 4-
kilowatt cooking range they would welcome the applica-
tions? Could they supply them from their existing dis-
tributors? Would it pay them to lay the additional
distributors necessary with the pressure now in use?
The fact is that up to now distribution networks in
domestic areas have been planned for lighting and
nothing else. If a supply for all the purposes to which,
when cheap and abundant, electricity can be applied in
detail is to be given, mains capable of carrying nmch
more power are imperative. With pressures even of 240
volts the cost is so heavy as to run up the price to the
consumer considerably. It was the suggestion made
in the Convention paper to increase these pressures
that drew forth the writer's protest.

It is idle to deny, in view of experience, that, while
for all normal individuals 220 volts direct current is
perfectly safe, alternating current of the same pressure
can cause, and in a number of cases has caused, death.
Would any central-station engineer commit himself in
cold blood to the view that, knowing this risk to be
present, he should hide its existence from the public?
Wiiat would he think of a water engineer who knew
that he had a stream containing typhoid germs that
was likely to contaminate his reservoirs and deceived
his (consumers into thinking that they need not boil
tlie water tliey drank? For observe, in neither case is
Ihcru any inherent need for the risk, which may be
completely eliminated by the use of direct current or
a lower pressure for alternating current in the one
case, or by diverting the contaminated stream in the
other. What would be the feelings of an engineer who
deliberately introduced this dangerous pressure into
a nursery, and had a dead child brought to him as
the victim of his wilful misrepresentation? It is no
answer to say that there must be fatal accidents in
connection with all modern developments, that some
people must be killed by motors or railway trains, and
that electricity is no worse than its neighbours, gas.

358

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,23+, September 17,1920.

for example. Tlie reasoning i,s false; imavoidatjle risks
can be excused in this way; easily avoi(lal)le ones can-
not. As a matter of policy', ton, is it wise to say: " 1
am no worse than my neighbours," when it is easily
possilile to say : 'I stand alone on a plane above all
competitors; if j'ou do your work electrically you run
no risk, if you use gas, coal, or oil, you will probably
come to an iintiniel}' end or burn down your house "'I

This question of shock has become of vastly increased
importance of late because the opinion is now firmly
held that, whatever the inherent advantages of direct
current may be, and they are undeniably great, tliat
form of current must go for general supply, because
cheap generation involves transmission over long dis-
tances, and the use of alternating current ; we cannot
afford to be saddled with the cost of providing and
operating conversion plant. This means that the
greatly extended use of electricity to which all are
looking forward will be realised entirely by alternating
current; hence the importance of keeping the pressure
down to a safe limit.

Frankly, for economy, substantially higher pressures
must be employed than 240 volts if a large density of
demand is to be met. This has already been recognised
with regard to motive power, it being; common practice
to sup}ily large consumers at a pressure of 6,600 volts
or even higher. Probably in future large schemes the
transmission pressure will be transformed to 10,000 or
11,000 volts for primary distribution, and this pressure
will be the ordinary one for supplj- to large power user.s.
For distribution for domestic purposes 2,000 or 3,000
volts would seem the most suitable. These are easily
manageable pressures, and either would lend itself to
efficient distribution. This leads us back to " house-
to-house " distribution, which many had tliought gone
for ever, but with the large house loads to be antici-
pated it will probably be found to be justified in a
slightly modified form. No doubt only very large jire-
mises would have their own transformers; the usual
practice would be to group several houses together and
in some cases a whole street. With such a scheme it
would be easy to use a pressure of only 100 volts or
even 50 volts on a consumer's own wiring. In this
way all danger of shock would be eliminated, and it
would be possible greatly to simplify and cheapen tiie
wiring.

The cost of wiring has always been a thorn in the
side of the central-station engineer — now it has be-
come a veritable bayonet. The serious handicap under
which electrical appliances labour from this cause has
long been recognised, and numerous have been the at-
tempts to mitigate it ; hire-purchase arrangements —
sometimes without the purcliase, and then misnamed
" free" — special kinds of cable, special systems of wir-
ing, and so on, but the difficulty still presents itself,
and is now aggravated by the high cost of material and
labour. It is to be feared that existing .standard Rules
cannot be held blameless in tlie matter ; they have been
framed mainly with the la"udable object in view of
securing the very highest class of work and the com-
plete elimination of the remotest fire risk and of the
risk of shock such as is present with the hi_li.r low
pressures. There lias been subconsciously present in
the minds of tlie framers (and let it be said frankly that
the writer has been one of these continuously since the
early 'nineties of last century) the case of the country
• mansion, large palatial offices, and fine pulilic l)uikl-
ings. So long as public supply was partial and elec-
trical appliances chiefly for the rich or well-to-do there
was ample excuse, if not reason, for this attitude of
mind, but for a good many years past these conditions
have been clianged. In consequence the inapplicability
of the one high standard to all cases has forced itself
upon those concerned, and the result has been the more
frequent lireach than oliservance of the rules in a multi-
plicity of instances. To frame one set of regulations'
to meet the re(|uiremcnts of all classes of installations
from tlie palace to tlic fried-fish shop is to essav an
impossible task ; yet this is what the present Rules do.

This must be recognised, as also must the fact that our
present outhjok is utterly different from what it has
been in the pa.st. We are now on the eve of tremendous
develoimients when we may hope that every house other
than a hovel will have electrical energy in use in it in
one form or another, and we must rise to the occasion
and broaden our outlook.

Future Rules should recognise more than one grade
of wiring, rising from that whicii is just safe and tiie
plainest of the plain, to that which is the best and
most elaborate that money can buy. More important
still — and this is the cliief point of contact of this
matter with the main subject oi tliis article — they must
discriminate between in.stallations intended for different
pressures. It may be contended that at present there is
no material difference in the cost of wiring at 220
volts and 50 volts, but the reason for this is tiie uniform
set of Rules; no one can deny that. the risks of failure
of insulation are greatly reduced with tlie lower jires-
sure, and that, in consequence, the Rules can safely
be much relaxed where it is in use.

With 50-volt alternating current a very poor dielec-
tric on the fixed wiring will suffice; trailing conductors
of flimsy character for portable appliances will give
satisfactory service : nothing need be earthed, as no
shock is to be appreiiended ; switches and fuses can be of
the simplest character since arcing is lifeless, and all
parts can be safely handled alive ; incidentally, incan-
descent lamps are more robust, efficient, and longer-
lived. The elements in all heating and cooking ap])li-
ances are very much more sulistantial, and their in-
sulation can be secured with much less cai-e.

Objection may be raised tliat the heavier conductors
for the lower pressure will more than wipe out these
gains, but this is not the fact. In the first place, most
of the small wires in use on 220-volt installations are
for the reason of mechanical strength much larger than
they need be for the 'currents they have to carry, and
they would do e([ually well for TiO-volt work. It may
Ije said that tliat is all very well for lighting, but suppo.se
you have to supply radiators? Will not the cables be
massive and costly? To this the writer would venture
to reply by pointing out that when you put on a radia-
tor you usually want warmth, and that it is not essential
that the wliole of the heat shc^uld be generated at one
spot. Why should not the conductors to the radiator
he insulated with a fire-resisting covering, and be run
at a temperature as high as tnat of hot-water pipes !
They might even be run hotter still without making tlie
air feel unpleasant ; there could be no valid objection
to this course if tlieir high tenijierature were kept in
view when the wires were run and jirecautions similar
to, but not more stringent than, tliose usually observed
for hot-water pipes were taken ; distributing a portion
of the lieat would be advantageous rather than other-
wise. In a small house tlie runs wmild be short, and
tlie greater part of the wiring wduid ]>v situated where
the heat \fould be of use.

Ease of connection is almost as important as low
cost of wiring and appliances: tlie popularity of the
" adapter " shows how great a value the public attaches
to tliis feature. Now an adapter is about as unsatisfac-
tory a fitting as can well be fouml ; it is usually of wood,
the contacts, insteail of being oval like those of a lamp
cap, are round, and can liardly bi' induced to touch
ever so sliglitly the lanip-l:ciMfr plungers; tiie cord
conies out centrally, and is grasped within tlie iiaiid so
th.it if it is worn and an arc occurs the houselioider ircTs
the full benefit of the heat and sliock. Ordinary wiling
according to the Rules is iiiucli to. unadaptable, and by
providing only lampholders as outlets, practically forces
the consumer to use the objectionable fitting mentioned,
and the slender wiring for a single lamp. Of course,
sockets can be provided and ordinary plugs, but these
adil to the cost of the installation, and are usually fitted
in tlie wrong place. The jiractical conditions of the
ordinary lioiise would be much better met tliaii at present
if tlie fixed wire were taken to a single convenient
point and terminated there in a simple fitting with a

Vol.87. No. 2,234, SEPTEMBER 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

859

number of ways. Each way would eompiise a simple
and efficient contact to which a flexible wire, also ter-
minated in a suitable contact, could be attached. By
this means small appliances could be easily connected
by the consumer himself, and lamps could be fixed
where wanted or their positions altered at will.

A great step forward in popularising electrical ap-
pliances would be made if every portable fitting were
wired to a .standard socket on the fitting, instead of
taking the flexible wire directly on to the lanipholder.
The fitting could then be permanently wired, and the
flexible conductor would not fray where it enters.
Flexible conductors terminating at one end in a plug
to suit the portable fitting, and at the other in a phig
to suit the contacts on the multiple-way fitting above
suggested, should be kept in stock in a number of stan-
dard lengths. Were this done an ordinary householder
could renew his worn-out flexible con<luctor as easily
as he now renews his worn-out flexible gas pipe. Until
electrical appliances are reduced to the same level of
simplicity as those for gas it is hopeless to expect their
general use among the masses.

At the risk of -n-earisomeness, it must be emphasised
that what we have to cater for is the ordinary liome
of the great mass of the wage-earning population and
the lower middle classes ; the people who either have
all the house work to do themselves, or who, while pro-
vided with one or more domestic destructionists, called
in polite society " maids." find the use of their own
hands in many instances conducive to the preservation
of their property and digestive organs. The kind of
house to keep steadily before one's mental vision is the
one with eight rooms, though there may be a small per-
centage of houses rising to 20 rooms, and falling to
three or four rooms. The people who live in these houses
should be able to go to the nearest ironmonger or general
store and buy their kettle or their curling tongs over
the counter, and be able to connect it to their installa-
tion when they get home, without having to call in a
superior person in the form of a wireman and his
mate, who talk loftily about " insulation," which the
consumer does not understand, and about "earth,"
which he misunderstands. If this state of affairs is to
exist it can only be achieved by ensuring that more
or less shoddily-made appliances can be used with im-
munity from serious risks.

All the foregoing observations apply to the class of
installation indicated. For large houses, high-class
shops, offices, and important buildings generally, the
course proposed is obviously unsuitable. For these large
blocks of demand, by all means use the highest pressure
practicable with corresponding precautions. Lighting
and small appliances will be best supplied at 240 volts,
but large appliances such as cooking ranges, even at
this pressure, are a terrible nuisance to the supply
authorities, and costly in mains. It would seem well
worth while for appliances of this kind to have self-
contained transformers which would take a distribution
pressure of 2,500 volts and transform down to, say, 10
volts on the heating elements, which would then be so
massive that their durability would be great, while all
risk of shock to the user would be completely eliminated.
There is no reason why 2,000 or .3,000 volts should not
be perfectly safely carried on cables in hotels and similar
buildings.

Even in installations of this character, however, it is
worthy of consideration whether we are really on the
right lines in respect of our present practice for high-
class work. The primary advantage of electrical dis-
tribution, indeed the main feature which justifies its
existence, is its convenience and adaptability. The ease
with which a cable can be carried round obstacles, and
then taken through inaccessible spaces, as compared with
the rigid pipe necessitated by gas, steam, or hydraulic
power is surely too valuable an advantage deliberately
to throw away. Yet this is what is done in all systems
of conduit protection, and in the forbidiling of tlie
use of flexiljle conductors. It surely cannot be right
to expend tiie major portion of the labour necessary
for putting up an electrical installation on the erection

of a rigid system of piping into which the unhappy
cable is later on drawn (though often the piping is
threaded on it as the work proceeds), when it miglit
so easily lie laid neatly and inconspicuously by itself,
and the whole of the labour of pipe fitting saved. In
elevating this conduit system to its present pinnacle,
engineers appear to have been obsessed by the vision of
numerous individuals wandering about buildings with
hammers and nails, which latter they drive into walls,
floors, and ceilings indiscriminately for no apparent
oljject, while every house is assumed to be infested
with rats and mice. How often are nails actually driven
into the walls of a high-class building or into the floors?
Is all this elaborate mechanical protection that is pressed
for really necessary? In any case it should surely not
pass the wit of man to invent some less cumbrous scheme
than piping. AVhy. too, it may be asked, should wiring
be concealed? Could not some way of making it even
attractive be devised which would save the wasteful
expense that is now practically forced upon the user?

It may be interesting to recall the early days, when
Deptford was first conceived in the mind of Ferranti.
It is no less than marvellous to look back and see the
extraordinary manner in which his intuition, for such
it really was, led him to formulate his scheme on lines
which later theory and practice have shown to be cor-
rect, and in consonance with which the most modern
plans are being laid. He had high-pressure transmis-
sion, alternating current, easy and efficient transforma-
tion of pressure, a fairly high intermediate distribu-
tion (2,400 volts), a very low pressure on the actual
house wiring (100 volts and 50 volts). The proposals
in this article are no more and no less than the advocacy
of a return to Ferranti's initial proposals. The exten-
sive distribution of alternating current at low pres-
sures of the order nf 220-240 volts was really a de-
parture from his original scheme, which was probably
brought about by the prevalence of similar distribution
of direct current with which it was practically inevit-
able. In the writer's judgment, we shall see a return
to the high distribution pressure accompanying the
practical elimination from new schemes of direct-current
distribution, and this high pressure will once more be
transformed to the very low pressure that is suitable
for the house.

An 8,800-ton Electrically-welded Motor Ship.— It is

stated that the Meivliant Shi)ihuilding Corpuratidn (an
American shipluiililint; firm) is to build .-i vessel of .S..S(lO tous
deadweight of the Standard Emergency Fleet type, 4111 ft. in
length, the hull of which is to be electrically welded through-
out. It i.s claimed that this vessel will contain 1.5 per cent,
less steel than a riveted ship, and that 40 per cent, less labour
will be needed, whilst hraiting the time of construction by "25
per cent. — Motor Ship.

Private Electricity Generating Stations.— The Federation

of British Iudu.stries has recently luul occasion to take up
with the Electricity Commissioners the question of the estab-
lishment of private generating stations l)y manufacturers who
wi.sh to provide their own power supply. The position of .such
stations is indicated in The Bidletin for August iBrd. I'nder
the Act there is no restriction on the establishment of a private
station, provided that the owner thereof complies with any
regulations made by the Electricity Commissioners as to the
type of current, frequency, and pressure to be used. When
standard regulations have been made for a district, a manu-
facturer putting down a station which complies with these
regulations is not bound to notify the Comnlissioners, but it is
strongly reconunended that information should be given. If a
manufacturer wishes to put down a plant of a type, frequency,
and pressure of current not in accordance with the regula-
tions, formal application must be made to the Commissioners
for special regulations, but " such regulations shall be so framed
as not to interfere with the economical and efficient working
of the business for which the supply is generated." Until
such regulations have been formidatcd in any area, there is no
legal obligation to notify the (Vmnnis.sioners of the erection of
any private generating station, but here again it is reconi-
mended that they should be notified, as the information will
be helpful to them in framing regulations so that they will be
acceptable to manufacturers. The C<imndssioners are confining
their attention maiidy to public utility undertakings, but never-
theless it is felt tliat they can be of great a.ssistance to manu-
facturers on must ujatters connected with electric power supply.

k

360

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.SV. No. 2,234, September!:, 1920.

ALIGNMENT PINS.

By a LONDON FOREMAN.

A FEW DOMESTIC ELECTRICAL
" INVENTIONS."

Alignment pins — called " steady " pins and " fixing " pins
by shopmen — are brought into service in the erection of
machinery details for the purpose of ensuring that one
particular piece shall be superimposed upon another piece
in its precise and correct position, no matter how many
times the respective pieces may be separated.

Contrary to the methods of some engineers, who prefer
fitting bolts to each and every hole, the writer much
prefers clearance holes for the bolts, and precise and particular
location made by alignment pins.

The latter method is much safer in respect of construction,
for many who have used fitting bolts to each and every hole
not infrequently wish they hadn't when things don't come
just right in erection. It is then a case of filing holes to
get things fair, and when fairness is secured the filed holes
have more clearance than if clearance holes had been
intended.

So clearance holes for holding the parts together let it be,
and the only thing wanted is a good and endurable and well-
looking alignment pin.

There art plenty of designs of steady pins, and all are
applied in a similar way, for the continued and permanent
alignment of structural details. The parts being fixed in
position, and held securely together by bolts in clearance

Fig. 1. — Alignment Pin.

holes, the holes for the alignment pins are drilled, in some
cases drilled and reamed in others, and pins are turned and
fitted in the holes provided. Besides making provision for
placing the pins in the holes, provision must be made for
conveniently getting the pins out of the holes, and without
in any way distorting or damaging the pins during
withdrawal.

Readers are familiar with the orthodox steady-pins —
those which are driven in a taper hole and have to be drilled
out. Others there are with heads (of a kind) wliich have
to be levered out, and, more often than not, are bent badly
in the process.

The pin shown in fig. 1 is the pin favoured by the
writer, which ha.s been used frequently at his suggestion in
small engines, dynamo-electric machinery, and, notably, in
the casings of large steam turbines, with unqualified
success and approval.

It will be observed by those familiar with the use and
application of these alignment pins, that a pin such as is
shown in the sketch is all but imperatively necessary where
it is necessary to fit it to a blind bottom, as represented
above.

By "VOLTMAN."

The writer's domestic electrical " inventions " were really
the outcome of necessity during the dark days of the war.
Strictly speaking, it was the dark nights that proved the
truth of the proverb that " Necessity is the mother of
invention." The control of the hall light was an early
problem that had to be solved. It was desirable that the
switch should not be used more than absolutely necessary, as
the light, though reasonably shaded, acted as a magnet for
the special constable.s on the beat if it wsre left on a couple
of minutes. The switch, moreover, was most inconveniently
placed to get at when entering the door, and when the
house was in darkness it needed groping for.

The solution was a " brain wave " ; it comprised an
ordinary pear-push and a dozen feet of flexible which,
luckily, were at hand. The flexible was easily wired to the
back of the switch to form an extension in parallel, and the
push served as an excellent switch that could not be left
" on." The flexible was lightly stapled along the moulding,
and brought so as to hang down just inside the door-post.
Anyone entering had merely to press the push to light the
hall and find his way in ; he was not likely to leave
the light on longer than he cared to keep his
finger on the push. It was with some regret that
the writer finally "demobilised " the contrivance, one
which seems applicable to various Lases where energy should
not be wasted. Further arguments with the zealous
" specials " led to the giving up of a ceiling light in one
room and using a table lamp, but there was no wall plug,
and making a permanent connection was too much work.
No local shop could supply an adapter, and something had
to be done. In a quarter of an hour an excellent adapter
was made from a sound cork, fitting the pendant lampholder
tightly, and a couple of french nails. These were carefully
pushed through the cork, the flat heads serving as contacts
to press against the plungers in the holder, and the pro-
jecting ends of the flexible were attached by a touch of solder,
and given a turn of insulating tape. The cork was none the
worse for having 230 volts across it, though the writer
expected to find it charred to a cinder sooner or later !

Then came the "can't-buy-any-matches" period, a very
trying time for the domestic mjime. One day the writer,
after a tour of a dozen shops, some of which displayed a
notice " Please don't ask for matches," came to the con-
clusion that electricity could surely offer a way out of the
difficulty. Two or three ideas came to mind, a platinum
wire heated by a current from a small accumulator, a make-
and-break spark to light the gas, but finally it was decided
to utilise an old trembler coil which had seen better days on
a motor-cycle. One was bought from a dealer in electrical
•' junk " for 7s. 6d., and rigged up on a base-board with a
4-volt accumulator, a push-button in the primary circuit,
and a spark-gap of i',;ths. of an inch across the secondary.
A better match substitute could not have lieen desired ; one
simply held a taper in the spark-gap and pressed the button,
thus energising the coil and producing a spark. The coil
easily earned its cost in matches and time, and the painful
experience of being snubbed by the local shopkeepers never
occurred again.

Electricity proves a valuable friend indeed in difficult
times, and. given simple materials and thought to the
essentials of a problem, there are many ways in which it can
help in the household.

Illumination and Ejectrical Condactivity in Selenium. —

Mr. A. 0. Raukine, in the I'hil. M,i,i. (May. iy20X gives a surpria-
intrly frood character to selenium cells for reliability within definite
limits. " The effect of light on them is quantitatively reproducible
again and again." Contrary to the tacitly accepted idea that the
change of electrical conductivity in selenium is as the square root
of the intensity of the incident light, it is claimed that extended
experiments show the change to be projiortional to the fourth root
of the light inieaiity.—Joui-nal of the Franklin Institute.

Vol. 87. No. 2,234, Sbptbmbbe 17, 1920.] THE ELECTBICMj EEVIEW.

361

THE MUNICIPAL TRAMWAYS ASSOCIATION

(INCORPORATED). -I,

On Wednesday last the 19th annual conference of the
Association was opened at Cardiff, a city which is enjoy-
ing a remarkable succession of society visits this year —
the I.E.E. summer meeting, the British Association, the
Municipal Tramways Association, and next week the
Iron and Steel Institute. Coming late in the pro-
gramme, the M.T.A. naturally finds the city authorities
au fait with the duties and ceremonies which they per-
form so gracefully and hospitablj^ while it also has the
advantage of arriving after the settlement of the strike
of municipal employes which so sadly marred the visit
of the British Association. The conference opened in
bad weather, but the rain gave place to sunshine by
mid-day. The city was full for the Horse Show.

The Executive Council held a private meeting at
10 o'clock, which was followed by a formal reception of
the Association at the City Hall by the Lord Mayor,
Councillor G. F. Forsdike, J. P., and the members of the
Cardiff Corporation Tramways Committee. The con-
ference was then opened at 11 o'clock by the President,
Aid. Sir John W. Courtis, J. P.

The Lord Mayor welcomed the Association to Cardiff,
and the president. Aid. Sir John W. Courtis, J. P.,
chairman of the Tramways Committee, suitably ex-
pressed thanks. He then opened the conference, men-
tioning in his address that that day was the fiftieth
anniversary of the Tramways Act of 1870. He reviewed
the march of progress since that date, and said that at
the present time financial questions were of paramount
importance. Passengers must all pay their fair shares
of the wage awards. The work of the Whitley Councils,
which was of the first importance, was then reviewed,
and mention was made of the valuable work done by the
Committee on Standardisation, especially with regard
to overhead line materials. A special tribute was paid
to the secretary's splendid work during the past year.

Papers on " Tramway Finance " were then read by
Councillor Higham, chairman of Blackburn Corporation
Tramways Committee, and Mr. P. Priestly, general
manager of Liverpool Corporation Tramways ; the
authors agreed wholeheartedly in the view that upward
revision of fares was inevitable if the undertakings were
to be conducted on sound commercial lines, and that no
class of passenger should be granted privileges in re-
spect of fares. Abstracts of these papers are given
below ; the discussion will be reported in our next issue.
At 1 o'clock the conference adjourned for luncheon in
the City Hall, at the invitation of the chairman and
members of the Tramways Committee, 190 members
being present, and on resuming the session at 2.30 p.m.
fn, paper on " Operating Costs," by Mr. A. L. C. Fell,
general manager of the L.C.C. Tramways, was read and
(discussed. In the evening a reception was held by the
Jjord Mayor and Lady Mayoress in the City Hall, and
^ pleasant evening was enjoyed.

On Thursday the programme included meetings of the
Executive Council and of the Managers' Section, and
the conference was to continue the discussion on " Tram-
way Finance " under the headings of " Repairs and De-
preciation in Relation to Capital and Revenue " (papers
by Messrs. J. Dalrymple, gener.il manager of Glasgow
Tramways, and R. L. Horsfield, genecal manager of
Cardiff Tramways), and " The Future of Capital Expen-
diture " (paper by Mr. R. S. Pilcher, general manager,
Edinburgli Tramways). The annual luncheon of the
Association was to follow at the Royal Hotel, and in the
afternoon the annual general meeting was to take place.
To-day is to be devoted to a pleasure excursion to
Weston-super-Mare and Cheddar.

Tramway Fares,

By CouNCiLLOH HiQHAM (Chairman, Blackburn Tramways
Committee.)

(AhsUact.)
Postulate that tramway undertakings have to pay their way,
and not be a burden upon the rates, then a proper adjust-
ment of fares to meet the enormous increases in expenditure
is essential. Wages and cost of materials have increased out
of all proportion to the fares we have been charging, and,
unfortunately, we are not able to hand on to our patrons the
increases in the cost of producing rides (which is the com-
modity we sell) with the same facility as other industries.
I am firmly of the opinion that tramways should pay their
way, that the riders should pay for their rides, and with that
end in view, every authority should adjust its fares to keep
pace with the constantly increasing cost of labour, material,
and money.

In most towns the time has arrived for the aboUtion of
the penny fare. The first mile of your tramways from the
centre of the system is in general the distance you have to
depend upon most to make the undertaking a success, and
if the people who use this portion are to escape all the increases
in cost, how can you expect to get the necessary revenue out
of those who travel the longer distances? — especially in view
of the fact that in rush times you are most hable to have
your cars crowded with penny fares to the exclusion of
longer-distance passengers, and when the lower fares have
quitted, you are very often left with a car-load of wind to
the end of the route.

It will be generally conceded that a " workman's " fare
is not a sound economic fare, and if this is the case, then
part of the cost of carrying such " workmen " must be borne
by someone else. I don't think anyone can argue that this
is a fair, equitable, or rational state of things. When we
had large classes of workmen receiving miserably low wages,
there may have been some reason for subsidising the carrying
of those who had to use the cars to get to their work, but
now, if the amount of wages has to be taken into considera-
tion, it is not the people who go to work before 8 a.m. who
should have half-fares, but those who in the past have been
looked upon as the aristocracy of labour, and go to their
daily toil at 8.30 or 9 a.m. But I am firmly of opinion that
there should be no subsidised fares for any class.

I see no reason why the tramway undertaking should be
looked upon as a charitable institution any more than any
other municipal undertaking. If it is logical that tramwaye
should be used by some classes at cheaper rates than others,
or entirely free, it is equally logical to ask for free gas, free
electricity, and so on.

Tramway Fares.

By P. Priestly (General Manager, Liverpool Tramways.)
[Abstract.)
In dealing with the ordinary passenger fares, the rate stipu-
lated in the Acts of Parliament prior to 1914 was usually fixed
at Id. per mile, but the operating costs have increased to such
an extent, that "manv towns have had to obtain powers to
increase the statutory fare from Id. to lid. per mile, and
in some cases to 2d. per mile. The majority of the larger
undertakings which, prior to 1914, were not charging their
full statutory fares, have found that it is impossible to make
their tramway systems self-supporting unless the full statutory

The first consideration in connection with the operation of
a tramwav undertaking is that it should be run on a com-
mercinl basis: that it should produce an adequate financial
return to the municipality to provide the community with
a full service; and that it should accumulate sufficient funds
for the renewal of the undertaking, as well as its improve-
ment and extension. ,. »

It is cl»ar that for a svstem to be remunerative the fares
to be charged niiiat be such as will bring in sufficient revenue
to cover the whole of the costs, including capital charges,
operating costs, renewals, &c. The fares charged ought to be
laid ont on an equitable basis, i.e.. each passenger should
pay his share of the sum of the different items of expenditure.

One method is to arrange fares on a definite distance for
the basic fare, and to chorge the higher fares for the longer
distances on this basis. Another method is for a high mini-
mum and a low maximum fare to be adopted, which means
that the short-distance passengers pay a much higher average
fare than the long-dist.ance passenger.'?. Tliis in of great im-
portance in making a tramway undertaking of the greatest
service to the community. It encourages people to live at
longer distances from their work, and in healthier surround-
ings. It also tends to spread the population more evenly over
the tramwav svstem, and to diminish somewh.nt the tendencv
of the population to gr.avitate to the centre of a town, and
cause congestion, with the result that the Jong-digtance pai-
eenger is often crowded out by the short-distance nder. For

862

THE ELECTRICAIj REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,234, septkmbeb it, 1920.

these reasons I am not in favour of giving short rides at low
fares in the centre of the town.

I have arrived at the conclusion that the best method is
to take a central point of the tramway undertaking as the
town terminus, and from that point to divide the system into
mile zones. It must then be ascertained at what cost a
passenger can be carried fur a mile, which amount must
cover all charges; in other words, each passenger must pay
the full cost of his ride, la some towns this amount has
been found to be Id. per mile, whilst uther towns have had
to make a minimum charge of IJd. per mile. It might be
found that some advantage could be gained by charging a
slightly lower fare to the long-distance passenger, in which
case the first zone would be a mile, and the next stages
could be slightly increased in distance, so that passengers
from, say, a five-mile radius would be able to travel to the
central terminus for, say, a 4d. fare.

The running costs per car-mile are less as the car reaches
the less thickly populated districts, when there are fewer
stops, and the speed is increased, whilst the standing charges
remain practically the same per passenger, making the total
charge per passenger slightly less, and therefore a lower fare
can be charged.

I think that the time has gone by when consideration should
be given to splitting stages, i.e., Isd., 2Jd., &c., fares, as
these give rise to considerable difficulties in the collection of
fares, and also give opportunities for passengers to avoid
paying the correct fares, besides adding to the number of
tickets which the conductor has to deal with.

As to overlapping stages, I am not generally in favour of
them, except between the first and second Id. stages, which
do not extend outside the city ai'ea. The overlapping stages
often encourage the business people to use the tramcara
wherever they may be going within the business area.

JWith regard to the granting of special privileges, it is
entirely wrong in principle that one class of passenger should
have cheap fares at the expense of the other passengers.

Contract tickets are unworkable on a tramway system, and
wherever these privileges have been introduced they have
been in general abused. No preferential treatment should be
given to any class of passenger. I am rather in favour of a
system of higher fares being charged on special occasions,
such as race meetings, football matches, &c., as a large
number of people attending such meetings are strangers to
the town, and only come there for that special purpose. They
should, therefore, be charged higher fares in consideration of
special cars having to be provided for their convenience.

I am entirely against the adoption of the transfer system,
which is difficult to work, and, even when put into operation,
has proved to be unsatisfactory.

The present operating costs make the serious consideration
of the adoption of halfpenny fares impossible.

THE MACHINE-TOOL AND ENGINEERING
EXHIBITION.

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS OF ELECTRICAL
GOODS FOR AUGUST, 1920.

The oflBcial returns of electrioal export and import business for the
month of August show a further falling: off in the value of exports
and a considerable appreciation in import values.

The total value of August electrioal exports was £1,08'),994, as
compared with £1,166,798 in the previous month ; the only branches
of business attaining a higher level than in July were electrioal
goods and apparatus, meters, submarine telegraph and telephone
cables and electrical machinery, whilst considerably reduced values
were recorded in all other sections.

The imports total for the month of £28t,572 was much in excess
of the July figure of £237,4'.i8, considerable imports of carbons
and machinery having entered this country in August.

The re-exports at £14,786 show an increase of nearly £2,00(1 on
the July figures.
Values of Electrical Exports and Imports for Aug., 1920. —

Exports. Imports. Re-exports.

Electrical goods and apparatus £196,711 £79,177 £5,666
(unenumerated")

Insulated wire 305,128 17,651 41

Glow lamps 28,534 4,615 249

Arc lamps and parts 1,144 2,552 434

Batteries 48,834 8,171 —

Meters 36,497 2,809 934

Carbons 3,606 16,094 2,895

Electrical mac/iitiery : —

Rail way and tramway motors .. . 2,700 —

Other motors and generators ... 128,073 — —
Electrical machinery (unenu-
merated) 67,191 136,728 2,098

Switchboards (not telegraph or

telephone) 10,186 40 9

Telegraph am! teleplidiie rahle and apparatus : —
Telegraph and telephone wires

and cables (not submarine) ... 76,474 3,619 24
Submarine telegraph and tele-
phone cables 70,393

Telegraph and telephone instru-
ments and apparatus 110,624 13,216 2,436

Totals...

... £1,085,994 £284,572 £14,786

{Co/itirtiied /rout page '.i'M.)

Messrs. Charles Willett.s, Jun., Ltd., Cradley Heath, Staffs.,
are exhibiting in addition to worm-gear lifting blocks, various
small lifting appliances, jacks, &c., a quarter size working model of
a direct-coupled electric passenger lift, which is operated by means
of push-button control.

The Foster Instrument Co., Letchworth, Herts, most of
whose instruments have, we believe, at one time or another been
noticed in our pages, has a stand on which the following devices are
to be seen : —

Foster's fixed-focus radiation pyrometers for measuring temper-
tures entirely from a distance, which are specially suitable for
use with high-temperatures and inaccessible hot bodies ; they are
particularly convenient where the material remains in a furnace
only a short time. The instruments are provided with a patented
sighting device, and are made aa light portable outfits, measuring
in a few seconds, also aa fixed recording pyrometers.

In the thermo-couple pyrometers for industti»l heat treatment,
special designs secure great robustness and simplicity, also cheap
and quick replacement of the parts subjected to furnace heat.
They are made as wall-type or portable indicating, and as fixed
recording pyrometers.

Hoskin's alloy thermo-couple with head allowing quick attach-
ment of wires, specially suitable for high-temperature measurement,
and a Humf rey autographic I notched-bar testing machine for
breaking metals, showing total energy absorbed in breaking, and
also the manner in which the test-piece yielded, are exhibited, and
are specially useful for determining correct specification and heat
treatment of alloy steels.

An Eden-Foster repeated impact testing machine for testing
resistance of metals to " fatigue " ; a Foster strainmeter for
measuring strains of loaded structures, together with a variable
spted friction drive, are shown. A point to be remembered in con-
nection with this firm's stand is that every exhibit is shown
actually working.

Messrs. 'Dickers, Ltd., London. — This stand gives an idea of
the variety of products turned out by the firm's works. For
instance, there are on view test pieces of steel, tubes, cast pro-
pellers, drop stampings, &c., in addition to such things as rifles
and shot-gun tubes, hydraulic valves, variable-speed gears,
refrigerating plant, agricultural machinery, rubber products,
sewing machines, and toys. The small winding engine that
is shown is intended to illustrate the great advantages
obtainable by the application of the Williams Jan ney gear to
all duties where continually-varying loads are met with or
speed control is desirable. The winder consists of a email cylin-
drical drumof about 2 ft. diameter, runningat 30R,p,M.and driven
through double-reduction gearing, and a size 20-type " C " ffilliams-
Janney gear directly coupled to a continuous-running 20-h,p.
,500- R. P.M. electric motor. The winding engine is provided with
the usual standard driver's control lever and foot-operated brake.
The chief advantages of the WilliamsJanney gear brittly are : —
That it provides an indefinitely variable-speed regulation in both
directions, and enables a constantly-running prime mover to be
employed by an intermittently-running machine : the electrical
equipment and wiring are simple ; the heavy resistance losses during
starting and slow-speed running met with in the ordinary
rheostatic control, are eliminated. Also that the prime never is
started up under light load conditions ; the load is taken by the
prime mover as and when required ; each position of the driver's
control lever corresponds to a definite winding speed ; and the overall
efficiency of the plant is high.

The Cambridge and Paul Instrument Co,, Ltd., London. —
The principal features of this exhibit, which comprises a large
selection of the firm's well-known scientific instruments, are the
electrical CO , recorders and indicators. They are made in a number
of forms for either indicating or recording, or both, from one or a
number of ditterent points simultaneously. The principle of the
Shakespear device, which requires no chemical absorbent, has
already been described in our columns, but a new instrument is
displayed for the first time. It is known as the Chimney Loss
Indicator, and its function is to show at one and the same time the
percentage of CO., in the tlue gases, the ttue-gas temperature, and
also the approximate loss of efficiency. The apparatus takes the form
of a combined electrical COj recorder and a standard thermo-
couple thermometer. One dial face serves for the scales of both
instruments ; the two scales curve upwards from the two bottom
corners, forming the sidea of a triangle, and the pointers are
pivoted to the right and left of the base line, which is calibrated to
show the corresponding loss of efliciency for any two values of CO,
and temperature. The reading on the third scale is taken from
the point where the two pointers intersect, the graduations being
continued upwards from the scale to facUitate reading. Another
interesting feature of the exhibit is the new totally-enclosed
indicator and switchboard for use with electrical distance ther-
mometers. The indicator was originally designed for use on board
ship, but it is equally suitable for use in damp or dirty situations on
land. The most modern type of this device can be supplied for 12,
24, 34, 70, or 150 points. A third new exhibit is a three-thread
recorder, being a development of the standard two-thread type.
Each thread gives a reading every 2'5 minutes, with half-minute
intervals between the records of each thread. With regard to the
rest of the exhibits, resistance pyrometers include a Callendar
recorder, Whipple indicator, and resistance thermometer. Com-
bined indicating and recording electrioal distance thermometer
outfit, consisting of a double-range indicator with 20-point switch-

Vol. 87. No. 2,234, September 17, 1920,] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

363

board, four-point recorder and resistance thermometers. A twelve-
point indicating outfit, aa supplied to cold stores, totally enclosed
moisture-proof indicators, double-pivoted thread recorder, and
resistance thermometers for marine use. Various patterns of
thermo-electric pyrometers, indicators, switchboards, recorders,
rare and base metal thermo-couples and accessories. Complete
double-range indicating outfit for taking molten metal temper-
atures, and a complete twelve-point indicating outfit with special
copper • constantan thermo-couples for taking temperatures of
armature windings ; an electrical locomotive pyrometer, radiation
and optical pyrometers, mercury-ia-steel thermometers, and dial
thermometers, vapour tension types in various patterns ; also
mercury-in-glaaa thermometers, dr.iught and pressure gauges, and
electrical instrumentf, including resistance bridges, potentiometers,
unipivot galvanometers, Irwin astatic dynamometer wattmeter,
testing tets, &c.

Messks. G. Swit'T & Sons, Ltd.. Halifax.— To Olustrate the
various types of electrically-driven machine tools that are on view,
the following examples are appropriate. The illustration, fig. 15,
shows a 10-in. centre all-geared head-lathe driven by a B.T.H..
15-H p., D.c , constant-speed motor workiog at a pressure of 220

J. Goodman, M.I.C.E., M.I.M.E., to the owners of the pump
patent:—. . . "It ran perfectly without the slightest sign of
choking when supplied with barrow loads of long stringy river
weeds, straw, hay, rope, bundles of frayed hempen rope, baiting,
ashes and clinkers." . . . "The mechanical efficiency of this
pump is not high as compared with pumps specially designed to
give the best possible efiiciency with clean water— but, in my
opinion, the mechanical efficiency is of secondary importance when
dealing with fibrous materials which are liable to choke a pump —
the loss of time and money involved in having to constantly stop
and clear away obstructions far outbalances any alight advantage
due to an increase in mechanical effijiency. I, therefore, consider
that your pump, which has only a moderately good mechanical
efficiency, but is absolutely foolproof and capable of passing long
fibrous materials, and solid matter, is of far greater value to those
who have such materials to deal with than a high-efficiency pump
which will constantly require attention."

Messrs. Re.well & Co., Ltd., Ipswich, have two seta of air-
compressing plant amongst their working exhibits that should be of
interest to electrical men. The first is a duplex compressor jockey
pulley driven from an electric motor, and consists of a duplex

FlCr. 1.5.— HOTOR-DRIVEN ALL-GEARED HEAD LATHE,

Tolts. The drive from the motor to the gear box is by raw-hide
pinion, and a friction drive between the motor and the gear box
allows of gear changes being easily made without stopping the
motor. There are 16 spindle speeds, controlled by three levers, and
it is impossible to engage cor flicting sets of gear; there are six
changes of feed, driven by a feed box of the sliding- wheel type, and
a double-walled apron is fitted to the saddle with drop worm for
engaging the feeds. The machine admits between centres 6 ft. 6 in.,
swings over saddle li'5 in. diameter; swings in gap 37'5 in
diameter, 10 5 in. wide, and its weight is 95 cwt.

Central-thrust radial drilling machines are built with direct
motordrive on the arm, as illustrated in fig. 16, and with double,
triple, or quadruple base platei as required ; they are made in three
aizM, 5, 6, and 7 It. r.%iiu8. Fig. 17 shows a girder radial-drilling

compressor, with a piston displacement of 50 cu. ft., and a working
pressure of 100 lb. per sq. in., and is specially suitable for supplying
air for pneumatic tools. This exhibit is controlled by means of an
automatic starting and stopping switch. The second set is a sub-
station cleaning outfit, and consists of a Reavell patent sub-station
compressor direct coupled to a small D.c. motor, and provided with
a hose on a drum, starting switch, and wall plug with a flexible
cable. This set demonstrates the use of compressed air at low
pressure for cleaning the dust from electrical machinery, &c. A
small rotary compressor, and a large rotary compressor which are
on view, have bfen recently introduced, and aresuitable for capacities
of from 100 to 2,500 cu. ft. per minute, and are designed to compress
air to 10 to 15 lb. per sq. in. gauge, and at the same time may be
run at a spcei suffioiendy high to allow of direct coupling to

Fiiis. 16, 17, AND 18. — Electricallv-driven Drillikg Machine?.

machine fitted with a three-speed gear box aud motor drive on the
arm, while fig. 18 shows a machine between the gear box and
motor of which a friction clutch is placed to allow the machine to
be stopped independent of the motor, and to facilitate changing
speeds in the gear box.

Messrs. Ceossley & Co. [C. W. B. Crossley], Manchester. In
addition to a comprehensive display of machine tools, a eelection of
portable electrically-driven tools, including drills and grinders for
hand and bench use, are on view on this stand.

Messrs. Unchokeable Pomp, Ltd , London, exhibit a remark-
able type of centrifugal pump, the impossibility of choking which
ia claimed to be an actual fact, and is guaranteed. A 6-ia.
pump direct driven by an electric motor is shown ; pumps of this
form are made with either horizontal or vertical spindles, and they
are also suitable for belt or high-speed internal combustion
engine drive. The following is an extract from a report by Prof.

electric motors of standardspeeds. The machines are of the familiar
"Crescent" type, consisting of a drum fitted with a number of
slots in which steel blades slide in a radial direction. When
running the centrifugal force created in the blades, forces them
outwards against a liner, and the friction produced "by the blades
against the liner is sufficient to overcome the slight frictional
resistance of the revolving liner : the latter, therefore, revolves
freely with the drum or rotor. Large numbers of the smallest
size of these machines were supplied to the Royal Air Force for
special purposes, being driven by an air screw up to speeds of
3,000 R.p.M. The larger type of m.ichine exhibited is one of a
number supplied to the British Admiralty for exhausting the
water from the ballast tanks of eubraarines. There are also on
the stand several machines of the "Axial" type, some of them
with water jsickets. for pressures up to 60 lb. per sq. in., and
several unjacketed machines for pressures up to 20 lb. per sq. m.

864

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.st. no. 2,234, September n, 1920.

These machines are largelylused for supplying the blast air to oil-
fuel burners.

Messrs. Smith, Bakek&Willson, Ltd .Halifax. — An innovation
in machine-tool lay-out is to be seen on this firm's stand. It will
be noted that the batteiy of lathes shown in &g. I'.i is driven
by means of the live shaft, seen on the left-hand side of the
picture, which runs the whole leEg-th of the shop, or in sections,
as desired. This uncommon arangement intends the lathes to be
ran in gangs of 10 or more, and they can be driven in an open shop
under a crane, as there are no overhead countershaft or fittings of

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received by u> after 5 P.M. ON Tuesday cannot appear until
the following week. Currespo7idents should forward their communi-
cations at the earliest possible moment. J\'o letter can be published
unless we have the writer's name and address in our possession.

^mmmrm^m^mmmsmmi^^h^ri^mm. \ \ \ ■■■!

■■■■^^^^^^^^^■^nllH^^^MH

^'^^

-^ ."ml^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BBH ' i ^■'^jl

■Kfe'V

i

^^^te'

1

\'^^^^p

^hi

■■HUiHi

Fig. 1;i. — A Battery of.Wilison Lathes.

any description. Power is transmitted from the driving motor by
means of a silent worm drive, through a friction clutch, to the
driving gears, which, by sliding upon a castellated shaft in the
leg, give four changes of speed, the final drive being by belt to a
single pulley in the headstock. Two rates of back gearing are
provided, which may be instantly changed with the aid of friction
clutches, giving 12 spindle speeds ; reverse and " knock-off " motions
are also provided.

(To be continued.)

The " Fahrdlagraph." — This recorder is stated fco be a
Fimple. accurate, and convenient means for obtaining auto-
matically the so-called " running diagram " in railway work,
and also other similar diagrams, such as temperature variation
curves on loaded electrical machinery, oscillation charts, &c.
It can also be used to indicate the integral curves of given
general curves, for the conversion of given mathematical
relations, &c. A full account of the theory and operation of
the recorder is given in ElcJitrische Kraft-hetriebc und Bahiicn.
There are two plane charts and one drum cliart, the pre-
liminary diagrams being traced on the former and the com-
bined curve on the latter. The adjustment of the recorder
for any given operation is said to be quite simple and only
to take a few minutes, as the moving parts are simple and
few. The apparatus is protected by German patent No.
QSe.bW-— Technical Review.

X-ray Finger Prints. — An improved method of taking
criminals' finger-prints by X-rays has been invented by Dr.
Henry Beclere, of Paris. According to the daily Press, the
process consists of rubbing the ends of the fingers with some
chemical which is opaque to X-rays. On being X-rayed a
photograph of the finger-tip, like an ink thumb-print, is ob-
tained, only with much greater accuracy; and it is capable of
being enlarged with greater precision for examination. More-
over, the X-ray photograph shows the bones, which vary
slightly in different individuals' fingers, and the internal shape
of the nails, which is also a varying characteristic. Thus each
photograph contains matter for identification in three dilTerent
■ways.

Rectifier for Small Currents. —At a meetino; of the
German Electrotechnical Association a type of rectifier was
described that is suited for supplying very small currents of
the order of from 0..5 to 3.0 amps. .According to E.T.Z.. the
rectifier consists of a bulb containing a gas such as argon,
and provided with cathodes of metals that can be easily vola-
tilised, such as thallium, alloyed .with heavy metals such as
mercury, cadmium, or lead. Cathodes of such alloys have the
property of maintaining a stable arc with far lower currents
than mercury cathodes. The apparatus is connected in a
manner similar to a mercurv vapour rectifier, with the excep-
tion of the starting cear, which is a vacuum interrupter con-
nected in parallel with one of the two circuits of the rectifying
tube. The pflBciency of tubes of SO to \00 Wiitts capacity is
»bout 6.5 per cent. — Technical Review.

Hoad Transport.

I note in your issue of the 3rd inst. that the Institute of
Transport is to consist of members who have had some con-
siderable experience in dealing with traffic, or providing trans-
port, or works connected therewith, and those who have
consented to become members of the Council — a list of whom
is given in youi' issue — have all apparently been connected
with traffic and transport work.

With the exception of Sir H. P. Maybury, I fail, however,
to find the names of any who are acquainted, for instance,
with modern road work, and unless more attention is given
to the science and art of road construction for present-day
traffic, those who are responsible for pi-oviding transport and
dealing with road traffic are, in my opinion, likely to have
some difficulty in the smooth running of the heavy and in-
creasing motor traffic that the roads will have to carry.

It looks to me as if the Institute of Transport is putting
the cart before the horse.

Tractor.

September 1th, 1920.

'Wiiy is the Contractor Permitted to do it?

The letter of Mr. Charles A. Baker in your current issue,
and that of a previous correspondent, raise a very interesting
point to all contractors. Personally speaking, I have always
understood (but never had it legally confirmed) that a supply
company has no right to refuse to connect any installation
on whatever system it has been carried out, provided, as
Mr. Baker says, it comes up to the standard as regards
insulation resistance. Now, Mr. Editor, is this so? I have
carried out an enonuous amount of installation work in my
time, and have on more occasions than one had connection
refused on account of " slip-jointed " conduit and fittings
being used. Now, if this cla.ss of material is not allowed,
why are such large quantities turned out by the manufac-
turers? It is not my point herein to advocate or to condemn
the use of slip-jointed conduit and fittings, but it is time
some final decision was given, as it is, to say the least, very
unfair to insist on one ' contractor installing "continuity
tubing " in a district where other installations have been
executed and connected with " all sorts and conditions " of
wiring.

I have always been an advocate of a good sound job, what-
ever the system employed, but fail to see why slip-jointed
tubing should be condemned, provided the same has been
properly installed. Likewise, I fail to see the use of earthing
the section or length of tubing nearest the supply authorities'
fuse box, this being usually insisted on, together with, of
course, ironclad switchgear, &c.

I well remember the noise that was made when slip-jointed
conduit first commenced to supersede wood casing, and all
sorts of statements were made about the " risk of fire." &c.,
with wood casing, but I know of installations still in use,
carried out very many years ago in casing, which have not
yet caught fire.

Doesn't the same thing apply, in a way, to C.J. conduit
and fittings?

S. O. Hoad.

Eastbourne.
September IZth, 1920.

[Certainly it is so. Supply authorities {with a very few
exceptions, which have obtained statutory powers to make
rules) have no legal right to criticise, still less to condemn,
any installation which pas!=es the insulation test, unless they
can show that if connected to the mains its use would inter-
fere with the supply of electricity to other consumers. This
subject was fully dealt with in an article by Mr. Chas. A.
Baker in our issues of April 18th and 25th, 1919.

With regard to other points in the letter, our correspondent
will find Mr. Wordingbam's article on p. 357 of this issue
interesting.— Eds. Elec. Rev.] ^

Tlie E.P.E.A. and The E.T.U.

It has come to our knowledge that a principle of the highest
importance is now at stake, which, if accepted, would destroj
the independence of the Electrical Power Engineers' .\s.socia
tion and cause it, in fact, to be merely (in the matter ol
votes) an inferior section of the Electrical Trades Union.

It has been publicly stated by the Secretary of the Elec-
trical Power Engineers' Association that it has been decided
in the present dispute between the Electrical Trades Union
and the EuLlineering Employers' Federation to throw our
weight in witli the side which agrees to arbitration — in this
case with the Electrical Trades Union.

It has. however, been overlooked that the dispute was pre-
cipitated by the action of the Electrical Trades Union at
Penistone. which is now prepared to refer the case to arbitra-
tion. With the merits of this dispute the electric supply in-
dustry has nothing whatever to do.

II

Tol. 87. No. 2,234, Sbptbmber 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIE W.

365

It has also come to our knowledge that the Executive Coun-
cil of the Electrical Power Engineers' Association holds the
view that because we are a trade union we must throw in
our lot with any other trade union in any strike that may
develop, provided the grounds seem to us to be just. In
other words, we declare beforehand our sympathy with the
men as against the employers.

We, the undersigned, cannot accept so radical an alteration
in the policy first enunciated by the Electrical Power Engi-
neers' Association, or so drastic a forfeiture of our independ-
ence, and we cannot believe that the vast body of the more
intelligent and highly-trained engineers in the electrical pro-
fession can accept it either.

It should be borne in mind that the senior power engineers
have, in many cases, given their support to this (Electrical
Power Engineers' Association) movement largely to improve
the status and remuneration of the junior members. Under
the proposed new scale of salaries the junior members have
benefited far mure than the senior members.

We consider that the Institution of Electrical Engineers is
also vitally interested in this question. Mr. C. H. Wording-
ham, as President, strongly advocated the formation of the
Electrical Power Engineers' Association, and we then under-
stood that it was to be conducted on lines very different to
those that are now being idopted.

If the more responsible members of the Electrical Power
Engineers' .A.ssociation would make their voices heard, and
would refuse to be coerced into actions that they disapprove
of, it might not yet be too late to save the situation.

A Group of Senior Power Lngineers.

September lith, 19'20.

Power Factor.

I am sure it is clear from my previous comments that I
did not misunderstand the purpose of Mr. Turnbull's article,
and I still think that the conversation I suggested with the
unlearned consumer would do more to clear his — or her —
ideas than Mr. Turnbull's method would. I suggest that he
read the last paragraph of my comments to some business
man, to put the point to the test, and that he report the
result. The advantage of my plan is that it never mentions
power factor or wattless currents at all, and so there is no
need to try to do what Mr. Turnbull says the text-books
do not do, namely, explain these " elusive " entities to the
— presumably, at the end of the explanation, gaping — con-
sumer. The impression I obtained from Mr. Turnbull's first
article was that he wished everyone to aim at unity power
factor, and that consumers should be asked to bear the cost
of the improvement. With that I heartily disagree. Alternat-
ing-current distribution is obviously advantageous, as a whole,
to supply authorities, otherwise they would not have adopted
it. Wattless current is one of the disadvantages of the type
of supply ; that is all. The true aspect of the matter is, as I indi-
cated very briefly last time, just this : If any consumer is taking
current at an abnormally low power factor, he should pay
more for each unit he uses than a consumer who works at
round about the average power factor of the system, and,
correspondingly, anyone working at an exceptionally high
power factor should be compensated by the supply authority,
as Mr. Turnbull now suggests. I am sorry if I missed that
meaning in Mr. Turnbull's first article, but I cannot see it
there even yet. Perhaps it is another example of the student
and the text-book.

Suppose, for example, that one factory finds it convenient
to use a number of individual drives with small motors, while
another finds it better to use one large motor for each section
or shop. The power factor of the former installation will
clearly tend to be wor.se than that of the latter, if both sets
of motors are equally loaded in proportion to their full output,
and I agree that it may be fair to say to the user of the
individual drives that part of the cost of his convenience
must be a shghtly higher cost of each unit he purchases from
the supply authority. But to go to both consumers and
say they must at their own expense improve their power
factor to unity would be absurd. They know, if they under-
stand the matter at all, that if they take electricity not at unity
power factor the supply authority will look after its own
interests by charging them accordingly. If the level of power
factor is fairly uniform all round, and the supply authority
wants to connect a number of additional consumers, but
cannot do so Ijecause the limit of the capacity of its station
is reached, then it might begin to argue for a general
raising of power factor, but not till then- And even then
the supply authority would have to realise that it, too, is
part of the co-operative concern, and be prepared to pay at
least part of the cost of procuring its own larger output.
Until that extreme emergency occurs, let the general level
of consumers pay at a rate which is just to them and to the
supply authority, and let all unfairness be avoided by adopt-
ing, in the case of specially low-power-factor installations, one
of the methods available for power-factor improvement.

Strictly speaking, the matter ought to be carried much
further, and a consumer ought to be judged by the u.seful
horse-power output he manages to extract per ampere at a
given pressure of supply. This would carry the problem over
to direct-current motors as well as alternating-current motors,
y/hat must be done is to see that no consumer is un-

fair to others. Let the highly skilled and fully in-
structed (whether from text-books or not does not seem
to matter much) station engineer decide what is a fair power
factor and efliciency for each consumer, and charge all alike
so long as they do not perform materially worse than might
be expected. If they do, then, and only then, go and reason
with them, and touch their hearts with piteous appeals, and
tales of how they are interfering with their neighbours'
comfort.

What I thought wrong in Mr. Turnbull's statement about
increased cost of plant due to low power factor I still think
wrong. He said that 60 per cent, power factor meant some-
thing like a doubhng of cost of supply plant. Mr. Turn-
bull is very severe on professors and text-books for their lack
of clarity and want of frankness; let him be at least reason-
ably accurate himself ! It is very interesting to hear of a
switch costing £5,000, but that has no bearing at all on the
point of comparative costs.

I have carefully read Mr. Turnbull's explanation of lagging
current and of power factor. It does not contain anything
with which those of us who have had to depend mainly on
text-books are not already perfectly familiar, so that the text-
books are not, perhaps, so dreadfully defective after all. It
seems to be necessary to protest again when Mr. Turnbull
says that the current is not all " effective," and to point out
that the wattless current he so much hates is absolutely
essential to the motor, because without the flux produced
by it the motor would have no torque, and would not be a
motor at all. And let me repeat, even ad nauseam, that watt-
less current is not supphed free; it is most distinctly paid
for in every case — provided, of course, that the consumer is
an honest man, and pays his bills. I do not suppose Mr.
Turnbull meant to suggest anything to the contrary.

I am not impressed by the extract from Glover's
Almanac, because it fails to state the relative importance of
the saving to the total output of the station in question, and
it fails to state the net saving in cost when the expense of
mstalling the condenser is taken into account. We all know,
of course, that power factor is a nuisance, but so is money,
and so, for that matter, is life; yet we must put up with
these things, and try to see them fairly and, as a whole, in
proper perspective. Did anyone — certainly I did not — ever
s^y that wattless current is either wasteless or costless?

If Mr. Turnbull is going to talk about current factor in-
stead of power factor, let him take efliciency into account as
well, and he will perhaps arrive at results that show that
the much-belauded direct current is not necessarily so very
" respectable " after all.

The Same Correspondent.

August mh, 1920.

May I be allowed to connueut on Mr. C. H. Harvey's letter
under this heading published in your issue of the 10th inst., aa
I am sure it will be helpful to your readers to promote a
discussion on the subject of power factor, and it is to be
hoped especially that engineers in supply undertakings will
express their views.

Mr. Harvey suggests charging on k.v.a. demand only (pre-
sumably K.v.A.-hours), but I cannot see that this is any more
sound than to charge on kw. only or units, as the total cost
in the supply of electrical energy is not directly proportional
to the kilowatt-hours nor to the kilovolt-ampere-hours, but
is some point between the two, depending on the conditions
of supply and the nature of the load.

Whilst it is not sound to charge on kilowatt-hours only —
which will often lieneflt the consumer, especially those of
low-power-factor load — it cannot be argued that to charge
on K.v.A.-hours would be just to all consumers, as in this
case the boot would be on the other foot, and would be to
the advantage of the supply undertaking.

To demonstrate the injustice of such a charge let us assume
that the consumers of an undertaking are charged at a flat
rate of Id. per k.v.a. -hour. The consumer with a load of
100 KW. at unity P.F. would therefore pay lOOd. per hour,
whereas a consumer with 100 kw. load at 0.6 P.P. would
pay 167d. per hour. In the first case the whole of the supply
undertaking's plant is used to full advantage, but in the
.second instance, although the prime movers and boilers for
all practical purposes would have the same load, the alterna-
tors, mains, transformers, &c., would have to carry an addi-
tional 67 k.v.a.

The 60 per cent. P.F. con.sumer is paying 167d. per hour,
and could, therefore, take 167 kw. at unity P.F. for 167d.,
i.e., the same amount. It is obvious, therefore, that some-
thing is ami.ss, as by keeping his demand in k.v.a. at the
same figure and raising the power factor to unity he would
actually get an additional 67 KW. of true energy or 67 units
per hour at the same total cost ; or, to put it another way, if
he paid the supply undertaking on the basis of 167d. per
hour for 100 kw. at 60 per cent. P.F., the supply authority
w^ould get out of paying for the generation cost of 67 kw.
of true energy. Whilst this would perhaps be a very happy
state of affairs for the supply authority, it can hardly be
considered a very favourable outlook for the consumer. A
more equitable state of affairs would be obtained if con-
sumers were charged on the reading of an integrating meter
recording, say, two-thirds kilowatt-hours and. one-third k.v.a^-
hours, and such meters have actually been built, and we're

366

THE ELECTRICAX. REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,234, septembm 17,1920,

invented by Prof. Arno. This proposition as near as any-
thing approaches in sinip'p form an equitable basis of ctiarge,
if, when designing the meter, the proportion of true units
and apparent units is adjusted to suit the particular under-
taking. On the otiier hand, to get down to basic conditions,
the only method by which the consumer can be equitably
charged is on k.v.a. demand as a plant rental charge and
unit charge for energy. In determining the plant rental
ch"argo due consideration can be given to that portion of the
plant which is unaffected by power factor.

E. W. Dorey.
Enfield.
Septemher M(h, 1020.

I quite agree with Mr. C. H. Harvey when he says in his
letter on power factor, in your issue of the Jdth instant, that
it is difficult to follow the actions of alternating currents in
our minds. Might I suggest, however, that the difficulty is
greatly increased by the use of the term " wattless currents'
What, may I ask, is the origin of this termV If, for purposes
of investigation, we consider an alternating current as being
split up into two components, one in phase with the E.M.F.
and the other 90 deg. out of phase, we are quite in order
in referring to the latter as the " idle " or " wattless " com-
ponent of the current.

This, however, is a vastly different matter to recognising
the existence of a separate wattless current or even of that
'■ extra " current, by which, according to Mr. Harvey, " the
current is increa.sed at all times, &c."

To add still further to the mystery surrounding this weird
current, lie goes on to tell us that it comes from nowhere ;
at least, it " takes no power from the generator," it " causes
heat losses," and it " circulates througli low-resistance wind-
ings, maintaining a magnetic flux."

I am afraid that Mr. Hai-vey's hopes of clearing the matter
by this " explanation " are doomed to disappointment. I
would strongly advise him to banish entirely from his mind
" wattless current " as a term that has no .'significance.

Mr. Dorey strikes the right note in his letter on the subject
when he speaks of the " wattle.ss leading component,"
although in tliis case of power.

" Wattless component " whether of current, e.m.f., or
power, is a legitimate expression, of value in its right place,
but " wattless current " has no place, and its use should be
avoided.

If we plot two curves representing e.m.f. and current in an
A.c. circuit, and then plot a third whose ordinates are the
products of the ordinates of the first two at corresponding

instants of time, and in volts and amperes respectively this
third curve, will represent power in watts.

if our E.M.F. and current curves are out of phase, parts of
(he power curve will be of opposite sign to the remainder,
owing to the e.m.f. and current being of different signs at
those times.

Now, the mean power throughout a period is the average
value of all the ordinates of the power curve, due regard
being paid in sign ; and a very little consideration will show
that when the e.m.f. and current are in phase, the mean
power will be the greatest for given values of these quantities.

On the other hand, when a phase difference of 90 deg.
exists, the mean power, as defined above, will be zero, inter-
mediate angles of phase difference giving varying values of
mean power betw'een these two extremes.

The above is, in brief outline, a method of explaining P.P.,
which should be understood without difficulty by anyone who
can grasp the fact that the e.m.f. 's and currents really do
alternate.

The power curve should be plotted on a separate base line,
as this emphasises the negative parts of it; and to prevent
confusion with the lower halves of the f..m.f. and current
curve.s, which are sometimes erroneously called their negative
halves.

This method of explanation may be elaborated to any degree
in accordance with the capacity of the person being instructed,
but I have endeavoured to show, in a plain way, how this
puzzHng subject may be approached without the use of,
usually, still more puzzling analogies and misleading terms
like " wattless current."

E. Freeman Smith,

Dunfermline.

September Hth, 1920.

Engineers' Salaries.

In a recent i.s.sue of the Review I noticed an adverti-sement
for an engineer which stated " University training preferred."
The salary offered was little more than a bricklayer's. I con-
sider it is high time that such adverts disappeared from any
" situations vacant " column. It would be very interesting
to know the percentage of advertisers who have the qualifica-
tions they expect from apphcants.

Disgusted.

Septemher 11th, 1920.

[We are surprised that our correspondent is not content
with a salary that is " more than a bricklayer's." Does he
want the earth?— Eds. Eeec. Rev.]

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankruptcy Proceedings. — W. T. Smith, electrical and

mechanical engineer, Victoria Street, and 60, Hampden Street,
Bolton. — Last day for proofs for dividend, September 25th.
Trustee, Mr. J. G. Gibson, Official Receiver, Byrom Street,
Manchester.

Bernard Esmond Thomas, 12. Castle Meadow. Norwich, elec-
trical engineer. This public examination took place on September
:3th, at Shire Hall, Norwich. Debtor returned his gross liabilities
at £2,os7, of which £2.u:i."i were expected to rank. His asiets
were estimated to produce £38o, leaving a defiiciency of .C l.C.'iri.
Debtor attributed his failure to taking work at too low a price ;
the employment of inexperienced electricians ; and want of
knowledge of business methods. He started business in Norwich
in September, UUlt, with a capital of £2Sii, and his unsecured
liabilities included sei.Ci.Mi in reapect of loin». He stated that the
money received in leipect of these loans had been put into the
business and in speculating in motor cars. He had drawn from
£4 to £!■■ a week for his own expenses. The examination was closed.

Trade Announcements. — Owing to continual expansion
the Cambridge and Paul Instrument Co., Ltd., have decided
to centralise their business organisation in London, and they have
established head oificeg and showrooms at 45, Grosvenor Place,
S.W. 1. (Telephone : Victoria 7640). Users will be welcomed at
these showrooms, which will contain a wide and varied selection of
instruments, both scientific and industrial. A permanent exhi-
bition of this nature is expected to make a wide appeal, as it will
be convenient both for the foreign visitor on a tour of inspection,
and also for the prospective buyer in this country, as they will be
able to inspect apparatus in which they are interested, before
purchasing.

Mr. Woodland B. Eblebach is starting in business as an elec-
trical e igineer and contractor at 5a, Cork Street, Old Bond Street,
W., and he desires to receive manufacturers' catalogues and price
lists.

Mr. J. Martin, electrician, has opened premises at 14, High
Street, Dover.

The Holland House Electrical Co., Ltd., of 58, West
Regent Street, G iBgiw, is about to resume trading.

Mr G. H. JamieoN, of 145, Wool Exchange, London, E.C. 2, has
taken up in this ccuntr/ the representation of La Metallograrure,
a French concern which mikss a special line of the production of
ohemioally-engravid name and address plates for attichingf to

machinery and instruments. The works at A^ni^ res have an out*
put of 80,000 plates per day, including m!»ny for use on electric
motors, meters, precision instruments, automobiles, kc. ; we have
inspected a collection of name-plates in various metals, desierns and
colourings. We understand that prompt deliveries can be given on
this side.

Messrs A. & E. Lower, of (568 and (570, Seven Sisters Road,
South Tottenham. N. 15. have started an electrical branch to their
works, under the management of Mr Albert J. Lower. Trade
catalogues, show cards, kc . are desired.

The Western Electric Co.. Ltd . have appointed as their sole
agents for Portugal, A Emprsza Electrica Lusitaxa, Ltd,
Rua da Conc2i(;ao. 153, 1°, Lisbon, and Rua Ferreira Borges, 14. 1'.
Oporto.

Catalogues and Lists. — Messes. H. Tinsley & Co.,

Werndee Hall. South Norwood, S.E. 25. — List No. 3 (8 pp.),
dec bribing and illustrating a vernier potentiometer of new design,
and also a'jcessories. Fully priced.

The Sun Electrical Co., Ltd., 118 and 120, Charing Cross
Road, W.C. 2. — A. fully-priced catalogue (No. 309) of electric cables
and wires, consisting of sections dealing with V.I.R. cables, toujh
rubber cables, Hexibles, and bell and telephone wires. Also a leaflet
(No. 310) describing and illustrating the " Apex " a new departure
in ironclad switchgear.

Messrs. Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd., Palace Place Mansions,
Kensington Court, W. 8. — Pamphlet A 5.^0, " Wireless Telegraphy
for Ships " (20 pp.) A publication dealing with Siemens quenohed-
spark system and standard spark sets. The booklet is well illus-
trated, and includes phutographs of complete cabinet-type stations
for small vesel).

Mb. S. H. Rawlings, 9, Victoria Street. S.W.I. — Leaflet illus
tratin; and describing the "Tank" box, made of strong tin-plate,
with leather handle and straps. Priced.

Messrs. White, Jacoby & Co., Ltd., Bayham Place, Camden
Town, N.W. 1. — A collection of illuftrated leaflets dealing with
electric drills, reamer! and blowers, magnetic chucks, ice, chiefly
for d.c.

The Oxford Educational Films Supplies Co., Ltd.,
439-441, Oxford Street, W. 1.— Illustrated leaflet giving a full
description of the functions of the " Oxford " portable kiaema
projector, which is being used by many larga industrial firms for
the display of motion pictares of their produots.

Vol.87. No. 2,234, skptbmbeb 17, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

367.

Company Liquidations, — Commeroiai, Electrical

Accessories, Ltd., Diana Place, Euaton Road, London, X.W. 1. —
In pursuance of Sec. 188 of the Companies (Cousolidation") Act, a
meeting of the creditors of the above was held on September 10th
at the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Moorg-ate Street, B.C.
The chair was occupied by Mr. Norman Bell, who had been
appointed by the shareholders to act as liquidator in the voluntary
liquidation of the company. The chairman said that the company
was a private limited liability concern, which was refjistered on
July 29th of list year. It was formed to take over a business of
wholesale and export electrical supplies formerly carried on by
Messrs. Tredeg'ars, Ltd., of Brook Street. The company took over
the business as from April 1st, 1919. It had a capital of £20,000,
divided into 10,000 7 per cent, cumulative participating preference
shares, and lO.OHM ordinary shares, all of the face value of £1 each.
The original issue was 9,0o3 ordinary shares, and 4,998 preference
shares, which were allotted to Messrs. Tredegars for the assets
they transferred. Since that date, 1,902 preference shares had
been issued for cash. During last year there was a big expansion
in the business, and steps were taken to further extend op3rations
by the assembling of electrical goods. The arrangements were
fairly well in hand, when a disaster overtook the company by the
death of Mr. A. Bartlett, one of the directors, who was drowned at
sea while crossing to Brussels on business. As a result, the arrange-
ments for the introduction of further capital fell through. Other
attempts were made to introduce further capital in order to extend
the business, but they were not successful. In May of the present
year, the agreement with the managing director came to an end,
and finally the present voluntary liquidation was decided upon. As
liquidator he had entered into negotiation for the sale of the
business as a going concern. If those negotiations fell through,
there were other people who were willing to consider the proposi-
tion. The assets woald be sufficient not only to pay the creditors'
claims in full, but to leave a substantial margin over for the
shareholders. The liabilitie.s amounted to £1,971. while the assets,
exclusive of the goodwill, were valued at £7,077. The stock in
trade had bsen valued at cost, while the book debts, which were of
the face value of £3,300, had been written down to .»; 1,800. Mr.
Oliver Sunderland enquired if the accounts of the company showed
a profit. The chairman replied that at the end of March there
was a profit shown subject to the expenses in connection with
certain litigation and bad debts. After allowing for those
expenses, the trading showed a loss. He added that it was a good
saleable stock, and generally speaking, the prices of moat of the
lines were on the up grade. The position was shortly discussed,
and eventually it was decided that an application should be made
to the Court for the appointment of Mr. W. Osborne, of Messrs.
Corfield & Cripwell, Balfour House, Finsbury Pavement, E.C., to
act as joint liquidator with the chairman, while a committee of
three of the principal creditors was also nominated. It was also
understood that if the negotiations for the sale of the business
were carried through within the next 10 days, then the application
to the Court for the joint appointment would not be proceeded
with.

British GinoE Manupacturees' Association, Ltd. —
Meeting called for October 8th at 1, 2 and 3, Oxford Court,
Cannon Street, B.C.. to hear an account of the winding-up from
the liquidator, Mr. B. G. Arthur.

Wensleydale Gis and Electbicitv Co., Ltd.- -Meeting
Octobsr l!ith. at 7. Greek Street. Leeds, to hear an account of the
winding-up from the liquidator. Mr. C. H. Wilson.

Benew Electric Lamp Co.. Ltd. — Meeting October 11th. at
n. Chancery Lane, W.C.. to hear an account of the winding-up from
the liquidator. Mr. B. B. McCallum.

Dissolutions of Partnersliip. — Premier Electrical

Engineering Co.. electrical engineers. 19. Bull Close Lane.
Halifax.— Mr. C. Pollard and Elsie Ingham have dissolved partner-
ship. E. Ingham wUl attend to debts, and continue the business
under the same atyle.

Lead. — In their report, dated September 11th, Messes.
G. Cawson & Co. state :—

The market this week has been unsettled, and prices have declined. There
is, no doubt, plenty of available lead in warehouse. Holders, however, prefer
to retain it, instead of going to the expense of re-housing parcels later on.
Arrivals last month were very heavy, totalling nearly 15,000 tons, but they may
be lighter the next few weeks, as the Broken Hill Co. have declared some delay
in their shipments. Meanwhile, Germany still continues to send in lead to
this country. Shipments from Spain are also coming in, and good arrivals are
expected during the month. France now appears to be receiving all the lead
she requires, and is apparently shipping any surplus to this country. The
demand for export and home consumption is exceedingly quiet, and some of
the electrical works are asking sellers to postpone deliveries of lead. Tlic
lock-out in the electrical shops continues, and at the moment there is no pro-
Sjpects of an early settlement. In fact, the dispute is now receiving the atten-
tion of other branches of the Electrical Trades Union, and, should they decide
on a sympathetic strike, the present poor consumptive demand for lead would
be further affected.

Messrs. James Forster k Co. say :—

The Board of Trade Returns tor August are ; — Imports, 14,767 tons ; exports,
5,107 tons; leaving 9,650 tons for home consumption.

At the present time, with the exception of a few inquiries for prompt lead,
the demand from consumers is on a very small scale, the existing labour
troubles, combined with those that are threatening, 'naturally exercising a verj-
depressing influence. With these difficulties out of the way and confldencc
restored, an active demand would soon be in evidence, with a corresponding
rise in values, as the visible supplies and anticipated arrivals during the next
few months certainly appear insufficient to meet an average consumption.

New Lamp Works in U.S. — The National Lamp Works

of the General Electric Co., with main offices in New York, intend
to erect two factories in Indianapolis for the manufacture of
incandescent and automobUe lamps, at an estimated cost of
$2,000,000. The capacity of the plant is to be 160,000,000 lamps
per annum. — Henter's Trade Service.

Tenders for Hydro-Electric Plant for Argentina.—

Hydraulic turbines, high-tension generators, switchboards, trans-
formers, cables, and other equipment required for two large
hydro-electric plants in course of construction on the River Maipo,
Argentina, have been ordered in the United States. Vickera, Ltd.,
quoted £20,000 for the turbines, and £44,000 for the generators,
with delivery in l'^ months. Boving & Co., Ltd., of London, with
the Swedish General Electric Co., quoted for SweC'.ish-made turbines
£19,425, delivery eight months, and for generators £33,600,
delivery 17 months. The American Pel ton Wheel Co. and
Weatinghouse Co. quoted $157,000 U.S. gold (say, £39,250) for the
turbines and generators, delivery nine months — The Irimnionger.

Trades Teleplione Directory. — The directors of the
Business Telephone Directories, Ltd., 2.5, Lawrence Lane, E.G.,
inform us that they have concluded an agreement with the
Postmaster-General under which they have the sole right of
publishing a Classified Trades Telephone Directory for London.
This directory will be known as "The Buff Book," and will be
published halt-yearly in October and April. The classified Trades
List of Subscribers at the end of the present Post Office Telephone
Directory will be discontinued, but under the agreement with the
Post Office, a copy of the new directory will be supplied to every
telephone subscriber in the London area.

Book Notices.— ?V<p Elec/ririf// {Supply) Art, 1919,
with Aittes. By W.S. Kennedy, LL.B., Barrister-at-Law. London;
The Electrical Review, Ltd. Price Sa. 6d. net, post free
3s. 8d. — Whenever the British Parliament passes an Act, the
question immediately arises : What does it mean .' The Electricity
Act of 1919 is no exception to the rule ; and as its provisions have
a very direct bearing upon the daily affairs of a very large number
of electrical engineers and others engaged in, or associated with,
the electrical industry, this small handbook wUl be generally
welcomed. Had the author waited until the postponed sections
could be dealt with, hia book might have been in time for the next
generation — fortunately, he decided to carry on at once. The plan
of the work is to give each clause (k e.rtenso, and to append shrewd
explanatory comments, in which the author does not hesitate to
travel far afield and to criticise the drafting of the clauses freely.
Appendices give the form of notices issued by the Commissioners,
a memorandum for the guidance of bodies desiring to submit
schemes, draft rules with respect to applications for special orders,
&c. The book will be especially useful to electricity supply
authorities, both company and municipal, as well as to local
authorities in general, manufacturers who have, or wish to have,
their own generating plant, and others interested in the subject of
the Act.

"Motor Cyclists' A.B.C." By H. Wyatt. London': George
Newnes, Ltd. Price 2s. net.

" Income-Tax for Year 1920-21: Rates, Relief, Repayment."
London : Fred. C. Mathieson i: Sons. 2s. net. — This is a 66-page
pamphlet on a subject of great importance to most of us. There
is a reprint of the Income-Tax Portion of the Finance Act, 1920, a
list of stocks taxable by assessment, and a useful index,

"The Fireman's Handbook and Guide to Fuel Economy. " By
C. F. Wade. Pp. iv -f 84 ; 29 illustrations. London : Longmans,
Green & Co. Price 2s. 6d. net.

" The Motor Transport Year-Book." Vol. V. 1920. London :
Electrical Press, Ltd. Price 20s. net.

Tiie Overtime Question. — The Bradford branch of the

Amalgamated Engineering Union held a meeting on September
12th, and re-affirmed their decision to maintain the ban on over-
time ; speakers advocated a strike for the enforcement of the
demand for an advance of 6d. on the present Irate of Is. lOid. per
hour. A strike in sympathy with the miners was also advocated,
but neither of the propoaala was embodied in a resolution.

A Good Day for St. Danstans. — As the result of a

Charity Bowling Match, Anchor Cable Works r. Leigh and District,
played on a recent Saturday afternoon, St. Dunstans Hostel for
Blinded Sailors and Soldiers has received a cheque for £106 18s.
A similar match played two years ago realised £62 5s. Id. On
both occasions the expenses were defrayed by the firm, thus
enabling the Anchor Athletic Club to remit the gross proceeds.

Foreign Trade. — August Figures. — The following are

the values of imports and exports of electrical goods and machinery
in August : —

Augud, Inc. or 8 months, 1920

1920. dec. Inc. or dec.

Imports. £ £ £

Electrical goods, &o. ... 147,844 -f 75,434 + 45,724

Machinery 2,091,212 + 960,767 + 2,992,833

Exports.

Electrical goods, &c. ... 888,030 + 233,312 + 3,767,542

Machinery 5,530,697 -f 2,460,779 +19,013,926

Re-exports.

Electrical goods, &o. ... 12,688 + 5,224 + 13,930

Machinery 167,840 + 62,648 + 685,644

Catalogues Wanted. — Mr. E. 0. Pratt, of Lannarth,

Woodford Green, Essex, desires to receive catalogues of electrical
goods, &c.

Fire.— An outbreak of fire, on Friday last, at the whole-
sale clothing works of Mr. George Crossland, Huddersfield, was
attributed to the overheating of an electric iron, the appliance not
having been disconnected when work ended for the day. The
outbreak was quickly extinguished by the fire brigade.

S68

THE ELECTRICAL BEVTEW. [Voi. 87, No. 3,234, sbptembeb 17,1m

Social Events. — K.S.A. Garden Party. — The annual
garden pai'ty and sports meeting of the Elliott Social Asso-
ciation, in c'unuection with Messrs. Elliott Brothers (London),
Jjtd., of f.ewisham, was held on Colfe's Gi'ainnjar School
Ground at Eltham Green on Saturday, September 4th, when
about 700 members and friends spent a very enjoyable time.
The representatives of the company included Mr. W. O.
Smith (president, E.S.A.), Sir Keith Elphinstone, K.B.B., and
Messrs. L. W. and R. O. Smith, with their wives and friends.
Lady Elphinstone opened the proceedings with a happy speech
full of good wishes for all concerned, and was presented with
a bouquet of pink carnations. The sports programme included
running and walking races, inter-departmental tug-'o-war
(ladies and gentlemen), pillow fights, slow cycle race, obstacle
race, bandsmen's race, and many others, including children's
races, in all 23 events. An invitation to Messrs. Siemens Bros.,
of Woolwich, resulted in their sending a tug-'o-war team to
compete with Elliott's, and after a struggle the latter team
won. Music was provided during the afternoon by the
Lewisham National Reserve Band. Sweets, cigarettes, icps,
fruit, and mineral waters were obtained throughout the after-
noon at a stall in charge of some of the ladies from Century
'Works, and entertainments were provided, which included
boat swings, cocoanut shies, houp-la, skittles, balloon smash-
ing, roundabout, &c. Teas were provided in marquees. The
prizes, which numbered 67, were given by the directors of
Messrs. Elliott Brothers, and distributed by Mrs. R. 0. Smith,
who was presented with a bouquet of pink carnations. After
the prize distribution dancing was in progress till 9 p.m.

yoRKSHiBE PowEB Co.'s STAFF OuTiNG. — The various staff
engineers using motor cycles in connection with their work on
the Yorkshire Electric Power Co. combined on Saturday, Sep-
tember 4th, a somewhat strenuous reliability trial with a
social outing for their wives and friends. Fourteen com-
petitors, each with a lady passenger in the side-car, started
from Thornes Mill on the Denby Dale Road, Wakefield, and
proceeded via Holmtirth, Dunford Bridge, and Glossop to
the lunch stop at " Snake Inn." This portion of the route
comprised a uon-stop section in which any stoppages were
penalised, and an " observed hill " for which marks were
given on merit of performance, and a " secret check " for
time keeping. The test for all speed was based on an average
of 17 miles per hour for machines up to 4J h.p. and 19 miles
per hour for machines over that figure. After lunch the
competitors restarted for the second half of the run, via
Sheffield and Wadsley Bridge to Cawthorne. This section
included a test for " quick starting," a second observed hill,
and an intermediate checking point for time. All the com-
petitors completed the course, and the results of those leading
were very close indeed.

Awards were given for the highest individual marks ob-
tained, and resulted as follows : —

First Prize.— Plated muffln-dish, presented by Mr. W. B. Woodliousc, the
company's engineer and manager, to Mr. W. Evers (P. and M.).

Second Prize.— Handle-bar watch, which wa^ presented to Mr. A. W.
Usher (P. and M.).

Third Prize. -Handle-bar mirror, which was presented to Mr. S. R. Siviour
(P. and M.).

Fourth Prize.— Handle-bar muffs, presentedto Mr. R. C. Hatton (B.S.A.)

The special prize of a Cowey mechanical horn was presented
by Mr. F. J. Bj-oW-n to tlie P. & M. machine with the least
variation in time at the two intermediate checks, and it was
also won by Mr. W. Evors. The " Team Prize " was carried
off by the construction department with the highest aggre-
gate of marks.

At Cawthorne other members of the staff met the party, and
joined them at tea. The ari'angements for the trial
were in the hands of Mr. H. Pi'aser, chief marshal, assisted
by Messrs. W. B. 'Woodhouse and P. Furness as judges, Mr.
A. A. Field as time-keeper, and Messrs. G. Melton, F. J.
Stevenson, E. S. Prior, and J. Asquith as observers. Mr.
S. R. Siviour was the organising secretary. This is the second
reliability ti-ial which the company's motor cyclists have
carried out, and it is hoped to make it an annual event for
the future.

The New Zealand Electric Railway Contract.— H.M.

Ti-ade Commissioner at Wellington, New Zealand, has re-
cently cabled to the Department of Overseas Trade the award
of a contract to the English Electric Co., for the electrifica-
tion of a section of the Midland Railway of New Zculand.
He adds that special importance is attached to this contract as
it was obtained on the merits of the tender in the face of
strong American competition. We made brief reference to
the matter in last week's ELECTnic.\ii Revihw.

The section to be electrified is know-n as " Arthur's Pass."
It is the connecting link between the Government railway
system and the east coast and west coast of South Island.
At present the whole of the railways in New Zealand are
steam operated, and it is not proposed at pre.sent to electrify
more than the section covered by this contract. The im-
portance of awarding the fir.st contract to a British firm will,
therefore, be appreciated. The section to be electrified in-
cludes a tunnel over five miles long and three .steel bridges,
the rest of the section consisting of earthworks. A great por-
tion of the section is on a grade of 1 to 33, and the summit
is about 2,400 feet above the sea level. Considerable snow
falls in some winters, as much as 5 ft. having been expei-i-
enced. The contract include.'< the provision of the power
j^ljiuf, the tunnel lighting installation, the overhead transmis-

sion line, and the complete equipment for the electrical opera-
tion of the section of the railway referred to. Ihe system
to be used is 1,500 v., u.c., overhead contact. The power
house must be at Utira Station, which is 1,200 ft. above sea
level, and the power will be generated by geared turbine
direct-current sets. The boilers, it is proposed, should be
operated on dust fuel in order to utilise the product of a
number of local coal mines at which coal is raised which is
too tine for ordinary consumption.

A Proposal for a Canadian National Electric Code.— -^

Canadian correspondent writes : British e-xporters of electrical
material to the Canadian market may be interested in the
proposal which is now being made to technical bodies in the
Dominion having in view the estabhshment of a Canadian
National Electric Code, and suggesting the appointment of a
small committee to make a preliminary report on the matter.

At the present time matters having regard to electrical
inspection are in the hands of the fire insurance companies
identified with the Canadian Underwriters' Association, Ameri-
can standards being in force, and all electric lighting material
has to bear the label of the Chicago laboratory. The question
is being canvassed whether, in the possible event of a Canadian
code being di-afted, it should be a copy of the American re-
gulation, and also whether in such event it would still be
necessary to have materials and fixtures tested by an American
laboratory.

The proposal is supported by, among others, the Royal Archi-
tectural Institute of Canada.

It should not be forgotten, in this connection, that a British
Testing Laboratory is in process of formation — but the Board
of Tiade has taken a hand in the matter, and consequently
progress is slow.

Hydro-electric Power Works of the Tasmaoiaa Govern-
ment.— Messrs. Boving & Co., Ltd., London, inform us that
at the beginning of this month they secured an order from the
Tasmanian Government for a further two 8,000-b.h.p. water
turbines, in connection with the extensions to their " Great
Lake " hydro-electric power station. When these two
machines are installed, there will be a total of nine, all of
which will have been supplied by Messrs. Boving, and the
station will then have been completed.

The main generating equipment installed or on order, con-
sists of two 5,000-B.H.p. water turbines, coupled to generators
supplied by the British Westinghouse Co., together with
seven 8,000-b.h.p. water turbines coupled to generators sup-
plied by the International General Electric Co., or a total of
66,000 B.H.P. in all.

The water turbines, which are of the single-wheel Pelton
type, with two jets, work under a total net head of 1,015 ft.,
and it is especially interesting to note that the 8,000-3. h.p.
extension sets — all of which are duplicates — are by far the
largest Pelton wheels ever manufactured in this country.
Messrs. Boving are to be congratulated on their demonstration
that there is no need to go abroad for large water turbines.

An Inquiry from Bergen. — H.M. Consul at Bergen
reports receipt of an application from a local firm who wish
to be placed in touch with United Kingdom manufacturers
of electrical machinery, dynamos, motors, electrical fittings
and elevators. " The firm have for some time represented two
Swiss firms, but these having proved unsatisfactory in de-
livery and business methods, it is desired to open up new
connections with British firms, with whom little or no busi-
ness has been transacted in this class of goods.

The name and address of the Bergen firm referred to, with
particulars as to their capital, &c., will be furnished by the
Department of Overseas 'Trade to United Kingdom manufac-
turers interested on application.

Patent Extension. — A petition for the extension of the
term of the Patent No. 15,5;)9, of 1903, granted to Valdem»r
Poulsea, has been made by C. Hage, the British and Overseas
Engineerinff Syndicate, Ltd., and the Poulsen Wireless Telegraph
Co., Ltd., and will be heard on O.!tober 2Cth.

Manufacturing in Australia.— In the House of Repre-
sentatives, Mr. Hughes (the Prime Minister) announced that the
Federal Government proposed to offer inducementa in order to
encourage the manufacture of engines and aeroplanes in Australia.
The Federal tJoverument would not hesitate to offer a substantial
bonus for this purpose. — Reiiter\< Trade Sorrier (Melbourne).

New Spanish Electric Welding Company. — Under the

title of Compania Soldadora Elcctrica de Espana, a new concern has
baen constituted at BUbao, with a capital of 500.000 pesetas, for
the purpose of exploiting a patent for the welding of metals by

electricity. — lituter'.i Trade Si'rrlce.

New Belgian Electric Lamp Co.— A corapanv has been

formed at Briisfels. with a capital of 2,C(iO,000 fr., under the style
of the Sooicto Beige pour la Fabrication de Lampes Elecfriquea
C E.B., for the manufacture of electric lamps. Its offices are at
I, Montague du Pare.

Copper and Lead Prices.— Messrs. F. Smith A i oi

report, September Itth; -Copper (Electrolytic) Barf. £\\>'. t
increase ; do. sheets, no change ; do. wire, rods, * 134. £i increate :
do .H.C wire. Ic IJd. Jd. increase.

Messrs. Jajibs & Shakkspe.vbk. report, September l.lth: —
Copper birs (best selected), sheets and rod-", i:\its, £2 noreas • ;
English pig lead. £:!T, £ 1 decrease on last weeks quotations,

Vol. 87. No. 2,234, September 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

869

, The Engineering Dispute.— On Saturday last the elec-
trical liaaes buiou yave mitice that its members would be
witlidrawn irom the electricity supply, tramway aud railway
undertakings on Saturday next (to-morrow) unless the lock-
out notices were suspended. The employers, on the other
hand, declared that they had no intention of suspending the
notices or of submitting the matter to a court of inquiry.

The Oourt, as constituted by the Ministry of Labour, com-
prises the following members ; Sir David Harrel (chairman),
Mr. J. N. Bell, Col. J. M. Denny, Messrs. John Hodge, M.P.,
T. B. Johnston, Uweii I'arker, aud W. F. Purdy. Mr. H. W.
Meikle, of the Ministry of Labour, is the secretary.

The terms of reference are : "To inquire into the causes and
circumstances of the dispute which has led to a strike of the
members of the Llcctrical Trades Lnion employed at the
estabhshment of Caiiimell Laird & Co., Ltd., Penistoue, near
Sheffield, and t-o a lock-out of the members of this union
in the employment of hrms members of the Lngineering and
National Lmployers' Federations, with special reference to
the position of foremen as regards trade union membership
in the engineering industry, and report thereon."

The court commenced sitting at St. Ermin's Hotel, West-
minster, on Tuesday. It is compulsory on both parties to
attend the inquiry and produce such witnesses and informa-
tion as the Court may deske. There was a full attendance of
the members of the Court. The Kngineering and National
Employers' Federations were represented by Sir Allan Smith,
and the Electrical Trades Union by Mr. J. R. Kowan, the
general secretary. Considerable progress was made in eUciting
the facts which led up to, and were connected with, the strike
of the members of the Electi'ical Trades Union employed at the
estabhshment of Cammell, Laird & Co., Ltd., Fenistone, on
Friday, July '2nd. Nine witnesses were examined, including
foremen, shop stewards, chief electrical engineer and manager.
Althou'gh the proceedings were not open to the public gener-
ally, a large number of representatives of the Engineering and
National Employers' Federations, as well as members of the
Electrical Trades Union and other unions, was present. The
Court sat again on \\'ednesday morning and e.xammed wit-
nesses; it adjourned at one o'clock to enable the E.T.U.
executive to meet the London employers and was to meet
again on T'hursday morning.

The Engineering and National Employers' Federations have
issued a statement of their case, to the following effect : —

" The question raised by the union involves the fundamental
principle whether employers are entitled to appoint foremen,
whether they belong to a union or not. The pohcy of the
union is to secure that all those in a position of authority
over members of the Union should be themselves members
of a trade union and subject to the discipline of the union.

" In connection with the suggestion of the Minister of
Labour, that the Federations should suspend the lock-out
notices in view of the Court of Inquiry which is to be in-
stituted, it is clear that if the Federations were to suspend
the lock-out notices — which were issued only after many
weeks of patient negotiations had fa.iled to end the dispute —
the Federations would have been involved in the admission
of the principle that their responsibility in the management
of industry must, in all cases of dispute, be subject to the
report of an outside inquiry appointed by the Government,
The conduct of industry in such circum.stances is hopeless.
The principle involved affects not only the electrical industry,
but all other branches of industry. It is fundamental. It is
a challenge of the employers' right to exercise their functions
of management."

The Huddersfield branch of the Electrical Trades Union has
published in the local newspapers what might be termed a
" black list," comprising the names of all local employers
who are members of the Engineering Employers' Federation.
The hst includes most of the local enginering firms of all
classes.

The members of the E.T.U. who have been locked out in
Birmingham ('2,200) passed a resolution at a mass meeting
on Friday last demanding that the Executive Council
of the union should withdraw the whole of the members
throughout the country. Mr. A. Beardmore, district secretary
of the union, stated that if the Executive Council took the
national step demanded, the number out of work would be
doubled ; blacklegging would be impossible, owing to the
attitude taken up by the Electrical Power Engineers' Associa-
tion.

The effect on Birmingham and Midland indu.stry had not,
up to the beginning of the week, been appreciable. In some
instances work could not be commenced at so early an hour
as usual, but apart from this, little ditBculty was experienced.
A correspondent informs us that last week-end only a small
number of men (under a hundred) were involved in the

electrical lock-out at Liverpool, but it was feared that the
trouble might extend.
It is e.stimated that there are altogether 20,000 workers in

electricity undertakings, railways, and tramways in the

Tyondon area. The Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades'

Federation has advi,sed its affiliated members to refrain from

doing work hitherto undertaken by members of the Electrical

Trades Union, or to work with non-union men, or with power

supplied by non-union labour.
Tlie Executive of the E.T.IT. has notified the secretaries of

hospitals that labour will be supplied free to maintain the

supijly of light and power, if they will arrange to install tem-
porary generating sets on their premises.

The National Joint Industrial Council for Electrical Under-
takings held a meeting on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the
situation. There were present representatives of the Incorpor-
ated Municipal Electrical .'Vssociation, the Incorporated Asso-
ciation of Electi'ic Power Companies, the Conference of the
Chief Officials of the London Electric Supply Companies, thi-
Provincial Electric Supply Committee of the United Kingdom,
the Electrical Trades Union, the Amalgamated Engineering
Union, the Amalgamated Society of Gas, .Municipal and
General Workers, the National Amalgamated Union of Engine-
men, Fii-emen, Mechanics, Motonnen and Electrical Workers,
the National Amalgamated Union of Labour, the National
Union of General Workers, and the Workers' Union.

After a lengthy discus.sion the following resolution was
adopted and was communicate! to the Minister of Labour: -
" At a meeting of the National Joint Industrial Council for
the Electricity Supply Industry held on September 15th, 1920,
at the request of the Ministry of Labour, it was agreed that
the Electrical Trades Union should be recommended to sus-
pend their strike notices until after the Court of Inquiry has
reported to the Ministry of Labour, and it was also agreed
that the E.T.U., having intimated to this Council that they
are prepared to withdraw the question of principle arising out
of the Penistone dispute, this intimation be regarded as an
acceptable basis of settlement, and it is, therefore, recom-
mended that the Engineering Employers' Federation should
withch-aw their lockout notices and the Union instruct their
members to resume work immediately."

The Trade Union Congress passed a resolution condemning
the refusal of the employers to withdraw the lock-out notices.
At a meeting of representatives of seven unions connected
with electrical generating stations, on September 9th, it was
resolved to a.sk the executives to give seven days', notice to
cease work if the Employers' Federations refused to withdraw
their lock-out notices pending the result of the inquiry of the
Ministry of Labour. The E.T.U. and the E.P.E.A. were re-
presented at the meeting.

Electrical workers in the Port Talbot district on Friday last
tendered twenty-four hours' notice to cease work as a protest
again.st the Steel Smelters' I^nion accepting one of the elec-
tricians as a member of their union. If a settlement is not
effected, it will throw 2.O0O workpeople out of employment.

In a circular letter the general secretary of the Electrical
Power Engineers' Association, Mr. W. A. Jones, has made a
statement with regard to the policy of the Association. He
states that this Association was founded by the staff men in the
electricity supply industry to enable them to take advantage of
the benefits which could be obtained by collective bargaining,
and to further this object they registered as a trade union,
and definitely took their place in the industry as an employes'
organisation. In order to meet the needs of all grades of
staff men, it was necessary to lay down in the constitution as
a definite principle that they would always adopt consti-
tutional methods in their dealings, and if extreme action was
ever resorted to it would be only after every other method
had been tried and had failed, and the members concerned
had agi'eed by a very large majority that such action was the
only other alternative available.

In the interests of the industry, it was not desirable that it
.should be involved in every dispute in every industry, and
because they were not able to remain neutral when a strike
was in operation they intended to use whatever influence they
possessed to get disputes, which did not primarily affect The
industry, settled peaceably before the industry was involved.
If, on account of one of the parties rejecting a peaceable
method of settlement, or refusing to make use of the regu-
larly constituted machinery for the purpo.se, the dispute spread
to the electricity supply industry, then the responsibility must
rest with tlie recalcitrant party, and the E.P.E..A. would act
in a way calculated to promote a settlement by negotiation,
and would throw its weight into the scales on the side of the
party which consented. This was the guiding principle of the
Association. The E.P.E..\. recognised that as a trade union
it was not entitled to give a verdict on the merits of a parti-
cular dispute, nor did it desire to do so any more than it
desired other unions to pronounce a verdict on the merits of
its own disputes, but it had a right to apply this fundamental
principle which aimed at encouraging the use of machinery
instead of force wherever possible.

\Mien the present dispute between the E.T.U. and the Engi-
neering and National Employers' Federation threatened to
reach a deadlock the .Association urged the two parties to refer
the matter to arbitration, and asked the Ministry of Labour to
intervene and prevent it spreading. The Minister of Labour
offered to set up a court of investigation, and the E.T.U.
agreed to accept it, but the employers' side refused.

The Association could not be a judge of the merits of the
original trouble, that was a matter for the court of investiga-
tion ; but it was concerned by the refusal of one of the
parties to accept a just and constitutional method of settle-
ment, and by its refusal involving another industry which
ultimately might affect millions of people.

The Fulham Borough Council convened a conference of all
the local authorities in Greater London owning electricity
undertakings for the 16th inst. at the Fulham Town Hall
to meet the Executive Council of the E.T.U.

870

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. no. 2,234, septembeb 17, 1920.

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES.

Accrlngton. — ^ew Station. — At a meeting of the
Acorinpfton EUeotricity Committee a communication was read from
the Electricity Commisaionera referring to the application of the
National Electric Supply Co. for permission to construct a
generating station on the south bank of the River Kibble. The
Commission desired to learn whether the Corporation wished to
submit any observations as to the site of the proposed station.
It was resolved that the Commission should be informed that the
Corporation wished to protest against the proposal to erect the
station in question, In so far as any future proposal or order might
throw any financial burden or responsibility upon the borough or
its electricity undertaking. — Northern Daily Teleijraph,

Aidershot. — Bulk Supply. — The War Office has
informed the Urban District Council that it cannot accede to
the request to supply electricity in bulk from the Camp station.
This means an expenditure of £21,000 on new plant, &c., but the
Council is approaching the Commissioners with the object of
bringing pressure on the War Office to give the supply asked for.

Bedford. — Strike Averted. — The Electricity and
Public Lighting Committee, having agreed to recommend the
Council to antedate payment of bonus to the power station staff to
January 1st, the notice of withdrawal, to take effect on September
10th, was not acted upon.

Blackpool. — Loans. — The Town Council has decided to

apply for sanction to borrow £4,250, for the doubling of a length
of tramway track in New Road, and £30,000 for new mains, distri-
butors, transformers, and other services required in the electricity
uadertaking.

Bradford. — Wages Settlement. — All engineers in the
employ of the Corporation have had their wages increased up to a
minimum of 2s. per hour, and retrospective to March 29th. The
Industrial Council's award with reference to employes in the
electricity and tramways departments has also been accepted by
the War Wages Committee.

Bnrnley. — Extensions. — The Council has sanctioned
the placing of a contract for extensions with the English Electric
Co., Ltd., for £107,400, but the question of what will happen
respecting future development will depend upon what proposals the
district authority can agree to for effecting an improvement in the
organisation of the supply of electricity throughout the district.
The Electricity Commissioners propose to hold an inquiry some time
after September 30th to receive a scheme for electricity supply in
the Mid-Lancashire district, and at the present time the District
Committee is busily engaged preparing the scheme. Applications
from large power users have again been refused owing to the limited
capacity of the existing plant. The department will be put to a
severe strain during the coming winter to maintain continuity of
supply during peak loads.

Cheriton. — Publio LKiHTiNG The Urban District

Council has asked the Folkestone Electricity Co. for an estimate
for lighting the town by electricity in place of gas.

Colchester. — Strike Averted. — The staff of the Cor-
poration electricity works threatened a stoppage of work on
Tuesday, September 14th, if their demands for the £30 bonus were
not acceded to. Ultimately the men agreed to negotiate on the
question, and the threatened strike was abandoned.

Dover. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Town Council has
received sanction to a loan of £20,067 for new plant.

Dnblln.— Reduction of Expenditure. — To meet the
position arising on the Government's decision to withhold over
£200,000 in grants, the Corporation, last week, decided to reduce
expenditure and defer payment of 25 per cent, wages and salaries.
As applying to public lighting the saving in the current year's
expenditure under the order will be £15,000.

Dundee. — Tummel Valley Scheme. — The Dundee
Courier reports that efforts are being made to float a com-
pany to carry out the Tummel Valley electricity project. It
will be remembered that the Dundee Corporation had to
abandon the idea, owing principally to the large amount of
capital expenditure involved, about £1,000,000. A proposal
that an electricity authority comprising representatives of
Dundee, Perth, Forfar, Arbroath, and other authorities should
be formed to deal with the matter, has been in abeyance for some
time. Already a sum of £50,000 has been subscribed for the
purpose of promoting a Parliamentary Bill authorising the work.
The capital of the company, it is stated, will be £3,000,000.

Edinburgh.— New Station. — At the new station at
Portobello the steel construction work for the turbine house is now
complete, and awaits the superstructure. In this building will be
installed three 10,000-KW. turbo-generators and switchgear. While
the initial capacity will be 30,000 KW., there will be room for
development to 100,000 Kw. The boiler house will be situated to
the north of the turbine house. The first set of turbo-generators
will be ready at the end of December, and the last by the end of
February, and the Committee is hurrying on the building so as to
bs able to house them. On the seaward portion of the site opera-
tiois are proceeding for the construction of three tunnels for the
conveyance of the water for the condensers, and considerable
progress has been made with this work.

Hatfield. — OfFEK OF Supply. — The North Metropolitan
Electric Power Supply Co. is about to lay mains from Hertford to
St. Albans via Hatfield, and offers to supply the town if local
support warrants it doing so.

India. — Karachi Power Station. — The Indian Textile
Journal states that the capital for doubling the generating capacity
of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation's plant has been nearly
three times over-subscribed. The station is equipped with Diesel
engines, the plant comprising one 100, two 240, and one 320-b,h.P.
engines, all built by Messrs. Mirrlees, Bickerton & Day. Ltd. It is
stated that the plant is to be augmented by three further units of
320 B.H.P.

New Hydeo-electric Pro.iect. — Further information regard-
ing the Nilgiris electricity scheme shows that the conditions as to
the concession agreement, as well a? the licence from the Govern-
ment, are practically settled with Messrs. Tata Sons. Ltd. The
project, as far as the hydro and generating plant are concerned, is
completely planned, and the transmission lines and receiving station
have been designed. A tract of land has been purchased on the
north boundary of Coimbatore city as the site for a receiving
station and for new industries which may bj developed and become
consumers of electric energy. The project is capable of developing
up to 20,000 H.P. for delivery to consumers. At the outset the
generating statioa will be equipped for the supply of 7,500 H.P.
That represents the initial stage. The receiving station for Ooty
will be at Charing Cross, where the pressure will be reduced from
60,000 to 3.000 volts.— /«f/;a« Te.rtile Journal.

SlVAs.\MUDRAM UNDERTAKING. — The latest report of Mr. S. G.
Forbes, chief electrical engioeer to the Mysore State, shows that the
total quantity of power generated at Sivaaamudram in 1918-11' was
102,530,000 units, an increase of 4,442,100 units. The cost of
generation, including proportionate interest, depreciation, and
administration charges on the capital cost of plant, buildings, &c.,
was '0777 anna per unit. Adding '0122 anna to the above on
account of the allowance for margin of safety, the total cost of
generation per unit was '09 anna per unit. The total capital
of the Cauvery power scheme up to the end of liil8-19 was
Rs. 1,20,38,443. The net profits of the scheme, less depreciation
fund and interest at 4 per cent, on the capital outlay, were
Rs. 1,59,15,549.— /?((/ia« Te.rfile Journal.

Knaresborongh. — Lighting Economy. — As a pre-
cautionary measure against the threatened coal strike, it has been
decided that only part of the town shall be lighted at night for
the present, and that the fall lighting shall not be resumed till a
settlement of the dispute is reached.

Water-poweb Scheme — Negotiations are proceeding between
the Urban District Council and Messrs. Vickers, Ltd., with regard to
the possibility and coat of a scheme for utilising the water power
of the Nidd at the weir for supplying the town with electricity.
The Council has not definitely embarked on a scheme, but is
inquiring principally as to the cost of the project. An expert
suggests the provision of " flash-boards " 1 ft. deep on the crest of
the weir, which would give a 10 percent, increase of power, but
would probably put the boating landing stage under a few inches
of water. The most ecanomic position for housing the plant is
the turbine house at the linen mill of Messrs. Carson, and the
Council has decided to approach the firm on the matter. — Yorkshire
Ohserrer.

Lelth. — Year's Working. — As a result of the working
of the Corporation electricity department for the year ended May
31st, the previous year's deficit was paid off. and a net balance of
£6,174 remained.

London. — Lighting Economy. — In order to conserve

the present coal stocks as far as lies in their power, many of the
largest London firms have given instructions for their electrically-
illuminated signs to be switched off until further notice. As the
signs are numerous and of large dimensions, a great economy will
be effected by this means.

FcLHAM. — The Borough Council has receive! sanction from the
Electricity Commissioners to the borrowing of £5,577, the cost of
"linking up" with the Hammersmith undertaking, and £5,593 for
mains and transformers for other purposes.

Lnrgan. — Loans. — The Council has decided to apply to

the Local Government Board for sanction to several loans, including
£25,000 for an electric lighting scheme, and £4,000 for conversion
of power at Castor Bay from steam to electricity.

North-West Midlands Electricity District.— Notice is

given that the Electricity Commissioners have provisiontilly
determined that the undermentioned area shall be constituted a
separate electricity district for the purposes of the Electricity
(Supply) Act, 1919, that is to say : —

So much of the County of Chester as is included in the Municipal
Boroughs of Congleton and Macclesfield ; the Urban Districts of
Alsager, Bollington, Buglawton, Sandbach, and Yeardsley-cum-
Whaley ; and the Rural Districts of Congleton, Disley, and Maccles-
field.

So much of the County of Derby as is included in the Urban
District of New Mills ; the Rural District of Hayfield.

So much of the County of Salop as is included in the Municipal
Boroughs of Bridgnorth, Shrewsbury, and Wenlock ; the Urbsm
Districts of Church Stretton, Dawley, Market Drayton, Newport,
Oakengatea, and Wellington ; the Rural Districts of Atcham,
Bridgnorth, Chirbury, Church Stretton, Drayton, Newport (Salop),
Shif nal, and Wellington ; the Parishes of Lydham, Mindtown, More,
Norbury, Ratlinghope, Shelve, and Westnor, in the Rural District
of Clun,

Vol.87. No. 2,234, September 17, 1920.] TliE ELE(3TR1CAL REVIEW.

871

So much of the County of Stafford as is included in the County
Boronjhs of Stoke-on-Trent, Walsall, West Bmmwicli , and Wolver-
hampton ; the Municipal Boroughs of Lichfield, Newcastle-under-
Lyme, Stafford, Tamworth, and Wednesbury ; the Urban Districts
of Amblecate, Audlny, Biddulph, Bilston, Brierley Hill, Brown-
hilla, Cannock, Coseley, Darlaston, Kid^g^rove, L^ek, Perry Bar,
Quarry Bank, Ruffeley, Sedgrley, Short Heath, Smallthorne, Stone,
Tettenhall, Tipton, Uttoxeter, WcinesSeld. Wednesfield Heath,
otherwise Heath Town, Willenhall, and Wolstauton United : the
Rural Districts of Blore Heath, Cannock, Cheadle, Dudley, Gnosall,
KinRswinford, Leek, Lichfield, Majfield, Newcastle-under-Lyme,
Seisdon, Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Stone, Tamworth, LTttoxeter,
and Walsall and those parts of the Rural District of Tutbury known
as Tutbury Rural District detached No 1, and Tutbury Rural
District detached No. 3 ; and the Parishes of Blymhill aad
Weston-under-Lizird.

Objections and representations may be made in writing to the
Secretary, Electricity Commission, Gwydyr House, Whitehall,
London, S W. 1, not later than January 31st, 1921. Notice will
be griven of the date on which the local inquiry into the existing:
organisation for the supply of electricity in the district outlined
above, is to bi held.

Oldham. — Coolino Towehs. — The Electricity Com-
mittee proposes to erect additional water-coolinfr towers at the
Greenhill generating station.

Oswestry. — Overhead Mains. — The Town Council at
a recent meeting adopted the recommendation of the General
Purposes Committee to refuse permission to the Oswestry Light
and Power Co. to erect overhead lines.

Peterborough. — Position of Undertaking. — At the

last meeting of the City Council, on Ssptember loth. Sir R.
Winfrey directed attention to the serious position of the electricity
undertaking as revealed by the accounts for the previous month.
He noticed that in July there was an increase in the units sold of
4,007 over the corresponding period in lOl'.i, but electricity was
costing the Council two and a-half times as much this year as it
did two years ago. Discussing the reasons, he pointed out that it
now took 11} lb. of coal to produce a unit of electricity, whereas
last year it occasioned a consumption of 81 lb. only, and in 1918, 7 1b.
The result was that whereas last year in July there was a surplus
profit, without reckoning the amount for interest and repayment
of loans, of £290. this year there had been a loss of £319, making
a difference of over £600. If that went on month by month it
would work out at a loss for the year of £9,300.

Plymonth. — Electric Cooking. — At a meeting of
the Corporation Electricity Committee, a letter was reid from
the secretary of the Electrical Trades Union suggesting that
cooking by electricity be adopted in all the xjookery centres, and
that, prior to any school being renovated, electricity be installed
for heating and illuminating. It was agreed to inform the Union
that the Committee will give careful consideration to this matter
when opportunity arises.

Sabden. — Water-power Scheme. — At a Parish Council
meeting, on September 9th, the question of the production of
electricity by water power for illumination and other purposes was
discussed. The chairman said several p'aces in the North were
now economically and effectively illuminated by electricity pro-
duced in this way, and a local deputation had visited one such
installation and had reported very favourably. Sabden had natural
advantages in water supply. It was decided to obtain expert
opinion on the subject.

Stafford, — Agreement with Company. — The Town
Council has completed negotiations and approved of an agreement
with Messrs. W. H. Dorman&Co., Ltd., for the supply of electricity to
thecompany's factory in Foregate Street, Stafford, and to the proposed
new factory at Littleworth. The agreement, which is for a term
of seven years from March Ist, 1921, provides that during its con-
tinuance the company is not to take power from any other person
nor to put down a power house of its own (save in exceptional
circumstances), the company to loan the Corporation such a sum
not exceeding £5,000 as may be required for the laying of a high-
tension cable to the company's factory at Littleworth, this sum to
be repaid to the company by way of a rebate of 20 per cent, on the
amount of the annual accounts.

Stratford-on-4von. — Proposed Municipalisation. —

The Electricity Co. has offered to sell the undertaking to the Corpora-
tion for .< 10,000, and the matter has been referred to the Electricity
Committee for consideration. Two previous offers have been made
to the Town Council to acquire the undertaking — first for £20,000
and later for £13,000 or £14,000,

Sunderland. — Extension of Services. — The Town
Council is making application to the Electricity Commissioners for
sanction to expend an additional sum of £6,000 upon consumers'
services.

Thirsk. — Public Lighting.— The Sowerby (near Thirsk)
Connoil has accepted the offer of the Northern Counties Electric
Supply Co. to supply electricity, including maintenance, but not
lighting and extinguishing, for street lamps during the winter, at
468. per lamp. The company stated that it was introducing a new
system of supply in the town, and in the meantime the Council
would be required to accept responsibility for any accidents arising
from the present standards. The Council accepted the respon-
libility.

U.S.A.— Texas.— Capitalists interested in the Syndicate

Power Co., recently organised with a capitalisation of $20,000,000,
are endeavouring to complete arrangements to finance their enter-
prise this year and begin actual construction during the winter on
hydro-electric plants that %vill generate a total of 48,000 KW. Onedam
is under construction, and there are four other dam sites available on
the Colorado river near Marble Falls, Texas, where the first water-
power electrical installation will be placed. Well-known engineers
have estimated the cost of the plants now in view at 5^12,000,000. —
Bevtei'x Trade Serrice (San Francisco).

Wallsall. — Year's Working. — There was a net profit
on the working of the electricity undertaking last year of £10.523.

E.XTENSIONS.— The Town Council is to ask the Electricity Com-
missioners for sanction to complete the Birchills station at an
estimated cost of £119,000. When the Commissioners were
approached on the subject some time ago, they asked the Council
to endeavour to obtain a bulk supply from a neighbouring
authority. The terms proposed "by Wolverhampton were so dis-
advantageous that the matter was no^j proceeded with ; Walsall
would have borne all the cost for the provision of a bulls; supply,
and the price suggested was double the cost of production.

West Hartlepool. — Year's Working. — The accounts of

the electricity undertaking show a net balance for the past year of

£1,358.

Winchester. — Reserve Fond. — A proposal to transfer

a sum of £2,000 from the electricity depirtment reserve fund,
which at present stands at £6,629, to the Finance Committee for
rate aid. was defeated at a recent Council meeting.

Worcester. — Staff Salaries.— At a meeting of the
City Council on Tuesday last week, the High Sheriff (Mr. W. J.
Hill), who is chairman of the Electricity Committee, reminded the
Council that at a former meeting he had stated that the Committee
was not prepared to recommend the Council to adopt the scale of
pay suggested by the Joint Board relating to technical officials in
the electrical industry. At the time when the demands were put
before the Committee, the alternative suggested was a strike.
The position had now altered. A large number of electricity
undertakings throughout the country had adopted the scale, which
was considerably higher than the rales the Committee was paying,
and not only could the Committee not get satisfactory engineers to
fill the vacancies which already existed, but practically the whole
of the technical staff was leaving. Mr. R. Smith, the chief
assistant, had resigned ; the senior shift engineer had obtained
another position ; the station superintendent had asked for a
testimonial, and two shifc engineers had done likewise. The Com-
mittee could not carry on the static;} without an adequate staff of
men who understood their profession ; and it must be quite clear
to the Council that it could not get that adequate staff unless it
was prepared Lo pay at least as much as other undertakings were
paying. There was a serious risk that within the next few weeks
the Committee would be without electrical engineers altogether,
and in view of the urgency of the matter he asked the Council to
authorise the Committee to do what it might consider necessary
to secure that the undertaking was efficiently equipped with
technical staff. He hal not the slightest doubt that it wou u
involve paying the scale referred to. He thought a substantial
saving could be effected by reorganisation of the technical staff.
The electrical engineer (Mr. C. M, Shaw) had resigned his position
as development officer, and one or two positions on technical com-
mittees, and was prepared to devote the whole of his time to
assisting the Committee to overcome the present difficulty.
Substantial increases in the salaries of the officials and of Mr.
Shaw, would be necessary. The Chairman's motion giving power to
the Committee was agreed to.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Aberdeen. — Year's Working. — The analysis of receipts
and expenses of the City Tramways Department for the year ended
May 31st, 1920, records a total income of £169,731, as compared
with £140,901 for 1918-19. Working expenses amounted to
£141,852, as against £I08,4.tI, leaving a gross profit of £27,819
(£32,450). The payment of loan interest, depreciation charges, &o.,
resulted in a net loss of £ 5,208. Last year's result was a profit of
£6,837. The depreciation and renewal fund now stands at
£217,45>^. The total number of passengers carried during the
period covered by the report was 48,544,709,

Bradford. — Track Renewal. — The tramways track
between Tong Cemetery and the Birkenshaw terminus, on the
Wakefield Road section, is to be renewed at an estimated cost of
£2I.4f<0.

Fare Increase — The increase in the tramway fares has again
been considered, and the spec'al sub-committee hsis decided to recom-
mend that from October 1st all ordinary tramway tickets (except (id.
tickets) shall have one halfpenny added to them, with a minimum
fare of 2d. : children from 5 to 14 years of age, half-price ; and
scholars attending a day school, Id. to and from school. No change
is made in workmen's fares at p eseat, but parcel rates are to ba
increased.

372

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Voi.s?. No. 2,234, septembeb 17, 1920.

Brighton. Waoeb Settlejient— Erratdm. — Owing
to a miaunderBtanding', it was stated in these notes, in our last
issue, that the Corporation had decided to accede to the tram-
way employes request and pay them Grade 1 rates. This was
merely a recommendation of the majority of a committee appointed
to deal with the question. The report, however, was rejected at
the Corparation's meetinf; on September llth, and it was resolved
to keep the Grade 2 rates in force.

Camborae. — Fares. — The local Labour and Trades

Council has forwarded letters to the Ministry of Transport
and the Urban Electric Supply Cj., protesting: affainst the com-
pany's application for power to increase its fares by 100 per cent.
It is stated that no spacific provision is made for workmen's fares
in the district, which is one of the worst paid in the country ; also,
that the Camborne system is already being run at a profit owing to
a previous increase of 50 per cent., and that, therefore, the profit
from the Cimborne- Redruth system is being used to subsidise the
company's other systems.

Chile. — Company's Offer. — In an interview with
Renter's trade representative, an official of the Chilian Electric
Tramways stated that the company has offered to invest £3,000,000
in improveoaents of the tramway and lighting services on con-
dition that the existing contract should be revised. The Govern-
ment is considering the offer. — Renter' ■<< Trade Serrice (Santiago).

Colombia. — New Tramway. — The town of Medellin is
to build an electric street railway 15 miles long. Specifications
have not yit been issued. Inquiries should be addressed to the
Senor Ingeniero en Jefe, Medellin, Colombia, South America. —
Jleiiter's Trade Serrice (Medellin").

Continental. — Belgium. — The electrification of the
railways of Belgium is to be carried out in three stages. The first
will include the conversion of the lines and stations connecting
Brussels with Antwerp ; the second will deal with the Luxemburg
lines ; the third with lines running out of Brussels not included in
the first stage. On the Bru?sels- Antwerp line, passenger traffic
will receive first attention, by trains equipped with four 275-H P.
motors. The re-erection of the Malines staUon, and the
restoration of the Schaerbsek-IIal line are indispensable before a
normal service is re-established. Branch lines from the Brussels-
Antwerp trunk line will then be taken in hand. The Brussels Midi
junction line will be converted as soon as it is finished. The
double line joining Malines- Ant werp-Sud, as well as the Antwerp
circular line, will also be electrified. The stations in course of
rebuilding — Schaerbeek, Schaerbsek (Joaaphaf), Muysen, Zuren-
borg, Aastrnwcl, Kiel, Antwerp-Sud, &;., wrll be electrified so far
as regards the arrival and departure platforms, but steam loco-
motives will continue to be used for other work. The whole of the
lines electrified will be fed from three sub-stations, located at
Schaerbeek, Malines, and Berghem.

Darham Co. — New Services. — On the instructions of
the County Council, a Special Committee, with experts, is consider-
ing the feasability of introducing a 'bus and tramcar service,
including the laying of a track from Durham to Gateshead.

Glasgow. — New Cars. — In consequence of the serious
decrease in traSio since the imposition of higher fares, the
Corporation has decided not to proceed with the constrnction of
new cars for the present,

Leeds. — Parcels Traffic. — The carrying of parcels on
the tramcars, started as a war-time project, has grown into a huge
and profitable undertaking. At the present time about 4,500
parcels or packages are handled every week. About 300 firms have
contracts for the carrying of parcels. They buy the stamps in
advance, and receive a discount of 5 per cent, and 7J per cent.,
according to the stamp values. Since the start in AprU, 1918, the
number of parce's carried aggregates 263,789.

London. — Increased Fares.— On September 2Gth a
scale of increased fares will come into force on the London Under-
ground systems. This has not yet been published, but the com-
panies concerned have obtained powers to charge a maximum rate
of Hd. par mile, with a minimum of 2d. for a journey.

New L. & S.W.R. Rolling Stock — In order to cope with the
congestion on its electrified suburban lines during the busy hours
of the day, the London and South-Western Railway has put into
service a number of new " trailer " cars, thereby adding consider-
ably to the carrying capacity of each train. Generally, each unit
of an electric train on this line is composed of three carriages, two
of them being motor coaches separated by a trailer or non-motor
coach. There is a driver's compartment at each end of the unit,
from which all the motors in the unit are controlled. During the
busy hours each train is generally composed of two units, with the
two trailer coaches added on the Waterloo to Waterloo rin
Kingston service. With the control on the multiple unit system
every motor in each unit is controlled from the driving end. In
order to increase the capacity of each train, while not going to the
expense of new motors and control gear such as would bs required
in the conetruction of a complete unit, the length of each two-un.t
train has deen increased by including two additional trailer coaches
in the middle of the train. The new trailers are of the usuil bogie
type, similar to those already in use on the electrified lines, except
that they are close coupled together in pairs and at each end of
the pair there are spring buffers similar to those on the motor
coaches, and the control cables are carried along under the roof of
the carriage, instead of under the Hoor. Connection with the motor
coach is made in the usual type of plug-box at each end, and

the cables are run to the top of the carriage, and looped at the
other end across the close coupling, so that the multiple unit
control is obtained as hitherto. The trailers are not provided with
a driver's compartment or any form of control gear.

Manchester. — Stage Reduction. — The City Council has
reduced the Id. stage on the tramways from one-and-a-half to one-
and-a quarter miles. For two years the tramways have been loaing

£4,000 weekly. — 7'he Times.

Preston. — Year's Working. — The statement of accounts

for the year ended March 31st last showsatotal revenue of £89,301,
as against £77,93ii in the previous period. Working expenses
amounted to £65,931, against £52,877, leaving a gross prcfit of
£23,370 (£25,053). The payment of capital charges left a net
profit of £5,924. The total of the reserve funds now stands at
£55,851.

St. Annes. — Tramway Purchase. — Some particulars
of the purchase of the tramway undertaking from the Blackpool,
St. Annes, and Lytham Tramways Co. were given by the chairman
of the Committee at a meeting of the Urban District Council. On
Ojtobar 3l3t the Urbin District Council will complete the pur-
chase of the line for £ 135, CuO, plus £5,003 as compensation to
officials, The Urban District Council is now entitled to charge
Hd., instead of Id., but it is proposed to alter the stages ; 25 per
cent, of the net profit made in the Lytham area is to be paid to
Lytham, which retains the right of future purchase. The company
will work the cars for the Council at an agreed rate of interest,
and a percentage of profit. The chairman stated that they had
expert opinion that the tramway was in good order, that the
Council had made a good bargain — a much more advantageous one
than if it had waited till 1921 — and that the venture ahonld
turn out successful.

Sale. — Railway Electrification. — The Urban District
Council has been notified by the Manchester, South Junction, and
Altrincham Railway Joint Committee that electrification cannot
be undertaken owing to the prohibitive cost. A conference of
local authorities is to be called to further consider the matter.

L S.A. — New York Traffic Strike. — The strike of
underground, surface, and elevated electric-car conductors has
ended, so far as the company is concerned, and employes who
have ignored the invitation to return to work will be reinstated
only on a basis as new employes, forfeiting all rights of seniority
and higher pay. The men, who struck without authority of the
Unions, were nevertheless supported by the Union leaders once they
were out, and the company, which refused to deal with them on the
ground that they were irresponsible and unfaithful to their con-
tracts, has the public support. The raUway officials announce
their intention to build up an entirely new force, using a small
band of faithful employes as the nucleus, and they are confident
that a weekly wage of from £(5 to £8 will attract new men. The
action of the transit company is significant, because this is the
first time for some years that any corporation has decided that it is
possible to reject utterly the strikers' demands or to hold them
strictly to the terms of their contracts, — Daily Telegrapli.

Walsall. — Year's Working. — A net profit of £979,
and a loss of £1,613, were ths results of the working of the
tramways and motor-'bus service respectively, during the past
year.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

China. — New Wireless Station. — The (lovernment
wireless station at the Temple of Heaven, Peking, is open for
service, and all telegraph offices in the city accept wireless tele-
grams at the same rates as those charged for land-line messages for
transmission to Kalgan, Wuchang, Woosung, Shanghai, and
Foo^how. Special rates apply to wireless telegrams sent to ship
and aviation stations, and such messages are accepted only by the
central office. This service, says the T. ,v T. Ai/e, gives Peking
improved communication with some of the most important com-
mercial centres in China. It is reported that a wireless station
will b3 established at Urga, Mongolia, during the present year.

France. — Wireless Talegraphy. — Two wireless con-
nections have been sst up by the French Administration of Posts
and Telegraphs with, respectively, Hungary, and Jugo-Slavia. The
fees are the same as those for telegrams forwarded by the ordinary
means, but the dispatches should bear the words " Untaxed.
Wireless" (non-taxee : voie T.S.F.). Should the wireless service
be congested or interrupted, dispatches will be forwarded by the
ordinary telegraph lines.

Hanover. — French Company Claims (tEeman Wireless

Station. The German Ministry of Posts has been informed that

the French Compagnie Generale de Telegraphic sans Fil claims
the German wireless station at Eilvese, in Hanover, as its property,
on the ground that the Hochfrequenz Maschinen Co., of Berlin,
in 191 '2 sold Prof. Goldsofimidt's foreign pitents to a French group,
and in addition, ceded it the right to take over the Eilvese station
by December 31st, 1914. Owing to the war the French company
was unable to exercise this right by the date named, but relying
on Article 299 B of the Peace Treaty, the French Government has
informed the German G">vernment that the agreement in question
has again come into force. The position is considered in German

i

Toi.87. no.2,23j.septembebi7, i92o.]THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

373

official ciiclea to be very awkward because the Eilvese station is
now included in the State telegraph system. The whole matter is
to be considered by the Cabinet, which hopes, by negotiations, to
avert the danger of foreign control of wireless telegraphy in
Germany. Herr Bredow, Chief of the German Government
Wireless Department, informed a representative of the Lukalan-
zeiger that the right possessed by the French company to take over
the station did not include the right to operate it, because, by
German law, no owner of a telegraph station has the right to use
it without the Government's sanction. He expected the French
company would try to settle the matter by surrendering the station
to Germany in return for heavy compensation. — Beiiler's Trude
Seriice (Berlin).

London. — Automatic Telephone Excha\&es. — That
the decision to install in London a trial automatic exchange of the
Western Electric " Panel " type may mark the commencement of
a new era in telephone exchange design is the opinion expressed in
a leading aiticle in the T. and T. Juurna!. It goes on to point out
that comparatively extensive experiments with automatic exchanges
have already been made in the country ; but the adoption of auto-
matic switching for %'ery large areas has presented considerable
difficulties in connection with the provision of intercommunication
between automatic and manual exchanges, the numbering of sub-
scribers' lines and the routing of junction calls. One problem was
to find a machine switching system which would be sufficiently
flexible to permit the substitution to be effected without sacrificing
the power, which a human operator possesses^ of routing traffic to
any exchange in whatever way the Administration may from time
to time direct, without varying the manner in which a call to that
exchange is passed by the public. In the mechanical switching
system now to be tried in London the "panel" is an extensive
Jtat multiple field over which the selector switches operate verti-
cally. This characteristic at once differentiates the system from
others of the automatic type in use in this country and is so out-
standing as fully to justify the name " Panel System." A more
remarkable feature, however, is the "sender," which acts as the
agent of the human brain in setting up connections. It receives
the number signalled by a subscriber and translates the signals into
such others as the Administration may require for the purpose of
routing the call satisfactorily and eoonomicaliy over the junction
Bjstem. It varies the circuit conditions ami determines what
impulses shall be sent over the junction circuits for the purpose of
meeting the requirements of the apparatus at a junction centre or
a terminal exchange. The experiment should prove whether the
system will be able to meet all the requirements of the inevitably
long period during which manual exchanges must be retained. "We
stand on the threshold of a new era, and it behoves the traffic and
engineering officers of the British Post Office to gird their loins and
to go forward with a strong heart and the will to establish the new
order of things on a sure foundation."

The Times states that it is not exp8cted that the necessary equip-
ment from the U.S.A. will be available before next spring, and
farther time must elapse before the installation of the exchange
will be complete.

New Zealand, — Wireless Time Service A wireless

time service from the standard mean time at Hector Observatory,
Wellington, was inaugurated a few weeks ago. Hitherto ships
have been able to obtain such information only by request when
off the New Zealand coast, but under the new system the time will
be transmitted every Tuesday and Friday evening at 8.30 p.m.

Automatic Telephones. — The new automatic telephone
system was expected to be in full oparation in Hamilton by the
end of August. The installation of batteries is complete, and the
telephones have arrived. The new system provides for 1,100 lines,
exclusive of out-district connections, which will still be worked on
the manual system. As the town area already has well over 1,000
subscribers, additions will soon have to be made to the new plant
to provide for future expansion.

As in most British countries, the telegraph and telephone
engineer has had to work under the control of a postal official.
This system has now been abandoned entirely in New Zealand, and
the entire technical organisation of the services, including the
management of telegraph and telephone offices, has been placed
undSr the control of the chief telegraph engineer, who will be
responsible only to the Jlinister direct.

United States. — New Tandem Telepho.ne Board. — On

April 17th, 1920, the first mechanical switchboard in Greater New
York was put into service. According to the T. ami T. Age, it is
the first mechanical tandem board of its kind, not only in the
New York Telephone Co.'s territory, but in the world. The
"Metropolitan Tandum Board." as it is called, handles traffic
heretofore taken care of by the Jersey, Long Island, and West-
chester toll tandem board, calls being passed to the Metropolitan
board, and trunks assigned in the same manner as at the other
tandem boards. Connections with called offices and numbers are
then established, by means of mechanical switching devices, with
the called number direct at semi-mechanical offices, or by dis-
playing th3 number on a call indicator at the manual offices.
Ultimately calls between machine-switching offices will be handed
through this office. Traffic is being routed through the new
board gradually. After the final step has been completed, so
central offices will be able to reach 6i other exchange?, requiring
approximately 1,000 incoming and 1,000 outgoing trunks, the total
daily traffic amounting- to about 12.i,000 calls. In November, 1'.'19,
the training of operators was started with a short course at cord-
less " B ' positions in a New Jersey semi-mechanical office, following
which actual training was given by means of a dummy mechanical
position. When the first groups of positions were turned over by

the Western Electric Co., preliminary training was continued at
the new positions. By means of specially-equipped test-boxes,
calls were passed to the regular tandem positions, the tandem
operator then proceeding to establish the connection, and causing
a display at the originating test-box, by which means eeich test
call was checked.

INTEBNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE. — The U.S.

State Department announces that representatives of Great Britain,
France, Japan, Italy, and the United States will gather at
Washington, on October 8th, to prepare the agenda for the forth-
coming International Communications Conference, at which the
whole field of electrical communication between nations, as well as
the question of what shall be done with the German cables, will
be discussed. The United States will be represented at the meet-
ing by Mr. A. S. Burleson (the Postmaster-General), Admirah
Benson (the chairman of the United Shipping Board), and Mr.
Walter Rogers (a Government wireless oS&ci&Vj.—Eeuter'x Trade
*rn« (Washington).

Sweden. — Private Wireless Telephone. — The

Government has granted Uddeholms Aktiebolag permission to
establish a private wireless telephone connection with its branch
office at Skoghall. This is the first private establishment of its
kind in &wedeu.—Beutei's Trade Serrice (Stockholm).

Wireless Clubs.— The Winhss World states that there
are II clubs in the United Kingdom formed for the purpose of
studying and practising wireless telegraphy and telephony. Of
this numler 2o clubs are affiliated with the Wireless Society of
London. The total number of amateur club members in the
United Kingdom is approximately 1,500, but this figure is short of
the actual total.

Wireless Teieptiony. — In recent experiments by Marconi's
Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd., to determine the minimum power
required totransmit wireless telephonic messages acrossthe Atlantic,
it Is reported that perfectly audible speech was transmitted between
Ballybunion, Ireland, and Newfoundland, with no more power than
that developed by a portable Army set, which is driven by a 3"o-E.p.
motor-cycle engine.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(T%e date given in pare)ithesis at the end of the paragraph indicates
the issue of the Electrical Ee\tew, in which, the " Official
Notice " appeared.")

OPEN.

Australia. — Commonwealth Government. November
24th. Protected cable terminals and cable distribution boxes.

Brisbane. —December nth. Department of Public Works.
Seventy three-phase oil-cooled core type static transformers.

Bbisbane.— January 20th, and February 2.")th. \<X1\. The City
Electric Light Co. 10,()00-KW. turbo-alternator set ; transformers
and switchgear.

Melbodene. — September 23rd. Melbourne and Metropolitan
Tramways Board. Two 3.50-h.p., a.c. motors, also switchgear
(Contract No. 101.)

February 2Ith, 1921. The Victorian Electricity Commissioners,
Turbo-alternators of 25,000, 12,5'JO and 600 KW , and other plant
connection with the Morwell power scheme.

Queensland.— October (ith. P.M.G. s Department. Instruments
and parts (schedule I9iO. (September luth.)

South Australia. — October 2oth. P.M.G. s Department.
Telegraph instruments (schedule .516). and telephone instruments
(schedule 519). (September loth.)

November 3rd. P.M.G. 's Department. Telephone instruments
(schedule 518). (September luth.)

Edinburgli, — September 27th. Electricity Supply
Department. Coal, ash and flue-dust handling plant, circulating
pumps and pipework. (August 27th.)

Rosslynlee.— Midlothian and Peebles District Asylum. Stores,
including electric fittings. Forms of tender from the Clerk, 19,
Heriot Row, Edinburgh.

France. — October 1st. The French State Railway
Authorities (Service Electrique 3rd Division) ,S8, Rue de Rome,
Paris, 3,701) electric connecticns for conductor rails, in bare
copper cables of mo sq, mm, section, and 7,li«i of 2iiiisq, mm,
section.

October I'.th, French Post and Telegraph Authorities (Direction
de r Exploitation Telephonique), ln:i, Rne de Grenelle, Paris.
72 lots of paper-insulated telephone cable.

October 13th. The French Post and Telegraph Authorities
(Diirection de I'Exploitation Telephoniiiue) 103, Rue de Grenelle,
Paris, Eleven lots of high-conductivity copper wire, 2^ mm. dia.,
annealed copper wire, I and 2 mm. dia. ; bi-metallic wire, 3 mm.
dia., and annealed iron wire, 1 mm. dia.

India. — Aora. — October 22nd. Municipal Board.
Complete generating plant, comprising : four Diesel engines and
H.T. alternators ; H.T. and L.T. switchgear. transformers and sub-
station equipment; 15 miles underground H.T. cables, 28 miles
overhead l.t. three-phase mains and street lighting equipment
complete with all accessories, (August 20th.)

374

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,234, September 1 7, 1920.

Lincoln. — October 8th. Electricity Department.
Spray cooling plant, 50U,000 gallons per hour, with pipe and
pipework. (September 10th.)

LitHeborough. — September 22nd. Urban District
Council. Transformers, switchgear, &c. (September 10th.)

London. — Metropolitan Asylu.ms Board. — -September
29th. Extensions to the telephone installation at the Grove
Hospital, Tooting. (September IitLh.)

Manchester.— September 20th. Electr.'city Committee.
Six 33,000-volt, 19,.500-K.v.A., 3-phaae static transformers, house
service and testing transformers. (August 6th.)

October Sth. Electricity Committee. Specification No. B.!».
Five 8, .500 K.v.A. 3-pha8e transformers ani fans. &c. ; and three
il.OOii K.v.A. .'i-phase transformers and fans, &c. Mr. F. E. Hughes.
Secretary, Electricity Department, Town Hall.

Nuneaton. — September 20th. Electricity Department.
H.T. and L.T. switchgear, connecting cables and accessories. (August
13th.)

Sheffield.— October 12th. Electric Supply Department.

Two 10,000-KW. steam turbines, condensing plants, pipework. &c..
alternators and exciters. (September liith.j

St. Helens. — September 30th. Electricity Department.
Cast-iron low pressure water piping, and one natural draught
cooling tower. (September loth.)

CLOSED.

Australia. — Perth Ihe tender of Messrs. C. A. Parsons

and Co., Ltd . of Newcastle-on-Tyne, has been accepted by the West
Australian (jovernment for the 7,500-KW. turbo-alternator for the
Perth central power station. — Tende.is.

Blackburn. — B.ard of Guardians. Accepted : —

C. T. Briscoe A Sons.— Electric light installation at the Workhouse laflrm-
ary, at fl.aSS.

Bradford. — Tramways Committee. Accepted :

Tram rails and crossings, £9,329.— HadHelds, Ltd., Sheffield.

20 tons of cast-cross braki- blocks, £26 10s. per ton.— Miller i Co., Ltd.

Norway. — The Norwegian Government has placed an
order for ',i3o miles of electric cable with the A.S. Skandinaviske
Kabel og Gummifabrikker. that firm's tender being In to 20 per
cent, lower than its native and foreign competitors. The firm has
also secured a Dutch contract for 2 1 7 miles of cable for the Dutch
Indies, as well as a number of small contracts for this country. —
M»ctric)t('\

Spain. — I^a Sociedad Espanola de Consti ucciones
Metalicas has obtained the adjudication for the construction of the
three electric cranes for which tenders were invited by the Works
Beard of the port of Gijon. . The company undertakes to use either
Siemens-Schuckert electrical material at a price of 393,400 pesetas,
or that of the Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Export Co., at
36-5,0(10 pesetas.- -i?fwfer'.< Treule Serrice (Madrid).

Stafford, — Town Council. ' Accepted : —

A, B. Lyell & Co., for the laving of a 21 in. diameter condenser, for the elec-
tricity works, £2,023.

Sunderland. — Town Council. Accepted: —

FORTHCOMING EVENTS.

At the S, Wales Institute

Machine Tool & Engineering Exhibition at Olympia, W,— Last day,
September 25 th.

NOTES.

Educational. — London County Council. — Hackney
Institute, Dalston Lane, E. S. — The new session commences on
September 20th. Evening lectures and laboratory courses are held
in electrical engineering, including electrical measurements,
motors and dynamos. For particulars, see our advertisement pages
to-day.

Messrs. S. Rentell & Co. inform us that their standard work,
" The Practical Electrician's Pocket-Book," has now been Included
in the list of books which are officially recommended by the City
and Guilds of London Institute.

The Patent Office Library. — We note with much pleasure

that on and after October 1st, the hours of opening of the Library
will be from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., except on Christmas Eve and Easter
Eve, when the Library will be closed at 4 p.m.

Service Notes. — The following appointments of Royal
Engineer officers have been made to the School of Electric
Lighting : — Chief instructor, Major P. S. Watking, D S.O. ;
instructors, Captain and Brevet-Major E. 0. Alabaster and Captain
and Brevet-Major H. S. Briggs, O.B.E. ; Anti-Aircraft and Sound
Location School instructor, Captain and Brevet-Major K. B. St. J. J.
ffreuoh-Mullen.

Birmingliam Electric Cinb.— The Birmingham and Dis-
trict Electric Club held its first meeting of the session at the
Grand Hotel on Saturday, September 11th,. when a paper was
read by Mr. K. Gregory upon " Some considerations in regard
to low-tension switchgear." The paper was very exhaustive,
and dealt particularly with automatic protection of electrical
machinery. The forms of protective devices mentioned and
explained were, protection against overload, failure of supply,
reversal of current, leakage to earth, and for emergency pur-
poses. Each class of protective gear was analysed and ex-
plained. Mr. Gregory said that during the past few years
much progress had been made in accuracy of design, robust-
ness of construL-tion, aud range of patterns.

Ex-Soldiers' Training.— The Morning Post states :—
The scheme administered by the Ministry of Labour for the
training of ex-Service men whose apprenticeships were inter-
rupted by war service has been successfully conducted. The
statistics available indicate that many employers of labour, not
unmindful of the country's obligations to those who played
their part in the war. have sympathetically co-operated. Up
to the end of August. 41 schemes had been approved, and ap-
plications had been received in respect of all of them. The
nimiber of applications received at Employment Exchanges
from employers for apprentices was approximately 43,5(X), while
the number of apphcations received from apprentices was about
49,00U. During the same period agreements had been received
in respect of 4"2,U00 apprentices, and grants had been sanctioned
for 411,0(10 apprentices employed by 16,000 employers.

It is announced that applications by ex-Service apprentices
to come under the scheme must be received at Employment
Exchanges not later than the 30th inst. Employers who wish
to bring ex-Service apprentices under this Scheme must lodge
their applications by the same date. .Applications received after
that date cannot be considered. This regulation will not apply
to : (1) .Apprentices demobilised after July 31st. 1920. In this
case applications will be received if made within two months
of the date of demobilisation, and special consideration will be
given to such cases. ('2) Employers who make application to
bring under the scheme apprentices whose applications are
lodged at the Employment Exchange not later than the dates
specified above.

Appointments Vacant.— Engineer and manager (£450 -I-
5 per cent, on the net profit) for the Bacup Corporation electricity
department; assittant mains engineer (360 taels per month —
tael = 5s. 8d.) for the Shanghai Municipal Council electricity
department ; assistant electrical engineer, J450 (Straits Settlements
currency) per month, dollar = 2s. 4d , for the Singapore Harbour
Board ; plumber-jointer, for the Farnworth U.D.C. Electricity
■Department. See our advertisement pages to-day.

Workmen's Holidajs. — Sunderland Town Council has
agreed to the proposal of its skilled workmen who are on strike
that the question in dispute — whether these men are entitled to an
annual holiday with pay, the same as other classes of labour whose
conditions of service are directly settled by the Corporation and not
by Trade Union conditions - shall be referred to an arbitrator to be
appointed by the Ministry of Labour under the Industrial Courts
Act. In the meantime, the men have resumed work. The strike
of the car-shed men at the tramway depot over this question has
lasted nine weeks.

Fatality. — At an inquest held at Stockton-on-Tees, on
September 6th, on Michael McKenna, aged 49, a mine filler employed
at the Tees Bridge Works, it was stated that deceased was found
lying on the ground grasping in his left hand a hook with which
he had been drawing lime from the kiln. One end of the hook
was resting on a pipe covering an electric cable. Charles Harrison,
another mine filler, said he tried to knock the hook awav, but got
a shock. When he tried to lift deceased he had to put him down
again, as he received another shock. The medical evidence was
that death was due to asphyxia following electric shook. The
doctor expressed the opinion that if deceased had died from
natural causes, he would not have held on to the hook. The Jury
returned a verdict of " Electrocuted whilst following his employ-
ment."

INSTITUTION NOTES.

The Institute of Metals.— At the annual autumn meeting of
the Institute, held at Barrow-in-Furness, on Wednesday, Mr. H. B.
Weeks, F.I.C., read a note on " Brass Foundry Practice at Messrs.
Vickers, Ltd., Barrow-in-Furness." He described the brass foundry
and the progress that has been made therein during the last 60
years. He dealt with loose pattern moulding, plate moulding,
"dry" and "green sand" work, loam moulding, chill moulding,
and dressing and fettling, including sandblatting. Reference
was also made to the premium bonus system which is in operation.

Messrs. T. G. Bamford, M.Sc. and W. E. Ballard, read a paper on
"The Influence of Gases on High-Grade Brais." Large-scale
casting experiments were carried out to determine under what
thermal conditions of casting the porosity due to gases could be
eliminatetl. Provided the pouring temperature was maintained as
high as 200' C. above the liquidus porosity due to gases w»s
absent,

Vol.87. No. 2,234, Septembbb 17, 1920.] THE HiLECTRICAL REVIEW.

375

A "Note on a Failure of Manganese Bronze," by Mr. J. H. S.
Diokenaon, related to the examination of a " Mansjaneae-Brouze "
end- plate from a turbo-alternator rotor which failed in service. It
was found that certain fractured peripheral projections had been
rendered brittle by the contact of fluid solder which had penetrated
along the junctions of the crystalline grains. The end plate was
shown by analysis and micrc-examination to be a typical beta
brass of simple polyhedral strrcture. Bend tests taken from the
inner, unaffected, portions showed toughness and ductility whether
tested at the room temperature or as high as 200 C, but they
collapsed instantly under small loads, with an intergranular
fracture and no appreciable distortion, if heated sufficiently to melt
the point of a stick of soft solder applied to the side in tension.
No such effect was obtained when solder was melted on the side
in compression, or when a test piece was soldered on the tension
side and stressed with the solder in the solid state. It was found
that there had been local heating in the rotor, and the solder
appeared to have penetrated while the beta-brass end-plate was
running urder stress.

An investigation followed to eluc'date the conditions under
which alloys of the ''Manganese Bronze" type, i.e., beta brasses,
as well as alpha and mixed brasses, are prejudicially affected by
contact with fluid solders, the special points on which infer nat'on
was required being to ascertain the stress required to produce
failure, and also to what extent variation in composition and
microstructure affected the result.

The effect of bringing fusible alloys (melting at 6!r5° C. and
93° C), soft tin-lead tolder, and tin into fluid contact with heated
and streES d test bars of various kinds of brass was ascertained. In
all cases the result was greatly to reduce the maximum stress and
cause intergranular fr.acture, this being by far the most marked in
the case of beta brasses of simple polyhedral structure, less so whmi
alpha and beta constituents cccur together, and to nothing like
the same extent in alpha brass with interlocking crystalline grains.
These differences form a further example to show the danger of
permitting metallic crystals to develop smooth and regular out-
lines. It is suggested that further work im this direction may
throw additional light on the phenomenon of season crackit g.

In a paper by Messrs. 0. F. Hudson, D,Sc., and J. H. Darley, on
" The Constitution and Structure of Certain Tin-Antimony-Copper
Alloys," the authors dealt with bearing metals of a particular
composition (tin, 89 jisr cent. ; antimony, 87 per cent. ; and
copper, 2'3 per cent.), principally with a view to ascertaining if
any rules could be formulated connecting easily-recognised varia-
tions in structure with definite casting conditions. They con-
sidered that the essential condition for the production of a coarse
angular type of structure in bearing alloys was undisturbed
cooling from a particular temperature, and that the casting
temperature of a white metal bearing should not exceed this
critical temperature. The critical temperature will depend on the
composition of the alloy, and in the case of the alloy used in these
experiments it lay between 300 and 350° C. In other alloys, in
which solidification begins at higher or lower temperatures, the
critical temperature will be correspondingly higher or lower, but
generally the angular type of structure will result when the
casting temperature is about 50° C. above the temperature at which
the alloy t)egins to solidify.

Uolon of EnglaeerlDg and Shipbuilding Draughtsmen The

Halifax branch of the Union visited the Corporation electricity
works, last week-end, by invitation, and under the guidance,
of Mr. Rogerson, the manager.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

The Eilitor.s invitt electrical engineers, whether cannected with the
technical or the commercial side of the profession and industry,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
EliBCTBICAL Review posted as to their nweeimnts.

Swansea University College Council has made the following
appointments : — Professor of Fngineering (commencing salary,
£9C0 per annum") : Mr. Frederick Bacon, M.A. (Cantab),
A.M.Inst. C.E., M.I., M.I.E.E , Draper's Professor of Engineering at
University College, Cardiff. Lecturer in Electrical Engineering :
Mr. R. G. Isaacs, B.Sc. cEng. ) (London), A.M.I.E.E., of the
Swansea Technical College. Assistant Lecturer in Electrical
Engineerirg : Mr. J. Lloyd Davies, B.Sc, (Eng. ) (London), of
the Swansea Techni'cal College.

Mr. T. H. Dennis, M.I.E.E., managing engineer of the Straits
Trading Co., Ltd., has recently arrived in England from Singapore
on long leave.

Mb. W. D. Brassi.ngton, Motherwell, has been appointed elec-
trical engineer at Motherwell at a salary of £500.

Last Friday evening, at Phu-nix Park Sports Club, Bradford, a
large gathering of employes of the aircraft department (now being
closed down) of the Phnnix (Thornbury) Works of the English
Electric Co., Ltd., presented a smoking cabinet to Mr. Arthur
FOBD, manager of the metal shop.

It is ptated that, under the age limit (05), Mr. Tom Mann is to
retire in April next from the general secretaryship of the
-Amalgamated Engineering Union.

Mr. Ct. Conkobti, general manager of the Pirelli Oleneral Cable
Works, Southampton, who is leaving, has been presented by the
staff with a gold watch, and by the employ6s with a gold albert.

The marriage took place at Heddon-on-the-Wall, on September
4th, of Mb. ABTHna Charles Rayment, A. M.I.E.E,, to Miss
Winifred E. Bolam,

The Manchester Guardian, on Friday last, stated that on
Saturday the Chairman of the Manchester Electricity Committee
(Alderman Daqnall) and Mb. Pbabce would leave Southampton
in the Aquitunia for a tour of the States and Canada. "The
itinerary is a long one, and will include New York, Boston, Pitts-
Seld, Schenectady, Albany, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburg,
Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, Niagara, Hamilton, Toronto, and
Montreal, with several smaller places sandwiched between them.
Primarily the idea is to investigate the most modern practice in
regard to the design and operation of large generating stations for
economical production— points that may be valuable at Barton —
but the skilled eye will be on the aleit for all manner of other
information. It is hoped, for instance, to gain considerable know-
ledge about staff organisation, and about modern transmission and
distribution systems and modern sub-station practice. '

Nelson Town Council has increased the salary of the electrical
engineer and tramways manager from £601 to £750, of which
amount £297 is to be regarded as war bonus.

Mr. W. H. Blythe, research electrical engineer, Brooklamds.
Cheshire, and Mr. John H. Havelock, Blackpool, chief instructor
in engineering, R.A.F., have been appointed travelling teachers in
mechanical and electrical engineering by the Glamorgan Education
Committee.

Obituary.— JIr. T. J. S. Clephan.— The death took place on
September 10th of Mr. Thomas James Seddon Clephan, electrician,
who had since 1873 carried on business at Standishgate, Wigan.
He was in his 75lli year.

Mr. Hugh Stewart, who has died at Boyle, Co. Rnscommon,
introduced electric lighting in that town about 20 years ago, and
was also responsible for the introduction of elcoiric lighting in
Coalisland, Co. Tyrone.

CITY NOTES.

Stocli E.xchange Notices. — The committee has ordered the
foUowint; to be otflcially quoted: —

Newcastle-upon-Tyne Electric Supply Co., Ltd.— 1,000 5 per
cent, preference shares (non-cumulative) of i'l each, fully
paid (Nos. l,44'2,95-2 to 1,443,951).

Lima Light, Power & Tramways Co. — Profit and loss
account shows the following results : Total profits obtained
during 1919 .i'p'2G3,25'2, less bond service f p5'2,130, bond amor-
tisation during 1919 £p48,31o, European expenses £pl,644,
interest and discounts ^p3,245, provision for bad and doubtful
debts iep3,000, leaving a net profit of i:pl54,gi8; balance
brought forward from 1918 i;p9.5,064, makes a total of
£p'249,982. From this the board has made following deduc-
tions : Dividends distributed on share capital f pl07,990, cost of
stores f plO.OOO, cost of extraordinary repairs £plO,000, ex-
penses of bond issue Jtpl6,90O, reserve for bad and doubtful
debts iEplO.OOO, leaving a balance of ip95,091, which amount
is to be carried forward.— FiiiaHd'cr.

Bruce Peebles & Co., Ltd. — Dividend at the rate of 7i
per cent, per annum, less income tax, on the cumulative
participatint; preference shares for the half-year ended June.

Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd. — The number
of units sold to consumers has been as under; —

1920. 191'J.

Four weelts ended May 2etli 3,193,666 2,Ba7,034

Pour weelis ended .June 25tli 3,263,077 2,f;0«,749

PiTe weeks ended .July SOlh 4,207,636 3,380,033

Nairobi Electric Power & Lighting Co., Ltd.— Interim
dividend at the rate of 4 per cent., less tax, for the year.

Spain.— The total receipts of the Compafiia Sevillana de
Kl'-ctricidad during the past financial year, including those
derived from the Electricas de Jerez, amounted to 6,508,109
pesetas. These figures show a considerable increase, while
expenses diminished to 4,1'24,382 pesetas. The net profits
totalled 1,108.457 pesetas, and a dividend of 5 per cent, has
been declared.— Reufe/''s Trade Seroice, Mtijriil.

Prospectus. — Major & Co., Ltd.— The list is to close on
Monday next in an issue of lOO.OOO 8J per cent, cumulative
preference shares, and 60,000 ordinary shares, all of £1 each,
at par. The proceeds will be used to pay off existing loans
and provide funds for the completion of extensions now in
hand anil for further working capital.

Eastern Telegraph Co., Ltd. — Dividend at the rate of 3^
per cent, per anmmi. less tax, for the quarter, on the pre-
ference stock, and a second quarterly dividend of 1h per cent,
on the ordinary stock, free of tax.

Manila Electric Railroad & Traction Corporation.— Divi-
dend of li per cent, on the common capital stock for the
quarter ended September.

Madras Electric Tramways (1904), Ltd.— Interim divi-
dends 6 per cent, per annum, less tax, on the preference
and 8 per cent. i>er annum, free of tax, on the ordinary.

Globe Telegraph & Trust Co., Ltd.— (Quarterly interim
dividend of 3s. per share on the preference shares, less tax,
and 5s. per share on the ordinary, tax already deducted.

Mackay Companies.- Quarterly dividends of 1 per cent,
on preferred and Ij per cent, on common stock.

British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd.— Dividend 9d.
per share, less tax.

376

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. no. 2,234, semembeb 17, 1920

Calgary Power Co. — The gross revenue for 1919 was
$296,564, against $275,864 for 1918. Operating expenses, bond
interest and other charges properly payable out of revenue
absorbed $206,835, leaving a net profit of $89,729, as against
$82,490. The net profi.t has been carried to surplus account.
After appropriating $50,000 for depreciation and bond discount
the balance remaining at the credit of that account and carried
forward to 1920 was .$181,167. The net earnings for the past
year were the largest in the history of the company, but they
do not, in the opinion of the directors, warrant the payment
of a dividend. — Financial Times.

The A. E.G. — An extraordinary general meeting of the
AUgemeine Elektricitats Gesellschaft on September 11th
sanctioned the increase of its capital to 550,000,000 marks by
the issue of 175,000,000 marks worth of preference shares im-
mediately, and an additional 75,000,000 marks worth later. —
Beuter.

Claud Hamilton, Ltd. — Dividend and bonus 15 per cent.,
less tax; ^614,082 is carried forward (subject to excess profits
duty).

Western Telegraph Co., Ltd. — Dividend of 7s. per share,
making a total of 10 per cent., free of tax, for the year
ended June, 1920.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
PoLLOWiNG upon the brightness shown by the Stock Ex-
change markets since we last wrote here, a very different set
of conditions has developed. At the beginning of this week,
the investing public began to press industi'ials for sale — pos-
sibly in a fashion rather unreasoning. The effect was seen
in a fairly general fall, and the weakness spread over wide
areas of secui'ities. British Government stocks gave way on
the assumption that in the event of a strike in the Triple
Alliance, there might be substantial sales from the Trades
Unions, for distribution of the cash as strike pay. But the
truth of the matter demands no profound search, for it is
obvious enough that with a national crisis in the air, people
would rather keep their money in the banks than invest it in
stocks and shares.

Amidst the heaviness in most departments, there are several
notable exceptions, of which Mexicans and dollar stocks of all
kinds are the chief. The advances in Mexican securities are
connected, of course, with the election of the wealthy and
powerful General Obregon as President. Prices have risen
from 3 to 5 points in the Utility issues. Of those not quoted
in our lists, Pachuca Fives have improved to 45J, and Mexican
Electric Light 5 per cent, bonds to 46^. Singularly, Monterey
Fives eased off to 29i, after being higher.

Interest payments on most of these Mexican Utility bonds
have been suspended for something like six years, and it be-
comes a lively question as, to how the arrears can be dealt
with. The preferred stock of the Mexican Light & Power Co.
is cumulative, and, having received nothing for seven years,
the stockholders are entitled, on this alone, to 49 per cent, at
simple interest. Payment in cash of these outstanding debts
sounds a Utopian idea, but of course the back-interest has
to be arranged in some shape or form, and already rumour is
busy with talk of funding schemes. These would provide — if
carried out on conventional lines — for payment of arrears to
be made in scrip, or bonds, that would themselves become re-
deemable in cash at some future date. The mere discussion
of such a thing may savour of prematurely intelligent antici-
pation, but in a new Mexico, where peace shall supersede
seven years of chaos, such matters are bound to be amongst
the earliest subjects for settlement if more foreign money is
to be tempted into the country.

Rises in the " dollar securities " continue apace. Shawini-
gan Water is up to 136|, with business recorded at this price.
West Kootenay Power & Light Sixes marked as high as llOJ.
Havana Electric Tramways 5 per cent, have improved to what
looks to be the fancy figure of 112i. Sao Paulo Tramways
Fives have risen to 92^. They are redeemable in 1929. The
company's 5 per cent, consolidated debenture stock stands at
58i.

The London lighting list is no exception to the heaviness
elsewhere — a heaviness which, by the way, was inclined to lift
a trifle at the close of business this (Tuesday) evening. Of
course, it would be nothing short of a miracle were prices of
electricity supply shares to display any firmness in the face
of the lock-out on the employers' part, and the threatened
retaliation by the men. Chelseas and Metropolitans are both
k lower. The latter changed hands the other day as low as
.50s., which is half their nominal value. Amongst the dollar
securities. Consolidated Gas & Electric of Baltimore shares
are 6 higher at 1.34i, the bonds being advanced 3 points to
106J. It may be of interest to observe that in quoting such
dollar stocks ex dividend, the Stock Exchange calculates the
dollar as worth about 5s. 6d. at the present time.

MetropoUtans and Underground income bonds arc both bet-
ter, on anticipation of the benefit which will accrue to the
companies through the raising of fares which is to come into
force at the end of next week. 'I'he 'bus fares are also to be
increased, which will, of course, have a beneficial efT-ct upon

takings of the group at large. As it has been so often pointed
out, the tubes and 'buses carry such vast numbers of passen-
gers nowadays that the addition of a very little extra cost per
passenger may make all the difference between the companies
running at a loss and at a substantial profit. Underground
income bonds have recovered to 57J, and in them there is
probably more scope for improvement than in any other stocks
of the Underground companies. Amongst the foreign trac-
tion issue, little change has occurred. Bombay preference hold
their recent rise at 13J. Brazilian Tractions are a rather un-
steady market, while in Anglo-Argentines there is nothing

Anglo-.\merican Telegraphs arc easier again, but the Eastern
group holds its prices. Various of the dollar securities in the
telephone and telegraph list arc better. Marconis went back
to 2 11/16, influenced chiefly by the prevailing dulness round
the House in consequence of the coal position. In the tele-
graph manufacturing shares, Henley preference at 3J show
a fall of 2s. 6d. Siemens are a little better at 24s. 6d. Of the
others in this market, Edisons are steady at 20s. General
Electric ordinary receded to 27s. 6d., Babcock & Wilcox to
2 5/16. Armament shares have been pressed for sale, more
especially Vickers, where some of the larger holders in the
North of England have been rather fidgetty since the passing
of the interim dividend. Rubber shares are dull, in conse-
quence of the flatness of raw rubber at a shade below Is. 8d.
per lb. The prophets are agreed that there is every reason to
look for a material rise in the price of the produce, and that
conditions point to the present price being unduly depressed.,
some declaring it to be purely artificial. The only thing which
declines to respond to the unanimous consensus of opinion
that rubber is too cheap, is the price of rubber itself.

SHARE LIST OF BLEOTKIOAL OOMPANtES.

EouE Eleotbioitt COIUARISS.

Dividend Price

, ■ , Sep. 14, Yield

191?. 1919, 19a0, Blae or laU, d.o,

Bromston Ordinary 8 la 6}xd — iEQ 19 0

Uh»ring Cross Ordinary .... 4 7 8i — 10 16 6

do. do, do 4Fre<, .. 4)4^ al — 8 8 8

Chelsea 8 4 SJ —J 7 12 6

Oily ol London 8 10 li — 8 17 10

do. do. Bperoent. Pret. .. 6 6 17/6 — 6 17 a

Oonnty of London 7 8 7i — 10 9 10

do do. 6 per oent, PreJ. 6 6 e§ — 7 8 0

^enalno^™ Ordinary .... 6 7 Bj — 9 0 6

London E eotrio Nil aj U — 8 0 0

do. do. eperoeni, Ptel... 6 6 8 — 10 0 0

Metropolitan 6 6 ag — i H 8 6

do. 4i per oent. Pre!. ..4144 ajj — 8 0 0

St. Jamis'andPaUMaU .. .. 10 H 66 — 9 13

South London 6 6 S^ — 9 IS 0

South Metropolitan Pref 7 7 17/- — 8 4 8

Westminster Ordinary .... 8 10 6 — 10 0 0

TELEaBAPHa AHS Tbliphoiih,

.Miglo-Am. Tel. PreJ B 6 78i -1 7 12 10

do, Dei 88/6 li 17| — i 8 18 10

Chile Telephone 8 6 6! — i •6 4 4

CuhaOnb. Ord 7 7 7} — •9 8 8

Eistern Extension 8 10 14J — •« 14 4

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 149J — •e 14 4

Gl )be Tel, and T. Ord 8 10 ut — ♦« 14 4

do. do. Prel 68 H — 711

Great Northern Tel, .... 32 28 £0 — 11 0 0

Tndo-Enropean 18 10 80 — 8 8 8

Ma'coni 35 36 3',! — ,\: 9 6 9

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 13 3i — •4 18 0

United R. Plate Te! 8 3 6S — '6 10

West India and Panama .. .. 1/3 Nil H — NU

Western Telegraph 8 10 14 i — ♦e 14 1

Horn Baiu,

Central London Old, Assented .. 4 4 4Uxd — 9 13 10

^letroy ilitan I 1} 39 + i 6 6 0

do. DIstTlet .. Hll Nil 16 — NU

Underground Electiio Ordinary,. NU NU Ig — NU

do. do. "A" .. NU NU 6,'- — Nil

do, do. Income ..6 4 67i +1 ^

Foreign Trams, fto, ^

Argin.Arg, TTamc First Pret, .. Nil 6i Si — 8 9 ll

do. do. 2nd Prel, . . Nil Nil ^ — NU

do do. 6 Deb. ..6 6 57? — 8 13 «

|!ra:il Tractions NU Nil 47» — Nil

Bombay Electric Fref 8 6 If^J — 4 10 7

British Columbia E)leo. Rly. Pfoe, 6 6 52) — 9 10 6

do, do, Prelerrred 34 6 43) — *7 4 4

do, do, Deferred NU 8 ^^ — '7 4 4

do, do. Deb. ., H ti 66 ' — 7 14 7

MexlooTrams6 percent. Bonds.. KU NU 46 +3 NU

do, 6 per oent. Bonds.. NU NU 35 4 9 NU

Mexican Light Common .. .. NU NU 16 +3 NO

do. Pref NU NU 371 +4 NU

do, Ut Bonds.. .. NU NU 57 44 NU

MAMUrlOTTTRIlla CoHPAMns,

Baboock A Wilcox 16 16 S, — ,>. 'S 9 10

British Alaminium Ord 10 10 I ' — * 10 0 0

British Insnlated Ord 13) 16 lij — 8 6 S

Oallenders 36 16 Ij — 11 8 6

ejPret 6} 6i 18/- — 7 4 6

CastnerEellner 30 17 3 — 6 13 4

Orompton Ord 10 10 17/6 — 11 8 6

Odlson-Swan, " A *' .. ,. 10 10 11 — 10 0 0

do, do. 6 per cent, Deb. ..6 6 78i — 8 6 9

Bleotrlo Construction ., .. 10 10 18/3 — 10 19 3

Sen. Blec. Pret 8) 6) 18/8 — 7 0S

do, Ord 10 10 Ij -yd, 'I a 7

Henley 96 16 l| — 8 II 6

do. 4iPrel 4i 44 Si -i 7 4 Q

Indla-Rnbber 10 10 H — '8 0 0

Het.-Vtokers Prel — 8 24 — 7 6 1

Siemens Ord lo 10 S4/8 +6d, •8 8 8,

Telegraph Con 30 30 SO — •6 0 0.

• Dividends f^ld free ot Income Tax.

Tol.87. No. 2,234, Sbptembeb 17,1920.] THE ELECTRICAL BEVIEWo

377

THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION— IV.

The Testing of Materials at Higli Temperatures.

Bv Prof. F. C. Lea. {Abstract)

Section, G. — Engineering.

Experiments on metals cai'ried out by the author at Bir-
uiiugham have inckided, inter alia, tensile tests, and hardness
tests at temperatures varying from 0 deg. 0. to 90U deg. C.
in the former case and to oUO deg. 0. in the latter. Fi-om the
tensile tests have been obtained : —

1. The breaking strength.

"2. The elastic luuit.

3. The yield point (when possible).

4. The modulus of elasticity.

5. Elongation per cent.

The tests have been carried out in electrically-heated furnaces.
One furnace used has a porcelain tube 2i in. diameter, 24 in.
long, wound with a platinum sti'ip. Such furnaces are expen-
sive, and satisfactory porcelain tubes are not easy to get. The
one mostly useil consists of a steel tube 4 in. outside diameter,
i in. thick, wound nou-inductively with nichrome wire. This
is insulated from the steel tube by strips of uralite laid along
the tube. The whole is encased in asbestos wool, and a
covermg tube of tiu, which is again covered with asbestos
cloth. Two circular plates held together by four bolts, and
to which the terminals, suitably insulated, are connected, com-
plete the ends of the furnace. No trouble has been ex-
perienced with these furnaces even when working with
temperatures well over 7()0 deg. C. For the hardness tests the
furnace shown in tig. 1 was constructed. This is very similar
in construction to the furnace just described except that at
one end it has a heavy anvil and at the other end a guide
for the plunger. \\'hen being used on the Brinell machine,
the anvil is insulated by asbestos. A standard steel ball 10 mm.
in diameter is attached to the plunger. A .small transverse
tulie pierces the cylinders of the furnace to allow the thermo-
couples to enter the furnace conveniently. Temperatures were
generally measured by ii'on-constantan or copper-constantan
thermo-couples.

Aluminium Alloiis.—'T\\e use of aluminium alloys for parts
of motor car and aeroplane engines has made it neces.sary to
inquu'e carefully into the effect of temperature on such alloys.
Copper, mangane.se, nickel, and magnesium have a consider-
alde elToft in hardening aluminium alloys, and iucreaising their
strength at temperatures above 150 deg. The high percentage
zinc alloys diminish in hardness so rapidly that they are not
of much use for pistons. Alloys that maintain a hardness
number of, say, 28 at 300 deg. C. appear to be quite .suitable
for pistons and have given good results in flight.

Alloys containmg from 8 to 12 per cent, of copper should
give this hardness number, and tho.se containing lower per-
centages of copper with nickel and magnesium, or iron and
magnesium give nuich higher hardness numbers at this tem-
jieratiiie. They ;ire. hnwever, much more troublesome in the
foun(h-y. At the tcm|H-rature of 3tK} deg. the hardness is
practically independent nf whether the alloy has been .sand or
chill cast.

Steel and Reinforrrd Concrete. — The importance of studying
the efl'ects of temperature on materials becomes significant in
connection with the attempts made to construct fireproof
buildings.

Results obtained from tests of mild steel, which had actually
been supplied for reinforced roiirirlc, sIh.w (Iml (he breaking
.strength at zero degrees CentigiMile was :iii lens |>er sq. in.
The maximum strength was obtaiiied at aJiout •J^io deg. C.
No attempt was made to determine this actual temperature
with very great precision, but from other experiments on
quenched and tempered steels containing from 0.48 per cent.
carbon to 1.2 per cent, carbon there seems every indication
that at aliout this temperature a " pecuhar " point occurs on
the curve of breaking strength.

At temperatures beyond 300 deg. C. the strength diminishes
very rapidly, and at a temperature, from 615 deg. to G40 deg.
C. the bn^aking strength is less tha,n 7 tons per sq. in. The
actual temperature at which the fracture takes place at this
stress depends upon a time factor of heating and loading.

The l)reaking strength of the steel reaches the design work-
ing stress of 7 tons pe>r sq. in. at a temperature very liitle
more than OlX) deg. C, and there seems no doubt that if
the beams and slabs are fully loaded faLhn-e is bound to take
place when the st(>el reaches a temperature approximating
to 6.5lt deg. C. This, then, is a fundamental fact of import-
ance in considering this question of fire-proofing. If the
concrete covering is too thin, or if it cracks and fritter.s under
the temperature to which it is expo.sed, then the .steel must
quickly reach the dangerous temperature. On the other
hand, if the steel can be kept l)elow this dangerous tempera-
ture for a certain length of time, during which the worst
part o'f the fire may have spent itself, then the building is
likely to survive.

None of the tested alloy.s. even at ordinary temperatures,
sliow any very definite yield unfil long after the ela.stic limit
of the ninterial has been passed. In fict, of nearly all the
alloys, it can be said that yield point as usually understood

has no real meaning. The effect of temperature on the elastic
modulus and on the form of the sti-ess-strain curve is very
noticeable, and in some cases n;ay be more important than
the elVect on the ultimate strength. For example, the strength
of manganese bronze is reduced from 32.5 tons per sq. in. at
ordinary temperatures to 12.6 per sq. in. at 350 deg. G. while
its elastic limit is reduced from 6.3 tons per sq. in. to less
than 0.4 ton per sq. in. Permanent set begins to take place
even at very small loads, and at a very low stress creep with
time is noticeable. The following particulars are of interest : — ,

Delta Metal.

Temperature. Ultimate strength. Modulus of elasticity. Elastic limit.

Tons per sq. in. Tons per sq. in. Tons per sq. in.

1,-) 32T>5 CiVSIK) 4-(;

2.50 2S-0 i;-2'.IO 2'8

H.-,0 18-(i 3S7U O'S

450 7'.')2 No definite value less than 0'2

Ultimate Strength and Hardness. — The author thinks he
may claim to have been the first to determine the hardness
numbers of metals at high temperatures. The furnace shown
in fig. 1 has been used in these determinations.

The results olitained are of very considerable interest in
connection with nearly all the alloys. ./VUoys of copper and
nickel maintain (heir hardness to a temperature of 450 deg.
in a remarkalde manner, while nearly all the ordinary copper
alloys diminish very rapidly in hardness at temperatures
beyond 2.50 deg. 0. Nickel steel maintains its hardness better
than all the alloys except the two mentioned.

There is a striking similarity between the curves in all
ca.ses. For monel metal, strength, elastic limit and modulus
of elasticity are, exactly like the hardness, affected to a much
less degi-ee by temperature than the same quantities for the
other copper alloys.

At 500 deg. C. its breaking strength, elastic limit and
modulus of elasticity are all more than 80 per cent, of the

Termi/urli

Smm.l f'Ji.ECTiuc Furnace.

same quantities at ordinary temperatures. Both hardness
and breaking strength are maintained by nicro-copper, which
contains only 2 per cent, of nickel.

The remainder of the paper is devoted to a record of similar
tests carried out on blocks and cylinders of concrete and
cement. The questions presenting them.selves are : —

Is it possible to obtain a covering for beams, slabs, and
columns that will not readily crack, and is .such a bad con-
ductor that it will prevent the steel and concrete from reaching
dangerous temperatures? If not, can other means be found
for keeping the reinforcement cool in ca.se of fire? These
questions have not been answered, and probably the answer,
if found at all, will only be found after considerable research.
The final answer will not be found in the engineering labora-
tory, but as in other engineering problems, a good deal of light
can he thrown upon this one by small scale laboratory experi-
ments. As far as the steel is concerned, the tests detailed
clearly indicate that its temperature must be kept below
6.50 deg. 0. If .some of the alloy steels ever become cheap
enough and can be used for reinforced concrete, slightly
higher temperatures may be allowable without risk of failure,
but then advantage could not be taken of the high breaking
strength of these a,lloys at ordinary temperatures if the failing
stress under temperature is still to be 7 tons per sq. in.

Tlie Efficiency of Transmitting Aerials and the Power
Required for Long=distance Transmission.

By Pnoi'-. G. W. O. Howe, D.Sc. {.ibntract.)
Section G. — Engineering.
Of the total power supplied to the aerial of a transmitting
station a portion is dissipated in the resistance of the wires
constituting the aerial, tuning coils, secondary winding of the
oscillation transformer, and earth or counterpoise wires, a
portion is dissipated in imperfect dielectrics situated m the

378

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,234, sbptsmbkb 17, 1920.

electric field, such as wooden masts, buildiugs, soil, i;c., and
a portion is radiated. The resistance of wires can he cal-
culated with considerable accuracy, and losses due to radiation
can also be computed, but it is very difficult to form even a
rough estimate of tlie dielectric los.ses. Radiation resistance
is inversely proportional to the square of the wave-length.
With regard to the dielectric losses it is known tliat the power-
factor of a condenser is approximately independent of the fre-
quency. Hence the product of the square of the R.M.s. cur-
rent, and dielectric resistance bears a fixed ratio to the product
of the R.M.s. current and the aerial voltage. Dielectric resist-
ance is therefore inversely proportional to the frequency or
directly proportional to the wave-length. The resistance of the
wires can be made small, and it is less dependent on the
frequency than the radiation and dielectric losses. If tlie
wave-length were increased by inserting additional turns in the
inductance, the conductor resistance would thereby tend to
increase, but this would be counteracted to .some "extent, if
not entirely, by reduced skin-elTect. The total resistance is a
minimum (Rni) for that wavelength (liii), at which the
dielectric losses are twice the radiated power. Prom the
observed values of the total eti'ective resistance of the aerial at
three different wave-lengths it should be possible to deter-
mine the three component resistances, but the measurements
would have to be made with special care to give accurate
values. If it l)e assumed that the resistance of the wires be
negligibly small, the radiation resistance is a thiid of the
measuied total resistance, and the effective height may be
calculated, taking certain assumptions into account.

A formula thus arrived at has been applied to data given
in Bulletin No. 9 of the U.S. Bureau of Standards, with the
following results : —

Aerial.

Leng h.
Metres.

Capaciiy

10-»
farads.

Height.
Metres.

L,,,

h™

Effec-
tive
Height.

Bureau of Standardp.

harp

42T,

1 ■211

.-ji-.x

700

ir.-)

34-3

Sig'nal Corps. Hat top

44-.-.

1-71

Hird

1.300

«-7

48-.->

Capitol, flat top

8.5

2-32

44-2

1,000

7-0

330

Navy Yard, harp

.-.rs

(l-TH

.-)4-!<

!IOO

."i-O

2ir4

U.S.S. Maine, fiat top

:S2-9

1-2.-.

38-4

800

2-25

17-4

U.S.S. Mamaclmaetts.

flattop .

:h4-4

no

39

(137

1,000

2-75

24-1

Arlington, sloping top

n-4

to.
Il83,

7,000

11

107

The wire resistance, although assumed to be negligible in
these calculatious, is not so, but in the absence of further data
it can only be said that the actual values of the effective
heights must be less than these calculated values, and in some
cases probably very much less. It has been stated that the
Arlington antenna has an effective height of 137 metres, but
how this was determined is not known; the above calculation
indicates a much snialler value.- It should be pointed out that
this aerial is supported by three steel towers in which currents
will fiow in opposition to that in the vertical portion of the
aerial, thus reducing the radiated power for a given aerial cur-
rent and lowering, therefore, the effective height. Insulating
the feet of the towers may reduce these currents to some
extent, at the expense, however, of additional dielectric losses
in the neighbourhood of the feet of the towers. The San
Paolo aerial at Home is supported by three wooden lattice
towers 218 metres high, and it is stated tUat it has a minimum
resistance of 3.'2o ohms at a wave-length of 7,000 metres.
Reception tests on a calibrated frame aerial indicate an effec-
tive height of 138 metres. Neglecting the wire resistance, the
formula used above gives an effective height of 183 metres.
To obtain 138 metres one must assume the conductor resistance
to be 1.4 ohms. This is an improljably high value, and tends
to confirm the doubt expressed in a paper read before the
Institute of Radio Engineers as to the accuracy of the
measured resistances with undamped waves.

It is evidently desirable that very accurate measurements
should be made of the total effective resistance at various
wave-lengths of different types of aerials making allowance
for the high-frequency resistance of the aerial, tuning coils,
and earth wires, or counterpoise. By making such measure-
ments on aerials with steel masts and wooden masts, with
earthing wires and insulated counterpoises, much valuable in-
formation would be gained as to the magnitude of the losses
and as to the use or misuse of every kilowatt generated. With
the limitations at present impo.sed by the stage of development
reached in the construction of large thermionic valves, the
last-named consideration is one of the greatest importance.

From the effective height, the root-mean-square current, and
the wave-length, the radiated power can be calculated, and
the ratio of this to the total power supplied to the transmitting
aerial may be called the efficiency of the aerial. By inserting
this ratio in a formula the total power required to produce a
given received current in an aerial can be calculated. Fur-
ther formula" are given in the paper to show the further
relation.ship of aerial efficiency to other factors, and figures
are given to show that if a war.sliip, with an aerial for which
the wave-length at whiili the (lielectri<' losses are twice the
radiated power is 1,000 metres, transmits at a wave-length o£

3.0<j(i metres, less than 2 iier cent, of the energy actually
supplied to the aerial is radiated, the remaining 98 per cent,
being dissipated in aerial losses. At a wave-length of 1.000
metres 30 per cent, may be radiated. Several tables showing
the power requued for various tran.sniis.sion distances are in-
cluded in the paper, but it is explained that the figures are
based upon the Austin-Cohen exponential factor, which is of
uncertain application for distances greater than about 5,0U0
kilometres, and for wave-lengths exceeding about 10 kilo-
metres. Tlie tables and curves bring out clearly the enormous
saving of power which can be obtained by using aerials with
such small dielectric losses that the minimum total effective
resistance is reached at long wave-lengths. For a given aerial
there is always a wave-length at which the power necessary
for a given distance is a minimum. At longer wave-lengths
the inefficiency of the aerial more than counteracts the im-
proved tran.smission.

Next Year's iMeeting.

The next meeting of the Association will be held at Edin-
burgh, from September 7tli to 14th. The president will be
Sir T. E. Thorpe, Emeritus Professor of General Chemistry
of the Imperial College of Science and Technology. South
Kensington. Professors H. H. Turner and J. L. Myres, both
of Oxford, have been leappointed general .secretaries, and Sir
C'harles Parsons succeeds the late \tn\\ Rayleigh as treasurer.

In lil'2'2 the Association will meet in Hull.

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY LEGISLATION IN
HOLLAND.

The long-expected Government Bill for dealing with the elec-
tricity supply question in Holland has now been introduced
in the Second Chamber of the States General by the Minister
for Public Works. It is based mainly upon the suggestions of
the Commission which inquired into the problem and presented
a report in April, 1919, which pniposes the creation of a semi-
State undertaking for bulk production, and brings into exist-
ence an Electricity Council as an advisory organi.'iation. The
first article of the Bill, which is entitled " The Electricity
Supply of the Country," provides for the formation of a joint
stock company under the title of the Netherlands Electricity
\\'orks for the e.'stablishment and carrying on of equipment
and works for the production of electricity which is to be
rendered available to other parties, its transmission by means
of primary high pre.ssure conductors, and its transformation
in sub-stations which are directly connected with the primary
network. In special cases, however, the company is em-
powered to undertake the installation and operation of works
for the distribution or supply of electricity. Shareholders in
the company can only be (1) the State, ("2) the provinces, or
in place of these, companies whose object is to supply elec-
tricity and in which the preponderating influence is held by
the provinces or the communal authorities. (3) the communal
authorities, and (4) any trade which is indicated or permitted
by the Crown, .\fter hearing the Electricity Council, the
Minister for Public Works will determine what high pressure
conductors must be considered as primaries in the sense of
this article.

It may be remembered that the Electricity Commission
reported in favour of the whole production in general being
entrusted to the State, but the Minister gives his preference
to a central corporation for this purpose. The Commission
also expressed the opinion that it would not he necessary
by prohibition conditions to prevent parties other than the
State from taking in hand production, transmission, and
transformation in so far as these operations diil not take
place for their own use, but the Bill submits that the re-
quisite unity in supply would not be obtained if the supply
were left entirely free by the Government, and for this reason
proliibition conditions are included with regard to the establish-
ment and operation of equipment and works, as proposed
in the first article, by other jiarties than the State and the
holder of the concession, that is, the company. .\s the pro-
vinces for a consider.'ible part will be dependent upon the
company for the supply of energy, it is assumed that they
will duly appreciate taking up a participation in the company
because only in this way will they be able to obtain a joint
right of determination in the management of the company,
and in this manner, in the opinion of the Minister, the
strongest argument brought forward by the Commission in
favour of direct State working is deprived of its f<irce.

It is considered that the composition of the sh:ire1iolders In
the company is such as in general will ensure that solely the
public interests will be .-served by the company. The statutes
will be drawn so that the State will have a majority of the
shares, and thus possess a dominating influence in the com-
pany, upon which a concession must be conferred in order
that it may properly discharge its duties. Conditions in the
concession are to be included in the spirit of those which have
already been granted to proyinces and provincial companies,
unless the close relations between the State and the company
render necessary the adoption of conditions which deviate
from the former. At the same time the Bill makes provision

yoi.87. No. 2,234, sbptembeb 17, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL KEVIEW.

3?9

for State working, if thought advisable, at some future period.
Thus it is stipulated that if the Uovernment thiuks it will at
any time itself directly take in hand the supply of electricity
for which a concession is fjiven. the necessary authority
for this purpose will be found both in the tefms of the con-
cession and the statutes of the company.

It would so far appear as if the concessionnaire company is
to possess a monopoly of bulk production for supply to dis-
tributing companies. This is, however, not necessarily the
case. In this respect the Bill states that the concentration of
the production of electricity, taking into consideration the
large expenditure involved at the beginning, will only be
able to be proceeded with in a gradual manner, and thus
various parts of the country will remain outside the efforts
of the company in the early stages of its existence. This
being the ca.sa, it is obvious that the parts of the country
which will derive no advantage from the system will also,
in general, not experience any disadvantage if the under-
takings which have already embarked upon the supply of
electricity or which will take it in hand, are restricted in
their freedom of movement no more than is completely neces-
sary. .\s a consequence, the Bill empowers the Crown to

grant concessions to parties other than the company for the
erection of equipment and works as previously mentioned,
and to exempt them from the conditions concerning the
prohibition of such works.

The Bill provides for State pnrticipatioii in the company up
to a maximum of 10,00(I,OIK) fl. (i;833,()00), and the existing
State supply works are also to be incorpoi'ated in the com-
pany. The concessions already in existence will continue in
force when the pi'oposed law comes into operation, but from
that time forward the tlireat of confiscation will hang over
the generating stations, transmission lines, and sub-stations
erected on the basis of such concessions. It is stated, for
instance, that from the moment when the law he-
comes operative the Crown will be able, after hearing the
Electricity Council, to withdraw the concessions in so far
as concerns only the equipment and works referred to in the
first article, thus leaving tlie existing companies in the
po.sition of mere distributors, dependent upon the semi-State
company. One-third of the directors of the bitter will have
a seat on the Electricity Council, whose object is to advise
the Minister of Public Works on all matters regarding the
supply of electricity.

MODERN MARINE PROBLEMS.

By C. V. DRYSDALE, O.B.E., D.Sc, M.I.E.E.

(_Abstriict of the Elerentk Kelrin Lertiire

rered before the INSTITUTION OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS.)

The Council of the Institution has decided that the time has
now come for the Kelvin Lecture to embrace other fields than
those of Ix)rd Kelvin's personal activities. The lecture deals
with the scientific investigations carried out in marine pro-
blems during and after the war by the .Admiralty at its various
experimental stations. Apart from the interest and import-
ance of the subject there is a fitness in coiipling it with the
name of Lord Kelvin, who did so much for the submarine
telegraph and for navigation.

The late war confronted this country with problems of the
gravest character for which it was little prepared, and the
vital necessity tor enlisting the highest scientific talent of
the nation in attempting to solve them was soon realised.
The Institution co-operated enthusiastically in these efforts,
both by the formation of its .^nti-submarine Committee, and
by the great personal service of many of its members in actual
experimental work in the Admiralty stations and el.sewhere.
During the latter part of the war there existed an etlicient
mobilisation of the scientific talent of the nation unique in
the history of this country, and rapid advances were being
made. Had this scientific force got into its stride in the early
days, the history of the anti-submarine war at least might
have been very different.

What we are fundamentally concerned with is the genera-
tion, propagation, and reception of impulses or disturbances
through the sea, which may be either mechanical or acoustic,
electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, thennal, optical, chemi-
cal, or possibly radiant in character.

The sea, as being a greatly extended medium of high den-
sity and elasticity, affords cxrellent propagation of mechanical
or acoustic impulses, but its relatively high conductivity due
to its salinity offers a formidable (jbstacle to the transmission
of all electromagnetic disturbaiic-es, except those of the lowest
frequency. .■\t the ordinary supply of frequency of 50 cycli>s
per second about 94 per cent, the amplitude is probably
abs(jrbed in KM) metres. Optical, thermal, and other forms of
radiation are rapidly alxsorbed by it, and chemical action is
obviously local and rapidly diffused, so that the problem of
detecting the presence of a noiseless submerged body is of a
most difficult character.

The difficulty is greatly enhanced by the exi.stence of dis-
turbances which may easily mask the impulses it is desired
to detect, ks we are mostly concerned with objects within
a few hundred feet of the surface, the reHections which take
place owing to the great difference in the mechanical and
electrical properties of the sea and the air frequently give
rise to embarrassing interference phenomena, which are fur-
ther complicated by surface waves; the .same trouble is pro-
duced to a lesser extent by reHections from the bottom or
from rocks in shallow water. Addeil to these disturbances are
water noises caused by the waves and by the motion of an
observing ship, f)r tlie noises caused by its machinery of
propulsion, Ac, as well as " earth currents " and magnetic
storms.

In consequence of these disturbances, almost all our energies
have to be devoted«to the study and elimination of the dis-
turbances, or to methods of discriminating between the source
and the di.sturbances.

Enough lias been said to show that a new chapter in science
h.as to be written on " The Physics of the Sea." and that
we have to go to .school again and imagine ourselves living
in a conducting or semi-conducting lamina which is almost
opaque to the majority of disturbances, a<'ting on electro-
magnetic waves as tar does to ripples, so that they are ab-
sorbed in a few wave-lengths.

It is to be regretted that many of the most interesting and
effective devices cannot be described for obvious reasons.

I. Detection.

In spite of the number of phenomena theoretically available,
the practical range of detecting devices is narrowed down to
a comparatively few phenomena and modes of application.

Fig. 1 shows three forms of hydrophone which have proved
of considerable service. In the first, a, a heavy circular metal
case is provided with a diaphragm on one side, to the centre
of which is attached an ordinary button granular microphone.
T'his is a fairly sensitive and effective hydrophone, and has
been in continuous service. The determination of direction
is as important as the actual detection, and fig. 1 (b) is one
of the best forms of directional hydrophone. It consists of
a thin metal diaphragm about 4 in. diameter supported in
a, heavy lenticular-shaped ring so that the water is on both
sides of it. At the centre of this diaphragm a simple granular
microphone is fixed in a watertight capsule. When the sound
waves strike the diaphragm nearly normally the hydrophone
has its maximum sensitiveness, but when they are edge on,
they act equally and oppositely on the two .sides of the
diaphragm, so that the effect is neutralised and no sound
is heard. The positions of minima are very sharp and well
defined.

The variation of intensity is approximately represented by
the polar curve, which shows a minimum when either edge
is towards the source. On this account this portable direc-
tional hydrophone is called bi-directional. Its .sensitivene.ss is
only about one-fourth of that of the non-directional form,
but it has proved of great value.

By fitting a " baffle " plate, supported a few inches away
from one face of the diaphragm as in fig. 1 (c), the sound is
virtually shielded from that. face, and'a single maximum can
be observed wlien the other face is turned to the source. This
gives a uni-direclional hydrophone, but its directional pro-
perties are inferior to those of the unbaftied bi-directional
instrmiient. The best results are obtained by coupling a
uni-clirectional and a bi-directional hydrophone on the same
vertical axis, and rotating them until silence is obtained on
the latter comliincd with ni.iximum intensity on the former
instrument.

So fa.r as fixed stations are concerned these hy<lrophones
fulfil their promi.se very sati.sfactorily. but they an> practically
useless for the important case of listening fx'om a moving
ship, owing to the water noises produced by its motion.

.\n immense amount of work has been done on towed
devices, in which micropliones are enclosed in rigid or
flexible stream-line liodies, which are towed behind the .ship.
Considerable success has been obtained with .some of these
devices, but a ditliculty then arises as regards direction. In
.some cases a .small directional hydrophone can lie enqiloyed
inside the towed body, but it is frequently piil.i nd (,i tow
two or more hydrophones and to obtain directiuiLiI m.lic.itions
either by " l)inaural " or " sum and difference " listening.

The binaural method developed largely in the I'nited
States depends upon the simple principle tliat if sound falls
upon two receivers separated by a short distance, it reaches
them at different times unless the source is in the median
plane between them. If the two receivers communicate with
the two eai's, the source will appear to be on one side or
other: but by rotating the bar carrying the receivers, the
source appears to cross over behind the observer from one
enr to the other, and this cross-over orcius when the bar is
perpendicular to the dii'ection of the source. This method

380

THE ELECTEICAL REVEEWo [Toi. st. no. 2,234, sbptembeb 17,1920.

has been found of the greatest value in the location of aero-
planes by employing two trumpets communicating by stetho-
scope tubes to the observer's ears, but it has been much less
easy to apply to hydrophones, owing, first, to the difficulty of
producing granular microphones which are identical in acous-
tic properties, and, secondly, to the fact that it is often im-
possible to rotate the coupled hydrophones when attached
to a ship or enclosed in towed bodies. The difficulty is en-
hanced also by the fact that the velocity of propagation, and
hence the wave-length of a given sound, are nearly five times

4l

<-. rioJie or

of JntensiCies

Mon-tiirectional

Bi-directional

Uni- directional _

4

"■t>

Triple eamtunaiion

T>~

Pig. 1.— TiTBS of IlyDRornoNns.

Fig. 2. — Bin.\ur.\l Method with Rectilinear CoMrEN.s.woK.

Fig. 3. — Towing Schemes for HYDnoruoNES.

as great in water as in air. so that the distance between
the hydrophones must be correspondingly increased.

If two ordinary microphones are fixed clo.se together so
as to be similarly affected by a source of sound, and are
joined to the primaries of two ordinary telephone induction
coils, then if the secondaries of these coils are connected
in series to a pair of receivers, the effect observed is either
the sum or the difference of the effects of the two microphones
according as the secondaries are assisting one another or are
in opposition. But with ordinary carbon microphones it
frequently happens that hardly any difference is noticeable,
owing to different phase relations in the two microphones.
By replacing the ordinary mica diaphragms by indiarubber

wiU be a difference of time between the arrival of sound at
the two microphones, which can be compensated by a
different length of air path between the receivers and the
ears. Pig. 2 .shows diagrammatically a .simple form of .straight
sliding compensator, in which the receivers are fixed at
opposite ends of a long straight tube, the centre portion of
which can slide in the end portions so as to obtain the
required difference of patli. A more convenient form of com-
pensator is made by the Automatic Telephone Co., and is
similar in principle to the original American instrument. Two
circular plates are arranged to revolve
smoothly over one another, and have
grooves cut in their faces, forming the
air paths. Tlie sound from the receivers
is introduced into these grooves and
taken from tliem to the e^ir by rubljer
tubes, and by revolving one of the disks
the length of air path on one side is
lengthened, and on the other side short-
ened, .so that by turning the compensator
the .same effect is produced as by rotat-
ing tlic microphones.

Instead of liinauralling some observers
jirefer to work directly on the " sum and
difference " princiiile. If the source is
in the median plane between the micro-
phones, and they are properly paired,
there will be a certain amount of sound
which can he balanced out either by
swinging the microphone or by introduc-
ing the compensator as above. Prof.
'Hivarman has introduced a rever.sing
■stopcock device for interclianging the
stethoscope listening-tubes to the ears,
which'increases the accuracy of binaural
listening.

Lastly, dealing with directional coni-
binati(3ns, two or more simple hydro-
have fi.Ked l)ase lines, and the binaural
pliones are towed simultaneously so as to
or the " sum and difference " principle
is employed with them. Two such
hydrophones can be towed one behind
the other as in fig. 3 (a), but in. that
case there will be no indication on which
side the source is; the time difference
is evidently the same for any point on
a cucle surrounding the axis, or for the points p and Q in the
figure. By towing two hydrophones abreast with a spreader,
as in (/)), this ainhiguity disappears, but it is then uncertain
W'hether the .soui'ce is ahead or astern. If three hydrophones
are used as m (c) this aml)iguity is eliminated, as binauralling
can be conducted on any pair. In {d) we have the towed bo<ly
devised by Messrs. Redfern & Dobie, in \ibich three hydro-
phones are mounted on a board with sti'eamed edges.

Tlie above is only an outline of the immense amotmt of
work which has been done on towed listening devices, to say
nothing of the .special cables which have been constructed
to take the considerable strains involved. For this purpose
cab-tyred cables with central steel cores have been largelv

'^■G

. .?-j5Aj- dt^phni^n

M^

. _ .. inertia rin^
5 Ei:^ ..dl ddju£,n£-ijiib

Fig. 4 .— Intern.hl, Mechaxism of Wai.ser Gear.

Fig. '). — Aiit-iiRivE Magxetoi'iuine.

the .selective properties of the micropliones are much re-
duced and better balance can be obtained. In this way. and
by enclosing the microphones in rul)l)er blocks, fairly perfect
pairing can be obtained, whii-h is essential if correct binaural
listening is required.

The rotation of the bar carrying the microphone is a trouble-
some matter, and to obviate it, various forms of binaural
compensator have been employed which enable directions
to be obtained without rotation of the microphones. The
compensators depend on the principle of introducing variable
lengths of air path between the receivers and the observer's
ears. If the sound reaches both microphones in the same
phase, i.e., from a point in the median plane between them,
and each microphone is connected to a receiver at the cor-
responding ear of the observer theie will be binaural balance ;
but if the source is on one or other side of this plane there

u.sed, and the various cal)le manufacturers liave rendered
great .service in their design and construction.

Towed devices are troublesome to handle, and the modern
tendency is in favour of apparatus for use on board ship.
The principle of acoustic integration. a))parently Ihst put
forward by Prof. A. W. Porter, p<iints to the employment
of large fiat surfaces for reception. Many important applica-
tions of this principle have been made both in the Pnited
States and in this country, and considerable success has been
obtained with tlie devices based on it. Its chief objection
is that it is impracticable to swing a large receiver on lioaril
.ship to receive from various directions; liut this ditliculty
has been to a large extent overcome by introducing a variable
jiliast^ ditlerence into the ivceivers attached to different parts
of the diaphragm, thus enahling a maximum sensitiveness
to be obtained for various du'ectious of the soui-ce.

Tal.87. Ne. 2,234, SBPTBHBBB 17, 1920.] THE ELECTBICAL REVIEW.

381

The Walser gear, invented by Lieut. Walser, of the French
Navy, instead of using a large plane receiving-surface, employs
a pair of " blisters " on the two sides of the hull. Each
of these bhsters is about 3 ft. 6 in. diameter and is provided
with a large number of thin circular diaphragms, so that
the arrangement looks hke the compound eye of an insect.
When sound waves fall on this bUster the vibrations of the
diaphragms are communicated to the interior air and come
to an approximate focus as in the case of a lens or rather of
a ■• zone plate." \ conical trumpet placed at this focus and
provided with a rubber tube and ear piece is all that is re-
quired for hstening. As the dii'ection of the source changes,
the position of the focus revolves round the centre of curvature
of the blister, and by mounting the trumpets on suitable
rotating gear, the observer is able to locate the source by
first observing whether the sound is louder on the port or
starboard side, and then rotating the trumpets till a maximum
is obtained. Fig. 4 sliows the internal mechanism of a
Walser cabin; A is the blister; B, c diaphragm.s, D collecting
trumiiet, and e — n rotating gear.

A second device of great theoretical interest is the hydrogen
or H tube of Mr. H. \V. Plilliar. The velocity of sound in
hydrogen and in water is very nearly equal. If, therefore,
sound arrives at the end of a long tube at practically the
same speed as it does in the water outside, and if the tube
is turned towards the source, the sound entering at every
part of it reaches a receiver or listening tube at the end of
the same phase. This may be called the principle of longitu-
dinal integration, as distinguished from that of transverse
integration previously described, and it has the advantage that
the whole of the sound collected from the entire surface of
the tube is concenti'ated on a single receiver. If the source
is not in line with the axis of the tube the axial velocities
are n<it the same, and partial cancellation results, so that
the device is directional. At ordinary temperatures, the velo-
city of sound in hydrogen is somewhat less than that in
water, but by steam-heating the hydrogen the velocities can
be made practically exactly equal, and the device has fairly
definite directional properties.

Good work has been done in the application of inboard
niagnctophonrs with devices for eliminating water and other
noises on the interference principle. Magnetophones are in-
ferior to microphones in actual sensitiveness, but they have
the advantage of having no grating noises, so that they will
stand con.siilerable amplification, and they are easy to pair
for binaiiralling.

Fig. 5 .shows Mr. B. S. Smith's " air drive " magnetophone,
which consists simply of an ordinary Brown reed telephone
receiver mounted behind a diaphragm fixed on a heavy metal
ring which is attached to the ship's side with the intervention
of a rubber sound-insulating ring. The vibrations of the dia-
phragm are communicated to the reed through the air in
the interior, causing it to vibrate and to act as a magneto-
]ihone. By employing four or more of these devices at different
parts of the hull, ap|)roximate directions can be determined,
which can be rendered more exact by liinauralling.

A very u.seful device in connection with listening arrange-
ments of every kind, and which assists the reduction of dis-
turbances with non-integrating hydrophones, is that intro-
duced by Mr. .T. A. Burgess. The sound from the receivers
is led into an arrangement of tubes like a trombone so that
it divides into two paths in parallel before re-uniting. If the
difference of the two paths is half a wave-length for a par-
ticular frequency, that .sound will be eliininated, and by em-
ploying a nundier of pairs of tubes a number of frequencies
can be blotted out while other sounds can still be heard.
In this way the disturbances due to water noises, &c., may
be gi-eatly reduced, and the frequencies of different sounds
determined. An improved form of this arrangement has been
devised by Mr. B. S. Smitli on the lines of the American
compensator, the required diff'erences of path being obtained
l)y a number of rotating disks.

All the devices so far described depend upon the sound
emitted by the .submarine. When the latter is stationary or
<lrifting tliey are useless, and acoustic methods can only be
employed if the submarine either reflects or intercepts .sound
from another source. Reflection or echo methods are the
more convenient, as the source of sound can be on the oliserv-
i'iig .ship, and as the obj'ei-t to be detected is small coinpared
with any useful range the source must be of considerable
intensity. A large number of devices have been constructed
for producing powerful sounds under wafer. In the Wright-
son syren a stream of water of about .30 gallons per minute
is employed with a motor rotating a cup jvi-forated with
holes, as in the ordinary syren. The PessiMiden oscillator
consists of a diaphragm which can be attached to the side of
a ship, and to which is fixed either a soft-iron armature
attracted by an electromagnet excited by an A.c, or a coil
traversed by an A.c. and movhig in the gap of a powerful
electromagnet. By means of these powerful acou.stic trans-
mitters, not only is sound signalling possible at long dis-
tances, but echoes have been obtained at considerable range.
For open deep-sea work they may be of corisiderable value,
where the object to be detected is far away from reflecting
surfaces, but in .shallow confined areas they may lead to
great confusion, and it is, therefore, desirable to concentrate
the emitted disturbance into a narrow beam and to rotate
it in any direction required. This can be done by the
principle of integration, and most interesting and powerful

methods of location have been developed on these Imes, which
enable the direction and approximate range of a submerged
object to be determined from a ship at full speed. High-
frequency acoustic detection is probably the most powerful
method of detection vet devised, and arose out of the Titanic
disaster in iyi'2, when Mr. Lewis Richardson took out two
patents for detecting obstacles by echo either in air or water,
by employing a beam of " sound " of frequency from 5,000
to 100,000 periods per second. These echo methods promise
to be ' of the greatest value for the detection of rocks and
other ships, and probably of icebergs, and also for sounding
operations. , r iu i

The foregoing account gives an outhne only of the worK
which has been done on acoustic detection. The modern
improvements in submarine machinery and tactics, however,
have very greatly reduced the possibihty of detection by
acoustic means.

Electromagnetic methods are usually based on the Hughes
induction balance, which was seized on as the most attractive
principle for detection. Unfortunately this impression is
illusory. The method is essentially heterodynamic, so that,
we have to deal with the attenuation of the magnetic field
from the coils and agam with that of the induced field from
the object to be detected. The magnetic field from a coil of
small dimensions compared with the range, diminishes as the
cube of the distance, and the absorption due to the con-
ductivity of the water is very large at all but the lowest
frequencies. As the reaction due to the obstacle also
diminishes as the cube of the distance and is smiilarly affected
by absorption, its reactive effect on the coils diminishes as
the sixth power of the distance, and the absorption is squared,
so that although the sensitiveness may be remarkably great
when the object is close to the coils, it practically vanishes
at a very moderate range. From the point of view of measure-
ment, a moderately high frequency is desirable, in order that
the inductive effects should be large in comparison with the
resistance of the coils; but absorption absolutely precludes
this. In consequence the practical possibilities of this method
seem theoretically to be very small, and all experience has
confirmed this.

Certain optical methods have been employed with some
success, but do not warrant description. Thermal devices
do not seem promising. Much valuable work has been done
as regards secret 'signalling, which may be a valuable aid to
detection, but this cannot be gone into.

n. Defence and Destruction.

Defence and destructive methods are of no less importance
than detection, but the bulk of the applications to submarine
mining, &c., must, however, be kept secret.

A most valuable device which has become fairly well known
and which has probably done more for the protection of
vessels against mines than all other inventions put together
is the paravane, invente.l bv ( '..iinnnnder C. D. Burney, R.N.
This consists of a torpedn-li;ii«Ml bi.dy towed from the ves.sel
to be protected, and is piovided with vanes so that it- keeps
outwards and below the ship. When the towdng cable meets
the mooring rope of a mine it forces it away from the ship,
and the rope slips into jaws which cut it through. Explosive
paravanes have also been made for protection against sub-
marines.

The determination of the pressures developed m the water
by explosive charges of different magnitudes has been in-
vestigated bv two independent methods.

In the first, ably employed by Mr. H. W. Hilliar, the pres-
sure is measured by the compression of small copper gauges
similar to those used in ordnance trials.

The second method gives a continuous record of the varia-
tion of pressure. It was suggested by Prof. Sir .1. .1. Thomson
and developed by Mr. D. A. Keys, and depends on the piezo-
electric phenomenon so fully studied by the late Prof. Curie.
If a crystal such as quartz or tourmaline is subjected to pres-
sure along its optic axis it becomes electrically charged on its
surfaces, and as the elasticity of such crystals is very high
this charge is developed practically instantaneously, and is
proportional to the total force on the crystal independently

Fig. 6. — Cathode-ray O-scillograph.

of its dimen.sions. By mounting plates of quartz or tour-
maline in contact with a rigid metal backing, and facing them
with an insulated tinfoil sheet, the charge developed can be
communicated to an electrometer .so tliat the arrangement
makes a very convenient pressure indicator. For the purpose
of recording very rapidly- varying pressures a cathode-ray
oscillograph is used. The form hitherto employed was lent
by the Cavendish Laboratory, and is shown in fig. 6.* A
stream of electrons is emitted by an 8-volt tung.sten filament

• Pig. 6 was taken from a paper by Prof. .1. C. McLennan,
F.R.S., see Elec. Rev., August 2-2nd, 1919.

882

THE ELECfRiiJAI hhj VIE W. [Vol. 87. No. 2,234, Septbmbeb 17, 1920.

in a bulb, and passes through a pinhole aperture in a copper
anode, between which and the filament a constant potential
difference of about 4,000 volts is maintained by a hiph-voltage
generator. The fine cathode-ray pencil thus produced passes
first between the poles of a laminated electromagnet, and then
between two long brass plates which are respectively con-
nected to the tinfoil coating of the crystal receiver and to
earth. After passing these plate.s the cathode-ray pencil
passes into a camera in 'which a fluorescent screen is fixed.
The whole apparatus is exhau.sted to an X-ray vacuum liy
means of a Gaede and auxiliary pumps. When the filament
is glowing and the high potential difl'erence is applied, a bright
spot is seen on the fluorescent screen. On exciting the electro-
magnet this spot moves transversely acros.s the screen in a
direction perpendicul:ir to the magnetic field, and on applying
a small potential ilifTerencc between the two brass plates, it
moves in a direction iit right angles to this. For the purpo.se
of obtaining the rccorils the electromagnet is excited by an

A.c. of about 80' cycles per second, causing the spot to move
over the screen in a simple harmonic manner, each traverse
taking J/KlUth second. The crystal receiver is suspended in
the water with its face turned towards the explosive charge,
and is connected through a highly insulated low-capacity cable
t(] the brass electrode plate of the oscillograph. When the
explosion occurs the beam is deviated laterally by an amount
proportional to the pressure at each instant and a time-pres-
sure curve is traced out on the screen. This can be recorded
by lowering a photographic plate in front of the screen, by
means of a cord and pulley turned through an airtight gland.
.\ new form of cathode-ray oscillograph has been designed
at Sliaudon which is portable and sell-contained, and in which
a roll film camera is employed, actuated from outside by
electromagnetic mechanism. A number of special instruments
have also been devised for studying and recording the motions
of mines in tideways, &c.

{To be continucil.)

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINQS AND PLANT.

lieadtri art invited to lubmit particulars of new or improved devicti and apparatui, wliioh will be publiiked
if oonndered of tuffidemt interest.

A Prepayment Attachment for Watt^hour Meter.

For supplying energy to small con.sumers and a shifting

ener
population, such as. for exampl
the prepayment attachment for
placed on the market by the \\
F.ACTURING CO., is .said to be e
the attachment a st:in'l;iiil singl

converted into a \<
changed back to ;i
register and cover.

fnund at sununer resorts.

II wiilt JHMir meter (fig. 1) just

siiM.iiui si: Electric & M.\.nu-

lirriiilly useful. By means of

phase watt-hour meter can be

I'pMviii.iit meter, and if desired it can be

st;iinl;iiil meter by replacing the standard

The iirepayment attachment mechanism

provides the valve action, since the current can only flow
trom the anode to the cathode. The transformer and re-
actance are used for adjusting the current and voltage to the
values required.

Tungar rectifiers are very simple in operation, and are
suitable for charging accumulators and for the direct operation
of various low-voltage D.c. appliances. The home garage outfit
(fig. '2) consists of a Tungar bulb, an auto-tran.sformer. a 6-amp.
D.c. plug-fuse, bayonet adapter to fit standard lampholder, and
a flexible cord for connecting to the battery. The case is of
black japanned .sheet metal, with a perforated cover. There
;ire two .sizes. '2 and .5 to 3 amperes, n.c. — the secondary voltage
ill each case being from 7.5 to 1-5 volts. The bull) of the
2-ampere Tungar will carry '2.5 amperes continuously.

The small rectifier is suitable for charging batteries for bells,

Fiu. -i.^B.T.H. Tlnuak

Fig. 1.

Piii;i'\VMi;NT Attach MI-NT
^^"ATT-HouR Meter.

is entirely nieehanieal. By placing a eiiiii in the top of the
coin chamber and turning the knob in the direction of the
arrow the meter is made ready to give electrical service as
required- by the consumer. This operation of the knob winds
a clock spring which is unwound by gears at a speed depend-
ing upon the rate per kilowatt-hour for which the energy
is supplied. When the spring is completely unwound, a
quick-break switch is automatically opened and the customer
is without energy until another coin has been placed in the
coin mechanism. — Ekctrical News (Toronto).

The Tungar Rectifier.

In our issue of May 'i'ith. 1917, we described the Tungar
rectifier, which consists of a bulb (which performs the rectifica-
tion), a transformer, a reactance, and an enclosing case with
the necessary connecting leads. The bulb operates in the .same
way as the thermionic valve used in wirele.ss telegraphy and
telephony, permitting current to flow- in one direction only.
In addition to the low-voltage tungst«'n filament (the cathode),
there is a graphite electrode (tlu' anode), a discharge of elec-
trons taking place between the two. The bulb is filled with
argon, and the combination of the heated filament and the gas

buzzers, telephones, and fire alarms. The larger Tungar (5 to
y amperes) is suitable for all chaiging .service in a private
garage. The normal a.c. voltages on which the.se rectifiers
are intended to o|ierate are 110 or 'i'iO volts. '2.5 to 60 cycles.
Larger outfits are made, up to V2 amix>res. 7.5 volts, D.c, for
use in public garages and battery .service stations.

Further particulars may be obtained from The British
Thomson-Hou.ston Co., Ltd., 77, Ujiper Thames Street, Lon-
don, B.C. 4.

A New Hij^hpressure D.C. Generator.

^^'e have received some particulars of a new type of machine,
suitable for use as generator, motor, or transformer of direct
current, at high or low pressure, from Messrs. Machines Elec-

TRIQCES A COURANT CONTIXU HaUTE TENSION RoMAlN BOIN, of

.Avenue Blonden, 66, Liege, Belgium. The machine has a
fixed armature and rotating field-magnet, with rotating
brushes, so that the armature windings are not subjected to
centrifugal force, and can. therefore, he better insulated and
more conveniently arranged than in the usual form. The
field-magnet winding is of course easily held in place; it is fed
by a low-pressure winding in the armature, the current being
led in by slip-rings and brushes, and in view of its construc-
tion can be driven at a higher peripheral speed than an arma-
ture, with safety. The rotating brushes are balanced so that
centrifugal force does not affect their pressure on the commu-
tator, and are connected with slip-rings. The most notable
novelty appears to be the arrangement of the commutator seg-
ments, which are in echelon, as shown in Iil;. '^. each ring of
segments having a .separate .set of brushes; by this means the
distance between consecutive segments is greatly increased, so
that the voltage per section can be correspondingly increased

Vol.87. No. 2,234, skptbmbeb 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL KEVTEW.

883

without fear of flashing over. Sparking is also said to be
absent.

Thanks to the faciUties for insulating the armature windings,
and to the design of the commutator, very high pressures can
be attained in the working winding, and this is put forward
as the main advantage of the design. A machine of one
kilowatt output at '2,(XK_> volts has been built, which w-eighs
only '28 kg. (62 lb.); the makers claim that a reduction of
weight of .50 per cent., as well as an equal saving of labour,
can be effected by this design, which also offers facilities for

Fig. .3. — .^kraxge.ment of Com.mot.wor SiiOMUNTS.

repair, and allows the many known advantages of high-pres-
sure direct current to be realised. On the other hand, in addi-
tion to the high-pressure commutator, rotating brushes, and
slip-rings, the machine requires a low-pressure commutator
and rotating brushes, with two slip-rings to allow of regula-
tion. As a power of one kilowatt at '2,00(> volts d.c. means
only 0..5 ampere current, the behaviour of the small machine
affords no criterion of that of a large one. Generators of the
ordinary type giving 100 amperes at 5,000 volts have been
running in London for many years.

REVIEWS.

]\'hitiakcr's hleetrical Eiiyiiicci's Pocket Hook. -Ith edition.
Edited by E. E. Ne.ale. Pp. xii -1-671 ; 346 figs. Loudon :
Sir I. Pitman & Sons. Price lUs. 6d. net.

The general arrangement followed is similar to that of the
earlier edition, but the work has been entii'ely rewritten and
bniught up to date.

The title is somewliat misleading. It is certainly possible
to carry the book in a fairly capacious pocket; it contains a
niunber of u.seful tables iind an excellent index, but there
the resemblance to an ordinary pocket-book ceases.

Except for the condensed style, the general treatment is
much nearer that of the text-book. The aim throughout has
been to produce a book which, whilst being concise enough
for reference by practising engineers, is still sufficiently de-
tailed to be read by students with i)rofit.

The difficult task of reconciling the.se opposing requirements
has been carried out with much success.

Each separate section has been specially written by an
expert in the particular subject, and in view of tlie .specialisa-
tion which has t.aken place in every branch of the industry,
this appears to be the only practicable metho<l, but it has
one disadvantage in that it leads to a certain amount of
overlapping.

The editor claims that the field covered is broadly that of
iuilustrial electrical engineering, but, in view of the fact
that there is no reference to telegraphy, telephony, or wire-
less engineering, this claim can hardly be substantiated.

.'Mthough it may not appeal so much to the imagination,
there is as much real engineering work done by those who
deal in microwatts as by the more numerous class who are
concerned with the heavier branches of electrical engineering.

Among the mathematical tables, .some very u.seful little
sketches are given, which show graphically the trigonometrical
functions of angles by the aid of circle diagrams, and will
prove helpful in solving tho.se little problems which are .so
apt to remind us of the time that has elapsed since the days
of our mathematical classes.

As the work was in the press at the time that the new
I.E.E. wiring tables were published, both the old and the
new figures have been included, the latter being printed in
heavy type to distinguish them.

The chapter on electromagnetic machinery contains an ex-
traordinary amount of information in a small space, ranging
from the production of an electromotive force to the latest
development of the multipha.se commutator motor.

There is a great deal of valuable information on power
Btations and power distribution, and a considerable section
is devoted to switchgear of all types.

Notes are included on the use of electricity in agriculture
and the electrical precipitatiou of smoke and fumes, which has
become of practical importance within the la.st few years.

A very valuable feature is the niunber of references through-
out thg work to literature in which fuller information can

be obtained on the subjects treated, in fact, the pocket-book
can be relied on either to supply the information required or
indicate where it can be obtained.

There are a great many illustrations which, in spite of their
small scale, are mostly very clear, and the work as a whole
can be confidently recommended as u valuable addition to
the library of the electrical engineer.

The How ajid ^Vhy of Radio Apparatus. By H. W. Secor.
Pp. 160, illustrated. New York : Experimenter Pubhsh-
ing Co. Price $1.75.

The writer of this Uttle volume points out an important
fact to his readers and also to other authors. A volume on
wireless telegraphy cannot be complete. A student must
read all books on wkeless telegraphy which he can possibly
obtain in order that his knowledge shall be complete. If he
xvants to know all about vacuum tubes, he should procure a
book specialising in. that subject. If he is interested in the
design of transformers, let him consult a book devoted to
this branch of electrical science. Unfortunately, the author's
advice cannot be followed, in this country at least. And yet
there seems no adequate reason for this absence of specialising
in wireless literature. The tendency at. present is to write
book after book ou " wii'eless telegraphy," " wkeless tele-
graphy," and again " wireless telegraphy." The works of
Eccles and Fleming are classics. They are invaluable and
indispensable as works of reference. In many respects they
have no equal in any country of the world. But having works
like this, there seems no need for the deluge of books on
wireless communication. Ceitainly St;inlcy's " Wireless Tele-
graphy " figures pre-eminently :i> .i il.'^. iijitive technical work,
but there are many others which contribute nothing to wire-
less literature. Let us have specialised works now that the
general subject has been ably covered. Why should not books
be written on such subjects as the following : The Poiilsen
arc system, radio-navigation, submarine signalling, wireless
receiving systems, valve transmission, valve telephony, wire-
less amphfiers and relays, the elimination of atmospherics,
aircraft wireless communication?

Bach one of these subjects is now sufficiently developed to
form the basis of a separate small volume. If written by
authorities on the.se particular branches, the books would be
noteworthy additions to wii'eless literatiu'e.

The author of the volume uiivler consideration evidently
shares these views. Although he presents the subject of
wireless telegraphy as a whole, his treatment is novel, and
he urges the student to consult other works for detailed
information. He truly says: "No one book covers every-
thing, and if it did, you would not want it." His aim is
to give the experimenlalist a fundamental knowledge of
[irinciples — not principles cold and unattractive, but amply
illustrated by practical applications. The book is readable —
essentially readable. The author is an experimentalist himself
— an enthusiast. One sees it in every line, and it is that which
gives the volume a certain appeal which somehow rarely
is found in this counh'y. In .America the amateur is catered
for as he is in no other country. The literature at his dis-
lio.sal stimulates his interest. It is easy to sneer at some
of the extraordinary Yankee-isms which alipear in their
journals; to hold up one's hands in pedantic horror at the
liomely explanations. Nevertheless, they " get there." The
American amateur does more than turn the switches of a
ready-made W'ireless set.

It is little wonder then that experimentalists in this country
are looking to .American publications for information and
stimulation. Feu brilliant wireless authors have written books
which really apiieal to the amateur. .\ book for amateurs
should be written by an amateur ; one w ho has not ft>rgotten
the difficulties that he himself encountered, and one who does
not scorn to stoop to the level of his readers in order to raise
them to his own level. The author of the" How and \yhy
of Radio .\pparatus " is such a one. That is why his little
volume de.serves the success that is assured for it.

Chapter I opens up with a description of the induction coil
and transformer as useil for wireless transmission. A kick-
back preventer is described in connection with the use of
.\.c. mains. Two condensers in series are connected across
the primary, and connection is taken to earth from a point
between the condensers.

Chapter II deals with the transformer, which is very fre-
quently u.sed by the experimentalists of tlie United States.
Various types of transformers are descrmed. A practical
example of the design of the low-frequency circuits is given.
The principle of working out examples is one which vi'ill appeal
to experimental wireless men.

The next chapter is entitled " Radio Transmitting Con-
densers." Means of calculating the capacity of condensers
are given, and the various units are correlated. Formulae
are given for the A.c. current passed by a condenser, the
capacity required for various powers and A.c. frequencies, and
the size of conden.ser required when a rotary spark gap is
employed. The chapter concludes with a table of dielectric
strengths.

The following chapter on spark gaps gives an account of
synchronous anri asynchronous rotary gaps. Quenched and
rotary-quenched gaps (the latter an unusual type) are also
discussed.

384

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. Ko. 2,234, sepiembee 17,1930.

Viirious tyiit's ul inductances and oscillation transformers
are described in Chapter V, which is followed by a discussion
of various kinds of detector circuits. The circuits are repre-
sentative, ancl the reader is expected to look elsewhere for
the thousand and one circuits which may be arranged with
valves.

Chapter VII is an account of various typos of condensers,
and includes .several novel tyiH>s. In fact, throUHliout the
book the author has infused new ideas and devices not usually
described in cut-and-dried text-books.

Detectors are discussed in Chapter VIII. Crystal, magnetic,
electrolytic, Fleming valve, and three-electrode tube detectors
receive attention. In Chapter IX, telephone receivers are de-
scribed in their various forms. The watch-case, Brown, mono-
telephone, condenser, thermal, dynamometer, Baldwin, adjust-
able pole-piece, Leath, Berger, and Ader telephone receivers
are desci-ibed. One cannot help wondering if .such a list would
be pre.sented by many other authors. The Fessenden hetero-
dyne telephone is described, but the way it acts without
rectification is not explained, although many are ignorant
of its 7no(Jus operandi.

The unportant subject of wkeless amplifiers is next presented
to the reader. Here again we have numerous types which
will be new to the British reader. The multi-phone, Brown,
Telefunken tuned-reed, detectiphone, acoustic, and compressed-
au- amplifiers are described. Various relays are also discussed,
including a selenium cell arrangement. Naturally, the valve
amplifier receives attention. Only an un|iraitical type is
shown. The high resistances across traiiNfnrnur winduigs
could be omitted, and single filament and plat<' batteries used.
The Lieben-Reisz relay which is described is ten) prehistorip
for a book of this nature. Tlie chapter ends with a descrip-
tion of the Alexanderson magnetic amplifier.

The measurement of wave-length and decrement occupies
the space of the next chapter. Radio antenna construction
is next described, and a valuable set of curves is given show-
ing the natural wave-length of different antenna.

Chapter XIII will be found a very valuable one to the
experimentalist. Formute relating to the calculation of in-
ductance are given with worked-out examples. The practical
measurement of inductance also receives adequate attention
in the following chapter.

The question of loose-couplers is next considered from a
designing point of view.

The book concludes with an appendix of tables and for-
mulae. Taking the l>ook as a whole it is deserving of high
praise, and is worthy of imitation in this country.

.Although the treatment does not pass beyond the stage
suitable for students, the book will be found of inttn'est to
all, and of paramount interest to those who de.sire a sound
elementary and general knowledge of radio-telegraphy. — John
Scott-Tagg.\et.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly for this journal by Messes. Sefton-Jones, O'Dell ani
Stephens, Chartered Patent .'igents, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C.J.

24,956. " Earthing neutral point o( three-phase systems." A. M. Taylor.
August 30th.

24.975. " Electric switchu-s and bo.\es therefor." H. F. McLoughlin and
Simplex Conduits. Ltd. August 30th.

24.988. " Telephonic instruments." Dictograph Prtxlucts Corporation and
E."\V. Pattison (Dictograph Products Corporation.). August 30th.

25.011. " Electromagnetic .action for pipe organs." M. B. Langdon and
V. A. H. Weber. August 30th.

25 013. " Moans for rheostatic control of two .arc lamps for kmematographic
projection, St." A. J. Cook. August 30th.

25,017. " Automatic switches for electric irons." W. H. Dingle and J. M.
Urquhart. August 30lh.

25,022. " .\pparatus for measuring ratio of strengths of two currents."
Soc. Da ct Dutllh. August 30th. (I'Vance, September 30th. 19111.)

S5,026. " Magneto-electric ignition apparatus." Bosch Akt. Gcs. K.
August 30th. (Germany, August 30th, 1919.)

25,029. " Electric water-heater." R. J. Frost. August 30th.

25,031. " Means for transmitting messages." J. C. Grant. August 30lh.

25,033. "Telegraphic receiving and transmitting apparatus." J. A. L.
Horn and T,. C. R. Marks (Horn). August 30th.

25,035. " Storage batteries." D. W. Davis. August 30th.

25,046. " Receiving apparatus for electrical oscillations." Gcs. fiir Draht-
lose Telegraphie. August 30th. (Germany. .September (ilh, 1919.)

25,055. " Electric motors." F. L. Smith. August 30th.

25,0()5. " Radio . receiving systems." Radio Communication Co. and J.
Scott-Taggart. August 31st.

25,066. " Modulation systems, &c., in radio communication, &e." Radio
Communication Go. and j. Scott-Taggart. August 31sl.

25,083. " Miners' electric safely, &c., lamps." F. Litw an.l C. Milton.
August 31st.

25,103. " Electric standards, &c." G. Green. August 31st.

25,115. " Electrical apparatus for imparting reciprocating movements to
hammers, chisels, &r." Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co. August 31st.
(France, September 19th, 1919.)

25.124. " .Submarine signalling apparatus." T. F. Wall. August 31st.

25.125. " Means for limiting rise of speed iii alternating-current generators."
T. F. Wall. August .31,st.

25,172. " Svstem of winding multi-layer electrical coils for use as inductances
for wireless telegraphy, telephony, &c." W. W. Burnham. September Isl.

25.174. " Device lor controlling electrical signs, signalling, guntiring,
exposures, &c., by clockwork." E. J. Ray. September 1st.

25.177. " Overhead collectors lor electric tramways and railw.ays." W. B.
tSlackhurn. September 1st.

25,187. " Electric film re-winders." P. Berry. September 1st.

25.215. " Electric-lighting systems for motor-vehicles." C. Tidd. Septem-
ber 1st.

25,241. " Current-regulators for incandescent lamps. &'c." Cutler-Hammer
Manufacturing Co. and fgranic Electric Co. (Cutk^r-Hanuner Manufacturing
Co.). September 1st.

September 1st. (U.S.,

C. C. Farmer. Septcm-

iber 1st.
dw.ay. E. M.

2.'i.243. " Electric l.imps for kinematograph
and iNew Union Electric Co. September 1st.

25.248. " Electric contact devices." C. C, F
December 10th, 1919.)

25.249. " Car brake and power-controlling devices." C
ber 1st. (U.S., March 26th.)

25,258. "Electrical rivet-heating machine." J. Moll.
25,264. " Stopping or stowing electric motors." A.
Medway and E. C. Smith. September 1st.

25,271. " Motor-cycle engine-starters." Soc. Anon, des ElablissemenU
lialM. September 1st. (France, September SimI, 1919.)

' Incandescent ck-clric lamps." L. A. Lepiney. September 1st.

' Electric cables." E. W. Clarke. September 1st.

' Dynamos." T. G. P. Healcy and H. H. Smith. September 2nd.

' .Sparking plugs." W. Marsh. September 2nd.

' Sparking-plug connections." R. McGrccvy. September 2nd.

' Automatically-reclosing circuit breakers." E. C. Raney. Scptem-

' Production of electrical oscillations by thermionic valves." Radio
; n Co. and J. Scott-Taggart. September 2nd.

25.378. '* Prwiuction of electrical oscillations by thermionic valves." N.
Lea and Radio Communication Co. SeptemlxT 2nd.

25.379. " Telephone receivers." A. O. Frenrh-Brewster. September 2nd.

25.387. " Converting alternating into direct current and vice versa." W. A.
Price. September 2nd.

25.388. " Electric arc projection apparatus." Etablisscments Continsouza
September 2nd. (France, November 19th, 1919.)

" * for wireless telegraphy and tclc-

nd G. Shearing. September 2nd.

Radio Communication Co. and J.

25,286

25,289.

25,301.

25,349.

25,356.

25.3.57.

ber 2nd.

25,390. " Valv
phonv." H. Morris-Airey, A. K. M.

25,408. " Radio-signalling .systems.
Scott-Taggart. September 3rd

25,411. " Electric clocks, &i

25,413. " Improving
A. M. Taylor. September 3rd.

25,426. '" Valves for wireless signalling sys
ber 3rd.

25.438. " Repeaters (or multiplex signalling
September 3rd. (U.S., September 26th, 1919.)

25,441. " Electric phc.lugraphic prinling-m.icl

S. W. Pilling. September 3rd.

Iternating-currcnt electric systems."

systems." G. G. Farley. Seplem-

s." Western Electric Co.

H. P. Doubi-ll. Seplem-

PUBLISHBD SPECIFICATIONS.

1SX9.

5,130. " Mercurial eolleclor for electrical machines." E. Bolton. June 7th
1919. (149,372.)

0,007. " .\-ray apparatus." M. B. Rodriguez. March 11th, 1919. (149,376.)

6,2(MJ. " Starting apparatus for engines and more particularlv for aircraft
engines." Bijur Motor Appliance Co. March 25th, 1919. (124,723.)

1I.6U1. " Systems of radio communication." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.). May 9th, 1919. (149,409.)

11,666. " Electric switches/^ H. K. Ansingh and Metropolitan-Vickers
Electrical Co. May 9lh, 1919. (149,410.)

11,682. " Electric motors and particularly electric traction motors." \V. E.
Ireland. May 9th. 1919. (149,411.)

11,873. "Thermionic devices." J. A. Fleming. May 12th, 1919. (149,422.)

11,953. " Process of and apparatus for assembling .electric switches and
accessories." J. H. Tucker & Co. and J. B. Tucker- May 13lh, 1919.
(149,427.)

12.005. " Thermionic receiving devices for wireless telegraphy and tele-
phony." H. J. Round. May 13lh, 1919. (149,433.)

12.006. " Apparatus for wireless telegraphy and telephony." H. J. Round.
May 13th, 1919. (149,434.)

12,008. " Receiving systems for wireless telegraphv and telephony." H. J.
Round. May 13th, 1919. (149,435.)

12,862. " Mechanical coupling for electric conductors." W. Thomas and
L. W. Roderick. May 22nd,' 1919. (149,459.)

13.036. " Signalling' systems with special reference to telephonic circuits."
E. A. Graham, \V. J. Rickets and- E. A. Sanftleben. May 23rd, 1919.
(149.461.)

13,479. "Use of electron discharge devices in signalling systems." British
Thomson-Houston Co. (General Electric Co.). May 28th, 1919. (149.466.)

13,521. " Electromagnets or relays." Relay .Automatic Telephone Co.,
G. H. Bryant and T. M. Inman. May 28th, .1919. (149.467.)

13,673. " Devices (or attachment o( electric conductors to insulators." F.
H. Krebbs. Mav 29th, 1919. (149.472.)

14.315. " Electric heating apparatus." M. J. Railing and C. G. Nobbs.
June 5th, 1919. (149,482.)

14.428. " Dynamo-electric generators for use in lighting cycles or like
vehicl.-s." VV. A. Hvmas. June 6th, 1919. (149,485.)

17,639. " Electric cut-outs." Siemens Bros. & Co. and E. A. Pelilhory.
July 14th, 1919. (149,500.)

18,439. " Electric condenser plate construction." Dubilicr Condi
April 11th, 1919. (141,658.)

21,841. " Electromagnetic wave signalling systems.
September 5th, 1919. (149.532.)

26.326. " Means for elcctrolvsing ■
1919. (149.556.)

29,027. " Devices for starting internal-combustion engines." S. L. Frit*.
November 21st. 1919. (149,562.)

29,273. " Spark plugs." C. H. Haight. November S4th, 1919. (I49.5IS3.)
Soc. Anon. Calor. November 39th. 1918.

Co.

J. Hollingworth.
A. P. dc Corradi. October 27lh,

29.515.

• Electric St

(135.859.)

29,722.

' Reflectors

38th, 1919.

(149.564.)

30,797.

■ Controlhng

mechanism

" F..briker

for electric-light liltings." H. G. Sproatcs. No

nber

(137.038.)

doors."

1.S20.

Booth Electric Furnace Co.

710. " Electric
1918. (137,540.)

1,507. " Housings for mechanical interrupters of electric ignition apparatus.VJ
Am<-rican Bosch Magneto. Corporation. iM-bruarv 7th, 1919. (138.002.)

2 724. " Electric switches." Igranir Electric' Co. (Cutler-Hammer Mam
facluring Co.). January 28th. 1920. (149.584.)

5,310. " Dynaino-ile<-tric machines." E. J. Harman and E. Lc Bas. Ju
2nd. 1919. ifjivided application on 141.11(i.) (149,i>87.)

7 :I86 " Storage battery locomotives." Maneha Storage Battcrv Locomotiw
Co. Aiigust 31st, 1918. (Divided application on 132.234.) (140.105.)

14.775. " Manufacture of incandesc-nt electric lamps." British Thorns
Houston Co. (General Electric Co.). Mav 9th,. 1917. (Divided application
147,955.) (149,605.)

19,792.' '* Jig for assembling electric switch pans." J. B. Tucker
J. H. Tucker & Co. Mav 13th, 1919. (Divided application on 149,427J
(149.(»7.) ■ ,.

19,793. " liq for assembling electric switch parts." J. B. Tucker anOjr
J. H. Tucker ,\.- Co. ■ M.ny 13th, 1919. (Divided application on 149,427^
(149.608.)

OrXIJES

EXjEOTIS/IO-A-L IS/E^VIE^W-

Vol. LXXXVII.

SEPTEMBER 24, 1920.

No. 2,23.-)

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

THE ENGINEERING DISPUTE.

Vol. LXXXVII.] CONTENTS : September 24 1920. [No, 8,

The Engineering Dispute

Power-station Neglect at Petrograd

The Long-suffering Lampholder

The Municipal Tramways Association (Inc.') — II

Presidential Address

Tramway Fares

The Jackson Electric Stove Co., Ltd. (iHw.)

Electrostatically Cleaning Blast-Furnaoe Gag, by A. Hutchin-
son and E. Bury (///«».)

Oorreapondenoe —

The E.P.E.A. and the E.T.U

Imitation Half-watt Lamp?... ... ...

Power Factor

Electric Welding

Domestic Supply Pressure and Wiring

Business Notes

Notes

City Notes

Stocks and Shares ..•

Market Quotations

Modern Marine Problemi, by C. V. Drysdale (illus.) {continued)
Electricity in the German Army, by T. Rich (ilbis.') {coHcluiUd^

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (iilus.}

The Machine-Tool and Engineering Exhibition (iUus.y(,co>ifd)

New Patents Applied for, 1920

Abstracts of Published Specifications ... .,

Contractors' Colnmn ,,. ... Advertisement page

Page

:i8.->
386
386
387
388
3.SS
389

391

392
394
391
394
394
39.-1
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408
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416
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Ox Friday last the dispute between the Electrical Trades
Union and the Engineering and ISTational Employers'
Federations came to an end ; the parties respectively with-
drew their strike and lock-out notices, and in due course
work was resumed. The method by which this happy
result was attained is interesting.

As our readers are aware, the Court of Inquiry appointed
by the Minister of Labour to inquire into the Electrical
Trades Dispute at Penistone was opened on September 14th,
and commenced its operations in private. It had no
concern with the strike of employes in the London electric
power stations and sub- stations, of which notice had been
given by the E.T.U. to expire on Saturday last.

However, at the request of the Minister, a special meeting
of the National Joint Industrial Council for the Electricity
Supply Industry was held on September 15th, to consider
the position arising from the strike notices issued by the
E.T.U. in London and certain other districts, and after
discussion, the E.T.U. having decided to withdraw the
(juestion of principle arising out of the Penistone dispute,
the Council recommended that the lock-out and strike
notices should be \yithdrawn and work resumed. Both
sides then asked the Court on the 16th inst. to adjourn the
proceedings, and on Friday an agreement was read before
the Court, which, having no occasion for further action,
was adjourned sine die. Thus peace was restored and the
threat to London removed, a consummation for which we
may all be truly thankful. We trust that the truce will be
maintained also sine die.

While we are not in sympathy with the claim of the
Electrical Trades Union, we do not question its right to
strike in support of that claim ; neither do we deny the
right of the employers to lock out, in self defence — though
we strongly demur to the adoption of such fighting tactics
on either side, if peaceful methods of arriving at a satis-
factory settlement are available. The dispute was a private
one, in which the public was only indirectly concerned. It
is curious that this dispute should have been settled by the
good offices of the National Council, whi(-h was invited to
inquire into a consequential strike, but not into the
Penistone dispute, while the Court of Inquiry set up for
the latter purpose was short-circuited. It is a feather in
the cap of the Whitley Council, to which we offer our con-
gratulations ; having ardently supported the Whitley scheme
from its initiation, we rejoice in this further success which
it has achieved.

With regard to the London strike, which was, so to speak,
a side-show, but bade fair to become the main theme of the
drama, in tragic form, totally different cjuestions arose.
The Electrical Trades Union, in the hope of forcing the
public to take a hand in its private quarrel, threatened tr
deprive it of a great and indispensable public service ; the
[385] °

886

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Toi. st. nb. 3,235, sarrBMBEB .h.

1920.

Union had no quarrel with the power station authorities,

from whom it proposed to withdraw its members — the blow

was un(|uestionably and deliberately aimed at the people of

I/ondon, an inoffensive third party. And this threat

involved another Trade Union in the tangle — the Electrical

Power Engineers' Association — which issued a manifesto

bearing on the situation. The E.P.E.A. declared that it

would " throw its weight " into the scale against whichever

party refused to submit the dispute to arbitration, ij'., the

employers, and in our last issue we commented on its action

in terms to which the Association takes exception — though

some of its members, as will be gathered from the letters in

our last and current issues, are plainly at one with us. We

have been at pains to ascertain precisely what is the point of

view of the Executive Council, and we find, on the authority

of the general secretary, Mr. W. Arthur Jones, that it is

as follows : —

The essential principle of the Association, in the case of
all questions in dispute, is that before a strike or lock-out is
declared, all possible means of settlement by existing
machinery should be utilised, no matter whether the interests
of the Association or other interests are at stake.

In the event of another Trade Union giving notice of a
strike in power stations and sub-stations, a neutral attitude
on the part of the Association is impracticable. The
E.P.E.A., however, cannot impose on itself the duty of
deciding on the merits of a dispute between another Trade
Union and the employers of both parties. Neutrality being
impracticable, its action will be dictated by the considera-
tion outlined above.

The E.P.E.A. holds that any Trade Union is justified in
utilising its whole strength in support of a section engaged
in a dispute, even though that involves other industries
previously at peace, including public electricity supply.

That, then, is the policy of the Electrical Power Engi-
neers' Association. It denies, that there is any agreement
with other Unions, but it has marked out its line of action.
So far as that is intended to encourage the attainment of
" peace by negotiation " we are entirely in accord with it ;
but when it is laid down that the merits of a dispute shall
not be considered, the policy becomes untenable, and
involves the surrender of all claim to the possession of
intelligence on the part of the Association, which then
becomes no better than a machine.

If the matter in dispute related to wages or working
conditions — questions of fact — we could accept the position
of the Association, for such questions undoubtedly ought
to be the sul^ject of friendly arrangement ; but when
questions of principle are involved, the case assumes a
wholly different aspect — such ijuestions cannot be submitted
to arbitration, and the E.P.E.A. formula is inapplicable.

In the case before us, twogreat questions of principle arose :
first, whether employers were entitled to manage their works ;
secondly, whether it was right that the public interests
should be held to ransom for the sake of a private dispute.
Neither of these questions was suitable for arbitration ;
neither of them was incapable of solution by the exercise of
the mental faculties ; and both of them should have been
fully considered on their merits by the Executive Com-
mittee before a decision was formed. To claim to be the
ardent upholders of constitutional methods and then to
discard the exercise of intellect in favour of a mechanical
process which had no actual bearing on the case, argues
mental incapacity. For, observe, when the E.T.IT. declared
for a strike in electricity works, a new situation at once
arose ; that part of the struggle in which the E.P.E.A. was

likely to be involved, was to be fought between the E.T.U.
on the one hand, and the supply authorities and the general
public on the other, the latter being wholly disinterested
parties. Were they asked whether they would go to
arbitration ? fimkl they have gone to arbitration when
there was no (juestion at issue between them ■■ The matter
reduces itself to an absurdity.

The E.P.E.A. Executive, whilst waving the banner
of peaceful negotiation and constitutional methods,
deliberately endorsed the action of the E.T.U. in declaring
war on neutral parties — the supply authorities and the
pu'olic — and by so doing nearly precipitated a calamity ;
for the E.T.U. would not have thus invaded neutrdl
territory if it had not been able to count on the support of
the E.P.E.A. Executive, jiromiscil in ailranre. As a
matter of fact, it was the discovery that the support upon
which it counted would not be given that led to the collai)ge
of the campaign.

According to a German newspaper,
''Neftlecl^at*" *^'® "^^^^^^^^ °^ ^"^^ Petrograd Electric
Petrograd. Lighting Co. of 18S6 recently presented a
report to the local National Economic
Council showing that the company's works have been almost
destroyed by neglect, and other works in that city are
assumed to be in the same situation. The report states
that the deterioration in the technical e<iuipment extends
to an important part of the machinery and plant. Thus
only one-half of the boilers fitted for coal-firing are able to
be worked at a pinch ; only four of the six boilers equipped
for wood-firing are able to be worked, and five of the six
oil-fired boilers are still serviceable. The managers
emphasise the necessity for the fundamental renewal of the
entire boiler plant, particularly the mechanical coal trans-
port plant, owing to the great corrosion which has taken
place. In addition, the boiler-house buildings require
renewal as well as the turbine department, and it is con-
sidered that the whole works will be brought to a standstill
unless remedies are speedily applied.

The
Long-suffering
' Lampholder.

The increasing tendency to divert the
lampholder from its legitimate use to the
functions of a universal multiple-way wall
socket, and the unhappy consequences
which often follow that abuse, are doubtless well known to
most of our readers ; it is high time that steps were taken
to check the practice, which is bound to bring serious
discredit upon the electrical industry. The bayonet holder,
although it is far inferior to the screw socket, is neverthe-
less capable of giving satisfaction for long periods when it
is called upon to carry only the fraction of an ampere,
which is its normal duty ; but when a one-kilowatt
radiator, or an adapter feeding several devices simul-
taneously, is coupled to it, overheating and breakdown arc
inevitable. The non-technical user, who only too often has
been taught this objectionable practice by an electrician
who ought to know better, blames the system, innocently
unconscious of his own share in the mishap.

Apparently the same conditions obtain in the Unit.d
States, for we learn from the Society for Electrical Develop-
ment that steps are being taken to put an end to them, by
drawing the attention of manufacturers to the matter and
inviting them to assist in educatinir the public, and to
avoid showing appliances connected to lampholders which
are not suitable for such use. Instances are cited of such
combinations as an electric range and a vacuum cleaner, or
a washing machine and a domestic electric motor, an iron
and an electric radiator, being illustrated in advertisements
as connected to a two-way adapter in a lampholder. Even
the screw holder, which is better adapted to withstand over-
loading than the spring-contact bayonet type, cannot be
expected to stand up against such gross misuse— to say
nothing of the wiring. Such illustrations should not be
used, and the practice of misapplyiuLr lampholders ought to
be discouraged by electricians and contractors.

I

Vol. 87. No. J,235, taPTBMBBB 24, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

387

THE MUNICIPAL TRAMWAYS ASSOCIATION

(INCORPORATED).— II.

In our last issue we briefly outlined the proeeedings at
the CoiifereiiL-e of the Muiiieipal Traunvuys Association,
so far as eircunistanees permitted. We are now able to
give a more detailed aetount of tlieui than could be em-
bodied in telegrams received on " press day." But
lirst we would pay a tribute of admiration to the mag-
niticent range of public buildings, situated in a pic-
turesque park almost in the heart of the city, for which
the people of Cardiff are indebted to the foresight of
the Corporation towards the end of last century. It was
in the council room of the City Hall, the principal build-
ing, that the Lord Maj-or (Councillor G. F. Forsdike,
.J. P.) welcomed the Association, and eulogised the value
of its work. Referring to the difficult problems that
ha<l now to lie faced in civic affairs, compared with the
situation in lilll, he expressed a most optimistic view
with regard to the prospects of improved relations
between employers and employed, and cited as a case
in point the settlement of the recent strike of municipal
employes in Cardiff, which was effected when the leaders
of the movement were made fully accjuainted with the
conditions that obtained. The horror of the war still
overshadowed us : as we got further away from that, the
[iresent industrial clouds would pass away.

The President, Aid. Sir John W. Courtis, after thank-
ing the Lord Mayor, read his address, of which an
abstract follows. The Vice-President, Mr. G. W. Hol-
ford, of Salford, moved a vote of thanks, which was
seconded by Mr. Squires, chairman of the L.C.C. High-
ways Connnittee, and duly accorded. The papers on
" Tramway Fares " by Coun. Higham (Blackburn) and
Mr. P. Priestly (Liverpool), of which we gave abstracts
in our last issue, were then read, and the animated
discussion which followed was iirolonged into the after-
noon session.

At the luncheon given by the chairman (Sir John
Courtis) and members of the Tramway Committee,
amongst the guests were Mr. C. G. Tegetmeier, chair-
man of the Tramways and Light Railwa3-s Association,
Mr. John Young, formerly of Glasgow, Mr. C. J.
Spencer, manager of the Metropolitan Electric, Ac,
Tramways, and former hon. secretary of the Associa-
tion, and Mr. A. M. Todd, president of the Public
Ownership League of America. The Lord Mayor, pro-
posing " The Municipal 'Tramways Association," re-
ferred to the thankless task of those engaged in public
work, and claimed that British local authorities were
carrying on their voluntary labours extremely well under
exceedingly trying conditions; the Government showed
them no favour, and they had to fight to get reasonably
fair treatment. Sir John Courtis responded, and the
Siieriff of Belfast proposed the health of the chairman
and members of the Cardiff Tramways Committee, to
which Aid. Morgan Thomas responded.

After the conclusion of the discussion on " Tran.iway
Fares," Mr. A. L. C. Fell (London County Council) read
a paper on " Power Expenses," and the discussion
occupied the rest of the afternoon. A telegram of good
wishes was sent from the Conference to Mr. A. Baker
(Birmingham), who was prevented by illness from
attending, and a reply was read on the following day.

A demonstration of the Quasi-arc system of electric
welding was given in the eveniiiir. and at 8 o'clock a
reception was held by the Lord Mayor and Lady
Mayoress at the City Hall, supported by Sir John and
Lady Courtis and Mr. A. M. Todd.^ A delightful

nmsical entertainment was given by a large choir of
female voices, and light refreshments were provided ;
the function was extremely enjoyable.

On Thursday morning, after the managers' meeting
had been held, the Conference resumed ; Mr. Dalrymple
(Glasgow) was unable to attend, owing to the decision
of the tramwaymen to strike, so his paper on " Tram-
way Finance " was read by the secretary, Mr. J.
Beckett. Mr. Horstield (Cardiff) read a paper on the
same subject, and the two were discussed together.
Afterwards a paper on " Capital Expenditure " was
read by Mr. R. Stuart Pilcher (Edinburgh), and dis-
cussed.

At the annual luncheon of the Association, which was
held at the Royal Hotel, Sir John W. Courtis presiding,
Mr. G. W. Holford (vice-president) proposed " The
Cardiff Corporation Tramways Committee," and Aid.
R. J. Smith responded. The toast of "Our Visitors"
was proposed by Aid. Mayne (Sheriff of Newcastle-upon-
Tyne), who referred to the great benefits that had been
derived from the cordial co-operation of the two Tram-
way Associations. Mr. A. M. Todd responded, eulo-
gising the high standards of civic government in this
country and the absence of "graft."

In the afternoon a photograph of the Conference was
taken, in spite of an unpleasant break in the weather,
on the steps of the Law Courts, and afterwards the
annual meeting was held. The report of the Executive
Council and the statement of accounts were adopted,
and the election of officers and members of committee
was carried out, with the following result: President,
Mr. G. W. Holford (Salford); vice-president, Aid. R.
Mayne, J. P. (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) ; hon. treasurer,
Mr. A. R. Fearnley (Sheffield); hon. solicitors, Mr.
Heath and Mr. S. F. James; Managers, Messrs. J. M.
McElroy (Manchester), A. Baker (Birmingham), and H.
Mozley (Burnley); Councillors, Coun. C. Higham (Black-
burn) and Coun. Sellers. Mr. Peter Fisher (Dundee)
having resigned owing to a change in occupation, was
elected an honorary member. Votes of thanks to the
chairman, the Executive Council, the representatives of
the Association on the National Industrial Council, and
the municipality and officials of Cardiff, were cordially
awarded. Mr. Beckett announced that the Association
had at last been able to secure offices in London. The
Conference was then adjourned. On Friday an excur-
sion to Weston-super-Mare and Cheddar, for which
the charabancs were provided free of charge by the
Bristol Tramways & Carriage Co., Ltd., was the sole
item on the programme.

To sum up, the Conference at Cardiff was an unquali-
fied success, taking high rank in the history of the
Association. The Lord Mayor (Coun. G. F. Forsdike)
won the hearts of all the members and the ladies, of
whom a large number were present, by the distinguished
courtesy and charm with which he filled his high onice,
his solicitude for the comfort and happiness of the
visitors — even to the extent of making special arrange-
ments with the clerk of the weather (to which, unfor-
tunately, the latter did not strictly adhere] — and the
tact and appropriateness of his many, but brief,
speeches ; we do not hesitate to say that his share in the
proceedings could not have been performed more grace-
fully or more efficiently. The president. Sir John W.
Courtis, conducted the proceedings with dignity and
ability which left no loophole for criticism, and the
secretary, Mr. Beckett, was ubiquitous, untiring, and
never at a loss for either words or actions.

One feature of the speeches of the municipal repre-
sentatives, on which they all laid emphasis, was the fact
that Cardiff, thousfh a great roaline: centre, was not.
as many thought, a "coaly town: their disclaimer
was justified, and they are entitled to be proud of their
youthful city (it has not attained its majority yet).

388

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. No. 2,235, septembeb 24, 1920.

Presidential Address.

By Sir John W. Courtis, J. P. (Chairman of Tramways
Committee, Cardiff).
(Abstract.)
Let me remind you tliat yom- visit here synchronises with
the 60th anniversary of the establishment by ParUament of
tramways in this country. Within the past half -century,
±'7y,(J(X),000 has been expended on tramway construction and
<levelopment. Of that sum ±'54,U00,(XK) has been incurred by
local authorities. Since 1878 the length of route open for
public traffic in the United Kingdom has increased from 369
miles to 2,728 miles in 1918-19. Of the last-named distance
1,713 miles were owned and worked \>y local authorities, and
146 miles owned by local authorities were worked by com-
panies. The mileage worked by electric traction was 2,661),
or 97.5 per cent, of the total.

Compared with the last completed year prior to the war
(191-3-14) the total number of passengers carried has risen
from 3,4'26,473,192 to 4,557,640.078 in 1918-19, an increase of
33 per cent. In the same period the number of car-miles run
has decrea.sed from 354,379,672 to 320,378,376. with the result
that the average number of passengers per car-mile is now
14.2, as compared with 9.7 in 1913-14. The number of journeys
per head of the population works out at 108, as compared
V'ith 74 in 1913-14; whilst the numlier of passengers carried
per mile of route open was 1,6(38,122, an increase of 31.6 per
cent, on the pre-war figure.

The number of local authorities which have obtained powers
in connection with railless trolley undertakings is 26, and of
these only seven actually carried passengers. Five companies
have also obtained powers, of which only one was operated
during 1918.

\^'hatover form of road transport may exist, or may emerge
from future experiments, the first and paramount condition
must be that in this purely commercial sphere, the pas.senger
must pay for his passage. The man who does not travel
should not, in equity, pay any part of the fare of the man
who does. That is manifestly the only sound policy to apply
to a public service which is made use of optionally by the
community.

Increases in fares on tramways have become as much a
necessity as the increase in the price of any other commodity,
but it has been reserved for tramways, almost alone among
pubUc utiUty services, to encounter an unreasoning opposi-
tion to the common custom and economic necessity of handing
on the increa.sed cost to the consumer. My submission is
that it is not our business, as the administrators of a great
industry, to sell a ride to anyone, either resident or non-
resident, at less than cost price. The accounts of almost all
our imdertakings for 1919-'S) have brought home to the com-
munity the sharp reminder that we have been doing so during
the past year.

It is the opposition to which I have referred that has been
the greatest stumbling block in the path of the National
Council in dealing with the w-ages question, which has ab-
sorbed most of the time of that body since it was constituted
in September, 1919.

Ivimited by statute in our charging capacity, and opposed
by public .sentiment to increased fares, the finances of the
industry have drifted into a state of difficulty, and of some
danger to our stability. Our first and foremost duty to-day
is to endeavour to awaken the public mind to the absolute
necessity for increased revenue. By all means let the em-
ployes have adequate wages for their services, but by all
means likewise let the users of tramways recognise the resul-
tant demands upon them.

Part of the time of last year's Conference in Dundee was
occupied in considering the arrangements for dealing with
the application made in .luly. 1919. for a further increase in
■wages. Immediately after that Conference, the Interim Court
of Arbitration conducted an inquiry. Up to and including
the award following the inquiry, the war bonuses granted
nationally amounted to £1 14s. per week. The further ap-
plication made during the year has been dealt with by the
National Council.

The National Indu.strial Councils, with their constituent
District Councils, are a new and distinctive instrument in the
commercial life of the nation. They mark a new departure
in our endeavours to secure a continuity of industrial peace
They occupy a position of the first importance in our attempts
to find a solution for the most pressing problem of our time.

Tlic outstanding achievement of the National Council is the
passing of the Tramways (Temporary Increase in Charges)
Act, 1920. arising out of an investigation of the tramway
budgets for the current year. It is for us to use that Act
to the extent of making train ways generally self-supporting.
Tlie National C^iuncil has also rendered servic?, through the
Standing Committee, in a number of questions which affect
u6 all in common.

Tlie burden of road maintenance, constantly added to by
reason of heavy Cdininercial vehicle transport, is ripe for
adjuKtment. The appropriation of the proceeds from the
taxation of mechanically pniiiellerl vehicles has occupied the
attention of the Executive Council during the year. The
claim of the tramway authorities to share in tlie yield of
such taxation is irresistible in these days of electric traction.
It is our bounden duty to press that claim.

Again, the que-stion of rafe nid from tramways must be

considered. No sanction to increase fares under the Act of
1920 will be granted for the purpose of producing profits to
be applied in reduction of direct local taxation. The obvious
corollary is that under normal conditions, no money must
be taken from the rates to subsidise tramways. Self-support
should be the watchword.

After very exhaustive investigations and experiments the
Special Committee on the standardisation of over-head line
material has been able to present a most valuable report,
together with specifications and drawings. The existing
diversity in overhead equipment is shown to be both cum-
brous and expensive. The need for such diversity no longer
exists. Nothing need be scrapped before the end of its
useful hfe.

The suggestion of the committee has been adopted by the
Executive Council, that a Standing Committee should bi;
appointed to which all questions of further improvements may
be referred from time to time. The existing members have
been asked to constitute that committee and to report upon
the progress made in adopting the new standards.

I should like to pay my tribute to the excellent manmr
in which Mr. Beckett has discharged his duties during his
first year of office.

Tramway Fares.

The papers by Coun. Highani and Mr. Priestly on this
■ subject were discussed together.

Aid. Smith (Liverpool) expressed the view that a due pro-
portion of the receipts should be allocated to the rates.

Mr. W. MuRiiAY (Walthamstow) said that the difficulties
of small undertakings were greater than those of the large
ones ; the routes being short, if the fares were too high f lie
people would walk. They could not abolish the penny fare
He held that a uniform rate per mile should be chargcil,
and that the long-distance rates should be raised to comply
with that policy. Some Councils decided to charge low fares
and make up the deficiency out of the rates; that poUcy was
not satisfactory to the manager, who was often blamed
for making a loss. An alternative policy was to provide free
transport.

Coun. Naylor (I,iverpool) repudiated Aid. Smith's policy,
and said that in Liverpool the tramways were instituted for
the public convenience, but w'ere turned into a " milch cow,"
and as a result had become practically bankrupt. It was
absolutely necessary to rjiise the fares, and no favour should
be shown to any class of passenger. The maintenance of the
system should be the first consideration.

Coun. Fisher (Perth) asked whether authority could be
obtained to charge special fares for special services (such as
race meetings), and Mr. Holford stated that Salford had
secured such powers in a recent Act.

Mr. E. S. Eayner (Hull) supported the authors' views, and
pointed out that the fixing of fares was a technical question,
depending upon the choice of a proper frequency of ser\nce,
size of car, itc. If they were going to allow- unlimited over-
crowding and lower the standard of service they might make
ends meet, but if they were to maintain the former high
standards, increased fares were necessary. They must educate
the public to realise the depreciated value of the penny ; as
the penny postage had been raised to 2d., so the penny fare
should be doubled. It was better policy to retain the old
stages and raise the fares than to change the stages; and to
increa.se the frequency of traffic, besides increasing the fares.
The introduction of a IJd. coin would immen.sely facilitate
matters; the use of two coins instead of one had an adverse
psychological effect.

Mr. .1. S. D. MoFFET (Belfast) described the course of
events in Belfast, where he had introduced a graded over-
lapping-stage system with good results; the limit of one mile
for Id. had been reached — the next step would he to charge
l^d.

.\ld. Stanbury (Oldham) said that there they had sub-
stituted l^d. for the penny fare, and so on in proportion, with
the result that they made a profit, and had maintained the
plant efficiently.

Mr. J. B. Hamilton (Leeds) said the authors' views were
.sound, but how was an adequate fare to be settled? They
should endeavour to determine correctly what each fare ought
to be, ,and if they charged an adequate fare, the public would
pay it when convinced that it was iiecos.sary. The great
difficulty had been the continual increase in the costs, render-
ing forecasts unreliable. An exhaustive analy.sis should be
made of the working conditions, hours of travel, itc. The
change of workmen's, hours had created an immense develop-
ment of traffic between 5 and 6.30 pm., with which it was
imnossible to cope.

Coun. Sqi'IRES (Chairman, Ti.C.C. Highways Committee)
agreed with the authors, and condenmed contributions to the
rates. Tlie extra working costs due to an award of Os. per
week per man amounted in London to £270,000 a year: these
facts had to be explained to the public. He had alwavs
opposed the cheap midday fare, and was in favour of the
adiustmenl of fares to meet the costs — the public would not
object to that.

Coun. TrRNER (Belfast) supported the authors, and said
that the charges should be fixed to nieet the expenses.

After an adjournment for luncheon, Mr. H. Mo7iev (Burn-
ley) emphasised the importance of seeing that all the fares

Vol.87. No. 2,235, shptembeb 24, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEWo

389

were collected, and advocated the collection of tickets by the
conductors as an effectual remedy. Pie estimated that the
loss due to missed fares in this .country amounted to half
a million sterling per annum. At Burnley the practice had
been carried on successfully for 40 years. With regard to
workmen's fares, he differed entirely from the authors; he
held that the workmen's-fare traffic was the most economical,
the cars running full and earning four times as much as
ordinary cars. To abolish workmen's fares was contrary to
pubhc poUcy.

Aid. New (Sunderland) had heard no reason why workmen
should receive preferential treatment. The collection of tickets
would impose an additional burden on conductors without
stopping dishonesty.

Mr. H. P. Stokes (Plymouth) said the question had been
changed by the increased spending power of the worker, the
chief customer of the tramways, and the increased expenses
had been partially met by increased traffic. At Plymouth
there were no differential fares; the minimum was Hd., and
they had retained all their traffic. The stages varied from
3J to IJ miles for l}d., the average being 2.72 miles. He
agreed in the main with the authors; but Mr. Priestly said
they should accumulate funds not only for maintenance but
also for improvements and extensions — would any munici-
pality contemplate providing for extensions out of revenue?
That was a kind of profit-making.

Mr. J. M. McEi.ROY (Manchester) agreed with Mr. Hamilton

that they ought to find out the exact cost in each undertaking,
inclu.sive of all items; then ascertain the revenue required to
meet the cost, explain the facts to the public, and the latter
would be willing to pay the price. Whether they should
charge a higher fare for the first mile than the average fare
was a question of policy for the committee to settle, but the
manager ought to be able to tell the committee how to cover
the expenses when the policy had been fixed.

Mr. J. B.\RNARD (Bolton) agreed with Mr. McElroy, and
said that Bolton was the only town that had not changed the
pre-war fares or shortened stages, but it still provided for
depreciation and contributed to the rates. The receipts were
still increasing ; they carried 32 millions yearly before the
war, and 52 millions now, with the same rolling stock. With
regard to Mr. Mozley's system, there were many tricks on
tramcars, and he offered to teach him some of them !

In reply, Coun. HlGH.tM said the relief of rates was a per-
nicious system, which tended to grow worse, and robbed
the reserve fund. With regard to small undertakings, the
only logical course was to recognise the depreciation of the
penny, which was no longer an economic fare. The abolition
of workmen's fares had been generally agreed to.

Mr. Priestly, replying, said the policy of providing for
extensions was on the safe side. He was not convinced that
workmen's fares were ever remunerative. If the tickets
collected on the Burnley cars were not checked against the
waybills, the .sv.stem was worthless.

THE JACKSON ELECTRIC STOVE CO., LTD.

NEW SHOWROOMS.

On Friday last we had the pleasure of visiting the new
showrooms which have been opened at 143, Sloaue Street,
S.W. 1, by the .Jackson Electric Stove Co., Ltd., and
inspecting the apparatus therein displayed, representing the
latest designs and improvements that have been introduced
by the company.

It is interesting to note that, although the firm has been
in existence for some 10 years, and has manufactured many
thousands of cooking stoves and appliances, thereby gaining
a reputation second to none in this branch of British
industry, the directors consider that their real work is only
now beginning I Exactly what this means will be appre-
ciated if we give a short sketcli of the company's history.

The first step was taken when Mr. F. H. "Williams,
formerly of the Phd'aix Electric Heating Co., joined Messrs.

The business, however, continued to increase, and in 1914
it was thought that the time had arrived for a further step
— when the war broke out, and instantly the situation was
entirely changed. A large demand for cooking apparatus
for (Jovernnient departments, particularly the Admiralty,
at once developed and was maintained till the end of
the war ; a very large percentage of the cooking apparatus
installed by the Admiralty on submarines and other small craft
was made by " Jacksons," though none of it was of standard
type. The Ministry of Munitions also required canteen
equipments for factories, including ovens capable of baking
300 lb. of meat at once, with other large apparatus, and the
Royal Flying Corps and the War Office demanded hospital
ei|uipments, sterilisers, &c., while at a later period the
Minister of Food' made great calls on the compapy for the

u

Fio. 1.— Messrs. Jackson's New Showroom.

T. and J. .Jackson, and started a small heating and cooking
department. No effort was made to secure orders, but they
began to flow in at an embarrassing rate, and by 1912 it
was found necessary to establish works devoted to this
section of the business. The manufacture was naturally in
great measure experimental, as experience had to be gained
under working conditions before the business could be
developed on a larije scale, and in 1913 it was decided to
form a separate company for the heating and cooking busi-
ness, under the style at the head of this article ; the intention
was to extend the works and acquire experience for a year or
two before opening a selling campaign, and this policy was
followed, although competition was springing up all round.

FiQ. 2. — Electric Kitchen at Messrs. Jackson's.

equipment of the National Kitchens. Xevertheless, until the
rationing of raw materials began, large installations, such
as those at Messrs. Swan * ?]dgar's. Self ridge's, and Carrick's
(of Newcastle-on-Tyne), were supplied to civilian orders.
Xaturally, during this strenuous period, experimental work
was impossible, but valuable experience was gained— so
much, in fact, that when the war ended, the company found
itself in possession of a vast amount of knowledge, and in a
position to go ahead " all out." Hence the new showrooms
and the campaign which is now opening.

The principal showroom, which is illustrated in fig. 1,
is on the ground floor, and is hand.somely panelled with dark
oak ; it contains selections from the company's apparatus

390

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. no. 2,235, sbptkmbbb 24, 1920.

ranging from a small toaster to a big double-oven. Behind
this room is a large demonstration kitchen, fig. 2, with a
tiled floor, and equipped with cookers of various sizes,
wash-boilers, water-heaters, &c. Taking items at random,
we may mention a tea-urn with a glass-enamelled removable
metal interior, free from the fragility of the customary
type ; an electric cooker, of which many hundreds have
been sold in a few months, having a fixed boiling pan
loaded to 600 watts with regulation to 300 and 150 watts,
which can be switched on dry without injury, and is pro-
vided with a detachable cap and a pair of- steamers, while
the hob-tab'e is hinged, and can be turned right back,
exposing the whole of the " works " ; a bath-water-heater,
with a C-winged (1-k\v. immersion heater, removable
at pleasure, and capable of heating 16 or 17 gallons of
water every half-hour (this heater cannot be run dry, for
the hot water is pushed out from the top by cold water let
in at the bottom) ; a wash-boiler, of cast-iron and welded
steel, which cannot be burnt out ; a large boiling urn, with
a fiat smooth bottom, also uninjured by running dry ; a
cooker made in two sections — an oven and a hob-table,

are welcomed to witness these operations. Moreover, con-
tractors may send their clients in person to the showrooms,
to select and purchase apparatus, with the certainty that
their full trade terms will be reserved for them upon each
transaction, even if their clients call without the contractors'
knowledge.

The company is willing also to explain in detail the
various apparatus to contractors and their assistants, to
prepare complete schemes for both large and small installa-
tions, on behalf of the contractor or the supply undertakin<£,
and to assist architects, hotel proprietors, &c., with full
information regarding the possibilities of electrical cooking
and heating. While Mr. "Williams himself possesses a
wealth of experience in this subject, it is interesting to add
that the company has secured the assistance of Mr. W. A.
Gillott, of Newcastle, whose uni(|ue experience will be
devoted entirely to the company's interests.

We have not by any means exhausted the subject, but
would advise our readers to pay a visit to the showrooms.
A new catalogue has just been issued, containing intfr alia
a detailed specification of the Jackson apparatus— a novel

iFlcs. 3 AND 4. — INTEBIOR OF LPTON WORKS OF THE JaCKSON ELECTRIC STOVE Co., LTD.

which can be used separately or together — this being the
newest type ; a large double oven range ; and various
designs of fires, hot-plates, kettles, toasters, &c.

The principal feature of the apparatus, as now standard-
ised, is the care devoted to the design of the electrical
heating elements and their connections. No mica is used
in the cookers, its place being taken by porcelain ; no
flexible connections with bead insulators are used, stout
iron strips rigidly fixed in place being adopted ; and
no connections pass through the linings of the ovens. The
heating elements consist of wire wound on fireclay formers,
which are supported so as to give perfect freedom for
expansion and contraction, and the design is such that short
circuits are practically impossible, while the heating
elements are readily replaceable. The electrical circuits of
these apparatus can withstand a teat pressure of 2,000 volts.
Where connections must be flexible, as in the case of the
hinged hob-tables, they are enclosed in stout metallic A.-xib^e
tubing. There are no mechanical contact joints in the iron
strip connections ; the joints are irelih-d. Each section is
protected by a fuse, so that one breakdown does not put the
cooker out of commission.

It is highly interesting to note that 200 artisans' dwell-
ings which are being erected in the north, are each bjuig
fitted with a .Jackson electric cooker, wash-boiler, and two
fires, on a commercial basis in competition with gas and
coal : by their use, a saving of £30 is effected in the cost of
each building. Thus the blessings of electrical methods
are at last being brought within the reach of every class
of user.

The purpose of the showrooms is to assist electricity
supply authorities and contractors in educating their clients
in the use of electrical appliances ; to further this aim, the
office staff is catered for in a separate kitchen, where
cookiog goes on every morning, while cakes, &c., are baked
in the demonstration kitchen in the afternoon, and visitors

feature. In conclusion, we give in figs. 3 and 4 views of
the interior of the company's works at Luton, from which
it will be seen that the company dees not make stoves ; it
mainifartures them.

The British Empire Exhibition.— We have received a
communication from the British Empire League, resrardins the
proposed Elxhibition of British products and manufactures which
will really be a commercial celebration of Peace. The Government
has decided to give the Exhibition all possible support, guarantee-
ing £100,000, subject to £500,000 being guaranteed by the com-
mercial community. Already some of the principal banking,
trading and industrial concerns of the Empire have come forward
a9 guarantors, and it is hoped that all leading lommercial houtes
will participate in the Guarantee Fund. A strong Executive Council
and Administrative Committee have been formed. Mr. C. Freeman
Murray, Secretary of the League, has been appointed Joint Hon.
Secretary of the Guarantee Fund Committee of the Elxhibition.
The organisation has been completed, and there is every reason to
believe that the Exhibition, which is to be held in 1923, will be a
pronounced success. Evervone interested in the unity of the
British Empire will agree that a display in London of its vast
resources in mineral wealth, food products, raw materials and
manufactured goods, must, as was pointed out by the late Duke of
Devonshire, the first President of the British Empire League, result
in " better commercial relatione, by means of improved communi-
citiona, by means of increased sympathy with each other, of
ii creased knowledge of each other."

Industrial Development in india.— It is the intention

of the Government of India to foster local industries in every
possible way, and the granting of financi;U assistance in the form
of a guarantee of dividends, contributions to share capital, loans of
money, and agreements to purchase outputs, are amongst the pro-
posals in aid of new undertakings. Steps are being taken to
encourage in India the manufacture of mivchinery and oth( r
articles which are now being imported, and preference in the
placing of orders for Government requirements will, where possible,
probably be given to local manufactures. The demand for
machinery and engines is being studied with a view to stnndardi-
sation and ultimate manufacture in luii&.— JJoai d ,■/ Trade
Journal,

Vol.87. No.2,235,8eptbmbbb2i, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

391

ELECTROSTATICALLY CLEANING BLAST-FURNACE GAS.

By A. HUTCHINSON and E. BURY.

[Abstract of paper read at the Autumn Meeting of the Iron axd Steel Institute at Cardiff.]

The ultimate rough cleaning of blast-furnace gas at Skinniu-
grove for combustion processes has always been an essential
consideration during the last ten years as making for fuel
economy in the production of iron an(,l steel. In seeking these
economies the authors discussed the possibility of the success-
ful application of electrostatic methods to Cleveland blast-
furnace gas with the late Mr. Greville Jones, of Port Clarence,
and together finally decided that Messrs. Bell Bros, and the
Skinningrove Co. should erect a semi-large-scale plant at
Skinningrove employing the discharge system invented by Sii'
Oliver Lodge. The plant was put to work early in 1917. The
experiments were conducted on gas from the downcomers,
under normal furnace conditions of temperature, pressure,
dust and water content, &c., and convinced the authors that
the method could be successfully applied on the large scale, if
due regai'd were paid to careful direction of the gas flows
over the discharge surfaces, with a similar regulation of the
electric discharge from all points. The investigation was car-
ried out over a period of three months, upon which it was
decided to erect a plant for the treatment of the entire make
of blast-furnace gas, i.e., from 3,(K_I0 to 3,500 tons of pig iron
per week.

In the design of the large-scale plant, very little data
existed as a guide beyond the vital importance of carefully
regulated gas and electric flow and a maximum speed limit of
gas flow- of 3 ft. per second. Furthermore, there was no
standard degree of gas cleaning which could be fixed to guar-
antee clean stoves, boilers, and checkers. In determining the
size of cleaning jilant to be employed, it was desired to keep
the capital expenditure within the limit required for rough
cleaning, bearing in mind that the Theisen plant for the gas-
driven power station at the works was already in existence and
would always have to be employed to wash and cool the pro-
portion of the gas required for that purpose. AJl that was
necessary, therefore, was to clean the gas adequately for
stoves, boilers, and other furnace work, and for the.se purposes
Oil gramme of dust per cu. m. in the cleaned gas was ulti-
mately fixed as an arbitrary standard. Recent investigation at
Continental W'orks, where rough water wa.shing for stove ami
lioiler u.se is almost universally employed, has .shown that the
desired end can be obtained by a higher dust content in the
cleaned gas, instances being on record where stoves had not
been cleaned for five years with a dust content of approxi-
mately 1 gramme per cu. m. in the water-washed gas. Since
the start of the full-sized electro.static plant at Skinningrove
last Ea.ster, the dust content has been reduced from 5 to 0
grammes per cu. m. in the raw gas to 0.8 to 1.1 gramme in the
cleaned product, at which figure no deposit of dust has taken
place in the flues since the plant started work. It should be
specially mentioned that this result has been attained with
1.5 to 20 per cent, of the electrostatic plant out of action owing
to difficulty in obtaining electrical equipment, spare trans-
formers, &c. With the complete plant at work it is expected
to m.iintain the dust in the cleaned gas at 0.5 to 0.7 gramme
per cu. m., whic'h will serve amply the purpose for which the
plant was erected.

The vital nece.ssity of carefully regulated gas flows astbeing
essential to successful electrostatic treatment demands great
emphasis. In this method of gas cleaning the gas passes with-
out restriction of any kind through nests of rods and plates,
which are perfectly open and offer no resistance to the gas as
in the case of filters or powerful sprays of water. The danger
of gas slipping through the treatment chambers uncleaned is.
therefore, nnich greater in electrostatic methods than is the
case 'with water-spraying or filtration plant. Recognising this
difficulty, the electro.static plant at Skinningrove was designed
to split up the gas make and flow through sixteen cleaning
units, further subdividing the flow in each chamber through
adjustable bafQers, so that the gas would flow evenly over the
discharge grids both in horizontal and vertical planes. .\s a
further precaution the inlet of each chamber was designed so
as to deliver the gas equally over the vertical and horizontal
planes of the discharge surfaces, a similar arrangement being
adopted at the chamber Outlet iu collecting the gas for delivery
into the clean gas main. It was elected to regulate the flow
of gas through each chamber by adju-sting the outlet valve
which, being clean, would not clog up and upset the gas flow.

Of equal importance is the equalisation of the electrostatic
field throughout the chambers, since any short circuiting would
militate against equal treatment of the gaseous atmo.sphere.
The Lodge Fume Co., which is respon.sible for the electrical
equipment of the plant, has provided against this eventuality
by supplying each chamber with two sets of discharge grids in
series, each with its own transformer set. Each set of grids
is provided with 7,00U discharge points, that is, 14,000 points
to each chamber, .so that the electrostatic field is evenly
distributed throughout the chambers. Short circuiting has
taken place from time to time, but has invariably been
the result of irregular cleaning of the grids ; such difficulties
will disappear as the practice becomes standardised.

The authors regard the above considerations as of utmost
importance in the successful application of electrostatic
methods to cleaning blast-furnace or any other gas.

That the risks of explosion would be great in passing electric
discharges through a combustible gas, in the event of spark-
ing, would certainly be the case if the gas were mixed with
air so as to provide an explosive mixture. It so happens,
however, that the whole system is under pressure from the
furnaces, and air admixture is impossible unless minus pres-
sures are incurred. Against the latter eventuality there has
been provided an automatic switch which cuts off the dis-
charge if dangerous minus pressures occur. Under no cu'-
cumstances has an explosive condition been approached iu
the main system, although care must be exercised when
" bleeding out " individual chambers {i.e., replacing gas by
air for cleaning purposes) to cut off the electric discharge.'
Through neglect of this iirecaution a few weak explosions have
occurred, which, however, were perfectly harmless.

The following points require special emphasis : It is strongly
recommended that the electrostatic system should be placed on
a by-pass flue, especially where all sections of the works are
interdependent, as at Skinningrove. To make this policy
complete, flues and pipe connections have been built so that
stoves, boilers, and power-gas washing plant can be supplied
in.stantly either with electrostatically cleaned gas or dirty gas.

The multiplicity of chambers was adopted to ensure maxi-
mum contact between the electrostatic discharge and the gas
to be cleaned, by splitting up the gas flow into multiple

Fig. 1.— H.4LF a Cleaning Cha

streams; also to avoid passing large quantities of dirty gas
into the system when cleaning the chambers (during which
operation the discharge must be cut off), which would have
been the case if a smaller number of larger chambers had
been employed. The same remarks apply to chambers off for
electrical repair or alterations.

The thirty-two transformer sets are placed in a building
iimnediately above the cleaning chambers, so as to shorten the
lead of H.T. cable conveying the uni-directional current to the
discharge grids in the cleaning chambers, thereby reducing
the amount of electrical leakage to a minimum. By this dis-
position of electrical plant the current consumption has been
kept down to 60 kw. for treating the entire make of gas
from 3,000 tons of pig iron per week. Each cleaning chamber
is provided with two cleaning hoppers, situated under their
respective discharge grids. Each grid is provided with
rapping gear, operated by leavers, which during the cleaning
operations shakes the discharge plates and precipitates the
dust into the hoppers, whence it is removed by scraper con-
veyors to the potash extraction plant. The operation of clean-
ing each chamber takes place every eight hom-s. for which
purpose the gas and electricity are cut off, the discharge plates
rapped, and the dust is withdrawn from the hoppers to the
conveyors. Fig. 1 shows one half of a cleaning chamber.

The erection of the plant was commenced during the latter
period of the war when constructional steel was practically
unobtainable, and the gas chambers, gas mains, transformer
and potash buildings were, therefore, constructed of ferro-
concrete ; at first the ability of ferroconcrete to stand tem-
peratures up to 2.50 deg. C. was doubted, but the autbora

892

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. s?. No. 2,235, septembm 24, 1920.

would not now hesitate to employ that material for similar
work at temperatures up to 300 deg. C. The ferro-concrete
construction was by the Simon Carves Co., of Manchester.

The building consists of three distinct structures. On the
bridge over llie lailway tunnel are two scraper conveyor.s
for moving the dust from the 3-2 hoppnr valves to the storage
and mixing tanks, situated under the far end of the bridge.
Resting on the l)ed girders of the latter but not structurally
attached to it, are the dust depositing chambers b, allowance
for their independent expansion under the influence of the
hot gases being made by mean.s of cast iron sliding shoes and
seats at x x, fig. 2.

BafBe plates are provided at the top and bottom of either
end of the 16 chambers; each of the latter is fitted with an
inlet valve D, and a double outlet valve e, compo.sed of a
set of sUding grids F for regulating the amount of gas passing
the chamber, and a mushroom valve o direct on the clean
gas main. There are four explosion door.s h at either end,
a manhole with explosion door in the roof j, and a dust
discharge valve K in each of the two dust l)ins with which
each chamber is provided. The bins hold about i ton of
dust. The hot dirty gas passes to the chambers from the
undergi'ound main by a vertical circular ferro-concrete pipe,
aftd thence by a horizontal main L, rectangular in section,
to the chambers. This main is provided with hoppers and
dust shoots, so that it can be cleaned of dust without inter-
rupting the operation of the plaJit. It is built in six sections
with telescopic joints to allow for expansion, and is carried
on cantilevers, on some of which it is free to slide during
expansion. Tlie cleaned gas leaves the chambers by a
circular main m with similar provision for expansion.

Above the chamliers is the insidator floor N. carrying the
insulators s, whicli transfer the current from the Ixidge h.t.

Fig. 2.— Sectionai, Elkvation of Punt.

transformers o in the transformer liouse c. The hammer
gear for vibrating the plate electrodes in the chambers is
shown at F and R. Each chamber is furnished with two
electrical units, each consisting of a transforming set, and a
set of 85 plate electrodes.

At the time the plant was projected it was almost impos-
sible to obtain plates, and ferro-concrete was used for the
structure, a furtlier advantage being that there would be
much less radiation than with steel plates. In view of the
high temperature in the chambers, rising at times to the
neighbourhood of 300 deg. C, which would occasion heavy
stresses, exceptional care was taken in the design and con-
struction of the ferro-concrete.

The potash extraction plant consists of mixers for lixiviating
the soluble salts from the dust {chlorides of potassium,
sodium, and calcium), revolving filters for sejiarating the
insoluble matter from the soluble chlorides and two Kestiner
evaporators. Only very minute traces of sulphate are present,
and carbonate and cyanide not at all. The methods of
separation used are : (a) rcmovifl liy dii-ect evaporation of the
potassium and sodium chlorides from the calcium chloride;
(b) separation by fractional crystallisation of the potas.sium
and sodium chlorides.

In the extraction of potash from the deposited flue dust,
the dry dust from the conveyor is lixiviated with water or
wash liquor as it falls from the conveyor chute into the
concrete slurry tanks below the electrostatic plant. In the
misers, which are provided with efficient stirring arrange-
ments, the slurry is boiled and then continuously run down
on to a series of revolving vacuum filter drums below the
mixer. The dried cake containing abo\it 30 per cent, moisture
is cut off by a steel knife placed in such a position that the
cake fla,ked ofE from one drum falls into the well of the next,
where it is each time boiled with a weaker liquor, and the
last cake, free from soluble salts, is tran.sferred by a worm
conveyor to i-ailway trucks outside the building, whence it
is returned to the blast-furnaces.
The strong liquor containing KCl, NaCl, and CaCl is trans-

ferred to the feed tank for the preliminary evaporator, where
it is heated by indirect steam, and then continuously fed
into a Kestner salting evaporator, in which the separation
of the sodium and potas.sium chloride from the calcium
chloride takes place. When the saturation point of the three
.salts is reached, the evajiorator is emptied and the cycle
started again. 'Due residual liquor is evaporated to dryness
in open pans heated by breeze fire.

In the preparation of potassium chloride from mixed salts,
the mixed crystals are dis.solved in hot distilled water or
liquor from the final evaporator, from which they pass
through a filter and then into the feed tank, and finally into
the evaporator. Evaporation is then commenced, during
which potassium chloride crystalU.ses out and more liquor is
added until the evaporator is completely full of liijuor of the
required density, at which point the whole contents of the
evaporator are run out and passed through a revolving crystal-
li.ser, more potassium chloride being deposited during the
cooling. The sodium chloride is removed from the evaporator
by means of the vacuum filter box, and the clear liquor run
through the crystalli.ser, when potassium chloride again
cry.stallises out. From this point the process is cycUc. sodium
chloride crystallising out on evaporation and posassium chlo-
ride on cooling.

The plant has only been at work sincxj April 8th last, hut
in view of the keen interest univer.sally displayed in gai?
cleaning, the authors submit their results so far as they
have been olitained, with the promise of adding their further
experience when aequii'ed. In the meantime they are content
to have .so far proved the following points with regard to
electrostatic rough gas cleaning at Skinningrove : —

(a) That with 80 to So per cent, of the electrostatic plant
at work (remainder awaiting electrical equipment), the dust
in the gas has been reduced from 5 to 6 grammes per cu. m.
in the dirty gas, to 0.8 to 1.1 gramme in the cleaned gas;
or. in other words, to the standard of Continental practice
for stove and boiler use.

(d) That the above result has been attained with a total
fuel consumption corresponding with .50 KW. only.

((■) That no power is necessary for pumping water or for
moving gas through the system.

((f) That the cleaning has been effected by a comparatively
small loss of the original sensible heat. The raw gas enters
the cleaning (chambers at 2'20 deg. to 2-50 deg. C. and the
cleaned gas leaves at 200 deg. to 220 deg. C.

(c) Less gas is being used' at the stoves and boilers, but it
is too early as yet to state the total saving accurately. All
that can be stated is that the surplus gas available has in-
creased; the exact economy can only be determined when
all stoves, &c., have been cleaned and the clean gas given
a fresh start.

(/) The recovery of 48 to .50 tons of dust per week containing
27 per cent. KCl.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters reeeired hy us after 5 P.M. ON Tuesday cannot appear until
the following week. Corre.tpontlenis s/umld forward their communi-
cations at the earliest pox.sible moment. Ko letter can be puhlished
•unlesn we hare the writer's name and address in our possession.

The E.P.E.A. and the E.T.U.

The fooli.sh statemi'nts made in your " leader " in the
current issue of tlie Iii:vii:w in regar<l to the E.r.E..\. only
endorse the impression .long held by many, that the Elw-
TKH'Ai. Ki;vii:w is little more than an employers' organ during
industrial disputes. The E.P.E.A. has acted in a constitu-
tional manner in this crisis, and has acted to an agreed policy
in connection with di.sputes in which the members may be
involved.

Judging by the bia.sed style of the " leader," the Er.KC-
TKH'AI. Rkvu^w is quite in .sympathy with the gang of chief
engineers who not only will not honour agreements madi"
bv the .Joint Boards when thcv di.s;igree with its findings, but
are out to doliberat<>ly break up the E.P.E.A. No doubt
the E.H- would like to see the Association in a cleft stick
between employers and woikmen. but the " executive " are
too intelligent to be i)ut in that position. To be absorl>ed by
the E.T.U. may be terrible, we have not had experiencv
of it. but it can't be much wor.se than being submerged l)y
chief engineers who are only out to exploit them. Tliey need
a protective organisation, and they have one. It has come
to stay, and will make itself felt when others adopt attitudes
which are against the policy of .settlements by negotiation.

Se Defendendo.

Scptrnihrr IS///. 1!I20.

'llie letter from " A Croup of Senior Power Engineers " in
your issue of the 17th inst. seems to indicate a desire for the
resu.scitation by the E.P.E.A. of a policy long ago abandoned
as imtenable. In the early days of this .A.ssociation the
greater number of tlie members were to a great extent igno-
rant of the ))rinciples of tr.ade unionism, and they failed to
appreciate the fact that registration as a trade union involved,

Vol, 87. No. 2,235, Septembeb 21, 1920.] HIE ELECIRICAL 1\B VIE W.

393

ipso facto, certain obligations. They were quite willing to
accept any benetits that were to be got, but the idea of their
ever being called upon to employ drastic measures in any
circumstances whatsoever was repugnant to them. Indeed,
they believed such a contingency was too remote to merit
more than a passing thought. The educative eii'ect of the
lessons of experience is clearly shown by the very diflerent
attitude of the members to-day. Slowly, reluctantly perhaps,
they have awakened to a kind of class consciousness, and they
have^if I may use the term — found their souls as trade
unionists. Mahomet's coffin has yielded to the force of
gravity, and is no longer poised in an unnatural position
'twixt earth and sky. The splendid isolation dreamed of in
the beginning has been found impossible to maintain.

Nor is the reason for the change obscure. Speaking gener-
ally, the treatment of staff engineers by employers has not
been calculated to retard the movement towards acceptance
of orthodox trade union methods. At the present time efforts
are being made by some undertakings to evade the decisions
of the Joint Board, recently set up as a means of securing
the redressment of grievances by constitutional action. This
sort of thing drives home the conviction that, without the
weapon of drastic action in the last resort, and the will to
use it, there is not much hope of securing justice. However,
the use of the strike weapon is not a course which the bulk
of staff engineers take to kindly, and the Executive Council
of the E.P.E.A. pins its faith to the principle of exhausting
every possible constitutional means for the settlement of dis-
putes in the electrical industry before resorting to drastic
measures.

In the E.T.U. dispute, now happily settled, the attitude
of our Executive has been entirely logical, and in consonance
with this principle. It did not, pace your correspondents'
assertion, " overlook the fact that the dispute was originally
precipitated by the action of the E.T.U. at Penistone." With
the merits of this dispute the Association had no concern,
nor did it, in fact, take any cognisance of it. What did
concern the E.P.E.A., however, was that, the trouble having
spread to the supply industry, its own members became
involved. Acting on its fundamental principle of maintaining
constitutional methods, whenever possible, the Executive was
prepared to give its support to the side acting in accordance
with its declared policy. It had no alternative. Either it
must adhere to its own deliberately formulated principles
or else confess its futility by abandoning them in the very
first crisis. As it turned out, it was the E.T.U. that consented
to arbitrate, and the Employers' Federation that chose the
line of direct action. Here was a perfectly clear issue. It
was not a question of a dispute at Penistone or of the justice
of involving the supply industry at all. The industry was
ah-eady involved, and I hold that the action of the E.P.E.A.
was perfectly correct in every particular.

I strongly disagree with your correspondents' statement
that the Executive Oouncil of the E.P.E..^. " holds the view
that because we are a trade union we must throw in our
lot with any other trade union in any strike that may develop,
provided the grounds seem to us to be j'ust." They claim to
speak with knowledge, but their information appears to be
decidedly open to question. More strongly still do I disagree
with their paraphrase of the statement quoted : "In other
words, we declare beforehand our sympathy with the men
as against the employers." I should have imagined — perhaps
I am obtuse — that any cause which is just should command
the sympathy of all right-thinking men.

Where have those " Senior Power Engineers " been hiber-
nating? They seem, like the Bourbons, to have learnt nothing
and forgotten nothing. Their minds are still functioning in
the dim obscurity of the past, when the E.P.E.A. was in
swaddling clothes. Moreover, if, as members of that Associa-
tion, they do not wish to loyally support their Executive, then
what are they doing in this galley? They are only in it;
not of it. They " cannot accept " ; they " refuse to be
coerced," &c. Well, no one at present is going to ram the
unpalatable bolus down their several sesophagi. We prefer
constitutional methods where pcssible. though we reserve the
right to employ sterner measures in the last resort. No. we
shall rather trust in this instance that the dawn of intelli-
gence will shortly begin to lighten the mental darkness of this
agitated " Group of Senior Power Engineers."

Another Power Engineer.

September 18th, 1920.

Like many other, loyal engineers, I received something like
a shock during the past week, when I read in both the penny
and threepenny editions of one of your lay contemporaries,
that the E.P.E.A. were about to throw in their weight against
national interest and oppose loyalty and duty.

However, I was in the neighbourhood of Fleet Street last
Wednesday evening, and learnt many things which were
evidently without the knowledge of the writer of your leader
under the above heading which appeared in your issue of
September T7th. Now Chancery I.ane is not very far from
Ludgate Hill, and I sulmiit that before yon publish reniark.s
on a delicate subject, you should ascertain the facts. In
spite of camouflage on l.'ith inst., you were in a position
to ascertain the essential facts from any " tame monkey "
you happen to know, even if you had been driven to the
telephone. Now, Sirs, I am an obscure member of the Asso-

ciation of " tame monkeys." Not even on a single section
committee. Wherefore I drop this subject, but hope an abler,
" monkey " conversant with all the facts will prevail upon
you to withdraw the gross misstatements you have published
m a technical journal. I beheve in the past your useful
journal has advocated Whitleyism, which 1 personally com-
mend to you and to " A Group of Senior Power Engineers."

The president of the I.E.E. can be trusted to think before
his voice is heard.

Investigation will prove to you that the action of the Execu-
tive Council of the E.P.E.A. was the determining factor in
securing peace.

Walter E. Rogers.

London.
September nth, 1920.

[We have in the past championed the cause of the Electrical
Power Engineers' Association so consistently that we have
no fear that we shall be classed amongst its enemies; but;
wo shall not forgo our right of honest criticism, and we do
not take back a word that we have said. As for the reference
to " monkeys," we suggest that Mr. Kogers should cultivate
a sense of humour; no one could reasonably suppose
that we called the Association, or any member of it, a monkey.
With regard to the accuracy of our statements, we had first-
class authority for our conclusions, which, moreover, were
supported by the letter from " A Group of Senior Power Sta-
tion Engineers " in our last issue. Natui'ally, as we go to
press on Wednesday, we cannot give the results of meetings
held that evening and the following day in our Friday issue. —
Eds. Elec. Rev.]

The leaderette in the current issue of the Review is wel-
comed by a large section of the E.P.E.A. as a fair expression
of their views. Many of the members are absolutely dis-
gusted at the way the secretary and his staff have conducted
affau's, thereby placing the Association in a position from
which only good fortune extricated it. The E.T.U. were
not slow to take advantage of openings given, and it is most
pitialile that a professional association should have been
dragged along by the nose by the most unconstitutional
organisation of the day.

It is much to be regretted that the Association is not
adhering to the original programme as sketched out by Mr.
Wordingham; instead of attempting to raise the status of
the members, the opposite seems to be the policy. For some
time past there has been far too much coquetting with the
E.T.U., and a section openly advocate throwing in their lot
with that body. It is only fair, however, to add that this
state of mind has been largely brought about by the way
certain employers have treated the Association. Even_ to-day
many undertakings have not honoured their promises to
alside by the award, so it is not altogether surprising that
the " Red Heads " have made their voices heard. If we had
strong men to conduct affairs, many of the difficulties en-
countered would be scotched at their inception, but, un-
fortunately, this is evidently not the case. The E.P.E.A.
is an Association which is badly wanted by both employer
and employ^, but the men who conduct aifairs must com-
mand the respect of both parties, and until this is so the
society cannot hope to take its proper place as representing
the views of a group of professional men whose services are
vital to the community as a whole.

Another Group of Senior Members.

September 2Qth, 1920.

It is unfortunate that the " Group of Senior Power En-
gineers " whose letter appears under the above title m your
last issue, have not subscribed their names, as it would have
enabled the Executive Council of the E.P.E.A. to provide
them with a fuller explanation of the policy, than is possible
within the narrow limits of a letter. It is certainly safe to
assume, however, that they cannot have been in the habit
of attendmg the general meetings of the Association, other-
wise they would not have been guilty of such misleading
statements as " the Executive Council of the E.P.E.A. holds
the view that because we are a trade union we must throw
in our lot with any other trade union in any strike that
may develop, provided the grounds seem to us to be just."
When and where did the Executive Council rnake such a
declaration? As a matter of fact, no such assertion has ever
been made, and their supposition is entirely erroneous. The
support of the E.P.E.A. is not cast indiscriminately on to the
side of the trade union, neither is it (as they apparently
would desire) cast on the side of the employer, but is con-
ditional upon either party consenting to make use of the
regularly constituted machmery. If this is to " forfeit our
independence " it is the inevitable consequence of our having
to act as a trade union. We have been compelled by force
of circumstances to use the strike wea.pon, and we have no
right to act as an organisation of strike-breakers in every
ilLspute. Those who arc shocked at such heresy need to be
rcioinded that nothing li-ss drastic than a trade union could
effect a cure for the intolerable condition.^ which existed
before the E.P.E.A. entered the field.

Tlie surprise exhibited by those senior engineers at the
present conduct of the Association, and the splendid attitude
of aloofness which they adopt, would be amusing were it

394

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87, No. 2,235, septembeb 24, 1920,

not for the fact that it reveals theu: own shortcomings. If
they had taken a more active interest in the development
of the Association, if they had given their intelligent assist-
ance vrhilst the policy was being formulated, they might
have guided the Association more in accordance with their
desires. Or alternatively, they might have been educated up
to the policy, and have ranged themselves in line with the
bulk of the Association which supports the policy, for it is
significant that the small majority of the members who to-day
find themselves in disagreement, is largely made up of those
members wh6 have assisted least in the development of the
Association, and who have consistently absented themselves
from the meetings.

W. .4rthur Jones,

General Secretary,
London. Electrical Power Engineers' Association.

September 21s«, 1930.

Imitation Half>watt Lamps.

May I give warning that there are now on the market
30- and 40-watt, 200-'250-volt lamps which have the appearance
of, and are being sold as, " half -watt type " lamps, but which
are not gas-filled, and their efficiency is little if any higher
than that of over-run, one-watt lamps.

B. B. Gothard,

Electrical Engineer.
Aldershot, Electricity Works.
September Wth, 1920.

Power Factor.

The correspondence on power factor is stimulating and
enjoyable. May I add that, before sending the first article, I
submitted it to an eminent authority, and his opinion was not
that of Mr. Dorey. Mr. Dorey seems to have a poor opinion
of the utility of apparatus for producing leading r.F. to com-
pensate for the lagging p.p. which .so curses most stations, but
he is not supported by leading authorities in this. For in-
stance, Glover's Almanac for August 20th records that one
station installed a 7,880-k.v.a. synchronous converter to com-
pensate for lagging p.p. with good results. Mr. Dorey olijects
to my statement that a firm might get 1.000 k.v.a. wattless
current for nothing, and points out that such a fu-m would be
using something like .3,000 kw. of wattful current. Quite so;
but surely the firni which uses 3.000 kw. at unity p.p. should
get it at a better rate than one which uses l.(X)0 k.v.a. watt-
less along with it. The suggestion to use a demand indicator
to register k.v.a. is well known, but it is also unfortunately
equally well known that consumers hate the maximum-demand
system most bitterly. They fear that some day they will be
let in for a high maximum demand through some exceptional
concatenation of circumstances, and they prefer to pay for
all their current in units. The method of assuming 80 per
cent. p.p. is not scientific ; it gives a man no inducement to
improve his p.p. and provides no penalty if the p.p. drops to
30 per cent.

A meter expert has written me that meters are procurable
which will meter the " wattless component." For large con-
sumers these should be the be.st solution. The wattless-com-
ponent meter reading is made use of to modify the main
meter reading in a suitable manner, and this gives a method
which is fair to everyone. The k.v.a. meter suggestion is not
fair, being altogether too severe.

Mr. Harvey thinks that some technical men are irritated
by the analogy busine.ss. Granted : but some are not. Clerk
Maxwell, Kelvin, and Duddell all had some fondness for the
mechanical analogy, while Dr. Drysdale. in his text book,
uses it through and through, and deduces his formula
mechanically and then adapts them to electricity. The result
is satisfactory to most people.

If the Editor will allow me. I propose to write a third
article on the subject, from a different point of view. In it I
hope to show that Mr. Harvey's ideas of wattless current are
wrong. .At any rate, if they are not, then most people who
have written on the subject have gone wTong.

C. Turnbull.

Electricitv Works, North Shields.
September Ufh, 1920.

Electric Welding.

The writer of the article upon the above matter in this
week's issue makes a few statements which are apt to mis-
lead those who are thirsting for knowledge upon this im-
portant subject. In the first column he points out that 60
has been agreed upon as a suitable generator voltage for arc
•welding, and that the earlier specified 100 volts is unnecessary.
In this he is correct, but in the second column he states
" 60/80 " volts as quite satisfactory, while further on he
rises to 90 volts. In the third column it is stated that a
generator should be selected having a range of "30 to 100 "
volts.

In the second column, the voltage for a bare metal arc
is given as " 25 to 35." Even the lower figure here is too
high for bare metal, while the higher would mean a very
Jong arc and a spongy deposit. A bare metal electrode in
the hands of a skilled operator should never exceed 22 volte,

while 18 and 20-volt arcs are quite usual. Manganese steel
electrodes do not require any higher voltage than mild steel,
and the figure of 300 amperes named for the current is far
too high for any gauge of electrode in common use. No. 4
gauge is the largest, and the current here should not exceed
200 amperes.

.'V .slag-covered electrode may require a higher initial or
gener.ator voltage, but the arc potential will be consistent with
that of the uncovered electrode. It is only when the flow
of the pools of molten slag threatens to wa.sh out the arc
that the higher initial voltage serves to maintain it.

In describing the reverse-compound-wound afc welding
generator, the writer omits to state that separate excitation
for the shunt winding is necessary. Without it, the machine
would be a failure, owing to the heavy rush of current upon
striking the arc demagnetising the fields, or even reversing
the permanent magnetism. It should also have been pointed
out that these machines are only suitable for supplying cur-
rent to one arc.

The writer states that 5 kw. per welder is sufficient for
average conditions. If 60 volts is the accepted line pressure
this would allow each welder S3 amperes, which value does
not agree with the other figures given. If the allowande is
based upon the assumption that self-regulating machines will
be used, the figure would suffice for light welding, but this
should have been stated.

London. «' B^^**" Swift.

September ISth, 1920.

Domestic Supply Pressure and Wiring.

No reader of the Review should miss the long and valuable
article by Mr. C. H. Wordingham in your issue of the 17th.

One may hope that the Wiring Pailes Committee will give
every attention to the question of " Graded Regulations,"
and that the coming session of the I.E.E. may produce some
paper which will permit of discussion on the lines of the
Past-President's suggestive communication.

The cooker with self-contained transformer sounds revolu-
tionary, and may entail metering difficulties, but reversion
to higher distribution and lower consumers' pressures does
appear imminent.

The suggestion that loss of energy in the form of heat in
wdring used for electric stoves is not necessarily waste leads
one to a convector method of warming in which low-tem-
perature elements are distributed over the room, i.e., the
conductor cable and heating element tend to merge into
one another; however, a large proportion of our occasional
heating will no doubt continue to be elTected by radiation ;
the cheerful and healthy characteristics of high-temperature
radiation have given the modern electric .stove its popularity.

The basis of simpUfied house wiring must' lie with a
reformed tariff system ; once secure a method of payment
by some form of subscription or assessment, with a uniform
rate for all energy through a single meter, and many im-
provements become possible.

A rising main, looped into each floor or room, and multiway
outlets to which local lighting, heating, and power can be
connected, immediately suggests itself. Instead of plugging
a 600-watt kettle into a 60-watt lamp socket, we shall then
plug the local lighting circuits and all small consuming
devices into a receptacle attached to the main heat terminals
for the floor or room in question.

Given a low-tension supply (say, 50 volts) on the consumer's
side of the meter, and it becomes worth while to consider
even wiring the house by running cable up outside the walls
and looping into a terminal box on each floor; considerable
modifications in practice would result, and much greater
freedom could be given in the design and use of all acces-
sories. To-day we encumber the w'ork with costly safeguards,
and when the job is finished the consumer buys perhaps a
washing machine, with lint partly protected motor and leads,
which she proceeds to use without any earthing provision
in a scullery slopping with water, and bristhng with taps
and metal work, which are handled whilst working with the
washer and its connections.

J. W. Beauchamp.

Director and Secretary,

London. The Electrical Development Association.

September mii. 1920.

The thanks of all who are interested in the future of the
electrical industry are due — and no doubt will be accorded —
to Mr. 'VN'ordingham for his article in last week's Review. I
have no doubt it will be regarded as a landmark in the history
nf electricity supply, not so much for the blessing he bestows
on cheap wiring, but for his daring act in exploding a bomb
in such close proximity to that sublime and stately edifice — i
the I.E.E. rules. " \

In politics the meaning of a move of this nature would be I
obvious to all. and it is to be hoped that in this instance the '
object iu view is the same.

The I.E.E. rules are admirable iu fhem.selves, but they are
not easy of sensible application liy the stupid and inexperi-
enced. In other words, in the hands of the exix'rienced and
conscientious they are a safeguard, but when entrusted to fools
thev are the cause of endless futility. As an instance, the

Vol. 87. No. 2,235, September 24, 1920,] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

395

regulations say that installations in certain cases must be con-
trolled by a double-pole linked switch ; this was recently inter-
preted by a supply authority, in such a manner that they
refused to connect a seven-light job, as two single-pole tumbler
s« itches had been used, and this presumably with the concur-
rence of the chief engineer.

One of the unpleasant features in the application of any set
of wiring regulations becomes prominent when these are placed
in the hands of a supply authority who are in possession of
wii'ing powers, and therefore in a position to compete with
those whose work they have to pass. The limited powers of
supply authorities are not generally known, and I doubt the
advisability of allowing the matter to be generally realised, as
it would tend to encoiu-age undesirable wiremen in their cam-
paign of shoddy work, and add another " bayonet " to the side
of the engineer. It is, however, very galling to find trivial
omissions or deviations from the I.E.E. rules, in unimportant
installations, being made the excuse for refusal of connection,
which can but tend to discredit the contractor in the eyes of
his client.

The remedy for this is that all inspection be taken from the
hands of the supply authority and entrusted to an independent
trustworthy and experienced inspector, who would be directly
responsible to the Commissioners. It should be made compul-
sory for all contractors and supply authorities to notify the
appointed inspector of all work in progress, and a certificate
from him on completion should be taken as a guarantee that
an installation was suitable for connection.

The present system, as practised in some districts, of
entrusting the inspecting of installations to inexperienced
youths, who are also responsible for subsequently connecting
those installations, is so obviously unsound and unfair that it
is incredible that it should be allowed to exist.

I will not elaborate this point further at present, but will
leave it in the hope that others of your readers will express
their opinions, on the matter.

Thomas Smith,
Smith & Bellhouse, Wolverhampton.

September Wth, 1920.

BUSINESS NOTES.

British Thomson-Houston Co.,

Ltd

Sloan Electrical Co

Stanley Palmer

Bankruptcy Proceedings. — Rf J- J. Symons (tradina;

as the Zodiac Peerless Electric Lamp Co., 25, Denmark Street.
Chariner Cross Road, W.C. — The first meeting of creditors under
this failure was held at the London Bankruptcy Court, on
September 16th, before Mr. Walter Boyle, Official Receiver. A
statement of affairs was presented showing unsecured liabilities
£2,200 and assets valued at £216. The Chairman reported that it
appeared from the debtor's statements to the Examiner that he
was formerly in the employ of an electrical company, and there
gained a knowledge of the industry. In October, 1918, he entered
into partnership with his father, and they started business as
electric lamp factors under the above style. They jointly provided
a capital of £20o at the outset, and his father subsequently
advanced a further £2oO for the business. The partnership was
dissolved in November, 1919. on terms that the debtor took over
the business, with the liabilities and assets, and gave his father a
bill fer £200 in consideration of his interest in the business. The
debtor continued the business in the same name, and commenced to
manufacture lamp shades in addition to the lamps. He obtained
good orders, and, as he acted as his own traveller, he left the
management to employes, through whom he lost a considerable
sum ; a further £20o or £300 was lost through a burglary, in
consequence of which he h?.d to cancel orders and return certain
goods. A private meeting of the creditors was held last August,
when the creditors demanded lOs. in the £ ; the debtor was
unable to arrange that composition, and these proceedings ensued.
He attributed his failure to bad trade ; to fall in value of a large
stock of materials in hand ; and to the loss by burglary. A resolu-
tion was passed for Mr. A. H. Partridge, ilA, Warwick Court,
Holborn, to act as trustee and administer the estate in bankruptcy.
The following are the principal creditors : —

Rarrett & Co., W.J £747

Perrott & Sons, W. K 573

Scott, Son & Co., Ltd 571

Symonds, J 214

A. R. Meogett, electrical engineer, 45, Thrumpton Lane, East
Retford, Notts. — The public examination of this debtor was held
on September 16th, at Sessions House. Lincoln. Debtor's state-
ment of affairs showed gross liabilities of £692, of which
£677 was due to unsecured creditors, and assets of £278,
leaving a deficiency of £399. Debtor attributed his failure
to want of capital and to cost of time of man when awaiting
delivery of material. Debtor stated that he was appren-
ticed to a firm of electrical engineers at Birmingham, and
after serving his time he worked on his own account as
a journeyman until December, 1919, when he opened a business
at Retford with a capital of about £20. He filed his petition on
receiving a County Court ^ecution levied on his efl^ects for £22.
He had kept no books. He had entered into contracts, one of
which was for .£300. His total contracts during the short
time he was in business amounted to about £l,n00. He believed
he had always under-estimated in making out these contracts.
Further questioned, debtor said that when he had had executions
or County Court summonses his' father-in-law had paid them out.
The examination was formally adjourned.

H. Turner, electrician, 31, St. Paul's Road, Southsea. — Receiving
order made September 15th. on debtor's own petition.

W. H. Mellon (H. B. Wallis & Co.), electrical engiueer,
Chiswick. — First and final dividend of 2s. 5d. in the £, payable
September 22nd, at Ofllcial Receiver's Office, 14, Bedford
Row, W.C.

A. S. Pal.meu, journeyman electrician, Margate. — First and
final dividend of Is. 2id, in the £, payable September 25th, at the
Official Receiver's Office, 68a, Castle Street, Canterbury.

Catalogues and Lists. — Messrs. .Iones & Pordes,

8, Crawford Passage, Farringdon Road, E.G. l.^New issue of
'"Elba " dry cell leaflet.

Messrs. Mavor k Coulson, Ltd., 47, Broad Street, Mile End,
Glasgow. — A collection of 40 illustrated leaflets dealing with many
types of industrial switchgear, kc, including ironclad and flame-
proof installations for mines, A.c. and D.c. ; switchboards, distri^
bution pillars, joint boxes, tramway type controllers, &c,

H. W. SOLLIVAN, 368 and 369, Winchester House, E.C. 2.— A
catalogue (15pp.) of "Sullivan" electric fires and grills of many
patterns. The list is fully priced and illustrated.

Columbia Steel and Engineering Co., Ltd., 329, High
Holborn, W.C. 1.— A booklet (23 pp.) dealing with bright, cold
rolled, free cutting mild steel, and turned and polished shafting,
Illustrated table of metric equivalents.

The General Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Queen 'Victoria Street,
E.G. 4.— List No. WK43 (8 pp.). A well illustrated publication
dealing with " Witton-Kramer " electric monorail hoists, &;c., and
including worm-geared and spur-geared winches, electric friction
hoists, and electric capstans, with leading dimensions, speeds, h.p.
of motors, lifting capacities, &c.

The Electrical Supplies Co., The Light-House, 233, Totten-
ham Court Road, W.— Sheets 51 to 54 dealing with alabaster bowl
fittings, ornamental lighting brackets, standards, &c. Also a net
trade price list (8 pp.) covering a wide field of electrical fittings,
A:c., from accumulators to cables, conduits, switches and plugs.

Rhodes Motors, Ltd., Riverside Works, Doncaster. — Stock List,
September, 1920, giving particulars of D.c. and A.c. motors for sale.

" Welco Patents," 1.")0. Alma Street, Birmingham. — \.n illus-
trated and priced leaflet of electric fires lin antique copper or
oxydised silver finish.

William Brvce, 54 and 54 a, Lothian Street, Edinburgh. — Listof
technical works (72 pp.), grouped under many headings and relating
to electrical and mechanical engineering, building construction, &c.

The Jackson Electric Stove Co., Ltd., 143, Sloane Street,
S.W. 1. — A catalogue (32 pp.) of electrical cooking and heating
apparatus, profu.sely Ulustrated, with price list. The publication
deals with electric cookers, toasters, kettles, hot-plates, water-
heaters, irons and various types of electric fires.

Company Liquidations.— Bombay Electric Supply

AND Tramways Co., Ltd. — Winding up voluntarily. Liquidators,
Mr. F. G. Rimington and Mr. N. H. Moos, who are authorised to
consent to the registration of a new company (Bombay Electric
Supply and Tramways Co., Ltd.), which wUl acquire the entire
undertaking as a going concern. Meeting of creditors, October 4th,
at 3, Clement's Inn, W.C.

GoKAK Water Power and Manufacturing Co., Ltd. —
Meeting called for October 2uth, at 9, King William Street, E.G., to
hear an account of the winding up from the liquidator, Mr. W.
Lethbridge.

Brolt, Ltd. (Incorporated 1911). — Meeting of members, October
25th. at 1!0, Colmore Row, Birmingham, to hear an account of the
winding up from the liquidator.

Trade Announcements.— The Financial Times reports
that at the meeting of the Humphrey Pump Co., held last week,
the agreement between the company and William Beardmore& Go.,
for the sale of the patent rights of the water-column pump, wa«
appro 7ed.

Messrs. Hyatt, Ltd.. are removing on September 29th to larger
offices at Thurloe Place, South Kensington, S.W. 7.

Mr. R. J. Clarke has transferred his business to 17, Great
Brunswick Street, Dublin, not to 11, Townsend Street (which is
his former address), as stated on p. 334 of our issue for
September 10th.

The Institute op Cost and Works Accountants has removed
to larger premises at 38, Grosvenor Gardens, Victoria, S.W. 1. A
library is in course of formation for the use of members, and a
reading room is being provided.

Dissolutions of Partnership.— Barrack, Cass and

Timm, electrical engineers and contractors, 6, Park Place, Leeds. —
Messrs. J. W. Garrack, W. H. Cass, and H. B. Timm have dissolved
partnership. Debts will be attended to by Messrs. ,T. W. Carrack
and W. H. Casa, who will continue the business under the style of
Carrick k Cass. _. .

Hills & DbLotbiniere, consulting engineers, 9, Victoria Street,
S.W.— Major-General A. C. J. de Lotbiniere and Brig.-General
E. H. Hills have dissolved partnership.

896

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. no. 2,235, septbmbeb 24, 1920.

Newton & Co., manufacturers and dealers in lantern slides and
slide boxes, 37, King Street, Covent Garden, W.C, and opticians
and scientific instrument makers, at 72, Wigmore Street, W. —
Mr. H. C. Newton and Mr. R. S. Wright have dissolved partnership.
Debts due and owing to the King Street business will be attended
to by Mr. H. C. Newton, who will continue the business at that
address under the style of Xewton k. Co., and as to the Wigmore
Street business by Mr. R. S. Wright, who will continue the business
as Newton & Co., at 72, Wigmore Street, W.

C. Dalks & Sons, watchmakers, jewellers, opticians, and elec-
tricians, 113, Poole Road, Bournemouth. — Messrs. C. and T. H.
Dales have dissolved partership. Mr. C. Dales will attend to debts
and continue the business under the style of Charles Dales.

Lead. — Messes. James Fokster & Co. report (September

18th):—

Tbe Broken Hill smelters, as is now generally known, have intimated their
inability to complete "average" contracts for September and October because
of the strike. America is again on the market, and France is also a buyer.

Domestic trade has bef n falling off lately, but this week there has been quite
a good demand for prompt lead, and some consumers have been buying for
delivery up to the end of the year.

The settlement of the electrical engineers' dispute and the better prospects
of a settlement in the coal trade should help all markets, and, not least, metals.

Messes. G. Cawson & Co. report : —

The market has been erratic and unsettled, owing to labour troubles. The
price fell as low as .£34 10s. for distant months, while prompt remained at J635.
From this point there has been quite a good recovery, owing to the settlement
of the electrical workers', strike, and also a better feeling as to the prospects of
settlement of the coal stiike. The discount on forward lead has now dis-
appeared,_and lead in all positions September to December may be quoted

.£35 153. The general trade di
that electrical works may, pci
this, however, is naturally st 1 1

The future of lead is still ..

Supplies still continue to
country may now send larger qu

d ha

not improved, although it is expected
i^pnsed to operate a little more freely;
M> the outcome of the coal strike.
;i.-,.l.

The latter
ain in their

favour, and will encourage them to make larger shipments to this country.

France now seems to be quite independ.3i't of this country; in fact,
apparently they now have surplus lead to ship here, the exchange also being
exceedingly favourable for them.

The outlook for the time being is, perhaps, a little brighter. We cannot,
however, help thinking that lead is still too dear, and will eventually have to
settle down on a lower level.

E.D.A. Activities. — A fuither iiidicaticn of the activities
of the Electrical Development Association is afforded by the
receipt of another bunch of pamphlets from the society's head-
quarters. Following the usual lines, these publications deal with
the domestic side of electricity, stress being laid upon the labour
saving and cleanliness inseparable from its use. Lighting is dealt
with in a booklet contrasting good and bad illumination, and
giving copious notes on the way to obtain the best effects under
various conditions, with hints for wiring. The Association has
also issued an adhesive coloured label entitled " Electricity for
Light and Life, Work and Play," which bears an attractive design.
Another new print is a postcard, illustrating a thermometer, a fan
and a radiator, which calls attention to the adaptability of elec-
tricity to the extremely changeable conditions of the English
climate,

One of the great difficulties which had to be faced when the
proposition to form a British Electrical Development Association
took practical shape, consisted in the fact that the electricity
supply industry in this country was mainly in the hands of muni-
cipal authorities, which were more or less tied. Financial support
was, of course, indispensable, but the powers of municipslitiep in
this respect were restricted ; that obstacle was not incapable of
circumvention, but a second, and, perhaps, greater difficulty lay in
the necessity of convincing the members of the Committee in
charge of an undertaking that it was in their interest to subscribe
to the funds. We are glad to know that a letter has been circulated
to the members of the I.M.E.A. by their Council, strongly urging
them to support the Association, and testifying to the excellent
work that has already been accomplished by "' E.D.A."

Swedish Electrometallnrgy. — The Swedish A.B.

Elektrometall, which owns the patents of Gronwall, Liudblad, and
Stalhane, for the electrical production of pig-iron, steel and other
metals and alloys, and which also grants licences to work them,
proposes to reduce the company's share capital by one-half, and
repay the amount to the shareholders. The object is to prepare
the company for the future in face of the fact that one-half of the
period of patent protection has already expired.

Tlie Italian Labour Crisis. — The Federation of Manu-
facturers on September Itjth approved a resolution demanding the
evacuation of the factories seized by the workmen, and compensa-
tion for damages, but accepting the principle of control as enforced
by legislative enactments on condition, first, that it entails the
co-operation and equal responsibility of the various parties con-
cerned in production, and, secondly, that it is done in the interests
of the community without encroaching upon the freedom of move-
ment necessary to industry. — Renter (Milan).

Winnipeg University. — Electrical Catalogues Wanted.

— n.M. Trade Commissioner at Winnipeg, in a recent dispatch,
reports that Prof. E. P. Fetherstonhaugh, B.Sc, Department of
Electrical Engineering, Tlniversity of Manitoba, Winnipeg, has
promised to notify the Department of Overseas Trade of any addi-
tional apparatus that is required in connection with the equipment
of the new laboratories of the University. The professor would
be glad, in the meantime, if United Kingdom manufacturers of
electrical instruments and apparatus would place his department
on their mailing lists for catalogues and advertising matter.

Applications for Britisli Trade-Marks. — Appended is a

summary of the recent applications for British trade-marks in
respect of goods connected with the electrical industries and
trades : —

Rippla. No. 3y7 928. Class 6. Electrical machinery and parts.
H. J. Handcock, 11, 'Victoria Street, S.W. ; A. S. Brown, 7, Queen
Square, Finsbury Avenue, EC. ; Chas. Oliver, Cambridge Place,
Bur rage Road, Woolwich; and A. H. Dyker, 11, Victoria Street,
S.W. December 2nd, 1919.

The Dolphin. No. 401,576. Class 13. Electric lamps and
fittings therefor. Philip Knowle, 27, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
March 3rd, 1920.

Reliable Canadian Products (lettering combined with design).
No. 393,096. Class 8. Electrical batteries and cells (not for medical
purposes). Dominion Battery Co., Ltd., 736, Dundas Street East,
Toronto, Canada. July 28th, 1919.

E. (letter combined with design). No. 405,008. Class 13.
Electrical apparatus. George Ellison, Wellhead Lane Works, Perry
Barr, Birmingham. June 9th, 1920.

Callophone (lettering in design form). No. 100,904. Class 8.
Telephonic apparatus and accessories. The International Callo-
phone Corporation, 151, Grand Street, New York. February
ISth, 1920.

T.F.E S. Co., Ltd. (lettering combined with design). No. 401,965.
Class 18. Electric lighting apparatus. Fairless Engineering
Supplies Co., Ltd., Station Works, Allison Street, Stockton-on-Tees.
March 16th, 1920.

Thor. No. 404,02(). Class 13. Electric lamps. Haslam and
Stretton, Ltd., 11, Windsor Place, Cardiff. May 11th, 1920.

Wico. No. 402,380. Class 6. Magnetos and electrical machines.
Witherbee Igniter Co., 132, Liberty Street, Springfield, Mass ,
U.S.A. March 13th, 1920.

S.C. (lettering combined with design). No. 398,715. Class 13.
Sparking plugs. Jean Sender & Co., 11, Rue Chartran, Nenilly-
sar-Seine, France. December 22nd, 1919.

Polar Cub. No. 391,717. Class 6. Electric fans, motors,
generators, &c. The A. C. Gilbert Co., 119, Blatchley Avenue, New
Haven, Conn., U.S.A. May 2.ilh, 1919.

Aerex. No. 401,400. Class 9. Electric vacuum or suction
apparatus for player pianos. H. W. Yeager & Co., 154, North llth
Street, Philadelphia, U.S.A. March 2nd, 1920.

Siemens (lettering combined with design). Nos. 39.'^ 633 and
398,634. Class 8. Dry cells. Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd., Palace Place
Mansions, Kensington Court, London, W. December 29th, 1919.

Peel. No. 405,494. Class 11. Electric switches. General
Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Q\ieen Victoria Street, London, E.C. June
24th, 1920.

Vecolite. No. 402,031. Class 50. Insulating material. Ida
Booth, 27, Fairfax Road, Bedford Park, London, W. March
18th, 1920.

Arcobio. No. 366,734. Class 4. Carbons tor electric arc lamps.
Gebriider Siemens & Co, 128-137, Herzbergsttasse, Lichtenberg,
Berlin. December 18th, 1914.

Arrota. No. 401.637. Class 13. Electrical and motor acces-
sories. The Arrota Electrical and Motor Accessories Co., Ltd.,
Charles Street, Louth. March 9th, 1920.

Elfa (.lettering combined with design). No. 404.713. Class 13.
Electric torches and metal cases therefor. Arthur Kupper, 62,
Noordestraat, Amsterdam, Holland. June 1st, 1920.

Paragon. No. 401,811. Class 13. Electric switches, fuses and
cut-outs. The Midland Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Stafford
Works, Barford Street, Birmingham. May 3rd, 1920.

Shielda. No. 404,812. Class 13. Electric switches, fuses and
cut- outs. The Midland Electric Manufacturing Co . Ltd , Stafford
Works, Barford Street, Birmingham. May 3rd, 1920.

M.L. (lettering combined with design). No. 405,263. Class 6.
Ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines. The M L.
Magneto Syndicate, Ltd., Victoria Works, West Orchard, Coventry.
June irth, 1920.

F.P. (lettering combined with design). No. 404,664. Class 13.
Electrical goods. Ferguson, Pailin, Ltd., Edward Street, Higher
Openshaw, Manchester. May 31st, 1920.

French Porcelain and Electrical Apparatus, — The share-
holders in the Societe des Porcelaines et A ppareillages Electriques
Grammont have sanctioned an increase in the share capital from
3,000,000 to 5,000, OCO fr. and the issue of bonds as occasion may
arise, for 5, C 00,000 fr., bearing interest at the rate of from 6 to GJ per
cent. It is explained that the capital augmentation is justified by
the working of the Radiguet establishments, which comprise two
works at Limoges and several quarries, and which were acquired a
few months ago.

Trade with Turkey. — The Board of Trade Jonrtial for
September 16th contains a full review of the report of Capt. C. H.
Courthope-Munroe, Commercial Secretary to the British High
Commission at Constantinople, on the situation with regard to trade
resumption in Turkey. American competition, the need for greater
British enterprise in the market, methods of doing business, repre-
sentation, pitf^ills and precautionary measures for dealing with
them, are discussed.

German Export Trade. — The Committee of the Foreign

Trade Department for Electrical Engineering is forming a com-
merce and export trade group which, similarly to the technical
trade group, will participate in discussions concerning the course
of prices, especially with the object of meeting the complaints of
merchants in connection with the present difficult situation. The
Committee expresses the opinion that everything possible must be
(Jone to prevent a panic at the present time.

Tol.87. No. 2,235, Sbptembek 24, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL iiEVlEWc

397

Contract Conditions.— A report of the .Sydney (N.S.W.)

Municipal (Jouucil states that with regard tu the question of
provision for variations in the amounts of contracts for plant
in connection with the Council's electric hghtiug undertaking,
and in connection with which the British Klectrical and
Allied Manufacturers' Association has addressed a letter, dated
July 9th, ly'JU, provision will be made in future contracts, as
follows : —

" In the event of any increase in the price of material
occurriug between the date of tender and the date of coip-
pietion of the contract, the net amount of such increase shall
be added to the contract price, a certificate from any recog-
nised firm of auditors to be accepted as final in the event of
any dispute as to the amoutit ot such increase. For every
shilling or pro rata increase in wages occurring between the
said dates, i per cent, or pro rata, shall be added to the
contract price, the latter increase being in the same propor-
tion as the unexpired period of the contract is to the total
period. In the event of completion of the work being delayed
by causes beyond the reasonable control of the contractors,
the contract period shall be extended accordingly, and any
increase shall apply also to such extension, with the further
condition that provision shall be made for reductions in the
contract amount with decreases in the cost of material and
labour, as well as for increases in the contract amount with
increases in the cost of material and labour."

Aastralian Criticism of Britisli Electrical Manufacturers.

The Alclbuurne Aye tor July 'iOth contained the following: —
" Owing to the virtual suspension of the manufacture of
electrical machinery during the war, manufacturers of this
machinery all over the world are at jiresent deluged with
orders, whose date of fulfilment is a matter of great uncer-
tainty. What will happen when the deluge passes away and
production and orders become normal it is difficult to say,
but the indications are that British manufacturers, who are
reported to be treating their colonial customers with short-
sighted indifterence, will sufl'er. Though American manu-
facturers are also more than busy with orders, they are
making special elforts to meet the needs of new customers,
particularly those in Australia and other British Dominions,
who have been looking to Kngland for theii' supphes. Many
items of electrical machinery had necessarily to be purchased
from America during the war, and since the war the enor-
mous differences in the quoted prices, which the very high
rate of exchange has not been sufficient to comjpeusate, have
induced the continuance of trading relations with American
manufacturers, whose future advantage they have not been
slow to reaUse. Mr. J. H. Butters, general manager of the
Tasmanian hydro-electric scheme, is going to England shortly,
and will, it is stated, strive to bring home to British manu-
facturers of electrical machinery the extreme undesirability,
from an Imperial point of view, of the continuance of the
unfortunate state of affairs mentioned."

Patents and Designs Act, 1919. — liEGisTEATioN.—

Attention is directed to Section 16 of the Patents and Designs
Act, 1919, and especially to sub-section (4), which provides
that a document or instrument in resi)ect of which no entry
has been made in the Register of Patents shall not be ad-
mitted in evidence in any court in proof of the title to a
patent or to any interest therein unless the court otherwise
directs.

Attention is also directed to the First Schedule of the
Patents Rules, 1920, which provides that upon application
for entry of name of subsequent proprietor or for entry of
notices of a mortgage, hcence or other document, in the
Register of Patents, if made within six months from date
of acquisition of proprietorship or interest, or the coming
into force of the Rules, the fee payable in respect of one
patent is £1. If such application be made after the six months
period in question, the fee payable in respect of one patent
is £10. Inasmuch as the I'atents Rules, 19'20, came into
operation on April 1st last, it should be noted that in order
to avoid the payment of the increased fee all such applica-
tions for registration in respect of dealings effected prior to
that date should be received at the Patent Office, 25, South-
ampton Buildings, W.C. 2, not later than September 30th,
1920.

Copies of the Patents and Designs Act, 1919 (3d., by post
4id.), and of the Patents Rules, 1920 (Is., by post Is. 2d.), can
be obtained from the Sale Branch of the Patent Office, 25,
Southampton Buildings, London, W.C. 2. — B. of T. Journal.

New French Compinies. — There has been formed at
Paris {8, Avenue Percier) the Energie Electrique du Tarn,
with a capital of 1,000,000 fr.

SocietiJ d'Etudos de Chauifage Industriel is the style of a
company formed at Nantes (76, Rue de la Bastille), with a
capital of o(Xl,0(X) fr., for the erection of heating systems,
especially that by electricity.

For the working of the Moulin-Pavre-BuUe electric clock
patents the Compapnie Generale des Appareils Horo-Electri-
ques has been constituted, with a capital of 1,200,000 fr. Ita
headquarters arc at 17, Rue Gambetta, Boulogne-.sur-Seino.

Porcelainerie d'Etampes is the title of a company launched
at Paris (12, Rue Beranger) for the manufacture of electro-
jtechnical porcelain. Its capital -is 400,000 fr.

A company styled the Mecanique Rotative, formed for tlie
ponatruction and working of every system of heat, water, and

electric motors, and especially turbo-machines, has been es-
tablished at Paris (8, Avenue Percier), with a capital of
2,000,000 fr.

The Approvisionnement Electrique Ultra (Eeinbold, Lamb-
lin et Cie) has been constituted a company at Saint Ouen
(Seine) (3, Rue Morand), to carry out all operations related
to electric tool equipment, machines, and metal founding.
Its capital is 300,000 fr.

There has been formed at Lyons (60, Rue Chaponney) a
company styled Etabhssements H. Parmilleux, for the manu-
facture, sale, and repair of gas and electrical apparatus. Its
capital is 600,000 fr.

La Precision Electrique is the name of a newly registered
company, whose objects are the manufacture and sale of
mechanical and electrical apparatus, instruments, &c. Iti
capital is 350,000 fr. ; offices, 10, Rue Croce-Spinelli, Paris.

With a capital of 200,000 fr. the Societe d'Outillage Me-
canique et Electrique has been formed, with offices at 48,
Avenue La Bourdonnais, Paris. Its objects are the manu-
facture of mechanical and electrical equipment.

Having made a loss of 200,000 fr. on last year's working,
the Electrique de I'Orleanais Company has decided to amalga-
mate with the Energie Industrielle.

After being authorised last month to raise the company's
capital from 25,000,000 to 70,000,000 fr., the administration
of the Electricite et Gaz du Nord have now been empowered
to advance the capital t9 100,000,000 fr.

The following companies have increased their capital : La
Lumi^re Electrique (from 150,000 to 1,200,000 fr.) ; the Com-
pagnie Generale de Telegraphic et de Telepbonie (from
J,.500,0lX) to 5,000,000 fr.) ; and Les Fabrications Electriques
(from 800,000 to 1,100,000 fr.).

The Societe de Fournitures Electriques has been registered
a company at Strasburg, with a capital of 100,000 fr., to
carry on the business of electrical suppliers.

Under the style of Societe d'Electrification Omnia, Cau-
tereau et Cie, a company has been formed at Paris (89, Rue
de Flandre) with a capital of 2.50,000 fr., for the application
of electricity to industrial and private requirements. _

La Sociite de Materiel Electrique d'Asnieres has just been
formed at Asnieres (39, Rue de Paris), with a capital of one
million francs.

A new company has lately baen formed in Paris (27, RneLaffitte)
with a capital of two million franco and the title La Socieic
Electrotechnique de Metallurg^ie.

To work an electric Hsfhtinsr concession styled the "Secteur
Electrique du Coura de la Republique," at Roanne, Messrs. Sainton
and Noirot have formed a company, with a capital of 50,000 fr.

The Etabliasements Bardon (Societe de Construction Electrique
et Mecanique) is the style of a company formed, with a capital of
1,000,000 fr.(rai9able to 5,000,000 fr. by simple decision of the
board), for the manufacture and sale of all kinds of electric and
mechanical apparatus. Its offices are at 61, Boulevard National
Clinchy (Seine).

With a capital of 800,000 fr. has been constituted a company
styled the Manufacture Parisienne de Fila et Cables Electriques
(offices, 50, Rue Stendhal, Paris), for research into and
manufacture of all kinds of electric conductors and their
conatituents.

Fiollet et Cie., with offices at 50, Rue de la Folie Reprnault, Paris,
have been constituted a company for the manufacture and sale of
cables, electric wire, and insulating subatances. Capital,
520,000 fr.

The Societe des Forces Motrices du Rhone has raised its
capital from 30,000,000 to 40,000,000 fr. by the issue to the share-
holders of 20,000 500-fr. shares.

In order to enlarge its motor works. La Dauphinoise Electrique
haa raised its capital to 1,000,000 fr. The new capital was taken up
by the shareholders.

The Etablissements Maljournal et Bourron have increased their
capital from S,OOO,O0O to 8,000,000 fr.

For Sale. — Middleton (Lanes.) Corporation Electricity
Department invites offers for one Lancashire boiler, 30 ft. by 8 ft.,
with fittings complete, one 300/100-K\v. BelHss-Lancashire Dynamo
Co.'s steam set, with switchgear and Korting's ejector. For full
particulars, see our advertisement pages to-day.

Me.ssrs. Leopold Farmer & Soss will sell by auction on
October 12th, at 22, Cross Street, Islington, N. 1, plant, machinery,
and stock of the Betemal Engineers, Ltd., incorporating the
Vaughan Engineering Co. (See our advertisement pages to-day.)

Harrow Electric Light and Power Co., Ltd., invites offers
for three (jO-kw. Willano-Crompton generating sets, one 180-KW.
Willans-Siemeus ditto, one WUlans-Crompton steam balancer, four
Babcook water-tube boilers, economiser, fan, &c. (See our advertise-
ment pages to-day.)

Heckmondwike Urban District Council invites offers for one
75-KW. Raavell-Fowler generating set and one 76-KW. Fowler
generator. See our advertisment pages to- day.

An Exhibition at Qheat— Renter s Trade Service reports
that an international exhibition of architecture, building, and
kindred industries is to be held at Ghent next year from April 16th
to June 14th. The exhibition will include departments for
architecture in general, building construction, cheap dwelling
houses, hygienic installations, lighting and heating apparatus,
electricity in all its applications, small tools, means of transport
(motor and other vehicles), &c. Applications for space should be
addressed, before the new year, to Monsieur A, Becker, 40, Rue
Joseph Hazard, Uccle Bruxelles,

398

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,235, September 24, 1920,

PJug Standards in Canada, — The Department of

Overseas lYade informs us that a communication has been
received from H.M. Trade Commissioner in Toronto (Mr.
F. W. Field) in which he quotes the following report on
standard plugs and receptacles, of the Regulations and Stan-
dards Committee of the Association of Municipal Electrical
Utilities of Ontario. This was unanimously adopted by the
delegates at the convention of the Association at Niagara
Falls, Ontario, in June : —

" Your committee have endeavoured to secure information
in view of adopting standard plugs and receptacles. The
sale of appliances and satisfaction in the use of same by_the
pubUc has been hindered owing to the confusion in existing
plugs and receptacles. After careful consideration the com-
mittee report as follows : —

"Inasmuch as there is no standard practice covering the
design of plugs and receptacles for permanent installations,
and as there is a great need of having plugs and receptacles*
whose parts are interchangeable, be it resolved that this
committee recommend and adopt the use of receptacles, plugs,
and plug caps as follows : —

" 1. Receptacles shall have parallel contacts suitable for
both parallel and tandem caps.

" 2. Plug bases shall have parallel contact or contacts suit-
able for both parallel and tandem caps.

" 3. Caps shall have parallel contacts.

" i. Contact dimensions of caps shall be as follows : Outside,
..560; inside, .436; width, .'250; thickness, .062."

There are now in u.se in Ontario 12 different plugs made
by the same number of manufacturers, all of which are
interchangeable. It is likely that the managers of the munici-
pal electrical enterprises throughout Ontario will specify those
plugs when making purchases in future.

Social Events.— In rjl7. in order to combat the serious
shortage of foodstulfs due to the war, certain em-
ployes of the County of London Electric Supply Co.,
Ltd., diligently cultivated allotments, and at the end
of the season conveyed certain of their produce to
one of the local yards for inspection by their fellow
workers. The movement " caught on," and in 1918 the
company's staff formed the County of London Electi'ic
Supply Co.'s Allotments and Garden Society, headed by the
engineer-in-chief, Mr. C. P. Sparks, as president. Members
were enrolled to the number of 196, and an exhibition was
held in a spacious marquee, beating all attempts of the
previous year. In 1919, further great strides were made.
The membership increased to 240. This year the position
of the country's food supply having become easier, the societv
determined to cater also for those of the staff not interested
in allotment work, and the name of the Society was changed
to the" Horticultural and Social Society" under the presi-
dentship of Sir Harry Renwick, K.B.E., deputy chairman
of the company. A full season's cricket fixtures have been
carried out, various concerts have been held with increasing
attendances, and the membership has increased to 380. The
fourth annual exhibition and garden party was held on
Saturday, September 4th, in picturesque private grounds in
Clapham Park, London, S.\\'. The exhibits of vegetables and
flowers numbered 350, covering some 1,000 sq. ft. of table
space, the display surpassing all previous records. Over 500
visitors attended, and music was rendered by the band of
the 6th Battalion London Regiment. The prizes were pre-
sented by Lady Renwick. Mr. R. E. Ford, F.R.H.S., judged
the exhibits, and stated that he had never seen a better
arranged exhibition, and that the various exhibits were worthy
of competition in any professional show.

The first annual sports meeting (under A.A.A. Rules) of
Puller's United Social and Athletic Association was held on
Saturday, September 11th, in a meadow at Goodmayes. About
1,-500 were present. The programme contained open, closed,
and invitation events, and provision was made for the ladle.';
and young people. Inter-departmental events were keenly
contested, and cau.sed great interest. Among the visiting com-
petitors were teams from the Sterling Telephone Co., the Hart
Accumulator Co.. and the Roneo Co. (Romford). Prizes were
distributed by Mrs. G. A. Fuller. Several of the directors
Messrs. G. A. and L. Fuller, and Mr. Gordon, were present!

The Demand for Electrical Goods in Chile. — The

Commercial Secretary to H.M. Legation at Santiago (Mr.
W. F. Vaughan Scott), in a recent report on the demand for
electrical goods in Chile, states that Great Britain to-day
seems to have absolutely no part in this trade, which, taking
the market as a whole, must be very considerable when the
number of electrical installations (over 200) in the country is
taken into account.

He says that owing to the intermittent extreme cold periods
experienced m most parts of Chile during the winter months,
artificial heating is absolutely necessary, and on account of
their convenience, electric stoves are becoming more and
more popular. Nearly all the stoves sold in Chile (over 4.000)
are of Arnerican manufacture. A certain number of stoves
are made in the country and fitted up with American bulbs.
The American stoves are generally quoted f.o.b.. and in
some few cases at port of shipment. No reliable information
can be obtained regarding prices, as the same are constantly
changing, but Mr. Scott gives in his report such informatioii
aa he has been able to collect comparing British and American

prices. He holds that there would be an opportunity for
British manufacturers successfully to compete with all other
makes if they could offer a cheaper, and as well-presented
. stove as the American, that would consume less current, as
charges for energy are high in Santiago.

Electric Bulbs. — (,)f theise, about 60 per cent, are of Ameri-
can manufacture, ' the quahty of which, from information
obtained, i.s not very good"; 30 per cent, are Japanese,
"which, in quality, are inferior to the American article";
and the balance of 10 per cent, correspond to those imported
from other countries.

Electric Wire is principally imported from the United States
of America, Japan, and Spain.

Electric Lamps, Fixtures, &c. — 60 to 70 per cent, are im-
ported, at present, from America, and the balance from other
countries.

Battery Cells are mostly imported from the United States,
and a certain amount from Spain.

A certain quantity of brass insulating tubing is being
manufactured locally.

Aluminium Production in Germany. — Reports have been

in circulation that the Lauta aluminium works near Hoyerswerda.
belonging to the German Government, is in a difficult situation, as
the cost of production substantially exceed prices abroad, and that
orders are consequently lacking, stocks accumulating and workmen
being discharged. It is, however, semi-ofHcially stated that the
reports in this form are incorrect. It is admitted that stocks are
on hand as in other industries. The costs of production are such
that the Iworks could yield a favourable return on the capital in
the present state of the world's markets and the rate of exchange.
Quantities of 600 tons and 200 tons of crude aluminium have recently
been sold for rolling elsewhere and for export by the purchaser.
Under the auspices of the recently-appointed general manager,
it has been found that the number of workmen employed has been
disproportionate to the production, with the result that discharges
have taken place. Not only so, but the generating station, which
is based upon the use of lignite as fuel, has for some time
pa9t been transmitting power to distant places, and a supply will
also shortly be furnished to Berlin, where a shortage of coal
exists. The opinion is entertained by the manager that the
future of the Lauta works is assured, unless the value of the mark
undergoes a fundamental change.

The Use of Electricity in Holland. — According to Trade

Notes forwarded to the Department of Overseas Trade by the Com-
mercial Secretary to H.M. Legation at the Hague, in connection
with the increased price of coal, the Xieinve 1,'orterdamsciie Conrant
states that it is urged that electricity be used to replace gas
wherever possible. The power stations are producing 50 per cent,
more electricity than last year, which was also an increase over
Ifll.S, in spite of rationing. The Hague and Amsterdam have set
the example in making the change from gas to electricity by
adapting the street gas lamps ; other towns, however, have been
slow to follow this course.

At the instance of the Coal Distribution Bureau, the Municipality
of Rotterdam granted a credit of 40,000 florins to electrify SOO
street lanterns ; but, unless constant pressure is exerted, no further
steps will be taken in this direction.

In view of the coal scarcity, industry generally is advised to
spare the use of gas and to extend that of electricity.

Electrical Machinery for Tasmania. — Mr. J. H.

Butters, general manager of the State Hydro-Electric Department,
who left on August 2nd for Canada, the United States, and
England, is studying the latest developments affecting hydro-
electricity, and will select machinery for the big construction
works now in progress in Tasmania. Jlr. Butters wUl also investi-
gate the working of some of the important power, water supply,
and irrigation organisations in Canada and the United States, with
a view to recommending the system most suitable for Tasmania.
He will be absent seven or eight months.

Speaking at a function early in August, Mr. Butters said that
when the Great Lake scheme was completed, they would be
generating 78,000 H.P. Other schemes would then be initiated. A
water-power survey of Tasmanian resources was in progress.
Those controlling the department had in mind a scheme under
which it would be possible ultimately to generate up to 200,000 H.P.
He also stated the department had done its share in connection
with providing for the requirements of the big electrolytic worsk
at Risdon. — Reuters Trade Serrirr.

D.K. Lady Footballers. — The forthcoming tour of

Messrs. Dick, Kebe's ladies football team in France, where they
will play four matches, is to receive the patronage of Lord Derby,
the British Ambassador, who has associated his name with the
undertaking, as have also the directors of the English Electric Co.,
including Sir Charles Ellis, K.C.B. (chairman"), Mr. W. L. Hichena
(deputy chairman). Lord Meston. K.C.S.I.. Sir John AspinaU, Sir
Alex. Gracie, Lieut-Col. Sir John Mansell, D.L., and the officials of
the firm. It is hoped to arrange a match in London on the return
journey on November 9th, The team has raised £8,340 for
charities.

Saturday Work in Australia. — The Compulsory Con-
ference which was called by the State Labour Government to
settle the question of Saturday work, has resulted in a settlement
under which the Unions have agreed to revert to the normal
working week. The dispute originally arose in consequence of
the refusal of the boilermakera and engineers to work on Saturday
to enforce their demand for a 44-hour week. — Jteuter,

Vol.87. No. 2,235, septembbb 24, i9so.]THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

399

The Engineering Dispute.— ^Vten the Court of Inquiry

met on Thursday laat week. Sir Allan Smith drew the chairman's
attention to the recommendations of the National Joint Industrial
Council (reported in our laat issue), and suggested that the Court
should adjourn to enable the parties to consider the position. Mr.
Rowan supported the suggestion, and the chairman adopted it.
On the following morning Sir Allan read an agreement which had
been arrived at, and urged that the Court should not proceed
further with the inquiry. Mr. Rowan endorsed this view, and the
chairman, expressing satisfaction with the position, adjourned the
Court nine die.

The following are the terms of agreement : —

E.MPLOYMENT OK FOREMEN.

As the Electrical Trades Union do not demand that foremen
must be members of a Trade Union —
It is mutually agreed :—

1. The men on strike shall resume work.

2. The notices issued by the federated firms shall be cancelled.

3. A general resumption of work shall take place as soon as
possible according to the circumstances prevailing at each works.

4. No victimisation shall take place on either side.

The Court of Inquiry eventually resumed its sittings, and wiU
report to the Minister of Labour.

Before the dispute was settled the Metropolitan Electric Tram-
ways Co. and the London United Electric Tramways gave notice
that in the event of an electricians' strike they would have to
dispense with the services of all their employes during the strike.

At a meeting of the National Joint Board held on September 18th,
the representatives of the Electrical Power Engineers" Association
explained that their attitude with regard to the recent dispute
in the engineering industry and its threatened extension to the
electricity supply industry was dictated by a desire to support
regularly-constituted machinery for the settlement of disputes.

The declared intention of the E.P.E.A. to adhere to constitu-
tional methods received the full approval of the employers' repre-
sentatives on the National Joint Board, who took the opportunity
of emphasising the value of the Board as a means of conciliation,
and of urging all electricity supply undertakings to support the
Board's work by a prompt and loyal acceptance of its recom-
mendations.

Book Notices. — We have received from the London
School of Economics and Political Science a copy of the Calendar
of the School for the 1920-21 Session (2s. 6d. net). Important
developments have taken place in the School recently, in respect of
higher teaching in commercial subjects and the institution of a
Commerce Degree, and an extensive programme of lectures and
classes on such subjects, for day and evening students, has been
prepared. Full particulars of these are conveniently arranged for
reference, and information is given of the degrees, diplomas and
certificates which are obtainable.

"The Output Problem." By J. E. Powell. Pp. vii + 168.
London : The Library Press, Ltd. Price 6s. net.

" Tramway Motorman's Handbook." By W. S. Ibbetson. Pp. viii
+ 208 ; 47 figs. London : E. & F. N. Spon. Price 6s. 6d. net.

" The Henley Telegraph," September, 1920 (32 pp.).— The present
number of the house magazine of Messrs. W. T. Henley's Telegraph
"Works Co., Ltd., is produced in its usual brightly-written style,
containing .articles of 'general interest showing excellent literary
taste.

"The Metropolitan- Vickera Gazette," No. 89, August, 1920
(18 pp.). — This number of the " Gazette " includes an interesting
and well-illustrated article on the London and South-Westem
Railway electrification and notes on a test on a large oil circuit-
breaker. There is also a description of Messrs. Rudge-Whitworth.
Ltd.'s, ball-bearing factory at Birmingham.

" Jcwrnal of the Institution of Electrical Engineers."" "Vol. LXIII.
No. 293. July, 1920. London : F. & N. Spon, Ltd. Price 10s. 6d.
— This issue contains the following papers : — " Automatic Pro-
tective Devices for Alternating-current Systems," by A. E. McColl :
" Duplex "Wireless Telephony : Some Experiments on its .Vpplica-
to Aircraft," by Captain P. P. Eckersley ; " Modern Marine
Problems in "War and Peace '" (eleventh Kelvin Lecture), by Dr.
0. V. Drysdale ; also the Chairman's (Prof. E. "W. Marchant) address
to the Liverpool Sub-Centre, and the Report and Accounts of the
Benevolent Fund for 1919.

" Transact VI nx of the Faraday Society.'" "Vol. X"V. Part 3.
June, 1920. London : The Society. Price 178. 6d.

"Vickers News." Vol. II, No. 23 (14 pp.).— The September
number of this interesting journal includes articles on the " Con-
traflo " auxiliary condenser, the association of high elastic limit
and toughness in steel, and a description of Messrs. "W. T. Glover
and Co.'s cable works at Trafford Park, Manchester.

Tiie British Industries Fair. — We have received from

the Department of Overseas Trade a copy of a booklet in English
on the forthcoming British Industries Fair to be held in London
(at the " White City '"), and in Glasgow and Birmingham, between
February 21at and March 4th, 1921. This booklet is about to be
distributed overseajs, and it will be printed in seven different
languages. The issue forms part of the scheme for propaganda
overseas to attract foreign buyers and those from the Dominions
and Colonies to come to the next fair.

Electrical Mannfactnring in Australia.— A new company

is being formed under the title of the Commonwealth Electric and
Metal Co. with a capital of £500,00ii. to establish works at New-
castle for the purpose of producing electrical equipment, metallic
alloys, and various other metal manufactures. — Reuter'x Trade
Sen-ice (Melbourne).

Electricity Supply Rifle League.— A very successful

Prize Meeting was held under the auspices of the League on Sep-
tember 1 1th on the ranges of the Hackney Electric Rifle Club.
There were between 30 and 40 competitors for the various events,
and as the weather was extremely favourable, shooting took place
under ideal conditions. Owing to holidays, there was not such a
large attendance as was anticipated, but next year it is hoped to
have the meeting earlier, when many more will be able to attend.
The captain of the Metropolitan Co., Mr. H. J. Taylor, had the best
aggregate for shooting at 25 yds. (deliberate and rapid), 50 yds. and
75 yds. The arrangements for the meeting were carried out by the
members of the Hackney club, who were second in the team shoot.
The secretary of the League, Mr. E. Matthews, assisted by Mr.
Hows, of the City of London Club, and Mr. Atkins, captain of the
Hackney Club, acted as officials. The following were the winners
of the various events :— 25 yds. scratch. — W. Hutchings (98), Metro-
politan Electric ; Pool. — H, J. Taylor (100), Metropolitan ; Handi-
cap.—A. Ridd (99), Shoreditch ; Rapid.— A. Barbour (95), Shore-
ditch ; Pool.— H. J. Taylor (99), Metropolitan ; Team.— Shoreditch A
(291) ; 50 yds. scratch.— P. C. Ebner (100), Shoreditch ; Handicap
—A. Pitcher (98-4), Shoreditch ; Pool.— E. A. Foster (97), Shore-
ditch : 75 yds. scratch. — A. Pitcher (99), Shoreditch ; Pool. — H. J.
Taylor (98), Metropolitan ; Championship. — H. J. Taylor, Metro-
politan.

Erith-Riley Stokers, — Amongst recent orders for Erith-

Riley stokers are 19 of the size ordered for Edinburgh, namely : —
Fourth repeat order, Calcutta E.S. Corporation ... 3 stokers

First order, Union d'Electrique, Paris 4 „

Repeat order ,, ,, ... ... 4 ,,

Cie. Parisienne de Distribution Electrique 8 „

Each stoker is suited for a boiler raising 80,000 lb. of steam per
hour. Messrs. Erith's Engineering Co., Ltd., are now furnish-
ing also, to the order of Messrs. Preece, Cardew & Rider, six
Erith-Riley stokers, each 20 per cent, larger than the above, for
six boilers each raising 92.000 lb. of steam per hour, with low-
grade fine slack coal. Whatever the make and size of boiler, a
single Erith-RUey self -cleaning stoker suflices, as these stokers are
assembled from any number of uniform, standardised, self -cleaning,
underfeed retort units.

Norwegian Statistics. — According to statistics which
have only now been published in Norway, the number of glow lamps
installed in the country at the beginning of 191S was 2,714,574,
as compared with 2,282, (J93 in 1917, and 1,965,440 at the commence-
ment of 1916 ; and that of arc lamps was 2,S15, 3,132 and 3,603 in
the same years respectively. The plant used for lighting at the
opening of 1918 represented 104,262 K\v., or one-tenth of the total
plant in use.

No Tenders for Spanish Railway.— No result was

obtained in connection with the second adjudication for the con-
struction of the direct line from Madrid to Valencia at a cost of
145,400,000 pesetas, as tenders were not forthcoming. — Emder's
Trade Service (Madrid).

Sweden. — A new company has been formed at (laevle,
by MM, Gunnar Sanzelius and Samuel Berg, of Stockholm, M. Joh.
Parsson, of Gaevle, and others, with the object of manufacturing
electrical installations, machinery and fittings. It will be known
as Aktiebolaget Elektriska Ledningsfabriken, and its minimum
capital of Kr. 20o,000 wUl be divided into shares of Kr. 200 each.

Aktiebolaget Elektrometall, which holds a patent for the
manufacture by an electrical procedure of pig-iron, steel and other
metals, has decided to reduce its share capital to half of the present
441,000 kr. by repayment to shareholders of half the capital
invested. — Renter h Trade Serrice (Stockholm).

Electrical Developments in Rumania.— The Omnium

Electrique Roumain has been formed at Bucharest by a banking
group, headed by the Banque Marmarosh, Blank et Compagnie, to
develop the use of electricity in Rumania, the share capital being
20,000,000 lei.

Australian Iron and Steel Works.— The Premier of

Queensland has announced that the Federal Government will not
abandon the plans for the State iron and steel works, even if the
response to the local loan is unsatisfactory. Engineering firms of
repute in England have sounded the Government as regards supply-
ing and erecting the necessary machinery and financing the whole
project.— /?««?<•/■'»■ Trade Serrice (Brisbane).

Water Turbines for Russia.— According to an announce-
ment in the Kidnixrhe /eitumj, Prof. Lomonosow, Chief of the
Russian Transport Department, who is in Berlin, states that three
hydro-electric power stations have been started in Russia, but
progress has been held up through the absence of water turbines. —
Board of Trade Jnurnal.

Labour in Australia.— At a meeting in Sydney of

engineers and ironworkers demanding a 44-hour week, Mr. Garden,
the secretary of the Labour Council, advised the men to take
control of the workshops if the employers refused to concede thei*
demands. The proposal was rejected by the Union secretary, who
stated that that was not the time for foreign propaganda. — Daily
Tele(jraph,

Catalogues Wanted. — Mb. H. Hodgkins, factor, of

486, London Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, desires to receive price-lists
from manufacturers of accessories, cable, 6co., and to take up new
agencies.

400

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,235, septembeb 21, 1920.

Mica. — Tkk Ridge Roasting FaRNACE and Engineek-

INiJ Co report that mica Bhipments from South Africa have been
resumed, and a first parcel has just arrived per s.s. A'ei-oxd, while
other shipments have been advised by cable. Considerable
quantities are expected at regular intervals.

Wire Mannfactaring ia Australia.— The Postmaster-
General's Department, which is anxious to see the manufacture of
g-alvanised iron wire established in Australia, is prepared to order
immediately 350 tons of such wire of various gaupres at attractive
prices. — Seiiter's Trade Serrice (Melbourne).

German Dry Batteries. — A correspondent writes draw-
ing attention to the export trade-gettinfj methods of a German
manufacturer of dry batteries. While no attempt is male in
correspondence to conceal the fact that the house from which it
emanates is German, the ba^-teries themselves when received bear a
label with an inscription in French, from which the user or purchaser
may be given a false impression that the battery is French-made.
This is a low-down trick, but it is little more than we have learned
to expect from such a quarter. We pass the warning on to traders
who want to keep their hands clean.

A Ford " University."— The Ekrtrkal World states

that the Ford Motor Co. has established an educational depart-
ment to be known as the Ford Technical Institute. This institute
will occupy the status of a university, with power to grant degrees
in mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering.

The Samples Fair at Prague. — An International Autumn
Fair is being held at Prague this month. It closes on September
28th.

Fire. — A fire in the compressor room at the Vulcan
Works, Thornton Road, Bradford (Thwaites Bros., engineers), did
a good deal of damage to the electrical equipment.

American BoschlDevelopments.— The American Bosch

Magneto Cobpobation h^ acquired control of the Gray and
Davis Co , manufacturers of starting, lighting, battery ignition,
systems, Boston. The combined capital of the two concerns is
estimated at tibfidOfiW.— Renter s Trade Serrice (Springfield,
Mass.).

LIQHTINQ AND POWER N0TE5.

Accrington. — Suspension of Supply. — Through a

mishap to cables, the electricity supply to part of Accrington was
cut off for three hours un September inth. Several works depen-
dent for their motive power upon electricity had to suspend
operations.

Annfield Plain (Co. Darham). — New Undertaking. —

The electricity undertaking was officially opened on September
17th. Last year the Urban District CouncD negotiated, and
obtained by mutual consent, the transfer of the Provisional Order
from the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Electric Supply Co., Ltd. A scheme
was then drawn up for purchasing a bulk supply from the New-
castle Electric Supply Co., at 2,750 volts, three-phase, 40 periods,
and serving three sub-stations, where the pressure would be
reduced to 440 volts, three-phase, for power, and 250-volts, single-
phase, for lighting. There is approximately l."J miles' route-
length of overhead distributors for the purpose of supplying
private consumers, and about 500 lamps for public street lighting.
The low-pressure pole-line work was carried out by Messrs. Cox-
Walkers, Ltd., of Dirlington. The consulting engineer for the
whole scheme was Mr. T. Dawson Martin, A.M.I. E.E , of Newcastle-
upon-Tyne.

Australia. — Osborne (South Australia). — Substantial

progress has been made with the building of the new power house
for the Adelaide Electric Supply Co., on the site acquired last year
at Osborne, on the Port River, near the Outer Harbour. In order to
carry the heavy weights of the generating plant the whole of the
site has been pQed. Orders have been placed with the Metropolitan-
Vickers Co., of England, for one 1(i,i)0o-kw. (18,2iiii h.p.) and one
5,000-KW. (6,6ii3 H.P.) turbo-generators. Another 5, 000-Kw. turbo-
generator is also now being shipped, and will be tempo-arily
erected at the Grenfell Street power house and removed to Osborne
later. — liritish A ustni laxia n.

Sydney (N.S.W.).— The Municipal Council proposes that, with
regard to a report by the city electrical engineer, about the advis-
ability of encouraging the manufacture of electrical apparatus in
Australia, and a request by the Commissioners for Railways for a
conference with the city electrical engineer with a view to selecting
the size and type of eciuipment that would be most advantageous
to manufacture, in view of the Council being the only other user
of electrical plant that is likely to require generating units of
output equal to those of the Railway Commissioners, the chief
electrical engineer be authorised to confer with the chief electrical
engineer to the Railway Department on this subject.

Barnsley.— Mains Extensio.ns.— At the Town Gouncil
meeting last week, the Electricity and Lighting Committee recom-
mended that application be made for power to borrow £11,203 for

laying mains and services and other purposes, as follows :

Excess expenditure on mains, services, sub-stations and high-
tension switchgear, to March 31st, 1920, £7,560 ; mains, services,
high-tension switchgear in sub-stations, £6,640, The Cjmmittee

also recommended the extension of the main from Messrs. Gillott's
Bub-station to the sanitary department at Pegmoor, at an estimated
cost of £1,085. They also recommended approval of an application
from the British Cooperative Society, Ltd.. for a bulk supply of
energy for its central stores, wholesale department, and flour mill.

Barrow-in-Furness. — Price Increase. — At a special

meeting of the Town Council, the pre-war charge of 4 id. per unit
for electricity supplied for lighting was raised to 8d., the statutory
maximum. The price of electricity for other purposes was also
increased by the addition of sums varying from 33 to 116 per cent,
above the pre-war rates.

Bodmin. — Puhlic Lighting. — The Town Council has
accepted the tender of the Electric Light Co., which offered to
carry out public lighting at a charge of i: 278 per annum. The Gaa
Co.'s tender amounted to £296.

Burnley. — Year's Working. — The report on the elec-
tricity undertaking for the year ended March 31st last records a
total revenue of £60,800, as compared with £43,275 for the
previous period. Working expenses amounted to £40,559, against
£27,269 Ifor 1918-19, leaving a gross profit of £20,241 (£16,006).
The net profit, after payment of capital charge?, was £5,718, an
increase of £4,228 on the profit for the previous year. The total
number of units sold rose from 5,728,371 to 7,113,310. The cost per
unit increased from 1751 id. to r858d.

Bury St, Edmund's. — Conden.sing Plant. — At a recent

meeting the Town Council approved of the purchase of a surface
condenser from the Glasgow Corporation, at a price of £50O. The
condenser house is to be extended to house this plant.

Carlisle. — Year's Working. — The annual report for the
year ended March 31st last shows that the [total revenue of the
electricity department was £48,980, compared with £39.378 for
1918-19. Working costs amounted to £33,252, against £27,211,
leaving a gross profit of £15,728, an increase of £3,661 upon the
previous year's figure. The net result, after piyment of capital
charges, was acredit balance of £2,301, a satisfactory increase upon
last year d net profit — £923. The number of units sold rose from
5,560,321 to 6,216,678. and the average price obtained from 170d.
to r89d.

Ceylon. — Watee-Power Develop.ment. — When the
war broke out, the Public Works Department waa engaged in
surveying the water-power facilities in Ceylon. That work was
put an end to by the war, but it has now been taken up again.
Hitherto, and in the East generally, the standard American
frequency of 60 cycles has been largely adopted, but Mr. Meares,
the electrical adviser to the Indian Government, who has been
loaned to the Ceylon Government, recommends the British standard
frequency of 50 cycles, and in his report, expresses the conviction
that the consulting engineers will be able to place the order for the
electrical machinery required within the British Empire. — Americn n
C(ii:imerce Report x.

China. — Pekin Electricity Supply. — The Peking
Electric Light and Power Co. is contemplating the erection of a
new power station, and the laying of additional mains. The local
papers have recently urged that the company's monopoly con-
cession should not be renewed when it expires, owing to the
unsatisfactory supply that is being given, and a demand is being
made that competition should be allowed. The proposal to erect a
new power station is an endeavour to deal with the situation. —
American Commerce RejHirt.s.

Continental.— Switzerland. — The Board of Traae

Journal states that an estimate compiled by the Swiss Hydro-
Economic Union, places the total output of Swiss power-stations
for lighting and general purposes at from \'2 to I '3 milliard
KW.-hours, or, roughly, 300 Kv/.-hours per inhabitant per year.
The war gave a great impetus to the consumption of electricity,
and during the years 1915-17 the outputs of the North-East. the
Berne and the Basle power works increased by 50, 58 and 42 per
cent, respectively. Among the large stations recently built, are
the new stations built on the Aare, near Alten-Goesgen, by the
society "Motor." These have a capacity of 50.000 h.p., and the
power station of Eglisau, nearly finished by the Xorth-East Swiss
Power Works, which will have an output equivalent to 32,000 H.r.
The Swiss Federal Railways have three stations under construction
— Ritom. Barbarine and .\msteg — designed to supply the power for
railway electrification. The preliminary work has been started at
the big station on the Joigue, at Rossens, which will have a total
power of 60,000 H.P. Two companies which aim to effect co-operation
between existing undertakings have been formed, these are the
Society Anonyme d'Energie de I'Ouest Suisse and the Kraftnber-
tragung fiir vermittelung und Verwertung von Elektricitat. The
latter proposes to erect a high-pressure line right across the
country from the Lake of Geneva to Lake Constance. The
former company will construct a line running from Rossens.
ria Lausanne, to Geneva, and another running north through the
Jura to Basle. The Swiss Hydro- Economic Union considers that
the water-power resources of Switzerland are sufiicient for the
eitire electrification of the country, and will give a surplus for
e :port, &c.

France — A Law was published in the Journal OiHciel of
August 19th, providing for the construction of the works necessary
for a high-pressure electrical power system in the liberated areas.
The scheme provides for the construction of stations at Pont-a-
Veadin, Douai, Valenciennes, Nuux, Bully-Grenay. Lille, Cambroi,

Toi. 87. No. 2,235, sbptbmbbb 24, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

401

JeUmont, Beautor, Laon, Reims, Epernay, Mohon, Stenay, Verdun.
.Saint-Di?.ier Lonjrwy, Piennes, Briey, Nancey, Vincey, Fontoy, la
Uouve, Bischborn, Chambray, Paris, (Saint-Just, Arras. The cliief
generating station will hv at Hirson, on the Aisne. The eost is
estimated for the present at 13.^,00ii.000 fr., and wUl be subscribed
partly by the State.— -B. of T. Journal.

The members of the Senate for the departments of Puy de-Dome,
Cantal, Correze, Lot-et-Garonne, Gironde, Haute Vieune, Charente.
and Dardogne had a meeting recently at the Senate Houae, with
a view of finding means to secure the development of the water-
courses in the Dordogne basin on lines similar to those proposed
in the case of the Rhone. The Conseils Generaux is to bs asked to
sanction the appointment of an interdepartmental commission to
draft the plans for the scheme.

Spain. — La Sociedad Energia Electrica del Centro de Espana has
recently secured a concession to establish a plant to utilise the
water power of the River Alto Guadiana, at Oasa de Montiel (Pro-
vince of Ciudad Real), for the generation of electrical energy.

Norway. — Work in connection with the Aura power station
was begun in April, 1914. Many difficulties were encountered
during the years of war, and working was finally stopped,
but is now to be resumed. It was originally estimated that
the whole of the Aura works would involve an expenditure of
38,000,000 kroner. The idea was first co utilise the Lilledal water
conrse so as to obtain 90,00(1 h.p. by the end of 1921, and to increase
this power to 300,000 H.P. by the further use of the Aura River.
So far, however, only one-third of the whole works has been put in
hand, and this has absorbed 20.000,00ii kroner. The first instal-
ment, which is to yield 41,iiiin h.p., is not yet completed, and
additional capital is required for the purpose. In the case of the
Banasfoss, the work is progressing rapidly, and is expected to be
fiuished next autumn. This fall is to yield 72,iiihi h.p.; a sum of
15,000 i.i(M) kroner has already been expended on the undertaking,
which is to be completed a"; a cost of 41,(n«i OOO kroner, as con-
trasted with the original estimate of 18,000,000 kroner.

Germany. — According to the lierliner Tafjsli^att, very far-
reaching developments are contemplated by the Rheinisch-
Westfiilische Elektrizitii^.swerke, which already supplies a large
part of the Rhenish- Westphalian industrial area with electricity.
The plan provides for extension in two directions. On the one
hand, the company proposes to extend the area which it supplies
by combination with other generating works in the industrial
area, and especially with the Elektriz'tatswerke Westf.ilen Aktien-
Gesellschaft, with the avowed object of ultimately bringing the
electrical supply of the entire Rhur basin under one control. Even
more interesting developments in the other direction have aa their
object the changing of the main fuel basis of the whole concern
from coal to lignite. This object is to be attained through the
working agreement which has been come to with the Braun-
kohlenwerk Roddergrube. This agreement provides for the complete
taking over of the Roddergrube concern at a later date — Renter'x
Trade Service (Berlin').

Czecho-Slovakia. — According to Karodni Politilia. the Czecho-
slovak Government is working out an extensive electrification
scheme, providing for damming arrangements and electricity works
in the chief rivers of Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, and Slovakia. All
the important coal mines are to be electrified. — Eoonomle l/eiiew.

Italy. — The Italian Government has already granted conces-
sions for the exploitation of water power of more than 2 million
H.P., of which I'o million HP. has already been harnessed. The
fact that the concessions have not been utilised to their full extent
is attributable to the high cost of budding and the lack of material.
Italy's requirements in electric energy are, however, very large.
Thus, oOO,OOD H.p. would be required for the manufacture of nitro-
genous fertilisers, and i million h.p. for the runniug of b'ast
furnaces and the working up of spelter. Requirements will be
further increased by the electrification of the railways ; the project
already sanctioned provides for the electrification of 4,000 km.
The electrification of the entire system would result in the saving
of 1'8 million 'tons of coal annually, which is equivalent to 800 or
900 million lire. — Econ-nnic Jlevieiv.

Donegal! — Rei,!Uest for Electric Light. — At the last
meeting of the Urban Council, a deputation of residents urged
on the Council the desirability of improving the water supply of
the town and the changing of the gas lighting into electrical
lighting. The CouncU said that it was proposed to continue gas
lighting tUl a company was formed for electrically lighting the
town.

Dundee. — Housing Scheme. — The Corporation ha.s

erected centrally-heated houses which possess a 2 4-hours hot water
supply ; electricity is also installed, for a certain quantity of which
6d. per week is charged.

Fort William. — Water-Power Scheme. — There is

every prospect, it is stated, that the great water power of
Lochaber will be utilised for the production of electricity, which
will be used for the manufacture of aluminium, the central works
to be at Fort William.

Galldford. — Sale of U.\nERTAKiNO. — The shareholders
of the Electricity Supply Co., Ltd., have agreed to sell the under-
taking to the Corporation for not less than £55,00o.

Hansworth (Yorks). — Electric Light E.vperlment.

—At a meeting of the Urban District Council last week, Mr. J. ,1.
Blackburn, a member of the Council, speaking of the high cott
of the present system of gas lighting for the streets, proposed
electric lighting at Lower Hunsworth as an experiment, and sub-
mittei an offer from the Yorkshire Electric Power Co. to light

Whitehall Road and part of Hunsworth Lane for £13) per year, tho
company being responsible for maintenance and renewals. Mr.
Blackburn pointed out that gas lamp renewals needed would cost
£100, quite apart from the cost, of light. Councillor Verity
supported Mr. Blackburn, and hoped such an experiment would be
extended to the remainder of the district. The Council appointed
a sub-committee to inquire into the matter.

Leadgate. — Electric Lighting. — The Urban District
Council has received a draft agreement from the Consett Iron Co ,
which has agreed to supply the necessary electricity for lighting
the district,

London. — Fulham. — It was reported at a meeting of the

Borough Council that the unclaimed balances of electric light
deposits which had accumulated since the commencement of the
undertaking to March 31st last amounted to £500 8s. Ud. £.")00
of this sum had been transferred to the Rent Commutation
Investment account.

Nottingham. — Commissioners' Decision. — Ruling that

the erection of a new generating station on the Trent by the
Derbyshire, Notts. Electric Power Co. would be an encroachment
upon the City Corporation's rights of supply, the Electricity Com-
missioners have refused to sanction the scheme, and have approved
the erection of a station by the Corporation, subject to the following
conditions : — (1) The plans and general lay-out of the station
must be approved by the Commissioners ; (2) the Corporation
shall, if required by the company, supply to it such high-tension
energy in bulk as the company may require, on terms to be agreed,
or failing agreement, to be settled by the Commissioners ; (3) if a
joint electricity authority is set up for the district, under the
Electricity Supply Act of last year, the Corporation shall, if
required by that authority, and if directed by the Commissioners,
transfer the station to the joint authority, the Corporation being
reimbursed on certain terms.

Oldham. — Year's Working. — The abstract of the
electricity department accounts for the year ended March 25th
last records a total revenue from all sources of £119,124, against
£88,405 in the previous year. The total of working expenses wag
£69,976, against £56,408, leaving a gross profit of £49,148
(£32,497). The net result, after payment of capital charges, was a
credit balance of £10,774, an increase of £2,448 on the previous
year's profit. The number of units generated rose from 18.,"i.">0,5(i4
to 21,011,346. The plant capacity is now 10,680 KW.

Risca. — Provisional Order The Urban District

Council is applying to the Electricity Commissioners for powers to
generate and supply electricity for public and private purposes.

U,S.4. — California. — The Mount Shasta Power Co., a
corporation owned by the Pacific Gas and Electric Co , has applied
to the State Railroad Commission for authority to make expendi-
tures aggregating §125,000,000 for the development of hydro-
electric power. The plan of the company is to install a plant with
515,000 H.P. at one point in the mountains, and to conserve the
streams in other areas to develop 7,000,000 KW.- hours a day. This will
virtually double the power output of the plants operated by the
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. The use of hydro-electric power will
save this corporation 35,000 barrels of oil a day. Five new power
houses are to be constructed, and a 7-mile concrete tunnel will
have to be huilt. —Beitter's Trade Sen-ire (San Francisco).

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Australia. — Toowoomba, Victoria. — In his report on the
proposed electric tramway and general power requirements for
Toowoomba, Mr. F. A. M'Carty, ALEE, consulting engineer, of
Melbourne, shows that the cost of the undertaking would be : —
For tramway purposes only : Tramway, £143,762 ; power station,
£32,.">00 ; total, £176,252. The costtof the power station scheme,
covering the demands of the tramway, pump motors and street
lighting. £39,500 ; for tramway and power for present and future
requirements, £62,40(1, The report shows that the total single track
mileage of the route proposed would be : — Ordinary construction,
7 fi miles ; special construction, 21 miles. The gauge would be the
recognised standard of 4 ft. ,^J in., and the car it is proposed to use
would be about 28 ft. over all, 8 ft. wide, and would seat about 32
passengers. — Bei/ter'x Trade Serrice (Melbourne).

Bradford. — Fare Increase. — The City Council, last

week, approved an increase of tramway fares to figures which,
roughly — and without affecting school-children — amount to double
the pre-war fares. Opposition in the Council was modified by the
fact that the undertaking was losing, on existing conditions, at the
rate of about £ 1 ,000 per week, and by the heavy expenditure in
relaying the permanent way, which Alderman Palin (deputy-
chairman of the Committee) said was now costing £:i0,00ii per
mile, instead of K 10,000 per mile pre-war cost.

British Railways. — Electric Trains. — The Eallira;/

(iazelle recently published, among many other statistics, a table
showing the increase or decrease in the number of vehicles in elec-
tric trains on the various British railways. The figures given are
as follows :— Great Western, 1913—60, 1919—00; London and

•<.402

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,235, septembm 24, i9»o,

North-Western, 1;)13— none, 1919—131 ; Midland, 1913—117, 1919—
118; London and South- Western, 1913-29, 1919—283; Great
Central, 1913 12, 1919 Ki ; N'orth-Eastern, 1913—110, 1919-91 ;
Lancashire and Yorkshire, 1913—159, 1919—220; London,
Brighton and South Coast, 1913—132 ; 1919—144. These figures
show totals of 619 in 1913, and 1,063 in 1919, an increase of 444,
or 71 '73 per cent.

Continental. — Italy. — The longest electric tramway in

Italy is that from Marostica to Aaiago, lately opened for traffic,
which is 40 km. in length. The line starts from Marostica, and
passes through Vallonara, Crosara, Conco, the Osteria di Puffale
to its destination, by an extremely tortuous track. The generating
plant is situated at Marostica, and the line is sectioned, with
appropriate interrupters at every 5 km.

As a result of the co istant demands for higher wages and the
troubles in the matter of coal and exchange questions, various
tramway undertakings which were formerly established by Belgian
interests in Italian towns seem to have got into a difficult situation,
particularly in Bologna, Catania, Florence, Leghorn, Milan, Ber-
gamo, Palermo, Turin, and Verona, Some of the tramways are no
longer able to pay interest on the loans which were raised, mostly
in Belgium, As a consequence, the Belgian-owned undertakings
have combined in a group, and have forwarded, through the inter-
mediary of the Belgian Legation, a note to the Italian Ministry
for Foreign Affairs, suggesting that the Italian Government, or the
local authorities concerned, should take over the tramways in
question.

The tramway cars and depots at Rome have been seized,
as have also a large number of factories and other industrial
undertakings in different parts of the country, by the workers,
who have displaced the managements, and are attempting to
run the undertakings themselves.

Germany. — Coal as a power producer will be replaced so far as
possible by the use of peat in the electrification of railroads in the
vicinity of the large German cities. Great hopes are being placed
on the new Theissen 10,0uii-e.p. vertical gas turbine, two of which
have been ordered for use on the German railways. It is hoped
that they will be able to replace the coal-burning locomotives.

The peat bogs at Oanabruck will furnish the fuel. Machinery for
the working of this peat has been installed, and it was expected
that the first deli\'eries will take place by September 1st. Experi-
ments are being made by the German Government with
machinery for pressing the peat so that it may be transported
economically. — Electric Tract ion.

Sweden. — Mr. Esinar Magnussen, traffic; manager of the Stock-
holm tramways, raised the question of a uniform or a zone tariff
at the annual Conference of the Swedish Tramways Association,
which was held recently in Stockholm. The author stated that
the advantages of the uniform tariff were so obvious that no con-
troversy should arise on the question. It should also be recognised
that a uniform tariff was of great importance in connection with
the housing problem, as it facilitated residence in the suburbs,
and also permitted economically weaker persons to remove to the
outskirts in cheaper, more airy and more healthy surroundings.
As to the amount of the uniform fare, the author mentioned that
the number of passengers in Stockholm had declined since the last
increase in fares from 15 to 20 ore took place. Down to the present
time the decrease had amounted to 8 per cent., notwithstanding
that a year had elapsed since the advance was made. The con-
clusion to be drawn from tliis circumstance was that it was
nece83ary to proceed very cautiously so long as large portions of
the population had not received full compsnsation for the fall in
the value of money. If, then, the situation, as in Stockholm, was
such that income and expenses did not balance, the question arose
as to what measures should bs adopted if the zone tariff was not
applicable, and it was impossible to raise the uniform fares to a
sufficient extent. The answer, the author concluded, was to reduce
the expenses for labour, but experts differed as to the most suitable
manner for effecting a reduction,

Hnddersfield. — Fare Inceease. — The Corporation
recently advanced passenger fares and charges for goods con-
veyance on the tramways. In response to representations by the
Chamber of Trade, the department has agreed to allow passengers
to convey up to 2S lb. of luggage or merchandise free of charge.

India. — Bangalore Tramways. — A scheme for the

construction of electric tramways in Bangalore was worked out
and an estimate for the work amounting to Rs. 6,75,530 was
sanctioned in April, 1913. This scheme was later revised, and
sanction for Rs, 8,54,948 was obtained in July, 1914, In November,
1918, the matter was again taken up and a further revised
scheme called for, and the Government of Mysore, approving of
the opinions of the chief electrical engineer, directed that the
traffic prospects be re-investigated, and estimates and plans pre-
pared at an early date. — Inilian Engineering',

Liverpool. — Electric Vehicles. — A number of electric
mail vans will figure in the first commercial motor parade to be held
in Liverpool, on Saturday, the 25th inet. Messrs. J. Blake & Co.,
mail contractors, have recently introduced electric vehicles into
the local mail-carrying services.

London.— Underground Fares. — The Erening Nrws
states that, although the general minimum of the new scale of
fares, to be instituted on September 26th, will be IJd., a few
penny stages are to be retained in what are termed the " poorer "
districts of the Metropolis, The average rate is said to be about
a penny per mile, and workmen's fares are to be increased
considerably.

Nortii-Eastern Railway.— Proposed Electiufication.

— The chief engineer of the North -Eastern Railway Co. has recently
paid a special visit to America to investigate the situation there,
and the company has already considered plans for electrifying the
important line of traffic between Newcastle and York. The
pressure of war traffic between the minefields of Durham and the
blast furnaces of Teeside proved the value of the electrified rail-
road for heavy freight traffic between Shildon and Stockton-on-Tees.
A strong Departmental Committee has reported unanimously to
the Minister of Transport its decision that there should be a
standardisation of electrical equipment for future railways.
— Mtirning Post.

Stockton. — Tramway Purchase. — A small Sub-Com-
mittee of representatives of the Stockton and Thomaby Corpora-
tions has been appointed, with plenary powers, to take all
necessary steps in connection with the provision of the purchase
money for the tramway undertaking in Stockton and Thomaby.

Wolverliampton. — Chak(;e of System. — The Chamber
of Commerce has asked the Town Council to consider the advisa-
bility of withdrawing its scheme for converting the tramways and
substituting therefor a motor-bus service, on the ground (a) that
the cost of replacing the present system by the overhead system is
prohibitive, and (/<) that a system of petrol or electric vehicles
gradually instituted to replace the trams would probably be more
efficient and less costly than the proposed tramways. When the
communication was considered at the meeting of the Town Council,
two members disagreed with the Chamber's contention that motor-
' buses were cheaper. It was agreed, however, to refer the letter to
the Tramways Committee.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Canada. — Automatic Telephones. — The Northern
Electric Co. announces a contract agreement with the Automatic
Electric Co., of Chicago, whereby it has acquired exclusive Canadian
patents and rights to manufacture and sell Strowger automatic
telephone equipment in Canada and Newfoundland. This arrange-
ment places the Northern Electric Co. in the position of being able
to supply all telephone companies with their complete require-
ments of manual equipment, automatic apparatus, and machine-
switching apparatus.

Germany. — Belgian Telephone Claim. — After con-
structing a new suburban telephone exchange in Berlin for 4,000
subscribers, the German Ministry of Posts is now faced with a
demand from the Belgian Government for the restoration of the
material so used, on the ground that it was removed from
Belgium during the war by the German military authorities. —
T/ie Times.

Hanover. — French Claim Settled. — An agreement is
reported to have been reached on the subject of the future of the
German wireless station at EUwese, between the German company
and the French claimants. By its terms the French company is
to be compensated by money payment, and is to be given the
right to use certain German patents abroad which were in dispute.
Eilwese is to be turned into a German limited company, in which
the German High Frequency Co. and the Telefunken Gesellschaft
are shareholders. The station, which played a large part in
German propaganda during the war, is to be devoted to trans-
oceanic wireless service. — The Times.

Holland. — "Wireless Telephony. — A Commission will

leave for England next week, having been charged by the Ministry
of Public Works to inspect various wireless telephonic meteoro-
logical installations that have been established in this country in
the interests of airmen. The Commission is composed of Dr.
Cannegieter, director of the Meteorological Institute at De Bilt,
Capt. Klaus, head of the radio-telegraphic service of the Aero-
nautical Department at Soesterberg, and M. de Voogd, a telegraph
engineer. — Reuters Trade .'•ierrice (The Hague).

Wireless Direction Finding.— Lizard Station.— The

Lizard wireless direction-finding station, which was recently closed,
is to be re-opened by order of the Admiralty after reconstruction
of the antenna system.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(The date given in pareiUhesis at the end of the paragraph indicates
the issue of the Electrical Review, in which the " Official
Notice " appeared^

OPEN.

Anstralia. — • Commonwealth Government. November
24th. Protected cable terminals and cable distribution boxes.

Bbisbank. — December 9th. Department of Public Works.
Seventy three-phase oil-cooled core type static transformers.

January 20th, and February 2.">th, I'.'il. The City Electric
Light Co. li>,i)00-KW. turbo-alternator set ; transformers and
switcbgear.

T»l. 87. No. 2,235, September 24, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

408

Queensland. —November 24th. I'.M.G.'s Department. Iron
poles (schedule 506), protected cable terminals, cable distributing
boxes (schedule 507).

November 30th. P.M.G.'s Department. Protectors (schedule
505). (See this issue.)

New South Wales. — November 25th. P.M.G. a Department.
Telegraph and telephone instrument and switchboard parts
(schedule 753).

South Australia. — November 11th. P.M.G.'s Department.
Telephone instruments (schedule 547). (See this issue.)

Melboukne February 24th, 1921. The Victorian Electricity

Commissioners. Turbo-alternators of 25,000, 12,500 and 600 KW.,
and other plant connection with the Morwell power scheme.

Queensland. — October 6th. P.M.G.'s Department. Instruments
and parts (schedule 49!t). (September lijth.)

South Australia. — October 20th. P.M.G.'s Department.
Telegraph instruments (schedule 546). and telephone instruments
(schedule 54 9). (September 10th.)

November 3rd. P.M.G.'s Department. Telephone instruments
(schedule 54 S). (September 10th.)

Bradford. — October 28th. Electricity Department.
Two natural-draught chimney-type cooling towers, pipework,
troughing, valves, &c. (Contract R 160). (See this issue.)

Edinbnrgh, — September 27th. Electricity Supply
Department. Coal, ash and flue-dust handling plant, circulating
pumps and pipework. (August 27th.)

Costa Rica. — January 10th. Concession for the con-
struction of an electric tramway. 22 km. long, from Alajuela to
Grecia. Government guarantee of 6 per cent, on part of capital.
Secretariat of Public Works, San Jose, Costa Rica, or, in France,
Office National du Commerce exterieur.

India. — Agra. — October 22nd. Municipal Board.
Complete generating plant, comprising : four Diesel engines and
H.T. alternators ; h.t. and l.t. switchgear, transformers and sub-
station equipment ; 15 miles underground h.t. cables, 28 miles
overhead l.t. three-phase mains and street lighting equipment,
complete with all accessories. (August 20th.)

Lincoln. — October 8th. Electricity Department.
Spray cooling plant, 500,000 gallons per hour, with pipe and
pipework. (September 10th.)

London. — Metropolitan Asylums Board. — September

29th. Extensions to the telephone installation at the Grove
Hospital, Tooting. (September 10th.)

Manchester. — October 20th. Electricity Committee.
Specification No. B.9. Five 8,50(1 k.v.a. 3-phase transformers and
fans, &c, ; and three 6,000 k.v.a. S-phase transformers and fans, &c.
Mr. F. E. Hughes, Secretary, Electricity Department, Town Hall.

September 28th. Tramways Committee. Tramway poles and
sleeves, for the Tramways Committee. Mr. J. M. McELroy, general
manager.

New Zealand. — Inveecargill. — October I'Jth. A

specification and conditions of tender for the wires, cables, and
overhead equipment required by the Tramways and Electricity
Department can be seen on application immediately to Mr.
HoUoway, Room No. 48, at the Department of Overseas Trade, in
London.

Rochdale. — Board of Guardians. Installation of new
telephones at the Institution and Hospital, Birch Hill. (See this
issue.)

Sheffield. — October 12th. Electric Supply Department.
Two 10,000-KW, steam turbines, condensing plants, pipework, &c.,
alternators and exciters, (September 10th,;

St. Helens. — September 30th. Electricity Department.
Cast-iron low pressure water piping, and one natural draught
cooling tower. (September loth.)

Urngnay. — December 18th. The Post Office authorities
are, for the second time, inviting tenders for the construction of an
underground telephone system here. — Beuter's Trade Service
(Monte Video).

CLOSED.

Gillingham (Kent).— The Park Engineering Co. (A. E.
Hornsby & Co.), Gillingham, has secured the contract for the
electric light installation work in the whole of the houses now
being erected under the Gillingham Corporation Housing Scheme.

Newport (Mon,). — There was an interesting discussion
at last week's meeting of the Corporation regarding the acceptance
of a foreign tender.

Mr. Raikes submitted a report on his visit to electrical works in
Switjerland, with the borough electrical engineer, to examine
turbo-alternator plants, and recommended that the tender of
Messrs. Escher, Wyas & Co., of Zurich, for a turbine be accepted.
They visited the works of Messrs. Brown, Boveri & Co., Baden, and
Messrs. Ateliers de Construction Oerlikon Co., Oerlikon. Mr. F. P.
Robjent strongly objected to accepting the foreign tender, and
moved that the matter be referred back, with a view to a tender
from a British firm being accepted. In England they were obliged
to pay Trade Union rate of wsiges — but was this firm paying
it * Mr. W. F. Harding seconded the reference back. Mr. W. E.
Bobertson said all this waa sloppy sentimentality. Accepting this

tender meant a saving of about £5,000 to the ratepayers. Mr.
Frank Quick said the pernicious ring among the British manu'
facturers did not allow them to tender at a reasonable price. The
forgings, castings, and sheets of this foreign turbine were made in
England, yet this foreign firm could sell it thousands of pounds
cheaper because of the British ring. Mr. John Moxon said the
Zurich firm were tip-top in their class, and had rendered spendid
service to the British Government during the war. Since then the
Powell Duffryn Colliery Co. and others had given them big orders.
The foreign tender was accepted, only two votes being cast for
reference back.

Wishaw. —

J. .i H. Michie.— Electric lighting installation at Tliornlie U.F. Church.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS.

Electro-HarmODic Society.— Friday, October 1st. In the Great Hall, Cannon
street Hotel, E.C., at 8 p.m. Smoking Concert.

Electrical Power Engineers* Association (Manchester Section).— Saturday.
October 2nd. At Milton Hall, Deansgate, Manchester. At 6.30 p.m. Address
by Mr. Essex, Secretary of the N.E. Division.

Chief Technical Assistants' Association.— Saturday, September 25th .
At Anderton's Hotel, Plf et Street, E.C., at 3 p.m. Paper on " Maintenance
of Tramway Eijuipment," by Messrs. E. H, Manly and G. V. S. Stanley.

Junior Institution of Engineers.— Friday, October 1st. At Caxton Hall,
\'ictoria Street, S.W., at S p.m. Paper on •' Notes on Factory Manage-
ment," by Mr. H. N. Munro.

NOTES.

Electrically-Treated Seed. — An experiment in methods
of electrically-treating seed has been tried this year in Oxfordshire
by Capt. Dashwood at Manor Farm, Duns Tew, with good results.
Cornfields were sown with both ordinary and treated seed, and
corn grown from the latter is stated to be much longer, with
thicker stems and looks much stronger. " In the majority of cases,"
Capt. Dashwood is quoted as saying, '' the heads of treated seed are
much longer. The process greatly increases the yield and provides
better seed for future planting. It reduces risk of wire-worm and
fungoid diseases, all at a cost of a few shillings per acre."

Mica. — Those interested in deposits of mica should note
the statements in the United States Geological Survey Press Bulletin,
No. -148, June, 1920, that sheet mica to be of value must yield
rectangles at least rs by 2 in., which must split easily and evenly,
be free from cracks, markings, fracture lines, and reasonably free
from specks of foreign mineral matter. The size mentioned is the
smallest rectangular size that is saleable as uncut sheet, and
the rough-trimmed mica sheet must be nearly twice as large
to yield the rectangle stated. In order to be profitable, most
deposits must also contain some mica larger than the above-
mentioned size. Good sheet mica should be so flexible that
a sheet Ti.'arith in. thick, can be readily bent into a cylinder
\ in. in diameter without showing any cracks. The Geological
Survey recognises seven different degrees of hardness. The pro-
duction of the various kinds of mica in the U.S.A. ranges from
3,000 to 5,000 tons per annum.

Institntion Notes. — Ma.\chesteb Wireless Society. —

On September 8th, Mr. C. Morris gave a lecture on amplifying
valves to the members of the Society and the public. Various
types of valve were described, and their merits outlined. The
speaker gave a number of demonstrations, and a " wireless "
musical programme was given by means of a receiving set. The
Air Ministry's weather reports were also received. Messrs. S. R.
Millard kindly lent a number of instruments for the demon-
strations.

Inquiries. — A correspondent asks for the address of
makers of ' Two-way leading-in porcelain tubes for corrugated
iron roofs, Woodworth's patent." Makers of an electric soldering
iron with the heating element pressed into an aluminium block,
and agents for the Hamilton-Beach Manufacturing Co.'s sewing-
machine motors, are also asked for,

The World's Copper Output.— According to Nature,

which quotes a report by the U.S. Geological Survey on the
world's production of copper in 1917, America produced in
1913 about 57 per cent, of the world's output of just under
one milUon tons, and the high-water mark was reached in
1917, when a grand total of 1.45-1 million tons was extracted.
Of this the U.S.A. produced 0.855 million tons. Japan and
Chile also increased their smelter production to a little more
than 100,000 tons. Then follow Canada, Mexico and Peru.
By far the greater part of the world's copper was derived from
the western hemisphere, and it is evident that the U.S.A.
is the largest single factor in nearly every phase of the in-
dustry. At present she is not only much the largest producer
and consumer, but also excels in both imports and exports.
At the beginning of 1917 the producing capacity was the
largest in the history of the industry, and was almost wholly
utilised. The principal producing State was Arizona, followed
by Montana, Michigan, and Utah. These four States provided
79 per cent, of the total American output in 1917.

404

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,235, skptbmbm 24, 1920.

The Electro-Harmonic Society. — The 35th season of

this Society opens with a smokinj^ concert on Friday, October let,
in the Great Hall, Cannon Street Hotel, commencinpr at 8 p.m.
Will readers please take note of the change of place / The dates of
the other concerts for the seaaon are : —

Friday, November 1 2th Ladies' Night.

Friday, December 17th ... Smoking Concert.

Friday, January lith Smoking Concert.

Friday, February 11th Ladies' Night.

Friday, March 11th Smoking Concert.

At the concert on Friday, Ootoljcr Ist, Mr. W. J. Tennant will
take the chair, and the artistes will be as follows :— Mr. W. Glynne,
tenor ; Mr. Tom Kinniburgh, bass ; Mr. Paul Brunei, violin ; Mr.
Nelson Jaekaon. entertainer ; Mr. Will Bentley, humorous songs ;
Mr. Archie Naish, humour at the piano ; Mr. Bernard Flanders,
A.R.A.M., solo pianoforte and accompanist.

Edocational. — Bradford. — The new ssssion's calendar
of the Bradford Municipal Technical College gives details of the
full-time and part-time evening courses in textile, chemical and
engineering — including electrical— industries. Ordinarily, students
who have not passed the matriculation examination — the courses
being of University standard— have to pass a college entrance
examination of equal standard, but special provision is made for
students who have been in whole-time industrial employment for
several years and wish to enter a full-time course. The part-time
courses are for students already engaged in industry, and provision
is also made for research. Close co-operation with leaders of
industry is maintained by the formation of an engineering advisory
committee, comprising representatives of engineering firms and of
Trade Unions. As a result of recommendations of this committee,
considerable developments have taken place in the engineering
departments, and special courses for the training of engineering
apprentices have been established. A special class has been
arranged for the new session in descriptive electrical engineering
for men not engaged in the industry, imt who may have private
electrical plant for lighting and power ; the course includes theory
and practice.

NoRTHiMPTON Polyte:;hnic Institute. — Evening courses in
Mechanical and Electrical Engineering will commence on Monday,
September 27th. Fall time sessional day courses in Eogineering
and Technical Optics will commence on October 4th. For
particulars see our advertisement pages to-day.

Air Conference, 1920. — The Air Minisory announces
that, owing to the rapidly-increasing importance of aviation, the
Air Council is to call together an Air Conference. Its more imme-
diate object will be to bring representatives of all sections of the
community into contact with the practical work being done to-day,
with a view to assisting future progress. The Lord Mayor has
granted permission to hold it in the Council Chamber of the Guild-
hall, London, and his also consented to open the proceedings on the
first day. It will take place on October 12th, 13th, and 14th,
1920, attendance being by invitation. The subject for considera-
tion on the first day will be civil aviation. The second day will be
devoted to technical queitions : and on the third day the broader
aspects of 8erviceaviationwill.be dealt with. After each of the
several papers have been read, the subject dealt with will be open to
discussion by those present.

Fatality. — An inquiry was held, on the 15th inst., into
an electrical fatality which occurred at Harton Collie -y, near
South Shields, which caused the death of George Nicholas Laidler,
an engineman, of Tyne Djck. The evidence showed that the
deceased and some other men had been removing some old gear at
the pit-shaft, and were using a winch for the purpose. They had
only been engaged for a few minutes, when all received a severe
electric shock, and were thrjwn down. Three soon recovered and
they found Laidler lying unconscious, and despite medical attention,
he never recovered. Examination showed that the steel haulage
rope connected with the winch, when tightened, had come in
contact with the electric lighting cable and had cut it in two.
The Coroner entered the man's death as due to accidental causes.

Electricity in Metal Production. — An enormous s^.^ide

has been made in the last decade in the use of electricity for
electro-metallurgical processes in Canada and the U.S.A. In 1910,
says the Electrical A'ewx, only 25 cities in the two countries
possessed electro-chemical or electro- netallurgical loads, but at
the present time the number is 200, and the total load has reached
approximately 1,300,000 k.v.a., exclusive of motor load. The pro-
duction of pig iron from the ore by electrical processes has now
been discarded, but it is still being produced from scrap electrically
melted. Steel production furnishes the heaviest load in this field,
the estimated piwer taken being (;iiO,000 k.v.a. Aluminium
occupies the second place with a load of 350,000 k.v.a. Electricity
is used in the production of other metals to the following extent : —
Ferro-alloys, 200,00" k.v.a.; zinc, 60,000 k.v.a.; copper, 4ri,0(>0
K.V.A.; brass, 23,000 kv.a. ; lead, 1,400 k v.A. ; and gold and silver,
1.000 k.v.a. In other countries, particularly in Sweden, the elec-
trical reduction of iron ores has progressed steadily, until the
transformer capacities in k.v.a. used in this connection are to-day
approximately as follows: — Sweden, 64,iO0 ; Italy, 18,000;
SwitzurUnd and Japan, each G.OOO, and Norway 6,G(0, a total of
100,600 k \ .a. The power consumption in the furnaces employed
for the production of iron from ores ranges from 2,000 to 3,C0J
KW.-ho'irs p'lr ton of pig iron produced, the former figure repre-
senung tne consumption for white iron, and the higher figure for
grey iron. The Swedish furnaces use three-phase power at 25 or
60 cycles, with a secondary transformer range of from 50 to 100 volts
— usually 80 volts. The furnaces have each six electrodes, one pair
being connected to each of the three transformers employed,

Electricity is extensively employed for refining grey iron from the
cupola. Iron treated in this way ghowa a marked decrease in
sulphur and increase of strength. The number of electric
furnaces being utilised in the production of steel is estimated at
875 for all countries : of these 323 are installed in the U.S.A. and

49 in Canada. The production of the former country during 1917
was 304,543 gross tons, of which about 50 per cent, was alloy steel.
The most marked development of the electric steel furnace has
been in the production of iagot alloy steels for automobile con-
struction and high-speed steel. The electric furnace operating
with a basic lini'^g h\8 an output far better than that of the
crucible furnace. Lower grade raw materials can be used owing
to the ease with which the metal is refined by means of electricity.
Owing to the poor market for ferroalloys, 75 percent of the plants
in the U.S.A. have had to shut down, but an advance in the price
of ferro manganese some months ago from s'OO to $250 per ton
caused the resumption of working at two of the largest plants.
Aluminium is gradually becoming more and more important, and
the output of the U.S A. rose from only 12,000,000 lb. in 1910 to
225,01)0,000 lb. in 1918. It is practically certain that the produc-
tion of aluminium, which is always an electrical process, will, in the
near f ature, overtake the total production of lead and z'nc, which
at present is in advance. Thj electric brass furnace is rapidly
becoming an importint load for the central station. Tie electro-
lytic production of lead and z'nc. which are more modern processes,
is also advancing rapidly. In this country, Mr. Samuel Field haa
shown in his paper on " Electrolytic Zinc," read before the B. A..
(Elec. Rev., September 3rd, p. 234), mire atteation has recently
been given to this important industry.

The use of electric furnaces in Great Britain was given a great
impetus by the war, which necessitated an enormously increased
output. In 1914, according to Mr. D. F. Campbell, who recently
read a pip^r on thesubject IjeforetheSoeiety of Chemical Industry,
the total amount of energy used in this connection, excluding
aluminium furnaces, probably did not exceed 6,00) H.P. At the
conclusion of hostilities the total had reached 150 000 H.p., the bulk
of which— 135,000 H.p. — was being employed in steel production.
The latter was then about 201,000 tons per annum. About
18,000 H.p. was used in the reduction of tungsten and chronium
ores.

Cricket Matcli. — A cricket match was played at the
Osram-O.E.C. Sports Ground at Wembley, on the 11th inst., between
teams from the Osram-G.E.C. Lamp Works and Witton Engineering
Works. The Lamp Works team proved the winners, and as a
result hold for a year the Championship Cup competed for each
year by teams from the head office, branches, and works of the
General Electric Co., Ltd. For the purpose of the competition the
country was divided into two areas— the Northern and the Southern.
Teams from the works and branches in the districts north of, and
including, Birmingham were in the northern area, and teams from
the works and branches south of Birmingham were in the southern
area. Witton Engineering Works wore the winners in the
northern area, and the Osram-G.E.C. Limp Works were the winners
in the southern area, Head Office being their strongest competitors.
The winners in each area met at Wembley for the championship.
The Lamp Works won the toss, and batted first. After a shaky
start, they finilly put up the good score of 142 for 7 seven wickets.
Witton Engineering Works were unlucky in getting a man out for
one run, and did not seem to recover from this bad sta-t.
Eventually all were out for 64. After the match both teams and
the visitors (of whom there were many from the company's various
works and branches) dined at the Clarendon Restaurant, Hammer-
smith, under the chairmanship of Mr. E. T. Driver, and later
adjourned for a billiards cjmpetition and other diversiona.

Electrical Treatment for Blindness. — The Binniiiijhom

Po.<t publishes a Renter note stating that Doctor (!u5tav Erlanger,
of the University of Berlin, has di5c:ivered a treatment formanuUv,
or blindness caused by tissues covering the eyeball. Doctor Erlanger
has been continuing the experiments begun by Swiss scientists, and
his treatment consists of placing one electrode on the eye and
another at the back of the head, and by means of these passing
chloride ions into the tissues of the eye. X ) pain is caused to the
patient, and a treatment of only two minutes three times a week
is necessary. Sight returns gradually over a period of several
weeks. The invention should be especially valuable to war victims
of gas attacks, who blinded by German chlorine, are now offered
a tardy chance of recovery by means of this German invention,
which employs a substance closely rel ited to chlorine, this time in
a healing capacity.

Appointments Vacant. — Cable j ointer, for the

Heckmond ivike Urban District Council Electricity Works ; chief
engineer and general manager for an Electric Supply and
Traction Cj. in India ; engineer to take charge of a shift (£350)
for the Newcastle-on-Tyne Electric Supply Co , Ltd. ; teacher in
electrical engineering (f 350), for the St. Helens Municipal Tech-
nical School ; telegraph engineers ($360 jier month + 20 per cent,,
S = 2/4) for the Government of the Federated Malay States and
Stra'ts Settlements; telegraph engineering assistants (£350 -^

50 per cent), for the Government of Tanganyika Territory Posts
and Telegraphs Department ; accounts and ledger clerk (£275),
general accounts clerk, general clerk, and a sales department
salesman (£220), for the Hackney Borough Council Electricity
Department. (See our advertisement pages to-day.)

Industrial Medicine. — A medical correspondent of

The 'J'iiiics says that St. Mary's Hospital proposes to aet up a Chair
of Industrial Medicine, to train doctors in the care of the workers
in factories. In the United States there are six chairs in this
subject. •

Vol.87. No. 8,235, Skptkhbeb 24, 1920.] IHE ELEOTMCAL tifVlEW.

405

The Metric System. — The report of the Metric Com-
mittee appointed in 1916 by the Conjoint Board of Scientific
Societies to inquire into the compulsory adoption of the metric
system in the United Kingdom was pubhshed recently " on
the authority of the committee." The report was first pre-
pared in June, 1917, and was submitted to the constituent
societies; it was discussed at a special meeting of the Conjoint
Board on November I'ith, 1919, at which apparently opinion
was much divided, and the report as now issued dues not bear
the imprimature of the Conjoint Board. It must, therefore,
be understood to represent the views of the majority of the
Committee, namely : Mr. H. W. Fox, Sir R. A. Hadheld, Mr.
A. R. Hinks, Su: Philip Magnus, Profs. J. Perry, W. C.
Unwin, and W. W. Watts. The remaining members of the
Committee, who did not sign the report, were Sh- Joseph
Thomson, the Due de Broglie, and Mr. C. P. Sparks.

The Committee interpreted its terms of reference very
broadly, and in a prefatory note it is stated that " the Com-
mittee are entirely unable to agree with the view e.xpressed on
discussion of the report, that they should have confined them-
selves to the scientific aspects of the question. On these there
is no real difference of opinion." It is clear, therefore, that
at the discussion the Committee was given to understand that
it had exceeded its terms of reference, and that the report was
not adopted by the Board. No witnesses were called, the
Committee relying upon the evidence given before Lord Bal-
four of Burleigh's Committee on Commercial and Industrial
Policy after the War.

The report outlines the history and nature of the metric
system, the British system of weights and measures, proposals
for the compulsory adoption of the metric system by the
British Empire and their merits and demerits, the volume of
trade adversely affected by the present conditions, and decimal
coinage, and in conclusion recommends that the British system
of units of weights and measures be retained in general use in
the United Kingdom, without modification and without the
addition of new fundamental units; that steps should be taken
towards compiling statistics in metric units, or in metric and
British, but not in British alone ; that serious attention be
given to the decimalisation of British weights and measures,
and to the expre.s,sion of quantities in terms of a single unit;
that the pole, furlong, and league be abohshed, and the link
and chain used only for the delimitation of area; that the
grain, dram, stone, quarter, and hundredweight and the whole
of apothecaries' weights be abolished; that measurement by
weight be substituted for measurement by capacity; that the
use of the metric system be made compulsory in the whole
trade in fine chemicals and drugs ; and that no change in the
existing system of British coinage be attempted.

Several appendices are attached to the report, together with
resolutions and criticisms received from the constituent socie-
ties; many of these are vague or explicitly non-commital, but
some definitely support the recommendations, and a few are
frankly hostile to them.

Crewe Signal-box Fire. — Early on the morniDg of

Septemlier 10th the Crewe South signal-box, one of the largest
electrical signal boxes in the world, caught fire and before
the flames could be extinguished considerable damage was
done to the electrical plant, with the result that the whole
of the points and signals which govern all trains entering and
leaving Crewe Station at the south end were put out of action,
and trains were kept standing for some time. The whole of
the telephonic and telegraphic uistallations were destroyed.
No instance in this country can be recalled where such a
mishap will cause more inconvenience than the fire reported
above. For at that point the four running fines to and from
the south, the two of the Shrewsbury line, and the two of the
North Staffordshire, converge and fan out into ten through
lines and six bay hues in the station, besides sundry goods
lines and siding connections. In the box there was a locking
frame of 247 levers, whicli, with the 266 m the North Junction
box at the other end of the station, formed part of an installa-
tion of over 1,000 electrically-operated levers at Crewe, in-
cluding the marshalling yard. X locking frame of such
magnitude is not readily replaced; being of the miniature
pattern used in this and other power frames there, will not
be in stock the number of spare parts that would be the
the case with an ordinary mechanically-operated frame. The
interlocking would need making throughout, but, fortunately,
the "dog-sheet" of the original frame would be sure to be
m existence, and it is safe to assume that it would be recopied
in the new frame. It is presumed that the fire was caused
l>y fusing.— Railway Gazette.

Proposed Sea Tunnels. — Renewed attempts are beinfj
made to build a tunnel under the Straits of Gibraltar. The
original estimate was placed at between ;£9,000,000 and
£10,000,000, hut this figure will fall far short of present-day
prices and wages. A tunnel would facilitate traffic between
Europe and South America. Passengers leaving Paris by the
proposed route could reach Dakar (Senegal) in three davs
without changing trains, and a sea journey of four days would
land them in Rio de Janeiro, savs the Raihraii Cazettc The
same journal records that at a meeting of the Roval Isle of
Wight Agricultural Society at Newport on September 11th,
Sir Charles Seely presiding, a resolution was passed that the
society favoured the construction of a tunnel under the Solent
as the best means of improving the present inadequate mean?
or communication between the island and the mainland but

could not at present support any measure which would in-
crease the already heavy rate burden. The chairman said
it 'Was for the railway companies affected to make the first
move in the matter of the tunnel, which would enormously
increase railway traffic to and from the island. As to the
suggestion of the Minister of Transport that a train ferry
would be more practicable, Sir Charles Seely said that train
ferries had proved suitable and satisfactory elsewhere, and
one advantage of such a scheme was that a trustworthy
estimate of the cost could be obtained.

With regard to the English Channel, Mr. Bonar Law, in
reply to questions in Parliament, stated recently that although
the military authorities had expressed an opinion on the
proposed tunnel the Government had not had time to recon-
sider the project.

A Dynamometrical Comparator. — Due to inherently

lower precision of a.c. measurements, more accurate results
are often obtained by transferring with the aid of a com-
parator the A.c. measurements into d.c. measurements of
a related type. The dynamometrical comparator for accurate
comparison of A.c. and d.c. strengths, acting as a differential
dynamometer with its coils connected as two arms of a
Wheatstone bridge, constructed by Mr. 0. 0. Gibbon, of the
Electrical Engineering Research Division of the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, even in its first experimental form,
proved capable of most remarkable sensitivity and accuracy.
Til the hands of Mr, Edy Velander, of the same Institute,
who illustrates and describes the instrument in the July.
1920, issue of the Journal of the A.I.E.E., the differential
dvnamometer has reached a second stage of development.
By the introduction of a special control box its manipulation
has been much simplified, and means have also been provided
for the quick and accurate adjustment of the comparator ratio
at any time during the use of the apparatus for measuring
purposes. An analysis of the main sources of error shows
that the accuracy of the instrument is extremelv high, the
readings being reliable to within a few hundredths of 1 per
cent. The device has very successfully been applied to various
types of practical current measurement, in fact in conjunc-
tion with a D.c. potentiometer, it seems to offer the most
accurate means which are known at the present time for the
(letennination of the R.M.s. value of alternating currents of
the order of from 5 to 50 milliamperes, at frequencies up to
about 2.000 P.p.s. Already in its present form the dynamo-
metrical comparator has thus proved to bo a very useful
laboratoryinstrument. Certain definite suggestions are made,
however, in the paper referred to above concerning further
improvement in the apparatus.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

The Editor.'! invitt electrical enai'neeni. whether connected with the
technical or the commercial side of the vrofenxion and- induxtry^
"ho electric tramway and railway offcials. to keep reader! of the
BliEOTBlCAL Review posted as to their morements.

Mr. Walter Swift, a member of the technical staff of the
British Ineulated ard Heleby Cables. Ltd., at their Helsby offices,
has been prfsented with a caBe of fifh knives and forks, on the
nocasion of his marriage. The presentation was made by Mr. H.
Ilisham.

Mr. W. D. Brassinoton. mains superintendent of the Clvde
Valley Electrical Power Co . has been presented by the staff with
a roll-top defk on Jeatinfr tn take up the position of electrical
engineer to the Motherwell Town Council.

The Times reports that Sir Thomas and Lady Callender and
Mr. T. Callender have left for the East by the P. & 0. ss. K,irnial,i.

Mr. p. V. Wallts, chief draughtsman at Messrs. Wilson
Hartnell & Co. Ltd.. e'ectrical engineers, Leeds, has been presented
by the head office and technical staffs, with a case of knives and
forVs, on the occasion of his marriagre.

Dr. 0. S. SiNNATT. M.C., D.So.. M.Sc, at prfsent lecturer in
Mechanical Ensrireerine'. London University. Kind's College, has
he en appointed to the Professorship of Aeronautical Science at the
R.A.F. Ca<let CoUeee. Cranwell.

Mr. A. Brown has resigned the position of Manager to Messrs.
Isaacson & Brown, Ltd.

The 'I'imrit reports that after his last lecture Professor Sir
Ernest Rutherford was admitted to be Doctor honnris cinisa of
Copenhagen University.

Obituary. — Sir William Matiibb. — We regret to record the
death of Sir William Mather, which occurred at Bramshaw, New
Forest, on Saturday last, in his 83rd year. Sir William was the
son of the plder of two brothers who founded the Salford Iron-
works, which have for so many years been world-famous as Mather
and Piatt, Ltd. It was after his education in this country and at
Dresden that he served an apprenticeship in mechanical engineeringr
with his father's firm. lie worked from (i o'clock in the raorninff
with the other appiertices and fittfnded cvenirsf claps lectures at
Owfns College. He became a partner in the firm iu 1 sr,2. and in
1871 took over the sole mauageraent of the business. In 1S77 the
elder partners retired from the firm.'Ss' Fe was for lo years a
member of the Salford School Board, and in the course of his
political career, represented several constituencies in Parliament.
In 1892 the business was turned iilo a limited company under his

406

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,235, sumwib.! 24, i»jo.

chairmanahip, and in the following year, profitiner from the practical
experience of working men's conditions that he had gained under
the discipline impaaed by his father, he introduced the eight-hours'
day. He said he was convinced that the work done before break-
fast was of very little value, and that with goodwill all round, as
much work could be accomplished in a -tS-hour week as in one of
64 under the old conditions. Wages remained the same, but he
claimed that Ithe belief that he held was fully justified by the
result. He personally investigated industrial methods and con-
ditions of labour in other countries, was an enthusiast of wide experi-
ence in matters relating to technical education. Forty years ago he
was a member of a Royal Commission, which investigated technical
education in United States and Russia. Much might be said to show
hi» deep interest in educational matters, but we may select for
mention one of his many benefactions in this connection, namely
the erection at his expense of an Educational Hall in the groundJs
of the Franco-British Exhibition of 19US, wherein authorities
lectured on educational matters. He also travelled in different
parts of the world in the interests of the business of his firm, whose
trade connections have for many years been world-wide. He was
knighted in 1 902, and made a Privy Councillor in 1 0 1 0, Sir William
was a member of the Institutions of Civil and Mechanical Engineers
and of the Iron and Steel Institute. Sir William Mather was
unquestionably a leader among engineering employers, enlightened,
and humane in regard to industrial conditions and enterprising
and progressive in matters of business. In his declining years he
had left the practical control of affairs in other hands, but his
influence as an employer will long outlive him.

Sir James B. Ball,— We regret to record that Sir J. B. Ball,
chief engineer of the L.B. A: S.C. Railway, passed away suddenly
on September 16th, at Forest Row, Sussex, while on a visit to
Sir Wm. Forbes, the general manager of the company. He was
•53 years of age.

Mb. J. H. Thobntox.— Mr. John Henry Thornton, senior
partner in the firm of Prank Thornton & Co., electricians, Bridge
Street, Burnley, died last week. He was 61 years of age. The
electricians' business was founded by his son, Mr. Frank Thornton,
some 14 years ago.

The body of Mr. J. E. EnnnNDSON, manager of the Urban
Electric Supply Co., Ltd , at Hawick, was found on the railway
near the town on Saturday. He had been terribly injured, being
almost decapitated, and his right hand was also cut off. Mr.
Edmundson went to Hawick less than two years ago from
Grantham, where he had held a similar position.

NEW COMPANIES REQISTERED,

Buenos Aires Town & Docks Tramways, Ltd. (170,069).

—Registered September 4th. Capital, £oOO,<KIO in £1 shares. To enter into
greement with Claude \V. H. Lowther, John G. B. Stone, The Beaver

Trust, Ltd.. Sii

Plender, and Bi
Ltd.. to acquire and carry into effect
struction, repair, maintenance, operatio
other roads or ways to be used for
for the equipment of any such undertakings
The subscribers (each with one sha?e) are
House, E.G. 2, registrar; S. A. Gay. lOS, W

Port and Ci .
acts or concessions for the
itrol of railways, tramways,
y electricity or other agency,
with electric or other plant,
: F, J. French, 105, Winchi
E.G. 2, clerk,

ind

five other clerks." Minimum cash subscription, 7 shares. The first dii

are to be appointed by the subscribers. Qualification (except first directors).
£100. Remuneration, £300 each per annum (£200 extra for the chairman).
Solicitors : Ashurst, Morris, Grisp & Co., 17, Throgmorton Avenue, E.G.

Pollock & Macnab (Subsidiary), Ltd. (170,083) .-Iprivate

company.— Registered September 6th. Capital, £30,000 in £1 shares. To adopt
an agreement between Pollock & Macnab (1919), Ltd., and T. G. F. Grundy
for the sale and. purchase of a plot of land and heriditaments. at Bradbury,
Ches., and to carry on the business of iron and metal founders, mechanical
and electrical engineers, Sic. The first directors are : D. Adamson, The Long-
lands, Godley (member of Joseph Ad.imson & Co.); J. Macnab, Oakfield,
Arkwright Road, Marple (director oi Pollock it Macnab (1919) Ltd.); J. E.
Shenton, Lower Bennett Street, Newton (director of Tinker, s'henton & Go
Ltd.); J. G. Beeley, 20, Amherst Road, VVithington (director of Thomas
Beeley Sc Son, Ltd.). The above may hold ofticc so long as they continue to
be members or directors of their respective companies. Qualification, £1,000
Secretary: H. Absom. Registered oflice : Britannia Machine Tool Works
Redhouse Lane, Bredbury, Ches.

H. C. Siddeley & Co., Ltd. (170,065).— Private company.

Registered September 4th. Capital, £5,000 in £1 shares. Secretaries, en-
gineers, agents, merchants, importers, exporters, stock and share dealers
underwriters, &C. The first directors are : J. A. Hirst, Donaclonev, Deganwy,
N. Wales (director Brook Hirst & Co.. Ltd.); E. N. Humphreys; Caer-y-cae,
Hoole Road. Chester (director East Halkvn Mining Go., Ltd.); H. C Siddelev
Australia House, Strand, W,C. 2 (director of British Engineers and Traders
Syndicate, Ltd.) Secretary (pro tem.) : E. N. Humphreys. Registered office :
Australia House, Strand, W.C. 2. fit.

Associated Electric Traders, Ltd., (170,092).— Private

company. Registered September 7th. Capital, £10,000 in £1 shares (3 000
preference). To carry on the business of wholesale and retail importers
exporters, and manufacturers of and dealers in alabaster bowls, marble figures
electric light fittings, shades, lamps, switches, &c., and to adopt an agree-
■ 'ith y Leltch. The subscribers (each with one share) are: J. W R.
'^"^encroft Gardens, Hampstead, N.W., manager electrical
Phelp, 10, Old Steine, Brighton, gentleman. J. W. R.
ctor. Qualification, £25. Registered office : 2. Percy
rt Road, W. 1. '

Cutting & Muir, Ltd. (170,164).— Private companv. Re-
gistered .Vptember 10th. Capital, £5.000 in £1 shares (2,500 10 "per cent
cumulative preference!. To take over the business of electrical and mechanic.ii
engmeers carried on by G B. Cutting and T. Muir at 29. St. Matthew's Street
Ipswich, as "Cuinng & Muir." Th,- first directors are: T. Muir, 94. Derby

29, St. Matthew's Street, Ipswich. Re.

Street, Ipswich.

Direct Electric Service (Bury), Ltd. (170,264).— Private

company. Registered September 16th. C.-ipital, fS.-Wfl in £1 shares To
carry on the business o( electrical and steam engineers and contractors,' sup-
pliers of electricity, &r. The first directors are: A. W. Sweetinburgh. 49.
Irwell Stre<-t, Bury: F, D. Law, 42, H,.niilton Street, Bury J C C.ir
riithers 87, Rochdale Road, Bury, Qualification 100 ordinarv 'shores! Re.
entered office : Back Fleet Street, Bury,

WiUiar

fittings factors;
William signs ;
Street, Tottenham Couri

Road, Ipswich;

gislered office : 29, St. Matthe

Excelall Metal Workers, Ltd. (170,098).— Private com-
pany. Registered September 7th. Capital. £4,000 in £1 shares. To take
over the business of electrical and mechanical appliances manufacturers, sheet
metal workers, stampers, pi'-rcers. solderers. welders, polishers and platers. &c..
carried on by Prcssparls. Ltd., at Excelall Works, Sampson Road North,
Birmingham, and to adopt an agreement with W. G. Hill. The first directors
are: E. B. Alldridge, I St. Marv's Road. Harborne. Birmingham; A. C.
Lee, 107, Wake Green Koad, Moseley. Birmingham; G. R. Groves. 12. Ben
Street, Rugby. Registered office : Excelall Works. Sampson Road North.
Birmingham.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Barnsley & District Traction Co., Ltd. (72,962).— Return

dated July 30th, 1920. Capital, £100,000 in £1 shares l50,0Ci0 preference).
•J2.000 preference and 20,035 ordinary shares taken up, £42,035 paid. Mort-
g..t;es and charges, £'21,000.

Woodbridge & District Electric Light Co., Ltd. — Issue

on August 27th, 19'2«, of £30 debentures, part of a series.

British Electric Vehicles, Ltd. — Satisfaction in full on

September 2nd, 1920, of £30 debentures dated September 14th and January 17th,
1917, securing £2,000,

Windsor Electrical Installation Co., Ltd. — (A) Satisfac-
tion in full on August lUlh, 19i30. of debenture dated July 2nd, 1919, securing
£5,000. (B) Debenture dated August 19th, 1920, to secure £8.000 charged
an the company's undertaking and property, present and future, subject to
£8.800 prior debentures. Holder : Sir Alexander W. Shipley, Kt., Riverbank,
. Datchet, Bucks.

Ackroyd & Best, Ltd.— Issue on August 18th, 1920, of

£120 debentures, part of a series already registered?

Kiglite Manufacturing Co., Ltd. — J. F. Legg, of 11,

Oueen Victoria Street, E.C., as receiver on September 2nd, under powers

Contained in debentures dated June 18th, 19-20.

Acme Welding Co., Ltd.— Particulars of ^610,000 deben-

lures authorised August 30th, 1920, present issue £5,000; charged on the
^ompany's undertaking and property, present and future, including uncalled
capital.

Walter Robb, Ltd. — Debentures dated September 6th,

1920, to secure all moneys due or to become due from tympany to Barclay's
Bank. Ltd.. charged on the company's undertaking and property, present and
future, including uncalled capital.

CITY NOTES.

The rejiort for 1919-20 of the directors

The Zurich of the Bank fur Elektrische Unternehmun-

Bank for gen, of Zurich, whose scheme of recon-

Electrical struction was outlined in this journal on

Undertakings. September 3rd, states that despite existing
difficulties, most of the undertakings in
which the bank is interested were still sound internally. Many
of them had been able to maintain their rate of dividend,
while some were even able to increase the rate. As a con-
sequence mo.st of the investments, excepting the Russian
undertakings, yielded acceptable results in the currency of thf
countries concerned, and the fruits of this serious work were
only reduced through the necessity for converting into Swiss
francs the receipts devolving on the bank. After giving the
customary lengthy details concerning the investments, the
report proceeds to give particulars of the losses through the
depreciation of exchange, which have already been published,
together with the scheme of reorganisation. The proposed
reconstruction will leave the bank with a preference share
capital of 94,5lX),00<.l fr., and ordinary shares for 18,750,000 fr.,
or a total of 113,25U,000 fr. In this connection the directors
state that a company with this amount of capital could utihse
its entire existing organisation which has been carefully built
up, and is in full operation, continue to carry on the existing
undertakings, and associate itself with others, and obtain
satisfactory results from new transactions. But above all,
they could quietly await the improvement in. the quotations
lor foreign currency without demands for interest and capital
being constantly suspended over the bank like a Damocles
sword.

The A.G. fur Elcktrisitats Industrie, of

German Hamburg, reporting on the year 1919-20,

Companies. states that the increase in the cost of

materials had raised the prices of glow

lamps tenfold, as compared with former peace prices. The

net profits were 88,000 marks, as in 1918-19, and the dividend

is at the rate of 7 per cent., as in the previous year.

The report of the Brandenburg Carbid und Elehtrizitals
Werlic A.G., of Berlin, states that it was impossible for the
Steinbusch works to resume the production of carbide in 1919-'20
as it was first compelled to fill the contracts for the supply
of energy. After making provision for depreciation, the ac-
counts sliow net profits of 3'i5,000 marks, as against 3'22,00O
marks in 1918-19. and a dividend at the rate of 7 per cent, is
liroposcd. as in the preceding year. The report further states
that it was only possible partly to maintain working at the
Muhlthal works owing to the scarcity of raw materials since
the seizure of possession of the province of Posen.

The ;iccounts of the haria ZiiMer Wcrke A.O., of Munich,
which meter manufacturing company is closely associated with
the Brown-Boveri group, show net profits and balance forward
amounting to 1,778,000 marks for 1919-20, aa compared -with

Toi. 87. No. 2,235, sbptkmbbb 24, 19J0.] THE ELECTRICAL KEYIEW.

407

743,000 marks in the previous year, depreciation having pre-
viously absorbed 605,000 marks and 127,000 marks in the two
years respectively. It is proposed to pay a dividend and bonus
of 40 per cent, on share capital of ■2,750,000 marks, as against
15 per cent, in 1918-19. The report attributes the favourable
results chietly to the export business, although since the
economic change the future is regarded virith concern, despite
the good stock of order.s. It is now intended to increase the
share capital by 5,500,000 marks.

Victoria Falls & Transvaal Power Co.. Ltd. — The report
for 1919 shows that the revenue for power and lighting supply,
rents and sundries, interest, and dividend declared in 1920
in respect of 1919 from Band Mines Power Supply Co.. Ltd.,
less cost of generation, distribution, power purchased, &c.,
was i6773,62<j, and interest and registration fees amounted
to £55,844, making i;829,471. After providing for interest and
premium on debentures £219,161, and for depreciation and
income tax, &c., £394,489, there remains £175,626 as net
profit for the year, plus £93,693 brought forward, leaving
£269,319. Two dividends, each of 3 per cent., less income tax,
on the preference shares were paid for the year, leaving a
surplus of £185,321, and out of this surplus the directors in
June, 1920, declared a dividend of 5 per cent., less income tax,
on the ordinary shares for the year 1919, and as the preference
shares are entitled to share pro rata with the ordinary shares
in the surplus profits distributed until the preference shares
have received a total dividend of 10 per cent, for the
year in respect of which the distribution is made, they also
declared at the same time a further and final dividend of
4 per cent., less income tax, on the preference shares in respect
of 1919. These were paid in July, 1920, and ab.sorbed £91,000,
leaving £94,321 to be carried forward.

France. — Tlie business done l)y the Electricite de I'Ouest
Parisien (Ouest-Lumiere) during the past financial year
brought in 22,431,.595 fr., and the net profits came to 497,468 fr.
The whole of this amount has been carried forward to the
current year's accounts, no dividend being distributed.

The net profit realised by the Energie Industrielle during
the past financial year amounted to 1.169,103 fr.. as against
1,008,362 fr. for the previous 12 months. The dividend re-
mains at 10 fr. per share.

The receipts of the Energie Electrique du Littoral Mediter-
ranean during the past financial year amounted to 17.217, Sii2
fr., afiain,st 15,014,218 in the previous year. Net profits came
to 6,806,061 fr., out of which a dividend of .30 fr. per .share
is paid.

The gross profits of the Compagnie Pyreneenne d 'Energie
Electrique during the past financial year amounted to 2,.590,248
fr. After providing for amortisations. &c.. .501,888 fr. was
left, as against .585,615 fr. for 1918. The dividend has been
fixed at 6 per cent. — Renter's Trade Serviee.

Halifax & Bermudas Cable Co., Ltd. — For the vear ended
June, 1920. there is a credit balance of £32,787. compared
with £26,62.'^ for the previous vear. Balance brought forward
£30,063. There is deducted £11,2.54 expended on repairs;
6 per cent., free of tax, for the year is the total distribution :
£48,595 is carried forward subject to E.P.D. The company's
cable worked efficiently during the year except for two short
periods when it was interrupted near Halifax and Bermuda
respectively.

Direct West India Cable Co.. Ltd. — The credit balance
for the year ended .Tune 30th is £17,74.8, against £14,074 for
the previous year. Amount, brought forward £94.145. Ex-
pended on repairs £1,856: special interim dividend of £1 5s.
per share canitalised in September, 1919 (making the shares
fully paid); dividends 6 per cent., free of tax; £91.437 carried
forward subject to E.P.D. The company's cable was in-
terrupted for a few days near .Jamaica. The in.sulation of
the Bermudas-Turks Island .section remains very low.

Stock Exchange Notice. — The Committee has specially
allowed dealing in the following under Temporary Regula-
tion 4 (3) :—

Bru.sh Electrical Engineering Co. — 248,075 new ordinary
shares of £1 each, .5s. paid, Nos. 210,489 to 4.58,.5a3.

Company struck off the Re)|ister. — The following, it is
officially annoimced, has been struck off the register and is
dissolved : —

Autolectric Tran.smission, Ltd.

British Aluminium Co., Ltd. — Dividend at the rate of
8 per cent, per annum, less tax, on the ordinary .shares for
half-year ended June.

Dumbarton Burgh & County Tramways Co.^Dividend
on the ordinary shares at the rate of 5 per cent., less tax,
carrying forward ,£1,276.

Midland Electric Corporation for Power Distribution,

Ltd. — Interim dividend at the rate of 8 per cent, per annum
on the ordinary shares for the half-year ended Juno.

0.\ford Electric Co., Ltd. — Interim dividend of 5 per
cent, per annum on the ordinary shares for the half-vear.

Stothert & Pitt. Ltd.— Total distribution for tlie xear on
the ordinary shares 12J per cent., free of tax.

Eastern Extension, &c., Telegraph Co., Ltd.— Interim diyi.
d«nd for the quarter ended June 5s. per share, free of tax.

Guildford Electricity Supply Co., Ltd.— An extraordinary
general meetmg is called for October 7th, for the purpose of
confirming a resolution already passed agreeirig to the sale
to the Corporation of the company's undertaking and assets
(other than cash, book debts, and stock of coal, oil, waste,
and maintenance materials) for not less than £.55,000.

The American Westinghouse Co. — The shareholders of
the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co. are to be
a.sked to approve the issue of notes to the value of 30,000,000
dollars, and an increase of capital from 75,000,tlOO dollars to
12.5,000,000 dollars, in order to reduce the cm-rent liabilities of
the company. — Renter's Trade Service, Neiv York.

J. Stone & Co., Ltd.— For 1919 the balance to credit of
profit and loss account after allowing for depreciation, &c.,
was £162,2.53, plus £131,861 brought forward. It is proposed
to pay a dividend of 10 per cent, per annum, and a bonus
of 2s. per share on the ordinary shares, carrying forward
£199,074.

Shawinigan Water & Power Co. — Dividend of IJ per
cent, on the common stock for the quarter ended September.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
With every day bringing its owm development of crisis in the
industrial world. Stock Exchange markets are somewhat hesi-
tating. It cannot be said that they are depressed, nor that
bu.siness is absent, but what happens is that activity comes
in spasms, and there is little definite lead noticeable in any
of the markets. Besides the miners' dispute, markets are dis-
turbed by the rates of exchange from New York and Paris,
both of which exert an unsettling influence. Nevertheless,
the Stock Exchange pursues a tolerably even keel having
regard to all things, and even where members admit that they
are not paying their expenses, they console themselves with
the reflection that the losses are not so much as they might be.

The featm'e this week, so far as concerns the markets upon
which we touch, is the rise in Underground Electric issues,
and more particularly in the 6 per cent, incorne bonds of the
company. It has Iseeu pointed out here, with monotonous
iteration, that the traifics handled by .the company are so enor-
mous as to render it practically certain that as soon as rates
were increased, by however little, this would probably make
the difference Ijetween loss and profit. With increased fares
coming into operation at the end of this week, anticipation
has suddenly appreciated the difference upon which we have
been dwelling for the last two or three months. In the middle
of July, the income bonds were down to .53, and to-day they
stand at 68^, having risen eleven points in the course of the
week. The shares have participated in the improvement, and
at 2i the ordinary are r2s. 6d. up, while the shilling shares
advanced to 6s. 6d. There has been some speculative inquiry
for the profit-sharing certificates standing now in the neigh-
iidurhood of sixpence. Central Londons have not moved.

Metropolitans and Di.stricts. the latter particularly, are
sharing in the more optimistic feeling which prevails in regard
to Undergrounds. Districts have gone up 2^ to 17J. Else-
where, London Electric ordinary rose to 2^. No changes
worth mentioning have occurred in the prior-charge stocks of
the companies. In fact. Metropolitan 3i per cent. " A "
debenture has fallen to 51J. Inisiness being marked as low as
.50i within the past few days.

The actual settlement of the electricians' difficulties led to
further recovery in Edisons, lifting the price to a guinea, and
other manufacturing shares are a trifle harder, although the
improvement is scarcely reflected in the movements of prices.
The companies are, of course, so closely connected with the
coal trade that it is natural enough for quotations to lie uncer-
tain owing to the miners' strike threat. Moreover, the factor
remains, and must continue, to operate for some time to come,
of difficulties in the way of financing business at the present
time. It is expected that the autumn will be surmounted
without recourse to an 8 per cent. Bank Rate. Nevertheless,
the banks are keeping a very tight hold over financial facihties,
as mo.st people know who are engaged in way of business.

While favourable accoimts continue to reach this country in
regard to the settlement of Mexico, definite assurances are not
strong enough to induce any fresh volume of demands for the
various stocks and .shares. Consequently, there has been
.something of a lull in the rise which started a. fortnight ago in
most Mexican descriptions, and the market is in a condition
of suspended animation. Amongst dollar securities, the move-
ments have been somewhat irregnljir, and a few of the big
rises chronicled here lately have been partially lost. Quota-
tions are swayed, of course, by the varying rates of exchange
from day to day, but there is a pretty general agreement that
unless production is greatly increa,sed in this country and
within the near future, it is impossible to look for any sub-
stantial recovery in the pound sterling (as measured bv the
dollar) for some! tiine to come. Rio Tramways first bonds are
80i and the seconds 63. Shawinigan common at 1.33 are ex
dividend and K.iministiqua common lllj.

Commercial Cable 4 per cent, debenture stock has retired
12 points to 67J, on the company ceasing to be a buyer at 80.

408

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,235, septembeb 21, isao.

>We ventured to point out at the time this offer of 80 was made
that shareholders should on no account neglect to take advan-
tage of it, so that this week's drop of I'i merely points to the
argument set out iu these colunms previously.

Various electricity supply shares are now quoted ex the in-
terim dividends, and this without affecting prices. City of
London and Countys, South Londous and Chelseas are all xd.,
but the market continues in a comatose condition. The settle-
ment of the electricians' dispute had no influence upon this
section, where there is, in fact, nothing going on.

Cable companies are showing good results, the Direct West
India announcing a net profit of £17,748, an advance of £3,700,
while the Halifax and Bermudas credit of £32,800 is £6,000
better than that of a year ago. Eastern Extension declares an
interim dividend of 5s. per share free of tax. Globe ordinary
at 14i are ex dividend. Anglo-American preferred fell 1 to
77i. Marconis are a better market at 21, and Canadian Mar-
conis stiffened to 10s. Gd. buyers. Henleys ea.sed off to If.

Engineering .shares are a good market, and Babcock at 2^
show 1/16 rise. Vickers have been fluctuating between 22s. 9d.
and 23s. 9d., being nearer the former figure at the moment.
But iron and steel shares are not bad as a whole. Philosophy
in the Stock Exchange shrugs its shoulder and contends that
if a coal strike spells revolution, all existing ideas of value
and security will go for naught. If, per contra, the trouble
blows over, the result can be counted upon to increase output
and production, thus stimulating trade. With security itself
becoming a subject for serious speculation, manifestly we do
live in stirring times. Rubber .shares — reverting from the
general to the particular — are weak on the drop in the price
of rubber below one and sixpence per lb. This has cau.sed
renewed anxiety amongst shareholders, who cannot yet foresee
the full extent to which the produce may decline.

BHABE LIST 07 ELECTBIOAL OOMFANIES.

Bomb Eliotrioitt CohpaitiiBi

Oividend Prloe

, ' ^ Sep. ai. Yield

1918, 1919. 1990. BlBeorlill, g,c

Biomplon OrillnkrT 8 19 6} — £9 19 0

Obsrlng OroBB Ordbuy .... 4 7 Sj — 10 le 6

do. do, do 4iPret,.. i\ i\ 9| — 8 8 8

Obelses 8 4 a|xd -H J 7 12 6

Olty of London B 10 l|xd — 8 17 10

do. do. Bperoenl. Ptel, .. 6 6 17/6xd — 6 17 9

Ooonty of London 7 8 7ixd — 10 17 0

do do. 6 per cent, Prel. 6 6 Btxd — 7 7 8

Kenalnf'on Ordinary .... 6 7 8i — 9 0 6

London K'eotrio Nil 2J l| — 6 0 0

do. do. 6 per cent, Fret,.. 6 6 8 — 10 0 0

Metropolitan 6 8 3| — H 8 6

dr. 4i per cent. Fret, ,. 4) 4) ai| — 8 0 0

Bt. Jamas' and Pall Mall .. .. 10 19 6| — 9 19

Soiitli London 6 6 afxd — 10 1 8

South Metropolitan Pref 7 7 17/- — 8 4 8

WostmlnBler Ordinary .... 8 10 6 — 10 0 0

TsLEaBAPHS IRD TlLirBORKB,

Anglo .\m. Tel. Prel 6 6 '37* -1 7 14 10

do. Det 88/6 li 17| — 8 13 10

Chile Telephone 8 6 6| — *5 4 4

Cuh.a 8ab. Ord '7 7 71 — '9 68

Eastern Extension 8 10 141 — *3 14 4

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 1491 — 'e 14 4

Glabe Tel, and T. Ord. .. .. 8 10 !4|xd — 'B 16 9

do. do. Pref 6 8 8- xd +1 7 12

Grtat NortbernTel 29 39 SO — 11 0 0

Tndo-Klnropean 13 10 30 — 8 8 8

Marconi 96 98 a| -I- i". 9 1 10

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 19 aj — ' '4 16 0

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 6S — '6 1 0

West India and Panama .. .. 1/3 Nil Hi — Nil

Western Telegraph 8 10 14| — 'B 14 4

BoHK Bulb,

Central London Ord, Assented ..4 4 41^ — 9 12 10

Metropolitan 1 11 214 -h U 6 18 3

do. DiBtriot .. NU Nil 17J + SJ Nil

Underground Electlio Ordinary.. Nil Nil 2} -I- lili NU

do. do, "A" .. Nil Nil fi.6 -I- 1/6 Nil

dOi do. Income .. 8 4 liB^ -f 11 —
FosEiON Tbams, i)to,

Aoglo-Aig. Trame First Pref. .. Nil 8i 8i — 8 9 9

do. do. 2nd Pref. . . Nil Nil Bi — Nil

uo do. 6 Deb. ..8 8 67 — J s 16 6

Brazil Tractions Nil Nil 47 -J Nil

Bombay Electric Pref 8 6 W\ — 4 10 7

British Columbia Elec. Rly. Pfoe, 6 6 62* — 9 10 6

do. do, Preferrred 9i 6 48* — *7 4 4

do. do. Deferred Nil 8 46* — 2 •7 10 4

do. do. Deb. .. 4i 4i BSrixd — 7 19 0

Mexico Trams 6 percent. Bonds.. NU Nil 46 — NU

do. 6 per cent. Bonds.. NU NU 3S — Nil

Mexican Light Common . . . . NU NU 16 — Nil

do, Pref NU NU 97i — NM

do, iBt Bonds.. .. NU NU 6B -t- 1 NU
MAHunanmma Ooufahub,

Babcock * Wilcox IB 16 21 -I- ,V •B 6 4

British Alominlum Ord 10 10 1,' — 10 0 0

British Insulated Ord 19} 16 vii — 8 6 6

Gallenders 96 16 1} — 118 6

„ 6)|Pref 6i 6J 18/- — 7 4 5

OaBtner-Eellner 90 17 8 — 8 18 4

Orompton Ord 10 10 17;ti — 11 8 6

Hdlson-Swan, " A " .. .. 10 10 21/- -H/- 9 10 6

do, do. 6 per cent. Deb, ..88 78i — 689

Bleotrlc Construction .. .. 10 10 1&/3 10 19 a

Qen. Blec, Pref 64 8) 18/6 — 7 0:".

do. Ord 10 lu 2P/- -fCd, •7 2 10

Henley 98 16 ig —1 9 4 8

do. liPret 4i 4i Bt — 7 4 0

Indla-Bnbber 10 10 it — •8 0 0

Hel.-Viokers Pref — 8 % — 7 6 9

Siemens Ord 10 10 34/8 — *8 8 s

Telegraph Oon 30 90 90 — *6 0 0

* Dividends paid free ol Income Tax,

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

It should be remembered, in making oBe of the figures appearing
in the following list, that in some cases the prices are only general,
and they may vary according to quantities and other circumstances.

Tuesday, September 21st.

CHEMICALS. &c.

1 Latest
j Price.

Fortnight's
Inc. or Deo.

a Acid, Oxalic ...

per lb.

2/5

1

o Ammoniac Sal ]"

per ton

4100

a Ammonia, Muriate (large crystal;

,,

£92

a Bisulphide of Carbon

,,

a Borax

,,

f41

a Copper Sulphate

£49

a Potash, Chlorate

per lb.

1/-

a „ Perchlorate

1/8

o Shellac

perowt

£32 10b.

80s."dec.

o Sulphate of Magnesia

per ton

£18

a Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers

,,

£25

£3'dec.

a ,, Lump

,,

£92

£3 dec.

•a Soda, Chlorate

per lb.

6d.

a „ Crystals

per ton

£19

...

a Sodium Bichromate, casks

per lb.

...

z

METALS, &c.

g Babbitt's Metal Ingots

per ton

£116 to £846

c Brass (rolled metal 2" to 12" basis)

per lb.

1/8J

c ,, Tubes (solid drawn)

,,

l/6i to 1/6*

c „ Wire, basis

,,

1/4J

c Copper Tubes (solid drawn)

U'Jt

id.'inc.

g ,, Bars (best selected)

per ton

£16H

£2 inc.

g ,, Sheet

,,

£16«

±•2 inc.

g „ Rod

,,

£168

£2 inc.

d ,, (Electrolytic) Bars

,,

£118

£1 inc.

d „ „ Sheets

,,

£168

d „ ,, Wire Rods..

,,

£134

£l"inc.

d „ „ H.C. Wire..

per lb.

1/4J

Jd. inc.

f Ebonite Rod

,,

3/6

/ „ Sheet

,,

3/-

n German Silver Wire

3/-

A Gutta-percha, fine

14/.

h India-rubber, Para fine

1/8

Jd.'eec.

1 Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ...

per ton

Norn.

/ „ Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual.

£69

g Lead, English Pig

£37 ICs.

lOsV'deo.

^Mercury

per hot.

£18 10s.

20s. to30s. di.c.

e Mica (in original cases) smaU ...

per lb.

6d. to 4/6

« „ „ „ medium..

,,

6/- to 10/.

g ,, I, ,, large

,,

12/6 to 25/- & up

g Phosphor Bronze, plain castings

,,

1/6 to 1/11

g ,, ,, rolled bars and rods

„

2/2 to 9/6

d ,, ,, roUed strip ^& sheet

,,

2/3 to 2/9

r Silicium Bronze Wire

perib.

2/-

g Steel, Magnet, in bars

1/8

n Tin, Block (English)

per ton

£269 10s.

£4 10/£5 10 inc.

« ., Wire, Nos. 1 to 16

per lb.

4/9

White Antifriction Metals

per ton

£80 to £33S

(juotations supplied

by-

a Q. Boor & Co.

g James & Shakespeare,

c ThoB. Bolton & Sons, Ltd,

A Ed

ward TUl & Co,

d Frederick Smith & Co.

I BoUing 4 Lowe.

e F. Wiggins & Sons.

/ Richard Johnson & Nephew, Ltd

f India-Rubber, Gutta-Peroha and

n P. Ormiston & Sous.

Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.

r W.

F. Dennis & Go,

Ships' Fittings : Standard Specifications. — It will be

remembered that the Institution of Electrical Engineers, at
the request of the Ship Electrical Equipment Committee of
the Institution, invited the British Engineering Standards
Association to prepare a number of B.S. specifications, in-
iluding one for watertight cable glands and one for water-
tight fittings for incandescent electric lamps for use on ships.
As a result the following specifications have just been jssued :
B.S.S. No. 94, 1910— Watertight glands for electric cables,
and B.S.S. No. 97, 191U — Watertight fittings for incandescent
electric lamps. Watertight glands for use on deck, in bulk-
heads, and in cast metal and sheet metal boxes have been
standardised; with the exception of the largest size, British
standard conduit threads are employed, and the glands
standardised are of simple form, six sizes in each ease being
provided (see B.S.S. No. 94, 1920). .

Two types of watertight lighting fitting, namely, one of
the bulkhead or " oyster " pattern, and the other convertible
into a short or long pendant or into a bracket, have been
standardised. Two sizes of each type are included, i.e., one
size suitable for metal-filament vacuum lamps up to 30 watts,
and carbon-filament vacuum lamps up to 60 watts at pressures
up to V2o volts; the other for metal-filament vacuum lamps
up to 60 watts, and carbon-filamont lamps up to 120 watts
at pressures up to '250 volts. It is considered that the four
fittings cover the whole range of requirements for this class
of fitting, and that these standards will be suitable for use
on .shore as well as on ships. Whilst the standard specifica-
tion only fixes the dimensions necessary to secure interchange-
ability of the parts likely to be broken or iniureil, these
dimensions in effect practically settle the design of the fitting.*
'I'liis question was carefully considered, and it was decided
that it was not in any way detrimental to the interests of
either manufacturers or users (see B.S.S. No. 97, 1920). Copies
of the specifications, price Is. 2d., post free, are ohtainal)le
from the offices of the B.E-S.A., at 28, Victoria Street, Lon-
don, S.W.I.

Tol.87. No. 8,235, SSPTEMBKR 24, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

409

MODERN MARINE PROBLEMS.

By C. V. DRYSDALE, O.B.E., D.Sc, M.l.E.E.

iAbstnict of the Ekrenth Kelvin Lecture delirered before the Institution of Electrical Enoineebs.)

(, Co lit i lived

in. N.4VIG.4TIONAL APPLICATION.

Oiif of the most fortunate eii-cumstances resulting from
the large amoimt of research undertaken for war purposes is
that the majority of the information and devices so evolved
have the most important application to peace-time navigation.

The three chief desiderata for the safety and regularity of
navigation appear to he as follows, in the order of their
importance : (1) Abihty to find and enter a harbour in foggy
weather. {'2) Ijocation of position in sea during fogs. (3) De-
tection and location of ships and obstacles in darkness and
fog. These three requirements can now respectively be met
to a considerable extent by the following devices : (a) Leader
gear, (h) sound ranging and directional wireless, (c) echo
detection.

Leader gear, which promises soon to come into considerable
practical use, consists of laying down a cable on the bottom
along the track which it is desired to follow, and supplying
it with alternating current of either sonic or infra-sonic fre-
quency. By the use of suitable coils or electrodes attached
to the ship the electromagnetic induction or the return cur-
rents in the water can be made to give signals in telephones
or other devices by which the course of the cable may be
followed.

Attempts were fir.st made in this direction in the St. Law-
rence River by Prof. R. S. Owen as early as 190.3, but were
only partially successful. During the war the idea was re-
vived by Capt. Manson, employing search coils and amplifiers,
and successful results wore immediately obtained. Two coils
about 4 ft. square are fixed on the sides of the ship a shoit
distance awav from the ironwork, and are connected to a

from page 382.)

to the intermittency of the current, it maintains a continuous
rubbing contact against the brushes. The two relays are
combined in a single magnet as shown, and the tuning is
very simply effected by traversing\ the whole of the A.c.
system along the axis of the magnet by means of a screw, so
as to be in a stronger or weaker magnetic field.

It is fau-ly easy to set the contacts of this relay to work
with a power consumption of 0.01 microwatt or less, which
is amply suflicient to enable it to switch on a glow lamp at
i mile from a cable carrying only 5 amperes of a.c. in a depth
of water of 20 fathoms.

A relay on a similar principle was devised by Mr. Sidney
Eversheil as far back as 1896, but was unknown to the lec-
turer at the time. Mr. Evershed went much further and
designed a vibrating-wire relay which operated with only
0.0001 microwatt, but it is desirable to have a fairly robust
instrument for use on shipboard, and it is necessary that
the relay should be fairly definitely metrical in its operation
for the present purpose.

The tuning of this relay is fairly sharp, and this requires
the frequency of the current supplied to the cable to be
maintained constant within aljout i per cent, of its nominal

Fig. 7.— ,\ui!AL Leadrr Gear. Fig. S. — Visual Leader Gear

Pig. 9. — Fielh Distuibution.

Fig. 10.— a.c. Relay.

cliange-over switch and three-valve amplifier and telephones.
Tile cable is supplied with A.C. of a frequency of about 51)0
cycles per .second, and this current is cut up into signals by
an automatic interrupter. Steering is effected by listening
on the two coils alternately, the signals being stronger on the
side of the ship nearer to the cable. The difi'erence in iu-
t<?nsity is apparently due to the screening action of the iion
hull, and varie's with tlie size of the ship, but it is usually
po.ssible to find positions for the coils which give good indica-
tions. Mg. 7 is a diagram of the arrangements.* In order
to avoid the necessity for listening to telephones, the author
has attempted tin' employment of tuned alternating relays to
operate hiriips mi the navigating bridge of the ship, and thus
to give contmuoMs visual indii-itions. For this purpo.se two
inclined coils of a few turns are fixed in the rigging as shown
in (ig. .S. If the lines of magnetic force are in circles roinid
the cable as generally suppo.sed (fig. 9 (a) shows circular field
distribution and e.m.k. in sloping visual leader gear coils; (/i)
shows fiehl di.stortion due to sea water), the e.m.I'.'s hi
dui-ed in the two coils should be equal when the
ship is vertically o\er the cal)le, but when it is on one or
othiT side the e.m.e. in the coil pointing more nearly towards
the <able will be the higher. At a certain lateral distance
from the cable the plane of one of the coils will be tangential
to the lines of force, and will conKe(iuently have no E.M.i''.
induced in it. ]'"'ig. 10 shows the construction of the A.c.
elay employed in conjunction with tliis device. It is
in the .same principle as the author's vibration gal-
'anonietei-, in which a pivoted or suspended iron
leedle vibrates in the field of a horseshoe magnet,
nd can be tuned by varying the intensity of the magnetic
ield. Tliis needle is enclosed in a simple coil carry-
Mg the AC. and is provided with an arm carrying a
ouiided platinum end which makes contact with two fine
angential iilatinuni wires when it vibrates. As the contact
i intermittent, it is found desirable to convert it into a con-
inuous contact by the simple device of passing the local
urrent from the vilirating contacts through the coil of an
rdinary heavily damped moving-coil relay, the contact arm
f which slides between two sets of parallel platinum-wire
rushes so that when the coil is deflected, and oscillates owing

* Elec. Rev., Sept. 3rd, 1920.

frequency, but this has the attendant advantage that different
cables can be used with different frequencies without mutual
interference. For example, in wide estuaries like the Mersey
and the Oljde, where there is a considerable amount of cross
traffic, it is asily possible for the main and cross routes to be
worked quite independently by u.sing different frequencies.

In order to keep absorption and distortion of the electro-
magnetic field as small as possible, frequencies of between
10 and 30 cycles per second are u.sed with this device, and
this makes the presence of the cable almost undetectable
unless the frequency is known.

When this device was first experimented with it was found
practically irapo.ssible to get definite port and starboard in-
dications for steering purposes, and it was, therefore, found
necessary to investigate the distribution of the magnetic field,
by observing the e.m.f.'s induced in the two inclined leadei'-
gear coils, with the residt of finding that even at these low fre-
cpiencies it was greatly distorted. Fig. 11 shows the distribu-
tion determined in the case of a cable in about 1(X) ft. depth
of water wfith a frequency of 1.5 cycles per second; e.m.f. in-
duced in ships' coils with spreaders 20 ft. long. Vibration
galvanometer 500 in series. Sensitiveness, 3.43 cm. per milli-
volt. Vessel crossing west to east, heading south. Current
in cable G amps. Frequency, 15 cycles jier second. Depth,
10-17 fathoms at cable. At the points A and B where the lines
of force should be nearly vertical according to the ordinary
theory, they are actually horizontal, so that instead of one
relay being out of operation both are equally affected, and
there can be no port or starboard indication. At greater dis-
tances from the cable the magnetic field actually bends up-
wards again, so that the indications are reversed. In order
to avoid ambiguity, therefore, it is necessary to limit the
siMisitiveness of tlie relays so tliat they only operate with an
E.M.F. above its value at the points of inflection and the
steering indii-ations must be limited to a r.itige of (jO-70 yards
on either side of the cable, as shown in fig. 9 (/)), which is
ample, however, for navigating a narrow channel. In order
to give even sharper indication of the position of the cable,
.•I pointer indicator on the ohmmeter principle may be u.sed,
which is actuated by the contacts of the A.c. relays. When
the two relays are vibrating equ.ally, the average value of the
intermittent current from the contacts of each is the same,
and the needle 'points directly down to the cable, but if the

410

THE ELECTRICAL KEViEW. [Vol. 87. No, 2,235, Septembbe 24, 1980.

ship 13 on one side and the electromotive forces in the coil
are unequal, the average duration of contact in one relay is
greater than in the otlier, and the pointer goes over to the
side on whioli the cahle lies.

A triple A.c. relay set is used, two of the relays actuating
the port and starboard red and green lamps, while the centre
relay is set to maximum sensitiveness, and switches on a
white " approach " lamp, indicating the first approach to
the cable at a distance of J to s mile. After this lamp lights,
the ship keeps on the same course until the red and green
lights glow, and then steers along the cable by the latter.

In the early experiments with this device the frequency was
hand-regulated by means of a simple stroljoscopic device, in
which a Neon tulie illuminated from the contact of a standard
tuning-fork was used in connection with a geometrical disk
on the rotary-converter .shaft. In order to avoid the necessity
for hand regulation a simple automatic speed controller has
l)een devised. A small magneto generator of the type u.sed
for electrical tachometers is attached to the .shaft of the
alternator, and its e.m.f. is balanced against a few secondary
cells through a sensitive moving-coil relay. Exact balance of
E.M.F. for speed required is obtained either by rotating the
brushes of the magneto by screw gear or by shunting the
generator with a variable resistance. When the speed rises
or falls the relay switches on one or other of two pairs of

Flo. 11.— SriiMRRGHD C.Mil.F. FlF.I.I) DlSTlilBUTION

electromagnets actuating a rocking arm which actuates a
reversing switch in the armature circuit of a small motor,
causing it to run in one or other direction and to traverse the
contact of a rheostat in the field cux-uit of the main rotary
converter or driving motor. \\'hen the speed is correct and
the rocking arm is horizontal, the armature of the small
motor is short-circuited by two .springs so that it pulls up
suddenly preventing over-running, while if the supply
voltage varies so greatly as to traverse the contact near to
its limits, an electric bell is rung which calls attention
to the need for adjustment. This device appears to control
the frequency to w'ithin 0.1 or 0.2 per cent, of its nominal
value, which is amply sufficient for the leader gear.

It is easily possible to operate both the aural and visual
systems of indication simultaneously on the same ship and
W'ith the same calile. For this purpo.se the cable is supplied
from a high-frequency and a low-frequency alternator in series
as shown in fig. 1'2. The inductance of the low-frequency
machine is sufficient to choke down the high-frequency cur-
rent almost completely, but by connecting a 'iOM.F.D. con-
denser in series with the automatic signalling key across the
armature of the low-frequency machine, the interrupted
liigh-frequency supply can be maintained without affecting
the low-frequency supply. It is, therefore, possible for ships
to use either the aural or the visual indicating systems with
the same cable, or to combine both indicating arrangements
on the same ship without mutual interference.

Acoustic methods may be employed with great utility in
conjunction with leader gear by having a sounding device at
the end of the leader cahle. enabling the ship to steer towards
the end of the cable from a distance of 10 miles or more.

Although leader gear promises to be of great service for
guiding ships into and along harbours, it is impossible to
apply it generally for navigation in the open sea. It is de-
sirable to have some means whereby a ship in a fog can easily
ascertain or be given its position, and thus avoid dangers,
or be guided towards a leader calile. This may be done by
directional wireless.

.Another method is liy means of submarine .sound ranging.
If a sudden impulse such as an explosion is jiroduced at a
given point the disturbance spreads out in all directions, and
can be ivceived on three or more fixed hydrophones or shock
receivers. If tlip explosion takes place at the centre of a
circle passing through them, the impulse should reach all
the receivers simultaneously. Init if it emanates from any
otlier position it arrives at different times, and if these time
differences can be accurately determined and the velocity of
propagation is known, the position of the source can be
calculated. This device, the introduction of which to marine

service has been chiefly due to Prof. Bragg, and which has
been developed by Capt. Boulding, has been of considerable
.service in the war for locating submarine explosions, apart
from its well-known application for locating guns in land
warfare; but it can obviously be equally applicable for locating
ships if they drop depth charges or employ other methods
such as the Thornton spark for producing strong submarine
impulses.

Probably the most promising method of location would be
by means of simultaneous wii'eless and sound impulses sent
out at intervals from a fixed station. If the ship were
provided with a wireless equipment and a hydrophone, either
or both of them being directional, the direction of the source
would be easily determinable, and its di.stance by the interval
of time between the arrival of the two signals — nearly a mile
for each second of interval. This may very likely prove to
be far the most convenient and accurate method of I(K-ation,
and arrangements are being made for developing it.*.

Improvement.s have been effected in the ordinary three-
receiver sound-ranging method with the object of simplifying
the observation and determination of the source. Up to the
present the times of arrival have been obtained by means of
hydrophones connected to separate strings of an Einthoven
galvanometer, which involves a photographic record. Dr.
A. B. Wood and Mr. Ford have greatly improved this process
by their phonic chnjnometer, which en-
ables the times to l)e read directly on
dials to an accuracy of l/l,O0()th second.
The principle is analogous to that of the
author's roller stroboscope, in which a
wheel with strobo.^copic slits rolls on a
cone which is kept levolving at a con-
stant speed by a phonic wheel motor
actuated from a standard tuning-fork.

In the phonic chronometer a vertical
cylinder is maintained in rotation in the
same manner, and three .small pivoted
disks are arranged to be pressed in con-
tact with it by differentially-wound elec-
triiuiagnets when the current through
one wiuding is liroken. When the
.second circuit is broken, the disk springs
l)ack from contact with the roller, and
immediately touches again.st a brake
which stops it instantly. Tlie disks
are provided with pointeis registering
the times of contact to l/l.(KX)th second,
and with light gearing extending the
total time to 10 seconds or more, so that
the three time intervals can be directly
lead off' on the three dials. Apart from its avlue for sound-
ranging, this chronometer should have most valuable applica-
tions for gunnery and general testing, as it is remarkably
compact and reliable in Comparison with any high-speed
chronometer hitherto devised.

Instead of ordinary microphones the hydrophones employed
with this device have single-point contacts, which are broken
liy the arrival of the impulse, but which can be restored by
the operator through the agency of a magnetising coil. Ex-
tremely sensitive receivers of this type have been devi.sed
by Mr. Burnside, who employs a hollow silver-plated iron
ball to make contact with a point on the diaphragm. The
ball is arranged to have perfectly neutral buoyancy in a liquid
inside the receiver case, .so that it has no gravity control, and
it is attracted into contact with the disk by a small coil.

Fig. VI,

-Connections i'or Combined Adr.al .^nd Vispai.
Leaded Gear.

the.

By means of these devices the time intervals for .sound
ranging can be read from the iihonic chronometer imme-
diately the impulse is received ; the calculation of the
position of the source is very troublesome, but by the aid
this chronometer and a locator it will probably be jxissible
determine the position of a source within a minute af|
the arrival of the impulse. Corrections have to be applii
for the temperature of the water, which considerably alTects
the velocity of propagation, but these can easily be made by
curves correcting the time dilleiences observed to a standard
temperature before setting them on tiie scales of the locator.

If a ship can locate its position in any weather, and guide
it.self to a harliour or through a channel in a fog. the only
remaining danger is from oli.stacles such as icebergs, wrecks,
and rocks. It appears probable that the echo methods of
detection already described will eliminate this danger. Prob-
ably the most reliable arrangement will be a combination of

• " Scientific Signalling and Safety at Sea." by Prol. J.
Joly, F.R.S., Philosophical Magazine, July, 1918.

Tol. 87. Ko. 2,235, Septembek 24, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

411

an acoustic device such as the Pessenden oscillator or Wright-
son syren with high-frequency searching equipment.

.Another device which may be of considerable service in
navigation is the obtaining of soundings by echo methods
from the bottom. This has already been carried out very
successfully by M. Marti, vi'ho has obtained soundings in
depths of from_ (JU to 100 metres to an accuracy of about a
metre, from ships moving at speeds up to 10 knots, by the
use of small explosive charges fired alongside the vessel. By
this means valuable information about position may be
obtained, and the approach to shoals or shores detected.
The lecturer has recently devised a scheme for giving direct
and continuous indication of the depth of water under a ship
by a pointer indicator on the bridge.

A great deal of work has been done on submarine and aerial
signalling, both secret and otherwise, with the object of per-
mitting ships to communicate with one another, and thus
avoid collisions. One of these devices which may be men-
tioned is the improved form of photophone invented by Dr.
A. U. Rankine, and described before the Physical Society,
in which a mirror is fixed on the lever of a phonograph
diaphragm which forms an . image of a bright illuminated
grid on another similar grid. The amount of light trans-
mitted varies with the vibration of the diaphragm, and is
ccjncentrated on a .selenium cell at the distant .station. Re-
markably clear speech is obtained in this manner, and the
device is easily adaptable to ordinary ship searchlights.

If all the abiivc d.virrs prove as successful as they appear
to promi.se. it sc'iiis probable that before long the la.st re-
maining dangers will bt- ebmiuated from navigation, and that
passages will be made without danger or delay in all weathers.
{To he concluJcil.)

43,000-volt lines were in most cases arranged in existing build-
ings, so as to avoid the attentions of aircraft— for instance, at
Wasquehal, near L|ille, in a bleach works; at Jeumont, in a
cable work.s; at Lagnicourt, in a barn. The sub-stations at
Lille and Jeumont were apparently intended as almost per-
manent installations, as modern armoured concrete partitions
and cubicles were used. Plain glass windows with holes in
the centre were used on 4-5,000-volt cu-cuits instead of inlet
insulators. Several temporary wooden sub-stations for 30,000
volts used for munition work were noted in the neighbour-
hood of Aix-la-Chapelle, in Germany. The sub-stations used
for systems at 5.000 to AJ.OOO volts were in most cases
made of squared framing, rough forest boarding and covered
with bitumen paper. Inlet insulators, panes of glass, or

ELECTKICITV IN THE GERMAN ARMY.

By Major T. EICII, O.B.E.

(,Cu>irliided from p"ge 330 J

Suli-xtiitinn (iinl General High-pressure Aceesaories. — The ac-
cessories used were in most cases of a simple character. The
ordinary snaall sub-station was equipped with disconnecting
links, tubular fuses, choking coils, and horn lightning arresters,
no oil switch being used. In earlier stations French apparatus
was u.sed, although in a number of instances the copper blades
of links were rephu-cd by ir-on. In later .sub-stations links,
fuses, and other apparatus were largely made of iron or zinc
alloy ; in the latest type zinc alloy was used. Choking coils
were made of iron ; this conforms to a generally accepted
civiUan practice.

Difficulty was apparently met with owing to the lack of
glycerine to prevent the freezing of liquid resistances. .\t
the time of the armistice efforts were beng made to ;ivoid this
by the use of dry carbon resistances, and altirimtively the
use of metallic resistance wire wound iinn hkIik (ivi'ly and
embedded in enamel. A few resistances wnc fuuud with a
metallic resistance wire wound with a shuttle through a textile
webbing and immersed in oil.

High-pressure busbars and connections for sub-stations were
usually made of iron wire about 5 nun. in diameter.

H T Bra

Ful. 13.— Sub-station- Attached Fic. 14.— Sob-station at
TO Fakmhouse. a Sawmill.

rectangular openings were used as conductor inlets. Sub-
stations were frequently arranged on the roof or against the
eaves ot outhouses and farm buildings, or in the buildings
of sawniills and depots. Channel iron was largely used when
steel framing was necessary. Ti-ansformers were usually
placed on wood floors without the use of concrete Judging
by the way in which transformer posts at 11,000 volts were
placed m wooden cubicles in .sawnn'Us, the " Starkstrom "
officers must have had confidence in the reliability of the
apparatus they were u.sing.

I'ortable Transformer Stations.— Id order to be able to
supply light or power to mobile corps or divisional head-
quarters, or to semi-mobile workshops, a number of portable
transformer stations were used. The earliest of the.se were

Fill. l'2.-Tl!ANSK0IiMER AND SWITCHING STATION NEAR T.A B (.'^SEE

i;ii:\r\N Tkansi'chimfr Station.

take this wire a number of .special insulators with special
screwed cone connectors was found in Jeumont Dump. It
might be noted that in the U.S. .4. during the war, where
current capacity allowed, iron pipe was largely used for high-
pressure busbars, and owing to its rigidity and general con-
venience this system is being continued.

The corrugated or accordeon insulators seem to have been
abandoned and replaced by cone-shaped insulators with one,
two, or three rings under the cap. These were usually secured
to sub-station ironwork by means of bolts screwed into plates
cemented or plastered into the bases. Great care was taken
in all sub-stations to earth the metallic bases of all fittings
and apparatus. Earth plates were usually made of galvanised
iron.

iiub-station Buildings— The sub-stations used for the main

of the type made by electrical nianufaiturers and used before
the war in the Harz and other districts to run chaff cutters,
thrashing machines, and other plant for farmers. The later
types were improvised locally out of lorries, vans, and farm
wagons. Besides transformers, they were fitted with section
links, fuses, low-pressure switches, fuses, and sometimes with
lightning dischargers and choking coils. Some of the wagons
were fitted with low-pressure, a-phase motors. It is estimated
that about 50 of these must have been used on the North-
Wesitern Front.

Connection was made to high-pressure lines through pass-
through or line insulators on the roofs, and bolted or spring
clips. An earth plate and earth connection were used to pro-
tect the apparatus. These transformer stations were used for
voltages up t.> 15,000-16,000 volts and capacity of 20 to 30

412

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,23.0, septkmbm 24, 1920.

K.V.A., and according to a prisoner, were very useful and
successful.

Fig. 16 shows an improvised tran.sformer station of this
kind.

Switchgcar. — The high-pressure switchgear used was to a
large extent that requisitioned from the Pi'ench. Several sets
of 3-phase switchgear for 45,000-60,000 volts were found after
the advance. The peculiarity of these, and of a number of
22,000-volt switches lay in the fact that the solenoids and
armatures operating the trip gear were placed on the switch
insulators, and operated the trips through insulated rods, the
adjusting mechanism being accessilde and earthed. This
avoided the use of series-operating transformers. Information
was received that somewhat similar switchgear had been
supplied by a German firm to Spain operating at 70,000-80,000
volts shortly before the war.

It is evident that efforts were made to reduce the apparatus
required for high and low-pressure work to an absolute mini-
mum, not merely to save expen.se and man power, but also
to avoid complications, the neces.sity for extra-skilled operators,
and the extra liability to accidents which sometimes accom-
panies the excessive use of safety apparatus.

Comparatively few instruments were found, and ouly very
few of German war-time manufacture.

The low-pressure motor starting and other switchgear used
was very simple; practically no enclosed knife switches were
used on 110/190-volt, 3-phase circuits, and a material quantity
of the more comphcated low-pressure apparatus requisitioned
from "the Pi'ench and Belgians was kept in store and not used.
A number of iron switches were found, but some of these
were in a rusty state.

Appended to the report are translations of a number of
German Army Orders, relating to procedure in general with
regard to the use of electric power, precautions to avoid risk
of shock or damage, restrictions on the use of electricity for
lighting and power, &c., the specified electrical detachment
being always referred to as the responsible authority on such
matters. The routine to be observed in sub-stations, &c.,
is prescribed in minute detail, as well as the procedure in
connection with the maintenance and repair of 45,000- and
15,000-volt lines, and in bringing them into u.se after break-
down.

A German document found at Sin-le-noble, dated November
12th, 1917, and relating to electricity supply in the 6th Army,

Regimental troops may not either at their own expense or
by means of dismantling in the Army area provide themselves
with such materials. The obtaining of building materials
from home is expensive, and, owing to lack of raw materials,
very limited. The greatest economy is therefore necessary.
In this respect it is again remarked that especially on economic
grounds, any wilful damage, such as taking away or dis-
mantling, by troops must be rigidly suppressed.

All electrical materials found in the Army area are placed
at the disposal of the Cth Electric Power Battalion unless
required by a higher authority. In this connection it is a
matter of indifference whether materials are in use or not.
The 6th Electric Power Battalion alone decides whether a
.system is in use or not. The battalion is thoroughly acquainted
with every .system existing in the .\rmy area. In this way
the salvage of copper from electrical stations is, generally
speaking, irnixissible. Such salvage will usually be considered
as pilfering, seeing that systems in the forward areas which
cannot be kept running will be systematically salved by the
0th Electric Power Battalion.

The installation of a lamp will generally cost 20 marks;
an electric motor 1,000 to 3,(KX) marks; an accumulator 20 to
80 marks. Tho.se services which ask for electric installations
should consider these costs.

Installations with heavy current consumptions should be
arranged near transformers. For isolated single installations,
with a high current consumption, the erection of an electrical
system is no longer possible on account of the lack of raw
material. . . . The Cth Electric Power Battalion has instruc-
tions to remove lamps in excess of the above numbers. Should
the battalion in the execution of such removal be in any
way hindered, it has instructions to report the respective
obstructor to Headquarters Staff. It should be understood
that, at a time when the home market is suffering from lack
of material and coal, no resistance should be offered to the
battalion in these matters.

The extent of power installations, as against light installa-
tions, cannot be beforehand determined. The stock of
machines is very limited, the demand at home so great that
it is absolutely necessary to set free machines in occupied
territory in order to send them home so that the homeland
shall be in a position to continue deliveries, especially of

P(ii;tah(,k Tiiansfoiuiru Cabix; 15,000 to 12()/'2(11) voi.t.s, 20 k.v.a.

contains many interesting items, of which a selection follows.
It will be noted that everything connected with electro-
technics is under the sole conti'ol of the electric power bat-
talion : —

All electrical arrangements of the 6th Army will be installed
and maintained by or placed under the supervision of the
6th Electric Power Battalion (Abteilung). Geographical and
not economical conditions determine the dependence of the
battalion on the 6th Army.

Camp Commandants are not entitled to undertake technical
measures themselves, but should lend all assistance for the
carrying out of such measures.

Malicious damage of h.t. systems occurs unfortunately very
often. The offenders are almost without exception soldiers
who are collecting and salving copper. These men scarcely
ever bring to light copper which could otherwise have been
lost to the .\rmy, but destroy aud rob systems which have
been erected or put into working order for the benefit of
the troops by the Cth Electric Power Battalion at considerable
trouble aud expense. By these occurrences, the troops are
made to suffer very appreciably. In con.sequence of the lack
of raw mati?rials, destroyed systems cannot again be erected
and consequently billets and occupied positions are without
light; workshops, pumping stations, itc, without power.
Very often offenders are killed by the electric current.

All building materials, machines, and apparatus necessary
for erection of electric supply systems will be provided by
the 6th Electric Power Battalion, either from dismantle-
ments in the Army area or by purchase in the home market.

munitions, in sufficient quantities. It must, theivfore, be
assumed that no motor may be put into use without permis-
sion of the 6th Electric Po^\ei' Battalion. The greatest
economy must be maintained in the' distribution of mottirs.
Existing installations must be utilised to their fullest capa-
city, the actual working time of motors must 'be increased,
and small installations combined together. The Army must,
therefore, content itself with only the main imits necess;iry
for warfaie. Home factories can deliver no more tran.s-
formers. Each transfonner must, therefore, be utilised to
its fullest capacity.

Demaiuls for erection of electiical installations forwarded
through other than the above channels will only cau.se delay,
as such demands must^ eventually go through the hands of the
Electrical Battalion. Troops may not undertake work on
their own account.

In order to ensure safety of the whole installation, on
account of the lack of materials, and to save coal, the use of
electric heaters is prohil)ited. The Electric Power Battalion
has the right to make exceptions in very special cases. The
connection of electric heaters to mains, -nithout consent of
the Electric Power Battalion, will be severely punished.

In the front line, where it is not possible to obtain con-
nections to an overland central station, accvunulator lighting,
on a small scale.' may be arranged. The 6th Electric Power
Battalion runs its own accumulat*ir factory. Here again
very little material is available. Accumulator lighting niu.st
therefore he confined to only the most important services, and
to as narrow a fighting area as possible.

Tol, 87. No. 2,2:)5, Septembeb 21, 1910.] THE ELECTRICAL KEYIEWo

413

NEW ELE6TRI6AL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

Riadsrt ar» wmUd to tuimit partioulari of new or improved divioet and apparat/ui, whioh will it ptiblUhed
if oomidartd of iuffioisnt mttrtst.

" Heatrae " Electric Fires.

A new line of electric fires has just been developed by
Mhssrs. Electric Fires, Inr)., of King Street, Norwich,
embodying many novel and interesting features. The heating
element, which is normally loaded to 1,000 watts, consists of
wire spirals supported only at intervals, as shown in fig. 1,
by a series of separate porcelain insulators, in front of a
highly polished metal reflector, so that, having no solid mass
of material to heat up, it instantly glows red when switched
on, and its effect is multiplied by the reflections of the hot
spirals, not only in the element itself, but also in the adja-
cent poli.shed metal parts of the heater. The construction

Pig. '2.— The ■ Si

the glowing spirals are reflected, so that the maximum effect
is produced, both in appearance and in the diiecting of the
radiant heat towards the front, as we have per.sonally verified.
The clamping nuts are covered with neat aluminium slides,
and the finish of the heater compares favourably with that
of any that we have seen, British or foreign. Pig. 3, on the
other hand, shows a cast-iron front, with sheet-steel body
and trivet, which can be fitted either above or below the
fire bars. This size takes 3,000 w'atts, and is fitted with three
turn switches. Other sizes and patterns are made, with
sheet metal fronts and aluminium reflectors, and loaded up
to 4,000 watts, as well as a factory or cabin heater and a
bowl fire. The handles are heat-insulatod. All these fires
are made in a new up-to-date factory on mass-production
lines, with interchangeabiUty of parts, and are guaranteed ;
they constitute a real innovation, combining artistic merit
with .sound design.

A Wireless Outfit for Small Vessels.

Among the many products in the field of wireless telegraphy
manufactured by Messrs. Siemens Bros. & Co., of Woolwich,
is the cabinet type station illustrated in fig. 4. This is suit-
able for installation in small vessels, yachts, &c., and the
pow-er required for charging the battery is about 300 watts,
which can be taken from the ship's mains or supphed by a
0.3-KW.. petrol engine-driven n.r. generator. 'ITie 50-volt bat-
tery for operating the transmitter is installed in the bottom
left-hand compartment of the cabinet. The motor-generator
consists of a d.c. motor driving a 50O-cycle, 0.2.5-KW. genera-
tor. The excitation cu'cuit consists of four specially insulated
glass condensers, an inductance, and quenched spark gap. An
aerial lengthening variometer is included permitting very ac-
curate adjustment of the wave-length. An aural receiver with
contact detector is employed. This receiver, which has a wave-
range of from 2(X) to 2,000 metres, provides a wide range of
variation of coupling, enabling very exact tuning to be ob-
tained. A valve amplifier set can be fitted as an extra if
required. The whole of this apparatus is included in a cabinet
with hinged face, which can be completely closed when not

T'hi: ■■ Meiiii.ian 111." Heati;u.

of the elemiMit is ingenious and extremely simple, all the
parts being locked in position but readily removable, and the
user can easily renew the winding without fear of mishap,
the terminals being designed on a new principle, so as to
be self-centring without bushing the holes through which
they pass. The complete element is practically unbreakable,
even inider violent u.sage, and can be replaced en bloc with
the greatest ease.

Equal attention has been given to the frames in which
the elements are housed: we illustrate in fig. 2 the "Sun
rise ■■ heater with a single element, made of aluminium
throughout, and weighing complete only 3j lb., so that it is
portable in the highest degree. It will be noticed that the
element is surrounded by poli.shed surfaces, in each of which

Fig. 4.— Ship's Wihei.ess C'.\binet ((Ji'En).

in use. The overall dimensions of the cabinet are approxi-
mately as follows: Width, 5 ft; depth (open), 2 ft. 10 in.;
depth (closed), 1 ft. 10 in.; height, 4 ft. 8 in.

" Apex " Switch and Fuse Gear.

We have recently received from The S(in Electrical Co.,
Ltd., 118, and 120. Charing Cross Eoad, W.C. 2. details of
some new switch fu.se apparatus shortly to be placed upon
the market. Pig. 5 illustrates the " Apex " watertight jron-
clad switch fuses. The construction of these .switches em-
bodies an entirely new principle resulting in a simple actwn
for switching " on " and " off." Each movement is of the
" quick break " tvpe, and is claim<-d to be entirely indepen-
dent of the action of the oiierator. All contacts enter or leave

414

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. No. 2,235, septembeb 24, 1920,

the clips at tlio same iiiiniiont, reducing the possibiHty of
arcing to a iniiiiiiium. The switches are completely " fool-
proof," and it is impossible to put the switch in while the
cover is open or to open the cover while the switch is in the
" on " position. Care has been taken in the design to permit

THE

MACHINE-TOOL AND ENGINEERING
EXHIBITION.

speedy wiring and erection. This apparatus is being manu-
factured in London, and the sole selUng rights, apart from
the company's .sales, have been vested in Messrs. Drake
.AND GoRH.AM Wholes.ale, Ltd., 67, Long Acre, W.C. 2, The
Foster Engineering Co., Morden Eoad, Wimbledon, and
Messrs. Downs & Daviks, 1-3, Stanley Street, Liverpool.

A Magnetic Drill.

.'VmoDg the products of Messrs. White. .Jacubv lI- Co., Ltd.,
Balham Place, Camden Town. N.W. 1, is the magnetic

Fig. 6.— Magnetic Drill.

electric drill shown in fig. 6. The tool embodies all the
features of the firm's standard electric drills, but has in
addition a powerful electro-magnet for holding the drill up
to its -nork. No pressure lever or other fixtures are necessary,
and a considerable saving in time is effected thereby. A link
is supplied with the drill ■ to enable it to be suspended if re-
quired, as shown.

(Ointhtited from page 364.)
Messrs. Tangyes, Ltd., Birmingham, show in operation two
electrically-driven machines. One is an axle-turning latbe,
height of centres 12 in., which admits between centres 108 in , and
on which both ends of a wheel axle may be machined simul-
taneously. The other is a centring and ending machine, which

Fie. 20.— Heavy Tkamcar-wheel Lathe.

Fig. 21. — Motor-driven Gear Planer.

will admit an axle of fi in. dianreter and 114 in. in length, which
should be of interest on account of its high rate of production.
Fig. 20 shows a Tangye heavy tramcar- wheel lathe, and the driving
motor can be seen at the left-hand side of the illustration.

Messrs. C. A. Hunton & Sons, London, are exhibiting a novel
form of shearing machine, which is claimed to be an improvement
on other forms of hand-operated machines. The firm is also
putting on the market a rail saw machine which will be known as
the " Limitax," and is showing for the first time a back-saw

Fig. 22.— 'Fortina " Power Hack Saw.

Electrically-woond Clochs. — An article in L'lmiustrie

Elect rhpie on the above subject describes a system due to Mr.
M. Mayeur, in which the weight itself contains a small motor and
gearing and climbs up the chain at intervals, the motor being
s'ftrted and stopped through the agency of external contacte
corresponding to its limits of position. — Tec/inical Heview.

machine to cut S in. by S in., which embodies all the advantages
and improvements of the well-known " Fortuna ' 6in. by i'< in. saw
that is fitted with a universal vice, and is illustrated in fig. 22.
The net weight of this machine is 280 lb., its shipping weight being
approximately 6ot lb., and the dimensions of its packing-case
approximately 58 x 12 x 20 in.

Vol.87. No.s,235,gBPTBMRBB24,i920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

415

Messrs. J. Parkinson & Son, Shipley. — The well-known
" Sunderland " system of g-ear-cutting is a generatin;: one using a
rack-shaped cutter, which passes across the face of the wheel in a
planing action, producing teeth and spaces, and at the same time
the blank or wheel being- cut is rotated and the cutter advanced
tangentially in unison, similarly to the rolling action of a rack and
pinion. One cutter only is required for each pitch for any number
of teeth required. The arrangement of the motor drive for a
" Sunderland " gear planer is shown in fig. 21, from which it will
be seen that an angle bracket is fixed to machined Beatings on the
main casting, on which the motor is mounted.

The Lea Recorder Co., Ltd., Manchester, has on show a small
size combined indicating, recording, and integrating- water meter,
with a maximum capacity of 30,000 lb. per hour, of the type
generally installed for the purpose of measuring boiler feed water
as an aid to fuel economy. Another device that is shown workii g
is the Lea coal meter, illustrated in fig. 23. The meter is fitted to

ii^

iffi

"lea" n^^

COAL METER : . ■'' W *

m

^'" ''"'imp ?in

Fig. 23. — Lea Coal Meter.

-a model stoker to show its method of working, and when used in
conjunction with a feed water meter, two sets of figures are con-
stantly available, from which the all-important data in every boiler
hoose, lb. of water evaporated per lb. of fuel burnt, can be
determined.

The apparatus is designed to work with chain-grate stokers, and
operates very much on the same lines as the well-known V-notch
water recorders. Its action is based upon the theory that when
coal is supplied to a furnace by means of a chain-grate stoker, the
amount of fuel passing under the fire door may be regarded as a
t ream with a constant width, but the depth and velocity of the

more or less, according to its lateral position. Assuming an 8-in.
fire to be the maximum, with that thickness of fuel the counting
wheel will engage with all the teeth of the drum ; with a 4-in.
fire the counting wheel will only engage with half of them, and
if the fire-door is shut the counting wheel and drum will not
engage at all. Therefore, it in claimed that for all variations in
the thickness of the fire, or in the speed of the grate, the number
of revolutions of the wheel will be proportional to the total cubic
feet of coal that is passed, and by means of proper constants for
the units shown on the counting dials, the total quantity can be
determined closely. The apparatus occupies little space, as shown
by fig. 23, it need not be attached to the boiler itself, is easily read,
requires no skilled attention, and the wearing parts are few. The
makers give a guarantee of accuracy to within .5 per cent., and it
is claimed that actual weighing is not more exact unless fine
corrections are made according to the varying moisture content of
the coal. One standard instrument serves for all boil-rs ; the
recording is in plain figures and is cumulative. The value of the
unit is found by experiment, for example (the figures are fanciful),
assume that a weighed or measured ton of coal is passed through
in 97 revolutions of the counting wheel, then the total count for a
day, week, &c., is divided by 97 to find the number of tons con-
sumed by each boiler. The meter should prove extremely useful,
in co-operation with other recording instruments, especially in
checking the performances of individual boilers.
The Westminster Tool and Electric Co., London. — Although
not a direct exhibitor, one of the firm's "super" electric drills is
on view on the extremely interesting stand of the Skefko Ball
Bearing Co., Ltd., as the firm's Mark I series of drills is fitted
with these ball bearings throughout. The drills, which are in use
in many British shipyards and general engineering works, are
driven by powerful electric motors, and have proved very useful for
such work as drilling, counter-sinking, reaming, &o., and on test,

MtaSi^^^s^— X

Fig. 25. — "Westool" Portable Electric Drill.

kness-r"

«,ckness-r"

Dm

Fig. 24. — Lea Coal Meter.

stream are subject to variation. The width of the stream is the
width of the chain grate, the depth is the thickness of the fire, and
the speed is the rate of travel of the chain grate. Therefore, if
w = width of stream in ft. ; T = thickness or depth in ft. ; and
V = velocity of stream in ft. per hour ; then 1 cb. ft. per
hour = w X T X V = cross sectional area ■ w It has
been found by experience that under ordinary conditions of working
the flow of coal under a fire door is, generally speaking, pro-
portional to the thickness of the fire and to the velocity of the
grate, and that the results are very consistent with what might be
expected, theoretically. As w is constant, and T and v are the
only variables, all that is required is some form of automatic
integrating mechanism which will at all times take into account
the two items t and v, and this is what the recorder does. .4.8 will
be seen from fig. 24, the motion of the grate is transmitted by
gearing to a spirally toothed drum, the pitch of the teeth of
which is equal, or proportionate to, the maximum lift of the fire
door, or the thickness of the fire H. A toothed counting wheel
gearing with the spiral drum blow, and with a counting box above,
is mounted on a rod directly connected with the fire-door ; as the
latter is opened or closed, the counting wheel is moved to and fru
aterally across the spiral drum, which causes the wheel to revolve,

the foUowing work has been easily performed with them. The
No. 3a machine drills 2-in. holes in mild steel 1 fV in. deep i^ one
minute, with an average current consumption of 3,000 watts. For
the No. 2 drill the makers are using the same motor which they
have fitted for the past five years to their old No. 3 pattern, so that
the reserve of power is a practical safeguard against burn-outs.
The No. 1 drill is undoubtedly an extremely handy little tool ; it
will drill ft-in. holes in steel 2|'„ in. deep per minute, with a
current consumption of only 875 watts, a creditable performance
The particular type of D.c. drill illustrated in figs. 25 and 26.

Fig. 26. — "Westool" d.c. Drill.

weighs only 60 lb., and all its parts are interchangeable ; it is
fitted with a No. 3 Morse taper, will drill Ij-in. holes in steel,
and expand tubes to 4 in. The gears are so arranged that by
exchanging the two pinions, without alteration of wheel centres,
two-speed ratios can be obtained— one the standard for ordinary
drilling and reaming work at a speed of 16" r.p.m., and the other
for tube expanding or tapping work at a speed of about 80 B.P.M.

416 THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Tolst. No. 3,23... s»th.beb 21, 1930.

The feed screw in the No. 3, Mark 1, 1920- pattern machine illustrated
is placed in a separate chamber parallel to the field poles and
armature. This arranp^ement enables the overall length of the
drill to be reduced to 13b in., and the effective lenjfth of feed
increased to 6in. ; it also permits an oval shape for the drill body,
which renders it specially suited for corner drilling. The gear
case, top bonnet, and drill body are made of special alloy steel.
driving the necessary mechanical strength to the tool. The
armature core is made of iron stampings with former-wound
double silk-covered wire coils. A shrouded fan is fitted at the
lower end of the windings, which produces a strong draught of
air not only round the windings, but also through the ventilating
boles provided in the core stampings and commutator. Carbon
brushes are used, mounted in spring holders fitted to an insulating
plate secured to the body, leaving the top bonnet free to be
removed without disturbing the brushes or their connections. The
coils are former-wound, well taped and impregnated with insulat-
ing varnieh. The switch is of strong design and of the double-
pole drum-contact tyi)e, with a quick make and l)reak action and
positive " on " and " off " positions complying with the Home Office
requirements. The switch can be supplied suitable for running in
either direction if desired. The drills are made in various sizes,
and each is supplied with a Morse taper socket, safety cable con-
nector, and a length of C.M.A. "cab-tire" cable containing an
earth wire.

MEssBti. H. Berry & Co., Ltd., Leeds. — Amongst the exhibits on
this stand an electrically-driven furnace charger is on view,
designed to push billets through a continuous furnace, and is shown
complete with safety tappet arrangement. It is driven by a
.5-B.H.P. motor, has a 4-ft. stroke, and is capable of developing
power up to 4 tons and feeding at the rate of 10 ft. per minute.
Another exhibit is an hydraulic pressure-pump of the portable
electrically-driven type, the drive being through worm gearing.
The set is completely fitted as a self-contained unit for such
purposes as boiler testing, &c.

Messrs. E. Beook, Ltd., Huddersfield, have on view a range
of A.c. motors wound for single, two and three-phase, and
ranging in size from 1'5 to 100 H.P, The machines shown com-
prise the following : — A 15-H.P., 415-volt, 5ii-cycle, 950-r:p.m.
weather and drip- proof motor and a So-H.p. pipe- ventilated
machine having a fan internally connected with the rotor, suitable
for use in chemical and very dusty works. The totally-enclosed
r.5-H.P., 950-B.P.M. ■' Loom " motor shown, as its name indicates, is
suitable for textile works, and is fitted with a belt cradle. A
double helical reduction gear, ratio 6:1, is on view, fitted to a
5-H.p. motor, and also a spur gear placed on top of a 3-H.p. machine.
The 10-H.p. vertical motor is suitable for driving hydro-extractors
and the like, while the 6U-H.P. low-speed one is of the ordinary
protected type, but fitted with a third bearing, bedplate, and rope
pulley. The firm's standard non-automatic starters are attached
to the two small " buffing " machines shown, which have extended
shafts at each end and are wound for single-phase. The stator of a,
lUii-H.p. motor is also exhibited, with its windings exposed to
allow of examination. In the centre of the stator is placed a J-H.P.
machine to show comparison.

{To be concluded.)

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly for this journal by Messrs. Sefton-Jones, O'Dell and
Stephens, Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

25.444. " Motor controllers." Cutler-Hammer Manut.icturing Co. and
Igranic Electric Co. (Cutler-H.ammer Manulacturing Co.). September 3rd.

ai,**.?. " Rheostats." Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing Co. and Igranic Elec-
tric Co. (CutleV-Hanimer Manufacturing Co.). September 3rd.

25.446. " Magnetos." Soc. Anon, la Magneto Beige. September 3rd. (Bel-
gium. September 3rd, 1919.)

25.447. " Ignition magnetos." Sue. Anon.. la Magneto Beige. September 3rd.
(Belgium, September 3rd, 1919.)

2.5,451. " System for controlling relays for wireless high-speed telegraphy,
S.C." Siemens & Halske Akt. Ges. September 3rd.

25.464. " Automatic electric sub-station svslems." Metropolitan-Vickers
Electrical Co. (Wcstinghouse Electric and Manuf.acluring Co.) and Wcstinghousc
Electric and Manufacturing Co. September 3rd.

25.465. " Polarised relav for controlling rotary ronwrters." Metropolitan-
Vickers Electrical Co. (Westinghou,se Electric and Manufacturing Co.) and
\\V^lini;house Electric and Manufacturing Co. September 3rd.

■_Vi,4Gli. " Time-limit relays for electrical supply systems." Melropolitan-
\ickers Electrical Co. September 3rd. (U.S., September 3rd, 1919.)

25,487. " Number dials for 3utom.atic telephone systems." J. E. Colh.r and
E. A. Petithory and Siemens Bros. & Co. September 3rd.

25,491. " Electric batteries." H. Powell. September 4th.

25,504. "Telephone instruments." J. H. T. Roberts. September 4lh.

2.',,534. " Rheostats for arc lamps of kinematograph machines." 11. W.
Baker. September 4th.

25.537. " Electric lamp fittings." A. S. E. Setfgwick. September 4th.

25,539. ," Method of fixing insulating rings on shafts." Naamlooze Vennool-
schap EleCtrotcchnische Industrie voorheen (W. Smit & Co.). September 4th.

25,545. " Electric regulating systems." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. September 4th.

5,552. " Electric lighting of motor-cars, &c." T. W. Rickard. September

alternating currents." A. M. T.nlor.
&c." A. Hariyood. September

4th.

25.573. " Proyiding high-fr.!quency
.September 6th.

25,589. " Trolley-heads of electric li
6th.

25.623. *' Insulators for supporting electricity conductor wires, (elepbone
wires, S:c." H. de S. Himmelstjerna and R. M. Scott (Himmelsljerna).
September 6th.

25.624. " Electromagnetic wav<»-receiving .systems." Radio Communica-
tion Co. and J. Scolt-Taggart. September 6th.

25.627. " Device for indicating interruptions in electric circuit." W. E.
Bottom and M. H. Goldfarb. September 6th.

25,650. " Electric transforming systems or devices." H. B. Brooks.
September 6th.

25.669. " Sparking plugs." A. G. Brown. September 6th.

25,679. " Field magnets for magneto-«lectric machines, inductors,
apparatus. Sic." Philipps Akt.-Ges. September 6th.
6th, 1919.)

25,708. " Dynamo-electric machines." Electro-Dyn;
and N. Pens.'ibenc. September 7th.

25,719. " Ventilation of dynamo-electric machines." A. I
Metropolit.in-Vickcrs Electrical Co. September 7th.

2.5,737. " Means for magnifying changes in electric currents,
September 7th.

25,746. " .Sparking plugs." C. Andreason. September 7th.

25,792. " .Starting polyphase asynchronous electric motors
Brown, Boyeri. ct Cic. Septcinber 7th. (Switzerland Septemb

25,825. - -■

25,833.
September 8th

25,861. " Starting and lighting systems for motor vehick-s." H. M. Ains-
worth and .Soc. Anon, des "Anciens Etablissements Hotchkiss ct Cie. Sep-

(Germany, September

ic Construction Co.

A. U. Field and

A. Orling.

Akt.-U.a.
Hlh. 1919.)

' Electric accuinulators." W. H. B. Stevens. September 8th.
' Electric cooking appliances." A. C. Hammonds and M. J. Wagg.

25,872. " Ijattery-charging switch." J
25,875. " Commutators of Ford eng

Atkii

' Elcctr;

noph,
25,889. " Electrical cutting machin
September 8th.
25,916. " Sparking plugs." F. W
" Telephone call meter carr
" Sparking plugs.

». September 8th.

F. Lambert. September 8th.
M. Mosely. Sept<'mber 8lh.
ncs." R. S. MacGregor and J. W'a&s.

25,956.

Schroder. Septem'ber 8th.
er carrier." H. B. Merton. September 9th.
S. Remus. September 9tli.

25,962. '* Electric lamps for motor cars^ &c.'

9th.

H. Kuttenburg. September
laces." J. A. Davey and

25,965. " Operating electrodes of electric
Electro-Metals, Ltd. September 9th.

25,967. " Method of operating luminous electric discharge lamps, &c."
E. Schaefler. September 9lh. (Germany, September 9th, 1919.)

25,977. " Electrolytic rectifier cell." J. Kreinenezky (firm oQ. Septemb«;r
9th. (Austria, March Uth, 19U).)

25,988. " Magnetic separators." C. Clarke. September 9th.

26.007. " Method for generating electricity." E. E. Dutt., September 9th.

26.008. " Method for conversion of latent heat into electricity by Ihermo-
t-Iectrical apparatus." E. E. Dutt. September 9th.

26.035. " Electric switches, S.C." Electric Control. Ltd., and J. J. Fisher.
September 10th;

26.036. " Electromagnetic apparatus." R. E. H. Carpenter and F. G.
Creed and Creed & Co. September lOlh.

26.043. " Mounting clips for electrical switchge:
Tucker & Co. September IDth.

26.044. " Contacts for electrical switches." W. J. Line
and Co. September 10th.

sion of latent heat into

W. J. Line and J. H.
and J. H. Tucker

Du

26.057. " Method for
September 10th. ^
26,060. ". High-tension
26,094. " Effecting igm

26,104. " Electrol

lormers." A. C. Gunstone. September 10th.
and accelerating combustion in Ihermo-dyna-
S. Ruzicka. September 10th.

for production of chlorate of alkali metals."

cell!

J. T. Barker and United Alkali Co. (Barker). September 10th
26,113. " Electric ignition." F. H. Richards. September lUlh.
26,117. " Electric power transmission." A. M. Taylor. September lllh
26,148. " Control systems for electric motors." S. Gowan and Mel

politan-Vickers Electrical Co. and L. Miller. September 11th.
26,154. " Magneto-electric machines." British Thomson-Houston Co. a

A. P. Young. September 11th.
26.156. " Apparatus for starling synchronised asynchronous motors." Com

pagnie G^nif-ral Electrique. Septembe'r 11th. (France, September 20th, 1919.)

nd

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in parentheses are those under which the specifications
printed and abridged, and all subsequent proceedings will be taken.

n.4:)!l. " Fihiiiienls (or incandescent electric lamps and methods of making
111,- s..n!,-." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General Electric Co.). March
!3th, 1914.

1918.

.561. " Electric switches." A. H. F. Perl." (). lol.er 24tb, 1918. (Cognate
application, 17,404/18.) (149,701.)

10.290. " Ionic relays." W. H. Eccles and F. W . Jordan. June 21sl, 1918.
(149.702.)

2«74<i. " El.rtrical furnaces." F.l.A.T. Fabrica Italiana Aulcmubilc
Ti.rino. December 12th, 1917. (121,485.)

1918.

5.894. " Electrical furnaces." F.l.A.T. Fabrica Italiana Automobile
Torino. November 2nd, 19)8. (Addition to 121,485.) (134.810.)

6.457. " High-tension insulators." R. M. Johnston. March 14th, 1919.
(149.713.)

11.882. " F'luid pressure brake apparatus." British Thomson-Houston i e.
(General Electric Co.). May 12lh, 1919. (149,729.)

12 1.53 " Means ft»r covering or coaling electric conductors, wire, and the
like'witi. liiiuid or plastic materials. F. C. Cook. May 14lh. 1919. (14!<,736.)

12,233. " Tool for electric r.ible stripping." G. H. Scholes and E. A.
Clarcmont. May 15th, 1919. (149,739.)

13 620 "Coil-winding mechanism." Igranic Electric Co. and S. Wri;;!'
Mav 29th, 1919. a49."99.)

13.773. "Telephone systems." Relay Automatic Telephone Co., G. II.
Bryant, B. B. Johnson, and F. M. \\-..rd. May 30th. 1919. (149,800.)

13.795. " In.sulators for overhead transmis.sion lines such as telegraph and
telephone line wires." E. A. Chanller. May 31st, 1919. (149.801.)

i9ao.

till.-,. " Engine starters." Eclipse M.i.hine Co. August 2nd. 1919. (U'l.;"-
7 417 " Electric muffle lurna.'.s." October 18lh, 1919. (Divided appli^ >■

lioii on 146.673.) J. R. C. August. ((149,893.)
7,945. " Electric motor control." J. F. Tritle. June 6lh, 1919 (14»,613.)
13 171. " Eleclricallv-operatcd time-conlrolled switches." L. J. Lar.sen.

^iav 12lh, 1920. il49,'903.)

TXXE5

BLEOTK/IO-A-Xj R/E"7"IE!"W-

Vol. LXXXVII.

OCTOBER 1, 1920.

No. 2,286.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

A NEW ARMISTICE?

Tol. LXXXVII.]

CONTENTS: October 1, IMO.

[No. 9,986.
Page

A New Armistice .' :

Tramways in European Countries

Research Funds

Maximum Prices and Frjfits

Socialisation of Supply Works in Germany

The Power of Propaganda, by " Femina "

The Function of the Earth in the Transmission of Electricity,

by C. E. Snell (i««<.)

External Waetin? of Fuel Economiser Pipes, by E. Ingham

(j.llus.')

Electrification of the Ebbw Vale Co.'s Works and Collieries,

by W. Dixon (iii««.)

N«w Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (J.llus.')

Ooriespondenoe —

Power Factor

Single-phase Meters on Three-phase Systems (Jllus.)

The B.P.E.A. and the E T.U

Domestic Supply Pressure and Wiring

Business Notes > <- ...

Notes

Stocks and Shares

Opportunities in the Argentine Republic

Modem Marine Problem?, by C. V, Dryadale (j.llut.') {eoncludeit)
The Municipal Tramways AsBocia'-ion Clncl — III

Operating Costs : Power Expanses

Report and AccouDts

The Machine-Tool and Engineering Exhibition {illus.^icoyirV d^
The Provincial Electric Supply Committee of the United

Kingdom

NewPatents Applied for, 1920

Abstracts of Published Specifications .,

417
418
418
419
419
420

42.5
427

428
42S
429
430
430
437
440
441
442
444
444
446
446

447
448
448

Contractors' Oolnmn

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[417:j

We suppo.se more has been written on the subject of in-
dustrial unrest during the last year or two than on any
other. Whichever way the editor turns in his office or
out of it he is met with books, pamphlets, or newspaper
articles relating to it, the cost of printing and paper
notwithstanding. And why? Because, we optimistically
will say, men are legitimately in search of those better
conditions of life for which we all long, and because, we
pessimistically would add, they are prevented from at-
taining those better conditions by the after effects of the
costly war which spread the desire and determination
to hasten the millennium. These are the legitimate
causes of unrest. There are others, among them being
the activities of a minority — a small minority, we be-
lieve— of extremists and idealists, some of smooth and
cultured speech, some of inflammatory oratory and
coarse threatenings. Mr. Barnes last week rightly told
such that they no more represented the democracy of
the country than the Bedouin of the desert. But their
influence has to be counteracted, and it has again and
again been successfully met by men of the working class
who have troubled themselves to study economic and
industrial questions, and as a consequence advocate sane
and safe measures of reconstruction rather than quack,
or will-o'-the-wisp, remedies. They prefer to repair
the house in which they live rather than to pull it
down before the one they wish to take its place has
even been designed.

A contributor in this issue discusses the importance of
])ropaganda, and in this connection we are reminded of
the vast literature that has appeared and is still appear-
ing on the industrial questions of the times, but which
we fear fails to reach the eyes for which it is prepared.

We have before us as we write, one more pamphlet
which is thoroughly deserving of study by all engineers
just now. It is an attempt by Mr. D. A. Bremner,
Director of the British Engineers' Association,* to
diagnose the industrial unrest disease, to describe its
symptoms and effects, and to set forth his own ideas re-
garding suggested remedies. It will not meet with
unanimous approval, but that is a merit rather than a
defect, for the man who pleases everybody really utters
little more than generalisations or sweet nothings. We
commend the pamphlet to our readers' attention, for it
is brief, and being free from the verbiage that some
reconstruction writers see fit to employ, it gets home
with ideas that at any rate stimulate thought, and that
is all to the good.

Mr. Bremner, as a result of his diagnosis of the
disease, finds it to be a morbid state of feeling, an
affection of the mind, complicated by ignorance. A
difficult case to deal with. The recovery will necessarily
be slow, and the use of (juack remedies may produce
disastrous consequences. Industrial unrest, he holds,
is due to impairment of the reason and a
weakening of the sense of moral responsibility ;
yet the treatment required is an appeal to reason,
and that can only succeed if the mind be suffi-
ciently trained and educated to respond. Let it
not be imagined that dissatisfaction with an exist-
ing state of things is necessarily a disease. It may be
a sign of health and vitality in the nation^ — an expres-
sion of the will to progress. But it is possible that dis-
satisfaction with a state of comparative well-being may
be destroyed by the fear of losiner it; that contemptuous
defiance of an under-estimated danger may be converted

• "The Patholofiy of Industrial Unrest, with some special
reference to the Engineering Indu.stry," by D. A. Bremner,
British Engineers' Association, 3d.

418

THE ELECTEIOAL REVDBiW. [voi.87. no. 2,236, octobeb i, mo.

into a fearful prudence by the revelation of its real
nature; and that disinclination to work may be over-
come by love for one's dependents, or by the selfish fear
of bodily privation.

The writer puts before us in liis pamphlet a number of
measures which, if promptly and skilfully apj)lied, lie
considers should help to restore the industrial world to a
normal state of health. The education of all classc.s
in the laws of industrial and national economics
governing the material well-being of civilised communi-
ties in general, and of our own peculiarly situated
nation in particular, is one urgent matter, but we can-
not look for inunediate results in this direction. The
pernicious teachings and propaganda of extremists,
cranks, and revolutionists must be combated and coun-
teracted. Causes of legitimate discontent should be
voluntarily removed or mitigated. There sliould be a
continuous appeal to all that is best in human nature
to secure support for sane, practical reconstruction, and
less publicity sliould be given to the passionate utter-
ances of the agitator. Wholesome interests and healthy
recreation should be provided which will induce us
all to divert our attention from the perpetual study of
the anatomy of discontent, and so we will write no more
pamphlets on the subject.

Mr. Brennier regards the organisation of tlie em-
ploj-ers to day as being contemptiljle in comparison
with that of labour, and he calls for organisation in
large groups, or as one great body, for planning and
conducting a common defensive campaign. Presumably
the B.E.A., the B.E.A.M.A., the F.B.I. , and all the
other organisations are inadequate or unsuited to the
purpose that he has in view. He advocates the negotia-
' tion of a general industrial armistice, whereby condi-
tions could be stabilised for at least twelve months, so
that employers and employed might be able to concen-
trate their energies on obtaining increased production
wliich alone can save the country from economic disaster
and the working classes from unemployment, suffering,
and privation. He holds also that the presentation by
the employers of a convincing case for capitalism, and
of reconstructive proposals based on facts and figures,
has long been overdue. " Sooner or later sane counsels
will prevail, and genuine reconstruction begin in one
or other of the great manufacturing countries. The first
to recover its stability and regain its power of progres-
sion will be the fortunate one for wliich the future will
hold promise and fulfilment."

An industrial armistice was called for shortly after
tlie other armistice was signed. We can hardly say
that we have had it — possibly history will prove that
it was better to let the steam oS as we have been
doing. We have been getting through gradually, and
possibly every awkward position negotiated, without
serious sacrifice of principle, means progress made
toward settlement. Sooner or later we shiiU settle down
to reasonable progress, and let us hope, prosperity. We
might do tar worse than arrange an industrial armis-
tice now, to date from two years after the signing of that
other armistice.

Why not, as we stand again at that liour in Novemlier,
silently remembering those who laid down their lives
for us, resolve before Heaven that we will sheathe the
sword of the industrial and class warfare for one year,
and endeavour in the better atmosphere that wonlrl
result to settle matters justly and amicably for the
common good of all ?

towns in these countries had begun to think about making
alterations in the systems of fares, in order to render the
tramways more economically supporting, as the financial
results almost everywhere represented " poor business."
He was of opinion that, with the pre.sent system under
which the conductor went about the car to collect fares,
and with the continuance of transfer tickets, it would be
very risky to increase the size of the cars (single deckers)
to any extent. It was already freijuently difficult for
conductors to collect all the fares, and, therefore, only a
simplification of the ticket system would be able
to render it possible for the size of the cars to
be increased. In the meantime, the conditions were
such that the fares could not be raised at the same rate as
the advance in the cost of living, without bringing about a
decrease in the traffic, which might have fatal results. It
had been found in different countries that the basis fares
were appreciably below the cost of living. As a conse-
quence, the tramways, wliich had to pay their personnel full
compensation to meet the increased cost of living, and had
also to follow the high prices in the matter of all e.xpenses,
could not reckon on getting their receipts on a level with
the working expenses. Simplification would take place if
the conductor could collect the fares of 70 passengers
instead of 40, which could also be dnne by a " stationary "
conductor, by the adoption of uniform fares and the booking
system, and by the co-operation of the community to the
largest possible extent.

The question of tramway studies in
Tramways in -r, ,..•',.

European "^ -CiUropean countries in the summer

Countries. °^ ^920 was the subject of a paper read
by Mr. Einar Hultman, of Malmo, before
the annual Conference of the Swedish Tramways Asso-
ciation, which has just been held in Stockholm. Tlie
author, who recently paid visits to Holland. Belgium,
France, Switzerland, and Germany, stated that the tramway
companies and other tramway authorities in nearly all the

The plea made in the Presidential
'^Funds'^'' Address to Section B (Chemistry) of the
British Assosiation this year, that
industrial undertakings should subscribe more liberally
towards pure research in their particular branches of
industry, is one which deserves attention from more than
one aspect in all industries. The argument put forward in
appealing for this financial support for pure research is
always based on the incontrovertible fact that it is upon
the work of pure science workers that most of our great
industries have been founded. Therefore, industry as a
whole should support scientific research as distinct from
industrial research. Probably the mobt striking case in
point of an industry being founded upon the work of a
scientific man who, at the time, had no anticipations of the
kind, exists in the electrical industry, and it is often quoted,
i.e., Faraday's discovery of electromagnetic induction, which,
of course, led to the dynamo and all that followed from
that practical invention later. The position of scientific
research in this country at the present moment is none too
happy despite the importance of it as revealed by the war.
Indeed, in this, as in many other directions, most of the
good intentions engendered by war conditions have had the
bad habit of being forgotten now that the war is over, and,
be it fairly added, the minds of our industrial meu are
harassed by conditions directly affecting their future, which
were not contemplated, say, two years ago. It was partly
because scientific research as carried out in our universities
and other places, apart from works research with an
immediate commercial object in view, was so badly
supported that the Department of Scientific and Industrial
Research was established. That body, as we know, has
provided, and still provides, a certain amount of money
for scientific research, but for the most part those pieces
of scientific research work which it finances, have a
reasonably definite object in view in the commercial sense,
although the results would be of general application. On
the other hand the Department h;xs financed in a generous
manner, on the £1 for fl b;isis, the industrial research
organisations which have been formed : indeed, it is
complained by the pure-research people that the tendency
is all towards assisting industrial research to the disadvan-
tage of scientific research. However that may be. it would
appear that the demand for funds for scientific research
is none the less urgent, iiotwithsUuiding the existence
and the assistance of the Department of Scientific
and Industrial Research, and our universities, which are
necessarily most concerned, find themselves compelled to

Vol.87. No. 2,2S6, ocTOBEB 1,1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

i}^.

appeal to industry for help. As an abstract proposition, it
is undeniably the duty of industry to. support scientific
research in every possible way. Most industries are now
conducted by men who are fully conversant with the manner
in which technical progress and prosperity follow upon
scientific achievement, and for that reason there is some hope
that the position will be viewed in the right perspective.
At the same time, whatever excuses industry may have had to
offer for its lack of support to research in pre-war days, the
fact now is that conditions have changed in a manner not
anticipated by the majority, and it would not be surprising
if a certain amount of callousness were to make itself
evident with regard to financial assistance to anything from
which a hard-headed business man could not see an almost
immediate, or, at any rate, a direct return. Heavy taxation,
high cost of materials, and high cost of, and trouble with,
labour, have left most business men in no mood to regard
this question of scientific research — and many other similar
matters — in the same light as under normal conditions.

Scientific research is a wide term, and one not easy to cir-
cumscribe in its scope. The recent example of a large lirm of
chemical manufacturers in voting £ lOi >,000 for pure scientific
research has been (juoted several times in this connection,
and it is one which might well be followed by other wealthy
companies, but the one difficulty those who are most con-
cerned with scientific research will always be up against, is
that no limit can be set to the amount they require. They
are, of course, prepared to snatch up any crumbs which may
fall their way in the shape of subscriptions, and, as a general
proposition, we agree that industrial firms might well spare
a little in this direction, although they will, no doubt, at
the same time be subscribing to the funds of their particular
industrial research association.

The Electricity Commissioners have

"aad'pMms'" °°^ ^^^°^^ ''^^™ ™^°y applications for
sanction to increase the statutory maximum
prices laid down in Provisional Orders.

The applicants have been required to furnish pretty full
statements of accounts, both of capital and revenue, so that
the Commissioners evidently mean to take the correct
course of forming their decisions on a basis that will give a
reasonable rate of profit to the undertakers. But whether
the result will be satisfactory depends upon what views
the Commissioners take of a "reasonable rate."

Following upon interviews between the Commissioners
and the representatives of certain undertakers, an impres-
sion has got about that the Commissioners have adopted as
a standard a dividend of 5 per cent, and a depreciation rate
of a similar amount as adequate. This impression is
causing a feeling akin to dismay on the part of supply
companies, especially those to whom the lighting load is
still the predominant portion of their business.

These companies, like most supply undertakers, are faced
with demands from new consumers, involving new capital
expenditure for plant, mains, and services. How is capital
to be found now for a business in which the divisible profits
are limited to 5 per cent. ?

Government securities can be bought to-day, redeem-
able in a few years, which give an eijuated yield of G\ per
cent, throughout, including the difference between the market
price and the redemption rate. Industrial concerns, too,
are offering preferred securities yielding s per cent. What
chance is there for an electricity supply concern to attract
capital at 5 per cent. ?

Supply companies cannot possibly go forward with their
schemes of extension while they remain under this apprehen-
sion. The stagnation forced upon them during the last
few years must continue.

It has to be said that this view of the Commissioners as
to allowable rates of profit, whilst at the moment it relates
to the maximum price question, and, therefore, mainly to
the lighting load, is likely to have wider extension in the
future. Under the Electricity Supply Act of 1919, and
such amendment as it may receive in the immediate future,
the Electricity Commissioners will be the eventual arbiters
of supply prices generally for every purpose. Obviously, the

" cheap and abundant " supply which it is their duty to
develop cannot be given unless the market rate of capital
can be promised by the undertakers. This is true for
every class of undertaker — municipal, company, or joint
authority.

It seems highly desirable that the Commissioners should
relieve the apprehensions which have been raised by a
declaration that it is their policy in dealing with prices to
allow for all capital a rate of return equivalent to that which
rules in the market for similar investments. Otherwise the
essential flow of capital into the industry will inevitably be
dried up at its source.

Seclailsation of
Supply Works

According to the law of December
3 1 st, 1919, concerning the socialisation of

"in'oerraattv' ^^^ electricity supply industry, a Bill has
to be prepared for the general regulation
of the industry, and to be enacted by the beginning of April
next year. Reports on the suggested regulations have
been made by representatives of the State electricity
industry, the municipal electricity departments, and the
private supply companies at the first sitting, which has just
been held at Berlin, of the Advisory Council set up under
the law of last I )ecember. The meeting was convened by
the Minister of Finance, and after the reports had been dis-
cussed, a committee was appointed to advise the Minister in
connection with the impending legislative labours. It is pro-
posed to submit the Bill for the consideration of the Federal
Council of Economy (Industrial Parliament) in the present
year, so as to permit of its being laid before the Ileichstag at
the beginning of l'.i21.

There are no indications at present as to the possible form
the proposed regulations will assume. In the meantime, the
opinion is growing in industrial circles that it will be
impossible at any time to separate undertakings which are
economically dependent upon one another, as for instance,
collieries which are associated with iron and steel works,
and that therefore socialisation of these particular coal
mines is entirely out of the question. The same argument
is now put forward with regard to those electricity supply
works which are closely connected with pit coal or lignite
mines. A typical instance has arisen in respect of the
Rhenish- Westphalian Electricity Works Co., and the Rodder
Lignite Mining Co. The former supplies a very large
district from its generating stations, and an insignificant
part of its share capital of 60,000,000 marks is held by
local authorities ; funded loans amount to 33,000,000
marks, and credits granted by local authorities reach a
further sum of 78,000,000 marks. On the other hand, the
mining undertaking, which has an ordinary share capital of
45,000,000 marks, is one of the largest and richest lignite
producing concerns in the country, and on the site of its
Vereinigte Ville mine the electricity supply company years
ago erected the Ooldenberg generating station, which is the
company's largest works, and is said to be the largest
generating station in the West of Europe.

The idea has now occurred to the directors of the
two companies that the interests of suppliers of lignite
and consumers of this fuel would be best served by the
establishment of a working community between the two
undertakings, as a preliminary step towards eventual amal-
gamation. At least, this is the official version given out,
but the real reason lies in an attempt to prevent the social-
isation either of the electricity undertaking or the lignite
coal fields in question. As the two concerns stand at present,
they are [iractically inseparable, but it is desired to render
the relationship still more intimate by the electricity supply
company taking over the management of the mines,
guaranteeing the latter a dividend at the rate of 24 per
cent, per annum for 10 years, and having the right of entire
absorption of the mines at the end of this period at a purchase
price of fiOO per cent. In fact, without spending or risking
a paper mark for Id years one of the most prosperous lignite
undertakings in Germany is to be handed over to a supply
company which is controlled by the Stinnes group of pit
coal producers, provided, of course, that the shareholders in
the lignite company accept the proposal.

420

THE ELECTRICAL REYIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,236, ootobb« 1, i»2o.

THE POWER OF PROPAGANDA.

By

On November 11th, 1918. the world was awakened from
the hideous nightmare of war to a beautiful dream of
peace, which perhaps lasted out the fateful year 1918.
Then, like a dissolving view, it began to fade, and
gradually gave place to a second nightmare — that
darkest hour before the dawn. We begin to wonder
whether we that have seen the war through are to behold
the true dawn of peace, and to ask ourselves whetlier
it is possible to create a desire for world-peace of the
same burning intensity as that desire for world-power
that has over and over again in the world's history
taken possession of ambitious monarclis and their
people. Surely there should be a "will to peace" as
well as a "will to power." Ibsen, in "The Master
Builder," asks: "Don't you agree with me . . . that
there exist special chosen people who have been endowed
with the power and faculty of desiring a tiling, craving
for a thing, and iiilliiig a thing so persistently and
so inexorably that at last it has to happen? " We do
agree with him, for we know that men of this type
brought about the Great War, and also that men of
this type won the victory. If we are ever to witness
the dawn of a true peace, we must find peacemakers
endowed with this power and faculty. The true peace-
maker nmst be something more than a reconciler of
contending parties, although reconciliation must be the
fir.st step. He must be a preventer of strife, and a
creator and maintainer of a peaceful atmosphere. He
has no easy problem to solve, but, as Campbell-Ban-
nernian used to say: "A way will be found," given
the right men and tlie right methods.

One of these methods that has as yet received far
too little attention is the skilful use of propaganda.
In this matter, as usual, " the children of the world
are wiser in their generation than the children of light."
One good result of the Great War is that it has taught
the world the value and the power of propaganda. But
our enemies realised this value and power long before
we did, and used it to our disadvantage until Lord
XorthcliSe took our own - propaganda in hand, and
raised it to the level of a fine art.

In matters concerning the domestic policy of this
country Labour has made far more use of this weapon
than capitalists and employers. Surely it is time that
the "hated bourgeois" and the "loathly capitalist"
began to use this wisdom of the serpent in self-defence,
to counteract the revolutionary and Bolshevist propa-
ganda that is spreading over the community like an
evil germ. In this work everj- man and ever}- woman
can take part, for every human being has a sphere of
influence, the extent of which depends on the character
and personality of the individual. But, generally
speaking, this influence is exercised unconsciously, and
has yet to be stirred to the glow of enthusiasm and the
white heat of fervour.

Propaganda work opens out a new Held of activity
for writers and artists of all types, and especially for
those who, while possessing undoubted talent, have not
yet succeeded in getting their work accepted. News-
papers and other periodicals must necessarily be limited
in number, and most of these have already their regular
contributors ; but there is endless scope and endless
variety for the efforts of the propagandist.

There is no reason why propaganda in some form
or other should not reach even the most out-of-the-way
cottage in the country. To be effective it must, like
religion, be made " all things to all men." No one
should say to-day: " Politics and industrial questions
do not interest me," for they are of vital importance
to every household in the kingdom. There is already
plenty of literature for the intellectual man. the man
interested in politics and industry, and the newsjiMjicr
reader. What is most \vanted is propaganda of a

"FEMINA."

lighter kind for the pcijjile who cannot be classed under
any of these heads.

In the section of the Times History of the World
that deals with " British Proftaganda in Enemj' Coun-
tries," the secret of the success that attended this work
is disclosed in one brief paragraph, in which it is
shown that this success depended mainly on the close
observance of two great jaincijjles : — (Ij that pro-
paganda .... sliould form opinion without opinion
realising that it is so being formed ' ; (2) " to tell . . .
the plain truth, without siiggestio falsi or ' deft ' inter-
pretation." We shall do well to keep these two maxims
in mind for ob.servance Ijoth in our own country and
abroad. To tliese two principles. I would add the
exclusion of anything vindictive, offensive, or vulgar.
We are hoping to influence friends and fellow-country-
men.

The success of the Woman's Movement affords a strik-
ing instance of the power of propaganda of the right
kind, for it prevailed notwithstanding the opposition
of the Press. Witli certain exceptions, which women
will always remember with gratitude, the attitude of
the newspaper Pre.ss was mainly hostile until the out-
break of the war, when a change of policy became ex-
pedient. Leading dailies either practically ignored
the movement or opened their columns to hostile pro-
paganda of the kind that I have deprecated, thereby
greatly increasing the fierceness and bitterness of the
controversy.

There is more scope for variety in propaganda work
of the lighter, more popular kind, than in that of the
heavier, more serious type ; but as yet much more effort
has been made in the latter direction than the former.
There have been lately several instances of well-chosen,
well-written, and well-timed newspaper work. But
literature of this type scarcely touches industrial dis-
tricts, which are simply flooded with revolutionary pro-
paganda for which there is no antidote. It is not too
late to find one. but it soon may be, if we do not awaken
to the national peril. As in the war, we shall perhaps
do well to follow the enemy's example — with a difference.
To begin with, we must make a study, as Labour leaders
have done, of the art of persuasion. The word " rhe-
toric " is to-day regarded with some suspicion, being
not infrequently defined as "hot air." Yet there
is no reason why this art should not be used for the
cause of truth, as well as for throwing dust in people's
eyes, and gaining as.sent to fallacies, half-truths, false
assumptions, and sentimentalities.

Among the most useful media for propaganda of the
lighter type may be mentioned the leaflet, the pamphlet,
the novel, or short story with a purpose, the film, the
play, the poster, the cartoon, the advertisement,
ami last, but certainly not least, propaganda for
children. In all these forms we shall do well to remem-
ber Lord Northclilfe's advice to endeavour to " form
opinion without opinion realising that it is so being
formed." Lecturing, sermonising, and " talking
down " will not do, especially if it is. hoped to influence
working women who, considering their great importance
in industry, have been far too much neglected by the
propagandist. Amongst working women we must cer-
tainly include the working man's wife, for, according
to Sir Robert Hadfield, these wives are " easily the most
hard-worked class of the community." Upon them
the men's efficiency as working men largely depends,
and it is they and their children who suffer most during
a strike. It must be brought home to them that thej'
have the right to vote on any matter that vitally con-
cerns them and their children. Women of this class
would probably have a very slight chance of defeating
Sir Oracle in argument, but they could at least offer
fierce opposition to a strike tliat can only bring misery
to them and their chiblreii.

Propaganda in the leaflet form should be brief, con-

Vol 87. No. 3,230, octobeb 1, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

421

cise, and convincingr, and should have arresting titles
and sub-titles, calculated to .attr.act attention at once.
In industrial districts there are ilhuiiinating " inci-
dents " happening every dav that might with advantage
be used as object lessons, names, of course, being
omitted. Also it might be worth wliile to turn a power-
ful searchlight on to some of the catcliwords and phrases
so beloved by our agitators. Every large employer of
laljour should have, not only a " publicity " depart-
ment, but a " propaganda " department.

The importance of propaganda for children has been
emphasised l)y the recent miners' ballot. We cannot
blame the young and irresponsible pit-boys, for they
have probably never been tauglit to take work seriously.
The people to blame are those who solicited their votes,
and were prepared to act iipon them. In this matter

of juvenile propaganda Labour has forestalled us, as
usual. Several years ago there was a great outcry
.against Socialist Sunday .scliools. But woidd it not
liave been more to tlie purpose if we had .set our own
house in order, and made a better use of tlie opportuni-
ties afforded by State-controlled schools and Sunday
schools? A character in Mr. Wells's book "Joan and
Peter" says: " (iive me the schools of the world, and
I will make a millennium in half a century."

The British public can always be depended upon to
show pluck and endiirance in times of stress, but until
now the kind of propaganda that might have prevented
these crises has been wanting. Every man and every
woman can help to " scatter the good seed o'er the
land." The fields are ready, but tlie enemy has been
very busy sowintr tares.

THE FUNCTION OF THE EARTH IN THE TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRICITY.

By CHARLES E. SNELL.

The experiments which are being carried out under the
direction of .Major-General Scpiier (I'liited States
Armyj with what is termed a system of open circuit
'■ wired wireless," lirings into prominence the ijuestion
of the function of the earth in those systems wliich
make use of earth plates.

As it is probable that it will become necessary at no
distant date to revise, if not abandon, many of the
present ideas relating to the function of the earth con-
nection, it is proposed to bring to notice the results
of the experimental work done by the author, because
it would seem that the method of attacking the problem
which will be described is capable of affording a more
scientific basis for the exjilanation of the results ob-
tained in practice.

With a view to rendering the appreciation of the
latter portion of this article relatively easj', an outline
of the salient features of the subject will be given, ar-
ranged in the order best suited to the circumstances,
that is to say, irrespective of tlie chronological sequence
of discovery. Before passing on, however, a pause may
be made to acknowledge, in a general sense, the debt we
owe to those early workers in the field of electrical science
from whom we have gained so much, and to whom, in
too many instances, so little was given. Fortunately
for us, and perhaps even for them, their studies were
not on a commercial basis, and they were content, there-
fore, to seek patiently for results with neitlier the desire
nor the need to invoke the aid of the lay Press in adver-
tising their accomplishments; a course followed much
too frequently in these days, and often with such haste
tliat the advertisement precedes the result.

In land line telegraphic practice, the earth connection
principle is used to replace one of the two conductors
which would otherwise be necessary, "and the effects of
this arrangement are a saving of wire and economy of
battery power; the latter being due to the fact that
with what is termed a " good " connection to eartli
the only resistance required to be taken into account
is that of the one line wire and the associated apparatus.

The history of this remarkable discovery is obscure,
but it can be reasonably assumed that it dates back a
consideral)le nmaber of years — the year 1838 has been
mentioned — and it is an indication of the difficulties
surrounding the sidjject, that the present explanations
cannot be regarded as satisfactory.

It is usual to assume, when dealing with instances
similar to that of land-line working, tliat one of tlie
two following ideas suffices to explain the function
of the earth connection, viz.: —

(a) The earth return may be regarded as a perfect path
having no resistance. The actual current is not to be con-
sidered as traversing the earth 'between the two points, but
the earth slioulil he regarded as a vast reservoir of electricity.
On this basis the siippoijpd action of an earth return circuit
may be expressed in the term,s of this analogy : — .\ssume a

lung line of pipe, filled with water, with both ends dipping
into the sea, and subjected to the influence of a rotary pump.
With the pump at work, water is picked up from the sea
at one end and discharged back again at the other. Let the
r.ite be one gallon a minute. Every minute then sees one
gallon of water picked up at one end of the pipe, and a
precisely equal quantity discharged at the other. Water
iiii'iuentarily accumulates in the sea at one end, and its
quantity is reduced at the other. The adjustment is one of
general level between the two places, and it is, therefore,
not a case of an identical gallon-a-minute stream going back
through the sea in the same form that it passed through
the pipe. So with an electric circuit; at one end electricity
is continually passed into the earth, and at the other con-
tinually pa.sses out in exactly equal quantities, the adjustment
being one of level merely between the two ends of the
circuit.

(6) The earth forms a path of practically no resistance, on
account of the vast volume of material between the two
plates. In this case the assumption is that the current actu-
ally traverses the earth.

A little reflection will show that both the ideas can-
not be correct at one and the same time. Further, the
analogy is defective in the first case, and none is given
in the second. Yet they possess the merit of having
satisfied all practical requirements, and there is no
occasion to labour the point regarding their defects.
Connnent is made only for the purpose of indicating the
position from a scientific point of view.

Cable telegraphy does not appear to have any special
idea of its own. so presumably it relies on one of the
ideas just mentioned.

Take now the case of telephony. Modern telephone
practice makes use of metallic circuits for the reason
that such lines, if properly erected, are free from the
serious defects peculiar to single or earthed-circuit lines.
This suggests that the earth connection has here a
different effect from wdiat it has in telegraphy, and this
is due to the type of current used in telephony, and to
the sensitivity of the telephone apparatus.

With tlie advent of radio-telegraphy, the function of
the earth took on a new aspect, and the technical litera-
t\ire devoted specially to this subject, generally puts the
case more or less in this way, viz. : —

The original open oscillator of Hertz did not employ
the surface of the earth to form one plate of the circuit,
his oscillator being of the linear or " dundj-bell " type.
When, however, an earthed oscillator is employed as a
radiator, the electrical properties become of great im-
jiortance. It is then assumed that the depth to which
the high-frequency currents penetrate into the substance
of tlie ground is not veri^ great, so that it is necessary
to deal with the conductivity or other properties of the
upper layers only. The effective resistance of the earth
is, therefore, greater than that of an "earth return"
for any low-frequency or direct-current system. Fur-
ther, if the land contains iron ores or otlier magnetic
material, the depth of penetration is enormously de-
creased, so tliat tlie effective resistance rises very largely.

1422

TBE ELECTRICAL BE VIEW. [Voi. 87. No. a,236, ootobbb i, 1920.

-It is ipoi^tecl-oiit that tl.c rKtinil filnctidij (if tlie fartli
■in= the proiJiigiitioTi of the wavos is ;i much ih'l)Mtc(l

•point, fesjcet-iaUy as ■regai'ds the-dijlei'en'ee; if any, in

•the ease of conthtetiVelv 'earthed and balnnoerl aerials.
It is- stated- that it is -not clear how much of the " guid-
ing-■" etfeet, whereby waves are propagated round the

'■curvature of the earth, is to be attributed to reflection
fixini -f he -upper layer of conducting air, and how much
to the gliding a-ction In- which the bases of the waves
are conceived to be attached to, and guided ijy, the
conducting surface of the earth.

•' • N-ow "earth current" telegraphy is practically the
ojiposite of radio-telegraphy, so that the following ex-

■ planation of this action forms a contrast. It was given
in an article appearing in the Royal Engineers' Journal
for January, 1920, by Capt. L. C. Carus-Wilson : —

" If an electric current is sent into the earth at one point
and leaves it at another it travels from one jjoint to another
not in a straight line, but along a series of curved paths.
If the two free ends of the ^wo wires attached to a receiving
instrument are inserted into the earth at some distance from
each other, and not far from tlie earth current just mentioned,
they will have a difference of potential, and a current \\\\\
flow through the receiving instrument. If it is a telephone
cui-rent which flows through the earth, and if the receiving
instrument is a telephone, then in the latter may he heard the
■message picked up from the earth."

It will be seen that the several ideas which have been
quoted are very dissimilar, and have a particular,
rather than a general, bearing on the essential point
at issue.

To complete the case it only remains to add that the
principle of the experiments made by Major-Gen. Squier
is stated to be the transmission of electric waves not
.through a condfictor, but alongside it, i.e., the waves
are " guided " by the conductor.

Telegraph practice, both land and cable, is firmly
established in ,its claim to regard the earth return as
representing a path of zero resistance, since actual eon-
ductivity measurements on lines of varying lengths give
results in such close agreement with this principle, as
to amount to confirmation. These circuits, therefore,
have all the appearance of behaving almost exactly
siniilarly to circuits made up of two wires with one
half of the resistance, and the electrical efficiency of the
earth return method is in accord with this condition.

In telephone practice the case is complicated bj- the
fact that the current is variable in frequency and am-
plitude, and is subject to distortion and alteration
effects due to the particular electrical characteristics
of the line, which sire, themselves, not necessarily con-
stant. As a measure of the efficiency of transmission
in 'two-wire circuits telephone engineers use the standard
cable equivalent, which is a cable having certain speci-
fied values of resistance, capacity, and inductance per
mile. Thirty miles of this cable represents the limit of
commercial speech. If one of the wires of a circuit of
this type were removed and its place taken by an earth
connection, the speech limit would most probably be
reduced,' certainly not increased, so that in this case
there is a loss of efficiency consequent upon the use of
an earth connection.

The sensitivity of the telephone receiver is such that
it is hiuch affected by extraneous currents, and so bad
is this interference that for this reason alone, the earth
is seldom used. On important circuits of any length
careful "balancing " is necessary when two conductors
are used, and this requirement often necessitates the
transposition and revolving of the wires.

In the case of radio-telegraphy work, if it is taken
that the ear can perceive a stream of energy of 'tlie
order of 0.4 x lO'^'' ergs per second, and assuming that
the air wires collect the energy from a wave front of
one square nietre, tlie application of the inverse square
law indicates that 2 watts should be audible on a flat
-eartli at a distance of .3,200 kilometres. In practice it
is found tliat something less than 20.000 times this,
viz., 40 kilowatts can be heard at the distance men-
tidued under favourable conditions.

There are certain physical and economic factors
which, by their influence, set limitations to the distance

liver whieh it is practicaljle to transmit telegraphic
signals or telephone speech waves, and it will be useful
to state briefly the position in this respect.

In land-line UTid cable telegraph working, the voltage
which can be utilised without imposing an undue strain
upon the insulation represents one limitation, and the
effect of the line constants upon the speed of signalling
represents the other.

Any further increase in voltage is of doubtful economy
if this action renders necessary a more expensive insula-
tion. The practical method of overcoming the difficulty
is to install repeaters b_y means of which the total length
of the line can be divided into a number of in<lependent
lengths, and the signals automatically repeated forward
from section to section. This method also overcomes
the difficulty of the line constants (principally the re-
sistance and capacity) with regard to the maxinium
speed of signalling.

The inq)ortance of transmitting, unimpaired in form,
the alternations originated by the sound waves imping-
ing upon the microphone, is so great in telephone prac-
tice that, with the usual devices, the practical limit of
distance " is quickly reached, due to the distorting
and attenuating effects of the resistance, inductance, and
capacity of the circuit. To render it possible to com-
municate telejihonically over distances comparing with
those of telegraphy, a great deal of intricate research
work has been necessary, and, although it is now pos-
sible to telephone across the American Continent — a
distance of nearly 4,000 miles — this is only accom-
plished by means of two-wire circuits specially con-
structed, equipped with expensive apparatus, and most
carefully maintained in good condition, at verv great

Fig. 1.

cost. The limitations of the line constants are overcome
artificially, which means, sinqily stated, a substitution
of less difficult limitations.

The constants per mile of a circuit in a cable are so
much greater than those of an aerial line, that the limit
of commercial speech over such a circuit is much less
than is the case when using aerial wires, and there are,
at jiresent, difficulties in the way of applying the special
devices used (for the purpose of improving the position)
in the case of overhead lines. Not many years ago
it was considered that the design of a microphone capable
of standing a greater current without heating would
lielp by making the initial amplitude greater, but this
method, although quite practicable, does not afford an
adei[uate solution, for the reason that the distortion.
factor remains, with the result that whilst the volume
of the received sounds is greater, the words are indis-
tinct, and therefore from a commercial speech poiut
of view there is no gain.

In radio-telegraphy practice, the limitations are of a
special type. The primary power at the transmitting
station can be increased to a value of the order of several
hundred kilowatts, and the energy transferred to the
aerial in modern designs is considerable. . . ., •;

It is the ease, however, that the limitations with regard;
to the actual propagation of the waves are a niattfr*
of unich uncertainty, and ther^ are many instances
where equivalent transmitting plants differ greatly in

Vol. 87. No. 2,236, October 1, 1920.] THE EliECTElCAL ItE^lEW.

423

their effective range. The difiiculties in this respect are
considered to be due to the nature of the site, to the
nature of the intervening earth, and to tlie electrical
state of the atiuosphere. Of these the last is par-
ticularly variable, and occasions wide variations in
results. Despite the amount of observation work done
with a view to establishing a mathematical formula to
express the range of a station, the result has not been
satisfactory. The formula as given is empirical, and
the absorption factor which enters into it is decidedly
speculative, even though it agrees with the results ob-
tained in particular cases. The present use of amplify-
ing devices at the receiving end, enables communication
to be maintained under adverse conditions, but this is
merely the principle of the relay similar to that adopted
in the case of land-line and cable telegraph work. The
same remarks apply to radio-telegraphy with the addi-
tional difficulty introduced by the use of a microphone.

A brief account will now be given of the experiments
which tend to show how the limitations mentioned may
be avoided, and the efficiency imi>roved in land-line,
cable, and radio working.

It was deduced, from a comprehensive series of con-
trolled experiments, first, upon a conductive network
earthed efficiently and jiermanently at one point only,
and, secondly, upon a conductive network earthed at
many points, that the earth connection principle re-
(juires modification in cases where alternating currents
are concerned, and that the direction in which research
work should proceed, was that of employing a single
wire connecting the two sets of instruments indepen-
dently of an earth connection.

Fig. 1 shows two oscillatory circuits, arranged as
transmitter and receiver respectively, connected by a
single wire. At the transmitting end it is essential that
the connection be made at the particular point indicated,
and the reason for this can be readily understood if it
is borne in mind that the transmitting circuit must
be left free to oscillate, and yet be able to part with
a portion of its eliergy to the distant receiver. This
requirement does not ajiply at the receiving end, but
if the same instruments are used for sending and re-
ceiving, tlie arrangement should be identical in order
to avoid the necessity of changing over. If the con-
necting wire is quite short — say, a few feet^then it
will be found that tlie best signals are obtained when
the capacity of the condenser in the particular design
under review, is from 100 to 300 centimetres. With a
capacity larger than this no reaction takes place. The
instruments having been adjusted to give the best
residts, it will be found that the introduction of a high
value of inductance in series with the connecting wire
produces no diminution in the strength of the received
current, and similarly with capacity. Resistance does
not produce any effect until values of the order of tens
of thousands of ohms are reached, and then the signal
strength remains at a good audible value over a further
considerable range.

Lengthening tlie distance between the two sets of in-
struments causes them to tune in the ordinai'y way,
that is to say, the variable condenser of the transmitter
may be increased by steps up to several thousands of
centimetres, and the receiving condenser will tune
sharply at the same values, the signals being of extra-
ordinary intensity.

Tlie connecting wire may be of small dimensions and
indifferently insulated. The wire used was No. 3C
S.W.G., single silk-covered, and a considerable surface
of the wire was rendered bare in the length experi-
mented upon, wliicli was approximately one mile.
Subsequently the insulation was soaked with water over
a great part of its length. Messages in -Mor.se code
were transmitted from and received at both ends, using
wave lengths from .''00 to 1,000 metres, and the results
were uniformly good under all conditions.

When the insulating covering of the wire was damp
the signals were perceptibly increased in sti'ength, but
the tuning was unaffected.

. Tests were then made to ascertain the effect of con-
necting to earth, and it was found that, with the wire

directly on the surface of the ground under the con-
ditions just mentioned, the connecting of the wire to
small metal jiegs driven into the ground did not impair
the signal strength, and did not affect the tuning.
Moreover, with the wire broken, and the lireak bridged
by means of a porcelain cleat, the effect was to reduce
the signal strength to approximately one-third of the
normal value, but the signals were still readable with
ease.

It was found, however, that if the wire makes con-
tact with a mass of conducting material, such as a wire
net or metal sheets, the experiments fail completely,
irrespective of whether this conducting material is
efficiently earthed or not.

For instance, on permitting the wire to touch a small
building constructed of galvanised iron with very poor
connection to the ground, the signals were inaudible.
The position of the contact is immaterial ; it can occur
close up to either of the instruments, or at any point
between, with the same effect. Similar results are
obtained if the wire is immersed in water having an
appreciable conductivity, and this can be confirmed by
means of a small tank of salt water into wliich a loop
of the wire, partially bare, is made to dip.

From the results the following conclusions appear
to be justified : —

1. The earth connection is detrimental to alternating
current work involving medium and high frequency
(such as telephone work), and extremely so in cases
where oscillatory conditions apply.

2. For the transmission of electric waves over con-
siderable distances, the most efficient method is to con-
nect to two points b}' a conductor of limited dimensions,
and this conductor must not make contact en route with
any considerable mass of conductive material.

Much, if not all, of the obscurity regarding the func-
tion of the earth in the transmission of electricity is
thus disposed of, and it would appear to l)e justifiable to
say that the earth acts as an electrically charged sphere.
The intensity of this charge is variable according to
time and locality, and it is derived partly from within
and partly from without the surface.

The surface of the earth, taken as a whole, is equiva-
lent to that of an imperfect conductor, but not so imper-
fect as to be regarded as an insulator. Portions which
may be composed of material having practically the
properties of an insulator, are given the appearance
of being partially conductive by virtue of the resident
charge, and also, in the case of alternating currents,
by reason of the capacity.

Electric waves, formed and radiated from an aerial
sj'steni, are at their inception so close to the charged
surface of the earth, that they are subjected to a great
degree of absorption as a result of that proximity.

These remarks are intended to be suggestive of the
lines upon which further, rather than final, investigation
can proceed.

It will el) observed that the suggestions made offer
an adequate explanation of the better relative efficiency
of the propagation of electric waves from airships, and
the like: but it has to be borne in mind that even in
this case, the waves are not free from the effects due to
the existence of an electrostatic and electromagnetic
field.

For the propagation of these waves over the surface
of the earth, the single-wire method represents a way
in which the limitations may be avoided, and it is clear
that this also is the way in which the difficulties regard-
ing the line constants, applicable to telephony, can be
removed.

The small power used (two 1.5-volt dry-cells) in the
experiments, and the simplicity of the apparatus, are
points of contrast with what would be necessary, if an
aerial-earth arrangement were employed, and the ab-
sence of amplifying devices is a special feature.

The Trade Slump.— According to the Financial Times
a lack of foreijrn orders led to the dischargre of 200 employes of
Meaara. Marshall Sons .v- Co., at Gainaborouffh, last week-end.

424

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW. [Voi. s?. No. 2,236, ootobbb 1, 1920.

EXTERNAL WASTING OF FUEL ECONOMISER PIPES.

By EDWARD INQHAM.

The principal cause of deterioration of fuel econoniisers
of the Green type is probably external wasting of the
vertical pipes. Such wasting often takes place rapidly,
and unless remedied may eventually result in fracture
and explosion.

(ienerally speaking, external wasting is caused by
damp or moisture which is allowed to settle on tlie
external surfaces of the pipes. Tlie dampness may be
brought about in several ways. For instance, the
economiser may be placed in wliat is naturally a damp
situation, witli tlie result that the whole of the brick-
work setting surrounding the economiser is more or
less damp. It is well known that brickwork is porous
and readily absorbs moisture, and lience if the setting is
to remain dry, a damp situation nmst be avoided.

In some cases, the setting becomes damp through
allowing waste water from valves, &c.. or condensation
from the small engine which drives tiie scraper gear,
to soak into the brickwork.

Sometimes the soot chamber directly under the econo-
miser is below the level of the drains, so that any water
which is allowed to run into it cannot be drained ofi.
Under such circumstances, the lower portions of the
economiser will be constantly exposed to dampness, and
to overcome the difficulty it will be advisable to dig a
well near to the soot chamber, and provide a connection
by means of which the water in the chamber can be
carried off into the well. Arrangements will, of course,
have to be made for emptying tlie well Irom time to
time.

Another way in whicli the economiser becomes damp
is by condensation of the steam contained in the furnace
gases, and the damp arising from this source is the
most usual cause of external corrosion of the vertical
pipes. The tendency to set up corrosion from this
source of damp is frequently very nmch aggravated
by the fact that the coal used for firing the boilers
contains nmch sulphur, in which case the waste gases
passing through the economiser chamber will probably
contain sulphur dioxide or sulphur tri-oxide. The
latter, in combination with steam, are liable to form
sulphurous and sulpliuric acids, wliich are extremely
corrosive, and which may reduce the thickness of the
tubes to a serious extent in a short time.

It will be understood, therefore, that all possible
precautions should be taken to guard against condensa-
tion of the steam contained in the furnace gases. Tlie
vertical pipes are, of course, at approximately the
same temperature as that of the water contained in
them. The lower this temperature is, the greater will
be the tendency for the steam to condense on the ex-
ternal surfaces of the pipes. In the great majority of
econoniisers, the water enters by a bottom branch pipe,
and rises simultaneously u]) all the vertical pipes. In
such, the water will be very much colder at the feed
inlet' end than at the other end of the economiser.
Hence, the pipes at the feed inlet end are in most cases
those most liable to suffer from external wa.sting due
to condensation of steam in the furnace ga.ses.

In some econoniisers, however, matters are so arranged
that the water first enters the top of the first group of
pipes, passes down to the bottom, and then ri-;ei up
the remainder of the pipes. In such cases, the trouble
will be tisnally met with near the tops of the first group
of pipes, where the cold water enters.

Obviously the tendency for condensation and wasting
t3 take place will be greater the lower the temperature
of the entering feed. Experience appears to show that
in most cases, wasting will not take place to any appre-
ciable extent if the feed water is not allowed to enter
the economiser at a lower temperature than 90 or 100
deg. F. Much, however, depends upon the prevailing
conditions of working. Whilst in some cases no harm-
ful effects result when the temperature is only 90 deg..

in others, severe and rapid wasting occurs when the
temperature is as high as KiO deg.

As already stated, much depends upon the conditions.
It the economiser is set in a dry situation, and the
gases contain little moisture, corrosion is not likely to
occur with an inlet temperature of 90 deg. The worst
conditions obtain in economi.sers which are set in a
damp situation, and which work in connection with
boilers fitted with steam jets for accelerating the
draught, and in those which are heated by the gases
from refuse destructors. In the former case, the steam
jets add considerably to the steam naturally present in
the furnace gases; in the latter case, not only do the
gases contain a large quantity of moisture, but they
also contain certain corrosive ingredients, and under
such circumstances it is highly desirable that the tem-
perature of the water entering the economiser should
not be less than 130 deg. F.

When the feed is passed through a feed-water heater
before going to the economiser, or when the condensed
steam from a condensing engine is used as the feed
the temperature of the water when it reaches the econo-
miser will be in most cases so high that trouble from
corrosion will not be experienced. In other cases, how-
ever, the water will be comparatively cold, and some
means of raising its temperature the desired amimnt
must then be resorted to. One method of doing this
is to connect the delivery pipe of the economiser with
the suction pipe of the feed pump, by means of small
wrought-iron piping provided with a stop valve. In
this manner, some of the heated water leaving the
economiser may be mixed with the cold water passing
to the feed pump. The stop valve referred to will enable

Pig. 1.

Fio. -2.

the engineer-in-charge to regulate the quantity of hot
water passing into the cold feed, so as to raise the
temperature of the latter to what is found by experience
tj be necessary for preventing condensation of the
steam in the furnace gases.

Another method is to pump a small portion of the
hot water leaving the economiser into the cold feed
supply by means of a small inexpensive centrifugal
pump. This method, of course, necessitates the coup-
ling-up of the economiser outlets and inlets to the
pump; also suitable provision for isolating the pump,
and a convenient means of driving it.

A regulating valve must also be provided, so that the
<|iiaiitity of hot water pumped into the cold feed may
be satisfactorily regulated. Although this method has
found favour with some, it woidd certainly appear to
be much less convenient and far more expensive than
the one previously described ; but the advantage of
forcing the water through the pipes by the pump must
not be overlooked.

Several devices have been introduced for raising the
temperature of the feed water before it passes into the
economiser. In one of these, which has been patented,
a short pipe with a central braTich and end flanges is
inserteil in the cold water feed range, the branch being
coupled up to one end of the hot water return pipe.
The other end of the latter pipe is connected to a branch
on the top branch pipe of the economiser, either at the
hot or the cold end, as may be most convenient. The

No. 3,336, ocTOBBE 1, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW,

425

branch may be made parallel, or tapered, the taper
being outwards towards the pipe body.

The short branch pipe is fitted with an internal tube
expanded into the body of the pipe, and perforated
with a number of holes of the required size.

Under working conditions, the cold feed, on its way
to the economiser, passes along tfie short branch pipe,
through the internal tube, whilst the hot water passes
along the return pipe, enters the branch and the branch
pipe so that some of it passes through the perforations
and 80 mixes with the cold feed. The temperature of
the latter is thus raised as required.

Other devices might be described, but as they are
much the same in principle, we need not do more than
refer to them. The exhaust steam from auxiliaries is
generally used when available for this purpose.

It has been pointed out that external wasting of econo-
miser pipes often takes place very rapidly, and that
unless remedied, the wasting may, sooner or later, result
in fracture and explosion.

It is therefore important that frequent examination
of the external surfaces of the pipes should be made,
particularly of those pipes where the cold water enters.
Most of the pipes of a fuel economiser are, of course,
inaccessible for external examination, but fortunately,
the pipes most liable to sufEer from external wasting
are, as we have seen, those in the outer rows at the
inlet end of the economiser, and these pipes are mostly
accessible, so that the condition of the inner pipes is
usually of secondary importance. The lower portions
of the pipes are naturally the parts most affected, and
generally the wasting will be found to be most severe
a few inches from the bottom box.

The extent of the wasting can, as a rule, be best
estimated by measuring carefully the external diameter
of the pipe, and comparing this with the original dia-

meter, which, in the standard Green economiser, i*
4.56 in., the internal diameter being 3| in.

It is not wise to allow any pipe to become reduced
by corrosion to a less diameter than 4.2 in., in view
of the fact that a certain amount of internal corrosion
may have taken place, whilst there is always the pos-
sibility to be considered that the pipe may have been
cast eccentrically in the first instance, so that the metal
at one part is thinner than it was intended to be (see
fig. 1. The actual strength of the pipe can, of course,
only be judged satisfactorily by determining the actual
thickness of metal at the weakest place, but it is diffi-
cult to do this. In fact the thickness can only be deter-
mined with certainty by withdrawing the pipe and
breaking it up. Fig. 2 will serve to illustrate how a
pipe may become reduced both on the internal and the
external surfaces, the blackened portion representing
the actual thickness of metal remaining.

Where there is reason to believe that in addition to
much external wasting, internal wasting has taken
place, it may be advisable to withdraw a pipe and break
it up, so that a good idea of the condition of the pipes
adjoining may be obtained. Seriously reduced pipes
should be replaced without delay, or if it is not prac-
ticable to do this, then the sections containing the de-
fective pipes should be blanked off by means of sheet
steel disks inserted at the joints of the branch pipe with
the top and bottom boxes.

When, in spite of all efforts to cure the trouble, severe
external wasting of the pipes at the feed inlet end
continues, the question of installing a few extra rows
of pipes, intended to take the bulk of the wear and tear,
and so save the main economiser, may be worth con-
sideration, but this will involve considerable trouble and
expense in enlarging the economiser chamber, fitting
the new pipes and connections, scrapers, and so on,

ELECTRIFICATION OF THE EBBW VALE COMPANY'S WORKS AND COLLIERIES.

By W..DIXON, M.I.M.E., M.I.E.E.

{Abstract of paper read at the Autumn Meeting of the Iron and Steel Institute at Cardiff.)

Amongst the works visited during the meeting were those
of the Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron, & Coal Co., Ltd. To-day the
properties either owned or under the company's control
extend almost continuously over an area of 15 miles north
and south and four miles east and west, so that the works are
amongst the largest in the country. It is estimated that, with
the completion of the schemes at present in progress, they
will provide for an annual output of: Coal, 5,600,000 tons;
coke, 575,000 tons; pig, 4.50,000 tons; while the allied in-
dustries embrace the manufacture of steel rails and sleepers,
galvanised steel sheets, weldless steel tubes and couplings,
coke-oven and blast-furnace by-products, iron and steel cast-
ings, and engineering work. Recent legislation promises to
provide a supply of electrical energy throughout the country
in general, and in South Wales there is thus an area of 60
to 100 sq. miles being dealt with already as — and by — an
independent concern. The installation represents the de-
velopment of the last 20 years, and to a great extent it exem-
plifies the development of the electrical industry in its relation
to the iron, steel, and coal industries.

The following figures enable one to form an idea of the
capacity of the plant installed in its relation to other local
plant, the figures being taken from data compiled for the
year 1917: —

^Plant Capacity.
Cardiff Corporation ... IK.'iOOkw.
Newport „ ... 7.100 „

Swannfta ... 4 SOO ,,

Llanelly .. ... .H.SOO ..

Total
South Wales E. P. D. Co.

Units Generated.
I a millions

•H „

5i „

2B,700 kw. :^7i millions
I.'!,4nOkw. :10 millions

With the Ebbw Vale Co. there is a continued and ever-
increa.sing demand for power : at present the units generated
Per annum may be taken at 45 millions, which will probably
be increased in the immediale future to BO millions, and flie
generating steam plant instnlled may he taken at 2'2,000 kw.

The present site of the cenerating station is that of the
original station, that site having been determined because
from the first the utilisation of waste gases was counted upon.
With all its develnpments. the efficiency of electrical machinery
throughout the past decades has not materially altered or

improved, the result being that little or no replacement has
been either desirable or necessary, and, speaking generally,
it is beUeved that there is no modem development which
the company would either on technical or economical grounds
be justified in adopting at the expense of existing plant. In-
cidentally it is of interest to record that the plant has been
practically immune from accident or breakdown, and free
from other than intermittent stoppage, except in the case
of a fire at the generating station. There has been no fatal
or even severe accident throuch electrical causes.

The electrical plant installed may be approximated aa
follows : —

Generatinsr plant, oimbined output ... 22,000 kw.

Over .^0 transformers ,, „ ... 31,000 k.v.a.

Over 500 motors „ 30,000 h.p.

Converters ., ,. ... 2,."00 kw.

The principal power station (fig. 1) is situated at Victoria,
and is equipped with four turbo-alternators, two of 2,000 kw.
and two of 5,000 kw.; a third 5.000-kw. set is in process of
completion. Steam alone is used for power generation, the
gas-fired boilers being in close proximity to the generating
station, and connected with the main battery of boilers which'
supplies the blast-furnace equipment. While at present some
coal is used, it is estimated that, with the completion of the
scheme at present in hand, there will be a margin of 10.000
tn 14,000 H.p. available for electrical generating purposes, after
the steam requirements of the blast-furnaces have been met.
The alternating current is generated at 2.200 volts, three-phase,
with a periodicity of .50. and the turbines are arranged for a
steam pressure of 175 lb., with superheat. The condensing
plant is arranged on the " Tinsley " system, being driven
both electrically and by steam.

T>irect current is generated at 275 volts from four hich-
speed engine .sets of aliout 200 H.p.each, these sets comprise
the original installation, and one mixed pressure turbo-genera-
tijr, having an output of 000 h.p. The station also contains
motor cenerators for supplying energy in bulk to the Ebhw
Vale Urban District Council, which utilises the energy for
lighting and other purposes in the town of Ebbw Vale and its
immediate area. The D.c. supply to the steelworks area is
supplemented by Epotor and rotary converters to the extent
of 2,500 KW,

426

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. LVoi. 87. No. 2,236, Octobeb 1, 1920.

The other power stations are situated at : Six-Belle Colliery,
where the equipment consists of two 1,500-kw. mixed-pressure
turbo-alternators, generating at 3,000 volts, 50 cycles, and
feeding a line through South Griffin to the Upper Deep Col-
lieries; Prince of Wales Colliery, Abercarn, where the equip-
ment consists of three steam turbo-alternators, having a
combined capacity of 3,500 kw., and generating at 2,000 volts,
50 cycles; and Cwmsychan Colliery, where the equipment
consists of two combined engine-driven sets, generating at
25 cycles.

The installation roughly divides itself into two distributing
systems. Fig. 1 indicates in outline the district dealt with
to the north of the generating station, and comprises the
whole of the iron and steel works sections. Fig. 2 indicates
in outline the district situated to the south of the generating
station concerned with the collieries. Direct current is taken
to the steelworks from Victoria, and is tran.smitfed on over-
head cables to a di.stribution house in the steelworks. The
alternating current is taken from the .switchboard in the

Fig. 3 shows the type of sub-station which has been adopted,
and how provision is made for -the incoming and outgoing
supplies, the transformers and switchgear being arranged as
shown.

Throughout the steehvorks electrical power is used for the
hundred-and-one usual purposes. The various departments
dealt with in this area, commencing with the sub-station, are :
Sheet mills, dolomite filant, steelworks, upper-mills, Ebbw
Vale blast-furnaces, .spring and wagon .shops, tube works,
coke ovens, Victoria Colliery by-product plant, gas-cleaning
plant, engineering shops and foundry, and the Victoria blast-
furnaces.

.fVt the collieries electrical power is employed, amongst other
purposes, for : Pumps, 3,200 h.p. ; winders, 2,000 h.p. ; ven-
tilating fans, 1,300 h.p. : air compressors. 4,400 H.r.. and
continual additions are being made to each group ; most of
the collieries are arranged with their own sub-stations, it
being ultimately intended to render it possible for the whole
of the electrical requirem"nfs to be supplied from the main

Fig. 1.-

-Ebbw Vale Steel Works Power Distribdtion
System.

Fig. 2.— Ebbw Vale Colliery Power Distribution System.

generating station to the main sub-station at D, and is dis-
tributed to the northern area at 2,200 volts on a ring main
with balanced protective gear.

Prom various sub-stations energy is delivered at full voltage,
and at 500 to 550 volts for general purposes. A supply is also
being arranged for Trevil Quarries, situated some four miles
to the north of the Upper Mills, transmission being arranged
at 6,600 volts. The sub-station d, besides providing for the
above, is also utilised as a distributing point for the southern
requirements as generally indicated in fig. 2. A ring main
on the split-conductor system is being run from the distribut-
ing sub-station via Waunllwynd, Marine, Aberbeeg, Six-Bells,
Vivian, Tillery, and South Griffin Collieries back to the sub-
.station, and the transmission is to be at 20,000 volts. Pi'om
this ring branches will be fed to the collieries north of South
Griffin, and also to the Cwmsychan group to the east of Tillery.

Certain collieries and works are connected with the generat-

generating station at Victoria. Various considerations, how-
ever, come into the scheme, inasmuch as collieries have been
acquired in which generating plant was already installed.

It is not necessary to deal with each colhery equipment,
beyond mentioning the following : Prince of Wales (Victoria)
Colliery has an electric winder with gear-driven alternating
motor, electrically-driven air compressors, and an electrically-
driven variable-speed mine fan. The Waunllwyd Colliery
has an air-compressor installation, and the Six-Bells Colliery
has a inixed-pres.sHre turbo-generating plant and a sub-station
dealing with 20,000, 3.000, 2,200, and 550 volts. The Abercarn
(Prince of Wales) Colliery has a steam-driven turbo-generat-
ing plant, and Cwmcarn Colliery has an electrically-driven
" Ugner " winder, and an electrical equipment throughout
(do steam-raising plant).

Electrically-driven air compressors are installed at the fol-
low'ing collieries: Prince of Wales (Victoria), Waunllwyd,

'^J^^J^

Fig. 3.— Ground Floor Plan, Cross Section, and First 1'"loor Plan ov Substation.

ihg station at the Six-Bells Colliery, the transmission being
at 3,000 volts; this recently-acquired station is being connected
with the main ring system. There is under consideration an
extension of the transmission system between Aberbeeg to
Cwmcarn via the Newport-.Abercarn Collieries and the Prince
of Wales Colhery at Abercarn. Meanwhile, however, there
is no connection between Aberbeeg and Abercarn, although
Abercarn and Cwmcarn are connected by a dupUcate line,
current being transmitted at 6,600 volts to the Cwmcarn
Colliery, which is entirely electrified.

In the main, the transmission lines are erected on the
overhead system, though in places it has been necessary to
adopt underground cable. In the case of the steelworks,
" H " poles of the ordinary type have chiefly been employed.
For dealing with the collieries in the southern section, the
lines embraced within the ring are fixed on poles, and are
of a type suitable for dealing with the voltage concerned, viz.,
20,000.

Mai'ine, and \'ivian ; there are steani-drixen compressors at
various other collieries. With the probability of an extended
use of compressed air for underground purposes, it is anti-
cipated that a combination of compressors with a regulating
set may secure a specially economical working condition in
what, up to the present. i<; one of the most wasteful and
inefficient sources of power.

Worcester Electricity Works Appointments. — The

manaeemeut of the Worcester Corp<iration electricity works h"i8
found it necessary to reoreraniee the teohaieal staff, and in cons"-
(luenceit is not now necessary to fill the position of chief assistant.
The two vacancies for engineers-in-charge have been filled, but the
matter of th ) appointment of improver assistants is still under
consideration.

Vol. 87. No. 2,236, October 1, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVLEW.

427

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

Jitaderi art invited to lubmit particulars of naio or improved devices and apparatus, loAioA will be publishid
if considered of sufficient interest.

New Electric Grill.

An electric grill having several novel features is being
manufactured by Mr. H. W. Sullivan, 368 & 369, Winchester
House, E.G. 2. It is of robust construction, being made of
cast iron, and finished in black. The grid and runners are so
designed that the gi'id may be raised or lowered during cook-
ing without the necessity of drawing it out. Further, the top
plate containing the elements is hinged, to open, as illustrated
in fig. 1, thus allowing one to turn the food which is being
grilled without exposing it to the outside atmosphere during
the process of cooking. This latter device also greatly facili-
tates the keeping of the inside of the grill clean. The elements,

Fig. 1. — New Electkic Gkill.'

two in number, are of 550 watts capacity ; these are screwed
to the underside of the top plate, in turn being protected by a
suitable guard. Both the drip pan and grid provided are
tinned. The terminals situated at the back of the upper
portion are protected by a removable cover.

New Vernier Potentiometer.

To meet the demand for a long-range potentiometer without
using a shde wii-e. Mkssrs. H, Tinsley & Co., Werndle Hall,
South Norwood, S.E. 25, have brought out a new design of

Fig. 2. — New Ver.meu I'utemiometeh.

Vernier potentiometer (fig. 2). The normal range of this in-
strument is from .00001 to 1.90100 volt. The lower range
records potentials from .000001 to .190100 volt. The principle

adopted is that of the " Thomson- Varley " slide. The main
dial consists of 20 coils of 10 ohms each, and the vernier dial
of 100 coils or .2 ohm each. The fine adjustment dial is a
series of 100 coils each of .001 ohm resistance, placed in series
with the main dial. There are two rheostats, one for ap-
proximate adjustment of the standard current and the other
for exact adjustment. The selector switch is a three-way
D.P. switch one pair of poles being allotted to the cadmium
cell terminals, and two pairs to the circuits marked ■' 1 " and
" 2." The reducing ratio is an arrangement of a two-way
plug switch, by means of which the current in the working
coils of the potentiometer can be reduced to one-tenth of its
normal value of .01 amp. This reduces the voltage drop
on the measuring dials to one-tenth of the value shown.
The working parts of the apparatus are mounted on a stout
ebonite board, all contacts are of Post Office gold-silver alloy
to avoid corrosion, and the instrument is mounted in a
mahogany or teak case with a detachable lid.

Electro=vapour Radiators and Central Heating.

We have had brought to our notice particulars of an in-
teresting electrical application which increases the field of
electric heating. The arrangement is manufactured by
Messrs. Benham & Sons, Ltd., 64 and 66, Wigmore Street,
W., and consists of a special electric element (with two minor
accessories) which is screwed into individual cast-iron sec-
tional radiators in hot-water or steam central-heating systems.

Fig. 3.

-Central Heating Radiator with .^dxiliarv
Electric Heater.

The arrangement is such that each method of heating is
independent of the other, the heat being maintained either
from the main furnace or electrically, according to circum-
stances. Such a combination enables rooms to be warmed
at any time of the year when the main furnace is out of
action.

Fig. 3 represents in elevation a cast-iron sectional radia-
tor, being a single unit of a hot-water central-heating
system. The electrical element and chamber, known as the
■■ Electro-vapour " unit, is screwed by means of a special
nipple into the base of the middle section of the radiator.
.\n additional level-indicating tap is fitted between one valve
and the radiator body. The illustration shows the element
unit a at the bottom, the two isolating valves c, and a level-
indicating tap D which can be placed either side of the radia-
tor. The object of the two valves is to isolate the radiator
from the remainder of the system, and the level-indicating
tap allows the water to subside to the correct working level.
B is a wall socket.

The electrical capacity of these elements ranges from 0.6
KW. to 2 KW., and in cases where large radiators are installed,
it is sometimes necessary to have two-element units fitted.

The firm claims that several advantages are obtained by the
use of these conversions. One of considerable importance is
that the use of a large radiating surface with low-temperature
transmission is ideal for economical heating, because there
is practically no local heat to supply electrical energy for,
this energy, so to speak, being saved. The number of watts
allowed per cubic foot of air space for average conditions of
ventilation appears to be a low figure, but in practice it is
found to be sufficient.

The standard type of electro-vapour radiator (which is a
self-contained apparatus, as described in our columns on
previous occasions) is sometimes termed a " booster," because
it supplies supplementary heat, if required.

" Electro-vapour " radiators are very suitable for this pur-
pose, as the appearance of the two types of radiators is

428

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 8,236, ootobkb i, mo.

identical, while the low temperature makes for economy.
Thus a room which is at a temperature of 55 deg. P. can
be rapidly brought to 60 deg. or more with a small electro-
vapour radiator.

Economy is gained if the central system is designed to
f?ive a uniform temperature of 50 deg. P. over the whole
building with small electric radiators to " top " the tem-
perature to suit the individual taste.

CORRESPONDBNCB.

Lettert received by ui after 5 p.m. on Tuesday cannot appear until
tke following week. Correspondents should forward their communi-
cations at the earliest possible momswt. No letter can be published
unless we have the writer' t name and address in our possession.

Power Factor.

Recently my good friend Mr. E. W. Dorey has been fore-
most in attempting publicly to improve power factors. The
cause of the prevailing deplorable condition is generally well
known, and Mr. Turnbull's suggested juggling with a cheque
book is hardly relevant, since we must have magnetism to
produce rotary electric power.

I contend that we should levy a penalty upon those con-
cerned— quite as unpleasant as the income tax. The basic
cause of the situation will be found to be controlled by
-6 s d. '\\Tien all the power engineers' pockets are affected
by " cos 4,," we shall be approaching a satisfactory solution.
When the party who wants electric power finds th,it he or
they have to pay heavily for k.v.a. and cheaply for kw. -hours,
i.e., a K.V.A. demand system plus a small figure for kw. -hours,
then capital will be sunk in gearing, &c., and the purchase
of high-speed cheap motors, pending the education of the
whole power using and electrical brains of the universe con-
centrated on phase advancers and similar compromises. This
subject could also advantageously be " side tracked " on to
the question of increasing the voltage on consumers' premises.

Why not begin on all new consumers' power substations by
doubling the declared pressure for power only, and thus re-
lieve the high-pressure cable system at once? and consequently
reduce installation expenses to the consumer. Prosecute and
fine the Electricity Commissioners for every a.c. motor of less
than 400 volts connected to anv system after a certain date
in prospect. Obviously I am writing from a low-voltage point
of view.

Walter E. Rogers.

London, September 19fft, 1920.

T note in your issue of September 17th your correspondent
Mr. E. Freeman Smith verv rightly condemns the use of the
term " wattless current." The explanation of this term may
be a_ll very well as a mathematical device, but is very mis-
leading as regards physical facts. Tliis wattless current is
always a source of great difficulty to students, as they are
given to understand that there are two currents in the circuit,
the power and the idle current, which is quite contrarv to
working theory, narticularlv as they are simultaneously flow-
ing in opposite directions half the time. The best way of
dealing with the_ circuit is to assume that there is only one
current flowing in it, and to split up the e.m.f. into its two
components at right angles to one another. We then have
an applied e.m.f. leading the current, and it is resolved into
one comnonent in pha^e with the current and another 90 deg.
ahead which is associated with surging energy and no power.
" Wattless E.M.F.," therefore, seems a much better term to
use than " wattless current." This " wattless e.m.f." in a
circuit is takep un with coping with the self-induced e.m.f.
which is associated with a magnetic field, which costs on the
whole nothing in power. This magnetic field, without con-
sidering any wire which conducts it, takes in work on being
formed, but cives it back when it dies away; the alternations
^f field causing a surging of energy out of and back into the
^>",trical circuit, ohviouslv no watts being expended when
i. -.omplete cycle is considered.

T am aware that this is not an original way of looking at
the question, but I think it is more straightforward than

dealing with " wattless currents.'
Bristol. Sepfemher 19th, 1920.

R. G. Vanneck.

As Mr. Tumbull in his letter of the 14th inst. makes some
statements which are rather misleading, I am compelled to
reply although I do not wish to lengthen this correspondence
unduly.

,?^y- Tumbull says that I have a verv poor opinion of the
utility of apparatus for the improvement of power factor.
but I think it would do him good to read mv article published
m your journal of October 17th. 1019, and 'the three succeed-
ing issues, when I think he will be .satisfied that not onlv have
I all along advocated the installation of condensers, but I may
also claim to have had a fair amount of experience in the
installation of such apparatus: it may interest Mr, Turnbull
to know that the installation of such pl^nt is part of my liveli-

hood. Unfortunately, the subject of power factor has not
received the consideration in this country that it merits,
whereas in the States, condenser units up to 15,000 k.v.a.
are in use, these, of course, being of the rotary condenser
type.

Taking the hypothetical case referred to in previous cor-
respondence in which the consumer's load of 4,000 k.v.a. is
split up into energy component 3,000 KW. and wattless com-
ponent 1,000 K.V.A., I maintain that unless the supply under-
taking is badly laid out and badly managed, the whole of the
1,000 K.V.A. wattless does not gv unpaid for, for the following
reasons: —

When laying out a supply undertaking, the generating plant,
sub-stations, mains, &c., are rated on an assumed overall
power factor which, in the majority of cases, is taken as 80 per
cent. Therefore, when the overall power factor of the supply
is 80 per cent, the undertaking is operating under conditions
for which it was designed. Logically, therefore, it follows
that the supply undertaking in determining the rates for
supply, whether they be on KW. demand basis or on a flat
rate per unit, will have based the calculations on 80 per cent,
power factor, i.e., the plant rental portion of the rates assumes •
a power factor of 80 per cent. Under such conditions it
follows that if a consumer is o[jerating at 90 per cent, power
factor his rate is higher than it ought to be, and he is helping
to make up for the low power factor of other consumers,
whereas a consumer operating at 70 per cent, power factor
is getting it at a lower rate than he should.

In the case quoted above we have the following : —

Total load 4,000 k.v.a.

True energy component of load 3,000 k.v.a.

Wattless component of load 1,000 k.v.a.

Supply undertaking rates cover 4,000 k.v.a.
at 80 per cent, p.f., or wattless component

of 800 K.V.A.

Difference, by which the supply under-
taking are the losers '200 k.v.a.

My contention therefore is that in this instance not 1,000
K.V.A., but 200 K.V.A. wattless only goes unpaid for.

The above are conditions as they exist to-day, but these
facts in no way detract from the desirability of instituting,
where possible, the k.v.a. demand system of charge, as it
follows that if the power factor of this load were raised to 95
per cent., the consumer would reduce his demand from 4,0(KJ
to 3,160 K.V.A., and would erduce his bill considerably, and at
the same time assist the supply undertaking.

While on this subject it may perhaps interest your readers
to know that in the case of two large supply undertakings
in this country I have been successful in obtaining for the
first time the k.v.a. maximum-demand rate in lieu of the
existing kw. demand rate, the k.v.a. charge in both cases
being 80 per cent, only of the kw. charge, i.e., where pre-
viously 25s. per kw. per quarter was enforced, 80 per cent.
of this only, viz., 20s. per k.v.a. has been agreed. In both
cases, although at 80 per cent, power factor, the consumer
would be no better or worse of!', a static condenser is being
installed for the improvement of power factor, to take full
benefit of the k.v.a, demand system of charge.

I am sure it will be of interest to your readers if Mr. Turn-
bull will explain exactly why he considers the" wattless com-
ponent " meter the best solution. Several years ago I made
arrangements with a leading manufacturer of such meters to
go one further, by making an integrating meter to integrate
li.v.A.-hours, and fitted with a " Merz " maximum-demand
dial to give k.v.a. demand over a time period (say, 20 minutes),
the object of the meter being to get the demand only; the
ordinary kilowatt-hour meter being employed for registering
the energy; and many .such meters are now in successful
operation. I cannot see that the wattless component meter
would serve any useful purpose whatever as compared with
other more suitable meters which are on the market to-day.
and I am anxious, therefore, to know why Mr. Turnbull
considers the wattless component meter the best solution.
In my letter of the 14th inst., I referred to the " Amp "
meter, which would certainly appear to be very much superior.

I shall look forward with eagerness to Mr. Turnbull's pro-
mised ftiird article, especially as he is to explain what " watt-
less " really is, but referring to analogies may I just give
him a kindly word of advice as follows: " An analogy when
good is very, very good, but when it is bad it is 'orrid."

E. W. Dorey.

Enfield. September iHh, 1920.

Single=phase Meters on Three-phase Systems.

Single-phase watt-meters are quite satisfactory on balanced
three-phase loads. They are. however, not suitable on un-
balanced systems. It is probable that the instrument referred
to by " Stop Watch " was connected to such a circuit; hence
the incorrect reading. Tlie diagrams show four methods by
which a single-phast> watt-meter can be connecte<l to a three-
phase system. The most suitable arrangement will be de-
termined by the nature of the other apparatus supplied by
the same instrument transformers as the watt-meter. Where
the current transformers are required for a protection system,
the partjculaf fype of protection will decide whether they can

Toi. 87, No. 2,236, ootobbb 1, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL RE VIE Wo

429

be connected delta or star. The potential transformers may
serve power-factor indicator, reverse-current relay, synchro-
scope, or other apparatus which may not permit an arrange-
ment such as that shown in fig. 2.

Fig. 1 shows an arrangement with an artificial neutral on
the potential circuit. It should be noted that the three legs
should have equal resistance. In the middle leg, the resistance

Fio. 1.

more flagrant in that the threat was, in the first case, confined
to London as the poUtical nerve centre of the country. The
E.T.U. did not even call out all its members in London, but
only those engaged in power stations, and if the E.F.E.A.
considered that this course was a peaceable one, the argument
is, to say the least, difficult to follow. The E.T.U. has mem-
bers working in key positions in almost every branch of in-
dustry in this country, and in these times when disputes in
one industry or another occur almost daily, the acceptance
of the principle that the interruption of an essential supply
can be utilised at any time to bring pressure to bear to settle
disputes is quite impossible for any nation governed on con-
stitutional principles.

If the E.P.E.A. is to continue to number among its members
the senior officials of supply undertakings it must take the
earliest opportunity to make it quite clear that it intends to
ensure the contmuity of supply from the power stations
which its members control, and to resist any attempt to
interrupt that supply for a cause which does not directly
affect its own vital interests.

Another Senior Power Engineer.

September 22n(i, 1920.

ABC

Fig. 4.

of the watt meter must be taken into account and allowed for.
This is the arrangement referred to by Mr. J. Henderson.

Fig. 2. — ^This arrangement dispenses with the artificial neu-
tral.

Fjg. 3. — Only one potential transformer is required with this
arrangement.

Fig. 4 shows the watt meter in the circulating-current circuit
of a delta-star transformer protection system.

All the above give correct readings on balanced three-phase
circuits, and at any power factor. Where the load is un-
balanced, a polyphase watt meter should be used.

Tlioniag A. Robertson.

Glasgow.

September llih, 1920.

Like others of your correspondents, I have been surprised
at the extraordinary policy officially announced by the Execu-
tive of the E.P.E.A. as governing its action in any dispute
in which it may become involved through the action of
another union. This is that " the E.P.E.A. is not concerned
with the merits of the dispute, nor with its origin."

Suppose the E.T.U. were to put forward a demand for all
the surplus profits of the electricity supply industry to be
divided amongst its members. (In view of the mmers' recent
demands this cannot hghtly be dismissed as unprobable.) The
supply authorities would very naturally refuse, and it is
equally likely that they would turn down any suggestion by
the E.T.U. that the matter should go to arbitration. Accord-
ing to the official policy of the E.P.E.A., the latter would
have to throw in its weight with the E.T.U., as it is not
concerned with the merits of the dispute, but only with
which side has refused arbitration. ,, t • •

Despite the sarcasm of " Another Power Engmeer, I jom
with " A Group of Senior Power Engineers " m being unable
to accept this policy. If acceptance is a condition of member-
ship of the E.P.E.A., then I am afraid my resignation will
have to go in. • d- j i iu

If Mr. Jones's explanation of the policy offered to the
" Group " had they signed their names contains nothmg
further than the circular letter issued to corresponding mem-
bers I am afraid it would not do much towards altermg their
views Mr. Jones also tilts at members who have been
absent from meetings. It would cost the writer over 20s.
train fare, plus a night's hotel expenses to attend a section
meetmg, and unless such meeting were held on a Saturday it
would also involve absence from work for part of an afternoon
and morning. Were it not getting away from the original
subject of this correspondence, I would be tempted to enlarge
on this point of insufficient information to outlying groups
of members, but I refrain out of consideration for your space.

I enclose my card as the usual guarantee of good faith,
but beg to subscribe myself meantime.

The E.P.E.A. and the E.T.U,

I have read with interest the very pertinent remarks in
your leaderette of September 17th, and the letter from " A
Group of Senior Power Engineers."

There is no doubt that the E.P.E.A. fills a distinct need,
and has done excellent and much needed work in the direction
of raising the status of power station engineers with reference
both to salaries and general conditions of service, which prior
to its formation were in many instances lamentable. The
Association was recognised by the best employes as serving
a useful purpose, and it is unfortunate that its standing has
been jeopardised by the injudicious action of its Executive.

The situation created by the Penistone strike and its threa-
tened extension to power stations was obviously a very difficult
one for the Association to deal with, and the original statement
issued to the Press, that it intended to give its support to
whichever of the parties showed tactics of a peaceable char-
acter, was obviously well intentioned.

Unfortunately, by making such a statement, the Association
tacitly endorsed the attitude of the E.T.U. in extending the
quarrel to electrical undertakings, which were hitherto en-
tirely uninterested. The principle that the shutting-down of
power stations can be utilised in any event as a means of
influencing the settlement of a dispute in another industry is-
not admissible, and the suggestion was very rightly submittedl
to severe censure in your editorial comments. For an Associa-
tion, which is intended to include responsible senior officials-
of electrical undertakings, the only possible attitude must surely
be to express the strongest disapproval of any intention tc
use a public service in an industrial dispute siicply because-
the unfortunate public is thereby perforce brought into the'
quarrel.

In the instance now under review, the i&attet was th«

I have seldom seen such confused arguments aa those
appearing in the letters from " Se Defendendo " and Another
Power Engineer " pubUshed in your issue of September i4tli.
Both writers are apparently imbued with the idea that tne
members of the E.P.E.A. correspond with the three tailors
of Tooley Street, who strutted up and down saying: we
are the people." „ .„ . .. i.

" Se Defendendo " tod " Another Power Engineer set
up such a high standard of righteousness in championing the
cause of the oppressed that one is very surprised to find them
supporting the cowardly policy of hitting innocent onlookers
(in the form of the general public), because the authors ot
this policy are unable to strike one set of opponents in a
quarrel in which they are not involved.

The E P E A. were not concerned in the Penistone dispute ;
and because the E.T.U. started to run amok there was no
justification whatever for the E.P.E.A. to follow suit

People who make such a claim (as the E.P.E.A. does), ot
obtaining justice for those who need it, should practise what
they preach, and not perpetrate a gross m]usuce on the
innocent, long-sulTering public.

Of course, from their past record, one does not expect any-
thing but selfishness from the E.T.U.; they are for them-
selves and themselves alone (nobody else counts a buttonl ;
but one does expect something more from the E.i'.l!i;A.,
whose members are men of education and fien*'nc training.
I prefer to think that the recent action of the ^:^-^\.J^
the result of " swelled head " on the part of the Executive,
and is not endorsed by the majority of my brother engineers.

H. C. Silver.

London.

Beptember llih, 1920.

430

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. no. 2,236, octobm 1, 1920.

Domestic Supply Pressure and Wiring.

The tbanks and appreciation of the electrical industry arc
due to Mr. Wordingham for his timely article on supply
pressures and wiring.

Particularly striking is the In.st paragraph but one. in which
he says : " It .should surely not p:iss the wit of man to invent
.some less cumbrous scheme than piping." But is it necessary
to invent any more systems of wiring? Surely we have too
many.

It seems to me that we are passing through the same mill
in wiring systems as we did in cable systems.

We have at last a satisfactory and more or less standard
cable system, namely, paper lead armoured, laid direct. Sub-
ject to local conditions, no engineer thinks of laying any other
nowadays.

Screwed barrel seems to be the favourite system of wiring,
but why are we wedded to one so cumbrous and expensive?

What is the matter with the cab tire sheathed system of
wiring for all pre.s.sures and situations (except perhaps extreme
dry heat)? That it requires so few I.B.E. rules should be
sufficiently convincing as to its safety and efficiency.

With the usual disclaimer, I can honestly say that after

14 years' experience with most systems of wiring, I think
the O.T.S. has the least objections of the lot.

No wiring system is yet perfect— the C.T.S, has certain
objections which will be overcome : I think the tough rubber
protection should be slightly thicker— but for house wiring
(new and old) I feel sure there is nothing better. The price
of the wire is high, but I find the cost of installing is low.

A lot of prejudice has to be overcome before C.T.S. is
adopted, because we have become so obsessed with the idea
that an electric wire must be in a pipe, hut as it becomes
better known the piping habit will die out, at least for house
wiring.

I wish Mr. Wordingham would say what more he wants
for a flexible house-wiring system than this system provides.
Does he want it armoured? b_ -y^f^ Gotliard.

Alder.shot Electricity Works. Srptemhrr 25111, 19-20.

[Correction. — We regret that in line 9. page 394, of Mr.
W, Arthur .Tones's letter in our last issue, the words " small
majority " were by a printer's error substituted for the
correct expression, " small minority."— Eds. Elec. Rev.]

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankruptcy Proceedings. — f- -T- Symons (Zodiac Peerless

Electric Lamp Co.), 2), Denmark Street, Charing Cross, W.C. —
Tnistee (Mr. A. H. Partridge, 3, Warwick Court, Gray's Inn, W.C),
appointed September 18th.

J. Jaoger (Jagger & Co.), electrical engrineera, Halifax. — The
public examination in bankruptcy of this debtor took place at
Halifax County Court on September 21th. The liabilities were
.*1,369 gross ; expected to rank fur dividend, £1,303 : assets were
estimated to produce £626, leas preferential claims of £55, making
a deficiency of £7:H2. The debtor alleged that the causes of his
failure included losaea arising from defective work done by incom-
petent workmen, who, in addition, limited their output. He was
originally a brasafounders' apprentice, served three yeara with the
Forcea during the war, had only seven months' practical experience
in the electrical trade before commencing buainess, but had
acquired some theoretical knowledge through correspondence
claasea. The Official Receiver suggested that the debtor's incom-
petency had been a contributing factor of the cause of his insol-
vency, but the debtor demurred to this. The examination was closed.
H. TOBNEB, electrician, 31, St. Paul's Road, Southsea. — First
meeting October 6th, at the Official Receiver's Office, Portsmouth.
Public examination, November 1st, at the Court House, Portsmouth.

Company Liquidations. — Variable Pumps axd Motors,

Ltd. — Winding up voluntarily. Liquidator, Mr. M. Lancaster,
46, Baaiughall Street, E,C. A meeting of creditors was called for
September 30th.

Electric and General Works, Ltd. — A meeting is called
for October 6th, at .'i4. Rue la Boetie, Paris, to hear an account of
the winding-up from the liquidator, Mr. F. H. Christlieb.

W. A. it R. J. Jacobs, Ltd. — Winding up voluntarily. Liqui-
dator, Mr. R. G. Sidford, 20, John Street, Adelphi, W.C. Meeting
of creditors, October 4th, at the Institute of Secretaries, 69a, London
Wall, B.C. Particulars of claims to be sent to the liquidator by
October 31st.

British and Overseas Engineering Syndicate, Ltd. —
Winding up voluntarily. Liquidator, Mr. J. Findlay, 4, Old
Burlington Street, W. 1. Meeting of creditors, October 5th.

LowA Engineering Co., Ltd. — Voluntary liquidation. Meeting
of creditors, October 4th, at 25, College Hill, Cannon Street, E.G.
Liquidator, Mr. A. J. Harmer.

Hydbo-Electbic Concb.ssions, Ltd. — Meeting of members,
October 4th, at 3-i, Great Winchester Street, E.G., to hear an
account of the winding up from the liquidator, Mr. W. Gain.

Dissolutions of Partnership. — Wood & Roberts, elec-
trical engineers, 7, Salem Street, Oldham. — Messrs. H. R, Wood and
D. A. Roberts have dissolved partnership. Mr. Roberts, who will
continue the busineas in his name, will attend to debts.

IsiLAY 4: Bland, coach builders, motor, electric and general
engineers, London Koad, Oadby, Leicester. — Messrs. G. A. and W.
Imlay and E. Bland have disaolved partnership. Debts will be
attended to by Messrs. G. A. Imlay and W. Bland.

Catalogues and Lists. — Messrs. F. J. Shenton & Co.,

Ltd., 68 and 6!i, Shoe Lane, E.G. 4.— An illustrated and priced
leaflet dealinf; with "Supreme " electric irons, kettles and boilers.

Messes. Siemens Bbos. & Co., Ltd., Palace Place Mansions,
Kensington Court, W. 8. — A card-leaflet outline of a typical
Siemens Leclanche cell, containing a description of the pcroua pot
form.

Messrs. Higos Bros., Sand Pits, Birmingham.— " Monthly
Magazine," Vol. II, No. 7, October, 1920 (24 pp.). Stock list of A.c.
and D.C. motors, notes on current consumption of motors, &c.

Messrs. Brdcc Peebles ,>c Cj., Ltd., Edinburgh. — Pamphlet
No. 16 C, "Peebles Alternatii g~Cjrrent Jfotors (Polyphase Induc-
tion Type)" (20 pp.). A vtry comp'ete description of medium-
sized, self-contained motors, wi.h cea- illustrations of details in
their construction, including rotor winding and short-circuiting
and brush-lifting gear. Dimensions and weiglits are given in both
English and metric systems.

AccaMnL.A.T0BS OP Woking, Ltd. — A set of eight cards
10 In. X 8 in., giving details of various sizes and types of
" Hellova " accumulators, with instructions for care and main-
tenance.

Trade Announcements. — We are informed that Messrs.

X-Rays, Ltd., of U, Torrington Place, Go wer Street, W.C. 1, have
purchased the whole of the X-ray and electro-medical business of
the High-Tenaion Co., including the plant, stock, goodwill, and
patents. Mr. Mortimer A. Codd, who is well-known in connection
with his work on high-tension apparatua during the war and his
authorship of a standard work of reference in connection with
these instrumenta, will in future diaaociate himself entirely from
business, and haa entered into an agreement with X-Rays, Ltd., aa
director of reaearch. This places his unique laboratory at their
service.

For the convenience of their customers, the principal sales
department of Pope's Electric Lamp Co., Ltd., on and after
October 4th, will be at 5, Arthur Street, London, W.C. 2, instead of
at the works at Hythe Road, Willesden. Large stocks of " Elasta "
lamps will be held at Arthur Street (Mr. E. A. Marx, sales
manager). Telephone number: "Gerrard 6074" (two lines).
Telegraphic address : " Duramentum, Westcent, London."

Mr. A. R. Macey has resigned his position aa manager to
Haalam .V Stretton, Ltd., Bristol Depot, and will shortly be com-
mencing business on his own account as a factor and agent. He
desires to receive manufacturers' lists and catalogues at Victoria
Terrace, Clifton, Bristol.

Messr.s. Perrin's, Ltd., of 15, Catherine Street, London, W.C. 2,
have recently secured sole British and Colonial selling rights for the
A. S. Skandinaviske Kabel og Gummifabriker of Chriatiania, who,
as announced in our pages, have recently secured large contracts
for cable for the Norwegian Government, for the Dutch Indies,
&o. Meaars. Perrina have also completely acquired the interests of
the Indestructible Cable Co., formerly of 20, High Holborn, aud regular
supplies of " Indestructible " insulated wires and cables are now
available.

Lead. — In their report dated September 25th Messrs.
G. Cawso.v & Co. state : —

Lead is still arriving from Germany, and with the continued low value of the
mark, further shipments will no doubt be forthcoming. We understand
arrangements have been made permitting smelters there to export 5J per cent,
of their production.

Spanish arrivals are likely to continue on a good scale— as France having
now a surplus stock of lead, shipments originally intended for that country
will no doubt be diverted to the United Kingdom. M*ny of the mines are now
increasing their output, and some of the very old brands are again making an
appearance on the market. Inquiries from the home trade continue poor,
while the demand for export remains exceedingly quiet. The recent strike at
the electrical works has, no doubt, interfered with consumption, and con-
sumers who had deliveries of immediate lead postponed are probably covered
for some weeks.

Messrs. James Forster & Co., in their statement, say :—

Consumers have not been buying to any extent, but many want lead, and in
the event of the settlement of the miners' dispute, there should be considerable
buying for early delivery, in which case there is not too much about, as is
indicated by premiums oi 20s. to 2>s. having been paid for spot stuff this week.

Social Events. — Over 100 traffic department members
of Blfickpool Electricity and Tramway Works went for an outing —
the first since the war — on September 22nd. The party went in
four motor char-a-bancs to Cheater.

The bowling handicap between Blackpool Corporation electricity
and tramway employes was concluded on September 23rd. The
final playera were :— L. Winckley, 21; T. Carradus, 10. There
were originally 64 entries.

Copper Prices. — ilessrs. F. Smith & Co.. report,
Septemiier Jsth :— Electrolytic bars, £1 ir>, £2 decrease ; do. sheets,
no change; electrolytic wire rods, £132, £2 decrease; do. H.C.
wire. id. to ,:!.. ,\d. decrease ; silicium bronze wire, no change.

Messrs. James & Shakespeare report, September 20th : Copper
bars (best selected), sheets and rods, no change ; English pig lead,
£37, (lOs. decrease on last week's quotations.)

Vol. 87. No. 2,236, ootobeb 1, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

481

New French Company.— A new company Iirb lately been

formed in Paris (2, Avenue Volasqne?) with a capital of 3, "100,000 fr.,
and the title La Socii'td 1' Equipment Electrique.

Lalley Light. — We regret that through an accident at
the printers, the words " 32 volt" were omitted from the elec-
trical specification in the advertisement appearinpr on pa?e 56 ( Sup.)
of our last itsue.

Book Notices. — " The Decimal Educator." Vol. II,
No. 9. London : The Decimal Association (30 pp ), price (>i. The
September number of the magazine contains an admirable portrait
of Mr. Harold Cox, whose studies of economics have made him a
convinced supporter of the decimal system of coinage. Other
features of the issue, in addition to an abstract of the annual report
of the Executive Committee of the Decimal Association, are articles
on "The Failure of the Penny," by Mr. Harry AUcock ; "The
Teaching- of Decimals," by Mr. J. W. Ladner ; '• Methods of Illus-
trating the Metric System," and "The War and the Decimal System,"
by Major G. Plaisant, of the French Army Engineering Corps.

The E-rpdi-t Iljiixter -f the FeileratUm of British Iiiibistriex.
London : F.B I. aud Industrial Publicity Service. Ltd. 208. to
members, and 2-'Js. to non-members (.unless they are members of
af&liated associations). This is a useful and businesslike volume, in
which the F.B.I, and its purposes are described, and particulars of
members and their products are classified. A good deal of infor-
mation is given relating to the Overseas Organisation of the
Federation, with which our trade readers are already familiar, and
no doubt the publication will considerably help in developing the
export trade of manufacturers whose particulars (including the
addresses of their overseas agents and branches) are given. We
understand that editions are being produced in French, Spanish
and Portuguese for distribution in Europe and Central and South
America.

From XeirtoH to Ei/utein. By Benjamin Harrow, Ph.D.
London : Constable & Co., Ltd. Price 2s. 6d. This very readable
little book outlines the work of Newton, " the greatest genius that
ever existed " (Lagrange), on gravitation and optics ; the electro-
magnetic theory of light ; and the nature of matter. It then
describes the predictions of Einstein, which were in great part
verified by the British Ellipse Expedition of 1919, which proved
that light was deflected in accordance with Einstein's law of gravi-
tation. The author points out that Newton has not been proved
to be wholly wrong ; but Einstein's law, developed in the light of
present-day knowledge, is "more universal" than Newton's, and
really includes the latter. He then explains the principle of
relativity with the aid of analogies, so far as it can be explained
without the use of mathematics. Numerous references are given
to publications in which tha interested reader can pursue the
subject to any degree desired.

" The Motor Transport Year-Book and Directory." Vol. 5, 1920
(489 pp.). London : Electrical Press, Ltd. 20g. net, — This volume
includes the new rates of taxation for road vehicles and some notes
on the Ministry of Transport and its work, as well as reports of
committees on traffic, fuel, &c. The publication forms a very com-
plete directory of transport, &c.. companies and officials.

'Dorman Wave-Power Tools." (6i^ pp.) W. H. Dorman & Co.,
Stafford. — This is a publication explaining the underlying principles
of the transmission of power by the medium of wave impulses
through water. The system is applicable to rock drills, riveting
hammers and machines, coal-cutting machines, &c. The booklet
is well detailed and clearly illustrated.

Journal of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.
Vol. XXXLX, No. 9. September, 1920. New York : The Institute.
Price $1.

" Industrial Electric Vehicles and Trucks." By W. Worby
Beaumont. Pp. xii. + 194 ; 177 figs. London : Chas. Griffin and
Co., Ltd. Price l.'>3.

Inquiry from India. — The Department of Overseas
Trade has been advised by the representative of an Indian house
that the fijrm are buyers of a large variety of lines of electrical
machinery, plant and apparatus. The Department will furnish the
name, also the name and address of the London agent, to British
firms on application.

Deed of Assignment. — I. C. Raine, A. Podmore, and
S. Hewitt (Hewiit, Raine & Co.), electrical engineers, 41, Lewis
Grove, Lewisham, S.E. Particulars of claims to be sent by
October 11th to the trustee, Mr. W. A. J. Osborne (Corfield and
Cripwell), Balfour House, Finsbury Pavement, E.C.

E. W. Heath (Heath, Wingfield & Co.), 6, Hans Road, Brompton
Road, S.W.— Claims by October 11th to the trustee, Mr. W. A. J.
Osborne (Corfield & Cripwell), Balfour House, Finsbury Pave-
ment, E.C.

Electrical Supplies in South Africa.— The S.A. Miimig

and Engineering Journal for August 28th states : —

Materials in very fair quantity are arriving from Britain and the Con-
tinent. \ leading dealer has juflt received a large consignment of lamp shades
from Holland at prices ranging from 138. to 20s. dozen; home price, as against
British quotations of from 3Us. to 48s., which is only another way of saying
that the Continental workers seem to be facing labour troubles, Ac, more
heroically than theii British oon/rcres. At the moment there are no big
contracts on hand, but, notwithstanding, a fairly good volume of business is
being done locally, and even along the coast as far afield as Port Shepstone, &c.
.... The large sliipments of m<iterial arriving, and still on the way, are bound
very shortly to lower existing prices.

The Italian Metal worliers' Dispute.— The Tribioia

reports that the engineers at the Pirelli works have decided to
strike until the extremists who caused disturbances in the factory
have been punished, — Renter,

Malicious Destruction, — Two boys charged with

malicious mischief at Paisley, at various works, destroyed over 200

electric globes, valued at £13.

Aerial Beanfeast. — From Messrs. Macdonald, Syer
and Co., Ltd., of Gray's Inn Road, W.C. 1, we have received an
excellent photograph as a memento of the first aerial beanfeast
held by an electrical firm — their own, which we illustrated in these
pages a short time ago.

Telegraph and Telephone Instruments for Latvia. —

The Department of Overseas Trade states that the Purchasing
Commission of the Republic of Latvia desires to purchase the
following goods in this countiry. Quotations f.o.b British port,
and payment will be made in cash. Particulars as to quantities,
<.V:o., may be obtained at the offices of the Commission at 4. Draper's
(Jardens, Throgmorton Avenue, London, E.C. 2. (Telephone,
Bank 634 S) :—

Materials and spare parts for radio-telegraph stations.

Telegraph and telephone spare parts :— (n) Telegraph apparatus :
Morse, and various spare parts and essentials for same ; (A) " Jusa "
telegraph apparatus, and various spare parts and essentials for
same ; (c) field telephones and indoor telephones ; (i) various
special instruments (or tools) for effecting repairs to telegraphs and
telephones.

Italian Companies. — Under the style of Manifattura
Luigi Duca has been formed at Busto Arsizio a company with a
capital of 100,000 lire, for the conduct of an electro-mechanical
works.

The Societa Anonima Termoelettrica has been embodied at
Ferrara, with a capital of 600,000 lire, to trade in hajtting and
lighting appliances.

An amalgamation of concerns is represented by the Societ.T,
Anonima Industrie Riunite Passamanterie Venegoni, De Capitani e
Successori Menni, which has been established at Milan (Via Pavia 6),
with a capital of 6,oo0,00O lire, for the manufacturing of telegraph
and telepnone cables, &c

The Societa Italiana C. A. has been constituted at Milan (Via
Sansovina 1), with a capital of 100,000 lire, in order to work the
patents of the late firm of GrouvcUe & Arguembourg, for lighting
and heating installations.

With a capital of l,500,i>00 lire, the Societa Padana di Elettricita
has been formed at MUan, for the manufacture, purchase, sale, and
working of electric plants.

The construction of aqueducts for hydro-electric undertakings and
public works is the business of the Societa Anonima Ingg. Vismara e
Sala, formed at Milan with a capital of 500,000 lire.

There has been launched at Rome the Societa Anonima Italia,
with a capital of 100,000 lire, for the supply of electrical material.

Livio Suppo e Ca. have formed themselves into a company at
Turin, with a capital of 60,000 lire, for the manufacture of electrical
requirements.

At MUan has been constituted the Societa Elettrotecnica Ing.
Soldati, Pott. Pastore e Ca., with a capital of 400,000 lire, for the
manufacture of electrical material and plant, &c.

B.T.H. Fittings. — On account of the rapid growth of
their lighting business, the British Thomson-Houston Co.
decided some months ago to extend their Rugby fittings factory.
The new workshops are now nearing completion ; the most
efficient and up-to-date machinery is being installed, and the com-
pany hope very shortly tj be able to manufacture and deliver
fittings and reflectors in vastly greater quantities than heretofore.
One of the staple products of this factory is the Mazdalux metal
reflector for industrial lighting. It is expected that the extended
facilities which will soon be available, will enable the B.T.H. Co. to
treble or quadruple their Mazdalux output. In the case of " Eye-
Rest " indirect fittings, semi-direct fittings, and other lighting
equipment made in the B.T.H. factory, the production will also be
considerably increased.

For Sale. — Doncaster Borough Council Electricity
Department is prepared to receive offers for three 50-KW., and one
1.50-KW. Mather & Piatt steam-driven generators. A three-throw
pump and some Hopkinson valves are offered for sale by the
Watford Electricity Works. For particulars see our advertisement
pages to day.

Bauxite Mining in Germany.— As is known, various
works for the production of aluminium were established in
Germany during the war, with the encouragement of the
Government. Raw materials were scarce during this period,
and are only now obtainable at high prices owing to
exchange consideratinns. The principal source of the supply of
bauxite in Germany is located in Upper Hessen, where the
deposits reach a thickness of from I to 8 metres, mining being
mostly carried on in the open. Prejudice against the use
of bauxite from this district existed for a long time, and even
at present the distrust has not entirely disappeared. Never-
theless the conditions have become substantially better. Ex-
tensive explorations made on behalf of a Government depart-
ment in Upper Hessen are .said to have revealed the presence
of deposits of alumina of a considerably greater extent than
had formerly been assumed to be the case, and fresh deposits
are still being opened up. The production of the mines and
the number of mines have increased in recent years, and the
industry is claimed to be a factor of importance for the
district.

432

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,23.;, ootobbb 1, i»20.

AppHcatioas for British Trade Marks.— Appended is a

summary ui t)je recent applications fur British trade marlis
in respect ul youds connected witii the electrical trades and
industries ; —

Semco iNo. 40^,947, Class 13.— Electrical ignition sparking
plugs. Semco Co., Ltd., i'J '20, High Street, Shoreditch h.
April i4th, 1920.

B.B.L. (lettering combined with design), No. 4U0,'2-26, Class
18.— Electric welding apparatus, &c. Brown Bros., Ltd.,
Great Eastern Street, London, E.G. January 3uth, 1920.

P.E.H. (lettering combined with design). No. 400,759, Class
18. — Electrical heating apparatus. Premier Electric Heaters,
Ltd., 260, Bradford Street, Birmingham. February 14th
1920. .

Pyrotip, No. 406,U0.— Electric apparatus in Class 8. British

Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., 83, Cannon Street London

E.G. July 15th, 1920.

Siddor, No. 405,525, Class 18.— Electric stoves and heaters.

Chas. H. Eoddis, 66, Elstow Road, Bedford. June 25th, 1920.

Ferolite, No. 403,116, Glass 13.— Electrodes of ordinary metal
for electric lamps, &c. Ferolite, Ltd., '2, Kertling Street,
Battersea, S.W. April 19th, 1920.

AuroUte, No. 405,040, Class 8.— Electrically-illuminated ad-
vertising apparatus. Aurolite Electrical SuppUes, Ltd., Crom-
well House, Surrey Street, Strand, London, W. June 10th,
1920.

C.C.C. Co. (lettering combined with design). No. 405,403,
Class 8.— Eubber-insulated electric cables. No. 405,404, Class
8.— Paper-insulated electric cables. Callender's Cable and
Construction Co., Ltd., Hamilton House, Victoria Embank-
ment, London, E.G. June 22nd, 1920.

Star (lettering combined with design). No. 399,474, Glass 11.
— Electric vibrators, being instruments used for curative pur-
poses or in relation to health. Fitzgerald Manufacturing Co.,
Torrington, Conn., U.S.A. January 13th, 1920.

Electricity Costs. — A very satisfactory start has been
made with the Federation of British Industries' scheme for
the interchange between manufacturers of data regarding
electricity costs and kindred subjects. Up to the present 50
members have supplied data. The first table of comparative
costs was circulated at the end of July to members concerned,
and as further returns were received it was decided to
issue a supplementary hst at the end of September. Members
who have already supplied information will receive the supple-
mentary lists as they appear from time to time.

Any other manufacturers who wish to take advantage of the
scheine, by, which mutual interchange of electricity cost per
unit is effected, should immediately inform head office and
forward data covering their electricity supply cost. The method
to be followed in compiling information was outlined in
The Bulletin of July 26th. It is felt that this method is not
thoroughly satisfactory, but the majority of the opinions
received show that the classification adopted is regarded as
being the most elfective. For interchange pm-poses what is
required is the actual cost per unit. This can be quickly
found by dividing the total cost by the number of units con-
sumed. It has, however, been felt desirable to add a further
specification, namely, the average number of hours per day
during which current is used. The form of the return there-
fore is now as follows : Grade. Cost per unit. Average daily
hours of load.

Tlie Engineering Dispute.— IjOnuon Companies' Pro-
test.—At the time of the recent threatened electricity strike
the Conference of Chief Officials of the London electric supply
companies wrote to the London secretary of the Electrical
Trades Union protesting at the manner in which the com-
panies had been drawn into a dispute in which they had
no concern or influence, and calling attention to the following
matters: —

1. The companies had no dispute with their own men.

2. The action of the union in attempting to bind the mem-
bers without the formaUty of a ballot was unconstitutional.

3. The companies declined to accept strike notices given
by the union or shop stewards on behalf of the members,
and would only recognise notices given by the individual
employes.

4. Certain of the companies had received no notice of any
kind of the proposed strike, while others had received less
than seven days' notice.

5. Under Award 2,772 seven days' notice of termination of
engagement of shift workers was agreed to be given on either
side.

0. The letter received by some of the companies from the
union referred to " a mass meeting of shop stewards repre-
senting all men employed," whereas' some of the shop stewards
in at least one company received no notice of the meeting
in question.

On Thursday last week the conference of officials sent a fui--
ther letter asking for some guarantee that the action of which
it complained would not be repeated. The letter added : " I
nm also desired to intimate that all the companies must
insist upon individual notices to terminate employment, and
that they cannot accept any such notice from any oflicial of
your union or from the shop steward. I am also desired to
ask you to plac^ on record that this conference strongly de-
l)reoates the action of your union in attempting t« coerce your
memlioi-s employed in the companies' undertakinaa ;.^ Tou^qq

to give notice to leave their work, in the hope that the public
inconvenience, loss, and danger occasioned by your action
would force a decision in favour of your union in a conflict in
which they were engaged in another part of the country. "—
Daily Telegraph.

The Shejfield Daily Telegraph states that official correspond-
ence clearly shows that Mr. Matthews, secretary of the Shef-
field District Committee, acted without the consent of his
Executive Council in writing to the Sheffield and District
Engineering Employers' Federation to the effect that the
District Committee supported the men on strike at Penistone
in their effort to estabhsh the right to claim all foremen as
members.

The Executive Council points out that in coming to an
agreement with the employers through the Industrial Council
the words: " It was also agreed that the E.T.U., having in-
timated to this Council that they are prepared to withdraw
the question of principle arising out of the Penistone dispute,"
refer only to the words in the Sheffield District Committee's
letter, which were: " Further, to establish the right to claim
all foremen as members."

The Executive says : "As the Executive Council had never
made any claim, it had nothing to withdraw," which in effect,
is a complete repudiation of the action of the Sheffield Com-
mittee and its secretary, Mr. Matthews.

German Engineering Industry, — At the annual meeting

of the Union of German Mechanical Engineering Works
(Verein Deutscher Maschinenbauanstalten) Generaldirektor
Becker, of Koln-Kalk, said that a year ago orders from abroad
were received in such numbers that the German engineering
industry, after a long period of slackness, was able once more
to provide its establishments with sufficient work. During the
execution of the orders, however, great difficulties arose owing
to the extraordinary rise in the cost of production, brought
about by the increased cost of raw materials, the higher
wages, and greater general expenses, while the value of the
mark continued to fall steadily. Many works found them-
selves in a serious situation from which they could only
partly escape by coming to agreements with their foreign
customers. Many, moreover, were obliged to agree to the
cancellation of foreign orders.

Meanwhile, the fall in prices has prevented the German
industry from resuming competition with foreign industries,
while wages have again had to be increased owing to the
higher cost of living'. The result is that foreign purchasers
of German machines are still holding back, and that the
former extensive sale territories are quite cut off for the
time being. In the neutral countries buyers have fully
covered their requirements during and since the war. East
and south-east Europe scarcely count as purcha.sing coimtries
owing to the unsettled political conditions. Italy, France,
and Belgium are able to meet their own requirements, their
engineering industries having developed greatly during the
war. As for Great Britain and America, there can hardly
be any question of supplying them with machines, for they
are both competing with great success in the world's markets,
where they have acquired great influence through financial
investments.

If Germany is to regain her foreign markets, continued
Herr Becker, there must be a reduction in the price of raw
materials, the constant rises in wages must be avoided, and
the working capacity of the shops, which has now sunk so
low, must be increased. Moreover, the immediate aboUtion
of export duties must be demanded.

Since March, when the value of the mark began to rise,
the number of foreign orders received has considerably de-
clined, and in some cases has completely ceased, while home
bu.siness is quite at a standstill. These circumstances have
led to important reductions in working hours, to dismissals
of employes, and to the closing down of some concerns. If
unemployment has not yet become manifest to any very
great extent it is owing to the fact that a great number of
works have been engaged on long-dated orders received before
the crisis, and that other establishments have avoided reduc-
ing their staffs by building machines for stock. To-day
enormous stocks of machines worth many millions of marks
have accumulated, without hope of any considerable sales.
In these circumstances manufacturers must, be prepared for
great losses, for the banks are no longer inclined to provide
financial means for keeping works going on such a basis.
There is thus danger in the near future of a great increase
in the number of dismi-ssals and further closing down of
works.

Herr Becker considers that, in view of the fact that a
further rise in the cost of raw materials and a fresh fall in
the value of the mark are to be feared, the conclusion of
foreign contracts in future will only be possible by the estab-
hshment of a sliding scale of prices, but admits that this
system will mean yet anotlier hindrance to German export
business.

The reasons for the bad state of the home market are
ascribed by Herr Becker to the fact that during the war
many industries increased their establishments and are no
longer in a position to find a sufficient amount of work for
them. Whole works have consequently been closed down,
and the machinery has been sold abroad. There are many
obstacles to any increase in tlie plants of the various industries,
and Herr Becker considers that it is erroneous to think that

Vol. 87. No. 2,236, octobbr 1, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

488

the holding back on the part of purchasers is due to a kind
of " buyers' strike." The truth is iiiuoh more likely to be
that many are not in a position to make outlays even iifv
urgent recjuirements.

In conclusion, iierr Becker said that the German engineer-
ing industry nuist endeavour to avoid the great waste of
labour involved in the extraordinary variety of working
schedules in most works and in the diversity of types manu-
factured. To this end greater co-operation within the in-
du.stry will be needed, leading in some cases to amalgamation
of interests. It will also be necessary to standardise parts of
which great numbeis are required. This has been done suc-
cessfully by the machine tool section, and it is hoped that the
example will be followed by other branches of the engineering
industry. — Renter's Trade Service (Berlin).

Noiwegian Association of Supply Woiks. — The annual

conference of the Association of Norwegian Electricity Works
has just been held at Cliristiania, 75 representatives being
present. It was decided to appoint a committee to examine
the question of establishing a buying otBce for the require-
ments of the associated works and submit a scheme for this
purpose. Approval was also given to a standard form of
contract for the supply of machinery, which is said to have
also been accepted by the Association of Manufacturers. Herr
Lichtenstein, of the Siemens-Schuckert Works, Berlin, pre-
sented a paper on high-tension cables.

Engineering Wages in Australia.— The Australian sec-
tion of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers has submitted
a claim to employers for considerable increases in wages and
a 40-hour working week. The principal claims include : Black-
smiths, £1 13s. a week; angle iron smith, £7 19s.;
brass polisher, £7 10s. ; coppersmith, £7 16s. ; driller or
screwer, £6 18s.; draughtsman, £8 14s.; electrical welder, £9;
furnaceman, iron or brass, £7 10s.; furnaceman, electrical,
i69; furnacemen's assistant. i£6 16s. 6d. ; forgers and/or fag-
goters, £S 148. ; fitters, £7 10s. ; general labourers, £6 Gs. ;
ironworker, £7 10s.; motor mechanic, £7 10s.; motor atten-
dant, £7 4s.; plumber, £7 10s.; pipe fitter, £7 10s.; switch-
board attendant, .£7 4s. ; patternmaker, £7 19s. ; shift engineer
or shift electrician, £8 14s.; tinsmith, £7 10s.; turner, roll,
£9 6s.; tradesmen's helpers, £6 13s. 6d. Leading hands are
asking for 1.5s. a week extra; when in charge of 12 or more
employes, '24s. extra. Casual employes not employed for more
than one week demand to be paid 33i per cent, over minimum
rates; if not emjiloyed more than two weeks, 20 per cent.
extra; and if not employed more than three weeks, 15 per
cent, extra. Special extra rates are claimed for outside districts
in New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia,
and Western Australia. One apprentice to every four fully-
paid journeymen is proposed. Employers are asked to provide
for apprentices attending technical schools for eight hours
a week (to be paid for at current rates). — Commonwealth En-
gineer.

The Dutch East ladies, — The SweJish commercial
attached at Batavia, reporting on the trade situation in the
Dutch East Indies in the .second quarter of 1920, states that
great development is taking place in the use of electricity,
which it is suggested should be followed by Swedish electrical
firms.

Nenfaausen Aluminium. — A Zurich repoit states that the
Aluminium Industry Co.. of Nenhausen. is in negotiation with
a financial group for the sale of the company's works at
Chippis, in the Valais canton.

Credit and PriceSi — We reproduce the following interest-
ing comment on this important subject from the City Editor's
notes in the Times : " The cut in prices announced by two
motor-car companies gives a further indication, if any were
needed, that the existing volume of buying power is unable
to support the present level of prices. Mr. Edward Berkeley,
a member of the Council of the National Union of Manu-
facturers, writes to inquire how restrictions of credit or buying
power are going to reduce prices. The answer is partly by
compelling the liquidation of unsold goods, since, if a holder
of commodities is unable to obtain fresh credit, he must pro-
vide himself with working capital by converting stocks into
cash. A year ago 36 fr. 62i cents of French currency would
buy £1 of goods; now it would require 51 fr. 82J cents to
buy the same quantity of goods, if the sterling price of the
goods had remained the same, which it has not. Similarly,
other Continental currencies have lost a great part of their
former purchasing power. The buying power of Italian cur-
rency, in exchange alone, is only one-half what it was a year
ago, and that of German le.ss than one-half. It is true that
additional francs, lire, and marks have meanwhile been put
into circulation, but not to an extent to offset this decrease
in exchange vahie. This heavy decrease in buying power is
not confined to the Continent; it extends to other markets
in the East and elsewhere. How, in face of it, can prices do
anything but fall, if demand is to revive? High costs of
production will tend to prevent prices from falling rapidly,
but they will not stop them falling. If costs of production
are not reduced, then the pressure on prices will come via
unemployment. It is obvious that, apart from monetary
deflation, an increasing production of commodities must be

reflected in an altered relation between aupply and demand.
T'he price of an article is determined ultimately by what a
buyer is prepared to give for it; other factors, such as costs
of production, must adjust themselves to that price. Ap-
parently Mr. Berkeley thinks that, if the coming winter should
bring about extensive unemployment, a fresh dose of mfla-
tion should be administered to the economic patient; but he
wisely refrains from explaining how a deliberate aggravation
of a disease is going to remedy it."

The Siamese Marlcet. — Mr. W. L. Grut, Swedish General-
Consul in Siam, is reported to have been able to secure the
introduction of certain Swedish industrial manufactures in
that country, in his private industrial capacity as managing
director of the Bangkok municipal electricity works and tram-
ways, head of a motor-boat shipyard, chairman of the du'ec-
tors of a cement factory, &c. Among the manufactures are
mentioned turbines, electrical products of different kinds,
pumps, Drott engines, ball-bearings, &c.

LIGHTING AND POWER N0TE5.

Argentina. — Electric Lightins Scheme. — The Depart-
ment of Overseas Trade states that a notice in the Boletin Ojiciul
promulgates a Decree approving: the scheme formulated by the
National Sanitation Works Board, which includes the provision of
electric lighting in the city of La Banda (Santiago del Estero).

Ayrshire.— Hakbour Plant.— The Ayrshire Dockyard
Co. is to erect an electric power station at Irvine Harbour. The
buildinfr will contain converters, dynamos, and air-compressing
plant for operatinpr pneumatic machinery in connection with ship
repairinpr, &o. The estimated cost is £1,200.

Barnes, — E.xtensions Sanctioned. — The Council has

received sanction to install a 1,500-KW. turbo-alternator and
necessary accessories. The amounts sanctioned for the carrying:
out of the work are £7,451 for buildings and £45,621 for plant and
foundations.

Bingley. — Arbitration on Failures. — The Urban

District Council has decided to give the Keighley Corporation
notice of its decision to refer the question of the repeated failures
of the supply of electricity from Keighley to arbitration, and that
Mr. Thomas Roles, the Bradford city electrical engineer, be suggested
as the arbitrator to be appointed under the particular clause in
the agreement.

Birmingham,— Restrictions.— The Electricity Supply

Department announces that owing to difficulty experienced in
maintaining full supplies, some measure of restriction on use will
be necessary until the winter months, with their heavy demands on
the department's machinery, are over. In several directions
supplies have already been curtailed, and to avoid the possibility
of serious breakdown, further measures may have to be taken from
time to time. It is apparent that the new generating station at
Nechells, which would now have been in operation but for unavoid-
able delays in the erection of the structure and in its equipment,
will not be ready for use for a considerable time. Apart, however,
from this delay, it is reported that portions of the existing plant
have failed owing to excessive loads.

Bo'ness, — Bulk Supply. — The Town Council is to ask

the lessees of the electricity works (the National Electric Con-
struction Co., London), to obtain from the Scottish Central Power
Co. a contract for a supply of electricity in bulk, to be approved of
by the Council. The burgh has spent £49,0<i0 on the works since
they were erected 20 years sgo. and rather than find capital to the
extent of £40,CO0 for new plant to meet the increased demand,
it has decided upon a bulk supply, involving the erection of a
high- pressure supply line, probably overhead, from the power com-
pany's existing nearest point of supply to the Bo'ness power
station. The alterations at the Bo'ness station will involve an
expenditure of £12,iW0.

Bradford, — Incorporation Scheme. — In connection

with the incorporation scheire of the Corporation, a meeting was
held of the Guiseley Dittrict Council (one of the towns involved),
and a deputation from the Bradford City Council promised that, at
an early date, should the ratepayers of the town consent to inclu-
sion, an electric supply would be granted by the Corporation.

Bedford. — Water-Power Plant. — Sir John Anderson
has harnessed the waters of the Ouse for the purpose of supplying
electricity to his estate, about 10 miles from Bedford. The plant
consists of a 56-b.h.p. vertical turbine coupled to two 19-KW.
generators.

Bristol,- Year's Working. — The report on the working
of the electricity department for the year ended March IMst last
shows that the total income from all sources amounted to £229,526,
as against £16il,313 for 1918-19. The working expenses totalled
£166,590, compared with £122,227, leaving a gross profit of £62,935,
aerainat £4 7,086. Capital charges reduced this surplus to a net
profit of £10,875. Last year's result was a net deficit of £3,417
The total units sold increased from 26,269,745 to 29,039,680.

434

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,236, octobbb i, 1920.

Bury. — Ybab's Working.— The total rpvenue for the
year ended March 3Ut last was *77,4.30 and working expenses
^58,364, leaving a gross profit of £19,066. The net result, after
payment of all capital charges, was a surplus of £2,377, comparing
favourably with the previous year's deficit of £1,983. The number
of units generated rose from 13,388,381 to 15,367, 88.S and the
average price obtained per unit from '95d. to ri9d.

Additional Loan. — The contracts for the extensions at the
electricity works having exceeded by £8,929 the amount previou3ly
sanctioned, it has been decided to apply to the Electricity Com-
missioners for permission to borrow this extra sum.

Continental, — France. — The Conseil Municipal of
Paris has voted a credit of 77,500,000 fr. to the Compagnie
Parisienne de Distribution d'Electricite to carry out its programme
of complementary installations equal to 60,000 Kw. ; and a credit of
20,000,000 fr. to the MOtropolitain railway for the proposed new
lines : Place Gambetta to the Porte Saint Gervaia, the Trocad^ro to
the Rue de Varize, and Les Invalides to the Rue du Four.

Italy.— The plans for the hydro-electric development of the
Upper Adige contemplate the erection of three large generating
stations. The first will be situated between Glurns and Ghladerns,
and will yield 50,000 H.r. ; the second will be situated at
Castelbello, and will provide 60,000 h.p. ; and the third, which will
be the largest, will furnish 100,000 h.p., making a total of
210,000 H.P. derived from the upper course of the Adige. Pro-
posals to convert three lakes in the neighbourhood into impounding
reservoirs have been given up, as .likely to prove disastrous to
three rural communes.

Spain. — A large electric undertaking in connection with the
utilisation of the River Duero Falls appears at last to be taking
definite form. A few years ago the Bank of Bilbao, with a group
of capitalists, undertook to exploit these Falls, which are capable of
supplying up to 1,COO,000 H.P. The first plan provided for the
utilisation of 300,00o h.p., which would enable the concern to
supply an extensive region with light and power and possibly
to electrify various railway lines over a distance of several hundred
kilometres. Many serious difficulties, however, intervened to
delay the realisation of the project. These have now apparently
all been overcome, and it is hoped that before long the Bank of
Bilbao and its associates will be in a position to commence the
equipment of the Falls, The initial capital required for the under-
taking is 150 million pesetas, and it is understood that this amount
is already in view. — Renter' x Trade Service (Madrid)

Darlington. — Extensions. — The Electricity Committee
has accepted a tender for the new plant to be installed at the elec-
tricity works. Authority has been received for a loan for the
extension of the works as well as for the purchase of the plant.

Dover. — Year's Working. — The accounts for the year
ended March 31st last, record a total revenue of £30,892. Against
this, working expenses amounted to £23,072, leaving a gross surplus
of £7,820. Capitil charges amounted to £15,067, making the net
result a deficit of £6,247, which, with the debtor balance from last
account, makes a total of £13.371.

Electricity Districts. — The Electricity Commissioners
give notice that the undermentioned areas have been provisionally
determined to constitute separate electricity districts for the
purposes of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919 : —

North-Eait Midlandx. — So much of the County of Derby as is
included in the Municipal Boroughs of Buxton and Chesterfield ;
the Urban Districts of Bakewell, Baslow and Bubnell, Bolsover,
Bonsall, Brampton and Walton, Clay Cross, Dronfield, Matlock,
Matlock Bath and Scarthin Nick, North Darley, South Darley, and
Whittington and Newbold ; the Rural Districts of Bakewell,
Blaokwell, Chapel-en-le- Frith, Chesterfield, Clown and Norton.

So much of the County of Lincoln (Lindsey) as is included in
the Urban Districts of Barton-upon-Humber. Brigg, Broughton,
Crowle, Gainsborough, Roxby-cum-Risby, Scunthorpe and Froding-
ham, and Winterton ; the Rural Districts of Gainsborough and
Isle of Axholme, and the Parishes of Appleby, Aulkborough,Bonby,
Bottesford, Brumby Rural, Burringham, Burton-uponStather,
Cadney-cum-Housan, Cleatham, Elsham, East Butterwick, Flix-
borough, Gunhouse, Hibaldston, Holm, Horkstow, Kirton-in-
Lindsey, Manton, Mesaingham, Newstead, Raventhorpe. Redbourne,
Saxby, Scawby-with-Sturton, South Ferraby, Twigmore, West
Halton, Whitton, Winteringham. Worlaby and Wrawby, in the
Rural District of Glanford Brigg.

So much of the County of Nottingham as is included in the
Municipal Borough of East Retford ; the Urban District of
Worksop : the Rural Districts of Blyth and Cuckney, East Retford
and Misterton.

So much of the West Riding of the County of York as is included
in the City and County Borough of Sheffield ; the County Borough
of Rotherham ; the Munioipil Borough of Doncaster ; the Urban
Districts of Adwick-le-Street, Bentley-with-Arksey, Bolton-upon-
Dearne, Greasborough, Handsworth, Hoyland Nether. Mexborough,
Rawmarsh, Stocksbridge, Swinton, Thurnscoe, Tickhill and Wath-
upon-Dearne ; the Rural Districts of Djncaster, Kiveton Park,
Thorne, Rotherham and Wortley.

S()uth-]yext Jfidlandx.—So much of the County of Salop as is
included in the Municipal Baroughs of Bishop'sCastle and Ludlow ;
the Rural Districts of Burford, Cleobury Mortimer, Ludlow and
Teme, and the Parishes of Bishop's Castle (Rural), Clun, Clunbury,
Clungunford, Edgton, Hopesay, Ilopton Caatle, Lydbury North,
and Mainatone in the Rural District of Clun.

So much of the County of Stafford as is included in the County
Borough of Smethwick ; the Urban District of Rowley Regis.

f?o much of the County of Warwick as is Included in the City
and County Borough of Birmingham ; the Municipal Borough of
Sutton Coldfield ; the Rural Districts of Atheretono, Meriden,
Solihull and Tamworth.

So much of the County of Worcester as is included in the City
and County Borough of Worcester ; the County Borough of
Dudley ; the Municipal Boroughs of Bewdley, Droitwich, Evesham.
Kidderminster and Stourbridge ; the Urban Districts of Broais-
grove, Lyle and Wolescote, Malvern, North Bromsgrove, Oldbnry.
Redditch and Stourport ; the Rural Diatricts of Bromegrove,
Droitwich, Evesham, Feckenham, Halesowen, Kidderminster.
Martley, Pershore, Rock, and Tenbury, and the Parishes of Berrow,
Birtamorton, Bushley, Castlemorton, Croome D'Abitot, EarU
Croome, Guarlford, Hanley Castle, Hill Croome, Holdfast, Kempsey.
Little Malvern, Longdon, Madresfield, Newland. Powick, Queenhill,
Ripple, Severn Stoke, Upton-upon-Sevem, and Welland in the
Rural District of Upton-upon-Severn.

Notice is further given that the Commissioners intend to hold
local inquiries into the existing organisations for the supoly of
electricity in the above districts. Notice of the dates on which
the proposed inquiries are to be held will be issued at a later date.
Objections or representations may be made not later than
January 31st, 1921.

Time Extensions.— The date for the receipt of objectionp, &c.,
regarding the Commissioners' definition of the London and Home
Counties and the South-East Lancashire electricity districts has
been put forward to March 31st, 1921.

Eston. — Electric Lighting Order. — The Electricity
Commissioners announce that the Urban District Council has
applied for a special order authorising it to provide and distribute
electrical energy within its district. Any objections respecting the
applications must reach the Commissioners on or before October
2 Jrd next.

Exeter. — E.xtensions Approved. — Approval has been
given by the Electricity Commissioners to the extension of elec-
trical plant at Exeter, and steps have been taken to obtain tenders
for a steam turbo-alternator and condenser. The tender of Messrp.
Metropolitan-Vickers, Ltd., has been accepted for a 1,5(jO-kw.
plant at £18,750, subject to the receipt of sanction to borrow
the money.

Falkirk. — Supply Scheme. — The creation of a central
source of electricity supply to meet the requirements of Falkirk,
Stirling, Grangemouth, Bo'ness, Denny, Alloa, Bathgate, and
Linlithgow, was discussed at a conference on Thursday last week.
The representatives aie to report to their respective Councils,
and another meeting will be held.

E.XTENSIONS. — The Electricity Commissioners have consented to
the extension by the Corporation of the existing generating station
by the installation of one l,50ri-KW. turbo-alternator and accessory
plant.

Gellygaer. — Loan. — The Urban District Council has
applied for a loan of £2,CO0 to form a working balance for the
electric light undertaking.

Inverness. — Electricity Survey. — With a view to

ascertaining the suitability or otherwise of Inverness as an area for
electricity supply for a district extending to Invergordon and Tain
in the north, and to Nairn and Elgin in the east, the Town Council has
instructed Mr. Hogarth, electrical engineer, Edinburgh, to make a
preliminary survey of the area between Tain and Elgin, and to
report upon the possibility of water power from KUmorack and
adjacent lochs.

London. — Hammersmith. — The Borough Council has
received the sanction of the Electricity Commissioners to the exten-
sion of the electricity generating plant by the purchase of a
2,000-KW. turbo-alternator from the Liverpool Corporation.

Morley. — Bulk Supply. — The Council has arranged for
a bulk supply from Leeds Corporation ; 150 K\v. is to be available,
and a minimum charge of £500 per annum has been fixed.

New Zealand. — Hydro-Electric Power. — At a con-
ference of hydro-electric power boards, held a short time ago, the
Hon. J, G. Coates (Minister for Public Works), said that electric
power boards would constitute a most important link in the bydro-
c'eotric development of the Dominion. The financial importance
of hydro-electric developments might be judged from the estimate
given in Mr. Parry's report of £7,0ii0,000 for the North Island
system, which at present prices would run to over £10,000,000,
The South Island schemes would cost as much again, so that
developments immediately in view would place the outlay on hydro-
electric power on a footing with that of the railways and telegraph
systems of the Dominion. An expenditure approximately equal in
amount was required to distribute the power to various consumers
throughout the country. That work would be the function of the
electric power boards. The country distribution was essentially
the function of a local authority especially elected for the purpose,
and having jurisdiction over a large area, and it was with that
object that electric power boards had been set up. Already that
legislation had fully justified itself. Nine districts had been
gazetted under the Act. Half the present coal consumption in
New Zealand would be directly replaceable by electric power. At
least one-half the kerosene and benzine now imported would also
be replaced by a fairly complete supply of hydro-electric power,
and there would also be a saving of firewood. It was estimated
that the annual saving available upon the present fuel consumption
would be as follows :— Coal, £3,000,000; firewood, £250,0 J .

roi. 87. BTo. 3,236, ooTOBEB 1, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

435

mineral oils, «66,000 ; total, £3,810,000. With a normal exten-
sion of industries durinp the next five years there was a large
number of uses to which electric power would be put, resulting
in a gross saving to the public of double that a,monnt,— Auckland
Weekly News.

Pontefract, — Overhead Mains. — The Rural District
Council has consented to the Yorkshire Power Co. uaing overhead
lines for the supply of electricity to Glass Houghton and Ferry-
bridge, and has asked the company if it, can arrange the lines so
as to supply the houses to be erected at Airedale.

Rochdale. — Cost of Maixs. — The Ministry of Health

having declined to allow any part of the cost of laying electricity
mains for the new Spotland houses to be charged to the housing
scheme, the Housing Committee has decided to ask the Association
of Municipal Corporations to take up the matter liy bringing
pressure to bear upon the Ministry to allow some portion of the
expense to be charged to the scheme. In the Committee's opinion,
£1,000 ought to be contributed towards the cost of laying the
electricity mains.

Sonth Africa. — Cape Town. — The Town Council proposes
to invite tenders for a reinforced concrete jetty and pump house in
connection with the provision of circulating water equipment for
the Dock Road power station. The estimated cost of the scheme,
together with the pipes, pumps and machinery, is £30,000.

Wellingborongb. — Inefficient SappLY. — The North-
amptonshire Chamber of Commerce, at the instance of local
manufacturers, has made representations to the Northampton
Electric Supply Co. regarding frequent interruptions of supply
alleged by consumers.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY N0TE5,

Contioental. — Germany. — Work has been recommenced
on Berlin's new underground railway, the North-South line. The
construction of the railway was begun before the war, but was
suspended, and for the last six years portions of the Friedrichstrasae
have been partially blocked by wooden fencing marking the scene
of the excavations. The cost was estimated before the war at
82 million marks, but the figure now given is 400 million marks.
The North-South will be Berlin s first completely underground
line, as the present '' Underground " is for a consideraljle distance
an open-air overhead railway. It is not expected that the line will
be completed before 1923. — Mornimj PoM.

The town of Rii iesheim, on the Rhine, has acquired for
2.'l0,000 marks the Niederwald Railway, which has been closed for
33 years, and intends to electrify it. At the end of 1919 the value
of the railway was booked at 1,.').S8,371 marks. The company had
a capital of 1,200,000 marks. — Ecmiomic Ilerieir.

Fbance. — Begun in 1911, to tap the anthracite field of La Mure,
the narrow-gauge electric railway from Grenoble to Gap was
stopped by the war. Parliament having voted 6,000,000 fr. this
year for the continuance of the work, the construction and
equipment are being continued, but will need two years for full
completion. The plans comprise the harnessing of the fall? of the
Port-du-Loup, on the Upper Drac River, and the building of eight
electric automotors, one of which was supplied before the war, as a
specimen, by the Thomson-Houston Co. Meanwhile a goods
service is to be worked by steam on a section of the line.

Sweden. — The Stockholm Tramway Co. has decided to order
about 50 new cars of considerable size, capable of carrying (iO to
70 passengers. — Reuters Trade Serrire (Stockholm).

Glasgow. — Increased Charres. — The Corporation has
increaeei the charges payable by engineering and shipbuilding
firms in respect of material conveyed on the Corporation tramways
from Govan station to their respective works.

Halifax. — Track Renewal. — The Tramways Com-
mittee has decided that as soon as possible the tramway track to
Stainland shall be relaid. Difficulty bas been experienced in getting
rails, and the shortage of cement has also been a contributory
factor in the delay.

Highland Railway. — Pro.iected Electrification. —

The announcement is made of the intention to electrify the High-
land railway. The transition from steam to electricity as the
motive power, it is stated, can easily be made. The standard gauge
will be used, and the rolling stock can readily be adapted for elec-
trical haulage.

Lancaster. — Accident. — A serious tramway accident

occurred on September 27th to a workmen's car from Bowerham,
on the Park route, which has, near the Park Hotel, a gradient of
1 in 10. The car stopped at the Board of Trade danger signal, fixed
after a fatality in 1914, lut on restarting the driver lost control.
Gaining impetus, the doub'e-decked car dashed forward to the
junction with the Scotfcrth route, and there jumped the rails.
A man on the footway did not heed an alarm, and was caught by
the car and had both legs severed. The heavy vehicle crashed into
the palisading in front of Springfield School, where the motor was
knocked off and the forepart of the car wrecked. Several passengers
were injured, and the driver had to be taken home in an
ambu '.QCe. Eye-witnesses said he made frantic efforts to stop the
runaway car, but his magnetic brake failed to act. This is the
third accident on this route under similar circumstances.

London. — Reduced Services. — Seventeen brains in each
direction will be cancelled on the electrified portion of the North
London Railway between Broad Street and Richmond on Sundays,
beginning on October inth. — The 'Times.

Hammersmith. — The Borough Council is urging the following
proposals upon the Minister of Transport : — -That, in view of the
fact that many travellers waiting in queues for workmen's tickets
prior to 7.30 a.m. are often unable to reach the ticket-office before
that hour, and consequently have to pay ordinary rates, extra
facilities should be provided for the issue of workmen's tickets,
either by increasing the booking staff, issuing workmen's ticket-i
overnight, or issuing weekly books of workmen's tickets; that
facilities should be afforded for through workmen's tickets to be
issued from Stamford Brook to stations on the Piccadilly Railway ;
that ordinary return tickets should be available on the Piccadilly
Railway, as it is felt that such a course would tend to lessen the
congestion at the booking offices during the morning rush hours ;
and that tK,""'gh tickets should be issued for continued uie on the
tramway U'idertakings of the Combine and the Underground
Railways.

Newcastle. — Strike Settled. — In order to force
inspectors and time-keepers to join the Vehicle Workers' Union, the
Corporation tramway employes ceased work on September 21st,
but after three days' stoppage, agreed to refer the matter to the
executive committees of their Union and the Managers' and Fore-
mens' Association, returning to work on September 23rd.

Rawmarsh. — Increased Fares. — With respect to the
Mexborough and Swinton Tramways Committee's application to
the Ministry of Transport for increased fares, which was opposed
by the Rawmarsh, Swinton and Mexborough Councils, and after-
wards withdrawn on the understanding that the Committee would
make certain concessions, it has been decided to introduce two
overlapping stages in the Rawmarsh district, and that the work-
men's ticket system, previously in operation, should be re-intro-
duced. These alterations will come into force when the present
fares are increased.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Barbadoes. — Cable Controversy.— Of!i;ials of tlie

Western Union Cable Co. declare that the cable from Barbadoes
has been completed to within three miles and a half of the shore.
It is stated that the cable can be connected with offices on shore,
which are already prepared, within 24 hours after permission has
been given by the State Department at Washington.

On September 23rd, repiesentatives of the Cable Co. again urged
Mr. Colby, the Secretary of State, to authorise the landing of the
cable, but it is understood that the decision will be delaved until
after the meeting of the International Communications Conference
in October. — //enter.

Canada. — Congress Resolutions. — .\t the Consrea*?

of Chambers of Commerce, at Toronto, a series of resolutions wa.s
adopted urging the development of telegraphic communication
within the Empire, including the following : —

" Whereas the importance of direct cable communication
between the United Kingdom and his Majesty's D.iminions beyond
the seas is an unquestioned and acknowledged fact ; and whereas
the passing of British telegrams through foreign, and possibly
enemy, territory is a source of national danger be it resolved that
this Chamber reiterates its opinion as to the urgent necessity of
establishing without further delay cable communication between
these Colonies and Great Btitain, passing solely through British
territory, and recommends that a sufficient subsidy be provided by
the participating Colonies. " — From the Trinidad Chamber of
Commerce.

" Whereas the efforts being made further to develop trade
between Canada and the British West Indies, and British Guiana
are seriously interfered with by the unsatisfactory cable service,
under which messages are unduly delayed, mutilated, and lost ; and
whereas the Imperial Government, together with the Government
of Canada and tlie West Indian Colonies, contributes a substantial
subsidy to the West Indies and Panama Telegraph Co., and the
contract with that company extends until 1921 ; therefore resolved
that, with a view ti facilitating the development of trade between
Canada, the British West Indies, and British (Juiiina, the Canadian
Government is hereby urged to confer with the Imperial Govern-
ment and the Governments of the West Indian Colonies regarding (a)
the procuringof immediate improvementinthecable service between
Canada, the British West Indies, and British <;uiana, and (/i) the
provision of a commercial wireless system between those
countries." — From the Montreal Board of Trade. — Reuters Trade
Service.

Cleckheaton. — Cuapel Telephones. — A local Con-
gregational chapel has a pulpit-topew telephone system installed
for the benefit of the worshippers who have deficient hearing. The
transmitter is fixed on the reading desk of the pulpit, and the
receivers are placed in about a dozen pews in the parts of the
chapel usually occupied by these people. When out of use the
receivers are packed in neat wooden boxes in the pews. The system
works very satisfactorily.

Cuba. — New Cables. — The All America Cables, Inc.,
announced on August 23rd, that four permits had been received
from the Government of Cuba to land cables on the Cuban coast,

436

THE ELECTFJCAL REVIEW. LVoi. 87. No. 2,236, ootobm 1, 1920.

which will result in srreatly improved service between that country
and the United States, as well as between the United States and
tJentral and South American points. One of the cables is to be
landed at Havana, the other terminal to be New York or some other
American city. Another will land also at Havana, with the other
terminal in Mexico or Central America ; a third will be laid from
Havana along the north coast of Cuba to the Bay of Guantanamo,
and the fourth is to be from the Bay of Guantanamo to Santiago. —
r. and T. Age.

France. — Wireless Storm AVarninos An Admiralty

Notice to Mariners, No. 1,236, of 1920, states that a system of wire-
less telegraphic storm signals for the coasts of France has been
established by the French Government.

Honduras. — New Wireless Station The Ministry of

Promotion has, according to the T. nml T. Aije, authorised Samuel
Zemnrray to erect a wireless telegraph station at Puerto Cortes.

Rumania. — New Wireless Station. — A wireless tele-
graphic station, erected by the Italian Marine, has been inaugurated
at Bucharest ; a smaller French station was erected there a short
time ago. The new station can communicate with all stations in
Europe.

Sweden. — America.\ Telephone Cahle. — The Swedish
Government has ordered from the International Western Electric
Co. a long-distance telephone cable to be placed between Stockholm
and Goteborg, a distance of more than 10 miles. The cable is the
latest type used by the American company, and employs relatively
small gauge wire, but provides first-claas service, due to its equip-
ment with Pupin loading coils and telephone repeaters.. By this
means a great number of circuits is provided in a relatively small
cable at a cost considerably less than an equivalent number of open-
wire circuits. This cable is the first of a large network contem-
plated by the Swedish Government. — T. and T. Age.

The Department of Telegraphs proposes to raise considerably the
telegraph and telephone rates. According to the new rates sug-
gested, an inland telegram of 10 words would cost 1 krona, and
each succeeding word 10 ores, instead of 5 ores, as previously. —
Meuter'.i Trade Service.

Wireless Telegraphy Watchers. — Under the Merchant

Shipping (Wirelefs Telegraphy) Rules, 1920, ships of Class II {i.e.,
ships not engaged in the coasting trade carrying 50, but less than
2(1(1 persons, and ships engaged in the coasting tra(le carrying 50
persons or more) are required to carry, in addition to a certificated
operator, one watcher if the voyage exceeds 8 hours, but does not
exceed 48 hours from port to port, and two watchers if the voyage
exceeds 48 hours from port to port. The Post master- (ieneral has
made arrangements for examining watchers at Glasgow, Newcastle,
Liverpool, Cardiff and London. Applicants should address their
communications to the Wireless Telegraphy Inspector at the Post
Office, Glasgow ; Post Office. South Shields; Room 10, Pru(?ential
Buddings, 36, Dale Street. Liverpool : Port Office, Bute Docks,
Cardiff ; Wireless Section, Secretary's Office, General Post Office,
London. Forms of application may be obtained at any of the above
addresses, and the examination fee (2s. (jd.) should be paid by means
of postage stamps affixed thereto. The candidate will be required
to show that he is capable of receiving and understanding the
wireless telegraph distress signal and the safety signal, and that he
has sufficient knowledge of the apparatus to know that it is in
proper condition to receive signals. If the candidate satisfactorily
passes the examination he will be granted a certificate of proficiency
as a watcher. Applications for instruction should be made to one
of the wireless schools. — Board of Trade Journal.

Wireless Telephony. — When near Auckland, N.Z., a
ship's wireless operator is reported to have heard quite distinctly
voices transmitted on a wave-length of 450 miles from Avelon,
near San Francisco. The distance between the two points indicated
is, roughly, 5,000 mUes.

New Zealand. — Increased Charges.— A new scale of

telephone charges has been announced by the Postmaster-General.
Subscribers who are situated some distance from an exchange have
had their payments increased to a considerable extent. There is
an additional flit charge of £1 a year for each connection. Under
the regulations just superseded a business telephone more than
half-a-mile, or a private connection more than a mile from an
exchange is loaded with a further 10a. a year for every quarter of
a mile, or fraction thereof, that it lies beyond that maximum up to
three miles. Beyond three miles this charge rises to 15s. a year in
each quarter of a mile. Under the new scale of .charges theee
quarter mile increases are raised by Es. each, so that, for a distance
telephone, the subscriber will have to pay 15s. a year for each
quarter-mile for the distance by which the maximum is exceeded
up to three miles, and £1 for each quarter of a mile beyond three
miles. The present charge for business connections up to half-a-
mile froin an exchange is £7 a year, while that for residence con-
nections is £5 a year up to one mile from the exchange, with the
extra charges for greater distances, as already mentioned. The
charges for toll communications have also been increased for all
distances above 20 miles — Aiicl;ltttui W'eehlg \eivs.

Wireless Institute.— With the idea of encouraging work in
wireless telegraphy in the Dominion, it is understood that legisla-
tion will be passed this session to permit the formation of a New
Zealand Wireless Institute. This body will have branches in
various centres, and it is desired that a licence shall be granted to
each local branch to install wireless apparatus and train persons
interested in its use. — Auckland Weekly .\eu'i/.

Italy. — Since December, 19111, the greatest use possible
of existing wireless stations to further communication with foreign
countries and with the Italian colonies has been made. The
following countries are in wireless connection, some limited to
State messages, others open to private users and the Press. The
S. Paolo station at Rome is in communication with England,
France, the United States, Turkey (Constantinople), Georgia (Tiflis
and ports of the Black Sea only), Germany, Anatolia (Adalia and
Scalo Nuova), Russia (Moscow;. The Centocelle station at Rome,
with Dalmatia (Radio-Zara and Radio- Sebenico routes). The
Coltano station, with Spain. The Pola station, with Bulgaria
(Sofia), Roumania (Bucharest), Hungary (Budapcsth), Austria
(Vienna), Bohemia (Prague), Poland (Warsaw). The Taranto
station, with Libya (Bengasi) and Salonica. The Brindisi station,
with Albania. Near the Coltano station another station is in
course of building, intended principally for Italian-American
correspondence. The new station will have antennae sf a height of
250 metres, and will give forth continuous waves of a length of
16,000 metres, using 200 KW. The messages will be transmitted
in duplicate. A scheme is afoot to build a powerful station on the
continuous- wave system In Southern Italy for correspondence with
the Balkan States and Eastern Europe. The building and working
of this station may be made the subject of a concession to a private
individual or firm.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(Ths date given in parenthesis at the end of the paragraph indicate/
the issue of the ELECTRICAL REVIEW, in which the " Official
Notice " appeared.")

OPEN.

Australia. — Commonwealth Government. November
24th. Protected cable terminals and cable distribution boxes.

Queensland. — November 24th. P.M.G.'s Department. Iron
poles (schedule 506), protected cable terminals, cable distributing
boxes (schedule 507).

November 30th. P.M.G.'s Department. Protectors (schedule
505). (September 24th)

October 6th. P.M.G.'s Department. Inatruments and parts
(schedule 499). (September 10th.)

Bbisbane. — December 9th. Department of Public Works.
Seventy three-phase oil-cooled core type static transformers.

January 20th, and February 2.")th, 1021. The City Electric
Light Co. 10,000-KW. turbo-a'ternator set ; transformers and
switchgear.

Melbourne — February 24th, 1921. The Victorian Electricity
Commissioners. Turbo-alternators of 25,000, 12,5''0 and 600 KW.,
and other plant connection with the Morwell power scheme.

New South Wales.— November 25th. P.M.G.'s Department.
Telegraph and telephone instrument and switchboard parts
(schedule 753).

South Austbalia. — October 20th. P.M.G.'s Department.
Telegraph instruments (schedule 546), and telephone instruments
(schedule 549). (September KUh.)

November 3rd. P.M.G.'s Department. Telephone instruments
(schedule 548). (September Kith.)

November lltb. P.M.G.'s Department. Telephone instruments
(schedule 54''). (September 24th,)

Birkenhead. — October sch. Mersey Railway Company.
Stores, including electrical sundries, collector shoes and brackets,
metallic and carbon filament lamps and fittings. Mr. J. Shaw.
General Manager and Secretary. Central Station. Birkenhead.

Birmingham. — October 11th. Salvage Department,
Four electric vehicles for the removal of house refuse. (See this
issue.)

Bradford. — October 28th. Electricity Department,
Two natural -draught chimney-type coolirg towers, pipework
troughing. valves, &c. (Contract R 160). (September 24th.)

Dewsbary, — October 4tb. Electric Wiring of Marl-
borough House (Kindergarten School), at Wheelwright Grammar
School for Girls. Mr. G. E. Featherston. Secretary to the
Governors, Technical School.

France. — Paris. — October l.')th. Multiple commutator
switchboards for the central telephonic offices at Portiers and St.
Etieune. Particulars. Direction de I'Exploitation t^lephoniqne.
4' Bureau. 103, Rue de Grenelle. Paris.

Indo-China. — January 8rd, 11)21. Construction of a
generating station at Gia-Lam : construction of a pumping station
at Dong-Du on the Red River ; construction of an electric line
between above stations ; the working of the generating station and
the pumping station. Particulars, Agenc« Goaorale des Colonies,
Pieca 21. £■ etage, 2 7, Rue Oudinot, Paris.

India. — Agra. — October 22nd. Municipal Board.
Complete generating plant, comprising : four Diesel engines and
h.t. alternators ; H.T. and L.T. switchgear. transformers and sub-
station equipment ; In miles underground H.T. cables, 28 miles
overhead L.T. three-phase mains and street lighting equipment,
complete with all accessories. (August 20th.)

Lincoln. — October 8th. Electricity Department.
Spray cooling plant, .'idO.dOO gallons per hour, with pipe and
pipework. (September lUth.)

Toi. 87. No. 2,336, octobeb 1, 1930.] THE ELECTBICAL REYIEWo

437

London. — London County Council. — October 2,jth.

125 tramcar bodies, 12.'i complete sets of maximum traction bogie
trucks, and 125 electrical equipments, together with the assembling
of same. (See this issue.)

Manchester. — October 20th. Electricity Committee.
Specification No. B.'.i. Five 8,501) k.v.a. H phase transformers and
fans, &c. ; and three (j,00u k.v.a. 3 phase transformers and fans, &c.
Mr. F. E. Hughes, Secretary, Electricity Department, Town Hall.

October 27th. Electricity Committee. Complete heating installa-
tion for the workshop and stores at the Barton power station.
Mr. S. L. Pearce, Chief Engineer and Manager, Dickinson Street.

October 27th. Electricity Committee. Three mechanical water
screens, and three grid screens. (Specification B. 10.) (See this
issue.)

Rochdale. — Board of Guardians. Installation of new
telephones at the Institution and Hospital, Birch Hill. (Sept. 24th).

Sheffield. — October 12th. Electric Supply Department.
Two 10,000-KW, steam turbines, condensing plants, pipework, &c.,
alternators and exciters. (September lOth.j

Southampton. — October 8th. Electricity Department.
One 5,000 K.w. 3-phase, .jO periods, 6,000 volts, turbo-alternator
with condensing plant and accessories. (September 24th.)

Spain. — Tenders have recently been invited for the
ojncession for the construction and working of an electric tramway
between Matara and Argentona (Province of Barcelona.)

Urngnay. — December 18th. The Post Office authorities
are, for the second time, inviting tenders for the construction of an
undergroand telephone system here.

West Bromwich. — Corporation Electricity Department.
Natural-draught cooling tower. (See this issue.)

CLOSED.
Australia. — Melbourne Electricity Supply Com-
mittee. Accepted : —

H.T. transformer switchgear, £1,543.— Ferguson Pailin, Ltd.

Tea 250 K.V.A. transformers, f6,-186.— Gardner, Waern & Co.

205 'o°s bare h.d. oDpper cables, £3,523.— B. I. & Helsby Cables, Ltd.

90U porcelain insulators, £335. — Australian Porcelain Co.

New South Wales. — Public Works Department. Accepted : —

Insulators for state transmission lines, i'16,68L— Australian General

Electric Co.
Steam driven electric generating plant, f 11,770. — Australian General

Electric Co.—Tenders.

Government Contracts. — The undermentioned Govern-
ment contracts were placed during August, 1920.

Admiralty (Conikact and Purchase Department).

Automatic telephone apparatus. — Relay Automatic Telcpiione Co., Ltd.

Batteries and cells.— Fuller's United Electric Works, Ltd.

Conduit tubing and accessories.— Barton S: Sons; I. Birch & Sons, Lid.;
Brotherton, Ediswan Tubes & ConduiU, Ltd.

Rewinding motors. — Electromotors, Ltd.

Erection of motor generator set.— G. E. Taylor & Co., Ltd.

Positive plates. — Tudor Accumulator Co., Ltd.

Electrically-driven saw bench.— A. Ransom & Co., Ltd.

Selector board and panels. — General Electric Co., Ltd
War Office.

Electric cells.— Siemens Bros. 8i Co., Ltd.

Rotor fans.— James Keith & Blackman Co., Ltd.

War Office (Army Contracts Department).

Block for electrical cells.— Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Electric cells.— Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd.; Fuller's United Electric Co.
Ltd.; Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Wireless telegraphy valves.— General Electric Co.. Ltd.
General Post Office.

Protective apparatus. — Phoenix Telephone & Electric Co., Ltd,

Telegraph apparatus.— Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Telephone apparatus. — -Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co., Ltd. ; Western
Electric Co., Ltd.

Cable bearers. — A. T. Cantwell.

Jointers' tool boxes.— W. Duncan, Tucker & Sons, Ltd.

Telegraph and telephone cable.— British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd ;
Hackbridge Cable Co., Ltd.; W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co. Ltd.;
Johnson & Phillips, Ltd.; H. W. Smith & Co., Ltd.; Union Cable Co,
Ltd.; Western Electric Co., Ltd.

Lamp caps. — C. A. Apperley (Karabon).

Cords for telephones.— London Electric Wire Co. & Smiths, Ltd.; Phcenix
Telephone & Electric Works, Ltd.

Ducts.— Jas. Oakes &• Co.

Insulators.— J. Bourne & Sons, Ltd.; T. De la Rue St Co., Ltd.; Doulton S: Co ,
Ltd.; Litholite Insulators, Ltd.; Taylor, Tunniclille & Co., Ltd.

(ilow lamps.— General Electric Co., Ltd.

Plugs for telephones.— British L. M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

Charging sets.— P. S. Doherty & Co.

Spindles for insulators.— T. W. Lench, Ltd.

Thermionic valves.— General Electric Co., Ltd.

Eramelled and silk cord copper wire.— London Electric Wire Co. & Smiths.
Ltd.

Enamelled and flame-proof wire.— Macintosh Cable Co., Ltd.

Laying conduits. &c.— Palmer's Green-North Junction underground : O. C.
Summers. Camberwell, Southwark, &c., disconnected : O. C. Summers
Kensington, Paddington and St. Marylebone, disconnected : O. C. Summers
Willesden, Wembley, &c.. disconnected : O. C. Summers. City of London,
disconnected: J. Mowlem & Co., Ltd. New Cross Road, S.E., under-
ground: J. Mowlem & Co., Ltd. London-Dorking (Section HI): J.
Mowlem & Co., Ltd. New Bridge Street-Byron House. Fleet Street : J.
Mowlem & Co., Ltd. St. Pancras, disconnected : D. R. PalPrson, Ltd
London-Bristol-Newport (South Wales), Section II: Westminster Public
Works Co., Ltd. Chiswick-Hammersmith. Western Junction ■ W lies
London-Bristol-Newport (South Wales). ,Se<tion I : J. A. Ewart. Ltd.

Manufacture supply, drawing-in, and iuinting cable.- Leeds- York : British
Insulated & Helsby Cables Ltd. Slough-Reading: Western Electric Co.,

Secondary cells.— Leeds Automatic Telephone Exchange: ChluiiJe Electrical
storage Co., Ltd.

Telephone Exchange equipment.— Tottenham : Western Electric Co . Ltd Sub-
contractors lor batteries: Tudor Accumulator Co., Ltd. Charging ma-
chme : Crompton & Co.. Ltd. Bolton : Western Electric Co. Ltd Sub-
5?„".i"k%1- Batteries: Tudor Accumulator Co., Ltd. Charging machines :
English Electric Co.. Ltd. Southampton : Siemens Bros. & Co , Ltd. Sub-
contractori. Batteries : Tudor Accumulator Co., Ltd. Ringing apparatus :

Crompton & Co.. Ltd. Grimsby : Si<

(Birmingham) : British L. M. Eric:

caster : British L. M. Ericsson Mam

batteries : Tudor Accumulator Co., Lt<

& Reiss. Voltmeter-ammeter : Elliott Bi

& Co., Ltd.

India Office : Stores Department.
Cells.— Chloride Electrical Storage Co., Ltd.
Electrical equipment. — British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd
Generating set.— Lancashire Dynamo & Motor 'Co ' '

mens Bros. & Co., Ltd. Smelhwick
son Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Lan-
facturing Co., Ltd. Sub-c

rging

ufacturing Co., Ltd.

Manufacturing Co.. Ltd.
; Telegraph Co., Ltd.

Cable, &c.
Lux cells.— Chli
Motor generatoi
Switchboard cal
Telegraph ironv
Telegraph 1

Lift.— Waygood-Otis, Ltd.
Microphones.— Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.
Wheatstone transmitters. — Automatic Telephon
Wireless telegraph apparatus. — Marconi Wirele
Electric wire.— T. Smith & Co., Ltd.
X-ray cubicle. — Watson & Sons, Ltd.

Crown Agents for the Colonies.
Bros. & Co., Ltd.
Electrical Storage Co., Ltd.
rompton & Co., Ltd.
&c.— Western Electric Co., Ltd.
—Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.
rial.— Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.; Bullers, Ltd.
Telephone materials.- Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.; British L.M. Ericsson Manu-
facturing Co., Ltd.

H.M. Office of Works.
Engineering services. — Electric wiring Ipswich Training Centre ; Cecil Cooper

& Co., Ltd.
Telephone silence cabinets. — Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Metropolitan Police.
Rewiring electric light installation at New Scotland Yard.— Lund Bros. St Co.

Barnes.— Electricity Committee. Accepted : Extensions
to the electricity works, £8,470, Mr. W. Lowe.

Hammersmith. — Electricity Committee. Recommended :

Additional boiler house plant, gangways, ladders and handrails, for the new

Stirling boiler.
Foster Construction Co., Ltd.

H. W. Journet & Co

Stirling Boiler Co., Ltd,
Coal supply.

25,000 tons of ■' Wernddu " through coal, 46s. 8d. per ton, f.o.r. Shepherd's
Bush.— Judd, Budd & Son. — Recommended.

London. — St. Maryleboxe. Electricity Committee : —

stand-by motor and clutches for the air-extraction pump to be supplied

with the turbo-alternator, i'i25. - Oerlikon Co.— Accepted.
Additional switchgear, jE.isg.— Ferguson. Pailia. Ltd.— Recommended.
Water separator, faiL —Alton & Co. — He juimended.

£ 126— Recommended,
£220

FORTHCOMING EVENTS.

Electro-Harmonic Society.- Friday. October 1st. In the Great Hall, Cannon
Street Hotel, E.G., at 8 p.m. Smoking Concert.

Electrical Power Engineers' Association (Manchester Section).— Saturday,
October 2nd. At Milton Hall, Deansgate. Manchester. At 6.30p.m. Address
by Mr. Essex, Secretary of the N.E. Division.

Junior Institution of Engineers.- Friday, October 1st. At Caxton Hall,
Victoria Street. S.W., at 8 p.m. Paper on " Notes on Factory Manage-
ment," by Mr. 11. N. Munro.

Edinburgh Electrical Society. — Saturday, October 2nd. At Fairley
Restaurant, at 6.30 p m. Social Evening.

Friday, October 8th. At the Philosaphical Institution, Queen Street
at 8 p m." Paper on the *' Electric Equipment of a modem Battleship,'
by Mr. R. Stark.

Salford Technical and Engineering Association.— Saturday, October 2nd.
At the Royal Technical Institute, at 7 p.m. Paper on "Progress and
Production," by Mr. J. Renshaw,

NOTES.

Summer Time. — The Home Office announces that the
Government, in view of the possibility of the coal miners' strike
taking place, has postponed the return from " summer time " to
Greenwich mean time, which would normally have taken place at
2 a.m. on the night of September 26th-27th. An Order in Council
has been made, substituting October 25th for September 2 7th. as the
date on which " summer time " will end. Summer time in France
will end on the night of October 23rd-2}th.

Electrolytic Disinfecting Finid.— In the course of his

annual report for 1919, Dr. F. W. Alexander, medical officer of
Health to the borough of Poplar, states that 33,285 gallons of elec-
trolytio disinfectant were manufactured, making 66,570 gallons as
diluted for distribution. The cost was, for materials, £139 ; elec-
trical energy, £77 ; total, £216. The plant has now been running
14 years, and has manufactured 637,504 gallons of the fluid at a
cost for electricity of £663, and materials £784 (.about Jd. per
gallon).

Indastrial Accidents. — There were 1,384 fatal industrial

accidents last year, said Mr. Gerald Bellhouse, Deputy Chief
Inspector of Factories, at a Conference at Olympia, under the
auspices of the British Industrial "Safety First" Association,
Forty thousand accidents were due to machinery, ajid 84,000 were
non-machinery cases. The accidents must generally be attributed
to negligence, want of thought, or want of instruction. Twelve
years' experience in America had shown that with a proper safety
organisation 75 per cent, of all accidental deaths and iujurieH
could be eliminated.

Scientific Literature. — A three-days' Conference on an
international catalogue of scientific literature is being held at the
Royal Society, from September 29th to October Ist. A large
number of delegates are present from the Colonies and foreign
countries,

438

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vrt. 8t. Na a,236, Ootobbb i, 1920.

Electric Vehicles. — The King's Lynn Town Council is
considering the purchase of two electric vehicles ; another vehicle
is to be purchased by the Manchester Public Health Committee,
the Mansfield (Jeneral Purposes Committee is to acquire two electric
tipping wagons at a cost of £1,820 each, while the Light Hallways
Committee of the Southend-on-Sea Town Council is to purchase an
electric wagon. Messrs. Drake & Gorham, Ltd., have been awarded
a contract by the Wallasey Town Council for the supply of two
tipping wagons, at £2,882, for house-refuse collection purposes.
The two vehicles are expected to economise Is. 6d. per ton on loads
carried, displace six horses, and save £500 per year. Messrs.
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies, Ltd., hope to deliver within about
two months five standard 21 -ton " Orwell " refuse-disposaljvehicles
fitted with electrically-operated tipping gear, to the order of the
Edmonton Borough Council. The Newport (Mon.) Corporation
scavenging department has placed an order for a fleet of five
" Orwell " tipping wagons, and another vehicle is being
constructed for the local electricity department. From South
Africa comes the news that the tender of the Griffin Engineering
Co., Ltd., for the supply of an " Orwell " electric tower wagon has
been accepted by the Johannesburg Municipal Council. — Electric
Vehicle.

Service Notes. — Recruiting for the electrical depart-
ments of the Navy and Army is still going on, all the vacancies
for tip-top men not having yet been filled in the R.A.F., R.E., and
R.A.S.C. The wireless department is also wanting more men.

Raid on Electrical Apparatus.— On Sunday night,

September 12th, Templemary Buttevant, the residence of Mr. R, P.
Fuge, J.P., was raided by armed and masked men, in the absence
of the family, and the housekeeper was held up. There were no
arms in the house, except an old and useless gun ; the raiders,
however, carried off a large part of the valuable electrical testing
instruments belonging to Mr. Fuge, amongst them a high-resistance
Kelvin reflecting galvanometer, a standard microfarad condenser,
a bridge (Post Office pattern), and various keys, telephones, &o.
The telephone between the top and bottom of the house was torn
from the walls.

Fatalities. — A curious accident, which involved the
death of Edward Arthur Thornley, aged 27, electrician, of 122,
Thornton Road, Shelton, was the subject of an inquiry by Mr.
Hugh W. Adams (Coroner), at Fenton Town Hall, on Tuesday last
week. According to the Stufordxhii-c Sentinel, the deceased was
employed at the (Jreat Fenton Colliery, and about 7.40 a.m. on the
10th inst. he was in the act of turning off a switch, when, for some
unknown reason, it exploded. Pieces of the switch struck him on
the head, causing a fracture of the base of the skull. An engine-
man was also struck by the fragments.

Charles Osborne said he was in the com pressor- house on the
morning in question, and the deceased was turning off the isolating
switch when there was ,a sudden explosion. Witness fell on the
floor purposely, and he noticed that the deceased was lying in front
of the switch. When he (witness) went to him, he found that he
had sustained serious injuries to the head. He was unconscious.

Thomas A. B. Horsley, Electrical Inspector of Mines at the Home
Office, said he had visited the colliery, and had examined the ruins
of the switch. He had opened the cable end at the point where it
joined the switch, and had tested the insulation of the cable, and
had found no defect. He noticed some oil on the bottom of the
switch-case. He removed the oil-box of the switch proper, and
fiiund no signs of defect in the switch. He had never laiown a
similar accident. In his opinion, it was a case of pure
misadventure.

A verdict of '' Death from fractureof the base of the skull, caused
by an explosion," was returned.

Following an operation for cancer, Ellen McLaughlan died in the
Royal Infirmary at Liverpool. At the inquest, on September 21st,
it was stated that during the operation the electrically-heated table
became too hot, with the result that the patient was severely
burned, and, despite prompt treatment, she died. The jury found
that death was due to the condition of the kidneys following
cancer, adding that it was accelerated by burns, which might have
been avoided.

" Accidental death " was recorded at the inquest on the death of
Charles Clayton Jowett (61), labourer, employed by the Bradford
Corporation, who had been run over and killed by an electric coal
wagon while working at the Corporation's electricity works. A
rider was added that in future a man should be employed to keep a
look-out, and thereby prevent accidents.

R.N.D. Signal Companj's Dinner.— The second annual

dinner and re union of the R.N.D. Signal Company will take place
at the Holborn Restaurant on Friday, November .^ih. Morning
dress. Tickets lOs. til. each may be obtained of Mr. A. G. Hilling,
1, Glaserton Road, N. 16.

Engineering Golfing Society.— The Autumn Meeting

of the Society is to be held at Wimbledon on October 1 2 th by the
courtesy of the Royal Wimbledon Golf Club. An 18-hole medal
round will ba played in tbe morning for the " Hele-Shaw " scratch
challenge cup and memento. Foursomes will be played in the
afternoon, 18-hole match play against bogey, for the " Hadfield "
challenge cups. Prinas will also be given in both morning and
afternoon rounds. Entries close by first post on October Cth.

Freemasonry. — On Saturday last the Electric Lodge
(No. 2,087) met at the Mitre Hotel, Hampton Coart, Mr. John E.
Hood, the W.M., being in the chair ; the Lodge was honoured by
the presence of Mr. A. Burnett-Brown, Deputy Prov. G.M. of
Middlesex, An interesting feature of the proceedings was a

presentation to Mr. Edwin J. Eeid (of Reid Bros., telegraph engi-
neers), of the Masonic clothing and regalia of Assistant Grand
Superintendent of Works, in view of his recent appointment to
that post, by Mr. Hood on behalf of the Electric Lodge, the Nortn
Kent Lodge (Xo. 2,499), the Telephone Lodge (No. 3,301), and the
Kelvin Lodge (No. 3,736). The ceremony was attended by repre-
sentatives of those Lodges, including Messrs. P. P. Kipping and
F. A. B. Lord (Grand Officers). W. Aitken, and T. W. Greaves.
Mr. E. E. Sharp (of the Tok switch) was elected Master for the
ensuing year.

Conciliators in Harmony. — It is announced in the Press
that a further meeting of representatives of the National Alliance
of Employers and Employed and the Industrial League and Recon-
struction Council was to be held on Wednesday to consider the
proposed fusion of their organisations.

Educational. — MAKCHESxtii Univebsity. — The exten-
sions to the University so urgently needed, and the provision of
additional staff, cannot be thought of at present, owing to the
deplorable lack of funds. The total number of students during the
past session was 2,775, an enormous increase on the previous session's
total — 1.6t9. One consequence of the shortage of staff has been an
inevitable curtailment of research work. In spite of increased cost,
the number of books published by the University Press has been
greater than in any previous year. The scheme for classes for
elementary school cliildren has been limited by a lack of the
necessary accommodation, but the large number of 2,EM0 have
attended the Museum classes each week.

The Civiis' Dinner. — Owing to the uncertainties of the
industrial situation, says The Times, the Institution of Civil Engi-
neers has abandoned the dinner which had been fixed for

October 6th.

Appointments Vacant. — Instructors and demonstrators

in civil and mechanical engineering (£31.i), and electrical engin-
eering and applied physics (£316). for the Northampton Poly-
technic Institute ; charge engineers for the Yorkshire Electric
Power Co. ; deputy powerhouse superintendent (1,000 Rs. per
month) for the Hjmbay El ctricity Supply and Tramways Co.,
Ltd. ; visiting teacher in electrical engineering for the London
County Council School of Engineering and Navigation, Poplar ;
assistant engineer for the electrical installation (contracting) and
electrical vehicle (garaging) department at Ipswich electricity
department (£250) ; general manager (£500) for the Electric
Light and Power Co. at Beliz3, British Honduras ; charge engineer
(£280) for the Borough of Bedford electricity department ; plumber-
jointer for the Djrby Corporation electricity department ; lecturers
in physics, mathematics, and electrical engineering for the
Birmingham Municipal Technical School ; instructor in engineering,
drawing, and mechanical engineering tor the East Ham Education
Cjmmitte. See our advertisement pages to-day.

Portable Electric Drills. — Our attention has been drawn
to a recent performance of the Mark I " Westool " drill made by the
Westminster Tool and Electric Co. This series of high-power,
heavy-duty drills, which was illustrated on p. 415 of our September
24th issue, now covers the whole range of standard drill bits, and
can be wound for any normal current. At one of the large iron-
works in the north of England, there was a breakdown at a blast
furnace, and a No. 3, Mark I " Westool " drill was used to drill a
hole 2 in. diameter by 8 in. deep through wrought-iron with an
8-ft. spindle on the drill, as the machine could not be taken any
closer to its work, because the furnace had to be kept working.
This is considerably more than the guaranteed performance of the
drill, as its normal rating is for llin. holes, but it did the job
without injury.

INSTITUTION NOTES.

Physical Society of London. — The forthcoming general
discussion ou " The I'bysics and Chemistry of Colloids and
theii- iBearing on Industrial Questions " which is being ar-
ranged jointly by the Faraday Society and the Physical Society
of London has been fixed to take place on Monday, October
'2otb, at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Storey's Gate,
London S.W. 1. The discussion will be presided over by
Prof. Sir W. H. Bragg, K.B.E., F.R.S., and it will be
introduced by Prof. Dr. The Svedberg .of the University of
Upsala, who will give a general survey of the subject before
discussion is opened in its various branches.

Non-members of the above societies desirous of attending the
discussion mav obtain tickets of admission from Mr. F. S.
Spiers, 10, Essex Street, London, W.C. 2.

Faraday Society. — The Faradav Society, the Institution of
Mechanical Engineers, the Institute of Metals, and probably
also the Iron and Steel Institute, contemplate holding early
in 19'21 a joint general discussion on " The Failure of Metals
under Internal or Prolonged Stress."

While various aspects of the subject have akeady been
discussed, some new matter will be placed at the disposal of
the co-operating societies later in the year, and it is considered
that this will afford an opportunity for a more comprehensive
consideration of the subject than has yet been given to it.

The problem to be discus.scd is the failure of metal articles
as a result either of external stresses to which they have been
exposed for any length of time, or of internal stresses arising

Vol. 87. No. 2,236, ootobkb 1, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEYIEW.

439

from conditions of manufacture, such as cold work, unequal
expansion or contraction during casting, and subsequent
operations, including rapid heating and coohng. It is in-
tended that the subject of the discussion should include the
phenomena known as " season cracking," " corrosion crack-
ing," " tire cracking," and analogous forms of failure, and
that iron and steel as well as non-ferrous metals should be
dealt with.

The scope of the discussion would permit of contributions
relating to the properties and behaviour of materials other
than metals which might throw light on the phenomena
covered by the title.

Anyone desirous of contributing to this discussion is asked
to communicate with the secretary of the Joint Committee,
Mr. P. S. Spiers, 10, Essex Street, London, W.C. 3.

Liverpool Wireless Association. — The first meeting of the
Association was held on September '22nd at the Royal In-
stitution, Colquith Street.

A demonstration with a 3-valve receiving set, and a frame
aerial — arranged by Messrs. Grindun and \\'ilUams — was very
successful, excellent signals being ulitaiued.

Mr. S. Lowery gave and explained data with regard to the
winding and calculation of inductances.

Finsbury Old Students' Association. — The ninth annual
dinner of the Finsbury Technical College Old Students' Asso-
ciation will be held at the Trocadero Restaurant, Piccadilly
Circus, on Saturday, November 13th, when the chair will be
taken by the President, Mr. John E. Raworth, P.C.I.P.A.,
A.I.E.E.

Old students may obtain tickets (los. each, exclusive of
wine) and particulars from the hon. .secretary, Mr. H. P.
Guy, 209, Northumberland Park, Tottenham, N. 17.

Edinburgh Electrical Society. — The opening meeting of
the second session of the Edinburgh Electrical Society was
held in the Philosophical Institute. Ediulnirgh, on September
'34th, when Mr. D. Macintosh presided.

Prof. Baily, M.A.. F.R.S.E., delivered a lecture on
" Modern Traction by Road and Rail," which was illustrated
by lantern slides. The development of traction sy.stems during
the last 50 years was interestingly summarised, and rival
methods compared. Electric road and -rail transport was
specially considered, and details of the latest forms of electric
locomotives were explained.

The following items are included in the programme of
the session : —

October 2nd. — Social evening in conjunction with the Ioc.tI branch of the
Association of Mining Electrical Engineers at Fairley's Restaurant.

October 8th.— " The Electrical Equipment of a Modern Battleship," by Mr.
R. Starlc.

October 21st. — Visit to Scotsman offices.

November 6th.—" Some Incidental Uses of Electricity." by Mr. B. A.
PilWngton.

November 19th.—" Medical Electricitv."

December 3rd.—" An Electrical Engineer's Walk Round a Factory," by Mr.
J. Walker.

December 17th.— Electrical questions and answers.

1921.—

January 14th.—" Some Notes on Cables." by Mr. VV. F. Mitchell.

January 28th.—" Electrical Wonders in Guernsey," by Mr. E. C. Catford.

"February 11th.— Visit to North British Rubber Works.

February 2.1th.— " Telephone Troubles." by Mr. J. McEwan Brown.

March llth.— Apprentices night. Short papers on everyday work, for
Society's prize.

March 25th.—" Automatic Telephone

.\pril 8th.— Electrical questions and

April 2-2nd.— Open night.

May 6th.— Annual meeHng.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

The Editors invite electrical engineers, whether ccmnected with the
technical or the commercial side of the xirofessi-on and industry,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
BlBCTBICAIi Review posted as to their vi-ovements.

At a smokinfr concert, held on September 24th, Mr. J. B. Parker,
late aBsistant rolling: stock superintendent, and Mr. A. W. G.
Woodward, late electrical foreman of the Sheffield Corporation
tramways department, who have recently been appointed e-eneral
mauaeer and electrician respectively to the Tefs-side RaH'ess
Traction Board, received preeentations from the workmen at
Sheffield. The presentation was made by Mr. J. Smith. roUirg-
stock superintendent. Mr. Parker has been presented with a gold
watch bv his colleasrues on Ihe stsfF.

Mb. H. Stowe. who has for 21 years been on the staff of the
instrument department at the Arc Works of Crompton A: Co., T,td ,
of Chelmsford, is leavinfr for Australia, and his colleag-iies have
presented him with a sold watch, and a gold albert and shield.

Mr. W. H. Blythe, for six years senior assistant of the research
department of the British Westinghouse Co., Trafford Park, has
been appointed travelling- lecturer in electrical engineering to the
Glamorgan County Council (Pontypridd district).

8onthend-on-Sea Town Council has appointed Mr. S. Sharpe,
who has been engaged to supervise the erection and working of the
Diesel oil engines, as sub-station superintendent, at a salary of
£362 per annum, rising to ^£378 when the whole of the six oil
engines are in operation.

An Exchange Telegraph dispatch from Rome states that Siunor
D'Annonzio has conferred on Sionob Marconi the title and
insifrnia of a legionary. Signor Marconi has promised to erect at
Finme a very powerful wireless station at his own expense.

Mr. a. W. Stables who recently arrived in London from New
Zealand tolsuooeed Mr. John K. Burt, as London manager to

A. and T. Burt, Ltd. (New Zealand), Eldon Street House, E.G. 2,
was, prior to joining Messrs. Burt, general manager of the New
Zealand Hardware Co., Ltd. Mr. John R. Burt leaves London for
New Zealand per Jiemuera.

Mr. C. Wilkinson, after 15 years' service as chief electrician
with Messrs. T. Summerson & Sons, Darlington, has been presented
by his colleagues with a gold watch. He is starting business as an
electrician on his own account in the town.

Obituary.— Mr. R. Stewart Bain.— We deeply regret to record
the death of Mr. R. Stewart Bain, which occurred suddenly from
cerebral apoplexy. He had a seizure while engaged in his office
on Monday, and was taken to Charing Cross Hospital, but never
recovered. Mr. Bain, who was 61 years of age, was managing
director of the London Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd. He was
a chartered accountant, and had been associated with the " Deptford
undertaking " on its financial and commercial side for some
30 years, having joined the company in 188s. Some years later,
when the concern was passing through the serious financial trials
which were the price of its pioneering enterprise in electricity
supply. Lord Wantage made him Official Receiver. Subsequently
he became managing director. For some years at the annual
meetings of the company he followed the chairman with a speech
in which he gave useful statistical and financial matter regarding
operating results. The deceased gentleman was also on the boards
of several non-electrical companies. Mr. Bain was most highly
esteemed by all with whom he was associated, both in the London
Electric Supply Corporation and in his relations with the boards of
other London electricity supply companies. The industry has lost
a gentleman who will be greatly missed.

Mr. F. Bubns.— The death is recorded of Mr. Fred. Burns, elec-
trician, Market Street, Barnsley, after a lengthy and painful illness

NEW COMPANIES REQISTERED.

MuUard Radio Valve Co., Ltd. (170,293).— Private com-
pany. Registered September 17th. Capital, £30,000 in fl shares (10,000
8 per cent, cumulative participating preference). To acquire and turn to
account the benefit of inventions connected with radio telegraphy and tele-
phony and other methods of intercommunication, and apparatus, instruments,
valves, and appliances connected therewith, &c., and to adopt an agreement
with B. H. Binder (the liquidator o( the " I " Electric Lamp Co., Ltd.). and
S. R. Mullard. The subscribers (each with 100 ordinary shares) arc : Sir
Ralph P. Ashton, Orient House, New Broad Street, E.G., East India merchant;
H. J. Owens, Orient House, New Broad Street, E.G., clerk. So long as
the Radio Communic.tion Co., Ltd., Kilburn Brown & Go., C. F. Elwcll,
.S. R. Mullard, and E. H M. Denny hold f'i.oOO shares each, they may
be represented on the board bv one director. The first directors are Sir
Ralph P. Ashton (representative of Kilburn Brown & Co.); B. Binyon
(representative of the Radio Communication Co., Ltd.); C. F. Elwell, and
S. R. Mullard. Sir R.ilph P. Ashton is the chairman. Solicitor : G. G. Warr,
Palmerslon House, ii. Old Broad Street, E.G. 2. Registered office: Orient
House, New Broad Strct, E.G.

Electric Gramophones, Ltd. (170,391). — Private company.

Registered September 23rd. Capital, £1,.^U0 in 1,450 preferred participating
ordinary shares of £1 each and 1,000 deterred shares of Is. each. To carry
on the business of manufacturers of gramophones and talking machines and
accessories, manufacturers of and dealers in motors, wires, apparatus, and
electrical appliances, &c. The subscribers (each with one preferred participat-
ing ordinary .share) are ; K. O. Davis " The Poplars." Chase Side, Enfield,
engineer; C. J. Harnett, White Lodge, Church Street. Edmonton, engineer.
The first directors are: K. O. Davis and C. J. Barnett. Registered office:
r. The Quadrant, Winchmore Hill, N.2I.

Presfeign Electric Co., Ltd. (170,355).— Registered Sep-
tember 21st. Capital, £5,000 in £1 shares. To carry on Ihe business of an
electric light and supply company, &c. The first directors are : Rev. H. L.
Kewley, Presteign, Radnorshire; H. J. Sparey, Presteign, Radnorshire; A. M.
Wilson, The Moor, Presteign. Minimum cash subscription 7 shares. Qualifica-
tion 25 shares. Secretarv : F. L. Green. Solicitor : F. L. Green, Presteign.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OP ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Dickinson Electrical Manufacturing Co., Ltd. — Particu-
lars of £2,000 debentures and bonuses for £80 authorised July 29th, 1920,
whole amount issued, charged on the company's undertaking and property,
present and future, including uncalled c:ipital.

Lancashire Power Construction Co., Ltd. — Return dated

July 8th. 19'20. Capital fli89,83S in £1 shares (400,000 first preference, 137,500
preference, and 152,838 ordinary), all shares taken up. £680,477 2s. paid.
£2,400 considered as pai.l, £fi,960 18s. in arrears. Mortgages and charges,
£•288,000.

Magic Appliances, Ld. — Particulars of ^62,000 debentures

authorised July 27th, lOiJO, whole amount issued, charged on the company's
property, present and future, including uncalled capital.

TeeS'Side Electric & Plumbers' Stores, Ltd. — Mortgage

dated August 6th, 1920. t.> ..piure all monevs due or to become due from
company to London Joint City .\ Midl.ind Bank, Ltd.. 53, Lower Reed Street.
West Hartlepool.

South=Western Engineering Co., Ltd. — Debentures dated

S.-ptember 9th, 1920, to secure £2,000 charged on company's property, present
and future, including uncalled capital. Holders: J. Watt, Sangley Estate
Office, Bromley Roa<l, Catford, S.E., and E. G. Stansbury, 6, New Square,
Lincoln's Inn, W.C.

Salmon & Pagis, Ltd. — Debentures dated September 1st,

1920, to secure £4,300, charged on the companv's undertaking and property,
present and future, including uncalled capital. Holder : C. R. D. Pritchett.
7H, Knightsbridge. S.W.

Saunders Electrical Co., Ltd. — Mortgage and equitable

fli.irge on leasehold offices and workshops in Godiva Street. Coventry, both
.l.iled September 9th, 1920, to secure £1,000 and £500 respectively. Holders :
(i. Masters and H. Masters, of Avton^jn-Dunsmore, Warwick, and J. T.
Moore, Priory Road, Coventry, and G, E, Stanley, 23a. Goundon Road,
Coventry.

Yorkshire & District Electric Lamp Repairing Co., LM-—

Mortgage dated July Ifith. 19-20. to secure £1..500 charged on " Heeley Mill,
•- ■ * ". - - ■' ■■- ■■ ■■ - ] s<er[. " The Firs,' Aston Abbots,

Street, Sheffield.

440

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEWo [Vol. s:. No. 3,236, October 1, 1920.

Chloride Electrical Storage Co., Ltd.— Return dated Jane

2nd 1920. Capital. £300,000 in £1 shares (62.000 preferred, 219,750 ordinary,
and' 18,250 unissued), 62.000 preferred and 219,750 ordinary shares taken up.
£75,738 paid. £206,012 considered as paid. Mortgages and charges, nil.

Chile Telephone Co., Ltd. — Return dated August 3rd,

III20. Capital, £500,000 in £5 shares. 99,000 shares taken up. £275,000 paid.
£-220,000 considered as paid. Mortg.iges and charges, nil.

Rangoon Electric Tramway & Supply, Ltd. — Return dated

.\pril 7th, 1920 (filed July 24th, 1920). Capital, £500,000 in 50,000 preferred
shares of fS each and 2.50,000 ordinary shares of £1 each. 50,000 preferred
and 177,001 ordinary shares taken up. £361,999 paid, leaving £2 in arrears.
£65,000 considered as paid. Mortgages and charges, £258,063.

Liverpool Electric Cable Co., Ltd.— Return dated August

3rd, 1920. Capital, £30,000 in £1 shares. All shares taken up. £7,833 paid.
i~22,I67 considered as paid. Mortgages and charges, nil.

Marconi International Marine Communication Co., Ltd. —

Ktturn dated July 2nd, 1920. Capital, £1,,500,000 in £1 shares. £1,192,726
shares taken up. £1,087,720 paid. tUIJ.WNI considered as paid. Mortgages
and charges, f7S.33Q.

ST0CK5 AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
Released from immediate fear of a miners' strike, the Stock
Exchange markets at the beginuing of the week adopted a
cheerful tone that spread tki'oughout most of its sections.
Had it not been for the trotting-out afresh of what are called
" money fears," the disposition would have been more cheery
still. But some unkind persons began to throw out hints con-
cerning an 8 per cent. 13ank Rate, and these did not fail of
their effect upon the purely investment securities, if the strike
does not take place, public attention will be tiu'ned to the way
in which the finances of the country are wading steadily
deeper into the mire, and this will lead to talk of a new
national loan on the grand scale.

City talk runs upon the possibihty of the Excess Profits Duty
being either substantially reduced, or else abandoned alto-
gether, when the Budget is " broken " next sjjring. Unless
conditions alter in some miraculous way, it is taken for granted
that removal of E.P.D. would merely be the excuse for im-
position of other taxes. The Corporation tax offers manifest
temptation to a hardly-pressed Chancellor of the Exchequer.
This is so generally recognised that already there are members
of semi-private companies discussing the advisability of dissolu-
tion of the companies and reverting to an " unlimited " status
in order to escape the incidence of a tax which, even in its
present form, presses harshly upon many of those called upon
to pay it.

Last week's rise of eleven points in Underground Electric
income bonds brought in a certain amount of selling, but the
price kept hard, and shows a gain of 1 on the week. The £10
shares are, however, J lower at 2^. In spite of a good deal
of advance advertisement of the forthcoming change in fares,
there has been much grumbling on the part of passengers.
Moreover, the increases in omnibus fares are unexpectedly
large, and as jienny tickets are almost done away with,
Londoners are threatening to walk the shorter distances. Dis-
tricts are § higher and MetropoUtans keep steady. London
United Tramways 4 per cent, debenture stock remains at 32i.
British Electric Traction 4i per cent, second debenture stock
was sold the other day at 54J. The ordinary is about 31J, and

6 per cent, participating preference stock stands at 64.
Metropolitan Electric ordinary recovered J to '2J. Bourne-
mouth and Poole ordinary advanced to 51, but the preference
at 5i are J down. Newcastle-on-Tyne 7 per cent, preference
at 19s. show a slight gain. Oxford ordinary and preference
both stand at the same price, 2|. North Metropolitan 6 per
cent, preference are dull at lis. 3d. St. James and Pall Mall

7 per cent, preference stand at 4s, and the 3J per cent, deben-
ture is 68. River Plate ordinary remains firm at 105, the 6 per
cent, preference being 76. Smitbfield ordinary are 15s.

The manufacturing group retains the improvements secm-ed
upon the settlement of the electricians' troubles. Callender's
are better at 26s. 3d., Siemens rose to 25s., Babcock & Wilcox
put on J to 50s. English Electrics are 18s., and the 6 per
cent, preference 15s. 6d. General Electric 7i per cent. " B "
preference keep very close to 20s. A sharp spurt occurred in
rubber shares, on the produce rallying to Is. 8id., but the
market for the raw material threatened to give way again, and
part of the rise in the shares was lost. The little spurt pro-
duced sufficient business to demonstrate that public interest in
rubber shares is less dead than dormant.

United River Plate Telephone shares have been flat, falling
to nearly 6 before there was a recovery to 6J, at which latter
price the shares are J down on the week. ChiU Telephones are
also lower at 5i. The cable market as a whole, however, keeps
steady, and there is a good deal of investment business doing
in the Eastern group. Globe ordinary at 14 J are J down, and
the American stocks continue somewhat heavy. Indo-
Europeans changed hands as low as 25. American Telephone
and Telegraph capital stock is better at ]37i ex dividend. The
4 per cent, bonds have risen to 109 and the 4 per cent, con-
vertible bonds to 92J. The New York rate of exchange con-
tinues to have a favourable effect upon the prices of most of
the dollar securities. Marconis are a stronger market at
2 13/16. We believe it to be the case that the partner of an
influential house in Ijondon has recently been to New York to
consult with the directors of the Radio Corporation in regard to

7 13 6

e 17 10

6 17 S

10 17 a

the technical difficulties that have arisen in connection with
starting a market in Radio shares on this side. In the Stock
Exchange it is said that negotiations are being pressed forward
as rapidly as possible with a view to enabling the establish-
raent of a market in the Radio Corporation (ne6 American
Marconi) shares in this country. There is a vague tip going
about as to its being right to buy Canadian Marconi on the
basis of half-a-guinea, but it deserves mention only as afford-
ing a hint to holders of the shares that it may be worth their
while to keep them.

Brazilian Tractions have given way to 46, and in the Argen-
tine Tramways stocks, Anglo-Argentine Tramway 5 per cent,
debenture stock fell to 54J In Mexicans, there is not much
doing, though the tone is rather easier than it was last week.
.'Vpart from the rises in dollar stocks already mentioned, the
li.st of foreign electrical issues shows no change of any conse-
quence.

8HABE LIST 07 ELEOTBIOAL OOHFANIBS,

HOUE ELStTTBlOITT OOMPUtllS,

Diviilend Price

y ■ ^ Sep. 88,

1918, 1919, 1990, Rise or (all,

Btomplao Ordlntrj 8 19 14 — .

□hiring OroBS OrdlDuy .... 4 7 8} —

do. do, do 4 Pre!,.. 4i H 9; —

Chelsea 8 4 98 —

Oily ot London 6 10 1| —

do. do. Speroenl. Prel. .. 6 6 17/6 —

Ootinty of London 7 8 7S —

do do. 6 per oeni, Prel, 6 6 Bt —

KenBln(f*in Ordinary .... 6 7 Bi —

London E eotrio Nil 9J li —

do. do. 6 per cent. Prel... 6 6 8 —

Metropolitan B 6 9J + J

do. 4i per cent. Pref, . . 4) 4) Hi —

St. Jam 3S' and Pall Mall .... 10 19 61 —

South London B 6 9ixd —

South Matropolitan Pref 7 7 17;- —

Westm nsler Ordinary .... 8 10 6 —

TsLEaaiPHS um TKLiPHOHKa.

Anglo Am. Tel. Pref 6 6 Vi —

do. Det 88/6 1} 17i —

Chile Telephone 8 6 Bt —i

Cuba Sab. Ord 7 7 74 —

E (Stem Extension 8 10 14* —

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 149^ —

GUbeTel, andT. Ord 8 10 Ut — i

do. do. Pret 6 6 B(xd —

Great Northern Tel 29 99 90 —

Indo-Bnropean 18 10 80 —

Marconi 96 96 9).3 + -fs

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 19 3} —

United B. Plate Tel. .... 8 8 6^ — i

West India and Panama .. ..1/8 Nil H —

Western Telegraph 8 10 14 J —

Horn BailBi

Central London Ord. Assented ..4 4 41) —

Meiropjlitan 1 U 214 —

do. DIsliiot .. NU Nil 18 + ),

Underground Electiio Ordinary.. NU NU 21 —

do, do. "A" .. Nil NU 6,6 —

do, do. Income ..6 4 67i — 1
FoBEioN Trams, fto,

Anglo-Arg. Trams First Pref, .. Nil B) M —

do. do. 2nd Pref. .. NU Nil BJ —

do do. 6 Deb, ..6 B 54j — i

Brazil Tractions NU Nil 46 -1

Bombay Electric Prel 8 6 ISi —

British Oolambia Blec. Bly. Pfce. SB SI -^\^

do, do. Preferrred 9} B 48) —

do. do, Deferred Mil 8 47 -I- }

do. do. Deb. .. 4} U BS^xd —

Mexico TrEunsB percent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 44 —1

do. 6per cent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 84 -1

Mexican Light Common .. .. Nil NU 15 -1

do. Prel NU NU SSJ +1

do, 1st Bonds.. .. NU NU B8 —
MxHUTAOitrains OoMPAanB,

Babcook ft Wlloox 16 IB 9^ + i

British Alomlnium Ord 10 10 1 ,>.; —

British Insulated Ord 19) IB lu —

Oallenders 26 16 l^^", -1- ^

,, ejPrel 6i 61 18/- —

Oastner-Eellner 30 17 B —

OromptonOrd 10 10 17/6 —

Edison-Swan, " A " .. .. 10 10 91/. —

do. do, B per cent. Deb, .. B B 78) —

Bleotrlo Oonstmction ,. ., 10 10 18/3 —

Qen, Blec, Prel 6)6) 18/6 —

do, Ord 10 10 28/- —

Henley 9B 16 Ig —

do. 4iPref 4) 41 8« —

Indla-Bnbber 10 10 If —

Uet.-Vlckers Prel — 8 2i —

Blemens Ord 10 10 96/- +6d.

Telegraph Oon 90 30 90 —

* Dividends paid free of Income Tax.

•6 14
•8 14
•8 18

7 4

B 18
11 8

Browett, Lindley & Co., Ltd. — Interim dividends of 4 per
cent, (actual) on the ordinary shares, 3 per cent, (actual)
on the preference shares, and 3 per cent, (actual) on account
(if arrears. — Financial Times.

Shanghai Hlectric Coastruction Co.. Ltd. — Interim divi-
dend at the rate of G per cent, per aniuiin, less lax.

.\uckland Electric Tramways Co., Ltd. — The revenue for
the year ended June, 1920, was mainly compn.sed nf interest
upon the Corporation debentures, less interest on lixms and
advances. It amounted to £63,083. After paying all expenses,
debenture interest, preference dividend. &c.. a dividend of
Is. 3d. per share, less income tax. on the ordinary shares is
to be paid, and £9,610 is to be carried forward.

vrf. 8T. No. 2,236, ootobkb 1, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

441

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.

[A Rich Field lor Engineering Bnterprix.]

In view of the pioneer work undertaken by United
Kingdom firms and individuals in engineering enter-
prises in the Argentine Republic, and the interest which
they have in consequence in the general economic con-
dition of that country, there is much to encourage
British tinanciers and manufacturers in the report by
H.M. Coniiiiercial Secretary at Buenos Aires (Mr. H. O.
Chalkley), which has recently been issue<l Ijy tlie De-
partment of Overseas Trade.

Argentine is still essentially a pastoral and agricultural
country, any growth in manufacturing industry having been
retarded by lack of iron, coal, water power, and skilled labour.
How far this state of affairs will be altered if it is found
possible to turn the Iguazii watiMfalls to industrial uses by
the generation of electric power remains to be seen.

Interest in the possibility of installing a hydroelectric station
at Iguazii has been revived, on the initiative of the Argentine
Minister of Foreign Aft'airs, after a visit to the locality, and
the Government has authorised a thorough hydraulic survey
of the river with a view to determining its effective water
power. The Brazilian Government have been appi-oached with
a view to obtaining then' co-operation or authorisation for
carrying out the surveys in the zone under their jurisdiction.
At the same time the Minister of Public Works is charged
with the task of preparing the outline of a scheme for the
iitihsation and transport of this power to Buenos Aires and
other large centres of consumption. The falls are situated
on the border line between Argentina and Brazil, some 800
miles from Buenos Aires. They have '275 cascades, one. of
which has a sheer drop of '213 feet. The opinion of United
States engineers, obtained through the Argentine Embassy
at Wa.shington. is that the scheme is technically feasible.
The financial and engineering factors involved in its realisa-
tion, however, are so formidable that there is no early pro-
.spect of the project being undertaken either by State or
private enterprise.

ago. It is intended to adopt similar means of traction on
the other two sections in the near future. The electric generat-
ing machinery is run by steam plant in which, owing to the
coal .shortage during the war, not only has oil and wood been
u.sed, but even maize.

X scheme to erect a municipal electric light and power
plant at La Plata, the capital of the province of Buenos .\ires,
has been laid before the municipal council of that city, but
the difliculty of finance and the fact that there is already
a private light and power enterprise in existence are likely
to impede approval of the project. The total cost of the
plant, which would be equipped with Diesel engines, is esti-
mated at $5,800,(100.

Among interesting concessions recently granted by the
Municipality of Buenos Aires are those for the establishment
of a service of motor omnibuses, which are at present quite
unknown on the streets of Buenos Aires, and for the installa-
tion of an automatic telephone system.

The Board of Sanitary Works has dealt with tenders for a
complete installation of new plant at the central pumping
station of Palermo, for electrical plant for the central and
sub-station of the southern zone of the city, for '2'2,000 tons
of cast-iron pipes, and large quantities of stoneware pipes.
Further tenders for cast-iron piping will be called for if
there is any likelihood of more favourable prices and deliveries.

.\part from public utility schemes such as the foregoing.
Briti.sh engineering and allied firms will find it useful to
watch the movement winch has gained strength in the
.\rgentine during the war, for starting various briinches of
manufacture. In this connection factory plant and equip-
ment, as well as accessory material, will be needed.

The manufacture of electrical appliances benefited by war
conditions, although not to such an extent as seriously to
affect importation.

The following table shows the value of the imports into
the Argentine of certain goods of interest to United Kingdom
engineers. The countries of origin are given for two repre-
.sentative years, and the total values added for 1918 and the
first six months of last year : —

Nominal

value in

Nominal value in

Article and counti-y of

, gold

pesos. ,

Article and country of

, gold

pesos. ^

Article and country of

. gold

pesos. ,

origin.

1918.

1917.

origin.

1913.

1917.

ongm.

1913.

Dynamos and Elec-

Boilers.

Tramway

tric Motors.

United Kingdom

942,790

21,671

Materials.

Oermany

United Kingdom
Italv

.-,0S.711
4(;7,3liH

.".,20.">
C,2 9(1.")
IIS.IJOII

Germany

Belgium

United States

82,917
19,608
15.569

2,238

Germany

United Kingdom

Belgium

United States

Other countries

612.178

254.527

162,778

56,698

5,369

11.248

United States

47,1IW
19,9»2

7iS,U.")7
2,296
32,223

Other countries

Total

26,672

1,000

19,077

France

Switzerland

Other countries

1,087.5.-|6

24,909

120

10.701

3,314

., 1918

„ 1919. 6 mos.

—

6,8,727
22,250

Total

„ 1918

1,091,550

30,445

Total

1,127.491

203,060

Sundry Machines.

., 1919, i; mos

•22,106

„ ISIIH :..

—

14.-..288

Germanv

2,886.62."

4.077

.. 1919, ti mOB.

—

91.637

United Kingdom
United States

1.3."..-,.3.'.3
sH..-,72

■226,8-20
610.674

Wire for Electrical

Spare Parts for

France

39S..-,S3

25.819

Use and Cablis.

Machinery.

Belgium

204.427

_

Germany

2,308,394

36

United States

7911, ('.7:?

296,716

Ita'y

Ur,,L>9i;

11.531

United Kingdom

2,023.900

151,233

Germany

ri9,s.ii7i

—

Sweden

140.S66

19.S11

Italy

382,281

188,455

United Kingdom

."i9:i.7H7

147.41.S

Switzerland

70,71."i

18,304

United States

120.789

373,930

Belgium

299,199

Holland

56. 1 4 1

2,60><

France

73.873

6.971

France

17S..">4S

2."), 6.^2

Austria-Hungary

53,970

—

Belgium

33.047

—

Italy

oG,9.")i)

14,019

Spain

1 7.254

7,325

Holland

1.677

1,368

Australia

29.251

—

Paraguay

—

102.621

Spain

—

9.989

Canada

2.-i,2l>.-)

2,074

Canada

3.377

—

S»itz3rland

769

12,640

Other countries

.-)(;.124
i.7:i4,4tiS

14,.53.5

Other countries

Total

32,259

7.307

Other countries

Total

901

1.808

Total

.-.00,414

6,210.438

1,039.897

4,945.631

746,430

., 1918

—

367,157

.. 1918

732.956

„ 1918

—

655,102

„ 1919, fi mos.

—

219.288

„ 1919, 6 mos.

—

514.799

„ 1919, 6 mos

—

394,023

The drive mo.st extensively adopted for electric generating
sets in the Argentine for some time to come is likely to be
oil, more particularly in view of the promising results which
have attended the working of the Comodoro Kivadavia field.
The production does not yet suffice for more than a small
part of the fuel requirements of the country, but development
has been retarded by the difficulties of obtaining tank
steamers, machinery, and plant during the war. Since Mr.
Chalkley 's report was written, the Buenos .\ires and Pacific
Eailway Co. has made arrangements to take an active part
in working the field. It may be added that petroleum also
exists in the districts of Jujuy, Salta, Mendoza, and Neuquen.

There arc no developments to report in connection with
electric traction, the only line so operated being one of the
three suburban sections at Buenos .\ires, of the Central
Argentine Pvailway, which section was electrified three years

The year 19'20 ojiened with most satisfactory prospects for
Argentine prosperity. That such prosperity is of importance
in the economic reconstruction of Europe will be realised
from the fact that with a population of less than 9 million
inhabitants the Republic imports goods, the bulk of which
Europe could uurnially supply, to the value of ±'100,000,(KK>
per annum, and exports products which Europe needs to
a value which is approaching £''200,000,000 annually.

The war had the etleet of throwing Argentina on its own
resources, consolidating the po.sition it had secured, com-
pelling the accumulation of wealth by production, enforcing
economy in consumption, and curtailing opportunities for the
extravagance, unproductive expenditure, and infiated credit
trading which had become a habit. The result is, that the
country, although expansion has been suspended for five
years, is richer as a nation than at any previous time, with

442

THE ELECTEICAL KEVIEW. LVoi. 87. No. 2,236, ootober 1, 1920.

a large part of its foreign i<idebtedness liquifiated, tW exports
of produce shox\iijg every" yi-ar an excess over importc<l
merchandise and commerce finaucially sound.

The total value of the .\rgentine import trade may, as
stated, he taken at ii(l(),UtKI,(HIO sterling, including cost,
freight, and insurance at Argentine ports. Before the w.ar
the United Kingdom held steadily 31 per cent, of this trade,
while the United States held 15 per cent. The position at
the end of the first year from the conclusion of the war is
that the United States has secured 3.3 per cent, of the Argen-
tine import trade, while the United Kingdom retains some
'2<» per cent.

In -the_ competition between the United States and the
United Kingdom, the prospects of the United Kingdom would
normally dejjend upon the demand for her goods, prices, and
credit facilities. To-day they depend upcjn ahility to supply
and prices. .-^11 conditions of demand are heavily in favour
of the United Kingdom, the exten.sion of credits has become
a .secondary consideration, and the problem is simphfied to
a question of delivery, prices, and freights. If Briti.sh manu-
facturers can deliver in approximately the same time as their
United States competitors, at prices which are equivalent
to or not greatly in excess of those of the United States,
they should regain their leading position in the Argentine
mai-ket.

British trade has the advantage of a strong and firmly
established connection with Argentina in the form, first, of
lesiilrnt Piiitish firms and traders with life-long experience of
the ici|nin-iiicnts of the market, and, secondly, of the old-
establi.slied houses of other nationalities in Buenos .^ires,
whose appreciation of British exporters' methods and mer-
chandise has been greatly increased by their experiences
during the war. This advantage of established connections
and mutual knowledge will have great weight if Briti.sh in-
dustries can pi-oduce the merchandise required at competitive
prices.

There is also on the side of the British the legitimate in-
fluence due to the heavy inve.stment of British capital in
Argentine enterprises of all descriptions. The place of the

United Kingdom an tlie source of such caj)ital has not been
taken by any other country. The United States increased
their trade by following the Ceiman system of merchanting
rather than the Britifih system of investing, and for that
reason tlieii- profSpects 'may l)e regarded as being less favour-
able."-

Representatives of German manufacturers are olTering mer-
chandise on the Argentine iiiarliet at prices below fhii.se at
present ruling for similar articles. Tlie.sc agents admit that
the goods on offer are from stock, and that fii-ni firders for
new articles cannot be taken hy them at present. The prin-
cipal lines offereJ by German agents arc industrial machinery,
hardware, heavy chemicals, and anihne dyes. ' Sellers are
(looting in marks for shipment f.o.b. Amsterdam, without
promise of fixed dates for dehvery.

It is good news to learn from Mr. Chalkley's report that
there is no longer much ground for tlie critici.sms made before
the war of lack of interest and conservative methods on the
part of the British manufacturers. In view of the difliculties
of transformmg industries from a war to a peace basis, of the
uncertainty with regard to labour, raw materials, &c., and
of the more intensive demand on production of the home,
colonial, anil European markets, they have done as much
as could be expected since the Armistice in the way of pre-
parations to regain their former trade in the Argentine market.
Importers report that British manufacturers are more willing
to receive particulars of and to comply with si)ecial local
requirements than they were before the war. Keen repre.sen-
tatives of an acceptable standard continue, to arrive at Buenos
.\ires, fresh agency arrangements are being formed and
existing agencies revised, while new methods of propaganda,
investigation, and selling organisations are being adopted.
The Biitish textiles, machine tools, agricultural machinery,
electrical and aviation industries have shown special activity
in this respect.

All these efforts should hear good results when settled
conditions of labour in the United Kingdom will permit
of their being followed by production and export on a large
scale.

MODERN MARINE PROBLEMS.

By C. V. DRYSDALE, O.B.E., D.Sc, M.I.E.E.

iAhstract of the Eleventh Kelrin Lertiire delivered hefoi'e the Institution of Electbical Engineers.)

(_Conclvded from page 411.)

IV. General Scientific Rese.\ech.

The last section deals with fundamental scientific research.
The great importance of a thorough knowledge of submarine
physics, and especially of the. transmission of disturbances of
every character through the sea is insisted on. The chief
fundamental questions to be settled are the laws of propaga-
tion of act)ustic, electromagnetic, and optical waves in the
sea. In addition it is most necessary to have methods of
measuring the absolute values of the energy, itc, transmitted
and received, and for investigating the properties of various
transmitters and receivers.

The velocity of propagation of sound in sea water may
be taken as 15,1'20 meti-es per second at 1G.7 deg. C., as
compared with about 14,.5UO metres per second for fresh
water. The variation of velocity w-ith temperature, which is
probably somewhat high, has not yet been determined, but
experiments are in progress at Shandon.

During 'the ijast year considerable development has been
carried out on the metrical determination of sound intensities.
As a standard source of sound a transmitter was used that
was excited by a high alternating voltage derived from a
valve oscillating set which produced sound waves of known
amplitude. The received intensity can be observed by a
standard receiver connected to a three-valve resistance am-
plifier and a thermo-galvaiKinii'ter. Potentiometer methods
of measuring the amiililii;itiiiii have been devised. Up to
the present these niethnds have been employed chiefly for
determining the characteristics of various forms of receivers
and fig. 13 shows the variation of the potential difference
developed by a magnetophone for diflerenf frequencies, for
a constant amplitude of the standard source. The magneto-
phone was connected in line with a single 4,000-ohm ear-
piece, with a constant pressure of 800 volts at the source, corre-
sponding to a maximum amplitude of 2.74x10-° cm. The
natural frequency of the magnetophone receiver in au' was for
curve A 1,300. and for B 600; hydrophone at 2 cm. from
the surface. This curve strikingly shows the selective pro-
perties of the receiver owing to the natural frequency of its
diaphragm, and illustrates how such a receiver may modify
the nature of the sound received.

The lecturer has proposed to extend these methods for a
complete investigation of the transmission and reflection of
sound in the sea, but to employ the a.c. potentiometer for
the measurements, as this determines both the magnitude
and phase of the disturbance. .\s this potentiometer will
make measurements at a frequency of 1,000 cycles per second

to within 0.0001 volt, and within 0.1 or 0.3 degree of phase,
it is particularly suitable for the pm-pose. At this frequency
1 degree of phase displacement corresponds to a time difference
of l/3G0,000th second, so that 0.2 degree corresponds to about
one two-millionth second, and the time required for an acoustic
wave to travel only one foot can be determined to about one
part in 400 or closer. By using a standard transmitter of
spheincal form, and employing the potentiometer in conjunc-
tion with a receiver and resistance capacity ampUfier, measure-

Pio. 13. — Calibration Cvhves ior .\ui-nRivE Magnetophoxe.

ments can be accurately ma<le over short distances, and can,
therefore, be carried out for a preliminary investigation iu
a moderate-sized tank without serious troulde from bottom
and side reflections, which can he practically eliminated if
necessary by suitable acoustic lagging. In this way tempera-
ture changes can be conveniently studied.

The importance of research on electromagnetic propagatiop,
on account of the high absorption of sea water, has been

Vol. 87. No. 2,236, October 1, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

443

emphasised. In January, 1918, the lecturer made approxi-
mate measurements to ascertain the etlect of absorption on
the E.M.F. induced in a search coil lyinj,' on tlie bottom, in
the middle of a rectangular loop SOOX'JUO yards wide, laid
in the mouth of Harwich Harliour in about '20 ft. of water.
These measurements were made by means of a galvanometer
and rotating commutator on board a moored .ship from which
alternating current was suppUed to the loop, and showed
that at frequencies from 10 to 20 cycles per second the loss
of E.M.F. by absorption was only 10 to i) per cent. The
position of the loop was located by a search coil and tele-
phone with amplifier sunilar to the arrangement afterwards
employed for tlie aural leader gear. Certain phenomena
connected with leader gear led to further investigation of
the magnetic field surrounding the cable at sonic frequencies,
with the result of discovering that this field was nearly
horizontal at moderate distances from the cable, instead of
nearly vertical, as would be anticipated from the ordinary
theory. When the visual leader gear was proposed, _ it
was anticipated from the small amount of absorption
found at sub-sonic frequencies that the distortion would
also be small, but experiments soon showed that this
was not the case, and a series of field disturbance tests were
made by means of the inclined coils on H.M.S. Auricula at
various frequencies from 10 to ■50 cycles per second showing
large distortion ^hich increased as the frequency was
raised. By connecting the coils in series it was pos-
sil)le to estimate the relative phases of the electro-
motive forces in the two coils, from which it appeared that
the field was of an elliptically rotating character in this region.
The.se experiments were conducted on an ii-on ship, but tlie
coils were .so large and high that it is not probable that very

Cjik SecCmif

Fig. 14.— .\uraxgement.s for Field and Current Distriddtion
Tests Round Submarine Cable.

serious distortion was caused by the hull. A mathematical
investigation indicated that the etlect was most probably due
to the " skin etlect " in the water, which caused the return
current from the end of the cal>le through the sea to crowd
in upon and over the cable, and also to refraction of the
electromagnetic waves on escaping from the sea into the air.
Preparations are now nearly completed for a rigorous experi-
mental investigation of this phenomenon. A wooden barge
is being equipped with a tall wooden mast, to the upper and
lower ends of which a pair (jf horizontal and vertical search
coils are fixed for determining the two conipunrnts (jf the
magnetic field (tig. 11). Thi' niiist can be raised and lowered
so that the two upper coils can be fixed at any desired height
above the surface, and the two lower ones at any 'depth be-
neath it. In addition, a long horizontal spar with electrodes
at its ends is attached to the bottom of the mast, and leads
brought along it which as well as the connections from the
four search coils are brought into a multicore cable running
to an observing hut on Shandon pier. This pier contains an
A.c. potentiometer which will measure the amplitude and
phase of the e.m.f. induced in the search coils and of the
potential difference l)etween the electrodes which is propor-
tional to the current density in the .sea.

The cable is laid for a distance of about 2 miles along the
loch as straight as possible, and about 300 yards from the
observation hut. At a point directly opposite the pier a junc-
tion box is inserted containing a 0.01-ohm re.sistance, the
potential terminals of which are connected through a two-core

cable to the potentiometer. This enables the magnitude and
phase of the current to be determined in the portion of the
cable where the measmeinents are being made, and eliminates
the effect of attenuation, which may be of importance at
frequencies of 1,0<J<J-2,(IOO cycles per second up to which it
is proposed to carry the observations.

To keep the barge in a definite position relatively to the
cable when observations are being made, a rope is run from
the pier to a mooring in the Gareloch, and passes over a
winch drum on the barge, so that .it can be warped along the _
rope into any position. Ranges will be taken by a 9-ft. Barr '
and Stroud range tinder installed in the observation hut.

In connection with these tests a .second series of observa-
tions will be made on the electromagnetic field produced
by circular and square coils when submerged. This is not
only of great theoretical interest, but has an impoi'tant bearing
on the question of electromagnetic detection.

An appendix to the lecture gives an outline of the mathe-
matical treatment of the subject, and a table of absorptions
of plane electromagnetic waves of various frequencies is at-
tached. For the purpose of this calculation a reliable de-
termination of the specific resistance of sea water was required,
and a Kelvin double-bridge arrangement was devised for the
purpose. The measurements gave a specific resistance of 27
ohms per cm. cube for water from Harwich Harbour mouth,
and of 2i ohms per cm. cube for open sea_ water off Wey-
mouth, with a temperature coefficient of minus 3 per cent,
per deg. C. in each case. These values were found to be
independent of current frequency and dimensions over wide
limits. Other appendices deal with the theories of acoustic
transmission and of 3-station sound ranging.

Another point of great interest is the existence of electrical
currents in the sea due to tidal and wave motion in the
earth's magnetic field, which were predicted by Faraday, and
have been experimented with by Dr. F. B. Young. Tliese
requu'e investigation, as their behaviour is complicated by the
nature of the channel or sea bed. It is possible that their
elucidation may have important consequences in relation to
submarine telegraphy.

As regards the future, as soon as the above-mentioned
fundamental researches on transmission for which the Gare-
loch is specially suitable are completed, which will take about
a year, the Shandon Experimental Station will be transferred
to a new Admiralty physical lal>oratnry to be built close to
the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington, the sea
experiments being conducted at Portsmouth or elsewhere.
The general direction of scientific research at the Admiralty
is now in the hands of the new Director of Scientific Re-
search, Mr. F. E. Smith, P.R.S., who is co-ordinating th6
pure scientific research and experimental work with the
developmental work of the existing naval stations. It is
hoped in this way to obtain the maximum of efficiency and
co-operation without undue overlapping. . - - - ■

It appears probable that immense gain as regards navigation
will result from the work already done and in progress; the
results already achieved are remarkable, and form a tribute
to the initiative and resourcefulness of British scientific
workers. It only remains to add that the work has been
continued since the end of the war without any abatement
of enthusiasm or energy, although with greatly reduced
numbers. ,

Scientific and Industrial Researcii. — The Coffimittee

of the Privy Council for Sriciitiilc and Industrial Research
has just issued its lifth ainiuiil report (C'lnd. 'JO;'), 11. M. Sta-
tionery Office, price Is. net). The report states that the pro-
gramme of the department can now be classiliod under four
main heads, viz. : The encouragement of the individual re-
search worker; the organisation of national industries into
co-operative research associations ; the direction and co-ordina-
tion of research for national purposes, and the aiding of suit'-
able researchi^s undi-'taken oy scientific and professional
societies. .\s ici^jnls the first class of work, since the depart-
ment's ince|ilioii l^Ii'i maintenance grants have been made to
students and Mi) to independent workers. Forty-nine grants
have been made to provide professors w'ith comiietent research
assistants, and 87 to give them other assistance, and during
the same period 19 eiiuipment grants have been made. Exix^n-
diture in this diictinn has inrrra.scd fmiu i':i,'JI7 in 191(;-17
to about .i''2('i,7(W) this ye.ir. Eighteen research associations
have been established, and five others will shortly receive
licences. Ten of the associations have raised from their 2.3(X)
members an aggregate income of f 40,000. f 63.800 has already
l)een expended out of the million-pound fund granted by
Parliament for research associations, and commitments stand
at MaOXm for established bodies, and £120,000 for those
approved but not licensed. Negotiations are now proceeding
for the establishment of other research associations, and the
total commitments are expected to reach :68OO,0O0 shortly.
Over 2,5lX) firms have guaranteed an aggregate amount of
£38,400 a year for five years. In addition to a review of tlie
subjects of national importance specially dealt with, the
report gives the pcrsotniel of the various committees and sub-
committees appointed, as well as a list of publications by
individuals in receipt of grants. The report is very fully
indexed.

444

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No 2,236, October 1, 1920.

THE MUNICIPAL TRAMWAYS ASSOCIATION

(INCORPORATED.)— III.

The Municipal Tramways Associatios at Cabdifp.

1913—14,

1919-20.

1GC,.04I1

17i;.400

£13!1.577

£:«8.3il5

iG/yj

4i/ir3d.

13,3.i0

10,780

679

H-59

Operating Costs: Power Expenses.

By a. L. C. fell

(General Manager, London County Council Tramways.)
(Abstract.)

Fuel. — The principal item of working expenditure, in order
of magnitude, connected with the generation of electrical
energy i.s fuel, and as this now represents from 75 to 80 per
cent, of the cost of producing electrical energy at the power
station, it is well worth while to see what can be done to
effect economies.

Before the war it was possilile to issue a fairly close specifi-
cation for coal, and payment was made for value received.
Since 1914, however, anything available has had to be taken,
and absolute rubbish has been supplied in innumerable in-
stances, notwithstanding all tKe complaints made to the
authorities concerned.

To-day the situation is still unsatisfactory. The following
particulars with regard to the coal supply to the London
County Council's Greenwich Power Station may be of in-
terest : —

Tons of f ael bamt

Total cost of fuel bnrnt

Average price paid per ton for coal
Average calorific value British thermal units
Average percentage of ath ... ...

It will be seen that the fuel supplied in 1919-20 contained
7.8 per cent, more ash than that supplied during 1913-4. or
a total increase in the waste material supplied to the station
of 13,759 tons. Tliis waste material, paid for at 41/11.3d. per
ton, represents a dead loss of ^'iS.Sol during the year. In
addition, the extra cost of liarging away the ashes at 3s. 8d.
per cubic yard amounted to iC,3(l6. and owing to the increas-
ing cost of labour, this figure will become more serious as
time goes on. The present cost of barging amounts to 4s. 9d.
per cubic yard, or a total cost of barging the above quantity
of ash would amount to approximately i8,170. In addition
to this, it has been necessary to incur very heavy expenditure
at the station for labour in connection with the removal of
ashes. The figures quoted would have been considerably
higher, as a larger amount of fuel would have been consumed
in 1919-30, if it had not been possible to bring into commis-
sion more economical generating plant.

The arrangements with regard to grading coal should be
co-ordinated by the suppliers and transport agencies, so that
the Icfwest-grade coal may be utili.sed where the least trans-
port is necessary, and the quality should improve as the
distance from the source becomes greater. By the exercise of
a little common sense on the part of the suppliers and dis-
tributors, considerable economies might be effected at once.
The Government should be pressed to take action.

The introduction of oil fuel in generating stations, which
are not situated in suitable piL^iitions to obtain coal gas at the
colHeries. would offer great advantages. One of the principal
items of expenditure in connection with fuel is transport, and

oil could be delivered in bulk under advantageous conditions
at a aiinimum cost for labour. In this form fuel could be
made available containing a very small percentage of waste
material.

In the autumn of 1917, under-feed grates were fitted to four
boilers at the Greenwich Power Station, with a view to burn-
ing coke for steam raising. At first the results were not
very successful, but after many experiments had been carried
out, a type of arch was found, with which satisfactory results
were obtained, and, at the price of cnke at that date, con-
siderable saving was effected by burning coke on these grates.

Early in 1918, experiments were also carried out at Green-
wich, with a view trf burning coke on the " sandwich system
on the Stirling boilers, i.e., a layer of coke was laid on the
grate with a layer of coal above it. These experiments proved
successful, and. when the Coal Controller decided to curtail
coal supplies by 15 per cent., it was found possible to make
up the deficiency by using coke in this manner. The results
obtained were so satisfactory that the Coal Controller re-
cognised them as being of pubUc service, and arranged for
engineers from other undertakings to inspect the lay-out, with
a view to adopting a similar sy.stem..

Since that date, however, the price of coke has risen con-
siderably, and, from a financial standpoint, there is very little
advantage in using coke at the present time. Moreover, it is
necessary to install special coke-cutting or crushing apparatus,
and generally to alter the shoots for the supply of this fuel.

The question of .storage is important, as broken coke occupies
about 75 cubic feet and coke breeze occupies about 60 cubic
feet, against 45 cubic feet per ton of coal, as coke has a
calorific value of about 11,6(X) b.th.u. per lb., with 10 per
cent, of ash, whilst coke Ijreeze has a corresponding value
of about 9.00(1 B.TH.U.. with 18 to '20 per cent, of ash.

During the year ended March 31st. 1920, about 25,0lX) tons
of coke iind coke breeze were liurnt at Greenwich, represent-
ing about 14 iier cent, of the total fuel.

With Scotch nuts at 42s. per ton. and coke breeze at 22s. Cd.
per ton. the cost per thousand pounds of steam is approxi-
mately 19s. fid. with approximately equal quantities of each
fuel, as against 23s. 2d. with nuts alone. The coke was sup-
plied from a gas works situated only a short distance from
the station.

It has for some time been realised that it is essential to
have a skilled Ijoiler-house engineer who can devote his whole
time to fuel combustion problems, but it should also be
recognised that to get the best results it is necessary to have
the assistance of a fully-qualified chemist at the station. At
Greenwich this has been found a most economical arrange-
ment; the chemist appointed is lent to the tramway depart-
ment, and works under the direction of the Council's chief
chemist, who himself is called into consultation as neces-
sity arises. Tlie duties jierfonned by the chemist, so far as
the boiler hfiu.se is concerned, are as follows : —

1. Tests of fuel to determine calorific value, moisture, Ac,
both on supplies received and on representative samples
taken from the liunkers.

2. Test (if furnace ash, to ascertain whether all the com-
bustible matter has been fully utihsed.

Vol. 17. No. »,236, ooTOHJB 1, i«2o.] THE ELECTRICAL REYIEW.

445

3. Tests of tiue gases, to determine whether the fuel is
being burnt to the best advantage.

4. Tests of boiler feed water and condensate, to ascertain
whether impurities likely to affect the boilers and plant in
an adverse manner are present.

5. Tests on boiler water, to determine the concentration of
salts and the necessity for blowing down.

6. Tests on water before and after softening, and on the
lime used for this purpose.

In addition, tests are carried out on deposits from leaking
steam pipe joints and in all cases of boiler corrosion.

In cases where the generating station is not large enough to
justify the appointment of special officers for the purpose, ar-
rangements might be made by the municipality for this work
to be done in conjunction with other chemical investigations.

Further Possibilities of Economy. — The London County
Council approved a scheme granting 50 per cent, of the value
of the direct saving in fuel due to decreased consumption of
electrical energy effected by motormen and conductors in
the operation of the Council's tramways. The scheme has
not been so successful as was anticipated, but it is formulated
on right principles. The influx of new men since the scheme
w-as introduced has militated against its success, but it is
still believed that, with the co-operation of the men, it is pos-
sible to make a scheme of this descriptiijn a success.

On a system such as that in Ijondou, where there is an
enormous peak load for a brief period in the morning and
again in the evening, trailer cars have proved to be very
economical, especially from a power-saving point of view, and
a reconmiendation is now being put forward to the Ministry
of Transport for an extended use of trailer cars on the London
County Council system.

Statistics obtained from metered readings, &c., on cars in
regular service in London, with and without trailers respec-
tively, averaged over a period of 45 weeks, gave the following
results : —

.Tractor and trailer
Tractor only . . .

'2.87 units p. cm.
•2.(14 units p. cm.

Thus the average energy consumption for a car and trailer is
only approximately 3U per cent, higher than that for tractor
only. The passenger seating capacity of the tractor was 78
and fur trailer 4C.

In l'Jl'2 a series of tests were carried out, when the average
current taken for a tractor car was found to be 1.8 amps, per
pa.sseuger, and for tractor and trailer combined 1.22 amps, or
a reduction of 32 per cent, per passenger, due to the employ-
ment of the trailer car. The passenger seating capacity of
the cars used for this test was tractor 62 and trailer 46; the
cars were loaded with sand to approximate fully loaded ser-
vice conditions. It should be noted that the journals of all
the trailer cars in London are fitted with radial ball bearings.
Tests taken on the level showed tue ti-active effort at the
drawbar to be 17.02 lb. per ton of load with these bearings,
as against 38.03 lb. per ton of load when the journals were
fitted with bronze bearings, and to this fact the low energy
consumption can be partly attributed.

The generating station staff' really only has to deal with
the economies which can be effected in connection with pro-
duction and reference must be made to those responsible
for the consumption of the power so produced. For instance,
the traffic start' is responsible for the proper and economical
operation of the cars; the prevention of unnecessary stopping
and starting, brakes being applied with power on, reckless
speeds, &c. The rolling stock staff is respon.sible for proper
equipment and subsequent maintenance of the cars, by neglect
on its part the consumption of electrical energy may go up
by leaps and bounds ; items like trucks out of line, tight
brake blocks, armatures on pole pieces, defective gears, de-
fective lubrication, &c., all require constant attention. Again,
the permanent way staff may also be respon.sible for increasing
consumption due, inter alia, to rails not being to gauge, rails
being so worn or paving so defective that motor cases drag
on the road, or defective track, which may make it impos-
sible to drive cars at an economical speed, dirty track, also
power wasted when grinding or welding rails, &c.

It will thus be seen that all sections of a tramway depart-
ment are responsible in some degree for the consumption of
electrical energy, and it .shows how necessary it is, if the
best results are to be obtained, that, not only should the
officers co-operate and study the position from a broad point
of view, but the employes in all sections should be brought
into touch with the work as a whole by regular lectures and
demonstrations. So far, schools have been principally pro-
vided for the education of motormen in their duties. These
should be extended, so that the education of all employes, as
far as the tramways are concerned, may be made a strong
feature of the organisation. Anything which makes the em
ployes more competent and interested in their work will benefit
the undertaking.

One wi.shes it were possible to institute some scheme under
which the staff and the employes would have a direct financial
interest in the success of the undertaking. This would have
a very direct effect, not only in the reduction of power ex-
penses, but in the whole fin.ancial results. It is certainlv
a matter which should be considered bv the Whitley Council.

.\ large iiiimber of municipal undertakings obtain their
power sunplv from the lightint; rlepartment. A Joint Com-
mittee of the Incorporated Municipal Electrical Association

and the Municipal Tramways Association was set up and
issued a detailed report " On Charges for Electrical Energy
supplied for Traction Purposes from Combined Stations," in
September, 1911. but as changes may have taken place it
would be advantageous if the basis of charge could be re-
viewed at the present time. The executive might be instructed
to take the matter into consideration, and, if necessary, confer
with the Incorporated Municipal Electrical Association.

.\n endeavour has been made in this paper to show that,
even under one head of account, such as power expenses,
there are vast numbers of unexplored problems which are
worthy of consideration with a view to effecting further
economies, and thus proving that the anti-tramway cry that
" tramw-ays are dead " and " their day is done " is not true
and is only used by those who do not think, or by those who
h^ve induced local authorities to provide road tracks free of
cost for the use of their free-lance passenger transport vehicles.

Tramways in the past have rightly or wrongly borne many
burdens, and, when comparing one form of traction with
another, it is necessary to consider the whole eost of provid-
ing the services rendered, if justice is to be done. Even if
the matter is judged on the question of power expenses alone,
there is no cheaper form of vehicle on the streets of a busy
city to-day than the electric traracar.

Discussion on Mr. Fell's Paper.

Clr. F.MLIN (Bradford) referred to the advantages of co-
operation, and pointed out that the Works Committees, which
had not yet been started, W'ould facilitate it.

Mr. C. J. Spencer (hon. member) agreed that it was most
important to economise powder, and regretted to hear that
the L.C.C. bonus scheme had not succeeded. He had put
in operation a bonus scheme during the war which effected
a reduction of 15 to 20 per cent, .\fterwards the men asked
for an equivalent increase of wages instead of the bonus,
assuring him that the standard attained would be maintained;
he agreed to this, but the result was that the consumption
of energy was as high as ever again. He believed in the
system of payment by results. Ball-bearings had been found
useful on trailer cars, and might equally well be fitted on
motor cars. As tramway men. they were not looking far
enough ahead. There was no cheaper vehicle on the street
than the tramcar. hut it could be made a good deal cheaper
still. The .Association should give attention to the technical
side of the business. He had seen a motor of one-third the
weight, and 10 per cent, higher efficiency than the ordinary
motor; it was .shunt wound, and had a worm drive. There
was clearly room for great improvements to be made.

Mr. CuNLiFFE (MetropoIitan-'V'ick«rs, Ltd.), speaking as a
former rnember, having been connected with the Manchester
Corporation tramways, said that the running costs could be
reduced by increasing the efficiency of the cars. To that
end they needed new machinery, on new principles, with
better construction, and running at lower temperatures (the
temperatures now attained destroyed the insulation). New
designs were already available, w'ith better insulation, more
durable gearing, &c. The cost would be an immediate burden,
but in five years it would be paid for by the saving effected,
and in that period there would be no maintenance cost to
s|ieak of. In many undertakings the capitalised equivalent
of the maintenance was greater than the actual cost ; one
London undertaking was spending 20 per cent, of the original
cost on maintenance annually. In other directions also,
such as the construction of controllers, car-bodies, and trucks,
the tramways were years behind the motor-car industry.
They were not using special steels or aluminium, or machined
joints in theii- trucks, or roller bearings; one Corporation,
however, had (50 sets on order with roller bearings, which
not only reduced friction losses, but also ensured that the
armature would never touch the poles. Further, power brakes
should be employ«»d ; all .\merican and many Continental
undertakings used them. An American compound wound
motor had been introduced with shunt control, giving two
running notches in .series as well as parallel, without resist-
ance losses, making a saving of 20 per cent. Single-helical
gearing reduced noise and vibration, and had five times the life
of straight-t<>othe<l gearing, partly owing to heat treatment.
The maintenance cost of any tramway system over ten years
old could be reduced to one-tenth its present value by the
adoption of new designs.

Mr. .A. R. Framnlicy (Sheffield) took exception to Mr. Cun-
liffe's denunciation of British tramway practice ; having had
30 years' experience with tramways and eight w-ith motor
'bu.ses. he denied that they were behind the times. Mr.
C'unliffe's reiniirks apparently applied to the American equip-
ments nl' tell years ago. He had tried American power brakes,
;iiiil ^ci-iiiiHil them, and was now trying air brakes. On the
Slicliiclil tramways every gear-wheel was hardened and giving
a long life: he had tried helical gears, and watched them melt
away. British practice was cautious and .sound.

Mr. R. H. Cami'Iox (Chesterfield) .said he was burning six
times as much coke as coal, hand fired — but not gasworks
coke. He bad tried to introduce bonus .schemes, but his
connnittee would not adopt them; as long as CO. recorders
worked well, the stokers would take an interest in their
work and save fuel.

Mr. Fell briefly replied.

U6

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. no. 3,236, octobeb 1, 1920.

Report and Accounts.

The report of the Executive Council showed that the total
membership was :— Ordinary members (local authorities) 9J,
(general managers) SJ'2; associates '21. The total number of
local authorities owning and working trumways was 98.

The representatives of the Association appointed to serve on
the panel of experts to advise and as.sist the Minister of Trans-
port were Messrs. A. Baker, J. Dalrymple, A. R. Fearnley,
A. L. C. Fell, G. W. Holford, J. M. McElroy.

During the current year, the period of five years covereil
liy the existing agreement w'ith the Board of Inland Revenue
will expire, under which the rate of annual allowance for
wear and tear of motor omnibuses was fixed at '20 per cent,
on the written down value. At the request of the Board,
Messrs. Baker and Fearnley, with the General Secretary, were
app.ointed to represent the Association at the Conference of
other organisations concerned, and the Board, to reconsider
the subject.

AVith regard to the proposed increase of taxation upon
mechanically prdpelled road yehicles, the Association asked
the Miiii.ster of Transport to bear in mind the equitable claim
of tramway authorities throughout the country in any scheme
for the distiibution of taxation derived directly from road
vehicles.

The Special Committee appointed in 1917 (upon wliich repre-
.sentatives of the Tramways and Light Railways .Vssociatinn
were also appoint«.'d) to consider the standardisation of over-
head line material, completed its report after having held 30
meetings.

The report (with suggested specifications and illustrative
fh-awings) was approved by the Executive Council, which
resolved that the present members of the Special Committee
be constituted a Standing Committee.

On July 9th a letter was addressed to the Secretary of the
Rates Advisory Committee, stating that the Association had
laid down the general proposition that tramways should be
self-supporting and should not depend upon compulsory local
taxation for any subventions to meet deficiencies in revenue.
This proposition had been concurred in by the National Joint
Industrial Council for the tramway industry. Owing to the
substantial increase in wages and the enormous increase in
the cost of materials and all operating charges, as well as in
the rate of interest now paid by all local authorities, over
75 per cent, of the municipal tramways would, according to
the Budgets for the current year, be carried on at a loss, and
some of them were receiving material rate-aid.

In assessing a new scale of fares, the Executive Council
urged that the time was now ripe for the abolition of charges
for W'oi'kmen's cars that were in general operating at a loss,
which loss must fall upon (n) either another class of pas.senger,
many of vfhom were now receiving lower rates of wages than
such workmen. Or (li) the whole local community in the shape
of local rates. This resulted in a great social injustice, which
rested on no sort of principle, and which was no longer defen-
sible.

The Executive Council decided to recommend the establish-
ment, during the current year, of a quarterly journal, to be
called " The Journal of the Municipal Tramways A.s.sociation,"
as the official medium by which members might be informed,
continuously, of all oflicial proceedings relating to the tram-
way industry; of the proceedings of the National Council, and
the Standing Committee of th;it Council, and of the decisions
arrived at between the various Muii.stries of State and the
Association.

The gross revenue from the tramway undertakings operated
by the local authorities in membership during the financial
year, 1919--2(), \\;is i'-j:;.ii.")(;.!l4.-,.

Interim (lidii,- h;i\.' Im.ii granted to '27 tramway under-
takings, aullioiism;; mcivii.-ies in the statutory maximmn
charges under the Tramways (Temporary Increase of Charges)
.\ct,. 1920.

The accounts showed receipts i£4,48'2, expenses £'4,'25.5,
leaving a surplus for the year of £'2-27. The receipts included
£3,066 for the annual sub.scriptions of local authorities,
together with i'1,3.54 special subscriptions to defray the cost
of the wages arbitration proceedings in Septendier and
October, 1019. Amongst the expenses were those of the
representatives attending meetings of the National Joint In-
dustrial Coimcil for the Tramway Industry, its committees,
Ac, amounting, with printing, i-c, to ii,l'2a. The wages
arliitration expenses were 361,376.

THE MACHINE-TOOL AND ENQINEERINQ
EXHIBITION.

Japanese Exports. — It is stated that the value of the

exports of (lectriral machinery, apparatus, lamps, wire, and
insulated conductors from Japan in 1919 amounted to 16,709,000
yen, liemg a reduction of 3,167,0(X) yen. as compared with the
preceding year. Shipments to Russia, including Siberia, ^\rvv
brought to a standstill, but no noteworthy dimimition took
place m the exports to China, India, and the South Pacific
countries. During the first two months of 19'20 the exp(]rts
of machinery and apparatus were of the value of .V2S,(KI0 yen
(380,000 yen in corresponding period of 1919), electric lamps
150,000 yen (314 .OX) yen), telephone apparatus '259 000 ven
(.39.000 yen), copper wire 41.").tK)0 ven ('24'2 (XH) ven and
insulated wire 1,0.30,(X)0 ven (1,649.(XJ0 ven). ' "

(f'li III! tided from jiage 416.)

ME.SSRS. John Stibk 4: Sons, Ltd., Halifax.— During the war,
upwards of 2,500 machine toola were made by the firm for various
Government factories, including a record order for planing
machines for the heavy gun profrramme, .5 ft. X ."> ft. X 16 ft.
machines, 117 being actually delivered at the time of the Armistice.
Since the cessation of hostilities, concentrated attention has been
given to the production of planers and borinpr mills ; eight sizes of
belt-driven planers, 12 sizes of Stirk hiloplanes, and 12 sizes of
boring mills comprise the full range of machines at present under-
taken, but these are cut down to six standard size planers, three
hiloplanes and three boring mills for quantity production, and an
example from each of these three lines was included in the exhibit,
which consisted of the following machines, all shown in operation : —
A 6 ft. X 5 ft. >. 1() ft. Stirk hiloplane, exhibited in public for the
first time, although examples have been in use for five or six years.
The hiloplane, fig. 27, is entirely electrically-controlled, having in
addition to electrically-operated table mechanism, electric control
of tool boxes, both automatic feeds and quick power traverses.
The whole of the patents, including reversing motor drive and
controls, are from original Stirk designs. A small Stirk planer,
2 ft. X 2 ft. X h ft., which embodies some of the outstanding
features of the hiloplane, including plate bed. A 42-in. boring
mill, complete with 7J-H.P. variable -speed motor. The drive may
also be by constant-speed belt or motor through six-speed gear box.

Fig. 27. — Electkicallv-Driven Planer, Regenerative
ON Reverse.

The Stirk split field drive for planers, &c., is of much interest to
both electrical and general engineers. The earliest automatic
reversing motor drives consisted of a D.c. motor reversed by
reversal of the armature current and controlled by one form or
another of self-acting starter. Save in special cases, this system
has almost entirely given place to some variety of the Ward-
Leonard control. Prior to liUo the chief example of this system
was the well-known "Lancashire Patent Drive," in which
the generator field connections were reversed by means of a
three-pole change-over switch operated by dogs and levers from
the planing machine table. The Laucashire-Stirk drive is an
improvement on the Lancashire drive, the principal difference being
the Stirk disk and master switch actuating a set of five contactors
which constitute the reversing switch proper, and take the place of
the oil switch. Over 100 Lanes. -Stirk drives have been sold during
1917-1'.U9. To this record is added the fact that Stirk motor-
driven planers have been supplied to six of the most important
electrical firms, and to over 12 of the leading machine tool makers.
The equipment consists of a motor-generator, motor, master switch,
starter for primary motor, contactor and regulator panel for
generator, start, stop and inching buttons. The disk and master
switch are retained to actuate two contactors which, without any
other switchgear whatever, will provide a quick-return reverse to
the table motor. This is accomplished by the division of theshunt
field windings of both generator and final motor into two sections.
In the case of the generator, the sections are connected to oppose
each other, so that alternative polarity results from the alternative
excitation of the two sections. The two sections of the motor
field are connected to agree, and one is permanently excited. The
second section is excited during the cut stroke only, and a slow
cutting speed and a quick return are thereby provided. The
" natural " range of the system may be extended indefinitely by
the variation of the generator voltage, and the standard equipment
embodies two shunt regulators, enabling cutting and return speeds
to be varied independently.

Vol. 87. No. 3,236, October 1, 1930.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

U7

The City Electrical Co., Ltd., London, arranged to have
samples of its small and fractional horse-power motors, together
with a " City" light and power plant, exhibited on the stand of
the Simoon Engineering Co., Ltd. It will be remembered that we
described and illustrated the "City' plant on p. 318 of our
September 3rd issue.

The Seal Co. (London), Ltd., Willesden Green. — This exhibit
covered a range of dry cells, Leclancho cells, and specimens of
electro-cleaning, tinning, and zinc plating. The dry cells are
manufactured in London by what is described as a new method,
which it is claimed enables the capacity output of the cell to be
increased 20 per cent, over other tyjies of cell. To fully appreciate
the merits of the electro-cleaning, the specimens must be seen ; all
kinds of articles are handled from milk churns to 60,00ii gallon vats
and stills used by margarine makers and distillers. The process
consists of first cleaning the utensU electrochemically (non-acid
solution), and when the surface hajs been rendered free from dirt,
rust, &c., a coating of new metal is deposited thereon. In the case
of milk churns, for instance, the new inside coating consists of
pare tin and the outside one of zinc.

Messrs. Bulpitt & Sons, Ltd., Birmingham. — On this stand were
the " Better Skeem " system of electric localised lighting fittings
and the " Tenbec " system of general lighting. The former system,
it will be remembered, was referred to by H.M. Inspector of
Factories, Mr. G. Scott Ram, in the Home Office report that was
published at the beginning of this year. It is a low-voltage system
of machine and bench lighting of a very novel character, and its
advantages are at once apparent on inspection. The firm was also
showing an improved self-sustaining conduit system for conducting
cutting lubricant to the required points on machine tools. This is
a new system also, and it includes a very fine (mechanically
speaking) non-choke joint, which was developed concurrently with
the lighting system referred to above. A variety of fittings of
both these systems were exhibited, and some were fixed to a thread-
milling machine driven by an electric motor, all of which were of the
firm's own manufacture.

During the Exhibition, on September 21st, a convention of
employers and employed was held, when a paper on " Unemploy-
ment, Production, High Prices, and World Competition," was read
by the Rt. Hon. G. W. Barnes, P.C, M.P., and a discussion
followed. The speaker pointed out that the four separate topics
could easily form enough for one day's discussion each, and there
was bound to be a little overlapping. Under the circumstances,
the speaker could merely deal with them in a fragmentary way.
The following is an abstract of his remarks : —

Unemployment is, perhaps, the most perplexing and vexing
question of the day, and is a constant source of fear to the manual
worker — shaping, to some extent, his mentality — hence his
occasional distrust of the motives for the introduction of new
methods and machinery. Reviewing the past 70 years, it would
appear that unemployment was less acute during the last 35 years
than before that period. There were many causes of unemploy-
ment ; bad harvests abroad, causing poverty among foreign
customers, and so leading to a slackening of demands ; change of
fashion ; uncertainty of wages and conditions in the industrial
world, when employers hesitated to take risks ; the reverse —
employers taking risks and failing. The main cause of unemploy-
ment was unbalanced production, leading to a scarcity in one
commodity while there was a surplus in another direction, as
witness the present housing shortage and boot surplus. Several
methods of steadying employment are put forward. Public
authorities should do something in the way of replenishing stocks
during periods of depression ; new methods and improved
machinery should be introduced with due regard to the main-
tenance in employment of those replaced ; industry should be
"decasualised" and provision made for retaining in an industry
only as many as can he employed for full time, and both employers'
and employes' organisations should pay more attention to the
necessities of labour as a whole. Insurance is regarded not only as
a palliative, but wUl help in finding a panacea by causing a com-
plete register of unemployed to be compiled. In reaching his next
«ubject, Mr. Barnes said that many years ago over-production was
thought to be the root of many evUs. There can be no over-
production over the whole field. There might be too little of some
things, and therefore an inability to buy other things of which
there might be a relative abundance. Production is the lite-blood
of a community, and the aim of life in all its bett activities.
Greater production ought to give greater comforts to everybody.
The requisites of good production are not long hours or
sweated labour, but chiefly the best machinery and good organ-
isation. But these alone will not result in good production ; they
require the active co-operation of the human factor. That is what
we have not got to-day, and to get it is the great need of the
industrial world. Narrow conceptions of economics lead some to
say that only an industrial revolution can bring this about, but
this is the policy of despair, leading to the worker's undoing.
Increased production in the past did not bring increased wages to
the worker on account of cut-throat competition between employer
and employer and between employed and employed, but to-day
these conditions ha^e been altered by better organisation and better
disposition. Resuming his remarks after the luncheon, Mr. Barnes
Said that the question of high prices was a ticklish topic full of
pitfalls for the unwary and Ulusions for the ill-informed. The
inflation of the currency by the printing press is one of the simple
causes of its depreciation or cheapness, or, in other words, high
prices. Inasmuch as money is the measure of all other com-
modities, there can be no great fall in price until there is
increased production of other commodities or a lessened amount of
paper money in circulation — or both. The constant rise of prices

and of wages is an absurd proceeding, as, travelling at the same
speed and in the same direction, they can never reach a level.
Engineering productions are scarce, but the real demand is
determined to a great extent by the price. A reduction in price
is, therefore, a necessity, and only mass production can enable this
to be made. This leads to the subject of world competition. We
are more concerned in this than most other countries, because we
have to purchase food abroad, while producing things we cannot
eat. Therefore, if we cannot produce and dispose of the things we
manufacture to buy our food as good and cheap as other countries,
our foreign trade will disappear. Food production in this country
has declined, and yet our prices for certain goods are so high that
even home consumers have to go abroad with their orders, as
witness Glasgow Corporation Tramways Department, which is
buying steel rails from America. Coal is also produced in smaller
quantities. Our engineering products are supreme in quality, and
we must keep that supremacy and add quantity to it. Steel
workers in America are stQl working 10 or 12 hours a day, and this
will have to be dealt with by the World Regulating Organisation,
which America should enter, and help in maintaining the peace
and improving labour conditions everywhere.

THE PROVINCIAL ELECTRIC SUPPLY COM-
MITTEE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.

Annual Genek.^l Meetino. , •

.\t the annual general meeting, on Tuesday hist, the chairman-,
Sir Harry Eenwick, K.B.B., said that his prediction that the
year 1919 was likely to he one of the most momentous in the
history of the industry hud been fully borne out by the facts
of the past year. The Electricity (Bupply) Bill had become
an Act, in, he was happy to say, a consideralily modified form.
In that mollification the Committee took a leading part. The
point of vital concern to the companies was the compulsory
purchase of their generating stations and transmission lines,
which was to be impo.sed upon them under the Bill on terms
most inadequate andurifaTr."^ Throughout the long process
of tlie Bill the Conunittee watched their interests clause by
ilau.-.e, and [nit forward innumerable amendments. The Com-
mittee met with much more favourable eonsideratiop in the
House of Lords than in the Commons, and after very great
effort, -succeeded in getting the Bill amended to its present
form, and thus at the eleventh hour saved the situation.
Strenuous work was thrown on the Executive Committee in
the many \\eary months during which the Bill was before
the two Houses. Special thanks were due to its members,
and particularly to those who formed the rarliamentary Sul>-
conunittee; he emphasised theh indebtedness to Mr. Madgen,
Mr. (jripper. Mr. Seott-Moncrieff, Mr. Spencer Hawes, Mr.
Wighain, and Sir Henry Mancc, as well as their parliamentary
agent, Mr. Sydney Morse.

The next matter of importance dealt with during the past
year was the National .Joint Industrial Council for Electricity
Supply. This Council had been placed in full working order,
and District Councils had been formed throughout the country.
The Coimcils' work had met with a eonsitlerable measure of
approval from both sides, and certainly in the electrical in-
ilusti> the system appeared to have worked better than in
;iiiy other that he was aware of. Every important matter
nlaling to w'ages and conditions of employment had been
reduced to system throughout the country. Every under-
taking came under some council which relieved it of all
trouble in considering questions of general advances, and
so on, and submitted a recommendation on any and every
point of labour which might come up for consideration. They
liad seen something of the usefulness of the National Joint
Industrial Council in the recent threatened strike. Speaking
broadly, he was convinced that for the present industrial
unrest, salvation lay in the closer union and a better under-
standing between masters and men, and the entire elimination
(jf.the politician and Covernment interference. The politician
should be kept out of wages disputes, and these should be
sittlrd by competent tribunals representing both sides. (Jo-
(i|ii'r:ition between ma.slers and men was the only way to in-
iliiNliiMl peace and to increased production, without which
they were heading straightway .to, national disaster. The
Ministiy'of Labour org.-mised a scheme for providing suitable
eniployment for disabled soldiers. inclvHling monetary grants,
when' training was necessary. The .scheme was a large and
elaborate one, and a National Advisory Council was formed
to administer the funds and carry, out the .scheme generally.
Ill' was asked by the Ministry to sit on that Council, and
with the approval of the Executive Committee he accepted
a seat. I'nder the scheme the country had been divided up
into disti-icts. each with its local advi.sory committee, -and at
the request of the Ministry they had arranged, so far as their
members were concerned, for engineers of the representa,tive
iijidertakings to sit on the local committees where possible.

.\ further Courts (Emergency Pow-ers) Act was piiss..! last
vear, entitled " Coiii-ts (Emergency Powers) Art. I'.M'.i.' and
till- 'Committee tcjok energetic action .ind nbt;nji.d a very
sMtistactorv anrendment bv which .-l.^ Ii i.- suppK' umlert.ikmg.s
had been placed in the first section oi tli. V^t whi.li Pi''^ided
power to amend agreements. Under the original .\ct they,
had no power to amend, but only to suspend .or annul a
contract. .....

448

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,236, octobbb 1, i»2o.

Messrs. Edmundsons promoted a Bill to introduce a new
basis for charging for electric supply, but the Bill was re-
jected ; their enterprise in promoting such a Bill, although
unsuccessful, had its fruits in inducing the Ministry of Trans-
port to give immediate consideration to the question of intro-
ducing a general Bill, which, he understood, included a pro-
vision to reduce the five-year period between tunes of applica-
tion at present provided by the 1899 Act. It would also bring
th(>.se companies under the Act which were now excluded,
owing to their orders dating prior to 1899. Further, in regard
ill tariffs, they were trying to obtain recognition of an alterna-
tive on an assessment liasis on some method other than a
rint iharge. The Committee was largely influential in obtain-
ing the re-introduction of the minimum charge.

The Connnittee bad a member representing it on the Briti.sh
Engineering Standards Association, and was also supporting
the Electrical Development Association.

Since the close of 1919, several matters of importance to the
industry had occurred. Chief amongst the.se was the Elec-
tricity (Supply) Bill, 19'30. There was great ppposition to
the Bill generally in the House, apart from the opposition of
the electric supply industry ; the Bill was introduced as far
back as .^pril, and it had been postponed from week to week
ever since.

The Electricity Commissioners had put into operation their
powers of delimiting areas under the Electricity (Supply) .\ct,
and eight areas had been provisionally delimited.

The Committee had met all general expenses out of the
annual subscriptions, and there was a balance to the good
of £'2Sr) at the clo.se of the year. As regards the expen.ses
of the Electricity (Supply) Bill, for this they had to raise a
special fund; there was a full and ready response to their
appeal, and the whole of the expenses were covered liy that
fund.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled eipressly lor this journal by Messrs. Sefton-Jones. O'Dell »ni
Stiphbns, Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

26.182. " Electric soldering iron." E. Wheatcrolt. September 13th.

26,194. " Electric geyst-r." W. A. Po»<ll. September 13th.

26,224. "Combined head-lamp and electric horn." Soc. Anon, des Anciens
Elablissements Secqueville et H.iyau. Sept.-inber 13th. (France, Octobef
2nd. 1919.)

26.241. " \Vireless lelegraphi." S, Hrvdiin and S. ]ohn>on. Sept.mb r
13th.

26.242. " Lighting systems for automobiles, fa." E. A. S. Gater, W. R.
r.rry, and H. Starck. ' September 13th.

26,244. " Syntonisation ol circuits u,cd in wireless signalling." R. C.
Galletti. September 13th.

26,246. " Electrolytic cell." J. Harris and J. R. Rose. September 13th.

26,257. " Electric induction motors." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. September 13th.

26,367. " Electrode holders." R. W. Heasman. September 13th.

26,268. " Indicating ringing of electric bolls, &c., to operators." F. G.
Bell, F. Clark, and Sterling Telephone & Electric Co. September. 13th.

26,273. " .\utomatic electric circuit breakers." 1'. H. Bastie and E. F.
Moy. September 13ih.

26.395. " High-voltage indicator." F. A. A. Ellmore. September 14th.
26,315. " Means for operating magneto of internal<ombustion engine."

F. Laguessc. September 14th.

26,317. "Submarine telegraph apparatus," K. E. Edgcworth. Septem-
ber 14th.

26.344. " Electric batteries." W. T. Coulson and Optalyte, Ltd. Septem-
ber 14th.

26.347. " Electric power distribution s\ stems." British Thomson-Houston
Co. and H. Trenchim. September 14th.

26.354. " Telephone transmitter moulh -pieces." C. E. O. Olliffe. Sep.
tembcr 14th,

26,382. " Electricallvoperated warning signals." D. McGregor. September
loth.

26,386. " Electric current regulators, rheostats, S:c." C. E. Falconbridge
and C. E. Falconbridge. Ltd. Sc-ptember 15th.

26.396. " lunction boxes for electric cables." Greengale & Irwell Rubb.;r
Co. and R. Povey. September 15th.

26,408. "Supporting devices for overhead contact and trollcv wires."
J. W. Astley and British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd. September 15th.

36,419. " Means for supporting telephone receivers." J. Lunzer. Sep-
tember 15th.

26.419. "Electrical turning gear for starting internal-combustion engines."
F 11. Royce. September 15th.

26.447. " Electric transformers. &c." British Thomson-Houston Co. (Gene-
ral Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. September 15th.

26,461. " Electric switches." Maschinenbau Akt.-Ges. Seebach. September
15th. (Germany, January 20lh.)

26,473. " Rotating field magnet lor high-speed electric machines." .M.
Gruber. September 15th. (Germany, September ISth, 1919.)

26,516. " Electric lighting device." F. G. Parks. September Ibth.

26,525. " Releasing devices (or overload switches." F. Krupp Akt.-Ges.
September 16th.

26,535. " Engine-starting apparatus." J. K. Delano. September 16th.

26,;>38. " Ringing arrangement lor carrier signalling systems." Western

Electric Co. (Western Electric Co.). September 16lh.

2^,539. " Distribution for magneto." EtablisKments Deesse.
16th. (France, October 8th, 19191

36.540. " High-tension ignition magneto," Etablissements Dee:
tember 16th. (France. December 27th, 1919,)

26.551 " Electric current generator (or high-vollage ignition and lighting
]. Gehrig. September 16th. (German), September 16th. 1919.)

36.576. " Dynamo.electric machines." U.S. Light & Heat Corporation ar
A. E. White (U.S. Light & Heat Corporation). September 16th.

26.,'i77. ".Systems of electric control." British Thomson-!
(General Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. September 16th

26,582. "Telephones." G. Mathew. September 17lh,

September
se. Sep.

Co.

26,589. " .Sparking plugs, &c." H. R. Doel. September 17th.

26,595. " Terminal protectors for sparking plugs." W. A. Clark and
Sphinx Manufacturing Co. September 17th.

26,634. "Electric cooking and heating apparatus." M. Loewy- and A.
Rosenthal (Loewy). September 17th.

36,650. " Electric power limiting svstems." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. September 17lh.

26.654. " Repeaters for multiplex signalling svstems." Western Electric
Co. September 17lh. (U.S., .September :)Oth, 1919.)

26.655. " Means lor actuating braking or stopping devices bv electric cur-
rent for rail vehicles." G. P. Bartlett and W. H. Taylor. September 17th.

26,676. " .Svst,;,n for measuring capacities ol electric conductors." Cal-
lender's Cable & Construction Co. . R. N. James, and J. Urmston. Scptembta-
17th.

26,683. " Electric conduit." J. S. Berry. September 18th.

26,686. " Electric burglar alarm." T. Eraser. .September 18th.

26,711. " Wireless apparatus." C. E. G. Bailey. September 18th.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

umbers in parentheses
and abridged, and all

re those under which the specification! will b«
ubsequent proceedings will be taken.

ll.OSJ. " D\namo-eleclric machines." Soe. Anon, des Automobiles ct
Cycles Peugeot. May 6th, 1913. (.\ddition to 7.840,13.)

1SX8.

5,667. "Wireless telegraph\ or other wireless control s\ stems." Comparri
Wireless Control Syndicate and M. Compare. March 7th,' 1919. (150,008.)

7,463. " Marine signalling apparatus." C. Sampson. March 25th, 1919.
(150,013.)

12,173. " Electrical receiving apparatus suitable for amplifying and record-
ing weak electric current impulses." Creed & Co. and D. McLennan.
May 14th, 1919. (150,025.)

12,821. " Wireless telegraph and telephone transmission." H. J. Round.
May 21st, 1919. (150,037.)

13.004. " .Magnetos." D. \. L. Fellows. May 23rd, 1919. (150,045.)

13.198. " Electric step-bv-step signalling apparatus." B. E. D. Kilburn
(I'ord Instrument Co.). May 26th, 1919. (150,060.)

13,247. " Process for the continuous production of ccjpper wire bv elec-
tnvlytical methods." S. O. Cowper-Coles. May 26th. 1919. (150,063.)

13,391. " Electrical impulse controlling devices." Automatic Telephone
Manufacturing Co. (Automatic Electric Co.). May 27th, 1919. (150,072.)

14,422. " Electric condensers." R. W. Winn. June 6lh, 1919. (150,096.)

14,909. " Trolley heads for overhead wire systems of electric traction."
Brecknell, Munro & Rogers, and A. M. Willis. June 13th, 1919. (150,108.)

14,948. " Electric switches." R. P. Myers. June 13th, 1919. (150,109.)

15,070. " Electric switcttes." J. H. Tucker S: Co. and J. B. Tucker.
June 16th, 1919. (150,111.)

15,.521. " Electricity collectors." British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd.,
and J. W. Astley. June 20th, 1919. (150,120.)

15,596. " Rail bonds and like electric couplings or connections. J.
Mather. June 20th, 1919. (150,122.)

15.789. " Electric contact or switch-s." \'. Breeze and A. West & Co.
June 23rd. 1919. (150.138.)

19,570. " Magneto-electric machines." British Thomson-Houston Co. and

A. P. Young. August 8th, 1919. (150,165.)

20.696. " Locking device for electric and gas fittings." M. J. Railings.
C. W. Saunders, and J. H. Collins. August 22nd, 1919. (150,170.)

20,920. " Electric storage batteries." W. Gardiner and ^V. H. Duggan.
August 26lh, 1919. (150,171.)

21,190. " Magnetos." M. .\rioli el Cie. August 29th, 1918. (131,908.)

26,433. " Holders for electric lamps." W. C. Hands and Robinson & Hands
Electrical Co. October 2Hth, 1918. (150,195.)

28.393. "Combined magneto and dvnamo electric machine." O. Innav
(Eisemann Magneto CorporaUon). November 15th, 1919. (150,204.)

31,909. " Electrolvtic apparatus for the direct production of hvpochloriles."
P. Pestalozza. December 19th, 1919. (1.50.214.)

XBSO.

1,686. " Magnetos for igniting in internal-combustion engines." R. Bosch
Akt.-Ges.- November 21st, 1918. (138,081.)

2,712. " Magneto-electric ignition apparatus (or internal-combustion en-
gines." American Bosch Magneto Corporation. April 8th, 1919. (141,328.)

3,914. " Protective arrangements for alternating-current electric circuits."
Siemens Bros. Dynamo Works and R. A. R. Bolton. February 9th, 1920.
(150.231.)

6,907. " Meters used in conneelion with the batteries of electricallv-driven
submarines." Siemens Schuckertwerke (3es. December 5th, 1914. (139,822.)

7.797. " Electric time switches." Fabrik Elektr. Apparate F. Saulcr.
April 15th, 1919. (141,682.)

8,428. " High-frequencv alternator." O. Billieux. November 22nd, 1917.
(140,769.)

13,015. " Combined electric switch and i-imlnil." G. B. 'Anderson and

B. Bucknall. April 30th. 1920. (150.254.)

15.335. " Electrical fuses of the cartridge type." Metropolitan Vickers
Electrical Co. July 5th, 1919. (146,941.)
18,168. " Electric switches." rf. Sach... March 13ih, 1919. (145.784.)

Income-tax and Employes' Assessments.— Mr. W. R.

Fairbrother, income-tax specialist, of 67, Cheapside. E.G.. 2, writes
pointing out that where a person is employed under a limited com-
pany in a subordinate capacity {i.e., not holding a distinctive office,
auoh as director or secretary, ic), it is usual to grant a claim for
assessment on the basis of the average of the three years preceding.
Ex-service men come within this concession under certain con-
ditions. It is vitally important that a claim to be assessed as stated
for the year 1920-21 should be made, as, if the recommendations of
the Royal Commission are carried into effect, the possibility of such
a claim will not occur in future years. Many persons have doubt-
less made their returns on the disadvantageous basis of one year,
but there is still time to rectify any such return ; or the asatssmont
which will be notified shortly coald be appealed against.

TXIES

BXjEOTK.IO.A-Xj "iRIEyVTBrW.

Vol. LXXXVII.

OCTOBER 8, 1920.

No. 2,287

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

Vol. LSXSVII.]

CONTENTS : October 8, 1920.

[No. 3,387.
Page

THE JOINT INDUSTRIAL COUNCILS FOR
THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY INDUSTRY.

The Joint Industrial Councils for the Electricity Supply

Industry ...

The Electrification of Railways

Specialism on Labour Questions

Australian Criticism

Electric Tramways

Some Notes on Metering Devices used in Connection with

Tariffs Penalising Low-Power Factor, by G. W. Stubbings

(.aim.)

Labour Unrest

Coal Records, by A. Clegg (illus.)

Notes from Canada... ... ... ... ... ... ...

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (illus.)

C!orreapondence —

Electric Welding

Proposed Sea Tunnels

Domestic Supply Pressure and Wiring

Ex-Service Men First

Electric Welding

The E.P.E.A. and the E.T.U

Power Factor

Bosiness Notes

Notes

Stocks and Shares •

Market Quotations

Australia: A Critical Market

Th^ Electrification of British Railways

The Municipal Tramways Association (Inc.) — IV.

Repairs and Depreciation in Relation to Capital and
Revenue

The Future of Capital Expenditure

The Queenston-Chippawa Development Villus.')

Electric Steels, by C. G. Carlisle

The New York Central Wireless Station (illwi.')

The World's Supply of Energy

New Patents Applied for, 1920

Abstracts of Published Specification!

449
450
451
451
451

452
453
455
465
456

457
457
457
458
458
458
459
459
466
471
472
473
474

475
476
477
477
478
479
480
480

Contractors' Colnmn

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The Wliitley scheme is now in full working order in
the electricity supply industry. The National Industrial
Council was formed in May, 1919, and since then the
whole of the country has been mapped out into 13 areas,
and a fully constituted District Council is now at work
in each area. The whole scheme has, therefore, now
passed out of the realm of theory into that of hard fact.
In general, up to the present, its development has
been on the lines anticipated when the scheme was first
inaugurated. But there are almost unlimited potentiali-
ties, and the scheme has now been working sufficiently
long for certain possible phases of development to be-
come apparent. It may be interesting, therefore, and
possibly useful, at this stage to take stock, as it were, of
some of these tendencies.

It is necessary as a preliminary to realise that a
scheme of Councils of this kind has nothing of the nature
of a rigid system. The Councils have nothing, or at
most very little, in common with committees appointed
for certain fixed purposes, clearly definable, and con-
stituted with clear-cut and limited powers and methods
of action. On the contrary, the Councils approximate
to an organism. They are not ready-made ; they have
to grow. Bit by bit they have so to develop as to fulfil
the various functions which will successively be
demanded of them, very much in the same way as an
organism has to adapt itself to its environment.

The duties with which they are charged, and the pos-
sible power which will automatically, almost, come to
them, open out a wide range of possibilities. For
instance, they are charged broadly with the task of
dealing with all relations between employes and em-
ployers. Initially, of course, this covers settlement of
rates of pay and conditions of working. But obviously
a consideration of wages involves as a theoretic back-
ground the question of profits and the relative claims
of labour and invested capital with regard thereto. Con-
ditions of working, too, may cover anything up to the
organisation and personnel of the management. Again,
Councils in dealing with these matters make recom-
mendations to their constituent undertakings. But a
bare recommendation. would be futile if it did not also
include the use of some influence to back it up so that the
recommendations are given effect to by everybody. Ac-
cordingly, the Councils must naturally take steps to
obtain as much power and influence in every direction
as possible so as to insure that their recommendations
become effective.

It must be admitted, therefore, that there is an
almost immense field of possibilities before these indus-
trial councils; perhaps a much greater one than is
generally realised. At present there is in many quarters
a tendency to regard them as somewhat of a side-show.
But in view of the important position which they may
come to occupy in the future, it certainly caVls for a
most serious consideration from all those who have
charge of the industry in order that the Councils may
be developed on right and proper lines. It is in view

[449]

460

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,237, ootobur s, 1920.

of this that we suggest it might be well to review briefly
the position as it is at present.

First of all we may take it for granted that the
Councils are accepted practically throughout the industry
both on the part of the undertakings and of the trade
unions concerned. The trade unions, indeed, stand
to gain considerably. They would perhaps not too
readily admit this, and may say that they have now
to submit all demands to the strict scrutiny of a Council
and that each Council being in ready communication
with the others and with the National Council, the
chances will be weighted against any but the most
strictly justified increases going through. This is cor-
rect, of course, but against it there is the immense
advantage to them that practically every undertaking in
the country is tabulated under a District Council, and
consequently facts are quickly ascertainable as to which
undertakings are paying the wages agreed upon and
which are not. Probably no other industry in the
countr}- is in any way so fully organised industrially
as the electricity supply industry under these Councils.
So far as the undertakings themselves are concerned,
the chief advantage for them lies in the fact that now-
all demands and claims have to be passed to the District
Councils, which adjudicate and pass on their recommen-
dations to the undertakings, thus relieving the latter
of their former difficult task of considering applications
without proper information being available as to
whether such claims were being recognised by other
undertakings as fair or whether they were being resisted.
Also there is now practically throughout the country a
complete systematisation of rates of pay and conditions
of working down to the minutest details.

Now as regards present powers of the Councils, when
they started they placed reliance, as Councils, entirely
on the moral force behind their recommendations.
.Since then, however, their power has been augmented
in two very practical directions. In the first place, it
has been approved that the Councils can recognise and
fully support any steps which the trade unions may
take to enforce their recommendations. Any strike
called, therefore, consequent upon a refusal may
have the full sanction of the- District Council, and as
the Council is authorised by the Ministry of Labour
there is even a quasi-tjovernmental recognition. The
efiect of this is to put any defaulting undertaking in
a queer position. For instance, it raises the question
whether, if an undertaking allowed such authorised
strike and the supply was stopped, consumers would not
have ground of action for breach of contract against the
undertaking, since the undertaking had taken a line
of action opposed to a properly constituted authority.
In the second place, the Ministry of Transport has
given the District Councils an official status under
Section .32 of the Electric Lighting (Clauses) Act, 1899,
and under the Statutory Undertakings (Temporary In-
crease of Charges) Act, 1918. The Ministry has ruled
that an undertaking when applying for an increase of
maximum price shall give notice to the District Coun-
cil in its area, which can then oppose — the ground of
such opposition being that the undertaking is not paying
the rates of wages recommended by the District Council,
^\hich places a powerful lever in its hands.

The fact that two Government departments, the
Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Transport,
both specifically support the Councils and recognise
them as formally qualified Iiodies to act on behalf of
the industry, gives the Councils a status greatlv
superior to that which was usually anticipated. They
have thus acquired an added quality of permanency.
This permanency is also strengthened by the different
structure which the Councils actually took in actual
practice as compared with what was laid down. It was
originally assumed that the District Councils would
foUow the structure of the National Council, namely,
chat the four representative employers' associations

should each nominate representatives to act on the em-
ployers' side. The construction of the National Council
is such, and therefore if the four associations withdrew
their members the National Council would fall to pieces.
But the District Councils have been formed quite dif-
ferently, 'riie employers' side has been chosen direct
by common voice of tlie undertakings in the respective
areas. District Councils have thus a permanency and
are not controlled by any other association.

In effect this constitutes the Industrial Councils
virtually self-subsisting bodies already in quasi-inde-
pendence, even of the individual undertakings in the
industry. Add to this the support given by the
trade unions and the pressure that could be brought to
bear by the union on any small section that tried to
secede, and it will be seen that tlie status of the Coun-
cils is de facto a very strong one. The tendency of
all such organisations is to increase continually in
pcwer, and owing to the circumstances we have re-
viewed above, it is difficult to see how an outside control
can be exercised over this. The Councils as an entity
have grown more ]iowerful seemingly than the repre-
sentative associations which created them.

The importance of this will be apparent to anyone
who glances over the wide sphere of operations which
fall within the purview of the Councils, and which, when
the Councils take them in hand in full, will apparently
give to the Councils considerable dominancy in the
industry. The problem, therefore, before the industry
is for the best brains to formulate the economic prin-
ciples to which these developing powers of the Council
should conform. Such conscious directive policy is
now needed.

The
Electrification
of Railways.

The interim report of the Advisory
Committee on this subject to Sir Eric
Geddes, of which we give an abstract else-
where in this issue, is dated July 12th, 1920.
Doubtless its terms were at once communicated to the
railways which are contemplating electrification ; but why
should it take over 10 weeks to make the contents public ?
Although the report is commendably e.xplicit in recom- •
mending the adoption of direct current, it defers for
further consideration questions relating to the position and
general design of the line conductors, and little can be
done until these essential matters are settled. The con-
clusion of the Committee with regard to the standard line
voltage is so drastically modified by the exemptions which
follow it that it is practically washed out, and we are
authorised — subject to the approval of the Minister having
been obtained— to use 600, 1,200, 75(», 1,500, or 3,000
volts, with either rail or overhead collection, while the
locomotives will have to run at two different voltages where
necessary. Moreover, the Brighton Co.'s suburban a.c.
system is e.xpreesly exempted, with a strong indication that
the same system will be authorised on the company's main
lines to the coast.

Clearly, therefore, uniformity is and will remain a long
way off, and the gist of the report is simply that the D.c.
system is recommended for all new work, the pressure and
mode of supply remaining indefinite. We are very glad the
Committee does not propose to disorganise any of the
existing systems— unless it be the small experimental section
of the Midland Railway at Lancaster ; there is plenty of
work crying out to be done without our pulling down what
we have done already.

The choice of permitted voltages is somewhat incoherent ;
we would suggest that if the authorised pressures, pending
the adoption of a single standard, had been multiples of
600 volts, with 1,800 volts as the standard-elect, so to
speak, not only would simplicity have been attained,
but also the work of harmonising the existing systems
would have been facilitated, for if we are not mistaken,
every existing British n.c. railway except the Shildon —
Newport section would then have fallen into place in the
series. Already the L. & Y. Raihvay has sections running
at 600 and 1,200 volts, and, with the exception above

Vol. 87. No. 8,237, octobbb s, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

461

mentioned, all the rest operate at 600 volts ; hence the
750-1, 500-volt standard is dragged in by the heels where it
is not needed. If the rail conductor is adopted, 1,500 volts
is not safer than 1,800 ; if the overhead system is employed,
8,600 volts is desirable for heavy trains, and will certainly
present no great difficulties from a technical point of view.
In the United States the great Chicago — St. Paul line has
worked for many years at 3,000 volts d.c, and l,.")00-volt
motors have proved satisfactory ; moreover, the heaviest
electric locomotives and trains in the world run on this line
with an overhead trolley wire, which is much to be preferred
to the rail -conductor when a high pressure is employed.

While we do not wish to condemn the report, we think it
might have been much stronger and more definite. And
now — we want the other one.

We have never tired of urging that
Specialism on ^^^ j^j,^^^^ question is one both wide
Labour Questions. , , , , •

and complex, and that as such it cannot

be tackled properly unless proper study is devoted to it.
In the electricity supply industry this is pre-eminently
the case. It is not too much to say that the future of
some sections of the industry is bound up with the proper
handling of this matter. And in this determination it is
" brains " that will tell. We are, therefore, pleased to see
that our view is supported, at least in general intent, by the
director of an important group of companies in Mr. W. L.
Madgen. At the recent annual meeting of the Provincial
Companies' Association, Mr. Madgen said that the time was
coming when each large undertaking would have an official
whose business it would be to study and deal with labour
questions. This clear recognition that time and study are
necessary in this matter is gratifying, although we dis-
agree with Mr. Madgen's latest remark, if we rightly
read its spirit, as to this relieving the manager of an
infinity of " trouble." If this merely means saving him the
hack-work of preparing and setting in order the facts of any
case, well and good, but if it means that the official is to be
the specialist to whom can be relegated all these matters,
and who will be instructed to deal with them on some
general instruction of not giving away more than he is
forced to do, we most strongly disagree with such a tendency
as being foreign to the whole spirit of the Whitley report
and the dependent Industrial Councils. The \Vhitley
idea, if we may put it somewhat brusijuely, was to force the
employers (that is, those directly responsible for the under-
takings) to meet the representatives of labour fi/re to fare,
and by this means of personal contact, to establish between
the two an intimate and reciprocal understanding. As regards
the astuteness and wisdom of this aim, there can be no doubt.
If, for instance, a director meets the Trade I'nions personally
week after week, it is impossible but that each will influence
the other's views in some degree, and that some measure of
common accord will be found, and will in time increase.

But if the " official " system were to grow up, and form
as it were, a screen between the Trade t'nion side and the
real " employers," the whole spirit of the Whitley scheme
would go by the board as the Councils lapsed into mere
quibbling conferences, and however well settlements of
wages demands were carried out, employer and employed
would be no nearer common understanding.

]\Iembers of a young and rapidly-
Australian . -..nil
J. ... I growing community are naturally keenly

critical of older institutions. Hence the
pungent comment on British trading methods that we have
heard from the lips of Australians during the past year or
two, particularly from those who, after the armistice, were
desirous of returning to the Commonwealth as agents for
the sale of United Kingdom goods. At that time, unfortu-
nately, most firms did not feel justified in making such
arrangements, and on that account were condemned by our
overseas cousins for their lack of enterprise.

More condemnation and criticism of this nature has
evidently been poured into the ears of H.M. Trade Commis-
sioner in Australia (Mr. S. W. B. McGregor), who states in
hia recent report that, although there is a sentiment in

favour of British goods, based largely on the fact of their
being the best value for the price paid, yet it is well to bear
in mind the deep-rooted conviction of many Australians
that the British manufacturer is " intensely conservative,
unenterprising, generally out of date, and rapidly losing his
hold on the world's markets."

These allegationa are directed aeainat the manufacturer rather
than the merchant, and particularly against manufacturers
connected with the machinery (including electrical), motor-oar,
small tools, hardware and allied trades. The accusation of want
of enterprise usually arises, amongst other reasons, from the
apparent reluctance of the British manufacturer to increase his
output to cope with increasing business, and an alleged indifference
to the special requirements of the Australian trade. The view with
regard to British manufacturers referred to above may be largely
baaed on ignorance of all the facts, and attributable to some extent to
the British habit of self-depreciation and criticism, yet it is
worth taking seriously into account unless harm ia to be done to
British trade.

It is suggested that, irith manij /lotable c.rreptions, the
fault lies largely with inade(iuate scientific commercial
organisation in the average British manufacturer's business.
Subject to the point emphasised in italics (which are ours),
we are inclined to agree with this suggestion. Mr.
McGregor says : —

" Another matter that appears to be often lost sight of is
the failure of some United Kingdom manufacturers to realise
their responsibilities with regard to the maintenance generally
of British trade prestige overseas and their duty to British
trade as a whole."

He refers to the sending-out from home of ill-equipped
and unsuitable representatives, and the conduct of corres-
pondence in a careless and slipshod manner, adding that
" it is a national duty of every home firm ... to see that
its methods are such as at least not to lower British
prestige." If Mr. McGregor really has knowledge of
circumstances which justify his criticisms, we cannot help
thinking that they are exceptional.

Mr. McGregor makes a number of not particularly note-
worthy recommendations for developing United Kingdom
export trade. Second on his list is one that manufacturers
should keep generally in touch with the Department of
Overseas Trade, particularly when sending out overseas
representatives. Here again, Mr. McGregor's criticism calls
for comment. Admittedly, the P.O.T. is doing useful work,
but it is of vital importance to its utility and success that
it should keep itself more closely in touch with manu-
facturers generally.

The interesting papers and discussions
Electric ^^ ^jjg Cardiff Conference of the Muni-
Tramways. . , m . f 1 • 1

cipal Tramways Association, of which we
conclude a report in this issue, indicate that the electric
tramway industry, after a prolonged period of inactivity, is
bsing spurred on by the strenuous conditions of the times to
an anxious consideration of its present position and future
prospects. The programme was wisely arranged to cover
the commercial, technical, and financial aspects of the
subj'^ct, and during the proceedings it was made clearly
manifest that the conference was practically unanimous in
opinion on the following points : — ^That in order to restore
financial stability fares must be materially increased, and
every passenger must pay for himself (/.'■., " workmen's "
fares must be abolished) ; that working costs must be
kept down to the minimum by every proper means
available ; that the " milch cow " polity, according
to which the tramways were compelled to contribute
large sums annually to the relief of the rates, was contrary
to the public welfare and fatal to the efficient maintenance
of the assets ; and that in view of the heavy capital cost of
new tramways, and the heavy working costs of motor-
omnibuses, the prospects for ^ the railless vehicle were
distinctly brighter.

" Sound finance " was the keynote of the conference, and
we trust that it will be hearkened to by those councillors
who have been responsible for bleeding the tramways in the
past, as well as by those who, going to the opposite extreme,
maintain that funds should be accumulated for the com-
plete renewal of the system without raising new loans.
Both policies are contrary to the public interest and to
sound principles of administratioq.

462

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [Toi. 87. no. 3,237, octobb« s, 1920.

SOME NOTES ON METERING DEVICES USED IN CONNECTION WITH TARIFFS
PENALISING LOW POWER FACTOR.

By Q. W. STUBBINQS.

The attention that has recently been given to the eflFect of
power factor on the cost of electricity supply, has not only
brought into prominence the practicability of modern
devices for power-factor correction, but has also emphasised
the fact that it is the business of the consumer whose load
is of low power factor to bear the expense of installing
correcting devices, either directly, or by paying for his
energy according to a tariff which increases the average
price per unit as the power factor falls. The devising of a
tariff that, whilst being equitable, will so far penalise the
consumer whofie power factor is low as to make it worth
his while to install correcting devices, is not a problem
with an obvious solution. Probably the best tariff of this
kind is one based upon a fixed charge per quarter per k.v.a.
of maximum demand, plus a fixed price per unit consumed.
Objections have l)een raised to this tariff, by some, on the
ground that it unduly penalises the consumer in that the
capital cost of the steam plant depends upon its kw. and
not upon its k.v.a. rating ; and by others on the ground
that the consumer is let off too lightly in that the cost of
cables necesssary for a given load in kw. increases more
rapidly than the k.v.a. It is also a fact that the distri-
bution losses, depending upon the square of the current,
vary inversely as the square of the power factor for a given
load. All things being considered, however, it is probable
that the maximum K.v.a. demand system is as equitable a
system as can be devised for large power consumers, and
it has the important advantages of being simple, and of
taking the load factor into account.

The actual application of any tariff designed to penalise
low power factor necessitates the use of some instrument
additional to the usual integi-ating wattmeter for energy
registration. For the maximum k.v.a. demand system, the
additional instrument must enable this maximum demand
to be obtained, either directly, or by the help of the readings
of the integrating wattmeter. Two practical methods of
obtaining the required information for these special
tariffs have been developed, both of which make use^of
modifications of a standard induction watt-hour meter. One
of these methods consists in the use of a meter arranged to
integrate k.v.a. -hours direct, the maximum demand being
given by an indicator of the Merz type. The second method
uses a meter adjusted to integrate the product of the wattless
component into the voltage, and such a meter, in conjunc-
tion with a standard energy meter, will enable the desired
penalising factor to be obtained.

The use of an integrating k.v.a. meter fitted with an
indicator, gives readings that are immediately applicable.
The ratio of the readings of the energy meter and the
K.v.A.-hour meter will, moreover, give a kind of average
power factor. This average will not be a true average
such as would be obtained from the chart of a recording
power-factor meter. The time average of the power factor is

/cos 4, dt, while the ratio of the readings of the

energy meter and the K.v.A.-hour meter will be, considering
for simplicity a single-phase circuit —

/ I V cos ,;, lit I IV dt.

a ratio which plainly is not always equal to the time average
of the power factor.

The use of a wattless component meter in conjunction
with an energy meter would'give readings of the maximum
power and the maximum wattless component. If these
readings be called p and w respectively, the maximum k.v.a.
might be taken as s/ p" -I- w-. For a single-phase circuit
this result will be substantially correct, provided the two
maxima refer to the same period. Regarding a load of
induction motors, it maybe assumed, as a rough approxi-
mation, that the maximum wattless current will be taken
when the maximum number of motors is in use. It, how-

ever, does not follow that the maximum power will be taken
when thiscondition prevails. The calculation of the maximum
demand in k.v.a. from the readings of the energy and
wattless component meters is, therefore, liable to error, owing
to possible lack of synchronism of the two maxima. There is,
moreover, a further source of error in the case of a three-
phase circuit, which will be discussed later. The inherent
accuracy of the wattless component meter is, however,
higher than that of the K.v.A.-hour meter, and better results
will be obtained by the use of the former of these two
meters.

The principle of a meter adjusted to integrate k.v.a. may
now be considered. For simplicity's sake it is desirable
first to deal with the adjustment required, in order that an
ordinary single-phase induction meter may register k.v.a.
hours, and also to discuss the limits of accuracy obtainable
by such adjustment.

If T be the torque of an induction meter, from funda-
mental principles, t = ^ i v sin (o — 4>), where a is the
phase angle between v and the pressure flux.

In the ordinary induction meter a = 00° and T = ^ i v
sin (90 — <^) =kir cos <^. Let <^' be an angle given by the
relation cos </>' = f, where F is the average power factor of
the circuit in which the K.v.A.-hour meter is to be fixed,
and, further, let a be so adjusted as to be equal to 90' + 4,'.
Then t = Z- 1 v sin (90^ + <i>' — 4>%

and when ^' = ^, t = Z' i v sin 90'' = l-iv.

Generally, let 4,, the actual phase angle, be put equal
to^,' ±0.

Then t = /- 1 v sin (90 + cf,' — 4,' ± e)
= I'lv cos 0.

Since for small values of 0, both positive and negative,
cos 0 is nearly unity, it follows that, within limits, the
torque of such a meter will be proportional to the value of
I V, and the meter will register K.v.A.-hours.

If, for instance, the average value of the power factor be
taken as 0'85, the angle cj)' will be 32°.

At power factor 0"7, cj> = 45° about, and 0 = 4,' — ^
= 13°.

At power factor 0'95, 4> = 18*^ about, and 9 = 4>' — <f>
= 13 ^

The torque at each of these power factors will, therefore,
be k I V COS 13", or 0'974 /- 1 v.

Between the limits of 0"7 and 0*95 power factors, the
torque of the meter will, therefore, be proportional to the
K.V.A., with an overall inaccuracy of ii per cent., the
maximum torque for a given apparent load in k.v.a. being
at power factor 0'85.

Such a single-phase meter would require a phase dis-
placement of about 120' between the pressure flux and the
voltage producing it, and as there appears to be no easy
method of obtaining such a relationship in a single-phase
meter of the induction type, a single-phase k.v.a. meter of
this type is only of theoretical interest.

The case of the adjustment of a three-phase induction
meter that it may register k.v.a. hours can now be
considered.

It has been proposed to define the power factor of a thi'ee-
phase current as being the ratio of the actual watte, to the
maximum watts obtained by rotation of the voltage vectors.
If the power factor, f, be so delined, tlien the writer has
shown in a previous article' that the angle of rotation
necessary to obtain the maximum watts is given by the
relation cos 4,' = t, provided equality and symmetry of
voltages is assumed.

If we may assume that the torque of a three-phase
induction meter is given by the relation

T = A' 51 sin (a — 4>"),
where ji is the ma.\imum value of the watts as defined

* Electbical Review, Vol. 84, p. 435.

Vol. 87. No. 2,837. ootob.b 8, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL' EEVIEW.

468

above, then if an average power factor f„ be taken, giving an
angle <^'a such that cos </,'„ = f,,, and a be so adjusted in
each element of the meter as to be equal to (1)0" + 4,',,),
the torque of the meter will be given by
T = A- M sin (90" ± 0),
where ^ = <^'a — ^', <^' being the actual phase angle.

We then finally obtain t = ^- ji cos 0.

This is a similar equation to that obtained for a single-
phase meter, except that the three-phase meter will integrate

fictitious K.v.A.-hours as defined by the relation

watts

C08c/>''

stead of actual k.v.a. as given by the usual expression
«i «'i + '2 I'., + '3 i\.

An idea of the magnitude of the difference between the
actual and the fictitious k.v.a. can be obtained by con-

Fio. 1. — Vector Diagram.

sidering the unbalanced circuit represented by the vector
diagram, fig. 1, in which equality and symmetry of voltages
are assumed.
We have —

Watts = 100 X 1 X cos G0° + 100 x 1 x cos
30° -I- 100 X s/2'x ct8 45
= 50 -t- 86 -t- 100 = 236.
Yolt-aiuperes = 100 + 100 + 242 = 342.
It is easy to show that maximum apparent witts are

obtained by rotating the voltage vectors through 45 , when
i., and i'j will be in phase.

Then cos <^' = cos 45' = 0-709.

Fictitious volt-amperes = m = 236/0-709 = 334.

If the K.v.A.-hour meter connected in this circuit be
adjusted to give maximum torque at a power factor of
0-85, this will correspond to a value of (^'^ = 32°. Since
the power factor of the circuit in question is 45^, the torque
of the meter will be cos (45° — 32") times that at power
factor 0-85. Since cos 13" = 0-975, the meter will, apart
from other errors, read 24 per cent, slow, and the k.v.a. as
given by the speed of the rotor will be 326.

This indication of the meter can be calculated from first
principles as follows : —

Assuming that the current coils of the meter are con-
nected in lines 2 and 3,

K.V.A. = /.v^cos (,^2 + 30° — ,^'J + «; Vi,
cos (^8 — 30° — <^'„)
= 100 X _v/2 x v/8"cos 43 -I- 100 x

v'3 cos 32"
= 326,
a result confirming that obtained by the previous method.

It therefore appears that a meter constructed on the lines
indicated above will give reasonable accuracy as a K.v.A.-
hour meter, between power factors of 0-7 and 0-95, pro-
vided the circuit is not very unbalanced. With a three-
phase meter the necessary adjustment of the angle a can be
obtained by exciting the pressure coils from different phases
from those used for an integrating wattmeter. This pro-
cedure, it need hardly be said, is only legitimate on the
assumption of equal phase voltages.

Three-phase integrating K.v.A. meters of the induction
type, compensated to record K.v.A.-hours between power
factors of 0-75 and unity, are manufactured by Messrs.
ijandis & Gyr. Such meters would appear to be very
difficult to test ; and, in view of the fact that an integrating
wattmeter would have to be installed in addition to the
K.V.A. meter, the use of a wattless component instrument,
which is capable of giving the desired information with
equal accuracy, whilst being simpler in theory, is probably
preferable to the use of an integrating K.v.A. meter of the
type discussed above.

{To be concluded.)

LABOUR UNREST.

[The Labour Policy >f the National Party.]

It has been cynically observed that we learn from history
that no one ever learned anything from history. This
much, however, is so obvious as at once to be admitted,
that industrial unrest is no new thing. Like the poor,
it is always with us. We have previously pointed out
that the times before the war were little better, in this,
respect, than the period of the war itself, and although
present evils always appear the worst that have ever
been or can ever be, there were railway strikes, coal
strikes, building strikes, and other unpleasant events
in the world of industry before the war came to throw
all our previous ideas of values and wages into the
melting-pot.

The great difference between the old days and the
present time lies in the fact that more attention is
given to the merits of the case. At one time it was
common for the man in the train to side immediately
with the employers, or masters, as they were then most
often called, and to declare roundly that the men were
wicked and grasping, deserving nothing better than
to be shot down or starved into submission. Such
opinions could only arise from a profound ignorance
of the whole matter, and the middle classes had not
begun to realise the close correspondence between their
own case and that of the manual worker.

Nowadays there is an unceasing flow of books, reports,
newspaper articles, pamphlets, and publications of
every description dealing with the subject of industrial
relations. How to secure co-operation between employers

"".nd employed, how to improve output to the general
a'vantage, explanations of what is involved in the
cariyijig-on of modern industrial concerns, panaceas
of ev,j.y liind arrive by every post. Our readers will
recall Uany such that have been noticed in the columns
of this jo,rnal.

On July^th, 1919, the Grand Council of the National
Party appoutg,j ^ committee to examine the present
position ot Lai^m-^ ^nd make recommendations to the
Council for the -.vision and completion of the labour
policy of the Nati.nul Party. The committee's report
was unanimously MopUd by the Grand Council on
June 9th, 1920, and u in^ available.

We find in the sixth clau^ ^.f the report the statement :
" Until we establish che basis ^^ ^j^j^j^ Capital and
Labour can ro-operate to theu .,^^^^^^j advantage—
which is surcJy the only founda ion k. -^^^^^^^-^^y ^^^^^
—we shall omit consideration ot that imi- „ ^^ person-
nel of icdustry which constitutes the execun ^^^^ ^^
non-iuanual workers." Like nearly every schei.. '
has, ever come before us for criticism, this one sttt..
hes itself by deliberately avowing incompleteness at the
very outset. The first Whitley Report was defective
in this same respect. The most notable exception was
the scheme for the Building Trades Parliament, which
was well thought out in this as in other ways, and the
Priestman scheme for bonus payments depending on
the prosperity of the firm during successive four-rt'eekly
periods included every employ^^ whether manual or

464

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,237, ootobeb s, 1920.

non-manual worker. However, thougli the report is
disappointing in tliis respect, we may hope that the
National Party will endeavour to live up to its name,
and to serve its own interests hy considering the subject
on a future occasion.

No harm can, and much good may, have been
done by the first-hand investigation of the subject of
labour unrest by a committee of thinking men and
women, and certain definite propcsals have been put
forward in this report which are well worthy of examina-
tion.

Briefly, it is suggested that, beginning with the staple
industries, each industry shall be organised as a separate
unit, with a Council of Employers, a Laljour Council,
and a Joint Council composed of equal numbers of
employers and workmen. Tlie Council of Employers
shall assume the general direction and administration
of the industry concerned, any matter in which Labour
is interested being first referred for consideration to
the Labour Council for that industry. The Labour
Council shall deal with all complaints and suggestions
that may arise on the part of Labour, having power
to submit for consideration to the Council of Employers
questions of administration and other matters bearing
on Labour conditions. If any irreconcilable differences
of opinion arise, they are to be referred at once to the
Joint Council, whose decision shall be subject to recon-
sideration only by the National Industrial Council.
This last-mentioned body is to be formed to represent
all the organised industries, and is to be composed of
representatives from the Joint Councils, together with
not more than four representatives of the Government,
who are to act mainly in an adyi.sorj' capacity, so as
to co-ordinate the work of the National Council, while
at the same time they shall lie deemed to repre.sent the
interests of the community. This suggestion is evidently
not intended to be funny, l)ut the notion of four civil
servants or members of Parliament trying to represent
the poor consumer during the intervals of lining-up the
relations between all the industries in tlie country, is
one of the most iiumorous ideas that has ever penetrated
through the dull murk which has for so long surrounded
industrial problems as the smoke surrounds the factories
which house these problems. "The Four Just Men"
would either have to run the whole show, or be reduced
to the jiosition of absolute nonentities.

The suggestion that the administration of unem-
ployment insurance in each industry shall be handed
over to the Joint Council of that industry is a good one,
and we hope and l)elieve that the time is rapidly ap
preaching when each industry will have to carrj- its c'l
unemployment as a definite charge against its adm»"**"
tration, to be reduced, like other ailniinistiative cb'''K'^'''-
by successful management.

Criticism is expected, and some criticism.* ai'e met-
The view has been urged that there wouh' ^^ ^ ten-
dency for eacli trade or industry to forir itself into a
trust, and to exploit the consinner. The^eport suggests
tliat the National Industrial Counc" "'ould afford a
safeguard in this connection. We '" "ot believe that
there would be any greater ten«eicy towards the re-
striction of competition thai; die e is to-day, and cer-
tainly propositions of that .sort iv.iuld most emphatically
nut come before any of theiJ''oposed Councils, liut wnul<l
be dealt with in quite -not'iei- t,,iinner.

Tlie next critici-.' ^'''''* ^'^ -inticipatv,! is, that Whitley

Councils alread,*^^'*** '" ^o"'^ «) trades. This criticism

is answere.'--*' ^'''^ statement that Wiiitley Councils have

not V. '"'*'" established in any of the large staple

..stries, such as coal or engineering. Thi^ is true

..^id It IS at least unlikely that the opposition which

Labour has evinced towards Whitlev Councils will be

les.seiied when another kind of Council is proposed

having nnich the same functions. A stronger answer is

tiiat \yhitley Councils appear to be limited in their

operation to the consideration of dilHculties after they

have arisen, wiiereas the proposals of the report have

in view the removal of causes of difference before thev

become acute. There seems to be a tendency here, as

there seemed to be in the Building Trades Parliament,
towards Guild Socialism. We do not say this in any
disparaging sense, and it is perliaps no bad thing that
each trade should be to a large extent self-supporting
and self-administered, provided that over all sectional
governing bodies the authority of the general body of
the people as expressed by Parliament remains para-
mount. Many hard things have from time to time been
said about parliamentary government, and some of them
have been but too well-deserved. The fact remains,
however, that it is wrong that any one class should
govern the whole community, whether that class be the
feudal barons, the great land-owners, the priesthood,
or the proletariat, and up to the present the ballot-box
has provided the only means whereby all can have some
sliare, however small, in the government of the State
under whose administration they have to live.

It is pointed out that the work of the proposed
National Industrial Council will tend to relieve Parlia-
ment of a good deal of routine work, and leave it free
1 5 devote more time to the effective criticism and regu-
lation of national expenditure and international rela-
tions.

The all-important point in any proposal of this sort
is: How will Labour regard the scheme? Our readers
do not need to be told that we have consistently advo-
cated the closest possible co-operation between the
various sections of industry, between manufacturers
engaged in the production of the same kind of goods,
between employers and employed — all employed ; in
short, between all who have interests in common. It
is possible to advocate this co-operation without uphold-
ing the sympathetic strike, or the general lock-out, for
we lielieve it to be wrong to injure those against whom
there is no grievance, or to hold up the community, in
order to bring one obdurate employer or set of work-
people to reason. We believe it cannot be denied with
either truth or conviction that the attitude both of
employers xind of the general public is much more
tolerant fliaii it has ever been, and employers will be
found to advocate co-operation throughout most indus-
tries. Labour, at present, is inclined to be intolerant,
and ve see in this intolerance the evil fruit of the wicked
systtin of cutting piece rates and attempting to limit
earnings, against which we have so often protested. It
i: scarcely to be expected that Labour will immediately
oelieve the promises of employers that the}' will never
do so any more, though we feel that in this matter many
have acknowledged their transgression, and their sin
is ever before them.

There is much that is good in these propositions, and
there is no reason why Labour should not accept them,
or something like them. It will take time, and it will
take patience, and we hope the authors are prepared
to crive lioth.

* A New Electroscope, — Demonstrations tooK place at the
Polytechnic Academy at Copenhagen recently on the occasion
of the centenary of Hans Christian t)ersted, the Danish
philosopher and original worker in electro-magnetism, of two
inventions by two Danish engineers, Messrs. Rahbek and
Johnsen. The daily Press reports that by sending an electric
current through certain substances such, for instance, as
lithographic stone (a slaty limestone), an adherent force in
some respects resembling, but entirely different from electro-
magnetism, is produced. The two inventors have constructed
a small electroscope which far exceeds, it is said, all other
types in sensitiveness and case of handling. The discovery
of the new physical phenomenon will inspire, it is thought,
a series of inventions both within and without wireless tech-
nique. The first will be greater speed in wirele.ss reception,
apparatus constructed on the new principle being capable, it
is said, of increasing a station's capacity to receive or
dispatch 20 times. The inventors are reported to have picked
up messages from different EuroiJean stations, and by speci-
ally-constructed apparatus were able to take down the words
at the rate of 600 per minute. l*"or a .second experiment, one
of the inventors went to a house which was connected with
the demonstration room by wire and plaved on a viohn.
This was distinctly heard by the gathering in the demon-
stration room. The inventor then talked info his violin and
another violin in the audience's room repeated his words; in
fact the violin became a loud-speaking telephone.

Vol. 87. No. 2,237, ootobbb 8, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

466

coal records.

Bt a. cleg(;, a.c.i.s.

In view of tlie difficulties being experienceri at the pre-
sent time by tlie majority of electricity undertakings
ill maintaining stocks of coal or even l)eing able to keep
running, it may be of interest to your readers to know
the methods adopted by a large undertaking to keep
the engineer and all concerned with tlie coal (juestion in
touch with the position at any moment.

For some time past it has not been jiossible to make
contracts, but the position is a little easier now, iind
the rulings of the coal contract book, fig. 1, provide
for the details of the contract, or deliveries if a contract
has not been made.

The rulings are practically self-explanatory, but may
seem elaborate to many; for instance, the columns " pit
price," "railway rate," "wagon hire," &c., were in-

In the tariff of this undertaking there is a coal
clause which provides for variation in the charges in
accordance with any increase or decrease in the cost of
coal. This, of course, necessitates records being kept
of the cost of iiandling coal by the steam crane, motor
wagons, carts, &c.. but I do not propo.se to show tlie
forms adopted for these records.

It will be seen that the daily weigh-sheet also records
whether the coal is put into bunkers or on stacks, and
so an accurate record of stock can be kept. A weekly
list is also kept of all coal put on to the stack or taken
off, and a copy of this is sent to the station superinten-
dent.

The Board of Trade, up to quite recently, has required
particulars of stocks of coal each week and for tlie^
corresponding period last year to lie furnished. The
above method was found most useful in this respect, and
ai the present time the same information is sent to tlie
District Coal Committee.

From time to time samples of coal are taken from
the trucks and tested, and a form is filled up giving the
information detailed in fijr- 3. After the eng-ineer has

Agmt

No

Name
Colly

Period

CONTRACT.

PRICE PER TON

Size d Class.

Date.

Invoice

T. c. q.

£ 8. 0

Date of
Commen-

Dale
Expiry.

Total
Quan-

tity.

Rate
of
Deli-
very.

At
Pit.

Rail-
way
Rate,

Wagon
Hire.

Deliv-
eries

1

Fio. 1.— Coal Contr.\ct Book.

Name of
Colliery

Truck
NO.

Date

arrived.

Date
dlscnarBed.

Re weight.

Tare,

Net weishl:

Colliery
WolBhl.

Oltterence.

*or-

Delivery
Bunkers.

Delivery
Stacks

Remarks.

T. c q.

T. 0. q.

T. 0 q.

T. C. q

T. c. q,

Pig. 2.— Co.^l Weioh-book.

troduced when the Coal (Pit's Mouth) Order came into
force, so that these rates could be easily checked, but
they are also useful where coal can be water borne, as
they give an indication as to which is the cheapest route
from the pit.

Let us assume a contract has been made, the document
filed, and the coal contract book entered up ; a memoran-
dum is sent to the weigh office stating the total amount
of the contract and the weekly or daily amount agreed
to be delivered.

Daily advices from the collieries are sent to the weigh
office, and as the trucks are received into the siding
and pass over the weigh-bridge, details are entered into
the weigh book, fig. 2. This book is in duplicate, and
a daily sheet is made out and .sent to the accounts de-
partment, which takes up with the collieries any short-
ages, makes out a weekly list of deliveries from each
colliery for the station superintendent, and also enters
up the contract book for checking against the invoice.

In the undertaking where these forms are used, a

Frc. ?).— Co.\L Trst Form.

great deal of coal is received from local collieries by
motor traction, carting, and by boat, and the same
weigli-book is used to keep a record of all coals received
in this manner, there being a separate weigh-office at
the entrance to the works wliere all carts are weighed,
and the respective weights put into the weigh-book.
The coal received by boat is unloaded at the wharf by
a crane which tips into railway wagons, and is hauled
by locomotive to the weighbridge and conveyor in the
same manner as that coming bv rail.

seen and initialled this form it is filed with the contract.
The foregoing books and form give all the informa-
tion required, as at any time can be seen the total
amount of coal contracted for but not yet delivered, how-
each contract and prices stand, and particulars of each
d.ay's advices and deliveries can be got from the weigh-
ijook. Stocks of coal can be readily ascertained from
the records sent to the accounts department, shortages
in wagons are dealt with at once, and records are kept
of the calorific values of the different kinds of coal.

NOTES FROM CANADA.

(from our specul correspondent.)
In the Electrical News, published in Toronto, for .August 15th,
some interesting figures on the winter production of eggs
are quoted from a United States poultry journal.

The following figures are given as results obtained by using
electric lighting for an hour in the morning and until 6.30
in the evening, on 400 breeders which were giving only about
15 eggs per day at the time the lighting was tried : —

Dale

Date

pro

xlrr

ate

Gi2Q :; Tnro-

Nature

01

Coke,

BT U — X 100
V + C,

Evao
Power,

Nett
ComD,

01

Sample

Teat,

Ana.yoia ^.

r

1'

mesh.

F r.

V

J

M

December 10 .

. 15 eggg

December 21 .

. 29 eggg

11 .

• 8 „

22 .

• 81 „

12 .

. 15 „

23 .

. 127 „

13 .

• 13 „

24 .

. 139 „

H .

. 12 „

25 ,

. H3 „

„ 15 .

• 15 „

26 .

. 195 „

Ifi .

. 17 „

27 .

• 216 „

17 .

. 17 „

28 .

. 208 „

18 .

• 15 M

29 .

• 217 „

l!l .

. 30 „

30 .

• 221 „

20 .

. 3,5 .,

31 .

. 230 „

While the writer of these notes is in no position to criticise
these figures, if those of the latter half of December be really
due to the use of artificial light, there is surely something to
be said for electric lighting, and that during a period when
eggs are normally scarce.

The subject of the electrification of steam railways on thia
continent takes on a somewhat different aspect from what it
does in England on account of the enormous water powers
available iu many parts.

It has been estimated recently that the electrification of all
the railways in the United States, even if steam generating

466

IBE ELECTEICAL BE VIE Wo [VoLst. no. 2,237, ootobm a, 1920.

stations were employed to supply the power, would effect a
Saving of about 7U per cent, of the coal now used, the actual
saving being about 1'2'2,5()0,()00 tons. If, as could undoubtedly
be done in many cases, hydro-electric power were used wher-
ever possible, there would be a further saving for every H.i'.
generated by hydrauhc power of at least 3.0 lb. per H.r.
Similar proportionate results would be obtained in Canada,
and in tlie Provinces of Quebec and Ontario, which possess no
coal but abundant water powers, the benefits of electrification
would be almost incalculable were it found commercially
feasible to carry it out on a large scale.

It may not be generally known that both Nova Scotia
and New Brunswick now have Hydi'o-electric Power Com-
missions which are investigating the water powers of their
respective provinces. It has been recently stated that the
water powers of Nova Scotia capable of commercial develop-
ment aggregate some 300,000 h.p., an amount not to be despised
even though, unhke Ontario and Quebec, Nova Scotia pos-
sesses plenty of coal. Both of these Commissions are believed
to be embarking on a pohcy of actually developing several
water powers.

In Toronto the franchise of the Toronto Street Railway Co.
expires next year, and a special Transportation Commission
has recently been formed to go into all matters affecting the
tramways for the city, so that the lines may be taken over
from the company when the franchise terminates; as Toronto
now has a population of over half a million people, and covers
a large area, the problems connected with this matter are
neither small nor unimportant.

In the Province of Alberta there has recently been passed
an Engineering Profession Act, for the purposes of which
professional engineering is divided as follows : Civil, electrical,
mechanical, and mining, but provision is made for the forma-
tion of new branches. Under this Act the Association of
Professional Engineers of Alberta is the officially recognised
body representing the profession. Legal status for engineers
is being sought in other parts of the Dominion.

The Bell Telephone Co. of Canada has recently created a
great stir in Ontario by announcing its intention of making

an extra charge on all business telephones numbering more
than four calls per day; most of the towns and cities and
many associations of business men have agreed to fight the
company on this point with a view to having the proposal
quashed.

There is once more a coal shortage in Ontario, particularly
so with regard to bituminous coal, deliveries of which from the
United States are up to date only about 70 per cent, of those
of the past few years up to the same date. It must be ex-
plained here that the bituminous coal is used almost exclusively
for power purposes, while, for heating, anthracite is mostly
used, and the fact that there is a shortage of bituminous coal
is aggravated by the further fact that there is also a shortage
of hydro-electric power which will not be relieved until the
(Jueenston-Chippawa power development of the Hydro-electric
I'ower Commission of Ontai'io is ready to supply power, which
will not be until September next year.

The Canadian Engineer states that serious consideration is
being given in Northern Ontario to the possibility of basing
upon its wealth of water power a great industry to rank with
mining, farming, and pulp-timber production, viz., that of
nitrogen fixation.

It is not known to the writer whether any particular method
of fixing nitrogen is being considered, but it is not likely that
the arc process W'ill be of much use on account of the usually
high cost of developing Canadian water powers, which greatly
exceeds that of some of the Norwegian water powers.

Some months ago, following upon the serious conditif)ns
which arose last winter in South-western Ontario due to the
shortage of electric power on the Niagara system of the Hydro-
electric Power Commission, this Commission announced that
it would build a steam plant, as an auxiliary, having an initial
capacity of 50,000 h.p., which would be capable of extension
to double that figure. It has recently been announced, how-
ever, that the cost even of a 60,000-h.p. plant would be about
5^ million dollars, and that, consequently, the plant is too
expensive to build; further, such a plant could not be con-
structed before December of next year, and it is expected that
power will he available, as stated above, from the Commis-
sion's Queenston-Chippawa development tsefore that date.

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

JUadtrt are invited to tubmit partioulan of nfto or improved devicet and apparatm, toKioh will ie ptiblitlud
if considered of rufieierU, iiUerett,

, A New Double-acting Solenoid.

A solenoid which is double-acting and at the same time
will attain a neutral position has been developed to operate
a duplex friction clutch at the works of the United Zinc
Smelting Corporation, Moundsville, W. Va., U.S.A. Accord-
ing to the Electrical World, the device pulls equally well in
either direction with a nearly uniform pull throughout its
travel, and a very long travel may easily be obtained. More-
over, in moving to its neutral position it develops a pull equal
to the forward or reverse pull, and does not appreciably
overtravel the neutral position. The solenoid consists prin-
cipally of a field coil inside of which moves a hollow plunger,
around which is a specially divided winding. This plunger
has grooves upon its sm-face in which the coils are wound.

A New Doum.F.-.^CTiNfi Soi.f.noih

From the centre to the right end the winding is left-handed,
and from the centre to the left end the winding is right-
handed. The length of the winding in the grooves is twice
the length of the field coil. The operation of the solenoid is
as follows : The field coil is entirely surrounded by an iron
enclosing cylinder and the end pieces of the cylinder are also
of iron. Therefore, when this coil is excited a magnetic
flax is set up through the cylinder end pieces, and the sliding

armature. The hollow armature sUdes upon a guide of ii'ou
which increases the flux. Referring to fig. 1, when the
current is sent from a through to E, the annature will tend
to move to the left until the right-hand end of the armature
is underneath the end of the field coil, because the current
in the left end of the armature runs in one direction, while
that in the right end runs in the other direction, owing t^j
the reversal of the winding at the point c. This causes a
north pole at the left end of the armature and a south pole
at the right end. These poles tend to get under opposite
poles of the field coil, and hence move the armature in a
left-hand direction. To reverse the direction the current is
reversed in the armature. In order to make the armature
assume its neutral position current is massed as indicated
in p. This makes a north pole at b and a south pole at c,
which move the centre of the armature du-ectly to the centre
of the field coil. Connection with the different parts of the
coil is made by means of flexible wire fastened to the links
(11) as shown in fig. 1. The principle of the action of the
machine, for which patents have been asked, corx'esponds to
that of a D.c. motor, therefore the travel is slow compared
with the solid plunger solenoid. This is due to the counter-
K.M.K., generated by the moving plunger, which reduces the
current and the pull as the speed increases. By making the
housing long enough the plunger will overtravel, and a
counter-force produced by the reverse winding coming imdm-
the field coil will stop the plunger before it strikes the eml
framing. On a test of a solenoid of this type with a 3-in.
(7.5-cm.) plunger, | in. (2.i'> cm.) thick, and 15 in. (37.5 cut.)
long with a consumption of 500 to 600 watts, a pull of 40 lb.
(18 kg.) was developed with a 6-in. (15-cm.) sti"oke.

Porcelain=insulated Heating Elements.

With further reference to our recent notes on the above
subject, we are informed by Messrs. Bf.llino & Co., of
Montague. Road, Upper Edmonton, N. 18, that they hav.-
for .some 1'2 mouths past been experimenting with a type of
heating element that consists of a number of porcelain bridges
in place of the usual eyeleted mica bridge. The firm has
sent us a photograph, which, however, is unsuitable for
reproduction, of an early element that was first put on test
about this time last year. It consists of a number of liridgv^s
which are threaded through large holes on one side ■ of a
channel, projecting lugs passing through smaller holes on
the other side of the channel. The bridges are then held in
position by means of wires passed through holes in the
projecting lugs. In addition to bridges having holes in them,
the firm has also tried others with slotted holes, and, in
fact, is still improving on its particular type of element.

I
I

t

Vel. 87. No. 2,237, October 8, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

457

New A.C. Motors.

Messrs. Higus Bros., of Sand Fits, Biimingham, have
recently placed on the market a line of induction motors
fitted with both squirrel-cage and wound rotor!?. An illustra-
tion of the wound rotor machine is shown in &g. 2.

In;. 2.-111008 Bros. a.c. Motor.

Pio. 3.— Mode oi- Ventilatxon

Tlie tormina Is are fitted in the feet on a specially insulated
terminal bar. on the same principle as in their standard
direct-current motors.

The method of ventilating the machine is illustrated in fig.
3; the centrifugal fan is larger in diameter than the stator

coils, and draws the air through the perforated openings on
one side of the machine and through the stator coils, rotor
coils, and rotor core, and exhausts on the other side of the
machine. The motors are fitted with ball bearings, and
built throughout to the British Standard Specification for
Electrical Machinery. The range that is now being manu-
factured is from i h.p. to 70 h.p. Each machine is provided
with a box containing spares that may be required for the
motor, including bearing grease, spar& brushes, lubricators,
running instructions, &c.

The slip ring gear as illustrated in fig. 4 is of the short-
circuiting and brush-Ufting pattern. Two rings are fitted
on a vertical hub which revolves with the shaft, the third
phase being earthed. The short-circuiting switch acts
through the centre of the shaft end on extension of the
slip rings. The brush moving parallel with the switch, con-
siderably simplifies the construction of this gear. Both opera-
tions are performed by moving a lever about 120 degrees. The
operation is very definite in action. A tapped hole suitable for
conduit is provided in the slip-ring cover for the cables. The
scjuirrel-cage rotor was illustrated in a recent issue.

Pendant Lantern.

Mr. B. N. DoLAN, of 8, Bedford Street, Halifax, has devised
a lantern to be fixed on any lamp holder like a shade, which
is suitable for porches, warehouses, &c. ; it consists of a 12-inch
black and white enamel reflector and a clear glass globe.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received by us after 5 P.M. ON Tuesday caniwt appear mitU
the following week. Correspondents should forward their communi-
cations at the earliest possible moment. No letter can be published
unless we have the twiter's name and address in our possession,

Ex=Service Men First.

On the day before I left England for this country I saw
advertised in your issue of June 11th, " Wanted municipal
electrical engineer, George Town, Penang. Apply Preece,
Cardew & Eider, &c." I applied, and sailed on June 13th.

In the Penang Gazette, August 11th, is a report of the
Municipal Commissioners' meeting, where it was stated by
the chairman that they had been advised by their Bnghsh
agents that no suitable man had applied to them.

I appUed for about 16 municipal posts before I left the old
country, but in every case a non-service man was appointed.
The pity of it is that out here they have a curious preference
for the man who served, and I put in four years' active service.

I do trust that the King's appeal to the home municipalities
will bear good results, and I do plead with consulting en-
gineers and others to give the ex-Service man even preference.
The Colonies like them.

Taiping, F.M.S.
September ith, 1920.

H. M. Taylor.

Electric Welding.

In reply to Mr. Bevan Smith, fragments selected from any
article often appear to be contradictory when detached from
the context.

The values given in the article on electric welding are
practical results obtained after two years, and are quoted
as a useful guide for general welding work. To obtain the
best and quickest results the voltage figure should not be
aljsolutely inflexible, and a little latitude to the welder in
this respect is recommended. It is just the difference between
theory and practice.

Tlie generator voltage range of 30 to 100 is quoted so as
to include the practicability of railway or tramway work,
within the scope of a portable welding set. Such a unit was
referred to in order to show the limits required to cover the
voltage range for all welding work.

Regarding metallic electrodes, welding with 20 volts means
a very short arc. accompanied by a frequent we!ding-up of
the eipctrode to the j'ob in hand, and was thus discontinued,
and the voltage figure raised to 25, using a slightly longer
arc. This has proved eminently satisfactory from the writer's
point of view. The figure of 5 KW. per welder is obtained
after taking the mean of watt-meter readings, on various
welding plants, and cannot be deduced by a simple calcula-
tion.

A useful guide to the size of plant required is to allow
for two out of three welders to be operated at any instant
(owing to frequent interruptions in the circuit).

Electrode.
SeptrmbcT llth, 1920.

Mr. H. B.;van Swift, in his letter in your issue of the Slth
ult.. criticising the article on electric welding which appeared
in your issue of the previous week, lays himself open to
criticism in his condemnation of the self-excited reverse-com-
pound-w-ound generator.

In his statement that without separate excitation the reverse-
compound-wound machine would be a failure, Mr. Swift is

4£8

IHE ELECTEICAL KEVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,237, OoroaaB 8, 1920.

either attempting to mislead your readers or he must be
somewhat behind the times in the matter of this type of
generator ; perhaps it may be of interest to him to know that
self-excited and self-regulating reverse-compound-wound gene-
rators are on the market, and have proved entirely satisfac-
tory, and not the " failure " he makes out this type of
generator to be.

Without entering into a technical discussion of design, I
would like to say that the particular machine 1 have in mind
is so designed as to give a no-load or striking voltage of GO
volts which, when the arc is struck, automatically decreases
to the voltage required by the arc, which for average good
work and the average operator is from 18 to 30 volts for bare
metallic electrodes.

The current output is controlled by a dial switch which
puts into circuit varying amounts of series winding.

As stated above, this set is self-excited and self-regulating,
and the mechanical and electrical construction is simple and
in accordance with modern standard practice.

The rating of the single-operator set is 60/20 volts, 200 amps.,
4 KW. J yf Beswick.

Eugby. (k-lnbcr ith, 1920.

Proposed Sea Tunnels.

In your issue of the 24th ult., page 405, re the above, you
quote the Railway Gazette as saying ; " Pas.senBers leaving
Paris by the proposed route could reach Dakar (Senegal) in
three days without changing trains."

I personally thought so, and wrote to the Press some time
previously, to the effect that I considered the whole of the
Eastern Hemisphere, where actually possible, ought to be
joined up by railways.

I have since heard (whether correct or not I do not know)
that the Spanish railways employ an entirely different gauge
to the French railways, thercliy necessitating great expense,
for through transit. 0_ i^_ Broadbent.

October Ind, 1920.

Domestic Supply Pressure and Wiring.

Following up the remarks by Mr. B. W. Gothard upon
C.T.S. caljle for house wiring, some conti-actors point out the
disadvanta.ge of C.T.S. buried in plaster, due to its liability to
i)e punctured by nails and the inability to withdraw faulty
cable, or to carry out alterations. The method that I have
devised is as follows : I run short lengths of C.J. conduit from
switch points to floor joists, also from switch points to false
ceilings when buried in plaster. Wiring with C.T.S.
is simplicity itself, by making a ring main with twin
3/. 029 to lamp points, and short lengths of twin C.T.S. from
lamp points to switch. The necessary connections are made
with small porcelain connectors underneath the ceiling rose
pattress of the ordinary type. For 3-light fittings a length of
3-core C.T.S. is used from lamp point to switches. Also
3-core is used for staircase , lighting between both switch
points with the necessary 2- way switches. £_ guig,

Chester, October Uh, 1920.

The E.P.E.A. and the E.T.U.

Judging by the amount of correspondence you have pub-
lished in the last three or four issues of the Electrical
Review relating to the E.P.E.A. and its attitude towards the
present — or recent — trouble in the electrical industry, one is
led to believe that considerable interest has been aroused
amongst certain sections of electrical engineers, but unfor-
tunately the writers appear in almost all cases to have missed
the point of the action at which they are so much distressed.

They all accuse the Executive of the E.P.E.A. of " siding "
with the E.T.U. , and as such is not strictly accurate, it seems
to me very necessary for someone to draw attention to this
fact.

The E.P.E.A. has not sided with the E.T.U.; instead, the
E.T.U. has adopted the principle of the E.P.E.A. The
E.P.E.A. has followed the path that every right-minded person
or body must follow if lasting success is to be attained, namely,
the principle of settlement by mutual agreement, and as, in
this dispute, the employers refused this method of settlement,
the E.T.U., being willing to use it, found themselves thereby
ranged alongside the E.P.E.A., w'ho, up to that point, were
little more than spectators. As, however, the E.P.E.-A..
members were about to be directly affected by the defensive
action the E.T.U. was bound to adopt, it was reasonable that
they should declare their decision that, as the employers
definitely refused to be reasonable, against the advice of the
Minister of Labour, they must not expect their staff men
to exceed their ordinary duties and supervise (or, in other
words, train) unskilled men who may be brought in to fill the
places of the workers with whom their employers were in
dispute, and some of whom they had unrea.sonably expelled.

This is not siding with the E.T.U. — it is adhering to prin-
ciple, but it .S(i hilppens in this case that the E.T.U. is also
guided by the same principle. On another occasion it may
be found that the employers wish to be i-e,n.son.able: in that
case they will find themselves side by side with the E.P.E.A.,
a position which could not be described a^ the E.P.E.A. siding
with the employers.

Why your correspondents should consider it so dreadful
to have the E.T.U. following the path of their own Association
I am at a loss to understand, unless they are of that class
which still considers it " infra dig." and " not respectable "
to take a stand under any circumstances against employers,
but never questions the " respectability " of employers who
openly break agreements, and only pay such debts as they
can be compelled to pay, namely, all advance.^ demanded by
large and powerful unions, whilst men not so placed, but in
very many cases rendering the highest services, are told
they ought to consider them.selves lucky to get less than
many labom-ers.

I have a suspicion that at least part of the outburst is prob-
ably due to a most unfortunate feeling for which the E.T.U.
is, in the first place, to blame, and which many members of
the E.P.E.A. have .striven hard to remove. If, however, the
E.T.U. would only realise that the large majority of E.P.E..A.
men (in spite of a few odd lilack sheep) were theii- friends,
better relations would result, and more progress be made.

Pollux.

October Wi, 1920.

LTo say that the E.T.U. has adopted the policy of the
E.P.E..\. is a notable etlurt of imagination. The E.T.f. started
a local strike, without exhausting conciliatory methods, for
the purpose of compelling a man to rejoin the union against
his will. Is that the pohcy of the E.T.U.? When the lock-out
was declared, the E.T.U. accepted arbitration on tactical
grounds, to " nobble " the E.P.E..^.— and as the next move,
attempted Ui bring about a strike in a wholly detached in-
du.stry, in which it hoped to secure the support (jf the E.P.E.A.
— but without a thought of going to arbitration with the
employers. The E.P.E..\. Executive fell into the trap. It
was a pretty piece of dust-throwing, which obscured the
vision of the victims, and led them into the desired course
under the delusion that they were following their own poUcy !

Our correspondent is equally naive; he says: " .'^s the em-
ployers definitely I'efused to l.ie reasonable, against the advice
<if the Minister of Labour, they must not expect their staff
men to exceed their ordinary duties." This statement is
packed full of unconscious misconstructions of fact. It assumes
that employer A is employer B; it assumes that opposition
to the advice of the Minister of Labour is necessarily unreason-
able; it assumes that the " ordinary duties " of the staff men
are restricted to the performance of certain technical functions,
disregarding their higher ^iuties to the pubHc, which they
have accepted by entering the public service; and it goes
on again to identify the electricity supply employers with
the manufacturers who had " unreasonably " expelled the
workers. " Pollux " must be very artless to be so easily
duped. — Ens. Elec. Eev.]

I think the whole trouble with the E.P.E.A. is that we
have no brilliant speakers or writers, our best being only
moderate. Another item is that we can never hope to get
large and representative meetings, owing to the fact that
either one or two shifts are on duty at the time.

I think our Executive Council ought to make more use of
the Press, its own Journal, and the platform; if it cannot, then
let's pay for someone who can.

I see there are a few letters upholding the attitude of the
E.P.E.A., which include one from Mr. Jones, but I am sorry
to say that, like many other E.P.E.A. matters they are all
far too tame. For goodness sake wake up ! Lash out and
put a bit of fire into your correspondence; there is plenty to
kindle.

With reference to the various groups of senior engineers,
these men are all known to the E.P.E..\., and can almost be
counted on two hands. Some are men who are holding very
high and responsible positions, others I may add are not
touched by the salary schedule. They are far too intimate
with the chiefs, and in odd cases I believe that peaceful per-
suasion is the cause of some of the letters being written, to
give one the impression of a split in our ranks. In future
correspondence I suggest that writers cut out Penistone and
the E.T.U.. as their trouble was not ours; we have a deter-
mined policy, and — who knows? — it mav be directly against
the E.T.U. next time.

The question is asked : " Why should the general pulilic be
made to suffer? " Well, we have to give pain to cure pain,
and what we want is to stop strikes. Our policy is based on
Whitleyism, which is the birth of a nevv' Trade Unionism, a
fact which has sunk into the hearts of many trade union
official, who admit it is a splendid idea, especially if the find-
ings of the National .Joint Boards can he made law by .\ct of
Parliament. If this is achieved, there will be no more strikes,
and the general public will reap the benefit. This is our aim,
but unfortun.Ttely our first test case has been wrongly inter-
preted .

If what I am told is correct. Sir Robert Ftorne agrees with
us, ,nnd al.so admitted that we had played into the hands of
tlie Oovernment. and T further ,ndd from mv own knowledge
that the acli.in of the E.P.E.A. stopped the .'^frike from taking
place

T.. P. n. Atom.

October <2nd, 1920.

[If A has nn aching tooth, do we extract B's tooth in order
to cure A?— Eds. Eleo. Ret.]

Vol. 87. No. 2,237, October 8, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

459

Power Factor.

Will you permit me to reply to my critics?

My suggestion of charging on K.v.A.-hom's was not intended
to be perfect. I assumed from the articles and correspondence
that some difficulty exists in charging for low p.f. The supply
company would not be paid for power without generating it,
as -Mr. Dorey states, for I distinctly stated that the price
should be based on the p.f. of the system, not on the assump-
tion that in giving K..V..4. the company is giving kw. Of
course, the low P.P. customer \\ould pay more and so be in-
duced to " pull up his socks " — the high p.v. customer bene-
fiting until the general improvement brought the p.p. up to
his level and the price per K. v. a. -hour increa.sed accordingly.
If there is no difficulty in accounting for p.p. when charging,
there is nothing more to desne. If a customer prefers low
p.p. supply, give it to him and charge accordingly.

Mr. B. F. Smith gives me a heavier task, but I still main-
tain that a " wattless current " can exist. Probably the term
is an abbreviation of the term " wattless component of the
resultant cui'rent." Apart from that, the term " wattless cur-
rent " is in order when .speaking of r.m.s. values, as the total
power resulting from the current acting with the pressure,
over the cycle, is zero. I appreciate Mr. Smith's explanation
of the effect of the lagging or leading of the current, on the
power, though it may be found in text-books, but he does not
show any increase of current due to the low p.p.. which is the
point at is.sue. The plant as it works at lower p.p., for the
same work done and same power current, assumitig the same
efficiency, does give rise to an " extra " current which can be
shown easily on an .\.c. ammeter in the form of the effect on
the main or resultant current.

As an example, take the case of a condenser of high capacity
and negligible resistance. To improve the argument, using
Mr. Smith's words " wattless component," this is all there is,
and yet it is "a current," and so I say a " wattless current "
can exist as much as a " wattle.ss component." Let us add
to our condenser circuit across the same supply, but by sepa-
rate leads, a resistance. This causes a current to flow in phase
with the pressure. Now bind the leads together so that the
resistance is across the condenser with common supply. Why
should not the two currents still exist, in some way mixed,
so that they can only be measured from their resultant effect?
We measure current as one current, but that is no proof that
onlv one exists.

May I a.sk Mr. Smith how " wattless component " of power
can exist, as he .states^

All honour to Mr. Dorcy for striking the right note in^

" wattless leading component " of the load is 200 k.v.a. — but
load is a doubtful word, as it usually denotes power and A
stands for amjoeres, that is current, so why say component at
one time and current at another? I took Mr. Dorey's terras
broadly, reaUsing what he meant. How many eminent writers
u.se the term " magnetising current " not component? In
talking of my " weird " current I did not say it comes from
nowhere, and my statement that it causes slight losses was
not in opposition to the statement that the " wattless current "
itself takes no power, but in some way causes a " losses cur-
rent." I should much appreciate a detailed scientific explana-
tion of how this extra loss develops. Considering the case of
the condenser shows the idea more clearly and avoids the com-
plication due to resistance.

However, it remains for me to be my own critic. According
to our accepted ideas of electrical power, a cm-rent " watt-
less " over a cycle combines with the pressure, and does give a
power alternation of double the frequency of supply, which in
mean effect is zero or " wattless." In this respect my
criticism of Mr. Turnbull was wrong, and I regret the same,
but the magnitude of this power is not proportional to the
" wattless " current, and does not follow its alternations, but
depends on the extent to which it coincides with the value of
the pressure at any moment, and when the current is a maxi
mum there is no pressure, and so for that instant there is,
even in the cycle, a real " wattless currrnt." So when this
current " surges back on the generator," for half a cycle it is
of opposite sign to the pressure for i cycle and returns power
and the same sign for the other i cycle and takes power, and
yet is surging back all the time. Similarly when the current
comes from the generator during the other half-cycle there l'
power both ways. In this way I modify my criticism of Mv.
Turnbull's statement, and would point out that that was the
sole purpose in view in my letter, and I was not endeavour-
ing to explain what p.p. is. as Mr. Smith evidently thinks.

I should much appreciate an explanation of the effect on
the plant of this double frequency power as apart from the
current itself, and thank Mr. Turnbull and Mr. E. F. Smith
for leading me to such an interesting question. I do not
wish to be dogmatic, and insist that there are several cur-
rents, but there are several distinct phenomena either of a
current or pressure nature which merge. It is often more
convenient to consider one current and several pressui-e.s. In
conclusion, may I suggest " quadrature " current for " watt-
''^''s " chas. H. Harvey.

Ponders End,

September mii, IP'JO.

BUSINESS NOTES.

Dissolutions of Partnership.— James E. Sayers and

Caldwell, consulting engineers and electricians, I'Jo, West George
Street, Glasgow.— Messrs. J. E. Sayers and J. Caldwell have
dissolved partnership, the latter retiring. Mr. Sayers will continue
the business in his own name, and will attend to debts, kc. Mr.
Caldwell will carry on business on his own behalf at Parliament
Mansions. Victoria Street, London.

Cabrack i: Cass, electrical engineers and contractors, 6, Park
Place, Leeds. — Mr. J. W. Carrack and Mr. W. H. Cass have dissolved
partnership. Mr. J. W. Carrack will attend to debts and continue
the business.

Trade Announcements.— The A a.m) A Electrical Co.,

Ltd., are now carrying stocks at their Manchester Branch,
2-8, Shudehill.

Messrs. Ward & Goldstone have just opened a branch for
South Wales and the South and West of England at 71, Old Market
Street, Bristol. The branch consists of stores, offices, and show-
rooms, and good stocks are held.

Company Liquidations.— E. Coates & Co., Ltd.,

mechanical and electrical engineers, Craven House, Kingaway, E.C.
— At a meeting of creditors held recently at 95a, Chancery Lane,
London, W.C, it was reported that the company had gone into
voluntary liquidation, and had appointed Mr. G. C. Johnson to act
aa the liquidator. No statement of affairs was submitted by the
li<|uidator, but in answer to a question, he said that the liabilities
amounted to about £4,Co3. So far as the a-ssets were concerned,
they consisted almost entirely of book debts, the amount of which
was at present urdsnown. The liquidator gave it as his opinion
that the assets would not produce sufficient to discharge all the
liabilities in full. The company was registered on December 7th,
1918. with a nominal capital of £10,00o, to acquire and take over
an existing business. The purchase price was fixed at £9,198,
which was satisfied by the allotment of 3 i>00 fully-paid shares of
£1 each, and the balance was paid in cash. The company also
undertook to discharge any liabilities which existed at the time.
The business carried on appeared to be that of agents sellinL'
abroad. During the first 12 months the company traded at a small
profit, but since then heavy losses ha*l been made through bad
debts in Belgium and various Continental countries. The principal
creditors were Messrs. Buckley, of Birmingham, who were
interested for about £1,600, and who proposed a resolution in
favour of a nominee of the creditors being appointed as liquidator.

The resolution was eventually carried, and a committee of
inspection of the principal creditors was also nominated.

Electric Supply Co. of Western Ad.stralia, Ltd. —
Meeting of creditors, October i:!th, at the offices of the British
Insulated and Helby Cables, Ltd., Lennox House, Norfolk Street,
Strand, W.C. Liquidator, G. Sales.

Catalogues and Lists. — The British Thomson-

HODSTON Co., Ltd., Rugby. — Descriptive list No. 2,1.=!1, giving illus-
trations and full details of synchronous motors andcondeneers, with
cur%'es and diagrams.

Foster Engineering Co., Ltd., Morden Works, Wimbledon,
S.W. 19.— A catalogue (16 pp.) of transformers, single and three-
phase, oil and air-cooled, and transformer switch-fuse sets, &c.
Fully illustrated and priced.

Hart Accumulator Co., Ltd., Marshgate Lane. Stratford,
E. 15. — Leaflet illustrating and describing an unspillable accumulator
inspection lamp.

Messrs. J. Beardshaw & Son, Ltd., Baltic Steel Works,
Sheffield.— Illustrated leaflet dealing with profile steel of various
sections.

The General Electric Co,, Ltd,, 07, Queen Victoria Street,
E.C. 4.— Leaflet V 2,340, giving an illustrated and priced description
of the "Time Saver" electric washer and wringer.

Messrs. Siemens Bro.s. & Co., Ltd., Palace Place Mansions,
Kensington Court, W. 8.— A show-card C19i in. X 12J in.) bearing
a tasteful design advertising " Excel " lamps. Also an illustrated
and priced leaflet dealing with " Excel " lamps of various types.

Athol Encineering Co.. 9, Peru Street, Higher Broughton,
Manchester.— Sheet C 2, a leaflet giving sizes, weights, and prices of
transparent polished sheet celluloid.

Messrs. Donovan & Co., 47, Cornwall Street, Birmingham.—
An illustrated and priced sheet of electrical accessories, including
switches, fuses, motor starters, wires, and cables. Also leaflet
dealing with "Osram " lamps.

Messrs. Watson & Sons (Electro-Medical), Ltd., Sunic
House, Parker Street, Kingsway, W.C. 2.— Two priced and illus-
trjited booklets— Bulletin 2.S S, " Estimates for .\-Ray Installa-
tions." giving very full details of many types ; and Bulletin 29 S,
" Diathermy Apparatus," with an introductory paper on the use
of electricity to raise the temperature of the body in the treatment
of disease.

460

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,237, ootobbr s, im

Messrs. F. J. Shenton & Co., Ltd., 68 and 69, Shoe Lane, E.G. 4.
— A 6-page list giving' prices of switches, distribution boards,
lampholders, adaptors, out-outs, cables, &c.

Messrs. A. Wild & Co., 51, Great Dover Street, S.E.I. —Price
Hat of tanned leather, raw hide, balata, cotton and hair belting and
hydraulic leathers and pump cups.

Messes. Hyde & Thomson, Ltd., White Buildings, Fitzilan
Square, Sheffield. — Stock List, October, 1920, giving details of
" Rhodes " motors, for which the firm are sole agents. Delivery
dates are stated in every case.

The Cambridge and Paul Instrument Co., Ltd., 46, Gros-
venor Place, S.W. 1.— List No. 191 (16 pp.). A well-illustrated
description of ''Cambridge" potentiometers and accessories,
including 8tand»rd shunts and thermo-indicator test box. Also the
official list of instruments exhibited at the Engineering Exhibition,
Olympia, which is an iUuatrated summary of the most important
industrial instruments manufactured by the company.

Messrs. Drake & Gorham (Wholesale), Ltd., 67, Long Acre,
W.C. 2. — Pamphlet No. 289 (5 pp.), describing and illustrating the
"Apex"8witch; priced. Pamphlet No. 297 (10 pp.), an illustratedand
priced catalogue of tungsten lamps, reflectors, lanterns and fittings ;
and Pamphlet No. 298, "Electric Fires" (24 pp.), dealing with
many types of fires, cookers, and other domestic electrical
apparatus ; a separate price-list is issued with this pamphlet.

Trade Conditions in Sontli Africa. — The general

managers of the Standard Bank of South Africa supply the
following information regarding trade conditions throughout the
Union : — Except in Rhodesia, where trade continues good, business
generally is sluggish. Wholesale merchants report that trade is
quiet. Owing to the irregularity of shipments, orders placed 18
months ago are only just coming forward with recent indents,
thus adding to the difficulties of importers. The retail trade
generally, except at Durban, has had a set-back. Owing to the
difficulties of realising produce, the purchasing power in the
country districts is restricted. There is a shortage of labour in
the coal mining and sugar industries. Business in the iron and
steel trades is quiet, difficulty being experienced in obtaining
delivery of certain material, particularly plates. The prices for
galvanised iron are below the cost of importing. Hardware supplies
are not arriving. Electrical goods of all kinds are in stock, but
business is very quiet. Business in motor cars is dull, some
markets appearing to be overstocked. Owing to the excellent
crop prospects, there is hope of improved general business condi-
tions by the end of the year. — lleuter's Trade Service (Cape Town).

E.P.E.A. Schedule. — Midland Undertakings. — Pend-
ing the formation of District Joint Boards for No. 5 and No. 7
Area, informal meetings between representatives of the under-
takings and representatives of the E.P.E.A. are being arranged to
deal with the schedule of salaries for the technical staff. In No. 7
Area a meeting was held on Thursday, October 7th, at the Guild-
hall, Nottingham.

The dispute between Worcester Corporation and the E.P.E.A.
has been settled by the Corporation agreeing to adopt the schedule
of salaries, subject to the decision of District Joint Board upon
outstanding matters.

A meeting of representatives of electricity undertakings in
Lancashire, Cheshire, fcc, held last week, refused to adopt the
proposed new scale of salaries for technical members of the staffs
from the National Joint Board, and decided to frame a scale of
their own.

Tlie French Telephone Industry. — The shareholders in

the Society Industrielle des Telephones have sanctioned an increase
in the share capital from 18,000,030 to 36,000,000 fr. It was
explained at the recent meeting that additional capital was
required owing to the great augmentation in the cost of all materials,
the_ desire to develop manufacturing, and the necessity for erecting
new workshops provided with modern equipment.

Lamp-Makers' Wages,— The Daily Herald, on October
5th, published the following :—" A new demand for women workers
in the electric lamp-making industry, which will also apply to
women employed in the manufacture of electric accumulators, has
been formulated by the Natiori.-il Federation of General Workers,
and the National Federation of Women Workers. The demand is
for a minimum weekly wage of 50s. for 18 years and over, 3S3. for
those under 18, a percentage increase for pieceworkers, and a
week's annual holiday with pay. Separate application is to be
made to the Electric Lamp Manufacturers' Association, and
the British Electrical and Allied Slauufaoturers' Association
forthwith."

Dutch Capital Augmentation.— The share capital of the
Hengelosohe Electrische en Mechanische Apparaten Fabriek
(Heemay), of Hengels, which now amounts to 5,000,000 florins, is
being increased by the issue of new shares for 2,250,000 fl. at the
price of 106 per cent. It is explained that the additional capital is
required, owing to the full influx of new orders during the past
half-year and the extension of the works and warehouses. At the
same time the articles of association are being modified so as to
raise the nominal share capital to 10,0u0,000 fl.

For Sale.— The Crown Agents for the Colonies invite
offers for six 5-KW. and six IO-kw. single-phase oU-insulated trans-
formers. By order of Messrs. Pritchett & Gold and Electrical
Power Storage Co., Ltd , owing to the premises having been disposed
of, Messrs. Bradshaw, Brown & Co., will sell by auction on
October 19th the surplus plant and machinery at Greville Works,
Ashtead, Surrey. For partioulai's, eee our advertisement pages
to-day. • '^ *

Inquiries. — Makers of the " Sovereign " dry cell are
aaked for ; also British agents for " Condensite."

Book Notices. — Starting this week, the Technical Reriew
will in future appear weekly, instead of fortnighly ; 500 additional
sources of information have been added to its list during the past
eight months, the staff of abstractors has been enormously
increased, and the greater quantity of matters calls for additional
space. The price per issue will not be changed.

Cvniiuest for October — completing the first volume — contains
articles on the working of a London telephone exchange, by M.
Egan ; a device for artificial respiration used by tbe London Fire
Brigade with success ; and the gas turbine, by J. D. Troup.

"Welfare Work." Vol. I, No. 9 (16 pp.).— The September
number of the Journal of the Welfare Workers' Institute contains
an article on welfare workers' training and notes on welfare work
among the Scottish fisher folk.

The Illuinittufhig Engineer for July, just received, announces an
increase in price from is. 3d. to Is. 6d. per copy.

"The Bennis Steam Tables " (12 pp). Ed. Bennis & Co., Ltd.,
28, Victoria Street, S.W. 1. Price Is. 6d. — Containing general
information and a set of seven tabler, including factors of equiva-
lent evaporation, according to gauge pressure, initial tempeiat ore
of water, and superheat and total heat and temperature of saturated
steam at given gauge pressures.

Engineering Supplies for Australia. — The Department

of Overseas Trade has received a communication from the Manu-
facturing Engineers' Association of Australia, Melbourne, to the
effect that they are interested in particulars of machine tools,
drills, cutting wheels, and milling cutters, and all manufacturing
engineers' stores and supplies. They would value copies of United
Kingdom manufacturers' catalogues, together with prices of
machinery required in the equipment of their factories. Sucii
catalogues, which should be forwarded direct to the Association,
would be included amongtt the books in the library of the
Association, where they would be available for reference by
members.

Cookery and Food Exhibition. — The twenty-fifth

universal Cookery and Food Exhibition was held at the Royal
Horticultural Hall, Westminster, from September 27th to
October 1st. In spite of the big advances recently made in elec-
trical cooking apparatus, the actual food exhibits were cooked
chiefly by gas and oil. There were only two exhibitors of elec-
trical manufactures — Cakron Company and the Edison Swan
Electric Co. Demonstrations were carried out by the former
company on a small combination cooker with two side and one top
elements, making a total load of about 1.250 watts. These
elements were of a standard type easUy replaceable, and another
feature was the accessibility of the wiring. On its main stand the
compiny had a large 22-KW. double-oven roasting and baking
range with three-heat controls for all elements, and a fuse and
pilot lamp to each circuit. Another smaller cooker also appeared
on this stand. All the exhibits were very attractive in appearance,
being highly finished. The Edison Swan Co. exhibited a
collection of small devices— electric rings, kettles, stoneware
utensils, toasters, &c. The main features were a three-gallon urn,
and an electric fish fryer consisting of a stand contaLuing a 5'2-KW.
element in two parts, grid, drip pan and frying basket. The
control board was fitted with two rotary switches giving seven
separate degrees of heat. The Artofex Engineering Works,
Ltd., had a variety of kneading, mixing, slicing, and refining
machines belt driven by a 3-H,P. motor, aa well as a motor-driven
coffee mill direct coupled.

Department of Overseas Trade.— The Board of Trade

announce that Mr. G. T. Milne, O.B.E., has been appointed H.M.
Trade Commissioner in London, stationed at the Department of Over-
seas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, S.W. 1. Mr. Milne recently vacated
the post of Commercial Secretary for Cuba in order to take up the
appointment in the Trade Commissioner Service at Headquarters.
Mr. Milne held the post of Trade Commissioner in Au3tralia;from
1913 to July, 1918, when he was transferred to Montreal as H.M.
Senior Trade Commissioner in Canada.

Recorder Contracts. — The Lea Recorder Co., Ltd., of

Mauchester, have recently executed contracts for their recorders for
the purpose of measuring steam consumption or condensate for
steam turbines at the following electricity works : — Paisley,
Wrexham, St. Helens, Great Yarmouth, Whitby and Seville, also
Cairo wireless station. Repeat orders have been received from the
London Electric Railways and from the following electricity
works :— Lancashire Electric Power Co. (Radcliffe), Accrington,
West Ham, Shanghai, Durban, Kilmarnock, Sheffield, Liverpool,
Lincoln, Dundee, Bolton, St. Marylebone, Halifax, and Melbourne.

German Export Duties Reduced.— The export duties

have been reduced on numerous articles, including electric lamps
of all kinds, insulating material, carriages, steam engines, sewing,
embroidery and seed machines, steam and gas turbines, bookbinding
machinery, blowing machinery, fire engines, and a large number of
chemical products. — Renter's Trude Serri.e (Berlin").

Trade with Canada. — The British (Government Trade
Commissioner, Mr. Frederick Field, is leaving Toronto on
October 8th on an official visit to the United Kingdom to confer
with the Department of Overseas Trade in London and with
Chambers of Comijierpe, manufacturers and merchants throughout
Britain, — Renter.

Vol. 87. No. 2,237, octobeb 8, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL EEVIEW.

461

The Birmingham Fair, 1921. — We are informed that

space is letting rapidly tor the Birmingham Section of the
British Industries iJ'aii', which takes place early next year.
As our readers will remember, it was at the Birmingham
Section this year that electrical and eugmeerrng exhibitors dis-
played their goods, and that will be the experience in ly^l
also, because the arrangements are to be practically the same.
We understand that the greater readiness of manufacturers
to take space, as compared with a year ago, is due to the
fact that they have now greatly increased their production
of goods, and have worked oft many of their standing con-
tracts, and will be eagerly oa the look-out for new business.
There is no question about the value of these Faks {Loudon,
Bii'mingham, and Glasgow) as occasions when manufacturers
can meet buyers from other parts of the world.

The Birmingham Section is again being organised by a
Joint Council of the Birmingham Corporation and the Cham-
ber of Commerce, and it will again be held at Castle Brom-
wich. Mr. Charles Stanley will once more be the general
manager. The exhibits will comprise brassfoundry of all kinds ;
tools; hollow ware; cooking and heating stoves; mechanical
rubber goods; tubes and fittings; ferrous metals and alloys;
general hardware; belting; cycles and motor -cycles; accessories
for cycles, motor-cycles, cars, and aeroplanes; paints, colours,
varnishes, &c. ; ropes (wire and fibre), &c. Full information
as to space available, &c., can be obtained on application
to the General Manager, British Industries Fair (Birming-
ham), 19'21, Chamber of Commerce Building, 95, New Street,
Birmingham.

The Copper Trade in Japan. — The copper trade in Japan
is at present at a standstill, principally owing to the absence
of demand, both at home and abroad, following the recent
slump. Very little export is reported in spite of the fact that
quotations here are lower than those prevailing in foreign
countries. The question of exchange is also working against
Japan. There has been no noticeable change in production
for the past two or three years, whereas some 3U,000 tons
have been imported into this country. The present stacks
on hand are said to amount to 25,001) tons. In ordinary cir-
cumstances it is a general rule that the demand for copper
exceeds the supply, the consequence being that some difficulty
is experienced when purchasing, except three months forward
or longer. The Japan Copper Sale Association has decided
to export about 10,000 tons to Europe and another 10,000 tons
to .\siatic countries with a view to reducing the heavy stocks
which are keeping down the tone of the market. Ten per
cent, of the 10,0(30 tons for Europe will be consigned to
London. All the above exports will be made in a semi-
refined condition, and shipped to consumers direct. The
price agreed upon is put at from 45 yen to 41 yen per picul.
.■\. large demand is anticipated from America in consideration
of tlie cheaper, price now ruling in Japan. Further orders
to the extent of 1'2,000 to 13,000 tons are also .shortly expected
from China. The Association is anxious to get rid of the
heavy stocks now glutting the market as fast as possible,
and with this end in view, it is prepared to entertain ofFers
for export even at a loss. — Renter's Trade Service (Tokyo).

Tasmanian Hydro-Electric Loan.— In his budget speech

in the Tasmanian Parliament, the Treasurer said it would be
neoeisary to approach the London market shortly for a loan
mainly for hydro-electric nd other public works, while the people
of the State would be expected to lend the funds necessary to
meet the State's other requirements.

New French Company. — La Societe Electrique Koda
is the name of a new company which has lately been formed in
Paris (218, Faubourg St. Honore), with a, capital of one million
francs.

Co-operative Electrical Repairing.— A company in

which all the workmen are shareholders and ex-service men, has
been formed at Sunderland for the repair of electrical machinery,
A branch is also being established at Newoastleon-Tyne.

Argentine Customers. — The names of the following

firms in Buenos Ayres are given in a German newspaper as buyers
of motors, measuring instruments, electro-medical apparatus and
installation materials : — Misch, Pensa y Notario, Calle Bolivar 385 ;
Juan B. Scapuaio. Calle Carlos Pellegrini 898 ; Pratt y Cia, Calle
Sarmiento 636 ; F. Walter y Cia, Calle Venezuela 400 ; Heinlein y
Cia, Calle Avensida de Mayo, 1402 ; P. Luis Alberto Meincke, Calle
Almirante Brown 1434 ; and Magnocavallo y Bono, Calle Corrientes
1731, all of Buenos Ayres.

Electricity Supply Commercial Association. — A mass

meeting is to be held at Caxton Hall, Westminster, on October ISth,
when the general secretary, Mr. G. R. Smith, will address the
audience. Tickets can be obtained from the Hon. Sec , London
Division, Mr. J. C. Adams, Longmore, Horsham Road, Esher. As
the Association is represented on the National Joint Board for the
JElectricity Supply Industry, it is obviously the body to which
those engaged in cammercial and clerical occupations in that
industry should attach themselves.

Belgium. — A new company, the Etabliesements de Man,
has just been established in Antwerp for the manufacture, repair,
erection and trade in all kinds of electrical apparatus, more especially
those employed in medicine, telephony and wireless telegraphy.
Its oapittd is 1,000,000 f».

Small Searchlights. — Having acquired the drawings,
patterns, and stock of the late firm of Messrs. Arthur Lyon and
Wrench, of Westminster and Willesden, The London Elbctbic
Firm, of Croydon, is in a better position for supplying searchlights
of this class. These have been largely supplied for Naval use, for
daylight signalling, and for landing lights for aerial navigation ;
also for mercantile marine work, for motor boats, smarll steamers,
pleasure yachts and cruisers. Foreign, as well as Home, Govern-
ment Departments have made use of these handily designed
outfits.

Inter-Trade Union Dispute. — An agreement has been
reached at a conference in London with regard to the South Wales
dispute as to membership of the Iron and Steel Trades Confedera-
tion and the Electrical Trades Union in that area. The matter
arose over the case of a man at the Port Talbot steel works,
employed as an electrician's assistant. It has been agreed that the
man concerned shall transfer his membership to the Iron and Steel
Trades Confederation. As to the general position of the member-
ship of the two Unions in other parts of the country, it was decided
that a national conference should be held to arrive at a working
arrangement. — Mam-hexter Guardian.

New Uses for Rubber, — In connection with the intention
of the Rubber Growers' Association (Inc.) to award £5,000 in
prizes for ideas and suggestions for extending the present uses or
for encouraging new uses for rubber, it should be stated that the
closing date is December Slstnext. Conditions governing the com-
petition may be obtained from the Rubber Growers' Association
(Inc.), 38, Eastcheap, London, E.G. 3.

The Cost of Living and Industrial Unrest.— At the

National Conference on the High Cost of Living .... the
proceedings, apart from the suggestive speech delivered by Mr.
W. W. Paine, of Lloyd's Bank, were disappointing. Mr. Paine
apparently preferred to face the labour problem boMly. He
pointed out that improvement in the condition of the working
classes could only come about from increased wealth to be pro-
duced by greater eflioiency and steady work. Grooda and ssrvices
alone formed the fund on which cheques could be drawn. To his
certain knowledge, he added, sectional strife was at present
involving this country in huge losses of contracts and orderS)
which, if they had come here, would have helped to increase the
fund of real wealth. If this sort of thing cOEtinued, a few more
years of strife would leave little to quarrel about. Few will, there-
fore, dispute Mr. Paine's declaration that we have got to arrive, in
the future, at some equitable plan for the division of the product
of industry between the factors which produced it — brains, labour,
and capita'. In order to arrive at the principle of such a plan,
which, of course, would vary in its application to different
industries, Mr. Paine suggested the appointment of a Royal Com-
misdon of Inquiry. Such an inquiry would be wholly beneficial,
even if it only succeeded in discrediting the various wDd theories
which are current ai accepted truths in too many quarters. The
inquiry would have to be held in public, for it would outstrip in
importance and value any inquiry of the kind in recent years.
The suggestion merits the serious consideratioi of the Government.
— The Times.

Outing. — In celebration of recent developments in their
activities, the directors of Messrs, Palmer, Riley & Co,, electrical
dealers, of Acorington, recently organised for their employes a
motor trip to Blackpool and Fleetwood, High tea was served at
Norbreck Hydro, where the guests were welcomed by Mr. W.
Palmer (managing director) ; Mr. T. B. Hoyle (sales manager) and
others also spoke.

Unemployment. — Thr Times correspondent reports that
on Saturday last, Messrs. Steel, Peech & Tozer, Ltd., of Sheffield,
gave seven days notice to 1,000 of then: workmen, owing to short-
ness of orders. According to the same paper, Messrs, Ruston and
Hornsby's motor manufacturing works at Lincoln gave notice to
400 employes not to resume work until October 12th. At
Coventry there are a good many men of the motor and general
engineering trades out of work. In the Black Country hundreds of
operatives were discharged last Saturday, owing to an almost total
lack of orders, the eflfeot of foreign competition.

Pity the Poor Editor.— Getting out a newspaper or

monthly publication is no picnic, says an American journal. If we
print jokes, folks say we are silly— if we don't they say we are too
serious. If we publish original matter they say we lack variety
—if we publish things from other papers, they say we are too lazy
to write. It we don't go to church we are heathens— if we go we
are hypocrites. If we stay in the ofBcs "we ought to be out
rustling for news— if we rustle for news we are not attendin;: to
business at the office. If we wear old clothes we are slovens— if
we wear new clothes they are not paid for. What in thunderation
is a poor editor to do anyhow ! Like as not someane will say we
swiped this from an exchange. So we did '. — Financial Time.<.

American Foreign Trade.— Mr. Jas. Farrell, president

of the U.S. Steel Corporation, urges an expansion of American
foreign trade as one real remedy for the business depression which
still hovers over the country. In this way she will dispose of her
excess production. He appears to recognise, however, that the
U S. traders will require Government assistance it they are to
oyercome the handicap imposed by the fact that other nations are
older in the field, and are better placed in regard to cables, coaling
stations, banking facilities, harbour privileges, kc.

462

THE BLECTEICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,237, octobbb 8, 1920.

Wages of Steel Workers.— Under the sliding scale

adopted by the Board of Conciliation and Arbitration for the
manufactured iron and steel trside of the North of England, it is
announced that there will be another advance of 15 per cent.,
brine:infr wag^es up to 23i > per cent, above the standard. In the
past six months the men have received 65 per cent, advance. —
Daily Telegraph,

LIQHTINQ AND POWER NOTES.

Barnstaple, — Loan. — The Town Council has applied for
a loan of £4,145 for the purchase of a 500-K\v. set.

Birkenhead. — Supply Shortage. — The consulting elec-
trical engineer to the Birkenhead Corporation suprgested that
the Council should communicate with the Electricity Commis-
sioners and point out that neither Liverpool, Birkenhead, nor
Wallasey could offer an electrical supply at the moment, and so
far as the CouncQ was able to gather, there was no prospect of
obtaining a supply from the Mersey Power Co. within 18 months
to two years, and ask the Commissioners, under the circum-
stances, whether they could suggest any other source of supply. The
Electricity Committee recommended that in the event of the Com-
missioners being unable to suggest where the Council could obtain
an immediate supply, the Council should ask for a further extension
of time for the carrying Jut of the compulsory works.

Bolton. — Extensions Approved. — The Electricity
Commissioners have given their consent to the installation at the
Back-o'th'-Bank generating station of one 6,(i00-KW. turbo-
alternator, and two 12,0i.ii>KW. turbo-alternators and necessary
auxiliary plant, and to the construction of the necessary buildings
for the plant.

Bristol. — Loan. — The City Council is applying for
sanction to borrow £46.1111. £36,000 is the estimated cost of pro-
viding house services for the next three years, and £10,li'ii> is
required for additional coal-handling plant at the Feeder Road
works.

Caerphilly. — -The Urban District Council has applied to
the Electricity Commissioners for a special order to authorise the
Council to provide and distribute electrical energy within the
urban district.

Cannock. — House Lighting.— Tne Urban District
Council has arranged with the Wolverhampton Town Council,
under a guarantee of £ 1 :!0 per annum for three years, for a supply
of electricity for lighting the new houses at Bushbury.

Chile.— Water-Power.— Don Eliodoro Ydnez, President
of the Sociedad de Fomento Fabril (Industrial Development
Society"), has addressed a letter to the Ministro de Industria, advo-
cating a Governmental inquiry into the water resources of the
country. Chile, he says, a well-watered land, is destined for a
great industrial future, by reason of its numerous waterfalls
capable of Ijeint; utilised for generating electricity. The one thing
needful is that a Government department take in hand the work of
compiling exhaustive hydrographic statistics of each river,
especially in the central provinces, which may be placed at the
service of all and sundry desirous of initiating new industries in
the country. Chile's wealth in water power is known abroad, he
says ; but such statistics aa have been made by foreign firms and
companies are withheld from the general public. For this reason
he asks that a sum not less than 80,0i lO pesos be placed on next
year's estimates, so that the water department of the Public Works
may make the needed hydrographic survey of the principal rivers
and their feeders in the central zone of the national territory.

Continental. — France. — A conference of 70 communes
of the department of the Allier has nominated a Commission to
devise means for establishing an electric distribution service to
supply electricity for agricultural purposes and household uses. A
lengthened period of drought has had the effect of partly
paralysing the electric supply furnished by the Forces Motrices du
Vercors to 104 communes in the departments of the J)r6me, the
Ist-re, the Ardeche, and the Loire, owing to shortage of the water
flowing in the River Bourne, which is used for generating
purposes. The company has had, in consequence, to suspend its
supply to industrial consumers one day in two.

A huge scheme for the utilisation of the motive power of the
Rhine, in connection with a series of electric generating stations
in parallel, has been devised by a number of Chambres de
Commerce and the Societe Industrielle de I'Est, and the
Conseils Generaux of the Departments interested will be shortly
called together to deliberate on its execution. The scheme
contemplates the buUding of a dam at Kembs, near Huningue,
where the mean flow of the river equals 700 to SCO cubic metres per
second, yielding some 100,000 HP. at high water and 50,000 HP. at
low water. Below this dam seven similar ones are piojected, the
volume of water growing as Strasburg is reached, where it rises
to about 1,000 cubic metres, the height of each fall being 13 metres.
The total power thus available reaches 1,000,000 HP. at high
water and 500,000 at low water. To build these seven dams and
their respective stations the 12 Chambres de Commtr,;e of the
region of I'Est propose to form a trust, to be constituted under the
style of the Compagnie Nationaledu Rhin, on line.>» similar tothoSe
adopted for the Compagnie Nationale du Rhone. Appeal will be

made, first, for the co-operation of the Chambers of Commerce of
Alsace and Lorraine, and especially of that of Strasburg ; then to
the (/.yjffv^cwf/i/.v, through their cn/ixell.^ <ri niran-r. and, lastly, to
the big towns of the region, all interested in the realisation of the
scheme. The estimate of the outlay involved for these works
totals a milliard of francs.

Sweden. — The .Swedish Government Operation of Water-power
Sites reports a gross income for 1919 amounting to 13,897.649
crowns, and expenditures of 7,622,750 crowns. Nearly all the
water-power plants now in operation show a profit to the Govern-
ment, and most of the expenditures are on account of additions
and new construction work on power sites that have not yet been
completed. — Commerce Beportn.

Deal. — Bulk Supply. — The Ministry of Transport has

informed Deal Town Council that unless it is satisfied that the
Electricity Co. has arranged to take electricity in bulk from some
neighbouring source, no further extension for carrying out the
order will be considered.

Dublin. — Electric Cooking. — The city electrical

engineer (Mr. Kettle), under the authority of the Electricity
Committee, hjis been giving experimental cooking demonstrations
in the houses of consumers. The amount to be expended under
this head is limited to £100.

Dnndalk. — Year's Working. — It was reported at the
Council meeting that the accounts of the Electricity Committee for
the financial year ended in March last showed a net profit, after
meeting charges of interest and sinking fund, of £602. The
negotiations with the Great Northern Railway Co. (Ireland) as to
supply of electricity to workshops, &c., resulted in acceptance of the
company's ofl'er of r9d. per unit.

Dundee.— ^"ew Plant. — The Electricity Commissioners
have sanctioned the installation of an additional 10,0C0-KW. turbo-
alternator at the Corporation's generating station at Carolina Port.
Work of a preliminary nature will be put in hand immediately.

East Ham. — Linking Up. — The Electricity Committee
recommends that the sanction of the Electricity Commissioners be
obtained to the borrowing of £19,712, which is the Council's share
of the cost of linking up with West Ham, Ilford, and Barking.
The plant to be purchased consists of one 1 ,500-KW. converter
with the necessary high and low-tension switchgear.

French Indo-China.- — Water Power. — It is stated that

considerable water power is available in ithe French colony of
Indo-China. Among the falls which can be easily harnessed is
that of Khone, on the River Mekong, and the Sambor on the same
river ; the falls of Goga, Lieu Khan and Trian on the Donai River,
and the falls of Chobo on the Noire River. At the last-
named falls a .station is contemplated of 50,000 h.p. capacity,
which, after supplying 5,000 H.P. to a zinc works, will provide
power for irrigation in the lower reaches of the Rouge River, the
surplus being distributed to local industrial consumers.

Frodingham. — Terms of Purchase. — The Urban
District Council has inquired from the Frodingham Iron and Steel
Co., Ltd., upon what terms it would be prepared to sell the
electricity distributing plant in connection with the Brumby and
Frodingham scheme.

Guildford, — Purchase of Undertaking. — The Town

Council has applied for a loan of £80,0fl0 for the purchase of the
undertaking of the Electric Supply Co., and extensions, estimated at
£20,000, after the da'-.e of purchase.

Halifax. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Corporation ha
received intimation from the Electricity Commission that that
authority has agreed to sanction the borrowing of the provisional
sum of £119,769, in respect of the Corporation's application for
power to borrow £lTO,i>00 for purposes of the local electricity
undertaking.

Ilford. — House Services The Urban District Council

is to supply electricity to the new houses on Townswood Hill by
means of an overhead main, and to meet the development of the
Cranbrook Road district a new feeder and house services are to be
provided at a cost of £10,000.

Leyton. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Urban District
Council has received sanction to a loan of £5,00" for mains, and
£2,000 for services. The sum applied for for mains extensions was

£10,000.

Liverpool. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Corporation has
received sanction from the Electricity Commissioners to borrow
£32,50u on account, for the extension of electrical mains in
connection with the city housing schemes. The amount asked for

was £45,0011.

London. — Barking. — An application has been made to
the Commissioners by the County of London Co. for sanction to the
erection of a large power station in the Barking district. The
Conference of London Electricity Authorities has been in commu-
nication with the London County Council and also with the other
London companies with regard to this matter, and it has now been
decided jointly to oppose the application on technical grounds,
and counsel have been in.structed to oppose on behalf of the
Conference, itc, at the public inquiry which is to be held

Vol. 87. No. 2,237, octobeb 8, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

468

Manchester, — Bulk Supply. — The Electricity Com-
mittee has provisionally arranged to meet the demands of the
Lancashire Electric Power Co. to the extent of about 20.000 KW.
from the power station now in course of erection at Barton. It is
expected that the demand will be met by the winter of 1922-23. —
Daily Dispatch,

Morecambe. — Electricity Charges. — A proposal by

the Electric Light Committee to charge for electricity for
lighting and power at a flat rate of 8d. per unit, was defeated at a
Council meeting by an amendment put forward by the vice-chair-
man of the Committee.

Newhaven. — Electricity Supply. — The Brighton
Town Council has informed the Urban District Council that it is
unable to give the tDwn a supply of electricity.

Newport. — Extensions. — The Commissioners have now
advisedlthe Corporation that they are prepared to sanction the first
portion of the scheme (£139,550). It is anticipated that thereat
of the scheme will be sanctioned as soon as the detailed inform-
ation for which the Commissioners have asked has been submitted.
The question of the generator has not yet been settled, but it is
more than likely that this order will bs placed on the Continent.
The consideration of the condensing plant tenders has been deferred
for the present. Messrs. Escher, Wyss' tender, in line with all
Continental tenders, waa very much lower than any British tender,
and their steam consumption guarantees under full penalty the
lowest. They are also prepared to accept the contract without the
inclusion of any wages variation clause, and the rate of exchange
is not to be taken into consideration ; that is to say, it is to be a
cash sterling contract ; or, if the Corporation prefers it, on the
basis of Swiss francs.

New Ross (Co. Wexford).— Public Lighting.— The

Urban Council has accepted the Gas Co.'s tender of £8 15s. for
lamps for public electric lighting.

Peterborough. — Loan. — The City Council has decided
to apply to the Electricity Commissioners for sanction to borrow
£32,777 for the purchase of a 3,0()0-kw. turbo-alternator from the
English Electric Co., Ltd.

Portsmouth. — Year's Working. — The accoimts of the
electricity department, for the year ended March 31st last, show a
total income of £!'l,t;8."), as compared with £60,lo3 for 1918-19.
Total expenditure amounted to £68,623, against £52,951, leaving
a gross balance of £23,062 (£7,152). The payment of capital
charges left a net profit of £3,375, as against £9,128 in the
previous year.

South Africa. — Simons Town. — A public meeting of
voters has authorised the Town Council to take steps to raise a
loan of £10,000 to cover the cost of an electric light scheme. Mr.
D. J. Hamlin, the town electrical engineer of Steelenbosch, is
acting as consulting engineer, and arrangements have been made
to obtain a supply in bulk from the Admiralty. It is proposed to
charge the consumers between 8d. and Is. per unit.

Southampton. — Year's Working. — The total revenue
of the electricity undertaking, for the year ended March 31st last,
was £111,992, as compared with £86,627 for the previous period.
Working expenses totalled £86,711 (£63,258), leaving a gross
profit of £25,278 (£23,369). The payment of interest and loan
redemption charges left a let credit balance of £4.709, as compared
with last year's figure of £6,029. The number of units sold rose
from 9,424,829 to 10,570,248.

Stoke-on-Trent.— Loan Sanctioned. — The Electricity

Commissioners have sanctioned the borrowing of £10,000 for the
provision of transformers, kc. The plant to be installed at the
central power house is ready for erection, but the building
extensions are not yet finished.

Twickenham. — Electricity Distrtct. — At a recent
meeting of the Town Council, formal notice was read of the pro-
visional determination of the London and Home Counties Elec-
tricity District by the Electricity Commissioners, which area
includes Twickenham, and a communication from the Hammer-
smith town clerk explained that a conference of local authorities
in London and Greater London owning electricity undertakings
had been held. If the authorities not owning undertakings so
desired, a conference of such authorities would be convened, with
a view to their working in co-operation with the conference of
authorities owning undertakings. The Council is to co-operate in
the matter referred to.

Proposed Price Incbease. — Colonel T. E. Ekin held an inquiry
recently into the proposal of the Twickenham and Teddington
Electric Light Co. to increase its charges to Is. 2d. per unit. The
original charge was somewhat below 7d. ; the price has now risen to
lOd. Although the company asked for Is. 2d., and had given notice
to consumers, it only proposed to charge Is., and if the order waa
granted it would hold for 5 years.

Wimbledon. — Proposed Extension. — The Town Council

has applied to the Commissioners for leave to extend the plant by the
installation of a 3,000-KW. turbo-alternator,

Wrexham. — Bulk Supply. — Having been in communi-
cation with the North Wales Power Co., which expects to be in a
position in 12 months' time to supply energy in bulk, to meet the
town's requiiements, at half the price the ratepayers are at present
paying, the Electricity Committee has decided to hold up its own
works extension scheme, which is estimated to cost £17,000, and
for which borrowinit powers have already been sanctioned.

York,— IIydro-Electrio Scheme Delayed. — The City

electrical engineer reports that owing to the wet season and the
delay in obtaining material, the progress of the work in connection
with the Linton Locks hydro-electric works has not been so good
as could have been expected under better conditions. The
excavations for the retaining walls of the head race are well in
hand, and it is hoped to commence the concrete walls in a few days'
time. The timber for the coffer dam has been received, and the
tail race and coffer dam are in course of construction. The pUing
plant is expected to be on the site this week, and it is hoped that
the concrete pUes will be in position before the rainy season sets
in. — Xortltern Eclio.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Ashton. — Tramway E.^:tensions. — In view of the pur-
chase of certain lengths of tramways now owned by the Oldham,
Ashton, and Hyde Electric Tramways Co., the Ashton Corporation
has entered upon an extension scheme involving an outlay of
thousands of pounds. In addition to erecting a large shed adjoining
the existing depot in Moasley Road, the Corporation has acquired
over a dozen new tramcars of the latest type, and has decided to
build a new tramway office at an estimated cost of £4, Coo. The
Corporation has also under consideration the laying of a double
track between Ashton and Oldham, with a through service of cars
between the two towns. — Manchester Guardian,

Austria. — An American engineer has just carried out a
survey of the Austrian railway system, with a view to its electri-
fication. He reports that it is the intention of the Government to
develop the water power of those waterfalls capable of being utilised
for the electrification of*he railway lines situated in the hilly
regions of the north-west. He points out that the conversion of the
lines between Innsbruck and the Swiss frontier would mean a yearly
saving of 150,000 tons of coal — an important consideration for
Austria since the cession of her former coalfields to the newly-
formed States. Austria does not seem able to finance these new
schemes ; but, according to the American engineer, the capital
needed might be provided in America on a mortgage of the income
from the working of the lines. — L'Electriciti-,

Birkenhead, — "Sear's Working.— The annual report of
the Tramways and Motors Department for the year ended March
3l8t last, shows that the total revenue from the tramways waa
£148,179, as against £114,974 in the previous year. Working
expenses totalled £100,476 (£69,249), leaving a gross balance of
£47,703 (£45,725). The payment of capital charges left a net
profit of £16,105 (£16,500).

Bradford. — Accident. — A railless car of the Bradford
Tramways Department and a motor wagon collided in a thick fog
last week, and both vehicles were damaged. Both drivers gave
warning, but were unable to avoid the impact. On the car the
cab and front of the chassis were considerably smashed, and the
front axle and steering gear of the wagon were put out of action.

Dundee. — Traction Supply. — The Electricity Com-
mittee has agreed to provide power for the Dundee and Broughty
Ferry Tramways at a charge of lid. per unit plus 10 per cent. It
was pointed out that although this would bring in only a small
profit, it would put the Council in a stronger position if and when
the purchase of the tramway system was contemplated.

Gateshead-on-Tyne. — Fare Increase. — The Clateshead

and District Tramways Co. announces an advance in fares as from
October 4th, and claims to be the last undertaking to advance its
charges. There had been a practically universal penny fare (with
the exception of one extension), but under the new scale the fares
will go up to 2d. (for 2h miles), and on the extension to 3d. The
company has placed orders for 12 new cars, and announces several
track alterations, including a new line to connect two present
routes. The company has purchased land adjoining the Gates-
head depot, and is arranging for the construction of workshops and
car-sheds.

India. — Calcutta Strike. — On October 1st 1,800

drivers and conductors on the Calcutta tramways struck work,
demanding a 50 per cent, increase in wages. — The Tunen.

Ipswich. — Breakdown. — Owing to the failure of the
insulation of a 3,000-kw. generator, the whole of the tramway
services were suspended on September 28th for 3 J hours. Supplies
to a number of factories were also cut off for some time.

Itjjly_ — Proposed Underground Railway. — The scheme
for the construction of an underground electric railway, which
was brought forward in 1912, when proposals were also invited
from other countries, has now been revived by the Municipal
Council of Milan. It was originally estimated that the project
would involve an expenditure of 140,000,000 lire.

Liverpool. — Accident. — Through the trolley-wheel of
an electric car becoming twisted in the overhead lines of a busy
crossing, causing the wire to catch firmly in a notch below the
wheel, there was a hold-up of traffic in one of the busy Liverpool
streets last week. Before the car could be stopped the wire
snapped and fell, and the trolley wheel was wrenched froni its pole.
At the point where the accident occurred, the overhead wires form
an extensive network, and it was fortunate that greater damage
was not caused.

464

THE ELECTRICiVL REVIEW. LVol. 8?. No. 2,237, October h, 1920.

Leeds. — Sleepered Track. — The Corporation has
purchased a strip of land, which will be utilised solely for tramway
traffic. The lines will be laid on sleepers above ground, in order to
economise cost, as ajjainst the ordinary method of tramway track
laying, and the cars in this area, where other tralfic cannot jjo.
will develop a higher speed than on ordinary routes. The Depart-
ment contemplates laying another track of similar character
between Huni?let and the new garden city of Middleton, and the
same method of construction will be adopted wherever conditions
permit in renewing or extending lines on the outskirts of the city.

Coal Transport. — The high cost of coal cartage in Leeds has
raised the question whether coal transport by tramway for the
general public could not be arranged. The tramway department
has powers to carry coal, and already does carry coal and fireclay
for the Leeds Fireclay Co., but has no power to erect coal staithes.
It has been suggested that coal merchants, or consumers in
co-operation with the merchants, in the various districts, might
collectively erect necessary staithes, and the general manager said
he saw no serious reason why tramway transport should not be
arranged under such circumstances, though he had not had
occasion to inquire deeply into the matter hitherto. It would
require special oars, with facilities for loading from railway trucks,
and discharging into the staithes. He suggested that owing to the
extra handling, the idea would probably not be worth while for
less than about 3-mile iourneys.

' London. — Stepney. — The Borough Council has been
informed that the Minister of Transport has consented to the use
of the overhead trolley system of electric traction on the portion
of the London County Council tramways in Grove Road and West
India Dock Road. The work will shortly be begun. Owing to a
lengthy dispute between the Stepney Borough Council and the
L.C.C. as to whether the overhead or underground-conduit system
should be adopted (the L.C.C. insisting Jipon the former and the
local authority on the latter) there has been no tramway service in
this populous part of London since the horse cars were abolished
many years ago. — DaiUj Neuw.

District Railway. — It is announced that the agreements by
which the Government undertook financial responsibility for the
working of the Metropolitan District RaUway have now come to
an end.

Fare Concessions.^— Lord Ashfield has pointed out, in a letter to
Mr. G. H. Hume, late chairman of the L.C.C. Highways Committee,
that although the " Underground " Companies have introduced a
cheap mid-day fare on certain of their omnibus routes, they still
consider this practice economically unsound. If, however, the
experiment proves them wrong, they are willing to make a general
extension of these concessions.

Increased Fares. — It is reported that the increased fares
recently put into force have not had an adverse effect upon revenue.
The return for the first week showed that receipts were greater than
for the corresponding week last year, notwithstanding the fact
that the latter was an abnormal one on account of the railway
strike, with a consequent increase in the number of passengers.

Newcastle-on-Tyne. — Inquiry. — AVith a view to

preventing overcrowding on the tramcars. Major G. L. Hall, R.E.,
who recently conducted an inquiry into the matter, made the
following proposals :— (a) Regulation by the police of passengers
at the times of big loads, into queues, and the erection of
barriers similar to those used in London ; (i) The exhibition of a
conspicuous notice " car full," and the provision of a barrier which
for the present at any rate, may have to be more substantial than
a chain across the entrance, the removal of which will be under
the conductor's control ; (c) The co-operation of the police and of
the tramway manager in ensuring that the load on cars is kept
within a reasonable limit, more particularly in respect of
regulating queues.

Twickenham. — Broken Guard Wire. — The trolley
arm of a tramway car when passing under the railway bridge at
the Green last week, left the conductor wire and struck a guard
wire, which broke and fell across the live wire. In its fall the end
of the wire fell into a passing motor-car, and several of the
occupants received shocks. One man. who was riding on top of
the tramway car, received a severe shock, and was rendered
unconscious ; he was removed to hospital.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Australia. — Increased Rates. — The Australian House
of Representatives has passed a Bill, says Tlie Times, sanctioning
incre.ases in postal, telegraph, and telephone rates.

Canada. — New Wireless Station. — Preparatory to

building a large wireless experimental station for commnnication
between Canada and England, the Marconi Wireless Co. of Canada
has purchased 23 acres of land abont nine miles from Toronto. It is
understood that this is the first of a chain of wireless stations with
which it is expected to encircle the British Empire. — Beiiter's
Trade Senice (Toronto).

France. — The submarine cable between Dakar and
Conakry in French Africa has been interrupted, thus cutting off
th.it region from Paris. In consequence, use has been authorised

to be made of the line Donai to Lyons for private and press corres-
pondence intended for Senegal and French Equatorial Africa.

The new rates, on telegrams inscribed '' non taxi's. VoieT.S.F.,"
will be : — Senegal, Haut-Sencgal Niger, Soudan-Mauritanie (except
Abar), Chinguetti, and Poit Etienne, 1 fr. ; offices in Abar,
Chinquetti, and Port Etienne, in Mauritanie, 1.30 fr. ; offices in
Tchad territory, 1.60 fr. ; Equatorial Africa, Ist zone, 2.75 f r. ;
2nd zone, 2.50 fr. ; 3rd zone, 3.7o fr.

Germany. — Wireless Extensions. — ^The German Postal

Ministry is busy with a plan for extending the German wireless
system throughout the country. At present, wireless stations for
receiving and dispatching messages exist at Berlin, Breslan,
Darmstadt, Dortmund, Frankfort o'>I.,Friederichshafen, Hamburg,
Hanover, Konigebarg, Konigswusttrhauen, Constance, Leipzig,
Stettin, and Danlzig. Receiving stations have now been opened at
Brunswick, Breslau, Chemnitz. Cottbns, Darmstadt, Dortmund,
Dresden, Diisseldorf, Duisburg, Elberfeld, Essen, Frankfort (Main),
Halberstadt, Hamburg, Hanover. KiJnigsberg (Pr.), Constanoe,
Leipzig, Liegnitz. Magdeburg, Rostock, Stettin, and Stuttgart.
Bavaria and Wiirttemberg are to be linked up to the German wire-
less system. A wireless station has been erected in Stuttgart, and
another will shortly be finished in Munich, while the Dinseldorf
station is now working. It is intended to open stations in the
district at present occupied, but the Inter-Allied authorities have
provisionally withheld Iheir couseut. — Ecnnoniii- Jleviem,

HuM. — Increased Charges. — The Corporation Tele-
phone Committee has decided to increase its tariff to cope with its
increased expenditure.

London. — New E.vchange. — The Government has
acquired "a site in South Audley Street, near Grosveaor Square, for
the purpose of erecting a telephone exchange to be known as
" Berkeley," which will relieve the congestion at the Mayfair

exchange.

Spain. — Wireless System. — The Compania Nacional
de Telegrafia maintains control stations at Cadiz. Santa Cruz de
Tenerife. Milenau in the Canary Isles, Cabo de Patos, Santander,
Vigo, and Finisterre. It also owns stations at Aranjuez and Prat
de Llobregat, near Barcelona. The Compania Xacional de Tele-
grafia Sin FiIo3 is conducting experiments in wireless telephony.
At the moment a military wiieless station is being erected at
Carabanchel, near Madrid, to carry on wireless telephony between
Madrid and Tetuan, in Morocco. It is hoped soon to carry on wire-
less conversations betweea England and Prat de Llobregat. —
Evotiomic lleriew.

Sweden. — American Telephone Cable. — With

reference to our note Jast week under the above heading, we are
informed by the Western Electric Co. that the telephone cable
which is to be installed between Stockholm and Goteborg is longer
than was stated. We understand that the distance involved is
something like 335 miles.

The Swedish Telegraph Department and Naval Staff have
proposed the issue of a new order prohibiting foreign ships in
Swedish territorial waters within a less distance than 10 nautical
miles from a Swedish coast station from using wireless apparatus,
except in cases of emergency, or when it is recessary to correspond
with the nearest coast station. — Heitter's Trade {Her rice (Stockholm).

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(The date given in parenthesis at the end of the paragraph indicate/
the issue of the Electrical RE^TEW, in which the " Official
Notice " appeared.')

OPEN.

Australia. — Commonwealth Government. November
2-4th. Protected cable terminals and cable distribution boxes.

Queensland. — November 21th. P.M.G.'s Department. Iron
poles (schedule 50ti), protected cable terminals, cable distributing
boxes (schedule 507).

November 30th. P.M.G.'s Department. Protectors (schedule
505). (September 2 1th )

Brisbane. — Decemtier uth. Department of Public Works.
Seventy three-phase oil-cooled core type static transformers.

November 23rd. P.M.G.'s Department. Telephones and telephone
switchboard part?. (See this issue.)

January 20th, and February 2.')th, 1'.121. The City Electric
Light Co. 1 0,000- KW. turbo-alternator set ; transformers ^md
switchgear.

MELBOnusE. — February 24th, 1921. The Victorian Electricity
Commissioners. Turbo-altern^xtors of 25.000, 12 500 and GOO KW.,
and other plant connection with the Morwell power scheme.

New Sodth Wales.— November 25th, P.M.G.s Department.
Telegraph and telephone instrument and switchboard parts
(schedule 753).

SocTH Australia. — October 20th. P.M.G.'s Department.
Telegraph instruments (schedule .Mij), and telephone instiumenta
(schedule 51; I ). (September Mth.)

November 3rd. P.M.G.'s Department. Telephone instruments
(schedule 5 IS). (September luth.)

November 11th. P.M.G.'s Department. Telephone instrument
(schedule 547). (September 21th.)

Yol. 87. No. 2,237, October 8, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL

465

Belgium. — October l")tli. The Municipal Authoritiis
of Fleurua are invitio? tenders for certain additions to the electri-
city distributing service in the town. Particulars can be obtained
from M. Goffin, Insecieur-Consei), 113, Avenue Albert, Brussels.

The Municipal Authorities of TourinnezSaint-Lp.mbeit (Province
of Brabant), have just invited tenders for the concsssion for the
supply of electricity in the town.

Birmingham, — October 11th. Salvage Department.
Four electric vehicles for the removal of house refuse. (October Ist.)

Bradford. — October 28th. Electricity Department.
Two natural-draught chimney-type cooling: towers, pipework
trouffhing', valves, &c. (Contract R 160). (September 21th.)

Indo-China. — January 3rd, 1021. Generating station
at Gia-I.am ; pumping station at Dong-Du on the Red River ;
electric line between above stations. Agence GOnorale des Colonies,
Piece 21, i- etage, 2 7, Rue Oudinot, Paris,

India. — Agra. — October 22nd. Municipal Board.
Complete generating plant. (August 20th.)

London. — London Coonty Council. — October 2oth.

125 tramcar bodies, 12.5 complete sets of maximum traction bogie
trucks, and 12.5 electrical equipments, together with the assembliiig
of same. (October Ut.)

London India Ofi'ice.— October 12th. Supply of hard drawn
copper wire for telegraphs. Director General of Stores, India
Office, Whitehall, S.W.I.

Manchester. — October 20th. Electricity Committee.
Specification No. B.i». Five ,S,.5i.)U k.v.a. 3-phase transformers and
fans, &.C. ; and three l),000 k.v.a. 3-phase transformers and fans, &c.
Mr. F. E. Hughes, Secretary, Electricity Department, Town Hall,

October 27th. Electricity Committee. Complete heating installa-
tion for the workshop and stores at the Barton power station.
Mr. S. L. Pearce, Chief Engineer and Manager, Dickinson Street.

October 27th. Electricity Committee. Three mechanical water
Bcreens, and three grid screens. (Specification B. 10.) (October 1st.)

Spain. — October l.'ith. — Tenders. Harbour AYorks
Authorities at Al'cante. Supply and erection of a 5 ton electric
crane.

Sheffield.— October 12th. Electric Supply Department.
Two 1U,000-KW. steam turbines, condensing plants, pipework, &c.,
alternators and exciters. (September 10th.)

Urngaay. — December 18th. The Post Office authorities
are. for the second time, inviting tenders for the construction of an
underground telephone system here.

West Bromwicb. — Corporution Electricity Department.
Natural draught cooling tower. (October lar.)

Wi St Hartlepool. — ' >ctober 2(;th. Electricity Departmct t.
One KM 1 3 i;w, rotary converter and switchgear. (See this issue.)

CLOSED.

Australia. — The English Hlectric Co., of Australia, has
received an order from the Railway Department for the supply of
a 25,000-H.p. turbo-alternator to be used in connection with tfie
electrification of the suburban railways. It is stated that this
tnibo-altemator will be the biggest unit of its kind constructed in
Australia. — Beuters Trade Serriee.

Derby. — Board of Guardians : —

Electric light installation, workhouse. — Messrs, Newton.

Dandalk. — Urban Council. Accepted : —

r.ivCtiou of new water-cooling tower, £227.— Messrs, McAdorey.

Edinburgh. — Tenders for machinery for the new jiower
station at Portobello were considered by the Corporation Electric
Lighting Committee, who recommend that four of .the six sections
into which the work has been divided, should go to Messrs. Bruce,
Peebles A: Co. (involving au expenditure of over £8o,(i00), and that
the Metropolitan-Vickers Co. should have one of the remaining
sections (£46,01.10), and the British Electric Co. the other (£7,000).

Exeter. — Electricity Committee. Accepted : —

l,tOO-i,w. plant, £18,7,'J0.— Metropo!it«n-Vickers, Ltd.

Leeds. — Electricity Committee. Accepted : —

Rxt£nsion of generating station, Whitehall Bead. — Structural steelwork,
Samuel Butler i Co., Ltd., f39,S03; building work, William Airey and
Son, Fitd., il62,"J70.

London. — Stepney. — Electricity Committee. Accepted : —

Coal sniiplies —
200 tons Bestwood main 2-in. nutty slack, 4Gs. 8d. per ton.— Shipping and

Coal Co., Ltd.
100-1,50 tons Derby or Nottingham nutty slack, ns. fld, per ton.— Cleevtn

und Co.
150 tons Northumberland nutty small, 46s. per ton. — Wm, Cory & Son.
1,20J Ions Ibstock double-screened peas, BUS. lid. per ton ; 8,000 tons do.,

41s. 2d. per ton; 1,€00 tons Arley double-screened nuts, 4G3. 2d. per

ton; 1,U00 tons Ibstock double-screened nuts, Us. per ton,— E. Fosicr

and Co.

Ciiblc-
2 niiUa 1 sq. in., '. mile -o sc|. in, and 1 mile -COVsq. in. lead-covered cable.
W. T. Henley's telegraph Works Co , Ltd. (accepted) . . £6.625

British Insulated and Helsby Cables, Ltd 0,720

Callender's Cable & Construction Co., Ltd G,98j

Earthenware pipes —
1 mile3-in. earthenware pipes, JE359; J mile 3-in. do., il77— Sutton & Co.
(accepted).

Troughs and covers —
1 mile " C"' troughs and covers.

Sutton & Co. (accepted! £327

W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co,, Ltd 369 .

Siemens Bros. A Co., Ltd 359

^ mile each " A and B," and 1 mile "C " troughs and covers : —

Sutton & Co. (Accepted) £567

W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co., Ltd., £608
-i. mile of "A," 1 mile " B," 1,^ miles of "C" troughs and covei-s : —

Sutton & Co. (Accepted! £901

Siemens Bros., ii Co., Ltd f9G8

W. T. Henleys Telegraph Works Co., Ltd. i9S9
h mile .Sway 4-in. conduits, £541.— Albion Clay Co., Ltd.
A ton tinmen's solder, i'73.— G. W. Neale. — Accepted.
50 tons pitch, i'llO.- .J. Smart & Son.— Accepted.
Shaping machine, £'U.O.— Littons Machine Tool Co.
Aron meters, ±-163.- Aron Electricity Meter, Ltd.— Accepted.
Air compressor at Osborne Street sub-station 4'205. — Reavell & Co., Ltd.—

Recommended.
Four-cii-cuit breakers ;—

Bertram Tbomas (Recommended) . . £338

I.T.E. Electric Co. (1907), Ltd 4-819

Replacing the existing intercommunication telep'aones ; —

20 lines. SO lines.
Electrical InstallatioES, Ltd. (recommended) .. £229 £557

W. H. Gaze A Sons — 412'

W. E. Weekes i- Co .... — 453

J. W. Gray & Son ■. .. 857 459

Higgins &'Griffiths, Ltd ,. 485 698

* S5-line Instrument.
Meters and combined meters and demand indicators durirg the period
ended June SOth, 1931 1—

Combined
meters and de-
Meters— uiaTid indicators.
2S-'20 50-100 200-1,000 2C0-l,tOO
amp. amp. amp. amp. only.
£ £ £ £
Aron Electricity Meter, Ltd. — — 608 688
Chamberlain & Hookham, Ltd. 1,378 451 327 —

Peiranti, Ltd 1,878 451 327 -

Reason Manufacturing Co., Ltd. 902 359 8S9 —

The Committee recommends Llie . acceptajice of the tenders of Reason
Manufacturing Co., Ltd., for 2>, to '20 amps, meters at i;9( 2 ; Ferranti, Ltd..
for 50 and lOO amps, ditto, i'-151 ; and Aron Electricity Meters tor aoo snips,
and upwards coraliined meter and indicator, .£688.

Manchester. — Electricity Committee. Accepted : —

ASNTAL CONTR.\CTS.

Meters.— C^iamberlain & Hookham, Ltd. ; Ferranti, Ltd. ; Aron Elec-
tricity Meter, Ltd. ; Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.

Current and potential transformers.— Ferranti, Ltd.
Time switches.— Venner Time Switches, Ltd.

Motor Starters,- Verit,vs, Ltd.; A.. ReyroUe & Co., Ltd.; Compression
Starter and Switchgear Co., [jtd.

A. C. btar-Delta switches.— Geo. Ellison.

Motors.— Veritys, Ltd. ; English Electric Co., Ltd. ; Metropolitan-Vickers
Electrical Co., Ltd. ; British Thomson-Houston Co.

75-tcn crane and one 15-ton crane. — Babcock & Wilcox, Lid. SnbC.n-
tractors : — Motors— Electric Construction Co., Ltd. Controllers and
switchgear— Allen, West & Co., Ltd. Electric brake— G. Ellison.
Wire rope— R, S, Newall & Son, Ltd.

Supply and layiog of the tiarton 33,000 volt trunk fef ders, pilot cables and
spare pipes.— Callender's Cable and Construction Co., Ltd, Sub-
contractors for pipes — Doulton & Co., Ltd.

Rivers Committee. Accepted: —

Motors and accessories for sludge drying pl.ant. — Electric Construction
Co., Ltd.
Tramways Committee. Accepted : —

steel girder tramway rails.— Walter Scott, Ltd.

Special track work,— Titan Trackwork Co., Ltd.; Hadfields, Ltd., and E.
Allen & Co., Ltd.

West Indies.— Orders for ii 4.50 b.h.p. Yickers-Petter
semi- Diesel crude oil engine and a 300 kw. Brush _ alternator,
forming part of a complete installation for one of their clients in
the West Indies, have been placed by Metsrs. Chiswell 4: Co., of
Kiufrsway,

Wimbledon. — Town Council.

Worthington-Simpson vertical Simplex pump, f 456.— Spearing Boiler
Co., Ltd.

Electrical Corona. — When a sudden strain is thrown

upon a trausmissiou line by lightning or otherwise it has been
Dcjted tbat lines operating witli very high voltage, ajid in con-
sequence with a corona, suffer less damage than those at
lower voltages. It was proposed in a paper read before the
.-Vmerican Philosophical Society to have the voltage of the
line not at, but a Uttle below, the point necessary for the
development of the corona. Then, when a sudden rise of
electrical pressure occurs, the corona will form and will act
as a sort of safety-valve by ilissipating energy. A second use
is for the measurement of crest values of high a.c. voltages.
With round wii'es the corona appears at definite voltages,
depending on the diameter of the wire and on the pressure
ami temperature of the air. An instrument has been devised
by which applied potentials up to 400,(XIO volts can be measured
from the known connection of the corona with the three
variables. The corona is detected by its causing the air to
become a conductor, thus enabling a current to flow through
a galvaiuimoler. In a confined space tbe corona is accom-
panied by a loud noise. — Technical Hcview.

466

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo [Voi. 87. No. 1237, octobm 8, 1920,

FORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

Junior lostitutlon of Engineers, — Friday, October 8th. At 39, Victoria
Street. S W., at S p.m. Lecturette on " The Manufacture ol Wood-Wool."
by Mr. A. J. Simpson.

Friday. October 15th. Lecturette on " Elementary Physics and Chem-
istry in Relation to Motorcars," by Mr. R. S. H'ox.

Manchester Association of Engineers.— S<^turday, October 9th, At 3.30 p.m.
Visit to the Openshaw Worlis of Sir W, G. Armstrong, Whitworth and
Co , Ltd. At 7 p.m., at the Memorial Hall, Albert Square. Inaugural
Address by the President, Mr. H. Pilling, and Presentation of the Con-
stantine and Buttenvorth Gold Medals.

Keighley Association of Engineers.— Saturday. October 9tli, Lecture on
" The Practical Application of the Thermo-electric Drive to the Naval and
Mercantile Services," by Capt. W. P. Durtnall.

Birmingham and District Electric Club.— Saturday, October 9th. At the
Grand Hotel, Colmore Row, at 7 p.m. Paper on " Thermo-electric Cur-
rents as applied to Pyrometry," by Mr. F. 8. Pile and Mr. G. E. M. Stone.

Institution of Electrical Engineers (South Midland Centre. Students'

Section).— Tuesday, October 12th. At the University, Edmund Street, at
7.30 p.m. Chairman's (Mr. E. T. G. Donovan) Address, and paper on
" Hydro-electric Power Schemes," by Mr. E. Gallizia.

Association of Engineers-in-Charge.— Wednesday, October 13th, At 7.TO
p.m. At St. Bride's Institute, Bride Lane, E.C. Paper on " Progress in
Industrial Lighting," by Mr. L. Gaster.

Chelmsford Engineering Society.— Wednesday, October 13fh. At the
East Anglian Institute of Agriculture, at 7 p.m. Presidential Address by
Mr. T. E. Dann.

Royal Society of Arts ilndian Section).— Friday, Octjber lith. At John
Street, Adelphi, W.C, at 4.30 p.m. Lecture on " British Trade with
India, by Mr. T. Ainscough, H.M. Senior Trade Commissioner in India
and Ceylon.

Commercial Vehicle Exhibition at Olympia, W.— October 15th to 23rd.

Electrical Power Engineers' Association.— Saturday, October 9th. At the
Holbom Restaurant. At 5.30 p.m. Annual Dinner to the National
Executive Council. Saturday, October ICth. At the Christian Institute,
74, Bothwell Street, Glasgow, at 7 p.m. General Meeting. Address by
Mr. J, W. Thomai, assistant general secretary.

Electricity Supply Commercial Association (Greater London Division).

—Monday, October 18th, at Caxton Hall, Westminster. Mass Meeti]ig.

NOTES.

Electric Locomotives, — At a meeting of the York gection
of the Association of EntrineerinK and Shipbuilding Draughtsmen
on September 30th, a lecture on " Electric Locomotives," was read
by Mr. B. H. Wright.

Big Motor Sliips. — According to the 31otor Sliip for
October, a 15,(i00-tou vessel is now on order for Italian shipowners,
and a German-built vessel of the same tonnage has just completed
her maiden voyage. The largest British motor ship— the GlemtjU
— of U,i)00 tons, is illustrated, as well as those above mentioned.
A motor ship has completed voyages totalling 200,000 miles without
an involuntary stop.

While electric power is freely used on board these ships for
handling cargo, &c., it is not being widely adopted for propulsion,
in spite of the advantages it ofifers in coDJ unction with the oil
engine.

Association of German Electrical Engineers. — Various

electrical associations have just held their annual conferences at
Hanover, including the Verband Deutscher Elektroteehniker. The
report presented to the latter states that the number of members
increased from ."),700 in liil'.l to 6,341 this year, these being dis-
tributed over 22 associations affiliated with the Verband. The
relations between the latter and the -Vssociation of German Engi-
neers have bean strengthened, and the two associations and the
Association of German Metallurgists, established at the beginning
of this year a technical journal, printed in the German, English,
and Spanish languages.

Automatic Train Control. — The Ministry of Transport
and officials of the Great Eastern Railway Co. recently carried out
tests between Grange Hill and Fairlop, Essex, with the Regan
Safety Devices Co.'s automatic train-control system, which consists
of an electrically-operated brake on the locomotive operated by
means of a ramp on the track.

Edocational.— Birmingham University.— The Senate
has launched an appeal for half a million pounds. It is due to the
enormous growth in the work of the University in applied science.
The increase in students in electrical and mechanical engineering,
in coalmining and petroleum, and in metallurgy, chemistry, and
physics, has been phenomenal ; and for physics and chemistry, lU
armyhuts. 70 ft. X 3(1 ft., have been erected as temporary laboratories.
The curious fact. Sir Gilbert Barling, Bart., the Vice-Chancellor,
states, is that the greater the growth in the number of students, the
greater the loss to the University, as the fees are only sufficient to
cover about a fourth of the cost involved. To increase the
fees would mean that many students could not attend, so the
appeal for money is made to the Government and to Midland
manufacturers. The number of undergraduates in electrical
engineering is about twice what it was before the war.

Under the combined auspices of the Bradford Education Com-
mittee and the Bradford Mechanics' Institute, Mr. G. Percy
Bailey, M.A., on October 4th, commenced a series of six Oxford
University Extension Lectures, at Bradford, on " Problems of
Heating and Lighting. ' The lectures are illustrated by
experiments.

The International Catalogue. — Last week the Govern-
ment entertained at dinner the delegates to a conference convened
by the Royal Society, to consider the position of the International
Catalogue of Scientific Literature. The conference agreed as to
the value of the catalogue, but difficulties had been experienced
owing to the loss of the support formerly received from Germany,
Austria, and Russia. A Committee was appointed to consider the
position.

" Irish Leave." — In a report recently presented to the

Dublin Corporation, the Electricity Supply Committee intimated
that the secretary, Mr. Fred. Allan, had undergone a sentence of
three months' imprisonment on a charge of having seditious
literature in his possession, and that the Committee, finding that
an accumulation of holidays covering more than the period of
three months was due to Mr. Allan, granted him three months'
leave of absence. The Law Agent reported that this decision was
quite in order. Mr. Allan has resumed duty.

Electricity in Agriculture, — Active steps are being taken

in France to popularise the use of electric agricultural machinery.
A motor-culture week, organised by the Chambre Syndicate de
Motor-culture de France, has just been held near Chartres from
October 1st to 6th, in which some o'l French and foreign firms took
part, demonstrations being carried out with over 150 machines and
apparatus of various kinds. A similar demonstration will be held
in the latter part of this month on the borders of the departments
of the Eure-et-Loir and the Seine-et-Oise. An area of 380 hectares
will be worked, a high-pressure line (l.o.OOO volts), (jj km. long,
having been installed to provide energy for the operations.

Einstein's Theory, — It is reported that in a discuBsion
which recently took place at Bad Nauheim, in connection with
Einstein's theory of relativity. Prof. Grebe, of Bonn, stated that
the third and remaining test of the truth of the theory had been
complied with, measurements of the solar spectrum having revealed
a shift towards the red which agreed closely with Einstein's pre-
dicted value.

A Chair of Hydro-Electrics. — Mr. T. D. Owen has given

£10,000 to the University of North Wales, Bangor, for the
foundation of a chair, in his name, of electrical engineering and
hydro-electric3.

Electric Ship Propulsion, — On October 9th Captain

W. p. Durtnall is to give a lecture before the Keighley Association
of Engineers, on the Paragon system of ship propulsion, describing
his latest design in the form of a 40,0i " i-h.p. plant for the propulsion
of a large liner or battleship, with high-power gas engines and
electrical transmission of power for driving the propellers.

Iceberg Detector, — A device has been perfected which

makes it possible, says the Joui-nul of Electricitij, to detect the
presence of icebergs by measuring the amount of salt in currents
of sea water. The vital part of the device is an electrolytic cell
which measures the electrical resistance of ocean water by the aid
of alternating current.

Fatality, — AVhile John Harrison (28) electrical engineer,
Paisley, was mounted on a ladder in the Glasgow Corporation
electric power station, at Dalmarnock Road, examining an electric
wire, supposed to be uncharged, he touched the wire, and
receiving a shock, fell backwards. His head struck against the
concrete floor and he was instantly killed.

The British Science Guild, — Owing to the disturbed

state of public affairs, the British Science Guild has postponed until
the spring the Guild dinner, which was to have been given at the
Salter's Hall on October 2('ith.

Research Associations. — The Secretary of the Depart-
ment of Scientific and Industrial Research announces that a
licence has been issued by the Board of Trade to the British Elec-
trical and Allied Industries Research Association, which has been
approved by the Department as complying with the conditions laid
down in the Government scheme for the encouragement of
Industrial research. The Association may be approached through
Mr. E. B. Wedmore, Electrical Research Committee, c/o Electrical
Development Association, Hampden House, 64, Kingsway, W.C. 2.

In the report of the Department, which we reviewed last week,
it is mentioned that membership of this research association will
be open " not only to manufacturers of electrical machinery, but
also to firms engaged in the production of the different machines
which comprise the whole of the plant of an electrical power
station except boilers. This association will be the first example of
its kind. It is a combination of several distinct industries, each of
which depends on the others. "

On Thursday last week, the British Grey and Malleable Cast-iron
Research Association was formally brought into being in Birming-
ham. The Association's headquarters wUl be in that city, and
the secretary is Mr. T. Vickers, Lincoln's Inn, Birmingham.
The movement is of considerable interest to the great electrical
engineering trades of Birmingham and the Midlands, in view of the
immense output for them by the malleable iron trades. Sir
Frank Heath, K.C.B., pointed out that it was claimed as a result of
a Research Association in America that they could make malleable
castings of ."lO per cent, greater tensile strength than was possible
in this country. If that were true, it was a serious matter.
Competition was, however, really nearer, for he learned that in
Scotland there was an Association of light castings manufacturers
which had established a research laboratory. There was nothing
corresponding to this south of the Tweed.

Vol. 8T. No. 2,237, ootobbb 8, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

467

The Spot-Welding of Tubes.— The Ek'rbiad Sews of

Turouto recently described a method uf jointing tubes by
means of spot weldnig. Tlie etiief ditticulty is lb:it the weld is
accessible Irom the outside uf the tube only. The probleni
then is so to direct the current through tbe metal that it
effectively heats the point of contact, and so to adjust the
pressure that it will be sufficient to ensure a good spot,- but
not so great that it will distort the shape of the tube.

Several experuuents were performed at various pressm"es
and with ditlereut currents flowing, and a special lower
electrode designed so that there would be no burning of the
metal in touch with it, had to be fitted to an improvised spot
welding machine.

The steel tubes on which experiments were conducted had
an external diameter of five-eighths of an inch, the thickness
of metal being about 1/32 inch. They were formed in dies to
special shapes, and the joints had been made by soldering,
but the results were not satisfactory.

The part " A " (fig. 1) is joined to a straight piece of tubing,
there being on " A " a flange which closely fits the latter
and nearly surrounds it. Three spot welds W'ere made on
each side as shown. (Fig. 2, marked by arrows on end view.)
In the first experiments the welds caused slight indentations
in the surface of the part " A." Later when finer adjustments
were made they became merely a roughness on the surface
and, after the final dipping in a thick aluminium paint, were
not noticeable at all.

The operation of welding is quite simple and rapidly done.
The copper part " C," fig. 2. is the specially designed lower
electrode, grooved at the top to allow the part " B " to fit in
and make electrical contact over a comparatively large sur-
face. The part " A " is mechanically fitted to part " B " in
the exact location where it is desired to secure it, and the
upper electrode brought into contact with this part. The cur-
rent is turned on for a few seconds and then off again before
the upper electrode is lifted. Only one spot is made at a time,

the complete joint requiring four or six spots according to the
strength desired ; six spots (three on each side) gave a joint
stronger than the material itself.

It is questionable whether the soldered joint, even at best,
has one-half the strength of such a welded joint. There is
also in the soldered jomt a certain tendency to break under
shock, which is overcome in the welded joint.

In conclusion, the following facts may be mentioned : The
current required is 2,300 amps., the pressure about 7 lb., and
the time during which the current is allowed to flow is one
second. While the process of spot welding produces results
which are stronger than soldering or riveting, it also lessens
the time required for the operation. In this particular case'
quantity production was the object, and approximately 60 per
cent, of time was saved in this one operation.

Shifting Brushes on Interpole Generators. — Much

sparking and change of voltage may be caused on an inter-
pole generator with a very slight shift of the brushes from
the correct neutral point. When the brushes are shifted the
interpoles either assist the main series field in raising the
voltage as load comes on, or buck the series field causing re-
duced voltage or too small an increase of voltage with the
load.

If the brushes are given a forward shift, as is often done
by operators accustomed to handling non-interpole machines,
the coil which is sending current to the brush gets out from
the influence of the interpole before it reaches the brush.
In other words, the interpole acts on the coil when the coil
is still in the field of the main pole just behind the interpole,
which is of opposite polarity to the interpole. The net result
is a reduction in the total flux and a consequent reduction
of the generator voltage as the load increases. The remedy is
to set the brushes at the correct position. It should be noted
that the brushes may have been set so far ahead that they
have reached a second neutral point, indicated in the accom-
panying diagram by the crossing of the zero fine at tEe extreme
left. In this case when an attempt is made to move the
brushes back toward the correct position sparking may in-
crease, but with the brushes moved still further back the

sparking -smU again cease. A case of this kind recently
occurred on a 300-KW., 250 volt machine in a ^teel plant.
While cleaning the machine the operator had shifted the
brushes to the mm-sparking point just mentioned. The
machine would not hold load properly, but when the operator
attempted to shift the brushes back again the increased spark-
ing alarmed him. Howev^-, after a ti-oubleman had finally
shifted the rocker ring back to the original mark the spark-
ing stopped, and the machine held up its voltage properly
on load. The false neutral point was 2 in. (o cm.) on the
rocker ring ahead of the correct position.

Volt.

rcr,

Bac

e Ctjrve wifh Corrtcl BruihFasitio
ird Brush 5hift
wrd Brush 5hlfi

Ei'TF.CT 01' Buu.'-iH Position on Voltage of Interpole
Generator.

In case the brushes are given a backward shift, the inter-
pole acts on the coil after it reaches the brush. As each
interpole is of the same polarity as the main pole ahead of it,
an extra amount of terminal voltage due to the interpole
is added to the main field voltage, and the terminal voltage
of the machine will consequently increase with load. A very
small amount of such shift, even half a bar, may cause
sparking. In the diagram the voltage of the coil when the
brushes are shifted backward is shown by the chain-dotted
line. — James Dixon in the Electrical World.

Penalising Low Power Factor.— The Ekclrical News oi

Srpti'nilier 1st deals with a method adopted for encouraging
the use (if apparatus giving a high power-factor, and penalising
customers whose P.F. is below 'a certain percentage ; 0.85 is
calculated to be about the average factor for general purposes,
and for this the number of kilowatt-hours actually recorded
is charged for. For power factors above or below this aver-
age the numljer of kilowatt-hours metered is multiplied by
a constant according to a scale which is shown below.

Effective Monthly

Effective Monthly

Power Factor

Constant

Power Factor

Gonstan

roo

0-9.-)l

0'70

ro.s3.-)

0-95

o-9(;5

0-6.-,

1-1255

O'StO

0-981

O'fiO

1-1785

0'85

rooo

0.-.-..5

1-24.^.5

0'80

r023

U-50

1-3335

(J- 7.-)

ro50

Constants for other than the effective power-factors given
in the table are determined from the same formula used to
determine the given constants.

Thus for an average power factor of 85, which is taken as
standard, the customer will be billed for the amount of energy
consumed as shown by the kilowatt-hour meter. But when
the po-n-er-factor is below or above 85 the metered kilowatt-
hours are multiplied by the constant corresponding to the
power-factor. For example, suppo.so that the true energy
used during the month was 1(10.000 kw. -hours, and an average
power-factor of 75 was maintained. Multiplying 100,000 Kw.-
hours by 1.05, the constant for 75 per cent, power-factor,
gives 105,000 kw. -hours, for which the customer could be
billed. Had an average power-factor of 95 been maintained,
the constant 0.965 would have been used and the bill rendered
for 96, .500 kw. -hours.

Unfortunately the way in which the consumer's power
factor is ascertained is not given in the article.

A New Projector Arc Lamp.— A new form of arc lamp
in which a fixed annular water cooled metallic negative elec-
trode surrounds the end of a coaxial horizontal positive elec-
trode has been de.signed by M. Garbardini. says L'Industrie
Elcctriqiie. The lamp is particularly intended for pro-
jector work, and has a fixed position of crater and a
fixed arc length. A solenoid surrounding the electrodes
creates a field which keeps the arc rotating rapidly
round the tip of the carbon electrode. This only
requires to be fed slowly forward. The negative electrode,
being of cooled metal and having the arc continually moving
over it, does not give out Ught so that only the tip of the
carbon rod is incandescent. A further advantage is that the
negative electrode does not obstruct any of the light. Neither
constructive details nor particulars of the feed arrangements
are given. The lamp is stated to have been tried in the
French Navy. — Technical Review.

468

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW. - [Voi. 87. ifo. 2,23:, octootb s, 1920

Appointments Vacant. -Charge engineer {£:m<) for the
Swansea Corporation electricity department ; 60 Morse teleffraphista
(275 Rs. per mensem), 2 Creei^ and Wheatstone mechanics (300 Ra.
per mensem) for the Mesopotamia Civil Administration ; lecturers
in mechanical enfcineering and mechanical and electrical engin-
eering for the Wigan and District Mining and Technical College ;
cable jointer for the Eccles Corporation electricity works ; workshop
instructor for the Electrical Wiring Glass at the Hackney Institute ;
cable jointer for the South Shields electricity supply department ;
cable jointer for the Rawtenstall Corporation electricity depart-
ment ; shift engineer, £400 + BO per cent., for the electric power
plant at Dar-es-Salaam. See our advertisement pages to-day.

Birmingham Electrical Golfing Society. — The l2th

meeting of this society will be held on the Streetly Links on Monday
afternoon, October 11th. The Dr. Railing Cup is up for competi-
tion, with other prizes, and a record entry is anticipated. It has
been decided that after this meeting, and for 1921, new members
will be charged an entrance fee of 10s. 6d., in addition to the
annual subscription.

Electric Vehicle Competition. — On September 25th the

Liverpool Commercial Motor Users' Association held its first
commercial motor parade, quite an interesting feature of which
was the section for electrics. Me.-^srs. Henry Tate & Sons. Ltd.,
won the first prize with an electric lorry (,fig. 1), delivered just
over 12 months ago, since when it has done 2,(i00 miles. It covers
about oO miles per week with average loads of 6 tons and 11 tons
with trailer. Ironclad Exide accumulators are used. Messrs.
J. Blake & Co., of Liverpool, won second prize with two Royal
Ma'l vans (fig. 2).

Germany and Japan. — The German Minister at Tokio,
Dr. Solf, made his first public utterance last week. In a long
speech before the Esonomic Association, he declared that (Germany
and Japan must go hand in hand along the path of industry
and commerce. After paying a flattering tribute to Japan's com-
mercial expansion, Dr. Solf deprecated the alarm caused by the
present economic depression, and said that the Germans were
looking forward to receiving the assistance of Japan, in the hope
that the ties severed by the war wotdd be knit even closer than

INSTITUTION NOTES.

iDStitution of Electrical Englaeers The first meeting of the

South Midland Students' Section will be held on October 12th, at
the University, Birmingham. The chairman, Mr. E. T. G. Donovan,
will open the meeting with an address, and Mr. M. E. Gallfzia
will read a paper on " Hydro-Electric Power Schemes," to be
followed by a discussion.

Association of Mining Electrical Engineers,— The Yorkshire
Branch of the Association held its first meeting of the session at
Wakefield, on the 4th inst, Mr. J. W. Harbottle (Allerton-
Bywater) was elected president for the coming year. A discuasion
took place on the new rules affecting electricity on the surface
and in the mines. It was decided, however, to hold over the debate
on the subject until the next meeting, which will be held at
Wakefield on November Gth.

About 40 members of the Midland branch of the Association paid
a visit, on September 2.">th, to the works of the D.P. Battery Co.,
Ltd., at Bakewell. In the absence of Mr. J. Waddell, manager of
the company, the visitors were welcomed on arrival at the works
by Mr. H. G. Brown, assistant manager, who conducted them
through the various departments and explained the processes gone
through in the manufacture of storage batteries for lighting,
power, and vehicle wotk. The visitors %vere particularly interested
in the type of cell designed for ship's wireless and also that for use
in modern submarines.

Wireless Society of London.— At the general meeting held at
the Inotitutiou of Civil Engineers on September 30th, 1920, the
President announced that the following provincial wireless
societies had been affiliated ; this brings the total now affiliated np
to 27 : —The Stockport Wireless Society, Sussex Wireless Research
Society, Wireless Society of Hall and District, Bradford Wireless
Society, and Preston Wireless Society.

In view of the retirement of Captain W'. J. Staw, Mr. E. W.
Kitchin, A.M.I.C.E, and Dr. F. C. Knight, MD., from the com-
mittee, it has bejn arranged that Mr. Philip Coursey, B.Sc, Mr.
J. Scott-Taggart, M.O., and Mr. G. G, Blake, A.M.I.E.E., fill their
places until the annual general meeting in Dacembar, when
definite elections will take pUce for the ensuing 12 months. In
view of tha ever-iaorei]ing anount of work falling to the hon.

..^ -^ t^'

ip-

^^^■^^' * wl55

[

jm

!Hf

5

a**^^

COMMESCIAL ELECTIUC VEHICLES AT LIVERPOOL.

before. In conclusion. Dr. Solf said : " Japan cannot expect to
export much to Germany, but the exchange of mental resources
will counterbalance this.' — lieuter.

The Training of Ex-Ssrvice Men. — According to the

Skeffiehl Independent, the Board of Education has informed some
40 or 51 1 ex-service men who are in training at Sheffield University,
that their awards will be discontinued in consequence of un-
favourable reports from the University as to their progress. Keen
resentment has been aroused by this action, and the matter is to
be taken up by the Northern Counties Universities Ex-Servicemen's
Association.

Graphite in Belt Dressing Removes Static Electricity. —

— For eliminating static electricity from lieltinr; in works
wliere very explosive vapours are present tlie safest method
is probably to mix some graphite ■s\ith tlie belt dressing.
This makes the belt suliiciently conducting to prevent build-
ing up static voltage. An imsuccessful and probably dangerous
method that lias been tried in the past is to place wire points
or pipes and otlier metallic objects in c-lo.se proximity
to the belt, connecting these objects with the ground in order
that they may carry off the static electricity. Such a device,
however, has been found ineffective because at times an
accumulation of static electricity would pass in a spark from
the belt to tlie device, thus defeating the purpose for which
it was designed, as the .spark is liable to set fire to explosive
vapour. A fire was started hi this way in a certain japanning
factory, wliich afterwards adopted the method of mixing
grapliite with the belt dressing. The new method eliminated
the trouble, but it was necessary to keep a check on the
condition of the dressing to be s.ure that it did not wear off.
This was accompli.shed by means of a. gold-leaf electroscope
held near the belt. The leaves of such an electroscope will
divei'ge when in proximity to a belt liokling static electricity.
>— C. M. Green rn the Electrical World.

secretary, Mr. L. McMichael, M.I. RE , it has been arranged that
Mr. A. W. Hambling beaomes assistant hor . secretary. The meetir g
was the first of the new session, and upwards of 200 members were
present to listen to the instructive paper on " the making and work-
ing of a resistance amplifier." which Mr. Maurice Child presented.

Twenty five new members have been elected, and the society may
congratulate itself on the inclusion among the new members of
Mr. E H. Shaughnessy, 0 B.E., M.I.E.E., of the wireless section (f
the G.P.O. It is hoped during the present session to make arrange-
ments for visits to certain electrical works.

Association of Engineering and Shipbuilding Draoghtsmen.-
The first of the new session's lectures of the York Branch was on
" Electric Locomotives,' by Mr. R. H. Wright. Mr. Wright
described the characteristics of the various tjpas of electric
motors and their fitness for different classes of work. He showed
the benefits of the general introduction of electric locomotives as
against steam, and outlined features in the design of electric lo30-
motives. In the discussion a good deal of consideration was given to
the subject of the relative we^hts available at the driving wheels
of steam and electric locomotives, the relative e3onomy of working
and maintenance, the ind'ictive interference of high-tension over-
head wires with telegraph and telephone wires, and the limitations
likely to be imposed on the steam locomotives due to the standard
loading gauge, &c.

Chelmsford Engineering Society.- The session opens on October
13th, when Mr. T. E. Dann will deliver his presidential address.
A number of electrical papers will be presented during the session,
including "Electric Traction, " by Mr. E. H. Field, A.M.l.E E., and
" Electric Welding, ' by Mr. J. H. Johnson, M.I.E.E.

Institute of Metals. — The 1923-21 session commences on October
12th, when Mr. H. W. Brownsdon, M Sj.. Ph.D., will deliver the
chairman's address. An attractive programme has been arranged
for the fCBsion, including lectures by Lord Weir, Ur. W. Rosenhain,
F.R S , Prof. T. Turner, M.Sc, and a number of other well-known
authorities.

Toi. »7. Mo. 3,237, octobeb 8, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

469

The Telegraphone Resurrected. — The latest correspond-
ence idea, says the Journal of Electricity, is the telegraphone which
combines the principles of telephone, telegraph and phonograph,
80 that one talks into the machine and the message is recorded on
disks of thin steel which have been given the name of "talking
post-cards." These are sent through the mail and " played " on
the telegraphone of the recipient, who may "erase'' the post-card
with a magnet and send it back with his return message.

Maximum Prices and Profits. — As we go to press, a

correspondent writes as follows ;^

The subject dealt with under this title in your leader columns of
October Ist, is of great importance.

I do not think there is any doubt that the Electricity Commis-
sioners realise the difficulties under which many small under-
takings are working and are endeavouring to help in the most
sympathetic manner.

One must not forget that behind the Commissioners stands
the Government with all those views concerning the treatment of
public utilities which have been only too obvious within recent
years.

It is perhaps unnecessary to anticipate any conclusion which
the Commissioners may have reached and not yet announced ;
however, there can be no harm, quite the contrary, in pressing the
point in and out of season that if the public are to secure the
benefits of electricity supply freely, quickly, and unhampered by
restrictions, that result can only come about under conditions
which allow the investing public to secure a reasonable return for
their money and risk.

These arguments apply with particular force to the smaller
areas operated by private companies. In many of these to-day the
clamouring demand for electricity supply is being refused and
discouraged, because the fioancial return secured by the operating
company is totally insufficient to encourage the investment of
fresh capital.

It seems almost tragic that whilst well-to-do people are asking
for electricity supply and willing to pay good rates for it, many
undertakings are unable to obtain capital for the construction of
such permanent and remunerative works as underground distri-
bution cables.

Although not so obvious, the same argument really applies to
municipal undertakings ; if these are to be run on a bare margin
and without adequate reserve, there can never be that freedom and
liberality in extending plant and distribution mains speculatively
which is really the basis of a cheap and abundant supply of
electricity.

For how many years have we not been obliged to adopt the
policy of extending mains piecemeal, and to follow actual
demands .'

How many thousands of pounds might have been saved had it
been possible to cable streets ax streets, and without regard to the
particular business offered at the moment .'

You refer very properly to the comparatively high yield to be
derived from Government securities, and mention that many
industrials are offering safe investment at 8 per cent., but there
are also trading firms of all kinds which are known to paj" profits
of at least double that amount, and this particularly applies to
those which provide luxuries and the lesser essentials of life.

It is ft guiding principle of business that success is bound up
with the prosperity of the ultimate distributor. Anyone under-
taking the risk of a great producing plant is careful to see that
the last retailer has encouragement in the form of substantial
profits to extend the demand and meet it in every possible way.

The final or retailing function is the most important one of the
electricity supply undertaking, and one which has had the least
attention.

In many small areas, whether the undertaking be public or
private, it seems possible that retailing and distributing will
become the chief function, and unless bulk supplies are handed out
under such terms and conditions a? will permit of a reasonable
surplus, and encourage energetic local action, the extension of
mains, advertising, loan and hire of appliances, and service work in
its widest forms, the fact that those bulk supplies are handed out
at a very low rate may not, and probably will not, by itself be
sufficient to bring about rapid electrification amongst the com-
munity.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

Tke Editors invite electrical engineert, whether caniucted with the
technical or the commercial side of the profession and industry,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
ElsotbioAL Review posted as to their movements.

Ms. W. A. Weldex, station superintendent at the Rawtenstall
electricity works, who has been appointed to a similar position at
Stoke-on-Trent, was. on September SOth, presented with a gold
albert by the employra and staff at Rawtenstall as an expression of
the esteem in which he was held. The presentation was made by
Mr. Stewart, borough ele,;trical engineer. A large number of
applications were received for the vacant position. Four candi-
dates were interviewed by the Committee on Wednesday, September
29th. and Mr. S. H. Wilkes, of the Cleveland and Durham Electric
Power Co., was appointed.

Dandalk Urban Council has increased the salary of its electrical
engineer, Mb. P, A. Spalding, from £500 to £575 per annum.

Chesterfield Town Council has granted the following increases in
salary :— Mr, Davies, station superintendent, from £.S00 to £432 ;

Mr. Penker, mains superintendent, from £292 to £418 ; Mr. Gill
shift engineer, from £228 to £322 ; Mr. Mott, shift engineer, from
£213 to £299 ; Mr. G. Boden, shift engineer, from £193 to £271 ;
Mr. A. P. Biggin, meter superintendent, from £251 to £360.

The financial Press reparts that Sir Philip Lloyd-Greame,
K.B.E., MP., has retired from the Board of the Anglo-Argentine
Tramways Co.. Ltd., on accepting office as Parliamentary Secretary
to the Bo.ird of Trade.

Mr. p. J. Pkingle, general manager and chief engineer of the
Electric Supply Co. of Victoria, who his been paying a visit to this
country with his family, partly on holiday and partly in connection
with the business of the company, is returning to Australia to-day
per P. 4: 0. s.s. Jlontua.

Mb. p. Gordox Hieatt, of Derby, has been appointed shift
charge engineer at Croydon.

Mr. Herbert Mason, for six years mechanical and electrical
engineer to Taquah Mine and Abosso Mine of West Africa, hag
gone into partnership with Messss. Hyde & Thomson, Ltd., elec-
trical and mechanical engineers, Fitzalan Square, Sheffield.

Obituary.— Dr. Huoo Cassireb. — The death is announced from
Berlin, at the early age of 51 years, of Dr. Hugo Cajsirer, a leading
authority on electric cable and wire manufacture. The deceased
was born in Breslau, and started his career in the cable works of a
relative in Vienna ; later he came to England to complete his
studies, and was, it is stated, for some time at the Johnson and
Phillips' works at Charlton, about the year 1892. Later he
returned to Berlin, where in 1890 he started the electric cable
manufacturing firm of D. Caesirer k Co.

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED,

Gilberts, Ltd. (170,394). — Private company. Registered

September 23rd. Capital, «2,000 in £1 shares. Manufacturers of electrical
fittings of all kinds, art metal work and metal furnishings, coppersmiths, &c.
The first directors are: H. Davies, IJ, Hillfield Park, Muswell Hill, N. 10;
.\. W. Green, High Ueech, Pinner Road, Pinner; W. C. McMii.an, 9, The
Grange Drive, Winchmore Hill, N. Registered office: 15, HillBeld Park,
Muswell Hill, N. 10.

Alan Evans, Ltd. (170,512). — Private company. Regis-
tered September 2'Jth. Capital, £1,000 in £1 shares To cany on the business
of electrical and automobile and general engineers, manufacturers of and
dealers in motor cars, Sc. The first directors are: H. E. Watts, Southlea,
I'airfield Park Road, Cheltenham; C. S. Watts. Brenta, Leckhampton Road,
Cheltenham: A. V. 'Evans, 6, Priory Street, Cheltenham. Secretary: C, S.
Watts. Registered office : Grafton Motor Works, Norwood Road, Cheltenham.

W. T. Rawcliffe, Ltd. (170,480). — Private company. Re-
gistered September 27th. Capital, £10,000 in £1 shares. To acquire and turn
to account lands and buildings in the U.K., U.S.A., Canada, or elsewhere,
and to carry on the business of electricians, mechanical engineers, suppliers
of electricity for light, heat, motive power, or otherwise, &c. The subscribers
(each with one share) are : W. T. Rawcliffe, 28, Osborne Road, Levenshulme,
Manchester, electrical engineer; E. Jones, 3, Central Road, Blackpool, electrical
engineer. The first directors are: T. S. Jones, 85, Reads Road, Blackpool;
li. Jones W. A. Mortimer, 110, Reads Road, Blackpool, and W. T. Raw-
cliffe. Registered office : 3, Greengate, \'ictoria Bridge, Salford.

Tillotsons, Ltd. (170,397).— Private company. Registered

September 24th. Capital, £3,000 in £1 shares. To take over the business
carried on at 52, Kennington Park Road, London, as " Tillotson Brothers,"
and to carry on the business of electrical, sanitary, and hot-water engineers,
manufacturers of electrical and mechanical instruments of all kinds, &c. The
first directors are: S. G. Tillotson, 52, Kennington Park Road, S.E.ll; C. R.
Turner, 59, Canning Road, Croydon; R. N. Flint, Mount View, Otford, Kent;
H. Campbell, 102, Chewton Road, Walthamstow. The two first named are
permanent. Secretary : S. G. Tillotson. Registered office : 52, Kennington
Park Road, S.E. 11.

Dome Battery & Accessories, Ltd. (170,537). — Private

cnmpany. Registered September 30th. £10,000 in 5,000 ordinary shares of
10s each and 7,500 preferred shares of £1 each. To take over the business
III an automobile and die engineer carried on by W. J. Berry at 12, Hop
I'xchangc. and 26, Southwark Street, S.E. The permanent directors are :
S B Harcourt, 28-36, Salisbury House, E.G., m.-.naging director, Belgravia
Properties. Ltd.; W. A. C. Dicketts, Poland House, Oxford Street, W. 1,
director. Supreme Radi;
tiouthwark Street, S.E.

Adapta Sign & Trading Co., Ltd. (170,452).— Private com-
pany. Registered September 27th. Capital, £15,000 in £1 shares. To carry
oi the business of manufacturers of electrical or mechanical devices or
:.pparatus for advertisement purposes, &c., and to adopt an agreement with
I C Wilson and D. Figur, The subscribers (each with one share) are:
N I^ieur 31 Cossington Road, Westcliffc-on-Sea, clerk; E. Plunket, 48,
Portsdown Road, W., electrical engineer; D. Figur, Leicester House, 5,
Green Street. Leicester Square, W.C.2, solicitor; J. C. Wilson. 10, P.irk
\allcv. Nottingham, manufacturer. The first directors are: D. Figur (chair-
man) and J. C. Wilson (both permanent), and N. Figur. J. C. Wilson is
managing director. Qualification £500. Registered office : Suite No. 1,
Leicester House, 5, Green Street, Leicester Square, W.C.3.

Nelson Engineering Co., Ltd. (170,500).— Private com-

11. nv Registered September. Capital, £2,000 in £1 sh.tres. To carry on the
l,usin.ss of electrical and mechanical engineers, fitters, millwrights, founders,
&c The first directors are: C. H. Kay, 6, Railway Terrace, Brierfield;
(• ' E A Young, 13, Market Square, Nelson; A. E. .Adams, 115, Sackville
Street' Brierfield ; A. Roberts. Helmsdale Road, Nelson. Secretary : C. H.
Kay. Registered office : 13, Market Square, Nelson.

Millo Co., Ltd. (170,411).— Private company. Registered

September 24lh. Capital, £500 in £1 shares. To carry on the business of
electricians, mechanical engineers, suppliers of electricity for light, heat,
motive power or otherwise, S:c. The permanent governing directors arc:
C Milton (managing director) 65. Cawdor Road, Fallowfield ; F. Law, 87,
Richmond Street, Accrington. Registered office: 78, Deansgate Arcade,
Manchester.

Farndons Power & General Electrical Co., Ltd. flTO.^^^l,'

—Private company. Registered September 25th. Capital, £20,000 in £1
shares. To carry on the business indicated by the title, and to adopt an
:.greement with Farndons Electric, Ltd. The subscribers (each ""h °"=
share), are: V. Farndon, 76, Carnarvon Road, Stratford, E. 15, electrical
engineer: H. M. Watson. " Muirfield," Kilnacolm, Renfrewshire. P^>*":'-|;'
and surgeon. The first directors are : F. l--arndon '™"='S'"e °'r™''hree
Farndon. H. M. Watson, H. King, and 1- -"^ 'i'""''- B«UtiS office"
are permanent. Qualification. £375. Secretdry : F. G, Saw. Registered office.
33, Romford Road, Stratford, E. 15.

Co., Ltd. Registered office : 12, Hop Exchange,

470

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,237, October 8, 1920.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Bullers, Ltd.— Trust deed dated September loth, 1920, to

secure £250,000 debentures, charjjed on certain properties in Norton-in-lhe-
Moors, Hanley, Tipton, and Newcastle-under-Lyne. Trustees ; British Foreign
and Colonial Corporation, Ltd.

Chipperfield, Ltd.— Mortf^aee dated September 20th, 1920,

lo secure £'WR, chari^ed on certain land and buildings in Lowestoft. Holder :
\V. J. Croft, 4, Thurston Road, Lowestoft.

J. G. White & Co., Ltd.— Return dated July 18th, 1920

(fifed August 12th). Capitaf, £500,000 in £1 shares (180,000 preferred and
320,000 ordinar)), 180,000 preferred and 200,000 ordinary shares taken up.
£1.50,000 paid. £230,000 considered as paid. Mortgages and charges, Nil.

CITY NOTES.

The general meetiug of the Societe
Swiss d'Kj-idoitatioii dcs Cables Klectriques of

Companies. Launanne has decided to pay a dividend
at the rate of '20 per cent.

The Watt A.C. fur Elektrische Unteniehmunyen of Glarus,
which is closely associated with the Zurich Bank for Electrical
Undertakings, reports a loss of •2,S«6,(I0U fr. for iyi9-'20, as
compared with a loss of '2,970,000 fr. m the previous year.
Among the investments the report mentions that the Vorarl-
berg power works of Aiidelsbuch paid a dividend of 5 per
cent, for 1919, and the Allgau Electricity Co. a rate of 5 per
cent. The further depreciationc' 'of the Austrian kroner re-i
duced the receipts from the Austrian undertakings to such a
level as to have rendered necessary the conclusion of a fresh
arrangement with the holders of the company's debentm-es.

The report of Escher, W'ytss it Co., of Zurich, states that
a further increase in the turnover took place in 1919-'20. The
hydrauUc turbine deptirtment was very busy, and large sets
of the new type of steam turbine were delivered by the
respective departments, while the compressor shops were
also well occupied. ■ After making provision for depreciation
the net profits are returned at «U4,000 fr., as against 088,000 fr.
in 1918-19, and the dividend is at the rate of 6 per cent., as
compared with 5 per cent, on the ordinary share capital of
0,500,000 fr. As it was desired not to be excluded from the
Italian market owing to the fall in exchange, the company
in conjunction with the firm of De Pretto, of Sehio, formed
a limited company under the title of the Societa Anonima de
Tretto-Eschor Wyss. The stock of orders at the end of the
financial year was greater than at the beginning, and the
reserve manifested by customers in the summer of 1919 had
since been replaced by the allocation of orders to a satisfactory
extent.

The shareholders in the Bank fur Elek-

The Zurich tri.sche Unternechmungen of Zurich, at the

Bank for annual meeting held in that city on Sep-

Klectrical tember 24th, adopted resolutions authoris-

Undertakiags. ing the directors to enter into agreements
with the creditors on the basis of the
scheme of reorganisation recently detailed in this journal, and
in this event to reduce the ordinary share capital from
7.5,000,000 fr. to 18,750,000 fr. Before the resolutions were
put to the vote. Dr. Prey, chtiinnan of the board of directors,
is reported to have stated that the deficiency for 1919-20
amounted to 56,000,000 fr., that an intermediary balance
struck on September 20th showed a further loss of 7,000,000 fr.,
and that the total losses in consequence of the exchange losses
through the war exceeded 150.000.000 fr. As to the question
of various objections raised against the business management
of the bank, the chairman emphasised the fact that the bank
was intended for the cultivation of internation.al financial
transactions from its inception. During the early period of
the war the problem had been examined of dividing the bank
into two parallel undertakings, one of T\'hich would have
absorbed the German interests, and the other all the other in-
vestments, but the difficulties in the w'ay were found to be
insurmountable. The reproach that too much had been placed
upon one card — the German — was only correct to a limited
extent. The strong'participation in German undertakings only
dated from the time of the community of interests con-
cluded in 1911 with the Lahmeyer Co., but this had been
and still was at present one of the most advantageous transac-
tions undertaken by the bank. As to the remunerativeness of
the investments, the chairman stated that that of the German
stood at the top with a yield of 7.27 per cent. In conclusion,
he remarked that the individual who could say that he had
regarded before the war the possibility of German currency
depreciating to the extent which it had done down to the
present could be the first to tlirow stones at the bank.

In his address at the .annual meeting. Sir

Cordoba I^ijSht George A. Touche said that the importance

Power and of the San Roque Lake w.as accentuated now

Traction that fuel prices had risen to such an alnrm-

Co., I.ld. ing extent. I'roiii that lake they derived

all their water for the hydraidie generation

nf electric current. Tlioy maintained a reserve steam-power

station for use in c.nse of emergency, when there was a severe

drought. Although there was no drought during the year

under review, they had been obliged io put their steam station

into operation frequently, and the resulting loss would have
been avoided had the regulation of the overflow of the water
from the dam been arranged with more regard for the com-
jjany's requirements. The fir.st ccnibideration of the Govern-
ment must be for iirigation, but they beheved that some
system of releasing the water could be arranged which, with-
out injury to the interests of irrigation, would coincide with
the period when the demand for electricity in the city was at
its maximum. The Provincial Legislature had under con-
sideration measures for raising and strengthening the dam.
The gross receipts of the company's combined bu.smesses were
£'20(J,035, an increase of IS per cent, over 1919, and of '2lii per
cent, over 1914. The improvement was being more than
maintained in the current year. The tramways company's
tigm'es showed a considerable improvement over the previous
year, in spite of the strike. They had acquired the only
other tramway system in the city, and when they had elec-
trified a portion of it, it should prove a useful addition to the
system. As regarded the Light & Power Co., there was no
dearth of new business offering, and the expansion of late
had been remarkable, but extensions, which under pre-war
conditions would have been satisfactory, were no longer attrac-
tive owing to increased cost. ■ At present some consumers were
actually paying less than the present cost of the service they
received, and that could not be continued. The question of
charges was engaging the attention of the board. They were
not without hope that certain new arrangements might Ije
made which would enable the company to offer an improved
service of tramways to the city, including the electrification
of a portjtjn of the recently acquu'ed hor-se tramway.

Presiding at the annual meeting, on
Victoria Falls Friday last, the Marquess of Winchester
and Transvaal said he had to submit a satisfactory ac-
Power Co., Ltd. account of the company's business. Not-
withstanding the ever-growing increase in
cost in all cla.sses of material, and in wages, &c., and in spite
of the heavy taxation, the year's trading had enabled them
to maintain the same dividends as last year, without reduc-
ing the carry forward to the current year. In reviewing the
balance sheet, the chairman said that the leases and conces-
sions of the various undertakings and the company's power
stations, buildings, equipment, and land stood at lower figures
than last year on account of the depreciation taken being
more than the expenditure during the year. At the prices
ruling to-day similar machinery could not be installed at
anything like the prices at which the existing installations
stood in the accounts. The revenue for the year amounted
to £8'29,470, compared with £903,780 in the previous year.
Sales of power, however^ were practically the same, and the
efficiency of generation and distribution was thoroughly main-
tained, but increased costs arising out of the present con-
ditions and some provisions for contingencies on local account,
resulted in the lower earnings. The amount paid for the
service of debentures in the shape of interest and premium
amounted to JS219,160, being some £10, .500 less than last year.
Depreciation and amounts written off and provision for Briti.sh
taxation amounted to £394,488. The net result for the year
was a profit of d6175.6'26 after making provision for all taxa-
tion. Including the amount brought forward the total balance
to the credit of the profit and loss account stood at £'269.319.
In respect of that balance the preference shareholders received
three dividends, two each of 3 per cent, and one of 4 per
cent., all less income tax, and the ordinary shareholders had
received a dividend of 5 per cent., less income tax, in respect
of the year 1919. Those dividends absorbed £174.999. leaving
a balance remaining to the credit of the profit and loss ac-
count of £94.321, which had been carried forward to the
current year. Tliey were still without any settlement of the
relief from British income tax in respect of Colonial taxation.
Since the last meeting their claim was heard by the Special
Commissioners of Income Tax, and was proved to their satis-
faction on every point, and as far as thev were aware there
was now nothing to stand in the way of a settlement. An
important matter to comnanies paying colonial taxes had
recently been settled by the House of Lords on an apneal
arising from a case heard in the Scotch courts. The effect
nf that ruling was that prior to the passing of the present-
Finance .Vet, preference shareholders in companies paying
colonial tax were in the same position as preference share-
holders in other undertakings, viz., they were all subject to
the payment of full British income tax. 'With regard to the
question of the renewal of their earlier contracts, the fir.st
to fall in had been renewed by the consumer for a further
period of five years. In that connection they recentlv sub-
mitted a scheme for the consideration of the Transvnal Cham-
ber of Mines for improving the conditions on which power
was .supplied in order to .secure benefits to both con.sunier
and supplier: while their prono.^al was appreciated .■'S beinf!
ndv!i.ntageoiis from a power point of view, it w.is decided that
the alterations to the hours of mining which the scheme
involved introduced difficulties which outweighed fpMn the
consumer's standpoint the aiivantages afforded by the pro-
posal. Referring to the position of the low-grado mines, the
sneaker honed th:it when there was a cheapening of the price
of connnodities, nnd a reduction i'l the cost of living .inil
nroduction. it would still be a profitable enterprise to mine
low-grade ore. A factor of a gener.al character which, as
regarded the sale of their power, had a steadying influence,
wa.s the fact that the supply of native labonr was not nn-

Vol. 87. No. 2,237, octobbb 8, 1920.] THE JiiLEOTRIOAL KEVIEW.

471

limited, and they found on taking a review over a long period
that the sales of power varied with the number of natives
employed. Generally speaking, natives displaced from low-
grade mines could be absorbed by those with richer ore, and
from theii' past experience the tendency was for the richer
mines to also increase their demands for power with the
increased labour supply offering, and thus offset the fall
in demands resultiug from the stoppage of low-grade mines.
One could not lay down a deliuite rule or state to what
dimensions that transference would be mamtamed, and
whether the power which would result from the shut-down
of large numbers of mines would all be absorbed, but up to
the present their rate of supply had not fallen, in spite of
large reductions of requirements by four of their consumers.
During the current year the business had so far been satis-
factorily maintained, and the amount of power sold was well
up to that sold in the corresi^onding period of last year.
Throughout the period under review an excellent service had
been maintained, and the whole plant had worked satisfactorily
and been well maiutained, and the high efficiency of genera-
tion attained was a great testimonial to the ability of theii'
operating and maintenance staff. Ko new extensions of any
importance had been carried out, but an addition to their
transmission system would shortly lie undertaken, and would
be paid for out of capital resources ukeady available.

Mr. Arthur E. Hadley, C.B.B., seconded the motion.

The Chan-man, in reply to questions, said that up to the
present no development had taken place in regard to the har-
nessing of the Victoria Palls. It was a very large question
to tackle, and unless there was a very considerable sale of
power available in the immediate neighbourhood of the Falls,
the project was not commercially advisable.

Replying to a shareholder who asked whether the Constaii-
tinesco wave transmission was likely to have any prejudicial
effect upon the company, Mr. Hadley ."^aid he had seen the
various installations that had been put up for water wave
transmission, and he did not think it was in the least likely
to affect the company in any wa/; unless possibly it might
do so to its advantage. They were engaged on generation
and transmission of very large amounts of power, while the
water wave transmission plants were those purely for the local
use of very small amounts, and when one came to deal with
the bigger amounts, the size and strength of the pipes was
A very great problem. The applications which he had seen
for water wave tran-smission were those purely for the local
use of power, and not for generation on a big scale.

The report was adopted.

Auckland Electric Tramways Co., Ltd. — The arrange-
ments for the sale of the undertaking to the Corporation
were completed during the year ended June, 1920. The
amount payable by the Corporation was finally agreed at
fl,227,201, payable as to i;834,400 in debentures of the Cor-
poration bearing interest at 5i per cent., ±'39'2,800 in deben-
tures bearing infpvest at 5 per cent., and i;i 8s. 7d. in cash,
the whole of the debentures carrying interest from July 1st,
1919, and being redeemable at par on July 1st, 1940. The
revenue for the year was composed principally of interest
upon the Corporation debentures, less interest paid on loans
and advances, and amounting to £'63,083. After providing for
all expenses chargeable to Revenue, including ^£17,8.55 for
debenture interest, there is a balance on revenue account of
436,9.58. making with i;9,777 brought forward, £46,735. The
dividend on the preference shares to June last requires £9,000,
and the directors now recommend that a dividend be paid
on the ordinary shares of Is. 3d. per share, less income tax,
which will require £'28,1'25, and leave £9,010 to be carried
forward.

Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitvvorth & Co., Ltd. — The direc-
tors report that for the four years ended December, 1919, the
net profits, after making provision for taxation, depreciation,
and the writing down of capital expenditure, amounted to
£4,053,605. Fi-om this is deducted, says the Financial Times,
£1,000,000 for further writing down of capital expenditure and
£2,465,093 dividends paid for the four years, including the
final distribution for 1919. leaving £.588..512, which with the
balance of £461,387 broij.'jht from 1915 gives a sum of
£1,049,899 to be carried forward. The reorganisation of the
works for peace industries is now complete, and much com-
mercial work has been undertaken. But until the general
conditions of manufacture become more stable it is difficult
to make any forecast of the future.

Killorglin Electric Light & Power Co., Ltd.— .\t the fourth
annual meeting a very successful year's working was re-
ported. Increased consumption and advanced prices produced
increa.ted revenue. Coal now costs £5 per ton. as against
33s. 6d. pre-war. Dividend 8 per cent., free of income tax.
declared, a .substantial sum going to reserve.

Anglo=Argentine Tramways Co., Ltd. — llie Fimnirial
Timex reports that the bo.ard has decided to pay a further
12 months' arrears of dividend on the 5h per cent, cumiil.i-
tive first preference shares.

Major & Co., Ltd. — .An interim dividend of 3J per cent.
on the preferred ordinary shares is announced.

Rushden & District Electric Supply Co., Ltd. — Interim
dividend of 5 per cent, per annum, less tax, for the half-year.

Southern Brazil Electric Co., Ltd.— At the meeting held

last week Mr. E. H. Tootal said that the year's working
had resulted m a profit of £1,500, compared with a loss of
£7,000 for the preceding year. The improvement, though
hardly equal to what was hoped for was, on the whole,
satisfactory. Notwithstanding certain temporary adverse facr
tors connected with Brazilian trade, then- revenues had con-
tinued to increase in a gratifying manner since the date at
which the last accounts were made up. The services of the
various undertakings had been carried out without any hitch.
They had been exempt from any strike troubles. The pro-
gress in the development of the undertakings was decidedly
reassuring, and it only required a renewal of the former
activity of the export trade of Brazil to make the progress
more rapid and increasingly remunerative.

Cuba Submarine Telegraph Co., Ltd. — Interim dividend
for the half-year ended June at the rate of 5 per cent, per
annum, free of tax, on the ordinary shares.

The Danish Siemens=Schucl(ert Works. — The report of
the Dansk A. S. Siemens-Schuckert states that the value of the
turnover in the financial year ended on July 31st, 1920,
amounted to 4,70(),t)OU krcjnen. Mter providing for deprecia-
tion, taxes, &c., the net profits are returned at 169,000 kr.,
which have permitted of a payment of a dividend at the rate
of 10 per cent, on the share capital of 900,000 kr. The orders
brought into the new financial year represent 4,500,000 kr.

Lancashire Wire Co., Ltd. — This company, of Trafford
Park, have redeemed their 6 per cent, deoenlure stock, the
holders having exchanged their stock for ordinary shares
at 10s. per share premium.

Bell Telephone Co. — This company has sold to a syndi-
cate of bankers headed by .Messrs. J. P. Morgan, $25,000,000
25-year 7 per cent, bonds at 95 per cent, dated from Sep-
tember 30th. — Renter.

Dundee, Broughty Ferry & District Tramways Co. — Divi-
dend at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum, less tax, on the
ordinary shares. To reserve, .£1,.500; carried forward, i£309.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
Conditions tend to repeat themselves in the Stock Exchange
these days. With the coal strike still nominally m suspense,
and other labour troubles hovering about in the near prospect,
markets can hardly be expected to go ahead with any great
verve. The Bank Rate also dangles its 8 per cent, apprehen-
sion over finance and commerce, but in spite of all its draw-
backs. Stock Exchange business goes on steadily. The diffi-
culties in trade cii'cles are making theii' mark upon quotations.
This week it is the motor share market that has suffered
rather sharply owing to the advertised " cuts " in prices and
to the closing down of a big works in America. Every day
adds new testimony to the hard times that confront industry
in the coming winter. But Stock Exchange philosophy says
that we have seen much the same sort of thing before, and
that the worst troubles which men have are those which never
happen.

The MetropoHtan District Railway is the first to be handed
back to its own proprietors, apart from the Government con-
trol, and the company is now on its own feet in the matter
of expenditure and assets. The price had been dull at 17i,
and it promptly recovered to 18^. Underground incomes
weakened to 66^, a drop of 1, and the shilling shares keep at
6s. Gd. Central London guaranteed ordinary stock is 2 higher
at 43^ on the success of the new Ealing extension. The pre-
ferred stock is 454, and the deferred 41.

In the foreign group, British Columbia preferred and de-
ferred have come to the same level, with rises to 50J. Bombay
Electric preference at 12j are 15s. lower. The ordinary
stock is quoted at the nominal price of 78-88 ; the last bargain
marked in the stock is at 103 at the end of July. Brazihan
Tractions are steady at 46s., and the preferred 81J, the latter
attracting a fan' degree of attention. British Electric Tractions
remain tolerably firm at 31J. the preference at Olj; the 5 per
cent debenture stock is no.w ex dividend at 65. k " spp'-ial "
bargain is marked this week in London United Tramways
preference at 2s. 6d., and London Suluirban preference have
been done as high as 3s. 9d. The Mexican issues are still
beneath the cloud of uncertainty as to what really is happen-
ing under the rule of the new President Obregon. People are
beginning to complain that he does not seem to be getting on
with things as quickly as hope had expected.

The Commercial Cable Company has again approached some
of the holders of comparatively small amounts of its 4 per cent,
debenture stock, offering 80 per cent. Therefore ihe price,
which fell 12 points last month when the previous offer of the
same price was withdrawn, has been put up again to 79. Two
consecutive bargains were marked on October 1, one at 69 and
the next at 79i. Proprietors who have the chance of selling
to the company at 80 should certainly accept the bid, even at
the risk of a highf price being offered later, which appears
improbable unless the American exchange should move further
against this country.

472

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. st. no. 2,237, octobbb s, 1920.

Marconis continue to improve, and at 2J again show 1/16
rise. The preference hardened to 2 11/16. Cable stocks as
a whole are firm, with Eastern Extensions up to 35. There
seems to be a certain amount of Eastern Telegraph stock in
the mai-ket on behalf of deceased accounts, but it is being
steadily absorbed in the neighbourhood of 148. Westerns are
14| ex dividend. Cuban Telephone 5 per cent, bonds at 85
are 4 points lower. In the manufacturing group, Callenders
stiffened to If, and the preference to 18s. 9d.

Other manufacturing shares, however, are inclined to be
dull. British .Aluminiums have drooped a little to 1 l/3'2, and
Edisons to about the same price. In fact, both of them might
be obtainable at £1. British Insulated at 33s. 9d. are ex
dividend. The steady buying of industrials to which the
London share market has been accustomed from Birmingham
has given place to a disposition to sell, and this is also notice-
able from Sheffield and from centres farther north. The result
is that the ordinary buyer in the South, knowing pretty well
whence .sales are coming, is inclmed to hold his hand, and the
demand for industrials of all kinds is comparatively meagre.
This applies also to the armament companies. The Armstrong
company issued' its report the other day, the first for several
years, and, although the figures are considered good as a
whole, they produced a certain amount of disappointment,
and the shares eased off to 24s., while Vickers remain in the
neighbourhood of 22s. 6d. The rubber share market, after a
brief spasm of firmness, again reacted as the price of the
produce fell to just under Is. 6d. per lb. Prom this it is in-
ferred that the steps that are being taken by the Rubber
Growers' Association in the direction of curtailment of output
may take some little time to become effective. Meanwhile,
the supply of rubber outstrips the demand, and the fear
remains present that there will be a considerable surplus of
rubber at the end of this year.

SHARE LIST OF ELEOTRIOAL OOMPANIEe

HouE Elboteioitt Ooupahus.

Dividend Price

. " ^ Oct. 5,

1918. 1919, 1930. Rise or (all.

Biomplas OrdlDKrr 8 la 6i —

□hulng OroBB Ocdlnsr; .... 4 7 8i —

da. do, do «iPrel. .. 4i 44 a| —

Chelsea B 4 9i —

01t7 ot London 8 10 li —

do. do. 6peroenl. Piel. .. t 6 17/6 —

Oonniy of Londnn 7 B Ti —

d3 do 6 per cent. Prel, 6 6 Bi —

!fs-i3tn'7">n Ordinary .... 6 7 8f —

London E eotrio Nil Si l| —

do. do. 8 percent. PreJ... 6 6 8 —

Metropolitan.. 6 6 31 —

do. 4} per cent. Prel, .. 4} 4i 3^ —

St. Jam !b' and Fall Mall .. .. 10 13 6S —

South r..ondon 4 6 6 S|xd —

South M jtropolitan Pref 7 7 17/- —

Westm nster Ordinary .... 8 10 B —
Telegraphs and TBLBPHoiisa,

Anglo Am. Tel, PteJ 6 6 77* —

do, De< B3/6 1} 17| —

Chile Telephone '8 6 Bt —

Cuba^ab. Ord 7 7 74xd +1

Eastern Extension 8 10 15 —

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 1494 —

Ubue Tel. and T. Ord 8 10 14) —

do. do, Prel 6 8 Bxd — i

Great Korthem Tel 39 33 10 —

Tndo-Br.Topean 18 10 80 —

Marconi 36 36 32 + y'5

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 13 21 — '

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 6i ' — '

West India and Panama .... 1/8 NU Si —

Western Telegraph B 10 148xd —

Horn Bailsi

Central London Ord. Assented .. 4 4 434 +2

Metrop ilitan 1 1} 21i —

do. DiBttiot .. .. Nil Nil 184 + i

Underaroiind Electiic Ordinary. . Nil Nil 2S —

do. do. "A" .. NU NU 6,6 —

do, do. Income ..6 4 664 ~ 1

FoKEioN Trams, &c,

Anglo-Aig, Trams First Prel. .. Nil 61 8} —

do. do. 2nd Prel. .. Nil NU ^ —

do. do. 6 Deb, .. B B 674 +3

Brazil Tractions Nil Nil 46 —

Bombay Elootric Prel 6 8 12i — |

BritiBb Oolumbia Eleo. Rly. Pice. 6 E ST 4.I4

do, do. Preterrred 94 E 60i 42

do, do. Deferred Nil 8 ',0^ +3}

do. do. Deb. .. 4} 4} B3i —

Mexico Trams 6 per cent. Bonds.. Mil Nil 44~ —

do. 6 per cent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 84 —

Mexican Light Common . . . . Nil Nil 14 —

do, Pref Nil NU 274 -1

do, let Bonds.. .. NU Nil C6 —3
Mamdtaoturimq OoaSPAHiSS,

Baboock ft WUooz 16 16 34 —

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 I ' —

British Insulated Ord 134 16 HLxd —

Callenders 36 16 Ig + ,'.

• • 64 Prel 64 64 18/9 +9d;

Castner-Kellner 90 17 8 —

Orompton Ord 10 10 17/6 —

Bdlson-Swan, " A " .. .. 10 10 20/3 -6d.

do. do. 6 per cent, Deb, ..65 784 —

Eleotrlo ConstniotioD .. ..10 10 18/3 —

Ben, Bleo. Pref 64 64 18/8 —

do. Ord 10 10 2R/. —

Henley 96 IB 15 —

do. 44 Prel 44 44 84 —

India-Rnbber.. .... .. 10 10 1) —

Met.-VlokerB Ptef, .. .... — 8 24 —

Siemens Ord... .. ,. .. 10 10 9S,'- —

Telegraph Con 90 30 90 —

• Dividends paid tree ol Inoome Tax.

7 12 6

8 17 10
6 17 3

10 17 0

'6 9 1

•9 6 8

•6 13 4

•8 14 4

•B IB 0

7 10 0

11 0 0

9 1< 3

8 17 10

10 18 2

6 IS s

6 18 4

11 8 6

9 16 2

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

It shonld be remembered, in making use of the fifjnrea appetu-infr
in the following list, that in some cases the prices are only general,
and they may vary accordinfr to quantities and other circumatancee.

Tuesday, October 5th.

CHEMICALS. &c.

a Acid, Oxalic

per lb.

a/5

a Ammoniac Sal ...

pet ton

£100

a Ammonia, Muriate (large crystal)

„

£92

a Bisulphide of Carbon

,,

a Borax

„

a Copper Sulphate

£49

a Potash, Chlorate

per lb.

1/-

a ,, Perchlorate

,,

1/a

a Shellac

per cwt.

J632 ICs.

a Sulphate of Magnesia

per ton

;£18

a Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers

„

a „ Lump

,,

£92

a Soda, Chlorate

per lb.

6d.

a „ Crystals

per ton

£13

a Sodium Bichromate, casks

per lb.

...

METALS. &c.

p Babbitt's Metal Ingots

per ton

i'J5 to ££00

c Brass (rolled metal 2" to 12" basis)

per lb.

1131

c „ Tubes (soUd drawn)

1/6 to l/6i

id. dec.

c ,, Wire, basis

,,

1/14

c Copper Tubes (solid drawn)

„

l''J

Jd. dec.

c ,, Bars (best selected)

per ton

£104

£4 dec.

c ,, Sheet

,,

£164

£t dec.

c „ Rod

,,

£164

£ldec.

d „ (Electrolytic) Bars

„

£114

£4 dec.

d „ „ Sheets

,,

d „ „ Wire Rods..

,

£130

£4 dec.

d „ „ H.C.Wire..

per lb.

l/4i

Jd. dec.

f Ebonite Rod

,,

8/6

f „ Sheet

„

3/-

n German Silver Wire

,,

3/.

h Gutta-percha, fine

,,

u/.

k India-rubber, Para fine

,,

1/6

2d. dec.

i Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ...

per ton

Norn.

/ „ Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual.

,,

g Lead, English Pig

£ac

30s. dec.

^Mercury

per bot.

£18 to £18 5s.

5s. to 10s. dec.

£ Mica (in original cases) small ...

per lb.

6d. to 4/6

e <> 11 11 medium..

,,

6/- to 11)/-

e „ II II large ...

13/6 to 25/- & up

p Phosphor Bronze, plain castings

,,

1/6 to 1/11

p „ „ roUed bars and rods

ip to 3/8

2d to 3d. inc.

p ,, ,, rolled strip & sheet

,,

2,5 <o 2/9

d SUicium Bronze Wire

per lb.

2/-

r Steel, Magnet, in bars

,,

1/8

n Tin, Block (BngUsh)

per ton

£267 to £363

30s. to 60s. dec.

n ,, Wire, Nos. 1 to 16

per lb.

4/9

p White Antifriction Metals

per ton

£78 to £100

Qaotationa supplied by—

a G. Boor & Co.
c Thos. Bolton & Sons, Ltd.
d Frederick Smith & Co.
e F. Wiggins & Sons.
/ India-Rubbor, Gutta-Pereha and
Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.

g James A Shakespeare.

h Edward TiU & Co.

I Boiling & Lowe.

/ Richard Johnson & Nephew, Ltd

n P. Ormiston ,& Sons.

W. F. Dennis 4 Co,

Electric Vehicles in tlie II.S.A, — A .summary is given iu

the Electrical IForW of six papers presented to the Electric
Vehicle Section of the N.E.L.A. at its recent Convention at
Pasadena, U.S.A. l<\irther development of electric vehicle
business is said to depend upon more active co-operation by
central stations, the estabhshment of adequate garage facih-
ties, and the keeping of accurate cost records. A CO-car
garage is considered to be the minimum on which to establish
a pi'ofitable business. Even then it is ditficult to make the
garage pay by the supply of energy unless supplemenfeii by
the .sale of accessories, iSrc. Prom 15 to 18 miles per day is the
average delivery mileage uhere liorses are used. The average
speed of a 'i-ton electric truck is 14 to 15 m.p.h. Kural or
interurbau dehveries of long mileage can be dealt with only
by the petrol or steam vehicle. Electric vehicles are often
abused in two ways, viz., by attempting to perform long
mileage at high speed, and by constant neglect of the battery.
It was shown that the cost per ton-mile for petrol
vehicles rose from 5.3 cents in liHo to 6.75 cents in 1919,
whilst the corresponding cost for electric vehicles de-
creased consistently from 4.74 cents per^ ton-mile in 1915 to
4.17 cents in 1919. During the same period the average capa-
city per vehicle increased from d to 3.27 tons in the case of
petrol vehicles and from 1.6 to 2.7 tons in the case of electric
vehicles. Tiie above costs include all expen.ses except interest,
depreciation, insurance, and di'ivcrs' wages. From a large
mass of operating cost figures it appears that the cost of
operating the electric vehicle, taking all factors into con-
sideration, is about half the cost of petrol transport for similar
operating conditions. One of the speakers emphasised the fact
that electric vehii-les .should be used for all work within their
capacity because fliey are more economical than ix^troi
vehicles, and the latter should be n.sed only for work beyond
the capacity of electric trucks. Complete accurate operatin.:
cost records from large users .show that a 5-ton petrol vchicl.
operating about 40 miles per day. costs from $5 to $10 piv
day more than a 5-ton electric vehicle doing the same work.—
Technical Review.

Vol. 87. No. 2,237, ootobeb 8, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

473

AUSTRALIA: A CRITICAL MARKET.

According to H.M. Trade Commissioner

Competition iu Australia, the position regarding United

to be met. States and Japanese competition in the

Australian Commonwealth has not altered

greatly during the past 12 months. The state of the dollar

exchange has naturally had an adverse influence on American

imports.

The large increase in American trade has brought a number
of American firms, new to Australia, and inexperienced in
overseas trade generally, into close contact with Australian
firms. The latter in many cases have been dissatisfied with
.American methods, and the bulk of the trade should revert
to the United Kingdom.

On the other hand, it is understood that various American
organisations are making strenuous elTorts to promote greater
efficiency in export methods. It appears probable that in
the future American competition will be felt more particularly
in machinery, small tools, hardware^ metals, motor cars, and
specialities of various kinds. It will be noted that the fore-
going are particularly the lines of ti-ade in which British
manufacturers are urged to improve their commercial organisa-
tion.

Tlie Japanese methods of trade and quahty of goods supplied
liave continued to be unsatisfactory.

As v.ill have been noted from our leading columns recently,
Japan is making great national efforts to improve her methods
of manufacture and trading, and it is difficult to forecast the
result of these efforts combined with the factor of cheap
labour, though, as we have indicated,, finality has not been
reached in regard to labour, wages, and conditions. It appears
probable that Japan will lose the bulk of her trade with
Australia, which was created during the war.

In view of the circumstance that most of the raw materials
necessary for manufacture exist in Australia, it is rather the
competition arising from this factor that will have to be
reckoned with by British exporters.

The progress made in the Commonwealth
Manufacturing in working up its copper production

Developments, (which totalled £4,500,000 in value in 1918)
is of interest to electrical manufacturers,
particularly those who have established or contemplate the
establishment of branch factories there. Works are estab-
lislied within the Commonwealth for the refining of copper
as follows : At Port Keillbla, N.S.W., owned by the Electroly-
tic Eefining and Smelting Co. of Australia, Ltd., with a
capacity for an output of 41.(.X.)0 tons of electrolytic and fire-
refined copper per annum. At Wallaroo, S.A. (Wallaroo and
Moonta Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.), with a capacity for
an output of y.WJO tons of refined copper per annum. At
Bowen, Q. (Moun^ Elhott, Ltd.), with a capacity for an output
of 9,000 tons of refined copper per annum. At Lithgow,
N.S.W. (Mouramba Mines, Ltd.), with a capacity for an
output of 2,500 tons of refined copper per annum. At Kan<los,
N.S.W. , works are being erected for the C.S.A. Mines, which,
when completed, will have a capacity for an output of 2,5LI0
tons of electrolytic copper per annum.

Metal Manufacturers, Ltd., are now manufacturing at Port
Kembla, N.SiW., high conductivity copper wire, rods, bars,
and strips. All the usual sections of bar and strip are being
made as well as special sections including commutator seg-
ments. Hard and soft-drawn copi^er wire, and square, hexa-
gonal, and round rods are produced in all sizes. Square and
rectanglar wire of the dimensions of circular wire is made to
order. Stranding machinery has been installed by the com-
pany to make hard-drawn bare copper strand of all known
sizes. Single and double cotton-covered wires form a regular
part of the output. The extension of the works to cover a
wider field of production is now under consideration.

With regard to wolfram and molybdenite, the arrangement
whereby duriug the war the Imperial Government acquired
the Australian output, has now terminated.

Exten.sive deposits of iron ore and coal are widely distributed
throughout .\ustraUa, but so fnr only two steel works have
been established, viz., tln^ Eslil)ank Iron Works. Lithgow,
N.S.W., and the Broken Hill Proprietary Co., Ltd., at New-
castle, N.S.W. The Qiiiv^nsland Government has decided to
proceed with the orocti<iii of a State steel -works at Bowen,
at a co.st of about £3Smsm.

The Lithgow works were established in 1907. In 1917 the
output was 45,025 tons of pig iron and 19,667 tons of steel
ingots.

The Broken Hill Proprietary Co., Ltd., is utilising tin-
immense deposit of iron ore at the Iron Knob quarries in
South .Australia, which are connected "with the seaboard at
Hummock Hill, a distance of about .36 miles, by the company's
tramway. Extensive limestone works and loading bin :it
Devonjiort, Tasmania, as well as quaiTies in New South
Wales for ■ dolomite, magnesite, &c., are also owned by the
company.

The number of men employed at the steel works, Newcastle,
is 4.13.5. Tlie capital expended on plant at Newcastle, Iron
Knob, and other quarries, &c., to December 31st last, amounted
tn £4M\.0rA.

A number of .subsidiarv industries have either been estab-

lished or are projected at Newcastle in connection with the
steel works, including the manufacture of railway tires, axles,
and other products of a capacity, as regards tires and axles,
stated to be sufficient to meet the whole requirements of the
Australian railways; the production of wire for fencing and
general purposes; the manufacture of galvanised iron and
black steel sheets; a tiuplate works with a capacity of about
30,000 tons per year; pipe and tube works; the manufacture
of wii-e netting; a plate rolling mill for the production of
ship-building and other plates.

Some progress has been made towards the formation of an
Australian Engineering Standards Association. Delay has
occmTed pending the formation of the Institution of Engineers
of Australia, which was formally inaugurated in Sydney in
October, 1919. It is felt that the Institution, which is repre-
sentative of engineers throughout Australia, is the proper
body to undertake or be closely identified with the formation
of the Australian Engineering Standards Association.

Our readers will for the greater part be familiar with the
Austi-alian Association of British Manufacturers and their
representatives. This Association, formed in 1910, has dui'ing
the year usefully dealt with a number of important matters
affecting the interests of British manufacturers and their
representatives in Australia. The membership has now in-
creased to 761, consisting of 295 representatives in Australia
and 466 manufacturers in the LTnited Kingdom. British manu-
facturers may be recommended to join this Association.

The total imports of machinery and other

Import manufactures of metal in 1918-19 were

Statistics. il7 ,000,000 in value, compared with

£9, 098,970 in the previous year, and

£15,416,548 in 1914-15.

The 1918-19 imports according to country of origin were : —

£ Per cent. '

United Kingdom 6,325,224 ... 37.3

United States 8,509,002 ... 50.1

Japan 524,280 ... 3.0

Other countries 1,637,038 ... 9.6

Total £16,995,544 ... 100.0

Items of. interest in the above class, together with countries
of origin, are shown in the following table : —

United United AM

Kingdom. States. Japan, countries.

15

570

307,762

46,46:3

115,577

1,508 11,629
102,506 1,076

23

58,976
141,202

500,671
51,615

300,376
17,776

135,819

95,113 239,716 69,717 536,908

654,250
350,130
439,503
256,849
69,596
20,999

809,418
488,863
618,970
795,710
80,8M
2,129,753

488,505 5,962 804,392

Articles.

Chain blocks and Tra-
velling blocks 4,922 42,914

Engines, gas and oil ... 24,608 106,003
Dynamo electric

machines 182,.381

Rock drills 5,152

- Machine tools 179,471

Brass plate and sheet ... 4,639
Copper plate and sheet ... 30,765
Electrical fittings and

appliances

Iron and steel plate and sheets

Corrugated galvanised 154,816

Not corrugated do. ... 136,3.53

Plain not galvanised ... 174,461
Pipes and tubes, wrought 385,994

Telephones, &o 9,411

Tinned plates and sheets 2,108,754
Tools of trade, not being

machines 291,082

Hydro-electric Development. — Compared with other coun-
tries, Australia offers little prospect of hydro-electric develop-
ment. In Victoria and New South Wales various schemes
are proposed.

In Tasmania the Hydro-electric Department of the Tas-
manian Government continued general exten-sions and survey
work, reference to which has been made in these columns
from time to tune. It may be recorded that the present
capacity of the plant is 18,000 h.p., and that during the year
1918-19, 32,134,388 units were sold. It is proposed shortly to
increase the horse power to about OO.tXK) to 70,000 h.p. Tlie
current year's estimates include £558,000 for extensions. This
amount forms the first instalment of an extension scheme in-
volving a total capital expenditm-e of £2,500,000, but some
years will elapse before this is accomplished. Machinery is
already on order to bring the total up to 54,000 h.p., and it is
anticipated that two more 8.0(X»-h.p. units will have to l)e
ordered at an early date. When these latter are installed,
the capacity of the power station will amount to 70,000 h.i'.,
which will be sufficient to provide for the following require-
ments : 30,000 H.p. for the electrolytic zinc works at Risdon,
10,000 h.p. for the carbide works at Electrona, 6,000 h.p. for
Hobart, and 3,000 h.p. for Launceston, leaving a substantial
margin for use as requii-ed. Tenders are at the present time
being considered for the supply of material and erection of
another double-circuit transmission line from the Waddamana
power station to Hobart, while a line is also to be erected tor
delivering power to Launceston.

474

THE ELECTRICAL BEYIEW. [voi. 87. No. 2,237, octobbb 8, 1920.

Mr. Butters, the engineer to the Department, is starting
on a tour of inspection of installations and works in North
America and Europe. He will be in England i;i October,
when it is hoped British manufacturers will be able to impress
him with the desirability of placing his orders in thi.s country.

The scheme for the development of the brown coal depo.sits
of Victoria' has also been dealt with in some detail. The
Commissioners recommend that the Victorian State should
expend £3,000^000 on the generation of electricity from Mor-
well brown coal, and that the scheme should be put in hand
at once. It is proposed that the power house should have
an initial capacity of 50,0UO kw. Borings have proved the
e;iistence of about 150,000,000 tons of brown coal within a
radius of a mile of the propo.sed power house at Morwell.

The estimates include : Opening up Murwell Field, f-2-21,000;
electrical plant and system, A'2,.")lti,<ii«»; acconunodation for
workers, i;l50,000; briquettiug plant. .i':jO.()(lO; total. it'i.tllV.OOO.

The estimated bulk selling price of elei'tric current in the
metropolitan area of Melbourne is .434d. per unit.

The Adelaide Electric Supply Co., Ltd., has commenced
the erection of a new power house on which it contemplates
spending about d025O,OOO. The station will take some years
to complete.

The extension which lias marked the co-operative move-
ment amongst Australian farmers may not appear at first
sight to be of much interest to tlie electrical trade. Yet it
is of importance l)y reason of the fact that it is leading to
the centralisation of the purchase of all agricultural supplies,
which include a very large number of small petrol or paraffin-
driven electric power sets for farm use. There is a big
demand for such sets, and any Biitish firms which succeed
in placing them on the market at prices comparalile with
American quotatinus will reap a ]n-ofitable harvest.

THE ELECTRIFICATION OF BRITISH
RAILWAYS.

Last week the Electrification of Railways Advisory Commit-
tee, appointed by the Minister of Ti-ansport to inquire into
railway electrification, issued an important interim report,
of which an abstract is given below. The committee was
constituted as follows : —

Sir Alexander Kennedy (chairman) ; Sir John A. F. Aspinall,
consulting mechanical engineer. Ministry of Ti'ansport; Mr.
A. R. Cooper, engineer. Metropolitan District Railway and
Tube Railways; Sir Philip Dawson; Sir Alexander Gibb,
Director-General of Civil Engineering, M. of T. ; Mr. Charles
H. Merz; Sir Phihp Nash, Director-General of Traffic, M.
of T. ; Mr. Lightly Smipson, chief mechanical engineer, M. of
T. ; Mr. Roger T. Smith, electrical engineer, Great Western
Railway; Sir John Snell, Chairman of the Electricity Com-
mission ; Sir Henry Thornton, general manager and consulting
engineer. Great Eastern Railway, representing the railway
companies. Mr. S. G. Redman, secretary.

The report was adopted unanimously.

Interim Report.

The committee has held '2ii sittings, and has had before
it witnesses representing British railways, as well as Mr. Ivan
Ofverholm, chief electrical engineer to the Swedish Stat«
Railways, and Col. Huber-Stockar, consulting engineer to
the Federal State Railways of Switzerland. On the side of
electrical contractors it has also had as witnesses representa-
tives of the British Thomson-Houston Co., the English Elec-
tric Co., and the Metropolitan-Vickers Co., and a written
communication from the Oerlikon Co.

The committee sent out in April, to all the chief railway
companies, a questionnaire relating to the matters covered
by the terms of reference, and from tne replies to this,
together with those sent in to the questionnaire issued in
January by the Ministry, and the information given by the
witnesses, full statistical tables have been prepared and have
been considered in detail.

It is very desirable that decisions on certain general points
should be arrived at as soon as possible ; the committee has,
therefore, confined consideration, in the first instance, to
points of this nature, and deals only with them in this
interim report. Further matters are left over for a subsequent
report.

The terms of reference under which the committee was
appointed are as follows : —

1. Whether any regulations should be made for the pur-
pose of ensuring that the future electrification of railways
in this country is carried out to the best advantage in regard
to interchange of electric locomotives and I'oUing stock,
uniformity of equipment, and/or other matters.

2. If any such regulations are desirable, what matters
should be dealt with, and what regulations should be made.

3. How far it is desirable, if at all, that railways or sections
of railways already electrified should be altered so that they
may form parts of a unified system.

In respect of reference 1, the committee considers it de-
sirable that certain general regulations should be made for
observance by the railway companies when electrifying their
lines. These regulations should be directed specially to ensur-

ing standardisation of those methods and appliances which
are likely to prove the most satisfactory, but such regulations
should put no avoidable difficulties in the way of the adoption
in future of improvements in methods or appliances.

In respect of reference 2, in view of the desirabihty of the
lailways which are now contemplating immediate electrifica-
tion knowing as soon as po.ssible the decision of the Minister
on certain fundamental matters, the committee recommends
that regulations should be issued in accordance with the
following conditions ; —

(i) That in the case of those railways which have not as
yet electrified any lines, as well as those which at pre.sent
have electrified all or jiart of their lines on a duvct-current
sy.stem, their electrification, or extended electrification as
the case may be, should be carried out on the direct-current
system.

(ii) That the standard pressure of the direct-current system
at the sub-station busbars shall be 1,.5(X) volts, subject to (a)
The continuance of any existing GOO volt and/or 1,200 volt
installations; (b) the adoption of half the standard voltage
— 750 volts — in tho.se cases where advantage would arise from
the use of this lower pressure; and (c) the adoption of higher
pressures — limited to a multiple of the stjindard pressure —
where sufficient advantage would accrue.

(iii) That both overhead and rail conductor collection should
be permitted, as long as the position and general design of
the conductors and structures are in accordance with recom-
mendations which will be made in a subsequent report. In
that report the committee will also suggest the regulations
required to ensure that locomotives and/or motor coaches
shall be able, wherever it may be necessary, to run at two
different voltages, e.g., 600/760 and 1,500 v., and/or with
either rail or overhead collection.

(iv) Tliat the generation of current for direct-current lines
should be alternating 8-phase, at such voltage as may be
desirable in each case.

(v) Tliat in the case of existing generating stations supply-
ing at any frequency between '25 and 50 cycles it is unneces-
sary to make any change in frequency, but where any one
such frequency is in general use in a particular electricity
district, any new power station put down in that district
for supplying a railway should adopt the frequency which
has been approved by the Electricity Commissioners or is in
general use in that district.

Alternating current supplied to the sub-stations at a fre-
quency of 50 cycles can be used for railway purposes without
any detriment to railway working.

In respect of reference 3, the committee recommends: —

(i) That the electrical system of working in use on the
Brighton Co.'s suburban lines need not be changed.

(ii) That in view of the recent proposals of the (jovernment
as to grouping of railway companies, the question of the
system on which the Ij.B. & S. Coast Railway Co.'s proposed
extensions to the coast .should be carried out is now — in the
event of the Government's proposals being approved by Par-
liament— one for special consideration from the point of view
of the requirements of through working and interchange-
ability of tiaftic with the other systems forming part of the
proposed southern group. Subjei't to these matters receiving
the fullest consideration, and provided the completion of the
proposed extension on the present system shows a substantial
financial advantage, the committee is of opinion that it .should
be allowed. .

The report can be obtained from H.M. Stationery Office,
Imperial House, Kingsway, W.O. 2, price 3d. net.

I.E.E. Benevolent Fund. — The report of the Committee

of Management and the statement of accounts for the year
191'J were unanimously adopted at the twenty-second annual
general meeting that was held on May 20th last at the Institu-
tion of Civil Engineers, Mr. R. T. Smith, president of the
I.E.E. , pre.sidtng. Messrs. Sidney Sharp and J. .^ttfield,
F.C.A., were re-elected hon. auditors, and the Committee of
Management for 1920-21 was appointed as follows : Represent-
ing the Council: The President {ex-officio), Sir J. Devonshire,
K.B.E., Col. H. C. Sparks. Mes.srs. J. Sayers. D. N. Dunlop,
H. W. Clbthier, H. J. Cash. Representing the contributors:
Sir W. Shngo, Messrs. J. H. Rider, W. B. Esson, and the
chairman of each Territorial Centre in the Ignited Kingdom.
Tlie capital account stood on December 31st last at i.'.T.7(*9,
all of which is invested ; the income was £805, and the
accumulated income amounted to £1,750, of which £1,72(1 has
been invested. Among the larger donations received were
two of £26 5s. from Messrs. Babcock & Wilcox. Ltd., and
the "Twenty-five" Club resivctivelv, and one of £25 from
]\res.srs. W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co., Ltd. During
1019 25 applications for assistance were received, and the
committee made grants in 24 ca.<ies as follows: One of H'M),
three of £25, seven of £10, six of £9 15s., one of £9. three
of £8 15s., and three of £7 10s.. a total of £291 os. for the
year.

The capital account of the Wilde Benevolent Fund stood
on December 31st last at £2.587. the whole of which is
invested, and brings in an annual income of £90. The
balance standing to the creilit of the income account on the
same date was £7 ; no grant was made from this fund during
the year.

Vol. 87. No. 2,237, ootobkb 8, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

475

THE MUNICIPAL TRAMWAYS ASSOCIATION

(INCORPORATED.)— IV.

Repairs and Depreciation in Relation to Capital and
Revenue.

By James Damivmple (General Manager uf ( Uasgow

Corporation Tramways).

{Abstract.)

During the past few months I have had ample opportunity
for studying tlie financial position of a large number of tram-
way undertakings which are owned and operated by both
companies and municipalities. 1 have invariably found that,
where the financial position is shaky, the cars and other plant
are generally very much worn and the track very rocky.
The reason for this state of affairs, we must assume, is, that
those tramway authorities have not the necessary funds to
keep their undertakings in a proper state of repair, and we
hnd that there are no funds in the renewal and depreciation
account.

Many municipal authorities to-day seem quite prepared to
give the very highest wages to their employes, but at the
same time, entirely overlook the fact that their capital, as
represented by the track and equipment, is rapidly going out
of existence, and that the time is fast approaching when
there will be no track and no equipment capable of earning
revenue either for paying wages or for anything else.

In operating a tramway undertaking, whatever happens,
the capital must be maintained, and this can only be done
by keeping the concern in as complete a state of repair from
day to day as possible, and, in addition, setting aside from
year to year whatever amount of depreciation has taken place
during the previous VI months.

I have recently been going carefully into the physical and
financial condition of many tramway undertakings. The
position generally is that the revenue has not been suiificient to
meet the increased wages granted to the staff, and, at the
same time, enable the undertaking to spend what was re-
quired on repairs, and it generally follows, when you have
too little spent in repairs, that you have nothing available
to meet depreciation and renewal.

Many tramway undertakings throughout the country are
in a good state of repair, and have considerable renewal funds;
I find, however, some undertakings in which renewals are
being added to capital. I find others where too little is being
placed to the renewal and depreciation funds, in order that
a sum may be available for the relief of the rates. I find
some other undertakings where the plant and equipment
are being star--jd to obviate the necessity for an increase in
rates. 1 find other undertakings where the renewal fund
has been actually depleted in order to relieve the rates.

In all the instances above referred to, the tramway capital
is being tampered with in order to meet the current adminis-
trative expenses of the municipality.

The two largest items under the heading repairs and main-
tenance are, of course, track and rolling stock. The renewal
of the track, which on a congested system occurs very fre-
quently, is giving many of us much concern. Hitherto we
have been reckoning on an average cost of about £ifiOO per
mile of single track, whereas the actual renewal is coming
out at nearer ilO.fXK). This increased cost has to be met
in some way, and I would put in a very strong plea.
for the maintenance of our capital ; this can only be done
by keeping our system in thorough repair, and by setting
aside ample funds to meet renewals.

A number of municipal tramway systems are, and have
always been, in a hopeless position financially, and will likely
remain a charge on the rates, but I think it is generally
agreed that the tramway passenger should pay for his ride.
The revenue from fares should, therefore, be sufficient not
only to meet all running expenses and keep the plant in good
working order, but also to meet all charges for interest and
sinking fund, and to provide a fund to maintain the under-
taking.

Repairs and Depreciation in Relation to Capital and
Revenue.

By R. I,. lloRSFlEl.l) (General Manager, CardilT CVu'poration
Tramways.)
{Ahutrart.)
A SINKING fund is established for the purpo.se of redeeming
debt within the period of time prescribed by the sanctioning
authority, and by its means we may say that municipal pro-
perty is obtained. It may well be named the " Property
acquisition fund."

A depreciation fund is established for the purpose of restor-
ing property, and may be called the " Property restoi'ation
fund."

Now, so far as tramways are concerned, if the last-named
fund is abolished, we must be prepared to acquiesce in per-
petual indebtedness, for it is obvious that we should not have
an uudertaking debt-free at any time. The distinction between
these funds, therefore, is not one in name only, it is one of
principle.

Provision for debt-redemption only, within the assumed
useful life of the asset, is not prudently sufficient. There is a
gradual wasting of the asset due to wear and tear, which
cannot be met by current repairs charged to revenue annually,
and it has been the experience of most tramway authorities
that, for certain portions of the plant, and in particular per-
manent way, the loan period has not, in the past, been fixed
well within the actual life of the asset. Let it be clearly
imderstood that a sinking fund is not also a depreciation fund.
It is therefore not only desirable, but of the utmost unport-
ance, that proper provision should be made to meet future
necessities, as well as contingencies.

It should stand definitely and continually related to the
revenue account. The declaration of so much " profit " with-
out any provision for renewals is somewhat misleading. For
wasting assets, that cannot be restored yearly, some provision
.should be made in the net revenue account, and no balance
surplus should be treated as " pro/it " until that has been
done.

Alternatively, and by way of a minimum requirement, pro-
vision should be made annually, and accumulated, for
obsolescence.

No prudent undertaking should absorb annually every avail-
able £, without paying due regard to the demand which future
years will almost certainly bring with them. The hand-to-
mouth policy is fraught with possible grave consequences.
Therefore I put in a plea for sound finance, and the constant
strengthening of our resources.

It is not equitable that next year's passengers should be
called upon to pay part of the fare of to-day's passengers, to
the extent of the diminished value of the asset for which no
provision is made this year.

Present-day conditions serve to emphasise, most strongly,
the wisdom of those authorities who have in the past,
prudently made provision for renewals, and it is clear that
with the altered values as we find them to-day, the provision
which was thought to be necessary in pre-war days, must be
considerably augmented to-day. The County Borough of
Walsall, with which the writer was until recently connected,
accumulated a renewals fund which, in 1918, had reached its
statutory limit. In 1919, in view of the increase in costs of
material and labour which apparently are to remain more or
less permanent, I advised it to seek authority to increase the
maximum, and the local Legislation Committee granted a
clause making the maximum two-fifths instead of one-fifth.
When I took up my duties in Cardiff, I was pleased to observe
that the Tramways Committee had accumulated funds for this
purpose to the extent of £182,690.

It may be interesting to observe here that the Orders under
the Act" of 19-20 for Increased Fares require that "The Cor-
poration shall make reasonable provision for the proper repair
and renewal of the undertaking."

With some authorities a tendency is springing up to borrow
for renewals, which has the undesirable effect of keeping the
maximum of debt alive. This tendency should, in my opmion,
be discouraged.

To the extent to \\hich we abandon prudent methods of
financing tramway undertakings, to that extent shall we inflict
injury upon the stability and strength of the credit of local
authorities, which has been achieved through years of com-
munal thrift, and cultivated zealously by those who have pre-
ceded us.

Discussion on thf, Foregoino Papers.

Aid. Ff.nton (Sheffield) said that in Sheffield it was held
that those who found the credit should have some return
for it. He protested against the injustice of requiring tram-
ways to repair the paving which was so severely worn by
the" heavy motor traffic— l)ut not by the tramcars. The charges
for the maintenance of track should be put on the right
shoulders.

Aid. Pailin (Bradford) said that where the track had out-
lasted the life of the loan, there was no reason why they
sliould not borrow for renewal. A claim should 1» made
on the Road Board for a fair share of the funds derived
from taxation to make good the damage done to the roadbeds
by heavv traffic.

'Mr. H". p. Stokes (Plymouth) said that when the Tramway
Committee at Plymouth, wliich maintained practically the
whole roadway, put motor 'buses in operation, it was called
upon bv the "Highways Committee to pay IJd. a 'bus mile,
A protest should be lodged before the new motor transport
legislation was carried out. When an undertaking had paid
off a loan, it was entitled to raise new capital— otherwise the
present-day ratepayers would pay for the future, which was
unfair.

Mr. W. Murray (Walthamstow) also asked why the present
generation should provide a debt-free system for the next.
Manv items, such as land and buildings, bridges, and street
wide"nings, would remain as good as ever for long years to
come, and would in themselves constitute a fine legacy to
our successors, even if the permanent way and rolling-stoclj

476

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [VoL 87. No 2,237, octobm e, 1920.

should perish. Cars that had been running 15 years in
Walthamstow had been rebuilt, and were better than before.

Mr. J. M. McElkov (Manchester) said Parliament had laid
it down that out of revenue they must pay expenses, interest,
and sinking fund, after which they " may " provide a re-
newals fund. To provide for renewals out "of revenue would
m future be a very grave problem; they would have to
reI)orr(jw to make good wasting assets.

Mr. C. FuRNESS (Blackpool) said he had to renew the whole
track at a cost of £"280,000. Three-quarters of the debt had
been redeemed, and they would reborrow to -that extent,
framway managers were generally agi-eed on this subject,
but unfortunately committees were persuaded to hand over
a surplus to the rates. The word "profit" should not be
used; they ought to set aside for renewals Ijefore showing
any profit, even if it involved a deficit.

Clr. West (Walthamstow) suggested that for the purpose
of renewals the repayment of capital should be deferred for
a few years.

Mr. J. B. H.4MILT0N (Leeds) said the whole financial basis
of municipal work depended upon the repayment of loans
in stated periods. Thanks to their honourable observance
of this rule, municipalities were able to borrow more cheaply
than even the Government. They should be reheved of all
unfair impediments to the provision of cheap transport.

Mr. HoKSFiELD, in reply, said the essence of the papers
was a plea for sound finance.

l\Ir. Beckett, replying for Mr.' Dalrymple, remarked that
theii- ancestors had done a great deal for them, and they
should carry on the good work for the benefit of their
successors.

The Future of Capital Expenditure.

By E. Stuaut 1'ii.chek (General Manager, Edinburgh Corpora-
tion Tramways.)
(Abstract.)
The cost of some coromodities required for the operation of a
tramway system is only 100 per cent, up, but the costs of
materials for the construction of permanent way and new
cars is considerably higher. The pre-war cost of" permanent
way construction may be put at ±'12,000 per mile of double
track; at the present time the cost is in the neighbourhood of
^40,000 per mile of double track, this being over '230 per cent,
increase. With regard to rolling stock, in pre-war days single-
truck top-covered cars with the latest electrical and mechanical
equipment could be obtained for ^900 each. To-day these
cars will cost approximately ±2,800, or over 200 per cent, in-
crease. I have recently had to provide top covers for the
Edinburgh cable cars, which are at present costing ±'550 each.
These could have been obtained in 1914 for ±120 each, and
there, appears to be no immediate prospect of the costs coming
down for this class of work. The same abnormal increase
appUes to the construction of new buildings and to the pro-
vision of new plant, so that in this respect capital expenditure
on new equipment or on new hnes is very severely handi-
capped.

Cajiital expenditure requires new money, and money at
present is only obtained at a high rate of interest. Pre-war
money could be obtained at 3 per cent. ; now, even with the
best security, such as the large municipalities can give, 6 per
cent, is required.

The present price of the 192947 5 per cent. Government
loan stands at ±85 per cent. At that price it will yield a
dividend of ±5 19s. per cent, per annum, and if the redemp-
tion is added, ±6 5s. It is not clear that even now the peak
price of money has been reached.

In considering this question we are therefore faced with the
fact that new works require approximately 250 per cent, more
capital for the same work, and that the rate of interest re-
quired is 100 per cent. up.

The question of new capital expenditure would solve itself
if the revenue could be made to increase in the same ratio as
the working expenses.

Most of the transport undertakings have been slow in raising
the fares. The process of increasing the cost of travel must
necessarily be slow and gradual, otherwise passengexs will
cease to ride or will ride less frequently. If the fares are
raised gradually it will not be felt so much by the public : and
the decrease in passengers carried — which is so noticeable all
over the country — will be but a temporary state.

It is an extraordinary phase of the present public attitude
that pcrwins will willingly pay 1(K) to 200 per cent, for most
commodities, but will not pay 100 per cent, increase on the
oar fares. In the course of time, I believe, the public wili
get over this, aud will realise that the distance which can
now be given for ti-ansport is only half what could be given
in pre-war days. When this state is reached the financial
position of the tramways will improve and the outlook for
tramway capital exix^nditure w'ill be more encouraging.

There is a great field for the motor 'bus, which can deal
with exiensionji aud new routes without any relatively great
capital expenditure. In the case of unprofitable tramway
■routes, when the question of the renewal of the permanent
way has to be considered, many such routes will be worked
by motor 'buses or other railless vehicles.

In considering the question of the form of traction to be
adopted in Edinburgh, the problem is not substantially differ-

ent from those of electric undertakings which have in the near
future to face extensive renewals of their permanent way.
If electrification is carried out, the cost will be ±695, 7WJ, com-
pared with ±1,677,600, for a new system. The cost of a new
system would work out at 4.547d, per mile as against 2,672d.
per 'bus mile for a similar number of 'buses costing ±456,640 —
the mileage being the same in each case — viz., 5,759,.520. In
these figures similar amounts are provided for plant and build-
ings. The 'bus has a considerable advantage in capital expen-
diture over the figures for a complete new electric system, even
providing for the same total seating capacity (±729,900). On
the other hand, the working expenses of the 'bus are higher
than those of the electric car.

When suburban routes are considered, or routes which have
not a heavy traffic, the cost of capital expenditure for electric
cars becomes prohibitive. It is in these circumstances that
the motor 'bus will become the cheaper vehicle to operate.
The total cost of capital expenditure depends upon the fre-
quency of the 'bus service. The 'bus may be made to pay
where the service is infrequent, the only condition being that
the vehicle will require to be fairly well filled with passengers.

Future extensions and new routes will probably take the
form of motor 'buses, or other vehicles not dependent on a
costly permanent way. New transport will be provided and
faster vehicles will be used and development will be quick. The
'bus should be used where the tramway cannot be used, and
the one vehicle made supplementary to the other; I do not
think that they need be competitive.

In Edinburgh the intention is to run all the extensions with
'buses, and instead of spending new capital on a tramway
where the traffic is not sufficiently heavy to pay the high
capital--charges, motor 'buses are to be run. Only the future
can tell at what point it will pay to lay tramway rails.

Discussion.

Mr. J. M. McElroy (Manchester), referring to the author's
comparative figures, pointed out that while the capital cost
of the 'buses was lower for the same number of vehicles, the
working costs would be doubled owing to the greater number
of 'buses required.

Aid. Pailin (Bradford) said they must be cautious in incur-
ring capital expenditure. No outlay should be permitted
which did not help th^ tramways to be productive — ^not for
road-widening, &c.

Mr. E. H, Wilkinson (Bradford) said the working ex-
penses of the 'bus were higher than those of the tramcar,
and the latter were higher than those of the railless car;
why, then, should they prefer motor 'buses to railless trolley
cars'? A raiUess car to carry 50 people was about to be put
on the road; it was being built in Bu-uiingham for him.

Mr. E. S. Eayner (Hull) said the comparative figures were
misleading unless accompanied by the number of car-miles
run per mile of track. With regard to motor 'buses, the
most unsatisfactory feature was the varying price of fuel.
A 50 per cent, increase in cost of coal had less effect on the
working costs of electric traction than a 50 per cent, increase
in cost of petrol. He agreed with Mr, Wilkinson as to the
advantages of the railless car.

Mr. C. FoRNESS (Blackpool) criticised the comparative
figures, and suggested that the loan period for the tramcar
was at least double that for the 'bus.

Mr. J. B. Hamilton (Leeds) pointed out that Mr. Pilcher's
figures explicitly related only to capital costs. If a larger
railless vehicle could be got, it would have a very good chance
in competition with the 'bus and tramcar, and would serve
the purpose of extensions of the tramways. They should
thmk about using open construction in the country ; it would
be possible to give rail transport in many cases at 30 per
cent, of the cost of a street tramway, together with a speed
of 20 M.P.H., against 8 or 10, and lower maintenance costs.
Speed was the pressing need of the day. to reduce the time
of transit ; if a journey took over 1'2 or 15 minutes, a workman
could not travel more than twice a day.

In reply, Mr. Pilcher said that on .some routes in Edin-
burgh cars could not possilily be run, but 'buses were being
run on them successfully, Eailless traction was not extending
as had been exj^ected ten years ago; the use of fixed wire,'*
deprived it of mobility, which was an asset of the motor
'bus. There was hardly an electric tramway system in the
country where the 'bus would not prove useful. It was
interesting to note that when the Edinburgh Council talked
of stopping the tramcars on some routes, the Highways
Committee at once wanted to know who was going to main-
lain the roadways. The loan periods were for the tramways
30 years, for the 'buses eight years. In future, a longer period
would have to elapse before rails could be laid along a new
route.

Electrical Treatment for Tooth Diseases. — In the

ordinary treatment of pyorrhaa. one of the commonest diseases
of the teeth, antiseptics are taken into the mouth, but they
only reach the surface of the gums. A new treatment for
the disease was recently demonstratt'd to a Dailii Mail repre-
sentative by Mr. W. Howell, a medical electrician of Ix)ndon,
which consists in the use of a powerful antiseptic which is
forced deep into the gums by an electric current, thus reaching
the microbes more easily and destroying them more effectually.

Vol. 87. No. »,337, ooToBsi 8. 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REYIEW.

477

THE QUEENSTON-CHIPPAWA DEVELOPMENT.

In the September issue of the Journal of the Enyincering
Institute of Canada, a number of engineers in the service of
the Hydro-electric Commission of Ontario presented papers
bearing upon various aspects of the work being carried out
by the Commission at Queenston. During the war the needs
of factories engaged upon the production of munitions and
other war materiel became so great that an acute power
shortage was felt. As there seemed every prospect of the
conflict lasting for at least four or five years, in 1917 the
Commission decided to commence this immense undertaking,
estimating that by 1921 '2CIO,000 h.f. would be available from
this source. Fortunately the war concluded before the under-
taking was completed, but the enormously increased peace
demands made the completion of the work essential. Although
the first part of the undertaking will consist of units having
a total of i50,0CK) H.r., everything is being planned with a
view to an ultimate capacity of 500,000 h.p. The main point
for consideration in choosing the site of this development was
the utilisation of as much of the 327 ft. difference in level
between Lakes Erie and Ontario as was consistent with general
economic working. Several schemes had previously been for-
mulated, the most practicable of which 'was the Jordan-Erie
scheme, which necessitated the cutting of a canal 24 miles

following information to the Journal regarding the electrical
equipment of the station : —

A novel feature of the generating room is that the main
floor is level with the top of the generator frame. Space
between this floor and the floor at the bottom of the generator
is utilised for cooling air, power leads, and piping. The
generating room is approximately 60 ft. wide bv 60 ft. high,
the units being spaced at 50 ft. centres. The space devoted
to transformers and low and high voltage switching is ap-
proximately 90 ft. wide by 100 ft. high, the equipment
belonging to each generating unit occupving a length cor-
responding to the .50 ft. taken by the generator.

The electrical plant consists "of 45,000 k.v.a., 12,000 volt,
25 cycle, 187i r.p.m., vertical shaft generators' with thrust
bearings and direct-connected exciters. The thrust bearings
to be used are designed to carry a load of about one million
pounds. Five such units have already been contracted for.
About 100,000 cubic feet of air per minute will be required
to cool the generators at full load. The air system is com-
pletely enclosed so that the cooling medium can be taken
from and discharged to the outside air without mixing with
the air inside the station. It is interesting to note that the
weight of air passing through the generator every three
hours equals the complete weight of the generator itself.

_In the present installation there will be fifteen 15,000 k.v.a.,
2;5 cycle, single-phase transformers which will be used for
transforming from the generator voltage of 12,000 to a nominal
voltage of 110,000. Taps are, however, provided in the high-
voltage windings to permit operation at 132,000 volts.

Provision is being made for operation on the " unit "
system, that is. the generator, bank of transformers and
transmission line will be considered as a unit, and have the
same capacity, so that in case of emergency a unit may be
operated to full capacity without utilising either the high
or low-voltage busbars. Provision will also be made so that
units may be operated in parallel on either the high or low
voltage bus, current-limiting reactors bemg provided between
generators at 12,000 volts. With 8 units paralleled without
current-lmiiting reactors it would be possible to obtam about
2,800.000 K.V.A. in a fault. Such a condition with busbars at
24-mch centres would unpose mechanical forces tending to
separate the bars of the order of one and one-quarter tons
per lineal foot. How^ever, oil switches have not been developed
as yet which will rupture such Large amounts of energy,
and it is not intended that the units shall be operated all
tied together without reactors. The two limits of operation
are operating the units entirely separated and with 8 units
paralleled as above. The former imposes a possible short
circuit K.V.A. of probably 360,000 and 230,000 on the low and
high voltage circuits respectively, while the corresponding
short-cu-cuit k.v.a. for the latter are 2,800,000 and 1,800,000.

The generators are being supplied bv the Canadian West-
inghouse Co., I;td.. of Hamilton. Ontario, and the contract
date for the completion of the first unit ready for operation
is February 1st, 1921.

Fig. 1.— Sectional View of Power Station.

r=rrsr-i^

ELECTRIC STEELS.

long, and which also involved a number of other features
open to serious objection. In the present project the intake
is at the mouth of the Welland river above Niagara Falls.
Prom this point the improved channel of the Welland river
is utilised for a distance of 4i miles, and a canal 8i miles
in length then conveys the water to the power house at
Queenston on the Niagara river. In this way a total head of
;K>5 ft. is obtained, as shown in fig. 1. which is a section
through the screen hou.se, penstocks, and power house. The
initial plant is to consist of five turbines, each of 50,0(X) h.p.
rated capacity. Tliese will be of the vertical, spiral case,
single runner Francis type, operating at a speed of 1874 R.p.m.
The guaranteed maximum efficiency is 90 per cent., but it is
probable, in view of recent experience, that this figure viiW
be exceeded. Tlie inlet diameter of the scroll case is
10 ft., and the diameter of the runner at the inlet
10 ft. 5 in. \n open space has been left in the
power house foundations below the runner so that by
removing a section of the draft tube the runner can
be taken out from below, thus obviating the necessity of
dismantling the generator when it is required to renew the
runner. The runner is designed for a capacity of 61.(300 h.p.,
and is " gated back " to a maximum capacity of n5,0OT h.p.
The reason for thjs is that the turbines, which will normally
operate at or near full rated load, will operate, therefore,
at their maximum efficiency also. Special taps have been
provided in the crown plate, and from the annular spaces
round the discharge .side of the runner, to which gauges can
be attached to keep a record of the varying pressures at
these several points. This will furnish an indication of the
wearing away of the runner seal and .show when renewals
of .seal rings are necessury. Connections from these chambers
to the scroll case and draft tube will allow readjustment of
the downward thrust when required. The runners and spiral
casings are of cast steel tested at a pressure of 360 lb. per
sq. in.
Mr. Edgar T. J. Brandon, A.M.E.I.C, contributed the

By 0. G. CAELISLE.

(Abstract of paper read before the Autumn Meeting of the
Iron and Steel Institute at Cardiff.)
The electric furnace owes its popularity largely to the war
and to the ease with which it dealt with immense quantities
of turnings, rather than to any real conversion on the part
of steel manufacturers (with some notable exceptions) in their
opinion as to its merits. Electric furnacemen became very
serious contributors to the output of steel of the best quality
for war purposes.

Tlie history of steel-making during the last thirty years
could be written in terms of a struggle to keep sulphur and
phosphorus down. The electric basic-Uned furnace has made
it possible to obtain steel containing 0.02 per cent, sulphur,
and sometimes, as in the case of some of the alloy steels,
0.01 per cent. Practically no information is available as to
the composition of electric furnace slags and the accompany-
ing metal, from the point of view of the sulphur and phos-
phorus contained. The author gives particulars of samples
taken and analysed by himself.

Size of furnace evidently has an important effect on the
elimination of sulphur. This is due mainly to the fact that
the oxidising slag can be raked off with greater minuteness
in the small size of furnace, but it is also due to a larger
slag area in proportion to weight of bath. Phosphorus can-
not be reduced in like degree, due to some extent to the
greater care needed in adding ore, as the cutting action on
the banks is slightly greater ow'ing to the greater length
of slag line per unit weig¥t of metal.

It is the ability and art of the furnaceman in controlhng
his slags so as to obtain liquidity and correct thickness over
the whole area of the bath throughout the charge, and more
especially during the refining period, that determines whether
sound metal is produced or not. In no other steel process

478

THE ELECTRICAL bEVIEW. LVoi. 87. No. 2,237, ooxoBm r, 1920.

does the slag play such a vital part, or call for such wariness
from the furnaceman. Five or ten minutes' neglect of the
slag, and the metal often will be converted from sound to
unsound material, as it becomes uncovered owing to the slag
losing fusibility. The interplay between current and reagent,
and whether to increase or reduce the amperage of the hrst,
or which of several materials composing a slag to add in
any contingency arising, become niatters of intuition on the
part of the operator, as well as ca'lUng on all his resources.
What is required is the amount of confidence to be placed
in the final product— the steel itself, and particulars of tests
of electric steels made to .\ii- Board specifications are
given to show that the electric furnace is capable of making
excellent nickel-chrome steels. It can be claimed from experi-
ence that nickel-chrome steels, during any given period (say,
several months), and on an equal number of test-pieces and
samples for inspection, will give a larger percentage of success
than Siemens steels of the same composition. This is the
test of time which any new process is called upon to meet.
The torsion tests are particularly interesting. To obtain three
revolutions of twist with a tensile strength of 67 tons, denotes
density and sound material.

X practical application of this steel was made over two
years ago when the demand for high-quaUty tungsten steel
aero-engine exhaust valves was at its maximum ; stamping
dies, made from this nickel-chrome steel and used for embos-
sing the valve, were watched. A pair of dies, used alternately,
stamped 34,OtlO valves without requiring machining, and as
the dies are still in use, it is estimated that 60,0(10 to 70,000
valves must have been stamped in them, with only a few
machinings to resm-face the dies.

With gas furnace heating of samples, the electric steel
remains sound with 200 tons pressure, whereas the crucible
steel crushes with loads of 190 and 199 tons respectively; the
mean yield point of the crucible steel is 10.5 tons, of the
electric, 112.5 tons.

The problem of die steels is very complex, as the pur-
poses for which they are required are multitudinous, but the
author shows that wear, shock, compression, and rigidity of
shajie, have all been satisfied by using electric steels of various
qualities.

The cutting power of electric steels is next examined, but
the factors and processes involved are so many that it in
exceedingly difiicult sometimes to form a judgment. As
cutting involves another steel to be cut. and since this may
be far from homogeneous, durability testing cannot be re-
garded in the same manner as tensile testing. It only re-
quires one hard spot in the path of the tool under test to
vitiate the result, by destroying a good tool nose, which would
otherwise have had a long life. In a series of tests four tools
(two crucible and two electric), 16 to 18 per cent, tungsten
type, were made from four separate bars, .and a research
was carried out to find the relation of cutting speed to en-
durance. The author was not satisfied with the ordinary
test that manufacturers usually adopted, of running at high
speeds. He wanted to find out what happened at .speeds
lower than these, but yet well- over ordinary shop practice, and
particularly to determine the highest speed at w-hich the
curve would flatten out, i.e., give a very long life. Tlie electric
steel tool gave the most satisfactory curve, and by dropping
the speed from .5.5 to 45 ft. only, the life was increased from
85 minutes to Hoi minutes.

Tests show that the electric steel survives the ordeal of
drilhng 200 holes of 2 in. in depth, leaving a tool still capable
from all appearance of doiny considerably more work, whereas
the author has never yet obtained a crucible-steel drill which
will do the same.

Dealing with the demand for an improved aero-engine
exhaust-valve steel, the author submitted to Dr. Aitchison
some samples which he anticipated might combine the advan-
tages of the high tungsten quality with regard to strength
at high temperatures, and also approach the low corrodibility
of the high chromium steels. The following is an extract
from his report : —

" The steel was tested in tension at temperatures of 700.
800. and 900 deg. C, and gave the following results: 19.
10.27, and 11.15 tons per sq. in. ultimate strencth. The
mechanical properties of the new steel in the cold are very
similar to tho.se of the high tungsten steels, .^s regards
corrosion and scaling, the new steel is rather better than
the tungsten steel, but inferior to the high chromium steel.

" This steel appears to show, in a comparatively marked
manner, the increa.se of strength which occurs in both the
tungsten and the chromium steels at temperatures higher
than SilO (folliiwed. of course, finally, by a fall in .strength)."
This steel was made in the electric furnace.

Fi'om costs got out some time ago, when conditions were
much steadier than in these days, the author formed the
opinion that a 15-20 ton electric furnace would produce as
cheaply as a 50-ton acid Siemens furnace. The question of
cost must never, however, be allowed to take first position
in the steel-maker's mind ; there is no compromising in
steel-making— a good heat, even though it may have cost
5 or 10 per cent, or even more over the second best, will have
proved the cheaper by the time the steel reaches bar form.
Too manv technologists are en.iaged in investigating com-
plaints of bad steel; they would be better engaged in making
gond pfeel.

Nothing has been said about the adaptability of the electric

furnace for making alloys which approach steel for strength,
but have some other distinct property, such as electrical
resistivity (jr non-corrodibility, &c., but these offer no difficulty
w hich the furnacemen cannot .solve, and are very often simpler
to deal with than steel. It is certainly not advisable to apply
crucible methods and receipts when making any mixture of
tl.3 high-melting-pf)int metals; no amount of killing agents
— silicon, manganese, aluminium, magnesium, titanium — can
take the place of a reducing slag under control. With a
correct slag, killing agents are not nece.s.sary. Steel can
be made sound in the electric furnace, heat after heat, no
aluminium whatever being required, while an incorrect slag
and its con.sequences cannot be remedied by addinc aluminium
to the ladles. This is a distinction peculiar to the electric
furnace.

For making steel castings this process has been tried for
stime considerable time with results which have more than
satisfied the foundrymen. The possibilities of the electric,
furnace are by no means fully explored, but it is clearly
shown in the paper that it is a very flexible tool. The type
of men available to obtain the best from it constitutes the
real problem. The steels described were all made in Messrs.
.1. Beardshaw & Son. Ltd.'s, electric furnace.

THE NEW YORK CENTRAL WIRELESS
STATION.

.'\t first sight it would appear that little remained to be
accomplished in wireless development of a revolutionary
character. Yet once again a new departure, so far at least
as aerial construction is concerned, is disclosed. As has already
been announced in our columns, the Radio Corporation of
America is about to commence the construction, on the north
shore of Long Island, near New York, of a " super-powered
wireless station that will be capable of simultaneously sending
to and receiving messages from five nations of other con-
tinents.

The steel aerial towers of the " New Y'ork Radio Central
Station," as it is to bccalled. will cover a 6.400-acre tract
of land, comprising an area of nearly 10 sq. miles lying east
of Port Jefferson, with a long frontage on Long Island Sound.
The preliminary engineering studies have been completed, and
contracts for the construction materials are being let. .\c-
cordmg to the T. if T. Ape. from which the following informa-
tion concerning the station is abstracted, five complete
transmitters, each one a duplex unit with a corresponding

z

■v., 'i

Fig. 1.— The New Voi!K Ce.ntrai. Wireless St.\tio.\.

receiver located near by. are to be installed. .\11 five trans-
mitters and the five receivers will operate simultaneou.sly and
continuously during day and night.

.\s will be seen from fig. 1. the aerial construction is wholly
a new departure. From the central power house six spans of
aerial wire will radiate in a star-pattern to a distance of over
a mile from the centre. The antenna wires will be carried
on self-supporting steel towers, each 400 ft. high, with the
wires suspended at the top between 150-ft. cross arms. Each
of the six antennfp will have 12 towers, forming, so to speak,
the spokes of a wheel fashioned oui of 72 towers. Five of the
antenna" spokes will be for regular .service, while the sixth
is to be reserved for emergency operation.

The system and plant to be installed for each of the five
units will be the same as that at present used in the Cor-
poration's New Brunswick (N ,T.) station, from which in
experimental tests successful conversation has been carried on
by means of the wireless telephone over distances of 2. .500
miles. The generation of the required energy will be effected
by high frequency, continuous wave .Mexander.son alternators,
which will permit high-speed sisnalling. 'Mr. .\lexanderson
is chief engineer of the Corporation, .ind his 200-kw. machine
installed at the New Brunswick station " has proved itself

Vol. 87. No. 2,237, OCTOBBE 8, 1920.]

THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWo

479

reliable." In the new station there will be two 200-KW.
machines for each transmitting station, that is to say, ten in
all, aggregating 2,000 KW., or 3,000 h.p.

Mr. E. J. Nally, president of the Corporation, emphasises
another refinement that is to be incorporated in the new
station. " We will utilise what is termed a multiple-tuned
antenna, which," he explains, " materially reduces the waste-
ful electrical resistance of the long, low, flat-top aerials for-
merly used. A. large saving in power is thus effected ; in fact,
we obtain with this form of antenna the same effect at a
given distance with 200 kw. input, as would be obtained from
the old type of antenna with 1,-2(K3 kw. input. The new ty_pe
of antenna is the equivalent of six independent radiators, all
operating in unison at the same wave length, and for the
whole station with its five antennae units, the power required
will be less than 20 per cent, of that formerly necessary.
We may, in many cases, utilise but one-half of a single spoke
of the so-called antenna wheel system for communication
service to a certain point. The station will thus ultimately
permit simultaneous tran.smission to a maximum number of
ten points, which would double the facilities originally
planned."

"The receiving aerials are of a new type, too; they will
operate with the Weagant system of ' static ' elimination,
which, by a combination of opposed electrical circuits, nullifies
the effects of atmospheric electricity. We disregard precedent
again in locating our receiving units only 18 miles from the
multiplex transmitting equipment, instead of estabhshing a
transmitter and receiver in one locality and restricting the
service to one destination."

The arrangements for distant control of the new station
follow the same policy of concentration. All messages will
ultimately be dispatched and received, together with the Mar-
conigi"ams at pre.'^ent being handled, from the Corporation's
public telegraph office in Broad Street, New York City.

Many details of technical interest and engineering import-
ance are embraced in the specifications for the new station,
which have been prepared by the combined personnel of the
Corporation and the .Vmerican General Electric Co.

THE WORLDS SUPPLY OF ENERGY.

In a paper recently presented to the Franklin Institute,
U.S.A., on the occasion of his reception of the Franklin
Medal in recognition of his contributions to the theory of
physical science. Prof. S. A. Arrhenius, of the Nobel Institute,
Stockholm, dealt with the problem of the world's supply of
energy. What follows is an abstract of the paper as published
in the Journal of the Franklin Institute : —

The demand for fossil coal has increased very rapidly,
about doubling every ten years during the last century, and
is now some 1,200 millions of metric tons per year. The
quantity of fossil coal down to a depth of 1,800 metres would
sulfice for 6,000 years, at the present rate of consumption, if
it were all recoverable, but this is not possible. It is, there-
fore, necessary to reduce the indicated time considerably,
probably to 1,600 years.

Of the different countries the United States, in the matter
of coal, has the best position, as it has in the matter of other
natural resources. The coal treasures there will probably
suffice for about two thousand years. The worst situation
among the great coal-producing countries is that of England,
where the coal will lie exhausted within a little less than
two hundred years. Germany will be able to meet its de-
mands during a , little more than a thousand years. This
time is very short, and it is clear that we must soon ration
our coal, and substitute as far as possible for fossil fuel other
sources of energy.

The world's yearly production of mineral oils represents
not quite 3 per cent, of the energy contained in the yearly
production of coal. Petroleum ought, therefore, to be re-
lierved for better purposes, e.g., production of hght and lubri-
cants. Further, the recent failure of many oil fields indicates
that we must economi.se this valuable material. If we con-
sider the present fields of the United States, at the pre.sent
rat.e of exploitation petroleum will be exhausted by about
' Ift'^n. There are very rich new oil fields in the world which
^fill not used, or otily in a small degree, e.g., in Mexico,
I'utamia. and Turkestton, but certainly they will not last
Qg iis the coal fields, even if the production of this fuel
4ricted to but 3 per cent, of the simultaneous production
IP latter.

i!l nmch less is the hope that sources of natural gas may

'if-iiycr more than a small fraction of the fuel value of the

oil fields. Even peat, although an important fuel, can by no

mean.s compete with coal; for instance, in the United States

the available peat is less than one-half of 1 per cent, of the

estimated coal. Probably the relative value of the European

pi^at hogs is about the same ns compared with the European

fields. For heating purposes petroleum and peat cannot

;m important role as compared with coal.

• "iding to an estimate of Engler, the energy which might

'innomically taken from waterfalls amounts to about 60

^'•■1' cent, of the energy of the pre.sent output of coal. But

'iiiiny waterfalls are located in inaccessible parts of the world,

where no industry is likely to be developed for a long time,

so it seems wise to reduce the figure of Engler about 50 per
cent. If this is done, there is httle hope that " white coal "
will be able to replace black, except in a small degree.
For heating purposes water power will probably not be used
to a noteworthy degree, because used directly for the produc-
tion of mechanical or electrical energy it is at least three
times as valuable as the equivalent quantity of heat. Further,
the well-situated waterfalls are already developed in greatest
part, at least, in Europe. During the war, when there was
a great scarcity of fuel, and even now, when fuel is extremely
expensive, waterfalls were and rapidly are being put to
use. Within a short time, therefore, this source of energy
will be taken into the service of man, not sensibly diminish-
ing the demand for coal.

Europe and Asia are the only parts of the world where
water power is really scanty — in Asia the. demand is still so
small that even 0.5 H.r. per inhabitant is more than sufficient.
Especially fortunate are those countries, such as the South
American EepubUcs, and .\ustralia, where water power per
unit of population is well beyond this figure, and may be
developed at a moderate cost. The United States is among
the great powers very well endowed in this regard, as in
most other natural sources of wealth, such as metal, ores,
and coal. In Europe, Iceland ranks first, because of its small
population, and the old Saga Island may yet know a new
and flourishing era. Then come the Scandinavian countries,
the first being Norway, which has already greatly profited
through its cheap power, and is destined to be one of the
leading industrial countries of the future. Sweden and Fin-
land possess enough power for their needs. Their waterfalls
are not high, and in general are far from established lines
of communication, especially from those of the ocean. Den-
mark has scarcely any water power, nor has Holland. Among
the other countries of Europe the Balkan States have more
power than their industrial needs require. Switzerland may
also be regarded as having a nearly sufficient supply of water
power, which is the more fortunate, as this highly industrial
country does not own any coal deposits. The same is true
of the new Austria, which has lost its old coal districts, but
has retained by f^r the greater part of the waterfalls of the
old Austria, so that it now probably ranks with Switzerland
in this respect. Spain is also a relatively well situated State,
but up to the present has not made much use of its
resources. In general, the waterfalls in the .\lps, Spain,
Italy, and the Balkans are high and of great value. For the
industries of Fi-ance and Italy water power is of the greatest
importance, although it must be regarded as insufficient for
nations so highly developed. At the end of the list come
the three great powers of Great Britain, Germany, and
Russia, with only a fiftieth horse-power per inhabitant.
Eussia is an agricultural country, with a very small demand
for power, and agriculture will probably remain its chief
industry because of its small power resources, both in coal
and water. England and Germany, now the most highly
developed industrial countries in the world, will undoubtedly
also, in the future, have agricultm-e for their chief industry.
Probably a great part of these countries will again be covered
with forests, as in the time of Tacitus.

It is possible to utilise the power of tidal waves, but doing
so on a large scale would involve an initial investment not
justified by prices likely ever to he obtained for power. The
energy of the tidal wave is so widely distributed along the
shores of the oceans that it is impossible to commercially
collect a sensible part of it.

All available energy on the earth has its origin in solar
radiation. Of this energy a small part, 0.12 per cent., is
accumulated in vegetation, which, however, is great as com-
pared with the energy of the coal burned in the industries.
The energy collected by forests may be used for heating
purposes, and exceeds every year that of the coals burnt by
about 14 times. But the highly cultivated countries are so
nearly deforested that their production of wood is not nearly
sufficient as fuel for their industries. Further, the wood
produced in civilised countries is needed for the production
of paper, pulp, and lumber. During the war even the in-
dustrial needs of certain countries for combustibles were met
by wood ; the costs, however, were very high, due to expensive
transport, and the transport of wood from the immense forests
in the tropics to industrial countries seems impossible on
economic grounds.

Two other sources of energy, greatly dispersed in form,
are those of the winds and of sunshine. They are extremely
gregt, and exceed the power of simultaneously burnt coal from
5,0(X) to 70,000 times, respectively. The objection to wind
as a source of power is its variability, and the high installa-
tion costs per unit of power continuously deliverable. To
store the energy of the wind by means of accumulators,
charged from windmills, even in windy countries, e.g., Den-
mark, is extremely uneconomical, as compared with coal or
wood at their present price.

.\fter improvements the solar engine seems likely to play
an important role in the ojiening up for cultivation of great
arid districts in tropical countries. Great deserts, such as
the Sahara, the Arabian de.sert. the Syrian desert, and those
in Mesopotamia, have in historical times been the seat of
flourishing culture. Tlie decay of these regions resulted from
the destruction of their aqueducts and irrigation plants, which
the present wandering population is unable to restore. With
the aid of the solar machine it would be possible to re-establish

480

THE ELECTRICAL KEVIEW. [Voi. 87. Ko. 3,237, octtobee s, mo.

the old agriculture and horticulture of these districts, and
industrial works founded on its use might also be looked
forward to. It is not only in the deserts that the sun is
shining nearly continuously during the greatest part of the
year, but extensive provinces in Spain, Greece, and North
America possess such a climate that they would profit by
the introduction of the solar engine. It seems very probable
that when fossil fuel has been consumed, civilisation and
culture will return to its birthplace about the Mediterranean
and in Mesopotamia in the old world, and to Central America
and the land of the Inoas in the new.

According to some calculations made by me an increase of
the carbonic acid in the atmosphere will give the whole earth
a more uniform and warmer climate. Therefore, we may
suppose that the burning of coal will cause our chmate to
approach to that of the tertiary age. Furthermore, vegeta-
tion is highly stimulated through absorption of carbonic acid
in the soil, augmented through an increase of the carbonic
acid in the air. It is, therefore, probable, as I have tried
to show in my book, " Worlds in the Making," that the total
consumption of the available coal by the industries will, in
a high degree, favour agriculture and the growing forests in
the temperate regions now the chief seat of culture. These
regions will then know not only harmful, but some useful
consequences as the result of the present waste of our fuel
resources.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly lor this journal by Messrs. Sefton-Jones, O'Dell and
SlIPHENS. Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

26,783. " Electric terminal and tester tor use on motor cars, &c." A. N.
Drummond. September 20th.

26,786. " Electric heating apparatus." E. J. V. Earle and J. J. J. M.
Kluytmans. September 20th.

26.807. " Indicating and safety gap device for internal combustion engines
employing electrical ignition." F. W. Conway. September 30th.

26.808. " Transformers. &c." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General Elec-
tric Co.) and General Electric Co. September 20th.

26,820. " Cut-outs for electric circuits." M. Grob S: Co. September 20th.
(Switzerland, September 20th, 1919.)

26,826. " Th.-rmo-electrically driven floating forts, ferries, &c." W. P.
Durtnall. September 20th.

26,846. " Signalling device for tramcars, &c." F. Aspdcn. September 21st.

26.870. " Electromagnetics." E. E. Dutt. September 21st.

26.871. " Generation of electricity from latent energy." E. E. Dutt.
September 21st.

26,873. " Electric heating and ventilating apparatus." T. Gunn, Ltd.,
and H. J. Tibbies. September 21st.

20,875. " Electromagnetic wave systems, &c." B. Binyon and Radio
Communication Co. and J. Scott-Taggart. September 21st.

26,884. " Sparking plugs." H. Molla. September 21st. (France, Sep-
tember 24th, 1919.)

26.887. " Electrical resistances." J. L. Lafeuille. September 21st. (France,
September 22nd, 1919.)

26.888. " Oil-immersed transformers." . W. ]. Boddy and British Thomson-
Houston Co. (General Electric Co.). September 21st.

26.889. " Means for controllin_g electric switches." British Thomson-
Houston Co. (General Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. September 21st.

26,894. " Electric switches." O. Lucas and W. C. Turner. September 21st.

26,899. " Electromagnetic horns, &c." E. Magerle. September 21st.
(Austria, April 10th.)

26,901. "^High-frequency signalling." Western Electric Co. September
21st. (U.S.. September 29th. 1919.)

26,904. " Switch devices." Krupp Akt.-Ges., F. & T. W. Rogers (Krupp
Akt.-Ges.). September 21st.

26,913. " Electric lamp holders." J. W. Goddard, A. H. Hunt. Septem-
ber 21st.

26,915. " Device for heating by electricity." A. Negromanti. September
21st. (Italy, September l»lh, 1919.)

26,923. " Receivers for wireless signalling." J. L. Hogan and O. Imray
(International Radio Telegraph Co. and Hogan), and International Radio
Telegraph Co. September 21st.

26,935. " Electrical means for indicating at a distance the motion of
apparatus." Evershed & Vignoles and J. C. Needham. September 21st.

26,940. " Hydro-electric plant." D. D. Drury. September 21st.

26.944. " Electric resistances." Crompton S: Co. and W. F. Jones. Sep-
tember 22nd.

26.945. •' Electric resistances." Crompton & Co. and \V. F. Jones. Sep-
tember 22nd.

26.946. " Electric rheo-stats or resistances." Crompton & Co. and W. F.
Jones. September 22nd.

26,950. "Telegraph keyboard perforator." A. C. Booth and A. S. Will-
mot. September 22nd.

26,959. "Electric lamp sockets." W. Bird. A. \'. Watson, and G. J. Wells.
September 22nd.

26,978. " Draw bar connections for trams, &c." W. Camp. September
22nd.

26,983. " Miners' electric lamps." E. E. Gardner. September 22nd.

26,990. " Electric cut-out." W. H. lllingworth. September 22nd.

26,994. " Removing gas residues and purifying inert gases in electric
vacuum tubes, &c." G. Hoist and Naamlooze Vennootschap Philips' Gloei-
I.'impenfabrieken, and E. Oosterhuis. September 22nd. (Holland, September
23rd. 1919.)

26,999. " Regulating systems for alternating current circuits." British
Thomson-Houston Co. (General Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. Sep-
tember 2'2nd.

27,004. " Process for regulating voltage in mct.il vapour rectifier installa-
tions." Akt.-Ges. Brown, Bovcri et fie. September 2'2nd. (Switzerland.
September 22nd, 1919.)

27.000. " Laying and construction of underground conduits lor cables, &c."
O. C. Summers. September •22nd.

27.009. " Commutators for electrical machines formed from a ring of
wedge-shaped elements." R. A. L. Volet. September 23nd. (Belgium, May
21st 0

27,011. " Electrical speed regulator svstems." Metropolitan-Vickers Elec-
trical Co. and L. Miller. September 2'2iid.

27.022. " Electric switch vi-ith automatic contacts." D. M. G. Robniot
d« la Pichardais. September 22nd. (France, September 23rd. 1919.)

27.034. " Electric arc lamps." A. H. T. Boswell. September 22nd.

27,041. " Means for establishing intercommunication between front and
rear engines in electric trains." H. Parodi. September S-^nd.

27,042. " Bodies for thermo-electric self-propelled vehicles." W. P. Durt-
nall. September 22nd.

27,050. " Loading-coils for super-imposed telephones, &c." H. W. Sullivan.
September 23rd.

27.074. . " Electrical device for control of belt-driven machinery." E. I.
llenson. September 23rd.

27.075. "Rotary fuse holder." J. A. Smith. September 23rd.

27,077. " Electric switches." C G. .Bennett and H. Garde. September
23rd.

27,079. " Electric vulcaniscr." F. Bolus. September 23rd.

•27,084. " Electric motor cycle." E. G. Blair and N. V. Snefling. Septem-
ber 33rd.

27,092. " Electric power plant for steam railways." R. J. InselL Sep-
tember 23rd.

•27,104. " Motor control systems tor electric lifts, &c." Otis Elevator Co.
and Waygood-Olis, Ltd. (Otis Elevator Co.). Scptemb<r 23rd.

•27,107. " Carbon commutator brushes, 4c." F. A. Cramer and H. Marr)-at.
.September 23rd.

27,112. " Systems of electrical distribution.*' British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. September 23rd.

•27,177. " Electric accumulators." E. A. Sibthorpe. September 24th.

27,181. " Barrel apparatus for electro-deposition of metals." W. Turtun.
September 24th.

27,183. " Manufacture of filaments' or threads of silica, alumina. 4c."
M. de Roiboul. September 24th. (France, June 16lh.)

27.188. " Electromagnetic wave systems, &c." B. Binycin, Radio Com-
munication ('o., and J. Scott-Taggart. September 24th.

37.189. " Relay devices, &c." Radio Communication Co. and F. Scotl-
T.iggaTt. September 24th.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in parenthet
printed and abridged, and

re those under which the specifications will b*
ubsequent proceedings will be taken.

X9xe.

5,613. " Dynamo-electric machines." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.). April 17th, 1916. (150,357.)

10,850. ■" Electron discharge apparatus. The British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.). August 1st, 1916. (150,359.)

X91S.

21,811. " Method for transforming the kinetic energy in gases into elec-
trical energy and manner for utilising the latter for carrying out gas re-
action." C. Petersen. December 30th, 1918. (Convention date not granted.)
(122,173.)

19X9.

8.257. "Electric arc welding." F. J. Heyes. April 2nd, 1919. (Cognate
application, 19,366/19.) (150,372.)

10.789. " Sparking plugs for internal combustion engines." C. E. Tinson
and G. N. Travers. April 30th, 1919. (150,376.)

10,910. " Microphones or tlectric transmitters for submarine signalling and
the reception of subaqueous vibrations." J. Gardner. May 2nd, 1919.
(150,379.)

13.298. " Electrically heated coverings." A. Negromanti. May 27th, 1919.
(150,394.)

13,435. " Sparking plugs." T. Morgan. May 28th, 1919. (Io0,.398.)

13,526. " Switch contacts for multiple electric switches." R. L. Murray
and Telephone Manufacturing Co. May 28th, 1919. (150,404.)

13,625. " Coil winding machines." Igranic Electric Co. and S. R. Wright.
Mav 29th, 1919. (150,413.)

13,6-26. " Coil winding machines." Igranic Electric Co. and S. R. Wright.
May 29th, 1,919. (150,414.)

13,034. " Amplification of electric currents." British Thomson-Houston
Co. (General Electric Co.). May 29th, 1919. (150,415.)

13.884. " Electric power generating sets." H. R. Ricardo. June 2nd, 1919.
(150,4'25.)

14,367. " Sparking plug for internal combustion engines." F. A. Jennings.
June 6th, 1919. (150,444.)

15.880. " Electric incandescent lamps." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.). June 24th, 1919. (150,468.)

16,6'29. " Incandescent electric lamps." G. Calvert. July 2nd, 1919.
(150,484.)

16.809. " Electric fuses." T. Keating. July 4th, 1919. (1.W.489.)

19,185. " Sparking plugs for internal combustion engines." H. G. Long-
ford, W. W. Longford, and W. A. Clark. August 2nd. 1919. (150,513.)

19,'260. " Electric heating devices." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.). August 5th. 1919. (150,514.)

19.613. " Tuned ionic oscillator." R. Whiddington. August 9th, 1919.
(150.516.)

30,237. " Electric switches." C. F. Newcy. August 18th, 1919. (150,523.)

•30,4S2. "Sparking plugs." J. S. Coyle. August 20th. 1919. (150,5'24.)

21.583. " Electric furnaces." D. de Luca. September 2nd, 1919. (150.532.)

•32,i247. " Electromagnetic braking apparatus for electrically propelled
railway and tramway vehicles." G, L. Meyfarth. September 19lh. 1918.
(132,788.)

35,953. " Alternating current rectifiers." H. Wade (H. S. Mills). October
32nd, 1919. (150,559.)

26,636. " Electric signs and the like." J. Snieekens. October 18lh, 191%^ I
(134,540.) 3 1

39,504. " Recovery of zinc by elcctrolvsis." Electrolvtic Zinc Co. DecewP ■
btr 3rd, 1918. (136,151.) ' . I

29,531. " Electric switching means for preventing unauthorised $tartin|!
of motor vehicles." P. E. Monkhousc and G. Roberts. November 26lh. 1919.
(150,573.)

30,539. " Rotors of squirrel-cage induction motors." W. F. Higgs. De-
cember 6th. 1919. (150,579.)

31,636. " Means of casting leaden articles specially applicable to the cast-
ing of bridge-pieces on the lugs of riccumulato-- plates. A. Collis and H.
Dultoh. December 17th, 1919. (150,586.)

nes^ I

i9ao.

363. " Electrolytic cells." W. J. Meller^hjackson (Allen Electrolytic Cdl
Corporation). January 5th, 1920. (150,595.)

654. " Zinc battery elements." S. O. Cowper-Coles. January 8th.
(150,597.) . .

2,726. " Means for securing the field magnets of dynnmo-clectric m.ichin«;
C. H. Vidal and A. KeltleweVI. January •28lh. 1920. (130,615.)

3,987. " Electri(;al resistance apparatus." P. H. Dawe. February 9lh,
1930. (Addition to 107,822.) (150.6-22.)

5,467. " Electric switches." S. Kobzy. February -aSrd, 1920. 050,627.)

5,671. " Thermo-electric cells for electrical measuring apparatus." West*
inghouse Lamp Co. Februarv 27th, 1919. (139.486.) ■,

8,491. " Electro-medical treatment of the human bodv." J. Myers. Maren
22nd. 1930. (150,643.)

8.882, " Electric switches." A. C. Smith. March 26th, 19-30. (150.646.)

12,969. " Thermo-electric apparatus." W. H. Wilson. February 18th.
1919. (Cognate application 12,970y'30. Divided applications
18,613/19.) (150,656.)

144.757 «nd

frzis

ELE30TK/I0-A.L I?/E^IE3"V7"-

Vol. LXXXVII.

OCTOBER 15, 1920.

No. 2,238.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

LONDON'S

Vol. LXXXVII.] CONTENTS: October 15, 1920.

[No. 3,938.
Page

London's Electricity Supply Problem 481

Work and Wages -482

Long-Distance Transmission ... ... ... ... ... 183

GasfiUed r. Half-Watt 483

The E.P.E.A. and the E.T.U 483

Electricity Supply Developments and National Fuel Conserva-
tion, by L. M. Jockel 481

U.S.A. Standard Practice in Voltage Ratings, by F. D. New-

l)ury and R. W. E. Moore (i«Ms.) 48fi

Correspondence —

Economiser Tubes ... ... ... ... ... ... 488

The E.P.E.A. and the E.T.U 488

External Wasting of Fuel Economiser Pipes 489

Domestic Supply Pressure and Wiring (illus.') 489

Road Transport 489

Power Factor 490

Import Trade of China ^ ... 490

The London Medical Exhibition 490

Business Notes 491

Notes 498

City Notes 503

Stocks and Shares 504

Some Notes on Metering Devices used in Connection with
Tariffs Penalising Low-Power Factor, by G. W. Stubbings

OUusO (.^■""i'li"led) 505

Electricity in Agriculture, by R. E. Neale (illusi) 506

Electricity in Factories 508

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (illws.') 509

Electricity Supply in London 510

New Patents Applied for, 1920 512

Abstracts of Published Specifications ... 512

Contractors' Colniun Advertisement page xxvi

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[4S

FoK tilt' tir.st time in tlie history of the electricity suf>ply
of London, the Supply Undertakers are faced with the
absolute necessity of doing something towards providing
bulk supply. For over 20 years the question has been
discussed ad nauseam, and all these years the only
action which the supply undertakings as a whole appar-
ently felt themselves called upon to take was that of
mutually cancelling each others' efiorts, or those of any
outsider, and even of the L.C'.C. itself. This venerable
dilettantism was last week pulled up short by the Elec-
tricity Commissioners. Following the procedure of
those 20 years the undertakings still apparently relied
upon traditional obstructionism as the attitude to adopt
towards any new proposal. For the first time they have
been clearly told that they will not be listened to unless
tiiej- offer a constructive plan better than the one they
oppose.

The occasion upon whicii this crux occurred was in
itself a very simple one. It was the " hearing " by the
Electricity Commissioners of the application of the
County of London Electric Supply Co., Ltd., for permis-
sion to erect a large generating station at Barking, in
order to meet the needs of that company's own big area
and in course of time to supplant its present limited
generating stations. The company's consulting en-
gineers, with a view to falling-in with the larger London
proljlems, showed on the plans they submitted that such a
station could be developed, if thought tit, to any size up
to 600,000 K\v. ; but this, of course, was not part of the
present application. All the company asked for at pre-
sent was to be allowed to go ahead and put up a station
for its own needs (about 60,000 kw.), claiming that
unless it did so immediately it would be impossible for
it to carry on its business. Against this proposal came
the opposition of the London County Council, municipal
undertakings, and most of the London companies, on
the ground that the Commissioners should leave the
matter over until March 31st, which was the date for.
submitting formal schemes for benefiting the London
supply under the 1919 Act.

The Commissioners, having apparently in mind the
possible resuscitation of ancient linking-up proposals,
asked whether there would be any guarantee that
March 31st would see a scheme on foot for a bulk supply
station with such financial backing as would enable a
start to be made at once. The evidence brought for-
ward was very unpromising, and certainly nothing
could have been more doubtful than whether the proper
finance would be forthcoming. Up to the present no
financial proposition has been formulated, much less
agreed to, by all the companies and local authorities.
The cjuestion before the meeting was, therefore, whether
six months' delay w-as justifiable with only such an
amorphous project in prospect. On the other hand, the
County of London Co. said: " We have a site the suit-
ability of which is a:ssured by its having been chosen
time after time by independent people, including the
London Countv Council itself. We have the money; we
1] " D

482

THE ELECTRICAL REVlEWo [Vol. a;. Na «,238, October 15, 1920.

have the plans, drawn up by some of the best con-
sultants in the world ; and we can go ahead the moment
the Electricity Commissioners give their consent. And
further, we are willing for the Commissioners to make
their consent conditional upon whatever terms they
think fit as to handing over the station at any time to
any Joint Electricity Authority that shall be formed."

The Commissioners, therefore, have a somewhat awk-
ward case to adjudicate upon. On the one hand, there is
the chance of a bulk supply station being put in hand
without a moment's delay and without any expense to
them at all, and under an undertaking that whenever
the Commissioners desired it, such station could be
handed over to any other authority. On the other
hand, they have the opposition of certain London com-
panies and municipal undertakings, without, however,
any guaranteed programme as an alternative.

The Electricity Commissioners gave the municipal
undertakings and opposing companies the fullest
encouragement to promise to put forward a constructive
alternative scheme, and the fact that such promise of a
financially backed scheme for a capital station was not
forthcoming seems to indicate most indubitably that the
same disintegrating factors are at work which have pre-
vented any joint scheme being put forward during all
these 20 years. In other words, the undertakings of
London generally have not yet learned the lesson of sink-
ing their differences. The real point, therefore, before
the Commissioners is whether they are willing to lose the
chance of a bulk station being immediately put in hand
(which can afterwards be extended into a capital station
if they so wish), on the sporting chance of unanimity
being reached in the next six months between the dis-
puting local authorities and other undertakings, and
not only unanimity, but such mutual confidence as
will lead them to back their joint project with hard cash.

WORK AND WAGES.

We hold it to be the bounden dutj' of every man who
has the interests of the nation at heart to preach a
gospel — a gospel of salvation by work. Not as a sub-
stitute for or as an alternative to the gospel of the
Galifean— this, too, has its lessons for industry, but
the gospel of salvation by work is supplementary to it
from the economic side, and not in conflict with that
teaching. We may pray " Give us this day our daily
bread," but can we reasonably exjiect to receive it
without effort? " He who will not labour, neither shall
he eat." We may lay this down as a determination in
human government, but, do that as we may, behind
human government there lies relentless Nature which
will leave us to starve. " Seed time and harvest shall
not fail," but what are these but the seasons for work
— for sowing and for reaping ? Heaven has always been
faithful in making provision for the wants of the human
race when men have first done their part — co-operation
with Nature is one of the most elementary rules of life.
Disobey it en masse and we cease existence.

We are not writing lines in our school-room copy
books, simple and childish as our words may seem. Nor
have we been re-reading the essays of Carlyle on the
duty and the glory of work, though a million workers
might do worse to-day than study his injunctions to
" Produce! Produce! ! " We are merely suggesting to
our readers that minds are being confused with so many
things in these enlightened days that we are overlooking
a .simple foundation truth, nnmely. that the vast majo-
rity of us can only live because we labour, can only
have more because we work harder or more eflSciently.
ran only as comtniinjtjes get out of our work the product

that it yields. All our quarrelling about better distribu-
tion will not produce one atom more for any of us; in-
deed, it dissipates our energies and reduces our pro-
ductive capacity, making the whole world poorer at a
time when it has need of every man's full effort. It
is not suggested that better distribution is not a legiti-
mate subject for discussion, but we would emphatically
say that too often in our conferences we are guilty of
fiddling while " Rome " (our industry) is burning.
History will assuredly record, as Carlyle did, that we
are " mostly fools."

The gospel that every man in hi.s senses should be
preaching among his fellows, whatever his calling may
be, and whether he be a unionist or a non-unionist, a
" have " or a " have-not," is this : Human society and
the British people can only be saved from disaster,
spiritually, morally, and economically, bj- a strong,
united effort, and by a bold determination to abandon
our present selfishness and our will to secure a victory
over the class to which we do not belong.

The while we engage in struggles to secure better
conditions and higher wages and higher prices for our
product, we are by those very struggles, and the manner
in which we pursue them, making things infinitely
worse for the entire nation. We are driving away from
our factories the work that is needed in order to pay
wages for bread-buying. The colonial and foreign pur-
chasing world judges us by our divisions, considers that
we are taking longer to settle seriously to work than are
some Continental countries, and being in urgent need,
goes where it can secure what it requires at a more
reasonable price and in a more reasonable time.

We cannot believe that the industrial workers of the
United Kingdom are alive to the true facts of the trade
situation abroad, or they would cease fighting and
secure the " bone " for the benefit of both classes rather
than let another run off with it.

There are evidences that the trade decline is due to
cancellation of old orders, to reluctance to place new
ones, and to financial inability following upon heavy
war expenditure and taxation. Prices have risen partly
because higher wages must be paid, and potential pur-
chasers button up their pockets and do without goods.
Yet what do we hear? " We recognise that ever}- man
in the kingdom could produce more, but why, and for
whom, should we do so? Who will take the profit? No!
we will decline to do so under the present system."
Here we are up against the question of the better dis-
tribution of the profits when earned, surely a matter
for reasonable and dispassionate argument and nego-
tiation. But if we wait for the settlement of that matter
and, until we get it to the extent to which we think we
deserve it, decline to produce more, what is going to
happen to us? At present, if we add to the wages bill
without i^roducing more for those wages, either we
draw from the interest on capital, make capital .shy and
nervous, and stop enterprising development, or the em-
ployer passes the increase on to the consumer, and
everybody pays, including the man whose wages are
higher, and the hundreds of thousands of others who
cannot get more and are on the verge of poverty or
deeply in it already; alternatively we go without,
demand falls, and unemployment grows.

It is impossible to say to what extent the present
trade decline is attributable to this or that particular
cause, from among those named above, but it is
indisputable that the position will only be made
worse by adding to the manifold causes that of increas-
ing the nervousness of many thousands of manufac-
turers out of whom we have taken the heart.
The situation is such that all the enterprise and
initiative that British manufacturers and traders
possess ought to have the freest possible scope ; yet what
in actual fact do we find? Where there is eagerness to
exercise those business qualities, the continued unsettle-
ment amongst us stands right across the path. Not
only are they prevented from displaying the necessary
spirit of enterprise, but the uncertainty with regard to
prices, and the unwillingness of the workers to give

Vol. 87. No. 2,238, octobeb IB, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL EEVIEW.

488

better output, are preventing them from carrying on
ordinary business. They feel compelled to insert fluctua-
tion clauses in their tenders and contracts, and these
are conditions that the buyer abroad abominates. At
the present time he is wondering what is the matter
with Britain when its manufacturers cannot make a
tirm quotation or promise better deliveries. He thinks
more definitely to our disadvantage, and acts against
us, when he finds such undesirable clauses missing from
American and otlier foreign offers.

There is one aspect more of our present [problems that
we are moved to mention. At the present time the
success of one section of organised workers in obtaining
higher wages is crushing the heart out of hundreds of
thousands in other classes of workers. Instead of being
out to help the " under-dog " ge.nerally, they are lifting
themselves partly at the expense of that under-dog who
cannot improve his position. They are also throwing
some of their fellows of equal status with themselves
right out of employment because they have raised their
own wages. Good wages for some and no wages for
others — only unemployment pay — is likely to be tlie
inevitable consecjuence of overdoing demands and re-
stricting industrial and trade development. A sulj-
stitute for this, where workable, finds three or four days'
work for all instead of full work for some and none
for the rest. Standing charges thus spread themselves
over a limited output, and the cost of the individn;il
article cannot possibly be reduced. Another point nf
note in this connection may be selected for mention.
The unwillingness to give reasonable output in some
branches of industry is having upon producing opera-
tions the same kind of effect that the moulders' strike
had upon various branches of the engineering trade.
Workers who are engaged in producing what comes
under the comprehensive title of " raw niaterial " are
unwilling to give the required output, and there is in
consequence a shortage of parts. One effect has been
that even works which have no lack of orders on the
books have had to discharge men liecause operations
are held up.

How urgent would seem to be the need for us to learn
afresh the truth that we are all in a measure inter-
dependent. The solidarity of labour is a beautiful ex-
pression, but at present it is a theory and a theory
only. There is a scramble in progress in which some
of its sections are groaning under tlie increasing burden
crushingly imposed upon them by otliers.

We recently described at considerable

M. P. Bunet for the transmission of
electrical energy over extra-long distances, making use of
the properties of electrical resonance. As we remarked at
the time, there is no likelihood of such a method finding
application in this country, but it may be found of great
value abroad.

Barely a month since we completed the publication of
the article, we learn that a project for the transmission of
electricity from the Kroonstad Colliery to the diamond fields
of Kiml)erley is under consideration ; the distance from the
generating station to the furthest point of supply is said to be
300 miles, and therefore is practically identical with the ca?e
discussed on pp. 316-7 of our issue of September 3rd. Par.
ticulars of the scheme appear in our "Notes" columns to-day.

Our information with regard to the circumstances is not
sufficient to enable us to enter into the matter in detail,
or to judge whether the conditions are favourable to the
use of the Bunet system ; but it is certain that in planning
a transmission over so great a distance, every possible
means of reducing the cost, increasing efficiency, and
improving regulation will have to be sedulously explored,
and we have no doubt that the merits of the Bunet system
will be carefully weighed before any steps are taken to

•Elbctbical Review, August 13th— 27th, and September 3rd,
1920.

realise the project. It will be remembered that with half-
wave transmission the generating and receiving plant is of
the ordinary standard constant-pressure type, and it is
only in the design of the line that departures from current
practice arise. It is not only in South Africa that extra-
long-distance transmissions will be called for ; but in that
vast area there already exist great industries requiring
power, and great natural sources of power remote from
those industries, with which they should be linked. Some
day the resources of the Victoria Falls on the Zambesi
River, which it was proposed to tap with a 700-mile
line years ago, will be drawn upon, and we may yet see
a great trunk line across South Africa electrically vibrating
like a gigantic violin string.

Gasfilled v.
Half-Watt.

A CORRESPONDENT recently pointed out
that vacuum tungsten lamps closely
resembling gasfilled lamps were on the
market, whilst another drew attention to the impropriety
of describing certain new types as " half-watt " lamps,
simply because they were gasfilled and of similar construc-
tion to their fore-runners. Both these points demand the
serious consideration of the lamp-makers and dealers, as
well as of the consumer.

It is imperatively necessary that electrical apparatus of
all kinds shall be described in terms corresponding strictly
to their true merits ; this is the only course according to
the principles of common honesty — perhaps we should not
say " common," as we may be told that honesty is uncom-
mon— and for the benefit of those to whom this argument
does not appeal, we may add that a false description
inevitably brings its just reward in the long run. In the
case in question, a simple solution would be found by
wholly abandoning the use of the term " half-watt " and
adopting " gasfilled " as the distinctive name of all high-
efficiency incandescent lamps filled with inert gas. The
process of substitution would take some time, but it is
worth doing, and if the lamp-makers were to make a special
point of drawing attention to the matter in their catalogues
and advertisements, it would be greatly accelerated.

Now that the turmoil is over, and peace

.•*A.' '^ ''.•'„ reigns in the electrical industry, it seems
and (he E.T.U. ° , . , , . "^ ,.

to us undesirable to continue to discuss

the circumstances and events which attended its course.

Nevertheless, justice must be done, though the heavens fall,

and misconceptions must be cleared away, for which

purposes we desire briefly to recur to the subject of the

dispute.

In the first place, in the light of greater knowledge of
the factp, we wish to bear witness to the sincerity and
earnestness of the E.P.E.A. Executive in the pursuit of our
common aim — industrial peace. We are now convinced that
that was the sole motive which actuated its members,
and that their action was not dictated by slavish adherence
to a formula, as we had been led to suppose (mainly by
official statements). During the fateful week when the
cloud was hanging over London, they put forth strenuous
efforts to avert the threatened storm, and we have no
doubt that it was very largely — perhaps, mainly — due to
their exertions that a peaceful solution was attained.

With regard to the merits of the original dispute, and the
undesirability of entangling the industry of public electricity
supply in questions which have no bearing upon its
conduct, our views are unchanged ; they are shared by the
District Industrial Council for Electricity Supply, No. 5
Area, .which has passed a resolution to the same effect.
But in view of certain comments on our attitude which
have been made in our own " Correspondence " columns and
in other quarters, it is due to ourselves to state emphatically
that our opinions are of our own formation, based upon the
facts so far as we know them, and entirely uninfluenced
from outside. Our correspondents, while questioning our
attitude, admit our customary fairness and impartiality,
qualities which we prize ; we have no axe to grind — the
welfare of all classes of the public is our sole aim. Our
opinions may not be infallible, but they are honest.

484

THE ELECTRICAL BEYIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,238, octobbb is, im

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY DEVELOPMENTS AND NATIONAL FUEL CONSERVATION.'

By L. MARSHALL JOCKEL, A.M.I.Mech.B.

The passage of the recent Electricity (Supply) Bill
through its various phases in Parliament appears to
have drawn a considerable amount of attention to the
super-station idea of generation in this country.

Articles of a semi-technical nature have appeared in
the lay Press, and the writer has already heard business
men talking quite seriously about vast supplies of cheap
electricity for all purposes, now that the " new idea "
of super-stations is being recognised in the Government
scheme I

These lay ideals of a few super-stations supplying
" rivers " of cheap electricity under a nationalised
scheme of supply are not yet on the horizon, and for the
immediate future we will have to develop our supply
schemes upon fairly well-established engineering lines
consonant with sound economic principles.

Now that the Electricity (Supply) Bill has become an
Act of Parliament, the policy of the Government has
become somewhat clearer, and whilst large and up-to-
date power houses will be constructed, the cult of the
" super-stationists " may become less popular.

In many quarters, however, there is a feeling that the
new Act is somewhat short-sighted in its policy, inas-
much as it allows the present system of generation by
coal destruction to continue, and may even perpetuate
the system on a large scale in the so-called super-stations.
It should be remembered, however, that the Electricity
Commissioners are to be given a reasonable amount of
latitude to carry out or initiate esperimental or re-
search work, and no doubt the problem of more efficient
generation from coal or other fuels will receive due
attention.

It has taken five years of war conditions to drive
home some of the most elementary facts in connection
with both electricity supply and fuel •conservation in
this country, whilst judging from recent legislation it
may take another five years of peace conditions to in-
culcate the idea of the inseparability of electric power
supply and the conservation of our fuel resources.

Further legislation will be necessary if our national
fuel supplies are to be adequately conserved, and the
public will require to be educated to the fact that our
coal measures are not inexhaustible, that waste is a
crime in any civilised community, and that our com-
paratively old pre-war systems of power supply, heating,
and lighting must not be perpetuated.

In the interval which will probably elapse, electricity
supply engineers will, it is hoped, be given the facilities
so long denied them of " putting their house in order,"
and if the Electricity Commissioners are freed from
political red tape, great progress may be confidently
anticipated. The need for adequate supplies of elec-
tricity is the pressing problem of the moment, and it
is safe to say that thousands of jirospective consumers
in this country are awaiting supplies for power pur-
poses, but cannot be connected until sufficient plant and
cable are put into service, whilst in many undertakings
the existing plant has had to be seriously overloaded to
cope with the winter peak loads.

It appears almost certain, then, that the present
system of generation using coal-fired water-tube boilers
"and large steam turbines, must be continued in the
immediate future or the post-war reconstruction period,
■although it entails the complete destruction of the coal
under the boilers, and an overall thermal efficiency in
the region of 20 per cent.

At first sight this appears rather an unprogressive
policy, but it must be borne in tiiind that consumers
require energy no7t\ and in a very large number of cases
electricity is being adopted from an economic point of
view, so that considered broadly, national fuel con-
servation is really being steadily attained. The present

* This article was written in March, 1920.

urgent demands will thus be met, and should no radical
departure from existing methods of generation take
place in the near future, it is probable that several of
the proposed so-called super-schemes will materialise,
and naturally considerable interest is centring around
the few large stations which are at present under con-
struction. Whilst these stations will represent the latest
practice as regards the employment of large generating
units, high steam pressures and total temperatures, with
greatly improved designs of extra-high-pressure control
gear, no radical change is being made in what is now
considered to be almost generally accepted practice. In
view of this fact, it seems almost fallacious at this early
stage of our progress in generation matters, to apply the
term " super-station " to a large up-to-date power sta-
tion. The writer has it on excellent authority that in
the case of one at least of the large new stations still
under construction, the initial instalment of plant is
already earmarked as regards new consumers' demands,
and it has been necessary to proceed at once with what
may be regarded as practically a 100 per cent, extension
of plant. It is quite possible that within the next five
years or so, a considerable number of the supply systems
in the more important industrial areas will be able to
record an increase of about 100 per cent, in energy sold,
so that if the present new stations are called " super-
stations," they may have to be termed "super n-sta-
tions " in the near future, where " n " is used to denote
the index of the super power 1

In tlie meantime, the interest of supply engineers
will no doubt be focused upon the stations approaching
completion, and when the$e commence regular steaming,
the operating results will probably prove of considerable
guidance before most of the proposed new schemes are
really well under construction. These new stations will
undoubtedly show more efficient results than any of
our existing power houses, but it does not necessarily
follow that a very great reduction in the total costs
per kilowatt-hour sold will result therefrom, owing to
the heavy capital charges involved, and in some cases
the probability of increased dual-transforming losses,
in addition to transmission losses. Indeed, the con-
struction of these large power houses under the present
economic conditions in this country is viewed with dis-
favour by the " anti-super-stationists," who, amongst
other reasons, contend that the saving effected in generat-
ing costs is insuflicient to balance the greatly increased
capital charges necessary with the so-called super-
station.

This argument is true, of course, in many instances,
and an excellent case can then be made out for local
generation or an extension of the existing facilities,
particularly if the present methods of generation are
combined with a fuel conservation scheme, as may be
possible in the near future.

Comparisons of the present-day costs of plant and
buildings per kilowatt installed, show an increase of
from 150 per cent, to even 180 per cent, over pre-war
prices, whilst the provision of an up-to-date extra-high-
pressure transmission system, and specially designed
heavy type control gear, are factors of much increased
importance in a large modern power scheme. Owing
to the present unstable conditions in industry, it is
difficult both to obtain satisfactory estimates for plant
and materials, and during construction to adhere closely
to original figures, whilst a new scheme involving
specially designed plant or extra-high-pressure control
gear, is perforce debited with a proportion of what might
be fairly described as development or pioneering charges.

Ass>iming that the many considerations involved are
favourable in an existing scheme for the erection of a
large station, under the present economic conditions, it
is difficult to see how the capital charges can be kept

Vol. 87. No. 2,238, October 16, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

485

below 60 per cent, of the working costs, even assuming
a good improvement in the load factor, and a ratio of
70 per cent, is probably more realisable in actual work-
ing-
It may be of interest to consider some approximate
estimates in connection with the provision of a large
waterside power house, designed, say, to cope with the
increasing demands for energy in an industrial area
already supplied by an existing station, incapable of
being economically extended to meet future require-
ments. The costs are based upon present-day prices,
which are somewhat unstable, and the capital costs in-
clude foundations, buildings, coal stores, riverside work,
all necessary plant and machinery, transformers, and
E.H.T. control gear, but the costs of trunk mains and
step-down transformers to link up with the existing
system, are not included. The station is assumed to
have an initial plant capacity of 00,000 kilowatts, but
provision is made for ea.sy and economical extension
to an ultimate capacity of about 100,000 kilowatts, so
that the capital expenditure per initial kilowatt in-
stalled is naturally lieavier under these conditions. An
ailnual load factor of 50 per cent, is assumed initially,
with a maximum load of 40,000 kw., so that the
output will be 175 million kw. -hours generated per
annum. Three generating sets are provided, each
turbo-alternator having a rating of 20,000 kw. at, say,
0.9 p.p., and one set with its accompanying boiler
plant being spare or stand-by capacity.

An annual charge of 12i per cent, on the capital
expenditure has been allowed to cover interest and other
standing charges, hut in view of possible developments
during the useful life of the plant, this is probably a
rather moderate estimate of the capital charges.

In connection with the working costs, an average
coal consumption of 2 lb. per kilowatt-hour generated
is assumed, and an overall thermal conversion efficiency
of 17 per cent., or stated more conveniently, a thermal
economy of 20 b.th.u. per watt-hour generated. The
figures have been calculated on a generating basis for
simplicity, so that allowances must be made when con-
sidering revenue figures based on the energy actually
sold, as no estimates for the transmission and distribu-
tion systems have l)een included. The ajjproximate costs
can be brieflj' set down as follows: —

Capital Expenditure £1,500,000

Annual Capital charges at 12J i £187,500

Do. do. do. in pence per KW.-hr. j^enerated 0'2571d.

(On 175 million Kw.-hrs.)

Workinsr coata per KW.-hr. generated :

(On 176 million Kw.-hrs.)
Coal cost (at £r25 per ton) ...
Other costs

Total costs per KW.-hr. generated :

0-2678d.
00893d.

In the above estimate the ratio of capital charges to
working costs is approximately 72 per cent, on a generat-
ing basis, but the ratio will vary considerably in every
scheme, and may quite easily be some 80 per cent, of
the working costs. The heat consumption figures may
appear to be rather heavy for modern steam plant, but
they have been increased by an allowance of 10 per
cent, to cover possible differences in actual working
between the calculated figures and the results obtained
over, say, an extended period of w*orking under com-
mercial conditions. The overall efiiciency will vary
somewhat with the quality of the coal used, and it might
almost be said that under present conditions the thermal
efficiency of a power station is influenced by such ex-
ternal considerations as the temperament of the miners'
leaders, and the effects of State control of the mines !
It should, however, be possiljle to realise an overall
conversion efficiency of about 20 per cent, {i.e., say,
17.1 B.TH.U. per watt-hour generated), with up-to-date
plant scientifically handled, and a load factor of not

less than 50 per cent., with the present quality of coal
available for power stations.

In the absence of actual figures, it is difficult to
forecast the performance of a large power station either
on a technical or a financial basis, more particularly
so if the heavier items of plant are built on site, and
the " test plate " is their actual foundation in the power
house.

It seems desirable at the present time that we should
put our old-fashioned methods of compiling technical
data and working costs into the melting pot, and re-cast
them in up-to-date standard moulds, so that the figures
could be used for making reliable comparisons between
different supply undertakings. The generation of elec-
tricity in power stations is a manufacturing process,
the raw material, or coal, being subjected to chemical
and thermal treatment in the boiler plant, before its
potential energy is transformed, and becomes avail-
able in the heat carrier, or steam, which in its thermo-
dynamic cycle gives up a proportion of its energy to
the turbine blading.

From fundamental considerations, it seems only logi-
cal then that the operating results should be expressed
on a thermal basis, and the writer is convinced that
in practice this is both a convenient and a satisfactory
method of stating results, and one which is applicable
to any size of power station. Perhaps, however, this
matter will receive official consideration in the present
reconstruction period in the history of electricity sup-

P^^- . • ■ ■. ^

Turning now to broader views in connection with the

future of electricity generation, it is difficult to forecast
developments during the next decade, particularly if
national fuel conservation becomes a legally inseparable
consideration of electricity supply, as suggested earlier
in this article. Whilst hydro-electric power will prob-
ably be developed to some extent when capital becomes
easier, the generation of electricity by thermal methods
either directly or indirectly from coal is certain to
continue. Whether the large waterside power house
situated outside the area of supply will survive the de-
velopments of the next ten j'ears or so, is perhaps a
matter of conjecture at present, and there are not a
few engineers who are bold enough to assert that the
so-calle(i super-station is merely a passing phase in
supply history, and that a return will be made to local
generation schemes in the interests of heat conservation.

It appears certain that a very substantial increase in
tlie load factor will be necessary in order to minimise
the effects of the capital charges involved in connection
with the large waterside station, and at present this will
be very difficult to secure unless interconnection is
possible, to obtain the advantages of a widespread net-
work and a diversity of load. Further, in stations
operating with a few large sets of plant, relial)ility of
supply is of paramount importance, as indicated by the
writer in an article in the Electrical Revew of March
27th, 1914, and this can only be economically secured in
the majority of cases by the interconnection of systems.

Possibly the Electricity Commissioners will initiate,
or at least give encouragement to, research in generation
matters, and it is quite probable that witliin a com-
paratively short time we shall have before us some fairly
reliable data in connection with a combined coal car-
bonisation and electricity generating scheme, in which
the capital cost and improvement in lay-out will be on
more justifiable grounds than has hitherto been the
case. If we assume the adoption of such a scheme in
the future, it appears probable that the large steam
turbine will be used for generating purposes, owing to
its various advantages and further possible improve-
ments in efficiency, which will enable it easily to hold its
own when compared with the internal-combustion engine
or gas turbine, in the event of these prime movers be-
coming a commercial success in large units. The boiler
plant in connection with the combined carbonisation
scheme might be both gas and coke fired, and in this
connection perhaps a further development of the Bone-
court boiler may be utilised as regards gas firing.

486

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No 2,238, octobeb is, 1920.

But with all these schemes thei-e would still be a
heavy loss of rejected heat at the lower temperature,
which, in the case of steam or fluid turbines, would be
some 65 to 70 per cent, of the total heat in the steam
or heat carrier. A considerable portion of this rejected
heat might easily be utilised in the case of internal-com-
bustion prime movers, but as regards present practice
with steam turbines, about 7u per cent, of the total
heat in the steam i.s carried away by the condenser circu-
lating water, and with large modern units some 65 per
cent, will probably lje dissi])ated Ijy means of the cooling
water.

Assuming, for example, tiie case of a large waterside
station equipped with modern steam turbine plant and
carrying a load of, say, 5U,0U0 kilowatts, then under
average conditions of working the heat rejected to the
condenser circulating water will be from 495 to 500
million b.th.u. per hour.

The colossal waste of thermal units in the condenser
cooling water of large power houses is a problem that
may have to be tackled in the immediate future, if the
large waterside station is to become more than a passing
phase in supply developments, and become a potent
factor in a combined scheme of electricity supply and
fuel conservation. The rejected heat might be utilised
in connection with a public hot-water supply system,
as proposed by Mr. W. M. Selvey, and if the power
house is at all reasonably situated with regard to the
area of the hot-water service, the scheme appears to offer
commercial possibilities in respect of fuel con.servation.

Vast quantities of heat are necessary for domestic
and industrial purposes in any community, and the
writer believes that fuel conservation, cheaper and more
universal electricity, and a cleaner and healthier atmo-
sphere, are all inter-related prolilenis that will have

to be tackled by engineers during the next decade. The
relativelj' small, and at present inethcient power station,
situated centrall}' to its distributing network, will in
many instances be superseded by a bulk supply, but
there is still scope for the development of combined
generating and heat supply schemes, utilising chiefly
the rejected heat from the electricity works plant.

The idea of transmitting either hot water or steam
to any appreciable distance is often considered to fje
quite impracticable, but in practice it can be commer-
cially successful, and result in a considerable economy
of fuel.

Various estimates of the coal wasted annually for
both industrial and domestic purposes have been
computed by different authorities, but supposing the
very moderate flgure of 30 million tons wasted through
inefficiency and ignorance, &c., it appears evident that
we are still a prodigally wasteful nation. Further, sup-
pose that owing to national fuel conservation, we sold
an increasing proportion during the next few years of
this 30 million tons per annum in the overseas markets,
the revenue obtainable by taxation alone would justify
(lovernment assistance for various reconstructional
schemes, such as railway electrification, power supply
improvements, inland waterways, and transport sys-
tems, &c.

Tiie writer is aware that whilst " Utopian " ideas in
connection with fuel conservation are easy to construct,
they would be difficult to practise during the present
period of industrial unrest, but it is very necessary
that engineers, and particularly electricity supply en-
gineers, should keep ideals always ahead of their prac-
tice, for in a very large measure, progress in both elec-
tricity supply and national fuel conservation will de-
pend upon their exertions.

U.S.A. STANDARD PRACTICE IN VOLTAGE RATINGS.'

By F. D. NEWBURY and R. W. E. MOORE.

This article has beei prepared in order to show the American
practice in alternating-current voltages of systems and ap-
paratus, and the reasons leading up to their develop-
ment and use. While a very great deal has been accom-
plished in standardising voltages,- yet there is a considerable
held that has not been covered, but in which there has been
established a logical and economic practice. It has been
attempted only to cover this subject in a broad and general
way.

Early Derelopment of Utilisatiun Vultuyea.— In the very
early development of the electrical industry, experimental
work commonly employed KXI volts, and this value was used
on account of limitations in lanij) construction. Lamps and
other simple devices were constructed for this voltage; also
generators were conmionly designed for 1(H» volts. There was,
however, a tendency for distributing circuits to increase in
voltage due partly to the ilcsnv td ?viliur tlir rllrct of voltage
drop by increa.sing the basis \..lt:l^4l■, but l:ir;j.-ly to the in-
fluence of the carbon inrandrsccnt \:i\\\i< uhich, for practical
reasons, was supplied to the industry in a wide range of volt-
ages from 100 volts upward. These lamp voltages ranged from
100 to 130 volts, and brought into existence a corresponding
range of utilisation circuit voltages. The pi-e.sent pi'actice
shows a vai-iation in circuit voltages of from 110 to V2(l volts.
This condition retarded standai-disation for a long period of
time, and has made it ditiicidt to accompli.sh.

The tendency for voltages to increa.se .seems to be universal.
Direct-current traction voltages may serve as a typical
example. Since 1900, traction voltages have increased from
500 volts to 5.50 volts, and during the past ten years to 000
volts. This general tendency foi- voltages to increase as soon
as placed into u.se is mentioned onlj- to indicate the reason
. for the basis of 110 commonly used, and also to suggest the
difficulty of maintaining, for any length of time, a .standard
based on any loTxer voltage.

In this connection .some statistics mav be interesting .show-
ing the magnitude of the field covered "by the present discus-
sion, and consequently the extent to which these .standard
practices have become well established.

In a single year (1919) there were 182 million incandescent
lamps .sold within the United States. There are nearly 6,000

* This article was prepared in view of the discussion w^hich
took place at the last meeting of the I.E.C. with regard to
standard pressures.

main generating stations in the United States having an
aggregate generator rating of nearly thirteen million k.v..^.,
and representing a capital investment of between 2,500 anci
3,000 million dollars (±-.50(l,O(JO,O(ll-f6LK_I.O0O,00O). This does
not include isolated plants, power stations serving only
one manufacturing plant, nor the plants operated by electric
lailway companies for their own power. There are 1'26 power
plants of over 20,0fK) kw. capacity. The rapid increase in the
number of new a.c. generating stations makes this subject of
standard A.c. voltages particularly important at the present
time. In the United States alone, for example, '22(i new
central stations were built in 1919. Of the central stations
(stations generating power to sell) in the United States, nearly
80 per cent, ai'e entirely alternating current, and an additional
10 per cent, are a condiination of alternating and direct cur-
rent. In addition to thut given above, there are a very large
number of isolated and industrial generating plants as in-
dicated by the census of 1917, which sho^\ed 45,000 such
plants.

Classes of Systems. — Systems and apparatus, from the stand-
point of voltage standardisation, may be conveniently divided
into four groups. Tliis divisiun into classes is employed only
for the purpo.se of i)ies,-ritiii;4 this subject in the clearest form,
and the limiting values rinpli.vcd in each class are not to be
considered as representing delniite limits in practice.

1. Relatively small systems (up to 1,0(10 or 2,000 K.V,A.)
with voltages up to 2, UK), in which generators may be directly
connected to the utili.sation circuits, or step-down trans-
foiiuers may he used (tigs. 1 and 2).

2. Systems of medium size (up to possibly 20,IMX) k.v.a.)
supplying urban conununijics of medium size, using generator
voltages up to and including 13,2(K), and which may or may
not use step-up and step-down tran.sformers between the
generators and distribution circuits (fig. 3).

3. Systems of large size (larger than class 2 and up to ap-
proximately KHI.ptKI or 2(Xl.(IOO K.V.A.) serving the largest urban
commuidties, or su[>plying areas of considerable extent by
transmission lines, employing voltages up to roughly 88.0IK),
and having step-up and .step-down tran.sformers (tig. 4).

4. Large, long-distance, transmission systems employing
voltages up to 22t),000, From the standpoint of standard
voltages, this class is simply an extension of the preceding class
(fig. 5).

Vol (t. Ke. 1,238,

11,1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REYIEW.

487

Values of Nofmnl Circuit Voltages. — The following table
gives a somewhat complete list of the values used in practice
as the normal voltases for circuits in the several classes of
system : —

Class Nu. til (without diatributint; tranaformers). — See Fi^. 1.

Generator voltage.'

240

480

(iOU

2,400

Utilisation Jeviee voltage

2,200

Class Xu. lb (with distributing tranaformers").— See Fig
Generator
voltage.*

240 II.') 110

480 2H0 220

600 460 440

2,400 5 75 550

nation cu

vo tage.

11.-)

2H0

460

Class 1(0)

Utilization Device

^240 V Generator nnd Utilization

, Circuit
das

FlQ. 1.

Class No. 4.

—See Fig. 5.

Generator

Transmission

Distribution

Utilisation

Utillsatioil

voltage.*

circuit voltage.

circuit voltage.

circuit.

device voltage

6,600

22,0U0t

2,300

115

110

11,000

33,000t

2,300/4,000 y

230

220

13.200

110.000

6,900

460

440

132,000

ll..-)00

575

5,50

^

1.') 4,000
220,000

13,800

2,300

2,200

t Secondary tranamiasion circuitf.

The Vtili.'iation Denier Voltages (;iveu are those which are
standard for a very large amount of apparatus using current,
e.specially motors, but thei'e are some devices supplied at other
ratings. This is particularly true of lamps.

A word of explanation concerning the terms used in the
illustrations of typical systems and in the above tables may
l)e nece.s.sary. Circuits may be conveniently divided into
four main classes : —

1. The generator circuit is the part of the system from the
generator to the station bus. The same voltage value is
considered to exi.st throughout the generator circuit which
obviously is the generator voltage, and it is convenient to omit

Class Kb)

Generator Circuit

oov

5us

Utilization Dei/ice
Utilization Circuitrr

It iismoi^

No Caps for
Regulation

Fig. 2.

II0I2B0

Class H

Generator Circuit

^-~^Jl3200t<

Distributing Circuit

Utilization
Deifice

Utilization

Class M

(Genl

Generator ^

. Circuit i

6600 V. \

II 83001/'
Taps for Regulation

Induction Voltage
Regulator

I < Circuit
115/230
■^No taps for
Regulation

{]

II0J22Q

Pig. 3.

Primary Transmission
66000 y I Circuit

L'^^ooolf
Secondary-

Transmission Circuit

iOistributing Circuit\
\ Z300V I

-a

-:^

Utilization

Circuit
115/230 Utilization
I Dei^ice

I L_P1 iio/ezo

Induction Voltage
Regulator

Via. 4.

Primary Transmission \

132000/ Circuit

4

%\IFooo7y %\z3oov.

Seconaary Transmission

Circuit I n , -. .■

Distributing

f Circuit ^

33000/

2300/

Utilization Device

Class Ko. 2.-

-See Pig. ;^.

Generator

DistriVjuting Utilisation

Utilisation

voltage.*

circuit voltage. circuit voltage.

device voltage.

6,600

2.300

115

110

11,000

2,301 1/4,01_

o T 230

220

13,200

460

440

575

550

2.300

2,200

aais Xo. 3.

-See Fig. 4.

Generator

Transmission

Distribution Utilisati

3n Utilisation

voltage,*

circuit voltage.

circuit voltage. circuit

device voltage

6,600

22.000

2,300 115

110

11,000

33,000

2,300/4,000 Y 230

220

13,200

44,000

6,9 0 460

440

66,000

11, .500 575

550

88,000

13,800 2,300

2 200

the word " circuit " in referring to the voltage of this part
of the system.

2. The transmission circuit is the part of the system in
which bulk power is transmitted from one locality to another
locality ; it is that part of the system between the secondary
of the .station step-up transformers and the primary of the
.step-down transformers serving the distribution circuit. The
transmission circuit may be divided into primary and secondary
transmission circuits when several tran.smi.ssion lines at re-
duced voltage are tapped off the main or primary transmis-
sion circuit.

3. The di.sfributing circuit is that part of the system con-
sisting of the di.stributing network.

* Tlie generatoi- voltages as given are commonly accepted in
the United States as system voltages.

488

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,238, ootobbb 15, 1920,

A. The utilisation circuit is tbat part of the system to which
lights^ motors, heating apparatus, ami other utilisation devices
are connected. A distinction is made between the voltage of
the utihsation circuit and the voltage of the utilisiition device
which represents the conventional voltage dnij) in the utili.sa-
tion circuit.

Discussion of Class No. 1 Voltages. — It will be noted at once
that generator voltages in Ola.ss JSo. 1 are multiples of twelve,
while voltages in other classes are multiples of eleven. The
reason for this difference is the absence of transformation in
the majority of installations employing low voltage generators.
Originally it was common practice to adhere to the same
ratio in generator voltages as in voltages of dtber apparatus,
and the standard generator voltages am'iv -JJl, lid, and 1,100,
and 2,200. However, as 110 and 22U ljr.;iiii.' Intl. r established
as the standard voltages, and the requireiiieuts concerning
uniformity of voltage in utilisation circuits became more
exacting, it was found that generators, supplying utilisation
circuits w'ithout transformers mu.st be designed for higher
voltages, to provide for the necessary drop between the genera-
tor and the consuming device. The lower voltages, 220 and 440,
were the first to be changed to these higher values of 240 and
480, and there was a period when standard generator voltages
were 240, 480, and 2,800, but this proved uneconomical from
the generator standpoint since it is convenient that the volt-
ages within a given class be whole number multiphes of the
ba.sic voltages (in this case 120). Therefore the standard
voltages of 210, 480, 600, and 2,400 were finally reached.

Discussion of Voltages of Classes Nos. 2, 8, and 4. — We have
pointed out that the development of lamps, motors, and other
utihsation devices led to a basic voltage of 110. This, in turn,
determined the common factor of eleven used throughout
American practice for transmission, distribution and utilisation
circuits.

There is an apparent discrepancy between the voltages re-
commended for generators (240, 480, and 2.400) and the
corre.sponding voltages recommended for distribution circuits
from transformers (230, 460, and 2.300). Utihsation devices
of the same voltage may be supplied directly from both of
these voltage sources. The.se differences arise from the different
conditions existing in the tw'o cases.

1. There is more freedom in the choice of ta'ansformer loca-
tions with reference to the centre of the load than in the case
of generators, so that the permissible voltage drop between
the generator and its load should be greater than between the
distributing transformer and its load.

2. Transformers may be designed (as is the case in U.S.
practice) to operate successfully within a moderate range
beyond their rated voltage, while generators cannot be pro-
vided with this voltage margin, without providing equal per-
centage increase in capacity. This also makes it possible to
provide satisfactory voltage at the utilisation device with the
lower transformer secondary voltage.

Oenerators inherently have a fixed maximum voltage at the
maxuuum rated load and rated power factor because of the
fixed exciting voltage and a higher voltage cannot be main-
tained unless the excitation voltage is increased above its
normal value. It is logical, therefore, to consider the station
bus voltage as establishing the system voltage. In systems
having step-up transformers connected to the station bus, the
ratio of transformation estabhshes the normal voltage of that
part of the transmission system. Several secondary transmis-
sion or distributing circuits of varying length and density of
loading may be tapped off from this primary transmission cir-
cuit, each having its own load drop and other service require-
ments. It has, therefore, become standard practice to provide
transformer taps in the step-dow-n transformers. The ratio of
transformation in the step-down transformers, therefore, es-
tablishes the normal voltage of the distributing circuits.

It will also be noted that while the common divisor of
voltages for transmission circuits is 11 (22,000, 33,000, &c.),
the corresponding factor for distributing circuit voltages is
11..5 (2,300, 6,900, &c.).

It is .American practice to design distributing transformers
(up to 6,900 volts) feeding the utilisation circuits, without
voltage taps for reasons of manufacturing economy. This
makes it desirable to provide for a lai'ge part of the total
voltage drop of the system at the point in the system where
taps are available ahead the distributing transformer. This
is the reason for the higher basic voltage (115 instead of 110)
in the distributing circuit, as compared with the basic voltage
in transmission circuits.

Normal Value of Line Drop.— It will be noted that the total
difference between the generator or secondary voltage of the
step-up station transformers and the utilisation voltage, is
based on approximately 10 per cent, line drop. This value is
subject to variations in practice, but 10 per cent, represents,
according to the American experience, a fair compromise
between reasonable cost and good service. It also represents
a compromise based on practice that embraces the widest
possible variety of condition in cost of power, from one extreme
of high-priced coal or nil to the other extreme of water power ;
and a wide variety in service requirements, ranging from
large congested city conditions to transmission systems hun-
dreds of miles in extent. It is to be understood that closer
regulation is obtained, when desired, as in city lighting
circuits by the liberal use of induction-type feeder regulators,
or on transmission circuits by synchronous condensers.

Normal Voltage of Circuits. — There is another question that

inevitably arises ih any di.scussion of standard voltages. What
is the normal voltage of the circuit? Voltages of widely
different values exist in the same circuit in many practical
cases due to line drop, or in the case of long tran.smission lines
witli high capacities, the voltage at the receiving end of the
circuit may be higher under hght load conditions, necessitating
a reduction in the voltage at the generating station, or the
equivalent to maintaining normal voltages at load centres.
Engineering considerations of insulation margin of safety make
it necessary to consider the highest rated voltage of any ap-
paratus connected to the circuit as the normal rated voltage
of the circuit. Then all apparatus that is to be connected to
the circuit should be designed to have the recognised standard
margin of safety based on this normal rated voltage of the
circuit, even if, under usual operating conditions, a particular
piece of apparatus is connected to a part of the circuit that
operates at a lower voltage than the normal voltage of the
circuit under same load conditions.

The practice has developed, in view of these considerations,
of defining the normal voltage of the system in the following
terms. This definition and practice has been suggested for
general adoption : —

" In systems employing transformers, the normal voltage of
the system or circuit is defined as the highest rated voltage of
the secondaries of transformers supplying the system or
circuit. This voltage rating applies to all parts of that par-
ticular system of circuit.

" It is to be understood that the standard rules for dielectric
strength tests be based on the normal voltage of the system or
circuit as defined above, and all dielectric strength tests shall
be based on the normal voltage of the s>%tem. even if ap-
paratus is applied on a part of the system which ordinarily
operated somewhat below the normal voltage."

This definition of normal voltage is intended for appUcation
to all systems. Any definition of normal voltage of the circuit
that is not based on the highest voltage existing normally in
the circuit is, in effect, a reduction in the recognised margin
of safety of the insulation, and rather than accomplish such
a reduction in margin of safety indirectly in this way, it would
seem preferable to do it directly by changing the standard
dielectric test rules. But the tendency in connection w'ith the
rules for dielectric strength seems to be in the direction of in-
creasing the margin of safety rather than decreasing it.

CORRESPONDENCB.

Letters received by ui after 5 P.M. ON Tuesday cannot appear until
the follomng week. Correspondents should forward their communi-
cations at the earliest possible moment. No letter can be published
unless we have the writer's name and address in our possession.

Economiser Tubes.

Would any of your readers show by diagrams and explain
an easy and quick method of withdrawing and replacing
economiser tubes (Green's)?

R. S. Thornthwaite.

Whitt-haven, October 5th, 1920.

The E.P.E.A. and the E.T.U.

I am very pleased to find someone upholding the attitude
taken by the E.P.E.A. in the recent electrical industry dispute.

May I ask why so many of your correspondents — and your-
self, judging by your footnote appended to a letter signed
■' Pollux " in this week's Electrical Review — are so con-
vinced that the E.T.U. set out to "nobble" the E.P.E.A.?
It is very evident from previous letters on the subject that,
between certain sections of these unions, rather iiad feeling
exists, and it would appear — to my mind — that someone (most
probably an enemy of both) is trying to work that " rather
bad feeling " into a feud to serve his ends. Who can it lie
that is the common enemy of the E.T.T'. and E.P.E..'\.?
Most probably, I shouUl say. the capitalists, hut the support
given ti> this in yom- footnote is hardly in keeping with the
impartial attitude you usually adopt in these matters.

Juice.

Uondon, October 10th, 1920.

Having read the correspondence that has appeared in your
columns lately on the subject of the E.T.U. and E.P.E..\.
and noted the one-sided tendency manifested therein, I was
relieved to find something on the other side in the letter
signed " Pollux " in this week's Electrical Review. I will
lay my.self open to being accused also of being " naive " and
" .artless " by endorsing his remarks.

Your own lengthy remarks and comments on the letter in
question are, however, somewhat mystifying t<i me, for 1 can-
not decide in my own mind whether you have an axe to
grind, or have only taken (to an E.P.E..\.-itel a wrong vievy.
Whatever the cau.se, the letter appears to have " hit you in
the raw." and I am afraid the unexpected blow has elicited
an editorial from you not exactly in accordance with your
usual fair and logical power of argument.

Vol. 87. No. 2,238, ootobeb 16, 1920.] 'fHE ELECTRICAL BE VIEW.

489

The whole point in dispute, as I see it, is that the E.T.U.
toed (for once) the E.F.E.A.'s line, and because the E.T.U.
is " of doubtful repute " you turn on the E.P.E.A. and ask
them why they allow it.

Ben Hur.

London, Octi^ber lOf/i, 19'20.

I thank you for your kind and flattering note to my letter
of the 4th inst. ; remarks of that nature ought not to pass
without comment.

Presumably the note was meant more as an explanation of
matters than an answer to my letter. It hardly convinces one
as being a genuine expression of opinion, but rather a set
of pickings such as one frequently finds a lawyer resorting to
in defending a hopeless case — an attempt to confuse. Possibly
it was intended to be so?

Perhaps I did not make it as clear as I might have
done, that the E.T.U. 's adoption of a " settlement by agree-
ment " poUcy was not necessarily permanent, but I think
it was sufficiently clear to anyone who did not want to read
it otherwise.

In any case it was not the E.P.E.A. that changed its policy;
the employers who refused to try and settle by negotiation
certainly made a serious mistake, and must not expect support
from the E.F.B.A. under such cii'cumstances, though there is
no doubt that E.P.E.A. men as a body (as they have already
shown) are fully aware of and anxious to execute their duties
— public and other.

As regards the public, how much do they care whether
E.P.E.A. men live or starve so long as their lights, their tram-
ways, their conveniences of every kind continue? When the
public show one tenth of the regard for E.P.E.A. men that the
latter have already shown for the pubUc, arguments on the
basis of a man's " higher duties to the public " will begin to
have weight.

Pollux.

October 10th, 1920.

[We refer to this matter in our leading columns. — Eds.
Elec. Rev.]

External Wastinjj of Fuel Economiser Pipes.

In your contributor's interesting article under the above
title the statement is made that the water is very much colder
at the feed inlet end of the ordinary type of economiser than
at the other end, and this is given as the reason why the
pipes often show excessive wastage at that end. Now, this
is not the case, since, in the first place, all the pipes work
in parallel, and, therefore, all receive water at the same
temperature ; and, secondly, as I have already shown in
your pages (" Some Sources of Error in Thermometry,"
December 29th, 1916), the lowest water temperatures in an
economiser are found, not at the feed inlet end, but at the
other end, in spite of the higher flue gas temperatures obtain-
ing there. The reason why, in spite of this fact, the deposition
of moisture and consequent corrosion take place at the feed
inlet end is due as much to the low gas temperature at that
end as to the low temperature of the water.

With regard to the warming of the inlet water, it should
be remembered that the higher the inlet temperature is made
the less efficient will the economiser be, and for this reason
it is doubtful whether the system sometimes adopted, of using
a small section fcf the economiser at the cold end as a pre-
liminary heater by arranging it to work in series with the
main economiser, is not more justifiable from an economical
point of view than the use of the various contrivances for
warming the inlet water described by your contributor.

I was somewhat surprised to find no mention of the
" National " circulator as a means for increasing the tem-
perature of the feed water. This apparatus is quite efficient
for the purpose, it does not require the feed pumps to deal
with warm water, it has no moving parts, and, once ad-
justed, it remains self reculating, as the amount of hot water
by-passed by it is roughly proportional to the flow of water
to the economiser.

It would be interesting to know how the steel tube econo-
misers which appear to be coming into favour at the present
time compare with the old cast-iron economisers as regards
wastage.

S. B. Pausey.

I/iughborough.
Octnbrr ith, iraO.

Domestic Supply Pressure and Wiring.

I have read with coni^iderable interest the article and cor-
respondence recentlv appearing in your columns on domestic
supply pressure and wiring, and as a wireman would like to
add my quota in favour of the " Looped Tube " system
of wiring as possessing considerable advantages over any sys-
tem of concealed wiring at present in use in this country : —

1. Lower installation cost.

2. All wires may be pushed or drawn in after plastering, etc.,
is finished.

3. A " live pair " can always be found at any licht outlet
and conpe<iuently additions can be carried out, or " trouble "
located and removed with the aiimmum of expense.

4. There are no boxes of any description concealed under
the floors, and no loose boards or pockets in floors are neces-
sary.

5. Generally speaking, there will only be two wires in a
tube.

The essential differences between the usual English method
and the " Looped Tube " method as used in America for the
last fifteen years to my knowledge are perhaps best shown in
the diagram. It will be noticed that the latter system takes
slightly more tube than the ordinary method, but against
this must be set the saving in wire and fittings and the great
saving in labour of wiring. A valuable " stunt " that is not

Fig. 2.— American Method.

'Copper S/'r/c
Fio. 3.— Bonding Device.

generally used is to use the third plate of a three-plate ceiling
rose as the looping-in point for the positive wire or switch
feed. Where several tubes enter a ceiUng point some simple
bonding device is necessary if continuity is desired, and I
would suggest strip copper i in. wide perforated every J in.
with a 3/16-in. hole and fastened in the manner indicated
in fig. 3.

The device makes a good contact at less cost than any
bonding device I know of, and is adaptable to any size or
number of tubes.

With couplings, where necessary, it is the osly fittmg re-
quired, no tees being used, and the tube being bent instead of
using elbows.

The idea is fairly prevalent amongst wiremen and con-
tractors that " close-joint " tube cannot be bent in a decent
right angle. This is quite a mistake. With a block of hard-
wood bored accurately to the size of the tube and the edge of
the hole gouged out in the arc of a circle, no difficulty will
be found in bending h in. or | in. tube in a right angle bend
with a radius of about 3 in.

Where two such bends are encountered in a run, as from
ceiling point to switch, or from one ceiling point to another,
the wires push in quite freely, no " draw wire " or " fishing "
being required; and wiring becomes very simple and quick.
The wiring of one point takes only a few minutes. I do not
claim for this system that it is suitable for old buildings, but
for the large number of new housrs at present being erected
all over the country, in my opinion, it knocks all other systems
including C.T.S. into a cocked hat.

Archibald J. Inch.

Berkhamsted.

October l\th. 1920.

Road Transport.

With reference to the letter of " Tractor " which appeared
in a recent issue of vour journal, in which the writer stated
that, with the exception of Sir H. P. Maybury, he failed to
find the names of any members of the Institntn acquainted
with modern road work, and, unless more attention is given
to the science and art of road construction for present-day
traffic, those who are responsible for providing transport and
dealing with road traffic are likely t^ have some difficulty in
the smooth running of the heavy and increasing motor traffic
that roads will have to 'carry— the latter concludes with the
comment " that it looks as if the Institute of Transport is
puttincr the cart before the fiorse."

I solicit the hospitality of vour columns to ptTint out th«t,
in addition to Sir Henry Mavbury. Director-General of Roads,
Ministrv of Transport, Sir Maurice Fitzmaurire, O.M.O. fa
former engineer of the L.C.C.), Mr. W. Willmott funtil
recently Cnnntv Snrvevor of Warwick), and Mr. A. Dri'Innd,
Countv Survpvor, Middlesex, who are members of the Oonn'-il.,
the membersbip of the Institutp includes the survevors of the
counties of Bedford, Durham, Gloucester, Isle of Elev, Kest-
even, Leicester, Kei^t, Nottingham, Somerset, Stafford, East

490

I'Th Hi iiiLii^OTBlCAL KfiYIE W. [Vol st. no. 2,238, ootobee 15, 1920.

Suffolk, West Suffolk, Worcester, and the East and West
Ridings of Yorkshire.

In addition, many of the chief officers of the Roads Branch
of the Ministry of Transport and numerous prominent Metro-
politan and provincial municipal engineers are also associated
with the Institute.

It would, therefore, appear that your correspondent must
have indited 'his letter under a misapprehension, and that
there is no cause for the beUef that the important question of
road construction in relation to transport will not receive the
consideration it deserves by the Institute; on the contrary, an
important paper dealing with this subject has already been
read before the Institute by Sir Henry Maybury, and others
ai"e to follow.

H. S. Blair.
Hon. Secretary, Institute of Transport.

Westminster, October 8th, 1920.

Power Factor.

It would, I think, have been helpful if Mr. C. H. Harvey,
in his letter of September 19th. had been a little more explicit
with regard to his suggestion to charge on the basis of k.v.a.-
hojirs, " the charge to be modified in accordance with the
power factor of the whole system."

^irst, what is exactly meant by the overall power factor of
the system, and secondly, how does Mr. Harvey propose to
obtain this figure? In the case of an undertaking fed from
one power station, I presume Mr. Harvey's idea is that the
power factor of the power station at times of peak load should
be taken, but this of course would vary from day to day. On
the _other_ hand, with a supply system fed by several power
stations, it is not quite clear how Mr. Harvey would ascertain
the overall power fa<'tor of the system ; perhaps he will be
good enough to explain.

The arguments deduced in mv letter of September 14th with
regard to the iniquity of charging on the basis of K. v. a. -hours
are in no w.i.y affected, as Mr. Harvey supposes, by adjusting
the K.V..4. charge to the overall power factor of the system.
In taking Id. per K. v. A. -hour I had in mind a charge of 1.25d.
per unit at 80 per cent, power factor, i.e., a charge per k.v.a.-
honr of SO per cent, of 1.25d.

If Mr. Harvey will look at the matter in this light. I think
he will aeree that what T have previously said is correct; but
on the other hand, if he can produce facts and fimires to show
that this is not so, I am sure it would help the discussion.

E. W. Dorey.

Enfield, October llfh. 1920.

IMPORT TRADE OF CHINA.

The following table shows the value (and where , „

the weight) of China's imports in 1919 of material of interest
to the_ electrical and allied trades,- indicating the principal
countries of origin. The figures for 1918 are given in com-
parison, and notes of increases or decreases are added. The
advance in Chinese purchases is striking, and it is note-
worthy also that Creat Britain is regaininff its share rapidly.
It is probable that the trade credited to Hong Kong was to
a fair extent transacted with the United Kingdom.

The Chinese picu! = l.'iSi lb. averace. and the Haikwan
tael = .5s. ,3id. in 1918 and 6s. 4d. in 1919.

Country whence

imported

1918

1919

Inc

or dec.

Machine belting. —

Total

taels

.5.54,000

768,000

-1-

214,000

Hong Kong

taels

48,000

.58,000

-f

10.000

Great Britain

. taels

224,000

296,000

-f

72,000

.Tapan

. taels

16.8,000

2.30,000

-1-

62,000

United States .

taels

107,000

170,000

+

&3,000

Electrical material

aniJ fittings. —

Total

taels

4.308,000

5.170,000

+

862,000

Hong Kong

taels

371,000

398,000

+

27,000

Great Britain

taels

250,000

285,000

+

35.000

Italy

. taels

9,000

288,000

+

279.000

Japan

taels

2,.300.000

2,.303.000

+

3.000

Canada ...

. taels

273,000

227,000

46,000

United States .

taels

874,000

1,622,000

+

748,000

Machine tooh. —

Total

. taels

349,000

500,000

+

151,000

Great Britain

taels

2,600

.50,500

+

47,900

Denmark

taels

21,000

+

21.000

Japan

. taels

199,000

222,000

+

23.000

Canada ...

taels

2,000

28,000

+

26.000

United States .

. taels

143,000

169,000

■t

26,000

Propelling machine

ry as boi

ers, turbines. —

Total

taels

7.57,000

1 ,640,000

-f

883.000

Great Britain

. tads

117 000

292,000

4-

175,000

Japan

. taels

200 000

162,000

38,000

Canada ...

taels

67.000

108.000

+

41,000

United States .

taels

355,000

799,000

+

444,000

Country whence

imported

1918

1919

Inc. or dec.

Machinery, other,

not textile

, brewing

, refining.

&c.

—

Total

.. taels

5,019,000

8,417,000

+

3,398,000

Hong Kong

.. taels

379,000

658,000

+

279,000

Great Britain

. . taels

524,000

918,000

+

394,000

Japan

taels

2,609,000

2,320,000

—

189,000

Canada ...

.. taels

326,000

740,000

+

414,000

United States

. . taels

1,117,0(W

2.618,000

+

1,501,000

Telegraph and telephone mat

erial. —

Total

. taels

501,000

940,000

+

439,000

Hong Kong

.. taels

11,000

60,000

+

49.000

Great Britain

. taels

16,000

67,000

+

51,000

Japan

.. taels

39»,000

406,000

+

108,000

Canada . . .

.. taels

16,000

103,000

+

87,000

United States

.. taels

.55,000

151,000

+

96,000

Aluminium, manu

factured. —

Total ... .

. piculs

240

1,760

+

1,520

taels

40,000

287,000

+

240,000

Japan

.. piculs

180

1,590

+

1,410

taels

35,000

275,600

+

240,600

United States .

. piculs

60

160

+

100

taels

5,000

10,000

+

5,000

Brass and yellow

metal; bars, sheets,

wire, dc-

-

Total

. piculs

19,000

27,000

+

8,000

taels

764,000

860,000

+

96,000

Hong Kong

. piculs

4,600

8,600

+

4,000

taels

191,000

247,000

+

56,000

Great Britain .

piculs

46

1,690

+

1,644

taels

3,000

56,000

+

53,000

Japan

piculs

14,000

15,000

+

1,000

taels

534 .(XK)

468,000

—

66,000

Canada ...

piculs

30

1,330

-f-

1,300

taels

2,000

54,000

+

52,000

United States .

piculs

5'2(i

542

+

16

taels

33,000

32,000

-

1,000

Copper, bars, rods

, sheets, p,

ates, nails

, and win

.—

Total

. piculs

11,000

40,000

+

29,000

taels

422,000

1,334,000

+

912,000

Hong Kong

. piculs

520

430

-

90

taels

28,500

15,000

—

13,500

Great Britain .

. piculs

>2

988

-1-

986

taels

80

23,000

-i-

22,920

Japan

piculs

10,000

36,000

+

26,000

taels

378,100

1,209,000

+

831,000

Canada

.. piculs

—

917

+

917

taels

—

29,000

+

29,000

United States .

. piculs

195

1,460

+

1,265

taels

9,000

.50,000

-f

41,000

THE LONDON MEDICAL

EXHIBITION.

The tenth London Medical Exhibition, organised by the
official managers of the exhibition of the seventeenth Inter-
national Congress of Medicine, 1913, and the exhibition of the
fifth Clinical Congress of Surgeons, London, 1914. was held
at the Central Hall, Westminster, last week, and was well
attended, considerable interest being showi^ in the various
exhibits. These consisted of medicines, antiseptics, anaesthe-
tics, tonic and patent foods, and other chemical products,
together with surgical and dental appliances and instruments,
artificial limbs, and last, but by no means least, electro-
therapeutical apparatus and X-ray outfits. Many of the
latter devices are well known, and need no elaborate descrip-
tion, but some types of apparatus that were on view are
worthv of notice, and we hope to publish more about them
at a later date.

The total number of exhibitors was about 90, of which some
sixteen firms showed appliances of an electrical nature. Of
these firms some half-dozen had on view X-ray outfits and
acces.sories suitable for both medical and dental purposes,
while about the same number of firms showed electrical de-
vices of special interest to dentists.

In what follow?^ we present a brief review of the exhibits
of an electrical nature that were on view.

Messrs. Mayer i- Phelps, amongst many other devices and
instruments, exhibited an examination lamp fitted with a
burner of the i-watt type, which gave a brilliant light, and
an improved electroscope intended to be nsed for the direct
examination of the larvnx, oesophagus, and air passages.

Messrs. .\llen & Hanburys, TjTD.. in addition to other
preparations, .showed " Umbrose." or what is termed " sha-
dow meal." being a specially prepared barium meal, and used
for X-ray diagnosis. It is in the form of an impalpable powder
and the barium sulphate is incorporated with the other
ingredients in the process of manufacture, so that when
administered a clear and regular shadow of pood definition is
produced. .\ useful feature is that the subject can easily
prenare niid administer the menl himself.

Messrs. Hawksi.ey /c Sons had on view n number of very
intere.stinc devices, which included various forms of De Zeng
electric diagnostic instruments.

The Medical Supply Association, Ltd., exhibited a selec-

Toi. 87. No. 2,238, octobeb 16, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

491

f

tion of its electromedical apparatus, such as has already
received notice in our columns.

Mr. Leoline A. Edwards demonstrated the uses of his

Quidos " patents. seve>al of which have been described in
our " New Devices " columns at various times. They in-
cluded an insulated oven, electrically or gn.s-heiited, in which
high or low temperatures can be maintained over long periods.
The bed warmer is a neat and handy device which is heated
by a low c.p. electric lamp, and which entails no fire risk
whatever. It can be easily converted so as to form a study
foot warmer, reading lamp, vaporiser, combined food warmer
and night light, or it can be used as an " iron " for massag-
ing by heat, by rolling the device over that part of the
body to be treated.

The " AuRORASCOPE " Co., Ltd., shows a very compact
fiocket outfit for the purpose of illuminated examination of the
ear, mouth, throat, and teeth. By its use the vocal cnrds and
drum of the ear can actually be seen in davlight, and it may
al.so be used for the trans-illumination of the antrum and
retinoscopy. The small electric lamp is supplied by a dry
battery contained in the handle of the device.

Mr. W. H. Prttifor had on view a selection of electrical
aids for the deaf, of various pitches and possessing different
wave form characteristics. A test instrument is shown which
enables a prescription to be written for an electric aid, to
give the most suitable pitch, .sound-wave form, and volume
of sound for each individual case of deafness. These devices,
in connection with which use is now being made of the
" laryngophone." and another device which transmits sound
through the bones of the head, are compact and efficient.
Other exhibits included dry batteries, lighting and heating
apparatus for medical use, and faradic and galvanic current-
apparatus.

Messrs. Ozonair, Ltd., exhibited various types of appara-

tus for the production of ozone for treatment as well as for
disinfection purposes.

Messrs. Schall & Son showed Pantostat apparatus for con-
verting the main supply current into a suitable form for
cautery, Ught. galvanism, and faradism, and also for supplying
power to drills, burrs, trephines, and massage apparatus.
Headlights and other lamps, batteries, coils, and diathermy
apparatus were also shown, together with a collection of X-ray
apparatus and accessories.

Messrs. X-rays, Ltd., had on view'a number of Coolidge
and other X-ray tubes and accessories, in addition to a h.p.
10-K.v.A. transformer fitted with a rotary converter and recti-
fying disk in an oak cabinet for X-ray work.

The " Solus " Electrical Co. demonstrated a complete
X-ray outfit including a gas-mercury-parafSn centrifugal in-
terrupter, and intensifying and fluorescence screens.

Messrs. Kodak. Ltd., were concerned with the photograpliic
side of radiography, and exhibited medical and dental film
specimens, duplicated films, and accessories for developing,
&c.

Messrs. Watson & Son (Electro-Medical), Ltd., in addi-
tion to medical coils and batteries for various purposes,
showed portable X-ray equipment designed for private prac-
titioners and dentists, in which there are no moving parts
or mechanism requiring attention.

The S.S. White Co., of Great Britain, Ltd., _ exhibited
various dental equipment, materials, and accessories, which
included electrically-driven tooth grinding machines, itc.

Messrs. De Tray & Co., Ltd., had on view dental surgery
equipment, sterilisers, and an X-ray outfit.

The Electro-Dental il- Medical Co. showed electrical ap-
paratus for the dental and medical professions, including
switchboards, mouth lamps, sterilisers, compressors, radiators,
and electrically-heated appliances, such as jugs, kettles, &c.

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankruptcy Proceedings. — Arthur Kershaw, of

Thornhill Lees, and Charles Herbert Wood, of Batley, trading
together as electrical engineers, at Bradford Road, Batley. — At
Dewsbury Bankruptcy Court, on October 7th, the public examina-
tion of these debtors took place. Both debtors are aged 22, and
began business since demobilieation from the Army. Their
deficiency was *l,6."i6. They attributed failure to fluctuation in
market prices, to workmen's wages, shortness of capital, law costp,
and heavy initial busineas expenses. They admitted that they had
not made a profit at any time since the commencement. The
examination was closed.

Company Liquidations. — W. A. & H. J. Jacobs, Ltd.,

Leonard Street, Finsbury, London, E.G., electrical engineers, kc. —
The creditors interested herein were called together on October Jth,
at the Chartered Institute of Secretaries, London Wall, E.G. The
shareholders had previously passed the usual resolution in favour
of voluntary liquidation, and had appointed Mr. R. G. Sidford of
20, John Street, Adelphi, W.C., to act as liquidator. Mr. Sidford
stated that the company had issued debentures to the extent of
£2,000, while a claim had also been received from the Inland
Revenue authorities for £17,302 in connection with Excess Profits
Huty. He was, however, of the opinion that the claim would be
allowed after proper representation had been made. The amount
due to the unsecured trade creditors was in the neighbourhood of
£16,000. With reference to the assets the liquidator stated that,
speakiner from memory, the plant and machinery was valued at
more than £10,000, while there was » very good stock. The
liquidator could not give any idea as to what the cost price of the
stock was. The company did very well up to the end of December,
1918, but the trading and profit and loss account for the year ended
December, 1919, showed a loss of several thousands of pounds, and
it was believed that a further loss had been made during the current
year. The peace programme of the company was the manufacture
of bells on the mass production principle, and they appeared to have
budgeted for at least 2o OOU bells per week. Some time ago land
was taken at Hendon, and a factory built at a cost of about
£20,000. Owing to lack of capital it was decided to sell the factory,
when it was completed, and no less than X. 32,000 was obtained for
it. In answer to questions, it was stated that the debentures for
£2,000 were only issued on July 21th of the present year. The
position was discussed at Eome length, and eventually a resolution
was unanimously passed in favour of an application being made to
the Court tor the appointment of Mr. G. Sunderland, of 15, East-
cheap, London, E.G., as liquidator of the company in the place of
the liquidator appointed by the shareholders. Messrs. John
Lysaght, Ltd., were nominated to make the neceesBry application
to the Court, and a Committee of Inspection was also appointed,
consisting of the following :— Messrs. John Lysaght, Ltd.. .Johns,
Sobs A; Watts, Ltd , T. Bolton i Sons. Ltd , the Osmond Engineering
Co., Ltd., and H. Wright & Co.

Hardino Bros. (Enuineers, Westminster). Ltd., 17, Victoria
Street Westminster, S.W. — First meeting, creditors and ooutri-
hutories, October 18th, at Carey Street, W.C.

Dissolutions of Partnersliip. — Tenner, Chetham and

Co., electrical engineers, 11, Red Lion Square, W.C. — Messrs. R. M.
Chetham and M. H. Jenner have dissolved partnership. Mr. Jenner
will attend to debts and continue the business.

Electrical Maintenance Co., electrical engineers and kine-
matoerraph suppliers. 110, Wardour Street, W. — Mr. J. H. Hopkins
and Mr. A. Hale have dissolved partnership. Debts will be
attended to by Mr. J. H. Hopkins, who wiU continue the business.

Shepford & Thomas, electrical engineers and contractors,
Salisbury Chambers, Wind Street, Swansea.— Mr. F. P. Shefford
and Mr. W. J. Thomas have dissolved partnership. Mr. F. P.
Shefford will attend to debts and continue the business.

Wood & Roberts, electrical engineers, 7, Salem Street, Oldham.
— Messrs. H. R.Wood and D. A. Roberts have dissolved partnership.
Mr. D. A. Roberts will attend to debts and continue the business.

Trade Announcements. — The Premier Armature

Repair Co. electrical engineers, of St. Helens (Lanes.), have
removed to 7lA, Bridge Street.

Messrs. Robinson, Eraser & Co., electrical and mechanical
engineers, of Galashiels, have removed from Channel Street, to
larger premises in Galapark Road.

The address of the Lat\ian Consulate has been changed to
329. High Holborn, W.C. 1.

The Enterprise Manufacturing Co., Ltd., of Gun Street
Electrical Works, Bishopsgate, have been appointed London agents
for Messrs. Lowke & Sons, of Northampton, for switchboards
of from i to 10 KW.

Messrs. Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd , and Messrs. Siemens
Bros. Dynamo Works, Ltd., announce that they are removing
from their present offices at Palace Place Mansions, Kensington
Court, W. 8, to Caxton House, Westminster, S.W. 1.

Catalogues and Lists.— Messrs. Hick, Harqreaves

and Co.. Soho Ironworks, Bolton.— A well-illustrated descriptive
list of Diesel oil engines ranging from 50 to 1,020 BH.P., giving
details of construction and operation and photographs of actual
installations.

MtssRs. Isaacson &. Brown, Ltd., 39, Furnival Street, E.G. 4. —
Leaflet illustrating three types of copper earthing clips, and giving
net trade prices.

Messrs. Watson & Sons (Electro-Medical), Ltd., Sunic
House, Parker Street, Kingsway, W.G. 2.— Bulletin 30 S (16 pp.).—
An illustrated catalogue of medical batteries, including galvanic
and faradic batteries, induction coils and cells. Fully priced.

The Cambridge and Paul Instrument Co., Ltd., 45, Gros-
venor Place, S.W. 1.— A postcard illustrating and describing the
"Cambridge" A.M. galvanometer. Priced.

Igbanic Electric Go, Ltd., 147, Queen Victoria Street, E.G. 4.
— A postcard dealing with the advantages to be derived from the
employment of the "Dean " patent motor-operated valve control.

ENfiINEEUIN(i AND LKiHTING EQUIPMENT Co., LTD., Sphere

Works, St. Albans.— Leaflet Ulustrating new pendant gallery fittings,
with " Anti-break" anti-vibration disks. Priced.

Messrs. Sands, Hunter ^t Co., Ltd., 37, Bedford Street, Strand,
W.G. 2.— "Camera Bargains" (111 pp.), a comprehensive illus-
trated and priced list of cameras and accessories.

The Sun Electrical Co., Ltd., 118 and 120, Charing Cross
Road. W.C. 2.— Publicity matter dealing with " .Sunco " fires, con-
sisting of a showcard (15 in. a 18 in.) in colours, showing a child
seated before an electric fire ; two illustrated and priced folders,
and a priced booklet depicting a number of different types of
"Sunco" tires."

492

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. LVoi. 87. No. 2,838, octobhb is, i»2o.

Automatic and Electric Furnaces, Ltd., 281-283, Gray's Inn
Road,W.C. 1. — An illuBtrated leaflet(4 pp.) illustrating and deecribiner
■' Wild-Barfield " "Flat" eleotrio farnaoea which embody all the
Wild-Baifield principles, including an excess temperature cut-out.

Messrs. Falk, Stadelmann & Co., Ltd., Efesca Electrical Works.
83-87, Farring-don Road, EC. 1.— Catalogue No. 456 (24 pp). A
very comprehensive list of "Efesoa" lanterns for gasfiUed and
vacuum tungsten lamps, for street and outdoor lighting, shop
lighting, industrial lighting, &c. Fully illustrated and priced. A
copy will be sent to any reader on application.

Book Notices. — " Patents for Inventions, and Informa-
tion respecting Trade Marks and Designs " (16 pp.). London : King's
Patent Agency, Ltd. — This [booklet is divided into nine sections,
dealing respectively with : — British patents, procedure in patenting,
foreign and colonial patents, sale of patents, trade marks, designs,
copyright, and two sections dealing with the work of the publishing
firm, with testimonials.

No. 1—1920. — " Lists of British Standard Rolled Steel Sections
for Structural Purposes (Revised July, 1920)" (19 pp.). London:
Crosby Lockwood & Son (for the B.E.S.A.). Price Is. net. —
Publication has been delayed pending the decision of the American
Engineering Standards Committee regarding the applicability of
the revised British standards to American practice, but owing to
the American authorities requiring a longer period for their
deliberations, the Association has decided to publish the report.

" Electric Switch and Controlling Gear." By C. C. Garrard.
Pp. xxii -(- 654, figs. 529. Price 25s. net. "Electric Welding."
By H. S. Marquand. Pp. 204. fig- j. 90. Pricel28.0d.net. 'Elec-
trical Handling of Materials." Vol. I. : 'Electrical Equipment."
Pp. XV -I- 200, figs. 231. Price 253.net. London : Benn Bros., Ltd.

Technologic Paper No. 171 of the U.S. Bureau of Standards.
" Automatic Apparatus for Intermittent Testing " (7 pp.) Wash-
ington : Government Printing OlEce : Price 5 cents. — A description
of apparatus primarily intended for testing dry cells and storage
batteries, but applicable to othgr forms of intermittent testing.

" The M. ..*c C. Apprentices' Magazine." Vol. IV. No. 15. 56 pp. —
The autumn number of this house magazine contains many
interesting articles and notes. A description of the Dalmarnock
power station is given, as well as a continuation of the " Reminis-
cences of a Pioneer, " by Mr. Henry Edmunds.

fiouth African Engineers Elei'trical and Allied Trades Directi>ry.
1920. CompUed and published by the Smith African Mining and
Engineering Journal, Johannesburg. (Sole agent in London, L.
Hewson, 56, Ludgate Hill, E.G. 4.) 30s. net.— This directory wUl
be found of service to all firms in the United Kingdom having,
or desiring to have, electrical and engineering trade connections
with South Africa. It is divided by means of sectional cards into
the following parts : — Alphabetical list of firms in South Africa,
Rhodesia, Mozambique, &c. ; geographical section classifying firms
under their towns ; overseas manufacturers represented in South
Africa ; buyers' guide showing suppliers of engineering specialities ;
list of the principal factories in South Africa and Rhodesia ;
section relating to mining and industrial companies.

Scientific Paper No. 389 of the U.S. Bureau of Standards,
" Relative Spectral Transmission of the Atmosphere " (33 pp.),
dealing with the transmission of light under various weather con-
ditions, with curves showing results. Illustrated.

Twelfth Annual Report of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission
of the Province of Ontario for the year' ended Ootobar Slat, 1919
Vol. Ill (166 pp.). Toronto : A. T. Wilgress.— The third volume of
this report deals with hydraulic investigations, and an enormous
amount of statistics has been collected and tabulated.

The Bulletin of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of
Ontario, Vol. VII, No. 6 (36 pp.).— The August, 1920, number of
this publication deals principally with the provision and application
of power in rural districts. It also contains an illustrated article
upon " The Diffusion Characteristics of Translucent Lamp Bulbs,"
which 'gives the results of tests carried out in the Commission's
laboratories.

'' Advertising the Technical Product." By Sloan & Mooney.
Pp. X -t- 365. London : McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., Ltd.
Price 30s. net.

" Science Abstracte " (A and B). Vol. 5XIII. No. 272. Part 8.
August 31st, 1920. London : E. & F. N. Spon, Ltd. Price 28. 6d.
each.

" Jmirnal of the Institution of Electrical Engineers." Supple-
ment to Vol. LVI I. Part II. Published October, 1920; also Index
to Supplement to Vol. LVII. London : E. & F. N. Spon, Ltd,
Price 31s. 6d.

Foreign Trade. — September Figures. — The following

are the values of imports and exports of electrical goods and
machinery in September : —

September. Inc. or 9 mont/is, 1920

1920. dec. Inc. or dec.

Imports. £ . £ £

Electrical goods, &o. ... 180,780 -f 87,659 -f 133,383

Machinery , 1,675,794 + 432,631 -f 3,425,464

Exports.

Electrical goods, &o. ... 888,237 + 427,653 + 4,185.195

Machinery 5,547,702 -1-2,644,582 -f 21,658,508

Re-e.\ports.

Electrical goods, &o. ... 16,688 + 12,934 -I- 26,864

Machinery 156,981 - 11,309 + 574i335

Tlie Frencli Jeamont Worits. — It is stated that the

production of large cables has now U«n resumed at the Jeumont
cable factory, belonging to the Ateliers de Constructions Eleo-
triques du Nord et de I'Est, as a resqlt of the starting of the
copper rolling mill.

Private Meeting. — Maheyatt & McNaught, Ltd.,

electrical engineers. Askew Engineering Works, Aakew Crescent,
Shepherd's Bush, London. — A meeting of the creditors interested
herein was held on October 8:h, at the oflBces of Messrs. Turner
and Co., solicitors, 89, Chancery Lane, W.C. It was stated that the
meeting had been called as a Receiver had been appointed on behalf
of the debenture-holder in the company. The Receiver said that
he was appointed on September 16th last, and when he subsequently
visited the works he found that a week's wages were due, and there
was only a nominal balance at the bank. In order to get money in
promptly, he offered a discount to the book debtors of 6 per cent.,
and some debts were collected. The wages were now being paid
regularly. On his appointment he found that an execution had
been levied, and a eale was advertised, but the Sheriff withdrew.
The liabilities to trade creditors amounted to £1,157, whUe Mr.
C. T. McXaught appeared as a cash creditor in the books for
£1,303. For present purposes Mr. McNaught had been included as
a creditor for £400, making total liabilities of £1,557. At break-
up prices the assets were estimated to realise £1,737, from which
had to be deducted £160 for preferred claims, and £1,300 due on
debentures. The net assets were therefore reduced to £277, or a
deficiency as regarded the unsecured creditors of £1,330. The
estate showed about 28. lid. in the £ for the creditors. The book
values of the assets totalled £2,050, and if those figures were taken
as oarrect, the estate would show abjut 63. lid. for the unsecured
creditors.

Mr. E. H. Hawkins (Messrs. Poppleton & Appleby) said he
understood that the debentures were issued last January, and the
present holder was the widow of the late Mr. W. McNaught.

The Receiver said that was the case. When the debenture waa
issued, a sum of £90J had already been advanced to the company,
and a further £400 was then paid in cash.

Mr. P. Houstoun said that the file of the company at Somerset
House showed that there were only two shareholders in the concern.
Each of those shareholders held 500 ordinary shares, and a simQar
number of preference shares. When the company was formed,
shares of the face value of £1,000 were issued to the vendors as
the consideration for the assets they transferred, while £1,000 waa
subscribed in cash.

In answer to a question, the Receiver said the last balance-sheet
of the cjmpany was prepared at March 30th last, and it showed in
the profit and loss account a debit balance of £2,383. It was not
true to say that the company had always traded at a loss.

Mr. Hawkins said that the execution creditors felt they had been
badly treated. They were allowed to put the Sheriff in, and it was
not till further expanse had been incurred by arrangements being
made for a sale that the Receiver was appointed.

After a short discussion, the creditors unanimously passed a
resolution requesting the directors of the company immediately to
put the concern into voluntary liquidation, with Mr. W. Osborne, of
Messrs, Corfield & Cripwell, accountants, Balfour House, Finsbury
Pavement, E.G., as liquidator.

" Exide " Battery Service. — Following the reduction of
the list prices of " Exide " starting and lighting batteries, the
Chloride Electrical Storage Co., Ltd., is now able to offer
users the further advantage of a first-class battery service. It has
already appointed a large number of important firms all over the
country to establish " Exide " battery service stations in their
various towns, and many of these are in operation, whilst others
will shortly be in a position to undertake the work. The service
system will ensure that an "Exide" battery user need never have
his car out of commission through battery trouble, as he
will have in his vicinity an " Exide ' service station where he oan
obtain advice and assistance whenever necessary from an expert
trained in the company's works. His cells can be kept in good
condition, tested from time to time, have distilled water
added, and in cases where it may be necessary to remove the
battery from the car for repairs or recharging, a rental battery
suited to his car will be at his disposal for a small sum, while hia
own set is receiving attention. In addition, till motorists will be
able to obtain from stock at their nearest service station a new
ready-charged battery suitable for their cars, at any time, without
having to experience the delay on rail and heavy carriage charges
usually involved when batteries have to be sent from a distance.

British Magnetos on Aeroplanes.— As a result of the

various tests at the Air Ministry's competitions held at Martlesham
Heath, the awards of the judges in the large and small aeroplane
classes have just been made ; four out of the five prizes awarded
were won by aeroplanes whose engines were fitted with B.T.H.
magnetos. Aeroplanes whose engines were fitted with B.T.H.
magnetos also won the first and second prizes at the 1919 and
1920 Aerial Derby at Hendon.

Cable Dmms. — The following circular was issued by the
Cable Makers' Association, dated October Ist : — "The cost of
cable drums being now three or four times what it was before the
war, has necessitated reconsideration of the arrangements which
have been in force in the past as to supply and loan of drums for
the delivery of cables. From October 1st, 1920, onwards, members
of the Cable Makers' Association will proceed as follows : —

" The prices quoted for cables will include the loan of a drum or
drums with lagging where necessary for a period of three months.
the purchaser accepting responsibility for their return, carriage
paid, to the maker's works, and for any loss or damage sustained
by them in respect of these drums.

" After the expiration of three months, rental will be charged in
accordance with a schedule which will also give the prices at
which the drums may be purchased subject to the deduction of any
rental already paid for them.'

Vol. 87. No. 2,238, octobbb 16, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVEEWo

493

New French Electrical Companies.— There has been

formed at Paris (48, Boulevard Haussmann), the Societe Nantaise
Electro-Chimique et Metallurgique, for the working of known
and unknown prooeases of treating: metallic residues, alloys, and
ores, and the recovery o| tin from waste. The capital is
7,500,000 fr.

At Conflans-aur-Lanterne (Haute Saone) has been established the
Society Electrique La Lanterne. for the production, purchase and
sale, for all uses, of electricity. Capital, 1,750,000 fr.

OfiBce Commercial dea Fabricants Sptkiialistes de I'lndustrie
Electrique is the style of a cou.pany embodied at Lyons (32, Rue
de Marseille). Capital. 100,COO fr.

The Societe d'EIectricite du Haut-Vivarais is the title of a com-
pany established at Annonay (Place de Alsace-Lorraine), Ardeoher,
whose objects are the generation, use, transport, distribution and
sale of electric current, and the purchase, construction, and workinar
of hydraulic and other stations. The capital is 500,000 fr.

Under the style of Porcelaine de la Haute- Vi^nne has been con-
strncted at Paris (U, Rue du Regard), a company for the carryinsr
on of all operations appertaining to the manufacture of articles in
porcelain, faience, ebonite, and like substances. The capital is
500,000 fr.

The Home Secretary and Herr Rathenan.— We do not

understand the solicitude of the London correspondent of the
Manchester Guardian on behalf of Herr Walter Rathenan, of the
Allgemeine Elektricitats Gesellschaft. If the Home Secretary
refused permission for him to visit England for three days to
attend an international economic conference, we may be pretty
certain that he had a good reason for so doing. Electrical readers,
at any rate, will remember his war-time thoughts and designs ; his
regrets that the war was begun a year too soon, and his desires
that next time the same mistake should be avoided. We have no
room here in the electrical industry for any German who can
callously contemplate a next time.

Catalogues for Mombasa.— The Mombasa Elkctuic
Light and Power Co., Ltd., was deluged with catalogues in
response to its notice in the Electrical Review of July 23rd.
It desires to thank manufacturers, and to ask them to keep the
supply up-to date.

Electrical Exhibition at Greenocli.— With commendable

enterprise, the Greenock Corporation is holding an electrical exhi-
bition at the Town Hall. Opened on October 12th, the exhibition
is to continue until the 19th. The main exhibits are lighting,
heating, and cooking apparatus, and electrical labour-saving devices
for the home or office. During the exhibition, " lecturettes " are
being given by electrical experts. Other attractions include a
daylight kinema show, wireless telegraph demonstrations, and a
" ()reed Stentorphone," a loud-talking machine. Teas are being
served, and an orchestra is in attendance. Mr. Whysall, the
borough electrical engineer, has secured the services of Mr. Cedric
F. White as organiser.

Concert, — A smoking concert was held on October 4th
at the " Borough Arms," Walsall, by the male employes of the
Walsall Electbical Co., Ltd., between 50 and 60 being present.
The proceedings were opened by a speech from the chairman, Mr. V.
Delebecque. The next concert is arranged for December 6th, when
the employes will be pleased to see their friends in the electrical
profession present.

Imports into Finland. — The following particulars of
certain import licences granted between January 1st and August
Ist, which have b3en received in the Department of Overseas
Trade from the Finnish Consul-General in London, will give some
indication regarding the goods most in demand in Finland at the
present time : —

Value m Million.'! of
Finnish Marks.
Licences Licencea
applied for. granted,

Rubber and manufactures tiiereof 63- 1 40-2

Iron and steel maubfactuies 802-7 24.3'8

Other mefals and manufactures thereof .. .. 5fj'5 47-7

Incandescent lamps 26"7 66

Machinery, electrical, dairy, and agricultural

motors, 4o 302-7 262-9

Correction. — In the advertisement of Messrs. Gdy
Chanteill & Co , appearing on Sup. p. 20 of our advertisements
last week, by a printer's omission it was stated that the National
Indnstri A.9. were makers of any s'zs of transformer up to
500 K.v.A. The figure should have been i 000. We regret
the error.

National Joint Board of Employers and Members of

staff. Electricity Supply Industry, No. 6 (West of Eagland) Area.—

The first meeting of the No. 6 Area District Joint Board was held
on Monday last, at the Labour Exchange, Bristol. The ohair was
taken bv Mr H. Faradav Proctor, at the request of both the
employers and the staff members. The Constitution of the District
Joint Boards, as printed and circulated by the National Joint
Board, was discussed and approved, and the following oflloers were
appointed for the ensuing year : —

Chairman. — Alderman A. A. Sennington (Bristol Electrical
CJommittee).

Vioe-Chairman. — Mr. A. J. Ostler (E.P.E.A.).

Treasurer.— Mr. F. J. Elliott (E.P.E.A.).

Joint Hon. Secretaries. — Mr. R. Glass, Employers' side ; Mr.

J. Ellio t Staff Members' side.

British Trade-Mark Applications.— Appended is a

summary of the recent applications for British trade-marks in
respect of goods associated with the electrical trades and
industries : —

Klik. No. -104,019. Class 16. Electrical insulators, switch
bases, lamp shades, &c. No. 404,020, Class 18. Electric bell
systems, and electric fire alarm apparatus, — BE, Co, (London and
Birmingham), Ltd., Hendon House, 57, Upper Thames Street,
London, E,C. May 11th, 1920.

Hermastic. No. 404,477. Class 50, Electrical insulating
materials, Wailes Dove Bitumastic, Ltd,, 5, St. Nicholas Buildings,
Newcastle-on-Tyne. May 25th, 1920,

Apex (lettering combined with design). No, 395,364, Class 6,
Electric vacuum cleaners, — Apex Electric Manufacturing Co.,
1,111, Power Avenue, Cleveland, 0 , US, A, August 19th, 1919,

Multasbest, No, 404,057, Class 8, Electric cables,— Ward
and Goldstone, Ltd,, Sampson Works, Salford, Manchester,
May 12th, 1920.

Callender Cable (lettering combined with design). No. 406,402.
Class 8. Paper-insulated electric cables. — CaUender's Cable and
Construction Co,, Ltd., Hamilton House, Victoria Embankment,
London, E,C. June 22nd, 1920.

Giant. No. 403,464. Class 13. Conduit fittings,— March and
Newey, 217, Holliday Street, Birmingham. April 24th, 1920.

Quasi-Arc, No, 403,794. Class 13. Electrode holders, electric
switches, &c. — The Quasi-Arc Co., Ltd., 3, Laurence Pountney Hill,
Cannon Street, London, E.G. May 5th, 1920.

Norus. No. 404,241. Class 13. Electric bells. No. 404,242.
Class 18. Electric bells and alarm systems for use in buildings. —
Messrs, Veron, Tschumi & Co,, St, Imier, Switzerland, May 18th,
1920.

B,E,V. (lettering combined with design). No, 403,800. Class 6.
Machinery of all kinds. No, 403,801. Class 8. Electric switch-
boards, accumulators, batteries, cables, and other electrical
accessories. No. 403,802. Class 13. Electric contacts and
terminals, fusible cut-outs, ignition plugs, &c. — British Electric
Vehicles, Ltd., 1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E,C. May 5th.
1920,

The Latvian Market.^The following are among the
more important lines of goods required by Latvia : — New cast-iron,
iron, steel, white metals, copper, and other metals and castings
made thereof ; various materials required by the Ministry of
Communication ; working machinery and tools ; wood and metal-
working machinery ; machinery and spare parts for textile
industry and others ; power machinery, steam boilers and com-
ponents ; driving belts.

Electricity Supply Rifle League.— The following are the

results of the September matches :— City Co., 566, Hackney, 546 ;
Metropolitan Co,, 555, Hackney, 540 ; Hackney, B46, St, James's,
522 ; City Co,, 556, Central, 545. The Metropolitan team now
heads the League with 18 points ; Shoreditch and the City Co. are
next with 14 points each.

Social Events. — Members of the bowling section of
Blackpool Electricity and Tramways Institute took supper together
on October 7th, Mr. C, Furneas, tramway general manager,
presided.

Glasgow Corporation Electricity Department's Golf Club has
just concluded a splendid season, and is looking forward to the
social season, which opens on October 28th with the annual dance.

Spain. — A new concern, the Societn E16ctrica de Orense,
has been constituted at Bilbao with a capital of 1 ,500,000 pesetas,
for the purpose of prodminiT, distributing and selling electric
power. — Renter' sxTrade Service (Madrid).

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES.

Accrington. — Progress of Extensions. — Alderman

Higham reported to the Electricity Committee that the exten-
sions at the electricity works were progressing satisfactorily. The
turbo-generator would be on test the first week in December. The
boilers were in course of erection, so that they might be giving
power early in the new year. The ban on overtime was having a
detrimental effect upon the works, and they were trying to arrange
gome way out of the difficulty. If it continued during the winter,
it would be impossible for them to get through without some
interruption in their supply.

Barrow-in-Furness.— Proposed New Station.— The

General Purposes Committee of the Town Council, having under
consideration the question of the proposed new power station, has
instructed the Electricity Committee to endeavour to obtain a
three months' option on the Vulcan Works site, and to ask the
Electricity Commissioners for their proposals in connection with
Barrow.

Birkenhead. — Electricity District — Oiuection. —

The Town Council has objected to the inclusion of the town in the
Mersey and West Lancashire Electricity District arc», and has
requested the Commiseionera to grant an extension of time to
March Slst to enable a scheme to be prepared and submitted.

494

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. no. 2,23«, ootobbr 15, 1920.

Blackburn. — Loan*. — The Town Council has decided to
borrow £50,000 for the laying: of electricity mains.

The Electricity Commiaaioners have informed the Town Council
that they have decided to postpone the construction of a main
tranamiaaion line between Blackburn and Preaton until the aub-
misaion of a scheme for the reorpraniaation of the aupply of electricity
in the Mid-Lancashire Diatrict.

Bradford. — New Generator. — It is hoped that the new
turbo-g-enerator which has lieen installed at the Valley Road works
of the Bradford electricity department, and which haa been in
courae of erection for some montha past, will be put into aervice
on October 23rd. The generator, which ia of 10,000-KW. capacity.
will practically double the present output of the atation.

Canterbnry. — Bulk Supply. — The Town Council has
informed the Faveraham Town Council that it will be unable to
aupply electricity in bulk until the new generatingr plant ia com-
pleted next summer,

Cardiff. — Extensions. — At a meeting of the Electricity
Committee, Councillor J. Taylor, who preaided, remarked that the
propoaed extension of the Corporation electricity aupply to the docks
and parta of the city not yet covered would cost about £100.000.
The work haa been held up by delay in delivery of the necesaary
cablea. — Sovth Wales Daily News. '

Chelmsford. — Price Inquiry. — A petition from 308
consumera agrainat the proposed increase in the price of electricity
having been sent in, the Miniatry of Transport haa decided to
hold a local inquiry into the matter.

Continental. — Germany. — Owing to a strike of boiler-
house employes at the Moabit power atation, a g-reat part of
Weatern Berlin was in darkness on October 5th, and the whole of
the tramway services were suspended. The strikers returned to work
on October 7th, their demand for a six-hour working day having
been agreed to by their employers.

Owing to a strike of municipal workers, Leipzig is without
electricity, gas and water supplies.

France. — Owing to an improvement in the coal situation,
arrangements have been made to augment the present street
lighting considerably. About 1,500 electric lampa are to be
installed in some of the main thoroughfares.

Belgium. — According to the report of the Compagnie Electrique
Anversoise, of Antwerp, the output of the company's plant
increased from 5,849,894 KW.-houra in 1918-19 to 12,130,509
KW.-houra in 1919-20, a total which very cloaely approaches the
pre-war output. Owing, however, to the high cost of coal, higher
wages, etc., the financial results are not very favourable, as it was
found impossible to increase the chargea for aupply over the pre-
war ratea. The negotiationa with the municipal authoritiea of
Antwerp with reference to increased chargea have, however, now
been aucceasfuUy arranged, a scheme whereby a baaia rate ia fixed,
and which can be raised or lowered in accordance with the varying
general expenses and the price of coal, having been agreed upon.
The company's concession has also been extended for a further
period of five years— that ia. until the end of 1932. During the
course of the present year the plant at two of the transformer
stations ia to be increaaed in order to meet the ever-increasing
demand.

Russia. — Referring to conditions at present prevailing in
Moscow, the daily Press states that " the only chimneys that are
smoking" are those of the electricity generating stations ; electric
light is used in such institutions as prisona, Government offices,
&c., but no energy is available for consumption in private housea.
A moderate tramway service is maintained until 8 o'clock at night.

Darlington. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Electricity Com-
missioners have sanctioned the borrowing of £8,200 for the pur-
chase of a boiler for the electricity works.

Dartford. — House Liohting. — The Urban District
Council has applied for a loan of £1,337 for mains and distributors
for supplying electricity to the Council housea.

Derby. — Year's Working. — It is reported that the
gross profit on the electricity undertaking for the year ended
March Slst last was £47,239. The net balance after payment of
capital charges was £7,663, and it is recommended that £5,000 be
allocated to the relief of rates.

Dewsbnry. — Loan. — -The Town Council is applying for

sanction to a loan of £2,372 for laying cables to a local chemical
works. The esbimated revenue from this source is .£800 per annum.

Doncaster. — House Lighting. — The Electricity Com-
mittee has adopted a report of the engineer, and estimate of cost,
of extension of mains to supply the Corporation houses on the Carr
House estate. It was decided to apply for power to borrow £10,493
for the provision of high-tension mains, a transformer aub-atation,
and the laying of distribution mains and services.

Dublin. — Street Lighting.— The Lighting Committee
has declined to comply with a request that the streets should be
lighted at the expiry of the " curfew " period, i.e., at 3 a.m., owing
to the expense involved.

The Rathmines CounoU has decided not to extinguish the street
electric lamps until :) a.m.

Electricians' Strike.— Dublin electricians who went on strike
to enforce a demand for an increase in their weekly allowance
from 21a. to 283. per week while at work in provincial centre?,
have accepted an offer of 27s., and work has been resumed,

Egypt. — Cairo Strike. — A strike of the employes at
the gas and electricity works on October 5th plunged the whole
of Cairo into darkness.

Liverpool. — Loan. — The City Council has agreed to the
recommendation of the Tramway and Electric Lighting Committee
to apply for sanction to Irorrow £115,000 for the purchase of
additional generating plant for the Lister Drive electric power
station.

Manchester. — Bulk Supply. — The Finance Committee,
which at first was unable to agree to the proposals regarding the
supply of electricity to the Lancashire Electric Power Co., has
now reconsidered the position, and has presented a report concurr-
ing with the suggestions made by the Electricity Commissioners,
The Finatirinl \eiis states that the circumstances of the present
application are peculiar in so far that the proposal is to supply in
bulk to a company working for profit, therefore the baaia on which
the Electricity Committee makes its recommfndations is a profit-
earning one, and, according to its report, whatever the capital
expenditure may be, the Corporation should receive a return of
approximately 3 per cent, on the outlay after providing interest
and sinking fund and all outgoings. The capital expenditure
involved in the scheme is estimated at approximately £7i30,000,and
the HUectricity Committee recommends the Council to make an
application to borrow this amount.

The Finance Committee has given considerable attention to the
principle involved in the above proposal, especially in view of the
heavy capital commitments and loan requirements of the Cor-
poration, and since its previous report, which was withdrawn,
further facts have been placed before it by the chairman of the
Electricity Committee and the chief engineer and manager,
including the following important points : —

1. The expenditure will be for machinery.

2. The expenditure will be spread over about three or four years.

3. The first payments will not fall due for at least a year.

4. The expenditure may be looked upon as expenditure in
anticipation of Manchester's own requirements.

5. Manchester will be keeping its place as the chief authority in
the Government's scheme for South-East Lancashire.

Merton. — Proposed Extensions. — The L'rban District
Council ia to ask the Electricity Commissioners to sanction the
installation of a 3,OO0-KW. turbo-alternator at an estimated cost of
about £50,000.

Nelson.— New Generating Station. — It is stated that
the coat of the erection of a new station at Preston would be
£1,000,000. It would mean an expenditure of ££0 per KW. ;
the existing station cost £17. The cost of laying a cable from
Blackburn to Preaton would be a penny per unit, and this without
any machinery. Nelson, in company with other boroughs, is
objecting to this, and an Inquiry ia to be held before the end of the
present month.

North Wales. — Water Power. — At a recent conference of
representatives of electricity aupply authorities of North Wales,
the following resolution was paaaed for submission to the under-
takings concerned before being forwarded to the Electricity
Commissioners : — " That this Conference of various undertakers in
the three counties of Carnarvon, Anglesey, and Merioneth, whilst
approving of the area defined by the Electricity Commiaaionera for
North Wales, as most conducive to the efficiency and economy of
the aupply of electricity and to convenience of administration,
conaidera that the three countiea named have the first claim on the
natural water-power resources existent therein, and for this reason
that any scheme to be approved by the Electricity Commissioners
should provide for a delegation of the powers of the Joint Elec-
tricity Authority to a committee representative of the local
authorities and undertakers in the three counties."

Portsmouth, — E.kte.xsions. — The Town Council has
adopted the Electricity Committee's proposal for the installation
of a 4,000-K'V. turbo-alternator at the Gunwharf Road works.

Queenborongh. — Electricity Supply. — Sheerness
Electric Power Co. having applied for power to increase its
charges, the Town Council has decided to protest, and to consider
the question of providing a municipal aupply.

Rochdale. — Bulk Supply. — The Manchester Corpora-
tion's refusal to provide capital for additional plant at the Barton
power station of the Lancashire Electric Power Co., caused the
latter to withdraw its offer to supply additional energy in bulk, to
the extent of 10,000 kw., to the Rochdale Corporation. It is
anticipated that the Manchester Corporation having now decided to
provide the necessary capital, the company will be prepared to
renew its proposal, and thus assist the Corporation in its difficulty
of meeting the demands of prospective customers.

Salford. — Loan. — The Town Council has been recom-
mended to apply for sanction to borrow £95,886 for electricity,
tramway, and other extensions.

Stone. — Protest. — The Water :md Lighting Committee
of the Urban District Council has had under consideration the
question of the Stone Ga? Co.'s repeated applications to the Board
of Trade for extensions of the time in which to complete the com-
pulaory works in connection with the supply of electricity,
mentioned in the Stone Gas and Electricity Act, and has decided to
object to any further extension beyond a period of three months
from the date of the expiration of the present period.

Vol. 87. No. 2,233, octobeh 16, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

496

Sonth Africa.— Cape Town. — The Town Council has
agreed to supply the suburban railway stations from Mowbray to
Kenilworth inclusive from the municipal mains at 4d. per unit.
This will obviate the necessity of the railway department trans-
mitting: energ:y from its own sub-station at Cape Town.

The Town Council has accepted the tender of Messrs. J. Carrick
and Sons, Ltd., of Edinburgh, for a 50-ton overhead crane for the
Dock Road power station. The price is £5,720 f.o.b. delivery ten
months.

Aliwal North, (Cape Province). — A serious accident recently
occurred at the local power station. A prang of natives was
working in the turbine well, replacing a spider, when a shaft
slipped, causing the death of two natives and injuring others. A
white man and two natives were taken to hospital.

Oddtshoorn, (Cape Province). — The following orders have
recently been placed for the partial reconstruction of the power
station :— British General Electric Co., Ltd., a ;(iJii-ampere-honr
battery ; Messrs. J. W. Saaler & Franks, a Bruce Peebles 55-h.p.
booster plant ; Messrs. Hubert Davies c& Co., Ltd., a complete steam
plant, consisting of a B. & W. boUer fitted with superheater ;
Browett, Lindley-E C.C. 1.iii-kw. set arranged for static balancing,
feed-water heater, feed pumps, &c. Specifications were drawn up by
the municipal electrical engineer, Mr. R. D. Coulthaid, A.M.I.E.E.

Swansea.— Strike Averted. ^A deputation of repre-
sentatives of employes at the electricity works was received by the
Electricity Committee on October 2nd. The men's grievance was
that the 6s. increase granted to employes by an award to which
the Swansea Corporation was a party, resulted in some of the men
receiving but a small increase, and others none at all. It was
explained that this was due to the increase being applied to
scheduled rates only, and some employus were already receiving
more than the scheduled rates. It was decided by the Committee
to grant an immediate Increase of 63. on existing rates, subject to
the approval of the Joint Industrial Council.

Bulk Supplies. — The Corporation has concluded agreements
with two colliery companies — Messrs. Baldwin's, Ltd. (King's Dock
Works), and the Gorseinon Electric Light Co. — whereby the Corpora-
tion will provide bulk supplies of electricity for minimum charges
of £6,000, £5,000, and £3,000 per annum respectively. These will
involve the laying of 14 miles of cables in the Amman Valley.

Tarton. — Loan Sanctioned. — The borrowing by the
tTrban District Council of £17,000 for electricity extensions in
Eagley, Egerton, Edgworth, and Chapeltown districts, has been
sanctioned by the Electricity Commissioners.

Wakefield. — Extensions. — The City Council has
approved of the Electricity Committee's proposed expenditure of
£100,000 on the extension of the electricity station by the
installation of two 3,000-KW. turbo-alternators and accessory
plant.

Walsall. — Extensions. — The Electricity Committee
has recommended that a contract be entered into with the Brush
Electrical Engineering Co., for supplying and fixing at the
Birchells generating station, a 5,000-KW. turbo-alternator and
accessories, at a price of £46,670 (subject to variation in prices of
labour and materials), with the sanction of the Electricity Com-
missioners. It is also recommended that application be made to
borrow a further £ 10,000 for house service cables.

Wolverhampton. — Cable Extensions, &c. — The Cor-
poration mains and service cables are to be extended at an estimated
cost of £2,955. It is also proposed to spend £1,750 in order to
give a supply of energy to the Corporation Sewage Works at
Barnhurst, and to lay an extra-high-tension cable to the Monmore
Green Works of Messrs. Bayliss, Jones k Bayliss.

West Bromwich. — Loan. — A recommendation of the
Electricity Committee to borrow £36,000 for the erection of a
cooling tower, extension of mains, and other purposes, met with
opposition at a meeting of the Town Council on October 6th. It
was urged that at the present time there was great need for
economy, and that there was difficulty in borrowing the money.
The chairman, however, said that the Electricity Committee wanted
to be in a position to meet any demands made upon it, and the
resolution was eventually agreed to.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY N0TE5.

Ashton-under-Lyne. — New Lines. — The Corporation
has under consideration the laying of a double tramway track
between Ashton and Oldham, with the introduction of a through
service of cars between the two towns.

Australia. — Sydney Traffic. — In their annual report
the Railway Commissioners point out that the great increase in the
number of travellers on existing suburban railway lines can only
be properly dealt with by the construction of electric railways or
the conversion of existing lines. The annual number of passengers
carried by the suburbin railways increased from 77,817,452 in 1915
to 101,428,991 in the last period ; the number carried by the tram-
ways in the city and suburbs increased from 240,545,317 in 1915 to
269,255,935 for the year ended June last.

Continental.— Spain.— A very important undertaking

which was delayed during the war by difficulties connected with
the purchase of material, &c., is now again coming to the fore,
namely, the electrification of the Pajares ascent. This section of
42 kilometres, the highest point of which is 1,270 metres above
sea level, is that traversed by the North of Spain line which links
up the Asturias with the rest of the country. The line is single
and often blocked by snow, and it appears hardly possible to .
increase its usefulness by means of steam ; when electricity is
introduced, however, the situation will be much improved, and it
will be possible to intensify the traflic and avoid the stoppages
which are now so frequent, especially during the winter season.
The electrification of the section will also enable the North of
Spain Railway to effect considerable economy in fuel. — Rmiterx
Trade Serrice (Madrid).

Doncaster. — Concession to Disabled. — The Tramway

Committee has decided to issue free travelling passes, renewable
every six months, to local ex-sailors and soldiers who lost a leg in
the war.

Women's Waues. — Women tramway conductors being still
employed, the Tramways Committee has decided to advance
their pay to the same level as that of the male conductors.

Halifax. — Broken Wire. — The tramway service was
partially disorganised on the afternoon of October 7th, by the
breaking of a wire in Commercial Street. For an hour or two the
cross-town service was maintained only by passengers changing
cars.

Holland (Lines.). — Light Railway. — Plans for the
construction by the City CouncU of 80 miles of light railway, to
connect the outlying agricultural districts, at an estimated cost of
£580,000, have been completed and are to be forwarded to the
Ministry of Transport. 'The sections include : — Boston to Wain-
fleet ; Weston to Sutton Bridge ria Holbeach Marsh ; Cowbit to
Wisbech St. Mary ; Dogsthorpe to Crowland ; North Drive, Twenty,
to Quadring ; Littleworth to South Drove.

India. — Strike, — Labour difficulties at Bombay were
complicated by a tramway strike on October 7th. Four hundred
men demanded further pay and leave and immunity from prose-
cutions for cheating and struck when their demands were refused.
A partial service was maintained until the afternoon, when
intimidation broke it down. — The Timex.

Leeds. — Collision. — A collision occurred, last week,
between a heavy motor wagon belonging to the Northern Motor
Utilities, Ltd., York, and a Leeds tramcar. The motor wagon was
unable to pull up on leaving a railway goods yard in New York
Street, either through failure of the brakes or because of the greasy
road. The driver of the tramcar stopped his own car with great
promptitude, but the wagon dashed into the front right-hand
corner of the tramcar and threw the car slightly off the track,
and damaged the front of it. The bonnet and front wheels of
the wagon were damaged. Nobody sustained serious injury ; the car
conductor was slightly bruised.

Wages Increase. — The City Council, last Wednesday, decided
to grant the tramway workers, 1 8 years of age and over, an increase
of id. per hour on the basic scale. The increase will be retrospsctive
to the end of March last, as in the case of many other Yorkshire
towns where advances had been granted as from the date of the
award of the Industrial Council.

Liverpool. — Estimated Expenditure. — The estimated
expenditure on reserve, renewal, and depreciation account for the
year ending December 31st, 1920, is as follows : — Renewals and
alteration of tramway lines, £223,000 ; alterations to buildings,
£9,000 ; alterations to cars, £4,000 ; car motor equipments,
£40,000 ; overhead equipment, £2,000 ; contingencies, £6,000 ;
total, £284,000.

London. — Higher Fares Result. — For the week ended

October 6th, under the increased rates, the L.C.C. tramway receipts
were £100,668, compared with £78,092 in the last full week under
the old fares. — The Times.

" Underground " Improvements. — The Daily Telegraph states
that it is expected to put the first eight-car train into service before
the end of the present month. A hundred new cars have been
ordered, 66 are expected before the end of the year, and the balance
by next March.

Longridge. — Light Railway. — The provisional directors
of the proposed Longridge— Hellifield light railway have issued an
appeal for funds to carry the project through. Three years have
passed since the scheme was inaugurated, and it is estimated that
£300,000 will be required to complete it. Hope is entertained
that the Ministry of Transport will render some assistance.

Portrnsh. — Power for Tramway. — In view of the fact
that it is likely to be evicted from its water-power station under a
recent decree of the High Court, the Giant's Causeway Tramway
Co. has asked the Council to take into consideration the question
of a bulk supply to the company when formulating the proposed
lighting scheme.

Rochdale. — Increased Grants. — Having met repre-
sentatives of Whitworth and Milnrow Urban District Councils in
connection with the application for an increase in tramway charges,
the Special Sub-Committee of the Tramways Committee recom-
mends the following additional payments to the renewal funds of
the Whitworth, Milnrow, and Bacup tramways, viz ;— £300 to
Whitworth, £200 to Milnrow, and £240 to Bacup.

496

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. i7. No. 2,238, ootobeb i6, 1920.

Stretfprd. — Nbv\ Track. — An arrangement has been

made between the Urban District Council and the Manchester
Corporation for the doubling of the Upper Chorlton Road tramway,
and linkiDfT-up Trafford Bar by makinjr an extension along
Seymour Grove.

fl.S.A. — Electric Railways' Needs. — John H. Pardee,
president of the American Electric Railway Association, recently
stated that for present extensions and improvements and rehabili-
tation of existing lines and stock, the American electric railways
need between three and four hundred million dollars of new
capital. He estimates that the annual requirements, exclusive of
the refunding obligations, amount at present to $200,000,000.

Wolverhampton. — Conver(?ion of System. — The

Corporation has accepted a number of tenders for items in
connection with the conversion of the present Lorain surface-
contact system to overhead, and is seeking sanction to a loan of
j646,279, the estimated total cost of purchase and erection of the
overhead equipment.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Atlantic Cable. — British Purchase. — The directors of
the Direct United States Cable Co. report that the proposals of the
Western Union Co. were of such a nature as to preclude the board
from recommending their consideration by the shareholders, but
an offer has been received from the CTOvernment for the purchase
of the company's cable, as laid, its properties, equipment, and stock
cable. It is estimated that the offer, which the shareholders are
recommended to accept, will, after discharging the company's
liabilities, permit of a payment being eventually made of at least
£6 per share ; the £10 shares were quoted at 6J — 6 last week.
The .income to be derived from the existing securities, and the
interest upon the purchase considerations to be received from the
Government will, the board believes, permit of the payment of
a dividend of about 4 per cent, per annum until the company Is
finally dissolved.

The oable in question crosses the Atlantic from Ireland to New-
foundland, and thence to Halifax. It is 40 years old, American-
owned, and has been operated by the Western Union Cable Co.
since 1&12. Up to the present, with the exception of the ex-German
cable, which is now British-owned, all cable communication between
Great Britain and North America has been under the control of the
U.S.A.

Anstralia. — Wireless Telegraphy. — Proposals for
extending commercial wireless services to Australia were explained
by Sir Thomas Hughes, M.L.C., chairman of the board of Amalga-
mated Wireless (Australasia), Ltd., at the annual meeting of share-
holders at Melbourne, and it was stated that the directors had sub-
mitted to the Government a comprehensive scheme for a direct wire-
less service between Australia and England. This consisted broadly
in a high-speed, duplex-operated station near one of the capital
cities, to communicate direct with a corresponding station in
England, tcyether with medium power-feeding stations near each
of the other capital cities to pass traffic to and from the main
trunk station. This system would be radically different from any-
thing existing in Australia to-day. Both the main trunk and the
feeder stations were to be operated by distant control from the
heart of the cities, and all stations could communicate simul-
taneously with the main trunk system without interference, while
the main trunk would at the same time be sending to, and receiving
from, England. They had offered to handle all classes of messages
at one-third less than existing rates, and to give the Commonwealth
Government 25 per cent, of net profits ; to have the stations
working in two years ; to hand them over in any time of national
danger ; to surrender them to the Government free of all payment
at the end of a term of years, and to give the Government right of
resumption at all times. Their feeder stations at the same time
could cater effectively for ordinary commercial ship-to-shore traSic,
thus giving an improved service for shipping and passengers, and
savins the Government at least £2n,000 per annum. Subject to
the foregoing, the company asked that a licence be granted it, but
there was nothing in its offer, nor in the conditions of wii-eless
working, to prevent other companies having similsir privileges.
Sir Thomas Hughes added that the company hoped to give some
demonstration of long-distance wireless telephony in Australia
during the current financial year. — lienter's Trade .*;•(•((<' C Vlel-
bourne).

Cable Delays, — Considerable inconvenience is being

caused by the delays in cable communication between England and
the United States, which have been more or less continuous for the
past week, there being four hours' delay for full-rate cablegrams
and from eight to ten hours for Press- rate messages.

" Atmospheric disturbances are at the root of the trouble," a
Daly Mail leporter was told at the Western Union CableCo.'s offices
in London. Two of our cables are affected by the so-called earth
currents on the ocean bed. "

There was also delay on traffic last week between this'country
and Holland.

Holland. — Telkgraphisth' Strike.— About 200 em-
ployes at the Central Posts and Telegraphs Office and at the
Bourse office at Amsterdam struck work on the 5th inst, as a
protest against the delay in increasing their salaries to meet the

high cost of living. A limited service wag maintained, and the
men returned to work the following day, but those at the Hague
ceased work.

The Dutch telegraphists were to resume work on Saturday, says
The Timex, an arrangement having been arrived at between
the employes and the Government.

Rnmanla. — Wireless Telegraphy. — Private measagea

can now be transmitted by wireless telegraphy between France and
Rumania. — Rf liter's Trade Service (Paris).

South Africa. — Wireless Telegraphy. — At a meeting
of the S.A. Association for the Advancement of Science, at
Bulawayo, it was agreed to request the Union Government to erect
a wireless station of sufficient power to communicate with both
Europe and North America. — Wirelesn World.

United States. — International Conference on Com-
munications.— The International Conference on Communication!,
opened at Washington on October 9th, will be attended by delegates
from the United States, France, Italy, Japan, Great Britain, and
the Dominions, who may be expected to sit for at least a month.
Its work is likely to fall into two main parts, says The Times —
the disposal of captured German cables, which will presumably be
more or less definitive, and preparation for a General International
Conference upon Communications, to be held later. The latter task
will presumably mean much discussion of the technical regulation
of wireless systems, provisions to help the international news
service, and so forth. At least, that seems to be the expectation of
those Americans who are taking a leading part in the preparation
of the programme. The Americans, according to statements given
by the Government to the Press, have defioite views about the
ex-German cables and the general control of ocean telegraphs.
Their delegates, headed by Mr. Burleson, the Postmaster-General,
and Admiral Benson, the head of the Shipping Board, are said to
be particularly interested in the ex-(xerman cables across the
Atlantic, one of which was taken into Halifax during the war, and
has since the Peace Conference fallen to the share of Canada,
while the other now connects France and the United State*.
American commercial interests are said to have been pressing them
to try to secure one of these lines so as to give them better facilities
for direct communication under American auspices with Europe.
Complaints, reminiscent of American impatience with our cable-
censorship during the first phase of the war, are being made that
the British Government, by virtue of its control over our telegraphs,
it still able to tap American telegrams. Interest with regard to
the Pacific centres upon the island of Yap. This is the cable
station touched by the lines between the IJnited States and her
Eastern possessions, and as an outcome of the debate in the Senate
on the PesMse Treaty last year there is such strong opposition to the
allotment of the island to Japan, as is provided for by the Peace
settlement, that its internationalisation may be proposed.

It is unfortunate, in view of all this, that the meeting of the
Conference, which has already been postponed several times, could
not have been again put off until after the Presidential election.
Discussion of British cable control, and especially the disposal of
the ex-German cables, may tend to give ammunition to the profes-
sional anglophobes. Too much must not, of course, be made of that
sort of thing. In the interests, however, of future international
co-operation, and especially of the possible participation of the
United States in the League of Nations, it is, perhaps, a pity that
an International Conference which the American Press advertises
as containing the germs of controversy should be meeting in such
surroundings, saya The Times.

Wireless Telegraphy. — The Westinghouse Co. announces that
it now controls the International Radio Telegraph Co., which is
conducting ship-to-shore communication on the Atlantic Coast.
The Westinghouse Co. also proposes to erect a high-power trans-
Atlantic station. — Renter's Trade Service (New York).

Wireless Direction Finding.— Lizard Station.— An

Admiralty notice to mariners states that the Lizard Wireless D.F.
Station was re-opened at midnight on September 9th-10th.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(The date given in parenthesis at the end of the paragraph indieatei
the issue of the Electrical Review, in which the " Official
Notice " appeared.)

OPEN.

Australia. — Commonwealth Government. November
24th. Protected cable terminals and oable distribution boxes.

Queensland. — November 24th. P.M.G.'s Department. Iron
poles (schedule 506), protected cable terminals, oable distributing
boxes (schedule 507).

November 30th. P.M.G.'s Department. Protectors (sohedole
505). (September 2 Ith)

Brisbane. — December 9th. Department of Public Works.
Seventy three-phase oil-cooled oore-type static transformers.

November iilrd. P.M.G.'s Department. Telephones and telephone
switchboard parts, (October 8th,)

January 20th, and February 2.-ith, 1921. The City Electric
Light Co. 10,000-KW. turbo-alternator set ; transformen and
switohgear.

Vol. 87. No. 2,238, ootobeb 16, 1920,] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

497

MillrBOORNE.— February 24th, 1921, The Victorian Electricity
CommissioDerg. Turbo-alternators of 26,000, 12,500 and 600 KW,
and other plant connection with the Morwell power scheme.

New South Wales, — November 25th. P.M.G.'b Department.
Telegraph and telephone instrument and switchboard parts
(schedule 753),

South Austbalia. — October 20th. P.M.G.'s Department.
Teleerraph instruments (schedule 546), and telephone instrnmenta
(schedule 549). (September 10th.)

November 3rd. P.M.G.'s Department. Telephone instruments
(schedule 548). (September 10th.)

November 11th. P.M.G.'s Department. Telephone instruments
(schedule 547). (September 24th.)

Western Australia. — December 28th. Postmaster-General's
Department. Telegraph and telephone instruments and parts.
Schedule 689,

Belginm. — October 26th. The Socirte Nationals de
Chemins de Fer Vicinaux, 14, Rue de la Science, Brussels, is
inviting tenders for the laying of the underground armoured cables
necessary for feeding the Namur-Citadelle-La Plante railway.
Particulars may be obtained from the Electrical Department
(Services Electriques) of the company, at 48, Rue Monteyer,
Brussels.

November 3rd. Municipal authorities of Hognoul (Province of
Li^ge), Concession for the supp)y of electrical energy for lighting
and power purposes in the town.

November 9th. Municipal authorities of Antwerp. Electrical
plant for driving the pumps used for emptying the Nattendijck dry
dock. Copies of the specification can be obtained for 3 fr. from
the Hotel de Ville, Antwerp.

Bradford. — October 28th. Electricity Department.
Two natural-draught chimney-type coolicg towers, pipework
troughing, valves, &c. (Contract R 160). (September 24th.)

Costa Rica. — The Government of the Republic of Costa
Bica, Central America, is at present inviting tenders for the con-
cession for the construction and working during a period of 50 years
of an electric tramway between the towns of Alajuela and Grecia.
The Government will guarantee during the first 25 years of the
concession, from the date of the opening of the line, an annual
interest of 6 per cent, on a capital not exceeding one million
colons. The water necessary for the generation of electrical
energy will be supplied free ; the necessary material and plant
will be admitted free of import duty, the necessary land on the
public highways will be provided without cost to the concession-
aires, while the undertaking will be exempt from taxation during
the whole period of the concession. Further particulars can be
obtained from the Consul-General of Costa Rica, M. Camille
Marchant, 10, Avenue Hamoir, Brussels, Belgium.

Denny (N.B.). — October 18th. Electric lighting work
at Anderson Street site (No. 2). Mr. J. Strang, architect, Falkirk.

lodo-China. — January 3rd, 1921. Generating station
at Gia-Lam ; pumping station at Dong-Du on the Red River ;
electric line between above stations. Agence Generale des Colonies,
Piece 21, 2' etage, 27, Rue Ondinot, Paris.

India. — Agra. — October 22nd. Municipal Board.
Complete generating plant. (August 20th.)

London. — London County Council. — October 25th.

125 tramcar bodies, 125 complete sets of maximum traction bogie
trucks, and 125 electrical equipments, together with the assembling
of same. (October Ut.)

Manchester. — October 20th. Electricity Committee.
Specification No. B,9. Five 8,500 k.v.a. 3phase transformers and
fans, &c. ; and three ti.OOO k.v.a. .'!-phase transformers and fans, kc.
Mr. F. E. Hughes, Secretary, Electricity Department, Town Hall.

October 20th. Board of Guardians. Induced draught fan with
electric motor complete, for use with steam raising plant at
Withington Institution, West Didsbury. Mr. Hargreaves, super-
intendent of works. Union Offices, All Saintp.

October 27th. Electricity Committee. Complete heating installa-
tion for the workshop and stores at the Barton power station,
Mr. S, L, Pearce, Chief Engineer and Manager, Dickinson Street.

October 27th. Electricity Committee, Three mechanical water
screens, and three grid screens, (Specification B. 1 0.) (October 1st.)

November 8th. Electricity Committee. Supply and erection of
high and low pressure steam, feed, &o., pipework — including altera-
tions to existing pipework, &c. (See this issue.)

Torton. — November 10th. Urban District Council
Electricity Committee. Overhead lines and underground cables.
(See this issue.)

Ramsgate. — Town Council. Electric lighting installa-
tion. Council chamber ; Borough Engineer.

Spain. — November 20th. The Spanish Ministry of Public
Works in Madrid is inviting tenders for the concession for the con-
8tm.5tion and working of an electric tramway between Los Canos and
San Fausto de Chapela, near Vigo. The adjudication is practically
only a formal matter, the line forming an extension proposed by the
Vigo Electric Tramways Co,

The local authorities of Daimiel (Province of Ciudad Real)
recently invited tenders for the purchase of the municipal electric
lighting undertaking in the town, and for continuing the service
as a private enterprise.

Urngnay.— December 18th. The Post Office authorities
are, for the second time, inviting tenders for the construction of an
underground telephone system.

West Hartlepool. — October 26th. Electricity Department-
One 1,000-KW. rotary converter and switchgear. (October 8th.)

CLOSED.

Batley. — Waterworks Committee. Electric pump or
booster at Cooper Bridge, with delivery capacity of 2,000,000
gallons per day ; Holden & Brooke.

Bolton. — The Electricity Committee. Water-screening
plant at Back-o'-th'-Bank generating station. Messrs. F. W.
Brackett &. Co., Ltd.

Bradford. — Electricity Committee. 10-ton overhead
travelling crane. Herbert Morris, Ltd., Loughborough.

Dartford. — Urban District Council. Installing electric
light at 28 houses, Lowfield Street. W. Bayliss. £7 per house,

Doncaster. — Town Council :

High-tension switchgear. — ReyroUe & Co., Ltd., ^5,410.

London. — L.C.C. Highways Committee. The following
tenders have been accepted during the recess : —

Steelwork required in connection with the completion of the oantra
repair dep6t.

E. C. & J. Keay, Ltd. (accepted) C4S,S89

a. D. Dawnay & Sons, Ltd 48,262

1,500 tons of conductor rails for tramway purposes : —

Prodingham Iron and steel Co., Ltd £50,425

Partington Steel and Iron Co., Ltd 52,500"

D. Colville & Sons, Ltd 69,550,

' On truck, Manchester.

Wolverhampton. — Town Council. Conversion of the
tramways from the Lorain surface-contact system to the overhead
system. Among the principal tenders accepted, are the
following : —

steel poles, £24,542.— British Mannesman Tube Co., Ltd.
Cast-iron pole bases and flnials, i'4,911.— W. Boydell A Sons.
Trolley standards and bases, £685.— Breoknell, Munro & Rogers, Ltd.
Globe strains, hanger bolts, section insulators, Ac, £1,546. — .^. Wise-
man, Ltd.
Trolley wire, f 4,392.— Thos. Bolton & Sons, Ltd.
-Approximate cost of labour for erecting poles, £1,596.

Tramways Committee. Accepted : —

Tipping wagon, £168.— Fleming, Lowder it Co.

Special work at Bakers Loop, £824, and in connection with the new. oar-
shed, £2,690.— Hadflelds, Ltd.

FORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

Boyal Society of Arts.- Friday, October 15th. At John Street, Adelphi. At
4.30 p m. Lecture on " British Trade with India," by Mr. T. M. Ainscough,
H.M. Senior Trade Commissioner in India and Ceylon.

Commercial Motor Exhibilloi', Olympia, W.— October 16th to 23rd.

Chief Technical Assistants' Association.— Saturday, October 16th. At
Anderton'B Hotel, Fleet Street, E.C. At 3 p.m. Paper on '• Refuse Des-
tructors," by Mr. A. Murdoch.

Electrical Power Engineers' Association.— Saturday, October 16th. At the
Christian Institute. 70, Bothwell Street, Glasgow, at 7 p.m. General
Meeting address by Mr. J. W. Thomas, assistant general secretary.

Electricity Supply Commercial Association (Greater London Division).

—Monday, October 18th, at Caxton Hall, Westminster. Mass Meeting.
Batli-Wallabs' Society. — Monday, October 18th. At 1 p.m. At the

Holborn Restaurant. Lunch ; also some uplifting "electric" remarksirom

Mr. H. E. Blain.
Institution of Electrical Engineers (Western Centre).- Monday, October

18th. At the South Wales Institute of Engineers, Cardiff. At 7 p.m.

Annual general meeting.
Institution of Engineers and Shipbulldersi in Scotland. — Tuesday,

October 19th. At the Rankine Hall, Glasgow. At 7.30 p.m. Presidential

address.
Edinburgh Electrical Society.— Thursday, October 2l6t. At 7.30 p.m. Visit

to acolinifin ofHcfS,

Association of Engineering and Shipbuilding Draughtsmen (York
Technical Section).— Thursday, October 2l8t. At Priory Street Higher
Grade School, York, At 7.15 p.m. Paper on " The Destructive Distillation
of Coal," by Mr. E. Nicholson.

Chelmsford Engineering Society. — Thursday, October 81 et. At the
East Anglian Institute of Agriculture. At 7 p.m. Paper on " Electric
Traction," by Mr. E. H. Field.

Institution ol Mechanical Engineers,— Friday, October 22nd. At the
Institution, Storey's Gate, S.W. At 6 p.m. Address by the President.

Junior Institution of Engineers.— Friday, October 22nd. At 89, Victoria

Street, S.W. At 8 p.m. Paper on " Impulse Turbines," by Mr. A. H. Fitt.
Paisley Association of Electrical Engineers.— Wednesday, October 20th.

At the Technical College, George Street. At 7.30 p.m. Presidential addr, ss

by Mr. W. R. Bruce.
Manchester Association of Engineers. — Saturday, October 28rd. At the

Memorial Hall, Albert Square, Manchester. At 7 p.m. Paper on " \ ibra-

tion, including that of Crank Shafts, Fly Wheels and Alternating-current

Generators," by Mr. J. Frith.
Birmingham and District Electric Club.— Saturday, October 23rd. At the

Grand Hotel, Colmore Row. At 6.30 p,m. Annual ladies' night.

498

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87, No. 2,238, octobbb ib, 1920.

NOTES.

The Osram Patents. — In the Chancery Division on
Wednesday, October 13th, Counsel applied to Mr. Justice Ere. in the
action of the Osram Lamp Works, Ltd.. r. Maxim Lamp Works,
Ltd., for judtrment in default of defence. The case related to an
alleged infringement of one of the plaintiff company's patentp.
.Judgment was given accordingly.

Copper and Lead Prices. — Messrs. F. Smith & Co. and
Me-srs. James and Shakespeare report, October 12th, no change in
last week's copper prices. English pig lead £3.' lOj.. a reduction
of lOa. on last week's quotation.

Removing Sand from Water. — A description is given in

le Ghiie Ciril, of October 2nd, of a device perfected by M. Henri
Dufour, a Swiss engineer, for continuously removing sand from
water in hydro-electric works, to prevent the ferious wear which
is caused by its passage through the turbines. The apparatus
consists of a series of parallel compartments furnished with baffle-
plates to prevent rapid motion of the water, which enters at one
end at the bottom, and after traversing the compartments,
escapes at the other end at the top. The sand and gravel fall to
the bottom of each compartment, which is funnel-shaped ; at the
apex of the funnel a hole is provided through which a small
quantity of water constantly escapes, carrying with it the deposits.
Thus the compartments are automatically cleared of sand.

The device has been installed at a power station in Chile, where
grave damage had been done by sand ; an improved form has since
been adopted at a Swiss works.

Tlieft of Radium. — A safe, which contained, amongst
other things iridium, gold, radium bromide, and platinum, was
stolen, on the 5th inst., from the premises of Messrs. Golodetz, in
the City. The bottle containing the iridium sponge is said to have
contained 24 oz. troy, which is stated to be worth £120 per oz.

Edocational. — Municipal College of Technology,

Manchesteb. — The recently-published prospectus of University
courses is a very complete description of the College, its aims and
scope, and the courses are very minutely detailed. The degree
courses leading up to the grant of the B.Sc.Tech. and M.Sc.Tech.
cover the following fields : — Mechanical, electrical and sanitary
engineering, applied chemistry, textile industries, architecture and
mining. Part-time day and evening courses are also scheduled.

Ramsay Fellowship. — A Ramsay Memorial Fellowship of the
value of £300 a year for three years has been founded by subscrip-
tions received from the Swiss Government and from Swiss donors,
through the good offices of Prof. Ph. A. Guye, of Geneva. The
first Fellow to be elected is M. Etienne Roux, of 'Vich CVaud),
Switzerland, who has decided to work in the laboratories of Prof.
W. H. Perkin, at Oxford.— TAp rimes.

At a luncheon given at the University of Birmingham on
October 8th, Mr. Austen Chamberlain said that it was the Govern-
ment's intention to increase the grant in aid of University educa-
tion by .j; 500,001), making a total of £l,."iOO,000, and unless over-
whelming financial conditions prevented it, the same sum would be
given for a number of years. Mr Chamberlain said that up to the
present immense sums had been spent on elementary and secondary
education, and too little upon Universities. The grant would be
administered by the committee presided over by Sir William
McCormack, but the Government should not interfere too much,
and the Universities must retain their independence.

Whitwobth E.xhibitions. — The Board of Education announces
that the following candidates (among others) were successful in the
1920 competition for Whit worth Exhibitions :—WLlliam A. Ro we,
electrical fitter apprentice, Plymouth Dockyard ; Charles J.
Manning, electrician apprentice, Portsmouth Dockyard ; Archibald
G. Woodhouse, electrical fitter apprentice, Plymouth Dockyard ;
and Reginald W. Stubbington, electrical fitter apprentice, Ports-
mouth Dockyard.

L.C.C. Grants. — Among the larger grants made by the L.C.C. to
technical institutions for the purchase of equipment during the
year 1920-21 are the following :— £4,000 to the Battersea Poly-
technic ; £3,500 to the Northampton Polytechnic ; £3,030 to the
Regent Street Polytechnic ; £2,300 to the Goldsmiths' College ;
and £2,150 to the Woolwich Polytechnic.

Lloyd's Register of Sliipping. — The report of the

Society's operations for the year ended June 30th, 1920, which has
just been issued for the first complete year since the cessation of
war, contains very interesting information relating to shipbuilding
at home and abroad, and also to the use of oil fuel for boiler firing
and oU engines on board ship. The Committee has recently
approved amended rules for electrical fittings on board vessels. The
Society's chief surveyors were members of the " Ships' Electrical
Equipment Committee" of the Institution of Electrical Engineers,
wliich dealt with the recent revision of the Institution's require-
ments for the electrical equipment of ships, and the Society's
amended rules are in accordance with the latest req uirements of
the Institution. The chief ship surveyor is a member of the
Standing Sub-Committee appointed by the Institution of Electrical
Engineers to consider the interpretation of the rules drawn up by
the " Ships' Electrical Equipment Committee." The Committee has
acceded to the request of the Institution of Engineers and Ship-
builders in Scotland that Dr. Montgomerie, the Society's principal
surveyor for Scotland, be allowed to act as one of the representa-
tives of the Institution on the British Engineering Standards
Association Technical Committee on the standardisation of details
in the construction of ships and their machinery.

Scandinavia and tiie Export of Energy.— The

([uestion of the export of electrical energy has been under dis-
cussion in Scandinavian countries for some time past, with
particular reference to deliveries from Norway to Sweden, and
from both these countries to Denmark, whose water-power
resources are insignificant. In Denmark the idea of receiving
power from Norway and Sweden as suggested by a Swedish
engineer (Mr. Hjalmar Cassel) has created great interest, and a
Committee has been appointed and made application to the
Norwegian Government for the establishment of a Norwegian
Committee to co-operate with the Danish Committee in the matter.
As to the position in Sweden, the principal of the State hydro-
electric department is reported to have stated some time ago that
Sweden had an adequate supply of power available for the
immediate future, and that there could, therefore, be no question
of importing energy from Norway unless it were materially
cheaper, but this could scarcely be expected to be the case. But
even if Norwegian power was provisionally obtainable at a lower
price, he said that it was preferable for the Swedes to base their
distribution of power and industry upon their own waterfaUa. as a
supply of power which could be relied upon was cheaper in the
long run than power obtained from another country. In this
connection a Norwegian engineer (Mr. E. Kraabol-Jorstad) points
out that out of the Norwegian water powers representing about
10,000,000 KW., only 1.100,000 KW. had been brought into service
by the end of 1919. He states that the power already available
is relatively cheap, but will become more costly in the case of new
works. The export of power in the near future is not advisable,
in his opinion, from a national economic point of view, owing to
the existing great scarcity of power, and the large expenditure
which would be needed for machinery and plant. The opinion in
Sweden was that the Swedes could manage very well without
Norwegian power as the requirements in the south conld
presumably be entirely covered on the regulation of the Vanem in
connection with the extensions proposed at Trollhattan. On the
other hand, the Swedes were not unwilling to transmit power
from Trollhattan to Denmark, with the aid of a line from Troll-
hattan to Skaane.

Electricity in a Mint. — To increase the output of minor
coins, the United States Mint at San Francisco is installing a
Rennerfelt electric furnace of 1,000 lb. capacity, operating on two- ,
phase, 60-cycle service transformed from 2,200 volts to 110 volts.
The furnace was originally in operation at the Philadelphia (Pa.)
Mint, and was only recently withdrawn from service there
when replaced by furnaces of more recent design and greater
capacity. It is hoped to have the furnace in operation by the end
of September, but this may be delayed through uncertain delivery
of certain electrical switching equipment. Only metal for pennies
and nickels will be melted in this furnace, silver being handled in
the oil-fired crucibles now in use. Several of these crucibles were
taken out to make room for the electric furnace, while considerable
construction work was necessary to accommodate the new equip-
ment. A motor-driven topping machine and a motor grinder will
be installed to handle the clipping and smoothing of the ingots,
and a mechanical conveyor will eliminate most of the heavy
carrying of the moulds now done manually. — Journal of ElectricUy,

Electricity in Mines.— Mr. .J. K. R. Wilson, H.M.

Inspector of Mines for the Northern Division, in his report for the
year 1919, states that there were no underground fatalities, and
only four non-fatal accidents, due to electricity, and, considering
that the use of electricity underground increased from 79,422 H P.
in 1913, to 122,051 HP. in 1919, this cannot be regarded as ansatis-
factory.

Tlie Batti-Wallahs' Society.— The following is the

programme for 1920-21 session : —

Monday, October 18th, 1920.— Lunch.

Wednesday, November 3rd. — Informal evening.

Monday, November 15th. — Lunch.

Friday, December 3rd. — Smoking concert.

Monday, December 20th. — Lunch.

Wednesday, January 5th, 1921. — Informal evening.

Monday, January 17th. — Lunch.

Wednesday, February 2nd. — Informal evening.

Monday, February 21st. — Lunch.

Wednesday, March 2nd. — Informal evening.

Monday, March 2l8t. — Lunch and annual general meeting.

Friday, April 1st. — Annual dinner.

Monday, April ISth. — Lunch.

Monday, May 9th. — Lunch.

Monday, June 2oth. — Lunch.

At the Holborn Restaurant, on Monday, October 18th, Mr. H. E.
Blain will give an address.

Measuring Coal-Stack Temperatures. — An instrument

for ascertaining the temperature of a coal -stack at various depths,
was recently described by Power. The apparatus, known as the
" Thornley Coalometer," consists of three tubes extending to
various depths and encloeed in a long, pointed steel case. These
tubes end in bulbs, and are filled with alcohol. At the upper end
of the instrument are three dial temperature indicators each con-
nected to a tube. The scale on each dial runs from 32 to about
200° F., it ia coloured black up to 120°, but upwards from that
temperature the colour is red, indicating excessive heat. If several
of these devices are forced into a coal pile at varying depths and in
different localities, very accurate information can be gathered for
the whole of the pile. Instruments employed at intervals of 50 ft.
have proved very effective.

Vd'. 87. No. 2,238, octobeb 15, 1920.] TME. ELEOTEICAL REVIEW,

499

Coal Getting by Machinery.— Interesting details regarding
the extent to which mechanical coal-cutters are uaed in Scottish
pits, and the {jrowing- preference for electricity, are supplied by
Mr. H. Walker, Chief Inspector of Mines for Scotland, in his
annual report. There was an increase of lOS in the number of
coal-cutting: machines at work, and of 177,364 tons in the quantity
of mineral obtained by them compared with the fijjurea for 1918.
The total quantity of mineral cut by mechanical coal-cutters was
10,379,495 tons, of which 9,507,912 tons were prot by machines
driven by electricity, and 871,583 tons by machines driven by com-
pressed air. A comparison with the figures for 1913 shows that
313 more machines were employed, and 1.044,043 tons more
obtained by this means in 1919 than in 1913. In 1919 there were
353 more electrically-driven coal-cutters at work than in 1913, and
40 fewer driven by compressed air. The number of mechanical
conveyors in operation at the working face duringr the year was
105, compared with 125 in 1913. Regarding accidents, Mr. Walker
recommends the introduction of a practical electric head lamp.

The Threatened Strike in Power Stations.— We have

received from Mr. E. J. Jennings, secretary to the District Indus-
trial Council for Electricity Supply Industry No. 5 (West Midlands
Area), 14, Dale End, Birmingham, a copy of the following letter,
dated October 9th, which he has circulated amongst the District
Councils for the Electricity Supply Industry :

" I beg to inform you that at a meeting of my Council yesterday,
the circumstances under which the Electrical Trades Union had
threatened in connection with the recent Penistone dispute to
withdraw the labour of its members employed in electric supply
undertakings were discussed. The chairman reported the steps he
had taken in the matter, and, as the outcome of the discussion, it
was resolved unanimously, on the motion of the chairman
(Employers' side), seconded on the Trade Union side : —

" That, in view of the recent threat to withdraw labour from the
electric supply under, akinga arising out of an extraneous labour
dispute, this District Industrial Council is strongly of opinion that
it should first be given an opportunity by the parties concerned to
consider, before action is taken in any matters affecting the relations
betwf en employers and employes."

Nickel-plating Alumininm. — According to a note pre-
sented by M. Le Chatelier to the Academic des Sciences, published
in Lu Techinqve Muderne. Messrs. Leon GuiUet and Maxime
Gasnier have solved the difficult problem of depositing nickel on
aluminium. The surface of the metal is first sand-blasted, with
sand that has passed through a sieve with 0'2-mm. meshes, under
an air pressure of 1,500 gm. per cm'-. Adeposit of nickel 0'006 mm.
thick is then made, with a current of 0 8 ampere per dm- for
half-an-hour, after which a coating of copper is applied, 0 02 mm.
thick, the operation lasting two hours with a current of 1 ampere
per dm-. The copper is then polished, plated with nickel
U'ii05 mm. thick (0 6 ampere per dm- for one hour), and the nickel
is polished. This process gives a smooth adherent coating, passing
mechanical and chemical tests, and not only ensures the durable
protection of the alunainium, but also enables it to be soldered by
the ordinary processes. The nickel bath consists of sulphate of
nickel, 150 gm., double sulphate of nickel and ammonia, 50 gm.,
water to 1 litre ; the copper bath of copper sulphate, I.'jO gm ,
sulphuric acid, 20 gm., water to 1 litre.

The Engineering Training Organisation.— Following the

unsuccessful attempt to place the E.T.O. scheme on a satisfactory
financial basis, the Federation of British Industries, recognising the
importance of its activities and to prevent its dissolution a-i a
separate organisation, offered to take over the work : a similar offer
was also made by the Engineering Employers' Federation. A con-
ference of representatives of the three organisations was, therefore,
held, at which it was agreed to entrust the scheme to the Engi-
neering Employers' Federation. It is to be hoped that under the
new auspices, the work will so develop as to enable the young
engineer to obtain such training as will uphold the prestige of
British engineering practice throughout the world.

Wireless Ship Control. — Tests of a wireless control instal-
lation on the old battleship Iowa, just concluded by the U.S. Navy
Department, off the Virginia Capes, are declared to have fulfilled
the highest expectations of naval experts. The 12,000-ton battle-
ship was navigated with precise accuracy, it is said, solely by means
of wireless telegraphy from a control station on the battleship
Oh io. The control was found thoroughly efficient up to a maximum
distance of 10 or 12 miles. — Renter's Traile Serrice (Washington).

Appointments Vacant. — Two station engineers for
Egypt, for the Air Ministry ; lecturer in electrical and mechmical
engineering, for the Wigan and District Mining and Techanical
College ; switchboard attendant (908.), for the City of Chester
Electricity Works ; engineer and secretary, for the Wadebridge
and District Electric Supply Co., Ltd. ; assistant charge engineer,
for the Egham and Staines Electricity Co., Ltd. ; mete • tester, for the
Stoke-on-Tient Electricity Department ; tramway overhead lints-
man (38s. 8d. + 403.), for the Wigan Corporation Tramways ; assistant
for small D.c. station, for the Sale U.D.C. Electricity Department ;
visiting teachers in electrical engineering, physics, and electrical
wiring, for the L.C.C. Institute at Hackney ; pluater-jo'nter
(£5), for the Borough of Hey wood Electricity DfjartneLt;
plumber-jointer and two linesmen, for the Gellygaer Urban
District Electricity Department; telegraph mgineering assistants
(£350 -I- 50 per cent.), for the Post and Tel gripli Department of
the Government of Tanganyika Territory ; telegraph engineers
(£480), for the Governments of the Gold Coast and Nigeria ;
foreman linesman and overhead linesman, for the Burnley Corpora-
tion Tramways Department. See our advertisement pages to-day,

Scintillations from "The Electron."—?'/"' Electron is

tlie journal issued by the London District Committee of the Elec-
trical Trades Union ; in its issue No. 3, for October, a number of
interesting items appear, of which, perhaps, " Ole Bill's
Summary " is the spiciest. From this we gather that at a meeting
of the Film Workers' Union on September 16th, Mr. F. J.
Rosenburg remarked that " The Workers' Union had decided that
its members should stay at work even if the E.T.U. did come out.
He pointed out that the Workers' Union was quite justified in
taking this step, as they had nothing whatever to do with the
foreman at Penistone, about whom all the trouble was. He
pointed out that the E.T.U. 's threat to cut off London's electricity
supply was impossible, as all the stations were controlled by the
Workers' Union members." This quotation was originally derived
from T/ir Kinematngraph. It suggests that the Workers' Union
bases its decision to strike, or not to strike, purely on the merits of
a dispute in which another Union is engaged. The claim that in
the London stations, members of the Workers' Union predominate
is, we believe, well founded, though " Ole Bill" throws scorn upon
it, and expresses his opinion of that Union in unequivocal terms : .
" The Workers' Union is a blacklegging organisation, and ought to
be hounded out of the Trade Union movement as a dangrt to
working-class organisation." Possibly the Workers' Union
reciprocates this amiable sentiment — it did its utmost to avert the
strike when that was pending. On the other hand, " Ole Bill" is
kindly disposed towards the E.P.E.A., in spite of the hard things
which he admits having uttered with regard to it ; he says :
"The action of the E.P.E. A. in the engineering dispute has been
straight and above-board, and above anything else, I do love a
square deal.' He cites the case of Colchester, where the Town
Council has refused to pay the rates agreed upon by the District
Council, and also refused to pay the E.P.E. A. agreed advance of
£3ti. Both organisations took joint action, and tendered notices
to expire at the same time. The matter has been referred to the
Industrial Court for settlement. This is the first occasion on
which both organisations have acted together, and they both have
our hearty sympathy ; Councils (and companies) which refuse to
honour the decisions of the Industrial Council and Joint Board
are not only asking for trouble for themselves, which will be duly
delivered, but also are disturbers of the peace, and as such are
enemies to the public welfare. The last words of " Ole Bill "
(i e , Mr. W. J. Webb) are : " We ARE going to control the elec-
trical industry."

By a remarkable slip of the pen, on p. 15, our lively contem-
porary arrives at an increase in the cost of living of 182 per cent,
above pre-war, by adding a 30 per cent, increase in rent to the
value 152 per cent.

South African Power Scheme. — Kimberley and its

surrounding mines have long attracted the interest of en-
gineers as a centre for the consumption of a cheap power
supply, and the Government Inspector of Machinery for the
district in his last annual report says he believes that a
scheme is on the tapis to erect a power station at the Kroou-
stad Colliery, and transmit the power generated there through
the O.F.S., by way of Boshof, Koffiefontein, and Jagers-
fontein. A line, either dkect or branch, will, of course, come
to Kimberley. This scheme, if decided upon, will have far-
reaching eftects in the industrial development of a huge
tract of country at present almost entirely devoted to pastoral
pur.suits. Such "a scheme is of first importance to the Kroonstad
Colliery Co., whose product, as a steam coal, is of low quahty,
and therefore cannot hope to compete in the open market
with the higher class coal of the country except at points
at and close to the mine. The scheme is capable of expansion,
and would, it is thought, he a strong factor, if developed to its
full capacity, in hberating much of the latent wealth of this
district. There is a plentiful supply of good water available
within five miles of the mine, a weir across the Vaal being
all that is necessary to ensure the supply being permanent.
From its inception the financial success of the scheme is
assured. De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd.. even on that
company's present electric requirements, would consume ap-
proximately 8,000 Kw. New Jagersfontein would require
almost as much, as cheap power would be a strong incentive
to that company to centralise on a direct^treatment plant to
deal with the whole of the ground mined. Koffiefontein
Diamond Mine, Blaauwhosch Diamonds, New Eland Dia-
monds, Roberts Victor Diamonds, and Kimberley Waterworks,
all on the route, would, it is thought, require approximately
'2,0<I0 KW. tn satisfy their requirements. An electric railw-ay
from Koffiefontein to Fourteen Streams or Vierfontein would
lie brought within the range of possibility were such a scheme
as that under consideration an accompUshed fact. To further
elaborate this proposition and its possibilities for the future,
it might easily prove the deciding factor of the establishment
of an iron iiidustrv at or near Postmasburg. If that came
t« pass, it would in its stride supply power to the Frank
Smith Diamond Mines. The Makganyene Diamond Syndi-
cate could also be .supplied, and possibly some of the srnall
asbestos ventures near which it would pass. The extraction
of nitrogen from the air for agricultural purposes could also
lie undertaken, if for no other reason than to stabilise the
load and extend the peak over iM hours. The approximate
distance of transmission lines from the generating station to
the furthest point of supply will he .300 miles. This would
be easv of accomplishment now that .systems up to ICKl.flOO
volts are capable of reliable operation. Th" potential drop
over such a system should not be greater than 4 per cent.—
S.A. Mining and Engineering Journal.

600

TE[E ELECTRICAL REVIEW^ [Voi. 87. No. 2,238, ootobm is, 1920.

Railway Electrification.— Six years ago it was just
beginning to be realised that suburban railways were not
the only ones which it might pay to electrify, and that in
many cases the possible increase of traffic was not the only
or even the most important factor. The reduction in operat-
ing costs, both in the locomotive and traffic departments,
which electrification rendered possible, was, it was found,
sufficient to justify the conversion of lines where no special
increase of traffic was to be expected. The war postponed a
number of projects which were bemg prepared, and the great
increase in capital cost i§ still holding up a number. On the
other hand, the cost of operating steam locomotives has also
increased to such an extent that even at present-day prices
of electrical apparatus several new important schemes are
on the way. This particularly applies in Central Europe,
where the cost of coal has become almost the dominant factor.
In France, Switzerland, and even in Austria, the conversion
of various lines from steam to electric working looks like
going ahead. The extent of the possible economies may be
judged from the case of the lines from Innsbruck to the Swiss
frontier where, according to one of the American Govern-
ment experts, there will be a direct annual saving of 150,000
tons of coal, and a further 16 per cent, saving iji the amount
of coal formerly required for transporting the railways' own
coal. In view of the changed conditions to-day, both as
regards locomotive and traffic expenses, it may be desirable to
reconsider the question of electrification in connection with
various lines where it has hitherto proved impracticable.

The pros and cons of electric versus steam traction were
discussed recently by railway engineers and others gathered
for the purpose of hearing a paper entitled " Electric Traction
for Railways." ^ It was remarked by one speaker that with
the continued rise in the cost of coal, and the urgent necessity
for conserving it, anything which tended to reduce coal con-
sumption must be considered favourably, so that frorn this
point of view electrification undoubtedly scores a good point
because an up-to-date power station can produce electricity
at less than 2 lb. of coal per B.O.T. unit. This energy, after
being transmitted to the sub-stations, transformed down and
converted to d.c. and fed to the train motors— the overall
efliciency from the power station busbars to the rim of the
driving wheels of the electric train being about 62 per cent.—
gives one B.O.T. unit per 3.2 lb. of coal, or 1 H.P.-hour for
2.4 \h. of coal. From a test of a steam passenger train, it
requires from 6 to 8 lb. of coal to be burnt in the locomotive
firebox per H.P.-hour, delivered at the tender drawbar, for
express running. With goods trains, of course, the consump-
tion is considerably less, being about 4 lb. At any rate, there
is ample margin here for coal economy to be effected.

While the advantage of moving trains by electric power is
recognised, the expense of electrification projects prevents
many desirable schemes from maturing. As, however, traffic
is bound to grow very considerably as tifne goes on, the
question has been asked whether too much emphasis is not
laid upon the first cost. The American riailwaii Electrical
Engineer points out that by 1930 the movement of freight on
many lines will have grown to such an extent that continued
operation by steam power will be quite impossible, except
by increa-sing the number of tracks . It is therefore suggested
that the railway problem to be decided is whether it will be
cheaper to build these additional tracks and to maintain them
some ten years from now. or. alternatively, to spend the same
amount of money on electrification to-day and enjoy the
advantages of improved operating facilities. Investigations
have proved that one electric locomotive can exert a greater
drawbar pull than two of the largest steam locomotives, and
there is practically no limit to the power of the former, while
the latter has almost reached its maximum. At the same
time it must be remembered that while electrification has
justified itself in certain districts, it is by no means certain
that the general changeover would be economical. It is
probable that the report of the special committee appointed
by the Minister of Transport to investigate this question will
prove very instructive in this regard. — Railivay Gazette.

A Portable Oscillograph. — An illustrated description of

a portable oscillographic outfit appears under the name of
Mr. J. W. Legg, of the Westinghouse Electric & Manufactur-
ing Ob., Ltd., m the JonDial of the A.I.E.E. for .July, 19'20,
Briefly summarised, the special features of this portable com-
mercial oscillograph are as follows : The apparatus, including
the series elecfromagnet galvanometer, is very compact, and
use is made of an incandescent lamp with special arrangements
to obtain very great intrinsic brilliancy. A mechanically-
operated focal-plane shutter is provided, which always starts
exposures at the beginning of the film, in addition to a remote-
control switch to cause transient phenomena to appear at any
desired point. This switch and the .shutter are operated
by a trip magnet immediately after abnormal voltage is
applied to the incandescent lamp, and t<i prevent the filament
of the latter being destroyed a lamp-extinguishing switch is
also fitted. A self-contained storage battery supplies the
galvanometer field, and there is a switch for placing the
ammeter in the galvanometer field or battery-charging circuits;
the element resistances alid control panel are capable of stand-
ing commercial voltages. All the above apparatus is mounted
in a .single case, the dimensions of which are 13 by 14 by 25 in.
overall, and its weight 82 lb. An induction motor with
jjack gear and step pulley arrangement drives the photo-

graphic drum at a uniform speed over a large range of speeds ;
a transformer for 110 or 220 volts, 20 to 70 cycles, supplies
the motor, lamp, and trip magnet circuits, and separate
switches are provided for the control of the motor, trans-
former, and lamp. The whole of this portable commercial
oscillograph is arranged in two units, which together weigh
13-5 lb., including the storage battery and transformer.

Novel Commutator Construction. — A contributor to

Pon-er tells how the commutator of a small generator was
made from solid copper. The dimensions of the commutator
had to be 2| in. dia. and 2 in. long. .\ piece of copper rather
over this size was obtained, and a hole a little smaller than
the diameter of the armature shaft was bored through it.
The metal was then fixed on a mandrel and placed in a lathe,
and the back gears of the latter being used for a dividing head,
the slots were marked off. The blank was then taken off the
mandrel, and saw cuts were made to within 1/32 in. of the
bore. These slots were filled with mica, and a pipe was bored

Pig. 1.— Novel Commutator Construction.

out to fit tightly over the outside of the commutator (fig. 1).
The whole was then mounted in the lathe and bored out
to correct size, cutting away the small portion of metal left
to hold the blank together. The bore was then cleaned out
and the commutator mounted on a mandrel and turned to
receive the clamping rings. After mounting the commutator
on the armature shaft the pipe coupling was pulled off and
the face turned down to a finish.

INSTITUTION NOTES.

Bradford Engineering Society. — At the opening lecture of the
new session of the Society (Lieut.-Colonel Gadie presiding), Mr.
C. K. Everitt, of Sheffield, spoke on steel-making processes. 4fter
giving the history of steel-making and describing various processes,
Mr. Everitt said the electric furnace had played a very important
part during the war in the manufacture of alloy steel for motor
transport and aircraft. The speaker illustrated the various pro-
cesses by lantern and kinematographic pictures.

King's College, London, Old Students' Association.— Enotn-
EEBING Faculty. — A luncheon will be held at the Holborn
Restaurant, at 1.15 p.m. on Wednesday. October 27th, when the
chair will be taken by Mr. C. H. Wordingham, C.B.E. Old students
are requested to communicate with the Hon. Assistant Secretary,
Mr. D. JI. Kendon, King a College, W.C. 2.

Paisley Association of Electricai Engineers Mr. W. B. Brace,

of the Paisley District Tramways Co., will open the ensuing session
with his presidential address on October 20th. Several interesting
papers and visits have been arranged for the session, the first item
being a visit to Messrs. Harland & Welti's Govan shipbuilding yard.

Electrical Power Engineers' Association.— On Saturday last
the Southern Division gave the second annual dinner to the
members of the National Exeoutive Council at the Holborn
Restaurant. Mr. W. J. Jeffery presided, and there was a large
attendance of members and ladies.

After the toast of "The King,' Mr. A. L. Lnnn, past-president,
proposed " The Ladies," urging them to see that their husbands
attended the meetings of the Association. He pointed out that
before the advent of the E.P.E.A., they had a poor time ; the oon-
ditions were now much better, and would go on improving, but
they must have no waverers— firm support was the only means of
securing better terms. Mr. A. H. Allen, proposing " The E.P.E.A.,'
reminded them that internal friction crippled the efforts of its
predecessor, the A.E S.E. ; the new Aaaociation, formed to secure
representation on the Whitley Councils, had obtained a satisfactory
alternative — the Joint Industrial Board — and its schedule of
salaries was in course of adoption, while its efforts in the cause of ,
peace had been successful in staving off the threatened disaster to
London .

The event of the evening was the presentation to Mr. Lnnn of a
silver tea and coffee service, together with a gold bracelet for Mrs,
Lunn, and silver knives and forks for Master Lunn. In intro-
ducing the presentation, the President, Mr. J. H. Parker, said that
Mr. Lunn, as their first president, laid the foundations of the
Association on a sound basis and welded the Xationsl Executive
Council into a harmonious whole. Every town in the kingdom had

Vol. 87. No. 2,2S8, octobfb 15, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL BEYIE^

601

oontribnted with spontaneoug enthusiasm to the presentation,
which was a token of their admiration for the splendid work he
had done for the Association dnrinfr the past four years. Mr.
J. F. Heslop followed, expressing his admiration for the past-
president, and the magnificent progress which had been made in so
short a time under his guidance, so that the Association was now
invited to confer with the Board of Trade ; Mr. Esses said the
Association was started under great difficulties, but Mr. Lunn was
a born leader ; and Mr. Jeffery pointed out that to accept the office
of first president of the first staff Trade Union required immense
courage. Pressure had been brought to bear on senior ofiicials in
the S.W. area to leave the Association — let them bear in mind the
e sample of Mr. Lunn two years age, and have the pluck to siay
in it to-day. Mr. Lunn, in reply, expressed difficulty in finding
words suitable Ito convey to them his sincere thanks on behalf of
his wife and child and himself.

After an interval, Mrs. Parker responded to the toast of " The
Ladies," remarking that her husband had so much to say about
the E.P.E A., &o., nowadays that she could hardly get a word in
edgeways ; she hoped that more settled times were now before
them, and believed that meetings such as that would bear good
fruit.

The President, Mr. Parker, then responded to the toast of the
E.P.E.A., in a speech of exceptional eloquence. After expressing
gratitude to the electrical Press for its support when the Associa-
tion was yet an unknown quantity, he eulogised the fighting
qualities of the Executive Council and the Emergency Committee,
which 03uld always get out of a hot corner. They had recently
faced a difficult situation ; they had always endeavoured to avert
strikes in the electricity supply industry, at great cost to the
Association, and when the Electrical Trades Union chose the path
of peace, for the first time in two years, they could not withhold
their support from it. On the other hand, their members could
not be expected to stop work at a moment's notice, and therefore
they insisted on the E T.U. giving seven days' notice ; daring that
period they succeeded in inducing the disputants to make peace.
As a result of their interviews with Sir Robert Home, he had
promised to help them to enforce their schedule of salaries. The
Executive Council was able to hold the scales level in the elec-
tricity supply industry ; the nation was reaping the fruit of
unfair dealings in the past between masters and men — they should
strive to maintain peace by enforcing fair play on both sides. The
Executive Council was inspired by great ideals, and demanded a
square deal ; it was the only organisation that could compel peace
in the industry.

During the evening an excellent musical programme was performed
by Misses Ellen Collins, Lily Grahame, and Marie Fein, and Messrs.
Will Pither and J. Purvis, accompanied by Mr. Stanley Chappie,
almost every item being encored ; the K.V.A. orchestra also
rendered admirable service, the whole of the entertainment being
provided by members and their lady friends.

Junior Institution of Engineers. — At the annual meeting of
the North- Eastern Section of the Institution, Dr. W. M. Thornton,
Professor of Electricity at Armstrong College, Newcastle, delivered
his presidential address at that Institution on October 6th. His
subject was " Science and the Future of Engineering." Prof.
Thornton, having considered the forces of nature in their text-
book order, with regard to mechanics, said the growth was bound
up with the process of evolution ; there were no new mechanical
laws to ba expected, and, therefore, they must look to the future
of mechanical engineering for the development of new types of
tools and appliances. They could, however, perhaps expect
developments in water-power and the use of the tides, schemes for
the use of which were being considered all round the British coast.
The development of this was intimately connected with the
developments of fuels. Under the head of sound there was at the
present moment before the public a system of transmission of
power by wave motion, which was really transmission by sound
wave, if the claims of the inventors were correct ; if not, it was
hydraulics used in the sime way as alternating currents were used
in electricity. Discussing new sources of heat, the professor
remarked that solar heat did not seem to be realisable directly for
engineering purposes. The earth's underground heat. Sir Charles
Parsons had suggested, might be tapped by means of immense
bore-holes 12 miles deep. The suggestion was undoubtedly an
engineering possibility, and it would be extremely interesting to
see it carried out. The supply of heat from such a source was
limited only by the low conductivity of rocks at high tenipdratures.
On the subject of electricity and magnetism, the speaker said it
wa« now known that all matter was made up of small electrical
charges called electrons, and the problem, at present inconceivable,
was to tap that source of electricity without going through the
inefficient process of conversion into heat. There had been
attempts to utilise the energy of coal to obtain electricity, and
the science of electro-chemistry was gradually indicating the
possible lines of attack. If we could obtain electricity at high
pressure from the energy of coal, oil, or alcohol without burning,
an immense advance would be made. The problem of obtaining
power from atomic matter had been before the scientific public for
the last few years, but no lines of advance had yet opened out ; a
method aa likely to be successful as any would, perhaps, be to tap
the energy contained in the construction of the electrons them-
selves. If they considered them as permanent strain centres in
the ether, nothing could be done, but if aa was remotely possible
electrons could be annihilated, the energy liberated would be
enormous. For example, the electron was a strain centre like a
knot, and when combined with an electron of opposite sign formed
a closed system of kinks. It was just passible that, in the same
way as one could cause a kink in india-rubber to straighten out flat
by throwing it violently on the floor, one might be able to break

up the electrical structure by violent collisions with a consequent
liberation of energy. The amount of power realised would make
up for the amount of power required to obtain it. That was the
merest speculation ; he thought, however, that it was much more
likely that they would be able to tap the energy contained in
atomic structure than in the electrons of which it was made, yet
neither source was beyond the realm of possibility.

Birmingham and District Electric Clab At the meeting of

the Club, on October 9th, a paper was read by F. S. J. Pile, M.A.,
member, on " Thermo- Electric Currents as Applied to Pyrometry."
It dealt with the early difficulties encountered both with the
thermo-couples and with the indicating and recording instruments,
and gave full descriptions of the most recent devices, dealing
specially with the compensating arrangements at the cold junction
of the couple, and with the latest contrivances for preventing zero
creep in the micro-voltmeter. The lecturer was ably assisted by
Mr. Stone, who is the inventor of many of the special applianoea
used in modern pyrometry. The lecture was illustrated by a full
range of couples and indicating and recording instruments of the
latest types, and was much enjoyed by a very appreciative
audience.

Manchester Association of Engineers. —The inaugural meeting
of the session took place on Saturday last. In the afternoon
upwards of 3i.iJ members had the opportunity of viewing the
extensive works of Messrs. Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and
Co., Ltd., at Openshaw. The evening meeting was held at the
Memorial Hall, to which place the Association has moved in view
of the extraordinary increase in membership. The chair was
occupied by the President, Mr. Henry Pilling, M.B.E. The "Con-
stantine " Gold Medal was presented to Mr. Pilling by Mr.
Harold F. Massey, ex-President, for his able paper on " Uniflow
Steam Engines." The '' Butterworth" Medal was awarded to
Mr. George E. Windeler for his contributions to discussions during
the past session. Subsequently the President delivered his
inaugural address, the main theme of which was the desirability
of the Association paying more systematic attention to the rising
young men in the engineering industry of Manchester, with the
hope that it would make greater efforts in this direction than in
the past.

Glasgow Corporation Electricity Department Engineering
Society. — The Society commenced its winter session on the Ith inst.,
at the head offices, Waterloo Street. The Society is entering on
the fourth year of its activities, and has now a membership of
over 400. Mr. R. B. Mitchell, engineer and manager of the depart-
ment, in delivering his presidential address, dealt with the present
outlook in electrical engineering, with special reference to elec-
tricity supply undertakings. After mentioning the lessons gained
from the war in the way of standardisation of plant and apparatus,
he referred to the question of industrial fatigue and schemes for
the welfare of employes. Dealing with electrically-propelled
commercial vehicles, he said that the present high price for petrol
made this a unique opportunity for the electrical engineet
developing the use of such vehicles, and pointed out that electric
passenger-carrying vehicles had not been used to any extent in
this country, although they were widely used in America and on
the Continent. Mr. Mitchell said that the new system evolved by
a Rumanian, M. Constantinescu, for the transmission of mechanicskl
energy by vibrations was destined to p'ay a great part in the
development of industry, and the applications would in some cases
supplant transmission of energy by electricity. He thought that
while this new system might not benefit the manufacturers of
electric motors, it would ultimately be of benefit to electric supply
undertakings.

Institution of Electrical Engineers (East Midland Sub-Centre).
— The opening meeting of the session, 1920-21, will be held at the
Technical College, Loughborough, on Tuesday, October 19th, at
6.4.1 p.m., when an address will be delivered by the chairman,
Mr. F. S. Grogan.

Edinburgh Electrical Society — On Friday last, Mr. Stark
delivered a lecture on " The Electric Equipment of a Modern
Battleship," to a large attendance of the membars. Special
attention was given to the electrical gear for fire control and
navigation purposes.

Mr. Macintosh, the chairman, expressed satisfaction with the
considerable number of new members who were coming forward to
join the society, and announced that the next meeting would take
place at the offices of " The Scotsman " on Thursday, the 21st inst.
at 7.30 p.m.

Warrington Electrical Society.— This Society held its first regular
meeting of the session on the 8th inst. Mr. F. V. L. Mathias,
Corporation electrical engineer, was in the chair, and addressed a
large audience. Mr. Evans, of St. Helena Cable and Rubber Co.,
Ltd., and Mr. Smith, local chairman of the E.T.U., moved and
seconded a vote of thanks to the chairman. The rest of the
evening was devoted to impromptu discussions by Mr. Robertson on
the fixing of switch and ceiling-rose blocks, and by Mr. Senior on
the correct way to fix electrical tubing. Meetings will take place
on the second and fourth Fridays in each month, in the Technical
Schools.

The Faraday Society and the Physical Society of london.—
For the convenience of those attending the general discussion on
" Colloids," on October 25th, it has been arranged to hold a dinner
at the Hotel Victoria, Northumberland Avenue, at 6.30 p.m. sharp,
between the afternoon and evening sessions. The price per head
will be 12s., payment to be made at the dinner. As the arrange-
ments only hold good if a sufficient responae is received from those
attending the meeting, the secretary, Mr. F. S. Spiers, will be
glad to know, not later than October 18th, whether he may reserve
places for them.

602

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,238, octobm i6, 1920.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

The Editors invite electrical engineers, whether connected with the
technical or the commercial side of the professimi and industry,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
EliEOTBlCAL Review posted as to their vimievients.

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED.

At a meetinp: of the Stockton-on-Tees Town Council on 5th inst.,
it was reported that a letter had been received from the hon.
secretary to the Associated Municipal Electrical Engineers with
reference to the salary of the Council's chief electrical engineer,
Mb. J. J. Smitb. and that it had been decided not to accede to the
application, but to recommend to the full Council in committee
that the salary of the engineer should be increased to £6Ci> per
annum, such sum not to include the existing bonuses, the bonus
under consideration (whether granted or not) and all future
bonuses.

Major H. J. de Courcy Moore, who is one of the candidates for
the City of London Aldermanic vacancy, and will seek election
to the office of Sheriff next year, is a Fellow of the Institute
of Chartered Accountants, and chairman of Messrs. T. Clarke
and Co., Ltd., electrical contractors.

Canterbury Town Council has increased the salary of the chief
electrical engineer from £575 to £6i0 per annum, as from
April 1st laat.

Mr. John 0. Williams and Mr. G. B. Jackson have been
appointed in a temporary capacity by the Liverpool Electrical
Power and Lighting Committee ajs assistant inspectors of instal-
lations.

Mb. Meade, who has consented to nomination as Mayor of
Stafford, though formerly in the electrical industry, is now engaged
in motor production, &c. He took his electrical degree at Finsbury
College, was a pupil of Messrs. R. A. Scott & Co.. and subsequently
he was associated with the Planet Electrical Engineering Co., and
the British Aluminium Co., whose electrical equipment at their
mills at Stoke-on-Trent he supervised. Later he was, for 12 years,
chief engineer of the Stafford Corporation Electricity Works.

The Morley Town Council has advanced the salaries of leading
officials, including that of the borough electrical engineer, from
£438 to £500 per year.

Mb. H. Bramald, electrician at the Crigglestone Colliery,
Yorkshire, for the past eight years, has been presented by his
colleagues of the colliery electrical department with a fountain pen
and a set of brushes, on his leaving to take up a position at

We understand thab Mb. G. Watson, M.Inst.C.E., M.LMech.E.,
has now ceased to represent the New Destructor Co., Ltd., and that
he is carrying on his practice as a civil and mechanical engineer at
the same address as before, viz., Walter House, Bedford Street,
Strand, London, W.C. 2. His large experience in connection with
refuse disposal, and also furnaces and boilers for steam raising
from low-grade fuel wUl, therefore, still be available, either to
contractors for, or users of, such plant.

St. Annes Council has appointed Mb. H. W. Laing as the
manager of Blackpool, St. Annes, and Lytham tramway, as from
November Ist, when the line Ibecomes the property of the Council.
Mr. Laing is the present manager under the private company.

Wolverhampton Town Council has decided to retain the services
of Mb. Dcdgeon, line superintendent of the Birmingham Corpora-
tion tramways, to assist the tramway manager and engineer in
carrying into effect the conversion from the Lorain surface contact
to the overhead tramway system, at a fee of £210, plus out-of
pocket expenses.

The TimcH states that Mr. L. G. Killbv, superintendent of the
Department of Technology, City and Guilds of London Institute,
has been appointed secretary to the Empire Cotton-Growing
Committee.

Mb. R. G. Rawkins, manager and secretary of the Netting Hill
Electric Lighting Co., Ltd., has been nominated by his colleagues
as Mayor of Windsor for the coming year, and it is expected that
the nomination will receive the unanimous support of the newly-
elected members on November 9th. Councillor Rawkins has been a
valued member of the Council for 1 1 years, and for some time past
has acted as chairman of the Finance Committee.

Obituary. — Mb. George Tangve. — We regret to record the
death which occurred on October 8th, at the age of 85 years, of
Mr. George Tangye. He waa one of the several brothers who
launched the celebrated business at Birmingham which still bears
their name. Mr. George Tangye was chiefly identified with the
business side of the concern.

Mb. Henry Steel. — We regret to record the sudden death of
Mr. Henry Steel, chairman of Steel, Peech i: Tozer, Ltd., of
Rotherham. and of the United Steel Companies, Ltd.

Mb. a. Cameron. — The death took place at 78, Grange Loon,
Edinburgh, on October 5th, of Mr. Alexander Cameron, late
superintendent. Eastern Extension Telegraph Co., Penang.

Mr. G. W. Giles. — The death occurred at Fribourg (Switzerland)
on August 14th, of George Washington Giles, who had just com-
pleted his r)4th year. He was a director of the Societe Gen^rale
des Condensateurs Electriques at Fribourg, By his inventions and
studies he did much to improve the protection of networks from
over voltage, the electric valve which bears his name being in
common use for the protection of alternators and underground
networks.

Sir John McLauen.— On October 12th Sir John McLaren, head
of the firm of Messrs. J. & H. McLaren, engineers, of Hunslet, died
at the age of 70 years.

Wilis.— The late Pbof. John Pebbv, F.R.S., left £10,343.

B. M. C, Ltd. (170,661).— Private company. Registered

October 6th. Capital, £1,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the business of
electricians, motor and mechanical engineers, manufacturers and workers of
and dealers in electricity, &c. The subscrib..rs (eacli with 250 shares) are :
R. O. Bird 3. Nicholson Road, Addiscombe, Croydon, Surrey, manufacturer;
P. W. J.- Collin, 37. Farnley Road, South .Vorwood. S.E.25, import agent.
First directors not named. Registered office : .\rcadia Works, Grant Road.
Croydon.

Fryer & Hartley, Ltd. (170,681).— Private company. Re-
gistered October 7th. Capital, £8.000 in fl shares. To acquire the business
carried on by T. Fryer and T. Hartley at Sl,.ck Street, Rochdale, as " Fryer
& Hartley," and to carry on the business of electricians, mechanical engineers
and manufacturers, tool makers, &c. The first directors are : T, Fryer, 50.
Molvneux Street. Rochdale; T. Hartley, 6, Miner\-a Terrace Littleborough ;
P. bgden, Hillcrest, Spotland, Rochdale; L, Wolstenholme. 20, Meanwood
Brow, Rooley Moor Road Rochdale. Secretary : P. Ogden. Registered office :
Slack Street, Rochdale.

Electric Car and Accessories Co., Ltd. (170,569). — Private

company. Registered October 1st. Capital, £2.000 in £1 shares. To carry on
the business of manufacturers of and dealers in electrical motor vehicles,
trucks, tractors and locomotives, electricians, electric motor, mechanical and
general engineers, manufacturers of electrical accessories, &c. The subscribers
(each with one share) are: C. Macaskie. 24a. Castletown Road VV.14. elec-
trical engineer; L. D. Francois. 118, Ritherdon Road. Balham, S.\V.I7.
electrical engineer. C. Macaskie is permanent governing director and chair-
man. Solicitor: J. E. M. Crowlher, 23, Abingdon Street, Westminster.

Craven and District Private Telephone and Electric Co..
Ltd. (170,536). — Private company. Registered September

30th. Capital, £4,000 in £1 shares. To take over from J. Banks and J. H.
Oxley the business carried on at Keighley Road. Skipton. Yorks., as the
" Craven and District Private Telephone and Electric Co." The first directors
.ire: J. Banks, 14. Romille Street. Skipton; J. H. Oxlev, 37. Bright Street,
Skipton (both permanent, subject to holding £500 shares). Secretary : F. W.
Beard. Registered office : Keighley Ro.id, Skipton, Yorks.

Birmingliani and Staffordshire Electrical Co., Ltd.

(170,662).— Private compariy. Registered October 6th. Capital. £3,000 in £1
shares (1,000 founders). To carry on the business of electricians, mechanical
engineers, manufacturers and workers of and dealers in electricity. &c. The
subscribers feach with one ordinary share) are : A. E. Legg. 4, Dogfield
Street, Cardiff, cashier; C. H. Moore. 31, Denton Road, Cardiff, clerk. The
first directors are to be appointed by the subscribers. Registered office : Post
Office Buildings, Samuel Street, Bloxwich, Staffs.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Everett, Ldgcumbe Ai Co., Ltd. — Return dated July 5th,

1920. Capital. £45,000 in £1 shares (5.000 6 per cent, cumulative preference.
39,997 ordinary, and 3 " A "). 3,300 preference, 26,683 ordinary, and 3 " A "
shares taken up. £12,470 paid. £17,516 paid. Mortgages and charges, nil.

W. J. Jenkins & Co., Ltd. — Debenture dated September

15th, 1920, to secure all moneys due or to become due from company to
National Provincial and Union Bank of England, Ltd., charged on company's
undertaking and property, present and future, including uncalled capital.

Lester & Browne (London), Ltd. — Particulars of ^6500

debentures authorised September 20th, 1920, present issue £200, charged on the
company's undertaking and properly, present and future, including uncalled
capital.'

Ingleby & Co., Ltd.— Particulars of ^£12,000 debentures

authorised July 22nd, 19*20, whole amount issued : charged on the company's
undertaking and property', present and future, including uncalled capital.
Satisfaction in full on September 20th, 1920, of debentures dated Seplembel-
13th, 1911, securing £2,000.

Dawlish Electric Light and Power Co., Ltd. — Second

mortgage debenture dated September 24th, 1920, to secure £2.000 charged on
the company's undertaking and property, present and future, including uncalled
capital. Holders : J. M. Houghton. 3. The Strand, Dawlish, and W. H.
Gillett, 39, Threadncdle Street, E.C.

Borland Hagedorn & Co., Ltd.— F. J. Stafford, of 75a,

Belsize Park Gardens. Hampstead, N.W., ceased to act as receiver or manager
on February 2nd, 1920.

BatyMeter Co., Ltd. (99,327).— Return dated July 23rd,

1920. Capital, £20,000 in £1 shares (12.000 preference and 8,000 ordinary).
10,683 preference and 8,000 ordinary taken up. £8,118 paid (being £1 per
share on 423 and 15s. per share on 10,260 shares, all preferred). £8,000 con.
sidered as paid on 8,000 ordinary shares. Mortg.iges and charges, nil.

Wardle Engineering Co., Ltd. (102,714).— Return dated

August 31st, 1920 (filed September 6th). Capital, £7.000 in £1 shares (5.000
ordinary and 2.000 preference). 4,320 ordinarv and 2.000 preference shares
taken up. £6,r20 paid. £200 considered as paid. Mortgages and charges, nil.

United Electric Car Co., Ltd.— Return dated March 18th,

1920 Cnpltal. £300,000 in £1 shares (150,000 ordinary and 150,000 prefer-
ence). 150,000 ordinarv and 100,000 preference t.iken up. £250,000 paid. Mori-
gages and charges, nil.

Electrical Appliances (Blackpool). Ltd. — Mortgage dated

September 17th, 1920, to secure £2,4,50 : charged on 5. Bloomfield Road.
Blackpool. Holders : Mrs. E. Chadwick, The G.ibles. Park Road, Thornlon-
le-Fylde; and Mrs. M. Sharpies. "The Uplands," Hardhorn. PouIton-le-Fylde.

Telephone Manufacturing Co., Ltd.— Satisfaction in full

on August 24th, 1920, of debentures d.ited October 8th, 1920. securing £30,000.

Fors Accumulator Foreign Patents. Ltd. (103,151). —

Return dated January 11th (fil,.d S. pi.inl.er 8lh. 1920). Capital. £3.000 in t\
shares (952 preference and 2,048 ordiii,.r\). 584 pieference .nnd 2.048 ordinarv
shares taken up. £132 paid. £2,,''>0U consider,-,! as paiil. Mortgages and
.barges, £1-25.

Christy Brothers & Co., Ltd. (90,039).— Return dated

November 5lst, 1919 (filed August 3r<l. 1920). Capital, £22.000 in £1 shares
(14 000 ordin.iry, 8,000 deferred, and 5,000 7 per cent, cumulative preferen^
10,.537 ordinarv, 3,000 deferred, and 2,50 preference shares taken up. £4,6H.
paid. £9,100 considered as paid. Mortgages and charges, £4,600.

Cecil Hodges & Co., Ltd.— Satisfaction to the extent of

£250 on March 20th nnd £,50 on Mav 10th. 1930, of mortgage debentures
dated March 1st, 1910, securing £500.

Vol. 87. No. 2,238, Octobeb 15, 1920.]

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

503

CITY NOTES.

The twenty-third ordinary general meet-
Auckland Electric ing was held at the Electrical Federation
Tramways Offices, Kingsway, un' October 6th, the
Co., Ltd. Chairman. Mr. C. (J. Tegetmeier, presid-

ing. The directors' report and statement
of accounts (briefly noticed in the Electrical Review of Octo-
ber 8th, p. 471) were unanimously adopted. The Chairman,
referring to the purchase of the Auckland Corporation tram-
way undertaking, said it was a matter for congratulation on
both sides that a transaction of such a magnitude had been
carried through successfully. There was a desii'e among
some of the New Zealand shareholders that the Corporation
Debentures should be distributed among the shareholders, but
there were many objections to this course. Every favourable
opportunity of disposing of the Corporation Debentures in
New Zealand was being taken, and the proceeds were being
invested on this side. In order to effect sales in a com-
petitive market it had been found necessary to reduce the
price of the debentures to £90 per cent., but f 75,300 had been
disposed of at an average price of £9'1 per cent. The policy
that was being pursued by the board was, in effect, the
liquidation of the company at the time and in the manner
likely to produce the best results. The position shown by the
accounts indicated that in the continuance of this policy the
present dividend of 6J per cent, on ordinary shares could be
maintained, and that in view of all circumstances the present
time did not present a favourable opportunity of winding up
the company. Messrs. Horton and Leys as New Zealand share-
holders expressed their approval of the company's policy with
regard to the realisation of the Auckland Corporation deben-
tures.

The accounts for the year ended March,
Direct United ]9"2(1, were delayed pending the conclusion
States Cable of negotiations referred to below. The total
Co., Ltd. income was £55.QS'2, l)Ut in view of the

heavy expense of maintaining the cables
and the necessity of providing for the costs of the action
against the Western Union Telegi-aph Co.. the directors are
unable to recommend the payment of any dividend for the
period covered by the accounts. They have, however, declared
a dividend at the rate of 4 per cent, per anum for the six
months ending September .30th. 1920. The cost of maintain-
ing the cables for the year amounted tn ^9,210. out of which
f62,.590 represented the cost of the " Faraday " expedition to
repair the main cable in Mav. .June and July. 1919. In recot;-
nition of services rendered as manager and secretary, the
directors have elected Mr. W. Miles, O.B.E.. to a seat on the
board. In a circular accompanying the renort the directors
report that the negotiations have been brought to a successful
conclusion.

centrated their effurts on the reconstruction of the works at
Douai. The installations at the works of Deville-les-Kouen
were now completed, and the works was able to undertake
manufactm'mg. On the other hand, arrangements had been
concluded which would provide for the Pans .shops regular
orders intended to replace those for electrical plant when the
production of the latter hud been transferred to Douai. The
net prohts earned in 1919-20 amount to 1,605 ,UUO fr., as com-
pared with -.i.Oia.tKJU fr. in the preceding year, and a dividend
at the rate of -30 fr. per share has been declared as in 19iy-19.

The new issue having been fully subscribed, the capital of
this comixiny is now S,UUO,l.HAl fr. — that is, exactly doubled.

Appureiilaye Electrique Oricuiati. — The accounts of this com-
pany for the workmg year 1919-"20 show a net profit of
9b2,'.&5 fr., against V.i4,416 fr. in 191b-19. It is proposed to
pay a dividend of 10 fr. on each fully paid up share, which is
the same as the foregoing year's dividend. In addition, from
the sum of 16"2,500 fr., being the premium reahsed on the new
issue of shares, it has been decided to set apart 106,940 fr. as
dividend on the •2,13y,iSO0 fr. iiew capital lately raised.

Hocictc Santaise d' Edaiiugc et de Furce pur V Elect ricite. —
The shareholders have authorised the management to create
100,600 new shares, the issue to be made in one or more opera-
tions, as deemed suitable. The capital will thus be raised to
46,060,000 fr.

The iro!/ra)U Lamyeii A.G.^ of Auga-

German iiury, reports that the deficit of 261,000

Companies. marks in 1918-19 increased to 506,000 marks

in 1919-20. The factory is still in operation,

although the leu.se expired at the end of 1919.

The directors of the Kubelii-crk Hheydt A.U., uj Hlicydt, re-
commend a dividend for 1919-20 at the rate of 30 per cent, and
a bonus of 100 marks per share, as contrasted with a rate of
30 per cent, in the preceding year, i

• The Wothan Werke A.G., oj Leipsig, proposes to pay a divi-
dend at the rate of 15 per cent, and a bo^us of 250 marks per
share for 1919-20, as compared with 15 per cent, and 150 marks
respectively in the previous vear. The share capital is to be
increased from 2,660,000 to 6,60<.),0Ut» marks.

The Brandenburg Carbid und Elektrizitdts Werkc, A.G., of
Berlin, after writing off 800,60t> marks for depreciation in
1919-20 as against 200,000 marks in the previous year, reports
net profits of 325,000 marks us compared with 322,000 marks
in 1918-19. It is proposed to pay a dividend at the rate of
7 per cent., as in the preceding year. The report states that
no material change took place in the carbide branch, and
the production had to be delivered to the State distributing
department. It was not possible for the Steinbuseh works
to resume the manufacture of carbide, as contracts for the
supply of energy had first to be satistied. The Muhlthal works
passed into the possession of Poland.

When the

High Court gave a deci;

*ion advers.

- to this company in its actiur

agains; the

Western Union Co. an

appeal was

at once entered, but thi** wa^

stayed by rr

mtual consent with a vif

arrangement being arrived ;ii

between thf

i two companies for a

continuanc

e of the lease. The director;

regret that

these efforts were not

successful.

the ultimate proposals nf th(

Western Ui

lion Co. being of such

a nature ;

IS to preclude the board fioii

ending th^ir consideration by the shareholders.

An offer has, however, been received from H.M. Government for the pur-
chase of the company's cable ns laid, its properties, equipment and stock
cable, which offer will be submitted at the meeting on October 19th.

The directors recommend the shareholders to sanction the acceptance of this
offer, which they estimate will, after discharging the company's liabilities,
permit of a payment being eventually made to the shareholders of at least
£6 per share.

The board believe that the income to be derived from the existing wcuritl.s
and the interest upon the purchase consideration to be received from the
Government will permit of the pavment of a dividend of about 4 per cent, per
annum until the company is finally dissolved.

The directors desire to express their svmpathy with the shareholders in the
difficult conditions they have been called upon to face during the pnst
eighteen months, and to congratulate them upon what they feel must be
regarded as a satisfactory termination of a trying period of suspense.

The Societe des Porcelaiiirs et Appareil-
French lages EJlectriqiien Grammnnf i-enorts gross

Companies. profits of 2,089,000 fr. for 1919-20. as com-
pared with 1.. 508,000 fr. in the preceding
year, and net profits of 430.000 fr. and '267.000 fr. in the two
years respectively. It is intended to pay a dividend at the
rate of 10 fr. per share, as against 8. .50 fr. in 1918-19. .\t a
recent extraordinarv meeting it was decided to increase the
share capital by 2.500,000 fr. so as to nrovide for the develop-
ment of business resulting from the acquisition of the
Eadiquet works for the production of porcelain for electrical
purposes.

The Sorirte T.a Malson Breguef. reporting on the year
1919-20. .states that although the orders were abundant, the
turnover was materially reduced owing to difficulties in con-
nection with tran.sport. the scarcity of coal and of other
raw materials, strikes and increases in wa.ues. Nevertheless.
conditions were now tending in the dire'tion of becoming
normal. Large orders had been received for the reconstruc-
tion of the deva.stated districts, but the provisional work.shops
erected at Paris would he unable to meet the requirements
for electrical plant. As a consequence the directors had con-

Electrolytic Zinc Co. of Australasia, Ltd. — Shareholders in
Amalgamated Zinc (De Bavays), the Zinc Corporation, Broken
Hill South, the Mount Read and Eosebery Mines, North
Broken Hill, Tasuiauiun Copper Company and the Mount
Lvell Mining and Railway Company are invited to apply for
shares m proportion to their holdings in the Electrolytic Zinc
Company of Australasia, Ltd., on terms of the prospectus of
that company, copies of which have been posted to the share-
holders concerned. The issue consists of 1,100,000 cumulative
participating preference shares of £1 each, such shares being
preferential as to capital and as to dividends to the extent of
8 per cent, per annum cumulative, in addition to which they
will rank, pari passu, with the ordinary .shares iu any further
dividend distribution after 8 per cent, per annum has- been
paid on such ordinary shares. The issue is being made mainly
in order to provide funds for the cornpletion of the company's
works at Ei.sdon, Tasmania.— Fitiaiicier.

Stothert & Pitt, Ltd.— Mr. Walter Pitt, M.Inst.C.E., pre-
.siding at the annual general meeting at Bath on September
:i0th, announced a final dividend of 7J per cent., making a
total' of 12i per cent, for the year, free of tax, being similar
to the previous year's dividend. The Chairman stated that
there was a large number of orders in hand, and indications
of an early revival of harbour and port construction in all
parts of the world. The whole of the share capital of the
old firm of Torrance & Sons. Ltd., recently liquidated and
reconstructed, was held by Stothert & Pitt, Ltd.. and the
boards of directors of the two companies were identical. The
Bitton works were full of orders and the results very satis-
factory. The retiring directors were re-elected, as also were
Messrs. Tribe, Clarke. Painter, Darton & Co., the auditors.

Oldham, Ashton & Hyde Tramways Co., Ltd.— The ar-

liitration respecting the decision of local authorities to pur-
chase the undertaking has resulted in the purchase of the
same for £142.174. The directors state that there will be a
surplus available for both classes of shareholders after repay-
ment of the capital. — Fiiuincial Times.

Oriental Telephone & Electric Co., Ltd.— Interim divi-
dends of 3 per cent, on the 6 per cent, cumulative preference
shares, less tax, and of 4 per cent, on the ordinary shares,
free of tax.

■^604

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, ivoi. 87, No. 2,238, octobeb is, 1920

stock Exchange Notices. — Application has been made tu
the Comtmttef to appoint special settling days in the follow-
ing:—

Para Telephone Co., Ltd.— tiU,(XXJ Ordinary shares of &\
each, fully paid (Nos. 1 to 60,U<X)).

The Committee has been asked to allow the following to
be officially quoted : —

Indian Electric Supply & Traction Co. Ltd.— 120,000 7 per
cent, non-cumulative (convertible) preference shares of £'1
each, fully paid (Nos. 1 to i'A),000).

Montreal Light, Heat & Power Cou.solidated.— 643,719 shares
of 100 dels, each, in heu of the share.s of the Montreal Light,
Heat & Power Co.

Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Co., Ltd. — Balance divi-
dend of 15 per cent, recommended, making '■2a per cent., tax
free; i,'21,09G to be carried forward. Work has been consider-
ably delayed owing to the great difficulty in obtaining
deliveries of castings, due to the late moulders' strike.

Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd.— The gross earnings
for 1919 amounted to i£G0,085, an increase of j;8,707 upon the
previous year. The sum taken into net revenue account
amounts to j;13,519. After paying interest upon debenture
stock and actual cost of year's repairs and renewals, there is,
including the balance brought forward, a surplus of i'3,G21.
The directors propose to place ;63,U0O to reserve fund and to
carry forward £(j'ii.— Financial Times.

Fellows Magneto Co., Ltd.— Interim dividend at the rate
of 25 per cent, per annum, less tax, on the ordinary shares for
half-year ended June 30th, 1920.

at 5f3i. The latter does not look dear, although the name of
the security — cumulative income debenture — might austerely
lie described as a coutradicticiu in terms. I^ondon Electric
1 per cent, preference has advanced to 4b.

_The Lancashire Electric Power Co. recently asked a loan of
i'700,000 from the Manchester Corporation for certain exten-
Mon works, and the proposal was at tirst refused. On second
thoughts, however, the Linauce Committee of Manchester has
agreed to the scheme, being urged thereto by the request of
the Manchester Corporation that the matter should be re-
considered. The leasons for this change of front make interest-
ing reading in the report issued by the Finance Committee.
Evidently a weighty point is the fact that, in agreeing to the
company's request, Manchester will be keeping its place as the
chief authority in the Government's scheme for South-East
Lancashire.

Several electricity supply shares are harder. Rises of I have
been secured by Chelseas, South Londons, and MetropolitanB.
On the other hand. South Metropohtan 7 per cent, preference
have given way to 16s. 3d., with business marked as low as
15s. The earlier voting of the miners does not encourage the
idea that the men are eager to prove their readiness to in-
crease the output of coal in return for higher wages. . This
consideration acts as a dead-weight upon the markets in iron,
coal, and allied shares. The rubber market is flat in conse-
quence of linancial difficulties that have overtaken certain
houses in Amsterdam known to lie liberally stocked with raw
rubber. Indeed, the troubles attendant upon gambling all
round in such commodities as rubber, oil, and sugar are having
a decidedly unfavourable influence over financial engagements
far removed from the immediate causes of the slump that is
shaking the Stock Exchange markets.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
Thb uncertainty produced in business circles by the coal
trouble is making itself evident amongst a number of in-
dustrial shares. People are afraid to laimch out, however
mildly, and cancellation of contracts has become common in
many trades. Manufacturers, wholesale houses, and retailers
are all beset by the same conditions. Men say frankly that
they cannot tell how they stand, in view of the outlook. In-
dustrial shares are therefore disposed to weaken. New issues
continue to make their appearance, and so tempting are the
terms offered on apparently good security that existing stocks
and shares are naturally left on one side by the investor
attracted by the later comers.

British Aluminium ordinary have gone back to a pound,
and Edisons are about the same price, though nominally
208. 6d. General Electric ordinary have shed Is. and Siemens
6d., while in the prior-charge stocks, Edison 5 i^er cent,
debenture is 2 down at 76J, stock having changed hands at
75. English Electrics at 18s. 6d. and the preference 15s., busi-
ness being recorded this week at 18s. and 14s. lOjd. respec-
tively. Vickers and Armstrongs are both about 22s. 3d. The
only improvement in this group is another iyi6 rise in
Callender's.

Shareholders in the Direct United States Cable Co. have
this week received a pleasant surprise in the official intimation
that an offer for the whole undertaking — apart from the
reserve fund— has been received from the Government. The
present quotation is 5J-6, although the market estimates work
out the offer as being worth from 6i to 6i Shares changed
hands on Monday at 6. The first imnre.ssion in the Stock
Exchange is that the offer is a good one, and that shareholders
should not fail to take advantage of it. For the price to
remain below 6 is taken as evidence of wilhngness to secure
their profits by people who bought more cheaply.

Cable shares otherwise are marked by no particular feature.
Cuba Submarines are lower at 7. Marconis have gone back
to 2i for want of interest in speculative shares. Globe prefer-
ence recovered to 8J.

Five points rise has lifted the income bonds of the Under-
ground Electric Railways to 71J. The £10 shares have gone
up 10s. to 2|, and the shilling shares are Is. higher at 7s. 6d.
Without a doubt, the advance is due to reahsation of the differ-
ence to the companies which the fare-raising will mean, as
pointed out here many times. Districts have risen to 19i ; on
the eve of war they stood at 21i Metropolitan Consolidated
IS unchanged at 21^. In caustic explanation of " Mets." being
only 2 higher than Districts, a Stock Exchange cynic observed
that the latter, having received, no dividend for 38 years,
ought really to stand above the steady dividend-paying Metro-
pohtan stock. Ixindon and Suburban preference at Ss. 6d. are
better, and a little business has been done this week in
London United Tramways -1 per cent, debenture stock on the
basis of 83i. London General Omnibus 4* per cent, first
debenture stock is about 66, and the company's 5 per cent,
cumulative income debenture stock changed hands on Monday

8HABE LIST Of ELEOTBIOAI. OOHFANIES,

Ho»i EuOTiuoiTT Oommiia,

Dividena Prios

, — " — ^ Oct. la, Tiaia

1918. 1919, 1990. BiBsorttll, p.o,

Brompton Ordinary 8 19 H — £9 11 0

Charing Crosr Ordinary .... 1 7 Bj — 10 IB t

do. do. do. liPref. .. 4) 4) 9| — 8 8 8

Chelsea 8 4 SJ 4i 7 15 6

CitY of London 8 10 1) — 8 17 10

do. do. 6percent. Pre!, .. 6 6 lt/8 — 6 17 9

Oouity of London 7 8 71 — 10 17 0

d3 do. 6 per oeot, Fret, 6 6 Bl — 7 7 8

Kensington Ordln&ry .... 67 8| — 908

London Eleotiio Nil 9i< l| — 8 0 0

do. do. Bpercent, Piel,.. 6 6 8 — 10 0 0

Metropolitan 6 6 Sj -). i

do, 4} per cent, Prol, .. 4) 4)
St. JamsB'andPkUMaU .. ..10 IS

South London 6 8

Soath Metropolitan Pret 7 7 l6.3 - 9d. 8 U 8

WeBtmtDBler Ordinary .... 8 10 6 — 10 0 0

TaLioBArHa ass TaupHoais,

Anglo .Am, Tel, Prei 6 6 77i — 114 11

do, Del 88/6 1) 17| ~ B 18 10

Chile Telephone 8 6 6t — 'B 9 1

Cuba Bub, Ord 7 7 7 — J »10 0 0

E istem Bztension 8 10 IS — •a IS 4

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 149^ — •« 14 4

ObbeTel. andT, Ord 8 10 Ut — *8 18 0

do. do. Prel 6 6 8J +i 766

Great Northern Tel 99 99 90 — 11 0 0

Indo-Bnropean 18 10 80 — 8 18

Marconi 96 96 SJ —J 9 1 10

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 19 9^ — M 18 4

United R, Plate Tel 8 8 U — •6 8 0

West India and Panama .... Ifa Nil H — Nil

Western Telegraph 8 10 Ugxd — •€ 16 4

Horn RuLa,

Central London Ord, Assented .. 4 4 481 — 9 4 0

Metropolitan 1 U 91$ — i II 8

do. Dlstilot .... NU Nil 19i -»^1 HU

Underground Electiio Ordinary.. Nil Nil 2i -Hi Mil

do. do. "A" .. NU NU 7/6 -H/. NU

dOi do, Income ..6 4 71) -1-6 —
FoKEiaM TaAKS, to,

Anglo-Arg, Trams First Fref, .. NU 61 8} .,-f.< ^^.,6 9 9

do, do, andPref. .. NU NO 8l , .b-, .,,;!, HU

do, do. 6 Deb. ..6 6 574 — B 18 10

Brazil Tractions NU NU 46} -f i Nil

Bombay Electric Prel 6 6 19} — 4 16 0

British Columbia Eleo. Bly. Ptce, 6 6 6t — 8 6 9

do, do. Preterrred 9} B 60) — *6 7 8

do. do. Deterred Nil 8 50} — 'S 7 8

do. do. Deb. .. 4 ^ 68} — 7 19 0

MezlooTram8 6 percent. Bonds.. Nil ini 44 — HU

do. 6 per cent. Bonds. . NU NU 84 — Nil

Mexican Light Common .... Nil NU 16 +1 HU

do, Fref NU Nil 97} - HU

do. 1st Bonds . . . . NU NU 68 - 3 MU

MABDTAcrruBiii* OoMFunas,

Baboock ft Wilcox IB 16 9} — •8 0 0

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 I — 10 0 0

British Insulated Ord 19} 16 IHxd — 8 17 10

Oallenders 96 16 I^ -t- A 10 8 8

„ 6}Prel 6} «} 18/9 — 8 18 8

Gastner.Kellner 90 17 8 — 6 18 4

Orompton Ord 10 10 17/6 — 11 8 6

BdlBon-Swan, " A " .. ..10 10 90/6 — 9 16 9

do. do. 6 per cent. Deb. ..6 B 76} -9 I 10 9

Ellectric Oonstmotion . . . . 10 10 18/8 — U 19 9

Sen. Bleo. Pret, 8} 6} 18/8 — 7 0 6

do, Ord 10 10 97/- -1/- '7 8 9

Henley 98 16 1| — 9 4 8

do. 4} Prel .. 4} 4} U — 7 4 0

Indla-Bnbber 10 10 if — •8 0 0

Uet.-Vlokers Prat — 8 2} — 7 6 9

Siemens Ord 10 10 94/6 -6d. •8 3 4

Telegraph OoD 90 90 90 — •6 0 8

* OiTidende paid Iree oi Isoome Tax,

i

Vol. 8T. No. 2,238, octobeb 15, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

505

SOME NOTES ON METERING DEVICES USED IN CONNECTION WITH TARIFFS
PENALISING LOW POWER FACTOR.

By G. W. STUBBINQS.

(Conduded fi

The principle of the construction of an induction meter

which will intejj^rate the product of the voltage into the

wattless component of the current is much simpler. Con-

siderina; the fundamental equation of a single-phase meter,

T = Z- 1 V sin („. — ,/,),

if a be made equal to 0, then

T = /; I T sin <j„ neglecting the minus sign.

All that is required, therefore, in order that a single-
phase meter shall integrate the wattless component of the
load, is that the pressure flux shall be in phase with the
voltage producing it.

A three-phase meter similarly adjusted will also give a
true integration of the wattless component of the power.
To some this may appear self-evident : it is easily
demonstrated in the following manner : The ordinary
energy meter has a torque proportional to the sum of three
such terms as the average value of r sin jo / x i sin
(P t - ./.),
or to i\ ij cos ,/,, + r., i, cos </>2 -f i\ l^ cos </,,.

Rotation of the voltage vectors through 90^ will cause
the meter to give the sum of thi'ee such terms as
/• / cos {^ + 90"),

or Vi i\ sin ^, -f "j u sin c/,,, -f v, i, sin ,^3,

and the adjustment of the pressure fluxes to phase coincidence
with the voltages producing them, is plainly equivalent to a
rotation of the voltage vectors through 90 '.

It has already been stated that the maximum demand in
K.v.A. is assumed to be the square root of the sum of the
squares of the maximum demands indicated by the energy

'.1
Fin. 1. — Vectoh Diagram.

and wattless component meters. It is not difficult to show
that this method is not strictly accurate for an unbalanced
three-phase circuit.

The power in a three-phase circuit is given by —

P — i, I'l cos (/,, + i, /'., cos rjyj + '*3 /'j CO.S f/>,.

The wattless component of the load by —

w = /, /■, sin (/,i + i., i\ sin ,/,, -t- i^ /\ sin ,/>,.
The volt-amperes in the circuit are —
*, r, + i, ?'2 + »3 i\,
and it is apparent that this last expression is only equal to
s/(v'- + W-) when the current is balanced, and —

4h =4^2 = </..,.
The power in a three-phase circuit, as given by the speed
of the meter rotor, can be expressed as —

1' = M cos c/,'.

The speed of the wattless component meter will corres-
pond to —

w — M COS (</,' — 90") = M sin ,;,'.

om page 453.)

Whence— v/(i>- -f- w^) = m.

It therefore follows that the value of the k.v.a. obtained
from the expression v/(p- -I- w-) is not a true one, but is
the value of the fictitious k.v.a. as indicated by the meter
described above, with the important difference that the
error due to cos 0 is eliminated, and a correct value of M is
obtained at all power factors.

The circuit illustrated in fig. 1 will afford a numerical
example of the results deduced above. A wattmeter con-
nected in phases i and 3 will have a rotor speed corres-
ponding to a value of the power given by —
P = t',, '■. cos (^, -f- 30') -I- 2',,, t'j cos (</,3 — 30') •

= 160' X v^S'x v^2cos75° -1- 100 X VS x 1 x cos6

= 236.

The wattless component of the apparent power, as given
by a wattless component meter similarly connected, will be —

100 x v'3 X v/2 sin 75" -I- 100 x v/3 x 1 x sin 0

= 236.

The value of s/ {'P- + w-) = 236 ^/2 = 334, the value
previously obtained for the fictitious k.v.a., the actual k.v.a.
in the circuit being 342.

Wattless component integrating meters are now supplied
by several firms, including Jlessrs. T;andis A: Gyr, Ferranti,
Ltd., andChamberlain A- Hookham. In the three-phase raetei s
supplied by the first of these firms, the requisite phase angle
between the pressure fiux and the voltage is obtained by
connecting the pressure coils to different phases of the circuit
from those used for an energy meter, so that the desired
phase angle between the pressure flux and the voltage
actually producing it is 30 . The accuracy of this method
of compensation depends upon the equality of the phase
voltages. In the three-phase meters supplied by ^lessrs.
Ferranti, Ijtd., a resistance is used in the pressure circuit,
and the unavoidable lag of the pressure flux is corrected for
by arranging for a corresponding lag in the flux produced
by the current winding with respect to the current pro-
ducing it. This method obviates the necessity of using an
artificial voltage for exciting the pressure coil ; and, in
addition, enables meters of the wattless component type to
be constructed for single-phase circuits.

A K.V.A. maximum-demand indicator is shortly to be
placed on the market by the Aron Electricity Meter, Ltd.,
in which the average k.v.a. over a specified period is
obtained by mechanically obtaining a value of -J {v- + w-),
where p and w are the average values of the power and
wattless component respectively over the same period, as
given by two meters of the energy and wattless component
types. Such an instrument will give accurate readings,
subject to the limitations above referred to, irrespective of
power-factor variations. Particulars of this ingenious
device can be obtained by consulting the Patent Specifica-
tion (Xo. 130,485, 1919, Messrs. Jepson & Ilowarth).

The writer is much indebted to the makers of the meters
referred to above for the information that they were so good
as to place at his disposal.

An approximate method of obtaining the average power
factor of a three-phase load, which is based on the assump-
tion of that load being balanced, consists of the use of two
single-phase met«rs for determining the energy consumption.
With such a combination it is well known that, with a
balanced load, the following relation is true —

tan ./, = s/3 («", - \^'.) («', + ^^..).
</> being the angle of lag or lead, and w, and w, being the
readings of the two wattmeters. This method of determin-
ing an average power factor has been used to some extent
in America, and although strictly applicable only to balanced
circuits, will probably give a fairly approximate value for
circuits supplying three-phase meters. A graphical
method of obtaining cos </„ the average power factor.

606

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, ['^oi. 87. No. 2,238, octobeb 15, 1920.

from the values of w, and «.,, by the use of a special
diagram, was given in a recent issue of the Electrical Worl/l.
A useful approximation will, however, enable the power
factor to be easily calculated from the ratio of the readings
of the two watt-hour meters, and will dispense with the use
of a special diagram. If the ratio wjw^ be called '•, the
above equation can be put in the form —

cos <^ = {.r + l)/2 V (./- - .>■ + 1).
A portion of the graph of this equation is given in fig. 2,
and it is at once apparent that the shape of the curve

RATIO OP WATTMETER READINGS wjw,.

Fig. 2. — Equation C4raph.

between the values .c = 0 and .'' = 1, is very similar to
that of a sine curve, and it is easily shown by differentiation
that the slope of the curve in fig. 2 at the point '• = 0,
cos ([, = ^ is the same as that of the equivalent sine curve.

A very close approximation to the value of cos <^ between
the values of v is accordingly given by the equation
cos ,/, = h (1 + sin 'JO .' ). The following table gives
corresponding values of cos ,/, calculated from the two
expressions, and shows that between cos if, = 0'4 and cos
r/, = 1, the difference between the two values does not
much exceed 1 per cent. These limits cover the range of
power factors actually met with, the accuracy of the
approximation is comparable with that of the metering
combination, and the formula is much better adapted for
easy calculation than the correct one.

J (1 + sin 90./- ) — — "*" ^ .r = ^-'

2V./" - J- + 1 Wj

0-5

0-655

0'803

0-912

0-982

ro

It may be noted that for values of .'■ between 0 and 0"25,
the approximation sin y = y leads to the still simpler

formula cos c/> = W 1 + '^^- J . It is, of course, under-
stood, that Wi is the reading of the meter in the lagging

0

0-6

0-2 ...

0-G55

0-4 ...

0-794

0-0 ...

0-905

0-8 ...

0-975

1-0 ...

1-0

This method of obtaining an average power factor will
fail entirely if anything but an inconsiderable out-of-
balance exists in the circuit. Keturning, for instance, to
the circuit shown in fig. 1, the value of the power factor
as given by the above method, will depend upon the phases
in which the meters are connected. The erroneous values
so given, are : — For meters in lines 2 and 8, 0"77 ; meter
in lines 1 and 2, 0-5 ; meters in lines 1 and 3, 0"58 ; the
correct value being 0'71.

ELECTRICITY IN AGRICULTURE.

Devices for Tapping Overhead Distribution Mains, and Equipment for Electric Ploughing.

By R. E. NEALE.

For many years past we have taken evei-y opportunity of
laying stress upon the technical and economic possibilities ol
electricity m agriculture. Agiicultui-e is admutedly the in-
dustry or primary importance to the life of every country,
and It IS the industry in which machinery and elhcieucy
have hituerto received totally inadequate consideration. (Jui'i-
ously enough it is the centrahsation of other mdustries and
their de.velopment on fines of engmeering efhciency which
have caused the exodus from country to town, robbing agri-
culture of its man power, and makmg more acute the need
lor similar methods m agriculture, buch was the position
before the war, and the wastage of man power and tue high
wages caused by the latter have made it yet more necessary
to save time and manual labour in agricultural operations.
\\ hilst the need is more pressing, the opportunity is for-
tunately more favourable tuan ever before, for we have — in
the development of super-power stations and overland trans-
mission scuemes — the means of furnishing a cheap supply of
electrical energy in practically any part of the country.

flithculties wuich nave often been ineutiimed in the past
still exist, but they are not insuperable. Uiven the main
transmission line as a necessity, and a profitable investment
for serving the bulk load of a city or an industrial district,
there remains the proljlem of ilistributing energy for rural
purposes in comparatively small quantities and over compara-
tively long distances. This difticulty appears greater the
longer one contemplates it, particularly it one is obsessed by
the idea that a clear protit must be shown from the first.
Actually, we believe, the difficulty is one which will disappear
progressively as the problem is tackled. The super-power
station and national distribution scheme should certainly con-
template wholesale use of electricity for every possible purpose
in rural districts — if this be not done it may be difficult, or
impossible, later to give agricultural supply economically. The
first developments of rural supply should then be made in
the most favourable districts, and the educative value of and
experience gained in these developments would undoubtedly
lead to others. The question of capital outlay is by no means
so serious as commonly supposed. Farmers individually or on
a co-operative basis, are quite well able to contribute a reason-
able proportion of the capital cost of distribution lines (just
as they pay for roads), and tliey will do .so rea<lily enough
when they have been convinced that it is a sound business

proposition. Modern electrical safety devices and -' automatic
icatures " give a degree of protection which could be attamed
uy no human agency, and they make possible a simpUfication
and cheapenmg of construction which will reduce capital out-
lay without sacrificing safety.

A "natural" difficulty m the way of full utiUsation of
electricity in agriculture m this country is the small average
size of farms, and, more especially, the small size and irregular
shape of fields. Uo-operative working has made rapid strides
lu all branches of industry, and the conditions of modern
times will force it upon agricultm'ists as well, in the face of
no matter what con.servati.sm. 'the physical obstruction to
efficient power ploughing and other machine-farming offered
by hedges, ditches, or other barriers between adjoining small
fields will be swept away when it is reahsed what waste is
involved by then- retention. It is possible to retain the line
of demarcation between properties, without making it impos-
sible to work either of them efficiently.

These introductory remarks outUiiiug basic facts and prin-
ciples are offered without apology, becau.se now is undoubtedly
the time for the agricultural applications of electricity to be
exploited in earnest. The remainder of this article is devoted
to two technical matters, viz., the safe and economical tapping
of supply from high-voltage overhead lines, and the use of
electrical energy for ploughing, this being the heaviest agricul-
tural load. There is no difficulty in making a permanent
tee-connection to an overhead line whatever the voltage
thereon, but electric ploughing and other field operations
involve the use of a tapping device, which can be manipulated
safely by absolutely unskilled labour, as the only alternative
to a complete network of low-volUige distribution cable, which
is etxinomically impracticable.

IIlC.H-PliESSURE TArrlNGS FOR F.tRM SERVICE.

The distribution of electrical energy for field si>rvices — of
which ploughing is the heaviest duty, the demand being any-
thing from 50 to 150 h.p. — is effected economically if high-
pressure overhead lines be employed. A portable transformer
is used, connection to the distribution line being made by a
jockey or other connector, and servie* to the plough or other
motor being given through an insulated traihng cable. The
only point at which any difficulty is experienced in securing
the requisile simplicity and safety is in the connection between

i^s^^iiiitaamm

Vol. 87. No. 2,238, October 15, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

507

the overhead line and the transformer. Generally the trans-
former is mounted m a covered, wheeled truck, and the high-
pressure connections are taken out through insulators mounted
in the roof of the transformer cabin.

In the Siemens equipment heavily insulated cables are
passed through the roof insulators, and terminate in bare
metal rings. The latter are placed (by means of insulating
poles), on contact hooks which are carried by insulators on
a pole-bracket, and permanently connected to the overhead
lines. This system necessitates the transformer wagon being
placed quite close to a transmission post, and the cost of the
connections, insulators, and brackets required on the poles is
disproportionately heavy, compared with the service which
they render.

A more economical and flexible systetB, devised by the
Societe Genei'ale Agricole. uses a special tapping pole which
can be hooked directly on to the line at any desired point.
Referring to fig. 1, a bamboo rod p is provided at its upper end
with an insulated hook c, carrying a current-carrying spring
E, which is connected through a fuse F to a wire passing
through the centre of the liamboo rod. At the lower end of
this wire is a terminal connected to the cable B leading to the
transformer cabin. The spring r ensures rapid extinction of^
the arc formed when the fuse blows. In order to hook on'
to the line, a pole is inserted in the bell M, which is provided
with an insulator I and mounteil on the bamboo rod.

Both of the above methods have the advantage of being
rapid in use. liut they provide relatively jMor contact with the

Fig. I.

Figs. 2 A :=!.

line, and introduce considerable risks both to the network
and centnil station, and (which is more serious) to the actual
user, especially in wet or misty weather, if the line voltage
be. say. ]ll,CK)0 volts or higher. Compared with the elaborate
safeguards provided in central stations and sub-station.s —
which safeguartls do not eliminate fatal accidents even amongst
skilled attendants — the primitive simplicity of jockey connec-
tions which have been used in electric ploughing service gives
justification for grave uneasiness. It is true that such con-
nections have been used for years past in Germany and
Italy, but the aim in view is to devise equipment which will
give a high degree of reliability and safety when u.sed by
agricultural labourers, frona whom it is useles.s — if not actually
unreasonable — to expect ob.servation of even the most elemen-
tary precautions. To put the matter on no higher plane,
tlie progress of electricity in agriculture will he deliiyed anil
compromi.sed by even a few accidents.

Complete security is obtained by arranging tliat the tapping
connection cannot lie made or broken whilst under pressure.
This condition is fultillfd liy equipment devised by M. A. Dela-
murre. and dcsijibed by the inventor in a recent issue of the
PiCt'ue Gi'iicnile de V lUectricite. The first set, designed for
pressures from 1'2.(.K.K) to 1.5.000 volts or over, comprises a
horn-type interrupter and a special type of plug and socket
connection which can be closed and opened only when the
interrupter is open. Referring to fig. '2. A represents the
socket of the connector fixed on the post 2 or 3 m. below
the line conductors, and connected to one of the latter by
the lead L. A round rod T, mounted rigidly on the operating
rod of the H.P. interrupter, covers the socket except when
the isolating switch is open. The porcelain plug b, through

wliich passes the conductor of the cable c leading to the
transformer, is pierced by a hole o sUghtly larger in diameter
than the rod t. The isolating switch being open, the socket A
is uncovered, and the plug can be inserted. Then, on closing
the isolating switch, the rod T pas.ses through the hole in
the plug and literally bolts the latter in position until the
isolating switch is reopened.

Though the above equipment is perfectly satisfactory for
pressures of 10.000 volts or higher, it is rather expensive for
3,01 K)- to .5.000- volt circuits, and for the latter one may dis-
pense with the H.P. isolating switch and use the type of switch
illustrated in fig. 3, which is practically a standard type ot
knife switch with a modified lower jaw. The lead L from the
overhead line is attached to the upper contact p. The lower
contact is built in the form of a hook, and the switch blade
is prolonged as shown. The lead passing to the transformer
cabin tennmates in a ring which can be placed on and re-
moved from p' only when the switch is open. It will be seen
that whilst this device is considerably simpler and cheaper
than the one illustrated in fig. 2, it does not give the same
high degree of security ; neither does it ensure such satisfactory
electrical- contact.

Electric Ploughing.

In electric ploughing, as in tapping electricity supply from
overhead lines, the primary problem is to adapt the electriiml
equipment to the special needs of agriculture. Having
adapted the electric motor to the needs of the soil and to
the habits of cultivators, it is then time to develop electric
ploughing from the central station standpoint. The principal
results of three years' study and experience of electric plough-
ing were presented by M. H. Guedeney to a meeting of the
Societe Francjaise des Electriciens, on February 4th, 1920. The
author has studied the working of various systems, both by
inspection and by actual trial, and he has arrived at a com-
bination of compcments which is claimed to meet the require-
ments of both farmers and central stations.

The main factors to be considered are : (1) Tractive effort
and energy consumption for ploughing various soils. (2) Adap-
tation of equipment to the rough conditions and unskilled
manipulation experienced in agricultural service. (3) Relative
costs of electric ploughing and ploughing by other methods.

Power Hequuemcnts, die. — According to the nature and
condition of the soil the tractive effort requued ranges from
30 kg. up to 100 kg., or more per sq. dm. From 40O to
1,200 kg. may have to be exerted to plough 15 em. deep on
a width of 1 m., and an effort of 1,200 to 4,000 kg. may be
needed for twice that depth of ploughing. Certain tests,
mentioned later, showed the energy consumption to be 180
KW. -hours per hectare when ploughing di-y soil, and 75 KW.-
hours per hectare when ploughing parts of the same field
after rain. In order to allow for these variations, ploughs
of different widths may be used. A limit is placed, however,
upon the size of the plough by the weight of the blades, and
by considerations of convenience in manipulation and unifor-
mity of result. A 100-h.p. Fowler steam plough uses 1.2-m.
blades for deep ploughing, and 1.8-m. for shallow ploughing,
the pressure being 13 kg. per sq. cm. in the first case and
often only 4 to 5 kg. per sq. cm. in shallow ploughing.

It follows that .small sets of 30 to 50 h.p. have a higher
average efficiency than more powerful sets, because they can
be fitted with ploughs adapted to a wider range of conditions.
In spite of the use of different ploughs, there are always
large variations in effort to be overcome. The electric motor
is capable of dealing with these, and allowance must be made
for them in all parts of the equipment.

The conditions of service for plough motors are quite as
severe as those for traction motors. The motor is used in
the open with more or less incomplete protection against
weather. The machine becomes hot whilst at work during
the day, but, during the night, it becomes covered with dew,
and it is set to work again whilst in that state. It is started
and stopped abotit every 10 minutes, and overloads are severe.
Rugged mechanical construction and low working voltage
are necessary, especially because it is rarely possible to earth
the winch or transformer cabin satisfactorily. The author
mentions a case in which the motor broke "down to frame
and the plough seat became live through the towing cable.
Tlie driver quitted his post with alacrity.

The Labour Problnn.— The agricultural worker is accus-
tomed to performing eight or ten different operations on
four or five crops per annum, and he is accustomed also to
long working hours and the other rigours of farm life. None
of the.se things may be said of the skilled mechanic or elec-
trician, who is not, moreover, usually interested in agricul-
tural matters. For all of these rea.sons, it is very desii'able
that electricil equipment for use on farms .should not demand
the services of skilled mechanics or electricians. The electric
motor itself can be driven by a woman or by a disabled man,
and it remains only to make the rest of the equipment
equally simple.

Lightness is Important.—Tt is obviously desirable that the
ploughing equipment be as light as possible, and it is one of
the principal disadvantages of tractors that they comprsss the
soil as a preliminary to cultivating it. Even the hooves of
animals produce small blocks of compressed earth which
remain sterile for a long time. Steam ploughing on the cable
system is free from this objection, but the heavy equipment
compresses broad tracks, and involves comparatively wide head-
lands. The lighter the equipment, the less the inconvenience

608

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,238, October IB, 1920.

caused by its sinking in the .soil, but, ou the other hand, the
greater the care required to secure stable anchorage lor
winches,- &c. Given an. .equipment which can be used without
compressing the soil, it may be used with advantage in har-
rowing, rolling, and sowing.

Commercial and Technical Desiderata. — It is essential that
the ploughing equipment should be reasonably cheap, i.e., it
should be within the purchasing powiTs of the farmer of
150 to 200 hectares or that of a group of three or four small
farmers. If the cost be so high that a large co-operative group
is required, too much time is lost in transferring the equip-
^ment from one farm to another, and some of tne members
are kept waiting. Depreciation must be so low that the annual
charges on capital are reasonable.

From the central station point of view, the desiderata are
reasonable power factor ; suppression or damping of peak loads ;
and good load factor. A set of 'M to 50 h.p. can, for reasons
explained above, always be operated at near full load, and
therefore at good power factor. Also, four 30-h.p. sets yield
a more nearly uniform load than a single ISO-h.p. motor.
Finally, a light equipment of moderate power can be used
economically for other cultivating operations besides ploughing,
and this is to the advantage of the farmer.
(To be continued.)

ELECTRICITY IN FACTORIES.

Report of H.M. Electrical Inspector of Factories.

The annual report of the Chief Inspector of Factories and
Workshops for the year 1919 has just come to hand.* The
use of electricity in factories is reported on by Mr. G. Scott
Ram, M.I.E.E., who last year gave an account of the most
noticeable developments in the use of electricity during the
previous four years, covering the period of the war. During
the past 1'2 months he has discovered little in the way of
novelty to chronicle'. The most important fact is that the
expansion in the use of electrical energy for all kinds of
purposes, which received such an impetus during and on
account of the \var, continues unabated now that the driving
power of war emergency has been replaced by purely in-
dustrial activity. Evidence of this continued progress is
apparent in all branches of electrical work.

The demand for supplies for power purposes is far in
ejicess of the present capacity of the public supply stations
in many districts. This result is partly attributable to the
high price of coal and uncertainty as to its delivery. Many
factory occupiers, particularly mill owners in the woollen
and cotton districts, who before the war could not be per-
■ suadod to adopt electrical driving, are now clamouring for it,
and appear aggrieved .that they cannot obtain supplies of
electrical energy all at once. The effect on the supply under-
takings is that many are overloaded and working without
any reserve of plant. The dilikulties are increased in many
instances owing to the inferior quality of the coal obtainable,
resulting in diminished steam-raising capacity. In some
districts relief has been sought, by electrically linking up
different supply undertakings. This has no doubt permitted
of a larger combined output, but the margin having been
rapidly overtaken, the situation as regards overload and
shortage of plant rem-.ins uneased thereby. Numerous ex-
tensions of generating stations are in progress, and schemes
for new " super-stations " are under consideration. Two new
public supply generating stations of lai'ge capacity and on
the most modern lines have been completed during the year,
and are about to be put into operation.

The number of accidents reported during the year was
390, of which 28 were fatal. Owing to incomplete returns
during the war period, comparison with the figures for the
last few years is useless. Compared with 1914 and 1913, the
total is less, the figures for those years being 450 and 512
respectively. The fatal cases are, however, greater, being
28, as against 20 in each of those years. The reduction in
the total is satisfactory in view of the enormously wider
use of electrical energy compared- with that in the earlier years.
The fatalities were, with one exception, all from alternating
current; 20 out of 28 were at low pressure, i.e., not exceeding
about 250 volts. With two or three doulitful exceptions, the
.shock was in all cases from one pha.se to earth. As most
of the systems had the neutral point earthed, the shock could
not, therefore, have exceeded low pressure. In seven of
them the shock was received from lighting circuits connected
between phase and neutral. This once more emphasises the
fact, which has been repeatedly pointed out in jirevious
reports, that a .shock from a.c. at low pressures is vastly more
dangerous than with d.c, although Mr. Ram finds that the
contrary idea is widely held. Tliis matter needs bearing in
mind at the present time wIk^u there is .so much talk about
cheaper methods of wiring. The jirocess of cheapening often
begins by eliminating safeguards. Whether for factory or any
other premises, where A.C. is used, the cheapening process
.should not be allowed to introduce any unnecessary risk of
shock.

* H.M. Stationery Office, Kingsway, W.C. 2. Cmd. 941;
price Is. Gd. net.

There is nothing unusual in the nature of the fatahties,
similar ones have been described at length in many of the
previous reports. Eight were from contact with the neces-
sarily bare wires of overhead cranes or other travelling
machines. Two were from hand lamps, one being the old
type of hand lamp wherein the wire cage is attached to the
lanipliolder. The other was just an ordinary metal lamp-
holder attached to flexible wires. The latter arrangement
is 60 readily rigged up that it is often used, even where
safety types of handlamps are provided, but are perhaps not
at hand at the moment. Two were due to current being
switched on while persons w-ere working on the circuit, the
switches not being locked oft' nor any w.arning notice attached
to them. Three, including two at high pres.'jures, were in
the testing departments of electrical manufacturing works.
One of these was due to a mistake in switching. The other
was due to a quite unnecessary and dangerous practice
sometimes adopted in cable works. It appears that inspectors
on behalf of the purchasers of cable, when attending h.p. tests
of the cables, are not prepared to accept the cable maker's
assurance that the pi-essure is actually being applied to the
cable, and require an ocular demonstration of the fact by
means of a flash, which is jwoduced by short-circuiting the
cable core to the lead sheathing. In this case a man entered
the fenced-off danger zone to make the flash with a pair of in-
sulated tongs, and came into contact with the h.p. connecting
wires. It would appear that such demonstrations are not
really necessary at all, but if required, they could be quite
well arranged without any one having to enter the danger zone.
One fatality, of an unusual character, was reported. A
man had used a metal lampholder as a portal)le lamp on
a 240-volt D.c. circuit. The holder became live; he received
a prolonged shock, and was severely burned in the hand.
He died 16 months later from paralysis, attributable, accord-
ing to the medical evidence, to the injuries he had received.
Amongst the non-fatal accidents, several occurred on E.H.r.
systems. Five occurred to skilled persons, due to their own
mistakes. In two cases they had forgotten to pull out the
isolating switches protecting the oil switches on which they
intended to work. In two others, where it was intended to
earth dead conductors before working on them, live conduc-
tors were put to earth. Isolating switches were also operated
in error whilst current was flowing. In five cases, unskilled
persons were put to clean switchgear wthout proper super-
vision. Plaving completed the work they were instructed to
do on dead portions of the switchgear, they proceeded without
instructions to clean other parts which were live. These
accidents again show the necessity for continuous supervision,
unless all dangerous conductors are in locked cells. One
accident in which two men were severely burned was due
to the faulty arrangement of an isolating switch, whereby it
was able to fall into contact after being switched off.

One accident was due to the use of a spanner on a h.p.
switchboard close to unscreened conductors, and several others
were caused by similar foolhardiness of persons when working
on medium-pressure switchboards. Totally ignorant persons
are always liable to be a source of danger to themselves and
others when employed in electrical stations, unless under
strict supervision. There seems to be no limit to the extraor-
dinary things they may do. Thus, a boy was employed to
assi.st a fitter in the engine room of a large power station.
He was told to connect up a portable 200-volt drill. Instead
of seeking the nearest plug provided for the purpose, he
climbed a ladder on to the switch gallery, got over a rail and
entered a passageway of f,.h.p. cells protected in front by
screens 8 ft. high. He appears to have climbed a screen and
attempted to connect the flexible lead to a lO.OOfl-volt con-
ductor. He was lucky in getting off with severe burns.

Three accidents were due to the explosion of oil switches,
causing injuries from bui"ns from the ignited oil.

One accident was due to a local inflammation of gases from
secondary cells in a battery room. The ignition was caused
by a man entering the room with a lighted cigarette. Tlie
battei-y room was faulty, in tliat there was practically no
ventilation.

In his inspections Mr. Ram found many examples of bad
and dangerous work. These are by no means confined to
factories where the occupier may have no technical know-
ledge, but occur also in electrical generating and suh-st:itions
of public supply undertakings; e.g., exposure of h.p. conduc-
tors within reach, not only in switchhoai-d pas.sageways. liut
also in other parts of the premises accessible to anyone :
potential tnin.sformers connected direct to the main I)u«bars,
without any isolating .switches; open type alternating medium
liressure switchboards with working platforms of iron plates
without insulating mats. Tn some of the older stations which
have been extended with cood modern plant, old switch-
boards entirely unfitted for the present greatly increased power
are retained in use. Occupiers of factories are often entirely
depenilent upon the contractors for putting in good plant in
a proper manner. Even where uood apparatus is supplied.
dangers are often introduced through ignorance. Thus, a
nundicr of ca.ses were found where inter-locked .switch and
fuse boxes were provided, the intention being that the fuse
boxes could only be ojiened for renewal of the fuses when
dead, hut, in fact, they were connected the wrong way round
sothat the fuseswould bealwayslive and the infj-rlock of no use.
Several prosecutions were taken for breaches of the Elec-
tricity Regulations, and penalties varying from £2 to JE50
were imposed.

Vol. 87. No. 2,238, octobeb 16, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

509

NEW ELE6TRI6AL DEVICES. FITTINOS AND PLANT.

R$ai*ri ari invited to tubmit partieulan of niw or improved devicu and apparatut, teMoh will be pubKikid
if eontidered of rufident interiit.

The Universal Vice Jaw.

The AUau & Magowaa universal vice attachment fits any
vice and grips practically all shapes. The attachment is a
supplementary vice jaw which adapts itself to any shape or
form of material, whether oblong, cylindrical, hexagonal, or
polygonal. The jaw is a master jig— it will hold anything, and
is a time and labour saver. It climates the need for special
jigs, moulds, and forms, for holding ii-regular castings, tapers,
ovals, rounds, &c., and it exerts a complete equalisation of
pressure on all forms, and gives a 100 per cent, gripping sur-
face. The attachment is ready for use instantly, it stays in
place by its own weight, and when linished with it is simply
lifted off and laid aside. It is strong and simple, and is made
of cold rolled tempered tool steel, electrically welded. It is
made in three sizes. 4 in., 5 in., and 6 in. All mechanics know
how extremely difficult it is to hold a coimecting rod securely
in any vice. A connecting rod has a tapering surface and a
vice has not, but holding such a rod is an easy task for
this vice attachment, because of its adaptable teeth. It grips
the taper instantly. One feature alone, the grip for cutting
threads, is invaluable. The attachment gives this grip, and
makes it easy to do tapping, thread cutting, reaming, loosening
rusted connections, assembling threaded parts, and many other
operations that require a pipe-vice grip. With the attachment
a small round or flat-headed screw may be securely held in

Fig. 1. — Universal Vice J.^w.

position for threading, filing, cutting off, or any other opera-
tion ; -the screw may be held in either a vertical or horizontal
position. For holding rounds, large or small, horizontal or per-
pendicula:r, tlie attachment finds its field. A 4-in. piston would
not fare very well in the ordinary " V " block generally used
for holding rounds, but with the use of the attachment the
points of (■onta<'t distribute the holding pressure evenly over
almost one half of the circular surface. The universal vice jaw
presents a .snlid, firm, and rigid steel .surface, with the flexibility
of rul'ber. mII due to the independent action nf each uiipper in
adjii.^tinL,' itself to the contour of any possible shape of material,
no matter how irregular. Slipping is entirely eliminated.
Fig. 1 shows a pair of pliers being held as securely as in any
jig ; note the numerous points of contact, each one bearing the
same amount of pressure. Messrs. .'^U'red Herbert. TjTP..
Coventry, are placing the device on the market on behalf of
the manufacturers, Messrs. .Allan &, Magowan, of Follokshields,
Glasgow.

A New Sparking Plug.

A sparking plug of novel design, which can be removed
from the engine without its being nece.s.sary to stop the latter.
and without the use of tools, is described in the Co-inmrrcinl
Motnr. To enable this to be done, the plucr is .slightly altered
from standard design so that it may fit into an adaptor
screwed into the usu.al sparking plug thread. The adaptor is
provided with a hexagon so that it can be screwed into the
cylinder with a spanner in the ordinarv way. The boro of
the adaptor has three inw.ird projections, which engage
bayonet slots in the plug proper. Once installed, the adaptor
becomes nractically a part of the cylinder, and is not re-
moved. Tlie bayonets on the plug are formed at an angle
so that the nlug is pressed on to a copper-a.sbestos gasket
contained within the adaptor. The \ipper end of the plug
bass is provided with a large flange of material, non-con-
ducting as rpflards both electricity and heat. The flange is
knurled on its outer edce. To prevent the plug beeoniing
loose in the adaptor, serrations are formed round the ton
of the latter, and a small serrated key on the plug is brought
into me.sh with the serrations on the adaptor by means of a

.small locking screw which holds the plug firndy. The com-
plete plug will shortly be placed on the market by the In-
sT.'\NTo I'lug Co., 307, London Eoad, WestcUff-ou-Sea.

Higli'pressure Insulators.

Disk suspension insulators of remarkable qualities are made
by the Jeferev-Dewitt I.\sul.\toh Co., of Huntmgton, W. Va.,
U.S.A. They consist of thick porcelain disks, which are in
tension, and are made without the use of cement. The accom-
jianying sections, figs. 2 A- H, show in.sulators 11 in. in diameter
and 4i in. thick, the least dielectric thickness being 24 in. The
dielectric strength of each disk at (iO cycles is 300,000 volts,
and at 200,000 cycles 250,000 volts; the "dry flash-over voltage
of one disk is 97,000 volts, and of three disks in series 253,000

Fig. 2. — ,J.-D. I.nsdlator.

volts, the corresponding figures in the wet test beinb 47,0* K»
volts and 139.000 volts. The guaranteed ultimate strength
of the insulator is 8,000 lb., but the average is 9,.500 lb. The
spiders are of galvanised steel, and are fixed into the insulators
with a special alloy. It is claimed that these insulators are
permanently safe against puncture, are not destroyed by
intense power arcs across the string, and are proof against
bullets and moisture. These properties are secured by scien-

.J.-D. Suspension Insueators in Section.

tific preparation of the raw materials, and firing the insulators
in a continuous tunnel kiln, which is traversed by an insulator
in 3J days, and is heated by natural gas under accurate tem-
perature'control. The porcelain is tested for porosity by the
fuchsine penetration test devised by the company in 1917,
under a pressure of 2(10 lb. per sq. in.

Besides the suspension type, insulators are made with
flanged connex-tions, enabling them to he bolted together
rigidly as columns for use in out-dcxir switchgear, for carrying
busbars, &c.

610

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 3,238, ootobeb is, 1920.

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IN LONDON.

Inquiry Held by the Electricity Commissioners.

An iuquiry was held at the Westminster Guildhall on Octo-
ber 0, 7, 6 and 9 by the Electricity Commissioners into an
application by the Uoimty of London Electric Supply Co.,
Ltd., to buikl an electric power station at Barking under the
terms of its Provisional Order of 1913. The issues involved
necessitated many of the lactors concerning the London Elec-
tricity Supply problem as a whole being gone into. Ihe Com-
missioners were Sir John Snell, Sir H. Ha ward and Mr. H.
Booth.

The County of London Electric Supply Co., Ltd., w^as repre-
sented by Mr. H. Lloyd, K.C., and Mr. Tylor, whilst the
London County Council, 'iS local authorities, and nine com-
panies, which opposed, were represented by Mr. Tyldesley
Jones, K.C., and Mr. Kennedy.

On Wednesday, October fjth, Mr. H. Llovd, K.C, ui pre-
senting the case for the County of London Co., empha.'iised the
%ery serious position in which the company now tound itself.
It had two areas of supply, one north and one south of the
Kiver Thames, these areas being served respectively liy the
City Road and \\andsworth stations. By a Provisional Order
of i913, the company was also given powers in certain areas
in Essex. In London the demand was growing at a rapid
rate, but the limitations of the power stations prevented the
necessary development to meet the demand. In the Essex
area the company had been unable to make a serious start,
and had been compelled to limit its operations to the com-
pulsory area by making an arrangement with a private firm
to afford a small supply. The company had no generating
station of its own in that area, and now asked the Commis-
sioners, under the terms of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919,
for permission to erect a station there with the object of
developing that area and at the same time assisting the com-
pany to meet the demand in the two London areas. The
Order for the Essex area was obtained in 1913, and but for
the war would have been carried out by now, and could not
have been opposed, Init under the Electricity Act, 1919, it
was now necessary t-o obtain the consent of the Electricity
Commissioners. Under the Order of 1913, it was provided
that the provisions of the Electric Lighting Act, 19(l8. with
regard to linking-up with other stations .should only be applied
subject to the consent of the Board of Trade. The proposed
station was not only to supply the Essex area, but also tn
assist the supply in the London areas; moreover, the station
had been planned so that it could be extended hereafter in
order to deal with a much greater supply if thought neces-
sary. Technically, therefore, he would have to apply to the
Ministry of Transport for permis.sion to link up the new
station with the Tjondon areas, but that permission had not
yet been asked for. The site authorised by the Order of 1913.
and a good deal more, had already been purchased ; in all
about 90 acres had been acquired, and a company intimately
connected with the County of London Co. had piu'chased
another SHI acres. Under the County of London Company's
Act of 1918, which extended the time for the purchase of
land, &e., under the Romford and District Order, it was pro-
vided that no claim should be made upon the Ixindon County
Council as the pmxhasing authority beyond the capital ex-
penditure on the generating plant with interest at <3 per cent.
per annum. That restriction still applied, and if the Commis-
sioners gave their permission to the scheme it would be neces-
sary for him to go to Parliament to get the rat« of interest
altered, because nobody woukl suggest that the money could
be raised at ti per cent, to-day. Except for that he did not
wish to varv the restrictions under which the companv had
lieen placed by the Order of 1913 and the Act of 1918. 'As to
the suitability of the site for a generating station, it had been
selected on several occasions for a large generating station to
supply Jjondon as a whole, and the London County Council,
which was opposing the pre.sent proposal, had itself selected
the same site. Therefore, assuming the need for the station
for the purposes of the company's own needs, he failed to
see why there could be any opposition. The County of
London Co. had no wish in coining forward with this pro-
posal, to do anything which would hamper a District Elec-
tricity Board which might be set up hereafter, and to that
end he was prepared for a provision to be inserted in any
Order issued by the Electricity Commissioners that any public
body set up in the future in the nature of an Electricity
Board should have the right to acquire the station if it
desired to do .so. That would be an option to the public autho-
rity and not a compulsion. The company expected a substantial
load on the station from railways, because the area was bound
to develop enormously, and there was no doubt that tramways
or motor omnibuses could not deal adequately with the traffic.
He was prepared to submit the plans to the Commissioners
so that they could arrange for the station to be constructed
in such a manner that extensions could be made to meet
future reouirements.

Mr. C- P. Sp.-vrks. chief engineer to the Countv of London
Co. until December. 1919, when he retired, was then called.

Sir John Snei.l asked that the evidence should be confined
to the growth of the company and its future prospects.

Mr. Spabks said that both the London stations of the com-
pany were limited in output by the condensing-water facili-
ties. Under the mo.st favourable circumstances the maximum
output at the City Road works was 10,IJ<X) kw. and at the
Wandsworth works •JH1,0>)0 KW., making a total of 3IJ,IJ<XJ kw.
A new 6,IXX)-KW. generating set was being erected at Wands-
worth, but before that was decided upon he had advi.sed his
company to purchase in bulk from the City of London Electric
Lighting Co., Ltd. A contract was entered into for o,iJ>A) kw.,
to be increased eventually to 10,000 KW., but although that
supply was due in the early part of this year, none had yet
been given, and none was likely, as the City Co. could not
get the necessary plant. It was in con.sequence of that that
the company decided to install a new generating set at Wands-
worth, which it did not want to do owing to lack of condens-
ing water. Witness exhibited a curve .showing the progress
of the County of London Co. from 19tl9 to 1919. There had
been a gradual increase up to the outbreak of war, and then
there was a definite drop for several years. Since the armis-
tice, however, there had been a very rapid •improvement, and
at the end of 1919 the output was S.iM) kw. Estimating on
a lower rate of gro\\th than that for the next four years, he
calculated that the company would be called upon to provide
a total of 40,000 kw. in the existing London area in four
years' time, but even that took no account of important busi-
ness coming along in the way of bulk supplies. In the past
the company had been hampered on several occasions because
it had not sufficient plant to enable it even to negotiate for
such supplies. The South London Electric Supply Corpora-
tion, Ltd., and the" Post Office had both wanted large sup-
plies, but they could not even be considered. Under the
Komford Order of 1913, only the compulsory area had been
dealt with, and that with the as.sistance of a brewery, which
charged an accumulator and enabled the company to supply
about IW kw. or less. In 1914 he had estimated the require-
ments in the Romford area at 8. -500 KW., but he now put the
immediate demand there at 10,000 KW., and by 1924 he esti-
mated a total load of 50,000 kw. in the London and Romford
areas. The new station was urgently required to relieve the
pre.sent London generating stations, because the difficulty of
running the older London stations was increasing every year,
quite apart from the question of greater efficiency in coal
consumption. At the City Road station some of the plant ^^■as
13 to 15 years old, and at the Wand.sworth power house the
oldest plant was 14 and 15 years old. He estimated 14,000 KW.
increase in the London area in the next four years, which was
a very moderate estimate. He was satisfied that it would be
economical to get the new station at Barking running as
soon as possible and shut down the two existing stations in
London. Certain of the more modern plant might be held in
reserve for some years in both stations; the City Road station
would be dismantled fii-st and Wandsworth run for a little
longer. He calculated that it would be 3^ to 4 years before
the present position could be relieved, even if the new station
was started at once.

Cross-examined by Mr. Tildesley Jones, Mr. Sparks said
that the first section of the generating station would have a
capacity of '200,000 kw., but it was capable of extension to
000,000 KW. In the first place it was proposed to put down
three alternators of upwards of 20.000-kw. each. The site in
question was the same as that scheduled by the Administra-
tive County of London Power Co., which was promoted by
Mr. Merz some years ago. The 2(Xl.tK.lO-KW. station would
eventually contain eight sets of 25,(XK( kw. each or there-
abouts. Probably the actual size would be between 30,00O
and 33,000 kw. each, but in any case the plans would have
to be submitted to the Commissioners. The total cost of the
first section of 60,000 kw. was estimated at i4..500,000, of
which the power house would cost f 2,678.000; certain charges
would have to be added for interest during construction. The
main transmission lines were estimated to cost f507,0(X), these
including the mains necessary to hnk up with the company's
existing power houses; the transmission and distribution
system in the Romford area would cost £375,000, and interest
during construction at 10 per cent, would cost J-404.(X)0. The
figures for the main transmission lines included substations.
The generated pressure would be stepped up to 40.1K.X) volts.
He put the cost of transmission at ±'0.7 per kw. per mile on
the average. In the figures of output which he had given
were the present bulk supplies to the South London Electric
Supply Corporation, Ltd., the South Metropolitan Electric
Tramways and Lighting Co., Ltd., and to a company operat-
ing in the area around Chipstead. The Bankside statipn of
the City Co. could be extended to 100,0(X) kw.. but it would
be impossible to work it on account of difiiculties with coal
storage. Those difficulties were had enough with an output
of 36,(H«) kw. With regard to the bulk supply now given to
the South Ijondon Electric Supply Corporation. Ltd.. of which
the County Co. held all the shares, he would shut that station
down as soon as Barking was running.

Mr. Tyldesi.fA" Jones added that the present arrangements
of the Citv Co. were that three additional 10,0(X1-KW. sets were

YoL 87. No. 3,238, October 15, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

611

to be installed, making a total capacity of 66,000 kw. at Bank-
side. Moreover, the South Metropolitan Electric Light and
Power Co., Ltd., had a large power station with power avail-
able. He contended that it would be possible to obtain all
the power which the County Co. needed during the next two
or three years without constructing the Barking station. The
construction of that station by the County Co. might very
well prejudice the preparation of the large scheme in the near
future.

Mr. Sp.^rks said that the total area of supply under the
Romford Order \\as about 130 sq. miles. He would not advise
his company to purchase power from the City Co., because
he could not regard such a supply as reUable.

Mr. C. H. Mehz, who acted as consulting engineer to the
County Co. in conjunction with Mr. Sparks, said he considered
the estimates of growth already given were on a niost con-
servative basis, but that course had been adopted in an
endeavour to ensure a uniformity of prosperity of the com-
pany. It would take one year to get going after the consent
was obtained, two years of active construction, and one year
for tuning up. He failed to see that the construction of the
station would in any way prejudice the subsequent oi)era-
tions of an Electricity Board, if one was established; indeed,
it should facilitate those operations. There was a large pro-
spective railway dernand, and it was necessary to prepare for
that; it was no use saying to a railway company that they
would begin to prepare to meet a demand if a contract was
given. Contracts for railway supply were never given on that
basis. Cross-examined, Mr. Merz agreed that the company's
undertaking would be purchasable in 1931, and that that would
only leave seven years for the full operation of Barking before
purchase took place either liy the London County Council or
some other body. Notwithstanding that, there would not be
any ditSeulty in getting the neces.sary capital to construct the
Barking station. He maintained that a load of 50,0(X) KW., as
contemplated in 1924, would give sutKcicnt revenue to pro\ide
an adequate return on the 4i millions sterling new capital
and the existing two millions capital of the County Co. In
the case of the Xorth-east Coast power companies 8 i»r cent.
was paid on the ordinary .sliares with a capital of live millions
sterUng and a load of U'i.OOU KW., but, added Mr. Merz, the
price was very low on the North-east Coast. People like those
who were opposing this application did not want to see elec-
tricity developed. Tlie other London companies wanted to be
left alone or bought out. There was nothing experimental
about a 33,000-kw. turbo-alternator running at l,.50O n.p.M.; a
2t),000-KW. machine running at •i.iUM) or 3.(HiO r.p.m. was a
much more difficult problem. It was agreed that Mr. Merz
should prepare an estimate, not in too great detail, in support
of the proposition on the question of cost of generation at
Barking.

Mr. Tyldeslky Jones said that there was no urgency which
made -it necessary for them to do anything to prejudice the
in(juiry which would take place by the ( 'onuiiissioni'rs as soon
as possible after March 31st, \'J'J,\ . wlini tin' C'oiiiiiiissioiiers
would consider the area for London rli'i truity supply, which
had ah'eady been provisionally cbawu up, and schcnics for
dealing with that area. That area would undoubtedly in-
clude the Barking area, and to give jiermission to the County
Co. to proceed with a station there would be to prejudge the
larger question to be considered next ,\e.ir, for his clients were
preparing a scheme for sulmiissiou at that inquiry.

Sir Haury Eenwick, deputy chairman and managing
director of the County of London Co., said that but for the
war the Barking station could have been erected and no one
could have opposed it. There was no desire in coming for-
ward now V prejudice any larger scheme; he only wanted to
be able to supply his own needs. Certainly there was no
other .scheme so far as he was concerned, and it so happened
that his engineers in getting out their plans extended them
to show that 6()l>.tH)0 kw. could be accommodated on the site
of the power station if necessary ultimately. Sucli an exten-
sion, however, was in the hands of the Commissioners. He
was only concerned with the first instalment of the power
station. The lx)wer Thames Development Co. was formed
during the war in order to buy land for the generating station,
as the Ti'easury objected to the County Co., a statutory con-
cern, spending money for that purpose at that tune. The
land had been since purchased from the Development Co., in
which the County Co. held all the shares.

On Thursday. October 7th, Sir Harry Eenwick was cross-
examined. He was not prepared to go into the question
whether the Development Co. made a profit on the land which
the County Co. bought from it. The price paid was on an
independent valuation by Sir Alexander Stenning. Sir H.
Renwick said that when the sanction of the Commi.ssioners to
go ahead with the station was obtained, there would be no
difficulty in persuading the financial people to support the
scheme.

Mr. Jones referred to a conference called by the Electricity
Commissioners a short time ago when a suggestion was made
that all the electricity supply authorities in London should
come tcjgether and endeavour to prepare a scheme for dealing
with the eleetricity supply to the Lonilon district. Since then
an offer had been made to the County Co. by the others to
join in such a scheme, but- the County Co. had declined. Sir
H. Renwick said he had never declined to join any such
combination of authorities; he had never been invited. If he
knew that the London County Council and the companies had

a really constructive programme he would join them at once.
Counsel put it that the County of London Co. had refused to
join the others unless the Barking site was taken over by
them. Sir H. Renwick said that he personally had made no
such statement; he believed the chau'man of his company, Sii'
Ernest Hiley, had reported to the Board in favour of that
course, but he himself did not agree with it. Unless some-
thing was done, and done at once, he was no longer prepared
to take the responsibility for working the County Co., and
unless a decision was given soon he would have to call his
shareholders together, let them know the facts, and ask them
to relieve him of that responsibility. Unless somebody would
conie forward and guarantee him 10U,OtlO KW. to carry on his
business he was not prepared to continue the responsibihty.
The Loudon companies hail been obstructive all along the line.

The Chaiii.m.a.n, interposing, said the Commissioners desired
to call the chairman of the County Co. He_ pointed out that
when the City Co. had its three 10,000-KW.' turbo-alternators
installed, that would give a considerable accession of power to
the County Co. Sir H. Eenwick agreed that in that way he
could get a supply during the next two or three years, but he
wished to develop along proper hues. He had asked for
l(X),U0O KW. because he believed the estimates of his engineers
were too conservative and would be doubled or trebled if the
plant was available to supply the power. He had not been
able for years past to deal with business which had been
ottered him because he could not see the possibility of supply-
ing it whilst he was baulked in developing Barking. More-
over, whatever supplies he got from the City Co. would not
help him to develop the large area in Essex. Croydon, Shore-
ditch, and Barking had asked him for supplies, but he had not
been able to give them. In the case of Croydon they wanted
•5,<KK) KW., whereas he was only able to give 1,000 kw.
\\'imbledon had also asked for a supply, but had had to be
refused.

The Chairman pointed out that the units consumed per
liead of population per annum in the company's area were
only 39.2, and the projected increa.se in the London areas
of 14,000 kw. in four years would really represent a very small
sale. Su- H. Renwick repeated that he considered his engi-
neers' estimates too conservative. He regarded the possi-
bilities, even in the London area, as unlimited; there was a
large quantity of land available for factories, and he anti-
cipated an enormous industrial development.

Mr. C. H. Merz, recalled, handed in the estimate asked for
on the previous day, giving a comparison of the costs of
extending the existing stations and of erecting the new station
at Barking. A.ssumiug that it was physically possible to
extend the existing stations in London and to supply the
Barking area from them, he proceeded on the basis of in-
stalling ,nl additional 36,0(.)l) kw. at the City Eoad and Wands-
worth stations. The generating plant would cost .£1,080,000
on the same basis as that assumed for the generating plant
lit the Hiiikinj^ |io\M>r station. He would lay two instead of
live liildis lielueen London and Barking, and supply Barking
from London instead of vice iicr.sn. and the total capital cost
he put at ^2,2(39,000, as against 4i millions sterling for the
Barking power station. With regiird to oiierating costs,
however, there would be savings with the ISarking power
station of ^21'2,00O on coal consumption by the year 1925. of
£.5,700 on the removal of ashes, and of £30,000 in operating
costs, cf)mpared with the extension of the Ijondon stations,
making a total of £'248,000 in favour of the Barking scheme,
and that .saving would give a- return of 1 1 per cent, on the
capital expenditure involved in the London extensions.
Moreover, the capital spent on the Ijondon stations v-ould only
have a, useful life of four years, as it would then be necessary
eventually to build the Barking station and, generally speak-
ing, he held the view that any money .sjient on the r.ondon
stations would only increase the financial burden <in the
undertaking. Taking into account the short life of the plant
installed in the London works, the real saving by erecting
the Barking station was much greater than he had .shown,
and wonld be nearer ,£.5(M1,000. The coal consumption of the
Barking plant he estimated at I5 lb. per KW.-hour or 17,(XK)
B.TH.li. Neither he nor Mr. Sfiarks would undei-take to carry
out the programme of alternative generation in the Ijondon
stations, owing to lack of condensing water facilities at both
of them.

This closed the case for the County of London Electric
Supply Co., Ltd., in favour of the proposal.

Mr. Tyldesley Jones, addressing the Commissioners for the
opposition, said that he represented not only the London
County Council, which was the purcha.sing authority for all
the London companies in 1931, including the County of
London Electric Supply Co., Ltd., but also 16 Metropolitan
boroughs owning electricity undertakings — the whole of such
bodies — three county boroughs, viz., Croydon and East and
West Ham. five borough councils, viz.. Ealing, Gravesend,
Hornsey, Kingston-on-Thames and Wimbledon, 14 urban dis-
tricts owning electricity supply undertakings, and nine out of
the 13 T/mdon companies. All the.se people offered the most
slreinious opposition, not to a, scheme at Barking, which
might ultiniatelv be approved by the Commissioners, but to
eonsent being given now to the proposal of the County Co.,
at a time when schemes had been asked for to deal with 'the
whole area on comnrehen.sive lines which were to be adjudi-
cated upon after March 31st. 1921, according to the notice
issued by tlic Commissioners them.selves. It was proposed to

512

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [v<i. i:. »«. a^ss, ootwbb is, iw20

spend 4i millions sterling upon a 66,000-kw. station which
could not, on the promoters' own showing, become operative
for four years after they had got permission to go ahead, and
by that time the County Co. wouid only have seven years'
life left to it. The proposal was one of almost unparalleled
magnitude for a London company, and if the case for the
promoters was accepted it was a scheme to deal only with
the domestic needs of the company. He reminded the Com-
ini.ssioners that in May of this year they called all the supply
authorities in the London area together, and Sir John Snell,
as the Chief Commi.ssioner, had urged them to get together
with a view to preparing a joint scheme. Practically every-
body, w'ith the exception of the County Co., acted on that
advice, and a committee of engineers had been appointed,
consisting of Sir Alexander Kennedy and Mr. G. W. Part-
ridge, representing the companies; Mr. J. H. Eider, repre-
senting the Ijondon County Council; and Mr. C. H. Wording-
ham, representing the local authorities, had been hard at work
preparing such a scheme for presentation to the Commis-
sioners on March 31st, 1921. Now the Commissioners were
asked to sanction a scheme, which involved the removal of
the load from two London stations to a station at Romford,
and this necessarily affected the whole of the deliberations of
that technical committ-ce. It had been said that no harm
would be done because the County Co. was willing to be put
under an obligation to sell the station to a joint electricity
authority if one was set up hereafter, but the mere fact that
the County Co. agreed to sell could not be biniling upon an
authority which was not in existence.

(To he concluded.)

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly for this journal by Messrs. Sefton-Jones, O'Dell and
Stephens, Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborh, London, W.C. 1.

2r,190. " Valve gEncrators, &c." Radio Communication Co. and J Scott-
Taggart. September 24lh.

27,191. " Elfctroniagnetic wave systems, &c." Radio Communication Co.
and J. Scott-Taggart. S<ptember 34th.

27.228. " Adiustablo non-rigid coupling for magnetos, &c." W. W. Vinsen.
September 24th.

27,238. " Switches for electric water heaters." J. F. Barr. September 24lh.

27,342. " Electric heating devices." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.) and Genera) Electric Co. September 24th.

27,360. " Control devices for electric circuits." E. A. Watson. September
25 th.

27361. " Dynamo-electric machines." E. A. Watson. September 25th.

27.291. " Svstems of generation of thcrmo dvnamic and electrical power,
&c." W. P. burtnall. September 24th.

27.292. " Make-and-brcak devices for electric switches and fuses." Edison
Swan Electric Co. and F. Shergold. September 24th.

27.335. " Insulated electric conductors or cables." G. C. Allingham.
September 35th.

27.336. " Cap for s.>aling ends of insulated electric conductors or cables."
G. C. Allingham. September 25lh.

27,327. " Bonding and earthing connections." G. C. Allingham. September
35th.

27,329. " Sparking plugs." W. A. Clark and. Sphinx Manufacturing Co.
September 25th.

37,333. " Sparking plug." A. N. Drummond. September 25th.

37.339. " Starling and lighting systems for mutor vehicles." H. M. Ains-
worth. September 25th.

27.340. " Electric generating plant." D. D. Drury. September 25th.
27,349. " Insulation of electric conductors.** F. Femie. September 35th.

27.360. " Control devices for electric circuits,'* C. L. I. Manufacturing Co.
and E. A. Watson. September 25th.

37.361. " Dvnamo-electric machines.*' M.-L. Magneto Svndicate and E. A.
Watson. September 2i)th.

27,380. " Electrical welding apparatus.*' C. E. Wood. September 25th.

37,393. "Amplifiers for sound-reproducing machines^" J. W. Booth. Sep-
temljer 27th.

27,411. . '* Devices for protecting low-lension electric circuits from abnormal
charges." I. Guiducci. September 27th.

27.401. " Electrically-propi-lled boat." M. R. Loya. September 27th.

27,467. " Regulation of hydro-electric instaHations." W. L. Moore.
September 27th.

27.477. " Electro-magnetic relavs." Automatic Telephone Manufacturing
Co. September 27th (U.S., December 31st. 1919.)

27.478. " Automatic telephone systems." .Automatic Telephone Manufac-
turing Co. September 27th. (U.S., Januarv •2«th.)

27,490. " Miners' electric lamps." J. W.' Jones and Thor Electric Safety
Lamp Co. September 27th.

27,500. " Electric cells." E. C. van Slooten. September 28th. (Holland,
October 27th, 1919.)

27.509. " Electric irons." G. H. Lofts. September 38th.

27.510. "Alloy for ctectric heating appliances.*' G. H. Lofts. September
28th._

27,523. ** Automatic starting, regulating, or controlling switchgear." Elec-
tric Construction Co. September 28th.

■27.553. Protective devices for .'.Iternating current electric distribution
systems." British Thomson-Houston Co. and E. B. W'edmore. September 28th.

37.557. •• Electrical switchgear." W. A. Coatcs, D, R. Davies, and
Metropohtan-Vickers Electrical Co. September 3mh.

27.558. " Electrical switchgear." D. R. Davies and Melronolitan-Vickers
Electrical Co. September 2Kth.

27.561. "Thermal rel.iys for electrical circuits.'* Metropolitan-Vickors
Electrical Co. September 28lh. (U.S., October-6th, 1919.)

27.572. " Alternating current generators.** T. F. Wall. September 28th.

27.573. "Electrolysis." M. A. Adam and G. N. Antonoff. September 28th.
27.579. " Separators for elf menis of electric storage batteries." W. E.

Holland and I. M. Skinner. September 2Rth. lU.S., M.iv 17th. 1919.)
27..-)83. " Maintaining constant the perio.iicitv of an alternating current."

Ocs: fur Drahtlosc Telegraphic. September 28th. (Germany; September

29lh. 1919.)

27.629. "Electrical condensers." E. A. B.avles and British Insulated &

Helshv Cables, Ltd., and H. Higham. September 39th.

27,653. " Electric switches." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General Elec-
tric Co.) and General Electric Co. September 29th.

27,658. *' Sparking plugs." A. W. Armstrong. September 29th.

27,666. " Electrically etching, printing, reproduction, or relief plates.**
W. J. Mellersh-Jackson (Weeks' Photo Engraving Co.). and Weeks' Photo
Engraving Co. September 29th.

27,672. " Bell, Sec, indicator systems." A. J. .Anido. September *29th.

27,692. " Trolley heads for electric vehicles." D. McCoU and Shanghai
Electric Construction Co. (.McColl). September 29th.

27,709. " Electro-magnetic wave systems, &c." Radio Communication Co.
and J. Scott-Taggart. September 30th. .. _

27.727. •■ Electrodes." H. Plauson and W. P. Thompson (Hauson). Sep-
tember 30th.

27.728. " Automatic telephone systems.** Automatic Telephone Manufac-
turing Co. and W. G. Taylor. September 30th.

27.729. " Mica cutting machine (or commutators of armatures." C. E.
Philo. September 30th.

27.748. " Telephone systems." Automatic Electric Co. and Automatic
Telephone Manufacturing Co. (.Automatic Electric Co.). September 30th.

'27,755. " Telegraph keyboard perforator.** A. C, Booth and A. S. Willniot.
September 30th.

27,7fS. " Casings for electrical, &c„ apparatus.** British Thomson-Houston
Co. (General Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. September 30lh.

27,784. " Hand-operable dynamo elc-ctric inachines.*' C. .\. Nicolle. S-)..
tcmber 30th.

27.805. " Means for securing electric lighting machines. &c., for cycles, &c.
R. Bosch Akt.-Ges. September 30th. (Germany. October 2nd. 1919.)

37.809. " Mouthpieces of telephones." E. L. Mann and Phonopore Con-
struction Co. September 30th.

27.814. " Electric reading-lamps, &c." C. O. Green. October 1st.

27.830. " Mine signalling apparatus." Clay Cross Co., and J. W. Strong.
October 1st.

27.831. " Rotors of cUctTic induction motors." J. W. Atkinson. October

R. L. .Murrai

and Tclepho

27,876. "Telephone transmit
facturing Co. October 1st.

*27,880. " Ignition systems for motor cars." W. Cooper. October Isl.

■27.888. " Wireless apparatus." P. Alexander and C. W. C. Beckmann.
October 1st. ....

27,909. " Electrical switching, S:c.. mechanism." Cutter Electrical and
M.inufacturing Co. October 1st. (U.S.. October 2nd, 1919.)

27,917. " Electrical switching, ic, mechanism." Cutter Electrical and
Manufacturing Co. October 1st. (U.S.. December 34th, 1919.)

37,956. " Sheet metal clips for earthing electric cable conduits." £. Hanff.
October 3nd.

27,964. " Alloy for electrical make-and-break contacts." W. D. Meagher.
October 2nd.

27.984. " Electric apparatus for waving the hair." G. Bouduu. October
2nd. (France. March 26th.)

27.991. " Testing electric cables." P. Dunshcath and Henley's Telegraph
Works Co., W.T. October 3nd.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The n
printed

nd abridged.

inder which the specificationj
proceedings will be taken.

19XS.

5,455. " Winding with equi.potential connections for drum-armatures of
electric commutator machines." E. C. R. Marks (Akt.-Ges. Brown, Boveri.
ct Cic). January 9th. 1918. (150.753.)

16,806. " Methods of and apparatus for electric welding." British 'fhomson-
Houston Co. (General Electric Co.). October 15th. 1918. (150.756.)

31.897. " Construction of magneto-electric machines." G. M. Turner.
June 17th. 1919. (150,757.)

X9X9.

10.618. " Material for electric brushes." A. E. White (Becker Bros.).
April 'iSth. 1919. (150.765.)

11.086. " Method of indicating, locating, and isolating faults in electric-
transmission or distributing systems.'* Ateliers De Construction Oerlikon, P.
Dawson. F. W. Fawdry, P. Luder, and G. Wuthrich. May 3rd, 1919.
(150,766.)

13,029. " Electrodes for electric primary cells and storage batteries, and
a process of jnaking such electrodes.** Svenska .Ackumulator .Akticbolaget
Junger. June 13th, 1918. (128,197.)

14.193. " Electric furnaces.'* L. W. Wild and E. P. Barficld. June 4th.
1919. (150.793.)

14 309. *' Wireless signalling systems." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.). June 5th. 1919. (150.798.)

14.463. " Negative plate for electric batteries and process fBr mating it."
A. Pouch.iin. June 0th, 1919. (150,810.)
'14.463. "Negative plate for electric accumulators and process for making
it." A. I'ouchain. June 0th, 1919. (150,811.)

14,545. " .Attachment for electric lamp holders in motor lamps and the
like." O. T. Banks. June 7th, 1919. (150.818.)

14,668. " Dynamo electric machines, and means for controlling the opera-
tion thereof." L. J. Stephenson. June 20th. 1918. (128,556.)

14.682. " .Apparatus for converting alternating electric currents into direct
currents, and vice versa." J. E. Calverley and W. E. Highfield. June lOlh.
1919. (150.824.)

14.683. " .Apparatus for converting alternating electric currents into direct
currents, and vice versa." J. E. Calverley and W. E. Highfield. June lOlh.
1919. (150.8-25.)

15.205. " Processes of making nitric .icid.** British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric C:o.). June 17th. 1919. (150.836.)

15,610. " Electric water heaters.*' J. F. Barr. June 30th, 1919. (150,845.)

15 770. " Electric dry cell batteries." H. R. Palmer. June 33rd, 1919.
(1.50,848.)

16,134. " Electric storage biittery separators." H. L. Boyer. June 2()th,
1919. (150.853.)

16 353 "Electric fittings known as double-ended lamp holders." Elandcm
Co. and W. Owen. June 30th, 1919. (150,6o7..)

17,480. " Electric display sign." C. Tregoning. July 12th, 1919. (150.870.)

18.127. " Dry cell batteries." H. R. Palmer. July 'ilst. 1919. (150.876.)

18.613. " Hand-operated electric switfhcs." E. Mepsted. July 26lh, 1919.
(150 878 )

18 683. " Thermostatic valve units." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
-Electric Co.). July 28th. 1919. (150.879.) _^ .

33 979. " Wireless telephone apparatus.'* P. L. Douvry. September 30th.
1919. (150.907.) . . . „

•24.368. " Electro-mechanical variable-speed and reversing mechanisms.
Anciens Etablissements Barbier, Bcnard and Turenne, and E. Grin.it. October
eth. 1919. (l.-i0,908.) , ,

29,909. " Methods of starting and braking electric .motors. I 1 l-flli
December 13th, 1918. (r36..537.)

1.9BO.

7,163. " Automatic snitch for electric heating appliances.*' B. G. C.
Stephens. March 9th, 1920. (150,951.)

]n,.';i2. " Electric telephone.*.*' H. P. Rees. April Wth, 1920. (150,956.)

TXXE

H3I1iEOTS.IO-A.Ij I?,E"VIE"W-

Vol. LXXXVII.

OCTOBEE 22, 1920.

No. 2,239.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

THE COAL STKIKE.

Vol. LXXXVII.]

CONTENTS : October 22, 1920,

[No. 9,389.
Page
... 513
... 514
... 514
... 514

The Coal Strike

London's Electricity Supply

The Mystery of the Site

The I.E.E. still Homeless

The Mechanical Details of D.c. Armature Construction, by

■A London ForemaD" O'iZw.) 515

The Commercial Motor Exhibition Qilhis.') 517

Exports and Imports of Electrical Goods for September, 1920 818

South Africa : A Nesriected Market 519

Standardisation in Germany, by E. S. H. 520

Mercury-Vapour Turbines and Boilers (illtit.) 520

Ooriespondence —

Domestic Supply Pressure and Wiring 521

Electric Welding 522

Single-phase Meters on Three-phase Systems 522

Power Factor 523

Joint Industrial Councils 522

Credit and Prices 523

Telephone Engineering in the U.S.A 524

Legal 525

Business Notes 525

Notes 532

City Notes 635

Stocks and Shares ••• 535

Market Quotations 836

Electricity in Agriculture, by R. E. Neale {illus.') Qconcluded) 537

Electricity Supply in London (^conoliiiled') 539

Improvements in Street Lighting {illug.) 541

The Necessity of Stability in Industry (iH«<.) 642

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (illus.') 543

New Patents Applied for, 1920 544

Abstracts of Published Speoifioationi 544

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[5

Up to the last moment everyone hoped, and most believed,
that the strike, would not take place ; however, in view of the
heavy vote against the "datum line" proposal, the miners'
leaders decided on Friday last that work in the mines must
cease, and we are once more in the throes of a national
struggle. We fear the leaders sadly misinterpreted the
meaning of the vote, which was cast against the proposal
before the men, but not for a strike ; reports received at
the beginning of the week indicated clearly that many of
the men, though they had loyally obeyed the instructions
of their leaders, did so reluctantly, and were astonished at
the course which events had taken.

How long the strike will last, no one can foresee ; but
that, in any case, its effects will be disastrous to industry
is, unfortunately, a certainty. Coal is the key of almost
all our manufacturing industries, and even the threat of a coal
strike had paralysed trade ; according to Sir Allan Smith, con-
tracts amounting to the value of £15,000,000 were cancelled
in one branch of industry alone before the decision to strike
was announced. We hear, on all sides, of works closing and
employes being discharged, of blast furnaces being blown
out, and textile mills being shut down. Prices generally
had shown a tendency to fall, but that tendency will now
be arrested and reversed. The American exchange has
already begun to fall still lower, and the cost of imported
food and raw materials will increase, while the cessation of
export of coal will react upon our tinancial position, besides
throwing idle vast quantities of labour and capital. Thus,
thanks to the obstinacy of a well-paid industry, which
refused to refer its claims to arbitration, the whole country,
including the members engaged in that industry, will be
further impoverished.

Engineering employers, as a whole, intend to carry on as
long as their stocks of coal permit ; some will be able to
keep the wheels turning for a month to come, and in the
national interest it is desirable that they should adopt this
course. In many cases, however, there is little coal in
hand, and some shops stopped as early as last week-end.

Electricity supply undertakings in general have a fair
amount of coal in store, and can maintain the supply for a
month to come, but at some important centres curtailment
of tramway services and power supply is foreshadowed
almost immediately. We give elsewhere particulars regard-
ing the situation. Unfortunately, power alone will not
serve to keep works going ; as the supply of raw materials,
particularly iron and steel, dries up, engineering works will
have to close, and within a month enormous numbers of
workers will be unemployed. Something can be done by
economy in the use of electricity and gas for lighting
and heating, l)ut, after all, these are minor matters, and if
the wtole were shut down, the situation would not be
appreciably relieved. A far greater field for economy is
13] D

614

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,239, ootomb 22, 1920.

found in the use of coal for domestic purposes, and we trust
that this class of consumption will be restricted to the
utmost.

Whether the railwaymen and transport workers will cease
work in support of the miners is uncertain, but at present
the probabilities are against their doing so. It is more
likely that they will seize an early opportunity of offering
their services as mediators. Already the miners are much
better paid than the railwaymen, and as they did not strike
in support of the latter last year, they can hardly expect to
receive more effective support than they gave to their allies.

An admirable debate on the subject of the strike took
place in the House of Commons on the first day of the
session ; an atmosphere of peace and conciliation prevailed,
and the attitude of the (iovernment invited suggestions
that might lead to an early settlement. The only
concrete proposal, however, came from the miners'
side, in the form of a request that the 23. per shift
should be given, and the increase in output hoped for —
which was only another way of calling upon the Govern-
ment to surrender. Naturally and rightly the Prime
Minister refused to yield without guarantees that the output
would be increased ; once given, the advance in wages could
not be recalled. However, though the debate was not
immediately fruitful, the moderation and sincerity of the
speakers on both sides encourage us to hope that negotiations
will be resumed, and a way will be found out of the present
inifnsse in the near future.

The iniiuiry by the Electricity Coin-
London's Elec- • • ■ L lu 1- i.- /• Xl

trlcltv SuddIv missioners into the application of the
County of London Electric Supply Co.
for permission to build a generating statioa at Harking, of
which the report is concluded in this issue, serves as a
reminder of how little progress has been made in solving
the liondon electricity supply problem since 1905. It was in
that year that Mr. Merz promoted his first electric power
supply scheme for London, and, for all practical purposes,
the chaotic condition of affairs then revealed has improved
only to a very slight extent. There has, it is true, been a
fair amount of linking-up, and, generally speaking, so far
as the technical side of the question is concerned, there is
greater harmony than there was iir 1905. It is only
fair to add that at that time it was illegal for sapply
authorities to " associate," and for that state of affairs the
engineers could not be blamed. The difficulties which
have confronted us in London are, of course, all due to the
parochial system established by the early Electric l>iu'hting
Acts, and a host of vested interests have been created which,
it seems, will only be co-ordinated under compulsion.
Whatever be the meritsof theCounty of London Co.'s scheme,
it is very clear that the Commissioners have a most difficult
problem in front of them, and it is fortunate that under the
Act of 1919 they have certain powers of compulsion. A
provisional area has been scheduled as a London electricity
supply area, over which, eventually, a Joint Electricity Board,
in some form, will exercise control. Complete technical and
administrative schemes have been called for, and March 31st
next is the date by which these must be submitted to the
Commissioners. The public inquiry, which is to be held as
soon after that date as possible, will inevitably be a pro-
longed affair ; and it was a wise precaution oa the part of
the Electricity Commissioners last May to call together all
the parties concerned with electricity supply in London, and
urge upon them the vital necessity of pooling their brains
in an endeavour to prepare a joint scheme.

Since the Commissioners came into office they have
sanctioned 150,000 K\v. of extensions to existing stations,
simply because they have no other alternative if the increas-
ing demand is to be met before the much-talked-of capital

station, or stations, are built, which obviously cannot be for
several years. The Commissioners, who, naturally enough,
have been making the most minute inquiries into the
demand and means for meeting it in London, have been
impressed with the shortage of plant in existing power
stations to such an extent that they are seriously concerned
as to the outlook during the next three or four years unless
every possible step is taken to cope with the situation.

To what alternative site did Sir
of the^SHe^ Alexander Kennedy refer as suitable for a
super-station for London ? This was the
(juestion that exercised the curiosity of those present at the
recent inquiry held by the Electricity Commissioners. All
the information vouchsafed was that there were over 40
acres available, and that negotiations had taken place.
The riddle naturally invites guessing. Although the only
information given was that it was west of Barking, it is
obvious that the inquiry is narrowed down to very small
limits. On the north bank there is practically only the
Thames Ironworks site, and as Sir Alexander Kennedy
himself ruled this out, the site must inferentially be on the
south side. There the low marsh land rules out a long
stretch, so that no suitable sites occur until we get to the
Angerstein property, and the peninsula owned by the South
Metropolitan Gas Co. Higher up the river anyone would
draw a blank. As the works of the Gas Co. occupy a great
part of the peninsula, it seems obvious from inspection that
a suitable site would be the eastern side of this peninsula
looking down river, where, although the land behind is
below river level, there is a broad track at the river-edge
artificially banked-up. This, therefore, would appear to be
the site that fits in with Sir Alexander Kennedy's hints.
If anyone knowing the district can make a better guess, we
shall be interested to receive it.

Already the outlying branches of the

The I.E.E. still ing^jtution of Electrical Engineers are

Homeless. ... , ■ l i ,

beginning to bestir themselves, and

shortly the great organism of over 8,000 members will
resume its customary activities. The question is naturally
being asked : When shall we regain possession of our own
headquarters on the Embankment, and cease to be indebted
to the hospitality of the Institution of Civil Engineers .'

Unfortunately, no positive answer can be given. The
Office of Works is in no way incommoded by its continued
occupation of the handsome halls of the I.E.E., in which it
has quartered the Ministry of Pensions, and, therefoie, it is
in no hurry to surrender the premises to its rightful
occupants, in spite of the efforts repeatedly put forth by the
Council to regain possession. So far as we can gather,
there is no prospect of re-entry during the coming session.

On the other hand, the members will bear in mind the
darksome forecast of the Past- President, Mr. Roger Smith,
who indicated that the loss of revenue coincident with the
return to the p]mbankment would necessitate an increase in
their subscriptions, and find some consolation in their exile.

The attitude of the Office of Works towards the Insti-
tution is apparently in harmony with that of the Uepatt-
ment of Scientific and Industrial Research towards scientific
societies in general with regard to the cost of issuing their
publications. The Department professes to be " fully
sensible of the danger to scientifij research which must
result from a limitation of the facilities for publication,"
but declares that that is none of its business, and the
societies must look after themselves. A grant in aid of
scientific publications would be " a grant for the assistance
of a particular section of the community," and as it does
not happen to be that particular section of the community
which the Department chooses to assist — iir iif fait rirn.

So it is with the Office of Works ; it is only a scientific
society that is homeless — what does it matter r It will not
be forgotten that Sir Alfred Moud wished to annex the
British Museum for his myrmidons.

Vqi.87. fo. •,2a9, ooTOEim 22, i!I2o.] the F.I.ECTRICAL BEYIEW.

515

THE MECHANICAL DETAILS OF D.C. ARMATURE CONSTRUCTION.

By "A LONDON FOREMAN.'

The following is a detailed account of the methods of
construction and ultimate assembly of the elements
which go to form the mechanical engineer's part of a
D.C. machine, comprising the shaft, the spider, the
clamping plates, keys, feathers, and coupling.

It will be shown that there are things in the mechani-
cal, as well as in other worlds, which seem right to a
man, but the end thereof is most undesirable; and the
subject of this article is one of those things, which can
be more easily passed or rejected, when one knows
precisely the operations passed through during con-
struction and assembly. As it is intended to deal with
the mechanic's side of the subject, rather than with that
of the designer, no particular design is contejnplated.
Various sketches, however, are given for the purpose of
more clearly illustrating the points touched upon.

The Armature Shaft. — The shaft should be made of
steel, of Siemens-Martin or equal quality, which, having
been cut off to the desired length with a power
saw, is conveyed to the lathe. It is gripped at one end
in the four-jaw chuck of the lathe, and cradled in the
" steady " while the turner makes a fairly deep conical
impression in the opposite end with a strong centre-
punch. A lathe centre kept for the purpose, tixeil
(as is usual) in the poppet mandrel, is applied to the
conical indentation already made in the end of the
shaft, and the shaft running on this teiiiporjn-y cfntre.

ground to " Newall ' limits in a Landis plain
grinder. Unless the shaft is urgently required,
it should not be ground immediately, as far
greater accuracy and dependability will be secured
if the shaft is allowed to " lie around,'' to " breathe,"
and to " weather " for a time. Rolling and hammering
strains are, during this time, relieved, thus preventing
any departure from truth and dependability subsequent
to the grinding and finishing of the shaft. It will be
noted that an ultra-practical tone has been written into
the above, and it is intended there should be, for though
to manj- the turning of a shaft appears to be one of the
simplest of a turner's jobs, the warped armature-shafts
frequently seen bear unmistakable evidence that many
turners' standard of ultimate truth is a low one.

The Spider. — Every designer of d.c. machines has his
own fancies in respect of a desirable form of spider.
Various designs are equall}- good, and as long as it can
lie firmh- fixed to the shaft, properly support the arma-
ture core, and lend itself to conveniently fixing and
controlling the clamping plates by which the core is
held, little fault can be found. The writer, however,
rather favours the design shown in figs. 1 and la. which
if made with the clamping plates in steel alloy, is good
and reliable as a base on which to build a durable core
and armature.

Before prnceediuL:' tn tcil how sucli a s]ii(lcr sliniijil be

Fio. 1. — Spider and Clamping
PiiATB, Full Taper Bore.

Fia. lA. — Spider with Tarts
Shaft-Tai'ee Bore.

Fic. iB. — Spidbk with Bore
havinu two Diameter^.

Fio. 2.— Mb. V.

PENDBED'S E.XPEuIMENT.

the turner skims a few inclies nh the length of the shaft
true and smooth. He then runs this turned portion in
his " steady," and after facing the end of the shaft
to the desired length, the shaft is permanently centred,
with a combination drill and countersink of the well-
known " Slocomb " type. The angle of the countersink
and the size of the centre drill vary according to the
weight of the shaft. If it is light (say, under 5 cwt.)
a 60 deg. countersink and a -T/ie-in. drill are used,
while for shafts above that weight, a 90 deg. counter-
sink and a correspondingly larger drill are used.

The shaft, having been suitably centred at one end. the
standard poppet centre, with a dab of Russian tallow
on its tip. is run up, and turning is commenced. The
shaft being roughed out to within a few inches of the
i-hucked end (if a short shaft), and within a similar dis-
tance of the necessary " steady " (if a long shaft), it
is reversed in the lathe, and while it is again running in
the "steady" the previously-chucked end is centred,
and the end faced to dead length, and roughing out is
finished. It is regarded as a truism by all first-class
turners, ever and always observed, tliat no part of the
turning of a shaft shoidd 1>p conipleted until all is
roughed out.

The shaft should now be turned to within about
.040 in. of finished diameters, all shoulders finished to
length, and ''necked " for grinder's clearance. Key-
ways and feather-ways are then milled, and the shaft is

]irepaiefl, and properly keyed to its shiifl. it weiv well,
it is thought, to attempt to dispose of. and for all time
explode, a conu)ion error in respect of tlic rt'quired
(piality of the fit of a spider on its shaft.

Cases have lieen known where the spider has been
bored so that it has been pushed " liang up " to its place
on its shaft by hand. This is a flagrant error — an
acknowledgment of ignorance of the precise require-
ments— and fitters should be taught that there is greater
need for a force fit than exists in respect of spur, bevel,
or double helical wheels and shafts. In the case of the
former, the bad fitting is covered by many pounds'
worth of work of core-building, armature winding, and
commutatoi' connecting, which all has to be undone if
the fit of tlie spider gives out. In the case of the hitter
only that particular wheel is involved, if its fit on the
^haft fails. So a spider should be as near by as pos
sible "integral" with the shaft, and in some well-
known designs shaft and spider are forged in one piece.
Tight feathers do not help slack fits, but cause seribus
trouble, as will be shown. Let no man, therefore, pass
a badly-fitted spider. If he does. " the sword of Damo-
cles " in the shape of a doubtful armature will hang
over his head, and he is bound to hear about it later.
The futility of expecting a good job from a looSely-
fitted spide-,- and good fit with the feather is so obvious;
too. Held at the points on'y, and these diametrically
opposite, tlic feather soon gets " cliewed away," tha

516

THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWo [Voi. 87. Ne. 2,239, octobeb 22, 1920.

Bpider will then knock at each revolution, and the more
it knocks the more it will wear ; and the more it wears
the greater will be the knock. Damage is geometrically
progressive, and the chain of destruction will extend and
become complete, with armature winding and binding
broken, commutator and brushes, and journal seats
ruined. There is no remedy but to strip the shaft naked,
skim up the shaft, re-cut the feather-ways, and fit a
new feather and a new spider; and all because the ori-
ginal spider did not -properly fit its shaft. The spider
shown in figs. 1 and la has eight projections, and is
suitable for an armature to carry about 1,100 amps,
at 240 volts, and to run at about 475 r.p.m. The pro-
jections are provided for the purpose of holding the
eight IJ-in. dia. studs (or bolts) which control the
relative position of consecutive core-plates, and which
also are responsible for the tightness and hardness of
the required laminated core.

Though parallel bores are strangely common among
D.c. designers, for the purpose of absolute security of
attachment of the spider to its shaft, I favour a bore
with a substantial taper (as shown in figs. 1 and la).
If compelled to forgo my desire for a tapered bore, I
would still refuse to resort to the " full parallel," and
would rather adopt a parallel bore having two dia-
meters; for it is far easier to make a good fit of these
two diameters than to draw on a spider of such a length
as is shown to a full parallel, and get a good result
(see fig. lb).

Deciding on the taper bore, the spider should be
bored, and the horns roughed out. It is then placed on
the slotter, to have the two feather-ways cut.

Being passed to the fitter, the feathers should be
nicely " fitted," and in that connection some straight
talk is necessary. The feathers must be fitted. They
must not be a " drive " fit, as they frequently are, but
must just fit endwise and sideways too. Just a push
fit and no more. There is only one other factor posses-
sing greater responsibility in respect of sprung and
bent shafts than a feather flogged in with a heavy ham-
mer. "Fitting" is demanded — and nothing else will
suffice.

Does not one frequently see feathers, even in much
smaller shafts, loose sideways and tight endwise? A
caulking tool is used to make a good fit sideways — an
execrable method which later- tells its tale in sprung
shafts while the machine is running.

It is agreed that these advices partake of the super-
latively meticulous, and though familiar to a few, are
a closed book to many. Yet they are as imperatively
necessary for producing a well-constructed and durable
u.c. armature as any other thing in relation to it.

In fitting the spider on the shaft, let the taper be a
fit, and stand a few thousandths beyond the shaft. The
feathers should be just a fit sideways and on top, and
the spider should be held up with a good retaining nut,
held from slackening by the grubscrew shown.

It will be necessary, just here, to make a digression
by a few remarks about nuts in general.

Clamping nuts for d.c. armatures are, more often
than not, made on a " stock " order, and are given
to lads or to equally cheap labour to face and screw.
They are screwed, and they are faced, but unless the
face of the clamping side is dead true with the screwed
hole, and the rule is made that the unchamfered side
must alwaj's face the spider, potentialities exist in that
nut for spoiling shafts. There is no need to show how
an untrue nut bends a shaft, for it will be obvious to
every reader.

Clamping Plates. — There are various forms and de-
signs of clamping plates to choose from, but all must
possess sufficient strength to effectively harden the
laminated core, by means of the core-bolts provided.
They should not be abnormally heavy, should have a
uniform section, and should be well ribbed on the out-
side. They should he turned all over on the inside

the castings being set true with the unmachinable part
in the chuck. The spider having been turned to a

diameter suitable for the core-plates to drop over without
shake, the ends of the spider which compose the seats
for the clamping plates are turned ^ in. less in diameter
than that part of the spider on which the core-plates
fit. The clamping plates are also bored to a diameter
^ in. less than the diameter of the core-plates, this pro-
viding a limit of distance beyond which the clamping
plates cannot pass.

The method by which the half round slots in the spider
are made to precisely correspond with those of the
core-plates is really a shop secret; yet as the writer is
the originator, it may be divulged.

There was a time in the early history of such arma-
ture design when manufacturers precisely divided out
and milled the slots in which to place the spider bolts,
and on which the semi-circular holes in the core-plate
stampings were required to abut. The pitch, for four,
six, eight, or twelve or more divisions, was mechanically
divided — the makers of the machine depending abso-
lutely on the accurate pitching of the slots in the core-
plates by the stampers. But they, the armature builders,
" reckoned without their host," for it happened more
than once that the spider being perfectly milled before-
hand, the plates came along, and were found to be not
equally pitched as regards the bolt holes. So the rule
should be under the circumstances to wait until the
core-plates arrive, and use the plates as templates for
milling the slots in the spider.

?'Ae Coupling. — It is desirable above all things that the
coupling face and its spigot should run "dead true"
with the shaft. The method recommended is to chuck
it by the boss, afifl rough face the flange and edge.
Reverse in chuck, and bore and finish the boss. It is
tlien slotted, and forced on the shaft, and keyed with
Keys forged on stakes. The shaft and coupling is then
put in the lathe, the edge and face of the coupling
finished, and the spigot turned to a drilling jig. The
shaft and coupling and drilling jig are then taken to
a horizontal drill, and all holes are jig-drilled through
hardened cast steel bushes.

By these means a perfect job is made, and if its
fellow is drilled in a similar manner, a condition of
absolute concentricity of adjacent shafts is obtained, far
more to be desired than those resulting from the slip-
shod method often employed of finishing couplings in
pairs, and keying each on its respective shaft, trusting
to Providence to keep things true.

Balancing . — The machine we have in our mind is
required to run well and truly for the term of its natural
life. The shaft, with the spider and clamping plates,
will therefore need to be very carefully balanced. Hav-
ing no other means we must resort to static balancing,
and that method with reasonable precautions will satisfy
all our needs. To succeed with static balancing ortho-
dox lines must be departed from. The usual way is to
balance the assembled parts on knife edges, i balance
the parts separately and then when assembled, and
knife edges I have no use for. Many years ago, I had
the privilege of witnessing an interesting experiment
carried out by Mr. Vaughan Pendred. Wliile following
closely an investigation of the width of a flat forced on
the peripher}' of a locomotive engine wheel, he had a
polished wheel and a rail also ground and polished.
He placed about 20 tons weight on this wheel. Having
done that, he tried how close together he could irisert
gold leaf on each side of that wheel and between the
wheel and the rail (see fig. 2). He could not get those
two pieces of gold leaf to meet by 1| in., proving that
a flat existed on that wheel base all but 1§ in. wide.

Could I or any one else who had seen that experiment
use "knife edges" to balance heavy armatures on? I
use balancing strips deep and broad, and truly ground.

In concluding this purely practical article, in which
appear advice and warnings so obvious, perhaps, to
some as to be but a small distance removed from the
region of platitudes, and which may appear to him who
never thinks to be fads of no value, it is hoped that
this gospel of meticulous exactitude will find its way
into other shops besides those of the writer.

T* «7. >a a,23», October 22, 1«20.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

617

THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR EXHIBITION.

Held as usual at Olympia, and organised by the Society of
Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Ltd., the fourth Inter-
national Commercial Motor Exhibition was opened by Sir
E. Geddes, Minister of Transport, on the 15th inst., and
closes to-morrow. The events of the past few years having
demonstrated the value of the business motor both for
passenger and goods transport, have made the 1920 show the
largest and most representative one that has yet been held,
and this year's exhibition differs widely from the last one,
held in VMS, not only with regard to the vehicles themselves,
but also in connection with the accessories for facilitating
the handling of the goods carried, and with passenger-carrying
bodies.

The exhibition is divided into five sections, comprising
in all some 207 exhibitors. Of this number, 7G firms are
showing commercial vehicles, five of which firms have
electrically-propelled vehicles on view : 16 firms exhibit in
the body- work section ; 20 in the tire and wheel section ;
while in the accessory and component parts section there are
some 85 exhibitors, of whom about 20 show electrical
accessories.

The exhibits reveal a wide range of motive power as well
as of methods of application, also the possibilities of the com-
mercial vehicle in the service of the community. The
three main types of prime mover — petrol, steam, and elec-
tricity are well represented. As usual, petrol vehicles are
in a numerical superiority ; steam-driven vehicles come
next, and show decided progress in certain directions. As
for electricity, a rival to both, it has some practical
representatives, usually as the sole motive power, though
there is one instance of its combination with an internal-
combustion engine in the form of the well-known petrol-
electric drive. Alternate fuels are employed with several
types of internal-combustion engines, and the purpose of
the vehicles being so varied, it is not surprising that their
capacities range from 2 or 3 cwt. to 7 tons. The majority
are solo vehicles, but others are capable of drawing loaded
trailers up to the number of three.

Time- and labour-saving properties are a feature of the
exhibits ; for instance, various, devices for loading and
unloading the vehicles, by end or side-tipping bodies, are
on view. There are, in friendly rivalry, machines which
effect this by their engine power, in others the tipping
device is hydraulic, while last, but by no means least, elec-
tricity is relied upon in other types for the purpose, the aim
being in every case the same — dispatch, time and money-
saving. Very marked is the tendency towards fitting
pneumatic tires on commercial vehicles. They offer the
advantages of permitting higher legal speeds, and of insu-
lating the vehicles from road shocks. Pneumatic tires are
fitted to both front and rear wheels, sometimes in pairs, and
at others singly, on the back wheels ; in the latter case they
are of exceptional size.

The accessories, which are housed in the gallery, are of
much interest ; a large number of commercial vehicles are
now lighted electrically, the lamps being supplied either
from a battery of accumulators or from a small generator.
Xo less than bO lorries, omnibuses and commercial cars are
equipped with ( '.A.V. outfite, all the other British makes
only total 17 amongst them. Ignition is on the magneto
system, and impulse starters, which give a rapid kick to
the magneto armature, are becoming more and more popular.

In the main, the exhibits are British products, but good
examples of American, Canadian, French, Swiss, and Italian
manufactures are on view ; amongst the foreign makes
American vehicles predominate.

A conference on fuels, organised by the Empire Motor
Fuels Committee during the period of the show, occupied
two days — viz., October 18th and 19th — whilst the Roads
and Transport Section, organised by the Roads and Trans-
port Committee, occupied the two following days. The
whole of the proceedings were organised by the Imperial
Motor Transport Council,

In what follows a brief description is given of the
electrically-propelled vehicles and the electrical accessories
that are exhibited.

Messrs. Newton Bros. (Derby), Ltd. — The '' Newton " electric
battery vehicle is a new-comer. The firm manufactures A.c. and
D.c. dynamos and motors up to 2,000-KW. capacity, reversing planer
drives, and generators for wireless and heating purposes on aircraft'
The vehicle exhibited, fig. 1, consists of a 3r>ton lorry having a
platform space of 16 ft., and it is shown juat as it arrived from
Derby by road carrying a full load. Two motors are employed to
drive the vehicle, one being geared to each of the rear wheels, thus
dispensing with the differential. The motors are mounted on
springs in such a manner that no road shocks can be transmitted
to them except through two spring systems in series, and the
motors are arranged so that they can be replaced in the minimum

Fig. 1.— Newton Electric Vehicle.

of time and without dismantling the rear axle. The final drive ia
through one pinion and an internal spur wheel for each motor.
The controller, motors, &c., are dust-proof and easily accessible,
and the whole vehicle appears to be well designed. A special body
adapted for refuse collection is fitted, the tipping gear being
operated by an electric motor having a 6-H.P. torque and only
weighing 76 lb. Other exhibits consist of a selection of traction
motor armatures and parts together with a battery-charging panel

Jsm!

B

i

j"^

'iT^

Fk4. 2. — Wireless Telegraph Motor-Generator.

and motor generator. A 150-watt, 1,500-volt, IjOOO-b.p.m. air screw
driven generator, which only weighs ITS lb., is on view, together
with a slightly larger machine fitted with a separate exciter to
eliminate the commutator " ripple " when used for wireless tele-
phony. A low-pressure machine for heating the airmen's clothing,
&c., by electricity is also shown, as well as a motor generator of
small dimensions, fig. 2, as used on board the airship RSJ when
crossing the Atlantic ocean. The machine is driven by a battery
and only weighs ir25 lb., its dimensions being about 12 in. long
by 3 in. diameter, giving an output of 160 watts at 1,200 volts
when runnintf at 6,000 b.p.m,

618

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [V(A, 87. ro. 9,239, oowbbb 22, mo

Messrs. Richard Gabbktt & Sons, Ltd., one of the aaaociated
firma forming Agricultural and Greneral Engineers, Ltd., are show-
ing, in addition to several steam-driven wagons and trailers, a 3'5-ton
electric vehicle, which is built generally in accordance with
accepted practice. Its design poaaeses several gocd features,
amongst which ia the arrangement that when the vehicle is
stopped, the control handle muat be returned to the neutral
poaition before it can be reatarted. The single driving motor is
series-wound, and capable of withstanding 300 per cent, overload.
The drive is by ailent chain from the motor to a countershaft, and
thence by roller chains to the road wheels.

Messrs. Ransomes, Sims & Jefkebies, Ltd., show two steam-
driven tractors, as well as two large and two small " electrica "
The latter compriee a 2'5-ton chain-driven chassis, having single
reduction double-helical gearing for each of its two motors. The
vehicle is a new model exhibited for the first time ; it has a 1 2-ft.
platform apace, and the design follows the arrangement of the
standard 3 5-tonner. A 3'5-ton tipping wagon intended for refuse
collection is shown fitted with two driving motors which drive the
rear wheels through chains. The vehicle is one of six similar ones
sold to the Hammersmith Corpiration. Turning to the smaller
machines, a standard " C " type truck designed for railway work
is on view : it is fitted with an elevating table operated by a
separate motor, and capable of lifting 4,000 lb. on the table. A
standard 2-ton factory truck of the " B 1 " three-wheel type is
also shown.

The General Vehicle Co., Ltd. — At the time of our visit
there was only one vehicle to ba seen on the company's stand,
although it was intended, we believe, to exhibit the following : —
A B-ton standard chassis with " Ironclad " battery ; a 2-ton
standard chassis fitted with a special electrically-operated tipping
wagon ; and another 2-ton chassis with a special van body.
Standard spare parts were also to be shown. The motor fitted to
theae vehicles is of the totally-enclosed sjries- wound type
supplied by the B.T.H. Co. to the company's own design, and is
suspended by a bar pivot to the side frame members just ahead of
the rear axle ; ball bearings are provided, and the drive is by
chain. Pinion and sector ateering gear, double reduction trans-
mission, and two brakes are fitted. Five speeds are given in the
forward direction, and two reverse. G.V., Ironclad, or Edison
batteries may be installed at the option of the purchaser.

Messrs. Christophee Dodson. Ltd., show a aingledeck
omnibua body mounted on a TUling-Stevena petrol-electric
chassis, and

Messes. Tillino-Stevens Motors, Ltd., themselves exhibit
two fine petrol-electric vehicles. It will be noted that a double-
laminated spring drive is employed between the engine and the
dynamo. Also that a new centrifugal type of governor is
employed, and that in the new chassis the rear axle carries
renewable steel sleeves, on which bear the floating wheel
bushes; the sleeves can be turned through 18U to pre-
sent new wearing surfaces. The firm shows two 3-4-ton
petrol-electric chassis, one stripped and the other fitted with a
special saloon 32-8eater 'bus-body, incorporating a separate driver's
cabin ; and a 2Jton stripped chassis, provided with the more con-
ventional drive, i.e., four-speed-and-reverse gear-t)Ox and propeller
shaft to an overhead worm-driven rear axle. Several alterations
have been made in the design of' the 2J-tcin petrol chassis ;
the show model is fitted with a centrifugal type engine governor,
C.A.V. electric lighting equipment and C.A.V. self-starter. The
pe''.rol-eleotric, chassis with the saloon 'bna body ia similar to the
well-known T.S. 3 A type, with its 4^-in. bore by SJin. stroke
engine, except that the wheel-base is 15 ft. 6 in., instead of
14 ft. 6 in. Also, the steering gear is situated outside the frame,
aa the driver, in his encloaed portion of the vehicle, sits to the
right of the dash, although his compartment does not project from
the rest of the bDdy either at the front or aide. The latest T.S. 4
petrol-electric type of chassis embodies improvements ; for instance,
the size of the engine has been increased from 4| in. by 6 in. to
6 in. by (> in., and, as in the 2J-ton model, the bottom half of the
crank-case has been made removs.ble wit hint otherw.se inter-
fering with the engine and its alignment. Oae important alter-
ation is in the carrying of the engine. It is now held in a
three-point suspended sub frame, the front end of which can rock
on a bearing bolted to the front cross member of the frame. A
detail improvement lies in the holding of the valve sfiring collars.
As regards the dynamo, the cast-aluminium fan is mw at the
coupling end of the unit, and set within the casing on the dynamo
shaft : thus placed, it is unneoessaiy to dismount the fan in
order to remove the commutator C3ver, as had to bedoae previously
when the fan was outside the unit and mounted at th<i commutator
end. Practically the same type of electricil unit is uied as a
motor, except that it is turned round longitudinally, and the field
coils are different. If one spare armature be carried, it will fit
either unit, as the housing and brush gear are identical. Great
improvements have also been made in the new axle. This, as pre-
viously, is worm-driven, the worm gear and differential being
carried by the cover which forms the worm casing. Another
feature is that the axle is designed to take Timken tapered roller
bearings for the wheels without alteration other than the substi-
tution of new oil throwers and the removal of the bearing sleeves ;
different wheels must, however, be provided. Pressed steel brake
drums are employed in lieu of cast, ami both brakes are of the
internal expanding type, whereas, in the ola models, the exterior
brake was one of the external contracting type. In addition, the
size of the drums haa bsen increased, and the space between them
widened, in order to give better heat-dissipating properties. As
usual, the control and speed regulator are carried in separate
aluminium hiusings. In the case of the chassis fitted with a

saloon 'bus-body, these housings are placeed at the driver's side of
the dash.

T.S. petrol-electrics are no longer a novelty ; they are sound and
workmanlike, particularly suitable for passenger carrying in both
flat and hilly icountry. All who have ridden in omnibuses or
coaches of this make agree on their amooth, silent, and reliable
running.

Turning, in conclusion, to the accessories and component parts
section of the exhibition, the electrical equipment shoWn comprises :
Combined and separate lighting, self -starting, and coil-ignition
seta ; lamps of various types ; accumulators ; magnetos ; sparking
plugs ; wire and cable ; electric horns ; switchboards ; and instru-
ments, &c,, which are exhibited by one or more of the following
firms : —

Messrs. Bulpit i Sons, Ltd. ; Allen Liversidge, Ltd. ; Leo Swain
and Co. ; the Imperial Motor Industries (1917), Ltd. ; Messrs.
Brolt, Ltd., and C. A. 'V^andervell & Co., Ltd. ; the Rotai Motor
Accessories Co., Ltd., and Apollo Plug Manufacturing Co., Ltd. ;
Messrs. Joseph Lucas. Ltd. t S. Smith & Sons (M. A.), Ltd. ; the
British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd. ; Messrs. Conner Magneto and
Ignition, Ltd. ; Brown, Bros., Ltd. ; Narth & Sons, Ltd. ; Simms
Motor Units (1920), Ltd. ; Ripaults, Ltd. ; the British Lighting and
Ignition Co., Ltd.. A. C. Sparking Plug Co., Ltd., and the Cooper-
Stewart Engineering Co.. Ltd.

The Aeeota Electrical and Motor Accessoeies Co., Ltd.
— The " Arrow " direction indicator for motor vehiclea, which
indicates at both front and rear, and ia illuminated for night uae,
haa undergone aome improvement. The aignaller, which repre-
sents a desirable accessory for car or lorry, consists of two arrow
indicators, one fitted at the front, and the other at the rear of the
vehicle, and each gives four signals— ahead, left, right, and stop,
according to the direction in which the arrow is pointed. The
device is operated by a lever, and ia suitably illuminated for night
use ; each time the aignals are made, the electric horn is auto-
matically sounded. One insurance company is stated to give a
10 par cent, reduction on its car insurance premiums in cases where
the device is fitted.

Another " gadget " is designed to enable the driver of a
charabanc to hear a vehicle which haa come up behind him, and
whose driver wishes to pass. It is called the " charaphone, " and
consists of a megaphone placed ia a sound b )x at the rear of the
coach, connected by a tube to a receiver fitted beaide the driver's
ssat.

Messrs. Eubol Patents Lvd. — The firm's electric horn
operator consists of a light ring placed inside, and concentrically
with, the steering wheel in such a position that the thumb of
either hand falls naturally on it ; a slight pressure on any part of
the ring will sound the born.

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS OF ELECTRICAL
GOODS FOR SEPTEMBER, 1920.

The official returns of electrical exports and imports for the month
of September, which we publish balow, show, as regards the
exports, a total of £1,145,191, which, compared with £1,085.914 for
the previous month, records an increase of, roughly, £60,000 on the
month's buaineaa, the increaae occurring principally in electrical
machinery exports, whilst average values have been well maintained
in all other sections.

The electrical imports figures for September, £298,382, show a
slight increase (£14,000) on the August tota'.

The re-exports of foreign and Colonial electrical material have
shown an up.vard tendency for some months, the September value
of £20.3i)8 being £6,000 in excess of the previous month.

Values of Electrical E.xpoets and Imposts for
September 1920.

Electrical goods and apparatus
(unenumerated)

Insulated wire

Glow lamps

Arc lamps and parts

Batteries

Meters

Carbons

Ele'triciil iiiachhnerii : —

Railway and tramway motors ...

Other motors and generators ...

Electrical machinery (unenu-
merated)

Switchboards (not telegraph or

telephme)

Telegraph and telep/ioiierjhle
(I nd apparatu.i : —

Telegraph and telephone wire
and cable (not submarine) ...

Submarine telegraph and tele-
phone cable

Telegraph and telephone instru-
ments and apparatus

Exports.

Imports.

Re-exports.

£20J,582

£92,958

£6,672

326,455

17,768

1.360

33,937

10,857

518

4,406

1,030

66,441

10,796

11

38,415

11,300

6,659

8,084

10,574

182

6,052

146,520

—

—

104,382 117,602 3,710

12.960

216

50

72,992 — —

75,576 24,486 1,316

Totals £1,145,191 £398,382 £20,398

Vol. 8T. No. 2,239, ootobeb 22, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

519

SOUTH AFRICA: A NEGLECTED MARKET.

Mr. W. G. WicklKini (H.M. Trade

Need for Cominis.siuner in South Africa), whose

British Effort, recent report is summarised below, was

a witness during 1918 to a movement

amongst manufacturers which filled him with great

confidence in the future of the British engineering

ti-ude. He found worUs reconstructed with modern

economical lay-out, and employers full of knowledge

of marvellous economies resulting from bulk production

and repetition work. Surprising figures of estimated

output and prices for ]iost-war products were shown

him. The United Kingdom was going to give accurate,

reliable British (piality superimposed on the American

style of cheap mass production, with a standardisation

far more close than had ever been attained by rivals.

Yet Mr. Wickham finds no fulfilment of the- hopes
engendered by these representations. Practically none
of the ground lost w.as regained during the first com-
jjlete year after the armistice : nothing was done
to demonstrate in South Africa tlie advaTices made in
United Kingdom manufacturing ]>ractice and products
during the war; no direct evidence was forthcoming
of preparations for more systematic distribution and
better methods of pushing British goods when acceptable
deliveries were possible. It will not, therefore, be con-
sidered a work of supererogation to urge a few reasons
why this position should be remedied. First, the work
of electrifying large sections of the South African rail-
ways is to be taken in hand at a very early date. Most
of the leading municipal and other power stations are
not only unable to give extended service, but are still
finding difficulty in coping with existing demand for
current. Further, a renewal of German competition
is not far distant.

Mr. Wickham refers to the iuipo.s.sil)ility in the I'ninn
of getting accurate facts as to the real increa.se in manutactui-
ing cost. Generally .speaking, he adds, manufacturers have
made no endeavour to give any precise hgures to Justify
.sudden increases in their prices.

It seems clear that had Briti.sh manufacturers been able
to give delivery and to quote I'easonable prices they could
have done a bulk of trade in all competitive lines which would
have re-established their pre-war hoM on the market, and
put all pre-war records of turnover into the shade. Tlie
enormous i-eserve stocks of German goods which some people
believed to he ready to ho dumped into all British markets
as soon as war ended have not yet appealed. American manu-
facturers have, as the year progressed, been to an increasing
degree handicapped by exchange rates, and Briti.sh manufac-
turers have, to a proportionately increasing extent, been
assisted in competition. For a great part of the year freight
space has been not only available but actually wasted on
outward voyages.

A second consideration which is di.scon-
Methods of certing, and a source of disappointment re-

Distribution, lates to methods of distribution overseas.
Some considerable time before the armis-
tice a movement became visible in the direction of combines
among manufacturers, either a complete fusion of interests,
an amalgamation of firms manufacturing the .same goods, or
a looser comiiination of such firms merely for reducing com-
jietition among themselves by arranging prices. An alternative
plan developed about the same time for combining a series
of manufacturers whose products were allied or .supplemen-
tary to one another's, as for instance in the electrical or the
machine tool trades. A third alternative system, of which
a few instances are in evidence, is to combine a series of
fiiTns which specialise on parts and components, and to set
each to narrow its specialisation so as to obtain from a
series of works a bulk production without any duplication or
overlap of all the component paiis. which are then assembled
in a new joint wi^rks. These different types of combines have
been formed in the course of the last two or three years, and
are of the greater importance owing to the fact that a large
proportion of the individual firms forming the.se combines
have during the war enlarged and rearranged their works, sy.s-
tematised their methods, and increased their output con-
siderably.

It was hoped that .such steps towards economy in production
would bo followed at a short interval by similar efforts to
reorganise and produce gi'oater efficiency and economy in
distribution. There has, however, been little indication that
the study of this big question has yet been undertaken.

Tlie large amalgamations, combines, and price agreements
of the last few years are. of course, not confined to the en-
cineering trades, but it is those which are concerned with

different branches of engineering, such as agricultural and
electrical machinery, wire ropes, steel, machine tools, railway
locomotives and rolling stock, motor cars, &c., which are
chietiy concerned with the question of scientific distribution,
in most of these trades, so far as this market is concerned,
distribution has been in the past of necessity expensive, il
not faulty and extravagant. In many, there has been no
.sort of co-ordination of effort except possibly — and .so far as
thf manufacturer is concerned, fortuitously — through the
uncontrolled initiative of the agent.

In each and all of these lines the competitive representation
of many makes made highly-paid and technically-qualified
experts on the .spot almost an impossibility, while even the
addition of large percentages of remuneration left no very
considerable profit to agents on the .small turnover. In the
electrical trade, again, we were in comi)etition with a few
very large, and very highly organised, firms, organised as
highly for publicity, for study of local conditions and needs
and for distribution, as for manufacture.

All of these could, without any waste or extravagance,
afford to have their own .sales organisations on the spot and
ample qualified specialists in every branch of the industry.
Tlie very much smaller British firms, which, for the most
part, fail to obtain economy in manufacture, owing to spread-
ing their energies over a wide range of goods simultaneously,
were unahle_to secure adequate efficiency or economy in dis-
tribution, tieing in competition with five or ten manufac-
turers each had to have separate representation. Not all
could find really technically qualified representatives. In
order to provide an adequate turnover many of the local
merchant agents h.id to take on agencies in far more branches
of engineering than they could really do justice to. At the
very best the system involvetl an enormous duplication of
effort, both in technical statt and in traveUing canva.s.sers, in
office premises and in stall'.

In view of the foregoing considerations, it was natural to
suppose that the newly-formed amalgamations would show
effort towards the study of local conditions and .systematising
representation in the South African market. H.M. Trade
Commissioner has seen no direct evidence of such initiative.
He .says : —

" EVom the point of view of Ignited Kingdom manufac-
turers, practically iiono of the ground lust during the war
has been regained during this first complete year after the
armistice ; still less has anything been done to show the
advances made in manufacturing practice and products during
the war. In many dh-ections ground has been lost; and it
' may almost be surmised that if Germany had been able to
compete, and if .America had not been liandicapped by ex-
change rates, it would have been found difficult for the
T,'nited Kingdom even to keep the leading place as a supplier
of goods to South Africa."

As regards electrical plant aud supplies.

Demand for reports received from public bodies all tend

HIectrical Plant, to indicate that there is still a shortage,
and that plant on order for ver'y long
periods has not yet been delivered. Most of the leading
municipalities are not only unable to give extended .service in
respect of electrical current, but are .still, with difficulty,
coping with existing demand with no reserve for emergencies.
With regard to electrical goods, the market has been glutted
with certain lines, such as lamps which were over-imported in
1018 by speculators, but in most lines, such as heating and
cooking apparatus, telephones, conduits, &c., supplies have
been at times unprocurable at any price. One municipality
reports finding it cheaper to use high pressure steam pipe
than ordinary electrical steel conduit.

Apart from the difficulty of getting delivery of machinery
against old contracts, it has been found almost impossible
during the year to place orders in the United Kingdom. In
spite "of the adverse rate of exchange, .\merica has taken
practically every important order f(a- large plant owing to the
apparent inability of British manufacturers to quote firm
either for delivery or price.

At the present time public bodies are faced with the choice
between paying what seem prohibitive prices and turning
down all schemes for extended activities.

The total importation of electrical ma-
Imports of chinerv and suppUes for the year was

Machinery i'iir,9.:i79 in value. Of this, f 4:30,(100 went

and Supplies. to the United States and a£460,96o to the
United Kingdom. It is disturbing to note
that orders for insulated cable, far from being confined to the
United Kingdom, went to America to the extent of 22 per
cent., and that Japan took a further 9 per cent., valued at
£24,000. Even so, the United Kingdom retained hold of this
trade more effectively than in other branches of the electrical
trade. The total values of the imports of electrical goods,
other than cables, for the year 1919 were as follows: —

United States ^6366,000

United Kingdom 279,000

Detailed compari-son with previous years is not possible, as
it is only this vear that the imports have been fully shown
under detailed headings. The following figures indicate, never-

620

_THE ELECTRICAX. REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,239, octobeb 22, 1920,

theless, the serious hold on 3his trade obtained by the United
States manufacturers in spite of adverse exchange rates in
1919 :-

Pel- cent. Per eenc.
Batteries, primary and Motors 17

secondary ,s:i Transformers 72

Heating: and cooking ap- Machinery, other >'<:>

paratus ns Material, "other 3:^

In machinery and engineers" supplies (not electrical) again
there is keen and increasing competition from the United
States in many lines, such as boilers, traction engines, &c.,
in which previously the United Kingdom stood alone. The
total importation of articles included in this group is £'2,469,832
and of this America contributed f 1.071.914.

The following are the main sub-heads, with the American
percentage : —

Per cent. Per cent.
Air compressors 60 Other manufacturing ma-
Belting, leather 44 chinery 32

Belting, other 44 Mining (£40.5,111 iQ) ... .'.(j'7

Battery cloth 30 4'rinting .5S

Boilers 1 77 Pumpa(SwitzeUnfl. 24 per

Cranes Hii cent.) 28

Lifts :(0 Sawing .")4'.">

Engines, traction and roller So Water boring '.I2

Fire engines and appliances 4.") Windmills 89

Oil engines .")4 Other ' ... Sii

Machine tools 66

The South African Association of British Manufacturers and
their Agents was formed at a meeting held in Johannesburg
in December, 1919, on the lines of the Australian Association,
the value of which to British manufacturers has been tested
and proved during the past nine years. It is to be hoped
that manufacturers will support this orgamisation, formed, as
it is, solely to look after their interests, and depending for its
utiUty largely on the voluntary efforts of their South African
representatives.

It is the intention of the Association ultimately to have
branches in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and probably Durban,
working primarily through sections representative of each
separate trade.

MERCURY-VAPOUR TURBINES AND BOILERS.

STANDARDISATION IN GERMANY.

Bt E. S. H.

With the necessity for intensified production in Ger-
many and the hopes that industry may at some future,
date recover the position attained before the war,
German manufacturers have given a good deal of atten-
tion during the last few years to the question of stan-
dardisation.

Kealising what had been accomplished in Great Bri-
tain and America in the way of standardisation, manu-
facturers, technical societies, and corporations decided
that the time was ripe for similar endeavours in their
country. The result was the formation of the German
Industrial Standards Committee, which is constituted
on very much the same lines as our own Engineering
Standards Committee. There are numerous main com-
mittees and sub-committees to deal with specific subjects,
and the co-operation between certain engineering socie-
ties and industrial firms is very close.

Already over 200 draft specifications have been issued,
these being mostly on the mechanical and building
material sides. Up to the present I have not seen any
definite programme outlined for electrical work, but
here also the need for intelligent standardisation is
recognised, and no doubt a commencement will soon be
—if it has not actually been — made. The need for stan-
dardisation of voltages and frequencies in electrical
plant has long been recognised, and many tentative
schemes have been submitted with a view particularly
to standardising frequency, both as regards central
stations, in view of the proposed inter-linkage of water-
power and steam stations, and consumers' motors, &c.

The Society of German Engineers is specially active
in the field of standardisation, and publishes an organ
which is very largely given over to the publication of
draft specifications and suggestions and to general
matters bearing upon the question of standardisation.

In the electrical field, standardisation is especially
urged because of the possibility in the future of
the exchange of energy between Germany and neigh-
bonrin": countries.

As an engineer, William Le Eoy Emmet, to whom in May
last the Edison medal was awarded " for meritorious achieve-
ments in electrical science, electrical engineering, or the elec-
trical arts," represents a rare type of man. For 3-3 years,
during which time he has taken out 105 patents covering
electrical and kindred apparatus, he has worked earnestly
towards the mastery of the obstacles that lie between en-
gineering theory and its practical application, and, moreover,
he has .shown originahty, tenacity, and fearlessness in his
work. To the fact that he has never hesitated to depart
from regular practice must be attributed a large measure of
his success, and his present work upon the mercury-vapour
boiler and turbine is an example which, according to the
Electrical World, promises to revolutionise steam-driven elec-
tric generating plant practice, and to result in economies
beyond the most sanguine e.stimates.

In his response, following the presentation of the Edison
medal, Mr. Emmet recalled his early engineering experiences,
and commented upon the problem of mercury-vapour turbines.
He did not go into details, but stated that he was at present
engaged upon the perfecting of a turbine of this type which
had given highly efficient results. He said that the overall
thermal efficiency of the mercury-vapour turbine equalled
that of the Diesel engine, and, when the firing conditions
were up to the standard of a large centi-al-station boiler room,
energy could be produced on the basis of 11,300 b.th.u. of
fuel consumed per KW.-hour.

It has long been the auu of engineers to improve the
efficiency of heat engines by increasing the temperature range
through which they work. There are two ways of accom-
plishing this desire; first, by lowering the temperature of the
exhaust, and secondly, by raising the temperature of the
supply. The former minimum is limited by the temperature
of the available cooling water, while the latter maximum is
limited by the temperature of combustion of the fuel and the
properties of steam. Further, at rea.sonably high tempera-
tures the pressure of steam become.s too great for convenient
commercial use, because of the difficulties of mechanical con-
struction.

Many unsuccessful attempts were made to find substitutes
for steam; the next suggestion was to use two substances in
series. A hquid having a high boiling point was to be
vaporised in a boiler, used in an engine or turbine, and
condensed in a condenser which also acted as a boiler for a
second liquid having a lower boiling point than that of the
first. The second substance was to be used in an engine
and condensed as usual. The proposition, however, involved
new difficulties on account of the complicated apparatus
necessary and the chemical properties of the various sub-
stances proposed to be used.

Contrary to popular opinion, Mr. Emmet was of the opinion
, that the scheme was a workable one. and six years ago he
devised a binary-vapour apparatus which made use of mercury
vapour and steam. The intervening time has been utilised
to perfect various details, and on the occasion above referred
to Mr. Emmet is reported by Power, from which the following
information is absti'acted, U:> have stated that commercial ap-
plication was being made of the system, and he hoped that
it would meet with commercial success in a very short tune.
Moreover, there is a persistent rumour that an Emmet mei'-
cury-vapour plant is being built for the Hartford (Conn.)
Electric Light Co., which was the company that installed
the first steam turbine in the U.S.A. for electric power
generation.

It is claimed that Mr. Emmet's apparatus cuts down, by
a very appreciable amount, the loss of available beat, which
results from the big temperature drop from the furnace to the
water in the ordinary boiler. In other words, it increases the
amount of heat that may be transformed into power and
decreases the amount that must be thrown away in the
condenser cooling water. Thus, the energy per unit of fuel
in the central station will be greater. In the industrial plant
using exhaust steam for heating or steam at any pressure
for processes, power may be taken out fi^om that part of
the temperature range which has been unavailable.

Mercury boils and condenses exactly like water except that
its density is much greater and its boiling temperature much
higher. .At atmospheric pressure mercury boils at 677 deg. F.,
and condenses in a '2S-in. vacuum at 4-5.5 deg. F. The cor-
responding temperatures for water would be 212 deg. F. and
101 deg. P. respectively. Briefly, Mr. Emmet's scheme is as
follows : Mercury is boiled in a boiler similar in principle
to, but ditt'ering gi'eatly in detail from, an ordinary steam
boiler, and the mercury vapour produced is used to run a
turbine. The exhaust from the mercury turbine is condensed
in a form of surface condenser, which is also a boiler. The
heat given out by the condensing mercury vapour evaporates
the cooling water, and this steam may he u.«ed to drive another
turbine or for any other purpose. "The chief difficulties seem
to be the large amount of mercury needed and the danger of
leaks, as mercury vapour is very ))nisonous.

Fig. 1 represents diagranimatically the elements of Jlr.
Emmet's apparatus. The products of combustion from the
fm-nace pass upward through part of the tubes which form
the heating surface of the mercury boiler, and then forward
among the remainder. These tubes are connected to the

Tol. 87. No. 2,339, Octobeb S3, 1930.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEWo 621

lower mercury chest, which might be called the mud drum
io a steam boiler, and to the mercury header corresponding
to the ateam drum in an ordinary boiler above. Mercury
vapour at about 10 lb. gauge pressure is collected in the
header and passes through the pipe shown to the mercury
turbine. Owing to the high density and low spouting velocity
of the mercury vapour the turbine' may be a single-stage
machine, of reasonably low speed, and may have short buckets.
The wheel may be placed inside the mercury condenser for
simplicity.

The mercury condenser consists of a tank, as shown, sup-
porting another tank marked " steam drum." A number of
straight tubes extend from the bottom of the steam drum
down into the condenser. Tlie exhaust from the mercury

To Turbin^i, H«at na System w

r.j^i/

...mmnmummil imimmi mm, mi imnm imilmmmmimnii n i ma mi ii 11..11. mllllll I.

section gives much more heating surface with less volume of
liquid than a circular tube would give. Experiments are
now going on to determine the necessary proportions of such
elements to provide for proper liquid circulation and release
of vapour.

The question of preventing leaks was a serious one. The

mercury parts of the outfit are run at low pressure so that'

there is a minimum tendency to leakage, and means are

provided to condeuse and save all mercui'y which leaks from

joints. The diaphragm valve, shown on the mercury-vapour

pipe near the mercury turbine, is simply a safety relief valve,

and instead of discharging into the open air, discharges

into the mercury condenser.

The temperature of the mercury in the boiler is so high'

that the temperature of the flue gases

leaving the tubes would be much too

high for economical operation if they passed

directly to the stack. To avoid such losses

the flue gases, after leaving the tubes of the

boiler, pass over a mercury pre-heater (not

shown in the illustration), then over the

steam superheater, and finally over the

feed-water heater or economiser, and then

to the stack. In this way the temperature

of the gases entering the stack can be made

as low or even lo«er than would be possible

with a steam-boiler plant of the ordinary

type.

A steam turbine is not an essential part
of this device; the intention is to afford a
substitute for the existing boiler. The
steam may be used as it now is for any
desired pir pse. The mercury acts as a
conveyor ol heat from the furnace to the
steam, and incidentally dehvers a certain
amount of power as a by-product. A large
part of the power generated in the mercury
■o-wATcif turbine is net gain, as it comes in part from
€ATca heat that would otherwise be rendered
unavailable by the great drop in tempera-
ture between the furnace gases and the
steam.

Another advantage of this process is that
the interior of that part of the boiler ex-
posed to the fire is always perfectly clean.
Also the boiler in which steam is generated
is subject to no large temperature differ-
ences.

Mr. Emmet claims that by the addition of
this device to a modern power station, with
an increase of 15 per cent, in the amount of
fuel used, the same amount of steam can be
supplied to the steam turbine as under pre-
sent conditions, and the mercury turbine
will generate power equal to about 66 per
cent, of the power generated by the steam
turbme This results in a gain in station capacity of approxi-
mitely 66 per cent, with an increase of only 15 per cent, in the
amount of fuel required.

The experimental equipment was in operation for a short
tune last summer with over 1,000 kw. load on the mercury
turbme and its operation showed that the economies predicted
were fully realised.

Fig. I.^Emmet Mf:rc0Ry-v.\podr Boiibb.

turbine is condensed on the smface of these tubes, and as
the boiling point of the mercury at 28 in. vacuum is 455
deg. F., steam may be generated inside the tubes. Circula-
tion in the tubes is provided by smaller tubes inside them,
leading from the steam drum, which corresponds to the
upper drum of a water-tube boiler. The steam that is generated
in this condenser-boiler is led through the pipes marked " to
superheater" through the superheater, and finally through
the steam main to wherever the steam i."; to lie used. The
steam condensate, whether from a steam turbine or engine,
heating system, or manufacturing proce.sa, is returned to the
condensed steam receiver. From here it is pumped to a
feed-water heater, which is really an economiser. The feed-
water heater is shown in the illustration directly below the
mercury condenser. From hero the water returns to the
steam boiler, thus completing its cycle.

The mercury condensate is drained from the !)ottom of the
mercury condenser to the lower mercury header and thence
to the mercury boiler. The high density of mercury renders
a. feed pump unnecessary, as by setting the condenser above
the boiler the latter can be fed by gravity.

The foregoing covers the general principle of the apparatus,
but certain refinements seem necessary for its practical ap-
plication.

The quantity of mercury that would be required if an
ordinary steam-tyne boiler were used would make the cost
prohibitive. Forthis reasim a S|iecinl type of boiler had to
be desiened to give a m.iximiim heating surface and at the
Mrrjp time require a minimum amount of mercury. The
designs for the boiler proper called for the use of flattened
tubes for the elements of the boiler. This shape of cross-

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received by us after 6 P.M. ON Tttesdat cannot appear tmtil
the follotoing week. Cttrrespondewts should forward their communi-
cations at the earliest possible nufnwnt, No letter can be published
unless we have the writer's Tianie and address in our possession.

Domestic Supply Pressure and Wiring.

With reference to the letter from Mr. E. Ellis in your issua
of October 8th, it appears to me to be hardly necessary, in
most cases, to run C.T.S. cable for house wiring in steel
tubing, where it is buried in plaster, in order to protect it
from nails. Switches are generally near the corners of rooms,
and if the vertical run to a switch be run in the extreme
corner, the ri.sk of a nail being driven into it is negligible,
since no one hangs jiictures in the very corners of rooms.
Other runs which have to be buried under plaster, to brackets,
for instance, can often lie run in corners of chimney-breasts,
for instance. Cab-tire sheathing resists chemical or electro-
lytic action when buried in plaster far better than steel tubing,
which often becomes more or less rusted or corroded, and
then can no longer be relied upon as a protection to the
wires against nails or other damage. Even when new. C.J.
steel tubing does not invariably resist nails, especially if the
joint is outwards. If the use of steel tubing can be avoided,
not only is the cost of the tubing saved, but chasing of the
brickwork is avoided.

When running under floors, across the joists, it is better to
bore through the centres of the joists with a short auger,
rather than notch the top of the joists. By this method^ the
wire is kept out of the way of nails; trouble is gometimeg
raused by nails in floors bfijng driven through steel tubes,

522

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi, 87. No. 2,239, octobeb 22, 1920.

which have to be laid across the tops of the joists. It may
be said, therefore, that C-T.S. cable, if properly run, is even
better protected against nails than steel tubing; it is more
out of the way of gas and water pipes, which are invariably
laid across the tops of the joists; it gives better protection
against damp, and against chemical and electrolytic corrosion,
and is less likely to cause trouble or fire by earthing on to
gas pipes.

The labour is not much increased by boring the joists instead
of notching them ; it may even be less in cases where wiring
is done, in new houses, after the floors have been laid but
before the ceilings below have been lathed. The joists are
commonly bored in running electric bell wires, when this is
done in the cheapest pos.sible fashion. There is the incidental
advantage that the joists are weakened less.

The method mentioned by Mr. Ellis of looping the twin
cable from the supply into the lamp points, and running twin
cables from these to the switches, is very often a convenient
and economical one. The use of porcelain connectors can,
however, be saved by using three-terminal ceiling-roses, one
terminal being used to connect the switch-wire to the live
main ; where the point is controlled by two switches a four-
terminal ceiling-ro.se is required, and these, as well as three-
terminal roses, are commercial articles. In some cases, where
the switches of several rooms are close together, as on a
landing, it saves cable to loop the live twin from the supply
into the switch-points, running a twin from each of these
to its lamp. Porcelain connectors under the switch-pattrasses
then have to be used, since .switches are not made with extra
looping terminals, nor would such an arrangement be alto-
gether desirable.

But why not use single C.T.S. cables for concealed work?
They cost a little more than half the price of twin, but a
good deal of cable can usually be saved by looping one live
wii'e into the lamp-points and the other live wire into the
switch-points, in the usual way.

G. C. .\llingham.

London.
October Idth, 1920.

Electric Welding.

With reference Jo the letter of Mr. J. W. Beswick on the
above subject in your issue of .October 8th, I have certainly
no de.-^ire to mislead your readers. The statement that a
differentially-wound compouud generator must have its shunt
winding separately excited is in my own experience quite
correct. The fact is apparently found nece.s.sary by other
makers and investigators who all use a separate exciter for the
shunt winding, or, in the case of a D.c. motor-generator, use
the motor current for the same purpose. One of the largest
makers of single-arc reverse compound machines, the Lincoln
Co., of .\merica, always employs separate excitation, and I
could name others. The machine Mr. Beswick refers to would
be of extreme interest to others besides myself who have
experimented in this direction. I am sorry he withholds
technical particulars, and I hope he will change his mind on
this point. I am quite open to be convinced in the matter,
and would be the first to tender congratulations to the de-
signer. Until that time, however, I fear I must adhere to my
original statement.

H. Bevan Swift.

London.

October llth. 1920.

Single=phase Meters on Threephase Systems.

I am grateful to Mr. Thomas A. Robertson for his reply to
my inquiry under the above heading, and wish to thank him
for it.

Stop Watch.

October llth, 1920.

Power Factor.

Mr. 0. H. Harvey's reply to my criticism of his former
letter on the subject of power factor calls aloud for comment.

There is probably no other problem met with on the prac-
tical side of electricity supply, on which so much misunder-
standing exists, as on that of power factor. Believing as I
do that criticism and discussion tend towards elucidation. I
trust I may not be thought to be prompted by a carping
spirit in the remarks which follow.

K is to be regretted that many of Mr. Harvey's statements
leave much to be desired on the score of clarity; notatjly so
where he says: " Tlie term wattless current is in order when
speaking of R.M.S. values, &c.." in the earher part of his
letter. With the best will in the world, I am quite unable
to make anything of this, except on one hypothesis, which,
however, I hesitate to accept.

Mr. Harvey goes on to point out that I do not show anv
increase of cuneot due to the low v.F. A study of several
series of curves, such as I advocated, will show th.it app.-iratus
working at a low p.p. requires a larger current than that of
higher p.p. for the same power. To say. however, as he
does, that : " The plant as it works at lower p.p. . . . does
give rise to an extra current " is, to put it mildly, absurd.

I should like to say, in passuig, that the me,thod I gave
of showing the effect of lagging or leading currents was not
mtended to be thought original, it being given, as Mr.
Harvey says, in text-books, although I omitted to say so.

( loing on to the ca.se of the condenser next mentioned, we

add to our condenser circuit across the same supply, but
by separate leads, a resistance. Now," he says, " bind the
leads together " (whatever that may mean) " so that the
resistance is across the condenser with common supply," that
is, I take it, in parallel. But were they not in parallel before?

Such a statement of conditions forces me to one of two
conclusions : Either, in attempting to understand this, I
have become like Mr. Harvey's two currents " in some way
mixed"; or else his own ideas concerning arrangements of
circuits were in that state when writing.

Considering, however, the case of a pure capacity and a
pure resistance in parallel, each branch would carry its own
current, these currents combining in the common leads to
form a resultant current, which resultant may be resolved,
as a mathematical exercise, into as many components as we
please, all differing in phase; provided we give each one its
proper value.

In this case, however, we are only concerned with two
components; one in phase with the e.m.f., and the other
leading the e.m.k. by 90 deg., to accord with accepted theory.

This, let me say again, does not imply the existence of two
currents in the common leads to correspond to these com-
ponents, any more than the resolution of the resultant into,
say, six components would imply the existence of that number
of currents.

Furthermore, in a circuit containing resistance, inductance
and capacity, but with p.p. less than unity, our wattless com-
ponent may be still further re.solved into two, one lagging and
one leading the p.m. p. by 90 deg.

To go a step further, in such a circuit, but where the in-
ductive reactance equals the capacity reactance, giving unity
p.p., these last two wattless components exactly neutralise
each other.

Would Mr. Harvey have us beheve that they nevertheless
still exist as separate or " extra " currents in the resultant?

Unconsciously, perhaps, he puts the whole case in a nutshell
when he says : "A wattless current can exist as much as a
wattless component." Exactly ! Neither exists as a physical
fact, " wattless component " being a very useful convention,
and " wattless current '.' a very mischievous abbreviation —
perhaps it would be more correct to say " corruption " — of
the former term. I say mischievous, because it seems to be
a common stumbling-block , in the way of a correct under-
standing of the difference between " real " and " apparent "
power.

An idea which has fairly wide credence seems to be that
of the current shown on an ammeter so much is power current,
while the remainder is " wattless current," the proportions
l)eing determined by the p.p.

One other point I should like to call attention to. as it
illustrates a very widely-spread misconception. Mr. Harvey
speaks, in the latter part of his letter, of the current " surging
liack " on the generator during one-half of the cycle, and
" coming from " the generator during the other half.

Does he not realise that the sum of the currents entering
or leaving any electi-ical apparatus, whether c.c. or a.c. is
zero at any instant? In other words, as much current is
" coming in " as is " going out " at any time, and to speak
in the way he does argues a lack of grasp of the fundamentals
which must militate strongly against his chances of attaining
a true understanding of this difficult subject.

E. Freeman Smith.

Dunfermline.

October 15th, 1920.

Joint Industrial Councils.

If I am not " too late for the fair," I should like to make
one or two comments on the leading article which appeared
in your issue of the 8th on.the above subject, especially in
its relation to the editorial paragraph relating to " Speciahsm
on Labour Questions." I should like to endorse the views
expressed in a later paragraph against the suggested " speci-
alists " on labour questions. Mr. Madgen suggests. I under-
stand, that special officials should be employed to deal with
labour questions and to sit on the employers' side of the
Industrial Councils. With all deference to Mr. Madgen. I
would suggest that in making this suggestion he has not fully
considered the point in its relation to the spirit of the Councils.
1 agree with the Ei.ECraiCAf, Revif.w that such a proposal is
in essence directly opposed to the fundamental principles
underlying the whole system of WTiitleyism. The unions
on the Councils deal directly with the employers, and not
through " specialists," and this practice must continue. It
is indeed the building-up of mutual confidence through per-
sonal relationship (that is. meeting one another face to face),
which is the first of the purposes of the Comicils. If this
fails, or is abjured by the employers' side, the Councils are
only a waste of time. We had much better meet in the in-
dustrial courts oa formal arbitration lines, or put the strike
weapon into operation.

May I explain our own .special point of view^ In consenting
to form the.se Industrial Councils, we did so because we con-
sidered that they were quite a logical consequent on the prin-

Vol. 87. No. 2,239, Ootobbb 22, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

528

ciples on which our unions themselves exist. Our unions
were formed to do away with seltish industrial individualism.
We stand for the principle which in every department of life
is becoming more and more widely recognised every day,
namely, that " no one hves to himself aloue," that the good
of the individual is, in the last resort, bound up~ with the
good of the whole body.

We are literally a " union," a body whose foundation is
common interests, and the union exists as much to protect
the whole against any selfish individualism of its members
(as in the case of a man underbidding his fellows in the
labour market) as it does to protect its members against
unfau' treatment by employers. This is its negative side. Its
positive side is to further the interests of the industry it is
related to, as a whole. The more prosperous the industry the
better for everyone. I am of the opinion that the precepts
of Whitleyism have gone further than their founder imagined
or intended. It has given to the trade iinious concerned a
very large portion of the control of industry to which they
(or, at any rate, the Electrical Trades L'niou) aspire. Pro-
gressively, therefore, the next step is naturally some kind
of union of the trade unions with the employers' unions to
work for the common good. This is, of course, at present
an ideal only, but this is where the Industrial Councils come
in. They are the first experimental steps in the evolution
of some more organic co-operation. The work already done
in this direction is, as shown in your admirable leading
article, not without fruit and promise. But while we, follow-
ing our principle of co-operation and union, are willing to go
forward on the lines of the Industrial Council, we have no
u«e for meetings with " specialists " who simply come to us
with briefs t^'om employers " in the background." The
men who sit on the opposite side of the table on the two
District Councils, of which I happen to be the secretary of the
trade unions, are " specialists," but certainly not of the type
suggested by Mr. Madgen. They are " specialists " of the
industry, as are tlie representatives of the E.T.U., and both
sides look at the subjects under review from ^he standpoint
of the industry, and not from the pux-ely legal standpoint.

If I may put it bluntly, if any man " employs " other men,
he cannot get out of a personal responsibility with regard to
the welfare of such men. The time has passed when in any
reputable industry he can limit his interest in his business
simply to the profit in cash he gets out of it. As an employer,
by that very act, he makes a sociological problem, and as
an employer, therefore, he has got personally to help towards
the solution — he must make time for it, and in the electrical
industry he cannot do this better, at present, than by way of
attending an Industrial Council.

In conclusion, I am of the opinion that the value of the
District Councils depends upon their .decisions being loyally
carried out by the undertakings concerned. Moral pre.ssm-e
has had to be used several times recently, and not always
with success, and the only thing left is for the trade unions
to take trade union action. Therein lies the danger to
Whitleyism. A ca.se in point : Epsom Urban Council has
refused to carry out a recommendation of No. 10 Council
in respect of wages. .A deputation from my Committee (Lon-
don District, E.T.TT.) al.so failed to obtain redress, and now
there is nothirig left but to withdraw our members. But the
Epsom undertaking could very easily get " blackleg " labour
sufficient to carry on, and the Electrical Trades Union could
not stand by helples.sly and see its Epsom members starved
ciut, and would liave to call upon all the members employed
by undertakings in Xo. 10 Area Council to come to the assist-
ance of the Epsom men. One wonder.s what the Review
woiild say then. Believe me, Mr. Editor, the Electrical Trades
Union is more often sinned against than sinning.
W. J. Webb,
London District Secretary of the E.T.U.
Secretary, Trade Union Side, Nos. 9 and 10
District Councils, for the Electricity Supply

London. Industry,

October ISth, 19i20.

[We have supported the Electrical Trades T'nion before,
and we will support it again, when it is fighting for the due
ob.servance of the award of aji Industrial Council, or any other
(to our mind) le.riitimate objecti We oppose it only when we
believe its aims to lack that quality. We are pleased to find
ourselves at one with Mr. Webb in respect of the whole of
his letter.— Eds. Ei.ec. Rev.]

Credit and Prices.

My attention has just been drawn to the comments on
this subject which you reproduced on page 433 of your issue
of October 1st from the City Editor's notes in the Times.

As this newspiiper did not pul)li.sh the correspondence upon
which its City Editor commented, it may be of some in-
terest to those of your readers who have perused vour notice
to read the letters to which the City Editor of" the Times
so courteously replied.

I have sat upon Labour Councils, and the complaint has
.-ilways been that it is this section of the communifv that
bears the brunt in such times as these. If .sudden dellation
brmgs about extensive unemp',,ympnt it will, in mv opinion,
take a clever economi.st to induce labour to sit quietly and
listen to a lecture proving that empty stomachs are necessary

to reduce the cost of Uving. It is for these reasons that,
in the solution of this problem, I advocate a measure of fore-
thought, which I hope may serve to spare us from fruitless
regrets when it may be too late.

Edward Berkeley.
London.
October 16th, 1920.

September 21st, 1920.
The Editor of The Times. Printing House Square, Qn. Victoria Street, S.W.I.

Sir, — I have read with interest your leading article of yesterday morning
in regard to the outlook of prices, but regret I do not share some of the
\ iews expressed by the writer. 1 do not believe- that the business community
.IS a whole considers that banl<ers deliberately refrain from extending credits.
On the contrary, it has appreciated the efforts which have been made by those
responsible for our large banking institutions in the way of assisting the re-
equipment of factories and in the re-establishment of industries upon a peace-
time basis. It quite understands that bankers' efforts in this direction are,
ui necessity, limited by the resources at their disposal. If it has become
f.ishionable to blame bankers for the reaction in trade, the fashion cannot be
attributed to misconceptions on the part of the public such as those alleged.
The reason for it must be sought elsewhere.

When the Armistice was declared, many long and able speeches were made
by chairmen and directors of our leading Joint Stock Banks, and they are
(resh in the minds of business people. They expressed optimism in regard
to the prospects of industry, and promised that when the time came the
necessary credits would be forthcoming. Reports of these speeches appeared
ill almost e\ery paper in the country, ind commercial and industrial centres
were soothed into a sense of false security, and enthused into somewhat pre-
mature optimism. Manufacturers, resting upon the assurances that they
would receive from their bankers the financial suppuit and credit they desired,
produced what they were told was necessary for the world's welfare. The
sudden withdrawals of credits which had been extended to them, the demands
made by the Go\'ernment for the payment of excess profits duty, and the
delays in deliveries of raw materials due to industrial strikes throughout the
country have left producers in a state of uncertainty as to what is going
to happen next. Business men are sitting on the fence; ineantime, prices are
rising higher and higher.

How are restrictions of credit going to reduce prices? Before the war the
world required a certain amount of produce; to-day the requirements are
CLTtainly not diminished; meantime, its stocks have been depleted. To replace
stocks costs double or treble what it did in pre-war days, ff, therefbre, credit
is not going to he extended to meet this enhanced cost, it will result in a
{greater shortage of the necessities which the world demands. Certainly the
withdrawal of promised credits, if there was no demand, would tend to
bring down prices, but there is a demand, in view of which the cure pro-
posed is worse than the disease.

If the coming winter brings extensive unemployment, the general interests
of the country are likely to be menaced by something far worse than the
inflation of currency about which we hear so much to-day.
Yours faithfully,

EDWARD BERKELEY.

September 24th, 1920.

Sir.— Permit me to preface these few remarks with my expressions of sincere
:ippreciation of your courtesy in having replied to my letter of the 21sl inst.,
through the medium of your " City Notes," which appeared in your issue of
yesterday under the heading of " Credit and Prices." I am afraid, however,
that your answers do not yet convince me, for the following reasons.

Compulsory liquidation of unsold goods, though it may temporarily provide
the holder of commodities with working capital, almost invariably results in a
loss to the holder and diminishes his productive and earning capacity. To
this loss in productive capacity the producer must add the loss occasioned by
the withdrawal of the credit facilities hitherto enjoyed by him. For these
rt-asons i am of opinion that a sudden restriction of credit, when the world's
stocks are di pleted by nearly five years of war, must necessarily mean a
i.striction of productive pow-er. I'^urther, restriction of credit would not neces-
,.,rily compel liquidation of slocks, it would far more likely result in the
tiansfer of stocks from weaker to stronger holders and ultimately result in
ilie consumers paying higher instead of lower prices.

As regards your final remarks, I am entirely in agreement with you that
the price of an article is determined ultimately by what the buyer is pre-
p:ired to give for it, and the other factors (such as the cost of production)
lutve to adjust themselves to that price, but this point is hardly material to

I have no desire whtitever to " administer a fresh dose of inflation to the
" if it can be avoided. If it is contemplated to bring
rices via unemployment " the dose will still have to be
administered whether we like it or not, for it seems to me that Government
subsidies and unemployment doles cannot, any more than extra production,
b.^ obtained without temporary inflation of the currency.

.Aggravation of inflation is probably inseparable from heavy production, and
the latter, in my view, is the only real cure for the economic patient of to-<iay.
Those who can continue to pay high prices are the minority. The majority
of buyers are necessarily the actual workers or producers. If, due to un-
employment, they find themselves unable to remain purchasers, they must
either accept doles, or become thieves, or go without. I hold, therefore, that
since we must have a certain amount of inflation, whichever way it is pro-
duced, either by Government borrowing or by extra production, I would choose
the lesser of two evils as the safer and cheaper physic for my economic
patient. A devil.take-the-hindermost policy is tfangerous.
Yours faithfully,

EDWARD BERKELEY.

Electric Vehicles in India.— After travelliDg to Shillong
from Ganhati by motor car, one is disposed to regret, says
Indian Engiaeering, that the railways to both Simla and
Darjeeling were permitted to interfere to such an extent with
the cart roads to those hill stations from the plains. Simla
has apparently estabUshed a strong and abiding faith in the
advantages of electricity for lighting, heating, cooking, and
power generally. But there is to be very much more progress
in the near future. Mr. F. L. Mihie, the municipal electrical
engineer, took leave home last year, and was deputed while
on leave to go into the question of adapting electric vehicles to
conditions of running on the Simla roads. He gave a good
deal of time to the study of the subject, and on his return
made his recommendations to the Simla municipality. As a
result the municipality has now decided to order the chassis
of a one-ton electric lorry which will be equipped with a
'bus body suited for carrying about 12 passengers, to be run
between Simla and Mashobra as an experiment. Should the
venture prove a success, as anticipated, electric vehicles
for running in and about Simla will be introduced on a con-
siderable scale. Some years ago Mr. Milne was working on
a scheme for introducing electrically-driven rickshaws into
Simla, aiid the scheme might have matured but for the war.

524

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,259. octobeb 22. isao.

TELEPHONE ENQINEERINQ IN THE U.S.A.

The president of the Institution of Post Office Electrical En-
gineers, Sir W. Noble, M.I.E.E., engineer-in-chief to the
British Post Office, addressing the London Centre of the
Institution last week gave some impressions of his 33 days'
visit to America in 1919.

Sir Wilham said, inter alia : We had, prior to our arrival,
arranged meetings vcith the engineers of the A.T. and T.,
Western Electric, Automatic Electric, and the Western Union
Telegraph Companies. We visited exchanges, telegraph offices,
research laboratories, and factories^ besides attending con-
ferences, and meeting U.S. Post Oflice officers to obtain in-
formation on the subject of Government control of the tele-
graphs and telephones during the war period. The marked
developments in telegraph and telephone engineering especi-
ally appealed to us. \Yhile development in these matters was
practically at a standstill in this country during the war
period, American engineers were preparing plans to apply
the most up-to-date improvements throughout their system,
and to replace their exchange plant in all the large cities
by the automatic system.

One feature of their organisation, which impressed us most
at the outset, was their unique and extensi^'e provision for
research in all branches of telegraph and telephone science,
and there is no doubt that America's foremost position is
largely attributable to the generous policy which has been
followed in this matter.

The general introduction of automatic exchange working
is probably the main feature in their scheme of progress, and
we gave special attention to this matter, discussing it with
telephone experts at all the cities we vi.<ited, and finding a
practically unanimous opinion that full automatic working
is the only certain method of ensuring the quality of service
now demanded by the public. One group of experts only
were dissentients, and whilst they were as keen on replacing
the present method of manual exchange operating, they held
the view that the .subscriber should not he trusted with the
dial, and that the best method was one based on semi-auto-
matic principles. The auto-manual service at Lima. Ohio, is
undoubtedly the best which came under notice; the opinion
is held, however, that the rapid service is attributable to the
absence of metering and junction working, due to the tariff
being entirely a flat rate one, with 99 per cent, of local
traffic. These conditions are also those which would probably
en.sure still greater efficiency with a full automatic system.

During the inquiry into automatic working, it was found
that the Western Electric Co. had designed its " panel " sys-
tem to operate with a dial having the impulse scheme similar
to that of the A.T.M. Co.'s system in this country, -i^s all the
existing exchanges in America are of the latter type (Strow-
ger), this uniformity will simplify the arrangements for
dialing where different types of full automatic are in use.
This will probably be most beneficial in connection with
dialing distant automatic exchanges from " Toll " boards.

In this country there are at present three types of dials,
each with a different scheme of impulses, viz., A.T.M. Co..
Siemens, and Western Electric Co.'s rotary. It has now been
decided that all systems supplied for use in Great Britain
shall in future be designed to operate from a dial with an
average speed of ten impulses per second, the break portion
of each impulse being within the limits of 60 per cent, to 66
per cent, of the complete impulse. Tliis will accord with the
standard adopted in America, and is similar to the arrange-
ments in use in this country at all exchanges constructed by
the Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co.

Before the visit to .•\merica, the existence of the Western
Electric Co.'s automatic system at its three semi-automatic
exchanges in Newark, New Jersey, was known to the De-
partment's engineers, but it was understood that its opera-
tion had not been altogether .s.atisfactory. The investigations
made last November proved that the defects which existed
on the original panel equipments in Newark had been-
remedied by improvpments in design, and that the American
Telephone & Telegraph Co. was not only convinced that full
automatic working was the most economical method of effect-
ing telephone communication in large cities, but was satisfied
that the advantages of the " Panel " type were sufficiently
outstanding to merit its use entirely in large multi-office
areas, such as New York and Chicago, the conditions of which
may be said to correspond with those at London, Liverpool,
Mnnchester, Glasgow, and Birmingham.

The impression obtained from the investigations made of the
panel equipment, and the facilities available, were so favour-
able that I managed to persuade the American Telephone and
Telegraph Co. to give me the option of purchasing a .S,.500-line
equipment of the " Panel " tvpe, so as to enable British Post
Office engineers to be in a position to eet down to the details
of (he pane! equipment simultaneou.^ly with the telephone
engineers in .\merica. thus preventing this country from
lagging behind in actual experience as regards latest practice,
and arrangements have now been completed f^ introduce it
in London G.P.O. South, where it will form the nucleus of
a 10.000-line exchange.

Telephone experts are unanimous in their opinion that
the panel system is the only one which is capable of fulfilling

the many requirements of a large telephone area, especially
during the stage of transition.

The estimated total number of telephone stations owned by
the Associated Bell Companies of America on September 30th,
1919, was 7,201,757, and 3,790,508 additional stations, owned
and operated by other companies, are also connected with
the Bell system for toll service. There are besides in the
United States 1,012,000 stations owned by various independent
companies not connected with the Bell system. The grand
total for the whole country at the date mentioned was thus
12,001,325, representing an average of one telephone to about
ten persons.

The long-distance system is at a high level of efficiency both
with regard to rapidity of service and quaUty of transmission.
The distances between the commercial centres of the United
States make an efficient long-distance service relatively of
greater importance than in Great Britain. For instance, New
York and Chicago, the two principal cities, are nearly 1,000
miles apart ; correspondence by post is, therefore, relatively
slow, and consequently a rapid means of communication
afforded by an efficient telephone service is well patronised
by the business community. As a matter of fact, the delay on
calls between New York and Chicago is rarely in excess of
20 minutes. The transmission is generally excellent, and the
average equivalent of New York-Chicago lines is about 10
miles of standard cable between test boards.

One of the most notable features of the long-distance system
is the New York-San Francisco service, which is provided
by means of three circuits. These cities are 3,400 miles apart,
yet speech over the telephone lines is comparatively easy.
The line conductors are No. 8 B. A: S. gauge, hard-drawn
copper. Each weighs 435 lb. to the mile, making the total
weight of copper in the line 2,960 tons. Each of the three
circuits (two physical and one phantom) is loaded, and is
worked through six repealer stations.

A Post Office engineer, visiting the States for the first
time, cannot help marking the general absence of trees along
telephone routes. The poles are generally untreated timber
and creosoted poles are conspicuous by their absence. Anns
are very long and carry ten wires, the spacing between wires
and between arms being wider than in our practice. Neither
the poles nor the arms are earth-wired. Glass insulators are
used almost exclusively ; porcelain insulators are, however,
used in some sections of the trans-continental line. But per-
haps the most remarkable feature is the extensive use of
aerial cables, not only for local services, but for long-distance
services. Aerial cables are frequently used in America in
circumstances under which underground cables only would
be permissible in this country.

Even the main trunk cable between New York and Chicago
is erected on pole lines throughout, except in some short
sections through cities. The loading coils for aerial cables
are generally suspended on the poles by a steel crane con-
struction. American engineers claim that aerial cable con-
struction for main lines is cheaper in first cost and more
stable in maintenance than underground cables. Our ex-
perience in this country, on the other hand, is exactly the
reverse. Electrolysis is a serious source of trouble with under-
ground cables in .\merica, and aerial cables are not entirely
free from risk of damage from that source. Owing to the
frequent occurrence of high voltage power lines paralleling
telephone lines special measures for protecting the latter from
dangerous induced voltages are necessary. Joint use of pole
lines for telephone, electric lighting, power distribution, and
even tramway trolley wires, is quite comnion practice.

Some reference must be made to the extensive underground
cable system of the Associated Bell Companies. In the larger
cities, the central exchange area distribution is entirely under-
ground, and in New Y'ork and Chicago, for example, the
cable plant dwarfs even the present cabling of London. New
York is connected on the south with Philadelphia and 'Wash-
ington by an underground trunk cable route, and similarly
with Boston on the north : the total length of the route from
Washington to Boston is nearly 500 miles, and a multiple
duct is laid throughout, -\merican methods of underground
cable route construction differ in some details from British
practice, and appear to be more costly. In jointing the cables
no provision is made for desiccation either during construction
or in maintenance, and the same practice is followed in aerial
cable work. The present standard of insulation for main
cables is -WO megohms per mile, which is remarkably lower
than the British standard of 10.000 megohms.

In the loading of cables American practice is almost iden-
tical with our own. The loading coil with the iron wire
core has been entirely superseded by the coil with a " solid "
core. This solid core is built up of disks of hydranlically
compressed iron dust, and its outstanding advantage as com-
pared with the iron wire core is its electrical stability. It
cannot be permanently magnetised, and its permeability is
not affected by excessive currents from ringing machines,
testing batteries, telegraph signals, iVc.

The loading coils now being installed in the London^Man-
rhester trunk cable have cores of this type which will be
the standard for the future. The success of the long-distance
service in tho I'^nited States has been very largely due to the

Yol. 87. No. 2,239. October 22, 1920.] THE ELEOIKlOAL lijSYIEW,

526

extensive use of loading coils; but the New York-San Fran-
cisco service and long-distance service generally on the light
gauge cable routes has been made possible only by the de-
velopment of the telephone repeater. This development has
become almost revolutionary since the introduction of the
three-electrode thermionic valve.

The address was illustrated with a number of diagrams
and lantern slides.

LEGAL.

Stobie v. Newcastle-on-Tynb Electric Sui'ply Go.
The action brought by Mr. Victor Stobie, carrying on business
as the Stobie Steel Co. at Dunston-on-Tyne, against the
Newcastle-on-Tyne Electric Supply Co., was mentioned on
Tuesday, October 12th. the opening day of the current legal
term, to Mr. Justice Peterson in the Chancery Division.

The action came before the court on an application made
by Mr. Tomlin, K.C.. appearing for the Electric Supply Co.,
with regard to the taking of an account directed by a judg-
ment of his Lordship in April of last year, in relation to profits
made by Mr. Stobie in his business. His Lordship, in his
judgment, had held that under certain agreements the Electric
Supply Co. was entitled to a share of the profits in question.

The arguments of counsel and the evidence of witnesses oc-
cupied the court during June 9th, 10th, and 11th last, when
the case was adjourned until the 14th of that month ; but
on the loth a further postponement was granted on the ap-
plication of Mr. Tomlin, with a view to a settlement, and
the case stood out of the list.

Counsel now stated that the settlement had not yet been
arrived at, and the parties were desirous that there should
be a further adjournment with a view to arranging certain
matters in dispute.

His Lordship assented, and the case stood further adjourned
sine die.

A Discount Dispute.
In the City of London Coiirt, on Tuesday, before Mr. Regi.'-
trar Wild, a claim was made by Mr. George Braulik, ex-
porter of electrical supplies, 8, Lambeth Hill, Queen Victoria
Street, E.G., for £1 os. 9d. for goods supphed to Messrs. Wat-
ehams, manufacturers of electrical accessories, Howard House.
Arundel Street, Strand, who raised a counter-claim for
£2 16s. 7d., balance of account for electrical goods supplied.

Mr. Harry Strouts appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr.
Borrodaile represented the defendant.

The dispute concerned the counter-claim which was in
respect of discount which the defendant alleged had been
wrongly deducted from the account. There was an amount
due from the plaintiff of £113 4s. fid. which, according to
the terms of business was subject to monthly account 2§ per

cent. Plaintiff had paid £110 7s. lid., deducting the 2J per
cent., but as the account was not paid within the time it was
wrongly deducted.

Mr. Stkodts said that the defendant had given a clean
receipt for the amount of the cheque which the plaintiff had
sent, but for the defence it was said the receipt was not one
given in full settlement. Mr. Strouts said that the defendant'!
account was subject to a contra account for goods which the
plaintiff might supply.

Registrar Wild said he considered the receipt which had
been sent by the defendant was a clean receipt, and he was
of opinion at the time the cheque sent by the plaintiff was
treated as a settlement of the account. But for the plaintiff's
present claim nothing would have been heard of the counter-
claim. Judgment was entered for the plaintiff upon the
counter-claim.

M.4RC0NI WlKF.LESS TeLEGR.APH CO. V. H.\MILTON.

In the Chancery Division, on Wednesday, October 13th,
before Mr. Justice P. O. Lawrence, Mr. Douglas Hogg, for
the plaintiffs, applied for a speedy trial of fhis action in
which the plaintiff company sought to restrain the defendant,
who was formerly in their employ, from disclosing to the
shareholders the terms of a deed entered into between the
company and himself. Counsel suggested Wednesday, Octo-
ber 20th, as a convenient date.

His Lordship said that defendant must be ready for trial
on that day.

[As we go to press we learn that the action was settled, all
charges against Mr. Hamilton being withdrawn.]

British & Allied Electrical Agency, Ltd., v. Chemical
Engineering Corporation, Ltd.
In the King's Bench Division, on October 14th, Mr. Justice
Bray had before him an action brought by the British and
Allied Electrical Agency, Ltd., of 13, Victoria Street, West-
minster, against the Chemical Engineering Corporation, Ltd.,
of Parliament Mansions, Westminster, in which the plaintiffs
sought to have set aside a contract entered into between
themselves and the defendants, on the ground that they were
induced to enter into it by misrepresentation of material facts.
Defendants denied misrepresentation.

Mr. Groom Johnston, for the plaintiffs, in opening the case,
said fraud was not alleged. The action related to adhesive
tape. In December, 1918, an agreement was made between
the parties under which the defendants were to supply to
the plaintiffs 50 tons of this tape at Is. fid. per lb., quality
to be as per the sample submitted. Defendants forwarded
the goods direct to the plaintiffs' customers, all of whom made
complaints regarding the material.

At this stage a conference took place between the parties,
and Mr. Johnston announced that terms of settlement had
been agreed between them, and he asked that a Judge's order
be made staying the action and ordering the payment of
money out of Court, fO) to the plaintiffs' solicitors, and £60
to the defendants'.

His IjOrdship assented to the course proposed.

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankruptcy Proceedings. — H. TurKbr, electrician,

31, St. Paul's Road, Southsea. — The following are creditors
herein : —

£32

£11

Lawranoe, Ltd.' ,. ,
Southey, James . .

Habbison & Sons, electrical engineers, 93, Princes Street, London
Road, Southend-on-Sea. — Receiving order made on October 11th, on
creditors' petition.

FoSTEB, Skinnee k Co., electric fittings deilera, 6, South Castle
Street, Liverpool. — Reciiving order made October 1 1th on creditor's
petition.

Company Liqaidations. — Lowa Engineering Co , Ltd.,

electrical and mechanical manufacturers, 2.5, Colleffa Hill. Cannon
Street, E.G.— Pursuant to the provisions of the Companies (Con-
solidation) Act, a meeting of the creditors of the abjve was held
recently at the offices of Messrs. Thomas Keens, Shay & Co., I. A.,
when it was reported that Mr. A J. H, Shuy had been appointed to
act as the liqu'dator of theompany, An extraordinary meeting
of the shareholders had previously been held at Mapesbury Works,
Willesden Lane, N.W., when a resolution was passed to the effect
tha', the company could not, by reason of its liabilities, continue
its business, and that it was advisable to wind up the concern
voluntarily. Mr. Shay submitted a statement of affilrs whic&
showed liabilities amountingr to £3 665 lis. 5d., of which only
• £687 I7s. 5d. wasdue to trade creditors, the balance of £2,977 lis.
being in respect of cash claims. The assets were estimated to
realise £1,068 5'. 81, from which had to be deducted £ 152 lis. 4d. for
preference claims, leaving net assetsof £915 1 la. 4d., or a deficiency
of £2,749 17s. Id. The assets were as follows : —Cash at bank,
£29 48. Id. ; book debts (good) £56 17s. 6d. ; bad and doubtful
book deb's, £268 4s. 8.1., expected to produje £149 Is. 7d. ; stock
in trade valued at £130 63. 6d ; and plant and machinery, £728
17s. 7d., estimated to realise £ 159 13s. 6d. It was stated that last
March it was understood that debentures for £2,000 would

issued to secure Cash advanced, bat as a matter of fact, no charge
had been given on any of the assets. After discussion, the creditors
decided to confirm the Voluntary liquidation of the company, with
Mr. Shay as liquidator, and an informal committee of two of the
largest trade creditors was also elected. The principal trade
creditors are : —

Improved Solidite Cc £fi2 Sterman, Knight & Co £105

Owen. B 'J50 English Ele !tric Supplies, Ltd. 60

Electrolytic Co. (Spain and Portdoal), Ltd. — Winding up
voluntarily. Liquidator, Mr. R. I. Marsden, 5, Moorgate Street
Buildings, E.G.

COMMBBCIAL ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES, LTD. — Winding Up

voluntarily. Liquidator, Mr. N. Bell, 78 and 79, Wool Exchange, E.G.

Masham & District Electric Supply Co., Ltd. — Meeting of
creditors is called for October 27th, at the Town Hall, Masham.
Liquidator, Mr. T. E. Thwaites,

British Electrical Accessories, Ltd. — Particulars of
claims must be sent to the liquidator, Mr. W. A. Judge, 72, Market
Street, Bradford, by November 30th.

Dissolutions of Partnerslilp.— Yopett, Reed & Co.,

electrical and mechanical enjrineers and contractors, 89a, Godiva
Street, Coventry.— Messrs. F. E. Youett, F. Reed, F. H. W. Moore,
and H. T. Moores, have dissolved partnership. Debts will be
attended to by Messrs. F. E. Youett, F. H. W. Moore, and H. T.
Moores* who will continue the business under the style of F, E.
Youett & Go.

Electric Lamp Replacement Co., electric lamp dealers, 83,
Fleet Street, EC— Mr. W. J. Head and Mr. J. D'A. Steele have
dissolved partnership. Debts will be attended to by Mr. W, J.
Head, who will continue the business,

Imlay & Bland, coaohbuilders, motor, electric and general
engineers, Lmlon Road, Oj,dby. — Messrs 0. A. Imlay, W.
Imlay, and E. Bland, have dissolved partnership. Messrs, A, and
W. Imlay will attend to debts.

526

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [Voi. 87. No. 2,239, octobeb 22, 1920.

BuTTERWORTH >t RoniNSON, electrical engineers, 20, Bold
Street, Southport. — Mr. A. B. Butterworth and Mr. J. A. Robinson
have dissolved partnership. Debts will be attended to by Mr. A. B.
Butterworth.

Shire Arc Welding Co., electric welders, 36, Peas Hill Rise,
Nottingham. — Mr. J. Horton and Mr. G. H. MoMillen have
dissolved partnership. Debts will be attended to by Mr. G. H.
McMillen.

Tucker &Bateson, electrical engineers and factors, 55, Berners
Street, W. — Mr. S. J. Tucker and Mr. R. L. Bateson have dissolved
partnership.

Bewick, Moreino & Co., mining engineers and mice managers,
<;:!, London Wall, E.C. — Messrs. C. A. Moreing, W. J. Loring, A. H.
Moreing and E. A. Loring have dissolved partnership.

Catalogues and Lists. — Messrs. Bagshaw & Co., Ltd.,

Dunstable Works, Dunstable. — An illustrated leaflet announcing
the manufacture of chains for elevators and conveyors, and for
driving purposes.

Messrs. Berry's Electric, Ltd., 86, Newman Street, W.l. —
A priced and illustrated leaflet dealing with the " Asku " patent
shade-tilter.

Messrs. Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd., Marconi
House, Strand, W.C. 2. — A very substantial binder containing a
large number of leaflets illustrative of the peace-time products of
this company. The leaflets are illustrated by means of excep-
tionally clear photographs, and deal chiefly ivith complete trans-
mitting and receiving sets of v.-irious types, including installations
for ships. All apparatus is very fully described, and diagrams of
connections are given in practically every instance.

The Ironclad Switchgear Manufacturing Co., (il, Vincent
Parade, Balsall Heath, Birmingham. — Priced leaflet illustrating the
" Vincent ' ironclad Home Oflice fuse.

Ironclad Switchgear Co., Ltd., Eccles Mill, Monton Lane,
Eccles. — Illustrated catalogue (8 pp.) dealing with ironclad
switch and fuse gear. Fully priced.

The General Electric Co.. Ltd.. 67, Queen Victoria Street,
E.C. 4 — Specification No. I'i'A (8 pp.). Illustrated description of
G.E.C. oil switches, "Type VII," with details of mechanism, tank,
&c. Catalogue F 1 Section. " Industrial and Street Lighting
Fittings and Accessories" (44 pp.). — An illustrated price list of
reflectors, lanterns, well-glass and bulkhead fittings, hand lamps,
pillars, switches, &c. The catalogue is prefaced with some very
useful illuminating engineering data. Also Leaflet H 2,361 illus-
trating and describing " Magnet," Model " A " electric fires with
removable elements.

Messrs. Cbompton & Co., Ltd., Chelmsford. — Leaflet Cl, illus-
trating and describing small D.c. motors of protected, open bracket
and totally-enclosed types. Priced.

The Macintosh Carle Co., Ltd., 22 & 23, Jewin Street, E.C. 1.
— A booklet containing four pages of reproductions from actual
photographs of sections of impregnated paper-insulated cables of
various areas and types.

Trade Announcements. — Mr. F. S, Wyatt announces

that he has succeeded to the business of his father, the late Mr.
W. A. Wyatt, electrician, of 14, Maristow Street, Westbury (Wilts.).

Messrs. Marshall & Co., electrical engineer?, have opened a
new establishment at 41, Carlisle Road, Bradford,

National Engineering Supply Co,, electrical and mechanical
engineers, of West Bute Street, Cardiff, have opened a branch office
at 36, Queen Street, Neath (Telephone 315 Neath), where they are
carrying large and varied stocks of electrical and, mechanical
supplies. The branch will be under the management of Mr. L,
Gwyn Thomas.

The name of the "Central and South Americam Telegraph Co. ''
has been changed to " All America Cables, Inc." The
address — viz., 34-36, Broad Street House, New Broad Street, E,C. —
remains unaltered.

A Cardiff Exhibition, — Manufacturers from all over the
country are announced as among the exhibitors at a South Wales
"Health and Home" Exhibition, which is to be held in the Drill
Hall, Dumfries Place, Cardiff, from January 26th next to February
,")th. The feature of the exhibition will be the display of labour-
saving appliances in the domestic sphere, including demonstrations
of house lighting and heating systems, and methods of preparing
and cooking food. The organising manager, Mr. Ewart Watson,
has opened offices at 37, St. Mary Street, Cardiff'. Local manu-
facturers and traders are agreed that exhibitions such as this will
do much to assist in the development of Cardiff as the natural
shopping centre of the large and densely populated surrounding
districts.

Electrical Contractors' Association. — At a meeting of

the Electrical Contractors' Association (Incorporated), held at the
Hotel Metropole, Leeds, on October 13th, Mr. Percy Collinson,
president, in the name of a large number of members of the Council
aid of Sectional Councils, presented Mr. E. C. Wallis, Fellow and
ex-prtsident of the Association, with an illuminated testimonial
bearing many autographs, in token of the general appreciation felt
f jr services rendered in Council and otherwise to the Association's
interests during nearly 20 years, — Yorhxldre Post.

Receiverships. — Bastian Electric Co., Ltd. — Mr.

T. G. Haward was appointed receiver for the debenture-holders
in this company on October 6th ; creditors' claims for goods
supplied up to that date will remain in abeyance pending future
developments.

Electro-Galvanisers, Ltd. — Mr. W. S. Morgan, of 18, St.
Swithin's Lane, E.C, cea-ed to act as receiver-manager on
October 6th, 1920. ^

Book Notices. — Fannlay Housi' .Idiininl, Vol L\, .Vo. 1 ;
Michaelmas, 192i). The current issue of this well-known house
organ contains, in addition to the usual supply of notes and notices,
a discussion on the subject of insulating materials and an article
by Dr. A, Russell, principil, on " The Insulation Resistance of
House Wiring."

'■ The Toronto Hydro-Electric System. " The ninth annual report
(1919) of the Toronto Electric Commissioners (31 pp.). Toronto:
The Bryant Press. — Includes financial statements for the year and
diagrams illustrating capital expenditure and growth of revenue.

" Installation News." New teries. No. 5 (16 pp.). Simplex
Conduits, Ltd,, Birmingham. — The October number contains
"Help for the Wurried Wireman.' notes on cables, i:c.

"Prospectus No. >-, University Engineering College, Westgate-on-
Sea." — Giving particulars of courses in preparation for exami-
nations for BSc. degree, &c.

The Technology Reports of the Tohoku Imperial University,
Sendai, Japan. Vol, I, No. 3 (24 pp ). Tokyi : Maruzen Co., Ltd.
This issue is a paper on " The Energetics of Telephone Receivers.''

'Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian
Institution for the Year ended June iiOth, 1917. " Washington :
Government Printing Office."

'Rudiments of Electrical EngineeriBg." By P. Kemp.
Pp. xviii + 255, figs. 93. London : Macmillan & Co , Ltd.
Price 6s.

" Proctedings of the Physical Society of London." Vol. XXXII,
part 5. August 15th, 1920. London : Fleetway Press, Ltd.
Price 4s.

'' Post Office Electrical Engineers' Juiirnal." 'Vol. XIII, Part 3.
October, 1920. London : Electrical REVIE^y, Ltd.

'A Course in Electrical Engineering," Vol. I. "Direct Cur-
rents.' By C. L. Dawes. Pp, siv + 496. figs. 365. London :
McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., Ltd. Price 25s. net.

"The Metropolitan-Vickers Gazette,' No. 90, pp. xii, + 23.
Price 7d. post free. The September issue of this magazine contains
as a frontispiece a portrait of Mr. H, Mensforth, late general
manager of works, and a brief sketch of his career. An interesting
article on " Porcelain for the Electrical Industry, " is contributed
by Mr. W. S. Flight, and Mr, G. A. Cheetham writes " A Few Notes
on the Limitation of Output. "

" Jour nil I of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.'
Vol. XXXIX. No. 10. October, 1920. New York : The Institute.
Price .SI.

Western Electric Co.'s Exhibition in China. — The

Western Electric Co. is fitting out a houseboat at Shanghai, which
wUl make a tour of the rivers and canals of China this winter.
The boat will contain practically all the latest electrical labour-
saving devices to be found in American homes. It will carry a
complete line of household devices, including motor-driven sewing
machines, vacuum cleaners, irons, and washing machines, as well
as the labour-saving electrical apparatus used by American ifarmers.
— Retiter'a Trade Serrice (New York).

German Commercial Activity in China. — According to

the Xorth I'liino Daily \ews, the German engineer, Kocher, who
was recently nominated director-general for the whole of China
on behalf of the German electrical firm of Siemens, has contracted
to supply the machinery necessary for the exploitation of a
colliery near Hang Chow, in spite of the fact that Germany
maintains her inability to manufacture such machinery for the
restoration of the French coalfields. Moreover, Kocher has ordered
from Germany a quantity of electrical tramway and factory equip-
ment and other plant, severely undercutting English, French, and
American products. Kocher was one of the most active German
propagandists in China during the war, but thanks to Chinese
influence he was not repatriated. — Reutei'g Tr.ide Service
(Shanghai).

Tangier, — In a special article on the trade and industry

of Morocco in the Jtonrd of Trade Jour/ial, it is stated, on the
authority of Mr. H. B. Johnstone, H.M. Vice-Consul at Tangier,
that there is an opening there for British electrical plant and
accessories.

Trade with West Indies. — H.M. Trade Commissioner in
Trinidad calls attention to the serious inconvenience caused to
importers there by the non-receipt of invoices or bills of lading
at the time that the goods arrive. It is stated that this happens
with many consignments of goods from the United Kingdom. It
is understood that owing to shipping difliculties it has been diflScnlt
for exporting firms to dispatch the necessary documents at the
right time, but, as the local banks facilitate the clearance of goods
consigned to firms of any standing, it is suggested that an advance
invoice would meet the case. This could be prepared and
dispatched immediately after the packing-room had reported that
the consignment was made up. — Board of' Trade Journal.

South African Electrical Market. — The S.A. Miniiiti

and Pngineerinii .Ton mil for September 2.ith states that business in
the electrical material trivde appears at the moment to be very
quiet, and there are no outstanding features to report. Materials
continue to arrive freely, and with the exception of gasfiUed
lamps, which are very scarce, there is no shortage of any lines ;
even pear pushes and rosettes, which, until quite recently, were
unobtainable, are now fairly plentiful. Prices remain much
the same, with, however, a tendency, on account of the present
glut of materials, to go lower. No contracts of importance have
been announced, nor have any considerable orders been received
from o'.her parts of the Union for some time.

Vol. 87. No. 2,2a», October 22, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

527

An Absard Strike. — There was a, curious dispute at
Liverpool, last week, involvinjr electric lift constructors and joiners.
The battle-ground was the new premises of the Liverpool Co-opera-
tive Society, and because the electricians erected lift g-uides,
which the joiners considered was their work, the latter came out on
strike. It was usual for the company who supplied the lift to
send their own men to erect it. After bjiner on strike for nearly a
week, the joiners returned on condition that their men were paid for
standing by while the guides were fixed, and the demarcation should
be settled by the Court of Arbitration.

There is a great amount of unemployment amongst Liverpool
electricians, owing to the action of the shipwrights, who have been
on strike just on 10 weeks. Ships for repair are being diverted to
other ports, and some firms have reduced their electrical staffs to
one-eighth of what they were three months ago.

Payment by Results. — Messrs. Armstrong, Whit-
worth & Co., having produced figures to the Tyne District Com-
mittee of Engineering Unions demonstrating the impossibility of
competing for losomotive engine orders in the open market under
the present system of production, and having in view the immense
unemployment which would result from orders going elsewhere
the District Committee has agreed to meet the firm on the proposal
to introduce piece-work. — DaiUj Dispatch.

Miners' Wages. — According to a statement issued by the
British Commonwealth Union, average earnings in three key
industries are : —

Pre-war. 1920.

Coal mines ... £95,000,000 £272,000,000

Railways 61,000,000 167,000,000

Textiles 95,000,000 262,000,000

Average increases per head work out at 183 per cent, for
the miners, against 1 ?6 per cent, for railwaymen. The "cost of
living" last July had gone up by 152 per cent, on July, 1914. —
])iilij Diyiatch.

Electrical Golfing Society. — The twelfth meeting, under

the auspicss of the Birmingham Electrical Golfing Society, was
held, last week, at Streetly, Sutton Coldfield, and Mr. C. R. Hough
(handicap 3) won the Dr. Railing Cup with a score of 81 — 78 net ;
Mr. W. E. Lancaster and Mr. J. H. Harpin being second and third
with 70 and 80 net respectively.

Anti- Dumping Bill. — According to the Parliamentary
Correspondent of the Daihj Telegi-aph, another Bill for the pre-
vention of dumping and the protection of key industries has been
dratted by the Board of Trade. It is intended to replace the
meEisure which was introduced last year and was dropped at the
end of the session. The new Bill, it is understood, has not yet
been before the Cabinet, but it is expected that it will be presented
to Parliament this autumn.

For Sale. — Halifax Corporation Tramways and Electricity
Committee has for disposal one 750-KW. D.c. generator coupled to
a Corliss valve engine, and four Babcock & Wilcox water-tube
boilers. For particulars see our advertisement pages to-day.

Catalogues Wanted. — Mr. J. H. Meiklejohn, A.M.I.M.E.,
engineer to the Austral Bronze Co., Botany Road, Alexandria,
Sydney, New South Wales, wishes to receive catalogues from
makers of machinery, &o., for producing and working non-ferrous

metals.

Joint Board. — The first meetiog of the newly-instituted
Industrial Joint Board for No. 2 area, for employers and technical
and clerical staffs in the electrical industry, was held at Hudders-
field on October 13th, Mr. H. Lupton (Leeds) being elected
chairman, and Mr. W. Redmayne (Electrical Power Engineers'
Association) deputy-chairman.

An Order for Germany. — Accordiag to the Elerfric

J/aihrini initf Tni mini ij Jon rniil . an order has been placed with a
German company for the supply of generating plant, motors,
Bwitohgear, and other electrical apparatus, to the value of ^Ib.'i.OOO
or more, for a large works in the North of England. A large gas
engine for the same works was ordered in France, and for steel-
work foreign prices were £,'■< per ton lower than British.

Domestic Electrical Exhibitions.— Prior to the war the

Hornsey Electricity Department erected a sub-station build-
ing at Muswell Hill, but was unable to secure delivery of
the motor-converter plant for installation. It is quite a large
building, and during the war was leased to Mr. R. W. Paul
as an instrument factory. For some time it has been stand-
ing vacant, and to put it to some use the Electricity Depart-
ment conceived the idea of using it for another exhibition
of electrical apparatus for use in the home, similar to that held
about two years ago. Under the management of the borough
electrical engineer, Mr. W. Staniland, this project took shape,
and a number ot local electrical firms co-operated tO make
the exhibition a success, and the result was a very imposing
array of apparatus. Practically every modern product was
represented on the dozen or more stands composing the
exhibition. There were " Hoover " and " Eureka " suction
cleaners; " Magnet," " Sullivan," " Revo," " Belling," and
" Helix " fires, and several types of electric irons, grills,
toasters, boilers, immersion heaters, a " Hotpoint " sewing
machine, &c. Messrs. ChaiUjES E. Beck & Co., Ltd., of New
Bond Street, had a " Thor " washing machine in operation,
and there were also " Rotapex " and " Red Star " washers

among the exhibits. \ feature of the " Thor " machine
was a slipping clutch device — the " Atalog " — which renders
the motfu- safe from overloading. Messrs. Berkv's Elec-
tric, Ltd., had two " Magicoal " fires installed in an alcove
— making a very effective display. The opportunity afforded
by the show was seized by the B.D..\., which had
a large selection of propaganda leaflets on every stand, and

Exhibition ai Hornsey.

it was understood that Mr. Beauchamp, the secretary and
director of the Association, was giving lectures on at least
one evening. Mr. Staniland also lectured on the advantages
of electricity, &c. The local firms exhibiting examples of their
stock were; Messrs. C H. Ekless, E. Wioht & Co., J. \V.
CiRPENTER, Sheim'ERSon & DooLEY, E. C. GooDKELLOw, and
Arthur (Jodman ; the Electricity Department also had a
stand in the centre of the main hall. The Engineering and
Lighting EyuiiwiENT Co., of St. Albans, displayed a quantity
of shop-lighting equipment in the show windows in the front
of the building. The exhibition was to close on October 16th,
but there seemed a general desire to extend the time by at
least a week.

A similar display is in progress at the show rooms of the
Westminster Electric Supiily Corporation at 6, Eccleston
Place, Belgravia, S.W. 1. This company, which serves be-
tween 1.5 and 17 thousand consumers, is inviting visitors to
witness demonstrations ot washing machines, vacuum cleaners,
&c. Many types of electric fires have places in the exhibition,
including Quead, Belling, Bastian, and a " Magicoal " fire, by
Berry's Electric, Ltd., as well as two constructed by the
company itself,- the " Westminster " 2-kw. size, and the
smaller 1-kw. " Westminster Baby." The laundry appUances
include a " Thor " washing machine and an ironing machine
by the same makers. In the cooking section are electric stoves
by Vickers, Carron, Berry's, and Bertram Thomas. Cookers
are hired out by the Corporation at the low charge of two
guineas per annum, and fires at lOs. 6d. The low rate fixed
for electricity for power and heating purposes (IJd. per unit)
should put these appliances within the reach of a large circio
of consumers.

The Corporation of Wolverhampton, with the co-operation
of local electrical contractors, is also holding an exhibition of
domestic electrical appliances from October 18th to 30th at
the Electricity Department's show rooms. Addresses _ on
" Electricity in the Service of the Home " are being given
each afternoon.

Mexican Oil. — The Board of Trade Journal quotes
passages from a report on the petroleum industry in Mexico
prepared by the Latin-iVmerican Division of the IJ.S. Bureau
of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, which emphasises the
enormous importance of Mexico in this respect. The report
states that although in 1913 Mexico supplied only one-fifteenth
of the world's production of oil, in 1918 it furnished more
than one-eighth-. The actual quantities produced are given
as 2.5,902,439 barrels (of 42 gallons) in 1913, and 63,828,327
barrels in 1918, out of a total world production of 384,667,550
and 514,729,354 barrels. The supply for the year 1919 .showed
a still further advance, amounting to 87,359,533 barrels. In
spite of the magnitude of these figures, it is estimated that
they only represent 12 per cent, ot the country's potential
production, that is, if every well had been permitted to flow
without restraint of any kind the total output in 1919 would
have reached 547,000,000 barrels, or several million barrels
more than the aggregate supply of 1918 from all countries.
The combined area of the oilfields now being exploited in
Mexico does not exceed 800 square miles, but a report of the
Mexican Petroleum Department places the zone of possible
production in the Gulf Coast States at about 80,000,000 acres,
on the Pacific at about 50,000,000 acres, and in T^ower Cali-
fornia at about 18,a¥l,000 acres, making a total of 148,000,000
acres, or 230,0(X) square miles. The invasion of .salt water m
several important fields has arrested development in these
areas, but it is thought that this will give an impetus to
the opening up of other fields, particularly the known areas
further south. Ninetv-seven per cent, of the investments m
the oil industry of Mexico are held by foreigners, by far the
largest owners' being Americans. In 1918 there were 27 com-
panies producing oil in commercial quantities. Of these 17

528

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi, 87, No. 2,239, ootobbb 22, 1920.

were American producing 73 per cent, of the total output,
five were owned by Spanish-American interests, and produced
3 per cent., three were Dutch, with a production of 4 per
cent., and the remaining two were owned by British interests,
and contributed il per cent, of the total production. The
production of oil in Mexico is limited by the transportation
facilities available, and it is estimated that given adequate
transportation, the present monthly shipments of 6,0t)0,000
barrels could be increased to 17,000,(JU0. Pipe lines bow under
construction will increase the carrying capacity by about
200,000 barrels per day, and further lines with a capacity of
100,000 barrels i^er day have been projected. About 90 per
cent, of the shipments are made from the port of Tampico,
where admirable loading facilities exist. Although the num-
ber of tank ships for carrying the oil has been greatly in-
creased during the past three years there is still an urgent
need for more in order to permit increased production. The
British-Mexican Petroleum Co. has been formed with a capital
of £2,000,000 to establish a large fleet of tank steamers,
acquiring storage facilities at the principal European ports
for the bunkering of vessels with fuel oil. The new Govern-
ment of Mexico has expressed its intention of dealing fairly
with the foreign corporations engaged in the exploitation of
Mexico's resources.

Lead Report. — Messrs. James Forster & Co. state that
on Friday last values showed a rise of Vs. 6d. per ton on the
week, at ^634 17s. Cd. for October to £34 7s. (Jd. for January;
the quantity changing bands being about 4,000 tons. The
feature of the week was the large buying for forward posi-
tions and the scarcity of " spot " lead. Consumers are work-
ing on very bare boards, and delay in arrival of Spanish ships
caused the stoppage of two lead mills on the Thames. The
September imports are the largest so far this year, but include
9,000 tons from Australia, 5,000 tons of which were in transit
and re-exported; also a large proportion of the 9,000 tons was
for Government account. The exports from Australia "in Sep-
tember amount to 13.8 tons only; exports from Burma and
Africa 1,500 tons, against 2,700 tons in August. Consequently
November imports here should be very short.

Tlie Board of Trade returns show a monthly average for
the past 12 months of lead available for home trade of just
over 6,000 tons, again.st requirements of probably 18,000 tons.
The sheet, pipe, red and white lead trades alone are con-
Buming well over 100,000 tons per annum. The gap between
imports available and home consumption has been made up
by Government stocks left over from the war, and the large
quantity — far above expectation — of chemical ,scrap lead from
plant dismantled by the Government.

The Coal Strike and Electricity Supply lodertaltiDgs, —

Lakcashire, — Although the luajurity of ijancashire electricity
undertakings have only from three weeks' to a month's supply
of fuel on hand, it is anticipated that with careful economis-
ing and the restrictions that will be imposed, they will be
able to keep up supplies for a longer period,

Halifax, — A considerable emergency stock of coal has been
accumulated at the electricity ■syorks, and there is now suffi-
cient to last for two months, perhaps longer. Local engineer-
ing works are run largely by Corporation electricity.

Liverpool. — Steps were at once taken to effect economies
in the reduction of the coal consumption. The deputy chair-
man' of the Electric Power and Lighting Committee appealed
to users of electric light to reduce consumption to the lowest
possible point. A similar appeal was also regretfully made
to power users, recognising the unemployment that might be
caused by undue restriction. If no settlement is made this
week immediate drastic restrictions in the tramway service
will have to take place.

Birmingham. — The electric .supply department has sufficient
coal for at least five weeks. It will be necessary, however,
to reduce the output to factories in order to maintain the
supply to private consumers and the tramways. When this
is accompUshed, these supplies can be continued for a much
longer period than five weeks. The Smethwii:k electric power
station has a stock of coal sufficient for two months' con-
sumption.

Sheffield. — ^The electricity department can supply a re-
stricted tramway service and lighting for many weeks.— T/ie
Times.

Manchester Engineering Work,"?, — ^The engineering works
of Sir W. C. AniLstrong. Whitworth & Co., Ltd., at Opeiisliaw,
where 6,000 men are employed, is to suspend operations at
the end of the week. No immediate effect ip expected to be
felt by the Metropolitan-Vickers Co., Ltd , Traff-jrd Park.
Messrs. Mather & Flatt are in a position to keep going for at
least seven or eight weeks. — Daily Dispatcli.

Beginning this week it is proposed to cut oil all electric
power supply from the Trafford Park station each Thursday
BO long as the strike lasts, and susjiend it until the following
Monday.

Bolton.— Tliere i.s staled to be neither electricity nor gas
available for public or private jnirposes in Bolton, Wath, or
Tliurnscope.

Leeds.— Tiie electricity dep.Trfment, like the gas department,
is pretty well supplied with coal; it is generally understood
that the.se departments have supplies to last several weeks
with care. The only immediate precaution taken last week-
end, on the beginning of the strike, was the reduction of

public lighting by 50 per cent., but Leeds normally ii ex-
ceptionally well lighted. If the strike continues, the general
tramway service may be partially curtailed.

Hradfokd. — Stocks of coal at the electricity works are fairly
unod, accumulation having been possible during the summer,
and in view of the strike threat for some time past. Some
reduction of consumption will probably be necessary after
a few days.

Middlesbrough. — Coal stocks are fairly large, and the con-
sumption is automatically reduced by the fact that a good
deal of local industry had to stop at once, involving innme-
diate unemployment of 2<J,<X)(> people. If economy is exercised
there is little fear of a stoppage of supphes.

HpLL. — Both the electricity and gas undertakings are well
supplied with coal, and can maintain service for several
weeks.

DoNCASTEH. — Supplies here are not sufficient to outlast a
protracted strike, and it has been announced that if the strike
continues the tramway service will be greatly curtailed, if not
actually suspended, this week-end.

Scarborough. — Coal supplies here are good, and the elec-
tricity authorities can carry on for several weeks without
material reduction of supplies.

Blland. — Two-thirds of the number of street lamps are to
be left unlit, and the period of lighting is to be curtailed by
one hour each night. The supply of coal at the electricity
Works will probably last a fortnight. Some of the textile
firms have a fair stock of coal, and it may be necessary for
tlie local authority to ask permission to use some of this
so that the supply of current can be maintained. Local en-
gineering firms are exceptionally busy.

The result of the ballot on the owners' offer to increase
wages in proportion to output was 635,098 against, 181,428 for
the offer, a majority of' 453,670 against acceptance. The
former ballot showed a majority in favour of a strike of 367,917.
At the meeting of the miners' delegates in London to con-
sider the result of the ballot, it was decided by 154 votes
against 27 that the recommendation of the Executive Com-
mittee (to allow the strike notices to expire on Saturday,
October 16th) should be adopted. The decision was com-
municated to the Prime Minister by letter, and was acknow-
ledged by him with regret, but without any indication of
weakening. The delegates afterwards dispersed.

Exports of coal were prohibited by the Government, and
an order was issued by the Board of Trade urging all mem-
bers of the public to economise coal, gas, and electricity to
the utmost. ,

Three Emergency Orders have been issued by the Board of
Trade. These are the Coal (Emergency) Order, 1920, the Gas
and Coal Order, 1920, and the Lighting, Heating and Power
Order, 1920, By the first the weekly consumption of coal in
factories, workshops and other business premises is restricted
to not more than 50 per cent, of the average weekly consump-
tion during the four weeks ended October 16th. The Gas
and Coal Order provides that the calorific value of gas
shall not exceed 4-50 b.th.u. per cubic foot. Under the Light-
ing, Heating and Power Order pubhc lighting is to be reduced
and skysigns and illuminated advertisements are to be extin-
guished ; there must be no illumination of premises for adver-
tising purposes or display, and the inside lights of shops must
be for the actual conduct of trade.

On Monday and Tuesday the executive of the Transport
Workers' Federation met to consider the situation, and on
Wednesday a delegate conference of the National Union of
Railwaymen was held. Commercial road transport workers
on Saturday decided to insist on their demand for a minimum
weekly wage, and some branches, including London, intend to
put their strike notices into effect on Saturday, October 23rd,

CondaHs and Fittings for Canada. — The Department

of Overseas Trade informs us that H.M. Trade Commissioner,
Toronto (Mr. P. W. Field), in a recent dispatch, intimates
that he has been approached by Mr. F. .\. Gaby, the chief
engineer to the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario,
who desires to investigate the suitability of English conduits
and fittings for use in the Province of Ontario, He is par-
ticularly interested in obtaining samples of |-in, conduit, both
enamelled and galvanised, in the following grades : —

1. Light gauge, brazed, not screwed.

2. Light gauge, seamless, not screwed.

3. Heavy gauge, seamle.ss, screwed and socketed.

He would also like to .see samples of as complete a line of

fittings as po.ssible including the following : Couplings, bends,
elbows, crosses, inspection boxes, junction boxes, ceiling ro.^e
and switch boxes, ceiling rose and fitting.s. single-pole cut-outs,
branching boxes, saddles, nipples, insulating nipples, base
blocks and jumpers, running joints, pendant fittings, lamp-
holder "fittings, lno.=;e outlets.

It is suggested that United Kingdom manufacturers who
are interested ,sbould communicate with Mr, Gaby, sending
samples and literature descriptive of their products. In this
connection His Majesty's Trade Commissioner states that the
deciding factor in the decision of the Commission regarding
the adoption of English material will probably be the interest
,shown by United Kingdom manufacturers, and as the Com-
mission are purchasers of large quantities annually of these
goods, it is in the best interests of United Kingdom manu-
facturers to give this inquiry their serious attentioQ.

Vol, 8?, No. 2,239, ooTOBBB 22, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

629

The Export Credit Scheme,— A letter has been sent to the
President of the Board of Trade by the Federation of British
Industiies with regard to the export credit scheme instituted
under the Board of Trade, pointing out certain features which,
in its opinion, lead to the facilities which the scheme affords
not being fully utilised.

In view of the paramount importance of every effort being
made to foster export trade, the Federation remarks that
the fundamental principle of the Treasury advancing 80 per
cent, (for a period up to three years) of the cost price of
the goods to be supplied leaves 'JU per cent, to be advanced
by the bankers of the manufacturing firm wishing to export;
but bankers are exceedingly reluctant to advance this 20 per
cent., even to old and favoured clients, when there are
■ numbers of outlets for their funds in much shorter-dated
securities at profitable rates.

It is suggested, therefore, in the first place, that the export
credit scheme to be of any practical use should provide for
advances to approved firms of 100 per cent., not 80 per cent,
of the cost value.

It is the policy under the scheme to oblige the exporter to
finance 20 per cent, of the net cost price of the goods that
it is intended to export, but the exporter is forbidden to cover
this risk by means of insurance, ^^'hy should he not only
run the risk of making no profit, Init also the further risk
of losing 20 per cent, of the net value he puts into the work?

It may be argued that this obligation ensures the exporters
only taking on sound busine.ss, inasmuch as business which
is good enough for the Treasury to finance to the extent of
80 per cent, should be good enough for the profiting firm to
finance to the extent of 20 per cent. But, practically, the
exporter is not necessarily a financial expert, and provided
that he can find such experts who by insurance will assume
for him his 20 per cent. risk, the Government liability is
reduced by the intended amount, and the exporter is still left
with the legitimate risk of making no profit at all on his
work. For these reasons the Federation strongly urges the
Board of Trade to agree to the exporter being allowed, if he
desires, to cover himself by in,surance.

The export credit scheme was intended for private dealings,
and its extension to dealings with the Governments of the
countries to which it is applicable is in the nature of a con-
cession. Nevertheless, the nature of security which was de-
.ligned for the private trader is still rigidly apphcable to a
Government. This seems irrational, because certain kinds of
security provided by the individual are not agreeable to
Governments, which, on the other hand, are able to provide
alternative forms of security outside the scope of the in-
dividual. The Federation urges, therefore, that in cases of
transactions with Governments, great elai;ticity should be
allowed, with regard to the nature of the collateral security
which His Majesty's Government insists upon.

Finally, the Federation points out that the amount ear-
marked for this scheme was some twenty-six million pounds,
and the amount drawn under it is understood to be a matter
of .some hundreds of thou.'i;inds; this points conclusively to
some inherent weakness in tlio scheme, Y\'hich, in the opinion
of the Federation, would he remedied by the adoption of its
suggestions.

Mannfacture of Wasbiog Machines. — Mr. Sam Jackson,

a well-known Shipley business man, has purchased the sole
rights for the manufacture in England of the American
CofBeld electric washer. Recently Mr. Jackson made a tour
of the States with the object of acquiring the patent rights
of the best American machine. Keighley has been one of
the foremost towns in the making of laundry machinery, and
the industry has received a severe blow by the closmg of
Summer.scales, Ltd.. Phoenix Foundry, recently. Mr. Jackson
is anxious that the manufacture of the newly-acquired Ameri-
can machine should be taken up by Keighley, and a move
is on foot to bring about this end. Work will be found for
at least 500 hands, and it is stated that an opening for the
disposal of 10,000 machines is confidently assured.

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES.

Absrdeen. — Year's Working. — The city's electricity

lM^oount8 for the year ended July Slat last show a total revenue of
£148,533, as compared with £107,996 in the previous year.
Working expenses amounted to £95,687, ai against £65,30(1,
leaving a gross balance of £52 846 (£t2,69D). The net result, after
payment of capital charges, was a surplus of£13,7!t(i, comparing
favourably with the previous year's net profit of £7,537. The
number of units sold rose from 16,368,054 to 18,800,949.

Aberystwyth. — Water Power. — It was reported at a
recent meeting of the Town Council that a head of 100 ft. could
b3 obtained at one point of the Rheidol Kiver above Ponterwyd,
and between Ponterwyd and the Rheidol Falls, a head of 200 ft.
was available. The question of utilising this water power for the
generation of electricity is being investigated.

Argentina. — Hydro- Electric Project.— A group of

leading industrialists in the Department of Concepoion (Province of
San Juan) is endeavouring to form a company with a share

capital of J300,0CO m./n. for the installation of an electric light
and power station. The intention is to utilise a waterfall in the
La Playa canal for the generation of electricity. — Betieio of the
Hirer Plate.

Basingstoke. — Electricity District. — The Town

Council has asked the other interested authorities to join it in
approaching the Commissioners with a view to obtaining an order
constituting an area, including Aldershot and Basingstoke, as a
separate electricity district.

Bury. — Extensions Approved. — The Town Council
has received the final sanction of the Electricity Commijsioners to
the extension of the generating station at Chamber Hall.

Canada. — Toronto's Hydro-electric System. — The

Annual Report of the Toronto Hydro-Electric Commissioners for
the year ended December 3l8t, 1919, records a press income of
$2,504,758 and a working expenditure of * 1,577,122, leaving a gross
profit of §327,636. Interest, depreciation, sinking fund, &a.,
absorbed S923 484, and the net profit was Si, 15 1. The number of
KW.-houra sold fell from 230,413,561 to 180 (".09,938, chiefly due to
the cessation of the manufacture of war matrriel.

Cavan. — Street Lighting. — At a meeting of the
Urban Council, details were given of the arrangements with the
Electric Lighting Co. for the street lighting within the existing
lighting area, and it WM added that the company hoped to have
the system extended later to outlyinu places near the town.

Continental. — Spain. — A concession has recently been
grant d for the establishment of a plant to utilise the water
power of the River Puerto de la Rigua at Laroles (Province of
Granaf^a) in the generation of electrical energy for lighting and
power purposes.

East Him. — Year's Working. — The accounts of the

electricity department for the year ended March 3l8t last, show a
total revenue of £51,834, compared with £34,407 in the previous
year. Working expenses amounted to £43,194, as against £31,679,
leaving a gross profit of £8,640 (£2,728). The net financial result
after payment of all capital charges was a deficit of £2,340, an
improvement on last year's figure — £7,718.

Golborne. — Street Lighting. — The Urban District

Council has asked Messrs. R. Evans & Co., Ltd., the Lancashire
Electric Power Co., and the Lancashire United Co., for terms for the
supply of electricity for street lighting.

Holmfiith (Yorks). — Extensions.— The District Council
has decided to extend its electricity services on new routes at an
estimated cost of about £ 1 1 ,000.

Ilkley. — Extensions. — In or(ier to meet the increasing
demand for electricity, the Urban Council has decided to extend
the electricity works, at an estimated cost of £18,500. The
present plant has a capacity of 200 KW. The new plant
has been purchased from the Government Disposal Board,
and the sanction of the Electricity Commissioners for the
borrowing of £6,000 for this purchase has been received. The
other items in the total cost of £I8,5(J0 include £11,000 for the
additional buildings, £1,00 J for plant, and £500 for an additional
switchboard. The Council is making application to the Electricity
Commissioners for sanction to borrow this further £12,500. —
)'orlt.i/iire Pout.

Keighley. — Losses on Contracts. — The borough elec-
trical engineer says in his annual report that the undertaking has
been badly hit by the fixed price agreements entered into before the
war. No fewer than 70 induatrisil undertakings are affected by these
contracts, and although in one or two instances increases have
been agreed to, the extra revenue has not visibly affected the
financial results of working. Increases in coal prices are the only
changes which can vary the agreements.

Kelso. — Lighting Scheme Abandoned. — The Gas Co.

having intimated that the lowest estimate for an electric light
installation for the town, with overhead mains, was £ 1 1 ,250, and the
highest £3(1 (>00, the Town Council has decided to take no steps in
the matter.

King's Lynn. — Extensions. — The Council has adopted
a repirt of the Electricity Com nittee recommending the following
extension? and additions : — 2,150 yd. of '05, three-core h.t. cable,
£2 687; one 1-'iO-kw. rotary converter, £1,500; one 400-K.v.A.
transformer and switchgear, £ 1 ,000 ; and a new building, £600.

Kirkcaldy. — Sale of Station. — In connection with

the negotiations between Kirkcaldy Corporation and Fife Power
Co. for the transfer of the former's electricity undertaking, the
town clerk has been iustructed to write the Power Co. and inquire
whether it will ba willing to purchase the undertaking
immediately, and without option, as previously suggested. If an
immediate purchase were made, entry would be at May 15th, 1921.

Lepton (near Huddersfield).— House Lighting.—

Representations are to be made ts the Housing Commissioner by
the Urban District Council urging him to agree to the cost of the
installation of electric light in the new houses.

Subject to Huddersfield Corporation agreeing to pay all expenses
to which the Council may be put in supporting the former's appli-
cation for an order authorising it to supply electricity for any
public or private purpose within the area of the Council, the Urban
District Council has given its consent to the proposal,

630

'IHE ELEOTKlCAl? REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 3,239, ocjtobbb 22, 1920.

Leeds. — TRiNSFORMER Breakdown. — Whilst a slif^ht
thunderstorm was in prog^ress, on the afternoon of October 15th,
a breakdown of a transformer occurred in one of the sub-stations
at the generating station in Whitehall Road, oausinfr an explosion
in the switching equipment. Th? plant was brought to a standstill
and the city deprived of power for a time. There was a good deal
of smoke as a result of the explosion, rendering repair work difficult,
but the matter was put right in time to renew supply to the city
generally in three-quartera-of-an-hour, though one or two isolated
parts of the city were without electricity for about two hours.
The damage to plant was not great, and there was no personal
injury.

L')ndon, — Cable BxpIi«3ion. — On October 12th the
fusing of a cab'e in the Uxbridge Road caused a loud explosion,
tearing up several yards of pavement and starting a fire. With
sime difficulty the fire was extinguished. The cable was the
poperty of the Metropolitan Electric Light Co.

Stoke Nbwington. — The Council is recommended to apply for
sanction to a loan of £10,000 for the extension of mains and
services.

Marsden (near Haddersfield). — Electric Light

Scheme. — At a meeting of the District Council, last week, Mr.
(i. H. Whiteley, in accordance with a resolution at a previous
meeting, outlined a scheme for electricity supply for the district,
and the Council decided to call a special meeting to consider the
proposal in detail. Mr. Whiteley suggested the acquisition of a site
at a mill at Warehouse Hill — he bslieved the parties concerned
might hand the mill over without need to purchase — where there
was a good water supply for generation of elsctricity. The approxi-
mate cost of his scheme, including plant and cables, would be
£6,560. He calculated the working costs to be £1,2-18, and the
income from 20) consumers, meter rents and 125 public street
lights, £2,511, leaving a profit of £l,2r,!.

Navan. — Lightixg Scheme. — At a public meeting to
discuss the proposed public electric lighting scheme, it was stated
that the scheme would cost £10,000, and that the first year's
results would about cover the expenses.

Richmond (Surrey). — Electricity and Housing. —

Apparently there is some difficulty about lighting the new houses
being built under the local housing scheme, as the Electricity
Supply Co. is not prepared to lay mains in the roads, so the new
dwellings are to be electrically lighted in those roads where mains
already exist, while in other cases gas is to be installed.

Stratford-on-Avon. — Electricity Undertaking. — At

a meeting of the Tosvn Council on October 12th, Alderman Winter
said his Committee could not recommend the Council to take over
the electricity undertaking for £10,000. A sum of £30,000 would
require to be expended on renewals, and then the town would be
faced with a deficit of £778 on a year's working. The company
would be in a b3tter pMition to treat with the Electricity Com-
missioners than the Corporation. — Birminqkim Post.

Truro. — Electric Lighting Scheme Required. — The

local Mercantile Association is urging the City Council to consider
the possibilities of an electric lighting scheme for the city.

Walsall, — Loan Sanctioxed. — The Electricity Com-
missioners have sanctioned the borrowing of £119,500 for new
plant and other works in connection with the electricity under-
taking, on the understanding that the Corporation is willing,
when necessary, to link up with the Wolverhampton Corporation
or the Midland Electric Corporation, or both, and to assist in the
formulation of a scheme for supplying any new district with elec-
tricity determined on by the Commissioners in the North Midland
district.

The Corporation has confirmed a proposal of the Electricity
Committee that application be made to the Electricity Com-
missioners for sanction to borrow £10,000 for house service cables.

Warwick. — Minimum Charge. — The local Chamber of
Trade has passed a resolution urging the abolition of the fixed
minimum charge, allowing the consumer to pay only for electricity
actually used.

Whitehaven. — Loan. — The Town Council has applied
for a loan of £12,000 for the provision of a steam generating set.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Bradford. — Revenue prom Higher Fare,^. — The

result of a complete week's working under the advanced fares
COotober :Srd to 9th) has shown an increase in revenue of £3,176
compared with the corresponding week of last year. During the
current working year the receipts have shown an average weekly
increase of £900 over last year's figures.

Burnley. — Mishap. — A tramcar mishap occurred in
Manchester Road, Rurnley.on October 14th. Acaroommenoed to run
backward down the steep gradient of Halstead Street. A passenger
ran to the brake, and tried to stop the car. Eventually it was
brought to a standstill by the driver. It was then found that the
brakes were broken. In attempting to alight, a passenger fell to
the ground and sustained concussion.

Continental. — Sweden. — The Swedish Railway Admini-
stration has requested the Government to ask the Eiksdag to
provide for 1922 the sum of Kr. 26 mill, for the electrification of
the Stockholm-Gotenburg line. The total cost of the scheme is
estimated at Kr. 75 mill. — Ecunnmic Reriev.

Darwen. — New Cars. — It is stated that the three new
cars on order will not have covered tops, for the reason that they
could not bj used on the Blackburn route, as the bridges in Black-
burn are not high enough to permit covered oars to run under
them.

East Ham. — Year's Working. — The total revenue

accruing to the Tramways Department for the year ended March
31st last was £95,235, compared with £84,848 in 1918-19. Working
costs totalled £104,386, against £85,691, leaving a gross deficit of
£9,151 (£843), which was increa.sed by payment of capital charges
to £21,355 (£11,174).

Japan. — Railway Electrification. — Extensions of the
electric railways running out of Tokio, which will link many
important centres with the capital, are now planned by the Railway
Department. A decision has already been reached to ran an
electric line from Ryogoku to Chiba, and from Kichijeji to
Hachioji. Another extension under consideration is that of the
present Tokio- Yokohama [electric line to Odawara and Yokosuka.
A new electric line out of Syeno Station to Takaaaki is also planned.
The authorities expect to have the five-mile section between
Hachioji and Kokubunji in operation before the end of the year.
The Ryogoku-Chiba line will be attended to after Manseibashi and
Rvogoku have been .connected. — Ckamher of ('■mimerce .lnurna!
(Yokohama).

London. — New Tramway. — The construction of the
tramway from West India Dooks to Terrace Road. Hackney, ria
West India Dock Road, Burdett Road, Grove Road, Lauriston
Road, and Well Street, has been commenced by the Consolidated
Construction Co., Ltd., on behalf of th? London County Council.
The system to be adopted is that of the overhead electric trolley.
The tramway will link up directly the boroughs of Poplar and
Hackney. — Daily Telegraph.

Increased Fares Results. — In a statement Issued from
Electric Railway House it is stated : — " For the second week during
which the increased fares have been in operation — the week ended
, October 9th — the number of passengers carried on the Underground
railways and omnibuses together, exclusive of railway season-
ticket holders, was higher by 350.000 than the number carried
during the preceding week. Taking the railways and omnibuses
separately, the former carried 50,000 fewer passengers, while the
latter carried 400,000 more."

Instructions to Employes. — In a document addressed to men
of the Metropolitan Electric Tramways, the Union of Vehicle
Workers says : —

"In view of the large amount of unemployment prevailing and
of the recent dismissals that have taken place on the company's
system, the following instructions are issued, which every member
is expected to adhere to : —

"To abstain from working 'rest days' during winter months
and overloading to be strictly limited to that allowed by the police
(only 11 allowed to stand in any car). This has not been
rigorously observed recently because of great passenger traffic." —
Daily Chmnicle.

"Tube" Accident. — In the afternoon of October I4th, atrain
on the District Railway ran into the buffers at Wimbledon
station and mounted the platform. None of the passengers
received injury, but a women was killed and four others were
injured while waiting for a train.

At the inquest subsequently held on the body of Mrs. Judith
MoLelland, the lady who was kUled, the motorman stated that
upon entering the station he shut off power, and applied the brakes
as usual, approaching the buffers at the usual speed. He found
the brakes were not acting, and put on the emergency brake,
which, however, also failed to hold the train. Witness stated that
he had held the position of driver for six months. An inspector
stated that even at the spsed of two miles an hour, the train would
climb the buffers on account of its weight ; there was a slight
incline towards the platform, and the buffers were unsuitable.
The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death," adding that
the train appeared to have been travelling a little too fast, and
the motorman had committed a slight error of judgment ; it was
thought that more suitable buffers should be erected.

St. Pancras. — The Council has decided to install a motor-
generator set at the Bangor Wharf depot, at an estimated cost of
£3')0, for the purpose of charging the batteries of two electric
dust-vans.

Tramway Employes. — New Wages Demand. — The

National Joint Industrial Council of the Tramways Industry
recently held a meeting at the Ministry of Labour to consider the
question of standardisation of wages. Jtr. H. J. Squires, chairman
of the London County Council Tramways Committee, presided.
The employes' representatives put forward a demand for a further
all-round increase of 12a. per week, on which the employers
declined to proceed with the question of standardisation. The
employes' representatives then "requisitioned" a meeting at the
Ministry of Labour for October 26th to consider the wages demand.
— The Time.''.

Wigan, — Female Employes. — Owintj to the large
number of applications by men for posts at present held by women,
the Corporation has decided to replace the female conductors and
car-cleaners as soon as convenient by males.

Vol. 87. No. 2,239, ocTOBEB 22. 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. 531

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Baltic States. — Telegraphic Codes. — In reply to a
recent inquiry respecting the uae of commercial codes in telegrams
between the United Kingdom and the Baltic States, the Postmaster-
General informed the Department of Overseas Trade that as regards
Latvia, the only conditions imposed are those of the local author-
ities in Latvia. At this end, the position is that all telegrams must
be in plain language, but it is understood the General Post Office
will accept codes at the sender's risk, as the local authorities in
Latvia may, or may not, accept them. As regards Esthonia code
telegrams are now definitely accepted if they are addressed to well-
known firms, on condition that, when and if called for, the codes
must be produced for the Esthonian Government. — Board of Trade
Journal.

Telegrams by Aeroplane. — During the recent strike of the
Dutch postal employes and telegraphists, urgent cable messages for
the U.S.A. and other countries were brought from Amsterdam to
London by the Handley-Page Air MaU Service, and transmitted by
ordinary telegraph cable from London.

New Baltic Cable. — The British cable-steamer Faradatj
has arrived at Visby, on the Island of Gotland. Sweden, for the
purpose of laying a telephone cable between Visby and Stock-
holm.— Renter's Trail e Service (Stockholm).

New Telephone Exchange.— At 2.30 p.m. on. the

16th inst., the new Liverpool " Central " telephone exchange was
put into commission to replace an old and inadequate exchange of
the same name. The " Central " is the junction centre of the city,
and the introduction of new and improved apparatus has necessi-
tated the alteration of the telephone numbers on a fairly large
scale.

Switzerland. — League of Nations' Wireless Instal-
lation.— It is understood that the League of Nations, whose
secretariat is due to arrive at Geneva from London at the end of
this month, proposes to have wireless apparatus installed at its
headquarters capable of communicating over a distance of 750
miles.

Underground Telephone Cable.— To relieve the con-
gestion of the overhead telephone wires an underground cable is
being laid between Glasgow and Greenock.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(Tilt date given in parentheses at the end of the paragraph indicates
the issue of the Electrical Review, in which the " Official
Notice " appeared.')

OPEN.

Anstralia. — Januaiv 19th, 1921. Victorian Railways
Department. Supply, delivery, and erection and testing, or. alter-
natively, supply and delivery of electric furnace and equipment,
and/or, alternatively, for supply and ;delivery of equipment, and
drawings for electric furnace. Particulars from the Agent-General
for Victoria. London. S.VV. — Temlrrs.

Brisbane. — Novembar 23rd. P.M.G.'s Department. Telephones
and telephone switchboard parts. (October 8th.)

Western Australia. — December 28th. Postmaster-General's
Department. Telegraph and telephone instruments and parts.
(Schedule 689).

Belgium, — October 26th. The Societe Nationale de
Chemins de Fer Vicinaux, 14, Rue de la Science, Brussels.
Underground armoured cables for feeding the Namur-Citadelle-La
Plante railway. Electrical Department (Services Electriques) of
the company, at 48, Rue Monteyer, Brussels.

Tenders are being invited by the municipal authorities of
Wevelghem for the establishment and equipment of two new
transformer cabins in connection with the electricity supply in
the town. The specification can be seen either at the Secretariat
Communale. Wevelghem, or at the offices of M. Goffin, Ingenieur-
Conseil. 113. Avenue Albert. Brussels.

October 3iUh. — The Belgian Post and Telegraph authorities at
La Salle Madeleine, Brussels. Supply and fixing of a quantity of
telephone cables and accessories in the Antwerp district. The
specification (cahier des charges special No. .544) can be obtained
from above address at a coat of 7 f r. '.lO c.

November 3rd. Municipal authorities of Hognoul (Province of
Li6ge). Concession for the supply of electrical energy for lighting
and power purposes in the town.

November 4th. Municipal authorities of Sshaerbeek. Supply
of I,67.j electricity meters (single-phase and three-phase). Copies of
the specification may be obtained from the Service de I'Electriaite,
Hotel Communale. Schaerbeek.

November 9th. Municipal authorit'ea of Antwerp. Electrical
plant. Specification from the Hotel de Ville, Antwerp.

Costa Rica. — The Government of the Republic i.s

inviting tenders for the concession for the construslion and
working during a period of 50 years of an electric tramway between
the towns of Alajuela and Grecia. Particulars can be obtained
from the Consul-General of Costa Rica, M. Camille Marchant,
10, Avenue Hamoir, Brussels, Belgium.

Doncaster. — November 2nd. Electricity Department.
One 7.50- KW. rotary converter and l.t. switchgear. (See this issue.)

France. — October 26th. French State Railway authori'
ties (Service Electrique), 43, Rue de Rome, Paris. Supply and
laying of two high-tension three-phase cables between the Sub-
stations of La Garenne. Chatou and St. Germain.

November 19th. French State Railway authorities. Rue de Rome.
Paris. Supply and installation of the necessary electrical material
for the OuestCeinture sub-station. Particulars may be obtained
from the Service Electrique, 43, Rue de Rome. Paris.

November 2ilth. French State RaUway Authorities. Paris.
Supply and erection of two electrically-operated travelling cranes
at the La Garenne electrical repair shops. Particulars may be
obtained from the Service Electrique, 88, Rue de Rome. Paris.

Italy. — The Department of Overseas Trade has received
an inquiry from Rome for electric gantry cranes, to lift 1 5 tons at
a radius of 12 m. Particulars from the D.O.T., where a sketch

can be seen.

Manchester, — October 27th. Electricity Committee.
Complete heating instsJlation for the workshop and stores at the
Barton power station. Mr. S. L. Pearce, Chief Engineer and
Manager, Dickinson Street.

November 8th. Electricity Committee. Supply and erection of
high and low pressure steam, feed, &c., pipework— including altera-
tions to existing pipework, &c. (October l.'ith.)

November 22nd. Electricity Department. Motor-generators,
battery boosters and switchgear. (See this issue.)

Tarton. — November 10th. Urban District Council
Electricity Committee. Overhead lines and underground cables,

(October l.'ith.)

West Hartlepool. — October 26th. Electricity Department.
One l,Ono-KW. rotary converter and switchgear. (October 8th.)

CLOSED.

Australia. — Sydney City Council. Electric Lighting
Committee. Accepted : —

Mttximum-demand indicators, £1,831.— W. G. Watson & Co., Ltd.
Spare parts for the 8,000-kw. turbo • alternator, £2,000. — Met. • Vioken
Electrical Co., Ltd.

Melbourne. — City Council. Electric Supply Committee.
Accepted : —

Meters.— (HI £1,611.— British General Electric Co., Ltd. (e) £860.— W. G.

Watson & Co., Ltd. (d) £334.— W. G. Watson & Co., Ltd. (<) £249.—

Warburton, Frank (Pty.), Ltd.
Split-conductor three-core cables, £14,669; 600 yd. v.i.R. cable, £219.—

P.M.G.'s Department, N.S.W. :—

W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works.
Telephone exchange equipment, £6,246. — Automatic Telephones (Aust.),
Ltd.— Tfndcrj.

Middlesbrough, —

Electric lighting equipment of the 160 houses in connection with the
housing scheme. Mr. G. Morrison.

Sunderland. — Town Council. Accepted : —

B. I. & Helsby Cables Co.— 880 yd. service cable ; 440 yd. •! cable ; insulating

tape.
Time Recorders (Leeds), Ltd. — Bunty time recorder, with fittings.
Callender's Cable Co., Ltd. -24 tee boxes.

FORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

Institution o) Mechanical Engineers.— Friday, October 22nd. At the
Institution, Storey's Gate, S.W. At 6 p.m. Address by the President.

Manchester Association of Engineers. — Saturday, October 23rd. At the
Memorial Hall, Albert Square, Manchester. At 7 p.m. Paper on " Vibra-
tion, including that of Crank Shafts, Fly Wheels and Alternating current
Generators," by Mr. J. Frith.

Birmingham and District Electric Club.— Saturday, October 23rd. At the
Grand Hotel, Colraore Row. At 6.30 p.m. Annual ladies' night.

Institute of Industrial AdministratiOB.- Saturday, October 'iSrd. At the
Central Hall, Westminster. At 8 p.m. Address on " The Industrial
Question," by Viscount Haldane.

Faraday Society and Physical Society of London.— Joint meeting, Monday,
October 2'th. At the Instit'ition of Mechanical Engineers, Storey's Gate,
S.W. At 2.30 p.m. General discussion on " The Physics and Chemistry of
Colloids and their bearing on Industrial Questions."

Chemical Society.— Thursday, October 28th. At the Institution of Mechanical
Engmeers, Storey's Gate, Westminster, S.W. 1. At 8 p.m. Fischer
Memorial Lecture, by Dr. .M. 0. Forster, F.R.8.

Cbelmsford Engineering Society. — Thursday, October 28th. At the
East Anglian Institute of Agriculture. At 7 p.m. Paper on " Ganges and
their Manufacture," by Mr. E. A. N. Pochin.

Nortliampton Past-Day Stodents' AssociaUo —Friday, October 29t
At the Northampton Institute, Clerkenwell, At 7 p.m. Smokin
conceit.

632

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No 2,239, octobeb 22, 1920.

NOTES.

Sammer Time. — The Home Secretary gives notice that
gumtner time will oeaae, and normal G.M.T, be restored, at 3 a.m.
(summer time) on the morning of Monday next, October 25th,
when the clock will be put back to 2 am. Clocks should, there-
fore, be put back during the night of Sunday-Monday next,
October 24th-25th.

Legal. — P.M.G. v. Blackpool and Fleetwood Tram-
road Co., Ltd. — This case came before the Court of Appeal, con-
sisting of the Master of the Rolls and Lords Jusbiofes Atkin and
Younger, on October 1 8th, upon the appeal of the defendant com-
pany from a judgment of a Divisional Court, reversing a judgment
of the judge sitting at th^ Blackpool County Court in an action
brought by the Postmaster- General to recover £16 18s., the
agreed expenses incurred in making certain alterations or repairs
to telegraph lines which were alleged to have been injuriously
affected by the working of the defendant company's electric
tramway.

A report of the case appeared in the Electrical Review for
December 19th, 1919.

At the conclusion of the arguments of counsel, their Lordships
dismissed the appeal, holding upon the facts and the course adopted
ia the County Court, that it was impo-sible to interfere with the
decision of the Divisional Court.

Appointments Vacant. — Foreman, $32.') per month, for
the Glovernment of the Federated Malay States ; switchboard
attendant (948. 6d.) for the Derby Corpjration Electricity Depart-
ment; engineering draughtsman (£427), for the Hammersmith
Borough Council Electricity Department ; repairs superintendent
(£300 -t- £180), for the L.C.C. Greenwich generating station;
electrical engineer (7, SCO Rs. per annum), for the Government of
Mauritius ; assistant engineer operator (S360 per month -f 20 per
cent ), for the Brunei Wireless Telegraph Stations of the Govern-
ment of the Straits Settlements ; jointer, for the Wrexham
Corporation Electiicity Depaitment ; plumber- jointer, for the
Walsall Corpjration Electricity Works. See our advertisement
pages to-day.

Salving War Wreclis.— Mr. A. H. Salinger, of New
York, has perfected a new device which is being tested, and which
he asserts will be effective in salving valuable ships and cargoes
which were su ik during the European war. The device has an
electric control op3rated from the 8urfa:;e. This directs its passage
to the floDr of the sea and under tha ship clearing the keel by 8 ft.,
and emerging oa the opposite sids of the vessel where it is attached
to a cable. When enough cables are placed under the ship to
attach to pontoons of a special collapsible type, air is pumped into
the pontoons and the ship is raised to the surface. The inventor
asserts that his method is much less costly than those at present
employed, and that the time required to complete the task is
greatly reduced. — B 'liter's Trade Ssrrire (New York).

Distribution Mains ia Italy. — The following statistics

are abstracted from an article by Sr. Reboa in 1,'Ehtfrotecnica : —
Electric Networks

Kind of conductor.

: Length of
(kilometres).

Weight 0
copper

(tons).

Kilograms of

copper per linear

metre of

conductors.

H.p. overhead lines

L.P.

H.P. cables

L.P. „

27,600
21,000
5,800
5,600

34,000
11,000
3,900
6,100

1-23
0-525
0-675
1-915

Totals

60,000

Educational. — The resolution passed by the shareholders
of Messrs. Brunner, Mond & Co., authorising the directors to
distribute to universities or other scientific institutions the sum of
£100,000 for the furtherance of scientific education and research,
has been challenged by Mr. W. W. Evans, a shareholder, who has
brought an action for an injunction to restrain the company from
carrying out the proposal. The trial of the action is pending.

London Lectures Postponed.— The course of lectures on
"JExperimental Studies in Vegetable Physiology and Vegetable
Electricity," which was to have been given during the present
term at the London University, Sjuth Kensington, by Prof. A. D.
Waller, has been postponed till next session, owing to the fact that
Prof. Waller's lecture room is still in uee by the administrative
staff of the University. During the war a portion of the buildings
was commandeered by the Government, and it became necessary
for the University authorities to requisition the lecture room for
work connected with the administrative offices. — The Tim-is.

London University.— The L.C.C Education Committee at a
special meeting on the 18th inst. decided that subject to arrange-
ments being made between the Government and the Council of
King's College, and in the event of the University of London
accepting the Bloomsbury site, and provided that adequate grants
are made by the Government for building administrative quarters,
the Council is prepared to consider an application for a building
grant. It was stipulated that the Council's contribution should
not exceed one third of tha'; mide by the Government, to a total
not exceeding £1,000,000. The Sena e of the University was to
consider the matter this week,

I.M.E.A, Meeting. — A special general meeting of the
Incorporated JJunicipal Electrical Association was held on
October 15th, when the question of the future position in
connection with the National Joint Industrial Council and District
Councils of the electricity supply industry was considered.

L.E.E. Re-uolon. — The London Electrical Engineers'
Old Comrades' Association is holding a re-union concert at the
Bridge House Hotel, London Bridge, on November 20th. Adm'S-
sion will be by membership card obtainable from the Hon. Sec., 108,
Heathwood Gardens, Charlton, S E. 7.

Fatalities, — At Deans Oil Works, WestCalder, on Ojtober
14th, Alexander Ellis, a miner, lost his life under peculiar circum-
stances. A live elejtric wire from the power station had, in some
way, got into contact with a door handle, and when Ellis turned the
handle, he received a shock, and died immediately.

French " Leader" Cables. — Admiral Fournier, on October
nth, addressed the Academy of Sciences, in Paris, on the subject
of 'leader' cables for guiding ships. It is reported that the
French Minister of Marine has decided on the installation of the
system in aU French ports, and there is some talk of laying a cable
across the English Channel.

Bethlem Hospital X-Ray Department. — Founded in

1247 by a leading London citizen, the Bethlem Royal Hospital for
the treatment of sufferers from mental diseases takes honourable
rank. In 1916 a generous donor installed a complete kinematograph
apparatus for the amusement of pitients and staff. The work is
now tiken a step farther by the generous gift of the president of
the hospital. Sir Charles Cheers Wakrfield, C.B.E , who is presenting
a complete X-ray installation to the hospital, which is to be
inaugurated to day by the Lord Mdjor.

Barnsley Apprenticeship Scheme. — The Town Cooncil

has approved a scheme, submitted by the borough electrical engi-
neer, tor the employment of apprentices at the electricity works at
the age of 1 7 years and upwards, the period of apprenticeship to be
three years at the following scale : —First year, 253. per week ;
second year, 80j. per week ; third year, 33s. per week. It was also
decided that such apprentices should be afforded every facility for
attending classes at the Technical School.

New York " Leader" Cable. — As we foreshadowed some
time back, the U.S. Nav 1 authorities, on the 6th inst., carried out
successful demonstrations of how a ship may be guided into
harbour safely, in spile of the densest fog, by means of a submerged
'leader" cable carrying an alternating current. The experiment
took plice in the Lower Harbour at New York, and Com. Norton
"picked up" the cable down stream; by listening in he steered
the US. S. SMiimen to port or starboaid according to the volume of
sound indicating his position. The receivers consisted of two coils
hung just above the water-line on either side of the destroyer in
conjunction with amplifiers at the steering position.

Electricity and Housing. — We have from time to time

refeiTcd to what is being done in various parts of the country
with regard to the application of electricity to housing
schemes, and the excellent idea of the E.D.A. in attempting to
persuade electricity supply authorities to provide a few " all
or semi-electric " houses in every district, with the object
of obtaining actual data, will doubtless give fruitful results
that will be of much value. In this connection, the New-
castle-on-Tyne Electricity Supply Co., Ltd., has been working
for a long time on a housing scheme in the Billingham
district, and at the present time, when so many housing
schemes are under consideration, it is thought that a concrete
example of what is actually being done in one district will
be of wide interest. We hope to return to the subject at an
early date; for the present it will suffice to draw attention
to a booklet which is about to be issued by the above com-
pany in the hope that the particulars therein given will prove
useful to housing authorities and others interested, who are
invited to visit the hou.ses described, and see for themselves
what is being done. At present only 73 houses, of four
different types, are being built, and they are intended for
the working classes. The booklet first deals with the advan-
tages that are derived from the use of electricity in houses,
and proceeds by the aid of plans and illustrations to describe
the lighting, heating, and cooking apparatus installed in the
various rooms. It may be mentioned that in the bathroom
and scullery hot and cold water systems are installed, and
the latter room also contains an electrically-heated clothes
boiler. An electric cooker and electric fires are provided.
Finallv, details and figures are given with regard to current
consumption, and te.sts of electric cooking for six persons
in a house.

Electrical Treatment for Tooth Diseases. — With fnrther

reference to our note under the above heading in our October
8th issue, it is interesting to learn that as early as 1911 the
Cox-Cavendish Electrical Co., Ltd.. placed on the market a
special apparatus designed for the treatment of various dental
disea.ses by means of electricity, the treatment being known
as " Ionic Medication," and carried out through the agency
of a galvanic current. K large number of outfits has been
supplied since that date, and in 1918 an interesting booklet
on the subject was published by Mr. E. H. Wjllis.

Vol 87. No, 2,239, octobbb 22, 1920.] THE ELECTBICAL KEVIEW.

533

Long Span In Transmission Line. — The Electrical

Review of Chicago, quoting a paper read before the American
Institute of Electrical Engineers, describes how the problem
was solved of carrying a high-voltage trant^miasiou line
between two mountain tops by the Kuoxville (Tennessee)
Power Co. The length of this span is 5,010 ft., and a total
of 83 steel and aluminium wires were stranded together to
form the cable. This cable, which has a diameter of 1.175 in.
and a weight of '2.032 lb. per ft., has an elastic limit of
65,000 lb. and an ultimate sti-ength of 8'2,000 lb. Allowing
an increase in weight of 1.025 lb. per ft. due to ice, and
assuming a horizontal wind pressure of 1.085 lb. per ft. of
length, the total resultant loaded weight per foot amounts
to 3.25 lb. The temperature at the time of stringing the
cable was about 80 deg. F., and the three lower spans were
installed with a sag of 237 ft. below the lower support, the
difference in elevation of supports being 208.5 ft. The upper
cable was suspended with a sag of 116 ft. below the lower
support, the tension in this cable having a value of about
10 tons. The insulators used on this long span are rated
at 150,000 volts, and are of the oil-filled, porcelain-covered,
strain type. The hickory wood used in their construction
was carefully selected and tested before being finally passed.

INSTITUTION NOTES.

I

Institution of Electrical Engineers. — Western Centre. —
The ninth annual meeting of the Western Centre was held
at Cardiff on Monday evening last, the Chairman (Mr. Arthur
Ellis) presiding over a good muster of members and visitors.
The annual statement of accomits was presented by the Trea-
surer (Mr. A. J. Newman). This statement showed an ad-
verse balance on the session's working, and Mr. Newman
emphasised the necessity of strictest economy during the com-
ing session if the future activities of the Centre were not to
be .seriously curtailed. The scrutineers of the ballot re-
ported that the following had been elected to the vacancies on
the committee : — Messrs. C. G. Morley-New, B. K. Ash ton,
W. Nauru, T. Hood, and Major Ivor David, with Mr. A. J.
Newman as chahman and Messrs. .\. C. McWhirter and F.
Tremain as first and second vice-chairmen respectively. After
the transaction of routine business an interesting presentation
was made to Messrs. C. T. AUan and A. J. Ostler, the joint
hon. secretaries of the Centre. The presentations took the
form of a spht-second stop watch for Mr. Allan, and rose bowl
and fruit dishes for Mrs. Allan, and a soup tureen convertible
to entrt^e dishes and a silver cigarette case for Mr. and Mrs.
Ostler. The Chairman, in making the presentations, asked the
recipients to accept the gifts as a small token of the apprecia-
tion which was felt by those who took part in the summer
meeting of the Institution. That function had been an un-
qualified success, and it was in no small measure due to the
untiring efforts of Mr. AUan and Mr. Ostler. After Mr. Allan
and Mr. Ostler had suitably responded, a short address on
" Technical Education " was given by Principal Cole, of the
Cardiff Technical College, and this was followed by an address
by Sir William Noble, chief engineer to the Post Office, on
" Post Office Telegraphs and Telephones." Sir William gave
a resume of the work accomplished by the Government in
these departments, and dealt with the plans regarding Cardiff.
Progress was being held up chiefly on account of the shortage
of material. He considered that Great Britain still maintained
her supremacy in telegraphy and telephony, and that the ser-
vice given whilst far from perfection compared favourably with
that of any other nation. Hearty votes of thanks were
accorded both Principal Cole and Sir William Noble for their
addresses.

Chelinsford Engineering Society. — -The first meeting of
the new session was held on October 13th, when Mr. T. E.
Dann gave his presidential address. The speaker pointed out
that a very comprehensive programme had been arranged,.
and urged members to take a wide view of the subjects dealt
with, and not confine themselves strictly to the technical
side. Mr. A. Haskins, M.B.E., in moving a vote of thanks
to the President, extended an invitation to the Society to
visit Messrs. Hoffmann's works, and Mr. A. Eddington invited
the Society to Messrs. Marconi's at some future date. The
membership now stands at 90.

Faraday Society and Physical Society of London. — .A
general discussion on " The Physics and Chemistry of Colloids
and their Bearing on Industrial Questions " is to be held at
the Institution nf Mechanical Engineers. Storey's Gate. S.W.I,
on October 2-5th. Sir Robert Hadfield, Bart., P.R.S.. will
take the chair at 2.30 p.m., and Prof. Sir William Bragg,
K.B.E., F.R.S., will preside over the discussion. Among the
many papers to be presented are " The Origin of the Charge
of a Colloidal Particle and its Neutralisation by Electrolytes,"
by Mr. J. W. Mukherjee,' M.Sc, and " Some Practical Ap-
plications of Electro-endosmose and Cataphoresia," by Dr.
'W. R. Ormandy, P.I.O.

Association of Mining Electrical Engineers. — The York-
shire branch of the Association held its first meeting of the

session at Wakefield, on October 9th, when Mr. F. W. Har-
bottle delivered his presidential address. He took as hi»
subject '■ The Eflicieut and Safe Working of Electrical Ap-
paratus in a Mine." Colliery electricians, he feared, were
apt to be a httle lax with regard to the periodical examination
of the plant under their care, and he strongly advised that
periodically all electrical apparatus should be taken out of the
pit and thoroughly overhauled. A coal cutter or conveyor-
working in adverse conditions should be brought out every
six months; motors working under better conditions could
remain at work undisturbed for, perhaps, three years, while
static apparatus such as transformers and switches could
remain in the pit for five years. He also urged the changing
of oil used in transformers and switches at least every two
years. The deteriorating efl'ects on insulation of a dry, dusty
atmosphere or high temperature were also dealt with- To
prevent motors running at excessive speed, due to a negative
load, he suggested the use uf an over-speed governor or a
clutch. Protection against overload was dealt with, and the
need for systematic supervision emphasised.

The members then discussed in detail the new rules regulat-
ing the use of electricity in mines.

An Ayrshire sub-branch of the Association has been formed,
and the opening meeting was held at Kilmarnock on October
16th. Mr. Archibald Smellie, New Cumnock, is president.

The West of Scotland branch of the Association opened
the session on October 16th, when Mr. Frank Anslov?, Glasgow,
the president, gave an addi'ess on the electrification of col-
lieries and a new form of power transmission.

The South African Municipal Electrical Engineers'
Annual Congress. — The fourth annual convention of the
Association of Municipal Electrical Engineers was held
in September at Pretoria. Mr. B. Sankey (Johannes-
bm'g) presided over a large attendance, and in the
course of his retiring address, said that one of the unfortunate
features of the last year's history of the Association
had been the loss of a large number of its most respon-
sible and valued members who had retired from municipal
life, tempted in most cases by the sweets of commercial ifle.
On the one hand, wage earners were being paid sums which
rested upon no basis of individual skill or output, but were
simply the result of collective bargaining, and they were often
too high. On the other hand, the salaried official, who until
recently had disdained to combine, was often being remune-
rated at a rate far below the figure which represented his
real value. That, as events had shown in their own Associa-
tion, was most evident in Government and municipal depart-
ments, where the brain worker had less opportunity of con-
trolling his gains than in commercial life. Of the two
situations the underpayment of the brain worker was likely
to do the country more harm, though while politics could
intrude into these matters in the way they did at present,
it was difficult to see how the situation was to be altered
without a good deal of trouble. A joint committee of the
South African Institute of Electrical Engineers and of their
Association was, however, meeting to endeavour to improve
the salaries and working conditions of municipal electrical
engineers. Meantime, he had undertaken on behalf of their
Association to collect and tabulate statistics of salaries and
working conditions of municipal electrical engineers at the
present time. Some of the working conditions in the small
towns read more hke the days of slavery, and one could hardly
reaUse the spirit of heartless indifference which apparently
permeated some small councils. If the Association could bring
the attention of the Government to the necessity of the em-
ployment of competent engineers to have charge of electrical
undertakings, and of engaging only consulting engineers of
proved ability and long experience in their particular branch
of the profession, it would have performed good service to its
members and the public alike.

Mr. T. C. Wolley Dod (Pretoria) was elected president of
the Association, and in his address to the convention, dealt
with municipal electric undertakings, including the genera-
tion, distribution, and utilisation of electric energy. Whether
the concerns they controlled were' large or small, there was
one feature common to them all — expansion. The early history
of electricity supply in South Africa followed very much the
same lines as in Great Britain. Initiated by private enterprise
in the principal towns, it was soon taken up by local authori-
ties, and in urban areas was now practically exclusively in
the hands of the municipalities. Municipal control would
continue to exist for many years to come, at any rate, in the
smaller municipalities, but the tendency of the future must
be towards the super-power station under more catholic con-
trol. The proposed electrification of railways in certain_ dis-
tricts would give rise to the establishment of power stations,
either under the joint control of local authorities and the
railways, or far more probably controlled by some body
independent of either. South Africa was not a country where
hydro-electric stations were likely to be of any importance,
and it was to the coal-fired steam stations they must look
for the future.

Mr. Dod reviewed the various provincial ordinances and
municipal by-laws deahng with the supply of electricity, and
said there was nothing in any of them to prevent the munici-
palities of the Union adopting a uniform code of by-laws and
regulations, provided they were accepted by the various ad-
ministrators. More particularly would it be advantageous to
adopt a uniform code of wiring regulations. He advocated

534

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,239, October 22, 1920.

powers for municipalities to license electricians. It was de-
sirable that such licences should be compulsory. Johannes-
burg already issued such licences, and Pretoria \\'as about to
do so. — .S'..l. Milling and lingineering Journal.

" Northampton " Past=day Students' Association.— This

Society, of which every past-day student of the " Northamp-
ton " Institute, Olerkenwell, is a member, was in compara-
tive abeyance during the war. It has been revived under the
guidance of a list of keen officers and committee, and it is
hoped that as many members as possible will endeavour to
attend the smoking concert to be held at the Northampton
Institute on Friday, October 29th, at 7 o'clock. A good pro-
gramme has been arranged, and a pleasant evening is antici-
pated; the reunions, it is expected, will be the happiest
features : Joint meeting with N.I.E.S. ; N.I. students' dance
(ladies' night); annual dinner; annual general meeting. The
secretary, Mr. W. S. Salter, of 11. Delcourt Mansions, Rosen-
dale Road, Dulwich, S.E. 21, will be pleased to hear from
any member who has not received his membership card.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

The Editors inmte electrical engineers, whether connected with the
technical or the commercial side of the professijyn and industry,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
Electbioal EevIKW posted as to their mnvements.

Barnes U.D.C. has decided that as from October 1st the
electrical engineer shall be granted the full Civil Service war
bonus on such basis .salary as \Nill increase the gross salary
paid to him by ^100.

After the monthly meeting of district engineers of the
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Electric Supply Co., Ltd., the presenta-
tion of a suitably in.scribed gold watch was made to Mr. M. P.
Sheedy upon his transferring to the company's power de-
partment. Mr. Sheedy has been in the operating department
for eight years, and has held the position of superintendent
engineer of the Southern area. Mr. W. R. Rogers, district
engineer, Gateshead, made the presentation, and wished Mr.
Sheedy success in his new sphere. Mr. Sheedy thanked the
meeting in a brief speech, acknowledging the support he had
received from his colleagues.

Mr. A. Kent has resigned from the position of cable works
manager to the Hackbridge Cable Co., Ltd. Communications
should be addressed to The Hollies, Belmont Road, Walling-
ton. Surrey. (Telephone : Sutton 996.)

Canterbury 'I.C. has adopted the recommendation of the
.Associated Municipal Electrical Engineers (Great Britain and
Ireland) so far as the salary of the chief electrical engineer
(Mr. Blascheuk) is concerned,- the .scale to operate as from
April 1st, 1920. Mr. Blascheck's .salary is increased from
±■575 to ±640.

Mr. R. G. Avisox, employed by Messrs. E. Brook, Ltd.,
a second-year electrical engineering stmliiil umler the scheme
of the Huddersfield Engineers' Trainuin -\,-MiLiation, is stated
in the annual report, just is.sued, to be the winner of a bronze
medal.

Mr. P. H. Harden, of the Swansea Corporation engineering
department, has been appointed engineering assistant to the
Leeds Corporation.

Mr. H. Tetlow, A.M.I.E.E.. chief assistant engineer to
the Coatbridge and Airdrie Electric Supply Co., Ltd., has been
appointed electrical engineer and manager to the Bacup
Corporation, at a salary of £i5Q per annum, plus 5 per cent,
bonus on net profits. There were 62 applicants for the
position.

Mr. A. S. Hampton, M.I.E.E., has been appointed tele-
graph and electrical engineer to the Caledonian Railway Co.,
in .succession to Mr. W. Stephenson.

Mr. J. H. Meiklejohn, A.M.I.Mech.E., has resigned his
position as engineer to the Broughton Copper Co., Ltd., and
is proceeding to Australia to take up a similar appointment
with the Austral Bronze Co., Botany Road, Alexandria,
Sydney.

In the MeiropoUian-Vickers Gazette for September an
account is given of the career of Mr. H. Mensforth, C.B.E.,
M.Sc, late general works manager of the company, who has
been appointed Director-General of Factories under the Army
Council at the War Office. Mr. Mensforth joined the com-
pany as a draughtsman in 1904. and was mainly responsible
for the design of its vertical tandem gas engine. He became
works manager on January Isf. 191.3. when the electrical
side of the works, as well as the engine department, came
under his control; on December l.st. 1915. he was made general
works manager, and on October 3rd, 1917. general manager
of works, in which capacity his organi.sing and techniial
abilities were exercised to the fullest advantage in the national
service, he being chairman of tlie Manchester .\rmanients
Committee. In addition to his administrative and engineer-
ing talents. Mr. Mensforth's skill in handling labour questions
and his sympathetic attitude towards labour, have gained him
a national reputation.

Shoreditch B.C. Special Standing Joint Committee recom-
mends the adoption of the schedule of salaries of the Technical
and Clerical Staff of the undertaking as recommended by the
National Joint Board of Employers and Staff Members of the
Electricity Supply Industry. The effect of the award with
regard to the members of the technical staff of the lighting
department who are members of the E.P.E..A., is as follows,
tiie award to date from June 1st last ; —

.Mr. W. Weekes, deputy chief engineer and superintendent of mains, pre-
sent salary £530, under new scheme to «707 ; .Mr. .A. Barbour, resident
mechanical engineer, Whiston Street, from £430 lo £463 plus residence
fslimated at £75; Mr. H. Love, resident mechanical engineer Coronet Street,
from £338 to £423 plus residence estimated at £75; Mr. F. C. Ebner. assistant
mains and installation engineer, from £390 to £489; Mr. L. Flavell, main-
tenance engineer, from £338 to £434; Mr. F. V. Wimhurst, assistant mains
engineer and draughtsman, from £343 to £430; Messrs. A. East, S. Thomas,
.\. Pitcher, H. Wimhurst, A. Kidd, and H. Randall, electricians in charge.
from £291 to £365; Mr. H. Lawson, electrician in charge, from £283 to
£354; Mr. F. Clarke, test room assistant, from £286 to £358.

All members are entitled to receive 5 pi'r cent, increase in
salary under new rates due to the undertaking being in
District No. 10 (London), also a percentage adjustment of
salary in accordance with the variation in the cost of living
from 3.6 per cent, to 21 per cent. The recommendations with
regard to the clerical staff' who are members of the E.S.C.A.
are as follows, and are operative from April 1st last : —

Mr. J. A. VV'illiams, present salary and bonus, £349, salarv under award
£385; Mr. H. W. lilsdon, from £306 to £338; Mr. F. Hodge-s. from £291 to
£323: Mr. H. R. Llovd, from £276 to £307; Mr. L. IXbble, from £247
to £276.

Tlie sal;uy of the Bexhill Corporation assistant electrical
engineer (Mr. R. C. Carter) has been increased from ±300
to ±375 per annum. It is stated that under the schedule of
salaries drawn up by the ,Ioint Boanl of the Electricity Supply
Industry he is entitled to ±538.

James CALDWEtx, M.Inst.C.E.. deputy chairman of In-
dustrials, fjtd., and technical director of several electric welding
concerns, has retired from the firm of James E. Sayers & Cald-
well, consulting engineers. Glasgow, as from August la.st.
.Address, 14-16, Cockspur Street, and Parliament Mansions,
Victoria Street, London, S.W. 1.

■Will.— Mr. S. H. Sands, a director of the Old National
Telephone Co., left dE4fl,671 net personalty.

NEW COMPANIES REQISTEREO.

Harrison Brothers (Electrical Engineers), Ltd. (170,754).

—Private company. Registered October 11th. Capital, £6,000 in £1 shares.
To carry on the business of electrical, telephone, heating, sanitary, hydraulic,
.md general engineers, &c. The first directors are : A. Edwards (permanent),
Atlas Foundry, Middlesbrough; A. Anderson, 1, Newlands Road, Middlesbrough.
Solicitor : H. Outhwaite, Prudential Chambers, Middlesbrough.

Bell Electrical Co. (Northern), Ltd. (170,706).— Private

company. Registered October 8th. Capital, £12,000 in £1 shares (2,000 de-
ferred). To take over the business of electricians and electrical and motor
.ngineers at Palatine Chambers, Market Street, Halifax, and to adopt an
agreement with B. Bell. The subscribers (each with one shar.) are : B. Bell.
4, Portland Place, Halifax, electrical engineer; A. W. Smith, 7, Briscoe
T.-rrace, Greetland. master dyer; \V. Farrar, E'llwood, Bradford Road, Brig-
house cotton spinner. The first directors are to be appointed by the sub-
scribers. Registered office: Palatine Cliambers. ^^a^ket Street. Halifax.

William Heywood & Son, Ltd. (170,810).— Private com-
pany. Registered October 13th. Capital, £10,000 in £1 shares. To take ov*r
the business of ironfounders and general engineers carried on by W. Heywood
and L. Heywood, at Royton, as " William Heywood & Son," and to carry on
the business of electricians, electrical, meclianical, motor, telephone, and
general engineers. &c. The first directors are; VV. Heywood (chairman), 33.
Park Street, Rovton; f.. Hevwood, 500, Rochdale Road. Royton; \V. Tatter-
sall, "Oak Dene," Grasscroft. Greenfield; H. Lowe. 1. Church Street.
Royton. The two first named are permanent. Secretary ; L. Heywood.
Registered office : Milton Street, Royton.

Welders, Ltd. (170.850). — Private company. Registered

October 15th. Capital. £5.000 in £1 shares. To carry on the bijsiness of
welders and cutters of metals, bv electricitv or oxy-acetylene. &c. The pro-
visional directors are: T. Shipley, 105, Clumber Street, Hull, clerk; A.
Garton, " Hope Cottage," Aniaby Park. Hull, clerk. Registered office :
Imperial Chambers, Bowlalley Lane. Hull.

Hawes Electric Lighting Co., Ltd. (170,842).— Registered

October 15th. Capital, £3,000 in £1 shares. To carry on at Hawes, Yorks..
the business of an electric light conipanv, &c. Minimum cash subscription
£1.000. The first directors arj : E. Allen, Hawes. draper; T. Allen, Gayle,
Hawes, grocer; S. W. Bowness, Hawes, chemist; G. Coates, Hawes. chemist;

1. A. Dinsdale. Gavie, Hawes. farmer; A. T. Iveson, Hawe«. auctioneer;
W. T. Metcalfe, Hawes, solicitor; W. Raw, Hawes. Qualification: £30.
Secretary: H. F. Martland. Registered office: Gayle Mill. Hawes. Yorks.

Wareham Electric Supply Co.. Ltd. (170.858).— Private

companv. Registered October 15lh. Capital. £5.00(1 in ftfl shares. To carry
on the business as indicated be the title. The first directors are : T. Carter,

2. South Street. Dorchester; Mrs. J. C. Portman. The Priorv. Wareham;
Mrs. E. G. Filliter, St. Martin's House. Wareham: M. P. B. Portman. The
Priorv Wareham. Registered office : 20, .South Street, Wareham, Dorset.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Dawlish Electric Light & Power Co., Ltd. — Two third

nioitg.ige debentures dated September 24th. 1920, to secure £500 e.ach, charged
iin the company's undertaking and propertv, present and future, including
uncalled capital. Holders : D. Anderson, The Clifle, Dawlish, and A. Hobson,
Redcliffe, Dawlish,

▼oi. 87. No. 2,239, octobeb 22, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

535

Marconi's Wireless Telegrapli Co., Ltd. (53,403) .—Return

dated July 13th, IIKO. Capital, fa,«00,000 in £1 shares (2,750,000 ordinary and
2S0,000 7 per cent, cumulative participating preferred), 2,609,374 ordinary,
and 250,000 preferred shares taken up, £2,749,865 14s. paid, £75,960 con-
sidered as paid, £33,548 6s. remains in arrears. Mortgages and charges,
£8,611 12s. 4d.

Union Cable Co., Ltd. (67,054) .—Return' dated July 23rd,

1930. Capital £5U,000 in £1 shares. All shares taken up, £30,000 paid.
Mortgages and chart;cs, nil. Capital increased to £100,000 in £1 shares on
July 29th. Return of allotments made up to August 6th shows the whole of
the additional shares allotted for cash.

Lancashire Power Construction Co., Ltd. (77,202). — Re-
turn dated July 8th. 1920. Capital, £689,838 in £1 shares (400,000 first pre-
ferred, 137,500 preferred, and 152,338 ordinary). All shares taken up,
£680,477 2s. paid, £2,400 considered as paid, £6,960 18s. remains in arrears.
Mortgages and charges, £288.000.

Tranmere Engineering Co., Ltd. — Debenture dated Sep-
tember 29th, 1920, to secure £700, charged on the company's undertaking and
property, present and future, including uncalled capital subject to prior
charges. Holder : S. F. Grandidge, 27, Park Road South, Birkenhead.

Switcligear & Cowans, Ltd. — Issue on September 30tfi,

1920, of £1,000 debentures, part of a series already registeretj.

CITY N0TE5.

Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd. — In his speech at the
annual meeting, held on October loth, the chairman (Mr.
J. G. B. Stone) referred to the Statutory Undertakings (Tem-
porary Increase of Charges) Act, 1918, and said that during
the year they were able to enter into revised agreements
in all but three of their undertakings. The position to-day
was, therefore, very much better, as they received a con-
siderable addition to their pre-war rates in all their under-
takings. It was, however, necessary to obtain still further
advances, and steps were being taken with that object. He
was pleased to say that the Ministry of Transport, which now
controlled their destinies, was apparently looking with a
more favourable eye on the claims put forward by the electric
supply industry, and they were no longer debarred from
making application for increased rates under the Electric
Lighting .\cts. The rates fixed under such procedure did not
involve any curtailment of their dividends, and it was their
intention to take advantage of this method in due course.
The rates so fixed could not be changed for five years; it was,
therefore, advisable to wait until they saw some sign of an
arrestment in the rapid increase in the cost of labour and
material. — Financier.

Brampton Brothers, Ltd. — Final dividend on preference
shares at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum, ordinary shares
10 per cent.; .£20,000 to reserve, and .£8,894 carried for-
ward.

Stock Exchange Notices. — The Committee has ordered
the following to be officially quoted: —

Canadian General Electric Co., Ltd. — $754,400 common
stock.

Dealings in the undermentioned have been specially allowed
by the Committee, and the shares are now included with
those in which special settlements have been granted : —

Para Telephone Co., I^td. — 60,000 ordinary shares of ±'1
each, fully paid (Nos. 1 to 60,000).

Erinoid, Ltd. — For the year ended Au.i.^ust 31st, 1920, the
total profits amounted to £70,136; after allowing for company
charges, depreciation, &c.. the net profits were JG4,162, which
with the amount brought forward totalled i£G5,230. from
which £35,000 has been transferred to reserve, and a dividend
is now recommended of 15 per cent., making 22J per cent,
for the year, less tax, leaving £2,668 to be carried forward.
The report states that supplementary premises at Yale. Glos.
(formerly an aeroplane repairing station), have been acquired
from the Disposal Board ; when fully equipped, the new
factory will enable the output of Erinoid to be practically
doubled.

Companies Struck oK the Register. — The following are
to be struck off the register within three months unless
cause is shown to the contrary: —

British Prometheus Co., Ltd.
Diaphone Co., Ltd.
Hemming Conduit Grip, Ltd.
Llani-lly Motor & Engineering Co., Ltd.

United River Plate Telephone Co., Ltd Interim divi-
dend of 3 per cent, on the ordinary shares, free of tax, for
the half-year to June 30th.

Indo-European Telegraph Co., Ltd. — Interim dividend for
the .June half-year at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum, free
of tax.

Norwich Electric Tramways Co.. Ltd. — Profit for the vear
£10,864, phis £167 brought forward, total available balance
£11,031, to be appropriated as follows: £714 is put to writing
down cost of turbo-generator, and the lialance, £10,317, to
the reserve fund. /

Anglo American Telegraph Co., Ltd.— Interim dividend
for quarter ended September .30th of 15s. per cent, on the
ordinary stock and 30 per cent, on the preferred stock, less
tax.

Pope's Wire Lamps. — The shareholders in the N. V.
Pope's Metaaldraad Lampenfabriek of Vento, Holland, have
sanctioned an increase in the share capital by the issue of
SOO new shares of l.tHX) fr.

Direct United States Cable Co., Ltd. — .At a meeting held
at Winchester House on Tuesday last the resolution approving
the sale to the Government was unanimously adopted.

Calcutta Tramways Co., Ltd. — Interim dividend of 3i
per cent., free of tax, on ordinary shares.

Electrical Utilities Corporation, Ltd. — Dividend of Li per

cent, on preferred for quarter ended September 30th.

Trafford Park Estates, Ltd. — Dividend 8 per cent.; carry
forwurd ^684,269.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
It would be a very good thing if the miners' strike could be
left out of the account of Stock Exchange happenings in
regard to electrical markets during the past week. Like
King Charles' head in Mr. Dick's book, it is, however, bound
to come in, being the determining factor which has made
prices alternately depressed and a little less so. Business is
jogging along in a quiet sort of way, and Stock Exchange
opinion expresses some little surprise that quotations should
keep up as well as they do. The fact that there is no parti-
cular slump in any of the markets points not only to the fact
that the public are refusing to sell to any large extent, but also
implies that there is a certain amount of buying going on at
the same time. Would-be sellers find that it is not easy to
transact their business always at the lower of the two quota-
tions furnished. This phase has been mentioned several times
here of late. With everybody on the tiptoe of expectation
that the strike may be settled with unexpected promptitude,
there are few who care to sell unless they are in need of
money. On the other liand, nobody wants to buy Stock Ex-
change securities while everything is on the lap of the gods.

Investment stocks are maintained with firmness. The word
" Revolution " is heard every now and then, and the
humorists profess that they are laying in steel waistcoats
against the time when Irish methods may become common in
the streets of London. It is in those departments which are
immediately affected by the coal strike where weakness is
most apparent, and colUery shares naturally have fallen, to-
gether with those in the shipping, iron and steel markets.
Eailway stocks are dull, but not worse than that. Under-
ground Electric incomes have given way 3 points to 68^, and
the £10 shares fell J to 21, while the Is. shares are nominally
7s. The company advertises that the raising of fares has re-
sulted in a slight falling off in the number of passengers
carried, but points out that the omnibus traffic suffered some
disadvantage during the first week of the increased fares,
owing to weather conditions. So far as Underground incomes
are concerned, it is apparent that optimism went a httle too
far in rushing up the price some 10 points in less than a
fortnight, because it is scarcely to be expected that the com-
pany will be able to pay anything like the full dividend of
6 per cent., free of tax, on these bonds in respect of the cur-
rent six months. If curtailment of train services becomes
neces.sary, this is bound to affect receipts also, but where
uncertainty prevails at every step, it is useless to attempt
straying into the paths of prophecy in regard to the future
that hes just ahead.

A good deal of surprise has been caused by Direct United
State.s Cable shares going back to 5i in spite of the offer of
the Government to the company on terms which are likely to
work out to the advantage of holders at anything under £6.
The market estimate ranges between £6 10s. and £6 15s. as
the ultimate value of the shares when the liquidation is at an
end, but in the meantime the shares can be picked up in the
neighbourhood of 5g, so that there is at least the chance of a
good interest for those who are content to put them away
for some little time. It is just the uncertainty as to how
long this time will be that prevents investors from buying
Directs at the present moment. Other cable shares are steady,
although Eastern Telegraph new shares eased off a trifle to
17s. 9(i., and there is some little hesitation in other members
of the group, due .simply to the fact that nobody wants to
buy anything while the coal strike remains in suspense. Globe
preference are better at 8J. It may be noted that Eastern
ordinary stock. Eastern Extension shares and Westerns are
now all standing at the same level.

Angln-.^merican deferreil receded to 17J. Marconis are
heavy at 2 11/16. at which price they can be bought, while
Canadians are 9.'^. 6d. and Marines 28s. 6d. Oriental Tele-
jihones at 2i are ex the dividend just paid.

It is in such .shares as Babcock & Wilcox where the coal
strike effect is heavily felt. Babcocks have gone back to 24,
and other engineering shares are depressed- Edisons at IQs.
are Is. 6d. down. General Electrics at 25s. 9d. show a fall of

536

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 3,23^, ootobm 22, leao.

1». 3d., and Sieuiens receded to 24s. Nor are the other shares
in this manufacturing group by any means firm, and when
sellers come to test the nominal quotations, they, the sellers,
are apt to feel disappointed at the result. Electric lighting
ihares are a trifle unsteady. A fall of J in St. James's ordi-
nary left the price GJ. ]3romptons have gone back to 6i.
South Londons retained their rise at 2i. Nottmg Hill 6 per
cent, preference weakened to 7J. Chelseaa rose to 3. Here
also the market is somewhat nominal, and the electricity
supply section is one in which business has become almost a
matter of negotiation.

Mexicans have not benefited by the renewed assurance of
General Obregon, the new President, to the effect that his
country will meet its obligations to foreign creditors.
Mexican Light and Power bonds shed another 3 points, and
Mexico Tramways sixes are 3 lower, at 3'i. Brazilian Tractions
weakened to 44, a drop of 2i. Anglo-.\rgentine Tramways
first preference are now quoted at 3 ex the .5s. 6d. just paid
on account of arrears. British Ooluml.iia Electric preferred
and deferred have both moved up 3 points. Kaministiquia
common hardened to lloj, and the 5 per cent, bonds to 97.
The pound sterling has again fallen in relation to the dollar
in consequence of the c^al strike, and all " dollar " securities
have advanced.

Viokers, Armstrongs Explosive Trades and other armament
shares have given waj Vickers at 20s. 3d. stand lower now
than they have done since the shares were split into their
present ^1 form in 1897. In the rubber market, continued
weakness of the raw produce combines with general condi-
tions to keep the market flat. A fair amount of adhe.=:ion to
the recent proposal of curtailment of output by 2.5 per cent,
on the part of rubber-producing companies has been obtained,
and the experiment will start on November Ist.

SHARE LIST OF ELEOTBIOAL OOMFANIES.

HOHB ELXnBlOITT CoMPAHiiai

Dividend Price

, ■ . Oct. 1!>,

1818. 1919. 19-20. Eise or rail.

Broinptoii Ordinary 8 11 8J — k ■

Charing Cross Ordinary .. .. * ". JJ ~

do, do. do. 4J Pret. .. 4i U Hf -

Chelsea 8 4 3 +1

CitT of London 8 10 I* —

do. do. 6percent. Prof. .. 6 6 17/6 —

Oonnty of London 7 8 Tf —

d3 do. 6 per oent, Prei. 6 8 8i —

Ken Bln(r*nn Ordinary ,, .. 6 7 83 —

London Elcotrio Nil 3) U —

do. do. 6peroent. Pief... 6 8 8 —

Metropolitan B 6 H —

do. 4i per oont. Pref, . . 41 4) 9*5 -

St. JamiB'anaPallMBU .. .. 10 13 6* -J

South London 5 6 21 —

South Malropolilan Prel 7 7 16.8 —

Westminster Ordinary .... 8 10 6 —
TiLia&iPHa AID TBLaPHoaBBi

AngloAm. Tel. PteJ 8 8 774 -

do, Del 88/6 li V.i - t

Chile Telephone 8 8 Bj —

Cuba^nb. Ord 7 7 7 —

Eastern Extension B. 10 HJiil —

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 UTixd —

Gl )ue Tel. and T. Ord '8 10 143 + J

do. do. PreJ 6 6 84 + J

Great Northern Tel 33 39 90 —

Fndo Rl^ropean 18 10 80 —

Marconi 98 98 Sj;. — ^

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 19 Sixd —

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 6i -k

West India and Panama .... 1/8 Nil H —

Western Telegraph 8 10 14] +J

Boiu Katu.

Central London Ord. Assented .. 4 4 43i —

Metropjlitan I U 21 -J

ab. DIstrtot .. .. NU Nil :S\ -1

Underground Electiio Ordinary.. NU Nil 21 — i

do. do, "A" .. NU NU 7- —63.

do. do. Income ..8 4 6SJ - 3
FoBEiON Trams, &o.

Anglo-Arg. Trams First Pref. .. NU 64 Eid —

do. do. 2nd Pref. .. NU Nfl BJ —

do, do. 6 Deb. .. B 8 67j —

Brazil Tractions NU NU 44 - ii

Bombay Electric Pref 8 6 12J -

British Columbia Elec. RIy. Pfoe. 8 8 Bl —

do. do. Preferrred 3| 8 53| +8

do. do. Deferred Nil 8 631 -I- 3

do. do. Deb. .. 4i 4i 63J —

Mexico Trams 6 percent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 44 —

do. 6 per oent. Bonds. . MU NU 82 - 3

Mexican Light Oommon . . , . NU NU 15 —

do. Pref NU NU 97J

do, lat Bonds . . . . MU NU CO - 3

MAnnfAOitmnis Oompaiiiib.

Baboock 4 Wilcox IB 16 !J — }

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 1.5/9 — ^^

British Insulated Ord 19) 16 l{4xd —

Oallenders 96 16 1^ —

„ 6iPref 6i 6i 18/9 —

Oastner.Eellner 30 17 8 —

Orompton Ord 10 10 17/6 —

BdlBOn-Bwan, " A " .. ..10 10 19/- -1/6

do. do. 6 per cent. Deb. .. 6 6 764 —1

Bleotric Constmotion .. .. 10 10 18/3 —

Qen. Bleo. Pref 6i 64 18/8 —

do. Ord 10 10 35/9 - 1/ii

Henley 98 IB Ig —

do. 44 Pret 44 44 84 —

Indla-Bnbber 10 10 if —

Met.- Viokers Pi8l — 8 24 —

Siemens Ord 10 10 34/- - 6d,

Telegraph Oon 90 90 90 -

* Dividends paid Itee o< Income Tax

6 18 4

8 17 10

6 17 9

10 17 0

6 IB

6 15
6 16

«6 10 10
'6 10 10
7 19 0

•8 13
10 13
8 17

10 8
6 18
6 18

11 8
111 10

6 12
10 19

7 0
»7 16

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

[t should be remembered, in mtikingr Tiae of the iguiee appearing
in the following^ list, that in gome caaea the prioes are only general,
and they may vary aooording to qnantitiea and other circorngtanoM.

Tuesday, October 19tb.

CHEMICALS. Ac.

a Acid, Oxalic per lb.

a Ammoniac Sal per ton

o Ammonia, Muriate (large crystal) ,,

a Bisulphide of Carbon

a Borax ... ,,

a Copper Sulphate ,,

a Potash, Chlorate per lb.

a ,. Perchlorate ,,

d Shellac perowt.

a Sulphate of Magnesia ... .„ per ton 1
a Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers ... „ I

a „ Lump „

a Soda, Chlorate per lb.

a „ Crystals per ton '

a Sodium Bichromate, casks ... per lb.

METALS. &c.

, Babbitt's Metal Ingots per ton

I Brass (rolled metal 2" to 13" basis) per lb.

: ,, Tubes (solid drawn)

; .. Wire, basis ,,

r Tubes (solid drawn) ... „
Bars (best selected) ... per ton

„ Sheet „

„ Rod

i ,, (Electrolytic) Bars ... „

I ,, „ Sheets

( „ „ Wire Rods.. „

I „ „ H.C. Wire., per lb.

■ Ebonite Rod ,

■ „ Sheet ,

I Qerman Silver Wire ,

I Qutta-percha, fine ,,

I India-rubber, Para fine „

Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ... per ton
' „ Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual. „

f Lead, English Pig ,.

r Mercury per hot.

. Mica (in original cases) small ... per lb.
I ,, I, II medium.. ,,

. ,, ,, ,, targe

7 Phosphor Bronze, plain castings

r Coppe

rolled bars and rods
, rolled strip & sheet

2/6

iCioo

£M

£41

£49

1/-

1/8
£83 lOi.
£18
£96
£33

6d.
£13

<95to £800

1/8J
1/64 to I/6J

l/Si

i/sl

£157

£167

£1.57

£114

£168

£130

1/41

8/6

3/.

8/-

14/-

1/ti

Nom.

£59

£37

£16 to £16 es.

6d. to 4/6

6/- to 10/-

13/6 to 26/- & up

1/6 to I/II

2/5 to 2/8

2/5 to 9/9

id. dee.
id. dae.
Id. dea.
id. d«o.
£7 dec.
£7 dee.
£7 dec. •

d Silioium Bronze Wire

... per lb.

■il-

r Steel, Magnet, in bars

,,

1/8

n Tin, Block tEnglish)

... per ton

£249

£iSto£l9d«a.

n „ Wire, Nos. 1 to 16 ...

... per lb.

4/9

p White Antifriction Metals

... per ton

£78 to £eOO

...

Quotations supplied by—

a a. Boor & Co.
c Thos. Bolton & Sons, Ltd.
J Frederick Smith & Co.
e F. Wiggins & Sons.
f India-Rubber, Qutta-Percha and
Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.

g James & Shakespeare.

h Edward TiU & Co.

1 BoUing & Lowe.

/ Richard Johnson A Nephew, Ltd

n P. Ormiston & Sons.

W. F, Dennis & Co.

Ex-Westinghonse Re-nnion.— The third annual re-union

dinner of the ex- British Westinghouae ABSooiaticu will take place
at the Holborn Restaurant, on March 18th, 1921. Inqniries shoald
be addressed to the hon. secretary, Mr. L, S. Richardson, 14, Sydney
£oad, Richmond, Surrey.

Portland Cement: British Standard Specification.— 'A

revised edition of the B.S. specification for Portland cement,
Report No. 12, 1920, has recently been issued by the British
Engineering Standards Association. The B.S.S. was origin-
ally issued in 1904, and has been revised from time to time.
The present edition supersedes that published in 1915, and
the following are the principal modifications which have been
made : —

A paragraph has been inserted making clear that no cement
to which slag has been added, or which is a mixture of
Portland cement and slag, will comply with the specification.
Provision has been made for sampling cement when stored
in deep silos, and the specific gravity test has been eliminated.
The aeration of cement before testing for setting time has
also been dispensed with, and a provision has been inserted
permitting the deduction from the total lime content of the
proportion of lime necessary to combine with the sulphuric
anhydride present when calculating the lime ratio.

Tlie medium and .slow setting cements have been replaced
by a grade having a minimum initial setting time of 20
minutes, and a maximum final setting time of 10 hours; in
addition the quick .setting cement, which formed one of the
three standard grades, is retained in the specification, but is
only t« he supplied if specially required.

A minimum final setting time is not now specified, and
the clause relating to the supply by the vendor, free of coat,
of a certificate that the cement has been tested and analysed
and complies in all resi>eets with Ihe specification, has been
modified to provide that if such a certificate is required it
must be so specified at the time of pu^chase.

The siwrification may be obtained from the 6.E.S.A., 28,
'iictoria Street, S.W.I.

Vol. 87. No. 2.239, ootobbb 22, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

537

ELECTRICITY IN AGRICULTURE.

Devices for Tapping Overhead Distribution Mains, and Equipment for Electric Plougliing.

By R. E. NEALE.

(Concluded from page 508.)

The Equipment Recommended. — ^The equipment recom-
mended by M. Guedeney as conforming to the above desiderata
operates on the Howard " roundabout " system, and is illus-
trated diagrammatically in tig. 4. The motor is served by a
transfoi"mer connected to the overhead distribution lines, and
is mounted together with two cable drums on a four-wheeled
truck. Fi'om the cable drums two cables pass in opposite

of the apparatus is about 1 ton, and an earth bucket is pro-
vided to make possible additional loading for very heavy
ploughing.

A small drum at the back of the anchor truck carries a cable
which is hitched and tightened when starting work. When
the plough approaches the anchor-truck a, catch is released
(either by hand or automatically by a button on the cable).

P~

Eaa-

/TGS

-©

Fig. 4. — L.\y-out of Electric Ploughing Equipment.

dii'ections round pulleys at the corners of the field to the
plough, which is of the double, tilting, type. The pulleys
at the ends of the furrow are on wheeled trucks (with auto-
matic anchorage) in order that they may be moved laterally
after ploughing each line of furrows.

The Howard arrangement of tackle is still used very ex-
tensively for steam ploughing in Italy, there being from 150 to
200 installations on this system compared with ten or twelve
Fowler installations. In France, on the other hand, the Fowler
system is preferred as more powerful and capable of being
moved rapidly from place to place under its own power. Elec-
trical ploughing equipment, however, is " dead " directly the
connection to the distribution mains is interrupted, hence
provision must be made to move it from field to field by
animal traction, by tractor, or by auxiliary engine. For this
reason it is preferable to use a stationary windlass rather than
work on a system which requires the windlass to be moved
frequently. Other advantages of the stationary windlass
system are : (1) The motor can be placed at the position most
convenient from the point of view of supply ; (2) the distance
from tran.sformer to motor may, be kept short, hence the motor
may be operated at low voltage; (3) the repeated unrolling
and rolling-up of flexible cable is eliminated.

Motor and Windlass. — The truck illustrated in fig. 5 carries
a squu'rel-cage imluction motor of from 30 to 50 H.P., wound

Fig.

hLhXTKlC.4LLY-DKIVEi\ \\ i .■■

for any desired pressure between 200 volts and 500 volts. The
control is the simplest possible, a lever being pushed in one
direction or the other according to the direction in which
the plough is to be moved. The normal effort at the windlass
is 3 tons, or about 2 tons at the plough.

Anchor Trucks. — Contrary to expectations, the author found
that anchor-trucks of the type shown in fig. 6 with disks
attached to the wheels, obtained a satisfactory hold even on
hard, dry, stony soil in which the disks penetrated only
10 cm. It is necessary (for efficiency) that the four disks
should engage cubes of earth far enough apart tn produce
a total resistance equal to four times that of one disk. The
cable pulley is placed as near as possible to the ground in
order to reduce the overturning moment. The total weight

Fig. 6. — Plan of .Anchor Truck.

and the tension in the plough cable then pulls the anchor-
truck along, into position for the next line of furrows. The
truck illustrated has never been known to drag out; under
abnormal efforts of 42 to 5 tons it has sometimes tipped over,
but always without injury.

Fixed Anchors. — It is necessary to anchor the windlass, the
two fixed pulleys, and the ends of the cables holding the
anchor-trucks. This operation takes about 15 minutes per
anchor, and on farms organised definitely for electric plough-
ing it may pay to provide permanent anchorages in each field.

Haulage Cables. — There is considerable frictional loss and
wear if the haulage cables be allowed to trail on the ground,
but if supporting idler pulleys be used, the mechanical losses
in the cable are reduced to about the same value as the
electrical losses in the trailing cables needed where the double
mobile windlass svstem is used.

Fig. 7. — Portable Transformer Cabin.

Transformer Cabins. — ^The transformer cabin illustrated in
fig. 7 is simple in construction, and weighs about 2,000 kg. in
service condition. The equipment includes open-air switches
or interrupters, fuses, and choke coils, but no lightning ar-
resters, because it is seldom possible to make a good earth
connection. A meter and low-voltage switch are placed in a
box isolated from the H.T. equipment.

The P;o«i;;(.— This ,is the part of the equipment which m-
variably engages the' principal attention of the farmer, and

588

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo [voi. 87. No. 2,239, octobbb 22, 1920.

on which depeuds primarily the quality of the work done.
The number and shape of the blades must be varied to suit
individual circumstances. The ploughs used by the author
are of the tilting, double-ended type, and, -nith a nonual effort
of 2 tons, lliey ellect subsoil ploughing 40 cm. deep with a
single blade, ploughing 30 to 35 cm. deep with two blades,
and 2.5 to 30 cm. deep with three blades. Kg. 8 shows an
anchor-truck and a plough in use.

Use in fhe Field.— Taking the equipment to the field, mak-
ing the necessary anchorages, and paying-out and fixing the
cables occupies two men and three h<irses foi- i day or 1 dav.
The ploughman .signals to the man at the windlass by a flag.
At the end of a furrow he signals " stop." reverses the plough,
releases the catch permitting the anclior-ti-uck to be move(l
forward, and signals " .start." These operations occupy about
40 seconds. • •

In the case of an open range (if fields extending in all
directions, the windla.ss may be placed as in fig. 0, four areas

Test Data. — The author's tests were made on M. Hamot's
farm near Beauvais, the ground being undulating, argilo-
calcareous with numerous stones (flints of 8 to 10 cm.). The
farm was crossed by a 15,000-volt line, served by two 80-H.P.
.sets. The only labour used for the electric ploughing was one
farm labourer and one daily labourer; their training in the
manipulation of the plough and windlass occupied only four
hours.

During the period September 10th to October 20th a pat<!h
of exceptionally stony ground, in very dry condition, was
ploughed 30 to 35 cm. deep W'ith two blades. The load on
the motor exceeded 100 amp. at 500 volts, hence one blade
was removed, and the soil was then lifted in blocks measuring
00 to SO cm. across. This constituted heavy subsoil ploughing,
and the energy consumption was 180 Kw. -hours per hectare,
the rate of ploughing being O.I hectare per hour, .\fter the
rains much more rapid progress was made, and the better
portions of the farm were dealt with. Ploughing 28 to -V} cm.

Jf

Fig. 8.— Anchor Truck .4nd Tilting Plough in T

Fig. 9.— Ploughlng .\ Squ.\rr
Block of Fields.

of about 9 hectares being then ploughed in the order shown.
One can also plough squares of 9 hectares in front and behind.
Generally, however, fields flank roads and extend often for
great lengths, ■s\ith a depth of 300 to 400 m. In such cases
the windlass is placed alongside the road in po.sition a,, tig. 10,
and, after ploughing field i, the anchor-trucks and plough
are in position for field ii. .so that it is only necessary to move
the windlass to a,, and the fixed pulleys from c, d, to c, d„.
Where applicable, this arrangement has the advantage that
the windlass (weighing 5 or 6 tons) is kept on hard soil near
the road (hectare = 10 ,f)00 sq. m. = 2j acres).

Distribution. — On a large estate the most .simple and reliable
arrangement is to establish a h.t. intake and metering station
with permanent h.t. or l.t. distribution lines, radiating

ROAD

10. — Ploughing Fields Along .\ Road

thence, and controlled by interrupter switches. These hnes
lead to the various positions for the windlass transformer cabin.
The capital expenditure on such disi-j-ibution lines is justified
by the convenience and reliability of service secured, and the
author considers that this is the system of the future. In the
meantime, however, in order to reduce expenses, it may he
necessary to use temporary lines or flexible cables. With 600
to 7(X) 111. of temporary line a zone of 1,000 m. on either side
may be served, corresponding to 5 m. of permanent line per
hectare, the permanent lines being 2 km. apart. For example,
the transformer cabin on the h.t. line at the centre of fig. 11

foom

. zoom ^ 300 m^

H

tL

Lti

3] J, A

/ F/exilr/e Ca^/e

Fig. n.— h.t. T.inf. Skhvixc, a Zhnf, 1,8(i0 m. Wim;.

Berves, through a flexible traiUng cable, three windlass posi-
tions on either side of the line. With a motor voltage of
500 volts and a 3-core 30-sq. mm. trailing cable, the maximum
pressure drop is 7 or 8 per cent, for a 30-h.p. motor.

The establishment of distribution lines for electric ploughing
and other field services cannot fail to lead to the extensive
use of electrical energy for lighting and power purposes in
general.

deep with two blades, the energy con.sumed w-as 75 kw. -hours
per hectare and 2.4 hectares were ploughed in seven working
hours.

Costs. — The cost of ploughing 30 cm. deep, using the elec-
trical equipment described, is given as 112 fr. per hectare
(about 36s, per acre). This assumes the use of a C.K.M. (Com-
pagnie Electro-M^canique) electric windlass, costing 100,000
fr., including plough and 5(X) m. of mobile line. The energy
consumption is taken to average 90 kw. -hours per hectare, and
the performance 2.5 hectares per day.

In order that the cost figures may be modified to suit in-
dividual cases, the various items may be specified in detail : —

Working Expenses. — Electricity, 90 KW. -hours at 0.4 fr.=
30 fr. per hectare. Ijabour, two men at 10 fr. for 2§ hectares
= 8 fr. per hectare. Eeforging plough shares. 3.2 fr. per
hectare. Lubricating oil, 0.5 fr. per hectare.

Transport and Erection of Equipment. — ^Two men at lu fr.
and three horses at 10 fr. for 'about one day per 8 hectares =
6.25 fr. per hectare.

Capital Charyes. — Depreciation, 7.4 per cent.; interest. 6.5
per cent on 100,000 fr. per hectare.

Repairs.— OuQ cable (7.50 kg. at 3.5 fr.) per two years, i.e.,
per 600 hectares = 4.35 fr. per hectare. Plough repairs, 3 fr.
per hectare. Other repairs, say, 4.35 fr. per hectare.

Grand Total. — 111.98 fr. per hectare.

Farmers in the province of Rovigo (Italy) using similar
equipment estimate the cost of ploughing 40 cm. deep to be
from 100 to 120 lire per hectare (32s. to 38s. 6d. per acre)
using electricity at 0.2 lire (1.9d.) per KW.-hour.

This co.st is only about '25 per cent, to 35 per cent, that of
ploughing by horse labour or by oxen, the basic data in
these cases being : Wages, 10 fr. per day per man ; horse feed,
15 fr. per day; depreciation, 1 fr. per day i)er hor.se, and 0.55
fr. per d?y per ox; harness, 0.5 fr. per day per horse and
0.15 fr. per ox ; .shoeing, 1 fr. per day per hoise and 0.5 fr.
per ox; Belgian plough, 10 fr. per day. On these ba.ses the
total costs of ploughing by horses and oxen are as follows: —

PfoUEllillg

18 ri cm.
i7S in. I
deep.
By (per hectare 4!Ki fr. :i02..-. fr. ITOfr.

Horf e I per acre I.tTs. !P7i!. .Ma. (id.

By (per hectare 4:il fr. ISG fr. IiU..". fr.

Oxen I per acre I3!is. iUs. Cd. 'i2s. S3.

The above figures for mechanical and animal ploughing
relate to the .same hard soil. On lighter soil the rate of
ploughing would be higher and the cost lower, but the rela-
tive costs of the electrical and animal ploughing would remain
:d)out the same. Whilst it is true that the farmer using
electric ploughing tackle will probably retain the same number
of beasts as he would otherwise require, the electrical equip-
ment will enable him to cultivate land more thoroughly, more
rapidly, and at. the exact time desired. The superiority of the
windlass system is naturally greater the heaviei- the ploughing,
and if the effort required is only a few hundred pounds it ia
more economical to use horses or oxen than a motor of 30
to 50 H.P.

Plougliing

30-3.5 01.

(12-1-1 in.)

deep.

PloiiKhin?

25-a6 cm.

110 14 in.l

deep.

4!KI fr.

:i02..-. fr.

I.tTs.

!l7i!.

4:U fr.

1 SG fr.

I3!is.

ills. Cd.

Vol. 81. No. 2,239, ootobeb 22, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL KEYIEl

539

Conclusions. — The particular installation described ^as pur-
chased by M. Hamot on the completion of the tests, and the
owner is well satisfied with the results obtained. Ploughing
can be done whenever desired, whether the soil be wet or
dry, and deep cultivation is effected. Only two men are
needed for the ploughing. From the supply standpoint we
have the rather remarkable fact that a small station contain-
ing two 80-H.P. sets, and already supplying a considerable
load, can supply the ploughing demavd without difficulty.

The general adoption of electric ploughing would pave the
way to other important agricultural applications of electrical
energy, but a vital factor in this development will be the pro-
duction of ploughs and other tools and machinery which meet
the requirements of the farmer as well as being suitable for
electric driving. There is no reason why the agricultural load
should not be equivalent to SOO or 1,(XX) hours of use per
annum (say 1(< to 13 per cent, load factor), but in order to
accelerate agricultural developments, central stations must
offer favourable terms to pioneers. The average farmer is
ultra-conservative, and the only argument which will convince
him quickly concerning the possibilities of electricity in agri-
culture is a demonstration of electrical equipment actually
operating in his neighbourhood. The ultimate success of elec-
tricity in agriculture cannot be doubted, and it is up to the
central station engineer to overcome the initial difficulties, and
make the investment demanded by pioneering installations.
In this good work they should receive the assistance of elec-
trical and agricultural manufacturers, whose interests are
equally involved.

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IN LONDON.

Inquiry held by the Electricity Commissioners.

{Concluded from pige B12.)

When the proceedings were resumed in the afternoon,

Mr. Lloyd informed the Commissioners that it had just
l)een brought to his notice that Sir Ernest Hiley had ceased
to be the chairman of the County of London Electric Supply
Co., Ltd. The Ch.4irm.4n said he could not very well ask the
late chairman of the company to give evidence, but he would
like somebody to give an authoritative view as to the policy
of the company. Sir Harrv Eenwick, as the acting chair-
man of the company, explained that Sir Ernest Hiley 's re-
signation had not yet been officially announced, and that was
W'by he had given the answers he had previously given.

The CH.tiRM.\N said the Commissioners were convinced that
it would be in the best interests of London as a whole if all
the companies and local authorities concerned with electricity
supply were to pool their resources and their brains in an
endeavour to devise a comprehensive scheme. Would it be
practical to suggest that all the technical advisers, including
those of the County Co., should meet and that the inquiry
should be adjourned for a short time for that purpose? Mr.
Lloyd said he did not think it would be much use adjourning
the inquiry if the opposition held to the view that on no
account must the Barking station be erected as soon as
possible. Mr. JoN'ES said a vast amount of information had
been collected, but it was too early to .say yet whether
Barking would be the best site or not.

The Chairm.an said that the Commissioners were satisfied
that there was a shortage of power in London, and that the
needs of I^ondon must be met during the next three or four
years. He did not wish to create delay in meeting those needs
by refusing sanction to a scheme .such as was now before the
Commissioners if there was no likelihood of an alternative
scheme being brought forward. Mr. .JoxE.s assured the Com-
mi.5sioners that those for whom he appeared recogni.sed to the
full the serious need for improving the electricity supply of
London, but the proposal now before them did not pretend
to deal with the position during the next three or four years.
It was only in 1925 that it was hoped to have the Barking
station working, and, therefore, the needs of London mean-
while would have to be met in some other way. To hold Ijack
consent to the erection of the proposed station at Barking
until the comprehensive scheme had been presented could in
no way prejudice the position of the future supply after 19'2.5.

After a short consultation among the parties it was found
that they could not agree to meet in the manner suggested.
and it was decided to proceed with the case.

The Ch.mrman .said the Commissionei's would desire to liave
very clear proof by the opposition that the glowing needs of
the Count.v Co. could be met in some other way than that
proposed by the company. The Commissioner's were not
L'oing to adopt a policv of sterilisation or undue delay : there
had been too much delay in the Tjondon problem alreadv.

On Friday, October 8th, Mr. Tvldrsley .Tones .said flint it
was material to bear in mind, in relation to the question of the
time when the power station could be brought into operation,
that the company could not connect it with its London area
without the consent of the Minister of Transport, before whom
opposition could be heard. .\i the same time, he contended
that the normal development of electricity supply in Ijondon
would have to be dealt with in a temporary manner until
1924, which was the date upon which the County Co. antici-
pated getting its Barking station into operation. That diffi-

culty, however, was one which was common to all the London
supply authorities, and, so far as the County Co. was con-
cerned, it already had a contract for 10,000 kw. with the
CUty Co., and on the south side of the River Thames there
was the South Metropohtan Electric Light and Power Co.,
Ijtd., with its Lewisham station, which had a capacity of
'20,000 KW., and a load of only 8,500 kw. That showed that
the increase in demand between now and 1924 could be met
in a temporary manner. Ihe Ch.airm.an said that the Commis-
sioners were aware that in the majority of liOndon stations
there was a great shortage of plant, and he did not know
how many stations there were which could give a temporary
supply such as had been referred to. Mr. Jones said that
15U,000 KW. of extensions were now in hand in London, and
he repeated that the Commissioners should not deal with the
prospective future demands of London w'ithout taking the
whole question of the area and the proper sites for the power
stations into con.sideration. The County Co.'s scheme should
be considered from two points of view : was it one that had
been suggested merely for the needs of the County Co. alone,
in which case it partook of the parochial nature, and should
be refused on that ground, or had it an ulterior motive, as
being a first instalment of the comprehensive scheme which
the Commissioners were to inquire into in March next year'.'
In that case, again, it should be refused, because it meant
that the big problem would be pre-judged, to the disadvantage
of those who had taken the advice of the Commissioners and
joined forces in order to produce a comprehensive scheme.
Already West Ham and some other authorities had joined in a
scheme for the erection of a large power station at Dagen-
ham. All the plans had been prepared, but, in deference to
a request by the Commissioners, an application to erect that
power station had been postponed. Further, the information
which his engineers had been collecting since they were in-
vited by the Commissioners in July last to prepare a scheme
was that Barking was not neces.sarily the best site, having
regard to the needs of London as a whole, nor that there
would only be one large power station in the area. If a large
comprehensive scheme could be sanctioned by the Commis-
sioners as soon as possible after March next year it would be
possible for the joint electricity authority to have its power
station in operation by 1925, at the same time as the County
Co. anticipated the station now proposed would be ready.

The Chairman asked Mr. Jones if he seriously thought that
a scheme of this magnitude could be presented to the Commis-
sioners in March, full consideration given to it, ratification
given by Parliament, the authority set up and the station
working in 19'2o:' It seemed to him that it would be im-
possible even to set up the authority until 19'22. Mr. JoNES
said that under Section 18 of the Electricity (Supply) Act,
1919, the Minister of Transport himself could take action, and
by the time the electricity authority was formed the scheme
which his engineers were now preparing would be so far
forward that there would be a strong case for the Minister to
take action. In any event, he asked that the Commissioners
should not prejudice the schemes which the Commissioners
themselves had asked for; they had actually asked some
of those interested in preparing those schemes to hold their
hands. Finally Mr. Jones, on the assumption that the Com-
missioners would grant the Order, asked that the capacity of
the power station should be limited strictly to the requirements
of the County Co., and that nothing should be sanctioned
which would in any way prejudice or take away the rights of
those who were now engaged upon the large scheme at the
request of the Commissioners themselves.

Mr. J. H. Rider said that the scheme now being prepared
was on the basis that the County Co. would be included in
the area of any electricity supply authority which might be
formed after consideration of the schemes in March next year.
At present the committee of engineers which had been ap-
pointed by the joint authorities had not all its information
available, but figures which had been collected .showed that,
compared with fifteen years ago, when the Barking site was
first suggested as suitable for a power station, the total capital
charges on such a station had increased nine times, and the
altered circumstances demanded very careful consideration. In
the scheme, which would be put before the Commissioners in
March by the joint authorities, it was possible that a power
station would be included on the south side of the River
Thames as well as one on the north side, but he was emphati-
cally of opinion that no new station should be sanctioned in
the area until the Commissioners had held their inquiry next
March, always bearing in mind that the normal demand dur-
ing the next three or four years, during which time it was
generally agreed that a new large power station should not be
erected, could be met by temporary exijedients, which had
been indicated during the proceedings. At the pre.sent time
'200, UK> KW. of new plant had been authorised and was on
order, and although about 50,000 kw. would replace old plant,
there were many possibilities for the County Co. to obtain a
supply to help it along until the joint scheme was decided
upon. Any large power station of this character should be
built by the joint authority and not by an individual under-
taker.

The Chairman said that the Commissioners had been im-
pressed by the fact that local authorities throughout the
country were rather reluctant to spend large sums of money
on big electrical schemes owing to the difficulties which they
had experienced with regard to borrowing money for bousing

HO

THE ELECTBICAL KiiiVIE V7. LVoi. 87. No. 8,339, octobm 22, 1920,

schemes, and he asked witness what would be the position of
the (Jominissioners if, when the joint scheme was submitted
in March, jt was found that dilhculties would be encountered
with regard to finance. Mr. Kideb said that point would be
gone into very fully in the joint scheme when it was submitted
jn March.

Mr. 0. H. WoRDiNGHAM said he represented 38 local autho-
rities in the London and Greater London areas. The question
of site was a very important one, having regard to the in-
creased cost of laying mains. The cost of the transmission
mains was about £i per kw. per mile, so that an error of a
mile in the location of the power house in relation to the
centre of gravity of the load meant a loss of iloOO.UOO. It was
not at all certain either that one power station would be
sufficient to meet the needs of London, and there was evi-
dence that other people thought the same, because a com-
pany, with which the County Co. was associated, proposed
to erect a power station at Erith. The Chairm.\n, referring to
the question of meeting the demand between now and 1924,
said there was a .serious shortage in Barking and East Ham.
Mr. WoRDiNGHAM said that West Ham could give a supply,
because it had a capacity of 27,900 KW. and a maximum
demand in 1919 of 11,450 KW. Stepney, too, had a maximum
demand of 10,8(.)0 kw. in 1919 and a plant capacity of 16,000
KW., with 10,000 KW. on order. Shoreditch also had a maxi-
mum demand iu 1919 of 6,440 kw., a plant capacity of 8,000
KW., and 5,000 kw. on order. The Chairman said that never-
theless important business could not be taken on in some parts
of London, and there was a recent case of a 5,000-KW.
chemical works load on the banks of the Tliames which had
had to be refused. Mr. Wordingham, on the general ques-
tion, contended that the Commissioners would be fully justi-
fied in postponing a decision with regard to this appUcation
until after the joint scheme had been presented in March next
year. In fact, he did not think they would be justified in
coming to a decision now because they had not all the evi-
defice before them.

Sir Alexander Kennedy had no hesitation in saying that if
a Joint Electricity Authority were created in 1922 a new power
station could be m operation in three years' time. Even if it
were a question of a delay of a year, that would be better
than givmg consent to a scheme such as was now proposed,
which would only stand in the way of the proper x^reparation
of a full scheme. The Chairman said the Commissioners
thought it desirable that the chairman or somebody connected
with the Conference of Local Authorities and Companies should
give evidence, because they were particularly desirous of
being given some assurance that such a joint scheme as had
been mentioned would be put forward next March. They
could not go on the supposition that the parties to the confer-
ence would agree and then find in March, having refused
consent to this station at Barking, that no comprehensive
scheme was forthcoming. Sir A. Kennedy expressed the view-
that there w^as room in the existing stations for plant to carry
on until 1925, by which time a new large power station would
undoubtedly be required for London. He behoved he was
almost the only engineer who had not sworn by Barking,
and although he had not turned Barking down, counsel might
take it that the conference would submit to the Commissioners
ill March a proposal for another site which he and his col-
leagues regarded as distinctly preferable. This site was west
of Barking, and would be suflicient to accommodate 400,000
KW. eventually. Negotiations were actually in progress with
regard to acquiring the site. He was not sure that it would
be wise to start building a capital station to-morrow, if it
vvere possible, because the extensions which the Commis-
sioners had, by force majeure, been compelled to sanction in
the existing stations, w-ould carry the undertakings along for
several years.

Mr. George Hume, chairman of the Electricity Committee
of the i^ondon County Council, said that the companies and
local authorities were working in the greatest harmony, and
liad left the preparation of the technical part of the scheme to
the committee of engineers already referred to. The financial
and administrative aspects of tlie scheme were now being
worked out. In the unfortunate event that the parties could
not agree on a scheme, it was the determination of the London
County Council to bring a complete scheme forward on its
own account, because the Council con.sidered it was its duty
to do so iu view of the terms of the Electricity (Supply) Act,
J919. The Commissioners ought not to contemplate the posi-
tion that no scheme would be presented to them in March
next year.

Mr. Duncan Watson, chairman of the Conference of Local
Authorities and Companies which was preparing the .scheme,
said the utmost harmony prevailed, and there was a real hope
that a comprehensive scheme would be submitted next year.
He did not anticipate any substantial difficulty in financing
such a scheme. There was, he knew, a difficulty in raising
money for housing schemes, but that was due to a feeling
that the money was wanted for one class only, whereas elec-
tricity benefited all classes. The Conference would certainly
welcome the co-operation of the County Co.

On Saturday. October 9th, Mr. H. Lloyd, K.C. summing up
on behalf of the County Co., said that counsel for the oppo-
sition had spoken as if the County Co. was desirous of stereo-
typing the parochial system and of keeping in its own hands
a portion of the supply of I,ondon, whatever became of the
other, and at the ne.xt moment he Imd sjioken of tlieir desiring

to usurp the functions of a much larger body which might be
hereafter formed. How those two views were reconcilable he
found it dilficult to see. The company had had to reiuse
business in the past, and their present position was impos-
sible. Their engmeers had shown that the site c(juld be used
for a much larger scheme, but that was a matter for the
future, and a matter which some other body probably to be
formed would undertake, but not themselves, and he main-
tained that they were not iire-judging or hampering any larger
scheme. They hoped it would not be long before many rail-
ways would be driven by electricity, and the one thing most
conducive to that change was a proper supply of electricity.
When a railway was contemplating such a change it was
common sense to say that if they could find energy available
from a reUable source at a reasonable cost they would rather
have it than spend the capital to put up their own station.
It was no good waiting for the railways to come along and
ask them if they would supply them. Ihat was not business.
It was said that the station would not be sufficient, but if the
company had the station on the lines proposed it could be
extended in much less time and at less cost than providing a
new station. Had it not been for the war the station would
have been running. Although counsel for the oppo.sition re-
presented so many authorities and companies in London, not
one of them had come forward and said that it was able or
willing to give the County Co. a bulk supply. Were they to
be content to say that the future would provide for itself and
that everything would come right, or were they going to make
some attempt to deal with the great shortage? If a board
was going to be formed in a night, if it was going to formulate
a scheme next morning and everything was to be constructed
immediately, it might be that the difficulties would be got
over. The present position was that the three interests repre-
sented by the London County Council, the local authorities,
and the supply companies had formed committees and ap-
pointed engineers to consider the matter from a technical
point of view. One of their witnesses had said that they had
agreed to turn down the Barking site, two others had said
that they had not made up their minds and that they wanted
the next few months to con.sider it, and the one that had said
they had agreed to turn it down had also .said they had not.
That was the first element of agreement which was to result
in the scheme. Where were they? Supposing that they had
not turned it down, and that they wanted it for a site for the
supply of the whole of London. They could have it; there
^A•as nothing to prevent it. It was left to the Commissioners
to provide the requisite protection. If it was assumed that
they had turned it down, what was the good of going to the
Commissioners and saying that the County Co. was prejudic-
ing theii' scheme until they knew what generating station
was to be proposed? He was content that the Commissioners
should protect the opposition in their own way, provided they
did not prevent his company from raising money. The com-
pany had agreed to sell to the larger undertaking, and the
consent of the Commissioners could lie granted upon that
assumption. Suppo-sing hereafter the company would not
sell? In such circumstances he ventured to think that a
Government Bill would be passed in a very short space of
time providing for compulsory purchase. If consent were
given, the company could not proceed with the raising of
capital until after the 1918 Act had been amended to provide
for a higher rate of interest payable out of capital during
construction.
The inquiry then concluded.

Electrolytic Copper Production in Sweden. — Daring

tlie course of the war some of the large consumers of electro-
lytic copper in Sweden, with the support of financial institu-
tions and other interests, reached the conclusion that it
would be advisable to endeavour to render the country in-
dependent of foreign supplies, particularly as deposits of copper
ore already existed in the counti y. and the Government al.so
decided to assist a scheme of this kind. It was. however, not
until the year 1918 that the A.B. Elektrolyt Verken, of
Vasteras, was formed by .some twelve companies. It appears
that in addition to the share capital provided by tliese
companies and by other parties, the Government took
up a nominal amount of 1,000,0(10 kr. in shares, hut it has
so far been impossible to place the undertaking on a sound
financial basis, owing to inadequate funds. The works at
Vasteras was brought to a standstill last year in consequence
of a strike, and operations have not yet been resumed, although
loans have been raised at the company's bankers, and are
now due for repayment unless the shareholders give personal
.guarantees in proportion to their respective shareholdings. On
its part the Government has dechned to give a guarantee, but
the other shareholders are prepared to do so provided that the
Government will agree to a modification of tlie company's
contract with the State hydi-o-electric department with regard
to the supply of electrical energy. An application has been
made to the Government to this elTect. If the suggested
alterations of what is termed a burdensome contract are con-
ceded, the private sharehdlders will accept the responsibility
in question ; otherwise they declare their inability to incur
further economic risks on behalf of the co'inpimy, the main-
tenance of which is s;ud to be necessary not only in the in-
terest of the industry, but also in that of the Government.

Vol. 87. No. 2,239, October 23, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

541

IMPROVEMENTS IN STREET LIGHTING.

Recent improvements effected in the lighting of part of the
City of Westminster area supplied by the Charing Cross,
West End & City Electricity Supply Co., Ltd., demonstrate
the striking advantages vphich can be gained by the use of gas-
filled incandescent lamps in conjunction with scientifically
designed fittings. A short resume of the systems which were
tried before deciding on the gas-filled lamp will make the
reason for its adoption obvious.

About 20 years ago the Charing Cross Supply Co. put in
the first installation of open type arc lumps, which were
replaced later by flame arcs. During the war, when lighting
restrictions came into force, various expedients were tried to
reduce the candle power of the lamps. These proved un-
satisfactory, and finally, a few weeks before the armistice,
the flame arcs were taken out and 100- watt gas-filled lamps
fitted in the arc lamp cases.

When the time came to restore the lighting to pre-war
standards the Supply Co. decided, after careful consideration,
to abolish arcs altogether in
favour of the fittings and lamps
described later. The chief
reasons for coming to this
decision were the low mainten-
ance costs of gas-filled lamps
compared with arcs, and the
improved control of light which
could be obtained.

The area in which the new
system has been installed in-
cludes the Strand, St. Martin's
Lane, Northumberland Avenue,
Trafalgar Square. Leicester
Square, The Haymarket, Long
Acre, and part of Charing
Cross Road and Whitehall. In
all 122 standards have been
converted.

Fig. 1 shows the general de-
sign and proportions of the
posts. The lanterns are of a
special pattern, each one con-
taining a 200-volt, 750-watt
Osram ga.s-filled lamp. The
total w-attage per post is, there-
fore, 1,500.

Fig. 2 shows an illumination
curve plotted from readings
taken on lamps in Northumber-
land Avenue. The posts were
ICO feet apart, the distance
from the lamp filament to the
ground being 25 feet. The
maximum illumination re-
corded, du'ectly under the
lamps, is 2.6 foot-candles, the
T,i.„ T c,. ,.„.„„ „.,.„ „,„„ minimum is 0.3 foot-candles,
M r^^ffnP; " 71 ^"^"midwav between the standards!
Metropolitan Lanterns. ^^^^ ■ jj^^^^gg 3,^^^ the even

distribution of hght, the diver-
sity factor, or ratio of maximum to minimum illumination
being as low as 8.6.

Pig .3 is reproduced froman untouched photograph taken by
artificial light, and gives some idea of the excellent effect
obtained.

Having described the improvement which has been effected
it is interesting to note how these results were obtained. The
fittings, .supplied by the General Electric Co., Ltd., embody
the latest improvements in design, and possess several new
features.

The lantern, which is known under the name of the
" Metropolitan." is shown in fig. 4. The constructional details
are shown in the sectional view. fig. 5.

.\ system of ventilation (patent No. 137,911) has been intro-
duced in the lantern, which, while providing a large radiating

N,

/

h

\

\

^

/

/

s

^

The reflector is formed of a substantial casting which gives
the lantern sufQcient weight to reduce the tendency to swing
in high winds. The reflecting surface is finished in white
vitreous enamel, which is easily cleaned and is permanent.
The " Metropolitan " lanterns are fitted with Holophane
refractor globes. These are fixed in a hinged ring, and by
loosening a single fly nut, access is obtained to the inside of
the lantern for replacements and cleaning purposes. A special

Fig. 3.— Night View in Pall Mall East.

LT-section rubber gasket forms a water-tight joint between the
rim of the glass and the lantern, and guards the rim against
breakage.

In any lantern designed on definite optical principles the
problem of providing an efficient, and at the same time easily
manipulated focusing device merits special attention. Im-
provements in the manufacture of the lamps themselves are
often accompanied by changes in dimensions, and if some
means for compensating for this were not embodied in the
lantern the light distribution would be adversely affected.

Fig. 2. — Curve uk Illuminathj.v Bktwken Lami' Standards.

Fig. 4.— (;.£■;.(;

Mi''.TRiii'()i,iT,\.\ ■' Lantern.

surface, allows of a current of air being drawn continuously
over the lamp. .A sectional plan of the ventilating device is
given in fig. 6,- the arrows .showing the course of the air
current.^. Thermometer tests show that with this system of
ventdation the temperature rise is 25 per cent, to -30 per cent,
less than is the case with the old type of ventilators. In this
connection it is interesting to note that recent tests on gas-
filled lamps have shown that their useful life depends to a
great extent on the temperature of the air surrounding the
bulb.

The correct focal position can be quickly and easily fixed by
means of the ratchet focusing device (patent No. 143,048),
shown in fig. 7. To focus the lamp it is only necessary after
screwing it into the holder to push it gently into the correct
position, ■^•here it is immediately held by the ratchet. Ab
focusing has to be done in all weathers and generally at the
top of a ladder, this is a most important feature. Tq facihtate
further the operation special templates were made so that
by fitting them over the lamp when it is in the reflector the
attendant can see at once when the lamp is correctly set.

642

THE ELECTRICAL KEVIEW. LVol. 87. No, 2,239, October 2-2, 1S2C.

The installation was designed by the illuminating engineer-
ing department of the General Electric Co., Ltd.. to the
specitication of Mr. W. B. Thorpe, chief engineer of the Char-

\\urk>) ; Mr. Jabez Hall (Iron and Steel Trades Confedera-
tion); Mr. Pretty (Messrs. Huntley & Palmer, Ltd.); and Mr.
John Amos (General Secretary of the I.L. &, C.).

The (li.-^iiission was opened by Mr. E. W. Petter, who, deal-
ing with the position of affairs from the employers' point of
view, showed how disastrous had been the effect of the unrest
Ihnt had been disturbing industry for the past two years.
Employers, not knowing from one day to the next what new
demands would be made upon them, were unable to quote firm
prices to contracts or even a definite date for dehvery, and the
result had been that contracts, worth in the aggregate millions
of pounds, had been taken from England and placed abroad.
He cited instances of contracts which had been lost to this
ciiuntry through the causes mentioned, the result being
reflected more and more by the conditions of the labour
market. Large employers who had ventured to quote fixed
prices in contracts found, when the contracts had been com-
pleted, that they had lost thousands of pounds on the trans-
:ictions. They could not afford to go on doing that. Now, as
the contracts in hand were being completed, manufacturers
found they had not sufficient work to keep the whole of their
plant in operation, and naturally they were dismissing men in
all directions. Instability and loss of contracts were culminat-
ing in unemployment, and the time had arrived when workers
Hnd emplo\ors .should look the whole situation frankly in the
face and see whether they could not find a solution. If they
could only agree to stability for a fixed period, approximately
twelve mouths, during which time all should join in carrying
on under existing standards, he had no hesitation in saying
the outcome would be that the wave of unemployment would
be stayed, industry would .speedily recover and ab.=orb the
\vhole of the unemployed in the land, the cost of living would
be automatically and materially decreased, and at the end of
the year the workers, provided they stuck conscientiously to
their work, would find they would not only be able to main-
tam their present rate of pay, but its relative value would be
con,siderably enhanced, as the value of the £ would be brought
considerably nearer to an economic level.

There was a decided unanimity of opinion as to the abso-
lute need for stability, and the onl.v variance of opinion ex-
pressed was with regard to the best means which could be

FlCI. 0. Sl.CTlli.NM. ^■|l:\V <1I " MtnUdl'Dl.lTAN
I.ANTICnN.

Fiu. 6.— Section.m- Vl.w

OF Patented Fig. 7. — Sectio.n ok

Ventilating Devici;. PocrsiNt; Df.vke.

ing Cross, West End & City Electricity Supply Co., Ltd.. to
whom we are indebted for permission to publish this de-
scription.

THE NECESSITY OF STABILITY IN
INDUSTRY.

A CoM'EKENCE was held last week-end. under the auspiceb
of the Industrial League and Council, at the resi-
dence of Mr. Hugo Hirst. " Fox Hill." near Reading,
to discuss the serious situation which is developing
throughout the country owing to the instability that
obtains in industrial affairs. In addition to Mr. Hirst,
the head of the General Electric Co., Ltd., the follow-
ing gentlemen were among those who took part in the confer-
ence :— The Rt. Hon. G. H. Roberts, M.P. ; the Rt. Hon. R.
McKenna ; Major-General Sir Newton Moore, M.P. ; Mr. E.
W. Petter (Messrs. Vickers-Petters. Ltd.): Mr. David Gilmour
(Scottish Miners); Mr. E. Manville. M.P.; Mr. John Baker
(Iron and Steel Trades Confederation) ; Mr. J. D. Boving
(Messrs. Boving <i- Co.. Ltd.. hvdraulic engineers); Mr. Clat-
worthy (Cardiff) ; Mr. G. Dallas (Workers'' Union) ; Mr. M.
Railing, Dr. \. Raihng and Mr. J. Y. Fletcher (General Elec-
tric Co.. Ltd.); Mr. P. Rosling (Messrs. W. T. Henley's Tele-
graph Works Co.. Ltd.); Mr. Frank Smith (Shipbuilding
Trades Federation) ; Mr. C. Wilson (the Osram-G.E.C. Lamp

adopted to attain that end. That the industries of the country
should have an opportunity to compete on sound stable terms
for contracts against foreign competitors, was regarded as
essential to the welfare of the workers and the nation as a
whole, but it was also emphasised and generally agreed that
workers should be given a larger share in the management of
the industry in which they were engaged, and a proportionate
liarticipation in any increased profits <lerived as a result of the
united efforts made.

All the delegates viewed with considerable apprehension the
fact that so much land had been allowed to go out of culti-
vation in England during the past twelve months, and it was
urged that every effort should be made to further agi-icultural
development, not only to a (lord work for the unemployed, but
with the piimary object of producing food, so as to give other
industries a chance to export a proportional surplus of their
manufactures, and so tend to equalise the rates of exchange.

These conferences of employers and employed as organised
by the Industrial League and Council were regarded as a use-
ful feature, and the delegates urged the necessity of such con-
ferences being extended to every part of the country.

British Magnetos. — The judges' awards in connection

with the Air Minietr.v Amphibian aeroplane tests show that the fir«l
pri?/ -winner, Vickers "Viking; III" with Napier "Lion " engine anfl
the third prize-winner "Fairey Amphibian" with' Napier ' L'lon"
engine, were fitted with B.T.H. magnetos.

Vol. ST. No. 2,239, OCTOBBB 22, 1920.] fEE lliJtliO'CBlCAL KEVTEW.

513

NEW ELEGTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

Rtaderi art invittd to mbmit particulari of ntw or improvtd devicu and apparatut, ujAioA will it publithtd
if oonndertd of luffioitnt inttrett.

X Lamp with two Filamentij.

A recent note in the Electrical World de.scribes the con-
struction of an electric hght bulb with two filaments, manu-
factured by the Whitelite Electric Co., of New York. The
" Duahte " (as it is called) has a cap screwed over the top
of the part inserted in the holder. When the first filament
burns out this cap is taken off and the lamp replaced in its
socket, and the second filament is thus put into circuit. It
is claimed that the gas with which the bulb is filled effec-
tively prevents discoloration when the fir.st tiliuncnt gives
out.

A Monorail Electric Hoist.

Included in one of the latest lists, illustratnig various types
of " Witton-Kramer " hoists, issued by the General Electric
Co., Ltd., 67, Queen Victoria Street, E.G. 4, is the monorail
electric hoist shown in fig. 1. The hoist is of standard \Yitton-
Kramer design arranged for power lifting and travelling, cap-
able of dealing with loads up to '20 cwt. at a speed of approxi-

P

Fiu. I.— Witto-N-Kra.mei; ELixiiiic IIulst.

mateiy '20 ft. per minute; the output of the motor beiug
•2h.P. at 750 r.p.M. A suitable seat is provided for the operator
who travels with the hoist. The magnet is the 39-in. rect-
angular type, and is used for dealing with .steel angles, and it
is claimed that it is possible to do work with this hoist and
magnet in five minutes which previously took three men
4.5 minutes.

A Fire with Removable hiements.

Fig. 2 .shows the manner in wliich the elements of the

" Magnet " ISfodel " A " electric tire, manufactured by the

Pig. 2.— Fire with Removable Elements.

llENERAL El.RCTRiC Co., LTD.. f)7. Quepii Victoria Street. E.C.4,
may be removed bodily from their housing. In thjs way the

renewal of elements becomes an easy matter, and new coils,
earthenware segments, or complete elements may lie put into
position very quickly.

A New Bonding Nipple.

Our attention has been drawn to a new method of bonding
small cables and wires for use with standard cast-iron joint
boxes. This consists of a .small nipple made of soft metal
and screwed with |-in. conduit thread (fig. .3). Through the

Fr;. .■i.--THr, " K

lii'MHNd Niri'LE.

centre of the nipple is a slot through which the cable or
wires are taken. The nipple is then screwed into the joint
iiox, and bonding is effected by squeezing the soft metal
over the lead sheathing of the cable (fig. 4). The chief ad-

Fu;. 1.— Method oe Closing the Niitle.

vantages of this bonding method are the absence of small
screws and lixtures and facilitation of inspection. The manu-
facturers (if this device, which is called the " Konled," are
Messhs, Faii.kner it Co., 5, Market Street, Manchester.

A Conduit Joint and Earthing Clips.

Messrs. Willis & Shaw, 37, Haley Hill, Halifax, have
drawn our attention to a new conduit coupling recently
liatcnted by them. The coupling (fig. 5) consists of a split
collar uf spring steel, the ends of which are turned over to

Fig. 5.— Conduit Joint and Earthing Clip.

provide a dovetailed ridge over which a tapered slide is
forced. The inventors claim that for mechanical strength and
continuity the device is equal to any conduit joint in present
use. The earthing device will take any number of conduits or
cables and with the .siime lug connects up without a break to
tiie earthing screw on the switch.

'614

THE ELECTRICAL REVLE"W. [Voi. 87. No. 2,239, octobeb 22, 1920.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Coinpllad exprftssly for this journal by Messrs. Septon-Jones, O'Dell aho
STSrHENS, Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, W:C. 1.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in parentheses are those under which the specification* will b«
printed and abridged, and all subsequent proceedings will be taken.

38,055. " Means of electrically heating contents of utensils." E. A. Welch.
October 4th.

28,065. " Electric switches and circuit regulating devices." J. Bradley.
Octobc-r 4th.

•28,069. " Electrical indicator." H. L. Hollcy and A. I-'. Norris. October
4th.

38,077. " Manu(,icture of frames for polyphase electric machinery." C.
Kamonoda. October 4th. (France, February 10th.}

28,081. " Apparatus for separating or sorting by electric conductivity."
H. L. A. Schweitzer. October 4th. (France, October 3rd, 1919.)

28,085. " Electrical speed regulator systems." Metropolitan-Vickers Elec-
trical Co. October 4th. (United States, October 2nd, 1919.)

28,090. " Electric inductance apparatus." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. October 4th.

38,091/2. "X-ray apparatus and methods." W. D. Coolidgc. October 4th.
(United States. July 9lh.)

28,094. " Electric insulators and their manufacture." H. Herrmann. Octo-
biT 4th. (France, June 4th.)

28,101. " Thermionic or vacuum tubes, S:c." A. G. T. Cusins and J. H.
Whittaker-Swinton. October 4th.

28,110. " Electro-magnetic switching apparatus." R. E. H. Carpenter and
F. G. Creed, and Creed & Co. October 4th.

28,116. " Electroscopic apparatus." F. A. Johnsen and K. Rahbek. Octo-
ber 4th. (Denmark, February 15th, 1919.)

28,143. " Telephone systems." Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co.,
C. Gillings, and R. Mercer. October 5th.

28,167. " Sparking plugs." C. O. Meeke. October 5th.

28,181. " Shock absorber for power transmission systems." A. Alltree.
October 5th.

28.198. " X-ray apparatus." British Thomson-Houston Co. October 5th.
(United States, October 39lh, 1913.)

28.199. " Operating mechanisms for searchlights." British Thomson-
Houston Co. (General Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. October 5th.

28,203. " Electric lamp, S:c., brackets." V. C. Bond and F. Marpole.
October 6th.

28.207. " Electric heating device for plunging." F. Frei. October 5th.

28.208. " Deferred action dry battery." E. C. R. Marks (National Carbon
Co.) and National Carbon Co. October 5lh.

28.212. " Electric air difluser." H. Ashdown. October 5th.

28.213. " Electric resistance switches." J. W'atkinson. October 5th.

28.214. " Electric switches." J. Watkinson. October 5th.

28.249. " Sparking plugs." F. W. Schroeder. October 5th.

28.250. " Electric accumulators." Soc. de I'AccuiTiulateur Tudor. October
5th. (Belgium, November 5th, 1919.)

28,253. " Incandescent electric lamps." W. E. John. October eth.
28,364. " Speed regulation of electric motors." M. S. Conner and C. C.
Puckette. October 6th.
38,370. "Sparking plugs." J. E. Burrows. October 6th.
38,278. ■' Electric switches." J. A. Crabtree. October 6th.

28.317. " Electrical apparatus for filtering, disinfecting, diffusing, and
heating air. &c." W. E. Siday. October 6th.

28.318. " Production of high-tension electric currents." J. H. Swinton-
Whittaker. October 6th.

28.327. " Electric induction apparatus." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. October 6th.

28.328. " Current interrupter for electric irons." A. Neachell. Octo-
ber 6th.

28.330. " Automatic control of electric motors." C. E. W. Talbot. Octo-
ber 6th.
28,338. " Automatic telephone pay station." G. A. Long. October 6th.
28.342. " Electrical oil switches." D. R. Davies and Metropolitan-Vickers
Electrical Co. October 6th.

28,357. " Electricallv illuminated traffic signalling devices." A. I. Marks.
October 6th.

28,385. " Electric cable terminals." E. L. Bishop. October 7th.

38,386/7/8. " Electric switches." G. H. Ide and F. Painter. October 7th.

28,393. " Dynamometers." \V. Sumner. October 7th.

38,395. " Electric heating devices." F. Maag. October 7th. (Switzerland,
October 8th, 1919.)

28,400. " Valves for gas. electric, steam. Sec, healing." G. WilUinson.
October 7th.

28,406. " Trolley heads for electric trams." G. L. Butler and M. J.
Railing. October 7th.

28,430. " Electric welding apparatus." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. October 7th.

28,452. "Means for receiving wireless signals." Ges. fur Drahllose Tele-
graphic. October 7th. (Germany, October 8th, 1919.)

28,461. " Electric switchgear of the truck, &c., tvpe." Johnson & Phillips
and P. M. Wood.. October 7th.

28,469. "Telephones, phonographs. &c." A. S. Bowlcy. October 7th.

28,479. " Sparking plug." R. S. Brown. October 7th.

28,489. " Sparking plugs." G. Mcintosh. October 8th.

38,495. " Electric lamps." W. H. Walton. October 8th.

28,504. " Device for testing sparking plugs." G. H. Baxter. October 8th.

28.514. " Electric junction box." R. Crust. October 8th.

28,517. '* Electrically operated warning signals." D. McGregor. October
8th.

28,620. " Magnetic separators." A. E. Davies. October 8th.

28,525. " Porcelain insulator." W. Powell. October 8th.

38.528. " Electric apparatus for recording and reproducing sound." A. F.
Svkes. October 8th.

'28,647. " Magneto-electric machines." F. I. Bennett. October 8lh. .

28,559. " Electric heating and ventilating apparatus." J. P. Ogle and
Ventiheta. Ltd. October 8th.

28,577. ** Insulators for suspension of high potential electric lines." A.
Richard. October 8th.

28,579. " Sparking plugs." D. Pelabon and Pelabon, Ltd. October 8th.

28,585. " Hand tools for electricians, &c." S. E. Aaron and A. P. Smith.
October 8th.

28,599. " Circuit controlling apparatus fur wireless telegraphy." F. G.
Creed and Creed & Co. October 8th.

28.603. " Apparatus for indicating opening or closing of electrical con-
tacts. &c." J. Simpson. October 9th.

28.605. " Electric warning signal (or lell-h.Tnd-driven cars." E. A. Can-
niford. October 9lh.

28,610. " Magnetos." R. Bosch Akt.-Ges. October 9lh. (Gcrmanv, Octo-
ber 24th, 1919.)

28,612. " Sparking plug tester." \V. H. Carpenter and A. VV. Gillain.
October 9th.

38,616. "Slow motion device loi electric motor starters, &c." D. C.

Sharp. ■ October 9th.

28.660. " Autor-alic switches for
October 9th.

28,665. " Electric oil switches."
Electrical Co. October 9th.

2^,681. " Electrical contact makers
J. I.. Scott. October 9th.

la,3.M. " V\irciess signalling sjstems." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.). October 27th. 191U. (151,021.)

1BI.T.

n,:im. " Electric insulators." British Tho
ric Co.). December 5th, 1917. (151,023.)

on-Houston Co. (Ge

X81S.

7,308. " Machine switching telephone exchange systems." Western Electric
Co. and L. Polinkowsky. May 1st, 1918. (Addition to 24,931/19.) (151,023.)

1SX9.

6,626. " Adjustable resistances." Evershed & \ignolcs and S. Evershed.
March 17lh, 1919. (151,033.)

9,074. " Electrically propelled vehicles." J. Scott. April lOtb, 1919.
(151,035.)

11,694. " Electric accumulators." E. Lemaire. May 9lh, 1919. (151,044.)

11,888. " Electric battery cells." A. Spencer. November 12th. 1919.
(151,045.)

12.727. " Electrical devices for transmitting definite signals ajid for receiv-
ing said signals at a distance." J. W. Robinson. May 20lh, 1919. (151,050.)

14,385. " Electrical step-by-step mechanisms, as used for propelling the
hands of electrical impulse clocks." I. H. Parsons and A. E. J. Ball. June
6th, 1919. (151,057.)

14,758. " Oscillating apparatus for submarine signalling and other pur-
poses." Submarine Signal Co. and G. C. Evans. June lllh, 1919. (151,061.)

14,826. " Aerial sjstems for wireless telegraphy." C. T. Wilkinson. June
13th, 1919. (Cognate Application 5,774/20.) (151,063.)

16,079. " Sparking plugs." W. J. Geddes. December 29th, 1919. (151,110.)

16,201. '* Operating and tripping mechanism of oil break electrical
switches." R. T. Norton. June 2('lh, 1919. (151.112.)

16,478. *' Wireless transmitting and receiving apparatus for use on air-
craft." L. A. McDougall and J. M. Poyntz. July 2nd, 1919. (151,115.)

16,638. " Means for varying resistance inductance or like coils." G. de P.
Foglietta. July 3rd, 1919. (151,117.)

16.728. " Signalling systems with special reference to telephonic circuits."
E. A. Graham, W. J. Rickets, and E. A. Sanftleben. July 4lh, 1919.
(151,118.)

17,337. " Magneto-electric machines." C. B. Redrup. July 10th, 1919.
(151,125.)

18,989. " Variable electrical condensers." H. VV. Sullivan and J. Joseph.
July 31st, 1919. (151,138.)

19,351. " Telephonic transmission systems." Wsetcrn Electric Co. (Western
Electric Co.). August 5th, 1919. (151,140.)

30,669. " Electric ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines."
E. A. Watson and M.-L. Magneto Syndicate. August 23nd, 1919. (Addition
to 138,985.) (151,145.)

21,272. " Electric cable mountings for use on motor vehicles." R. W.
Maudslay and Standard Motor Co. August 29th, 1919. (151,150.)

23,532. " Electrical propulsion of ships." Akt.-Ges. Brown, Boveri et Cie.
October 1st, -1918. (133,301.)

24,074. " Devices for electrically heating hand-irons." D. Donaldson.
October 3nd, 1919. (151,161.)

24,130. " Magnetos." American Bosch Magneto Corporation. October 26th,

1918. (134,823.)

34,334. " Magnetos." W. J. Mellersh Jackson (American Bosch Magneto
Co.). October 3rd, 1919. (151.163.)

24,844. " Current distributors of electric ignition systems." F. A. Hood.
October 10th, 1919. (151,166.)

24,931. " Machine switching telephone systems." ~ Western Electric Co.
(Western Electric Co.). February 25th, 1918. (Divided application on 3,333/18.)
(151,167.)

28,501. " Electric gas lamps with glow discharge." J. Pintsch Akt.-Ges.
December 12th, 1917. (Addition to 135.485.) (135,487.)

31,695. " Registering, recording, and receipt issuing apparatus for elec-
tricity, gas, and similar supply meters." C. A. Gustaffsson. December 17th,

1919. (151,189.)

isao.

2,814. " Short circuiting device for electrical ignition apparatus." O.
Imray (Bosch Akt.-Ges., R.). January 39th, 1920. (151,199.)

3,073. " Electric switches." L. Trabet. September 16th. 1919. (151,300.)

3,939. " Ignition magnetos for internal combustion engines." Fabriques
des Monrtes renith. April 15th, 1919. (141,672.)

5.233. " Electric circuit controllers." R. Amberton. February 20th, 1920.
(151,206.)

9,023. " Use of thermionic devices in wireless and other signalling systems."
Western Electric Co. September 3rd, 1915. (140,829.)

11,345. " Systems of supplying energy to electrical circuits." J. F. P.
Jaubert. March 7th, 1919. (142,132.)

14.873. " Electric switches," Remy Electric Co. June 11th, 1919.
(144,636.)

15.380. ** Tubular electric condenser, and method of manufacturing same."
G. Giles. June 16th, 1919. (145,008.) . '

18,019. " Suppressing the spark produced on breaking a circuit produced
having self-induction." F. Krupp Akt.-Ges. October 23rd, 1915. (145.721.)

18,240. " Apparatus for regulating electric currents." F. Krupp Akt.-Ges.
August 27th, 1917. (140,307.)

ctric heating apparatus." A. Kirk.
E. Gittins and Metropolitan-Vickers
r steering wheels of motor vehicles."

Service Notes.— Mr. W. H. Allan, acting second class

draughtsman. Rosyth, has been tran.sf erred from the electrical
engineer's department to the .Admiralty. Warrant Tele-
graphist A. 0. Greenhill has been appointed to the battle-
ship Erin. Lieut. J. L. Winter, Edinburgh (Electric Lights
Company) Fortress Engineer,s. has resigned his commis-
sion, and has been given the rank of captain. Lieut.
W. P. Anderson, Lieut. D. H. Brown, Lieut. S. .J. Fielding,
Lieut. J. F. Galloway. Lieut. V. R. Kettle. Lieut. T. Light -
body. Lieut. W. G. Normand. Lieut. A. Russell, and Lieut.
¥. G. Witney, of the same corps, hare resigned their
commissions and retain their rank. Mr. F. C. Stacey. A Glass
supervisor, electrical engineer's department, Sheerness, has
been transferred in a similar capacity to the Portsmouth
Yard. Lieut, T. E. Taylor, Lancashire Fortress (Electric
Lights Company) Engineers, has relinquished his commission
owing to ill health contracted on active service.

TIXS

BJXjEOTI^IO^Ij I^E'VIES'W-

Vol. LXXXVII.

OCTOBER 29, 1920.

No. 2,240,

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

Vol, LSSXVII.] CONTENTS: October 29, in'20.

The Problem of Reconstruction

The Lishting. Heating and Power (Emergency) Order. 1920

Joint Industrial Councils

Kotherham Electricity Works (.iUus.)

Electricity and Housing Cillus.')

Outdoor B.H.p. Transformers, by D. Macbean (illus.)

Extension of Unemployment Insurance, by J. J. H. Stansfield

Legal

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (.illus.)

Business Notes ... ... ... ••• ••• ••• •■•

Notes

City Notes

Stocks and Shares •

Power Factor, by C. Turnbnll (illn.i.)

The Regan Train Control System (iifax.)

The Classification of Engineers

The Russian Electrical Industry During and after the War ...
Correspondence —

Commutator Construction

Domestic Supply Pressure and Wiring

What is a "Qualified Electrical Engineer'' / •.

Delivery Dates

Reviews

New Patents Applied^for, 1920

Abstracts of Published Specifications

Contractors' Column Advertisement page

[No. 2,240.
Page
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iir

THE PEOBLEM OF RECONSTRUCTION.

(^)uiTE an epidemic of eloquence on the suliject of economic
recovery has been raging of late. Lord Leverhulme, at the
O. P. Club, remarked that 32 years ago he began a system of
employment based on good wages, a bonus on production,
anci profit-sharing, but he found that the scheme only
excited the opposition of Trade Unions. To manage a
business successfully, he said, demanded vision and imagin-
ation, and prolonged training was a vital necessity ; hence
the idea that a board composed of untrained workmen
could build up a business was futile.

Lord Haldane, addressing a meeting organised by the
Institute of Industrial Administration, said the beginnings
of a new social order were apparent, and there was a move-
ment towards equality. The mass of the people was
dissatisfied because it did not share in the advantages
enjoyed by a smaller and more fortunate class. He would
substitute for the power of Capital the principle of Service ;
all that Capital was entitled to was the interest necessary to
attract it. Capital was not entitled to dominate ; after the
interest had been paid, residuary profits could be shared to
pay wages and for special services. To the principle of
Service he would couple that of Education, and on these they
could lay the foundations of industrial peace — the State
should undertake the education of democracy.

Lord Weir, before the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce,
last week, laid down a number of conditions which he
regarded as essential to a constructive policy. These
included a temporary stabilisation of wages for 12 months,
payment by results, freedom of employment, increase of
working hours, and retrenchment on the part of the
Government. He regarded the present situation as very
grave, and capable of amelioration only by increased pro-
duction, combined with greater efficiency. A vast
industrial reserve was available but unutilised, owing to
the dead hand of the Trade Unions, which denied it
opportunity ; let that restraint be removed, and he con-
fidently predicted a wave of enterprise and development
which would go far to improve the conditions. Lord Weir
did not absolve the employers of blame in respect of their
failure to formulate a definite policy for dealing with
industrial problems.

Sir Kobt. Hadfield, addressing the British Commercial
Gas Association, emphasised the need for economy— not
merely by cutting down expenditure, but by " the fruitful
use of resources." He also advocated increased production,
not for the enrichment of the few, but to save from priva-
tion the many, and to pay off the debts of the community ;
it was vital to the life of the people. Limitation of output,
he said, was a crime against the community ; there was work
enough in sight to give employment to every man for years
to come, but if the policy of low production for high wages
was adopted, unemployment and destitution would
inevitably be the outcome.

Lord Cowdray, delivering an address as Lord Rector of
Aberdeen University, pointed out that while industrial
capital could be destroyed, it could not be divided without
simultaneous destruction ; the Russian Bolshevists had
discovered that they could not confiscate it — the overthrow
of the system on which it was built up destroyed it. For
that reason many Socialists proposed to retain the capitalist
system, but to substitute the State for the individual
employer ; but the workers would not forgo the right
to strike, even if the State were in control,
as the present strike of the miners showed, and
therefore the situation would not be changed unless, like
the Communists, the State solved the difficulty by forced
't labour. In hi.s view, the idea of partnership instead of
'*' conflict offered the only hope for the country. The prin-
[545] D

546

YUE'

bJijJ

.tU&V'ji'

LVol. 87. No. 2,24u, Ootobkb 29, 1920.

ciples of the minimum wage and insurance against
unemployment were included in this idea. The ideal wage
comprised three factors : the guaranteed minimum, a
variable amount proportional to individual output, and
a variable addition according to the result of the
undertaking — i.p., piecework with a guaranteed mini-
mum and a bonus on profits. He submitted to both
employers and employed the importance of developing the
third factor (the bonus on results), the workman sharing in
the management. Partnership and mutual understanding
would alone bring peace.

Here, then, is a remarkable symposium of leaders of
opinion in industry and sociology. Each in his own way,
and for the edification of a most heterogeneous series of
audiences, has summed up the industrial position and offered a
solution to the problems which it presents. There is a large
measure of agreement between them ; they all hold that the
salvation of the country lies in increased production, and
the adoption by the employer of a new attitude towards the
employed. In future the latter must be regarded as a
intrfner ; he will not be fobbed off with piecemeal con-
cessions, which merely aggravate the evil. As an American
has put it, he will no longer work to enrich tbe " boss" ; he
means to share in the prosperity of the concern in which he
invests his labour, and the princes of industry acknowledge
the justice of his claim. But there is a vital condition to
be fulfilled— that of unrestricted service, which is the
indispensable precursor of prosperity.

The great problem before us, then, is twofold : to devise
a genuine mode of partnership that will commend itself to
the worker ; and to convince the latter of the sincerity of
the employer. Those factors solved, all the rest shall be
added unto us.

This Order, like a good many other
The Lighting, Orders, has induced a state of perplexity

/r" .^'' .T in the minds of the recipients. Electricity
(Emergency) j ^ , • , • j

Order, 1920. supply undertakings are much exercised
as to exactly what they are really expected
to do under the Order. As a matter of fact, it is really
difficult to see what they can do. The (;)rder imprimis is
directed to consumers. It is quite clear what fheij have to
do— cut off all advertising or display lights, and to
economise generally, and if they own a " factory," reduce
their power consumption by half. Again, it is clear who
are the people who have to see that this is done — the Local
Authorities. The undertakers are not mentioned by name.
The only reference which can be construed as implying ;i
duty on them is Clause ;!, which states : " where gas or
electricity is required for power in any premises within the
scope of Part III of the Coal (Emergency) Order, 1020, its
supply and use shall be restricted so that not more than 50
per cent, of the weekly average quantity si'/i/ilied or used
for power in the four weeks last preceding the date of the
Order coming into force s/mll he siippliccl or used. . . "

Hut it is to be noted that all the foregoing about
"supply" is in the passive. Piead in conjunction with
Clause 7, this might be taken as a method of specifically
legalising the undertaker's action in obeying the orders
issued by the local authority with regard to cutting off supply
to consumers as provided in the clause mentioned. There
certainly does not appear to be any obligation resting on the
undertakers to deal with the 50 per cent, decrease, except
by cutting off consumers under the direction of the local
authority. As a matter of fact, the words "supplied or
used " mean, as applied to electricity, the same thing. The
meter readings and data as to consumption are certainly,
under Clause t;, to be ascertained by the owner, occupier,
or manager of the premises.

Clause 4, dealing with the power of the local authority
to increase the percentage, primarily applies obviously to
the applications of individual consumers ; but it also reads
as applying to a conceding of the raising of the percentage
all round, on the general application, say, of the under-
taking. The Order will obviously be excessively difficult
to enforce. The industry is in no way responsible
for the directions ; the Board of Trade did not consult
it before drafting. Still, it is up to every undertaking

to do the best it can from a patriotic standpoint. Also,
it is to the interest of all undertakings to conserve their
stocks of coal. What the undertakings have to do, there-
fore, is to uphold the necessity for economies in every way
possible, and to take every step to bring the provisions of the
Order before the notice of consumers. They should also, of
course, let all consumers understand that if the Order works
hardship in a factory, there is an appeal to the local authority,
as the latter must have due regard to the maintenance of
food supplies (including beer), hospitals, entertainments,
and so forth. They can send out notices to consumers, with
ipceipts, correspondence, &c. They can advertise in the
iocal Press. They can display notice? at their stations,
sub-stations, offices, showrooms, and so forth. They
could send round notices to all consumers, asking,
]ierhaps, the local authority to pay for the stamps, <S;c.
Anyhow, the loyal co-operation of undertakers is an obvious
duty. A great deal can be done by the chiefs seeing that
everyone on their staffs is thoroughly impressed with the
gravity of the situation, and replies to all inquiries of con-
sumers accordingly. If the assistants speak lightly in
connection with any inquiry as to compliance with the
Order, and the duty of doing so, the consumer will
naturally act accordingly. Loyalty in thought atul icord
is what is wanted.

We were very pleased to publish last
Joint ladustrlal , ■ ., n j » i

C u ell week in our " Correspondence columns a

letter from Mr. Webb, of the Electrical
Trades Union, on the question of the Whitley Councils in
the electricity supply industry. AVe should certainly welcome
further comments, either from the Trade Unions' side or from
the employers' side, since we think that nothing but good
can result from open and candid discussion. For one thing,
it stimulates interest in this most important matter— an
interest which, we are afraid, is at present of a somewhat
indifferent quality. For another thing, provided the letters
a'-e similar to Mr. Webb's — that is, 'of a constructive
character and dealing with principles — they contribute some-
thing definite towards a final formulation of policy. The
electricity supply industry has always suffered somewhat
from lack of constructive policy. There has always been an
inclination towards criticism rather than construction. So,
in this matter of industrial policy, it would be much mote
to the point if correspondents would come forward and tell
us, not how bad things are, or are likely to become, but
exactly what they think ought to be done. The Industrial
Councils in the supply industry are new ventures. Ultimate
success depends on their being directed on lines of
sound policy. An open discussion, therefore, would at this
stage be not only pertinent, but particularly useful.

It should certainly be the ambition of the industry that
these Industrial Councils should be exemplars to those in
all other industries. So far, the Councils for the electricity
supply industry seem to be ahead of all others in complete-
ness and comprehensiveness. They started, of course, with
much in their favour. The electricity supply industry is,
perhaps, more fully organised industrially than any other
indu>try of its si/,e. Broadly speaking, we might say that
every employe belongs to a Trade Union : on that side,
therefore, the organisation is complete. The employe) s'
side is similarly almost fully organised ; the four Associa-
tions representing respectively the London companies, the
power companies, the provincial companies, and the municipal
au thorities cover practically all the undertakings in thecountry.
Further, since the competitive element is non-existent in the
supply industry, there is no danger of disintegr.ition on this
score. The industry, therefore, presents the ideal condi-
tions for Whitley ism, and, given the necessary statesmanlike
ability in the leaders on both sides, there is no reason
why the Councils in this industry should not stand foremost
among all industries in full and efficient development.
Exactly what form the final development will take it is
impossible as yet to say. The whole thing is a matter of
growth and gradual adaptation to the evolving necessities
of the case. This it is which makes the matter one of such
great interest and importano^. And the lines of growth
will be determined by the ideals iu the minds of those who
deal with it.

Vol. 87. No. 2,210, October 29, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

547

ROTHERHAM ELECTRICITY WORKS.

•We were recently enabled, by the courtesy of the engineer
and general manager of the Electricity Supply Depart-
ment of the Rotherham Corporation, Mr. Edward Crose,
to visit the new power station which is now approach-
ing completion, and to obtain the photographs which
are reproduced in the following pages. This installa-
tion is of exceptional interest, as being the first " super-
station " to be put into operation, and as containing
the largest turbo-alternator yet installed in this country.
It is laid out for two 1 2,500-KW. generating sets and four
of 30,000 KW. each, making a total of 145,000 Kw. ; of
these machines the first two are in commission, and the first
30,000-KW. set is in course of erection. The boiler house
consists of four sections, of which one is complete and the
second approaching completion. It will be seen, therefore,
that the new station constitutes a very important addition
to the electrical resources of Yorkshire, where it is included
in the " North-East Midlands Electricity District."

But it is not only in point of shter magnitude that the
plant is noteworthy ; its most striking feature is the extra-
ordinary rapidity with which it has grown from a minor to a
major undertaking. When war broke out, the Rotherham
Electricity Works comprised plant of only 4, .500 kw. ;
during the war its capacity was increased by the addition of
two5,500-KW. generating sets to 15,500 KW., making, with
the 55,000 KW. of the new station, an aggregate of
70,500 Kw. — an increase of 1,467 per cent, in six years.

The question at once arises why so large an amount of
power was called for ; the answer is that during the war the
demand increased at a phenomenal rate, so that the possi-
bilities of the existing station were speedily overtaken, and
early in 1917 it was decided to embark on the very
ambitious scheme of which the first instalment is nearly
complete. It will be remembered that at that date the
Government scheme for the concentration of generating

embarking upon this huge scheme — which, moreover, only
embraces one-half of the ultimate capacity contemplated for
the undertaking — the Corporation of Rotherham displayed
a degree of enterprise and an amount of confidence in its
electrical engineer for which it would be impossible to find
a parallel in this country, or perhaps anywhere, in the
whole history of municipal electricity supply.

Fig. 1. — Map of Rotherham Supply Area.

The County Borough of Rotherham is situated on the
River Don, 6 miles to the north-east of Sheffield, and
12 miles from Doncaster ; it is in direct communication
with the main liies of the Great Northern and Midland
Railways, and the Great Central Railway runs through it.

Fig. 2. — Rotherham Electricity Works, No. 2 Station.

plant in large stations was still in the distant future, for the
Coal Conservation Committee had not then issued its final
report. The population of Rotherham at the last census
was under 63,000 ; the cost of the electrical undertaking,
including the existing plant and the projected new station,
was over X1,000,000. It will be »een, therefore, that in

The town has long been noted for its iron and steel work.",
and for the glass-houses, potteries, ironworks, and collieries
in its neighbourhood. Its name is derived from the small
River Rother, which joins the Don at this point, and it lies
partly on the adjoining hilip, and partly in the valley of the
Don, which is here navigable.

648

THE ELECTRICAL EEVEEW. [Vol 87. No. 2,240, octobbb 29, isao.

In" the" neighbouring district 'an "abundance of 'coal and
ironstone is found, which enabled Rotherham to acquire
fame for the manufacture of edge tools many centuries
ago ; ironstone mines, smelting furnaces, and forges were
worked as early as lli;0. The manufacture of iron and
steel is still carried on in the district on a large scale,
especially at ilasbrough and the Holmes ; at the important
works founded at Masbrough by Samuel Walker a century
ago, cast and wrought iron products were turned out in
large quantities, aid at the present day wheels and axles
and other railway iron work are manufactured at several
large works, one of which (Parkgate) also produces armour-
plate for warships.

Rotherham is situated in the South Yorkshire coal area,
and the power station is close to some of the newest and

most up-to-date collieries, capable of a large output.
During the past few years the large steel works and rolling
mills have been very considerably extended, and new works
destined to embark in the heavy iron and steel trade are
being erected at an extremely rapid rate.

The remarkable growth of the electricity undertaking is

Vol. 87. No. 2,240, ootobbb 29, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVEEWo

549

due to the desire of the municipality to meet the greatly
extended needs of the community within the electricity
supply area, which includes not only the county borough of
Eotherham, but also the urban districts of Rawmarsh and
Swinton. Arrangements are also in progress to give a bulk
supply to the Yorkshire Electric Power Co. and the Sheffield
Corporation as the need arises, with a view to intercon-

The lay-out of the station is shown on the accompanying
plan, fig. 5, from which it will be seen that whereas the

PLAN

Fia. 5.— Site Plan.

Fig. 6. — Arbangement of Tippler.

nection between the three systems and possible mutual assist-
ance, on the lines of the Electricity Commissioners' views.
It is estimated that after the completion of the new

old station, No. 1, was built alongside of the canal, the new
one is on the bank of the river. The section of No. 2 station
which is now in being (figs. 2 — -5) consists of aspacious engine-

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-Interior op Boiler-House, Rotherham.

power station the output for the first complete year will be
100,000,000 units, and with an area of supply comprising
100,000 inhabitants, the consumption per capita will reach
the unprecedented figure of 1,000 units per inhabitant per
annum.

room, containing the three turbo-alternators, and two boiler-
houses with two steel smoke-stacks between them. The
existing generating plant constitutes rather more than one-
third of the ultimate capacity, and the boiler plant exactly
one-third. It will be noticed tluit the coal siding ends on

450

I HE £lJfcClKl(jAl JtiEYIEW, [Vol.87. No. 2,240, octobm 29, isao.

the remott side of the canal, and that the coal is carried by a
double conveyor over an open-air coal store to the existing
boiler-honses. Water is derived from the river through a
double culvert passing under the turbine-room, and is
discharged through a single culvert.

The buildings consist of self-supporting steel structures,
filled in with brickwork, except in the case of the switch-
gear annexe, which consists of brickwork, with floors and
roof of reinforced concrete. The principal dimensions are
as follows :— Each boiler-house, 112 ft. x 80 ft. x S4 ft.
high : engine-room, 132 ft. x by 87 ft. wide between the
crane columns, and 110 ft. high to the ridge of the roof,
together with a pump-roomextension 35 ft. wide x 132 ft.
long. Messrs. Babcock & Wilcox, Ltd., were the contractors
for the main buildings, boilers, and coal-handling plant, sub-
letting the structural steel work to Messrs. Heenan & Froude,
Ltd. ; the switchgear annexe was built by Messrs. W. H.
Treherne, Ltd., of Rotherham ; and the whole of the founda-
tions were laid by the Corporation.

The coal-conveying plant embodies several interesting
features. The total disi^ance from the end of the boiler-
house to the railway siding is over 500 ft., the conveyor
passing over a road and the canal. Coal received in trucks
is discharged into a low-level hopper by a Babcock and
Wilcox tippler fitted with hydraulic clamping rams ; a
capstan driven by a 10-h.p. motor is provided for handling
the trucks, while a 12-h.p. motor drives the pum[.« for the
tippler, and the latter is turned by a 5-h.p. motor. The
coal passes from the hopper on to a jigging screen.

(oemporarilyj into a bunker for No. I station, at a and B
for the future boiler houses, and at c for the existing boilerF.
At c an automatic filler is provided through which the coal
is passed into the second conveyor, which is inclined to the

Fig. 'j.— TipPLEU House.

first at an angle of 116", and passes at a height of 23 ft.
over an open coal store 100 ft. long before rising to a height
of 70 ft., and traversing the boUer houses. The conveyor
chain returns by the same route, the coal being discharged
at 10-ft. intervals into bifurcating shoots, which deposit it

Fig. 8. — Conveyor, over Bunkek.

Fio. 10.— Steel Smoke Stacks

whence the small coal is delivered to the conveyor
through a filler ; the large coal is put through a four-
roll coal-breaker, capable of dealing with 100 tons
per hour, before passing to the filler (fig. 6). The breaker
is driven by a 55-h.p. mc tor. The conveyor (fig. 1 1) is of the

in the bunkers clear of the Dmpty buckets, as shown in fig. 8.
()q leaving ihe boiler house the empty buckets pass through
a tunuil under the coal ttore, which is built of concrete
with a hopper bottom, so that the coal can lie fed into the
buckets by meics of a travelling filler. This method has
the advantage of removing coal from the bottom of the
heap — which has a capacity of 3,000 tons — so that spon-
taneous combustion can be guarded against. No. 1 con-
veyor is driven by a 30-h.p. motor, and No. 2 by a 40-h.p.
motor.

FxG. 11.— General Arbanoement op Cosvbyos.

Babcock and Wilcox gravity bucket type, and is carried
at a height of 38 ft. across the canal and roadway by a
lattice girder bridge on five trestles. The coal can be
tipped ut «ach of the last three trestles — at a (fig. 6)

The overhead bunkers are of steel plate, lined with
brick, and are capable of holding 1,000 tons in each boiler
house.

Care is taken to regulate the speed of the two conveyors,

Vol. 87. Ko. 2,240, October 29, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL EEVIEW,

651

80 that the flow of coal is uniform, and push-buttons are
provided at numerous points on the line to enable the con-
veyori to be stopped instantly in the event of any mishap.

The boilers (fig. 7) are of Me?srp. Babcock A: Wilcox's
marine type, with a rated evaporation of 4.5, (H>0 lb. per hour
f ach ; there are six boilers in each section of the boiler house,
three a side, each fitted with three chain-grate stokers, which
are fed by shoots from the bunkers. The boilers are

Fio. 12.— Ash-pits and Breaker.

provided with integral superheaters, and above them .Tie
h-^riz ntal-tube economisers, surmounted by graduated fluis
leading to the chimney shafts, each of which serves two
sets of three boilers. A vertical transverse partition in
each tliaft divides it into two flues, and hori/.ontal
diaphragms divide these again, so that the waste
gases from a set of boilers can either be passed
directly into the chimney under natural draught, or
through fan? in the basement (the normal condition).
These fans are of the Sirocco type, each driven by a Wef-t-
inghouse motcr of 15<t b.h.p. The chimneys (fig. 10) areof

Fill l:!. -Rotary E.khau.ster.

steel plate, 20 ft. in diameter at the bottom and 14 ft. at
the top, and are 113 ft. high from the ground level, which
is 13 ft. below the firing floor. The horizontal flues over
the economisers are carried on steel rollers, supported by
the framing of the building.

From the grates the ashes fall into ash-pits in the base-
ment, whence they can be discharged into ash-breakers
running on a line of rails under each set of boilers (fig. 12).
These breakers are each driven by a 7-h.h;.p. motor. Thence
he ashes are carried away by a pneumatic exhaust system

through 10-in. cast-iron pipes to receivers mounted at the
end of No. 2 boiler-house, in which a vacuum of 5 in. of
mercury is maintained by rotary exhausters, one of which is
shown in fig. 13. The ashes are quenched with a water
spray as they enter the receivers. The suction pipe also
carries off the soot from the economisers and chimnejs,
which is brought to the 10-in. pipes by separate ducts.
The exhausters are driven by 70-b.h.p. Westinghouse
motors.

In the basement, under the boiler fronts, is installed the
shafting which drives the stokers ; each line of shafting,
serving three boilers, is driven through gearing by a
12-B.H.p. motor at each end, one of these motors being a
stand-by.

ilake up feed-water is derived from the town supply,
b-ing stored in a tank between the chimney stacks. The
boiler feed pumps are situated in the engine room, together
with the hotwells; they are of Weir's turbine-driven single-
stage rotary type, exhausting directly into the hotwells
through exhaust nozzles, or alternatively to atmosphere, in
cases of emergency. Six pumps are provided, each capable
of delivering 350,000 lb. of water per hour (fig. 14).
Close to the feed pumps are two liees Roturbo centrifugal
pumps driven by 2'.i-b h.p. Westinghouse motors, and each
capable of delivering 180 gallons of water per minute
under a head of ;!00 ft., for operating tube cleaners of
the water-turbine type and other purposes.

Fig. U.— Feed Pumps and Steam Pipinu.

The hotwells are mounted on a gallery next to the boiler-
liouse wall, and are each equipped with a Tiea recorder
measuring tank.

The steam mains consist of two headers running the
wli )le length of the boiler houses on each side, and coupled
by expansion bends between the sections. In the engine
room they eater steam receivers, from which a 14-in. pipe
leads to each of the 12,500-k'\v. turbines, and two 14-in.
pipes to the 30,000-k\v. turbine. These pipes, with the
feed punlps, are seen in fig. 14.

{To he continued.)

Bauxite In Germany. — Five (Jerman bauxite mines in
Hesaen have been amaleamated into the Bauxite Works Co., of
Frankforton-Main, with a share capital of 7,000 GOO marks, of
which 1,.500,000 marks has been taken over by Dutch interests.

552

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,240, octobeb 29,. 1920,

ELECTRICITY AND HOUSING.

THE BILLINOHAM HOUSING SCHEME.

At a time when so many housing schemes are under consider-
ation, it is thought that a concrete example of what is
actually being done in one Ci. trict will he of wide interest.
The following notes are, thLiefore. presented in the hope
that the particulars given therein will be useful to housing
authorities generally, and to others interested in the
subject.

Too often in the past little interest has been shown in
housing schemes by the general public, the consequence
being that frequently such schemes were approached more

GROUND PLAN FIRST aOOR PLAN

Type " D 2.'

labour-saving devices ; so he frequently did without
them.

This point, however, is not being overlooked in the
housing schemes now under consideration, and, wherever
possible, provision is being made for the use of electricity
with the consequent elimination of dirt and waste, effecting
a saving of labour, and, whf.: i » > important, increasing
the available room space. Electric lighting permits of the
use of low ceilings, because, owing to the small amount of
heat generated, electric lamps can be fixed within a few
inches cf the ceiling. Electric heating makes it possible
to dispense with flues, fireplaces, fenders, &c.. and allows the
heaters and cookers to be used in any convenient position.
The all-electric house, therefore, means a considerable
reduction in the building costs in comparison with the
house adapted for the older methods of lighting, heating,
and cooking.

A number of houses are now being erected at the village
of Billingham, .'>tockton-on-Tees, by the Newcastle-upon-
Tyne Electric Supply Co., Ltd., for the use of its employi'-s
at the North Tees power station. For the present only
7M houses are being built ; they are of four different
types — viz., " B," " C," " D 1," and " D 2," plans of three
of the types being shown in fig. 1. The whole of the
building work is being carried out by Messrs. Walter
Jones tV Sons, of London and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, to the
designs and under the superintendence of Mr. Leonard
.1. Couves, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and the electrical
installation work is in the hands of Messrs. Graham Bros.,
of Middlesbrough.

The houses are all semi-detached, and are built approxi-
mately eight to the acre ; provision is made for gardens at
both the bficks and fronts. Particular attention has been
given to the planning of the houses economically, and so as

ground plans

Types "B" akd "C."
Fig. 1. — Gbound and Fibst-floor Plans op Billingham Houses.

from the point of view of the speculative builder than from
that of the needs of the prospective tenant. There were,
of course, notable exceptions, but, more often than not, the
provision of facilities for introducing labour-saving devices
into the house was either ignored altogether, or made in
such a manner as to be almost useless, and the tenant was
consequently put to considerable expense after the house
'was finished if he wished to take advantage of modern

Fig. 2. — Bathboom, showing Jackson Electric Wash Boiler.

to afford the greatest amount of comfort to the occupiers ;
the elevations on all fronts, too, are such that the houses,
viewed from any point, present a pleasing appearance. The
.storage and cupboard room is well above the average for
this class of bouse. The main roads run from north to
south, thus ensuring a liberal amount of sunshine to the
principal rooms of the [houses, which face east and west.
The boundary and division fences will be formed of thorn

Vol. 8T. No 2,240, octobeb 29, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

553

and privet hedges, and the planting of trees in the grass
margins of the roads will give additional attraction, and at
the same time will leave the estate in keeping with its
rural surroundings.

Electricity is installed throughout in each house for
lighting, heating and cooking purposes ; provision is there-
fore made for only one chimney breast in each house.
With regard to the arrangements made for heating the
houses, a coal-fired grate is placed in the principal living
room in each house ; behind the fireplace is fitted a water
boiler from which the domestic hot-water supply is taken.
At the side of the sitting-room fireplace is a cupboard con-
taining the water circulating Jcylinder, which conveniently
warms the cupboard. The only other firep'a?e in each
house is fitted in the bedroom immediately above the living
rnom, this fireplace having its flue in the same chimney
breast as that of the living room below. If desired, one of
the portable electric radiators can, however, be used as an
alte nitive in either or both of these rooms. The remainder
of the rooms are heated entirely by electricity, each room
being provided with a ventilator, but no fireplace ; by this
means considerably increased space is obtained in the rooms.

One of the smaller " 1)2 " type houses has been furnished
for the company by Messrs. Dickson & Bensons, of Middles-
brough, and the various housing authorities in the district
have been invited to inspect it. Each house is fitted complete
with an electric cooker, electric wash boiler, and electric
firep, and provi.'^ion is made for the tenants to obtain,

Fia. 3. — SCULLBBY, SHOWING JACKSON ELECTRIC COOKEB.

on favourable terms, additional domestic electrical apparatus
which they may care to use. A brief description of the house
is as follows : — The living room, which is on the ground
floor, is the largest room in the house, and contains the
fireplace and water boiler as described above. In addition
there is a wall socket for electric heating purposes, fixed in
such a position as to be most convenient for supplying an
electric iron or other domestic apparatus. The room is
semi-directly lighted by a bowl fitting of plain but neat
appearance.

In the scullery, behind the sitting room, is fitted a large
sink with hot and cold water laid on, and the electric cooker
is installed as shown in fig. 3. It is of the Jackson No. 2 1
type, and has an oven measuring 20 in. by 13 in. by
15"5 in, ; it is loaded to 2 k\v., and controlled by a three-
heat switch. In addition, the cooker is fitted with a
rectangular hot plate loaded to 1'4 kw., and a self-contained
boiling pan of 6 pints capacity with a draw-oif tap. Over
the pan, as shown in fig. 3, are mounted two steamers for
cooking vegetables, &c. Between the hob table and the
oven is a grill and hot cupboard.

Adjoining the scullery is the bathroom, also with hot
and cold water laid on, containing the electrically-heated
clothes boiler shown in fig. 2. Its capacity is 1 0 gallons,
and it is loaded to 4 kw. The domestic hot-water supply
is laid on direct to the boiler from a tap, which is shown
in the illustration, immediately above the wa*h boiler. It
is only necessary, therefore, to raise the temperature of the

water, say, 50' or 60' by electricity to attain boiling point.
The wash boiler is controlled by a three-heat switch, so
that the water can be kept at boiling point with a small
consumption of electricity.

There are three light, airy, bedrooms in the house, and
each is provided with a .Jackson portable electric radiator
of neat appearance, loaded to a capacity of 1, To, or
2 KW., according to the size of the room ; each radiator is
controlled by two switches.

As regards the service arrangements, electricity is
supplied at 250 volts, 40 cycles, single-phase, and a
three-wire service is laid to each pair of houses ; each house
is connected across one phase and neutral, the distri-
bution being on the three-phase, four-core, system. The
estimated consumption of electricity per annum is : — For
class " C " houses, 3,780 units ; and for classes " B " and
" D," 3,4S0 units.

A demonstration was recently carried out with the
actual type of electric cooker to be used at Billingham
before the members of a local housing committee, and the
interesting results are set out below. The following items,
sufficient to provide a meal for six persons, were cooked : —
A sirloin of beef, weighing 3 lb. 12 oz. ; potatoes, weighing
0'25 stone ; two cauliflowers ; a Yorkshire pudding ; and
a rhubarb pie. The heating of the oven to cook the meat
was done as follows : —

Heat.

Time.

Consumption.

Full ...

... 15 minutes

Co unit.

Medium

... 30

0-5

Low ...

... 70

0683 „

Totals Ihr. 55min8. r58H units.

And for cooking the pudding and the pie as under :-

Heat. Time. Comumption,

Fall 15 minutes 0'5 unit.

Medium ... 25 „ 0-42

Low 20 „ 0-17 „

Totals 1 hr. 0 min. 1 '09 units.

In the above test the cauliflowers were boiled in the
boiler and the potatoes were steamed over it ; five pints of
water were boiled from cold and the vegetables cooked in one
hour with a consumption of 0"6 kw., making a grand total
of 3-27 units for the whole meal for six persons. An item
of particular interest was that the shrinkage of the meat
amounted to only 11 '7 per cent., which for frozen meat is
a result ithat could be obtained with no other method of
cooking.

The Newcastle-upon-Tyne Electric Supply Co., Ltd., will
be pleased to supply further information with regard to the
houses described above upon application.

Canada's External Trade.— Figures regarding the trade
of Canada are quoted from the Report of the Canadian De-
partment of Trade and Commerce for the fiscal year ended
March 31st last, by the Board of Trade Journal. It is shown
that imports were 72 per cent, above the pre-war figure, while
exports increased by 187 per cent. The totals are given below
and details of trade with the British Empire and other
countries are shown. The amounts in every caae are given
in Canathan dollars.

1914. 1919. 1920.

Total exports ... 455,437,224 1,268,765,285 1,286,658,709

„ imports ... 618,457,144 916,429,335 1,064,516,160

Excess of imports over

exports - 1&3,019,920 • •

Excess of exports over

imports , ...

Exported to : —
United Kingdom
British Empire .
France
(lermany
Japan .'..
United States

Imported from :-
United Kingdom
Briti.<:h Efnpire
France - . . ■
Germany

.Japan

United States

352,335,950 222,142,540

215,253,969

23,388,548

3,632,444

4,044,019

1,587,467

163,372,825

540,750,977
64,408,812
96,103,142

12,245,439
454,873,170

1.32,070,362

73,035,118

22,4.56,440

50,636,422

14-,276,535

3.fiS2,900

14,586,223,

75

2,604,316

■ 13,618,122

395;565,3a8

746,920,654

489,151.806

72,6:35,353

61,106,938

610,528

7,782,514

464,029,014

126,989,330

47,935,679

1.0,609,125

44,239

13.&35,771

801,fi05,44i

664

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. IVoi. 87. No. 2,210, ootobeb 29, 1920.

OUTDOOR E.H.P. TRANSFORMERS.

Bt d. macbean.

In a recent issue of the Electrical Review, and in
connection with a paper on "Mains Distribution,"
mention was made during the discussion of a daring
type of sub-station in which the transformers were
placed out-of-doors, and merely protected by an ample
roof. It may be of interest to give details of an instal-
lation of this kind laid down in January, 1916, which,
up to the present time, has given every satisfaction.

With a view to meeting somewhat unusual conditions
it was decided to install an additional .3-phase turbo-

FiG. 1. — Odt-door E.H.P. Transformers

alternator for which a generating pressure of 2,500 volts
was chosen. To permit of parallel running with exist-
ing sets it was necessary to step-up this pressure to
11,000 volts, and after consideration, three single-
phase, 710-K.VA., oil-cooled transformers were installed.

While waiting for the plant the question of suitable
housing arose, and although from the point of view of
connections and switchgear, it would have been advan-
tageous to have the transformers inside the power house,
it was considered better on grounds of safety to install
them out-of-doors in a separate building, all controlling
gear, however, being kept indoors.

It was desirable to keep all connections as short as
possible, so the choice fell on a plot of ground imme-
diately outside the power house and in line with the
turbo set. The only apparent disadvantage of the site
lay in its proximity to a Harrison cooling pond (thespray
from which may be seen in the first illustration), which
with certain directions of wind sent over water in sheets.

For this reason it was at first felt that nothing short
of a substantial brick building, with a thoroughly water-
tight roof, would do. When considering the size of this
building, the deciding f.ictor was the method of ventila-
tion to be adopted ; it was considered that artificial
ventilation alone could not be counted on with safetv
to get rid of the heat losses, which at full load amounted
to roughly 30 kw. Natural ventilation with the usual
bottom gratings and the little-met-with, but highly ser-
viceable, draught-inducing chimney pointed to a build-
ing of some 2,000 cu. ft. capacity. Tt appeared, how-
ever, on account of the proiximity of the cooling pond,
that the ingress of excessive moisture could not possibly
be avoided with any type of building which would
guarantee the necessary chSnge of air, and as a buildins?
was oostlv. even in those days, it was felt expedient to
«ee how far it might be dispensed with altogetllpr, and
ftii open-ajf installation adopted. '

It wag appreciated that there would be little diflBculty
in making special water-tight glands where the cables
entered the transformers, or bringing down the 40-in.
diameter top-cover joint sufliciently tightly to prevent
access of moisture, so the manufacturers were asked
whether the transformer cases would stand tlie 7- to
8-lb. pressure consequent on heating from internal and
external sources. They, however, declined to assume any
responsibility in this direction, stipulating that their
transformer cases must run at atmospheric pressure.

The idea of a reservoir, large enough to keep the
resulting air pressure within small limits, was con-
sidered and discarded ; working along these lines, how-
ever, the gasometer principle was ultimately adopted.
The chamber was made up in cylindrical fashion out of
1/lG-in. sheet zinc, both top and
bottom sections having annular
partitions as shown in fig. 2, for the
purpose of oil sealing. The movable
portion was counterbalanced by a
weight, which was supported by
means of a very flexible steel wire
running over liglit wheels mounted
on ball bearings.

■The air spaces alx)ve the oil level
in the transformers were coupled up
to a common header leading to the
bottom of the gasometer by means
of J-in. |)iping, and considerable
attention was paid to the pipe
joints : tee pieces and plugs, to allow
access for rodding or cleaning, were
provided, although so far no trouble
has been encountered in this direc-
tion. The size of the gasometer was
arrived at by means of the well-
known P.V. law. The actual capa-
city is 14 cu. ft., which gives a mar-
gin of roughly 25 per cent, on full
load on the hottest summer day.
The appended sectional sketch, fig.
2, shows the construction of tlie
gasometer, which is perfectly automatic in its action.
The transformers were dried out in situ. The dielec-
tric strength of the oil was noted, and has shown no
diminution; the insulation resistance also remains at its

Transfohmer Gasomtter.

original high figure. The ventilation of the transformers
being perfect, they run at a very low temperature, and
the deterioration of the oil is much less rapid than that
observed in other transformers in enclosed sub-stationi.
Fig, 1 shows the general arrangement, sealing cham-
ber, glands, iVc, provision being made for the removal
of the centre transformer if necessary by fixing the
upright carrying the e,h,p. pot-end, in sockets from
which it can easilv be withdrawn.

Vol. 87. No. 2,240, ootobbb 29, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REYIEl

555

EXTENSION OF UNEMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE.

By JOS. .T. H. STANSFIELD. F.C.I.S.

The Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920, which comes
into operation on November 8th, 1920, amends the exist-
ing scheme and extends compulsory insurance against
miemployment to substantially all persons in respect of
whom Health Insurance contributions are payable other
than outworkers, persons employed in agriculture, and
private domestic servants.

Many will no doubt remember the ditticulties caused by
the first Act which dealt with unemployment insurance
in consequence of that Act scheduling certain trades and
work carried on under certain conditions. In eSect,
many workers were insurable or not insurable according
to whether the work they were engaged on was charge-
able to capital or revenue, and in previous issues o^ the
Ki.ECTiiiCAL Review tliere were recorded a large number
uf decisions made by the umpire wliose duty it was to
CLUsider the intricate points which often arose.

The new Act makes a clean cut, and with certain
exceptions, all employed persons (male or female) of IG
years of age and upwards, including persons over 70,
unless they are in receipt of an old age pension, must
(ibtain unemployment books issued by the Ministry of
Labour, and every employer must olitain an unemploy-
ment book from every such person in his employ on
November 8th, 1920, and from every such person whom
he may afterwards employ.

If not already obtained, an application should be
made without delay to an Employment Exchange or
branch employment office of the Ministry of Labour, as
on and after the date above named all insurable persons
who are employed without having or at once obtaining
unemployment books, and the employers of such persons,
will be liable to penalties.

As in the case of Health Insurance, there are certain
excepted emploj'ments, and these include employment
under a local authority, in the service of any railway
company or public utility undertaking for the supply
of gas, water, electricity, or hydraulic power, or of a
canal, dock, or tramway undertaking, and any employ-
ment in which the employed persons are entitled to
rights in a statutory superannuation fund where the
Minister of Labour certifies that the employed person
is not subject to dismissal except for misconduct or
neglect of or unfitness to perform his duties, and that
the terms of the engagement make insurance against
unemployment unnecessary. Forms of application for
the necessary certificates required under this provision
can be obtained from the Ministry of Labour, Employ-
ment Department, at Queen Anne's Chambers, London,
S.W. 1, and if there is any doubt whether contributions
are payable in respect of any employe the employer
should obtain a definite decision from the Minister of
Labour, for which forms of application (U. I.A.I) are
or shortly will be available. It should be stated that
the decision of the Minister of Labour is not necessarily
final, as an appeal may be made to the High Court by
any aggrieved person.

The employer will be responsible for the custody of
the unemployment book as long as the employed person
remains in his service, and for affixing stamps thereto,
but nmst allow the employ^ reasonable opportunities of
inspection.

Special arrangements may be made for stamping the
books of persons regularly employed at intervals of 14
weeks or such shorter intervals as may be agreed, or for
stamping the books in the week after payment of wages,
and any employer wishing to make such an arrangement
should apply for the apjiroprlate form (U. I. A. 170 or
U.I.A.7S) to the Employment Department of the Minister
of Labour at the before-mentioned address.

Special nnomplovnipnt insuraTicc stainps will l)e on
sale at all Post Offices, no other stamps being usable.
These stamps may be obtained in rolls for use in the

iiand stamping machines which are rapidly coming into
favour where there are many employes.

The contributions payable from November 8th are
higher than those previously payable, and stocks of
stamps of the old values remaining on hand may for
a strictly limited period be exchanged pro rata at any
Post Office for stamps of the new values.

As it is desirable that the provisions of the new Act
should be known as soon as possible, employers are
invited to exhibit posters or to distribute leaflets to their
employes, which may be obtained free of charge from
any EmplojTiient Exchange or branch employment office
of the Ministry of Labour.

It is the duty of the employe to obtain the unemploy-
ment book, and a considerable amount of extra work
will be thrown upon the Unemployment Exchanges. To
avoid this as far as possible tlie exchanges are open to
make arrangements with employers to obtain from the
employe the form of application necessary, and so avoid
a personal application to the exchange. This is a con-
venience which will be appreciated by the employes, and
no doubt many employers will agree to assist the ex-
changes and so avoid the long queues, which have pre-
viously gathered together under somewhat similar cir-
cumstances, particularly as many exchanges are now
working with depleted staSs.

Unemployment books current for 1920-1921 will be
available for use after the new Act comes into force, but
thev must, of course, be stamped at the new rates.

LEGAL.

Plymouth Corpor.^tion Pined.
On October 13th, the Town Clerk of Plymouth appeared
before the Plymouth magistrates to answ^er a char.^e a.£;ainst
the Corporation of infringing certain regulations made
under the Factory and Workshop Act and the Electricity
Code. Mr. Joseph Owners, Inspector of Factories, pro-
secuted, and Mr. G. Scott-Ram, Chief Electrical Inspector
of Factories, also gave evidence.

The charge arose from the circumstances under which
Richard Prout, an employe at the electricity works, sus-
tained injuries due to an electric shock. Mr. Owners
stated that Prout was cleaning the apparatus in high-tension
cubicles at the power station, one of which was fixed at
some height above the ground. He put on gloves and
mounted a chair to reach tlie gear, and while cleaning some
insulators with a duster, his unprotected upper arm came
into contact with some busbars'Varrying alternating cur-
lent at 2,000 volts pressure. Both his arms_ w^ere severely
injured, and Prout had been unable to w^ork since the occur-
rence. The Corporation had not provided the necessary
equipment to isolate parts of the apparatus while being
cleaned, and had also failed to employ the only alternative,
i.e., to close down the whole of the plant. T'hder examina-
tion Prout said he had never been provided with a stick
to reach the higher apparatus, although he sometimes used
one of his own, but he considered that the cleaning could
not be carried out properly by this means. Mr. Scott-Ram
said that at Coventry, where the plant was six times the
size of that at Plymouth, the station was shut down for half
an hour or so for cleaning. He thought that even if a
stick were used a serious accident was possible. The use
of a chair to reach the parts in question was also highly
dangerous, as the chair might easily slip. Mr. E. G.
Okell. the Plymouth electrical eneineer. said that if the
standing instructions regarding cleaning had been carried
out the accident would not have occurred. The present
precautions had been sufficient to prevent accidents for
the 20 years during which the plant had been in operation.
Extensions were now in progress, which would enable the
safety regulations to be complied with implicitly.^ Several
witnesses who had cleaned the switchgear on previous occa-
sions testified to having carried it out without mishap.

The Chairman said that the Bench considered that a
tpchnica! offence had been committed, but the man had
also failed to obey standing instructions. The Corporation
was fined £^i.

CoAL-coTTiNO Machine F.atality.
i.\ consequence of a fatal accident at Baton Colliery. Shotts,
in March last, when a miner died from injuries inflicted by
an electrically-driven coal-cutting machine, the Crown pro-
,=rcutpd Edward Sonierville. the manager, .Tohn Elder, the
electrician, and .John Murray, colliery oversman. Proof m
the case was led at Hamilton recently, and Sheriff Shennan

666

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,240, ootobbb 29, i»20.

hs« now issued his judgment. He convicts all three respon-
dents of failure to discharge fully their respective duties in
connection with the installation and protection of the machine
so as to prevent danger. The manager and electrician are
fined £'3 each, and the oversman £'2.

Bbbach ok the Factorv Act.
At Halifax, last week, Mr. Joseph Henry Gath, of the Elec-
trical Engineering Co., Horton Street, was fined £1 for failing
to notify the District Inspector of Factories of an accident
that occurred at the factory in July, and he was also fined
5s. for failing to exhibit a prescribed abstract of the Factory
-Act on the premises. He had also to pay 5s. costs in each
instance.

Mr. H. W. YouNGEK, the Factory Inspector, said that on
July 12th a workman injured his thumb in some machinery,
and was absent three weeks. He (the inspector) did not hear
of the accident until three weeks later, in the course of a
routine visit to the factory. Even then the firm was given
opportunity to rectify the matter, but took no notice of the
offer.

Defendant, pleading guilty to a technical offence, said the
accident ^as of such a trivial nature that it was not considered
necessary to report it. The failure to i^xhibit the Factory Act
was an oversight, and had since been made right.

M.4BC0Ni's Wireless Telegraph Co. r. Hamilton.
Ix the Chancery Division on October iOth, Mr. Justice Law-
rence had before him this case, in which the plaintiffs sought
an injunction restraining Mr. J. W". Hamilton from publishing
any of the pleadings or documents in an action commenced
by him on June 4th, 1919, in the King's Bench Division, or
any of the documents or correspondence relating to the
matters in question; and also from publishing an agreement
dated May 3rd, 1920, made between the defendant, the
plaintiff' company, and Mr. Godfrey Charles Isaacs.

After the case was opened and preliminary arguments by
counsel had been heard, the parties came to terms. Mr.
Godfrey Isaacs and the company unreservedly withdrew all
charges against Mr. Hamilton, who gave a perpetual under-
taking not to publish, either directly or indirectly, any of the
documents referred to. Each party would pay its own costs.

CwiM FOR Supply of Electricity.
Mr. Justice Roche, in the King's Bench Division, on October
'21st, heard an action in which the Bournemouth and Poole
Electricity Supply Co., Ltd., claimed from Messrs. Hiel,
Richards & Co. £297 ids. 8d. for electricity supply.

Mr. R. GoDDAED, for the plaintiffs, said the defence, as he
understood it, was firgt, that they had not been paid the
amount due by another company which succeeded them in the
business at ioole, and that the plaintiffs had accepted the suc-
cessors of the defendants, the Gardner Shipbuilding Co., as
consumers in place of defendants. Messrs. Hiel, Richards and
Co. were doing concrete shipbuilding at Poole harbour, and by
agreement dated February 26th, 1918, they agreed to take a
supply of electricity from the plaintiff company. The defence
which was set up now was not set up until they were pressing
Hiel, Richards A- Co. The date on which the company com-
menced to take the supply and from which their agreement
ran was April 16th. 1918. and it went on till December, 1919.
It was common knowledge in Poole that Hiel, Richards & Co.
might be disposing of the business to the Gardner Co.. but no
apphcation was made by any one down to December, 1919, that
the Gardner Co. should he substituted for defendants as
consumers. The defendants sent a cheque for .£27 12s. to
cover what was due to the end of July. 1919, and with regard
to the period ending September 29th. for which £190 14s. was
due, the defendants wrote that they had made arrangements
with the Gardner Co.. and had forwarded a cheque to them
to cover the amount due from them.

In reply to a letter from plaintiffs inquiring if defendants
regarded their agreement with them as terminated, the de-
fendants wrote: "We think it best that all accounts in
future for the supply of electricity should be rendered to the
Gardner Shipbuilding Co., as we are making arrangements
with them." Upon receipt of that letter the plaintiffs sent
forms to the Gardner Co. inquiring whether they wished to
become consumers inste.id of defendants. Those forms were
sent in December, and were not received hack from the
Gardner Co. until the middle of February. Meanwhile thev
sent in an account to Hiel. Richards & Co. for the December
quarter, and on February 6th they got a letter from the
Gardner Co. stating : •" W« enclo.se herewith our cheque for
£162 10s. 3d. and one from Hiel. Richards it Co. for
£88 178. 7d., making a total of £2.5) 7.s. 10s.. the amount of
your account to December 21st, 1919." At that time the
plaintiffs had not a consumer's account with the Gardner
Co., and those two cheques were credited in their ledger to
Hiel, Richards A- Co. .-■

Mr. Johnson, for defendants, said the situation was that
they were clearmg up at the time and occupied onlv a very
small Dart of the premises for a few weeks. He contended
that the letters of the defendants amounted to a notice to dis-
rontmue the supply to them, and the Account hfid been paid
down to December 33na; ' - .

His Lordship, is giriiig judgment, said the amount claimed
was in respect of the quarter ending March 29th, 1920, and
was regulated by the agreement entered into by the plaintiff
company with the defendant company. He had no doubt that
notice was not given or accepted terminating that agreement.

Judgment Was entered for plaintiffs for the amount claimed
with costs.

Foulsen's Patent; Application for Extension.
A lATENT granted to Valdemar Poulsen (No. 15,599 of 1903)
was the subject of an apphcation to Mr. Justice Sargant in
the Chancery Division on Wednesday (19th). The applicants
were Mr. Christopher Hage, of 143, Stockholmsgade, Copen-
hagen, the British and Overseas Engineering Syndicate, Ltd.,
4, Old Burlington Street, and the PouUen Wireless Telegraph
Co. Ltd., Marconi House, Strand.

Mr. Trevor W.atson, for the applicants, said this was an
application under section 7 of the Patents Act, 1919, for an
extension of Poulsen's letters patent. The rules of Court pro-
vided for the fixing of an " appointed day," and the Master
in Chambers on Sept. 2nd fixed the 19th inst. as the appointed
day. In the meantime a notice of opposition had been put in
by Mr. Frank Elwell, and the Board of Trade had also given
notice, of objection. He had now to ask his lordship to give
directions for the delivery by the opponents of particulars of
their objections to the prolongation of the patent.

Mr. Courtney Terrell said he apr>eared for Mr. Elwell and
also for the Radio Communication Co.. and he would Uke to
have some weeks to get out the particulars. He submitted
this was not a case to be tried on affidavit evidence. It would
be a long controversial case, and the opponents would pro-
bably allege that the applicants instead of being damaged had
profited by the war.

Mr. Austen Cartmell, for the Board of Trade, said the
case was an extremely important one, and the Law Officers
would be briefed to deal with it; consequently he asked
that some time should be given before the hearing.

His Lordship decided that the ca.se should not be heard
before the first day of next .sittings, and gave the opponents
six weeks to prepare the particulars of objections.

Missing Cable.
A man named J. J. Barratt, in the service of the Ministry
of Munitions Disposal Board, was charged at Beverley on
Saturday with stealing about 75 yards of electric cable, value
£56. from the Beverley .\erodrome. and J. V. Bell, electrical
engineer, of North Bar Street. Beverley, was charged with
receiving the same, knowing it to have been stolen. The
prisoners were remanded, and were allowed bail each in £-50
and one surety each in £50. — Leeds Mercury.

Antomatic Sob-Stations. — Stations that are substantially
automatic in action have been alluded to in our columns from
time to time, but the Electrical llorW, of -\ugust 2Sth last, de-
.scribes what seems to be quite the nearest approach to a
reasoning mechanism that has yet been devised. The mechan-
ism in point is that of several automatic industrial sub-
stations for the big plant of the Packard Motor Co. at Detroit.
The plant had quite outgrown the economic range of its own
D.c. system, so that the situation was met by taking three-phase
energy at 4,600 volts from the central station and setting up
at strategic points along the d.c. bus system automatic motor-
generator sub-stations, each of 1,500 KW. capacity. The sen-
sational feature of the installation is not, however, in the
unusual size of the automatic units, but in the application of
automatic working to sjmchronous motor drive, obviously of
great importance in a case like this. The sub-station starts,
if the D.c. bus voltage is abpormally low for five seconds, by
energising the motor through an auto-transformer, bringing
it up to synchronism, and then transferring it to the running
connection. Then the D.c. generator, having been brought
close to the bus voltage, is thrown in and the voltage is adjusted
to 250, where it is held up to 125 per cent, of full load, above
which point the voltage is automatically lowered until the
load is at that limit. Below this point the control is shifted
to voltage regulation for 250 volts unless the load drops below
15 per cent, for a predetermined period, when the motor-
generator automatically retires from service until again
needed. Besides all this there are the usual relays against
overload or reverse current on either side, plus protection
against overheating of the machines, or their bearings, and
overspeed. One mu.st read in detail the various items of this
extraordinary system of automati.sm fully to appreciate it.
but its most remarkable feature is the bringing of the big
motor into synchronism and full action. This is accomplished
by taking advantage in a highly ingenious fashion of the
sudden drop of the alternating starting current as the motor
faJls into synchronism and the simultaneous building up of
the exciting current derived from the d c. m.'»chine. The
co-operative character of these changes is fully shown in the
original article The situation calling for such an elaboration
of automatic devices is a rather exceptional one. but it has
hffo met by a most remarkable dipplsy of reeourcefulness.

Vol. St. No. 2,240, ooTOBBB 2», 1920.] THE ELECTHlCAL REM:EW,

657

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

siihmit p/irtifitliim of new or improved devicen and apptiraUiK. ii-hivli icill he puhlinhed
if considered of sufficient interest.

An Automobile Heat Gauge.

Although not directly electrical and designed chiefly for use
with automt'bile erigi".es, the " Boyce Moto Meter '"' can be
used as an indicator of the thermal condition of transformers.
The instrument is made in various types, but consists generally

Multi=way Pedestal Heaters.

Among the many new designs in electrical heating
apparatus being placed on the market by the General Elec-
tric Co., Ltd., 67, Queen Victoria Street, E.G. 4, is a range
of pedestal heaters consisting of two, three or four separate
bowl fires. This idea remedies what occasionally may be

Fig. 1.— The " Boyce Moto Meter."

of a glass tube containing a red liquid which when affected
by excessive heating of the engine or transformer, rises to «
warning point indicating dangerous heat. Messrs. Drake
AND GoRHAM WHOLESALE, lyTD., 67, Long Acre, W.C. 2, are
suppUers of this device.

A Rotary Voltammeter.

Among the many measuring instruments manufactured at
the HoYT Electrical Instrument Works, Penacook (N.H.),
is the D.c. voltammeter illustrated in fig. '2. This is a portable
instrument mea-suring only 4^ in. X y in. X '2 in., and com-
bines many novel features not found in any other type. It
consists of a commutator, which is stationary, mounted in a
suitable receptacle having provision for a number of shunts'
"and resistances, connections with which are made through the
several .segments of the commutator. A small millivoltmeter
is centrally pivoted to the commutator in such a way that
the meter terminal make.s connection with successive segments
as the meter is rotated. A fixed index finger on the side of
this meter shows the position of the terminal, and the case is
marked with various figures showing the position of the com-
mutator segments. There are .six terminals, which give the

Fig.

-Tur. " HoVT ■' ROTARV Vultammkter.

following ranges: 0-30 amperes; 0-30 volts; 0-3 amperes; 0-3
volts and 0-90 millivolts. In the conventional type of volt-
ammeter where the same moving system is utilised for current
and voltage measurements, it is necessary to have two distinct
windings on the moving coil and tw'o separate connections' or
a switch in the moving system circuit to break the ammeter
circuit when it is desired to measure voltage. In the Hoyt
rotary meter, however, there is but one winding and one pair
of conductors from the moving .system to the contact ter-
minals, and these consist of two coil springs, which serve the
double purpo.se of carrying the current to the coil and furnish-
ing the controlling force of the movable member. All other
coils and shunts are contained in the commutator receptacle
each with its own circuit from the binding post to the com-
mutator. The s'ole agent for this instrument in the United
Kirife'd'om is Mr Sidney G. .Jones, Audi'ey House, Ely Plac?^,
BO. 1.

Fig. 3. — The " Mm.nft " Fuur-wav Pedest.4L Heater.

thought a disadvantage of the electric radiator, i.e., that its
heat is concentrated in one direction only. Each " fire " is
arranged so that it may be inclined in any direction giving a
general distribution of heat. If desired one or more parts of
the device can be employed for purposes other than warming
a room. As fig. 3 demonstrates, in the four-way heater two
fires may be used as toaster and boiling or warming plate
respectively, while the other two perform the ordinary duties
of electric radiators. Each unit is provided with a separate
switch giving independent control. When it is desired to
comply with I.E.E. rules or fire insurance conditions that the
element shall be connected directly to the service terminals,
one of the switches can be bridged by a piece of wire. A
feature of these pedestal heaters is the easily replaceable
element. This con.sists of a fireclay base round which the
heating coil is wound. The coil is anchored to the base, heat

Fig. 4.—" Magnet " Heating Ei.F.NrENT.

insulated and' connected to plug-pin contacts as showri in
fig. 4. Each elemmt has a consurnptfon of 600 w'a'tto, a^d
tie coils are wound for voltages ranging fr'o'm 100 to 250.

668

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [Vol st. No. 2.240. ootobbb 29, 1920.

BUSLNESS NOTES.

Bankruptcy Proceedings. — 1. Skinner (Foster, Skinner
and Co.), electrical fittinps dealer. 40, Mulgrave Street, and
(i. South Castle Street, Liverpool. — Adjudication order made
October 16th.

The public examination was held on October 26th, before Mr.
Kegistrar Mellor, at the London Bankruptcy Court, of Bernard
PoBDES, lately carrying on buainesa as the United Electrical
Manufacturers Co., at 18-22, Christopher Street, E.G. The debtor
was brought to the Court last April on a creditor's petition, and
had filed accounts showing total liabilities £7,230 Ss. lOd. (un-
secured £6,325 '.U. 7d.), and assets £160 absorbed in the preferential
claims. Replying to Mr. Warren, Official Receiver, the debtor said
he was an Austrian Pole, and came to this country in 1897 from
Paris ; he brought with him about £1,000 in cash and goods, ani
commenced the business of a bicycle accessories factor in Melton
Street, B.C., removing in 1906 to South Street, Finabury, where he
traded in mechanical and other novelties. In May, 1912, witness
entered into partnership with another person, and they commenced
as manufacturers of electrical novelties, under the style of the United
Electrical ^Manufacturers Co. ; the business was successful, but on
the outbreak of the European war, the partnership was auto-
matically dissolved, his partner being a German. Witness took
over the business and paid to the Public Trustee a sum of about
£1,800 on account of his partner's interest. The payment of that
money crippled him, but notwithstanding this, as the business was
increasing, he removed from Moor Lane to larger premises at
18-22, Christopher Street, and continued to trade, obtaining
advances from his bankers, to whom £495 was now due. In 1915
an action to recover damages for wrongful dismissal was success-
fully brought against him by one of his employes, and resulted in
a loss to him of nearly £2,000 ; this further increased his
difficulties, but with the hope of ultimately recovering his
position, he continued to " carry on." A considerable
portion of the business consisted in the manufacture of
electrical pocket-lamp batteries, and in 1918, a large
stock of them, numbering 120,000 and amounting in value to
between £10,000 and £12,000, was returned to him by his
customers as being defective, owing to the inferior quality of the
chemicals supplied by certain of his creditors and used by him in
the manufacture of the batteries. His loss on those goods was at
least £8,000. In July, 1919, with the object of raising further
capital, witness formed a limited liability company, under the
style of " The Unelma Co., Ltd.," with a nominal capital of £9,000,
which acquired his business as a going concern for £3,000 in
shares; he was appointed managing director at a salary of £20 a
week, but on the day on which the receiving order was made
against him, possession of the company's assets was taken by a
receiver appointed at the suit of debenture holders. Witness attri-
buted his failure to the before-mentioned losses. Mr. Tindale
Davis, on behalf of Mr. E. H. Hawkins, the trustee, also questioned
the debtor, who was allowed to pass.

On Monday last a meeting was held at the London Bankruptcy
Court of creditors of S. Davis, 128, Victoria Park Road, E., elec-
trical engineer, against whom a receiving order was made on
October 12th, 1920. on the petition of a creditor. The statement of
affairs showed gross liabilities amounting to £206 15s,, of which
£190 5s. was expected to rank. No assets were disclosed. Debtor
joined the R.A.F. in August. 1914, and was demobilised in January,

1919, with a gratuity of £42, with which sum he commenced busi-
ness on his own account as an electrical engineer. The business
was quite successful until April, 1919, when he met with an
accident, and had to close the business for about 1 5 weeks, during
which time he estimated his loss at £70. He reopened the
business in July, 1919, with liabilities amounting to £30. In
January, 1920, his creditors commenced to press him, and in June,

1920, he ceased to carry on business ; since then no further debts
had been incurred beyond those returned in his statement of affairs.
He attributed his present position to the accident referred to above
and under-estimating on contracts. The eitimates were given by
him thinking that he would be able t3 execute the work himself,
but owing to slow recovery after his accident he had to employ
men, and lost on the contracts. The estate, being a summary one,
was left in the hands of the Official Receiver.

Dissolution of Partnership— WAirKtu .t Taylor,

automobile, electrical, and mechanical engineers. Dock Street,
Middlesbrough. — Mr. A. H. Walker and Mr. J. F. Taylor have
dissolved partnership. Mr. J. F. Taylor will attend to debts and
continue the business.

Catalogues and Lists. — The Hamworthy Engineering

Co., Ltd., 76, Victoria Street, S.W. 1 .—Catalogue Section A (20 pp.),
an illustrated and priced list of oil engines, portable, semi-portable
and stationary. The list includes small lighting sets with outputs
ranging from I to 7 KW.

TnRNEB Bros. Asbestos Co., Ltd., lu'O, Fenchurch Street,
E.C. 3. — A leaflet illustrating and describing compressed asbestos
grommets for packing tube ends of surface condensers, &c.

The General Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Queen Victoria Street,
E.C„ 4. — Booklet No. H 2 376. An illustrated and priced catalogue
of "Magnet" electric fires of many types, hot-water radiators and
electrically-heated towel rails. Also Leaflet H 2,375 dealing with
"Magnet" multi-way pedestal heaters. Priced and illustrated.

Messrs. C. J. Ferguson &. Sons, 54, Chiswell Street, EC. 1. —
Stock sheets of d.c. dynamos and motors and A.c. motors and
motor-generators,

X-Rays, Ltd., U, Torrington Place. Gower Street, W.C. 1.— A
circular-letter enclosing a list of " Wellington " X-ray plates and
Eastman's card cassettes and films. Sectional Catalogue No. 3
(122 pp.). A revised price list of electro-medical appliances of aU
types. Fully illustrated.

Messrs. Falk, Staoelmann & Co., Ltd., 83, 85 i: 87, Farringdon
Road, E.C. I. — Catalogue No, 452, "Electric Bells and Accesaorieg."
including batteries, indicators, speaking tubes, burglar alarms,
bell-pushes, and contacts, &c. Fully priced and copiously
illustrated.

Messrs. Higgs Bros., Sand Pits, Birmingham. — " Monthly
Magazine," Vol, 2, No. 8, November 1st. Stock list of D.c. motors
and dynamos and A.c. motors, also notes on fuses and the usual
humorous features.

Stdbtevant Engineering Co., Ltd., 147, Queen Victoria
Street, E.G. 4. — Leaflet No. 1,212, describing comparative tests of
the Sturtevant turbine cleaner and other vacuum cleaners. Illus-
trated.

Messrs. S. Lesser & Sons, Ltd., 23-27. Houndsditch, E. 1. — A
catalogue (six pages), illustrating a number of electrically-fitted
and other artistic statuettes manufactured by the Parisian firm of
Jos, Richermoz, for which Messrs. Lesser are sole agents in the
United Kingdom.

Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd., Marconi House,
Strand, W.C. 2.— Illustrated pamphlets Nos. L 157 and 158 describing
Types y.B. and Y.C. battery-charging plant.

Electrical Utilities, Ltd., 1-3, Shelgate Road, S.W. 11.—
Leaflet X illustrating and describing the ' Sentinel " excess current
indicator (described in Eleotbical Review, July 30th, 1920,
p 159.) Priced.

The Ever-Ready Co. (Great Britain), Ltd , Hercules Place,
HoUoway, N. 7. — A general catalogue (24 pp ) of electrical
specialities of many kinds, including hand lamps, batteries, bicycle
lamps, medical coUs, &c.

" Lamlok" Rings for Car Lamps.— Messrs. "Lamlok,"

Ltd., of 36, Rustall Avenue, Chiswick, W. 4. inform us that they
are placing upon the market the well-known " Lamlok " ring in a
Buitible siz3 to fit miniature lamps and holders as used in motor-car
headlights, decorative signs, &c.

Trade Announcements- — Messrs. Automatic and

Electric Furnaces, Ltd., announce that Messrs. Gross, Son and
Robertshaw have been appointed sole selling agents for Wild-Barfield
electric furnaces in the counties of Northumberland, Durham.
Cumberland, and Yorkshire. In addition to the Newcastle office
this firm has opened a branch office at 41, Great George Street.
Leeds, where a demonstration furnace is in course of erection.
Messrs. Macbeth Bros. & Co., Ltd , of Bombay and Calcutta, have
taken over sole selling rights for India.

Mr. E. Abbott has opened a department for electrical
engineering at his works at the Station Garage, Bourne, Lines.

Messrs. Mason & Brown have removed to Volta Works, 36.
Upper Charles Street, Leicester. Telephone, 4413; telegrams.
Mason, Brown, Leicester.

The Westminster Tool and Electric Co, of Westool
Works, Putney Bridge Road, Loudon, S.W. 15, has appointed Mr.
T. Malcolm R. Pinkney, of Sunderland, as its lepresentative on the
North-East Coast, for the sale of the " Westool " portable electric
tools. Telephone, No. 1614 Sunderland.

Receivership. — Lester & Browne (London), Ltd. —

Mr. B. B. McCuUum, F.C.A,, of 5. Chancery Lane, W.C, was
appointed receiver on October 14th, under powers contained in an
instrument dated September 20th. 1920.

Canal Improvements. —As a result of a number of

meetings convened by the Main Transport Committee of the
Federation of British Industries, a strong representation of the
opinions of traders is being made before the Canals Committee,
which has now resumed its sittings. Provided it is made psrfectly
clear that the actual carriage of goods is left entirely to private
enterprise, the opinion is held that the waterways comprised in
what is known as the " Cross " should, with the addition of the
main waterways running east and west and connecting the Humber
with the Mersey, be acquired by a new authority specially consti-
tuted for the purpose. The necessary capital for improvement
schemes could not be raised by a private company ; it should be
provided by the State with contributions from local authorities in
the areas which would be benefited. Any improvement to the
canal systems should aim at bringing them up to the 100- ton
standard. — T/te Tiniea TraiU Suj'f'lemfnt.

The Export Credit Scheme. — On Monday, in the House of
Commons, the Board of Trade announced that, in accordance with
the suggestion of the Federation of British Industries (quoted in
our last issue), advances under the export credit scheme would be
increased from 80 to 100 per cent., subject to recourse against the
exporter in respect of 20 per cent., as before. Applications for
advances will be considered on their merits, and will not necessarily
be granted.

Double-filament Lamps.— Kefening to a notice of
a lamp with two tilsunents in our last issue, Messrs. Electrical
AND Engineering Development, Ltd., inform us that they are
the owners of a British patent application for a similar lamp,
which they hope to be able to dispose of in due course.

VoL ar. Va 1,240,

29,1920.] THE ELECTRICAL BEYIEW.

560

South African Trade. — Commenting upon the decision
of the Bulawayo Corporation to install an electric lighting
scheme, the Britisli tnid tiouth African Export Gasette thinks
that it marks the bcginiuDg ut great developments in electrical
business, ami it also states that there is considerable lee-way
to be maile up by impurters who last year only succeeded in
obtaining some i;bU,ciUt) worth of electrical goods, as com-
pared with the i'81,90U odd imported iu 1913; taken all
round, the merchant is in the unhappy position ot being
forced to view proposed developments with considerable doubt
and uncertainty as to the possibility of satisfying the full
amount of business which should attach to them. This state
of alfairs, however, is only temporary, and the increased out-
put by British factories this year has already been reflected
in Rhodesia, where during the first five months over ±"21,700
worth of electrical goods were received. Slight as this im-
provement may be when contrasted with the actual demand,
it is nevertheless an earnest of the better supply conditions
which may be anticipated. In any case, the renewal of prac-
tical interest on the part of municipalities in the schemes for
public services which have for so long been in abeyance fore-
shadows not only important contracts for heavy plant, but a
widening of the demand for store and house fittings, wire,
&c. ; and equally promising in another direction is the in-
dustrial activity now increasingly apparent, and also involving
an extended use of electricity for various purposes. The Salis-
bury and Bulawayo authorities have given a good lead which
will be followed by places of less importance, and a very sub-
stantial advance in Rhodesia's electrical supply trade may,
therefore, be reasonably anticipated.

Theft of Lamps. — The alleged theft of a mail bag con-
talnine: 850 electric bulbs, value £67, while in transit on the London
and North-Western Railway between Denton and Manchester,
formed the subject of an inquiry by the Manchester City Stipendiary,
last week, when Joseph Taylor (30), lodging in St. John Street,
Salford, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, was committed for
trial at the Sessions.

Wind Power in Sweden. — A company is being formed
in Sweden, with a minimum capital of 500,000 kr., and a maximum
of 1,500,000 kr., to work patents by Messrs. A. Boalt & H. Sandberg
for the utilisation of wind power. The object is to raise low-lying
water by means of wind motors and pumps to a high-lying reservoir,
from which the water would be conveyed to turbines coupled with
dynamos. It is proposed to erect an experimental instillation in
the first place. This is not a new idea. The consideration which
is always fatal to such schemes is the excessive capital cost of the
plant.

Swedish Power Company, — The board of directors of
Sydsvenska Kraftaktiebolaget (South Swedish Power Co., Ltd.) has
decided to increase the share capital of the company to a minimum
of kr. 10,000,000, with a maximum of kr. 30,000,000.— iJcw^ers
Trade Service (Stockholm).

Catalogoes in Spanish. — In the course of a note on

British trade with Ecuador, the Hoard of Trade Jeuntal says ;-
"Many of the important British firms still continue to disregard
the necessity of publishing their catalogues and price lists in the
Spanish language. This cannot be made too emphatic, especially
when it is considered that after English, and, pjrhaps, Russian, no
modern European language is spoken by so many millions in the
world as Spanish. The cost of having these catalogues and price
lists properly translated into the Spanish language and widely
distriliuted would be negligible compared with the v^ry probable
results."

Eiectricai Power Engineers' Association. — We are

informed that on and after November 10th the address of the
association will be 102, St. George's Square, London, S.W. 1. Tele-
phone, 'Victoria 9424.

Lead Report. — Messrs. .James Forstee & Co.'s report,

dated October 23rd, states that the market was ajtive throughout
the week, prices steadily advancing and closing at the top.
Monday's market opened with an immediate rise of 12b. 6d. per
ton for October, and 7s. 6d. per ton for January, closing buyers for
October at £35 5s., and sellers at £35 lOa. Further advances
followed, and on Friday closing prices for forward positions were
£36 November, £35 158. December and January, and £35 12s. 61
The total turnover for the week was 5,000 tons. There has been
considerable buying by consumers of prompt lead, and for October
shipment, both in London and the country.

Messrs. G. Cawson & Co. say that there seems to be a general
feeling that if the strike difficulties are settled there may be a
strong demand for lead, and as supplies are now much reduced and
held in firm hands, consumers may find some difficulty in covering
their requirements. The outlook points to a continued firm
market, with very moderate supplies for the next few months.

Wire Lamps in Switzerland.— It is stated that the

Swiss Auer Co., of Zurich, which is the sole maker of Osram wire
lamps in Switzerland, has made arrangements with the German
combination of lamp makers (A. E.G., Siemens-Sohuokert & Osram)
for the extension of the production at Veltheim, near Winterthur,
by the manufacture also of Wotan and A.E.G. lamps in the future.
The imports of these lamps from Germany wUl be limited to special
types, to make which would not be remunerative in Switzerland for
the present, and the entire sales business has been entrusted to the
Osram Co., of Zurich, which was recently constituted.

The Shipbuilding, Engineering, and Electrical Exhibition.

— Notwithstanding the present industrial unrest, the latest enter-
prise of the Glasgow Corporation in the way of exhibitions — that
of the Shipbuilding, Engineering, and Electrical Industries — will
open in the Kelvin Hall of Industries, on November 8th. It is the
first exhibition of its kind held in Scotland, and it wUl be the
biggest that has taken place. Every inch of available space in the
huge Kelvin Hall has been let, the exhibits comprising all types of
material coming within the scope of the exhibition. The various
stalls have been erected, and workmen are at present busily engaged
getting the exhibits, some of which are of rather heavy material,
into position. The exhibition wOl run for a month.

A Five-Day Week. — The directors of the Slough
Trading Co., Ltd., have reduced the weekly working hours for
their employes at Slough from 44 hours in six days to 40 hours in
five days, without reducing their weekly earnings, thus dispensing
with the four hours at present being worked on Saturdays. It is
the directors' belief that employes will respond to their appeal for
an output in the 40-hour week equivalent to that in the past 44-
hour week. — Dailji Telegraph,

Book Notices. — " The Centenary Volume of Charles
Griffin & Co., Ltd., Publishers 1820-1920." Pp. 290 and 9 plates.
London: Charles Griffin & Co. This volume is a fitting memorial
of a century's labours. It is a handsomely-bound work typifying
the excellence of the art of modem publishing. Lord Moulton
contributes a foreword, in which he points out the importance of
giving publicity to scientific and technical knowledge through the
medium of books. Mr. L. P. Sydney, reader to the firm for many
years, provides an historical sketch of the firm during its long life,
and notes on the personnel past and present. Other writers include
Sir W. S. Abell, K.B.E., Prof. T. Hudson Beare, and many other
eminent men. Tributes are paid to the chairman and managing
director, Mr. Francis J. Blight, F.R.S.E.

Scientific Papers of the U.S. Bureau of Standards, No. 388,
'■ Adjustment of Parabolic and Linear Curves to Observations taken
at Equal Intervals of the Independent Variable " (13 pp.); price
Scents. No. 390, " Two Common Failures of the Clark Standard
Cell " (8 pp. and 4 plates) ; price 5 cents. And No. 393, " Measure-
ments on the Thermal Dilatation of Glass at High Temperatures "
(39 pp.) ; price 10 cents. Washington : Government Printing
Office.

' Welfare," the Journal of the Welfare Workers' Institute. Vol. I.
No. 10 (14 pp.). The October number of this journal contains
articles on "Industrial Relationship in Japan," by Kimio Hayashi,
" Welfare Work in Lancashire Cotton Mills, " &c.

A booklet entitled " Our New Home " has been issued by Messrs.
Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd., describing the firm's premises at
39-41, Parker Street, London, 'W.C. 2. The House was started in
1846, off Paternoster Row, transferred to Amen Corner in 1887
(when the business was extended to publications other than short-
hand books), and having purchased the business of Messrs. Ibister
and Co. in 1904, more recently that of the well-known firm of
Messrs. Whittaker & Co., and that of Messrs. James Selwyn & Co.,
Ltd., has found it imperatively necessary to take much larger
premises close to Kingsway. The management has broad views
and an enterprising spirit, and, as will have been seen from announce-
ments in this column, has already taken a prominent position as a
publisher of scientific and technical works.

University of London. — " University College Calendar, Session
1920-:J1." Pp. clxxiv -I- 381. London : Taylor & Francis.

The German Electrical Industry.— Addressing a meeting

of the Voigt & Haeffner Co., at Frankfort-on-Main, in connection
with a resolution to make an issue of 10,000,000 marks in 6 per
cant, preference shares, Herr Haeffner is reported to have stated
that some stagnation existed in the electrical industry in general,
but the company was not much affected by it. Orders continued
to arrive satisfactorily, and prices had only slightly receded, as a
moderate policy in price mitters had been followed.

Zanzibar Harbour Improvement. — According to

Commerce Reports, work has been commenced upon the extensive
improvements to Zanzibar Harbour, which is considered the finest
natural harbour on the East Coast of Africa. The work, which it
was originally estimated would cost £250,000, includes the
reclamation of about 20 acres on the Malindi Spit, near the town.
A concrete wharf, 1,300 ft. in length, and with a minimum depth
of 30 ft. at low tide, is to be constructed. It is intended to install
up-to-date equipment of all kinds, including electric cranes.
Another project being spoken of is the construction of a narrow-
gauge electric railway to run the whole length of the island, with
branch lines at important centres.

Copper and Lead Prices.— Messrs. F. Smith & Co. report,

October 26th : —Electrolytic copper bars, £104, £10 decrease ; ditto
sheets, no change; ditto, wire rods, £120, £10 decrease; ditto
H.C. wire, Is. 3id,, Jd. decrease ; silicium bronze wire. Is. lljd.,
Jd. decrease.

Messrs. James k Shakespeare report, October 27th : — Copper
birs (best selected), sheets and rods, £1.51, decrease £3 ; English
pig lead, £37 lOs., 10s. increase on week's quotation.

Railway Electrification in Java.— The F.B.I. JMletin

gays :— " We understand that the Technical Adviser of the Java
State Ra'dways is at present in Europe. This gentleman is
particularly interested in the question of the electrification of
railways. His address may be obtained by members interested on
application to the East Indies Section, Overseas Organisation,"

560

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [vw. 87. Ha a^4o, oowm J9, mo

The Coal Strike and Electricity Sappiy Undertakings.—

Bkadfurd. Public street lighting was i-<?iJiired hy 5U pet-
cent. , althoiigli coal stocks were tairly gocid. The Wilson-
WoU Eiigiiieenug Co., Lttl., closed down on October '20tli
owing to depletion ol' coal stocks, and Messrs. Cole, Marchent
and Morley had to cease working on the 'icird. Other en-
gineering concerns v\ere compelled to work short time.

DoNCASTKh. — The Corporation reduced considerably the sup-
plies to consumers. Street Ughting was curtailed, and it
was announced that if the dispute was not settled by October
ii6th the tramway services would be stopped. A provisional
week's notice was given to all employes.

Halifax. — The Corporation Emergency Committee decided
to suspend all Sunday tramway services for the period of the
strike.

Keiqhlki. — The electricity department had very good coal
stocks, and no definite restrictions were made. The supply
was stated to be sufiicient for live weeks.

Mexborough.— The local electricity undertaking had at the
commenceurent of the strike a fortnight's supply of coal.

Manchbster.— The engineering industry in Manchester was
variously affected. Many firms had sutiicient coal on hand
to carry on for several weeks, while the stocks of others were
depleted. The Manchester and District Engineering Trades
Employers' Association put forward its utmost efforts to pre-
vent any unnecessary closing down of works. The Corpora-
tion Electricity Committee found it necessary to call attention
to the poor response made to its appeal for a reduction in
consumption of electricity. It was stated that the smaller con-
sumers were the chief offenders. The large consumers gener-
ally carried out the practice of stopping their works at different
periods to regulate the con.sumption. One of the city power
stations was closed down to effect economy, and this necessi-
tated reducing the bulk supplies to Salford, Stockport, and
Middleton.

Ireland. — Coal stocks at the commencement of the strike
were small, and additional difficulty was experienced in getting
regular allocations imported. Public services were main-
tained although ordinary .supplies were reduced.

Birmingham.— Steps to economise in the use of electric cur-
rent were. immediately taken. An Emergency Committee was
formed with Aid. Sir David Brooks as chairman, and a public
staternent was issued towards the end of last week stating
that in view of its low stock of coal, the Corporation was
unable to maintain the gas and electricity supplies at a point
above 50 per cent, of the normal load. Manufacturers and
others were renuested so to arrange their working hours that
no gas or electricity was required after -1 p.m. The suggestion
was that works should he closed entirely on Saturdays, and
that a five hours day should be worked on the remaining five
days of the week. T!ie Emergency Committee pointed out that
following the declaration of the coal strike the consumption
of electricity increased instead of decreased.

On Saturday, October 'iBrd. the Cieneral Electric Co. an-
nounced that a slight curtailment of certain services had been
made, and that if the coal -strike continued for more than
another week considerable curtailments would be inevitable.

Leeds. — In addition to the compulsory restrictions by Order
of the Board of Trade, the Leeds Electricity Committee, on
Friday, isfsued an order to the public to discontinue the use
of electricity for power purposes on Saturdays, Sundays, and
Mondays until furtlier notice, except by special written permit
of the manager of the electricity, department. To enforce this
order, it was decided that any person or firm found con-
travening this or the terms of the Board of Trade order should
be liable to have the supply entirely cut off.

Mine Elbctricians.— The Executive of the Electrical Trades
Union has passed the following resolution : " That in all
cases where our members are requested by the Miners' Fede-
rations or .Associations to cease work, authority be given for
such members tn cease wnrk.othprwi.se, as "our members
are principally engaged on maintenance, such as pump-
ing and generally keeping the pit in order, they .shall remain
at work, as we understand resolutions have" already been
passed by the miners themselves that the pits shall be kept
m order for the resumption of work when the dispute is
settled." — Star.

Unemployment Bay.— The Ministry of Labour, savs the /),j/7(;
Mail, stated that if the coal strike continued for' anv length
of time it would be impo.s.sible for th-e employment exchanges
to cope unaided with the great number of claims to donation
and benefit that would arise. Emergency arrangements were
framed to enable payment to be made bv all employers of anv
considerable number of workpeople.

_ Emergency Powers.— On Friday last the Home Secretarv
introduced an " Emergency Powers Bill " in the House of
Commons, " to make exceptional provisions for the protection
ol the community in cases of emergency." Tlie Bill is to
come into operation whenever action is' taken calculated to
int-erfere with the supply and distribution of food water
light, or other necessaries, or with the means of locomotion
and empowers the Government by Order in Council to make
regulations and provisions for the purpose of maintaining the
public services, &c.

Three modifications were made to the Bill in Parliament
on Tuesday night, by which Parliament is to be called together
.Wlthm five daj-s o" the issue of the proclamation stating that

a state of emergency eitists; any regulations made under the
proclamation shall cease to have validity unless they are con
lirmed by Parliament within .seven days, and no proclamation
IS to remain in force for o\et one mouth without renewal.
The Government accepted Mr. Hogges amendment to limit
the Bill to cases in which the supplies of food, water, fuel,
and light are menaced, leaving out the uords " and other
necessities." The debate was adjourned.

During the week-end the tension was relieved; the railway-
men's Executive suspended the proposed sympathetic strike,
and a national trade union conference was convened by the
Parliamentary Trade Union Congress, to meet on Wednesday
last. Conversations between the Cjovemment and the labour
leaders were resumed, and the miners' Executive met in
London on Saturday.

(Jul Friday the Board of Trade announced that in order to
conserve stocks of coal the Coal and Fuel Emergency Order,
I9'2U, had been issued, providing that coal could only be
supplied to industrial concerns on the issue of a permit by
the local authority. Coke and similar fuels rank as coal.
Managers of industrial concerns must declare their available
stocks and average weekly consumption before permits can
be issued. A Metropolitan Emergency Committee has been
appointed, under the chairmanship of Sir H. B. Marshall,
for advisory purposes, by the Seiretary for Mines. The com-
mittee will deal with matters of distribution, and the local
authorities with questions of administration.

The Ministry of Labour has issued a retmn showing the
number of works and workpeople directly affected by the
strike up to October ilst; the figures are as follows: Works
closed, 50,803; staff's reduced by 10'2,OC'2; workers on short
time, 89,y66.

On Friday last 344,34'2 claims for unemployment benefit
were current. The first week's operation of the strike i«
estimated to have cost 8 millions sterling in wages, beside*
64 milhon tons of coal.

New Italian Companies. — There has been formed at

San Kcmo the Tramvie Elettriche Liguri, a company to estab-
lish tramways m the province of Liguria, \vitn a capital of
3,0UU,U00 lii-e.

The Societa. ItaUana Ustor has been constituted at Eome,
with a capital of 50,000 lire, for the manufacture and sale of
electric apparatus.

Messrs. Kech e Yerzenassi have been registered as a com-
pany, with, headquarters at Eome, for the manufacture of
electrothermic products. Capital, 40,000 lire.

il. Pagliari e Ca. is the style of a company established at
Pome (\ia Gallinaccio 4), with a capital of 38,000 lire, to tra'de
lu electric lamps and accessories.

Under the title of the Imprese Electriche Sarde has been
established at Cagliari a company with a capital of 120,tXW
lire.

At Florence Ferdinando BrogUatti e Ca. has been registered
as a company, with a capital of 130,000 lire, with electrical
and mechanical objects.

There has been formed at Genoa, under the style- of Ing.
0. B. Musso Oliva e Ca., a company to carry out electric and
other installations. Capital, 100,000 lire.

With a capital of 400,000 lire, Tardini e Ca. has been em-
bodied a company at Genoa, to trade in electrotechnical
articles.

With a capital of (XXJ,000 lire the Societa Anonima Com-
merciale di Elettricita has been launched at Naples (Corso
Umberto I), to trade in electric machinery and materials.

There has been established at T\irin the Baltea, Societa
Anonima per Impianti Elettrici e di Irrigazione, with a capital
of 500,000 lire, to supply electric and irrigation plants.

With the name of Ditta Celso Mantovani di Emiho Tolotti
e Figli a company has been formed at Venice for the manufac-
ture of electric and engineering articles. Capital, 60,000 lii-e.

Claims Against Mexican Government. — An intimation

has been received by the Department of Overseas Trade from
H.M. Legation m Mexico that a Presidential uecree has been
promulgated by which the period, within which claims for
damages caused by the revolution between November 20th,
1910, and .June 30th, 1920, must be presented, has been ex-
tended to February 5th, 1921. After that date no claims what-
ever will be, admitted.

Spanish Electrical Imports. — The French Chamber of

Commerce at Barcelona publishes the following particulars of
electric imports into Spain in 1919 : Dynamos, electro-motors,
&c., -\A-eight up to 100 kilos. Total imports, 495,059 kilos,
being an increase of 172,580 kilos. The countries contributing
were: United States, '23J,877 kilos; France, 70,391 kilos;
Switzerland, 62,053 kilos; England, 49,347 kilos; Germany,
11,512 kilos. Dynamos, &c., weighing from 101 up to 400
kilos'*: United States, 133,791 kilos; Sweden, 73,914 kilos;
Switzerland, 67,396 kilos; England, 61,632 kilos; France,
13,584 kilos; Germany, ItO kilos. Switchboards and inter-
rupters weighing up to 400 kilo.i. Total imports, '242,309
kilos, being an increase of 152,941 kilos. Contributing coun-
tries : United States, 199,577 kilos; Switzerland, 23,673 kilos;
England, 7,888 kilos; Sweden, 4,206 kilos; France, 3,836 kilos;
Germany, 651 kilos.

" Total imports, 382,.589 kilos; increase, 308,656 kilos.

Vol. 8t. No. 2,240, October 29, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

661

Foreign Samples Exhibition.— f^^ Board oj Trade

iTournal announoes that the Foreiffn Samples Exhibition ia removinT
from its premises in Guildhall Courtyard to more commodious
premises at No. 7 to 11, Old Bailey, E.G. i> The new exhibition
rooms will cover the whole of the first floor of the building, and
will provide over 13 000 ft. of ftoor space for the display of the
(roods.

Britisti Chamber of Commerce for Swilzerland. — The

British Chamber of Commerce for Switzerland has be^n work and
has taken convenient premlfes at 20, Ritter^asae, Basle. The
permanent Secretary-General is Mr. Alexander Richardson, the
branch ofiSce at Place St. Frangois, Lausanne, beingr in charge of
Mr. Maurice Galland. The need of a British Chamber of Commerce
for Switzerland is reccfrniscd by both British and Swiss business
houses, the opinion being general that now is the right time to
consolidate Anglo-Swiss commercial relations by every possible
means. Most other nations doing business with Switzerland bave
their Chambers of Commerce there, and it certainly is time for
Great Britain and her Colonies, who buy more from Switzerland
than any other nation, to have corporate representation on the spot.

British Magnetos. — Although the use of foreign
magnetos was allowed in the recent Air Ministry Competitions for
Aeroplanes and Seaplanes (Amphibious), the whole of the eight
prizes awarded were won by machines fitted with British
magnetos.

LIQHTINQ AND POWER N0TE5.

Aldershot. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Urban District

Council has received sanction for a loan of * 19,800 for electricity
purposes, including £14,000 for plant. A proposal by the gas
company to give a bulk supply of electricity has been declined in
favour of extensions to the present plant.

Birkenhead. — Loan. — The Corporation is seeking
sanction to a loan of £44,000 for extensions of mains and plant.

Barnley. — Extensions. — The Electricity Committee has
decided to make application to the Ministry of Health for permis-
sion to borrow £5,000 for services from mains to houses. It was
reported that the Government had sanctioned a further loan of
£12,445 for extensions, this being the balance of the money which
will probably be required. The Committee is taking steps to
consider how the much-required extensions can be carried out, and
a special Committee, composed of representatives of the Gas,
Cleansing and Electricity Committees, has been appointed to decide
as to the provision of additional land for the department.

Bolton. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Electricity Com-
missioners have sanctioned the borrowing by the Corporation of
£(156,000 in connection with the electricity undertaking.

Application is to be made by the Corporation to the
Electricity Commissioners for sanction to borrow £100,000 for
three years' prospective expenditure on mains and for sub-stations
on consumers' premises.

Bootle. — Overloaded Plant. — The demands for elec-
tricity from the electricity undertaking are increasing so rapidly
that the maximum load has already exceeded the heaviest previous
winter load. The Electricity Committee has Informed the
Liverpool Corporation that difficulty is likely to be experienced
unless an adequate supply of electricity from the Liverpool under-
taking is available.

Bradford-on-Avon, — Extension of Time. — The Minister

of Transport has extended, until July, 1921, the period for making
the transfer authorised under the Bradford-on-Avon Electric
Lighting Order, 1914.

Continental. — France. — A proposal has been made by
the communes of Pacaudiere and Ambierie in the department of
the Loire to establish a system of inter-communal electricity
supply. It has been suggested that a hydro-electric plant be estab-
lished, worked by a waterfall of 210 metres. The water would be
obtained from a stream which flows through the district of
Arfenilles, and would give the necessary flow even in periods of
drought. An engineer has been appointed to investigate the
scheme. — Renter's Trade Service (Paris).

The Compagnie Parisienne de Distribution d'Electricite has
received the sanction of the Conseil Municipal of Paris for an outlay
of 14,638,900 fr. during the years 1920 and 1921. being a portion of
the total of 190,000,00ij fr. for new works for which the Conseil's
approval will be sought.

The installation of a 120,000 volt transmission line has been
begun by the Compagnie Lorraine d'Electricite, linking that com-
pany's central station at Tincey with Valenciennes, in the section
Laneuveville to Landres. This latter section is part of the State
super-network which is to be set up in the " Freed Lands " for which
the law of AprU .5th, 1920, allotted a credit of 135,000,000 fr. The
equipment of the Vincey-Valenciennes line comprises six aluminium
cables 180 sq. mm. in section, supported on metal standards
25 metres high. Suspension insulators have been fixed to withstand
a pressure of 120,000 volts.

The Omnium Regional d'BUectrioite is about to set up a new
hydro-e'eotric generating station on the Bave river, in the depart-
ment of rfaute Loire. The estimated power to be f bValn'ed ia

900 HP., allowing of the supply of lighting and powoi
to several localities In the Haute Loire and Puy de IWme
Departments.

Spain. — In the Spanish Government's Budget for the current
year provision ia made for a sum of 2,500,000 pesetas for the elec-
trification of the plant at the State sulphite of lead mines known
as Arrayanes, at Lmares (Province of Jaen). The necessary energy
will be supplied from the power station which is being established
by the Mengemor Co. to utilise the water power of the Carpio Falls.

Coventry, — Loan. — The Town Council is recommended
by the Electricity Committee to apply for a loan of £15,000 for
the purchase of transformers.

Electricity District.— West Riding (Aire and Calder).

— The Electricity Commissioners, having considered representations
that have been made with respect to the above area (see p. 815 of
our June 25th issue), give notice that they have extended the time
within which objections or representations may be made, or any
scheme may be sui)mitted, until December 31at, 1920.

Fleetwood. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Electricity Com-
missioners have sanctioned the borrowing by the Urban District
Council of £5,000 for mains and services and £2,000 for meterp.

Fort William. — Hydro-electric Scheme. — The British
Aluminium Co.'s Lochaber scheme of hydro-electric power will
cost £3,500,000. It impounds the waters of Lochs Treig and
Laggan, and includes a tunnel through rock a distance of 15 miles
to Fort WUliam, where the generating station will be erected. It
is expected that Government sanction will be obtained.

Galashiels. — Cable Extension. — The Electricity Supply

Co. intends to lay a cable from Galashiels to Selkirk.

Greenock. — New Station. — It is reported that a big
electricity station is to be erected in connection with the Govern-
ment scheme. The town is a great shipbuilding centre, and has
also important sugar refineries. The new generating station, it is
stated, will have a capacity 10 times greater than the existing
Corporation works, and may cost £2,000,000. A scheme for the
electrification of the railways is also mooted.

Hastings. — Year's Working. — The accounts of the

Electricity Department record a total revenue for the year ended
March 31st last, of £32,064, as against £20,915 for the previous
period. Working expenses amounted to £21,444, as against
£17,232, leaviUiT a gross profit of £10,620 (£3,683). Afterpay-
ment of all capital charges, the result was a net profit of £3,552.
The previous year's working showed a deficit of £6,801.

Kirkcaldy. — Sale of Station. — A communication haa
been received by the town clerk from the Fife Power Co., stating
that it is prepared to purchase the burgh's electrical under-
taking, and take possession on May 15th next. The price offered by
the company in respect of the undertaking has not been disclosed.

Liverpool. — Loan. — The Electric Power and Lighting
Committee has recommended that an application be made to the
Electricity Commissioners for sanction IJo the borrowing of £25,^90
in respect of the provision of electric mains and services to the
houses now being built in various parts of the city.

London. — Fulham. — Among the suggestions received
by the Borough Councils aiming at providing employment for
ex-Service men, was one that the existing gas lamps should be
replaced by electric lamp?. The Council, however, considers that
the number of men which could be employed on this work
would not be commensurate with the expenditure involved— viz.,
about £42,100.

Hammbbsmith. — Owing to the prohibitive cost of supplying
gas-stoves to the houses nearing completion at the Wormholt
Estate, the Housing, Sec, Committee has asked the Electricity Com-
mittee to furnish an estimate of the cost of installing electric
cookers in 40 or 50 of these houses. The Council has arranged to
give a supply to the Shepherd's Bush Exhibition, Ltd., for distri-
bution to its tenants, as this is considered a better arrangement
than the CouncU supplying tenants direct. The rates to be charged
are 4 45d. per unit for general lighting, 5'45d. for stand lighting,
and 2 73d, for power.

St. Mabylbbone. — The Electric Supply Committee recommends
application for sanction to borrow £S.500 for the purchase of high-
pressure equipment and service cables in connection with a supply,
under a 10 years' agreement, to Messrs. Selfridge & Co.'s main
premises.

Sanction to a loan of £2C0,450 for plant extension haa been
received from the Electricity Commissioners, with an intimation
that the borrowing of further sums will be considered when the
actual cost of the various works is ascertained.

Maidstone. — Year's Working. ^The total income of

the Electricity Department for the year ended March 3lst last was
£43,935, at compared with £31,341 for the previous period.
WDrking cjsts amounted to £32,263, as against £23,801, leaving a
gross profit of £11,672 (£7,540). The net result after payment of
capital charges was a profit of £1,486, comparing favourably with
a deficit of £177 in 1918-19.

Manchester. — Curtailment of Supplies. — The

decision of the Electricity Department to cut down all electricity
supplies by 25 per cent, was superseded by a Board of Trade
Order stipulating Ihat only 50 per cent, of the average supply for
the preceding four weeka was to be giv^n. Thia order applies
not only to municipal undertakings, btit to firms owning pnyWlo
plants.

662

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [Voi. 87. No. 2,2<o, ootobeb 29, 1920.

Navan (Co. Meath).— Electeh; Lighting Scheme.—

The efforts of the Urban Council to raise a loan of £Iii,Ouo for
the provision of an electric lighting aoheoie have bean unsuccessf ul.
The Local Government Board for Ireland intimates that no further
grant will be made to the Couaoil until it cjmpliea with le.;al
requirements. The Council does not " recognise " the British
Government.

Merton. — Proposed Extension. — The note which
appeared under the above heading in our issue of October 15th,
was due to a misapprehension. The information contained therein
referred to the Wimbledon undertaking which supplies Merton.

New Branswlck. — Water Power Development. — The

f!jvernment of New Brunswick has decided to embark upon a
progressive policy with respect to the development of the water
powers of the province. The Premier has announced that the
initial effort will hi made upon the Musquash and Shogemoc
Rivers.

In the case of the first-named river the waters of the west branch
are to be diverted into the east branch in order that both may be
utilised at one power house. Tenders are to be called for
immediately for the development of power at bath the Musquash
and Shogemoc sites. In the meantime plans and estimates are
biing prepared by the New Brunswick Electric Water Powers
Commission, a Government-controlled body. Later, attention will
also be given to the development of water power at other points in
the province, the most important of which is the proposed con-
struction of a large power plant at Grand Falls on the St. John
River.

The total hydro-electric power installed in New Brunswick up
to January, 1920, according to statistics compiled by the Dominion
Water Powers Branch, was 18,080 up., while undeveloped water
powers of the province were estimated at 300,000 h.p.

The two chief water power sites in Nesv Brunswick are at Grand
Falls, on the St. John River, and at the falls on the Nepisguit
River, in the northern part of the province, about 20 miles from
Bathurst. The former is the largest potential water power site in
the Maritime Provinces, and one of the largest in the Dominion.
Such rivers as the Musquash, Miramichi, Tobique, and Aroostook
are also known to have a number of large power sites.

One thing that has somewhat retarded the development of hydro-
electric energy at some of the best sites in New Brunswick is the
absence in the vicinity of a sufficient number of industrial
cnstomers to warrant development, this is particularly true of
the Grand Falls site on the St. John River, which is about 200
miles distant from the City of St. John. Some time ago a scheme
was under consideration for developing 80,000 H.P., under a head
of 140 ft., at this site, but it has not yet been definitely decided
upon. — The Times Trade Supjdemenl.

Newtowo (Mont.). — Electric Lighting Scheme. —

The Town Council has asked a firm of Liverpool electrical engineers
to make a survey of the town and report on a scheme of electric
lighting.

Rlckmansworth and Chorley.— Time Extension.— The

Minister of Transport has extended the time until July, 1921, of
the Rlckmansworth and Chorley Electric Lighting Order, 1914.
for the extension of mains, is.

Sklpton, — Electricity Supply. — The District Council
has approached the Keighley Corporation with reference tj the
supply of electricity. A distance of 1" miles is involved.

Southend-on-Sea, — Price Increase Postponed. — The

Town Council has postponed for three months increased charges for
electricity recently decided upon.

Whitehaven. — Electricity Order. — The Rural District
Council is applying to the Electricity Commissioners under the
Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1S82 to 1919, for a special Order to
authorise the Council to provide and distribute electrical energy for
lighting, heating, traction, power and all other public and private
purposes within the parishes of Distington, Parton, Moresby,
Weddicar, Hensingham, Sandwith, Preston Quarter, Rottington,
St. Bees, Lowside (Quarter, St. Bridget and St. John Beckermet
Haile and Gosforth, in the rural district of Whitehaven, in the
county of Cumberland, together with all powers usually conferred
upon distributors of electricity. Any objections to the granting of
this order must reach the Commissioners within 30 days of the
date of the official notice (October 22nd).

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY N0TE5.

Continental. — France. — The several tramway and motor-
'bus companies whose undertakings are to be purchaaed by the
General Council of the Seine have combined to guarantee the
subscription of the capital of the new company to be form 3d to
continue the working on lease from the General Council of all
these transport concerns as a united undertaking, as from the
beginning of next year.

Switzerland. — According to the Berne correspondent of the
Associated Press, the Swiss Government is negotiating for a new
loan of about 300,000,000 fr. for the electrification of the National
Railway. The exact amount of the loan and the terms have not yet
b-ien fixed. — Renter s Trade Serrii-e (New York).

RO.SSIA. — A Bolshevist wireless message announces the su jcesaful
trial of an electric train, which travelled from Petrograd to
Moscow, a distance of 390 miles, in 15J hours.

Essex. — Light Railway. — It is proposed to construct
a light railway from Ongar through Dunmow to Haughley, in
Suffolk. It would connect with the Mid-Suffolk line at Haughley,
providing another route to Southwold. If support is forthcoming,
a Parliamentary BUI will be promoted to take the place of the BiU
which was passed bsfore the war, but which has now lapsed.

London, — Tramcars in Collision. — On Saturday
morning a collision occurred during the dense fog between two
L.C.C. tramcars in the Old Kent Road, near East Street. As the
cars, in both of which were several passengers, were proceeding
towards the New Cross depot the front car stopped to set down a
pissenger, and had just restarted when the second car crashed into
it. Four persons were injured. The injured persons were taken
to a shop near by, where they received first-aid treatment. Two
of them, who received slight head wounds, then proceeded home.
A middle-aged woman was badly hurt about the face and a young
man received a scalp wound. They were removed in an ambulance
to Guy's Hospital, and left after receiving attention. The cars
were much damaged by the impact, but the drivers escaped injury.
— I) liltj Telegraoh.

Meteopolitan Train Derailed. — Traffic on the Metropolitan
Railway was considerably hampered through the derailing of a
train between St. John' Wood and Baker Street early on Saturday
morning. A breakdown gang was speedily on the scene of the
accident, but many hours' labour were necessary to restore the
normal conditions, and in the meantime an hourly service was run.
The derailed coaches were part of a train which, fortunately wm
empty, being bound for New Cross to deal with the football crowds
later in the day. — Bail;/ Telegraph.

L. & Y. Railway. — Electrification. — Crompton Dis-
trict Council is urging the L. k Y. Railway Co. to proceed with
its scheme for electrifying the railway line from Manchester to
Shaw. In 1914, plans and specifications for the scheme were
prepared by the company, but the war stopped further progress,
and the local authorities affected are now pressing for the work to
be proceeded with.

Midland Railway. — CJables Destroyed. — A great part
of the cables supplying the Derby works of the Midland Railway
Co. was destroyed by fire last week. It is stated that 9,000
employes were forced to stand idle, chiefly in the engineers'
department. It was expsoted to have the cables re-instated by
Monday, Octobar 25th.

Sheffield. — Accident.— A tramway car, when rounding
a curve on a steep gradient in the Crookes district on Tuesday,
jumped the rails, broke through a wall, and fell into a house cellar.
The driver stuck to his po3t, and neither he nor any of the
passengers, who made no attempt to leave the runaway car, were
injured.

Wolverhampton. — Electric Vehicles. — Mr. J. C.

Dawes, representing the Ministry of Health, held an inquiry on
October 20th, respecting aa application by the Corporation, for
sanction to borrow £4,614 for the purchase of electric vehicles for
the removal of house refuse. The town clerk explained that while
the Corporation found that horse vehicles were quite satisfactory
for short distances, for longer distances to the outside of the
borough, where housing schemes were being developed, electric
vehicles would be more economical and more convenient. Unless
the suggested vehicles were purchased, new horses would have to
be purchased. A recent test with an electric vehicle as compared
with horse-drawn vehicles, had been made, and had proved
favourable in cost to the former. It was possible having regard to
existing conditions, that the figure of £4,614 would be exceeded.
There was a suggestion, however, that the cost might be reduced
by the bodies being made in the millwrights' shop at one of the
Council's depots.

Blackbarn. — Wages Demand. — It is estimated that
the 123. per week advance demanded by tramwaymen will cost the
Corporation, if granted, an extra £5,000 per year. The Blackburn
wage bill last year was £62,000, compared with £23,0J0 in 1914.
It is authoritatively stated that if the demand is conceded fewer
than 25 per cent, of the municipal tramways will be able to avoid
going on the rates this year.

Brazil. — Railway Electrification. — The Chamber
has approved a Bill for a credit of 45,000 contos for the electrifica-
tion of the Central Brazil Railway.— iJew^f'.'' Trade Serrice (Rio
de Janeiro).

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Amateurs' Wireless.— On February Ist, 1921, wireless
amateurs of America will attempt to establish cammunication with
Eagliah wireless amateurs, and they believe they can bridge the
Atlantic. The arrangements in this country for the co-ordination
of amateurs who wish to take part in the experiment are in the
hands of Mr. Philip R. Conrsey. B Sc, and all oommunioations
should be addressed to him at 12-13, Henrietta Street, W.C. 2.

Ecuador. — Wireless Telegraphy. — The Prensa, ot

Lima, announces that the Government, with a view to creating
rapid' means of communication across the mountainous regions of
the Republic, is to set up a wireless telegraphic network, and a

Vol. 87. No. 2,240, Ootobbb 29, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

568

contract had been given to the Soci^te Fram.uise Radio-clectrique.
The number of stations to be established is 14, five of which
would be of 10 kw. ; five of 5 k\v. ; three of 1 KW. ; and one of
70 KW. capacity.

Telephone Call Recorder. — It is reported that Mr. W. C.

Sutherland, of Birmingham, has invented a compact instrument
which records telephone calls and automatically times them, also
ringing a warning bell towards the end of the regulation three
minutes. The device is contained in a small box, at the front of
which is a three-minutes' dial. When the user has obtained a call
he presses a stud above the clock face and this sets going the clock
and moves up a paper ribbon to a fresh numbered, ruled, and vacant
space in which he can write the name and town of the peraon
called. The ribbon works through and out of the instrument, and
can be torn ofif periodically. In this way a daily, or weekly,
record can be kept.

Telephone Rates. — Select Committee. — The Select

Committee of the House of Commons, of which Sir Edward F.
Coates is chairman, resumed its sittings after the autumn recess on
October 2 1st, and evidence was given on behalf of the National
Chamber of Trade as to whether the flat rate system should be
retained or a message rate substituted.

United States. — International Communications Con-

FEKENCE. — Sir Auckland Geddes and the Ambassadors of France,
Italy and Japan, accompanied by Messrs. Colby, Baker and Daniels,
and the representatives of the International Communications Con-
ference, left Washington on October 21st, on a tour of inspection
of the wireless stations along the American coast.

November 22nd. Electricity Department. Motor-generators,
battery Ijoosters and switchgear. (October 22nd.)

Montreal. — H.M. Senior Trade C'ommiEsioner in Canada
and Newfoundland reports that a Montreal company desires quota-
tions and date of earliest delivery for the following plant : Four
12tiJ H P., 210 R.p M , 6,r,oo volts, three-phase. (iO-cycle, two-bearing
coupled type synchronous motors, with rheostat and auto-trans-
former for starting. It is understood that if United Kingdom
manufacturers can give delivery of these machines within even
six months from date, there is every possibility or the order being
given ; also that it is not £0 much a matter of price, as the
assurance of c'elivery. The name and address of the company
making the above inquiry will be furnished by the Department
of Overseas Trade to United Kingdom firms interested, on
application.

Tarton. — November 1 0th. Urban District Council
Electricity Committee. Overhead lines and underground cables.
(October ir.th.)

CLOSED.

Birkenhead. — Electricity Committee : —

service cable.— W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co., Ltd., £1,201.
Main cable.— Macintosh Cable Co., Ltd., £2,864.

Balton. — Electricity Committee : —

Barnes (Surrey.) — Urban District Council : —

Water-tlow meter for the electricity works. —United Water Softeners, Ltd.,

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

f The date gicen in parentheses at the end of the paragraph indicates
the issue of the Eleotmoal Review, in which the " Official
Notice " appeared.)

OPEN.

Anstralia. — January 19th, 1921. Victorian Railways
Department. Supply, delivery, and erection and testing, or, alter-
natively, supply and delivery of electric furnace and equipment,
and/or, alternatively, for supply and delivery of equipment, and
drawings for electric furnace. Particulars from the Agent-General
for Victoria, London, S.W. — Tnuh-rx.

Western Australia. — December 28th. Postmaster-General's
Department. Telegraph and telephone instruments and parte.
(Schedule 689).

Belgium, — November 3rd. Municipal authorities of
Hognoul (Province of Liege). Concession for the supply of elec-
trical energy for lighting and power purposes in the town.

November 4th. Municipal authorities of Schaerbeek. Supply
of l,!)"."! electricity meters (single-phase and three-phase). Copies of
the specification may be obtained from the Service de I'Electrioite,
Hotel Communale, Schaerbeek,

November 9th, Municipal authorities of Antwerp. Electrical
plant. Specifl!ation from the Hotel de Ville, Antwerp.

November 8th. The Directeur-General of the Societe Nationale
des Chemins de Fer Vicinaux, U, Rue de la Science, Brussels.
Construction of a new sub-station at Middlekerke.

December 14th. The municipal authorities of Antwerp. Supply
of a s:t, comprising electric motor and pump, for the raising of the
briige over the Royers Dock, Specifications can be obtained, at a
cost of 2 francs, from the Hotel de Ville, Antwerp.

Doncaster. — November 2nd. Electricity Department.
One ".'lO-KW. rotary converter and l,t. switchgear. (October 22nd.)

Dublin. — November liith. G. X. Railway Co. (Ireland).
12 months' supply of general stores, including electrical fittings,
lamps, cable and wire, &c. (See this issue,)

France. — November 19th and 26 th. French State Rail-
way authorities, Rue de Rome, Paris. Electrical material for the
Onest-Ceinture sub-station ; two electrically - operated travelling
cranes at the La Garenne electrical repair shops. Particulars may
be obtained from the Service Electrique, 88, Rue de Rome, Paris.

November Ist. French State Railway authorities, W, Rue de
Rome, Paris. Supply of 1.5 electrically-operated capstans (three-
phase alternating) for various stations on the system. Particulars
can be obtained from the Service Electritiue.

Bouloune-sdb-Meu.— November lilth. Chambre de Commerce.
Supply and erection of six large electric travelling cranes for the
Nord Quay of theLoubet Dock, Boulogne-snr-Mer.

Ilkley. — November 1st. Installation of electric light,
electric bells and telephone, at Middleton-in Wharfedale sanatorium.
West Riding Architect. County Hall, Wakefield.

Manchester. — November 8th. Electricity Committee.
Supply and erection of high and low pressure steam, feed, &c.,
pipework — including alterations to existing pipework, &c. (October
l,-)th.)

Bradford. — Electricity (Jommittee

Buildings, boilers, feed pumps, coal-handling plant, and piping system, for

No. 4 boiler h juse at Valley Road Works.— Bahcock S. Wilcox, Ltd.
Heating installations in new canteen, garage and new headquarteis (mains

department). Canal Road. — fiosser & Russell.
Three e.h.t. switchgear cubicles for traosformer chambers, &c. — Ferguson,

Failin, Ltd.
K.H.r. feeder switchgear at Valley Road works, Ac— A. ReyroUe & Co., Ltd.
Re-inforcmg steel sheets for tunnel between Nos. 3 and 4 boiler houses,

Valley Koad Works. — British Re-inforced Concrete Steel Co., Ltd.
Tramways Committee : —
Treatment of rails of Birkenshaw section, by the 3andberg patent sorbitic

fcardening process, at 278. per yard. — Scholey & Co., Ltd.

Gavernment Contracts. — The foUdsving Government

contrai-ts have been placed during September, 19'20.

.\nMiR.ALTv (Con
Electric cable.— Callcnder'

Phillips, Ltd.
Cell accumulators.— Fuller's Unit
Electrodes. — Quasi-Arc Co., Ltd.
Motor generator, &c. — Metropolit;

ACr AND PUKCHASE Dti'.l

C.nble & Construction Ci

al Works, Ltd.

an-Vickers Ele.
War Office.
Crucibles.— Doulton & Co.; Morgan Crucible Co

Ltd.

meters. — Electrical Apparatus Co., Ltd.
Post Office.
Telegraph apparatus. — .Automatic Telephone Manufacluring Co.,
Telephone apparatu

Lid.

-Automatic Teleptioiie
icsson Mai '
Phoenix Telephone

Lid.

Bros

Manufacturing Co.,
Cc, Lid.; General Electric
and Eleoric Works Co., Ltd.; Siemens
vS: Co., Ltd.; Western Electric Co., Ltd.

Telegraph and telephone cable.— Hackbridge Cable Co.. Ltd.; W. T.
Henley's Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.; International Electric Co., Ltd.;
Johnson & Phillips, Ltd.; London Electr
Pirelli Gener.il Cable Works, Ltd.; Sienii
Cable Co,, Ltd.; Western Electric Co., Ltd,

Dry cells.— Ever Ready Co. (Great Britain), Ltd.

Cords for telephones.— London Electric Wire Co. X: Smilhs. Ltd.; Phoenix
Telephone & Electric Works, Ltd.; Siemens Bros, it Co., Ltd.

Dvnamotors. —Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co.. Ltd.

Solder.- E. Austin & Sons; British Insulated \ lleUbv Cables, Ltd.;
Quirk, li.-irton S: Burns (St. Helens), Ltd.

Insulated tails. — London Electric Firm.

Wallboards.-Brilish L. M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co., Ltd.; Siemens
Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Bronze wire.— T. BoUon & Sons. Ltd.; K. Smith & Co., incorporated in
the London Electric Wire Co. & Smiths, Ltd.

Enamelled and silk covered copper wire. — London Electric Wire Co. and
Smiths. Ltd.

Laying coniluils.- Lee (HanJen Road) : J. Mowlem & Co., Ltd London-
Dorking (section la): J, Mowlem & Co., Ltd. Westminster and
Chels.a ; J. Mowlem & Co., Ltd. Tower (temporary) exchange area:
], Mowl.m & Co., Ltd. Hornsey, Islington, Ike: A. Thomson & Co.
l-'ulham : A. Thomson & Co. London-Hristol-Ncwport (S.W. section
IV): Westminster Public Works Co., Ltd. East Croidon : Greig and
Matthews. Clorkenwell exchange area : Greig & Matthews. London-
Watlord (London district) : Greig & Matthews. Kensington (Drayton
Gardens) : Eoote S: Milne Ltd. Hammersmith, &c. : Foote & Milne,
Lid Pulney-Richmond Junction : S. Kavanagh & Co. London-Bristol-
Newport (S.W. section ID: W. Dobson. Enfield (Ridgeway Road
and Chase Side): G. J. Anderson. Cambervvell (Albany Road): G. J.
Anderson. Soulh Lanes. P.O. Engineering District : J. F. Hodge
and Co. South Midland. Eastern, S.E,, and S.W, P.O. Engineering
Districts: Western Electric Co., Ltd.

Telephone exchange equipment. — Pontypridd : Peel-Conrier Telephone
Works, Ltd. Avenue (London) : Pei'l-Conner Telephone Works. Ltd.
GIflnock : British L. M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Sub<on-
tractors for batteries : Chloride Elec:ric:il Storage Co..
charging machines : Crompton & Co., Ltd., for gas eng
Gas Engine t:o.. Ltd. Canterbury : British ' "' "^ "
f.i.rturing Co.. Ltd.; sub-contractors for batte
Sii,r,,t:r Co., Ltd., [or charging machines, '
I e ,niin.i;lon : Siemens Bros. & Co., Lid.; sub-conirarioi
Priuli.ll S: Gold E.l'.S. Co.. Ltd.. for charging m
Electric Co., Ltd. Falkirk; Siemens Bros. &■ Co.,
tractors, for charging machine, English Electric ( o..
leries. D.P. Battery Co., Ltd. C ' '■'--- "

Co.. Ltd. Bristol : Western Electri
Electric Co.. Ltd. Streatham
ham : Western Electric Co.,
Electric Co., Ltd.

Natural

i. Chloride Electrical
jinpton & Co., Ltd.

irrard (London)
Co., Ltd. Londonderry
Western Eletcric Co.. Lid.
Ltd. Langside, Glasgow :

English
sub-con-
for bat-
I Electric
Western
Notting-
Westero

564

IHE ELECTRICAT^ EEVTF.W [Voi. 87. No. 2,240, octobbb 29. 1920.

Copper strand wire— British Insulated 4 Helsby Csbles, Ltd.

Silk-tovered E.L. wire.— Macintosh Cable Co., Ltd.

Enamelled and flame proof wire. — Macintosh Cable Co,, Ltd

Flame proof wire.— British tnsulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd.; London

Electric Wire Co. & Smiths, Ltd.; Macintosh C.nble Co., Ltd
V.I.R. wire.— W. Gelpel & Co., Ltd.

Band conveyor.— Nottingham H.P.O.; A. Saxivic & Co., Ltd.
Manufacture and supply of submarine cable, England-Ireland —Siemens

Bros. & Co.. Ltd.
Manufacture, drawing in, and jointing cable, Manchester-OIJham.-W. T.

Glover & Co., Ltd.

India Office. Stores DEPARTMRt4T.
Baudot apparatus.— Elliott Bros. (London), Ltd.
Batteries.— Chloride Electrical Storage Co., Ltd.
Trifurcating boxes.— Callender's Cable & Construction Co., Ltd.
Switchboard cable.— British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd.
Conduits.— Perfects Seamless Tube & Conduit Co.
Feeder pillars.— Callender's Cable & Construction Co., Ltd.
Insulator cups.— Taylor, Tunniclifl & Co. Ltd.
Magnetos.— Simms Motor Units (1920). Ltd.

Motors, &c.— Bruce roebles & Co., Ltd.; Laurence .Scott 8.- Co, ltd
Telegraph apparatus.— Creed & Co., Ltd.

Copper wire.- British Insulated & Helsbv Cables, Ltd.; Elliotts Metal
Co.', Ltd.; R. Johnson & Nephew. Ltd.

Crown Ace.vts for the Colonies.
Submarine telegraph cable.— Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.
Covers for Diesel Engines.— English Electric Co., Ltd.
Electrical materials.— General Electric Co., Ltd.
Diesel engine, &c.— English Electric Co., Ltd.

Lightning arresters.— British L. M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co , Ltd
Telegraph line material.— Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.; Bullers, Ltd.
Telephones.- British L. M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Telephone line material.— Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.
Electric turntable.— Craven Bros. (Manrhoster). Ltd.
C.I. stay wire. — Whitecross Co., Ltd.
Copper line wire.— Shropshire Iron Co., Ltd.
Steel wire.— P. & W. MacLellan & Co.. Ltd.

H.M. Office of Works.
Engineering services.— Newcastle Ministry of Pensions Office, electric
wiring; Wilson & Ridlev. Old Ford Stationery OfBce, electric wirino :
Malcolm & Allan, Ltd. '

Office op Public Works, Dublin.
Belfast.— Electrical works and supplies : A. Stevenson.

Hythe (Kent).— Town Council :—

Electric-light installation for houses:— J. Pain & Co., .tSs. 6d. ppr point.

London. — Hammersmith. — Borough Council. Elec-
tricity Committee. Provision of sub-stations fcr the supply of
electricity to rew housing estate : —

Five electrcity snb.sta.tioDB, £2.070.— J. McManus & Co., Ltd. (recom).
Cable drum carriaee. £1(50 —J. & J. Besroby & Co. (recommended).
600 yd. -3 sq. in., £570; 600 yd. 2 sq. in., £tlU ; 1,000 yd. -05 sq. in, £103 ;
and 1,000 yd., 7r:n, twin conductor, concentric cable, £192 (total
£1,575).— Western Electric Co. (recommended).
Lagging tor steam pipes for the new Stirling boiler.— Newall'S Insulation

Co. (recommended).
Steel feed delivery pipes, £175. -J. E. & P. Spencer (recommended).

St. MABYLEBONE.—Borougrh Council. Highways Committee : —

Dust-sifting plant (stand. by supply), £0-kw. generator, coupled to Parsons

paraffin engine, £875. - Mnltl-Locular Shipbuilding Co. (accepted).

Electricity Committee ; —
One " Balata" fuel conveyor belt, £521.— J. Dawson & Co.. ltd. (recom.)

Battebsea.— Electricity Committed'. RecommendetJ :—
Sootcleaning apparatus, fitted with "Diamond" Blower Co. 'e gear, 4337:
teed regulator tor No. 11 boiler, £103.— Babcock 4 Wilcox, Ltd.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS.

Hoyal Institution of Great Britain.— Monday, November lat. At Albemarle
Street, W. At 6 p.m. General meeting.

Institution of Civil Engineers.— Tuesday, November2nd. At the Institution,
Great George street. S.W. At 5.30 p m. Inaugural address by the Presi-
dent (Mr. .7. A. Brodie).

Institution of Electrical Engineers (South-Midland Centre, Students'

Section).— Tuesday, November 2nd. At the University, B.rmingham.
At 7.30 p.m. Paper on " Electrical Systems and their Apparatus used on
Motor.cars," by Mr. H. B. Stanton.

North Western Centre (Liverpool Sub-Centre).— Monday, November
1st. At the University. Liverpool. At 7 p.m. Chairman s (Mr. H.
Dickinson) address. The President ot the I.E.E. (Mr. LI. B. Atkinson),
will be present and will address the meeting.

(East-Midland Sub-Centre).- Tuesday, November Snd. At the Tech-
nical College. Loughborough. At 6.16 p.m. Paper on "Electricity Supply
Meters," by Mr. A J. Cridge. •- *■ j j-i ,

(South-Midland Centre.)— Wednesday, November 3ra. At the Univer-
sity. Birmingham. At 7 p.m. Inaugural address by the chaiiman (Mr.
F. Fonesti.

Society of Engineers (Inc.).— Monday, November 4th. At Burlington
Honse, Piccadilly, W. Atopm. Ordinary meeting.

a:. Burlington Houe, W. At

Institution ol Mechanical Engineers.- Friday, November 5th. At the
Institution, Storey's Gate, S.W. At C p.m. Thomas Hawksley lecture on
" Limit Gauging," by Sir R. T. Olazebrook, P.R.8.

Edinburgh Electrical Society.— Friday, November 6th. At the Philrso-
phicaf Institution, Queen Street. At 8 p m. Paper on " Some Incidental
Uses of Electricity," by Mr. P, A. Piikington.

Motor ExhlbnIal^^ NoTimVev ttli to I3ih.
White City, Sheph'%'ra''6 Btish, W,

At Olytaipia, W., and the

NOTES.

Vehicle Lights. — The Committee appointed by the
Ministry of Transport which has been inquiring into the problem
of dazzlinpr vehicle headlights, believes that it has found a lamp
which, while avoiding dazzle, will give ample illumination for
safe driving at night. The Committee has ordered certain teats to
be made, on the completion of which details of the lamp will be
made public. The principal feature of the lamp is said to be an
arrangement whereby it is possible to regulate the height of the
illuminating shaft of light, so that it will throw a beam on the
ground not extending above the level of a man's waist.

Edacational. — London University. — At a meeting of
the Senate, on October 20th, it was decided to accept the Govern-
ment's offer of a site at Bloomsbury, subject to a number of con-
ditions. The Senate assumes that the offer does not incidentally
involve a policy of curtailing the work of other colleges and
schools of the University, and that these institutions will not
receive less favourable treatment from the Government.

Among the successful candidates in the 1920 competition for
Royal Scjholarfhips and Free Studentships (Science) of the Board
of Education was Ernest T. A. Rapson, an electrical fitter in H.M.
Dockyard, Plymouth, who receives a Royal Scholarship.

COMMFRCIAL CODBSES. — The London Coitnty Council announces
particulars of courses .at its Stillness Road Commercial Evening
Institute, Honor Oak Park, S.E. 23. A course, consisting of five
lectures on "Salesmanship," by Capt. Oliver A. Minns, conclndea
with a lecture on "Selling- Schemes," on Monday, November 1st.
A second course of five lectures by the same lecturer commences on
November 8th, when the matter dealt with will be "Advertising."
The fee for the course is 29. 6d. A further course on " Income-Tax
and Excess Profits Duty in Relation to Accounts " will be given
early in January next.

Freemasonry. — The annual installation meeting of the
Kelvin Lodge was held at Mark Masons' Hall, on the 22nd inst.,
in the presence of a very large number of gentlemen asstjciated
with the electrical industry. The reigning Master (,5Ir. T. W.
Greaves") duly installed 6Ir. H. Porter-Cox his snccsESor in
office, after which the latter appointed and invested his officers.
At the conclusion of the ceremony the members and their
visitors, to the number of 100, dineti in the Connaught Rooms
adjoining, where a very happy evening was spent. Among those
present were Mr. Edward Manville, M.P , who is a Grand Junior
Deacon of England ; Mr. E. J. Reid, Assistant i^rand Superintendent
of Works, anil Mr. P. P. Kippiug, Past Assistant Grand Superinten-
dent of Works, together with various gentlemen holding other
positions of rank in the Masonic world. During the evening,
reference was made by the newly-installed master to the magnificent
way in which the Kelvin Lodge had supported the Masonic charities
in the few years since its consecration in 1914, and he expressed a
hope that it would long continue to hold such a creditable position
among the London Lodges. The toast of the visitors, which was
proposed by Mr. H. W. S. Rentell, was responded to by Mr. W. M.
Aitken, the reigning Master of the Telephone Lodge, and other
guests. An excellent programme of music brought to an end a
most enjoyable evening.

Appointments Vacant. — Plamber-jointer, for the Redditch
Urban District CouncU Electricity Works ; telegraph engineers
(£4S0), for the Governments of the Gold Coast and Nigeria;
telephone inspectors (£300 -I- temporary allowance of 50 per cent.),
for the Posts and Telegraphs Department, Tanganyika Territory ;
assistant electrical engineer or power station foreman (S 150 per
month, dollar = 28. 4d.) for the Singapore Harbour Board. See
our advertisement pages today.

Work and Wages.— The Socialist Party at Bradford has
issued a general " Municipal Programme" for all its local election
candidates. The programme includes free stoves ani meters (both
gas and e'ectricity) ; the cheapening of electricity and gas supplies ;
no " vested private company rights to be included on any terms "
in setting up the larger electricity authorities under the 1919 Act ;
the municipalisation of banking, coal and milk supply, hospitals
and various trades ; the securing of the fullest powers by the tram-
way authority for undertaking the whole pa?senger facilities in
respect of taxi - cabs, buses, cabs, charabincs, and carriage of
goods ; the extension of the principle of direct labour so that the
contract system shall be entirely abolished ; a maximum 40-hcnr
week, limitation of work to six days per week, and two weeks'
annual holiday with pay. There is a long list of other Utopii n
promises, some practical and more otherwise. Nothing is said as 'o
who is to pay for these things. Bradford is a noted hotbed of the
wildest Socialism.

Fatality. — There was an unfortunate accident on
October 20lh at the Lister Drive electric power station, Liverpool,
resulting in the death of a boiler man employed to clean the flues
of a boiler which was under repair. In stepping over a revolving
shaft his trousers were caught in a spocket, and hewaswhir'el
round the shaft. He sustained terrible injuries, and, by the time he
reached the hospital, succumbed. -\t the inquest, which was held
on October 22 nd, Mr. P. J. Robinson, Deputy City Electrical Engi-
neer, said that a great deal of attention had been given to the
safety of employes at the station, and this was the first accident
for 20 years. 'There would have been no danger if deceased had
chosen to step over a smooth part of the shaft. It had not been
considered necessary to p'ut a gxtaid rotind the shaft. A v'e'rafot of
" Accidental death " was returned.

Toi. 87, No. 2,240, ootobbb 29, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

The Duddell Memorial. — The wish has been generally
expressed that there should be a memorial to the late Mr.
W.. Duddell, C.B.E., F.R.S., &c., by whose death iu Novem-
ber, 1917, physical science suffered a severe loss. Duddell 's
work shows how largely electrical science and many of the
scientific societies are indebted to him. The Council of the
Physical Society considered, therefore, that his memory should
be perpetuated, and invited the Councils of the Institution
of Electrical Engineers and of the Eontgen Society to join
in forming a committee to collect funds for a Duddell Me-
morial. It is proposed that the memorial shall take the form
of a medal to be awarded periodically by the Council of the
Physical Society, and at its discretion, to those who have
advanced physical knowledge by the invention or design of
scientific instruments, or of materials used in their construc-
tion. If sufficient funds are available after paying for the
cost of the dies, and after providing for the cost of striking
the medals, it is proposed to form a fund to be devoted to
the foundation of scholar.ships or prizes to be awarded to
students of the Physical Society under conditions to be de-
termined by the Council. Subscriptions should be forwarded
to the hon. secretary, Mr. Robert S. Whipple, 15, Oreighton
Avenue, Muswell Hill, London, N. 10. The preliminary list
of subscriptions shows that a total simi of over £321 has
already been given by 57 individuals and firms.

Barking Dogs Seldom Bite. — We hear that the County
Council is takinpr steps to get a new mnzzline order issued to keep
the County Co. from barkinjf.

[A/ler Bairnt/atlier.]
M**z to K'*''**y : '■ Well, if you knows of a better 'ole. go to it."

Tile Engineering Training Organisation. — In our issue
of the 15th inst. we briefly mentioned that the E.T.O. scheme
had been entrusted to the Engineering Employers' Federation.
This was the outcome of a step taken at the fourteenth meet-
ing of the E.T.O. Executive on September 29th. Sir W.
Ellis, G.B.B., was in the chair, and he explained that the
E.E.F. and the F.B.I, had each offered to take over the
work of the E.T.O., and that the E.T.O. Executive had been
authorised by the E.T.O. Council to discuss the matter with
them in all its bearings and to act definitely and finally upon
its decision. The question to be determined, therefore, was
whether the objects for which the E.T.O. was formed would
be furthered better by the E.E.F. or the F.B.I. Tlie standing
of these bodies precluded the attachment of conditions to the
impending transfer, and thus rendered a thorough discussion
of the subject all the more important. Mr. J. B. Richmond,
in outlining the position of the Engineering and the National
Employers' Federations iu relation to engineering training,
said that it should be accepted as a fact that the active par-
ticipation of the E.E.F. in all matters relating to engineering
training was inevitable, and for this reason the Federation
believed itself to be the natural agency through which the
objects of the E.T.O. could best be realised. A definite de-
velopment of activity in the immediate future was essential,
and if the continuance of the E.T.O. work was administered
elsewhere, as, for instance, by the F.B.I. , overlapping and
duplication seemed to be inevitable, and it seemed to the
E.E.F. undesirable at this critical juncture to allow anv seed
of future confusion to be sown. Mr. W. Prescott, speaking
for the F.B.I. , explained that it had always been the policy
of their educational section to abstain from direct participa-
tion in the details of training in any industry that had estab-
lished, or was willing to establish, an efficient representative
body for thnt piirpnF<> Acting on this principle, they bad
recognised the E T.O. as representing the ensjineering in

dustry, and were prepared similarly to recognise the E.E.F.
The appreciation of the F.B.I, for the work accomplished by
the E.T.O., and the sense of their own responsibility towards
the engineering industry was such, however, that they felt
bound, in the first instance, to express their willingness to
carry it on if asked to do so, and. in the second place, to
stand aside when, but only when, they felt satisfied that the
work would be properly done by someone else. On this
understanding, and with the expressed intention of both bodies
to co-operate in the fullest possible manner. Mr. Prescott said
he would, if the E.T.O. Executive so wished, withdraw the
F.B.I, offer in favour of that of the E.E.F. A discussion of
the issue having ensued, the Executive decided to accept the
offer of the E.E.F. to take over the E.T.O., and thereupon
authorised Mr. A. E. Berriman to carry out all details of the
transfer. The chairman said that he desired to express ap-
preciation of the broad-minded attitude adopted by Mr. Pres-
cott on behalf of the F.B.I. It had been the general wisli
of the Executive that the mantle of the E.T.O. should descend
upon the F.B.I. , and it was only the eleventh hour offer of
the E.E.F. that had caused the enlargement of mind by which
the best interests were now seen to be served in another
direction. Everyone would wish, said Sir William Elhs, that
it were possible to keep these educational questions removed
from the atmosphere of labour controversies by which the
E.E.F. was inevitably surrounded, hut the E.E.F. was not
altogether a free agent in its choice of subject matter, and
the problems of engineering training, with their attendant
educational principles, were being forced more and more under
the direct notice of the E.E.F. . and, for his part, he felt con-
vinced of the wisdom of the Executive's present decision to
entrust the E.T.O. work unreservedly to the E.E.F.

Resistance Fornace for Zioc Ores. — '- 'hemical and

MetaUurflical Engineering describes a system devised by Prof.
Charles H. Fulton for the treatment of zinc ores. The essen-
tial steps are : Oxidi.sed zinc ore or roasted zinc concentrate
IS mixed with crushed coke and coal-tar pitch and formed
into briquettes 9.25 in. in diameter and 21 in. long in a manner
similar to that used in the manufacture of graphite or carbon
electrodes, except that much less care and time are required.
The composition varies with the nature of the ore. These
briquettes rnaintain their form and volume during and after
the distillation of the zinc. This object is gained by using
coke as the matrix and coal-tar pitch as the binder; this
pitch becomes coke on heating and unites the ore particle
and the original coke particle into a continuous mass. The
Iiriquptte is an electrical conductor, but only to such a degree
that it can be used as a resistor.

The second step of the process consists in making the
briquette part of an electric circuit as shovm below and heat-
ing it bv an electric current io such a degree that the zinc is
distilled. During this operation, the briquette is covered by a
movable retort and the zinc vanour and carbon monoxide
are conducted to a condenser in which the zinc is con-
den-i^ed. During the distillation, the briquette acts as a con-

Set-up Zinc Pdbn.ace Bbiqdbtte Charge.

tinuous resistor and maintains itself unaltered between the
terminal electrodes. As the furnace is not Umited to the in-
terposition of one briquette between the terminal electrodes,
a large number may be interposed, thus giving a large unit
furnace. While direct current may be used, alternating cur-
rent is preferable on account of the ea.se of voltage control
by means of transformers. The furnace at East St. Louis held
a charge of 3(3 briquettes, arranged in twelve columns of three
each, set within a circle and operated on a three-phase circuit,
four columns in each phase, connected in the customary Y
connection. The amount of charge in this furnace varied be-
tween 3.100 and 3.2<X) lb., the amount of ore being approxi-
mately 1,700 lb. The time of distillation was about 6 hours;
the total time, including the placing and disch.nrging, was
8 hours, or three charges worked off in 24 hours. The capacity
of the furnace was 5.100 lb, of zinc concentrate per 24 hours.
A proposed larcer furnace, taking 19 briquettes weighing
fiOO lb each, will have a capacity of ahout 8.5 tons of zinc
concentrat* per retort per 24 hours

666

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,240, octobeb 29, 1920.

New Type of Lamp. — The production of a searchlight
that can be used to send invisible messages for naval purposes
without the possibility of detection was the problem set by
Admiral Bullard, of the U.S. Naval Commuuications Service,
to the General Electric Oo.'s engineers during an inspection
of the company's works at Schenectady, on October l'2th, by
the British and foreign technical delegates to the International
Communications Conference. Mr. VV. D. Ryan, the c<impany's
electrical illumination engineer, promised to see «hat could
be done to produce a cylindrical light core, rendered invisible
by the use of infra-red rays. An incandescent lamp seai-ch-
light of 7,000,000 c.p. was shown to the visitors, who were
told that experiments had demonstrated that it was possible
to increase a 600,000 C.P. hght to 1,200,000, without additional
electrical power, by simply conserving light rays heretofore
wasted by the employment of parabolic lenses. The labora-
tory had discovered that searchlight lenses, if built with
mirrors curved on new lines not parabolic, would conserve
most of the lost rays, and the discovery was about to be put
to the practical use of doubling the power of existing searcli-
lights.

INSTITUTION NOTES.

Manchester Association of Engineers. — Mr. Julius Frilli,
M.Sc, M.I.E.E., chose " N'ibnition " as the subject of a short
paper which he recently read before the Society. The author
first defined and gave examples of vibration, then passed on
to the laws governing the time of vibration and then- applica-
tion to particular cases met with in engineering. He next
considered the calculation of natural frequency ; causes of
vibration; cyclic irregularity, connection between speed and
position error; and the etfect of the cyclic irregularity of an
engine synchronising with the natural frequency of its load,
lie showed that the natural frequency of an alternator was
explainable on mechanical ralher than on electrical grounds,
antl calculated the natural frequency of alternators. After
outlining the causes of trouble aad the natures of cure, the
problem of running alternators in parallel was discussed.

Societe des Ingenieurs Civils de France. — The British
Section of the Society intends to hold four or six meetings
during the 19'20-'21 session. The tirst is to be held at the
Hall of the Royal Society of Arts, John Street, Adelphi, W.C,
on November 9th. M. Edouard Ciruner. President of the
Society, is coming from France to address the meeting.

Faraday Society and Institute of Metals. — A joint meeting
organised by the Faraday Society and the_ Sheffield Section
of the Institute of Metals will be held in the Mappin Hall of
the University of Sheffield, St. George's Square, on November
19th, to discuss papers dealing with various aspects of electro-
plating. Communications are promised from representatives
of the scientific side of the electroplating industry in London,
Birmingham, and Sheffield. 'Those desirous of taking part
are invited to communicate with the Sheffield local hon.
secretary of the Faraday Society, Dr. F. C. Thompson, De-
partment of Applied Science, University of Sheffield,

Institute of Transport. — The first general meeting of the
Institute of Transport was held on October lyth at the In-
stitution of Civil Engineers, '\Vestminster, and was attended
by a large number of members. In the unavoidable absence
of Sir Eric Geddes, M.P.. the retiring president, the
chaii' at the outset was occupied by Sir Joseph Broodbank,
who said that much of the success the Institute had
achieved was due to Sir Eric Geddes and Mr. H. E.
Blain (the hon. secretary). In presenting its first annual
report, the Council mentioned that there was now a roll of
652 members, including 45 graduates and 31 students. The
entrance fees amounted to i^l,473, and subscriptions aggre-
gated £1,210. A diploma for members, and another for asso-
ciate members had been approved, and would be issued at
the earliest moment ; premiums and medals would be awarded
for papers to be contributed, and arrangements had been made
for a course of lectures on traffic subjects. Lord Ashfield of
Southwell afterwards took the chair as the new president,
and in the course of his address, he dealt with important
aspects in the progress of transport, and suggested hues of
poUcy for developing a plan which would deal with the
educational activities and aims of the Institute.

Institution of Electrical Engineers. — Liverpool Sub-
Centre OK THE North-western Centre. — The opening meet-
ing of the 1920-'21 session will be held on Monday next at
7 p.m. in the lecture theatre of the lalioratories of applied
electricity at the university. Mr. lA. B. Atkinson, president
of the I.B.E.. will address the meeting and Mr. H. Dickinson,
chairman of the Liverpool Sub-Centre, will deliver the chair-
man's address.

Institute of Patentees (Inc.). — .An Instiiute witb ihe above
title, from which the word ' limited " is omitted by licence
of the Board of Ti-ade, was registered on October ISth, as a
company limited by guarantee. The management is vested
in a Council, and the organising secretary is Mr. G. D. Cole-
nm, with registprefj offices at 6, Holborn Viaduct, B.C. 4.

Institution of Civil Engineers. — The one hundred and
second session will be opened on T\iesday, November 2nd, at
0.30 p.m., when Mr. .John Alexander Brodie, President, will
deliver an addre.ss and present awards made by the Council
f(jr papers dealt with during the past session.

Paisley Association of Electrical Engineers. — Mr. W. R.
Bruce, lUe president, in an address to the Association, dealt
with " The Development of Electric Traction on our Main-
line Railways."

Chelmsford Engineering Society.— On October 21st, at
the second meeting of tUe new session, Mr. E. H. Field
lectured on '' Electric Traction " l)efore a large attendance
of members; Mr, A. Eddmgton m the chair. The paper
reviewed the present po.sition of electric traction on railways
in this country and abroad, and drew attention to the part
played by national conditions as regards coat of coal, abund-
ance of water power, severe gradients, Ac, in tUe more rapid
development of main-line electrification in Eurojie and
America, compared with Great Britain. The requirements of
main-line, suburban, and city railways were described, and
the importance of rapid acceleration for short runs was
eni)ihasi.sed. In this connection comparison was made between
tlie high acceleration attained on city and suburban electric
railways, and the best figures obtainable with .steam loco-
motives. T"he merits and disadvantages of U.c, single-phase,
and three-phase .systems were compared, and reference was
made to the 3,000-volt D.c. electrification of a large section
of the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway, the report
in favour of the use of high-voltage b.c. issued by the French
Railway Mission to the United States, and the report of a
British Railway Commission standardising 1,500 volts d.c.
for railway electrification in this country. On the subject
of locomotives, the paper discussed the gearless, geared, and
side-rod methods of driving. Lantern slides were employed
to illustrate the paper, these including [ihotographs of some
of the recent large locomotives made in Switzerland and
the United States. In the discussion that followed, Mr.
Burge, M.I.E.E., dealt with the difficulties that confronted
the electrical engineer in traction work, and Mr. Buyers,
M.I.E.E.. related some interesting experiences in traction
work.

The Faraday Society. — On Monday the symposium ar-
ranged by the Faraday Society and the Phy.sical Society on
the physics and chemistry of colloids was held at the Institu-
tion of Mechanical Engineers, Sir Robert Hadfield presiding.
Prof. Dr. The Svedberg, of Upsala, read the first paper, and
pointed out the immense importance of colloids, of which
all living beings, food, clothing, &c., were built up.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

The Editors inmtt eUotrical engineers, whether connected loitA the
cechmcal or the commercial side of the profession and induetry,
also electric tramway a/id railway officials, to keep readers of the
Elbctbioal Review posted as to their jnnvement'.

The L.C.C. Ili^ihways Committee has appointed Mr. J. P.
Crouch, of the Metropc-'itan Carriage ix Wagon Co., Ltd., to
act with the general manager as assessor of the designs for
new traincars, at a fee of 250 guineas.

Mr. J. T. F.4YLE, temporary traffic manager of the light
railways at Southend-on-Sea. has been appointed permanently
by the T,C. at his existing salary.

At a meeting of the Blackburn branch of the National
Association of Local Government Officers, on October 20th.
Mr. T. Wallwork, mains superintendent of the Corporation
electricity department, one of the founders, was presented
with a gold albert, and Mrs. Wallwork with a gold wTistlet
watch in recognition of services rendered to the branch. The
presentations were made by Mr. F. P. Wheelwright, the
electrical engineer.

Mr. F. T. Bn.LiNGS, who was for 10 years with Jones and
.\ttwood, Ltd., of Wordsley, Stourbridge, has accepted an
appointment as electrical engineer with the Burmah Electric
Tramways & Lighting Co.

The marriage took place at St. James's Church. Forest
Gate, on October 15th, of Mr. E. W. J.^ckson, A.M.I.E.E.,
son of Mr. J. Jackson, of Bognor, and Miss Eileen Mary
Taylor, only daughter of Mr. T. S. Taylor, of Forest Gate.

At the forthcoming municipal election which takes place at
Stockton-on-Tees on Monday, Mr. G. P. F.URI,ESS, w'ho is 1
managing du-ector of the FaiMess Engineering Supplies Co., f
Ltd., of Stockton-on-Tees, director of Fairless Electric Weld- '
ing's. I/td., of Stockton-on-Tees, and chairman of directors of
the Engineering and Lighting Equipment Co,, Ltd,, of St.
.Mbans, Herts., is contesting the Central W^lrd as an inde-
pendent candidate. His opiionent is fighting for the l.ibour
:iii<l cooperative cause.

Obituary. —Mr D. Coile.-Ou October 25th, at 17. .\ddi8on
Road, Betlford Park, London, the death occurred of Mr.
Daniel Coyle, M.I.E.E. The interment will take place at
(Charlton Cemetery at 11 a.m. to-morrow (Saturday). Austra--
lasian and Japanese papers please copy.

Vol. 87. No. 2,240, ootobm 29. 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

567

NBW COMPANIES REQISTBRBD.

CITY NOTES.

Vickers South Africa. Ltd. (170,990).— Private company.

Rfgistered October 23nd. Capital, £10,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the
business of metal founders and workers, shipwrights, builders and repairers
of war and other ships, including submarines, dealers in machinery, tackle,
ships' furniture and stores, manufacturers of and dealers in guns, gun car-
riages torpedoes, ordnance, electricians, electrical engineers. &c. The first
directors are: F. H. Barker. Lowndes House, Lowndes Place, Belgrave
Square, S.W. (director, Adam Hilger & Co., Ltd., British Lighting & Ignition
Co., Ltd., Sic; S. V. Bardier, 48, Grange Road, Ealing, W. (director. Com-
plete Gas Combustion Co., Ltd.. Salvage & Towage Co., Ltd.. Stc); N.
Robinson, Westmoor Green House, near Slough (director. Vickers-British
East Africa, Ltd., Sic.) Secretary (pro 1cm.) : C. E. Bardier. Registered
office: Vickers House, Broadway. Westminster, S.W.

Grindlay, Ross & Co.. Ltd. (11,457). — Private company.

Registered in Edinburgh. October 18th. Capital. £10.000 in £1 shares. To
carry on the business of electrical engineers and contractors, manufacturers
of and dealers in electric, magnetic, galvanic, and other apparatus. The first
directors are: J. S. Paul, 81, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow; J, Marr, 926,
Govan Road, Govan, Glasgow; ]. Grindlay. Glasgow; J. P. Grindlay, Glas-
gow. Registered office : 141, Reid Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow.

" Z " Electric Lamp & Supplies Co.. Ltd. (170,924).— Pri-
vate company. Registered October 19th. Capital. £30.000 in £1 shares. To
carry on the business of electricians, electrical and mechanical engineers, &c.
The first directors are : \V. Crawford. Orient House. Xew Broad Street. E.C.
J. Scrivener. 146, Wimbledon Park Road. Southfields. S.W.IR; A. G. Marsh,
274, Durnsford Road, Wimbledon Park, S.W. Secretary: L. W. Ellisdon.
Registered office ; 71. Standen Road, Southfiolds, S.W.

General Electrical Construction & Maintenance, Ltd.

(170.915).— Private companv. Registered October 19th. Capital. £1.000 in £1
shares. To carry on the' business of electricians, electrical and mechanical
engineers and contractors, manufacturers, e^porters and importers of cable.
wire, lines, accumulators, dvnamos, &c. The first directors are : P. O.
Knowles, junr.. 36, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone; A. D. Clarke, 30, Shirley
Road, Enfield. Middlesex. Registered oflice : 47. Imperial Buildings, Ludgate
Circus, E.C. 4.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

W. Sisson & Co.. Ltd. (82,29.5).— Return datetJ October

Isl. 1930 (filed October 7th). Capital, £50.000 in £1 shares (5,000 preferred.
38.000 ordinary, and 7,000 deferred); 4,375 preferred, 27,311 ordinary, an. I
7.000 deferred shares taken up. £24.286 paid. £14,400 considered as paid
Mortgages and charges, £6,224 15s. 6d.

Stearn Electric Lamp Co., Ltd. (95,340).— Return dated

July 23rd, 1920 (filed Julv 31st). Capital £4.070 in £10 shares. All shares
taken up, £70 paid, £4.000 consid.red as paid. Mortgages and charges, nil.

Spanish Telephone Co.. Ltd. (41,.589).— Return dated

August 2nd. 1920. Capital. £81.000 in 5.600 ordinary shares of £10 each and
1.250 preferred shares of £20 each ; 5.600 ordinarv and 671 preferred shares
taken up; £53,420 paid. £16.000 considered as paid. Mortgages and charges,
nil.

J. G. White & Co.. Ltd. (66,-568) .—Return dated Tulv

l:)lh, 1920. Capital, £500.000 in «1 th.ires (180,000 preferred and 320.000
ordinarv). 180.000 preferred and 200.000 ordinarv shares taken up; £150,000
paid, £230.000 considered as paid. Mortgages and charges, nil.

D.P. Batterv Co.. Ltd. (44.0841.— Return dated Tulv 27tlT.

loao. Capital at date of return, £10.000 in £1 shares (4.998 " A." 4.996 " B."
and 8 others). All shares taken un: £10.000 paid. Mortgages and charges.
£18.000. Capital increased to £100.000 in £1 shnres on September 2nd. 1920.
Two returns of allotment m.ade up to August 20th and September 1st shows
the whole of the additional share capital allotted, of which 18.000 shares have
been allotted for cash and 72.000 distributed among the sharrhoMers by way
of bonus.

Christy Brothers & Co., Ltd. (90,0.39).— Return dated

November 21st, 1919 (filed August 3rd 19201. Capital. £22.000 in £1 shares
(14,000 ordinarv. 3.000 deferred, and 5.000 7 per cent, cumulative preferred).
10.537 ordinarv. 3,000 deferred, and 2.10 preferred shares taken up. £4.687 paid
£9.100 consid.-red as paid. Mortgages anti charges. £4.000.

Oliver Engineerinj^ Co., Ltd. — Issue on October 18th.

1920. of £300 debentures, part of a series already re.gistered.

Thermo= Electric, Lid. — Debenture dated Octoljer 5th,

1920, to secure £13,.591. charged on the comp«:iv's undertaking and propertv.
present and future, including uncalled capital and interest in 16.308 fullv-oaid
shares in Burma Finance & Mining Co.. Ltd.. and proceeds thereof suhiert
to prior charges for £100.000. £.50.000. and £.50,000 respectively. Holders :
Electric Furnaces i- Smelters. Ltd.. and others.

British Electric Vehicles, Ltd.— Particulars of .£.50.000 de-

fcentures. authorised October 1st. 1920. and covered bv trust deed of even
dale: amount of present issue £25.000; charged nn leasehold property at
Cambridge Road and Marshside Lane, .Southnnrt, and the company's under-
taking and property, present and future, ini hiding uncalled capital. Trustees:
Cople.vs Bank, I.t.l.

Torquay Tramways Co.. Ltd. — Satisfaction to the extent

of £1.000 on October fith^ 1920. of charge dated March 8th, 1911, securing
£80,000.

Van Raden & Co.. Ltd.— Mortgage dated October 1st,

1920. to secure £1.000. charged on certain freehold land and factory premi.ses
at Great Heath. Fnleshill. Coventry. Hol.ler : J. Rankin. Mains' of Cairn-
brocks, Leswall. Stranraer. Wigtownshire.

Corona Lamp Works, Ltd.

1980, to secure £1.200. charged on the
Portnian Chapel Temperance Benefii

-Mortgage dated October 14lh.

I.vsander Grove. Islingl.m. N. H.ilderc :
Building Society.

The report for the year ended June, 19'20,
Drake and states that alter payment of all charges,

Gorham, Ltd. including bonuses due to staff, and making
provision for all contingencies, there is a
net profit of ^23,017, plus i'tj.7l7 brought forward, making
±'29,734, which it is proposed to appropriate as follows : Pay-
ment of a dividend of 10 per cent, for the year, ±'12,.5tX);
writing down goodwill, :£5,000 ; and carrying forward £12,234,
subject to deduction for exce-ss profits duty and corporation
tax. During the year the head offices of the company have
been removed to 36, Grosvenor Gardens, the lease of which
has been purchased to 19.55, suliject to a nominal ground rent.
This investment, added to the requirements of the business
under existing conditions, necessitates additional working
capital, which is receiving the attention of the directors. Pay-
ment of the dividend tleclared will therefore have to be
deferred. In spite of the dislocation in reverting from war
to peace requirements, the turnover is again greater than that
of the previous year, while the orders in hand indicate a further
material expansion during the current year, .\lthough the
available profits on contracts have been adversely affected by
the increasing cost of labour for which it has been difficult
to make adequate provision, it is anticipated that in this
respect conditions will improve, and current orders show
better re.sults. The directors have voted £673, being part of
the extra remuneration to which they are entitled under the
articles of association, towards the stuff bonus ;icrount.

E. Tlmmlns & Sons. Ltd.— Particulars of jElO.OOO deben-
tures authorised August Slst. and roveri-d bv trust deed of September 2«lh
1920. present Issue £9.3.50; charged on certain freehold lan.ls ..nd preniis.s
at Runcorn and the company's undertaking and propertv. present and future.

hcluding uncalled capital. Trustees ; London County •Weitminsttr 1 P»rr.
sanK. Ltf],

North Melbourne Electric Tramways & Lighting Co., Ltd.

— The report for the year ended September Hllth, 1919, states
that the gross receipts .show an increa.se fnnu £44,203 to
£45,764. and the expenses increased from £33.825 to £34,536,
due mainly to the increase in wages and cost of materials.
The net revenue was £11.22S. as compared with £10,379:
£8.3-50 has been absorbed by payment of debenture interest
and £2,S78 has been tran.sferred to reserve for renewals,
making that fund £11,830. The busine.ss was adversely
affected by the strike of seamen.

Montreal Tramways Co. — Tlie report for the year endoil
.June 30tb, 1920, states that gross revenue amounted to
$2,375,579 and expenses to $1,923,071, leaving net income
$4.52,508. Three quarterly dividends of 2^ per cent, each
absorbed $290..5.50. leaving a balance of $161,958, which, added
to $1,039,818 brought forward, makes a total of $1,201,776.
from which there has been appropriated $255,601 nn account
of deferred dividends paid during the year and $5,000 voted to
the widow of one of the officials, leaving a general surplus
account of $941,176. From February 10th, 1918, to -June 30th.
1920. the revenue has not been sufficient to meet the reauire-
ments under the new contract, the shortage being $1,728,912,
of which $1,192,694 is payable to the City of Montreal when
received, after payment of nil prior charges and $223, .547 to
the contingent reserve fund.
»
Electric Supply Co. of Victoria. Ltd.— The accounts for
the vear ended Marc'- 31st, 1920, show that the revenue
was '.£105, 0.53, against ^101,220 in the previous vear: the
expenditure .£69.712. r-ainst J67,159 for 1918-19,' and the
gross orofit .£35,341. against .£.34.061. Lamps connected
268,544, against 2.52,407 the orevious vear: tramwav pas-
sengers 5,316,136, against 4,898,102. The balance to the
credit of nrofit and loss account is ^6.33, 764, nlus ^624, 136
brought forward, making .£57,900 less ^14,796 for debenture
interest and charges. It is proposed to pav on account of
arrears of preference dividend £lO,oOO and to carrv forward
J43,103. Debenture stock redeemed to date .£81,642. The
meeting was held in London on October 13th.

Stock Exchange Notices. — The Committee has ordered
the following to be officially quoted : —

Callender's Cable & Con.struction Co., I>td.— 100.000 ordinary
shares of £1 each, fully p.iid (Nos. 400,000 to 500.000).

Vickers, Ltd. — 7,6-53 ordinary shares of £1 each, fully paid
(Nos. 12..307,981 to 12,315.63.3); and 18.065 5 per cent, cumula-
tive preference shares of £1 each, fullv paid (Nos. 6,845,763
to 6.863.827).

Prospectus. — TI'. H. Domian d Co., Ltd., are issuing
.£.300 CK)0 S per cent, participating seven-year notes at £95,
together with 50.000 ordin.ary shares at 22s. per share.

Kaministiquia Power Co. — Dividend of 2 per cent., being
at the rate of 8 per cent, per annum on the common stock
for the quarter ending October 31st.

Bahcock & Wilcox. — Interim dividend at the rate of
Is. 43d., equal to 7 per cent., free of tax, for the past six
months.

United River Plate Telephone Co.. Ltd. — Interim divi-
dend at the i.ite of fi p.r .t-nf., free of tax, on the ordinarv
shar.-s f,,i- till- half vr.Tr.

Brisbane Electric Tramways Investment Co., Ltd. — In-
terim dividend of 8 per cent, per annum, free of tax, on
ordinary shares for the half-year.

668

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. j,240, ootobm 29, 1920.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evbninu.
Stock Bxchanoe markets started off the week with a .sur-
prising degree of strength. Surprising, that is, in the light
of the uncertainty which still existed with regard to the strike
outlook. The public evidently take the view that at the Wed-
nesday conferences this week agreement will be reached be-
tween the Govei'nment and the raihvaymen and also, it is
hoped, between the Government and the coalminers. On the
streiigth of the strike-fever abating, buyhig orders poured into
tte' markets in liberal fashion during Monday and Tuesday.
There was something of a halt towards the latter end of busi-
ness, to-duy (Tuesday), but the strength of markets continued
to be well maintained, and, although some of the buyers admit
that they are skating upon fairly thin ice, confidence runs
high in the expectation of sanity regaining the upiier hand
ami labour returning to its ordinary avocations.

In these circumstances, prices responded with improvements
in nearly all the markets round the Stock E.\change. It is
not as though the movement were purely sentimental either.
Improvement in prices has been brought about by a consider-
able volume of buying stimulus, and this, coming upon a
market in which there was no great amount of tloating stock,
caused the all-round appreciation of values. It can hardly be
said that any one market counuands greater prominence than
the other in this advance, although oil shares, as usual, mono-
pohse the greater part of the speculative investor's interest at
the present moment.

Home Railway stocks went ahead with the rest. Even
those of the steam lines participated in the buoyancy which
spread from one end of the House to the other. Amongst
Undergrounds, one of the features is the strength of the i'lO
shares of the Underground Electric Railways Company.
These rose 5s. to '2i. and the income bonds at 70J show a gain
of 2 points. The " -A. " shares are sixpence better at 78. 6d.
Metrppohtans and Districts have been inclined to lag behind
the others; indeed, the prices of both are 10s. lower on the
week. Several of the prior-charge issues are also harder, and
the monetary outlook is quoted as being likely, to e.xhibit some
degree' of ease in the near future. Possibly the Stock
Exchange and its clients may be rushing the improvement
rather too quickly, but it must be admitted that the fall has
been protracted, and that, although prices had not slumped
.><o severely as many people expected them to do, the hope of
labour conditions being .settled on a more permanent basis of
])eace is sufficient to pluck up the courage of many people
who for weeks past have been afraid to adventure their capital
in .stocks and shares. . ,

Amongst home electricity shari^s, Chelsea's at 22 have lost
the fi-action Which they gained a week ago, a.nd Brompton
ordinary at 0 now return the level 10 per cent, on the money.
Westminster ordinary at 5 pay the same rate, and London
Electric preference .can be bought at S, also to give 10 per
cen,t. County ordinai-y at 73 return little short of 11 per cent.,
allowing foV accrued dividend in the price, while City Lights,
obtainable at iiss, Gd., offer the investor nearly 9 per cent. If
South Londons could be bought (and they are extremely diffi-
cult to get), the return would be over 9J per cent, on the
money, w^hile Charing Cross offer 103 per cent. These are
big yields eveji in days like these, and, as this is the season
ff .'.'^'^ K'"' '»vhen interest in illumination shares is generally
quickened, there might be a chance for improvement if the
coal outlook Were to become less obscure.

The {.''ity of London Company has taken the bold step of
counselling its customers to use as little light as possible dur-
ing the' crisis, and, with the return of Greenwich time, it
suggests that everything should be done in order to speed up
work in offices, &c., with a view to enabling an early return
home in the evening and a corre.sponding saving of electric
current. No one will suppose that investors are likely to pay
any particular attention to electric lighting shares so long as
the coal situation continues critical, but if this were to become
more normal, it might be worth the while of people, who are
prepared to wait for capital appreciation, if they started to
buy a few of the best-class lighting shares.

Edisons at 18s. are another Is. down, and Briti.sh Insulated
receded to If. • India-rubber shares at 1 3/16 are also 1/lfi
lower, but on the other hand, British Aluminiums recovered
to 20s.. and Babcock & Wilcox have ri.sen, to 21 on the
pleasantly-unexpected increase in the interim dividend from
<; percent, to 7 per cent. This came as a surprise', for most
people had. assumed that companies of this class were not
likely to do more than maintain their previous rates. Other
manufacturing shares are steady. There has been a litt).'
buying of General Electrics, raising the price to 26s. 3d., and
Siemens at 24s. fid. have regained their last week's decline.

Amongst cable shares. Westerns have risen to 1.5, and so
stand higher than the other three partners in the quartette
which comprises Eastern Extensions. Eastern Telegraph
ordinary, and Globe ordinary. The principal feature in this
market is the recovery in Marconis, the shares having risen
to 2J en speculative purchases For some time past the
tucket has, heea in disfavour owing to the GoTernm^nt action

with regard to the wireless chain which it is sought to set up.
ITiere was a rumour current lately to the effect that Mr.
(jodfrey Isaacs might .sever his connection with the Marconi
L'ompany, hut for this there appears to be no foundation.
Marconi Marines have recovered with the parent shares, and
are now 'iiJs^ but Canadians hang lire, remaining at ys. 6d.
Chadbmn's Telegraph ordinary are lower at 178. 6d., and the
jireference have eased oti' to its. 3d.

Mexicans are moving aimlessly, the 5 per cent, bonds of the
Mexico Tramways Company shedding li, while Mexican Light
and Power first mortgage bonds rose a similar amount.
.\nglo-Argentine 5 per cent, debenture stock has put on ii
couple of points to 59i, and British Columbia Electric, pre-
ferred and deferred stocks added a further 2 apiece to their
previous week's rises of 3. The company's traffics are -good,
and encourage the idea that an increase may be made in the
3i per cent., free of tax, dividends last declared on the pre-
ferred and deferred stocks.

Rubber shares stiffened a trifle, on the expectation that the
industry will benefit fiorn the coming into force next Monday
of the curtailment policy, under which 70 per cent, of the
British producers have agreed to a reduction of is per cent,
in their normal output of rubber. The price of raw rubber,
how'ever, shows little indication at present of improvement.
Amongst armament shares, Armstrongs and ^'icker8 have re-
covered sharply, and from their recent low. levels of 20s., have
both mounted to 23s. An interesting issue this week is that
of three million pounds 8 per cent, seven-year notes at 96} by
the Explosives Trades, Ltd.. the security of which renders the
offer attractive. " Dollar " stocks are disposed to yield
ground, on the .American exchange movements. Havana
Electric Railway 5 per cent. Ijonds at 100 are 7J points lower,
and others of the same class are mostly lower.

SHARE LIST OF ELECTRICAL COMPANIES.

Hn>IE ElEOTRICITY COMP.^NIE-*.

Dividend Pxice

Brompton Ordinary.. .... 8 II

Charing Cross Ordinary .. .. * 7

do. do. do. 44 Pref. .. 4i 4J

Chelsea 8 i

City of London 8 10

do. So. 6per cent. Pref. .. 8 8

County of London 1 8

do. do. 6 per cent. Pref. 8 6

Kensington Ordinary .... 8 7

London Electric- Nil 3i

do. do., 6 percent. Pref... 8 8

Metropolitan.'. .. .... 6 8

do. 41. percent. Pref, .. 4) 4)

St. Janus' and Pall Mall .. .. 10 18

South Londoi .- .... 5 6

South M 1 ropolitan Pref. . . . . 7 7

Westminster Ordinary .. .. 8 10

Tei.ei;«.iphs and Telepho.i

Anglo-Am. Tel. Fnl. .... 8 S

do. Del 88/6 1)

Chile Telephone 8 8

Cuba 9ab. Qid 7 1

E istern Bxtension 8 10

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10

Gl in^ Tel. end T, Ord 8 10

do. do. Pref 6 8

Great Northern Tel M 93

rndi f nropean IB 10

Marconi K SB

Oriental Telephone Old 10 11

United R. Plate Tel 8 B

West Tndla and Panama ., .. 1/8 Nil

Western Telegraph 8 10

Home R.vils

Central London Old. ABaeoled ,. 4 4

Metropolitan 1 H

do. District .. Nil NU

Under^ound Electiio Ordinary.. NU NU

do. do. "A" .. NU NU

dOi do. Inoome .. 6 4

FoREiG.N Trams, &c,

An ilo-Arg. Trams First Pre!, ..Nil H

do. do. 2nd Pref, .. Nil NU

do. do. 6 Deb. .. 6 6

Brazil Tractions Nil Nil 44'

Bombay Electric Pref 6 6 19i

British Columbia Blec. Rly. Pfce, 8 0 61

do, do, Preferrred 8^ 6 65^

do, do. Deferred NU B S^

do. do. Deb. .. 4} 4} 6Si

MezlooTiamsS percent. Bonds.. Nil NU 42)

do. 8per cent, Bonds., NU NU W

Mexican LIgbt Common . . . . NU NU 16

do, Pref NU NU a7i

do. 1st Bonds . . . . NU NU ElJ

MAXiFAcTi-HiNa Companies.

Babcock ft Wllooz 16 16 JJ

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 1

British Insulated Ord 13) 16 19

Oallenders 36 16 1 7,,

„ Si Pref 6t 61 18/9

Oastner-Eellner 80 17 3

Orompton Ord 10 10 17/6

Bdlaon-Swan, " A " .. ,.10 10 18/-

do, do. 6 per cent, Deb, ,.6 6 76i

Bleottlc Oonstrnotion , . . , 10 10 IsifS

Sen, Bleo. Pref 8i Si lB/6

do, Ord 10 10 1^

Henley 86 16 IS

do. 4iPrel 4i 4i . bS

IndU'Rnbber 10 10 !/<

Uet.-Vlokere Fral — 8 3i

Siemens Ord,. . ., ,10 10 94 6

Telegraph Coo, 90 90 30

•.DlTidende ptld itee o< Inoome tax

Oct. 36,

Tield

1920. Rise or fal

. p.c.

6

- i

.£10 0 0

Si

10 15 6

2i

~~-

8 8 8

2;

- i

7 6 6

IJ

8 IT 10

17/6

■^

S 17 1

73

^

10 17 0

8i

—

7 7 8

BJ

*-

8 0 8

1

- i

7 10 0

8

10 0 0

3i

10 B 8

3ii

—

8 0 0

H

—

8 4 8

4

_

9 12 0

16 3

..

8 13 8

6

_

10 0 0

I0.1E8,

77*

_

7 14 10

17i

—

8 15 10

61

—

•6 B 1

64

-4

♦10 16 4

14j

•6 IS 7

147»

—

•6 15 7

'II

—

•6 16 9

~-

71 3

30

—

11 0 0

80

_

B 8 8

3i

+ I't

8 18 10

3a

—

•4 IB 4

H

— i

«S 10 B

H

NU

16

+ i

•6 18. 4

43i

9 4 0

30i

- i

6 S 5

18

-i

NU

2J

+ i

NU

7,6

+ei.

Nil

70i

+ 2

—

B

_

9 3 4

H

^

SU

69i

+3

8 8 0

16 4 I

0 0 1

4 8 J

8 8 1

11 8 K

II 10 6

6 13 6

10 19 3

Vol 87. No. 2,240, ocTOBBB 29, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. 569

POWER FACTOR.

The discussions on my articles on powes'f actor. Uave
been interesting and stimulating. I have reason to
believe that something will come out of them, and -that
commercial interest in the subject will be increased.
Power companies are wakening up to the commercial
meaning of low power factor, and in the future we shall
see a great dealniore interest taken in the subject than
has been in the past.

My personal belief is that the way to deal with low-
power factor current is to meter the wattful and the
wattless components separately, and to make a charge
to stiit each case. This, of course, only applies to large
consumers, say, to people paying something of the order
of £500 or £1,000 per annum and upwards.

Messrs. Harvey and Dorey appear to have a dislike to
tiie mechanical analogy. They are not; alone in this
dislike, but the fact remain.s that some of our greatest
authorities, sucli as Clerk Maxwell, and Kelvin, made
ample use of the mechanical analogy, and they i?new
something about theory also.

To come to the question of what wattless currents
really are, Mr. C. H. Harvey, B.Se. (London), writes:*

" Mr. Turnbull states that at one part of the cycle cur-
rent conies from the generator and at another part it re-
ceives current as a motor. . . . This " wattless " current
i.5 there aU the time, a varying portion of the measured
current at times in the cycle, and an opposing current pre-
venting a portion being measured at other times, but always
thercj as an alternating current, never taking power from
the generator (it causes heat losses in the copper and iron,
but this only adds a small percentage to the power current,
and is measured as power to the regret of the consumer),
and never giving power back."

.ifltyiu Cji XUfRNBULL, M.l.E.E.

the conductor being at right angles to the paper, so
that we see the end only. Let it slide on bars which
serve as contacts to our instruments. Then a voltage
will be generated along the conductor, and (with a
suitable scale) the voltage curve will be represented by a
circle, as shown. If we draw ofi current through a
plain resistance the current curve will be a circle, or an
ellipse, according to the amount flowing. Let it be
represented by the ellipse as shown in the figure. The
ampere diagram is thus something like that given by
a reciprocating engine.

Now let us draw off the current through a resistance
and inductance in series. The effect, per fig. 3, will
be that when the conductor gets to b, the current will
continue to flow under its momentum, and will, in fact.
Sow against the voltage when the conductor is returning.
In the diagram it does not cease to flow until the con-
ductor has returned to the point c, after which it re-
verses and flows with the voltage. When the conductor
reaches a, the current also continues to flow in the satiie
direction, and does not reverse until the conductor
reaches d on the return journey.

When the current is flowing against the voltage, the
conductor is being motored instead of driven, as ei-
plained by Dr. S. P. Thompson.

Let us now consider the engine diagram. We take
that of an oil engine, as it has large compression, which
suits our purpose when we want to talk about out-of-
phase currents. It is shaped somewhat as shown in
fig. 4, and we get something which corresponds very
closely to the electrical diagram. When tlie piston

Fin. 1.

Fiu. .-5.

Fig. 4.

■After reading this statement of Mr. Harvey's, I
turned up iSilvanus P. Thomjison's " Polyphase Electric
Currents." The following extract from Thompson's
liook will serve to show the difference between liis ideas
and those of Mr. Harvey (see fig. 1).

" During the p.Trtial periods T.I and IV, when there is
agreement in sign, the n>nchine is in the cuniiilion of being
a generator, and will require to be driven, the currents in
the armature setting up a counter torque. Hut during the
other partial periods I and III, when there is opposition in
sign, the machine is in the condition of being a motor, and
will tend to drive itself, the torque helping it im."

Mr. Harvey and Dr. Thompson differ, and I propose
to assume that Thompson is right.

If Mr.. Harvey will read carefully Dr. Drysdale's
book on alternating current with its wealth of mechani-
cal analogies, he will get a new light on the whole sub-
ject-of alternating current.

It uiay help to make the subject clearer if we
depart from the ordinary method of representing
currents by means of curves having a base line of time,
and make, use of a base line representing space. This.
will give us an accurate comparison with the indicator
diagram of a steam engine.

-Infig. 2 let the conductor c. move to and fro with a
hannonic motion along the line a B,/in .a magnetic field,.

•In view' of ■ Mr. Harvey's letter' in the ELECTRiCAr,
Review of. October 8th. in which he withdrew part of hi.s
criticism, the author had thought of cancelling this refer-
ence; he has, however, let it stand because it probably
pepresents the- view of other readers. "

moves from .\ to b the compressed gases do work on it,
but on the return stroke the piston does work by com-
pressing the gases, the effect being similar to out-of-
pliase currents.

Where is the wattless component in these two cases ?
It is represented by the part hatched in each diagram.
Probably people do not often think that a reciprocating
engine diagram does show a wattless component, but it
is there plain enough, when one looks for it. The effect,
in tlie case of the electric generator and the reciprocat-
ing engine, is precisely similar. In each case one gets
no loss shown on the indicator diagrams. Yet in each
case we require bigger plant where there is a wattless
component : the engine requires a bigger cylinder, and
the generator requires heavier conductors.

Likewise the wattless component brings about a real
loss in each case. In the engine there is leakage, and
increased friction over what would take place if one
could run without compression, while in the generator,
there is inevitable loss owing to the larger current flow-'
ing in it and in the niain.s. ' ,

If we seal up the engine cylinder altogether, and drive:
it by an outside source of power, at the same time leav.-:.
ing sufficient clearance at the cylinder end to- keep the'
pressure within reason, we get a diagram something';
like fig. ,5. This diagram is wattless, that is, there isf
as much power (or nearly as much) given on the motor'
stroke as is absorbed by the compression stroke. Let it'
be noted that although the diagram is wattless, the

570

THE ELECTRICAL REVIE W. [voi. s?. no. 2,240, ootobrb 29, i»2o.

stresses on tlie engine are cjuite as great as if it were
doing work all the time. Likewise, although th» dia-
gram is wattless, power is required to drive the engine,
to make up for friction losses. We assume a flywheel so
large that the engine runs steadily requiring a' practi-
cally stead}' power to drive it.

If the periodicity were reduced to one per two minutes
we would see low p.p. in quite a different form. With
the generator running on nearly wattle.ss load, we would
see that it was running on load for one minute, while
during the nest minute the current would he surging
hack and motoring the generator. It would in fact be
necessary to put some kind of brake on it to prevent it
from running away.

We are now in a position to see what i.s the function
of a wattless meter. Current at low p.p. may l)e
:inalysed into wattful and wattless current, just as the
steam engine diagram may he analysed into the workinj.'
jiart and the compression part. It is possible to get
meters so arranged that one will meter only the wattful
component, while the other will meter the wattless com-
ponent. At first sight it might seem ridiculous to state
that a wattless meter showed 100,000 units, but this

THE REQAN TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM.

Fig. .5.

Via. (").

really means that the consumer has taken 100,000 units
from the mains and has put them back again as current.
He is like the banker's client who pays in £100,000
and draws it out again for expenses, a very usual busi-
ness with banking accounts, as Mr. Dorey should know !
It might seem that the two transactions balance each
other, but they do not. The banker has to provide a
stafi of clerks, &e., to deal with the money. Similarly
there is not a true balance with the electricity suppliers.
They have to supply mains and plant to deal with the
extra current which is required owing to the low p.p.
The banker charges for his services on the turnover,
and similarly electricity suppliers may reasonably make
a charge on their turnover, as shown by the wattless
component meter. This system seems to be the most
equitable possible. The consumer can either pay for
his wattless units, or he can improve his plant to use
less of them.

Before the method can be put into full operation,
it will doubtless be found necessary to explain the why
and wherefore of it all to hard-heade<l business men.
The northern ones, at any rate, like to know what they
are paying for ! For this purpose the banker's analogy
may be found useful. The day may runie when .Messrs.
Harvev and Doi-ev will both be cl.nd to niiike use of it !

Electricity in Hamburg. — The working of the Hamburg

electricity works in winch the State of Hamburg holds a large
financial interest has resulted in net profits of lO.l^^.OOfJ marks
in 1919-20, as compared with 4,136,0tl0 marks in the preceding
year, and the dividend on the ordinary shares is at the rate
of 8j per cent., as against .5 per cent, in 1918-19. The better
results are attrilmted to improvements made in the plant which
have permitted of the realisation of economies, particularly in
the consumption of fuel. On the other hand, the Hamburg
Elevated Railway, which is also a jointly owned undertaking,
is unable to earn sufficient to defray the working expenses,
and the sum of 3,000,000 marks has to be provided quarterly
out of State funds to pay bonuses to the employes. It is
thought that the railway will soon have to be transferred
entirely to the State, which has guaranteed the dividend on
the old shares, unless the income can be raised so as to meet
the current working expenses.

Experience has .shown conclusively that an intelligent mind
and a skilful hftnd must at all times be used in oi>erating and
controlling a high-speed train. The mind, however, is subject
to lapses or distractions; the human mind functions at times
somewhat independently of the being whom it controls; at
times somewhat mechanically. The quick and accurate
functioning of the human mind should not, therefore, be
depended upon, as a last resort, where human life is at stake.
In this connection it is interesting to recall that in reporting
on recent railway accidents in this country Ministry of Trans-
port inspectors have pointed out the desnability of the early
introduction of automatic train control on British railway
sy.stems.

The necessity for automatic train control must be apparent
liecause of the fact that even where automatic block signaU
are installed there is no absolute protection. .\n automatic
signal is connected to the train behind which it .stands; but
there is no tangible connection between the signal and the
approaching train, and thus a dangerous gap remains un-
spanned. .\utomatic train control is designed to bridge this
gap; by jts use conditions ahead actually control the approach
of the train behind. Automatic train control is particularly
essential to .safe and economical operation where, as in the
lowlands of England, at times den.se fogs prevail. With trains
properly equipped with the " Regan " automatic train control
devices, including cab signals high speed can lie safely
maintained and the fognien and special (lagmen ordinarily
used to safeguard traffic may be as.signed to other duties.

On September 3Uth last, preliminary demonstrations (offi-
cial tests are to follow later) were carried out on the Great
Ea.stern Railway Co.'s system between Grange Hill and Fair-
lop, Essex, in the presence of officials of the Ministry of
Transport, railway engineers, and other interested personali-
ties, with the " Regan " Safety Devices Co.'s automatic train-
control system, which we describe hereunder. Before going
further, however, it might be well to point out that the above-
named company should not be confused with the .■\merican
organisation of a similar title. An entirely new company is
being formed in this country, and the " Regan " devices are
to be manufactured in England.

The control system consists of two elements; one comprising
the locomotive equipment, and the other, apparatus located
on the roadside. The former equipment consists essentially
of a .speed circuit controller, an electro-pneumatic valve, a
shoe niechnnism. relay, storage battery, release key, and the
necessary conduits and wiring for the electric circuits; al.so
visual or audible cab signals when desired. Fig. 1 shows the
arrangement of the various parts as installed on the G.E.R.
locomotive for the above-mentioned tests. The roadside equifi-
ment consists of a ramp and the necessary connections, illus-
trated in fig. 2.

The locomotive equipment is so arranged and interconnected
as to cause the shoe stem to pick up an indication from the
roadside apparatus of the proper characteristic to actuate the
relay to one of three positions, namely, " full proceed,"
" caution," or ' stop." .\s the shoe rides up the inclined
surface of the ramp it moves the electric circuit controller to
disconnect the storage battery, at the same time connecting
the ramp circuit which remains connected during the travel
of the shoe over the horizontal surface of the ramp. .\s the
shoe rides down the inclined surface at the leaving end of the
ramp the storage battery is again connected and the
roadway circuit cut off. When a full proceed or
caution indication is received, the storage battery
thereafter supplies the indication so received, until the
characteristic of the current is changed to actuate the relay
to the other position, or to stop the train as the case may be;
excepting that the storage battery is cut off from the circuit
and energy from the roadside apparatus is substituted at each
signal or ramp location momentarily, thus checking the in-
tegrity of the roadside and locomotive equipment. When
the locomotive equipment is actuated to the full proceed
position, the storage battery supplies energy, through a circuit
controller directly connected to the stem of the shoe mech-
anism, and to the magnet of the electro-pneumatic valve;
thus actuating the valve .so that it closes the brakepipe vent
and opens the reservoir supply to the engineman's brake valve.
While in the full proceed position the speed circuit controller
is cut out from the circuit entirely.

When the character of the current is changed by the road-
way apparatus and the locomotive equipment is actuated to
the caution position the circuit is as above described, except-
ing that the speed circuit controller is automatically connected
into the circuit. If a train exceeds the predetermined speed
for which the speed circuit controller is adjusted it operates
to de-energise the electro-pneumatic valve, thus opening the
brake pipe vent and causing a service application of the brakes,
at the same time closing the reservoir supply to prevent the
brakes being released by the engineman's brake valve. When
the speed has been reduced t<\ the point at which the con- j
troUer is set it operates to close the electric circuit, thus again
energising the magnet of the electro-pneumatic valve, closing
the brake pipe vent and restoring the reservoir pressure to
release the brakes.

Having received a caution indication the speed is automa-
tically restricted throughout the caution bhx-k, the brakes

Vol. 87. No. 2,240, OoTOBEE 29, 1920,] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

571

applying automatically whenev«r the train exceeds the pre-
determined speed and releasing automatically whenever the
speed is reduced to the proper point. A stop indication is
received whenever the shoe contacts with a ramp which is de-
energised. Under such 3, condition the locomotive circuit is
opened, thus operating the electro-pneumatic valve to vent
the brakepipe, and causing an application of the brakes, at
the same time closing the reservoir supply to prevent release
of the brakes at the engineman's brake valve, as described
for operation under a caution indication.

In the operation of this system an application of the brakes
is made by the automatic control apparatus when any of the
following conditions exist : (n) When a train passes a signal
in the caution position, or a ramp carrying the caution charac-
teristic, at excessive speed; (b) whenever a train exceeds the
predetermined speed while running in a caution block or over
limited speed teiritury ; d) at a stop sijinal or de-energised
ramp.

When au automatic application of the brakes is made by
the control system, it may be released, with the device in ser-
vice, only by one of three methods : (I) By automatic release

proof 'case, and is attached to the locomotive as shown iu
tig. 3. It consists essentially of two parts, one of which
revolves with the axle to w-hich it is connected ; the other
part being arranged for connection with the locomotive circuit
by means of a substantial flexible conduit.

The speed controller is of the centrifugal type, the governor
being rigidly bolted to the end of the axle. As the wheel
revolves the centrifugal governor operates a circuit controlling
device which is adjusted to any predetermined speed. Con-
nection to the circuit is made by means of fixed contact
springs and binding posts properly insulated.

The shoe mechanism, fig. 4, is mounted upon the tender or
locomotive. It consists of a shoe stem, cyUnder, and a cii'cuit
controller. The latter is attached directly to the shoe
st«m. which in its travel over the ramp moves a sufficient
distance to provide ample movement for selecting between
the locomotive and the roadway energy. The shoe stem is
held in position for contact with the ramp by means of the
cylinder into which the upper part of the shoe stem is fitted,
the cylinder being directly connected to the brake pipe, so
that the shoe stem is beM in the ilnwn position under pres-

tm

^JlJ^

;|

> ^,i*i^<t*^—

■-■ * ■'

ESL^IH^E^

i

-

-

I'lC. I. -l.nCoMdTiVF. Kvl'lPME.vr

FiQ. 2.— Track K

SSP!^

:^.— Si'i;rii-rii\Ti(or, Mnn wi.^m.

Ku:. 4.— ShoI' Mfchamsm-

-El.KCTRIi-l'Nn'MATK' Rr\KI- VUAl

as io caution or limited speed territory when the .speed is
below that for which the si^eed coutroller is set. (2) By
automatic release as when passing over caution or limited
.speed territory to a dear- block, or to unlimited speed territory.
(3) By operating the release .■switch to p.Tss a stop signal or a
de-energised ramp.

In order to proceed, after having beeu brought to an auto-
matic stop, or to pass a stop indication, it is necessary for
the engineman to operate a release switch provided for that
purpose. The train may then proceed, but only under auto-
matic . speed control, until the next ramp location is en-
countered when, if the block be clear, unlimited speed will
be restoretl.

Ordinarily the system is so installed that no part of the
automatic control equipment is located in the engine cab, its
operation being entirely independent of the engineman. It
does not in any way interfere with the control or operation
of the train by the engineman so long as he obeys signal
indications and operates the train safely when closing in upon
an obstruction, as a preceding train. It operates, however,
promptly when the engineman fails.

The spaed-control mechaniam is housed in a dust and water-

sure. When the shoe contacts with the rani]i coustaut pressure
is available throughout the movement, the brake pipe acting
as a reservoir to receive the volume of air displaced from the
cylinder and to restore the shoe stem to its normal position.
The latter is also directly connected with the brake pipe,
being drilled almost throughout its length to ensure a service
application of the brakes in case from any cause it should be
broken off in service. A bolt lock is provided for fastening
the shoe stem in the up position in case it is desired to operate
the locomotive fitted with the control equipment outside of
train control territory. When the stem is so secured the
locomotive circuit is de-energised, thus conserving energy
from the storage battery.

The electro-pneumatic reservoir and brake valve device is
connected directly to the reservoir supply line, it is also pro-
vided with a connection to the brake pipe, fig. 5. When the
magnet is energised that part of the valve controlling the brake
pipe vent is closed, and the part controlling the main reservoir
pressure is open, so that the engineman has full and un-
restricted control of the train brakes. When an automatic
application is made the magnet is de-energised, the brake
pipe vented so as to provide a service application, and the

572

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEWo [Voi. 87. No. 2,24.0, octo.bb 29, 1820.

reservoir supply closed, so that the brakes cannot be released
from the engineman's brake valve.

The roadside apparatus consists of a ramp, fig. 2, a battery,
relay, and the necessary wiring tor connecting the ramp with
the signal system, or with the track circuits, or both as tht'
case may be. The ramp is built up of angle iron with a
copper insert; it is mounted upon cast-iron supports bolted
to standard sleepers, being separated from the latter supports
by a suitable block or wood stringer. It is made with an
incline at each end to ensure proper movement of the shoe
mechanism. A standard signal battery, of 10 volts, will pro-
vide ample current for proper operation of the roadside
apparatus. The " Regan " control may be adapted to any
existing signal system ; where automatic block signals are in-
stalled, the conh'ol circuit for the signal system may also be
used for the train control system.

_ From the description above given it is apparent that the
" Regan " apparatus embraces a comprehensive system of
automatic train control which, when properly installed, will
in fact space trains and prevent collisions. The security to be
obtained by its positive speed control will, we trust, recom-
mend the system to favourable consideration.

THE RU551AN ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY.,,
DURING AND AFTER THE WAR.

FAVOuaABLE Prospects foe Fobeion MADnPiudTDBBBS.

THE CLASSIFICATION OF ENGINEERS.

An important report has been submitted to the United States
Engineering Council by the Committee on Classification and
Compensation of Engineers, in which it is stated to be the
intention of the committee to undertake a vigorous campaign
for the purpose of securing recognition of the classification
of variou.s positions. The committee hopes that it will receive
the earnest backing of engineers _throughout the country in
making the classification effective. Its immediate aim is to
secure for competent engineers such status and " compensa-
tion " or, as we should say, salary, as will enable the engineer-
ing profession to " attract and retain men of proper calibre
to assume responsibilities successfully."

A Congressional Joint Commission has been investigating
the same subject, and has presented a report to Congress, in
which it is observed that the salary and wage rates for posi-
tions involving like duties and responsibilities, and calling
for the same qualifications, show wide variations, and that the
(Jovernment has no standards to guide it, with the result
that serious discontent obtains, and the national service has
become unattractive to technical men ; waste of money, in-
justice to individuals, and inefficiency in administration are
the outcome. Remedial measures are proposed, and are set
out at some length in the American Machinist, together with
the systems of classification proposed by the Commission and
by Engineering Council respectively. Tliat of the latter, in the
case of civil engineering, as an example, embraces the follow-
ing grades : Chief engineer, engineer, .senior assistant engineer,
assistant engineer, junior assistant engineer, .senior aid (office),
.senior aid (field), aid (o. and f.), junior aid (o. and f.).

The "aid " grades range from the rank of tracer and junior
draughtsman (without previous experience) up to th.it of super-
vising dranght.sman with five years' experience or college
trainmg. The " professional service grades " begin with the
junior assistant engineer, who must have passed through a
•standard course of instruction and secured a professional degree
without experience, or mu.st have otherwise acquired a know'
ledge of engineering science, together with experience (four
years' training) ; his duties are to take charge of surveying or
construction parties, to design details from sketches, &c..
under supervision. The "assistant engineer" is responsible
for a minor subdivision of- an organisation, may take charge
of field work, &c.. and must have spent two years as junior
assistant or the equivalent, and possess a professional degree,
or, in its absence, tour years' additional experience. A
" senior assistant engineer " mu.st have had executive charge
of work for five years (three of which us assistant engineer,
one in responsible post): " engineer " eight years (three years
as senior assistant, three years in responsible charge): "chief
engineer " 12 years (four years as engineer, five years in
responsible charge). Particulars of the proposed salaries for
these posts are given, the lowest (junior aid) being $1,080-1,560,
average $1,240 (say £250), and the highest $8,100, say, .£1,600.

■The salaries proposed by the Commission are in general lower
than those of the committee, by 25 or 30 per cent.

These are praiseworthy attempts to arrive at a satisfactorv
classification of engineers. While the example detailed re-
lates to civil engineering, the system is applied to 23 branches
of engineering, one of which, of course, is electrical.

Conditions differ considerably between the United States
and this country, but the need for clas.sification is common
to both: the schedules of the Joint Industrial Board for Elec-
tricity Supply constitute our nearest parallel to the Engineer-
ing Council's code, but are of restricted application. When
<ve get an Engineering Council of our own, as we hope to do,
the work done l)y the American body will be very helpful
to it.

A.S is well known, the electrical manufacturing industry in
Russia prior to the war had not reached the stage of being
independent of other countries, but had largely to rely upon
firms in Germany, which had also established branch works in
Russia, or were otherwise represented in that country. On
the other hand, the competition oftered by other countries in
the Russian market was insignificant, and even the non-
German financial groups which obtained concessions for
power stations and tramways are said to have carried them
out mainly with the participation of German firms. Under
these circumstances it is of particular interest to hear what a
German has to say concerning the electrical industry in
Russia during the past five years, as is related by Herr N. O.
Lifschitz in a recent issue of the Berlin E.T.Z. Although not
specifically mentioned, it would appear that the author was
one of the Germans who remained in Russia during the war;
hia statements are suminarised below ; —

The outbreak of the war naturally led to
Machinery from the suspension of business relations with
other Countries. Germany. As the Russian manufacturing
works produced mainly articles which
could be more favourably made in the country owing
to the Customs tariff, but very few products of bulk output
(installation materials, measuring instruments, cut-outs, &c.),
as well as machines and apparatus of complicated construc-
tion, it was necessa'ry at once to seek markets for obtaining
substitutes for the deUveries which were no longer available
from Germany. The Russian firms sent representatives to
other countries for this purpose, and although machinery and
plant were procurable early in the war, as a result of the
existence of large stocks, the conditions in this respect under-
went a change as the belligerent nations themselves re-
quired the materials for war work. A further difiiculty
arose from the fact that the German practice introduced in
Russia differs from that in use in other countries, so that
it was first necessary for the latter to adapt their manufac-
tures to the Russian standards, which are identical with
those of the Verein Deutscher Elektrotechniker, of BerUn.
Sweden and Denmark first came into consideration for de-
liveries. It was impossible, however, for the Swedish firms
fully to meet the great demand ; and then the transport
which was characteristic during the war of manufactures from
hostile countries, via neutral countries, to Russia, was com-
menced. It was thus actually possible to receive German
machinery in Russia during the war, and at first of the same
types as in 1914, until the deliveries became difficult, owing
to high duties, the more uncertain transport possibilities, and
the gradual substitution • by Germany of iron for copper.
Holland also participated in the business to some extent,
together with Japan, although the latter's plant was not
good, and Japan, therefore, had to restrict her exports to
those of lamps, conductors, and installation materials. The
alterations in the standards for machinery and apparatus
which were made in Russia in 1917 were not of much advan-
tage to Japan, whose deliveries, except lamps and conducting
materials, were limited solely to Siberia.

The participation of France was limited
Orders for to the supply of some instruments of pre-

America and cision, apparatus, and special machines.
England. and that of Switzerland to meters and some

machines and turbines, which in certain
cases were on the way to their destination for a period of two
years or even longer. Nevertheless it was soon perceived that
the only sources could be the United States and England, to
.some-extent, Isecause the latter was largely occupied on her own
requirements. As a consequence, the Russian A. E.G. entered
into relations with the General Electric Co.. of Schenectady,
the Siemens-Schuckert Works with Siemens Brothers, and the
Dynamo Co. with the Westinghouse Co. At first the con-
nections took the form of simple purchasing transactions, and
were limited to orders for quick delivery ; but the Russian
industry was too much accustomed to German products to
break off for ever and introduce hew types. In the middle
of 1915 the conclusion was reached that the war would not
soon be over, and as a consequence a" beginning was made
with the placing of orders for large machines for remote
delivery. In the meantime the works in America and England
became crowded with orders, fo that the time for delivery had
to be extended, and not seldom reached from 12 to 18 month';.
The first noteworthy deliveries from these countries onl.v
arrived towards the end of 1910. and as the Russians thereby
got to understand .American and English types for the first
time, business became brisk, and the v.alue of the orders
placed in England and .\merica amounted to 25.000,000 or
3(i,lKK»,0i:Ki Imperial roubles at the end of 1917. although these
were only partly eTtecut<>d. as the revolution took place in
the meantime.

The author proceeds to state that many of the madiines and
apparatus which reached Russia were held up at the ports
of Ai'changel. Vladivostoi-k, and Alexaudrowsk, as the
railways were unable to transport to the interior the immense
quantity of goods which had accumulated at the ports, and
millions of hundredweights of goods remain there to-day. At

Vol. 87. No. 2,240, ootobeb 29, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

573

the most, ftom 20 to 30. per cent, of the machinery and ap-
paratus ordered reached the interior before the blockade was
declared, and a still smaller percentage had been set in opera-
tion. What was placed in service proved to be of excellent
quality, the American and English machines being liberally
dimensioned; the measuring instruments and apparatus were
very heavy, and soundly constructed, and the prices were
consequently excessively higher than those of German manu-
factures, and the freight and duty were likewise consider-
ably greater. The sequestration of the undertakings of the
German firms which took place in 191.5-16 exercised but little
influence on the general situation of business, especially as
it was not carried out thoroughly.

Coming to consider the question of

Manufacturing manufacturing in Russia in order not to

in Russia. be entirely dependent upon imports, the

author remarks that soon after the out-
break of the war the absolute necessity for extending the
existing works or the erection of new establishments was
recognised. Great difficulties, bow-ever, were experienced in
this direction, as the large Russian works were too much
dependent upon the German works in a technical respect,
and had neither material nor suflicient technical staff avail-
able for new types, schemes, &c. Nevertheless, the best
possible was accomplished. Akeady in 1915 one of the most
important works — that of the A. E.G. at Riga — had to be
removed, together with thousands of tons of raw materials,
machine tools, &c., and thousands of workmen and officials,
to Kharkoff, where a large new works was erected, capable
of competing Avith foreign firms. This works will prob-
ably play a great part in Russian industry in the future, as
it is situated in the centre of the coal and iron and steel in-
dustries, and is equipped for the production of very large
machines. In addition, the works of the Volta Co. had to be
removed from Reval; Siemens & Halske, and the Siemens-
Schuckert Companies extended their establishments, and
erected new works, as also did the Dynamo Co. ; whilst the
Swedish Allmanna Co. started a works in Russia. Besides
these large works, quite a niunber of small works were
erected, although they were not very successful owing to the
lack of technical staff and materials.

The production of installation materials was begun at the
instance of the Electrotechnical Department of the War In-
dustry Committee, and this branch was continued by the
management of the Electrotechnical Department of the
Superior Council, which is identical with the department
just rnentioned- Moreover, a number of lamp factories was
estathshed. although they were only partly successful, and
only two of them were able to produce in 1917-18 at a rate
of 600,000 lamps per annum. It is probable that these
factories will disappear on the resumption of commerce with
other countries, but it is assumed that one of the principal
companies wDl start a large factory as .soon as conditions
become normal.

As to the future prospects which will
The Future result from the resumption of trading re-
Outlook, lations with Russia, the author states that

one thing is certain — that it will scarcely
be possible f(jr all the electrical firms combined, both those
in allied countries and those jn former enemy countries, to
meet the requirements of Russia in electrical machinery and
apparatus during the next 15 years, owing to the depreciated
condition of the existing plant and the lack of lamps, installa-
tion materials, tramcars, train lighting sets, &c.

The dispatch of engineers and technicians to Russia, in the
opinion of the author, is of equal importance to that of
the supply of plant to that country. The German engineers
employed in most works were expelled at the beginning of
the war; many of the Russian engineers were killed; and the
American .ind English engineers who gained a good reputation
for carrying out satisfactory work during the war. and who
gained the sympathy of the Russian works' staffs, had to
leave the country two years ago. It is, however, considered
that as English is but little known in Russia, and German
fairly well known, those engineers who proceed to the country
and have a mastery of German will, therefore, be able to
get along very well with the Russian officials and workmen,
-\s in the case of other branches of in-
Tlie Nationalised dustry, so also have the electrical com
Industries. panies and firms been nationalised. The

author states that in connection with the
Superior Council at Moscow, a department for electrical en-
gineering is being formed, and is administered bv the
management, as previously mentioned, of the Electrotechnical
Department of the War Industry Committee, and several
fingineers on the latter belong to the department. The com-
panies, as for instance the A. E.G.. Siemens, &c., onlv figure
as sections ^groups), and their directors, onlv partly con-
sisting of former directors, but for the most part men
elected by the staff and workmen, can be considered as group
leader.?. The Budget for each group is prepared beforehand
by their leaders for several months forward and placed before
the Electrotechnical Department of the Superior Council
which sanctions the credits and gives instructions through the
National Bank fState Bank). There is no question of anv
profits, as anv possibihty of earning profits is precluded by the
nigh wages of the staff and workmen, and the otlier expenses
The firms simply live at the cost of the National Bank, which
has placed immense sums at their disposal.

An Electrotechnical Department also exists at Fetrograd
in connection with the Severoraja Komuna (Commune of
the Northern District), for deahng with the activity of the
electrical undertakings in that region. Moreover, a Superior
Electrotechnical Council has been established on which are
represented the former dii-ectors and other leading persons
in electrical engineering who have remained in Russia. While
the Electrotechnical Department of the Superior Council is
occupied with economic questions, the Superior Electrotech-
nical Council deals with affairs of a more general and technical
nature, and particularly fixes the guiding lines for large
schemes of the future, the standardisation of machines and
apparatus, and similar work.

Any mutual competition between the
Internal firms is excluded through the undertak-

Competition ings having been vested in the general com-
at an End. munity by the Soviet Government, and

canvassing for business is, therefore, super-
fluous. Officials and men work according to the tariff fixed
by the Superior Council. It is indisputable that this
method of working has not exercised a favourable influence
in increasing the efficiency of the men, but the exclusion of
competition has brought about an important change in the
sense that instead of the works having still to accommodate
themselves to the requirements of Russian engineers who
formerly devoted more attention to theory than to practice,
the works now produce and supply uniform types of machines,
which the customers have to accept. It is admitted that an
educational effect in this direction was produced on Russian
customers by British and American firms during the war.
The production in the works severely suffered during the
revolution, especially through the removal of works' plant to
and fro, particularly in the case of the A. E.G.,, which is
now known as the Russian General Electric Co. It is, how-
ever, impossible to give any statistical data, but it can be
definitely stated that the production is vcy small as compared
with the demand.

In conclusion, the author remarks that during the revolu-
tion, as during the war, it was impossible to proceed with
the establishment of large new generating stations and tram-
ways. But this circumstance has not prevented the prepara-
tion, as far as possible, of the most comprehensive schemes
for the future involving expenditure amounting to milliards
of roubles, the fate of which yet remains to be decided.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received by us after 5 P.M. ON Tuesday cannot appear until
the follouring week. Correspondents shMild forward their communi-
cations at the earliest possible mo»w)d. No letter can be published
unless we have the writer's name and address in our possession.

Commutator Construction.

Regarding the article in your " Notes " section headed
" Novel_ Commutation Construction," I beg to inform you
that this method of constructing small commutators has
been, and still is, now in common practice in all shops
that specialise in motor repairs and commutator manufac-
turing. Personally, ten years ago I constructed commu-
tators exactly as described in vour article. I am not
criticising the article, but would like to point out for the
benefit of your readers that there is nothing novel in this
method of commutator construction.

H. Ashdown. ''

London.
October Wth, 1920.

[The note in question was quoted from our contemporary
Power. We are glad to know that this country is ten years
ahead of the United States. — Eds. Elec. Rev.]

Domestic Supply Pressure and Wiring.

I read with much interest Mr. Wordingham's article in
the Electbical Review recently, in which he 'suggested
cutting down domestic installation costs by allowing the
wiring of a house to assist the cause of electric heating.
Persons to my knowledge were much struck with the sug-
.gestion, but I doubt if anybody has been so hard hit as
myself. As a fact, it was such a severe impact (I was
having lunch at the time) that on reaching my office I
found I still had my unpaid bill in my hand.

But the point of it all is that the scheme could be en-
largedtremendously, as it opens up a suggested new sphere
of action.

No doubt everyone is aware that there are such things
as sew-ers (and this reminds me of a village I know-
where they were given the option of having electric light
or drains; of course thev chose electric light), but has the
idea of an electrified one appealed to anybo'dv ? I must
make mvself clearer in this. .Are not some of these cable
dy.cts which carrv high-tension lines nothing more than
sew^ers carrying electric currents ?

Now Mr. Wordingham had electric heating in mind
when he suggested heat-giving house wiring, not electric
cooking. Pancakes could no doubt be wound round th«

D71

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No 2,240, ootobbb 29, 1920.

wires in question, sn additional insulation, but this was
not Mr. Wordingham's idea.

Since the tendency of the station enj^inccr to-day is to
welcome heavy cooking and heating loads between peaks,
the suggestion alluded to, which applies tu heating and
not cooking, might very well go further than this. Why
not increase the scope of the idea by utilising the heat
in the supply cables for supplying additional temperature
for houses along those streets where the cable runs? The
I'R losses which increase with the domestic loads, in a
small cable of suitable material, can be forced by means
of a fan placed at the power house or feeder pillars into
ducts leading from the " sewers " to the houses referred
to. Houses, therefore, would not onlv he supplied with
additional beat, but would l>e ventilated besides; a valve
at each house could be used for heat regulation or for shut-
ting-off if none be required.

1 am only a graduate of the I.E.K. at the moment, ami
unless I can help it I hardly think 1 shall ask Mr. Word-
ingham to propose me for transfer i^f membership !

London.
October 21a^ 1930.

M. O. Fuller England.

With reference to the letter from Mr. Inch, which appeared
in your issue of October 1.5th, may I point out that the method
of looping described by your correspondent as the " .\merican
method " has been in common use in this country for many
years, especially with twin lead-covered cable, and was being
used by the writer so long ago as 1S9IJ

Hendoh,

October '&th, 1920.

G. C. Allingham.

What is a " Qualified Electrical Engineer "?

The phrase " qualified electrical engineer " frequently seen
in advertisements seems somewhat ambiguous, at all events
as compared with qualifications in other professions. Could
you oblige with a clear definition of the difference between
an " unqualified " and a " qualified " electrical engineer?

I have heard it stated that no man can be considered
" qualified " unless he has (a) passed through a university
course, and [b) becouie a full member of the I.B.E. Do you
agree?

Quericus.

October ISth, 1920.

[Two essential factors enter into the training of an engineer :
Scientific knowledge and practical experience. The former
cannot be imparted in a workshop ; the latter cannot be gained
at college. As a fully quahfied electrical engineer must possess
both qualifications, it follows that he must have devoted some
years to technical studies, and spent some years in practical
work, in order to aequire them. Technical training is most
efficiently conducted in the institutions — technical colleges
and universities — which are specially organised for that pur-
pose, but it can be given wherever competent instructors and
suitable apparatus are provided, and some large firms make
such provision (but they are exceptional). It cannot be said,
therefore, that a university or college course is indispensable.
With regard to the I.E.E.. admission to full membership of
that institution nowadays does imply that the member i.s a
fully qualified electrical engineer, in some branch of the
profession: but it is not yet compulsory to join the institution,
so that non-membership is not evidence of want of qualifica-
tion.

We must, therefore, lie eontent with the general statement
that a fully qualified electrical engineer is one who has re-
ceived an adequate scientific and technical training, no matter
how or where, and has been engaged in industrial engineer-
ing operations for at least three years.— Eds. Elhc. Rfv.]

Delivery Dates.

May I call your attention to a serious disease which is ap-
parently spreading itself amongst English manufacturers and
agents to-day? This disease renders sufferers liable, apparently,
to adopt any ru.se for capturing orders, but particularly
that of giving good delivery dates, which, by the way orders
are actually executed, it must have been obvious to the
tenderers at the time of quoting, could not possibly be carried
into effect.

The following particulars show how flagrant this under-
hand method has become : —

Date of order.

Delivery
promisea in

Overdue.

Remarks,

Octnber t4th, 1910..
December JOih, 1919
April 27th, 19'0 . .
June 10th, 1920
„ 18th, 11^0

„ 2'na, law ..

6 weeks
l-l .,

S „

1 ',',

12 months
.'^7 weeks
11 .,'
11 „
H .,
n ,.

Not yet delivered

Delivered

Part delivered only

Not yet delivered

I am well aware of the ditficulties that have had to be faced
in the engineering trades during the past eighteen months,
but I am confident that some of the orders in question were
given delivery dates not in good faith. Such practice is
intolerable, and the sooner it is dispen.sed with the better.

C. Culmer Hodges,

A.M.I.E.K., A.M.Mech.E.
Electricity Works, Dawlish.
October 21.i#, 1920.

Most of these particular orders were urgent, and were
placed with the respective (and apparently respectable) firms
whose delivery dates were the best, other things being equal.

REVIEWS.

Cuutinuous Current Machines. By S. 1'. SMITH, D.Sc. Pp.
63; figs. 10. London; Benn Bros., Ltd. Price as. net.

" The clearer fundamental princrples are understood the
easier it will be to produce competitive designs." Everj'one
will agree with the author in this statement. The funda-
mental principle of the dynamo is the interaction between
a jnoving conuuctor and a magnetic field, and to get the
fundamental principle in its univensal form, that, is, not re-
stricted in any way, he .starts oft with the investigation of
the case of a coil moving in a pulsating field. This is the
most complex case which arises in certain types of A.c.
machinery, but it is not a case u.sually taken as a starting
lioint in the ordinary text-book on dynamos. A beginner
would certainly prefer to be inducted into the science of
electrical engineering by easy stages, beginning with the
movement of a one-turn coil in a stationary field, then passing
on to a coil of .several turns in one slot, then to a coil spread
over a certain part of the armature, and finally the movement
of such coils in a pulsating field. The author's mathematics
are quite clear, and easily followed by a reader who has some
knowledge of the calculus, but whether the connection
between the formulse and the process in nature which they
represent will be grasped by a reader who has only a super-
ficial notion of how- a dynamo works (that is, a beginner)
is another question. Obviously the author does not intend
his book for beginners, but only for advanced students and
practical engineers, and it woufd not be fair to review it
as if it were an ordinary text-book.

Looking at the little book from this point of view, it
will be found admirable. After having investigated the
general case, the author proceeds to the simpler case of a
stationary field and moving coil, then deals successively with
K.M.F. induced, and armature windings for D.o. machines.
Here he introduces vector diagrams to show how the total
brush E.M.F. is built up from its components. His indiscrimin-
ate use of the terms " E.M.F." and " pressure " is a Uttle
disturbing:. One generally means by E.M.F. something occur-
ring within a circuit, and by pressure that which appears at
tlie terminals.

In the following sections we find the different types of
armature winding, including the series-parallel, or so-called
Arnold winding, a dissertation on the conversion of energy
leading to the conception of the output coeflicient. the use of
equalising connectors, and the effect of armature reaction.
.\s regards equahsing connectors, the author does not enter
into details to any great extent, but refers the reader to papers
by Lulofs and Hawkins, w-ho showed that the circulating
currents between brushes of the same .sign are reduced by the
I'ft'ect of armature reaction. A sentence immediately following
is : "Of course, equalising connections must not be regarded
as in any way essential, and many machines work quite well
without them." It he had restricted his statement to four-
pole machines he would have been ne.irer the truth. His
further statement that an excessively low resistance in the
equalising rings leads to considerable loss and heating in
the armature w hiding is al.sn open to doubt. The primary
role of equalising rings is to relieve the brushes from circu-
lating currents, and this is mainly accomplished by armature
reaction produced by some armature coils carrying more
current than others. This certainly means some increase in
the heat loss in the armature winding taken as a whole.
Additional to this we have the ohmic loss in the rings. If
UP inci'ease the resista_nce of the rings we decrease the loss
in the winding and increase that occurring under the brnshes
(to say nothing of the less favourable conditions of commuta-
tion) so that the use of a small section of eiiualising rings
cannot be justified on the ground of avoiding loss of power,
but only on the ground of avoiding expense. In any simple
series, multiple series, or series-parallel winding the number
of conductors per pole pitch cannot be precisely the same
between any two poles, and therefore there must be a slight
difference of potential between brushes of the same sign, so
that commutation becomes more difficult as compared with
a lap wound armature. For stationary machines sei'ies and
.\rnold winding is not much used in England, but on the
Continent such machines are fairly common. In order tu
see what practical experience can teach us in this connection
the author formulated eight questions dealing with various
details as regards such windings, and sent them to six of the
leading continental firms. All sent replies, and the author
gives their replies on pp. 24 and 2.i. The reader will find
it useful to study them carefully.

Vol. 87. No. 2,240, ootobm 29, 1920.] THE ELEOTEICAL KEVTEW.

576

The geueral subject of comnjutation is treated in the tuliuw-
ing pages, but not in any great detail. We are told that
Hobart's formula for the reactance voltage is in favour with
designers, because of its simplicity rather than its accuracy,
but the formula itself is not given. ITie author rightly as-
sumes that his readers know jt- We are also told that the
quality of the brush must be suitable for the particular
reactance voltage calculated by formulae given on p. 3'2, but
how a selection out of the large number of brushes on the
market is to be made, is not stated.

The second part of the book is an illustration of the modern
and scientific method of the design of a dynamo. For this
purpose the author selects a 3oU-kw. machine; speed 200
R.p.M. ; shunt wound; brush voltage 500; armature cui'rent
700 amperes. He starts by assummg a magnetic loading of
an average gap induction of 6,(X)0 lines per cm.' and an elec-
tric loading of -SCO amperes per cm. armature circumference.
FVom these figures he deduces the required D"L, and the
output coeflicient which comes to 2.9. The best number of
poles is next determined by rough preliminary designs for
machines of 6, 8, and 10 poles. The most promising design
is that of an 8-pole machine, and this is worked out in all
essential details. A plate showing longitudinal section and
end view of this machine is given. Matters of practical im-
portance are kept in view. Tlius we find that in the selection
of the winding the possibihty that an armature of this size
might at some time be required in a converter, the winding
is so arranged that tapping points can be found providing
exactly the .same alternating voltage between any pair of
shp rings. The space required for slot insulation is worked
out (on rather liberal lines) and the iron losses are determined
by the use of a formula for core and teeth. In this connection
the author refers to a book (" Papers on Design of A.('.
Machinery "), of which he is part author, where on p. 368
curves are given. On comparing these with the curves
published by Miles Walker on p. 5'J of his " Specification and
Design, &c.," we find that there is considerable discrepancy,
partly due to Smith assuming the Steinmetz exponent of
1.6 to hold good right up to an induction of 26,000, whereas
Miles Walker makes allowance for the fact that the exponent
becomes lower at high induction. On the other hand. Smith
points out that the losses calculated by his method are only
valid if the plates are properly treated, and that the iron
losses may be doubled if "no precautions are taken to reduce
avoidable losses." In calculating temperature rise, the author
is a little too optimistic. He uses the well-known formula
which takes account of surface speed, but his coefficient k is
only about § of what is considered a safe figure. His k is 1.8,
whereas most designers take 3. The exact temperature rise
of the commutator is not worked out, but the author states
with perfect truth that in this particular case the heating will
be small. We cannot, however, agree with him in the state-
ment that having worked out the brush contact resistance
loss, we need not trouble about the effect of the brush friction
loss. In his case he finds the former to be 1,400 watts, the
latter he does not work out, but on doing so it will be found
to be souiethiug between 400 and .500 watts, and this in com-
parison with 1,400 can hardly be considered a negligible
quantity. On the whole, he has produced a very good design,
as is shown by the table of efficiencies. At J load the efficiency
is 0.942, and even at J load it is 0.913. His booklet will be
very useful to advanced students and practical engineers.

OlSBRnT K/MM'.

The Coolidye Tube. By H. PiLON. Pp. 95; 59 tigs. J.oncidii ;
Bailliere, Tindall & Cox. Price 7s. 6d. net.

This Uttle book of some 90 odd pages is a translation from
the French of M. Pilon's book. It may be taken as a fairly
adequate summary of the state of knowledge of the Coolidge
tube about 1916. The translator has done his work moderatelv
«el!.

The Coolidge tube is one of the land-marks in the progress
of radiology. But it is of even wider interest as an out-
standing example of what may be achieved by an industrial
research laboratory, generously equipped and directed by men
with vigour, resource, and imagination, and unhampered by
lack of funds.

The history of the Coolidge bulb is bound up with that of
the art of manufacturing and working the metal tungsten.
Dr. Coolidge's name is now associated with the working out
of the details which made it possible to purify and reduce
wolframite on a commercial scale, and sub.sequently to sinter
the friable tungsten into workable blocks. When the General
I'jlectrio Co. nf America was led to take up the manufacture
nf X-ray bulbs. Dr. Coolidge's work on tungsten at once
ITovided them with a metal which was almost ideal for the
severe conditions which the target of an X-ray bulb has to
satisfy. It is essential that the metal of the target shall
have : —

(a) A high atomic number, this fiii-tor controlling the output
of X-rays.

(b) A high melting point and low vapour pressure, other-
wise the intense heat generated will melt the target and
distil metal on the inside of the bulb.

fc) A high heat conductivity and a high specific heat.

There are few metals commerciallv available which can
compete' with tungsten in the light nf tlie above require-
nieiits.

Having settled the question of the target, Dr. Coolidge
was then faced with the problem of the residual gag in the
bulb. Many opinions were available but few facts, and
he proceeded to try out matters for himself. Nitrogen and
oxygen were found to be unsuitable because they reacted with
tungsten at high temperatures. Hydrogen, argon, helium,
&c., proved objectionable for other reasons. Moreover, in
the case of all the gases the pressure was found to fall with
use, the reason being that the gas molecules are fijred into
the glass bulb and mechanically trapped there. In short, it
was realised that the well-known occasional fickleness and
crankiness of gas tubes were inseparable from them as such,
and Dr. Coolidge decided to eliminate the gas as a working
factor by removing it as far as was humanly possible, and
to generate the cathode rays by the use of a hot cathode.
The latest design of cathode consists of a small tungsten spiral,
independently heated, surrounded by a bowl of molybdenum
which serves to focus the cathode rays on the target.

T!he process of exhaustion is all-important. Langmuir
pumps with liquid-air traps are used, and the bulbs are
heated to just short of the softening point while exhaustion
is proceeding. The electrodes are raised to a white heat by
passing a heavy discharge for some hours.

The present position is that the Coohdge tube has firmly
established itself in popular favour, and is slowly ousting its
earlier rival-^the gas tube. Later developments have been
in the direction of smaller bulbs which in design are becoming
more of an engineering job.

.'\bout a third of the present book is devoted to a descrip-
tion of the devices employed to eliminate the extraneous
X-rays from parts of the bulb other than the actual target.
In the end, however, it is concluded that the degree of the
defect does not justify the means nece.s.sary to cure it.

Above all things, the Coohdge tube has brought precision
to the X-ray operator, who, secure in the knowledge of the
fixity of the focal spot, can control the degree of penetration
of the X-rays, and also, and moreover quite independently,
the output. As a result the radiographer can not only secure
pictures every whit as good as with a gas tube, but, what is
more, can repeat the conditions at will to give him the results,
he desires.

The new science of the X-ray inspection of materials would
never have been possible without the Coolidge tube. No other
type of tube will give the output. Much progress in radio-
metallography has been made since M. Pilon wrote this book,
and the matter is dismissed in a few lines. The electrical
engineer is proceeding to make the subject his own, and we
may look for striking developments in the next few years.

The Motor CuvUd'a A. B.C. Edited by Hokace Wvatt. Pp.
viii-t-164; 82 figs. London: George Newnes, Ltd. Price
2s. net.

.\s the title of this book suggests, it deals with everything
pertaining to motor cycUug in alphabetical order; in fact the
book is more or less an abridged encyclopaedia of the sport.
The general plan is good, but in certain respects the book
fails, as is often the case when an attempt is made to cater
for the absolute novice and the exjwrienced user, in the
same volume. From this point of view space is taken up
which might be put to better u.se. Even the budding motor
cyclist hardly needs to be told that accessories constitute
lamps, horn, &c. On the purely electrical side, too. there
are one or two directions in which an improvement could be
effected. Under " Ignition " we are told, quite truly, of
course, that the high-tension magneto has superseded all
other types of ignition, yet quite an elaborate description »
is given of the accumulator and coil system of ignition, to
the extent of a diagram of the wiring, and also the Inw-
tiMision magneto .system of ignition. Neither of these latter
are ever used now. and their inclusion in such a book as this
.serves no useful i)urpo.se. There is some information on
accumulators generally which is not out of place, having
ivgard to their inci'easing use on motor cycles for lighting
imrposes. but there is a danger of too great brevity for prac-
fical application. The modern high-tension magneto is fully
described and illustrated, but here, as elsewhere in the volume,
there are signs that it is a motor car user who is sometini'^s
speaking to the motor cyclist. It is a very long time— if
ever— since a motor cycle was fitted with both coil and
magneto ignition, yet mention is made of this, and the
rej.sons why. as if it were a present-day practice. Again,
electric engine starters are spoken of. but we have not yet
heard of this refinement on a motor cycle. The fact that
the editor of the volume was some years ago in the editorial
chair of one of the leading commercial vehicle journals — he
is now secretary of the .Association of Briti.sh Motor and
-Allied Manufacturers— may be responsible for these little slips.
It is only within recent years that electric engine starters
have become standard equipment on cars. Under electric
lighting, justice is hardly done to the svstem now becoming
very common in which the magneto for ignition and the
dynamo for lighting form one unit, which takes up very
little more space than the magneto alone, and we can hardly
agree, after experience, that this type of electric lighting
outfit, with accumulator, is not easy to apply to motor cycles.
It is. in fact, applied to both side-car and solo machines with
great success, and anyone who has used acetylene lamps would

576

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,210, octobkb 2»,

1920.

not wish to go hack to thorn after having experienced the
convenience of electric lighting. The initial cost is the dis-
advantage. The novice will learn a lot from the book, how-
ever, which by the way does not mention the new taxation
which has been passed and will come into force on January
1st next. Indeed, the old form of taxation is given in detail,
and altogether we cannot help feeling that the volume is
capable of improvement in many instances, if it is to fulfil
the editor's ambition of being useful to the motor cyclist of
experience as well as to the beginner.

29,241. " Means (or coupling ckctric cables, &c." G. Andrew and E. W.
Bradlej. October 15th.

29,252. " Electric welding apparatus." W. tang^dn-bavles and A. SoamcS.
October 16th.

29,258. " Electric switches." J. K. Smith. October Wth.

29,299. " Electric swiB;hes." G. Gotz and \V. Schmidt. October IGlh.

29,304. *' Vacuum or low pressure bulb electron discharge apparatus."
GBneral Electric Co. and C. F. Trippc. October 16th.

29,313. "Fastening ekclrodi-s in Kontgen tubes, &c." Elektrische Gluh-
Limpenlabrik Watt Akt.-Ges. October 16th. (Austria, October 18th. 1919.)

29.317. "Switches." Arnott & H.irrison and J. 1". Newman. October 16th.

29.318. " Electric lighting apparatus ftw motor cycles, ic." G. A; Mathys
and S. G. Muir. October 16th. ; •_...

29.319. " Brush holder for dynamo ole.lrir matliinerv," British Electric
Plant Co. and 1. X. Whircsmilh. Oilol.cr IGlh.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly for this journal by Messrs. Sbfion-Jones, O'Diix itHO
Stiphbns, Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

Morkri

Co. October 11th.

and H. R. Rivers-
:.•' U. di Carlo.

28.763. " Printing telegraph appar:
(U.S;, October ISth, 1919.)

28,783. " Electric fuses." J. T. Burden, W. J. Ha
Moore. October 11th.

28,805. " Sound-conducting devices for talking ma
October 11th. (U.S., J6ne'l7th,)

28,815. " Electric safety hand lamps," H. VV. Brierley. October 12th.

28,835. " Fuses for electrical circuits." G. Turncock. October 12th.

28,843. " Apparatus for testing spa/king plugs." V. A. Trier. Oclnbir

38,853. "Suspension insulators for electric wires and cables" F Koh.Jr
October 12lh. (Germany, October Uth, 1919.)

• 28,861. " Motor controllers." Cutler-jHammer Manufacturing Co. and
Igranic Electric Co. (Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing Co.). October 12lh.

28.863. " Electric regulating systems." Cutler-Hammer Manuf.icturing Co.
and Igranic Electric Co. (Cutler-Hammer Manufacttiring Co.). October 12th.

28.864. " Driving mechanism for electric motors." Cutler-Hammer M.nnu-
facturing Co. and Igranic Electric Co. (Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing Co.).
October 12lh. % '

28.866. " Electric counters." K. R. Jhamuolila. October 12th.

28.867. " Disposition of safety devices and connections in electric generators,
&c." K. R. Jhamuotila. October 12th.

28.874. " Electric signalling." M. D. Dimitrievitch. October 12lh.

28.875. " Electric light fittings." E. Stroud. October 12th.

28.876. " Incandescent cathode valves." V. J. F. Bouchardon and M. A.
Lesage. October 12th. (France, October 30th, 1919.)

28.898. " Switch mechanism for intercommunication telephone instruments "
G. Simonetta. October 12th.
28,902. " Sparking plugs." B. M. Starter Co. and H. A. Savage. October

28,906. *' Means for controlling electric currents and for recording radio
signals." C. S. Agate and P. W. Willans. October 12th.

28,915. " Electrical generating plant." D. D. Drury. October 12th.

28,917. " Electric sad-irons." C. W. Winterbotham. October 12th.

38,923. " Electric transmission." A. M. Taylor. October I3lh.

28,947. "Accumulator driven vehicles." K. J. Thomson. October ]3lh.

38,956. " Electric current indicators." A. N. Drummond. October 13th.

38,972. " Electric valves or oscillators." British Thomson-Houston Co
(Crtuieral Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. October 13th.

28,980. " Electrolytic systems of protection for boilers, condensers, &c.,
against corrosion." A. S. Gush. October 13th.

28-,986. " Eliclric fuses, &c." O. Kominik and J. Nossig. October 13lh.
(Austria, Match lOlh, 1919.)

28,993. " Dynamo electric machines." P. P. Polilowski. October 13th.

28,997. "Electric starters for internal combustion engines." F Neumever
Akt.-Ges. October 13th. (Germany, October 14th, 1919.)

29,012. " Diaphragms, &c., for telephone transmitters." R. L. Murrav
■nd Telephone Manufacturing Co. October 13th.

■29,027. "Warning device for circuit breakers, &c." S. A. Berners. Octo-
ber 13th.

29,031. " Electric transmission." A. M. Taylor. October 14th.

29.034. " Electric switches." Cable Accessories Co., A. Crawford and
F. H. Reeves. October 14th.

29.035. " Electric plug-and-socket switches." O. O. Donovan. Otlober
Uth. i

29,044. " Miners' electric lamps." E. A. Hiilwood. October 14th.

29.049. " Electric switch for lighting sets of motor, &c., .c\cles," J. Eaton
and Efandem Co. October 14th.

29.050. " Electrothermically cutting metals." J. McNeil. October 14lh.
39,076. " Sparking plugs." M. Pelizzola. October Uth. (Italv, October

15th, 1919.)
39,085. "Sparking plugs." A. J. H. Elverson. October Ulh.

29.088. " Electric starters (or internal combustion engines." A. H.
Midgley and C. A. Vandervell & Co. October Uth.

39.089. " Telegraphic transmission of pictures." J. C. Grant. October Uth.
- 29,091. " Regulating direct current voltage in metal vapour rectifier in-
stallations." Akt.-Ges. Brown, Boveri et Cie. October 14th. (Switzerland,
October 14th, 1919.)

29.097. " Electrical apparatus." Sir J. B. Henderson." October 14th.
29.128. " Maintaining gas electrode in operative condition." P. F. Habichl.
October Uth. (Switzerland, October Uth, 1919.)

29.153. " Telephone systems." Automatic Electric Co. and Automatic Tele-
phone Manufacturing Co. (Automatic Electric Co.). October 15th.

29.154. " Distributing arrangements (or telephone, &c., systems." Auto-
matic Electric Co. and Automatic Telephone Manufacturing ' Co. (Automatic
Electric Co.). October 15th.

39,181. " Wireless telegraphic systems." E. Holland. October 15th.

29,185.'" " Electrical precipitation of suspended particles from gaseous
media." Intern.ntional Precipitation Co. and A. Mond (International Pre-
cipitation Co.). October 15th.

'39,189. " Automatic and scmi-autoiwatic telephone systents." A. Siemens
and Siemens Bros. & Co. October 15th. - '

29,225. " Brush ge.nr for electrical machinery." W. H. Glaser, -\V. H
Glazer, Ltd., and .\ L. Wickens. October loth.

^,239. " Electro motors." H. Lustig. October ISlh.

49.2.16. " Sparking plug." E. I.. Mullet. October 15lh. (Gcrni.inv, Octo-
ber 16th. 1919.)

89,239. "Sparking plugs." A. Fox. October 15th.

The numbers in parentheses
printed and abridged, and all

r« those under which the specifications will h«
ubsequent proceedings will be taken.

19X8.

5,867'. " Electric accumulators." G. Marconi. April Sth, 1917. (151393.)
■ 19,179. " Transmission of single-phase currents over polyphase mams."
A. M. Taylor. June 21st, 1919. (151,294) ' . .

X8X9.

7,031. " Electrically operated synchronising clock systems." A. t.- While
(International Time Recording Co.). March 30th, 1919. (151,302.)

12,570. " System for supplying eleclricity to an external circuit without
receiving energy from external sources." W. J. Parfitl and .\. Jenkins. May
19th, 1919. (151,309.)

15.351. " Telephones." K. L. Murr.iv and Tel.phone Manufacturing Co.
June 18th. 1919. (151,335.) '

15.352. "Teleplrones." R. L. Murrav and TelvDhun* ■Manulacluring 'Co.
June 18lh, 1919. (151,336.) ' -J-...

15,436. " Aerial cable systems." G. Vanatlenhovrn. Junf 19th, 'l9J».
(151,340.)

15,556. " Amplification of eleclric currents," British 'I'humson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.). June 20th. 1919. (151.346.)

15,621. " Terminal electrical connections suitable for the sparking plugs
•f internal combustion engines." M. L. Williams. June 31sl, 1919.. (Qog.
nate Applications, 19,219/19 and 29,446/19.) (151,349.)

15,654. " Electric plug connecting devices." R. W. Blades. June 21st, 1919.
(151,353.)

15,688. " Trip mechanism for electric ignition devices for internal com-
bustion engines." A. J. Adams. June 21st, 1919. (151,357.)

15,891. " Housings and casings for electrical syvitcKgear." V. Breeze and
A. West & Co. June 24th. 1919. (151,370.)

15,895. " Telephone transmitters and. mouthpieces or the like therefor."
H. J. Palmer and Telephone Manufacturing Co. June 24th. 1919. (151,371.)

16.173. " Electric switches." S. E. Hall and W. Hall. June 2rth, 1919.
(151,380.)

16,733. " Electrical cooking apparatus." M. J. Railing and C. G. Nobbs.
July 4th, 1919. (151,388.)

16,771. " Radio navigational apparatus." J. Erskine-Murray and J. Robin-
son. July 4th. 1919. (151.389.)

19,801. " Cross.overs of overhead conductors in systems of electric trac-
tion." E. M. Monro. August 12th, 1919. (151,435.) '

20,627. " Electric relavs." Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co. and
A. E. Hudd. August 22nd, 1919. (151.446.>

22.494. " Thermionic valves, electric incandescent lamps, and the lik«."
General Electric Co. and C. F. Trippe. September 12th, 1919. (151,462.)

22,901. " Electro-magnetic switches." British Thomson-Houston Co. (Gene-
ral Electric Co.). September 17th, 1919. (151,465.)

25,910. " Brush holders for dynamo-electric machines." E. H. H. Hassler
and Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co. October 22nd, 1919. (151,490.)

xsao.

1,843. " Battery ignition (or intern.il i
Akt.-Ges. November 25th. 1918. (138.101.)

2,592. " Commutator assembling devices.
Co. March 3rd, 1917. (138,352.)

3.465. " Safety fuses for electric circuits
1920. (151.523.)

6,338. " Controllers for electric circuits." Igranic Elec
Hammer Manufacturing Co.). March 1st. 1920. (151,533.)

6,360. " Electric couplings." H. A. Douglas, March 2nd, 1920. (151,535.)

6.504. " Brush holders for electric dvnamos and motors and other electric
machines." A. Armstrong. March Srdl 1920. (151.537.)

9,030. " Automatic telephone station." G. A. Long. March 27th. 1930.
(151,559.)

9,238. " Protective apparatus for multiphase alternating current circuits."
Metropolitan-Vickers Electric Co. April 4lh, 1919. (141,339.)

10,763. " Brush gear for dvnamo-electric machines." E.-ist Anglian En-
gineering Co. and H. C. Waters. April 17th, 1920. (151,583.)

12.056. " Trip mechanism for electric ignition device for internal com-
bustion engines." A. J. Adams. June 21sl. 1919. (Divided application- on
15,688/19.). (151,564.)

12.057. " Trip mechanism for electric ignition devices for internal com-
bustion engines." A. J- .Adams. September 9th, 1919. (Divided application
on 15,688/19.). (151.565.)

12.342. " High voltage distribulors for electrical ignition apparatus." Akt.-
Ges Brown. Boyeri et Cie. May 14th. 1919. (.Wdilion to 114,825.) (143.209.)

13.154. " Telegraphic transmitter." Siemens & Halske Akt.-Ges. Feb-
ruary 28lh. 1919. (143.240.)

16,.'>47. " Current leading-out device in magneto electric ignition apparatus
for single-cvlinder internal combustion engines," Scintilla. June 21st, 1919.
(145,449.)

lustion engines." R. Bosch
Toledo Standard Comaiutalor
E. Antinoro. February 4th,
Co. (CuUer-

Labonr Protection in Luxemburg.— With a view to the

protection of home labonr, the Luxembuig Government has
published a decree prohibiting tbe employment of any foreign
workman in induatry. commerce, trades, transportation oi.tranisa-
tions, public works of the State or of communities, and, in general,
in any enterprise not of an agricultural nature or not prodocing
for home consumption, without preliminary authorisation from
the Director (Jenoral of Commerce, Industry, and Labour. — U.S.
Commerce Reports.

TX£S

EXjEOTIR/IO^nii K/E^VIE'W-

Vol. LXXXVII.

NOVEMBER :>, 1920.

No. 2,241.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

Vol. LXXXVII.] CONTENTS: Sorcinbor 5 1020.

INo. 2,241.
Page

A NEW ACTIVITY FOR THE WHITLEY
COUNCILS.

A New Activity for the Whitloy Councils

The l.E.E. Now SeBaion

The Revival of Public Lightiner

The Riffht to Work

Rotherhiim Electricity Works QilhisS) (_co>icIuiled)
Llewelyn B. Atkinson. M.I.E.E., A.M.InstC.F. (itlus.)

The 'Turbine" Boiler Furnace C*'^"".)

Reviews

BusinesB Notes ,,,

KTotes

City Noteg

Stocks and Shares

Market Quotations

Street Lightinjj. — I . by H. T. Harrison

An Ordinary Triode Used as a Negative Reaistauce Osc

by J. Scott-Taggart and J. Ree ()7/«»'.)

The Institution of Electrical Engineers

The Air Conference, 1920

Turkey: An Undeveloped M irke';

Correspondence —

Road Transport ,

Cost of Living in India

Mechanical Details of D.u. Armature Construction

Power Factor

Legal

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant {iliux.') ...

New Patents Applied for, 1920

Abstracts of Published Specifications 608

Contractor!' Colnmn Advertisement page xxvi

lator.

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ti' to thf jTe,sfiit the Joint Industi-ial Cimnuils ior the
I'llfttricit^- .Supply Industry have confined tlieir iittentiim
lu certain concrete questions — rates of wages, working
cMuditions, and so forth. This, of course, is quite fit-
ting-. The first demand on the Councils is naturally that
they should settle the wherewithal to live. Further, this
will always be one of their chief duties. But it is not
tlieir end. Their fundamental purpose goes much deeper
than this. They are not there merely to settle differences
(11 disputes. The Whitley scheme establishes the In-
dustrial Councils as a kind of meeting ground where
niiployer and employed may join forces in working for
the good of the industry, and collaterally for the good
(if everyone concerned in it. The purpose of the In-
dustrial Councils is to secure the attainment of a per-
manently friendly relationship in working, between the
two. The basic idea is that employer and employed so
meeting shall gradually eliminate their differences. It '
assumes (and no one will ever understand the Industrial
Council system unless this is constantly borne in mind)
that the itUercnts of etnployer and employed can he
made identical ; that the present opposition between
employer and employes, capital and labour, is an arti-
ficial one, brought about by misunderstanding, ignor-
ance of true economic ideals and principles, and selfish-
ness. This is the Whitley idea, a buoyantly optimistic
one perhaps, but the only salvation for industry, if the
Iteport is to be believed.

Anyhow, this is the idea which the electricity supply
industry has set itself to work out in instituting this
system of Industrial Councils. It is, therefore, obvious
that progressive intimacy between the two sides is one
of the first things involved. This, of course, will be
brought about to some extent by the mere fact of meeting
week by week. But might not this ideal of mutual
understanding be hastened, by discussion of first prin-
ciples, and by discussion of aims'.' It is an in-
tellectual understanding that is necessary — mere hand-
shaking geniality is as obsolete and as ineffective as
ordering "beer all round. ' Let each side say what
it regards as fundamental principles. Let each side
say what it is really aiming at. This has never been
done as yet; in fact, until these Industrial Councils
came along there was no opportunity. Now there is
an unparalleled opportunity. None could be better.
Both sides have to meet periodically to transact actual
concrete business. Why, when this is over, might not
the meeting be prolonged into an appendix, as it were,
when theory, principles, aims, could be di.scussed, in
the abstract? The time need be but short. If each side
carried away from each meeting only one clear idea of
what the other side was driving at, the aggregate mutual
understanding gained would, in six months, be very
considerable. And until there is mutual understanding
it is impossible to get any approach even to mutual
agreement. Again, the very impact of opposing opinions
is mutually regulative, and the best brains will tell in
the long run. Each side has a free field and no favour
in an effort to convert the other. At present each side
expends any amount of vocal energy in pointing
out to its bosom cronies the errors of the opposite
side. We hear one employer getting eloquent even to
the point of apoplectic wrath, in expounding to
aniithor employer the Bolshevistic errors, the crass

] 0

578

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.SV. No. 2,241, November S. 1920,

stupidities, and so forth, of some one or other of the
trade-union side. One might also hear, we presume,
one trade unionist derisively tearing to pieces, to tlie
sympathetic listening of a brother trade unionist, the
last shreds of argument of the capitalist. Now with
the same expenditure of time and breath, these argu-
ments (properly and temperately marshalled, we would
suggest) might be displayed for the consideration, not
of a sympathiser, but of the opposite side. After all,
there is only one way of dealing with an idea (whether
it be socialism, syndicalism, or what not), and that is
I>V setting up against it another idea. Employers very
often talk of stopping revolutionary ideas as if one
lould wipe them out and leave a vacuum. One can
only displace one idea by substituting another, and a
better one. And nowhere could this be better essayed
than in the Industrial Councils. In practice, our sug-
gestion would work out that half an hour or an hour's
meeting would take place after the business meeting.
Some abstract proposition would be put before the
meeting, and anyone would speak on it, say, for five
minutes or whatever limit was fixed. The exact proce-
dure would be a matter for experiment. But something
of the kind might certainly amplify the present regime
of the Councils, and would be fully in accord with and
in fact distinctly further the ultimate objects for whicli
the Whitley Councils were instituted.

Next Thursday the new session of the
Session Institution of Electrical Engineers formally

will onen with the presidential address of
Mr. LI. B. Atkinson, of whose career we give a brief account
in this issue. That his period of occupation of the chair
will be marked by all the features that go to make success
we have no doubt, and the fact that one of his first official
acts will be to propose an all-round increase in subscriptions
will not be counted unto him as unamiable, for it has long
been known that such an increase is inevitable, in view of
the depreciation of the coinage. Unpopular as the change
may be, it cannot be regarded as unreasonable, or unwar-
ranted by the circumstances ; and, as a matter of fact, it
is much smaller than might well have been expected, in
view of the increase in expenses. This tempering of the
wind to the lambs of the I.E.E. is due to the large increase
in membership, which enables the Council to meet the
requirements with a scale of subscriptions much lower in
proportion than the increased expenditure would otherwise
have rendered necessary.

Particulars of the proposed new scale of subscriptions are
givjn elsewhere in this issue. The Institution of Mechanical
Engineers has already increased its scale of subscriptions,
and the Institution of Civil Engineers is in course of doing
the same. The release of the Institution Building, which
is announced to take place early next year, will involve the
loss of rent, which will throw a further burden upon the
finances of the Institution.

It is interesting to note that in the circular-letter in which
the Council announces the holding of a special general
meeting to consider the amendment of the Articles of
Association, the increase of membership is explicitly
attributed to " the greater activities of the Institution,"
and reference is made to " the fact that its responsibilities
and opportunities have been so much enlarged during the
past few years," with the result that " membership of the
Institution may now, more than ever, be claimed as a
valued privilege." In past years we said hard things
of the Council because it refused to follow the policy
inaugurated by Dr. Ferranti, but as its attitude has more
and more come in'-o line with that policy, we have missed
no opportunity of commending its progress towards the
" broader " views. We have even been unjustly accused
of hostility towards the Institution ; but when it is con-
sidered that our efforts and criticisms were always directed
towards its attainment of the position at the head of the
whole industry which the Council now justly prides itself
upon having reached, and that its increased prestige is
ascribed to the adoption of the policy which we advocated,
it cannot be denied that we acted in the true interest both
of the Institution and the industry.

The Revival of

In the present issue we publish the first
Public ughting. °^ '^° articles on " Street Lighting," by
Mr. Haydn Harrison, whose work in con-
nection with scientific illumination is well known. The
needs of safety during the war, and of economy after it,
have checked this important branch of electrical work ; but,
as in the case of so many other scientific applications, we
find that intensive study for war purposes has, in effect,
resulted in developments which can now be placed at the
service of the community.

There are but few engineers who do not realise that good
public lighting is one of the best advertisements for elec-
tricity, and, in fact, it becomes a duty of the supply engineer
to secure this business if possible, in order that every
member of the public shall derive some direct advantage
from the electricity supply, even if for the moment unable
to introduce it into his home.

The new devices described by the writer of the articles
bring home to the mind a peculiarity of almost all public
lighting work — namely, that the problem to be met lies
not in the proper illumination of plane surfaces of circular
form, for which the lamp or light point is naturally adapted,
but rather in the lighting of " grooves," more or less
straight, and narrow in comparison with their length.

To an extent the difficulties of economical street lighting
and uniform distribution have been met by the use of
powerful lights at a considerable elevation, or of a much
larger number of small lamps on short supports. In each
case a very large proportion of the light emitted is wasted,
and even where elevated lamps over the centre of the road
are used, the difficulty with moving shadows cast by tall
vehicles across the footpath is a serious one.

Any device which can in a practical manner collect all
the light emanating from a lamp and redirect it in some-
thing approaching to a wedge-shaped beam should, together
with the gasfilled lamp, produce a system of street lighting
which will definitely add that sphere of usefulness to the
many now occupied by electricity.

Tlie Right to
Worli.

Under the heading " The Right of
Every American — Working Freedom,"
the Ameruan Maehinist quotes with
approval, as reflecting " the thought of every real American,"
a recent speech by Mr. Harding, the Republican candidate
for the Presidency : —

" No party is indifferent to the welfare of the wage-
earner. To us his good fortune is of deepest concern, and
we seek to make that good fortune permanent. We do nc t
oppose, but approve collective bargaining, because it is an
outstanding right, but we are unalterably insistent that its
exercise must not destroy the equally sacred right of the
individual in his necessary pursuit of livelihood. Any
American has the right to quit his employment : so has every
American the right to seek employment. The group must
not endanger the individual, and we must discourage groups
preying upon one another, and none shall be allowed to
forget that Government's obligations are alike to all the
jieople."

Pointing out that their ancestors came to the Western
shores to seek religious freedom, our contemporary dedans
that Americans must not let their freedom of action be
killed by those who insist that they must belong to a certain
party or organisation in order to have the right to earn a
livelihood or work for whom or where they please.

The point is further emphasised by an order of the U.S.
Shipping Board, insisting on the principle " that proper
longshoremen be given an opportunity to work on its vessels,
regardless of affiliation with any particular organisation.
Xo other position is compatible with equality of oppor-
tunity for employment, which must be preserved in the
public service."

In the United States Trade-Union organisation is by no
means so far advanced as it is in this country, where the
tendency, as we have regretfully noted, is to ignore the
primal right of man — his perRonal freedom.

I

Vol.87. No.2,241,Novi:MnKB5,1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

579

ROTHERHAM ELECTRICITY WORKS.

{Concluded from page .551.)

The generating plant consists of two 12,500-KW. Parsons
turbo-alternators, and one 30,000-KW. British Thomson-
Houston set. The former were built for the Melbourne
Suburban Railways, to the specifications of Messrs. Merz
and McLellan, but were commandeered by the Government
and diverted to Rotherham.

They are of the pure reaction type arranged with two
cylinders in tandem, the h.p. cylinder exhausting at about
atmospheric pressure into the l.p. cylinder. The portion
of the H.p. cylinder which is subjected to the high-
temperature steam is of steel, the rest of the casing being
of cast iron. The l.p. cylinder is arranged so that the
steam enters at the middle and flows towards both ends,
and thence into the two condensers. This arrangement
provides a turbine balanced for end pressure, and keeps
the diameter of the shaft small.

The turbines are desisned for a stop-valve pressure of
200 lb. gauge at 588° F., the superheat being 200" F. ;
vacuum, 28 4 in. at barometer 30 in., and speed 1,500 r.p.m.
The guaranteed consumption is 11-5 lb. per KW.-hour at
full load.

The alternator of each set is designed to generate at
fi,600 volts, 50 cycles, at 075 pnwer factor, three-phase,
12,500 K\v. as normal full load, with an overload capacity of
25 per cent, for two hours, and 50 per cent, momentarily.

The stator windings are embedded in tunnels, and the
end windings are firmly supported by wood packings and
massive brass clamping plates, which strongly grip the
winJings and prevent movement on the occurrence of sudden
short circuits.

The rotor is driven through a flexible coupling, and is
built up of plates with radial slots for the windings. Steel
cap' hold the end windings in position.

\'entilation is effected by a separate " Sirocco " fan driven
by a 1 10-B.H.P. motor(fig. 21). The exciter armature is driven

through a flexible coupling from the end of the rotor shaft.
There are two condensers on each set (fig. 17), which receive
the exhaust steam from both ends of the l.p. cylinder, the main
exhaust pipes leading to the condensers being connected
together by a balancing pipe. The condensers are mounted
on heavy coiled springs. The condenser cooling surface is

Fk;. 15.— Steam Mains behind the Boii.brs.

Fiu. ii;.- PAUbu.ss \i :

K\V. TUKIIO-Al-TKRNATOB AND B. & W. 00-TON CBAHB.

580

THE ELECTRICAL EEV1LV>^ [Vol. sr. No. 2,211, November 5, 1920.

14,380 sq. ft., and the quantity of cooling water 19, -'00
gallons per minute at a temperature of 70' F.

The air pumps are of the Parsons totally enclosed recipro-
cating type, arranged for self-lubrication, and are driven
through Parsons double-helical gearing by 4o-i!.h.p. motors.
The small rotary pump for supplying oil to the various
working parts is driven from the pinion shaft of the air-pump
gearing. The whole air-pump is self-con-
tained, and runs very quietly. The
condensers are provided with the Parsons
vacuum augmenter.

An auxiliary steam-driven oil pump is
provided for each set for starting up, and is
available in case of emergency.

The 30,000-KW. B.T.H. turbine is of the
Curtis impulse type, and runs at 1,500
K.p.ji. Its most economical load is 25,000
Kw., at which load the guaranteed con-
sumption is 11-1 lb. per KW.-hour. The
maximum continuous load of 30,000 kw.
is carried at 0*75 power factor. The stator
frame of the alternator is a single hollow
iron casting, with detachable panels of
planished steel fitted to the outside, which
give access to the interior. The winding,
of formed copper bars, is carried in open
slots and fixed in place with hardwood
wedges ; the bars are subdivided into
sections which are transposed, to equalise
the current distribution. The insulation
in the slots consists of hard-moulded mica
i in. thick. The end portions are secured
to stout bronze rings. The rotor is built up of steel disks on a
shaft, and the windings are held in the slots by steel and bron ze
keys. The insulation is of mica reinforced with fibrous
material, and the end portions of the windings are held in
stout steel rings. Both ends of the alternator are closed by
shields, and fans at both ends of the rotor draw air in from
below the bed-plate and force it through the machine.

are provided to cope with this enormous duty, each having
a cooling surface of 2i',500 gf). ft. ; the exhaust passage at
the turbine end measures no less than 16 ft. x 8 ft., and is
connected by a breeches pipe with the condensers. Separate
circulating water pipes are provided for each condenser,
with stop valves, so that either of them may be laid off for
cleaning while the turbine exhausts into the other one ; the

Fig. 18.— Rees Roturbo Circulating Pumps and Aiton Piping.

whence it is discharged through a duct in the foundations.
The condensing plant was supplied by Messrs. Willans
and Robinson, Ltd., as sub-contractors to the B.T.H. Co.,
and is capable of maintaining a vacuum of 28i in. when
dealing with 277,500 lb. of steam per hour, circulating
water at 70" V. being supplied at the rate of 21, '.•00,000 lb.
p 'r hour, or about ^0 lb, per lb. of steam. Two condensers

Fig. 17. — Parsons Condensers and Air-Pumps.

cleaning will be effected by means of steam ejectors with
the necessary piping to enable a cleaning solution to be
circulated through the tubes. A separate dry-air-pump of
the Willans-Edwards totally enclosed self -lubricating type,
driven directly by a 60-b.h.p. B.T.H. motor at 100 e.p.m., is
provided for each condenser, and is coupled to a common pipe,
so that they can be used singly Or together, with either^ or both
condensers. Yacuum-
augmenter jets are also
installed, discharging into
the same air pipe, but each
air-pump is of sutBcient
capacity to deal with the
air from both condensers
during normal leaks with-
out the aid of the augmen-
ters. The condensate is
removed by two ' Pulso-
meter extraction pumps
coupled to 23-B.H p.
B.T.H. motors, and draw-
ing from a bus-pipe ;
cither pump is large
enough to deal with the
whole of the condensate
fmra both condensers.

Condensing water is de-
rived entirely from the
river Don, and is received
tlirough sluice gates into
11 sump, flowing through
I wo Brackett revolving
disk screens, 20 ft. in
diameter. From the sump
two culverts measuring
8 ft. :l in. wide x .^ ft.
:'. in. high carry the water
under the whole length of
the engine room ; either
culvert can be emptied
for cleaning whilst the
A single culvert, measuring 10 ft.
other side of the engine room

other is in use.

X 10 ft., on the .

carries away the discharge from the condensers. Four
circulating "pumps are at present installed, two draw-
ing from each culvert : they are of the self-regulating
type made by the Rees Roturbo Co., Ltd., and are each
capable of supplying in, 200 gallons of water per minute.

Vol.87. No. 2,241, November 5, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

581

Each pump is drivea by a B.T.H. motor of 510 b.h.p.,
running at 580-610 e.p.m. A rotiry priming pump by the
same makers, driven by a 12-B.H.r. motor, is provided.
The circulating pumps all feed into a main bus-pipe, the
diameter of which is tapered from Ts in. to .S'.i in. ; from
the bus-pipe the smaller condensers are fed through pipes
25 in. in diameter, and the ;'."), OOO-KW. set through 36-in.
pipes, the discharge pipes being of corresponding diametari?.
The bus-pipe and part of the delivery pipes are constructed
of mild steel plates i\, in. thiclc ; the flanges, branches,

oil-switch room on the second. The control room is on the
fourth floDr.

Oa the ground floor are installed the earthing resistances
for the generators, together with isolating oil-switches for
the latter and for the outgoing cables ; here also space is
available for bus-bar reactances and switchgear, which are
not at present rei|uired. On the first floor, in addition to
the bus-bars, which are in duplicate, are the selector
switches, operated by handles outside the compartments,
ail the instrument transformers. The bus-bars are carried

Fic;. 19. — I'oNTKOL Room.

longitudinal and circumferential seams are all electrically
welded, the bus-pipe, it is believed, being the largest ever
constructed in this country on this system. The remaining
pipes are nf ea^st-iron. Expansion joints of corrugated
copper lire provided in all the delivery brancbe?. and valves
opprated from the engine-room floor are fitted in all pump
delivery iii'.d condcns- r inlet pipes. All the circulating
write" [lip'ug vvas supplied by Messrs. .Viton & Co., Ltd., of

on specially snb;tmtial supports, to prevent any movement
ria the occnrrence of a very bad short circuit.

() 1 the 8e:ond floor the oil switches are arranged in two
banks, divided by a wall. The switches are of the B.T.H.
standard motor-operated type, and are illustrated in fig. 22,
the nearest switch in the row being that which controls the
:iO,000 K vv. set, and which is rated to carry l.dUO amperes ; in
this range there are 13 switches coDtroUing the three gduera-

r|^i^)0

I :

' .'S

^r qforf"'"""" ^^i

i

^ ;■:>-

r

-^it?-^-^

Xi,, . '--.i-T^v-'

r

^o

FlO. 20.— FeURANTI INTERC'ONNKCTO.I Tli\N.-<KO;i.M j_s,

Iierby. Part of the huge 78-in. bus-pipe, being put on rail on
Arm stice T»ay, was conspicuously painted " The Pipe of
Peace." Water for the glands of the circulating pumps
and for the oil coolers is taken from the bus-pips through
duplicate filters, which are cleaned at frequent intervals.

The switchgear i? housed in a separate building annexed
to the engine room, and was supplied by the British
Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd. ; it is of the remote-control
cubicle type, designed for a plant capacity of 125,0(<0 K\v.
The ground floor of the switch-hnase accommodates the
cables, while the bus-bar room is on the first floor, and the

21. — VVksti.s-ghouse Tu.\nsfoi;iiei.;
Sirocco Fans.

I-OR ROTARIKS, AND

tors, seven feeders, two rotary converters, and one inter-
conneotor. The other bank comprises at present eight
feeder switches, and a 4.000-ampere bus-bar coupler is
mounted between the two rows.

The feeder switches are all alike, rated at 500 amperes,
and provided with split-ronductor equipment, though the
older feeders are not of this type. Each feeder is further
protected against overload by a time-limit relay. The
generator switchgear is provided with circulating-current
protective gear, together with automatic circuit-breakers in
the exciting circuit, and an earthing resistance and isolating

582

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. No. 2,241, novembeb s. 1920.

oil-switch. An emergency trip pedestal is installed close
to the turbine stop-valve to open the generator oil-switch.

The control room is illustrated in fig. V.i ; it contains two
control boards— one of 10 panels for the generators and

Fl8. 22.— B.T.H. OiL-SwiTPHE-.

rotary converters (mentioned below), an interconnector
to Xo. 1 station, and the bus-bar coupler, as well as the
Tirrill regulators (one for each alternator) and accessory
switchgear ; the other of eight panels, arranged on the

front of the generator board are five Chadburn electric
engine-room telegraphs, with Klaxon horns, which com-
municate with the turbine starting platforms and the two
boiler houses ; alongside of these are pillars carrying an
ammeter and voltmeter for the exciter of each alternator.
The room is admirably lighted from three sides and the
domed roof, a semi-indirect bowl-titting in the latter
providing for night lighting.

The rheostats in the field-circuits of the alternators aie

electrically operated, with stand-by band-operated iheostats.

A Chloride storage battery of l'.-,0-a.-h. capacity is

installed to operate the oil-swiicii..~, pilot lamps, *c., as

well as an emergency lighting circuit.

The two stations are interconnected by way of a bank of
transformers, the voltage of Xo. 1 being .'5,8(»0 and that of
Xo. 2 (l,f)00 volts ; the three single-phase oil-cooled trans-
formers, with one spare, are shown in fig. 20. They are
rated at 2,085 k.v.a. each, and were made by Mefs s.
Ferranti, Ltd. There is also a transformer in the oil-switch
room which is fed from Xo. 1 station, and supplies current
at 230/460 volts for lighting and heating in No. 2 ttation,
besides giving a supply to an adjoining brass foundry. _

The main supply for the station auxiliaries is entirely
direct-current, and is derived from two 1,500-KW. B.T.H.
six-phase rotary converters, mounted in the engine-room on
a level with the generators, and illustrated, with the D.c.
switchboard, in fig. 23. The Westicghouse transformers
for these converters are installed in the basemtnt, near the
interconnector transformers (fig. 21). The D.c. board
comprises 16 black enamelled slate panels, and provides
switchgear for supplying current to the traction feeders, as
well as the station auxiliaries. A second set^ of bns-bars
and four 0-2 sq. in. interconnector cables to No. 1 station
enable either station to supply the d.c. circuits in both, if
desired. In the basement between the two boiler-houses
there is a sub-station containing two distribation boards fed
from the main d.c. board, and each controlling the powir
supply to the auxiliaries in one boiler-house.

Fig. 23.— B.T.H. 1,,500-kw. Rotary Cosvebteks and Direct-Current Switchboard

circumference of a semicircle, to control 15 feeders and
one spare. All the boards are of black enamelled slate.
At the end of the main board is a synchronising panel,
which is duplicated at the other end of the room, spaa-
being available to double the existing switchboards. In

At week-ends the generating plant in Xo. 2 station is
usually shut down, a 5,50O-K\vrset in Xo. 1 being fed wiili
steam from the boiler-house of No. 2 : the condensate from
Xo. 1 is itturued by gravitation to Xo. 2.

A D.c. generator anl booster driven by a 116-h.p. motor

Vol.8:. No. 2,241, November 5, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

688

is provided for charging the storage battery, and for station
lighting. An air-compressor, driven by a 21-h.p. »B.T.H.
motor, is installed with pip'ng to 100 points, for blowing
dust out of the machines, spraying paint, &c.

A 60-ton electric crane by Messrs. Babcock & Wilcox,
with a .'j-ton auxiliary hoist, spans the engine-room,
and a 15-ton hand crane serves the rotary converters and
circulating pumps. The latter are so constructed that they
can readily be opened up without dismantling much of the
the piping, the whole of the bend being remoVed in one piece.

The cables inside the station were all supplied by Messrs.
Callender's Cable and Construction Co., Ltd., special flexible
single-core cables being installed to connect the alternators
with the switcbgear ; these cables are run through porcelain
tubes carried in supports of reinforced concrete. The rest
of the high-pressure cables are of the three-core type, and
all are paper-insulated and lead-covered. The low-pressure
D.c. cables are rubber-insulated and
armoured.

The station is extremely well lighted
from the sides. Artificial light is pro-
vided by gasfilled lamps with Mazdalux
reflectors, fixed above the crane, and de-
signed to produce uniform illumination
at the working level. The lighting cir-
cuits, with the exception of the emergency
lights fed from the battery, are supplied
with current at 230 volts by the 57*i>-KW.
motor-generator which charges the bat-
tery ; the lighting can also be thrown
entirely on the battery if necessary. The
lighting installation was carried out by
the British Thomson- Houston Co., Ltd.

The Rotherham area of supply is 12
miles wide, overlapping that of Shef-
field at Tinsley, and coming within 300
yards of a sub-stat/ion of the Yorkshire
Electric Power Supply Co., so that linking-up with these
systems will be an easy matter. Very little overhead distribu-
tion is used, the mains being mostly lead-covered and single-
wire arnnured in iron pipes. Recently some of the mains
have been laid solid in troughs. On taking over the supply

In fig. 25 we illustrate the interior of a sub-station at
SwintoD, 6 miles from Rothei'ham by road. This station
contains two 250-KW. rotary converters of B.T.H. and
Westinghouse make, supplying the traction feeders, and a
B.T.H. motor-generator fed from the traction circuit.
Three-phase supply is also given, the A.c. switchboard
being on the ground floor with the transformers and
the running plant, and the
D.c. board on a gallery.

Numerous large works are
already connected to the sys-
tem. One in particular is
remarkable for the magnitude
of the demand — namely, the
works of Messrs. Steel, Peech
and Tozer, which is about a
mile from the power station.

Section at AB.

Fig. 2t. — Arrangement of Switchoear.

Fi(i. 2.'.— SwiNTON Substation.

from the Rawmarsh & Swinton Co., the three-wire D.c.
system was converted to two-phase a.c, using tlie old
mains. There are some 17 sub-stations on the system,
many feeding small isolated networks.

From the generating station to Rawmarsh, a distance ol'
2r, miles, a tramway feeder is carried on the tramway poles,
as a temporary measure. Supply is also given to the railless
systems of the company and of the Rotherham Corporation.

Eight six-core, 0*1 sq. in. cables were laid to this works, at a
cost of no less than £50,000. A suspension bridge by which
the cables are carried over the river Don is shown in fig. 2G.
The demand of this works is O.oOO kw., and it will
shortly require a further 8,000 kw. In one of the
sub-stations at this works there is an
induction-motor-generator of 1,250 kw.,
and a rotary converter of the same
rating, with a handsome D.c. switchboard
and A.c. switcbgear. The distribution
pressure is 230 volts. The works plant
includes a fly-wheel motor-generator set
consisting of four :),120-k\\ . d.c genera-
tors connected in series, and driven by
a 3,000-H.r. induction motor, with a
230-ton flywheel running at 000 B.p.m. ;
a 15,000-H.i'. D.c. motor, fed at 1,500
volts, and driving reversing rolls at
O-lOO R.i'.M. : a 5,000-H.i'. induction
motor driving rolls; and about 1,000
other motors.

The power- factor of the Rotherman
general load is usually from 0*75 to
0 8, but sometimes rises to 0*9. The
average consumption of coal at present
is about 2 lb. per unit generated, and
this will be reduced as the load increases.
Rotherham has long claimed to be
one of the most economically operated
systems in the country.

The load factor in 1918-1!) was 32 3
p^r cent., and the plant in operation was
all installed in No. 1 station (L') .''iOokw.
— see Elec. Rev., .January 21th. 19i:i,
p. 107). During the period 1913-191S
the coal consumption decreased from :'.'Gs to 3-2(; lb. per unit
generated, but since the new station was put in commission
the consumption has fallen to 2 lb., in spite of the poorer
quality of the coal, and the use of the old power station
at week-ends. When the plant is in full operation, there-
fore, we may hope to see a rjcord esta'iliihed at these works.
I''or the last complete year the average price obtained per unit
sold was l-16d., a figure which cannot be paralleled at any

684

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.Sr. No. 2,211, November 5, 1920.

other undertaking in this country whose records are published.
The total cost of the complete system, with plant of
70,500 KW., was about £1,200,000, or only £17 per kilowatt ;

Fig. 2G.— Suspension Buidiie for Cables.

the cost at present prices would be £10 per kUowail :
The ()0,000-KW. power station projected by the County of
Ijondon Co. ;it Barkinji; is estimated to cost £2,G7x,600,
and the complete system £1,. 500, 000. It is clear, there-

fore, that the Kotherhara Corporation has acquired a first-
class up-to-date power station at a pre-war price, and owing
to the low capital charges, together with the high-power
factor of the class of load supplied, it will be possible to
offer power to manufacturers at exceptionally favourable
rates. As usually happens in such cases, for the first year
or two, while the new plant is only partly in commissioa,
the annual profit hitherto recorded may give place to a deficit ;
but a cheap supply of power invariably creates an increased
demand, and in the light of pastexperience weconfidently pre-
dict that within twoor three years the plant will be fully loaded
and will produce a handsome return on the capital eipended.
In concluding this brief account of a remarkable under-
taking, we wish to express our thanks to Mr. Cross for the
facilities which he kindly afforded us. to obtain particulars
and photographs of the plant, and our appreciation of the
courtesy shown to us by all the members of his staff with
whom we came into contact ; our thanks are due especially
to Mr. W. \\. Duffett, chief assistant ; Mr. .7. Pt. Hawes,
electrical superintendent ; and Jlr. W. Redmayne, mains
superintendent. Mr. ( 'ross has guided the fortunes of the
Kotherham electricity department for some in years, and is
to be congratulated on the monumental proportions and
efficiency of opt-ratiou of the tine plant which he conir >!?.

LLEWELYN B. ATK1N50N, M.I.E.E., A.M.Inst.C.E.,

President of the Institution of Electrical Engineers,

The office of President of the Institution of Electrical
Engineers is not only an honourable and dignified position
— it is also a post involving many onerous duties, demanding
almost whole-time service during a great part of the
year, and calling for the
exercise of the highest
(jualities of tact, adminis-
trative ability, urbanity,
wisdom, and knowledge of
men. The burden has been
constantly increasing in
weight of responsibility
and number of different
interests concerned, year
by year, and since the
Council definitely laid it-
self out to I'epresent and
watch over not only the
scientific interests of the
industry, but also its in-
dustrial and commercial
branches, the duties of
the President have become
innumerable, and his jour-
neyings incessant. Hence
it is of the first import
ance that the post should
be filled only by men wlm
are of the highest repu-
tation and capacity, and
are held in high esterm
both within and without
the Institution.

For many years pa^t
those conditions ha\''
been aliundantly fulfilled,
and this year also the
1 nstitution is fortunate
in having secured for
its head one of the
most able and popular
men in the electrical
world. We trust that
he will enjoy a success-
ful, if strenuous, year of
office, and we know that,

given health and strength, lie will not be found wanting in
any of those attributes which go to the making of a
lirst-class President.

Llewelyn B. Atkinson.

Mr. Atkinson is one of those men (and there are not
many left) who were at work in the early eighties, in the
time of pioneering between thu.se two landmarks, the Paris
Exhibition of 188 1, and the classic paper by Dr. .1. Hopkioson
and his brother Edward,
on dynamo design, which
was read before the Ptoyal
Society in 18itf). The
path which was hewn in
these days became after-
wards a broad road, and
those who followed can
have but little conception
of the difficulties which
w ere met with and over-
come.

As might be surmised
i :om his tint name, Mr.
.\tkinson was born in
Wales-at Builth V.'ells,
lireconshire ; his father,
a civil engineer, had car-
ried out railway work in
various quarters of the
globe, and designed and
laid out the i\I id- Wales
Eailivay, which has since
been inc( rporated in the
Cambrian system. Mr.
Atkinsrn was educated at
the Merchant Taylors'
School, on the modem
side, and gave special at-
tention to phy.'-ics and
chemistry, wiih the result
that, on leaving, he was
awarded au E.xhibition at
St. Thomas's Hospital :
be did not, however, take
this up, having decided
to adopt his father's pro-
fession. At that time elec-
trical engineering was a
coming thing, and in 1880
he attended Prof. Ayrton's
evening classes in elec-
tricity at Cowper Street Schools, Finsbnry, before the Fics-
bnry Technical College was built, winning in 1881 the first
prize and silver mcdil in the Ci.y and <'iuilns of London

[■n-uUham Xluilic

Vol.87. No. 2,241, November 5,1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

585

Institute's examinations in electrical technology. This
success brought him several invitations to become the
manager of electrical companie?, but he wisely decided, in
accordance with the advice of Sir William Siemens, to
acquire a complete engineering training, for which purpose
he entered the Engineering Department of King's College,
London ; here his successful career was continued, he being
awarded the Telford medal for gaining the highest number
of marks in both his second and third years.

Having completed his technical training, 51 r. Atkinson
was apprenticed to Messrs. Kitson & Co.'s Airedale Works,
locomotive builders, Leeds, and in 1886 he was articled to
Messrs. Goolden & Trotter, of London and llalifas, being
associated with Mr. Trotter and Mr. II. W. liivenshaw in
designing and experimental work in connection with
dynamos. The manufactures of this firm included d.c. and
A.c. machinery, and transformers, Mr. Gisbert Kapp
collaborating in the a.c. work. Mr. Atkinson took out his
first patent in 188G, for a dymamo brush constructed of
layers with intervening resistances for the purpose of
preventing sparking, a design which was revived by Mr.
W. M. Mordey before the I.E.E. many years later. In the
following year, Mr. Atkinson studied the application of
electricity to mining, and took out many patents in
connection with coal-uutting and other machinery.

One of his first jobs in 1^87, at Halifax, was to design,
with Mr. W. H. Ravenshaw a O-h.p. direct-current motor, and
to build it on to a coal-cutting machine of bhe bar type.
This was the first electric coal-cutter, and the capabilities
of the electric drive were demonstrated as soon as it was put
to work, by breaking the cutter bar. This led to his
spending a good deal of time practically working at the coal
face, and designing an improved cutter bar. F'our years
later, in collaboration with his brother ('laude, their paper
on " Electric Mining Machinery " was awarded the Telford
gold medal and premium by the Institution of Civil
Engineers.

One of his early experiments about 1888 was trying to
run a small motor having laminated fields, with alternating
current, and he found that, though it was not of much use
as an ordinary series motor, it ran fairly well with a decided
torque when alternating current was applied to the field
windings, the armature short-circuited, and the brushes
rocked about 45 . The arrangement is quite well understood
to-day, but it was surprising when first tried as an experi-
ment at a time when synchronous motors were undeveloped,
and some five years before the great controversy took place
on alternating- current motors.

In 1.S88, Mr. Trotter having retired, he became a partner
in the firm of Messrs. Goolden & Co. Next year the works
were removed to London, and considerably extended under
Mr. Evershed, the instrument-making department was
developed in|jo an important section of the business. In
IS'.io the business of the company was amalgamated with
that of Messrs. Easton & Anderson, under the title of Easton,
Anderson & Goolden, Ltd., and Mr. Atkinson became a
director of the new company, until he retired in 1897. In
the following year he read a paper before the Institution of
Civil Engineers on the " Theory, Design, and Working of
Alternate-Current Motors," which was awarded a Telford
premium. That paper was long before its time ; it con-
tained the fundamental principles ol almost every kind of
A,c. motor, anticipating many later inventions, and had
it not been buried in the archives of the Civil Engineers,
owing to the secretive practice of that Institution, it might
have exerted a consideralile inflaence on the position- of this
country in this industry.

Although Mr. Atkinson had attained to so high a posi-
tion on the technical side of the industry, he always had a
strong bent towards the commercial side, and his next
undertaking bore in that direction, marking a new epoch in
his career. In conjunction with the late Mr. P. J. Fawcus,
and others, he founded the TrafFord Parle Power and liight
Supply Co., Ltd., the first company formed in this country
with the primary object of distributing cheap power over an
indu.strial aiva ; for nearly 20 years he was a director ef
this company, which wa.^ recently abaoi'bed by the Stretlord
Urban District Council. One ol the firms which built
works in Trafford Park was that of Messrs. W. T. (i lover
and Co., Ltd., and wlien this firm was reorganised in I'JOa,

Mr. Atkinson was invited to become a director, a post which
he occupied for about 1 7 years, being for the greater part
of that time in charge of the London office of the company.
The busine* was recently purchased by Messrs. Vickers,
Ltd., and he was invited to remain on the board, but retired
on account of his many other occupations.

We now come to a third period in Mr. Atkinson's career
— his connection with the < 'able-Makers' Association. He
had taken a prominent part in the affairs of this Association
from the time when he joined the board of Glover's, being
at one time chairman ; his exceptional qualities were there-
fore familiar to his associates, and on the death of the late
Mr. A. H. Howard, in IDli;, he was unanimously invited
by his oolleagues in the cable-making industry n become
the secretary and manager of the Association, a position
which he still occupies. He is also chairman of the Joint
.Industrial Council of the cable-making industry.

It must not be supposed, however, that Mr. Atkinson's
preotcupations in otlier fields diminished his interest in
electrical engineering proper ; he frequently took part in
the discussions of the Institution of Electrical Engineers,
of which he became a member in 1900, and in 1918 he
delivered a remarkable address (the 10th Kelvin lecture)
to the Institution, on " The Dynamical Theory of Electric
Engines," in which he opened up a new field of thought
and investigation which had been previously almost
wholly neglected. In 1917 he was elected a Member of
Council, and in 1919 Vice-President of the Institution.
Amongst other of his multifarious activities, we may
mention that he is a member of the Electrical Sectional
Committee of the British Eagineering Standards Associa-
tion ; a representative of the I.E.E. on the Electrical Research
Committee ; a representative of the CM. A. on the Electrical
Development Association ; and a Member of Council of the
Federation of British Industries. For many years he has
been a member of the I )ynamicables, of the 25 Club,
and of the Electro-Harmonic Society, and other bodies
connected with the social side of the industry.

Mr. Atkinson has several times visited America, and in
1893, the year of the Chicago Exposition, he was invited
by the Westinghouse Co. to remain in the United States
and organise an electrical mining department of their
business, but his engagements at home prevented his accept-
ance of the offer. He has also visited German and Belgian
industrial centres in connection with technical and com-
mercial affairs. His inventions and patents cover a wide
riUge, including mining machinery, d.c. and a.c. apparatus,
electrical instruments and demand indicators, &c., and he
has carried on research and testing laboratories of his own.
He was also at one time a frequent contributor to the
electrical and financial Press on electrotechnical and
oommercial matters.

Mr. Atkinson is a man of very remarkable character, com-
bining the methodical, deliberate, and precise habits of mind
derived from a scientific training with extraordinary
versatility and " savoir faire." His inclinations are pro-
gressive, and he scorns obsolete metnods or apparatus.

He is very even-tempered and forbearing, and exceedingly
sensitive to discord between himself and others or amongst
others with whom he associates. He is a humanitarian with
broad views of life, and a great lover of his home, which, as
would be expected, is of a unique character, replete with
domestic labour-saving devices. In addition to his many
and varied professional activities, he is an agriculturist, and
runs a small farm on scientific lines.

His hobbies are collecting slide rules and spinning tops,
the latter especially giving him great enjoyment. As for
sjtorts and pastimes, he plays golf so badly and so good-
humouredly that he seems to do so rather to give amuse-
ment to the onlookers than for the sake of personal
pleasure.

His scientific habit of thought prevents him from doing
anything by chance, and yet, as though his nature demanded
an outlet by way of relaxation from such severe, precise, and
rigid calculations, he has been known to pounoe upon a
friend who has happaiied to win a small stake at cardg, and,
with great delight, to toss him for the proceeds— which he
invariably wins.

It may not be generally known that during the war he
served as a special constable.

586

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,241, November 5, 1920.

Eecent history is silent as to whether he is still a
fisherman, but rumour says that it was he who, as a lad,
called at the local squire's house to ask for permission to
fish in his lake, and when this was curtly, and, as he con-
sidered, rudely, refused and the door slammed in his face,
noticing that the key was on the outside of the door, he
turned it in the lock and threw it in the lake on his way
home.

In the proceedings of the Institution, Mr. Atkinson's
most noteworthy attributes are his extraordinary lucidity
in debate, and his mercilessly logical method of developing
his argument, combined with remarkable powers of pene-
tration to the roots of the matter and of expressing his
views in concise, clear-cut English. His power of seeing
both sides of a question does not prevent him from forming
very definite views, to which he gives expression in uncom-

promising terms, without fear or favour. On the other
hand, his tact and suavity, combined with his personal
popularity, are priceless qualities in the conduct of
discussions, and he has many times carried through
difficult negotiations to a successful issue where others
would have arrived at a deadlock.

Those who have heard his many speeches at Institution
functions during the past year — sparkling with humour, but
always with an undercurrent of sound and serious import —
know that the industry will be well and worthily repre-
sented on all such occasions during the ensuing year ;
and the President's admirable record of success in
engineering and in business guarantees that the affairs of
the Institution, technical, commercial, and social, will be
guided on the soundest lines whilst he holds the reins of
office.

THE "TURBINE" BOILER FURNACE.

In these days of expensive fuels any device that is calculated
to promote I'uel economy and increased steaming efficiency is
worthy of consideration. If the air flow is uniform and the
fuel is spread evenly over the grate, combustion will also be
uniform and even throughout the whole area of the fire. In
an ordinary boiler furnace these conditions are not necessarily
fulfilled, resulting in an excessive air flow- thi'ough the grate,
which is a particularly active source of loss. By the use of
the furnace hereunder described, however, it is claimed that a
considerable reduction in the amount of excess air can be

Fic. 1. — " TiiKiiiNK " FuHXArp. An'T.iF.D TO B. A- W. Boir.RK.

' •■■J0^

U^.. -

^^^^^

• :.^t.., .,..^:..';^

"^ ■ \,»'

BV'^r

m

pi

^

1

— r

IH^^BzIk

^ ,

^^^^

^^^!^

■ ■ ' ' s^' -"- ■ ^ *

1

Pig. 2.—" Torbine " Furn.4ce Api'lied to IjAncashire Boiler.
Fig. 3. — " Turbine " Furnace Grate " Blades."

made, the air can b-
of the grat<>, nnd it
contact with the file
The furuacfi undev

thnronghly ditfnsed over the wdiole area
III be brought everywhoro bitn intiniafc

onsideration takes its name fion
analogy which its form in longitudinal section bears tc
■«t and blades of an impulse de Laval steam turbin

tllc

the in-

tention being that the ah shall pass up between the fire bars
at an equal rate over the whole surface of the grate.

The con-structiiinal details w-ill be gathered from fig. 1, which
shows the fmiuie,. ,i.s ;ipplied to a Babcock & Wilcox boiler;
fig. '2 shows its ;iiiplkaiii;n to a Lancashire boiler; and fig. S
illustrates the " lurbinc " furnace " blades."

As shown in fig. 1 several troughs (the number varies with
the width of the furnace) rounded at the bottom and' measur-
ing al)out ;j in. acro.ss their mouths are ili.sposed Umgitudiually
within the furnace thie. Each tnjugh is separate from the
re^t. and lies, unbolted, in contact with
its neighbours, being hooked at either
end over ridges on the dead and bridge
plates (5) and {o.\), but otherwise un-
supported. .\ngle-.sectioned extension
pieces (3) are bolted to the two outer
troughs so as to fill the gaps betweeu
them and the furnace walls.

Within the mouths of the troughs are
placed fire-bar members (1), the form of
w hich will be -readily followed from fig.
3. Each " blade " shown in fig. 1 in
sectional elevation is part of a .separate
casting (fig. 3), so that each trough has,
say, three or four dozen of the.se sepa-
rate fire-bar castings, which are sup-
ported on the edges of the troughs. Each
casting is provided with a slot in front
and with a flat w-eb behind (fig. 3),
which fits int<) the slot of the succeeding
casting. It will be appreciated then that
tlie lii-e-bar i-astings can be rapidly slid
into position, the w-hole being locked
together by the in-sertion of the last
member (1a), fig. 1.

The top surface of tfce grate thus
formed is, however, not continuous; be-
tween each pair of ca.stings a s-in. wide
slot is left for the passage of air from the
trough below, fig. '2, the w-idth of the
slot being preserved even when the cast-
ings are tightly pressed together. The
rear face of the blade of each casting
lies at an angle of 4a deg. to the general
top surface of the grate: the forward
faoe of the .succeeding ca.sting makes an
angle of 00 deg. with the same plane;
and the J-in.- .slot between the pair is
thus continued below- in the form of an
incliued tajiered passage. It is this form
of air passage, it is claimed, which en-
ables the finest fuels (even in a powdered
form) to be burned, because the inclined
surfaces tend to prevent the fuel falling
through the slots between the fire-bar
members. As .shown at ('2), fig. 1, the
bottom edges of the sloping blades are
formed to a radius so that with the
curved bottom of the trough they make
an approximately circular pas.sage for
the air flowing along the trough. The
area of this passage, owing to the in-
clined [rough bottom, the trough being
hiwei- towards the back (ban at the front, decreases from
c to front in .such a wav that, as air esi-apes through the
suc<-e.ssivo .slots into the nre. the velo.ify of the r<-mainder
in the trough remains constant.

Air is drawn into the troughs by means of a .s,.parat^ steam
j,.t (III) lor eaeli trough, whieli is placed at the mouth of an

shal
bai-l

Voi.sT. No.2,24i,NovKMBEB5, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

587

iujectur pipe (-1). For the fii'st portion of their length the in-
jector pipes contract in diameter; for the centre portion they
are parallel; and for the remaining portion they expand to
suit the radius of the trough bottom as shown at (4).

All the steam jets are connected to a single source of steam ;
the nozzles have a large coefficient of expansion, and their
form is such that the jet of steam splays out and fills the bore
of the injector pipe. Suiierheated steam is used for the jets.
The supply is taken from the top of the boiler and led by a
system of piping through a reducing valve and pressure gauge
for some distance into the side Hue before passing to the jets.
This form of superheater is very simple and easy to install, it
being necessary to remove a single brick only from the boiler
setting. The employment of superheated steam, it is claimed,
increases the efficiency of the injector jets, because for equal
weights the volume delivered is greater if suiierheated. Fur-
ther, the use of a number of small jets also leads to economy,
for the amount of st-eam used is prol»rtional to the square of
the jet diameter. The air pressure prevailing in the troughs
depends on the pressure of the steam delivered to the jets.
Therefore, the air pressure below the fire bars can be regulated
over a con.siderable range, so that a wide variety of fuel can lie
burned in a furnace at different times. The ash and clinker
are removed by raking them out over the dead plate (5), tig. 1.
Very little dust falls through the bars into the troughs; what
does is removed l:iy a k)ng-handled scoop. A large proportion
collects in the cnniliustion chainlier between the two brick
bridges shown in lit:. -2, and is removed through the door
shown.

" Turbine " furnace.=i can be readily fitted to any type of
existing boiler. As regards their performance, we recently
had an opportunity of inspecting .several installations at work
which, according to their uses, are giving every satisfaction.
The claims made for them with regard to performance and
ability to burn cheap low-grade fuels appear at first sight to
be very high, but a number of te.sts have been carried out on
installations in various parts of the country, and in every
case the furnaces have performed then- proper functions in a
(■onunendable manner.

REVIEWS.

The I'rincipies oj Electrical Eiiyliieciiim and their Applica-
tiuii. I3y GiSBERT K.wp, M.I.C.E. \ol. It. Application.
Pp. XV+.384; 17a fig.s. London: E. Arnold. Price 18s.
net.
In this book it is i^leasing to note the continuance and
enlargement of the lucid chapters contained in Dr. Kapp's
previous \olunie. ^\'e have yet to see a more comprehensive
statement of electrical princii)les, and in like manner the
fundamental applications are set out. It is true that certam
iletails one might have looked for are not dealt with, liut in
the main the ground is well covered, .\gain in tliis volume
one is led in a careful manner through the maze, so that
even the most intricate lu'oldem is brought to a conclusion
without liaving to traver.se devious paths. With his almost
uncanny facility for leducing an otherwise complicated for-
mula to a siml'le expi'e.ssion, the autlior enables one to nienio-
ri.se facts and figures so tlial they become anything but
difficult, and withal he carefully explains his reasoning and
indicates the ver.\ tnitli of each i-onstant and varial)l(\

The main headings of the liiv-t volume may lie reiterattul
with advantage, viz.. (.'(inductors. Resistance, Distribution.
Electrostatics. Electromugneti.sm. Electrodynamics, Units.
Magnetic (pialities of Iron, and Alternating Currents; having
obtained a comjilete knowledge of these items, one is led to
questions of dynamo design, and the .second volume opens
with .-i discussion relative to the armature, and here we are
at once impressed with the clai'ity of presentation. Field
magnets are next treated of. and the paragraphs dealing
with the critical speed of turbo-dynamos are of ab.sorbing
interest. In the chapter relative to the complete dynamo
there is much to attract one. but the vexed que.stion of com-
mutation is dealt with in a more than ordinary manner; here
.ind in the following pages on working conditions. Dr. Kapp
is probably at hi.s best, the manner in which details and
special applications are introduced being especially bright.
The importance of obtaining a good load factor upon plant
indies the next chapter one that will appeal to all. and " The
dynamo in connection witli a storage battery " forms a fitting
title thereto; though brief, the matter is comprehensive.
Few are qualified to pen a chapter on experimental work
with the assurance of Dr. Knpp, and, as we have noted pre-
viously, his modesty in dealing with points upon which he
is an expert, is most marked. Many engineers might witli
advantage model their tests upon the ex.Tmples and methods
indicated.

\Ve now turn to alternators, ,'ind bearing in mind the
principles so clearly enunci.nterl in the first volume, we are
able to appreci:ite to tlie full the problems now n-iched.
Th" subief-t matter relative to harmonics is very detaib'd. but
fully explicit. TIy" n(>xt two diapters relnte esiieci.illv to
the practical working of alternators, and there is much of
interest to be gleaned from them. Converters form tlie sub-
ject next handled, these are very briefly tackled. Following

upon this a digest of the author's classic work on " Trans-
formers " forms the basis of two chapters, and again we
are compelled to admire Of late years the induction motor
and alternating current commutator motors have attracted
much serious attention as subjects for especial and careful
study and research, and for anyone who desires to learn in
a concise yet complete manner the considerations attached
thereto, we cannot but recommend the perusal of the pages
before us; the principles involved may be then mastered in
a facile manner. Headers of the recent lines in this periodical
anent power factor will find Dr. Kapp's last chapter relating
to phase advancing, enlightening and worthy of consideration.
The work concludes, in a manner similar to its predecessor,
with a good general index and index to formulaa ; in spite
of difficulties, the general quality of the book shows no
deterioration. The two volumes form an admii'able handljook
for the student and the general engineer, and witii advan-
tage may be read by all whose business brings them in
contact with electrical machines and installations.

The Year Book of W'irele-^s Telegraphy and Telephony, 19'20.
Pp. 1,148, illustrated. London : Wireless Press, Ltd.
Price 10s. 6d. net.
For the eighth year in succession this pubUcation makes
its appearance. During the eventful years which have elap.sed
since it was first oliered to supply a very real need, the
.scope and excellence of the volume have been steadily in-
creased, and the Year Book has long since come to be regarded
as indispensable to anyone associatetl with wiieless work.
The latest edition embodies quite a number of distinct im-
provements, ajiart from the special technical articles which
always constitute .so valuable a feature of the bixik. Dealing
tii'st with these improvements in the arrangement of standard
matter and chronological records, &c., we find that the calen-
dar has been improved by the adilition of the times of sun-
rise and sunset (Greenwich meridian), and by the inclusion
of the pha,ses of the moon. All matter relating to wireless
progress has been transferred from the calendar to the special
" record of development." w'hich has been thoroughly revised
by Dr. N. W. McLachlan ; we do not notice in this record
any particulars of the long-distance Poulseu arc stations erected
in France and Italy and certain other countries during recent
years. The section on laws and regulations appertaining to
wireless has been enriched by the addition of much fresh
information, and the general arrangement of this important
section is now exceptionally clear and concise. A point which
will appeal to every user of the volume is the inclusion of
small maps of each country in the pages dealing with its
wii-eless laws and regulations. These detail maps replace the
unwieldy world-chart which has formed a feature of previous
editions. For purposes of reference to individual countries
and stations the detail maps are undoubtedly more convenient
and useful than the world chart, but the latter (on a smaller
scale than hitherto) should certainly be restored in future
editions. The individual stations need be identified only by
reference numbers, if at all, but it is often very convenient
to have a map showing the general location of all the world's
wireless routes at a glance.

Tlie list of land and ship stations and their call letters has
again been revised and lirought up to date, and the same ap-
plies to all the other reference sections,- including the dire:;-
tories of wireless companies and wireless societies; the bio-
graphical notes; the literature of wireless telegraphy; the
Mor.se code section, and so forth. The bibliograi)hy of litera-
ture on wireless telegraphy and telephony is a very valuable
feature, erring only on the side that it contains a number
of books bearing rather indirectly on wireless matters.

Turning to tlie special articles which always form such a
feature of interest in this volume, we fipd a welcome co-
ordination of all the meteorological data in one section.
Writing on radio-communication and meteorology. I<ieut.-Col.
E. G<ild gives (in addition to valuabli' purely technical data)
a most instructive demon.stration of the mishaps attending
imperfect weather forecasts, and a most convincing statement
of the achievements now realised in this branch of meteoro-
logy. Few people realise the extent to which weather fore-
casts were employed during the war. Mr. A. E. Hinks writes
upon wireless and time, and indicates that, as in connection
with weather forecasts, wireless has made possible results
which could otherwise not be achieved.

One of the nio.st valuable features of the new edition is
the excellent .■series of " National Eesumes." Each resume
is written by a well-known wireless engineer, and covers the
past year's progress and general status of wireless telegraphy
and telephony in the country concerned. Resumes are given
for Fr.ance. Germany. Great Britain. Holland. Italy. Japan.
Norway, and the United States. It is certainly to be hoped
that this innovation will be made a regular feature of the
year book and that resumes for other countries will be added
as occasion arises. .At present these national ri'.sumes occupy
a total of less than -30 pages, and we .should like to see them
enlarged somewhat in the next edition.

Mr. W. T. Ditcham gives a very gooil revi(>w of the progress
of wireless telephony, and sugfe.sts that the latter will be one
of the commonplaces of evervdav commercial life in the near
future. Mr. F. P. Swann. writing upon valve .implifiers for
shipboard n.se, explains the considerations which led to the
adoption of the present design of this amplifier. The eqn'p

688

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.st. No. 2,211, November 5, 1920.

ment described is calculated to give a minimum of trou'iio
in operation and maintenance, and it is likely to remain
effective for a reasonalsle period whatever the general technical
developments introduced into wireless practice in the mean-
time. The relative merits of various circuits and points
relating to practical operation are discussed in detail.

Aviation has made such rapid progress during recent years,
and " wireless " plays such an important part in modern
aviation that it is not surpri.sing to find a special section of
the year book devoted to aero- wireless work. Major Robert
Orme writes upon radiotelegraphy and aviation, pointing out
the difficult conditions to be met in aeroplane service, and
reviewing the enormous progress made during the war. It is
not too much to say that wii'eless in relation tc5 aviation is
entirely a war development so far as really practical results
are concerned. Major Orme very properly lays stress upon
the enormous importance of directional wireless in the naviga-
tion of aircraft, and states that the navigational applications
are probably the most valuable contribution which the wireless
engineer can afford to the science of aeronautics. Many air-
men and sailors, as well as wireless operators and students,
will read with interest Mr. G. M. Wright's contribution on
direction finding, in which he considers the fundamental

geometry " of the problem, and also the requirements and
technique from the wireless point of view.

Major C. E. Prince's very excellent paper on wireless tele-
phony and its application to aircraft surveys the almost
incredible progress made during five years of strenuous effort.
Tlie story of difficulty after difficulty overcome makes fascinat-
ing reading, and we have reason to be grateful to the men
whose efforts established telephony as a working organisation
in the British flying service, and evoked official admission
in a German .'Vrmy Order that we were far ahead- in C.W.
and telephone work. There is no technical reason at the
present day why an ordinary telephone subscriber should not
be able to speak to an aeroplane in flight anywhere within
100 miles or so.

Consideration of space limitations necessitates conclusion
of what i.s even now but a very sketchy outline of the matter
contained in this year book. The compilations of valve and
wireless telegraph patents in 1919, and the section on wireless
terminology and useful data are a continuation of featvires
which have already proved their value. Two short chapters
of special interest pay well-earned tribute to the work of
the Berne Bureau or international clearing house for radio-
telegraphy, and to the services rendered to wireless by the
" amateur " experimenter. A new directory feature is a
list of aerodromes fitted with wireless, and a list of aviation
identification and call letters. Unquestionably the Year Book
is this year better than ever before.

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankruptcy Proceedings. — J. Sklnnek (Foster, Skinner

and Co.), electric fittings dealer, Liverpool. — First meeting was
held on November 4th. at Official Receiver's offices. Liverpool.
Public examination; November 2Slth, at the Court House, Liverpool.

Harbison & Son.s, electrical engineers, 93, Princes Street,
London Road, Southend-on-Sea. — First meetiner, November Hth, at
14, Bedford Road, W.C. Public examination, December 1st, at the
Shire Hall, Chelmsford.

W. T. Smith, electrical and mechanical engineer, Victoria
Street, Bolton — Is. 8d. first instalment of composition of 58. in
the £, payable Novembsr 8th, at the Official Receiver's Office,
Byrom Street, Manchester.

G. W. Lksier (Lester & Browne), electrical engineer, 44 and 46,
Surbiton Road, Kingston-on-Thames. — Receiving order made
October 3uth on creditors' petition. First meetingr November 15th ;
public examination, January 14th, 1921, both at Carey Street, W.C.

W. H. S. Ward, electrical engineer, 56, High Street, Acton. —
Receiving order made October 29th on creditors' petition.

J. C. Thomson, electrician (lately electrical engineer and con-
tractor), late of Station Street, Mansfield, Notts. — Receiving order
made October 30th, on debtor's own petition.

E. Clonev, tramway divisional traffic superintendent 5.
St. Albans Road, Parliament Hill Fields, N.W. 5.— Last day for
proofs for dividend, November 17th. Trustee, Mr. W. P. Bowyer,
Senior Official Receiver, Carey Street, W.C.

Company Liquidations. — Electrolytic Co., Spain and

Portugal, Ltd. — Meeting of creditors is called for November 11th,
at 5, Moorgate Street Buildings, B.C. Particulars of claims to be
sent to the liquidator, Mr. R. J. Marsden, by December 16th.

Co.MMEBClAL ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES, LTD.— Particulars of
claims must be sent to the liquidator, Mr. N. Bell, 79, Wool
Exchange, E.G., by November 26th.

Accumulators, Ltd. — Meeting of members is called for
November 29th, at Carlton House, llD, Regent Street, S.W., to hear
an account of the winding up from the liquidator, Mr. W. J.
Matthews,

Telephos Domestic and Street Liuhting Co.. Ltd, — Meeting
of members is called for November 13th, at 805, Salisbury House,
B.C., to hear an account of the winding up from the liquidator,
Mr. H. H. Foster.

Maskam and District Electric Supply Co., Ltd.— Winding
Up voluntarily. Liquidator, Mr. T, E, Thwaites.

Dissolution of Partnersiiip. — Engineering Supplies

Co,, consulting mechanical and electrical engineers, 24, Grey
Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne. — Mr. J. W. Finney and Mr. H. W.
Slater have dissolved partnership. Debts will be attended to
by Mr. H. W. Slater, who will continue the business under the
same style and at the same address.

Trade Announcements. — Souther.x Electric Co.,

Ltd., has removed to permanent premises at 138, Southwark Street,
S,E. 1, and wiU shortly open a trade counter and showroom.
Telephone, Hop 2780.

The Yule Electric Co., 47, Station Road. Winchmore Hill,
N. 21, is closing down. All debts will be attended to by the com-
pany. Remittances should be sent to the Yule Electric Co., at
9, Dalhi Road, Edmonton, London, N, 9.

Messrs. Jones & Pobdes have appointed the following sole
agents for the sale of their " Elba " dry cells :— Midlands. Phillips
and Turner, 115, Edmund Street. Birmingham; S. Yorkshire,
Darby, and Nottingham, the Hallamshire Electric Co., Ltd., Ki,
Carver Street, Sheffield ; Principality of Wales, the Commercial
Electrical Supplies Co., 8, Westgate Street, Cardiff ; W. and S.W.
of England, the Eloo Manufacturing Co., Colston Yard, Colston
Street, Bristol ; and Central Yorkshire, Rickard, Wright & Dean,
Ltd.. 17, Nea) Street, Bradford,

English Electric & Siemens Supplies, Ltd, — An amalgama-
tion has been completed between English Electric Supplies. Ltd..
and the lamp and supplies department of Messrs. Siemens Bros,
and Co., Ltd., and from November 1st the business will be carried
on under the title of English Electric i; Siemens Supplies, Ltd. ;
registered office, Brook House, 191 and 192, Tottenham Court Road,
W. ; the supplies department, showrooms, and stores will be
retained, and all orders and business in connection therewith dealt
with from that address.

Messrs. Belling & Co., Dirby Road Works, Edmonton, N. 18
have purchased the designs and registrations and certain materials
of the Yule Electric Co., and are arranging to continue supplying
some of the articles which the company has been making for
which a demand continues.

London Electric Storks will remove on November 8th to
39, Furnival Street, Holborn, E.C, 4, Telephone No., Museum 4902,

Citroen Gear Co, has removed to 22, Buckingham Gate,
^Vestminster, S.W. 1. Telephone No., Victoria 7193 ; Telegraphic
address. Helical, Sowest, London.

Catalogues and Lists. — Messrs, Pirelli, Ltd., 144, (^aeen

Victoria Street, E.C. 1. — Price list (48 pp.) of wires and cables,
including pure and V.I.R,, asbestos, and silk-covered types. Also
accessories for installation work, rubber gloves, ebonite tubes, rods,
and sheets, kc. Illustrated,

Messrs. Jones & Pobdes, 8, Crawford Passage, Farringdon
Road, E.C. 1. — A circular letter announcing that ' Elba " accumu-
lators have now been placed on the market in five sizjs from 20 to
1 on amperes, 2-6 volts. A year's guarantee is given.

The Newman Electrical Co., 64, Newman Street, W, 1. —
Leaflet illustrating and describing "Nuoo" artistic fittings for
semi-indirect lighting with alabaster and opal bowls. Fully
priced.

The Enterprise Manukacturing Co., Ltd., Gun Street Elec-
trical Works, Biahopsgate, E. 1. — An illustrated and fully priced
catalogue (24 pp.) dealing with electric fans, small motors, starters,
switch and fuse gear, &c.

British Insulated and Helsby Cables, Ltd., Prescot,
Lanes. — A very complete catalogue (104 pp.) of accessories for
telegraph and telephone line construction, including insulators,
bolts, poles, fittings, tools, and batteries. Well illustrated and
dimensioned.

The J. G. Brill Co., 150, Southampton Row. W,C. 1.— A
booklet (4 pp.) entitled " A New Point of View," giving two or
three testimonials in favour of the ' Birney " safety car.

Messrs, T. M. Johns & Co., 3, Buckland Terrace, Plymouth. —
A priced leaflet illustrating the " Jone " bell transformer, and a
list of seven cables for sale.

Messbs, Y'abnall & Co., Cornwall Street Ironworks, Openshaw,
Manchester. Stock list of new and second-hand D.c, motors.

The General Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Oueen Victoria Street,
E.C. 4. — Leaflet No, 0, 2,368, giving particulars and prices of
"Geeko " accumulators for ignition, starting and lighting. Also
an illustrated folder dealing with " Osram " vacuum and gasfilled
lamps. Priced.

Messrs. Greenwood A: Batlev, Ltd., Donington House,
Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C. 2,^An illustrated and priced
catalogue (15 pp.) of " Bipol " electric storage batteries, lighting
sets for cycles, and charging boards. Also two leaflets, one giving
prices of batteries and lighting sets, and the other illustrating the
" Tec ' patent electric police service lamp.

The Overseas Enqineebino Co., Ltd., 163-165, Great Port-
land Street. W. 1, — List No. 175, a priced and illustrated specifica-
tion of ''Overseas-National" steam-driven dynamos. Also List .
No. 13.") P, a pamphlet in Portuguese, illustrating and deaoribinif
" Overeaa " electric light iDstallations,

Tol. 87. No. 2,241, November 5, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

689

Book Notices. — "The Financial Times Income-Tax
Guide, 1920 Edition (revised) " (36 pp.). London : The Financial
Times, Ltd. ; price U. net. — In view of the radical revision made in
the Income-Tax by the Finance Act, 1920, this little g^uide will
prove invaluable to all affected. The booklet is divided into eight
sections dealing respectively with earned incomes (detailing abate-
ments and allowances, life assurance, &c.) ; unearned income
(Government bonds. Treasury Bills, &c.) ; how assessment is made ;
relief and how to obtain it ; the super-tax ; the excess profits tax ;
Corporation profits tax and death duties. Every point is clearly
explained, and tables are included to illustrate the text.

"A Proposal to Increase the Purchasing Power of the Penny"
(7 pp.). By Harry AUcock, M.I.E.E. — In this short paper Mr.
Alloock puts forward the suggestions made by him at the Cardiff
meeting of the British Association (c/rfc Electrical Review,
September 10th, 1920, p. 347).

" Electric Lighting for Cycles and Motor Cycles." By H. H. W.
Cross. Pp. xiii + 124, figs. EO. London : E. and F. N. Spon, Ltd.
Price 38. 6d. net.

Scientific Papers of the U.S. Bureau of Standards, No. 391,
''Measurement of Diffuse Reflection Factors, and a new Absolute
Rf flectometer " (15 pp ), and No. 392, "A Photographic Method
of Detecting Changes in a Complicated Group of Objects" (12 pp).
Washington : Government Printing Office. Price 5 cents each.

"The English Electric .Tournal," Vol. I, No. 4. October, 1920.
(54 pp.) London : The English Electric Co., Ltd. — The Siemens
Works, Stafford is described in this issue, and the illustrations are
particularly good. Mr. R. A, R. Bolton contributes an article
on " The Switchgear Problem in the Power House," and a long
paper on '' Test Corrections for Impulse Steam Turbines," by Mr. R.
Livingstone, A.M.I.E.E., also appears, as well as notes "On a
Theory of Fluid Friction and its Application to Hydraulics," by
Mr. E. Parry, B Sc , &c.

" Labour : Its Output and Reward " (18 pp.). By Percy J.
Pybus, C.B E., M.I.E E. — A lecture given in the Department of
Industrial Administration, College of Technology, Manchester.
Manchester : University Press.

" Tait's Electrical Directory of Australia and New Zealand, 1920."
Fourth edition (186 pp.). Melbourne: Peter G. Tait.— This
edition, which supersedes that of 1918, gives very complete
particulars of about 700 undertakings in the Antipodes. In many
cases the financial results of last year's working are included. An
index of stations by States is included for easy reference.

"The Industrial League and Council Jourmd." Vol. II, No. '.i
(36 pp ). Price 6d. — The October issue of this journal contains a
nuniber of instructive and interesting articles on industrial
questions. Among these is " Work for the Industrial League," by
Mr. T. 0. Jaoobsen, J.P., L.C.C., and "The Industrial Situation,'
by Mr. H. G. Williams, M.Sc. Mr. G. X. Barnes's paper, read at
Olympia recently, is reprinted, and an account of speeches made at
the Eccentric (Dlub dinner of the Executive Committee of the
Council, is given.

Trade and Indnstry in Australia. — An interesting

address was given by Mr. S. W. B. McGregor to the British Empire
Producers' Organisation, on October 28th, on British Trade and
Industry in Australia. Mr. Ben. H. Morgan, chairman of the
Organisation, presided. Mr. Mc(;regor dealt with the great
industrial development of the Commonwealth in the last few years.
The three main channels were wool manufacturing, the tteel
industry, and the boot and leather trades, for ail of which
Australia had raw materials iu plenty. He mentioned the
Australian Government scheme to use one-third of the annual clip
for manufacturing woollen goods in the Commonwealth. An
expenditure of about £1 1,000,001 1 was contemplated. Last year
the principal steel works turned out 162,000 tons of pig iron
and 185,000 steel ingots. Australia manufactured during last
year about 15 million pairs of boots and shoes. With regard to
the Australian law which prevents an industrialist making con-
tracts on this side with workmen to go Australia, Mr. McGregor said
that, though he could make no pronouncement, he understood
that this Act was not enforced to operate against the introduction
of skilled labour into the country for Australia's new industries.

Rumanian Reconstrnction. — The Department of Over-
seas Trade learns from the Commercial Secretary to H.M. Legation
tt Bukarest that an Industrial Reconstruction Company is being
formed with the following objects : — To provide industry with
machines, toob, raw materials, transport, &c. ; to distribute raw
materials that the State brings in as capital ; to make advances to
industrialists on favourable terms ; to participate in the creation of
industries beneficial to the nation ; to contract loans and to
discount bills. The capital of the company is fixed at 100 million
lei, which is to be offered for subscription to industrialists of the
country up to 50 per cent., by public subscription up to 20 per
cent., and the remainder will be offered to industrial financial
organisations now in existence.

Lead Report. — Messes. G. Cawson & Co., reporting on

October 30th, say : — " The market this week has not shown much
change, except that the scarcity of prompt lead has become more
pronounced, and prices have advanced 5s. to 10s. per ton. Mean-
while, forward lead has been ir^aotive, there being apparently no
fresh speculative demand to influence prices, while consumers con-
tinue their policy of only buying for actual immediate require-
ments. Closing prices are : — October and prompt, £36 fs. to
£36 lOs. ; November, £36; December and .lanuary, £35 15s. If
shipments do not increase, the outlook points to a very firm market
during the next few months, particularly aa strikes and labour
ditticulties seem now to be in a fair way of settlement, which
naturally points to a larger consumption. "

An After-War Reunion. — A very enjoyable evening was

spent at the Queen's Hall, W., on October 28th, on the occasion of
the staft's' after- war reunion of the Central Electric Supply Co.,
Ltd., the Westminster Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd., and
the St. James's and Pall MaU Electric Light Co., Ltd. The
entertainment, the programme of which comprifed musical,
vocal, and humorous items, was under the direction of Messrs.
S. Green and S. G. Nodes. Whether these gentlemen were also
responsible for the selection of artisti: we are unable to say, but
whoever it was deserves congratulation on the choice made.
During the interval Capt. E. J. Bax, chairman of the Westminster
Co., and Mr. Walter Leaf, chairman of the Central and St. James's
Companies, delivered short addresses of welcome to all those in the
employ of the companies who had safely returned after serving in
H.M. Forces during the war period, and paid tributes to those who
had fallen in serving their country. We gather that the number
of those who joined H.M. Forces was 307 ; the number of wounded
was 45 ; and of those who made the supreme sacrifice 3S. To
quote the " Roll of Honour" : —
" Who shall sing the song of Them :

The wonder and the strength of Them :

The gaiety and tenderness they bore across the sea :
In every heart's the song of Them :

The Chivalry and Fearlessness that strove to win her Free."
Mr. Vale-Lane's orchestra rendered much-appreciated musical
selections during the evening, and the excellent programme was
also contributed to by some two dozen artists, the majority of whom
appeared by the, kind permission of Mr. Charles Gulliver, of the
London Theatre of Varieties, Ltd., and of Messrs. Grossmith and
Laurillard. The Staff Entertainment Committee and its hon. sec,
Mr. R. Litt, are to be congratulated on the way the entertainment
was arranged and carried out.

Catalogues for Giient. — H.il. Vice-Consul at Ghent

reports the opening at the Vice-Consulate of a commercial informa-
tion bureau and library for the use of callers. A special room has
been set apart for the purpose, and the necessary facilities have
been provided for the exhibition of United Kingdom directories,
catalogues, and samples. H.M. Vice-Consul states that there is
accommodation still outstanding for the display of a considerable
number of catalogues, &c., and he is accordingly open to receive
copies from British firms which may be desirous of taking advantage
of the remaining space avaOable. He suggests, however, that
such firms, before actually dispatching catalogues or samples,
should communicate with him on the matter, so that the number
and range of exhibits may be properly controlled and confined to
suitable limits. He adds that catalogufs may be in either English,
French or Flemish, and should preferably be in book form. Loose
sheets and price lists are not desired for the purposes of the present
collection.— iVi""-(/ of Trade Journal.

West Midland Whitley Council. — An important Con-
ference of representatives of local public authorities and staff
organisations in the Midlands, called at the instance of the
National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Administrative,
Technical, and I Clerical Services, was held at the Council House,
Birmingham, on Wednesday last. The convener was the Lord
Mayor of Birmingham (Alderman Cadbury), and the object
was to consider a proposal for the formation of a Provincial
Whitley Council for the Midlands. Invitations to the Conference
were fent to 164 local authorities in Warwickshire, Worcestershire,
Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Staffordshire, and also to the staff
associations operating in the area. The Lord Mayor pointed out
that the National CJouncil was anxious to establish Provincial
Councils and local Committees ; 16 had been proposed, one of which
would be centred in the West Midlands. Alderman Sir David
Brooks moved that a Provincial Council, consisting of not more
than 48 elected members be formed. Such Councils could perform
very UEeful and valuable work iu discussing the difiicult questions
of wages, hours, and conditions of service. WhUe the Councils
had no legal status, and no meai s of enforcing their decisions, his
experience was that goodwill prevailed on the Councils, and there
was a genuine desire on the part of both sides to arrive at decisions
which would be just and fair. The whole basis of the scheme
rested on goodwill and co-operation. The resolution was seconded
by Mr. E. Hallas, M.P., who expressed the hope that the employers'
side of the Councils would not be represented by offioials or sub-
ofiicials. Alderman Goddard (Stoke-on-Trent) supported, and the
motion was carried. Representatives were present from many
gas, electricity supply, tramway, and other departments of
municipal services.

New Rumanian Wireless Co.— Under the auspices of
Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd., a new Marconi Co. has
just been formed in Bukarest with a capital of 2,800,000 lei.

New Belgian Accumulator Co.— La Societe Continentale

de I'Accumulateur Edison is the name of a new company which has
just been formed in Brussels (79, Rue Royale), with a capital of
1,200,000 fr., to handle the Edison accumulator on the Continent.

The Export Credits Scheme.— Mr. Kellaway (Secretary of
the Department of Overseas Trade), in reply to a recent question
put to him in the House of Commons, stated that the total amount of
credits granted under the Overseas Trade (Credit and Insurance)
Act to October 13th was £451,000, but some of these advances had
been allowed to lapse, or had not yet been fully used. Mr. Kellaway
further stated that as a result of the decision of the Government
to increase the percentage of the cost of the goods to be advanced
to the exporter from 80 to 100 per cent., many applications ha4
been received for the advance of very large sums.

590

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.s?. No.2,24i,novembeb5,i920.

Electrolytic Smelting in Australia.— The immense

possibilities for the electrolytic smeltin? industry in Australia have
bjen demonstrated by a works established at PortKembla (N.S.W.).
Notwithstanding the comparatively recent foundation of the work,
the present capacity for the production of electrolytic and fire
refioed copper is 44,000 torn.— l!euter's Tnide Service (Sydney).

Electrical Developments in Japan.— Returns of the

Departmsnt of Communications show that there were at the end
of July, 778 electrical enterprises in Japan, involviner a total capital
of 1,218,390,961 yen. Their aerpregate generating capacity is
1,303,551 KW.— Renter a Trade Hirrire (Tokio).'

Government's Assistance to Trade.— The DaUii Tch-

ijni/ili says that Mr. F. G. Kellaway, M.P. (Parliamentary Secretary,
Department of Overseas Trade), speaking at a meeting on October
29th, described in some detail the assistance rendered by the
Government to British traders in oversea markets. In the British
Empire were 14 Trade Commissioners who rendered assistance to
traders and sent in reports to the headquarters of the Department.
In foreign couatriea the Commercial Diplomatic Service, consisting
of about 60 ofRcera, was engaged in this work, and was assisted by
Consular officers in every place of importance throughout the world.
Selection of suitable men was made by a representative committee of
business men. In the headquarters of the Department of Overseas
Trade the staff was engaged on the co-ordination of reports from
representatives overseas for the guidance of British manufacturers
occupied with export trading. Mr. Kellaway said that some iJea
of the magnitude of the work might be inferred from the huge
amount of correspondence dealt with, amounting to between 15 and
20 thousand letters per week. This was in addition to a con-
siderable number of inquiries made at the offices in person. A
definite instance of an achievement of the Department was given by
the speaker. A representative of an important British company
reported that he had secured the first and most important post-war
contract for the electrification of a section of the New Zealand
Government railway. He attributed his success in a large measure
to the great assistance rendered him by H.M. Trade Commissioner.

Coal Strike. — Correction. — Mr. J. B. Feltham, elec-
trical engineer for Mexborough Urban District Council, says : —
" I wish to correct a statement in this week's issue of the Review
that the stock of coal here waa sufficient for a fortnight's running.
As a matter of fact, this department held at least six weeks' stock
of coal at the beginning of the strike."

Lady Footballers.— The Ladies' Football Club connected
with Messrs. Dick, Kerr & Co., electrical engineers, of Preston,
were entertained on October 28th, prior to their departure for a
tour in France. Mr. R. Livingstone, works manager, expressed the
hope that the team would visit other countries where the firm had
associations. It was stated that the club had been the means of
raising over £8,600 for charities.

German Industry. — An Accrington commercial traveller,

recently home from Germany, states that work is proceeding so briskly
in the Fatherland, that the defeated nation will have captured half
the trade of the world in 10 years. He adds :— " Whilst Germans
are working and sweating, and getting rich by output, we have the
opposite to contend with in England, owing to 'ca'canny.' "

Australia and Germany. — The Times Melbourne corres-
pondent states that Mr. Hughes, asked in the House of Repre-
sentatives whether he was in favour of resuming trade relations
with Germany as other countries had done, replied with an
emphatic negative. Germans in Australia should be dealt with
fairly, however, and the question might be reviewed in, say, a year's
time.

Imports from Germany. — The Times publishes the

reply of the President of the Board of Trade to a question regard-
ing German goods imported into this country, recently asked in
the House of Commons. The figures given deal only with the first
nine months of the present year, and do not contain any direct
information about electrical goods. The total stands at
£17,11)0,793, the main items in the list being coal-tar dyestuffs,
commercial motor-cars, and toys and games. An item, " other
goods," gives an amount of £8,090,756.

Emergency Orders. — The IJoard of Trade announces
that the restrictions imposed by the Coal (Emergency) Order, 1920,
the Lighting, Heating, and Power (Emergency) Order, 1920, the
Gas and Coal (Emergency) Order, 1920, and the Coal and Fuel
(Emergency) Order, 1 920, remain in force untU the Secretary for
Mines shall by notice declare the state of emergency to have
ceased. The notice will be published. — 'I'he 'rimes.

French Export Trade. — Recent official returns of
French exports and imports show that France is recovering her
trade position rapidly. In the two years prior to the war exports
averaged about 78 per cent, of imports. During the war this ratio
fell as low as 22 per cent., and last year only rose to 25 per cent.
In August of this year the percentage of exports to imports was
85, and this was fairly well maintained during September, when
the figure was 81 per cent.

E.D.A. Activities. — The British Electrical Development

Association has just issued a 19{ in. x 29 in. poster (ED.A. 96)
bearing the alliterative sentence " Use Electric Power for Progress
and Production." The design is in subdued purple and orange,
and consists of a number of pulleys on a shaft and countershaft.
Inset is an electric motor, and another appears at the base of the
poster. Space is left for the name and address of the exhibiting
contractor.

British Empire Exhibition.— In the House of CommonB

on Monday the second reading waa carried by 2ri5 to 30 of the
British Empire Exhibition (Guarantee) Bill. The Bill provide*
for a guarantee by the British Government of £100,000, subject to
private guarantees being obtained amounting to £.JOO,OOU. The
exhibition will be held in 1923 and is intended to be thoroughly
representative of British Imperial trade.

Physical Society's Exhibition. — The dates of the

Eleventh Annual Exhibition are proTisionally fixed for January 5th
and 6th, afternoon and evening.

Industrial Co-partnership.— »>n October 26th, at the

Royal Society of Arts, a number of public men, representatives
of industry and labour, met at a Labour Co-partnership Congress.
Lord Robert Cecil, M.P., presided, and among the speakers were
Mr. J. H. 'Whitley, M.P., and Mr. Wardle, M.P. Lord K. CecU
stated that a great deal of trouble was due to the misconception
that the business of an undertaking belonged solely to the owner
of that undertaking ; but the essential of business was formed by
an agreement of partnership between Capital and Labour. Mr.
J. H. Whitley thought that the phrase, " masters and men,' was
out of date, and the real description of people working together in
industry should be " fellow workers all." Mr. Wardle said that to
make labour co-partnership successful, the Trade Union move-
ment must be more intimately connected with the work. He
wanted to see the problems of the future worked out by employers
and employed together. Many schemes when put into operation
did not mean real co-partnership, and the workers were not yet
convinced that co-partnership was anything but mere camou-
flage. What the people and their Trade Unions were out for waa
some real power of direction and responsibility.

Austrian Property, — The Administrator of Austrian
Property draws attention to the provisions of the Treaty of Peace
(Austria) Order published in the Lotulon Gazette of August 20th
last, which, among other things, prohibits transfers, &c., of the
property of Austrian nationals without the consent of the
Administrator, and orders the notification, by persons controlling
or owning such property, of details to the custodian.

Oil in Arctic Canada. — According to the reports of
geologists, and the admissions of the Imperial Oil Co., the new oQ-
field near Fort Norman is one of the richest ever discovered. But
as Mr. Stillman, the president of the Imperial Oil Co., points out,
the well is 1,500 miles north of Edmonton, and 1.200 miles from the
nearest railway. While, therefore, its discovery is important and
of much value scientifically, it is not of immediate commercial
utility, and it may possibly be years before oil from the field can
be made available in quantities in Canadian markets. — The Timex,

UQHTINQ AND POWER NOTES.

Accrington. — Staff SaIjARies. — The National Board of
Employers has communicated with the Council urging the necessity
of carrying out its recommendations regarding salaries and con-
ditions of its electrical stafl". At present it was stated the three
superintendents earned X. 360 each. The new rate would increase
this to £469, rising by annual increments to £523. The senior
charge superintendent received a salary of £312, which under the
new rate would be increased to £349 ; the shift engineers from
£294 to £329, increasing by instalments to £349 ; draughtsmen
£280 to £313, increasing to £349 ; 14 days' holiday with pay, and
payment for sickness according to length of service. The Council
approved the scale, but referred back the holiday and sick pay
clauses. As the Accrington works would be increased by
5,000 KW. this year, Alderman Higham said the increases would be
even more.

Bingley. — Arbitration. — Mr. S. E. Fedden, general
manager and engineer of the Sheffield electricity department, has
been appointed as the arbitrator in connection with the District
Council's recent action complaining of the frequent stoppages of
bulk supply of electricity by the Keighley Corporation, which is
alleged to have failed in fulfilling its agreement obligations. The
Corporation has instructed its officials to agree with the Bingley
Council upon terms of reference, and to take such further steps as
may be deemed necessary.

Blspham, — Amalgamation. — The elecoricity works has
closed down, the consumers having been transferred to the Blackpool
system following the amalgamation. The old plant is being offered
for sale. The Blackpool mains are being extended.

Chesterfield, — Growth of TTndertaking.— It was

stated at a recent Council meeting that the output of the electricity
works had risen from l,7f<7,100 units in 1914, to 4,414,150 in

1919-20.

Cleckheaton. — Price Revision. — The District Council

announces that from November 1st the electricity prices to
ordinary consumers will hi at the flat rate of 5d, and 2jd. per unit
less the present sliding scale of discounts. The price is slightly in
favour of the consumer, and is in substitution of the method of
calculation hitherto in force.

Vol.87. No.2,24i.Noy.MB«5,i92o]. THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

591

Colne. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Town Clerk reported

to the Council, on October 28th, receipt of sanction to borrow
£19,636 for the extension of the town's electrical undertaking, the
Commissioners intimatingr that they would be prepared to consider
an application for sanction to any further sums.

Continental. — Finland. — Si'emka Daghladet learns
from Helsingffors that the Finnish Government is preparing plans
for the efficient utilisation of the water-power of the country for
industrial purposes. It is intended to establish a large power station
which will supply the entire South of Finland. — Jteuter'x Traile
Service (Stockholm).

France.— The Paris Daily Mail states that M. Le Trocquer,
French Minister of Public Works, is visiting the Savoie district in
order to inspect the chief hydro-electric installations in that
region, and to study the means by which a better utilisation of
hydraulic power might be ensured generally.

Crieff. — Electricity Supply. — Following an exhaustive
report on the proposal to introduce electric lighting in the Burgh
of Crieif by Mr. MacEwan, consulting engineer, and a successful
electrical exhibition demonstratinsr the advantages of electricity,
considerable public support is being accorded the scheme.

Dewsbury. — Staff Salaries. — The Corporation Elec-
tricity and Tramway Committee has decided that it cannot
recommend the payment to the electricity works staff of the
recent award of the Joint Board of Technical Staffs.

Dover, — Public Lighting. — The Town Council is
having prepared a scheme for lighting the entire town by elec-
tricity on the expiration of the agreement with the Gas Co. on
March 31st, 1922.

Electricity Districts. — The Electricity Commissioners have
provisionally d<!termined that the undermentioned areas shall be
constituted separate electricity districts for the purposes of the
Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919 ;—

So0TH Wales. — The Counties of Brecknock, Carmarthen,
Glamorgan, Pembroke and Radnor.

So much of the County of Cardigan as is included in the Municipal
Boroughs of Cardigan and Lampeter ; the Urban Districts of
Aberayron and New Quay ; the Rural Districts of Aberaeron,
Cardigan, Lampeter, Llandyssul and Tregaron.

So much of the County of Monmouth as is included in the
County Borough of Newport ; the Municipal Borough of Aber-
gavenny ; the Urban Districts of Abercarn, Abersychan, Abertillery,
Bedwas and Ma<ihen, BedweUty, Blaenavon, Caerleon, Ebbw Vale,
Llantarnam, Llanvrechva Upper, Mynyddislwyn, Nantyglo and
Blaina, Panteg, Pontypool, Rhymney, Risca, Tredegar and Usk ;
the Rural Districts of Abergavenny, Magor, Pontypool and Saint
Mellons.

East Midlands. — So much of the County of Derby as is
included in the County Borough of Derby ; the Municipal Borough
of Ilkeston ; the Urban Districts of Alfreton, Alvaston and
Boulton, Ashbourne, Belper, Heage, Heanor, Long Eaton, Ilipley,
Swadlincote District and Wirksworth ; the Rural Districts of
Ashbourne, Belper, Hartshorne and Seals, Repton, Shardlow and
Sudbury.

So much of the County of Leicester as is included in the County
Borough of Leicester ; the Municipal Borough of Loughborough :
the Urban Districts of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Ashby Woulds, Coalville.
Melton Mowbray, Oadby, Quorndon, Shepshed, Thurmaston and
Wigston Magna ; the Rural Districts of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Barrow-
upon-Soar, Belvoir, Billesdon, Blaby, Castle Donington, Lough-
borough, Market Bosworth and Melton Mowbray.

So much of the ( 'ounty of Nottingham as is included in the City
and County Borough of Nottingham : the Municipal Boroughs of
Mansfield and Newark ; the Urban Districts of Arnold, Beeston,
Carlton, Eastwood, Hucknall Torkard, Huthwaite, Kirkby-in-
Ashfield, Mansfield Woodhouse, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Warsop and
West Bridgford ; the Rural Districts of Basford, Bingham, Leake,
Newark, Skegby, Southwell and Stapleford,

So much of the County of Stafford as is included in the County
Borough of Burton-upon-Trent : the Rural District of Tutbury,
except the portions known as Tutbury Rural District detached
No. 1 and Tutbury Rural District detached No. 2.

Local inquiries into the existing organisations for the supply of
electricity in the above-mentioned districts are to be held on dates
to be announced later. Objections, representations, or schemes for
the improvement of existing supply organisations may be made to
the Commissioners not later than AprU 30th, 1921. in the case of
the South Wales district, and not later than March 31st, 1921, in
the case of the East Midlands district.

Finchley. — Hevelopments. — It is stated that a sum of
£60,000 is to be expended on the development of the municipal
undertaking. The scheme includes linking up with the neigh-
bouring borough of Homsey.

GIossop. — Purchase Declined. — The Town Council has
declined an offer of terms for the purchase of the undertaking of
the Urban Electricity Supply Co., Ltd.

Hoddersfleld. — Prov. Order. — The Town Council
has resolved that application be made to the Electricity Com-
missioners for a special order under the Electricity (Supply)
Acts, 1882 to 1919, authorising the Corporation to supply electricity
for all public and private purposes within the urban districts of
Kirkheaton, Kirkburton, Lepton, and Meltham.

Keighley.— Loan. — The Electricity Committee has

recommended the borrowing of £30,000 for the electricity under-
taking. Of this sum £9,000 is in respect of excess expenditure
on converting plant (£1,000), water-tube boiler (£800^), and
boiler-house equipment (£7,200), and the balance is the estimated
expenditure for the next two years, made up as follows : — New
mains, £10,000; motors on hire, £3,ii00 ; services, £.i,000 ; and
sub-station equipment, £3,000.

Kirkintilloch.— Electricity Supply.— The Clyde Valley

Electric Power Co., having got the necessary guarantee in Kirk-
intilloch, is extending cables into the district for the supply of
power, and is to erect a transformer sub-station.

Liverpool. — Extensions. — The Electric Power and
Lighting Committee has given authority for the extension of
low-pressure A.c. mains to Breeze Hill, at an estimated cost of
£1,100, and for the fixing of a transformer and switchgear in the
Walton Town Hall sub-station at an estimated cost of £500. In
addition, 30 further extensions to mains have been sanctioned.

Lancaster. — Breakdown. — A breakdown of plant at the
Corporation electricity works on October 31st, plunged the town
into darkness acd interrupted several church services.

Leith. — Price Reduction. — It is reported that as a
consequence of amalgamation with Edinburgh, the electricity
charges in Leith will be reduced to the same level as those in
Edinburgh ; this will mean a reduction of id. per unit for lighting,
and U'd. for power. This, it is anticipated wiU probably cause a
loss to the joint undertakings.

London. — It was reported that as a result of damaged and
flooded mains during the recent fire at the Hop Exchange, the
supply voltage to a number of buildings was augmented to such an
extent that many electric lamps blazed up, the filaments fused and
the glass bulbs broke.

North Wales. — Electricity District. — Carnarvonshire
County Council had before it at its last meeting resolutions from
conferences of various authorities opposing the proposed scheme of
the Electricity Commissioners, by which portions of Shropshire,
Cheshire and Cardigan are to be included in the North Wales area.
One reason urged was that North Wales should have first claim on
its natural resources. Details of important developments contem-
plated by the Aluminium Corporation were outlined by its
managing director, Mr. H. J. Jack, who pointed out that he was
prepared with a scheme to supply every town, village and large
farm in the whole of North Wales with electricity in a few months
from that day. The companies which he managed had already
spent £2,000,000, and in order to ensure full development, a further
expenditure of £3,000,000 would be required. They had acquired
the option of the best watersheds in North Wales. None of the
ordinary shareholders had received a penny profit during the last
12 years. While he reminded the County Councils of the enormous
financial responsibility which the establishment of a joint electrical
authority would involve, he expressed his readiness to support such
authority to the fullest extent. The Council decided to refer the
question to its Reconstruction and Parliamentary Committees.—
t'uiancier.

Norwich. — Proposed New Station. — A thorough

reorganisation of the electricity supply was outlined in a report
recently placed before the City Council by the Electricity Com-
mittee. It is proposed to erect a new station on a piece of land
between the river and the Great Eastern Railway, at an estimated
cost of £502,000. The present works would be kept in commission
as a generating station for a few years, but would then be employed
as a sub-station housing converter plant. After some discussion
the report was referred back to the Electricity Committee for
further details.

Plymouth. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Electricity Com-
missioners have given the Corporation permission to borrow
£46,221 for mains and £8.095 for plant.

Stoke-on-Trent. — Cable Extensions. — A total of

£9,900 is to be expended on cable extensions, comprising a new
feeder at Longton (£6,000), a feeder in Stoke, and an inter-
connecting distributor at PenkhuU. Sanction is being sought to a
loan of £2,445 for the purchase of land in Marsh Street, Hanley,
on which a sub-station is to be erected.

Torquay. — Electricity District.— The Electricity
Commissioners suggest that the funds for the erection of a new
power station should be raised locally, but great difficulty is antici-
pated by the Council. It is thought that either the Commissioners
should contribute part of the cost or neighbouring towns which
would benefit by the scheme should participate in the provision of
the necessary £250,000.

Willesden. — Year's Working. — The statement of

accounts for' the year ended March 31st last shows that the total
revenue accruing to the Electricity Fund was £77,349, as compared
with £57.509 for the previous year. Working expenses amounted
to i:51,615, against £59,117, leaving a gross profit of £25,734,
compared with a deficit of £l,ii08 last year. The net profit after
payment of capital charges was £8,314.

Witham.— Electrkuty Supply.— The East Anglian
Electricity, Ltd., has informed the Urban District Council tKat it
proposes to construct a high-tension line along the railway to supply
electricity to Braintree and Witham.

592

THE ELECTRICAIi EEVIEWo [Vol.87. No. 2,241, November 5, 1920.

Yorkshire. — Electeicity Supply. — At the County Hall,

Wakefielil, on dot. 29t)i, a conference was held between the County
Council and representatives of local authorities to discusa questions
arising out of the Electricity (Supply) Act of 1919. A sub-com-
mittee was formed to consider the whole matter and to find the
most effective way of achieving the objects of the Act and an
efficient and economic supply of electricity for power and lighting.
— Leeth Mercnrij.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Bacup. — Protest Against Fare Increase. — At a

recent meeting of the Town Council it was stated that Raw-
tenstall Corporation had secured an interim order from the
Ministry of Transport, permitting the Corporation to increase the
fares on the tramways for a period of six months. This w.aa done
without the knowledge and consent of the Bacup Council, and the
action was subjected to severe criticism. A Ba^jup alderman
announced that he had refused to pay the increase, and
advised the ratepayers to do the same, ag the part of the system
leased to Rawtenstall by Bacup was a remunerative section, and
the increajse was therefore not justified. The report of the Elec-
tricity Committee, questioning the legal right of Rawtenstall to
raise fares without consulting Bacup, was adopted.

Barrow. — Electric Vehicles. — The Corporation pro-
poses to purchase four additional electric wagons at a cost of
£5,300 for the Health Department.

Birniinghani.— Stoppage. — The tramway service waa

dislocated on October 29th owing to a short circuit in the high-
tension system at the Summer Lane electricity station, affecting
the sub-stations. On some portions there waa a delay of 40 minutes.

Barnley. — Motor Services. — The Town Council
proposes to apply for permission to run motor-omnibuses along
the tramway rontes supplementary to the car service, particularly
for use in the event of a breakdown.

Continental. — Belgium. — Brns-sels tramway men, says
Le Pevjile, are holding a secret ballot on the question of an
immediate strike, their demand for more pay having been refused.
—Daily Mud.

Dublin. — Curtailment of Services.— Owing to coal

shortage, the Dublin United (Electric) Tramways Co. was obliged
to close down, from October 3l8t, the Kenil worth Square and
Lansdowne Road, Sandymount (Francis Street), and South Quays
lines, and to reduce the service generally.

Dnrham. — Development Scheme. — An ambitious

scheme for road transport is being considered by Durham County
Council, which, if the proposals are carried out, will cover the most
thickly-populated parts of the county with a network of tram-
ways and other electrically-propelled vehicles. The question of
the expediency of promoting a Bill in the present session of Parlia-
ment wUl be considered shortly. The main suggestions are that
tramways should be constructed to join with the Gateshead com-
pany's service passing through Chester-le-Street, Durham City, to
Langley Moor, Meadowfield, and Spennymoor. Another route
would go through Framwellgate Moor to Neville's Cross, and a
route would commence from the Gateshead company's terminus
at Heworth, and pass through Hebburn and Jarrow, connecting
there with the existing light railway to Tyne Dock and South
Shields. A branch from this route is proposed to Boldon Colliery
and thence to Cleadon.

Employes' Wages- — Inquiry. — At a recent meeting
of the National Joint Industrial Council for the Tramways
Industry, it was agreed by both employers and workers that an
inquiry should be made by the joint secretaries into the circum-
stances connected with the claim of employes for a further advance
of 12s. a week for adults and lis. a week for employes under 18 years
of age. The principal points of investigation are the relation of
increases already srranted to the present cost of living and the
effect of increased fares upon the financial position of tramway
undertakings. The Board will meet again to receive the secretaries'
report on November 12th.

Haslingden. — Loan Sanctioned. — At Haslingden Town
Council, on October 27th, it was reported that the Ministry of
Transport had sanctioned a loan of £2,600 for the provision of a
rotary converter and switchboard extensions. It was reported that
Rawtenstall Council had agreed to through running of the tram-
way service between Accrington and Rawtenstall for a further
period of 12 months.

India. — Strike Riots. — Tramway strikers at Bombay
have resorted to indiscriminate stone-throwing and, whenever
possible, are holding up tramcars. There have been several
casualties, and one man was atoned to death. — The Times.

Liverpool. — Lmproved Trolley. — A new safety electric
trolley device for the Corporation tramcars is under the consideration
of the Tramways Committee.

Preston. — Workixr Los.ses. — At a meeting of the Town
CouncU on October 28th, it waa stated that for some months the
tramway had been working at a loss. Daring the last six months
there had been a deficit of £6,000, and unless there was an improved
income, the loss at the end of the ensuing half-year would be
£10,0111); £8,000 more waa required for wages, and the cost of
materials had gone up 200 percent., whilst fares had only increased
."JO per cent.

Rochdale. — Proposed Purchase. — A Sub-Committee

has been appointed to consider and report upon the acquisition of
the Middleton tramways, and with a view to a conference with
representatives of the Middleton Corporation and Chadderton
Urban District Council.

St. Annes. — Tramway Purchase. — The Blackpool,
St. Annes, and Lytham Tramway undertaking has now passed
from a public Company into the possession of the St. Annes Dis-
trict Council, and on October 2.sth Mr. C. E. Critchley, chairman of
the CouncU, handed over a cheque for £144,936 to the chairman of
the company. The sums agreed upon were £135,000 for the
undertaking, £4,806 for interest, and £.5 000 as compensation.
Mr. Nicholson, the chairman of the company, stated that in the
year just ending there had been record receipts, but the expenses
were much heavier than ever before.

Swansea. — Extension of Time. — The Minister cf
Transport has extended the time of the Swansea Corporation Act,
1912, for the completion of the tramways until August, 1921.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

A New Cable Ship. — The fleet of cable ships owned by

the Eastern Telegraph Co., which inludes the Cumhria, Traiix-
iiiitter. Aml/i')\ Jiritamiiu, Leraiit II, Electro. Sherard Osharn, and
Jolin Pender, has been increased by the addition of the newsteamer
l.ady Senisiin-Pender. The vessel, which was launched on the
Clyde on May 29th last, has been specially designed for laying and
repairing submarine cables. She is of the shelter-deck type, with
a long bridge, cruiser stern, and twin screws ; is 282 ft. 8 in. long,
38 ft. wide, and 25 ft. in depth to the shelter deck. She is of
2,C00ton8 gross and 1,900 tons carrying capacity, on a draught of
17 ft. 6 in., and at a speed of 12 kiiote. The ship is rigged aa a
two-masted schooner, with two 5-ton derricks on the fore-mast.
There are three cable-tanks, having a total capacity of 20,830 cb. ft.,
which is equivalent to 600 nautical miles of cable. There are also
two sets of cable-working machinery, with bow-sheaves of an
improved pattern. There is accommodation for a complement of
100 persons, with hospital, surgery, cable testing-room, chart-
room, workshop, &c.

Argentina. — New Telephone Company. — The

American International Western Electric Co. has organised a new
company to take care of the telephone requirements in the lower
part of South America, and is to be known as the Compania
Western Electric Argentina, with headquarters at Buenos Aires.
Previously aU telephone supplies for Argentina and her neighbours
have been imported.

Australia. — Secret Wireless. — Mr. Macdonald, a
former Lieut.-Commander of Telegraphists in the Australian Navy,
has left for England to submit to the Admiralty the details of an
invention for sending wireless code messages without danger of
interception by the enemy. — Renter'. t Trade Service (Melbourne).

Belgium. — Nkw Wireless Station. — The Admini-
stration of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones announces that con-
tracts may now be submitted for the building of an inter-
Continental wireless station, which it is intended to make one of
the most powerful in the world. It is intended that the Belgian
transmitting station shall be in permanent communication
throughout the 24 hours with American stations while a 12-hour8'
service is to be maintained to the Argentine, and an S-hours'
service to the Congo, the latter service being necessarily of shorter
duration by reason of the adverse atmospheric conditions which
prevail in equatorial regions during the greater part of the day.
Belgium is some 3,750 miles from the United States, and from the
Congo, and about 6,875 miles from Argentina. The transmission
of 1,800,000 words per month is to be provided for, that is, an
average of (i0,0Co a day, divided as follows : — 35,000 to the United
States. 10,000 to South America, and 15,000 to the Congo. The
station will probably be of from 7E0 to l.CtiO-KW. capacity, and
will either be supplied by a special power station or from one or
two distributing stations already in existence. The antenniv will
be supported by eight steel pylons, each 250 metres in height,
that is, only 50 metres less than the Eiffel Tower. Tte antenna-
and the surrounding buildings will occupy a space of about 260
acrfs, and the station is to be erected in Flanders. The apparatus
will receive messages of widely varying wave lengths, and a service
in both directions will be maintained at the same time, the
receiving station bein^ in no way hindered by the transmitting
station a few hundred yards away. It is intended to construct a

Vol. 87. No. 2,241, November 5, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

693

multiple transmitting station so that messages may be sent
simultaneously to the United States, Argentina, and the Congo.—
Reuterx Trade Service (Brussels).

Canada. — Wireless Telephony. — The British Columbia
Forestry Branch has recently closed a contract with the Marconi
Wireless Telegraph Co., of Canada, for the installation of four land
stations and five launch equipments, for use in forestry fire pro-
tection work. One station, at the Forestry Office in Vancouver, is
already installed, and the first installation on one of the small
motor boata has been placed. Successful tests have been carriid
out between these two stations at distances varying up to 75 miles.
On account of the rugged character of the coast country this
distance is the limit of the radius to be attempted for the present,
although the extreme radius of the wireless telephone is stated to
be 300 miles over flat land or over water.

Germany. — Lo.vq-Distance Telephony.— On April ist,

1914, direct telephone communication between Berlin, Frankfort-
on-Main and Milan, through the Simplon Tunnel, was opened.
The distance, 1,350 kilometres, was longer than that between
Berlin and Paris, 1,198 kilometres. On the outbreak of war tele-
phone communication between Germany and Italy was broken off.
The direct line between Berlin and Milan was utilised thenceforth
for the development of telephone communication between Berlin,
Frankfort-ou-Main and Switzerland, and the traffic assumed
extraordinary proportions. When relations between Germany and
Italy were resumed in 1919, it was found that many difficulties had
to be overcome before the telephone line between Berlin and
Milan could be restored to its original use. The Swiss Telegraph
Administration demanded a separate and complete system, but
though many attempts were made this could not be made available
with the existing lines owing to the extraordinary growth of
traffic in the interval. The construction of a completely new
telephone line between Frankfort-on-Main and Zurich had to be
faced, and this line has already been completed as far as the Swiss
frontier. Meanwhile, the re-opening of direct communication
ooiween Berlin and Milan has had to be postponed.

New Mexico. — Wireless Telephony. — Wireless tele-
phones are being installed in the forests near Albuquerque, and
if they prove satisfactory, they will be installed in all the forests of
the district.

Spain. — Government Telephone Control. — Govern-
ment supervision of the telephone system, says the Teleplmnf
Engineer, has been decided upon owing to the incessant com-
plaints of bad service given by the company now possessing the
monopoly. In the event of the complaints being justified, the
Government will revise the concession, and possibly take over the
whole system.

Submarine Cables. — Bequests for information regarding
submarine cables having been received from many quarters, the
Pout Office Electrical Engineers' Journal proposes to publish lists
of the more important ones, illustrating a few of their chief
features. A commencement is made in the October, 1920, issue
(Vol. XIII, Part 3), with details of the 47 telegraph and tele-
phone cables worked by the British Post Office, from which it is
seen that the oldest cable was laid in 1851 ; one cable was laid in
1914 ; one in 1911; ; five in 1917 ; and three in 1918. The lengths
of cables vary from 20 to 1,354 '65 nautical miles : the resistance
from 90 to 4,309 ohms ; and the capacity from 6 to 843 mf.

Switzerland. — League of Nations' Wireless Instal-
lation.— With further reference to our recent note under the
above heading, the 'J', and '/'. 4fff states that the Swiss Federal Govern-
ment is receiving bids for the installation of a wireless telegraph
station at Geneva, in view of the convocation there this month of
the League of Nations. The Marconi Co., of London, proposed to
construct by November 1st a 6-KW. station, at a cost of £10,400,
but as such a station would have insufficient carrying power, the
proposal was rejected. Until better means of wireless communica-
tion from Geneva become available, two proposals have been made :
One is to send telegrams by ordinary telegraph lines to Lyot s to be
relayed from there to all parts of the world. A second proposal is
to utilise the Lyons station, by the use of a special wire, directly
from Geneva. This would require the consent of the Frer ch
Government, which has been requested. Meanwhile, the study of
the question of a permanent station continues. It is believed that
the construction of a station of equal power to that of Nauen would
cost more than S4,000,000. One firm has, however, proposed to install
a station equivalent in power to the Nauen station, but leas com-
plete, for approximately •■< 1,000,000. It would be necessary to add
to this sum an expendituie of about SI 50,000 for the housing of the
apparatus.

United States. — Loud-speaking Telephone. — The

Western Electric Co. recently established telephonic communica-
tion with an outgoing steamer without the aid of receiving
apparatus. The passengers of the Cunarder /mjieratur were
amazed as they sailed down the North River towards the Narrows
to hear a deep voice boom ont, apparently from nowhere, " Steam-
ship Imperator, ahoy 1 " The call, says the T. and T. Age, " might
have been that of a New York bell buoy, only there was a difference —
it was intelligible." The transmitter waa set up in a tenth floor
window of the Western Electric Laboratories at West Street, New
York.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(The date given in parevihtses at the end of the paragraph indicatet
the issue of the Eleotrical Review, in which the " Oficial
Notice " appeared.)

OPEN.

Australia.— January 19th, r.)21. Victorian Eailways
Department. Supply, delivery, and erection and testing, or, alter-
natively, supply and delivery of electric furnace and equipment,
and/or, alternatively, for supply and delivery of equipment, and
drawings for electric furnace. Particulars from the Agent-General
for Victoria, London, S.W. — 'lenders.

Western Australia. — December 28th. Postmaster-General's
Department. Telegraph and telephone instruments and parts.
(Schedule 689").

Belgium. — November 9th. Municipal authorities of
Antwerp. Electrical plant. Specification from the Hotel de Ville,
Antwerp.

November 8th. The Directeur-General of the Societe Nationale
des Chemins de Fer Vicinaux. 14. Rue de la Science, Brussels.
Construction of a new sub-station at Middlekerke.

December 14th. The municipal authorities of Antwerp. Supply
of a set, comprising electric motor and pump, for the raising of the
bridge over the Royers Dock. Specifications can be obtained, at a
cost of 2 francs, from the Hotel de Ville, Antwerp.'

Bradford. — Tramways Committee. General stores and
electrical eciuipment for 12 months. The Manager.
Board of Guardians : —
Electric passenger lift for St. Luke's hospital.— Fred. Holland, engineer
and architect, 22, Manor Road, Bradford.

Dublin.— November 10th. G. N. Railway Co. (Ireland).
12 months' supply of general store', including electrical fittings,
lamps, cable and wire, &c. (October L'9th.J

Falkiik.— November 13th. Parish Council. Supply of
stores for Blickbonny Home, including electric lamps. Mr. J.
Macpherson, the Governor.

France.— November 19th and 26th. French State Rail-
way authorities, Bue de Rome, Paris. Electrical material for the
OuestCeinture sub-station; two electrically - operated travelling
cranes at the La Garenne electrical repair shops. Particulars from
the Service Electrique. 8H, Rue de Rome, Paris.

BonLOONB-scR-MER. — November n',th. Chambre de Commerce.
Supply and erection of six large electric travelling cranes for the
Nord Quay of theLoubet Dock, Boulogne-aur-Mer.

Manchester. — November 8th. Electricity Committee.
Supply and erection of high- and low-pressure steam, feed, &c.,
pipework— including alterations to existing pipework, &c. (October
l,-)th.)

November 22nd. Electricity Department. Motor-generators,
battery boosters and switchgear. (October 22nd.)

New Zealand.- January 17th. Napier Municipal Council.
Supply of one ."lOii-KW. gaa-electric generating set. — Renter's '/'rude
.•<rrricc (Wellington).

Stockton-on-Tees.- November li'ith. Electricity Depart-
ment. One new traction switchboard ; one rotary converter panel
and busbars. (See this issue.)

CLOSED.

Australia. — Department of Treasury. Accepted : —

One each * H.P., 1 B.l'., 2 H.p. [inil 3 IM"., 3phasc, squirrel-cage motors,
and one 5 H.P., 3 phase, slip-ring motor, i'179.— Australian General
Electric Co.

P.M.G.'s Department, N.S.W. :—
Material and apparatus for City North Automatic Telephone Exchange,
£71,603, Automatic Telephones lAuBtralia), Ltd. ; il,tl6, L. P. K.
Bean ; A'1,231, Accumulators, Ltd.

P.M.G.'s Department. S.A. :—

Blackpool. — Electricity Committee : —

British Niclausse Boiler Co., for the supply and fixing of two boilers at the
electricity works, subject to the Commissioners approving a loan of
£12,500.

Barnstaple. — Town Council :-

Louden. — Stepney. — Electricity Committee. Recom-
mended. Four D.c. ammeters for the Osborn Street switchboard.
Kelvin, Bottomler & Balrd .. .. £l64-ReoommeDded.

Crompton & Co 11B

Two pairs of 5000 amp., watt-hour meters, JE218.- Aron Electricity Meter,

Ltd. Recommended.
Oil extractor waste washer, £164.- Industrial Waste Eliminators, Ltd.

Recommended.
10-1 on lot of troughingoompcsition, £106.— Dussek Bitumen Co. Accepted.

Hjthe.— Correction. — The amount of the accepted
tender, of Messrs. J. Pain & Co., for the electric light installa-
tion at the municipal houses waa at 288. 6d. a point, not 38?. li'J.
as inadvertently stated last week.

694

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.s?. No. 2,241, novembeh b, leao.

FORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

Motor Eihlbitlon. — 'November 5th to 13th. At ahepherd's Bii«h, W, and
Olympia, W.

Inslltation of Mechanical Engineers.— Friday, Novembjr .'jth. At the
Institntion, Storey's Gate, S.W. At 6 p.m. Thomas Hawksley lecture on
" Limit Gauging," by Sir 1!. T. Glazebrook, F.R.3.

Edinburfih Electrical Society.— Friday, November 6th. At the Philoso-
phical Institution, Queen Street. At 8 p.m. Paper on " Some Incidental

Uses of Electricity," by Mr. B A. Piikington.
Junior Institntion of Engineers.— Friday, November .';th. At Caxton Hall,

Westminster. At 8 p.m. Lecturette on ''Some Further Locomotive

History," by Mr. K. Hooper.
Shipbuildiog, Engineering and Electrical Exhibition. November 8ih to

December 4th. At ilie Kelvin Hall, Glasgow.
Institntion of Post Office Electrical Eogineers.-Mondav, November Bih.

At the Royal Society of Arts, John Street, Adelplii. At 7.3J p.m. Paper

on "The InMuence of Traffic on Automatic Exchange Design," by Mr.

G. F. O'Dell.
Societe des Ingt nieurs Civils de France.— Tuesday, November ftb. At the

Royal Society of Arts, John Street, Adelphi, W.' '. At 8.M p.m. Paper

on " The Destruction of thi Mining Districts of .Northern Prance and the

Work of Reconstruction," by Mr. E. Gruner, President.
Paisley Association of Electrical Engineers.— Wednesday, November 10th.
At the Y.M.C.A. Buildings, 3.^), High Street. Paptr on " Paisley Corporation

Electricity Undertaking," by Mr. W. Blair-Smith, Engineer and Manager,

Corporation Electricity Department.
Institntion of Electrical Engineers.— Thursday, November 11th. At the

Institution of Civil Engineers, Gt. George Street, S.W. At 6 p.m.

Inaugural address by the President, Mr. LI. B. Atkinson. Presentation of

premiums.

(North-Eastern Centre.)— Monday, November 8ih. At the Armstrong

College, Newcastle-on-Tyne. At 7.16 p.m. Inaugural address by the

Chairman, Mr. J. R. Beard.

(Scottish Centre'. -Tuesday, November 9th. At 207, Bath Street,

Glasgow. At 7.30 p.m. Inaugural address by the chairman (Mr. J. E.

Sayersi.

(Students' Section). — Friday, Novfmher 12th. At the Royal

Technical College, Glasgow. At 7.30 p.m. Chairman's (Mr. P. H. Wysalll

address.

(Western Centre.) — Monday, November 8'h. At the Merchant

Venturers' Technical College, Bristol. At 7 p.m. Inaugural address by the

Chairman, Mr. A. J. Newman.

Electro-Harmonic Society.— Friday, November 12th. At the Great Hall,
Cannon Street Hotel, K.C. At 8 p.m. ladies' night.

Physical Society of London. — Friday, November 12th. At the Imperial
College of Science, South Kensington, S.W. At 5 p.m. Ordinal y scientific
meeting.

Manchester Association of Engineers.— Saturday, November 13tb. At the
Memorial Hall, Albert Sijuare. At 7 p.m. Paper on "The Education
Act of 1918 as it affects tlie Engineering Industry," by Mr. S. Hey. Discus-
sion on " Liquid Pressure of Iron in Moulds," introduced by Mr. a. H.
Goodger.

Birmingham Electric Club.— Saturday, November 13ili. At the Grand Hotel,
Colmore Row. At 7 p.m. Paper on "Some Aspects of Modern Works'
Management," by Mr. H. C. Young.

NOTES.

The Electro-Harmonic Society. — At the concert ( liadies'

Night) to be held on Friday, November 12th, at the Cannon Street
Hotel, commenciner at 8 pm., Mr. LI. B. .-Vtkinaon CPreaident of
the Institution of Electrical Engineers) will be in the chair.
Artistes : Miss Marion Brown, soprano ; Miss EJith Furmedge,
contralto ; Mr. David Ellis, bass ; Mr. Norman Long, humorist ;
Mr. Robert Pitt and Mr. Langton Mark?, duettists. An orchestra
consisting of members of the London Symphony and principal
' London orcheHtras has been provided by Mr. Atkinson ; conductor,
Mr. Charles Woodhouse, musician-in-ordinary to the King. At
the piano, Mr. Bernard Flanders, A.R.A.M.

Electrical Developments in Spain. — According to

statistics drawn up by an expert, the power represented by existing
hydro-electric installations in Spain is as follows : —

Total H.r.
577,192

Plants of 800 H p. and over
„ 300 to 800 H.p.
„ „ Less than 300 H.P.

28,162
13,402

Total ... 618,756
Plants under construction, reckoning only those exceeding
5,000 H.P., represent an additional 259,000 HP., and the demand
for hydro-electric concessions is always considerable. The output
before the war was only 160,000 H.P., and the prospects of hydro-
electricity are considered to be very bright. — Renter's Trade
Service (Madrid).

New Fire Signal Telegraph.— The L.M. Ericsson Tele-
phone Co., of Stockholm, has placed on the market a new fire
f-ignal telegraph which, it is reported, will surpass all previous
systems in efficiency, reliability and cheapness. The new system is
a development of Ericsson's older type of telegraph — Ileuter'x
I'rade Serrice (Stockholm).

Electro- Medical Gift. — The formal handing over of

elctrio lighting and .\-rays installations gifted to Blairgowrie
■luo Kattray District Cottage Hospital (Perth) by Mr. David
Henderson. Ericht Lodge, Rattray, and which has cost £l,.')0(i,
took place on October L'8th.

Power Factor. — The following should be added to Mr.

Turnbull's article in our last issue ; —

" Fig. 6 shows what happens when an inductance, without
resistance, is connected across the conductor. The current acquires
:i momenium when the conductor is travelling from the mid point
to the circumference, during which time energy is absorbed from
the engine which drives it. The current reaches its highest value
when the conductor gets to the end of its travel, when the voltage
is zero. On the return of the conductor to the mid-point, the
current, owing to its momentum, persists in the same direction, and
drive" the conductor, which in turn drives the engine. By the
t me that the conductor has arrived at the mid point, the current
has come to a stop, and for the remainder of the motion, it builds
up momentum in the opposite direction. The use of the word
" wattless ' as applied to such cases is misleading to beginners.
The proper description of wattless current is that it returns aa
much energy to the mains as it draws from them. A similar watt-
leoS effect is obtained when a heavy pendulum is swinging to and
fro. The energy is there all the time, as one can find out by inter-
fering with its motion.

" The severe remarks of certain critics, on the Banking Analogy,
a e puzzling. Perhaps the critics think that the analogy is intended
• for students. .Such a purpose would be absurd, as technical
students are not usually so immersed in banking matters that such
an analogy would appeal to them. For business men, however, the
simile has its advantages, and doubtless it will be heard of in the
future."

Swedish Hydro-Electric Works.— Mr. Carl A. Rossander,
di'cusaing the question of the supply of electric cower and of coal
before the Swedish Technological Association at Stockholm on
Oct )ber 23rd, mentioned that the electrical department of the State
Railways had made calculations fhowing that it would be advan-
tageous to convert all the State Railways to electric traction, even
with a coal price of from 50 to 100 kroner per ton, as compared
with the present rate of 150 kroner. It was probable that the
situation of the privately owned railways was not materially
different in this respect. If all the State and private railways
%vere converted, it was estimated that the annual consumption
for this purpose would be about 475,000,000 KW.-hours.

German Diesel Engines. — In connection with the mis-
understandings which the Diesel engine question appears to have
given rise to, judging from atticles published in the (Jerman Press,
Renter's correspondent learns in well-informed British quarters
that there is no intention whatever lo destroy other Diesel engines
than the submarine engines, neither is there any idea of destroying
Germany's Diesel engine industry. The matter has been referred
to the Allied Governments, and is, therefore, xnh judice. Mean-
while, the destruction of all submarine Diesel engines has been
postponed until the Allies have come to a decision in the matter. —
Heuter'x Tr.ide ,'^rrice (Berlin).

Automatic Train Control.— Arising out of the recent

experiments with automatic railway train control (ste p. 670 of
our lait issue) a Special Committee to consider the system's possi-
bilities has, says {he Duily fflegrap/i, heen appointed, under the
chairmanship of Colonel J. W. Pringle, Chief Inspecting Offioer of
Railways. The Other members of the Committee are: — Major
Hall. Inspecting Officer of Railways ; Mr. J. H. Thomas, M.P. ;
Sir Robert Tumbull, of the Railway Employment Safety Appli-
ances Committee ; Major E. Edmunds, Director of Signals, Ministry
of Transport ; Mr. W. C. Acfield, signalling superintendent,
Midland Railway ; Mr. G. E. C. Cox, superintendent of the line,
.South-Eastern and Chatham Railway, and Mr. N. Gresley, locomotive
engineer, Great Northern Railway.

The Committee's terms of reference are : — To enumerate the
possible functions of automatic train control in relation to railway
conditions in the United Kingdom, and to prescribe the requisites
which the devices should fulfil ; to examine automatic train
control devices under trial, and to recommend for further trial or
for experimental installation any devices which are, or may
become, valuable during investigation ; and to form conclusions on
the adoption of automatic train control ih respect of all, or any.
of its possible functions, having regard to the advantages which
would be obtained and the cost involved.

A Radium "Substitute." — A "perfect" substitute for
radium can be produced by means of a chemical process which
purifies mesothorium, according to investigators at the Depart-
ment of Chemistry, Missouri University, who are working in con-
junction with the U.S. Bureau of Mines. Mesothorium is a
by-product obtained in the manufacture of gas-lamp mantles, and
is found in the monazite ore of Brazil. The radium substitute can
be used "effectively" for medical purposes, it is claimed.

Educational. — Polytechnic, Regent Street, W. l. —
Electrical Engineering Department. — A special course of
six lectures will be given on Friday evenings, oommeucing
November 12th, at 7. •15 p.m., by Mr. H. P. Young, A.M.I.E.E.. on
"Electricity Supply." The course will deal with the general
arrangement of systems, operation of A c. and DC. generators,
switchgear, sub-stations, transmission and distribution. Fee for
the course, 7s. 6d. For further particulars see our advertisement
pages to-day.

University College, North Wales, has acquired large disused
mills at Bangor to establish a department in hydro-eleotrics — the
first in the country. Mr. T. D. Owen, Wallasey, has contributed
£10,000 to the scheme. — Duly Lhroiiicle.

Vol. »7. No. 2,241, November 6, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL KEVIEW.

595

Fallnres of Large Tarbo-Gencrators.— WriUag in a

recent issue ul tuwur, ill', r. LI. Newbury, the luauuger ot
me wesliugLiuasc Uo. s puuer eDtjmeeriiiy uepuituicut, yives
u lecoru oi iinuature UieiniUuwns \miic1i have ueeuireu lu uuiu
111 io.OUU K.\ .A. uuU alju\e siute tile lirst one ul tills sue was
installed iii luij. i\\euty-t\vo eases are reeuriled, aiid these
iiave ueeu elassitied witli suuie ditticiilty uiider \arious heads.

i. Liyht eases were eharyeable tu desiyu, \\ oriiiuaiiship, or
other cause lor wmch the manulacturer accepted responsi-
oiuty.

[a] i'ive cases were caused by defects iu mauufacture that
developed shortly alter iiistallaiiou.

(OJ iUree cases concerned details of design that led to
failure alter four or live years' operation. Iwo of these cases
(m one design) involved high local temperatures caused by
eddy currents in the top strands ol the coll.

a. liileveu cases were chargeaole to operating hazards for
whicn the operating company accepted tne responsibility.

[aj i'our cases were caused by nre origmatiug udtside of the
armature winding. In tbree oi these cases the lire started in
tne cables just uutside ol the generator; in the fourth case
tne hre started in a series transformer accidentally opeu-
circuited.

(0) I'our eases occurred in one installation and were caused
by abnormal voltage surges that caused the outside surlaces
oi the insulation to catch hre. iu addition to tnc^sc lour cases
that resulted in coil failures, as many more Ures started that
were put out belore such damage was done. 'Ihis trouble
disappeared after the generator neutral was grounded.

{cj Uue case was caused by ice or water carried into the
generator from the au' washer.

(d) Iwo cases were caused by enforced operation unde
couuitious that were known to be unsafe. One case involved
unsafe overfoads and the other case involved continued opera-
tion after it was known that the armature needed inmor
repairs.

J. iliree cases involved unknown causes or the cause was
in di.'ii'uie. in two of these cases the operating company
Delieved armature-coil heating to be responsible.

'ihis classihcation of armature breakdowns shows that out
of iy cases, where causes were agreed to, il cases were caused
by operating hazards for which the generator can in no way
be held accountable. The majority ol these cases were caused
by hres of external origin.

If all of the cases in which armature heating was involved
(even by suspicion) are grouped, there are only five cases
out of 'J.'! breakdowns. Two cases (iiivolviug one of the first
designs) were caused by design proportions; in two others
temperature was not the jM'imary cause of breakdown, but
the operating companies believed it to be a contributory cause ;
and m the hfth case enforced overloading was the primary
cause.

The writer's opinion, based on a careful study of operating
experience and a detailed knowledge of internal temperatures
and coil and iusuhiticjii design, is that breakdowns caused by
armature heating are in reality due to abnormal local tem-
peratures that have values of the order of several hundred
degrees; and that temperatures of ilKJ deg. or 1.50 deg. ordi-
narily discussed in connection with guarantees have very little
to do with the problem. This statement, of course, apphes
only to windings completely insulated with mica within the
slots.

The facts brought out by this record may be summarised
as follows : —

1. The majority of armature breakdowns are caused by
operating hazard originating outside the generator.

•2. .\rmature heating in armatures completely insulated with
mica is a minor cause of breakdown.

3. High-voltage generators, with mica insulation and open
(irmature slots, are as reliable as and probably are more
reliable than large, low-voltage generators.

Federated American Engineering Societies. — The

Organising C'linference of delegates representing some sixty
engineering .societies of the United States met in Washington,
D.G., on June 3rd and 4th, I'J'iU, and adopted the following
resolutions : —

Resiilved, That it is the sense of this conference that an
organisation be created to further the public welfare where
technical knowledge and engineering experience are involved,
and to consider and act upon matters of common concern to
the engineering and allied technical professions and

Resolved, That it is the sense of the conference that the
proper organisation should be an organisation of societies and
affiliations and not of individuals.

The motive of the organisation is best shown by quoting
from the opening address of Mr. Richard L. Humphrey, the
spirit of which prevailed throughout the session ; "I believe
that the keynote of this conference could be properly ex-
pressed by the woi'd ' service ' ; we desire, first, to serve the
country, and second, to serve the societies and organisations
of which we are the representatives. One cannot contemplate
service, which means giving — not receiving — with any feeling
that it is actuated by selfish motives, but rather is it the giving
of our best. ... I am supremely confident that a liody of men
of the high order of intelligence that is here represented can-
not fail. I ;iin confident that there will be laid at this confer-
ence the cornerstone of the united engineering and allied tech-
nical professions that will deal with public affairs of the city.

state and nation, where cngmccriug experience and technical
Knowledge are involved, and that will take action on otuer
matters ui a uou-technicai character which are of common
concern."

ihe Conference adopted resolutions urging the payment of
aaeqiiate salaries fur lUe teachers of eugmeermg m technical
mstuutious 111 order that adequately tramed young engineermg
talent may be made regulaiiy available; and advocatmg the
immediate adoption ol api)roi)riate measures to give etlect to
uie recommendations made to (Jungress by the Commissiou
wuich recently reported upion a more adequate salary schedule
lur the engineermg and other technical services of tue iederal
Ooverument.

ihe constitution and by-laws are still to be ratified by the
societies expecting to become members, except for the
-V.S.M.li. and the A.I.E.K.

ihe Constitution provides for the estabhshment of a National
Engineering Council composed of delegates elected by the con-
stituent societies un the basis uf membership; an Executive
iiuard of '60 members, and an Executive Officer actmg as secre-
tary to the board and the Council. The membership wdl con-
sist of national, local, state, and regional engmeermg and allied
by-laws are given in full in tfie American Macliinist tor
.\ugust iist, lyiij.

bconomical Supply of Electric Power in the U.S.A. —

When iir. \\ . b. .\lurray, consulting engmeer, of JSew York
City, came furward with his super-power scheme for the
.North Atlantic seaboard of the U.S..\., which we outlined
m our issue of June ISth last, and by which it is claimed to
I'e possible to eliminate the economic waste in the present
power system, natiunal interest was, says Power, immediately
aroused, and the U.S. Government recognised the ajipeal
made by a cummittee representing the engineers of the
country which appeared before the .Appropriations Committee
of the House of Kepresentatives in April last to present the
case of the super-power scheme ; both branches of Congress
have now- appruved of a survey of the zone being made, and
in its Sundry Civil Bill made provision for an amount of
$1'25,000 with w-hich to carry out the work. In order to
carry out the investigation a Super-power Committee was
formed, of which Mr. Murray was appointed chairman by
the Secretary of the Interior. The organisation has been
divided into three departments for investigation purposes,
I.e., (a) railways, (b) industries, and (c) power and transmis-
.sion ; the instant and favourable response to the 45U com-
munications addressed to the Government and public service
Commissioners, and Jo the executives of railways and power
stations in the States which the proposed super-power zone
will include, indicates a desire to help in every possible way.
The part that the Government is playing in the matter is
only to finance an administrative and engineering staff to
show clearly what waste of power and materials exists to-day;
the staff has been organised, and is known as the Super-power
Survey, with headquarters at 709, Sixth Avenue, New York
City. As the object of the investigation and report is neces-
sarily divided into two principal sections ; (ii) allocution of.
and the amount of waste in labour, fuel, and other materials
as at present applied to the railways and industries in the
zone, and (b) the design of a regional system by means of
which the waste will be eliminated, it seemed of special im-
portance that the investigation should be divided into
three departments, as above stated. To that end three de-
partments were created and a division chief appointed to
head each, with an engineer-secretary to collaborate in the
collection of field data. The services of the chief hydraulic
engineer of the U.S. Geological Survey and of the chief
mechanical engineer of the Bureau of Mines will also be
contributed in part to the engineering staff of the Super-power
Survey. It was desirable to obtain the counsel of men who
would be representative of power producers and power con-
sumers and of the people as a whole representing a national
power policy. Therefore an advisory board was appointed
of men representative of the above classes, and to that end
the Secretary of the Interior officially invited to membership
on such a board men who would be representative of New
England railroads. New York railroads, engineering, technical
publicity, the National Electric Light Association, the Ameri-
can Electric Railway .A.ssociation, the American RailwayAsso-
ciation, and the National Industrial Conference Board. The
report, with its maps and diagrams, is to be presented on
June 30th, 1921, on which date the Congressional appropriation
terminates, and the matter will then be in the hands of
Congress and the Committee will be dis.solved.

Wave Transmission. — At the annual meeting of Messrs*
\V. H. Dorman & Co., Ltd.. the chairman, referring to the
development of the wave transmission system by the com-
pany, stated that it should find a valuable application to
coal-cutting machinery, in conjunction with electricity, the
latter being used as the motive power at the top of the
shaft, whence the pow'er would be transmitted to the working
face by the wave system, thus avoiding the use of electricity
in the workings. He referred also to important developments
in connection with the Hele-Shaw hydraulic clutch, for which
the company had acquired the whole-world patent rights.
This clutch is now made for pow-ers up to 1,200 h.p. It was
being used in connection with A.c. motors in the company's
new works, and was expected to be of the greatest use to
the electrical industry.

696

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. no. 2,211, novembeb 5, 1920.

The Economic Selection of Coal.— A paper on the above

subject, read at the autumn meeting of the Iron and Steel
Institute at Cardiff, indicated how microscopic work, used in
conjunction with chemical analysis, can be of great help in the
lAost economical selection of the most suitable fuel for iu-
(histrial purposes.

The method usually adopted, where any notice at aU is
taken of the coad, is to make a proximate analysis (at the
best very unsatisfactory and really of little use), collate the
results with practical experience, and make a trial on some
particular plant. Only too often it proves to be unsatisfactory.
The trouble arises from the fact that two coals can have
practically the sjinie appt-arauce, give the same analysis, and
yet be totally different in behaviour. This occurs very fre-
(juently, and does not seem to be realised by fuel users
generally. It is obvious that some better method is necessary
to enable suitable fuel to be selected.

To be in a position to select coal, an idea of its mode of
formation is essential. Various theories have been brought
forward from time to time, and though they have helped to
account for some phase in the formation of coal, most of
them have suffered from too limited a view of the subject.
So far as this paper is concerned the coal in the principal
British seams may broadly be taken as being composed some-
what'as follows: At the bottom occur leaves, small stems,
broken-down wood tissue, A-c, from ferns, horsetails, and
cordiates; and above the main bulk of the coal made up of
the remains of Lycopods, which include the great Lcpidoden-
drons, Sigilarias, &c., the spore-bearing trees, and above these
again the " Cannels." which are a class apart. The coal falls
into three main types: (a) " Humic," composed of leaves,
stems, and broken down woody tissue, together with some
spores; (b) " Spore " coals, in which both " Micro " and
" Mega " spores predominate, and (c) " Cannel ' coals. The
spores are the j-eproductive organs of the' plants and cor-
respond with the pollen and ovules in present-day flowering
plants. In some cases the two kinds were boi-u in one cone,
in others, in separate cones. The " Micro " spores are very
small, while some of the " Mega " spores are about J in.
diameter.

It will be realised that these three classes run one into
another, and this is where microscopic work is necessary to
enable one to judge, from experience and comparison with
other coals, what a particular sample can be used for.

It was the unsatisfactory nature of chemical classification
which led to the microscope being used in selecting some
250,000 tons of coal per year for different purposes. It was
soon seen that there were three main types, and that each
type was suitable for certain classes of work. Further work
along the same lines enabled one to judge how far from the
typical member it was possible to go without getting into
difficulties.

The microscopic observations are considered along with the
chemical. To help one to decide whether or no a coal will
be satisfactory, the following chemical analy.ses are required : —

]. A proximate analysis (an ultimate one is not really neces-
sary, except for subsequent plant efficiency calculations).

'2. The percentage of total sulphur.

3. The percentage of .sulphur in the ash (necessary to get
the amount of sulphur which will be carried away in the
products) .

4. An analysis of the ash itself (necessary to form some
idea of the tendency to form clinker).

Coal, from the same seam is generally very uniform.
Sections cut from the same seam, but delivered on date 12
years apart, show that the coal is of the same type.

Shop Lighting. — A correspondent of the A'^ear East
recently made the following comments on this subject : —

A tour of the shops reveals astonishing differences in the
use made of artificial light. The movement towards earlier
closing may perhaps account for some of the indifference
displayed to the subject of window lighting, but it is an open
question whether it would not be advantageous to make any
further restriction of shopping hours at the beginning rather
than at the end of the day. Certainly the display made by
shops after dusk is a powerful attraction, and brings busi-
ness to many trades which, not catering for absolute neces-
sities, must make their appeal to a large section of the public
after working hours.

The poor re.sults achieved in so many examples of shop
lighting seem due rather to lack of advice than itieans. The
medium generally employed, electricity, lends itself to any
scheme, whether correct illumination or frank advertisement
is sought, and in most cases the large stores and multiple shops
show an appreciation of its pos.sibilities which suggests that
the work has been done by experts, but it is too often obvious
that the very facilities offered by the electric lamp to the
window dresser have only been taken advantage of to the
abuse of the simplest principles of good lighting. Contracting
firms which sell and fit electrical apparatus are much to blame
for this state of affairs, and indeed sometimes show an in-
ability to light their own windows correctly or seize the
opportunity present<>d of showing their wares as they should
be used by their customers.

Inspection of the best shopping thoroughfares of the West
End of London reveals an almost entire absence of electrical
window displays of any value, and none devoted to the
interest of the retajl shopkeeper. Those who wish to keep

their installations up to date are expected to take the initiative,
and, penetrating into more or less gloomy showrooms, to
inquire for appliances of the existence of which they may be
unaware. If successful in finding them they will possibly
be asked to judge of their eifect amongst a heterogeneous
collection intended for every class of use to which electric
lighting can be put. The same reproach may be made against
the electrical traders w'ith regard to fittings intended for the
home. They are able to offer a variety of pieces of apparatus
of attractive appearance and great usefulness, but few venture
beyond a timid window display of unpriced goods, which,
even if new and attractive, suggest to the uninitiated a dis-
couz'aging rarity and expensiveness.

The electrical retail trade has not yet learned the first
lessons in salesmanship; most of its shops present either a
medley of apparatus mixed with cable and tubing, in which
the user takes no interest, or else offers a prospect of brass-
plated emptiness suggestive of the tailor who is so high class
that his prices may not be known and his goods inspected
only by those who will venture within.

The average electrical contractor has for so long been accus-
tomed to send his clients to the manufacturers' or factors'
-showrooms to choose fittings that he has not awakened to the
possibilities of a direct counter trade or realised how much
business, both on apparatus and in wiring, awaits the electric
shop which shows the passer-by attractive appliances in use,
and so creates in his mind a desire which did not exist. The
sale of electrical apparatus is so bound up with wiring altera-
tions and extensions that it would be . a pity were it h> fall
entti'ely into the hands of hardware retailers and house fur-
nishers, who, however, may at any time become alive to its
possibilities, and by businesslike window displays secure much
trade to which the electrical firms are properly entitled.

A little examination of the " single purpose " displays made
by leading firms in the photographic, office equipment, and
certain other trades at once .suggests possibihties for those who
sell the more portable and attractive electrical appliances, such
as kettles, flatirons, small cooking pots and pans. Given the
courage to concentrate on a good stock of a few lines and to
enlist the aid of the skilled window dresser, always with the
proviso that figures of selling price and cost of operation at
the local rate for electricity be marked plainly, then the
electric shop may take its proper place amongst the features
of our trading thoroughfares, and incidentally become a power-
ful business-getter for every branch of the industry.

South Africa's Telephone Sjslem.— The British South

African Export Gascttc recently commented as follows upon
the Union's telephone system: —

" The allocation of ioCiO.OOO for telephone and telegraph
extensions made by the Union Government in its loan estimates
for the current year is a step in the right direction. The
existing services have been subjected to much adverse criticism
for some time past, and not only have belated renovations and
renewals to be made, but the time has arrived when the
authorities can no longer delay the promised installation of
automatic telephone systems at Johannesburg, Capetown, and
Pietermaritzburg. In these, British manufacturers have a par-
ticular interest, for last year, despite supply difficulties, they
succeeded in regaining their position as the chief source of the
Government's purchases temporarily occupied by Sweden dur-
ing the war, and out of a total from all sources of j£77.984
secured f.59.443, as against Sweden's £8.855, and America's
£9,686. There is httle doubt that, should they make the effort,
the greater part of the £600,(XIO mentioned above, and all that
is to follow, will fall to them and to their agents in South
Africa. The recommendations of the Government official
who last year made a tour of the United Kingdom
and America will be followed, and concerning tele-
graph working, the whole matter of the development
of machine printing telegraph apparatus has been occupy-
ing the attention of the Department for .some time
past, and although we do not think the ' Creed ' system
now in use will be superseded, its extended use throughout the
country is a certainty. With regard to telephonic communica-
tion, besides the three automatic exchanges mentioned above,
the trunk line systems between the larger towns are to be
increased and improved, and an effort made to induce farmers
in the country districts to co-operate in the erection of rural
telephone lines similar to the ' farmers' party lines ' now
almost universally used in America and Canada, which con-
sist of ten or more subscribers being connected to one
line, which in turn is connected to the switchboard of the
nearest town. The commercial needs of South Africa, how-
ever, call for an even more active development policy than
that briefly indicated above. Meanwhile over half a million
is to be spent in various directions almost immediately, and
as a start that should do much to remedy existing deficiencies.
At the same time, attention might also be directed to the trade
now being done outside the Government itself, which last year
amounted to £16.7'27 worth of telegraph and t<^lephone mate-
rial being purchased on private account, and which is rapidly
growing — a fact which is borne out by the imports for the first
five months of the current year amounting to £11,043."

A Consulting Engineer!— Counsel at West London
Connty Court recently to debtor : " You call yourself a consultinfr
engineer. What is a consulting engineer ? "

Debtor : " When I am out of employment I go to consult people
for work, " — Evening Xewt,

Vol.87. No. 2,241, NovEMBEB 5, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

597

Anstrian- British Debts. — In the Board of Trade Joimial
for October 14tli, particulars of the provisions for settlement of
debts contained in a British memorandum dated August 27th
were published. The conditions were accepted by the Austrian
Government.

Electricaily-iiardened Taps. — Comparisons of taps

hardened in electric and eas furnaces at the Frankford (Pa.)
Arsenal, indicate, says the Electrh-al H crhl, that superior
physical qualities, as shown by long-er life, are obtained with the
eleoirical treatment. The electric furnace was, after brief instruc-
tions, operated by the same man who had hardened taps in the gas
furnace for several years. The taps were used for tapping fuse
holes in steel projectiles, and tests were made on tape from four
different brands of steel. The following table represents the
number of holes tapped after hardening, and the marked increase
ia the life of the electrically-treated taps is shown :—
Brand A.

First Second Third Increase

re- re- re- in life

New. grind, grind, grind. Total. %.

Average (7) gas treated ... 29 204 Sli 65 384 —

Average (2) electrically treated 100 270 33 103 506 32

Brand B.
Average (7) gaa treated ... 84 151 25 36 296 —
Average (2) electrically treated 7 38 4 26 20 437 48

Brand C.
Average (9) gas treated ... 94 21o 207 9 620 —
Average (8) electrically treated 414 232 129 8 782 60

Brand D.
Average (7) gas treated ... 131 243 340 71 792 —
Average (2) electrically treated 520 107 350 10 987 25

Except with brand B, the average is very marked before the first
regrind. The fact that these taps averaged 384 holes after the first
regrind indicates that the fault is not in the hardening, but in some
unavoidable feature in the grinding, or in the use of the taps. The
outer case of the taps should be the hardest, and if the tap is held
to shape in hardening, more of its hard surface remains for use.
This would probably be the case in the electric furnace and might
account for the greater life before the first regrind. Then, again,
there is more decarbonisaticia in the gas furnace, and this would
cause the surface to be composed of low-carbon steel, which would
not be good for cutting purposes. In the electric furnace the work
is heated in a neutral atmosphere and emerges virtually ajs clean
after hardening as before it was placed in the furnace, saving con-
siderable time and money for finishing. The electrical treatment
given the dies, which is patented by the Leeds and Northrup Co.,
Philadelphia, makes use of a recording thermocouple which
indicates by a ' hump" in the temperature curve that the critical
point in the heating of the metal hag been reached. The hump
corresponds to a pause in the temperature rise, in spite of ^the fact
that heat is being steadily transferred to the work. It is said to
be an accurate means for determining the exact amount of heating
that should be applied to the material under treatment.

Steel ladastry in Britisli Columbia. — The establishment

of an iron and steel industry in British Columbia may be expected
shortly. The Investigation Committee sent to Chicago by the
British Columbian Government to report on the success of elec-
trical furnaces there, has returned and reported favourably. The
Committee will advocate first the establishment of an electric scrap
mill in British Columbia to handle the large quantities of scrap
iron and steel, now sent every month to Seattle mills. — Reuter'a
Trade Serricc fVancouver).

The Coal Strike. — 'I'lie coal miners' strike is ended, and
work is to bi resumed immediately. A majority of ^Ah'.\ votes was
returned by the liallot against the settlement terms, but it was
considered insufficient to warrant a continuance of the strike, as it
fell short of two-thirds of the votes recorded. The main features
of the terms on which the ballot was taken are : 23. per week
advance until the end of the year, and from Jar. 3rd a wages scale
baaed on coal output until a national wages board is set up.

Eight-Hours' Day in Switzerland, — A measure in favom

of au eight-hours' day for employi's of the Swiss railway, postal,
tjlegraph and telephone services has been carried on a referendum
by a substantial majority ; 67 per cent, of the electors voted.

The Second Simplon Tunnel. — The Commercial Secre-
tary to His Majesty's Legation at Berne reports to the Department
of Overseas Trade that down to end of September, !,■< 2.50 km. ('.i2 per
oent,) of the second Simplon Tunnel had been pierced, out of a total
length of l'.i's2.". km. <)n the same date. W''.\ per cent, of the
total length of the tunnel had been duly walled and wholly
oompleted.

"Fashion foretells an Electrical Christmas." — We

observe from E.D.A. advertising that a serious attempt is being
made to cultivate the great trade possibilities offered by the season
of" Present-givin;^ " in connection with electrical appliances.

If Supply Engineers and Contruotors will, for once, make a
united effort to push the Electrical Xmas Box idea they are not
likely to be disappointed in the immediate results, or in the new
connections and goodwill they may establish in helping people to
keep up u social custom which, delightful as it may be, is often a
cause of anxious thought and too frequently results in money
being .spent on articles of but transient attraction and little
real value,

Appointments Vacant. — Assistant constructional engi-
neer (£670), for the City of Birmingham Electric Supply Depart-
ment ; overhead linesman ( 1 5), for the County Borough of
Burnley Tramways Department ; cable-jointer, for the Eccles
Corporation Electricity Dspartment ; switchboard attendant (84s,),
for the Nuneaton Corporation Electricity 1 )epartment ; assistant
electrical engineer (£480), for the Gold Coast Government. See
our advertisement pages to-day.

Trade with Canada. — Atthe Canadian National Exhibition
held in Toronto recently, which was attended by over a million
visitors, only 30 British firms were represented out of a total of
672 exhibitors. At the Bureau of Information of the Department
of Overseas Trade, many inquiries were received regarding
British export trade, one of the principal being : " When do
United Kingdom firms propose to take more serious steps to cater
for the Canadian market .' "

INSTITUTION NOTES.

Midland Junior Gas Association.— The new president of the
Association is Mr. W. J. Pickering, superintendent of the Coal
Test 'Works, Birmingham Gas Department, and in his presidential
iiddress on Thursday last week at the Council House, asked : " What
of the future with regard to our relations with the Electrical
Industry .'' ' The special adaptability of electrical plant for certain
industrial power purposes was conceded as readily aa anyone by
the present day gas engineer and the amount of such plant in
modern gas wurks tended to increase. Each of the industries had
its particular field, and both realised that. Whatever changes the
future might bring, the practice of " burning " raw coal, for any
purpose, rather than 'distilling" it, should be abandoned atthe
earliest possible moment, as the value of the numerous by-products
from coal would tend to increase. Developments might be seen aa
regarded the conversion of gas into electrical energy. Some form
of gas turbine might be evolved which would revolutionise present
methods and bring down the price of the electrical unit. Whatever
happened, they and their electrical friends had to bear in mind that,
as great public servants, it would always be their duty to proceed
on lines which would confer the greatest benefit on the community.
It was not likely that either industry would be entirely superseded
by the other, but rather that the two would work quite har-
moniously, in their respective fields, though the latter might
becomelmore sharply defined.

Institution of Electrical Engineers. A special general meeting
has been convened for December 2ud, at the Institution of Civil
Engineers, to consider, and, if thought fit, to pass a resolution to
take the place of Article 27 of the Institution's Articles of Associa-
tion. The substance of the resolution is that subscriptions shall,
from January 1st next, be increased as follows : —

United Kingdom. Abroad.

Members £5 5 0 £4 5 0

Associate Members ... 3 15 0 3 6 0

Associates 4 5 0 3 16 0

Graduates 2 10 0 2 10 0

Students (under 21) ... 110 110

(over 21) ... 1 11 6 1 11 6

Should this resolution be passed, it will be submitted to a
meeting of Corporate Members on December 17th for confirmation.
Western Centre. — The first ordinary general meeting of this
session will be held at the Merchant 'Venturers' Technical College,
Bristol, on Monday, November 8th, when the inaugural address
will be delivered by the chairman, Mr. A. J. Newman.

North-Eastebn Centre. — The first meeting of the session
1920-21 will be held on November Sth, 1920, at the Armstrong
College, Newoastle-on-Tyne when the chairman- elect, Mr. J. R.
Beard, will deliver his inaugural address.

Warrington Electrical Society.— " Alternating-current Switch-
gear" was the subject of a lecture delivered by Mr. Parker, of
Messrs. Long & Crawford, of Manchester, at the last meeting of
the Society. In the course of his lecture, Mr. Parker dealt with all
kinds of starting apparatus, both for squirrel-cage and slip-ring
machines, andl made detaile<i references to overload coils, no-volt
1 eleases, fool-proof gear, and the uses of time lags. Mr. F. 'V. L.
Mathias. Warri ngton Corporation electrical engineer, presided.

The Royal Society.— Amongst the papers to be read on Thurs-
day, November 4th, were the following : —

Prof. H. Lamb, F.R.S., " On the 'Vibrations of an Elastic Plate
in Contact with Water."

Prof. H. M. Macdonald, F.R.S., " The Transmission of Electric
Waves Around the Earth's Surface."

King's College. London: Old Students' Association (Engineering
Faculty). A luncheon was held at the Holborn Restaurant on
October 27th, when 54 members attended, and many distinguished
" King's " engineers were present, among whom were the chairman,
Mr C. H. Wordingham, C.B.E., a past president of the Institution of
Electrical Engineers : Mr. LI. B. Atkinson, president of the Institu-
tion of Electrical Engrineers ; General M. Mowat. C.B.E., secretary of
the Institution of Mechanical Engineers ; Mr. E. Fiander EtchelU,
president of the Concrete Institute ; and Mr. .T. S. Highfield. Any
old students who are interestetl in the activities of the K.C.L.O.S.A.
are requested to communicate with the hon. assistant secretary,
Mr. D. H. Kendon, King's College. Strand, W.C. 2.

Association of Englneers-in-Cliarge.— On Friday, November
12th, a Ladies' Night will be held in the Crown Room of the
Holborn Restaurant. Applications should be addressed to the hon.
secretary, Mr, A. E, Penn, 2, BasBingham Road, Earlsfield, S.W. 18.

69S

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,211, November 5, im

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN,

The Editors invita eleotrical engineer$, whether connected with the
teohnioat or the commercial tide of the profe»si4)n and mduttry,
alio electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
KbBCiBlCAL Review posted as to their vmvemsnts.

Mr. E. L. Ea.stg.we, A.M.I.E.E., lately cii),'inet'r ut the
Melboui'iie branch of the British General Electric Co., Ltd.,
has been appointed manager of the company'.s business in
New /ealanU owing to the resignation of Mr. .J. H. Ryder,
.■V.M.I.E.E.

Messrs. J. J. Standiun and H. Holmes, apprentices at the
Hydi'o-electric Department, Tasmania, and who have com-
pleted two years' mechanical training, Ijave been selected
lo go to England and America for two years to complete their
term of hve years. Both apprentices ai'e to spend a year
at the British Thomson-Houston Co., Rugby, and a similar
period at the Cleneral Electric Co.. Schenectady, U.S.A.,
returning to the Hydro-electric Department on completing
their overseas course. — ComtiinnwcuUh Engineer.

Mr. W. A. A. BuiiGEss, M.I.E.E.. late resident electrical
eugineer for the Britisli Dye.'^tutis Ccjrporation. Huddersfield,
Ltd., has been apixiintcd chief electrical engineer for the
British Dyestuffs Corporation, Ltd.. with charge of the elec-
trical equipment at all the Corporation's factories. Mr.
Burgess, whose headquarters remain for the moment in
Hudder.sfield, has had charge of the electrical department of
the Corporation there for the past five yeais, and was for
nine years previously •with Messrs. Merz & McLellan.

Mr. W. F. Ingameu.s, who has resigned his appointment as
advertising manager with the Edison Swan Electric Co.. Ltd.,
was on Friday last week presented with a diamond and pearl
scarf pin by the general staff at the Ponders End works of the
company. The presentation was made by Mr. H. V. Richards,
chief a,ssi,stant in the advertising department, the gift being
accompanied by a tasteiuUy print<'il address, with the list
of subscribers. At the same time Mi'. Ingamells was presented
with a silver card case by Air. .1. Tboin, on behalf of the
staff of the stationery department.

Mr. J. H. Butters, chief engineer and general manager of
the Tai3manian Hydro-electric Department, is paying a visit
to this country. His address during his stay will be c/o The
Agent-General for Tasmania, Australia Plouse, Kingswav,
W.C. 2.

Mr. R. 'V\'. Grdbb, temporary electrical engineer to the
Dewsbury Corporation, has been appointed jwrmanently to
the position at a salary of f 6-50 per annum.

Chester T.C. has increased the salary of the electrical en-
gineer to £M) a year, including £1.50 additional war bonus.

Sir Ernest .LMiDiNE, Bart., governing director of John
Jardine, JAA.. has received information from the Fi-ench
Minister of Commerce that the honour of the Croix de Cheva-
lier de rOrdre National de la Legion d'Hoiineur has been
conferred unon him bv the President of the Fi-ench Republic.

Mr. G. C. Allingham. M.B.E., M.T.E.E.. who was until
recently chief engineer of the Tudor Accumulator Co.. Ltd.,
has joined the stall' of Mr. C. F. Elwell. radio engineer, Craven
House, Kingsway.

Mr. W. E. HlGHFtRLD has resigned bis position with tl'C
English Electric Co.. lytd.. to enter into |iartnership with
bis brother. Mr. -T. S. Hichfield, con.siilting engineer, at 3(i.
Victoria Street. 'Westminster.

kt Me.ssrs. Simplex Conduits. Ltd.. on Friday last \veek.
a presentatinn of books was made to IVIr. T. Bihkett upon
his resigning the po.sition of publicity manager to the com-
pany, and at the .same time the chairmanship of the Welfare
Club. Capt. McT-ondilin. joint general manauer, in makini;
the pre.sentntion. said that not only would Mr. Birkett !■•>
missed by the firm, for the publicity work for w^hich he was
re.sponsible was of a distinctive order, but he would also be
missed by all of the employes bv reason of his work on the
Welfaj-e Club. Mr. Birkett is taking ui) the position of s-'les
and publicitv manncrer to the Midland Electric irnnnfacfliring
Co., of Barford Street, ninningham.

British Electrical & Allied Industries Research Associa=
tion (the word " limited " is omitted from the title bv

licence ol the Board ot Trade) (170,4.34).— Registered September -JTlh IJclay. tl
at Somersr-t House). The company is limited by guarantee, with an initial
membership of 300, with power to increase. In the event of winding up,
f-ach member is liable for not. more than £5. Objects: To promote research
and_ other scientific work in connection with the electrical and allied trades
or industries, to found scholarships, to publish books and periodicals, &c.
.Membership of the Association consists of (a) ordinary members, who shall
be members of the British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers' Association
or other association of manufacturers in the electrical and allied industries
carrying on business in the production of electrical machinery, apparatus, com-
modities, or requirements, \b) trade members who shall be British subjects ■
carrying on business in the production of electrical machinery, apparatus, or
materials which are accessory to the electrical and allied manufacturing
industries, and corporations carrying on similar business, (c) Associate Mem-
bers who must be British subjects and shall be individuals representative of
capital, management, science, or skilled labour, or connected with limited
companies, or other corporations or associations ineligible for, or not desiring
admission as ordinary or trade members, and who are. in the opinion of
the Council, likely to assist in the electrical anil allied industries by the
furtherance of the objects of the .Association, and (J) Honorary members,
who shall be British subjects, whether entitled to become members under
the above provisions or not, nominated for membership by the Council for
spc-cial services or causes and elected at a general meeting. The management
is vested in a Council, the first membeirs of which are : C. H. W'ordingham.
C.B.E., 7, Victoria Street, Westminster; L. B. Atkinson, Alston. Little
Hampden, Great Missenden. Bucks.; Dr. C. C. Garrard, General Electric
Co.. Ltd., Witton. Birmingham; J. S. Highfield, Sfi. Victoria Street, S.W.I;
C. C. Paterson, O.B.Ii.. Research L.aboratories of the General Electric Co.,
Ltd.. 67, Queen Victoria Sirwt, E.C.; R. T. Smith, «). Porchester Road, Pad-
dington (president, Institution of Electrical Engineers); C. P. Sparks, Black-
friars House, New Bridge Street, E.C.; D. N. Dunlop. 36. Kingswav, W.C;
A. R. Everest. British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., Rugby; A.' P. M.
Fleming, C.B.E., Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd., Traflord Park,
Manchester; E. S. New, 11, Victoria Street, S.W. ; W. O. Smith. Century
Works, Lewisham ; E. B. Vignoles, Evershed & Vignoles, Ltd., Acton I-ane
Works. Chiswick; A. D. Williamson, Vickers, Ltd., River Don Works.
.';heffield. Solicitor : T. Trimmell, 71, Lincoln's Inn l-j. Ids, W.C. Registered
office : 19. Tothill Street, Westminster. S.W. 1.

'Westinghouse Brake Subsidiaries, Ltd. (171,046). — Regis-

t.re.1 (lriol...r -Jliih l.» Linklater & Paines, 2. Bond Court, Walbrook. E.C.
Capital, fW.UOO in £1 shares. To acquire certain assets belonging to the
Westinghnuse Brake Co.. Ltd., to carry on the business of manufacturers of
railway brakes and rolling stock for railways, and appliances for lighting
r.iilwav and other carriages, &c. The first directors are :—]. W. Cloud
Claridges Hotel. W.l (managing director. Westinghouse Brake Co.. Ltd.;
director, Clyde Vallev Electrical Power Co., Ltd., Compagnie Intl. pour le
Chauflage des Chemin de fer Svsteme Hcintz, Ltd.. Mackenzie Holland and
Westinghouse Power Signal Co.; Ltd., and Westinghouse Maise Chain Co..
Ltd.); Lord .Southborough, 17, Airlie Gardens. W.8 (director. Albv United
Carbide Factories. Ltd.. Anglo-Persian Oil Co., Ltd.. Chine^.e Engineering
and Mining Co., Ltd.. Nitrogen Fertilizers. Ltd.. Pacific Phosphate Co.. Ltd,
(deputy chairman). Sir W. G. Armstrong. Whitworth & Co., Ltd.. Under,
ground Electric Railway Co. of London, Ltd. and Westinghouse Brake Co..
Ltd.); Lieut.-Col. M. Cr.addock, 90. Piccadilly. W.l (director, Metropolitan-
Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd., and Westinghouse Brake Co., Ltd.); J. H.
Luke, 154, Ashley Gardens. S.W.I (director. Clay's Marine Steering Gear.
Ltd.. and Westinghouse Brake Co., Ltd.). Minimum cash subscription, seven
shares. Remuneration. £800 p<r annum, divisibl.-. Solicitor: R. B. Phillpotts,
2, Bond Court, Walbrook, E.C.

Fairless Electric Weldings, Ltd. (171,010).— Private com-
pany. Registered October 25th. Capital, £10,000 in fl shares. To carry on
the business of electric, oxygen and acetylene welders, ship repairers.
mech;inic3l and electrical engineers, machinery manufacturers, tool makers,
SiC. The first directors are :— G. P. Fairless, Summerhill. Raby Road.
Stockton-on-Tees, engineer; C. Benson, 47. Station Road. Stockton-on-Tees.
Secretary : G. P. Fairless. Solicitor : A. H. Parkin, 77, High

Street, Stockton

i-Tees.

A. L. Brown & Co., Ltd. (171,050).— Private companv.

Registered October 28th. Capital. £2,000 in £1 shares. To take over the
business of electricians carried on bv A. L. Brown and H. F. Mitchell at
The Street. Frensham. Surrey, as " A. L. Brown & Co." The first directors
nr-e:— A. L. Brown, The Street, Frensham, Surrey; H. F. Mitchell. Mill-
liriilge. Frensham, Surrey. Registered office : Millbridge, Frensham, Surrey.

Saitax Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (171,071). — Private com-
pany. Reg!.;terpd O.tnber 2nd. Caoital. £3.000 in 2„",00 " A " shares ol £1
.■;u:h and "10.000 "B" shares of Is. each. To carry on the business o.f
electrical, mechanical, sanitary, gas, hydraulic, water and general engineers,
manuf.icturers of machinery, particularly steam engines, electrical apparatus,
theatrical and general stage effects, scenery, fans, lamps, rheostats, &c. The
first directors are ;— W. Adams. Henddol House. London Road, Thornton
Heath; Capt. F. I. H. B. Hutchinson. 133, Westhourne Terrace, W. Regis
tered office : IDC, Albany Street. \.W.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL'
COMPANIES.

NBW COMPANIES REQISTERED-

Dungarvan Electric LiUht & Power Co.. Ltd. (.5 0,59)-

Registered in Dublin October 18th. Capital. £8,000 in £1 shares' Objects
as title. First directors : T. Power. 18. O'Connell Street, Dungarvan ■ T
Foley. The Square. Dungarvan; M. Barry, Abbevview. Dungarvan; M.
Clancy, Mam Street, Dunoarvan; D. Crottv, Dunfarvnn; I. Dunne. Dun-
garvan; P J Moloney. Dungarvan. Secretary: E. A. Ryan. Registered
office: Castle Street. Dungarvan.

Evans (Electrical). Ltd. ('171.08.'?).— Private companv.

Registered October 28th. Capital, £5.000 in £1 shares To carry on the
business of electricians, electrical engineers and manufacturers, su'pnliers of
electricity, &c. and to adopt an agreement with E. I. Walker. The first
directors are: E. J. Walker, Soulhbank. Ravensbourne Road. Brnmlev Kent ■
.S. L. Durell (managing director). 2, Edward VII Mansions, Chamberlavne
New Road. Kensal Rise, N.W. Registered office: 10, Bush Lane Cannon
Street, E.C. 4.

Lowth & Smith, Ltd. (1 70,977). --Priv.nle romn.inv.

Registered October 22nd. Capil:il. t:,,( {m i, ,res To t .1-e oyer ihn

business carried on at 3._ Hanging Dir, ' I , . , „ ■• Lowth ■:>ml Smith."

and to carry on the business of electii. .ni.-al engineers ,'l-c Th.-

permanent directors are :— W. H. I.m.'. i; l,ni,,n Road Chtirlton-euni
Hardy, Manchester: T Smith S, Wood l!,,nk, IIHmshore, La'ncs. Registered
ndice: 3, Hanging Ditch, Mancheiter. '^

London and Suburban Traction Co., Ltd. — Deed dated

October 13lh, 1020 (supplemental to trust deed dated April 6th. 1014 securing
f.^50.00fl 5 per cent. " A " debenture stock), charged on 70.6S3 fullv £1 prefer-
ence and 2.193.330 fully paid ordinary shares in Lomlon United' Tramwavs.
Ltd.. in substitution for 120.115 fully paid 5 per cent, cumulative preference
shares of £10 each and 97.740 fuIIv paid ordinary shares in the said companv.
Trustees : Union Commercial Investment Co., Ltd.

Burners, Ltd Issue on October 14th, 1920, of ^£250

debe

: of

alp

•red.

Portable Electric Motors (1919). Ltd. — Particulars of

flO.Oflfl debentures authorised October 21st, 1920, whole amount issue.!.
Charged on the company's undertaking and property, present and future, in-
cluding uncalled capital.

North British Tower Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

culars of £5,000 debentures nuthoris.d October 15th. 1920. who'
issued. Charfed on the company's tm.l'-n.dcing anil property pr
future, including uncall.^l ranit:il.

Parti-

nl and

Cambridge Electric Supply Co.

Itli. I!I20. of fi.O.SO ,l.-l...Mlur.-s. ,,.,rt 'ol .i sei

l.td. — Issue on October

es already registeretf.

Kalijoorlie Electric Tramways, Ltd. (7.3,127). — Return

.led Seolember 15th. 1920. Capital. £2.'ifl.000 in fl shares. AH shares taken
). £2.50,000 paid. Mortgages and charges, £145,020.

~ " 'V.; .-.."'*>3i>

Vol.87. No. 2,241, NovEMBBB 5, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo

599

CITY NOTES.

tlic Oarbc. Lali iiirijcr Co., of Aix-la-

German ChaprUc, reports net profits of 1,697,0(X)

Companies. marks for iyiy-'20, as compared with

853,00U marks in the previous year. A

ilividcnd at the rate of 8 pev cent, has been declared, as against

li per cent, in 1918-19.

The directors of Ma.v Schorch & Co., of Khcydt, recom-
mend the payment of a dividend at the rate of 10 per cent,
on .share capital of lO.ollO.OOO marks for l'Jl>1--20, this result
comparing with 10 per cent, on 7,975,000 marks in the pre-
ceding vear.

The Rheinisch-WestfnUsche Khktricitats Werh A.G., of
Fjuxen. after writing off 30,.360,000 marks for depreciation in
]919--2n, as contrasted with 6.810.000 marks in the previous
year, reports net profits of 4,8:38,00(1 marks and 4,670,(HX) marks
in the two years respectively, and a dividend at the rate of 8
per cent., as in 1918-19. The report states that the sales
reached 687,989.a)0 kw. -hours, as against 026,361.000 KW.-
liours in the preceding year.

The accounts of the Kabehi-crk lihnjclf A.G.. of Rheydf,
including the balance of 35.000 marks brought forward, show
a net profit of 8,705.000 marks for 1919-'20, as compared with
9.57,000 marks in the preceding year, and the dividend is at
the rate of 40 per cent., as against .30 per cent, in 1918-19.
The report states that the nlant has been completely written
off. and a falling off in orders has taken place since the be-
L'inning of the new financial vear. It is proposed to increase
the share capital from 10.000.000 to 24,000,000 marks.

Amalgamated Wireless (.4ustralasia). Ltd. — .\t the an-
nual meeting held in Sydney recentlv. Sir T. Hughes, the
chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, outlined a
scheme already placed before the Government foi- connecting
un .\ustralia with England consisting broadly of a hiah power,
high speed, duplex-operated station near one of the canital
I'ities to communicate with a corresnonding station in Eng-
l.Tnd, together with medium power feeder stations near each
of the other capital cities to pass the traffic to and from the
main trunk stations. The company offered to handle all
classes of me.s.sages at one-third less than existing rates, and
to give the Commonwealth Government 25 per cent, of its
net profits, also to have the stations working in two years.
to hand them over in any time of national danger, to hand
them over to the Government, free of all payment, at the
end of a term of yenrs. and t-o give the Government the right
of resumption at all times.

Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. of Canada. Ltd. — -\

snecial general meeting of the sharehoTilers is to be held :>t
the offices of the company in Montreal on November 2:3rd.
for the consideration and approval of the hv-law nassed by
the directors of the company on October 19th. 1920.

" Be it enacled as a by-law of the M.nrconi Wireless Telegraph Co. of
Canada. Ld.. and it is hereby enacted as follows : —

" I. The by-law known as by-law No. 26 of the company, providing for
the reduction of the capital stock of the company to 3.750,000 dollars, and
ratified, confirmed, and enacted at the annual and special general meeting
of the shareholders of the companv, held on September 17th, 1919, is hereby
again enacted and confirmed as of the said date.

"2. The capital stock of the comoanv is hereby increased from 3.750,000
dollars to 7,.5OO.00O dollars by the addition of 1,500,000 shares of the par value
of 3 dollars and 50 cnts each."

A Belgian Investment Co. — The report of the Compagnie
Centrale de ITndiistrie Electrique states that most of the
companies in which the company is interesteil are .still unable
to determine their actual position, and the portfolio has been
greatly reduced. In a.ssociation with friendly groups the
company has carried out the reorganisation of the Forges et
Laminoirs Saint-Victor and the Societe des Forges de Creve-
coeur, and the company has disposed of its participation in
the tramwavs in the province of Salerne to an Italian group.
Tlie net profits for 1919-20 are 50,340 fr. : no dividend is to
be paid.

A German Supply Company's Loan. — The directors of
the Rhenish Electricitv Works Co., of Cologne, require a
considerable amount of new canital to defray the cost of
extensions, as the plant has reached the limit of its produc-
tive capacity. It is nroiiosed to increase the present ordinary
share canital of 8,000,000 marks bv an amount not yet de-
termined, and at the same time rai.se a loan of 100,0CK).0'"'0
marks in instalments. The new generators alone are esti-
mated to involve ,nn expenditure of 60.0(K1.0(¥) marks.

Automatic Telephones TAustralasia), Ltd. — Dividenri of
Is. per share, absorbing £3.125. leavinc a Italance at .lune
31st of ;£l,l-37. .\ contract has been secured for an automatic
exchnnce at Collingwood. Victoria, amounting to nearlv
^£85.000.

City of Buenos Avres Tramways (1914), Ltd. — nividentl
at the rate n{ ~t per rent, ner annum, l<^ss l.ax, for ibrec
months ended .Scptonilver 30lb.

Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation. — Inlcrini diviilciid
.at the rate of 8 per rent, per annum, less tax, on tb<' urth-
narv shares for the half-vear.

Monte Video Telephone Co., Ltd. — The accounts for the
year ended -luly 31st show that after providing for all charges
in Monte Video and London and for income tax and excess
profits duty and corporation profits tax. the net profit amounts
to i-40,l79. Interim dividend paid in May absorbed £6,514.
,i'8.9t)3 was brought forward and the available balance is
.i'42,629. £20,000 is transferred to the reserve fund, and a
final dividend for the year ended July 31st is recommended
of 5 per cent., free of tax (making 8 per cent, for the year),
leaving a balance of ±'11,772 to be carried forward.

Bombay Electric Supply & Tramways Co., Ltd. — .At a

meeting on Monday of the holders of the 4^ per cent, de-
licnture stock of the Bombay Electric Supply Co. (in hquida-
tioii). a resolution modifying the rights of the holders against
the company, its trust deed, and its property, and certain
modifications of the trust deed which had been proposed by
the company ami recommended by the ti-ustees, were agreed
to. A meeting of the 5 per cent, second mortgage debenture-
holders called for a similar purpose was adjourned for a week
owing to the necessary amount of stock not being represented.

International Light & Power Co., Ltd. — For the year

ended -Tune 30th. 1920, the income ammmted to £(")6.064 plus
.£13..877: after providing for debenture interest, sinking fund,
loan and other charges there remains a balance of £.35,420.
Preference dividend amounts to £14,973. £2,.500 is placed to
reserve, and the balance (£17.947) is to be carried forward.
Reserves of subsidiaries have been increa.sed during the year
by £6,503, making total reserves of three subsidiaries £74,487.

Austrian Brown=Boveri Works. — The net profits of the
.Austrian Brown-Boveri Werke A.G.. of Vienna, amount to
2,.5S1.000 crowns for 1919-20, as compared with 1,376,000 crowns
in the preceding year, and the dividend is at the rate of 9 per
cent., as against 7 per cent, in 1918-19. It has been decided
to increase the share capital from 8.500,000 to 25.000,000
crowns.

Smit's Transformer Works. — .An issue of 500 shares of
1,0(X) florins is being made by the N. V. Willem Smit it Co.'s
Trail sformatoreii Fabriek. of Nijmegan. Holland. The rate
of dividend paid In- the comnany for 1919-20 was 12 per cent,
on share canital of .500,(XiO fl., as compared with 10 per cent,
on 240,000 fl. in the previous year.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

TUESD.\i' E\iENlNG.

The present week of the Stock Exchange consists of four
days, owing to the November 1 holiday and the usual
Saturday " recess." So it may almost be said that members
of the House are beginning to approximate a miner's week,
although the pay may not be as liberal. Business is far from
being brisk, lliere was a fan accumulation of small orders
awaiting execution on luesday morning, but after this was
dealt with, the markets became quiet. Manifest ilisinclina-
tion to deal on tiie part oi tUe general puoiic was put aown
to tlie uncertainty in regard to the outcome of the third coal
ballot, l^ittle doubt, if any, was felt as to the majority vote
going in favour ot peace, out the attitude of the \\'elsh and
l,auca.shire 'miners aroused uneasiness for the future. This,
on top of the somewhat temporary character of the whole
plan, restrains any sort of speculative enterprise.

the cable group is conspicuously good. There are rises in
Eastern ordinary. Globe ordinary. Great Northerns, and Indo-
European. Gossip concerns itself with the possibility of the
income tax being raised next spring, and when there is any
suggestion of income tax talk in the air, attention begins to
tiu-ii to the .stocks and shares of companies that pay their
dividends free of tax. The Eastern group is, of course, parti-
cidarly well known in this connection, and seeing that its
ordinary stocks and shares, even at the current levels, offer
nearly hi per cent, on the money, it is not surprising that
some iwople should look for a steady appreciation in value of
these securities. Direct United States stick at 5^ from- which
it is inferred that profit-takers are not yet out. Marconis
were run up to 3g, on buying .said to be on behalf of a group
in which .American interests were Strongly represented, but as
soon as the purchases ceased, the price went back again to
2 15/16, at which it shows a rise of 1/16 on the week,
Marconi Marines are easier at 17/16. and Cuba Submarines
hiive fallen to 6i, following upon their sharp drop of last week.
Inited River Plates at 6s have recovered the dividetid.
.Am(.)ngst the manufacturing shares, Siemens hardened to 25s.,
and Henley's are better at 1 11/16, India Rubliers at IJ being
similarly higher. Western Union U per cent, funding bowls
at 109^ are 2 points to the good.

Rio Tramwavs fives advanced to 96 and Electric Develop-
ment of Ont.ario fives to 116. On the other hand, Canadian
General Electric common at H9 and t.'ie pieferred at 112 are
both lower. Bombav Elei^tric Ti'ams have fallen 15 points to
50, and the prefeietue at 11 were £1 lower. The market m
the.se for some time past has been rather artificia-1, as we
have pointed out here from time to time. Mexicans are

600

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,241. novei.beb 5, 1920,

heavy, with falls in Mexican Light and Power preference and
Mexico Tramways 5 per cent, bonds. While the news from
Mexico is declai-ed to he good, sellers continue to get out of
their bonds quietly. Ji^-itish Columbia Electrics maintain
their- robust tuni', and further ri.ses have occurred in the pre-
ference and the deferred stocks. Anglo-Argentine Tramways
5 jwr cent, debenture has once more got over 60, being bought
by those who regard it as a sound investment stock of the
second class.

The Home Railway division is firm as a whole, on the
expectation that the miners will accept the peace proposals.
Metropolitan consohdated has recovered a point to '21J. The
company's 8^ per cent, debenture stock is better at 5'6i, and
fjondon Electric Railways 4 per cent, debenture has risen to
3(3^. Underground Electric Railways issues are quiet, with
i reaction in the £10 shares to 2f .

A few of the Home Electricity shares are wanted and the
market begins to look a little firmer than it has done. West-
minsters are better at 5|. Men in the market point out that
there is a decided shortage of supply, and that, were demand
to arise, prices would not remain for long at the present
figures. But it must be admitted that the inquir-y for electric
lighting shares is still very retail and somewhat timid.

Edi.sons have dropped to 17s.; Electric Constructions are
better at 18s. 9d. Metropolitan-Vickers preference fell back
to 40s.,' at which the yield is 8 per cent, on the money. Bali-
cock & Wilcox continue to improve, and are now up to 5()s.
again. Rubber shares are weak on another low record being
established for the raw material, which this Tuesday night is
quoted at Is. 2Jd. per lb. Tlie Armament market is better,
moving quietly upwards with shares in the iron and steel list.
But the Stock Exchange is quiet as a whole, and in none of
the markets are there any financial fireworks to compel atten-
tion from the public.

SHARE LIST OF ELECTBICAL COMPANIES.

Home Electricity Companies.

Dividend Price

/ • V Nov. a, Yield

1918. 1919. 1920. Rise or Tall. i,.c.

Brompton Ordinary B 19 6 — fio 0 0

Charing Cross Ordinary ..4 7 8i — 10 16 S

do. do. do. 4j Pref. .. H ii 2t - 8 B R

Chelsea B < a; _ 7 6 H

City ot London 8 10 IJ — 8 17 10

do. do. 6 per cent. Pref. .. 8 6 17/6 — 8 17 a

County of London 7 8 7J — 10 17 0

do. do. 6 per cent. Pref. 8 6 8i — 7 7 8

Kensington Ordinary .,.,8 7 b| — 906

London Electric ' Nil aj 1 — 7 10 0

do. do. 6 percent. Pret... 8 8 B — 10 0 0

Metropolitan 6 6 a| — 10 8 8

do. 4A per cent. Pi-et, .. H H af? — 8 0 0

St. James' ana Pall Mall .. .. 10 19 Si — 9 4 8

South London .6 6 3jf 9 13 0

South Metropolitan Pref 7 7 16'8 — B 12 8

Westminster Ordinary .... 8 10 (J + J 1) 6 8

TELEliUAPHS AND TkLEPHUHES.

AngloAm. Tal. Pret 8 8 774 xd +1* 7 14 10

do, Del 88/8 li 17 — i g 16 «

Chile Telephone 8 6 64 — *6 ft I

Cuba 8ab. Ord 7 7 61 — J '11 4 0

Eastern BztenBlon 8 10 14; — -6 16 7

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 1491 ■►3 "6 18 9

Globe Tel, and T, Ord 8 10 H-J -^ i -6 IB 7

do, do. Prel 6 6 Si — 7 12

Great Northern Tel, .. .. aa aS SO) + ^ 10 14 8

Indo-IJInropean IB 10 BO xd + ^ 8 8 8

Marconi 96 96 2|, + ,• 8 10 0

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 19 ag — ' MIS 4

United R, Plate Tel 8 8 6J xd +i '6 10 8

West India and Panami .. .. 1/B Nil 4 — Nil

Western Telegraph 8 10 16 + J '6 13 4

Home Rails.

Central London Old. ABsenlea .. 4 4 i^ — SI 4 0

Meiropjiitan 1 ij, aiJ -n 5 18 8

do. DiBtrlol .. Nil Nil 18" - Mil

Underground ElEctiic Ordinary., Nil Nil 23 —i N|i

do. do. "A" .. Nil Nil 7/6 — Nil

do. do, Inoome ..6 4 70i — —

FcREI.iN 1

Anglo.Arg, Trams First Prel. .. Nil
do. do. 2nd Pref, . . Nil

do. do. 6 Deb. .. 6

Brazil Tractions Nil

Bombay Bleotric Pref 6

British Oolombia Bleo, RIy, Ptoe, B

do, do, Prelerrred 9i

do. do. Deferred

do. do. Deb.

Hexloo Trams 6 per cent. Bonds.

do. 6 per oent. Bonds.
Mexloan Light Oommon . .

do, Pref.

do, Isl Bonds..

«(■

mi ^1

81

60)

+ 1

Ni

8 6

44

_

NI

11

-IJ

4 16

66

+ 9

8 18

65 i

—

♦6 7

66)

+ 1

•6 4

68J

—

7 19

61)

Bkboook it Wllooz ig |6 91

British Aluminium Ord 10 10 1

British Insulated Ord 191 16 IS

Oallenders 96 16 it

r, ." ^ 6) Pref 6) 6) 18/9

Oaitner-Kellner 90 17 8

Orompton Ord 10 10 17/6

Bdison-Bwan, " A " .. ..10 10 17/

do. do. 6 per cent, Deb, ..6 6 76*

Bleolrlo Oonstmotion .. ,. 10 10 18/9

Ben. Bleo. Prel 6i H 18/6

„ do. Ord 10 10 1

Honlej 16 16 !■

do, 4i Prel 41 41 gi

Indli-Bnbbet jq iq 11

Mel.-Vlokera Prtt — a a

BiemensOrd 10 10 95/

Selegrspb Oodi 90 90 20

'jDlTidends p«ld lce» q( (apopae Tax,

II 8
11 !.=>
6 la

10 13

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

It should be remembered, in making use of the figures appearinR
in the following list, that in some cases the prices are only general,
and they may vary according to quantities and other circumstancef .

Tuesday, November 2nd.

CHEMICALS, &c.

J Acid, Oxalic

a Ammoniac Sal

2 Ammonia, Muriate (large crystai)

3 Bisulphide of Carbon

J Borax

1 Copper Sulphate

I Potash, Chlorate

I ,, Perchlorate

I Shellac

I Sulphate of Magnesia

I Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers

I „ Lump

I Soda, Chlorate

I ,, Crystals

[ Sodium Bichromate, casks

METALS. &c.

per lb.
per ton

per lb.
per ton
per lb.

2/6
£100
£99

£41
£49
1/-
1/8
£B'i 10s.
;ei8

£as

£32
6d.
£19

p Babbitt's Metal Ingots per to

c Brass (rolled metal 2" to 12" basis) per lb

c ,1 Tubes (solid drawn) ,

c ,, Wire, basis ,,

c Copper Tubes (solid drawn) ... ,,
c ,, Bars (best selected) ... per to

c ,, Sheet ,

c „ Rod ,,

d ,1 (Electrolytic) Bars ... ,,

d II I, Sheets ... „

d II ,1 Wire Rods.. „

d II II H.C. Wire .. per lb,

f Ebonite Rod 1

f II Sheet

n German Silver Wire ,1

h Gutta-percha, flue ,,

h India-rubber, Para fine ,,

I Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ... per to:
/ ,, Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual. „

g Lead, English Pig

g Mercury

e Mica (in original cases) small ...
e I, I, II medium..

e I, I, 1, 'arse ...

p Phosphor Bronze, plain castings
p ,, I, rolled bars and rods

p ,, ,, rolled strip & sheet

d Silioiura Bronze Wire

r Steel, Magnet, in bars

n Tin, Block (English)

n ,1 Wire, Nob. 1 to 16

p White Anti-friotion Metals

per hot.
per lb,

per ton
per lb. I
per ton

£95 to £800

l/SJ
l/6i to 1/5)

l/3i

mi

£149

£149

£149

£99

£143

£116

1/9)

B/6

3/-

B/-

14/. to 16/-

l/6i

Norn.

£69

£37 5s.

£16 les. to £16

6d. to 4/6

6/- to 10/-

19/6 to 95/- « up

1/6 to 1/11

9/5 to 9/8

3/5 to 9/3

1/11

1/8

£960

4/9

£78 to £800

)d. dec,
id. dec.
jd.dec.
sd. dec.
£8 dec.
£8 dec.
£H dec.
£15 dec.
£15 dec.
£16 dec,
Ijd. dec.

^d. dec.

Id. dec.
£li"inc.

(Quotations supplied by—

a G, Boor & Co.
c Thos. Bolton & Sons, Ltd.
d Frederick Smith & Co.
e F. Wiggins & Sons.
/ India-Rubber, Qutta-Percha and
Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.

g James & Shakespeare.

A Edward Till & Co,

( Boiling & Lowe.

/ Richard Johnson & Nephew, Ltd

n P. Ormiston & Sons.

r W. F. Dennis & Co,

Electricians' -Mates' Wages. — We have received from
Mr. W. J. Webb, London District secretary of the E.T.U., a copy of
the memorandum of agreement come to on October 29th. 1920,
between the London District Committee of the Electrical Trades
Union and the National Federated Electrical Ajssociation, with
regard to increase of wages for electricians' mates, electrical and
mechanical fitters' matesr, electrical wiremen's mates, overhead
linemen's mates, and jointers' mates, &c., employed in the London
district. It is thereby agreed that Rule No. 11 of the working
rules agreed in February, 1920, shall read as follows : —

"The minimum rate for auxiliary workmen over 21 years of age
(other than apprentices) employed in assisting journeymen shall be
80 per cent, of the rate paid to fully qualified journeymen."

That Rule 14 shall be added to as follows : —

" An auxiliary workman over 21 years of age shall be allowed to
carry out any work of which he may be capable under the super-
vision of a fully qualified journeyman, and he may in time become
a fully qualified journeyman as defined above. The following tools,
kept in efiicient order, are such as an airxiliary workman shall
be deemed to possess : — Knife, pair of plierd, bradawl, small
screwdriver."

It is further .agreed that the above rate of pay shall come into
the nation.al agreement for standardisation of wages, and the said
rate of 80 per cent, of journeymen's rate shall become payable on
the first pay day in November, 1920.

By this agreement 2s. per hour is payable to all mechanics'
mates, 21 years and over, in the employ of contractors and in other
establishments, and is payable from the next pay day. Under
the terms of this agreement and the agreement with the
Joint Industrial Council for Electricity Supply Undertakinga
for the London District, tlie rate for electrical fitters' mates,
mechanical fitters' mates, electricians' mates, wiremen's mates,
jointers' mates and armature winders' mates is Is. ll}d. from
next pay day, and application should li(> made at once to elec-
tricity uudertakiu^s for this rate to be paid.

The memorandum is signed by Messrs. W. Riggs and G, E.
Taylor, on behalf of the N.F.E.A., and by Messrs. H. P, BoHou ftod
W, J, Webb, on behalf of the E.T.U.

I

Vol.87. No. 2,241, NOVEMBER 5, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

601

STREET LIQHTINQ.-I.

By HAYDN T. HARRISON.

Is tlirse articlfs tiie writer hud iiilfijiled to record the
jpnij^re.sn of street lighting during tiie last ten years,
but investigation iiidicates that little, if any, advance-
ment has been made. This is largely to be accounted
fur by the war conditions which existed over the greater
part of that period, and it is only now that there are
signs of development, due to men having turned their
attention to this branch of the lighting industry after
their duties in connection with the war were over.

It is true that the gastilled electric lamp has been
develiij)ed inio commercial importance during that
[ifridd, but it is obvious that the increased ehiciency
of tills light si.urce. embodying as it does reduced con-
sumption of elei-tricil energy, increa.-,ed brilliancy,
shoner wave length, and ri-duced area (.f liglit source,
i.> lint being used In it^ full advantage, as tliese iMiiiji;
;irr (iflen touud iusinlled in u)i>uiial)lr liftings, d. -
signed for l:nnp.^ linviiig ti, tally dillerent rharacleri.,-
Iirs.

Ill an historical sketch of street ligliting lately read
before the Illuminating Engineering Society of America,
Air. Preston S-. Millar states: "Progress in the de-
velopment of illuminants has been more rapicf than
progress in their use. In practice each one. has sur-
vived by many years, sometimes by centuries, the de-
velopment of a superior illuminant." Of the truth of
this statement there is no doubt, especially when it is
borne in mind that the chief development in the nature
of illuminants has been in the direction of shortening
the wave length, and increasing the intrinsic brilliancy,
which makes it of the utmost importance that they
siiould not he used in the same wtiy as the less brilliant
ty]ies.

Fi-om the early days v.hen the fire-brand was used
as a light source, through the period of oil lamps -and
canilles, to the days of the Argand gas burners in 1784,
a reduction in area of light source took place; again,
fioiii the lime of the incandescent gas mantle and
caiboii-tilaiiicnt electric lamp, up to the present gasfilled
elicti-ic lamps, we find .another large increase in in-
trinsic ])rilliancy of light sources. It would, therefore,
appear likely that further increase and development
in efficiency will take jdace in the same direction, thus
making it imperative that in order to benefit by these
lain))s of higher etficieiicy, the practice of erecting
lanijis in the streets without any special fittings will
disa])pear, so th;it the full advantage of the new de-
velojiinents in tin- efHciency of light sources may be
utilised.

Reference to the writer's paper, read before the In-
stitution of IClectrical Engineers in 190."). indicates that
niucli of the ]irngress in street lighting was brought
ab.iiit bv the cumpetitinn of gas and electric light for
tills particular field. .Such competition was carried
out up to the outbreak of war, when examjiles such as
llie lighting f)f the City of London, Holborii, Manchester,
all t,{ which were the stdiject of the keenest competition,
icsulted in both illuminants being adopted, because
at that tinle it was proved that both could produce
till' desired results at approximately the same cost.
.Similar examples which a])ply to the less important
streets, as in .Marylebone, also proved the same thing,
but when it is borne in mind that the newer illuminant
had to bear certain ca])ital charges, which in the case
of the older illuminant had long since been written
off, it is obvious that, excluding capital charges, elec-
tricity had alreaily become less costly for street lighting
purposes.

A reference to the Gas World Year Book of 1920 will
show that in England. Scotland, and Wales there are
appi-oximately 670,000 street lamps lighted by gas.

The writer ha.s no data Ijefore him indicating the
niiiiilier of street lamps lighted by electricitj', but it
i< doubtful if it reaches one-tenth of Ihe above figure,
which indicates the large field open in this direction.
From the same authority it is possible to ascertain the

approximate price of gas in various towns, and to
note the increased cost since pre-war days. In order to
obtain this as regards public lighting an average has
been taken for towns where the number of street lamps
exceeds (A) 10,000, (B) about 5,000, (C) 1,000, (D) 300;
these figures are shown in Table I, in which the average
price per 1,000 cu. ft. for gas in the years 191-1 and
1920 is given.

Table I.

19l4 192u 1U14 H12U

11114

1!I2(I

1914 1920

2/2 4/2.i 2,3^ 4,1

2/7

4,7i

H/io 7;-

This table indicates that

the cost

of g.

is has increased

about 80 jier cent

In the case of eleclriial

eiierirv.

ll ].-

; interesting to

note fi'iiii the ]ud)lished re

turns th

at th.

r average pric;

r, rtived is as follows : -

■[\\v.

i.i: II.

D

I! -(id.

Data i.ot, obthiaed.
ler to give some relative
uminants for street light-
in conjunction • with the
for this purpose.

mantle.

■•'•

lumen

per

iiiatitle,'

.1

lumen

per

mantle.

..52.5

lumen

per

ITod. 2".\d.

The foregoiiig data, in or
idea of the cost of the two il
ing purposes, must be used
types of lamps now available

Dealing with gas first, the developments during the
war do not appear to be of a startling nature; the
latest figures published, namely, those by F. V. Wester-
maier in a paper read before the Illuminating En-
gineering Society of America (October, 1919) give the
luminous efficiency as follows : —

Low-pressure upright g
r.TH.a.

Low-pressure inverted g

B.TH.U.

High-pre.ssure inverted g

ll.TH.U.

With reference to high-pressure gas, Mr. Wester-
maier states that higher values h.ave l)een claimed (.7.")
to .90) by foreign manufacturers, but passes no further
remark except: "While its advantages are apparent,
there is not sufficient revenue obtainable from street
lighting alone to warrant the expenditure necessary
for installation of sjiecial mains and fixtures."

This also ajipears to be the case in England; it is
tlieref(u-e only necessary to consider the low-iiressure
mantles.

Taking gas at .")00 b.tii.u. per cu. ft., this rejiresents
a mean ilhiminating value of 200 lumens per cu. ft.
per hour or 1,000 lumens for .') cu. ft. of gas, which at
."lO pence per 1,000 cu. ft. of gas, is eijual to .2.5d. per
hour per 1 ,000 lumens.

During the wtir the gasfilled electric lamp (which,
due to the fact that under certain conditions, it will
given an efficiency of O..') watt per C.P., is sometimes
called the half-watt lamp) has been developed, and is
now il commerciiil article. This lamp in the smaller sizes
c(,mparable with low-pressure gas mantles, and at the
pressure generally supplied by electricity undertak-
ings, develops an average of 12,000 lumens per Kelvin
(Board of Trade unit) per hour, which at the average
jirice obtained. Table II, a, works out at ,a cost equal
to .Oll.id. per hour per 1,000 lumens, or .o8 per cent,
of that of gas in the same districts.

The same applies in nearly every class of district,
therefore it is obvious that the public lamps are not
being supplied with gas because it is cheaper as
an illuminating agent. In fact, with the modern
type of electric gasfilled lamps the luminous energy
produced can be so efficiently utilised as to reduce the
cost of electrical energy to a relatively small figure
compared with the other charges incidental to street
lighling. These other charges consist of lamp or mantle
renewals, labour in carrying out these renewals, clean-
ing, lighting, and extinguishing. As regards the rela-
tive cost of lamp and gas mantle renewals, the electrical
engineer is in a very sound position

he has the

602

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No 2,2«, novembke e, 1920.

choice of both gasfiUed and racuum lamps; the former
are at present more expensive, thus the increased cost
of renewals must be set oS against the greater efficiency.
In order to form an accurate judgment on this point
it is necessary that the engineer should not be misled
by the term "half-watt," wliich has led many lamp
factors to circulate most misleading figures. The more
responsible lamp makers have published with their price
lists the actual output of the lamps in lumens, which,
being a spherical factor, does not indicate the power in
the maximum direction, but this with the standard for-
mation of gasfiUed lamps of 100 watts and over varies
from 10 to 20 per cent, increase on the mean spherical
lesult, thus the actual maximum c.p. (which occurs
in the lower hemisphere) is equal to the luminous out-
l)ut divided by 12.57, plus 10 to 20 per cent.

The published tables and actual results in practice
indicate that the lumens per watt increase very consider-
ably with the size of the lamp, namely, from 12 to 1^,
depending on the pressure and current taken by the
lamp; for example, a 100 watt, 200/250 volt lamp is
scheduled at 1,200 lumens, or 96 mean spherical c.i'.
(about 115 maximum c.p.), whereas a 1,000 watt, 100
volt lamp is scheduled at 18,000 lumens, l.l-'Sn mean
spherical c.p. (or 1,700 maximum c.p.), thus on the
maximum, say, the latter has an efficiency of .59 watt
per C.P., whereas the former is a one-watt lamp on the
spherical basis.

In the case of the 60-watt, 200/260 volt gasfilled
lamp, the present efficiency is stated in the list before
me as 9.15 lumens per watt, which is very little better
than the vacuum lamp ; as one costs nearly double the
other and does not average the same life, it shotdd
only be used when special reasons demand it.

It must be borne in mind that the popularity of gas-
filled lamps is not only due to the increased luminous
efficiency, but in the smaller sizes, where this reason
does not exist, to the higher intrinsic brilliancy which,
due to the shorter wave length produced, gives an im-
pression of more light, and, in fact, does increase
visibility of objects with certain reflecting values, more
particularly the contrast between black and white, thus
making it easier to read.

Small area of the light source is generally a disad-
vantage, particularly in the case of street lamps, unles-:
this featiire is turned to advantage by the use of special
reflector systems, wlieu it can be made to increase the
eth(.'iency for that purpose to a degree which has hithertn
appeared iuii>ossible.

The eost of renewals must, therefore, Ite dealt with
in lonjuiutioTi with the other costs, as it bears no de-
tiiiite relation to the luminous output of each size of
unit ; for exaujple, a ."iOO-watt lamp giving four times
the luminous energy of a IOO-watt lamp costs less than
twice as miuh for renewals, thus the questii n of spac-
ing materially alfects the results, all of whicli will be
dealt witli in detail in the second article.

The ligliting. extinguishing, cleaning, ■ and attend-
aiiie with electric incandescent lamps, for well-known
reasons, co.<ts less than with any other systems of street
lighting; it is, therefoi'e. obvious that there are no
reasons why the hundreds of thousands of street lainps
now lighted with gas should not be changed over to
tlie more modern illumiiiiiiit i in jit that of the initial
cost of t!ie change ovei'.

The question is. will the inqjic.ved illumination and
the reduced annual expenditure warrant this cost at a
time when material and labour is expensive?

The.question can only be answered in figures, which
the ^Yrlter proposes to give in his next article; in the
meantime,, as food for reflection, it is well to remember
that private concerns, large companies, shopkeepers,
in fact everybody who could get it installed, have
adopted electric light, knowing that the cost of installa-
tion would bf well repaid bj- the saving effected. This
is in itself pioof that municipalities, and those bodies
who control the question of public lighting, would do
well to look into the question of the future saving to
be effected by modernising the lighting of the streets
and roads under their control.

AN ORDINARY TRIODE USED AS A
NEQATIVE RESISTANCE OSCILLATOR.

By JOHN SCOTT-TAGGART a.nd J. BEE.

Although it is not generally known, the ordinary E St,
R. or French valve, as commonly used, may be employed as
a negative resistance oscillator, by virtue of the phenomenon
of secondary electron emission utilised by Dr. Hull.

A suitable circuit is reproduced in the accompanying figure.
A potentiometer r is connected acroas a source of e.m.f.,
which may be a battery h, or 110- volt or 200- volt d.c.
mains. The actual voltage is not very material, nor is the
value of the resistance of importance. The grid o is con-
nected directly to the positive end of the potentiometer H,
the negative end of which goes to the filament. The anode p
is connected through the oscillatory circuit L c to a sliding
tapping T ; the anode potential may thus be varied, and
will be usually considerably less than that of the grid.
When this circuit is connected up, a suitable adjustment
of T will establish continuous oscillations in L c. The
explanation is that the anode current decreases as the anode

tfr^i22^-'l *'

W-

Circuit Diacram.

potential is increased, thus producing a negative resist-
ance in the circuit containing \, c. The very high positive
potential of the grid causes the electrons to strike a with
a sufficiently high velocity to liberate more secondary
electrons than the number of primary ones which
strike this electrode. These secondary electrons would
normally return again to the anode, but the higher
potential of the grid draws them away. As the potential
of A is increased, the number of secondary electrons (which
are immediately drawn away by the grid) increases very
rapidly, although the primary electrons increase hardly at
all. The anode thus loses more electrons than it gains.
Hence the negative resistance effect which will set up
oscillations in any kind of oscillatory circuit placed
between a and T. An iron-core low-frequency circuit is
" oscillated " as easily as a circuit of the highest frequency.
Moreover, the frequency of the oscillations is practically
equal to the natural frequency of the circuit. No troubh-
some retractor coils are used, and the arrangement provides
a means of obtaining alternations of any frequency.

THE INSTITUTION OFj ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERS.

TWHNICAL EUUCATION.

At till' luiilh niiiiiial ineetinp of the Western CVntro. held :it
the South Wnles Institute of Engineers, on October 18th, an
;i(ldresa on " Technical Education " was delivered by Frincipnl
C. Cole, B.Sc, of \\w Cardiff Technical ColleKe.- He
s^iid that o.tl'Hl students were eniolled at the Cardifi' Technical
College this session, -l.-^Oll of whom were evening .students.
Clas.ses were quite voluntary, and he estimated that the
technical education scheme of Cardift embiaced sometbinj!
like S.dOl) students, or .4 per cent, of its population. It was
hoped to convert some of the evening .clas^es into, part-time
<ta.v classes, as the strain of three evenings at .-ichool and
another .at liome was considerable, and left no time for social
enjoyment. They had one striking example of part-time day
clas.ses established this year, taking three afternoons and tw.o
evenings a week for the Inst and second year apprentices of
the electrical th'ins in the district. It was necessary to take
a three years' cour.'^e in their junior schools before completing
an apprenticeship. There was, however, the difficulty of
accommodation, in addition to which the peoi^le in Wales were
not keen on junior schools where manual lessons formed part
of the ctUTiculum: they preferred something approximating
to the secondary school. In England this system was making
lieadw.iy, but in Wales it was rather the reverse. The Prin-
cipal described the local scheme, which he hoped in time

Vol.87. No. 2,241, NovKMBBB 5, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

603

I

might lead to the installation , of a Faculty of Technology at
the University of Wales. -Referring to the 1918 Act, the
Principal said the effect of that Act would be a system of
new continuation schools. He thought there would be great
difficulty in applying the compulsory side of the Act. The
effect of the Act in technical colleges would, he considered, be
benehcial, and there was no reason why Oarditt should not
possess one of the finest engineering schools in the country.
I'hey had already £'2l),iXH) worth of equipment, and he wanted
employers to work and co-operate ^^•ith them. They were
making a point of introducing economics and social organisa-
tion which he considered would do something to bridge the
gulf between Capital and Labour. With regard to higher
work, he emphasised the necessity of co-operation between
various institutions in order to avoid overlapping and needless
expenditure.

Post Oitice Telephones.

Following the address by Principal Cole, a short remtmii of
what the Post Oftice was accomplishing was given by Sir
William Noble, who had attended a meeting of the Cardiff
Postal Engineers during the afternoon. Sir William .said the
Post Ottice telegraphs were ahead of any other country in the
world. There was no invention appertaining to telegraphy
that did not first come to the British Post Othce, because the
inventor knew that not only ^^■ould the Post Othce help him,
but give his system a trial. He considered the mail, telegraph,
and telephone services should be controlled by the public.
The Post Oftice had no difliculty regarding money;
the Treasury did not grudge anything. As to brains,
he said that, apart from tho.se who were in manufacturers'
works, all the telephone experts were in the service of the Post
Office; they had at present in the engineering department
alone over '2(3,(XX) who were engaged on the telegraph and
telephone sides of the Post Office, and a good many more
could be employed, but the Past Office was ahead of the con-
tractors. Contractors could not supply more apparatus be-
cause of the shortage of raw materials. Apparatus was
unobtainable. Before the war no difficulty was experienceil
in getting from every one of the big contractors a minimum
of three miles of 3-in. cable for trunk mains work : they
were now very glad to get a mile of it.

Followmg an account of the P.O. staff's war service, Sir
William said that last financial year the Ti'easury allotted three
millions sterling for stores and apparatus, and contracts had
been placed for underground lines and exchange equip-
ment amountuig to two and a lialf -millons sterling,
but delivery was unobtainable, due to shortage of raw
materials. This year they were in the .same position ;
inquiries had been prepared, but they dared not .send them
out. Before the war a job took a contractor six months.
now for similar work delivery would not be guaranteed for
twelve montlis. A 10,00fl-line exchange would have been
completed in a year, the earliest delivery now was two years.
A conti'actor informed him only the other day that he could
not deal with any further tenders until next March. He could
assure them it was no fault of the Post Office, their trouble
was shortage fif raw materials and labour. At Cardiff orders
for necessary extensions had been placed many months ago,
but the contractor had not even started. Plans had been
passed for work at Cardiff' for 33 years ahead. Concerning
automatic telephones, there was very little to choose between
the automatic and the " C.B." systems, when they had a
plentiful supply of skilled operators. There was not a single
full automatic exchange in America, but the British Post
Office had already installed automatics at Leeds, Portsmouth,
Xewbury, &c. The automatics had l)een " proved in," and
it was the mtention of the Post Office to proceed with them.
The Americans only excelled in their trunk systems, their
local sert'ice was not any better than our own. Much of the
siV-'cess attained by .Xinei'ica was largely due to I'esearch
work. Sir William, in comludmg. coun.selled p:itience.

THE AIR CONFERENCE, 1920.

The -Vir Conference, consisting of represent;itivcs of aviation
in all its many branches, was held, by the courtesy of the
Ijprd Mayor, in the London Ouildhall. and lasted for three
days, from October l'2th to 14th. It was organised by the
Ministry of .^ir with the object of bringing together interested
persons under such conditions that urgent problems could
be discussed with the knowledge that resolutions of the Con-
ference, arrived at after much discussion, would be welcomed
by the Ministry as being of assistance to the Secretary of
State for War and Air. The Conference was well attended;
the Lord Mayor welcomed the members, and Loi'd Montagu
of Beaulieu, I^ord Weir of Eastwood, Lord Beatty, and Lord
Ijondonderry, I'nder Secretary of State for Ail-, presided in
turn, and the audience was able to learn at first hand ofticial
views on the subjects under discussion. The Conference was
widely representative, and although not of direct interest to
owr readers, .some of the statements in the various papers
that were read and discussed are worthy of consideration ;
for instance : —

Commander Sir TliEvon Dawsox, Bart., R.X.. in the cour.se
of his paper on " The Commercial Airship — Its Operation
and Construction," said that postal services by airship would

fill the gap between cable commtmication and the present
mail services. .-V letter weighing an ounce could contain
some thousands of words, and if the cost of cabling only a
single word were charged for its carriage by air, the airship
transport company would be handsomely remunerated. With
regard to the danger of passing through electrical storms,
information had been published that the German airship
Bodensec had actually passed through an electrical discharge
without other damage than the burning of the wireless aerial.
There was no reason why airships should ever encounter the
violent thunderstorms and cyclones which occurred m various
parts of the world, as such storms extend over a very small
area, and there should be no difficulty whatever in the airship
being able to avoid them. Means of signalling at night
were essential, and the wireless equipment should be such as
to enable an airship en voyage to be in constant communica-
tion with the nearest base.

Captain P. S. B.4Knwei,l, Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical
Societv, in his paper on " The Technical Aspects of Service
and Civil Aviation," said that should it be found practicable
to disjiense with the electrical ignition, even if only after
" warming up," it would mean considerable increase in
reliabilitv. The transmission between the conti-ols and the
control surfaces was confined at present to cables running
over pullevs and through guides. It seemed conceivable that
some sy.stem of either hydraulic, or electrical, transmission
might be worked out, and if such a system could be made
as reliable as the direct, though often tortuous, cable, it would
probably be smoother in working, and easier to install. The
logical "development of the idea was the servo-motor. W'hen
they built really large aeroplanes it would probably be found
the" best practice to work all controls dhectly by .servo-motors,
the leads becoming hydraulic piping or electrical cables.

Mr. H. White-Smith, chairman of the Society of British
Ahcraft Constructors, Ltd., in his paper on " The Creation
of Civil Aircraft in Relation to the Constructor," said that
nearly all forced landings of machines pointed to the necessity
of all machines being fitted with wireless telephones, together
with directional wireless apparatus being installed at the
terminal and intermediate aerodromes, as. in each case, had
that been done, it should have been possible to complete the
riights successfully. Most of the transport companies of to-day
were anxious to have wireless telephones fitted to then-
machines as soon as possible, but, while that was not diffi-
cult, there still remained a certain amount of work to be done
in perfecting the ground organisation at the foreign aero-
dromes for the wireless telephone and the installation of
directional wireless apparatus. The importance of having
wireless fitted to all machines could not be over-estimated,
although without the co-operation of an efficient inter-
national ground organisation, it would be of little value. The
present position cannot be considered satisfactory, and he
pressed on the Air Ministry the importance, in the interests
of civil aviation, of continuing to perfect the wireless ground
organisation in this country, and also of endeavouring to
persuade foreign Governments to take similar steps. Froui
the aircraft constructor's point of view the installation of
wireless presented little difficulty, but he suggested that in
future the constructor and the wireless expert should co-
opei'ate to ensure the correct and convenient installation of
all apparatus. It was possible, by the production of suitable
instruments and the development of directional wireless, to
make aircraft more independent of fog than other modes of
travel. It would be entirely in the interests of commercial
aviation if the Government could carry out a .series of experi-
ments to determine the best form of ai'rangeinent.s for
lighting up aerodromes and for landing purposes at night.
Constructors, in conjunction with the lighting experts, .should
try to perfect .some means whereby aeroplanes fiying by night
would be able to carry with them apiiaratus whereby they
could light up the ground underneath, and give them .some
reasonable chance nf landing in safety. The apparatus so
far produced did not by any means luei't the need which,
sooner or later, must arise.

Major-General Sii- 1". II. Svkes, Controller-General of Civil
.\viation, dealt with the subject of " Civil Aviation and .\ir
Services," and said, iiitrr alia, that the .safety of air-
craft depended largely upon their engines perhaps even
more upon their accessories, ignition systems for example.
kn important factor was the efiicient te.sting of materials, and
the use of X-rays to reveal flaws in timber bad proved
valuable. In estimating the factors making for reliability
they must take into consideration the importance of the
timely issue of weather forecasts, and devices for " direction
finding " by wireless in cloudy and misty weather. A problem
of considerable difficulty was the ground organisnti(jn for night
flying. .Serial lighthouses had been in operation for some
nionths at Biggin Hill and Croydon, another would shortly
be located at Lympne, and a third between London and
Folkestone. Permanent electric landing-lights and lights
marking buildings were being installed, and experiments were
being made in the use of a .searchlight for showing up obstruc-
tions on the aerodrome, the illumination of w^ireless towers
and flood lights. Another important factor in the organisation
of air navigation by night and in fog or mist, was the in-
stallation of an efficient wireless direction-finding and wireless
telephone system. The direction-finding apparatus installed
at Crovdon enabled aircraft to correct their course at night,
or in thick weather. He hnpressed upon aviation transport
fijms the great imtiortance in the interests of safety and

(i04

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [voi.87. No.2,2ii,novembeb5,i92o.

regularity of every commercial machiae being equipped with
wireless. A ma<;hine thus equipped with directiunal
wireless could ask for aud check its bearings as often
as necessary. An interesting instance of the value of
wireless teielihony was ali^,.aed leceutly when an aeroplane
with ten passengers on board which wa.s forced to land at
St. Ingleveit alter dark wa.s able to a.sk for landing lights
from the air. By a combination of wire and wireless, it
was now possible to speak from an aeroplane to an office in
Jjondon, via Croydon, and vice versa. \\ u-eless stations had
also been opened at the civil aerodromes at Castle Bromwjch,
iJidsbury, and Kenfrew. The time required for a wireless
message to pass between the sender at the London terminal
aerodrome and the recipient at Paris had been reduced to
an average often to twelve minutes. British proposals for the
new International Radio-lelegraph aud lelegraph Convention,
which were being laid before the International Conference
at \\ ashiugton, included those connected W'ith all forms of
communication to and from aircraft. Meteorology was largely
dependent upon good communications, such as by wireless,
and the communications branch of the Department of Civil
Aviation was able to give much as.sistance. The introduction
of wirele.ss telegraphy and its wide adoption by the mercan-
tile marines of all countries had also provided means for
placing at the disposal of meteorologists the observations over
the sea for u.se in tlie preparation of forecasts. The equip-
ment of lightships with wireless might in the future provide
further a.ssi.stance in this direction.

Air Vice-Marshall Sir E. L. Ei.li.nutox, Director-General
nf Supply and Research, in a paper on " The Present Position
of Aircraft Research and Contemplated Developments," said
they «pre developing two engines wbidi were quite ditterent
Ironi the normal aeronautical engine. As regarded landing
lights, since flares could not be put out and relit, a
system of electric lamps to lie carried on the wings
was being developed in sub.stitution of the wing-tip Hares,
.so that a pilot could switch the lamps on and off as
I'equired. 'J here were two methods now under investigation
for indicating to the pilot liis exact height above the ground
;irid his jioMtion with regard to the aerodrome. The first
made use of the sound given out by the engine. A number (jf
mici-ophones were arranged .symmetrically over a considerable
area. Means were provided by which a microjihone only
leceived the sound ol the engine when the machine was pas-
sing through the cone of the atmosphere at the apex of which
the microphone was located. The time taken by the maclihu-
l)etween entering one cone and entering the next gave the
speed over the ground, observations from a number of in-
strument.s whose positions were known gave the direction of
llight, and from the speed, the time taken to travei-.-^e com-
.pletely a cone and the angle of the cone which was known,
the height could be calculated. Thus the cour.s«', the height
above the ground, and tlie sjx>ed over the ground could be
iiscertained, and sent to the pilot in the machine by wiieless
telephone or telegrajih. .A further development consisted in
having the sound producer on the ground ami the receiving
app.iratus in the aeioplaiu>. A cone of sound was formed,
directed upwards at a suitable angle, and the pilot flew down
that cone of .sound in ordei- to ivacii tlie aefodi-ome. Wlien
electrical oscillations were .set up in any circuit, the fre(|Uency
of the oscillations de)iended, iiiirr aliii. upon the idectrical
capacity of that circuit. Jn the " J^'oximeter " two conduct-
ing surfa-es were fi.\ed on the under sides of the planes and
had a capacity effect between them. When a third conduchir,
such as tlie sea or wet earth was br.)i.ght near to Ibem, their
mutual capacity effect was altered. Consequently the frequency
(if the oscillations in the aei'oplane circuits would be altered
and the amount oi' alteration would depend on the distance
Iclween the aeroplane and the third conductor (wet earth or
sea). A simll lamp in .series with an independent circuit
could, by suitable couplings, be made to glow whenever the
natural frequency of that circuit was in tune with the one
menlioned abovi^. By arranging a series of such lamps and
iniiependent circuits, each of which varied slightly in fre-
quency, it should be possible to get each one successively in
tune with the original circuit and consequently to get each
lanui in succession to glow as the machine approaclied the
e.irth. Protect iai against fire due to sparks from magnetos
was being sought by making them fireproof, and the problem
had been under investigation at the National Physical Labora-
t!)ry and the Royal .Aircraft Establishment for .some months.
Mechanii'al means of .starting aero-engines were being de-
veloped. .-\ starter which was uo part of the machine, but of
(he aerodrome equipment, could now be provided, and two
patterns had been tried successfully. The design of a starting
aojuralus witl.in ))eriiiis.sible weights which firmed jiart ol'
the r.eroplaue or enuine was a matter of much greater difii-
culty. Various methods of charging the cylinders and firing
them by means of an auxi'.iary in-igneto had been tried
without comnlete success. .An auxiliary engine for the pur-
pose was being tried which .showed considerable promise nf
suore.ss. The total weight of the apparatus wa."- approximatelv
40 lb.

TURKEY: AN UNDEVELOPED MARKET.

For the electrical manufacturer, the development of trade
with Turkey lies in the fairly distant future rather than iu
any near prn.spect. It is, liowevei-, satisfactory to learn
from the leport of H.M. Commercial Secretary at Constan-
tinople that Britain's commerce stands high, and can hold its
place despite the disadvantages resulting from her geographi-
cal position, from which, among.st her competitors, the Cnited
States and Japan alone are likely to suffer. These latter
countries are two which offer very active competition in the
world's markets, in electrical lines.

Electricity was scarcely used in Turkey
Use of during the reign of .Abdul Ilaniid, who,

Electricity. it is said, thought that dynamo and dyna-
mite were identical. Private installations
for electric lighting were not unknown in Constantinople
during the latter years of his rule, but it was impossil)le to
secure any concession for producing electricity for public use.
.\fter the revolution of 1908, however, the tramways were
bought up by a German combination, called the I'niou Otto-
mane. Societe pour Entrepri.ses Electriques en Orient, domi-
ciled at Zurich, and working through the Deutsche Orient
Bank. This combination, which is somewhat similar in
char.aeter, and probably in composition, to the Banque de
Chemins de fer Orientaux, obtained authority to construct
many new lines, to run tramways over the new bridge be-
tween Cialata and Stamboul, and to work the system by
electricity. Subsequently it secured concessions to supply the
whole of Constantinople with electric light aud power, though
it was not till the spring of IPH that its efforts were finally
successful. The total value of these various concessions i...
of cour.se, very great.

The following are the companies forming the group known
as the Societe Financiere de Transports et d'Entrepriscs
Industrielles; Les Tramways de Constantinople; I^a Societe
Ottomane d'Electricite; La Societe du Tunnel (funiculaire) :
La Societe du Metropolitain (this company has not yet com
menced working).

The company is entirely Belgian, and has been e.sfablishe.l
in Brussels for the last ].") years. The trust is under the
management of Mr. Daniel Heineman, an engineer, of North
.Vmerican birth and nationality, two Belgian directors, and
c:ne .American director, and all the rest of the staff' is Belgian.
The capital inve.sted in the various enterprises of the trust
repi-e.sents nearly I ,IKKl,OtlO,(KlO fr. When this company de-
cided to take up the various conce.s.sions in Constantinople
these were under .separate management.

The question arising of electrifying the tramways and creat-
ing an electric plant, all the different concerns were groupeil
together under one concessi(m. which created the Societ.'
Beige des Tramways et Electricity? de Con.stantinople, a com-
pany which holds the largest amount of shares in each of
the sub-societies. The sub.scribers to the Belgian company are
international, and the following yives an idea of the share
snbscriliiMl bv ilie various n:ili(inalitii's : —

Fr.

Cenniin •2;i.0(in,IWI0

]''rench

Belgian

Swiss

Miingariiin

Group t;in>s Luuchcr, r..ris

;N).(WKl,(Hil(
The Constantinople public holds .shares amounting to
J!l,INIil,l)l)0 fr. of an is.sue made during the war in Constan-
tinople.

.AH the material for the tramways, such as rails and aerial
lim-s, came from Belgium, cars from Germany and Belgium,
cables from Prance. ' The material of the " Societ.> d'Elec-
tricite " was furni.shed by the firm of Ganz. Budapest, the
engines, transformers, and cable sy.-^tein by G. Loucheiir.
]'aris.

'1 here is notliing to be done in selling electrical material
until the Conference dehnitely decides the fate of Turkey,
as. although most of the towns in the interior want to carry
out electrical installations, the necessary financial arrange-
ments cannot be made. -A large quantity of electrical fittings.
iVc.. of Italian and German manufacture, liave come on t!i<'
market.

\s far as machinery geneiMJIy is concerned, there is a big
demind for all kinds of wool-working machines and agricul-
tural me-hines. but deliveries from the I'liited Kingdom are
\ery unsatisfactory.

It m;iy be menliin<Ml that a very .strong

Meeting American combinatinn with a capital of five

Competitioii. million dollars commenced operations in

Constanfinople during the summer, send-

:s from -\iiieriea with their goods, and on

Inrrirs 1,> ,1,-lirrr Ihr unmh t.< tlirir riix-

bo:

New Research Association. — A licence lias been issued

by the Bnfird of Trade tn ttie Briti«h Motor Cycle and Pycle car
Rtpenrch A=80c'ation. which may b^ appronched through Major
11. R. Watling, " The Towera, " Warwick Road, Coventry.

iiig at intervals
their boats " n
Idiiiern."

Ft mu.st be borne in mind that, altlioiigh for the time
being Germ. my and .\nstrin are not in a position to trade,
before the wai' they hail almost captured the market in metals
and some few nther articles, and in the near future are almost
sure tn make the same attempt again.

Vol. 87. No. 2,241, NovMBKB 5, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

t05

It Las beeu found that the British manufacturer places him-
self at a disadvantage by quoting in most cases f.o.b. "United
Kingdom port. The advantage to all communities of c.i.f.
over f.o.b. prices is apparent, the more so iu places like
Turkey, with a big native population, where, through fierce
competition among native dealers, the margin of profit in
normal times can only be narrow.

German firms especially were greatly assisted by the large
informntion oftices, which were in a position to fm'nish detailed
reports on the standing of every possible purchaser of their
giKjds, thereliy checking their representative's report, and
avoiding dealings with all duliious cu.'itomors. This facility
is now available for T'niteil Kingdom traders by applying
to the Commercial Secretary attached to the High Commis-
sion at Constantinople.

There is a Briti.^h Chand)er of Commerce at Constantinoiile,
one at Smyrna, and in addition there ari^ French, American,
< )reek. and Turkish Chambers of Commerce. Public exchanges
are unknown.

British traders are urged to exercise great care in arranging
their representation in the Turkish market, and in entering
into business with firms or individuals whose credit has not
been properly certified and proved. The above-mentioned
organisations can be of assistance in this respect.

Out of '2.S-2 industrial establi.shments ex-
Industry isting in Turkey, 249 installations are
and Fuel. worked liy power furnished by steam en-
gines. Petrol and benzine engines are
M'condarx . (July in Constantinople are electric power plants
found. Native, coal is u.sed for combustion.

The personnel of the factories totalled up to lii.'-IT.") woik-
nien in 1!)18. but owing to the war there were only 14,<Nilt in
101.5. No new industries have beeu comiuenced since the
Armistice.

About one half the manufacturing enterprises of the country
are carried on in the neighbonrbimd of Constantinople, thus
showing that the capital ranks first as the industrial centre
of the Ottoman Empire with regard to the number of work-
men employed and value of production. The Smyrna area
comes next with 59 factories, then Brous.so with 4<i.

With regard to fuel supply, Turkey during the war received
a regular supply of coal from (iermany. In addition, the
Turkish Heraclea coal field had been under military supervi-
sion and forced labour employed there. This labour is now
dispersed. An Allied Coal Commis.sion was formed to cope
with the .shortage, and reported various needs as follows: —

Anatolian Railway, with a consumption of 300 tons dai'y.
Oriental Railway, with a consumption of KX) tons daily, elec-
tiic light works with a consumption of 150 tons daily, water
supply, mills, &c.

.\u inspecting officer was .sent out to the Heraclea coal field
and reported that the then actual output was barely 1.50 tons
per day. but with proper organisation and a sufficient supply
of labour the output should meet full requirements by the
end of January. This view turned out, however, to be
optimistic.

ft was insi.stfd tliat the Turkish Oovernment should take
definite and urgent action in supplying labour. an<l during the
month of .7anuary the Heraclea mines succeeding in iiro-
ducing 801.1 tons <lailv, which in Pebruarv increased to (VKl
and later to ^.(KH) tons daily (at T.30 per ton).

Urgent efforts are being made to increase the outjjut of tin'
.-\ya.sma lignite mine situated some two hours only from
C'mstantinople. The difficulty up to the jiresent has been
the question of labour. Recently 'JK) Chinese have been
imported, and it is hoped when this mine reaches its full
output theic w ill be a marked improvement in the fuel situa-
tion in Constantinople.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received by ut after 6 P.M. ON TUESDAY cannot appear rnitil
the following week. Correspondents should forward thsir communi-
cations at the earliest possible nwment. No letter can be published
unless we have the writer's name and address in our possessum.

Road Transport.

In reply to the letter appearing in your i,ssue of the 15th
inst. from the Hon. Secretary. Institute of Transport, it
appears that my previous letter has been incorrectly read by
Mr. H. S. Blair, as I distinctly referred to " those who have
consented to become members of the Council," and .said that
■" with the exception of Sir H. P. Maybury, I fail to find in
the hst the names of any who are ac-quaintiMJ wifli modern
111 id work."

(htoher -mh, 19'20.

Tractor.

Cost of Living in India.

In your issue of March '26th last, there appeared a \erv
interesting letter on the above subject from " West India."
At the time I read it I had no idea of going to India, but now
I arn offered an appointment in Bombay, and if any of your
readers can furnish any further particulars on this subject, I
am sure they would be of very general interest and assistance.

Ill niy case, I am a married man, and owing to the housing
qiiestiun, \\Wu\i apjiears to lie worse in Bombay than iq

England, I shall not be able to take my wife out for twelve
months. Incidentally, I could not afEord to pay her passage
out at present, and therefore I must keep myself in India,
my wife at home, and also a boy at school.

One does not wish to go to India unless one can put some-
thing by, which. should be fairly substantial, and if any of
your readers can say what, under these circumstances, an
average salary should be, allowing for reasonable comfort
and entertainment, which I believe is essential in India, I
should feel very much obliged.

May I put it this way : If i'tiOO per annum will meet one's
needs iu this country, what should one expect to receive in
India'?

Then, is it usual for the employer to make an allowance
towards co-st of outfit; if so. how much'.'

\\'hat are the usual terms of agreement for a five-years'
apjiointment'i' Is it customary to allow six months' leave at
the termination of the agreement, with pay, whether returning
or not'?

What is the customary procedure iu the event of prolonged
illness''

What clubs should one join, and what, approximately, are
the sub.scriptions'?

Is it usual to have any clause in an agreement for five years,
whereliy tjie appointment may be terminated at an earlier
ilitt*-''' " M.I.E.E.

October 'llth, 1920.
r.A note on p. 117 of our .lauuary 'l-ivd. 1920, i.ssue, and
letters in our " Correspondence " columns, p. 414, September
2(ith. 1919; p. 415, March •26th; p. 618, May 14th; p. 107,
,luly 23rd; p. 173, August 6th, 1920. will furnish information
on the above .subject.— Eds. Elec. Rev.]

Mechanical Details of D.C. Armature Construction.

Referring to the article you publish this week by " Loudon
Foreman," I cannot imagine a firm to-day which could afford
to adopt the suggestions or methods which he expounds, and
run a profitable business.

I have been on every class of work from small machines
up to .\.c. and d.c. turbines; also Admiralty work such as
submarine main motors and battleship generators, and even
these do not depart from the straight bored spider, which is
only in special cases made of cast steel, in place of cast iron.
The flanges forged solid with the shaft suggestion takes us
back to the days when Mr. Elwell Barker commenced business.

The slack fitting spider which is so humorously supposed to
be the cause of all trouble and expense, has no connection
with the foreman, but with his book, " returns of wasters."
The use or rejection is decided to-day only by the inspector,
and he only is responsible.

Perhaps "" London Foreman " may find the following in-
teresting books worth looking at now and again : " Armature
Construction, Electric Motors," by H. M. Hobart; "Dynamo
Design." by G. Kapp; " Design and Specification of Dynamos,"
by Miles Walker; " Commutator Construction," by R. Living-
^^'>"e- W. S. Daniels.

Leeds, October mh, 1920.

Power Factor.

I expect you feel that the discussion on power factor has
continued long enough, but Mr. C. Turnbull's article in your
current issue leaves me no course but again to enter the
field. Whilst carefully setting out my oversight, which I
admitted and corrected without assistance or criticism to call
my attention to it (my letter was written and dated Septem-
ber 19th, and would have appeared the same week as Mr.
Turnbull's reply but for pressure on your space), he carefully
does not admit the oversight he made, which I criticised, but
covers it by quoting the true state of affairs from Dr. Thonii)-
son's valued w^orks, as if that were his statement all along.

Then he goes on to state : "If the periodicity were reduced
to one per two minutes ... on nearly wattless load, we
would see that it was running on load for one minute, whilst
during the next minute the current would be surging back
and motoring the generator." Again the same error as the
one I criticised. The earlier part of the article is the proof.
When the current is sm-ging back for the second minute
there will be power from the generator for i minute and
power back motoring for ^ minute, partial periods IV and I
being equal, for " wattless " or " quadrature " current, to
use my suggested term. The power does not follow the
current, but follows the rate of change of the current which
in turn' causes the alternating magnetic flux.

I believe I could explain to any hard-headed business man
how this alternating power, in maintaining his alternating
magnets, causes " electi'ical friction " losses in the circuits
and necessitates larger plant to all concerned, without any
analogies, and I shall never use the banker's analogy, becau.'^i'
it is not a true one. In one case the supply company charges
the consumer for allowing current to come to his motors and
be returned, whilst in the other the banker who receives and
returns the "wattless" money charges the money- supplier.
As Mr. Dorey aptly quoted — " when they are good they are
very, very good, &c." Q^^^g^ j|_ Hi^rvey, B.Sc. Lend.

Ponders End.
October 31sf, 1920.

606

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,241, November 5, 1920.

LEGAL.

MlDDLESBROCGU TEAMWAY ^VflBlIiiAIlON .

Mb. .IrsTiCE Rowlatt, in the King's Bench Division, ou
October 26th, had before him a special case stated on an
arbitration between the Imperial Ti-amways Co., Ltd.. and
the Corporations of Middlesbrough, Thornley, and Stockton-
on-Tees, relating to the purchase by the three boroughs named
of the tramway undertaking in their area.

Counsel for the Tramways Co. announced that the Corpora-
tions had decided not to contest the award of the arbitrator
;is to the amount payable for the acquisition of the tramway
undertakings.

Mr. E0STACE Hills, K.C, for the Coriwrations, assented
to tht^ statement, and his lordship made an order confirming
tlie award, and giving costs to the Tramways Co.

Oldham Tramway Akbitration.
Mr. Justice Eowlatt, in the King's Bench Division, on
October 27 tb, had before him for decision u special case
arising out of an arbitration relating to the compulsory
purchase by the Ashton-under-Lyne and Hyde Corporations
and the Auden.shaw and Denton Urban Councils of the
tramway undertaking of the Oldham, Ash ton & Hyde Electric
Tramway, Ltd.

Mr. Knox, K.C, for the municipal authorities, said the
points raised by special case were what items in calculating
the cost of the tramways were subject to depreciation. The
arbitrator found with regard to certain items that no deprecia-
tion ought to be made in calculating the purchase price.
1 he Corporations concerned contended that these items should
be reduced by allowances for depreciation. The first it^ni was
engineering. The arbitrator had found in favour of local
authorities on that item that allowance should be made for
depreciation. \Yith regard to other items for prehniinary
expenses, cost of raising capital, interest on capital during
construction, and cost of temporarily removing part of the
tramway owing to alterations to Guide Bridge, the arbiti'ator
made no allowance for depreciation. The arbitrator had
awarded £142,174 as the value of the tramway undertaking
on May 1st, 1918. taking into account depreciation, but, said
counsel, no depreciation was allowed in respect of the items
he had mentioned, and in respect of these items the local
authorities contended that either nothing should be allowed
in the purchase price, or if it w'as allowed, it should be
subject to depreciation as part of the tramway as a structure.

Mr. Clode, K.C, for the Tramway Co.. argued that
whether depreciation should be taken into account or not
in respect of the items challenged was a question of fact
entirely at the discretion of the arbitrator, and the Court
ought not to interfere with his findings.

Ml'. .Tustice RdWLATT. in giving judgment, said the proper
method of arriving at the purchase price of the tramway was
to take the cost of the undertaking as a profitable concern
subject to depreciation. In his opinion the arbitrator was
justified in making allowance for preliminai'y expenses. Cost
of raising capital was an item \\hich could not be allowed,
Imt interest on capital during construction was part of the
cost of the tramway, and the arbitrator had rightly made
allouance for that item. He could not see that the expense
of altering (iuide Bridge was part of the expense of con-
structing the tramway ; therefore, the arbitrator was not
right in making allowance for that it<>in. His lordship sup-
Ported the arbitrator's view that the round figure he took
for preliminary expenses was a non-depreciable article, and
nothing should be deducted for depreciation. Interest on
capital was depreciable with the capital on which it was
interest, nart of which was depreciable and part non-depre-
ciable. The award must, therefore, go back to the arbitrator
for an;)lvi-is and adjustment of that item. Tliere would be
no iird.T :is to (wts.

Damagl's Awarded Aoaix.st Newcastue" Corporation.

At Newcastle-on-Tyne County Court, on November 1st. the
T'nder-Siieriff (Mr. ,T. H. YouU) sat with a jury to assess
damages in an action arising out of a tramcar accident,
lirought by Mr. James William Dobson, carrier, of Seatou
Delaval. and his wife, against the City Corporation. The
Hsbilitv- of the defendants had be.en admitted, and the case
had been remitted fnjin the High Court for the assessment
of dam.ages.

Mr. E. Meyxell. for the plaintiffs, said Dobson was. at
In p m. on .January Sth last, proceedmg to Seaton Delaval with
two carts, and was walking on the left-hand side of the
second cart; Mrs. Dobson was on the right-hand side. When
a short distance from the city, Mrs. Dobson saw a tramcar
approaching behind, and shout«.'d, but before the carts could

get clear, the car ran into the ba<:k of the second cart. Mr.
Dobson received a compound fracture of the right arm and
a scalp wound. Mrs. Dobson was suffering from shock, "ttie
claim was for personal injuries, wages for a man who had to
be engaged during Mr. Dobson's disablement; for the upkeep
of a horse till it died, the value of the horse, <S:c.

Mr. H. S. MuxDAHL. for the Corporation, said it was wUlilig
tt) give the Dobsons reasonable compensation, but he asked
the jury not to treat it as a windfall for Dobson.

Mr. Dobson gave, evidence about various payments. He said
he had novv a motor car, but his nerves were so bad be
could not drive it in the busy thoroughfares of the city.

Ml-. CoLLixciwoon Stewart, consulting surgeon, .said th^re
was now nothing in Dobson's condition to interfere with his
working ability.

The jury assessed damages for personal injuries to Mr.
Dobson at £200. and to Mrs. Dobson at £.50; other items
brought the total to £471.

Carmarthen Electricity Supply.
On November 1st, the King's Bench Divisional Court, con-
sisting of Justices Eow'latt and McCardie, heard the appeal
of the Carmarthen Electric Supply Co., Ltd., from a decision
of the County Court Judge at Carmarthen given in favour of
Mr. H. W. Thomas, of Queen Street, Carmarthen, against
whom an action had been brought by the company in respect
of the supply of electricity.

Mr. Clayton, K.C, for the company, said the amount in
dispute was extremely small, but the matter was one of
very great importance, because it related to the cost of the
supply of electric Ught to the borough of Carmarthen, and
whether a particular order regarding the increase in the cost
owing to the w'ar was effective or not. The defendant was
charged for the quarter between September 29th and Decem-
ber 3.5th, 1919, for 129 units at the rat<' of 9d. per u&it,
£4 16s. 9d. He paid at the rate of 7d. per unit— £3 1.5s. 33..
and it was for the balance that he was .sued. The Cou6ty
Court Judge held that the company, which was the Ughtifeg
authority for the borough of Carmarthen, was not entitled
to charge at the rate of 9d. without the con.sent of the Car-
marthen Corporation, and that that consent had not been
given. To that there were three answers. Krst. that the
consent had in fact been given. Secondly, that the consent
was wholly unnecessary, because this was not an agreenitiit
that related to the lighting of public streets, and consent
was only required under the original terms of payment, and
did not apply to these emergency powers that were given
by the statute passed owing to the extra expenses of manu-
facture caused by the war. Thirdly, that any agreement to
which consent W-as required was an agreement between the
plaintitt company and the Corporation, and as the defendant
was not a party to the agreement, he had no right either to
enforce it or take advantage of it. The Judge held that
he was in substance a party because he was a burgess, biit
if that were so it would mean that any burgess could eiie
upon any contract entered into by the Corporation.

Mr. Justice McCardie ; .^nd he would have the privilege
of being sued.

Mr. E. C Vaiohan, for the respondent, contended that the
company had no right to raise the charge above 7d. tvpr
unit, which was the limit fixed in its agreement with' the
Corporation, unless a fresh agreement was entered into-

Mr. Justice Eowlatt said he could not see the slightest
answer to the company's demand.

Mr. Justice McCardie agreed. The appeal was accordingly
allow'ed, and judgment entered for the plaintiff company with
costs.

Claim for Commission.
At Lambeth County Court, before Deputy Judge Hodges, on
Friday last, Braithwaite C Rayner, engineer, of 9. Eegent
Street, London, brought an action against the Telegraph
Condenser Co., Ltd., of Vauxhall . Street. Kennington. to
recover £100, one month's proportion of commission on the
sale of electric sparking plug testers.

Plaintiff stated that he entered into an agreement to sell
the plug testers on a commission of one shilling for every one
sold. By mutual arrangement he devoted the whole of hi.->
time to this, guaranteeing a sale of 20,0ti0 in the first year.
He started .selling them on October 18th last year, and
received in commission £875. He stopped selling in March,
when there was some dispute as tq the amount of commission
due to him. He prepared a return showing that £767 was
still due. and he had an interview with Mr. Dearlow. manag-
ing director, and Mr. Cole, the manager, .-^s a result they
:igreed to accept his figures as to £767 being 3ue to him.
Mud he then received a cheque for £1.3(1 on account. The
balance was to be paid flW a month. In May. June, and
■luly he received £10(i, but not in .\Hgust, and it was the
tUX) due to him m August that he was no^w suing for. He
produced correspondence in which defendants agreed to pa\
him as stated.

Deputy .Judge Hodges said the letters showed that the
commission was due to the plaintiff, and that defendafits
agreed to pay it at the rate of firiO a month. He gave
iudgnu-iit for plaintiff for .tldO claimed, with cobts.

Vol. 87. No. 2,241, NovEMBEB 6, 1920.] 1 THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

607

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

FmiJeri^ are invi/cil ti> siihmif jiiirtiiii/iirs nf new or improved deiices uiid </i</iiirritii.s. n/iic/t icil/ he piili/is/ied
if ronxidered of sufficient interesl.

An Llectrically Distance^Controlled Searchlight.

Fig. 1 shows an electrically distaoce-controlleil searchlight,
(it which the London Ei.ectkic Fiiiii, Brighton Koad, Croy-
ilou, has made considcr.ible numbers lately. This machine is
(if very strong construction, l)eing made generally on the
lines of this firm's '24-in. naval projector, the candle power
at the arc with normal current being 25.000.

A patent combined automatic and hand feed lamp is fitted,
which enables the change-over to be made without interfering
with the light. A separate controller is employed, and the
machine is provided with separate motors for operating each

A New Siren.

A hircn with a reverberating note similar in tone to the
fog signals familiar to British shipping is the " City " siren.
It is constructed upon the same principle as the larger fog
and harbour signal, and has a wide field of ajjplication in
a*'rodrouies, docks, factories, shipyards, itc, as a time signal
and hre alarm.

It consists of. a cast aluminiimi fan mounted on the spiudle
of a vertical motor running at a speed of approximately
•2,00(J K.p.M. This fan draws in aii' vertically and exix-ls it
horizontally through specially designed ports. The weather-

\NCE-C0NTK01.I,KD Sk.MJCHMCHT.

motion, both being titt<.'d within the base, and with the
exception of the elevating quadrant and pinion, all the gearing
is totally enclosed. Local hand control is provided with both
geared and free movements for tilting and training.

The construction of the searchlight generally is of sheet
steel, with cast steel supports and gun-metal fittings, although
when specially called for the ventilators are made of coppei'.
with gun-metal turntables. &c. In all ca.'^eR the turntables
are fitted with ball bearings.

The "A. and A." lilectric Radiator.

^ \ succesbfid attempt t(j depart from the usual " .standani "
lines of electric heaters has been made recently by the A. & A.
Electkical Co., I/td.. 13. Farringdon Road. E.C. 1. The
■■ S.. and A." electric radiator (lig. '.',) i.s designed witli excellent
taste, and can be placed in the centre of a room without de-
tracting from the room's appearance. It is very light in con-
struction, the frame being of aluminium and tlie case of Ught
sheet metal. Owing to this. le.ss heat is expended in raisiuL'
the temperature of the apparatus itself. The elements, which
have a range (if from iSO to 750 watts each, are of nickel-chm-
mjum wire spirals carried in silica tubes. Being in.serted in
clips they are easily removable of replaced. The radiators are
constructed with either two or four bars. The four-bar tyjie
has two bars controlled by a switch on the radiator and twd
by the wall plug switch, thu.- f-omplying w-ith the standard
regulations. Verv strong hot air current.s^ are set up hv this
heater, as we had an opportunity of testing. The radiator is
finished in six separate stvles by a special process— oxidised
diver, bronze vert, old gold, dull copper, dull gold copper, and
aull copper bronze.

FiCi. 2. — 'I'hf, " City " Sihkn.

Fig. 3.— The " .'\.. .\nd A." Electhic R.4i)iiioK.

proof case in which the whole is mounted is fitted w'ith a
skirt s<j shaped as to distribute the sound waves towards all
points of the compass as will be seen from the illusti'ation
(fig. 2).

The motor shaft is mounted upon a ball thrust bearing,
and constitutes the only working part. The whole siren is
of robust bonstruction . and entirely suitable as a piece of ap-
paratus that cets a minimum of attention. It is made for
no or 220 volts. \.c. or d.c. J-H.r.— 1-mile tvoe. J-H.r.— 2-raile
type, by the CiTV Electrical Co., 1, Emerald Street, London,
W.C. 1.

608

THE ELECTRICA]' REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,241, November 5, 1920.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly for ihis juuinal by Messrs. Sefton-Jones. O'Dill ani
SilPHiNS. Chartered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numb.-rs in parentheses are thoee under which the gpecificaltont *ill h«
printed and abrijged, and all subsequent proceedings will be taken.

■J!>,:i;il. "Uru-h li..ld.i, ..( ilXnumoi and n.olurs." A. 11. .\v<.n, (i. Kii.l,
Lid., and I). K. I'lslor. OLtulier 181h.

a9,335. •• .Automatic telephone svslems." .Xuloin.ilif IVIepli.m.- .M.inul.ir-
luring Co., R. Mercer, and P. Webster. October I8th.

■i9..iTli. " Dvnaiuo el...!tric K.n^r.ilors for lighlini; cvdes. &c." J. It.
.Middklun and W. Willi.nns S: Co. October 18lh.

29,3KI. •■ filcctrical apparalu^." K. L. W. Mirn.'. ()il(,l..r l«lli.

•29,38L " .\pparalus for receiving and reproducing .suund," .\. I'. R.
Cotton and E. \V. C. Kussell. October 18th.

a),3«5. "Electric indicator bo.wds, Sc." E. (.. i:iiU->un and K. V,. Ji.m..s-
suri. CJciobBr 18lh.

2!).«r. ■• Thermally aclual.d switches." V. W. H..k.r. Ocli.I.er IHlh.

Sa.ihi. " Manufacture of regenerated eleclric incanilescent l.imps." E.
\oglhuI. Occober 18lfi. (Germany, October 17lh, 1!)!!).)

2M:*>. " Portable electric lamps." O. Oldham and J. Oldham. October
I81I1.

il.-ilil. " I'orlable eleclric l.unps." \V. II. Sly.nnun. Orlobir lllfh.

21.47;!. " Electrical finings." E. E. Snii.h. Ociobc- l!),li.

L"!).<7a. "Telephone switch .separators." Dirtiigr.iph I'luducls Coipiir.ilioti
and E. W. Patlison inirlograph Piodui-.s Corporation). October ISth.

i'.l.iKI. " Comhin-d le|epl„in.- e.n-tubes and eai-c;ips," K. I.. Murriy
and Jelephone .Manufacturing Co. October l»lh.

39,515. " Means for gemratins4 hiyh-frcquencv eleclric oscillations." P. P.
lickersley and H. J. Round. October llllh.

•ia.rrZT. " Wall electrical plugs." .\. Ten liosch. Octob.-x ]!)lh. (Holland,
July L'Srd. 1919.)

39,529. " Electric locomotive cranes." P. .\. II. .Muss iv, Mossiy & Co.,
and Ransonics, .Sims S: Jefleries. Oclobir 19tli.

39,.530. " Device (or testing elcxtric ignilion of inleinal combusliiui engines."
\. E. M. Oliver. October 19th.

2.9.540. " Manufacture of stator and rotor laminations for d\nainu.eletlric
machines." J. Maina and P. H. Pilatus. October 19th.

39,563. "Electrically operated horns." M. E. L. .\. .\Miiaid. October
19th.

■29.561. ".Automatic timing switch lur motor cars." .\. G. Cramp and
J. Wilkinson. October I9th.

29,(300. " Mechanism lor providing f<-ed holes to paper tape of telegraph
perforating instruin.nts." A. S. Willmut. October 3«Ih.

2).(ifl8. " Electric pucket lamps." C. Boltshauser and Cosmophos-Wcrke
.\kt-.Ges. October 30th.

39.639. " Search lights, &c"" E. ISennelt and Sir C. A. Parsons. Ocloljir
30lh.

39.640. " Manufacture of electric furnaces and ovens." A. Selvatico.
October 20th.

38,646. " Relay transmitters." Spcrry Gvroscope Co. October 20lh.
(L'nited Stales, October 30th, 1919.)

29,649/50. " Hydro-electric apparatus." M. Payne. October 2<Jth.

39,658. " Electrical resistances." C. Oliver. October 20th.

39,668. " Interrupting dcvic<'S for eleclric circuits." Melropolitan-Vickcrs
l;ieclrical Co. October 20th. (United Stal.-s. .November (ith, 1919.)

39,701. " Method of utilising peat or turl tor heating and fsr generating
sleam, electricity, or gas." J. Worlhington. OclobiT 31st.

29,703. " Electrical switches and fuses." .Midland Eleclrie.d Manufactur-
ing Co. and H. E. Sutherland. October 31sl.

39,707. " Telephone svstcms." Auloniaiic Tehiihone .Maiuif.icluring Co.
.and J. Savin. October 31st.

29,7:tl. "Measured srvix- lilephon.- sislenis." Aulumatic Telephone
.Manufacturing Co. October 2lsl. (Cniled Slates, l).H.cmber 13th, 1919.)

29,7:«. "Terminals tor electrical coils." H. J. .Eelslead. October 31sl.

•25,738. " Emergency brake mechanism .'or tramcars. Sic." G. E. Galds]>ink.
October 2Ist.

39,780. " Electric furnaces." E. L.
October 21st. 1919.1

29.783. " Second.iry tell containers." E. P. Eletcher. Octobei 21sl.

29,811. " Oisiribulors for high-tension ignition a|jpai-.ilus." E. A. W:
October 2Ist.

29,8*4. " Electric switches
October 21.st.

39.851. " Plug and so;ket-like
P.'idmore. October 22nd.

29,8.52. " I-;iectric heaters for kettles. &c." .\. T. Padmore. October 22nd.

29,856. " Controllers for electric, vehicles." W Rogers and Winarovc and
Rogers. October 22nd. ^

29,861. " .Sparking plugs." Beru-Werk. October 22nd. (Gernianv,
August 14th.)

29,878. " Swihh levers for rail
22nd.

29,891. ".Sparking plugs." O. Meissner. October 32nd. (Germane. June
lllh.). ■ ■'

29,901. " Electric water-heater." J. K. Barr. October 22nd.

29,90). " .Sparking plugs." A. W. Armstrong. October 22nd.

.^^^9.929. "Radio-goniomelry." H. Abraham and M. Philippson. Octob. r

29,931. "High power conductors fur transmission of high-frequency oscilla-
tions for telegraphy and telephony." Ges. (ur Drahtlose Telegraphic. October
22od. (Germany, December 1st, 1919.)

29.951. "Automatic switching apparatus." Landis and Gvr-Akt.-Ges. Octo-
ber 23nd. (Switzerland, October 24th. 1919.)

29,953. " Sparking plugs." C. Chollet and G. Lep.apc. October 22nd.
(France, October 22nd, 1919.)

29,957. " Sending devices for radio-telegraphic stations " P I Laijt
October 22nd. (1-rancc. October 23rd, 1919.) ■ j. ■ .

29,963. " Cooling electrical machines." L. R. Morshead and W. M.
Selvey. October 23nd.

October 21st. llniled

G. Oldhnii. J. Oldham, and O. Oldli..in.
dors lor nexible electric leads." A. T.

A. Can

Odobei

^30,002. "Drop electric lamps." H. E. Hadwen and H. Willis. October
ng apparatus." E. J. \'. Earlc and J. J. J. .M.

30,025. ".Switches, relays, contactors. &c." R. Amberton. Octobtr 23rd.

30.028. •• M^ans for protecting alternating electric current svstems and
apparatus." H. Pcarce. October 23r^. . s e ns an 1

30.042. " Method ol producing electricity." W. J. Rubinson. October 23rd.
30.031. " Swilches for electric installations." A. Graf. October 21rd
((jenn.iny, January 2'>th.)

21,226. " Sp.irking ^,lug." Ja.cis & Kvd.-

.12'.

Ele.

caj lorp^.l,,

X818.

." \ \t

Iclober 2«lh. 1914.

-I i.li (ilh. 1918. (l.'il.SSS.)

191S.

K..-i7:{. " Insulated cleclrical conduclors." Urilish 1 lu.mson-llouslon Co.
vtirieral Eleclric Co.). .April 4lh, 1919. (151.667.)

I4..5.i9. " Eleclric balleries." K. V. lluuslun. Seplend.er I9lh. 1919.
1 1. ■.1,680.)

14.858. " Sealing-in machines for electric Lamp bulbs." British Thomson-
Ih.uslun Co. (General ETeclric Co.). June 12lh. 1919. (151.682.)

15.474. " Electromagnetic apparatus." G. C. Cuniinings. June 19ll.,
1;I19. (151,69(1.)

15.755. " Eleclric gramophone drive." E. .Miers. June 23rd, 19l;i.
(r.l.«9B.)

16.(J88. " Electrically heated liquid heaters." C. II. l.aulh. June 2<illi.
I!l|9. (1.51.710.)

16.089. " Electric.dU-healed liquid h alers." C. II. l.aulh. JuneSOlh,
1.19. (151.711.)

16.091. " Electric ovens for cooking purposes." C. II. L.ulh. June 26th,
1IU9. (151.712.)

16,2:K). " lileclric incandescent lamps." British 1 hoinson-Houston Co.
(General Eleilric Co.). June 37th, 1919. (151,731.)

16,373. " Appliant'e for ins«'rling at will within certain el.^:lric circuits .1
switch or control or other apparatus." D. P. J. Kelly. June 30lh, 1919.
(ril,729.)

16,876. " Couiiling for el.ctrical conduits." J. Jagger, W. Jagger, ao.l
W. U. P. Jagger. July 5th, 1919. (151.745.)

17,l.'iO. " Eledrical ignilion s\slems of internal combustion engin..s." (..
A. Edwards. July 9th, 1919. (151,751.)

17.479. " l;iectric displ.iy sign." C. Ticgoning. July 12lh. 1911). (151,759.)

17.414. "Tools for electric riveting and spot welding." T. J. Sliea.
September 34th, 1918. (133,024.)

18.003. " Electric boiler." E. Piquerez. October 4lh, 1918. (133,290.)

18.83(1. " Eleclric switches." E. J. Harinan and E. Le Bas. July 23lh.
l:il9. (151.773.)

18.964. " Electric healing appar.atus." .Automatic Telephone Manufiicluring
Co., C. H. Archer, and G. W. Siinister. July 31sl, 1919. (151,778.)

19.!)05. " Removable electric fuse carriers." W. T. Henley's Telegraph
Works Co. and W. S. Wakefield. August 13lh. 1919. (151,787.)

30,883. " Multiple filament electric incandescent lamps." O. I^ly and
Naamlooze Vennootschap Philips' Gloeilampenfabrieken. August 2.5th, 1919.
(151,802.)

22,319. " M.-ans for st.'.rling up synchronous rot.ary convrlers and other
electrical machines of a like character." Eleclric (instruction Co. and W.
Tonkinson. Sepleinbor 11th, 1919. (151,810.)

33.553. " Apparatus for actuating an electric switch or indicator by the
a'jplic.-ition of predeteri.iined numbers of impulses." H. E. .\ngold. September
2'.lh, 1919. (151,818.)

27,433. " Wave lengths or frequencv indicators for wireless circuits." .\.
I.ea and Radio Communication Co. November 6th, 1919. (151,848.)

32.517. " Method and apparatus for duplex cable sign.illing." L. Cohen.
IKcember 29th. 1919. (151.871.)

32.793. " Ele.ir.xles of elcctiolvtic gas generators." I. 11. Levin. D.ceiii-
b.r 31si, 1919. (151.873.)

i.9ao.

444. " ICI.rlrie.iJh conl.olleil eumbustiun svslem (ur ignilion and burning
liqiii.l fuels." T. 1".. R. d'Orville. January 6lh. 1930. (151,876.)

5,729. " Adjust.ibl.' setting lever for eleclric ignilion devices." K. Busch
.\kl.-Ges. March lllh, 1919. (140,062.)

8.715. " ICIeclric fuses of the enclos.-d l>pe." \'. E. Jovce and Park Ro^al
ICngin.^cring Works. March 24lh. 1920. ' 1 151.903.)

8,892. " Means for catching and remo» ing oil from the hearings ol rolarv
cl.-ctiic machines." K. Nobuhara. March 26lh, 1920. (151,904.)

10.844. " Microphone mountings." R. I.. Williams. April 35rtl, I9IR.
(142,096.)

14.509. " .\rmalur.- iiu.unliiig for eleclro-magnetic apparatus." G. C.
Cu.innings. June 19th. 1919. (Divided application on 151,690.) (151,912.)

16,183. " .\pp..ratus for direcled wireless telegraphv and telephony." E.
Bellini. NovemU-r 4lh, 1916. (.Addition to 22.879/14.) (1'45,049.)

17,.581. " Diaphraams for submarine signal transmilicrs." Atlas Werk.
.Vkt.-G.s. July 20lh, 1918. (146,253.)

The Helium Arc— Mr. G. M. J. Mackay, of the
refearcli laboratory of the ('eneral Electric Co., of America, states
in a letter to Science, that helinm aa a conductingr medium fcr a
low-voltasre arc may te of cone'deraV.Ie nti!ity as a conTenient
souice for grereratirp'. fiom direct current, oscillatioDS of
moderately high frequency. Due to its exceptionally low sparking
potential arcs may be rtalily ttarted from a hot tungsten cathode
by 110 volts even when the eras is at atmspheric pressure. In fact
it is easy to start the arc across a centimetre pap between cold
electrodes by means of bre»kin<r a parallel circuit with a series
reactance common to bath. Perhaps a more convenient method of
starting, however, is the heating of the iilameut by the source of
supply and then a commutation of the connection to the positive
terminal from the filament to the anode. When the proper
inductance and capacity are connected across the arc high-frequency
oscillations are produced which may be utilised in the usual way
with a coupled circuit. Hitherto, hydrogen and compounds of
hydrogen have bfen used in areas to produce high frequency, and
it is very difficult to produce oscillations by the use of other gaeel
at atmospheric pressure. Helium, however, probably due to iit
high heat conductivity, being inferior only to hydrogen in thil
respect, from the rapid rate of energy dissipation in the arc, give*
the type of volt-ampere characteristic which is necessary for thO
production of the A.c. From a 6-ampere arc in helium at
approximately atmosplieric pressure, and with a centimetre gap,
.St I watts or more of .A.C. at l.OuO cycles miy readily be obtained.

TXIES

KILE!OTI?/ZO.A-L I?/E]^IE"W-

Vol. LXXXVII.

NOVEMBER 12, 1920.

No. 2,242.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

RESEARCH WITH A BIAS.

Vol, LXXXVII.] CONTENTS: November 12, 1920.

[No. 3,242.
Page

Research with a Bias 609

The London Electricity Supply Problem 610

The Germane and Swiss Investment Companies 610

A Selfish Policy 611

I.E.E. Informal Meetings 611

Obligation Week 611

A Large Totally-Enclosed Dynamo, by E. G. Sanford (illus.) 612
The Shipbuilding, Engineering and Electrical Exhibition

(««««.) 514

The Institution of Electrical Engineers 615

The Motor Exhibition iillus.") 617

New Electrical Devices, Fittingrs and Plant (illus.) 618

Oorrespondence —

The Thury System for Ship's Auxiliaries 619

Electric Welding 619

Concerning a Review 619

Power Factor from the Business Man's Point of View ... 619

Electricity Supply without Statutory Powers 619

Electrically Hardened Taps ii20

Cost of Living in India 620

Legal 620

Business Notes 620

Notes 628

City Notes 630

Stocks and Shares 631

Street Lighting.— II., by H. T. Harrison (illus.') 633

S:me Notes on Methods of Charging for Wattless Current,

by G. W. Stubbings C£H««.) 634

Large Water Turbines (illiisS) 636

Working Conditions in Factories 637

The Awards of the Whitley Councils 638

Trade Statistics of South Africa 639

New Patents Applied for, 1920 640

Abstracts of Published Specifications 640

Contiaotors' Column

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There is now, and there has been for some time, a
great deal of discussion of the attitude of the State and
of the Nation (the terms are not synonymous) towards
science, and particularly towards scientific research. We
should like to believe that the nation so fully realised
the value of knowledge that those who administered its
affairs would be compelled to provide the fullest facilities
for the gaining of knowledge, and the extending of
its present boundaries. Yet who that has the subject
seriously at heart can feel otherwise than discouraged
when surveying the present situation ? "Big Business"
has its own ideas of the value of research for commer-
cial reasons ; scientific men are inclined to question
the propriety of leaving a matter in which they rightly
feel that they are considerably interested, entirely in the
hands of those who will, in the fiist place, use the results
obtained in their own, and not in the general interest.

Many large commercial concerns are spending large sums
on the equipment of research departments, and there is no
doubt that it is a goDd thing ■ that it has at last been
realised that we cannot hope to keep abreast of other
nations unless we are constantly on the look-out for possible
improvements in methods of manufacture. But that is not,
and cannot be, the whole of the story.

" You will do well to make timely provision for an even
greater development of scientific research. Looking round
as we do upon a world devastated by the ravages of war,
amazed at what it has accomplished, appalled at what it
has lost, and concentrated in an endeavour to substitute for
those old roads it may no longer travel wider and better-
planned avenues of life, we pin our faith upon the possi-
bilities emerging from the progressive application of science
to the service of man."

These telling words were uttered by His Majesty the
King on the occasion of his visit to the University of Edin-
burgh, and since it is reasonable to suppose that the views
of a constitutional monarch are not out of accord with those
of his ministers, there would seem ground for hoping that
official circles recognised the urgency of the situation. It
is in the endeavour to put these views into operation that
the disparity between word and deed becomes manifest ;
and in this connection it may be observed that the whole
attitude of the administrative mind as exemplified in the
average M.P., town councillor, or official, towards educa-
tional matters, is the reverse of satisfactory, to say the least
of it, even after the almost life-long endeavours of under-
standing men and women to dissipate the gloom in which
such people surround themselves.

We recorded a few months ago the decision of the
Manchester Municipal College of Technology to neglect its
unequalled facilities for post-graduate work, in which
research must necessarily play a large part, in order to
admit students fresh from school who could equally well be
accommodated at any of the excellent technical schools to
be found in smaller towns in the north of England. In
July we read of the decision of the Council of the City and
Guilds of London Institute to close Finsbury Technical
College mainly for the reason that they cannot afford to
carry it on ; and this in spite of valuable research work
carried out there during the war. Did space permit, we
could elaborate this theme ; but for the moment we wish
to deal with something else.

It may be replied that the State has founded a Depart-
ment of Scientific and Industrial Research, as long ago as
101.5. That is quite true, and when the Department was
created it seemed as if the President of the Board of

(609]

810

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. LVoi. sv. No. 2,242, Novembeb 12, mo.

Education appreciated properly, and fully understood, what
was needed for success. It was recognised that thequestion was
one in which the Universities were deeply interested, if only
for the reason that from that source alone could be obtained
the young men and young women competent to engage in
research work. The money to be provided would have to be
spent in training as well as in the research work itself, and
therefore it would have to be spent partly in grants to the
Universities, since, as already stated, they were to be the
training grounds. Further, it was recognised that " a
great part of all research will necessarily be done in
Universities, which are already aided by the State." More-
over, it was provided that any discoveries made in the
course of researches on which public money had been spent
should be made available, under proper conditions, for the
public advantage. Thus a new Department was created,
and, what is more, a million sterling was provided to
further the good work.

How far the Department has travelled from its original
purpose is revealed by its fifth annual report, recently
published. It has discovered that it is no part of its duties
to assist the Universities ; that in spite of the increased
and increasing cost of producing and distributing the
Journals of scientific societies, any grant made either for
the purpose of paying part of the cost or by way of reduced
postal charges is on all-fours with the coal subsidy, the
railway subsidy, or any other of the charges with which the
nation was obliged — or thought it was obliged — to saddle
itself during the war. It has preferred to assist the estab-
lishment of a number of Research Associations, in the
interests of different industries, financing them, out of the
million pounds already mentioned, to the extent of not less
than pound for pound ; in the case of the British Glass
Research Association, the assistance afforded is at the rate
of three pounds to one.

The discoveries made by the workers engaged in research
under the auspices of these associations remain the property
of the associations in question, the State having no property
rights in them, although it helps to pay for them.
The researcher himself renounces all his personal freedom,
and becomes a paid employe of the association, trusting
only to " the adoption of an enlightened and generous policy
by the association" (we quote the Department's own
words) for recognition. Knowing what we know of the
reward of initiative and inventiveness on the part of those
employed by manufacturing concerns at the present time, we
candidly say that we do not believe that the associatiocs
will behave any better in this respect than the individual
firms composing them have been in the habit of doing in
the past.

By some means or other, then, the original and entirely
laudable aims with which the Department was inaugurated
have become warjied in favour of the interests of commerce
and to the prejudice of the no less important interests of
science. The subsidising of trade, so unctuously objected
to in the case of the scientific societies, becomes a virtue,
to whose development every taxpayer must contribute, when
great trading corporations are involved. The intervention
of the State in this matter does not seem to have been
attended with the happiest results.

A remedy advocated by Prof. Frederick Soddy, F.R.S., in
Tim Obserrcr for September 2(!th, was for the Department
of i'Mucation to resume control of the original scheme,
leaving such rtseaches as must, in the national interests, be
kept secret, such as those on behalf of the Navy and tbe
Army, to the (iovernment departments concerned. We
permit ourselves to doubt whether even the Department of
Education would inevitably and invariably deal with such
matters in a spirit of true enlightment.

The whole question is one of exceeding difficulty, but
there is no doubt that at present we are definitely on the
wrong road. Much greater freedom and assistance must be
given to the Univtriities and to the scientists of the
country. "We have always found it to be true that a real
scientist or a real engineer will make a much better job of
anything he is entrusted with, than a so-called "practical
man" or "business man" without scientific assistance.
And in this matter, as in others, we are inclined to pin our
faith to the scientist and not to the commercial " Hesearch
Association."

The London
Electricity

Following our leaders on this subject,

and our reference to the probable long

Supp'lTprobYem. delay there must be before any final

scheme embracing all London can be

put into operation, we think it is not fully appreciated how

lengthy and complicated a matter the formation of a Joint

Electricity Authority for London must necessarily be.

The Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, provides for tbe con-
stitution of such an Authority " representative of authorised
undertakers within the electricity district, either with or
without the addition of representatives of the Council of
any county situate wholly or partly within the electricity
district, local authorities, large consumers of electricity, and
other interests within the electricity district." Now,
consider numerically what elements are here involved. In
the London area as delimited provisionally by the Elec-
tricity Commissioners, there are 40 municipal undertaking. a
aad 41 company undertakings. The total of local
authorities (including the above 40) comes to about 156.
Then there are eight County Councils : London, Middlesex,
Kent, Surrey, Hertfordshire, Bucks, Berks, Essex. Furthei ,
the matter is especially complicated in respect of the
comparative interests when we consider its financial and
political side. The London County Council has powers cf
purchase over the 18 London companies, and therefore
will be a preponderating element in the Authority. But
this needs an adjustment between the L.C.C. and tbe
municipal undeitalsings in London and the County Conn ji.'s
outside. Then certain local authorities in Extra-London
have a special interest in view of their purchasing
rights over the companies in their areas. The large con-
sumers (railway companies and so forth) are also an item,
but in view of the above larger factors, they can be ignored.
In the past all these conflicting interests have constituted
an insuperable obstacle to anything being achieved.

In the Technical Report adopted by the L.C.C. in
April, 1914, referring to a "combination of all existing
authorities," it states : " This method may be briefly dit-
missed ..." " At the present time there is not sufficient
cohesion among either the companies themselves or the
borough councils, and still less among all the authorities in
Greater London, to form even the nucleus of such a bodj.
The unfortunate absence of agreement amocg the various
undertakers militates both against their own interests and
the electrical interests of London as a whole."

Whether better counsels prevail to-day we cannot say.
The evidence up to the present indicates the reverse. The
lust published reports of the views of the local authorities
on the subject revealed anything but a friendly attitude
tT ^ards the companies. Among the companies themselves
the lack of unanimity on any concrete common measure is
too well known for comment. Such then being the present
position, it justifies, we think, the general misgiving that
unless the Electricity Commissioners get some steps taken,
one way or another, while this Joint Authority is being set
up, the case of liondon will be nearly as hopeless as ever.

Ir is now many years since the big
The Germans and electrical manufacturing firms in Germany
Swiss Investment . , ., ., r ii_" • j- ^ ^•

Comoanies conceived the idea of the indirect creation

of supply works and tramways in mcst
countries in Europe, with the object of securing these
un lertakirgs as their permanent customers for machinery atd
plant. The scheme took the form of the establishment of
combined investment and promotion companies in Germany
and in Switzerland, which participated, in conjunction
with the banks and banking firms, in the constitution of
electricity supply and tramway companies in different
countries. Some of the German companies raised loans in
Swiss currency in Switzerland, with iuterest payable in Swiss
francs, and the loans eventually redeemable in the same
currency. The necessity lor meeting the interest charges in
this manner has recently become a source of embarrassment
in Germany, owing to the heavy dep^ciation of the mark.
On the other hand, the ramifications of interests of the
Swiss companies have been more widely distributed o\er
Europe than in the case cf the (i^rman investment com-

Vol. 87. No. 8,242, NOVEMBER 12, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIE W.

611

panies, and with the decline in the currencies of these
countries and the entire cessation of income from Russia,
the position of the Swiss concerns has bacome unfortunate,
as the receipts from most of the countries concerned, when
converted into Swiss currency, only represent a small per-
centage of what they formerly received when dividends on
shares or interest on loans or advances were paid at the
pre-war rates of exchange.

We referred recently to the fact that the enormous losses
on exchange had compelled the Zurich Bank for Electrical
Undertakings to propose a scheme of financial reconstruction,
and it is well to bear in mind that this investment company
was formed at the instance of the Berlin A.E.G. Now the
Swiss Electrical Industry Co. (Schweiz. Gesellschaft fur
Elektrische Industrie), of Glarus (late Basle), which is the
trust company for the Siemens and Halske group, and was
constituted in 18',t6, is under the necessity of prooeediog
with a scheme of reorganisation also in consequence of
losses'on exchange. The company, which has an ordinary
share [capital of 20,000,000 fr., and loans amounting to
60,000,000 fr., reports a loss of 4;^,730,0<i0 fr., according
to the balance-sheet prepared in October. This loss is
covered by " exchange guarantees " to the extent of
25,490,000 fr., and is further reduced to 14,740,000 fr. by
the absorption of the reserve funds, &c. It is now proposed
to reorganise the company by reducing the share capital
from 20,000,000 to 4,000,00() fr., and by the conversion
of the loans into cumulative preference shares of the same
amount.

It is understood that the German manufacturing com-
panies concerned still have an interest in the two invest-
ment companies in question, although the participation held
in the Bank for Electrical Undertakings by one firm was
curtailed a number of years ago. As, however, the big
firms have received indirectly plenty of orders in the course
of years from the foreign companies controlled by the
investment companies, there is no reason for assuming that
their interests will materially suffer from the reorganisation
schemes now under consideration in Switzerland.

The City of Bath has always been a
^' lover of tradition. It is a pity that on
the occasion which we are about to mention the city does
not feel that a policy of generous help is more in accordance
with its good traditions than a policy of mere obstruc-
tionism. The case we refer to is the formation of the A^'est
of England Electricity Authority to cover the district which
has been delimited by the Electricity Commissioners. In
this area Bath will be one of the chief factors. From the
inception of the scheme, Bath has been a dead weight. It
seems that the Electric Lighting Committee has now
recommended the Council not to confirm the resolutions
passed at the Conference of all undertakers when it was
decided to establish a .loint Authority. The ground for
this is that Bath thinks it better to wait until the Elec-
tricity Commissioners have held their local inquiry, when
the degrge of liability that Bath will have to assume may
be more clearly defined.

It is just as though Bath said : Form a .Joint Electricity
Authority leaving us ont. IT there are any risks, let the
other people take them — we will stand out until the scheme
is an assured success, then we fhall have no objection to
coming in and taking a share of the advantages, but we are
ceitainly not going to share any risks.

Such an attitude is not only disloyal to the district,
it is disloyal to the whole country, seeing how much
oar indubtrial prosperity will depend upon the improve-
ment of electricity supply in the country, which in its turn
largely depends on the formation of these Authorities. The
attitude of Bath is the more iniquitous in that it is not
only delaying the formation of the Authority, but it is
stopping immediate work on transmission lines which we
understand the Ministry of Transport would be prepared to
proceed with if the local authorities, including Bath, all
agreed forthwith to form the joint authority. The
transmission lines in question which are thus hung up
have an important bearing on immediate industrial
development. One of the areas which would be affected

would be the Stroud Valley. Now, in the Valley there
are at present a number of industries, and if a supply of
electric power were available, not only could these develop
but there would be every likelihood of encouraging
other suitable industries to settle in the district.
Such plans fall in with the Reconstruction Committee's
proposals for the revival of industries in rural or semi-rural
districts where ideal conditions of living are attainable.

Again, as a subsidiary point, the immediate starting of
any such work would help greatly in the present crisis of
unemployment. Everything is to be gained, therefore, by
going ahead, and it does seem that the Bath Corporation
should be under the severest censure for blocking the way.
Against this attitude of obstructionism we have always, as
a journal, raised our voice. It has been the greatest
hindrance to the industry throughout its history, but we
live in hope that public opinion will sooner or later make
it too unpopular a policy to be frequently adopted.

The " Informal Meetings " commence
Meetintfs"* again on Monday next, when the President
will open a discussion on " Specialisation."
These meetings afford excellent opportunities for the more
retiring members of the Institution to practise the art of
debate, without fear of unpleasant consequences, and the
discu^idons are generally lively and well-sustained. It is
to be hoped that they will be marked by good attendances
this session ; so many members are within range in the
London area that there ought to be no difficulty in securing
a "full house."

Yesterday, in common with our

'"wfek"" ^"'^®' ^^^^ ^°^®™" ™'®° '^"'^ thankful
hearts, we celebrated the Victory over our
enemies by paying a heartfelt tribute to the ever-glorious
memory of the men by whose unwavering courage and
heroic self-sacrifice that Victory was won ; proud of their
triumph over the terrors of 1 )eath — sorrowful because they
have passed beyond our ken, to realms where our gratitude
cannoc reach them, and our debt to them can never be dis-
charged. Faithful to the end, they did their duty.

Is there indeed no way in which we can, in some degree,
display our gratitude and do honour to their memory ?
Have iri> no duty to perform, no obligation to discharge .'

Xot all who went forth to battle found peace and rest in
the grave ; millions came back to resume their struggle for
a livelihocd in a land that was to be '■ fit for heroes to live
in," and alas!— with shame we say it— hundreds of
thousands are still denied the opportunity to earn their
daily bread. Yet their record falls short of that of those
others whom we mourn in only one respect— that they had
not the good fortune to fall on the field of battle. Spared
by unkindly fate, they were thrown upon the tender mercies
of their countrymen for whom they had fought and bled —
and by them they were .spurned. Is this the way in which
we keep faith with those who gave their lives for us ?

Xearly ;!00,000 men returned from the war are un-
employed. Of these, some 20,000 men are blinded, maimed,
or otherwise disabled. What are we going to do about it ?

Let us all realise that the presence of these men amongst
us affords us a Heaven-sent opportunity to pass from words
to deeds— to honour our glorious dead in the persons of the
glorious living. In the words of our gallant Prince : " Our
debt of honour will not be fully paid until all the men who
have come back — many of them, alas, disabled — have been
given a proper chance of making good on their return to
civil life." That is our great and solemn obligation ;
there lies our duty, and there should lie our pride — to do
to these as we would gladly do to those who fell if we were
able. Are we to be found wanting in this simple duty,
where they were faithful in the far greater sacrifice ?
Never let this sin be laid to our charge. That this thing
should have happened is our shame ; that it should continue
were disgrace unspeakable. Let us make this our first and
most abiding care— to see that every ex-Service man is
found a suitable job before the month is out.

612

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,242, novembek 12, 1920.

A LARGE TOTALLY-ENCLOSED DYNAMO.

By ERNEST Q. SANFORD.

The writer proposes briefly to describe a totally-enclosed
(gas tight) dynamo of 84-KW. capacity, and running
at 210 R.P.M., recently installed in the Minehead Elec-
tricity Supply Co.'s power station. In the absence
of any information to the contrary, it is believed that
this is the largest output obtained from any totally-
enclosed dynamo so far constructed in this country.

It is well known that one of the greatest enemies of
dynamo electric machinery is producer gas, and many
failures of generators have been traced to its presence.

It is practically impossible to prevent the gas being
present, as leakage easily occurs from the engine glands,
stuffing boxes, and in other ways. A particularly weak
spot in the dynamo is the space behind the commutator
risers. In addition to the dust, which in ordinary
circumstances readily accumulates there, there is the
effect of the gas, and the combination of the evils forms
a means which eventually short-circuits some of the com-
mutator sections. Not only is tlie insulation of the

mutator end of the machine a second fan b is mounted
on the armature shaft, and supplies cooling air, which
is forced through the dissipator in alternate airways,
but without intermixing with the heated air. A most
efficient and effectual means is thus provided for ab-
stracting the heat from the machine. The transverse
section of fae machine shown in fig. 2 clearly indicates
the arrangement of the alternate hot and cold airways.
The rated output of the Minehead dynamo is 280/220
volts, 300 amperes, at 210 li.p.ir.

The dynamo is of Messrs. Newtons' well-known stan-
dard tyj)e, having magnets arranged in pairs, eacli
pair being connected by a yoke of considerably less
cross section that the main yoke, and to the smaller-
section yoke is attached an interpole. The number of
interpoles is, therefore, half the number of main poles,
a type of construction which was originated eleven
years ago by Mr. J. W. Burleigh, and was described in
this journal at that time.*

I'^Ki.s. I it '2. — Sf.ction.4l Elevation .^nd Eni.> View ov Totally-enclosed Dynamo.

windings very seriously lowered, but the metal parts
suffer severely, resulting in sparking and overheating
of the conmuitator, with ill effects on the other con-
tacts. Any practical scheme which will overcome these
very serious drawbacks will, it is hoped, prove of in-
terest to users and prospective users of this class of
machinery.

Early in 1919 additional plant was necessary at the
Minehead power station. It was then that the writer
decided to secure a gas-tight machine if it could be
obtained at a reasonable price. A number of well-known
makers were asked to tender for such a machine, but
only one firm, Messrs. Newtons, Ltd., of Taunton, put
forward a machine which was guaranteed to fulfil the
conditions of the specification. The underlying prin-
ciple of the machine supplied will readily be seen from
figs. 1 and 2, which is now Messrs Newtons' standard
design for totally-enclosed machines with outputs up
to 30 Kw./ full views are shown in figs. 3 and i. The
actual construction of the machine as built for the
Minehead station was modified somewhat to suit the
larger output.

The method of dissipating the heat is an extremely
simple one. A fan a situated within the machine is
carried on the engine end of the armature shaft, and
forces the hot air from the machine through a heat
dissipator arranged in the form of a superstructure,
and consisting of airways having thin metal walls ar-
ra'nged to present a large cooling surface. At the corn-

After erection on site a 6-hours' test run was made
with the following results: —

Time: 3.30-4.30-5.40-6.40-7.30-8.30-9.30 p.m.

Volts : 252-248-248-246-250-270-267.

Amps. : 300-275-280-300-300-310-310.

Speed: 192-192-195-192-192-192-192 r.p.si.

The measured commercial efficiency at full load was
90.5 per cent., and at half load 88 per cent. The
dynamo was designed to run at a speed of 21(5 r.p.m.,
but the engine for certain mechanical reasons was ad-
justed to run at the above-recorded speeds. At the end
of the 6-hours' run the temperatvires were inunediately
taken, the figures being as under: Armature, 143 deg.
F. ; main field coils, 144 deg. F. ; interpole coils, 150
deg. F. ; commutator, 128 deg. F. : the temperature rise
being : Armature, 61 deg. F. ; main field coils, 62 deg.
F. ; interpole coils, 68 deg. F. ; commutator, 46 deg. F.
The maximum temperature rise after the 6-hours' run
was, therefore, 68 deg. F., against the maximum figure
of 82 deg. F. guaranteed by the makers. The general
characteristics of the machine are excellent, and subse-
quent lengthy runs, sometimes of 18 hours' duration,
have proved the machine to be satisfactory under all
conditions of operation.

Reference to the general view of the machine, fig. 5,
will show that the fan b draws cold air from outside
the building through an intake duct. It is not. how-

• Elec. Rev., Nov. 26th, 1909, and Jan. 5th, 191'2.

Toi. 87. No. 2,242, NovBMBEB 12, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

613

ever, by any means essential to provide such a cool-air
supply for the dissipator ; in fact, there would be little
use in doing so unless there is a considerable difference
in the air temperature between such supply and that
within the buildinp:. The machine at Minehead was
specified to work within a temperature rise of 82 deg.
F. without air being supplied from the outside atmos-
phere. As, however, the difference in the air tempera-
ture between the inside and the outside of the Minehead

Figs. 3 & 4. — Extf.rnal Views of thf Machine.

station is in the neighboui'hood of 20 or 25 deg. F., the
writer held the view that it would pay to provide an
intake duct, and results have fully justified his opinion.
The comparatively slight extra expense (which was ap-
proximately 6 per cent, of the total cost of the machine),
in addition to the more effective ventilation of the sta-
tion, lowers the temperature rise of tlie dynamo quite
8 deg. F.. and increases the overload capacity by 10
per cent.

There is another fairly obvious point in connection
with the ventilation whicli arises when a cold-air intake
is provided. By suitaljly increasing the dimensions,
and possibly the type of fan b, a larger volume of air
can be obtained with very ^

little extra initial outlay, or
running costs. Again, in
the case of low-speed plant
the outside fan could easily
be geared to run at a much
higher speed to increase the
air volume. The required
volume of cold air could
be passed through the heat
dissipator, and by means of
a suitably arranged output
port, or ports, the addi-
tional volume of air over
and above that required
for the dissipator could be
discharged direct into the
engine room purely for
ventilating purposes. In the
writer's opinion this would
form a most attractive and
economical ventilating
scheme, which would be
capable of many modifications,
appreciated by the station staff.

Dynamos operating in buildings in conjunction with
oil and steam engines are not entirely unaffected. The
atmosphere is often heavily charged with oil vapour
from the engines, while users of machines which are
steam driven often experience trouble witli the insula-
tion where highly superheated steam is employed. Oil
in suspension, in the form of vapour, has a marked
deteriorating effect on tlie insulation of electrical machi-
nery, and also the commutator. The vapour passes down
through the commutator risers, and there unites with
the carljon dust, forming conducting paths at points
where the deposits have the lowest resistance, thereby
reducing the insulation resistance. The writer believes
that totally-enclosed dynamos can be advantageoush'
used under the.se conditions also.

A point which it is well to bear in mind is that the
purchaser of this class of electrical machinery would

be certain to obtain the highest possible efficiency, as
it is obvious that with totally-enclosed machines the
designer would naturally reduce his losses to a minimum,
in fact, it would be essential for him to do so. A
further point of interest is that the temperature rise
of this type of dynamo can be predetermined within
the same fine limits as in the ordinary open type
machine.

The initial cost to the purchaser of totally-enclosed
heat-dissipating dynamos over the ordinary open type
is approximately 25 per cent. This must be considered
a small outlay for such obvious advantages.

The writer would like to explain to those whose ex-
perience in these matters is limited that he would never
advise the consideration of machines in which the cool-
ing air is forced directly into the machine by the method
known as pipe ventilation. Of course, with such
machines if the air is passed through a cleaning process
the conditions are somewhat improved, but given time,
. in nine cases out of every ten, eventually tlie machines
become veritable dirt traps.

The writer understands tliat tlie original design for
the doul>le-fMn dissipator was pateiiffd by Mr. .1. \V.

and woiihl I

5. — General View oi- the Machine.

Burleigh, chief electrical engineer to Messrs. Newtons,
Ltd.. Taunton, but that since the design was prepared
for the Minehead machine, Mr. Burleigh has laid his
patents beside the " Lo-Thermo " ones of Messrs. Elec-
tromotors, Ltd., of Manchester, and this firm will doubt-
less he happy to supply makers, or prospective users,
with further particulars relating to its valuable patents.

Electrical Soborban Contractors' Association. — At

Newtown, Sydney, X.S.W., recently, it was decided to form an
Electrical Suburban Contractors' Association, its objects being' to
protect and foster the electrical trade and to approach Parliament
with a view to the licensinfj of wiremen ; also to endeavour to fix
and maintain a minimum charfje for electrical installations with
regard to the various fluctuations of the market. A large number
of electrical contractors were present, representing all the suburbs,
and the motion to form an association was carried unanimously. —
Sydney Eeeniny .\t«.'s.

614

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No 2,212, novembb* 12, 1990.

THE SHIPBUILDING, ENGINEERING AND ELECTRICAL EXHIBITION.

Although, in the title given to theExhiliition at (Hasgow,
electricity appears last, electrical apparatus and processes
loom very large in the very excellent display which opened
at the Kelvin Hall on Monday last, November «tb. The
Kelvin Hall is an ideal building for exhibitions on a large
scale, possessing as it does a total floor space of 200,000
sq. ft. and 2^ miles of passages between stands. It is

particularly well illuminated, and although an abundance
of lights is not always a guarantee of good lighting, it is
interesting to note that a total of 100,000 c.p. is obtained
by means of 2,000 electric lamps. Not only from the
exhibitors' point of view is the place extremely satisfactory,
but also I he comfort and convenience of visitors have been
fully studied. There are dining-rooms capable of seating

Fig. 1.— Peebles 1,500-kw, 2.">-Cyole, Rotaey Convkbter.

2,000 persons at one time, as well as telephone and postal
facilities. While it is not near the business centre of the
city, Kelvin Hall is very easily reached by the Corporation's
efficient and frequent tramway service— more than 250 cars
pass the building every hour. The exhibition has been
arranged by the (ilasgow civic authorities under the
management of Mr. James M. Freer. Almost every
Scottish engineering firm of standing is represented, and
there are numerous exhibitors from South of the Border in
the 353 stands which make up the whole. The compre-
hensive nature of the exhibition will be obvious from a few
items selected at random from the official guide. Starting
at one end of the scale, there are many domestic appliances,
electric washers, cookers, etc., and at the other end
J examples of large converters. There are telephone exhibits,
accumulators, Diesel engines, time-recording devices,
samples of oil, lifeboats and yachts, planing machines and
other machine tools, box-making machines, boilers, pressure
gauges and tachometers, mechanical calcu-
lators, welding plants, etc. (A Glasgow
firm has a confectionery exhibit.) The ex-
hibition is open to the public from 10 a.m.
to 10 p.m. up to December 4th.

Upon entering the hall, one's attention is
immediately attracted by the stand occupied
by Messes. Bruce, Peebles & Co , Ltd.,
cf Edinburgh. This firm has two good
examples of the machines for which it is
noted. The larger (fig. 1) is one of 12
machines being made for the Glasgow Cor-
poration. It is a 1,500-K\v. rotary converter
running at 375 u.r.M. The A.c. side is bnl .
for a three-phase, 25-cycle supply, and the D.c.
side produces current at 5(10 540 volts. A
number of these have already been delivered to
the Corporation, while the remainder are still
in course of manufacture. The other large
exhibit is a 500-KW. motor converter made
to the order of the ^lersey Docks and Harbour
Board, and is one of six being constructed
by the firm. The A.c. supply is three-phase,
25 cycles at 5,.s00 0,200 volts, and the
machine, running at 750 p. p.m., gives

Fio. 2.^Peebles 40-b.h.p. Motor, Showing Method of Slingikq

Vol. 87. No. 2,242, November 12, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

610

ft

450/480 volts at the D.c. end. It has been found that the
ordinary type of motor is unsuitable for the severe con-
ditions obtaining in steel-works operation. Messrs. Bruce
Peebles have, therefore, produced a range of A.c. and D.c.
motors for iron and steel works, and a sample is shown on
the stand. This is a 40-b.h.p. slip-ring type motor (fig. 2),
and is one of a number manufactured for the Lanarkshire
Steel Co., Ltd. Although these machines are, of course,
more expensive than ordinary meters, there is a great and
growing demand for them. 1 he remainder of the exhibits
of this firm consists of samples of Peebles standard
industrial A.c. and n.c. inotjrs, high-pressure windings,
insulation, &c., the whole making up one of the most
interesting and imposing stands in the Exhibition.

Domestic electrical apparatus Hods a place among the
larger exhibits. The Corporation itself has a well-arranged
stand with examples C'f labour-saving devices and heatiig
apparatus, while private firms whose exhibils are mainly of
this nature are ]\[essrs. Simplex Conduits, Ltd., who show
a complete ship's installation for lighting, heating, and
cooking ; the Electric Appliances Co., Ltd., exhibiting
the Imperial-Eoreka electric vacuum cleaner ; the Falkirk
Iron Co., Ltd., a 10-kw. cooker, fires, heater, kettles,
and irons ; Messrs. Archibald Low & Sons, Glasgow,
cooking, &o., apparatus for ships ; and the James Keith
AND Blackman Co., Ltd., marine heater units, fans, &c.
{To be conliiniei].)

THE INSTITUTION OF ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERS.

LlVKiU'OOl. SLB-CI;MKE (JF THU NoKTH-XVUSTKItX C'UNTHK.

At the opening meeting of the 1920-21 session on November
Jst. Iield at the University, Mr. H. Dickinson, M.Inst.C.E..
M.I.E.E., M.LM.E., delivered the ehniniiinrs ud.ii'ess, mi
ab.stiac-t of which follows: —

It certainly looks as thou^^h fuitlier powers will have tn he
granted by Parliament l)ef(iie the ideas propounded in tlie
Electric Power Supply Report. 1918, by the Suh-conmiittee
of the Coal Con.servation Cunnnittee can be carried fully intt)
effect. It is hoped, however, that all undertakers will appre-
ciate that the electricity supply exi.'iting to-day in this country
needs modification, and that they will look at the matter
in the broadest possible way, and co-operate with each other
and with the Electricity Oonnuissioners in order that electrical
development, which is .so essential to the industrial needs of
the country, may be guided along those lines which will all'ord
the greatest benefits to the community.

It i.s very satisfactory to notice at the present time tlie great
strides that are being made in the design of plant and ap-
))aratus in all directions, and there is little doubt that those
responsible for such improvements will be capable of meeting
the necessities of the larger developments innnediately ahead

of us. 11 lectrical industry has now arrived at a point where

a certain hu^i- demand awaits devt'lopnient. Tliis great poten-
tial demand, which in the national interest must lie provided
for, cannot in tlie best interests of the country be adequately
catered for by the patchwork system at present existing.
Electricity by reason of the experience gained by its use in
past years has proved to be the most convenient and adaptable
iorm of power; and it is .safe also to .say that electricity is
the cheapest form of motive power. The altered conditions
<lue to the high cost of labour make it desirable to install
laboursaving apparatus wherever po.ssible. The tendency also
to improve the conditions of labour, and to ameliorate the
hardships wliich attend many duties which labom- is called
upon to fullil will most certainly lead to the installation of
the most up-to-date machinery, which will enable the mi'n
employed to effect greater production, and tend to develop
the re.sources of the country for the general benefit of the
community. Tjct us, tlien, deal with this matter in a bold
and coniprelien.sive manner, when I venture to predict that
in the very near future we .shall look upon the state of de-
velopment to-day, great as it is, much as we to-day look upon
the state of development of twenty years ag<i.

.\n essential feature to enable the pro|)osals enilxiilied in
the Electric Power Supply Repoi't to be cairi<Ml out
would be the use of cables capable of withstanding very
much higher pre.s.sure than has been feasible in the past.
The dielectric strength of the paper and compounds of wliich
cables are composed is very high, and if it were not for other
con.siderations it would be possible to make cables .satisfactoi-y
for working at very high pressures. Unfortunately the admix-
ture of air in the insulating materials has a very detrimental
effect. When the air is stressed to the lireakdow'n jioint ozone
is formed which attacks the material of which the in.sulation
is composed, and deterioration takes place. The action may
be slow, but still there is the danger that gradual deterioration
may take place and failure result.

The efforts of the cable makers have, therefore, been directed
to effect the elimination of the air in the course of manufacture,
and great improvements uu these lines have been made. It
is now claimed that it is possible by new methods to so far
eliminate the amount of air enclosed" in the insulation that it
may be safely ignored. The elimination of air has also the
(^tfect of reducing the dielectric losses in the cable, and it may
now be claimed that the dielectric loss in a super-pressure
cable can be kept within such limits as not to be a material
factor.

It must be admitted that this is a great step forward, and
has a Very important bearing on the question of supplying the
larger districts by underground .super-pressure cables, or by
a comliination of underground cables and aerial lines. It is
gratifying to know that cable makers are prepared to-day to
suiiply cables for working at ti(J,0(IU volts, and that at the
present time a considerable quantity of cable is in course of
nianiifacture for working pressures of 33,000 and 55,000 volts.
It is only natural that manufacturers .should wish for the time
being to work on the conservative side, but as actual experi-
ence is gained, we may hope to see still further improvements.
Therefore, with the large demand which is assured with the
proposed larger areas of supply, and with the cable available
for working at the necessary higher pressures, the advi.sability
of concentrating generation becomes apparent where favour-
able sites can be found. If a site fulfilling the requisite con-
ditions and rea.sonably placed as regards the load can be
found, there is no doubt that with the present knowledge a
station can be built which will show a very great saving in
the cost of generation. When these schemes are in operation,
that is, when one authority controls the electricity supply over
a large district, the electrification of the railways will be
materially facilitated. As the various existing undertakings
are linked up with super-pressure cables the transmission
mains will pass through districts which could be tapiJed
on the way, and many areas will be able to obtain a supply
wliich otherwise would not be the case. Any waste heat iu
the ilistrict could be utilised for the generation of electricity,
and the electrical energy so provided could be delivered into
the transmission mains. In the past there has always been
a certain quantity of unmarketable fuel which it would be
possible to utilise if a super-pressure netw'ork of mains were
in existence. The useful chemical products in the coal could
be extracted, and the gases utili.sed for the production of
electricity, or the coal could be utilised in a pulverised form
for the generation of electricity. When considered from a
national point of view, it must be admitted that the saving
of coal, the assistance afforded by an extended supply towards
the electrification of the railways, and the w'idening of the
electrified area, must have a very beneficial effect.

These various advantages cannot be secured without the
laying down of a super-pre.ssure interlinking network, and
it is difficult to .see how this can come about unless the whole
di.strict, so far as generation and main transmission are con-
cerned, comes under one authority. The principle of unity
of control in each electrical district is the essential feature of
the whole scheme, the necessity for which is so emphatic.

Those in authority will naturally con.sider that in the early
stages after the formation of a .Joint Electricity .Authority
the expenditure will be very heavy, and it will be a consider-
able time before the initial expenditure is fully remunerative.
In .some cases on this account thei'e may be hesitation in
embarking on these large and comprehensive schemes. If,
how^ever, during the initial period arrangements were made
whereby money could be provided by the Government at a
low rate of interest, or with an extended loan period, it would
very materially assi.st the development of, and would be an
unilonbted encouragement to, the various aiitliiirities to enter
whole-heartedly into, the new propo.sals.

There is no doubt whatever that owing to prevailing high
prices it is most desirable to minimise all unnecessary expendi-
ture at the present time- In considering this very important
and comnlex problem, it is essential that the matter should
be looked at, not from the point of view of the immediate
future, but rather that of the position that will arise five or
ten years ahead, and cei'tain important facts must be taken
carefuiry into consideration : —

(1) .\t the present time all undertakings are receiving a]!-
plieations for supply at an unprecedented rate, ('ij fTnder-
takers have been clamouring to be allowed to add additional
generating plant. Where extensions have been alloweil the
))lant will only provide for the needs for a very short period,
so that .idditional plant will be re(|uired at an early date. (8)
In some cases authorities aw forced to take a supply from
their neighbours who have extended their plant, which will
bring nearer the time when these favoured authorities \\\\\
have to renew their applications to the Commissioners. (4)
Some of the stations where permission to extend has been
granted are incapalile of further development, and new stations
will have f<i bo built if the demand is to be catered for. (5)
The Slim total of these various additions is likely to be con-
siderably greater than would be the case if the undertakings
were linked together under one control. (G) The total capital
expenditure on plant laid down by the various individual
undertakings over a period of five or ten years is likely to be
considerably greater than would be the ca.se under a .system
such as has been proposed. (7) I'nder the present system of
multiple control, the development is likelv to be .slower, and
when railway electrification comes along the separately owned
stations will be unlikely to be able to cater for the require-

616

THE ELECTRICAL KEYIETV,[voi. 87, No. 2,2«, novembeb 12. 1920.

ments. The probable result would be that the railway com-
panies would have to build generating stations for their own
use, and the improvement of diversity factor due to the railway
demand would be lost to the supply authorities.

These are some of the problems that authorities must take
into serious consideration when coming to a conclusion on the
advisability tif forming a Joint Electricity Authority.

Most certainly high costs are a serious drawback to the
electricity supply industry, but not many people connected
with the electrical industry would argue that the very large
demands that undertakers have applications for at the present
time should be ignored, and that owing t<j the high costs it
is undesirable to install plant to meet these demands. If we
take this for granted, the contention would be that while
it was right to exiiend money on exi.sting generating stations,
in spite of the fact that the plant bought and installed would
have to be purchased at the high cost now ruling, yet it was
wrong on account of the high cost to spend money on a large
generating station or transmission lines under the proposals
of the Elcetric Power Supply Report. Surely .such a con-
tention is not logical, and savours rather of bias than sound
argument. It might be argued that it will be cheaper to
reconstruct existing stations with plant of the largest capacity
they are capable of holding. It is quite certain, however, that
such a proceeding -nould only be a temporary expedient, and
that ultimately a much more extended view would have to
be taken, with the result that, in the long run, the total
capital expenditure would l>e gi'eat«>r.

Many interesting features are being tried with a view to
improving the eliiciency of the generating station. Improved
efficiency may be expected from the use of larger generating
units working under high vacuum, higher steam pressure,
and heating the condensate by means of steam abstracted
from the turbine. A fourth somx-e of possible economy may
be found by re-heating the steam at different stages in its
passage through the turbine. This involves considerable com-
plication and extra expense, and it has yet to be proved
whether the .saving in economy obtained will be sulficient to
offset the extra cost and the complication involved. In recent
years the tendency has been to gradually raLse the total tem-
perature of the steam as experience has been gained with
materials most suitable to withstand the higher temperature.
To-day temperatures up to 7tX) deg. P. are considered quite
satisfactory. This total temperature may be attained by using
steam at moderate pressure, and a high degree of super-heat,
or by increasing the pressure with a corresponding reduction
of super-heat. It is on these later lines that the m^jst modern
developments are taking place, and those upon which it is
expected that economies can be secured.

At the other end of the scale there would not appear to be
much advantage to be gained by carrying the vacuum to a
higher degree than about "29 inches, which has been attained
in a number of instances. A number of turbines are being
installed at the present time, in which steam is tapped from
the turbine and di.scharged into feed heaters through which
the condensate from the condenser is passed. By utilising
in conjunction the heat from the steam used for auxiliaries,
the feed water can be heated to a very considerable tempera-
ture, but it must not be overlooked that to carry the feed
temperature beyond a certain figure w'ould diminish the value
of the economiser. In the event of this .system being adopted
it will be necessary to utilise the flue gases to heat the air
before it enters the boiler furnace. This involves a bulky
and costly apparatus, and a considerable comphcation in ducts
to convey the hot air to the boiler furnace, but on the other
hand, the expense is relieved to an extent by the absence of
the necessity for the economiser.

At the higher pressures it would be an advantage if the
economiser could be done away with as cast-iron becomes
uncertain, and cast steel is very expensive. Wrought-steel
tubes would be quite satisfactory so far as the pressure was
concerned, but there would be a fear that corrosion and
wastage of tubes would be excessive. To meet this difficulty
a scheme has been propounded whereby pressure on the
economiser is kept low by using two pumps in series, or
preferably by using a multiple rotary pump. The connections
to and from the economiser are placed between any two
stages of pump, depending upon the pressure which it is
determined that the economiser shall work at, the remaining
stages being sufficient to overcome the pressure in the boiler.
A system of this sort, while enabling the pressure on the
economiser to be kept within the safe limits of the cast-iron
tubes, adds very materially to the cost and complication of
the feed pipes.

One of the troubles met with in the design of large turbines
working under a high vacuum lies in the difficulty of getting
sufficient area in the blades at the low-pressure end, t<i deal
with the great volume of steam, while at the same time keep-
ing within the margin of safety of the material composing
the wheel. One way of meeting the difficulty is to use special
blading on one or more of the low-pressure wheels. The special
blades are made in such a way that the outer portion is of
the usual requisite form, but the inner portion is almost
straight, and merely forms a passage for the steam to pass
to the next wheel. The last wheel is fitted with blades of the
usual requisite size and form. Bv adopting this method a
very large increase in area is provided without increasing the
diameter of the wiieels: it avoids the necessity for external
pipes or passage.s in the casing; it is a very convenient and

simple way of meeting the difficulty, and has much to recom-
mend it. Several urachines fitted with this type of blading are
in operation, and the results .seeiii U) be quite satisfactory.

The tendency of recent years has been towards the use of
higher speeds for generating plant. There will very soon
be running in this country a I'i.oOO-KW. set with '25 per cent,
overload capacity for two hours running at 3,(J(J0 r.p.m., and
it is likely that .still larger machines running at this speed
may be made in the future. The use of higher speed with
larger machines brings with it difficult problems in connec-
tion with the alternator design. As the diameter of the
rotor has t*> lie kept as small as possible to keep the
stresses within .safe limits, the machines have to be made
longer, and, therefore, additional pre ar.tions have to be
taken with regard to ventilation, b i far as the rotor is
concerned, attempts have been made to utilise a system of
water cooling by passing water through tubes inserted in
the rotor forging. The results, while quite satisfactory as
regards working and freedom from breakdown, have not
shown the cooling effect that was anticipated, and it was
thought in the particular design referred to that the extra
trouble and complication involved ^in fitting the arrangements
,was not justified owing to the limited cooling effect attained.

In another design which is the same in general principle,
but differs in the application, the re.sults may be different,
liut it is too early to say whether better results will be attained
than in the former case.

The latest method of filtering and cooling the air, which
promises to .show good results, is a closed system, the air
being forced by means of a fan through the alternator and
then through a cooler through which water is passed. On
its exit from the cooler the air is ready to be passed again
through the alternator. The advantage is that the air is
always clean, as the same air is circulating over and over
again. If this system is used where cooling towers are in
operation, the water used for the cooling operation can be
passed on to the cooling towers for make up.

High costs and the scarcity of domestic labour call for
adaptation of apparatus which will save time and lessen
labour in the home. There are at the present time many
pieces of apparatus which effect great saving in household
duties, such as electric washers, vacuum cleaners, electric
irons, grillers. kettles, &c., all of which have been amply
proved to be quite satisfactory as regards reliability and cost
of manipulation. Heating and cooking apiiaratus have now
taken theii- place as active competitors with other types 'of
apparatus for effecting these services. With regard to cost
of manipulation, it cannot yet be claimed that the use of
electrical apparatus of this nature is cheaper than some other
forms. The great drawback to its more general use is the
initial cost of the apparatus, and the reluctance people have
in departing from old customs. In spite of these drawbacks,
apparatus of this description is a sound investment when one
takes into consideration the time and labour saved, and its
cleanliness and convenience. Consequently the outlook for
this class of business both from the manufacturing and supply
points of view is most encouraging. The public are appre-
ciating more and more the advantages to be derived from
the use of this apparatus, and as the demand grows, and the
standardisation of apparatus is more complete, the initial cost
will in time be materially reduced. When the areas are
developed under the proposal before the country, the develop-
ment of electrical apparatus in our homes will be very great
indeed. As the diversity factor of this apparatus is very
high it will be eagerly welcomed by the supply authorities.

Under the new proposal of ,Ioint Electricity .Authorities or
District Boards, the question of distribution and transmis-
sion of electrical energy assumes a position of importance
greater than that under the older system of divided control.
The higher p'resisure to be used, the larger areas covered, and
the larger power in the form of generating plant connected
to the system brings into prominence the necessity for more
powerful switchgear and automatic control to isolate quickly
any faulty section. I would reconnnend our supply engineers
to study carefully the various systems at present in operation,
or suggested, and would point out that the addition of this
apparatus with extra pilot cables, or split conductors, adds
very mucli to the cost of the mains system. If they could
devise some system which would reduce this cost it would be
a great advantage.

In connection with the distribution of low-pressure current
there is a problem of considerable moment affecting those
undertakings which have developed their distribution on the
D.c. system. With the largely increasing ilem:!nd for electric
cookers and radiators in the residential areas, increasing diffi-
culty is being experienced in dealing with the applications
on account of pressure drop. One solution of the problem
would be to substitute .\.c.. but the great drawback is the
cost on account of the fact that in most cases the I,. P. mains
laid are not the most suitable to work with an .\.r. In this
connection considerable advance has been made in the design
and application ( f mercury rectifiers. There are drawbacks
to this apparatus, the chief of which is that the appliance
is not automatic throughout its entire range. Below a certain
load the arc is not maintained, but above that point, com-
plete automatic working is atfciined. Experiments are in
lian<l with a view to making the apparat\is automatic tlirough-
out its full range from no load to full load. If this can be
accomplished, and those engaged on the investigations are

Vol.87. No. 2,242, NovEMBEB 12, 1920.] THE ELECTBICAL EEVIEW.

617

Tery sanguiue of the result, such an apparatus would be of
immense assistance in dealing with the outlying districts
referred to. By installing sub-stations htted with this plant
on suitable sites, the existing network would be enabled to
work at a very much higher current density than formerly.

The war has altered very materially the relation of the
various items of cost of production to one another as compared
with a pre-war basis. The cost of coal delivered into the
bunkers has increased to from three to four times what it W'as
before the war.

Wages have increased about 150 ijer cent., and in face of
the increase of cost that undertakers have had to meet, it
has been ne.cessary to increase the cliarges for electrical
energy in some cases up to 1'20 per cent. In spite of this
electricity is relatively much cheaper than other commodities.

We have witnessed, owing to the war, a complete upheaval
of the order of things, costs of all commodities have advanced
to an unprecedented extent, and it is not to be wondered at
that a very disturbing effect has been created. We may take
it as a very hopeful sign that all nations are anxious to resume
trade relations with one another as rapidly as possible. It
is through these trade relations that the new order of things
will be evolved, and in this process of evolution, electricity
in its many applications will play no mean part. It is to be
hoped that the nation as a whole will appreciate that what
is wanted now, is a period of rest from industrial disturbances,
80 that commodities and prices can settle down and be
adjusted to that new balance over the pre-war basis, and
in order that manufacturers can quote fixed prices without
fear. The adjustment is difficult, but there are ample signs
that the economic laws which have been upset by Government
rules and regulations are beginning to assume control again.'
We must exercise a little more patience, a little more of that
bull-dog determination to see the Job through, when, I believe,
we shall see the adjustment come about much quicker than
many anticipate.

THE MOTOR EXHIBITION.

With a lapse of only 12 days since the close of the Commercial
Vehicle Show, during- the run of which some 80,000 visitors paid
for admission, the 14th International Motor Exhibition organised
by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Ltd., in con-
nection with the Royal AutomobOe Club, was opened on the 4th
inst., and will remain open until to-morrow. The holding' of
the show concurrently at Oljmpia, W., and the White City,
Shepherd's Bush, ig an arrangement due to the erreat demand for
exhibit space, and to the necessity for providing- greater comfort
and convenience for visitors. It should be distinctly borne in
mind that each section of the show is equally attractive, and
contains fine examples of both oars and accessories ; both sections
must be visited to gain a proper perception of the exhibits as a whole.

The international character of the exhibition is revealed by the
fact that Great Britain, France, Italy, America, Holland, and
Belgium, to mention a few countries, are well represented, and the
importance of the exhibition from the points of view of both
quality and number of exhibits is enhanced by France's decision
not to hold the usual Paris Salon this year. Last year the total
number of exhibitors was 353 ; the number this year is 525, of
which 266 are showing at Olympia and the remainder at the White
City. There are some 156 exhibitors in the motor-car section, the
majority of whom are showing several cars each, and SI different
makes of cars are shown ■, 5 1 in the carriage- work section ; 41 in the
tire and wheel section ; and over 240 in the accessories and com-
ponent parts-section.

It ig not our intention to describe the many new devices,
novelties, and improvements in design and construction that have
been introduced since last year's exhibition, as they are not of an
electrical nature. It will suffice to record that the number of
electrically-driven vehicles on view has increased to four, two being
of the same make, and all located at the White City, as compared
with the single excellent vehicle that was shown last year at
Olympia, but which is absent this year. Of the accessories
exhibited a large number are, of necessity, electrical devices, since
it now seems to be general practice to light cars electrically even in
in the smaller models. It might also be said that nearly all large,
and the majority of medium size cars, now include electric self-
staiters in their equipment, while with regard to ignition systems,
although the magneto still seems to hold its own, combined
lighting, engiEe-starting, and ignition systems, or coil ignition, are
coming into more and more frequent use.

Approximately 310 cars exhibited are fitted with British-made
electric lighting and starting sets. Of this total, it is claimed that
C.A.V. sets are fitted to 40 per cent., or 4-"i per cent, more than the
nearest British competitor.

The three types of electric vehicle exhibited have already been
noticed in our columns ; it will not, therefore, be necessary to
describe them in detail. The " MUburn " car which should prove
useful for town use or on short runs, is to be seen on the stand of
Messrs. Joseph A. Mackle, Ltd. ; the model shown is a three- or
five-seater citiipr, half the battery of accumulators being carried
behind and half in front. The clearance above the ground seems
to be rather large, but seating capacity is roomy, and the ease with
which the car can be controlled should be a great point in its
favour.

An electrically- driven invalid's carriage, or bath chair, is to be
seen on the stand of Messes. Cabtebs (J. & A. Carter), Ltd., the
dominftting feature of which is its ease of control ; the motto
that it " goes by itself " is uo great exaggeration, and incidentally

utder the new licensing regulations the carriage is subject only to
the nominal reifistration fee of 5s. per annum. The driving
energy, derived from a storage battery of accumulators placed
under the well- padded seat, is supplied to a motor placed above
the dual front wheels, which are fitted with diminutive pneumatic
tires. The controller merely consists of a lever to be worked
backwards or forwards according to the speed required, giving-
four speeds forward and reverse, the top speed reaching five miles
per hour. The single control lever also operates the reverse switch,
and in addition, when pulled right back, applies the
wheel brakes. A 20- mile radius ig claimed to be given on a
single full charge of the battery, and the carriage will
climb any reasonable gradient. The standard model is built
with a miniature Victoria body comfortably upholstered, the
foot board being low to the ground for easy access. The carriage
is supplied complete with motor, battery, resistance, controller,
fuse, main switch, voltmeter and switch, charging board and
resistance lamps, but a hood and apron, front and rear electric
lamps, and an auxilisiry brake, which a generally recommended,
may be fitted if desired.

A car which is exciting much attention is the "Crown-
Magnetic " which has recently made its appearance in this
country, coming from the U.S.A. where it aroused keen interest.
Two complete cars, a 37-h,p. six-cylinder, and an 18h.p. four-
cylinder model, one of which we, understand, has been purchased
by His Grace the Duke of Westminster, are exhibited by the Owen
Magnetic Traksmission Svndicate, Ltd. They have no gear
boxes and no clutches ; are fitted with Zenith carburetters,
Berlin magneto ignition, and combined electric lighting and
engirestaiting sets, and have an U-ft. 10-in. wheel-base, 5-ft.
track, and a 24-ft. turning radius. It is claimed that the speed
can be regulated to a degree hitherto unattainable, and the

a . ..,,,'J.,^„J) 5tationar>. Fiald Coils

Fig. 1. — Cbown Magnetic Transmission.

engine and magnetic transmission, which is the feature of the oar,
are combined in a complete unit, fig. 1, which operates in perfect
harmony without vibration.

The engine cylinders have a 4-in. (102 mm.) bore ; 5'5-in.
(140 mm) stroke ; 414 cb. in. piston displacement ; and 38 H.p.
(R.A.C.) rating. The cylinders are cast in two blocks of three each,
the overhead valves being carried on a single detachable head which
fits to both sections. The valves are operated by rocker arms and
push-rods entirely enclosed by cover-plates. A pump, positively
driven by spiral gears from the cam-shaft, supplies oil under a
25 lb. pressure for lubrication and a centrifugal pump, positively
driven from the same shaft as the magneto, takes care of the
water-cooling system. The steering gear is of the worm and
worm-wheel type ; all control levers are stationary, and do not
turn with the steering wheel. The 12-cell lighting and starting
Willard battery is carried in a pressed-steel cradle with a metal
cover, is accessible for flushing and readily removable without dis-
turbing adjacent parts. The lighting equipment consists of two
headlights and two dimmer lights, carried in the front lamp
equipment, and a tail light and instrument-board light. All the
lamps are 24-28 volt, and are fitted with " non-glare " lenses.

Turning now to the accessories side of the exhibition, out of the
total of 240 firms some 80 have on view devices of an electrical
nature, which chiefly consist of such articles as lighting
dynamos, engine starters, accumulators, dry batteries, magnetos,
spark plugs, lamps, horns, wire and cable, switchboards, and
instruments, &c.

Other apparatus shown in this section includes battery-charging
boards and the B.T.H. " Tungar " charger for the same purpose.
This device is being publicly exhibited for the first time in this
country, and its principal feature, as shown in our description on
p. 382 of our September 17th issue, is a thermionic valve. Magnetic
•bucks, electric drills, grinders, and other small machine tools are
also to be seen, as are also moulded insulating material and tapes,
brass and aluminium armoured flexible electric cable, electro-
plating apparatus, electric dictographs for communication between
the passengers and driver of a car, and many other devices, some
of which have been improved since last exhibited. In conclusion,
it was noticed at the time of our visit that a number of exhibitors
were making use of " Heatrae " electrio radiators for heating pur-
poses on their stands.

Emergency Orders Revoked.— The "state of emer-
gency," as contemplated by Clause 1 of the Coal (Emergency)
Order, 1920, having ceased to exist, the Secretary of Mines gave
notice that as from November 4th, the terms and provisions of the
gas, coal, lighting, heatingand power emergency orders ceased to have
efi'ect. It was provided that that notice should not affect or prejudice
anything done or Buffered, proceedings taken or liability incurred,
under the orders. — Ihe limes,

618

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.s?. No. 2,2*2, novbmbbb 12, 1920.

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

■ited to .submit piirticulars of new or improved deiices and apparatii
if considered of mifficient interest.

which will he published

Lighting Covered Lawn Tennis Courts. ^

The satisfactory illumination of covered lawn tennis court*
has always presented a difficult problem ; it is, therefore,
thought that an account of an attempt which has been made
to solve it will be of interest. The system under review is
that recently installed in the covered courts of Queen's Club
at West Kensington.

There are two courts side by side, each approximately 40 ft.
wide by 120 ft. long, the height of each building from the
floor to the tiebeams being about '20 ft. The floor and walls
are all finished dead black, so that the white balls may be
readily distinguished, and in view of the bad reflecting
properties of the black surfaces, direct lighting was decided
upon.

It was found impossible to hang the lamps directly over-
head because balls are freq-uently " skied " amongst the
girders. After various experiments, the choice fell upon 500-

FiG. 1. — Queen's Club Tennis Court Liohting.

watt Osram gasfiUed lamps mounted in G.E.C. " Angle "-type
steel reflector fittings. No. F.I.15.5, five of which are mounted
18 ft. high along the sides of each court. The arrangement
is shown in fig. 1, and a feature of the installation is the
uniformity of the illumination, the maximum value being
3.4, and the minimum 3 foot-candle*.

The installation was planned by the lUumiuating Engineer-
ing Department of the General Electric Co., Ltd.. of 67, Queen
Victoria Street, E.C. 4. in co-operation with Mr. Eose. the
Queen's Club electrician. We are indebted to Mr. E. B. Noel.
secretary of Queen's Club, for his permission to publish the
photograph and description of the lighting arrangement.

An Electric Bench Grinder.

We have received from the Wilson-Wolf En'GINEerinq Co..
Ltd., Bradford, particulars of a new design of bench

Fi«. 2 - '■ Economic " Electric Bench Grindbr.

grinder, which is known as the " Economic " (fig. 2), and
is a very compact piece of apparatus, the equipment being
built into the body. The motor is for d.c, and is compound

wound and dustpruof, developing i u.v. at 3, '200 k.p.m. The
lunstruction of the motor is very robust, enabling the
machine to stand heavy overloads and rough treatment.
The equipment includes starting switch, terminals for con-
nection to mains, a tutally enclosing cover, a 6 in. by f in.
wheel on a removable mounting, and a universal work rest.
The grinder has rubt>er pads fitted under the base, and
does not need bolting down. It is, therefore, portable, and
it runs quietly, and is well balanced. The motor is usually
wound either fur HJd, UU ur l'00/250 volts, but other ratings
can be supplied.

The " Utility " Current Limiter.

-\ simple form of current limiter, suitable for both D.c. and
..*.c. circuits, has been introduced by Messrs. Electrical
■Utilities, Ltd., of 1-3, Shelgate Road," London, S.W. 11, who
have applied for a patent. It consists of a vertical tube partly
tilled with mercury, in which an iron core floats: the mercury
normallv closes the supply circuit through a contact-piece in-
-I'lted tlirniigh the side of the tube, as shown in figs. 3 and 4.

Pig. 3.—" Utility "
Current Limiter
without Cover.

Fig. 4.— Section of

Current Limiter.

The current passes through a coil round the upper portion of
the tube, and if the normal current is exceeded, the core is
attracted into the coil and rises, causing the level, of the mer-
cury to fall and breaking the circuit. This allows the core to
fall again and thus a pumping action is set up, causing the
lamps to blink until those in excess of the proper number are
switched off. The position of the tube can be adjusted by
means of lock-nuts, for the purpose of cahbration, over a
range of 2 to 1. The instrument is enclosed in an iron case,
which can be sealed. A small condenser connected across the
break eUminates sparking. It is claimed that this device is
simple and reliable, sensitive, ready for use without adjust-
ment, free from deleterious sparking, and not liable to de-
rangement. Tt is made for any current up to 2 amperes.

.\n Automobile Battery Indicator.

The Electrical Review of Chicago gives some details of an
instrument placed on the market by the Battery Applunce
Corporation, of New York. The function of this device is
to give due warning when an automobile battery is fully
charged or when the electrolyte level drops below a safe point.
The device employs three auxiliary electrodes which project
into the cells through the ordinary caps so that the bottom of
each electrode is just above the top of the plates. Connections
are taken from the electrodes to an instrument on the dash-
board and from thence to the generator. The dashboard
instrument is essentially a combination of three electro-
magnets which operate three indicators. Overcharging is
prevented, and full charge indicated by means of a fhermo
stat placed in the middle electrode. The action of this
thermostat, it is .stated, automatically alters the generator
adjustment to reduce the charge when the temperature of
the buttery reaches 110 deg. F. The other electrodes dip into
the electrolyte to make contact, and when the liquid falls in
level the contact is broken, and this affects the dashboard
instrument which indicates " low." With this device in-
stalled, it is claimed that the dangers due to loose, broken, or
corroded connections or to high voltage resulting from over-
charging are entirely ehminated.

i

Vol. 87. No. 2,242, Novembeb 12, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

619

CORRESPONDENCE.

Lttteri received by vs after 6 P.M. ON Tuesday cannot appear wntil
the following week. CorrespondetUs s/wuld forward their coimmmi-
cations at the earliest possible vioin^nt. No letter can be published
unless we have the writer's name and address in our possession.

The Thury System for Ships' Auxiliaries.

At the risk of incurring the derision of your readers, on
the ground that I have " discovered " something akeady
well known and obvious to everyone but myself, I write to
inquire if any of them have heard of the application of the
Thury system to ships' auxiliaries. It has occurred to me
that the Thury system would show up to the best advantage
in the supply of a load system mainly composed of series
motors which are frequently started and stopped, as all
rlieostatic los.ses would be avoided. I imagine that the
winches, itc, could be controlled merely by moving the
brushes.

In Diesel-engined vessels the scheme would be specially
useful. The winches and capstans, &c., and possibly the
steering, conld be supplied from a Thury generator, and all
lighting and such power loads as run continuously for long
periods, could be run from an ordinary a.c. or d.c. generator,
possibly coupled to the same prime mover. The rheostatic
losses would appear to be worth eliminating from the fact
that vessels are. I believe, built with the steam winches piped
liack to a common condenser. I also read recently of a large
Cunard liner, built or building, on which all the winches
were driven electrically by constant-speed motors through
variable pumps and hydraulic tran.smission.

The difficulty of insulation would only occm' on very large
vessels, as T imagine tliat aliout five winches would .suffice
for a fair-sizeil one, and if each were designed for 100 v. on
full load, then a maximum pressure of only 500 v. would be
required.

I don't know if the coverning gear on the generators would
work sufficiently rapidly, and I confess that I have been
unable to ol)tain much information on the Thury .system.

If there be any flaws in the project. T should be grat-ef\i!
to anv reader who " tenderlv " corrected me.

Kilowatt.

Norrmber 2vd. 1920.

Electric Welding.

In reply to Mr. H. Bevan Swift's letter of the 11 th ult.. re
technical details of the welding generator mentioned in my
letter of the 4th ult.. to give them in a letter would take up
too much spac«; if Mr. H. Bevan Swift is interested as a pur-
chaser. I shall be pleased to show him. or any other interested
purchaser, one of these sets at work, if he or they will com-
municate with me through the Editors of this journal.

Jos. W. Beswick.

Rugby. Novemhrr ind. 1920.

Concerning a Review.

There is a small point in Dr. Kapp's review nf my little
book on " Continnnns Current Machines." published in your
issue of October 29th. 192n. to which T should like to draw
attention. .A.t the end of the review. Dr. Kapp says : " We
cannot, however, acree with him in the statement that,
having worked out the brush contact resistance loss, we need
not trouble about the effect of the brush friction loss. In
his case he finds the former to be 1.400 watts, the latter he
does not work out, but on doing so it will he found to be
something between 400 and .500 watts. . . ." Possibly Dr.
Kapp was led to make this remark from a statement of mine
on p. .50: but if he turns to p. 59. he will find the brush friction
loss worked out from a formula ba.sed on the coefficient of
friction, the specific pressure, the total brush surface, and the
peripheral sneed. Th" loss is found to be 425 watts, and has
been rounded off to .500 watts.

S. P. Smith.

South Kensington.
Nnvemhrr Ind, 1920.

Power Factor from the Business Man's Point of View.

T have read Mr. Turnbull's third article published in your
issue of the 29th ult.. hut it does seem to me that the discus-
sion lias been side-tracked from Mr. Turnbull's ori'jina.l object,
which, to use his own words, was " to put into the hands of
the sales department a weapon by which the man who is
ni'tiotiating the price of energy could persuade the consumer
to pay extra for enercv used at low p.F." I have throughout
in mv criticisms carefullv kept to the main i.ssue, as. althour^h
the discussion on what " wattless " really is may interest the
'orrespondents, I feel that the majority of your readers would
be more interested in something less elemsntary and more
practical.

Mr. 1\irnliull suggested the use of certain analogies with
ri'gard to which I have already expressed mv views fpcrhans
rather forciblvl, and I must say that my views still remain
unaltered. Why T object to the banking analogy is. first, that
it is quite inapplicable as a good analogy, and, secondly, that

no one but a fool indulges in the transactions suggested by
Mr. Tm-nbuU, viz., to draw out from the bank J6130 and
immediately pay back £30; if Mr. TurnbuU were to quote
this to a hard-headed business man, the result, I am afraid,
would be very disastrous.

I cannot but feel, after reading the articles, that Mr.
Tui-nbull does not speak from actual experience in dealing
with consumers on this subject, and in support of this view
may I ask him how he would explain the following simple
and everyday problem to a consumer, which is one I have
had to contend with on several occasions: —

A consumer is charged on a k.v.a. demand basis, and takes,
.say, 1,000 K.V.A., of which 700 kw. is true power and £00
K.V.A. wattless. The object of visiting the consumer is to
induce him to install a static condenser to improve the power
factor from 70 per cent, to unity (I take unity as a matter _
of convenience only, as generally it is inadvisable to go above'
95 per cent.).

According to Mr. TurnbuU, without a condenser, in this
example, wattless amounting to 300 k.v.a. surges to and fro
between the generating plant and the consumer's plant, or, as
lie would put it, actual powi'r the equivalent of 300 k.v.a.
is first generated by the alleruator and then returned by
the motors to the alternator. Supposing for the moment we
accept this theory to explain power factor to the hard-headed
hwiinesa 7nan. and follow it up with the numerous analogies
quoted by Mr. TurnbuU; then how will he explain to the
consumer the function of, say, a static condenser connected
to the mains .at the consumer's premises between the motor
lo;id and the supply company's generating plant {i.e., on the
supply mains)? With such a static condenser connected.
to raise the power factor of the consumer's load to unity, it
follows that whereas on the motor side of the condenser the
total load is still 1,000 k.v.a.. on the supply or generator
side of the condenser the load is 100 KW. only. The surging
back and forth between the nencrutor and niotors of the
Hdil K.V.A. wattless Las suddenly ceased, due to the inter-
position of a static condenser. Now, if Mr. Turnbull's ex-
planation is correct, how is he going to explain to the consumer
the dispersal of the 300 k.v.a. wattless which, in his analogies
and elsewhere, he deems the equivalent of energy'' It is
certainly inipo.s.sible to claim that the conden.ser disperses
this in heat, as the temperature rise of a static condenser is
about 20 pel- cent, only, the rise being due to hysteresis losses
only, and the static condenser certainly does not rotate.

I think Ml-. TurnbuU would be very hard put to follow up
his arguments, analogies, and deductions referred to in his
articles to explain this problem, as it must be very obvious
that the " wattless " energy which he presumes to surge
to and fro between the alternator and the generator can no
longer exist, and, further, it is evident that the generator
is quite unaffected by the 300 k.v.a. of wattless on the motors,
and calmly continues to generate 7(^)0 kw. only of true energy.

If Ml-. TurnbuU will draw a small vector diagram repre-
.senting the conditions referred to in this example, he will
see that the wattless component of the load which lags 90
degrees behind the e.m.f. is exactly neutralised by the wattless
leading component created by the static condenser, which is
equal jn value, but which leads the e.m.f. by 90 degrees;
therefore these two components being equal and opposed
neutralise one another. As I mentioned in my first criticism,
I think Mr. TurnbuU is hopelessly confused between power
;ind apparent power; one requires steam or equivalent, the
other does not.

My criticisms to date have been. I am afraid, severe, and
almost wholly destructive, but to remedy this I will try shortly
to write a brief article embodying constructive criticism and
giving my views on the subject generally, which I hope you
will consider may be of some practical value to your readers.

E. W. Dorey.

Enfield.
November 8th, 1920.

[Subject to Mr. Turnbull's reply, this correspondence must
now close.— Eds. Ei.ec. Rev.]

Electricity Supply Without Statutory Powers.

I am the engineer to the Grammar School, and we

wish to supply electricity for lighting, &c.. to the town in
which we are situated. No other electric supply exists in the
district ; the only other source of Light for pubUc use is that
of the local gas company, which does not contemplate supply-
ing electricity. Are we legally entitled to supply any
customers who may ask for such supply?

J. W. S.

November 6th, 1920.

[Yes. Provided that no person, authority or company has
obtained statutory powers to .supply electricity in your dis-
trii-t, you are entitled to supply it to anyone who wants it.
You need not obtain the permission of the local authority
unless you wish to use underground cables, for which purpose
leave to break up the road surface is necessary. If you use
overhead conductors, you will have to obtain wayleaves from
landowners and tenants whose land you cross, but the local
authority has no voice in the matter unless it happens to own
the " fee simple " of a roadway crossed by your cables (rarely
the case).

620

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. no. 2,8*2, NovBMBiSR 12, 1920.

Tha Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, hag modified the posi-
tion, in that if you intend to install additional generating
plant you must now obtain the consent of the Electricity
Commissioners to your scheme, and must comply with their
requirements, which will not be onerous. You must also
comply with the regulations of the Ministry of Transport
(formerly of the Board of Trade) if you use overhead wires,
and with those of the Postmaster-General. — Eds. Elec. Rev.]

Electrically Hardened Taps.

We have read with great interest the note in your last issue
giving the results of some life tests on taps made in America
and heated re.spectively in a gas and an electric furnace.

We note that the electrically heated taps show an increase
of life of from 25 to 50 per cent. This would be very largely
due to the reduction of decarbonisation, which is most easily
effected in an electric furnace.

We note that the electric furnace was fitted with a pyro-
meter and recorder for operation on the " Hump " method.
This would be of some assistance, but inasmuch as the
" Hump " method only indicates the decalescence of the steel,
and fails to indicate the completion of the transformation,
which occurs at a temperature 15 to 30 degrees higher, it ■
cannot be considered as more thana warning as to when the
steel is approaching the completion of its change.

The complete change is shown by the steel becoming
entirely non-magnetic, and had an efficient and sensitive
magnetic indicator been fitted, we should have been surprised
indeed if more uniform and a still greater average life had not
been obtained with electric heating. It is surprising how few
people realise that the decalescence transformation and the
magnetic change transformation are separate and distinct for
all steels.

Automatic and Electric Furnaces, Ltd.
E. P. Barfield,

Managing Director.

London, November 8th, 1920.

Cost of Living in India.

In reply to the letter in your issue of November 5th, by
" M.I.E.E.," a man whose salary in this country is ^600
yearly should double this figure in rupees monthly, if pro-
ceeding to any of the larger towns in India. For instance,
the equivalent in India to £600 per annum at home would
be about rupees 1,200 jier mensem, unless quarters were
provided, in which case the salary should be at least rupees
1,000 per mensem.

In the case of a senior position, the wife's passage should
be paid, and allowances made for children's passage, by his
employers.

It is not usual to allow expenses for outfit, but one month's
salary is usually paid in advance, before sailing.

A man should have no qualms about taking his wife to
Bombay with him, for he could live quite as cheaply in a
boarding house or hotel as he could do were he keeping an
establishment himself.

Agreements vary a good deal, and questions of illness are
invariably covered in the clauses.

The question of clubs, &c., need not be considered until
one arrives in the country and makes friends.

Each case needs considering individually, for conditions in
different parts of India vary greatly.

I should be pleased to advise your correspondent if you
would put him into communication with me.

Engineer.
Suoember 8th, 1920.

LEGAL.

Electrichn's Compensation Claim.
Sheriff MacDiarmid, Airdrie, on Saturday issued an im-
portant decision relating to an apprentice electrician's com-
pensation claim.

Pursuer, employed with the Baton Colliery Co., Ltd., was
putting the earthing wire round the gate-end box, when he
noticed dirt in the box. He was attempting to remove the
dirt when current was switched on, and his hands were
severely burned by contact with the live wire.

The Sheriff held that in attempting to remove the dirt
pursuer was obviously taking a very great risk, more especi-
ally as he had no control over the current at the time, and
knew that the time during which it would be oS was not
a fixed but a variable time, and that the taking off and
putting on thereof might be practically instantaneous. He
found that the accident did not arise out of the employment,
and dismissed the claim.

G.P.O. V. A. H. Hastib.
At the City of London Court, on October 28th, Assistant
Judge Jackson heard a case in which the Postmaster-General
claimed £2 48. expenses from Arthur Hepburn Hastie, for
removing a telephone from a house in Adelphi Terrace to
another in Ennismore Gardens.

It appeared that Mr. Hastie, on changing his residence,
gave orders for the removal of an instrument and under-
took to pay £2 14s., the standard charge for such removal.
The Postmaster-General refused to comply with this order,
and instead put in a new installation, and claimed that he
was entitled to make a charge of £i for a new installation,
although only £2 14s. was actually claimed. Mr. Hastie
denied this. A witness from the General Post Office said
that although only £2 14s. was claimed, it had been the
invariable practice since 1915 to make an applicant for a
telephone pay £4 before be was allowed to have a telephone
at all, but he could not say whether there was any authority
for this now permanent charge.

Assistant Judge Jackson held that the Postmaster-General
had failed to carry out Mr. Hastie's orders, and dismissed th«
action, with costs on the higher scale on the ground that the
matter was one of public interest. — The Times.

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankiuptcy Proceedings, — An application for discharge
was made to Mr. Registrar Hope at the London Bankruptcy
Court on November 3rd by E. D. Hawker and A. S. Finch
(British Accessories Co.), late of 119, Pentonville Road, N.
The Registrar suspended the discharge of the debtor Hawker
for two years and a half, and the debtor Finch for two years
on the grounds contained in the Official Receiver's report.

Henry Torner, electrician, 31, St. Paul's Road, Southsea,
Hants. — The public examination of this debtor was held on
November 1st, at the Court House, St. Thomas's Street, Ports-
mouth. According to his statement of affairs the habilities
amount to £94. Debtor commenced business in April, 1920,
with £26 received as gratuity on discharge from the army.
His disabiUty pension of 15s. a week went into the business,
and also £10 received from the Ministry of Munitions for an
electrical invention. He attributes his position to losses on
contracts in consequence of the increase in the cost of mate-
rials between the time of the acceptance of tenders and the
completion of the work. The examination was closed.

T. McClelland De Bingham, engineer, 3, Longridge Road,
Earl's Court. S.W. — This debtor came up for public examina-
tion on November 5th at the London Bankruptcy Court before
Mr. Registrar Hope. The liabilities were returned at £1,529
and assets, consisting of systems of wireless telegraphy and
of locating submarines, value not stated. Questioned by Mr.
W. P. Bowyer. Official Receiver, the debtor stated that he
had failed on two previous occasions, viz., in July, 1894. and
November, 1906, respectively, and he had not applied for a
discharge from either set of proceedings. From the date
of his second failure until the outbreak of war he had been
sogaged in experimentinc and perfecting hia own systems of
wireless telegraphy. Witness carried on his operations under
the style of the " De Binghsm Wireless Telejjraph Co,"

with the aid of moneys obtaine dby him, amounting in all
to upwards of £15,000, from persons to whom he gave under-
takings either to transfer, or cause to be allotted to them,
shares in a company or companies proposed to be formed to
acquire his inventions. No company, however, was ever
formed by him, nor had any part of the before-mentioned
contributions been returned. In 1918 he adopted the style of
the " De Bingham Submarine Syndicate," and for its purpose
he obtained .sums amounting to about £1.245 from several
persons (all but one being ladies). At the rising of the Court
the hearing was adjourned for a fortnight.

W. H. S. Ward, electrical engineer, 56, High Street, Acton,
adjudication order November 3rd.

H. J. MoNSON, radiographer, 26, Manchester Street, W - -
Receiving order made November 3rd on creditors' petition.
First meeting, November ISth. Public examination, January
21st, 1921, both at Carey Street, W.C.

J. 0. Thomson, electrician, lately electrical engineer and
contractor. Station Street, Mansfield, Notts.— First meeting,
November 17th at Official Receiver's Office, Nottingham.
Public examination, December 2nd, at the Court House, Not-
tingham.

Company Liqnidatlons. — Riglite Manufacturing
Co., Ltd., electrical engineers. &c., 18. Cowleaze Road, Kings-
ton-on-Thames. The creditors interested herein were called to-
gether recently at the offices of Messrs. J. F. Legg. 11. Queen
Victoria Street, E.G. The shareholders of the company had
previously passed the usual re.?olution in favour of volun-
tary liquidation, and appointed Mr. Legg as the Uquidator.
The statement of affairs presented showed liabilities amount
ing to ;^.296, of which £760 was due to trade creditors and
£Lf^3 was owinc to the directors of ths company for unpaid

Vol.87. No. 2,242, NoYBMBEB 12, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

621

salaries and interest accrued. In addition, there were three
unsecured cash creditors whose claims aggregated f 502, while
debentures to the extent of il.OOO had been created. There
were also fully secured creditors for £'41, the securities held
being valued at £67. The assets were estimated to reahse
j61,53'2, from which had to be deducted £207, preferential
claims, leaving net assets of £1.325. The statement also
showed that there was a liability on the part of the company
of £2,000 in respect of an electric light invention. Against
that hability it was stated that there was £2,000 due for the
issue of 2,000 shares in the company. The latter was re-
gistered in March of the present year with a nominal capital
of £5,000, divided into shares of the face value of £1 each.
In all 4,700 shares had been issued, and practically all were
allotted for cash. The present position had been brought
about through the falling off in trade, and it was pointed out
that since its inception the company had paid no fees or
remuneration to the directors. Mr. Legg further stated that
in addition to being the liquidator of the company he had
also been appointed to act as receiver for the debenture
holders. A suggestion was made that an independent hqui-
dator should be appointed, but this was not agreed to, and
after a short discussion it was decided to confirm the voluntary
liquidation of the company with Mr. Legg as liquidator.

Eastern Engineering & Supply Co., Ltd.— Winding up
voluntarily. Liquidator Mr. A. Hartley, 70a, Basinghall
Street, E.C., to whom particulars of claims should be sent
by November 22nd. Meeting of creditors November loth, at
9, Ironmonger Lane, E.G.

British Electrical Accessories, Ltd. — Meeting of members
called for December 15th at High Street, Skipton, to hear
an account of the winding-up from the liquidator, Mr. W. A.
Judge.

EIlectro-Chemical Developments, Ltd. — Winding up volun-
tarily. Liquidator : Mr. E. A. Ashcroft, 65, London Wall,
B.C., who is authorised to carry into effect the agreements
made with the Magnesium Metal Co., Ltd., and the Mag-
nesium Chloride Co., T^td.

Dissolntlons of Partnership.— W. E. Weekes & Co.,

electrical and telephone engineers. — Messrs. W. E. Weekes and
C. H. Clarke have dissolved partnership. Mr. Clarke will attend to
debts and continue the business.

Hamson & Tayler, meohanioal and electrical engineers and
motor-car proprieters, Hanham Road, Kingswood, Bristol. — Mr.
H. P. Hamson and Mr. S. A. Tayler have dissolved partnership.
Mr. S. A. Tayler will attend to debts and continue the business in
his own name.

Trade Annonocements.— " Z " Electric • Lamp axd
Supplies Co., Ltd., Standen Road, Southfields, announces that the
company has been formed to carry on the sale of " Z " vacuum
and g:asfilled lamps and electrical appliances, including " Electro-
lux " soction cleaners, on similar lines to that hitherto carried on
by the 'Z" Electric Lamp Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (in liquida-
tion), and by arrangdment with the liquidator it will be trading
from November 1st from the factory at Southfields until the
London offices and showrooms, 73, Newman Street, W. 1, are ready
for occupation. Arrangements have been made with the liquidator
for the company to act as sole selling agents for the sale of the
old company's finished lamps and accessories, and the sale of these
stocks will be immediately taken in hand.

The Abmatube Repairing and Supply Co., Ltd , electrical a^d
mechanical engineers, announces that larger premises have been
secured, and that the new address wiU be Hafod Electrical Works,
Pipe House Wharf, Swansea, to which all future work and corres-
pondence should be sent. The telephone number and telegraphic
address will remain the same.

Messes. Lawrence Reynolds & Co., Colonial Chamb3rs, 13,
Crutched Friars, E.G. 3, inform us that they have secured the sole
selling rights for fire bars and mica elements from Messrs. The
Automatic and Electric Furnaces, Ltd., Gray's Inn Road, W.C.

Catalogues and Lists. — Messrs. Jones it Pordes,

8, Crawford Passage, London, E.G. 1. — Particulars of the " Elba"
portable b?ll set for private houses, offices, &c.

The Record Enoiskerino Go., Ltd, Tntbury, Burton-on-
Trent. — Leaf! t giving test records of the '' Silent Record " petrol,
paraffia, or gas engine.

Messrs. El'ictrical Conduits, Ltd, Birch Street, Walsall. —
Two illustrated t^nd priced lists (October 10th, 1920), dealing with
lighting switches, lampholders, plug sockets, watertight fittings,
and switches, A:c., also fuseboards, wire, cable, stocks and dies, kc.t

Messrs Electric Fires, Ltd., King Street, Norwich. — Illus-
trated and priced catalogue, dealing with electric radiators of
various sizjs and types.

Messrs Pope's Electric Lamp Co., Ltd., Elasta House, 5,
Arthur Street, New Oxford Street, W.C. 2. — A folder dealing with
' Elasti " drawn-wire electric lamps. Priced.

The Parsons Motor Co , Ltd., Town Quay Works, South-
ampton.— A well-illujtrated descriptive list (63 pp.) of marine and
stationary oil engines. Each type is fully priced and all accessories
are listed.

The General Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Qaaen Victoria Street,
EC. 4.— lUaitratei and priced booklet, No. H 2,381, 32 pp., which
opens with some notes on electric cooking in general, and on
" Magnet " domestic appliances in particular. Many of the heating
and cooking defvlces illustrated will ma^e seasonable gifts, and all
appeal from the point of view of general usefulness. Also leaflet

No. H 2,379, illustrated and priced, dealing with a selection of
hot-plates and grids especially suitable for hotels and restaurants.

Messrs. H. W. Sullivan, Winchester House, E.G. 2.— Illus-
trated and priced bDoklet, List W 2, 47 pp., dealing with all manner
of instruments and component parts of apparatus for the reception
of wireless telegraphy.

The Akora Co., Loughborough, Leicestershire. — Illustrated and
priced booklet, 16 pp., dealing with heating and cooking apparatus,
and including new types of cooking oven and radiators. The new
prices carry a trade discount of 25 per cent., as recommended by
the B.E.A.M.A. During the last six months the company has
completed a new up-to-date factory.

Messrs. British Insulated & Helsby Gables, Ltd., Prescot,
Lancashire. — Leaflet comprising a list of the firm's manufactures,
and giving the names and addresses of its agents and branch offices
throughout the world.

The Stanton Ironworks Co., Ltd., near Nottingham. — Monthly
stock list of cast-iron pipes.

The Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd., Ponders End, Middlesex.
— Illustrated booklet, 15 pp., dealing with " Ediswan-Acme "
accumulators suitable for motor-car lighting as well as ordinary
purposes.

Book Notices. — " The Mining Electrical Engineer."
Vol. I, No. 1. October, 1920. (36 pp.) Is. net monthly.— This is
the first appearance of the .Tounial of the Association of Mining
Electrical Engineers, which, as many of our readers will remember,
was formed as the outcome of correspondence in the columns of
the Electrical Review about 11 years ago. Under the editorial
direction of Mr. E. Dinsdale Phillips, the journal has made an
excellent ilebuf, containing as it does a number of practical
articles dealing with the important part played by electricity in
modern mining. These articles include "Small Pipe-Ventilated
Motors," by Mr. W. de M. Landon ; 'A New Electrically - Driven
Winding Equipment at Kilton Collieries " (illustrated) ; and
" Electric Signalling in Collieries " (illustrated). Several pages are
devoted to a record of the proceedings of the variou? branches of
the Association, and a section, " Manufacturers' Specialities,"
illustrates switchgear, haulage gear, motors, 4:c.

Technical Paper No. 168 of the Bureau of Standards, " Colour
and Spectral Composition of Certain High-Intensity Searchlight
Arcs. " Quantitative data are given on the colour and spectral dis-
tribution of energy of some modern searchlight arcs, together with
spectroscopic analyses of the carbons, and methods of measurement
are described. Anyone interested can obtain a copy by addressing
a request to the Bureau of Standards, Department of Commerce,
Washington, U.S.A.

"Slide Rules, and how to use Them. ' By Thos. Jaokson.
Pp. 30 ; figs. 16. London ; Chapman i^c Hall, Ltd. Price Is. 6d.
net.— A useful little publication dealing with the general prin-
ciples of, and the manner of using, the " Gravet " rule, four types
of log-log, and six different special slide- rules, and the "Boucher"
watch form of calculator.

" Electrolytic Medication (lonisation)." Rochester, N.Y. :
Ritter Dantal Manufacturing Co. (Inc.). Pp. 71 ; figs. 8.— An
interesting little treatise presented to the dental profession not as
a text-book, but as a concise explanation of the theory, technique,
and clinical applications of electrolytic medication, electro-
sterilisation, ionic medication, or ionisation as the subject is
variously termed, a therapeutic agent which is proving very suc-
cessful in dentistry and medicine. It is a comparatively new
method of treatment in which drugs are introduced into the sub-
cutaneous parts of the body by means of an electric current.

Messrs. Benn Brothers, Ltd., announce that with the New Year
they will publish " The Transport World : The Journal of the Road
Carrying Industry," a new weekly for all interested in motor road
transport. A Freight Exchange Section will provide each week an
immediate index of freight ready for delivery, and offers of trans-
port in vehicles running to and from all parts of the country. The
regular use of these columns by producers and carriers should
remove the chief hindrance to trade expansion by utilising the
enormous " Return Empty " mileage which is now lost.

'Science Abstracts," (A and B). Vol. XXIII. Part 9. Sep-
tember 30th, 1920. London : E. & F. N. Spon, Ltd. Price 2b. 6d.
each.

" Industrial Gases." Vol. I, No. 6 (34 pp.). Price Is., post free.
— The September issue of this journal contains illustrated articles
on " The Effect of Aluminium in Cast-iron Welding Rods,"
" Oxygen and Nitrogen Production in Germany," kc.

" Metropolilan-Viclers Gazette," No. 91, contains a detailed
description of a large blast-furnace charger, the continuation of the
articles on feed heating and porcelain, and a note on current-
limiting reactors.

Electrical Supplies in South Africa.— The South Africa

Mining and Enr/infrnnij Jmtrnal for Octobjr 16th says electrical
materials still continue to arrive, and full stocks are now held in all
lines. Although the tendency of prices at Home is to rise, no
alterations in values have taken place locally. Stocks from the
Continent come much lower than from Britain or America, not-
withstanding the increased cost of raw materials borne by Con-
tinental manufacturers, as their labour troubles are not affecting
them to anything like the same extent a? they are making them-
selves felt in Britain and America. As an instance of this, English
shades are ruling at from 43. 6d. to 53. 6d., as against 23. 9d. for
the Continental article. The latter may not be able to compete as
regards finish with the British article, but contractors who have to
cut things fine have no alternative but to take the cheaper w-ticle,
and the public is npt too altruistic when its pocket U affaoted.
P^sineu continues fairly good in to'wn and alo'ng tV* r'e«f,

622

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,242, novkmbbb 12, 1920.

Lead Report. — Messrs. James Forster & Co., in their

lead roMi-ket report, dated November 6th, say : Closing prices
last week were £'66 oa. for October to £36 l5s. for January,
against ±'35 15s. for November to £'S'j '2s. 6d. for February at
yesterday's close. The week has lieen again marked by
scarcity of prompt lead, but forward positions have shown
weakness through " bear " selhng. lea shillings per ton for
prompt over November shipment has been freely paid, and
at the close yesterday there were buyers for October shipment
at £36 OS. with no sellers. (The 8th is the last day fur de-
claration against the previous month's contracts.) The selling
on the Metal Exchange has been chielly for next year, the
lowest prices accepted being £Si 17s. Ijtl. for iilarch, ^35 for
February, and £'-i5 5s. for January.

Messrs. G. Cawson & Co. say ; Stocks were' drawn upon last
month by nearly 4,(X)0 tons, and the quantity available is
now much reduced, the bulk of which is held oil' the market.
It is just possible that the shortage in November may be
quite as severe as in October. Forward lead has been pressed
for sale speculatively, and some low prices have been accepted

Sieraens-Schuckert Steel Works.— The latest scheme in ,
Germany is the proposed establishment of a community of
interests in some form or other between the Siemens & Halske
Co. and the Siemens-Schuckert Co. on the one hand, and the
Deutsch-Luxemburg-Gelsenkirchen Mining and Iron and Steel
■Works on the other, through the poohng company formed by
these two companies under the title of the Rhine-Elbe-Union.
The moving spirit in the matter is Herr Hugo Stinnes, who
desires to secure definite and permanent markets for the pro-
duction of the two companies; while the electrical firms wish
to ensiu'e the dehvery of steel sheets, wire and other steel pro-
ilucts on favourable terms without having to consult the
market. After the observations made at the recent meeting
of the A. E.G. concerning the attitude of the steel makers, it
is scarcely surprising that the Siemens group is taking the
initiative in the matter of securing independence of the maxi-
mum prices fixed by the Federation of the Steel Indu.stry.
The latter is certainly able to dictate the prices to be charged
as between makers and customers, but with the formation of
a community of interests between steel makers and electrical
firms, the deliveries by the former to the latter would assume
the form of one department of an undertaking supplying pro-
ducts to another in the same undertaking, and woujd thus
escape the control of the Federation. It is understood that
there is no question of the Siemens group intending to relin-
quish its independence. Yet at the back of this scheme and
the many others now under consideration there lies the threat
of nationalisation, which it is hoped to avert or at all events to
render so difficult of accomplishment as not to be worth pro-
ceeding with under the rapidly changing circumstances in Ger-
many.

International Exhibition at Lima, Peru.— Land in the

busmess district of Lima has been set aside by the Government for
the site ot the International Industrial Exhibition, and a building
for the Peruvian Centenary Celebration, which will be held next
year. A contract has been awarded for the oonstruction of the
buildmgs, and work will commence immediately ; it ia expected
that it will be completed by next May. American Government
representatives at Lima have already taken tentative options on
10,000 sq. ft. of floor space. — Beuter'.s Trade Service (Lima).

Shipping, Engineering and Machinery Exhibition, 1921.

— This exhibition wUl be held at Olympia, from September 7th to
September 28th, 1921. Priority is to be given to British exhibitors,
especially those showing machinery in motion, &o.

The Cost of the Coal Strike. — In the House of

Commons on November 8th, in reply to Sir James Cory, Mr.
Bridgeman (for the Department of Mines) stated that the loss in
coal output through the coal strike was estimated at from
13,000.000 to 14,00j,(i00 tons, and the loss in wages to the miners
at £14,000,000 to £15,000,000. It would appear probable that
consequent on the strike the total increase in the number of un-
employed (apart from those employed at the coal mines) could not
have been much leas than 350,000. — Financial Times.

Wages in the Engineering Industry. — The negotiations

on the claims of the Amalgamated Engineering Union for an
increase of 6d. an hour have been proceeding smoothly with the
employers. The Union has stated its case, and the employers
will, it is expected, give their considered reply at a conference
arranged for November 17th. — Biniiin/flium Post.

Concert. — The annual concert of the Halifax Cor-
poration Tramways and Electricity Employes' Society was held last
week, at the Victoria Hall, and was a decided success. The
proceeds are in aid of local charities and of the employes' benevolent
fund. The Tramways Glee Party rendered good service.

Employment In Lead Processes Bill.— The Women and

Young Persons (Employment in Lead Prooeaaes) Bill passed through
Committee ot the House of Commons on Friday last week without
amendment, and was read a third time.

Minimum Wages Bill. — In the House of Commons on

Monday last, Mr. Lloyd George stated that it would be impossible
this session to proceed with the Minimum Wages Bill. It was the
intention of the Government to proceed with it next session.

Forthcoming Exhibitions. — The following exhibitions
are being organised : —

('ar(i;//.— January 26th— February Ith, 1921.— " Health and
Homj' Exhibition (see Electrical Review. October 22nd).

Z»«rf()«,— February Uth— 26th, 1921. — "Efficiency" Exhibition
at Olympia (Electbical Review, June 25th).

7. '«(/()« —June 3rd— 17th, 1921. — Rubber Trades, at Royal
Agricultural Hall (Electrical Review, April 9th).

Liindim. Glasgmr, and Birmingtiam. — J'ebruary 21st — March
4th, 1921. — British Industries Fair (Electrical Review,
August 13th, September 24th, Octobei 8th).

LiindoH. — 1923. — British Empire Exhibition. (Electrical
Review, May 14th, June 11th, September 24th, November 6th).

London. — Jan. 5th — tJth, 1921. — Physical Society's Exhibition.
(Electrical Review, November 5th).

Ltndon. — September 7th — 28th, 1921. — Shipping, Engineerin.T,
and Machinery Exhibition, at Olympia. (Electrical Review,
November 12th).

London. — November 29th — December 4th. — Advertising Exhibi-
tion at the White City.

London, — Cycle and Motor-Cycle Show at Olympia, November
29th— December 4th.

Manc/iester. — Toy and Fancy Goods, January 3rd-14th. 1921.

Brussels. — Commercial Fair (International), AprU 4th-20th. 1921,

British Dominions. — 1921. — Dominions Touring Exhibition
(South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada). — (Electrical
Review, March 26th, August 6th).

Limn. — 1921. — International Industrial Exhibition. (Elec-
trical Review, November 12th).

(ilient — April 16th— June 14th, 1921. — International Exhibition
ot Architecture, Building, and Kindred Industries. (ELECTRICAL
Review, September 24th).

Pe'ning. — 1921. — International Exhibition. — (ELECTRICAL
Review, September 10th).

Sonth Africa. — Chemical, Metallurgical and Mining Exhibition
in Johannesburg, from Wednesday, March 9th to 16th, 1921,
inclusive.

Iceland.— WoTld' a Fair. June, 1921.

The Institate of Cost and Works Accountants.-

Arrangements have been made to hold the examination, in con-
nection with this Institute, on December 6th and 7th, in London,
Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Sheffield. Forms of appli-
cation and further particulars may be obtained from the Secretary,

Copper and Lead Prices. — Messrs. F. Smith & Co.

report November 9th, copper (electrolytic) bars, £102, £3 increase ;
ditto sheets, no change ; ditto wire rods, £118, £3 increase : ditto
H.c. wire, id., |d.. Id. increase.

Messrs. James & Shakespeare report November 9th, copper
bars (best selected), sheet and rod, £152, £3 increase ; English pig
lead, £37, 5s. decrease on last week's prices.

Anti-Damping. — The President of the Board of Trade
recently stated that the Government intended to introduce legis-
lation with a view to the prevention of dumping as early as
possible. The subject of Merchandise Marks will also receive
attention, It does not appear probible, however, that any effective
steps will be taken before next year.

Polish Cable Company. — The Deatsrhe Zeihmii, learns

that a cab^e company, the Kabel Polski, has been formed at
Bromberg, with a capital of 20 million marks. The technical
direction of the concern has been placed in the hands of the former
vice-director of the Deutsche Kabel werke at Berlin. The object of
the company is to render Poland independent of the German cable
subvention. — Beitttr's Trade Sen-ice (.Berlin).

Foreign Samples Exhibition. — The Foreign Samples

Exhibition of the Department of Overseas Trade will be opened in
the Old Bailey on November 23rd by Mr. Kellaway. There are
160,000 samples of goods manufactured abroad in competition
with British industries.

Swedish Import Duties on Electrical Goods. — The

Swedish E eotric Industries Association has addressed a petition to
the Government urging an immediate increase in the Customs
duties levied on imports of sirticles manufactured by foreign
electrical industries. — Renter's Trade Serrice (Stockholm).

Inter- works Football,— Messrs. Dick, Kerr & Co.'s
team, Preston, has been drawn to play Coventry Ordnance Works
in the semi-fiaal tie for the Sir Chaa. Ellis Cup — an inter-works
competition in connection with the English Electric Co, Last
year's winners were Dick Kerr's, who are meeting the Coventry
Eleven on November 13th.

Swedish Glow Lamps. — The A.B. Skandinaviska
Glodlampfabrik and the A.B. Elektraverk, of Stockholm, have
made representations to the Government asking for the restoration
of that 'measure of Customs production which existed before the
war, but which haa been destroyed through the depreciation of
foreign currency, which facilitates foreign competition in Sweden.
If the import duties are not increased in proportion to the decline
in money values, the companies state that they will be compelled
wholly to cease production. Substantial restrictions in working
have already taken place, a number of workers have been dis-
charged, and the remainder are working chiefly for stock.

Russian Lamp Orders. — The representative in Berlin

of the Soviet Government is reported to have been authorised by
the commissariat for foreign traile to purchase in Germany
1 300,000 Oaram lamps, and 250,000 other types.

Vol.87. No. !,242, NovEMBEB 12, 19S0.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

628

Trade with Guatemala. — H.M. Minister, Guatemala,
states, in a recent letter to the Department of Overseas Trade, that
conditions are abiut to be very favourable for British trade, pro-
vided that British merchants and manufacturers are alive to their
opportunities. The new Government is reported to be strong,
energetic and businesslike, and it is considered that a very
promisinfT future is now opening for the Republic in question.
There is a great demand for English machinery and for all kinds of
tools. Catalogues should be addressed to Sr. Mlnistro de S. M.
Britanica, Ciudad de Guatemala, Republica de Guatemala.

British ladnstries Fair (Birmingham),— The folio. viof;

electrical firms had taken space up to November 2nd : -Messrs.
Berry's Electric, Ltd., Edison Swan Electric Co., Ebonestos Manu-
fsicturing Co., Etna Lighting and Heatiog Co., Donovan & Co.,
Edgar A. J. Hooper, Ltd., Improved Solidite Co., Ltd.. Ironclad
Switohgear Manufacturing Co., Ltd., C. H. Parsons, Ltd., Premier
Electric Heaters, Ltd., Sutcliffe (of Crnmpsall), Ltd., Semaphore
Manufacturing Co., Townshends, Ltd,, J. H. Tucker & Co., Ltd.,
Watertight Fittings, Ltd,, William Sanders A: Co., Mark Webber,
Ltd., Electrical Conduits, Ltd., F, & C. Osier, Ltd . Siemens Bros,
and Co , Ltd., Wm. McGeoch & Co., Ltd., Simplex Conduits, Ltd.

A Trade Black-List. — The (juestion whether a trade
association can legally insert in a " stop list " the name of a firm
alleged to have transgressed some regulation of the association, is
the subject of an action now being heard by the Court of Appeal.
It is said to be one of the most important ca'ei that have arisen in
recent years in connection with the methods of protection adopted
by combinations of manufacturers.

Peaceful Penetration. — A correspondent .has sent us a
letter which is being circulated to power station engineers by a
Swedish firm — a branch of the A, E.G. — and offers ampere-hour
meters at low prices from stock in Stockholm, as well as "from
our stock in Berlin, meters provided with English nameplates."
Delivery within two weeks is offered.

Canadian Trade. — Canadian imports from the United
Kingdom during the 12 months ended on September 30th amounted
in value to $138,288,000 (about £28,800,000 at par) more than in
the preceding year, while exports to the United Kingdom were
$174,000,000 (£36,200,000) less.— •/■/(« Times.

Lyons Fair. — It is reporte<l that 900 exhibitors took

part in the Lyons Autumn Fair, a smaller number than on previous
occasions. Buyers also were less numerous.

Strike in Germany. — A strike of 300 electricians and
draughtsmen has caused the closing of the Borsig works at Tegel,
throwing 5.000 men out of work. It is said to be due to political
motives, to prevent the dispatch of electrical plant worth
500,000 marks to Hungary, on the ground that that country is
supporting Poland against Russia.

Electric Light Switching Examinations.— Messrs. A. P.

LUNDBEBG tt Sons have sent us the report of their examiner,
Mr. W. H. Bray, A.M.I. E.E., on the seventeenth examination, the
results of which appear in our advertisement pages to-day. The
numbers of successes and failures are about equal, the standard
being maintained at a high value. One examinee has equal lei a
previous record by securing first place in the three grades of
successive examinations. We shall refer to the subject at greater
length in a later issue.

Trade with Canada.— Mr. F. W. Field, H.M. Trade
Commissioner at Toronto, who has recently arrived in this country.
is at present at the Department of Overseas Trade interviewing
firms In London who are desirous of obtaining information as to
the possibilities of extending their trade in Canaia. London fi'ms
who are desirous of consulting him should communicate with the
D.O.T., 35, Old Queen Street, S.W. 1. He will subsequently v'sit
some of the leading industrial centres.

For Sale. — Messrs. E. Mitchell & Sons will sell by
auction on November 29th and the following days at the Duchy of
Cornwall Mines, Hingston Down, Gunueslake Cletters, and Kit
HIU United, Cornwall, the whole of the mining machinery,
plant, &c., including electric generators, dynamos, accumulators, &c.
For full particulars, see our advertisement pages to-day.

New Magneto.— Bulletin No. 20(; of the British
Chamber of Commerce— Paris (Inc.) states that the Chamber has
leceived information regarding an improved and simplified
magneto, and will be pleased to place interested members in com-
munication with the makers.

LIGHTING AND POWER NOTES,

Birmingham. — Coal Shortage. — The Electric Supply

Committee issued, during the week-end, an appeal to the public to
exercise the utmost economy in the use of electricity, ijuantitiesof
coal have had to be drawn from stock since the beginning of the
strike, and it is necessary that these withdrawals should be replaced

before the winter loads hare to be met. If the coal deliveries
expected were made, consumers were to be given their full supplies
from Tuesday. If the coal did not arrive, the small reserve stock
would be used up and the risk involved would be taken.

Bradford. — Developments. — On the occasion of a
visit to the Corporation electricity works, last week, by the Brad-
ford Textile Society, Mr. Thos. Roles, city electrical engineer, gave
an address on the history, achievements, and prospects of the
undertaking. The occasion was particularly interesting in that the
President of the Society (Mr. Wilfrid Turner) is also chairmin of
the Electricity Committee ; but, unfortunately, he was unable to
attend. Mr. Roles bore witness to the enthusiastic support of the
chairman and members of the Committee ever since Bradford had
such a body, and remarked that in 1883, within a year of the
Electric Lighting Act being passed, Bradford had a provisional
order for municipil supply, and the works were opened in 1889.
Mr. Roles mentioned that much of the original plant was still
running. In recent years there had been great developments,
especially in heating and cooking ; there were hundreds of electric
fires in use In the city, and cooking apparatus was in increasing
demand ; the cooking for the men at the works had been done by
electriciiy for 10 years past. The demand for electricity for power
in the textile industry had grown greatly . and already 1 00,000 spindles
and some 4,000 looms were electrically driven. Several new sheds
now being erected were to have electric power. The demand of
the textile trade was equal to 8,610 KW. Of the £1,315,000 capital
expended on the undertaking in its 31 years' history, £659,000
had been paid off. Developments about to be made would bring
the capital expenditure up to £2,000,000 ; the income last year
was £329,000, and it was expected to reach £400,000 this year. There
were 6,429 consumers, 1,000 having been added during the past year.
A new boiler house was to be built, at a cost of £300,000, to be
completed in 12 months. The four water-tube marine-type boilers
would have a steaming capacity equivalent to that of 35 Lancashire
boilers. A new 12,OoO-KW. generator had just been installed, and
another to bo pi'ovided would bring the capacity up to 50,000 KW.
The works had originally been designed for 5,000 KW. Such plant
would probably meet all Bradford's demand for five or six years.
Beyond that it was very doubtful whether Bradford would be
allowed by the Commissioners to build a new station, and the
probability was that the city would draw its further supplies from
the super-station for the Aire and Calder district. Probably that
super-station would be commenced during the next two years. He
did not suppose one such super-station would eventually be
sufficient for the area, and other stations would have to be erected
from time to time. At these stations the individual generating sets
would probably be of 25,000 to 30,000-K\v. capacity, as compared
with Bradford's present largest set of from 12,000 to 15,000 KW.

Cheriton (Kent) .^Street Lightikg. — The Urban

District Council is to have converted from gas to electricity 27
public lamps on the cable route.

Church Stretton. — Street Lighting. — The Urban
District Council has made arrangements with the Church Stretton
Electric Supply Co. to light extra lamps by electricity during the
three seasons 1920—1923, at a charge of £5 lOs. per lamp.

Darlington. — AVorking Costs. — The Town Council
Electricity Committee, on November 4th, recommended that the
manager should be allowed a bonus of 5 per cent, on any reduction
in the working costs effected below those which obtain in other
municipal supply undertakings.

Price Increase. — Dealing with a recommendation that the
charge for electricity should now be 4Jd. per unit, this being an
increase of id. per unit. Sir Charles Stormer said the Com-
mittee had thought it would be able to finish the year without
increasing the cost, but it had been unable to do so. Before
the war the charge was 3Jd. There were only two places supplying
electricity at less than 4id., and they were Middlesbrough and
Burnley. Middlesbrough had a pre-war contract with the Power
Co. to supply electricity at 4d.. a contract made when Darlington
was only charging 3id., and when that contract expired it would
have to face a very large increase, for the same company was
supplying Newcastle at sjd. per unit, and it was hardly conceivable
that Middlesbrough would not have to pay the same. The report
was adopted.

Dublin.— Soi'PLY Restrictions. — The continued coal
shortage is causing the Corporation Electricity Supply Committee
a good deal of anxiety just now. Mr. L. Raul, chairman of the
committee, has issued a letter in which he says that, notwith-
standing the coal strike settlement, the shortage will be felt for
many months. The active co-operation of electricity consumers is
immediately essential in order to enable the department to avoid a
stoppage. ' At present rates of consumption the supply will last
only two weeks, if no fresh supplies are received meantime. The
hours during which special economy is necessary are from 4 to 6
o'clock in the afternoon. Between these hours electricity users
should adopt the following suggestions :— " Power users to take off
all machines possible between the hours of 4 p m. to 6 p.m.
Lighting consumers to cut off all display lighting of every kind
between these hours, and to reduce all ordinary lighting between
4 and 6 p.m. by at least 50 per Sent. All radiators and other
apparatus to be kept off between the hours specified."

Should the military Curfew Order, now in operation from 12
midnight to 3 a.m., be extended, as expected in some quarters, so
aa to operate from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., public electric lighting will
be further curtailed, all lights being extinguished at 10 p.m., under

624

ITHR ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,242, novbmbm 12, 1920.

the Oorporation repulation, which provides that absolute darkness
should roign during curfew, or, in other words, that no facilities
flbould bi! (riven to the military patrolling the streets, or enpratred
in raids for arma, kc.

Doagiven (Co. Londonderry).— ^'I he.— The electric

Keneratin? station erected by Mr. A. Temple, J. P., some JO years
ago, has been destroyed by fire.

Continental. — Germ4ny. — In consequence nf a sudden
strike of hands at the municipal electrical stations, Berlin
was on November 7th without tramcars and for the most
part without artificial light. The deprivation of light was
acutely felt in some hospitals, where it was found impossible
to perform urgent operations. Work on the Underground
Railway was endangered by the stoppage of electrical pumps,
and the rising water is said to threaten houses in the
neighbourhood with oUapse. Most of the newspapers failed to
appear. As the intervention of technical emergency volunteers
always causes bad blood among the workmen, this body was not
called in until the evening was well advanced, and as the fires
were out and the boilers cold its activity was not of much avail.
Later it was agreed by the men to keep going most of the vital
services, such as those which supply the hospitals, public buildings,
and street lighting. The strike concerns wages, and is caused by
the precipitate rejection by one small group of the arbitration
award affecting all classes of municipal workmen.

The strike on November 6th extended to the tramways, which,
owing to the lack of electricity, had to cease running. According
to the Berliner Taqehlait, the tramway workers came out in
sympathy with the electrical strikers, who are also said to have
approached the railwaymen with a view to inducing the latter to
join them. — Beater's Trade Set r'lcg (Berlin).

Giffnock. — Lighting Scheme. — The Clyde Valley
Electric Power Co. is to introduce electric lighting into Giffnock,
an important suburb of Glasgow.

Keighley. — Loan. — The Town Couaoil last week decided
to make further application for power to borrow i6 30,000 for the
requirements at the electricity works. A sum of £9,000 relates to
excess expenditure ; £1,000 on converting plant ; £800 on a water-
tube boiler ; £7,200 on boiler-house equipment ; and the remaining
£21,000 is estimated expenditure, during the next two years, on
new mains (£10,000), meters on hire (£3,000), services (£.5,000),
and sub-station equipment (£3,0C0).

Kirkburton. — Electricity .Scheme. — The District

Council, last week, agreed to support an application by Hnddersfield
Corporation for power to supply electricity for light and power in
the Kirkburton district, subject to the Corporation paying the costs
and on the assurance that the mains would be laid within 12 to
1 8 month.s after consent had been given,

Lincoln. — Extensions. — <)a Xovember 4th, the Town
Clerk announced the recsipt of the sanction of the Electricity
Commissioners to the borrowing of £11,260 for new electrical
generating plant, foundations. &c., the loan to ba repayable in 10
years, and £1,500 for switchgear, repayable in 20 years.

London. — Bermondsey. — At a recent meeting of the
Borough Council, Alderman H. R. Trott advocated the reduction of
overtime work in municipal offices. He referred to the electricity
department in which the normal week consisted of 47 hours. One
man received in a recent weekawage of £5 5s. Id., and £10 18s. -Id.
overtime ; two men whose wages were £6 Os. 8d. each, received
£10 Os. 3d. and £8 19s. 6d. extra respectively ; four fitters' mates,
whose wages were £i 8s. 4d. each, had as overtime pay £9 88. 7d.
in two cases, £9 48. 6d. in another, and £8 3s. lid. in the fourth
case.

Lorgaa. — New Station. — The Urban Council has
adopted a recommendation that the new generating station in con-
nection with the public electric lighting scheme should be placed
in the gasworks yard, the manager of the gasworks, Mr. J. A.
Tallintine, to be paid 2} per cent, on the engineering work, based
on the capital expenditure.

MarsJen. — Expert Advice. — The Urban District
Council has asked Mr. J. E. Schofield, electrical engineer, of
Bradford, to fully investigate and repDrt to the Council upon the
scheme of Councillor G. ^H. Whiteley, for electric lightiaj, A
further iaterview is to be arranged with the Electrical Disttioution
of Yorkshire, Ltd , relative to its proposal to include Maraden in
the area for which it desires to obtain powers to supply electricity.

Mersey and West Lancasliire Electricity District, —

Asking that it be allowed until March 31st next to prepare and
put forw-ard an electricity scheme, the Birkenhead Corporation has
written to the Electricity Commisaionera objecting to the inclusion
of Birkenhead in the proposed area to be called the Mersey
and West Lancashire Electricity District. (See p. 106 of our
July 23rd issue.)

Mitctiam. — Housing Scheme. — The Urban District
Council has asked the Ministry of Health to grant permission for
electric light to be installed in the Western Road houses, in
preference to gas. The estimate for electricity is .-£2,637 12s. with
overhead cables, and £880 more if the cables are underground, and
that for gas £2,362 16s., plus £5-3 lOs. if coppers are heated
by gas.

Neison. — Breakdown. -A serioue mishap, involving
considerable damage, occurred at the electricity works last week.
One of the large generators, which it was intended to replace at a
later date, completely collapsed owing to the breaking of a crank-
shaft. It is stated that the damage is irrepirable. Owing to the
timely help of the Colne and Burnley electricity departments, there
was no stoppage of the tramway system, but the supply of elec-
tricity for lighting and power purposes was suspended for twc
hours. Arrangements have now been made for Colne and Burnley
Corporations to supply electricity to Nelson Corporation for its
tramway service.

Newport (Mon.). — Year's Working. — The total revenue

of the electricity department for the year ended March last
was £ 100,001 , compared with £80,083 for 1918-19. Working expenses
amounted to £66,491, as against £54,696 last year, leaving a gross
profit of £33,510 (£25,387). Interest, sinking fund, Arc, charges
absorbed £24.699 (£22,318), making the final result a net profit of
£8,811, more than double the previous period's figure — £3,069.

Ratlimines (Dnblin).— Bulk Supply.— The Lighting

Committee's report states that the Dublin (Electric) Tramways Co.
is unable to assist in the extension of the electrical plant. Dnblin
Corporation ciuld give a small supply from the Fleet Street
station, but if more were required, it would be necessary to go to
the Pigeon House station, which would ba very costly. The
Committee's recommendation was that the engineer be asked to
advise on obtaining a supply in bulk.

Price Increase. — The Urban District Council has given
notice that the charge for energy for heating and domestic
purposes will be increased to 4Jd. per unit, as from the commence-
ment of the March quarter, 1912.

Skipton. — Bulk Supply. — In connection with the
inquiry from the District Council whether Keighley Corpsration
would supply Skipton with electricity, it is stated that possibly
some of the industrial villages between the two towns would take
a supply under such a scheme. The Electricity Commissioners, it
appears, suggested that Skipton Council should apply to the
Yorkshire Electric Power Co. for energy, but the Council seems
rather to favour getting a supply from Keighley.

Stockton-on-Tees. — Loan Sanction. — The Town

Council, on November 2nd, reported that a communication had
been received from the Electricity Commissioners giving permission
to borrow £3S.647 in respect of the electricity works. Tne Cor-
poration asked for £51,750, and the Commissioners pointed out
that whilst they had allowed 80 per cent, of the estimated amount
required, they would be prepared to consider further requirements
when the actual expenditure had been ascertained.

Torquay. — New Station. — After hearing a report from
its consulting engineer (Mr. C. H. Wordingham), the Town Council
on Tuesday accepted the recommendation of the Electricity Com-
mittee to erect a power station at Newton Abbjt as being the most
suitable and economical site for the purpose. The possibility of
the Great Western Railway electrifying its branch lines at Newton
Abbot was mentioned. Mr. Wordingham regarded it as unfair on
the part of the Electricity Commissioners, and contrary to their
avowed policy, to call upon Torquay to bear the whole of the costs
of the erection of the station. He would endeavour to secure
information as to the motives of the Commissioners in making the
proposal. It was estimated that a station to supply Torquay alone
would cost £150,000, and that to make the necesearry provision,
would involve a 3s. rate. A comfortable way out of the financial
difficulty wsis suggested in the advance uf loans by the Commis-
sioners for short periods, and finding a syndicate to build a station
and sell the electricity produced.

Turton. — Loan. — Not having received approval from the
Commissioners to an application for leave to extend the existing
electricity works, the clerk of Turton District Council arranged
an interview with Mr. Page, and the case was fully discussed and
provisional sanction was given. Formal sanction has since been
received to borrowing £17,000 for 25 years.

Warrington. — Position of Undertaking. — Within

the next three or four years, said the chairman of the Electricity
Committee, at a recent meeting of the Town Council. Warrington
would have to decide the important question whether it would
put down transformers for the purpose of reducing energy
obtained from Liverpool or some other central p'ace to a voltsgfe
suitable to the requirements of the district, or whether Warrington
would be considered of sufficient importance to become a link in
the chain of electrical generation. He hoped that Warrington
would fall into line with other towns and cities, and realise the
ideal of the better utilisation of waste heat, together with low
temperature carbonisation plant so as to accomplish generation
with such economy that every house might be supplied with elec-
tricity. The Electricity and Tramways Committee has decided to
defer the question of.oDtaining loans for substations, transformers
and services, as well as the report on tenders for turbo-alternators.
Ele jtkic Motor RENTs.^The Town Council has been discussing
a proposal to increase the rent of electric motors hired from the
Corporation, as at the present time, according to one member, it
paid manufacturers to hire from the Corporation rather than buy
motors of their own. The life of the motors, which cost from £20
to £30, was only ten or a do?.en years. In reply, it was said that

Vol.87. No. 2,242, NovKMBEB 12, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REYIEWo

626

the local eleottioal tindertakiiig' was cominf; to the ste^e that If
there was a loss then the publio had to meet it. The hiring
charges had been rerised, but if higher charges were wanted that
could be seen to. Several undertakings had been deferred for the
time being, owing to the difficulty of getting money.

Wadord. — Loan Sanction. — The Urban District
Council has received sanction to a loan of £18,420 for mains,
services, switchgear, transformers, and meters.

Whitefield. — Street Lighting.— The Lancashire Elec-
tric Power Co. has given notice to the Urban District Connoil of its
intention to terminate on Jane 30th next the contract for street
lighting. The Council is to consider the question in March.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY N0TE5.

Anstralia. — Melbourne. — The trials of new electric
trains on the Williamstown line in August were not wholly
successful, according to the Melbourne Age. It was proposed
to run them in accordance with the standing steam loco-
motive schedules. The first two trains completed the journey
successfully, but the third caused a breakdown. The middle
pantograph caught up in the troUey wirep, tearing them away for
a distance of about 200 ft. It is thought that the entangling of
the pantograph was due to the excessive rolling of the train
heightened by a strong wind.

Cost of Railway Electbikication.— Speaking in the House
of Assembly, the Treasurer of Victoria, Mr. MacPherson, said he
had received from the Victorian Railways Commissioners a com-
munication which showed that the cost of the suburban railway
electrification scheme would exceed the original estimate of
£i. 100,000 by £2,000,000. The scheme was approved in 1912.
Tne expenditure up to August 3l8t, 1920, was £3,589,000, and the
approximate cost of completing contract commitments would be
£1,610.000. This made the probable cost of the scheme when com-
plete £5,200,000, or broadly £2,000,000 more than was estimated in
1912. The additional expenditure due to war conditions, the Com-
missioners put down at £1,000,030, and the additional Custom
duties, not contemplated when the original estimate was made,
£250,000. The preference to British and Australian manu-
facturers, consequent upon the cancellation of American contracts,
cost £100,000, and additional works, not provided for in the
original scheme and plans, and " only rendered possible by the
advance in engineering science," accounted for £550 000. Other
works and minor adjustments accounted for £203,000. — Beuter's
Trade Service (Melbourne).

Belfast. — Tramway Losses. — At a recent meeting of
the Tramways Sub-Committee, Councillor Turner presiding, Mr.
J.S. D. Moffett, general manager, submitted his t raffic revenue accDunt
for the five months ending August 21st. This showed that, after all
charges had been allowed for, there was a deficit of £9,924 for that
period. The surplus for the corresponding period last year wai
£20,543. In AprU, May. and .Tune the outlook was promisin?.
Falling ofif took place with tlie outbreak of the labour troubles
and the introduction of the Curfew Order. A Sub-Committee was
appointed to go into the finance of the undertaking, make a report,
and submit a supplementary estimate for the coming six months.
In the meantime the Ministry of Transport is to be askei for
permission to increase the minimum fare, which at present is Id.

Bolton. — Wages. — A mass meeting of tramway employes
hag protested against the alleged delay of wage applications,
which it was stated are put off from time to time. They state that
they have received increases of 125 per cent , whilst the cost of
living has gone up 170 per cent. The question was deferred until
the National Industrial ConncQ meets on November 12th.

Bradford. — New Railless Car. — A trial trip was
run, on November 3rd, with an entirely new type of railless car.
The oar has bjen designed and buQt at the Thornbury works of
the Corporation tramway department. The two new features are
a covered top deck, accommodating 26 passengers. whUst the
lower saloon holds 25, and adaptability to the ordinary permanent-
way running, as well as the usual manner of running on the
railless routes. Bradford tramway department prides itself on
being a pioneer in railless traction, and its existing service of
this kind is very successful. Mr. R. H. Wilkinson, the general
manager, like his predecessor Mr. C. J. Spencer, who was Bradford's
original tramway manager, has a great deal of confidence in the
future of this mode of transport, and his confidence is strengthened
now by the cheapness of establishment of new services as compared
with that of ordinary tramway construction. Bradford has had
railless services on certain routes for eight or nine years. The
provision of a safe and comfortable covered upper deck is made
possible by a wheel-base of 7 ft. ; the sides of the oar, especially the
top portion, taper inwards, so that there is no danger of top-heaviness
or of trouble in turning sharp curves on the road. The seatirg
for 51 passengers compares with 60 on the rail cars and 29 on tie
existing railless cars. The vehicle is rubber-tired, and the se: ts
are efficiently sprung. In running on the permanent way of rail
tramways the negative trolley is disconnected and fastened down,
and contact is made with the rails by fixing to the front of the oar
an iron shoe which fits the curved part of the rail and is connected
by a short rod to the steering axle. The ear is thereby steere

automatically, as well as securing the earth contact. The working
expenses of the new type of car are expected to be slightly higher
than those of the ordinary tramcar, but when compared with the
total cost of ordinary tramways — bearing in mind the expenditure
of £54,000 per mile of double track in laying new line and xjver-
head equipment— there is expected to be a saving of something
like £50,000 per mile. The defects of railless cars, such as a
certain amount of unreliability on steep hills or roads covered with
frozen snow, are fully recognised in Bradford, where there is
plenty of opportunity for experiencing both these difficulties, but
it is believed that the new and heavier type of railless oat -will
compare well with rallied cars even on these matters. The rail-
less cars have the advantage of being able to load and utfldad at
the causeway edge, df ' being much quieter than railed car8„ knd of
being easily removable, in case of breakdown, without holding up
the service.

Baenos Aires. — Strike. — The personnel of the Rosario
tramways has just declared a strike in order to obtain an
increase of wages. The company replies that it will be necessary
to raise the fares in order to meet the workmen's demands. The
latter, however, have approached the munio'pality, requesting that
the traffic should be placed under its supervision for a month in
order to demonstrate that the company's profits will permit the
solicited increase without prejudice to the shareholders' interests. —
Fitiancial Timex.

Chile. — Railway Electrification. — According to

advices from Santiago, tenders for the electrification of the first zone
of the Chilean State Railways have been invited by the Chilean
Government. The zone comprises the line from Valparaiso to
Santiago, and the tenders, which are of two classes, will be opened on
March 31st, 1921. The first class tenders is from those proposing to
furnish the electric power ; the second, those proposing to furnish
rolling stock and equipment. — Renter's Trade Service (Washington).

Continental. — Sweden. — S)me time ago the Adminis-
tration of the Swedish State Riilways appointed a Commission to
examine and report on the types of electric locomotives proposed
for use in connection with the conversion to electric traction of the
railway between Gothenborg and Stockholm. Four different kinds
of locomotives had been suggested. The first was for shunting
purposes, with a speed of 18'6 miles per hour ; the second was a
goods train locomotive with a hauling capacity of 900 tons and a
speed of 37'2 miles : the third a passenger engine for a load of 300
tons and a speed of 496 miles ; and the fourth an express loco-
motive for 500 tons and a rate of 62 miles per hour. The Com-
mission has now presented its report, based upon a consideration of
all the circumstances, including the experience gained on the
electric railway between Gallivara and the Norwegian frontier.
Having regard to the desirability of the electrical equipment for
all the locomotives being of a uniform type, the Commission decided
on the adoption of an A.c. motor of 400 h.p., at a speed of 830
K P.M. It is suggested that the shunting type should be provided
with such a motor, the goods and passenger locomotives be equipped
with two motors, and the express locomotive with four motors.
The Hydro-Electric Depirtment has asked the Government to
include estimates for 51,050,000 kromr in the Budget for 1921 for
the extension of hydroelectric works, some of which are intended
for use in connection with the supply of power to the Stockholm-
Gjthenborg Railway ; and the Riilway Administration ha^ asked
for a vote of 26,000,000 kroner for 1922, in addition to the
2.5,000,000 kroner already sanctioned for I92I, for the execution of
works for the conversion of the same rail way.

Lancaster. — Inquiry. — On November Sad, Major
Mount, R.E., conducted an inquiry into the circumstances attending
a recent tramway accident, when a car on the Bowerham route got
out of control and crashed into palisading at the Pointer Junction.
The driver stated that his magnetic brake failed to act and the
sanding gear was out of order. Just prior to the accident, he had
pulled up at the Board of Trade stop, and the speed of the car
never exceeded six miles an hour. He suggested that the sanding
gear had been choked by tickets inserted through crevices in the
seat by passengers. It was said that there had been laxity in
initialling the car repairs book, but the tramway engineer said that
he never allowed a car out unless it was in good running order.
Witness also stated that the driver had not applied his hand brake,
but tried instead a " last resort," which would lock both wheels
immediately. Mr. Hartridge, representing an insurance oompiny,
thought that the rheostat under the platform had probably been
fractured by a flying stone. In his opinion, careful application of
the hand-brake would have stopped the car. The Inspector said
that instructions to diivers contained a clause ordering the
reduction of speed on a gradient to four mUes per hour. The
Inspector's report will be promulgated in due course.

Leeds. — Accident. — On the Wharfedale railless car
route of the Corporation tramway department, on Saturday night,
October 30th, the rear axle broke on the last car from Gi^iseley to
Otley. Another car was brought from the Guiseley dep6t to take
the passengers forward, but just as it was rounding the broken car,
a motor car from Otley collided with it, with the result that the
front portions of both the railless car and the motor car were
badly smashed and put out of action. The passengers had to walk
home, and the road was not cleared until 3 o'clock on Sunday
morning. The railless car services had not been too numerous
for some time past, and these accidents left only one car to main-
tain the three-cornered service between Guiseley and Otley, smd
Guiseley and Hurley, for some days.

626

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,242, novembeb 12, i9»o.

Liverpool. — Goods Sbbvioe. — A report on the con-
veyance of poods by tramoar Is to be considered by the Tramways
Committee at its November meeting.

London. — Overhead Equipment. — The London County
Council has agreed to the overhead electrical equipment in con-
nection with the reconstruction of the tramways in Burdett Road,
Grove Road. &c., and the construction of the proposed new tram-
way in Well Street being provided and installed by Messrs. Olough,
Smith & Co., Ltd., as an extra upon their present contract for
similar work, at a total cost not exceeding £16,500.

Fakes. — The Tramway Charges Advisory Committee was to sit
on Tuesday last to inquire into the increased fares which have
been in operation on the London County Council's system since
September last. The Council was to ask for sanction for the
present fares to remain in force until February, 1923.

Outer Circular Railway. — The Times recently devoted some
space to a proposal made by Mr. Alexander Ross, a past-president
of the Institution of Civil Engineers, to relieve the congestion of
traffic in the Metropolis by a line coinciding approximately with a
circle having a radius of 12 miles from Charing Cross. Passing
over the Thames by a bridge at Kingston and under it by a tunnel
at Purfleet, it would iu its course circumscribe Hounslow on the •
west, Potters Bar on the north, Dagenham on the east, and Croydon
on the south. It must of necessity pass under or over all the
main lines entering London, and at the points of crossing junctions
would be provided in two directions so as to permit trains to be
received from any route and passed on to any other. The exchange
of traffic would thus be effected outside the suburban zone, where
there would be ample room for the construction of exchange
stations, and where land would be less expensive than nearer
London. The demolition of house property would also be largely
avoided, and new areas would be opened up, offering increased
facilities for industrial development and garden cities.

The total mileage would be about 85 miles, and Mr. Ross thinks
that a complete double track could be provided at a cost of from
£16,000,000 to £17,000,000. The line need not, however, be con-
structed in its entirety all at once ; selected portions might be
built from time to time, as demanded by the requirements of the
traffic. As a matter of course the line would be worked by
electricity.

Tube Mishaps. — There were two mishaps on London tubes
between 9 and 10 o'clock on November 7th, which caused the
stoppage of trains for a time and considerably interfered with
home-bound traffic. A full train on the Bakerloo Railway came
to a sudden standstill shortly after leaving Piccadilly Circus
Station, owing, it is believed, to the fusing of a cable. All the
lights in the train went out. The other mishap was on the
Piccadilly Railway. The trouble originated in the motor compart-
ment of a west-bound train. As the train entered South Kensington
Station the compartment was seen to be on fire, and in order to
extinguish it the electricity had to be cut off. Eventually the
train was shunted to a siding, and traffic was resumed.

On the City and South London line on November 5th, a broken
axle on a train at Stookwell Station blocked the line for over three
hours.

Traffic Authority.— Sir E. Geddes, Minister of Transport,
informed the House of Commons, on the 9th inst., that a Bill to
establish a London traffic authority was at present being drafted
by Parliamentary counsel, and would be submitted to the Cabinet
as soon as it was ready.

Manchester. — Strike Abandoned. — On Friday night a
mass meeting of Manchester and Salford tramcar drivers and con-
ductors decided to cease work at noon the following morning
unless their demand for compensation for men who have had to
work short time in consequence of the cutting-down of the service
during the coal strike, was granted. Fortunately, following a
consultation between the men's representatives and the manage-
ment, the expected strike was abandoned. The full tramway
service was to be resumed on Tuesday morning, and Salford was to
make the same ai rangement.

Newport (Mon.).— Year's Working. — The report on

the tramway undertaking for the period ended March 3 1st last
announces that the total revenue amounted to £106,892, as com-
pared with £81,608 iu the previous year. Working expenses
totalled £85,862, as against £64,718, leaving a gross profit of
£21,0.30 (£16,890). The net result, after payment of all capital
charges, was a profit of £10,617. Last year's figure was £5,666.

New Zealand. — Railway Electrification. — The con-
tract for the electrification of the first section of the Midland
Railway has been awarded to the English Electric Co., Ltd. This is
an interconnecting section 8 J miles in length from Otira to Arthur's
Pass, and 5 mOes of this distance is tunnel. The gradient is 1 in
33, making electrification the only practicable course. The system
adopted is 1,500- volt D.c, with overhead contact. The power house
will be situated at Otira station, and the power will be generated
by geared turbine D.c. sets.

Tramway E.xtensions.— The Wellington (N.Z ) City Council
proposes to borrow sums aggregating £1,708 915, to be expended
on various undertakings connected with improvements and other
city matters. Among the new works contemplated are :— Tramway
extensions, new car-sheds and cars, and the erection of an electric
power station at Evans Bay, estimated to cost :»; 664.887. A tunnel
through Mount Victoria, estimated to cost £161,250, and further
tramway extensions in and around the city, estimated to cost
£.7i,\Wi.—Ilputer\t Trade *rr;,'«! (Melbourne).

Stockton-on-Tees. — Tramway Purchase. — It was

reported to a meeting of the Town Council, on November 2nd,

that the purchase of the local tramway gerrlce from the
Imperial Tramways Co. was on the point of being accomplished.
Alderman F. T. Nattrass regretted that Middlesbrough had
refused to join with Stockton and Thornaby in seeking to secure
an abatement in the arbitration award by an appeal on certain
points. The award he added, was quite excessive, and represented
£107,000 more for the undertaking than it could have been shown
to have cost. The reply of Middlesbrough to the above statement
is that its decision not to seek an abatement of the award wa«
influenced by the consideration of the time which would be
occupied before a decision was obtained, and the probability thikt,
whoever won, the matter would be carried further.

York. — Railless Cars. — Last week a trial trip with
one of the new railless cars was run between the electricity worki
and Heworth church. The new cars will be used first on the
Parliament Street-Heworth route, and will supersede motor-
omnibuses now in use.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Cable Charges. — Reduction Unlikely. — In a written

Parliamentary answer, the Postmaster-General says : — "The direct
United States cable has been acquired by the Government
for the purpose of duplicating the Imperial cable between this
country and Canada and accelerating the service. With costs
at their present level, I doubt if any early reduction of rates by
this route will be practicable, but it is the only route by which
' deferred ' telegrams can be sent to Canada and the West Indies
at rates not exceeding half the charge for ordinary telegrams.
Telegrams at deferred rates can also be forwarded for Australiti.
Oversea mail services are gradually improving as ships become
available ; but there is no prospect of an immediate return to pre-
war speeds or costs." — The Tiiiiex.

France. — New Wireless Stations. — The French

Government has signed with the Cie. Generale de Telegraphie sans
Fil a contract under which the company is authorised to establish
wireless telegraph services for commercial traffic between France
and all other countries of the world. The State will receive a
share in the net profits after the shareholders have received a fair
interest upon the capital of the company. The company haa
commenced the construction of two large wireless telegraphic
centres which will be installed in the neighbourhood of Paris, one
to be allocated to transoceanic communication and the other to
communication with European countries. Pending the completion
of these stations the services will be temporarily affected by the
stations at Lyons and Bordeaux, with the assistance of the French
Administration of Posts and Telegraphs, and according to the
agreements and traffic regulations which the company has entered
into. When the company's stations commence operations, the
Goverument stations of Lyons and Bordeaux will ceaae to do any
commercial service. Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd., is
interested in the Cie. Generale de Telegraphie sans FU.

Meteorolooical Information. — On November Ist, at
11.30 a.m., the Eiffel Tower, Paris, wireless station issued the first
meteorological information since such messages were suspended on
account of the war on August 2nd, 1914. It contained observa-
tions from 14 stations, including Valentia (Ireland), Stomoway,
Copenhagen, Rome, and Algiers.

Pacific Cable. — Traffic Records. — A Treasury state-
ment issued on the 8th inst. shows that during the year ending
March 3 Ist last the Pacific cable establishhd a new record, alike in
revenue and the amount of traffic handled. The net traffic receipts
amounted to £642,948, and exceeded those of 1918-19 by £88,436 ;
£363,000 was appropriated to the reserve and renewal funds, and
after meeting all other charges, there remained a surplus of
£10,433, which will |be applied in reduction of the outstanding
balance of tlie original Treasury advance of £2,000,000. During
the year over 9,000,000 paying words of international traffic were
handled, over 750,000 words in excess of the total during the
previous year, and 300,000 above the previous record number of
paying words carried in 1916-17. In addition, approximately
2,320,000 paying words were carried between Australia and New
Zealand and between those Dominions and the Pacific Islands, or
480,000 words in excess of the 1918-19 figures. No opportunity, it
is stated, presented itself for reinstating the week end cablegram
service, and it is difficult at the present time to forecast the probable
date on which it will become possible to resume it. There is, how-
ever, reason to anticipate some falling off in the volume of cable
traffic within the next few months. If this takes place, and if the
cable facilities of other routes are restored to their pre-war
capacity, the pressure on the board's system will probably relax
sufficiently to enable the week-end cablegram service to be resumed.
Government traffic exchanged between the United Kingdom and
Australia and New Zealand during the year under review amounted
approximately to 2,200,000 words, approximately 1,300,000 words
less than in the preceding year, but stUl about 2,000,000 words in
excess of the number carried during the financial year immediately
preceding the war. — Daily Telegraph.

Telephone Service. — The Postmaster-General, in reply
to a question in the House of Commons, said that np to
September 3rd laat, 168,000 applications for the installation of
telephones had been received since the armistice. Of that number,
126,000 installations had been completed ; 7,000 were in course of
construction ; and 34,600 remained to be dealt with,

Vol. 87. No. 2,242, November 12, 1920]. THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

627

I

Wireless Stations. — ^Impeeial, Chain. — Sir J. Craig

Financial Secretary to the Admiralty) informed the House of
Commons that the wireless stations at present under the control
of the Admiralty were not desisrned to form what was usually
understood by the term " Imperial chain." No such chain at
present existed. It was not possible to ensure passing a message
by wireless from Bombay to England without at some point
having to relay it over to a cable.

Wireless Telegraphy. — High-Speed Transmission. —

Twelve wireless operators spscially chosen by the Marconi Co.
left London on Monday for Geneva, where they will be engaged in
transmitting 50,000 words per day of Press reports of the League
of Nations Conference which commences there on Monday next.
They will attempt to transmit at the rate of 100 words per minute,
and reception will be by means of phonograph '' records."

Wireless Telepliony. — Tests recently made between
Keyport (N.J.), U.S.A., and AberdeeEshire, Scotland, show that
wireless telephony worked by amateurs successfully carried the
human voice and gramophone music across the Atlantic Ocean,
with, it is said, only 100 watts transmission power.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

( Th.8 date given in pareTith^jxeg at the end of the paraqraph indicates
the isiue of the Electrical Review, in which the " Official
Notice" appeared.)

OPEN.

Australia. — January 19th, 1921. Victorian Railways
Department. Supply, delivery, and erection and testing, or. alter-
natively, supply and delivery of electric furnace and equipment,
and/or, alternatively, for supply and delivery of equipment, and
drawings for electric furnace. Particulars from the Agent-General
for Victoria, London, S.W. — Tenders.

Western Australia. — December 28th. Postmaster-Geneial's
Department. Telegraph and telephone instruments and parts.
(Schedule 689).

TASMAXI4. — December 13th. P.M.G.'s Department. Instrument
parts, schedule T 301. (See this issue.)

Queensland. — P.M.G.'s Department. Testing and tel graph
instruments (schedule 5 1 7). (See this issue.)

Belgium, — December 14th. The muaicipal authorities
of Antwerp. Supply of a set, comprising electric motor and pump,
for the raising of the brilge over the Royers Dock. Specifications
can be obtained, at a cost of 2 francs, from the Hotel de VUle,
Antwerp.

January 25th. Municipal authorities of Antwerp. Supply and
erection of 20 .'i-ton eleotrically-operated cranes. Copies of the
specification can be obtained for .1 francs from the Hotel de Ville,
Antwerp.

Dublin. — November KJth. G. N. Railway Co. (Ireland).
12 months' supply of general stores, including electrical fittings,
lamps, cable and wire, &c. (October 29th.)

Dewsbnry. — November 16th. Electric lighting of the
Dewsbury Temperance Hall, Foundry Street. Particu'ars from
Caretaker. Tenders to Mr. J. W. Dixon, 31, Wellington Road.

Falkirk. — November loth. Parish Council. Supply of
stores for Bliokbonny Home, including electric lamps. Mr. J.
Maopherson, the Governor.

France. — November 19th and 26th. French State
Railway authorities. Electrical material for the Oaest-Ceinture
sub-station ; two electrically - operated travelling cranes at the
La Garenne electrical repair shops. Particulars from the Service
Electrique, 88, Rue de Rome, Paris.

The French Posts and Telegraphs authorities in Paris have just
invited tenders for the supply of 13,200 metres of paper-insulated
cable, with 221 pairs of conductors, by conversion from old paper
and rubber-insulated cables.

Bouloone-sub-Mer. — Novembar 16th. Chamhre de Commerce.
Supply and erection of six large electric travelling cranes for the
Nord Quay of the Lou bet Dock.

Grimsby. — November 29th. Electricity Department.
Sub-station converting plant, traction converting plant, com-
prising one 2.iO-KW. and one ."lOO kw. converter, and one 2.'>0/300-KW
converter. (See this issue.)

Leeds. — • December 1.3th. Electricity Department.
Three-phase switohgear for the generating station. (Ses this
issue.)

London. — Metropolitan Asylums Board. November 24th.
Alterations and extensions to the electric lighting and power
installations in the motor workshops at the head ambulance
station, Cariiwath Road, Fulham ; hot water supply apparatus at
the Eastern Hospital. Homerton ; continuous drying machine at
Leavesden Mental Hospital. (See this issue.)

New Zealand. — January 17th. Napier Municipal Council.

Supply of one .500-KW. gas-electrio generating set. — Heuter'n Trade
.'i-rrirr (Wellington).

Plymouth. — November 30th. Electricity Department.
H.T. and e.h.t. switohgear ; oil-cooled transformers. (See this
issue.)

Stockton-on-Tees. — November 1 1

ment. One new traction switchboard :
and busbars. (November .")th.)

ith. Electricity Depart-
one rotary converter panel

Accepted : —

IB, 1,000 porcelain

CLOSED.

Australia. — Melbourne. — City Council.

1,000 cast-iron house cut-out boxes, 2,500 fuse cartridg'
bases, £340. Tumbs A Howcrott (Pty.), Ltd.

Sydney.— City Council. Recommended : —

. -Lowe Bros., Ltd.
istrong.

River Latrobe Hydro Electric Co., Victoria. Acjepted : —
Boving water turbine and a Holmes generator, £4,518.— Strachan, Murray
and Sliannon.

COMMONWBAiTH. — P.M.G.'s Department. Accepted : —

, jei8,646.— Metal Manufacturers, Ltd.—

Belgium. — There was keen international competition for
t'le contracts recently given out for cables by the Beljisn State
Railway authorities in Brussels. Tenders were invited for
altogether l.'> lots, and among the British firms tendering were the
B. I. & Hehby Cables, Ltd., and the Metropolitan-Vickers. Ltd. ;
they were, however, underbid by Belgian firms.

Blackpool. —

Electrical installations in the 160 houses erected by the British Alizarine
Co., Ltd., under the housing scheme. — G. Morrison.

Bristol. — Board of Guardians. Accepted : —

Electric lighting at Eastville Institution, £l,6rJ.— Imperial Electrical Co.

London. — Walthamstow. — Electricity Committee.
Recommended : —

Two-water-tube boilers, economisera mechanical stoker.^, superheaters and

the necessary pipework, £27,950.— Babcock & Wilcox, Ltd.
One 5,r00-Kw. Brjsh-Ljungstrum turbo-alternator, with condensing plant,

£18,600-— Brush Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd.
Cooling tower, £3,590.— C. Bradshaw 4 Co.
One l,i'00-KW. and one 1,'OO-kw. motor-converter, £17,800.— Bruce Peebles

and Co.
E.H.T. switohgear. £3,0.'9.-British Thomson-Houstm Co., Ltd.
L.T. switchgear, £1,23.1.- A. Reyrolle & Co., Ltd.
Cables, £1,646.— W. T. Henley's Telegraph Wo-ks Co., Ltd.

Manchester. — Electricity Committee. Barton Power

Station : —

One 2.5.0M-KW. turbine and one 25,000-KW. alternator, condensing plant and

condensate heater. — Met.-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.
Sub-contractors fo'-condensing plant and condensate heater. — Richardsons,

Westgarth iS Co., Ltd.
Cue 1,00'J-Kw. turbo-alternator and additional switchboard. — British

Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd.
Six boilers, Ac- Babcock A Wilcox, Ltd.
Sub-contractors for fans. — Davidson & Co., Ltd.
Motors. — Lancashire Dynamo A Motor Co., Ltd.
Extensions to the coal conveying plant. — W. J. Jenkins & Co , Ltd.

New Zealand. — Farther to our note on page 46.t of our
October Sth issue, the net tenders received for the electrification of
the Otira Tunnel were : —

Nitional Electric Jt Engineering Co., Ltd.. £284,012.

English Electric Co. of Australia, £264,973 (accepted).

The contract includes the electrical equipment of a coal-fired generating
station of 4,f09-H.i'. capacity at Otira, the supply of sis eleclr.c locomotives,
the electrificition of the track between the present steam terminus at Otira
and Arthur's Pass, including the electric lighting of the tunnel and the equip-
ment of the necessary workshops at Otira. It is expected that the whole work
will be completed, and the electrified lines ready for operation, in about
18 months. — Auckland Weekly News.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS.

Electro-Harmonic Society.— Friday, November 12th. In the Great Hall,
Cannon Street Hotel, E.G. At 8 p.m. Ladies' night.

Physical Society of London. — Friday, November 12th. At the Imperial

College of Science, South Kensington, S.W. At 5 p.m. Ordinal y scientific
meeting.

At the

Manchester Association of Engineers— Saturday, November 13th. At the
Memorial Hall, Albert Square. At 7 p.m. Paper on " The Education
Actof 1918 as it affects the Engineering Industry," by Mr. S. Hey. Discus-
sion on " Liquid Pressure of Iron in Moulds," introduced by Mr. A. H.
Goodger.

Chief Technical Assistants' Association.— Saturday, November 13th. At
Anderton's Hotel, Fleet Street, B.C. At 8 p.m. Discussion on Mr.
Murdoch's paper on " Dust Destructors."

Birmingham Electric Club.— Saturday, November 13th. At the Grand Hotel,
Colmore Row. At 7 p.m. Paper on " Some A . c s of Modern Works
Management," by Mr. H. C. Young.

628

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,242, November 12, 1»20.

iDitltutlon of Electrical Engineers.— Monday, November 16th. Informal
meeting at the Instlttite of Parent Agentp, Staple Inn Buildings. At 7 p.m.
DiaousBion entitled "la Specialisation a Danger?" to be opened by tbe
President.

Thursday, November 18th (postponed from November llthl. At the
Institution of Civil Engineers, Gt. George Street, ft.W. At 6 p.m. Inaugural
addreses by the President, Mr. LI. B. Atkinson. Presentation of premiums.

(Nortb-Midland Centre.)— Tuesday, November 16th. At the Hotel
Metropole, Leeds. At 7 p.m. Chairman's (Mr. C. J. Jewell) address.
Smoking concert.

(East-Midland Sub-Centre).— Tuesday, November I6th. At the Tech-
nical College, Loughborough. At 6.45 p.m. Paper on " Notes on Elec-
tricity in Agriculture and Plant Life," by Mr. W. T. Kerr.

(Students' Section).— Friday, November I'Jth, At the City and
Guilds (Engineering) College, South Kensington, S.W. At 6.30 p m.
Opening addres? by Mr. C. C. Paterson on "The Incandescent Electric
Lamp from the Inside."

Wireless Sectional Mecliafi.— "Wedaesday, November 21th. At the
lostiiution of Civil Eog.neers, Gt. George Street, S.W. At 6 p.m. Address
by Dr. W. H. Eccles, Chairman of the Wireless Section.

Institute of Marine Engiaeers.- -Tuesday, November IBth. At the Institute,
the Minories, E. At tj.40 p m. Paper on " Oils for the Internal-Combustion
Engine," by Mr. J. L. Chaloner and Mr. T. McKenzie.

Boyal Society of Arts -Wednesday, November 17th. At John Street,
Adelphi. At 8 p m. 0 jening meeting. Address bv the Chairman (Mr. A. A.
Campbell-Swimon, F.R.3 ) on " Wireless Telegraphy and Telephony."

Liverpool Engineering Society. — Wednesday, November 17th. At the
Royal Insticntion, Colquitt Street. At 8 p.m. Pa_,er on " Prevention of
Accidents in Industry," by Mr. C. K. Atkinson.

Cbelmsford Engineering Society.— Thursday, November 18th. At the
East Anglian Institute of Agriculture. At 7 p.m. Paper on "Practical
Turbine Engineering," by Mr. G. Barlow.

Edinburgh Electrical Society.— Friday, November 19th. At the Philoso-
pbicai Institute. At 8 p.m. Paper , on " Medical Electricity," by Dr. W.
Hope Fowler.

iDStltution of Mecbanical Engineers.— Friday, November 19th. At the
Institution, Storey's Gate, S W. Paper on "Sterilisation of Water by
Chlorine Gas," by Capt. J. S. Arthur.

Junior Institution of Engineers.— Friday, November 19th. At 89, Victoria
Street, S.W. At 7 p.m. Annual general meeting. Discussion on " Econo-
nioal Transmission of Power," to be opened by Mr. G. H. Ayres.

NOTES.

Trade with Soviet Russia. — The Federation of British
Indnstries, after considering' the draft commercial agrreement to be
concluded between the British Government and the Soviet Govern-
ment of Rosaia, and Mr. Bonar Law's statement in the House of
Commons on October 26th, has approached the Foreign Secretary,
pointing out that the terms are incompatible with the restoration
of satisfactory commercial relations. In effect, the Soviet Govern-
ment is permitted to repudiate responsibility for liabilities incurred
by it and by its predecessors, and no provision is made for the com-
pensation of British subjects who have suffered in person or property
through the Russian revolution. The Federation therefore urges t ha
no agreement can prove effective unless it contains a recognition by
the Soviet Government of liability for existing debts, provision
for the payment of interest on those debts, an undertaking for the
repayment of the principal, recognition of the principle of compen-
sation and provision for its prompt payment, and the establish-
ment of a clearing-hou^e system to deal with debts and interest
thereon.

A Big Order from Spain. — -Referring to the "Note"

which appeared in our last issue, page 594, under the heading,
" Electrical Developments in Spain," Messrs. Boving & Co., Ltd.,
inform us that they recently secured a very important order for a
water turbine plant from the Sociedad Hidroelectrica Ibericat
Bilbao. This covers two 20 ."iOJ-b h.p. vertical-shaft Pelton wheels,
which will operate under a head of water of 450 metres and will
run at a speed of 500 rp.m , together with automatic speed
governors, the necessary distribution pipes, and a hydraulically-
operated automatic sluice valve.

The plant is to be installed at the Rio Cinca power station,
driving electrical alternators.

These machines rank amongst some of the largest ever built, and
it is of special interest to note that the order was secured against
exceptionally heavy Continental and American competition.

Artificial Coal. — According to the journal EWktrizilat
an engineer named Bauschleicher, has succeeded in manufacturing
artificial coal of great heating capacity. It cm be manufactured
from peat in a wet state, which has been taken direct from the
cutting. The new fuel, which is called " gasol-coal," has a heat
capacity of 7,500 units, burns with a bright flime, and is made for
use with wood or other fuel. It is also possible by this process to
manufacture coke of lesser heat capacity. This artificial coal is
stated to have the addel advantage that it burns to ashes and
leaves no cinders. — The Timex.

Electricity Sopply Rifle League. — The following are the
results of the Ojtober matches : —

Shoreditch 5S7 St. James' 519

Brompton 561 Hackney 549

Shoreditch 590 Metropolitan Co 577

„ 583 Central 666

Central ... 567 Brompton 547

City Oo 562 „ 559

Shoreditch is at the head with 20 points, and Metropolitan
second with 18, each having lost only one match. The City Co.,
Central, ajid Hackney are next in order.

Fatalities. — A public inquiry was held in Linlithgow
Sheriff Court on Wednesday last week, into the circumstances
attending the death of Alexander Ellis, a shale miner. Evidence
was given to the effect that Ellis was going on night shift work at
the shale mine of Deans, and was about to enter the bothy at the
head of the mine, when, on taking hold of the handle of the bothy
door, he received an electric shock from the effects of which he
died almoit immediately. A young miner who, though not cited,
elected to give evidence, stated that he had attached a piece of
wire to the electric fuse and put the other end through a hole in
the door, without any intention of doing injury to ElUs or anyone.

The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the death of Ellis
was caused through mischievous tampering with an electrical
iusta'lation by the young miner, but they did not consider that he
had any knowledge of the likelihood of any fatal termination, or
thit he meant the result for any particular party.

Enthusiasm for his work was mentioned as the 'possible cause of
the death of William John Orr, electrical student (21), of Sheffield,
who was killel at the works of Messrs. Vickers, Ltd., on October
27th, John Middleton. in charge of the electricians at the testing
bench, related to the Coroner that a fault occurred on one of the
regulators on a motor which involved stopping the machine. The
supply was cut off, but some of the parts of the machine would
still be alive owing to the momentum of the revolving machine.
Wnile he was removing the insulating plugs, he heard a scream,
and turning round he saw Orr collapse into a fitter's arms. A
verdict of " Accidental death " was recorded.

Thomas Howarth, 79, of 'Vickerstown, was knocked down by a
Barrow Corporation electric tramcir last week, and died an hour
later from i ijuries received. At the inquest on Tuesday, the evidence
showed that the deceased was rather deaf, and walked across the
tramway lines as the car was approaching. James Taylor, the
driver of the car, said many people were crossing from one side of
the street to the other, and that was why he was sounding his bell.
He did not see the deceased until he was two yards from him and
he pulled up in four yards. Other evidence showed that the life-
guard on the front of the car dropped into position, but the deceased
fell sideways and was caught beneath the offside step of the car
and dragged some distance. The Coroner left the Court to view
the car, and on his return, expressed the opinion that the evidence
of the witnesses had been clear, and, in finding that the deceased
met his death accidentally, he exonerated the driver from all
blame. He pointed out that all that drivers had to do was to drive
with reasonable and proper care. He suggested, however, that the
step on this particular tramcir should be raised a little. Had it
been higher, the deceased might not have been dragged along after
falling. On behalf of the Ba-row Corporation, the Town Clerk
extended sympathy to the bereived relatives.

AppDintments Vacant. — Shift engineer (£.i 10.^.), over-
head linesman (£5), for the Neath Rural District Council Elec-
tricity Department ; electrical inspector (650 Rs. per month),
assistant electrical foreman (425 Rs. per month), for the Ea9t
Indian Railway ; draughtsman, for the Northampton Electric
Light and Power Co., Ltd. : rolling stock superintendent (£350),
for the Wigan Corporation Tramways Department ; assistant
telegraph engineer, .?360 per month (dollar = 28, 4d.), for the
Post and Telegraph Department of the Government of the Malay
States. See our advertisement pages to-day.

National Electricity Supply. — On the Order Paper of

the House of Commons of November 9th there was notice of a
question by Mr. Seddon to ask the Minister of Transport whether
the work of carrying out the various electricity schmes prepared
under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, could be put in hand at
once in order to assist in providing immediate work for the
unemployed, and also to supply the much-needed electric power
for new industries which will also provide increased employment
in the future.

The Electrical Trades Benevolent lostitntion. — The

Annual Festival will be held on Wednesday, December 15th, at the
Connaught Rooms, when Mr. E, Manville, M.P., will preside.

County of London Royal Engineer Volunteers. — The

disbandment of the County of London R,E. Volunteers, London
Army Troops Companies, and the distribution of the funds, are now
complete. In January last, £94 8s. 5d. from the funds of what
was known as the " Engineering Institutions Company," was paid
through Sir John Snell to the Benevolent Funds of the Insti-
tutions of Civil, Mechanical and F.lectrical Engineers. After the
final wind-up of the Corps, as a whole, there was a balance of
£64, and this has been handed to Earl Haig's Fund.

Electric Tricycles. — The Swiss Postal authorities are
about to put into service in Geneva and Berne a number of electric
motor-tricycles for the delivery of express letters. The machines
will bo fitted with a small battery of accumulators, and are
designed to attain a speed of In miles per hour.

Electrically-Propelled Ships.— Following the success of

the electricilly-propilled battleships of the U.S. Navy, the U.S.
Shipping Board is to equip 10 large freight vessels on the same
lines. The Eclipsp, an ll,SOO-ton (deadweight) cargo vessel which
was originally turbine-driven, and has been converted, recently
attained a speed of Ho knots on a trial trip from the South
Brooklyn Yard of the Tobo Jack Basin out to sea, and the American
General Electric Co. has been given a oo'ntract to equip 10
-Lloy<fs List.

Tol. 87. No. 2,242, NOVBMBEB 12, 1920.} THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

629

British Chambers of Commerce In China.— The second

annual conference of British Chambers of Commeroe in
China and Hong Kong opened at Shanghai on the 3rd and
closed on the Hth inst. Mr. Clive, British Charge d'Affairs,
made a speech, in which he announced that the Chinese
Foreign Minister had given assurances that the mandate
terminating oliicial relations between China and Russia was
not intended to cause the slightest injury to any British
interests, and had promised sympathetically to listen to any
complaint on the subject. Mr. Cllve added that His Majesty's
Government would do its utmost to give efl'ect to any con-
structive proposals made by the Conference. Mr. Archibald
Rose, Commercial Secretary to the Legation, gave an optimis-
tic review of the industrial situation in China. He said
that, in spite of the unrest throughout the country and the
financial disorganisation in Peking, real development was
proceeding apace. At the same time u spirit of revolt against
foreign ascendency was springing up. This did not denote
an anti-foreign animus, but meant that the Chinese desired
to work " with us and not for us." Mr. Rose advised British
enterprise to meet the Chinese half-way in this co-operative
movement. Mr. Holyoak, member of the Hong Kong Legisla-
tive Council, urged that a really powerful wireless station
should be erected with all speed in Hong Kong, connecting
thfe>>islanil wifli India and Ilonolulu, and available for com-
mercial use in peace time. He declared that the competition
from other nations', already possess! ug more powerful wireless
installations, rendered the carrying out of-'bis-'suggestions
vitally necessary for Imperial as well as trade interests. —
Renter's Trade Sen-ice (Shanghai).

A Duddell Memorial. — We are informed that the wish
has been generally expressed that there should be a memorial
to the late Mr. W. Duddell, C.B.B., F.R.S., by whose death
in November, 1917, physical science suffered a severe blow.

It is propcsed that the memorial should take the form of
a medal to be awarded periodically by the Council of the
Physical Society, and at its discretion! to tho.se who have
advanced physical knowledge l.)y the invention or design of
scientific instruments, or of materials used in their construc-
tion. If sufficient funds are available after paying for the
cost of the dies, and after providing for the cost of striking
the medals, it is proposed to form a fund to be devoted to the
foundation of scholarships or prizes to be awarded to students
of the Physical Society under conditions to be determined by
the Council.

Subscriptions should be forwarded to -the hon. secretary,
Mr. Robert S. Whipple, 15, Creighton Avenue, Muswell Hill,
London, N. 10.

Constitution of the Elements. — An interestinpc new
instrument is reported to be in operation at the Cambridge
University Physical Laboratory in connection with an attempt
to indicate the constitution of the elements. One of the
results which it appears to have yielded is that " chlorine
is not an element." It seems either to be a compound or,
perhaps, a substance which is gradually changing, as
radium does. The instrument is said to be in some of its
features a development of Prof. J. J. Thomson's well-known
device, and it enables the rays given off by substances to be
photographed. Mr. Aston is named as the originator of the
new instrument, and he is said to be working in conjunction
with Dr. Rutherford and Prof. J. J. Thomson.

Overtime Ban. — According to the Daily Herald the

Electrical Trade.s Union. London District, has resolved by a
ballot vote to prohibit all its members from working overtime,
except in emergency and by permission of the London District
Comniitfee. in order to reduce unemployment in the area.

INSTITUTION NOTES.

Institution of Electrical Engineers. — On account of the
closing of streets for the purpose of contrcjlling the crowds
which the authorities expected in the central part of West-
minster on the 11th inst., in connection with the unveiling of
the National Cenotaph. &c.. and the impossiliility of obtaining
access to the building of the Institution of Civil Engineers, it
was decided to postpone the opening meeting of the session to
Thursday, November I8th, when the meeting will be held at
the Institution of Civil Engineers at 6 p.m., and the President,
Mr. LI. B. Atkinson, will deliver his inaugural address.

The arrangements for holding the first meeting were, of
course, made and published by the Council long before the
ofiScial arrangements for the observance of .\rmistice Day were
eettled ; the latter were not announced until Monday last.

Wireless Section. — The wireless .sectional meeting, an-
nounced f«r November 17th, has been postponed to Novem-
ber 124th (at the Institution of Civil Engineers at 6 p.m.).

I.E.E. Benevolent Fond.— The Fund has benefited by a
donation, through Captain S. T. Pemberton, of S.ZO Os. 9d.,
being the balance of the Corps Funds of the lute Warwickshire
Roval Engineer (V) Corps Signal Company.

The Council of the Institution has been informed that its
premises will be vacated by the Government before the mid of

December, and that immediately afterwards the Office of
Works will commence the work of repairing and cleaning the
building, with a view to the Institution having vacant posses-
sion of the premises early in the New Year.

The programme for the first half of the session contains tlie
following items ; —

November 18th.— Inaugural addrebs by the President, Mr. LI. B. Atkinson.
November 25th.— Papers on " The Distribution of Electricity," by Mr. W. B.

Woodhouse. and " Some Economic Aspects of E.H.T. Distribution by

Underground Cables," by Mr. R. O. Kapp.
December 9th. — .\djourned discussion on the foregoing papers.
December 16ih.— Discussion of " Report on the Heating of Buried Cables."
January 13th.— Kelvin Lecture on " Electrons," by Sir W. Bragg, K.B.E.,

F.R.S.
January 27th.— Paper on " Temperature Limits of Large Alternators," by G. A.

Juhlin.

Wireless Section. i> -■

November 24th.— Address by the Chairman of the Section, Dr. W. H. 'Eccles.
December 15th.— Paper on " The Range of Wireless Stations," by tTapt. R. C.
Trench, R.E. ■-^- p»"

Informal Meetings. .■

November 15th. — Discussion opened by the President.

November 29th. — Discussion on " Electrical Transmission on Petrol N'ehiclej,"

opened by Mr. A. F. Harmer.
December 13th.— Discussion on (IJ " Percentage and .Accuracies." (2) *' Meter

Constants and Standards," and (3) " Nameplates." opened by Mr. W. J.

Minton.
January 17th. — Discussion on " The Mental Equipment of an Engineer," opened

by Mr. P. Pitt.

North>Midland Centre.

November 16th.— Address by the Chairman, Mr. C. J. Jewell, and smoking

concert.
November 22nd. — Paper on " Permanent Magnets," by Prof. E. H. Crapper.
December 14th.— Discussion on Report on the Heating of Buried Cables.
January Uth.— Visit of the President.
January 25th. — Paper by Mr. Woodhouse.
February 8th.— Paper by Mr. Juhlin.

North= Western Centre.

November 9th.--Address by Chairman, Mr. J. Frith.

November 23rd.— Papers by Mr. W. H. Woodhouse and Mr. R. O. Kapp.

December 7th.— Report on Buried Cables.

Scottish Centre.

November 9th.— Address by the Chairman. Mr. J. E. Sayers.
December 14th. — Paper by Mr. Woodhouse.

TTio annual report of the Committee records the formation of sub-centres
in Aberdeen and Dundee, and the successful summer outing at Kinlochlevcn.
The membership has increased from 386 in 1919 to 523 in 1930.

The report of the Scottish Students' Section refers to the visit of the London
Students in July, and states that the office-bearers for 1920-1921 are Mr. F. H.
Whysall, chairman; Mr. D. J. M'Kellar, vice-chairman; and Mr. W. K.
Fleming, hon. secretary.

Western Centre.

The first ordinary meeting of the session was held at Bristol
on November 8th. The Chaii-man. Mr. A. Ellis, presided.
The incoming Chairman (Mr. A. J. Newman, Deputy Elec-
trical Engineer, Bristol Corporation Electricity Department)
was inducted to the chair, and delivered his inaugural address,
giving a general survey of recent engineering progress and
suggestions regarding future developments. He drew atten-
tion to the fact that the Institution of Electrical Engineers
was growing in membership, utility, and prestige, and, largely
as a result of this, the great importance of engineering to the.
general community was becoming more publicly appreciated.
He encouraged young engineers to take an active part in the
work of the Institution, stating that they would not be loyal
even to their own personal interests if they failed to embrace
the opportunities and benefits which it at present afforded.

Students' Section. — The following programme has been
arranged : —

November 19th.— Opening address, *' The Incandescent Electric Lamp— from
the Inside." Delivered by Mr. C. C. Paterson. O.B.E., M. I.E.E.

November 26th,— Paper on " Electricity and the Papermaking Industry," by
Mr. A. J. C. Watts.

December 3rd. — Discussion on " The Modern Tendency to Trusts. Is it
Beneficial?" Opened bv Mr. .\. Serner.

January 21st. 1921.— Paper on " Electric Welding," by Mr. H. J. Howard.

Royal Society of Arts. — The arrangements for the present
session, which opens on Wednesday, November 17th, at 8 p.m.,
with an address by the Chairman, Mr. A. A. Campbell
Swinton, F.R.S. , on " ^^"ireless Telegraphy and Telephony,"
include the following papers: — •

March 7th. Uth and 21st. at 8 p.m.—" X-rays and their Jndijstrial Applica-
tions," bv Major G. VV. C. Kaye.

April Illh, 18th and 25th, at 8 p.m.—" Recent Applications of the Spectroscope
and the Spectrophotometer to Science and Industry."

The following papers to be read alter Christmas: —

Sir M. Samuel, Bart. : The general position of the oil question.

A. F. Baillie, Chief Engineer, Technical Department Anglo-Mexican Petroleum

Co.: Oil burning methods in various ()artj of the world.;
A. Abbott (Department of Science, and Industrial Research): The origin and

development of the research associations "established by the department.
Sir H. Jackson, F.R.S. : Research in scientific instrument making.
Dr. W. Cramp. M. I.E.E. : Pneumatic elevators in theory and practice.
Dr. C. S. Myers, F.R.S. : Industrial fatigue.
Sir C. H. Be<lford : Industrial (including Rower) alcohol.
Prof. W. A. Hone. F.R.S.: Broun .onls altd their lignites: Ihcir importance

Institute of Transport. -^.X congress is to be held by the
Institute at Manchester .some time this month.

The Royal Society. — .\t the meeting on November 4th,
Sir J. J. Thomson, O.M., President, in the chair, a paper was
read by Prof. H. Lamb, F.R.S. . on the " Vibrations of an
Elastic Plate in Contact with Water." The subject is of
interest in connection with submarine signalhng. Prof. H. M.
Macdonald, F.R.S., read a paper on "The Transmission of
Electric Waves around the Earth's Surface."

The following are recommended bv the president aud council
for election to the council at the meeting on November 30th :

President : Professor 0. S. Sherrington. M.A., M.D.. Sc. D.

Treasurer: Sir David Prnin, CM.O.. CLE., M.A., IJ,.D.

630

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,212, November 12, 1920.

Secretaries : Mr. W. B. Hardy, M.A., and Mr. J. H. Jeans,
M.A.

Foreii,'D Secretary : Sir Arthur Schu.ster, Ph.D., Sc. D.,
LL.D.

Chelmsford Engineering Society. — On Thursday, Novem-
ber -Ith, Mr. Dann in the chair, a very interesting and instruc-
tive lecture was given on " Gauges and their Manufacture "
Ijy Mr. Pochin, IB..\., before a large attendance of members
at the East Anglian Institute of Agriculture. The paper gave
a comprehensive survey of the various compositions and subse-
quent treatment of steels in the manufacture of gauges, in-
cluding the different effects produced with the varied methods
of hardening and the importance of the correct and careful
attention given to the ageing of the material. He expressed
his appreciation towards Messrs. Hoffmann Co. for their supply
of various .samples of steels which enabled him to carry out a
(■onsiderable amount of war work in connection with the manu-
facture of gauges, etc. A discussion followed.

Edinburgh Electrical Society. — On Thursday, October
21st, a large number of the members visited the offices of The
Scotsman, Edinburgh, and were much interested in the Morse
translating machines and the various novel applications of
motors to newspaper work.

On Friday, November 5th, Mr. Basil A. Pilkington, P.R.S.E..
lectured to the Society on " Some Incidental Uses of Electri-
city." The lecture was illustrated by practical demonstrations
and coloured diagrams. The subjects dealt with included novel
electrical effects for stage and decorative purposes, apparatus
for automatic temperature control, systems of " push-button "
control, and the advantages of using bells on high-pressure cir-
cuits. This stimulating lecture was much enjoyed, and a dis-
cussion followed.

On Fi-id,iy, 19th inst.. Dr. W. Hope Fowler. F.R.O.S.. Chief
Medical Electrician at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, will
lecture on " Medical Electricitv " at the rooms of the Society
in the Philosophical Institute, Queen Street, Edinburgh.

Institute of Physics. — An institute with the above title,
I'rom which the word " Limited " has been omitted by licence
of the Board of Trade, was registered on November 1st as a
company limited by guarantee with the objects of elevating the
profession of the physicist and advancing and diffusing a know-
ledge of physics, pure and applied. Tlie management is vested
in a board of four per.sons to be appointed by each of the
Ti'araday and Optical Societies, and seven by the Physical
Society. Other societies which may enter into participation
during the existence of the first board will have the right to
nominate an additional member. The secretary is Mr. W.
Buchanan, of 66, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

TA€ Editors invitt electrical engineer!, whether connected wUK tht
teohnioal or the commercial tide of the vrofesinmi and industr^j,
also electric tramway an'i- railway oMriaU, to keep readers of the
EleotbioAIi Rbvikw posted as to their mmiements.

In honour of his silver wedding anniversary. Mr. G. H.
Roberts, M.P., joint president of the Industrial League, was
on Friday, last week, presented with a silver cigar-cabinet
from Colonel Sir William Dupree (an honorary life member
of the I.eague), and a testimonial from the members of the
staff.

Mr. H. H. CoDZENS, general manager of the Toronto Hydro-
Electric System, has also been appointed general manager
of the Toronto Transportation System. The franchise of the
Toronto Railway Co. expires in about a year, and the recently-
appointed Transport Commission desires to have all arrange-
ments perfected in advance to take over the system, so as
to avoid confusion as much as possible due to change of
management. Mr. E. M. Ashworth. assistant general manager
of the Hydro System, has been made acting general manager
with a view to giving Mr. Couzens more freedom in the
meantime to attend to tran.sportation matters. — Electrical
News (Canada).

Mr. S. Ij. Pearce, chief engineer of the Manchester Cor-
poration electricity department, together with .Aid. W. T.
Dagnall, the chairman of the committee, arrived home from
the States on November ."ith. after a trip to studv .American
methods of generating and transmittincr power. Aid. Dagnall
and Mr. Pearce had a very strenuous time during their visit,
travelling over 10,000 miles, and inspecting most of the more
nn-to-date installations. " So far as generation is concerned."
Mr. Pearce says, " apart from the fact that America is opera'
ing on a much larger scale than ever, and utilising niikii
larger plant, there is not a very great difference in the practice
of the two countries. If (jne comnares the modern plant to
lie found in America with the modern plant either operating
in this country or being planned, we are in no way behind.
When the present financial strain is eased, however, America
will be on the eve of tremendous eleclj-ical deyelopment."

Remarking on the fact that in the States some undertakings
supplying both gas and electricity are controlled by the
same parent or holding company, Mr. Pearce says this does
not appear to have the effect of lessening competition between
the two utilities, but has a tendency for the gas concerns to
concentrate in the direction of cookers, heaters. &c., and
leave the electricity stations to cater for lighting and industrial
power purposes.

Mr. G. W. Paktkidoe has been apijoiuted managing director
of the London Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd.

Dartford U.D.C. has rejected a recommendation to increase
the salary of the electrical engineer from f 500 to j6650 per
annum.

Mr. A. Hugh SEAbitooK, M.I.Mech.E., M.I.E.E.. is now
practising as a consulting engineer at 11, Queen Victoria Street,
ixmdon, E.C.4. sijecialising in fuel economy in connection with
heating and power plant, and advising on electric power,
lieat, and light installations. .'\s most of our readers know,
he" was formerly engineer and general manager of the Bark-
ing electricity supniy and light railways, \Vest Ham elec-
tricity supply, and St. Marylebone electricity supply, and
made his mark as an authority on the conduct of such
undertakings. He has our best wishes for his success in his
new role.

It is announced in Nature that Mr. F. S. Spiers, secretary
of the Faraday Society, was recently appointed by the King
an Oiiicer of the British Empire (O.B.E.), and reference was
made to this honour at the opening of the joint meeting on
the physics and chemistry of colloids. Mr. Spiers has been
responsible for the organisation of the many valuable joint
conferences arranged by the Faraday Society during Sir
Robert Hadfield's presidency; he was .secretary of the British
Scientific Products Exhibitions organised in 1918 and 1919 by
the British Science Guild, and is secretary of the Institute of
Physics, which, there is every reason to believe, will eventually
occupy a very strong position among scientific bodies.

Obituary. — Mr. T. F. Fuller. — ^The death has taken place
at Bexley Heath (Kent), of Mr. Tom Fi-ederick Fuller, for
many years partner, with his brother, in the firm of John C.
Fuller & Son, electrical engineers, of the Woodland Works,
Bow, E. He was in his 93rd year, and prior to joining his
brother he was with the Electric Telegraph Co., The Indii
Rubber, Gutta Percha, and Telegraph Works Co., Ltd., of
Silvertown, and W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.
He retired from the firm in 1908.

NEW COMPANIES REQISTERBD.

John Furlong & Sons (1920). Ltd. (5,062).— Private com-
pany. Registered in Dublin October 26th. Capital, £120,000 in £1 shares.
To carry on the business of generators and suppliers of electricity. The
subscribers (each with 100 shares) are : M. G. Haughton, Woodlands. Glan-
mire, Co. Cork; C. C. Mercier, Ardmachree, Limerick. The first directors
are: M. G. Haughton, C. C. Mercier, J. P. Goodbodv. senr., J. P. Goodbody,
junr., and G. E. Goodbody. Secretary : C. C. Mercier. Registered ofSce :
L.ipp's Quay, Cork.

Oldham & Son, Ltd. (171,213).— Private companv. Regis-
tered November 3rd. Capital, £30.000 in £1 shares. To carry on the business
of mining, mechanical, and electrical engineers, manufacturers of and dealers
in miners' lamps and colliery requisites, founders, machinists, manufacturers
.Tnd patentees of primary and secondary batteries and hardware. &c., and
to acquire the business carried on by O. Oldham, at Denton. Lanes., as
" Oldham & Son." The first directors are : O. Oldham, Cambridge House,
Highfield, Gorton, Manchester; G. Oldham, Sunnv Bank, Haughton Green.
Denton, Manchester; E. C. Oldham, Cambridge House, Highfield. Gorton,
Manchester; J. Oldham. Cambridge House, Highfield. Gorton. Manchester.
-Secretary (pro. tern.) : J. J. Hammond. Registered Office : 36, Hyde Road.
Denton, near Manchester.

Thomson Woollard, Ltd. (171,146). — Private companv.

Registered October 30th. Capital. £4,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the
business of manufacturers and repairers of and dealers in motor accessories
and other mechanical and electrical contrivances. &c. Th.- subscribers feach
with one share) are: H. Thomson. Alexandra Works, Brent View Road,
West Hendon, N.W. 9. engineer; G. Woollard. Alexandra Works. Brent
View Road, West Hendon, N.W. 9, engineer. The first directors are: H.
Thomson and G. Woollard, Secretarv : G. Woollard. Registered office :
Alexandra Works, Brent View Road, West Hendon. N.W.

Perfection Electrical Co.. Ltd. (171,252).— Private com-
panv. Registered November ."ith. Capital. fl.Oflfl in £1 shares. To carry on
the business of marine, mechanical, civil, electrical, steam, gas, ventilation,
.'ind hydraulic engineers, manufacturers of motors, machinery, plant, and tools,
agents or brokers for or in connection with the sale of motors of all kinds
and nth-r electrical and engineering appliances, &c. The first directors are:
F W. Martin. 54 Bruce Castle Road. Tottenham. N. (director Walton Shm-
ping Co.. Ltd.; H. E. O. F.llis. r>2. South rroxte<l Road, Dulwich. S.E.
(.lirerlor C.E.C.. Ltd.). Registered office: 1, F.merald Street, W.C.I.

Brentwood District Electric Co.. Ltd. (171,224).— Regis-

I.T.-.I N'ovenihir 4th. Capital. i'2.00n in £1 shares. To carrv on the business
in.lical.-d hv the title. Mlninnim cash subscription 7 shares. The first
.lir.ctors are- A G. Cnllis. 25 N'ew Ro.ad, Brentwood: I. Bradford, tvvbank,
l..vtonstone. E. ; D. Cornish. ' Mount Lodge, Hiitton Mount; H E. W'ood.
n;ikl;.nds, Hutton Mount. Secretarv: J. W. Vincent. Registered office: 5.1.
\.vv Rroad Street. EC. 2.

Newcastle & Sunderland OxvElectric WeldinjJ & Metal-
lurgical Co., Ltd. (171.L>oO).— Private companv. Rei>isterei]

\..v.>mber .lih. Capital £5,000 In £1 shares To carrv on the business of
«eld.,s and artificers in nwtal and all kii.ds of .ngineerin? works am
m.-lallurgical and other op.>rations. &c. The subscribers (each with one sh.ire)
are: I. R. Pakeman, 11. Ironmonger Lane. E.G.. solicitor: H. M. Cordrey.
11. Ironmoner Lane, E.C., solicitor's managing clerk. The first directors are
to he appointed by the subscribers. Solicitors : Pakeman, Son & Read, 11.
Ironmonger Lane, E.G.

Vol. 87. No. 2,242, novembbb 12, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

681

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Yale Electric Power Co., Ltd. (60,493) .—Return dated

August 12th, 1920. Capital, £20,000 in 3,300 preferred shares ot £1 each
and 668 ordinary shares of £25 each; 300 preferred and 668 ordinary shares
taken up; £15,300 paid. £1,700 considered as paid. Mortgages .md charges,
£6,000.

English Electric Co., Ltd. — Charge on shares in various

companies and certain lands and buildings, &c., dated October 13th, 1920,
supplemental to indenture dated December 12th, 1919, securing £250,000.
Holders : Lloyds Bank. Ltd.

Monometer Manufacturing Co. (1918), Ltd. — Satisfaction

in full on February 20th, 1930. of debentures dated August 12th, 1918, securing
£20,000.

CITY N0TE5.

At the annual meeting of this company,
Drake and on November 4th, the chairman, Mr. Ber-

Gorham, Ltd. nard Drake, said the profit of ±"23,017 was
about ±4,000 above the average for the
three years 1917 to 1919, and this was after reserving ±1,819 for
further depreciation of Stock ExL-hange investmeuts. and about
±900 for interest on bank overdraft. The transfer of the
wholesale department to a separate company lias involved
a division of the items of goodwill, stock, &c. Thus the
item of goodwill which last year was written down to ±44,UUO
now appears as ±"26,'344 3s. 5d., and the item of investments
is increased from ±'20,853 19s. !)d. ttj ±H(J.ol8 Us. 3d. The
shares of the sub-company are taken at par, which is well
justified by the return made In the patent lomiiany (Jii the
investment. The stock which last year stood at ±39,3.j.j
appears this year at ±11,6UG, representing the portion apper-
taining to the company. The turnover has increased enor-
mously, and the orders in hand on July 1st, 19'20, gave every
indication of a continued expansion of business. Further
working capital being necessary, the directtjrs are making an
issue of ±50,000 7-year notes, bearing interest at 10 per cent.,
and redeemable at 105. .\s the.se notes will yield nearly 11*1
(ler cent, to redemption, and are well covered both as regard
profits and assets, they should be readily taken up. The
large power station at \\'idnes, with an output of 10,000 kilo-
watts, and provision for extensions, is now completed, anil
contracts are in hand for the electrification of mines, cotton
mills, and the driving of machinery of various kinds by elec-
tric power.

The Societe Suisse pour I'lndustrie Elec-

Societe Suisse trique at Glarus, which has suffered heavy
pour I'lndustrie losses owing to the fall in the Continental
Electrique exchanges, is about to reorganise its capital

at Glarus. account. This company, which has a share

capital of '20,000,000 fr. (±800,000 at the par
of exchange), and owns (J0,(X)0.0(.l0 fr. in debentures, is holding
shares of, and has made advances on current account to,
various electric enterprises in Russia, Austria, France, Lier-
raany. Spain, and especially in Italy. Before the war the
societe was a flourishing concern, and the directors explain
that, on the basis of pre-war prices and exchanges, there
would have remained a surplus of 34,987.379 fr. after payment
of all the creditors, debentures, and shares. The total value
of the assets would have amounted then to 131,900,117 fr.,
but on the basis of the average prices for October the value
is only 53.183,055 fr., and with creditors, debentures, and
shares representing together a total of 96.912,737 fr., there
is a total loss of 43,729,682 fr. Of this loss, however, an
amount of 25,493,548 fr. is covered through exchange guar-
antee contracts. There remains thus an uncovered balance of
about 18,236,133 fr. As the earnings are not sufficient to pay
the debenture interest^ a reconstruction of the undertaking
is necessary. Liquidation being not advisable in view of the
exchange contracts, which will only fall due in 1940, the board
proposes to transform the whole of the debentures into 6 per
cent, cumulative preference .shares, to be repaid at 110 per
cent., and t<-i write down the face value of the shares from
500 fr. to 100 fr. This would produce an amount of lfi,(XlO.(KIO
fr. to be set off against loss, while the remaining balance
would be written off through the profit and loss account. Tlie
directors hope, if the exchanges should not deteriorate further,
{•n bo able to distribute a small dividend on the preference
shares for the business year 1921.

Stock Exchange Notices. — The undermentionetl have been
ordered to be officially quoted : —

London & Suburban Traction Co.— Four ordinarv shares of
±1 each, fully paid. Nos. 1,846,078 to l.,S4i'.,0.sl : and four 5 pt-r
cent, cumulative preference shares of ±1 t-ach fully paid
Nos. 1,603,435 to 1,603,438.

The Committee has specially allowed dealings in the follow-
ing under temporary regulation 4 (3) : —

Eriiioid.— 260,000 shares of Ss. each, fullv paid. Nos 740,001
to 1,000,000.

Belgian Electric Cable & Robber Works.— The Belgian

Electric Cable & Rubber Works, Brussels, which was formed
io September, 1919. with a capital of 3,50O,0o(i fr., is at pref-ent
inviting applications for 2,-530 shares of 500 fr. each at a pre-
mium of 100 fr. per share. .Vccording to the prospectus the
company owns two factories. One is in the Rue Bollinckx,
Anderlecht, near Brussels, where employment is given to
about 200 bands engaged on the production of electric wires
and cables. The works have an urea of 4,200 sq. metres, but
large extensions are in hand. The other factory is at Menin ;
it was badly damaged dm'ing the war, but the w'ork of
reconstruction is well in hand, and it is expected that the
manufacture of industrial rubber gtxids will be commenced
there early next year. When the two factories are in full
working order it is anticipated that the annual output of the
company will attain a total of T2,on0,(XlO fr.

A Swedish Company. — The report of the directors of the
Elektrisk A. B. Chr. Bergh for the year ended on May 31st,
1920, shows a loss of 1,130,000 kr., as compared with net profits
of G19,0(X) kr. in the j)receding year. During the year a
scheme of reorganisation was uuderttiken with the object of
accommodating the company to the change in circumstances,
and the result was the discontinuance of the less remunerative
departments and branches and a rciluction in the staff. The
directors recommended that the loss should be met by the
appiopriation of the whole of the disposition and building
funds and the transfer of 928, (XiO kr. from the reserve fund,
and the recent general nicftitig approved the adoption of
these measures.

Amazon Telegraph Co., Ltd. — The report for the year
ended June .30ili, 1920, shows a {^ross revenue of i£8.5,,l3U,
and working expen.<es ±43, 2:39. ."iLfter providing ±4,163 for
inctnne tax, .i'O.-jl.S for tlepreciation of investments, ±10,9.S1
for debenture interest, and .±ll,!liw for sinking fund, and the
payineiit of a tlivideiid of 4i per tent., less tax. on the share
capital, there is it balance of £7,131 to I e t-arricd forward,
subject to corporation profits tax. Nothing is tran.sferred to
the reserve this year owing to the heavy tlepreciation in
value of the company's investments.

New Issues. — Westinghouse Brake Co.. LtiL. is making an
issue of ±350,0(KJ 8 per cent, first mortgage debentures at 95
per cent. The ctjmpany as now constituled is a combination
of the Westinghouse Brake Co. and the Consolidated Signal
Co.. and the ntune of the undertaking will be altered to the
Westinghouse Brake it Saxby Signal Co.. Ltd.

United Electric Tramways Co., of Caracas. — The report
for the year ended .June 30th, 1920, states that after making
due provision for excess and corporation profits taxes the net
revenue amounted to ±16,346, which, with the balance brought
forward, shows a disposable balance of ±21,467. A dividend
of 8 per cent, is recommended, carrying forward ±7,867.

Singapore Electric Tramways Co., Ltd. — The directors
report that after providing ±2;3,o23 for maintenance and
repairs, ±14,076 for depreciation, and ±615 for royalty to the
Municipality of Singapore on the tramway profits for 1918,
the accounts for the year ended December 31st, 1919, show
a loss of ±6,537. which increases the debit balance to be
carried forward to ±11.943.

Siemens Brothers & Co. — Dividend of 5 per cent. (Is. per
share), free of tax, for the half-\ear ended June 30th,
payable November ;iOth.

Aster Engineering Co., Ltd. — Interim dividend at the rate
of 8 per cent, per annum on the preference shares, and at
the rate of 10 per cent, per annum on the ordinarys.

National Telewriter Co., Ltd. — The accounts for the year
ended June 30th, 1920, show a balance to the credit of profit
and loss account of ±1,067.

Indian Electric Supply & Traction. — Interim dividend at
the rate of 6 per cent, per annum, less tax, on the ordinary
shares for the half-year.

Anglo-Portuguese Telephone Co., Ltd. — Interim dividend
of 3 per cent., less tax.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
Resdmption of work by the coal miners had to take a sub-
ordinate position to other matters of greater public interest.
Mr. Greenwood's case, for instance, has made more impression
than the result of the coal dispute, and there are various items
of equal importance to detract from interest in business affairs.
This may have something' to do with the quietude which has
befallen Stock Exchange markets. Members of the House
declare they have rarely seen bu.sines8 so uninteresting,
although from the point of view of quantity, some firms say
they are snowed under with small orders, the execution of
which hardly pays.

632

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.s?. No. 2,242, noyembbb 12, 1920.

MwkeU seem to be none too happy about the muuetaiy out-
look, but whatever pessimism there may be in this direction is
answered very effectively by the way in which British Govern-
ment stocks continue to rise. Such an influence naturally
counts w;ith ail (ixed-interest stocks, and in spite of increasinj,'
competition, the best class securities command noticeable
attention from the genuine investor.

Further rises in dollar stocks are amongst the features of the
week. General Electric of New Yijrk fives are a up at 126.
Canadian General Electric Common rallied to 1-JU, and the pre-
ferred to lloj. Rio Tramways firsts at par are 4 higher, and
Sao Paulo firsts have risen to 97. Mississippi River i^ower
preferred at 76 is 3 to the good. Electric Development of
Ontario 5 per cents have improved 1^ to 1J75. Such move-
inents as these are made simply in order to bring the quota-
tions into their proper relation with the rate of New York
exchange, and they may be accompanied by scarcely any actual
business. As prices advance, it naturally becomes more diffi-
cult for the remaining holders to decline such figures, but it is
quite feasible for quotations to move 5 to 15 points without five
hundred dollars' worth of stock being dealt in.

The railway market has halted in its upward march, and
amongst the steam stocks, a general easing-otf of quotations
occurred. Underground Electric "A" shares are a little,
lower at 7s., but Di-stricts improved to i8i, a rise of the '
fraction. The demand for pre-ordinary stocks continues, and
with comparatively little floating supply available, pricefe m
this market steadily creep up. The tendency of money nowa-
days is to seek safety in sound securities rather than to adven-
ture into more speculative directions, and for this reason, the
pre-ordinary stocks of the Home Railway companies, many of
which stand at low levels, are being examined with a view to
possible appreciation in price in years to come. Underground
Income Bonds are unchanged at 70i. It is a little mteresting
to notice in connection with transport matters that one of the
big shipping lines in the United States has just adopted elec-
trical propulsion for half-a-dozen of its ships, and the result
of the experiment will be watched with a good deal of atten-
tion on both sides of the Atlantic.

The possibility of the Income Tax going up next spring, of
which mention was made here last week, has further improved
the quotations of cable stocks and shares. Easterns have risen
to lolj. Globe ordinary and China shares to 15. Moreover,
there is very little stock to be obtained. It may possibly pay
the prospective buyer of these issues to ask whether he can
obtain the new shares of the four leading Eastern companies
at a rate relatively cheaper than those current for the old
issues. The nominal prices are about £9 for the £5 paid new
Eastern Extension, Western and Globe shares. Eastern Tele-
graph new. 10s. paid, stand at 18s. 6d. Making necessary
allowances for the difference in dividend payments on old and
new shares, the latter come out the more cheaply. Apart
frona Eastern stocks, there is not much doing, but Cuba Sub-
marines rose i to 7, on consideration of the high yield afforded
at the present price. Even at 7, the return comes to lU per
cent, on the money, and dividends hitherto have been paid
free of tax, which makes this equal to about 14 per cent.,
allowing for 6s. in the £■ Marconis, after being 3, reacted a
little. The Canadian Marconi Company announces that a
meeting is to l.>e held on November SiJrd in Montreal to con-
sider resolutions to increase the capital from '2| million dollars
to 7i milhon dollar.s by the addition of 1^ million shares of '2J
dollars each. This has caused the existing Canadian Marconis
to ease off a little to 8s. 9d.

The slightly harder tone which developed in home electricity
shares is maintained, and County of London hardened to 7J,
Chelseas to 3J. Westminsters hold their- ri.se at 5s. Business,
however, is exceedingly quiet and interest at a low ebb.
Amongst the manufacturing shares, Edisons recovered to
17s. 6d. Great interest is taken in what the dividend is likely
to be. It may be recalled that the interim dividend was post-
poned last May, and this came as a severe disappointment.
For 1919, the company paid 10 per cent., and in the absence
of an interim dividend, it is natural that there should be a
little misgiving as to whether this rate can be maintained in
respect of 19'2t), although in the Stock Exchange, rumour says
that the company will be able to do it. It should not be more
than a week or two, however, before the question is set at
rest by an official announcement.

General Electrics are better at If, and the " B " preference
stiffened to 20s. Telegraph Constructions rose to 21. In their
case it is pointed out that the recent heavy increases of capital
by the Eastern group of cable companies should help the con-
struction undertakings to a noticeable extent, inasmuch as the
latter are likely to benefit by the expenditure of part of the
money. Electric Constructions keep steady at 18s. 9d., and
Henley's maintain their improvement at 338. 9d.. while
Siemens are firm at 25s. Callender's " B " preference are
19s. 6d. buyers, with no shares ofl'ering. .-Vmongst engineer-
ing shares, Babcock & Wilcox keep good at 2i. on the increase
in the interim dividend recently made, but the conclusion of
the coal strike has pa.ssed almost without effect. To explain
the comparative indifference with which the pubhc are treat-
ing the markets for stocks and shares affected by coal, it is
pointed out that something of a rise occurred in advance of
work being resumed, but the observer knows well enough that
people are not buying industrials just now, seeking rather in-
vestment securities, nr else putting money into the high-yield-
ing debentures, Notes and similar issues that are beinfj made

with freedom. It is said, moreover, that there are many other
new issues likely to be put on the market before Christmas.

Mexicans are moving a little irregularly so far as the utilities
ale concerned, but Mexican GovHrnmcnt stocks are decidedly
better, on the statements from Wa.shington that the way is
now clear for Mexico to obtain the long-talked-of loan from
the United States. When once this becomes an accomplished
fact, Mexicans are likely to go ahead, and indeed all the news
from the country promises favourably enough. British
t-!olumbia Electric stix-ks have again been rising, the preferred
and deferred gaining 2, the preference IJ, and the 44 per cent.
debenture stock 4 points. As already mentioned, the reason
for the advance lies in the capital progress which the company
is making in its traffics, and the prospect thus held out for
better dividends. Anglo-Argentine IVamways 5 per cent.
Debenture is better at G2J, and Brazil Tractions rose to 45.
Ajjart from these, the main movements in the foreign list are
concerned with rises amongst dollar stocks as indicated above.
Calcutta Electric Supply drooped to 5i on declaration of a
dividend at the rate of 8 per cent., and Calcutta Ti'ams fell to
65 in .sympathy.

Rubber shares are dull and depressed, on the price of the
raw material falling to Is. Id. per lb., at which there can be
little or no profit for the great majority of producing concerns.
In some cases, however, the boards of rubber companies have
sold forward at higher levels, and this serves to temper the
flatness of the list as a whole, although, of cour.se, it is only a
temporary factor. .Armament shares are unsteady, Vickers
and Armstrongs both going back after their .«harp recoveries
from the lowest touched. The recently issued Notes by the
Explosives Trades Company were well taken by the public, and
a premium of i per cent, is quoted.

SHAKE LIST OF ELECTEICAL COMPANIES.

Home Electricity Companies,

Dividend Price

y ■ V Nov. 9, Yield

191P. 1919. 1920. Rise or tall. p.c.

Brompton Ordinary 8 U 6 — jSlO 0 0

Charing Cross Ordinary .. .. « 1 8J — 10 16 8

ao. do. do. 4iPref. .. 4i 4i Hi — 8 8 8

Chelsea B i fj + i 6 8 0

Citv of London 8 10 1^ — 8 H 10

do. do. Gpercent.Pret. .. 6 6 17/6 — 817 8

County of London 1 8 7j -f J 10 18 4

do. do. fi per cent. Pref. 6 6 8i — 7 7 8

Kensington Ordinary .... 8 7 Bi — 9 0 6

London Electric Nil JJ 1 — 7 10 0

do. do. 6 percent. Pref... 6 6 8 — 10 0 0

Metropolitan 6 6 H — 10 8 8

do. 4Jper cent. Fref, ..4444 SH — i 800

St. James' and Pall Mall .. .. 10 19 «i — 9 4 3

South London 6 6 U — 9 13 0

South Metropolitan Pref 1 T 16 8 — 8 IS 8

Westminster Ordinary .... 8 10 (J — 9 6 8

Telegraphs and Telephones.

AngloAm. Tel, Pref 8 6 774 xd — 7 14 10

So. Det 88/6 14 17 — 8 18 6

Chile Telephone 8 6 64 — 'e 8 1

Cuba Bob, Ord 7 T 7 -(■ J *10 0 0

Eastern Bllenslon 8 10 14! + J •« IS 4

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 I6I4 4 3 <6 19 0

GbbeTel. andT, Ore 8 10 16 -f J '6 18 4

do, do. Pref 6 8 8j + J 6 17 9

Grtat Northern Tel 39 39 20j — 10 li 8

iTido Roropean 18 10 BO xd — 8 8 8

Marconi 96 96 2H — 8 10 8

Oriental Telephone Ora 10 19 3| - M 18 «

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 61 — •« 10 B

West India and Panama .. .. 1/3 Nil H — Kfl

Western Tel6grai?b 8 10 16 — '6 18 4

Houz Rails.

Central London Oil. ABEected .. 4 4 484 — 9 4 8

MetropDlitan 1 li 31* — 6 18 8

do. Dislilol .. Nil NU 181 +4 NU

Underground Elcctiio Ordinary.. NU Nil 3| — Nil

do. do, "A" .. NU NI 7,'- -6d. NU

do, do. Income .. 6 4 704 — —

Foreign Trams, Ac.

Arglo.Arg, Trame First Fref. .. NU 64 8 — 9 3 4

do. do. SndPref. .. NU Nfl 8} — NU

do, do. 6 Deb. ..6 6 63} -1-3 8 0 0

Brazil Tractions NU NU 45 +1 Nil

Bombay Electric Pref 6 8 11 — 418 0

British Oolombia Bleo. Rly. Pier , 6 6 (74 +H 8 13 10

do. do. Preferrred 94 > ^Ik +H •e 1 9

do, do, Deferred Nil 3 CSi -fS >6 19 8

do. do, Deb. .. i): it 674 -»-< 7 7 10

kIexicaTramB6 percent. Bondr.. NU Nil 41 — NU

do. 6percenl, Bondr.. NU NU 83 — Nil

Mexican Light Common .. .. NU Nil 16 — Nil

do. Pref NU Nil 31 — NU

do. UIBonde.. .. NU Nil 644 -1-8 NU

Mancfacturino Companies.

Baboook ft WUooz 16 16 94 — 'e 0 0

British Alnmlnlum Ord 10 10 1 — 10 0 0

BrltlBb Insulated Ord 1:4 16 Ig — 9 4 8

OallenderB 36 16 I4 — 10 0 0

,, 64 Pre! 64 64 18,9 — 6 18 8

Oaatner Eellner 90 17 8 — 5 18 4

Orcmpton Ord 10 10 17/6 — U 8 6

EdiBon-Swan, " A " .. .. 10 10 17,6 -6d. 11 8 6

do. do. 6 per cent. Deh, ..6 6 76* — 6 19 6

Bleotrlo ConBtmotion .. ..10 10 18,9 — 10 13 4

Gen. Bleo, Pre! 64 64 16/6 — 7 0 6

do, Ord 10 10 18 + ^ '7 5 6

Benley 96 16 Ifj — 9 4 8

do. 44Prel 44 44 Bi — 7 4 0

Indla-Rnbber 10 10 U — -8 0 0

Het.-VlokeTB Pr«l — 8 U — 800

BlemensOrd 10 10 S5, — '8 0 0

Telegraph Oon 90 90 91 rl '5 11 8

*. DlTidende paid tree o< Ineoms Tax,

Vol. 87. No. 2,212, novembeb 12, 1920.1 THE ELECTEICAL EEVIEW.

633

STREET LIGHTING— II.

By HAYDN T. HARRISON.

That tlie question of street lighting is rapidly becoming
of primary importance is evidenced by tlie report of
the committee whicli lately dealt with the question of
motor-car headlights. That powerful headlights are
necessary when travelling at the present-day speed on
\inlighted roads was admitted, but it was generally
agreed that such headlights should be turned off when
the light from the street lamps produced sufficient illu-
mination to allow a vehicle to travel with safety to the
public. It is interesting to note that in tlie discussion
on this subject at the Illuminating Engineering Society,
Mr. J. W. T. Walsh suggested, as the result of the
National Physical Laboratorj-'s experiments, that 0.1
foot-candle was required to produce the degree of visi-
bility necessarj- 200 ft. in front of the car.

The proposed " standard clauses for inclusion in a
specification of street lighting," as published by Mr.
A. P. Trotter in his paper read before the Ilhiniinating
Engineering Society, in April, 1!)1.'?, wliich were re-
conimende<l by the .Toint Committee (consisting of re-

case both in London and in inijiortant provincial towns
such as Manchester and Birmingham, &c. This being
the case, it is obvious that either the standard of street
illumination must be raised, or the traffic requirements
must be held back in order to ensure the safety of the
public.

To raise sufficiently the standard of street illumina-
tion would, under circumstances which existed ten years
back, have then meant a heavy increase of rates ; to do
so to-day only requires the expenditure of a relatively
small sum, due to the great advance which has taken
place in knowledge of the use of illuminating appli-
ances. In order to save considerable expenditure, it
is often advisable that the existing positions of street
lamjis should remain the same; it is, therefore, necessary
to ascertain the power which such lamps should have,
to give the desired results — which for the sake of argu-
ment we will take as a minimum of 0.1 foot-candle
horizontal illumination on the road, or to conform with
the recommendation of the Joint Conmiittee on a hori-
zontal plane .I ft. '^ in. above the road level.

VERTIC/*L., VIEW

Hi

y t

15

_-4-

.\ RO>

I4« I20 lOO

.-^

HORIZONTAL

?0 'VO

VIEW

lOO 120 tAO FT.

FlQS. 1 AND ■>.

presentatives of the Institution of Electrical Engineers,
Institution of Gas Engineers, the Municipal and Countj-
Engineers, and the Illuminating Engineering Society),
formed on the suggestion of Mr. C. P. Sparks after the
discussion of the writer's paper read before the Institu-
tion of Electrical Engineers in 1910, put forward the
following valuable recommendations, based on actual
tests made at that time, namely, that streets should
be classified as follows : —

Tabi.k III.

Class A. — Having a minimum horizontal ilhniiination

of 0.1 foot-candle.
Class B. — Having a minimum horizontal ilhmiination

of O.O-io foot-candle.
Class C. — Having; a minimum horizontal ilhnnination

of 0.04 foot-candle.
Class D. — Having a minimum

of 0.06 foot-candle.
Class. E. — Having a minimum

of 0.01 foot-candle.

This table, taken in conjunction with tlie discussion
on motor-car headlights, would indicate that in order
to allow of powerful headlights being turned off, the
streets must be lighted up to the highest standard men-
tioned.

A reference to Mr. Trotter's paper will show that only
the best illuminated streets in London, such as Cheap-
side, Whitehall, Kegent Street, &c., reached the standard
at that time, and with few exceptions this is still the

These figures are given in Table IV for lamps placed at
various distances and heights, the latter being an im-
portant factor when dealing with horizontal illumina-
tion.

Table IV.

istance between lamps.

Height.

ft.

• 12 ft.

17 ft.

24 ft.

30 ft.

C.P.

C.P.

C.P.

C.P.

im

750

580

383

340

120

1,280

850

617

530

140

2,010

1,320

840

787

160

3,tKK>

1,950

1,360

1,123

180

4,240

2,750

1,900

1,550

'2WI

.5,800

3,750

2,570

2.970

220

7,700

4,960

3,380

2,710

240

10,000

6,420

4,360

3,4«0

270

14,2tlO

9,080

6,150

4,880

3fX)

32,000

12,450

8,380

6,620

horizontal ilhmiinaticm
hoiizDiital ilhiiiiinatiiiu

A glance at the above table indicates the great import-
ance of keeping the light sources as high as possible,
which also has the advantage of permitting the use of
powerful units, as they are out of the line of sight, but
such an arrangement has hitherto often proved im-
practicable on account of both primary expense and in-
creased cost of the more powerful units.

The improved illumination demanded by modern
traffic conditions would appear to eliminate the con-
sideration of lamps at a height of less than 17 ft., as
the use of units of more than 1,000 c.p. at a lower height
than this would lead to unsatisfactory results due to
glare.

631

THE ELECTEICAL KEVIEW. [Vol. S?. No. 2,242, November 12, 1920.

A height of not less than '24 ft. should therefore be
aimed at.

Table V.

At 120 ft. apart 617 c.p. or 27,000 C.p. to the mile.

180 „ „ 1,900 „ „ 57,000 „

240 „ „ 4,360 „ „ 96,000 „

300 „ „ 8,380 „ „ 110,000 „

Tai)le \ gives the necessary c.p. to obtain the iniiii-
mum horizontal illumination of 0.1 foot-candle, and
also the total c.p. neces.sary per mile of street for
different spacings.

It will be noted tliat when the lamps are spaced at
300 ft., four times the total c.p. is needed to equal that
at 120 ft., the actual c.p. of each lamp being 13.5 times
as much, despite the fact .that the area and )ninimum
degree of illumination are the same. This is due to the
street being a narrow elongated area ; the lamps actually
illuminate a very large area beyond the limits of the
street or road, unless some special device is adopted to
prevent this waste of luminous energy.

In order to realise the importance of such a device, it
is necessary to remember tliat luminous energy is dis-
tributed from light sources in all directions, but that
the only useful energy is that which reaches the objects
which it is desired to see. For this reason the enei-gy
in the upper hemisphere is usually diverted into the
lower hemisphere by means of reflectors or prisms, which
preferably concentrate it into the angles from 10 and
20 degrees below the horizontal, thus reaching the more
distant objects, which are otherwise very feebly illu-
minated due to the law of inverse squares.

Such reflectors and prismatic globes are available, and
will increase the intensity from twice to two and a half
times the mean value. This is a great advance in the
right direction, but still represents a large consumption
of gas or electricity to produce the degree of illumina-
tion demanded by modern conditions, as owing to the
circular distribution of the rays 75 per cent, of the
increased power near the horizontal angles is wasted in
illuminating the adjacent buildings, or radiates outside
the area to be illuminated.

Reference to figs. 1 and 2 will show how at 150 ft.,
the distance halfway between the lights, the whole area
of a street up to a height of 25 ft. is covered by a 10
deg. vertical angle and 20 deg. horizontal angle, and
that more than half the distant area to be illuminated
is covered by 30 deg. A solid angle of 30 deg. only
represents .213 12.56 part of the total spherical flux;
thus it follows that street lighting can be carried out
much more economically by directing the luminous flux,
than by allowing it to be distributed equally in all
directions as is the case with many forms of illuminants.
or by increasing the radial distribution over certain
vertical angles as is done by the present improved street
lighting devices. Apparatus for directing the luminous
flux to the distant parts of a street or road have been
devised by several people, but they have all hitherto
proved impracticable on account of the fact that they
interfere with the lower hemispherical distribution, thus
reducing their eflficiency and making it essential to de-
vise special means of illumination near the post.

The writer has devised a means by which only the
upper hemispherical luminous energy is directed to
the distant area of the street, the lower hemispherical
distribution remaining unaltered.

With this apparatus the luminous intensity in the
required direction is ten times that of the original
source ; this is not as high as it theoretically could be
made, but it is the average result in practice without
any special a<ljustments, and including all losses due
to the absorption of protecting lanterns, dirt, Ac. Tlic
illumination of the street is purposely allowed to in-
crease near the light sources, as it has been found in
practice that too even an illumination is a disadvantage,
as it reduces contrast of light and shade.

A long street lighted in this way has now been in
operation several months in order to test the public
opinion and that of motorists and those connected with
fast-moving traffic; the criticisms have been universally

favourable. It is, therefore, interesting to compare the
costs of lighting by this and other means.

The road was originally liglited by means of 550-watt
flame arc lamps erected 22 ft. from the ground at in-
tervals varying from 240 to 300 ft. ; the result under
those conditions was brilliant illumination near the
lamps, which diminished to 0.005 foot-candle half-way
between them. With the new directive fittings the
minimum is now 0.05 foot-candle, or ten times more
than that previously maintained ; this is being done by
the use of gasfilled lamps giving 300 to 350 c.p. at the
declared pressure of the supply, as they are purposely
uiiderrun in order to obtain a higher average life, with
till' lesult that the consumption of electrical ener^gSr
amounts to 6 B.T.r. per hour per mile. ' ' ' '< 'Ji!'

Taking all-night lighting (4,000 hours per year), and'
the price per unit at 3d. (wliich is in excess of that
generally charged at the present date), the total cost
. f<jr electrical energy per mile of street lighting would
only be £300 for this high standard of street lighting.
The cost of lamp renewals, cleaning, itc, with an aver-
age life of 800 hours for the lamps, amounts to less
than £100 per mile of street per annum, with the result
that the new- directive street lighting allows of the
illuminating of streets up to a standard ten times higher
than that previously oljtained at a lost not exceeding
the pre-war figures.

Such a result would be incredible, as it represents an
advance of 3,000 per cent, efficiency (if such a figure
may be <ised) since pre-war days; but this only empha-
sises the remarks of Mr. Preston S. Millar referred to
earlier in this article, namely, that if proper advantage
is taken of modern lamps in conjunction with
scientifically designed fittings for them, results can
be obtained which will not only bring the standard of
street illumination up to that demanded by present
road traffic, but which will do so (including the interest
and sinking fund charges on the expenditure of capital
necessary), at a cost wliich is lower than that paid an-
nually for the present inefficient, expensive, and what
should be obsolete methods.

SOME NOTES ON METHODS OF CHARQINQ
FOR WATTLESS CURRENT.

By G. W. stubbing?.

The recent articles on the subject of power factor, from the
pen of Mr. Turnbull, and the discussion arising therefrom,
seem largely to turn on the matter of the most equitable
basis on which the price of electrical energy can be made
to vary with the power factor of the demand. The vexed
question of wattless current has come in for its due share
of attention, and one cannot but think that a notioa which
is, after all, a mathematical fiction, is hardly one to be put
before the uninstructed consumer. The vital feature of a
load of low power factor is that it draws more current from
the mains than does the same load at a power factor of
unity, and that for the low-power factor load tie supply
authority, in addition to giving the required number of
kilowatts, has also to furnish an additional number of k.v.a.
It is the arithmetical, and not the vectorial, difference
between the k.v.a. and the k\v. that is the matter of real
importance. Consider, for instance, a load of 10 Kw., at
•'.13 power factor, and 40o volts. The current in these
circumstances will be 26-4 amperes, which is 1'4 amperes
in excess of that required for the same load at unity power
factor. The wattless component of this current is, however,
no less than 7 8 amperes.

Mr. Dorey has rightly pointed out that the most rational
method of charging for energy on a.c. systems is on the-
b.tsis of a fixed charge per quaiter per k.v.a. of maximum
demand, plus a fixed rate per unit. This tariff penalises
low power factor on a basis as equitable as can be devised,
and also takes load factor into account. The alternative
method of a variable rate per unit, due to Dr. Arno, has
also been referred to by Mr. Dorey, but the basis of this

Vol.87. No. 2,242, November 12, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

635

method, and its relation to the notion of " extra current "
mentioned above, may be of interest, as they are not at
once apparent.

Dr. Arno's system is to charge a fixed sum per complex
unit, the number of such complex units being a certain
fraction, say, 1 /; of the K.v.A.-hours, plus a fraction equal
to (1 — If/t) of the energy consumption in units.

If \\ be the watts in the circuit, and cos </> be the power
fdotor, the rate of charging is —

(w — 1) w/« + l'« . w/cos </>

= W + 1/w (W/COS (j) — w).

The quantity (^w/cos .^ — w) in this expression is plainly
equal to the excess volt-amperes over those actually
necessary to supply the load. The excess k.v.a. carry no
power, and are, therefore, in a sense " wattless," although,
(if course, they are not to be confounded with the wattless
ciiirents of the text books. The excess k.v.a. cost the
undertaking nothing for coal, and use none of its boiler

values of tan 4, as given by the ratio of the consumptions
registered by a wattless component and an energy meter.

Meters specially adjusted to register K.v.A.-hours or com-
plex units are difficult to test, and are only theoretically
accurate over a limited range of power factors. On the
other hand, wattless component meters are simple in theory,
accurate at all power factors, and can be easily tested with
up-to-date equipment. The latter meters would, there-
fore, seem to be more suitable for use with a tariff speci-
fying a variable rate per unit, and the value of tan (/>. as
given by the ratio of the wattless component and energy
meter readings would afford a simple basis on which to
assign the rate per unit to be charged. The average value
of tan c^ as so obtained will differ from the time average of
the values of this quantity at any instant, but will approxi-
mate to a weighted mean value, one obviously more suited
to the fixing of a charge per unit than a time average value.
The writer puts forward the suggestion that a curve such as
fig. ;? based on Dr. Arno's method, might form part of

/

1

'

H 10

■>

Q,

D
0 9

/

0

<

iro

2

0-9

J

/

V

/

/

/

/

/

/

/

y

/

/

y

/

X

/

/

.

^

AVERAGE POWER FACTOR

AMERICAN GAS d ELECTRICITY C0.'»

SYSTEM.

Dr. ARNO'8 SYSTEM, A- i

Fig. 2.

0-1 0-3 0-6 0-7 0-9 Y\

Wattless component ot apparent .power.
Dr. ARNO'S SYSTEM, ,', = j

Fig. 3.

plant, but requiring, as they do, alternator, cable, and
transformer capacity, they cannot be supplied for nothing.
If a definite fraction 1/rt of the normal price per unit be
asspssed by the undertaking as the price of an "excess"
K.V.A. -hour, the rate of charging for the excess k.v.a. is —

1/// (w/cos ,\, — w),
a'l 1 the overall rate of charging for energy supplied —
w -I- \\n (w/cos <^ — w).

This expression represents Dr. Arno's method of charging.
Mr. Dorey gave a specific example of this method : a
charge based on two-thirds of the energy consumption, plus
one-third of the K.v.A.-hours. The factor 1/// in this case is .J,
and this tariff is fixed on the basis that the cost of a
K.v.A.-hour at zero power factor is ^ of the cost of a unit.

An adaptation of Dr. Arno's system has bsen adopted by
many undertakings in the shape of a tariff specifying a
variable price per unit, this price depending upon the power
factor, the variation being fixed by a schedule. The use of
a schedule is objjotiouable iu that the price per unit changes
suddenly, and if the average power factor as calculated
happens to be just under one of the changing points, the
method of determining this very complex quantity is
always liable to be challenged. A system used by the
American Gas and Electricity Co., recently described in the
Elcrtri'-al World, fixes a definite rate per unit, this
rate being based on an average power factor of O'S?. The
chargeable consumption is multiplied by a factor depending
upon the power faslor, the multiplier being fixed by a
Bciiedule, and bii"g Ics? than unity for ]i<i,ver factors over
0 85. A curve showing tin variation of the multiplying
factor with the pnwer factor is shown in fig. 1, and an
examination of the curve tho.vs that it is based on the cost
of a wattless k.v.a -hour being .' the cost of a unit.
A curve showing the multiplying factor on the basis of an
average power factor of 08, using Dr. Arno's method, is
given in fig. 2. To draw this curve, the differences
between the k.v.a. at each power factor and those at a power
factor of 0"8 have been calculated. When this difference is
negative, the s-tandard charge will be reduced. Fig. 3 is a
curve giving the multiplying facte r plotted against

an agreement for a power supply, this method seeming
preferable to the series of jumps necessary with a schedule.
The multiplying factor for any ratio of the two meter
readings is given by the expression —

m = \ + \\ii {s/ {I- + 1) — l^os a),
cos „ being the power factor for which m is unity, and /
being the ratio of the meter readings. If cos a = 08 and
l/« = ^, the expression becomes —

m = 0-588 -I- J s/i(^ + 1).

Labour Act in Holland.— According to the Gazette de

HoUandc, the new Labour Ait which caiue into force in Hol-
land on October 2-lth provides for an eight-hour day and a
4.5-hour week in all factorie.s and workshops, but does not
apply to offices, to agriculture, horticulture, forestry, or min-
ing, " while the stone industry and dock labour will be the
subjects of special legislation. Sunday work is forbidden fof
youths and women, and in the case of men may be allowed
by special arrangement; Saturday work after 1 p.m. is
governed by the same conditions. The day's work must not
begin before 7 a.m. or fini.sh after 6 p.m., a special permit
iieing required for overtune and for night work. In excep-
tional circumstances the chief inspector may allow an exten-
sion of work up to a maximum of eleven hours a day in the
case of men and up to ten hours in the ca.se of women and
youths over 16. but the provisions of the .^ct limiting the
iiumber of hours do not apply to managers or sub-managers,
to foremen, or overseers in charge of tlie hands. Child labour
under 14 years of age is al)sohitely forbidden. — Economic lic-

High-Volta(?e Transmission.— For transmitting energy

from its new Pit river hydroelectric development, the Pacific
(las & Electric Co., San Francisco, will use •2'20.000 as the
transmission voltage. Energy will be transformed at the
station to this voltage by 16,6G7-k.v.a., 1'27,000-volt. single-
phase, water-cooled, outdoor type, Westinghouse trans-
formers connected in star to obtain '220.000 volts. There
will be two banks of three of these transformers makmg a
total rating of 100,000 k.v.a. An additional emergency trans-
former will also be installed to be used on either bank.—
Electrical Recieiv (Chicago).

686

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. No. 2,212, novkmbm 12, 1920.

LARGE WATER TURBINES.

The 1(IO,000-h.i'. extension to the plant in the No. 3 station of
the Niapara Palls Power Co., whii-h has been considered from
the ;,'entral engineering point of view in recent issues of the
Electrical ll'oWt/, embraces what are claimed to be the most
jjowerful hydraulic turbines ever built. Two of these 37,500-
H.P. machines, with Westinghouse generators, were furnished
by the I. P. Morris department of the William Ci'amp & Sons'
Ship and Engine Building Co., and the third set by the
Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co. to the same general .speci-
fications. The contracts were not placed on a basis of com-
petitive liids. but general dimensions, external appearance.

1 \M' 'J. -Twii M'W :{7..")(I(I-H.r. TlviUtO-EUrXTIiJC (Ir.XKIiATOK

Figs. 3 .and 4. — Eunxki! Bkfork .\nd After Assembly

paralleling characteristics, and general excellence were specified
jistead.

Brief particulars of the machines were given in concluding
a series of four articles in our i.ssue of September 19th, 1919,
iealing with w'ater-power developments in Canada, but. we
are now' able to aljsti-act from the Electrical World further
information.

Since the design of the entire AUis-Chalmers hydro-electric
let was under the conti-ol of a single group of engineers, it
was possible to consider the structure as a homogeneous unit.
Its most striking features are the form of casing, governor,
interconnecting barrel, brake support, and draught tulie.

The casing is built up of a multiplicity of conical sections
of steel plate of gradually-reducing cross-sectional area around
the turbine. The plates are riveted to the flanges of a cast-
steel speed ring, \\'hich forms an integral part of the casing
and the foundation of the turbine parts.

Water from the casing to the runner is controlled liy means
of 20 cast-steel guide vanes; each vane is operated by a lever
through a link attached to the shifting ring on the outside
of the turbine, and is held in position by two thrust bearings,
one supporting the weight, and the other resisting the upward
hydraulic thiust wdien in operation. The thrust bearings
hold the guide vane in a central position between the dis-
tributer plates; consequently there is no wear between the
ends of the vanes and the disti-ibutor plates. A stuffing box
around each vane stem prevents -rtater (lowing through the
bronze bearings supporting the vane, thus preventing grit,
which would rapidly wear the main supporting journal, from
being carried between the surfaces by leakage. The vane
stems are attached to the shifting ring through links .so pro-
portioned tliat they will fail before a guide vane or its stem
is strained beyond its eUustic limit.

The runner is made of grey iron in one casting, and is
bolted to a cast-iron bub. which is keyed to the tapered end
of the ten-bine shaft. The turliine guide bearing consists of

lignum vitae fitted into cast-iron blocks having the end grain
of the lignum vitae towards the shaft. The bearing is 5 ft.
(1.5 m.) in length, and is made in two portions for convenience
in dismantling and is lubricated with water.

A peculiar feature of design is the cast-iron pit liner forming
the turljine pit and transmitting the weight of the generator
through the liner directly to the .s[)eed ring and through the
vanes of the speed ring to the foundation. Interalignment
of the generator, turbine, &c., is thus permanently ensured.

The guide vanes of the turbine are controlled by water
pressure on two pistons connecting to opposite sides of the
.shifting ring. This arrangement keeps
the governor pipes out.side of the turbine
chariibcr and enables the cover plate of
the turbine to be removed without dis-
tia'l)ing the cylindei-s and governor pip-
ing. The position of the stems on the
guide vanes is such that the vanes will
l)e in hydraulic balance when aliout one-
third open. They will require consider-
able force to close or still further open
the vanes from that point, but both
forces are minimised. With a difierence
between the sides of the governor ]iistiiMs
equal to an operating pressure of 'JKi lb.
(14 kg. per sq. cm.), and consequently
by the usual method of rating governors,
the governor has a capacity of '24(l,<Hill
ft. -lb. (33,ia) kg.-m.). Tlie operating
pressure on the cylinders is controlled by
lueans of a four-ported piston valve in
the governor sfcmd. This valve is moved
axially by varying the pressure on each
end of its body by means of another four-
ported piston valve, which in turn is
moved by a pilot valve. \\"ith this ar-
langement the force exerted upon the tly-
ball mechanism is not sufficient to pre-
vent the tlyballs taking up their exact
position corresiMinding to the speed of the
set. Duect-connected tlyballs are
used. The mechanism consists essen-
tially of a fixed collar clamped around
the main turbine shaft and a movable
collar held in position and away from
the shaft by four sets of ball-bearing
toggle joints placed 90 deg. apart. The
governor closes the turbine gates from
wide open to completely shut in three
seconds, and opens them fi'oni closed to
wide open in four .seconds. It is ex-
pected that the rise in speed with 40,t)(K)
H.P. suddenly thrown off the machine
will not exceed "2.5 per cent.

In the turbines under discussion the

diameter of the runner is so large

compared with the distance from the

runner to the tailwater level that it

wa.s not feasible t« design the draught tube in the

usual manner. Consequently a hydrocone retainer was

used. The chamber has the general form which the

jet of w^ater would take upon striking the impinging

surface, except that the capacity of the chamber gradually

incrensps in the direction of flow moi'e than is required to

r«^J

24-Fr. Penstock V.alve.

just close the hydrocone. The radially extending passage
also affords means of regaining the useful effect of the whirl
of the water as it leaves the runner at partial loads.

Vol.87. No. 2,242, NOVKMBBB 12, 1920.] IHE ELECTKiCAL JtiEVIEW,

637

Figs. 1 and '2 show the two types of machine, also the
spre?ding and hydi'ocoue di'aught tubes, that on the riglit
being the Alhs-Chalmers set, and that on the left the Morris
wheel with Westinghouse generator. The generators are rated
at 32,500 K.v.A., 12,000 volts, and run at 150 k.p.m. under a
214-ft. head, i'igs. 3 and 4 show the Morris runner before
and after assembly, while fig. 5 is a sectional view of the
largest penstock valve in the world; it is of the .Johnson type,
and measures 17 by 24 ft. overall, one valve being installed at
the bottom of each penstock close to the entrance to the wheel
casing. The balanced needle type valve has a movable plunger
sliding in an internal cylinder; the plunger is of differential
form providing two operating chambers, which are alternately
exhausted to the air to move the plunger, the hydraulic, pres-
sure in the penstock furnishing the sole actuating force. Local
or remote control can be used; the valve stroke may be set
for any time up to a minimum of 30 seconds for a complete
sti-okein either dkection, and it can also be set to close
automatically in case of a serious break in the wheel casing.

The I. P. Morris vertical-shaft, single-runner, turinues have
cast-iron volute casings embedded in the concrete substructure.
The use of a cast-ii'on casing has made it possible to preserve
smooth internal surface contours and to avoid abrupt changes
in direction of flow. The casing is stayed across the dis-
tributer by a cast-steel speed ring, the vanes of which line
up with alternate guide vanes when the latter are in the
maximum efficiency position. After pa.ssing through the
runner, the water enters a straight, conical, cast-iron, draught
tube built in sections; the remainder of the tube is moulded
in the xxjncrete substructure.

The draught tube is of a new type, the object being to turn
the water as smoothly as possible along paths of gradual
curvature, and to preserve symmetry about the turliine axis
to a point where the velocity has been reduced to so low a
value that only a small amount of velocity \u\u\ remains
in the water. A gradual decrease in the velocity is main-
tained by varying the transverse area of the pa.ssage at all
points in the tube in order to avoid eddies which might cause
severe vibration of the water column in the penstock and
turbine. Another advantage is the ability of the form of
draught tube used to regain the energy of whirling com-
ponents of velocity in the water leaving the runner. This
property increases the efficiency under part and over gate
conditions, and also increases the margin of power beyond the
point of maximum efficiency of the turbine. Although the
most valuable feature of the new form of draught tube is
probably the elimination of vibration, it is also estimated that
it will improve the efficiency over that which could be obtained
with tubes containing elbows by from 0.3 to 0.4 per cent.

Tlie cast-iron runners are each in one piece; their specific
speed is 158 metric or 35.5 in the ft. -lb. system. At normal
discharge the correcterl velocity of the water leaving the
runner and entering the draught tube is 21.3 ft. (6.4 m.) per
second, corresponding to a velocity head of 7 ft. (2.1 m.), or
3.3 per cent, of the effective head on the turbine. The final
discharge velocity from the draught tube at normal gate is
approximately o ft. (1.5 m.) per second, correspom+ing to a
velocity head of 0.175 per cent, of the effective head on the
machine.

The cast-iron casing, although .somewhat increasing the
cost as compared with the use of steel plate, is superior, because
it is absolutely rigid, and can be embedded to form part of
the conn etc sulistructure ; it will not distort under the loads
it has to transmit, and it resists corrosion. The levers, &c.,
of the v:ine-actuating mechanism are made extra .strong, and
renewable breaking links are provided. The operating ring
is supjuirled on a ball liearing. and is tm"ned by two cylinders
which are bolted to brackets cast on the turbine casing, thus
making the entire operating mechani.sm self-contained with
the turbine. The operating gear is lubricated on the Taylor
system ; a central air pressure grease gun supplying a system
of piping.

To relieve thrust above and reduce leakage round the runner
labyrinth seals are employed. The main shaft of the turbine
has a lignum vitsB guide bearing in the turbine head cover,
the bearing .shell being split both horizontally and vertically
to facilitate removal. ,\cting upon the low er . face of the
generator rotor are brakes consisting of a series of shoes
actuated by air plungers and controlled from a cock on the
hand-control stand.

To avoid running a number of governor pipes Ivmw the
operating cylinders up to the gallery, wjth a cdnseiiuont
increase in the length of the fluid column and increasing its
inertia, the main governor valves are separate from the
governor, and placed on the level of the genera tor- room floor,
so that they are immediately above the operating cylinders.
The Taylor control system is used with fluid-oiK^rated .Johnson
plunger valves, by the manipulation of which the operating
cylinders can be connected to either the governor or the hand-
control system, all the valves for changing over being con-
trolled by a single lever. A clutch is provided by which the
governor can be put out of operation without shutting down
the set.

WORKING CONDITIONS IN FACTORIES.

New Ignition Magneto. — A new ignition magneto of

Swiss manufacture, and known as the Scintilla, ia hpiner intro-
duced into this country by Scintill.^, Ltd., of ^, Old Queen
Street, Westminster, S.W. I.

Eei'Out oi<' H.M. Lnsfector of F.^ctories.
We have already dealt with Mr. G. Scott Eam's portion of
the annual report of the Chief Inspector of Factories and
Workshops for the year I'Jiy.* There is, however, much of
interest from an electrical or allied point of view in the other
sections of the report, and what follows is an abstract of the
more unportant portions bearing upon the electrical industry.

Dangerous Trades. — Mr. G. Stevenson Taylor, O.B.E., states
that the observance of the special rules and regulations for
dangerous trades is still below the pre-war standard, but few
deliberate evasions have been noted.

Many factories engaged in the electric accumulator industry
were worked under considerable pressure during the war, and
the large demand for accumulators for use on motor cars and
motor cycles has tended to maintain the pressure. Consider-
able extensions have been made to several factories during the
year. In the case of one new factory, which was brought to
the notice of the inspector by the notification of several cases
of lead" poisoning, the occupiers had failed to obtain a copy
of the regulations or to comply with them; the firm was
fined £10 10s. In several factories where extensions have
been made, attempts to utili.se the original dust-extraction
plant in connection with them have thrown an undue burden
on the plant and resulted in a considerable falling off in its
efficiency. In other factories the loss of efficiency in the dust-
extraction plant has been wholly due to lack of proper main-
tenance and cleaning. Mr. Clark (West London) mentions a
case of this kind where the pasting benches were constructed
with grids, and materials falling through them had been
allowed to choke the exhaust pipes. The same inspector
states that a case of lead poisoning was apparently caused
by the worker inhaling the dust produced when the last traces
of a lead compound were removed from a shovel by knocking
it on the outside of an exhaust hood.

The overloading of cranes is undoubtedly a very common
breach of the regulations, but one which is difficult to detect
in the absence of definite evidence of the weight of articles
lifted. This is often only revealed after a collapse has occurred.
Excessive overloading of electric cranes is often made possible
by drivers and others removing the proper fuses in the electric
circuits and replacing them by heavier ones. This is probably
done to save the trouble of frequently renewing the proper
fu.ses, as they burn out with a moderate overload on the
crane motors.

In addition to overhead crane rail accidents, Mr. Wright
(North-Eastern Division) comments on accidents due to over-
winding, and electrical accidents to persons doing repairs or
painting in the vicinity of overhead trolley wires. In the
Huddersfield district, Mr. Peacock reports on a fatal accident
to a man by electric shock. A hoist was electrically con-
trolled, but the wall plugs had become loose, and the descend-
ing cage fractured the lock casing and detached the metal con-
duit carrying the electric cable, with the result that the gate
became " alive," and a man received a shock when trying
to open it.

The lighting of press shops has an important bearing on
accidents ; if the natural or artificial light in such shops is
inadequate or comes from the wrong direction in relation
to any particular press, the operator cannot see clearly what
IS happening between the dies of the press.

With regard to overspeeding of grindstones and emery
wheels, users evidently make mistakes in calculating the
velocity, or fail to allow for variation in the speed of the prime
mover. Mr. Hird (Bolton), describing a fatal accident due
to the fracture of an overspeeded grindstone, mentions that
the stone itself was quite sound and properly mounted. It
was assumed, however, that the speed of the driving motor
was constant, and the fluctuations due to variations in voltage
and to heating up had not been appreciated.

A number of unusual explosions are mentioned ; Mr. Rons
(South-Wesl London) describes one which occurred in a
machine for polishing powdered aluminium. The origin of the
explosion is difficult to explain, as the machine was earthed,
and there should nave been no risk of sparking from static
charges of electricity such as appear to have given rise to
some explosions of this nature.

Siiiiitaiion and Liijhtiny. — The keynote of the reports from
practically all divisions, state Mr. C. F. Wright. O.B.E., and
Miss Slocock, is the progress made during the year in getting
factories back to their pre-war standard of general cleanliness,
and there is a desire on the part of both employers and workers
for better hygienic conditions in all classes of work places.
With regard to lighting, they state that progress is generally
recorded both by means of electricity and gas. Diffused ceiling
lighting appears to be coming more and more into vogue, and
has certainly great advantage over some other systems of
illumination, since, if the lamps are properly placed there is
an absence of both glare and .shadow. The arc lamp is dis-
appearing, and the ga.slilled lamp taking its .place. One
objection to electric lamps of this type, however, is the glare,
but this can be overcome by the use of proper shades — the
indirect method of reflection being often adopted. The general

* H.M. Stationery Office, Kingsway, W.C. 2. Cmd. 941;
price Is. 6d. net.

638

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWc [Vol.S?. No. 2,242, November 12, 1920.

question of shading both electric and incandescent gas lights
has received the attention of the stafl', and the better adjust-
ment of hght to the work is also frequently noted. Mr. Eraut
(Belfast) comments on improved illumination in linen weaving
sheds and in handkerchief hemming and embroidery work.

" The concentration of light on the cloth being woven is
effected by means of carefully shaded electric lamps, whereby
the worker is protected from the glare, the reed space is
thoroughly illuminated and at the same time sufiicient lighting
is provided for the gangways. Jn fine stitching it is obvious
that a very efficient system of lighting is essential if the eyes
of the workers are not to be strained, and this is being secured
by means of lamp shades with a very acute cone angle which
concentrates the light on the work immediately under the
machine needle, and leaves the worker's face shaded."

Similarly the high degree of accuracy necessary in the work
in many of the factories in Coventry and Rugby makes good
lighting imperative ; there most of the factories are lighted
by means of electric lamps, which are either of the arc type
and fixed considerably higher than the workers' heads, or
of the metal filament type attached to flexible cables, and taken
to the machines which are in u-se, the worker's eyes being
protected from glare by the use of adjustable coloured shades
of metal or glass, frosted glass, or globes of the " Holophane "
type. The introduction of a concentrated form of lighting is
reported also in the Norwich boot factories, more particularly
at the machine tables where it is now frequently found that
the lamps are carried on standards affixed to fhe tables, and
so constructed that the light can be fully directed on the
work and shaded to protect the operator's eyes from the glare.
These lights are higuiy spoken of by the workers, who appre-
ciate the absence of eye strain. As an instance of bad fighting,
Miss Sanderson refers to the necessity for providing separately
for general lighting and the lighting of individual machines
or parts of the work.

Industrial Diseases. — Reporting on this subject. Dr. T. M.
Legge. M.D., C.B.E., states that detailed investigations by
Dr. J. C. Bridge, F.R.C.S., Ed., have been made into, amongst
other things, the injurious effects on the eyes and the tem-
porary blindness following exposure to flashes in electric
welding.

The industry which stands out as the one exposing workers
to the greatest risk of plumbism is that of the manufacture
of electric accumulators. Seeing how large is the proportion
of the cases occurring in the one operation of pasting (20 out
of 48), effort shouRi be directed by manufacturers to accom-
plishing this by mechanical means. In this country experi-
ments have been made in the past in this direction, but have
not proved so successful as would appear to be the case in
America, where Dr. Legge found that in the larger works
pasting macbines are, to some extent, taking the place of
hand pasting. Trimming, wire brushing, filing, and lead
burning account for nine cases, and where lead burning and
wire brushing are done at fixed points exhaust ventilation is
imperative. As right notions of the causation of lead poison-
ing are of first importance. Dr. Legge emphasises again his
belief, after perusal of some 2-5,000 reports on cases which
h.'ive occurred in the past, that locally applied exhaust ven-
tilation is the sheet-anchor in the protection of the workers
from leady dust and fume, and that these alone are the causa-
tive agents. In tlTe cases for the pa.st year, for instance,
Tuere is a note of one man whose duty it was to whitewa.sh
the red lead room, before doing which, however, he " brushed
the red lead off the walls with a stiff broom." He had only
been employed three months when he contracted lead poison-
ing. In an electric accumulator lactory a man, employed
four months only, suffered because " pasted lead plates were
being ground off at the edges on an emery wheel with no
exhaust ventilation fitted."

Vi'ith regard to the employment of women and young per-
sons under iS years of age in lead processes, the International
I;abour Conference, held at Washington last year, recom-
mended that, in view of the danger involved to the function
of maternity and to the physical development of children,
women and young jiersons under the age of 18 years be ex-
cluded from employment in mixing and pasting in the manu-
facture or repair of electric accumulators, and cleaning work-
rooms where these processes are carried out.

"It is further recommended that the employment of such
persons in processes involving the use of lead compounds he
permitted only subject to the following conditions ; (a) Locally
applied exhaust ventilation to remove dust and fumes at the
point of origin; (6) cleanliness of tools and workrooms; (c)
notificalion to Government of all cases of lead poisoning and
compensation therefor ; (d) periodic medical examination of
persons employed in such processes; (r) provision of sufficient
and suitable cloakroom, washing, and messroom accommoda-
tion, and of special protective clothing; (/) prohibition of
bringing food or drink into the workrooms."

The following figures refer to accidents due to escape of
fumes and gases. Power and suction gas: 1914, 21; 1917,
32 ; 1918, 21"; 1919, 19'. Starting suction-gas engines
accounted for three cases, e.«;cape from tubes and flues for
three, and repair to tubes and engines also for three. The
one fatal case resulted from the operation of charging the
producer plant, the wind blowing the gas into the worker's
face. Five women were affected in a polishing shop from the
adjoining engine house, where a joint in the exhaust pipe
became detached, and the gas travelled through the space

arouuil two shaftings. Study of the cases again brings out
the neci'.-isity for equipment with proper re.scue appliances
always .ivailable and used bu the worker, the danger of work-
ing alone, and the risks often run by rescuers.

Dermatitis from zinc chloride used as a flux was inve.stigated ;
the condition affected girls employed soldering small parts
of flash lamps. Considerable carelessness was observed among
the operatives, who took little or no care to prevent splashing ;
the means provided for washing left much to be desired.
Greater care in work, improved washing accommodation, and
an ointment apjjlied to the hands prior to work rapidly re-
duced the number of cases.

Night Emphujment of Young Persons. — A general survey
has been made, says Mr. \V. K. Beard, of the position re-
garding the employment of young persons at night in indus-
tries where such employment is permitted. Inquiries have
been made in all electrical stations in which it was con-
sidered likely that young per.sons were employed. The
exception is used only in a few small to medium-sized stations
in the smaller towns. The figures obtained were ; Works in
which young per.sons are employed at night. 85 ; number of
young persons employed, 191 ; employment is practically
always on the three-shift system. " Volt lads " regulate the
pressure and record meter readings; some do a little more,
and are called switchboard attendants. They are found in
stations where there is only one engineer on a shift, and
assist him. Oilers and cleaners, coal trimmers, and assistant
stokers, battery fillers; these boys are not being trained ;s
a rule, and the apprentices work on the day shift only. They
are used as cheap labour, and at 18 years of age or thereabouts
lose their employment; station engineers do not favour their
employment, partly for this reason, and partly because they
would prefer more responsible persons.

THE AWARDS OF THE WHITLEY COUNCILS

CuLCHESTF.R CoiiPORATION I'. E.T.U.

The President of the Industrial Court had before him. on
October 22nd last, at Westminster, the case of the Colchester
Corporation versus the Electrical Trades Union, the terms
of reference being : " An application from the Electrical
Trades Union that the agreed schedule of consolidated rates
as fixed by the District Council No. 9 (Home Counties) of the
Joint Industrial Council for the Electricity Supply Industry
shall be paid to the workpeople concerned employed by the
electricity department of the Colchester Corporation."

On behalf of the E.T.U. Mr. W. J. Webb .said a Whitley
Council had been set up for the electricity supply industry,
and Colchester was .situated in No. 9 area of that national
body. The No. 9 District Council had fixed rates of wages for
all the operatives employed in electricity undertakings and
generating stations in that area, and had issued instructions
to all the undertakings in that area to pay those rates. \\'ith
the possible exception of two privately-owned concerns and
one municipality (Colchester), the fixed rates had been paid
by all. Colchester Corporation refused to pay the rates on
the plea that it was unable to att'ord the increases in wages
which the fixed rates involved. The majority of the munici-
pal undertakings in the No. 9 area were at present not
paying their way; therefore, if Colchester were not made
to pay the fi.xed rates, hardly any of the other municipal
undertakings would pay them either, and that would be the
end of the Whitley scheme. The Whitley Council was set
up to avoid industrial strife, and it was not going to tend
to that end if undertakings refused to conform to the decisions
of the Council. That was the E.T.U. 's case; it was not
interested in whether the Colchester Corporation could afford
to pay the rates, it was principally concerned with the prestige
of the National Joint Indu.strial Council. It asked the Court
to rule that the rates of wages fixed by the District Councils,
or National Joint Industrial Council, should be upheld by
the bodies which were parties to those Councils; those bodies
were directly represented on the Councils because of their
membership of the Incorporated Municipal Electrical Asso-
ciation.

On behalf of the Colchester Corporation it was pointed
out that the E.T.U. representative urged nothing so far as
he himself was concerned; it was a claim on behalf of the
committee he represented. It amounted to opposition on the
part of another body which set up certain claims, infer alia.
that the Court's power was limited to the ruling of " Yea "
or " Nay " to the standard rate of pay. and that it had no
jurisdiction to judge the case upon its merits. If that claim
was upheld by the Court, then it was of no use continuing
the case. I'nless it could be judged upon its merits, the case
would be of no value to the Corporation.

The .secretary of No. 9 District Council on the employers'
side. Mr. T. W. Cole, called as a witness for the E.T.I'., said
that the statement he was to make had been agreed to by iill
tlie members, both eniplovers and employed, of the Couni-il.
As a witness for the E.T.U.. he submitted the case of tlic
Home Counties (No. 9 area) Industrial Council, that the
Court .should decide whether the Colchester Corporation should
or should not pay the consolidated rates as laid down by No. 9
Council. Further, he stated that it was of radical iui-

Vol.87. No. 2,242, NovKMBBR 12, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

i)89

poi'tance. uot ouly to his Cuuncil, but to all others, that the
Court's ruling, if in favour of payment, should specifically
state that the rates were not applied on their own merits,
but in virtue of their being the standard rates, which were
issued for the district by the properly constituted Council for
that district. He urged serious consideration of that point,
since it would deal a fatal blow at the authority of the whole
of the District Councils if a new principle were introduced,
namely, that there should exist over the District Councils
another tribunal which might alter the various rates which
had been fixed by the District Councils. It would mean that
in future no Corporation or company would pay the rates
rejommended by the District Councils until they had been
confirmed by an Industrial Court. Further, seeing that the
majority of the undertakings in the No. 9 area were paying
the consolidated rate.s solely on the understanding that the
District Council was the authorit>- recognised by the Govern-
ment for fixing those rate.s, all such undertakings would be
placed in an entii-ely false position. The trade union side
would not continue to work on the Council, and it was
doubtful whether any representatives would be found willing
to act on the employers' side, if their work was made sub-
ject to the approval of a further tribunal. The No. 9
Council was recogui.sed by the Ministry of Transport as having
a locus as a properly constituted body under the Electric
Lighting (Clauses) Act. 1899, and the Statutory Undertakings
(Temporary Increase of Charges) Act. 1918. Such locus was
given in view of the fact that certain undertakings, being
unable to pay their way, had recourse to the Ministry of
fransport for permission t<i increase their maximum charges
for electricity supplied. In such cases the schedule of con-
solidated rates of wages issued by the No. 9 Council was taken
as the authoritative scale, and the Council had been given
a locus, in an interview with the Electricity Commissioners,
to oppose applications for permission to increase charges for
electricity if the undertakings concerned paid rates of wages
other than the con.solidated ones. The Council, therefore,
claimed to be recognised as the final authority for its district
on the question of wayes by both the Ministry of Labour and
the Ministry of Transport.

Following an explanation of how the Colchester Corporation
was represented on the Disti'ict Council by virtue of its mem-
liciship of the I.M.E..\., and of the Whitley scheme's idea that
tariffs .igreed to by a majority of both sides of the District
Council could be imposed on all constituent bodies in its area
x\ithout final reference to, or acceptance by them, it was
pointed out that if the relation.ship of the Colchester Corpora-
lion to the No. 9 District Council was not upheld, similar
rclation.ships in the ca.se of other undert;ikings could not be
upheld either. It was intended that the Councils should be
composed only of representatives of the trade unions and em-
jiloyers' associations; the Whitley scheme specifically intende<l
that individual undertakings should not be asked to elect
members.

For the Colchester Corporation it was argued that before it
could be bound to a tariff the Corporation should have a
Voice in the arrangement of. or in the appointment of those
who arranged, the tariff. It agreed in substance, but dis-
agreed in fact, with the arguments set out above. It was
not, and never had been, represented, and always strongly
ilis.sented from the ;vhole thing. Although it had been a
member of the I.M.E.A. for many years, as soon as that body
was called upon to be a party to schemes connected with the
payment of wages, the Colchester Corporation had informed
it that the Corporation bad no desire to be and would dissent
from being associated with any action the I.M.E..\. might
take. In March, 1919, the Corporation appealed to the
Ministry of Transport in connection with the Stoker Award,
and the Ministry gave a very definite ruling that it was a
mistake for the Corporation to have been cited as a party to
that award.

For the No. 9 District Council it was stated that even in
the event of the majority of the undertakings throughout
the country resigning their membership of the I.M.E.A. (and
thus ceasing to l)e represented on the District Councils), it
was the idea of the Whitley scheme that the Joint Industrial
I 'ouncil (if it still existed) should still in that case continue
to govern the situation. Rates fixed by a District Council
were intended to be paid whether the various undertakings
were willing to pay them or not. Tlie employes' side of the
Council was prepared to carry out all the Council's decisions,
because the employers' side was also expected to abide by
them. The Ministry of Transport in sanctioning increased
charges for electricity would take into account the under-
taking's willingness to pay higher rates of wages if the fact
was mentioned in its application, but not otherwise.
Colchester Cobi'okation v. E.P.E.A.
The application of the Electrical Power Engineers' .Associa-
tion for the payment of a Ijonus of ±'30 per annum as from
.lanuary 1st. 1920. to the technical engineering staff of the
Colchester Corporation was next heard by the Court. The
recommendation to pay the bonus was made by the National
.loint Board of Employers and Members of Staff's in February
last, subsequent and in addition to the Stoker Award No.
9,281.

The Colchester Corporation maintained the same attitude
as it had done in connection with the previous case, namely,
that it was not a party to the award.
The decision of the Court will be issued in due course.

TRADE STATISTICS OF SOUTH AFRICA.

The following statement, showing the imports of electrical
and similar goods into the Union of South Africa during the
year 1919, has been taken from the recently-issued official
trade statistics. Where possible the figures for 1918 are added
for purpo.ses of comparison, and notes of any increases or
decreases are made, but in some instances new classifications
prevent this being done : —

1918 1919 Inc. or Dec.
£ £ £

Electrical cable and wire. —

Total

From Great Britain

•lapan

United States

90,000
20,0(JO
34,(X)0
32,000

272,000

182,000

2.5,0<X»

62,(Xh:»

+182,000
+162,000
- 9,000
+ 30,000

Batteries, Primary. —

Total

From Great Britain

,, United States

•

17,000
2,000
14,7(K)

-

Uattcries, secondary. —

Total

From Great Britain

United States

•

63,<J00
11,000
52,000

-

Urutiinj and cooking (i;i;j«ra(us. —

Total

From Great Britain

United States

•

24,000
10,000
14,000

-

lusidators, porcelain. —

Total

From (Jreat Britain

Insulators, all other. —

Total

From (ireat Britain

I, am lis, incandescent. —

Total

From (ireat Britain

,, Holland

,, United States

Motors.--

Total, KW

£

From Great Britain, KW.

£

United States, k\v.

£

Transformers. —

Total

From Great Britain

,, United States

Electrical machinery, other. —

Total

Fnjm Great Britain

,, United States

Electrical material, other. —

Total

From Great Britain

,, L'nited States

., Japan

,, Holland

Cranes, elevators, and lifts. —

Total

From Great Britain

,, United States

Mininy machinery. —

Total

Irom ( Ireat Britain

,. Sweden

United States

Switzerland

Telegraph and telephone material.-

Total

From (ireat Britain ..^
Sweden

Tramway rails. —

Total

From Great Britain

,, United States

Tramway rolling-stock. —

Totiil

From Great Britain

United States

Other tramway materials. —

Total

From Great Britain

., T'nit<'d States

,, Other countries

2.000 4,000 + 2,000
1,000 3,700 + 2,700

325 500 + 75

85 350 + 265

94,000 —

16,000 —

* 28,500 —
47,000 —

• 15,000 —

• 95,000 —

8,200 —

49,000 —

6,770 —

45,000 —

* 17,000 —

4,600 —

12,000 —

126,000+ 180,(KX) + 54,000

56,000 62,(XK) + 6,000

69,000 117,000 + 48,000

282,000: 195,000 - 87,000

81,000 120,000 + 39,000

79,000 64,000 - 15,000

24,000 9,000 - 15,00(j

95,000 500 - 94,500

11,000 2(J,0<;i0 + 9,000

8,000 14,000 + 6,000

3,000 6,000 + 3,000

569,000 715,0W +142.000

292,000 303,000 + 11,000

4,000 1,000 - 3,000

272,000 406,000 +134,000

l,tKll 1,000 —

6,000 17,tX)0 + 11,000

2,000 8,000 + 6,000

3,000 1,500 - 1,500

l.CKK* 4,500 + 3,500

Um l,.50O + 500

— 3,000 + 3,000

7,000 29,000 + 22,000

4.000 lO.OOO + 6,000

3,000 19,0<X) + 16,000

1,000 7..50O + 6..500

— 1,,500 + 1..500
1,000 — - 1,000

— 6,000 + 6,000

640

THE ELECTRlCii-L REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,242, notkmbeb 12, 1920.

In additiou to the above the following goods were -imported

as '■ Government stores " : —

Batteries, primary. —
From Great Britain

,, United States
Batteries, secondary. —
from Great Britain
Heating and cooking apparatus.-
Prom CJreat Britain
Insulators, porcelain. —
From Great Britain
Motors and parts. —
From Great Britain, kw. ...
£ ...
Electrical cable and wire. —

Total

From United Kingdom

„ United States

1918

1919 Inc. or Dec.

£ £

fi.OOO —

11,000 —

1,000 —

1.000
4,000

67
1,114

14,000 99,500 + 8.5,500

ll.OtX) 84,000 + 73,000

— 15,500 + 15,500

Telegraph and telephone matcrial.-

-

Total

13.000

78,000

+ 65.000

From United Kingdom

9,000

59,000

+ 50,0(J0

,, Sweden

4,000

9,000

+ 5,000

„ United States

—

10,000

+ 10,000

Transformers. —
From Great Britain

,137

Electrical machinery, other. —

From Great Britain

United States

Electrical material, other. —
From Great Britain

* Included with electrical material, other.
+ Includes motors and transformers, now shown separately.
I Includes batteries, lamps, heating and cooking apparatus,
&c., now shown separately.

1,500
400

3,000

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly for this journal by Mkssrs. Sefton-Jonbs, O'Dell and
Stiphins, Chartered Patent Agents, 385, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

Bouteille. Oclobei
ise Powc

bpolitan-Vickers Electrical

30,074. " Electric coupling." I. Lubbock. October
30,109. •■ Circuit closing and breaking devices."
25th. (France, November 26th, 1919.)

30.121. " Electric relays." McKenzie, Holland, and \Vs
Signal Co.. and \V. A. Pearce. October 25th.

30.122. " Electro-pneumatic braking apparatus." T. H. Thomas. Octobe
25th. (United States, April 2nd.)

30.133. " Relays for control of electric circuits." Igranic Electric Co. an.
C. W. yerger. October 25th.

30.135. " Electrically driven plan
Co. and L. Miller. October 25th.

30,148. " Luminous electric discharge tubes for production of illuminated
signs, &c." M. Schmierer. October 25th. (Germany, October 25th, 1919.)

30.150. " Magnetic circuit of electrical motors and dynamos." H. Robinson.
October 25th.

30,167. " Electric flame projector." C. W. Richardson. October 25th.

30.193. " Electro-magnetic signalling device for automobiles, &c." G. M. O.
Richards. October 26th.

30,216. "Electric installations (or starting and lighting automobiles." J.
Bethenod. October 26th. (France, October 31st, 1919.)

30,227. " Electric generator." S. Gross. October 26th.

30.230. " .Appliance for actuating handle, &c., of electric switches from a
distance." E. M. Sianclifle. October 26th.

30.231. " Transmitting and receiving instruments." W. Stroud. A. Barr,
and Barr & Stroud. October 26th.

30,265. " Electrode holders for electric
and Welding Co.. \V. H. Flood, and D.
30,267. " Secondary electric batteries."
and H. Dean. October 26th.

30.278. " Magneto electric machines." .\. M. .Mian and R. IS. .North.
October 26th.
30,287. "Wind power electric generating plant." J. C. Hansen-Elle-
October 2Blh.

" Cable telegraphy." S. G. Brown. October 26th.
" X-ray plates." A. L. Landau and L. A. Levy. October 26th.
" Three-electrode thermionic vacuum tubes." W. H. Eccles. Octo-

rc welding, &c." .\. C. Cutting
T. Smout. October 26th.
Chloride Electrical Storage Co.

30,290.

30,301.
ber 26th,

30.305. " Wireless telephone transmitters." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic.
October 26th. (Germany, November 11th, 1919.)

30.306. " Process of telephony and telegraphy by high-frequency currents
and stationary periodicity transformers." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic.
October 26lh.' (Germany, December 2nd, 1919.)

30.307. " High frequency interrupters." Ges. fiir Drahtlose Telegraphic.
October 26th. (Germany, November 7th, 1919.)

30,313. " Telephones." P. E. Davenport. October 27th.
30.380. " Electric fan heaters." A. E. Alexander (Universal Interests Inc.)
and Universal Interests Inc. October 27th.

30.388. " Relay- for signalling." W. Ges. Gurlt. October 27th. (Germany,
November 24th. 1019.)

30.389. " Systems of electric motor control." British Thomson-Houston
Co. (General Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. October 37th.

30,396. " Electrical signalling apparatus." Luftlahrzeugbau Schiitte-Lanz
and S. Sokal (Luftfahrzeugbau Schiitte-Lanz). October 27th
. 30^409. -' Electrical cooking vessels."
November 20th. 1919.)

30,425. "Dynamo electr c machines." J. B. Wiard. October .27th.

30.432. " Sparking plugs." Brewster-Goldsmilh Corporation. October 27th
(United States. June 9th. 1919.)

30.433. " Electric means for preventing theft of motor vehicles. J. M
Longe and O. T. Smith. October 27th.

30.434. " Electric switches." J- M. Longc and O. T. Smith. October 27lh
30,458. " Long range electric switch." A. Page. October 28th.
30.465. " Electro-magnetic control mechanism." S. Grossi. October 2eth.

. 30U73. " .\utoihatic electric switches." H. B. Vogel. October 28th.

ndo. October 27th. (Italy,

:«»..504. " \'acuuni tubes lor wireless telegraphy and telephony." Soc.
Independante de Telegraphie sans Fils. October 28th. (France, October
28fh,T9IF.) ■ ■' ' - — -- -

30,534. "Electrode for arc welding. 4c." W. H. Boorne. October 28th.

30.544. " Indicator for storage batteries." C. C. Hewitt. October 28th.

30,552. " Drawn wire filaments." General Electric Co. and F. S. Goucher.
October 28th.

30,569. •* Dynamo and switchboard (or motor vehicles." H. T. Collier,
H. B. Elcock, and J. J. Milne. October 29th.

30,576. " Modulation of electrical oscillations, &c." Radio Communication
Co. and J. Scott-Taggart. October 29th.

30,597. " Electric rivet heater." W. S. Johnson and J. W. SheBer. Octo-
ber 29th. ,

30,599. " Means for interlocking electric switches." C. C. Garrard and
A. H. Railing. October 29th.

30.605. " Microphones." J. Gardner. October 29th.

30.628. " Electrical transmission of intelligence." F. E. Pernat and E.
Potter (Pernat «f .Rich), and L. J. Rich. October 29th.

30,631. " Apparatus for elcclricallv transmitting image's of pictures, moving
objects. &c., to a distance." F. S. Morgan. October 29th.

30.638. " Electric heating and cooking apparatus." B. G. Battson. Octo-
ber 29th.

:)0,6S5. " Suspension chains (or electroliers, &c." E. J. Perry. October
:«th.

30,690. " Tramcars, «:c." S. Geddis, October 30th.

;J0,7O2. " Magnetic circuits for electro-raagnelic apparatus." T. F. Wall.
October 30th.

30,706. '• Telegraph relavs." A. Orling and Orling's Telegraph Instru-
ments Syndicate. October 30th.

:)0,737. " Electric insulators." S. de la Rue and T. de la Rue ft Co.
October 30th.

30.740. " Electric light, gas. &c., fittings." E. Eyre and W. Harrison.
October 30th.

30,743. " Radio .ipparatus." T. Appleby and L. .\I. Knoll. October 30th.
(United States, June 14th, 1919.)

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in parentheses are those under wh

ch the specificat

on> will ka

printed and abridged, and all subsequent proceed

ngs will be take

"•

X9XS.

244. " EN-ctric resistances." H. George and J

. H.bert. April

16lh. 1917.

(115,017.)

X919.

8.156. " Telemotors." A. E. Alexander (Benst

n Electric Co.).

.\pril 1st,

1919. (152,045.)

8,157. "Telemotors." .\. E. Alexander (Benso

n Electric Co.).

April 1st,

1919. (152,046.)

S.I.IS. " Telemotors." A. E. .Alexander (Benst

n Electric Co.).

April 1st,

1919. (152,047.)

9,489. " Elc-ctrical deposition of particles from

gases." Sir O

Lodge, L.

Lodge, and Lodge Fume Deposit Co. (in liquidation), .\pril

14th, 1919.

(152,051.)

9.511. " Electric he
11119. (152.052.)

11,397. "Electric i;
ll.V2,(tt8.)

14,(173. " Electric fuses."
(152,063.)

14,205. " Electric selecti. _

Electric Co. and F. R. Baldock. June 4th, 1919. (152,063.)

16,538. " Dynamo-electric machines." British Electric Plant Co. and A. W.
Maudling. July 2nd, 1919. (152,076.)

16.674. " .Apparatus for electric step-by-step signalling systems." H. C.
Ford. Julv 3rd. 1918. (129,290.)

16.691. "Thermionic amplifiers." J. Erskine-Murray. July 3rd, 1919.

elements." L. V. Leonard. April 14th,
amps." F. Harrison. May 7th, 1919.
H. Harris and J. G. Cook. June 4th, 1919.
signalling and like systems." International

Julv 4th, 1919.
ay and Telephone

ntrolled
A. W.
on 31,511/19.)

■<■)

16.751. '" Electric burglar al.irin." T. B
(152.098.)

16.828. " Intercommunication telephones." 1
Manufacturing Co. July 4th, 1919. (152,107.)

17,345. " Electrical transmission systems for use in speed 'controlling,
measuring, and/or indicating in signalling by speed variation and for
analogous purposes." Evershed & \'ignolcs and J. C. Needham. June 10th.
1919. (152,128.) ...

17.365. " Electric ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines."
A. J. Stevens & Co. and H. Stevens. Julv 11th. 1919. (152.131.)

18.016. " Electric furnaces." Electro-Metals, Ltd., and T. D. Robertson.
Julv 18th. 1919. (152,145.)

18,410. " Apparatus for use in connection with telegraphy and telephony
and in connection with the control of electrically actuated or ct
apparatus situated at a distance." .A. H. Branton, E. .A. Bitton,
Dransfield, and S. E. Boyce. July 24th, 1919. (Cognate applica
(152,153.)

18,462. " Electric switch lock." W. H. Cole. July 24th, 1919. (152,155.)

19,571. " Induction electric furnaces." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.). August 8th, 1919. (152,157.)

19,845. " Electric heaters." R. Hill. August 12th, 1919. (152,162.)

20,114. " High-voltage insulators." F. Jaentsch. February 6th, 1919.
(138 589 )

21.342. " Electric arc furnaces." A. P. Heyen. August 30th, 1919.
(152,176.)

23,406. " Telegraphic recorders, relavs, telephonic receivers,
J. H. Smart and J. Tucker. Septembi^r 23rd, 1919. (152.190.)

26.267. "Junction or like device for use in electrical wiring .., ,. ^.

Wilcox. October 27th. 1919. (152.210.) . }

27 570 " Eli-ctricallv-controlled application valves for pneumatic brakes. -
R. Haddan (J. B. Regan). November 7th. 1919. (152,216.)

29,280. " Conductor rails for electric railways or the like." Merz ami
McLelian and S. G. Redman. November 24th. 1919. (152,230.)

29,933. " Electric lamp shade holder." J. .A. Sargent. Decen
(152,334.)

isao.

675 " Electric heating units." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.). January 8th, 1930, (153,248.)

3 162 " .Spark plug." W. C. Rollins. February 2nd, 1920. (152.256.) _
31312 " Electrodes (or electric arc welding and metal-cutting purposes.'

W. H. Boorne; February 3rd, 1920. (Addition to 132.354.) (152.257.)

4 970. "Electric signalling systems." Igranic Electric Co. (Cutlet Hammer
Manufacturing Co.). February 18th, 1920. (153,2<S.)

5.585. " Electric switches." Benjamin Electric Manutacturing C^o. Decem-
ber' 26th. 1914. (139.484.)

7.714. " Sparking plugs (or internal
October 16th. 1919. (152.270.)

8,245. " Electric transfornnrs." Western Electri
1917. (140.466.) ' ■ . ,^ ,',,..,

R 5S7 " Induction reeulators particularly for varying the voltage of electric
tra,So;mers." V. Marlinetto. February 'Slst. 1919. (140,782.)

13071 " Telephone systems." Western Electric Co. September 10th,
1919. (Addition to 144,364.) (150.727.)

18.038. " System of

the like."
stems." p.

1st. ISl'.t

the dii

of

divided

iibustii

M!rn Electri
egulating the

s." R. Br<>ton.
November 15th,

[Its.

rength of .1 currMt
Krupp Akt.-Ges. P.

January 2nd, 1917. (115,730.)

^XXJB

HlXiEOTI?/i:O.A-Xj K/E'VIE'W.

Vol, LXXXVII.

NOVEMBER 19, 1920.

No. 2,243.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

A CRISIS IN ELECTRICITY SUPPLY.

Vol, LXXXVII.] CONTENTS: November 19, 1920. [No, 2,243.

Page

A Crisis in Electricity Supply 641

The I.E.E. Subscriptions 642

Non-statutory Companies 642

Electric Rollirfr Mill Equipment for Messrs. Steel, Peech and

Tozer, Lt(3. (;»«.«.) 643

The Aesciiat:on of Municipal Electrical Engineer.^ {illm.') ... ti46

The Electrification of Laundries, by E. Austin 647

Calculating Machines Applied to the Electrical Industry, by

A. Clegs 648

Electrical Exports of the U.S A 649

Exports and Imports of Electrical Goods for October, 1920 .550

Legal 651

Correspondence —

I.E.E Subscriptions 651

Cheap Wiring for Small Houses 651

Shop Lighting... ... ... ... ... ... ... 651

The Physics and Chemistry of Colloids and some Industrial

Applications 652

Business Notes 663

Notes 659

City Notes 66?

Stocks and Shares 663-

Market Quotations 664

The Shipbuilding, Engineering and Electrical Exhibition

(illus. discontinued) ... ... ... ... ... ... 665

The Institution of Electrical Engineers iillv.s.') 667

Reviews 669

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant Qllus.') ... . ... 671

New Patents Applied for, 1920 672

Abstracts of Published Specifioatioui 672

ContTactors' Column Advertiaement page rxvi

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Melan : Fratelli Treves.

New Tobe ; D. Van Nostrand, 35, Park

Place
Pabib : Boyveau 4 Chevillet, 22, Rue

de la Banque.
Peeth, W a. : Gordon 4 Gotch,

WiUiam bVreet.
RouK lioescber 4 Co., Corso

Umberto 1° 307.
Stdney . Peter G. Tait, 273, George

Street ; Gordon & Gotch, Pitt Street.
ToBONTO, Ont. : Wm. Dawson & Sons,

Ltd., Manning Cbani"bers ; Gordon

and Gotcb 132. Bay Street
Wellinoton, N.Z. : Gordon 4 Gotob-,

Cuba Street,

Office, London) tc be made payable tc
croBsed " London City and Midland

The letters from the Electrical Power Engineers' Asso-
ciation and the National Joint Board of Employers and
^[embers of Staffs, of which we give summaries in our
" Business Notes " to-day, leave no room for doubt that
a very serious crisis has arisen in the electricity supply
industry. Wearied with the prolonged delay on the
part of the supply authorities, the great majority of
which have refrained from compliance with the schedule
of salaries drawn up by the National Joint Board, the
Association has decided by a huge majority of votes to
submit no longer to the undoubted injustice under which
its members are suffering. Unless the, schedule is
adopted by December 11th, the members of the E.P.E.A.
will cease work on December 14th, and the supply of
electricity will inevitably be cut off in all the areas
where the electricity works afid sub-stations are operated
by them— that is, practically throughout the country.
The situation is rightly described as very grave; the
functions of electricity are so intimately interwoven
with, the industrial, commercial, social, and domestic
life of the community in general that the cessation of
supply would immediateh- make itself felt in every phase
of our existence. To electrical readers we need not
elaborate the point, with which they are familiar ; they
are well aware, too, that a strike of powder station staffs
could not be fought with voluntary labour. Like the
miners, they are irreplaceable, and if they, withhold
their services the supply cannot be maintained, except
in the smallest stations, where the chief engineer can
perform the technical duties himself.

The Association demands that the schedule agreed
upon in May last shall be accepted without reservation
and put in force at once. The fact that the schedule
has been adopted by some undertakings indicates that
its terms are not unreasonable ; it is not a demand
emanating from employes alone, but one that has been
formulated by a Joint Board on which both employers
and employed are represented. At the convention of
the Incorporated Municipal Electrical Association, in
June last, a resolution was unanimously passed urging
all municipal undertakings to comply with the awards
of this Board as well as those of the National Council.
The Ministry of Labour has induced the Electricity
Commissioners to inquire whether an undertaking has
adopted the schedule, before they grant permission to
increase the charges for electrical energy. In the
face of these facts it is impossible to impugn the
justice of the claim. To urge that the industry
cannot afford to pay the scheduled rates is utter futility ;
it is paying three times pre-war prices for coal, and
nearh' three times pre-war rates for labour, and to meet
these costs the price of electrical energy has been raised
like that of other commodities, but not so much. To
put the matter in its true light, the value of money has
fallen to two-fifths of its pre-war standard ; a man who
was paid £200 a year before the war should now receive
£500 merel}^ to maintain his original position, without
regard to the advances that should have accrued to him
during the six years' interval. But while the claims
of coal and labour have been conceded, the staff' men
have been left out in the cold to struggle on as best
they can. Even before the war, the salaries prevailing
in electricity supply were absurdly low compared with
those ruling in other professions, and onlj- the engineer's
love of his work, and never-failing cheerfulness in ad-

[641]

642

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,243, notmbbb 19, 1920.

versitj', kept him at his post. It is indeed high time
that his unquestionable claims for adequate remunera-
tion were recognised.

The position of the Association in this matter is un-
assailable. The question has been decided by the Joint
Board; ample time has been given for deliberation; and
some authorities have already accepted the schedule.
The regime of autocracy has been swept away by the
war ; the claim of each authority to fix its own scale is
inadmissible. The only hope of industrial peace resides
in the maintenance of the authority of the Whitley
Councils, one of which the Joint Board is officially
recognised to be. We do not anticipate that the conflict
will be carried to the point of actually stopping the
supply of electricity, because the Association is the
master of the situation. The Employers' Side of the
Board is exerting every effort to avert the threatened
strike by securing the recognition of tlie schedule to
which it is a party, and we sincerely trust that its en-
deavours will be successful. But in the contrary event
the country must face the inevitable consei|uences. We
have always upheld the Whitley system as the best means
to prevent industrial conflicts, but if its awards are not
honoured the use of force is unavoidable, and our sym-
pathy is wholly on the side of the party which adheres to
the system. We, therefore, regard the action of the
Association as fully justified ; while we abhor strikes and
shall continue to hope that milder methods may prevail,
we abhor injustice still more, and we whole-heartedly
support the claim of the Association that the decision of
the Joint Board shall be honoured.

It will be noted that in the present case it is sought
to establish the principle that the industry shall act
as a whole. The strike threatened bj' the E.P.E.A. is
a national one. It calls upon all undertakings not only
to pay the schedule rates themselves, but also to take
steps to ensure that all other undertakings pay them.

The issue is of immense importance to the industry.
As we have never been tired of urging in these columns,
what is called for is a consistent industrial policy on
the part of employers, a settlement of basic principles,
a statesmanlike outlook on the whole field. The E.P.E.A.
letter shows that somehow or other many undertakings
must be hopelessly out of touch with their immediate
superintending staffs.

The pocket is a very sensitive spot,
The I.E.E. and we were not surprised to receive

Subscriptions, a number of letters from readers on
this subject, not all of which were in-
tended for publication. The chief point for comment
is a familiar one — ;the question of relative advantages
as between town and country members, with which the
headquarters building of the Institution is usually
coupled. Those who are unable to attend the London
meetings see no reason why the London members should
rejoice in the possession of palatial premises at the
common charge.

Whilst we regard the matter, as a journal, from u
purely external and disinterested point of view, Ave
cannot help feeling that this attitude is somewhat paro-
chial and unworthy of the members of so large and
influential a society. The mere accommodation is but
one aspect of the question. Undoubtedly the Institu-
tion's own building is the most convenient and suitable
locus for the Institution meetings — but that in itself
would not justify the purchase of a costly building. The
housing of the offices and the splendid library of the
Institution is an important consideration, and would
involve no small expense if the building were not avail
able; moreover, there is the question of prestige, which
is not to be ignored. That a society numbering over
8,000 members, of whom some 2,400 are within the
London area, should have no suitable home in London
would be unthinkable, and therefore, to our mind, the
only uncertain factor is the question whether the Imild-
ing is too custlv. In view of the scarcitv of accommoda-

tion that prevails in London, we have no doUbt that
the portions of the building which are not iumiediately
needed by the Institution for its own purposes will
readily be leased. Another valualjle consideration is
the ability to offer hospitality to kindred institutions
which is afforded by the possession of roomy head-
quarters ; while no rent can be charged for such user,
the out-of-pocket expenses are repaid, and this form of
hos)jitality — which has been freely conferred upon the
Institution in the past — is a useful means of maintain-
ing a close connection with the numerous allied associa-
tions such as the Post Office Engineers, the Wireless
Society, the Society of Engineers, and many others,
which have enjoyed it in the past. The building, there-
fore, appears to us to be tlioroughly justified.

But another point has been raised by countrj' mem-
bers, namely, why should they, who cannot enjoy the
privileges of the London members, pay the same sub-
scriptions?— and this, we think, is a well-founded com-
plaint. Where a country member is within reach of a
Territorial Centre or Sub-centre, which necessarily
incurs expenses that are defrayed out of the common
chest, the claim for relief may not be justified, but many
members are domiciled far from any meeting-place, and
not only pay the full subscription, but if they do atteml
a meeting they have to incur heavy travelling and hotel
expenses in addition. It certainly seems that some con-
cession is due to members in such a position, uiou^rh
whether it is possible to devise a workable method of dis-
crimination is a difficult question to answer. Elsewhere
we give the schedules adopted by the two great Institu-
tions most closely akin to the I.E. EI., which will enable
members to form their own opinions regarding this
subject.

At this time, when expenses are increasing, the old
question of a common home for all the engineering in-
stitutions may appropriately be raised again; this
wotdd greatly diminish the cost to each society, whilst
adding very greatly to the benefits derived from it by
individual members, and would of course increase the
" utilisation factor " of the lecture theatres, &c., which
under present conditions is often very low. The United
States and several of the Britisii Dominions Jiave
already adopted this policy. But this subject must be
deferred to a later issue.

Theue is a good number of uon-
Non=stalutory statutory electricity supply companies
Companies, scattered up and down the country. It
is difficult from the nature of the case
to say how many, but all of them are small, of course.
Under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, there is a
section (No. 2G) by which these can be regulari.sed by
special order, which abbreviates the former method of
Provisional Order procedure. The sj)ecial rules and
directions under which such special orders could be
obtained have recently been issued, and are at the service
of any non-statutory company which is disposed to be-
come a statutory undertaking. There is one point which
If would be particularly well to cover in such cases,
namely, that the company in becoming stattitory should
be considered as having complied with Section 14 of the
Electric Lighting (Clauces) Act, 1899, This section
obliges the undertaker to give notice to the local autho-
rity when mains are being laid. Tlie inqjortance of com-
jiliance is that later (Section 17. Sub-section (/)) provi-
sion is made as revrards repayment of expenses in con-
nection with alterations in fhe roadway, and such like,
which require consequential alteration in the position
of the mains. Where, for instance, a local authority
decides upon an alteration in the level of the road, or
straightens a road, or does any work that compels an
undertaking to take up. relay, or in any way work on
its supply mains, the local authority has to pay the
cost. But the section only applies to authorised under-
takers; a non-statutory company is left out in the cold.
Hence the importance of the retrospective provision
nlmve mentioned when any conqiany becomes statutory
after its mains Imvc been laid.

Vol. 87. No. 2,243, NovEMDEB 19. 1920.1 THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

QiB

ELECTRIC ROLLING-MILL EQUIPMENT FOR MESSRS. STEEL, PEECH & TOZER, LTD.

The past few years have witnessed i no mous strides in the
application of electricity to steel works. Originally looked
upon as merely a convenient means of operating such
auxiliaries as cranes, live rolls, screw-downs, &c., electricity
is now deservedly recognised as a highly efficient and
economical means of driving the rolling mill itself
irrespective of its capacity or type. As an illustration of
what has been done in this direction, the following

Fig. 1. — Gbnebal View op Sub-station, showing h.t.
Switchboard.

description of the equipment installed at Messrs. Steel,
Pee :h ^t Tozer's Templeborough Works, Rotherham, by the
British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., of Rugby, with Mr.
G. M. Brown as consulting engineer, may be of interest.

For the purpose of this article the electrical equipment
may conveniently be divided into four sections, as
follows : —

Sub-Station Equipment. — The supply for the entire mill
is taken from the Rotherham Corporatioi. * by means of
three-phase, 50-cycle, mains at two
voltages, the larger propoition being
at G,3.0 volts, and the remainder at
a, 000 volts. The sub-station contains
Bwitchgear for distributing the power
to the various mill equipments, together
with suitable converting plant for giving
a D.c. supply for the operation of the
various mill auxiliaries.

The 6,300-volt supply is controlled
by means of solenoid-operated remote-
control switchgcar, the oil switches
being mounted in moulded stone cells ;
the arrangement cf the gear is illustrated
in fig. 1. Duplicate bus-bars are
provided throughout, each set being
capable of carry iug the full load of the
board, and separate compartments ard
provided in the cellwork for each
set of bus-bars, each set of bus-bar
selector switches, oil switch, and in-
strument transformers. The various
compartments are closed by means of
sheet-iron dnnr.^ and suitable intei-
locks aro fitted between the bus-bar
select II- !■ witches and the isolating
switches, rendering it impossible for the attendant to
have aretes to the oil switch and instrument transformer
chambers nnless both sets of isolating switches are in the
"off" prsitinn.

' hLE ■. llEv, .Nuvou.bui JIL, I'JiO, p. 58-'.

This arrangement of compartment-uell structure greatly
lacilitates the handling cf the switchgear when access to
the individual equipments is required for inspection or
cleaning purposes, as when the bus-bar selector switches are
disconnected on any unit the oil switch and instrument
transformer on that paiticular unit are entirely " dead."

The oil switches are of the solenoid-operated type, each
switch consisting of three single- pole units. The oil tanks
are rf the welded type, built up f f boilerplate and rein-
forced with stout channel iron. The contact units are of
the controller-finger type provided with special steel backing
springs. The incoming feeder switches are cf the split
conductor type, fitted with special contact units : the latter
switches have a rupturing capacity of 100,000 k.v.a. at
I'sCOO volts. The bus-bar isolating switches are of the
triple-pole rotary type, and arranged to be operated from the
outside, a special detachable handle being provided for the
purpose.

The operating panels for this switchgear are cf the fht-
back type, consisting of enamelled slate panels mounted on
pipe framework, and are mounted on the floor of the sub-
station in front of the stone cellwork. The incoming feeder
equipments are provided with split-conductor protective
gear, the outgoing feeder units being fitted with overload
and low-volt protection. The above switchboard is built up
cf the following equipments, commencing at the right-hand
side : — Four split-conductor incoming feeder equipments ;
one total output bus-bar metering equipment ; one bus-bar
coupler equipment; one 8,000-h.I'. feeder equipment for
the cogging mill ; one 1,250-kw. rotary converter equip-
ment : one spare 1,250-Kw. rotary converter equipment ;
one 5,000-H.p. feeder equipment for the billet mill ; one
1,200-H.P. feeder equipment for the slab mill ; one spare
300-ampere feeder equipment ; and one 300- kw. trans-
former equipment for hydraulic pumps.

With regard to the control board, two panels are
provided for the metering equipmei^ to accommodate
duplicate meters, and synchronising equipments are provided
in the case of the rotary-converter panels.

The 3,000-volt supply is controlled by means of a truck-
type switchboard consisting of four paiiels as follows : — One
incoming feeder panel ; one outgoing feeder panel for the
Templeborough sub-station ; one outgoing feeder for the
1,250-KW. motor-generator : and one spare feeder panel.

The converting plant for supplying D.c. to the various mill

Fio. 2. — Two 150- H. p. Induction Motobs Driving Pumps.

auxiliaries consists cf a motor-generator set and a ro'.ary
converter, each of 1, 2 5 0-KW. capacity. The motor-generator
set comprises a 3,C00-volt, three-phase, 50-cyclc, slip-ring
type indnctinn motor taking its supply from the 3 OdO-volt
irui-k-type switchboard, and direct-coupled to a 1,250-KW.,

644

THE ELECTBICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,243, novembeb 19, 1920. •

375-RPM 200/250-volt, 5,000ampere, compound-wound
commutating pole generator. The set is started up by
means of a tramway-type controller and a cast-grid resist-
ance connected in the rotor circuit of the induction motor.
The rotary converter is of the induction-motor started, selt-

characteristic of the machine is such that it can be run m
parallel with the motor-generator set if required.^ At the
time the mill equipment was put in hand, the converting
plant described above was considered sufficient to meet the
immediate demands for a D.c. supply, but it was recog""-^

no. 3.-A:b.T.H. 6,000.15,500-h.p. Dohblb Motoh DBiviKa Coaa^.a Mill; Excitek Set ik Fobkobou.s-b.

Fio'4-A BTH. 1,250-3,125-kw. Flywheel Motob-Generatob Sf.t.

that the demand for direct current would be likely to
exceed the capacity of this plant when the entire mill wM
put in commercial service. This point has now been
reached, and a duplicate rotary-converter equipnient is m
course of manufacture at the works of the B.i.U. ^0.,

synchronising type, rated at 1,250 KW., 500 R.P.M.,
50 cycles, six-phase,, the d.c. voltage being 200/250. ihe
machine is compound-wound, and takes its-supply from the
6,300-volt switchboard through a 1,SsO-k.v.a. self-cooling,
oil-immersed transformer mounted in the basement. The

i

Vol.87. No. 2,243, NovEMBBB 19, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL RE\TIiW.

645

Rugby. For controlling the d.o. supply from the above
two machines a 25-panel black-enamelled slate switchboard is
installed, which consists of one 1,250-k^v. generator
control panel ; one 1,250-kw. rotary control panel ; and 21
1,200 - ampere feeder panels, the remaining two panels
being blank.

type having rolls 36 in. in diameter. It is driven by a
double unit motor, shown in fig. 3, having a normal rating
of 6,000 H.p. and a peak rating of 15,500 h.p. The
machine was guaranteed to develop a torque of 760 ton-ft.
at any speed up to 48 k.p.m., but was actually tested under
conditions corresponding to a tori(ue of 1,000 ton-ft.

The supply for the mill motor is ob-
tained from a motor generator set con-
sisting of a 3,000-H.P., 6,300-volt, 600-
R.p.M. induction motor coupled to four
1,250/3,125-KW., 375-volt generators, and
two 30-ton flywheels 11 ft. 6 in. in
diameter. The set is shown in fig. i,
from which it will be seen that the
generators are arranged as two double-
unit machines. The flywheels are placed
between the two double generators, and
are enclosed in a sheet steel casing, as
are also the two special B.T.H. flexible
couplings connecting the flywheels to the
generators on either side.

For starting the set from rest and for
rotating it slowly for inspection or
adjustment, the barring gear shown in
fig. 5 is provided. This operates on the
shaft of the generator, remote from the
induction motor, and is so arranged as
Fig. 5.-FLYWHEEL Barbing Gear Driven by 30-h.p. Motor. ^° automatically disengage the gears when

Reference has already been made to the hydraulic pumps
in describing the functions of the various units of the 6,300-
volt switchboai'd. These pumps are of the Davy ram type,
and supply various hydraulic auxiliaries in the mill through
the medium of a hydraulic accumulator. There are two
pumps, each driven by a 150-h.p. induction motor. The
supply for these motors is taken from the 2Q0-K.V.A. trans-
former mentioned aliove, and is controlled by means of
pedestal type ironclad switchgear of the B.T.H. Co.'s o.D.
type. The rotor circuits are controlled by automatic eon-
taotor type starting panels operating in conjunction with
tappet switches worked by the accumulator, the motors being
automatically started or stopped in accordance with the
fluctuations in the demand for hydraulic power. The
pumping equipments are clearly shown in fig. 2 with the
converting plant and 220-volt D.c. switchboard in the
background.

Cogginii Mill Equipment. — -The cogging mill is one of
the largest in existence, and is of the two-high reversing

Fio. 6. — Waed-Leonabd Cogging Mill Controllee.

Fig. 7. — View of Mill Conieoi. Pdlpit.

616

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,243, novkmbeb 19, 1920.

the induction motor picks up the load at fetartint;. The gear
is driven by a 30-h.p., 220- volt, B.T.H. motor. The mill
motor is controlled on the well-known Ward Leonard prin-
ciple, the main controller being shown in fig. G. This con-
troller is mounted on the main control pulpit over the mill,
as shown in fig. 7. The four generators of the flywheel set
are connected in series, giving a maximum voltage of supply
to the mill motor of 1,500 volts, the circuit between the
generators and the mill motor being controlled by two
solenoid-operated circuit-breakers arranged for remote
control either from the d.c. switchboard in the motor-house
or from the pulpit in the mill. The circuit-breakers are
shown in fig. 4. A special exciter set, shown in the fore-
ground of fig. 2, provides the excitation for the generator
fields, the mill motor field being excited direct from the
mill supply at 220 volts.

It will be seen from fig. 6 that the main controller is
provided with two levers. The right-hand lever controls
the exciter field and enables the generator voltage to be
built up for either forward or reverse rotation of the mill
motor, according to the direction in which the lever is
moved from its mid position. The full movement of the
lever gives a voltage of supply to the mill motor of 1,500

volts, under which conditions the speed is 48 r.p.m. The
second lever controls a contactor panel by means of which
resistance cau be inserted in the mill-motor field circuit,
increasing the speed of the machine to a maximum of
100 R.P.M. The two levers are so interlocked that it is
impossible for the operator to weaken the mill motor field
until full pressure has been applied to the armature. A
special arrangement of field windings on the generator
exciter enables the operator to obtain practically instan-
taneous response at the mill motor to the movement of h'u
control lever, i.e., the time lag in building up the generator
fields is reduced to a minimum. The same result is
obtained when operating at speeds above 48 r.p.m. by means
of a special differential relay fitted to the mill-motor field-
contactor panel.

The extent to which the desired results Lave been
obtained will be realised from the following results of
oscillograph teats taken on the equipmeat, when it i^
remembered that the weight of the mill-motor arnature i*
approximately 'M\ tons : Time for reversal frox lOU r.p.m.
forward to 100 r.p.m. reverse is 4^ seconds, and for reversal
from 48 r.p.m. forward to 48 r.p.m. reverse it is 2h seconds.
(TV he conrJuikd.)

THE ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPAL ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS

(Union of South Africa.)

The fourth annual Convention of the Association of
jMuiiicipal Electrical Engineers was held in Pretoria,
(luring the third week in September. The retiring
)iresident, Mr. Bernard Sankey (Johannesburg), pre-
sided over a large attendance of iiienibers ami couii-
eillors from all over tiie Union.

An official welcome was given to the Association bv

the Mayor of Pretoria (Mr. C. W. (iiovanetti, M.R.E.,
M.L.A.), after which tlie retiring jiresident reiiil his
valedictory address.

Tlie officers for the next year were then elected : Mr.
T. C. Wolley-Dod (Pretoria), president; Mr. (;. H.
S\vi!ii;ler (Caiie 'i'own). vice-])resiilent ; Messrs. T. Millar
(Harri-niit'i), E. Poole (Durban), L. Bickell (Port

Piof. DOBSON, D.S.O., W. D .ffil.AS, W . A. Hon.;E, T. Sl'TCLlFFE, L. B. Pl

Pott President. l!.rntelo. Standerton. Benoni. Boks

Conn. Pbdi.et, Prof. Bichaxan. G. Mkecier. K. .\. Stoiois,

Mayor of Standerton. Visitor. Kroonstad.

Mi:dU Bow.
. BoiiiNc, P.McOai'Lev, L. B. Sparks, W. H. Blatcbford, R. B. Coiltbard,

7iaitiT, Bloeraf jnteia. Pietersburg. Greytown. Oadtshoorn.

T. Miller, T.P. Ashiev, Q. W. McComb, J. Vowles, W.Bell

Han ismilh. Qneenstown. Springs. King WilUamstown.

Sitting,
LETciiEH, Coun. CLiRK, Coun. GioVANETTi, M.B.E., M.L.A., Conn. BiacHorr, Coun. Cdnsinoham,

I'sdorp. Johannesburg. Mayor of Pretoria. Pretoria. Cape Town.

B. Sankev, T. C. WoiletDod. G. Swingler, L. Bickell,

J'burg, Past President. Pratoria, President. Caps Town, li.-c Preiident, Port Elizabetli,

L. L. HoRRELL,
Pretoria, Hon. Sec. it Treat,

. Ellis

Vol. 87. No. 2,243, November 19, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

647

Elizabeth), and L. B. Proctor (Boksburg), members of
the Council. Mr. L. L. Horrell, of Pretoria, was
elected hon. secretary and treasurer in the place of Mr.
Poole, who had resigned.

On the conclusion of the morninji's Ijiisine.ss the Mayor
entertained the members, together with the Town Coun-
cillors, to luncheon at the County Club, and in the after-
noon a visit was paid to the Municipal power station.

On the Tuesday morning the president addressed the
Conference, after whicii Mr. Mercier (Betliel) read an
interesting paper on gas-engine plants, with special
reference to their use as prime movers in small generat-
ing stations. The Conference then adjourned to visit
the Pretoria iron mines.

In the afternoon committees were elected to deal with
the following subjects: " Licensing of Electricians' By-
laws," " Conditions of Supply and Wiring Regula-
tions," " Remuneration of Electrical Engineers," and
" Statistics and Accounts."

On the Thursdaj' the members were taken to see the
Premier Diamond Mine, and on the return journey a
call was made to see the Hatherley glass works. In the
evening the annual dinner was held in the Pretoria
Club. Mr. T. C. Wolley-Dod presided, and was su]j-
ported by his Honour the Administrator of the Trans-
vaal, Mr. A. G. Robertson, and the Mayor of Pretoria.
Many other well-known men were present, including
Councillor H. J. Halev. Mavcir of Standertnn, and

Councillors A. Cunningham (Cape Town), T. Hoy (Port
P^lizabeth), and J. A. Clark (Johannesburg).

On the Friday the Conunittees submitted their reports
to the Congi'ess.

Licensing of Electiiciana and Registration jjf Contractors. —
The Committee ciealing with this report felt that it was useless
to license electricians for wiring and subject them to penalties
for bad work or infringement of the regulations, unless the
municipality had some control over their employers. It was,
therefore, strongly reconmiended that all wiring contractors
should be registered, and draft regulations dealing with the
matter, together with the regulations for licensing electricians,
were submitted to the meeting, which, after discussion, were
passed.

By-Laws, Conditions of Supply, and Wiring Regulations. —
The president introduced the report of the Committee, and,
id'ter discussion and some amendments, it was passed.

Remuneration of Electrical Engineers. — As this matter had
nlready been taken up by a committee of members of the
S..\. Institute of Electrical Engineers and members of the
Municipal Electrical Engineers' Association, the Congress
passed a resolution to be submitted to the Joint Board, i.e. : —
" That the minimum salary of a whole-time municipal elec-
trical engineer shall be 15 per cent, above the standard rate of
wages paid to skilled engineering artisans in the district," and
suggested that the Joint Committee should draw up a scale
of salaries for the larger stations.

Statistics and Accounts. — The Congress considered that it
would be advisable to get the views of the different town
treasurers on the subject, and bring the matter up at the
next Convention, which will be held in Cape Town about
October, 1921.

After appreciative references had been made by the visitors
with regard to the week's work, the session concluded with
■A visit in the afternoon to the Government railway workshops.

I

THE ELECTRIFICATION OF LAUNDRIES.

By E. AUSTIN.

As a laundrj' is an establishment in which clotiies and
other articles are washed and made clean ( ?), it natur-
ally follows that it is one of the last places that should
not contain anything which consumes gas. Just recently
the writer has been permitted to contribute a series
of electrical articles to an important laundry journal,
with the result that innumerable gas appliances have
been consigned to the scrap-heap. The use of elec-
tricity in laundries vastly improves the conditions
under which the workpeople perform their duties, and
increases the outp\it. It is said, in fact, that in some
laundries where at one time it was difficult to get any
work done at all, the introduction of electricity has
made the workrooms so congenial that it is now often
next to impossible to get the employes to stop work and
go home.

One of tile tilings that is essential in a laundry is.
of course, good light. ()peratiirs (.•anmit l)e blamed for
damaging goods if they are compelled to wurk with
inade(|uate ami uidiealthy illumination. What is
wanted, and what is adopted liy all go-ahead laundry
jiroprietors, is electric light i>roduced In gastilleil
lamps used in conjunction with scientifically designed
reflectors. Good lighting invariably reduces the num-
ber of compensation claims of the customers, who
strongly object to having their goods torn and scorched.
Half the troubles and disputes that arise in connection
with washing are attributable, directly or indirectly,
to gas, but when electrical appliances are adopted the
shirts and collars, blouses, jietticoats, and so forth leave
the laundry free from damage, and when all the mem-
bers of the washing and dyeing and cleaning i)rofes-
sions utilise electricity the resultant benefits will be felt
and appreciated by the entire conmiunity.

Years ago Messrs. Eastman & Sons, the well-known
dyers and cleaners, who employ some .'iOO workers in
their ironing rooms alone, adopted electric irons, with
excellent results. The irons eliminate the risk of scorch-
ing the work and of making it dirty. The workrooms,
moreover, are always clean and cool, and the workers
consequently perform their duties under good condi-
tions, and are always happy and contented. In this

particular case, the irons used are those made by the
Dowsing Radiant Heat Co., Ltd., which has applied
electric heating to various other appliances used in
laundries and dyeing and cleaning establishments.
tJoffering machines, neck-banders, coUar-edgers, coUar-
ironers, body-ironers, and similar machines of all the
]irincipal makes have been successfully fitted with elec-
tric heating elements made in accordance with the East-
man and Warne patents. For all heating work usually
done with gas, electricity can be utilised with infinitely
l)etter results. All the fumes which pollute the atmo-
sphere and nuike it unhealthy can be eliminated by the
adoption of electric heating, and even in the summer
months the workrooms are not unduly hot or stuffy."

Besides light and heat, laundries re(iuire power.
Vast numbers of electric motors have been installed in
laundries for driving the washing and other machines,
and it is invariably found that they answer the pur-
pose admirably, (iroup-driving is usually adopteil. and
the grouping of several washers and extractors works
out very well. Hydro-extractors, however, are frequently
fitted with independent motors of the vertical type, an<l
several firms, such as Messrs. Thomas Broadbent, of
Huddersfield, anil .Manlove. Alliott, of Nottingham,
supply electrically-driven extractors in various sizes
and suitable for large and small laundries. Large iron-
ing machines can be, and frequently are, fitted with
independent motors, when the speed can be varied
electrically, and overtime ironing jobs can be accom-
plished without running the entire driving equipment.
An ironing department of a large laundry provided with
these electrically-driven machines with independent
motors is a far more congenial place than a similar
apartment equipped with machines that are driven
mechanically. All the belting and shafting inseparable
from the mechanical driving system are, of course,
al).sent, and the workroom is a lighter, cleaner,
healthier, and in every way a better place to work in.
Electric driving has often proved a tremendous boon
to those who run small laundries. In laundries of
this sort a single motor is in many cases used to drive
all the machinery, instead of an engine. Often wheij

648 THE ELECT KICAL EEVIET^ [voi. 87. No. 2,243, novembeb 19. 1920.

engines have been scrapped, and the electric drive has
been introduced, the capacity of these small laundries
has-been considerably increafsed. By fixing motors on
wall brackets or to overhead girders valuable floor space
can, of course; be saved, and it has in many cases been
possible to install another washing machine, and so in-
crease the output without extending the building.
Moreover, the electric drive renders the laundry prac-
tically immune from breakdown.

The installation of electric light and power in laun-
dries naturally calls for care. In the wash-house,
moisture is, of course, present, and care must be exer-
cised to protect the lighting fittings and motors. For
driving the wash-house equipment, totally enclosed
motors are essential, or alternatively the motors must
be placed outside the wash-house, where they are un-
affected by dampness or steam. In other parts of the
laundry where dampness is absent, semi-enclosed motors
may be adopted. The wiring of a wash-house is another
matter which calls for special precaution. In conse-
quence of the presence of steam and water, an unsuitable
wiring system or unsuitable fittings may lead to no end
of trouble and expense, and cause laundry owners to
wish that they had never abandoned gas. The best
wiring sj'stem to adopt is perhaps a debatable point, but
the winter understands from Mr. J. H. C. Brooking that
for wiring laundries, and, in fact, all other places
in which arduous conditions are encovmtered, cab-tire
sheathed cable is admirably adapted.

Tiie production of sodium hypochlorite for cleansing
and sterilising linen is another use to which electricity
can be put in laundries. Electrolysers for this purpose
made by Messrs. G. W. Thornton & Co., of Salford, Man-
chester, have been supplied to many important laundry
firms, as well as to shipping companies, such as the
White Star and Cunard Co.'s. In Liverpool alone no
fewer than twelve of these electrolysers are in operation.
It is invariably found that the electrolytic bleach which
they produce reduces the work of the rotary washers,
thus diminishing the baneful grinding and pounding,
whilst at the same time the linen is made as white as
when it was new. Moreover, as a disinfectant, germi-
cide, deodoriser, or antiseptic, sodium hypochlorite is
extremely effective and cheap. The liquor placed in
the electrolyser merely consists of water and coarse
salt, such as that used for curing fish, and in pre-war
days 12 gallons of the bleach coidd be made at the cost
of Id., which is considerably below the cost of any other
solution used for the same purpose. The electrolyser
itself consists of a rectangular stoneware box, divided
by carbon plates into a nuudser of compartments, the
end plates forniing the anode and cathode. The passage
of the current from one end of the electrol)'ser to the
other produces a lively effervescence in the cells, owing
to the evolution of hydrogen, and the liquor required
for use overflows at openings at the sides of the elec-
troly.ser into a storage tank, and fresh liquor entei-s
through holes at the bottom.

When the clothes have been washed, .starched, an<l
ironed, it remains to distribute them to the customers
or branch shops. For this purpose nearly all laundries
are at present using horse or petrol vans, but sooner
or later they will undoubtedly employ vans propelled
by electricity. Once the laundry owners recognise that
electric vans are clean and inexpensive to run and
maintain, and are practically immune from breakdown,
the vans they are now using will soon be abolished.
The high cost of petrol and the great expense involved
in keeping mechanically-propelled vehicles in repair,
are causing many business people to investigate the
merits of electricity. For laundry work electric trans
port is, of course, ideal, and electric vehicle manu
facturers should not fail to keep well in touch with the
laundry business.

CALCULATING MACHINES APPLIED TO THE
ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY.

Bv A. CLEGG, A.C.I.S.

Receivership. — Rotasphere Co., Ltd. — Mr. J. Grant,
of 47, Victoria Street, Tne Brook, Liverpool, ceased to act a^
receiver or manager on -October 26th, 1920.

During the last few years the importance of intrcduciDg
labour-saviDg machinery and devices has been acknowledged
in almost every factory and works in the kingdom. It is
up to the office organisation to keep pace and increase
production by introdusing the latest labour-saving
machinery and devices into the ( tti r, and, unlike many of
the machines which are installed lu the works, it will often
be found that office machines pay for themselves in a few
months. America has left this country far behind in this
respect, figure-work in that country being done almost
entirely by machinery which is still being done by hand
here. The writer read an article a short time ago, setting
out a new sjstem of accounting adopted by the Phil-
adelphian Electric Co., from which they estimate a saving
of ■'?50,000 a year, the saving being mainly brought
about by labour-saving machinery anl devices in the
office.

Office staffs of electricity undertakii gs are usually not
on the large side, and the employment of office machinery
will enable detailed statistics and data to be placed before
the management which could not otherwise reasonably be
called for, owing to the labour involved in collecting such
information.

A certain amount of antipathy may be evidenced by the
average clerk at the mention of office machinery, but once
the machinery is installed, and the staff understand its
working, the extra work turned out soon overcomes their
prejudice, and many now object to performing the calcula-
tions by mental operations.

The engineer carries his slide rule about with him, and
brings it out every time figures are mentioned ; these save
labour, and many clerks also nse them for rough calcula-
tions ; but for accurate calculations the clerk must nse a
"calculating machine." There are many different kinds of
calculating machines on the market ; the uses to which they
can be put are percemag s, costings, invoice extensions,
dissections, and actuarial and statistical calculations.
Calculating machines can be divided into two broad
classes — key-operated and crank-operated machines ; this
article will deal with the latter class as applied to calcur
lating large power electricity accounts and pay-roll work.

The tendency of large generating stations is to supply
electricity for power purposes, and as the prices vary
according to the load, .&c., I do not propose to enter into
details, except to say that the calculating machiue can be
used equally well whether the price is a flat rate of so
much per unit or so much per k.v.a. of maximum demand.

In the undertaking with which the writer is acquainted
the charges are based on the k.v.a. of maximum demand plus
a unit charge, and also an addition for any increase in the
cost of coal.

The working out of the k.v.a. returned by the meter
reader is checked bv a calculating machine, the charges
to a consumer are all done on the calculating machine, and
the accounts have been sent out in half the time they were
under the old method, and have also been found to be much
more accurate, and the additional consumers connected have
hardly been felt by the start' concerned.

It will, perhaps, be clearer to the reader if I give an
example of the work of the consumers' clerk dealing with
the accounts, beginning with the meter sheet.

When a large power consumer is connected, this meter
sheet is made out from the particulars on the connection
note, and needs little explanation except that current trans-
formers are mainly used, and therefore in calculating the
maximum demand a constant must be brought into the
calculation ; a space is provided, for this.

The reader may also be curious to know what the space
marked " multiplying factor" signifies ; this figure (assum-
ing a three-phase supply i is made up of —

volts X constant x v :;/l,000,
and does not vary unless the equipment is changed, so saving
75 per cent, of the calculation each month. For example :

Toi. 87. No. 2,243, novbmbeb 19, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

649

Suppose the demand indicator reads 5 amperes, supply is
400 volts and current transformer 2.5/5 = (constant 5), to
get at the k.v.a. the old method would be—

5 X iOO X 5 X 1-73/1,000 = 17-3.
In the new method the multiplying factor would be shown
as 3*46, which only requires multiplying each month by the
amperes, in this case 5, which is 17* 3. Now that the
maximum demand has been checked on the calculator we
can proceed to the worJcing out of the account. Let us
assume the price of energy is 68. per k.v.a. + 0'45d. per
unit.

Meter Sheet.

ELECTRICAL EXPORTS OF THE U.S.A.

W. Meter No Ampa..

"No

C.T.
I [ Ratio

D.I. No.

.Volts Duty.

fNo

P.T.

1 Ratio

Supply
volts

Duty

Multi-

• piyingr

factor

]>.!., C.T. No.,

Date. Beading. Difference. ^f~ Amps, ^^f^_ K.V.A. Read by

The keys of the calculator representing 17'3 would be
depressed, and the crank-handle turned three times as
Os. = -3 of a £, the answer appearing on the dial in pounds ;
the only thing to be careful about is the decimal point, and
small pointers are attached to the machine for this purpose.
The same method is used for the unit charge ; say, 12,79(1
units have been consumed, the keys representing these
numbers are depressed, and the crank turned five times,
the whole carriage moved one to the left for the tens, and
the crank turned four times, keeping the decimal point
carefully* indicated, the answer appearing on the dial in
pence ; this is brought to pounds by depressing the keys 240
and reversing the crank-handle for division. lb will be
seen that the metric and decimal systems play a large part
in this class of account, and these in themselves facilitate
the use of the calculating machine.

The calculating machine has also been found extremely
useful on pay roll work, and has considerably reduced the
work each week, and the extra work involved in calculating
the ante-dated recommendations of Whitley Councils, &c.,
has been got through with the minimum of time and labour.
In this case lists of reciprocals are prepared for the use of
the wages clerk, representing the wages of the various
grades. Taking a 47-hour week and requiring the answer
to be read as a decimal of i'l, we divide 47 into •05 (Is. as
a decimal of a £1) which gives us a permanent reciprocal
for a 47-hour week of '00 106383. This figure is put into
the machine and multiplied by the rate per week, viz.,
•001063.S3 X 69s. = ■073405.

This figure of -(173405 becomes the wages reciprocal
whilst the rate is in force ; these reciprocals are tabulated in
money order on cards, and all that the wages clerk has to
do each week is to put into the machine the figure shown
against each rate and multiply (by turning the crank) by the
number of hours worked, the answer being read in pounds
and decimal parts, for example : — 72 hours at 6 9.-'. for 47
hours would be -073405 x 72 = £5-285 (£5 58. 8d).
The reading of these decimal points becomes (juite simple
after a little practice.

One big advantage of the calculator is that the reciprocal
need not be taken out of the machine for each man's wages,
but for the different hours worked all that is needed is the
crank turning to meet the change of hours. Tlie machines
can also be used for all classes of work, such as working
out the various departmental costs per unit generated or
sold, and extensions of invoices, including the long calcula-
tions of cable invoices based oa the tluctuutiiig prices of
copper and lead.

ISattericn. —

Below are given the values (and quantities where available)
of electrical machinery and appliances exported from the

United States of Amerioa during 1919, showing the principal
coim tries of destination. For purposes of comparison the

figures for 1918 are added, and notes nf increases or decreases
are made.

1918 1919 Inc. or Dec.

Dol. Dol. Dol.

Total 3,178,000 5,998,000 -t- 2,820,000

To Norway 131,0(X» '212,000 + 81,000

,, Great Britain 175.(K_Kj 5'26,000 + 351,000

,, Canada 1.i»,s7.(HKJ 1.780,000 + 693,000

., Cuba ... liy.oi.Kl '276,000 -f 114,000

,, Argentina J1«,(KHI :377,0(K) + 229,000

., China 70,009 1.53.0(30 -I- 83,000

„ .Australia 308,00() 41'2,000 -I- 104,000

,, New Zealand '208,000 ■2'29,000 4- 21,000

., British South Africa ... ].50,(i(lo 311.000 + 161,000
Carbons.—

Total 1, (id I, (1(10 1.392,000 - 209,000

To Italy l.js.iHH) 43,00(J - 113,000

„ Norway .^o.iiix) 101,000 + 51,000

,, Great Britain ... ..'. 12:i,000 83,000 - 40,000

,, Canada 77.s,0(J(J 759,000 - 19,000

., Japan 179,(J)0 73,000 - 106,000

Dynamos or generators. —

Total 3,363,000 5,800,000 + 2,437,000

To Prance 604,000 782,000 + 178,000

„ Italy ;.«.000 344,000 + 311,000

., Norway ) 02.000 141,000 + 39,000

.. Great Britain 96.000 9'2,000 - 4.000

,, Canada ,V2'2.0C>0 775,000 + 263,000

„ Mexico 4y,0(JO 135,000 + 90.000

,, Cuba :i(lO.(.KX) ,S6,S,000 + 268,000

,, Argentina 45.0(K) 111,000 + 66,000

,, Brazil 61,(XI0 157,000 + 96,000

,, Chile •i,S7.(;«X» 66.000 - 221,000

,, Uruguay 3,000 131.000 -I- 128,000

„ China 136,000 314,000 + 178.000

,. India 10.5,000 146,000 -I- 41,000

„ Japan 401,000 1,034.000 + 653,000

„ Australia 90,000 156,000 + 66,000

Fans. —

• Total No. ... 54,600 76,.500 + 21,900

,. $ ... 847,000 1,4'21,000 -I- 574,000

Tu Canada, No 14,(J(J(J '22.000 + 8,000

$ 121 .(HX» '289.000 -I- 168.000

,, Argentina, No 1,S(.K) 5,000 + 3,200

$ 2(;.,(KX» 91,000 + 65,000

., China, No. .s,(.H30 12.000 -f- 4.000

$ 196,(X)0 '278,000 -1- 82,000

,, British India, No. ... 15,6(.l(J 12,600 - 8.000

$ ... '245,000 322,000 -I- 77,000
Heating and cooking aiiparatus. —

Total (iSC.OdO 1,580.000 + 894,000

To Norwav 1'25,(NI0 '274,000 + 149,000

,, Great Britain 2,(X)0 107.000 + 105.000

,, Canada ■J42,0(\t 314,000 + 72,000

,, .Argentina ;>,(i(i0 95,000 + 57.000

,, Japan 5,(K_K( 96,000 + 91,000

Insulated wire and cables. —

Total 5,005,000 8,815,000 + 3.210,000

To Belgium — 116,000 -1- 116,000

.. Denmark 3,000 230,000 + 227,000

„ France 383,000 135,000 + 248.000

., Netherlands — 473,000 + 473,000

,, Norway IcriOOO 1,671.000 -1- 1,508,000

,, Portugal 22.1100 110,000 -f 88,000

.. Spain 295,()iio 107.000 - 188.000

,, Sweden — 139,000 -f- 139,000

,, Great Britain '251.000 '258,000 + 7.000

,. Canada 181,000 198.000 + 17.000

.. Mexico :W1.U(X) 340,000 + 39,000

,, Cuba (;b5.(K.K) 5.50.000 - 65.000

„ .\rgentina :m.(m 691,000 + 337,000

.. Brazil .5(V|,(.VKI 979,000 + 415.000

.. Chile |'.)i;.ii0o .SOO.OdO - 196,000

.. Fcrii 127.0IKI 144.000 -t- 17.000

,. fniguav liiC.iHiii 27.S.n00 -t- 172,000

,, China 12(i.iH)0 :il1,000 + 185,000

,. British India :!:!.nnii 19'2.000 -I- 159,000

.. Dutch East Indies 2.'<2.(KKi '292.000 + 10,000

.. Australia (Il.ooo 1'28.000 - 316,000

.. Vhilippine Islands ... 112,000 291.000 -f- 149.000

,. Britisli South Afric:, ... .5:!.000 'itt.OllO + 1,<?0.0n0

Iiilriiitr iririnii .<!»;);)//.

Totiil
To Norway

,, Canada

., Mexico

„ Cuba

., i'^rgeutiua ...

,, Brazil

.,/ )i.rlu,rs.~^

l,4'i9.(«Ki 2.319,000 I- 890.000

2.S(lO0 107.(KK) + 79,oon~..

:y9(iii0 493.000 4 164.<V)0

72 00(1 1.53,000 -I- 81.(K)0

IT'.KKKi '221.000 -i- 42.000

1(17 (KK I I,54.0(X) + 47,000

73,000 '247,000 + 174,000
B

650

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,243, novembbb 19, isjo.

191.8

1919

Inc. or Dec.

Dol.

Dol.

Dol.

McM Jilamcnt laiiii)s.^

Total No.

14,585,000 17,072,000

+

2,487,000

„ $

3,369,000

4,(374,000

+

1,305,000

To Italy, No

•210,500

583,000

+

372,5(JO

$

43,000

198,(XX)

+

155,(J(XJ

,, Canada, No

•2,4'22.000

3.001 ,(KI(I

+

639,(KKJ

$

.582,000

9(I2,(J(JU

+

32(J,(I0(J

,, Mexico, No

941,0{A1

1,(>32,(H«I

+

691,<JOU

$

223,000

352.000

+

.129.(XKJ

,, Cuba, No

1,702.000

984,(JOO

-

7I.^,(.«KJ

$

437,000

310,000

-

127,UI-HJ

,, Ai-gentina, No

1,800,000

1,424,000

—

j:i(i,()(KJ

$.

454,000

448.(J0O

—

6,000

„ Brazil, No

2,375,000

2,987 .(_M.K>

+

C12,0(I0

$

464,000

G87,01KJ

+

22H,U0U

,, Australia, No

882,000

950,0(_IO

+

74 .(K H.I

$

188.000

2.32,000

+

44, aw

„ British South Africa, No.

443,a)0

489,000

+

46,0(JO

$

89,000

127,000

+

38,000

Linwps, arr

14,000

17,000

+

3,000

,, carbon fihniicnt

103,000

203,000

+

100,000

MagnetdS. simrk plnos, dc. —

Total

2,750,000

3.035,000

+

285,000

To Italy

673,000

520,000

—

47,000

,, (Ireat Britain

485,000

195,000

—

290.000

,, Canada

543,0(:k3

633.000

+

90,<.KXl

,, Ar),'t"ntina

113,000

128,000

+

15.000

„ India

53.000

lOl.fXKJ

+

48,00(_)

,, Japan

32,t)0U

18(,),(J0(.I

+

llS.tKIO

,, .\ustralia

143,000

278,(XJ<_)

+

135,000

Meters mill ineusuriiiji iiisfri

iiicnts. —

Total

1,888,000

2,891,000

+

1,003,000

To Canada

249,000

4tl2.(.ltlO

+

1.33,000

„ Argentina

153,000

2U8,(AKJ

+

55.000

„ Brazil

147,t»00

327,000

+

180,000

,, China

37,000

136,000

+

99.000

,, Japan

432,000

639,000

+

207,000

Motors. —

Total

8,225,000 10.635.(KXt

+

2.410,(KK)

To France

443,atO

591.000

+

148, (KKI

,, Great Britain

l,622,tKX»

877.000

—

745,0<H.)

,. Canada

1.455,000

l,(jll.()(H)

+

1,56,0(K)

,, Mexico

■296.(m

428.(110

+

132.(KH_)

,, Cuba

499,(100

.505,(HK)

+

6,t)00

,, Brazil

140,000

544.000

+

398,000

,, China

1(34,000

443.(XHJ

+

279,000

„ India

574.000

572.000

—

2.(X)0

., Japan

800,000

1,068,000

+

268.IX)0

liheostats unit Cuntrollera. —

Total

289,000

515,000

+

226,000

Switches and accessories. —

Total

2,196,000

3;565,000

+ J

L, 370,000

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS OF ELECTRICAL
GOODS FOR OCTOBER, 1920.

Telegraph apparatus. —

Total

To Great Britain

„ Canada

„ Japan

Telephones. —

Total

To France

„ Italy

,, Netherlands

,, Norway

,, Spain

,, Great Britain

,, Canada

,, Brazil

,, China

,, Australia

,, New Zealand

Transformers. —

Total

To France

„ Italy

,, Netherlands

,, Spain

,, Mexico

,. Brazil

„ Chile

,. China

,, Japan

,, Australia

All other electrical machi-
nery and appliances
{except locomotives)

Grand total of electrical
machinerii and appliancci
[except locopiotives)

379,000 831,000

107,000 20(J,000

106.000 198.000

63,000 97,000

+ 452,000

+ 93,000

+ 92,000

+ 34,000

2,687,000
140.(X)0
151,000

160,000
34,0(X»
113.(XI0
2S3.(.K)0
.5.53,OtH_l
7.5-.(J(Ki
446,(.)00
98,(XK-»

3.783.0(X)
197,(XXJ
204.000
157,000
lS9,aKt
167. (XR)
2::i3,(_KJO
67.s,(XlO
3.S(l.(XKt
1.58,IKKI
]82,(Ml
132.000

1,(X)6,(MX)

37,000

53,000

157.0(X>

29.(XX)

133,oO(t

120.(Kio

395, (X)0

173.(XKi

,s3.(KJ0

2(3-l.(HKI

34,(KX)

3,.52S.fKX) 3,788,000
768.tX10 194.(XIO

37.000
9.(XX)
421.000
136,0(X)
195.(MXl
194,(XH)
201 .(XX t
3(X).0(.K)
2;i2.(X)0

224.000
144.000
2;30.0(XI
2;i5.(KKl
538,(100
2-11,000

I9;!,ooo

366,(KX)
27o,(KtCt

+

260.000

-

574,000

+

187.000

+

135,000

—

191.(KJ0

+

99,000

+

343,000

+

47.(K)0

-

8.(K10

+

66.000

+

41,(KKI

ii,(XKl 27,827,0110 + 9,981 ,(kXi

59,984 ,0(X1 S9,090,0(:n) +29,10G,0(')0

The October returns of electrical business show considerably
increased values in the export section as compared with the
previous month, the fig-nres beinfr £ 1,321,252. as compared with the
September total of £1,145,191. This excellent result is larjrely
accounted for by the increase in telegraph and telephone exports of
£140,000, electrical goods £25,000, and carbons £18,000, a falling
off occurring in the export values of insulated wire (£14,000).
and meters (£7,000), whilst electrical machinery exports remain
stationary at £270,000.

For comparison, we give the figures showing the exports of
electrical goods and apparatus and electrical machinery for the
first 10 months of 1913, 1919, and 1920 :—

1913. 1919. 1920.

Electricalgoods&apparatus, £4,121,152 £4,392,234 £9,046,006

June to October.
Electrical machinery, 1,872,028 1,487.533 1,878,525

January to October.

£5,993,1.S0 £5,879,767 £10,924,531

Imports of electrical goods and machinery for the month of
October totalled £432,439, as compared with £298,382 for Sep-
tember, an increase of £134,000 ; increased import values are
recorded in electrical machinery, .C 80,000 ; telegraph and telephone
cable and apparatus, £12,000: batteries, £23,000; and carbons,
£14,000 ; the total of electrical imports for the 10 moLtbs
January to October, 1920, is £ 2,3 4(;, 3815, as against £1,645,423,
and £2,400,538 for the corresponding periods in 1919 and 1913
respectively.

Re-exports of Foreign and Colonial electrical material amounted
to £22,902, as against £20,398 for the previous month.

Values of Electrical Export.? and
October, 1920.

Exports.

Electrical goods and apparatus
(unenumerated)

Insulated wire ...

Glow lamps

Arc lamps and pares

Batteries

Meters

Carbons

Electrical iiiacliiiiery : —

Railway and tramway motors ...

Other motors and generators ...

Electrical machinery (unenu-
merated)

Switchboards (not telegraph or

telephone)

Telegraph and telejj/iinte cahle
and material : —

Telegraph and telephone wire
and cable (not submarine) ...

Submarine telegraph and tele-
phone cable

Telegraph and telephone instru-
ments and apparatus

Impobts fob

Imports. Re-exporte
£225.622 £100,757 £4,552

312,667
40,236
1,711
71,901
31,402
26,912

19,142
10,480

1,159
33 7al

9,017
24,117

84
3.675

289
1.116
3,669

665

877
176,146

-

-

85.456

197,123

8,247

7.818

216

81,521

2,496 —

144,411 — —

114 579 34,141 i 05

Totals £1,321,252 £432,439 £22,902

Italian Electrical ladnstry. — The progress which the

Italian electrical industry is making in recent years is shown by
statistics compiled by the Associazione fra Escercenti Imprese
Elettriche (Association of Working Electrical Undertakings), based
upon returns made by those companies. The capital invested by
companies purely electrical, from July, 1914, to July, 1919, came
to over 757,000,000 lire, rising from 8,000,000 lire in the second
half-year of 1914 to 114.000,000 lire in the first half of 1919.
Completed by statistics down to October of the last-named year,
the following table exhibits the number of working companies and
the capital invested in each of the provinces of Italy ;

No. of
com-
panies.

Piedmont [. .
Lombardy . .
Veneto
Liguria
Emilia
Tuscany
The Marches
Umbria

lire.
122,394,500
536,811,995
130,268,000
168,830,000
26,700,000
132,495,700
12,605,0(10
1,900,0011

Lazio .

Abruzzi & Molisa.

Compania . ,

Pugiie

Calabria

Sardinia

Sicily..

Totals

No. of Capital

com- invested,

panics. lire.

. 34 117,300,000

.■< 2,297,000

. 80 133,260,0j5

. 12 8,454,000

. 11 6,366,000

1 130,000

. 9 4,430,793

. 306 1.4,58,032,238

Swiss Aluminium. — Its wealth in hydroelectric power

has made Switzerland one of the principal producers of aluminium.
In 1918 that country exported 10,50i' tons of raw aluminium, to a
value of 51,000,000 fr. To the figures stated must be added
2,000,000 fr. of bar and sheet aluminium, 6,5Co,000 fr. of technical
appliances, and 3,200,000 fr. of other articles in aluminium. With
the end of the war in 1919, the export of aluminium technical
articles fell ofl', while that of household items was doubled. The
latter exports rose to a value of 6,200,000 fr., of which one-fourth
went to Italy, and one-fifth to France. The Scandinavian
countries only took 91)0,000 fr. worth of these goods, and Spain
.'100,000 fr,

Vol. 87. No. 2,243, November 19, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

651

LEGAL.

A Street Box in Collision.
JosTiCKS EoWLATT and McCardie, iu the King's Bench Divi-
sional Court on November l'2th, hud before them appeals by
Mr. Alfred Hawdon, baker, of Stockton Eoad, Sunderland, and
Mr. John V. Thompson, of Bout;hton Street. Sunderland,
against a judgment uf his Honour -ludge Modre at Sunderland
County Court in favour of the Sunderland District Electric
Tramways, Ltd. The action was brought by the company
against both appellants for damages in consequence of injury
to a street electric box while Thompson was towing with his
lorry a disabled motor van belonging to Eawdon and steered
by his roundsman, .\ppellants contended that there was no
evidence of negligence to support the judgment. Without call-
ing upon counsel for the respondent company their Lordships
dismissed both appeals, on the ground that the .Judge was
right in holding that both defendants were negligent.

Extension of Patents.

In the Chiinccry Division on Wednesday Mr. Justice Sargant
granted an application by Mr. Henry Stafford Hattield and
the Reason Manufacturing Co., of l^wes Boad. Brighton, for
an extension of two patents, Nos. ^©..^(X) and '20,770, of 1905,
the former relating to " improvements in mercury electro-
lytes for electrolytic cells " and the latter to " improvements
in cathodes." Sir .\. Colefax. Iv.C. who appeared with Mr.
Whitehead for the applicants, .saiil tlie ground of the appli-
cation in the case of each patent was that the applicants had
sullcred loss and damage by reason of the war intei'fering with
the working of the patent. There was no opposition by the
Board of Trade to an extension. His Ix)rdship extended the
liatents for four years from the date of expiry in 1919.

CH.4RGES Dismissed.
Haslingden magistrates, on November 8th, dismissed charges
of forgery and false pretences brought by the Postmaster-
General against Mr. Barnes Kay, manager of the Haslingden
Corporation Ti'amways.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received by us after 5 P.M. ON TUESDAY cauTiot appear until
the fellowiiig week. Cm-respondents should fonoard their communi-
cations at tke earliest possible moment. No letter can be published
unless we have the writer's name and address in our possession.

a:

ft

The I.E.E. Subscriptions.

I hope that the members present at the I.E.E. meeting
called lur December 'ind will thoroughly explore the Council s
reasons for the proposed increase of subscriptions. I hope
they will ask whetner the possession of the Embankment
bunding is a paying prupu.sition in these post-war days.

Do we really need the bunding, and, if not, is the present a
favourable time for selling it and taking a smaller building or
suite of rooms'.'

Was the building u.sed to any great extent as a club by
London or country members belore it was taken over by the
Government'? If the London members use the building as a
club, should they not pay a higher subscription than country
members'.'

As a country member, the building is of httle service to me,
and I suppose about 70 per cent, of the members hve outside
the London area.

.As a means of saving expense I suggest that all papers read
before the Institution on telegraphs and telephones, both wire-
ful and wireless, should be sent only to those members who

i for them. I only take telegraphs and telephones as an
illustration of my point, which is, that in these days of
specialisation there is a lot of matter published in the Jourmd
which is only read by the specialist, but all this matter is
jxisted indiscriminately to every member.

t am asked to pay £l 2s. 6d. per annum extra, and I submit
that it would have cost far less than £1 '2s. (id. per member
for the Council to have printed and posted to each member
the " full statement " of the Council's case. The proxy voting
is an unsatisfactory arrangement, and I hope the members at
the meeting will demand that a questionnaire formulated by
them shall be posted to each member. Foreign members
would, of course, receive the questionnaire.

Lastly. I would ask if the Institution is considering questions
of " status and compensation " on the lines of the article in
your issue of October 29th? It is reasonable that there should
be both oculists and dentists, but it is expensive when an
electrical engineer on the " salariat " must subscribe to one
Society to get " status " and to oflier societies in the hope u[
getting '■ compensation."

CoiiiUrv \,.M,i.i;.n.

h'ovemhcr lo(/(, iy'20.

A good number of members of the I.E.E. may be com-
plaining about the increased subscriptions now asked for.

It is, however, my opinion that the members wherever
practically possible would have done well to have compounded
for their annual subscriptions years ago.

The I.E.E. is the parent electrical institution, and I con-
sider that there are at present too many smaller branch
institutions, which may have doubtful usefulness.

London. D. R. Broadbeot.

Noceinber loth, 19'20.

It is quite clear that the proposal contained in the circular
issued by the Institution on the 4th inst. should, for reasons
it is not desii'able now to discuss, be opposed.

It is equally clear that the only opportunity afforded by the
Council for those who cannot attend the meeting on Decem-
ber 2nd to oppose the recommendations, is to send theu'
proxy papers to some member who can attend the meeting,
and is likewise opposed to the proposals.

As I propose to attend the meeting, I shall be agreeable
to receive the proxy papers of those members who ■would
desire me, on their behalf, to use their vote in opposition
to the Council's proposals, and at the same time I shall be
glad to have any comments from such members on the matter.

Fredk. W. Purse.

a4 and 8G, Eomford Road,
Stratford, E. 15.
November mh, 19'20.

Cheap Wiring for Small Houses.

The announcement in your current issue that the price to
Ije paid for the hghting installations for the Hythe housing
scheme is '28s. Gd. per point raises questions of some import-
ance.

In the first place, it will be interesting to hear the opinions
of wiring contractors as to the possibility of satisfactory work
being done at this figure. I have before me a copy of the
specification for this work, and from this it appeal's that there
are to be seven points in each house. The wiring is to be " laid
in steel conduit tubing with the necessary sohd (not spht)
elbows, bends, tees, &c., and with slip joints." " All con-
nections to be properly formed to ensure continuity through-
out." " The whole to be formed in two circuits with a proper
distribution-board with fu.ses to control each circuit." " All
distribution-boards to have ordinary 5-amp. cut-outs." Each
house to have a d.p. main switch and a pair of fuses, and each
iwint is to be complete with a h.v. metal-filament lamp and
an opal shade.

Although believing that much might be done to reduce in-
stallation costs by the withdrawal of many unnecessary
" rules " and restrictions, I quite fail to .see how this specifi-
cation can be comphed with under present conditions at
•28s. 6d. per complete point.

'The second question raised by this contract is the respon-
sibility for the design of the installation by a competent elec-
trical engineer. It will have been noticed from the above that
the tubing is to be " slip socket," and that continuity is to be
obtained. The attention of the Borough Surveyor, who issued
the specification, was drawn to this point by an inquiry as to
the grip fittings to be used. He replied : " Surely it is pos-
sible even with slip joints to ensure continuity throughout.
There is no intention of using grip fittings, as this will con-
siderably increase the price."

If this absurd specification is a fair specunen of the working
of the Hythe housing scheme or of that of any other town,
these houses will be truly " homes for heroes " — indeed, it will
need a hero to inhabit one !

E. A. Pinto.

Eamsgate,

November 10th. 19'20.

Shop Lighting.

Eeferring to your note on this subject, with some
twenty-two years in contracting experience, my opinion
is that the contracting firms are not so much to blame as
the proprietors themselves. An enormous amount of time
is given to soUciting orders and advising on the best means
for lighting shop windows, but it is on few occasions that the
advice is taken, the question with the shop-keeper being
not which is the most efficient lighting, but which is the
cheapest. Most tradesmen are prepared to discuss the best
means of lighting, but few are prepared to pay for it. Your
correspondent goes on to say " that the electrical retail trade
lias not yet learned the first les.sons in salesmanship." Tliis
I do not agree with. For some years I kept, in a private
house just off the main road, a show-room well equipped with
fittings, heating and cooking apparatus, electric motors. &c.,
backed up by about ^2,000 worth of electrical stock; I did
good business, not with the jieople who came in casually, but
with the people I brought into the show-room by various
methods. I then purchased premi.ses in the main road, and ■
spinit quite a good sum of money in fitting up the .show'-rooni.
and had a good window display, but on reviewing the turnover
one found that the extrp, business done did not warrant the

652

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. No. 2,243, novembeb 19, 1920.

expense. I therefore restocked the premises with other hues
and made electrical goods less promment. My experience has
been in the suliurhs of I^ondon, and, speaking from that point
of view, I contend tliat a proi>erly equipped sho\v-r(X)m in a
main road does not pay lor itself, but it can be made to pay
if carried out in mexpensive premises off a main road, pro-
vided that the contractor is sufficiently active to draw in
clients.

Where ordeis are continually given only to the lowest
estimate, it stands to reason that the man with big premises
and show- rooms cannot stand up against the firms working
in the back yard.

The industry would be in a different position altogether if
the wholesale firms kept strictly to supplying the trade, but
one comes against numerous cases where tittmgs, lamps, and
other accessories are sold at wholesale prices through all sorts
of weird and wonderful channels. At the present time I do
not know of a motor firm that is properly supporting the
wholesale trade. I am every day meetmg cases where the
quotations given to people outside the line are the same as
those. I receive myself. Unless the contractors will proiierly
band themselves together with some really live organisation,
I am afraid these conditions will continue to exist, and the
much-desired purely electrical shop where everything electrical
tan be seen and demonstrated under ideal conditions cannot
exist.

November 9th. 19-20. The Retailer.

A Large Totally-enclosed Dynamo.

Referring to the above article in the current issue of the
Electrical Revikw, as the concluding remarks may be some-
w-hat misleading, I should like to state that Lo-Thermo, Ltd.,
is a distinct firm formed for the purpose of granting licences
for enclosed dynamo electric machinery fitted with heat dis-
bipators — one type of which was described in the article.

Furthermore, my firm hold a licence to manufacture this
class of machinery.

Newtons, Ltd.

Taiinton. H. N. Hicklev,

November 16th, 19'20. Managing Director.

I" A Life-long Reader " has omitted his name and address
from his letter. — Eds. Elec. Rev.]

THE PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY OF COLLOIDS
AND SOME INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS.

Faraday Society and Physical Society Discussion.
We have already made brief reference to the symposium and
general discussion on colloids held on October 'ioth in the
hall of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, under the
auspices of the above societies. Seeing that the meeting lasted
from -2.30 in the afternoon to nearly 11 o'clock at night —
with the necessary intervals reduced to a minimum — and
covered a bewilderingly large field, it will be impossible here
to give an adequate account of the proceedings. We propose,
however, to draw attention just to two or three salient
features of the discussion, dealing more particularly with
points of physical interest and such industrial apphcations as
were referred to by way of illustration.

When it is remembered that all living beings, most of our
food and clothing, and innumerable substances of everyday
use and importance, from glue and starch to liricks and
mortar, are made up, or largely made up, of colloidal matter,
the importance of the study of colloids will be at once appre-
ciated.

The survey of our present knowledge of the subject, and
especially of its physics, given by Prof. The Svbdberg, who
came from Upsala for the purpose, was an admirable exercise
in precise statement based on wide and exact knowledge. The
science of colloids was well-defined as the science of the
micro-structure of matter, the domain between macroscopic
and molecular dimensions. One should speak of the colloidal
state rather than of colloids. The definition led directly to
a r-eview of the methods of inducing the colloidal state ; dis-
persion when from matter in the macroscopic form, con-
densation from matter in the molecular or infra-micro-
scopic form. An important example of the former process,
which obviously involves doing external work against surface
tension forces, and therefore absorbs energy, is the emulsifica-
tion of fats or hydrocarbons. The process may be facilitated
by the addition of agents, such as soap, which lower surface
tension. Ancrther method is a combination of grinding with
the addition of agents that prevent aggregation. An example
of the condensation method is afforded by the well-known
method of producing colloidal metals by arcing under a liquid ;
such condensation needs the presence of nuclei, which may
be ions.

Dr Svedberg proceeded to review the methods of studying
the structure of colloids. Slieh as microscopic and ultra-
microscopic examination with aecoiupanying measurements,
behaviour in magnetic and electric fields, optical methods,
such as the absorption, scattering, or polarisation of light,
viscosity mea-surementa, and by means o( the absorption of

charged ions. The effect of the addition or removal of ions
m causing aggregation or disaggregation was reduced to the
form of a simple mathematical theory.

The section on emulsions was opened by Pkok. F. G.
DoNNA>-, U.ii.E., F.R.S., who defined an emulsion as a
system m which one liquid is dispersed in the form of small
globules. The importance of emulsions from the theoretical
standpoint results from the light they throw on many colloidal
phenomena, for the electric double layi-r which forms round
the globules and preveuts coalescence gives to a pure emulsion
all the properties of a very stable suspension colloid on a
somewhat rough scale. Discussion largely centred round the
inversion of emulsions, when on the further addition of
the disi^ersed liquid the latter exchanges its role with the
liquid which w'as previously the continuous medium. Elec-
trolytes play an important part in this phenomenon of re-
versal of phases. Mr. S. S. Buatnagak contributed a study
of reversal due to the action of ions. He drew a parallel
between this power of cations and their precipitating power
on suspensions which was much criticised by sub.secjuent
speakers. The practical aspect of the subject was emphasised
by Mr. ^^'. Clayton, who spoke on emulsion problems in
margarine manufacture, which, he said, offered a splendid
field for colloid research. Prof. Svedberg drew attention to
the case of emulsions of mercury and water and mercury and
oil, which were of interest on account of the high surface
tension of the one phase. The mercury could constitute either
the disperse or continuous phase.

Mr. Emil Hatschek initiated discussion on physical pro-
perties of elastic gels, w-hich showed how greatly divided
opinion is on the structure of jellies, and how little we
really know about it. I'rof. Phooteu's solid .solution theory
is not a convincing picture of a substance containing, say,
99 per cent, water, which yet behaves' like an elastic sohd !
And what is one to make of an extraordinary experiment
described for the first time by Mr. Hatschek, in which aft<?r
sti-aining a gelatin prism for five days, the stress was found
to disappear, but the optical anistropy caused by the strain
remained. The discussion emphasised the complications intro-
duced into a gel such as gelatin, which has been almost
exclusively experimented with, by the necessary presence
of an electrolyte — water. It was thought that a better ap-
proach to this section of the. subject would be through non-
aqueous gels — for example, inbber gels — which have been
almost entirely neglected. Prof. J. W. McBaix, however,
claimed that recent studies of soap solutions throw consider-
able light on gel structure. The fact that the same solution
of sodium oleate could be made to assume either a sol, gel,
or opaque curd form, seemed to him to overthrow entirely
the favourite cellular conception of gel structure and sub-
stitute a micellar structure theory which regards the colloidal
particles as being identical in sol and gel, but as independent
in the former and linked up in the latter. This view w-as
supported by independent evidence put forward by many
speakers, and most strikingly of all in an experiment described
by Prof. Svedberg, in which a cadmium sol in a non-aqueous
medium is found to set to a jelly on the oxidation of the
cadmium. Touch it with a glass rod, however,' and it at
once reverts to the liquid form.

Bare reference must suffice to the next two sections of
the discussion. Sir Herbert Jackson, in a chatty discourse
crowded with highly-interesting but little-known facts, and
devoid of all pretensions to theory, talked aliout glass, the
colloidal character of which he doubted because it can be
made quasi-crystalline, and coloured glasses, some of which
are undoubtedly in the nature of colloidal suspensions. Sir
Herbert succeeded in convincing everyone of the extraordinary
interest and fascination of this subject, which deserves much
more attention than it has up to the present received from
investigators. Somewhat different views were stated by Dr.
M. W. Travers, who quoted recent ex(ieriments on the visco-
sity of molten glass, which lent undoubted support to the
colloid theory.

Discussion on non-aqueous colloidal .systems, tho great
importance of which to an understanding of colloids has
already been referred to, was opened by Sir Robert Robert-
son, who dealt exclusively with nitrocellulose, and continued
by Mr. F. Sproxton. This substance derives its importance
from its applications to celluloid, artificial silk, explosives,
and other derivatives, and on this account it has been some-
what extensively studied, particularly as regards the viscosity
of its solutions in organic solvents, ether, alcohol, and so
forth. The relations established between visco.sities of the
solutions and the mechanical properties of the di-ied colloid,
enable the manufacturer to control the latter, but the rationale
of the relationship is hardly understood as yet. Even more
complex is the colloid chemistry of solid celluloid, the manu-
facture of w-hich from nitrocellulose is the gradual transfor-
mation of a gel to a solid. Mr. B. D. Porritt dealt with
the allied subject of rubber, and described experiments on
the sol-gel tran. 'formation — in other w-ords. its deterioration —
produced in rubber solutions by light and oxygen, the latt<^r
acting as a catalyst. Dr. E. H. Raynf.r remarked in this
connection on the variation of resistance of ebonite due to
the action of light. Tt appears that the sulphur in the
elionite l)ec.oines oxidised to sulphuric acid, and it has hap-
pened that the resistance of a standard coil has from this
cause been known to become reduced to one-tenth of its
true value,

Vol.87. No. 2,243, NovEMBEB 19, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

653

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankrnptcy Proceedings. — Harrison & Son, electrical

engineera, 93, Princes Street, Southend-on-Sea, Essex. — The first
meeting of the creditors was held on November 9th at the offices
of the Official Receiver, 14. Bedford Row, London, W.C. 1. The
statement of affairs showed ffross liabilities £1)16, of which £665
was expected to rank, while no assets were disclosed. A creditor,
stated to be fully secured, held a bill of sale for £250 over the
stock- in-trade, fixtures, and fittings. A meeting- of the debtor's
creditors appeared to have been held on October 2ud at the office, 'of
his solicitors, when an offer was made of lOs. in the £. payable by
two instalments, but was not accepted. It was decided to leave
the matter in the hands of the Official Receiver.

G. W. Lester (Lester & Browne), wholesale electrical engineer,
formerly trading at 44-6, Surbiton Koad, Kingston, under the
style of Lester & Browne. The first meeting of creditors was held
at the London Bankruptcy Court on November 15th. Mr. F. T.
Garton, Official Receiver, reported that no accounts had yet been
lodged, but the debtor roughly estimated his liabilities at £1,200,
and had no assets. The debtor attributes his failure and insolvency
to trading losses, to a further loss of £150 on horse races during
the last 12 months, and to family illness. In the absence of any
offer, the case was left with the Official Receiver to be wound up
in bankruptcy.

W. H. S. Ward, electrical engineer, 56, High Street, Acton, W.
First meeting November 23rd at 14, Bedford Road, W. ; public
examination, December 7th, at the Court House, Brentford.

Company Liquidations. — Rex Accumulator Co., Ltd.

— A meeting of members is called for December 14th, at Dash-
wood House, New Broad Street, E.G., to hear an account of the
winding up from the liquidator, Mr. M. Leggett.

Submarine Motor Ship Cleaner Syndicate. Ltd. — Petition
presented to the High Court, July 1st. Winding up order made
November 9th.

Foote & Milne, Ltd. — Winding-up voluntarily. Liquidator,
Mr. R. J. Ward, 10, Serjeants' Inn, E.G. Meeting of creditors,
November 24th, at Anderton's Hotel, Fleet Street, E.G. Particulars
of claims to be sent to the liquidator by November 20th.

Electric Chemical Developments. Ltd. — Meeting of
creditors, November 25th , at 60, London Wall, E.G.

Trade Announcements. — The Enterprise Manufac-
turing Co., Ltd., has removed the Glasgow branch to more con-
venient premises, at 47, Oawald Street, Glasgow. Telephone
number. Central 2526 ; telegraphic address, " Unopposed, Glasgow,"

Holland House Electrical Co., Ltd, has recommenced
business at 58, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Mr. H, Watson will
be in charge of the company's business as managing director and
secretary. Telephone, Douglas 1360 ; telegrams, " Electrical,
Glasgow."

Messrs Sis'OLAIr, Paget & Co, Ltd, electrical engineering
specalista, Espeaco Works, New Inn Yard, Shoreditch, announce that
having completed extensive strnctural alterations and enlargement
of premises, they are in a position to execute repairs to dynamos,
motors, &o., at short notice, owing to the large stocks of all sizes
of wire held.

Mr. H. J. Read, M.I.E E , who severed his connection with
Messrs. Edmundsons' Electricity CorpDration in March last, after a
service of over 33 years, has joined forces with Mr. H. J. Butcher,
A.M.I. B.E., and Mi. W. J. Bransom, A.M.I.E.E., who were on the
staff of Messrs. Edmundsons' for 30 and 20 years respectively, and
Mr. D. Dunham, B.Sc, recently in the service of the British
Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd. Under the title of Read & Partners,
Ltd., they are specialising in electrical installations for country
honses, farms, works, &o., their address being 53, Victoria Street,
Westminster. Telephone, No. 8081 Victoria, Mr, Jas, Garnett,
who was for over 30 years with Messrs. Edmundsons', has joined
the staff of the new company,

Mr, W. Barrett, manager of the Kingswood Engineering
Works, Bristol, is commencing business as aa electricil contractor
at 86, Third Avenue, Bath, under the style of Barrett & Blake,
and will be pleased if manufacturers will send catalogues of
electrical goods,

Messrs. Millikin Bros. Manufactuhino Co. (Inc.), have
removed their offices to Amberley House, Norfolk Stieet, Strand,
W.C, 2. Telephone. City 5814.

Messrs, Stephen Glover & Co , engineers, have removed from 12,
Etdon Square, to 13, Akenside Hill, Quayside, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Telegrams, " Apparatus, Newcastle-on-Tyne ; telephone. 153 City.

Catalogues and Lists. — Atlas Carhon and Battery

Co.. Ltd., 19, Ewer Street, E C— Two leaflets illustrated in colours,
deiling respectively with "Atlas" porous pots, and "Sovereign"
and "Dania" dry cell^.

Huntalite, Ltd., 25, Newman Street, W. 1. — A priced and
illustrated booklet (8 pp.) dealing with "wireless" reflectors for
shop lighting, &c., and "Huntalite" electric candle lamps. Also
two illustrated leaflets dealing with these matters.

Carron Co., Falkirk. — A show-card (18 in, x 18 in.) bearing
the title "The Cosy Comfort of a Carron Electric Fire," and a
reproduction of a water-colour drawing of a mother and child
whose faces are illuminated by a cheerful glow.

The British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., Mazda House, 77,
Upper Thames Street, E.G. 4. — A small folder giving prices and
illustrations of " Mazda " vacuum and gas-filled lamps, and
"Stages in ' Mazda' Progress. "

Also a blotter in the form of a card bearing a reversed advertise-
ment of " Mazda " lamps, to be read by holding the card in front of
a mirror.

J. H. Sankey i: Son, Ltd., 74, Cheapside, E.G. 2.— A list of
temperatures, melting, freezing and boiling points, &c., ranging
from the temperature of the sun to absolute zero, with a coloured
chart for rough estimation of temperatures. On the reverse
Sankey's fire-bricks, fire-clay, kc, are advertised.

E. P. Allam .>c Co., 107-109, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. 1.— Monthly
stock list of d.c. motors for sale and hire, ranging from J to 50h.p.,
new and secondhand.

British Insulated & Helsby Gables, Ltd., Prescot, Lanes. —
A leaflet (4 pp.) giving sizes and prices of aluminium wire, strip
and sheet, with comparative figures for copper.

The Falcon Iron Works, Ltd., Oldham. — An illustrated
booklet (71 pp.) dealing with numerous types of electrically-driven
hauling and winding plant, principally for colliery work. Agent,
W. M. Harris-Burland, 63, Queen Victoria Street, EC. 4.

R. A. Evans, Ltd., Prospect Road, Leicester. — A well illustrated
description (12 pp ) of lift engines, cars, switchgear, &c.

The British 'Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., Rugby. — Dasoriptive
List No. l,16t.i (92 pp.). An interesting and minutely detailed
brochure dealing with turbo-compressors, blowers and exhausters.
With numerous diagrammatic and photographic illustrations.

The A, &. A. Electrical Co., Ltd., 13, Farringdon Road,
E.G. 1. — An illustrated and priced leaflet giving details of electric
fires, irons, boilers, hot-plates, &o.

The Galvanizing Equipment Co., Ltd., 29a, Portpool Lane,
Gray's Inn Road, EC. 1. — A well-illustrated booklet (23 pp )
giving examples of applications of the firm's method of galvanising
to various types of fittings, kc.

The Falkirk Iron Co,, Ltd., Falkirk. — A new series of
leaflets. No. 219, illustrating the " Falco " electric cooker ; No. 230,
domestic electric appliances ; and No. 235, electric fires and heaters.
All fully priced.

Fraser & Chalmers' Engineering Works, Erith, Kent. —
Illustrated leaflet (F and C 2,367) dealing with the manufacture
of electrically-welded fire-proof doors.

The General Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Queen Victoria Street,
E.G. 4.— Illustrated and priced leaflet (H 2,372) dealing with the
" Ideal " electric log fire.

Jordan & Sons, Ltd., 13, Broad Street Place, Liverpool Street,
E.G. 2 — Two leaflets describing steel office filing cabinets and
transfer drawers. Dimensioned, illustrated, and priced. Also list
of works on company law and practice.

T. Francis & Sons, 231, St. George's Road, Bolton. — An 8-page
leaflet illustrating and describing hand-feed arcs, standard resist-
ances, stage arc boxes, kc. Fully priced.

Electric Supplies Co., S.A., Barcelona. (Agents for " WUd-
Barfield" electric furnaces), — An illustrated leaflet (ES, 50), in
Spanish, describing " Wild-Barfield " furnaces and accessories.

Imports of Manufactured Goods. — In the House of

Commons on November 8th, the President of the Board of Trade
(Sir Robert Home) replying to Mr. Remer (U., Macclesfield) said
the value of the wholly or mainly manufactured goods imported
from Germany during the first nine months of the following
years was :—

1912 £36,400,000

1913 41,000.000

1919 43,000

1920 17.191,000

The figures for 1912 an J 1913 are estimates based on annual
totals, and during 1919 trade was pjrmitted only as from
July 12th.

Questioned as to the difficulty of British manufacturers competing
against cheap foreign goods and as to whether he would consider
the introduction of a Bill affecting the collapse of the exchange,
Sir Robert Home replied : " I am considering that very difficulty
now." — Fhiancial Tbiiex.

Foreign Trade. — October Figures. — The following

are the values of imports and exports of electrical goods and
machinery in October : —

Octoher. Inc. or 10 numths, 1920

1920. dec. Inc. or dec.

Imports. & & S,

Electrical goods, fcc. ... 235,316 -1- 153,703 -f 287,086

Machinery 1,953,214 -(- 677,717 -t- 4,103,211

Exports.

Electrical goods, &c. ... 1,058,773 -f- 468,.')27 -1- 4,653,722

Machinery 6,251,326 -(-3,004,584 -f 24,663,092

Re-exports.

Electrical goods, &c. ... 14,6.-.5 + 7,138 + 34,002

Machinery 187,206 + 80,898 + 664,233

Mexican Trade Openings.— An article in the Financier
gives the views of a leading Mexican merchant on the possibilities
of trade with Mexico, He states that Germany and the United
States are busily cultivating that market, which has immense
potentialities. The Republic will shortly be recognised by the
United State?, and our trade rivals are laying plans for developing
business on a large scale in the future. Owing to the vast oil and
other mineral wealth of Mexico that country will become of great
importance.

654

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEWo [voi. 87. No. 2,243, novembeb 19, 1920.

Lead Report. — Messrs. G. A. Cawson & Co., in their
report dated November 13th Say : Final prices are about 30s.
to 40s. lower as follows : November, Jidi 10s. to ±'34 15s. ;
December, ±'34 to i£34 5s. ; January, ^633 15s. to j£34 ; February
and March, £S3 10s. to £33 15s. Prompt lead is scarce and
difficult to obtain at i£35 to i35 5s. The Board ol' Trade
returns just issued show how serious the .situation has become.
Imports for the ten months to the end of October are only
12'2,787 tons, against 202,435 tons for the same time last year,
showing a falllng-off in supplies of 79,t>lS tons. The exports
.show a very large increase, the total of English and foreign
lead for the ten months being 54,740 tons, against 24,106
tons last year. These figures combined show a total of
110,282 tons decrease in supplies for home consumption. It
is not surprising, therefore, that practically the whole of the
(aovernment stock of V2t),000 tons has disappeared. It also
goes to show that the general consumption of lead has not
declined. Even the small quantity still in warehouse is
l)eing drawn upon almost daily, and stocks will show a further
dechne at the end of the month. Supplies ai'e still coming
in very slowly, and there seems to l)e very little lead available.
. . . The Australian strike is reported settled, but very little
lead can reach this country for at least four to six months.

Trade with Canada.— Mr. F. W. Field, H.M. Trade

Commissioner in Toronto, who is at present at the Depart-
ment of Overseas Trade, prepared to interview hi'ms interested
in the extension of British trade with the Dominion, says :
" There was never a lietter time for United Kingdom manu-
factui-ers to establish or strengthen their trade connections
in Canada. While there is a temporary lull in demand there,
this is likely to be of brief duration. Canadian importers are
anxious to place their orders in the United Kingdom, and
they can pay cash for most of their requirements. They
have been compelled during recent years to purchase large
quantities of merchandise in foreign countries, but there is
an earnest desire to transfer this trade, as fai as possible,
to the United Kingdom, and to other parts of the British
Empire.

■ ^' It is a mistake for United Kingdom manufacturers to
believe that Canadian import trade is so largely in the hands
of foreign countries, that Britisn traders have little oppor-
tunity to extend business there. Canada is probably a more
difficult market than are certain others, but it offers con-
siderable scope for the development of British trade. It is
necessary, however, to approach the market in the manner
best suited to local conditions, having in view its geographical
position, its extended area, and the competition likely to be
met. The Department of Overseas Trade is in a position to
advise United Kintrdiim manufacturers on the.se matters."

A Memorial Tablet. — On Armistice Day a bronze

memorial tablet in honour of the 89 men from the English
Electric Co., Ltd., Siemens' Works, at Stafford, was dedicated
by the Bishop of Lichfield, in the presence of 2,500 persons.
Mr. W. Parker, works manager, presided, and performed the
unveiling ceremony, and the heads of the various departments
were also present. Mr. Parker stated that when war broke
out the undertaking was given that the dependents should
be provided with such assistance as would keep them in
reasonable comfort, and also that those who returned should
be taken back into the service of the company ; 834 men
went and 5'20 returned, and the promise had been fulfilled.
The tablet, erected in the vestibule of the main offices (and
paid for by the employes at the works), bears the following
inscription : "To the glory of God and in memory of the
following brave men who gave theii' lives fighting for the
cause of liberty in the Great War." Then follow the names
of 89 men. giving ranks and regiments. The .sounding of the
" I>ast Post " and the " Reveille " concluded the ceremony.
Scrolls are being presented to all returneiL. soldiers.

Cuba as an Electrical Market. — Considering the size
of the island, 70O miles long by from 22 to 160 miles in width,
with a population of nearly 2J millions, the number of electric
lighting stations is not at present large. They are, however,
now being largely augmented, and it is in connection with
the new plants and their equipment that opportunities for
the introduction of British manufactures would be found.
Importers here say that British electrical goods are well
appreciated where they have Ijeen acquired, and inasmuch
as similarly-priced manufactures from the United States are
frequently several months in tran.sit. and in some cases prove,
when delivered, to be not according to specification, there
should be an excellent opening for the products of other
nationaUties.

Cuba offers a particularly attractive field for small motors
.suitable for medium-sized factories, of which a considerable
number have been commenced during the last few months
when large sums of money had Ijcen gained through successful
sugar speculation and general trade prosiwrity. The peopk'
are well accustomed to the use of machinery as well as to
the employment of electrical power, while the comparative
abundance of money (the .strictures imposed by the recent
moratorium are only likely to prove temporary) has until
recently enabled purcha.sers to pay cash for their acquisitions.
— Urufcr'fs Tindr Service (TIabana).

New French Electrical Companies. — To specialise in the

I'lectric equipment of motor vehicles and aii'craft L'Equi|ie-
nient Electrique de Futeaux has been formed at Paris, with
a capital of 3,500,000 fr. Its works are at Futeaux, and its
otfices at 2, Avenue Velasquez. Paris.

The Societe Electrique Koda has been formed at Paris (l'i8,
Piue de Faubourg St. Honore) for the manufacture of electric
pocket lamps, dry and wet cells, and electric mechanical aj)-
l)liances. Its capital is 1,000,000 fr.

L. Poulain et Cie has been registered a company at Paris
(80, Kue de la Glaciere), with a capitalof 20(I.0(XJ fr., for the
trade in. and manufactuie and repair of, electric apparatus.

With the title of Comptoir d'Electricite Franco-belgi.' li.is
been formed a company at Paris (19, Eue d'Athenes), with
a capital of 100,000 fr.. for tin- purchase and sale of electric
apparatus.

The Societe Commerciale des Industries Mecaniques lias
been constituted at l^iris (3, Rue de Chaillot) to trade in
electric, mechanical, and other machines re(]uired in agricul-
tui'e, aviation, and in chemical products, heating apparatus,
Ac. Its capital is 300,000 fr.

There has been formed at Boulogne-sur-Seine (17, Rue
Gambetta) the Compagnie Generale des Apjiareils Norvelectri-
ques, with a capital of l,2li!l.0(XI fr., for the manulacture,
purchase, sale, and installation of time measuring apparatn.s
of all kinds, and especially the .«ale or licensing of pa'fents
for the Moulin-Favre-Bulle electric clocks.

1/Electricite Appliquee au Spectacle et a la Decoration is
the name of a company started at Paris (85, Rue Pellaport).
with a capital of 4011,011(1 fr.. to spread the use of electririty
for decorative purposes.

There has been formed at Calais (67, Rue de Vic) the
Societe Industrielle il'Appareillage Electrique et Mecanique
tor the manufacture of electric and mechanical apparatus.
Its capital is 4(1.000 fr.

Under the style of Massardo et Cie a company has lieen
embodied at Gentilly (Seine) (17, Rue Barre) for the maim-
factm'e of electric appliances. Capital 80,000 fr.

At Roubaix (75, Rue Nain) has been established the Societe
.\uxiliaire de I'.lgriculture et de I'Electricite, with a capital of
1,500,00<I fr., for the promotion of the use of electricity in
agriculture.

At La Varenne St. Hilaire (Seine) has been formed a com-
pany under the .style of C. L. Falconet, Heller et Cie, for
the manufacture of copper gauze u.sed in electric machine
construction. Its capital is 180,000 fr.

Under the style of the Anciens Etablissements Saintville
has been launched a company at Paris (42. Boulevard de la
Bastille) whose objects are the production and use of elec-
tricity for heating and other purposes. Capital 166,400 fr.

The following increases of capital have been sanctioned :
Societe Industrielle des Telephones, from 18.000,000 to
36,000,000 fr. ; Societe Versaillaise d'Electricite et de Tramwavs
Electriques, from 3,(k:)0,0(X) to 10,000,000 f r. ; Compagnie
Genera le de Telegraphic et de Telephonic, from 1. .500,000 to
5,(_KK(,0(K> fr. ; Les Fabricants Electriques, from 8CKJ,000 to
L1(M».0(10 fr. ; the last two increases have been ju.st realised.

.\n extraordinary meeting of the Energie Industrielle. held
on October 18th, has given its approval to the schemes of
amalgamation arranged with the Societe Francaise d'Exploita-
tion Electrique and the Socijte Electrique de I'Orleannais,
and appointed MM. Lanier and Fourrier to make a valua-
tion of those companies' assets. It is proposed to ex-
change one share in the Energie Industrielle for two shares
of the amalgamated companies, 279 shares being thus appor-
tioned to the former, and 1,181 .shares to the latter company.
The capital of the Energie Industrielle will, therefore, be
raised to 20,(KlO.OOO fr.. divided into 200.(100 shares of 100 fr.
each. A very satisfactory account of this company's various
operations, especially in Madagascar, was given.

British Trade Mark Applications. — Appended is a

summary of the recent ajipiications for British trade marks
in respect of goods associated with the electrical industries
and trades : —

Astra, No. 404.943, Class 0. — Electrical machinery and parts.
.\stra Dvnanio Co., 110, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W.,
.June 7th, 19-20.

L.N.S. No. 407,221. Class 5. — Electrolvtic copper. Nichols
Copper Co.. 25, Broad Street. New York. August 24th, 1920.

Magnet, No. 4(i''i.073. Class 18. — Electric heating and cook-
ing apparatus. General Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Queen Victoria
Street, London. E.G. July ] 1th. 19'20.

W. J. Electric Tools (lettering c-ombined with design) No.
404..385. Class 6.— Electric tools. White. .Tacob- & Co.. Ltd.,
48.56, Bayham Place. Camden Town. N.W. May 21st, 1920.

Memco, No. 404.808, Class 13. — Electric switches, fuses, and
cut-outs. Midland Electric Manufacturing Co.. Ltd.. Stafford
Works. Barford Street. Birmingham. June 3rd. 1020.

Hilstan, No. 401.0-24. Class 18.— Electric lighting sets for
motor cvcles. i-c. Stanlev G. Muir, -27, Melrose Gardens,
Hammersmith. W. May Hth. 19-20.

.\pex. No. 401.508. Class 6.^Pnmps. dynamos, dynamo
brushes, and electromotors. W. J. Gooderidge. Colniorc
House, 21, Waterloo Street, Birmingham. August 5tb, 1920.

Vol.87. No. 2,243, NOVEMBER 19, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

666

Electrical Power Station Engineers' Salaries. — We

have received from the Secretary of the Electrical Power
Engineers' Association a copy of a letter, d-vted November 12th,
resrarding: the conditions of employment and schedule of salaries
for technical staffs in electricity undertakings, which has been
sent to all electricity supply undertakings of 1,000 KW. and upwards
in the United Kingdom, in which the National Executive Council
points out that, as a result of the most unsatisfactory treatment
which the memljers of the technical staffs have received at the
hands of so many electricity undertakings, a serious situation has
a-isen which may have very disastrous consequences to the industry.
The letter explains that on February 18th, 1919, an arbitration was
held in London as a result of a claim made by the E.P.E.A. upon
electricity undertakings throughout the kingdom for a war bonus
for the technical staffs. The award, known aa the No. 9,2S1
Award, conceding a bjnus of 20 per cent., plus £90, wa' gi^en on
February 27th by Mr. W. H. Stoker, K.C., who acted as arbitrator.
Embodied in the terms of the award was a recommendation that
the bonus should be operative until a certain date, which was to be
mutually agreed upon, and that in the meantime both parties were
to meet and proceed to settle basic rates of remuneration for the
various grades. In order to facilitate these negotiations, and in
conformity with the advice given by the Ministry of Labour, it
was decided to form a Whitley Council for the staffs in the elec-
tricity supply industry. This Council came into being on December
12th, 1919, with the title of the National Joint Board of Employers
and Members of Staffs (Electricity Supply Industry), and was
formally approved by the Ministry of Labour as being the com-
petent body to deal with all questions affecting the members of the
technical staffs in the electricity supply industry. It represents on
the employers' side through their respective associations— such as
the I.M.E.A. — all the various undertakings, both muaicipal and
company — and on the employes' side the members of the staffs
through their respective associations — such as the E.P.E.A.
Immediately after its formation, the board appointed a committee
to negotiate conditions of empoyment and schedule of salaries for
the technical staffs. The negotiations were completed, and a
schedule of salaries was approved in May, 1920, by the National
Joint Board. This schedule was issued by the National Joint
Board as an agreed claim on all statutory electricity undertakings
of over 1,000 KW. capacity on May 21st, 1920, with the recom-
mendation that it should be put into operation from June 1st.
Several official communications on the matter have also been sent
since that date to all the undertakings, both from the National Joint
Board and from the constituent Associations represented on that
Board ; further, the constituent Associations have on several
occasions urged their members to accept the findings of the Board.

It is now nearly six months since the schedule was submitted to
the undertakings and a claim made for its adoption, but up to the
present only a small proportion of such undertakings have adopted
the conditions of employment and schedule of salaries. The
members of the Association are extremely disappointed with the
treatment meted out to them and the extent of their dissatisfaction
is evidenced by the fact that 8t per cent, of the total membership
of the Association has, by a ballot vote, empowered the N.E.C. to
take whatever action it considers necessary to enforce the aioption
of the schedule. The N.E C. has considered the matter in all its
aspects, and has decided that if the conditions of employment and
schedule of salaries are not adopted in their entirety by all under-
takings concerned by November 27th, 1920, they will be compelled
to withdraw the services of the whole membership in the electricity
undertakings covered by the schedule, on November 30th, 1920.

We have also received a letter signed by Alderman W. Walker,
chairman of the National Joint Board of Employers and Members
of Staffs (Electricity Supply Industry), and dated November 15th,
and headed " Crisis in Electric Supply Industry." It refers to the
foregoing letter, and states that at a meeting of the National Joint
Board held at the Ministry of Labour on November 13th, the
position was fully discussed, and at the special request of the
employers' side, the Electrical Power Engineers' Association agreed
to alter the dates given in the notice to December 11th and Ittli
respectively. The object of this postponement is to enable the
employers' representatives to communicate with every elec'ricity
supply undertaking to avert the possibility of a national stoppage
with all its consequences, by adopting the schedule which has baen
agreed by representatives of every section of the industry. We
refer to this matter in our leading columns.

Book Notices. — " Cardiff as a Commercial and Industrial

Cdutre" (273 pp.) — This illustrated handbook is divided into
sections dealing with various phases of the city's business life, and
it gives details of the municipal undertakings. A copy of the guide
may be obtained post free from the Development Agent, City Hall.
Cardiff, by any manufacturer or trader.

'' Pancli'x Almanack" for 1921. Pp. xlvi + 28 and coloured
supplement. London : Bradbury, Agnew & Co. Price Is. net. —
The incomparable art and humour of the venerable, yet sprightly,
Mr. Punch remains at its constant high level. A ridiculously
amusing story is contributed by Mr. A. A. Milne.

"Cheap Steam." Vol. IV. No. 6 (Itl pp.). Published by
Ed. Bennis \ Co., Little Hulton, Bolton. Price Is. post free. — The
November issue contains an article on " The Comparative Reliability
of Engines." by Edward Ingham, A.M.I, Meoh.E. ; " A Modern
Colliery " (illustrated), &c.

New Belgian Company. — l^a Society Electro-Moteur is
the name of a new company which has just been formed at Kiel.
Antwerp (237, Chaussee Saint Bernard), with a capital of
1,200,000 fr., to manufacture dynamos, electric motors, electric
lifts, &c.

Institute of Cost and Works Accountants.— The first

of a series of lectures, arranged by the Institute, will be held on
Wednesday, December 1st, at the Institute of Chartered Patent
Agents, Staple Inn Buildings, Holborn, W.C, at 7 p.m. The
lecture wUl be given by Mr. F. W. Pitt, on '' The Influence of
Production Costs on Designing," Admission is by ticket only,
which may be obtained from the Secretary.

Wharf Cranes, &c. — The Department of Overseas Trade
informs us that the Board of Harbour Commissioners, Vancouver,
desires detailed information from United Kingdom manufacturers
of mechanical equipment for loading and unloading vessels at the
wharf side. Firms interested should write to Colonel G. H. Kirk-
patrick. Chairman, Board of Harbour Commissioners, Vancouver,
B.C., enclosing catalogues and full particulars as to prices, dates
of delivery, etc.

Time Switches. — The Department of Overseas Trade has
received an application from a firm in Winnipeg to be placed in
toujh with United Kingdom manufacturers of time switches for
operating electrical signs. Quotations by cable, if possible, for the
following quantities : — 30 for 30 amperes, and 50 for 60 amperes,
both at 250 volts. British firms may obtain the name and address
of the firm from the Department.

For Sale. — Blackpool Corporation Electricity Department
has for disposal the complete plant of the late Bispham Urban
District Council Ebotricity Works, comprising three gas-producer
plants, with three D,o. generators, switchboards, &c. For particulars,
see our advertisement pages to-day.

German Industry. — German industry has recently
received some very large orders from abroad. Speaking at *
conference at Dresden, Herr Kraemer, head of the Saxon Coal
Distribution Department, according to the Daily Chronicle, said
that Russia and Poland alone had ordered many millions of marks'
worth of goods, p.ayment for which accompanied the placing of the
order. Chemnitz firms had received orders from abroad to the
extent of 77,000,000 marks (nominally £3,850,000). Wittgengdorf,
near Chemnitz, was only prevented by lack of coal from com-
pleting orders valued at many million marks, which had recently
been received from England. At Falkenstein Messrs. Siemens
were planning the erection of a large factory equipped with the
most modern machinery. Scarcity of coal, however, Herr Kraemer
said, was proving a serious drawback in completing big orders.
He had entered into direct negotiations with the coal miners of the
nearest coalfield — dealings with the Berlin (lovernment being
worse than useless — and he was glad to say he had found them
inclined to increase the output by working longer hours.

Swiss Electrical Industry. — The Swiss electrical industry
appears to be very successful in maintaining its position in Spain.
A Swiss concern has recently obtained an order from the Sociedad
Productora de Fuerzas Motrices, a branch of the Energia Elcctrica
de Cataluna, for two complete hydro-electric installations for the
stations the company has under construction. — Beutei-'s T/.ult
Serrice (Madrid).

Trade with China. — At a recent conference of British
Chambers of Commer ;e in China and Hong-Kong, resolutions were
passed recommending aflSliation with the Association of Chambers
of Commerce of Great Britain, and recording anxiety to co-operate
to the fullest and most practical extent with the manufacturers of
Great Britain in the advancement of the Empire's trade.

Mr. H. H. Fox, C.M.G., His Majesty's Commercial Counsellor from
Shanghai, has now completed his tour of the industrial centres
of the United Kingdom, and, pending his return to China in the
first week of December, will be at the Department of Overseas
Trade, London, at the service of any firms or individuals who
may care to consult him on the subject of trade with China.

For Sale. — Llangollen and District Electric Light and
Power Co., Ltd., invites offers for one 12 ft. x 6 ft. boiler, also
one Howden's steam engine direct-coupled to a Crompton 220/240-
volt dynamo. For particulars see our advertisement pages to-day.

UQHTINQ AND POWER NOTES.

Australia. — Sydney. — Year's Working. — The report

on the Sydney Municipal Electricity Dapartment states that the
total revenue for the year ended December, 1919, was £601,000,
while working expenses amounted to £364,000. Of the gross
balance of £237,000, capital charges, kc, absorbed £218,000, leaving
a net profit of £18,900.

New South Wales. ^Notification has been given by the Glen
Innes Municipal Council of its intention to borrow a sum of
£14,0OJ to provide for the town electric lighting scheme. The
plant proposed will include three suction gas engines of 85 H.r.
each and three 50-kw. generators. — Tenders.

Accrlngton. — Year's Working. — The total revenue for
the year ended March 31st last, was £54,084, as against £43,097
for the previous year. The gross expenditure amounted to £43,369
(£33,422), leaving a gross profit of £10,715 (£9.675). _ The
payment of capital charges resulted in a net loss of £989, which is
an improvement on the deficit of £1,698 in 1918-19.

656

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No 2,243, November 19, 1920.

Batlcy. — Year's WdiiKiNn. — The abstract of accounts

of the Corporation for the year enjcd March 31at last, issued last
week, shows that there is a net loss on the electricity undertakiBg
of £325 for the year, thougrh there was a gross profit of £4,650.
The loss is caused l)y interest on loans and sinking- fund instal-
ments. The loss, added to the deficiency at the end of the previous
year, makes a total deficit to date of £4,176. For the past four
years there has been a loss ; the past year, however, showed an
improvement on the previous year.

Bnenos Aires. — Water Power. — A report prepared by
the Minister of Public Works demonstrates the possibility of
utilising the cataracts of Iguazu for the production of power. The
cataracts would furnish 230,000 H.p., which would provide an
average of 100,000 kw. for use in Buenos Aires. It is proposed to
submit the project, which originated with the Minister Senor
Pueyrredon, to adjudication, open to the whole world. — Reuters
Trade Service (Buenos Aires).

Clacton-on-Sea. — Loans Sanctioned. — The Urban

District Council has received sanction to the loan of £9,670 for a
new Diesel generating plant, and £858 in respect of excess expen-
diture on the present plant.

Continental.— Belgium.— The Compagnie d'Electricitc
de la Dendre, of Brussels, in its report for the year ending June
30th last, states that owing to delays in delivery of the material
ordered, it has only been able to maintain a supply to its clients by
means of small temporary generating stations. The first 2,0O0-KW.
set at the permanent station has, however, now been started ; the
second is in course of installation, while the company has been able
to purchase a 5,000-KW. set for immediate delivery so that by the
end of the year the permanent plant will have a capacity of
9,000 KW. The company's distribution system comprises 47 miles
of underground, and 66 miles of overhead cable working at 6,000
and 15,000 volts. The company is supplying energy to 25 small
towns and viUages, with a total of 7,950 customers ; contracts
have, however, been completed for the supply of electricity to
16 more districts which are all expected to be connected up during
the course of the current financial year.

Russia. — Near Moscow are enormous deposits of peat waiting
to be exploited. Already, before the war, an attempt was made
to utilise this fuel on the spot, and in 1912 the first district
electric power station, fired with peat, was erected to supply the
needs of industry in the neighbourhood of Moscow.

Monnmichesliaya /lii:n, of July 2ltth, is entirely devoted to the
subject of an experimental electric power station which has been
built near the Shatura bog, about .SO miles from Moscow, on the
Lyubertsi-Arzamas Railway, and which began working on July 25th.
For the present this station will serve as an auxiliary to the
Moscow supply, and if the experiment proves successful a
40,000-KW. power station is to be built in the neighbourhood to
provide for the needs of the districts around Moscow by meats of
a 115,000-volt transmission cable. The Shatura bog and that of
Petrov-Kobelev had deposits sufficient to provide for an annual
supply of electrical energy amounting to 100 million KW.-hours for
about 100 years. An important item in the experiment is the use
of marine boilers taken out of torpedo boats, for of such there are
plenty ready to hand, but it is difficult to obtain new boilers from
abroad, or to construct them in the country. — Economic Itevieic,

Germany. — The Burgomaster of Berlin h.aving addressed an
ultimatum to the strikers at the electricity works, calling on them
to resume work on penalty of dismissal, a Ijallot was taken on
November 11th amongst the strikers which is stated to have given
a majority in favour of resumption, and the Berlin City authorities
announce that work has begun again In all the establishments
involved. — Jlf titer's Trade Serciue (.Berlin).

Hnddersfield. — New Turbo-Generatou. — The new

6,000-KW. turbo-generator set was recently put into commission.
It is a 6,600-volt, three-phase set, running at 3,0C0 r.p.m., made ly'
the English Electric Co., Ltd. The condensing plant, supplied by
Messrs. Mirrlees, Watson & Co., Ltd., is capable of dealing with half a
million gallons per hour. The new boilers have an output of
45,000 lb. of steam per hour.

Liverpool. — New Station.— It is hoped to complete,
by the end of the year, the new installations at Lister Drive power
station. These installations are, it is claimed, far ahead of those
in use at any other electrical power station in the country Mr.
F. C. Wilson, who, as chairman of the Tramways Comiiiitt(e, is
particularly interested in the municipal electrical supply, has come
back from a visit to the United States in the belief that there, too,
they have nothing better in this line, although their power stations
in some cases are very much larger. — J.iverjwul Dailn I'oat and
Mercury.

London. — The electric light in the House of Lords failed
on Monday, owing, it is thought, to fusing of the wires, which
could not be traced. The Law Lords adjourned for a long luncheon
interval in order that temiiorary lighting arrangements might be
made.

Stoke Newinqton. — Mr. C. H. Wordingham, C.B.E., has
submitted a report upon the proposed extension of plant and
mains at the electricity works. The first stage recommended is
the installation of a 500-KW. rotary converter and switchgear, as
well as mains extensions, at an estimated cost of £30,000. The
scrapping of the existing storage battery and the substitution of a
night shift is advised.

SxEPNliY. — ^The accouuta of the Corporation electricity under-
taking for the year ended March 31st, 1920, show a total revenue of
£205,156, as compared with £175,835 for the previous period.
Working expenses amounted to £139,421, against £110,154, leaving
a gross profit of £65,735 (£65,681). After payment of capital
charges the result was a net profit of £23.376 (£22,245). The
number of units generated rose from 2s,Kl 1,770 to 30,836,840.

Mosley Common. — Fire. — AboHt 400 miners were
unable to go to work on the 15th inst. at the Mosley Common pit
on account of the central power station having been burnt down.

Nelson. — Extensions. — The Council is committed to
heavy expenditure on such schemes as additions to electrical
plant, Ax., the estimated coat being £750,000.

New Zealand. — Water Power. — The Southland
Electric Power Board is energetically pushing forward its hydro-
electric works. The preliminary work connected with the system
is proceeding at first for a plant giving 8,000 h.p., with a distri-
bution over 1,700 miles, and a reticulation of 3,000 sq. miles. The
greater part of the third pipe line for the Lake Coleridge station
has arrived in Auckland ; it is i mile in length, with a diameter
, of 52 in,, and is from i to ,',-in. thick. It is made of British steel
plate, rolled, drilled, and curved before shipment ; it will be
riveted on the site. The additional machinery for the Lake Cole-
ridge plant is already on site, and will be used as soon as the new
pipe line is ready. It will provide 4,000 h.p., equivalent to
3,000 KW., which will increase the capacity of the Lake Coleridge
station to 12,000 H.P., but the new equipment will do little more
than ease the present overload, and serve as a standby. Tenders
have been accepted for the final unit of 4,0Cii h.p. to complete the
original 16,000 H.P. for which the station was designed. Tenders
are yet to be called for the fourth pipe line. — Itenter'x Trade Serrice
(Melbourne).

Nottingham. — New Power Station. — No time is being
lost in preliminary arrangements for the erection of the new super-
station, the Corporation s scheme having now received the sanction
of the Electricity Commissioners to the exclusion of the Notts, and
Derbyshire Co.'s application for authority to exercise powers of
supply within the municipal area. The approximate cost of the
first stage of the project is £850,000, the total estimated expendi-
ture being set down at £I,250,OCO. Preparation of the detailed
plans is now being effected by Mr. J. H. Rider, the Corporation's
electrical expert.

Peterborough. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Town Council
has received sanction to borrow £52, .890 for electricity extension
purposes.

Plymouth. — Financial Returns. — A return by the

borough treasurer shows that during the past 21 years there has
been a net profit of £40,671 on the electricity undertaking, the
net value of which is £22ii/.t31.

South Africa. — Power krom Waste Oases. — The

Dundee Coal Co. proposes, in connection with its Waachbank
by-product plant, to utiliee waste gases in the generation of elec-
tricity for transmission to the Buruside colliery — a distance of
10 miles.

Bi.OEMi ONTEIN E.XTENSlONs, — At a meeting of Bloemfontein
ratepayers, the Town Council was authorised to raise a loan of
£50,000 for the purpose of extending the electric power system.
Experts had recommended the erection of a new power station at
an estimated cost of £150,000, but, in view of the present state of
the financial market, it was not thought advisable to proceed with
the big scheme immediately, and two stop-gap schemes were put
forward. The first of these was calculated to cost £15,500, of
which £10,OtO would be lost in moving to a new station at the
expiration of three years. The second scheme, which the Town
Council recommended for the approval of the ratepayers, was esti-
mated at a cost of £30,000, to last for five years, at the end of
which £18,000 would be lost on moving to the new station. It
was also estimated that after five years of working, the second
scheme would show a loss of £5,000 less than the first scheme and
would also provide more reserve power for use when necessary. —
S.A. Mining and Enqiiieerinq dunrnal.

Walsall. — Loan. — Application is to be made to the
Electricity Commissioners for sanction to borrow a sum not
exceeding £32,O(i0 for four e.h.t. feeders (£20,000)and switchgear
(£12,000) required to meet the anticipated demand for electricity
during the ensuing three years.

The Electricity Committee is to raise no objection to the
inclusion of Walsall in the proposed new North-West Midlands
Electricity District, and is to renew the representations made two
years ago in favour of the Imking-up of generating stations in South
Staffordshire,

The Electricity Commissioners having consented to the com-
pletion of the Birchills generating station, the Committee has
authorised the obtaining of tenders for the remainder of the plant
required.

Electric Police Lamps. — The Watch Committee recom-
mends that 50 electric police service lamps be purchased, at a cost
not exceeding £5.">.

Whitehaven. — Loans. — The Town Council has applied

for loans of £2,500 for new condensing plant, and .t 4,000 for
meters for four years.

Vol.87. No. 2,243, November 19, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

657

York. — EiyECTKtciANs' WAnES. — A conference on the
working conditions and rates of pay obtaining in the electrical
trades has been concluded. The terms offered by the employera
were : — Time and a-third for niffht shift, time and a-half for over-
time up to midnight, with double time after, and an out-of-town
allowance of 4s. 3d. per day. Representatives were present of the
National Federated Electrical Association and the Electrical
Trades Union, but the Electrical Contractors' Association of Scot-
land was not represented. An agreement was reached with regard
to educational facilities for apprentices, but the settlement of the
rates of pay for apprentices was deferred. The men s representa-
tives declared themselves unable to confidently recommend the
night shift and out-of-town allowances, but ultimately agreed to
submit the proposals for branch consideration.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Bradford. — Year's Woekixg. — The annual report on
the Corporation tramways, for the year ended March 31st last,
shows that the total receipts were £608,991, as against £494 246
in the previous period. The total of working expenses was
£501,534, compared with £375 074, leaving a gross balance of
£107,457 (£119,172). The payment of capital charges left a net
profit of £44,838. Last year's profit was £60,82().

Brazil. — Kailway Electrification. — The Senate
Finance Committee has reported favourably on the question of
a credit of 60,000 contos for the electrification of the Brazilian
Central Railway. — Reuter'x Trade Serrice (Rio de Janeiro).

Contineatal. — Spain. — According to " A.B.C.," the
Norte Co. has a project for the electrification of tlie railway line
from Barcelona to Tarrasa. The work wiU be put in hand at the
beginning of next year, and will be terminated, it is hop^d, in
1923. Further plans under consideration relate to the electrifica-
tion of the line as far as Saragossa. — Renter's Trade Service
(Madrid).

Lancashire. — ^Vages During Strike. — The curtail-
ment of tramway services during the miners coal strike has led to
several disputes with the tramway employes in Lancashire. The
employes of the Ashton Corporation and the Stalybridge Joint
Board struck work on Saturday, on the refusal of the authorities to
grant the men's demand, presented on 24 hours' notice, that they
shoald be piid for short time during the miners" strike. Some 400
men are " out," and the dispute affects the whole of Ashton, Staly-
bridge, Dukinfield, Moasley, and Hyde, with a population of a
quarter of a million. A similar dispute at Burnley was averted at
the eleventh hour by the men accepting the Corporation's terms.
They demanded a full week's pay from the day the miners' ballot
settled the coal trouble, but have accepted the Corporation's termi,
which meant a loss of only six hours. Manchester avoided any
drastic action by conceding the employes' demands.

London. — Electric Vehicles. — The Shoreditch
Highways Committee recommends the Council to authorise the
purchase of two Orwell ele3tric dust collecting vehicles at a cost uf
£1,750 each.

Pro.jected Tube Railway. — Mr. H. J. Buckland, geneial
manager of the Crystal Palace, in acknowledging a presentation
made by the chief exhibitors in the Oil Section of the recent
Victory Exhibition, mentioned that the exhibition was visited liy
1,175,664 persons. The Crystal Palace was now Government
property, run as a semi- Government undertaking, without any funds
or any subsidy. But the exhibition had been so successful that
they had now got some funds, and he looked forward to the future
of the Palace with optimism, especially in view of the projected
tube railway to Sydenham Hill. The tube would run from
Fiuabury Park, through the Strand, to Dulwich and the Palace.
The Bill would probably receive the Royal Assent next May or
June, and the cost of the undertaking would be abaut £11,000,000,
of which £7.000.000 was already assured. The other £4,00Oiioo
would be offered to the public. — The Tiines.

Bbeakdown. — Owing to a breakdown at a power station, the
Metropolitan Electric Tramways were held up for about 15 minutes
in the Highgate district early on Monday.

Potteries. — Strike. — The tramway employes struck
work on Novembar 8th, and no tramway cars or omnibuses have
run in the district since the Sunday night. The dispute arose out
of the restricted service in operation during the coal strike. When
the agreement guaranteeing a 4.shour8 week or equivalent pay was
suspended on November (ith, the Stoke-on-Trent branch of the
United Vehicle Workers' Association demanded its reinstatement.
The Potteries Electric Traction Co. stated that if it complied, it
must suspend some of the men more recently engaged until traffic
again became normal. The Union refused to agree, and, without
consulting the parent association, called a strike on the morning of
November 8th. A prolonged conference between the Potteries
Electric Traction Co. and representatives of the men, at which
Mr. F. S. Jackson (of the Ministry of Labour) was present, ended
in a deadlock. The men resumed work on November 13th. The
Potteries Electric Traction Co. has consented to the reinstatement
of the agreement guaranteeing a 48-hours week or equivalent pay,
and agreed that there should be no reductions in the staff without
consultation with the union representative?. — Duily Teieijrnph.

Stretford. — Loan. — Application is to be made to the
Ministry of Health Ifor Hoans amounting to £64,000 for tramway
extension.s. This provides for the doubling of the single line, and
a new double line along Seymour Grove, with a connecting line
along Talbot Road. The new lines will extend about a mile.

Sunderland. — Increased Fares. — It has been decided
to take the following steps : --To increase the fare from 2d. to 3d.
«n special cars between the Town Hall and Roker Park Football
Ground ; to extend the service from 10.30 to 10.45 p.m. on^week-
daya ; to double the present single line of tramway between Side
Cliff Road and Browne Road, in Fulwell Road, at a cost of £1 267 ;
and to make an additional entrance to the Wheat Sheaf depot by
laying a double line rhi Dundas Street, at an approximate cost of
£2,550.

Wages. — For the past six months the undertaking has been run
at a loss of £939, the total revenue being £83,000. The traffic
employes have asked for an advance of 12s. per week in wages,
which, if granted, will mean a further expenditure of £ 1 2,000 a year.

Wage Demands. — Increased Fares. — In the report

of the National Joint Industrial Council for the Tramway
Industry issued on the 13th inst., in connection with the
demand of 47,273 employes of 81 municipal authorities for
an increase of wages, as from October 15th, of 12s. per week
for adults, and 63. for youths under 18 years of age, the con-
clusion come to is that if the tramway industry is to be saved
from financial disaster, fares must inevitably be increased. The
application was first heard three weeks ago, when the company
representatives retired, declaring their inability to concede an
advance. The municipal authorities proposed an adjournment to
permit of an inquiry (resulting in the above report) on the relation
of increased wajes aud bonuses to the increased costs of living,
and the effect of increased fares on the financial conditions of the
undertakings. As a whole the industry was carried on at a dead
loss of at least £1,555,859 during the last financial year, and the
present demand of the employes would involve a further charge of,
approximately, £1,481,100 per annum.

On Octobar 1st when the cost of living had increased by 161 per
cent, over the 1914 figures, the percentage increases in wages
were : —Drivers, 132 ; conductors, 147 ; car repairers, 140 ; and car
cleaners, 163. Mr. J. Cliff, joint secretary for the Trade Unions,
says that with the reduction of working hours from 60 to 48 the
increase in the hourly rate of wages has not increased the number
ot shillings earned. In fact, outside the London area, it has meant
a reduction in weekly wage. On the side of the municipalities, Mr.
Beckett says that in spite of the 20 per cent, reduction in work,
the wages in many cases have gone up by 25 per cent, on both basic
and tonus rates. While 47 undertakings earned not more than lid.
per car-mile in 1913-14,61 earned not less than 18d. in 1919-20.
In September and October this year no undertaking earned less
than 15 'd. a mile, and only 17 out of the 81 earned less than 20d.
The present application for increased wages, if granted, would cost
an extra £1,481,100, or r59d. per car-mile ; and as the annual loss
now amounts to £3,310,753, the loss in 1920-21 on 223,825 536 car- '
mUes would be £4,793,597. This is a serious problem if the tram-
way industry is to be savei from financial disaster. At present
the actual revenue of the whole industry falls short of expenditure
by 3"55d. for every car-mile. With the extra wages it would be
514d., or 4s. 81. loss on every £1 of traffic receipts. " This," says
the report, " is a condition under which no industry can survive."
Twenty-five out of 98 local authorities owning traoiways have
applied for orders to increase fares.

An official statement has also been issued by the Conference of
Tramway and Light Railway Companies, all of which declined to
take part in the investigation, which puts the case for the company
undertakings and shows that tramway companies are in an even
more difficult position than the municipal undertakings, as they
are unable to call upon the rates to make up their trading losses.
So much time has been occupied by the Ministry of Transport in
considering data put before it, that even to day many companitg
have not yet received permissioa to bring any increase of fares into
force ; but ever since Ma-ch the increased wages have been paid.
Taking the tramway industry as a whole, the financial position is
worse to-day than it was when the Tramways (Temporary Increases
of Charges) Act, 1920, was passed, relaxing the statutory restriction
of fares to enable higher wages to be paid. The present demand is
being pressed at a time when the companies have not been able to
adjust their revenues to the scale of wages which was put in
operation last March. Even when that adjustment is completed, it
will take a long period to make good the excess of expenses which
has accumulated since that date. Further, there are signs that the
economic limit of fares is being approached, if it has not already
been reached in many cases, and some relief from the onerous
legislative conditions, in any case, is imperatively required. The
time has come when it has to be decided whether tramway under-
takings shall be carried on as commercial enterprises and be self-
supporting, or whether they shall depend upon subsidies from one
source or another. Municipal undertakings are in a position to
meet the situation by a subsidy from the rates. Company under-
takings have no such remedy, ao they are unable to negotiate any
further increase in wages which the exhaustive inquiry made last
March showed to be financially impossible. Whereas an employe
earned, on an average, 6d. per hour in 1914, he is now earning
about Is. 6d. an hour, without overtime. This is a greater per-
centage advance than the percentage increase in the cost of
living as shown by the " index figure " published by the Ministry
of Labour. A tramway company spends to-day on labour some-
thing like £300 per annum for every £ 100 per annum spent in
1914.

658

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi, 87. No. 2,243, novembeb 19, i9»o,

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Anglo=Germaii Cable Communication. — li is ^tini-officially
stated iu JjL-rliu that hithertu only tlu'ee of the six telegraph
ciible-s between Emdeii and the English coast which were
damaged during the war have been reoi)ened to traftic, but
a fourth cable has now been put iu order by British and
Uerm^i ships. Eepairs on the other two cables will take
some tune to complete. It is expected that telegraphic com-
munication with England will be substantially improved by
the restoration of the fourth cable.— Rcutcr's Trade Service
(Berlin).

The Conference on international communications now sit-
ting at Washington, U.S.A., is approaching the end of its
labours. According to the DaiUj Telegraph, the main point in
the American contention concerning France and Britain was
that the two cables formerly joining up .America and Germany
which had been landed by the British at Penzance and Halifax,
and by the Pi-ench at Brest, shall be re-established in their
former positions, and be used again in order to secure direct
communication betw-een the States and Germany. The British
Government has just decided to give way to the American
pressure, provided the ownership of the cable continues to be
British. It is very Ukely that France will have to adopt a
similar attitude for the Brest-New York cable.

Australia. — I'elephone Extensions.— A sum of ^6380,460 is
to be expended in 1920-21 on the improvement of the
telephone and telegraph services in New South Wales, allotted
as follows: Telegraphs, £9,460; telephones, i'li7,0OO; new
trunk lines, i;:30,00U; switchboards, ±'39,000; cable and con-
duits, i;i83.000; and miscellaneous, ±'-i,000. In addition, ten-
ders for further materials are to be accepted and paid for
this year, and other tenders are to be invited and paid for
in 1921-'2-2 up to a total of £.500,000. This year £43,000 has
already been expended by commitments; the estimated cost
of providing additional switchboards at the new automatic
exchange in Sydney is £al,784, and £3,750 Jhas been provided
for increasing the country service, which will enable 15 lines
to be erected ; 25 others have been approved, and material is
to be obtained. All essential materials can be procured if
funds are provided, but dehveries are subject to delay.

The inci-ease of 3d. on general telegraph rates and a pro-
portionate increase on Press message rates is expected to
bring in a revenue of £184,000. The 25 per cent, increase,
with exemptions for country districts, on telephone rates is
cxiiected to result in £275,000 extra revenue.

W'lKKr.ESs Telephony. — The use of wireless telephony for
communication with remote districts is being experimented
with by the Postal Department. If the experiments ju.stify
it, the P.M.G. hopes in the near future to establish a wireless-
telephone service for residents in remote places where land
line communication would be prohibitively costly. He points
out, however, that the use of wireless telegi'aphy, which is
developed to a greater degree than wireless telephony, for
commercial purposes, offers more satisfactory conditions as
regards skilled attendance, cost, and facility of operation, and
he has already approved of licences being granted for the
erection of such stations in the Northern Territory and remote
I)arts of Queensland and South Austraha. They will be in
communication with existing Commonwealth radio stations.

British Cables. — The British Isles were entirely cut off
from the rest of the world during the two minutes' silence
on the morning of November 11th, all telegraph cables being
released from traffic.

Dutch East Indies. — New Cable.— The Dutch Government
has placed an order with the Norddeutsche See Kabelwerke
for from 1,.500 to 2,000 sea miles of cable, destined to establish
telegraphic communication among the islands of the Dutch
East Jndies. The important contract will keep the above-
mentioned works busy for a considerable time. The gutta
percha u.sed in the manufacture of the cables comes principally
from the Dutch colonies. The two cable ships formerly used
by Germany have, by the terms of the Peace Treaty, been
delivered to the .Allies. One is in the possession of England
and the other of Italy. They will be definitely disposed of
at the International Communications Conference at present
being held at Washington. In the circumstances the cables
will be laid by a large German freight boat, converted for the
purpose into a cable ship, and which will proceed to the Dutch
East Indies at the beginning of next year. — Financier.

France — New Wireless Station.— The French wu-eless
station of Croix d'Hins, who.se construction was begun in
1917 for the use of the American Expeditionary Force, has
just made its first transmission trials. This post is 23 km.
south of Bordeaux, and consists of an antenna of 20, 40/10-
wires, 1,500 metres long, covering an area of nearly 70 hectares.
The antenna is supported on eight metal standards, forming
a triangular pyramid, having GO metre sides at its foot and
being 250 metres high, spaced 400 metres apart. The genera-
tors have a power of 1,000 kw., feeding an arc and a high-fre-
quency alternator. The length of the wave is 20,000 metres,

Sweden. — Telephone Chauges.— The increased telephone
fees recently imposed have aroused indignation all over the
country. According to the Financier, before the State Tele-
graph Department bought the Allmanna Telefonbolaget, its
only competitor, it tried to keep the fees low, but no sooner
had it bought the company than its pohcy was changed.

Switzerland. — League or Nations' Wikeless St.ixion.— The
Geneva wireless station, by meaua of whicti joarnaU-sta atteud-
mg the Conference of the l^eague of Nations are securing a
rapid distribution of their messages, is situated on the Bel
.Vir plateau at Chene Bourg, about three miles south of the
city, and at an elevation ol about 1,400 ft. The station em-
bodies all the latest developments in commercial wireless,
including a Marconi valve transmitter operated automatically
at high speed, but the outstanding feature in this instance
is the si^eed with which the station has been erected. In
the case of the Geneva station a normal three months' job
has been completed in a fortnight, including the erection of
a lattice steel tower 200 ft. high and weigliiug many tons.
The first wireless gear, owing to delays on the railways, did
not reach Geneva until November 4th, yet on November 9th
the station commenced its trials. Ihree special buildings
have been constructed on the site. In the first is the power
plant, where current obtained from the Geneva electric service
(irives a motor, which in tiu'n rotates a specially designed
generator. As a precaution agamst any interruption by the
failure of the external supply the plant is duplicated, the
second motor being di-iven by an Austin jietrol engine. In
the second building are housed the O-KW. valve trau.smitter,
the Creed high-speed signalling devices, and all the usual
wii-eless auxiharies, whilst iu the thii'd buildmg, nearest the
aerial tower, are the instruments for the translation of the
mes.sages into tape form, which tape is fed at high sjieed
through a W'heatstone automatic transmitter. This building
is in dnect telegraphic and telephonic communication with
an office in Geneva adjoining the Conference Hall, and also
with a station live miles distant, where the acknowledgements
from various European stations are received. The traii.siuitting
aerial is of the umbrella type, the wires being radiated from
the central tower to the t<jps of the numerous masts ranged
around the tower at a distance. The earth system is located
beneath the aerials. Motor cychst dispatch riders are being
employed to supplement the telegi-aphic communication be-
tween Geneva and the wiieless station. Direct wireless com-
munication is being provided by this station between Geneva
and a specially-erected receiving station at Witham, Essex,
which is ciinnected by telegraph to the Marconi Co.'s London
offices. The transmitting station in this country is at Chehns-
ford, and is in dnect telegraphic communication with Witham.
Wireless services from Geneva to Nauen (Germany), Amster-
dam, Budaioest, and Lyngby (Denmark), have been arranged,
and it is hojied to extend the scheme to Norway, Spain, Italy,
and other European countries. The local authorities at
Geneva have been unsparing in the sujjport and assistance
they have extended to the Marconi officials entrusted with
the work of constructing the station, and on November 14th
the President of the Swiss Republic visited the Geneva station.

Wireless Telegraphy. — Direction Finding Stations. — In-
structions are given in a " Notice to Airmen " recently issued
l)y the Air Ministry, with regard to the employment by
aii'craft of the wireless direction-tinding stations estabhshed
at nine points along the British coasts by the Eoyal Navy.
Such means of identifying locality should prove very useful
to aircraft.

Fixing Longitude. — ^It is proposed to utihse -wireless tele-
graphy in determining the exact position of the boundary
between South and West Austraha. The boundary is fixed
by Act of Parliament as the 129th degi'ee of longitude east
of Greenwich. The exact position of the longitude will be
ascertained by the use of time-signals from a high-power
wireless station situated at some point between the Greenwich
Observatory, in England, and Sydney, in Australia, the signals
being received simultaneously at both stations. Most of the
great observatories of the world are now collaborating in a
redetermination of the longitudinal division of the earth's
surface by means of wu'eless time-signals. Given favourable
static conditions, it has been found that signals from the
Lyons wii'eless station, in France, can be received in Austraha
as well as at Greenwich, and signals from other stations more
favourably situated are also being tested. The co-operation
of the United States as well as the British Government has
been invited. The scheme is the first step towards a com-
prehensive redetermination of the whole longitudinal sm-vey
of Australia. — The Times.

Wireless Telephony. — Mr. Godfrey Isaacs, managing
director of the Marconi Co., sailed on the 13th inst. for the
U.S..\., where he hopes to complete plans for the creation
of a trans-Atlantic wireless telephone service between New
York and London, Paris, and other European centres. He
is said to believe that such communication can be established
at a cost only slightly greater than that of cablegrams, and
that a marked .saving of time will be made.

.\ wireless telephone set, operated with current from the
batteries of a motor car and transmitting and receiving over
an aerial wke stretched from the top of the wind screen to
the radiator cap. is the latest equipment provided for the
modern motor car or truck, says the Daily Despatch.

Vol.87. No. 2,243, N0VBMBE8 19, 1920.] THE BLBCTEICAL REVIEW.

659

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(The date given in pareittheses at the end of the paragraph indicate!
the issue of tlie Electrical Review in which the " Official
Notice " appeared.')

OPEN.

Anstralla. — January 19th, 1921. Victorian Kailways
Department. Electric furnace and equipment, &c. Particulars
from the Aerent-General for Victoria, London, S.W. — 7'eni/er.-.:

Wbstebn Australia. — December 28th. Postmaster-General's
Department. Telegraph and telephone instruments and parts,
(Schedule 689).

Tasmania. — December 13th. P.M.G.'s Department. Instrument
parts, schedule T 30 1 . (November 12th.)

QnEENSLiND. — P.M.G.'s Department. Testing ami telegraph
instruments (schedule 5 1 7). (November I2th.)

Belgium. — December 14th and .January 25th. The
municipal authorities of Antwerp, i Electric motor and pump, for
the raising of the bridge over the Royers Dock, -'o .j-ton elec-
trically-operated cranes. Specifications can be obtained from the
Hotel de Ville, Antwerp.

Canterbury i — December 6th. Electricity Department.
E.H. pressure and medium pressure d.c. switchgear and cable con-
nections to the same. (See this issue.)

France. — November 26th. French State Railway
authorities. Two electrically - operated travelling cranes at the
La Garenne electrical repair shops. Particulars from the Service
Electrique, 88, Eue de Rome, Paris.

Grimsby. — November 29th. Electricity Department.
Sub-station converting plant, traction converting plant, com-
prising one 250-KW. and one .JOO-KW. converter, and one 250/300-KW.
converter. (November lith.)

Leeds, — December 13th. Electricity Department.
Three-phase switchgear for the generating station. (November
12th.)

Liverpool. — November 2Gth. Cheshire Lines Railway
Committee. Stores during 1921, including (6) telegraph materials
and carbons. Stores Superintendent, Warrington.

London. — November 24th. Metropolitan Asylums Board.
Alterations and extensions to ^he electric lighting and power
installations in the motor workshops at the head ambulance
station. Carnwath Road, Fulham ; hot water supply apparatus at
the Eastern Hospital, Homerton ; continuous drying machine at
Leavesden Mental Hospital. (November 12th.)

November 22nd. Great Western Railway. Three or six months'
supply of stores, including telegraph instruments and apparatus,
electrical wires and cables, ice. (See this issue.)

Monte Video. — January 14th. ilanagement of the
Usinas Electrical de Monte Video. Steam turbo-alternator of
10,000 KW. with the steam piping and cables ; surface condenser
with pumps, &c. Copy of conditions and specification (in Spanish)
may be seen at the Department of Overseas Trade (Mr. HoUoway)
up to December -tth, after which date it may be borrowed by
British firms.

New Zealand. — January 17th. Napier Municipal Council.
Supply of one 500-KW. gas-electric generating set. — Reiiter'.'s Trade
Seri-ice (Wellington).

Plymouth. — November 30th. Electricity Department.
H.T. and E.H.T. switchgear ; oil-cooled transformers. (November
12th.)

Rhodesia. — Salisbury. — January 13th. Municipal
Council. Electric generating plant, switchgear, cable and con-
verters. Specification (£3 38.) from the Council's Consulting
Engineer, Royal Chambers, Johannesburg.

Whitehaven. — December Ist. Electric Supply Depart-
ment. One D.c. turbo-alternator and condensing plant. (See
this issue.)

York. — November 25th. North-Eastern Railway Co.
Six or 12 months' supply telegraph apparatus, telegraph wire, and
line stores, (See this issue.)

CLOSED.

Australia. — P.M.fr.'s Department. (Queensland: —

P.M.G. 8 Department. S. Australia : —

20 selectors and 10 P.B,X, connectors for the Port Adelaide Exchange,
£800,— Siemens Bros, & Co,, Ltd,

P.M,G.'s Department. West Australia : —

4 tons 11 cwt. H,D. copper wire (230 lb, per mile), £792.— British Insulated

and Helsby Cables, Ltd.
Selectors, repeaters, and associated equipmsnt for Perth Main Exchanger

i*664.— Automatic Telephones (Australia), Ltd.

SvDNEY. — N.S. Wales Railway Commissioners. Accepted : —

18,750kw. turbo-generator, (or the White Bay power house.— English
Electric Co. lAustralia), Ltd,

Tenders.

Aberdeen. — Rewiring work in connection with the re-
conditioning of OldwiU Hospital, £399— A. B. Robertson and
Son, Ltd.

Belgium. — Fourteen firms submitted tenders last week
to the municipal authorities of Schaerbaek, near Brussels, tor the
supply of 1,675 single-phase and three-phase electricity meters. The
lowest offer was that of M, E Lejonr, of Couillet, the Metro-
politan-Vickers Co. being second. A Belgian firm submitted a
tender on liehalf of a German manufacturer, but this was not
considered.

Sunderland. — The Town Council has accepted : —

fitchgear.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS.

Edinburfih Electrical Society.— Friday, November 19th. At the Philoso-
phical Institute. At S p.m. Paper on " Medical Electricity," by Dr. W.
Hope Fowler.
Institution o( Mecbanical Eniilneers.— Friday, November 19th. At the
Institution, Storey's Gate, S.W. Paper on "Sterilisation of Water by
Chlorine Gas," by Capt. J. S. Arthur.
Junior Institntion of Engineers.- Friday, November 19th, At B9, Victoria
Street, S.W. At 7 p.m. Annual general meeting. Discussion on " Kcono-
mical Transmission of Power," to be opened by Mr. G. H. Ayres.
Institute of Marine Eogioeers.— Tuesday, November 23rd. At the Inititute.
Minories, E. .\t K.:ii1 p.m. Paper on " Some Suggestions on the Training of
Engineers," by Mr. J. A. s. Hall.
Institntion of Electrical Engineers,— Thursday, November 2Sth. At the
Institution of Civil Engineers. At 6 p m. Papers on "The Distribution
of Electricity," by Mr. W. B. Woodhouse, and on " Some Economic
Aspects of E.H.T. Distribution by Undergiound Cables," by Mr. E. O. Kapp.

(Students' Section).— Friday, November 19th. At the City and
Guilds (Engineering) College, South Kensington, S.W. At 6.30 p m.
Opening addresi by Mr. C. C, Paterson on "The .Incandescent Electric
Lamp from the Inside."

Friday, November aUh. At the City and Guilds Technical College,
Leonard Street, Pinsbury. At 6.30 p.m. Paper on "Electricity and the
Paper-making Industry," by Mr. A. J. C, Watts,

(North-Midland Centre.)— Monday, November 22nd. Joint meeting
with the SheffleUl Society of Engineers and Metallurgists. At the Mappin
Hall, Sheffield. At 7.30 p.m. Paper on "Permanent Magnets," by Prof.
E. H. Capper.

North-Esstern Centre —Monday, November 22nd. At the Armstrong
College, Newcastle- upon- Tyne, At 7 p,m. Statement by the local
chairman on the proposed increase in the Institution subscription,
followed by Mr, W, B. Woodbouse's paper on " The Distribution of
Electricity."

INortll - Western Cenlre>. — Tuesday, November 23rd. At the
Engineers' Club, Manchester. At 7 p.m. Papers on " The Distribution of
Electricity," by Mr. W., B. Woodhouse, and on "Some Economic Aspects of
E.H.T. Distribution by Underground Cables," by Mr. R..O. Kapp.

Wireless Sectional Meeting.— Wed aesdav, November 24th. At 'he
Institution of Civil Engneers. Gt. George Street, S.W. At 0 p.m. Address
by Dr. W. H. Eccles, Chairman of the Wireless Section.

Pliysical and Optical Societies.— Friday, November 26th. At the Imperial
College of Science and Technology, South Kensington, S.W. At 7 p.m.
Joint discussion on " The Making of Rertecting Surfaces."

Manchester Association of Engineers.- Saturday, November 27th. At the
Memorial Hall, Albert Square. At 7 p.m. Paper on " Modern Develop-
ments in the Manufacture and Utilisation of Coal Gas," by Mr. F. J. WtsS
and Mr. J. A. Tomlinson.

NOTES.

Wireless Operators, <&c.— A bounty of t'lOO will be

paid to a certain number of trained wireless operators, elec-
tricians, fitters, and instrument repairers who are finally approved
for the Royal Corps of Sigrnals on passing- the necessary trade test.
For particulars see our advertisement pajres to-day.

Miners' National Wages Board.— The first meeting of

the Miners' Executive Committee with the Coal Owners' Association
took place on the 12th inst., when business of a formal and prepara-
tory character was transacted. Sub-committees were formed to
deal with various matters, including ways and means of increasing
output and the setting up of the proposed National Wages Board.

Electricians' Strike. — Electricians, fitters, and labourers
employed at Garaton Docks, near Liverpool, are on strike owing to
a wages dispute. As a result, night work at the docks has been
seriously interfered with owing to the absence of illumination.
For two months past electricians and joiners at Liverpool have
been haggling over whose right it is to erect electric lift guides.

It is stated that, following the strike of the E.T.U. at Belfast,
a number of the electricians have resigned, or will resign and join
another Trade Union. Some of the strikers returned to work last
week. The shipyards, factories, and other public works in Belfast
were practically unaffected by the strike, the main issue being
connected with contractors' firms.

Electric Road Rollers.— The suggestion of Mr. A. Blake,

electrical engineer to the Willesden Borough Council, that electric
propulsion might be applied to road rollers is, we understand,
receiving attention. In dealing with the subject. Electricity
remarks : "The fundamental principle of all rollers, viz,, weight
over the axis of the rollers, would be materially assisted by the
use of a heavy battery,"

660

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,243, November 19, 1920.

Diesel Engine Users' Association. — A gummary has

been prepared of information and recommendations with regard to
the life of connectinpr-rod bolts of Diesel and semi-Diesel engines,
and their treatment, The subject has been discussed at several
meetings of the AssociatioD, and the principal poiuts elicited in
the course of the discussions should be useful, not only to members
of the Association, but to other engineers who are concerned with
the care of reciprocating engines.

Theft of Cable and Fittings.— In Clydebank Police

Court, on November 1st, A. Cairns (16), electrician's mate, was
sentenced to 30 days' imprisonment for stealing a quantity of elec-
trical fittings, cable, wire, brass fittings, &c., from the electrical
department of the Dalmuir Naval Construction Works.

Tiie Industrial Court. — The Electrical Trades Union
AND Colchester Corpobation. — As we go to press we learn that
the Industrial Court has decided that the schedule of wages fixed
by the District Council No. 9 of the Joint Industrial Council for
the Electricity Supply Industry shall be paid by the Corporation
to the respective grades of workpeople concerned, as regards half
the advance from May 1st, 1920, and as regards the remaining
half from January 1st, 1921. The claim of the Electrical Trades
Union is therefore upheld by the Court.

Russian Trade. — The Cabinet was to again discuss the
pnipo.sed Russian Trade Agreenipnt this week. Altliough some
meiaber,s of the Cabinet favour the resumption of trade with
St)viet Russia, others are against tlie proposal on the ground
that further guarantees are necessary with regard to Russian
national debts. It is reported that a suit will i)e instituted by
a firm of London .solicitors, on the conclusion nf the trading
treaty with Soviet Russia, on behalf of more than 1. '2(111 British
firms and private individuals, against the Soviet (lovernment
for the amount of money lost through the confiscation of their
property and .securities in Russia. " Our suit will be lodged
on the ground.s that the conclusion of the trading treaty will
constitute a diplomatic recognition of the Soviet Administra-
tion as a de facto (iovernment." the head of the firm which
will conduct the suit told a Daily Mail reporter. " .An injunc-
tion will also be brought against M. Krassin to prevent him
from disposing of the Bolshevist gold until our case is tried."
The amount of money involved runs into many millions of
ixjunds.

Housing and Electric Transpott. — Discussing the

.subject of " Railways and Real Property : .\ Glance into the
Future," at a meeting of the Auctioneers' and Estate Agents'
Institute, Mr. F. R. E. Davis (of the Great Western Railway)
said that lack of transport facilities in the past had unques-
tionably contributed to the overcrowding wliich existed in most
large towns and other busy centres of industrial activity. The
remedy was to be found in the establishment of a frequent,
rapid, and reasonably cheap train service, to enable the
workers to reside in more healthy surroundings, and yet reach
their places of employment without the necessity of having
to spend an unduly long time in travelling. The need could
largely be met by the introduction of fast suburban electric
train services. A satisfactory solution of the means of pro-
viding easy access to .suitable hou.sing sites some distance
from town areas not only put the advantage of rural life
within the reach of the worker, but also enabled a substantial
saving to Ije effected in the initial cost of the schemes, since
the price for building land should be considerably cheaper in
outlying di.stricts than in towns. The necessity, in preparing
a town-planning .scheme, for co-operating from the initial
stages with the authority responsible for providing the rail-
way facilities was obvious.

Mr, Frank W. Hunt, chief valuer to the London County
Council, said that probably one of the most important and
difticult subjects with which every public authority had to
struggle , to-day was the provision and the improvement of
means of transport. They .saw the difficulty, of course, in
the most exaggerated form in I^ndon. As Mr. Davis rightly
said, the capacity of the existing lines could be enormously
increased liy conversion to electric traction.

Science and Researcli.— At the annual meeting of the

National T'nion of Scientific Workers, held on Saturday last.
Prof. Soddy moved a resolution, which was unanimouslv
adopted, disapproving of the policy of the Department of
Scientific and Industrial Research, which handed over to the
private use of profit-seeking monopolies valuable knowledge
obtained at the expense of the whole community, and placed
the research associations in a position to exploit the scientific
workers of the country for their own benefit.

Prof. Soddy said it had been laid down explicitly in the
Wiiite Paper No. ,S.(«o (191.5) th.it di.scnveries aided bv public;
money should be made available, under projier conditions, for
the pulilic advantage. At present the public had no share in
the results of wliat they paid for, and the researclier lost his
pi-operty in his own discoveries. The Government had capitu-
lated to the big business interests in politics and departed
altogether from its original intentions.

In his presidential address. Dr. J. W. Evans said he regretted
that the .scientific and technical faculties of univer.sities played
only a subordinate p.art in the scheme the department had
adopted for the promotion of re.«earch. In his view, a teaching
staft' engaged in research work was in a more ' favourable

Iiu.sition to discover and develop new principles, applications,
and methods than in the laboratories of research associations,
(ir even Oovernment institutions established for scientific in-
wstigations.— V'/ic TimcK.

The Workers' Direct Interest in Output. — Mr. Stanley

Macbin, president of the London Chamber of Commerce,
discussing labour troubles and the remedy, at a gathering of
the Castle Baynard Ward Club, said poisonous doctrines could
be removed by per.sonal contact with the workers, the develop-
ment of welfare work, and the encouragement of the truth
Hint workers Were not mere details in a machine. Disputes
shiiulcl be dealt with in a common-sense way, and the Govern-
ment .■ihoiild intervene only as a last re.sort. No one wished
to see nationalisation extended. Business men were united
in a demand for the abolition of Government control. The
State should get out of business as soon as ixissible. There
was much to .say for co-partnership, but it seemed impossible
to apply it; while labour claimed a share in the management
i'l dn lined to .share, in the responsibility. Another system of
111 inirtnership was in the form of production bonus. \ fair
rati' should be fixed and agreed upon for Outpnt. and additional
earnings allowed for everything produced beyond the mini-
mum, .so that every worker had a diri-.t interest in the result
of his labour. The .system had been employed in his own
business for several years with great success, and in many
cases very large wages were earned. By opposing piecework
or payment by results, trade unions had assumed an untenable
l>nsition. No system of co-partnership could succeed unless
the campaign of suspicion and mistrust so a.s.siduously culti-
vated liy the extremists was counteracted and exposed. — Daily
Trlrijrnph.

Training Ex-Seivice Men. — A s heme has been prepared

by the Ministry of Labour to help ex-otlicers and ex-Service
men to obtain employment. Tiie scheme proposes that train-
ing .shall be restricted to courses of business training with
commercial firms in the United Kingdom. Tlie duration of
the sclieme is to be limited to one year, and every case will
be reviewed at the end of six months. April IMth. 19'21, has
been fixed definitely as the time hmit for all applications.
Men undertaking such training will be paid necessary main-
tenance grants. Full particulars can be obtained from the
Ministry of l^abour, Montague House, London, or from any
office of the District Directorate of the Appointinents De-
partment, Ministry of Labour.

Cliurcli Ligliting. — TheartitiJal illumination of churches,

especially those where the architectural features possess the
beautiful simplicity associated with the Early Enghsh period,
has proved one of the most difficult problems that the modern
illuminating engineer has had to solve. Such a case occurred
lately in the ancient city of Canterbury, where the church of
St. Dunstan's, one of the first resting-places of the Canter-
bury Pilgrims who flocked to do penance at the shrine of
St. Thomas a Becket, has lately been converted from' gas to
electric light.

The rector and churchwardens, desiring 1o obtain the best
results of modern illumination, consulted Mr. Hadyn T. Har-
rison. M.I.E.E.. who advLsed the use of direct concealed light-
ing, in order that the architectural features should not be
marred by any fittings of modern design.

The beautiful result is clearly shown in the illustration.
The illumination obtained is of a high standard, being from

Artifici.m. CnuucH I.kihtixg.

'2 to :^ foot-candles; the expenditure of pow-er is (i.S waft per
s(iuare foot of floor area, which high efiiciency is obtained by
the use of gasfilled lamps in condiination w-ith " X-ray "
reflectors.
The installation was carried out by Mr. S. Terry, electrical

Vol. 87. No. 2,243, November 19, 1920.1 THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

661

Late Legal. — British Thomson- Houston Co., Ltd., i:

CoROKA Lamp Works, Ltd. — The Court of Appeal, consisting o£
the Maater of the Rolls and Lords Justices Warrington and Younger,
on Monday delivered judgment in the case of the British Thomson-
Honston Co., Ltd., r. the Corona Lamp Works, Ltd , upon an appeal
of the plaintiffs from a judgment of Mr. Justice Sargant, in the
Chancery Division, dismissing their action for an injunction (and
ancillary relief) to restrain the alleged infringement of their
patent, which was granted in 191:^ for improvements in incan-
descent electric lamps. The lamp in question was the gasfilled
lamp, popularly known as the half-watt lamp. His Lordship held
that the patent was invalid by reason of insufficiency, and
dismissed the action, with costs.

Their Lordships unanimously upheld the decision of Mr. Justice
Sargant on all points, and dismissed the appeal, with costs.

A report of the judgment will appear in our next issue.

Cathodes for C/echo-Sluvakia. — Mr. Justice P. 0. Lawrence,
in the Companies Winding-up Court, on Tuesday last, made a
compulsory order for the winding-up of Messrs. Clarke, Jones and
Co., Ltd., of Blackfriars House, New Bridge Street, on the petition
of Messrs. Brandeis Goldsmidt i: Co., financial agents.

It was stated that the petitioners were creditors for £47,COO
money lent to the respondent company to purchase 500 tons
of electrolytic copper cathodes and other material for ship-
ment to Prague for the Postal Department of the Czecho-Slovakia
Ctovernment. Liability was admitted, and payment was promised,
but had not been made.

Action for Noisance. — In June last an action for nuisance
was brought against Stepney Corporation, in which an injunction
was granted to restrain the Corporation from causing a nuisance at
its electricity works in Limehouse, but it was suspended for some
months to enaTble the Corporation to make necessary alterations.
On Friday last the operation of the injunction was further sus-
pended until the first Friday in the Easter Sittings.

Appointments Vacant. — Assistant (£370) in the physics
and electrical engineering department of the Sunderland Technical
College ; draughtsman for the Bombay Electric Supply and Tram-
ways Co., Ltd. ; plumber-jointer for the Derby Corporation elec-
tricity department ; overhead linesman for the Rawtenstall
Corporation tramways : mains foreman (1 10s.) for the Southend-on-
Sea Corporation electricity department ; generating engineer (£500)
for the City of Bradford electricity department ; armature-winding
instructor for the Government Instructional Factory at Ponders
End ; charge engineer (£322) for the Hampstead Borough Council
electricity department ; sub-station engineer (66s. + 33s. 6d. +
12 i per cent.) for the Walthamstow Urban District Council elec-
tricity department ; telegraph engineer (§360 per month + 20 per
cent., dollar = 2s. 4d.). for the Posts and Telegraphs Departments of
the Government of the Straits Settlements. See our advertisement
pages to-day.

The Electro-Harmonic " Ladies' Concert."—" To-night's

the Night " exclaimed an enthusiastic Electro-harmonican to a
friend as they rushed up the stairs leading to the Central Hall of
the Cannon Street Hotel on Friday evening last. He was right I
The new President of the Institution of Electrical Engineers was in
the chair ; the hall was filled with a brilliant and appreciative
audience, and the concert was an unqualified success from every
point of view ; one of the best, indeed, if not the beat ever given
by the Society, certainly since pre-war days. Excellent vocalists,
an admirable humourist, a perfect accompanist, and a choice
orchestra of picked members of the London Symphony and prin-
cipal London orchestras, provided by the generosity of the President,
himself an ardent lover of the Divine Art, and conducted by a
popular member of the King's private band, combined in giving an
evening's entertainment which will not readily fade from the
memories of those who were present to enjoy it. With such an
innovation on the part of Mr. LI. B. Atkinson, who, we feel sure,
was pleased beyond measure at the result of his munificence — for,
after all, the orchestra was the outstanding feature of the evening
— is it too much to hope that some other affluent member of the
Society may be induced to provide a similar attraction for the
remaining " Ladies' Night " of the season ,' It would be not only
a gracious compliment to the fair sex, but a welcome engagement to
the many eminent musicians who were so hardly hit during the
years of the Great War, and who have not yet completely recovered
their pre-war status.

Plucky Apprentices. — At a meeting of the Nelson Town
Council, Alderman Cooke, chairman of the Electricity Committee,
referring to the recent collapse of a generator at the electricity
works, paid a tribute to the pluck and coolness shown by two
apprentices named Hunt and Kenyon. The machine, he said, went
to pieces without warning. As it was collapsing, with metal
flying in all directions. Hunt promptly stopped the machinery,
while the other apprentice, at great risk, attended to the switches.
The Council could not do leas than warmly compliment the boys
for so pluckily doing their duty. It was suggested that they
should receive financial recognition.

Fatality. — William I'^leuiine Douglas, overhead crane-
man, in the employment of the Kilmarnock Corporation electricity
department, was instantly killed, on November let, at AnnanhiU Pit,
by receiving an electric shock. The current had been switched off to
enable repairs to be executed, and while Douglas was on one of the
poles, the current was inadvertently switched on, and he fell 30 ft.

International Patents. — It is reported that the French
Cabinet is submitting a scheme to the Allied Covemments for the
creation of an international patent for inventions, which it is
proposed shall be granted by a central office at Bruseela.

INSTITUTION NOTES.

Institution of Electrical Enjgineerg. — The Ni;\v SuBSCRir-
TioN Pi.-MES. — For the information of members interested in
the subject', we give beluw the schedules of subscriptions in
force in the Institutions of Civil and Mechahical Engineers
respectively. The scale of the Institution of Civil Engineers
has stood tor many years unchanged, but the question of in-
creasing it is now under consideration. The scale of the
Institution of Mechanical Engineers was revised early this
year. The proposed new scale of the In.stitution of Electrical
Engineers was given in our issue of November 5th, p. 597.

Institution of Civil Engineers.

Resident. Non-resident.
£ s. d. £ s. d.

Member 4 4 0 3 3 0

Associate Member and Associate 3 3 0 2 12 6

Student 2 2 0 1 11 6

Admission fees : Full member, £'21 ; Associate Member and
Associate, £10 10s. ; transfer fee. Associate Member to Mem-
ber. ilO 10s.

Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Resident. Non-resident.
;£ s. d. £ s. d.

Member 4 0 0 3 0 0

Associate Member 300 2 10 0

Graduate • 1 10 0 1 10 0

over 28 years 3 0 0 2 10 0

Assoi-iate 4 0 0 3 0 0

Entrance fees: Member, £5; Associate Member, £2 10s.;
Associate, £o.

" Resident " means resident in the United Kingdom.

Informal Meetings. — On Monday the first informal meeting
of the session was held, the President, Mr. LI. B. Atkinson,
opening a discussion on the question : "Is Specialisation a
Danger'.' " Starting with a treatise on the subject of
specialised production by Babbage, he referred to the gradual
development of the practice throughout the manufacturing
nations, and to the " industrial nausea " to which it led. Mr.
Atkinson suggested that a palliative might be found in a
system of rotation of duties, whereby a worker's occupation
^^ould be varied between wide limits. This system would be
immensely facilitated by the universal distribution of electrical
energy. He considered that uncongenial occupations were
one of the greatest caui^es of industrial unrest.

North-Eastern Centre. — Members of this Centre are to
meet on Monday next, at 7 p.m., at the Ai-mstrong College,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, for the purpose of hearing a statement
by their local chairman on the reasons which have made the
proposed increases in the Institution subscription imperative.
Following the chairman's statement. Mr. W. B. Woodhouse
will read a paper on " The Distribution of Electricity."

Liverpool Sdb-Centre. — Mr. A. E. McCoU read his paper
on " Automatic Protective Devices for a.c. Systems " before
the Sub-Centre on Monday last. A very interesting discussion
followed the reading of the paper.

The Physical and Optical Societies. — .A joint discussion
will take place next Fiiaay night, at 7 p.m., at the Imperial
College of Science and Technology, South Kensington, S.W.,
on the subject of " The Making of Reflecting Surfaces."
Papers will be presented by Messrs. H. N. Ii-wiug, J. W.
French, F. Ellerman, J. Rheinberg, R. S. Whipple. C. W.
Davidson, J. W. T. Walsh, W. G. Collins. R. W. Cheshire,
and Prof. Fery; Messrs. H. A. Hughes and F. Simoon will-
demonstrate.

Royal Society of Arts. — During the experimental address
cin wireless telegraphy and telephony delivered on November
17th, by Mr. Alan A. Campbell Swinton, F.R.S., chairman
of the Council of the Society, there was to be .shown, it was
hoped, amongst other things, the automatic printing in
ordinary Roman type of wheless messages received in the
lecture hall from a distance. That would have been the first
time that this fresh departure in wireless telegraphy had
been exhibited. The automatic telegraphic printing apparatus
that was to be employed is the invention of Mr. F. G. Creed,
(if Croydon.

Liverpool 'Wireless Association. — A meeting was held at
the Royal Institution on November 10th. The following
gentlemen were elected to further augment the conunittee :
Messrs: Grindred, Lewey. .Johnston, Balmer, Eden. Lapthorn,
and .Adlington. Mr. .J. Wainwright was elected hon.
treasurer. It was decided to commence a course of pro-
gressive elementary studies in wireless, especially for be-
ginners, and the first lecture dealing with the subject will
be given on November ■24th. The meetings in future will
■start at 7.30 p.m. prompt, and tlie first half hour each evening
will lie devoted exclusively to beginners. Mr. Lewey and
Mr. Hyde have undertaken the duties of joint lecturers to
beginners. Mr. Lewey also promised to give a demonstration
with his wireless apparatus on November 34th. Mr. .T. Coultnn
aiiniiunii'd that he wa.s in a po.sition to offer inendiers .a
(lisciiiMit of 211 iier cent, on all wireless apparatus. A .sub-
stantial sum of money has already been given and promised
towards the As.^.ociatifin's apparatus fund, and further offers
of cush and apparatus continue to be made.

662

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,213, novkmbeb 19, 1920.

Association ot Municipal Electrical Engineers (Union of
South Africa). — In tlie course of his presidential address at
the annual convention, Mr. T. W'l.llry ] )(»! pointed out that
while the cost of labour and matcij;il> mic^sary to electricity
supply had forced up the price of i-icctncal energy, the only
item that had not risen in cost to any extent was the cost of
brani work, without which no succes.sfiil electrfcity supply
concern could e'xist. The status and reminieration of electrical
engineers were receiving the serious attention of the Institu-
tion of Electrical Engineers in England, the Institute in South
Africa, and kindred societies, and representatives of the Asso-
ciation were in consultation with the South African Institute
on the subject.

The President also commented on the variations of the
jiowers of mimicipalities -with regard to electrical undertakings
in the different provinces of the Union; in the Cape Province
the regulations provided for an unnecessary amount of
(jovernment control and interference, whereas in the other
Provinces the po\\ers of the municipalities were less restricted.
It was proposed to adopt a uniform code of by-laws and regu-
lations throughout the Union, to decide upon the compulsory
licensing of electricians for wiring work, and to adopt a
coimnon form of statistical returns and accounts; these
matters would form the principal work of the Convention,
and therefore the programme had been kept almost free from-
pajwrs on technical matters.

The Faraday Society and Institute of Metals. — A joint
meeting of the Faraday Society ami the Shetlieid Section nl
tlie Institute of Metals was held at the Mappin Hall of the
Department of Applied Science ot the University of
Sheffield on November 19th, Sir Kobert Hadtield, Bart.,
U.K.S., ajnd Prof. C. H. Desch, D.Sc, Ph.D., pre-
siding. The afternoon session was devoted to the dis-
cussion of problems relating to electroplating generally,
and tue evening session lo the con.sideration of papers
on silver plating. Among the papers were to be the follow-
ing : " Electroplating for the Prevention of Oon-osion," by
Leslie AitchisoM D.Met.. B.Sc. ; "The Use of Colloids in
E1rrtr.Hl,.p,isitiMn ,.f M, ■tills,- by W. B. Hughes, B.A. ; "The
Elei trn(l,pn>iti(.ii nl ( ul.,ill," bv Byrou Carr; "Electro Silver
Plating and its Technical IJevelopment," bv W. E. Barclay.
A.M.I.E.E. ; "The Chemical Composition of Old Silver Plat-
ing Solutions with Observations on their Working Proper-
ties," by G. B. Brook, F.I.C. and W. L. Holmes; "A New
Maximum Current Density in Commercial Silver Plating."
bv Prank Mason, A.M.I.E.E.; and " The Crystalline Structure
of Electrodeposited Silver," by (1. B. Brook. F.I.C.

South African Institute of Electrical Engineers. — The In-
stitute has recently formed a Telegraph and telephone Section,
and applications fur membership in the new section are being
received fnnii all jiarts of the Union.

Birmingham and District Electric Club. — At the last
meeting of the Club, a paper was read by Mr. H. C. Young,
.A.M.I.E.E., upon " Some A.spects of Modern- Works Manage-
ment." The paper was very exhaustive, and dealt with the
effects of physical conditions upon labour efficiency. The
lecturer showed many graphic records of the effects of hours
of work, fatigue, temperature, ventilation, lighting, &c., in
which connection he referred to the research ^^•ork of Dr.
Leonard Hill, and Dr. Scott Haldane. Mr. Young laid great
stress upon the imjiortance of careful selection of works staffs,
foremen, and charge hands, and showed by records that the
personnel of a works staff'- had a very definite bearing upon
labour efficiency and upon that bugbear of all employers,
" labour turnover." Emphasis was also laid upon the fact
that under the new conditions of industry class tlistinctions
tended to disappear, both the commercial and works staffs and
the workpeople all came from the .same social class, litis
new factor must be taken into account in dealing with the
problems of works organisation. The lecture was a long one,
fully illustrated by lantern illustrations, and was enjoyed b/
a large audience of members and visitors.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

T?ie Editors invitt eltotrical engineert, whether connected with the
technical or the commercial side of the profesti^n atuL induitry,
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
EwsoTBICAL Review posted as to their mnremenls.

Halifax Tramways Committee has decided to recommend
the appointment of Mr. J. W. (Iau.oway, as tramways man-
ager, with sole charge in all departments except finance.

The new mayor ..f StiilTord (Mr. R. E. Mk.vdk) was formerly
chief of the Coi iiniiitnm .lectricity department in that town,
and now the head of the Gaol Square Motor Co., Ltd.

Mr. J. Thomi'son, the new mayor of Wolverhampton, who
is interested in an miportant local firm of boiler makers, has
been for some time chairman of the Wolverhampton Elec-
tricity Committee.

Mr. R. G. Rawi;i\s. who has been elected mayor of Windsor,
is secretary of the Slough and Datchet E.S. Co., Lid., and
also secretary and manager of the Kensington and Notting
Hill Electrical Installation Co., Ltd.

. Mr. .1. J. WalkIjATE, who was associated with the construc-
tion anf) management of the Kidderminster and Soulhport,

South Staff'ordshue and Potteries Electric Traction Co., Ltd.,
has been appointed acting town clerk of Auckland, N.Z. He
went to New Zealand .some years ago to take over the general
management of the AucKland Electric framways, Ltd., wtiich
was recently disposed of to the City of Auckland Corporation.

Mr. E. P. Bealu has been I'e-elected chairman of the
Birmingham Electric Supply Committee.

Amongst the new London mayors are the following : Bethnal
Green, Coun. J. J. Vaughan, electrician ; Deptford, .\ld. W. H.
Green, engineer-secretary. Greenwich and i^eptlord Trades
Council; Greenwich, Aid. B. J. Lemon, a titter employed by
the L.C.C. Ti'amways Department; Lambeth, Coun. VV. S.
Bishop, engineer.

Crewe T.C. has increased the salary of Mr. A. Lawtok,
of the electricity works staff', from ii'ilO to ±'26(J a year.

Worcester City Council has increased the salary of the
electrical engineer (Mr. Shaw) to ±'8U<J per annum from
September 1st.

Mr. .\. G. Bkll, the telephone inventor, has come over from
the U.S.A. " to pay a farewell visit " to his native city,
Edinburgh. Born in 1847 and educated at the Royal High
School and at Edinburgh University, he first exhibited his
apparatus for the transmission of sound by electricity in 1870.
kt the last meeting of the Edinburgh Town Council, in reply
to a generous tribute by the Lord Provost, Mr. Bell recalled
some of his early memories. Although he had been an
American for 50 years, he was glad to be at " home " once
again.

Lord Sydenham oi'- Combe has been elected to the office of
President of the British Empu'e Producers' Organisation.

Mr. A. PiiESTON, .\.M.LE.E., manager of the Aimnanforil
Electric Supply, which he originally carried out over 11 years
ago, has Ijcen appointed electrical engineer to the Cannaithtn
Electric Supply Co., Ltd.

We regret to learn from the Times that Mr. A. Richahdsox,
M.P. for Gravesend, became seriously ill early this month
and was at once ordered to a private hospital. It will be son e
time before he can re.sume his Parliamentary duties.

Obituary. — Mr. F. Preston. — On November 10th, at 35.
Portland Avenue, Stamford Hill, N., the death occurred of
Mr. Fiederick Preston, late superintendent Central Telegraph
Office, London, E.C.

Mr. A. Stokley.— The death has taken place of Mr. Arthur
Stokley, for over 'io years chief inspector of the Northampton
Tramways. He was 48 years of age.

Mr. Wir.soN Hartneu^. — ^^■e regret to learn from Thr
Times that on Novemlier 10th the death took place at Round-
hay of Mr. Wilson Hartnell. M.I.Mech.E., M.I.E.E., after a
few days' illness, at the age of 81.

Will. — Mr. \\'. Peech, partner in Messrs. Steel, Peech
Tozer. of the Pha-nix Steel Works, Sheffield, left £533,699.

NEW COMPANY REQISTERED.

lonoid Co., Ltd. (171,317). — Private company. Regis-
tered November 9lh. Capital, £1,000 in £1 sliares. To talte over the buslnes!
carried on by W. H. Eccles. of 23, Leonard Street, E.C. 2, and to carry or
the business of electrical and mechanical engineers, manufacturers of electrical
mechanical, or scientific instruments, &c. The first directors are : \V. H.
Eccles 2, Ryder Street, S.W. 1, and 23, L.eonard Street, E.C. 2, in'
<lesigner; Miss N. F. Paterson, 186, .■\lcxandra Road, N.W., secretary; G. V,
Twiss, 62, Queen Street, E.C. 4; T. A. Henry, 70, Doneraile Street, Fulham,
S.W. Registered office : 186, Alexandra Road, N.W. 8.

nd

OFFICIAL RETURNS OP ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Chippenham Electric Supply Co., Ltd. — Satisfaction to the

extent of £700 on Julv 1st. and £5U0 on July 23rd, 1920, of debentures dated
I'-ebruary 13th, 1913, 'securing £1,200.

Cox=Cavendish Electrical Co., Ltd. — Particulars of .£15,000

il.bentures authorised October 12th and covered by trust deed of October 25th,
1920; present issue £13,750; charged on comp.iny's undertaking and property,
jjr.'sent and future, including uncalled capital and certain lands and premises
in Acton. Trustees : W". N. Howard and H. M. Moore.

W. A. Meadows & Co., Ltd Particulars of ,£500 deben-
tures authorised October 19th, 1920, present issue £300, charged on company's
property, present and future, including uncalled capital, subject to e.\isllng
charge.'

Baico Patents, Ltd Satisfaction in full on October 2nd

of debentures dated June 23rd. 1!)20. securing all nionevs then due or to
become due, not exceeding £a,(XIO.

Electric Motors (South Wales), Ltd.— Deposit on OcttK '■

2filh. 1920, of deeds ot ]. Woo<l Street, Cardiff, to secur<> all moneys
IT to become due from the conip.iny to l.lovd's Bank, Ltd., not exceo
tl.OIIO.

British L.M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co.. Ltd. — I-issue on t

\,,v.inl,.r 1st. IIWI. ol iW.IKKl ilrl.rniur. s, |i,irl ill a series alre.idy registered. i

Portable Electric Motors (1919), Ltd. — Satisfaction in full i^

nil \UKU-1 Mh ..I ,|. b.nluii-s iL.t.d June lllth, 1920, s«uiing £5,(MI1I. |

Direct West India Cable Co., Ltd. (53,956).— Capital, ;

£120.(K)0 in £.) sh.ires. Return d.itod SeptembcT .Wth, J920 ; 12,000 shares, ]
tliO.OtlO p.nld. Mortgages and charges, nil.

Tol. 87. No. 2,243, November 19, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

663

CITY NOTES.

Monte Video
Telephone
Co., Ltd.

Presiding at tlie annual meeting, last
week, the chairman, the Et. Hon. Viscount
St. Davids, said it was mentioned at the
last meeting that they had provisionally
arranged a di'aft concession with the re-
presentatives of the Uruguayan Government, an<l while await-
ing the official ratification of this agreement, were surprised
to receive a cablegram in March' last stating that the Ad-
ministration of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones had invited
tenders for a complete underground telephone installation
for Monte Video, with exchanges eijuipped on the central
battery system of working. The date fixed for the presenta-
tion of the tenders was .\ugust 7th last, and only two tenders
were lodged — namely, one by themselves and another \>y the
Western Electric Co., Ltd. Under the law as it existed at
that date it was illegal for the Government to consider any
tenders unless at least three were submitted, and under those
circumstances the two tenders which had been submitted
were returned unopened. Presumably the law had since been
altered, as an official announcement was made in September
last extending the time for receiving tenders to December
18th next, when they will be opened irrespective of the
number lodged. They still hoped that a satisfactory conces-
sion would be granted to the company that would permit the
necessary capital to be raised and the City of Monte Video
provided with the most up-to-date telephone system that i.s
at present known.

International Light & Power Co., Ltd. — .\t a meeting of
sliareholders, on November 11th. Mr. F. Holt (the president),
referring to the company's South .American properties, said
the \'enezuelan subsidiary had yielded results in excess even
of the favourable expectations, and unless political events
upset calculations, the outlook for ly'il was equally favourable.
.\s regards Mexico, both municipal and State administration
were suffering from a financial crisis entailing .serious hard-
ship to the electric company. The situation with the Regu-
lardo, the Government State banking institution, which holds
ileposits of the company of 150.(XX) dollars (U.S. gold) has
not improved, although strong pressure is being brought to
bear on the Mexican Government in the matter. The Munici-
pality of Mereda has fallen behind in the payment for public
lighting supplies by the company, the arrears at the end of
the financial year amounting to '2(1(1.0(10 dollars (Mexican).
The annual general meeting of the company will be held in
Toronto on December 13th.

Stock Exchange Notices. — .\pplication lias been made to
the Committee to appoint special setthng days in the follow-
ing : —

Benn Brothers, Ltd. — 47,(XX) ordinary shares of £1 each,
fully paid (Xos. 1 to 47,000).

The C<immittee has specially allowed dealings in the under-
mentioned under temporary regulation 4 (3) : —

Fuller's United Electric Works. — .5(I.(KK3 .'S per cent, cumula-
tive participating preference .shares of £1 each, fullv paid
(Xos. 1 to .50.000).

Stewarts & Lloyds. — 845,.54'2 new deferred shares of £1 eac'i, , ,(
fully paid (Xos. 1,78-2..501 to •2,6'28,04'2). U}

Benn Brothers. — 47.(.KV) ordinary shares of £1 each, fully j^|
(laid, Xos. 1 to 47,000. ']

The Committee has (UileriMl the following to be specially, \!
quoted : — f

Maclellan (P. and W.).— :ili(i.(l(Kl ,,nlinarv shares of i'l eacli,l;'i'
fullv paid, Xos. 1 to 300.(100. t A'

f '

New Issues. — Siemens Brofhrrs. — The British Bank for
Foreign Trade. Ltd.. is offering for sul)scription 481.875 shares,
of £1 each at the price of '2'2s. per .share, the balance of the'
unis.sued share capital of Siemens Bros. & Co.. Ltd. The share;
will participate in the final dividend for 19'2o. The new
capital will lie u.sed for extensions in hand and contemplated.]
and for the financing the increasing volume of oi'ders; tli
value of unexecuted orders is apiiroximately i"2.7.jO,0(.KI.

Alilerahot Gas, Water d District Lightiug Co. — Issue (
511,000 7 per cent, redeemable mortgage bonds -at par; redenii
tion at par on .lanuary 1st, 1931.

Falkirk Iron Co., Ltd. — Sub-scriptlons are invited for
£200,000 8 per cent, first mortgage convertible debentures at,
£9o. Holders will have the right to convert into £1 ordinary
shares at the price of 2.5s. per share on any interest date up!
to and including September .30th. 19.30. ./Annual drawiiigi
commencing 192('i at 102 will redeem all outstanding debentuii
by maturity on September .30th. 193y.

General Electric Co. (U.S. A.).— The (i<'Mrr,iI Klectri
Co. has authorised the issue of additional stock to the amountj
of 27.0ft'J.OOO dollars.— ReHfrr'.s Trade Service (New York).

Chloride Electrical Storage Co., Ltd. — Interim dividondj
of .") per cent., free of I.tx.

Ever Ready Co. (Great Britain), Ltd.— Dividend :ii iliej
rate of 7 per cent, per .lunum on preference and ordinaryj]
Bliarea for the period ended September 30tb last-

Canadian General Electric Co., Ltd.— Ouarlerly dividend
of 2 per cent, on the common stock. ~

Altrincham Electric Supply Co., Ltd.— Interim dividend
at the rate of 7A per cent, on ordinary shares.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
It must be admitted that the record of Stock Exchange
markets this week is not particularly inspiring. The Russian
news and the Greek crisis abroad, and the financial stringency
at home make a trio of disturbing elements which compel
dull prices in Stock Exchange markets. So great is the de-
mand fflr capital that new issues offer 8, 9 or 10 per cent, on
remarkably good security, and yet the investor complains that
when he takes up such stock, the price all too frequently
drops to a discount after allotment. Underwriters have to be
flattered with tempting tei'ms before they will support new
issues. The trouble of it is that nobody can foresee when
this state of affairs may lie expected to come to an end. But
the Stock Exchange, ever hoiieful. says that conditions will
change • for the better early in the new year. To which a
fervent Amen will be breathed by everyone who is interested
in stocks and shares.

Manufacturing prices are distinctly dull. Edi.sons have
fallen to ICs. 3d. ; it is evident that the forthcoming dividend
declaration is awaited rather anxiously. The company's first
debenture stock is down a point to 74i. Cleneral Electrics
have lost the 1/10 gained last week. Siemens gave way to
'23s. 9d. in spite of the interim dividend being maintained,
and the hope that a new issue of shares might provide .some-
thing in the shape of a bonus to existing holders. But the
offer of the shares at '22s. affords nothing of, this sort, for the
old issue, allowing for the difference in dividends, stands at
practically the same price as the new.

Electric Constructions have dropped to 17s. 6d. Babcock &
^^'ilcox fell to 2a-. pot benefiting for long from the advance in
the interim dividend. Vickers weakened to a guinea. Several
important amalgamations are declared to be pending in the
world of engineering. Whether these be correct or not, there
is nothing unreastmable in the assumption that the industrial
and financial difficulties will tend to promote closer co-opera-
tion between firms in most branches of trade.

Foreign stocks make the best showing in the electricity
departments. Mexicans are better again, Mexico Tramways
firsts rising 5 to 4G, and the seconds gaining 3 at 3.5. Pachuca
fives are also 3 up at .50, and Mexican Light and Power issues
are 1 to 4 points higher. These advances pay tardy recog-
nition to the improved situation in Mexico. Xevertheless. a
rumour circulated one day last week to the eft'eet that further
revolutionary trouble had broken out in Mexico. Unsup-
ported as it was, the rumour gained a certain degree of
credence all the same. Everyone felt that it was not in-
lifiviitly improbable. But nothmg official came to confirm
the report.

The Brisbane Electric Tramways Investment Company lias
issued a notice to the holders of its 4^ per cent, debentiire
stock proposing to postpone redemption for three years, in-
stead of paying off the stock at par on January 1st next, the
jiroper date of repayment. It appears that the Queensland
(lovernment, returned to power recently with a diminished
majority, have not exercised their right to purchase the tram-
wavs. and the company has not the money to redeem the
stcirk. The position that has ari.sen is peculiar and un-
.•\li.( trd. .A meeting is called for December 8th to consider
icsnjutiiiiis for postponement of repayment of the stock, of
i\iisiiig the interest after .January 1st next to .S per cent.,
iaiid of providing a premium of 2 per cent, if the stock is
'redeemed within the three years' period.

Home Railway stocks have weakened with the rest of the
investment markets, and Underground Incomes at 68J are
i2 points lower. The £10 shares at '21 are 7s. fid. down.
iMetropolitans have fallen a point to 20.i. Districts to 19:
jTliere is nothing doing in the prior-charge .stocks. British
[Cohimbins continue to go ahead, the preference, preferred and
[deferred all rismg. Anglo-.Argentine Tramways -5 per cent,
{debenture stock lost its rise of the other day. and is back to
(.595, showing a return of over 8 per cent, on the money. On
(the other hand, the company's i] per cent, ilebenfurc is 2
|,higher at filj. , ■ 1

Electricity supply shares are quiet. London l'',Icctri.s linve
Jbeen we.nk. bnrgnins taking place at I'ls. 3il. and Ills. 3d. The
[middle price is called 17s. Od.. and shares could probably be
bought at this, if not more cbpaply. Chel.'eas and County of

661

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,243, November IS, 1920.

Luiidou keep their recent iinprovemeuts^ but otherwise the
list is uniuterestiug. North Metropolitan Electric Power 6 per
cent .preference improved to l"2s. Adelaide preference an-
h.arder at llJs. Ikl. Calcutta Electric Supply shares at '> have
gone back.

There is n<i indication of dulness amongst cable .shares, the
Eastern group being again to tlie front ^vith further improve-
ments. Eastern Extensions, Glolie Ordinary and \\'esterus
have all risen, and Eastern Ordinary changed hands the other
day as high as 104. The attraction in the.se cases, as fre-
quently mentioned liere, is the fact of the dividends being
paid free of tax. Anglo-American deferred has gone back a
shade. Marconis are lower at 2g. The Marconi Company is
substantially interested in a new concern .called the British
Danubian Trading Corporation, which has been formed to
open up and promote commercial relationship between the
United Kingdom and Hungary, Austria. Russia, Rumania,
Turkey, Poland. Ac. In Canadian Marconis there is nothing
doing, and the wireless group is quiet us a whole.

Amongst the " dollar " stocks, Canadian General Electrics
at llOJ and the preferred at 10.5i are decidedly below ftie best.
Consolidated Gas and Electric of Baltimore weakened to 132i
after being 13.5. Rio Tramway firsts at 97 and Sao Paulo firsts
at 91^ have both come down. Shawinigans braced up to
125i, a gain of 3. and Milwaukee Electric fives are good at
132. Electrical Development of Ontario bonds improved to
U9.

Rubber shares are the turn above the worst. No sustained
improvement is looked for until after the end of the year, for
weak speculative positions in the raw produce are said to
exist in the United States, and these are not likely to be
cleared up on this side of 19'21.

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

It ghoold be remembered, in making use of the figures appearing
in the following list, that in some cases the prices are only general,
and they may vary according to qnantitiea and other circnmgtancet.

SHARE LIST OF ELECTRICAL COMPANIES.

Home Electricity Coufanies.

Dividend Price

, ■ . Nov. 16, yield

1918. 1919. 1920. Rise or fall. ii.c.

Brompton Ordinary 8 19 6 — £10 0 0

Charing Cross Ordinary .. .. « 7 BJ — 10 IB 6

do. do. do. 4J Pref. .. 4) 4i 9* — 8 8 8

Chelsea 8 « BJ - 6 8 0

City of London 8 10 li — 8 17 10

do. do. 6percent. Pref. .. 6 6 17/6 •— 6 17 9

County of London 7 8 74 ■^ 10 IB 4

do, do. fi per cent. Pref. 6 8 81 — 7 7 8

Kensington Ordinary .... 6 7 8f — 9 0 6

London Electric Nil 9i i - J 8 19 6

do. do. 6 percent. Pref... 6 6 8 — 10 0 0

Metropolitan 6 8 9j — 10 8 8

do. 4t percent. Fret. .. 4J 41 91^ — 8 0 0

St. Jamas' and Pall Mall .. .. 10 19 Hi — 9 4 8

South London B 6 9* — 9 12 0

South Metropolitan Pref 7 7 16 3 - 8 12 8

Westminster Ordinary .... 8 10 (J — 9 6 8

Telegraphs and Telephones.

AngloAm. Tel. Prof 6 6 77* id — 7 14 10

do. Oe( B8(6 1} 16i - i 8 18 6

Chile Telephone 8 6 6« — -6 9 1

Cuba 8nb. Orel 7 7 7 — 10 0 0

Eastern BrtenBlon 8 10 If J + J -8 12 4

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 162* -H -6 11 4

Globe Tel. and T. Ord 8 10 151 -f i 6 11 4

do. do. Pret 6 6 e| - 6 17 9

Grf at Northern Tel 99 99 20j — 10 ;4 8

indo.Pnropean IB 10 80 xd — 8 6 B

Marconi 96 96 2! — iV 8 10 0

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 19 9g — M 18 4

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 ej — '8 10 8

West India and Panama .. .. 1/8 Nil ti - Nil

Western Telegraph 8 10 16i -t i «6 12 4

HouE Rails.

Central London Ord. ABBenled .. 4 4 i% — 9 4 0

Metropolitan I li -04 -1 6 2 0

do. DIelriol .. Nil Nil 8 - « Nil

Underground Elecliio Ordinary.. Nil Nil 24 -I Mil

do, do. "A" .. Nil Nil 7,- - Nil

do. do. Income .. 6 4 08^ 2 —

Foreign Trams, So.

Anglo.Arg. Trane First Fret. .. Nil 6i 8 — 9 3 4

do. do. 2ndPrel. .. Nil Nil H - Nil

do. do. 6 Deb. ..6 6 S'jj — B 8 8 0

Brazil Tractions Nil NU i5 - Nil

Bombay Electric Pref 6 6 11 - 4 16 0

British Columbia Eleo. Rly. Pice. 6 6 69 -fli 8 9 6

do, do. Prelerrred 91 6 68i -f 1 ^S 19 8

do. do, Deferred NU 8 69) +1 'h 17 8

do, do. Deb. .. 4i 44 67* - 7 7 10

UexlooTramse percent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 46 46 Nil

do, 6 per cent. Bonds.. NU NU 85 +3 NU

Mexican Light Common .. .. NU NU 16 4 1 NU

do. Pref NU NU 28 4 4 Nil

do, let Bonds.. .. NU NU 18 4 Si NU

Manufacturing Companies.

Baboook A WUcoz IS 16 ■% - % '8 6 4

UrltlBh Alnmlnlam Old 10 10 1 - 10 0 0

British Insulated Ord 191 16 13 — 9 4 8

OsllenderB 96 16 l|xd — 10 0 0

„ BiPrel 61 61 18/9 — 6 18 8

OiBlner-Kellner 90 17 B — 5 18 4

OromptonOrd 10 10 17/6 — 11 8 6

BdlBon-Bwan, .. ..10 10 16/3 - I's 13 6 9

do. do. 6 per c<nl. Deb, ..6 6 74* -1 6 14 B

Bleolrlo ConBlruction .. ..10 10 'I — ,'. 11 8 6

Qen, Blec. Pref 61 81 18/« — 7 0 6

do. Ord, 10 10 1,: — ,v >7 19 8

Henley 96 16 I!.' — 9 4 8

do, 41 Pre!.. 4i 41 Bi — 7 4 0

iDdla-ttubber lu 10 1} — '8 0 0

Mel.'VlokerB Frsf — 8 2 — BOO

Biemens Ord 10 10 I ' — ,\ 'H S 6

Telegraph Oon 10 90 21 41 -6 14 B

•.DlTidende ptid tree o< Income Tax,

Tuesday, November 16th.

CHEMICALS. Ac,

lAteal
Price.

Fortnight's
Inc. or Dec,

aAcid, OiaUo

per lb.

1/10

7d. dec.

a Ammoniac Sal

per ton

£110

£10 inc.

a Ammonia, Muriate (large crystal)

£99

a Bisulphide of Carbon

,,

o Borax

,,

£41

a Copper Sulphate

£49

a Potash, Chlorate

per lb.

1/-

a ,i Percblorate

,,

1/8

a Shellac

per cwt.

£32 10s.

a Sulphate of Magnesia

per ton

£18

a Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers

,,

£24

£ldic

a ,, Lump

,,

£S0

£2 dec.

a Soda, Chlorate

per lb.

6d.

~

a „ Crystals

per ton

£19

a Sodium Bichromate, casks

per lb,

...

Z

METALS. &c.

p Babbitt's Metal Ingots

per ton

£95 to £800

c Brass (rolled metal 2" to 12" basis)

per lb.

1/5A

Jd."dec.

c 1, Tubes (solid drawn)

,,

I/6i to 1/51

c ,, Wire, basis

,,

m

Jd.deo.

c Copper Tubes (solid drawn)

,,

£U%

c ,, Bars (best selected)

per ton

c „ Sheet

£149

c ., Rod

,,

£149

d 1, (Electrolytic) Bars

,,

£102

£3Vnc.

d ,1 ,1 Sheets

,j

£143

d „ „ Wire Rods..

£118

£3 inc.

d „ „ H.C. Wire..

per'lb.

mi

^d. inc.

f Ebonite Rod

,,

8/6

f „ Sheet

3/-

n German Silver Wire

,,

3/-

h Gutta-percha, fine

14/. to 16/-

h India-rubber, Para line

,,

l/6i

i Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ...

per ton

Nom.

/ „ Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual.

£69

g Lead, English Pig

,,

£33

£4 5s.' dec.

g Mercury

per bot.

£16 15s. to £16

e Mica (in original oases) smaU ...

per lb.

6d. to 4/6

e „ ,, ,, medium,.

,,

6/- to 10/-

e „ ,, 1, large ...

,,

12/6 to 25/- & ap

p Phosphor Bronze, plain castings

,,

1/6 to 1/11

p ,, „ rolled bars and rods

2/5 to 2/8

p „ „ rolled strip 4 sheet

,,

2/5 to 2/9

d Silicium Bronze Wire

per lb.

1/11

r Steel, Magnet, in bars

1/8

n Tin, Block (English)

per ton

£240

£20 dec.

n „ Wire, Nos. 1 to 16

per lb.

4/9

p White Anti- friction Metals

per ton

£78 to £S0O

Qaotatioi

B supplied by—

a Q. Boor & Co.

g James & Shakespeare,

c Thos. Bolton & Sons, Ltd,

h Edward Till & Co,

d Frederick Smith & Co.

I BoUing & Lowe.

e F, Wiggins & Sons.

/ Richard Johnson & Nephew, Ltd

f India-Bubber, Gutta-Peroha and

nP.

Ormiston & Sons,

Telegraph Works Co,, Ltd.

p —

r W. F

Dennis & Co,

Post Office Telephone Charges.— Messrs. RasUeigh,

I'hipiis & Co., Ltd., wrote us rt-cently saying that they were
vriy much iiittre.sted in an article which appeared in The
Times on the "iOth ultimo under the heading of " Telephone
Demand Withdrawn," having undergone a similar experience.
Some time ago they advised the London Telephone Service
thiit the firm had been converted into a limited company, but
Ijeyond changing the style of the firm, business was being
carried on on exactly the same lines as in the past. However,
before the Department would agree to register the firm's
correct title in the Telephone Directory, it sent in a new
agreement for the telephone, !iluseum 210<5. with a demand for
a surcharge of A'4. w hich the firm considered an unreasonable
demand. The department insisted, and owing to pressure of
work, the firm sent a cheque for £i. On the 18th instant a
letter was received enclosing three new agreement forms for
the other three lines, namely. Xos. "2107, ilOS, and 2109, with
demands for a surcharge of £13.

In view of the withdrawal in the case of the Ideal Films,
Ltd.. mentioned in The Times, the firm' considered that it was
not only entitled not to pay the .f1'2 demanded, but also to
insist on the return of the .£4 already paid.

Siiu>^ then the Post Office has withdrawn the appUcation for
the new claims and has refunded the £i already paid.

German Magneto Invasion. — It is reported that large

ninnlnTs of German magnetos arc being imported into this
cdiiiitiy. at prices below the bare cost of materials to the
J'.ritish niaiuifacturer, owing to the state of the exchange, and
that British magneto woiks are in danger of closing in conse-
quence of this luiderselling. .'Vccordiug to Mr. F. A.
.\bQiiisten, K.C.. who was to address a question to the Pre.si-
ili'ut of the Board of Tiadi- on the subject on Wednesday.
7,(XX) British employes in the magneto industry are out of
work and the rest are working half-time. As magneto manu-
facture has been proved to be a key industry, steps to protect
it ai'e urgently needed.

I

Vol.87. No. 2,243, NovEMBEB 19, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL KEVTEWo

665

THE SHIPBUILDING, ENGINEERING AND ELECTRICAL EXHIBITION.— II.

iContimwd from p. 615.)

Messrs. Febguson, Pailin, Ltd., are exhibiting a very excel-
lent display of switchgrear. The main features are three cubicle
sets — a truck type cubicle, an interlocked type, and a non-
interlocked type. The truck type cubicle possesses a number of
features which will recommend it for sub-station work. The truck
cannot be drawn out while the switch is in, and an arrangement
comprising a bar, which runs along the top of the case and through
the front of the truck, and a small padlock, enables the whole
apparatus to be locked up, thus preventing unauthorised inter-
ference. When the truck is drawn out, the bus-bar contacts are
automatically covered up by slides fitting over the openings in the
front of the bus-bar chamber, and all live parts are therefore out
of reach from the front unless the partition is removed. The
leading-in trifuroating box and feeder isolating switches are also
in a separate compartment. The contacts on the bus-bars are of
the split circular plug type, and the connectors are porcelain
insulated plugs — this ensures a certain contact while any want of
alignment is corrected by the flexibility obtained by fitting spring
washers on the plugs. The wheels which run on steel rails are
fitted with ball bearings giving an easy-running movement. The
oil switch fitted in this and other types of cubicle made by the
firm has a no- volt release coil in quite a small box in front. This
is a special feature permitting the releases to be fitted on any of
the firm's switches after installation without rearranging the reft of
the gear. The overlcad rt lease is very efficient, and if there is a
short circuit in the line, the device acts immediately the contacts
touch, leaving no chance of " freezing in " or welding the contacts.
The tripping mechanism is so arranged that with a shunt trip
coil the switch can be tripped with two ordinary primary cells.
The ring-type current transformer used is arranged with a porce-
lain wall i in. thick between primary and eecondary. The inter-
lock cubicle is designed for operation by the inexperienced. Instead
of separate handwheels for each operation — taking out oil switch
and feeder , and bus-bar isolating switches— one handwheel is
employed to carry out the operations in their proper sequence. The
position is clearly indicated by a pointer on a dial fixed under the
wheel. From the " full on ' position the wheel gradually pulls out

-A I.uijJ-Ampebe Oil Switch.

the oil switch and then the isolating switches, until the final point
marked " Door release " is reached when the operation is complete.
A number of oil switches for various purposes appear on the standi
Among these is a 4 000-ampere switch which has no fewer than 13S
contacts (fig. 3). All contacts are brought straight through, and
stems and nuts are not relied upon. Another switch shown is
designed specially for furnace work where a quick "make'' as
well as break is required. Apparatus of several types appear on a
board in the centre of the stacd, and includes pillar type isolators
capable of dealing with a pressure of 44,O0u volts, a three-pole,
I 009-ampere, and a 2,2.5i.i ampere single-pole switches, as well as
remote-control switches. On the front of tlie stand is a motor-
operated photograph exhibitor which releases a photograph every
three seconds, and which can be stopped by a push-button control.
Messes Campbell iV Isherwood, Ltd. — This stand has as main
exhibits two small lighting and power sets. The larger is a,
16-KW. generator direct-coupled to a "Robey' engine: the other,
has an output of 7i Bw., and is driven by an "Albion" portable
engine. The " C. & I. " electric hoist which is shown (fig. 4) is
notable for its, extreme simplicity of operation. The motor runs
c-intinuously. and is .always ready for immediate use The load is
raised or lowered by a simple downward or upwarci movement of a
lever. Lowering epjed is limited ^by a centrifugal brake avoiding
danger from acceleration of the load. The reduction gears are
machine cut and noiseless, and all moving parts are mounted on
ball bearings. The hoist works on the slack belt principle, avoiding
the use of clutches, A range of electric liand-drills is exhibited.
These are in three sizes, the largest with a consumption of from
8o3 to 1,500 watts (depending on the size of drill and material),
the next size, 4 00-. SO" watts, and the smallest has a consumption
of 4O0-600 watts. The motors are in all cases compound- wound
and weatherproof ; all live parts are well protected, and the

machines are fan-ventilated. The switch case and magnet frame
are in one piece, and the cover forms a handle through which
passes the spindle connecting the switch to a knob at the end
The switch is constructed to give a quick "make" and "break"
action. The feed pressure is taken by ball thrust washers con-
tained in the outer housing of the gear-ca?e. Each machine is
fitted with a breast-plate easily fitted on the removal of the feed-
screw. A portable electric drill is exhibited copsisting of a gingle-

Fio. 4.— "C. & I." Ei.ECTEic Hoist.

speed motor, carriage, universal movement drill head, sliding shaft
and switch. This is made in three sizes, and can be supplied with a
three-speed gear and attachments for reaming, tapping and grinding.
The power consumption of these drUls is I'l KW. for the smallest
size, r54 KW. and 3 KW. Magnetic drill stands form another item
of the exhibit ; these are very adaptable to curved as well as flat
surfaces. A great deal of ships' installation work is executed by
Messrs. Campbell & Isherwood, and samples of the switchboards
made by them are on the stand.

loBANic Electric Co., Ltd. — The main exhibit ia a 75-h.p.
contactor panel intended for use in connection with ore unloading
cranes. This has a load-discriminating device which ensures a
regular motor speed, whatever the load. Series relays are fitted to
prevent too rapid acceleration or deceleration. Dynamic braking
is provided so that should the power fail the load would still be
under control, and not thrown violently on to the brake. There
are also a number of contactor panels for steel works service, such
as the operation of screw downs, live rolls, racks, &c., these panels
being of the magnetic lock-out type. There are in addition A,c.

Fig. 5.— Ioeanic Contactor Control fJeAu.

panels for ships' plate-rolls and mangles, two panels for push-
button control of machines, and automatic starters for printing
machines with magnetic disk brake. The space occupied by this
gear is very small, and the moving parts are arranged to operate
within a limited distanc? reducing wear to a minimum. Fig. 5
illustrates a shunt typ3 steel works contactor with butt contacts
and magnetic blowout, which is a feature of the exhibit. The,
special construction gives increased speed of operation, high contactr
pressures, accessibility, and low maintenance cost.

666

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.s?. No. 2,243, novkmbe. 19, i»20.

Messbs. Mavob k CouLSON, Ltd.— One of the largest atands in
the Exhibition haa been taken by this firm, whose products are too
well known to need much explanation. The stand is devoted
practically exclusively to mining gear. Two underground con-
veyors occupy a large amount of space. One is a shaker conveyor
consisting of a shallow trough or tray, in sections, supported on
rollers. It is intended for use on inclined ways, and can be
employed with advantage on small gradients. The "jigging," or
Bhsiing motion is imparted by an electric motor, or by a compressed
air motor. The electric driving gear is extremely compact and
robust. Under normal conditions, the power required varies from
6 to 8 HP., but the standard gears are fitted with IB-h.p. motors.
The whole of the motor and switch are completely enclosed. The
reciprocating motion is communicated to a rocking arm through a
crank and massive connecting rod with adjustable bearings. Among
the advantages of this type of conveyor are quietness in operation,
portability, small lateral space occupied by the trough, and the small
height of the trough permits the use of the conveyor in the thinnest

set gives powers of 100 and 600 watts on the same wave-lengths.
The receiver is of the triode-valve type capable of receiving spark
or continuous- wave signals. The closed circuit of the receiver is
calibrated throughout its entire wave range of from 300 to 7,000
metres for ease of tuning-in to an unexpected signal. Communi-
cation up to 300 miles between ships is guaranteed with this
apparatus. An automatic starter is fitted and controlled by
"start" and "stop" push-buttons. The mechanism is of the
multiple finger type, resistance being cut out in four successive
stages. The low-frequency transformer is rated at 1 J KW. at .500
cycles per second. The input voltage is 200, and the output is at
10,000 volts. The primary inductance is built up from thin copper
strip in the form of a flat spiral ; the eddy currents set up are thus

Type Switchof.ar.

•■ ri)i.Ai

Ship's nVireless E(jriPMi".NT.

workable seams. The other conveyor is of the endless band type.
A number of coal cutters appear on the stand. These are of bar,
disk and chain types. One of the latest developments of
" M. & C." coal-cutting machines is an easy method of converting a
bar cutter into a chain cutter, or vice rerxa. Originally this was
effected by changing- the whole of the front half of the machine,
but the design has been improved upon to enable the change to be
made by removing the "banjo" portion only. A great deal of
mining switchgear is shown, and the adaptability of ironclad
switchboards is demonstrated. Fig. 6 depicts a typical mine in-
stallation consisting of five panels built up with " M. & 0."
standard industrial units. A three-panel truck-type switchboard
is included in the exhibit, as well as an extremely compact type
of control pillar, housing controller, fuses, cut-off switch, resistance
and ammeter ; all internal connections are made before the pillar
lea res the works.

The Hart Accumulatob Co. — This exhibit comprises a good
display of many types of storage batteries. One of the exhibits
consists of a battery of six cells, 21-pIate type, in lead-lined boxes,
suitable for central station work. Another set, suitable for
country house lighting or small central stations, consists of 16 13-
plate cells in glass boxes ; these have a discharge rate of 32 amperes
for 10 hours, or 54 amperes for 5 hours. A set of 28 cells of the
nine-plate type, suitable for small electric lighting installations
and general purposes, is shown. In addition to these are numerous
batteries for yacht lighting, telephones, wireless telegraphy, hand
lamps, and for car lighting and starting. The various processes
and stages in the manufacture of the plates are illustrated by
photographs and plates at varying paints of production.

The Radio Communication- Co., Ltd. — This company exhibits
an item of particular interest — namely, the IJ-KW. " Polar ' ship's
wireless equipment, shown in fig. 7. The transmitter is of the
" swftchboard " type constructed on the unit principle, and all
recording instruments, adjustment controls, &c., are placed on the
front of the switchboard panel, while the various elements of the
high- and low-frequency circuits are arranged behind it. Four
standard wave-lengths are arranged for — 300, 4Bii, 600 (normal)
and 750 metres. The emergency transmitter supplied with the

extremely small, and the wave may bj continuously varied between
the minimum and maximum limits. The emergency set is operated
by the same Morse key, a change-over switch, which contains a
contact starting up the emergency motor-interrupter, being pro-
vided. In addition to this, the firm shows a 5-KW. continuous-wave
set for passenger boats requiring long range communication ; a
l-KW. lifeboat set with rotary interrupter and a i Kw. " Polar "
set on the same lines as the IJ kw. emergency set. Many
types of instruments are exhibited, including an automatic
"call " apparatus, which will only respond to the ship's call sign
or the S.O.S. signal; a"Towii8end" wavemeter in which the
oscillatory circuit condensers are fixed, and the wave-length
adjustment is made by means of a variometer, as well as a "Kal-
ilotron " c.w. oscillator, "Turner" valve relays, amplifiers,
valvea, &c.

Messrs. Da\ idson & Co., Ltd., Belfast. — The apparatus
exhibited by this firm includes a marine forced-draught set, con-
sisting of a Sirocco forced-draught fan. 3,")-in. diameter, direct-
coupled to a Sirocco 4 in. • 4 in. enclosed double-acting, forced-
lubricated engine. This set. which supplies the air to special
furnace fronts through a pre-heater arranged in the boiler up-take,
has a capacity of 5,00u cb. ft. per minute at 2J-in. watergauge
pressure. For the ventilation of ships the Sirocco fans are of high
eflSciency and of small size in comparison with their volumetric
capacity, and during the war over S,COD of these fans were supplied
to the Navy and the mercantile service for this purpose alone.
Messrs. Davidson A: Co. are showing one of their marine combina-
tions suitable for placing on the exposed boat deck. It consists of a
20- in. diameter Sirocco exhaust fan direct- coupled to a watertight
type motor l>y the Sunderland Forge and Engineering Co. The
firm's exhibit is not confined to shipwork alone, as its products are
extensively used in shipyards and engine works. Thus a Sirocco
air washer, which haa been supplied in numbers for cooling elec-
trical machinery and for furnishing clean air to compressors and
buildings, is shown in operation. The washer in question is
capable of dealing with S,(iOO cb. ft. of air per minute, which, by
passing through a thick bank of very fine spray, is thoroughly
cleansed of its impurities, and after passing through the Bcrubbei
and eliminator plates, is delivered by the fan in a very clear condi-

Vol. 87. No. 2,243, NovMiBM 19, 1920]. THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

667

tion, and without containing any free moisture. In machine shops
it has met with great success. A Sirocco steam-heater unit, suiD-
able for low-pressure steam, is on exhibition on the stand. An
indnced-draujfht set exhibited is 30 in. in diameter, and is direct-
coupled to an enclosed-type engine made by Messrs. Ashworth
and Parker.

High-pressure fans for blowing cupolas and forge fires are aUo
represented, one of these being used in connection with that
interesting phenomenon of the suspended ball, which has caused
many visitors to speculate as to the reason an ordinary football
remains stationary in the blast of air emitted by the fan.

The Sirocco mine fan is well known, and a model of this fan is
also to be found on the stand. The model represents the double-
inlet type of fan, and is arranged for the reversal of air current,
which is very clearly shown in this exhibit.

The Leeds Electrical Construction Co. — This company has
a good show of electric furnaces, rivet heaters, kc. A number of
th;se furnaces were described at some length in a recent issue of
the Electrical Review. The types shown are rotary furnaces
for carbon and alloy steel, tilting type for non-ferrous metals, ko.
The rivet heaters include portable and stationary patterns. An
example of the R.H. 3 type appears (fig. 8) ; this is capable of heat-
ing all sizes of rivets up to and including J-in. diameter, and has
an average capacity for four rivets per minute. In this heater
the rivets are fed into the furnace with the shank-end foremost,
and a-e automatically discharged at the other end. This is effected

Fig, 8.— Automatic Electric Rivet Heater.

by the rotation of the cylinder, which can be adjusted to give the
desired output. The gear for controlling the motor and current
input is mounted on a panel situated for convenient and easy
control. An automatic temperature regulator, consisting of a
thermostat and circuit-breaker can be supplied with this type. The
time taken for the heater to reach its maximum temperature from first
switching on is approximately 25 minutes. The heating chamber
is constructed of refractory materials capable of withstanding
temperatures up to 1,600' C. without softening or distortion, and
the heating element consists of a winding of special alloy wire.
This is a totally British invention.

Callender's Cable and Construction Co., Ltd.— The range
of produotions exhibited by this firm is very comprehensive.
Sections of numerous cables of the firm's manufacture make a verj
interesting display ; all types— paper, rubber, and bitumen
insulated, high and low pressure, and various arrangements of con-
ductors, are shown. Cable accessories of all kinds are included, such
as joint boxes, fuse boxes, pillars, &c. Wall insulators of porcelain
containing oil chambers for e.h.t. work, make an imposing feature.
The ' Kaleeco " wiring system, with its accessories, is included in the
exhibit, as well as a small motor-driven pump, an electric hoist,
and samples of '' Kalanite" moulded insulation.

Messrs. Marrtat & Place. — Lifting magnets and a welding
machine form the most important parts of this stand. Uemon-
strations are carried out on the welding machine showing great
ease and efficiency of operation. This machine is designed to deal
with mild steel up to i-in. thickness. A new roller spot electrode
is used in conjunction with the apparatus ; this can be used in
place of rod electrodes. The lifting magnets shown include a
Standard " B " type magnet, operated by an improved con-
tactor pattern of control gear. This magnet can deal with 500 tons
of steel rails per day at the cost, it is stated, of about 2d. per hour
for power. The master switch is of very robust construction, and
is provided with three positions — "lift," "off," and "drop"; it
lakes up a small amount of space, and can be fixed in any con-
venient position in the crane-cab without interference with the
crane controllers. With the switch in the " off " position a dis-
charge resistance is put across the magnet terminals, and in order
to make the magnet release its load smartly, a small reverse current
is put through the magnet by placing the switch in the "drop"
position,

{To be continued.)

THE INSTITUTION OF ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERS.

Sooth Midland Centre.
.-\t Biirainghaiii, on November 3rd, the chairman of the above
Centre, Mr. F. Forrest, M.I.E.E., delivered an address, of
which an abstract foUow.s : —

Fi'om a purely engineering point of view, the Electricity
(Supply) Act, 1919, wisely administered, is likely to prove an
important means towards national industrial progress. The
resultant economy con.seqiient upon the concentration of large
and economical generating plant will go far towards counter-
acting the effect of the recent heavy increases in the price
uf fuel and labour upon the selling price of electricity. As
an indication of what may be found possible in the direction
of waste heat utilisation, in a paper read before the Institu-
tion recently, Mr. S. H. Fowles .stated that the amount of
bla.st-furnace gas which was at present either being entirely
wasted or used in a very wasteful manner in this country
had a heat value equivalent to 7.5ll.(llKl kw. Fm-thermore,
the Wat^r Power Resources Committee of the Boai'd of Trade
in a recent interim report on the water power available
showed that although only nine sources of water power in
Scotland had been investigated up to the present, they were
calculated to yield a total of 183,000 KW., whilst a good case
could be made out for the immediate development of a further

aoo.iwx) KW.

Although owing to the present difficult financial situation
the full development of the national scheme as outlined in
the Act may be considerably retarded, it will not be inap-
propriate just now to consider .some of the engineering ques-
tions to which the Act will direct .special attention.

The type of prime mover chosen for use in the generating
.stations will be that which under normal working conditions
gives a ma.ximum of economy, reliability, and convenience
for a minimum investment of capital. .\s far as our present
knowledge goes the high-pressure steam turbine fulfils theie
conditions best, and is, therefore, likely to be adopted. Tlie
size of each individual unit is not likely to exceed 40,00(1 kw.
for single generators, owing partly to difficulties of transport,
but also because the increased economy with larger sets will
be very small, and this is more than offset by the additional
risks incurred due to a .smaller number of units being in-
stalled. A safe rule to adopt would be that the size of the
largest generator installed should not exceed in capacity "20
jier cent, of the maximum load on the system it supplies,
and spare plant equal in capacity to the largest set installed
must be provided and kept available for immediate service.
The first and chief consideration must be continuity of supply,
and unless some .such limit is impo.sed on the size of the
unit, too great a striving after the lowest possible costs may
leail to grave embarrassment in ease of breakdown. The trend
iif modern engineering in its search niter economy is towards
^till higher steam pressures and increased superheat. Siinie
of our largest new .stations are to run with steam pressures
as high as 350 lb. per .sq. in. with a total temperature of about
VDO deg. F., whilst at one large station now approaching com-
pletion it is proposed to reheat the steam between the H.r. and
[..p. cylinders of the turbines. The present is. as it were, a
transition period in the design of the modern power liouse.

Gas firing of boilers is at first sight an exceedingly attrac-
tive proposition. It cannot be too clearly stated that every
process of coal distillation for boiler firing involves con-
siderable heat losses, and the extra heat last must be com-
pen.sated for by the production of by-products or substances
I if greater value than the heat .so lost. Unfortunately this
is not the case even with the present high price obtainable
lor the Ijy-products, so that gas firing, with its promise of
iiigher boiler-hou.se efficiency, is not yet a financially .sound
proposal.

The efficient burning of low-grade fuels has been made
jiossiljle by improvements in the design and arrangement of
mechanical stokers and furnace brickwork, and also by the
gradual introduction into boiler houses of men of superior intel-
ligence supervised by expert steam engineers. These men are
now greatly as.si.sted in carrying out their work by various
accurate instruments, and we are hopeful that shortly it will be
possible to replace the CO. indicator with an instrument for
indicating accurately the excess of oxygen in the flue gas,
which is what we really want to know. Further elasticity
in the working of the boiler house might be obtained by sub-
dividing the overhead coal bunkers into two unequal parts, the
larger part holding fuel of average quality for use during
periods of light or moderate loads, and the smaller part hold-
ing fuel of better quality for use during periods of heavy
load or in case of emergency.

Even with the most economical plant the over-all thermo-
dynamic efficiency of the big generating stations now being
considered is not likely to exceed 20 per cent., when running
with a load factor of 40 per cent. This is a great advance on
what is being acconipli.shed to-day in our smaller and older
stations, and it will be found very difficult in everyday
practice to greatly improve this efficiency whilst steam is
used as the working substance. It is as well to point out that
in the average public supply gasworks the gas in the holder
only contains 25 per cent, of the heat energy of the coal from
which it is obtained. Whilst electricity can be utilised foy

668

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. s?. No. 2,243, notembeb 19, 1920.

power production at a constant efficiency of . about ,90 per
cent., gas can only be utilised for the same purpose at an
efficiency of, say, 25 per cent, when the gas engine is new,
and at a very much lower figure when it is old. In comparing
the relative thermal efficiencies of gas and electricity for the
production of power, we see that in the case of electricity the
principal loss is incurred in the generating station, and is
borne by the supply authority, whereas in the ca.se of gas
the principal loss is incurred in the gas engine, and is borne
by the consumer. Perhaps it is largely because of this fact
that (according to Sir Dugald Clerk) the whole of the towns'
gas industry in this country only supplies about 448,0(H)
B.H.p. of gas engines, which is a mere fraction of the total
H.p. of motors connected to the mains of our public electricity
supply undertakings.

The outstanding features of the design and arrangement
of the conti'olling switchgear which will be installed in the
large stations of the future will be .safety and absolute
ximplicity. Current limiting reactances, .so arranged that
every main switch in the station will be capable of satisfac-
torily breaking the maximum short-circuit current of the
circuit which it controls, are likely to be adopted. Tlie pre-
judice against the use of reactance for the main switchgear
which has undoubtedly existed hitherto, is giving place to
a better appreciation of the benefits accruing from its use.

Both safety and simplicity arc increased by keeping the
number of circuits connected to the main busbars down to
the absolute minimum. For instance, if there are six genera-
tors installed in the station the number of circuits connected
to the main busbars should not generally exceed eighteen,
viz., six generator circuits and twelve group feeder circuits,
each of the latter supplying through current-limiting react-
ances a sub-busbar to which a group of feeders would be
connected. • . ,

With the increased size of the new electricity disfi-rcts,
feeder and trans)iiission line voltages are likely to be' much'
higher than the .standard pressure of 33,000 volts adopted
by Manchester and Birmingham for their new stations. For
jiressures over this amount thi'ee-phase trunk -feeders will
probably each consist of three single-core, lead-sheathed cables,
the copper conductors being stranded over a hemp core
to increase their diameter with a view to reducing the
potential gradient. We may be sure that British cable manu-
facturers will be ready to supply E.H.l". cables when required,
and guarantee their satisfactory working. I am a.ssuming,
as I hojie will be the case, that all main transmission feeders
will be placed underground (full advantage being taken of
the compulsory wayleaves provided by the Act), and only
a few transmission lines of secondary importance placed over-
head. ,

.Although probably not more than 10 per cent, of the output
of the big stations will be ustAj for purely domestic .supplies,
I want to refer jiaiticulaily to a means for giving this class
of supply, from substations connected to the main e.h.I'.
distributing system. For small l.p. domestic supplies d.c. is
on the whole more satisfactory than a.c, apart altogether
from the larger question of power factor, and the fact that for
equal declared pres.sures A.c. is at least 41 per cent, more
dangerous to touch or handle than d.c. The latter jxiint is
of special importance now. that so much portable apparatus
is being introduced into the modern household. Low-pressure
A.c. can at present, however, be supplied to small consumers
more cheaply and economically than d.c, because with the
former step-down static transformers with an efficiency of
about 98 per cent, are employed, and requu-e no regular
attention, whereas with d.c, rotary converters must be u.sed
having an efficiency of about 9'2 per cent., and requiring con-
.stant .skilled attendance. Entirely automatic rotary con-
verter sub-stations have been working with considerable suc-
cess for some years in the United States, where labour co.sts
are even higher than ours, but I cannot believe that this
method is likely to meet with much favour in this country.
The ideal towards which we are working is a completely
automatic and static sub-station for converting e.h. p. three-
phase A.c into low-pressure D.c, with an overall efficiency
approaching that of the modern transformer. The remark-
able development during the last few years of the mercury
vapour rectifier for sub-station work in sizes up to 500 KW.
each, has brought us much nearer to our ideal, and I believe
it is apparatus of this character which will be adopted for
small traction and lighting sub-stations in the future. As
an indication of their successful operation, rectifiers having
an aggregate capacity of 55.0I.K) KW. have already been sup-
plied, or are under construction, in Switzerland. .\ -ioO-KW.
set, I hope, will be working this winter in Birmingham. 1
have seen these large rectifiers in course of manufacture at
Baden, and witnessed them in operation on both traction
and lighting systems, working alone or in parallel vrith rotary
convert.ers, and was impressed by their noiseles.sness, the
small space occupied, and the fact that they reqiiire nd
regular attention. They are insensible to variations in fre-
quency, their regulation or voltage rise between no load and
full load t-in be adjusted between 5 and 17 per cent'., and
their overall efiiciency, including the step-down tran.sformer,
IS about 03 per cent, at .'J(K) volts, .and their efficiency is
practically constant at all loads. In first cost they are
cheaper than rotary converters, and they can he in.stalled in a
I'ess expensive building. One disadvantage is that the arc
('andj therefore, the d.c. supply) is hot self-restoring after

an interruption of the a.c. supply, but has to be restarted by
means of a small ignition arc tempdrarily set up between
an electrically controlled steel rod plunger and the mercur\
bath cathode. It -is, however, not difficult to fore.'^ee thai
when a fully automatic sub-station is required, some simple
instrument of the relay type will be devised to restart a
rectifier, and connect it to the busbars after the a.c. supply
has been restored.'

The work of electrical engineers is expanding daily as new
discoveries are made or more efficient methods devised. It
is a splendid tradition of our profession, which we must all
faithfully observe, that particulars of any new knowledge
gained shall be published and made known for the benefit
of all, and the proper channel for the dissemination of such
knowledge is through the In.stitution to which wi- all have
the honour to belong.

Nuuth-Eastf.k.n Ce.ntke.

At Newcastle-upon-Tyne, on November 8tli. the chainuan of
the above.Centre, Mr. .1. R. Beard, M.Sc, M.I.E.E., dehvered
an address at the.fii'.st meeting of the 19'20=iU session, choosing

-as his .subject " Post-war Conditions and Developments, with
particular reference to the Electricity Supply Industry."

There follows an abstract of the address : — .

Mr. Beard referred to the exceptional circumstances of the
times, and drew an analogy between the present times and
those which followed the Napoleonic wars. He. reviewed the
industrial position at some length before turning to the more
particular subject of his address — electrical problems. He
urged the supreme importance of national recovery, and said
when it was viewed from the material side, it was apparent,
both from a study of, economics and from the experience of
other nations in the past, that the most important factor in
quickly raising the burden of taxation and restoring national
wealth was 'some special development of applied science. The
general application of .steam power to industry was the main
.source of England's recovery from the after effects of the
Napoleonic wars. To what should one look -for similar assist-
ance to-day? Beyond the bare possibihty of the discovery of
the key to the almost unlimited energy locked up in the atom,
only two main sources were in sight ; .scientific organisation of
production and the closely allied question of the general appli-
cation of electric power. There was no doubt but that inthe
electrification of industry this country held a natural advan-
tage, due to the low cost of distribution resulting from its
dense population, its relatively small area, and the absence of
the necessity for expensive long-distance ti-an.smission. During
the abnormal growth of certain industries in the war period,
it was estimated that 95 per cent, of the new mechanical
power was applied through electric motors, while in 557 imdei -
takings the average increase in plant capacity was 101 per cent.
With regard to the question of the adjustment to post--nar
conditions, the- Chairman, emphasi.sed the fact that both the
actual arid relative values of various materials and labour hail
appreciably changed. .He quoted figures by Mr. Fi'ank WaJker
(published in the " Beama "' Jonriinl), referring to the in-
fluence of the war on costs, and added approximate figures of
his own as being of direct interest to those engaged in the elec-
tricity supply industry. Fiom his figures the following general
conclusions might be drawn : — (1) Ti'an.smission and di.stri-
bution of electricity were relatively favourably situated as re-
garded materials due to the comparatively low increases in cost
of copper and lead. (2) The electricity supply industry bene-
fited from the small amount of unskilled labour employed. (3)
It had been affected by' the changed conditions no more than
the gas industry which was its rival in the domestic field. (4)
The relative proportions of capital costs, labour and fuel were
approximately the same as they were pre-war. but due to in-
crea.sed rates of mterest. capital charges nvie relatively greater.
(5) Revenue had not increa.sed by anything like the .same pro-
portion as the working costs, due to a large proportion of the
capital employed having been expended in pre-war times.
This difference must, however, gradually become smaller since
the pre-war plant was steadily wearing out, and all repairs,
renewals and replacements must be carried out at post-war
values. Economy in generation could be .sought in at least'
eight directions: — (1) Increased use of plant: {■!) reduction in
the proportion of spare plant for overhaul and stand-by ; (3)
utilisation of all available forms of waste energy : (41 reduction
in capital costs per kilowatt: (5| 'reduction of operating'
expenses: (6) improvement in thennal efficiency/:' (7) Hitilisaticfn*
of low-grade fuel; and (8) combination "br co-operation with
other allied industries. The first si-\ headings depended uptji
supplying the requirements uf each industrial area frorn a
.angle unified svstem, while on the most cursory examination
the same could be said of the remaining two. Tlie first re
quirtmeiit of a unified svstem was a general network of mains
Af tire same frCiiuency, 1»ut not uece.ssarily of the .same Volt
age' covering the entire industrial area and .so much of the
agricultural fringe as could be conveniently incorporated willi
it. The natural development of the unified network was the
concentration of generation on the most .suitable sites, using
the largest units of plant. Advant^iges immediately accrued
under headings (4). (5) and {('>) due to the mere increa.se in
size, while further advantages could be obtained under (G), (7)
and (8) from the more .skilled and .specialised design and super-
vision which could be afforded by a large undertaking. The

Vol.87. No. 2,243, NovEMBBB 19, 1920.] THE ELECTHICAL- REVIEW.

669

six ways of iiiipaiving economy were interdepeudeut and, in
consequence, tbc design of such a station was one of the most
interesting problems in modern engineering. Perhaps the
most fundamental problem was to form the correct balances
between capital charges and running expenses on the varions
sections of the plant, and by far the must important balance
was that involving the thermal ptticiency.

The- Chairman submitted a- diagram, fig. 1, showing the
additional capital expenditure that it was economical to expend
in order to safe 1/10 lb. of coat per imit. taking into account
load factor, cost of coal, and rate of capital charges. For
typical present day figures of 4t)s. perton for coal and 12J per
cent, for interest and depreciation, the maximum additional
capital was £0.3 at 1(J0 per cent, load factor, or MS.lo at 50 per
cent, load factor. During the last few years, progress had

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been made iu cal)le manufacture, and mcl^t makers were pre-
pared tn supply cables for a working pressure <if WW) volts,
while •5.5.lWIO-volt cables were being made commercially in small
quantities; there was a general expectation of carrying the
maximum pressure to 06,000 volts. The co-ordination of rail-
way electrification with jjeneral power supply would have a
great influence in facilitating the development of transmission
systems.

Considering how capital charges on the distribution network
might be reduced, the speaker suggested various methods, sum-
marised under seven headings : (1) Revision of regulations and
of antiquated safety precautions; (2) increased use of non-
duplicate or semi-duplic'ate ."iupplies; (3) increased use of over-
bead lines; (4) reduction of unduly high factors of .safety of
cables and overhead lines: (5) maximum use of the carrying
r.-.pacity of the mains; (6) reductions in the amount of switch-
gear ; and (7) savings on buildings.

With regard to safety they had erred from too great caution,
and it was time that the regulations were thoroughly revised.
He understood that steps were already being taken by the In-
stitution, at the invitation of the Electricity Commissioners, to
consider what changes were desirable. It was surprising to
what extent unnece.s.sary switchgear was in.stalled. One im-
portant dirertir'ii in which improved economy could be ob-

Fre. '2.

t-ained without capital expenditure was by concentrating the
attention of the station operating staff upon the boiler-house
and by increasing the technical .skill of those responsible for
supervising the burning of the fuel. As regarded the problem
of combination or co-operation with other aUied industries,
most of it was in connection with low- temperature carboni-
.sation of coal previous to its being burnt under the boilers, the
object being to obtain the valuable Ijy-products. In other
directions mutual economy was possible by inter^\'orking; with
the gas industry, with electric vehicle companies, such as that
recently formed in the Newcastle district, and with certain
electro-mefallui-gical industries, and with schemes for public
sunphes of hot water.

In this country there had been hitherto httle high-pressure
tran.ynission, as with cheap coal and relatively poor water-
power resourc<^'s it had been economical to generate in
proximity to the load. While loads were small, it was unneces-

sary to use pressures in excess of those which could be taken
into industrial sub-stations direct. But that stage had already
been passed in some areas. It was quite usual when a non-
duphcate supply was given to find a switch on both the high
and low-pressure sides of the transformer, when it was obvious
a switch on the high-pressure side was sufficient. ^Yhen it
came to duplicate-supjily sub-stations for important consumers,
the cost of sw'itehgear was a serious item. The need for the
usual arrangement was very remote, and he suggested a sim-
plified arrangement shown in fig. '2, which reduced the number
of switches from five to three, and lent itself to an arrangement
of balanced-protective gear w'hich included the whole of the
switchgear, whereas in the usual arrangement the switches
and busbars could not be protected without considerahle com-
plication. As a result of the protective arrangements the new
scheme permitted of the use of Ughter and cheaper switches
for controlling, the transformers, since if, due to a specially
severe fault, they should fail to clear, the fault would be no
more serious from the system's point of view than the failure
of a cable, and would be cleared by the high-rupturing capa-
city switches on either side. Due to the reduction both in
number of switches and in the average rupturing capacity, the
overall cost of the switchgear should be reduced to practically
half.

The questions of industrial and domestic tariffs seemed
urgently to require a settlement, and he suggested that the
Institution might usefully call a conference of associations re-
presenting the various groups of electricity supply authorities
with a view to an agreed standardisation of these tariffs.

Referring to the provision of capital, the Chairman said that
to induce a flow of the necessary capital a satisfactory return
proportioned to modern conditions must be assured, and it
seemed illogical to refuse permission to raise maximum prices
until hardship had been proved, based on pre-war rates of in-
terest. In conclusion, the speaker spoke of the importance and
need of co-operation, and concluded with the words: "If we
are equal to the task and can raise this country to a high level
(if electrical development, we shall be amply repaid both d;' its
effect on the prosperity of the industrial life of the country
and by the assistance which it will afford to our electrical
manufacturing industry in obtaining a worthy share in ttit
markets of the world."

REVIEWS.

27ic Enyinecring Inquiry (Electrical and Mechanical). By
ToMEY Thompson. Pp. 367. London : Simpkin, Marshall,
Hamilton. Kent & C-o., Ltd. Price 7s. 6d. net.

This book is not intended for, and is not needed by, the
expert engineer specialising in some particular branch of engin-
eering, but is more for officials who are responsible for the pur-
chase of numerous widely varying types of apparatus or
machinery used in general mechanical and electrical engiueer-
ing work. Purchasing and selling engineers, estimating clerks,
agents, and managers will find that the book will greatly assist
them to ehminate the continual loss of time and money due to
much cross correspondence, by helping them to specify, in
the first instance, in their inquiries, the full information needed
by manufacturers or sellers, for prompt and efficient tendering
purposes.

It is well known that preliminary inquiries for engineering
material are seldom put into such a complete form as to be
answerable without delay and expense; and it is generally
agreed that preliminary interviews with customers are designed
invariably by manufacturers for the purpose of obtaining com-
plete information as to possible specifications. It is only
when such information has been obtained that the seller or
manufacturer can closely estimate on the best or most suitable
apparatus he can offer, to meet the various conditions desired.
In most cases it is felt that the prospective buyer or his en-
gineer could readily submit a complete inquiry in the first
instance, if he were prompted as to the full information "
desired by the seller or manufacturer, and the aim of the book
is to try and do this promptly.

The electrical side of the book appears to be more advanced
than the mechanical, but as the book is not by any means
complete, and is not likelv to be for some time, considering
the amount of general information required for such a book,
subsequent editions will no doubt be revised and supplemented.

The book miyht be improved by adding a few typical speci-
fications in full, and by leaving the index portion free from
advertisements. ,

The compiler is to be congratulated upon the large amount
of really useful information, and the number of promptings
contained in this little book. — E. P.

Dirrr.t Current Motor and Generator Troubles , Operation- and
Repair. By Thf.o. S, Gandy and Elmer C'. Sckacht. Pp.
■274: 107 figs. London : McGraw-Hill Book Co. Price
15s. net.

In an appreciative introduction. Dr. C. P. Sfeinmetz de-
scribes this book a3 " a biology, pathology, and therapy of the
electric machine." It contains a gi'eat amount of thoroughly
practical information, most of which is fairly w'ell known to

670

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,243, novkmbbb i-j, 1920.

experienced electrical eritjineers, but which, .so far as tlie
reviewer is aware, has never before been collected into so
handy and compact a form.

The authors never depart from the subject they set out to
deal with, and all sections are clear and interesting. The
sections comprise types of d.c. machines, erection and assembly
of dynamos and motors, starting and operation of n.c.
machines, D.c. switchboards, troubles and their remedies, tests
and repairs.

The chapter on erection and assembly is noteworthy for
giving clear and systematic in,struction in handling all parts
of machines. This work is often left to serai-skilled men. who
devise their own methods as occasion arises. The reviewer
is of the opinion that a simple course of instruction for work-
men based on Messrs. Gandy and Schacht's notes would well
repay many Briti.sh firms.

Other subjects which are dealt with in a specially interesting
and useful way are commutation and brushes, while the safety
rules given at the end of the book could hardly be improved
upon.

The illustrations are excellent, but the complete wiring
diagrams, as distinguished from the line diagrams, are some-
what difficult to follow.

It is somewhat unfortunate that the authors did not include
A.c. machines in their treatment of the .subject, as most of the
work is applicable to both a.c. and d.c. machines; and a slight
extension would have made a very general treatise of reference.

The book should be greatly appreciated by the great army
of engineers who dread mathematical syinbr)ls. as the small
amount of theory included is of the simiilcst description. It
would also be an excellent text book for the practical side of
a works training scheme. — C. \V. M.

Lignes Electriques Aerieniies. Bv P. Behgeox and .\. Casti.x.
Pp. 240; 96 figs., and 3 plates. Paris: Albin Michel,
22, Eue Huyghens. 1920. Price 12 fr.

This book is one of a series the Bibliotheque de ITngenieur
Electricien published under the direction of Prof. Barbillion,
Director of the Polytechnic Institute of the University of
Clrenoble. The book is one intended tor the use of tlie
practical man and the student, and is written by men in
close touch with recent development.

The first chapter starts with the factors which deteranne
the calculation of the iwrcentage loss taken with refer-
ence to the energy delivered at the point_ of departure, and
the liercentage drop in voltage ba.sed nn tliat at the receiving
end of a line. It is pointed out that although in an alternat-
ing current circuit the voltage drop depends not merely on
the resistance, but is also a function of the pow'er factor of
the working load, of the radius of the conductor, and of the
distance apart of the conductors, yet in the cases u.sually
met with this percentage -drop in voltage does not dilTer
materially from the percentage energy loss. This point is
demonstrated a few pages later. The useful factor is the
percentage voltage drop, and not so much other voltage
relations. Methods are given for the calculation of line
reactance, and useful approximate methods are given. The
advantage of subdivision when considerable current capacity
is required is demonstrated. The influence of Kelvin's law
on the choice of section of the conductor is noted, and some
factors in the choice of voltage are given. It is pointed out
that 15,0(KJ volts is about the maximum distribution voltage
desirable, when small transformer posts are concerned and;,
simple apparatus is desirable.

Chapter II starts with the mechanical factors: lines on the
level and on a slope: the effects of wind pre.ssure. of snow
and ice. and temperature variation, are then dealt with. The
French Government regulations are based on a pressure of 72
kg. per sq. metre (1.5 lb. per sq. ft.) on the projected section
of the conductor. A factor of safety of 5 is necessary accord-
ing to these rules when crossing roads or passing houses,
and 3 elsewhere. A calculation is given of a 240-metre span
across the Rhone. The calculation of voltage drop is dealt
.with in some detail, and an example given. The mutual
induction of two circuits, and the effect and practical calcula-
tion of the capacity of a line are then dealt with, and a table
is given showing the maximum densities desirable for copper
and aluminium conductors.

The fourth chapter deals with the materials used as con-
ductors. Besides copper and aluminium, the authors con-
sider that there is scope for galvanised iron or coppered steel
for .short, low-powered lines. In general aluminium comes
out cheaper than copper, the variations in the price of the
former being also smaller than those of the latter. With
regard to aluminium, it is stated that practical experience
shows that the deposits of snow and ice do not depend on
the diameter of the conductor. It is urged that above 50,000
volts aluminium has a distinct advantage when allowing for
atmospheric discharge losses. A list of some of the French
power companies using aluminium is given, .-^bout iW miles
are in use in the neighbourhood of lirenoble. No mention
is made of steel cored aluminium, which is now used to a
material extent in Germany and in the U.S,.\.

Chapter V deals with insulators: glass and porcelain are
compared: the lower price of the former is noted. Further
space could have been given with advantage to suspension
insulators for very high voltage, an illustration of a Vedovelli
i.\hain does not show the type of insulator usually associated

with the makers in question. Electrical and mechanical
tests are then dealt with. The losses at in.sulators from con-
duction, hysteresis, surface leakage, and capacity charge are
bi-ietly touched upon. For cementing pins Portland cement
is preferred, sulphur and litharge are condemned.

The next chapter deals with supports, the minimum height
of which depends on the maximum sag at summer tempera-
ture and clearance from the highest point of the ground. In
France along public roads this clearance is 6 metres, 8 metres
at road crossings, and 7 metres from rail level when crossing
railways. The three usual methods of arranging pin insulators
for three-phase circuits are shown, the superimposed, the
upright triangle, and the .sideways triangle are shown. The
calculation of strain on supports is given. It is pointed out
that if the line breaks on a straight line, the bending of the
support relieves the strain. The different preservatives for
wood poles are dealt with. A simple method is given for the
calculation of poles to the French regulations. Twin poles,
stay poles, stay wires, and anchorages are touched upon, stay
wires are rarely used in France. Several types of armoured
concrete poles are described, then I section and channel
section steel, and tubular poles. House brackets and brackets
.supporting short uprights are largely used in France, the
'latter often being used in the Alps to carry high tension
mains over the eaves of houses. Thirty-six pages are devoted
to lattice work supports and their calculation, the illustrations
show supports for pin type insulators only. To reduce the
inconvenience of painting, the upper part of such supports
are galvanised. Some graphic diagrams are shown, and an
example of a 200-metre river crossing is worked out and
illustrated with a folding plate. Practical notes on the lay-out
of overhead lines are given in the next chapter. In France
a usual span for wood poles is 3.5 to 45 metres, and with steel
supports 100 metres; practical notes on the pegging out and
erection of supports are given, and then come notes on
jointing, branches, and inlets. Road and railway crossings
are dealt with, and a short .section is given on lightning
protection ; more details could perhaps have been given w itli
regard to this latter. Difficulties with horn arresters are
noted, and the controversy regarding the use of a super-
imposed earth wire is mentioned.

In the last chapter notes are given on the testing of lines
and the location of faults. An appendix gives extracts from
the Fi'ench regulations.

The authors in their examples and notes have very largely
relied on the practice current in the French .^Ips. In the
book there is almost an entire absence of that undigested
scissors and paste which is such an objectionable feature in
many modern technical books. Most of the notes given
apply to lines up to 70,000 volts, that is to say, of a character
most likely to be dealt with in the British Isles in the near
future. No attempt is made to enter into elaborate explana-
tions of phenomena or formulse, and the calculations are of
H. simple character.

It might be noted that as a large proportion of the technical
words are nearly the same as in English, and the text is
written in short sentences, the book can be understood by
those who have only a moderate knowledge of French.

It is understood that amended regulations for the erection
of overhead lines will be draw'n up very shortly, and it is
well known that those which exist, and the policy which has
been adopted in the past by the B.O.T., have not been
favourable to the development of overhead transmission or
distribution in the United Kingdom. As this book has been
written by practical men in a country where probably well
over thirty times as much overhead mileage has been erected
as there exists here, the perusal of this interesting little book
is to be connnended to those who will be responsible fur
the drawing up of the regulations, and for the departmental
supervision of overhead lines when erected. — T. E.

Electric Wiring. By W. S. Ibbetson. Pp. vi-l-463; 218 tigs.
London : E. & F. N. Spon, Ltd. Price 18s. net.

The new edition of this handbook on electric wiring is.
according to the preface, intended primarily for the use of
students who propose to sit for the examination of the City
and Guilds of London Institute, and must presumably be
judged by the .scope of those examinations. This makes it
rather difficult to judge its value as a general handbook, as it
involves limitations on the author. He naturally tends to
scheme the book in a fa.shion that suits the examinations
rather than the w-orkiug needs of the student, and the two
do not always correspond.

The sections devoted to theory — Chapters I to IV — are, for
example, too brief to be really of much value. They would
no doubt give a wireman sufficient knowledge of the units of
electricity, and so on, to pass the examination, but hardly ]

sufficient theory to be of much practical value to him. One
oversight in them should be corrected, viz., the ignoring of
the efficiency of the motor in examples 61 and 65.

In a somewhat similar way the chapters devoted to the
details of actual apparatus — filament lamps, arc lamps, fuses.
switches, &c., are perhaps unnecessarily detailed. The student,
who may he assumed to have some practical experience with
such apparatus, hardly needs large-size illustrations of direct
and indirect lighting fittings, lamp holders, switches, and plugs.

It is jM'obable that the space devoted to these items would
hv better used in a more complete description of wiring

Vol.87. No. 2,243, November 19, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

t71

sy.stfins, in fuller tliscussion of theii- relative advantages and
disadvantages. For example, no mention is made of Stannos
wiring, and even though the author may think it an unsatis-
factory system, it should be considered, as it is sometimes
used. The use of slip tubing, and the practice of threading
conduit on wires, should also be condemned much more
strongly.

Another important matter that has been omitted is some
reference to and discussion of the use of the small automatic
plants that have been so much developed in recent years.
These also have many defects in principle, and this may
account for the omission of all reference to them, but they
are being largely installed, and the section dealing with the
subject of small isolated plants with batteries should have
included details of the principles involved in their use.

In spite of these omissions — due doubtless largely to the
scojie of the book, which is perhaps too great for a single

volume — the book is well written, and covers the essentials
of the subject faii-ly exhaustively. The examples are for
the most part clearly worked out — though there is a glaring
arithmetical error in paragraph 473— and the student would
undoubtedly find the book of great assistance to him in work-
ing up for his examiuatiiin. It would have been advantageous
if all the tables could have included the new cable sizes,
as it is rather annoying to see these properly given in table 10,
but the old sizes used in tables 1 and 5. It is also annoying
to .see again the old Simplex schedule of " wiring capacity
of conduits." Standard tubing properly installed will take
appreciably larger cable than in this table, and it is rarely
that an experienced wireman does not use (what is the same"
thing) smaller conduit than this table allows. The I.E.E.
should investigate the question, and get it properly settled,
as a table quoted so largely in text books and usually ignored
in practice is not satisfactory.

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

Benders are hinted to nuhmit piirticularx of new or improved devices and apparatus
if considered of sufficient interest.

wliich will he viihlislied

The Telemeter.

■ Measured service is the only practical method of selling tele-
phone service, but the essential requirement, a satisfied sub-
scriber, is only to be obtained by installing a recorder at the
subscriber's terminal so that he may keep an accm'ate check
on all his completed calls. An instrument which is claimed to
fulfil all the necessary requirements is fully illustrated and
described in the October issue of the Trlrphone Engineer
under the name of the " telometer." The device, shown in
fig. 1, is compact and substantial, with little to get out of

Kiu. 1.— The Telometer.

adjustment, and it can be attached to or adjacent to any type
of telephone instrument. The subscriber has control of tlie
recording mechanism ; he must partially record the call before
he can signal the exchange, but he cannot prevent the subse-
quent recording of the call when it is completed, as this is
done automatically by the response of the called subscriber,'
and no additional work or dependence is placed on the
operator. To initiate a call the subscriber depresses a button,

Fig. 2.— Thhee-wire and Two-wire Line Cokd Meter
CiRcniTS. '

which ac-tion turns the recording dial iiue step. ;iud by a ciuii-
binatiou of levers and latches locks the meter in the operative
position. Vi"hen the receiver is removed from the switch hook,
the operator answers in the usual manner. When the called
party responds, advantage is taken of the action of the super-
visory relay and light to operate a quick-acting relay (5).
fig. 2, and send an impulse of excess voltage over one side of
the line to the meter through contact springs and thence
through electromagnets to earth. The clc<'lr(iinagnets com-

plete the recording of the call. The action of relay (5) allows
the battery current to flow through relay (6) ; the latter relay,
however, de-energises (-5), thus stopping the flow of excess
voltage and locking (.5) to prevent any further impulses of
excess voltage going out. Consequently only one record can
be made on any one call, even though the subscriber should
inadvertently depress the button. If the called party does not
answ-er, the impulse of excess voltage is not sent out and the
meter remains in a locked operative position ready to signal
central on the next call; yet the button is locked and the
recording device cannot be moved forward until after a call,
originated at this telephone, is completed; thus the total num-
ber of calls recorded is determined by the actual number of
calls completed. In the case of a wrong number call; when
the wrong party answers the call will be recorded, but when
the calling subscriber ascertains he has received the wrong
party he can again signal central without pushing his button,
by working his hook switch which will operate the super-
visory isgnal. As long as relay (6) is in a locked position it is
impossible to completely record another call, even though the
subscriber has again depressed the button, thus only useful
and intended calls are recorded. On a reverting call, i.e.,
where one party on a line desires to talk to another party on
the same line, the operator, after ascertaining that the parties
are talking, wiU press a key, which registers the call on the
meter, but does not interfere with the service, as relay (6) has
locked up, controlling the circuits that were routed through
this key. Reference to fig. 2 will show that the meter cannot
be operated on a busy test. The margin between the regular
voltage on the line and cord circuits and the voltage of the
impulse to unlock the meter is so great that there is no prob-
ability of the meter operating until intended. The trans-
mission of voice currents, however, is in no way impaired, as
all meter apparatus is electrically disconnected when the met«r
operates. In the circuit drawing is fflso shown an extra relay
in the line circuit which is necessary only when a certain
otfice peg count is desired in connection with the subscriber's
station meter. This constitutes no part of the invention and '
is shown only for its possibilities. This circuit and apparatus
has been tested and found to operate satisfactorily over a line
with a total loop resistance of S(Xt ohms. With the electro
magnets in the meter wound to .500 ohms the supervisory
signals will operate perfectly.

Fire=proof Doors.

One of the specialities manufactured at Messrs. Fr.^seb &
Chalmers' Engikeerini; Works, Erith, Kent, is fire-proef
doors, the use of which is an effective means of preventing the
spread of fire in large buildings. The firm's design has been
approved by the L.C.C. and other authorities, including the
principal insurance companies. The frames are welded up .solid
from steel angles and T sections, providing a structure which it
is claimed will not distort under the infiuence of heat. More-
over, the method of construction permits the doors to be fitti d
and every detail, including locks and handles, to be completed
by the manufacturer prior to dispatch, and facilitates erection
on site as the frames are delivered together with the doors
intact, leaving only the final grouting in the wall openings.
Each wall opening is provided with double doors, which may
be either single-panel or multiple-panel folding section doors.

The " Edison=Acme " Accumulator.

Tiie Eluson-Swan ElectrR' Co.. Ltii.. of Ponders End,
Middlesex, is manufacturing an accumulator under the nam"
" Edison--\cme " to a special design and constructed in such ■>
manner as to enable it, it is claimed, to withstand vibration
and give an ampere-hour et'Qciency of 92 per cent. The cell
cases are made of strong double-weight celluloid, and are fitted
with sealed lids, vent plugs, and non-corrosive terminals ;
nickel-plated screw terminals are fitted if specified when
ordering. The cells may be grouped in polished wood cases,

672

THE ELECTRICAL KEVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,243, novmbeb iiM92o.

cratps, or eiiniuellcil nietul hu.xes with stniri Ijaiullfs as desired.
They are made iu a variety of sizes iu both the vertical and
horizontal types, the latter being intenderl to meet the require-
ments of positions where height is limit(;d and the elevation
is too low to permit the u.se of the vertical type. The
batterie.s, besides fulfilling ordinary requirements, can be made
np to suit any make of motor car for both lighting and ignition
purposes.

The " Ideal " Log Fire.
Realising that there alway.s has been a large section of the
public to which a log fire makes an irresistible appeal, the
(iBNBRAi, El{x:tric Co., [/td., of 67. Queen Victoria Street.
E.G. 4. has designedan electric log tire, known as the " Ideal."
inu] ilhistrated in fig. 3. It is a realistic imitation of a stack
of burning tree logs on an iron cradle stand, the " logs " being
moulded in earthenware, and from tlie crevices, representing
the natural roughness of tin- b-,irk. red-hot resistance wires

Fig. 3.—" Ideal " Electric Log Fiee

emit a pleasant glow, giving the cheery and comfortable effect
of a log fire with none of its drawbacks of pungent smoke or
dirt from charred fragments. No w'ork in cleaning up is
required, and the " logs " are permanently in position, the
heat being controlled by a switch on the wall. The consumj")-
tion of electricity is 2 units per hour, and the overall dimen-
sions of the fire are 16 in. high, 20 in. wide, and 12 in. deep,
and the weight, including the stand, is 42 lb.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly for this journal by Messrs. Shfton-Jonbs. O'Dbll and
Stipbinb, Char'ered Patent Agents, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

oking .ipp.lr.ltus •• J. R. Baird and G.

nections." .A. J. Chevnp. N'ovember Ul.
;lectrical rcinduils. S..:." F. \V. I'rrn.

30.775. " Electric heating and
Pate. November 1st.

30,783. " Terminal (or electric

30,788. " Protective' ferrule Jo
November 1st.

30,805. " Eleiitric light, fittings." E. Stroud. November 1st.

30.825. "Recording and reproduction of sounds." W. H. Meusser and
g. Waltz. November 1st. (Germany, November 1st, 1919.)

30.826. " Amplifier connecting apparatus for telephonic installations."
Siemens & Halske .'Utt. Ges. November 1st. (Germany, October 31st. 1919.)

20.829. " Electric switches." Edison Swan Electric Cu. and F. Shergold.

for tall<ing raacliines, Xi." 1.. L. Fountain.
Aes." Qu.iin Electric Co. & J. R. .Spink. N.,

30.937. " Electri
2nd.

30,946. " Sparking pluas." .\. W. Armstrong. November 2nd.
30,963. " Power plant for vehicles." P. C. Leidich. November 2nd.

30.984. " Induction relays." Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing Co. a
Igranic Eiectric .Co. |Cutler-H:immer .Manufacturing Co.). November 2nd.

30.985. " Thermallv controlled circuit interrupters." Cutler-Ha
Manufacturing Co. and Igranic Electric Co. ' (Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing
Co.). November 2rid.

30.986. " Motor control systems." Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing Co. and
Igranic Electric Co. (Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing Co.). .November 2nd.

30.987. " Controllers for .electric motors." Cutler^Hammer Manufacturing
Co. and Igranic Electric Co. (Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing Co. I. Novem-
ber 2nd.

31,016. " Electric motor car lamps." E. G. .Sanguinetti. November .Srd.
31,035. "Motor car electric lighting sets/' ' ..\utomobile Service. Ltd.. and
E. J. Were. November 3rd.
31.042. "Electrical sounding device." W. E. Rademaker. November 3rd.

31.052. " .Apparatu.s for electro-deposition of metals." \V. Turton. Novem-
ber 3rd.

31.053. "Electric harmonic analyser." M. Walker. November 3rd,
31,059. " Luminous electric disc'haige lamps." E. Schaeffer. November

3rd. (German.!.. July 14th.)

.31.093. " Means for transmitting and recording telephone. &c., messages."
J. H. Robertson. November 3rd. >

31.094. " Electric relays." M. D. Dimitrievitch. November 3rd.

31.098. "Electric lamp shades, kc/' J. Webber. November 3rd.

31,147. " Arc generators for producing oscillating currents of high fre-
quency." P. O. Pedcrsen. November .3rd (Denmark, August 3th.)

31,150. " Electric transmission." A. M. Taylor. November 3rd.

31,166. " Electric motors." Lancashire lynamo & Motor Co. and R. S.
McLeod. November 4th.

31,176. " Electrical -heatrng or cooking utensils." H. Cheshire, Cranmer
and Cheshire, and V. .Summerhayes. November 4th.

31, ISO.
31,183.

31,206.
ber 4th.

31,207.
ber 4th.

.31,225.

31.230.
31,233.

inghc

' Electric heating units." H. Cheshire.

immerhayes. November 4th.

'Switching apparatus for automatic, &c.,

L. Lienz.en. November 4lh.
' Medical coils for use with dry batteries.'

' Means for charging secondary batteries."

I. M. Ford. Novem-

E. L. Bur,

Novem-

holdci

ande scent

" Locking la
November 4lh.

" Electrical speed regulator." E. I.)ick. Novemtjer 4th.

" Electric transformers." Melropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co. (Wesi
Electric & Manufacturing Co.) and Wcstinghouse Electric & Manij

■ing Co. November 4th

31.244. "Telephony." A.J. Roberts. November 4th.

31,275/6. "Electric kettle. &c." J. M. Colson. .November 4th.

31.-2S4. " Batterv ignition svsiems for iril.rnal combustion engines." R,
liosch. Akl. Ges. November 5lh. (Germany, November 13th. 1919.)

31,298. " Telephone systems." Automatic Electric Co. and .Autumalic
Telephone Manufacturing Co. (Automatic Electric Co.). November 5th.

3l,'Mn. " I-!mplovmont of thermo-electric principles . in steam engines for>
condensing vapours." A. L. P. Mark-Wardlovv. November .".th.

31.317. " Electrical wiring systems." H. F. McLoughlin. November 5th.

31.318. " Continuity devices for metallic conduits .and httings for electric
cables." H. F. McLoughlin and Simplex Conduits, Ltd. November Sth.

31,340. " Electri« glow devices." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. November Sth.

31,344. " Electric switches." G. Lehmann. November Sth.

31,346. " TcriTiinal banks for selector switches." Western El.ctric Co.
(Western Electric Co.). November Sth.

.31,362. "Oil-cooling stators of dynamo electric machinery." H. N. Oullnn.
.November 5th.

--31.371. "Call distributing arrangements for telephone plants." G. .\.
l-ietulander. November Sth. (Sweden. November 22nd, 1919.)

31.372. " Electricallv heated vulcanising apparatus." H. Frost S: Co..
W. H. Welch. Noveifiber Sth.

31,376. " Electron discharge devices fur wireless communication." . J.
Scotl-Taggart. ,\ovember Sth.

31.403. "Electric toasting apparatus." A. Ness. Xoveinber 6th.

31.426. ".Adjustable joints for electric light stands, show stands, &c."'
J. S. Bruce. November 6th.

31,429. "Signalling :.p|,..ratus." J. Meye

nber 0th.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

nbers in parentha
id abridged, and

[or producing iilternnting electric ■

less signals." E. E. Frank;
of

D

ecember

13th,

1916.

F. Ha

rrison.

May

n

May

10th,

1919.

F. Ha

rrison.

May

k

s. June

13th,

1919.

ne

hydrous magnesium
." E. A. Ashcroft.

British Thomson-Houston Co. (Ge
(152,365.)

11,687. " Manulaclure ol incand
9th, 1919. (152,377.)

11,800. " Electric incandescent
(1.52.378.)

11,935. " .'Vfanufacture of incandi
13th, 1919. (152,379.)

14.994. " Receivers
(152.386.)

17,247. " Process for electrolytic decomp<
ehloride and the production of magnesium and chlori
July 9th, 1919. (152,402.)

17.424. " Static electrical condensers."- British Thomson-Houston Co. and
R. C. Clinker. July 11th, 1919. (Cognate application 24,106,19.) (152.409.)

17,521. " Brush rocking gear and terminal mechanism for dvnamo-electric
machines." H. D. Rohman. July 12th. 1919. (132,418.)

17.583. " Radiating antenna svstems." British Thomson-Houston Co.
(General Electric Co.). July 14th. 1919. (IJS.422.1

17,701. " Electric radiators and the like." English Electric Co. and R.
Weaving. July 15th. 1919. (152.429.)

17,870. " Electrical lovv-tension oil switch.'s." R. t. Norton. July 17lh.
1919. (152,438.)

17.893/4. " Switching apparatus for selecting and operating sets of electrical
contacts." Relav Automatic Telephone Co. April 2nd. 191?. (141,005/6.)

18,963. "Electrical switches." W. H. Tonks and W. Sparks. July 31st,
1919. (152.451.)'

■20.202. " Electric locomotives." T. Zvveigbcrgk. Augu^ 16lh,' 1919.
(1.52,469.) - - .

' 21.113. " Connectors for wires .ind electrical conductors." J. ..i. Halpin.
August 28th. 1919. (152,480.)

21.618. "Electric light fittings." S. T. Jordan. September 3rd.. 1919.
1152,483.) .'!..(..

22,371. " Electric motor control svstems." T. Zweigb'ergk. September
11th. 1919. (152,490.)

24.813. " Electric resistance heaters and furnaces for high temperatures."
Soc. Anon, des Ateliers de Secheron. October lOlh. 1918. (133.706.)

24.816. " Printing telegraph svstems." Western Electric Co. (Western
Electric Co.). October 10th. 1919.' (152,-514.)

26,013. " Electric light carbons." Siemens & Co. Geb. August Sth, 1916.
(134,225.)

26,333. " Electric heating apparatus." W. B. Sniits. Mav Sth, 1919.
(142.779.)

27,933. " .Apparatus for electricallv controlling air brakes." W. J. Mel-
lersh-Jackson (E. P. \\atcrhouse and B. A. Prince). N'ovember 11th, 1919.
(152.535.)

28.743. " Electric furnaces." Soc. Anon, des .Ateliers dc Secheron. Feb-
ruary 12th, 1919. (Addition to 133.706.) 1138.858.)

28.744. " Electric resistance heaters and furnaces for hif'h temperatures."
Soc. des Ateliers de Secheron. Februarv 12th, 1919. (.Addition to 133.706.)
(138,859.)

30,191. " Electric lamps for illuminating dash boards of motor vehicles
or for like purposes." Rolax Motor Accessories Co. and E. Hill. December
3rd. 1919. (152,541.)

.30. .520. " Electric resistance heater (or melting furnaces." Soc. Anon, des
.\teliers de Secheron. December 28th. 1918. (.\ddition to 133.7061 ( 137 .•.>-« )

isao.

closers." Benjan

5.586. " Electric circuit
.March 3rd. 1915. (139.485)

",'224. " Cord grips for elec<'-ic lamp holdei
(Divided application on 14.61419.) (If

Electric Manufacturing Co.
V. Hopf. June Mith. 1919.

C. E. Hugoniot.- .April 30th. 19l9.

8.484. " Electric mu
(142.447.)

8.914. ".Alternating current " dvnamo-electi-ic- rtiachines'." Sicmcps-Schuckert
werke. March 29th. 1916. (140.811.)

17.189. " Field magneto for dvnamo-electric machines." Siemens.SchikkerH'
werke. July 2.ith, 19i20. (148,748.)

1

TlE3,lBi

EXjEOTIE^/IO^Xj I?,E1^IE'W-

Vol. LXXXVII.

NOVEMBER 2(i, 1920.

No. 2,244.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

Tol. LXXXVII.] CONTENTS: November 2« 1930. [No. 2,244.

Page

An Electrical Review ^'^

Grai ta to Aid Research 674

An Unfortunate Coincidence .' '•''*

German Reconstiuctlon 6''*

Electric Kolliri<r-Mill Equipment for Messrs. Steel, Peech and

Tozer, Ltd. ()■«««.) (<-<'«cZ»rfp<0 675

The Measurement of Power Factor, by D. Solar 677

The Crown-Magnetic Motor Oar, by P. H. Hutton (illus.^ ... 679
Correspondence —

An Electric Lawn Mower 680

Power Factor 680

I.E.E. Subscriptions 681

The Use of Condensers 681

Reriews 681

Legal ... ..• ••• ■•• ••• "• '•• ••• 682

The Shipbuilding, Engineering and Electrical Exhibition

{ill'U,s.~)irontimied) 684

Business Ni tea 686

Notes 6S2

City Notes 695

Stocks and Shares 696

The Institution of Electrical Engineers 697

The Industrial Court 703

The Physics and Chemistry of Colloids and some Industrial

Applications 703

New Patents Applied for, 1920 704

Abstracts of Published Specifications 704

Contractors' Column Advertisement page xxvi

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[6

The reading of the Presidential address before the Institu-
tion of Electrical Engineers is always a notable event in
the electrical world ; and that of Mr. Llewelyn Atkinson
was no exception, though, as he suggested, there is a
tendency nowadays to overestimate its importance. Mr.
Atkinson possesses in high degree a well-ordered mind — a
mental card-index, replete with references to everything
electrical — and he is able, without effort or confusion of
thought, to draw upon any compartment of that compre-
hensive store at pleasure, and to discuss any subject either
cursorily or in minute detail, according to the needs of the
moment. Thus he touched lightly upon telephony,
mentioned relativity, and delivered an essay on agriculture
which revealed an intimate acquaintance with its mysteries.
So catholic are his interests, and so pregnant his remarks,
that it is impossible for us here to refer to more than a
fraction of the tojjics dealt with in his address, in which
he reviewed the progress made in the electrical industry
during the past half-century.

One point relating to the office which he fills is deserving
of special attention on the part of the Institution — namely,
the excessive burden imposed upon the President by his
multifarious duties, which, as Mr. Atkinson observed,
practically absorb the whole of bis time during his period
of office. From this two undesirable results ensue : that
those who consent to occupy the post are seriously over-
worked, and that many of the most eminent members are
debarred from accepting the honour on account of the
exorbitant demand upon their time. That steps should be
taken to remove these disadvantages cannot be denied, and
we venture to suggest that the situation might be met
effectively by dt-puting a considerable proportion of the
duties of the Piesident to the Vice-Presidents, who at
present have little scope for their energies. This course
would not only relieve the pressure on the Piesident, but
would also enhance the dignity and responsibility of the
Vice-Presidents. We are ndt in a position to elaborate the
suggestion by entering into details, but we see no reason
why this rather obvious plan should not be found to afford
a satisfactory solution to a very real and pressing problem.

Referring to the development and extension of the
activities of the Institution during recent years, to which
Dr. Ferranti gave the initial impulse, the President justified
it in the light of the circumstances peculiar to the electrical
industry. He might have justified it also on the ground
that it had proved successful in raising the prestige, and,
consequently, increasing the membership of the Institution,
which is now the largest and most active society of its kind
in this country. As Mr. Atkinson pointed out, it is also
the most useful to its members, and in the future, we have
no doubt, it will increase its lead in that direction.
Incidentally, it is embarrassed by its own endeavours, and
before our next issue appears the members will be called
upon to decide whether they are willing to pay for the
privileges which they enjoy. Seeing that the cost of other
services has generally doubled, whilst the I.E.E. subscrip-
tions have remained unchanged since 1'.' 12, we anticipate
that the necessity of the moderate advance proposed by the
Council will be readily recognised by the members. In our
" Institution Notes '" we give particulars of the much
greater increments proposed by the Institution of Civil
Engineers. By the system of proxy voting every member
can now take part in the decision, and in the interests both
of the Institution and of the industry to which they belong,
we trust that they will honour the call of the Council.

It is interesting to note that cables for r>0,000 volts can
be obtained from manufacturers. The investigations that
73] D

674

THE ELECTRICAL KEViEW„ [Voi. 87. No 2,244, notembbb 26, 1920.

cable-makers are known to be carrying on in this direction
have been kept very secluded, and it was not generally
known that such cables had yet advanced beyond the
experimental stage. There is a certain fascination in the
proposition to imprison conductors at a potential difference
of :)0,000, or even, as the President hinted, 100,000 volts,
within a fraction of an inch of one another, over a length
of 30 or 40 miles, with confidence in their fulfilling their
purpose for as many years. That this feat will be success-
fully achieved, however, we have no doubt, although there
are great difficulties to be overcome ; seeing that insulating
paper is at present stressed only to one-tenth of its ultimate
dielectric strength, it is obvious that there is an ample
margin to work upon.

We are glad to see that Mr. Atkinson lays stress upon
the very grave industrial problems with which the whole
country is faced, and the serious threat that they offer to
its future prosperity, though we are unable to agree with
his diagnosis of the disease from which they spring. He
considers that the symptoms point to a general dislike of
work, due to its monotony under modern conditions ; we
venture to (luestion that conclusion, and 10 suggest that
there is very little evidence to iupport it. Mr. Atkinson,
at the last informal meeting, referred to the Ford car
factory as touching the limit of specialisation in repetition
work ; but are the employes of the firm discontented ? On
the contrary, we have always understood that they were
exceptionally content and very highly paid, and that
employment in those works — whether in the United
States or in this country — was eagerly sought
for. Again, in the textile industries, for example,
much of the work appears to be exceedingly monotonous ; it
has been done on the same lines, more or less, for generations
— but the textile operatives are amongst the quietest workers,
and get on very well with their employers, not a few of whom
spring from the same class. Nor are the engineering indus-
tries, as a whole, markedly averse to repetition work or
piece work. On the other hand, a coal miner's work is
comparatively varied owing to the constant change in the
conditions of his working place, and he is exceptionally well
paid — yet, would anyone call him contented ? Similarly,
agricultural work, in which Mr. Atkinson is so keenly
interest€d, involves a continual change of duties, from day
to day and from season to season — why, then, is it so difficult
to keep labour from deserting the fields and crowding to the
towns ? Formerly low wages could be blamed, but with
the higher wages now obtaining labour is still very scarce.
The late Prof. Miinsterberg, in his book on " Psjcholcgy
and Industrial Efficiency," challenges the popular view on
the monotony of repetition work, and cites examples of his
investigations into this very (|uestion, which tend to show
that tbe supposed victims of monotonous tasks vigorously
dispute the lack of variety and interest in their work.

Xo I The real root cause of the industrial unrest, in our
opinion, is the workman's feeling that, no matter how long
or how hard he works, he is a mere tool for the enrichment
of his employer, with no prospect of securing a share in the
business in which he has invented his labour ; and he is
determined that in future that state of things shall cease.
That is why the sober element demand a share in the control
of the business— and in the profits ; while the extremists
clamour for the more violent course of confiscation, or, what
is little different, nationalisation of industries. Theij irill
mil gii nil irnrkiiifi In einirli Ihe bnSS.

The justice of that view has been admitted by many of
our leaders of industry, including Mr. Atkinson in his
address, and we are pleased to see that he sets a limit to the
" rent " of capital, beyond which the surplus would be
shared between the managing and the operative workers.

Grants to Aid An interesting ease, of whi.li an

Research. ^lecutuit is given in our " Legiil

lohinius. has just been settled by Mr.
Justice Eve. It concerned the right of a manu-
facturing compan" to devote a portion of its
surplus funds to the f\:rtherance of scientific
education and reseiUTh, on the ground that that

allocation was conducive to the welfare of the
company, although it was not applied to a specific
object. We are glad to record that the decision
was in favour of the action of the directors. Had it
been otherwise, it would have been difficult, if not im-
possible, for manufacturers to assist in providing for
the scientific training of the men whose services, as
managers and investigators, are essential to the develop-
ment of British industries. As we have pointed out,
unless the manufacturers give attention to this subject,
and help to furnish the neeessary funds, they will only
have themselves to blame for a shortage of scientific
staffs, which is, indeed, already making itself felt.

We learn that early this week a num-
An Unfortunate ber of members of the Electrical Power
Coincidence? Engineers' Association, who are also
members of one of the leading scientific
institutions, have received from it forms imjuiring
whether tliey are willing in case of emergency to serve
in power stations. Clearly these fonus are being sent
broadcast to the members of that institution.

Now, it is well to prepare for emergencies — in ad-
vance; but when, as it appears to these members of the
E.P.E.A., a mean advantage is taken of the additional
fortnight's grace (which they conceded on the request
of the Joint Board for the purpose of negotiation) to
take measures for their defeat, the circumstances inevit-
ably suggest to them that treachery is afoot. Their
reply to that may not unnaturally be a rescission of the
fortnight's extension, in which event the matter will
come to a head within a few days. Doubtless there is
no insidious meaning attaching to the said circulars,
but nevertlieless the consequences of this ill-advised
action may be serious — and sudden. It is of the first
importance that no interruption of supply shall occur,
and we most earnestly hope that no action will be taken
which tends to precipitate that disastrous event.

(ierman Recon<
struction.

An engineer who has recently had
imple opportunity of tlioroughly study-

; the situation in Germany writes
as follows: — A recent visit to Berlin and other parts of
Germany conclusively demonstrates that the captains of
industry and the working people are all putting their
backs into production, and that they realise that by that
means alone can their conditions of living be inqiroved.
Although in some of the big works a 4GA-hour week has
been introduced, the skilled labourer is producing more
now in 46i hours than he did before the war in 54
hours. The miners and the iron and steel workers are
prepared, if the necessity is shown them, to work 10 and
more hours a day without asking for higher rates, and
their output is rapidly increasing.

Law and order prevail, and railways are ojieiated as-
jniiutually as before the war, although lower speeds are
adopted and fewer trains are run, resulting in over-
crowding.

Wages have, of course, risen ; workmen to-day get
S to 10 times the pre-war rates, which, at the present
rate of exchange, are equivalent to between one-third
and one-half of the rates previously ruling in this coun-
try. The technical staff has had nothing like such in-
ireases, and whilst highly trained is costing one-third
or less what it costs in this country.

All the large industries, such as electrical works, loco-
motive and wagon works, steel works, itc, are full of
work, and have lieavy and pressing orders, including
large orders from England. France. Belgium, and Soutli
America.

Even with the help of anti-dunqdng laws and with the
protection of key industries, the situation from our
point of view is very serious unless our people realise
that our future, nay. our very existence, depends upon
increased output per man and economy in production.

Vel.87. No. 2,244, November 20, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

675

ELECTRIC ROLLING-MILL EQUIPMENT FOR MESSRS. STEEL, PEECH & TOZER, LTD.

AVet ail- filters and fans of Messrs. Heenan & Froude's
manufacture are provided to ensure efficient ventilation of
the machines. They are two in number, and have a
capacity of 20,0(i0 cb. ft. of air per minute ; each filter
with its fan is driven by a 25-h.p. 220-volt motor. Owing
to the low speed of the mill motor the provision of forced
ventilation is essential for the satisfactory running of the

Fig. 8.— Cogging Mill Switchgear ; Wet Air Filters in Background

{Cotiduded from page 646.)

machine. The machines comprising the fly-wheel set, how-
ever, in view of their higher speed, are self-ventilating, but
on account of the large amount of dust which is always
present in rolling mills, the second filter equipment was
installed to ensure a supply of clean air for the machines,
thus preventing the possibility of the windings becoming
choked with dirt. Further, the second filter forms a con-
venient stand-by for the mill motor,
and arrangements are made so that in
the event of failure of one filter, that
which usually supplies the fly-wheel set
can take over the duty, the fly-wheel set
running in the meantime without forced
ventilation.

Fig. 8 shows the switchgear for this
diuipment. The 6,300-volt truck type
switchgear for controlling the 3,000-h.1'.
induction motor is shown on the right,
the D.c. switchgear in the centre, and a
combined staiting and slip-regulating
panel on the left. The wet air filters
also appear in the background of this
illustration. A closer view of the start-
ing and slip-regulating panel is shown
in fig. '.I, from which the arrangement
' f the gear can be clearly seen. The
panel is of the contactor type, and is
connected to banks of metallic resistance
in a baa'ment. Whilst starting the
current taken by the motor is auto-
matically kept within predetermined
limits by means of current-limiting re-
lays. When rolling is in progress an
overload on the induction motor causes
certain of the contactors to come under
the control of the special high-speed
relay shown at the top of the panel on
the right-hand side. This relay opens

I

Fig. 9.— Automatic Starting and Slip-Regulating Panel for Flvwhbel Set.

676

THE ELECTKICAX. REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2^41, November 26, 1920.

the regulating contactors in succession, thus inserting
resistance in the rotor circuit of the induction motor, the
actual number of contactors opened, and hence the amount
of resistance inserted, depending upon the magnitude and
duration of the overload. This causes the motor speed

Fig. 10.— Contactor Gear for Mill Motor and
Auxiliaries.

to fall, allowing the Hy-wheels to assist in driving the
generators.

The action of the relay is extremely rapid, and both the

accelerating the fly-wheels to full speed again after the
peak load in preparation for the next pass. To prevent the
drop in speed of the fly-wheel set being transmitted to the
mill, the regulating contactors are so arranged as to auto-
matically cut out resistance from the exciter field when
inserting resistance into the rotor circuit of the induction
motor. This resistance is so adjusted as to maintain a
constant voltage across the armature of the mill motor
independent of the speed of the fly-wheel set.

'I'he whole of the auxiliaries for this mill are driven by
means of B.T.H. 220-volt d.c. motors. They include a
40-H.P. motor for the special ingot chariot, two lOOrH.P.
motors for the live rolls, a GO-h.p. motor for the screw-
down, and a l'5-h.p. motor for the manipulator. In the
case of the live rolls two spare motors are installed along-
side the main motors so as to cut out delays in the event of
a breakdown. The motors are all controlled by contactor
gear, which is illustrated in fig. 10. Reading from left to
right, there are shown : — The double mill motor field con-
tactor panel ; two small control panels tor the motors driving
the pinion oil pumps ; two panels for the 100-h.p. live roll
motors ; a 60-h.p. panel for the screwdown, and a 25-h.p.
panel for the manipulator.

The above equipment was designed for a maximum output
of 100 tons per hour when cogging down from three-ton
ingots having a mean section of 10 sq. in. to billets of
C. sq. in., but this output has been considerably exceeded on
one or two oi^casions. Two sets of shears are installed
between the cogging mill and the billet and slab mills ;
they are of Messrs. Davy Bros.' construction, and each set
is driven by a 200-h.p. B.T.H. motor.

Billet Hill Equipmmt. — The billet mill is of the Morgan
type, and consists of four stands of 21-in. rolls and six
stands of 18-in. rolls. The 6-in. sq. blooms from the

FiG.-ll.— A 5,000-10,000-H.p. Induction Motor Driving Billet Mills.

induction motor and the supply mains are protected from
overloads, even when the peak loads on the mill motor
build up very - rapidly. Further,: no time is lost in

cogging mill are reduced to 4-in. sq. billets in the 21-in.
rolls,-and can be further reduced to 1| in. sq. in the 18-in.
rolls if jdesired.

Toi. 87. No. 2,244, novsmbeb 26, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

677

The motor driving this mill is a tl,300-volt, 50-cycle
three phase B.T.H. slip-ring type induction motor having a
normal rating of 5,000 H.r. and a peak rating of 10,000 h.i>.
The motor runs at 92 r.p.m., and is coupled on either side
to a long shaft driving the various stands of rolls through
bevel gearing. The machine is shown in fig. 11. The
motor is controlled by means of the special contactor panel
shown in fig. 1l'. A change-over switch is provided on
this panel to enalile the motor to be started either auto-
matically, or under hand-control, by means of a master
controller. Two stator switches are provided, one for
forward and one for reverse rotation, the two switches being
mechanically interlocked to prevent both being closed
together. The object of this arrangement is to enable a
stalled billet to be backed out from the rolls, the arrange-
ment of the control gear being such as to allow the motor
to exert twice full-load torque at starting when running
reversed under hand-control.

The l|-in. billets from the 18-in. rolls are cut into 30-ft.
lengths by steam-driven flying shears, and pass thence to the
skew assembly table, which is operated by a -tO-H.p. B.T.H.
motor. A run-through, also driven by a 40- H.r. motor.

THE MEASUREMENT OF POWER FACTOR.

By D. SCLAR.

Fig. 12.— CoxrACTOR Panel for Billet Mill Motor,

transfers the billets to the cooling bank, where a set of
jobbing shears, driven by a 75-h.p. B.T.H. motor, is
installed for cutting them to suitable lengths for stock if
required. ,

Slab Mill Eijuiimi'nl. — This is at present under con-
struction. It will consist of two stands of 21-in. rolls, and
will be driven by a 1,200-h.p., 6,.S00-volt, three-phase,
50-cycle, B.T.H. slip-ring type induction motor. This
motor will be started by means of contactor gear, and, as
88 in the case of the billet-mill motor, both forward and
reverse stator switches will be provided, but no provision for
hand-control is to be made in this instance. When rolling
slabs, the cogged blooms are skidded across from the out-
going roller table of the cogging mill to the slab shears,
which have already been referred to, and after cropping the
ends, they are passed on to the 21-in. slab mill. The con-
veyor which removes the crop-ends from the shears is driven
by a 25-H.P. B.T.H. motor.

I H^\.VE read with considerable interest the discussion on
power factor which has been taking place in the columns of
the Electrical Review, and I wonder how many engi-
neers know the power factors of the systems they are
interested in ; I am sure the figures would indeed surprise
them.

I know of a works where a 75-k.v.a. transformer was
installed to take the load of three induction motors whose
rated h.p. was equal to 100. However, these motors were
very much underloaded, their total load only amounting to
22 H.P., at a power factor of 30 per cent. The transformer
was therefore loaded to 5a k.v.a., although the meters con-
nected in the circuit only registered 16-5 kw. The wattless
component of the power can for this case be shown to equal
52-5 K.V.A.

I should, therefore, like to mention some methods of
measuring the power factor of a circuit where a power-factor
indicator is not available.

The most common method is by the
use of an ammeter, voltmeter, and watt-
meter. The current and voltage of the
circuit are measured, the product of these
two giving the apparent watts of the
circuit when the supply is single-phase.
However, the wattmeter gives the true
watts of the circuit. The power factor
is then the ratio of true watts to the
apparent watts, the true watts and ap-
parent watts being equal at unity power
factor.

For a two-phase load the current,
voltage, and the watts of each phase
should be taken, thus enabling the power
factor of each phase to be obtained.

For a three-phase circuit the power
factor is given by the ratio of the true
watts to root-three times the product of
line current and line voltage.

The three-ammeter and three-volt-
meter methods of obtaining power factor
can be resorted to where a watt- meter
is not at hand ; but neither of these
methods is of much practical use on
three-phase circuits.

On a load being supplied from one
phase and neutral of a three-phase
circuit, the power factor can be obtained
with the aid of a wattmeter only, no
ammeter or voltmeter being necessary.

First, the power of the circuit is
measured by a wattmeter in the usual
way ; say, this is equal to «,. The volt
coil of the wattmeter is then connected
across the remaining two lines, this
reading giving, say, Wj ; W2 must now
be divided by s/3, which gives a
quotient equal to, say, w^,.

The tangent of the angle of phase
difference between the voltage and the current in the
circuit is then given by the ratio of w„, to \\\. i.e. —
Tan ,/, = w,,, w,
The cosine of 4, gives the power factor of the circuit.
If \v. should be a negative reading, the leads of the
volt coil of the wattmeter should be revers&d, so as to make
the reading positive. Before using the above method, it
should be known whether the power factor is leading or
lagging.
The proof of this method is as follows : —
\v, reads e c cos </,.

w, reads J% ec cos (90" - <^) (cos </, leading
'or v/3 (''■ cos (90° -f c/j) or lagging).
.-. \Vj reads V :5 e r sin <f, (neglecting sign).
.•. w J, reads v/ 8 e <; sin r/,/ V 3 = ^r' sin ,/,.
.". Wj,/w, = er sin ,f,/ef cos </, = tan ,/,.
(? r sin </) is the wattless component of the power in the
circuit.

678

THE ELECTRICAL) REVIEW, [Voi. 87. No. 2,!44, novicmbkh 26, 1920.

Wattless component/energy component = tan cj,.
lie : — Power in circuit = 100 kw. = reading of
meter w, = c c cos <^.
Reading of \x^ = 300 KW. = s/ 3 e c sin </,.
Tiien w.^, = 300 s/ 3 = 173 kw.

Then tan ,^ = 173 loo = 3/v/ .•:;,and,/, = 60 .

Cos G0° = 0'5 ; power factor of circuit = 0*5.
If the volt coil of the wattmeter be only able to stand up
to the phase pressure, and not the line pressure of the system,
then the above method of finding the power factor may be
adopted with a slight modification.

The power of the circuit is measured as before, and, as
before, call this \\\ = e c co& 4,.

Two other readings, w, and \\\, are taken.
These readings are obtained by now connecting in turn
the end of the volt coil of the wattmeter to each of
the other two lines not already connected to the wattmeter,
care being taken that the remaining end of the shunt coil
is still connected to the neutral point. This precaution-
ensures that the current in the volt-coil of the wattmeter
is in the same direction as in w,.
Then — w, reads ' c cos ,ji.

w, reads er cos (120" — </,).
W3 reads ec cos (120" + </,).
Should w'j or w^ be a negative value, the connections of
the voltmeter coil of the wattmeter will have to be reversed
80 as to obtain a reading on the metei, but these readings
must be considered as negative.

The difference of readings w.^ and « , can be shown
to be —

= s/:\ er sin 4,.
This value divided by x/ 3 gives the wattless component
of the power of the circuit, and when this quotient is
divided by the power of the circuit w , the tangent of the
angle of phase difference is obtained —

i.e., t&n (j, = ec sin (f,;ec cos ^ = difference of
w, and W3/ v/ 3 x Wj.
The power factor is then given by the value of the
cosine of the angle 4,.

In this method, as in the former, it should Ije known
whether the power-factor is leading or lagging.
Example : —

Say the same power factor as in the last case = 0 5.
w, reads, say, 100 kw.
w, reads „ + 100 kw.
Wj reads „ — 200 kw.
Difference between \\\ and \\i, = 300.
Tan <^ = 300/ v/ 3 x 100 = s/3, and c^ = 60\
Power factor of 0*5 = cosine of 60".
In a three-phase circuit where the power of the circuit is
being measured by a three-phase three-wire unbalanced
meter working on the two- wattmeter method of three-phase
power measurement, the power factor can be obtained by
reading the wattmeter with either of the two elements
Working separately. This is effected by breaking the shunt
coil of one element, say, reading equal to \v^. The total
power, measured by bath elements working together, must
also be measured.

Say the total posver is equal to w,.
Then tan 4^ = (2 w, — "■^)y 3/\V3.
Cosine 4, is then the power factor,
or tan ^/v/ 3 = (w, + w, — ^y^)!^, = (w, — \\\)'(\y,
+ Ws).

W| — w., is the difference of the readings of the two
elements, whilst w, + w., is the sura of the two readings,
equal to the total power. It is well known that thp sum of
tlie two readings is ecjual to s/ ;'> e <■ cos 4, , and that the
difference of the two readings is equal to ec sin 4,. Xow,
the wattle?s component of the power in a three-phase
circuit is equal to V-'! e c sin ,/,. If, therefore, we multiply
the difference of the readings by v' 3 we obtain the wattless
component of the power.

Wattless component of power J 3 e r sin 4,

Energy compoaemi or power v'3 e r cos <^

= v/3 (w, — \v.,)/(v\-, -f w,) — tan 4,.
Example —

Total power of the circuit = (iO kw.
w, reads 40 K\\. ; \v„ reads 20 kw.

Tan 4, = ^ :j (w, — W2)/(w, + w,) = 20 x

v'3/60 = 1/v 3.

Angle whose tangent equals ]/\'3 = 30".

Cosine 80 = 0"S6(; = power factor.

In a two-]jhase circuit where the power factor is required

and there is only a siugle-phase wattmeter available, tte

following method can be adopted : —

The wattmeter is connected up so as to read the power of
one phase, say, equal to \\\.

The volt-coil of the wattmeter is then connected so as to
read positively across the other phase ; take this reading
to be equal to w^. Then —

\\i reads e c cos 4,.
w., reads e c cos (yO ± 4,),
.'. \Vj reads e r sin ,/,,
which is the wattless component of the power in the circuit.
The tangent of the angle of phase difference is now given by
the ratio of u'., to w,.

Tan .j, = w,/\\ ,.
The cosine of 4, is the required power factor of the phase
under test. The other phase may be done in the same
manner if the power factors of both phases are not alike.
Example : — \v, reads 100 kw.
w., reads zero.
Tan 4> = zero. ,{, = 0'
cos (^ = 1 = power factor unity.
From the above it can be seen that the approximate
power factor of any circuit can be found, with the use of a
wattmeter only, by the introduction of another known
voltage, the phase angle between this voltage and the voltage
of the circuit under test being known.

Deterioration of Nickel Resisters.— Messrs. F. A. J.

Fitzgerald and Giafct C. Moyer, of the Fitzgerald Lahora-
tories. Inc., presented at the thirty-eighth meeting of the
American Electrochemical Society (Cleveland, September 30th-
October 2nd) a communication showing that, under certain
precautions, pure nickel wire is applicable as a .substitute
for the nichroijie alloy now much used. Tliis alloy is ex-
Ijensive, and certain onerous conditions are attached to a
licence for its use. Nickel has a high thermal coefficient of
electric resistance and a liability tu oxidation, but it was
thought that tliese disadvantages could be overcome. Tests,
however, showed early deterioration, by the wii'e becoming
brittle, although no marked oxidation had occurred. It was
thought at hrst that the result was due to absorption of
carbon, as the insulating material was infusorial eartb and
a refractory cement, both of which contained organic matter.
Some of the brittle v.ire was tested by being heated in a
current of oxygen, and it was found that the emitted gas
produced a precipitate of i)arium carbonate. The, inference,
ho\^ever, was not correct, and details are given in the original
paper of experiments by which it was proved that combina-
tion with supluris the cause of deterioration. From the
experiments it appears that sulpliur makes nickel brittle at
low temperatures; and nichrome wire is also affected by
sulphur, but less markedly. Wire rendered brittle by sulphur
can be softened by heating in a cm'rent of oxygen. Pure
niikel seems to .stand up well as a resister wlien not expo.sed
to contamination Avith sulphur. — Jiuintol of tlic l-'ianklin Iii-
slitntr.

A Tiiermionic Vo'lmSter.— In the .Journal dc Physique
for August last MM. FI. Alu-aham, E. Bloch, and L. Bloch
describe their direct-ieading thermionic voltmeter which is
manufactured by Carpentier. The invention of this instru-
ment is a notable step in the development of the science of
electrical measurement. Hitherto it has been impo.ssible to
get a direct-reading volhneter which would read one volt of
alternating pressure accurately: This mstrument gives a
direct reading for the ten-millionth part of an alternating volt.
It consists of two thermionic amplitiers. followed by two
thermionic valves in parallel, the " plate '" current of which
is loeasured by an ortliiiary direct-current inilliammet4?r.
With the help of this instrument the measurement of very
minute alternating currents and pressures is as .simple as
everyday measurements with ordinary voltmeters and am-
meters. By its use ab.solut<' measurements of inductances and
capacities are made in a few minutes with a maximum
inaccuracy of about 1 iii l.dOII. By the use of suitable electrical
" (liters " approximately sine-shaped waves are obtained
by blocking out the disturbing harmonics. The authors have
shown recently in the .same journal liow the frequency of
an alternating current can be determined with high accu-
racy. Its' sensitiveness is shown by the fact that it can
measure, by means of a direct reading of the pointer, the
capacity of a sphere one milhmetre in radius. Tlie instru-
ment lias very many useful applications.— A'afure.

▼oi. 87. No. 2,244, NovEMBEB 26, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW' ,

679

THE CROWN-MAGNETIC MOTOR CAR.

The Entz Petrol-Electric Transmission.

By F. H. HUTTON.

An exhibit of outstanding interest at the recent Motor
Exhibition was to be seen at tlie White City, and con-
sisted of two complete Crown-Magnetic cars.* It was
to be regretted that botli the cars were shown complete,
since a chassis without a body would liave demonstrated
to the public that here, at last, was a radical departure
from the conventional system, which it is to be feared
was not apparent to a very large number of spectators
wh<i judge mainly by external appearances. However
that may be, there is no douljt that some cliange in tjie
transmission system of motor cars is long overdue, the
wonder is that the prevailing system of sliding gear-
wheels into mesii has survived so long. The only merits
of tiie standard sy.stem are that it provide.s a direct
drive on top gear, and that as regards maintenance
and upkeep it is comparatively "fool-proof"; that
ugly, but expressive, word by no means applies to its
operation, for a high degree of skill is necessary to
ensure "clean" changes of gear under all circum-
stances, " double-declutching " being essential in the
majority of cases.

Many different systems have been put forward for
transmitting the power from the engine to the road
wheels of a car so as to overcome the inherent disability
of an internal-combustion engine with regard to torque
at low speeds, but none have met with any great suc-
cess or general adoption. Among such systems are
friction drives, with one disk sliding across the face
of the other, which, although convenient for small cars,
do not seem likely to ttnd a place on the larger ones, and
suffer from the defect of having no direct drive.

Hydraulic transmission, generally using oil as the
medium, i-s, of course, well known, and gives vei'y beau-
tiful results on such comparatively heavy and slow-
moving mechanisms as machine tools, capstans, hoists,
cranes, presses, ship's steering gear, &c. Older motor-
ists will perhaps remember the Pittler rotary machine,
which was exhibited in London several years ago as
the transmission of a car, and which seemed at the time
very promising.

One of the latest hydraulic transmission systems is the
Williams-Janney variable speed gear, consisting of a
special type of pump with a variable stroke delivering
fluid to a motor of similar type, but with a fixed stroke,
the speed of the motor depending on the (piantity of fluid
delivered by the pump. In this way the sjieed of the
motor can be varied by inflnite degrees from maximum
to zero without .steps, and in either direction ; moreover,
a straight-through direct drive can be provided on top
speed. Hydraulic transmission systems, however suc-
cessful for other purposes, do not seem to lend them-
selves for automobile work where they are required to
transmit the power from the high-speed engine on a car ;
the first cost is excessive: very high fluid pressures
are required, in order to keep down the weight and
size of the apparatus, with the consequence that there
is a considerable danger of leakage at valves, joints,
jiistons, &c., and the fluid is liable to become frothy
and lieated when in constant circulation at high speed.
It is to electric transmission that we look forward
iMo.st confidently for the solution of the i)robleni on
automobiles.

The most obvious form of electric transmission is
that in which the engine drives an ordinary dynamo
direct, the current being taken to one or more motors
driving the rear wheels. The Stevens system whicii
has been used successfully for many years on Tilling-
Stevens omnibuses is the most widely known application
of this kind : both the armature and the field have
double windings which are connected up in series or

* Elec. Rev., Nov, 12th, 19'20, p. (517; and Dec. a6th, 1919.
p, 807.

in parallel according to conditions of load and gradient.
Other systems have been introduced, nuc or two includ-
ing a direct drive on top speed, others having a battery
as a necessary component of the transmission system,
but none of them have achieved any great measure of
success. No system involving the use of a battery as an
essential element is likely to come into general use for
the i>articular purpose under consideration.

At this juncture, therefore, the appearance of the
l^ntz transmission system in this country on the Crown-
-Magnetic car is of exceptional interest. Consisting
essentially of only two dynamo-electric machines, giving
a direct drive on toji speed through the medium of a
magnetic clutch ; providing, with the addition of a
small battery, a lighting system, an engine starter, and
an auxiliary brake ; requiring very mucli less skill in
manipulation than the ordinary mechanical gear ; and
being equally silent at all speeds, it certainly holds out
much promise providing that its mavnifacturing co.st and
the weight can Ije kept within necessary limits. Before
proceeding further it may be stated that the system has
been in use in America for several years on a car called
the Owen Magnetic with very successful results ; but
for the war it would, no doubt, have developed rapidly
in that country where electrical devices are more quickly
adopted by the general public than is the case over here.
At the present time Owen Magnetic cars are being
turned out in America as fast as manufacturing facili-
ties permit.

The Entz transmission system installed in the Crown
Magnetic cars which are imported into this country
is as follows : —

General Aniiiif/eiiieiif . — Tiie transmission consists of
two series-wound nuichines occupying approximately
the position of the usual clutch, clutch-shaft, and gear-
box ; the two machines with their resistance coils and
controller constitute the whole of the essential mech-
anism. A small battery is carried for engine start-
ing and lighting purposes, and also to give momen-
tary assistance in exciting the field of the generator and
so cause a quicker " pick up. ' but it is not cs-'<eiifial to
the transmission .system; that is to say, the car can be
run quite well without it, the engine being started by
hand ; in practice little difference is noticed in running
the car whether the battery is in use or not. The two
dynamo machines are arranged as follows: The for-
ward machine occupies the position of the clutcli on
an ordinary car, its field magnets being directly con-
nected to the engine, taking the place of the ordinary
flywheel which is thus abolished : the field, therefore,
always runs at engine speed. The armature is mounted
on a large hollow shaft forming an extension of the
propeller shaft. This machine is best described as a
"clutch-generator" since it acts in both those capaci-
ties as required, and only as a motor when starting the
engine; in the diagrams it is marked n. It should be
noticed that both the field and armature of this machine
revolve, the amount of current generated depending on
the difference between their respective s]ieeds.

The rear machine is situated a little further back, about
the i)lace usually oc<-uj)ied l)y the gear-box.- The field of
this machine is stationary. l)eing attached to an alumi-
nium cradle supported from the frauje. The armature
is mounted on the same hollow shaft as the armatui'e of
the other machine, so that under all circumstances both
armatures run at the same speed, which is also propeller-
shaft speed. The rear nuichine is called the niotoi' m,
since its chief function is that of a motor, taking cur-
rent produced by the clutch-generator, to assist in driv-
ing the jiropeller shaft and boost the effort of the
engine power transmitted by magnetic attraction
through the dutch-generator. On the " high-speed

680

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,244, novmjbeb 2.;, i»20.

position " this motor is used as a generator for charging
the battery, and on the '»' neutral position " with tlie
car j'niiniiig at a speed of 'over 15 miles per hour, as a
generator for braking purposes.

The Action. — We will now consider the working of the
system with reference to the diagrams, which, for the
sake of simplicity, show only those connections in
actual use in each position.

In the first place it must be understood that the energy
from the engine is transmitted in two portions: one
portion is mechanical energy transmitted direct to the
jjropeller shaft through the medium of the magnetic
clutch ; the other portion is electricaj energy generate<l
by the forward machine owing to the " slip " or differ-
ence in spjeed between armature and field, and is use<l
by the rear machine as a motor in. assisting to drive tlie
shaft. The ])roportion of each portion of energy trans-
mitted (leiiends on the position of the controller, the
acceleration being caused by a variation in the propor-
tion of energy transmitted by the two methods. On
the high, or ordinary running position all the energy is
transmitted through the clutch-generator, this machine
being short-circuited, and only a 'very slight amount
of " slip '' taking place to generate' the energy re-
quired to produce the clutch action, the difference in
speed necessary being given as about 2 per cent. The
motor in this position takes no part in the transmission,
but acts as a generator for battery charging. This is
the normal state of affairs for ordinary running, and
the speed of the car can be governed within the usual
range by means of an ordinary accelerator pedal operat-
ing the throttle valve of the engine.

We will now consider the opposite end of the scale.
Fig. 1 sliows the engine cranking and the generator c;
acting as a series motor, the motor m being out of
action. In the first position, fig. 2, the generator is
run with a weak field owing to the shunt r. a non-induc-
tive resistance, being placed across it in parallel. The

V^«AwJ

The above-mentioned positions of the controller form
the main principle of the transmission, but two other
steps are also provided. One, in which the forward
machine acts as a dynamo w-hen the car is stationary,
for charging the battery on special occasions as when
a boost is required. The field magnets revolve round
the armature which is then stationary, giving the out-
]jut required at a very low speed. The other position
referred to is provided to form an electric brake by tiie
motor M acting as a series-wound dynamo, and deliver-
ing current to the resistance k. In this ca.se the car is
driving the armature, and the l)raking effect can be
regulated by the amount of re.-iistauce in circuit.

As arranged on the Crowji Magnetic ear the Entz
transmission system is not made reversible, the idea
being that the result achieved would not compensate
for the complication necessary in the controlling gear.
Instead, a small supplementary gear-box of the ordinary
type is used between the dynamo machines and the
driving shaft, giving one reverse and one forward speed
in addition to a straight-through direct drive ordinarily
in use. The one forward speed is provided to allow a
still further reduction for exceptional circumstances
such as getting out of a ditch or very deep sand, Ac.,
where otherwise a tow .rope would be recjuired : in ordi-
nary running it would never be used.

From the foregoing account it will be seen that the
system provides for an efficient transmission, direct
on top gear; for several intermediate positions all
equally silent; for a very effective startej- ; for battery
charging either when the car is running or stationary :
and for an electric brake, wliile the control is far and
away more simple to operate than the conventional
system now in use.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received by us after 5 P.M. ON Tttesdat cannot appear v/ntil
the following week. Correspondents should forward their communi-
cations at the earliest possible moment. iVo letter can be published
unless we have the writer's name and address in our possession.

An Electric Lawn Mower.

Could you or niiy of yoiu' readers inform me who are the
makers of an electrically-driven lawn mower? We have had
repeated inquiries for this article from large country houses.

A. E. Saville.

Fiirnham (Ins & Electricitv Cn.
Sovrinlur \7tli, lilAl.

Figs

."i, AND 4. DiAGUAMS OP CoNXECTIONS

Entz Magnetic Transmission.

current is led to the motor, and the circuits are being
pi'epared for the next position; the car may be started
and run slowly by accelerating the engine. The battery
circuit is used for initial excitation onh", and is cut out
by a relay, (not shown), when the main current builds
up. This battery circuit is used .in all the intermediate
positions I to a. The connections for the second posi-
tion are the same as for the first, except that the shunt
resistance u, weakening the generator field, is elimin-
ated. Tlie magnetic clutching effect and consequently
the car speed is increased, less " sli]) " taking place.
The connections for tlic third, fourtli. mihI HFth pdsi
tions, fig. 3, differ finm those for the scfond pusilinn
only in that a shunt resistance «, is used to we;iken the
motor M field ; the amount of resistance in tiie shunt is
varied for eai-li of the jiositious. dcircasiug to give
higher car sj)eeds. Througli tlir siirrt-ssivf ]iiisitiniis the
magnetic clutch tightens up, causing tlic iiriiiMtuiT to
revolve more nearly at the engine speed, and thus allow-
ing the engine to transmit more of its power direct,
and, therefore, the car speed to increase. The next
step gives the high-speed position, fig. 4, for normal
running, as alreadj- described. In this position tlie
generator is short circuited, and the battery is charged
bv the motor m, which acts as a compound differentially-
wound clvnanio.

Power Factor.

I have followed this interesting conti'oversy hoping (or some
practical solution which could be easily assimilated by con-
sumers, but so far this has not been forthcoming.

A fixed annual or quarterly charge per k.v.a. of demand,
plus a unit charge, is undoubtedly the simplest and most
understandable to the lay mind, but it is not necessarily equit-
able.

Mone of your contributors have touched the vital spot from
the practical point of view ; in fact, all apjiear to accept with-
out demur the dictum last echoed by Mr. Stubbings on
liage 68-5 of your issue of November l'2th, where he says " the
fxceiss K.V.A. cost the undertaking nothing for coal and u.se
none of its boiler plant."

I.ct me give a practical refutation of this statement. Nor-
mally during factory hours the station I'.K. is about 85 per
cent., luit (luring the niglit and week-ends this falls to 50 per
cent, or less, mainly due to inefticieut loading of transformers.

With siiih indifTeivnt cmulitions it is ueces.sary to run a
i;.lina-KW. turlio for a deiiiaiid of ^.(KHI kw. only.

It is ol)vious that a 'i.OOO-KW. turbo running at full load is
more economical in fuel than a (>,(HH»-k\v. turbo working at
oiie-thiiil load, and it is a natural corollary that additioiiial
coal and boiler capacity are essential when such conditions
prevail.

t'oiulitions like the foregoing are only too frequent in in-
dustrial areas, otherwise the k.v.a. demand charge plus the
additional unit chai'ge would be quite fair.

I'nfortunately from a tarilT point of view, low r.r. is rarely
coincident with peak loads.

H. Bentham.

Ijondon. W.C
November 'i'iiuJ, 19'20.

Vol.87. No. 2,344, November 26, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW,

681

I.E.E. Subscriptions.

In the current issue — page 661 — you give the rates of sub-
scription of the Institution of Civil Engineers, but 1 think you
have omitted to state that " Resident " means a member
whose office or place of residence is within 10 miles of London,
whilst " Non-resident's " subscription is for members beyond
that Limit.

C. O. Grimshaw.

London. S.W.
November 2iiul, Id-JU.

[We are obliged to our correspondent foi* the definition,
which was not included in the particulars which we received
from the Institution. — Eds. Elix. Rev.]

I should be grateful if you would kindly allow me to
acknowledge receipt of the many letters and proxy papers,
relating to the proposed increased subscription, which have
been sent to me. Although I cannot reply to each individu-
ally, I have made careful notes of all the points raised, which
I shall find helpful in connection with the matter.

I would urge upon the members — particularly the provin-
cial ones — if they are opposed to the new subscriptions to send
their proxy papers to me as soon as possible; otherwise the
members present at the meeting, together with the Council's
proxy vote, may carry the proposals.

F. W. Purse.

Stratford, E.
Nouember 2'2ini, 1920.

There appear to have been very few criticisms raised against
the proposed increase of subscriptions, but it is only natural
that amongst the 8,IKX) members of the Institution some dis-
sentient voices should make themselves heard. The broad
view of the situation should be taken that as two successive
Councils representing the membership have unanimously de-
cided that the Institution needs this increase of income, and
as the members' own personal experience in regard to general
expenditure must convince them that pre-war subscriptions
will not meet post-war outgoings, they should firmly support
the action of their representatives and trustees. Whether
they intend at present to attend the meeting or not, they
should send in their proxies to the secretary of the Institution,
so that the resolutions may be passed by an overwhelming
vote. Otherwise, as such meetings are more likely to be
attended by the opposing minority than by the assenting
iiiiijority, it might be made to appear that there is a cleayage
ill the ranks of the memljers, which I am sure does not exist.
G. W. Partridge, M.Inst.E.E.

London. S.W.
Nouember 'Urd, 1920.

The Use of Condensers.'

CouUI you supply me with a few particulars as to the use
(if condensers in this country for the correction of power
factor? , I know that they are used in the States a good deal,
but they do not seem to have made much headway in Eng-
land. I should be much obliged if you could give me the
name of any power system which uses them.

Student.

November 21sf. 1920.

[An installation of condensers by the British Insulated and
Helsby Cables, Ltd., was described in our issue of November
7th, 1919, in Mr. B. W. Dorey's articles on " The Improve-
mont of Power Factor." The author stated that the com-
pany's output of condensers to September, 1919, was four
times their whole output for 1918, and 27 times their output
for 19U.— Eds. Elec. Rev.]

REVIEWS.

lilcflrir. Mains and Distributiny Systems. By J. R. Dick,
B.Sc, M.I.E.E., and F. Fernie, A.M.Inst.C.E., A.M.I.E.E.
Pp. X -M&3+xvi. London : Benn Bros., Ltd., 1919. Price
18s. net.

We gather from the preface to this second edition of Messrs.
Dick and Fernie's book that the war was the principal obstacle
to its earlier issue. Our yeaders will probaldy remember that
we pointed out w'hen the first edition was pubhshed. that a
second one, freed from the errors which marred the first,
should be issued as soon as possible. The interval enforced
by the war has afforded ample time for the careful and
thorough revision, correction, and bringing ii]i-to-date of the
work. We are glad to say that this opportunity has been
well utilised. , > • ■ .

There w.ift never any doulit th.at t^ie authors of this book
were the possessors, botW(>i"n them, of as great an eciuipinenji
of technical ability and practical experience as any two men
who could ixissil)ly have been selected to write a book on
this subject. That was what made it such a pity that the
first edition was so imperfect, and although Mr. Dick thought

we were rather too hard on the pubhshers in our coroments, we
think he will by now have realised that it was because we
were disappointed that the hopes we had based on the book's
appearance had not been fulfilled.

Now that the book has been reprinted with the care that
its importance warrants, with misprints and practically all
errors removed, we unreservedly congratulate both authors
and publishers on the publication of a work which must find
a place on the most accessible shelf of every engineer worthy
the name who is interested in distribution.

We think it would add to the usefulness of the book as a
Work of reference if the formulae were numbered ; and although
they are correct there are signs omitted on pages 17 (foot)
and 21. Ivirchhofif's name has an " h " left out on pages 6
and 7, though it is correctly spelled on p. 101. On p. 9 we
find " an uniform," and on p. 14 " a uniform." We regard
the latter as correct, but it is at least a case where uniformity
should be observed. The use of " further " for " farther,"
as on p. 2.5, is so common a mistake as almost to have become
.'ianctioned by usa"e. On pages 25 and 26, so far as we can
see, there is no diti'erence in significance between I and L,
and it is a little confusing to find them used indiscriminately.
Not to labour this line of criticism, which is as tiring as it is
thankless, we would commend to all writers who include
numerous formulae in their works, the propriety of not only
numbering their formuUe, as suggested above, for convenience
uf reference, but of preparing a list of symbols, placing them
in an appendix, and sticking to the same sign for the same
thing and the same meaning for the same sign. We do not
like to see kilowatt-hours called " kelvins," and a capital
" K " cannot be justified in any event {p. 55). What autho-
rity do users of the term produce for their practice? Was
there not once a proposition that ten units should be called
one kelvin?

The layout of an electrical distribution system is a matter
in which practical experience is the best teacher, but the
greatest good results from the union of practical experience
with theoretical knowledge, and the abihty to apply the
faculty of scientific analy.sis. It is stated at the conclusion
of the first chapter that " the designing is possibly as much
of an art as a science," and that " any network can be com-
pletely analysed by the appUcation of Ohm's and Kirchhoff's
laws, but there are no simple rules for constructing a network
synthetically." Since the majority of engineers engaged in
the distribution and supply of electricity are called upon to
make the best use they can of some existing network, it is
precisely the faculty of .scientific analysis which is most needed,
in order that the best judgment can be exercised as to whether
any improvements can be effected. It does seem a little dis-
appointing, however, after making lengthy calculations about
the economy of stepping a distributor, as on p. 21, to be told,
on turning over the page, that the theoretically possible sav-
ing is not generally attainable, the practical difficulties being
too great.

On p. 112 the conclusion is reached that the amount of
copper used will be a minimum if a constant current density
is maintained. This must surely be modified in practice, or
where would be the advantage of using a much higher current
density in small conductors? The good old rough-and-ready
rule of one thousand amperes per square inch has been
abandoned for many years. We are glad to see ernphasised
the necessity of most carefully balancing the two sides of a
three-wire network, and agree with the authors that this is
best carried out by the card system. It is still far too often
the case that the balancing is done in a haphazard way, with
ill-kept records which are never consulted. There is no diffi-
culty whatever in properly totaUsing the records when a
separate card is used for each consumer.

It would be well to differentiate in some way between the
word " outer." applied to a three-wire system, as on p. 122,
and the same word applied to the external conductor of a
concentric cable, which is presumably what is meant on
p. 165. In the first case the " outer " is not earthed, and
in the second case it is the " outer " and that only which
is earthed. On p. 165 we are once again told of the futility
of making calculations, and where resonance effects are of
importance we are advised to use the oscillograph; and a
" but " is somewhat significantly introduced into the footnote
to that page : " A mathematical study of resonance, but with
manv practical points of view, is to be found in Mr. M. B.
Field's paper, Jouriial I.E.E.. June, 1903." On p. 173 the ex-
pression " unearthed " neutral is used. Since the neutral is
not in this case exhumed, a better word, it seems to us, would
be " non-earthed."

We think the question of heavy rushes of current on switch-
ing-in transformers might have been dealt with when consider-
ing the allied question of abnormal pressure rises. It has
often been stated, even publicly, that such heavy current
rushes, due in large measure to opposition between the sense
of the 'residual magnetism and that of the current wave, can
be prevented by switching in slowly. This, with an oil
switch, would seem at least unreliable, and we wonder what
experimental evidence ctiuld bo adduced in support of the
view that such action would lie efiicaciouB.

We shouhl like some amplification ot tlu- stat^'ineut made
on p. 170 that three-pha.?e transformers are costlier than those
for single phase. The cost of three single-phase transformers
for a given total output is undoubtedly greater, in all but the
largest sizes, than that of a 3-phase transformer of the same

682

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,244, NovxMBBRi26,i92r,

«

output; and the questiou whether a three-phase transformer
of a given output is or is not more costly than a single-phase
transformer of the same output depends almost entirely on
a manufactuier's practice and factory lay-out.

We are quite sure that neither the I.E.C. nor the B.E.S.A.
(referred to on pages 194 and 195 as the E.S.C.) speak of
degrees Fahrenheit in any of their publications, and there is
no reason why any engineer should do so. It was with some
surprise, therefore, that we found sundry extracts from these
standards translated into that scale on the pages mentioned.

On p. 196 the authors record their opinion that the shape
of the conductor.s has little or no effect on the factor of safety
of the cable at high voltages. We think this point might
with advantage be developed somewhat, with reasons why it
should be supposed that it had. On p. 'Jo? it is stated that
" every cable maker's composition is secret, and probably
different." Well, we wonder ! On p. "260 we think the authors
are right in recommending the bonding and earthing of the
lead as against breaking it at short intervals for the purpose
of localising corrosion or burning. On p. '280 we read : " Vul-
canised bitumen .softens when heated, and the conductor
tends to beconje decentralised. This statement is often made
and nearly as often contradicted." We should not be inclined
to attach much, if any, importance to a contradiction of this -
sort. It is very obviously an ex parte, statement, and the clue
is provided by the next sentence : " W'e believe the effect
takes place far m<)r« readily w-ith some makes than with
others." Is it really an objection to the use of iron pipes
that if a cable fails it is liable to cause a very bad earth and
interrupt the supply? To our way of thinking, this is pre-
cisely what should happen. It conduces, among other things,
to speed of repair, if the supply is completely cut off, and a
lame supply is as bad as none at all. We are in complete
agreement with the authors in advocating the employment
of none but well-paid, thoi'oughly competent jointtrs. A bad
jointer can cost moi-e in the damage he brings about than
could be saved on his pay in a hundred years.

The authors recommend that when a cable is to be hauled
a rope should be attacheil to the core. We remember a con-
trivance like a wire stocking, which slipped over the sheathing,
and the harder it was pulled the tighter it got. This device,
we believe, was first used by Mr. Fedden. Is it still em-
ployed? ^^'e are glad to see due emphasis laid on the keeping
of records and the correct allocation of all costs. Great pains
are taken to get the costs of generation correct, down to the
third place of decimals, but those relating to distribution are
seldom so accurately known. There is a useful chapter on
earthing and earthing devices, and incidentally the Bowden-
Thompson system, in which metallic shields are introduced
Ijetween the conductors, is not regarded with favour, for
the reason that, in the authors' opinion, the stress in, the
dielectric is raised by as much as 70 per cent. In any case
there would .seem to be the same objection to the introduction
of metallic shields as to the use of earth shields in trans-
formers, to which many take .strong exception, because it
puts the candle too near the gunpowder. 'We must presume
that the sentence on p. 361 which reads : " Carbon ends
packed round the earth plate are sometimes u.sed for lightning
conductors " does not mean what it says. Perhaps carbon
ends are sometimes Imried round the earth plates of lightning
conductors, but the sentence should be reconstructed.

We have devoted a good deal of space to the consideration
of this book, because we think the subject with which it deals
is one of the most important in the domain of electricity
supply. The authors give careful and matin-e attention tis
its many aspects, and do not hesitate to give their own views,
based on experience, even where they conflict with opinions
generally held, and in some cases previously held by them-
selves. Tlie book contains information of interest and value
not only to the mains engineer, but to the general manager,
the station engineer, and all engaged in central station work.
In addition to these, the manufacturer will find in it things
which he ought to know, whether he be a maker of cable,
machinery, transformers, or switchgear. And. in conclusion,
we are glad to have the opporfnmity of extending to the book
the welcome we .should have liked to have been able to give
it on its first appearance.

LEGAL.

U.S.A. Waives Fall. — With immif^'ants arriving in the
U.S.A. from Europe at the rate of a million per annum,
American labour leaders are becoming increa.singly apprehen-
sive at the prospects of widespread unempIo^Tnent. It is triie
that thev proclaim that the high wages established during the
war period must not be reduced, but the fnct remains, and it
is an encouraging one. that wherever necessary curtailments
of pay have been enforced they have been accepted. Striking
illustrations of the fact are contained in Press reports which.
inter alia, state that threatened strikes for increased wages in
New York have been abandoned. Moreover, from '\'ircinia
comes the significant news that cotton factory employes have
of their own volition voted for n reduction in wages of 2."> per
cent., and in the textile centres of Pennsylvania and New Eng-
land wage decreases of from f.") to 2.5 per cent, have been
decreed without dispute. In this country prices of various
commodities have recently fallen and others show signs of
following.

The British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., v. The Cokona
Lamp Woeks, Ltd.

The following is an abstract of the judgment of the Master
of the Bolls in this case upon the plaintiffs' appeal from the
judgment of Mr. .Justice Sargant, a summary of which
appeared in our last week's issue : —

This appeal from Mr. Justice Sargant raises the question
of the validity of certain letters patent No. 10,918 of 1913
granted to the plaintiffs for improvements in incandescent
electric lamps. The lamp protected by the patent is known
as the half-watt lamp, and has proved in practice to have the
(jualities claimed for it, and there has been a great and in-
creasing sale of lamps made under the patent. I agree w'ith
Mr. Justice Sargant that the defences to the action are
reduced to: (1) Want of invention or subject-matter; (2)
insufficiency ; and (3) non-infringement. I also agree with
him that little importance is to be attached to the defence of
non-infringement, and that it was proved by the evidence
given before him, assuuiing the validity of the patent. The
other two defences are, however, of much more importance.

The general history of the incandescent lamp is stated by
Mr. Justice Sargant in his judgments, and I do not need to
repeat it. The result was that in 1913 the tungsten vacuum
lamp, for all practical purposes, held the field, and attempts
at improvement had latterly taken the form of attempts to
obtain a higher and more iierfect vacuum.

There had, however, been attempts to produce gasfiUed
lamps, but the result had been unsatisfactory, because the
loss of heat and therefore of light by convection or conduction
exceeded the lieneficial effect in preventing deterioration of
the material by vaporisation.

The plaintiffs claim that they have overcome these diffi-
culties, and that their discovery renders the introduction of
gas into a metal filament lamp.no longer a retrograde step,
but an advance in lamp construction, which makes practicable
a higher temperature, and therefore a greater incandescence
without prohibitive vaporisation, and without excessive
shortening of useful life. It seems to me that the essential
discovery is that the conduction and convection losses can be
overcome .and counteracted by increasing the temperature
and incandescence without shortening the life of the lamp
if with a suitable gas and a suitable pressure the filament
employed of tungsten or other suitable metal is large in
diameter or cross-section. I shall have to examine later the
meaning of the word " large." It is thus described by Mr.
Swinburne, an expert witness called by the plaintiffs: "The
invention is this: it can be put very shortly, it was found
that a tungsten lamp could not be run commercially under
something in the neighbourhood of 1 watt per candle, the
reason being that if you tried to run it at a higher efficiency
the tungsten went off and blackened the lamp. Langmuir
realised that if he put the gas in he misht stop this vaporisa-
tion of the filament, but he also realised what was mo.st
important, that the ordinary case of putting a gas in would
carry away heat by convection ; he realised if this filament
was thick the lighting power increased directly as the dia-
meter, but the convection did not increase nearly so fast,
therefore, if he started, as it were, a race between the two.
he could succeed at a certain diameter in getting a higher
efficiency with a decent light than he could before, because
by using a thicker filament the convection did not increase in
proportion, and so he is enabled to solve the difficulty. It
is not that he is merely getfinc a little advantage, it is that
he has really a tremendous advantage, and this change in
lamp manufacture is a very fundamental chance, and one of
enormous commercial importance. It is the biggest step in
lamp making that T know of." The snccification points out
that a large, or as it is sometimes called, a thick filament,
mav be obtained bv increasing the size of a straight filament
oi* by using a smaller filament and coiling it closely so as to
nroduce something approachina to a cylinder. It does not.
however, noint out that in making a small lamp of low candle
power such as is suitable for domestic use. it is necessary to
obtain the benefit of the invention that the filament should
be coiled. That it is necessarv in such a lamp to coil the
filament seems to be admitted by the appellants' counsel.

In order to prove their defence of want of subject-matfer.
the defendants referred to n number of earlier patents in
which it was said that the whole nf the subject-matter of the
patents was to be found. Mr. Justice Sargant examined these
earlier patents minutely, and came to the conclusion that the
disclosures contained in them were not such as to deprive
the plaintiffs' patent of subject-matter or inventive merit.
T agree with his comments upon, and the conclusions he draws
from, these earlier patents. The new element introduced as
to the old knowledge by this discovery is. as 'Mr. Swinburne
says, that bv using a filament of large diameter or cross-
section, whether it he what was called primarilv large or
secondarily large, namely, n filament in it.self thin but having
the effect of a thick filament bv beina closely coiled, the
ndvantapes of the introduction of eas mny be obtained without
the disadvantages which up to then had accompanied it. Tlie
appellants' counsel contended that the di.scovery and the
invention extended beyond that of l.irceness in the filaments,
but I am unable to see that this is the case, and Mr^ Swin-

Vol.87. No. 2,244, NOVBMBEB 26, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL EEVIEWo

688

bui'ue does uot seem to claim auything beyond the use ot a
large liiament.

It lemamed to examine wliether Mr. Justice Sargant was
right in holdmg that the patent was bad irom msuliiciency,
because there was uu sutticient dotinition of largeness to show
the ambit of the monopoly claimed. The description of the
hlameut m the hrst claim is " a filament of tungsten or other
refractory metal of large diameter or cross-scctiuu or of con-
centrated form," the latter expression referring to the fila-
ment when closely coiled so as to produce the eli'ect of a,
large cross-section. There seems to have been some discussion
at the trial before Mr. Justice Sargant, but before us the
meaning stated by hun in his judgment was accepted by the
appellants' counsel. It is as follows; "In other words,
■ large ' must not be regarded absolutely in relation to mere
diameter or thickness, but is limited or modified in relation
to results, and means sufficiently ' large ' to take advantage
of the new discovery as to convection and conduction losses
enunciated at the toot of page a of the specillcation, and
accordingly to produce such a combination that much higher
temperature and incandescence may be obtained with a com-
mercial length of life."

As I have said, the real discovery is that by the use of a
large tilainent the introduction of gas into the lamp is made
possible and good results obtained from it without the cor-
responding di.sadvantage of convection and conduction losses.
The actual degree of largeness must vary according to a large
number of varying circumstances in the manufacture of
different lamps, and it seems to me that the only way in
which the requisite degree ot largeness can be ascertained is
by a number of experiments under the special conditions in
which a particular lamp is manufactured. Similarly, as
pointed out by Mr. Justice Sargant, the only way in which
a lamp maker can ascertain w-hether he is infringing fhe
patent is by making experiments for the purpose of ascertain-
ing whether a gasfilled lamp attains such a degree of efficiency
and such a length of life as to fall within the patent.

This, in my opinion, is too vague a definition of largeness
to descu'ibe the nature of the invention or limit the ambit
of the claim, and, therefore, I think the decision of Mr.
Justice Sargant was righfT and the appeal must be dismissed
with costs.

The Lords Justices delivered judgment to the same effect.

.'Vn Electricity Supply Contract.
.Application to Annul.
Thu North Metropolitan Electric Power Supply Co., of
iiroadway House,' Westminster, were the applicants to Mr.
•Justice P. O. Lawrence, in the Chancery Division, on Thurs-
day, upon an adjourned summons, for an order suspending
or annulling four agreements made for the supply by them
of electrical energy to the Corporation of Stoke Ne'iMngton,
or by consent amending them, on the ground that owing to
the alteration of trade conthtious occasioned by the war the
contract could not be enforced without serious loss to the
plaintiffs.

Mr. Tyldesley Jones, K.C., and Mr. Craig Henderson ap-
peared for the plaintiffs; and Mr. C. E. ,E. Jenkins, K.C., and
Mr. Merlin for the defendant Corporation.

Mr. Jenki.ns said he imagined that it was not a case for
suspension, but for annulment, otherwise the people of Stoke
Newington would have to go in darkness.

Mr. Jones said that would not be possible because even it
his Lordship should decide in his favour it was obvious that
a reasonable time would have to be allowed in order that the
defendants might make arrangements to get theii' electi-icity
elsewhere. The plaintiffs wanted the contract cancelled be-
cause they were making a very heavy loss on it. The main
cause of the increase in the cost of production was the rise
in the price of coal and labour, due to conditions arising out
of the war; and this entailed serious hardship on the plain-
tiffs. They were under a statutory (obligation to supply the
defendants with energy even if the agreements were torn up.
T'nder their Act they were bound to give every authorised
distributor in their area a supply, and in certain cases the
maximum prices were specitied in the ."Vet, but where the
distributors did not take the whole of their supply from the
plaintiffs then it was a matter for arbitration.

Mr. Jenki.ns said the plaintiff's had to make out not only
that there had been an alteration in trade conditions occa-
.sioned by the war. but that they were suffering serious hard-
slii|) within the meaning of the special .-Vets of Parliament.

.A.n affidavit had been sworn by Mr. E. T. Ruthven-Murray,
general manager and chief engineer to the plaintiff' company,
in which he said that the increa.sed cost of jiroducing electrical
energy was chieHy due to the increa.sed co.st of coal, and in
a minor degree to the increased cost of labour. Even if they
ol)tained any benefit from the order i"ecently made for the
reduction nf lOs. jier ton in the cost of coal used in the pro-
duction of electrical energy for dome.stic and household pur-
poses, tliat bc-uofit nnist be pa.s.sed on to the defendants.
Since thai order was made the prii-e of coal hail again risen
owing to the increase in the cost of railway and coastwise
freights, and tlie plaintiffs would lie compelled bv order of
the Contriiller of Coal Mines to use inferior grades of coal
and slack whidi were uneconomical and unsuitable for use
in the mechanical stokers of the plaintiffs' boilers. In con-

sequence of all this, the plaintiff's were making a heavy loss
on the contract. In February last year they offered to amend
the agreement by the insertion of a " coal clause," providing
for an increase in the price of energy in proportion to lue
increase m the price ot coal, but they had never been able
to obtain a reply from the defendants.

The affidavit was read by Mr. Tyldesley Jones when the
hearmg was resumed on Iriday, when he said that a sum-
mary statement contained in it showed that costs were fallmg
down to the time when the war began, with increasmg profits,
while since then costs had been gradually rising.

His Lordship : There is no hope of a reduction in the cost
of coal and freight'.'

Mr. Jo.NEs said unfortunately it could not be seen at present,
l.iut the plaintiffs agreed that such a thing might happea
some day, and that was one of the reasons why they sug-
gested the insertion of a " coal clause " in the contract.
He put in a table which, he said, had been published in the
Electrical Peview, showing the comparative charges by dis-
tributors and power companies for light and power 'from
1914. In that connection he said that, according to his
instructions, Stoke Newington was the only local authority
that had not raised its charges.

Mr. .Jenkins read an uflidavit by jNIr. Colin Stuart Hann,
electrical engineer to the Borough ot Stoke Newington, in
reply to that of Mr. Murray. He said' that in his opinion
the annulment of the contract would deprive the defendants
of the benefit of the competition which resulted in the agree-
ments. The plaintiff company was a wealthy corporatiRn,
supplying a great number of large customers, amongst others
the Middlesex Tramways. In that connection they had to
maintain a surplus of energy, and the amount they supphed
to the defendants was so small that it might be regarded as
being supplied out of that surplus or waste product, and
that was why they had been able to supply the defendants
with energy at below cost price. 'With regard to the offer,
he said the plaintiffs broke off' negotiations.

Mr. Jones said there was no such thing as waste product
in relation to the supply of electricity.

The affidavit then dealt with figui'es concerning cost of
production, and concluded by stating that in the opinion of
Mr. Hann. the increase of cost caused by the deduction of
the amount of energy supplied to the defendants from the
total amount of energy produced by the plaintiffs should be
almost inappreciable.

Mr. Jenkins read further evidence dealing with the coal
position, and said that it was common ground that the rise
in the price of coal at first was due to the war, but it was
open to question whether the later rises were not due to the
peace.

.\t the adjournment, Mr. Jones said that the offer to the
defendants with regard to the coal clause was still open, but
there must be a time-limit to it. He could not fight with
his hands tied.

Mr. Jenkins said he wa.. not pressing the other side to keep
the offer open, and he was not going to say that he accepted
or refused it.

Mr. Jones said it remained open until the next time the
case was heard, and he would not withdraw it before.

Mr Jenkins then said that the defendants preferred to fake
a decision of the Com't.

The summons was thereupon adjourned to a day to be fixed.

A Misunderstanding.
At Blackburn County Court, on Monday, Thomas Speak,
electrical eugineer, claimed from Thomas W. Foster, engineer,
of Montague Street, £13 10s. for work done. Defendant paid
^8 10s. into Court. It was stated that plaintiff' agreed to
install a 'i-H.p. motor engine for i'S 10s., and a 6-h.p. motor
for £5. Defendant said the £S 10s. was to cover both jobs.
His Honour gave a verdict for £1'2, and said there had been
an honest misunderstanding between the parties.

Malicious Damage.
At Holmfirth, last week. Hirst Taylor and Harry Heeley were
each fined .£5 and 3.5s. costs, for maliciously damaging an
electric light globe in a Great Central corridor train travelling
between Penistone and Brockholes. Each dared the other
to kick the globe down, and eventually Heeley did so.

Obtaining Electrical Goods by False Pretences.

At the Central Criminal Court, on Tuesday, last week,
Edward Adames. 47, described as an electrician, pleaded
guilty of obtaining quantities of electrical goods by false
pretences from the Edison Swan Electrical Co., Ltd., and
the Sun Electrical Co., Ltd. Mr. Fortune, who prosecuted,
stated that last May the prisoner went to the premises of
the Edison Swan Electrical Co., Ltd., and ordered a quantity
of electric lamps. He promised to pay the next day, and
in order to obtain the goods handed over a trade card con-
taining the name " Edward .\danies & Son, electrical con-
tractors. 1'2. Savoy Rise. Savoy Street, Strand." On the
strength of this statement lie got pos.session of the goods,
but it subsequently turned out that no business of any sort
was carried on by him at the address given. Two days later

681

I'HE iiLECTRlCAL REVIE VV . [voi. 87. ko. 2,244, novembeb 26, 1920.

he again called at the prosecutors, ami obtained further goods
for which he gave a cheque, which was dishonoured on pre-
sentation. In September he obtained goods in a similar
manner from the Sun Electrical Co., Ltd. A police officer
stated that the accused had been an electrical engineer for
many years, and he appeared to have obtained orders from
various householders for electrical work, receiving money on
account, but did not carry out the work. By means of a
worthless cheque he had also obtained electrical goods from
the British Thomson-Houston Co. ■

The Eeoorder sentenced the aK-cused to 1'2 months' imprison-
ment with hard labour.

Eesearch Grant Protest.
As has been previously mentioned in the Electrical Review,
on Augu.st •5th last the shareholders in Messrs. Brunner, Mond
and Co. agreed to a resolution authorising the directors to
distribute the sum of £100,11110 from the investment surplus
reserve account among selected universities or other scientific
institutions for the furtherance of scientific education and
research. As a consequence of this resolution, Mr. Evans,
a shareholder in the company, who at the meeting voted
against the resolution, applied to the High Comt for an in-
junction to restrain the company from disbursing the
amount agreed upon.

Before Mr. Justice Eve, Mr. Clayton, K.C., for the plaintiff,
submitted that the resolution was ultra vires of the company,
and therefore could be objected to by one shareholder. The

main object of the company, as set out in the memorandum
of association, was to acquire the business of Brunner, Mond
and Co., chemical manufacturers, but it was also stated that
the company took power to undertake any business incidental
and conducive to the carrying out of the main object. Mr.
Justice Eve observed that the ca.se seemed to resolve itself into
a decision as to whether the disputed sum was to be devoted
to an object incidental and conducive to the main object, and
Mr. Maugham, K.C, for the defendants, said that was his
clients' case. Mr. Clayton maintained that a limit had to lje
set to the disposal of money in this' way, and the object
should be conducive in a specific and not in a general manner.
In his judgment, Mr. Justice Eve said that it was urged on
behalf of the plaintiff that the terms of the resolution were
too vague, but he (his Lordship) could not agree. He felt
some difficulty, however, in the definition of the furtherance
of scientific education and research, but could not disregard
the evidence of the directors who were specialists in the busi-
ness. The directors said that the grant would tend to train
men whose .services would eventually be advantageous to the
company, and that seemed to his Lord.ship to dispose of the
criticism that it was too general and not confined to a special
branch of science. The evidence .showed that the company
had experienced difficulty in obtaining the right class of men,
and the provision of this fund would enable an efficient body
of men to be brought into existence by whose services the
company would benefit. In the circumstances, his Lordship
considered that he ought not to interfere by injunction, and
he uould therefore make no order.

THE SHIPBUILDING, ENGINEERING AND ELECTRICAL EXHIBITION.

iContimied from p. 667.')

Messrs. Brecknell, Mdnro & Rogers, Ltd. — A representa-
tive collection of electric traction and haulage Ksar ia to be found
on thia stand. The exhibits include the Brecknell electric signal
for suburban lines and light railways. The whole of thia
apparatus, with the exception of the lamp boxes, is placed on the
overhead line. A mechanical " off " contact is fitted, which renders
sticking of parts, owing to the coils becoming heated, impossible.
A new type of pantograph current collector (fig. 9), in sizaa of from
10 to 600 amperes, is shown. This collector is made with either one or

Messrs. Telkord, Grier & McKay. — This exhibit consists of
Morse lamps and semaphores, an " Electolite " lighting set, a ship-
yard electric winch, and ships' electrical installations. A "W.G.'
tell-tale forms a feature of the display. This ia connected up to
five lights representing the navigation lighta of a vessel. Small
indicating lamps show whether the navigation lighta are " on " or
'' off.' Should any of the lamps fail, a solenoid drops and closes a
warning-bell circuit.

Messrs. Kelvin, Bottomley & Baird, Ltd. — Among many
other instrumenta, this firm shows examples of its " Pnenmer-
cator" tank gauge which, in addition to indicating the liquid
head, can be calibrated to give a direct reading o^ the corresponding
weight or volume. An electric annunciator may be fitted to the
instrument to indicate predetermined mean, maximum, minimum
or other levels. The mercury in the device makes and breaks its
own connections at the determined point, thereby operating: an
indicating hand on the annunciator and ringing an alarm bell. To
accomplidh this, the only wiring necessary is between the mercury
columns and the annunciator. Diaphragms and floats are entirely
obviated. The " Denny-Edgecombe " torsionmeter (fig. 10) ia a
notable feature of the stand. Thi9 device is actuated by the
angular twist of a known length of the shaft transmitting the
power to be measured. Two members of the torsionmeter are
rigidly attached to the shaft at a specified distance apart, and the

Fig. 9. — Pantograph Current Collector.

Fig. 10.— Denny-Edgeco.mbe Torsion Meter.

two collector bows in aluminium or copper. The largest size will
riae to wirea fixed 7J ft. above the roof of the vehicle on which it
is mounted. Other exhibits are double-pole collectors, three-phase
pantograph collectors, alip-ring collectors, trolley heads of various
types and sizes, collector ahoes, trolley wire eara, hangers, insula-
tors, switchgear, moulded mica and rubber insulation, &c.

relative angular movement is transmitted through a atep-np ayatem
of balanced levers to a contactor-arm moving over a specially
constructed rheostat carried by and rotating with the shaft. The
current in a local circuit, including a differentially- wound indicator,
is controlled by the position of the rheostat contactor-arm and the
indicator is calibrated to read directly the h.p. transmitted at a

Vol.87. No. 2,244, NovKMBE* 26, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

685

known speed of revolution, or alternatively, the torsion in the
shaft, as may be desired. The contactor arm rubs on the resistance
ribbon only while a reading is beinpr taken, i.e., so lonpr as a pTish-
button is depressed. Other features of the exhibit are drau^rht
indicators, sextants, barometers, ke.

Messr.s. Holophane, Ltd. — One of the briijhtest spots in
the Exhibition is this company's stand, displayinpr examples of
scientific lighting. On the front of the stand are three pairs of
lamps exemplifying extensive, intensive, and focusing lighting
systems, together with curves showing the distribution of the rays.
Industrial-type lanterns are shown, as well as street-lighting
lanterns fitted with band and bowl refractors. A special " anti-
glare" motor-car head light is contrasted with the usual design.
Asymmetrical fittings with a reflecting back and diffusing front,
angle reflectors for shop-window lightiBg, and reflector-refractors
for offices, are included among the exhibits. A tastefully coloured
bowl giving pleasing results — the ''Decolite" — is also on view. A
collection of photographs shows the results obtained from lighting
systems installed by the firm.

Messrs. W. McGeoch k Co., Ltd . have an extensive display of
switchgear and fittings for ships' electrical installations. On the
stand is a marble switchboard built to comply with the latest
Lloyd's rules, and fitted with quick-break knife switches and Home
Office type fuses. "Klidos" switch and fuseboxe.i, water-tight
bulkheads and glands are also exhibited. In the centre of the
stand is a complete full-sized model of an electrically-fitted state-
room with every modern appliance to hand. The bulk of the
material exhibited is made in Birmingham.

Messrs. Simple.x Conduits, Ltd., show an extensive and
attractive display of domestic electrical devices of all kinifs,
including " Plexsim" fires, kettles, irons, electric light fittings, &c.
The well-known conduit is not given much space, but a new type
of ironclad distribution board fitted with spaoial fuse units so
mounted as to make wiring easy, and to facilitate inspection, is
shown. This is accomplished by hinging the interior on pins,
enabling the whole to be lifted out at either end. Another feature
of these " Diaduct " boxes is the method of entry provided for the
cables. The sides of the boxes are slotted out and removab'e
troughs, drilled as required, may be easily fitted. This feature is
valuable when alteration of drilling is re juired when the bjx has
been fitted in position. The boxes are made in sizes of from two
to twelve ways of 15 amperes per way.

Messrs. Dent & Co. & Johnson, Ltd. — This firm, which is
associated with the installers of " Big Ben," exhibits a wide
selection of navigational instruments, including ships' compasses,
binnacles, 4c3. " Johnson's Patent " loud-speaking telephones for
communication between various stations on board ship are shown.
These are very efficient instruments, absolutely water-tight and
unchanged by varying climatic conditions. All working parts are
totally enclosed. A special type of bell is fitted, which is also
suitable for mine signalling.

The Morgan CRnciBLE Co., Ltd.— This firm displays a
number of cirbon brushes for dynamos and motors, magneto
carbons, carbon switch contacts, telephone electrodes, diaphragms,
ko., welding carbons aad ca bin powder resistances.

The HARLiND Esginkerino Co, Ltd., and the British
Electric Plant Co., Ltd. — A comprehensive display of electrical
gear, 4:; , is to be found on this stand. A speciality is mill motors,
both a.c. and D.c, and a 15a-H.p. papar-mill motor is one of the
largest machines in the exhibit. Internally ventilated by an
enclosed fan, this is a good machine for satisfactory performance
in wet and dirty situations. The Harland patent speed interlock
is shown, which possesses the advantages of obviating heavy belts,
cones, vtc, permitting rapid changes of speed, and abolishing
heavy, li(;ht-obstructing driving mechanism. The action of this
apparatus is best illustrated by the diagram, fig. 11, and may
be briefly described as follows : — A shaft A runs through the
entire length of the paper machine, and is driven by a small
motor. This master shaft drives, by means of bevel gears B, a
spur shaft c. There are as many bevels and shafts, &o , as there are
individual motors driving different sections of the paper machine — ■
that is to say, if 10 motors are used to drive the paper machine,
there would be 1 1 J units of gear. Each spur shaft c is coupled to a
differential gear D, the other end of the difl^erential is coupled to
shaft E, upon which is mounted a small cone pulley h, which
is driven by a similar cone piUey H mounted on the shaft of the
main sectional motor driven by belt L, The two pulleys K repre-
sent guide pulleys for the belt L ; these pulleys are in practice
mounted as near as possible to the pulleys H, ensuring that, when
once set, the belt r. will not wander over the face of H. If the
shafts c and e, coupled up to and supporting the differential D,
are running at different speeds, the case of the differential d
enclosing the gear must revolve. This feature of the differential
has been made use of. The differential d is surrounded by a
stationary shunt regulator M, with a moving arm a mounted on
shaft e. The shunt regulator M controls the speed of motor f. and is
in circuit with it. If the case of the differential D revolves, and
with it the shunt regulator arm o, immediately the speed of
motor K is altered, and sjnchronism is effected automatically
between spurs c and e, and the switch arm r, remains on one con-
tact of the shunt regulator until any further factors operate to
change either the speed of the master motor or sectional motor f ;
the arm a wUl then simply move slightly and will remain on that
contact of the shunt regulator as will give the same speeds to
spurs c and E. The pulleys are used to '/ive different drafts
between the various sections of the paper machine— 15/20 per cent,
speed change is generally provided for ; o in the sketch shows a

a screw shaft which goes to the operating side of the paper
machine on the other side of the wall. By turning this shaft a
few revolutions the operator can change the draft between sections
within the limits of the cone pulleys— that is, about 15/20 per
cent. The belt h has no power to transmit except that required
to overcome ball-bearing friction. The belt is made relatively
heavy so as to ensure slipless drive, and this has been shown to be
obtained in practice. The speed of the whole paper machine is
changed by altering the speed of shaft A. Immediately this is
done, all the shafts E for a moment run out of harmony with the
master shaft ; as a result, all the differential gear cases move the shunt
regulator arms G to such a position on the shunt regulators
as will give individual harmony with the master shaft ; com-
plete rest and svnchronism is then attained. ' and the whole

M^:.

Fig. 11. — The Harland Patent Speed Interlock.

machine runs as if mechanically interlocked at the same draft.
No more relative movement can then take place than would be
possible if the different sections of the paper machine were
coupled together by gears. This arrangement gives, in addition to
the interlock, the greatest flexibility and ease of operation.

A "Crescent" coalcutter is exhibited. This machine has its
gears entirely enclosed in stri n ', cast-steel boxes. Lubrication, an
important item in this class o; machine, is effected by a plunger
pump fitted in the bottom of the gear box. The coal>cutter is in
parts easily assembled in the mine and giving great rigidity. A
mine distribution fuse box, gate-end boxes, switchgear, &c., are
shown. In addition to these, there are pumps for water and
tailinois from metalliferous mines.

The Marconi Intebnational Marine CoMiinNiCATiON Co.
Ltd. — This stand includes a replica of the wireless telegraph
cabin of a modern ship, in which is fitted a main-spark set rated
at IJ KW., a main continuous- wave set of the same nominal power,
and a smaller li-KW. set. The transmission side of the first set
works over a guaranteed range of 100 miles. The receiver is of
the "31-A " type, in circuit with a new heterodyne receiver
embodying a four-electrode valve. For shorter ranges the ampli-
fying panel of a d.f. set is used for reception purposes. The c.w.
panel may be used for a range of 1,000 miles, but is capable of a
much wider application. The range of the emergency set is from
80 to 100 miles. The most important features of the apparatus
are the small amount of space which it occupies, the fact that a
silence cabin is unnecessary, and that the sets are practically fool-
proof, being so simple in operation.

Messrs. W. Beown & Co. — This Glasgow firm shows a wide range
of electrical flttings and plant of many descriptions. The exhibit
includes cables, rubber and bitumen insulated and lead-covered, and
armoured ; storage cells in glass, and ebonite cases by Fuller's
United Electric Works, Ltd., as well as arc lamp carbons, fcc,
by the same firm. The products of the Midland Electric
Manufacturing Co., Ltd., shown, include ironclad switches, two
and three-pole, up to 200 amperes and 600 volts, fuses and distri-
bution boxes. Motors manufactured by Messrs. Horace Green
and Co. are shown. These are D.c. motors of the enclosed venti-
lated type up to 100 B HP., and A.c. motors up to 200 b.h.p.,
and for all frequencies, squirrel-cage, made and fitted with
solid welded rotor end rings, ball and roller bearings. Other firms
represented on this stand are Watertight Fittings, Ltd. (cast-
iron, brass and sheet metal fittings for lighting, &c., and special
bulkhead fittings') ; New British Electric Supply Co., Ltd.
(d.c. and a.c. totally-enclosed, continuously-rated, low-tempera-
ture motors) ; and Messrs. S. G. Leach \: Co. (table, desk, and
bracket fans, motor-driven sirens, A.C. or D.c, propeller fans, and
small motors for polishing and buffing).

Messrs. Vickers, Ltd. — A large space has been taken up by this
firm, which shows broaching machines, box-making machinery,
railway materials, sewing machines, miniature rifles, hydraulic
valves, and an electrically-driven Williams-Janney hydraulic
winding engine, &c. Associated with Vickers, Ltd., are the loco
Rubber and Waterpbooiing Co.. Michell Bearixos, Ltd.,
White. Jacoby & Co. (portable electric drills, magnetic adhesion
electrical drills, and armatures and components), T. Cooke and
Sons, Ltd. (surveying instruments, and instrument-making
machine tools), 'Vickebs Fetters, Ltd. (electric lighting sets, oil
engines and winches), and Messrs. S. F. Saunders, Ltd.

[To be concluded.)

686

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.s?. no. 2,244, novbub™ 26, 1920.

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankroptcy Proceedings. — T. J. Symons (Zodiac

Peerless Electric Lamp Co.), 25, Denmark Street. Charing Oroea
Road, W.C. — The public examination was held on November 16th,
before Mr. Registrar Mellor, at the London Bankruptcy Court, of
this debtor. The accounts showed liabilities £2,21)0 93. 2d., against
assets valued at £216 2a. 8d. The debtor stated that he joined his
father in partnership, and they commenced the above business in
October, 1918, with a capital of £200. The partnership was
dissolved in November, 1919, when witness gave his father a
promissory note for £200 in respect of money the latter had
advanced to the business. He subsequently continued it alone,
but under the same style until last August. After the disaolution
he also made lamp shades, and dealt in silk. The premises were
burgled in July last, and about £250 or £300 worth of silk was
stolen, to which loss, combined with a fall in the price of silk and
loss in trading, he attributed his failure. The examination was
concluded.

I. J. HODSOS A: B. H. NEWMA.N (Hodson & Newman), electrical
engineers, 85, Queen Street. Exeter. Last day for proofs, Decem-
ber 14th. Trustee, Mr. \. H. Ward, 9, Bedford Circus, Exeter.

0. Carr, electrical engineer, Oak Works, Headingley, Leeds.
Last day for proofs, December 8th. Trustee, Mr. H. Clifford,
official receiver, 24, Bond Street, Leeds.

Company Liquidation.— Eastern Engineering and

Supply Co., Ltd., 351, High Street, Stratford. — A meeting of
creditors of the above was heldrecently at St. Margaret's House, E.C.
According to the statement of affairs presented by the liquidator,
Mr. A. Hartley, the liabilities amounted to £1,120. The assets
were estimated to realise £138. less £69 for preferential claims,
leaving net assets of £69 98. 9d., or a deficiency of £1,050. The
aasets consisted of atock-in-trade expected to produce £4 ; fixtures
and fittings, £10 : good book debts, .£114 ; and doubtful and bad
debts, £205, ealimated to produce £10. It was stated that the
Sheriff recently levied execution on behalf of certain creditors,
and sold practically the whole stock-in-trade. The stock was
estimated at that time to be worth £300, but it only realised just
a little over £ 130. The company had a little work still in hand,
wAich was not yet completed, while the tenancy agreement was
expected to be worth something, and the liquidator stated he hoped
to receive £25 for it. Dissatisfaction was expressed at the
situation disclosed, and the creditors decided to confirm the
voluntary liquidation of the company with the liquidator appointed
by the shareholders.

Dissolutions of Partnersliip.— Sauxders, Uarxer

AND MOTHBRSDILL, electrical motor and mechanical engineers,
249, Regent Street, Salford. — Messrs. A. Saunders, F. Garner, and
F. Mothersdill have dissolved partnership. Debts will be attended
to by Mr. F. Garner and Mr. F. Mothersdill, who will continue the
business.

Almer, White & Co., general and electrical engineers. Shard
Mews, Hill Street, Peckham, S.E. — Mr. H. Thompson, Mr. A. Ducat,
and Mr. C. A. White have dissolved partnerahip. Mr. H. Thompaon
and Mr. A. Ducat will attend to debts and continue the business
under the style of Ducat & Thompaon.

Trade Announcements. — The Northern Electrical

Supplies Co., of 23, Bank Street, Bradford, wish to notify the
electrical trade that they have no connection whatever with any
firm of contractors in Bradford trading under a similar name.

Anglo-Overseas Engineers and Merchants. Ltd., have
removed from " Hastings House," 10, Norfolk Street, Strand,W.C. 2.

Mirrlees, Bickerton & Day, Ltd. — We are informed that on
and after November '22nd, 1920, the London office wOl be Mirrlees
House, 7, Grosvenor Gardens, Westminster, N.W.I. Telephone
number : Victoria 9123. Telegraphic address : Crudoil, Sowest,
London.

Catalogues and Lists. — The British Thomson-
Houston Co., Ltd., Mazda House, 77, Upper Thames Street, E.C. 4,
— Two folders illustrated in colour and by photographic repro-
ductions. One deals with bowl fittings for semi-indirect lighting
and the other with "Mazda" electric lamp bulbs for motor-car, tzc,
■ lighting ; both folders are fuUy priced.

The Newman Electrical Co., 64, Newman Street, W. 1. — A
net trade price-list (12 pp.) of electrical accessories and general
wiring supplies, including bells, cut-outs, batteries, switches, &c.

Julius Sax & Co., Ltd., 24a, High Street, New Oxford Street,
W.C. 2. — A priced and illustrated catalogue of opal glass, '' Holo-
phane " glass and alabaster bowl reflectora and fittings, and also
wall plugs, lampholders, "candle" fittings and interlocking switch
plugs.

Stermng Telephone and Electric Co., Ltd., Telephone
House, 210-212, Tottenham Court Road, W. 1.— Publication 284,
an illustrated price-list of telephones with throat microphone trans-
mitters and accessories.

Hudson's Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd., 7 and 8, Pru-
dential Buildings, Leeds. — A blotter bearing a picture of a motor
and advertising two and three-phase squirrel-cage and slip-ring
types.

The Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd., Ponders End, Middle-
sex.— An illustrated and priced leaflet dealing with the '' Ediswan "
electric fire.

Economic Electric, Ltd., 10, Fitzroy Square, W. 1.— A catalogue

(20 pp.) of wireless apparatus. Very fully priced and illustrated,
with index of listed articles. Also includes a list of published
works on wireless telegraphy and telephony.

Thomas Bboadbent & Sons, Ltd., Central Ironworks, Hudders-
field. — An illustrated and detailed catalogue (30 pp.) of a.c. and
D c. electric hydro-extraotora, motors, and switchgear.

Book Notice. — " Telegraphy." By T. E. Herbert.

Fourth Edition, with Addendum. Pp. xx -f 1,020 ; 640 illus-
trations. London : Sir I. Pitman & Sons, Ltd. Price 18s. net.

The Electric Propnlsion of Ships.— We are informed

that an application for a British patent (No. 133,301), which has
been lodged by Messrs. Brown, Boveri & Co., Ltd., will be opposed
by Capt. W. P. Durtnall, on the ground that, the use of a self-
starting synchronous polyphase motor for driving the propeller
shafts of ships hai been covered in previous lay-outs for his
' Paragon " system.

Municipal Representatives on an Industrial Council. —

The Harapatead Borough Council has passed resolutions stating
that while in sympathy with the principles of the Whitley Councils,
it considers that the present constitution of the Metropolitan
District Council of the J.I.C. for Local Authorities' Non-Trading
Services (Manual Workers) is not such as will guarantee impartial
consideration of questions relating to wagea. This is said to be
due to the fact that a number of representatives of Borough
Councils sitting on the body are Labour members of those Councils.
The resolutions call for the appointment of an independent body
as a tribunal of first reference. The Battersea Borough Council is
replying that while it agrees that it is inadvisable for municipal
authorities to be represented by Trade Union officials, it resents the
implied suggestion that Labour members of Borough Councils are
unlikely to give impartial consideration to the wage questions
brought before the Metropolitan District Council.

Lead Report. — In their report dated Xovember 20th,
Messrs. James Forster & Co. say : -Closing pricea yeaterday
were £32 lOs. for November, and £31 15s. for February, a
reduction on the week of 40s. and 35s. per ton respectively. The
bottom values of £32 for November, and £31 153. for February
were done on Wednesday. Buaineaa has been extraordinarily active,
the turnover being over 7,003 tons, the selling moat aggressive,
and the loss on each of the first three days of the week 20a. to 30s.
per ton. Thursday — the moat active day, when 2 500 tons changed
hands — showed an advance of 15s. per ton for all positions, but
yesterday the market again eased off about 5s. per ton. On
Monday, outside the market, nearly 1,000 tons were sold for prompt
shipment, much of it at £36 5a. and £36 10s. f.o.b. Consumers
have bought largely, chiefly for early deliviry, but also for next
year. The Broken Hill Associated Smelters expect to commence
shipping in February ; the production expected is 7,000 tons per
month, of which 4,500-."i,000 will be available for export.

Messrs. G. Cawson & Co. say that the unexpected supply of
prompt lead from France encouraged sales of considerable quantities
of forward lead at low prices. Consumers in aome inatancea have
taken advantage of theae forward sales to cover their future
requirements. The outlook still points to an unsettled market.
Should speculatora, however, cease their opsrations of selling
forward lead, we should look for some recovery.

Copper and Lead Prices. — Messrs. F. Smith Jt Co.

report November 23rd. — Copper (electrolytic) bars. £95, £7
decrease; ditto sheets, no change; ditto wire rods, £111, £7
decrease ; ditto H.c. wire la. 2d., jd. decrease.

Messrs. James & Shakespeare report November 24th, copper
bars (best selected), sheets and roda. £143. .*: 6 decrease ; English
pig lead £3ii, £3 reduction on last weeks quotation.

The "Paragonisation" of Tramways. — Referring to the

serious financial situation of the Britisn tramway industry.
Captain W. P. Durtnall suggests that a solution to the problem :a
to be found in the general application of the " Paragon " thermo-
eleotrification ayatem. The tramcara under this system would in
most cases carry their own propulsive energy in the form of
the new super-Diesel "Paragon " internal-combustion engine,
using heavy fuel oil, or residue from gas works. This engine
drives a small generator mounted under the car, and the same
overhead lines, or slot ayatem of conductora. may be utilised to
allow an electrical exchange of energy automatically to take place
between the various cars, whether they be starting or climbing
grades or regenerating and running down gradea, &c. The energy
at present supplied from central power stations will no longer be
required, and this release will in many casea be welcome, as the
energy now used for tramoars can, of course, be used for lighting
and stationary power purposes, &c. It is very doubtful, he says,
if the overall thermal elficiency with the present system is more than
5 to 6 per cent., but with this new system it can be raised to at least
25 per cent., and with the credit due to regeneration it will
possibly rise to 32 per cent ; in that case a very great reduction
in the fuel consumption per car-mile will result. The same car-aheds
would, of courae, be required, and alao the repair plant, but no
power station would be wanted.

Inquiries. — Makers of the " Emeralite " electric table
lamp fitting, of armature coil pullers and winders, and of brass
rings and chains for bowl fittings, are asked for.

Vol. 87. No. 2,244, Notkmbbb 26, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

687

B.T.H. Smoking Concert.— On the evening of the I'Jth

inst., the Willesden drawing office staff of the British Thom-
son-Houston Co., together with many members of the en-
gineers, general, and works staff, laid aside all their business
troubles and worries and spent a most enjoyable social even-
ing. Prior to the concert, and promptly to time — in accord-
ance with B.T.H. punctuahty — 84 members made a pre-
arranged attack on the staff' canteen, and did justice to a
palatable tea, which was provided by the compan)'.

Before the commencement of the concert the chairman
and Mr. E. J. Blackaby gave the toasts; " The King " and
" Our Fallen Heroes," respectively.

The works manager, Capt. O. E. Acklom, E.N., C.B.,
C.B.E., in response to the toast of " The CJompany and the
Manager," most suitably given by Mr. H. C. Heath, expressed
his thanks for the reception and for coupling his name with
" The Company." After expressing his pleasure at being
present, he remarked upon the great activity of the electrical
industry throughout the United Kingdom, and upon the high
pressure under which the Willesden works was working.

The toast of "The Visitors" was cordially given by the
chairman, and responded to by Messrs. T. Hatton (works
superintendent) and .J. H. Castell (late of the B.T.H.).

Much credit is due to Mr. I^eggett (works staff) for the
brief and concise manner in which he toasted " The Artistes,
Committee, and the well-known caricaturist, Mr. H. Secre-
tan." Messrs. B. Townsend and P. H. Rolfe responded on
behalf of the artistes and the committee respectively.

During the evening three prizes were given for the winning
number from the numbered programmes, drawn from
a hat by the Lancashire comedian. Mr. J. WUson. They were
won, in order, bv Messrs. R. D. Patrick, W. G. Blackwell,
and F. B. J. Skudder.

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the chairman on
the proposition of Mr. F. Tuck. Mr. T. Hands responded,
regretting that the refreshments, although they appeared to
be in sufficient quantity at the start, did not hold out. He
said that they were most fortunate in having the services of
such accomplished pianists as Messrs. E. Snewing and S. C.
Witcombe. The talent was so good that it seems rather
invidious to particularise, but mention may be made of the
artistes Messrs. J. Wilson, A. NiohoUs, B. Townsend, and
H. Moody. The evening closed with " Auld Lang Syne " and
the National Anthem.

Engineering Wages. — New overtime and night shift

conditions have been accepted by the .Amalgamated Engineer-
ing Union, after a ballot of the members. These establish
for the first time in the history of the industry, in federated
shops, uniform conditions for overtime and 'night shifts, and
thus abohsh the many anomaUes that at present exist in
different parts of the country. The agreement will take
effect on and from the fourth full pay-day; night workers
will be paid at the rate of time and a-third for 47 hours, and
overtime at the rate of time and, two-thirds, calculated on
day shift rates. .\11 hours between 1'2 midnight Saturday
and 1'2 midnight Sunday will be paid double time. — Daily
Dispatch.

Wages and Salaries. — A ballot to decide the acceptance

or refusal of an otter of increases varying from 3s. to V2s. per
week made by the Joint Industrial Council for Area No. 10,
is to be taken by the E.T.U. and other unions concerned.

Mechanics' mates will receive '2s. per hour from the be-
ginning of November under a recent agreement between the
National Federated Electrical Association and the London
District Committee of the E.T.U.

The threatened strike of L.C.C. tramway employes over the
question of the classification of controller repairers and others
as skilled operatives, has been deferred, and representatives
of the Municipal Tramways Association, the Metropolitan
Municipal Ti'amway Managers' Association, and the E.T.U.
were to meet on Wednesday last, November '24th.

A meeting of the Joint Industrial Council for the Tramways
Industry has been arranged tor December 7th to consider the
claims of tramway employes for a further increase of l'2s.
per week. Many imdertakings have expressed their inability
to accede to the demand owing to the present state of their
finances.

The Hull Corporation Electricity Committee has compUed
with a request of the E.P.E..-\. to make payment of the agreed
schedule of rates for members of technical staffs. The esti-
mated additional cost to the Corporation is f 1.000 per annum.

Motormen and conductors in the employ of the Birmingham
Tramways Department decided at a meeting on November 'Hat
to press, under the threat of a .strike, for the advance of 12s.
a week recently applied for. There was a refusal to accept
arbitration.

\ conference of representatives of electric supply autho-
rities— municipal and company — with the West Midland
authorities (13 in number, in the counties of Warwick, Staf-
ford, Salop, and W(ircest<^r) was held at Birmingham on No-
vemlier 2'2nd. Aid. Bird (Birmingham) presided. It was
unanimously resolved that all electric supply authorities in the
West Midlands area be strongly urged to accept in their en-
tirety the conditions of employment and schedule of salaries
for technical engineers on the staff of electric supply under-
takings, as issued bv the National .Joint Board, and dated
May 12th, 1920,

Lnxemburg's Economic Future. — Under this title

Mr. R. F. H. Duke, Commercial Secretary to H.M. Embassy,
Brussels, gives in the B.U.T. Journal for November 18th a
detailed account of the economic possibilities of this small
but industrially important Cirand Duchy. The population,
formerly dominated commercially by German interests, is
strongly pro-.\lly, and there are already opportunities for
British trade, which will increase as the rate of exchange
tends to approach the normal. Inquiries from British firms
should be addressed to the Commercial Secretariat at our
Belgian Embassy.

Excess Profits Duty, — Concern is being caused to the

Chancellor of the Exchequer by the E.P.D. yielding very
much less than he anticipated. The claims for rebates are
enormous owing to the fall in trade, and threaten the early
approach of a time when they will equal the revenue from
this source. It is probable that a conference of liankers and
merchants with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and other
Ministers will be held shortly to consider the position. Though
the tax has been raised from 40 to GO per cent., the yield
for the six months ended September 30th was ±"20,000,000 less
than in the same period last i/ear. Arrangements have been
made for a conference between the Government (represented
by the Premier, Mr. Bonar Law, the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, and the President of the Board of Trade), and leading
bankers and traders. The Premier, accompanied by Sir Robert
Home, recently breakfasted with Mr. Peter Rylands. Presi-
dent of the Federation of British Industries, at 10, Downing
Street. The conference referred to, which may be taken as
a result of the strong ca.se put forward by Mr. Rylands, will
be held, it is understood, before the Premier addresses the
Federation of British Industries at its annual dinner. Some
recently established firms have, it is stated, removed out of
the country because they could not stand the taxation here.

Export Credits Scheme.— The Department of Overseas

Trade says the recent passage of the Overseas Trade (Credits
and Insurance) Act through Parliament, and the fact that
certain modifications have now lieen made in the export
credits scheme, afford a suitable opportunity for bringing again
to the notice of Chambers of Conunerce and Trade Associa-
tions the facilities afforded by the Export Credits Department
in relation to British trade in Central a'bd South-Eastern
Europe. ITp to the present time the scheme has not been
taken -advantage of to a very great extent, partly owing to
the fact that manufacturers and merchants in this country
have enjoyed a period of unprecedented prosperity, and have
had no time to consider extensions in new directions. There
are now signs of reaction and consequent slackness of trade,
and it is, therefore, likely that manufacturers and others wih
be seeking new outlets for their trade.

Under the Overseas Trade (Credits and Insurance) Act
credits may be accorded up to an aggregate amount not
exceedmg 26 million pounds in respect of exports of British
manufactured goods to the following countries : Finland,
Latvia, Esthonia, Lithuania, Poland, Czecho-Slovakia, Serb-
Croat-Slovene State, Eumania, Georgia, Armenia. Bulgaria
has recently been added to the schedule, and other countries
may possibly be included as occasion arises. Credits may be
granted up to a maximum period of three years.

It should be explained that the advantages of the scheme
cannot under the Act be accorded to an alien or to a firm
in which the majority of the partners are aliens, or to a
company m which the majority of the directors are not
British subjects.

Copies of the revised conditions may be had on appUcation
to the Export Credits Department, No. 73, Basinghall Street,
London, E.C. 2, where all information on the subject^ inay
be obtained. If members of any Chamber or .Association
wish to go into the matter further by personal discussion, the
Department will endeavour to arrange for a representative
to attend any meeting in order to answer questions or to
explain the details of the scheme.

Commercial Travellers in Denmark. — The Oommercial

Secretary to H.M. Legation at Copenhagen has drawn atten-
tion to the fact that travellers visiting Denmark frequently
experience difficulties through ignorance of the regulations
in force with regard to the operations of commercial travellers.
The Commercial Secretary has obtainei. from the competent
Danish authorities full details of these re„'ulations, which with
certain minor exceptions, agree with thise published in the
Commercial Travellers' Returns 1914 (Cd 7031). Full details
of the regulations can be obtained on appUcation to the De-
partment of Overseas Trade.— B.O.T. Jotrnal.

Ex-Enemy Patents, &c.— Two orders have been signed
by the President of the Board of Trade relating to late enemy
copyrights and patents. They are : —

(ij Order of the Board of Trade directing t^ custodian to
divest himself of copvrights previously owned by German and
Au.strian nationals. \i) Order of the Board of Trails directing
the custodian to divest himself of patents previously o\v»ed
by Austrian and Bulgarian nationals.

The texts of these Orders, which are of considerable lengtn,
are published in the Illustrated Official Journal of Patents ol
November 17th.— B.O.T. Journal.

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol, 87. No. 2,244, November 20,1920.

Catalogues for Brazil.— The Commercial Secretary to

11 M. Kiiiliassy in Kio dc JiUieiru I'allB attcntiuu tu the lact
Ihat catalogues are often KCiit Irum the United Kiuydoin tu
Jjiazil by parcel post, with the result that considerable delay
occurs before they are handed over to the addressee. It is
Ijighly desirable that catalogues for Brazil should be sent as
" registered printed matter " {Impressos Registrados), the
maximum weight allowed for each package under this head-
ing being 4 lb. Firms desiring to send catalogues in quantity
should forward separate packages, not exceeding 4 lb. each,
the total weight of a number of parcels at one time not exceed-
ing I'i lb. If printed matter from a single sender arrives in
one lot, weighing altogether 7 kilos or more, the Brazilian
postal authorities send them to the parcels post section, where
they are treated as parcels and are delayed in consequence.—
B.O.T. Journal.

British Cliamber of Commerce for Italy.— The D.O.T.

lias been informed that the British Chamber of Commerce for
Italy has removed from Via Carlo Felice No. 7, Genoa, to
Via Orefici No. 3, Genoa.

Trade with Anstralia. — A letter has been addressed to

The Rt. Hon. Andrew Fisher, P.O., High Commissioner for
Australia, by the Federation of British Industries with refer-
ence to the difficulties which have recently arisen with regard
to the London-.Australia exchange position, which is seriously
endangering trade between Great Britain and Australia. The
Australian exchange banks are unable at the moment to pur-
chase documentary bills on AustraUa, owing to the fact that
they have not the necessarjy resoui-ces on this side to enable
them to do so. This state of affau's has arisen owing to the
fact that up till recently the British Government was the sole
purchaser of the staple Australian exports, and that the
sums disbursed on account of these purchases were made
available to the exchange banks through the Commonwealth
Government. The situation has now been radically altered
by the cessation of such purchases, and henceforward the
money expended in this country on the purchases of Australian
products will liecome available in the ordinary course of
commerce for financing the export of British goods to Aus-
tralia. Such finance, however, will not be available until the
maturity of the drafts di'awn on London in respect of free
shipments of Australian products, with the result that for
the next three or four months the Australian banks, in the
absence of the Government credits on which they have in the
past relied, will not have the necessary funds to meet the
demands for finance of the export trade from this country to
Australia, until such time as the normal flow of commerce
provides credits in this country.

The Federation suggests two methods by which this un-
fortunate state of affairs can be remedied : —

1. By the Commonwealth Government removing the pro-
hibition on the export of gold from Australia to Great Britain,
and thus enabling the lianks in .Austraha to export the gold
necessary to meet immediate credit needs.

2. By the Commonwealth Government placing at the dis-
posal of the Australian banks in London the considerable
sums which it is understood the .\ustraHan Government has
at its disposal in this country, and which it is at present
withholding from their normal function of financing trade
between Great Britain and Australia.

The Federation feels that the present state of affairs has
been caused by the action of Governments in entering into
commercial transactions. These transactions, although they
may have been fully warranted at the time at which they
were entered into, have on their termination created a serious
trade crisis, and it is not imfair to ask that all possible steps,
puch as those mentioned above, should be taken to end it.
The Federation, therefore, earnestly requests Mr. Fisher to
bring these views to the notice of the Commonwealth Govern-
ment at the earliest possible moment.

"A.W.P." Welded Steel Construction.— Among the contracts

recently earned out hv Messrs. Welded Construction, Ltd..
was the erection of a factory at Tottenham for the Galvanis-
ing Equipment Co. The factory is a skeleton steel liuilding
with walls and partitions constructed of hollow blocks. It is
200 ft. in length, 70 ft. wide, and 27 ft. high, while the
main truss has a span of 40 ft., and the wing truss un each
side of the building is 1-5 ft. in span. While the t-ite was
being cleared and tlie foundations put in the H-sectiou stan-
chions were cut to leiigth and the base plates were welded on.
These and the variiiis other members were prepared at the
Constructinii Co.'s uvirks. The trusses were w-elded up in
halves, convixnl ti. Ilie site, erected and welded in position.
A, simple .-^t. , I ]i- WIS made into which -.were dropped the
various meinl ins i.' llie truss, this being an easy and accurate
method of .ilit;iuiiiu iiiiilmiiiity. Cleats were welded on to
the.principiils t.i h.il.l iln' umiileii purlins in po.sition. There
i? an almost .niiiiiii'i. aLs.-rur of .^jiiss.^t pl.ites, and the method
Uy- which '^"' I'lisinii Hi. lull. i p.is-rs l.i'tweexi the two com-
pi-p.s-.-.jn BieiiilMis, holh :it ih. |iiiiuip:il ;irid at the horizontal
.■cnsion meiiiLier. is \cry iii4crfsiiiig. The electricity was
olitained from the local Supply Co., and the electrical plant
. consisted only of a transronuor, choking coils, electrode
liiildcrs, and cables. The whole of the work, in spite of delays
in the delivery of iiinterials, was coMipIeli'd in nine weeks.

Winding-up Petitions.— Mr. Justice P. O. Lawrence

recently called attention to a frrowing tendency among practi-
tioners in presenting windinK-up petitions to disregard the rnles
applying to the advertisement of petitions. He stated that any
oases of this kind coming to his notice would be held over untU
properly advertised, which would cause delinquents to incur the
extra costs of adjournment.

Lost Working Days. — The very serious state of affairs
in the Labour world is apparent from figures recently published in
the Lahmr Ga:ette. Daring the month of October there were no
less than 71 different labour disputes, in addition to a further 93
which were in progress at the beginning of the month. The
number of persons unemployed either as a direct .'or indirect result
of labour disputes was approximately 1,200,000; of this total the
miners' strike was responsible for about 1,100,000 unemployed.

Social. — The Cardiff and power station office staffs of
the South Wales Electrical Power Distribution Co., who are
members of the Local Government and Public Utility Services
Guild, held their first social evening of the season on Friday,^
November 19th. After an enjoyab'e tea at the Dorothy Cafe, High
Street, Cardiff, the party proceeded to the New Theatre for the
remainder of the evening. Jn the unavoidable absence of Mr.
W. A. Chamen, general manager, and Mr. Geo. P. Tutcher,
secretary, Mr. C. T. Allan, assistant manager, was the chief guest
of the evening. The good feeling between the management and
staff was greatly in evidencs. Arrangements are in progress for
further evenings of this kind during the winter.

Russian Trade. — The problem of the resumption of
trading relations with Russia was discussed at a Cabinet meeting
on the 18th inst. The Russian debt to this country is said to
amount to 500 millions sterling. The Prime Minister aimounced
to the House of Commons on the 18th inst. that the Govern-
ment had decided that a draft agreement to carry out the July
arrangements for a resumption of trade with Soviet Russia should
be prepared, and it would be ready for submission to the Russian
Government in a few days' time. The agreement wonld not be
entered into until the British Government was satisfied that the
undertaking given by the Goviot Government with regard to
British prisoners had been carried out. The " July agreement "
included stipulations that the Soviet Government should refrain
from hostile actions against Britain, and from sedition in Asia,
and that an exchange of all prisoners should take place.

Mr. F. A. Vanderlip, a U.S.A. banker, who reached Newcastle
from Gothenburg recently, is said to have obtained a concession
from the Soviet Government by which a large slice of Siberia,
including the whole Peninsula of Kamchatka, an area of 400,000
Eq. miles, practically passes into the possession of a financial
syndicate, in which the leading American bankers are interested,
for 60 years. In the next three years the Soviet Government ia
to buy about £600,000,000 worth of goods from Mr. Vanderlip'a
syndicate, to be paid for in the products of the country, including
minerals and furs. The goods to be sent from the United States
include electrical and other machinery, aeroplanes, locomotives,
steamships, transport wagons and equipment, and other articles of
all kinds.

Indian Trade Commissioner.- Mr. T. M. Ainscough,

O.B.E., His Majesty's Senior Trade Commissioner in India and
Ceylon, will leave London on November 25th to join the P. and 0,
ES. Cli'uM at Marseilles, en rovte for Bombay. Mr. Ainscough
hopes to arrive in Calcutta aliout December 20th, and will theil
take over charge of his post.

British Industries Fair, 1 92 1 .—Although practically all
the floor-space at the Castle Brjmwich Aerodrome, Birmingham, ha*
been taken up, there is still some vacant, and the opportunity
afforded should not be missed by British manufacturers. The Fait
is distinctly different to the usual exhibitions which are opened to
the general public. At these, buyers are severely handicapped by
the presence of a large number of mere sight-seers, to the detriment
of the business for which the affairs are organised. Only ?«i».i ridf
buyers receive invitations to the British Industriea Fairs from the
Board of Trade, ensuring a calm businesslike atmosphere conducive
to successful results both to buyer and seller.

Rumanian Oil Industry.— H.M. Commercial Secretary
at Bukarest has forwarded to the Department of Overseas Trade
particulars of the electrical machinery and other materials which
are urgently required for the reconstruction of the Rumanian
oil industry. A list of the principal firms engaged in the industry
has lieen supplied, together with a list of the goods required. The
latter is a general estimate received from the Geological Institnte
at Bukarest, but it has not been found possible to indicate tie
exact requirements of each undertaking. Names of such undeil
takings wUl, however, be furnished to t'rited Kingdom firnif
interested on application to the Department, 3.5, Old Queen Street,
Westminster, S.W.I.

The following materials, &c., are required : — " Bergmann '
conduits, copper wire, porcelain fittings with shade, protector,
&o., for lamps, porcelain conduits, three-phase asynchronous motorP,
three-phase e.h.p. oUcooled transformers and oil switches, thrcc-
pole switches, fusible strip, porcelain insulators, one and three-
phase meters, and well-boring equipment of all kinds. The largest
single item required is a l(i,0O0-KW". turbo-generator set.

International Trade Conference.— The General Council

of the International Parliamentary Conference of Commerce met
in Paris, on November 22td, under the presidency i f Baron
Descamps (Belgium), IG nations being represented at the fitting.

Vol.87. No. 2,244, NOVEMBER 26,1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

689

Anglo-German Arbitral Tribunal.— It is stated by the

B.O.T. Journal that the Mixed Arbitral Tribunal between
representatives of the United Kingdom and Germany has
been constituted and will shortly commence operations in
London. A great part of the work will be to decide differences
arising between an enemy debtor and an enemy creditor or
between the British and German clearing offices. Under
Article '297 of the Treaty of Versailles the Tribunal can de-
termine compensation to be borne by Germany in respect
of damage or injury inflicted upon the pr(n)erty, rights, or
interests of British nationals in German territory as they
existed on August 1st, 1914, by the war measures or measures
of transfer mentioned in the Annex to the Article mentioned
above.

German Magnetos. — The serious tffect that the importa-
tion of German magnetos is having, even at this early date,
on the British magneto industry, was recently discussed with
a representative of The Times by Mr. D. V. L. Fellows, of
the Fellows Magneto Co.

When it became apparent that the war would be of long
duration Mi;. Fellows approached the War Office and offered
his services in connection with the supply of magnetos, for
it was then obvious that, with the supply from abroad cut
off, and the demand increasing every day, it was essential
that magnetos should be got in large numbers from a new
market.

Mr. Fellows said that he was kept waiting some hours at
the War Office, and was then told that his help was not
required as the War Office had plenty of magnetos. He
pointed out that . these supplies were all German goods— a
fact of which the official interviewed apparently was not
aware— but still no advantage was taken of his offer, and
consequently it was with Fi-ance that he made his first two
contracts. Shortly afterwards some uflicial surprise was ex-
pres.sed that a British firm was supplying this type of goods
to foreign though .Allied customers, and his firm was taken
over and controlled, and asked to raise capital to form a
large company with extensive works.

Then, continued Mr. Fellows, the firm was promised that
after the war a ban should he put on German goods and a
heavy import duty should be charged on goods from the United
States of America. But the undertaking was ruled out.
Since the war they had been working very hard for increased
output, still expecting that this ban would be placed on
magnetos of German origin. Prices meanwhile were cut to
compete with the German maker, but this it would be im-
possible to continue doing. No doubt several smaller firms
would shut down while the struggle went on.

Unemployment had reached a serious ?tage ; one or two
firrns only "were working full time, most working only one or
two days a week. Those who were able to work full time
depended, if that state of affairs was to be maintained, on
shipping orders.

Mr. Fellows declared that the German manufacturer was
dispatching his magnetos to this country for sale at a figure
far below cost price. In his belief, the German Government
was continuing its pre-war. and always successful, policy of
subsidising the German manufacturer in the foreign market.

Australian Trade. — In the Federal House of Repre-
sentatives, on November 22nd, Mr. Huerhes introduced a Bill for the
repeal of the War Precantiona Act. The Government is to retain
control of coal and primary products, and is given drastic powers.
No foreign company can be registered, nor can aliens hold shares
in Australian companies without consent. The representativea of
overseas companies and firms may be required to furnish yearly the
particulars of their business operations.

UQHTINQ AND POWER N0TE5.

Antrim, — Liohting Scheme Ninety-seven per cent, of

the inhabitants have voted approval of an electric lighting scheme
for the town. Two-and-a-half per cent, were in favour of other
illuminants, while the remainder did not vote.

Batley. — Parliamentaet Bill. — In the Bill which the
Corporation is promoting in the ensuing session of Parliament
powers are being sought, amongst other things, to enable it, so far
as the electricity undertaking is concerned, to supply electricity to
premises in streets not dedicated to public use, to discontinue a
supply in case of breach of any agreement, to provide showrooms
and exhibitions, to require notices of discontinuance of supply to
be in writing, to supply or refuse to supply persous having an
independent supply of power, to refute supplies to persons indebted
to it in respact of ga? or electricity supply, to itquire consumers to
pay the coat of all electric lines from any distributing main, and
of all fittings in connection therewith, and to conptruct and main-
tain electrical sub-stations in or under any street not repairable by
the inhabitants at large or dedicated to public use.

Birkenhead. — Proposed Extensions. — To meet the

growing requirements for electricity in Birkenhead, the Corpora-
tion proposes to erect a high-pressure sub station in Marshall Street,
to install additional machinery at the Bentinck Street and South-

end geuerating stations, and to lay mains. The work will cost
je44,OO0, and the annual charge to the ratepayers is estimated at a
total of £3,943.

Bradford. — Strike Averted. — A strike which would

have cut off the electricity supply was narrowly averted on
Saturday, November 20th. The enginemen and firemen found that
under the new wage schedule they were paid time and a quarter
for Sunday work, instead of double time, and threatened to strike
at midnight on Saturday unless double time was continued till the
disputed point was settled by arbitration. On Saturday night the
Electricity Committee offered to pay double time for Sunday on the
basis of a 5i;-hour week, instead of 48, and this the men accepted.
The Times.

In connection with this strike threat a deputation of the
technical staff— members of the E.P.E.A.— assured the Corpora-
tion that the unconstitutional action threatened did not meet
with their approval, and they would accordingly do their best
to maintain the supply.

Bnjy^_LoAN Sanctioned.— The Electricity Committee
has received the sanction of the Electricity Commissioners to the
borrowing of £102,928, £74,864 being for plant and .£28,C64 for
extension of buildings.

Dublin.— Restrictions Necessary. — The City elec-
trical engineer has reported that requests to consumers to curtail
their use of electricity on account of the coal shortage, have met
with but little response. The present state of coal stocks made it
imperative that compulsory restrictions should be made, as, failing
this, the works would have to close down shortly. Another appeal
for the reduction of coneumption between the hours of 4 and 6 p.m.
has been made.

Mr. Fred. Allen, the secretary of the electricity department, has
again been arrested. The offices of the department were raided by
the police on November 19th, and a number of books and documents
were confiscated.

The re-extension of the Dublin " Curfew," under military regula-
tion, from 12 midnight to 5 a.m., which means an additional two
hours, was expected to leave more complicated the question of pro-
viding facilities for night workers and early morning workers in
the matter of street lighting. The tragic occurrences of last
Sunday, however, induced the Lord Mayor (Mr. L. O'Neill) to
exercise his privilege, notwithstanding the Corporation order
against maintaining the lighting during Curfew hours, to have all
electric lights in the central districts kept on.

Falkirk, — Engineer's Salary. — At a meeting of the
Town Council last week, the Town Clerk read a letter from the
hon. secretary of the Associated Municipal Electrical Engineers,
making application on behalf of the electrical engineer for payment
to him of the Ajtsociation scale of salary a"d bonus. The Town
Clerk was instructed to communicate with the municipal authorities
in Scotland having electricity undertakings as to salaries being
paid to chief engineers and staffs, and as to the capacity of their
works.

Glasgow, — Steam Pipe Explosion. — An explosion,

caused by a flange of a steam pipe giving way. took place on
Thursday night last week, at the Corporation power station at Port
Dandas. The night shift men on duty escaped iniury, and soon
repaired the damage, but for a time the mishap caused a diminution
of light in various parts of the city.

India. — New Developments. — A number of new
schemes for supplying electricity to districts are under consider-
ation. Multan, Rawalpindi, Lyallpur, JuUundur, SiaJkot, and
Gujranwala are mentioned by the Tiinex of InAia as places where
electricity schemes are being discussed. A body, with the title of
Punjab Hydro-Electric and Industries Association, has been formed
to, inter alia, develop power from four canal falls in sepa^a^e
linked-up schemes. Electricity will be supplied from this system
to a consider.able area of the country, mainly north of the Chenab
River. Preliminary inquiries are progressing in the matter of
generating power near Kiratpur by a tunnel from the Sutlej River.
This scheme aims at supplying power to a large district between
the Chenab and Jumna Rivers.

Strike Settled.— The Bombay cotton mill hands have resumed
work, says Tlie Times, and the tramway strikers were expected to
return to work on Sunday last. The postal and telegraph workers
have been told that their places will be filled if they do not return
to work immediately.

Invergordon, — Electricity Supply. — Arrangements

have been made for a supply of electricity to the district by means
of overhead mains from the Admiralty power station.

Inverness.— II'^dRo-Electric Schrjie. — A Provisional
Order is biing applied for by the Grampian Electricity Supply to
use water power to secure electricity for all purposes. Reservoirs
and aqueducts will be constructed, pipe lines laid, and roads made.
Lochs Erioht, Pattack, and other lakes, are to be taken possession
of. Electricity will be distributed over an area in Inverness- shire,
Perthshire, Kinross, and Forfar, and also certain parishes in
Stirlingshire.

Japan.— Electricity Supply.— The electricity supply
industry in Japan is chitHy in the hands of private companies, and
it is stated that a total of I,10o,000,0(i> yen is invested in this
direction. The amount of new capital required each year is about
100,000,0U0 yen, but difficulty is experienced in obtaining this, a«

690

THE ELECTRICAli REVIEW. [Voi. 87. no. 2,244, novembeb 26, i9»o,

Japanese financiers are not content with a return of less than 12 per
cent. The price of electricity in the country is at about the same
level as abroad, but the lack of any schemes for more economical
production of power, such as are in hand in other countries,
will not tend to decrease charges. The greater part of Japan's
electricity is produced by means of water power, and concessions of
falls, &c., have consequently become valuable, and are frequently
secured for merely speculative purposes, leading to delay in the
construction of new plants. The question of railway electrification
has been postponed, as it is stated that a national power station
would be required for the scheme.

Leith. — Electricity in Docks. — Electric cranes are
being- erected at the docks, and other electrical work carried out by
the Leith Dock Commission.

Littleborough , — T-oan. — The Council is applying for

Banctio.n to borrow £ lii.COO for the provision of high-tension cables
to Spenwood Mill, Python Mill, and the Hare Hill Woollen Mills,
together with the necessary transformers and switchgear,
including additional service cables which may be necessary in the
near future.

Liverpool. — Dock Electrification. — The engineer to

the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board reports, with reference to
the scheme for the electrification of part of the dock estate, that
the laying of the main cables for the Hornby to Sandon Dock
Section of the work, the contract for which was placed with
Messrs. Callender's Cable and Construction Co., Ltd., is now
practically completed. The building of the Canada Dock sub-
station is completed with the exception of the asphalting of the
floors. The Dock Board has decided to proceed with the work for
the electrification of the Gladstone Docks, and contracts for main
cables, switch gear, converters, 4;c., have been placed with the
various contractors for the Hornby to Sandon Dock section.

Mansfield. — Loan. — The Town Council is applying for

powers to borrow £12, COO — the cost of laying mains to the Bull
Farm housing site. A sum of £30.000 is being spent on exten-
sions, and a loss on the year's working is anticipated, as the
extensions will not be revenue-producing until the next period.

Mosley Commoii. — Fire. — The power station at the
Earl of Ellesmere's collieries was damaged by an outbreak of fire
last week. The building itself did not suffer much, but serious
damage was done to some of the valuable plant which supplies
practically the whole of the firm's collieries with power for pump-
ing, haulage and lighting.

North-East Lanes. — Electricity Districts. — Prepara-
tory to conferring with the Electricity Commissioners in London,
on December 1st, the North-East Lancashire group of the Mid-
Lancashire section of electrical undertakings held a conference at
Burnley on November ] sth. The business had reference to future
policy, and it was understood that the delegates would not agree to
accept any financial responsibility for the working of a group in
Mid-Lancashire.

Paisley. — Year's Working. — The accounts of the
electricity supply undertaking for the year ended May 15th last
show a total revenue from all sources of £64,2.54, while against
this there was a total expenditure of £42,61i9. Of the gross
ba'ance of £21, .555, £21,029 was absorbed in [payment of capital
charges, leaving a net profit for the year of £746.

Portarllngton. — Purchase ok Undertaking. — Mr.

p. J. Weymes, a county councillor, Mullingar, has purchased the
Portarlington electric light works.

Slaitiiwaite. — Electricity Supply. — The Urban Dis-
trict Council is at present negotiating with an outside authority for
the supply of electricity to the district. Having considered the
proposals of the Huddersfield Corporation and the Electrical Distri-
bution of Yorkshire, Ltd., the Urban District Council has decided
to inform the company that the Council will be prepared to apply
to the Electricity Commissioners for consent to transfer to the com-
pany all its powers under the Slaithwaite Electric Lighting Pro-
visional Order, subject to the latter agreeing to the following
conditions : — (1) That the distributing mains be underground ; (2)
that the company guarantee the supply by October next ; (3) that
the scale of charges made in the Slaithwaite area shall not exceed
the average rate of charges made by the company in the whole of the
area supplied by it. A representative of the company is to be
asked to meet the Council to discuss the proposed site of the trans-
former station and other matters.

Warwick. — Supply Charges. — The Warwick Chamber

of Trade has decided to ask the Ministry of Transport to hold a
public inquiry into the proposal of the local Electricity Supply Co.
to raise the charges for electricity.

Windsor. — Tank Engine. — During the coal strike it
was thought that the engine of a tank, recently presented to the
Town Coimcil, would be useful to the Slough Electrii Light Co.,
to enable it to continue the supply of electricity. The engine was
accordingly sold to an official of the company by a Councillor and
the borough surveyor for the sum of £20 ! Great indignation was
expressed by the Council at a subsequent meeting, and it was then
agreed that the engine should be returned, and the money paid for
it refunded.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Barro'w. — Accident. — As a tramcar was approaching

Furness Abbey terminus without passengers on November 20th, the
driver fainted and fell on the platform. The car went uncontrolled
50 yards past the end of the rails and then ran into a wall. The
driver was picked up insensible, but practically unhurt, and the
conductor also escaped injury.

Bradford. — Railless System One of the provisos of

the Corporation enlargement scheme with respect to the taking
into the borough of the township of Denholme, is that a railless
electric traction system shall be provided between Keelham and
the centre of Denholme within a period of three years after
incorporation.

Accident.— Owing to the fog on Saturday last a Corporation
tramcar and a heavy motor-lorry collided on the Leeds and Brad-
ford road, near Farsley. The vehicles were so badly damaged that
tramway traffic was stopped for several hours. The motor driver
and the tramcar driver were both injured, but not seriously.

Durham Cooaty. — Transport Scheme. — Durham

County Council, at its meeting on the 10th inst., discussed the
important scheme for services of tramcars, railless trolley vehicles,
and motor-'buses to which we have already referred. The proposal
before the meeting was that a Bill should be promoted in Parliament
to obtain powers to construct the tramways and carry out the
other parts of the scheme.

The details of the proposed Bill are as follow : —

1. To empower the Council to construct tramways along a
number of routes, and to authorise the Council to work such tram-
ways and any other tramways for the time being belonging to the
Council.

2. To empower the Council to provide and work mechanically-
propelled vehicles adapted for use upon roads and moved by
electrical power supplied by means of overhead conductors along
several routes.

8. To empower the Council to provide and run motor-omnibuses
on any route in the County of Durham with .the consent o£ the
local authority and road authority.

4. To authorise the Council to enter into agreements with local
authorities, companies, and persons owning tramways or light
railways, with which the tramways of the Council may join,
authorising the Council to purchase or take leases of and work
such tramways or light railways and to empower the Council to run
cars over such tramways or light railways.

5. To empower the Council to make certain road and street
improvements in connection with the running of the tramways,
trolley vehicles, and motor-omnibuses, and to purchase compulsorlly
the necessary lands therefor.

6. To enable the Council to purchase lands compulsorily for t'le
purpose of widening certain highways in the county for general
traffic purposes.

Councillor Lee, the chairman, explained that if they wished to do
anything in the matter, it was necessary to have an absolute
majority of the Council. He added that since the Council made a
move the omnibus companies had been very much alive ; they had
been trying by private enterprise to cover the whole of the county,
so that they might be in a position to say that the County Council
scheme was unnecessary.

Mr. John Wallace moved the resolution, and stated that there
was no great opposition so far as the various municipalities were
concerned. He said it was impossible at present to estimate the
cost. They would do the work by stages. The first portion would
bethelinking-upof the road from Low Fell to Durham — connecting
up with the Gateshead system.

After discussion the resolution was adopted. This year, for the
first time, the Labour representatives on the County Council are
in a majority. Mr. Lee, the chairman, is a miners' official.

Edinbnrgli. — Electrification. — The Corporation Tram-
way Committee is considering the question of electrifying the
tramway system from Pllrig to Prince's Street.

Grimsby. — Railless Cars. — The Town Council is
promoting In the ensuing session of Parliament a Bill which pro-
vides, amongst other things, for the running of motor omnibuses
and railless trolley-cars in certain localities.

Halifax. — Year's Working. — The total revenue from
the Corporation tramways for the year ended March Slst amounted
to £189,186, as compared with £149,827 in the previous year.
Working expenses totalled £162,892, against £111,757, leaving a
gross balance of £26,294 (£38,070). Payment of income-tax, loan
interest, &c.. resulted in a net profit of £1,476, a large decrease from
the profit for 1918-19, which was £10,767.

New Rodte. — The work of laying the tramway lines from West
■Vale to Stainland has made rapid progress during the recent fine
weather, and it is anticipated that before long cars will be running
to Holywell Green, which is higher up the hill than the railway
station of Stainland.

Leeds, — Tramway Losses. — An average deficit of £39
per day is reported on the working of the tramways between
October 1st and October 27th, in spite of the fact that traffic and
sundry revenue receipts amounted to £75,595 — an increase of
£11,009 over the same period last year. From April Ist to
October 27th the average daily deficit is stated to be £ 121.

Vol.87. »o.2,24i NOVEMBER 2.;, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REYIEW.

691

Liverpool. — Financial Position. — Last year there was a
profit of over £63,000 from the Corporation tramways, but now
there ia a deficit of £3,694, and as no provision has been made
for depreciation or reserve, which will require approximately
another £140,000, this will maie a total deficit of about £144,000.
The chairman of the Tramways Committee explained at a recent
meeting that the cost of labour had increased 26u per cent., and
materials 370 per cent., whereas the revenue had only increased
104 per cent., so that the fares and stagres would need consideration
in the near future. There was also an arbitration with regard to a
large increase of wages for tramway employes. There would be a
large expenditure in connection with the reconstruction of rolling
stock, and there was also to be considered the proposed new works
on the Edge Lane site.

London. — New L.C.C. Tramcars. — It is proposed by the
London County Council Highways Committee that 125 new tramcars
should be purchased, at an estimated cost of £548,000. The first
batch of 50 cars will cost approximately £4,305 each, and the
remaining 75 about £4,326 each. The pre-war cost of a similar
type, based on orders placed in 1910, was £883. It is anticipated
that the first car will be delivered in 42 weeks. The Committee also
recommends the extension of the central ear-repair depot at Wool-
wich, for which £185,000 will be required in the current financial
year. — Da ili/ 'J'eleijraph .

Walsall. — Fare Increase. — The Corporation has
decided to increase the tramcar and 'bus fares. The minimum
fare for the tramcars will be 2d., as compared with Id. 12
months ago, but the percentage increase on the longer distances
will not be so great. It is anticipated that if the existing fares
were kept in force, there would be an annual loss of £17,C'U0.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Germany. — New C.uii.E.— The Western Liiion Cable Co. au-
nounces the completion of arriingements with the German
Telegraph Administration for the handling of cable traffic
between Germany and the United States. It is understood
that plans are under way for laying a direct cable to Ger-
many.— Renter's Trade Service (>sew York and Washington).

Wireless Teleuh.^phv. — According to the Department of
Overseas Trade, it is officially announced, says the Berliner
Tageblatt that the German wii'eless system is to be divided
into three distinct systems, viz., the international, home,
and the special systems. The international system will con-
sist of the overseas service, which will be transmitted by the
lart.'i' stations of Mauen and Eilvese, and the European service
till- messages for which will be forwardecl by the central
station at Konigs-Wusterhau.sen. The home communications
will be sent by W'hat is actually the German wireless system
(Eeichsfunknetz), and which is comprised at present of 15
wireless stations. The 13 existing coast stations will serve
for communications to and from ships at sea. The special
wireless system is very extensive; it includes: (1) The daily
European and overseas newspaper service; (2) the wireless
Press service, which is at present in process uf formation, and
by means of which a message sent by one station will be
received simultaneously by a large number of receiving stations
in Germany; (3) the wireless industrial service for the circula-
tion of industrial and financial reports which is also in course
of preparation ; (4) the wireless services for the transmission
of time signals, warnings of storms for ships at sea, and all
other important reports for ships at .sea, of weather reports,
wireless communications with aeroplanes, &c., including postal
aeroplanes; and (.5) the receiving stations for receiving foreign
Press reports.

Italy. — New CABUi.— A submarine caljle has recently been
laid between E,onie and Genoa in order to ensure telegraphic
communication with North Italy in the event of disturbance
of the land telegraph by the elements, says the Economic Re-
view, quoting Sole.

United States.— Cable Tolls.— The controversy between
the State department and the Western Union Telegraph Co.
has reached the stage of -an open breach, the company refus-
ing to handle further cable messages for the department except
upon prepayment of the tolls. Questions now before the
International Communications Conference are said to be play-
ing a part in the controversy. The negotiations begun by the
American Government to obtain one of the former German
trans-.Atlantic cables now held by Great Britain, and thus
open up direct communication between the United States
and Germany, are said to have reached a successful termina-
tion, and to depend for linal fruition only upon the willing-
ness of an American cable company to exchange one of its
lines for the former German line from Halifax to Penzance.

It is under-stood that the State department was negotiating
with the Western Union Cable Co. for the exchange of cables,
but the negotiations were broken off as the result of differ-
ences between the State department and the company. The
exact point of di,spute over the department's cable bills,
which have not been paid since August, 1919, refers to the
50 per cent, reduction formerly allowed on Government cable-
grams, which the company has discontinued owing, it says,
to war-time congestion. A report reached the Government

last week that the Western Union Cable Co. would make
another attempt to land the Barbados cable at Miami, and
Mr. Daniels, the Secretary for the Navy, ordered the Com-
mandant of the Naval Station at Key West to take the neces-
sary steps to prevent it. The Western Union Cable Co.,
liowever. denies that it had any intention of taking such
action. — Renter's Trade Service (Washington).

The W'estern Union Cable Co. has applied to the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia for an injunction to- restrain
.\[r. Daniels. Secretary of the Navy, from interfering with
the ciinstruction of a telegraph cable between Miami (Florida)
and Miami Beach.

The Court is also asked to instruct Mr. Daniels's subor-
dinates to cease threatening to destroy the cable if laid. This
is a different cable from that which was forbidden to l)e laid
some months ago.

Wireless Telegraphy. — IIiuii Si'Eed .Automatic Transchu"-
TION. — Many thousands of wchiIk aie daily being wirelessed
from the Marconi station teiii|ioi;inly instjllrd ;it i Icncva f(ir
the special use of journalists allniiliiig tlir ('oiif< i vn.v of (lie
League of Nations; over ten tliuu.sauil words being handled
(111 the day of the first sitting. It is only a month since the
Swiss ( HivfiiiiiiiMit discussed with the wireless experts the
possibility of supplementing the existing communications with
foreign countries. Rapid automatic transmission is being
employed, the train of signals, which cannot be understooii
aurally without .special apparatus, being received at the
British station at W itham, Essex, on rapidly revolving phono-
graph records. From Witham the signals are retransmitted
by Creed high-speed gear to London. This is the first occasion'
upon which the newspaper world has had at its disposal a
channel of I'apid communication in which Press messages have
priority over ordinary commercial traffic.

Instruments have been designed by which it is possible,
after messages have been punched on tapes in the Morse
code in the ordinary w'ay. to transmit them by wireless to
the receiving machine which automatically traascribea the
Morse signals into Roman print characters. The process is
somewhat similar to that used for the transmission of long
telegraphic messages, and the main difficulty in using it with
wireless has been to magnify the feeble electric waves suffi-
ciently, to work the receiving instrument. This result has
been achieved by the work of Mr. P. G. Creed, of the firm
of Creed it Co., Ltd.. Croydon. The invention is now past
the experimental stage, although it has not yet been suffi-
ciently perfected to be publicly used. In experiments carried
out at Aldershot messages were received at the rate of 100
words a minute from varying distances. The farthest point
from which they were sent was Cologne. Nearly all of them
appeared correctly printed at this end, but one or two were
interrupted for a few words by atmospheric disturbances.
Mr. Creed demonstrated his apparatus before the Royal
Society of Arts on the 17th inst.

Enfield Ediswan Cable Co.,

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(The date given in parentheses at the end of the paraqraph indicates
the issue of the ELECTRICAL Keview in which the " Oficial
Notice " appeared!)

OPEN.

Australia. — Melbourne.— February 24th. Electricity
Commissioners. Plant for the Morwell power scheme— 25,000-
12,500kw. turbo-alternators, 600-KW. turbo alternators condensing
plant, c'rculating pumps, transformers, and switchgear, copper
cable, transmission steel towers, &c. (See this issue.)

Tasmani*.— December ll^th. P.M.G.'s Department. Instrument
parts, schedule T .301. (November 12th.)

QnEENSLAND.— P.M.G.'s Department. Testing and telegraph
instruments (schedule 'ill). (November 12th.)

Aylesbory. — Town Council
Ltd,, steel cable, £180.

Batley. — Batley Co- operative Society. Electric lighting
installation at Field Lane Store for the Secretary.

Belgiam. — Antwerp, December IGth. — Municipal
Council. Armoured cable terminal and junction boxes, automatic
cut-outs, &c , for use at the Antwerp Dock. The specification in
French can be consulted on application to the Department of Over-
seas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, up to November HOth. after which
date it will be available for loan to firms who are unable to fend
r^ presentatives to consult it at the Department.

Canterbury. — December 6th. Electricity Department.
Extra-high-pressure and medium pressure DC. switchgear and cable
connections to the same. (November 1 9th.)

Grimsby. — November 29th. Electricity Department.

Sub station converting plant, traction converting plant, com-
prising one 2.")0-Kw. and one .■■)0(I-kw. converter, and one 2.")0/300 KW.
converter. (November 12th.)

Leeds. — December 13th. Electricity Department.
Three-phase switchgear for the generating station. (November
12th,')

692

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.s-. no.2,24j,novembeb26, im

Littleborougb. — December 20th. Urban District Council
Electricity Department. — High-tension cables, roadwork. iic. (See
this issue.)

Loodon, — St. Marylebone. — December Cth. Elec-
tricity Department. L T. and E H.T. lead-covered paper-in.sulated
cable, for 12 months. (See this issue.)

Monte Video. — January 14tli. Management of the
Usinaa Electriea? de Monte Video. Steam turbo-alternator of
10,000 KW. with the steam piping and cables ; surface condenser
with pumps, ice. Copy of conditions and specification (in Spanish)
may be seen at the Department of Overseas Trade (Mr. HoUoway)
up to December 4th, after which date it may be borrowed by
British firms.

Plymouth .—November 30th. Electricity Department.
H.T. and E.H.T. Bwitchgear ; oil-cooled transformers. (November

Rh udesia. — Salisijury. — January 1 3th. Municipal
CouQoil. Electric generating plant, switchgear, cable and con-
verters. Spacificatiou (£3 .3s.) from the Council's Consulting
Engineer, Royal Chambers, Johannesburg.

Stockton-on-Tees. — December 7tb. Electricity Depart-
ment. Underground tramway cable (various lengths), single and
three core. (See this issue.)

Wakefield.— December 2nd. West Riding Education
Committee. Electrical work (alteration from private supply to
public supply), motors, switchboard, wiring, kc. at the Training
College, Bingley. (See this issue.)

Wallasey. — December 14th. Corporation Gas Depart-
ment.—Four electrically-operated capstans. Mr. .1. H. Crowther,
Gas Workp. Limekiln Lane.

Whitehaven. — December 1st. Electricity Supply Depart-
ment. One D.c. turba-alternator and condensing plant. (November

19th,) ^

Wrexham. — Electric lighting and heating of 1 18 houses
on the Acton Park Eitate. Mr. G. Doug]a3-Oo3, borough electrical
engineer.

CLOSED.
London, — L.C.C. Highways Committee. Tenders for

125 car bodies : —

Class El type. Class E2 typs,

existing modified

standard, alternative,

each. each.

Hurst, Nelson i Co., Ltd. .. . £2,230 £2,430

Brush Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd. 2,24-5 2,455

English Electric Co., Ltd 2.555 2,'05

125 sets of swing bolster trucks : —

Hurst, Nelson & Co, Ltd. (recommendedl ,. .. £600 a set

Brush Electrical Engineering Cj., Ltd C30

Heenan A Fronde, Ltd. . . 836 ICs

Baldwin's Locomotive Works, U.S.A.. . . . .-^4,380 (about £l,262l

125 sets of electrical equipment, &c. : —

Metrjpolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd. .. £1,300 10s. a set

English Electric Co., L'd 1,306 10s.

British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd 1,342 10s.

Magnetic brakes for 125 new cars : —

MetropoiitaO'Vickers Electrical Co.. Ltd. (recommended) £21,875
The Highways Committee reports that no tender contained a firm
offer on the basis of fixed prices, so that it will not be po sible to
accurately determine the ultimate cost of the cars until the con-
tracts are fulfilled. Each of the tenders which the Committee pro-
poses to accept provides for variations in cost, both upwards and
downwards, the present-day prices as quoted being taken as a
datum line.

The Committee proposes to accept the lowest tender for .JO car-
bodies of the Class E 1 typ3 at £2.230 each, and the second lowest
for 75 bodies at .*2,215 each. As regards the tenders for electrical
equipment, in order to afford an opportunity of testing the motors
offered by each company under actual running conditions, it is pro-
posed to divide the contract between the companies submitting the
two lowest tenders, viz., 6i > sets to be ordered from the Metropolitan-
Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd , at £1,300 10s. a set, and 75 sets from
the English Electric Co. at £1,306 10s. per set. On the basis
set out above, the cost of the first 50 cars is estimated at £4,305
lOs. each, and that of the remaining 75 cars at £4,326 lOs.
each. The comparative cost of a similar type of car bised on
orders placed in 1910 was £884. It is anticipated that the fi -st
new car will be delivered in 42 weeks from the date of the order,
and that cars will be completed at the rate of six per week for the
first 100 cars, and at the rate of three per week for the remaining
25 cars.

St. Marylebone.— Electricity Supply Committee.
Two additional cable panels with protective devices and cable screens
for Aybrook sub-station ; and three track-type interlocking cubicles, for
installation at Messrs. Selfridge's premises, £1,597.— Ferguson and
Paiiin, Ltd. (recommendedi.
Steelwork for foundation! for the turboalternator, crane track, ,Sc.—

Sanders & Foster, Ltd. (recommended) .. .. £3,740

Motors for induced -draught fans —

W. H. Allen, Son & Co., Ltd. irecommended) .. .. £1,160

Crompton A Co , Ltd 1,284

Industrial Electro-Plant Co., Ltd I,4j9

Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd. .. .. 1.603

Extra tappings on transform.Ts for the three rotary converter sets, £103.—

Metropolltao-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd. irecommcndeji.
Two exciters, rheostats and suppartint,- stools to provide for the inverted
running of two of the existing 1,' 00 mv. rotary converters, at Aybrook
Street, £656.— Metropolitan-Vickers Efectrical Co., Ltd. (Vecom-
mended),

Sweden.^The .Stockholm Tramway Co. has decided to
purchase .")<! moJor tramcars from the AUgemeine Elektrizitaets
Gesellschaft and the Aktiengesellschaft Siemens-Sohuokert. Of all
the offers recaived, which iucluded proposals from Swedish and
American firms, the German ones were most favourable as regarda
date of delivery —/?^w^<!r'.< rra<fe .Strives (Stockholm).

FORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

Physical and Optical Societies.— Friday, November 26th. At the Imperial

College of Bcieoce and Technology, South Kensington, S.W. At 7 p.ni.

.Joint discussion on " The Making of Reflecting Surfaces."
Junior lastitntion of Engineers. — Friday, November 26th. At Caxtoa

Hall. At 8 p.m. Lecturette on " Reinforced Concrete Coal Btmkers

anil Silos," by Mr. C. O. Mourant,

Friday, December 3rd. At 8 p m. Lecturette on "Electrolysis fs

Applied to Measurement of Watei," by Mr. G. F. Shotter.

Manchester Association of Engineers.— Saturday, November 27tb. At tbe
Memorial Hall, Albert fquare. At 7 p.m. Papar on "Modern Develop-
ments in the Manufacture and Utilisation of Coal Gas," by Mr. P.J. West
and Mr. J. A. Tomlinson.

Institntion of Electrical Engineers.— Monday, November 29th. Informal
meeting. At the Institute of Patent Agents, Staple Inn Buildings, W.C.
At 7 p.m. Discussion on " Electrical Transmission on Petrol Vehicles," to
be opened by Mr. A. F. Harmer.

Thursday, DecembEr 2nd. At the Institution of Civil Engineers,
Great George Street, S.W. At 6 p.m. Special general meeting.

(Students' Section).— Friday, December Srd. At King's College'
Strand, W.O. At 6,30 p.m. Discussion on "The Modem Tendency to
Trusts : Is it Beneficial '.' " to be opened by Mr. A. Semer.

(South-Midland Centre (Students' Section'. — Tnesday, Novembar
30th. At the University, Birmingham. At 7 30 p.m. Paper on " X-Rajs
and their Applicition in Engineering," by Mr. 8. Payman.

(North -Midla ad Centre) (Sheffield and District Sub-Centre).—

Tuesday, November 30th. At the Iloyal Victoria Hotel, Sheffield, At
7.30 p.m. Chairman's spe.'ch. Smoking concert.

Institution of Civil Engineers. -Tuesday, NovemberSOth. At the Institute.

Great George Street, S W. At 5.30 p.m. Ordinary meeting.

Boyal Society of Arts.— Monday, November 29th. At John Street, Adelphi,
W.C. At 8 p.m. Cantor lecture on " Micro-organism? and some of their
Industrial Uses," by Mr. A. C. Chapman, F.R.S.

Paisley Association of Electrical Engineers.— Wednesday, December 1st.

At the Technical College, George Street. At 7.30 p.m. Papar on "Armature
Winding," by Mr. W. R Scott,

Chemical Society.— Thursday, December 2nd. At Burlington Houje, Pi?c»-

dil'y, W. At 8 p.m. Ordinary meeting.

Chelmsford Engineering Society.— Thursday, December 2nd. At 7 p.m.
At the East -\nglian Institute of Agriculture. Paper oa " Diesel Engines,"
by Mr. G. Bass.

Institution ol Mechanical Engineers.— Friday, December Srd. At 6 p.m.
Further discussion on the paper lay Mr. A, Ramsay on " The Human Factor

in Industry."

Edinburgh Electrical Society.— Friday, December 3rd. At the Philo-

sophcal Institute. At 8 p.m. Paper on " An Electrical Engineer's Walk

Round a Factory," by Mr. J. Walker.

NOTES.

The New Radiology. — Surely the Barber of the

" Tnousand and One Nights " never had a more brilliant inspiration
than that which recently occurred to a modern " Knight of the
Brush." According to the J'lmex report of a recent prosecution, a
young mm entered a barber's shop for a shave. The barber, who
was, no doubt, something of a scientist , persuaded his client that
treatment of the skin by ' violet rays" was what he really required,
and, having secured consent, rubbed a violet electric lamp over the
young man's face, charging him the modest fee of £5. (True
science was ever ill-paid ' ) Reluctant to leave a job but half com-
pleted, the birber then informed his victim that the charge for a
course of the treatment was £ 10, an amount for which a cheque was
promptly handed over. Later, hDwever, suspicions must have
arisen in the young man's mind, for he stopped the cheque.

Electric Coal-Cntters Banned, — A Committee appointed

by the Minister of Mines to report upon the safety of the coal-
cutting machines at the Mount Kembla (X.S.W.) Colliery, haa
presented a report adverse to the u^e of these machines. The
evidence of a number of employes pointed to frequent " flashing
and sparking " from the motors of the cutters, although no report
of the occurrences has baen received in official quarters. The^
Committee's final decision, having due regard to the probability of
exaggeration on the part of employOa giving evidence, was that the
continued use of these cutters was not consonant with the safety of
the workers. The Committee expressed its regret that machinery
which materially increased production could not be used with
absolute safety.

Fatalities. — An inquest was held, on November 20fcb, on

the death of Arthur Townend (59), loom tuner, in the employ of
C. & J. Hirst, Sunneybrook Mills, Longwood, near Huddersfield,
which took place the previous Thursday from electric shock.
Townend was working on a loom which had become chargei with
electricity owing to a leakage which had not been detected. The
loom was adiacent to an iron girder, and one of Townend's clogs
came into contact with it ; he received a shock at '225 volts A.r,
A verdict of " Accidental death " was recorded.

Alex. Wilson (21). an Edinburgh steel worker, was struck by the
jib of a crane at tlie new electric power station at Portobello,
Edinburgh, and killed.

Tol.87. No, 2,244, November 26, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

693

Radiography in Indnstry. — AtameetiDgof the BirmiDg-

ham Biismess Club, this week. Major J. Hall-Echvards agam
put forward the huportauce of the radiography of materials
used jn industry. He emphasised that the apphcation of
X-rays to industry was a matter in which business men
should take an interest; among the uses to which X-rays
could be put were, according to the Birmingham Post, the
detection of blow holes and cracks in metals up to a thickness
of 6 in., and the inspection of the interior of such things as
Hash lamps, electric cables, (ic, also came within the range
of the apparatus. The carrymg out of large experiments likely
to benefit manufacturers, said Major Hall-Edwards, w-Quld
entail the installation of an expensive apparatus and of skilled
workers. He felt that Birmingham should possess an X-rays
laboratory, and made a plea for the establishment of
such a laboratory that might become a branch of the
Birmingham University, and the research work done there
under the guidance of the professors. They should bear in
mind that up to the pre.sent the application of radiography
in the examination of materials had only just reached beyond
the experimental stage. It was quite possible they might have
at their disposal before very long apparatus very much more
powerful than any which was necessary for experiments in the
realms of medicine and surgery. It had been suggested by Mr.
A. A. Campbell Swintou that it might be pos.siljle to make an
X-ray tube of metal perhaps a foot or two in diameter, which
would be able to carry a large amount of current. Such a
tube was quite within the scope of practical engineers.

Tte't of Fittings. — At Manchester County Police Conit

last week, Ralph Leslie Allen ['2i.)), of Cheetham, pleaded
guilty to stealing a number of electric lamps and fittings to the
value of i'.jU, the property of Messrs. Mas.sey & Harris, Ltd.,
Old Trafford. Allen was formerly employed as a wireman by
a firm of electrical engineers in Huline, but was discharged
in November, after which the goods were missed. Evidence
of buying various fittings from the pri-soner during the period
between November and July was given bv William Osborne,
an electrical engineer, of Salford, who said he had been
dealing with .■\llen for five years, and understood the goods
to be surplus materials left over from Allen doing jobs in his
spare time, .\llen was sentenced to six months' imprisonment
with hard labour, and the chairman also intimated that
Osborne would not be allowed witness's costs as the Bench
considered he had not been as careful as he might have been
in his transactions with the accused.

Tlie Debt of Honour. — Speaking at a recent meeting,
Lord Haig again championed the cause of unemployed ex-
Service men. He .said it was a great shame that these
men after their war service could not obtain work
liecause they had not served apprenticeships. In another
direction, he said that during the war great sums of money
were raiseJ by war loans, and now the interest was being
regularly paid. On the other hand, ex-Service men were
unable to find employment. He (Lord Haig) could see no
difference in the nation's treatment of theise men and the
repudiation of all war loans, and refusal to pay the interest.
■Tlie response to his apjieals during the past L2 months had
not been entjirely satisfactory, and he urged his audience to
help pay the nation's debt — not looking at it as a matter of
cliarity, but as just payment for services rendered, lives given,
and wounds received.

It is stated that the number of employers on the King's
National Roll up to November 10th was 22,328.

Ex-Officers' Training. — The officers' Association and

the Appointments Branch of the Ministry of Labour have
conie to an arrangement whereby five hundred business men
will be requested to serve on " panels " in London to inquire
into the capabilities of applicants for employment. The
" panels " will sit for a fortnight before Christmas and a
fortnight afterwards. The idea of this .scheme is to avoid
overlapping between the Association and the Ministry of
Labour. 'The Aiipointments Branch states that now that the
State offers to maintain an ex-officer or service man for a
l)eriod of 12 months, it is thought that business men will be
able to train a man and at the end of the period engage
: him at a fair salary to carry on with the work. Directors
of companies and others in similar positions are asked to
further the scheme by notifying suitable vacancies to the
Ministry of Labour or by serving on one of the selection

New Electroplating Process. — The discovery of a new
process in electroplating has been made by Mr. Frank Ma.son.
A.M.I.E.E., and was made public on November 19th at the
joint meeting of the Faraday S<H'iety and the Sheffield Sec-
tion of the Institute of Metals. Mr. Mason is well known as
a lecturer at Sheffield University, as well as a practical works
manager. During the war period he conducted researches
in electrometallurgy and electrochemistry on behalf of the
Ministry of Munitions, and his di.scoverv is the sequel to
well-ordered observations and experiments on given lines.
The process, to which no patent rights are attached, as it
has been worked out entirely in the Sheffield University
electroiuetallurgical laboratory, and is given out as from the
University, is .said to have given in actual workshop practice
over 100 per cent, increased productivity from the vats; it

permits of the use of a much larger electric current than usual
in the baths, and, therefore, forms the deposit more quickly,
while at the same time the " plate " resulting is of the best
quality. According to the Shcjjield Independent, it is ordinarily
accepted that when potassium carbonate reaches a certain
percentage in the plating bath it is advisable to add bariOm
cyanide to eliminate the potassium carbonate. Instead of
following this rule, however, Mr. Mason in his new process
adds a further percentage of the latter by direct application,
and in conflict with the old theory and practice. The experi-
ments showed that in an electrolytic bath containing a 10 per
cent, compouinl of potassium carbonate, with the electric
current normal, a tine and reguline deposit of silver plate on
copper resulted; but when the current was increased to 6
amps., compared with the present 4 amps, in present plating
practice, although the deposit was rapid it w'as large and
crystalline and a " finish " could not be got on it. When,
however, the bath solutions contained a higher percentage
of pota.s.sium cyanide in conjunction with potassium
carbonate, this undesirable effect was somewhat counter-
acted. Mr. Mason found that with a free cyanide content
far in excess of that advised or suggested in any up-to-
date text books, and with potassium carbonate in quantities
probably little dreamed of by the authors, not only could
the current density in the plating bath be increased enor-
mously, and the plating be done more quickly as a conse-
quence, but that the deposit of " plate " (silver) was of a
finer texture altogether, and equal to, or better than in the
ordinary plating process in use.

Appointments Vacant. — Shift charge engineer (£293),
for the Borough of Leigh (Lanes.) Electricity Department ; tele-
graph engineers (£480), for the Govemments of the Gold Coast
and Nigeria. See our " Official Notices " to-day.

Lecture Note. — A lecture, entitled the " History of an
Invention," was delivered by Mr. L. W, Wild, M.I.E.E., before the
Camera Club, on the 18tb inst., with the aid of elides Olustrating
the inception and development of the Wild-Barfield electric furnace.
Micrographic sections of steels subjected to various heat treatments
were also illustrated.

A Crisis in Eiectricity Suppiy. — The following letter

has come to hand as we go to press ; —

" I beg to express my great appreciation of the leading article
in your last issue, under the above heading. Your unqualified
support of the spirit of ' Whitleyism,' and your obviously sincere
desire to see the findings of the National Joint Board honourably
upheld throughout our industry, will undoubtedly be most
gratifying to all grades of the technical and commercial staffs
represented on the Board.

"The prolonged delay, and in some cases, the absolute refusal,
by many of the supply authorities to give effect to agreements
between their representatives and the staff organisations, had not
only precipitated a crisis so far as the B.P.E.A. is concerned, but
are rapidly bringing about a similar condition in the commercial
and clerical staffs, which are organised in the Electricity Supply
Commercial AsEociation.

" The representatives of the E S.C.A. on the National Joint Board
unanimously supported the adoption of the E.P.E.A, schedule of
salaries on May 12th last, and on the same date the representatives
of the E.P.E.A. unanimously supported the adoption of the E.S.C.A.
scale of bonus. In each instance the employers' representatives
were also unanimous, after considerable concessions on the original
claims had been made by both Associations.

" In the six months that have fince elapsed each Association has
expended an appalling amount of time and money in endeavouring
to persuade the defaulting municipal and company authorities to
honour agreements made on their behalf. If, amongst the technical
and commercial staffs, these authorities found as low a code of
honour as that now practised by themselves, the industry would be:
quickly ruined, and loyal and efficient service unknown.

" I believe that a larger number of undertakings have rejected
the E.S.C.A. scale of bonus than have rejected the E.P.E.A,
schedule. Your article states that a man with a pre-war salary of
£200 a year should now be paid £500 ' merely to maintain his
original position.' You are certainly not erring on the generous
side, but what legitimate objection can be advancea against paying
that man a wretched £360, which is all that the E.S.C.A. scale of
bonus entitles him to .'

"I am somewhat myetified as to why the E.P.B.A, and the
E,S.C.A. are not taking concerted — or even joint— action in this
matter. The E.P.E.A. is admittedly in a strong position, on
ascount of the nature of its members' duties, but the possibility
of a coincident disorganisation of the business side of the industry
would further strengthen the E.P.E.A. position very considerably.
No better opportunity will present itself for not only forciog the
defaulting authorities to act honourably, but also for firmly estab-
• uing the prestige of the E.S,C.A., the E.P,E,A., and the National
Joint Board. " Sussex.

"November 24th, 1!I20."

Educational. — The Secretary of State for the Colonies
has appointed a Committee, under the chairmanship of the Right
Hon. Lord Chalmers, G.C.B., to consider and report what steps
CJin be taken to secure the assistance of the Universities of this
country in carrying out the research work which is essential to the
protection of the inhabitants of the Colonies and Protectorates from
disease and to the successful development of their veterinary,
agricultural, and mineral resources. — 7'/ie Times.

691

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,211, novembeb 26,1920. i

INSTITUTION NOTES.

Institution of Electrical Engineers — New Suhscbiption
Rates. — In our last issue we gave the existinfr rates of subscription
of the Institution of Civil Enejineers, andstated that new rates were
under consideration. We are now enabled to give the schedule of
the propoised new rates of subscriptions, as follows : —
United Kingdom
London. (outside London). Abroad.

Members ... £7 0 0 £.5 10 0 £4 10 0

Associate Members 4100 100 310 0

Associates .) 0 0 5 0 0 5 0 0

Students 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0

It will be observed that Members and Associate Members not
resident in London receive a concession on this score. We believe
the increased rates are necessary to meet a probable deficit of over
£10,000.

The very successful and largely-attended opening meeting of the
1921 session of the Institution took place on the 18th inst,, at the
Institution of Civil Engineers, Mr. Roger T. Smith, retiring
president, in the chair. Mr. Smith announced the death of Prof. •
John Perry, and a votelof condolence and sympathy with his family
and relatives waa passed by all members standing in silence. Ac
the conclusion of the formal business Mr. Smith presented the
scholarship cheques and premiums awarded by the Council for
papers read during the last session, and then invited the new
president, Mr. LI. B. Atkinson, to take the chair. Sir John Snell
proposed, and Mr. J. S. Highfield seconded, in a few well-chosen
words, a vote of thanks to the retiring president, which was carried
with acclamation. Mr. Atkinson then delivered a n-siimf of his
inaugural address, which is abstracted elsewhere in this issue. The
meeting was brought to a close by Col. R. E. B. Crompton pro-
posing, and Mr. W. A. Chamen seconding, a vote of thanks to the
president for his address.

Sheffield and Distbict Sub-Centre of the Nobth Midland
Centre. — The opening meeting of the 1920-21 session of this
Sub-Centre will be held on Tuesday next, November 30th, at
7.30 p.m., at the Royal Victoria Hotel, Sheffield, when the business
to be transacted will include the election of members of Committee ;
the chairman will speak, and the meeting will terminate with a
gmoking concert.

SorTH Midland Centre. — A meeting was to be held at the
Birmingham University, on November 24th. In the first part of
the meeting the chairman waa to make a statement regarding the
proposed increase of subscription rates. Following this, an informal
discussion waa to be held on " Operation Methods and Difficulties
of Electric Power Plants," opened by short papers by Messrs.
Maikersie and Rogers.

Scottish CentSj^. — Stmlents Sect inn. — The arrangements
for the present session include the reading of papers on " Static
Transformers," by Mr. B.Dickson ; "Alternating Current compared
with Direct Current for Distribution and Supply." by Mr. R. L.
Birch ; " Mercury Arc Rectifiers," by Mr. R. L. Morrison ; and
" Machinery Operations in Automobile Construction," by Mr. R. J,
Hird. Visits are to be made to the (rlasi/oir Emi'ing Xews printing
offices, and to the Glasgow central telegraph and electrical
departments.

North-Eastern Territorial Centre. — Studenis' Section. — A
general meeting was held in Armstrong College, Newcastleon-
Tyne, on November 19th, when Mr. H. M. Rochester read his paper
on '' Electricity in Mines." The subject was dealt with in a very
able manner, proving very interesting and instructive,! as details
were given of above and below ground working.

Wireles.s SiXTiON. — On Wednesday. Xovember -'4th. the session
of the Section was opentd by the delivery of an address by the
Chairman, Db. W. H. Eccles. Mr. Ll. B. Atkinson, the President
of the Institution, took the Chair, and the .Section was honoured by
the presence of Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, the veteran
inventor of the telephone. After his introduction by the President,
Dr. Bell, who was received with acclamation, made a short speech,
in which he said that the growth of the telephone had bewildered
him and surpassed his most sanguine expectations. He was very
glad to meet the members of the very advanced Wireless Section of
the Institution, Dr. Bell instanced as an example of the progress
of his invention, in conjunction with wireless waves, the recent
experiments at Arlington (near Washington) when communication
was established with the Eifl'el Tower. Paris, and speech was heard
at Honolulu.

Dr. Eccles's address sketched the history of the Section and of
the recent developments in wireless. The formation of the
Section was the outcome of a suggestion to form a body on the
lines of the American Institute of Radio Engineers, when the
Institution stepped in and ofl^ered its help, with the result that
the Section was organised. The speaker then dealt with the
immense progress following the introduction of the thermionic
valve and other devices.

Scottish Centre. — Among the social arrangements made for
the present session are a smoking concert at the Rankine Hall,
Glasgow, on December 11th, and a (••'« ie;',«« .-iDHp and dance at the
McLellan Galleries, Glasgow, on February 3rd, 1921.

The Physical and the Optical Societies.— A joiut meeting

of the above societies will be held at the Imperial College, Soutli

Kensington, S.W., to-day, at 7 p.m., when a discussion will take

place on " The Making of Reflecting Surfaces." Section A will

with "Technical Methods of Production," and Section B with

' Reflecting Powers of Surfaces," kc. A bibliography and rhumr.
of the literature of the subject is in course of preparation by
Mr. R. Kanthack.

Wireless Societies.— Sodthport Wireless Society.— Since
its resuscitation about a year ago, the society reports that satis-
factory progress haa been made. Permission has now been received
from the Postmaster-General to install wireless apparatus to be
used within limited bounds. The society haa also procured
permanent headquarters, and the meetings this winter promise to
be of a very interesting character.

Cardiff and South Wales Wireless Society. — At Cardiff
on November 17th, Mr. W. A. Andrews, BSc, gave an interesting
demonstration and lecture on the two-valve receiver and direction-
finder manufactured by the British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd.,
and Mr. E. A. Rudge. B.Sc , A.I.C., lectured on " The Electrical
Properties of Some Metals." Mr. G. C. Hughes haa resigned the
post of secretary of the society, and Mr. W. G. J. Howe haa been
elected in his stead.

The Royal Society. — The Rnmford Medal has been awarded to
Lord Rayleigh, F.R.S., for researches into the properties of gases at
high vacua ; and the Hughes Medal to Prof. 0. W. Richardson.
F.RS.. for his work in experimental physics, and especially
thermionica.

Cleveland Institution of Engineers. — Major H. G. Scott, in hia
presidential address, on November 15th, at Middlesbrongh, said the
electrical iron and steel furnace, for which so much had been
claimed in the past few years, had settled down into its own useful,
but subordinate, position in the steel industry. The promised
30-ton furnace had not yet materialised in thia country. The fact
was that the question of smelting by electrical energy was
essentially one of cheap power, and even where power waa cheap,
a smaller unit, up to 10 tons, had been found to be moat
economical. Great developments had been taking place in the
manufactured steel industry. Steam and manual labour were
being rapidly superseded by electricity in rolling mQls.

The speaker described recent developments in connection with
the smelting plants of Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan & Co., Ltd. The
charging bay is served by two 50-ton overhead electric travelling
cranes, specially designed for handling ladles containing iron from
the blast furnaces. The casting bay is served by two 100-ton
overhead travelling cranes. The mill is driven by a motor having
a normal rating of 3,0i lO H P. continuous and an overload capacity of
4,500 H.p. All work is done under cover, various bays being equipped
with overhead electric travelling cranes, some of which are fitted
with magnets.

Institute of Physics. — This Institute has now been incorporated,
and has begun to carry out its work. The object of the Institute
is to secure the recognition of the professional status of the
physicist, and to co-ordinate the work of all the Societies
interested in physical science or its applications. Thia co-ordina-
tion has already been secured by the participation of five of these
Societies— namely, the Physical Society of London, the Optical
Society, the Faraday Society, the Royal Microscopical Society, and
the Rontgen Society. The Institute thus promises to become a
powerful unit in connection with any wider scheme of federation of
scientific Societies.

It is a tribute to the status already acquired by the newly-
formed Institute that its diploma is now being required from
applicants for Government and other important positions requiring
a knowledge of physics, and, thanks in great part to the Institute,
the physicist is now becoming recognised as a member of a specific
profession.

The first list of members includes the names of ever 200 Fellows.
Sir J. J. Thomaon, 0,M,, the retiring President of the Royal Society,
haa accepted the invitation of the Board to become the first and. at
present, the only. Honorary Fellow. The first President of the
Institute is Sir Richard Glazebrook, K.C.B.. F.R.S,. who will pre-
side at the first statutory meeting of the Institute early in the New
Year.

Particulars with regard to the qualifications required for the
different grades of membership can be obtained on application to
the Secretary, 10, Essex Street, London, W.C. 2. Fellon-s elected
before May 1st, 1921, will have the privilege of being styled
Founder Fellow?.

National Physical Laboratory. — The optics, thermometry, heat
and radiology divisions of the Physics Department of the Labora-
tory will be open on Wednesday, December 8th, from 8 to 10.30 p.m.,
for the inspection of exhibits and demonstrations.

Chelmsford Engineering Society. — On November 18th, at the
East Anglian Institute of Agriculture, Mr. G. Barlow delivered
lecture on " Practical Turbine Engineering." The paper dealt in
detail with the various types of turbines and their history, the
causes of their failures and breakdowns and the steps taken to
overcome them. The secretary reported that the memberthip had
increased to 116 since the opening of the session.

Edinburgh Electrical Society.— Mr. W. Hope-Fowler, M.D.,
F.R.C.S., lectured to the above society on November 19th, taking
as his subject " Medical Electricity." The lecturer outlined the
many applications of electricity to diagnosis and he.aling, and
empliasised the increasing importance of electrical apparatus in
hospital methods of treatment. He expressed the wish that
British engineers would t:vke a larger share in the design, develop-
ment and standardisation of the relative appliances. The next
meeting of the Society will be held in the Edinburgh Philosophical
Institute on Friday, December 3rd, when Mr. James Walker will
read a paper on " An Electrical Engineer's Walk Round a Factory." \

:f

Vol. 87. No. 2,244, November 26, 1920.1 THE ELECTEICAL EEVIEW. 695

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN,

The Editors invite eleotrioal engineer!, whether oonneoted with the
technical or the commercial tide of the jprofetsion and indmtry,
alto eleotrio tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
EI.ECTBICAL Review posted as to their moeevients.

eiTY NOTES.

Mr. J. A. BiiOMLEY, A.M.I.E.E., assistant rolling stock en-
gineer to the Leeds City Tramways, has been appointed
tramway manager to the Borough of Keighley Iramway
and Trolley Vehicles undertaking.

According to The Times, Mr. A. Richardson, M.P. for
Gravesend, who recently underwent a somewhat serious opera-
tion, is slowly improving, and his medical attendants I'egard
the operation as successful.

The Nobel prize for physics for 19'20 has been awarded to
M. C. E. GuiLLADME, Director of the International Bureau of
Weights and Measures at Breteuil.

Mr. \V. T. David, M.A., Cantab., D.Sc, Wales, has been
appointed Professor of Engineering at the University College
of South Wales and Monmouthshire at a salary of i'l,i.)UO a
year. Mi'. David, who is 34 years of age, has been Demonstra-
tor of Engineering at Cambridge and Inspector of Technical
Colleges, and during the war tilled important positions at
Woolwich and under the Ministry of Munitions and the
Admiralty.

Mr. W. Steventon, provincial manager of the Commercial
Cable Co., prior to leaving Liverpool to take up the position
in London of assistant manager of the company in England,
was presented with a .solid silver tea service on a silver-
mounted oak tray. Mr. J. W. Simpson will succeed Mr.
St«venton in Liverpool.

Mr. C. W. Campion, di.strict erection engineer of the New-
castle-on-Tyne branch of the Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical
Co.. Ltd.. who is leaving the company's service to take up an
appointment with the Indo-Burma Petroleum Oil Co., at Ean-
goon, was presented with a suit case and wristlet watch by the
staff at a smoking concert held at the County Hotel on the
10th inst. Mr. H. Pater.son, the district manager, was in the
chair, and Mr. W. H. Dalgleish, on behalf of the staff, ex-
pressed their good wishes for Mr. Campion's welfare, whilst
regretting the loss of his genial personality.

Councillor C. W. Jackson and Councillor E. A. Little have
been appointed chairman and vice-chairman of the Hacknev
B.C. Electricity Committee.

Mr. (i. E. ModUE has left the Cambridge and Paul Instru-
ment Co.. Ltd., and joined the Testing Department of the
Newca.stle-on-Tyne Electric Supplv Co.. Ltd.

Mr. A. F. Harrison, secretary of the City of London Electric
Light Co.. has been elected treasurer of the Chartered In-
stitute of Secretaries.

Mr. A. Brown, of the order department of the Edison Swan
Electric Co.. Ltd.. celebrated his golden wedding on the
Kith inst. A few of the members of the staff, with whom
he has been associated for '2S years, marked the occasion by
presenting him with a clock suitably in,scribed.

Obituary. — Mr. C. Read. — The death has taken place of
Mr. C. Read, electrical engineer, at the Granville Hot<?l,
Ram.sgate. He had charge of the hotel and its installatit)ii
during the time it was used as a military hospital during the
war.

Mr. J. D. Hickman. — The death has taken place, suddenly,
of Mr. John Dampier Hickman, electrical engineer, of St.
Lawrence, Portsmouth Road, Long Ditton. Mr. Hickman,
who was 61 years of age. was for some time electrical engineer
to the Grand Duke Michael of Russia when he occupied Keele
Hall. Staffs. .\t the time of his death he was negotiating for
patents relative to a system of electric lighting and signalling
for railways.

Mr. p. F. Hdddleston. — We regret to announce the sudden
death, which t<X)k place on November 1st. at Bedford, of
Mr. Percy F. Huddleston, who was well known to a large
number of our readers for many years as an electrical
engineer, auctioneer and valuer, at Finsbury Pavement, Lon-
don. E.G.

Mr. R. Finnegan. — The death occurred at Northampton,
on the I'.lth inst., of Mr. Robert Finnegan, railway and public
works contJiictor. Mr. Finnegan was resiionsilde for the
laying of tramways at Great Crosby and Tiverpool, and large
works for the North Western Eaihvay Co.

NEW COMPANIES REQISTERED.

J. B. 'Walsh & Co., Ltd. (171,396).— Private company.

pany. Registered November I3th. Capit.il, £10.000 !n £1 shares. To take
"\.c>r the business of belling merchants, general mill furnishers, wholesale
l.ctrical factors, and dealers in lubricants, oils, and fertilisers carried on
■■ J. W. Walsh and L. Bradbury at 34. Pall Mall, Manchester. The first
llrectors are: J. B. Walsh, Brookside, Crofts Bank Road. Urniston. Lanes,
lirector Snowdon, Sons & Co. (Manchester), Ltd.); L. Bradbury, 10, Lan-
• .tster Street. Mossley. Lanes, (director Heginbotham. Gregson &'Co., Ltd.);
I. H. Jones, 0.1. TweMale Street, Rochdale. Secretary: L. Bradbury. Re-
gistered office : .14, Pall M:dl, Manchester.

T. J. Grainger & Co., Ltd. (171,501).— Private company.

Registered November 18th. Capital, £5,000 in £1 shares. To take over the
business of a dealer in electrical goods and colliery and engineering tools
and appliances, carried on by T. J. Grainger, at 31, The Side, Newcastle-on.
Tyne. The first directors are: T. ]. Grainger (permanent). 31. The Side.
Newcastle-on-Tvne; C. Meakin, 240, Farndale Road, Newcastle-on-Tync. Re-
gistered office : 31, The Side, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

The profit and loss account for the year
Cape Electric ended June 3Uth, 1920, shows a profit of
Tramways, Ltd. £n,-:!W, and after providing for debenture
interest and redemption of debentures, and
including the amount brought forward, there is a net credit
balance of £il,WS. There has been put to reserve il2,000.
5 per cent, is to be paid on the ordinary shares, and £11,141
is to be carried forward. During the year the tramways
carried ■2.5.9'21,6'29 passengers, giving a return of i3'25,085, as
against -27,993,276 passengers and i;3(Jl,79G in 1918-19. The
smaller number of passengers carried is due to the strikes
which stopped the tramways for nearly a month, the in-
creased receipts being due to raising the fares. The rolling
stock in Cape Town has been increased by 12 new cars,- which
will materially assist operation and relieve the pressure on
the rolling stock that has taken place in" recent years. Under
the .\cts of Parliament which govern the concessions for the
working of the tramways in Cape Town, the municipality
had the power of expropriation of certain portions of the
system during the year. This right, however, has not been
exercised, and the time has now expii-ed, but the municipality
has approached the company with a view to purchasing the
whole of the Cape Town system, but so far no sati.sfactory
arrangement has materialised. The " B " debenture issue
of £150,000 has now been eutii-ely redeemed, and the charge
against the profits for redemption" ceases" aV from January 1st.
1920. Meeting in London, December 8th.

Submersible Motors, Ltd — The report for the period
October 1st, 191.5, to December 31st, 1919, shows profit avail-
able ftjr appropriation, after deduction of balance to debit
of profit and loss at October 1st, 191.5, ±'4,370, of £48,318. It
is recommended to place £22..500 to taxation reserve, and
pay dividends on preferred ordinary of 5 per cent, per annum
(less tax) in respect of the year ended March, 1919, and at the
rate of 10 per cent, per annum, less tax, in respect of nine
months ended Decemlier 31st, 1919, carrying; forward £6,638.
Adrniralty contracts as well as munitions levy and excess
profits duty to cover several years, were settled after a
considerable time had elapsed, and the directors consicler it
, more .suitable to present the accounts as a whole for several
years instead of for each year separately. It is proposed to
close accounts in future on December' 31st.

Brisbane Electric Tramways Investment Co., Ltd. — The

Queensland Government having fail, j to exercise its right
to purchase the Brisbane tramways on September 20th, 1920,
the Brisbane Electric Tramways Investment Co. suggests
that holders of its H per cent, first debenture stock should
consent to postponement of payment for three years while
the question is being .settled w'ith the Queensland Govern-
ment as to the purchase of the undertaking. It is proposed
that the intei-est shall be raised from 4^ per cent, to 8 per
cent, for the period, and that 2 per cent, extra shall be paid
if the debentures are redeemed \\ithin three years. A meeting
i.s called for December Sth to consider the matter.

Stock E.xchan^e Notices. — The Commiliee has specially
allowed dealings in the following under Temporary Regula-
tion 4 (3) :—

Aldershot Gas, Water & District Lighting Co.— £.50.000

7 per cent, mortgage bonds, redeemable .January 1st, 1931.
£10 paid. (Registered.) .After issue of allotment letters.

Tlie Committee has ordered the following to be officially
(Quoted : —

Pernambuco Tramways & Power Co., Ltd. — 31,426 ordinarv
shares of £1 each fuUv paid (Nos. 9.50,001 to 1,000,000,
1.170,969 to 1,172,368, and 1,219,003 to 1,919,028).

A Dutch Company. — The .\lgemene Nederlandsche Elec-
triciteits Maatschappij (late, CJroeneveld, Ruempol ct Cii.), of
.\msterdam, which has a paid share capital of 1.. 500,000 fl.. is
making a loan issue for 600,000 fl. at 1 per cent. Tlie com-
pany was formed in 1917, and a new factory will shortly be ■
brought into operation to meet the growing demand for manu-
factures.

'Westinghouse Electric Manufacturing Co. — Stockholders
of the Westinghouse Electric Manufacturing Co. have voted
an increase in the capital stock of the companv from the pre-
sent 75.000.000 dollars to 12-5,000,000 dollars." The directors
have also been authorised to increase the indebtedness of the
companv bv 30,000.000 dollars.— fieuier's Trade Service (Pitts-
burg. U.S.-A..).

Allgemeine Elektrizitaets Gesellschaft. — .\t tlie j^eneral
meeting of .shareholders called for December 16th the direc-
tors of the company will propose a dividend of 14 per cent.,
compared with 10 per cent, last year. The net profits iimount
to 45,707,352 marks, as against 27.0.31,447. It is proposed to
allocate 12 ;iiillion marks to institutions for the benefit of
the .staff and workpeople. — lieiiter's '[rtule Serrirr (Berlin).

Rees Roturbo Manufacturing Co., Ltd. — Dividend of o
per cent., less tax, on preference shares for 1912, 1913, and
1914.

Power Gas Corporation, Ltd. — Dividend at the rate of

8 per cent., less tax, for the year ended September.

696

THE ELECTPJCAL REVIEW. [Voi.sv. No. 2,244, novembeb 26, 1920.

New Issues. — Hadfields, Ltd., are iuviting applications
for an issue of £1,000,000 7J per cent. 10 year first mortgage
debenture stock at 98, repayable at 10'2 on February 1st, 1931.
Tlie proceeds of the present issue will be used in defraying the
cost of adapting the works to post-war conditions, including
the completion uf foundries, forges, and large and small rolling
mills; in additional working capital, and in extending the
operations of the company.

Cape Copper Co., Ltd. — Issue of 1,'200 registered convertible
8 per cent, debentm-es of £100 each at par; the debentures will
be repayable at par on November 1st, 1930, or at the com-
pany's option in whole or in part at £110 per cent., together
with any accrued interest, by one calendar month's notice
at any time after Movember 1st, 1923.

Electric Construction Co., Ltd. — Interim dividends at the
rate of 7 per cent, per annum on the preference shares, and
at the I'ate of ti per cent, per annum on the ordinary shares,
both less tax.

Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd. — Units sold to
consumers during four weeks ended August 27th, 1920. were
3,381,784, the corresponding four weeks of last year 2,779,110.

Yates & Thorn, Ltd. — Dividend of 10 per cent., less ta.\,
un the ordinarv shares, ^610,000 to reserve, carrying for-
ward J10,680. "

Fetters, Ltd. — Interim dividend of .5 per cent, per annum,
free of tax, on ordinary for half-year.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
The fog which, early this week, made itself so unpleasantly
insistent around the City and some of the suburbs, found tit
reflection in Stock Exchange markets. Indeed, hnaucial con-
ditions of all kinds may be described as obscme and depress-
ing. Commercial companies will not draw much consolation
(although they may change . their previous standpoint) from
Mr. McKenna's explanation that banking facilities are re-
stricted owing to the demands of the Government for money.
Mr. McKenna inferred that the banks would be wilhng to
lend to commercial customers wei;«; it not for the fact that the
Government wants the bulk of the loanable capital. Customers
may perhaps discover herein a new source of grievance against
the Government's mania for wasting money. Nor does the
course of the I'ates suggest that local authorities have yet
awakened to the desirabihty of giving an innings to economy.

I'he Brisbane Electric Tramways Investment affair, to which
reference was made here last week, is arousing keen discus-
sion and uo small amount of attention. The directors say
that in the present circumstances they cannot raise the money
necessary to pay off the ±'45(.i,0OO IJ per cent, debenture stock
which falls due for redemption on January 1st next. Some
of the stockholders talk about pushing the matter to extremes
and insisting upon having their money five weeks hence.
Others argue that it is no use attempting to extract blood from
a stone, and that acceptance of the Board's proposal to raise
the .interest to 8 per cent, and postpone redemption for
another three years is the more practical policy. The meet-
ing of stockholders will take place, as menfioned previously,
on December 8th next. Meanwhile, the price of the ordinarj-
shares is quoted at about 4, while the 5 per cent, cumulative
preference are SJ, changing hands at this price a few days
ago. The debenture stock, which was up to 97^ a week ago,
has gone back to 94.

British Columbia Electric stocks continue to attract a little
interest, and the deferred is a good market at 58^. Riu
Trams are 88, after being 92, and San Paulo Firsts 88.
Kiiniinistiijuia fell 3 to lOfJj. There is not much change this
week in other dollar stocks, although the numerous commer-
cial failures which are occurring in the United States have the
efl'ei-t of diminishing the value of the dollar as compared with
that of the £ sterling. This would help our commerce in the
. ordinary course of events, but as things are at present, it is
of no great value. Mexican issues are lower, part of the sub-
stantial rise of last week having been lost. For instance, the
5 per cent, bonds of the Mexico Tramways have receded 25 to
43J, and the Sixes are li down at .33§. Rumours are rife from
time to time as to revolutionary movements having broken
out again in Mexico, and. although nobody pays much heed
to them, tliey do have theii- effect in markets no iluU as those
of the present moment. Mexican Light and Power Firsts at
57i are i down, but Pachuca bonds, Monterey Fives, and
others of this kind are unchanged. Brazil Tractions at 42 are
3 lower, and other Brazilians are inclined to give way. Para
Electric 6 pt>r cent, preference at 12s. are sixpence down.

Home'Raihvay stocks make no better showing than foreign
rails. The exception is furnished by Central London preferred
ordinary, which has risen to 4G on a .small demand in a market
in wliich there is no stock offering. Tlii.s is a condition wliic li
w^ould probably apply to many things, not only amongst Ilnmi'
Railways, but also iti other departments of the Stock Ex-
change, and were there to be any demand, the scarcity woidd
.stand revealed, causing prices to mount sharply. With no-
body wi.shiug to buy, however, the disposition is to let prices

sag where they move at all. Underground Incomes have
dropped 3 ix)ints to 65J, and the Is. shares to 6s. 3d., whUe
the £10 shares weakened J to 42s. 6d. Districts fell to Hi.

The only change amongst electric hghting shares is a fall ajI
i in Westminsters, reducing the price to 5 again, and thus
raising the retmrn on the money to the round 10 per cent., a
\ield which is afforded also by Bromptons at 6 and London
Electric preference at 3. Charing Cross ordinary pay lOj per
cent, on the money. County ordinary about the same, and
Metropolitans nearly 105 pcr cent., taking the last declared
dividends as the basis of calculation. Amongst manufactur-
ing shares, Edisons are flat at l-5s. English Electrics are dull
at 16s. 6d.. the preference being 1.5s. and the debenture stock
•HSJ. British Aluminiums at 18s. are a florin lower, and India-
Rubber shares at 1 3/16 show 1/16 decline. Siemens, on the
other hand, have recovered a little after their drop of last
week on the new issue. Babcock & Wilcox remain at 2i, and
the engineering group as a whole is coloured by the same
tendency as that shown elsewhere. Rubber shares keep flat,
owing to the outlook in the trade itself and the price of
rubber. The new issue of Explosives Trades Notes maintain
i premium with noticeable steadiness. The price of the issue
-was 96|. and .scrip is changing hands fairly readily about 97,
buyers having to pay rather more. William Beardmore 8 per
cent, seven-year Notes, offered at 975, have dropped to 5J dis-
count on the tmderwriters getting .58 per cent, of the stock.

Not even fhe Cable group can withstand the prevailing
state of depression. Globes and Eastern Ext^^nsions are both
J lower. Anglo-American deferred dwindled to 16J. Mar-
conis again shed 1/16, and Canadians at 8s. 6d. are a trifle
easier. Business in this section is quiet, as it is elsewhere.
And as, perhaps, it may remain in the Stock Exchange for
the remainder of this year.

SHAEE LIST OF ELECTRICAL COMPANIES.

Home Electricity Companies.

Dividend Price

, •— ^ Nov. 23, Yield

1918. 1919. 1920. Rise or fall. p.c.

Brompton Ordinary 8 IS 6 — f 10 0 0

Charing Cross Ordinary .... 4 7 Bi — 10 16 6

do. do. do. ii Pref. .. H ti 2S — 6 8 8

Chelsea 8 4 8J — 6 8 0

City of London 8 10 IJ — 8 It 10

do. do. Bpercent. Pref. .. 8 8 17/6 — 8 11 8

County of London T B 7J — 10 18 4

do. do. fi per cent. Pref. 6 6 8* — 7 7 8

Kensington Ordinary .... 6 7 Bj — 9 0 6

London Electric Hll 9i i — 8 19 6

do. do. Gpercent. Pref. .. 8 8 8 — 10 0 0

Metropolitan S 6 9j — 10 8 8

do. 4^ per cent. Pref, .. 4} 4) 91^ — 8 0 0

St. James' and Pall Mall .. .. 10 19 ei — 9 4 8

South London B 6 8* — 9 19 0

South Metropolitan Pref 7 7 16,'3 — 8 13 8

Westminster Ordinary .... B 10 6 —J 10 0 0
Telegraphs and Telephones.

Anglo-Am. Tel, Pnl 8 8 77i id — 7 14 10

do. Del 88/6 li 16^ - i 9 1 10

Chile Telephone 8 8 6i — •» 9 1

CubaSnb. Qrd 7 7 7 — '10 0 0

Eastern Extension 8 10 16 — i •O 13 0

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 ISaj — '6 11 4

Gbbe Tel. and T. Ora 8 10 16J -J <6 12 4

do. do. Pref 8 6 8J - 8 17 9

Great Northern Tel 99 99 30i — 10 14 8

liido-Bnropean 18 10 80 — 8 6 8

Marooni 98 96 2'; — f'^ 8 18 0

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 19 9g — MIS 4

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 Bi — 'B 10 8

West India and Panama .. .. 1/8 Nil H — Nil

Western Telegraph 8 10 16i -I- -6 12 4

HouE Rails.

Central London Ord. Aaaented ..44 48) — 940

MeiropMitan 1 IJ £0? — 6 9 0

do. DIstrlot .. Nil Nil 17i — i MU

Underground Electiio Ordinary.. NU Nil SJ -J Hll

do. do. "A" .. NU Nil 6 3 -9d. HU

do. do. Income .. 6 4 65) ~ S —
Foreign Trams, 4c.

ADglo-Atg, Trams First Pref. .. Nil 6) B — 9 8 4

do. do. 2ndPre(, .. Nil Nil F« -i NU

do. do. 6 Deb. ..6 6 59) — 8 8 0

Brazil Tractions Nil Nil 43 -3 Nil

British Columbia Bleo. Rly. Ploe, 6 6 69 — 8 9 8

do, do. Freferrred 9) 6 68] — *B 19 B

do, do. Deferred Nil 8 69) — '6 17 8

do. do. Deb. .. 4) 4) 67i - 7 7 M

HexiooTramsS percent. Bonds.. Nfl Nil 49j — )) MU

do. 6 per cent. Bonds.. Nil Nil t3j -1) NU

Mexican Light Common .... Nil Nil 16 — MU

do, Pref NU NU 3S - MU

do, l8l Bonds.. .. NU NU 11 i -i NU

Mani-factcrinq Companies.

Babcock ft Wilcox 16 16 l| — •6 6 4

British AInmlnlnm Ord 10 10 18/- -2/- 1110 9

British Insulated Ord 19) 16 19 — 9 4 8

Oallenders 96 16 Itxd — 10 0 0

„ 6iPrel 6) 6) 18/9 — 6 18 8

Oaalner-Kellner 90 17 B — 5 18,4

Orompton Ord 10 10 17/6 — 11 8 6

Bdlson-Swan, 10 10 15/ — ,\ 18 6 8

do, do. 6 per cant. Deb, ..6 6 74) — 6 14 B

Bleclrlo Oonstmction .... 10 10 J — 11 8 6

Qen. Bleo. Pref 6) 6) 18/6 — 7 0 6

do, Ord II 10 1/ — <7 19 8

Henley 96 16 I'; — 9 4 8

do. 4) Pref 4) 4) Bl — 7 4 0

Indla-Rubber 10 10 I,! — ,',, '8 8 0

Uet.-Vlokers Pref — 8 3 — 8 0 0

Siemens Ord 10 10 I', — ,>^ *8 4 0

Telegraph Oon 80 90 91 ~ — •S 14 8

* DlTidends paid tree o< Income Tax.

Vol.87. No. 2,244, NovKMBEE 26, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

697

THE INSTITUTION OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS.

Inaugural Address of MR. LLEWEL,YN B. ATKINSON, President, ( Ah>!t met . .

We have had, particularly of later years, presidential addresses
of such importance and merit that in a way they become the
keynote or moiij of the whole presidential work, and if we look
buck to the earlier presidential addi-esses, we see how this
function has grown in importance.

Hut the real work ot the President does not lie in his
Addi'ess. For the year of his office he is. as it were, the chair-
man and managmg director of, and the co-ordiuating element
in, this great Institution; and the increasing weignt of his
duties demands consideration.

In our institution the meetings have increased in number
with the formation of various sections, some of which at least,
in addition to the ordinary meetings, the President attends;
there are 13 Centres and Sub-Centres wliich it is his duty it
possible to visit dm'ing his year of office; there are Committees
and Joint Committees on the greatest variety of subjects of
importance to the profession ami industry, and those who have
of recent years had the honour of being President, have
found that it is becoming for the year of office nearly a whole-
tiine job. Unless these tendeni'ies can be modified, it will
result that few members of the Institution will feel able to
undertake properly the oifice of President, because they will
be unable or unwilling to devote the time and administrative
effort necessary to the office.

The year 19'2i will see the Institution of Electrical Engineers
attain its " jubilee "; the Society of Telegraph Engineers was
formed on May 17th, 1871, when 66 names were submitted and
duly elected as members; of those 66 I believe that only two
are now living, viz.. General E. D. Malcolm, of Poltalloch,
R.E., and Sn Herbert Jekyll, K.C.M.G. Ihe first general
meeting of the Society was held on February 28th, 1872, when
the first President, Dr. William Siemens, deUvered an address
dealing principally with the objects of the Society, viz., the
reading of papers and their discussion by members, and gener-
ally an exchange ot knowledge and opinions on electrical sub-
jects. The Society, which in the year 1<888 became the In-
stitution of Electrical Engineers, retained that point of view
for the first 3.5 years of its existence ; by a process of evolu-
tion or growth, the Institution has, however, reached a posi-
tion where it no longer stands only for a science, but stands
for, and claims to represent, a science and an industry based
upon that science. The Institution of Electrical Engineers is
the first of the great Institutions to be forced by the circum-
stiinces of its industry into such a position. The Institution
of Civil Engineers is definitely a body to protect the interests
of engineers as engineers, recognising and certifying to their
engineering training and knowledge. The Institution of
Mechanical Engineers may be said to stand for the same view,
but the Institution of Electrical Engineers, whilst certifying
liy its meniber.ship to a standard of engineering skill, goes
further, and endeavours by its activities to promote the in-
terests of all its members, in directions which do not neces-
sarily depend on their particular status or skill. This function
of its activities has, to a considerable extent, been brought
about by the fact that electrical, engineering is largely con-
cerned with public services, and hence the intrusion into its
attau's of Governmental and municipal regulations in a degree
quite unapproached in civil or mechanical enguieering.

The increasing and broadening sympathy exi.sting between
the Institution of Electrical Engineers and all clas.ses in the
industry may be traced to the time when definitely or im-
jilicity the great difference between it and the older Institu-
tions was recognised and the work of the Institution adapted
to the needs of the industry.

The great extension of the activities of the Institution
through its 12 Territorial Centres and Sub-Centres, whilst it
has rai.sed the Institution to the position of the most active
engineering force in the country, has created its own special
problems, and notably that of finance. In the past the leading
engineering Institutions, including the In.stitution of Electrical
Engineers, have maintained in Ijondon a home and have held
regular meetings, generally at fortnightly intervals, and pub-
lished the " PriK'eedings " thereof, and at that point they
have been content. In our own case last session the number
"f meetings of all Centres and Sections at which papers were
rr,\(\ or discu.ssions took place was lO.").

The.se meetings, however, involve considerable expense. The
expenses of meetings are twofold ; for mci'tings in our own
liuildiiig, only extra lighting, cleaning, and some refreshments
aie added, but for provincial meetings there is. in addition,
rent of meeting places. .Aliove all, however, there is involved
the extra printing.

The cost of printing and posting the Journal in 1914 was
f2,(KK) per annum, and this has lisen until in 192(.( it has
reached :£6,()(K> jx'r annum. There is little doubt in my mind
that some form of drastic editorship of tlie discussions and
" Proceedings " will have to be put in force if the present
number of papers is to be published. The single fact that
memljers of the Institution have to grasp is this : that this
Institution is giving more to its membership than any British
Engineering Institution has ever attempted: and comparisims
of the cost of the working of our own Institution and the

necessary' subscription thereto with those of other Institutions
have no common basis.

It was in 1873, the second year of the life of the Society of
Telegi'aph Engineers, that the first edition of Clerk Maxwell's
■' 'I'reatise on Electricity " appeared. That treatise was the
starting point of modern electrical theory.

To-day the work thus started with Maxwell has been largely
completed. Our knowledge of the fundamental basis of elec-
tricity, viz., the electron, has reached a high degree of cer-
tainty and precision of measurement, leaving us with the
unsolved problem which electrical science is doubtless called
upon to solve, viz., the nature of the atom.

Tied up with this pi'oblem will lie the complete solution of
the problem of temporary and permanent magnetism. We
had last session a very able and suggestive contribution by
Mr. Everslied to the latter discussion, and I think the sug-
gestions put forward by hun were a great stride forward.
The discovery of radium and radioactivity in 1898, and the
proofs that chemical atoms are not, as till then supposed,
eternal, but are subject to change, radioactive atoms them-
selves breaking _up into other chemical atoms and electrons,
was no less than an absolute revolution in thought.

We have come to realise that we cannot regard the electron
as something by itself, having a fixed inertia mass. The
electron cannot move without setting up movements in the
ether involving the storage of energy therein, and the amount
of tho.se movements depends on the acceleration and also on
the velocity of the electron. The inertia mass of the electron
therefore is in part or w-holly an expression <jf a rate of storing
energy in the ether. Experimental investigation seems to
show that the whole mass, or apparent inertia mass, of an
electron may be thus accounted for, and it is clear that at
least .some part, if not the whole, of the inertia mass of all
matter arises from the energy effect of the ether disturbances
which take place when matter is accelerated, and these dis-
turbances being transmitted with a finite velocity the inertia
mass of all matter in whole or part depends on the velocity
with which it is moving.

It is quite clear, therefore, that we as engineers have to
accept considerable changes in the Views on which the
scientific training of most of us has been based.

Of the strictly technical problems of the future, the fh-st is
the more complete realisation of the value of our fuel. The
change of the last seven years in the value of fuel, not only
measured in terms of currency, but also in terms of
human effort, has turned upside-down all previous considera-
tions, and the immediate problem of electrical generation
tii-day ;i|ii>e;irs to lie in the direction of more complete utilisa-
tion 111 fuel by selective distillation with recovery of u.scful
piiiihuts, and in the use of gas and coke in the boiler furnaces,
or by complete conversion of the coke into gas for use in gas
engines.

The gas turbine has made .some progress, generally on the
lines of multiple explosions discharging ga.ses into a tm'bine
wheel, but, speaking without detailed knowledge of the latest
developments m this dkection, I believe that the future gas
turbine will work on a cycle of comliustion at constant pres-
sure with adiabatic expansion through nozzles giving the gas
the necessary velocity for a turbine wheel, the constant pres-
sure for combustion being obtained by pumping the air and
gas into the turbine through regenerators heated by the waste
heat. I am aware that this cla.ss of cycle has had considera-
tion and been i-ejected largely on account of the losses incurred
in the compression part of the cycle, but the inherent advan-
tages of such a cycle for large units are .so great that I cannot
help thinking that sooner or later the difficulties of the com-
pression part of the cycle will be overcome.

The heat engine and dynamo as the elements for transform-
ing the energy of fuel into electric currents have reached a
stage of efficiency where there is little further to be hopi'd
along the present lines, and in the direction of output for a
given weight of material we have reached the point where,
notwith.standing the small loss which is tran.sformed into heat,
the output is really limit*'d only by the necessity of surfaces
to dispo.se of this heat. Last session we had a very suggestive
paper by Mr. Shepherd which, witli the discussion pivoting on
it, indicated that the next step will be the complete water
cooling of the machinery, again enhancing the possible out]«i ' .
There still remains the possibility of some completely new
process, which will eliminate tlie heat engine and dynamo
and substitute some otlier method of producuig the electron
str(>am that we call the electric current, by a iJrocess whieii
does not involve the efficiency limits imposed by the second
law of thermodynamics, as, for example, the po.ssil)ility of
electrically unlocking the stores of energy in the atom.

In this connection I cannot overlook tlie pos.sibilities sug-
gested by what is called the photo-electric effect. When light
of certain wave-lengths falls on a metal the metal becomes
positively charged, el(>ctrons being lilierated. As far as we
know, the energv which the lil>er:it<'(l electrons posse.ss is
greater than that .supplied bv the liubt wave, if the energy
of the wave is uuLformlv distribiil<'d. The " quantum " theory

098

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,2t4, notembeb 26, im

assumes that the energy ol the wave is concentrated in finite
portions, which are surticient to account for the result, but
this seems to me a very forced conclusion, and one much less
likely to be true than an explanation which is based on the
idea that there are great stores of energy in the atoms, and
that by the application of a small resonant eiiort we can release
this energy at the expense of the internal energy of the atom.
Photo-electric cells capable of generating small currents have
been produced, but the whole subject is as yet waiting further
research.

The discussions and uncertainties surrounding the future
programme of electrical generation and distribution have had
and are having a very serious and detrimental psychological
effect on the engineering and du-ectional staffs of the supply
industry.

The position of these staffs, especially in the smaller muni-
cipal undertakings, has never been very happy. Men of con-
siderable engineering abihty, but perhaps not so well equipped
as in the case of larger undertakings with commercial or
diplomatic talents, have had to contend with an environment
in which local and labour politics formed a dominating feature.
While in many cases the difficulty was minimised by the help
of a sympathetic committee, or chairman of committee, the
re.sult has been in a great many cases to produce a final con-
dition of semi-apathy.

This has been greatly aggravated in the last year or two,
when, in the belief that all the smaller stations were to be
swallowed up, even the higher staffs of company-owned under-
takings as well as the committees of municipiil concerns have
lost their interest, which in the latter case was often a personal
or local enthusiasm, and have simply carried on with a mini-
mum of exertion. Whilst it must l)e admitted that the
appointment of the Electricity Commission and all it involves
has been loyally accepted, largely due to the confidence which
the personality of the Commissioners inspii'ed, yet even this
has led to an attitude of mind whereby the Commissioners
have come to be regarded as the Deus ex machina who shall
solve all problems and resolve all troubles.

Engineers ol small undertakings are generally the commer-
cial managers as well, but their work and pride are on the
engineering .side, the generating station and distribution .sy.s-
tem. The realisation that sooner or later the generation will
cease and the distribution only remain, and that .salesmanship
rather than engineering .skill will be the feature looked for, is
naturally not very agreeable to the.se men. This class of men
is in fact going through what the craftsman goes through
when machinery replaces his skill, and they feel very much as
he does w-hen he is assured that eventually machinery causes
more employment, not less. We must face the fact that one
reason why the larger generating stations will be more econo-
mical than the smaller ones, is the decrease in the total amount
of skilled superintendence that will be necessary, and that this
class of occupation will diminish. The compensation must be
found in the increasing use of electric current, and the engi-
neer's function must be diverted to all that this involves in
finding new openings, designing equipment for new opera-
tions, and in stimulating consumption and the distribution
therefor.

The results of the trials and experiments on a great many
types of cables have led to the result that to-day it may be
said that the vulcanised rubber-in.sulated cable holds the field
for internal work, that for underground mains of low and
medium pressures vulcanised bitumen cable or paper-insulated
lead-covered cables are standard practice, whilst for high pres-
sures paper-insulated lead-covered cables are used exclusively.
The early paper lead-covered cables did not aim higher
than 11,000 volts, and to-day the British Engineering Stan-
dard tables do not go further, but cables of •30,01H) and 30,(X)0
volts are extensively used, cables of 50,000 or 60,000 volts can
be obtained from responsible manufacturers, and were there a
real necessity cables of 100,000 volts would be forthcoming
commercially, either of ordinary types perhaps with graded
dielectric, or with pressure-di.stributing metallic layers form-
ing part of the dielectric enclo.sure.

Constant research work and experiments have been devoted
not only to the materials employed, but to the method of
manufacture, and above all to the improvement of methods of
installation of jointing and protection, a large part of the
trouble with cables being with these accessories.

The pioneer work of Price on the North-East Coast of ring-
main high-pressure feeders with discriminating protective de-
vices, with various detail modification, gives, with a minimum
of mains, an almost absolute immunity from breakdown for
the individual consumer. This system is now attracting con-
siderable attention abroad, where so far no such security of
supply has been realised. In most cases special forms of cable
are being u.sed, but efforts are being made to adapt the prin-
ciple to ordinary calile systems.

The future progress seems to lie in the direction of the im-
provement of the material in two directions. The researches
of Evershed on characteristics of insulation and of Adden-
broke on dielectrics, which have been published through our
Institution, have .shown that the limits of dielectric strength
and the losses of power in dielectrics under alternating pres-
sure are due to the presence of moisture. The organic cellular
structure of paper leads to its being very hygroscopic, and the
greatest difficulty is found in drying out all the moistm"e and
maintaining the dielectric moisture free at all stages of manu-
facture. There are organic threads which, are practically non-

hygroscopic, but they cannot be made into papers or woven
for the very reason that their surfaces are so smooth, and so
it would appear as if either pajiers must be chemically altered
or that a new method of applying felted fibrous materials and
then securing in place must be devi.sed to u.se such fibres.

In addition to such lines of re.search in any case the con-
stant improvement of quality of paper in the sense of elimina-
tion of weak spots is taking place. The dielectric strength of
paper as used for cables is, say, 500 volts per mil, but the di-
electric is only operated in cables at, say, 50 volts per mil, a
wide margin being necessary to cover the inequalities of the
material and the irregular and unexpected rises of pressure to
which they are subjected. The great fall in the price of
rubber, from lis. (id. per lb. in 1911 to Is. 6d. per lb. m IQ-iO,
if permanent, may have a bearing on future types of extra-
high-pressure cables.

In 1914 the Postmaster-General appointed a committee to
consider the question of high-speed telegraphy. The definite
conclusion reached was that for this country the multiplex
system was superior to the automatic, and that a special
apparatus named in the report included all the features con-
sidered desirable, viz., a free keyboard perforator, five-unit
code, and printing direct in page form. Such an apparatus
' working duplex with quadruple sending and receiving sets at
each end would dispatch from 40 to 50 telegrams per hour per
operator, that is 160 to '200 messages each way per hour. One
such apparatus dealt with two-thirds of the whole Manchester-
London traffic, and very few circuits could keep one apparatus
occupied. Hence we may certainly say that, even for crowded
traffic, invention is really ahead of requirements. The use of
apparatus like high-speed telegraphic apparatus is under Post
Office conditions compUcated by staff questions, and the prac-
tice in the Civil Service of selecting the higher grades by
seniority and not by technical or temperamental merit, thus
making it difficult to ensure that the overlooking of a staff is
done by one specially skilled in working and adjusting a num-
ber of circuits.

Probably the most needed apparatus to-day is a cheap and
simple transmitter worked from a typewriter keyboard, and a
cheap and sunple printing receiver to replace the hand-
operated .sounder instruments of smaller offices, for the reason
that there is an ample supply of people able to use type-
writers, and the printing receiver obviates clerks skilled in
reading Mor.se code. For the smaller offices, the telephone has
replaced the single needle instrument which was u.sed.

The latest form of repeater is the thermionic valve tube, .so
arranged that a small incoming disturbance causes an ampli-
fied local current to work an ordinary electromagnetic relay.
The effect of this with similar valve relays on the receiving
instrument is to enable much .smaller currents to be used, so
that it is contemplated to use conductors of hard-drawn copper
weighing only 20 lb. per mile for all telegi'aphic circuits, in-
stead of conductors weighing as at present, .say, 200 lb. jier
mile, with such repeaters, say, 100 miles apart.

In lull the mirror galvanometer and siphon recorder were
the reading instruments used, and with them a speed on the
Atlantic cable of 15 words or, say, 75 letters per minute was
obtained. Heavier conductors, improved methods of work-
ing, the use of inductance shunts, and the use of very sensitive
relays such as the Heurtly and the Brown, have brought the
speed up to 300 letters per minute under duplex conditions of
working, and permit of Mor.se printing instruments being
used, whilst the ubiquitous thermionic amplifying valve is
producing a further increase due to the possibility of operat-
ing it with a smaller current than any other relay, and so
enabling a smaller fraction of the incoming and increasing
current at the receiving end to be utilised ; in other words,
e.ich signal can be shorter.

We often see comparisons made, to our own detriment, as
to the number of telephones per head of the population in
this and other countries, l)ut probably if we had a comparison
of the messages per telephone, or even the total number of
me.ssages per head of the population, a different story would
l)e told. It is clear that, in a sparsely populated district, com-
munication by telephone attains an importance which it does
not reach where all necessities and markets are near the door.
But, at least in densely populated areas, an economic factor
arises which differentiates the telephone from nearly every
other business.

In most businesses the cost of an individual service becomes
less as the number of services increases. In the case of a
teleplione exchange the operating cost of each connection in-
creases as the total number of connections increases, for tlie
simple reason that each individual can make and does make
more calls. It is for this reason that comparisons of the
annual cost of a telephone are quite fallacious unless the num-
ber of calls is referred to, and why any system
(charging is inequitable.

The problem for telephonists therefore liecomes
nical one of keeping all main and junction lines working fully,
this being a question of tlie projier distribution of centres and
sub-centres, together with tlie pix>per system of charging so
that every user pays for what his service costs. In this con-
nection the system whereby the Post Office records the charges
and renders an account at intervals, which there is no means
of checking or disputing, is most unsatisfactory, and sooner or
later some method of rapidlv agreeing a call as registerable.
so that it can be questioned there and then, must be put in
force. The automatic system lends itself to a development

.ss the num-
of Hat-rate 3

s the tech- »

Vol.«7. No. 2,244, November 26, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

699

of such a method of record, one on which practically no dis-
pute could arise, except as to inaccurate mechani.sm.

The future of wireless signalling is hardly to be estimated.
The immediate future will probably see all other methods of
generating oscillations give way to tlie thermionic tube
method. In detail lather than principle does this differ from
the ai-c method where the discharge of electrons from the hot
carbon fulfils the same purpase as the disc-hai-ge of electrons
from the hot wire of the tube, but the advantage in steadi-
ness of temperature and re.sistance lies w-ith the tube, enabling
the wave-length to be held more constant. .Mready demon-
strations with tubes up to '20 Kw. have been given.
{To be concluded.)

North- \Vf..stern Centrk.

,\t Manchester, the chairman of the above Centre, Mr. Juliu.s
I'Vith, M.I.fj.E.. delivered an address at the first meeting of
the lv/-Jn-'.il .se.^sion, of which an abstract follows : —

I'he inquiry : \\ hat are the methods in use for supplying
power to inuustries, and what are the available sources of
energy ■ we can tap for the end in view'? would, perhaps,
put us a bit out and make uS think. .U'ter a little of this
unwonted exercise, we might summarise the situation as
follows : —

The radiation which the earth receives from the sun, al-
though not itself heat, is absorbed and converted to heat on
strikmg against a more or less opaque body. Sufficient of this
energy can be concentrated on, say, a boiler, and so made to
work a steam engine and produce [xiwer. This device is feeble
and not suitable for use in our centres of industry.

On the second application of the sun's activity, i.e., using
the sun as a circulating pump to lift w-ater from the sea to
the mountain tops, Nature and civil engineering helping,
we can extract and put to useful work some 90 per cent, of
the potential energy of the water, that is in places which are
hlessed witli a climate ; in the British Isles, where there is
only weather, water power is not so reliable.

.\s to the moon being a source of energy, the problem is
not so simple as it looks, and the energy which is really tapped
in harnessing the tides is due to the difference . between the
time of revolution of the earth and that of the moon round
the earth ; makirig use of the tides would t«nd towards keep-
ing the mf)on always opposite one fixed point of the earth's
surface.

Winds are at best uncertain, though they have been ex-
tensively u.sed for grinding corn, pumping water, and driving
small electric generators.

The electro-chemical effect is the most promising of those
investigated so far : the conductor which suffers disintegration
only does so in proportion to the electricity set in motion,
there are no moving parts, and the efficiency is very high.
The destroyed conductor has in the past been made of some
very costly material, and there is no ready market for the
chemical combination produced ; but the.se are minor points
which can no doubt be remedied when we have time to give
to them.

Molecular activity is at the moment a little new- and puz-
zling, but it is very promising. In energy given out per pound
of material, it exceeds anything else by .several millions per
cent. It is, certainly, a little difficult to .stop and start, and
seems a triHe like using up the bricks of which the universe
is built, but we shall no doubt lie able to report further to
a future meeting.

For the moment we make heat by combustion, and are
still at a loss for a means of converting this to mechanical
energy. We need some connecting link between the fire
and the generator shaft. Now we find ourselves in the painful
position of making a practice of rejecting tlie connecting
medium when it is only about one-fifth expanded, and the
be.st that the engine can possibly do is to use, say, 19 per
cent, of the total energy for the production of mechanical
energy. These large amounts of energy received from the
fire and rejected by the engine are usually not only wasted,
but become a source of annoyance to our neighbours. We
are accu.stomed to refer with pride to " the age of steam."
but steam, like .Jacob, has usurped tlie place of the first-born
not by historic right, nor by any particular aptitude for
the role, but mainly through the influence of its godfathers
Watt and Stephen.son. Several other fluids have been pro-
posed, hut engineers have turned up their noses at all such
nnd, truth to tell, their no.ses would be the chief sufferers!

There are. however, some other promising avenues of
attack on the problem. One is to make the condenser it.self
:i source of heat for a second thermal-cycle engine, and this
idea has not received the attention it deserves from practical
engineers, though it has been carried some little way on the
tiieoretical and experimental side and has shown some pro-
mise, .\notber line to follow would be not to condense the
exhaust at all. but to pump it straight back into the boiler
or heater, there to receive another supply of energy ; but
this is, apparently, contrary to the laws of thermo-dynamics
as we at present understand them. If we could only find
some way of putting the exhaust .steam back into the boiler
as it is released from the engine, instead of makirfg it return
to water to be again re-evaporated by our precious fuel just
the other .side of the boiler plates, the po.ssible efficiency of a
steam engine might be almost indefinitely increased.

Combustion of most fuels with the oxygen of the air will
produce temperatures in the region of '2,00t> deg. P., thus
giving us a possible efficiency of (2,000-100) -^,(460-1-2,000), or
77 per cent. Our present practice -is to employ our 2,000 deg,
F. in raising steam and superheating it to, say. 600 deg. F..
giving a possible efficiency of (6IK1- llK1)-^ (4t5O-|-00O). or 47 per
cent. This shows up our wrong-headed way of stating boiler
efficiency by expressing it as heat delivered over heat received,
ignoring the temperature and. therefore, the availuhility of
the heat. One might almost as well calculate the efficiency
of a water turbine as water emitted over water supplied.

The gas turbine offers a possibility of using the high initial
temperatures, but it would probably exhaust at a temperature
comparable with that of an ordinary boiler fire. Further use
of the hot exhaust gases could then be made for raising steam.

In a recent Ciovernnient report it was estimated that on
the average 5 lb. of coal is Imrnt for each horse-power-hour
produced in industrial power plant.

Hrceired :— Thennx. Per rent,

r, lb. of coal at, sav, l:).IKin therms per lb. (;;-,,0(HI lOil

Puid out : —
Proportion used for banking bdilers at

nights and week-ends Cp.Odil 9.3

Lost in ashes I.dll) I..5

Sent up the stack as hot gases — 1(KI lb. at

500 deg. F. excess temperature I2.(Xk> 18. .5

as steam in the flue ga.ses 2.(HK) 3.0

as carbon imperfectly burnt to CO. ... l.lllKl 1.5

Radiation from boiler, engine and steam

pipes 4.0OO ('.

Mechanical friction of engine 2.50 0.4

Sent to cooling towers in circulating water

(7 lb. of steam per lb. of coal, 1.000

therms per lb. of steam) 3,5,(XI0 .54

Used in auxiliaries 1,200 1.8

As one brake H.i'.-houf 2,5.50 4

65,000 1(K)

Four per cent. ! The efforts of the reformer may well quail
before the stupendous loss carried away by the condensing
water and made hideous in the cooling towers, and by other
losses which can be reduced. Embodying such refinements
as have been at pre.sent achieved in the best steam practice,
and working at a good load factor with any large turbine
plant, one brake H.P..-hour may be produced from one pound
of coal.

Let us now turn to tlie internal combustion engine and
gas producer. Average practice in moderately small non-
recovery plant yields about 1 h. p. -hour for each pound of coal.

The largest of the los.ses is that carried away in the exhaust
gases. A good deal of this can. however, be used for raising
steam in a special form of fire-tube boiler, but here again we
are limited in the amount of heat we can extract from the
gases by the imdesirability of condensing the steam they
contain ; this is another case for the cheap feed-water heater.
However, as it is. nearly two-thirds of the heat in the exhaust
can be u.sed for raising .steam, which may amount to 2 lb. of
steam per pound of coal put into the producers.

The next serious loss is that in the water used for cooling
the gas-engine cylinders. This is more difficult to negotiate,
as low-temperature heat is rather a drug on the market.
Probably, unless there is a demand for hot water for some
other purpo.se, the best plan is to combine gas and .steam
plant, using both the gas-engine cylinders and the exhaust
to raise st+'am. which is used in another cylinder driving
on to a connnon crank-.shaft.

Another proposal that goes much more to the root of the
matter, is known as the " Still " engine,* which employs
a common cylinder, one side of the piston being acted on hy
the gas and the other by the steam generated by the heat
in the exhaust. I believe the " Still " engine will " get a
move on " presently.

The recovery of by-products largely turns on whether the
recovery producer can or cannot be made self-supporting in
the matter of the steam it uses. The auxiliary boiler on the
exhaust of the gas engine can provide the necessary steam for
this purpose, but if the producers can make their own .steam
and more, it becomes frequently a question between the
relative values of coal and by-products whether it does not
pay to gasify the coal used for steam power plant; tliis will
probably, however, only be done by people who.se main busi-
ness is the supply of power, as others will not often want to
combine manufacturing chemistry and salesmanship of fer-
tilisers with their other activities.

It only waits, however, for the perfecting of the gas turbine
to make the gasifying of coal and the recovery of by-products
a foregone ccjnchision. .\t the back of all this is the immense
possibility of gasifying what would otherwi.se be waste fuel.
There is another possible way of utilising the heat of com-
bustion and converting it into electrical energy, namely, hy
means of the thermo-pile. It was pointed out above that
there is an unnecessary loss of temperature between the fire
and the water in' a boiler, say. 2.000 deg. F. to 4f«) deg. F.
This temperature dift'erence could be u.sed in n battery of
thermo-piles having their hot junctions in the fire and their

• Elec. Rev., May 30th. 1919, p. 643, and June 20tb, 1919.
p. 720.

700

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,244 , notbmbm 2g, iwe.

cool junctions in the water. The heat which would otherwise
be wasted is then used in raising steam, and the heat that
disappears in tlie Peltier effect is converted into electrical
energy at lUO pei cent, efficiency. For every 1 per cent, of
th total heat generated which is thus converted, the yield
per iiound of coal burnt is increased 4 per cent, in the best,
and '2.5 per cent, in the average case.

When all our national resources are used as they ought to
be used, ample power will result as a by-product, when all
fuel charges wdll be struck out of the bill for power. It
Avill then remain for engineers to reduce capital charges,
which can be done slowly by reducing the cost of plant, but
much more quickly by increasing the load factor and diminish-
ing the transmission losses of big power stations. Manchester
has given a lead in this direction by the cultivation of large
power consumers situated near to the station and willing to
accommodate their demands to the exigencies of the other
loads.

There is a possibility that the use of steam might be justified
if the latent heat in it could be extracted and used for some
useful purpose, such as process work in the factory or a com-
mercial supply of hot water.* It may be perfectly true : (1)
that what the industrial household is most in need of is a
supply of hot water for washing the person, the clothes, and
the culinary apparatus; and (2) that the power station without
much interfering with its function as a power station could
supply hot water. Taking for granted items (1) and (2), and
an industrial community of, say, 10,000 inhabitants grouped
into 1,670 hou.seholds of six members each, three of whom
are working, their houses, arranged on garden-city lines,
eight or nine to the acre, and allowing for wide roads and
ample open spaces, would occupy about three-quarters of a
square mile. Tlie demands for electrical energy per household
will be about 6,400 units per annum for those employed in
the factories (1 h.p. per individual), 500 units for lighting and
cooking in their homes, and 100 units for carrying the house-
hold about in tramcars and for public lighting; total. 7,000
units per annum per household. As there are 1.670 house-
holds the town would require a power station turning out
about 12 million units per annum, which at 2-5 per cent,
load factor would have a maximum load of a little over
5,000 KW.

Suppose the station to work with a vacuum of about 20 in.,
it would take about 20 lb. of steam per unit, which could, on
condensing, yield 20 gallons of hot water at about 160 deg. F..
so that we have an average of 40O gallons of hot water per
household per day. AUowmg .50 ga'lons per day for baths
and washing, 350 gallons are left f"r warming the house.
If we allow the water to cool from 160 deg. to 100 deg. F.,
about 200.000 therms are liberated per 24 hours, which is
sufficient to keep a five-room house comfortably warm. (This
corresponds in heating effect to about 2^ kw. for 24 hours.)

In a town of this size there are about 15 miles of roads.
To carry the hot water from the central station four 5-iu.
mains will suffice; from these would radiate 2-in. mains: and
from these a i-in. service would supply each house. Flow
and return pipes would be provided, the f.ow pipes being
lightly lagged. The loss from these pipes would amount to
less than 15 per cent, of the heat delivered to the houses if
the lagging of the flow pipes allowed half of one therm to
escape per 1 sq. ft. per hour per 1 deg. F.. which would
not be considered a very good .steam-pipe covering.

The total cost of the pipes, including lagging, excavating,
laying and filling in, would be about £45.000. The extra plant
required at the central station might add another £5,000:
6 per cent, interest and 2^ per cent, depreciation (21 years'
life) = £4,250 per annum = Is. per week per hou.se, which .surely
would gladly he paid for this service.

Discussion".
.\lderman W. Walker, who opened the di.scussion which
followed the delivery of the address, complimented the chair-
man on his departure from the customary practice of treating
the chairman's address as not being a subject for debate.
With regard to Mr. Frith's proposals for supplying hot water
for an industrial community of 10,000 inhabitants, the first
thought that occurred to the speaker was. what a nice view
they would have when they rose in the morning and saw
the central power station firing up to prepare hot water.
Also there must be a railway right through the site to get
to the central station, and a lavish outlay on roads for
carting fuel and removing ashes. Then he feared a large
proiKii-tion of the houses would become vacant because people
obje^'teil to the amenities usually associated with a power
station: they had no power stations which were not looked
upon as nuisances, although they had tried to take them
away from the liomes of the people they served. The City
of Manchester was the most lavish user of water in the
kingdom, largely for industi-ial purposes, but the consumption
of water, cold and hot together, did not approach the figures
that Mr. Frith had estimated to be the consumption of hot
water by his community ; therefore, there would not be the
market he had antiiipated. With regard to the number of
units which would be used per household for lighting and
heating, he did not know of any imdertaking that could show

Mr. Pearce has had examples of this at work in Man-
ster for years. See also £lec. Rev.. .Inly 5th, 1910, p. 20.

an average consumption approaching that figure for houses
of the class which he had described. It was useless to proceed
by finding out how many therms they would have at their
dispo.sal and then tit them into the amount which the people
ought to use; they must find out what they W'ere likely to
use, what were the practical pos.sibilities of the scheme before
committing themselves. He thought that a very great deal
mor^ could be done by utilismg the waste heat of power
stations in providing heat for the community. In Man-
chester they had been asked again and again to sell a great
deal more than they did; a number of large buildings in
Peter Street, the G.P.A., " The Refuge," and the warehouses,
were heated by waste steam from the city stations, but when
they studied the problem of carrying the pipes a little further
afield they came up against the enormous cost of getting
them through the streets. After all they could not justify
attempting to utilise a waste product if the expenditure
became greater than the loss incurred by treating it as waste.
It would need very careful con.sideration, especially in the case
of an established city, with congested roadw'ays, existing
lines of pipes, and the other factors which entered into the
question. Mr. Frith emphasised the possibility of the pro-
ducts of combustion (other than electricity) becoming of such
Value as to enable the electricity to be looked upon as a
by-product, but for the time being there did not appear to
be any reasonable or practical means of arriving at such a
result. Mr. Frith did not mention the practice of bleeding
the turbine for the purpose of heating the condensate that
was becoming an established practice, and was usually justified
by the results obtained.

Mr. J. A. Robertson expressed the view that if one could
lay out a colony in an area remote from industrial districts
and set up houses in the nice order shown in Mr. FVith's
diagram, putting a camouflaged power station in the centre
(with perhaps a golden dome upon it. and conveying the
smoke away underground), and take the condensing water
from a pond round the station, he could understand that
under such circumstances gas engines might show a very big
overall efficiency. If one could deliver the water from the
jackets of the gas engines, heated with the exhaust gases,
and at the .same time get a high thermal efficiency of the
engines producing electricity, he believed one might show
something approaching the ideal of 50 per cent. ; a thermal
efficiency of the gas engine alone of about 24 per cent, could
be obtained. Mr. Frith gave as the cost of the pipes, in-
cluding the lagging, a capital amount of £50,000, upon which
he reckoned 6 per cent, interest and 2^ per cent, depreciation
(21 years' life), making £4.250 per annum. Dividing by the
number of houses that worked out, as he said, at one shilling
per week per house, but he allowed nothing for the cost of
the heat which was going to work his engines with 20 in.
vacuum. Without his hot-water sy.stem he would run his
engines at 26 in., or in the case of a turbine probably at
26 in. vacuum. 'The difference between the 20 in. and the
26 in., or the 28 in., meant something like 25 per cent, on
the fuel bill, and with a power station giving about 12 million
units per annum, taking 3 lb. of coal per unit, that meant
.something like 3,000 additional tons of coal required for the
heating system. At the present price of coal that meant £5,000
or £6,000 per annum, which made the figure 2s. 6d. per
week per house. The Electricity Commissioners had de-
limited many areas in this country, and all the leading
electrical engineers in the country had prepared, or were
lireparing. schemes of electricity supply, but he did not think
any one of them would include gas engines or gas producers.
The controversy really all turned on the value of the by-pro-
ducts; if one could obtain a good price and market for them,
something might be said for it, but he did not agree with
Mr. FVith's suggestion that, even apart from by-product
recovery, gaseous fuel should be used for the purpose of
raising steam instead of retaining what he de.scribed as " the
barbarous practice of burning solid fuel on the bars."

Mr. DUNDAS pointed out that there were many unknown
factors: the data now available gave them .something to work
upon, but there w'ere many limiting factors. The area of
supply was restricted by the high capital outlay required, the
loss on transmission was a disadvantage, and it was very
difficult to get that nice coincidence of the heating load and
the electrical load. The market was also a fluctuating one.
in summer time there would be very little demand for heat.
A supply of hot wat<'r from a central heating plant could not
be given for less than Is. 6d. per week at the minimum. Mr.
Dundas criticised the consumption figures given by Mr. Frith,
and suggested that the station would necessarily have to
run in parallel with other stations. The increase in the
quantity of coal required for generation he calculated to lie
about 1,000 tons per annum running at .such a low vacuum.
He did not think one could get water at a temperature of
160 deg. with a 20 in. vacuum. With the interest on the
capital outlay he made the total £6,(X)0, or approximately
£3 12s. per house, or Is. IJd. jx-r house per week. There
would not be much profit out of Is. fid. per week.

Mr. S. J. W.\TSON said that the figure of 5 lb. as the
average amount of coal burned for each H.P. -hour produced
in industrial power plant was taken from a return which wa.s
some years old. During the Inst six or seven yeais great
improvements had been effected in the overall thermal effi-
ciency of most of the power stations in this country. The
highest thermal efficiency one coiilil obtain in a power station

Vol.87. No. 2,2i4, NovBMBm 26, 1920]. THE ELEOTBICAL JtiEVlEW.

701

was of tho nature of '20 per cent., and ten years ago the
average was somewhere about 5 or 6 per cent. To-day there
was a large number of power stations operating regularly
with an efficiency of from 11 to 13 or 14 per cent., and there
was at least one example in this country of a power station
operating at about 17i per cent. They were approachmg
the highest pomt that Mr. Frith thought possible. His own
opinion was that in the future they would see developments
of the internal combustion type of prime mover, and there
was no doubt that if a suitable metal could bp devised which
would staiul the intense .stresses, the internal-combustion
turbine would become a practical proposition. They had
reasonable hopes that in the near future such a gas turbine
would be evolved. Mr. Pi'ith's figures showed that the effi-
ciency of the prime mover itself would be about 19J per
cent., but the exhaust gases carried away some 38 per cent,
of the total therms contained in the coal. It was in the
utilisation of a portion, at any rate, of that 38 per cent, that
improvement would be made. The development of the in-
ternal-combustion turbine .seemed not unlikely to entirely
revolutionise present methods of heat generation. He was
surprised that in speaking of the various .sources of the supply
of energy Mr. Frith did nof refer to the atmosphere. Some
few years ago they heard a great deal about the supply which
might be obtained by means of kites.

Mr. DiGBV, apart from the question of the thermal elS-
ciency of the domestic gi-ate, thought that against the cost
of the system of a communal hot-water supply, Mr. Frith
might have put forward the cost of the coal required in the
average household in his city; that would do a very great
deal to commend the system. They recognised that in a
dense industrial town the problem was at present too difficult,
but as the garden city idea developed, and they tried to move
the masses of population into healthier and more hygienic
surroundings the communal system would appeal to them
both as engineers and as citizens.

Mr. J. S. Peck explained that there was one case besides
Manchester where exhaust steam had been used for heating
purposes. That was in a .small suburb of Pittsburg; it was
a residential district, and there was a generating station
which supplied lighting for the community. He remembered
seeing them tearing up the streets and laying .several miles
of pipes which were very heavily lagged. As far as he knew
the system was a success, but soon afterwards the central
station was purchased by one of the large supply companies
in Pittsburg, and the old system was shut down. Probably
the pipes were there yet, and he expected the original owners
would sell them cheaply.

Mr. J. Frith, in reply, pointed out that the conclusions he
arrived at were not based on the circularity of Manchester,
and the central station might even have a golden dome on
it with advantage. If it was true that the industrial in-
habitants of Manchester did not use .50 gallons of hot water
per day per household he thought it was quite time that
they did so. The 7,000 units included the factories, and he
provided tramcars for carrying the people to and from work.
His dome.stic demand was oOO units per annum, which was
what a house of that particular size required for electric
lighting and cooking. As there were several new industrial
garden city communities being established, his plea was :
" Don't lose sight of the pos.sibility of supplying hot water
to those new communities that are being started." .As
regarded a congested area, one could supply it with fewer
pipes and with le.ss loss in the distribution. With regard to
the point about the power station working with a 20 instead
of iifi in. vacuum, the coal required for heating that water
was saved on the ],670 houses, in each of which one would
have one or two fires working at a very low thermal efficiency.
Could one imagine 1,C70 dwellings u.sing as little as 1.000 tons
of c-oal per annum? He did not propose using any cooling
towers ; their purpose was served by the hot water tanks
in the houses. The water was circulated round, and instead
of lo.sing its heat on one cooling tower, it was losing its
heat in heating the hou.ses. Mr. Robertson gave quite as
much as he took away in suggesting that a gas set would
be an even better thing for a hot-water scheme than the
steam engine, but it was put forward as a last stronghold
for the advocates of steam. If they could only use the latent
heat which w:is now wasted it might give steam a little
longer life. If Mr. Robertson thought the speaker was
advocating the universal use of non-recovery gas plant for
steam-raising purposes he was mistaken. If one could work
the self steam-raising recovery producer with its own steam
it became frequently a question between the relative value
of the coal and by-products whether it did not pay to gasify
coal for steam plant in.stead of burning it on the bars. If
it could make its own steam it might be the right thing to
gasify fuel. Mr. Dund.is was wrong in .saying that one could
not get water at IfiO deg. from a 20 in. vacuum. Whether
it was Is. 4-Jd. or Is. 6d. that the household would have tn
pay per week, either figure was ridiculou.sly c-heap ; it could
be made is. <kl. The jioint about the different times of peak
loads of electricitv and hot water was a good oue. but one
■ must remember the enormous thermal storage of hot water,
and one could use that thermal storage — the enormous number
of B.TH.r.'s that Were circulating around in the hot water —
to overcome that difference in the. time of the maximum
loads. The !'.».< turbine might be a solution of a great many
troubles by being able to take a high t,, but in one respect

it had au uumeasurable inferiority to steam. The power
of being able to condense steam, and with a temperature
of about 100 deg., which was about the lowest coohng tem-
peratm-e which they could u.se, to get an absolute pressure
of 1 lb. per sq. in. was a very remarkable property of steam,
and one which gave it a very great advantage. With the
gas turbine the trouble would be that one would not have
pn'.ssme and temperature in the right proportion. That was
the trouble with gas turbines, even if one found a material
with which to make blading which would stand the erosion
of burning gases. Although a boiler might have a thermal
efficiency of 100 per cent, if it let heat drop in temperature
without making it do work in the process that was a thermo
dynamic sin. and one which %vas lost sight of when one got
into the habit of expressing efficiencies as thermal efficiencies.
If they worked out the thousands of tons of coal per annum
which heating with hot water would save, the amount would
exceed very much the extra coal which the station would
burn due to the low vacuum. Whether it was winter or
summer, cold or hot weather, one always had fires to get
hot water, and that meant an enormous waste of fuel. The
laying of pipes was not an insuperable expense even at present
prices. It was questioned whether 2,000 therms in 24 hours
would heat a house. In the days of rationing he would have
been very glad of that amount to heat his house. To give
an industrial house with six inhabitants heat equal to a
2i-KW. radiator going all the time would be enormously
better than any conditions which they had now.

Western Centre.

At Bristol, at the first meeting of the 192U-21 session, Mr.
A. J. Newman, chairman of the above Centre, dehvered an
addi-ess, of which an abstract follows: —

Happily, each year finds the Institution, as a whole, grow-
ing in membership. utUity, and prestige; and, largely as a
result of this, the greater importance of engineering to the
general community, is becoming more pubUcly appreciated.
It appears practicaHy certain that if it does not fall to the lot
of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, ultimately there
will be other bodies recognised as authoritative in defining
status, and in forming an engineers' register. In view of new
factors, it certainly seems justifiable that managerial engineers
should formulate plans for protecting then- own distinctive
interests.

Unfortunately, the average engineer is left with merely a
minimum of time for the study of economic and social ques-
tions, but he cannot disregard modern developments, which
may affect appreciably his personal liberty and po.sition, and
if the engineer can brine his creative, well-balanced faculties
and influence to assist in national and local government afl'airs,
it will be all to the good. All general prosperity depends upon
the prosperity of sound public industrial undertakings, from
which our workmen are right to expect their fair share of
profits.

Industrial and financial conditions are, unfortunately, so
turbulent and precarious to-day that it seems incumbent upon
all officials and thinkers to reason patiently with the workmen
whenever opportunity for discussion is afforded. In the past
we have neglected this important aspect of verbal influence
and mental co-operation, and partly because of such failure,
we are now reaping the consequences.

Passing from the important factor of man power in industry
to that of motive power, one turns, almost instinctively, to
the problem of an ample and reliable supply of cheap elec-
trical power. When all want more money and shorter working
hours, we must solve the problem by greater provision of
efficient machinery of production, of which motive power is
certainly the most important.

In the Electricity (Supply) .Act, 1919, the difference between
a Joint Electricity Authority and a District Board i? that
the .Joint Electricity Authority must be representative of
existing authorised electrical undertakers (and presumably
all of thcml within the district, though it is left optional
whether it has also to be representative of county councils,
local authorities who may not be authorised undertakers, con-
sumers of electricity, and other interests. In the case of a
District Board, however, representation has to be given to
all the interests above enumerated. With this exception,
there is little difference between the .Joint Electricity .Autho-
rity and the District Board. The .Act provides, in Section IS.
that the Ministry in question " may construct works or
acquire land." .\lthough the term " land " is legally under-
stood to include both the land itself and anything that stands
upon it. it has been held that the section in question does
not allow for the acquisition of works which are already
constructed.

Under the Act it is not intended that any .Joint Authority
sJiall make any profits; the results 'of economies are all to
eiiure to consuuiers. Such bi'ing the case, it at once anpears
that coinoariies fonniiu' p.-n't of a .Joint .\uthority would only
protit indirectly 'hrough ;"ddcd fai-ilities and an expansion of
their business. Presumably, however, if sucli companies give
fiuaucial as.sistance or guarantees, they might reasonably
anticipate receiving some favour, as compared with other cou:
snmcrs who m-iy not civp such support. Similar remarks may
also be applied to other authorised undertakers, local autho-
rities, and county councils.

702

THE ELiECTRICAij ttEVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,241;, novembbb 26, 1920,

Seeing that the acquisitiuQ of works is not compulsory,
what will happen in the case of any particular undertaking
not voluntarily falling into hne with the proposals? Since
no- new generating stations may be constructed, and no exist-
ing station extended, without the authority of the Electricity
Commissioners, it is reasonable to suppose that no such works
will be carried out if a .supply can be given from the central
authority at a figure at least as good as that at which the
particular undertaking in question could itself furnish the
•supply. Further, one has always to bear in mind that, in
all probability, those who support the scheme will be justified
in asking for rather more favourable terms of supply than
others. It may, therefore, be reasonably anticipated that in
most districts .Joint Authorities will be formed, although there
may be difficulty in amicably balancing up all the interests of
the various undertakers in each area.

The rate of progress which might have l^een anticipated a
year or two ago will, however, probably be less rapid. Delay
may result in view of the present state of the money market,
as capital charges per kilowatt of plant installed are now
three times those which obtained before the war. Obviously
the new plant to be installed in a capital .station would have
to be compared with the cost of the existing cheaper plant
belonging to present undertakers. As money is so dear, and
there are now so many sound investments giving a good
return, one has seriously to consider if investors ^^•ould be
readily found to loan money to Joint Authorities on the
security of works owned or taken over by them alone. I am
of opinion that little in this respect could be accomplished,
and that it is absolutely imperative that financial clauses, such
as were contained in the original Bill, should be passed in
a new Act. The security of the I'ates of county coimcils and
local authorities may then be given, as well as the financial
backing of companies within the area. Whilst it is necessary
to have the backing of the" local rates. &c.. it may be pointed
out that, in giving such backing, the local authority does
not really incur any risk, because the .Joint Authorities must
be self-supporting, and there is no reason at all why they
should not prove to be so. This assumes, of course, that
their constitution is so drawn up that, thrise who have voting
power, also carry financial responsibility proportionate thereto,
such financial responsibility being borne either directly or
through them by the authorities whom they represent, whether
local authorities or otherwise.

Owing to the present state of the financial market, it may
oe necessary, or at any rate wise, that Joint Authorities be
formed covering districts although there is no iminediate
prospect of giving a supply from a central source in such
districts. It is most important that there should be unity of
ideas and purpose throughout the district at the outset.
Efforts for standardisation' should also be made immediately.

It is gratifying to learn that our organisations, both from
the manufacturing and technical asi)e'cts, are able to equip
satisfactorily the biggest stations as yet proposed, and that
experts are available for their successful operation. In the
actual lay-out and construction of a su|ier-station. the main
initial problems to be solved may be stat^'d as follows : (o)
an adequate supply of water; and (/)) the maintenance of a
continuiius supply of fuel in case of external disturbance. In
connection with (/)). the problems of coal and a.sh-handling
jilant have also to be faced, and in the ca.se of large power
stations, the capital outlay involved by such auxiliaries with
the nece.ssary railwa.v sidings represent no inconsiderable por-
tion of the t()tal exjienditure.

In order to minimise these difficulties a floating power-
station has been proposed. Such a station constructed entirely
with its complete equipment, say, on a huge raft, would seem
to present certain definite advantages. If oil fuel were em-
liloyed. the tankers conveying the fuel from the oil fields
could be moored alongside the station, and the oil pumped
direct into the storage tanks. Thus railway transport charges
would be entirely eliminated, as well as the risk of interruji-
tion to supply due to breakdown in raihvay facilities, strikes.
&c. In addition, an adequate supply of cold water for con-
densing purpo.ses would always be available, and the head
on the circulating pumps would be a. constant minimum.
Such an arrangement would also appear to have the advan-
tage that, if the station A^■ere composed of separate units,
any of them might be tran.sported without dismantling to
another site should necessity arise. The raft might be (jf
cellular construction, thus lending itself readily to commonly-
accepted power-station design in that certain of the cells
could be utilised as condenser basement, oil and water storage
tanks, &c. The construction of the raft it.self would be
expensive, but against this must be offset the cost of a
suitable site and foundations for a power house erected on
land. Moreover, no coal sidings, cooling towers, or culverts,
and only a minimum of coal and ash-handling gear, or
water piping, would be required; and. in addition, the mobile
cold water supply would ensure maximum efficiency. As an
alternative, such a station could be built by the sea .shore; the
relative merits of the two alternatives would, of cnurse.
denend on the local conditions which prevail.

The enormous increase in cost, of both labour and material,
and the enhanced cost of monev, is forcing manufacturers
to consider every means for reducing the dimensions and
price of their nnnaratus. .\part from minor refinements in
desicn. the possibilitv of such reduction in cast lies along one
of three main lines : higher speeds, higher temperatures, and

better ciKiling facilities. The tendency in this country is now
to use mica insulation on large machinery to a much
greater extent, thus taking advantage of higher temperatiu-es.
Few iieople realise the enormous quantity of dust which is
carried, either on or through the windmgs, <jf a modern
alternator may require, .say, '27,.50(J cu. ft. of air per minute
the air surrounding a generating station may have as much
as O.UOOli lb. of dust per l.iXK) cu. ft., and that a .5,000-KW.
alternator may require, say, '27,.500 cu. ft. of air per minute
for cooling purpo.ses. Even if the machine is only in operation
for .50 per cent, of its time, as much as two tons of dust per
annum, under such conditions, have to be dealt with by the
filtering arrangements employed.

1 ,arge supply authorities have been keen to reahse the
advisability of employing a competent meter engineer con-
versant with three-phase power measurement. Satisfactory
metering is not only a safeguard on the revenue side, but
assures a satisfied customer, and the adoption of 2 or 3 meters
in series, for large consumers, has proved a wise investment
when queries arise about accuracy of accounts. Whilst
the maintenance of a good pow-er factor is generally
stipulated in supply agreements, means of getting a reliable
check on power factor has, so far not been largely adopted.
I think, however, the employment of a sine meter (in con-
junction \vith a watt-hour meter) has been found to be as
satisfactory an arrangement as any yet proposed for ascertain-
ing the average power factor over a given period. I would
also suggest that a good deal of contention with consumers
would be avoided if a maximum-demand system of charging
was adopted based on the K.v..^. instead of on KW. demand. .

Certain progress has also been made in the development of
the high frequency synchronised relay. This relay has .s<j
far been introduced chiefly for the control of street lighting,
thus avoiding pilot cables. It appears to me, however, that
application of the system might be extended to the control
of those customers who are supplied on oft'-peak or two-rate
tariffs, thus dispensing with the usual controlling clock or
time switch, and its attendant disadvantages. The main
recent development on rotary converters, seems to be
the gradual adoption of higher speeds. Refinements include
improved methods for seasoning commutators at higher speeds
and temperatures than are likely to be reached m practice.
Special care taken in this part of manufacture is. it seems,
amply repaid by the greater elimination of commutator faults.
Much work has been done in improving mercury vapour recti-
fiers for large outputs. In order to oDtain parallel operation
bet\\een different rectifiers, or between a rectifier and a rotary
converter, it is necessary to adopt a number of somewhat
complicated devices, and it appears scarcely feasible to operate
a rectifier in parallel with a compound-wound rotary or
generatoi'. The difficulty of parallel ojieratiim is doubtless one
111 the reasons ^xhy the rectifier, in the past, has not met with
a better reception.

Considerable progress has been made in the development
of transformt-rs of high voltage and large output. For large
sizes foi'ced oil cooling is now usually adopted, the oil being
circulated through a cooler and back through the transformer
tank. For one super-station scheme six .'i-phase transformers,
each for iO.CHIO K.v..\., at :«.IHK» to (l.tllH) volts, are proposed.
If such S-phase units are adopted, instead of single-phase,
they will be the largest so far built in this country. The
biggest sizes so far actually constructed appear to be those
at Glasgow Corporation's Dalmarnock station, viz., 7.8tX)
K.V.A.. .single-phase, oil-insulated, forced-cooled, 20.(X)0 to
O.INHI volts, '2.5 iieriods, three of which form a 3-iihase group
of 2;^,4tH) K.V..4., which is relatively 45,00(1 K.v..*. at .50 periods.
I'ive such groups are in operation or being built. The largest
:!-phase. self-cooled transformers built, .so far. in this country
as one unit are 4.000 k.v.a.. 6.000 to 12.(XXI volts. M periods.
Jligh-voltage types for .50.(KK) volts, 2,(KK) k.v.a., are at pVe-
sent being constructed for export to Spain. Present neces.sity
for economy, in capital outlay, is being met, to a large extent,
by the use of weather-proof transformers. One British firm
is at present building 12.00<l-K.^ .A., weather-proof groups for
60.000 volts, and 5,000-k.v.a. groups for Si.OllO volts, three
single-phase units forming one ii-phase group. Another ten-
dency is towards the u.'^e of dry type air-blast trausformer^
for voltages up to U.<KIO. due partially tn the present .shortage
and price of transformer oil.

Xn effort is now being made on all large new schemes to
standardise high-jiressure voltages. .\ genei-ating voltage of
C.600 volts, and transmission voltages of 11,(XI0 and 33,000
volts, are being advocated. These pressures seem to represent
the highest voltage for which alternators can be wound con-
sistently with safety, and the most economical for the trans-
mission distances at present being considered. Higher trans-
mission pressures will, doubtless, be pi'oposed when general
linking-up is contemplated. I am inclined to .suggest that
laying cables direct in the ground will liecome more popular
than the use of troughing and bitumen fiUing. I am inclined
to favour overhead tran.-imi.ssion lines constructed on the
split-conductor system, as it seems a pity to expend large
amounts of capital on catenary suspended pilot cables neces-
sary for other systems of protection. In comparing the two
alternatives, we must not lose sight of the difficulty and ex-
nense of maintaining overhead construction, which expense
has to-day an appreciable capital value. Each transmission
scheme will have to be considered on its merits, as such
factors as contour of ground, .saving of route length by avoid-

Vol. 87. No. 2,244, NOVBMBBB 26, 1920.1 THE ELECTRICAXi REVIEW.

703

iug detours, wuyleaves, clearings, &c., may turn the scale
io favour of either system-
Standardisation of apparatus appears to be making con-
tinued progress. The various makes of motors now offered
are exceedingly numerous, even important general dimensions,
such as length or width between feet, and height of centres,
are invariably so divergent that only minimum progress
appears, as yet, apparent in standardising such details, which
are often vital when a user wishes to replace urgently any
machine by that of another maker. One hopes that the tend-
ency towards wider scientific management will not embrace
the application of so-called laws worked out abroad, and suit-
able only for abroad. In this country it can safely aim at the
fullest endeavour to win the co-operation of every worker by
fair dealing, encouraging each employe to appreciate his or
her co-operative fimctions, and the necessity for eliminating
waste in all directions — waiting for materials, defective tools,
unnece.ssary lifting and handling of material, bad transport,
&c. Scientific management is essential to modern conditions
and its wider, or sounder, adoption will be doubtless only a
matter of time. Incidentally, it has been stated, by an old-
time private manufacturer, to be nothing new, but just the
general managerial application of his own methods of patience,
goodwill, fairness, and common sense.

THE INDUSTRIAL COURT.

The ELia'TiucAi. Tuadks Umo.n and Colchestek CoRi'OHAiioN.
\\'e have receiveil from Mr. W. J. Webb, Secretary of the
E.T.I . and of the Home Counties (No. 9 area) Joint Industrial
Council, a copy of the proceedings and decisions of the In-
ilustrial Court regarding an application from the Electrical
Trades Lnion that the agreed schedule of consolidated rates
as fixed by the District Council No. 9 (Home Counties) of the
Joint Industrial Council for the Electricity Supply Industry
shoukl^ be paid to the workpeople concerned employed by the
Electricity Department of the Corporation of Colchester.

Kepresentatives of the parties were heard in London on
October -i^nd, 19'2(l. (See Elec. Rev., p. mS.)

The contention of the Union was that the Corporation was
represented directly or indirectly on the National Joint In-
dustrial Council and on District Council No. 9, and was conse-
quently bound by the decisions of the Council.

The Corporation representatives intimated that they had
refused to take any part in the proceedings of the Joint In-
dustrial Council, and that they did not consider themselves in
any way bound by any decision of the Council.

The grades of employes concerned, together with the rates
at present paid and the rates claimed, are set out below : —
Present rate per hour Consolidated rate

Grade including war advances. claimed per hr.

hitter-Turner ... Is. IJJd is. Od.

Mains Foreiiiaii ... Is. Gd. M5 per week.

Meter Repairer ... Is. 7d -.is. Od.

Repairer & Fixer Is. I^d ' Is. 8d.

Fixer it Reader ... Us. lid. Is. 7^d.

F"ixer & Reader ... Us. lO^d Is. 7Jd.

Fitter's Mate ... Is. 3d Is. 7id.

Jointer's Mate ... Is. i^d Is. 7^d.

Labourer Is. 'i^d Is. tjid.

Driver Is. 3.^d Is. 9.id.

Driver Is. 3d Is. ,Sid.

Stoker Is. 3^d Is. .s:;d.

Coal Trimmer . Is. 'Hd Is. 7id.

Coal Weigher .. Is. UJd Is. 7id.

Filter .\ttendaiit... Is. 3d. not specified

Carpenter ... l.>. -JKI not specified

The Corporation met the L^nion representatives on ( )ctolier
18th. and endeavoured to arrange a compromise on the claims
put forward, but this was not accepted.

The two main reasons jnit forward by the Corporation for
not acceding to the claims were its inability from the finan-
cial point view, and that the rates claimed were higher than
necessary in the circumstances, and higher than tho.se paid in
the to^^n and district for fairly comparable work. It was
stated that for the la.st five years the working of the under-
taking had shown a total deficit of £7,6.5f;. The price per
unit in I9I6 was IJd. for power and 4jd. for lighting, and in
19'20, 'lid. for power and 9d. for lighting. It was submitted
that any additional charge in resjjeet of wages would result in
further serious, financial embarrassment.

It was shown that the rates claimed were being paid gener-
ally throughout the area to the grades of workers concerned
in the electricity supply industry.

It appeared to the Court that it was not necessary for it
in the circumstances to deal with the question whether or not
the Corporation was directly or indirectly repi(>.sented on tln^
Joint Industrial Council or was under any obligation to
ob.serve the decisions reached by that body. Whatever might
be the conclusions of the Court on those matters, it was suffi-
cient for the purpose of the present decision that according to
the evidence the rates claimed were being paid generally
throughout the area by electricity supply undertakings. The
Court had had careful regard to the facts submitted with

respect to the financial position of the present undertaking, and
it took those facts into account in determining the date as
from which the rates claimed should operate. It did not
appear to the Court, however, that the conditions in Colchester
were so exceptional that the rates of wages paid should be
lower than those generally applicable to and paid by similar
undertakings in the same area. The decision of the Court
after careful consideration of all the facts and evidence sub-
mitted was that the rates set out in the schedule referred to
in the terms of reference should be paid to the respective grades
of workpeople concerned, except filter attendants and car-
penters, and that the advance in rate due in respect of each
worker should take effect as follows : half the amount as from
May 1st, 192U, and the remaining half as from January 1st,
I92I. The schedule did not specify the rates to be paid to
filter attendants and carpenters, and the schedule was there-
fore inapplicable to these grades. The Court, however, recom-
mended that the case of the.se men should be considered by
the Corporation, having regard to the Court's deci.sion with
respect to the other grades concerned.

THE PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY

OF COLLOIDS AND SOME INDUSTRIAL

APPLICATIONS.

FaKAOAI SoClElV AND ThYSICAL SuClETi DlSL'LSSlUiN.

In our last issue we summarised the major portion of this
discussion. ^Ihe remaintler dealt with Precipitation in Disperse
System.s — Cataphoresis and Electro-Endosmose.

I'hese two sections of the subject, being somewhat alUed,
were taken together alter a briet introduction, going back to
farst principles, by I'rol. .^wred W. Rorter, f.K.b. As al-
ready .stated, a colloidal particle carries an electric charge, and
consequently if a colloidal solution is placed m an electric
field, motion must take place ; either of the solid if in the
form of a mobile suspension — that is, cataphoresis — or of the
liquid if the solid is in the form of a fixed porous membrane —
that is, electro-endosmose. Ihe origin of the charge has
usually been ascribed either to the interchange of electrons
across the surface of contact of liquid and solid, with the con-
sequent formation to a " double-layer," or else to the absorp-
tion of ions by the colloidal particle. This theory was
elaborated and clarified in an important paper contributed by
Mr. J. N. MuKHEijEE, who started with the ob.served fact that
for most suspensoids the charge is of the same sign as that
which the ion substance has in common with the peptising or
stabilising electrolyte that must be present in the disperse
medium. The fixation of a conunon ion is due to the same
causes that bring about the growth of a crystal in its solution,
where the attached molecule conforms to the structure of the
crystal. Ions are similarly fixed by " chemical ' absorption,
after which " electrical " absorption comes into play and
attracts ions of opposite sign. This is the origin of the double
layer. Mr. Mukheijee subjects his theory to rigid numerical
tests, and he adduces strong support by showing that whereas
the presence of univalent ions in solution seldom brings about
a reversal of the original charge in an electrolyte having multi-
\alent ions of opposite sign, a reversal is more frequent.
Furthermore, the order of absorbability of cations by a nega-
tively charged surface deduced from his theory is the same
t)rder as the precipitating power of those ions for a niimber of
widely differing .suspen.soids.

Prof. McBain made a. most interesting contribution to this
portion of the subject in bringing forward the experimental
discovery that the conductivity of a potassium chloride solu-
tion was 9 jier cent, greater when measured in a fused silica
capillary tube O.'il mm. in diameter than when in bulk. This
was ascribed to the absorption of chlorine ions by the silica
\Mills, leaving more potassium ions available for carrying cur-
rent. The layer of chlorine absorbed was found to be one
molecule in thickness.

Dr. W. R. Ormandy's paper dealt with the practical ai^iili-
cations of cataphoresis and endosmose. One of the most Ini-
jicirtant of these is the electrical purification of clays due to the
work of Count Schwerin. and it is of particular interest on
account of the very direct applications of colloid physics and
chemistry which it illustrates. The broad principle of th(^
process is the .subjecting of a clay suspension to the action of
an electric current. The susi^enion being a colloidal one, the
clay particles are charged negatively, and hence they are
carried by the current to the anode of the cell or osmose ma-
chine in which the treatment takes place. But in order to
increase the reactivity of the clay su.spension. certain colloidal
substances are added which are selectively absorbed by the
clay, and these in turn absorb to themselves charged ions from
the electrolyte. Thus the whole of the clay is converted into
the said condition, and is separated out by the action of the
current while the impurities are sedimented out. But the
interest of the process does not cease here. Through the film
of purified cky deposited on the anode, electro-endosniosi'
comes into play, causing the water in and around the clay
particles to be driven out and thus pure, almost dry clay is
extracted from the machine. In treating a very pure specimen

704

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,244, novbmbm 26, i»2o.

of a well-wash(.'d Kiiglish chiiia clay, as much as G.S33 kilus of
dry clay have been deposited with an expenditure of 11.8 kilo-
watt-hours at a pressure of uU volts.

Dr. Ormaudy proceeded to draw attention to other mdustnal
applications of cataphoresis and electro-endosoiose. We can
refer brietiv but to a few pi these. The drying of peat in an
elcctro-osmo.sc filter can be successfully carried out, but the
i-onditions prevailinfe' in countries where peat is found are not
favourable at present for the production of cheap electricity
from water power. Colloidal sillr:, b,i>, fiecn made from
silicate of soda solutions. The silicK i^ h1 M.liitions have been
larttely used on the Continent for tin r;i|iruiir;,l purposes and
an inert highlv electro-nef,'ative tiuely thvidcd colloidal gel
obtaiLed therefrom has been proved to liave extraordmary
in-operties as an absorbent for use on wounds. In Germany
two factories are employing an electric ianning process, in
which the energy consumption has recently been reduced to
i; or 7 kilowatt-hours per square metre of hide. . In this, as in
the other electi-o-i.,^ninsr' pnicesses, progress has chiefly resulted
from the iliscovm nl -.iiilnMc membranes for enclosing anode
and cathode. Otlirr |.r(Hcsses referred to were the concen-
tration, of iron ores from clay deposits, where the addition of
an electrolyte bi-ings about selective absorption of ions on the
ore particles and hence susceptibility to electrical forces; the
prejiaration of anti-diplitlicritic nerums by which a pure con-
centi-at^i-d anti-toxin para, globulin has been separated from the
blood scrum of a hoi'se ; the purification of gelatine, now being
tested for photographic purposes, and finally the dewatenng
of oils, an application largely used on the Californian oilfields.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Cemplled Bipressiy for ihis journal by MnssRS. Sefton-Jonss. O'Dill «nd
Stiph«»i, Char'erfd Patent Agent*, 285, High Holborn, London, W.C. 1.

31,11)0.

Lie

gtli

agne

engii

H. I-'. Mo

nbc-r

&c." T. Sin

and Thor lile

31,516. " Electric transformers." Metropolitan-Vickcrs Electrical Co.
November 8th. (United States, December Iflth, 1919.)

31 517 " Electric speed regulator systems." Mctropolitan-Vickcrs Elec-
trical Co. November 8lh. (United States. November 6th, 1919.)

31,MS. " Protective devices (or electric distribution systems." British
Thomson-Houston Co. and H. Pearce. November 8th.

31,539. "Electric indicating and measuring instruments." British Thomson-
Houston Co. ajd R. C. Clinker. November 8th.

31,536. "Electric reactors." S.R. Bergman. November 8th. (United
States, June 25th.)

31,576. " Electric lamps for mi
Safety Lamp Co. November 8th.

31,578. " .\pparatus for supply of electric current," J. Balsera. November

31,586. " Power installations." C. H. Merz and Merz & McLellan. Noveni-

31.588. " Electrical alarm apparatus." J. A. Slee. November 8th.

31.616. " Treating material by a rising fluid cur: " " " '— '
ber 9th. (Germanv, Lecember 12th. ,19}9.)

31.617. " Magneto-electric ignition machine
ber 9th. (Germanv, April 24th.)

31.618. " Magneto-electric. &c,, machines."
9vh. (Germany, April 22nd.)

.31,632. "Flanged system of c.lcctric conduit." I-'. 1. Moin.ni. Nnvcmh.-r

9th. ■■,.,,

31,641. " New material, utilisation o( rip, tn,:,! prnpirties thercol. and
process of manuf.icturing same." Automatic Telephone Manufacturing ( ...
November 9lh.

31,644. " Electric light switch. '^ S. .Morrison. November !)th.

31.660. " Electrical advertising sign." F. W, Bundy. No

31.665. " Telegraphic tell-lale instrument.
H. L. Rae. November 9lh. .

31,676 " Svslem of electric power transmission. British rhomson-Houston
Co. (General ' Electric Co.1 and General Electric Co. Novemlier nth.

31.681. ""Stud for electrically wildinj to bulkli.-a.ls, &c." A. E. 1-rank-
ling. November Uth.

31,087.- " Electric switches." J. H..1I ii- C... an.l G. 1-. Osims. Nov.n,b,.r

H. Velte
," R. Bosch .\kt. Gcs. No
R. Bosch Akl. Ges. Nov.-,

A. C. Macneur (Rae)

9th.

S.C

y.-hicli'S In

31,706. " M.-ans for supplv of electric cui
trucks " \V. T. Jones. November 9lh.

31,711. " Electrical igniters." C. P.iyne and J. Wild. Novemb.-r 9lh.

.31,730, "Collectors for electric tramway and railway vehicles.' A, (.
Baker, H. Cross, and H, M. Dudgeon. November 10th.

31,734, "Transmitting bv t<.legraphy photos, pictures, &.," 11, S, Bcrr> ,
November 10th.
■ 31,749. " Electric lamp fillings." E. V. Auslin, November lOlh,

31,763. " Device for preventing fires by electricity." T. V. Draycoll.
Nuv.mber 10th.

31.771. "Sparking plug." J. R, relth,.m an.l 11, S, Kiehes, November
lOlh,

31,804, " Manuf.artuie ol electrical resistance inalerial," Sue, Anon Kumm-
ler .t Matler; Xme.nber lOlh, (Switzerland, November 10th, 1919,)

31,809, ".El.ctric current transformers." British Thomson-Houslon Co.
an.l H, S. Holbrook. November 10th.

31.833, " Loose handle .Icctrlc circuit breakers, current limiters, switches,
&c," R. Amberton and E, N, Brav, November lOlh.

31 869, " Dvnamo-electric machines," K, Bosch Akl, Ges. November lllh.
(Germanv, June 18th.) ' ' ,

31,870,' "Treating .ti.aterial hv a rising fluid current." II. Velten. Novem- .
ber lllh, (Germanv. Fcbruarv I8th.)

'31.891, "Miners' electric safety lamps," J, Davis S: Son and G. Dearie.'
November 11th.

31,908. " EleclrtKles or plates for el.-dric accumulaors," W, N, Slewarl,
November lllh,

31,910. " Rotarv telephone number indicator," A, VV, Weston, November
11th.

31.!I29, " Eh-cirir crnrent transformers." Hrilisli Thomson-Houslon Co..
R C, (linker and II. S. Holbrook. November lllh.

31.93,-. " Electrolmagnetic clocks." M. P, Favre-Bulle, November lllh.

31,936. " Fnaiiles for elertro-nr.gnelir clocks," M. P. Favrc-Bullc, Novem-
ber lllh,

31 943, " Non-arcing commutattng switch," Electric Tool Manufaclurnig
Co, and H, Fairtirother (Electric Tool Manufacluring Co.),' November 11th,

31,9.56, '• Electrical cooking, &c., spp.iralus," 15. C. Carman. November
lllh, ■ ■ - • ■ ,

.•SI.964. "Electric insulators," Buckman S: Pritchard and H. Wade (Buck-
man & Pritchard). November 11th.

31,991. " Rotor conductors in squirrel cage electric motors." G. E. Moore.
November 12th.

32.014. " Electric light installation for alternating current." Naamlooze
Vcnn<K.cschap Philips' Gloeilampen-fabbrieken. November I2lh. (Holland,
December 5th, 1919.)

32.034, " Secondary battery plates or electrodes." Chloride Electrical Stor-
age Co. (Smith) and E. W. Smith. November 12th.

32.039. " Electrolytic appar.atu9 for preparing hypochlorite solutions." A.JT.
.Maslerman and D. M. Rogers. Novemb<!r 12lh.

32,062. " Filter (or preventing injurious effects of diHusion in galvanic
batteries." F. Bormann and H, J. Glanz--r (Bormann). November 12th.

32,603. " Batteries with compound electrode-s." K. Bormann. and H. J.
G!,-.n/.r lB..rn.ann), N.jvemhcr 12lh,

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in
printed and abridg

ntheses are Lho«e under which ine specificationj will
and all subsequent proceedings will be taken.

1S1.6.

3,294. " Electric, incandescent arc devices." Brit
(General Electric Co.). .March 4lh, 1916. (152,694.)

57. " Cooking stoves healed bv electricity." K. .Arno. January 2nd,
1918. (153,696.)

478, •■ Transformation of lhr.-.:-pli,ise into prarlieallv constant direct tur-

i.iUs," O, -M. Corbino, Januaiy Slh, 1916. lll2,9,J8,)

19X9.

10,217. " Methods of and means for ri^lucing the lagging current on
alternating current systems supplying induction motors and the like."
H. A. L. Barry. April 34th, 1919. (152.703,)

13,488, " Elc-ctrical signalling lamp." VV. T. Coulson and Optalyte, Ltd.
X..V. niber 28th, 1919. (152,707.)

Il,.k.lK. "Shade carriers for electric lamp holJ..is." V, Hope. June 10th,
]:i|:i. (152,709.)

Il,i;l4, " Electric lamp holders." V. Hope, June 10th, 1919, (1.52,710.)

l.".,344, " Repair or renewal of electric incan.lesccnt lamps." F. Harrison.
June 18th, lUl'J. (152,716.)

17,195. " Electric light fittings." British Thomson-Houston Co. and H. C.
Wheat, July 9th, 19l!). (152,127.)

17,210, " Searchlight and other projectors," Sir C. A. Parsons, E. Bennett,
and H. Kowe. July Uth, 1919. <152,728.)

17,516. " Electrodes (or electric welding, cutting, reducing, or like opera-
tions." C. J. Holslag. July 12th, 1919. (152,733.)

17,686. " Manulacture of metallic filaments," British Thomson^Houston
Co. (General Electric Co,). July 15th, 1919. (152,738.)

17,790. " Impula; transmitting devices for ues in connection with automatic
or semi-automatic telephone systems." Automatic Telephone Manufacturing
Co, September 13th, 1918. (132,495.)

17,869. " Telephone and the like systems and loading coils therefor."
W. P, Thompson (Compagnie GiSneralc de RadiotSlSgraphie). July 17th, 1919.
(152,745,)

17,973. " Radio-navigational apparatus and the like." J. Erskine-Murray.
Julv 18th, 1919, (152,758,)

17,987, " X-rav tube shields," British Thomson-Houston Co, (General
Electric Co,). Julv 18th. 1919. (152,759.)

18,034. "Telephone transmitter," J. S, Timmons. July 18lh, 1919.
(152,761.)

18,248, " Telephone svslcms," C. R. If. Arntzenius. August 19th, 1918.
(131,583.)

18,-254. " Electric signs." F. A. Smith. July 22nd, 1919. (152,781.)

18.435. " Electric condensers." Dubilier Condenser Co. August Isl, 1918.
(130,595.)

18.437. " Electric condensers." Dubilier Comlenser Co. .March 7th, 1919.
(140,045.)

18.438. " High potential electric condensers." Lubilier Condenser Co.
March 7th, 1919. (140,046.)

18,493. " \.-L;;.ti... ,Tnd positive resistance' vacuum fubc' devices especially
for use i.i . I . , I. !, .. .phv.'- J. Scott-Taggart. July 25th, 1919. ^Cogn^te
applicatio.. J-' '.I I .' .1,-.2.693,1

19,479. '\l, ;!;:.::, ,inil tr.nsmitting systems for electric signalling."
WVstern Ll.,L.i. t ... , W. slern El-ctric I'o.). August 7th, 1919. (152,811.)

t».S95. "Galvanic balleries."- G, Fidl.>r. L. Fuller, and G. J. A. FuHer.
Ao!;usi 1.3th. 1919. (153.818.) .

26,348, " Electric water h.al.rs," W . F. Culler. October •27th, 1919.
(1.52,868,)

27,085. " Electric bells," J, C. Wrighlon and Edison Swan Electric Co.
November 4lh, 1919, (152,873.)

•27,566. "Current collecting shois for train control svslenis." H. Haddan
(J. B, Regan): November 7th, 1919. (152,875.)

•28,7fS. " Electric dry cells." Burgess Batterv Co, November 19lh, 1918.
(135.502.) . .

28.845, " Elertrolvtic apnaralus," A. E. .^shciolt. July 9lh. 1919, (Divided
Appliraiion on 152,402.) (1.52.879.)

:ill,'J7(l, " Switches for electric installations." A. Graf. M.ay l«th. 1919.
(NH,-i:i2,)

11.11,57, "Sparking plugs for int.'rnal coinbuslinn eni'ini^s which ca" he
.1 .ih .1 and detached without the aid of tools." S. E'. Taylor. F. O. Ellis.
Ill I 1., i:, T- .\rchcr. December 11th, 1919. (Cognate application 4,813,20.)

(l.'.L'.SWI.)

31 7S!I " Controlling eleclro-meehanical power sets for propelling vehicles
and ships." Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon. Nov.-mher 3rd, 1919. (1.52.896.)

32.793. " Feeding attachments for electrolytic cells,
ccmbor 31sl, 1919. (152,901.)

msao.

811. " El.clric furnaces," H. Wade '(Biwlh EU^ctric Furnace Co.). January
9th. \<a». (152.904.)

2.398 " Sparking plu«;s for internal combustion engines." H. E. Holloway.
Januarv 26th. 1920. (1.52.909.)

4.396. "Wireless telegraph ri-ceivets." L. . B. Turner. February 13th,
1920. (152.915.)

5,051. '■ Inlereommunicating t.-lephone svst.ms." L. C. Bygrave. July
23nd, 1919. (Divided application on •140.561.1 (152.917.)

6.091. " H.'.it and meisurim; ap'jliance for electrical purposes." Siemcns-
Sch'uckertwerke, September 12th. 1916. (139,522,)

6,800. " Sparking plugs for internal combustion motors.
December •20th, 1917. (1.39,816.)

7.544 " Electric startir.g an<l regukiting switches." C. J. Margerispn and
F. J. Shenton & Co. March 13ih. 19'>fl. (I52.9i!6.)

8.6.57. " Amplifving svstems eomnrising thermionic d.
trie Co, March 28th. 1919, (141,0.33.)

14 99.5 " Fli.ctrir signalling .svstems." Western Electric Co. Septembe
•.'Ihl., 1918, (I44.-293,)

17 '39 " Dislribultng and draw-in boxes for ele.-trical inslallations. A
i:.ki,.i .nd Bureau Voor I'irvinders. Julv 17lh. 1919. (I>ivided applirali«i
.... 134.195, A.-ldilion to 134.195,1 1152.942.)

18,013. " Apparatus for. elecln.-maBnctieally exlinguishing Ihe aie whirl
is proHueed on the breaking <•! an el,>ctr)cal ciieuit,'" F. Krupp Akl. ti.'s
June lllh, 1919. (145-.71,5.) •

I9,.5a7. " F4Pfltro.ni«gnelic diucking device." I-.' Krupp .Vkl. Ges, Jun
2;trd, 1919. (1.J7.590.)

IX-

Bonde.

'Western Elec-

I

7XXS

H!XjEOTI?/IO-A.Ij I^/E^IE'W-

Vol. LXXXVII.

DECEMBER 3, 1920.

No. 2,245.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

THE SEVERN HYDEOELECTBIC
SCHEME.

Vol. LXXXVII.] CONTENTS: December 3, l'J20.

[No. 2,24S.
Page

The Severn Hydroelectiic Scheme ... 705

The London County Council's Scheme ... 706

Glare 706

An Unfortunate Coincidence .' 706

Electricity Supply Legislation 707

German Investment Companies and Manufacturing Firms ... 707

The Crisis 707

Severn Tidal Power : An Appreciation, by T. Stevena ... 708

Large Turbo-Generator Failures, by " Mechanolectric " ... 709

The Distribution of Electricity, by W. B. Woodhoiise (,Uluii.) 710

The Proposed Severn Barrage (iWMs.) 713

Legal 7H

Correspondence —

Power Factor 715

A Drying Cupboard 715

An Engineers' Club for London ... ... 716

Shop Displays 716

The I.E.E. Subscriptions 716

The Future of Fiusbury 710

Easiness Notes 717

Notes 721

City Notes ... .*. 727

Stocks and Shares 727

Market Quotations 728

Shop Lighting, by E. Austin 729

The Shipbuilding, Engineering and Electrical Exhibition

(villus.) icoiu'ludeir) 730

The Laundry Exhibition (i»Mi.) 732

Reviews 733

The Institution of Electrical Engineers 734

New Patents Applied for, 1920 73t)

Abstracts of Published Specificationi 736

Contiaotors' Colnmn

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[705]

Last week, with a inetapliorical flourish of trumpets,
the Ministry of Transport published broadcast an out-
line of tlie scheme which has been prepared under its
jt-gis for the utilisation of tidal jjower on the river
Severn. That such a scheme was under investigation
had long been known, and the details were awaited witii
keen iuterej^t ; not only does it represent by far the most
important project for the utilisation of water power in
this country, but also, if carried out, it will be the first
instance of the liarnessing of tidal power on a large
scale in the whole world. The possibilities of such pro-
jects have Iseen exhaustively discussed from time to
time in the technical Press, mainly from the engineer-
ing point of view, but hitherto the conclusion has always
been the same — namely, that while the idea is perfectly
feasible so far as the engineering aspect is concerned,
the enormous cost of carrying it into effect prohibits
its accomplishment on a commercial basis, in the pre-
sence of rival sources of power which can be developed
at a lower cost.

During the last few years, however, the situation has
undergone a fundamental change. In the past the cost
of coal in this country was so low that it was not com-
mercially worth while to incur heavy expenditure on
water power, and the demand for electricity was not
so great that it could not readily be met with steam
power. Vested interests in relation to water rights
constituted a formidable obstacle to private enterprise,
and little assistance, could be expected from the State,
which displaj'ed no interest in the development of our
natural resources. The war has changed all that.

Nowadaj's the cost of coal has soared to heights un-
dreamt of in the past; the demand for electricity,
doubled during the war, is constantly increasing; the
necessity of husbanding our stores of coal, quite apart
from any question of cost, has forced itself upon the
attention of the nation, and the lessons of the war
opened the eyes of the Government to the importance
of promoting national industries, developing natural
resources of power, and supplying electricity in every
district. The influence of the Board of Trade in the
electrical field had always tended to retard technical
progress arid to hamper enterprise; without initiative
(jr imagination, the Board erred .always on the side of
caution and conservatism, of myopic views and paro-
chialism, and only under heavy pressure and with long
delays could reforms be introduced during its regime.

Now we have a live Ministry, advised by a Commis-
sion of engineers of-the highest standing, and controlled
by an administrator of proved ability and wide com-
mercial experience; initiative has taken the place of
indifference, and timidity has yielded to courage and
foresight. If the promise is fulfilled by performance,
we shall confess that the fears we expressed lest electrical
development in the hands of Sir Eric Geddes should
lie subordinated to the interests of transport were un-
founded, and we shall congratulate the electrical
industry on having been endowed with a great leader.
The project, described by the Ministry in somewhat
Horid terms, is one of the first magnitude, and we are
not yet in possession of the details. That it will be
very costly is certain.— some say the outlay will be 30
millions sterling — but a considerable proportion of the
cost will bo debited to the road and railway across the
barrage.- If we assume that the net cost of the power
scheme is 20 millions, and that the output is as sug-

706

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,24.-,, December 3, 1920.

gested by the Ministry 500,000 h.p. for ten hours
daily — say, in round figures, 1,200,000,000 units a
year — and if we allow 7 per cent, interest and 3 per
lent. depreciation on the cost, the capital charges will
amount to £2,000,000 per annum, or 0.4d. per unit
generated, without any allowance for management,
maintenance, and repairs, or contingencies. It will
be many years before the plant is fully loaded; niore-
uver, the ten-hour day is somewhat optimistic, and in
our opinion the capital charges alone will amount to
more like 0.8d. than O.-ld. per unit generated, for j'ears
to come. The Ministerial forecast for the total i-ost
is a little over a halfjienny per unit generated. It is
unwise to be too sanguine, especially in the prediction
of cheap electricity.

So vast a scheme is sure to be assailed with fierce
criticism on the ground of extravagance. There is an
extravagance that is parsimonious, and an economy that
is open-handed, and — provided that the project has been ■
thoroughly examined by competent engineers and has
withstood all tests — we class the Severn scheme in the
latter category. Space fails for further discussion of
the subject, but we may conclude by expressing our
hearty approval of the scheftie in the main, so far as we
have been made acquainted with its outlines.

In our issue of November 12th we
The London referred to the manifold constituent
County Council's elements which in London would have
itcheme. jq be included in a Joint Electricity
Authority. We pointed out that the
various undertakings in the area and the local autho-
rities who would have to be consulted, and the County
Councils, to say "nothing of railway companies and
consumers, would number over 150. TheL.C.C. Special
Committee on London Electricity Supply was evidently
acutely aware of this fact when preparing its report,
which was adopted by the Council on Tuesday. This
report deals with the general outline of a scheme for a
.Joint Electricity Authority for Greater London. ■ The
report cautiously refers to the "very great difficulty
involved in producing an agreed scheme " when regard
is paid " to the varied interests of the numerous local
authorities and undertakers concerned." Our misgiv-
ings as to the unanimity which can possibly be expected
from such a heterogeneous body are also reflected in this
report. It is, in fact, a ijroposal for the London County
Council to put forward a scheme to the Commissioners
and leave the municipalities or anyone else to do like-
wise. As the report very gently puts it, quoting Mr.
Hume when he gave evidence before the i:.lectricity
Commissioners recently with rgard to the Barking
siheme; "There would perhaps be certain questions of
administration and finance which they (the company and
municipal undertakings) would necessarily view from
ilivergent standpoints, and as to which it might not be
found possible to avoid the submission of different pro-
pasals." But however mildly the statement is phrased,
it really means that the same old irreconcilable differ-
ences as of yore are cropping up between the various
interests.

The li.C.C. Conmiittee has proceeded with tlie
preparation of this scheme on the assumption that there
will be supplemental Government legislation on financial
matters before the time arises for the schemes to be
submitted, and the report states that the crucial
part of the scheme is subject to its being ascer-
tained that the " heads of agreement " meet with " the
substantial approval of the undertakers concerned."
These heads of agreement are : That the existing under-
takers are to run the present plant in their stations
imtil it is worn out, that in the meantime any new
I'lant is to he paid for by the Joint' Authority and to

be rented by the undertakers, and that at a suitable
time the Joint Authority will purchase the buildings
and sites, and so become possessor of the whole of the
generating stations. There is perhaps some chance of
a deal being done with the companies, as the London
County Council is prepared to barter with them the
L.C.C. option of purchase in 1931; that is, the L.C.C.
is prepared to agree to extend the period. But what of
the stations of the local authorities to which the Lond<jn
County Council can offer no quid pro quo I If existing
undertakers give up their stations and rely jiartly at
first, and solely afterwards, on supply in bulk by the
Joint Authority, what price are they to be charged for
the bulk supply? This price is to be deteriuined ap-
parently by the Joint Authority's expenses. It is
pointed out in the Council's report that " there is no
absolute certainty that the undertaking will be self-
supporting." The charges for energy are to be fixed,
of course, with the view of making the Joint Authority
self-supporting, which means that conceivably the
charges for bulk supply might be higher than the present
costs of generation. Further, there is a provision to
l)e made that the Joint Authority shall regulate the
charges of the undertakers so as to " ensure that the
benefits and economies resulting from the concentration
of generation shall accrue to the consumers." The
undertakers, therefore, seem broadly to stand to lose
a good deal and have no chance of gaining anything.
The case is the more serious since the new proprietary
body which is to be called into being under the name
of the Joint Electricity Authority is to consist of any-
thing up to 30 members, which includes representatives
of consumers and railway comparrfes, and possibly
labour. It is intimated in the report that the London
County Council might be called upon to take the major
share in finance. The report points out quite candidly
that " there would be an element of risk in the advance
or guarantee of loans by the Council." Local authori-
ties and authorised undertakers will, of course, have
jiCwer to give financial assistance.

We have given above merely a few of the points whiili
show what highly complicated interests and conditions
have to be settled, a process that must necessarily take
a very long time. Whether the London County Council
really intends this to be a serious scheme or not may be
open to question. The report allays the fears of
the Council on a most crucial point, and points an easy
escape, when it says: " In any event the Council will
be free when the time arrives to decide whether or not it
will come in as regards the rendering of any form of
financial assistance to the Joint Authority." But if it
does not give such financial assistance, it is quite
obvious that the present scheme will certainly collapse.

Glare.

We |iublish an article in this issue
ii sliop lighting, by Mr. E. Austin,
with all the more pleasure because we so \
heartily endorse his leTnarks. We are constantly meet-
iiij; with examples of shop lighting which can only be
desiribed as outrageous; the high-pressure gas " arcs "
were bad enough, liut the brilliancy of the unshaded ■.
gasfilled lamps is excruciating. Worse still, we find
these lamps in use for street lighting and outside public-
houses, &c., with no shades or reflectors whatever. One
can stay out of a simp, but one must use the road — and
|Miblic lighting siiould be legulated by competent autho-
rity.

*

In a leaderette under this heading in I
An Unfortunate our last issue, reference was made to a
Coincidence? cirtular issued by "one of the leading •
scientific institutions," of which copies '
had l)een received bv members of the E.P.E.A. As those.
members of the Association who did not receive theni
may be in doubt as to the identity of the Institution
concerned, we^think it desirable to assure them that it
was not the Institution uf Eleitrioal Engineers.

"

Vol.87. No.2,215,ueuemueu3, 1U20.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

707

Electricity

Supply
Legislation.

Some time ago we referred to the de-
sirability of those responsible for run-
ning any of the chief departments in
electricity supply undertakings making
themselves familiar with the provisions
(if the Acts which govern the industry. There seems to be,
however, an uncertainty in the minds of some as to
which are the Acts in question. The Acts are contained
in a very short list. The basal one is the Electric Light-
ing Act, 1882 ; this lays down the chief statutory require-
ments. Following this there is a very short one, tlie
I'Hectric Lighting Act, 1888, the chief feature of whicli
IK the revision of the terms under which a company
undertaking becomes purcliasable by the local authority.
After 1888, peace reigned in the legislative world fur
Mime tim^. Then came the Electric Lighting (Clauses)
Act, 189!). This, be it noted, is not a general Act — the
important part is the schedule; this is a case where
the tail wags the dog. The Act itself merely says that
certain conditions are to be incorporated in all subse-
quent Provisional Orders. It is really intended to
regularise or codify Orders, and is not retrospective.
Next comes the Electric Lighting Act, 1909, and lastly,
llie Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, still hot from tl'ic
liven. Scotland and Ireland have additional special
Acts, and also London. In the last case there is the
Tjiindon Electric Supjily Act, 1908, and the London
(Westminster and Ken.sington) Electric .Supply Com-
panies Act, 1908; but these two Acts refer only to tlie
tliirteen London companies. Altogether, tlierefore, the
iitily Acts vhicli the general practitioner need trouble
-.ihunt are the five Acts first mentioned — the leading
lines being the 1882 and the 1899 Acts. All of the Acts
cMii l)e obtained from H.M. Stationeiy Office, Kings-

The CrlsU.

One of the first public indications of
German Invest- ^yjiat may be expected to take place when
men ompan e ^^^ definite Bill for the socialisation of
and Manufactur- ... , , , . . r,

log Firms, electricity supply undertakings in Germany

has been brought forward and passed has
just been given by the chairman of an electrical investment
company in that country. As is known, there are various
investment companies in (iermany which are connected
directly or indirectly with the big manufacturing companies,
and in this respect they act as feeders of- orders to the latter.
The activity of the investment companies has hitherto been
devoted mainly to supply undertakings and tramways in
Germany, and to some e.xtent also in other countries, bnt
manufacturing companies have been almost entirely left out
of their scope. Now, however, this situation of affairs is to
be reversed. Speaking at the recent meeting of the
Gesellschaft fur Elektrische Unternehmungen, of Berlin,
when a resolution was adopted deciding to increase the
ordinary share capital by 1.5,000,000 marks to 75,000,000
marks, the chairman is reported to have stated that although
there was no pressing need for new capital, it was necessary
to have funds available for the future, as a consecjuence of
the Socialisation law. This law would cause the loss of
many of the supply undertakings owned by the company in
the course of the ne.xt few years, whilst the remaining com-
panies would reijuire to be considerably extended. Xotonly
so, but the directors had been compelled to resolve upon a
transfer of their activity in the sense of extending their
investments solely to purely manufacturing concerns in
the future. The chairman naturally refrained from
suggesting how the Socialisation law would affect the
manufacturing companies in the matter of orders from the
supply undertakings now controlled by the investment com-
pany in question or by the other similar companies in
general. Apparently the manufacturing companies will
lose their special preserves in this direction, and the work
will be thrown open to competition among native firms.
But as was shown years ago in the case of the secret agree-
ment between the big firms, competition between them is
merely nominal in the home market, and is aimed at the
extinction of the suiallcr firms.

On Saturday next week the period set
by the Electrical Power Engineers'
Association for the acceptance of the schedule of the
National .Joint Board comes to an end. That its members
will carry out their declared intention to cease work on the
1 4th unless a satisfactory settlement is attained before the
time-limit expires, we think, is not open to doubt ; nor is
it probable that the workers' Unions will withhold their
suppoit to the E.P.E.A. — if any attempt is made to intro-
duce voluntary substitutes into the power stations and sub-
stations, indeed, it is a moral certainty that in accordance
with Trade Union principles, the other Trade Unionists
will promptly leave their posts. Apart from this, it is
obvious that without the aid of the technical staff, it
would be hopeless to endeavour to keep the plant running
in a large power station.

It is clear, therefore, that the crisis is fast approaching a
climax, and that unless effective measures are speedily taken
to avert a general strike on the part of the Association, the
country will be faced with an emergency of the gravest
character. A complete stoppage of electricity supply would
paralyse industry, and would subject the public to extreme
inconvenience and no small amount of loss. It is to be
hoped that the authorities are fully aware of the nature of
the crisis and the merits of the case, which is, we believe,
unique in character. To put the matter in a nutshell, the
whole principle of the Whitley system is at stake ; an
award agreed upon by the representatives of the employers
and of the employes on a National .Joint Board has been
contemned by the majority of the employers for a period of
six months, and if it is not enforced the authority of the
Board will be destroyed — a consummation which, we fear,
would not be unwelcome to some of the authorities.

That the award is not unreasonable is evidenced by the
fact that a number of authorities, both large and small,
have already accepted it ; apart from that consideration,
it is a fact that the advance conceded by the Board Falls
far short of the increase in the relative cost of living, and
the salaries ruling before the war were notoriously
inade([uate in comparison with the services rendered, as
our columns repeatedly bore testimony. We have no doubt
whatever with regard either to the justice of the claim or
to the determination of the engineers to gain their end.
Steps are being taken in various quarters to find a way out
of the impasse, but there is only one exit. We trust that
the authorities concerned will realise the urgent necessity
of swift action if a stoppage of supply is to be averted.

Whilst on this subject, we may draw attention to one
point in the programme of the Association which appears
to call for reconsideration. It is understood that in the
event of failure to secure the universal adoption of the
schedule the Association will withdraw its members, not
only from the dissenting authorities' works, but also from
those of authorities which had already, or may then have,
accepted the schedule. No doubt the Executive of the
Association arrived at this "decision after due deliberation,
and on good grounds, but it is one which has aroused much
adverse comment, and will press unfairly upon the willing
authorities and the public that they serve. Surely this
course is not necessary. We fail to see how it can be
squared with the principle which has been definitely adopted
by the Association — namely, that stern measures should be
taken only in the last resort, after all avenues of negotia-
tion have proved to be blind alleys. We would appeal to
the Executive, in the interests of peace and goodwill, to
modify its policy in this respect — to recognise its friends,
and to avoid estranging them by classing them with its
enemies.

In conclusion, we believe that steps are being taken
towards the formation of a Court of Inquiry into the
subject of this quarrel. We hold that such a Court should
not l)e asked to adjudicate upon the terms quoted in the
schedule ; to do so would be to undermine the authority of
the Joint Board. But if a Court is constituted, we hope
that, again in accordance with the Association's rule of
faith, the Executive will not decline to appear before it,
and to assist in its deliberations. By so acting it will
prove the bnmi, fifhs of its attitude in the previous dispute,
and will enliet public support in its favour.

708

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. LVoi.87. No. 2,245, deckmbeb 3, 1920.

5EVERN TIDAL POWER: AN APPRECIATION.

By THEODORE STEVENS, M.Inst.C.E., M.I.E.E.

Tjie Ministry of Transport will more than justify its
eiistence if it carries to completion its " Severn Bar-
rage Road and Railway Scheme," thereby providing
employment for years for thousands of manual workers,
.and developing industries in that district.

The daily papers have stated the capital cost as over
M millions sterling. With a peak load of one million
Iiorse power and an output of half a million during ten
liours each working day there will be eleven hundred
million kelvins for .sale at the switchboard. Averaged
over 24 hours the output is 155,000 kilowatts. For
comparison, this average is about half the sum of the ,
peak loads of all Greater London's existing electric
power houses.

The peak load factor is only 17 per cent., and if
so low a factor were the maximum attainable, it would
not pay to invest the capital.

We want to examine a* few words in the Ministry's
memorandum, which read: —

" The power available in the Severn dwarfs into in-
significance all the other potential sources of inland
water power within the United Kingdom put together.'

Obviously we are not now dealing with the Severn
scheme, except relatively. The Severn power can be
utilised near to the Severn, and there should be found
uses for all the water powers available there and else-
where.

" Other potential sources of inland water power in
the United Kingdom put together " can supply a peak
much greater than one million horse power and a con-
tinuous 24:-hour load of more than half a million elec-
trical horse power, at less total capital cost than 30
millions of pounds sterling, and with "eggs not all
in one basket." These other sources are not beset by
what the Ministry's memorandum, at p. 4, calls "very
formidable difficulties inseparable from any attempt to
harness the tides " ; their higher heads, with less varia-'
tions in heads, allow smaller, higher-speed machines
to give equal output at smaller capital cost per horse-
power, resulting in lower " fixed " charges in the anr
nual expenditure. There is no necessity to invest the
whole capital at once in these "other sources"; for,
generally speaking, the large consumer can locate his
new works near one of the waterf alls ; while it will
unquestionably be of advantage in ensuring continuity
to interconnect the various power houses.

Of course the Severn scheme must be developed as a
whole, and years must elapse before the full output
is completely taken up. During those years the interest
on capital must form part of the unearned cost, which
must be provided.

The storages available with the " other sources " will
be filled by rain and gravity with no expenditure of
energy " pumping sea water into a beautiful and roman-
tic valley."

A pumping plant to maintain a flow through one
tunnel of 1,200 square feet sect,ion would be large
enough to pass fish, thereby " improving the fishing " ;
but causing some inconvenience to the fish which fail
to arrive at a fresh water lake after their journey.

One imagines a specially designed structure after
the likeness of a Greathead shield with trains of stan-
dard gauge on two or more levels, automatic electric
signalling, drilling, exploding, and loading plants, all
in keeping with the " largest tunnel of its kind in the
world."

We prefer several smaller tunnels.

The Times seems to have assumed that the Ministry's
memorandum meant to say that the largest hydro-electric
power installation in existence is 385,500 horse power, .
At Niagara. That total is made up of five separate
plants in one financial amalgamation. It is not reason-

able to get so bad a per.spective of Niagara's power.
There are eight power houses at Niagara with 843,500
installed horse power.

The average reader will be interested to know that
the correct mean discharge of Niagara gives five million
water horse power, so the Severn " sinks into insignifi-
cance " only relatively, because the Severn power is
considerable, and England has need of it. Less than
two inches depth of water over the surface of the lakes
above Niagara run off uniformly through the 3,000
hours is suflicient to develop at Niagara the output
specified for the Severn throughout a year. The area
of the lakes above Niagara equals the areas of England
and Scotland together. A summary of the existing
electricity supplj' capacities in the United Kingdom will
improve the perspective.

The cost of generating a kelvin at the Severn is "a
little over a halfpenny," but the " other potential
sources of inland water power within the United King-
dom " would generate more power at less than one-third
of a penny per kelvin (Board of Trade unit).

EUctrieal Times. Miniltry of

other potential

Table I.—

Transport

sources of water

Costs of

Memorandum

power within

electric supplie

5 Nov. 26, 1920,

the United

totalled.

Severn scheme

Kingdom.

Number of plants

•265

Capital in millions

80

30

below 30^

Installed plant : milUons

E.H.P

'2

(■'■)

(?)

Peak loads : millions

E.H.P

1.4

1

(?)

Average loads : millions

E.H.P

0.36

0.15

0.45

Millions of kelvins sold

1919

'2400

—

—

Millions of kelvins for

sale

—

IIUO

3300

Generating cost d/kelvin

(••')

0.5

below 0.3

Load factor — percent. ...

9 to 36

17

40

There are insufficient data to enable one to under-
stand the low load factor on the Severn, but the basis
for our 40 per cent, was set out in the discussion on
the Tata liydro-electric works before the Institution of
Civil Engineers, December 3rd, 1918.

The essential condition to success in any of these
schemes is the co-ordination of demand and of develop-
ment of the water power. To leave the .demand to
develop after the barrage was completed would swamp
the scheme with " fixed " charges, while the plant would
be standing, rusting out, instead of paying its way.
With reasonable foresight, works to consume the elec-
trical output could be completed simultaneously with
the hydro-electric plant, and the fullest advantage taken
of the water available.

High load factors, 85 to 95 per cent., are obtainable
liv producing aluminium, copper, zinc, and carbide.
The highest' load factor in the tables quoted above for
existing demands in the United Kingdom is Wolver-
hampton's, 36.73 per cent. To keep unit cost low we
obviously must get the most out of the running plant.
The consumptions of energy per ton produced of the
materials named may be quoted to show what offers the
best load for a water power plant: —

Kelvins per ton of material. Refining

Nitrogen (fixation) —

Aluminium —

Ferro-alloys ... —

Abrasives —

Ciilcium carbide ... —
I'ij; iron from ore...

Zinc ... 400(t — —

Nickel ^3300 - —

Steel (W to 1100 - —

Copper 330 —

Brass — - •ii(»to:^(Xl

Lead ia> — —

We look forward to the early development of all the

Reduction. Melting.

— •2flCK'KI to TOtKlO

.3:woo —

4-")(K1 to I40(KI —

S.500 —

450ft —

•2'2(HM<i:«0() —

Vol.87. No. 2,B45, December 3, 1920. THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

709

water powers in the United Kingdom as and when
manufacturers and refiners want electricity or financiers
are ready to start new and profitable schemes, but not
for the purpose of taking over nothing better than the
existing lighting and small power loads.

LARGE TURBO-QENERATOR FAILURES.

By " MECHANOLECTRIC"

Referring to the extract from Mr. F. D. Newbury's
article in a recent issue of Power, dealing with turbo-
generator failures, it is of great interest to note the
considered views on the causes of failures experienced
since 1913 in America.

In this country the writer has had an opportunity of
going carefully into the causes of turbo-generator wind-
ing failures, and the generally accepted reasons are
detailed below.

Taking twelve different breakdowns that cover, more
or less fully, a series of failures caused by an equal
number of different reasons, thfr following goes to show-
that out of the twelve, only three can be attributed to
operating or commercial running causes, the remaining
nine are failures due to design and faulty workman-
sliip : —

(1) Atmospheric condensation on windings whilst
machine was shut down ; (2) overloading of rotor
line to faulty individual machine power factor re-
"i'ulation ; (3) macluTie not cleaned, spontaneous com-
l)ustion caused by dust and oil vapour; (4) machine
legulation too good, and windings unable to stand
short circuits; (5) defective rotor band; (6) eddy cur-
rents in heavy joints in stator windings resulting in
defective joints; (7) surges between stator bars in
jiarallel ; (8) loose iron in stator core; (9) short circuit
in rotor winding causing heavy out-of-balance ; (10)
defective insulation of stator windings; (11) defective
jointing, poor workmanship, and (12) insufficient sup-
jiort to stator end windings.

In tlie ease of (1), the machine was in regular com-
mercial operation, and in the course of ordinary opera-
tion was shut down for a period of a few daj's for minor
attention to details on the steam end ; the generator
liecauie damp, due to atmospheric condensation owing
to the sudden change in the temperature of the air sur-
I'ounding the machine, and the amount of moisture being
coiisideraiile, the machine broke down on being run up
to voltage for the first time. The fault was a break-
down between turns on the end connections causing a
tierce arc which set fire to the insulation, necessitating
a complete rewind.

In tiie case of (2), the fault lay in careless operation
due to neglect in observing the individual power factors
of several machines running in parallel, the machine
on which the failure took place having its rotor con-
siderably overloaded, resulting in damage to joints in
the rotor winding, making it necessary to rewind the
rotor completely.

In (3), the winding of the stator burst into flames
at one point without any electrical fault, and on ex-
amination it was noticed that there were signs of very
slow combustion having taken place in the corners of the
(lamping ))locks where there was a collection of dust
and oil. This evidence of combustion was clearly in-
dicated in similar places all round the end connections,
the dust having carbonised to an extent sufficient to
warrant the theory that the slow combustion had been
eventually fanned into flame by the forced draught
ventilation. On taking off the clamps this carbonisa-
tion was clearlj' marked, which goes to show the neces-
sity of keeping dust and oil vapour out of machine
windings where the running conditions do not allow
of the machines being cleaned at regular intervals.

In (4), the machines were specially designed to give
the best possible regulation. The rotor fields being com-
pensated, the result was, on heavy "shorts" or "faulty

synchronising, the strains on the windings were so great
that breakdowns occurred on every occasion when heavy
current surges were observed ; the generators would give
approximately 40 times full load current momentarily
on "shorts" adjacent to the machine. With these
strains the windings were distorted, and breakdowns
occurred between turns both from damaged insulation
and voltage peaks. The cure for this trouble was ex-
ternal reactance to reduce the heavy current surges on
" shorts," &c.

The wire band on the rotor, in case (5), worked loose,
fouling the stator end-connections, causing an electrical
fault which set fire to the insulation on the end winding
and compelled a complete rewind.

In the case of (6), the stator winding was one bar
per slot with a normal full load current of 3,000 am-
peres ; this indicates the size of the joints on the end
connections. These joints became overheated by eddy
currents, and it was found impossible to keep them
perfect with the area required in one section, so the
winding had to be changed to a number of insulated
bars in parallel.

The fault in case (7) occurred after the alteration as
mentioned in (6). With the multiple insulated bars
in parallel it was found that current surges induced
high voltages between bars paralleled, and the resulting
arc set fire to the surrounding insulation.

In (8), the failure occurred in the slot about 12 in.
in from the end of the stator iron. Around the point of
the fault were loose laminations which appeared to
have been vibrating to an extent sufiicient eventually to
cause the teeth to break away, the loose teeth damaging
the slot insulation sufficiently to cause a breakdown in
the slot.

The failure in (9) was due to the generator rotor in-
sulation giving way at a point of maximum potential
difference between turns at a cross-over in the winding.

In case (10), the fault lay in the general deterioration
of the insulation of the stator winding due to insufli-
cient mica, the deterioration being rapid on account
of excessive iron loss. This type of failure is fortunately
rare, if not now entirely eradicated, due to the experi-
ence gained with different kinds of insulation.

Failure (11) was clearly due to defective jointing of
the end connections, as on examination by opening out
the undamaged joints it was seen that the parts had
not been carefully tinned before sweating up in position.

No. (12) was due to badly designed end clamps, the
arrangement not being stiff enough on short ciicuits to
stand the strains even with short-circuit currents limited
to seven times full load current; a feature which is
now eliminated, as much valuable experience has been
gained during the last few years, and the method of
coil support is more or less the same in machines built
by different manufacturers, the importance of supports
of sufficient strength at the right points together witii
reduced short-circuit current values being fully realised.

From the above it appears tliat the greatest nvmber
of failures are caused by defects in manufacture,
so that to reduce failures to a minimum manufacturers
cannot be too careful in selecting materials, and in
watching the worlcmanship put into the building up of
the machine. The human element controls to a very
high degree the inuuunity from failure. The writer
feels that manufacturers err in not having sufficient
supervision of materials and workmanship during the
process of manufacture, so that the most successful plant
will be that which is built under the right supervision.

A 1-H.P. Water Tap! — The French scientist, ^I.
Colardeau, spurred by the high price of fuel and difficulties of
obtaining supplies, presented to the Academy of Sciences, on
November 15th, an account of his experiments with the domestic
water tap. His conclusion is that this humble, but ueeful, house-
hold appliance is capable of furnishing 1 h.p. to drive an attached
turbine and miniature dynamo. ''The device would come into
action every time the tap was turned on, and the electrical energy
generated would be stored in a battery of accumulators, to be used
later for domestic purposes." so he says.

710

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,245, December 3, 1920.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY.

By W. B. WOODHOUSE, M.I.E.E.

iAbatrart nf paper

eaii before the INSTITUTION OF ELECTRICAL
Enqineebs.")

The economical development of an electricity supply system may
be divided into two stages : first, the development from a number of
isolated nuclei, next the association of these into a compound
organism. This second step is engaging the attention of engineers
in all industrial countries at the present time. The general problem
is to provide on a national scale, with reasonable security and
satisfactory service, a supply of electricity to all classes of con-
sumers at a minimum cost. The first consideration is that of the
area of supply, which will determine the total amount of power to
be provided and the maximum distance of transmission that may
be necessary.

The economic development of any such system must take into
account the factor of time in relation to capital expenditure.
Development, human and industrial, is a matterof gradual growth,
and consequently the consideration of a complete scheme without

i

_^

^

^

e,ooo

^

--'

^

-^

^

^

^

:^

^

^

^

^

^"

s--

0

0-

03

Fig. 1. — Cost of Cables
IN Gbound.

FiQ. 2.— Variation of
Losses with Load Factor.

regard to the stages of growth may lead to false economic con-
clusions. On these grounds the development of a national
distribution system from existing industrial areas and the intro-
duction from time to time, as the need arises, of higher and higher
working pressures, are more likely to be economically justifiable
than the immediate adoption of the highest pressure necessary for
the country as a whole. A step-by-step development, it will be
seen, is consistent with eoonomv, both ultimately and during the
early period of development. Throughout this paper the assump-
tion is made that a nominally constant-pressure three-phase
alternating-current system of supply is adopted, and that each
change of pressure referred to above will involve transformation.

The area of supply and the approximate total demand being
known, it is necessary to consider the sources of supply before the
consideration of distribution can be proceeded with further. If
coal be the source of power no separate consideration of such
matters as fuel economy, generation costs, or transmission costs
can determine the solution of the problem without reference to the
final test of cost to the consumer. It does not appear that there is
a superior economical limit to the size of a pDwer station. On the
other hand, the transmission of electricity is, from an economic
point of view, not a virtue, but an expensive necessity.

Apart from limitations imposed by the circumstances of the site,
the economical limit to the size of a coal-fired station is determined
by a condition external to the station — namely, the density of
load in the ar,ja to be supplied. Provision must be made for the
transfer of energy from one centre to another from time to time,
in addition to the normal needs of distribution, The adoption of a
system of interconnected .stations aboli-hes the necessity of placing
the stations in the centres of areas of heavy demands.

A statement of the number of users and of their average
demand is insufficient to enable the main technical considerations
of distribution to be determined, and it is advisable to con.sider
consumers in classes according ti the nature and amount of their
use. Broadly, a division into three classes is sufficient: —
(1) Domestic and small power users, O-.'JO K,\ a . (2) factories,
mines and workshops, 50-2,000 k.v.a. ; (S) users of over 2,^00 K v A.

Consideration must be given principally to the induitrial areas
of the country in which the bulk of the demand will arise ; the
supply to other areas will not substantially affect the decision as to
the situation of the stations or the manner of distribution to the
industrial areas.

For a national system of the magnitude required for this
country it is economically necessary to employ three or more
pressures : the first, that required for detailed distribution to small
users. The limitations imposed by the nature and use of the con-
suming apparatus such as lamps, heaters, cookers, and small
motors, are considerable, and pressures of from 100 to 250 volts
have been established for this class of use. The second pressure is
that required for power distribution to factories, workshops and
detail distribution centres.

I f, as in some districts, a large number of power users of from
10 to 100 K.V.A. are found, as well as a class of larger power users,

it may be economical to introduce two power distribution pressures ;
for example, the 2,000 volts and 10,000 volts which the author has
adopted in Yorkshire. The justification for a pressure inter-
mediate between the main power distribution pressure and the
detail distribution pressure may arise in districts of totally
different character ; for example, a straggling village and a dense
office quarter. The third pressure is that required for the inter-
connection of generating stations and for that form of distiibution
which is usually called transmission ; it will be decideil primarily
from a consideration of distance and number of feeding points,
but will be subject to definite practical limits imposed by the
nature of the mains.

The relationship of the three or more systemR indicated above
raises a number of interesting questions about their method of
protection.

The extent of interconnection or network will depend on the
nature of the transmission system ; the limiting condition would
be the complete interconnection of the power-distribution system
throughout the whole area with protection such as is afforded by
the Merz-Price or kindred device. In such a case, however, it
would seem inadvisable to interconnect the higher-pressure trans-
mission mains of the system. The solution most favoured is the
division of the power distribution network into a number of
sections each of 20,000 K.V.A. or more, and fed from an inter-
connected transmission system.

The introduction of various pressures of supply calls for trans-
formation of pressure at a number of points and for a large
expenditure on switchgear and transformers and sub-stations, which
must be taken into account when considering the compromise
between expenditure and efficiency which represents the maximum
economy.

Each transformation and each interconnection must produce
advantages which justify the expenditure, or the result will be an
increase in the cost to the consumer. A general expression for
capital expenditure on the various parts of the distribution system
will take a simple form. The co.st per mile of a cable ('« x'tn may
be expressed as : —

A,, -f B,. (area of core) -f Co (/• v)-,
where k \ is the working preesure in kilovolts and A, B, and C are
constants. For example, the cost of three-core cables designed for
working pressures of from 0,600 to 66,000 volts have been
analysed and are plotted in fig. 1 for comparison. Those for from
6,61 10 to 22,000 volts are based on costs in 1907 ; those for
higher pressures are based on estimates of present-day costs.

The cost of overhead lines may be analysed in a similar way.
though with such apparatus the increment of cost with section of
conductor is much more nearly that of the metal used than in the
case of cables. Within the limits of a particular type of con-
struction the increment of cost with pressure is less rapid than in
the case of underground cables, and the expression of cost per mile
would more accurately be expressed in the form : —
A|, -I- B„ X area + r„ (/.■ \) + r,, (* v)*.

The choice of pressure for an overhead line depends, however,
on considerations of the nature of the country to be crossed and of
reactance and pressure regulation, which have greater weight in
the final decision than when making the choice for underground
cables.

The cost of a transforming sub-station depends on the numbsr
and output of the transformers, on the type and number of mains
brought into the sub-station, on the primary and secondary

/

M

A

\

a

J

^

>

^

r^

1A

'r

s

/

/

)

2

0

■*

0

(V

0

Fio. :i. — GR\nKO Load

Cdrve.

Kilovolts

Fio. 4. — Cost per Mile of

C.VIiLE AT DIPFEBEXT PRESSURES.

pressures and on the maximu a piwer in the supplying system.
The equation of cost for Uie sub station as a whole takes the
form : —

Cost = A, -t- V: (k v a) + c, (A- v)-.

The determination of the economical current density in distri-
buting mains and of the economical pressure of supply involves a
consideration of the total losses in the distributing system during
the pariod of time taken as representative.

The losses may be subdivided into: — (0 Resistance or copper
losses ; (X) mai;net!c or iron losses ; CO dielectric or leakage
losses.

The limiting conditions of load variation for any particular load
factor and for the same maximum load are: — (.0 Sustained
maximum load for a fraction of the time equal to the load factor ;
(2) momentary maximum load and sustained fractional lead
equivalent to load factor.

Expressing the looses at full constant load (unity load factor"!
as 100 per cent., the losses for any load factor produced as in case
(1) are propoitional to the load factor, and in case (2) proportional
to the square of the load factor. Fig. 2 shows the variation of
loaaea with load factor in these limiting oases ; for load factora of

Vol.87. No. 2,245, December 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

711

from 0'25 to 0'6, such as arise in practice, there is a consiJerable
difference in the amount of the losses. To simplify the calculation
of these losses it is necessary to consider the time variation of
load or shape of load curve likely to be met with in practice.
Comparison of load curves is facilitated by replotting- the ordinates
representinfr load (and proportional to the ourrent) in order of
descending magnitude (see &g. 3). Ifavin? thus simplified the
load curve, the losses correspondin? to any variable load of this
character may be readily estimated, and approximately the
relationship between the load factor of such a system as is con-
sidered and the losses is : —

L = > (K + V).
■ where h = losses as a fraction of the losses at sustained full load,
and F = load factor as a fraction of unity. The graph of this is
set out in fig. 2 (3), wherf it may be compared with the rela-
tive losses under the limiting conditions referred to above. In the
generality of cages analysed, the lo»d factor of the losses is some
10 per cent, less than that of the load. It follows that the cost
per unit of energy lost ia greater than the average cost of energy
generated.

The cost of providing a supply of electricity for a consumer may
b3 divided into three parts— production or working charges,
administration or management charges, investment or capital
charges. Let the annual charge per k.v.a. be s pounds and the
charge per kelvin be A pence, then at load factor i', the cost per
K.V.A. is equal to : —

s + 36'5 b F|.
The cost of energy after transformation or transmission is not
ascnrately expressed in this form, but may be expressed as :—

S| (1 + ,■) + 36'5 /', F„
where c is a term dependent on the expenditure independentof demand,
and A| the cost per kelvin after transformation. This equation is
only true within the limits of a particular type of construction and
a particular class of supply, but by adopting values of s, /<, and c
appropriate to the particular class of user under consideration,
equations of similar form will express the cost with a close degree
of accuracy. Diversity of incidence of demand must also be taken
into account ; in other words, the load factor of each section of
the system must be evaluated separately and diversity allowed for
ia their combined demand on the stations.

The calculation of the annual cost of energy wasted having been
made, the expression for economical size may be arrived at : —
Tiet P = cost of losses in pounds per ainum per kilovolt-ampere of
maximum load, i,i = annual capital chargss on the increment cost
of a mile of cable per square inch of conductor, n = section of each
conductor in square inches. Then for the case of a three-core cable
Ihe annual cost of losses per mile = O'O0Or28 pi- ja = ^t^. From
which the current density l/'i = 8S'-1 ^'Q/p. The ratio i/a is the
economical current density, and considering copper losses only, this
\i independent of the size of conductor and of the pressure of
working. To facilitate calculations a curve may be plotted from
the equations set out above connecting the value of P with the
system load factor f. For copper conductors the pressure-drop per
mile is approximately E, = il'23 ■^U)je. In the simple case of a
rectangular network, the load per unit area /< is assumed equally
distributed between N sub stations. Assume that the area A is
square, with sides R miles long, and that the distance lotween tub-
stations is D miles. The load per sub-station by definition will
equal /'A/.v = ply. The cost of substations will vary with the
number and size, the total cost decreasing with the number. The
cost of mains will vary with the route length and with the weight
of coppsr. The route length of mains will be L ='(r — d)2r/d =
2r (v'n - 1).

The total weight of copper in the network is proportional to the
length of each section, the number of sections, and the average load
per section, or to (n — 1)/'Ar/2n.

As the number of sub-station? is increased this expression
approaches a limiting value in which the weight of copper is equal
to th.at necessary to supply the total load concentrated at a
point distant from the feeding point by half the length of a side
of the square, or i r. It must not be overlooked that to increajse
the distance between sub-stations involves a corresponding addi-
tional expenditure on mains from the sub- station to the consumers ;
considering only the copper in the networks, the variation of
weight with the number of sub stations is not great, and the
decision as to the moat economical number is practically
independent of the item of weight of copper.

The maximum section of conductor and the consequent overall
diameter of the cable are limited by considerations of transport
and handling, such as the maximum diameter of cable drum and
the liability to crack the insulation by bending the cable.

From the data available it would seem that three-core cables of
the same type of construction may ba obtainable for working
pressures up to 60,000 volts, and that the present methods of con-
struction limit the size of conductor to about 0'25 sq. in. section
for the highest pressure. If it be necessary to consider the use of
cables at a still higher pressore, a single-core cable, being free
from some of the limitations of three-core cables, may be adopted.
The cost per kilovolt-ampere transmitted by a cable per mile of
route may be derived from the expression for the cost of cable per
mile and that for the economical current density. In fig. 4 the
cost per mile of a cable is plotted against rated pressure. The
tangent (o p") to the curve from the point o will meet the curve at
a point I' whose abscissa is the pressure corresponding to minimum
coat. Actually, however, the current density must be reduced as
the rated pressure is increased, and the economical pressure ia
correspondingly less. A further consideration arises here, namely,

the increased cost of transformers and switcbgear as the pressure
is increased.

The coat of overhead lines per kilovolt-ampere transmitted is
not likely to increase as rapidly as the working pressure, and, there-
fore, on the score of capital expenditure there is no economical
limit to the pressure which may be used. In such case the limit
will be imposed by a consideration of : — (1) Minimum siZ3 of con'
ductor required for mechanical strength ; (2) subdivision of
circuits necessary for security of supply : (S) limitations imposed
by capacitance, regulation and leakage losses : (1) increment cost of
sub-stations with higher pressures.

It appears probable that, without the necessity for new types of
cable, main transmission by means of underground cables is feasible
for many induatrial areas such as exist in this country and, pro-
vided a reliable cable can be obtained, the advantage should lie
with this method of transmission. Should, at a later date, a
higher pressure be required for the economical extension of the
system of supply, a further system of mains at the higher pressure
could be superposed and applied to the existing systems.

The conclusions finally reached from a consideration of all the
conflicting conditions are : — (1) Three or more pressure systems
are necessary for economy ; (2) the detail distribution pressure is
fixed by considerations of use ; in this country a single-phase
pressure of from 200 to 2^0 volts is established ; (3) the size of the
distributing sub stations is determined by the density of load and
the size of power users' installations ; (4) the distance between
these sub-stations depends primarily on the detail distribution
pressure ; the sub-stations should be as widely spaced as considera-
tions of pressure-drop permit : (5) the main distribution
pressure ia determined by the number of sub-stations in
th3 area, the total load, and the economical balance between
expenditure on mains and on sub-stations ; in industrial areas in
this country a pressure of 10.000 volts has been found to be econo-
mical ; (6) the extent of each power distribution network may be
reduced with economy as the load develops and the siz; of sub-
stations increases ; (7) the transmission pressure is primarily
determined by a consideration of pressure-drop and total power ;
no advantage is gained by exceeding a minimum fixed to meet
demands anticipated to arise in a period determined by the rate of
growth of load ; (8) main sub-stations are determined in number
by the load on the power distribution networks and the pressure of
distribution, as well as by the number of generating stations.

IJISCUSSION I\ T.ONDOX.

Mr. 1. 1.. B. .\tkinson, pre.sideiit, in calling on Mr. Hunter
to (iprn the discussion on the foregoing and Mr. Kapp's paper
(which will he abstracted in our next issue), said he thought
tliey were very opportune, and would provoke much useful
discussion of problems which they were now encountering in
connection witli the national scheme of electricity supply.
He urged lueniliers to discuss both papers generally, and to
confine their remarks as little as pos.sihle to tariffs, as they
would shnrflv have an opportunity of fully discussing that
subject.

^ir. P. \'. lliNTi'.i! thduglit tliat Mr. Woodhouse's state-
ment that " transmissicin of electricity is, from the economic
point of view, not a virtue but an expensive necessity." might
have been difiereutly put. The speaker thought he coulil
have put ;iui)ther complexion on the matter. The best posi-
tion for the power station determined the length of transmis-
sion distance, and it was by the use of cables that they were
enabled to build the station "on the best site. The author's sug-
gestions with regard to transmission pressures were probably
correct, but later he stated that that consideration did not
decide the main transmission, pressure to be used. In reality
the distance of transmission did not enter into the choice
of the cheapest voltage to transmit k.v.a. per mile. The
speaker's opinion was that any pressure likely to be adopted
at present would be capable of dealing with any transmission
distance likely to be necessary in this country without later
alteration. He did not think it was sutSeiently realised that
the choice of pressure for an overhead line was quite a
different proposition from the points of view of service rendered
and pressure drop. He w^as pleased that the author had
revived the matter of variation of losses with load factor
(fig. '2); it was of much importance, and they did not hear
sufficient about it. With regard to dielectric losses, they had
no, or very little, effect on the limitation of current. Such
a statement did not agree with the figiu-es given by cable
makers, but the losses were very small and would probably
not exceed '2 per cent, of the copper loss. Cable makers did
not know very much about the subject, and so they were
not prepared to take risks when dealing with high voltages.
Mr. Kapp hail intniduced several novelties into his paper.
The speaker entirely agreed with his statements about the
drsign (if good networks being more of an art than a science,
and just as an artist's success depended on his experience so
wiiuld the design of efficient networks result from experience.
Mr. H. M. Savers explained, with reference to Mr. Kapp'.s
examples ol^ the variation in the cost of distribution, that
the cost would be proportional to the radii of the areas of
distribution. He thought that the author's figure for the
ciist of generators, transformers, and distributing system of
i'l-") per K.V.A. of maximum load was too small, and should
be increased to over £\%. He characterised it as extraordinary
that a paper dealing with the subject which Mr. Kapp had
chosen should contain no reference to Lord Kelvin's law. in
fact, the author rejected the law entirely, and maintained
that the limiting factor was the heating of the cables. His

712

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,245, decembek 3, is2o

reason for doing -so was apparently the possibility that for
E.H.T. cables Kelvin's law would give a higher current density ,
than it was safe to work with. But was that assumption
<:orrect for a pressure of fi,600 volts? However, the results
obtained from Kelvin's and Kapp's methods would not differ
very much in reality ; it was a question of fixing the limiting
pressure above and" below w-hich the two laws should be
applied. At the same time the problem of the heating of
cables was of much importance.

Major A. M. Taylor, in connection with transmission pre.s-
sure, disagreed with clause 7 of the author's conclusious,
because it suggested adopting the lowest pressure of trans-
mission which would satisfy the requirements of pressure
regulation for the period chosen. It was Mr. Taylor's belief
that they must adopt the very highest voltages practicable,
even if they .seemed to be in excess of the demands imme-
diately foreseeable. He emphasised the importance of tie lines
for power transfer purposes between stations at even con-
siderable distances apart. Tliis was teing especially empha-
sised by the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, and
was taking a concrete form in the \Yashington-Boston trans-
mission line. The author's figm'es for a 33,(Ki(:-volt transmis-
sion were not mat<>rially different from figures which the
speaker had obtained from another source, viz., £0A per
K.V.A. per mile, and he believed that if they could, by the
use of single-phase underground cables or other means, raise
the voltage to 100,000 volts, the cost could be brought down
to £0.2 per K.V.A. per mile. Working on that figiu'e, the
cost of a fjO-mile tie line, intended to carry 30 per cent, of
the output of the station in an emergency, would, on a
3.5 per cent. load factor basis (of the tie line), work out to
about 0.<l3d. per unit for the standing charge. If the lOO.OCK)-
volt cable were not forthcoming, a combination of overliead
line and underground cable would give even lower figures.
There were stations in this country which at the present
moment were so handicajiped for generating plant that they
could probably take on a 30 per cent, additional demand if
available, that was, a .30 jjer cent, additional revenue would
he available for paying for the tie line. Added to that, the
effect of running the whole of the generating station plant
for months together hopelessly overloaded must unquestion-
ably materially .shorten- the life of the generating plant, if it
did not even precipitate actual breakdown ; therefore, an
extra depreciation cliarge on the generating plant must be
credited to the tran.sfer line, which would save such a con-
dition. Makers of three-phase cables could not use 66.000
volts without incurring a maximum potential gradient of at
least 4-5,000 volts per centimetre, and more probably 50.000
volts per centimetre. Clark and Shanklin's tests (American
I.E.E. paper. 1019) showed that the resistivity of the in.sulation
began to decrea.se very rapidly when a maximum potential
gradient of over 23,000 volts was incurred. Cable makers
must be taking considerable risks in offering 66,0fKI-volt cables,
or else Clark and Shanklin's t^sts were wrong. The latter's
figures were, however, confirmed by Hochstadter in 1915. On
account of the shortness of time at his disposal, Mr. Taylor
reserved further remarks for the next meeting.

A speaker whose name was missed referred to the merits
and demerits of overhead v. cable systems, and questioned
whether an undergromd cable was ever justified on the
ground that an overhead line was cheaper. The rate of
increase of the cost with the increase of pressure was less
for an overhead than for a cable line ; the cost of an ovei'bead
line could under certain conditions be reduced to one-quarter
of that of a cable line. The safety of an overhead line
depended on the size of conductor and on the length of span.
The length of span also effected the choice of the size of
conductor, and also governed the cost and voltage"'of the
line. Tlie speaker showed a lantern slide to indicate by
means of curves the comparison between the cost of various
tynes of transmission lines.

The meeting was then adjourned until December 0th. when
the discussion on l)Oth papers will be resumed.

Di.scDssioN AT Newcastle-on-Tykk.

Mr. W. B. WooDHOi'SE read his paper at a meeting of
the North-Eastei'n Centre at Newcastle-on-Tyne. on November
•22nd, Mr. J. R. Beard, chairman, presiding.

Mr. ToWNLBY. who oiiened the discussion, thought that
on the North-East Coast they had seen that " .step by .step "
development was on the wrong lines: a bioad view must
be taken in laying out a system. Tlieir chairman (Mr. Bearil).
in his address, had dealt with that point, and suggested that
there was a danger in considering national supply that steji
by step development might he carried too far, and that a
scheme might be considered on much too parochial lines.
The speaker suggested that very considerable expense and
confusion might be caused when cnnsiili-ring the development
of a system arranged on step b,\ ^tij. linos, as changes would
have to be made, and the altfr;i(inns might cost more than
if the system had been laid out at the outset with a broader
view to the future exten.sions. He agi-eed that a mnnber of
different pressures were required. The (Uiestion of time with
regard to load factor was a point which be thought should
be more particularly considered wlien arranging tariffs. He
did not think tliat sufficient thought had been given when
fixing tariffs about the time • when a consumer's maximum
demand came on to a system. The cost of large stations was

not much less than the cost of running independent stations;
when they got above IfXI.Wl KW. there was very little de-
crease in co.st.

i)r. BoWDE.v al.so referred to the step by step development,
and said that while it might not be the best course to adopt
when taking the broadest view, it was the best policy at the
moment, as they were now suffering from artificial, inflated
prices, and these must necessarily fall; he would be a very
bold man indeed who would go on with a very big scheme
now. Dielectric losses were about .set off by the copper
losses, so that in most cases it was sufficiently correct to take
the losses as about constant. On these matters he thought
tliey might get a little more data from the cable makers
than they did.

Mr. Vernier agreed generallv with most of the author's
conclusions. The most debataine p.nni, in his opinion, was
that of the step by step development. If it could possibly
be done it seemed to him that the broadest possible view
that cash would allow should be taken at the outset. On the
Xorth-East Coast they' u.sed iO.CXKt volts, they were pioneers
in adoirting that pressure, but now they would be very glad
to have something higher. The question was : What pressure
were they going to take as the outer limit for the pos.sible
development of the district? If they took a medium pressure,
something higher than they had, but not higher than they
anticipated, they might regret it in le.ss than ten years. He
thought their chairman made a valuable suggestion when
he propo.sed that the Electricity Commissioners might assist
financially, so that undertakings might take a long view
when designing schemes. They did not want to make any
decision that might be wrong or might be regretted in the
future. He could not reconcile with his own figures Mr.
\\'oodliouse's statement with regard to the extra cost of in-
sulation being " proportional to the square of the pressure ":
the cost was nothing like the assumed cost, and he certainly
disagreed, for the cost of extra insulation between pressures
of 6.0(X) and 30.000 volts was certainly not proportional to
the increase of pressure. A very interesting statement about
the dimensions of high-pre.ssure cables was that which stated
that (1.05 in. was a minimum section for pressures above
10. (too volts. He instanced a case where a cable O.02"2o in.
in .section was used for 20,000 volts. On dielectric losses,
unfortunately, not so much work had been done as the
importance of the matter warranted. At the same time
something had been done in the way of research, but not
yet sufficient to ju.stify publication, and they hoped to get
it done next year.

Mr. Woodward expressed the opinion that the real answer
to the question about the desirability or not of the step by step
development was to be found in the point of time. One of
the difiiculties of scheming a .system was the great amount
of capital that had to be expended before any revenue began
to come in ; a large portion of that had to go into the ground
in the network.

Mr. Pragneli, said that, in dealing with the load in indus-
trial districts, not much consideration was given to the pos-
sibility of leveUing up the load curve. He would even go so
far as to suggest the drastic splitting up of hours, and co-
operation between u.sers and the supply authorities so that
they might regulate the dinner hours, as well as the starting
and finishing hours, so that the load might be more evenly
distributed. Regarding high-pres.sure cables, he referred to
the difficulty of dealing with very large cables lest in the
bending, or unwinding, the insulation should be broken.

Mr. Ci.OTHiER drew attention to the fact that the cost of
protective gear did not greatly increase with the increase of
pressui"e. He submitted a chart showing that the cost of such
gear onlv increased from a figure of 3.7o to 4 between voltages
of 3.300 to 60,000.

Mr. W. B. WooDHOUSE, in. the course of his reply, said that
it was for purely financial reasons that step by step develop-
ment was sugge.sted. He urged the imperative need for dui>
regard being paid to the financial side of the undertaking.
They must s|iend their money wisely, and get the utmost
value for it. He did not think that in their entire history
there had ever been a greater need for economy of capital.
He disapproved of tlie suggestion of money being provided
free of interest, it would not be good for any industry, and he
did not think they were likelv to get it.

Japanese Railways. — A large estimate for wotk in

conuectiiin with the electriticatiiui of the .lapanese State rail
ways was xoti'd some time ago. In tliis coiniection the
Swedish Commercial Attache at Tokio reports having been
informed at the Ministry of Railways that it is intended to
convert from 500 to 7(X) miles to electric traction during the
next five years, starting with the lines leading into the capital.
It is proposed to ask Parliament to grant a further esti-
mate for a con.siderable sum so tliat adequate funds will be
available for the execution of the programme in qiR'stiou, and
a generating station of llO.tKK) KW. is to be built for the pur-
po.se. No definite decision has lx>en reached regarding the
system to lie adopted, but it is proposed to .send the cliief
engineer to the State Railways to Euiope and the Ignited
States next year on a tour of investigation, and the engineer
is said to consider it probable that it will be necessary to
place large orders for plant in other countries.

Vol.87. No. 2,2t5, decembeb 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

713

THE PROPOSED SEVERN BARRAGE.

A 500,000-H.P. TIDAL SCHEME.

The scheme lor impounding tlie tidal waters of the Severn
estuary which is dealt with hereunder has long been pro-
jected, and appears to be the first scheme of its kind that
has been worked out in some detail fur the purpose of utiUsing
ocean tidal energy to generate electricity. (Jur information
is obtained hum tl'.e broad outline of the ofiicial scheme which
has been issued by the Ministry of Ti-ansport, but it should
be remembered that uo indication of the probable cost of
carrying out the project is given. The daily Press seems to
regard the hydro-electrical portion as the main aim of the
scheme ; it is, however, in reality associated with the develop-
ment of road, railway, and shipping enterprise.

Long ago the G.W.K. Co. reahsed (hat additional means
would have to be provided to meet the ever increasing railway
traffic between the banks of the river. The Severn Tunnel
has not proved altogether satisfactory owing to its great depth
involving heavy gradients and ventilation difficulties. The
widening of the existing high-level bridge would be costly,
and the provision of a new high-level bridge, three miles
further up the estuary at Beachley, would entail long gra-
'dients. a considerable detom- of main line, and the overcoming
of gi'eat difficulties in securing and constructing sm-e founda-
tions. Thus, a low-level crossing as now proposed, and com-
bining a hydro-electric barrage, presents advantages over the
alternative routes, in that the cost of quadrupling the railway
lines would be, comparatively speaking, a simple and inexpen-
sive matter.

In connection with the electrical possibilities of the scheme,
it might be well to refer back to the article in our issues of
May 'ilst and 'JSth last ou the Lower Severn or West of
England Electricity District as provisionally dehmited by the
Electricity Commissioners.

So recently as two years ago a scheme for the utilisation
of the tidal power of the rWev Severn was suggested by
independent engineers to the Water Power Resources Com-
mittee of the Board of Trade, which body, under the pre-
sidency of Sir John Snell, has been considering the water
power resources of the United Kingdom which can be made
available for industrial purposes. According to the official out-
line of the scheme, power available in the Severn dwarfs all
the other potential sources of inland water power within the
United Kingdom put together. The Severn is unique in com-
bining in itself all the conditions essential to the economic
development of tidal water power on a large scale. These
consist of an exceptionally high range of tide ; an estuary of
large capacity; an ideal geographical situation, in relation to
the industrial centres of the country; and suitable land along
the banks of the estuary for the development of industrial
undertakings.

The necessity for immediate increased railway communica-
tion between South Wales and other parts of the kingdom,
the long-felt need of access over the Severn estuary for vehi-
cular traific, and the possibility of combining these with a
large scheme for the production of electric power for indus-
trial purposes, led to a detailed study of the whole project
being undertaken by the Minister of Transport. These studies,
which have been worked out by the civil engineering depart-
ment of the Ministry, have resulted in the formulation of a
comprehensive scheme, on a site further down the river
Severn than the Beachley scheme before mentioned, and of
a very much greater potentiality, which provides for the
production of over .500,000 h.p. during a ten-hour day with
a peak load capacity of over 1.000,000 h.p., at an estimated
cost for generation at present-day prices of a little over a.
halfpenny per Board of Trade unit.

In order to appreciate the magnitude of the power to be
thus made available, comparison m.ay be made with the world's
greatest water power installations : —

H.P.

Amalgamated Niagara Falls Power Co. ... 385,500
Pacific Light & Power Co. (Big Creek) ... 350.000

Ontario Power Co 200,000

Oapdella (River Flamisell), Spain 150.000

Toronto Power Co. • 146,000

Keokuk (Mississippi River) 150,000

Kinlochleven (Scotland) 30.660

Incidentally, the utilisation of this potential power would
effect a savins of about three to four million tons of coal per
annum, which would thus be available for export. In addi-
tion, from a transport point of view, the scheme provides for
a level road for vehicular traffic over the river Severn (c,
fig. 1), which obviates a detour for all tr<a£6c between Newport
and Bristol of al>out .50 miles i-irt Gloucester. It also provides
for the quadrupling of the Great Western Railway Oo.'s line
(c, and c.) when required between the Wpst of England and
South Wales at a considerablv less cost than i;ould be achieved
in any other way. Lastly, the scheme will create a locked
hasiu for shipping purposes on the Upper Severn above the
line of the Severn Tunnel, of over 27 square miles in extent,
a large portion of which will be .Quitable for the accommoda-
tion of vessels of the largest size, and which would be usable
at nil states of the tide.

The latter portion of the scheme, combined with the electric
power available, may be anticipated to lead to industrial de-

velopment over the whole of this area (u. u), and by bringing
shipping further up the estuary, materially shorten the dis-
tance and lessen the cost of transit to inland places, such as
Birmingham. The basin will accommodate large ocean-going
vessels, and its configuration will readily admit of the con-
struction of deep-water wharves (e, e). In the event of the
resuscitation of inland navigation on such lines as were sug-
gested by the Royal Commission on Canals in 1905, it would
no longer be necessary to provide " sea-going " barges for
the traffic via canals to the Birmingham area, as merchandise
could be transhipped frOm the ocean liners direct into the
barges in the basin.

In ('he words of the Ministry of Transport, "It is ahnost
unnecessary to point out the inestimable boon which the
adoption of such a scheme as this would mean to the whole
community. The scheme is formulated on a sound economic
basis; it is a paying proposition."

The difficulties inseparable from any attempt to harness
the tides are very formidable ones on account of the con-
stantly changing times at which the tides occur, and the
great difference in the height of the tides at the period of
Spring and at the period of Neap tides. The Spring tides
occur round about the periods of full and new moon ; Neap

Pio. 1.— Proposed Severn Barrage.

tides occur in between these periods. There is about five
times as much water power available during a big Spring
tide on the river Severn as there is during a small Neap
tide. Again there is the impossibility of generating power at
a constant rate from turbines placed in the dam.

The method of energy storage which has been adopted is
that of pumping sea water from a low level to a high level
when surplus energy is available, and of using the same
water to drive other turbines in passing from the high level
to the low level at periods when the stored-up energy is
required for industrial purposes. In this case the quantity
of energy which has to be stored is enormous, and an artificial
salt-water lake has been provided for at a high elevation in
order to achieve the object desired.

In a valley not far from the ruins of Tintern Abbey there
exists a site which appears to be ideally adapted for the
location of such a high-level lake. In constructing the reser-
voir it will be necessary to build n dam across the lower
end of the valley. It is intended to force the water up from
the low level of the river Wye through a tunnel driven
through over a mile of .solid rock, and made to discharge
into the lake. The tunnel will be forty feet in diameter and
the largest tunnel of its kind in the world.

There will be two separate installations required in connec-
tion with the power scheme : —

1. A concrete barrage across the river Severn within which
sluices (b) and turbines will be installed at a a, for utilising
the power of the tides, and with' which will be ocmbined ihe
road and railway bridges over the river. ■ '<

714

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,215, decembeb 3, 1920.

3. An energy storage plant comprising a high-level lake (f)
and tunnel in combination with a piimpmg and turbine power
house, indicated in tig. 1 by the second arrow, on the banks
of the tidal portion ol' the river Wye.

The site which has been selected for the barrage has been
the subject of very careful study. It lies close to the line
of the Severn Tunnel, and nature has been kind in providing
an almost ideal site; at this place the estuary is about 2i miles
wide, with low-lying country on either side. The greater part
of the bed of the river is exposed di-y at low water, and there
are .sheets of rock known as " English stones " covered with
seaweed, occupying an area of very nearly a square mile.
The upper structm-e of the rocks is what is known as " Keuper
marl," and between the rocks on the English side and the
rocks on the Monmouthshire shore there is a wide, deep
channel worn out of the solid Pennant sandstone, known
as " The Shoots." The rocks on either side shelve steeply
into this deep gully, which is rather wider and very much
deeper than the river Thames at Westminster. It is proposed
to construct the hydro-electric barrage along the edge of
these rocks at .\ and .\ on either side of the river, utilising
" The Shoots " or deep gully as a tail race for carrying away
the water from the turbines, and a suitable fonn of dam has
been devised of reinforced concrete to suit the circumstances
of the case. Within this dam there will be chambers in
which the turbines and generating machinery will be housed.

The method which it is proposed to adopt in order to utilise
the power of the tides is to trap the water in the upper part
of the estuary above the dam at high water, so as to create
an artificial difference in the level between the water thus
impounded above and that in the estuary below the dam,
for a period of several hours round about the period of low
tide. During these hours sufficient water inside will be
allowed to pass through the turbines to generate upwards of
1,0(X).000 H.p.

The method of trapping the water in the principal part of
the estuiiry is effected by mepns of horizontally hung sluices
extending right across the " English stones " at B. The
doors will automatically allow water to pass above the dam to
replenish the upper part of the river while the tide is rising,
and will automatically shut on the turn of the tide, and so
trap the water above the dam.

At the .second power house at F, electrical energy derived
from the tidal turbines at .\. A and tran.smitted by power
cables, will lie used to pump water up to the reservoir (v)
at such periods as the supply of tidal power permits. When,
however, the demand for electrical energy is greater than
the tidal turbines are able to supply, or when for tidal reasons
the turbines are idle, this power house will automatically
cease to function as a pumping .station, and will operate in-
stead as a generating station, with high-pressure turbines
supplied with water from the reservoir.

One of the principal novel features of the present design is
the way in which the difficulty of allowing ships to pass up
and down the river without in any way interfering with or
interrupting the passage of railway trains acro.ss the bridge
■has been overcome. A locking basin (d, and d.). capable of
taking the largest ship.';, is to be provided on the line of the
navigable channel and intersecting the barrage. The ships
will be led into and worked through the locking basin by
electric locomotives somewhat similar to those in use on the
Panarna Canal. The railway and road traffic will be passed
over either end of this basin by means of lifting bridges operat-
ing in such a way as to ensure that there is no delay either to
railway, road, or river traffic. This is effected by duplicating
the railway in the form of a loop (c,, c,) where it crosses the
locking basin, and so controlling and interlocking the arrange-
ments as to allow continuous free passage for the railway
or road traffic on one or other branch of the loop with
ab.solute safety.

In connection with the propo.sed low-level bridge over the
river in the neighbourhood of the " English Stones." B. it may
be_ noted that this appears to be the most direct way of
gaining access to South Wales from England.

In ctfnclusion. the Ministry outlines the attractions of the
scheme from the point of view of bridging the river for
road and railway purposes.

In a written statement. Sir Ti. Geddes. Minister of Transport,
informed the House of Commons on November 30th that the
scheme had been prepared in his department and had not
been submitted from outside. It arose from the advisaliilitv
of providing a road and rail crossing of the Severn, which was
greatly needed and on which large sums would have to be
spent. It appeared to the Ministry possible to combine this
with a scheme for developing electrical power. The engineers
at the Ministry had worked out a general plan from a technical
point of view, and had reported most favourably, .\part from
the power supply the scheme under consideration improved
roadand rail facilities acro.ss the Severn. ,\ny scheme would
require Parliamentary sanction, and before proceeding further,
he deemed it desirable that the scheme should be referred
t<i outside engineers for further technical consideration, hut
that was a matter primarily for the cnn.sideriition. of the
Water Power Resources Committee. It was estimated that if
the scheme could be carried out employment would be pro-
vided for 10.000 men for seven years, but it was not ."sufficiently
advanced from a technical point of view for very early adop-
tion, even if financial considerations did not arise, these,
rjpcessarily, being of great difficulty at the present time.

LEGAL.

Dii.\TH Hi Shock .not Proved.
Charges under the Factory Act, 1901, Section 79, were pre-
ferred at Stockton-on-Tees on November 'i'ind against Messrs.
Pease and Partners, Ltd., of the Tees Bridge Iionworks,
Bowesfield.

Mr. S. R. Ben.nett, factory inspector, stated that on Sep-
tember 4th a man named Michael McKenna was found at the
works lying grasping a crowbar which had a hook at the
end. This hook was resting on some metal tubing,- which
contained the electric cable for lighting. A man who tried to
rescue McKenna attempted to knock the hook off the tubing
and got an electric shock. Other men appeared, and a second
attempt was made with the same result. The main switch
was then opened and the man was removed to hospital.

Charles Harkison, a mine filler, said the voltage was 250.
Dr. Cloete considered that death was due to asphyxia foUow-
iug an electric shock. There were no bm-ns. Matthew Ioks,
electrician, stated that the earthing was properly done.
Under cross-examination, witness said that when he and the
factory inspector were on the spot after the accident, they
tried to get a shock and could not do so. Mr. Bennett at that
time, he said, attributed the accident to the dampness. Mr.
A. C. Lowe, factory inspector, of Leeds, an electrical expert,
said that while the cable was insulated in the tubing, there
were joints which might give a leakage. He submitted that
there was sufficient voltage in this case Uj cause death.

Mr. R. OoHEN (for the firm) suggested that there was no
evidence against the firm. At the inquest, he stated, the
factory inspector said there was a good deal of electricity
about at the time of the accident owing to the heavy weather,
and the man must have got a shock in some way on account
of the atmospheric effects. Even if McKenna was killed by
shock, which he submitted was only surmise, it was no fault
«f the firm. The cable w-as properly insulated inside the metal
tubing, and the earthing w'as adequate.

The Bench decided that the charges had not been proved,
and accordingly di.smissed both cases.

" PIali.--w.\tt Type " Electric Lamps.
In the Shoreditch County Court, on Thursday, last week,
before Judge Cluer, a claim w-as brought by Charles Seymour
Engazlius, of the Weston Electric Lamp Co.. 1-3. Sun Street.
E.G., lainp manufacturers, against the Elect-Ma Engineering
Co.. of Caledonia Street, King's Cross, manufacturing elec-
trical engineers, to recover £39 18s. 8d.. balance of account
for goods supplied.

Mr. .1. B. Kyffin appeared as counsel for the plaintiffs, and
Mr. Roberts, barrister, for the defence.

There was a counter-claim for £50, as damages for mis-
representation, it being alleged that they purchased from the
plaintiffs what purported to be ^-watt lamps, argon -gasfiUed.
but the representation proved to be false. They had con-
.sequently suffered a serious loss of business.

Counsel .said the plaintiffs were electric lamp manufacturers,
and they obtained an order through a man who did a Little
travelling, for the lamps referred to in the claim, the price
being .5s. 6d., less 30 per cent. After delivery the defendants
conceived the notion that they had been defrauded, and
suggested that the lamps were sold to them as i-watt lamps,
but really the traveller sold " i-watt type " lamps. They
also suggested that they had been induced to enter into the
contract by fraud, but the plaintiffs .strenuously denied this.

The traveller was called, and .said he was certain he said
" 5-watt type " lamps. He admitted that he did not know
what a ^-watt was. The sales manager also gave evidence
as to the order, and the dispatch of the goods. Had there
been any complaint made, they would have changed them.
but the defendants kept the lamps. Thev were made by the
Stella Co.. of Harlesden.

For the defence, evidence was given* that these lamps were
not efficient. They tested one to see if it was gasfilled and
found it was not.

.Judge Cluer ; I cannot see that you have made out any j
misrepresentation. Yon could have returned them, but you .
have kept them to make an investigation.

Mr. Roberts : I am entitled to do that, to see whether we
shall sue for breach of warrantv. or rescission of the contract.
The only .submis.sion I make is that taking all the circum-
stances into consideration, it is entirely improbable that my
client would give an order for these lamps nnless he had the ',*
impression that he was cettinc an efficient }-watt lamp at a
price that was cheaper than that of the i-watt lamp on the
market, and was thereby making a bargain. Ts it likely
that he would have agreed to pay •'is. fid., less 30 per cent.,
which is higher than the market price for the vacuum lamp.
unless he thought he was buying, and would be able to sell,
higher-efficiency lamns, under the ordinary price of those
lamps? The plaintiffs are incompetent to say whether thev
are J-watt or not, they are the coiuluit nipe through which
these goods pass. I say thev were sold recklessly, to the
detriment of the purchaser, whilst we were relying on the
skill of the seller. T ask for damages for misrepre.sentjition.

.Judge Cluer said he could find no mi.srepresentation as
alleged. He did not think they were held out to be i-watt

Vol 87. No.2,215, DECEMBEB3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

715

aud gastilled, it seemed impossible to him. The allegation
was that the sale was by a carelo.s.s seller, who sold in his
spare time. Had he been asked if they were gastilled, he
would probably have said " yes," as he did not know enough
about them to say " no." The defendant was the only one
to blame as he had a few faulty lauii>s, and would not return
them. There would be a verdict for the plaintiffs on the
claim and counterclaim, with costs.

F.-icTOKV Act Ukfknce.
The Urban Electric Supply Company was fined MS at Dart-
mouth on November liyrd for employing a lad under the age
of 18 years on a Sunday. Mr. Joseph Owner, H.M. Inspector
of Factories, said that a youth named Crang, aged 15 last
April, was found working on the Sunday on an ti-hour shift.
This was quite illegal, and as the company persisted in their
action he had no option but to take proceedings. — Western
DaiUj Mercury.

Electkicun's Mate's Injukiks.
In the City of London Court, on November '29th, George
Harris, electrician's mate, claimed agamst R. & H. Green &
Silley Weir, I^td.. ship and engine repau"ers, compensation for
an accident which happened to him while in thek service.
Plaintiff's case was that on May lUth he was working in the
store room of the s.s. Bremen at Tilbury Docks. In raising
an eight-pound hammer he struck his left eye, w'hich was
injured, and the right eye also suffered. His earnings were
i'o OS. 9d. a week before the accident, and he was paid 3os. a
week until July lijth. Then the employers were satisfietl that
the man's condition was not the result of the accident and
stopiJed the payments, hence the present proceedings. He
now asserted that his nerves were so bad that he could not
do any work. Dr. McHuuH said the man's present neuras-
thenic condition was due to the accident. Dr. A. M. Sharpe
said that the man would have been much better if he had
done a little light work. He (the doctor) had tried to get the
largest insurance companies to buy a farm colony, say in
Essex, and .send such cases there instead of fighting them in
coiu't. The companies would save hundreds of thousands of
pounds in that way. Dr. Angus Kennedy and Dr. Graha:*!
Roll said tliey did not think that the accident was the cause
of the man's present condition, .\ssistant Judge Jackson said
he had no doubt the injury was very slight, but the man was
of a nervous teni!>erament, and he could not say that the
man's present condition was not the result of the accident.
Therefore he awarded him 35s. a week from the time when
the money was stopped in July until some future occasion
when the whole question could be reviewed.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Litters rtceived by us after 5 P.M. ON TuesdaT cannot appear v/ntH
the following week. Con espondents should rorward their cmnmimi-
cations at th-e earliest possible nwinsnt. No letter can he published
unless we have the writer's name and address in our possession.

Power Factor.

Mr. Bentham will find, if he carefully reads Mr. TurnbuU's
articles aud the resultmg discussion, that the question of in-
creased fuel consumption due to low power factor has already
Ijeen touched upon, and whereas Mr. Bentham refers only to
the increased coal consumption due to running a set under-
loaded, there is also the increase in mains and transformer
losses due to low power factor to be considered. It appears
quite impossible to devise a rate which will cover all these
points; in practical everyday life one has to consider general
average conditions, and I maintain that the most equitable
basis of charge is a charge on k.v.a. demand plus unit charge
for consumption. As I pomted out in my article on " Im-
provement of Power Factor," published . in the Electrical
Review of October 17th, 1919, and succeeding issues, it could
be arranged if necessary to vary the k.v.a. demand charge
according to the power factor, that is to say, if the power
factor of the consumer's load is 70 per cent, the demand
charge would be 23s. per k.v.a., if 80 per cent., 22s. per
K.V.A., if 00 per cent., 21s. per k.v.a., and if unity. 20s. per
k.v.a. This was only a .suggestion that I made should it be
found desirable to o!jc/-penalise for excessively low power
factor.

I read Mr. Stubbings's articles witli very considerable in-
terest : whilst I was aware of the limitations of accuracy of the
kilovolt-ampere-hour meter, I am still of the opinion that a.s
the pow'er factor of a consumer's load (at times of maximum
load) does not usually vary outside the limits of To per cent,
to 20 per cent., this met«r is sufficiently sound for ordinary
commercial purposes and has the great advantage, fnjm the
non-technical consumer's standpoint, that it gives a direct
reading.

Mr. D. Sclar. in his article in your last issue, discus.ses at
.some length methods of measuring the power factor of a circuit
where a power-factor indicator is not available. First, there
is one little shp that he makes in dealing with the question

of two-phase load, where he says that the amps., watts, &c-,
of each phase should be taken; this is not quite accurate
where a three-wire tn-o-phase system is concerned, as the cm--
lent in the neutral is 2 X current in outers. I assume
that Mr. Sclar has made this suggestion for carrying out tests
at the consumers' premises or at the power station to give an
approximate indication as to what the power factor is, and
for this reason extreme accm-acy is not so essential, as the
power factor is such a varying figure from day to day. I have
always used in carrying out tests on consumers' premises a far
simpler process, namely, to arrive at the kw. of a load by
means of the supply integrating watt-hour meter, reading this
at time of maximum load over a period of 15 minutes and
multiplying the numljer of units by four, when you get the
demand in KW. For the demand in k.v.a. the declared volt-
age of the supply is taken and multiplied by the reading of
an ammeter connected in circuit. The ratio of these two read-
ings at once gives you the power factor ; in the case of single-
phase, the current of the meter bemg taken, in the case of
two-phase twice the current in the outers, and in the case of
three-phase V 3 X the current in any conductor and voltage
between phases. Such a method gives a very simple solution,
and I have found it sufficiently accurate to gauge the power
factor of the load. As an example I quote the following : —
Consumer's load is '3-phasc, 400 volts.

Reading of unit meter for 15 minutes- 10 units.

Maximum demand in kw. =10X4 = 40 kw.

Average reading of ammeter for 16 minutes- 80 ami's,

K.V.A. demand = 80xV3xi00 (v) = 55.4 k.v.a.

Power factor 40/55.4 = 72.3 per cent.
With reference to " Student's " letter, if he should happen
to be resident in London, I should be pleased to show him
one of the many condensers which I, in association with Mr.
W. A. Hole, 19, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, have
installed in the London area.

E. W. Dorey.
Hemel Hempstead.
November mii, 1920.

A Dryiog Cupboard.

I was recently called upon to prepare a scheme for the rapid
drying of photographic fihus in fairly large quantities.
Hitherto the fihus have been dried by suspending them in
rows from the ceihug of a wooden cupboard, the size of which
was 8 ft. high by 5 ft. square. The films were placed about
o in. apart, and when the cupboard was tilled, two lO^in.
pedestal fans were placed upon the floor blowing in a vertical
direction, beside two one-kilowatt radiators.

This method dried the films quite satisfactorily in about
li hours. This is not quick enough to cope with the amount
of work handled, and is also too costly, apart from the incon-
venience of having the apparatus on the floor.

I then tried the plan of replacing the two pedestal fans with
one 12-in. box-blade exhaust fan fixed at the top of the cup-
board, and substituting for the two radiators one 1-kilowatt
radiator facing an aperture placed just above the floor level.
The cupboard (which is of matchboard) was made practically
airtight by papering all over. The idea was to draw all air
through the aperture (which was adjustable) straight across
the radiator, thereby causing a cm-rent of warm air to come
in contact with the fihus before being exhausted on the oppo-
site side; at the same time I considered that a partial vacuum
being formed would materially assist the drying process. The
result, how'ever, is very disappointing, as the fihus now take
three 'hours, or twice as long as previously.

I should add that the fan is controlled by a regulating
switch, and the best results were obtained when running
very slowly.

Gould any of your correspondents point out the cause of
failure'? Theoretically I thmk it should have been successful,
and must confess myself puzzled. The cupboard is all the
space available, so I cannot duplicate.

Puzzled.

November 2ith, 1920.

[Much depends on the design of the radiator; if it is a true
high-temperature radiator, it will not be very effective for
heating a current of air— a convector should bo used. The
" partial vacuum," being only a small fraction of an inch of
water-gauge, is a negligible factor. The temperature of the
air at various points and the course of the air-current should
be tested ; possibly the air is not distributed over the films.—
Eds. Elec. Rev.]

An Engineers' Club for London,

It is, I think, a matter of regret that the inuch-talked-nf
Engineers' Club for London has apparently fallen through,
particularly in view of the great success of that in Man-
chester.

Housing shonid not be a .serious difficulty. T .should like
to see the I.E.E. building on the Embankment used primarily
for such a purpose, and this .should be possible. It would then
become, I believe, a real live centre, not only for London
members, but for engineers from all parts, instead of reverting
to what it was to most of us before being taken over by the
Government.

716

THE .ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,245, December 3, 1920.

The Manchester Club was got under way through the I.E.E.
Loeal Committee electing a few of their number as a sub-
committee, to deal with the question in conjunction with
nominees from similar technical societies in the district whom
they invited to join them- These invitations were promptly
aecepted, and a Club Provisional Committee was formed,
which carried the scheme through to maturity. Cannot the
same be done here? I fe«l sure it can, and quickly, if you
will give it your support. Might I suggest that you invite
those engineers, whether they be members of the I.E.E. or
not, who favour some such scheme, to send you a post card to
that effect, so that some idea of the support likely to be forth-
ooming may be obtained?
.,<, , M.I.E.E.

[The need for an Engineers' Club in London has long been
felt, but its formation has been hindered by the many diffi-
culties arising out of the conditions obtaining in the London
area, which in various respects is unique. We are not
amongst those who believe that difficulties should be allowed
to block the path of progress, and we shall be happy to assist
the movement by any means in our power. We shall there-
fore,,be pleased to adopt " M.I.E.E.'s " suggestion, and shall
be glad to. hear from any of our readers who are interested in
the proposal.— Eds. Elec. Rev.]

Shop Displays.

I was much interested in '■ The Retailer's " letter in your
issue of the 19th inst. I presume he did not see mine on
a kindred subject which appeared in your issue of April 16th
last, or he would have contmued on the point therein raised.

The help of the large' display shops must be obtained before
any steps can be taken to put the question strongly before
the tittmgs manufacturers and the lamp distributors, who
depend upon the shops tor the displaying of their productions
and trade signs.

As matters now stand shopkeepers have no protection;
manufacturers and distributors supply goods on the same terms
to people not in the electrical trade as to those that are.

In a club to which I belong there is a memljer, not con-
nected with any trade (a civil servant), who is not ashamed
to tout for orders for lamps which he can get cheap through
" a friend," whereas if 1 attempted such a thing I should
becondemned as using the club for pushing my business.

A few weeks back I submitted an estimate for wiring which
I executed; judge of my surprise when mentioning the matter
of 'fittings and lamps to hear that these were " being bought
wholesale."

Owners of garages who have no expense in display of
lighting have the idea that shopkeepers keep stock for their
convenience; one of these selected some articles, and when
presented with the bill demanded 33i per cent, discount, the

.same as he could get from the Co. Result : Waste of

time, no sale. That such people should be on the same
terms as those who make a display is monstrous.

The lighting trade must organise, and demand frorn the
manufacturers and distributors protection and preference such
afe is secured by retailers in other trades; nothing should be
sold by them unless to those who are selling again at a profit.
Hordes of travellers in lamps call on people whose only
display is a sign on the door, and who should be the customers
of the shopkeeper at a discount of 10 per cent, or so.

Users of lamps, but not sellers, should not be in a better
position than buying from a recognised retailer dealing in
lighting goods only.

Electrical plant works and shops entirely devoted to tlic
sale of lighting goods should receive a preference. I quote
lighting as some display shops deal with gas fittings as well
as electric ones.

S6me restriction is needed as regards the supply of goods
and discounts to builders who display notices ; " Electrical
Contractor." but who keep no stock and no workmen for
tha.t purpose. Only last week I was sent for to remedy some
defects in wiring by one of this fraternity. It was fortunate
that there- was no worse disaster than a scorched skirting-
board, the occupant having at once used the main switch.

Will someone of influence in the electrical trade get a few
together to arrange for a meeting to l>r notified in your
columns, and so prepare the way for an organisation in
London, which, once started, would spread to the provinces.
as competition there in illegitimate dealing is as rife as here?

Retailer.

.[Nineteen years ago precisely the .snme action was taken
through our columns, and the Electrical Contractors' Associa-
tion was the outcome of the meeting. We shall be pleased
to make an announcement as desired by ", Retailer," but is
a new organisatibn necessary? — Eds. Elec. Rev.]

The I.E.E. Subscriptions.

Before this letter is published, the decision of the meeting
to be held on December 2nd will be known, regarding the
proposed increase in subscriptions. Whatever that decision
may prove to have been, the follnwing points arc of per-
niaiieht interest.

Apart altogether from considerations merely of an increased
amount t<) be paid for the same services as v?ere given before

the war, because of the change in the currency value, it must
be borne in mind that the Institution has large ideals and
objectives in view, and the attainment of these will involve
expenditure on a still more extended scale. The value of the
co-operation of the Institution in technical matters is realised
in iiigh oflicial quarters; the ever-widening applications of
electricity make it more and more important that the organisa-
tion of the Institution should keep pace with the progress
that is being made; and the Institution must in due course
become an even more valuable asset to the nation than it
now is. Some tlay, let us hoiX', the Council will be a great
body, dealing with matters of policy and development only,
and delegating its local activities to a subordinate body, w'hich
will become the Committee for the London Territorial Centre,
which will then be constituted on the some lines as the other
Centres. There may Gave to be sectional organisations within
the main body of "the Institution, forming part of a great
whole, to which it will be not only a privilege, but also a
necessity, for every qualified man to belong.

All this cannot be accomplished without funds, and one
hoi)es that the Council have gone far enough in the increase
they are now asking for. Subscriptions were not raised all
through the war [period, and that is something to claim as
a virtue. But it has curtailed the activities of the Institution,
'as, for example, in the case of the Juurnal. Proposals have
been made to sectionalise the .Joiimal, and send to each mem-
ber only the part concerning his work. That would be a great
mistake, for the Journal is one of the few sources of informa-
tion as to what is going on outside one's own usually rather
narrow groove. But an efficient journal costs an enormous
sum to-day, and more money must be had.

Much is said about what one gets in return for one's sub-
scriptions. The organisation of the Institution in territorial
centres makes the privileges almo; :. uniform all over the
country, outside as well as inside Lou -.jn. That is the justi-
fication for a fixed subscription as ap'';ii.-'t *".■ 'ilferentiation
which obtains in other institutions which ha . .' .'i ''ss complete
territorial organisation. But is there not anoil-.rr side to the
question? It is not what we are to get iL.:! we should think
most of, rather ought we to think of what we may give, and
remember that by contributing with the neces.sary liberality
to the funds of the Institution we are laying the foundation of
a still wider and more extended scope for the profession to
which we have the honour to belong.

Possibly, if all those associate member.s of the Institution,
who aie qualified, and can afford, to transfer to full member-
ship, had always done so at the earliest possible date, the
present increase in subscriptions would not have been asked
for. But, lest the comparatively trifling additional amounts
now suggested should prove insufficient fully to support all
the widening objects of the Institution, may it not be urged
that all those who might transfer to the senior grade of mem-
bership should do so as .soon as they can, and so provide a
still greater income? I myself delayed far too long to make
the change, until I realised the ixiint about giving as well as
getting. For many years, too. I attended scarcely any meet-
ings, although they were held almost at my door; and I used
to wonder wh.Tt the Institution was doing for me. Then I
found it was doing a great work, and I was so lazy that I
would not go out and simply take what was being offered
to me. Now. I cannot lie thankful enough to the Institution
for all that it has done for me, and for all that it has taught
mc. May I pass on the hint of my own expedience to some
of those who have been saying Cui bono'?

Thomas Carter, M.Inst.C.E., M.I.E.E., Eel. A. I.E.E.

Newcastle-on-Tyne.
November 11th. 19'20.

The Future of Finsbury.

Unless a determined effort is made to influence the decision
of the Council of the City and Guilds Institute, Finsbury
Technical College, the pioneer institution for the training of
engineers and chemists, will be closed in July next.

It has been suggested that alternatively the college curri-
culum may be restricted to that of a super trade school for
chemists — m either case Finsbury, as we know it, would cease
to exist, and the cause of technical education, and the interests
of the engineering and chemical professions would receive a
severe blow.

A Finsbury training stands for a scientific education largely
conducted in the laboratory,, and under professors who are
practical men, and acknowledged leaders in their respective
professions. An education on a broad basis, but with the
instruction in the various subjects cut to the needs of the
particular industries concerned, .so that the training given in
two or three years is equivalent for many purposes to that
obtained in three or four years at other colleges.

A proud claim truly, but one which was constantly made
by the revered late principal of the college. Prof. S, P,
Thompson, and which the long list of its old students whose
names have become famous, goes a long way to confirm — Mr.
LI. B. .\tkinson, the president this year of the T.E.E., being
one of them. ... ,,.,

Finsbury, with its worliLwiile rf|nifation, is to he cloped.-i
Why? " ^ ... '. :'

The City and Guilds Institute,' whii'h up to the present
has provided f/) per cent, of the college income, has less fund^
avnilablf) now than in pre-war years, but if the tradition ot

Vol.87. No. 2,245, December 3, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

717

the college is to be maintained an additional income of some
i65,000 must be provided, which is necessitated solely by the
depreciation of the currency. It is also urged that the pro-
posed outlay by the London County Council on the Northamp-
ton Polytechnic, about a mile from Pinsbury. will meet all
the neeils of that district. This is a misunderstanding of the
objects of the two educational centres which is not shared
by the London County Council, as that body has now dis-
claimed any intention to compete with Finsbury in any
respect.

Another reason for {he Listitute's decision is undoubtedly
the belief that its old enthusiasm in the cause of technical
education is no longer necessary — that the University of Lon-
don movement and the London County Council between them
will effectively cover the entire field of technical education
required by the metropolis, .so that the present is an opportune
rnoment for the college to close its doors.

This is very far from the truth. There always will be a
demand for a short course of specialised practical training
without the finish provided by the university, but of a different
character to that of the trade schools and polytechnics of
the London County Council.

A college having this intermediate programme must be
free from control by the syllabuses and inspections of univer-
sity or County Council, and therefore is not provided for by
any public funds: clearly it must continue to look to voluntary
effort for its maintenance. Its existence is a necessity, and
the City and Guilds Institute should be encouraged to realise

that to' close Knsbury, which has this character, would " not'
only be a pity, but a grave mistake; Finsbury must be main-
tained with its three departments intact, and in a flourishing,
condition.

A petition to the Institute to reconsider its decision has
been drawn up, and copies are available for signature, among
other places, at the Institution of Electrical Engineers aind
the Institute of Chemistry. It is to be hoped that the Councils
of these two bodies and of the Institutions of Civil and of
Mechanical Engineers will not remain passive spectators of
this movement of protest, but will interest themselves offi-
cially in the fate of this college, which has trained so many
of their members that it deserves a determined efiort on their
part to prevent its useful career being brought to an untimely
end.

H. M. Dowsett, M.I.E.E,, F.Jnst.P,, M.Illst,Rr%v

Chelmsford. ■ !.-^"-t • • i ■>■ ■-'■

Nouember 30f;^, 1920. --i '' ■> ■■■'■-■'■'

[Past and present students and others ioterested in the
Finsbury Technical College have formed a Defence Com-
mittee to, consider the possibility of carrying on the work of
the College. .Applications for membership, with entrance f«e
'2s. 6d., should be sent to Dr. Atkinson. Pinsbury Technical
College, Leonard Street, E.C,,2.— Eds. Ei.ec. Rev.].' ,.>,.•.

. '■ ■ ■■■ .■■:(I', ■•

VK number of letters have arrived too late for inclnsiob- in

this issue. — Eds. Er.EO. Rev.] ' ' '

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankroptcy Proceedings. — D. A. Brown, consulting

electrical enjineer, 9, Old Queen Street, Westminster, S.W. — The
public examination was heH before Mr. Registrar Hope, at the
London Bankruptcy Court, on November 24th. The debtor returned
total liabilities £1,654 (unsecured £1,219), and aarets, " personal
effects, £20." He stated that having served his apprenticeship, he
In July, 1913, entered into partnership with another person ; they
started business at the above address, and witness introduced
£1,000 capital in return for a one-third share of the concern. He
was serving abroad from Auprust, 1914, till May, 1919, but was
thereafter engraved in the partnership business until February,
1920, when a dissolution was mutually arrangfed, under which he
was to receive £600 for his share in the business, as to £100 on
the signing of the agreement, and the balance by quarterly instal-
ments of £125. Witness attributed his insolvency to extravagance
and to being out of employment since February last. The
examination was concluded.

H. J. MonsoN, radiographer, 26, Manchester Street, W. Trustee,
Mr. F. S. Salaman, 1 and 2, Bucklersbury, E.G.

E. Cloney, tramway divisional traffic superintendent, 5. St.
Albans Road, Parliament Hill Field?, N.W.— Third dividend of
48. 6d. in the £, payable at Carey Street, W.C.

Company Liquidations. — Foote & Milne, Ltd., elec-
trical engineers, 66, Victoria Street, London, S.W. — A mee i»g of
the creditors of the above was held on November 24th, at
Anderton's Hotel, Fleet Street, E.G. Mr. S. Enever, who presided,
submitted an approximate statement of affairs, which disclosed
total liabilities of .£59,406. The indebtedness to the trade was
£11,136, and there were cash creditors for £48,270, The assets
were estimated to realise £19,006, from which had to be deducted
£544 for preferential claims, leaving net assets of £18,462. The
assets consisted of : War Bonds, £15 ; stock, £4,977; instruments
and tools, £1,110; furniture and fittings, £121; plant, £280 ;
patenvs, £3,061 ; book debts, £2,112 ; work in progress, valued at
£4,316 ; shares in other companies, £2,720 ; and cash in hand,
£290. Mr. Enever stated that the company was incorporated on
June 3rd, 1902, with a nominal capit£il of £1.5 000, divided into
10,000 ordinary shares of £1 each and 6,000 cumulative preference
shares of a similar value bearing interest at the rate of 5 per cent.
The issued capital was 8,000 ordinary and 3,264 preference shares.
Of the issued capital, s.coo ordinary and 1,255 preference shares
were allotted as fully paid as the consideration for the purchase
of the business previously carried on by Messrs. H. Foote, L. Milne,
and E. J. Owen. Immediately after the formation of the company,
2,C09 preference shares were paid for in cash. To provide
additional working capital, first debentures were issued in August.
1902, to Mr. W. R. Owen for £3,000. In November, 19Iii, second
debentures for £5,000 were issued to Mr. E .1. Owen. A year later
the bank advanced £1,040. and was given, with the consent of the
debenture-holders, a specific and prior charge on the assets of the
company. The bank continued to make advances to the company,
and the first and second debentures were transferred to it by
the respective holders. In October, 1904, further moneys were
required, and an additional debenture for tl0,0oo was issued to
the bank. In January, 1916, a still further direct debenture was
issued to the bank for £6,000. The total charges on the assets
of the company wc-e debentures £24,000, and the first charge of
£1,040, or a total of £25,040. The company paid a dividend of
6 per cent, on the preference shares and 10 per cent, on the
ordinary shares for the period ending April 30th, 1903, but no
dividends had since been paid. The books had been regularly
audited. Up to 1916 the fortunes of the company fluctuated, but
in the aggregate the losses exceeded the profits. At the end of
1918 the accounts showed a debit h.lanoe of £19,370. Further
contracts had been completed since that date and other losses

incurred. Lirge sums were lost in connection with contracts
several with the Government, owing to increased prices having
to be paid for materials and labour. Finally, creditors began to
press, and the debenture- holders then appointed a receiver. Mr.
Eaever added that of the cash claims no less than K 46,460 was due
to the bank, and it held charges amounting to £25,040. The
assets of the company, however, did not appear to be sufficient to
fully discharge the claim of the bank under the debentures.
A creditor asked if he was to understand that there was nothing
at all for the trade creditors, and Mr. Enever replied that unless
the values he had given for the assets proved to be incorrect the
creditors could not hope to receive anything. No resolutions were
passed, and the voluntary liquidation of the company will, there-
fore, be continued, with Mr. R. J. Ward as the liquidator. '

Eleotric Supply Co. ov Westebk Australia, Ltd.—
Winding-up voluntarily. Liquidator, Mr. G. Sales, 21, Waterloo
Street, Birmingham. A meeting of creditors was called for
December 1st, at Lennox House, Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C.

British Rubber Manufactures, Ltd. — The first Ineeting Of
creditors was called for December 2nd, at Cirey Street„W.C.

London Label Co , Ltd. — Winding up voluntarily. Liquidator,
Mr. L. H. Findlay, 15, Great St. Helens, E.G. 3. Meeting of
creditors, December 1 6th, at the Institute of Chartered Accountants,
Moorgate Place, E.G.

Trade Announcements.— Messrs. F. W. Smith & Co.,

Ltd., electrical engineers, have opened premises at St. Gfeorge's
Chambers, Athol Street, Douglas, Isle of Man.

Anglo Overseas Engineers and Merchants, Ltd., have
removed from Hastings House, 10, Norfolk Street, to jLmberley
House, 12, Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C.

Messrs. A. Vebev &Co., Ltd., wholesale electrical suppliers, haye
removed to 07, Borough Road, S.E.I. Telephone, Hop 5318;
telegrams, Verelecco, Sedest, London.

Messrs. Small & Macdonald, electrical contractors, have removed
to 119, North Street, Glasgow, telephone number, 2286 Central, and
will be pleased if manufacturers will forward catalogues and show-
cards of electrical goods, &c.

Z Electric Lamp and Sitpplies Co., Ltd., inform na that
from December 6th their address will be 73, Newman Street, W. 1,
where all communications should be sent. Telegrams : Zedellam
'Phone, London ; telephone : Museum, 4650/3, four lines.

Messes. Thomas Tilling, Ltd. — The registered office of this
company is now 20, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W. 1. Tele-
phone : Victoria 9756 ; telegrams : Tilling, Vic, London.

Catalogues and Lists. — Caplain Saint-Andre Fils et

CiE. (Agent, H. Sloog, A.M.I.E.E., 45, Great Marlborough Street,
W. 1.)— An illustrated description of the firm's precious-metal
refining works at Rantigny, Paris, Trevoux, &c. In French,
English and Spanish.

British Insulated and Helsby Cables, Ltd., Prescot,
Lanes, — A leaflet (P 164), illustrating and describing "Prescot"
armour-clad reactances.

A. Verev i: Co., Ltd., 67, Borough Road, S.B. 1. — November
net trade price list of electric lighting accessories, including:
bowl fittings, reflectors, adapters, switches, &o. Illustrated.

TheMetropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd., 20, Brazen-
nose Street, Manchester.— Special publication 7450/1. An extremely
well-illustrated booklet (20 pp.), describing the Metropolitikn-
Vickers Rateau reducingpressure turbine (Electrical Review,
April 30th, 1920, p. 571). Also illustrated leafleU No. 4.59/2-3,
dealing with marine turbines and double-reduction gearing and
No. 461/4-Leblano surface condensing plant.

HiGOS Bros., Sand Pits, Birmingham.— " Monthly Majfaziufl"'
Vol. 2, No. 9, December, 1920. Stock and price lists of A.C. and

718

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,245, December 3, 1920

D.c. motors and D.c. dynamos, " Ilints and Tips" on "Noises,"
and a number of humorous items.

L. G. Hawkins & Co., llfi, Charing Cross Eoad, W.C. 2.—
Pamphlet No. 439, an illustrated folder dealing with " Universal "
irons and other domestic appliances.

Fo.sTER Engineerinc; Co., Ltd., Morden Works, Wimbledon,
S.W. 19.— Catalogue Xo. L.51 (19 pp.). A well-illustrated, fully-
priced list of various typss of lamps, reflectors, bowl fittings, &c.

John Phillips & Co., 166. Walworth Road, S.E. 17.— An illustrated
leaflet dealing with motor- and hand-driven commutator grinders.

RosTON & HORNSBY, LTD., Lincoln.— Publication 4,056, an illus-
trated pamphlet giving details of teats carried out on a 260-b.h.p.
cold-starting oil engine, by Capt. H. Riall Sankey, C.B., &c.

Charles CHURCHitL A; Co., Ltd., 9-15, Leonard Street, Finsbury,
E.G. 2. — A well-produced catalogue (24 pp.) of "T. &L.M." pre-
cision bench lathe and accessories. Illustrated.

The British Aluminium Co., Ltd., 109, Queen Victoria Street,
E.G. 4. — " Hints on Working Aluminium, No. 5," " Aluminium
Sections " (8 pp.). Practical directions, with diagrams, for a wide
variety of sections.

National X-Ray Reflector Co., U.S.A. — Illustrated leaflets
dealing with X-ray reflector.? and their applications. Also illustra-
tions and publicity matter of X-ray coloured reflectors for shop-
window lighting effects.

Downes & Davies, 1 and H. Stanley Street. Liverpool -i-An
illustrated and priced catalogue (7 pp.) giving full descriptions of
'' Apex " ironclad D.P. switch and switches fuses.

The Midland Electric Manufactdbin(j Co., Ltd., Barford
Street, Birruingham. — An illustrated card giving details and prices
of " Pyramid " forged copper cable sockets to carry from 15 to 300
amperes.

Edison^^Swan Electric Co., Ltd., Ponders End, Middlesex.—
An S-page" blotter, bearing on its cover a view of the Springfield
(Illinois) factory of the iSangamo Electric Co., for whose meters
the Edison Swan Co. are agents.

Leaflet No. B.B. 166, an illustrated catalogue (12 pp ) of electric
bells, buzzers and Indicators. Fully priced.

ScHOLEY & Co., Ltd., 56, Victoria Street. S.W. 1.— An illustrated
booklet (12 pp.) descjrilring '' Scholey " fractional H.p. motors (D.c.
and A.c.) and their application to domestic appliances, and small
machine tools, &c.

The Indastrial League and Coancil. — Since the advent

of Whitleyism the Industrial League and Council has done all it
can to popularise the movement, and in the November ./('«?■««/ we
notice that the League and Council has decided to make this publi-
cation the medium for reporting what each of the Joint Industrial
Councils is doing. In this direction the Journal will undoubtedly
meet a long-felt want. Up to the present, except through the
medium of official channels, only scrappy reports of the activities
of the various Whitley Councils have been available, with the result
that the abundance of good work which Whitley Councils have
accomplished has been allowed to pass unnoticed, much to the
detriment of the development of the scheme. We therefore trust
that the Whitley Councils, which have the welfare of the move-
ment at heart, will heartily co-operate with the Industrial League
and Council by taking full advantage of the facilities thus placed
at their disposal .

German Magnetos. — Mr. B. Caillard, managing director
of British Lighting and Ignition Co., Ltd., recently told the Tiines
Birmingham correspondent that the British motorcar and internal-
combustion engine manufacturer was bound to give very careful
consideration to the offers that he received from Germany of low-
priced magnetos, however patriotic he might be, because if one
manufacturer used German magnetos purchased at a reduced price
he naturally put himself in a very favourable position as compared
with his competitors. There was no question that British magneto
firms were in a position to supply the whole of the British trade.
and they would do their utmost to resist the German competition. .
but they must have protection until the exchange and other
inequalities were overcome. Mr. Caillard mentioned an offer, dated
November 13th, of 6,000 new German magnetos of a type suitable
for medium power four-cylinder cars, at £8 16s. 8d., o.i.f. British
ports, inclusive of duty. That was well below what British manu-
facturers could quote tor similar lots. Another quotation, which
came from Amsterdam, was £8 5s., duty paid, London or Birming-
ham. The quality of the German article was quite good, though
scarcely up to pre-war standard, and certainly not better than
magnetos produced in England.

Strong efforts are being made to get the British magneto industry
included in the '' Key Industries Bill, "las 2,000 skilled workers are
directly affected in Coventry alone, representing a sum of £350,00o
per annum in wages.

An Electrical Combine. — The Fi?iaiii ial Times announces
the approaching transfer of the assets of Messrs. Dick, Kerr & Co.,
the Phuunix Dynamo Co., and the United Electric Car Co., to the
English Electric Co., which has, it is stated, unexecuted orders in
hand amounting to over £6,000,000.

Book Notices. — " British Standard Specification for

Steam Turbines for Electrical Plant." No. 132. 1920. 10 pp. and
plates. London : Crosby Lockwood & Son (for the British
Engineering Standards Association). Price Is. net.

" Coal Saving in the Chemical Industry ; the Scientific Control
of Steam Boiler Plant." By David Brownlie, B.Sc.Hons. (Lond.),
&c. 15 pp. Reprinted from T/ie Clirmical Trade Joiiriiat anil
Chemical Enqineer. Price 2s. 6d. net. This includes a table
giving exact details of the performance of 60 typical steam boiler
plants of the chemical industry of Great Britain, compiled by the
author.

"The Jlidleliii of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of
Ontario." Vol. VII. No. 7. 24 pp. The November Bulleth,
includes illustrated articles on the Queenston-Chippawa Develop-
ment and the approval testing work carried out in the Commission's
laboratories.

" .hiiirniil of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers."
No. 11. Vol. XX.XIX. November, 1920. New York: The
Institute.

" Bamber's Rubber Calculator Book." 65 pp. London : The
India- It iihher Jourmil. Price 6s. net. This is a booklet of con-
venient size which should prove of great value to engineers,
importers, shippers, and manufacturers of solid rubber goods.
Tables of dimensions and weights (in both English and metric
systems) are given for all types of manufactures, including
tubing, disks, and washers. The preface is given in English,
French Italian, and Spanish, and the headings are in these languages
and German.

" Terms of Rpsearch Studentships and Scholarships in Mechanical
and Electrical Engineering." 16 pp. London : British Electrical
and Allied Manufacturers' Association (Inc.) (See p. 735.)

"The Platinum Metals." By I A. D. Lumb. Pp. ix + 63.
London : J. Murray. Price 3s. 6d. net. This monograph, prepared
under the direction of the Mineral Sources Committee of the
Imperial Institute, embodies a great amount of detailed informa-
tion regarding the uses of platinum, its sources of supply, &c. A
world-map is given, upon which the platinum-baaring districts
referred to are shown, and a bibliography compiled from references
made in the text is included.

" The Electron," the Journal of the Electrical Trades Union.
No. 5. Price Id. 20 pp. The December issue contains particulars
of recent wage awards and the " Colchester '' decision. An explana-
tory schedule of proposed new consolidated rates is published as a
supplement. .

It is announced that, starting this week, Wuijx ani Means and
Common Sense will be amalgamated. Common Sense was first
published four years ago by Mr. F. W. Hirst, when he relinquished
the editorship of the Kconomist. TFa/w and Means was the direct
outcome of the work of Mr. Ernest Benn, in the founding of
Whitley Councils and the bringing together of employers and
employed through the Industrial Reconstruction Council, of which
he was the creator. The policies of the two papers have so much
in common that an amalgamation comes quite naturally.

" Electric Lamp Industry.'' By G. A. Pcrcival. Pp. xxi -(- 112 ;
26 figs. London : Sir I. Pitman & Sons, Price 3s. net.

Parliamentary Notices. — A number of applications

which are being made to Parliament for electrical powers appear
in the London Gazette for November 23rd and 26th. We shall
refer to the applications in the usual form when the collection is
complete.

Unemployment Benefit. — The National Alliance of
Employers and Employed, in view of the prevailing state of un-
employment, and the possibilities of an increase of unemployment
in the near .future, has decided to urge the Government to pass
immediate legislation to enable unemployment benefit to be paid
as from November 8th under the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1 920,
irrespective of the contributions payable under Sec. 5 of the Act :
to make special arrangements for the supply of available un-
employed labour to schemes or contracts which are of a sound
economic nature, where such schemes or contracts are held up for
want of labour ; to call upon each industry to measure its own
unemployment, and to arrange schemes for the division of avail-
able work ; and to arrange that any balance of labour still
unabsorbed be referred to District Councils of Employers and
Trade Unionists, which the National Alliance is prepared to
provide, to arrange for temporary measures of employment in con-
junction with municipalities and district authorities.

Government Control.— Sir R. Home, President of the
Board of Trade, at the annual dinner of the Liverpool Shipbrokers'
Benevolent Society last Saturday, said that he could not think of
anything so paralysing to trade as the hand of the Government
upon it. He was perfectly certain that the carrying on of business
and industry was a matter far beyond the capability of any
Government Department. Jle had confidence that the new spirit
which had been exhibited in the coal trade was going to have a
beneficial result. The owners and miners were at work together at
the present time to urge the increase of output. If we got anything
like the output before the war, it might make an enormous
difference to the shipbuilding industry, and, what would affect all
the citizens, it would cheapen everything that was brought from
overseas. Buyers all over the world were waiting for reduced
prices. He did not think we should ever do really healthy business
until we got back to something like the normal level of prices. —
'J'hf Times.

An Animated Poster. — Conspicuous in the procession
which took place on Saturday prior to the opening of the Inter-
national Advertising Exhibition at the White City was the " Osram "
elephant — a living representation of the popular G.E.C. poster and
showcard, depicting a sturdy elephant in conjunction with an
Osram lamp. It being impossible to have a live elephant in the
same position, relative to the lamp, as iu the poster design, tl 8
arrangement adopted for the procession was to have a large
plaster cast of an Osram sujiported on the elephant's back, the
animal being suitably draped. She lumbered .slowly along, and the
joint efforts of four attendants were necessary to keep her up with
he horses in front, and by her antics she attracted the attention
;ind excited the admiration of the thousands of sightseers who lined
the route of the proctsiion.

1

Vol.87. No. 2,245, December 3. 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

719

Rubber Exhibition, 1921.— Thirty-six Britisli iind
foreiffn Governments have signified their intention of taking part
in the fifth international exhibition of rubber and other tropical
products, which, under the patronage of the King, will be held in
London next June. — The Times.

Domestic Appliances for Fiji. — The Department of

Overseas Trade informs us that the Imperial Trade Correspondent
at Suva, Colony of Fiji, states that since electric lighting has been
installed by the Municipal Council at Suva, he has had several
inquiries regarding lighting and cooking apparatus, and he there-
fore suggests that if he were supplied with illustrated catalogues
stating prices, business would doubtless fellow. He understands
that some lighting and cooking apparatus of United States manu-
facture is already being used in the Colony. Details of the plant
installed by the Municipal Council in Suva are not yet available
in the Department. Catalogues should be addressed to the Acting
Receiver-General, The Treasury, Suva, Colony of Fiji. The
Department wishes to be notified of any action taken in the
matter.

The Netherlands Indies. — A British Chamber of Com-
merce for the Netherlands East Indies has been incorporated ; its
address is 38, Dover Street, W.

Catalognes for Ecuador. — H.M. Consul-General at
Quito (Ecuador), has notified the Department of Overseas Trade
that he has received inquiries from local firms for various articles,
including electrical material and tools. United Kingdom firms
who would like to forward catalogues can obtain the names of
these firms from the D.O.T.

Trade with Mexico. — Complaints have been received by
the British Vice-Consul at Guadalajara that British goods cannot
be delivereii because ot the home demand, and it is evident that if
foreign markets are to be retained, this policy must be altered. —
Bmrd of Trade Journal.

Lead Report, — Messrs. James Fobster & Co., in their

report dated November 27th, say :—" Closing values yesterday
were £28 November and £29 February shipment, these prices
showing a loss of 903. and 55s. per ton respectively on the week.
On the first three days of the week there was heavy selling pressure
in all positions, and the total transactions on these three days
amounted fully to 4,600 tons. There has, therefore, been persistent
selling pressure since the 12th inst., quite 15,030 tons having
changed hands since that date, the bulk of which was for delivery
over the first three months of next year."

Messbs. G. Cawson & Co say that the general trade demand has
been quiet. Electrical works, however, continue to buy freely,
and are evidently well supplied with orders.

Xmas. Selling Campaign.— Oace again the American
Society for Electrical Development is conducting a Christmas sales
" drive," and, with characteristic American thoroughness, is flooding
the towns with publicity literature, and awakening public interest
with the " slogan " "Say 'Merry Christmas' Electrically." Indi-
cations point to the eclipse of all previous campaigns conducted by
the Society, and it has been found necessary to order a large
amount of additional advertising matter to satisfy the requirementj
of applicants. i

French Bauxite Exports. — As a result of the present

impossibility of disposing of all the production of bauxite to the
French alumina works, whose activity is restricted through the
scarcity of coal, the Administration of Public Works has granted
certain export permits, particularly for England and the United
States. The bauxite sent out of the country is ^abject to an
export tax of 20 per cent, ad valorem, according to the decree of
October 22nd.

The Federation of British Industries. — On Tuesday

last the annual general meeting of the Federation was held. Over
1,000 applications were received for tickets for the dinner in the
evening, at which Mr. Rylands proposed the toast '' His Majesty's
Ministers," and Mr. Lloyd George replied. Sir Robt. Home and
Sir Eric Geddes also addressed the meeting. Great importance was
attached to the occasion by the Federation.

On Wednesday a special conference of the constituent associa-
tions was held at the Hotel Cecil, to discuss the taxation question
with a view to making representations to the Government.

In the course of his presidential address, Mr. W. Peter Rylands,
before his re-election as. President for the ensuing year, made the
following statement with regard to the policy that has always been
adopted by the Federation of British Industries : —

1. Ihe Federation has supported with its full weight any policy
generally agreed to be to the interests of all industries.

2. It has given similar support to any policy which is to the
interest of one industry or group of industries, and which does not
affect adversely the interests of any other group.

3. In cases where a particular policy is supported by one group of
industries and is adverse to the interests of, or opposed by, another
group of industries, the Federation has refrained from supporting
one body of its members against another, and has confined itself to
giving equal assistance and facilities to both sides in preparing and
putting forward their case, and, of course, to endeavouring to
promote friendly discussion between the parties, with the object of
reaching an agreed policy. By " equal facilities " the Federation
has understood the supply of information bearing on the question,
arranging for deputations from the industries concerned to
Ministers or to the House of Commons, and all similar action not
involving actual support of one side against the other.

The International Advertising Exhibition.— On Monday

last Ihc Kt. Hon. Sir Kubert lluriie, M.i'.. President ol tho
Board ol iVade, opeueil the Iiiteruatioual Advertising Exhibi-
tion at the White City, in the cuiu'se of a briet opening
speech, Sir Kobert Home said that to tax advertisements, as
had been suggested on more than one occasion, would have the
worst possible effect upon the prosperity of the country.
I'reseut-day advertisers employed the best of art and the
most wonderful feats of imagination in the business of bring-
ing theh goods to the notice of the public. There was no
doubt that increased distribution brought down prices, and
advertisement effected wider distribution. Turning to the non-
commercial side of the art, Sir Robert said that advertisements
indubitably added to the cheerfulness of the world.

From a spectacular point of view the Exhibition, which
closes to-morrow, is one of the best London has seen. The
ingenuity and art brought to bear in its preparation cause
the visitor to forget the main purpose ol the display in
admhation of the results. The whole exhibition was volun-
tarily organised by the Thhty Club of London, under the
presidency of Mr. C. F. Higham, M.P., and ah profits accruing
are to be devoted to newspaper and advertising charities.
The objects aimed at are to foster and extend British trade,
to provide for one week a " University of Advertising " for
the benefit of business houses, to gain for advertisers and
manufacturers of branded or trade-marlied goods a fuUer
public appreciation and goodwill, and to improve advertising.
The advertising of goods as such is merely a corollary con-
sideration— in lact the exhibition may be said to be for the
purpose of advertising advertisement. It is no doubt due
to this that the various electrical organisations are not repre-
sented. A number of trade and technical journals occupy
stands. On Stand Bl'28 the Electrical Revew exhibits a
number of photographs of electrical installations, &c., selected
from past issues. Communication between the various parts
of the buildings is maintained by means of a Siemens 30-line
automatic exchange, which has proved to be one of the
principal centres of attraction. The Hoover Suction Sweeper
Co., Ltd., are carrying out demonstrations of their apphance
on a tastefully decorated stand. The London General Omnibus
Co. and Underground RaDways exhibit samples of the posters
familiar to all travellers by tube. In the " Advertising
House " is a small electric cooker by the British Electric
Transformer Co., as well as electric towel rails, irons, and
suction sweepers.

Applications for British Trade Marks, — Appended is

a summary of the recent applications for British trade marks
in respect of productions connected with the electrical trades
and industries : —

Emergo. No. 406,554. Class 15. — Electric lamps. 'W. S.
Melimg, E. T. Pheils. E. T. Cruise, and H. L. Denston,
trading in co-partnership at 9'2, Newhall Street, Birmingham.
July 30th, 19-JO.

K.L. (letters combined with design). No. 405,376. Class
8. — Spark coils and batteries for ignition purposes. The K.W.
Ignition Co., Chester Avenue, Cleveland, U.S.A. June 21st,
1920.

Sartax. No. 405,982. Class 8. — Electris signalling apparatus
for use on motor vehicles. Adams & Co., 362, London Road,
Thornton Heath. July 12th, 1920.

Neohma. No. 407,414. Glass 8. — Electric instruments.
Clark-Neo Electric Devices, Ltd., 9, St. Helens Place, London,
E.C. August 31st, 1920.

Omega. No. 406.732. Class 13. — Sparking plugs. Harold
Longton, The Elms, Victoria Park, Wavertree, LiverpooL
August 9th, 1920.

Derf. No. 407,797. Class 13.— Sparkmg plugs. The Derf
Manufacturmg Co., 9, 'Walker Street, New York, "U.S.A.
September 13th, 1920.

Stols. No. 402,603. Class 11. — Electrophones, being ap-
paratus for aiding the deaf. The Stols Electrophone Co.
(1914), Ltd., 8, St. Martin's Place, London, W.C. March 31st,
1920.

British Business Methods in Swiizerlantf.— H.M. Consul

at Berne has written to the Department of Overseas Trade
to the effect that he has of late been greatly struck by the
extent to which buyers of British goods before and during the
war are now obliged to decline the offers made by British
firms.

German competition is keener than ever, prices offered by
German firms are much cheaper than tho.se quoted by British
linns, and the conditions of payment made by German firms
are much easier than those made by British houses. The
latter in.sist upon payment accompanying orders, whereas
the Germans give credit. This is giving rise to serious com-
plaints. H.M. Consul has been informed that even the Swiss
General Post Office was required to pay before hand for an
order which, of course, was withheld on that account.

Another complaint increasingly raised is that offers from
the United Kingdom are made in British money, measures,
weight, &c., the British manufacturers leaving all the trouble
of calculating, and all the risk of lo.ss by ext-hange, to theh
would-be customers. This trouble and risk should be assumed
by the .sellers, not by the buyers, if the offers are to lead to
business. — Board of Trade Journal.

720

THE ELECTPJCAT. REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,2J5,Becembeb3, 1920.

A Carron Fire! — An outbreak of fire on Thames-side,
which threatened serious danger to tho warehouses in the dintriol,
broke out about 10 o'clock on the nii^ht of November 26lh.
Smoke was Been isauius from the premises of Carron Company, and a
brigade call was circulated. Within a few minutes about 30
engines, and fire-floats on the river, were brought into action. It
was feared that the fire would spread to the neighbouring premises,
and considerable difficulty was experienced by the firemen in dis-
covering the seat of the outbreak.

A fire occurred on November 24th at the premises of Sidney
Andkbson, Ltd., general electrical manufacturers, of Wellesley
Court Road, Croydon. The fire wag confined to the workshops,
and damage estimated at £500 was done.

Catalognes for Romania. — H.M. Consul at Bukarest

calls the attention of British firms to the desirability of sending
booklets, catalogues, literature, etc., to Rumania as " Printed and
Commercial Papers," instead of by parcels post, as considerable
delay occurs in the delivery of packages sent by the latter service.
The limit of weight for printed and commercial papers is 4 lb. —
Biiard of Tritih- Journal.

Inquiry, — Makers of an ironclad distribution board
with the letter " S " on the cover, are asked for.

Soutli African Representatives.— The British Manu-
facturers' Represenatives' Association of South Africa (Inc.), which
was founded in 1909, now has a membership of nearly 400. The
Association obtains a large number of concessions for its members,
and advises and protects them in a number of ways. The body
also claims that it was largely instrumental in obtaining the with-
drawal of the proposed income-tax upon British manufacturers.

Wages and Salaries. — The Dublin Corporation bi*
approved of a report of the Electricity Supply Committee as to the
rearrangement of the salaries of the department's engineering staff.
Mr. Raul said that before the war the electricians were paid £lCii
per annum and switchboard attendants ;C108. Since then the
salary of the electricians had been increased to £276, and the
Committee now proposed that the salary of switchboard attendants
should be fixed at £255.

The Falkirk Town Council and the Birkenhead Electricity
Cohimittee have agreed to pay the basic rates of salaries contained
in the schedule of salaries issued by the National Joint Board.

The Halifax Tramways Committee last week passed a resolution
calling for the establishment of a National Joint Industrial
Council, dealing with all classes of municipil labour, instead of
the many existing Joint Industrial Councils for different classes.

The Bridlington Electricity Committee and the Sunderland
Corporation Electricity Committee are recommending the Town
Councils to adopt the new scale of salaries.

The Halifax Corporation Wages Committee has decided that it
cannot recommend the Council to carry out the award.

The Bolton Corporation Tramways Committee had under con-
sideration, on November 24th, two applications for advances of
wages, one national and the other local, amounting together to 168.
per week. The two applications, if granted, would involve an
addition of £16,000 a year to the cost of working.
. The St. Pancras Electricity and Public Lij;hting Committee' has
lepliei to the E.P.E.A. circular letter that, as one of the bodie.-i
which have conceded the terms to their technical staffs, it greatly
deplores the aotion of certain undeitakings in withholding pay-
ment, but is of the opinion that undertakings which have given
effect to the agreement should not be penalised, and should, there-
fore, be excluded from the oparation of the strike notice.

According to the Olaxgow Herald, the Wages and Conditions
Committee of the Glasgow Corporation recommends the Corpora-
tion not to accede to the claim of the E.P.E.A., and to appoint a
Committee of five " to protect the interests of the Corporation,"

Dundee and Exeter have decided to give effect to the E.P.E.A,
award immediately.

Dover Corporation has declined to adopt the schedule.

The position on the North-East Coast is as follows : —

Undeitakings which have agreed : — Newcastle Electric Supply,
and Cleveland and Durham Electric Power and Associated Com-
panies, Newcastle and District Electric Lighting Co., Darlington,
Middlesbro', West Hartlepool, and South Shields Corporations.

Undertakings which have not agreed : — Tynemouth, Sunderland,
Stockton and Xewcajstie Corporations. — Xeici-axtle Daili/ Jouniul.

Trade with Canada, — In an interesting statement to

Thf Tuiiex Tnuh Siqqilemint of October 28rd, Mr. F. W. Fi. id,
H.M. Trade Commissioner at Toronto, explained the special neeas
and features of the Canadian market. Local representation,
together with advertising and publicity, is indispensable ; the
Canadian buyer expects the seller to call upon him. The local
representative should be allowed adequate expenses and consider-
able freedom of action ; the choice of the right mar, and su' s -
quently the fullest possible support from the head office, are the
keys to tho situation. His advice should be followed, and he
should be helped by advertising in local papers — one of the
essentials of successful selling in Canada. In some lines, stocks
must be carried, and a technical man should be available to advise
customers as to mechanical troubles. After selling a machine the
agent should keep in close touch with the buyer, with a view to
effecting repairs and Lupplying spare parts at short notice.

The Canadian market differs from all other markets, its value is
constantly incieasing, and we are not doing anything like all that
can be done to increase the volume of British trade in Canada.

LIGHTINQ AND POWER NOTES.

Aberavon. — Girr to Hosi'ital. — As a war memorial, the
directors and employes of the Port Talbot Steel Co. have presented
an electrical installation, costing £l,50ii, to the Aberavon Hospital,
and undertaken to maintain it free of charge.

Abertillery. — Water Power. — At a meetin;^ of the
Abertillery Water Board, on November 24th, a resolution was
received from the Abercarn Urban District Council, asking the
Board to consider whether sufficient power could be secured by
using the water pressure at various stages from the Grwyne Fawr
Reservoir to generate electricity for light and power. The Board's
resident engineer, Mr. J. F. Jupp, pronounced the scheme im-
practicable, because it would cot be possible to interfere with
the pressure in the mains without spoiling the service, and the
amount of electricity that could be generated from the compensa-
tion water would be very little. The Board accepted this view,
though Mr. Bullock said he believed they could get sufficient power
from the river Ebbw to generate electricity for the whole of the
Western Valleys of Monmouthshire.

Australia. — Water Trusts a.vi) Electhicity. — At

the recent annual session of the Waterworks Trusts Association
it was pointed out by delegates that it was not desired to forestall
Municipal Councils, but in many shires it was found that Councils
were not always anxious to supply electric light and power. There
was an enormous amount of water power going to waste that could
be utilised with profit to the trusts and the State if it were used to
generate electricity. It might be possible to arrange for the
supply of electricity in bulk by the Trusts to Municipal Councils
which would undertake its distribution. Mr. F. G. Moss (Numur-
kah) said that the Kiewa scheme was on a par with an Italian
project which supplied power and electric light to seven provinces.
A private company was prepared to spend £1,000,000 on it, but the
State Government would not permit that. Now the Government
was pushing on the Morwell scheme, and did not seem so interested
in Kiewa. The Electricity Commissioners, hpwever, after
inspection, were considering further data with regard to the
project. The Kiewa scheme, if put Into operation, would supply
electricity for Bendigo. Echuca, Castlemaine, Seymour, and other
important districts. — Tlie Herald (Sydney).

Ammanford. — Wages. — Mr. William Herbert, pro-
prietor of th? electricity works, asked for permission to charge an
extra lid. per unit for electricity, making Ud. in all, to meet the
increase of wages to his workmen under a recent award. Pre-
senting the report of a Committee which had gone into the matter
with Mr. Herbert, Mr. D. Jones said it was admitted by Mr.
Herbert that the additional wages, retrospective to April 1st last,
came to £ 111 16s., while an increase of 2d. a unit would bring him
in £494 per half-year. Mr. J. H. Lawley, the chairman, said that
when the Committee pointed out to Mr. Herbert that this claim
was ridiculous, Mr. Herbert said that unless he was allowed this
increase he would refuse to sign the agreement which had been
prepared for his disposal of the undertaking to the Council at an
agreed figure. The Parliamentary agents, and the consulting
engineer, Mr. Arthur Ellis, Cardiff, said this would not affect the
Council's application for a Provisional Order at all, and any
objection or opposition on the part of Mr. Herbert would be very
ill-advised.

Brighton. — Proposed Extensions. — The borough elec-
trical engineer recommends the purchase of two I,000-KW. Peebles-
La Cour motor converters, together with the necessary switchgear
at an estimated cost of £20,000. The following expanditure is also
recommended : — Mains, £10,000 ; house services, £15,000 ; and the
purchase of motors for hire purposes, £1,500.

Burnley. — Loan. — The Electricity Committee is
applying for sanction to borrow £5,000 in connection with the
work of connecting the premises of intending consumers with the
Corporation mains.

Cardiff. — Year's Workinc4. — The recently-issued
annual report for the year endei March 31st last, shows that the
total revenue from all sources. was £117,625, as compared with
£84,011 in 1918-19. Working expenses totalled £76,355, as agaitst
£61,599, leaving a gross profit of £41,270 (£22.412). Interest,
sinking fund. &c., absorbed £22,689, the final result being a net
profit of £18,581, which compares very satisfactorily with last year's
figure of £787, and is the best result obtained since the inception of
the undertaking. A feature of the year's working was the decrease
of power supplies owing to the cessation of war activities. On the
other hand, increases in the sale of energy for lighting and
heating, brought the total sales up to practically the same as in
1918-19.

Di.sTRiCT BoAKD. — The Lord Mayor has been requested to call a
conference, at an early date, of representatives of all electrical
undertakings in South Wales and Monmouthshire, to discuss the
Electricity Commissioners' scheme for the formation of District
Boards for the supply of electricity.

Cork. — PuiiLic LiGiiTiKG. — The Corporation Public
Works Committee has decided to have the full number of public
electric lamps lighted at ."'.30 p.m., and extinguished before the
military curfew hour (10 o'clock), additiona'. hancs to be emplojed,
if necessary. A petition form is being signed at the C.ty Ha'.l by
ratepayers who desire the lelighting of the lamps after the carfew
period.

Vol.87. No. 2,243, December 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

721

Edlnbargh. — Year's Working. — The total revenue of

the electricity undertaking for the year ended May 16th last wag
£234,247, while the working expenses amounted to £162,020. Of
the gross profit of £72,227, capital charges absorbed £61,676,
leaving a net profit of £10,551. The number of units sold rose
from 20,565,294 to 24,401,273.

Electricity Supply Scheme. — The scheme for the supply of
electricity in Greater Edinburgh is now complete. The total cost
of the various power stations, including Portobello and the
subsidiary power stations, will be £1,497,801.

Electricity District. — North Lancashire and South

Cumberland. -The Electricity Commissioners have provisionally
determined that the undermentioned area shall be constituted a
separate Electricity District for the purposes of the Electricity
(Supply) Act, 1919, that is to say : — So much of the County of
Cumberland as is included in : — The Urban District of Millom, and
the Rur*l District of Bootle, and the detached portion of the town-
ship of Nether Wasdale in the Rural District of Whitehaven. So
much of the County of Lancaster as is included in : — The County
Borough of Barrow-in-Furness, the Municipal Boroughs of
Lancaster and Morecambe, the Urban Districts of Carn forth,
Dalton-in-Furness. Grange, Heysham, and Ulverston, and the
Rural Districts of Lanotiater, Lunesdale, and Ulverston. So much
of the County of Westmoilind as is included in ; — The Municipal
Borough of Kendal, the Urban Districts of Ambleside, Grasmere,
Kirkby Lonsdale and Windermere, and the Rural District of South
Westmorland. An inquiry into the existing organisation for the
supply of electricity is to be held at a later date. Objections or
representations must be made in writing to the Electricity Com-
mission not later than April 30th, 1921.

Harrogate. — Year's A\'orking. — The revenue to the
OorpDration electricity department for the year ended March 3l8t
last was £28,372, and working expenses totalled £18,457. Of the
gross balance of £9,915 and other receipts, loan repayment and
interest absorbed £3,761, sinking fund £4,286, reserve fund £1,052,
and the capital expenditure defrayed out of revenue was £1,195.

Hebden Bridge, — Additional Bulk Supply. — The

District Council, on November 2tth, asrreed to accept the Halfax
Corporation's terms for a further supply of electricity in conse-
quence of the Council's own works being unable to meet the needs
of the district. It was also resolved to mak? further increases in
the charges for electricity.

Liverpool. — Loan Sanctioned. — Sanction to the

borrowing of £100,000 for the provision of additional generating
plant in connection with the municipal 'elestricity undertaking
has been received by the Corporation.

London.— Joint Electricity Authority.— A Special

Committee has prepared an important report to the London County
Council on a scheme for the reorganisation of electricity supply in
Greater London and for the establishment of a Joint Electricity
Authority, consisting of not more than 30 members, representing
the various interests. It is urged that the Joint Authority should
have powers to acquire the generating stations and main trans-
mission lines of the existing companies, and that the benefits and
economies resulting from this concentration should go to the
consumers. The report was adopted by the Council on Tuesday.

Woolwich, — At 7 a.m. on Monday last, as a turbo-generator set
was being started up at the Borough Council's generating station,
it '■ raced away," and flew to pieces. Much damage, estimated at
£30,000, was done at the station by flying dihris, and the noise of
the explosion was heard over a wide area. Three of the station
employes were injured, one seriously, and a number had narrow
escapes. A 20-lb. piece of metal flew across the river a considerable
distance, and killed a youth who was riding on the top of an
omnibus. One of the pieces of metal picked up some distance
from the station was 1 J ft. long.

New Mill. — Electricity Supply. — The District

Council, on November 24th, conferred with Thurstonland IMatriot
Council on the question of electricity -supply. The latter body
wrote stating that it was cons'dering obtaining a bulk supply for
d atribution throughout its district. The former body poiutel
out that if this were done, a spsoial order would be required, and
that if the two bodies combined, expense would be minimised,

Marsden. — Water Power. — The question of the
provision of electricity by water power was reported upon adversely
at a special meeting of the District Council, on November 24th, by
Mr. J. E. Schofield, electrical engineer, Bradford, who said it would
be better for the Council to apply for a supply from the authorised
undertakers in the area, or from the Hudiersfield Corporation.
The matter was allowed to drop.

New Guinea. — Water-Power Resources. — According

to the Sydney Jlaily Tehijrapli, Prof. David states that the
potentialities of generating electricity by means of water power in
New Guinea are enormous, probably amounting to more than 10
per cent, of the hydro-electrical resources of the whole world.

New Zealand Lake Coleridge Undertaking. —

T\ie Auckland Weekly iVif"'.( states that the Lake Coleridge hydro-
electric power undertaking has had another prosperous year. The
capacity of the station is 6,00<) KW., and during the year ended
March 3l8t last, the connected load increased from 5,900 kw. to
7,06fi KW. The revenue for the year amounted to £45,831, and
total expenses were £42,240, leaving a net profit of £3,585. It is

calculated that the generation of the 33,000,000 units produced
by steam plant would have required 45,000 tons of coal with a
value of between £100,000 and £120,0C0.

Hydbo-Electbic Scheme, — The Wairoa Power Board has
decided to borrow £100.000 to harness Waikaremoana, £40,001)
for a transmission line from the headworks to Wairoa, and
£60,000 for subsequent reticulation to the main parts of the
country.

Perth. — E.vtensions. — The Corporation has prepared a
scheme for extensions to plant at its electricity works, and
details are being sent to the Electricity Commissioners.

Runcorn. — Electricity District. — The Urban Dis-
trict Council and the Rural District Council at a joint meeting
have decided to object to inclusion in the scheme proposed by the
Electricity Commission, for a joint electricity area for the Mersey
and West Lancashire district, it being pointed out that in Runcorn
and Widnes the price of energy is 4d. per unit, as compared with
prices varying from 6d. to 9d. charged by other undertakings in
the proposed area, A recommendation was also made that the
existing area supplied by the Mersey Power Co. from its generating
station at Runcorn should be constituted a separate area, inasmuch
as the company with its up-to-date plant and the extensions now
baing effected would be able to cope with any future demand
which may be made upon it, and supply electricity at a much lower
price than would be possible under the scheme suggested.

Swansea. — Interruption ok Supply.— Owing to the
main cable being damaged by the pickaxe of a workman in the
street, electricity was out off for an hour at Swansea on the morning
of November 25th.

Tasmania. — Hydro-Electric Department. — The

Mercury (.Hobart) states that good progress continues to be
made with the Great Lake scheme, but the high cost of labour and
machinery is giving the department much concern. The shortage
of cement is particularly acute. A company has been formed for
the manufacture of this material, and it is confidently expected the
State wQl be independent of outside supplies at a comparatively
early date. Inquiries are siill being made for small blocks of
power of from 500 to 1,000 h.p. for the establishment of new
industries, which make it obvious that the indirect benefits of water-
power will be very great. The commercial side of the business is
still satisfactory, a profit of £5,000 being made over working costs
and interest on the capital employed in constructing those portions
of the scheme which are producing revenue. Several large under-
takings are about to take supplies from the department, including
the Electrolytic Zinc Works, the Hydro-Electric Power and Metal-
lurgical Co. (a carbide manufacturing firm), and Cadbury's, Ltd.

Wakefield. — OprosrnoN to Order, — The Rural Dis-
trict Council has decided to oppose the application of the Electrical
Distribution of Yorkshire, Ltd,, for a provisional order authorising
it to supply electricity for all public and private putpjses to the
(vhole or part of the Wakefield rural district.

West Lanes. — Electricity District. — On November
22nd a conference was held at the Liverpool tramway ofiBces, of the
authorities included in the Mersey and West Lancashire electricity
supply area, which will embrace Liverpool, Bootle, Birkenhead,
Wallasey, St. Helens, Warrington and Southport. The conterencfe
was held in private, but it is understood that one of the poinls
raised was the possibility of an authority being faced with a
financial deficiency. Although this was hardly likely, it was
pointed out that big strikes might dislocate the supply of electri-
city, A point of the discussion was whether a deficiency would be
met by a levy on the rates or on the consumers in the districts of
the respective authorities.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY N0TE5.

Bootle. — Electric Vehicles. — The Corporation pro-
poses to extend its interest in electric haulage, and at the Ministry
of Health inquiry held at the Town Hall on November 25th, into
the application to borrow £13,053 for various purposes, the Town
Clerk stated that the money was wanted chiefly for the purchase
of electric vehicles for the haulage of coal and other materials.
The application was unopposed.

Burnley. — Deficit. — A deficit of £10,000 is shown in
the Burnley tramway report for the last half-year. Application is
now being made to secure permission to increase the rates by
50 par cent. Every effort is being made to curtail running charges.

Australia. — New Sooth Wales. — The report of the

N,S,W. Railway Commissioners on the question of installing a
railless tramway system at Tamworth is adverse to the proposal
owing to the annual financial loss entailed, estimated at £4,000, -
Tenders.

Victoria, — Under the Melbourne Tramways Bill, which was
passed in the last session of the Victorian Parliament, power was
given the Board to take early action with regard to tramway pro-
posals as follows :— Melbourne to East Brunswick ; Melbourne to
West Brunswick and Coburg ; Church Street, Richmond, connecting
Clifton Hill with Prahran ; Bell Street, Coburg, connecting with
the tramways at Preston ; a line connecting the East Northcote
with Heidelberg districts. — Tenders.

722

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW [Vol. 87. No. 2,245, December 3, 1920,

Mklboukne. — The report on the electrical system of the Mel-
bourne and Metroptilitan Tramways Board for the nine months
ended June 30th last, records a total revenue of £309,383, and
an expenditure of £277,477, leaving a ffross profit of £31.936.
The net result, after payment of capital charpres, was a profit of
£26,140.

Cardiff. — Petrol-electric 'Buses. — Follpwing a visit

paid by Mr. R. L. Horafield, the city tramway manaerer, and Sir
John Courtis to other towns, the Tramway Committee has placed
an order for six petrol-electric omniliase.s of a standard make to
relieve the conprestion on the tramcars in certain districts The
first 'bus is expected to be delivered next week. Mr. Horsfield pro-
poses a scheme of routes designed to relieve the heaviest tramway
sections and secure new traffic, the schedule of fares averafriner
2d. per mile.

Doncaster.— Broken Trolley Wire. — On November
2ith, a tramcar trolley, in turning a corner, left the overhead wires
and became entanjrled in the network of stay wires, pulliner the live
wire into the roadway, but fortunately nobody was hurt. Power
was quickly cut off, and the Racecourse tramway service temporarily
smpended.

Dudley. — Runaway Tramcar.— Owing to the brakes
failing to act as a result, it is believed, of the greasy state of the
rails, an electric tramcar at Dudley. Worcestershire, got out of
control, on November 29th, whilst running down an incline. It
first ran into a motor-wagon and then into a railway bridge,
demolishing the masonry. There were 14 passengers in the car, but
no one was seriously injured. — W'estminsler (ia.ette.

Darham. — Transport Scheme. — The scheme of the
Durham County Council for establishing an elaborate system of
tramways, trolley vehicles and motor-'buses for passenger trans-
port over every district of the county has called forth a storm of
criticism. The CouncU has already decided to promote a Bill in
the next session of Parliament, and this without submitting an
estimate of the approximate coat involved. The Durham and
North Yorkshire Federated Chambers of Trade have passed a
resolution vigorously opposing the scheme as involving unnecessary
expenditure of public money, since the county is already well
served by private transport companies. Protest meetings are
being organised in various centres of the county.

Halifax, — Accident. — A tramway car got out of control
at Halifax, on November 23rd, and came into collision with a
motor-lorry which a few seconds before had been in cjUision with
another vehicle. A woman passing was caught by the car and
pinned underneath. She was extricated and taken in an ambulance
to the infirmary, but died before reaching there. Passengers who
jumped off the car as it was rushing along were slightly injured.
— The Times.

Japan. — Proposed Extensions at Yokohama. — An

application has been sent to the Yokohama Municipal Office by
the Yokohama Electric Car Co. for permission to extend the
electric car line by a double track from Honmoku to the
Yawatabashi terminus along theishoie. The cost of the new
enterprise is 1,600,000 yen, including 459,475 yen for rails, and
130,650 yen for the reconstruction of the Yawata Bridge. — Eastern
Engineering.

L.B. & S.C. Railway.— Electrification.— Sir "William
Forbes, general manager of the London and Brighton Railway,
recently said that his directors had submitted to the Ministry of
Transport a comprehensive scheme for the electrification of the
main line between London and Brighton. It had been his ambition
to live to see this undertaking completed. The time had arrived
when, in spite of economies forced by the Ministry of Transport,
the trains between London and Brighton should he better than
ever before. — Daily Telei/r/iph.

Liverpool. — Hi(iH-SPEED Track. — The Tramway Com-
mittee has approved of a scheme for a high-speed tramway track
in the south end of the city.

London. — Traffic Problems. — A House of Lords Com-
mittee, presided over by Lord Wemyss, recently considered
the L.C.C. Tramways Bill, by which the Council sought powers
to run omnibuses in order to connect up the tramways.
The Underground combine opposed the proposal. Mr. Pick,
traffic manager of the London General Omnibus Co., stated
that in the year 1903 the tramways carried 394,000,000 passen-
gers and the horse-drawn omnibuses 287,000,000. To-day the
motor-omnibuses were carrying 1,035,000,000 and the tramways
1,111,000.000. The Underground group had always kept in mind
that the problem of London traffic was a single problem, and it
had tried to deal with it through co-ordination, and had
endeavoured to come to an agreement with other transport under-
takings in Greater London with that end in view. The amount of
capital raised by the Underground group was £58,000,000, and the
introduction of competitive traffic would be serious to the company
financially, because it would lessen the sense of security of investors,
and would seriously jeopardise the undertaking. The combine
wanted to develop the I'nderground railways in many ways, and
any new competition would be against these improvements. The
Underground group had before it an expenditure of something
like £9,1100,000. A large sum had to besp^nt on new rolling stock,
and it was proposed to enlarge the tunnels of the City and South
London, and to make it of the standard gauge. This would involve
an expenditure of .£2,430,000.— Z»«i7v IHegrajili.

The Committee decided against the scheme.

SuHUBUAN Tkamway Faues. — It is understood that, as a result
of the report of the Tramway Charges Advisory Committee, which
recently held an inquiry into the existing tramway fares, orders
are being issued placing the London United Tramways, the Metro-
politan, and the South Metropolitan Tramways on the same footing
as regards charging powers. A few of the fare stages on the
London United Tramways, which were unusually long, are being
reduced in length, and the workmen's fares, which were previously
exempt, are being increased. The new order provides that no
material alteration is to be made in the fare stages on any of these
three lines without prior consultation with the local authorities
concerned. — Daily 'J'eleqrajih.

Tramway Qdeoes, — Tne L,C,C. was to appoint a Committee
this week to frame a new bj-law making queues at omnibus and '
tramcar stopping places compulsory. The scheme includes the
erection of shelters, and to each person joining a queue will be
issued a ticket from a machine. Why not go a step further and
issue the journey fare ticket at the saaie time, and thus save a
large amount of the conductor's work .'

Longridge. — Light Railway Scheme. — A meeting in
connection with the Longridgeto Hellifield railway scheme was held
at Chipping, last week. The engineer (Mr. Ferguson) said the
scheme would cost £30i',CiiO, and if people would only come
' forward with support there was a possibility of getting a grant
from the Government. If the undertaking failed, such an oppor-
tunity to op3n out the district would not occur again. Mr. Timothy
Proctor was added to the list'of directors.

Newcastle. — Free Passes. — The Corporation Tramways
Committee, by 9 votes to 8, recommends the City Council to
authorise the issue of free passes on the tramcars to members of
the Corporation.

Selby,— Overhead Tramway. — At the Olympia oil-
cake works property, an electric overhead tramway is being con-
structed on the East Riding side of the River Ouse. to span the
North-Eastern Railway line.

Shildon. — Electric Vehicle. — A few months ago the
Urban Council decided to purchase an electrically-driven vehicle
for scavenging purposes. The original e.stimate of the cost was
about £1,100. At a meeting of the Council, it was reported that a
letter had been received from the Northern Counties Electricity
Supply Co. stating that it had received a quotation covering the
delivery in Shildon of a motor-generator required to charge the
batteries of the vehicle, amounting to £334. To this would have
to be added the cost of the shed for the protection of the generator,
which would be about £150. The surveyor also reported the
receipt in July of an intimation from the makers of the vehicle
that the cost of the vehicle and acjessories had been increased by
5 per cent, on £1,250 — £62 5s. The total cost of the proposal
would, therefore, be about £2,044. It was decided to adjourn the
whole question indefinitely.

Sunderland. — Deficit.— On account of the deficit of
.£9d8 on the last six months' working of the Corporation tramways,
the Town Council is to take steps to abolish workmen's tickets
and to accept advertisements for the outside of the cars.

Wallasey. — Fare Increase. — On December 6th a
further increase in fares will come into force, when the minimum
fare will be IJd. instead of Id., and Jd. or Id. will be added to
most of the existing fares. The increase has been rendered neces-
sary, in view of a probable deficiency of £22,517 on the present
estimates, and to meet an expenditure of £15,000 on the track, an
extra charge of approximately £2,200 per annum for capital
charges on the purchase money of 10 new oars, and the increased
price of electricity, equal to an additional £2,400 per annum.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Italy. — Automatic Telephones. — For the projected installa-
tion of automatic telephone exchanges in Italy the Com-
inissinne Tecnica per i Telefoni invited tenders from the
li)llo\vint; firms: Siemens Bros., of London (since withdrawn);
the Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co., Liverpool; the
Western Electric Italiana. Milan; and the Societa Industrie
Telefiiniche Italiaue (Doglio), Milan, concessionaires of the
Strowger automatic system of Sieniens-Halske, of Berlin.
The choice of the Commission has fallen ujwn the last named
on account of the greater convenience and economy of the
plans sulmiitted, which deci.sion has since been otVicially ap-
provi'iT.

Canada. — Press Skkvice. — it is understood that an agree-
niciit has Ijceu entered info between the Canadian Press and
Keutcr's Co. for a new cable service deix>ndent upon an in-
crease of the Dominion Government subsidy from $8,000
(df2,(IOfl) to $20,0UU (.i'").()()U) annually.

.\t a representative meeting of Canadian journalists, held
at Montreal, it was decided to enter into an arrangement with
Router's Agency for a direct British cable service, to be
ei]it<cl in London by Canadian editors, and carried to Canada
by direct cable. — The Times.

Vol.87. No.2,215, DJ5CEMUER3, 1920] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

723

Ni;\v Wireless Station.— A .site ol' iibout 40 acres has been
purchased, says The Times Trade Supplement. Ijy the Mar-
cuui Co. near Birri's Hill, eit»ht miles west of Winnipeg, on
which is to be erected a high-power wireless station, the
1 cmstriiction of which is to be commenced early in the spring.

Jamaica.— -Wireless Telegr.4Ph\'. — The wirele.ss telegraph
station at Kingston, according to The Times Trade Supptr-
ni.ent, is about to be enlarged and equipped with a new
tran.sniitting and receiving set, which will considerably extend
its present radius of action of about '200 miles.

New Zealand. — Telephone Service. — The telephone service
is about a year in arrear. There are some 7,tKJ(l subscribers
waiting to be connected with the various exchanges in the
Dominion, and the new rates have had no eti'ect on the con-
tinued steady increase of applications. During 1919 over
G,(J(JO new subscribers were connected up. this being a record.
Materials are now coming to hand slowly. In difterent parts
of the Dominion the department is faced with the construc-
tion of 1,456 miles of pule-line and l(l.(lt>.s miles of open aerial
telephone wire, and many miles of telephone cable, carrying
anything from 'J-j to IMM) pairs of wires in each cable. In
addition to this, o6o miles of main lines are badly in need
of overhaul. .\t Auckland the situation is more acute than
in any other part of New Zealand, and s{iecial steps have been
taken to expedite the installation of temporary automatic
switchboard ecjuipment at the central exchange, and in the
difi'e'rent suburbs, in order to cope with the difficulty.

South Africa. — Telephone Service. — The number of con-
nections to the local Johannesburg telephone exchange has
grown in thirteen years from 'i.giX) and one exchange to
J3,130 connections and four exchanges. Plans for further
development contemplate '20.000 telephones in the municipal
area by the end of another ten year.s. There is now one tele-
phone to every eleven white inhal)itants. as against one to
"2.5 in Londiin.

Teleptione Charges. — Select Committee.— The Select
Committee of the House of Commons which has for some
months been considering the question of telephone i"ates of
charges is apparently nearing the conclusion of its investiga-
tions.

Weather Telegraphy. — The members of the Third Inter-
national Conference on Weather Telegraphy, now assembled
in London to discuss new proposals for the daily interchange
of meteorological data by wireless and cable, were enter-
tained, together with a distinguished gathering of scientists
of both sexes, to dinner on November iBth by the Maharaj
liana of Jhalawar. Un two previous occasions the Conference
has been held in London.

Sir Napier Shaw, outlining the progress of phy.sical science
since his undergraduate days, said he had lately seen at the
Royal Society actual block-letter photographs of wireless mes-
.sages; and Sir J. J. Thomson was now dealing with the ten-
thousand bilhonth part of the atom, which not so long ago
was regarded as indivi.sible. Meteorology, he said, was abso-
lutely dependent upon international co-operation. — The Times.

Wireless Telephony. — News Distribution. — In reply to a
question in the Hou.se of Commons, the P.M.G. stated last
week that a series of experiments was recently made to test
the feasibility of distributing news me.ssages from a central
distributing station by means of wireless telephony. The
general result of the experiments was satisfactory, so far as
audibility of speech was concerned, but, owing to the slow
rate of transmission, due to the necessity for frequent repeti-
tions, and to the fact that the messages could be easily
intercepted, the news agency on whose behalf the experiments
were made has not seen its way to adopt the use of the
system. It was also found that the experiments caused con-
.siderable interference with other stations, and, for the present,
the trials had been suspended. Experiments are, however,
l)eing made to test the practicability of using high-speed wire-
les.s telegraphy for news and commercial services, and promis-
ing results had been obtained. The development of the
system was receiving the special attention of his technical
advi.sers.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(The date given in parentheses at the end of the paragraph indioatei
tht istue of the Eleotmoai, Review in which the " Official
Notici " appeared.)

OPEN.

Australia.— Melbourne. — February 24tli. Electricity

CommlBBioners. Plant for the Morwell power scheme — 25,000-
12,500-KW. turbo-alternatora, 600-KW. turboalternatora, condensiDfj
plant, circulatinfr pumpa, transformers, and switchKear, copper
cable, steel transmission towers, &c. (November iiJth.)

Sydney. — January Slst. Municipal Council. h.t. and L.i'.
cable (specification No. (i'?H). Electric Lighting Department,
Town Hall, Sydney.

Asia Minor. — Ohio. — February I'^oh, 19-' 1 (<J.S.).

Municipal authorities. Electric lijjhtcn^ installation for the town
of Chio. Particulars from the Mayor. Town Hall, Ohio.

Belgiom. — Antwerp, December 10th. — Municipal
Council. Armoured cable terminal and junction boxes, automatic
cut-outs, A:c., for use at the Antwerp Dock. The specification in
French is available for loan to British firms on application to the
Department of Overseas Trade. :!5. Old Queen Street, E.G.

BRnssELS. — December 8th. Ministre ile la Defence Nationale.
1.750 kilometre? of extra li^ht two strand wire, for the Telegraph
Battalion of the Belgi<in Army. Tenders should be addressed to
Le Directeur General 3e Direction Gi'nerale, lo, rue de Meridien
a Bruxelles, Bruxelles. A copy of the specification can be consulted
on application to Mr. HoUoway, Department of Overseas Trade.
3.-.. Old Queen Street.

December 14th. Municipal authorities of Ougret- (Province of
Liege). Establishment and equipment of a laboratory for the
standardisation and verification of three-phase electricity meters.

Birmingham. — December Uth. Electricity Supply
Department. Six months' supply of stores, including vulcanised
wire and wiring sundries, carbon brushes. &c. Mr. E. J. Jennings.
Secretary. 14, Dale End.

Canterbury. — December 6th. Electricity Department.
Extra-high-pressure and medium pressure D.c. switchgear and cable
connections for the same. (November 1 9th.")

France. — December 17th. The French State Railway
authorities. The supply and installation of the necessary plant,
at the railway works at Batignolles. Sotteville. Rennes and
Saintes, for the maintenance of train electric lighting installa-
tions. Particulars from the Service Electrique, S8. Rue de Rome,
Paris.

Llttleborougfa. — December 20th. Urban District Council
Electricity Department. — High - tension cables, roadwork, &c.
(November 2i;th.)

London. — St. Marylehone. — December t;th. Elec-
tricity Department. L T. and E h.t. lead-covered paper-ins alated
cable, for 12 months. (November 26th.)

Monte Video. — January 14th. Management of the
Usinas Electrical de Monte Video. Steam turbo-alternator of
10,000 KW. with the steam piping and cables ; surface condenser
with pumps, &c. Copy of conditions and specification (in Spanish)
may be seen at the Department of Overseas Trade (Mr. HoUoway)
up to December 4th, after which date it may be harrowed hy
British firms.

Pontypridd. — December Uth. Board of Guardians.
Supply of electrical material. Mr. W. Speckett, Union Ofiices.

Rhodesia. — Salisbury. — January 13th. Municipal
Council. Electric generating plant, switchgear, cable and con-
verters. Specification (£3 3s.) from the Council's Consulting
Engineer, Royal Chambers, Johannesburg.

Stockton-on-Tees. — December 7th. Electricity Depart-
ment. Underground tramway cable (various lengths), single and
three core. (November :.' 6th.)

Southampton. — December 17th. Electricity Department.

Steelwork for extensions to boiler house and extensions to boiler-
house equipment, exclusive of boilers. (See this issue.)

St. Helens. — December Uth. Electricity Department.
One double-girder hand-operated overhead travelling crane. (See
this issue.)

Wallasey. — December Uth. Corporation Gas Depart-
ment.— Four electrically-operated capstans. Mr. J. H. Crowther
Gas Work?. Limekiln Lane.

CLOSED.

Australia. — P.M.G.'s Department, Victoria. Accepted :

Automatic swiUrhboards, together with associated apparatus, for the tele-
phone exchange, Collingwood, £34,834.— Automatic Telephones (Aust.),
Ltd. —Tenders.

Derby. — Electricity Committee : —

Hxtensions to power station buildings, £45,970.— E. Morley & Sons.

Italy. — The Italian State Railway authorities in Rome
recently invited tenders for the supply of 1 .MJ kilometres of coppar
wire, the successful tendering firm being the Pirelli Co.. of Milan.

London. — Stepney.— Electricity Supply Committee :

Manchester. — Electricity Committee. Accepted : —

Bte>-1 \vi>rk for the turbine house and switch house at Barton power station.

—Sir VVm. Arrol « Co., Ltd.
Hxtensions to oal-conveying plant.— W. J. Jenkins & Co., Ltd.

Tramways Committee. Accepted ; —
Tramway-type automatic circuit breakers. — Met.-V'ickers Elecl, Co., Ltd,

724

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. no. 2,2^5, decembeb 3, mo.

Government Contracts. — The following Government

contracts have been placed durinfr October, 1 1>20.

;\dmik,u.iv (Comtract and Purchase Department).
Electrically driven capstan. — Douglas & Grant, Ltti.
Copper strip. — British InsuL-jted & Helsbv Cables, Ltd.
X80-B.H.P. motor.— Electric Construction Co., Ltd.
Motor-driven plate bending machines. — Scriven & Co., Ltd,
Sections for accumulators. — Premier Accumulator Co., Ltd.
Turbo generator, boiler, &c. — W. H. Allen, Son & Co., Ltd.

War Office.
Diesel alternator.— English Electric Co., Ltd.
Electric lamps.— General Electric Co., Ltd.
Salammoniac. — Brunner, Mond & Co., Ltd.
Wireless telegraph valves. — General Electric Co., Ltd.

Post Office.

Telephone apparatus. — British L. M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co., Ltd.;
International Electric Co., Ltd.; Peel-Conner Telephone Works, Ltd.;
Siemens, Bros. & Co., Ltd.; Western Electric Co., Ltd.

Testing apparatus. — Evershed & Vignoles,. Ltd.

Cable bearers.— F. W. Male S: Sons.

Telegraph and telephone cable.— W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co.,
Ltd.; Union Cable Co., Ltd.; Western Electric Co., Ltd.

LeclanchiS cells.— General Electric Co., Ltd.; Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Condensers.— H. W. Sullivan.

Fibre conduits. — Key Engineering Co., Ltd.
- Cords for telephones. — London Electric Wire Co. & Smiths, Ltd. ; Phoeni.x
Telephone & Electric Works, Ltd.

Ducts.— Albion Clay Co., Ltd.; Donington Sanitary Pipe Si Firebrick Co.,
Ltd.; Doulton & Co., Ltd.; Ensor & Co., Ltd.; Hepworth Iron Co.;
J. Oakes & Co.; Dates & Green, Ltd.; Sharp, Jones & Co.; G. Skey
and Co., Ltd.; Stanley Bros., Ltd.; Star Brick and Telegraph Co.,
Ltd.; Sutton & Co.; ]. H. Turner & Lisnev, Ltd.

Insulators.— Taylor, Tunniclifle & Co., Ltd.

Gasfilled lamps.— Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.
. Telephone lamps. — Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd.; General Electric
Co., Ltd.

Electric motors.— Crypto Electric Co., Ltd.; S. G. Leach St Co.

Spindles lor insulators,- Bayliss, Jones &. Bayliss, Ltd.; BuUers, Ltd.;
Horton & Son, Ltd.

Voltoids.— Brunner, Mond & Co., Ltd.

H.D. copper wire.— T. Bolton & Sons, Ltd.; British Insulated & Helsbv
Cables. Ltd.; R. Johnson 8: Nephew, Ltd.; F. Smith & Co. (incor-
porated in the London Electric Wire Co. & Smiths, Ltd.); J. Wilkes,
Son & Mapplebeck, Ltd.

Switchboard wire.—London Electric Wire Co. & Smiths, Ltd.; Macintosh
Cable Co., Ltd.

Laying conduits.-^London-Bristol-Newport (S.W. Section III) : W. Dobson.
Stepney, &c., and Hornsey (Crouch Hall Road) : O. C. Summers.
Glasgow ; A. Duncan. Stratford Exchange area : W. lies. Preston-
Blackpool (Section I) : W. Pollett & Co., Ltd. Hendon, Edmonton
(Silver Street), and Hampstead-Hendon junction : H. Farron. St.
Peter's (Manchester) : W. Turner (Ardwick), Ltd. North Midland,
Post Office Engineering District : Hodge Bros. (Contractors), Ltd.
North-Western and South Wales P.O. Engineering Districts; J. F.
Hodge & Co.

Manufacture, supply, drawing in, and jointing cable. — Toll-City and Toll-
Gerrard Junction (London) : British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd.

Medium power wireless station. — C. F. EKvell.

Telephone exchange equipment. — Fort Dunlop, Birmingham : Western Elec-
tric Co., Ltd. Sub-contractors lor batteries ; Chloride Electrical Stor-
age Co., Ltd. For charging machines ; Crompton & Co.. Dewsburv ;
Western Electric Co., Ltd. Sub-contr.actors for batteries : Chloride
Electrical Storage Co., Ltd. Charging machines : Electrical Con-
struction Co., Ltd. Avenue (London) : Peel-Conner Telephone Works,
Ltd.

Crown Agents for the Colonies.

Battery materials.— Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Cables, ic— British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd.
H.M. Office of Works.

Engineering services. Royal Mint, electric motors. — Lancashire Dynamo
and Motor Co.

Air MiNtsTRy.

Inert batteries.— Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.

I..T. Cable.— Western Electric Co., Ltd.

Spares lor mqtors. — Campbell Gas Engineering Co.. Ltil.; English Electric
Co., Ltd.

FORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

Instltntion ot Mechanical Engineers.— Friday, December 3ra. At 6 p.m.

Further discussion on the paper by Mr. A. Ramsay on " The Human Factor

in Industry."
Edinbnrgh Electrical Society.— Friday, December 3rd. At the Philo-
sophical Institute. At 8 p.m. Paper on " An Electrical Engineer's Walk

Round a Factory," by Mr. J. Walker.
Society of Engineers (Inc.).— Monday, Deoeember 6th. At Burlington

House, Piccadilly, W. At 5 p.m. Ordinary tnceting.
Boyal Society of Arts.— Thursday, December 7th. At John Street, Adelphi,

W.C. At 4.30 p.m. Paper on " The Trade of Australia During and

After the War," by Mr. A. H. Ashbolt.

Association of Englneers-ln-Cbarge. — Wednesday, December 8th. At

St. Bride's Institute, Bride Lane, E.G. At 7.30 p.m. Address by the

President, Mr. W. H. Patchell.
Chelmsford Engineering Society.— Thursday, December 9th. At the East

Anglian Institute of Agriculture. At 7 p.m. Paper on " Ether Waves,"

by Mr. W. G. Smith.

Institution lOf Electrical Engineers. — Thursday. December 9th. At the
Institution of Civil Engineers, Great George Street, S.W. At 6 p.m.
Adjourned discussion on papers by Mr. Woodhouse and Mr. Kapp.

Scottish Centre.— Saturday, December lltb. At Rankine Hall,
Glasgow. At 7.30 p.m. Smoking concert.

(Students' Section).— Friday, December 3rd. At King's College,
Strand. W.C. At 6.30 p.m. Discussion on " The Modern Tendency to
Trusts : Is it Beneficial '?" to be opened by Mr. A. Serner.

(North • Western Centre). — Tuesday, December 7th. At the
Engineers' Club, Manchester. At 7 p.m. DiscuBBlon on *' Report on the
Heating of Buried Cables."

Scottish Centre 'Students' Section).- Friday, December 10th. At
the Royal Technical College, Glasgow. At 7.30 p.m. Paper on "Static
Transformers," by Mr. R. Dickson.

Physical Society of London.- Friday, December 10th. At the Imperial

College of Science, South Kensington, S.W. At 6 p.m. Ordinary meeting.

Technical Inspection Association —Friday, December 10th. At the Royal
Society of Arts, John Street. Adelphi, W.C. At 7.80 p.m. Paper on
" Some Features of Tensile Fractures," bv Dr. G. H.Gulliver,

NOTES.

Electricity in Doclcs, — Interviewed at Liverpool, after

a lifrhtniDg- tour of American shipping ports, Mr. L. A. P. Warner,
the general manager and secretary of the Mersey Docks and
Harbour Board, said he saw 5,2ii0 tons of coal loaded and trimmed
into a Dutch steamer at Baltimore in less than five hours. Not a
single human trimmer was employed, the entire process being
entirely mechanical. The Americans were able to beat us in the
use of mechanical appliances, because electric power there was so
cheap. In New York, for general cargo, they had a few movable
electric winches which were used on some of the pieis to work in
connection with the ship's gear.

Tlie Cliannel Tannel. — "The prospects for the early
construction of the Channel tunnel are very good," said M.
Jonnart, formerly Governor of .\lgeria, speaking at a dinner of
the Franco-British Association at Paris on November 23rd. " The
French Government supports the scheme on this side of the
Channel, and so do a number of provincial councils. On the British
side the War Office, Admiralty, and Air Council no longer object."
The General Council of the International Parliamentary Trade
Conference (Paris) has passed a resolution expressing a wish that
the Governments of France and Britain should undertake the con-
struction of a Channel Tunnel as quickly as possible.

A Thnnderstorm Detector. — A thunderstorm detector

has been installed at the Croydon aerodrome, by the aid of which
pUots of aircraft will ba kept informed of the weather conditions
prevailing along their route of flight. The instrument is con-
structed somewhat on the same lines as wireless telegraphic
apparatu.s, so that it is acted upon by atmospheric electrical
discharges. By using the principles of directional wireless
telegraphy, the direction, distance, and rate of travel of a storm
can be ascertained.

Industrial Electric Truck Taxes. — It is frequently the

case that industrial electric trucks, now so much in use in factories,
workshops, gocds yards, docks, &c., are employed to transport
goods and materials a short distance along the public highway,
from one factory to another, or, perhaps, from the factory a short
distance to the nearest railway goods yard. These little trucks
cjver but a very small mileage in the year, especially in running
along the public highway, and it would be a hardship if the
owners had to pay the new motor-tax on such vehicles because of
this fact. The matter has been taken up with the Ministry of
Transport by the Electric Vehicle Committee of Great Britain
[with the assistance of Mr. W. Hixson, of the Society of Motor
Manufacturers and Traders, Ltd.]. The Electric Vehicle Com-
mittee announces that it ha'^ been given to understand that where
industrial electric trucks are used in the ordinary way of business
in transporting goods and materials from one factory or depart-
ment to another, which entails the crossing of public highways, or
going a short distance to and from a near-by goods station— in
other words, where they are only used over short distances along
the pablic highways in the course of the year— it is not necessary
for such electric trucks to be licensed. The Committee has been
informed that instructions will be sent to the police and the
Treasury officials, in the event of there being any occasion for
doing so.

The Reads Department of the Ministry of Transport explains
that the '' amount to which the roads are used by the class of
vehicles referred to varies so largely that it has not been found
possible to lay down any hard and fast rule at the present time
about the exact liability to tax.ation. of these vehicles under the
Finance Act, 1920, which must depend on the circumstances of
each case. '

An X-ray Martyr. — The death has taken place at Paris,
at the age of 46, of yet another martyr of the science of X-rajs, in
the person of Dr. Charles Infroit, chief of the radiographic
laboratory of the Salpotriere Hospital. Dr. Infroit was seized by
X-ray dermatitis 10 years ago, but he refused to give up the master
passion of his life, and declared : " It only remains to me to work
on while awaiting death, and try to discover methods of protection
for others." During his long martyrdom he had to undergo more
than 20 operations, which successively took from him all his
lingers, then his hands, then his left arm, and, a few months ago,
his right arm as well. His agony has not been in vain, since he
has been able to make very valuable discoveries in the action of
X-rays, and about a year ago he declared that he had managed to
devise an installation by which he could guarantee that none of
his assistants ran the slightest danger of radiodermatitis. — The
Times.

Electric Trucks in Docks. — In course of time it is

likely that the old-fashioned hand trucks used in the Liverpool
Dock sheds in connection with the loading and unloading of cargo
steamers will completely disappear, and their places will be taken
by electrically-propelled trucks, which have enormous economic
advantages. They are able to carry 5 to 10 times the weight that
c»n be handled by the old method. There are several standard
types of trucks employed. Some of them have been used in loading ,
and unloading steamers of the Cunard, White Star, Harrison, and
other steamship lines. One particular type of truck so employed
was a heavy duty truck, the specification of which was as follows: — .
Capacity, 1 ton ; speed empty, 6 miles per hour ; loaded, 5 milas
per hour ; loading space, 7 ft. by 3 ft. ; length overall, 8 ft. 6 in. ; 'i
height of platform, 1 ft. 11 in. ; clearance under truck, 5 in.

Vol.87. No. 2,245, December 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

725

The Proposed Severn Barrage. — The cost .of this echeme,

the official outliiif of which is given elsewhere iu this issue, is
estimated by the Daily Mail to be f SO.OOU.IHXK The Evcniny
News states that at Bristol the scheme is regarded as perilous,
and Sir John Hawksham, when consulted many years ago on a
proposal to " dockise " the Avon, expressed grave doubts about
the scheme, because of the influence of the tidal waters of the
Avon and Severn on maintaining the present navigability of
tFie Bristol Channel. That was one of the reasons why
d(Kkising the Avon was abandoned in favour of the construc-
tion of the Royal Edward Dock at Avonmouth. It is feared
that damming the Severn may lead to the silting up of the
existing navigation channels. Another question asked is : Will
the existing ports be exposed to the competition of a huge
Severn dock backed by State funds? Bristol ratepayers have
spent over seven millions on docks, and this aspect is of serious
importance.

The Times engineering correspondent remarks on the
absence of anything resembling a definite estimate of the
cost of constructing the. necessary works. Yet this cost is the
crux of the problem. The whole point is, whether this great
force of nature can be directed for the use and convenience of
man at a co.st that will enable the power obtained to be sold
at a price that w-ill compete with that charged for p<.iuer pro-
duced from coal or other fuel by the methods ordinarily prac-
tised. Apart from the electrical equipment, the civil engineer-
ing works needed must be very expen.sive ; and the question is
whether the interest on the capital required for these works
will not amount to a greater sum {ler unit of power realised
than can be obtained per unit sold, the selling price being
governed by the competition of power derived from coal. The
scheme is not a purely hydro-electric one, but is mixed up
with the provision of facilities for railway and road transport
across the Severn, and with the development of a great ship-
ping area above the dam. The estimates of the cost of power
can. therefore, be made to vary with the proportion of the
total capital costs allocated to the different components. Pro-
bably on a purely hydro-electric basis the .scheme would have
little chance of commercial success, and only by unloading
part of the capital cost on a substitute for a bridge can a
prima facie economical case be made out. .Apart from these
adventitious aids, the Severn scheme appears to be as promis-
ing as any that could be formulated. The Dee, however, also
has its attractions.

The Crisis In Electricity Supply. — As we go to press, we

have received the following letter : —

In connection with the demands of the Electrical Power
Engineers' Association and their threatened strike, a very
considerable Press campaign in the electricity papers has been'
organised to further the aims of that .Association, but as far
as I am aware nothing has so far been published setting forth
any of the reasons why the great majority of undertakings,
municipal and company, have refused to adopt the schedule
of salaries and conditions attached to the same. I propose,
therefore, briefly to state some of those reasons.

The so-called National Joint Board responsible for framing
the schedule of salaries is a self-constituted body. It is true
it is composed of representatives of associations of both muni-
cipal and company undertakings, but these Associations were
never in any way authorised by their respective member
undertakings, or certainly only by a very minute proportion of
them to negotiate or draw up a schedule of salaries. The
imdertakings were not consulted and had no voice directly or
indirectly in drawing up the schedule, and indeed few. if any,
knew that' it was being prepared. This is entirely contrary to
the usual procedure of Whitley Councils, which I beheve is
that each District Council draws up its own schedule, and the
National Council, more or less formed out of or elected by the
District Councils, revises the schedule allowing considerable
latitude, for local conditions. &c. To accept this schedule
would be to acknowledge the right of this self-constituted
National Joint Board to dictate in future anything else it
may think fit. There is no question of dishonouring an agree-
ment, as no agreement has been made.

As regards the schedule itself, which is based on payment in
|ii(i(xirtiiin to plant capacity, just now many undertakings,
I'lissilily at the suggestion of the Electricity Commissioners,
are installing relatively large units, resulting in a very
abnormal proportion of spaie plant — in some cases as much as
1.50 to 2(X) per cent. In such cases 15-20 per cent, addition to
the technical staff salaries which it would involve obviously
could not be entertained when there is no corresponding iri-
crease of revenue. A fairer Ijasis would appear to be maxi-
mum demand or units sold. Technical men will admit that a
station with ample spare plant is easier to run than one with
little or no spare plant, and the basis of salaries in proportion
to plant capacity is a further direct incentive to employers to
delay extensions as long as possible.

The grading of the scale .leaves much to be desired. .^I.enpth
of service is apparently not taken into account, the man who
has been a month in his berth receiving the same as one who
hiis completed several ye.ars. Cases are also quoted of young
men who have lieen advanced in im.sition to give them a
cliance instead of bringing in outsiders, who under the scale
woulil earn ,six or seven times their pre-war salaries notwith-
staMiliug that their experience in no way warrants it. There
are others who have quite recently obtained in competition
piLsitions in other undertakings at substantial advances and
^ho, under the scale, would obtain 90-25 per cent, tocrpase,

The coupling of the clerical and commercial staffs with the
technical men is one the municipalities will certainly not
entertain. They contend that a clerk is a clerk whatever
department of the Corporation he is in, and difl'erent salaries
cannot be considered for the Electricity Department. It is
further pointed out that there is the Municipal Councils
Administrative Technical and Clerical Whitley Council.

Whilst the various municipal committees and company
boards are inclined to be very sympathetic to their technical
stalls, it is a question how far they are likely to jwrmit inter-
ference by outside bodies, such as Whitley Councils, with the
management of an undertaking, and further, this is not
exactly the time to enforce unreasonable demands when out-
put and revenue are decreasing in many towns owing to bad
trade. Some of the junior engineers- in smaller provincial
stations should also remember that their training and qualifi-
cations are not all that can be desired.

Electricity Undertaking.

With regard to the opening sentence of this letter, our
correspondent is in error. No " Press campaign in the elec-
tricity papers " has been organised. Our views are wholly cur
own, and if the electrical Press in general supports the aims
of the Electrical Power Engineers' .Association, it is because
that Press is convinced of their justice.

The Position of the E.S.C.A. — As we go to press the

following comes to hand : —

.At a meeting convened in the City Chambers, Edinburgh,
on November "iOth, li;>20, of representatives of Scottish
Municipalities and Electricity Supply Companies, to discuss
the formation of a District Joint Board for technical and
clerical staff members of the electricity supply industry, it was
resolved to form such a Board for the technical staff only, to
the exclusion of the commercial staff, who have representa-
tives on the National Joint Board. It was also resolved that
a meeting should take place with' representatives of the Elec-
trical Power Engineers' .Association to discuss the matter. As
the Electricity Supply Commercial Association has been ex-
cluded from such meeting, it is up to the Scottish members of
the E.P.E.A. to stand by their friends in the E.S.C.A.. and
refuse such a meeting unless the E.S.C.A. are to be included
in the District -Joint Board. It was also stated at the meeting
that, as Edinburgh had paid the E.P.E.A. 's latest scale of
salaries, the members of the E.P.E..\. in that good town
would " blackleg." This remains to be seen on December

14th. — SCOTESCA.

A Sinn Fein Plot. — Details of documents captured from

Sinn Fein agents were published by the Irish Office on Novem-
ber '24th. After giving exhausted particulars of the greater
part of the plant at the Stuart Street power station, Man-
chester, details of personnel required for its destruction are
given, with instructions as to the best time and methods. The
time suggested for the raid was about 9 a.m. on Sunday, when
a minimum number of men would be present at the works. A
detailed plan was given for the guidance of an attacking party.
Six men were *o force an entrance into the time office, three
to hold up anyone who came in, while the others wrecked the
telephone system, .\nother party of six would force another
entrance, three to remain to admit a car carrying the necessary
tools and materials for demolition work, and the other three
to go to the fitting shop, where all employes would be
" rounded up." Guards were to be placed on all gates, while
the main body of attackers proceeded with their work of
destruction. Thirty men were to be sent to the main engine
room, where small parties of three were each to attack a tur-
bine. Ten others would proceed to destroy the balancers by
setting them alight with oil and wast«. Four men, with seven-
]X)und hammers, were to demolish the main switchboard, and
three others were to be detailed for the destruction of the large
" marine " engine. The total number of men arranged for
was 6-5, with four or five " officers." In an interview follow-
ing the publication of the documents, Mr. S. L. Pearce said
that there was no doubt that the information given was ob-
tained on a Sunday in October, when a party of four men and
two women visited the station with a permit obtained in a
perfectly legitimate way by one of the department's employes.
There was abundant evidence that the documents had been
compiled by men with some experience of power stations. It
is rather amusing to note the way in which it was proposed to
demolish the marine engine, which, to say the least of it, is of
substantial construction. The three men detailed to " attack
the marine engine " with " hatchets and oil " would require
a great deal of patience and perseverance, and, in fact, the
methods partake of the nature of the plan for irritating the
Dean by scratching the dome of St. Paul's. Later on in the
report, however, gun-cotton is mentioned — " Two or three men
will go to the marine-type engine. Two men can attack it with
hatchets, drench it with paraffin oil. and prepare it for light-
ing while the other man is placing his charge of gun-cotton."

British Bauxite. — New arrangements are being made

for the control of the bauxite industry in British Guiana.
Accordim,' to the Times Trade Hnpplement all existing conces-
sions will lie cancelled and tlx^ deposit money refunded. When
new allocations are made, four concessions will lie le.^-rved for
British interests. In Western .\us(ralia the Australian Ele.--
tric Steel Co. is investigating the iKj.ssibilities of producing
aluminium from the deposits of bauxite that have been dis-
govered there. '

726

THE ELECTRICAL KEVIEW. [voi.st. no. 2,215, decembeb 3, 1920.

The Electrical Research' Association.— Particulais of

the organisaticin of the British Electrical and Allied Industries
Research Association have been received, but are held over owing:
to extrence pressure on our space.

The Chamber of Commerce for Italy.— The Departmentof

Overseas Trade has been informed that the British Chamber of
Commerce for Italy has removed from 75, Via Nazionale to 23S, Via
Sicilia, Rome.

Appointments Vacant.— Clerk of works in the mains

department (£450) of the Manchester Coiporation electricity
department ; part time teacher of electrical engineering for the
Acton and Chiswick Polytechnic ; electric-motor mechanic for the
Wakefield Corporation electricity department ; civil engineer
(£1,500) and electrical engineers (£1,000) and draughtsmen
(£800) for a hydro-electric power scheme in the Federated Malay
States. See our ad\ertiaement pages to-day.

Anstraiia and Research. — A Bill now before the Com-
monwealth Parliament to establish the Institute of Science and
Industry provides that the Institute shall be divided into bureaux.
There will be a Bureau of Agriculture, a Bureau of Industry, and
such other bureaux as the Governor- General may determine. A
director will be appointed, whose task it will be to co-ordinate the
results of scientific research in the Commonwealth and abroad, so
far as is possible for their practical utilisation in Australia. A
further provision aims at enabling the Governor-General to appoint
advisory boards to assist the director. The experts will be paid. —
The Timei TratU Supplement.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN,

The Editors invite eleotrioal tngineeri, whether conneettd with the
teohnical or the commercial tide of the profettion and industry,
alto electric tramway and railway officialt, to keep readert of the
EliECTBlCAIi Review potted, at to their moveTner\tt.

INSTITUTION NOTES.

Institution of Electrical Engineers (East Midland Sub-Centre),

— A meeting was held at the Technical College, Derby, on
Tuesday, November 30th, at 6.45 p.m., when a paper was read by
Mr. C. Sutton on "The Development of the Modern Turbo-
Alternator."

Association ot Engineers-ln-Charge.— The Association's pro-
gramme for the 1920-21 Session is (as at present arranged) as
follows :— December Sth— Presidential address, by Mr. W. H.
Patchell, M.Inst.C.E. : January 12th— Paper by Capt. F. S. Shaw.
" Pulverised Fuel"; February 9th — ''Internal Combustion Engines,"
by Capt. 'W. P. Durtnall ; March 9th— "The Economic Utilisation
of Exhaust Steam," by Mr. A. J. Assheton : April 13th— Paper on
" Oil Fuel, " by Mr. A. Arnold.

The Roentgen Society.— During the new session the Society is
to meet on the Thursday evening immediately before the third
Friday in each month, that being the day on which the Electro-
therapeutics Section of the Royal Society of Medicine meets. The
venue will be the Physics Theatre of University College, Gower
Street.

Liverpool Wireless Association. — An interesting demonstration
of a home-made valve set was given by Mr. S. Lowey at a
meeting held at the Royal Institution on November 26th. The
next meeting, at which ofEeera will be elected for the ensuing year,
is to be held on December Sth.

Engineering Association of N.S.W.— On September 2 tth last, the
Association celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its foundation by
a dinner in Sydney. The large gathering included several
notable guests, including Mr. James Fraser, C.M.G , Chief Com-
missioner for Railways, N.S.W. ; Prof. W. H. 'Warren ; Mr. J.
Vickers, of Vickers, Ltd. ; and the Minister for Education.

Nottingham Society of Engineers.— A meeting of the Society
was to be held at Nottingham on December lat, 1920, when a lecture
entitled " Suggestions for a National Scheme of Fuel Economy,"
was to be given by Mr. David Brownlie, B Sc.

Physical Society of London. — At the meeting held on November
12th. at the Imperial College of Science, a paper on " lonisation
and Excitation of Radiation by Electron Impact in Helium " was
read by Dr. F. H. Goucher.

A paper on 'A New Relay for Heavy Currents " was read by l>r.
Guy Barr. The action of the relay depends on the fact that no
arc can be maintained between mercury electrodes in hydrogen.
One lead is brought to mercury contained in a vertical tube within
a solenoid. An iron rod, at the upper end of which is a glass cup,
floats in the mercury. The cup also contains mercury, and the
other lead is connected to an iron rod which dips into this. When
no current Hows in the solenoid, the rim of the cup is about 1 cm.
above the level of the main body of mercury. When the relay
current (about 003 ampere) is flowing, the iron rod is sucked
down until the rim of the cup is submerged by about 0'5 cm. The
space above the mercury contains hydrogen. The relay can be
used to break quite large currents (20 amperes) without much
spark. It is important that the break should take place between
mercury surfaces, otherwise the mercury gets contaminated.

The Royal Society On Tuesday. Prof. Charles Scott Sherringtcn

was elected President in succession to Sir J. J. Thomson, who had
occupied the oftice for five years. (Jther oftioers were elected as
follows : — Treasurer, Sir David Prain ; secretaries, Mr. W. B.
Hardy and Mr. J. H. Jeans ; foreign secretary. Sir Arthur Schuster.
Tlie Rumford Medal was presented to Lord Rayleigh, and the
Hughes Medal to Prof. 0. W. Richardson.

Aid. Dagnall has beeu elected chairman and Aid. Walker
deputy chairman of the xManchester Corporation Electricity
Committee, and Aid. Bowes chakman, and .Vld. Chapman
deputy chairman of the Corporation Tramways Committee.

Mr. Vv". HoLMANs, who for several years was employed at
the Edi.sun Swau Electric Co., Ltd., I'ouJers End, Middlesex,
and who ueut to Australia about nine years ago as their
representative, has now returned to this country, and was
married at St. Mary's, Brii,'hton, on the 'ibrd ult.

Captain A, J. Beckett, M.I.E.E., borough electrical en-
gineer, Bridlington, «as presented by the stall and workmen
of the electricity department with a handsome silver flower
vase on the occasion of his sijver wedding.

Mr. L. Her.mes, late manager of the Manchester Branch
oi the " Z " Electric Lamp Manufacturing Co., Ltd., has
joined the stall of the General Electric Co., Ltd., Victoria
Bridge, Manchester.

Aid. G. New has been re-elected chairwian of the Sunder-
land Corporation Tramways Committee, and Aid. W. Walker
has been reappointed vice-chairman.

Mr. J. Bextlei, manager of the switchgear department of
Messrs. Laurence, Scott A; Co., Ltd., Norwich, is leaving to
take up an appointment with Messrs. J. H. Wilson & Co.,
Ltd., Birkenhead. .\t a dinner given by the departmental
managers of Gothic \\orks Mr. Bentley was the recipient of
a canteen of cutlery from the members of the staff, which was
accompanied by warmly appreciative speeches from two or
three of the senior members.

Mr. Bentley was also presented with a silver-plated salver
from the staff and workmen of the switchgear department
at a smoking concert on November 19th.

Mr. H. J. Williams, manager and engineer to the Car-
marthen Electric Supply Co., Ltd., has resigned, and has
accepted a position on the staff of the Twiss Electric Trans-
mission Oi., Ltd.

Mr. F. W. T. Bradley, assistant electrical engineer to the
power deiiartment of the British Cellulose Co., Spondon,
Derby, has resigned his position, having been appointed sub-
station engineer to the Durban Corporation. South Africa.

()n November 19th an address, .subscribed to by the whole
of the staff and employes of the Netting Hill Electric Lighting
Co.. Ltd., was presented to their manager and secretary. Mr.
R. G. Rawki.xs, congratulating him on the honour of being
elected to the ^Jayoralty of the Royal Borough of Windsor.
Tn making the presentation, the chief engineer (Mr. A. P.
M'Dougall) mentioned that a goodly number of the staff then
present had been associated with Mr. Eawkins in the com-
pany for over 20 years.

Mr. H. V. PoiNTON, who has been connected with the
Metropolitan Electric Supply Co.. Ltd., for the past seven
years, is shortly relinquishing his position with that company
to join the staff of the Swedish General Electric. Ltd., .5, Chan-
cery lyane, W.0.2. as technical representative.

Major R. Stanley, principal of the Belfast Municipal Tech-
nical Institute, has been appointed Extramural Professor in
Electrotechnics at Belfast I'niversity. and Prof. F. T. Lloyd-
Dodd as Extramural Professor in Commerce and Extramural
Lecturer in Economic History. Both appointments are con-
nected with the new scheme of co-ordination with .the Belfast
Municipal Technical Institute, recently introduced.

NEW COMPANIES REQISTERED.

Industrial Electrical, Ltd. (171,507). — Private companv.

RegistoreJ November 19th. Capital, £3,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the
business of electricians, electrical engineers and manufacturers, suppliers o'
electricity, manufacturers of and dealers in railway, tramway, electrical,
magnetic, galvanic and other apparatus, &-c. The first directors are : H. J.
Kennedy (permanent managing director and chairman). 150. Turnev Road.
DuKvich. S.E.: .S. Kennedy. 210, Foster Hill Road, Bedford. Register.-d

Pewsey Electric Lighting Co., Ltd, (171,577).— Rc^is-

t.red November 23rd. Capital. £.i.000 in fl shares. To carry on the busin.ts
of an electric lighting companv in nil its branches in England or elsewhen .
The first directors are : A. J. I'hillips. Victoria House. Pewsey, Wilts. ; G. B.
Nicol, London House. Pewsev, Wilts.; F. J. Kunkler. Clarendon Hous<'.
Pewsey, Wilts.; A. Wavlen. High Street. Pewsev. Wilts.; A. Rawlins. Fair-
holme. Pewsev. Wilts; A. Cook, Southcot Lodge. Pewsey, Wills. Minimum
I ash subscription. £7. Secretary : T. Fowle. Registered office : Power Hous,-,
High Street. Pewsey. Wilts.

Littianode Co,, Ltd, (171, .574). — Private companv. Regi.s-

lered November 2.'}rd. Capital. £2.000 in £1 shares. To take over the busi-
ni-ss of mamifacturet;? of nccumulators. dry batteries, electrical fittings ami
;ipparatus,and gener;il engincerji carried on by Lithanode. Ltd.. and to adopt
an agreement with Mr. A. B. Bcall. The subscribers (each with one share)
are' A. B. Beall. Homeland ISungalow. Shoreham Be.irh. engineer; F. Martin, ^
23. Queen Street, E.G. 4, solicitor. A. B. Beall is first managing director,
with £10 per week as r.-muner.ition. Registered office : 190, Queen's Road, ,

Tullamore Electric Light & Power Co,. Ltd. (5,065).— j

K. i;Ulyicd i.i Oul.lin Novemb.T 1st. Capit,il, £2r.,00(l ill £1 shares. To carry"
..„ husin,.s< .,< indi.ated bv the title. The first directors are: P. J. Egan,
\nn..ghmore Tullamore; E. Willi.ims. High Street, Tullamore: M. Scally.J
Moor Hall Tullamore; A. I. Lumlev. High .Street. Tullamore; W. C. Graham,:
Barrack Street, Tullamore; N. Redmond. Moor Hall. Tullamore; P. Smyth, j
Earl Street. Tullamore. Secretary: F. J. Kelly. Registered office: Harbour |
Street, Tullamore.

Vol. i7. No. 2,245, December 3, 1920.] THE ELECTPiICAL REVIEW.

727

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

D. P. Battery, Ltd.— Satisfaction on .\ugust 20th, 1920,

(<i) lo till- fxtent o( i;j,750 of 1st debentures dated October 29tli, 1901, securing
i'10,000; (&) in lull of second debentures May SOtli, July 12lh, .August 17lfi,
and September 28th, 1899, and October 29th, 19«1, securing f5,U00: and (c)
in full of debentures dated January 18lh, 1917, securing £6,000.

E.S. Co., Ltd. — Particulars of ,£6,000 debentures autho-
rised on October 20tli, 111241, whole amount issued: chary, d on the company's
underialving and propert) , present and future, including uncalled capital.

James Keith & Blackman Co., Ltd. — Satisfaction in full

on November 11th, 1920, of 1st debentures dated December 5th, 1902, and
2nd debentures dated 1-ebruary 9th, 1914, securing £900.

Alfred Dugdale, Ltd. — Single 1st mortgage debenture,

dated November lath, 1920, to secure £5,000, charged on compan; 's under-
taking and propcriv, present and future, including uncnlled capital. Holders;
O. Inskipp and C.'iM. Jeram, 190-192, Great I'ortland Street, W.

Willans & Robinson, Ltd. — Satisfaction in full on Febru-

.iry 9th. 1920, of debentures dated December 20th. 1911, and .April 28th, 191ti,
>cvuring £40,000 and £20,000 respectively.

Stock Exchange Notice. — .Application has been made to
tlie Comtiiittee to allow the undermentioned to be officially
quoted: —

Stewarts ct Lloyds. — iS4.5,54'2 deferred shares of i'l each,
fully paid, Xos. l,78'2,5Ui to •2,6-2.S,U4'2.

Electrical Supplies (Liverpool), Ltd., has increased its
capital from ±'lU,Ot)0 divided into 10,000 ordinary shares of il
each, to iil-J.fXIO divided into 10,000 ordinary shares uf £1
each, and 5,000 uon-cumulative £1 10s. per cent, preference
shares of i£l each (free from income-tax up to 6s. in the £)■

Callender's Share & Investment Trust, Ltd. — Dividend of
i per cent., less tax, for half-year; ±'5(X1 is placed to reserve,
±'741 written off preliminary expenses and cost of delwiiturc
issue; £6,'318 carried forward.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

CITY NOTES.

New Issues. — .According to the Tiiitcs, The Barcelona Trac-
tion, Light d Power Co. will shortly ofl'er for sale ±'1,050,(XK)
S per cent, secured debentures at 94. The proceeds will be
used for the purpose of acquiring approximately iil, 91(3,000
of 6 per cent, prior lieu " B " bonds which were issued to a
grouji of French bankers and other creditors uf the company
m settlement of previous cash advances matle by them. The
fall in the value of the French frauc has enabled the company
to acquire these prior lien " B" bonds at a saving of appro.\i-
mately ±'800,000 on the capital liabihty.

Siemens Bros. <£ Co., Ltd. — .According to Tlir Tiine.t the
underwriters have been left with bo per cent, of the issue of
481,875 shares of .±'1.

. English Electric Co., Ltd. — .AppUcations are invited at 98
per cent, for £1, '250,000 8 per cent, six-year secured notes,
repayable January 1st, 19'27, at 103 per cent., the proceeds
of which will be used to replace expenditure incurred in
the purchase of the Stafford works and stocks and in the
development of the various works to meet commitments, and
for additional working capital necessitated by the increasing
business of the company and its subsidiaries. It is stated
that the company has on hand uncompleted orders for over
±5,000,000. Lists close Monday, December 6th.

Chadburns (Ship) Telegraph Co. — The report for the year
ended March 31st, 1918, shows balance at credit of profit and
loss (less managing director's remuneration, directors' ex-
penses, depreciation, income tax, excess profit duties, and other
contingencies, ±"21,155) ±10,866, plus f3,.586 brought forward.
Dividend on ordinary shares 8 per cent, per annum, less tax,
ciirrying forward ±'6,06'2, subject to excess profits duty, ttc.
The directors state that owing to exceptional circumstances
prevailing it is impossible to submit profit and loss account
for the year ended March 31st, 19'2(3. A dividend of 6 per
cent, on the ordinary shares is proposed.

Venezuela Telenhone & Electrical Appliances Co., Ltd. —
The accounts for the year ended June 30th, 19'20, show a profit
of ±'20.806, less debenture and loan interest £7,505, income
tax ±'1,6'20, excess profits duty £488, and corporation profits
tax £.350, leaving £10,841. .\fter paying 8 per cent, on the
cumulative preference .shares, putting ±1.17'2. to first deben-
ture sinking fund, and £6,5'20 to reduction of discount on
issue of first mortgage debentures, £2.687 is carried forward.
Demands of new subscribers necessitated capital expenditure
of £15,156. The directors regret that this expenditure makes
it impossible to recommend a divideud on the ordinary shares.

Barbados Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd. — Trading
profit for the year ended June. 1920, £4,617. against ±3,(«10
and ±3,196 for the two preceding year.s. Repairs and renewals
were £1.1'27, as compared with £1.303 for 1917. Consumers
increased from 1,646 to 1,783 and 25 c.P. (equivalent) connec-
tions from 2;?.034 to 23.903. Capital expenditure during tlio
year amounted to £7.917. con.sisting chiefly of payments made
on account of the new 225 kw. .set (the engine of which is
installed and the alternator is in transit), and cost of addi-
tional hou.se connections, mains, &c. £3,495 from the balance
at the credit of profit and loss account has been applied to
writing off the outstanding amounts to the debit of under-
writing commission, preliminary expenses, and discount and
expenses of issue of debentures: the balance remaining to the
credit of pmlit and loss .Tccoimt is £2,767.

Constantinople Telenhone Co. — .Arcounis for ibe perioil
from Janu:irv 1st. 1914. to December 31st. 1919, .show a
balance at debit of net revenue account of £T55,594.

Olobe Telegraoh & Trust Co., Ltd.— Oti.arlerlv dividend
of 3s. on the preference and 5s. on the orihiiary shares, both
less tax.

British Mannesmann Tube Co., Ltd. — Final dividend of
4 per cent., and a bonus of 1 per cent., makine a total of 8 per
cent, for the year, plus 1 per cent, bonus (both less tax).

TuESD.-iY Evening.

Conditions approaching demoralisation prevailed in the Stock
Exchange early this week. From being fidgety and nervous,
markets became alarmed and anxious. .A steady stream of
selling led to liquidation so general in its application that
none of the markets escaped from the severity of the pres-
sure. Quantities of stock were Hung out in the case of the
oil section and the gilt-edged divisions. .A part of the selling
came from France ; a greater ptirt has been on behah of people
in this country. Manufacturers and traders of all kinds, hard
pressed for cash, have been forced to realise w'hatever they
held that was saleable. Companies are eager to raise fresh
capital, and are offering such terms as to throw into the shade
all ordinary standards of investment yield. The railwaymen
are beginning to wax restive again, and with Irish affau's as
hopeless as ever, it is not so very a.stonishing, after all, that
the ordinary public have no heart — and very little money — for
Stock Exchange adventures.

These considerations affect all stocks and shares. Their
influence is not confined to any special department, but they
bring down prices in electricity supply shares. Home Railway
stocks, and manufacturing issues with equal impartiahty.
Westminster Electrics at 4J have fallen 'Is. Hd. below their par
value. Loudon Electric preference at 25 are 3s. down. Other
prices have not moved, nominally, but all the shares are diffi-
cult to sell. Nobody, says the Stock Exchange, man, wants
to buy anything, and for once in a way this sweeping
generalis.itiiiii ciiibodies a good deal of accuracy.

The Eiii^lish Electric Co., Ltd., has been ott'ering, at 98, a
million and a quarter pounds of 8 per cent. Notes redeemable
at 103 on January 1st, 1927. The Notes are secured by a
specific charge on assets, subject to the outstanding first mort-
gage debentures, and to mtirtgages and charges in favour of
the company's bankers to .secure an amount not exceeding
half a million sterling. These Notes accordingly stand ahead
of unsecured and ordinary trtide creditors. Yet no particular
perception or pessimism is required to make the underwriters
look forward to the issue's result without any enthusiasm.

Siemens issue of new shares at •22s. was left in the hands of
tlie underwriters to the extent of 65 per cent., and the price
promptly fell to Is. 6d. discount w-hen dealings started. In
this case, the price of issue was high, comparing it with the
quotation for the old shares entitled to Is. dividend free of
tax. The latter are now ex this, and stand at '2'2s. 6d. Elec-
tric Constructions at 16s. 6d. are also ex their dividend of
7 l/5d. General Electrics receded to 25s., the first preference
to 18s.; the 7^ per cent. "B" preference are 20s. Metro-
politan-Vickers preference are marked down as much as 3s. 9d.
Shares changed hands the other day at 37s. 6d. Henley's at
32s. 6d. have lost 1/16; other cable shares keep steady. Bab-
cock & Wilcox at 2i are 2s. 6d. dov('n ; thus all the favourable
effect produced by the interim dividend announcement has
been lost. The Ministry of Transport's scheme for barraging
the Severn has arou.sed interest of the mildly academic sort in
financial circles. Of greater practical interest is a plan in
preparation — the first draft prospectus is printed^ — for initiat-
ing an ambitious Road 'l\'ansport Company, in which big
people are interested. And passing this as a matter for eager
attention is the hope that has .sudtlenly sprung up of money
becoming cheaper "in the near future. The bare possibility
sent a thrill of hope into disgruntled markets, and prices
rallied from the worst.

The report which appeared the other day from the Special
Committee on Londtin Electricity Supply, with recommenda-
tions to the Ij.C-C. on a scheme for reiirgnnisntinu of elec-
tricity .supply in Greater London and the est;dilishment of a
joint authority, has had no effect in the Stock Exchange .sn far
as prices are concerned. In fact, it seems to have been
scarcely digested even by tho«e in the market who are most ■
interested in the Ini.sincss. Much of the report deals with
technical sides of the industry, but it is iiroixi.scd tliiit finan-
cial arrangements for a voluntary purclin.se uiulcr Electric
Tiighting .\''ts shall lie made so as to provide that the under-
taking of the ioint coimiiittee .shall be coiKhicted on a .self-
supporting basis. The ioint authoritv. it is urged, should
have power to create and issue stock, bills or bonds, and to
borrow money on the assets of the undertaking.

728

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,245, December 3, 1920.

Consolidated Gas of Baltimore at 12yi is several points down,
and the bonds gave Avay to 103^. American Telephone and
lyegraph .stock fell 7 on Monday to 137i, and the Collateral
Trust lour.s at 110 were 5 lower. Cuban Telephone (J pi'r
cent, preferred at 110 shed '2 points, but, on the other hand,
General Electric of New York at 12'ii was a dollar or two up.
Gn balance, dollar stocks are easier. Bio Firsts at 90} have
given way with the others.

Bi-i.sbane Electric 4i per cent, debenture stock at 92i is
again a point down. Brazilian Tractions fell to 41. British
Columbia stocks are all easier. Mexicans have again given
way. The Anglo-Argentine 5 per cent, debenture at 56} ex
dividend is lower, allowing for the deduction. Other issues in
the foreign group are also heavy, and sellers find it difficult
to get on. The Home Railway stocks are dull rather than
flat, although the Income Bonds of the Underground Electric
Co. at 63} are again two points lower, following up their drop
of a similar amount last week. Metropolitans receded to 2U.
British Edectric Traction ordinary at 30 is a point down.
London and Suburban Tractions have dwindled to eighteen-
pence.

Telegraphs are steady, and the only feature in the market is
the weakness of Marconis. The shares at one time touched
2| or( heavy pressure to sell, and the slight recovery which
carried the price to 2} still leaves it 5/16 lower on the
week. The prices of the a.ssociated Marconi undertakings are
also depressed. Armaments share the prevailing tendency;
coal, iron and steel being also heavy. The rubber market
more or less marks time, though a trifling recovery in the
prica of the raw stuff saved the list from material falls. Busi-
ness all round is quiet. The optimist looks to cheaper money
prospects as likely to ameliorate the present Stock Exchange
conditions. .\nd the pessimist, says one definition, is a man
who lives with the optimist.

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

It ghonid be remembered, in making use of the figures appearinj;
in the following list, that in some oases the prices are only general
and they may vary according to quantities and other circumstanoeC

SHARE LIST OF ELECTRICAL COMPANIES.

Home Electricity Coupanies, ^

Dividend Price

^ • V Nov. 30 Yield

1918. 1919. 1920. Rise or rail. p.c.

Brompton Ordinary 8 12 6 — f 10 0 0

Charing CroBS Ordinary .... 4 7 8} — 10 16 6

do. do. do. IJPref. .. 4i i\. aj — 8 8 8

Chelsea ..3 4 81 — 6 8 0

Citv of London 8 10 l| — 8 1110

do. do. 6peroent. Pret. .. 6 6 17/6 — 8 17 a

County of London .... 78 74 — 10 18 4

do. do. fi per cent. Pref. 6 6 Si — 7 7 8

Kensington Ordinary .... 6 7 82 — 906

London Electric .. .. Nil 2J \ — 8U 5

do. do. 6 percent. Pref. .6 6 2| - J 10 18 a

Metropolitan 6 6 ii| — lu B 8

do. 4* per cent. Pret, .. 4S 41 9*^ — 8 0 0

Si, Jameg' and Pall Mall .... 10 12 «i — 9 4 8

South London 5 6 3} — 9 13 0

South Metropolitan Pref 7 7 16 3 8 13 8

Westminster Ordinary .. .. 8 10 4S —J 10 13 1

Telegraphs and Telephones.

Anglo-Am. Tel, Piel 6 6 76* — 1 7 16 10

do, De( 83/6 \\ 16| i 0 4 8

Chile Telephone 8 6 6( — •( u 1

CubaSnb. Ord 7 7 7 — 10 0 0

Eastern Bxtenslon 8 10 le — « 13 0

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 169) - 6 11 4

GljoeTel, and T, Ord 8 10 IS ~\ 6 13 4

do. do. Fret 6 6 BJ - 6 17 2

Great Northern Tel 'S, '22 90i — 10 .4 8

Indo.Blaropeui 11 10 60 ti " 8

Marconi 25 25 3i — ,;. 10 0 0

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 12 3| - •« 1>4 «

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 6 —J '6 13 4

West India and Panama .. .. 1/3 Nil ;.'. Nil

Western Telegraph 8 10 16g — "6 13 4

HouE Kails.

Central London Old, ABSented ..4 4 <8i — 9 4 0

Metropolitan 1 \\ SO — } 6 6 0

do. DiBtrlol .. .. Nil Nil 17i — tail

Underground Electtio Ordinary.. Nil Nil 3^ — Nu

do. do. "A" .. Nil Nil 6,6 - 9d. Nil

do. do, Income ..54 6 )) - a —

FOREION TKAU3, 4o.

Anglo-Arg. Trams, First Pref. .. Nil 6* B — 9 8 4

do, do. and Pref, .. Nil Nil \i — Nm

00, do. 6 Deb, .. 5 6 56]xd —\\ 8 17 0

Brazil Tractions Nil Nil 41 -1 Nil

British Columbia Elec. Rly. Pfcc. 5 5 69 - 8 9 6

do, do, Preteirea 2>. 5 67i —1 *6 1 9

do, do. Deferred Nil 8 67i - 1 *6 i :i

do. do. Deh. .. 4i 41 E6J -I 7 10 5

Mexico TramsS percent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 43 — IJ Kll

do. 6 percent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 83) -1 Nil

Mexican Light Common .. .. Nil Nil 16 . — Nll^

do. Pref Nil Nil a6J - IJ Nil

do. 1st Bonds.. .. Nil Nil 66) -1 Nil
Manofactohinq Coupanies.

Baboock A Wilcox 16 15 i\ —J 6 13 4

Briiish Aluminium Ord 10 10 18/- — U 10 2

British Insulated Ord laS 16 Ig — 9 4 8

Callenders 25" 15 Ijxd — 10 0 0

„ 6»Pref.- e* Hi 18/9 — 6 18 8

Castner.Kellner 20' 17' 8 — 6 18 4

CromptonOrd 10 10 17/6 — U 8 H

Edison-Bwan 10 10 15/- — 13 6 8

• do. do. 6 per cent. Deb. .. 5 5 71) — 6 14 8

Electric Construction .. ,, 10 10 16/6xd — 11 8 6

Gen. Elec. Pref fi'. 6'. 18,'- —fid. 7 4 6

do, Bid 10' lu' U — ,'^ -8 0 0

Henley 25 IS \\ — ,> 9 4 8

do. 4) Pref.. i iV 4i 8) — " 7 4 0

India-Rubbev 10 10 i,-;' _ '8 8 0

Met. -Viokers Pref -- .•< Ij,' — ,;. 8 16 li

Hiemens Ord', . . ' .. .. .. 10 10 i|\d — h "3 17 1)

TelegrAfh CQAi, .,:••. •• •• '^ !iJ 91 — *6 U 8

t Pivideods ^14 free o( luconie Xax,

Tuesday, November 30th.

CHEMICALS. &0.

Latest
Price.

Fortnight's
Inc. or Deo,

a Acid, Oxalic

per lb.

1/10

a Ammoniac Sal

per ton

£140

a Ammonia, Muriate (large crystal)

,,

£93

a Bisulphide of Carbon

,,

a Borax

,,

£41

a Copper Sulphate

,,

£4a

a Potash, Chlorate

per lb.

!/■

a „ Perchlorate

,,

1/8

a Shellac

per owl.

£26

i.0 1(K'. dec.

a Sulphate of Magnesia

per ton

£18

a Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers

,,

£34

a ,, Lump

,,

£10

a Soda, Chlorate

per lb.

6d.

a „ Crystals

per ton

£13

».

a Sodium Bichromate, casks

per lb.

...

™

I^ETALS, &0.

p Babbitt's Metal Ingots

per ton

£95 to £800

e Brass (rolled metal 2" to 13" basis)

per lb.

i/i;

Jd.*dec.

c „ Tubes (solid drawn)

,,

1/4 CO 1,41

lid. dec.

c ,, Wire, basis

,,

l/2i

3d. dec.

c Copper Tubes (solid drawn)

,,

1/t)'.

l,d. dec.

c „ Bars (best selected)

per ton

£136

fia dec.

c „ Sheet

,,

£136

£Hdec.

c „ Rod

£186

£18 dec.

d „ (Electrolytic) Bars

,,

£89

£13 dec.

d „ Sheets

,,

£143

J „ Wire Rods..

,,

£105

£18 dec

J ,1 „ H.C. Wire..

per lb.

1/U

lid. dec.

f Ebonite Bod

,,

B/6

f „ Sheet

3/-

n German Silver Wire

3/-

h Gutta-percha, flue

14/- to 16/-

ft india-rubber. Para fine

t.

1/3

lldl'dec.

, Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ...

per ton

Nom.

/ „ Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual.

,,

£54

£4'i'no.

g Lead, English Pig

,,

£38

£5 dec.

g Mercury „ ...

per hot

£16 6s.to £16I0s.

IB/- d.-c.

e Mica (in original cases) small ...

per lb.

6d. to 4/6

■ „ 1, ■> medium..

,1

6/- to 10/-

e ,, 11 " large

13/6 to 26/- & up

„ Phosphor Bronze, plain castings

,,

1/6 to 1/11

„ ,, „ rolled bars and rods
p ,, „ rolled strip <S sheet

2/5 to a/8

,,

3/5 to 3/9

".'..

d Silicium Bronze Wire

per lb.

1/11

...

r Steel, Magnet, in bars

1/8

n Tin, Block (English)

per ton

£207

f 33 dec.

n „ Wire, Nos. 1 to 16

per lb.

4/9

p White Anti- friction Metals

per ton

£78 to £800

(juotations supplied by—

a Q. Boor & Co.

g James & Shakespeare.

c Thos. Bolton & Sons, Ltd,

h Edward Till cSk Co,

d Frederick Smith 4 Co.

i Boiling & Lowe.

« F. Wiggins & Sous.

/ Riohard Johnson & Nephew, Ltd

f India-Rubber, Gutta-Peroha and

nP.

Ormiston & Sons.

Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.

P —

r W. F

Dennis & Co.

Freemasonry, — After the rejrular meeting of the Kelvin

Lodye, hel<l on the 26th ult.. the reigniniar master. Mr. H. Porter-
Cox, preaided at the banquet over a gathering of 79 membera and
visitors, including such well-known gentlemen as Messrs. Leonard
G. Tate, J. (J. Hood, A. T. Turney, &c. After an excellent musical
piogramme everyone went away feeling that he had enjoyed a
very happy evening, and that the Kelvin Lodge was in for another
successful year.

The Electrical Trades Benevolent Institntion.— On

Wednesday, December 15th, the annual festival of the Association
will be held, at the Connaught Rooms. Mr. E. Manville, M.P..
will preside, this being the first occasion when a Member of Parlia-
ment has occupied the chair. Tickets may he obtained from the
Secretary. Mr. F. 1>. 0. Hawes, 18 and 21, Park Mansions, Vauxhall
Park, South Lambeth Road, S.W. 8 ; and it is to be hoped that
there will be a record demand for them, in support of this most
excellent Institution.

Growth of Plants, — In a lecture on the growth of plants

to the students at University College, London, on November 26th,
Sir J. C. Bose explained that when plants die they give off a large
([uantity of electricity. If .'>00 peas boiling in a pot all " died at
the same moment," they would produce " sufficient electricity to
kill the cook." Lilac plants coulil be deceived with chloroform ;
usually they sleep in winter and blo.^^om in the spring time, but if
a plant were given a dose of chloroform in winter, it would blossom
on awakening from the chloroform sleep.

Refuse-screening Plant. — A refuse-screening plant in
which electricity plays a large part has recently been put into
service by the St. Marylebone Corporation. The refuse is tipped
into a pit upon arrival at tlie depot, and from thence is raised by a
3.')-H.P. electrically-driven ciane and discharged on to a shaking
si'reen, where it is divided into four classes. The fine ash, coke
breeze, and other refuse is passed over magnetic separators, which
extract all iron and steel inchide<l in the refuse. The power
for the apparatus is supplied by a .")0-KW. generator coupled to a
single-cylinder steam engine. An electrically-driven balioj; press
is employed for packing? waste paper.

Vol.87. No. 2,246, Dkcembke 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

729

SHOP LIGHTING.

By E. AUSTIiN.

I

The manner in which many shopkeepers are utilising
high-candle-power " gasfiUed " lamps must be a matter
of perpetual annoyance and anxiety to illuminating
engineers. Enough has surely been said and written
to make it clear that these lamps should not be ex-
posed, yet innumerable examples of glaring lights are
to be found. There are, it is true, shops in which the
lighting is a credit to the contractors and everyone
concerned, but there are others in which it is little
short of disgraceful. An inspection of business estab-
lishments in almost any important thoroughfare will
show that in many instances little regard has been paid
to the elimination of glare. Powerful unshaded lights
in the field of vision create good business for opticians,
but this, 1 take it, is not the purpose for which high-
candle-power " gasfilled " lamps were originally in-
troduced.

The question that arises is : Who is responsible for this
deplorable state of affairs'/ Inquiries seem to indicate
that to a large extent it is the shopkeepers themselves.
The trouble, it is alleged, can be traced in a great
many instances to the unfortunate fact that shop pro-
prietors buy " gasfilled " lamps and put them in the
existing holders, . regardless of the high candle power
of the new lamps as compared with that of the old.
It should be obvious to people with a grain of common
.sense that a glaring light is undesirable. It should be
evident that it is the goods that customers want to see,
not a blaze of light, but unfortunately it is difficult to
make this simple fact understood. Other reasons for
the present unsatisfactory state of lighting can no doubt
be found. Glaring lights are often met with in new
shops, that have just been opened, as well as in shops
in which electric lighting has recently been installed
in place of gas. Bad illumination in these cases maj-,
or may not, be attributable to apathy or want of know-
ledge on the part of contractors. That there are a
few liglitiiig contractors who do not know much about
illmuiuating engineering is well within the range of
]iiissibility, hut it is not easy to believe that even the
jiKist iiic oiiijietent fail to appreciate the bad effects of
jjlare. Contractors are no doubt frequently hampered
liy tlie whims and fancies and limited spending powers of
llieir clients. No effort should be spared, however, to
jpoiiit out how essential it is to use fittings whicli will
avoid glare and give good diff\ision. A comparison of
a sho]i in which tlie lamps are properly shaded with
one in which the}- are exposed can scarcely fail to con-
vince sensible people that there is something in the
argument. It is nevertheless a curious fact that well
and very imperfectlj; illuminated shops often adjoin
or face one another on opposite sides of a road.
Wliether the proprietor of the badly lighted shop ever
conijiares liis installation with his neighljour's is no
iloubt a question that often presents itself to illuminat-
ing engineers. The probability is that the bulk of
business people who are using " gasfilled " lamps to
bad advantage do not appreciate the fact. They may
even imagine that becau.se they have got a blaze of light
they are showing their goods to better advantage than
the Jjeople who are using semi-indirect and other fit-
tings.

Vigorous juopaganda on the part of contractors and
others is clearly needed. Shopkeepers, it is to be re-
membered, are as a rule purely traders, interested
mainly in buying goods as cheaply as possible and
in selling tlicm at an enormous profit. It is not
sur]jrising, tlierefore, that tliey are slow in grasping
the fundamental principles of good lighting, and in
understanding what is meant by good diffusion and the
avoidance of glare. Everyone desirous of seeing shop-
lighting improved should strive his utmost to impress
upon shopkeepers the absurdity of using glaring lights.
Even casual hints dro]ipfd when ])urchasing goods may
be of some assistance. Whenever I enter a shop (a

tobacconist's for example) and find a high candle power
'■ gasfilled lamp in close proximity to my nose I make
a great fuss about the matter. Bending down the brim
of my hat, and holding my newspaper in front of the
lamp, I say to the individual behind the counter: " My
dear fellow (or young lady, as the case may be), how
on earth can you tolerate the terrific glare of that light I
Do you know that by using the lamp in that manner
you are injuring your eyesight, and, what is far worse,
you are injuring mine, and making it very difficult
for your customers to see the goods that you are dis-
playing 1 Would you kindly tell me which of these
cigarettes you have here are the best Virginia, and
which are the Woodbines? " I then deposit some E.D.A.
publications upon the counter and depart.

Propaganda of a similar kind carried out by in-
dividuals interested in this important matter might
do a little good, for shopkeepers undoubtedly pay some
attention to the complaints of their customers. A man
who apparently has nothing -to gain by expressing an
opinion and giving advice is perhaps more likely to
be listened to than an individual who is known to
be a lighting contractor, obviously out looking for
money. But this does not imply that contractors should
relax their efforts. On the contrary, they should do
ever3-thing in their power to induce shopkeepers to
give up this idiotic practice of using unshaded high-.
candle-2:)ower lamps, which injure eyesight and impair
vision. The work is not, of course, devoid of reward,
for a profit can be made on the fittings, and something
can be obtained for fixing them. Those who possess that
wonderful art of talking incessantly, and of making
people buy things they really do not want, might do
worse, if not otherwise engaged, than devote them.selves
to this great work of educating shopkeepers. Another
road by which these people can be approached is, of
course, through their respective trade papers. Strong
and forcible articles in such journals ought to have a
good effect. In the past this field has been well ex-
plored, but mainly, I believe, with a view to stimulat-
ing the progress of electric lighting. What is now
wanted is ]ieruetual talk about the bad effects of glare.
Personally, I have always found the editors of trade
papers ready and willing to entertain " c(j]iy " of this
nature, possibly because they consider it may lie useful
to their advertisement managers.

Whilst the subject of good shop lighting has not
by an}- means been neglected by lighting experts and
technical writers, the ideals aimed at have not been
realised. It may be asserted that the existing state of
affairs is only tenqiorary, and matters will right them-
selves in due course. Let us hope that this is true.
.Meantime, however, the eyesight of many sho))keepers
and their assi-stants is being ruined, .-ind the reimtatiim
of electric lighting impaired.

Cockerill Woiks Re-organisaiion.— In connection with

the reorganisation of the Cockerill Steel Works at Seraiug,
l.ieye. following their destnutiun (hnmy the war, the adoption
of electricity for driving purposes on a much larger scale
than hitherto has been decided upon liy the directors. Thus
among the new plant to be installed is an .American blooming
mill with an electric motor of 1.5,0tXl h.p. ; a rail rolling mill
with an electric motor of 1.5,<KX) H.P. ; and an angle rolling mill
with electric motor of 2,40(1 h.p. The plant at the company's
generating .station is also to' he increased by the addition of
two lO.fKKJ-H.P. gas engines and generators.

Essay Writing Competition. — The Trustees of the

M.'(nsel-Pleydell and Cecil Medal in connection with the
Dorset Natural History and .\ntiriuariaii Field Club announce
that the Ceoil Medal and prize of .i'lO will be given next
year for the most meritorious essay on " The best uses of
electricity in reconstruction after the war, and its practical
generation." The competition is confined to competitors
l)etween the ages of 17 and 3.5 on May 1st next, and none
will be eligible who were not born in Dor.set or resident
in the county not less than one year between May 1st. 1919,
and May 1st, 1921. Further particulars may be obtained from
Mr. Harry Pouncy, Midland Bank Oharabers, Dorchester.
The object in view is the encouragement of research, experi-
ment, and invention among Dor.set students of electrical
science and its practical application to the benelicial service
of mankind.

730

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,245, December 3, 1920.

THE SHIPBUILDING, ENGINEERING AND ELECTRICAL EXHIBITION.

(_('p)ichided from page 6850

Messrs. WAYfioOD-OTi.s, Ltd., exhibit many examples of
modern lifts and hoists. One is a beautiful model of an electric pas-
seng-er lift, with full automatic push-button control, designed for
operation without a special attendant, and fitted with interlocking-
gear to prevent the lift starting unless the gates are properly closed,
and to prevent any opening of the gates until the car is at a stage. The
whole of the driving mechanism is contained in a motor room, and
by the use of a drum with positive connection to the car, all floor-
setting mechanism is fitted on the main controller, avoiding the
use of limit switches and striking planes in the well of the lift.
The controller is arranged to reduce speed gradually before the
application of the brake, to overcome the momentum of moving
parts. It consists of magnet-operated reversing switches for
controlling the direction of the lift motor, these being fitted with
magnetic blow-outs of ample power to minimise the arc when
opening circuit. The main starting resistance for the motor is
controlled by a magnetically-operated rheostat, or equivalent
contactors, and is automatic in action and independent
of the operator. It is designed to resume its "off"
pssition whenever the power is cut off from the lift machine froir
any cause, and is interlocked with the reversing switches so that
the starting resistance is re-inserted in the motor armature circuit
before the current can be switched on again. The magnets and
switches are mounted on a slate panel or panels supported by a

for house lighting, emergency lighting, kc, together with a
battery charging switchboard by the Pabk Royal Enginioerino
Co. ; X-ray equipment, suitable for hospital purposes, made
by Messrs. Newton ,V: Wright, Ltd. ; and a wide selection of
electric light fittings, radiators, and cooking apparatus. The main
feature of the display is probably the " Greenbat " truck (Green-
wood & Batley, Ltd.), which is exhibited. This is a 2-ton all steel
model and well sprung, with a totally-enclosed series-wound
motor arranged for series-parallel control. A cut-out inter-
locked with the controller holds the brake until circuit is maie
by depressing a pedal. The battery fitted in this truck is of
the ■' Iron-Exide " type, manufactured by the Chloride Elec-
trical STOKA<iE Co., Ltd.

The A.C. Cutting and Welding Co., Ltd. — This is yet another
welding exhibit. On this stand four types of welding machines
are shown, designed respectively for light welding, light cutting
and welding, heavy welding, and heavy cutting and welding.
These consist of transformers, "' Holslag's " type, in which are
lUted Mux diverters, electrode handles, cutting handles, earthing
connections, kc. A rivet heater of American design, but of British
manufacture, also occupies a position on the stand. This machine
(fig. 13) designed for operation on AC. circuits of 220 or 4iO volts,
at 25, 1(1, .50 or GO cycles, operates by passing the current through
the rivet, which, being visible, is taken out when the desired degree

Fig. 12. — WaygoodOtis Passenger Lii r Engine.

Fin. 13. — A.C. Rivet Heater.

strongly constructed iron frame and base. The motor and winding
gear are shown in fig. 12. The motor is directly coupled to the
worm and wheel gear. A powerful automatic electric brake is
fitted on the coupling, and is arranged to come into operation when
the current is shut off for any reason. In special cases where the
arrangement of the engine in relation to the car will not permit of
a suitable grip on the traction sheave, a special drum winding
machine and slack cable switch are fitted. Other models shown
are the patent '' Electron " lift, designed to perform the functions
of a high-pressure hydraulic lift. The pressure is obtained by
a special rotary pump which raises the platform and load.
Hand-power lifts and examples of interlocking devices and con-
trolling gear, and a full-sized winding engine make up the remainder
of the exhibit.

The Relay Automatic Telephone Co. exhibits its "Relay"
system of automatic telephony, which combines secrecy with
rapidity and efficiency of action. A call is effected by rotating a
dial attached to the telephone instrument to indicate the number
required, and the switchboard makes all necessary connections
automatically in four seconds. A series of electro-niagnetic relays,
mounted on suitable framework, takes the place of the usual
manually-operated board. These relays are non-mechanical, and
have a maximum armature movement of ,'t in., reducing wear to a
minimum. Each instrument is connected to the central exchange liy
two wires in place of the multi-wire caole employed in the majority
of other intercommunication systems. Extension is facilitated, and
it is possible with this system to commence with a small number
of lines, and extend to any capacity without interfering with the
existing apparatus.

Mr. John D. Mackenzie's exhibit includes high and low-
tenaion switobgear suitable for sub-stations and power distribution
in works and factories ; direct-coupled petrol-paraffin lighting sets

of heating is attained. Rivets of from ', in. to I in. diameter may
be dealt with. Among the advantages to be obtained with this
method of rivet-heating are low cost of operation, no flame, and
the rivets retain heat longer and heat up quicker. The remainder
of this exhibit consists of numerous samples of all types of
electrodes.

The Quasi-Arc Co, Ltd. — This company is also exhibiting
examples of welding, cutting, ko. Samples of the coated metal
electrode, of which this company was the originator, are shown.
These are designed to eliminate oxidisation during welding, being
covered with blue asbestos. There are also numerous photo-
graphs of large ship work carried out by the firm, including the
Fiillagar. The methods employed ensure metallurgically sound
joints, and are simple and rapid in application. The added metal,
as shown by the numerous examples present, is perfectly sound,
homogeneous, and free from oxidation or blow-holes. The process
Is economical in current consumption, and a pressure of 100-110
volts may be employed.

Cabron Company — In this exhibit special interest attaches
to the cooking and heating apparatus for ships, including an
electtic galley range with two ovens and hot-plate, having a
number of indepandently controlled heated sections, an independent
hot-plate, hot press for warming plates and keeping food hot,
double salamander for grilling and toasting, independent fish
frying pan, and a large selection of electric heaters, both of the
luminous and enclosed types for state-rooms, saloons, kc. A
variety of cooking and heating appliances for domestic use as well
as equipment suitable for canteens, restaurants, hotels, and other
large establishments, are on view, including cooking ranges,
electric fires, water boilers and kettleSj laundry irons, glue-
pots, &o.

The Consolidated Pneumatic Tool Co., Ltd., has a varied

Vol.87. No. 2,245, December 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

731

oollection of electric tools, all of which are demonstrated on
request. Among' these is the "Little Giant" DC. heavy-duty
drill. This is a very compact and robust piece of apparatus,
the adaptability of which is well illustrated by 6g. 14.

Another exhibit is a grinding machine which is quite light in
construction, and can be applied either by an operator or fixed in a
lathe for precision work. A hammer drill for drilling stone or
concrete is another of the firm's products appearing on the stand.
With it a series of blows is delivered on the end of the drill bit by
a piston governed by compressed air ; consequently the electric

fii.. 1-1.

'Little Gtamt" Electric Drili,.

f

I

motor is not subjected to serious mechanical strain or vibration.
They are wound for 1 In or 220 volts D.c, or single-phase A.c. An
electric blower exhibited gives a very powerful air current for
removing dust from theinteriar of electrical machinery and similar
apparatus where a light, steady pressure is required. The diameter
of the pressure orfioe is 1 1 in , and the pressure produced is about
6 07, above atmospheric. The tool can be attached to an ordinary
lamp socket. Other exhibits are sensitive drillin? stanU and a
wide range of pneumatic hammers, riveters, drills fco.

Messrs. Alloy Welding Processes, Ltd.— This exhibit includes
a great deal of accessory plant. Fig. 15 shows the firm's portable
A.c. welding plant consisting of a static transformer, special resio-

Fio. 15.— "A.W.P." Portable a c. Weldinq Plant.

tance coil and the necessary switchgear. There is also exhiliited a
single unit motor-generator welding set, the generator of which
haa been designed especially for this class of work. The motori •

of 7'5 H.P. ; this set gives remarkable results with small power
consumption. The D.c. plant shown Is suitable for use on tram*
way and light railways where a supply is immediately available.
Mounted on a suitable truck and connected to a trolley wire or third
rail, the whole plant is very portable. The " A.W.P." electrodes,
which have passed the searching tests employed by Lloyd's, aie
well represented on the stand, samples of the 14 different types in
which they are manufactured bsing shown. Specieil demonstra-
tions of the facility and efficiency with which high-speed steel can
be deposited on tool tips are made, and many samples of the work
performed by the firm's system complete the exhibit.

Messrs. Electric Vehicles, Ltd. — This stand bears a 2-ton
" Electromobile " lorry fitted with patent concentric gear — two
motor drive. The centre line of each motor corresponds with that of
the wheel it drives, and proves a most efficient and reliable transmis-
sion. The battery is arranged on roller trays, and is readily
accessible from either side. Two industrial-type vehicles by the
same company also appear. One is a 2-ton truck with a speed of
from 1 to 7 miles an hour, and the other has a capacity of 40 cb. ft.,
and is fitted with a side-tipping hopper body.

Messrs. R.M. Radio. Ltd. — Wireless sets for Installing in sea-
going vessels are exhibited by this firm. The larger is a 14-KW.
spark set (fig. 16) yiving an assured range of 500 miles and
upwards. This is in two parts, the operator's table and the cabinet
unit, both of handsome appearance. The operator's table carri' s
only the signalling key, radiation ammeter, and receiving tuner ;
the cabinet contains a musical-spark transmitting generator and
primary oscillating circuit, on top of which are mounted a control
switchboard and a case containing aerial loading coils, wave-
charging switch, and a pedal-operated send-and-receive switch.
Three transmitting wave lengths are provided for, 300, 6U0. and 80ii
metres. The receiver is either of the valve type or can consist of

Fii:. 16.— R.M. Radio 1J-kw. Set.

a tuner and crystal detector suitable for wave-lengths of from
200 to 3.500 metres. The other set shown is rated at } KW., and
has a spark type transmitter with a rotary discharger for operation
on wave-lengths of 3<>0 or 600 metres. As in the larger set, the
changeover from sendin;^' to receiving conditions is effected by
means of a pedal switch. Other exhibits are various patterns
of receiving sets, inductances, condensers, detectors, frame
aerials, &c.

Messrs. Anderson, Boybs & Co., the pioneers of electrical
coal-cutting machines in Scotland, exhibit a number of represen-
tative examples of their machines. Two classes are shown — disk
and chain types, as well as a great deal of mining-type switchgear.
The 16i-in. disk machine (the dimension, of course, refers to the
height) is capable of withstanding the most pevere conditions. It
can work in a face 20 in. high with a maximum width of 4 ft.
from the coal to the stowing side props. The motor is substan-
tially built, the starter is of the drum type, and grid resistanct s
are employed. The starter and trailing cable plug are insulated
solely with mica. The trailing cable plug is of the " aU-metal '
type, and is designed to provide efficient earthing for the machiL„-.
The gear case is of ftrong cast-steel formed internally with beaming
bracketsfitted with phospho'-bronze bushes. Thecutting wheel pick-
pocketsare broached to gauge size ensuring a uniform fit forthe picks.
The centre of the cutter is of gunm, tal, and the centre of the jib to
which tli9 cuttiug wheel is attached is provided with four centre
bolts giving great strength. The chain machine exhibited (,fig. 17)
is equally suitable for heading work, pillar and stall or long-wall
working. It is only slightly over 2 ft. wide and 7 ft. 8 in. in
length, and is specially adapted to working under roofs where close
propping is imperative. The jib is turned by power liorizonially
in either direction, and the machine will cut at floor level. The
rotating element is mounted on bal-thiust bearings, and the starter
'9 of the star-delta drum type. The trailing cable plug

782

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,245, December 3, 1920.

provides efficient earthing, and ie interlocked with the starting
switch. The gear head is arranged with one single
reduction which makes for few parts and greater mechanical
strength. The awitchgear on view comprises two ironclad
unit type distribution switch and fuseboards, one for A.c, and

Fig. 17. — 17-iN. Chain-Type Coal-Cutteb.

the other for D.c. The cable leading-in boxes are adjustable to
six different positions which prevents excessive bending of cables
where space is limited.

Messrs. A. & P. Steven, of Glasgow.— This firm also exhibits
lifts. These include latest types in operation controlled by push-
buttons. Cabinet-finished cars are shown, as well as a model car
with a working model of the firm's latest type of friction safety
grippers. The gear shown comprises examples of A.c. and D.c.
controllers for powers of from i H.p. to 50 h.p. These controllers
embrace the latest improvements in design, and are highly finished.
Steven's scissor-type safety gear is shown in action. This gear is
operated by a governor, and when the speed of the car reaches a
dangerous point, due to -rope breakage, &c., the oar is brought
gradually to rest by the control. Simplicity is a remarkable
feature in all the exhibited work.

The Electro-Mechanical Brake Co., Ltd., has a large
selection of resistances on view. The usual faults of grid-type
resistances are corrected in the grid.s exhibited by this firm.
Although possessing many advantages, grid-type resistances
were found to break easily in transit, and corrosion of the end
connections also proved a drawback. The " E.M.B.' resistances
are made in one continuous length of specially strong metal having
a similar temperat-ure-coefiicient and carrying capacity to cast-iron.
Mica and micanite insulation is employed throughout, and this is
tested to 3,000 volts a.c. The terminals consist of a split-head set-
screw, lock nut, and spring washer, and are capable of being
attached to the end of the grids without disturbing the grids them-

are started by turning the wheel handle of the star-delta switch on
the stator Into " Start " position, keeping it there until the motor
has speeded up and then moving it into the " Run " position.
Motors under '> H.p. can be started directly by means of a knife
switch.

Messrs. J. A. Kinnaied & Co. — A comprehensive display of
manufactures has been arranged. These include a 3i-ton Newton
Bros', electric vehicle for goods conveyance ; a small electric rivet
heater in which the rivet forms part of the circuit, being gripped
between two jaws ; lighting sets, including an Austin Motor Co.'s
fully-automatic 3'1-KW. set, and a 16-kw. set for emergency ship's
lighting by Newton Bros, and the Aster Co. ; D.c. and a.c. motors ;
an '' Ozonair " installation (in operation) ; ship's fan and lighting
fittings ; " Remca " riveters ; pumping sets, &c.

Messrs. Grafton Dvnamos, Ltd. — This exhibit comprises
samples of motors and dynamos, and the special brush-holder
described in the Elec. Rev. recently. The firm also shows a safety
hoist-gate lock. The model erected on the stand is for goods traffic.
The chief feature of this lock is that until all gates are closed the
hoist cannot move. Its construction is very substantial, and it is
unbreakable without very heavy tools. Unless the lock is properly
home, movement of the lift is impossible — there is no half contact.
This firm is also exhibiting an absolutely new carburettor.

THE LAUNDRY EXHIBITION.

An luternational Laundry and Allied Trades Exhibition was
held at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, N., from November
]7th to 34th. Although there were many indications of the
growing use of electricity in the laundry industry, but few
liurely electrical exhibits were tu l)e seen. To-day, when.
we believe, every type of eleotrital washing machine sold
in this country is of American design and manufacture, it
is interesting to light upon a purely British machine patented
by a disabled officer. This was to lie seen on the stand of
The "BfXL" Washer Co., Fielden Street, Blackburn.
Several points in this device compare favourably with those of
other designs. Instead of the usual rotating cylinder, a flat
" dolly " is employed as the cleaning part of the machine.
This is a development of a hand-power machine of the same
type. The " dolly," which is oscillated backwards and for-
wards in the tank, actually scrubs the clothes, and at the same
time forces the water through them. The mangle fitted on the
machine is of a more ample size than is generally provided,
the rollers being about two feet long. A three-position switch
is fitted arranged to control the " dolly -' motion, and a,
handle controls the gears for both washer and mangle. The

Fig. ]8.— E.M.B. Drum Controller.

selves. The frame is of flanged pressed steel suflBoiently heavy to
secure rigidity, and the covers are of small mesh expanded metal
stiffened with steel strip at the edges. The drum type controllers
Cfig. 18) are exhibited for the first time. These are enclosed in
welded steel cases of unusually large proportions, and possess many
improvements which will appeal to users. The drum is of extra
large diameter, and can be drawn out of the case by merely
slackening off four belts in the top plate. Ample space is provided
for the leads, and the terminals are very accessible. These con-
trollers have been designed for heavy crane and similar services.

The Double-Arc Electric 'Weldebs, Ltd.— (>q this stand is
demonstrated a special system of welding, which derives its name
from the fact that the flux tube, with which the electrodes are
covered forms a ring of conducting material round the primary
arc. If the latter is interrupted, it is stated that a secondary arc
is formed by the outer ring ensuring a continuous flow of current.

Messrs. Watt Motors, Ltd , show a large selection of their
A.c. motors, which combine the good points of bath slip-ring
and squirrel-cage motors. No starting devices are required, the
machines being controlled by star-delta switches fixed to the stator
frames. The starting current with full-load starting torque
never exceeds 50 per cent, of the fnllload current. These motors

Pig. 1.—\ d.c Hydro-extr.^ctor Rotor.

drive is provided by a i-H.P. " Wilson Wolf " totally-enclcsed
motor. We were informed that the price at which this
machine can be .sold will, in addition to its efficiency, com-
pare favourably with that of American makes. Many cor-
porations have ah-eady placed orders for the washer. Tlie
adaptation of the machine is lieing carried out by Messrs.
lU'I.Kcpi) Bros., of Bolton.
Mi'.ssRS. Richard Garrett & Rons, I/td., ;m associate firm of

XliKUULTURAL & GENERAL ENGINEERS. l.Tl)., exhil>ited tWO

electric vehicles of I^ tons carrying capacity. In these vehicles
" Ironclad Exide " batteries are omploved to supply power to
a single higli-efliciency motor capable of withstanding a 300
per cent, overload. Transmission is effected by a .silent chain
diive to a differential countershaft, both chain and shaft
running in an oil-bath. From the differential roller, chains
of ample size tran.smit the power to large-diameter sprocket,s
on the rear wheels. The vehicle is provided with three speeds
forward and two rever.se, the controller handle being fixed
to the .steering column in a convenient position. The con-
troller (of the segmental drum type) emlioilies several unique
features. The " Garrett " patent trip gear is fitted: I)y means
of this the controller is returned to tlie neutral position
as .soon as either foot or hand brakes aie applied. This
arrangement renders it impossible for the vehicle to be started

Vol. 87. No. 2,246, December 3, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL EEVIEW.

i-33

unless the controller is in the neutral position, and until the
brakes are released, so that negligence on the driver's part
cannot result in a heavy rush of current through the motor,
with consequent damage. The design also prevents the risk
of accidents arising from a sudden forward movement of the
vehicle caused by the controller not being returned to the
neutral position before the brakes are released. A pedal
operated by the left foot is fitted, in conjunction with a device
for starting on hills. The li-ton vehicle is capable of a
30-35-mile run on one charge at a speed of 11 miles per hour

Fu

\n A.C. IIlDRO-EXTRACTOE ROTOR.

on the level. The inside dimensions of the standard platform
are 10 by 6 ft., and the overall length of the vehicle is 15 ft.,
width 6 ft. 3 in. One of the vans exhibited was made for
the Savoy Hotel Laundi-y.

Messrs. THOirAs Broadbent & Sons, Ltd., of Huddersfield,
showed a number of examples and models of electrically-
driven centrifugal hydro-extractors. In these extractors the
motor is built into the machine, making for compactness
and efficiency. Starting resistances are rendered unecessary
by mounting the rotor upon a sleeve which is independent of,
and which can revolve round, the centre spindle of the
machine. To the upper part of the sleeve are attached friction
shoes which are thrown out when the armature commences
to rotate and engage on the inside rim of a clutch keyed to
the centre spindle, which carries the basket. The weight of
these shoes is regulated so that when the motor attains its
normal speed the friction developed is equal to the power of
the motor. Pig. 1 shows the d.c. and fig. 2 the a.c. rotors.
Other types for driving ]iy a separate motor w'ere shown.

REVIEWS.

The Theorij nf Electric Cables and ScticDrks. By Alex.^.nder
RossELL, M..\.. D.Sc. Pp. 348-fx; 86 figs. London: Con-
stable \- Co., Ltd. Price 24s. net.

This is. a comprehensive work on the sul)ject in which the
author at the outset gives a very excellent introduction to
the book, and revives the reader's knowledge of the ground
<]U which the theory of electric conductor.s is built up. This
introduction occupies the whole of the first chapter, and yet
it is inclined to be a little brief on some pomts. It includes
several useful tables of iiiforuiation relating to volume re-
sistivity, wire gauges, British standard diameters for wires,
&c.

LTnder the heading " Conductivity " results are given of
various mechanical and heat treatments of copper in relation
to its elasticitj . The effects of temperature on volume, mass
and resistance, and also of the stranding of conductors on
the resistance, are ably treated, and some tables of value
are given.

Chapter III is confined to interesting and useful matter
concerning insulation and insulating materials, which are
fully dealt with, and it includes an instructive table of the
characteristics of these materials, due to Mr. H. L. Curtis,
which shows how their insulating proiaerties diminish with
an increase of temperature of 10 deg. C.

A resume of the theory and laws governing alternating
currents, including capacity, inductance, voltage drop, iSic.,
is next given, followed by a description of various systems of
supply, which shows sotne methods of securing a fairly con-
stant voltage at the consumer's terminals. A system having
a separate dvnamo to each pair of feeders would appear to
lie advocated, but presumably it is only intended for a
tbeoretical illustration. The economy in copper of the three-
wire system compared with the two-wii-e. direct^current,
svstem is discussed, as is also the two-wire, alternating current
sy.stem.but strangely, the three-phase system is not considered.

Distributiug networks are dealt with in Chapter VT. Kel-
vin's law, the effect of high voltage, loop and ring mains fed
at one and several points, the most economical site for a
power station, the economy of a booster, aud other problems

of distribution, are all considered with the exception of the
negative booster for traction.

The next two chapters describe methods of testing the in-
sulation resistance of hou.se wiring and networks, and the
iustruments used for this purpose.

In the remainder of the book separate chapters are devoted
to faults in networks, with methods of localising them; dielec-
tric strength, a chapter of great interest ; the grading of cables ;
electrical safety valves; and. finally, lightning conductors.

The W'hole of the book is of a high standard, and can l)e
recommended to anyone engaged in, or a student of, this
branch of engineering. — A. J. S.

Modern llluininaiits and Illuminating Engineering. By Lko.v
Gastee and ,1. S. Dow. Pp. 490-)-xv. 213 figs. London :
Sir I. Pitman & Sons, Ltd. Price 21s. net.

The first edition of this work was distinctly disappointing,
but w"e now note that certain omissions have been rectified,
so that its value is thereby enhanced. Generally speaking,
however, the revision has been carried out in a hasty manner,
and consists mainly of additions to the end of each article or
chapter. It is indeed a pity that the authors have seen best
to crowd the book w'ith discussions of but little practical
value and refer one to other books and records foi' much that
might be of use. As we have previously pointed out, it is
exceedingly difficult for the average reader to obtain access
to the numerous works it is necessary to consult in order
to ascertain pertinent facts. The general lay-out is again
satisfactory, but there is still room for improvement so far
as the illustrations are concerned ; due regard does not appear
to have been given to the method of reproduction considering
that anti-glare paper has been utilised, while some of the
figures, e.g., 150 and 1.50a, are very crude.

There are numerous references to the reports of the De-
partmental Committee on Lighting in Factories and Work-
shops, and other committees w'hich have investigated various
phases of the subjects under discussion since the issue of the
first volume, but one gathers the impression that matters
are but superficially treated, and that either the committees
or the authors themselves have a perpetual fear of getting
beyond their depth ; this is apt to leave the mind in an un-
convinced state. The authors seem to revel in the physio-
logical effect of hght and illumination upon the eye, having
special regard to colour effect, but here the reader who is
acquainted with the work of Luckiesh may be disappointed.

In this revised edition we anticipated much regarding the
gasfilled lamp, but find the subject dismissed in one page.
Eight lines only are occupied by the explanation of its per-
formances, and the wording thereof is not well chosen. We
also expected to find data regarding photometers constructed
on the hues .suggested by Dr. Sumpner. but the authors are
practically silent on this point, nor do they mention the
recent and more practical form of globe photometer com-
mercially used. It may not be amiss for us here to point
out that the wri,ters of technical works rarely advise their
readers of methods and appliances actually used by manu-
facturers. There are many reasons w'hich will account for
this, but the fact impresses one that such writers have much
to learn.

There is evidence that apart from extracts from cordmittee
reports, the authors have paid much more attention to indoor
and outdoor, and especially industrial lighting, than they
did in their previous writings, this is all to the good, and
makes the work of much greater interest and value. We are
of the opinion that the writers have said well in the follow-
ing : " The truth is that the light^g engineer, in order to
make a success of his work. . . . must make a study of the
particular needs of the trade with which he is dealing."
Too often have we seen so-called scientific installations which
have been planned by " illuminating engineers " which have
only brought disrepute on them and their brethren. It is
to \>e. regretted that firms have not seen their way to ensure
only the employment of men who know the technical side
of their business thoroughly, salesmanship is good, but when
service also is presumed to be given, every effort should be
made to see that the .service is reliable service, otherwise
the salesmanship is in the long run of no avail.

The two final chapters are additions, viz.. lighting con-
ditions in wartime and .searchlights. &c. As a pithy record
both of these are admirable. The projection of light, how-
ever, is a subject in itself, and the time is not yet ripe for
it to be dealt with in a comprehensive manner; the war has
only opened u» its possibilities, and we believe that existing
apparatus is chiefly of a makeshift nature.

We have concluded the reading of this second edition with
a greater feeling of satisfaction than we had after a careful
jieru.sal of its forerunner, but we think that there is still
room for improvement, and we are pleased to note that the
authors promise us a,, further edition with a more complete
revision. There is much that micbt with advantage be con-
densed or altogether omitted, and. on the other hjind. there
is much that might be included. Trade dissertations rto not
enhance the value of a book, nor do descriptions of instru
ments and methods of academic utility onlv. especially when
the matter referred to- is out of date or little used. ITnder
the title " Modern Illuminants " one expects to find ample
details of present-day apparatus ami mefhnds. the past being
of slight interest.

734

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,245, decembeb 3, 1920.

THE INSTITUTION OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS.

Inaugural Address of MR. LLEWELYN B. ATKINSON, President. <Ak.inn-t.^

(Concluded fro,

The recent developments of automatic transmission by high-
speed senders with perforated tapes, and reception with tele-
phones and dictaphone recorders to lie read off at a lower speed
—or by automatic keyboard senders with reception by de-
cudinu and printing' telegraph (Creed)— hold out singular pro-
mise. Fii'st, as to the element of .secrecy, as only tho.se
possessing similar machines can receive and decode the mes-
sages, and secondly by promise of speeds only limited liy the
capabilities of transmitting and receiving machines.

rhe position of the problem of electricity in agriculture is
not to my mind one reflecting great credit on our .science. Sir
Oliver Lodge in the fifth Kelvin Lecture, in 1914, gave the
result of experiments he and others had carried out, and
reports are from time to time circulated of the great increases
in crops of various sorts which have been obtained liy the
use of electrical discharges from wires suspended a few feet
from the ground. But the results have been confused and
contradictory, and certainly have not reached a position of any
degree of scjientific certainty. The difficulties and uncertain-
ties of crop experiment on a field .scale are hardly realised
b\' those ^^■ho have not experienced them.

My own view is that careful pot and plant laboratory
experiment offers the greatest opportunity of determining
the cau.ses of the effects that have been observed.

It will be remembered that during the war a representati\e
c'onimittee under the chairmanship of Sir John Snell was
formed, and has since issued an interim report (dated April
•2nd. 1919) describing certain preliminary field, small plot, and
pot experiments carried out. The results of these experiments
were by no means conclusive, as is stated in the report,
nevertheless one or two definite results emerged : —

1. That, with currents of the order 10x10-" ampere per
plant passed from a charged wire through the air- to the plant,
the results of an electric current are clearly injurious.

■2. That, in the case of young plants at least, the vegetative
growth of plants was accelerated by currents of the order
0.3X10-" ampere.

•The committee is still sitting, and I believe has reached some
rather more encouraging conclusions than indicated by the
first report, but the problem is certainly one which the
industry should study. One of the difficulties at the outset
is that few horticulturists or agriculturists understand elec-
trical phenomena, and few electrical engineers understand the
scientific basis of horticulture or agi'iculture.

Many experiments have shown that the effect, whatever it
is, does not occur necessarily directly in the near neighbour-
hood of the wires used to maintain the electric stress, or to
give the electric discharge, but that the effect may be to one
side or the other of the electrified plot, and it appears to me
that this result can only be interpreted as indicating that
the result is not strictly electrical at all. but due to something
produced in the neighbourhood of the wu'e, ^^•hich is heavier
than air. but can be diverted by the prevailing wind.

Researches have shown that the corona discharge in air
causes ionisation of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbonic acid, and
have shown that active forms of nitrogen are the result of
the silent discharge. The discharge in carbonic acid produces
oxygen ; in air with wate», ammonium nitrate. The fact then
that chemically active ions and compoimds are produced which
would move with the wind points to these being the cause
of the observed results.

The results obtainable in increased crops by the partial
sterilfsation of the soil are very remarkable. The soil is
normally inhabited by b:icteria which. Uving on the organic
matter of the soil, assimilate atmospheric nitrogen, and in
dying leave behind a nitrogen compound, in other words,
enrich the soil with nitrogen. These bacteria are, however,
held in check by other forms of soil life, and a partial sterilisa-
tion which will destroy these other forms gives .enhanced
opportunity to the nitrogen-fixing bactei'ia. This partial
sterilisation is carried out by steam-heating soil where it is
to be used in limited quantities, or by chemical agents such
as formaldehyde, dilute carbolic acid. &c.. on a larger scale.

Recent researches have shown that one of the most power-
ful sterilising agents known is oxide of nitrogen ; one part
in .50_IXXI parts of air is sufficient to kill any germ with which
it comes in contact. Tt seems to me, therefore, that we have
here the possible solution of the effect of electrical discharges
over plants.

A crucial experiment would be to compare the action on
plants fxrowing in s(i,l. and in water with the plant foods
dissolved therein. If the water culture plants were unaffected
and the soil-crown plants benefited, then I think the case
for soil sterilisation would be made out : if the reverse, it
would point to nitrate being the cause.

It would appear as if the different ejfect of strong discharges
and weak discharges may be in this that strong discharges
nroduce products other than the oxides of nitroaen which
have a sterilising effect, perhaps nitric acid, whilst weak )
discharges produce the sterilising effect dc.scril)ed.

n page tiJ9.)

One of the problems which await solution by electrical
engineers is that of electric vision or, in newspaper language,
" seeing by electricity." The broad principles are understood
and have been for many year's. I believe they would yield
to an organised research but, perhaps because there does
not seem to be a wide market, no one is particularly interested.

To make the picture immediately and constantly visible,
either the whole operation must take place and be repeated
sufficiently often for the image to impress the retina con-
tinuously, that is to say 30 times a second, or the image
must fall on a phosphorescent luminous surface, which will
store the image for a longer period but not so long a period
as will prevent movement being appreciated.
• The number of impulses required for the first of these
niethods is very great. If we take an image made up of oH
dots to an inch, then one square inch of image would require
•2,500 impulses, and at 30 repetitions per .second this would
be 75,000 impulses per second, which may be compared with
800 per second usually considered to represent telephonic fre-
<iuencies. It appears clear that wu'e transmission can hardly
be considered ; wireless, however, remains.

The use of .selenium for the purpose of a transmitter seems
out of the question, the change of resistance and the recovery
is too slow, though it has been used for other purposes at
telephonic frequencies. So research requu'es to elucidate two
separate questions ; —

(1) Some action of light which acts instantaneously and
enables a current variation to be .set up. (i) Some ma.ssle>h
method of illuminating or darkening a surface, which can
be varied by an electric current.

For the first (transmitter) it suggests itself that the photo-
electric effect might be used. Kemp records a measuralde
current obtained with a. photo-electric cell illuminated with
the equivalent of a candle at •22 miles distance, showing great
sensitiveness. For the second (receiver) a vacuum tube with
a lieam of cathode rays diverted by the current from or on
to a phosphorescent point after the manner of the Braun
cathode tube oscillograph sugge.sts itseU'. If the method of
producing an image on a phosphorescing surface were adopted,
it is probable that one cycle of operations per second over the
whole surface might suffice. There are a great range of sub-
stances phosphorescing after exposure to light from small
fractions of a .«econd up to hours, so that this part is purely
experimental research.

.\t the founding of our In.stitution there was not, strictly
sfieakuig. an indu.strial problem. It may be thought that
tiie devotion of any attention to .such a subject is anyhow
outside the range of an Institution like ours. But we cannot
get away from this question. Our retiring president gave
us in his address an exhaustive examination of the question
of electric traction, but his year of office was mostly filled
with attendances at Industrial Courts and trade union nego-
tiations. We pride ourselves on the engineering efiiciency
of our great generating stations and on the safeguards to
avoid breakdown and stoppage, yet the greatest ri.sk of stop-
I>age is the unlubricated working of the human element.

We must think about these things, we must help to form
opinion thereon, and we must help one another to conclusion
by discu.ssion. What is it that really lies at the basis of
.'iocial and industrial unrest? You will be told it is irritation
at unequal and. presumably, unjust distribution of the pro
ducts of industrial work, or the unequal distribution (■!
leisure, amusement, house-room, and food. But people who
are satisfied with their own position are not envious of other.s.
I'eople do not like their work, they are ahvays trying to
escape it. to forget it. Paradoxical as it may appear, nien
will work harder and longer at a- task they hate, so that
they may gain enough to spend it in forgetting that they have
had to do the work.

Tt may be summed up in the monotony of machine produc-
tion or machine operation, at high pressure, with enough
education partially to awaken the reason, but an insufficient
education to appreciate the beauty and the triumph of what
is happening. .

Why is there among yoimg and old this ceaseless hunt fnr j
something to occupy the mind and attention'.' The situatinn I
has lieen aggravated by the idle and irregular life of the j
.Xrmy, through which so large a proportion of the male \
)iopulation has recently pa.s.sed. Why do book-makers, or-
iranisers of vast football and boxing entertainments, theatres,
kinemas. motor charabancs, dance halls, and many other
forms of entertainment, find always an ever-growing and
insatiable multitude of supporters'.^ Because, if I am rialit.
they provide something to think about, something to lotik
for besides the mechanical routine of work. It seems to me
sometimes as if we are operating a cycle of work, not unlike
the cycle of some engines, where a large power production
on a working strok» is counterbalanced by a larg? power
absnrntion on a comnressinn stroke. witVi verv little net result.

If I am right, that lack of interest in work under modern

Vol.87. No. 2,245, December 3, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

7J5

iiiethuds is ;it the base of industrial unrest, then efforts to
allay and overcome unrest must contain some element which
will overcome this lack o£ interest. Whatever may be the
case in unskilled work, in semi-skilled work, in machine
work, and in skilled work, I believe it is possible to stimulate
interest in the work by explanatory teaching, and by discus-
sions with and among the workpeople. I believe sooner or
later we have got to place part of the direct responsibility of
management and production in the hands of the operative
workers, and that we ha\e to find a basis where the capital
required is paid for at a fixed rate, high where risks are high,
low where risks are low, and that the whole product beyond
this is divided between the people who are managing and
directing, and the people who are operative producers.

In industry on a large scale under modern conditions, the
initiating and directing classes are not the actual .shareholders
or capitalists, but are the managing directors, managers, and
technical statl's, and no class suffers more from the continuing
harass and fret of industrial .strife than these classes. The
idea that enterprise would stop under such conditions is largely
fallacious. The German industrial system was largely founded
on the system of individuals finding capital at a fixed rate
to industrial banking corporations, which after examining
most carefully, vmder trained advisers, the prospect of a new
enterprise, embarked on it, if they did, with a real assurance
of success, and obtaining a higher rate of interest than the
individual capitalist, obtained thereby a cover for their risk
and a payment for their skill and organisation. To work on
such hues utilises individual skill and enthusiasm, it removes
the objection on the part of the workers that surplus produc-
tion benefits .someone other than the producer. Coupled with
a. share, and an understanding of the objects of management,
it stimulates and interests, and, iu my view, if s»me such
ideas do not fructify, the pressure for nationalisation, or busi-
ness controlled by politics, will. I fear, tend to its adoption,
with all the great evils and ruinous financial results that
w-ill follow. Every experience .shows that pubUc ownership
of an industry giving a lesser incentive to the individual than
private ownership produces a lesser product at a greater cost ;
but all the arguments for private ownership centring on
interest in a given work and on self interest apply to every
person occupied in an industry, and it should be our aim
to utili.se those efforts to the fullest.

'I'he total of organised knowledge to-day is so large that it
is impdsj-ihle for small undertakings to command it. The
s()hiti(Jii fur us lies in Associations representing the separate
branches of the industry. I am pleased to say that the British
Electrical and Allied Industries Research Association, founded
l)y the B.E..A.M.A. and with the help and support of the
Institution, is at last successfully launched, and has taken
over the research work initiated by the Institution. This at
once puts into action a sum of f 16,0tl0 per annum for joint
electrical research, a sum small enough for a great industry,
but it is hoped that. as the first results appear, the usefulness
of the effort will be appreciated, and that groups in the
industry will bring forward their problems and achieve a
comijion knowledge and advancement.

In no dnection is association more needed than in the
publicity of our industry towards its customer, the public. In
the past it has been left to each manufacturer to push his
wares individually to the consumer of his product. The engine
and dynamo builder has pushed his goods with the consulting
engineer and the company or municipal undertaking ; the
electric motor manufacturer has educated individual trades
and factory owners to adopt electric drive ; the contractor has
sought individual installations by personally canvassing and
convincing customers of the usefulness of electric light and
■so on : always we have worked with a plenum or pressure
" pushing " our wares.

Now we begin to see widely what some have long seen, that
it may be cheaper to create a vacuum at the far end, into
which the goods will flow. In other words, educate the
general pubhc, enlighten the immense possible market, in
fact, work to create a univer.sal demand for electric current:
the call for goods will follow automatically. This is the
function of the British Electrical Development As.sociation.
in the founding of which the Institution has lent most useful
countenance and assistance.

1 contend that these cases of a.ssociated effort are examples
I if more scientific methods of conducting business which.
whilst utilising individual effort in every direction, neverthe-
less by organised method use the re.sources of accumulated
knowledge to take the place of wasteful unorganised effort.

T'nfortunntely. it must be admitted that the manufacturing
side of the electrical industry has not prospered as it should
have done. The localised condition as regards eleefricify supply
brought about by legislative policy resulted in each generating
station embodying the special ideas of a designing engineer,
with little regard to standardised plant, and this led further
to a close subdivision of tendering, thus di.scouraging the
placing of contracts for the whole supply undertaking in the
luinds of a single firm, this being the opposite of the procedure
on which the electrical industries of .America and Germany
have grown. This reflected itself on the foreign market, where
the conditions necessitated the taking of whole contracts, and.
although several attempts in the past have been made to
form groups of firms capable of supplying complete installa-
tions on a large scale to operate in foreign markets, they have
not been foimd very successful, the internal co-ordination being
in.'jufiicient. The result of this absence of foreign markets

and the operation of a large number of comparatively small
firms in free competition, led to a senseless competition in
price for the home market, which kept the industry in a
state of poverty where it could exist and no more.

Only in one branch of the industry did sounder methods
prevail. Whereas in the case of electrical machinery the
visible nature of the product and the ease of conducting tests
maintained some standard of quality to which the prices had
necessarily to correspond, in the case of cables it was always
possible to maintain some margin of profit at almost any
level of ijrice by a sacrifice of quality, which in the absence
of definit-e life-tests was not obvious to the buyer until too
lat«.

So clearly was *he danger of such a process realised that
by 1889 the British cable makers had been forced to a con-
sideration of the situation, and to arrive at agreement as to
standards of products and. for the most ordinary forms of
small cables purchased by non-technical buyers, a standardisa-
tion of minimum prices which at least allowed these classes
of cables to be produced on an economic basis.

Furthermore, the necessity of close supervision and re-
sponsibility in the matter of laying and installing cables, led
to the system of sirigle contracts and the building up of
competent staffs which could be drawn on to form the
.skeleton units for cable-installing all over the world. Thus,
alongside of a machinery and accessories manufacture in a
deplorable commercial and financial condition, we have seen
a cable manufacture dominating the world market and, speak-
ing generally, in a satisfactory financial position.

Apart from social, political, and labour unrest the manu-
facturing situation now looks more favourable. There has
been a movement of integration, joining up under single
control of sufficient firms to enable complete contracts to be
undertaken in any part of the world. The close of the era of
constructing small localised generating plants will permit
and necessitate standardisation, and the increasing size of
units will limit the number of new-comers into the industry
who. with experience lacking, and having the necessity of
forcing their way into the market, were a constant depressing
influence.

The experience of the war production of standard designs,
and the increased amount of automatic and semi-automatic
machinery as a result of the war. will tend to specialisation
on the part of those making .small machines and accessory
apparatus, thus to a certain extent eliminating competition,
but. as the result of the increased production of a limited
range of standard articles, diminishing the cost below what
the previous competitive cost would have been. With the
proviso that political and industrial stability is maintained,
and that the supply industry is left free to adapt itself to
the new code of area unification, the general outlook appears
to indicate a time of great activity for electrical manufac-
turers, with a more satisfactory financial result than in the
past.

This Institution contains within its membership men and
minds capable of dealing with any scientific or industrial
problem ; it is the duty and privilege of the Institution to be
the centre for their work. I urge on the membership to
use it more and more for such a purpose. The Institution
exists for its members, but its members owe it something.
Three hundred years ago Bacon wrote : —

" I hold every man a debtor to his profession, from the
which as men of course do seek to receive countenance and
profit, so ought they of duty to endeavour themselves by way
of amends to be a help and ornament thereto."

I commend these words to vou all.

Educational. — The B.E.A.M.A., having regard to the

importance nf the dcvelnpment of electrical and mechanical
engineering through scientific study and research, has set
aside an initial sum not exceeding £8,000 for the purpose of
founding research studentships and scholarships. The terms
of award of these facilities, &c., are given in a booklet re-
cently published by the .Association. In general the conditions
are as follows : Four £100 research studentships will be
awarded per annum for five years (varied at the discretion of
the Association) to persons of British bii'th who are either
employes of engineering works, or present or past students
at a university or an approved technical institution (whole
or part time). Ten of these will be in mechanical engineering,
with special reference to steam turbines, and ten in electrical
engineering, especially steam turbine-driven generators. No-
mination will be made by managing directors of works, pro-
fessors of engineering at universities, or principals of institu-
tions at which candidates have been trained, and selections
will be made by the Association in consultation with the
sponsors of candidates. Tlie conditions attached to the award
of a studentship provide that secrecy regarding work is to
be maintained, and all rights in inventions resulting from
such work are to be assigned to the Association. A report is
to be made by students at the end of the year's course, and
students are required to enter the service of a member of
the .Association for a jieriod of two years at an agreed salar>-.
The conditions laid down in connection with the research
scholarships are similar to the above. It is proposed to award
eighteen of these over a period of five years; their annual
value will be £200. As in the case of studentships the
scholarships will be equally divided between mechanical and
electrical engineering.

736

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,215. decembee 3, 1920.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Ctawllw) expressly for this journal by MissRS. Sipton-Jonii, O'Diu. and
Stipbihi. Char'ered Patent Agenta, asS, Higb Holborn, London, W.C.I.

3-Z.Om. "Electric switches." G. Oldlwm, J. Oldham, O. OWh.ini, and
Oldh.im & Son. November 12lli.

32,103. " Sparking plugs." \V. .\. Clark and .Sphinx .Manulacturing Co.
November 13th.

32,117. " Electric heating of kettles, ovens, &c." G. Lutiitz. November
13th.

32,132. " Magneto-electric ignition machines." R. Bosch Akt. Ges.
November 13th. (Germany. November 14th, 1019.)

32,147. " Forming or sh.iping ends of lead tubes or sleeves, &c." McKcnzie,
Holland, and Westinghouse Power Signal Co., and 1-". J'. Ravmir. November
13lh.

;J2,159. " High tension electric ignition devices." K. Bosch Akt. -Ges.
November 15th. (Germany, April 24th.)

32,302. " .'Vrrangement for avoiding injurious effects of iliHusion in galvanic
batteries." F. Bormann and H. J. Glanzer (Bormann). November 15lh.

32.208. >" Electrolytic cells." Dow Chemical Co. and G. Harrison (Dow
Chemical Co.). November loth.

32 217 " Electrical heating device." Masehinenfabrik Oerlikon. November
15th. (Switzerland, November 13th, 1919.)

32,221. "Superposing currents of different frequencies upon existing alter-
nating current systems." A. M. Taylor. November 15th.

32.225. " Transmission circuits for wireless telegraph; and telephony."
H. Morris-Airey. A. K. Macrorie, and G. Shearing. November 15th.

32.226. " Reception of continuous waves in wireless telegraphy and
telephony." W. A. Applcton and .^. K. Macrorie. November 15th.

32.227. " Electric switches." A. von Essen. November 15th. (Sweden,
December 23rd, 1919.)

32,233. " Cooling electrical machines." L. K. Morshead and \V. M. Selvey.
November 15th.
32,235. "Thermionic valves." C. F. Ehvell and J. Manilok. November

32^247. " Galvanic batteries." G. Oldham, J. Oldham, O. Oldham, and
Oldham & Son. November 15th.

32,249. " Utilisation of cosmic electricity." E. Krist and E. F. W. Rasch.
November 15th. . „

32,278. " Working reverse current relays under short-circuit conditions.
A. M. Taylor. November Kith.

32,281. " Electric switches and manufacture thereof." J. A. Crabtrce.
November 16th.

32,288. " Electric relays, &c." Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co.
and P. N. Roseby. November 16th.

32,289: " Signalling systems." Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co.
November 16th.

32.296. " Electric accumulators, &c." H. Leitner. November 16th.

32.306. " Electrical heating units." J. H. Robinson. November 16lh.

32.307. " Device for automatically controlling electrical heating elements."
r. Rossi. November 16th.

32,328. " Dynamo electric machines." British Thomson-Houston Co. (Gene-
ral Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. November 16th.

32,348. " Devices for electrically connecting pipes, &c." E. Swainson and
Thermal Electric Works. November 16th.

32,366. " Electric switch." C. E. Watts. November 17th.

32,378. " Inductance coils and electric harmonic analysers." M. Walker.
November 17th.

32,421. " Device for disconnecting and replacing electric lamps, S:c."
W. H. Nelson. November 17th.

32,434. " Electrical excess cuirent indicators." E. Schattner. November
17th. .

32,451. "Control of electric supply plant." W. J. Bransom and H. J.
Read. November 17lh.

32,464. " Electrical apparatus." A Willmolt. November 17th.

32,469. " Ignition magnetos (or internal combustion engines." ML. Mag-
neto Syndicate and E. A. Watson. November 17th.

32,472. "Arrangements for electric heating of water, &c." Festa Akt.-Ges.
November 17th. (Switzerland, November 20th, 1019.)

32,495. " Electric lamps and switches for automobiles, &c." S. Fisher.
November 17th.

32.514. " Connecting-up electric conductors, &c." R. Lomax. November
18th.

32.515. " Electric lamp holders." R. Lomax. November 18th.

32.522. " Electric indicating devices for showing state of distant circuits."
j. F. Creasey. November 18th.

32.523. " Means of combining effects of electric potentials." J. .Scolt-
Taggart. November 18th. .

32,537. " Train control systems." .\ufomatic , Telephone Manulactui ing
Co., A. F. Bound, and A. E. Hudd. November 18th.

32,554. "Method of eliminating interference in radio communication."
J. F. Johnston. November 18th.

32,558. " Ignition magnetos." G. A. Lister and M.L. Magneto Syndicate.
November 18th.

32,564. " Device for indicating terminal connections ol dynamos, ic."
A. -H. Avery. November 18th.

32.569. "Selective reception of alternating currents." F. E. Pernot, E.
Potter (Pernot Sc Rich), and L. J. Rich. November 18th.

32.570. " .Apparatus for electrical transmission of intelligence." F. E.
I'ernot, E. Potter (Pernot & Rich), and L. J. Rich. November 18th.

32,589. " Alternating current relays." McKenzie, Holland, and Westing-
house Power Signal Co. November 18th. (France, .August 6th.)

32,606. " Portable electric lamps." A. G. York. November 18lh.

32,609. " Three-position relays." A. B. Kendall. November 18th. (United
States, August 18th.)

32,647. " Multiple diverting switch." P. J. Morris. November 19th.

32,681. " Lamp shade inverter for electric light fittings." H. V-. Wilson.
November 19th.

32,709. " High-frequency electrical apparatus." 'W. R. Bulliniore. Novem-
ber Wth.

:i2.720. " Sparking plugs." A. J. Cumow. November 19th.

32,733. " Electric switches." British Thomson-Houston Co.. H. Irpnchain,
and E. B. Wedmore. November 19th.

32,744. "Gas-filled incandescent electric lamps." J. S. Carman. .November
19th.

33.746. " fZynamo electric machines." F. G. French. November 19th.

32.747. "Brakes for electric tramcars. &o," C. J. Spencer. November 19lh.

32.748. "Electric cooking apparalu-." E. Kuhlo. November 19lh. (Ger-
many. November 2nth, 1919.)

32.781. " Electrical plugs or contact members." P. J. Keitley and K. Smith
and Son. November 20th. ...

.32.807. " Electric lighting systems for motor vehicles." A. E. Berriman
and Diamler Co. November 20th.

32.808. " Apparatus lor converting heat into electrical . energy." F. E.
Beetton. November 20th.

32.809. "Miners' electric safety lamps." A. P. ' Ford. Novcrober 20lh.
32,813. " High tension electric cables." P. Dunsheath, C. Grovcr, and

W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co. November 20th.

32>20. "Holders for electric candle lamps." Edison Swan Electric Co. and
J. W. Elliott. November 20lh.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The numbers in parentheses are those under which the Bpeci6cation« will
printed and abridged, and all subsequent proceedings will be taken.

X8I.9.

5.(>84. " De\ices for controlling electric discharges through vapours, and
methods ol operating said devices." British I homson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.). April 15th, 1915.

1919.

15,742. " lik'Ctrically operated horns for motor vehicles." G. Frecheville.
June 23rd, 1919. (153,038.)

18,150. " Method of and means for automatic electric control of the electric
energy emplo\ed upon vehicles with electric transmission." P. F. Smith
and P. \'. Powell. July 21st, 1919. (153,058.)

18.'233. " Telephone exchange system." Western Electric Co. July 22nd,
lillS. (130,339.)

18,663. " Alternating current motors and rectifiers." L. B. Miller. July
'2eth, 1919. (153,0(6.)

19.563. " Electric lamp holders." A. P. Rutherford. August 8th. 1919.
(153,112.)

19,722. " Interruplers for the magneto electric ignition machines ol internal-
combustion engines." Scintilla. September 13tb, 1918. (132,499.)

21,070. " Electric telegraph systems." Western Electric Co. (Western
Electric Co.). August •27th, 1919. (153,136.)

'22,313. " Devices for cutting off the current of electric lifts or hoists when
the gates'or doors are open." English Sewing Cotton Co. and A. Bennett.
September 11th, 1919. (153,146.)

•22,791. " Means for producing electric oscillations by an electric arc." C.
Lorenz Akt.-Ges. June 5th, 1918. (132,799.)

•23,057. " Method of driving electric generators on bicycles and similar
vehicles." J. Earnshaw. September 19th, 1919. (153,148.)

•24.197. " Electric lamps." E. G. Mascarenhas. October 3rd, 1919.
(153^53.)

24,8t>4. " Trolley head for electrically propelled vehicles." J. N. Lewis.
October 11th, 1919. (153,158.)

24.%1. " Electrically operated hoisting devices." P. Speck. October 13th.
1919. (153,160.)

26.046. "Telephone systems." T. Lenaghan. April 23rd, 1919. (Divided
application on 152,702.) (153,167.)

26.047. " Automatic telephone systems." T. Lenaghan. April 23rd, 1919.
(Divided application on 152,702.) (153,168.)

-28.507. " Rotary electric machines." K. Nobuhara. November 17th, 1919.
(153,179.)

isao.

2,657. " Suspension of electrodes in electric furnaces." Norske Aktieselskab
for Elektrokemisk Industri Norsk Industri-Hypotekbank. January 28th, 1919.
(138,354.)

3.972. " Magneto electric ignition apparatus for explosion engines." R. E.
Heerd. May 30th, 1919. (144,-251.)

5,440. " Electric contact devices." Siemens & Halske .\kt.-Ges. March 9th,
1918. (139,476.)

7.004. " Electric couplings for thermo-electric appliances." H. Fairbrother
(H. Sicben). March Sth, 19-20. (153,225.)

10.802. " Commutators for electric motors." F. Hornby. April 19th, 1920.
(153.234.)

11.798. " Distributors (or magneto-electric machines." C. B. Rednip.
December 6th, 1919. (Divided application on 151.125.) (153,-235.)

12.343. " Arrangement of the distributor brush holders in magneto ignition
apparatus (or internal-combustion engines." Scintilla. May 15th, 1919.
(143.210.)

12,909. " Selector apparatus for use in an automatic or semi-automatic
telephone system." T. Lenaghan. .^pril 23rd, 1919. (Divided application on
1.52.702.) (153.'238.)

13,694. " High-tension electric depositing plants." Siemens Schuckert-
werke. March 31st, 1916. (I43,.i42.)

13,813. " Telephone exchange system." Western Electric Co. July a2nd,
1918. (Divided application on 130>29.) (143,551.)

14,590. " Telephone exchange svstem." Western Electric Co. July 22nd. '
1918. (Divided application on 13d.3'29.) (143,908.)

16,737. •• Installations for rertilving alternating currents." Siemens
Schuckertwcrke. June 10th. 1916. (145.481.)

•17.709. " Electric repeaters for telephonv." Western Electtic Co. M.<v
aoth, 1919. (145,578.)

18.026. " Apparatus particularlv applicable for the adjustment of a distant
continuous current motor." f . Krupp Akt.-Ges. March 16th. 1918. (145.728 )

18,687. " Electric switches." Eu.eka Vacuum Cleaner Co. Januarv 18th,
1917. (146,8-25.)

'24,701. " Magneto-electric generators for use in connection with internal
combustion engines." C. P. Godfree. August 5lh, 1919. (Divided application
on 148,695.) (l.lS.iiSl.)

Aero-Navigation Lights. — The latest novelty at London's

air teraiinus at Croydou is a lai-jje electric sign now nearing
completion. It takes the form of a star, a model of which
was .-^hown at the Aero Exhibition last summer at Oh"mpia,
and from point to point it is nearly a ijuarter of a mile in
length. The electric hghts which form the sign are sunk in
the ground and covered with thick glass so that aeroplanes
can land on them without damage. The switching arrange-
ment enables a large letter L to be lit up, with the upright
arm pointing the direction in which the wind is blowing
Pilots land along this line in the direction of the bottom leg
of the letter, and bring the machine to rest before the latter i
is reached. The air terminus promi-ses to become so busy 5
that a stafion master is to be appointed. He will be stationed
in a recently-built control tower, from which he will com-
municate with machines by wireless, and also contrtil the
switching on and off of lamling and signalling lights.

^HJB

EHiEOTIE^/IO^Xj K/E'VIE'VT"-

Vol. LXXXVn.

DECEMBEE 10, 1920.

No. 2,246.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ECONOMY.

Vol. LXXXVII.] CONTENTS; December 10, 1920. [No, 3,246.

Page

Private and Public Economy ... 7.S7

The I.E.E. Subscriptions 738

The Crisis 738

The Jurisdiction of the Electricity Commissioners, by A Legal

Contributor 739

New Electrical Proposals for Parliament to Consider 742

Messrs. Pope's Lamp Works (j,llut.) 743

Nottingham's Extended Scheme 744

London Electricity Supply 744

Oorrespondenoe —

A Curious Phenomena ... 74.5

The Position of the E.S.C.A. 745

Power Factor 745

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[73

On the last day of November the Prime Minister dined
with the Federation of British Industries. The member.s
of that important body appear to have expected that,
after refreshment, he would give them an explanation
as to why our current year's expenditure is about twelve
hundred million pounds, coupled with suitable regrets,
and excuses ; and that he would inform them by how-
many millions this colossal total was to be reduced next
year.

They were, however, treated to a cheery and amusing
speech, punctuated by laughter and cheers, full of sallie.s
against Government critics, but without one word of
justification for the present disastrous policy, or hope
of amendment for the future. Although the members of
the Federation had dined, they were sent empty away.

To their astonishment they were even lectured on the
need for economy, all round, public and private, just
as though they themselves were responsible for public
finance and the Government were paying the taxes.

They were informed that the Government must feel
that it had the nation behind it in the matter of
economy. They were informed that they seemed to have
forgotten that there had been a war, and, as a final
touch of that sublime audacity for which Mr. Lloyd
George is so justly famous, he suggested that in each
household in the country a committee should be formed
to cut down the domestic expenditure.

The Premier seems to be quite unconscious of the fact
that in most liouseholds — outside Government circles —
the struggle for existence has become too keen to permit
of any time for committee meetings, or much conversa-
tion of any kind ; and that the possibility of carrying
on at all, even if employment continues, is much more
likely to be the topic, rather than any question of further
possible deprivations.

Sir Robert Home, who followed, addressed himself
to some of the actual conditions which have to be met ;
and he pointed out that the increasing importation of
competing goods was largely due to the state of the
exchange, and to the fact that our own production costs
were too high for the world's markets. ,

The cry to produce more should be put in another
way: Produce more economically.

The Premier's speech at the Federation of British
Industries has not enjoyed a good Press, and news-
])apers of almost all shades of opinion continue the cam-
paign for economy. At the Business Conference called by
the Federation, resolutions were passed requesting the
repeal of the excess profits duty and the corporation tax,
stating that the taxable capacity of the country had
already been exceeded, condemning any direct taxation
of production, and demanding drastic economies on the
part of the Government. In the meantime the Govern-
ment has set up one committee for effecting economies,
and another to consider the question of higher salaries
for Ministers and M.P.s. Possibly if M.P.s were obliged
to " clock in and out," and were paid by the hour, we
should not read so often of critical divisions in which
150 or so members took part out of a possible total of
707.
r] D

738

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,246, December lO, 1920.

Mr. Peter Rylands, who was re-elected President of
the Federation of British Industries, pointed out the
L'lionnous accruing liability on account of the excess
profits duty, and the danger of the moment arriving
when the liability would be beyond the capacity of in-
dustry. He remarked also on the less favourable dis-
position of the working classes to bear privations, and
spoke of the illusions caused by the apparent plenty
during the war. He said that anyone who lived on his
capital '(as we did during the war) could have a right
rnval time, but was afterwards sure of repentance and
headache.

The Executive Council of the Association of British
Chambers of Commerce has just sent in to the Chancellor
uf the Exchequer its advice for the next Budget. It
roundly cpndemns the excess profits duty, alleges waste
iUid extravagance in the Government departments,
and calls for a budget expenditure' not to exceed
£1)10,000.000, which is approximately the figure once
fixed by the Chancellor himself for a normal year.
Whether this or some other figure be the proper limit, it
seems to be clear that unless Parliament sets a total, and
refuses to exceed it, the torrent of waste will not
diminish.

But we think a clear line should be drawn between
productive and unproductive expenditure, and this is
a distinction which seems lately to have escaped atten-
tion. For instance, take housing. If the Government
itself were spending directly, say, two million pounds
on housing, it might be said roughly that the rents or
repayments would justify about half the cost, and
therefore one million would be productive and one mil-
lion unproductive expenditure. Again, the vast sums
that we spent on the Ministry of Reconstruction must
lie regarded as utterly lost. We believe that even the
pamphlets were not all distributed. Money spent upon
tlie proposed Severn tidal power scheme, however, should
be reproductive — it cannot otherwise be justified — and
tlie reformers, if they are true economists, will aim at
lopping of! a few Ministries, rather than at stopping a
great enterprise designed to increase the output of the
country and reduce first cost, which is an essential
condition to selling our goods and regaining our foreign
markets.

We would venture to advise the Federation of British
Industries and the Chambers of Commerce to .set up an
Economy Committee of their own — not in some humble
cottage, but in the neighbourhood of the Palace of West-
minster, with a well-paid expert accountant to devote
liis whole time to the business — and let that committee
examine and criticise publicly every item of Govern-
ment expenditure, and tabulate every instance of scan-
dalous waste apd peculation that comes to light, together
with all the names of parties concerned ; and thus take
care that if the nation chooses to continue the present
system of government it shall at lea.st do so with a full
knowledge of the facts.

Since Parliament, paid to control, fails in its duty,
it becomes necessary for the people who are eventually
responsible for national industrial prosperity to take it
in hand themselves and see that the information collected
is in handy form, and ready for use at the next General
Election, by any party, of whatever colour, that wishes
to prevent the ultimate ruin of the Empire.

The Council of the Institution of Elec-
The I.E.E. trical Engineers is to be congratulated
Subscriptions, on the result of the special meeting held
last week to consider the proposed in-
crease of subscriptions ; the sense of the meeting was
manifestly in favour of the new rates, unwelcome as
might be the necessit}' of an increase, and the majority
was overwhelming when the question was put to the vote.
Mr. Purse, feeling bound in duty to the members whose
proxies he held to press their opposition to the limit, was
nevertheless well advised in consenting to withdraw his
demand for a poll ; as the President showed, the majority
of proxies against him was no less crushing than that of

the members present, and to have prolonged the meeting
for the sake of a useless formality would have been
highly injudicious, to say the least. We can hardly
believe, in any event, that Mr. Purse's supporters would
feel particularly well disposed towards his alternative
proposal — to add 10s. 6d. to the subscriptions in all
grades — as that obviously places the bulk of the burden
on the shoulders of the junior ranks, representing an
increase of 30 to 50 per cent., in the case of Students,
16-20 per cent, for Associates and Associate Members,
and 12-14 per cent, for Members. What a storm there
would have been if the Council, in a moment of mental
aberration, had proposed such a scheme! We think it
probable that Mr. Purse will gain even less support at
the confirmatory meeting than he did last week.

A suggestion that members who have compounded for
their subscriptions should now be called upon to contri-
bute further to the funds appears to us to be incom-
patible with the principles on which such arrangements
, are based : it would be as reasonable for an insurance
company from which a man had purchased a life annuity
to call upon him to pay further sums on the ground that
the company's expenses had increased. Is there to be
no sanctity in a contract? The Articles explicitly state
that such members shall not be required to pay a further
amount.

We cannot refrain from expressing admiration at tlie
masterly manner in which the President placed tlie
Council's case before the meeting, as well as the tact
and ability with which he guided tlie proceedings.

Mr. J. E. Kingsbury, in a brief but impressive speech,
placed tlie discussion on a high plane, emphasising the
fact that members should not merely ask what they were
to get out of the Institution, but should consider what
they could give to it, in order to further the interests
of the profession and industry. Mr. Adams also made
a useful contribution to the debate.

It is interesting to note that whilst this was, we be-
lieve, the second occasion on which jiroxy papers were
issued, they have not yet l)een used for the purpose of
a poll. The only eft'eitive proxy at the meeting was, in
fact, that exercised by Sir James Devonshire when, in
tlie course (if a cogent argument in support of the
Council's scheme, he quoted with emphatic approval
our recent suuimarv of the situation. .

Elsewhere we report the progress
The Crisis, that has been made towards the settle-
ment of the E.P.E.A. dispute. Up to
the meeting of the National Joint Board, last Saturday
101 undertakings had adopted the schedule; 20 had
accepted it with reservations ; 28 had refused ; and 90
had not replied to Aid. Walker's circular letter. In
numbers, therefore, the ayes and the noei are about
equal, but in magnitude, it is stated, the 101 concerns
represent 70 per cent, of the whole. On this result the
Joint Board and the Association are to be congratulated.
With regard to the non-contents, many of these are
small companies which, while professing willingness to
concede the terms, plead inability to pay them, at any
rate until they are authorised to charge higher prices for
electricity. On the other hand, they certainly will not
obtain that authority unless they adopt the schedule, for
the Joint Board is fully recognised by the Government,
and thus a " vicious circle " is set up. We cannot but
sympathise with these companies, which have not the
rates to draw upon if they make a deficit, and we should
think that a compromise could be attained without much
difficulty : provided tliat they agreed to pay the new rates
directly they were authorised to raise their prices, wo
should think they might be counted with the under-
takings which have adopted the schedule. We are
pleased to see that the Association has agreed to postpone
the notices in the case of all authorities which adopt tlie
schedule, as we suggested in our last issue : we cordi-
ally hope that conciliatory methods will prevail, and that
some means may be found, acceptable to both sides,
which will obviate recourse to the strike weapon, due to
coinc into operation next Tuesday.

Vol.87. No. 2,246, DECEMBJiK .0,1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

7S9

THE JURISDICTION OF THE ELECTRICITY COMMISSIONERS.

By A LEQAL CONTRIBUTOR.

On Septembei- 24th the report of the Electricity Com-
missioners upon the applications of the Nottingham
Corporation and the Derbyshire and Nottingham-
shire Electric Power Co. for leave to build generat-
ing stations was published in the Electrical Review.
.A public inquiry was held by the Commissioners in
July last, and this report represents their findings.
As this was the first inquiry held in the exercise of a
jurisdiction conferred by the Electricity (Supply) Act,
1919,* the proceedings before the Commissioners and
their report are of considerable; interest. Those who
supply electricity are concerned to know by what autho-
rity the Commissioners act, the nature and extent of
their powers, and the circumstances in which those
jjowers are and will be exercised.

The Act of 1919 makes no stipulations as to how
these inquiries are to be held ; but it is apparent from
a perusal of a transcript of the sliorthand notes that
they are conducted verj- much on the lines of an ordi-
nary arbitration. If one may be permitted to say
so, nothing could exceed the courtesy and consideration
shown by the chairman and his colleagues to all parties
concerned.

It is necessary in the first place to understand the
jurisdiction and powers of tlie Commissioners. By
Section 11 of the Act of 1919, notwithstanding the
provisions of any special Act, " It shall not be lawful
for any authority, company, or person to establish a
new or extend an existing generating station . . .
without the consent of the Electricity Commissioners
(which consent shall not be refused or made subject t'o
compliance with conditions to which the authority, com-
jiany, or person object, unless a local inqiiiry has been
held) . . ." Then follow certain exceptions which are
not material for the present purpose. It is well to note,
at the out.set, that the Act thus empowers the Conmiis-
sioners to cut down the statutory rights and privileges
of an existing authority or company, who could for-
merly build generating stations in accordance with
their powers, as and when they pleased. By Section 33
the Commissioners may hold inquiries, while by Section
.'J4 they and the Board of Trade (now the Ministry of
Transport) may make rules of procedure. There is
no appeal from any ruling or decision of the Commis-
sioners, but it would seem that there is no penalty
attaching to anyone who thinks proper to build a station
without the necessary permission.

To come now to the history of the applications above
mentioned. In 1901 the Derbyshire and Nottingham-
shire Electric Power Co. (which may be referred to for
the sake of brevity as the power company) were em-
powered by statute to supply electricity in bulk
to the whole county of Nottingham and part of
the county of Derb}-. They could supplj' to the
various boroughs in the area, but subject in the
case of each borough including Nottingham, to the
consent in writing of the Corporation. The same
Act enabled the power company to erect stations
at Colwick (near the Trent), and at Ilkeston. They
did in fact erect a station at Ilkeston, where, at the
date of the inquiry, they had an installation represent-
ing 5,000 Kw. (.\.c.) and 4,000 kw. (d.c). In 1912 they
.•■old 1,839,899 units, and for the current year it was
estimated that the demand would be 10,000,000. To
meet this, and- with a view to further extensions, they
desired to erect a new station at Colwick. where, having
regard to the proximity of condensing water and other
advantages, it was conceived that they would be able
to build a station large enough to meet all present and
further demands. They took a lease of the site on
March 2.5th. 1919, for 99 years, with power to purchase

* Since thi.s article was written the Commissioners have held
an inquiry upon an apphcation of the County of London Co.
for leave to erect a station at Barking. This matter being still
suh judice is not here referred to.

the freehold. The rent for the first year was £138 lis.,
rising to .£554 16s.

In these circumstances they applied to the Conunis-
sioners for the necessary consent. On June 23rd, 1920,
the secretary to the Commissioners wrote to point out
the nature of the evidence which the Commissioners
would require in support of the application. In par-
ticular, evidence was required of present loan, probable
future demands, technical proposals for the new station,
and an estimate of future financial results. The power
company were also asked to state their " proposals i:i
the event of the establishment of a joint electricity
authority for the district."

The Borough of Nottingham never took any electricity
from the power company. They had power to supply
within their own district under a jirovisional order
which they obtained in 1890.

They were the principal opponents of the power com-
pany's application. They were themselves seeking the
permission of the Conmiissioners to erect a generating
station on what was called the Clifton site.

It was stated by the town clerk, when opening the
cast? for the Corporation, that in 1914 they had come
to the conclusion that a new station was necessary. Hav-
ing received a report from Sir Alexander Kennedy,
they chose a site on the river Trent, but nothing was
done inmiediately owing to the war. After the armistice,
however, the Electricity Committee, having come to the
conclusion that it would be no longer possible to con-
sider municipal boundaries in the matter of electricity
supply, summoned a conference of local authorities, e.g.,
those of Leicester, Derby. Nottingham, Mansfield,
Loughborough, Newark, and Long Eaton. This con-
ference employed two engineers who propounded a
scheme which should deal not only with Nottingham,
but with the whole area represented by the conference.
Subsequently Mr. J. H. Rider was employed to report
on the position of Nottingham itself. He recom-
mended, inter alia, the erection of a station on the
Trent near the Clifton Colliery, which would fit in the
larger scheme if and when a joint electricity authority
was set up. It was for power to erect this station at a
cost of about £800,000 that the Corporation made the
application to the (Commissioners. Towards the end
of his address the town clerk said: '' The Corporation
quite realise that it is the intention of the Government
and the Commissioners to divide the country into dis
tricts, and to set up joint authorities where they can
properly be established. Their proposals with regard to
this station are made so that when any scheme is brought
forward or put into operation this station will fit the
requirements of the scheme."

The power company opposed the application of the
Corporation on the ground that a power station of
such size was wholly unnecessary for supply in Notting-
ham; that, in effect, the Corporation could make no
profitable use of it without power to supply outside the
borough, which could not be obtained except by Act of
Parliament. Certain coal owners also objected to the
application, because if the station to l)e built by the
Corporation were erected and were to become the pro-
perty of a joint authority, they would inevitably be
left out.

The case of the power company was first heard. Tiie
opposition of the Corporation was bas^d chiefly on the
allegation that inasmuch as the power company had
done so little in the past, they did .not deserve to be
further encouraged. Objection was also taken to the
proposed site on the ground that it was less convenient
and less near the "centre of gravitv " of the district
than the site of 80 acres which the Corporation desired
to utilise.

In the course of the inquiry, the chairman pointed
out that they could not neglect the probability of a joint

740

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [VoI.ST. No. 2,246, December lO, 1920.

electricity authority being set up. He intimated that
if they were to give their consent to the construction of
one or other of the proposed stations they would be
obliged to impose a condition which would safeguard
such a joint authority, e.g., a condition which would
enable them to repay the capital expended by the com-
pany 'plui a reasonable rate of interest defined by the
Act. He said that such a condition had been imposed
by Parliament in the case of the Shropshire, Worcester-
shire, and Staffordshire Electric Power Co. (by Section
19 of their Act). He also intimated that the Commis-
sioners proposed very shortly to determine provision-
ally the limits of the electricity district, which would
L'ertainly contain the city of Nottingham, and probably
the whole or a very large part of the area of the power
company.* The power company were not willing to
accept this condition, but the Corporation were quite
I'eady to comply with it.

As has already been pointed but, no secret was made
of the fact that the Corporation were asking for leave
to erect a station much larger than was necessary to
meet their immediate needs. Thus it was pointed out
by one of their witnesses that taking into account the
present and immediate future demand upon the Cor-
poration, the most they required was to generate 16,000

KW.

We now come to the report of the Commissioners. t
They refused the application of .the power company on
the ground that it would be an encroachment on the
Corporation's rights of supply. They granted that of
the Corporation — giving them leave to erect the pro-
posed generating station on the site proposed, on the
terms : (1) Plan and lay-out to be approved by the
Commissioners ; (2) the Corporation must if required
supply to the power company such high-pressure current
as the company may require, on terms to be agreed, or
if not agreed, upon terms to be settled by the Commis-
sioners ; (3) if an authority is set up for the district
under the Electricity (Supply) Act of last year, the
Corporation shall if required by the authority, and
if directed by the Commissioners, transfer the station
to the joint authority, the Corporation being reim-
bursed on certain terms.

It is unnecessary to go at length into the reasons why
the Commissioners refused the application of the power
company. They were largely of a technical character ;
but it is interesting to consider the legal effect of the
conditions on which the Corporation are to be allowed
to build their generating station.

The first requirement does not invite comment. The
second, however, is more interesting. It is founded,
presumably, upon Sec. 19 of the Act by which " during
the period between the passing of this Act and the
establishment of a Joint Electricity Authority " any
two or more authorised distributors may with the ap-
proval of the Commissioners, and if so required by the
Electricity Commissioners shall, enter into arrangements
for " (a) the giving and taking of a supply of electricity
and the distribution and supply of the electricity so
taken." The arrangement is to be made on such terms
and conditions as may be agreed, or, if the arrange-
ment is made in pursuance of a requirement by the
Electricity Commissioners, on such terms and conditions
as in default of agreement may be settled by the Com-
missioners.

It is plain from the wording of the section that (a) no
arrangement between authorised undertakers for a sup-
ply, and (Zi) no order for the giving of a supply, can
be made by the Commissioners, except within the tran-
sitory period. If nothing is settled before the Joint
Authority comes into being, the authorised distributors
are powerless to agree, and the Commissioners cannot
compel them to enter into an agreement.

As the matter has probably been settled in the Notting-
ham district since the Commissioners published their
report, the question, in' one aspect, may be only of
mere academic interest. But there is another aspect
.of the matter which is not quite so clear. Can an agree-

* The East Midlands District has since been provisionally
determmed (Elec. Eev.. Nov. 5.th, 19'20. p. ,591).— Eds.
t See the Elkctrical Review, Sept. 34th, 1990, p. 401.

ment be made, or can the Commissioners make an order,
which shall continue to be effective after the formation
of the Joint Authority ? This is a question which is
at least open, to argument.

It is to be observed that Sec. 19 forms one of a
group of sections to which the heading " Transitory
Provisions " is prefixed in the Act. A cross heading
governs each of the sections which is ranged under it
(^Eastern Counties and Ijondon and Blackwall Railway
Co. V. Marriage, 9 H.L. Cas. .32). It follows that the
provisions of Sec. 19 are to be regarded as transitory
only. Now it is obvious that in so far as it confers
j)ower on the Commissioners to direct that authorised
undertakers shall give or take a supjply of electricity
upon terms to be settled by them. Sec. 19 confers upon
them power to interfere with existing rights, and an
enactment which interferes with existing rights must be
strictly construed (Stead r. Carey, 1 C.B. 496). Bear-
ing these principles in mind, it is difficult to see how
' terms can be imposed upon authorised distributors
which shall remain in force after the formation of the
Joint Authority. Take an extreme case. Suppose it
was ordered that authority A should supply, and autho-
rity B should take, x units per annum at Id. per unit
for all time after the date of the order. This would
constitute an interference with existing statutory rights,
and would be the result of the exercise of a power con-
ferred by an Act of Parliament which is declared to
be transitory in its effect. It may be argued that other
provisions of Sec. 19, empowering the Commissioners
to authorise the breaking up of roads, A-c, which may
be necessary for carrying the '' arrangement " into
effect, and authorising local authorities to borrow for
a similar purpose, tend to show that the provision was
intended to be anything but transitory. At the same
time it is difficult to ignore the first few words of the
section which appear to govern the whole.

Those who drafted the Act may have been of opinion
that the}' were conferring powers which should have
permanent effect. That this is so is to some extent
confirmed by the fact that the Electricity (Supply) Bill,
1920, now before Parliament makes no reference to the
matter.

The Commissioners apparentl}- had power to impose
this condition in so far as it is permissive by virtue of
Sec. 4 (3) of the Electric Lighting Act, 1909, by
which " the Board of Trade may, if they think fit, by
order, permit any undertakers to supply electricity in
bulk to any other undertakers upon such terms and
subject to such conditions as may be specified in the
order." By Sec. 2 of the Act of 'l919 the Ministry of
Transport appear to be able to exercise this power
through the Electricity Commissioners. But it is obvious
that Sec. 4 (3) of the Act of 1909 was enabling only. It
did not confer power upon the Board of Trade to compel
any authority to give or take a supply at any particular
price, or at all.

The fact that the Commissioners thought it right to
impose the third condition makes it plain that they are
confident that a Joint Authority for the Nottingham
district will presently come into being. This is a matter
upon which they must have means of knowledge not
accessible to the outside public. But it is interesting
to speculate, from a purely legal point of view, upon
the effect of this condition. It may be, of course, that
the power company are ready and willing to assist in
the formation of a joint authority; but it is manifest
that no obligation is imposed upon the Corporation
unless and until the joint authority is. formed.

It seems that the owners of any undertaking may
seriously hamper the work of a Joint Authority, for
by Section 6 of the Act of 1919 (which makes provision
for the establishment of a Joint Authority) it is expressly
provided that " no such scheme shall provide for the
transfer to the authority of any part of an undertaking
except with the consent of the owners thereof." It is
clear from this that the existing generating station and
mains of the power company could not be transferred
to the Joint Authority ercept with the consent of the
power company.

Vol. 87. No. 2,246, deckmbeb 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

741

Again, the fact that a joint authority may supply
electricity does not prevent existing undertakers from
continuing to supply in their own areas, in accordance
with their powers — it may be in direct competition
witli the Joint Authority — unless, indeed, the Commis-
siuners exercise the peculiar power conferred upon them
hy Section U (1) of the Act.

By this section the Commissioners may by order

exclude from the ai'ea of supply of any power com-
pany any part of that area whicli at the time of applica-
tion is not being supplied by the company, and which
it appears to the Electricity Commissioners co^dd be
■ better served by the Joint Electricity Authority." The
words in italics are important, because although the
Commissioners may be of opinion that the Joint Autho-
rity could better serve the district, they have no power
to authorise them to do so. If the power company
object to being deprived of part of their statutory area,
no effect can be given to the proposal of the Commis-
sioners so depriving them without a special order, that
is to say, an order made aiiter a public inquiry, and
confirmed by the Ministry of Transport, which cannot
come into force until it has lain on the tables of both
Houses of Parliament for 30 days.

But even if such a special order were made, the
result might be to wholly deprive the excluded area of
any supply of electricity.

Another provision of the Act is very important in
tins connection. By Section 12 (1) a joint authority
may supply electricity within their district subject to
certain limitations, " that is to say, the authority shall
not supply electricity ...(b) in any part of the area
of supply of a power company for any purpose for which
the company are therein authorised to supply elec-
tricity without the consent of the company, except to
the previous owner of a generating station which has
been transferred to the joint electricity authority or,"
&c.

Applying this provision to the Nottingham case, it
means that if the Joint Authority for the district
acquire the proposed generating station from the Not-
tingham Corporation, they may supply electricity to
the Corporation without the consent of the power com-
pany. To grant a supply elsewhere in the power com-
pany's area they must obtain the company's consent.
The Ministry of Transport may, however, dispense with
this consent if it is unreasonably withheld. This consent
IS to be deemed to be unreasonably refused or withheld
if the power company " are not willing and in a posi-
tion to give the requisite supply upon reasonable terms
within a reasonable time." Suppose — to take this very
case — a Joint Authority were established for the Not-
tingham district. Suppose the present power company
refused their consent above referred to, and the Ministry
of Transport seek to dispense with that consent on the
ground that the power company not being able to supply,
their con.sent must be deemed to have been unreasonably
Avithheld. One answer might be : " We applied for leave
to build a generating station, and it was refused by
the Commissioners!"

It may be said that the above observations upon the
third condition imposed by the Conmiissioners are of a
technical character. They may nevertheless become im-
portant. The Act of 1919 provides that " it shall be
the duty of every joint electricity authority constituted
under this Act, to provide or secure the provision of a
cheap and abundant supply of electricity within their
district." If, when the time comes for the performance
of this duty, there is found already in the field a power
company who, whether rightly or wrongly, consider that
they have been deprived of rights solemnly conferred
>>y the legislature, technical points may become formid-
able obstacles to the joint authority.

AH theise considerations were doubtless duly weighed
l.y the Comiiiissioners 'When deciding to grant the ap-
plication of the Corporation. In tht^ matter of imposing
pondjUons, they haye an absolutely free hand. They
are not a legal tribunal in the ordinary sense. To use
the words of Section 1 (4) of the Act, to which they owe

their being ; " ' Three of the Commissioners shall be
selected for practical, commercial, and scientific know-
ledge and wide business experience, including that of
electrical supply." Had they when holding this inquiry
been a court of law construing — and bound to construe
— an Act of Parliament according to well-known canons
of construction, a somewhat interesting argument might
have been addressed to them. For example, if the
material section — Section 11 — of the Act of 1919 is
looked at by itself, its intent and meaning appears to
be that" applications for leave to erect generating sta-
tions should only be made by those who find it necessary
to extend or build for the purposes of supply in their
own area. Here it was made perfectly plain by the
Nottingham Corporation at a very early stage that they
wanted this new generating station for a much larger
purpose. On such a reading of the Act it would have
been perfectly competent for the Commissioners to rule
out their application on this very simple ground.

But the explanation probably is that the Nottingham
Corporation already have statutory power to supply in
bulk outside their district, and the Commissioners were
satisfied that, whoUj' apart from the possible demand
of the power company, there was good ground to sup-
pose that the Corporation would be able to dispose of
the whole output from the proposed generating station.

An interesting question here obtrudes itself. Have
the Commissioners any power to authorise undertakers
to supply outside their district?

Let us look in the first place at the older Acts. Supply
of energy outside the area is prohibited by Section
•t (2) of the Schedule to the Electric Lighting (Clauses)
Act, 1899. Unless power to supply in bulk outside the
area has been granted by special Act, it can only be
obtained by an order made upon an application pur-
suant to Section 4 (.3) of the Electric Lighting Act,
1909, which has been already referred to. But no order
can be made under that section unless the supply can
be given without breaking up any streets except sucli
as the undertakers giving or the undertakers receiving
the supply are authorised to break up, and unless parties
objecting have an opportunity of being heard. It is
important to notice that this section makes no provision
for further borrowing powers by a local antliority. A
power company whicli might be ready and willing to
give the supply forming the subject matter of the agree-
ment, would obviously be a party entitled to be heard.

With regard to supply other than bulk supply
outside an area, this could only be given pursuant to
Section 6 (1) of the Act of 1909, whereby the occupier
of any premises desiring to be supplied by undertakers
in another district may apply to the Board of Trade
for the necessary order. The order may be made if
the undertakers in the area of tlie applicant consent,
Imt that consent must not be unreasonably withheld.
This jurisdiction of the Board of Trade is n(iw exer-
cised by the Commissioners; it is pointed out in a
well-known work on the Electric Lighting Acts that
" an order will only be made in respect of specific
premises, and not in respect of an addition to the area
of supply of the undertakers."

These were the only statutory provisions of general
application for supply outside the area prior to the
Act of 1919. It remains to consider the efi'ett of that
Act. It certainly does not, in terms, authorise the
Commissioners, or anyone else, to permit supply outside
an area. The only section of the Act which bears upon
the subject is Section 19, which has been considered in
an earlier part of this article. It is clear that this
section impliedly permits any authorised undertaker.s
'"within the locality" of a Joint Electricity Authority
to supply outside their area. Such a supply would
necessarily be involved in an "arrangement" made
under that section. But if an order were made pur-
suant to this section authorising supply in bulk, it is
submitted that the right of parties interested to be heard
and to state objections already conferred by Section
4 (3) of the Act of 1909 (which is not repealed), could
still be exercised.

742

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,246, December lO, 1920.

Again, supposing it were made part of "an arrange-
ment " ordered by the Commissioners pursuant to Sec-
tion 19 of the Act of 1919 affecting two areas A and B,
that certain consumers in the district A should thence-
forth be supplied by the undertakers in area B. It
would certainly be open to the undertakers in area A
to argue that, by virtue of the provisions of Section
(i (1) of the Act of 1909 (which, again, is not repealed),
lliey were entitled to withhold their consent to the
transfer.

It would not he right to assume that tiie Electricity
Coiiiiriissioners luay not, for some purposes, be con-
sidered to be acting in a judicial capacity when holding
inijuiries. Thus asstiming they refused to hold an
inipiiry when culled upon to do so, it is probable that
a writ of mandamus would be issued to compel them.
(See f .<?. Rhvmnev Iron Co.. Ltd. r. Ithvuiuey Kail Co.,
6 Ky. & Caii. Tr." Cas. GO.)

There is one other matter in relation to this inquiry
which is of interest. According to the rules, persons
interested are entitled to appear and be heard. An
application was made by the town clerk of Derby to
appear and be heard as representing the Conference of
the Municipal Electricity Undertakings. It was pointed
out that these bodies were concerned with the scheme
for the East Midlands, and that they had had nothing
to do with the application on behalf of Nottingham.
On this ground counsel for the power company objected
to their being heard ; he contended that they had no
locux standi. Eventually the right of audience was
granted, and a witness was called on the part of the
conference.

It is presumed that in thus extending the right of
audience, the Commissioners were acting on the analog}'
of the Parliamentary Standing Order 133a, by which
any society or association sufficiently representing a
trade, business, or interest in the district to which the
Bill relates, and alleging that such trade, business, or
interest will be injuriously affected by the provisions of
such Bill may appear and be heard in opposition to it.

NEW ELECTRICAL PROPOSALS FOR
PARLIAMENT TO CONSIDER.

We give below a list of the proposals that will come forw'ard
in the next session of Parliament. Readers who are desirous
of obtaining further information will find the applications
published in the London Gazette for November 16th, 19th,
23rd and 26th.

(a) Electric Light and Power.

Batley Corporation. — Further powers as regards the electric
Ught undertaking, provision of show rooms, increase of
charges for electricity, &c.

Bexhill Corporation. — Further electricity powers, &c.

County of London Electric Supply Co. — Powers to acquire
land, lie, in the parish of Barking and to erect generating
station thereon and to distrilnite electrical energy, con-
stitution of separate undertaking and provisions relative
thereto, repeal or amendment of provisions as to purchase
of portion of company's undertaking, certain financial
provisions, &c.

Falmouth Dock Co. — Powers to repair, build, and salve, &c.,
vessels, to carry on an engineering business and provisions
with reference thereto.

Leyton U.D.C. — F\u:ther powers with regard to the electri-
city undertaking.

London County Council. — Further provisions as to control of
premises where celluloid is kept, &c.

Manchester Corporation. — General powers, including certain
financial provisions.

Rotherham Corporation. — Further powers with regard to the
electricity undertaking, additional provisions as to running
motor-omnibuses, &c., further powers with reference to
the tramway undertaking, trolley vehicles and omnibuses,
construction of new tramways, &c.

Waltham and Cheshuut Gas and Coke Co. — Powers to apply
for a provisional order to supply electricity.

(J[>) Electric Tramway, Motor='bus and Railless Trolley
Vehicles.

Burnley Corporation. — Provision and running of motor-omni-
buses within and beyond the borough, financial provisions,
including the suspension of any pajnnent to any sinking

fund, for such period as may be specified in the Bill,
liepeal and amendment of certain ."Vets and Orders.

Chatham and District Light Railways Co.— Certain financial
provisions.

City of Oxford Electric Tramways Co.— Powers to increase
fares and charges in respect of the motor-omnibuses.

(.'olne Corporation. — Powers to run omnibuses within and
without the borough, to increase maximum charges for
electricity, and furthei- powers as regards the electricity
undertaking.

Diuham County Council. — Constnictiou and working of tranj-
ways, trolley vehicles in the administrative County of Dur-
ham and the county Ixuoiighs of Gateshead and Sunder-
land, powers to provide and run motor-omnibuses, inci-
dental powers with regard to tramways, trolley vehicles
and motor omnibuses.

Gosforth U.D.C. — Powers to run motor-omnibuses within and
without the borough.

Grimsby Corporation. — Construction and reconstruction of
tramways, provision of trailer cars, powers to r\m motor-
omnibuses and trolley vehicles, further powers with regard
to the electricity undertaking, and to increase the maxi-
mum prices for the supply of electricity; provision of
showrooms, &c.

Hastings Tramways Co. — Extension of tramways, &c., to Fish
JNIarket, Hastings.

Hoylake and West Kirby U.D.C. — Provision and running of
motor-omnibuses within and beyond the district.

Leicester Corporation. — Construction of new tramw-ays, pro-
vision and use of trailer cars, further powers as regards
tramways and omnibuses.

Liverpool Corporation. — Continuance and maintenance of the
tramway undertaking, including the tramway and omnibus
undertaking carried on by the former Liverpool United
Tramway and Omnibus Co.. construction of new tram-
ways, further provisions as regards the electricity under-
taking.

Nelson Corporation. — Provision and running of motor-omni-
buses within and beyond the borough, further powers with
regard to the electricity undertaking.

Nuneaton Corporation. — Powers to run motor-omnibuses with-
in and beyond the borough, confirmation of agreement
with the Bumingham and Midland Omnibus Co.. Ltd.

St. Helens Corporation. — Power to run motor-omnibuses with-
in and without the borough, increase of tramway fares,
further provisions as to the tramway undertaking, powers
to apply for provisional orders authorising trolley vehicles,
and to increase charges for the supply of electricity.

South Shields Corporation. — Extension of the borough to in-
clude the parish of Horton and parts of the parishes of
Whitburn, Bolden, and Monkton, revival of powers and
extension of time for completion of authorised tramways,
provision and running of motor-omnibuses within and
without the borough, extension of area for supply of elec-
tricity, and further powers with regard to the electricity
undertaking.

Wigan Corporation. — Construction of tramways, increase of
tramway fares and charges, provisions as to trolley vehicles,
powers to run motor-omnibuses within and without the
borough, further electricity powers, including the pro-
vision of showrooms, &c.

(c) Railways.

Thames Deep-water Wharf and Railways. — New company;
powers to construct wharf, railway and electric generating
stations, working of railway by steam or electricity, and
to supply electrical energy, arrangements with the Midland
and G.E.R., powers to run omnibuses, motor coaches, &c.

London and North-Western Railway Co.— Extending the
periods limited by the Wolverhampton and Cannock Light
Railway Order, authorising the abandonment of certain of
such railways, and giving powers for the construction of
deviation railways in substitution therefor and a branch
railway in addition thereto.

i

E.P.E.A. Dinner. — The South Coast Section of the
Electrical Power Engineers' Association held their second
annual meeting and dinner at Brighton, on November '2Tth,
and in view of the situation created by the demand of those
employed in the technical branch of the undertaking, the
occasion was of special significance, --^t the diimer. which
was attended by about 50, including the wives of members
of the Association, the chair was occupied by Mr. J. H.
Parker (Croydon), president of the Association, who was sup-
ported by Mr. >T. Thomas (assistant general secretary), Mr. J.
Christie "(electrical engineer and manager of the Brighton elec-
tricity works), and Mr. C. B. Smith (chief engineer. Hove
electricity works). The president presented Mr. Gibbous with
a cheque in recognition of the valuable service he has ren-
dered as hon. secretary of the South Coast Section. Mr.
Whiting received a case of pipes for his services as hon.
treasurer. The dinner was followed by a concert. — Sussex
Daily News.

Vol. 87. No. 2,246, December 10, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL EEVIEW.

743 r

MESSRS. POPE'S LAMP WORKS.

By the invitation of the directors of Messrs. Pope's Electric
Lamp Co., Ltd.. a very pleasant and instructive morning
was spent on Monday last at the '■ Elasta " electric lamp
works, Willesden. Accuracy and uniformity are vital quali-
ties in the production of electric lamps, and a visit to the
above works, which were inaugurated in 1904 by Mr. P. E.
Pope, one of the pioneers in the electric lamp industry,
.suffices to provide irrefutable evidence of the care taken to
en.sure perfection in the manufactm'e of British lamps.

To the. uninitiated, the large amount of work that is put
into, and the number of processes that go to the making of,
an electric lamp come as a revelation. Much of the work is
necessarily of a very dehcate character, and requires to be
carried out with skill and precision. It is an industry in
which the employment of gii-ls and women appears to be
eminently suitable, and the results obtained by the firm
testify to the efficient manner in which they carry out their
work. The total staff employed numbers over 700, of which

Pig. 1. — V.4CUDM Lamp Exhausting Department.

ligure some 08U employes are gkls. Many of the gii'la in
men daily tasKs oi testing lamps and other similar operations
are exposed lor long perioUs day after day to tUe brigm
glare of unshaded lamps wtiich, for certam purposes, aie
sometimes run at a pressure much m excess of their norma)
voltage. Mevertheless it is a remarkable fact that none com
piam of any ill ellects to their eyes, i'hey are, of course, aii
lU'ovided with protective glasses, but it is next to impossible
lo induce tbe gnls to wear them, and some of the employes
have been worKing for eight or rune years without any ill
effects resultmg therefrom.

" Elasta " drawn- wire lamps, both of the vacuum and
gasfilled types, are made at the lactory, in addition to " Pope '
carbon-hlameut lamps, and some of the processes are common
to all. 'iaking the vacuum lamp as representative, and noting
differences of treatment as they occur, it may be explained
that the molybdenum oxide, which in due course provides
the supports tor the hlament, is hrst reduced to a grey powder
by the appUcation of a very high temperatm'e in electric
furnaces. A certaih quantity is then placed in steel moulds,
and under hydrauhc pressure is transformed into square rods,
which then go through the process of smtermg, in a special
department, in order to render them homogeneous and capable
ot being hammered and di'awn. In the hammering machines
the rods are reduced gradually, and can be gauged to any
degree of fineness required. The drawn wire tungsten fila-
ments are manufactm'ed also in a similar way.

The first stage in the manufacture of the lamp proper
begins with the simple glass tubing, which is cut by minia-
ture cncular saws mto short lengths as a prelim mary to
forming the flanges; each piece is then heated and flanged
by a smgle motion in a rotating machine, and becomes a
part of the foot of the lamp. The copper and platmum
leading-in wii'es are next prepared and fixed in the glass foot.
With the wii'es affixed, it then passes to a room devoted to
the examination and testing of this component part for
continuity. " Eoot-building " is the next process, and con-
sists in making the studs, and inserting the top and bottom
supports, ready for the mounting of the tungsten wire fila-
ment. Special machines, known as " formers," give the
filament its correct shape for mounting on the supports,
and to this dehcate process of attaching the filament a spacious
department is allotted.

The bulbs, which are obtained from the glass works of the
company at Newcastle-on-Tyne, are wa.shed and dried by
special and speedy methods, and sent to the " stemmers," who
skiU'uUy affix to each bulb a hollow stem of glass by which
at a later stage the air is exhausted. Trays of filaments
(mounted as described) and bulbs, each containing a definite
number, are then passed to the operatives known as " lamp

makers." Here the mushroom neck of each bulb left by
the glass blowers is cracked off, and the filament with its
support is sealed in, the process being done with rapidity and
precision on automatic machines, needing only supervision
and feeding, with the finishing touches, by the practised girl
workers who attend them.

The lamp, having been made as far as its essentials are
concerned, now goes to the examination department, where
it is scrutinised and tested for possible defects, and its general
appearance also receives criticism. The next operation is
the important one of exhaustion, fig. 1. The actual vacuum
is produced in two stages; first, by "rough " pumping and,
secondly, by mercury pumps which remove the rarefied air
thiit still remains in the bulb. A special preparation is ap-
plied during the process of exhaustion to assist in setting
free any foreign matter which may be in the lamp and which,
if permitted to remain, would impair the perfection of the
yacuurn. A test for vacuum is imperative at this point, and
is applied by means of an induction coil, the current from
which when sent through the lamp produces easily recog-
nisable signs if any trace of air is still left. A flashing test
provides still further against imperfections, and then comes
the delicate operation of sealmg off, by which the 8t«m is
removed from the bulb, and its place of juncture is betrayed
by the familiar " pip."

Here it may be mentioned that the " rough " pumping
and ah--compressing plant required for various purposes in
conjunction with the lamp-making machinery is electrically
driven, and installed on the ground floor, being self-contained,
and needing httle attention. The mercury pumps are situated
on the same floor as the actual exhausting apparatus.

From the exhausting department the lamps are dispatched
for a preliminary test as complete lamps — previous tests
having been incidental to the various individual processes.
Having passed this preliminary trial, the real test by which
each lamp is graded takes place in the photometer department
where it is compared with an ascertained standard lamp,
photometrically measured, and checked ; here the lamps fall
into their proper category of voltage and wattage. The skill
and sensitiveness of the operators in this department have
much to do with the obtaining of accurate results, and the
quality of the lamps depends on the girls being trained to the
nicest degree of discrimination.

The finishing department is concerned with extraneous
matters— the capping of the lamp is the first operation in this
concluding process, and for this non-hygroscopic cement is
used. The leads are then soldered, or sweated in; cleaning

Pig. 2. — Gasfilled Lamp-making Department.

and examination for possible breakages or other suddenly
developed defects follow, and the last stage in actual manu-
facture is the test for equaUty on the inspection screen, where
hundreds of lamps are running under their correct voltage,
and being carefully scrutinised for uniformity.

A few moments under the fingers of a skilled girl worker
suffices to etch the name of the firm and the usual details
on the bulb, and the lamp is then ready for dispatch to the
packing department, where it receives its protective coverings
and awaits its journey to the customer.

The various processes in the manufacture of the " Elasta "
gasfilled lamp, though following the same general lines, differ
in some respects from those obtaining in the vacuum type,
and one of the chief differences lies in the preparation of the
filament, fig. 2. The tungsten wire, after being drawn, is
removed from its spools and spirahsed on a special machine
of the company's own design; its spiral form, after leaving
this machine, is barely perceptible to the unaided eye. The
construction of the lamp then follows the same routine as
that of the vacuum type, with the exception of a slight varia-

741

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,246, decembeb 10, 1920.

tion in the method of mounting the filament, until it reaches
the exhaustmg department, where after being treated in a
similar manner by the " rough " pump and mercury pump,
and tested for perfection of vacuum, argon gas is introduced.
The lamp, now actually ." gastiUed " is sealed off m the
ordinary way before leaving the pump, the remaining opera-
tions being a repetition of those already describe4 in dealing
with the vacuum type.

In the manufacture of the carbon-filament lamp the method
of mounting the filaments is slightly difl'erent. The bulbs
are treated in the same way as before, but a large section is
laid out for the purpose of flashing the carbon filament. In
the exhaustion of the carbon-filament lamp the process is
varied slightly, and further vacuum tests are carried out before
the final stage is reached. The lamps are photometered and
graded according to power and performance as previously
described.

The principal types of lamp in the output of the Bope works,
in addition to the standard " Elasta " drawn-wire vacuum and
gasfilled types may be summarised as traction, ship, railway.
candle. &c., as well as the carbon-filament lamp. It may not
be without interest to mention that the firm has its own
mess rooms for the workers, and that a social club in con-
nection with the works is a great success. In the repair
shop attached to the factory every facility is provided for the
quick repair of machinery, and the engineering staff is fully
competent to construct many of the ingenious machines in use.

NOTTINGHAM'S EXTENDED SCHEME.

A Proposed Expenditure of i'1,.198,000.
Considerable extensions of the first section of the scheme for
the new electricity generating works of the Nottingham Cor-
poration are contemplated. The matter was originally dealt
with at an inquiry held by the Electricity Commissioners in
July, when the Derby and Notts. Electric Power Co. sub-
mitted an alternative project, which was objected to upon the
score of its interference with municipal rights; decision was
given in favour of the City authorities, who had proposed as a
tirst instalment of the new works to erect a power station for
which land has been acquired near Clifton Colliery — one of the
largest mining undertakings immediately contiguous to the
City boundary — and to expend upon the necessary works
±'868,600, for w-hich the Commissioners granted sanction,
according to plans prepared by Mr. J. H. Rider, who is acting
as electi'ical engineering expert to the Corporation. An integral
feature, of the undertakmg, in relation to which important
questions as to district supplies have also arisen, is the contem-
plated closing of the existing generatmg stations of the Cor-
poration in Talbot Street and St. Ann's Well Road, in central
areas of the City, the former representing the locale of the
City's first electrical engineering venture, with its archaic
plant which has formed the subject of continuous criticism.
But Mr. Rider has now prepared a report, which came up for
consideration at a meeting of the Corporation on Monday,
pointing out that only the Talbot Street station can be closed
down if two 10.000 kw. sets only are erected as constituting
the first portion of the scheme, and that the full advantage of
the new po\\er station cannot be I'eali.sed until the old steam
plant at St. Ann's Well Road is shut down also. The com-
niitte«, therefore, proposes to include in the first section of the
works the provision of a 20.000-KW. tuilio-alternator. as well
lis the two lO.OOO-KW. machines already decided upon, pointing
out that in all probability long before the first instalment of
the new plant is ready for work it will be necessary to order
the 'iO.OOtl-KW. machine, and that it will thei-efore be much
more economical to include it in the tirst portion of the work
tlian to add it after the operations are in progress. The addi-
tion of the •20.0(10-KW. set will finish the fir.st complete section
of the new station, and it will obviate the necessity of having
building and erection work going on in an engine room and
boiler house mider steam and at work. The additional amount
now required for the turbo-alternator — supplementary j,o the
fS68.600 akeady sanctioned by the Electriiity Commissioners —
will be, including auxiliary plant. .±'--i--l,ll)li, as recommended
by Mr. Rider, making a total estimated expenditure for the
first section complete, of d£l,193.p00. The committee points
nut in its report that the result will be to give 40.000 KW. in-
stalled capacity at a cost of £"28.875 per kw.. a.s against 20.000
KW. installed capacity at a cost of about £37.-50 per KW. Al-
though it has not been able to obtiiin any .statement of the
i-equirements of the Derby and Notts. Power Co.. a
matter which engaged the attention of the Electricity Com-
missionerS'at the recent inquiry, the committee calls attention
to the fact that something will have to be done, either by the
Corporation or by the Joint authority, for the East Midland
district at an early date to meet the demands of the district
outside Nottingham. In these circmnstances the committee is
strongly of opinion that the advice of Mr. Rider should be
followed, and has recommended the Council to authorise it to
include the new plant in the scheme for the erection of the
new station and to accept tenders for the same and proceed
with the work in due course. Tliis additional work will enable
the committee either to give some outside supply (keeping St.
Ann's Well Road station at work if necessary) or to utilise the
whole of the plant for the needs of Nottingham.

It has been ascertained by the committee that, if the term
for the repayment of the proposed loan is fixed at 20 years, the
approximate annual charge for sinking funds and interest will
be ±'82,039. The committee needs also more money for the
extension of mains in different parts of the City, having ex-
pended the whole of the capital sum of ±20,0<JO sanctioned b>
the Council last j'ear for underground work. With the i;20,00<i
already expended, the committee has been enabled to lay
extra-high-pressure mains to several large manufacturing
works in the City of sufficient size to work in with the addi-
tional supply from the new power station, and mains have also
been provided for the first section of the Corporation's housing
scheme. A sum of ±'30,tKJtl is now required for a general ex-
tension of mains and for transformers and switchgear in con-
nection" with the high-pressure mains already laid. The com-
mittee proposes, therefore, to make application to the Commis-
sioners for sanction for the further borrowing of ±'30,000.

LONDON ELECTRICITY SUPPLY.

The report of the Special Conamittee on London Electricity
' Supply, appointed by the London County Council, was pub-
lished last week, as noted in omr last issue, and discussed in
a leading article. After summarismg Ihe provisions of the
Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, the report states that Mr. J. H.
Rider, on behalf of the Council, is engaged with representa-
tives of the supply authorities of Greater London in the pre-
paration of proposals covering the technical side of the ques-
tion. With regard to the administrative and financial arrange-
ments involved in the constitution of a Joint Electricity
Authority, the Committee considers it essential that the clauses
in the supplementary Bill dealing with finance, shall become
law before the time arrives for the submission of any scheme.s
to the Electricity Commissioners, but in view of the urgency
of the matter, has proceeded with the preparation of a scheme.
The provisional district outlined by the Commissioners has
a total area of 1,660 sq. miles, a population of over 7,900,000,
and a total assessable value of ±'68.663,477. The Committee
anticipates very great difficulty in producing an agreed schem'e
for so vast an area, having regard to the varied interests
concerned and the complex requh'ements of supply. In the
report the general heads of the scheme recommended by the
Committee are outlined; while it is hoped that a joint scheme
will be arrived at, in the alternative the Council will itself
submit a complete scheme to the Commissioners.

The general lines of the Council's scheme are practically
identical with the provisions of the 1919 Act. and, therefore,
need not be detailed here. It is held that the immediate
acquisition of the whole of the generation and transmission
side of electricity supply in the area would handicap the
authority, involving a very large capital outlay, and militating
against efficiency. On the other hand, difficulties would arise
from postponing the purchase of companies' undertakings
until the dates .specified under the Electric Lighting Act of
1888. The Committee therefore proposes that the Authority
shall gradually replace plant in suitable existing stations as
it becomes worn out or obsolete, put down new plant in
existing or new stations, and provide any necessary new
transmission mains. The Authority will thus gradually be-
come the owner of the woi-king plant in the generating sta-
tions, and when this process is practically complete, the
entii'e generation side of the industry should be acquired.
For the buildings and sites and mains, the terms of purchase
proposed are the original cost, less appropriate depreciation.
This complete transfer of o\^■nership .should be effected simul-
taneously throughout the whole area. .\uy old plant still in
working order should be purcha.sed on the same terms as
the other a.s.sets. To facihtate a settlement on these lines.
it is suggested that an extension of time as regards the dis-
trilnition side of the enterprise may be gi'anted to existing
company undertakers.

In order to avoid raising more funds than are ab.solutely
neces.sary, it is proposed that the Joint Authority shall, as far
as possiiile. discharge its capital liabilities arising out of
the luirchase of undertakings by payment in electricity stock.
reserving the Ijidk of the new money for the provision of new-
stations, extension of existing stations, and the replacement
of obsolete plant.

The report recommends that the Council approve the basis
of a scheme for submission to the Electricity Commissioners,
providing for the development and extension of existing sta-
tions, where this can be done economically ; the elimination a.s
far as possible of uneconomical stations and plant: the sup-
plementing of the supply by the erection of a large station
or stations equipped with the most modern and economical
plant available. The Joint Electricity Authority is to consist
of not more than 30 representatives of the various interests
concerned, and to control the existing undertakings so as to
give effect to the scheme. The charges made by the Authority
are to be such as to render the undertaking self-supporting,
and to ensure that any saving effected by bulk supply de-
rived from the .Authority shall be passed on to the consumer.
During the transition period the supply undertakers will pay
rent for plant installed at the cost of the Authority.

The report was considered by the Finance Committee (No
2). which points out that during the period before the new

Vol.87. No. 2,246, December 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REMEW.

745

works are fully utilised the revenue may be insufficient to
meet the loan charges in full, and that a guarantee by th»
Council of the stock of the London Joint Authority might
therefore involve payments by the Council during the earlier
years of the Authority's operations; but it vrould be opeu
to the Council to attach such conditions to any guarantee as
might appear reasonable to safeguard its financial position.
It is not absolutely certain that the undertaking will be self-
supporting, and therefoi'e there is an element of risk in the
advance or guarantee of loans; but the risk would be small,
and in any event the Council wOl be free when the time
arrives to decide whether or nut to come in as regards the
rendering of financial assistance to the Authority.
The report was adopted by the Council.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Litters reoeived by ut after 5 P.M. ON TjESDAT canTwt appear imtil
the follolmng week. Correspondents should forward their communi-
cations at tht earliest possible moment. No letter can be published
unless we have the writer's na))ie and address in our possession.

A Curious Pbeaomenon.

As one of the regular readers of your paper, I am wondering
if any of them can explain the following (to my mind) unusual
occurrence which has recently been brought under my notice.

In a room containing one magneto and two battery-ringing
telephone instruments (the latter side by side, and the former
some 15 ft. distance away from them) there are gaa burners
fitted with incandescent gas mantles. It has been noticed
that when any of these telephone bells ring, during the time
they are actually ringing, the pressure of gus is very much
stronger than when the bells are silent. The pressure of
gas, however, remains constant when the station in question
rings another station on either of the instruments previously
described. In fairness, it ought to be stated that one of the
two battery-ringing telephone instruments is titted with a
special key which, when operated, connects the lines to
earth. This earth is, I believe, provided by a wire attached
to one of the gas pipes in question. •

I have never come across a similar case before, and shall,
therefore, be glad of any information which can be furnished
upon the subject.

J. Knowles Hassall.

Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
December ith, 1920.

The Position of the E.S.C.A.

Your correspondent " Sussex " does well to draw attention
to the position of the clerical staff of the industry, and as one
of the long-suffering scribes I can endorse his remarks from
bitter experience.

In days not very long distant some were " enjoying "
bonuses of varying degrees — generally infinitesimal — and whilst
by sheer weight of force the employers had to meet the
increased cost of living as it affected the outside sta£f, yet
the worker of respectable appearance was deemed able to
exist on thui air and a very nominal addition to his salary.
Even to-day men are paid oos. a week in some areas as a
" Hving " wage. It is assumed that it is impossible for their
employers adequately to describe a " dying " subsistence.

To return to our position of to-day, the National Joint
Board and the various subsidiary committees dealing with the
whole question of wages were set up, and we, as a body of
workers, were invited to elect representatives to the different
bodies. This accomplished, recommendations of the Joint
Board were issued in May of this year. Whilst the recom-
mendations were less in amount (considerably) than we de-
sired, we were content to honour the recommendations so far
as the employes' side of the contract was concerned. It is
only necessary tn add that we, having submitted our case
to a Joint Boaid. waited with unfailing patience, and giving
the best of our .services (as though we were being adequately
remunerated and never knew the meaning of the word
" want "), whilst the negotiations were in progress, at the
end of another six months we are still waiting for the Joint
Board to insi-t that its recommendations be carried out from
the employers' side of the contracf.

Can any of your readers imagine the howl of execration
which would have rent the heavens had the employes thrown
over these recommendations, and caused the maximum
amount of inconvenience in flouting the .Joint Board by
amalgamating with other branches of the industry to enforce
demands much more unreasonablp than those which employers
in some parts of the country still refuse tn pay?

Happily srjme of our colleagues have had the benefit of the
»ward being paid immediately after the .Joint Board's recom-
mendations were known. Others, unfortunately, find at the
moment their employers hang great stress on the month in
which these recommendations were made, i « , "May." The
time, however, is rapidly approaching when this will read
" shall " or " have,"

Optimist.

December ilh. 1920.

I r«ad th« Utter of " Snesex " in your issue of the 26th
ult, with interest and lurprise; the latter because I lee no
rea,^on why the E.P.E.A. and the B.S.C.A. should not join
forces, and it appears inconceivable that anyone in the elec-
trical undertakings should have any misgivings on that score.
Without the individual w^ork of the members of the E.S.C.A.
the E.P.E.A. would cease to exist to some extent, inasmuch
as if consumers of electiic light or power were not
" obtained " and "• retained " by the commercial side of each
undertaking, no technical ofticerg would be required to
generate the " juice."

As it is the hope of reward that sweetens labour, I do hope
the two associations will combine and go forward to uplift the
members, who have hitherto borne the heat and burden of
the day, insufficiently paid, and looked upon as necessary evils.

Outdoor Representative.

December 6th, 1920.

Your correspondent " Sussex " very hghtly touches the
point when he speaks of the dissatisfaction of the clerical
and commercial staffs of our industry. When the award of
May 12th, 1920, was agreed to by the National Joint Board
(composed of employers and employes) it was naturally
thought that it would be honoured. Instead of this the em-
ployers of the London companies repudiated their represen-
tatives and refused to recognise the Board or its findings.
This was no act of Englishmen. Nationally we are supposed
to possess sporting proclivities. The award is not now a
claim ; it has passed beyond that stage. It is an agreement
which the employers have failed to carry out.

Tlie staffs in the provinces are in a very similar position to
those in London. We are not only dissatisfied, but extremely
disgusted and embittered, and I hope no stone will be left
unturned to force the employers to act the part of honour-
able Englishmen.

It is quite time that our Associations brought pressure to
bear upon Parliament to give to the .Joint Boards the com-
pulsory powers of a Court.

If employers are allowed to flout their agreements in this
disgusting manner, then the support of Ministries becomes a
farce.

I echo the suggestions of " Sussex " that combiried action
should be taken by the E.P.E.A. and the E.S.C.A. , as con-
stituents of the Joint Board, for the interests of both are
identical.

We are fighting to uphold principles of equity and justice
which have been universally approved, and which have foand
so far their best expression through " Whitleyism," and there
should be no question of compromise.

London.

Ijondon.

November 90tk, 1920.

Your correspondent " Sussex " is to be congratulated upon
his lucid statement of the position of the E.S.C.A. in this
matter, and T write to support his suggestion that concerted
or joint action be taken with the E,P.E..\. " Sussex " may
well ,say that he is mystified .is to why this action lias not
lieen taken — in face of the constitution of the National Joint
Board, it would appear to he the only course possible.

.^p.irt altocether from the question of honouring agreements,
the demands made by the two associations cannot be con-
sidered anything but moderate measured by the standard of
any other industrv in the kingdom, and I feel sure that all
members of the E.SC,.^. are with me when T .say that it is
nur diitv to stand in with the E.P.B.,A, at this crisis, and to
fight with them for the existence of the National -Joint Board
and the fulfilment of its agreements.

Tlie aniazincr part of the whole busines."? i,s the attitude of
the employers to the Nntionnl .Joint Board, as compared with
their .ittitude to the National .Joint Council, The aereements
made with the latter are promptly and faithfully honoured,
althnusli they are for the most part well in advance of any-
thing ncked for by the former. Now. h,v what process of
reasoninsT does an employer feel called upon to honour an
agreement made with the men who joint up his mains and
control his switchboards, .nnd yet break ihrme made with the
men who distribute his load and prepare his balance sheets?

The members of the E.P.B..A. and E,R,C,,\, are moderate
men. but thev ,shnuld leave no stone unturned to obtain the
elemental justice they are seeking at the present moment.

Essex.

Drcrmher ^sf. 1920.

Power Factor., . ,,,,.,,,
Tn publi.shintr my letter of the 29th" olt, an error wa» maida.
The words " as the current in the neutral i» 3 >ir onrrent in
otiters " should read " v/ 2 x current in outers,"

E. W. Dorey.
Hemel Hempstead,
December iih, 1920, '

746

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,246, December 10, 1920.

I wish to thank Mr. E. W. Dorey for his criticism in last
week's Electrical Eevibw of my article ut the previous week.
However, he accuses me of having made a slip when con-
sidering two-phase power measurement with regard to a two-
phase, three-wire system-
Mr. Dorey tflls us that the current in the " neutral wile "
of a two-phase, thiee-wire system is " 2 X current in outers,"
whereas the current in the common wire is actually — when
the load is balanced — 1.414 times the current in the outers.
Mr. Dorey might have meant V 2, or the printer might have
made the slip. I will therefore give Mr. Dorey the benefit of
the doubt.

Still, may I point out to Mr. Dorey that the current in the
" neutral wii'e " is not the current of one phase, but is the
vectorial sum of the current in both phases, so that the cur-
rent of each phase is the current in the outer wire of that
phase. This makes my statement quite correct as it is written
in the Review. Also, does Mr. Dorey think that I think that
the difference between 1.414 times the current and 1 time
the current will give an approximate indication? My method
of finding the power factor of the two-phase supply — three-
wire or four-wire — is not approximate as Mr. Dorey thinks,
but is accurate to three or four per cent., which is accurate
enough for practically all power-factor measm'ement. Al-
though I used the word " wattmeter " throughout my article,
there is no reason why an integrating kilowatt-hour meter
should not be u.sed, for as a matter of fact this is the type of
instrument I nearly always use. as there are usually more of
these instruments available than indicating wattmeters, the
met«>r di.sk being timed for about a minute. Mr. Dorey goes
on to tell us the method of finding power factor which he
uses, although I fail to see how — if the load is varying to any
considerable extent — he obtains the " average current." He
may obtain the average power over the period considered (15
minutes), but it is impossible to obtain — with an ordinary
ammeter — the average current with the same degree of
accuracy. His method is very approximate, and will be even
more so when dealing with polyphase unbalanced loads.

Also may I point out that Mr. Dorey obtains kw. by multi-
plying 10 units by 4. He should really obtain 40 units, or
40 KW. hours. Of course if a suitable voltage, from another
source, than that from which the current of the circuit is
taken is not available, my method of finding the power factor
of the system is of no u.se, and we come back to the ordinary
voltmeter, anmieter, and wattmeter method, which is more
or less the one used by Mr. Dorey, only he uses an integrating
KW.-hour meter instead of the indicating wattmeter.

D. Sclar.
Cowdenbeath.
December Gth. 1920.

The I.E.E. Subscriptions.

Having had the opportunity of attending the extraordinary
meeting of the I.E.E. on Thursday evening last, I should
like, as a provincial member of twelve years' standing, to be
allowed to make one or two comments in support of the
principles of fair play at such meetings.

Tt was, of course, quite obvious that the Council had care-
fully prepared an excellent case for the defence, so that any
opposition encountered would have had to he extremely well
organised in order to attain success.

The president having announced at the conclusion of his
speech for the defence that he hoped no comparisons would
be made between the I.E.E. and the other two sister Institu-
tions, it was certainly unfortunate thnt towiirds the close
of the meeting the hon. treasurer should have had a lantern
slide thrown on the screen, making financial and numerical
comparisons between the I.E.E. and the I.Mech.E. in order
to show the former Institution to advantage !

.\s a provincial member who has been connected at varioun
times with the three most important territorial centres, I
must confess that I was more than ever convinced of the
lack of professional status that still exists in the Institution
as a corporate liody, desnite the Council's contention ever
since 1912. that the I.E.E. nossesses an undoubtedly high
status in the engineering profession.

It was most regrettable to hear one member howl out :
" Go back to West Ham " whilst Mr. Purse was pressing
his case against the Council's resolution, and another mem-
ber's. " Hear, hear." at a later stage of the proceedings, was
so obtru.sive thnt the president (as a gentlem.in) was com-
pelled to stop his speech to query the offending memlier's
exclamation !

Whilst holding no briefs for Mr. Purse or his supporters,
I feel that their criticisms were entitled to at least gentle-
manly consideration from the meeting, which was being ably
presided over hv Mr. .Atkinson, without the impromptu as.sist-
ance of the body of members.

Finally, it seems evident that there is still an appreciable
amount of dissatisfaction existent amongst the membership,
and although these frank criticisms of the administration of
the Institution are really a healthv sign for its future welfare,
it is to be sincerely hoped that the present Council will give
serious consideration to a great many of the points raised at
last Thursdav's meeting.

A.M. I.Mech.E.

London,

December Hh, 1990.

Doubtless the special meeting held on Thursday evening
with regard to the proposed increase in subscriptions will re-
ceive your usual attention, but I would Uke to emphasise two
points which definitely emerge from the discussion : —

1. That the Council held out very little hope of any cut-
ting-down of the present rate of expenditm'e.

■2. That the Cuimcil do nut propose to entertain the sug-
gestion of distributing any increase in cost equally or pro-
poitionately amougst all lueinbers, or to maintain the present
differentia tiuu in subscriptions or to increase the entrance
fees, or to ask the life members to pay their share of the
increased costs,

.\s it was shown that the journal alone will coat approxi-
mately itl per member for the coming year, and the Student's
subscription is to be kept at i'l Is. per annum, the inequahty
uf the proposals is obvious.

.\s I still hold that an injustice will be done if the original
pioposals are carried, I must vote against them ut the con-
finnatory meeting to be held on the 17th, and am wiUing to
again receive any proxies from members holding similar
views, but I must point out that a far greater number must
bi- returned if any protest is to be effective.

Fredk. W. Purse,

Engineer and Matnujer.
West Ham Electricitv Supplv.
December ith, 19-2(3.

I should like to make the following comments on the pro-
ceedings at the special meeting of the Institution of Electrical
Engineers on Thursday last. After the remarks of Mr. J. E.
Kingsbury and the consent of Mr. W. E. Cooper to withdraw
his amendment, it would have been a gracious act on the
part of Mr. P. W. Purse had he respected the wish of the
meeting, and allowed the resolution of the Council to be
unanimously passed.

Mr. Purse has worked hard in this matter, and great credit
is due to him, because many engineers who are members
of the Institution take little or no interest in its affairs,
but he would have gone up immensely in the estimation of
the meeting liad he consented to withdraw his amendment,
or, alternatively, asked permission to leave the meeting with
his fellow " conspirators." Those present were greatly an-
noyed by his unnecessary obstinacy.

The patriotic note struck by the President when he said :
" Is the great work of the Institution to go on? " should
be made to ring true throughout the industry. There are
small matters of difference arising out of the discussion at
the meeting, but members generally may have confidence in
the Council to satisfactorily adjust these to all concerned.
W. E. Warrilow,

London. Associate Member.

December 6th, ISCiO.

Shop Displays.

The letter signed " Retailer " and headed " Shop Dis-
plays " in your last issue refers to a matter which surely
demands the serious attention of the manufacturers and dis-
tributors, as the electrical contractor has been suffering too
long under the handicaps complained of.

A short while ago memliers of the E.C.A. were asked to
consider .signing an agreement to purchase goods from certain
firms in return for their guaranteeing to give a small pre-
ferential discount to contractors signing the same, and the
E.C.A. was good enough to publish our letter in the last issue
of the Electrical Contractor; we venture to hope that the
Electrical Review will be good enough to similarly publish
our letter, as under, in the hope that it may assist to the
same ends as " Retailer " has in mind, i.e., to obtain similar
treatment for the contractor as is meted out to the retailer
in other trades.

COPI.
The Electrical Contraiiors' Association.
Dear Sirs.

In reply to yours of the JSlh ull. with enclosure, we (eel that if such an
arrangement as the one suggested is necessary in order to ensure " trade
terms " to the genuine trade (i.e.. those that biiy to sell again) to the exclu-
sion of all others, then it is quite time that contractors wl'cc up and refused
to purchase from manufacturers and wholesale firms found '^yplying " users."
.A certified black list of such firms, kept up to date, m>(,l;: be supplied by
the E.C.A. to all members, who should undertake to cease business relation-
ship with offenders.

We may be in error, but we have never heard of any other trade having to
bind itself to buy from a " few " manufacturers in order to obtain some
measure of protection against direct selling to " users."

Take the motor-car business— a later one than our own. Can an electrical
contractor buv motor-car accessories, or even • car lighting dynamo, from
the manufacturers or wholesale house at trade teims? Not unless he proves
that he runs a special department for motor.car work and sales, and in any
rase the " user " is not supplied at trade terms. Yet. in our own Industry,
the users are energetically canvassed '. What a disgciceful condition of affairs I

We have nothing whatever to say against the individual firms you men-
tion in your communication: on the contrary. »-e doubt if one of them would
knowinglv or willingly pass by the contractor, but even they cannot close their
eves to the position as it stands to-dav.

Under the clrcutnslaiiees, thirafora. w» are not In favour of the " Agree-

Ihe

Croydon.
Dfcember ith, 1M9.

lapo&dencc on this subject?

Yours faithfully.

J. & T. Robinson, Croydon

J. & T. Robinson.

Vol. 87. No. 2,216, December 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

747

In the current issue of the Electrical Review I was in-
terested in '■ Retailer's " letter and the Editors' foot-note.
One wonders at the futility ot complaining if precisely the
same action was taken I'J years ago through your columns,
when even now retailers are daily subject to the annoying
practice stated.

I certainly agree that buna fide retailers of electrical goods
should have some protection. One would naturally looli to
the wholesalers, who are dependent on the retailer for the
bulk of their business, to adopt a more businesslike principle
which would natm-ally offer more encom-agement to the
retailer.

I could quote numerous cases where electrical plant, fittings,
lamps, &c., have been supplied dii'ect from manufacturers and
wholesalers to so-called " trade users " on the same terms
as my own company, who are bona fide retailers. I know a
man who was until recently connected with the pottery
industry, who opened a shop for the sale of games, sports, &c.,
and as an extra has taken up the sale of various electrical
goods, which have been supplied at trade terms. The man
made application to us for the supply ot electric lamps at
" trade terms "; needless to say he was not supplied by us.
hut it would be interesting to know who did supply him.

Anotherofem.

December 6th, 1930.

I was very mterested in the letter of " Retailer " in yom-
current issue, and am somewhat at a loss to understand his
real position. I'he tone of his letter leads me to think he
is a small wiring contractor who is scarcely strong enough
to take his own part against unfair competition, and yet
has not joined the " one body " which is capable of, to a
great extent, guarding his legitimate interests, viz., the Elec-
trical Contractors' Association.

If " Retailer " is not a membei- of the E.C.A., then let
him please take a Uttle good advice and join without delay;
but should it be that he is a member and not in touch with
what is being done in the country in connection with some
of the points raised, I shall be pleased to enlighten him,
through his branch secretary. (My name aud address is in
the editors' hands.)

" Retailer " talks of a London meeting to prepare a way
for an organisation which would spread to the provinces, but
I would respectfully remind him that an organisation has
already been formed in the provinces, and with this, as with
many matters political, what the North .says and does " to-
day " London will say and do " to-morrow."

The organisation to which I refer is a combination of whole-
salers and contractors (that is strange, isn't it " Retailer '"?)
to scrutinise all applications for trade terms, and, unless such
applicants can prove to the utmost satisfaction of the com-
mittee appointed that they are carrying on a genuine elec-
trical contractor's business, having stocked premises, business
.stationery, &.C.. then no trade discount is given by the whole-
salers. In other words, a man or lirm caunot get trade terms
unless his name appears in the " approved " hst.

This cuts out the class of " electrical contractors " men-
tioned by " Retailer," men who work for firms and pubhc
bodies in the daytime and try to carry on contracting work
in the evenings, and a host of other small but injurious fry.
and will go a long way to eliminate dangerous and unfair
competition for the contractor, give more confidence to the
factor and wholesaler when letting his goods leave his stores,
and create a better spirit between the two branches of the
trade concerned, which is bound to result in more business
for the local factor, prices and quality being eiiual. and make
the business relationship between the two bodies run a
.'•moother course.

Regarding the sale of lamps to users by hawkers, who,
apparently, do nothing else, this is one of the very worst
features in the electrical trade to-day, and the one that will
be the most difficult to stop, but the time will come.

We, the Electrical Contractors' Association, are a very
powerful organisation to-day, and daily increa.sing in strength,
and much has been and is being done by working agreements
with the other bodies in the electrical trade to " lift " the
trade up and keep it up, and purge it of a lot of those methods
which have in the past been detrimental to the best interests
of the trade in general.

Provinces.

Drccnibrr &h. 19'20.

A Suggestion for Instrument Makers.

I have often wondered why makers of recording instru-
ments, time switches, or any in.struments employing clock-
work for driving gear do not produce models fitted with a
regulation dial and hands, so tliat the apparatus may be
used as an ordinary clock in addition to the fulfilment of its
ordinary function. For instance, a recording voltmeter com-
bined with a clock would be very useful in a generating or
sub-station, while at important points time switches com-
bined with clocks fitted on lamp-posts would be a considerable
public convenience.

Such an addition would not make a very serious increase in
the cost of production — certainly much less than the com-
bined cost of a clock plus one of the instruments mentioned
above.

Wm. J. U. Sowler,
Electricity Works, Bray. Engineer and Manager.

November 30th, 19'30.

Tlie Crisis in Electricity Supply.

The letter from " Electricity Undertaking " in your
" Notes " columns this week induces me to raise a point which
has. I think, not yet been mentioned publicly.

Your correspondent says that the associations of municipal
and company undertakings were never authorised to negotiate
a schedule of salaries. According to the reports of the
I.M.E.A. Conference at Ilkley in June last, a resolution was
unanimously adopted that all constituent members should
be recommended to abide by the awards of the National Joint
Board.

Why did not the representatives of the objecting under-
takings raise the question of lark of authority at this time?
Surely the business meeting of the I.M.E.A. was the proper
place to inform those gentlemen who gave a great deal of
their time to arrive at a settlement that they had no authority
to do any such thing.

An answer to this question would interest many people,
including the ratepayers at whose expense the engineers and
committeemen went to Ilkley.

Query.

December ith, 1920.

Whilst there is much to be said for the decision of the
Council of the E.P.E.A. to withdraw members from under-
takings that have paid the schedule salaries as well as from
those that have not. there is also, as you point out in your
current issue, something to be said on the other side, and I
should like to suggest, if it is not too late, that the object
of the Council in adopting this course, namely, ensuring the
active influence of the paying undertakings on the non-paying
ones, might be secured by the Council leaving these men at
work provided each undertaking gave some genuine promise
and assurance of its active support of the cause of the E.P.E.A.

I am, of course, fully aware that the Council has had
promises before, some of which have been dishonourably
broken, but the people I now refer to are those who have
already proved their honour.

Pollux.

Port Talbot.

Decemhrr r,th. 1920.

As a junior engineer I should like to reply to the last
sentence of " Electricity Undertaking's " letter regarding the
training aud qualifications of .some juniors.

Evidently " Electricity Undertaking " is one of those per-
sons W'ho expect men to spend half their lives, and fabulous
sums, in training for positions at salaries which self-respect-
ing dustmen would not accept.

In this district (where I write) I should be ashamed to let
any labourer know just what my salary is, for I should be
deemed every kind of an idiot for working the hours I do
for such a paltry sum.

Even a junior can, quite reasonably, expect to live, and live
decently, and, in my opinion, the nutritive qualities of fresh
air are strictly limited.

Another point in your correspondent's letter relates to the
' self-constituted (so-called) National Joint Board."

This N.J.B. is an entirely disinterested body, recognised by
the Ministry of Labour, appointed for the sole purpose of
revising the salaries of technical staffs and awarding a reason-
able increase, due to the cost of living. The reasonableness
of the award did not depend on the number of undertakings
represented or the number of units sold; it was decided by
disinterested parties on the purchasing power of the £. I ask
you, Mr. Editor, how can E.P.E.A.-ite.? treat with " the other
side " when we have such men to deal with who. after their
renre.sentativpB have accepted the findings of the N..r.B.,
calmly .say, " There is no Question of dishonouring an agree-
ment, as no agreement has been made "?

T m'tht add that I stand to get nothing out of the sche-
dule: there are others. It is .so easv to throw stones from the
mountain top to the detriment of the climbers.

Junior.

December fif/i, 1920.

Electric Vision.

In the course of my recent presidential address to the
Institution of Electrical Engineers, I referred to the question
of electric vision, and indicated brieflv the methods by which
1 think .success might be obtained at the present time.

My friend, Mr. Campbell-Swinton. has called my attention
to an address delivered bv him in 1911 to the Roentgen
Society, dealing .tIso with the subiect of electric vision, and
proposing methods of working sub.stantiallv identical with
that suggested in my address. I am glad to find in a con-
ver.sation I recently had with Mr. Swinton that he agrees

748

THE ELECTRICAL RE V^IEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,246, deckmbeb 10, 1920.

with me that the development of wireless transmission and
the valve amphUer carries the proposal a long way towards
practicability.

' I desire, liowever, to call attention as early as possible to
Mr. Sainton's work in this direction.

, . L. B. Atkinson.

London.
December 6th, 1920.

An Engineers' Club (or London.

I have read with much pleasure the letter in yom- current
issue from " M.I.E.E.," and am delighted to hear that it has
your cordial support. It will certainly have mine in both a
personal and an editorial sense, and I may add that as secre-
tary of the Kelvin Masonic Lodge, which is so intimately asso-
ciated with the engineering profession and industry, I have
frequently been chatted by provincial visitors on the lack of
such a club in the Metropohs. It would, I am certain, meet
with hearty good wishes and real support from a very large
number of engineers, electrical, mechanical, consulting and
commercial.

Sidney Rentell, A.M.I.E.E.

London. • Editor. Electricity.

December Qth, 1920.

[Other communications have been received on the same
lines, and the prospects for the movement seem distinctly
favourable. We await further postcard " votes."— Eds. Elec.
Rev.]

A Drying Cupboard.

Your correspondent " Puzzled " appears to have made the
usual error in home-made drying apparatus, i.e.. the propor-
tion of heated air to the area of the cupboard and also the
temperature to which the air is heated.

We enclose a leaflet describing a drying machine which is
used for drying various classes of material; the fan, which
is the only moving part, maintains a suction equal to from
3 in. to 5 in. water gauge, but the outstanding feature of
this machine is that each chamber is at a different tempera-
ture.

Your correspondent might surmise that such a current of
air would disarrange his films, but we would mention that
this machine successfully dries silk in the hank suspended
on poles, and when this material contains 60 per cent, of
moisture will dry it in approximately 40 minutes.

Manchester. Tonilinson=Haas, Ltd.

December 6th, 1920.

" Puzzled " has a problem which he has tackled electrically,
where really it should have been done in quite a different
manner.

The wholesale drying of films is not easy; in the first
place, the draught must not be sufficient to waft the films,
as, if two happen to touch, they can never be separated with-

out damage to either or both. Secondly, the admission of
air " just above the floor level " is bad, as dust will be raised
from the floor and deposited upon the wet films. The fire
risk is also considerable, and the heating should be carried
out away from the film cupboard.

This problem was successfully solved by the writer some
years ago by the following means : —

1

The films are held by " bull-dog " clips on hooks fitted
into the ceiling, and a second similar clip, heavily weighted,
or attached to the floor by means of a light hehoal spring,
holds the films taut and incapable of movement by the air
currents.

Air m large quantities at low velocity is drawn over a
battery of steam-heated tubes in a sheet-iron casing and
distributed through a taper duct under the floor, with
numerous inlets controlled by dampers. A similar duct on
the roof of the cupboard allows of the reversing of the air,
and a vertical outlet, from top to bottom, will carry away
the moisture-laden air.

This method" of working will bring the hottest and driest
air in contact with the bottom of the film first, which natur-
ally remains moist by drainage.

After about 30 minutes of this treatment the dampers should
be reversed, allowing the air to enter at the top and leave
at the bottom. By this means " Puzzled " may reasonably
expect to complete the drying in about 45 minutes.

The use of calcium chloride screens would assist, but they
are very " messy." and should only be resorted to as a last
expedient.

Nottingham. E. G. Phillips.

December 6th, 1920.

[Other letters, received too late, are held over to next week.
— Eds. Elec. Rev.]

BUSINESS NOTES.

Christmas Holidays.— We shall be glad if our contri-
butors and advertisers will take note that the issue of the Elec-
trical Review for Friday, December 24th wl!l be published on
ThurS'lay, December 23rd. Our Advertisement Department
announces that new copy and alterations to existing displayed
advertisements should be received not later than Thursday morninpr
next, December Ujth. Offi -ial noticfs and small prepaid advettise-
mentB can be received up to 5 p m on Tuesday, December 2l8t.

For the issue of Friday, D.'cember :^lBt new advertisingf copy
and alterations to existin^r di.'played advertisements should
reach this office by Wednesday morningf. December 22nd.

Bankruptcy Proceedings.— J. Harkison (flarrison and

Son) electrical engiuet-r. H,-!, Princes Street, Loudon Road,
Southend-on-3ea. — The public examination was held on December
Ist at the Shire Hall, Chelmsford. The statement of affairs
showed liabilities expected to rank for dividend amounting to
£666, against assets nil. The debtor stated that he received two
grants of £25 each from the Civil Liabilities Commission, and was
fairly successful. Later, however, the business suffered owing to
strikes in ihe building trade at Southend and a rise in the cost of
electrical appliances. He lost something like £iOO through paying
wages to his workmen, when he rai.;ht hive discha'ged them on
account of slackness of work during the strikes. A bill of sale had
been given, and since that time he had obtained goods to the value
of £287, in the hope that the business would improve. The
examination was adjourned.

James Cruickshank Thomson, electrician, late electrical engi-
neer and contractor, 3i, Clerkson Street, late Station Street,
Mansfield, Notts. — The public examination of this debtor was held
on December 2nd at the County Court House, St. Peter's Gate,
Nottingham. The statement of affairs disclosed liabilities amount-
ing to £186, against assets of £116. Debtor attributed his position
to Want of capital, ill-health, and bad trade. He commenced
business on his own account in Deoember. 1918, with a capital of
*200, with which he purchased stock. He found great difficulty

in obtaining materials, and subsequently his health broke down
He stated that he had kept a cash book for the first nine months
but d d not continue it afterwards. The examinaiion was clofed.

J. W Layton, electrician. Nobles Bank, Hendon, Sunderland. —
Receiving order made December Ist on debtor's own petition.

G E. A. BoNNBB. electrical agent, lOi. Fox La-e. Palmer's Green,
N. — Discharge suspended for six minths, from October 22Qd, 11*20.

Company L'quidations. — T. Emery's Automatic Power

Generating Mocdks Ltd. — Winding up voluntarily. Liquidator,
Mr. C. Pillow, 392, Strand, W.C. Meeting of creditors, December
IHth. Parti'^ulars of claims to be sent to the liquidator by
December 16th.

Renshaw Generator Co.. Ltd. — Winding up voluntarily.
Liquidator, Mr. W. L. Waite. 24. Coleman Street, E.C. Meeting of
creditors. December 15th. Particulars of claims must be sent to
the liquidator by January 7th, 1921.

Walter Scott (Rock Ferrv). Ltd. — Meeting is called for
January 8th, at 19, Castle Soreet, Liverpool, to hear an account of
the winding up from the liquidator, Mr. F. Richardson.

British Ever-Readt Co., Ltd. — (Voluntary liquidation for
reconstruction purposes). Meeting is called for Januar? 6th 1921,
at Hercules Place, HoUoway N.. to hear an account of the winding
up from the liquidator, Mr. W. T. Walker.

Butler & Wilson, Ltd.. dealers in electrical appliances. &c.,
18-20, Hampstead Road, Euston Road, N.W. — A meeting of the
creditors of the above was held on December 3rd, at Winchester
Hou«e, Old Broad Street, E C. The chair was occupied by Mr. C.
Sunderland, accountant, of IB, Eastcheap, E.C, who had been
appointed to act as the liquidator in the voluntary liquidation of
the company. The statement of affairs ehowei liabilitit* of
£21 819, while the net assets were set down at £12,640, or a
deficiency of £9,179. In addition to the liabilities mentioned,
there were claims for Excess Profits Duty amounting to £929,
whioh were not expected to rank. There were also claims lu
reepeot of breaches of oontract amounting to £23,000. The com-

Vol.87. No. 2.246. Dbcbmbeb 10, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAXi REVIEW.

749

pany was registered in May, 1914, with a nominal capital of £500.
In January of the present year, the captal was increased to
£25.000, of which £16 7<0 had been issued. The company
originally traded at Bradford, but with the expansion of the
business, the chief offices were moved to London, and branches were
established at Bradford, Glasg-ow, Manchester, Luton, and
Cheltenham. The Glasgow and Luton branches were finally closed
down, while the Cheltenham business was sold just before the
liquidation took place. The Bradford and Manchester establish-
ments were being cloEed down at the date of the liquidation, and
the stocks had since been removed to London. In 1915 the com-
pany made a profit of £9.5, but during the following two years
there were small losses. In 1918 there was a profit of £1,200, and
in the succeeding 12 months a profit of £1.525. Accounts for the
year to May, 19 0, had not been prepared, but it was believed that
since 1919 there had been a loss of about £6,0t0. The present position
was thought to be due to unproductive expansion, and excessive
overhead expenses. The company appeared to have over-reached
itself, and entered into contracts which resulted in a heavy loss.
The directors, who appeared in the statement of affairs as cash
creditors for £3,500, had withdrawn their claims. Proposals had
already been received for the sale of the assets. A resolution was
passed confirming the voluntary liquidation of the company, and an
informal committee of the principal criditors was also appointed.

Dissolntions of Partnership.— Sutcltffe & Williams,

electrical engineers and contractors, 6, Wood Street, Cedar Street,
Liverpool. — Mr. C. Sutcliffe and Mr. N. Williams have dissolved
partnership.

Manchester Private Telephone and Electric Lighting
Co , 25, Cooper Street, Manchester. — Messrs. A Bonnan and B. T.
Chonchol have dissolved partnership. Mr. A. Bonnan will attend
to debts and continue the business.

PoTia & Fawkes, civil and electrical engineers, 42, Baltic
Chambers, Qaayside, Newcastle-on-Tyne. — Mr. N. Fawkes and Mr.
S. J. Potts have dissolved partnership. Mr. N. Fawkes will attend
to debts and continue the business.

Trade Annonacements. — The Genekal Electpic Co ,

Ltd., in view of the forthcoming removal of its stockrooms to its
new premises in Kings way, has issued instructions for the con-
signment of goods, which, if sent by rail, must not be forwarded
to the city warehouses after December 17th : after Christmas
they must be addressed to Magnet House, Kingsway, W.C. For
goods forwarded by road, other instructions ate given. After
January 3rd all goods usually delivered to the city warehouses must
be sent to Magnet House, but all correspondence invoices, &c.,
must be addressed to 67, Queen Victoria Street, as usual. Goods for
the Union Street warehouses are net affected by the instructions.

The Mirrlees Watson Co., Ltd., has transferred the London
office to Mirrlees House, 7, Grosvenor Gardens, S W. 1. Telegrams :
Mirrlees, Sowest, London. Telephone : Victoria 9123.

The Imperial Electrical Works, 7-12, Imperial Mews, St.
Martins Avenue, East Ham, state that their telephone number is
East Ham 101.

Messrs. S. G. Leach & Co., inform us that they are the Eole
selling representatives for Great Britain for cables and wires manu-
factured by the Holland Cable Co., Amsterdam, Holland.

The National Engineering Supply Co., electrical and
mechanical engineers, 1, West Bute Street. Cardiff, have moved
their Cardiff stores to 139, Bute Street. The offices will stUl be
situated at 1, West Bute Street.

Me. J. Russ has opened premises at 30, Maiden Lane, Covent
Garden, London, W.C. 2, to trade in electrical supplies of every
description. Manufacturers are inrited to forward catalogues and
best cash terms for their specialities.

The Enterprise MANDPACTOiiiNGCo., Ltd., of Gun Street Elec-
trical Works, Bishopsgate, owing to considerably increased business
on the North- East Coast, has appointed Messrs. T. H. Raines & Co ,
of 10. Neville Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, to look after its interests
in that teiritory.

Catalogues and List?. — L. G. Hawkins & Co.,

116, Charing Cross Road, W.C. 2.— Pamphlet No. 443, a folder
illustrated in colour lelating to '" Universal" electric toasters and
other domestic appliance?.

Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co , Ltd., Marconi House,
Stiand, W C. 2. — A series of leaflets dealing with wireless
apparatus :—L lU/4, J-KW. wireless telephone and telegraph
cabinet; L 13i/2 and L 132/2, 'Type 6.")" amplifier, description
and instructions; L 141/2, Marconi standard wavemeters ; and
L 155, " Typa 89" double-note magnifier. All photographically
illustrated.

The Consolidated Pneumatic Tool Co., Ltd., Egyptian
House, Piccadilly, W. 1. — A foldsr illustiating and describing a
new and sinap e hose couplirg.

Hamilton's, Ltd . Coventry. — Two leaflets dealing with stands
at exhib tions, in which direction the firm ar^ spscialists. One
beats an illustration of a stand erected by Hamilton's, with copies
of testimontals from clients.

Petters, Limited, 117-123, Great Portland Street, W. 1.— Two
leaflets and two folders illustrating and describing 'Vickers-
Petter" and " Fetter Junior " oil engines and " Petter-Light "
electric lighting sets.

The Wardle Enoineebisg Co., Ltd., Elsinore Road, Old
Trafford, Msnchester.— Booklet No. 7, "Gjod Lighting." An
interesting little magazine containing a number of useful notes on
lighting, &o

W. "I. Henley's Telegraph Works Co., Ltd., Blomfield
Street, EC. 2. — Leaflet U.UO, illustrating and describing the
" Dickinson " patent cover for underground joint boxes.

The Overseas Engineering Co , Ltd., 163-165. Great Port-
land Street, W. 1. — List 15. illustrating and describing the
"Overseas" small elec>ric hjhting and pjwer sets; and List 31,
an illustrated and priced leaflet of 'Ovei seas-National" pumps,
with copiouj notes of great utility.

Inquiries. — Makers of Wallis-Joncs, Corse & Roseburn,
or any other good form of automatic earth leakage cut-outs for
D.C. power circuits, are required.

Makers of an H.O. pattern fuseboard bearing the registered
No. 598,9.''0 on the fuse bridge and of " Ambroin " insulating
material are also a^ked for. ,

New Belgian Company. — La Societo Franco-Beige
d'Electricite is the name of a new company which has lately been
formed in Charleroi, with a capital of l,650,0CO fr., to carry on an
electrical engineering business.

The Training of Ex-Service Men. — AccordiDg to a

Times report. Dr. Macnamara, in a written reply to a Parliamentary
question, stated that he was aware that dissatisfaction existed
among ex-Service men regarding the rate at which facilities for
training were being nude available, but he did not think that
there had been such delays in the cises of men whose apprentice-
ships had been interrupted by war service. Initial difficulties in
the acquisition of suitable buildings had been largely surmounted.
The number of ex-Service men, apart from men whose apprentice-
ships had been interrupted, awaiting training was 28 OoO on
March 1st, and this number had been reduced to 17,0j0. Of
these, nearly 5,000 new names had been added to the list during
the last two months. The number of men training in January
last was about 17,000 ; the present figure was over 26,003. Since
August 1st, 1919, between 20,000 and 21, COO men had terminated
their training. As regardel men whose apprenticeships were
interrupted, of 44.827 agreements received, 42,868 had been
acceptei, 1,809 having been refused ; 29,391 apprentices were still
in training, and the agreements in the remaining 13,477 osLses htid
terminated satisfactorily in most cases.

Lead Report, — Messes. James Foestbe & Co., writing

on December 4th, state ; — Early in the week just ended, the tone
of the market was very flat, prompt lead biing sold down to
£25 and forward £25 158. On Thursday itire30vered to £29 5s. for
prompt and £29 IBs. for February and Match. Germany is still
sending small parce'.s of lead, as the exchange remains favourable
for export, but France has ceasfd selling for the present, havirg
now disposed of her surplus holding. Shipments from Australia
are expected to arrive in February next, should no fresh difficulties
or labour troubles arise. There ha3 been a little export demand,
with continued inquiries from Japan and China. The outlook for
the moment is rather uncertain. The demand for other metals,
however, has revived considerably, and lead will probably share in
the general improvement, as the position 'of lead looks undoubtedly
sound. Closing prices were as follows :— Prompt and December,
£27 5s. ; January, £27 10s. ; Febiuary and March, from £27 15s,
to £28.

Wages and Salaries. — The Industrial Court has ruled
that electrical fitters, electricians, wiremen. plumber- jointers and
armature winders employed on railways in the London district, if
engaged in installation work ordinarily carried out by electrical
contractors, shall be paid at the rate of Is. 4d. per hour, plus
3!s. 6d. plus 12 J per cent, for a week of 47 hours, or a total of
28. 3Jd. per hour. " Mates ' of men so engaged are to be paid at
corresponding rates. The award is applicable from October Ist.

Newcastle City Council has agreed to the new CivU Service
scale of war bonuses recently granted to its staff being extended to
the tramway department. This means bonuses of £40 to £60 par
annum, according to staff grade. The general manager's remuner-
ation wUl be increased from £1,600 to £1,750, while the same
increase of £150 per annum will be paid to the assistant electrical
engineer, the assistant mechanical engineer, the rolling stock
superintendent, the chief clerk, the accountant, and the traffic
superintendent.

The following are the returns of the ballot vote taken' in respect
of the offer of the employers for advances of wages to employes in
electricity undeitakings in No. 10 Area (Greater London) ; —

E.T.U

N.U.G.W

Enginemen and firemen

W.U

Miscellaneous

ME.A

E.T.U. (late returns)

3,768 1,957

On November 30th 3,600 tramway workers employed by the
Manchester City Council applied for an advance of £1 a week,
reporting that they were not satisfied with the National Tramway
Workers' application for 16s, The Committee replied that they
could not disassociate themselves from the National Industrial
Council, and refused the increase. — Dailu Telegraph.

Trade Union Amalgamation. — At a meeting on

December let, the delegates of 19 Trade Unions aflSliated to the
Transport Workers' Federation resolved to combine in one Union,
representing half-a-million members. A ballot is being taken on
this resolution. If it is confirmed, thn new organisation will
possess a national executive with power to declare a strike, like the
other members of the '' Triple Alliance,"

For,

Against

1,484

1,028

784

172

896

217

328

388

132

5

10

11

136

136

750

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Vol.S?. No. 2,246, December lO, 1920.

Ediswan Social and Dinner.— On the 1st inst. the staff
of the Bristol depot of the Ediswan Electeic Co., Ltd ,
held the first of a series of socials in the company's showroom.
Mr. Fifield, the district manager, presided, and an informal
programme of music was given by the MisBea Gratton and
Lewton, and Messrs. Dingle, Hunt, and Griffiths. Dancing
followed, and a very enjoyable evening was brought to a conclusion
by the singing of " Auld Lang Syne."

The company's fire brigade, which is one of the oldest private
fire brigades in the country, held its annual dinner in the Staff Cafr
at the Ponders End works on the 3rd inst. About BO sat down,
under the chairmanship of Pr. C. E. Hiatt, the chief guests of the
evening being the members of the Pondera End Fire Brigade
(Enfield U.D.C.), who brought their motor fire engine with them in
order to be prepared for any emergency. The remainder of the
evening was devoted to an excellent concert given by members of
the Ediswan Girls' Musical Association and the Ediswan Entertainers.

A Commercial Travellers' Union. — It may be recalled
that at the annual Conference of the United Kingdom Commercial
Travellers' Association, in August last, at Cambridge, a resolution
for the reconstitution of that Association as a Trade Union was
defeated. As a result of that vote, a Commercial Travellers' Trade
Union Propaganda Committee was formed, and in view of the
U.K.C.T.A. being incorporated under the Companies Acts, and
forbidden by those Acts to take any action ' which, if an object of
the Association, would make it a Trade Union," a ballot was taken
of the members of the Committee referred to. as to whether steps
should be taken to form a Commercial Travellers' Union. The
replies were almost wholly favourable, and steps have been taken
to form the Union, under the title of the National Union of Com-
mercial Travellers. The Executive Council of the new Union
are all members of the United Kingdom Commercial Travellers'
Association, and Mr. C. J. Kebbell, Honorary Secretary, National
Union of Commercial Travellers, St. Bride's Institute. Bride Lane,
B.C. 4, will be pleased to hear from travellers interested.

The E.P,E.4. Award. — The Wimbledon Corporation,
seeking to anticipate the action of members of the technical staff
at the electricity works, gave them notice to leave. The staff
retaliated with a threat of an immediate strike. Finally, through
the intervention of the Minister of Labour, the whole of the
question was held over for later discussion.

A meeting of the National Joint Board of Employers and
Staff Members of the electricity supply industry was held
on December 4th, when figures showing the state of affairs
were given. It appeared that of a total of 219 undertakings
which had been communicated with regarding the decisions
of the Board, 101 had accepted the terms without question,
while 20 had accepted them with certain reservations or con-
ditions. On the other hand, 28 had refused to give effect to
the new rates, and 90 had failed to reply to the communi-
cation. These, it was presumed, were also against acceptance. It
was pointed out, however, that the assenting undertakings were
generally the larger undertakings — in fact. Alderman Walker, of
Manchester, chairman of the Board, considered that these repre-
sented 70 per cent, of the total electricity supply of the country.
It was pointed out in a leading article, which appeared in our
columns last week, that the withdrawal of staffs from undertakings
which had agreed to accept the schedule was an unfair procedure.
This has now been remedied, and only councils and corporations
hostUe to the schedule will be affected by a strike if it comes to
that. Several London supply companies have raised the question
of the competency of the Board to propose any sort of standardisa-
tion of wages, but the Ministry of Labour supports the Board, whose
statiix is thereby practically assured.

Mr. T. W. Cole, Secretary of the Provincial Electric Supply
Committee, in a contribution to the Financier, says that a recom-
mendation was sent out to all member-companies, about 120, to
adopt the schedule if their financial position enabled them to do so.
He further states, however, that a large number of the provincial
supply undertakings are in such serious straits that it will be
impossible tor them to pay the increased salaries unless charges to
consumers are raised, and most of them are already charging
the statutory maximum. The whole crux of the matter,
therefore, is whether the Ministry of Transport will sanction
further tariff increases to meet the demands of the E.P.E. 4. Mr. Cole
says that it is only fair to note that in a number of cases where the
schedule has not been fully adopted, local conditions are such that
a corresponding modification of the national schedule is necessary.

The Unemployed Problem. — A deputation from the
National AUiince of Employers and Employed was introduced to
Dr. Macnamara, on Wednesday last, by Mr. E. Manville, M.P.. to
discuss the unemployment problem.

Wages in the Tramway Indastry. — According to the

Westminster ft; .c^?«, a deadlock occurred at the Conference at the
Ministry of Labour, which met, on Tuesday, to consider a proposed
wages increase for tramway workers all over the country. The
employers refused to consider any advance, or to agree to arbitra-
tion, and left the Conference. The applicatiDn was a national one
for an increase of 128. a week for adult tramway workers employed
by municipal undertakings all over the country.

A Sub-Committee of the workers' representatives was appointed
to decide what should be the policy of the Unions involved, in view
of the breakdown. Mr. J. Beckett, secretary of the Municipal
Tramways Association, stated that the considered reply of ths
municipalities was that they could not accept arbitration, and that
the undertakings, owing to their financial position, had reached
the limit in the way of wages advances. The situation was con-
sidered to be a serious one.

Foreign Samples Exhibition.— On December 7th, Mr.
F. G. Kellaway, Parliamentary Secretary of the Department of
Overseas Trade, opened the Foreign Samples Exhibition, which has
been moved from Basinghall Street to Old Bailey. In his speech
Mr. Kellaway said that the most important post-war problem was
the recovery of British trade supremacy in foreign maikets.
Britain's overseas trade was her breath of life, and there had been
already a most remarkable recovery, chiefly due to a period of many
buyers, which phase, however, had now passed. Those manu-
facturers and exporters who had taken the Government's advice,
and set aside a certain proportion of their goods for foreign
markets, were now reaping the benefit. The Department of Over-
seas Trade, a purely advisory body, with no powers of control, was.
in a sense, the most important Government Department, and it
was certainly the least expensive. The ilxhibition enabled British
manufacturers to see what was being done by foreign Icompetitors,
and to make an effort to produce better, or equally good, wares at com-
petitive prices. Trade Union representatives had also received
valuable impressions from visits to the exhibitions arranged in the
various industrial centres of the country. Mr. Kellaway acknow-
ledged the assistance given by Chambers of Commerce in arranging
the samples, and particularly by the London Chamber, whose
president, Mr. Stanley Machin, was present.

The scope of the Exhibition is a very wide one, ranging from
toys to agricultural implements. The samples of an electrical
nature are, for the most part, small — such as lighting fittings, cut-
outs, cartridge fuses, telephone material, insulators, &c. Several
samples of telephone and other cables appear. The Department is
to be congratulated on the number of examples shown, and also
upon the vast amount of , information which has been collected
with them.

The Advertising Exhibition. — The exhibition has been

so successful in some wajs that it is tu become an annual event.
Over 160 000 people paid for admission, and other visitors numbered
100,000. Even on the os. day the attendance was 10,C09. Eminent
visitois have described the exhibition as a brilliant success, an
extraordinarily fine display. Sir Eric Geddes said, according to the
Diiibj Trteijrapli, that the exhibition was far more instructive and
pregnant with great results for the trade of the country than
anyone who did not study the subject could possibly have
believed. Many people were of opinion that advertising
meant a great additional cost ou the articles that were being
sold ; that was quite a false view to take. They were too apt to
think and speak as if all expenditure was waste. He did not
believe that was true. If money were spent skilfully and succeas-
fuUy on advertising, he regarded that was wise economy, because
they could not sell anything without advertising, and bad adver-
tising was detrimental to business. On the other hand, good
advertising saved commercial travelling and incidental expenses.
He believed the traders of the country were ignorant of what good
advertising meant. He appealed to all manufacturers and others,
not to look upon the enterprise as something light and entertaining,
but as an undertaking vital to the success of our trade, especially
in the present difficult times through which the country was
passing. He wished great success to this new industry, which he
felt sure would become a great power in the future development of
the country.

A Pan-American Postal Union. — An important con-
vention has been provisionally adopted, embracing all the American
States, except British territory, in one Postal Union. As a result
of this, United States manufacturers will gain an important
advantage over their European competitors ^in the shape of cheap
postal rates in correspondence with South America, as well as with
Spain, which has been admitted to the convention.

Catalogues for Spain. — The Department of Orerseis
Trade informs us that the British Vice-Consul at Garrucha (Mr.
A. W. Harrison) reports that the Sociedad Hidro-Electrica
Espanola has been granted permission to supply electricity from
the power station at Albacete to the Sierra Almagrera, Province of
Almeria, for the purpose of providing additional power to the
numerous silver lead mines, and that there is likely to be a demand
for electric mining plant. While there is no actual demand at
present for such plant, the Vice-Conaul is desirous of receiving
catalogues from United Kingdom manufacturers and exporters in
order that he may be in a position to support their interests when
the demand arises. Catalogues should be addressed to the British
Vice-Consul, British Vice-Consulate, Garrucha, Spain. The
Department will be glad to be advised of any action taken in the
matter.

Smithfleld Club Show. — At this show, which is being

held a^ the Agricultural Hall, Islington, Messes. Pettees, Ltd.,
are exhibiting several of their " Petter Junior " small lighting and
power sets. These include portable, semi-portable and stationary
typea for paraffin fuel. 18 and 25-b.h.p. crude-oil engines are also
on view, as well as pumping sets.

A National Whitley Conference. — A National Con-
ference of representatives of Joint Industrial Councils and
Interim Reconstruction Committees was to be held at the Ministry
of Labour, on Wednesday last, in connection with the proposeil
orgatiifation of a National Whitley Association. The Conference
was to be presided over by Mr. Sydney W. Pascal], and opened
with addresses by the Right Hon. J. H. Whitley, M.P. (.Deputy
Speaker, House of Commons), and the Right Hon. Dr. T. J.
Macnamara (Minister of Labour). The delegates were to lie enter-
tained at luncheon by the Industrial League and Council, which
has done much to help forward the Whitley movement.

Vol.87. No. 2,24fi, December 10, 1920.] IHE ELECTKICAL REVIEW,

751

Book Notices.— ^" ("""«/ of the British Science Guild, No.
12, November, 1920, (65 pp.) oontaing addreisei by Lord Sydenham
on " Science and the Nation " ; Lord Montagu of Beanlieu on " Some
National Aspects of Transport " ; a short article on "The Scientific
Research Department of the Admiralty ; Its Establishment, Scope
»nd Aims"; and papers on ''The Human Factor in Industry,"
" Primitive Economics," and " Industrial Psychology." Price Is. 1 Jd.
post free, obtainable from the Secretary, British Science Guild, 6,
John Street, Adelphi, W.C. 2.

" Motor and Dynamo Control." By W. S. Ibbetson. Pp. xiii +
488 ; 178 illustrations. London : E. and F. N. Spon, Ltd. Price
21s. net.

" The Mining Electrical Engineer " (.the Joiirmil of the Associa-
tion of Mining Electrical Engineers). Vol. I, No. 2, November,
1920 (36 pp.) Is. net. — The second number of this very interesting
journal contains a portrait and a brief sketch of the career of the
President (Prof. W. M. Thornton, O.B.E., D.Sc, D.Eng.), with the
presidential address ; an article on "Coal Mining in the U.S.A.,"
by Mr. Winston L. Tulip, B.Sc. ; " Underground Electric Lighting,"
by Mr. W. T. Anderson, M.IE.E., and full accounts of the nro-
ceedings of the various branches.

N.Z, Tariff Revision, — Revision of the Customs tariffs
is promised for next session. Mr. Massey has informed the
Chambers of Commerce that the tariff he wants to see decided upon
will be an extension of Imperial preference. He was prepared to
negotiate for reciprocity with Australia, for which there was much
scope ; but he agreed with the Chambers of Commerce that there
should not be any discrimination against Great Britain. This is
the first indication of a policy for a revision of the tariffs, which is
long overdue. It is 13 years since the last revision, when Imperial
preference was first extensively applied. — T/te Times.

The Department of Overseas Trade. — The objects and

work of the Department of Overseas Trade are admirably set forth
in a recently-published booklet. Those who are not cognisant of
the Department's activities in all parts of the world will find
everything explained, while those who know and use the Depart-
ment will require the book for the detailed information it contains.
The frontispiece is a world-map showing where the Department's
representatives are stationed, and it will be seen from this that at
every centre of importance British interests are being watched
over. Mr. Kellaway, M.P., Parliamentary Secretary of the Depart-
ment, contributes an article on " The Need for Government
Assistance to Commerce," in which he says: — "The more
frequently British traders have recourse to the Department, the
more useful it will be." The way in which the D.O.T. assists the
British exporter is set out in detail, showing that the work is very
heavy and consists of a great many parts. The organisation and
the functions of officials, abroad and at headquarters, are described.
Methods of distributing information, co-operation with the business
community, and a number of other subjects are included in the
handbook, In the appendices are given names and addresses of
representatives and lists of special missions and investigations
organised by the Department. Copies of the handbook may be
obtained by United Kingdom merchants and manufacturers on
application to the D.O.T., 35, Old Queen Street, S.W. 1, quoting
reference No. 2092;TG.

Replacement-Valne Insurance.— In order to meet the

discrepancies, caused by the war period, between the present-day
cost of replacing plant and materials destroyed by fire and the
amount of compensation received on pre-war policies, it has been
made possible to effect a policy of insurance to provide additional
compensation. The F.B.I. Bulletin states that the Federation's
Insurance Department will be pleased to asaist any members who
may be considering the advisability of effecting an insurance of
this kind.

E.D.4. Activities. — In our last week's issue we referred
to the " Electrical Xmas " campaign of the E.D.A.'s " opposite
number ' in the U.S.A. We have now received from the E.D.A.. a
30 in. X 20 in. poster, depicting a shop window in which are dis-
played an electric fire, a kettle, an iron, and various other domestic
appliances. Standing before the window are a man and a woman,
and the laf-icr (apparently) is saying, " Let's buy electrical presents
this year ! " An "insert" at the bottom of the poster announces
that electrical appliances make ideal Christmas gifts.

For Sale. — By order of the Receiver (Mr. H. L. Farmer),
Messrs. Leopold Fabmer & Sons wiM ell by auction, on
December Uth, at 72, Granville Road, Cricklewood Lane, N.W., the
plant and machinery, stock, ice, of the Anti-Rust and Metal
lieposition Co., Ltd.

The Disposal Board, Ministry of Munitions, is offering for sale
by public tender a quantity of wireless apparatus and electrical
cable, lying at Shepherd's Bush, Greenwich, and Birmingham.
The Central Electric Supply Co., Ltd., is inviting offers for several
reciprocating sets, turbo-generators, and condensing plants. For
full particulars see our advertisement pages to-day.

Copper and Lead Prices.— Messrs. F. Smith & Co.

report December Toh :— Copper (electrolytic) bars, *91, *2 increase ;
ditto, sheets, no change; ditto, rods, *107, £3 increase; ditto.
H.c. wire, Is. l{d., Jd. increase.

Messrs. James 4: Shakespeare report December 8th :— Copper
bars (best selected), sheets and rods, £139, £3 increase. English
pig lead, no change.

Fortlicoming Exiilbitions. — The following exhibitions are

being organised : —

Cardiff.— Junuary 26th-February 5th, 19*21.— Health and
Home Exhibition. (See Electrical Review, October '2'2nd.)

LonJoJi. — .lanuary 5th and 6th, 19'21.— Physical Society's
Exhibition. (Electrical Review, November 5th.)

London.— February 10th to '26th. 1921.—" Efficiency " Ex-
hibition at Olympia. (Electrical Review, June '25th.)

London, Glasgow and Birmingham. — February 21st to
March 4th, 1921.— British Industries Fair. (Electrical Re-
view, August 13th. September 24th, October 8th, November
12th and 26th.)

London.— March and October, 19'21.— Society of Motor
Manufacturers and Traders at Olympia.

London.— April, 1921.— Builders' Exhibition at Olympia.

London.— June 3rd to 17th, 1921.— Rubber Trades' Exhibi-
tion at Royal Agricultural Hall. (Elpx^trical Review, April
9th.)

London.— September 7th to 28th, 1921.- Shipping, Engineer-
ing and Machinery Exhibition at Olympia. (Electrical Re-
view, November 12tb.)

London.— 1923.— British Empire Exhibition. (Electrical
Review, Mav 14th, -June 11th, September '24th, ami November
5th.)

South Africa.- March 9th to 16th, 1921.— Chemical, Metal-
lurgical, and Mining Exhibition in Johannesburg.

British Dominions. — 1921. — Dominion.? Touring Exhibition
(South .-Vfricn, .\ustraha, Canada, and New Zealand). (Elec-
trical Review, Mgrch 26th and August 6th.)

Brusse/s.— April 4th to 20th, 1921.— International Commer-
cial Fair.

G/icnf.- April 16th to June 14th, 19'21.— International Ex-
hibition of Architecture, Building, and Kindred Industries.
(Electrical Review, September 24th.)

Iceland.— June. 1921.— World's Fak.

Lima. — 1921. — International Industrial Exhibition. (Elec-
TiucAL Review, November l'2th.)

Pefeinp.— 1921.— International Exhibition. (Electrical Re-
view, September 10th.)

Lyons.— March, 1921.— Metallurgy, Engineering, Building,
&9.. Fail.

Mi/an.- April, 19'21.— International General Manufactures
Fair.

r'trcc^if. —September, 1921.— International Fair.

Buenos .4!>es.— 1922.— International Exhibition.

Rio de Janeiro.— 1922.— International Centenary Exhibition.

Labour Exchanges.— The Committee of Inquiry that

was appointed to investigate the outcry against the costliness and
uaelessness of labour exchanges and the demand for their abolition
has issued a report. It states that the exchanges must be retained
as a national system and a necessary corollary to the State system
of unemployed insurance, but it is clear that they are capable of
considerable improvement. The report admits that the exchanges
have not displace! so far aa was expected other methods of finding
work and that they are not generally popular. They have not
been fully used by and for highly skilled organised labour and the
highest grades of unortranised labour. The Ministry of Labour is
recommended immediately to overhaul the central and divisional
offices ■with a view to curtailment, simplification, and economy.
It is recommended that a National Section Board, with non-official
members, should be set up to deal with appointments and that the
departments now acting in respect of appointments and analogous
matters arising out of the war should be absorbed with as little
delay as possible in the employment exchange organisation. Sir
Charles Sykes presents a separate report, in which he says that if
it were not for unemployment insurance he would strongly recom-
mend the immediate curtailment of the exchanges, and their
restriction to unorganised workers. He points out that the
Ministry of Labour estimates that the annual cost in a normal year
is likely to be £2,200,000, and that 445,806 persons were found
work during the first six months of 1920, so that the cost of the
exchanges is over 498. per vacancy filled. "The evidence given
before the Committee appears to me sufficiently conclusive to
condemn the system as it stands," adds Sir Charles, " as not having
achieved the results intended, and being too costly." Much
evidence against the exchanges was g ■"sn to the Committee ; Lord
Askwith (late Chief Industrial Comn .ssianer) thought the cost of
the exchanges out of all proportion tj tneir value.

Proposed B.T.H. Re-nnlon.— It has \ een proposed that a

re-union dinner for past and present B.T.H. draughtsmen be held
in London on a Saturday in the near f utu .e. Those willing to
support this proposal should write to Mr. J. H. 0*9tell, Clun House,
Surrey Street, Strand, W.C. 2.

International Chamber of Commerce.- In view of the

important part which it may be expected to play in matters con-
cerning overseas trade relations, and especially in its quality of
providing representation for employers in the Councils of the
League of Nations, the F.B.I, has decided to join the International
Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Frank Moore attendeo 5tie inaugural
meeting of the International Chamber in Paris on J jae 23rd, and
reported on the proceedings to the Federation, luj question of
membership was discusswJ on various occasions bjr ihe Overseas
Committee, and a resolution of the Grand Conncil wiui published in
The Bulletin of November 8th expressing sympala/ with the
objects of the International Chamber of Commerce «ad referring
the question of F.B I. support to the Executive and lliance Com-
mittees for consideration. — F.B.I. Bulletin.

762

THE ELECTl'JCAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,240, December lO, 1920.

LIGHTING AND POWER N0TE5.

Australia. — Victoria. — A report is being considered by

the Hampden Shire Council which recommends the abolition of
the present generating plants at Terang and Camperdown, and the
erection at Lake Gnotnk of one central senerating station of the
three-phase alternating type, with a6,000-Tolt transmission system,
designed to supply power, if necessary , to all the centres of population
in the shire, as well as to country consumers along the transmission
lines. The plant would be capable of extension, so as to serve
such towns as Colao, Warrnambool, Mortlake, and Cobden, in neigh-
bouring municipalities, would be in conformity with the standards
now being adopted by the Electricity Commissioners in Victoria,
and would be suitable for co-ordinating with any Gcvernment scheme
of electric supply. The estimated cost of the scheme for Terang
and Camperdown would be about .ii35,00(i, but it is considered that
about £ 10,000 would be received from the sale of the existing
plants. — The Aqf (Melbourne).

Barrow, — ELECTRiciTr Scheme. — It is reported tha*
the Town Council recently had nnder discussion a big electricity
scheme which involves the spending of close upon a halt million of
money. The scheme is being further considered, modifications
and amendments of certain particulars having been decided upon.
The full details will be announced in due course.

Barnstaple. — :Loan Sanctioned. — The Town Council

has received sanction to loans amounting to £9,700 for new plant,
cables, &c.

Beachley. — Sale of Undertaking (?) — It is reported

that the National Shipyards Board has sold the power house at
Beachley to the West of England Joint Electrical Authority for
£163,200, but as Joint Authorities have not yet the power to
purchase undertakings, the report probably refers to an agreement
to be carried out at a future date.

Bedford. — Loa.v. — The Town Council has applied for a
loan of £20,000 to oover excess expenditure on the electiicitv
undertaking and various contracts in connection with extensions.

Belfast. — Temporary Station. — At the last monthly
meeting of the Corporation it wis announced that the temporary
power station at Muagrave Channel had been opened and was
giving an additional 4,500 kw., of which Messrs. Harland and Wolff's
were getting 2,500 KW.

Bexhill. — Parliajuentart Bill. — In the Parliamentary
Bill to ba promoted by the Corporation in the ensuing session,
power is being sought to provide electrical fittings and to maintain
otBces and showrooms. Other clauses deal with sub stations under
streets, power to recover charges for reconnection, period of error
in defective meters, discount on electrical supply accounts, and
power to refuse to supply energy in certain cases. Objection was
taken at a meeting of the Council to the clause relating to supply
of fittings as competing with local tradesmen, but Alderman],Bond
urged that the Council should not bs placed at a disadvantage with
the gas company, and the proposals were approved.

Birmingham, — Finance Problems The question of

the provision of capital for the further development of the
Nechella j)ermanent generating station has been deferred for a
month, pending the result of further inquiries by the Finance
Committee as to the prospect of raising the necessary loans. The
Committee has in view the difiBculty of securing Treasury assent
to the flotation of stook.

HousK LiOHTiNO.— The Housing Committee Ihas deoided to
install electric lighting in houses, erected under the Housing
Scheme, which are in proximity to the main cables.

Blackbnrn. — E.vtension of Supply. — Agreements have
been made between Blackbnrn Corporation and Great Harwood and
Rishton District Councils for the distribution of electricity to those
townships. Application is to be made to the Electricity Com-
missioners for an order permitting Ulackburn to supply electricity
in bulk to Darwen Corporation.

Blackpool,— Loan Sanctioned, &c. — The Electricity
Commissioners have sanctioned a loan for the purchase of two new
boilers at an estimated cost of £42,250. To provide agains-t any
shortage of coal, the Committee have decided to install a system of
oil firing. This wOl be auxiliary to the existing method, and will
only be brought in in case of emergency. The Gretna Engineering
Co.'s tender for the installation has been accepted.

British Columbia.— Htdro-Electric Scheme.— Details

of an important scheme of hydro-electric development in Bril ish
Columbia have been received from His Majesty's Trade Commis-
sioners at Winnipeg and Montreal by the D.O.T. The Bridge River
Power Co., Ltd., has the undertaking in hand, and it is proposed to
utilise the power furnished by the Bridge River. This will neces-
sitate a tunnel through the Mission Mountain, discharging on the
shores of Seton Lake, which is about six miles from Lillooet. In
that distance a fall of 1,240 ft. will be obtained, and the total
estimated horse-power is 400,000. Every effort will bo made to
induce the development of big industries in British Columbia and
from the limitless supplies of mineral, &c , to be found there, it is
believed that a very prosperous future lies before the Province.
Maps indicating the location of the power site and blue prints
showing the general system of d'lvelopment are availab'e, and

these, together with reports on the proposed scheme by eminent
Canadian engineers, may be seen by United Kingdom firms
interested, on application to the Department of Overseas Trade, 35,
Old <,)ueen Street, Westminster, .S.W. 1.

Canada. — Export ok Energy. — Before leaving for
England, Sir George Foster issued instructions that licenoea to
export electrical energy from Canada should not be in excess of
power actually exported. As a result, an Older in Council has
been passed reducing the export licence of the Ontario Hydro-
Electrical Commission from 45,000 to 40,000 KW., the Canadian
Niagara Power Co. from 40,000 to 2.J,0C0 KW., and the Electrical
Development Co. (Toronto Power Co.) from 25,000 to 15,000 kw.
This does not reduce the power at present under export, but
prevents the increasing of the quantity by any of these developing
companies without cognisance of the Federal authorities. — lienter's
Triide Set r'ce (Ottawa).

Propcsed Niagara Dam. — Dr. T. Lennard Thomson, con-
sulting engineer, of New York, in an address to the civic
club of the University of Toronto, speaking of power develop-
ment schemes at Niagara Falls, advocated the construction of a
dam asroas the Niagara River four miles below the falls, thus
forming an entirely new waterfall, having a potential head of
lOO ft., and capable of producing 2,000,000 H.P. This power. Dr.
Thomson said, should be divided equally between the United States
and Canada at a yearly rental to each country of $10 per H.P.
produced. — Renter's Trade Serrice (Toronto).

Cookham, — Electric Lightino Canvass. — At a

meeting of the residents last week, it was decided to have the
district canvassed with a view to electricity being supplied by the
Bourne End Electric Lighting Co., which requires a minimum of
2,000 points before proceeding with the work.

Continental. — France. — An extensive electric distri-
bution network is about to be set up in the Department de I'Eure-
et-Loir, affecting 70 communes in the Cantons of llliers, Conrville,
Chartres-Nord and ChartresSud ; 63 communes in the Cantons of
Bonneval, Brou, Cloyes and Ch.iteandun : and 50 communes in the
Canton of Auneau-Main tenon. Separate syndicates have been
formed in each of the three groups of towns and communes named,
who will work in common for the realisation of the general scheme,
which purposes supplying the chief towns in the several communes
and the important agricultural concerns. A supply of 5,000 kw.
has been secured, and the network will be fed by three-phase,
50-cycle current at 30,000 volts and 15,000 volts, transformer posts
being placed at the head of low-tension networks to serve the
communes and hamlets. The building and working for 30 to
40 years of the several networks will be offered to private indi-
viduals or companies, whose tenders are invited. Proposals should
be addressed for the first or Chartres group to M. Bouvatt, president,
12, Rue du Quatoize-Juillet, Chartres ; for the second group to
M. Lours, president, 82, Rue de Chartres, Chateaudun ; and for the
third group to M. le Docteur Poupon, president, at Aunay-Sous-
Auneau.

The utilisation of the tides for the generation of electricity
Eeems to be progressing in Fiance. One of the latest schemes is that
for utilising the tides in the mouth of the Ranee River, for which
object a company, with a capital of 100,000,000 fr., has been formed.
The project is not quite a recent one. having been mooted so far
back as 1907, but the war caused the scheme to be laid aside. It
was taken up again in 1910 by M. Parisot, then one of the directors
of ithe Energie Electrique du Littoral Mediterraceen, whose efforts
eventually led to the Minister of Public Works granting, in April
last, a subsidy of 100,000 fr.

Spain.— .4. portion of the 25,000,000 pesetas, allotted in this
year's Spanish Government's estimate for the improvement of the
working of the Arrayanes lead mines belonging to th'e State, is to
be devoted to electrifying the methods of working. Hauling,
perforation and pumping are to be effected electrically ; but while
the energy will be supplied by the Compania Mengemor, when its
works at the Carpis Falls are completed, a reserve the mio station
will be set up in the mine itself.

The Socicdad Hidroeleotrica Iberica has received authorisation to
construct at Barcena de Pre de Concha, near Torrelavega, in the
province of Santander, a dam 4i' m. high, forming a reservoir of
9,000,000 cu. m., for the purpose of regulating the flow of the
Torina stream in the dry season, and thus increasing the supply of
hydroelectric power required for industrial purposes. Among the
principal users of electric power in Torrelavega and its environs
are the Solvay chemical concern and the zinc mines of the Boyal
Asturian Mining Co. — Ifenter's Trade Sercice (Madrid).

Darlington.— Engineer's Bonus.— A proposal made by

the Electricity and Light Railway Committee to grant a com-
mission to the borough electrical engineer on the reduction of
working costs per unit sold below the average of the 40 lowest
municipal undertakings, has been adopted by the Corporation.

Dewsbury, — Price Increase.— The Town Council is
to advance the charges for electricity for power and heating
to 120 per cent, above pre-war rates, except in the case of
consumers supplied on the existing special rate system for heating
only, in which case the charges will be increased by 133', per cent.
over pre-war rates.

Derby. -^ Additional Loan. — The Electricity Com-
mittee recommends that application be made to the Electricity
Commissioners for sanction to borrow a further sum of £10,000 to
cover the estimated additional cost of extensions.

Vol.87. No. 2,216, deckmbbb 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

753

Edlnbnrgh. — Economy Necessary. — The Corporation

electricity department has issued notices impreasingf upon the
larger users of power the need for the exercise of economy, as the
new plant, which was due to be inatallsd some time ago, has not
been completed. Measures of a temporary character have been
adopted, with a view to coping with the situation with the least
inconvenience to the consumers.

The electrical engineer reports that a 4,000-KW. turbo-alternator
and three boUeis are now in course of erection, but it will probably
be a month or six weeks before these are ready for use. Meanwhile,
existing plant is fully loaded.

Loan Sanctioned. — The Electricity Commissioners have sanc-
tioned the borrowing of £26,000 for the purchase of additional
land adjoining the new Corporation pawer station at Portobello.

Electricity Districts. — Mersey and West Lancashike. —

The Liverpool City Council has approved the draft scheme for the
constitution of a joint electricity authority for the Mersey and
West Lancashire electricity district. Application is to be made to
the Ministry of Transport for power to acquire a site for a capital
generating station, to erect the station, and to supply the main
transmission lines necessary to link up the various electricity
undertakings in the district. The joint authority wiU consist of
30 members — 19 appointed by the local authorities supplying
electricity, two by other local authorities not supplying electricity,
one by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, four by companies
supplying electricity, two by railway companies in the area using
electricity, and three by large consumers. It was stated that
Birkenhead wanted a scheme for a joint authority for Wlrral,
Soutbport wanted to become a separate district, but it was not
anticipated those proposals would be entertained by the Electricity
Commissioners, as the areas concerned were too small. Reference
was made to the scheme at the Birkenhead Council, when the
chairman of the Electricity Committee urged that alternative
schemes should have the same sympathy of, the Commissioners as
the one before the public now. No preconceived ideas should
interfere with the industrial and domestic needs of the Wirral
peninsula, and Birkenhead in particular. He protested against
othtr districts benefiting at the expense of the town, and urged
that if they were to suffer for the benefit of other towns, they
must oppose the present scheme, and put forward alternative
plans. Bootle has relegated the scheme to a special meeting of
the Town Council.

The Wallasey Corporation has lodged objections to the United
Mersey Boroughs electricity scheme, as it has an alternative scheme
of its own, by which it would become the main electricity supply
for the whole of the Wirral peninsula. A Sub-Committee of the
Corporati( n has suggested the formation of a scheme for the
Birkenhead, Wallasey and Wirral district.

LowEB Severn. — In pursuance of a notice issued by the
Electricity Commissioners on April 30th, 1920, of the pro-
visional determination by them of the above-named district
(see Elec. Rev., May 2l8t, 1920, p. 616), the Commissioners give
notice that they will hold a local inquiry in the new Council
Chamber, Council House, Bristol, on January llth, 1921, it
10.30 a.m., and following days, with reference to the area to be
includeo in the proposed district, and the objections and repre-
sentations which have been made on account of the inclusion in, or
exclusion from, the said district of certain areas, and to consider
a scheme which has been submitted for effecting an improvement
of the existing organisation for the supply of electricity in the
said district. Copies of the scheme, which provides for the forma-
tion of a Joint Electricity Authority for the district, may be
obtained at a cost of ba. each from Mr. H. Faraday Proctor, The
Exchange, Corn Street, Bristol. Any body or person interested may
attend the inquiry either personally or by counsel, solicitor, or
agent. Any representations or objections with regard to the said
scheme should be addressed to the secretary. Electricity Com-
mission, Gwydyr House, Whitehall, London, S.W. 1, not later than
January Ith, 1921, and a copy of such representations or
objections should at the same time be sent to Mr. H. Faraday
Proctor at his above addres".

Elland.— LOAX Sanctioxed.— The District Council has
scoured approval to the borrowing of £19 300 for the new elec-
tricity undertaking. The sum comprises £500 for land ; buildings,
£2,700 ; e.h.t. mains, £3,0a0 ; sub-station, plant and cranei
£9,100 ; prospective expenditure on mains and services, £2,900 ;
and meters, £1,100. The original application was for £20,000, but
the Commissioners have cut down the allowance for buildings to
80 per cent, of that asked for, though they are prepared to consider
a further applioat.on if necessary, when the actual cost has been
ascertained.

Inverness. — Water- Power Schemes. — At a meeting of
the Finance Commttee of Inverness-shire County Council, on
Friday, it was agreed to oppose the Highland water-power scheme,
which was stated to be for the benefit of Perth and Dundee only.
As regards the water scheme promulgated by the British Aluminium
Co. for Lochaber, the Lochaber district where water is to be got, is
satisfied except as regards one or two details. It was agreed alsj
to oppose this scheme pro forma.

Kelghley.— Extension of Supply.— The Electricity
C jmmittee has secured approval for the construction of a trans-
mission line, mainly overhead, from the nearest high-tension main
in the town to Eastburn quarries, for a general supply of elec-
tricity to Steeton-with-Eastburn and Sutton, and also for boosting
Up the voltage on the trackless car wires, at an estimated cost of
£3,000, subject to the firm of Dixon k Co. agreeing to take a
supply of current at the quarries for not less than five years on
laitable conditions,

Kirkcaldy. — Transfer Negotiations Suspended. —

The Town CounoU has resolved to suspend temporarily further
negotiations with the Fife Power Co,, in respect of the transfer of
the town's undertakirg, and to instruct the Town Clerk to ascer-
tain from the Fife Power Co. what bulk supply of current it is
now in a position to give the Corporation, what supply it will be
in a position to give in the n«ar future, and on what conditions.

Liverpool. — Report on Tidal Power. — The Tramways
and Electric Power and Lighting Committee has asked the city
electrical engineer to report as to the utilisation of the tidal water
of the River Mersey for the generation of electricity.

Lymm. — Protest Against Exclusion. — The Urban

DLstiict Council has lodged a protest against the exclusion of
the town from the Mersey and South-East Lancashire area.

North Wales. — Power from Government Factory. —

The Chester City Council and a number of other local government
bodies are making strong representations to the Secretary of State
for War, urging that power be supplied to the district from the
Queen's Ferry factory. It is stated that the only two electricity
undertakings in the district, those of Chester and Wrexham,
cannot be extended at present, and that the 7,000 H p. available
from the factory would more than cover the present unsatisfied
demands for power.

New Poweb Station. — The North Wales Electric Power Co.
has acquired a large tract of Isnd at Trawsfjnydd, where it is
intended to construct a large lake for the purpose of generating
electricity for the supply of electricity to a large area of North
Wales. The power station will be located at Maenturog.

Newcastle-Dpon-Tyne. — Proposed Acquisition of

Undertakings. — At a meeting of Newcastle- on-Tyne City CounoU
on December Ist, Mr. J. W. Thwaites moved that it be an instruc-
tion to the Parliamentary Committee forthwith to take into con-
sideration the question ot the exeicise by the Corporation of their
rights to purchase the electric lighting undertakinj,s in the city,
and that a report thereoa be presented to the Council. The leases
of the companies expired in July, 1922, so that there was ample
time to acquire a clear knowledge of the position, and the possi-
bilities of the proposition. The proposal was agreed to. The
local electrical undertakings are : — The Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Electric Supply Co., Ltd. and the Newcastle and District Electric
Lighting Co,, Ltd.

Palestine. — Jerusalem. — The Zionist organisation

announces that at the last meeting of the Municipality of Jerusalem
a scheme for electrically lighting the city, drawn up by Mr,
Horwitz, was .ipproved, and is to be submitted to the High Com-
missioner for his ratification. The Municipality expects to float a
loan of £31,000 for this purpose if the plan is ratified by the
Administiation. — Ileuter's Trade Service,

Paisley. — Stoppage of Supply. — The electricity supply
over a large area of Paisley was, on December 2nd put cut of
action by a serious water-pipe burst, the electricity sub-station at
Dunn Square heng flooded. Considerable damage was done.

Rathmlncs (ODblla), — Lighting Restrictioks Relaxed.

— The District Council has agreed that the restrictions on public
electric lighting during the military curfew period shall be relaxed
so as to admit of half light by leaving one lamp alight en each
standard where there are two lamps.

Slaithwaite. — Supply from Huddersfield. — The

Urban District Council has entered into an arrangement with the
Huddersfield Corporation under which the latter will supply elec-
tricity to the township. The Corporation will now take tteps to
obtain poweis authorising it to make the supply.

SoDlhport. — Completion of Extensions. — The installa-
tion of tbe new plant which is being provided at the electricity
work^, at a cost of £132 000,18 expected t5 be completed within
the next fortnight. In concection with the work, which was
commenced in May last, a delay of 12 months was caused thiough
the prolonged moulders' strike last year. In the meantime, great
difBculty has been experienced in maintaining the supply of elec-
tricity from the old plant. As a result of the new installation, it
is expected, in some quarters, that a great reduction wUl be effected
in the present charges for electricity.

St. Helens. — ^^Loan. — The Town Council is to apply for
a loan of £47,550 for electricity purposes.

Tasmania. — Loan. — The Tasmanian Government hopes
to float a loan in London early in 1921 to raiee £1,250,0C0 required
for public works, including extensions of the country's hydrb-

electric power installations, — Renter.

Wallasey. — Brfakdowxs. — Owing to the number of
serious breakdowns which have occurred recently, a Committee has
been appointed to investigate and report upon the condition of the
plant. It is stated that most of the trouble experienced is due to
turbine failures.

Worksop.— Bulk Supply. — A repoit wa« recently fub-

mitted to the Urban District Ccuncil showirg that a saving of
£20,000 could be effected by accepting the offer of a bulk supply of
electricity from the Wigan Coal and Iron Co. instead of extending
the electricity works to meet present demands. The report was
adopted.

764

THE ELECTRICAL REVIE"W. [voi. 87. No. 2,216, decembeb lo, 1920.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Bradford. — Collision. — Two Coqjoration tramcars,
travelling in the same direction in Manchester Road, collided
daring a dense fog. The 'windows of both cars were smashed,
and a passenger, Mr. J. S. Stead, of Low Moor, wag injured on his
left shoulder, and also suffered from shock. He was able to be
taken home after baing medically attended to.

Colne. — FuRTHEE Fare Inokease. — The Town
Council has decided that the order authorising an increase of
50 per cent, in tramway fares is not sufiBcient to meet the Lew
coaditions caused by the increases in wages and coat of materials
since the application was first made, and recommends that an
amended application, to be made to the Tramways Chargea Advisory
Committee, for 100 per cent, increase.

Continental. — Sweden. — Messrs. Erik von Friesen and
tJranholm, of the Swedish State Railway Administration, have just
returned from a visit paid to the United States, in order to investi-
gate railway working in that country. Mr. Friesen is reported to
have stated as a result of his impressions that the general opinion
in the United States was that electric railways had proved
specially satisfactory, and the system was being extended to new
lines. A general conversion of the railways, however, would
probably not be undertaken, at least within a measurable period.
In many places the price of electrical power was too dear, as water-
power was not available everywhere. It was practicable to use
steam turbo-generators where the density of the traffic was con-
siderable, and it was necessary to increase the carrying capacity.
Another factor which opposed the investment of large sums in
electric railway undertakings was to be found in the circumstance
that the rates were balanced by special regulations which prevented
the railways from earning large profits, the percentage being
about 5^.

In an article in the "Svenska Handelstidning " it is reported
that the Railway Department have submitted a scheme for
the electrification of the line from Stockholm to Gothenburg. It is
proposed that the electric energy be directed to the various points
along the line from the works at TroUhattan and Motola River in
the form of single-phase current at 100,000 volts. A transfer
system, used for this kind of current, will be conducted along the
Stockholm-Gothenburg track from Huddinge to Olskroken (or, if
possible, from Alvsjo to Savenas). An extension will be made to
the works at Motala, and also a similar line from Lagmansholm to
TroUhattan. Step-down transformer stations (transforming to
16,C00 volts) will be constructed at 16 points along the line.
Contact rails are also to be laid for every main and branch line,
with the exception of a few tracks in Stockholm, Hallsberg and
Gothenburg ; and, where necessary, other stations where ordinary
steam locomotives have still to be utilised for the purpose of linking
up different lines. Low-power lines are to be laid, and in some
oases altered. — Fitmncial Times.

Italy. — Official sanction has been accorded to the scheme of the
Societa Ferrovia Alta Pistoiese for the construction of a narrow
gauge electric railway from Prachia to San Marcello Pistoiese,
16 km. long, at an estimated cost of £,974,451 lire. The works are
stated to require three years for completion.

Derby.— Penny Stages.— The reinstitution of penny
fares for short distances is being urged by a number of members of
the Town Council. It is thought that this will result in a con-
siderably increased revenue.

Dundee. — Anticipated Deficit. — It is anticipated that,
after making allowance for the cancellation of workmen's fares,
there will be a deficit on the year's running of the cars of between
£7,000 to £8,000.

Halifax. — Tramcars Overturned. — During the severe

storm experienced on December 3rd two tramcara were blown over
practically at the same place, at a loop line near Stocks Gate, on
the Queensbury route. The place where the mishaps occurred 13
about 1,000 ft. above sea level, and very much exposed to the windj
from the North- West moors. The first car was caught by the wind
whilst standing on the loop. The driver, conductor, and four
passengers managed to scramble out without more serious injury
than shock and cuts from broken glass. The second car, which was
empty, was also standing when blown over. Both cars lay clear of
the track, but, under the circumstances, traffic on this exposed
section was suspended after the second accident. On the Causeway
Foot section of the Halifax tramways, the same night, the overhead
wires were blown down, and traffic had to be suspended.

Morecambe. — Electric Traction Re.iected. — The

Town Council has rejected a resolution to apply to the Ministry of
Transport for power to borrow money to install electric traction. It
was decided to abolish the horse-tram system and run omnibuses
during the winter months.

Lancashire. — Christmas Stoppage. — There is every

evidence that there will be no trams running in Lancashire again
this Christmas, as the Lancishire District Council of the United
Workers' Union have given notice of their decision not to work on
Christmas Day. This decision, however, does not include
Liverpool.

London. — New " Underground " Stock — On Decem-
ber 8th representatives of the Press and others took part in a
private inspection of a trial run in one of the new trains just
completed f jr service on the London Electric Railway.

Central London Railwai.— The Minister of Transport
has extended the time untU July, 1922, of the Central London
Railway Act, 1914, for the completion of the enlargement of the
tunnels.

Manchester. — Teamwaymen's Claim. — A maas meeting

of Manchester tramway workers was held on December 5th, and a
heated discussion lasting over four hours ended in a decision to
appoint a deputation to wait on the executive of the Tramways and
Vehicle Workers' Union with the object of obtaining permission to
take local action to enforce the demand for an increase of £1 per
week on the present rate of £3 17s. for drivers and £3 16s. for
guards. — Baihi Telegraph.

Mytholmroyd. — Collision. — On December let a Halifax

Corporation tramcar, travelling between Mytholmroyd and Hebden
Bridge, came into collision with a County Council steam wagon and
suffered a good deal of damage in the way of smashed .windows, &o.
No personal injury was sustained.

Newcastle-on-Tyne. — Light Railway, — A scheme, the

estimated cost of which is approximately £45,000, is engaging the
joint attention of the Newcastle Tramways Committee and the
Tyneside Tramways and Tramroads Co. The. proposal is to con-
struct a li|?ht railway through Gosforth Park to connect the city
system with that of the Tyne^ide company. The Committee
reports that, subject to the settlement of details, the company is
favourably disposed to the proposal. One of the conditions
suggested by the company, and which the Committee is inclined to
approve, is that in the event of the company applying for powers
to extend its system upon the Great North Road, the Corporation
should, if asked, support it. The Committee has recommended the
City Council to make the necessary application to the Light Railway
Commissioners.

Reading. — The Minister of Transport has extended the
time until July, 1922, of the Reading Corporation Act, 1914, for
the completion of the tramways.

Rochdale. — Estimate Deferred. — The Tramways

Committee has deferred until the next meeting consideration of an
estimate submitted by the borough surveyor for relaying a double
track in Bridge Street.

The Committee has also informed the United Vehicle Workers'
Association that it cannot grant compensation to men who lost
time through the coal strike.

Sonthend-on-Sea. — The Ministry of Transport has con-
firmed the Southend-on-Sea Light Railways (Extension) Order,
1920.

South Shields. — Extension Approved. — The Ministry
of Transport has confirmed the Light Railway Order for the
Corporation to establish a car service to Cleadon in connection
with the proposed extension of the borough boundaries.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

France. — Telephonic communication between Paris,
Rotterdam, The Hague, and Amsterdam was to be re-established on
December 1st.

Germany. — Illegal Wireless Apparatus. — The case

against Dr. Heinrich Stinnes, the brother of Herr Hugo Stinnes,
the Westphalian coal magnate, and his son Hans Stinnes, waa
resumed in the British Summary Court at Cologne, on Nov. 29th.
The case had been adjourned from November 19th, when
Herr Stinnes was charged on three counts with having wirelesi
apparatus in his house, thereby transgressing the ordinance of
the Rhine and High Commission and the military agreement for
the occupation of the Rhine, as endangering the safety of the
British forces. The defendant pleaded that it was an experi-
mental set used by his son without any malicious intention, and that
there was no attempt to conceal the aerials. The presiding officer
accepted this view, and fined each of the defendants 10,000 marks
(£40 approximately). He added that had he been convinced of the
existence of sinister motives a long term of imprisonment would
have been infiicted. — Tlie Times,

Italy. — Foreign Telegram Tax. — As a result of the

inflated value of gold the supplementary tax on foreign telegram*
will be increased to 250 per cent., as from December 3rd.

New Cables. — According to Teleijraji e Telefoni, the Italian
Soruizio del Telegrafi has in contemplation a scheme to lay a seriei
of submarine cables in the peninsula between Genoa and
Trieste, two of which have already been laid — namely, Rome to
Genoa and Venice to Trieste. The remainder of the scheme com-
prises eight lines — viz., Fiumicino to Naples, 255 km. ; Naples to
Messina, 354 km. ; Messina to Catania, 104 km. ; Catania to
Syracuse, 65 km. ; Catania-Taranto-Bari, 720 km. ; Bari to
Ancona, 454 km. ; Ancona to Venice, 252 km. ; and Spezia to
Genoa, 85 km.— or a total of 2,289 km. The cost of the scheme at
present prices is estimated at — cables, 30,000,000 lire ; and laying
same, 300,000 lire. The scheme is motived by the wish to escape
atmospheric and electrical inductive effects.

Vol.87. No. 2,2ifi, decembekio. 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVI?]W.

755

Telephones in Parliament, — " To cope with any unex-
pected happsninga," a " strategic " network of telephones has b»en
installed in the Houses of Parliament, says the Keening Xewn.
One of the instruments has been fitted up just outside the Bar of
the House of Lords itself.

Uojted States.— Cable Controversy.— The Supreme

Court of the District of Columbia, on November 30th, heard argu-
ments in support of the Western Union Cable Co.'s application for
an injunction to restrain Mr. Daniels, Secretary of the Navy, from
interfering with the construction of a telegraph cable between
Miami (Florida) and Miami Beach. Mr. Daniels submitted an
affidavit to the effect that it had always been the Government's
policy to prevent the laying of any cable on the shores of the United
States connecting it with a foreign country in which the cable
company had a "monopoly of cable connections." Mr. Colby.
Sec etary of State, also submitted a statement. — Renter's Trade
Service (Washington).

Wireless Time Signals. — Wireless telegraph equipment
is being installed at the Huddersfield tramway offices, to the design
of the son of the tramway manager, with a view to picking up the
Eiffel Tower (Paris) standard time messages. A governor clock
has been fixed, and the tramway clock, which is recognised as the
standard timekeeper in the district, will be checked each day by
the Paris message. The wireless installation is to be made by
members of the tramway staff, and is expected to be completed
next week. Huddersfield is the first English municipality to take
its official time direct from the Eiffel Tower.

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(The date given in parentheset at the end of the paragraph indicatet
the isrue of the Elbotrioal Bevikw in which the " Official
Notice " a/ppeared.')

OPEN.

Australia.— Melbourne.— February 24th. Electricity
Commissioners. Plant for the Morwell power scheme— 25,000-
12,B00-KW. turbo-alternators, 600-KW. turbo alternators, condensing
plant, circulating pumps, transformers, and switchgear, copper
cable, steel transmission towers, &c. (November 2i3th.)

Queensland. — January 2Bth, 1921. P.M.G.'s Department.
Telephone apparatus and parts. Schedule .509. (See this issue.)

Sydney. — January 31st. Municipal Council, h.t. and l.t.
cable (specification No. 628). Electric Lighting Department,
Town Hall, Sydney.

Belgium. — Antwerp. — December IGth. Municipal
Council. Armoured cable terminal and junction boxes, automatic
cut-outs, &c., for use at the Antwerp Dock. The specification in
French is available for loan to British firms on application to the
Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, E.G.

December 14th. Municipal authorities of Ougreo (Province of
Liege). Establishment and equipment of a laboratory for the
standardisation and verification of three-phase electricity meters.

Birmingham, — December 11th. Electricity Supply
Department. Six months' supply of stores, including vulcanised
wire and wiring sundries, carbon brushes, &c. Mr. E. J. Jennings,
Secretary, 14, Dale End.

France. — December 17th. The French State Railway
authorities. The supply and installation of the necessary plant,
at the railway works at BatignoUes, SottevUle, Rennes and
Saintes, for the maintenance of train electric lighting installa-
tions. Particulars from the Service Electrique, f<8. Rue de Rome,
Paris.

Boulogne. — Supply and erection of six electric travelling cranes
for the Nord quay of the Loubet basin. Chambre de Commerce
de Boulogne-sur-Mer.

Leyton. — Tanuary 11th, 1921. Urban District Council.
Electric wiring 142 houses on the Barclay estate. (See this issue.)

Littleborough. — December 20th. Urban District Council
Electricity Department. — High - tension cables, roadwork, ice.
(November 2r,th.)

New Zealand, — Napier. — .January 17th. Borough
Cotmcil. One .500-KW. electric generating set. Copies of the
specifications and blue prints may be eeen at the Department of
Overseas Trade (Mr. Holloway) up to December 1.5th, after which
date they will be available for loan to British firms in the provinces.

Wellington.— January 21 at. Public Works Board. Steel pipes
and fittiigs required for the Lake Coleridge electric power plant
(completion of fourth pipe line). Copies of the specification may
be seen at the Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street,
S.W.I.

February Uth, 1921. Pablio 'Works Tender Board. Steel pipe
lines and fittings for the Mangabao electric power plant. Copiej

of the specification can be seen on application to the Department
of Overseas Trade (Mr. Goad) up to December 20th, after which
date they will be available for loan to firms in the piovin'-es.

Pontypridd. — December Uth. Board of Guardians.
Supply of electrical material. Mr. W. Speckett, Union Offices.

Portrush. — .January Ist, 1921. I'lban District
Council Electricity Department. Gas plant, engines and dynamos,
bojstfer and balancer, switchboard accumulators, overhead and
underground cables. (See this issue.)

Rhodesia. — Salisbury. — January 13th. Municipal
Council. Electric generating plant, switchgear, cable and con-
verters. Specification (£3 3s.) from the Council's Consulting
Engineer, Royal Chambers, Johannesburg.

South Africa — Johanxesbirg. — .January 13th, 1921.
Rand Water Board. Supply and erection of steam boiler, super-
heater, stoker, economisers, &c., steam turbo driven centrifugal
pumps, condenser, &c.. fjr the Swart Kopjes pumping station.
Copies of the specifications, &c , and forms of tender can be seen
on application to the Machinery Section, Department of Overseas
Trade, 35, Old Qu;en Street, S.W.

Southampton. — December 17th. Electricity Department.
Steelwork for extensions to boiler houie and extensions to boiler-
house equipment, exclusive of boilers. (December 3rd.)

St. Helens. — December 11th. Electricity Department.
One double - girder hand - operated overhead travelling crane,
(December 3rd.)

Wallasey. — December 14th. Corporation Gas Depart-
ment.— Four electrically-operated capstans. Mr. J. H. Crowther
Gas Works. Limekiln Lane.

CLOSED.

Aberdeen,— The offer of Mr. A. McKobb of £480 for
wiring of portions of OldmUl. other than the special hospital, has
been accepted.

Birkenhead. — Town Council. Accepted : —

W. T. Henley's Telegr.%ph Works Co., Ltd., high-tension mains, £8,833.
British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., high-tension rotary converting plant,
f 4,660.

Bury, — Town Council. Accepted : —

Extensions at Chamber Hall power station : —
Clarke, Chapman & Co., Ltd. — Boiler.
W. H. Allen, Sons & Co., Ltd.— Condenser.
Babcock & Wilcox— Stoker.
Davidson * Co„tLtd.— Fan.

Dartford. — Urban District Council. Accepted : —

Pirelli's. Ltd.— Cables, 450 yds., f 238 10s., and 470 vds., £203.
Jnhnsnn .t Phillips, Ltd.— 280 yds., i'93.

Dar'wen. — Tramways Committee. Accepted : —

Hanvood. Allanson t*c Co.— Erection of a tram sheHer at the borough
boundary.

Dundee. — Ponspond & McHardy have secured the con-
tract for electric lighting of the Corporation houses (two sections),
their offers being £687 and £7ii4.

Liverpool. — Corporation. Accepted : —

Power Rectifiers, Ltd. — Supply of a mercury vapour rectifier for the
Garston power station.

London. — L.C.C. Highways Committee. — New coal-
conveying plant at Greenwich power station : —

Praser & Chalmers £64,978

Babcock cSk Wilcox 69.803

Do. Alternative 72,655

Do. Do. 76,674

Spencer & Co 84,694

The Committee proposed to accept the lowest tender, viz., that submitted
by Messrs. Fraser & Chalmers, Ltd. but the company were unwilling to enter
into a contract without certain increases for labour and materials. The Com-
mittee accordingly decided to accept the company's tender for Section 3 of the
work (conveyors) only on the basis of the adjustment of price claimed by
them, i.e., £27,765, plus £1,644 increase. Fresh tenders were invited for
Sections 1 and 2, and, as a result, the undermentioned tenders were received : —

Section 1. Section 1.

Two transporters Weighing

and crane. machines.

Armstrongs & Main, Ltd £22,304 .. —

Sir Wm. Arrol A Co., Ltd 30,836 .. £1,040

Mitchell Conveyor & Transporter Co., Ltd. .. 34,695 .. 3,200
Praser A Chalmers, Ltd. .. .. .. 33,650 .. 3,250

Do. Alternative .. .. — .. 2,026

Spencer ,V Co 42,471 ... 3,8.'i0

The lowest tender for Section 1 is not to the Council's specification The
Committee has decided to accept the tender of Sir Wro. Arrol & Co.. L*d.. for
Section 1, and the alternative offer of Fraser & Chfilmers, Ltd., amounting to
£2,025, for Section 2. This will involve the transfer to Section 1 of Sir Wm.
Arrol A Co.'s ter-der of the provision of certain material, estimated at £440,
which was included in Section 2, and will increase the amount of this tender to
£31,276. The tenders the Committee proposes to accept are subject to increase
or decrease in accordance with variations in the cost of labour and material.
The Committee recommends that it be authorised to accept thi- tenders on
this basis.

766

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.s?. No. 2,216, decembeb lo, 1920.

FORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

Pb^slcal Society of London.— Friday, December 10th. At the Imperial
College of Science, South Kensington, 8.W. At 5 p m. Ordinary meeting.

Technical Inspection Association —Friday, December 10th. At the Royal
Bociety of Arts, John street, Adelphi, W.C. At 7 PC p.m. Paper on
" Some Features of Tensile Fractures," by Dr. G. H.Gulliver.

Birmingham Electric Club.— Saturday, December lltb. At the Grand Hotel,
Coimore R jw. At 7 p.m. Annual Geueral Meeting.

Chief Technical Assistants' Association.— Saturday, December 11th. At
Anderton's Hotel. Fleet Street, E.G. At 3 p.m. Paper on ■' Adjudication
of Tcadeis tor Tuibo-Alternators," l)y Mr. J. R. J. Bowden.

Manchester Association of Engineers.— Saturday, December Uth. At the
Memorial Hall, Albert Square. At 7 p m. Papfr on " Radiology applied
to the Testing of Materials," by Mr. A. P. M. Fleming and Mr. J. R.
Clarke.

Institution of Post Office Electrical Eogineers (London Centre'.—

Monday, December lath. At the Roval society of Arts, John Street,
Adelphi, W.C. At 5 SO p.m. Lecture on "The Development of Wireless
Telegraphy," by Mr. E. H. Shaughuessy.

Royal Society of Arts.— Monday, December 13th. At John Street, Adelphi.
At K p.m. Cantor I.ectjre II., " Micro-Organisms and some of their Indus-
trial Uses," by A. Chaston Chapman.

Illuminating Engineering Society. — Tuesdav. December Uth. At the
Kojal Society of Ans, John St., Adelphi, W.C. General meeting.

Institute of Marine Engiaeers.— Tuesday, December 14th. At the Institute,
the Minorics, E. Paper on "LubricUing Arrangements for Internal
Combustion Engines," by Mr. E. G. Warne.

National Association of Supervising Electricians. — Tuesday, Decern.

ber 14ih. At St. Bride's Institute. Biide Line. E C. Paper on " Progress
in Lighting," by Mr. W. E. Bush.

Chemical Society. — Thursday, December 16th. At the Institution of
Me hanical Engiaeers. Storev's Gate, B.W. At 8 p.m. Lecture by Sir R.
Robertson, K.B.E., P.R.S.

Institntion of Electrical Engineers. — Thursday, December 16th. At th
Institution of Civil Engineers, Great George S-.reet, S.W. At 6 p.m
. Discussion of Report on the Heating of Buried Cables.

Friday, December 17[h. At the Institution of Civil Engnee s, Great
George Street. S.W. AiBp.m. S,jecial General Meeting.

Informal Meeting.- Mondav, Dece.uber 13th. At the Institute of
Patent Agents. Staple Inn Buildings, W.C. At 7 p.m. Discussion on
" Percentage and Accuracies, Meter Constants and Standards, and Name-
plates," to be opened by M'. W. J. Minton.

Wireless Section.— Wednesday, December 15th. At the Institution
of Civil liugineers. Great Oeo'ge Street. S.W. At 6 pm. Paper on
"Range of Wireless Stations," by Capt. R. C. Trench, R.E.

Liverpool Sub-Centre.— Monday, December 13th. At the University,
Liverpool. As 7 p.m. Papers on "The Distribution of Electricity," by
Mr. W. B. W, odhouse, and en "Sjme Economic Aspects of e.h.t. Distri-
bution by Ucderground Cables," by Mr. R. O. Kapp.

N'orth-Easlern Centre.- Monday, December 13th. At the Armst'ong
College, Newcaste on-Tyne. At 7.15 p.m. D.scussion of Report on tbe
Heating of Buried Cables, to be opened by Mr. E. B. Wedmore.

North -Midland Centre.— Tuesday, December 14th. At the Hotel
Metropole, Leed^. At 7 p.m. DiscussiDn of Report on the Hea'ios of
Buried Cables.

Scottish Centre.— Tuesday, December 14ih. At 207, Bath Street.
Glasgow. At 7.30 pm. Paper on "The Disiribatijn of Electricity," by
Mr. W. B. Woodhouse.

Scoltlsh Centre 'Students' Section).— Friday, December 10th. At
the Royal Technical College, Glasgow. At 7.30 p.m. Paptr on "Static
Transformers," by Mr. R. Dickson.

South-Midland Centre.— Wednesday, Decembar 15th. At tha Univer-
sity, Birmingham, at 7 p m. Ordinary meeting.

Electrical Trades Becevolent hislitutien.- Wedresday, December 16th.
Annual festival. At the Connaught Rooms. At 7.30 p.m.

Electrical Development Association.- Friday, December 17th. At the
Hotel Cecil, Straud, W.C. At 1.15 p.m. Luncheon.

Institution ol Mechanical Engineers.- Friday, December I'th At the
Institu i m. Storeys Ga e. At 6 p.m. Paper on " Thf ranodynamic l. yc es
in relation to ihe Design and Future Development of Internal-combusiion
Motors," by Mr. W. J. Walker.

Junior lastitntion of Engineers.- Friday, December 17th. At the Roval
United Services Institution. Whinhall, S.W. At 7.30 p.m. Presidential
address, by the Right Hon. Lord Weir of Eastivood, on "Some Rrflections
on our Industrial Situation."

Edinburgh Electrical Society.— Friday, December 17th. At the Philo-
sophical Institute. At 8 p.m. Electrical Questions and A' swers.

NOTES.

New Alloy Secret. — Tests were carried out at Sheffield
recently of a new high-speed cutting product, containing a secret
alloy. Is removed from a test bar over five times th? weight of
material that was cut away by a standard high-speei steel tool
containing a tungsten ingredient. — Duili/ Mail.

Coal-Cutting Machines. — A statement issued bj tlie

Scottish Coal-Cutting Machinemen's Association emphasises the
need for improvements to minimise the risk of accidents and
danger to health in connection with coal-cutting by machinery.

Mr. Glancey, the secretary, reports that in the Lochgelly Seam,
Blairhall Colliery, Fife, a machineman had the alarming experience
of seeing gas ignited by the picks of the coal-cutter on which he
was employed striking the pavement or floor. Had there been a
large volume of gas present an explosion would have occurred.

It is probable, states the report, that the Home Office will fiame
regulations prohibitirg the use of coal-cutters in "gaisy" staras.
This will be a serious blow to Scottish mining, and will certainly
reduce output, as there is hardly a coal mine in Scotland but n hat
has its "gassy" sections. The employment of coal-cutters has
greatly increased during the past few years. In 1911 (5.910,616
tons of coal were cut, in 1919 the tonnage amounlei to 10,379,495,
while for 1920 it is expected that the output will be somewhere in
the region of 15,0u0,0oo.

The Debt of Hononr. — That the obligation of the country
to those who fought for it is being but tardily met is made clear
by the figures recently given in reply to a question in the House of
Commons. Tke Times report states that Sir M. Barlow, Parlia-
mentary Secretary, Ministry of Labour, replying to Mr. MiUs,
said : — "The total number of able-bcdied ex-Service men in Great
Britain registered as unemployed on November 12th, 1920, was
213 479. Including Ireland, the figure was a20,9Jo. The total
number of wholly disabled or partially disabled ex-Service men
registered as unemployed in Great Britain on the same date wjie
15 384. Including Ireland the figure was 18 881. These figures
all relate to men on the ' live ' registers of the employment
exchanges, b it I realise that a margin must be added for men un-
employed but not registered."

The Channel Tnnnel, — The Commission appointed to
consider the question of the development of commercial relations
between Eastern and Western Europe recommends the construction
of a Channel tunnel as soon as possible.

Lectures, — The Institdte of Cost and Wohks

Accou.vTANTS. — The second of a series of lectures, arranged
by this Institu' e, will be given on Wednesday, December 15tb, at
The Hill of the Institute of Chattered Patent Agents, Staple Inn
Buildings, Holborn. W.C, at 7 p.m., by Mr. G. E. M. Johnson, on
" Decimals and their Application to Costing." Admission Ls by
t'oket only, which may be obtained from the Secretary at the
above address.

Northampton Polytechnic Conversazione. — On Friday,

December 3rd, the annual prize distribution and conversaz'one were
held at the Polytechnic, Clerkenwell. The presentation of prizes
and certificates by Dr. Sydney Russell Weils. vice-Chancellor of the
University of London, was preceded and followed by organ recitals
by the Polytechnic organist, Mr. Seymour Dicker. All laboratories,
workshops, &o., were thrown open to visitors, and the students
demonstrated their machines and work to interested groups. Half-
hour " lecturettes " were given by two or three speakers, and
gymnastic and swimming displays by the students and instructors
formed yet another attraction. On Saturday the programme was
continued for the benefit of the students and their friends, and an
aided enjoyment was provided by the Polytechnic orchestra and
choir, who rendered an excellent programme of music. The very
fine organ was again heard, and altogether the function was a
gratifying saccesS.

Electric Tricycles. — J/"/"/" Cf/diiifi states that the Snriss

postal authorities intend to make use, in the near future, of electric
motor-tricycles. These machines wOl be used in Geneva and Berne
in connection with postal work. Apparently -speed and heavy
carrying capacity are not aimed at, for the machines are only fitted
with a smalLbattery of accumulators, and the speed of which they
will be capable is estimated at 15 M P.H.

Mines Department. — The constitution of the new Mines
Department was completed oa December 6th. when the transfer to
the Dapattment of th3 powers and duties of the Home Office in
relation to miaes and quarries became effective. Under the new
organisation the post of Controller of Coal Mines, held by
Mr. A. R. Duncan, will be abolshed. and the duties discharged by
the Secretary for Mines, Mr. W. C. Bridgeman, M P.

A New Bronze. — A new alloy of copper and aluminium
has been invented and tested by the Aktiebolaget Skandinaviska
Armaturfabriken. The name given to the new combination is
"alcobronze" ; it has the colour and luatre of gold, and it is said
to be stronger, tougher and harder than any other bronze. It can
ba wrought, forged or rolled in any way without suffering deterior-
ation, and it resists the influence of the air, acids, and salt water.
Better's Trade Serrice (Stockholm).

Western Electric Co.'s Printing Telegraphs and Tele-
phone Repeaters. — On Monday we had the p'eisure of witnessing
a demonstration of the latest models of the Western Electric Co.'s
multiplex and " start-stop ' printing telegraph systems, as well as
their telephone repeaters for use on long-distance lines. These
apparatus have been brought up to a remarkable pitch of efficiency.
Particulars will appear in a later issue.

The Electrical Development Association's' Luncheon,—

On Friday, December 17th, after the general meeting of the Asso-
ciation, a luncheon will be held at the Hotel Cecil, at 1.15 p.m.
Some influential and interesting visitors are expected, and in view
of the important work already acMmpIishfd by this young but
energetic Association, as well as the vast field of labour which lies
before it in the future, the occasion will rank as a notable one in
the record of the year's activitie?.

The Electrical Trades Benevolent Institution.— Oa

Wednesday next the annual festival takes place at the Connaught
Uoom3. We trust that no rival attraction will be permitted to
prevail over the merits of this admirable Institution, and that tbe
guests will assemble deeply imbued with the spirit of Christmas,
so that a record result may be achieved.

Trade wilh Hungary.— The Bonn! 'if Trade Jourtml

states that partiou'ars regarding commercial travellers have been
supplied by the British Commercial Commissioner at Budapest
with a view to the assistance of business men visiting Hungary.
Tnese particulars may be obtained from the D.O.T., 35, Old Queen
Street, S.W. 1.

Vol. 87. No. 2,246, decembeb 10, 192C.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW,

757

The Severn Barrage. — Elsewhere we give some parti-
oulars of the plant which it is proposed to put down for the utilisa-
tion of the tidal power of the Severn ; they are extremely
interesting', the project being absolutely unique and possessing
lome remarkable features.

The low head available necessitates a low spaed of revolution for
the turbines, though the runners are only 10 ft. in diameter ; more-
over, the speed will vary with the varying head, apparently
precluding the use of alternating current. The generators, there-
fore, are of the D.o type, driven by gearing with a speed ratio of
li to 1, and the E M.F. will be maintained constant by varying the
field. As the pressure will be 525 volts, and the output of each
machine 1.30U KW., the current will be 2,480 amperes, necessitating
large commutators, numerous brushes and heavy copper leads to
the rotary converters. The total output is estimated at 500,000 H P.,
presumably at the turbine shafts, and allowing for loefes in the
dynamos and gearing, the electrical power will be about 336,000 KW,,
go that there will be no fewer than 258 generators and turbines,
allowing for spares, let us eay, 300. This is a figure which com-
pletely swamps the vistas of VVillanssets with which we used to be
famiJiar20 years ago, if it does not, indeed, stagger the imagination.
Whether the machines wQl be marshalled in one long row, or in
serried ranks, we do not know, but in any case, the ground space
covered will necessarily be enormous ; each turbine will occupy at
least 400 sq. ft., so that the minimum space required will be
120,000 sq. ft., or 2f acres.

The dynamos will presumably be mounted at a higher level, on a
floor of equal area. Above them, we believe, will be the rotary
converters ; these are to be of '" large capacity," by which we may
perhaps understand 10,000 KW. each, in which case there will be
40 machines, each taking a direct current of 19,000 amperes. We
leave the commutators and brushes to the imagination of our
reeulers. The leads from dynamo to converter mu^t be at least
20 sq. in. in cross section, or 40 sq in. per set, and even then
they will run hot. No doubt there will be room for the trans- ■
formers on the same flour, and if we neglect such items as
iwitcbgear, which no dciubt will be reduced to i he minimum, the
total fl ror space to be provided in the building wUl be 8} aares, in
three flMrs, which must cary enormous weights. The pressure
being rained to 60,0c 0 volts for transmission, the cross-section of
copper will be correspondingly reduced, and we may estimate that
to carry the three-phase current, ove-h ai cables of an aggregate
cross-section of 9 sq. in. will suffice. The distance to the
pumping station being 10 miles, the total weight of copper in this
oonnection alone will be over 800 tons. The transmission mains
to feeding centres will, of course, be many times as heavy.

At the pumpmg station the sets are of 13.000 KW. each ; a peak
load of 1.000,000 HP. is allowed for— say, 750.000 KW.— so that
there will be motor generators numbericg about 60.

Thus the complete plant comprises : 300 turbines and generators
aggregating 390,000 KW. ; 40 rotary converters and transformers
aggregating 400,00 J KW. ; 60 turbines and generators aggregating
750,OuO KW ; and 60 pumps of, say, 300, OCO KW,, the whole being
practically equivalent to plant aggregating over li million KW.

Truly these are extraordinary figures. They are largely guess-
work, but they are based on the "unofficial " figures, and anyone
who pleases can wotk out others for himself. That so vast an
undertaking necessitates a correspondingly huge plant is not
denied, but we are loath to believe that the use of commutating
dynamos in comparatively small sizes and of rotary converters is
tmavoidable or the bsst solution to the admittedly difficult problem
of generation.

Appointments Vacant. — Two engineering draiiglitsmen

(£15u -f war bonun), one ditto £100 + war bonus, for the Metro-
politan Asylums Bjard (the appointmenis are temporary) ; two
engineering appointments in the Works Department of the
Lnuahborough College ; lecturer in Electrical Engiiifering, for the
Birmingham Muuicipal Technical College; shift engineer (£400
-f 50 per cent ), for the electric power plant at Dares-Salaam ;
assistant electrical engineer, or power station foreman (§450 per
mouth plus 15 per cent,. Straits Settlements currency), for the
Sitgapore Harbour Board ; assistant engineer (i2.i0) for the
Musselburgh Tramways and Electricity Work" ; telegraph inspectojs
(6300 -t- nO per cent.) for the Posts and Telegraph Department,
Taiganyika Territory. See our advertieemant pages to-day.

Setvlce Notes. — The following revision of the minimum

substantive rates of wages for workmen forming part of electrical
generating staffs in dockyards and other naval establishments has
been approved : — Weekly rate for hired men at " B" class stations.
Buperviaors of drivers and dynamo attendants, lis. 6d. to 473. lOd.
Warrant Electrician W. Beavis has been promoted to Commissioned
Electrician from the 1st inat. The following officers of the
Electric Lights Companies of the Lancashire Fortress Royal Engi-
neers (Territorial Force) have been transferred to the Territorial
Reserve of Officers, with the ranks and promotions given : — Capt.
J. W. Shawe and Capt. H. C. Williams, A.M.I.C.E , to be majors ;
Capt. J. D. Russell, Lieut. S. Braseey-Edwards, A,M I C.E , Lieut.
Or. Summers, ,to be captains ; Lieut. L. P. Carter, Lieut. R. G.
Smith, Lieut. H. W. Stafford, to be lieutenants ; Lieut. H. D. St. J.
Lidiard, Lieut. S. W. Newman, and Lieut, A. D. Phillips, from the
Byde Electrical Engineers, to be lieutenants in the Territorial
Reserve of Officers— all from the 27th ult. Lieut, H. S, Peet, from
the London Electrical Engineers, to be liautenant in the Territorial
Raserve of Officers from the 2nd inst.

Educational. — McGjll University Fond. — Including

the grant of J 1,000,000 from the Government of the Province of
Qaebeo, and $1,000,000 from the Rockefeller Foundation, the McGill

University centennial endowment fund has reached the total of
$6,331,000 (approximately £1,580,000).— TAe Times.

ADMiaiLTvELECTBiCALScHOLARSHiPS — Itisoffloiallyannounced
that the regulations governing the award of the Admiralty scholar-
ship in Electrical Eogineering at the Royal Naval College at
Greenwich are under the consideration of the Board. Until further
notice, however a three years' electrical course will be granted to
the successful scholar, but only the boy who obtains the highest
number of marks in three years, instead of two years, as previously,
will be awarded an electrical scholarship. — T/ie Times.

Chrlstiania Developments. — It is now assumed with

tolerable certainty that the Christiania municipal authorities
have abandoned the idea of erecting a new central station
with steam-driven plant in favour of obtaining a further
supply of energy from other sources. This assumption is
based upon the fact that a committee proposal has just been
placed before the Council recommending that the electricity
department should be authorised to enter into contracts to
purchase a supply gradually rising to 20,000 KW. in the course
of a few years. It appears that three schemes are available
for selection. The first is an offer of 22,000 KW. from the
Norsk Hydro Co. at Rjukan, at a price which was formerly
stated to be about 95 kroner per kw. per annum. The opinion
then prevailed that the State should defray the cost of the
transmission line from Rjukan to Kongsberg, and the local
authorities the cost from the latter to C!hristiania ; and 4,(X)0
KW. would be allocated to the district of Buskerud and 2.000
KW. to Drammen. The second scheme would be to obtain
power from the works at the Raanaas Falls, which would be
able to spare .5.000 kw. for Christiania. and the third relates
to the Tysse works, from which an offer of KXI.OOO kw. was
made in 1918 at a price of 90 kr. per kw. In this connection
further proposals have been made to the Christiania autho-
rities by the A,S. Tyssefaldene. the company offering from
10,000 kw. in the first year to .50,000 kw. in the fifth year.
Tlie company states that a financial syndicate in London has
given a binding offer to finance the new works, subject to
the fulfilment of certain conditions.

INSTITUTION NOTES.

Junior Institution of Engineers — The Right Hon. Lord Weir of
Eastwood, P.C. D. L., LL D., wUi deliver his presidential address at
a meeting of the Institution, to be held at the Royal United
Service Institution. Whitehall, on December 1 7th.

At a meeting, last week, of the North-Eastern SBrxTON, at
Newcastle, a p»per was read by Mr. W. N. Waggott on " Modern
Sub-Station Design." The author pointed out the necessity for
cheap electric power, and the bearing which the cost of sub-stations
and sub-station plant had upon the economical distribution of
power, emphasising the necessity for cheap fuel, large units, and
the interconnection of small stations.

Institution o( Electrical Engineers ((Vgstern Centre). — A

meetingwasheldatthe South Wales Institute Cardiff, on Mondaylast,
and was well attended, Thechairmm (Mr. A. J. Newman) announced
that theCouncil's propcsilsin connection with increased subscriptions
had been adopted by a large majority. The large audience gave Mr.
W. B. Woodhoune a rousing reception on his rising to deliver hia
paper on " The Distribution of Electricity." the reading of which
was followed with sustained interest, and was productive of a good
discussion, to which the chairman, and Messrs. A, NichoUa Moore,
J. W. Burr, A Ellis, W, Nairn, W. A. Chamen, and Major David and
Capt. Lindsay contributed.

Technical Inspection Association.— At the first meeting o'. the
session to night, a paper on ' Some Features of Tensile Fractures "
will be read by Dr. G, H. Gulliver.

Glasgow and District Radio Club On November 10th. Mr. E.

Snodgrass gave an interesting lecture on " The Theory and Care of
Accumulators." The lecturer fuUy describe! the construction of
the various types and explained the chemical action On Nov, 24th
Dr. G. E. Allan delivered a lecture on " Sound," with special refer-
ence to analogies in wireless telegraphy.

Institution of Post Office Electrical Engineers.— A general
meeting of the London Centre will take place at the Royal Sosiety
of Arts, at 5.30 p.m. on December 1 3th, when Mr. E. H. Shaugh-
nessy will give a lecture on "The Development of Wireless
Telegraphy."

Paisley Association ol Electrical Engineers. — Under the
auspices of the Association, Mr. W. Blair Smith, the Corporation
electrical engineer, gave an illustrated description of the town's
electrical undertaking to a large audience, on November 30th.

Institution of Civil Engineers,— There has recently been
inaugurated at Birmingham the first Local Centre of the I.C.E. ;
previously only students' meetings were held in the provinces.
Mr. John D. Watson, M.Intt.C.E , F.R.S.I., chief engineer to the
Birmingham Drainage Board, has been elected first president, and
at the inaugural meeting at the University he delivered an interest-
ing address. Why the Institution, which was admittedly the
parent, ever allowed her children, in the persons of the meohanioal,
electrical, mining, and other eng-ineers, to hive off and form separate
units under separate management, he uould not understand, but the
effect had been prejudicial to the profession as a whole. He did
not mean that it was unwise to have separate societies dealing «rith
specialised subjects, but those societies should form parts of one
great whole, and be guided by the salient rules of the governing

758

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [voi.87. No. 2,246, decembeb lo, 1920.

body. In a voting paper issued to members recently, they were
asked if they approved of the Institution obtaining- statutory
powers to prescribe the qualifications and to conduct examinations
for admiseiuii to the piofession of civil engineering ; to keep a
register of civil engineers, and to prevent persons not duly qualif ei
from holding themselves out as members of that profession ;
97 per cent, of the replies were in the afEimative. The time had
came when the profession should be elevated to the status of the
professions of medicine and law.

IlIamlnatiDg Eogineering Society,— The hon. secretary of the
Society will present a report on progress during the vacation, and
there will be some interesting exhibits illustrating new develop-
ments in lamps, lighting appliances, illumination- photometers, etc.,
at a meeting to be held at the Royal Society of Arts, on
December 14th.

Faraday Society. — An ordinary scientific meeting will be held
at Burlington House, Piccadilly, W. 1, on December 13th, when
Dr. A. E. Oxley will present a paper by Prof. E. D. Campbell
(University of Michigan), and open a discussion on " A Force Field
Dissociation Theory of Solution Applied to Some Properties of
Steel." Mr. A. L. Norbury, M.Sc, will read a paper on 'The
Electrical Resistivity of Dilute Metallic Solutions." Mr. W. E.
Hughes, B.A., will read a paper on '' The Forms of Electro-
Deposited Iron and the Effect of Acid upon its Structure — Part 1,
Deposited from the Chloride Bath."

The annual general meeting will be held at 8 pm. before the
ordinary meeting.

The following nominations for officers and Council have been
made : —President, Prof. Alfred W. Porter, F.R.S. ; vice-presidents,
W. R. Cooper, Prof. C. A. Desch, Dr. J. A. Harker, O.B.E , F.R.S.,
Emil Hatschek, Prof. T. M. Lowry, C.B.E., F.R.S., Dr. E. H. Rajner,
Dr. G. Senter ; treasurer, Robert L. Mond, F.R.S E. ; Counci). Dr.
A. A. Allmand. Dr. H. Borns, Prof. W. C. McO. Lewis, Harold
Moore, O.B.E, Prof. J. R. Partington, C. C. Paterson, Prof. A. 0.
Rankine, Sir Robert Robertson, F.R.S., Sir T. Kirke Rose, Dr. W.
Rosenhain.

The Royal Society. — At the meetirg on November 18th, papers
were read by Prof. 0. W. Richardson on " The Emission of Electrons
Under the Influence of Chemical Action," and by Dr. A. E. Oxley
on " Magnetism and Atomic Structure."

Chelmsford Engineering Society.— On December 2nd, Mr. G.
Bass lead a long and interesting paper on Diesel engines Mr.
C. W. Cooper presiding. The paper detailed the history of Diesels
from the experimental engine of Dr. Rudolf Diesel, produced in
1893, up to the highly-efiicient engine of the present day. The
diEoussion following was adjourned to December 16th.

iiiiinager of the Pontypool Electric Light & Power Co., Ponty.
)"«il. Mod., and has accepted the ixisition of ouLside repre-
.■-(•ntative with the Commercial Electrical Supplies Co., 8,
Wostgate Street, Cardiff.

Mr. S. Douglas Cox, who since the inception of the com-
|iany some seven years ago. has been chief electrical engineer
iif the Dubilier Condenser Co., Ltd., makers of hit;h-tension
condensers, has now .severed his connection with thi.s company.
.\11 communications in future should be addressed to him at
his London office, '^2, Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, W.C. 2.

Obituary. — Sir \V. df, W. .^bney. — The death occurred at
Folkestone, on December ind, in his 78th year, of Sir William
de W. Abney, F.R.S., a pioneer worker in the field of photo-
^•raphic science, and adviser to the science department of the
Board of Education since 1903. Sir William was also presi-
dent of the Phy.sical Society, 189-5-97; chairman of the Royal
Society of Arts, 1903 to 190-5 ; and Was elected a vice-president
of the Royal Institution in 190.5.

Flight-Officer C. 0. RiGnnx.— Plight-Officer Cecil Osborne
Rigden, who was killed in Egypt whilst flying a mail
aeroplane on November 29111. was, when called up for service
in August, 1915, an articled pupil with Messrs. Martin's.
electricians, of Dover. He obtained a commission in the Royal
Flying Corps.

Mr. M. L. Vealey. — The death has occurred, suddenly, at
the age of 63 years, of Mr. M. L. Vealey, who for 20 years
carried on the electrical engineering business at Much Hadham
(Herts.), now conducted by his .son. Mr. H. L. Vealey.

Mr. Francis Inge. — The death of Mr. Francis Tnce occurred
on the 30th ult. at .Jarvis Brook. Sussex. Mr. Ince was well
known in city circles as a legal authority on shipping and com-
mercial matters, and was for many years the senior partner in
the firm of Ince, Colt & Co. He was also well known in matters
connected with electric bghting and power, having lieen asso-
ciated for many years with the late Earl of Crawford and
Balcarres, the late Lord Wantage, and others. He was also
i-hainnan of the Electrical Standardising, Testing and Training
Institution at Faraday Houte.

Wills. — The late Sir William Mather, ibairman of Mather
and Piatt, left £405.840. net nersonalty f.394.896.

Mr. .1. Wf.iu, father of Lord Weir, and member of the firm
of .1. & G. Weir, engineers, left estate valued at fr,84,.596.

Mr. R. S. Bain, late manaeing director of the London Elec-
tric Supply Corporation, Ltd., left ,£70.624. net personalty
£66,831.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

The Editors invite tUotrioal enginetri, wKtthtr oonmcttd with the
teohnioal or the commercial side of the profession and industry,
also electric tramway aiid railway otficials, to keep readers of the
EiBOTBICAIi Review posted as to their iwicements.

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED.

Tunbridge Wells T.C. has increased the war bonus paid to
the electrical engineer from 10 per cent, of his salary to 20 per
cent, as from October 1st last.

St, Helens T.C. has increased the. salary of the electrical
engineer from £600 to £800 a year; and that of the tramways
manager from £.575 to £050, as from October 1st last.

Mr, J, W, Collin has been' appointeil chairman of the
Birkenhead Electricity Committee in succession to Mr. D, J,
Clarke, and Mr. W. H. Egan. deputy chairman.

Mr, .J, R, Taylor, a well-known employe of the Liverposjl
Corporation, was last evening, November 23rd, presented with
a case of cutlery by his colleagues and friends, on the occasion
of his marriage with Mi.ss Stirland, of Gateacre. Mr, Dickin-
son chief engineer, made the presentation, and speeches were
made by Messrs, Collins, Douglas, and several other members
of the staff.

The secretary of the Department of Seientffic and Industrial
Research announces that Sir .John P. C, Snell has been
appointed to be a member of the Advisory Council to the
Committee of the Privy Council for Scientific and Industrial
Research,

Dr, Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, was
presented with the freedom of the city of Edinburgh on
Tuesday last week.

Kirkcaldy Corporation has increased the salary of the tram-
ways manager and electrical engineer from £575 to £675,

Darlington Corporation has adopted a resolution of the
Electricity Committee to incre.'ise the salary of the borough
electrical engineer, Mr. LONN, by granting him a commission
on the reduction in working costs per unit sold, below the
average of the 40 lowest municipal undertakings.

Mr, N, C, Rowan. A.M,I,E,E.. resident engineer of the
Power .-itation of the River Plate Electricity Co.. Ltd., La
Plata. Argentine Republic, sailed on November 22nd for
England on .six niniiths' leave. He will be plea.sed to hear
from any of his old colleagues at Bradford. Sheffield, or Mid-
dlesbrough, His address will be 91, St. Andrew's Road S,,
St. Annes-on-Sea, Lancashire.

Mr. F, Rice has resigned his appointment as engineer and

Halstead Electric Supply Co., Ltd. (171,527),— Regis-
tered November 19th. Capital, £121000 !n £1 sh.-ires. To carry on at Hal-
stead and elsewhere in Essex the business of an electric supply company, to
establish stations and works for the generation and supplv of light, heat and
motive power; and to adopt agreements (1) with C. C. Pudney, of Bury St.
Edmunds, for the transfer of all his interest in an agreement between him-
•self anJ the Halstead Urh.-in District Council, an.l (2)' with Crompton & Co.,
Ltd., of London and Ch. Inistord, for the construction of the necessary works.
Minimum cash subscription. £8.000. The first directors are : R. E. Minter.
Market Hill, Halstead. Essex; S. Moger. North Street. Halstead. Essex: C.
C. Pudnev. Guildhall Street. Halstead, Essex; H. H. Portuav. I. P.. Bois
Hall, Halstead. Secretary : R. Sargent. Solicitor : G. S. Morton, Halstead.

Kenneth H. Kerr, Ltd. HI, 50.5). — Private company. Re-
gistered in Edinburgh November 23rd. Capital. £3,000 in £1 shares. To
carry on the business of electrical engineers, manufacturers of electrical appli-
ances, iron founders, mechanical engineers, manufacturers of agricultural im-
plements and other m.nchinerv. &c. The first directors are:"K, H, Kerr,
■' Beeehmont." Barr Hill. Dalbeattie, Kircudhrightshire; \Vm, Kerr, " Beech-
mont," Barr Hill. D.ilbrallie. Kircudhrightshire; J. G. Abbott. 31. Vaughan
Road, Wallasev. Cheshir.-. Solicitors : J. \V. Whilelaw and Edgar, Roval Bank
RuilJings, Dumfries,

Francis Law, Ltd. n71.706). — Private company. Regis-
tered November 29th. Capital, £1.000 in £1 shares. To carry on the business
of electrical engineers, dealers in electrical goods, motors, motor accessories,
kinematograph appliances, &-c. The permanent directors are : F. H. R, Law
(chairman and managing director). 18. Grove Gardens. Leeds; A. English,
7, .-Vvresome .Avenue, Levis. Registered office : Tower Buildings, Cowpasture
Rn:,d. Ilklev.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Watford Electric and Manufacturiag Co., Ltd. — Mortgage

d.(led November 16th, 1920. to secure £.5,«I0. rhargeil on certain land and
buildings in Watford. Holder: ]. S, r>arton, 8. .South Parade, Pensarn. Aber- .
gele. North Wales.

Halifax and Bermudas Cable Co., Ltd. (28,972) .—Return

doited September 30lh, 1D20. Capital, £30,000 in £3 shares; all shares taken
up; £50,000 considered .is paid; mortgages and charges, nil.

Traction Development. Ltd. — Satisfaction in full on July

■J[hI, 1920, of del.cniure dale<i .Novombur Ulth, 1918. securing £2,000.

Watford Electric and Manufacturing Co.. Ltd. — Satisfar-

ilon in full on November 15lh, 1920, of mortgage dated October 2nd, 1918,
securing £3,400 and further adv.inces and int.rest.

R. Cranmer Brown, Ltd. — Mortgage dated November

14th, 1920, to secure all moneys due or to become due from companv to
l.ondon Joint Citv and Midland Bank, Ltd,, charged on a warehouse in Wei-
lington Street, Hull.

Toi. 87. No. 2,246, DECEMBER 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

759

Bombay Electric Supply and Tramways Co., Ltd. (in

liquidation). — Trust deed dated November 12lh, 1920, supplemental to trust
deed dated November 7th, 1905, securing all moneys owing for the time being
on the security of the said trust deed charged on £533,000 deposited in the
Tata Industrial Bank, Ltd. Trustees : Electrical and Industrial Investment
Co., Ltd., 88, Kingsway, W.C, and Sir Edward C. K. Ollivant, K.C.I. E., 2,
Westbourne Crescent, Lancaster Gate, \V. .■Mso trust deed of even date,
supplemental to trust deed dated May 13th, 1909, to secure all moneys due
owing for the time being on the security of the said trust deed charged on
£134.300 deposited with Messrs. Glyn, Mills, Currie & Co. Trustees : Elec-
trical and General Investment Co.. Ltd., 1 and 2, Great Winchester Street, E.C.

Foster & Pullen, Ltd. — Satisfaction in full on November

18th, 1920, of first mortgage debenture dated May 8th, 1915. securing £500,
notified. Urst mortgage debenture, dated November 18th, 1920, to secure
£500, charged on the company's undertaking and property, present and future,
including uncalled capital, also registered. Holder : G. Grange, 35, Under-
cliUe Lane, Bradford.

Ernest F. Moy, Ltd.— Particulars of ^£6,000 debentures

authorised by resolutions of .August 26th and November 19th, 1920; whole
amount issued; charged on the company's undertaking and property, present
and future, including uncalled capital.

Laminated Gears, Ltd. — Issue on November 23rd, 1920, of

£600 debentures, part of a series.

Sutton-in'Ashfield Motor and Electrical Engineering Co.,
Ltd. — Second mortgage and charge on certain land and pre-
mises in Sutton-in-.Ashfield, and the company's undertaking and property,
present and future, including uncalled capital (subject to prior debenture) dated
November 13th, 1920, to secure fU.OOO. Holder : B. Walton, senr., Sioney
Street, Sutton-in-.'\shfield, Notts.

R. Darbyshire, Ltd. — Mortgage dated November 13th,

1920, to secure all moneys due or to become due from company to Lancashire
and Yorkshire Bank, Ltd., charged on 10. Upper Talbot Street, Blackpool.

C. A. Vandervell & Co., Ltd. — Satisfaction in full on No-
vember 21st, 1919, of eight mortgages dated December 31st, 1918, securing all
moneys then due or to become due from company to bankers (notified Novem-
ber 29th, 1930).

CITY N0TE5.

Reveuue for 1919, £4,059,U6'2, ordinary
Eastern Tele- expenses ;61,1'2:3,5.51, expenditure relating to
grapll Co., Ltd. maintenance of cables, tliffereuce in exchange
income and war taxes payable abroad, con-
tribution to pension and superannuation funds, depreciation of
investments, payments to staff, and other war expenses,
il,083,6'27. Balance, £1,851,883. Income tax and excess profits
duty, debenture interest and preference dividends absorb
£580,326, leaving £1,271,557, plus £44,524 brought forward.
£500,000 has been placed to general reserve. Three dividends
of li per cent, each and a final dividend of 55 per cent, have
been paid on the ordinary stock, making 10 per cent., free of
tax. £416,082 remains to be carried forward. The general
reserve fund has been charged with £573,264 in respect of the
new Porthcurnow-Gibraltar (No. 4) cable, partial renewal i_if
main line cables and other special expenditure, and witli
£200,000 as a further provision on account of investment
fluctuation, the result being a net reduction of the fund for the
year of £'273,'264. Of the issue of 1,000,000 new ordinary
shares of £1 each offered to the ordinary stock holders at par,
933,1'21 shares were taken up by them ; the staff of the com-
pany was given the option of applying for the balance of
66,879 shares, and applications were received from them for
over three times the number of shares available.. Meeting,
December 15 th.

Western Telegrapli Co., Ltd.— The report to June 30th,

1919, states that the revenue was £2,683,076 and the working
expenses £939,9:3:3. After providing £32,747 for debenture
stock interest and £687,992 for income tax, excess profits duty,
and corporation tax, £1,022,403 remains, plus £37,803 brought
forward. £450,000 has been placed to the general reserve,
£145,000 to provision on account of investment fluctuations.
£50,000 to maintenance ships' reserve fund, and £50,000 to
land and buildings depreciation fund. Expenses of issue of
new capital and interest on instalments paid on account of
new issues amounted to £7.866. One dividend of IJ per cent.,
two dividends of 2i per cent., and a final dividend of 3J per
cent, have been paid, making 10 per cent., free of tax. Carried
forward £149,409. The capital of the companv has been in-
creased from £2,-500,000 to £3,.500,(TOO by the creation of 100.000
shares of £10 each, in accordance with the terms agreed to
by the shareholders.

First quarterly interim dividend of 5s. per .share, free of
income tax. for the year ending .June 30th, 1921, being at the
rate of 10 per cent, per annum.

Yorlisliire (West Riding) Electric Tramwavs Co., Ltd.—

Final dividend of 3 per cent., less tax. <in the cumulative
preference shares for half-year ending December 3lBt, 1920.

Cape Electric Tramways. Ltd.— Dividend of 5 per rent.,
less tax, payable on December 31st.

Castner-Kellner Alkali Co., Ltd.— Final dividend of 12 per
cent., making 22 per cent, for the year ended September 30tb.

New Issues. — Hadfields, Ltd.— According to the financial
Press, £800,000 of the recent issue of £1,000,000 7i per cent,
first mortgage debenture bonds was applied for by the pubhc.
and the B.S.T. has offered to reUeve the underwriters of their
liabihty for the balance ut the issue price, less underwriting
commission on the amount taken over.

Drake tf Gorham, Ltd., are issuing at par £50,000 10 per cent,
seven-year notes repayable on December 1st, 19'27. The notes
will be registered notes, and will be issued m denominations
of £5, £25, £100, £.500, £1,000. The company has no debenture
debt outstanding, but has a loan of £12,000 on the basis of its
head office and adjacent premises. The company undertakes
that so long as any of the notes are outstanding no debentm'es
or charges on any of its assets (other than the mortgage for the
loan mentioned above) will, without the sanction in writing
of a majority in value of the noteholders, be created except to
secure bankers' overdrafts in the ordinary course of business.
The directors and their friends, together with the staff and
employes, have agreed to take £20,000 of the above issue. The
funds provided by the present issue are required in order to
place the company in a position to take full advantage of the
pr.^seut expansion of its general trade, and to handle agencies
which have been taken up, or are on offer, for commercial
electric vehicles, generating sets, i:c. The lists close Decem-
ber 16 th.

I'. & ir. Madellixn. — .According to the Financial Times, the
recent issue of 60,000 ordinary shares of £1 each has been
over-subscribed.

Eastern E.xtension, .\ustralasia & China Telegraph Co.,

Ltd. — Revenue for the year 1919 .£2,446,865, ordinary
expenses £605,990, maintenance of cable and special ex-
penditure £3.55,790. Balance £1,485,044. Income tax and
excess profits. duty absorbed £413,865, and interest on the
mortgage debenture stock £30,096, leaving a balance of
£1,041, 1-23, plus £41,347 brought foi'ward. £:35O,00O has
been placed to general reserve, £200,00*J towards invest-
ment fluctuations, making the total provision against depre-
ciation £450,000. Three dividends of li per cent., and a final
dividend of 5i per cent, have been paid, amounting to
£300,000, making a total of 10 per cent., free of tax. The
above appropriations absorbed £8;50,O0O, leaving a balance
of £'232,440 to be carried forward. During the year, in
aixordance with authority, an issue of 10(),00O new shares
was offered to the shareholders at par and taken up by them
to the extent of 90,6-29 shares, leaving a balance of 9,371
shares, of which 2,165 represent the fractional shares still
to be disposed of by the directors for the benefit of those
shareholders entitled thereto. The remaining balance of 7,'206
shares was allotted to the staffs of the Eastern Extension and
Eiistern Telegraph Co.'s at par. Meeting December 14th.

Ferranti, Ltd. — The net profit on trading for the year
to -June 30tb, 1919, was £18,251, after charging interest on
debenture stock, notes and loans, and making the usual
allocation to depreciation reserve and provision for taxation,
including excess profits duty. The net profit for the year to
June 30th, 19'20, after making similar provisions, was £36,622.
Leasehold land and buildings, plant and machinery were
valued in .'^pril, 1919, and the figures have been adopted as
book value of these assets. In consequence £50.000 has been
transferred from depreciation reserve to general reserve, in-
ciea.-.ig the latter to £72,000. The works are now fuUy
engaged upon the manufacture of electrical meters, instru-
ments, and transformers. A dividend of 6 per cent., less tax,
on preference shares on account of arrears was paid November
•25th, 1919; a further dividend is recommended of 12 per cent.,
less tax,, being two years' arrears. Annual meeting in Lon-
don to-day, December 10th.

British Mannesmann Tube Co. — The directors of Bald-
wins and the British Mannesmann Tube Co. respectively have
entered into a provisional agreement for the purpose of
effecting a fusion of interests on the basis of an exchange of
.shares. Shareholders of the British Mannesmann Tube Co.
will be invited to exchange their £1 ordinary shares for shares
of Baldwins in the ratio of two British Mannesmann Tube
shares for one Baldwins ordinary and lis. in Baldwins 5 per
cent, cumulative " B " preference shares, tax free, up to 66.
British Mannesmann Tube shareholders will receive the final
dividend on British Mannesmann Tube shares up to June
30th, 19'20, the new shares of both classes of Baldwins to be
issued in exchange to rank for dividend as from July let,
1920.

Companies to be Struck oM. — The following are to be
struck off the Register within three months unless cause is
shown to the contrary: —

British Radium Corporation, Ltd.

Electric Wiring and Fittings Co., Ltd.

Radiumlamp. Ltd.

Burmah Electric Tramways & Lighting Co.. Ltd. — Divi-
dend of 14 per cent., less tax. on preference shares for the
period ended November 30th, 1913. £15,aX) is placed to
reserve and depreciation. £.500 to special reserve for deprecia-
tion of investments, and £388 is carried forward.

Fuller's United Electric Works. Ltd. — Owing to industrial
depression the directors have considered it advisable to defer
payment of interim dividend on preference shares. — Financier.

760

THE ELECTRICAIi REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,216. December lu, 1920.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

TL'ESO.II EVENl.NU.

Stock Exchange markets have got into smoother wafers. The
financial dilficultiea encountered by certain well-knuwn houses
are said to have been arranged witlunit open admission of
failure. The storm of selling in various parts of the Stock
Exchange has blown itself out for the time being, and markets
have become slightly more placid. This is not to say that
any particular recovery in prices has occurred, but merely that
the general sentiment is less nervous and apprehensive.
Financial prophets are doing their best to make the blood
curdle at the prospect of what nest April's Budget will unfold,
but the Stock Exchange is tired of sensations, and quiet
markets will be the order of the day until the New Year has
turned.

Criticism continues to attack the scheme for the Severn
barrage, more particularly on the financial side, the difficulty
of raising money in these present days being regarded as a
barrier almost insurmountable by the practical company pro-
moter. At the same time, the scheme is sufficiently alive to
render its absence from the immediate scene a matter of tem-
porary postponement, and it will probably be revived in con-
crete form later on. Meanwhile, the two .\mericas are keenly
interested in an ambitious scheme formulated in I'espect of a
hydro-electric company which it is proposed shall start in
Brazil. An electric smelting plant and steel mill is to be built
in the Province of San Paulo, and another enormous power
scheme is projected in BoUvia. The idea apparently is to
enable South America to deal witli its mining industries on a
much more extensive scale than is being done now, and
United States financiers have the matter in hand.

The electricity supply market is unaffected by the sugges-
tions of the Committee for Official Electricity Control. London
Electrics are fiat at 15s. Shares changed hands at this price
early in the week. St. James's are i down at 6i, getting a
Uttle nearer to the stage at which they will pay 10 per cent,
on the money. As a shaie that is likely to improve in value,
Anglo-Argentine Tramways 5§ per cent. 1st preference make a
reasonable selection to put amongst other investments, of this
kind. At 3, the return is over 9g per cent, on the money, with
dividends due in January and July, and the company is doing
sufficiently well to make the shares worth classing as a sound
investment. The company's 5 per cent, debenture stock can be
bought, however, at about 57, offering a return of £S 12s. i^er
cent, on the money, so that those who are attracted by the
way in which the company is going ahead may reasonably
prefer to .sacrifice 10s. per cent, in the yield in order to get
the better security which the debenture stock offers. The
5J per cent, second preference stand at a tritle above the price
of the firsts, the reason being that they carry five years'
dividend in the present price, and being cumulative, they stand
to receive the arrears sooner or later. But, of course, they are
paying nothing at present. There is some talk in the Stock
Exchange of the Americans endeavouring to make a market
once more in London in their raikoad and utihty shares. At
present the possibility of such a thing is barred by the rate of
exchange. If any means could be found whereby the exchange
were reducible to a more normal level, it is practically certain
that a good many American issues would find their way here.
The United States has its labour and financial troubles as well
as this country, but the United States is 3.Ch)0 miles off, it has
command of the greater part of the gold vshich before the
war was held in Europe, and it is undeniable that distance
does lend enchantment to the view in such mundane affairs as
those of finance.

British Columbia Electric stocks are not quite so good as thev
were. Mexico Tramways Sixes are lower at 31J, other
Mexicans also remaining in the doldrums. There is no fresh
news from the country, and the long periods of waiting be-
tween the scraps of intelligence which are vouchsafed (usually
via Washington) tend to discourage holders of Mexican securi-
ties. Brazilian Ti-actions fell to 39 and ralUed to 41.

Underground Electric Income Bonds have recovered the 3
points which they lost last week, and are now up to 66i. Six
months ago the company declared a dividend of one per cent.,
and the dividend for the previous six months was 3 per cent!
It is .Slid in the market that this result should be improved
upon m re.spect of the current six months, and little buving is
requu-od to move the price eharplv. Tlie £10 shares are -2^
»nd the shillmg shares remain at 5s. 6d. No further changes
have taken place m the Underground stocks. National Omni-
bus shares at lOs. are 1/16 lower.

Globe Ordinary and Eastern Extensions have risen to 154
.^nglo^Amencan deferred is lower at 15!, showinc a drop of
lOs, The cable group otherwise ia quiet and uninteresting
Marcoms rallied sharply after their- previous drop, the price
touching 2 H/lfi (before reverting to 2 9/lfi) on the arrival of
Mr. Godfrey Isaacs from the United States, and his statement

that important anaugements have been entered into which
should benefit the company He spoke cheerfully of the way
iji which wireless is gom^ ahead in America, and this will be
ronsolatory to holders of the old American Marconi shares,
now Radio Corporations, Having regard to the extraordinary
delay which has arisen in connection with starting a market in
liadio shares, the hope i.s expressed that Mr. Godfrey l8aa<»,
while in the States, found time to arrange the mechanical
ilifficulties which have barred the granting permission, by the
Ijiudon Stock Exchange Committee to deal in the new Badio
shares. The latter have been in cold storage, from the point of
view of the holder, for some months or so, and many pro-
prietors have grown restive at their inability either to sell or
to add to their holdings.

.\mongst the manufacturing sliares. General Electrics are a
little lower again at 24s. 4d.. and Siemens eased off to 21s. 3d.
The new shares are 20s. 3d., or Is. 9d. below the price at
which they were issued. Edisons keep dull at 15s., and Elec-
tric Constructions at 10s. Od., nor is there any recovery from
the fall which took place last week in Metropolitan-VickerB
preference. Urban ordinary have dropped to 2s, 6d, and the
preference to 17s. 6d. .Ml the talk that there is at the present
time of Excess Profits Duty being abolisheJ, next Spring,, fails
to galvanise interest or even hopefulness in regard to indus-
trials at the present time, because it is assumed that some
substitute will have to be found for E.P.D.. while the growing
unemployment throughout the country teUs its tale of the pro-
cess of deflation which presses heavily upon the resiliency of
commerce, not only in this country, but also in .America.
,\rmaraent shares are quiet. The Enghsh Electric Notes ^e
expected to be left in the hands of underwriters to the tone of
about 70 per cent., and a discount on the issue price is re-
garded as a foregone conclusion. The rubber market is a little
better in spite of the continued heaviness of the raw material.

SHARE LIST OF ELECTRICAL COMPANIES.

Home Electricity Cohpanies.

Dividend Price

y ■ V Dec. 7, Yield

1918. 1919. 1920. Rise or fall. p.c.

Brompton Ordinary . . •• .. 8 12 6 — £10 0 0

Charing Cros3 Ordinary .... 4 7 8} — 10 16 8

do. do. do. iJPref. ,. 4J 4* 3| — 8 3 8

Chelsea 8 4' 8i — 6 8 0

City of London 8 10 U — 8 1110

do. <<o. 6 per cent. Pref. .. 6 6 17/6 — 617 2

Connty of London 7 8 74 — 10 13 4

do. do. fi per cent. Pref. 6 6 Bt — 7 7 8

Kensington Ordinary ....6 7 8? — 906

London Electric Nil 2* s —J 10 0 «

do. do. 6 per cent. Pref. .6 6 2| — | 10 18 2

Metropolitan 6 6 Sf — 10 8 8

do. 4J per cent. Pref, ., 4* 4i SiJ — 8 0 0

St. Jamais* and PaU Mall .. .. 10 12 «| — } 9 12 0

South London 5 6 a| — 9130

South Metropolitan Pref 7 7 16'8 — 8 12 8

Westminster Ordinary .... 8 10 4? — 10 13 1

Telegraphs andiTelkphonks.

AngloAm. Tel, Piel 6 6 76ii — 7 16 10

do. Del 3316 li 153 — i, 9 10 6

Chile Telephone 8 6 5« — ' 'S B 1

Cuba Sab. Qrd 7 7 7 — *W 0 0

Eastern Extension 8 10 1(J + i •)) IS 4

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 UH — 'S 11 4

Globe Tel, and T, Ord 8 10 ISi —% 'B 12 4

do, do, Prei 6 6 fS — 8 17 9

Great Northern Tel 22 22 90} — 10 14 8

Indo-Bnropean 13 10 BO — n • g

Marconi 26 25 Q,':- + ^^^ 9 16

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 li ^ — '4 18 4

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 6 — •« 18 4

West India and Panama .... 1/3 Nil a — NQ

Western Telegraph 8 10 IBg — -6 12 4

HoMK Rails.

Central Iiondon Ord, Aasenled ..4 4 48) — 9 4 0

Metropjlilan 11} 20 — 6 6 0

do. District .. .. Nil Nil I7i — MU

Underground Electiio Ordinary.. Nil Nil 9} — i NU

do. do. "A" .. Nil NU 6/6 - HD

do. do. Income ..5 4 66i -fSJ —
FoREiaN Tbahs, &o,

Anglo-Arc. Trams, First Pref. .. Nil B,^ 8 — 9 8 4

do. do. SndPrel, .. Nil Nil P^ — NU

00. do. 6 Deb. .. 6 5 66jxd — 8 17 0

Brazil Tractions Nil Nil 41 - 1 Nil

British Columbia Elec. Ely. Pfce. 6 S (R -1 8 IJ )

do, do. Preferred 2t 5 S6i —1 •6 4 0

do, do. Deferred Nil 3 661 -1 '6 4 0

do. do. DeV>. . . 4i 4^ re} — 7 10 6

Mexico Trams 5 percent. Bonds . Nil Nil 42 — Nil

do. 6 per cent. Bonds . Nil Nil 81) —1 HU ■

Mexican Light Common .. .. Nil Nil 16 — MU

do. Pref Nil Nil S6J — Nil

do. 1st Bonds.. .. Nil N'il (6j — Nil

MANUFACTURINa COMPANIES.

Bal>-'ock ,>. Wilcox 16 15 9} — "6 18 4

Bridsb Alnmlnlum Ord 10 10 18/- — U 10 9

British Insulated Ord 12S 16 Ig — 9 4 8

Callenders 25' 15 Ijxd — 10 0 0

„ 6JPref 61 l^S 18/9 — 6 18 8

Castner-Kellner 20' 17" 8 — 6 18 4

Crompton Ord 10 10 17/6 — 11 9 6

Kdjson-Swan .. 10 10 16/ — 13 6 8

do, do. 6 per cent. Deb, .,6 5 14) — S 14 9

Electric Construction .. .. 10 10 16/6xd — U 8 6

Gen. Elec. Pref ^ 6) 18/. — 7 4 6

do, Ord 10 10 lA —^•840

Uenley 25 16 1| — 9 4 t

do, 4) Pref 4) 4) 9| — ' 1 * i

India-Rubber 10 10 lA — ^S 8 0 °

Met.-Vickers Pr«l — 8 1}1 — 8 16 8

Siemens Ord 10 . 10 1^, — \ •« 8 9

Telegraph Coii, . . 90 tO 91 — •( 14 8
' Dividends paid Ireo ol Income Tax,

Vol. 87. No. 2,246, decembee 10, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

761

BRADFORD CORPORATION'S DOUBLE-DECK RAILLESS CAR.

A Novel Vehicle Capable of Running on Tramway or Railless Routes.

In February last Mr. K. H. Wilkinson, general man-
ager of Bradford Corporation tramways, submitted to
tlie City Tramway Committee a design for a railless car
with an enclosed top deck. Subsequently application
was made to the Ministry of Transport for permission
to use a vehicle constructed in accordance with his de-

Sections and Plan of the Cah.

sign, and this was granted. The first car of the new
type was recently completed at the Corporation's Thorn-
bury works, and on November 3rd it underwent its trials
very successfully.

The car, figs. 1 and 2, provides
seating accommodation for 51 pas-
sengers, 26 being accommodated on
the upper deck. It is driven by one
4.")-H.P. standard tramway motor
Diounted on the chassis frame and
driving the back axle through a
chain. Without load the car's
weight is about seven tons ; the
extreme width of the car is
7 ft. 10 in., and its wheel base 13 ft.
Tlie sides taper toward the roof,
which not only gives a good effect,
but avoids the danger of collision
when a sharp curve in the road
would cause a wider roof to over-
hang. Rubber-tired wheels and
well-sprung seats are provided, and
the height of the car from the
ground to the top of the trolley base
is 16 ft. 5f in.

While intended primarily for rail-
less routes, the car can be run from
the ordinary tramway trolley wires
along the tramway track. When this
is done one of the two trolleys
usually required for the railless sys-
tem is fastened down, and the energy is collected by one
trolley, contact with the permanent way being effected
by fixing an iron shoe to the front of the car. The shoe,
the patent rights of which are held by Mr. W. Cross,

chief electrical engineer to the Rotherham Corporation,
fits the groove oi the rail and is connected by a short rod
to the steering axle of the car ; it thus serves to steer the
car automatically and to provide the necessary earth
contact.

Mr. Wilkinson informs us that in Bradford the work-
ing costs of single-deck railless cars are higher than they
should be on account of the
lightness of the car's structure
consequent upon the weight re-
striction imposed ; neverthe-
less they are approximately
id. per mile less than those of
the tramcars. With the new
double-deck vehicle, which is
the first of its kind to be used
in this country, the working
costs will be increased, and will
become more nearly equal to
those of the tramcar, but on
the other hand, the capital
expenses are very considerably
less than obtains in the case of
a tramcar, on account of the
fact that rails are not required
for the new type of vehicle ; it
might be pointed out that the
Cross sstt.on. (.Qgt of ORB mile of douWe line

tramway track to-day would be at least £40,000. Mr.
Wilkinson stated in June last that the railless vehicle
would be the more economical up to approximately a
five minutes' service on a single, and a three minutes'
service on a double line tramway. Having constructed
a double-deck covered top vehicle and actually got it
into service, he is inclined to the opinion that it will
prove itself to be the most economical form of traction
vehicle for town service, under present conditions.

The capabilities of the present type of tramcar are
limited on account of the narrow roads and the conse-
(|uent delay caused by vehicular traffic : it cannot, there-
fore, be used to the best advantage. It is like using an
ocean liner for river traffic. Given a certain minimum
amount of traffic and an uninterrupted road to run
upon, the tramcar would be able to prove itself the most

Fic. 2. — Bradford's Double-deck Railless Car.

economical vehicle on account of the high speeds it can
attain. Stopping places, however, would require to be
on the average not less than three-quarters of a mile
apart, and short-distancs traffic would have to be

762

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,246, December lO, 1920.

catered for by bome other type of vehicle. Before this
could be done, however, a great increase in the width of
the roadway would be necessary to provide ample room
for other vehicular traffic.

Satisfactory as the new vehicle undoubtedly is, the
designer can already see his way to introduce important
improvements, which it is hoped to embody in the near
future.

The new type of vehicle is not a competitor of the
motor omnibus, the latter being the more economical
where a service of about an hour or longer period is
required. On all clear defined routes, however, where a
closer service than one hour is necessary, the railless
vehicle is the more economical, and its mechanism is
much simpler.

Mr. Wilkinson points out that besides the relative
economy of the railless cars, they possess certain advan-
tages over tramways. One breaking down does not
interfere with, or cause any delay to, other vehicles in
service ; they can draw up closer to the sidewalk for
loading and unloading; they make considerably less
noise than a tramcar, and offer greater facilities for
inter-running arrangements.

Railless cars have been in regular service in Bradford
and Leeds since early in 1911, but the new car differs
largely from any that has hitherto been constructed.
We are indebted for his co-operation in the preparation
of this article to Mr Wilkinson, who is to be congratu-
lated on the courageous manner in which he has tackled
a difficult problem.

THE PROPOSED SEVERN BARRAGE.

A 500,000-H.p. Scheme.
With further reference to the above proposition, outlined
in our last issue, inquiries at the Ministry of Transport elicit
the following ■' unofficial " technical details of the scheme : —

At the Severn barrage the working period for the turbines
will occur shortly after the ebb tide has commenced to run,
and will continue throughout the hours of low water and until
the tide has risen to about half its height. Owing to the
fact that the ebb tide in the river Severn occupies a longer
period than the flood tide, it is possible to obtain a working
period for the turbines of appro.ximately seven hours' dma-
tion, which is followed by a period of five hours' duration
during which no power is obtainable. The head under
which the turbines will work will be, to commence with,
about !) ft., and towards the middle of the seven-hour working
period it will increase to a maximum (on spring tides) of
30 ft.

The type of turbine contemplated is the " mixed flow "
one, the runners being 10 ft. in diameter, with vertical axes.
The first difficulty which has to be overcome from an elec-
trical point of view is that of adapting the electric generators
to the varying speeds of the turbines. In the case of the
Severn installation the turbines will rotate at speeds ap-
proximately between 40 and 80 r.p.m. It is proposed to drive
the generators through helical gearing having a ratio of
approximately TJ- to 1, and producing generator speeds of
between HOO and 500 r.p.m. The type of generator proposed
is a p.c. dynamo of special design with a vertical axis. The
machines will be separately excited with shunt characteristic;
the control will be effected either automatically, or by an
operator controlling the excitation and load currents of the
dynamos in such a way that the resisting torque offered by
the dynamo will be such at any moment as to prevent the
turbine from rotating at a speed greater than the theoreti-
cally correct sj^eed for maximum output under the particular
liead of ^^•ater which happens to prevail at the moment in
question. The operator will be guided by an indicator which
will show him exactly what head of water he has 'to deal
with at every moment; the greatest rate of change of head
which is anticipated will be 10 ft. increa.se. or diminution,
in the hour. The dynamos will produce energy at the varying
speeds at a constant pressure of oio volts, the average output
of each dynamo being approximately 1,.300 KW. The direct
current so produced will be fed to rotary converters of large
capacity, which will produce alternating current at 330 volts ;
static transformers will next step-up from 330 to 60,000 volts,
the pressure at which it is proposed to transmit the energy
direct to industry from the tidal turbines. At such times,
however, as the tidal-turbine installation is producing a
greater amount of powei- than can be absorbed by industry,
the residue of the power will be transmitted a distance of
about 10 miles up to the storage reservoir where it will be
made use of to drive motors which in turn will drive centri-
fugal pumps to force water up the 40-ft. diameter tunnel
into the high-level lake. The motors which it is pro-
posed to use will have a speed of about 375 r.p.m.. working
at 2.200 volts with an output of about 13,000 KW.; 90 per

lent, of the motors will be induction AC. machmes, and the
remaining 10 per cent, will be of the synchronous a.c. type.
The induction motors will be cheaper and more easily paral-
leled ; the purpose of the synchronous motors will be to keep
up the power factor when they are acting as motors, and
to supply wattless current to the induction machines when
the whole are acting as generators. In order to save the
cost of instalhhg two sets of electrical machines at the storage
i-eservoir it is proposed to combine in one machine the motor
for driving the centrifugal pumps and the generator which
is to be priven by a, turbine wben the storage reservoir is
delivering power.

Whereas the amount of power to be derived from the tides
in the Severn estuary averages, week in and week out, about
.500,000 H.p. for a 10-hour day, it is proposed to install
machinery at the storage reservok to give a maximum, or
peak output, of approximately 1,000,000 h.p.

.\s regards the distribution of the energy, four principal
outlets are to be looked for; first, in the immediate neigh-
bourhood of the Severn estuary, and created by the growth
of industries requiring cheap power on the banks of the
dockised river; secondly, in the industrial area of Soutli
Wales, the whole of which lies within a radius of 50 miles
of the proposed Severn barrage. A third outlet for the energy
will be found in the EngUsh Midlands; Birmingham is ap-
proximately 70 miles, and Stoke-on-Trent approximately 100
miles, distant from the proposed barrage. It is anticipated
that there will be con.siderable difficulty in building steam
super-power stations in the Midlands on account of the lack
of available condensing water in that area. The fourth outlet
for the power is in the Thames Valley and London ; London
is 115 mUes from the proposed barrage, and it may be
possible to transmit the energy at 120,000 volts in this in-
stance. " The cost of a transmission line to London capable
of conveying 500,000 kw. with a 10 per cent, loss in the
line would be approximately one and a quarter milhons ster-
ling. The cost of the line and the transmission loss taken
together would, therefore, only add a small fraction of a
penny on to the cost of the B.O.T. unit deUvered in London."

It is thought that the appropriate use for the electrical
energy generated at the Severn barrage, having in view the
storage power house, which is capable of producing peak
load output at short notice, is to take up the peak load in
industrial areas. That is to say, the Severn scheme can be
made to work largely in conjunction with steam generating
stations in such a way as to enable the latter to work with
a load factor of from '70 to 80 per cent., instead of from 20 to
•50 per cent, as at present.

The following views of Prof. F. Bacon, professor of engineer-
ing at Cardiff University College, on the scheme are of in-
terest : —

One, has to remember that the Severn is the thickest stream
in the country. There is more matter per gallon in the Severn
than in any other river, and the amount of silting trouble
which might have to be faced due to a big obstruction of
this kind would be a very serious matter. No mention has
been made of the possibilities of erosion in the turbines, due
to the presence of so much matter. The scheme differs from
what I expected, mainly on account of the much greater power
to be obtained and the much greater expense involved in
obtaining it. The system proposed seems to involve Httle
risk of failure so far as its technical success is concerned, since
it is planned on lines which have long been considered feasible
for harnessing the tides, except that the capital expenditure
would prove prohibitive. So far as I am aware, the only
figures vouchsafed with regard to the economic aspect of the
enterprise are in connection with the cost of generation, which
will be in the neighbourhood of a halfpenny per unit. Pre-
sumably this supposes that the total power available is being
sold at this rate. It will surely be many years before arrange-
ments can be made to enalde the maximum capacity of the
plant to be sold for industrial purposes. If we think of om-
children and grandchildren rather than ourselves, the scheme
is probably fully justified, though there is the possibihty that
before that time some cheap system of electrical storage may
have been devised, which will mean that the hydrauhc system
of storage will have been money wasted. It has been stated
in the Press that the costs have been correctly estimated to
within a narrow margin of 5 per cent, either way, but it
seems hardly credible that such precision in estimating the
cost can be seriously claimed. No one can tell what diffi-
culties may be encountered in the construction of the barrage.
and the rate of remuneration of labour, representing such a
vast proportion of the total expenditure, to be spread over
many years, is surely largely an unknown quantity. A costly
feature of the scheme is the way in which turbines and
electrical machinery have to be duplicated. The huge turbines
and generators to be located within the dam have to deal
with a load of one million horse-power, but for the most part
they are working very much smaller loads, and sometimes are
shut down altogether. The load factors on the motors and
pumps at the pumping station will be equally poor. The
' scheme is full of fascination, however, and I hope that pre-
judiced vested intere.-Jts. Ac. will not thwart its fulfilment if J
economic construction can show that it is certain to justify :
itself in the long run. Should the scheme be carried out.
South Wales and district will reap the main -share of the
benefit, and it would seem to be a short-sighted policy that
local opinion should be foremost in condemning the scheme.

Yoi 87. No. 2,246, decembeb 10, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

763

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINQS AND PLANT.

Headers are invited to submit varticulars of new or improved devices and apparatus, which will be publish
if considered of sufficient intei'est.

" Wireless " Reflectors.

Experience iu shop-window lighting has demonstrated that
the light should partake of the nature of a line rather than
that of a sphere to obtain the be.st results, and that the re-
flecting surface should be as effective and unobtrusive as pos-
sible. In order to overcome the disadvantages which have
hitherto attended the " hght-line " method of illumination.
Messrs. Hoxtalite, Ltd., 23, Newman Street, \V., have de-
signed " Wireless " reflectors. The distinctive features of this
system are the use of straight filament double-ended lamps
placed in front of continuous white porcelain reflecting sur-
faces; the elimination of aU rubber-insulated flexible wires or
exposed conductors; the w'hole fitting is non-combustible, and
thus avoids all fii-e risks; small space is occupied, the porcelain
reflectors being only IJ in. wide and IJ in. high; the ar-
rangement of reflector and lamps provides an almost con-
tinuous Une of filament; and simplicity in fixing. The com-
plete fitting consists of any number of lamp-lengths together
with one end piece and one circuit connector, while for special
cases corner pieces and make-up lengths are also supplied.
The device consists of a white porcelain trough (fig. 1), in the
centre of which the double-terminal straight-line lamp {fig. 2)
is placed. A screwhole is provided for securing the lamp
length to its support, .'^t one end the porcelain is shaped
into a bridge, with a centre aperture parallel with the axis.

cial use. Their aim is the conatniction of small motors with
Lit least as great a reUability factor as larger motors, which
■jenerallv receive some measure of skilled attention.

hi general construction the Scholey fractional H.P. motors
follow in miniature the lines of the best modern electrical
]iractice. They are manufactured, moreover, in the interests
of piirtubihty and price, to run at a very high speed, and. in
addition, are capable of working olT the comparatively hii;h
voltages obtaining on lighting circuits.

The armature cores are built up of thin laminations of high-
grade electric alloy steel, carefully stamped and ground to
size, and accurately balanced. The makers have .succeedtMl
in producing sound commutators which keep smooth and true
up to the highest speeds, and great attention has been paiil
to the commutator connections to eliminate the danger of
open circuits. High-speed graphite brushes only are em-
ployed. The armature laminations are assembled in position
on the armature spindle by presses, which force them over
a short tapered portion of the spindle on to the main seating,
where thev are held firmly in position. The armature spindle
is hardened and gi-ounil. and runs in self-aligning radial ball

Pig. 1. — The " Wireless " Reflectob.

Pig. 3.— The " Scholey " Motor in Use.

Pig. '2. — Double-knueu Tubll.ar Lamp.

Deep channels are cut from this aperture to the two holes
leadmg to the grooves which run along the base of the porce-
lain trough. In these grooves, heavy brass rods (7 B.W.G.),
forming the conductors, are placed. At the ends, one of these
rods screws into the contact piece, which is wrought out of a
soUd piece of metal, and the other into a small sleeve. The
centre contact is alternately connected iu parallel to alter-
nate conductors. At the end of the lamp run the end-piece
connector, which is simply a porcelain bridge, forms the end
contact for the lamp. At the other end the circuit-connector
enables the connecting leads to be sweated in with a mini-
mum of trouble. At the back of the porcelain the recesses
in which the rods are run are filled in with cement, thus
effectively insulating the rods. The porcelain base is slightly
recessed "to allow room for ventilation through small slots at
the back.

British-made Fractional=H.P. Motors.
The increasing demand for labour-saving aiiriliances through-
out the world is stimulating inquiries for small fractional H. P.
electric motors. In these circumstances it is in the national
interest that British rather than foreign manufacturers should
.secure the business. Messrs. Scholey & L'o., Ltd., of 50,
Victoria Street, S.W. 1, have for some time past been develop-
ing the design and construction of such motors, which they
began to manufacture for special work during the later period
of the war. As we pointed out on the occasion of a recent visit
to their works, they are now manufacturing motors for their
electric drills and the " Premier " electric suction cleaner on a
large commercial scale, arid are extending the development of
small fractional h.p. motors for every domestic and commer-

bcarings; an ample supply of grease is piMvided in a cup at
both bearings, enabling the motor to run for long periods
without attention. The motor case of the .smaller types con-
sists of an aluminium casting carried on a foot base of the
same material, adapted for fastening to any convenient sup-
port. The motors are made in sizes from l/-5()th h.p., of the
series-wound " Universal " type; they have a high efficiency,
are self-cooling, and will carry a heavy overload for short
periods. Pig. 3 shows a " Scholey " motor applied to a
kiuematograph machine.

" Leonard " Plug Gauges.

A renewable internal hmit type of gauge has been designed
to meet the demand for a Ihnit gauge which can be supphed
from stock in various sizes and limits required to suit general
requu-ements. The gauge consists essentially of three parts,
the " go " end, " not-go " end. and the handle, which may be
either double or single ended as required. The handles are
interchangeable, and one .size will fit a range of plug sizes.
The gauges are of steel hardened and ground to a limit of
accuracy of within .(XK)1 in. of the limit size. U.sed in con-
junction with the adjustable limit snap gauges, they offer a
most perfect system for gauging work.

The plugs are stocked to '" Newall " Class " A " or " B
limits in sizes from .'; in. to 3 in., in various steps. In
the.se, and also in the renewable standard gauges, the plug
jiortion can be replaced without scrapping the rest of the
gauge.

Messrs. Alfred Herbert, Ltd., of Coventry, are acting as
sole distributors for these gauges, which were brought out by
Messrs. A. Leonard & Co., Croydon.

764

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, '[voi. 87. No. 2,246, decembeb lo, 1920.

THE INSTITUTION OF ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERS.

Proposed Sdbsckiptidn Increase.

\ SPECIAL general meeting of the corporate members of the
institution was held on December 2nd for the Purpose ocon^
sidering, and if thought fit, passmg the subjomed resolution
in the manner required by Section 69 of the Compames (Con-
solidation) Act, 1908. The resolution was to the effect.
W That the following be substituted .for .Art^^i^ '^^ °^ ^t
.Irticles of Association 6f the I°«ft"tion . '27. Persons who
have not compounded shall from January 1st 1921, pay the
following annual subscriptions: Members, ±5 5s. (abroad,
flllh associate members, ^3 15s. (abroad, ^£3 os.) associates.
£i 5s. (abroad, ^63 15s.) ; graduates, ^£2 10s. (abroad^2 lOsO ,
students, until the end of the calendar year m which the
age of 21 ?s attained, £1 Is. (abroad, £1 1^.-) ^ st".'i<=°*f ; f""
the calendar year in which the age of 21 is attained,
Jruted. (abroad, £1 U- 6d.). .(b)^That the fourfe para-
graph of Article 33 begmning with .l^e .words Membeis
who " and ending with the words gumeas be amended

^y^^he'sub^tution of the word " four " for the words two

^tlr'' Lf^B.' Atkinson, president, by the aid of lantern slides,
outmed the situation in a very t"\'^'^/fi'-r'„f |5 4S'
The budcet for 1921 showed an estunated deficit of ±5,4^.

SPizh^- f^-s^uf tsr ai^°t

students' subscription rates should, therefore, remain un-
altered He dealt with some of the alternatives that had
bw suggested showing that they would not^ me^t the ca^ ;
the ideal solution of the problem would possibly be the hous-
ing of all the scientific societies under
one roof, but that, unfortunately, was
not a practicable proposition at the pre-
sent time. The requisite amount of
money could not be raised, and a suit-
able building could not be bmlt. He
then explained that some of the criti-
cisms which had been made against the
proposed increase had arisen fror'. a
want of knowledge of the true state cr
affaii-s. All the facts could have been at
the disposal of anyone who wished to
applv for them ; the proposed revision of
subscription rates was foreshadowed m
both the last two annual reports, and the
hon. treasurer's statements of accounts,
and also in the last two presidential ad-
dresses. Pinallv, he stated that it was
an error to assume that the increase was
necessitated by the prospective return
of the Institution to its own building;
the real governing factors were the
general rise in prices and exceptionally
enlarged activity of the Institution. Ihe
resolution was then put before the
meetin" bv the president, and seconded
by Mr W. B. Esson. Two or three
other members spoke in favour of the
adoption of the resolution, pomtmg out
that the real pomt at issue was not
whether the increase _ was justified, but
whether it would suffice.

Mr P. W. Purse, who held proxy
papers entitling him to exercise his vote
on behalf of about 100 members, made
a determined effort to oppose the
resolution, and the majority ot the
other speakers were also hostile.
Nearly all, however, apparently con-
sidered that some revision of the sub-
scription rates was necessary. An at-
tempt was made to defer the matter so
that more tune would be available for
considering it, and it was urged that
some concession should be made to coun-
try members who were not in a position
to" avail themselves of the full advantages
offered by the Institution. Some thought
that economies could be effected by, say,
abolishing the annual dinner and the
conversazione; on the other hand, other
speakers emphasised the fact that the In-
stitution could not afford to neglect its

Mr W R Cooper held that the present state of affaurs
would not last, and prices were bound to faU He therefore
proposed that the resolution should be so worded that it could
be reconsidered in two years' tune and. if then found justified,
the subscription rates could again be modified Mr. Purse
nressed his claim for an amendment of the resolution referrmg
he whole matter back, which, however, was ruled out ot
order on legal grounds. He then substituted an apiendment
to the effect that the old sub.scription rates be increased by a
Hat rate of 10s. all round. Finally, the amendment was
rejected and the original resolution, amended on the lines
,suggest<^d by Mr. Cooper, was carried by a large majority.
\ second special meeting of corporate members is to be held
on the 17th inst. when the resolution will be submitted tor
(.•onfirmation.

A LARGE SWITCHBOARD.

We were recently privileged to inspect a splendid example of
a modern switchboard installation at the Carnaby Street works
of the St. James's & Pall Mall Electric Light Co., Ltd The
work was commenced in 1914, but only one section had been
completed when the war broke out, and Messes. Ernest F.
Moy Ltd. of Camden Town, who were executmg the work
devoted their activities to the production of war material
to the exclusion of their ordinary business Mr. Ernest
P Mov Kindly secured the permission of the bt. James s
Co for us to visit the station for the purpose ot ex-
amining the installation, which was eventually put in^o
service some months after the armistice was concluded Ihe
installation is in four sections: the mam board; a battery
iind feeder board; a middle-wire board, a,nd a regulatmg
board. The main board controls the power from four motor-
converters, two with an output of 1,000 KW. and two of oOO K^ .
each The pressure is 220 volts between outers (3-wjre system).
Prom this board there are 12 feeders protected by a shutter

Fig. I.-The Carnaby Street St.ation Switchbo.ard.

— -o - social side, and

shoulTlsntertain" a" c"ertaiii number of visitors. The journal
came in for a good deal of criticism. It was explained that
very few members really wanted all the papers that were at
present distributed to all, and some saving could be made by
onlv sending those papers to members for which they asked
Further could not the cost of prmting the journal be reduced
by accepting advertisements for publication in it;

type fuse on each pole. The total length of the man boa d
and the battery-control board, which adjoms it, is about 70 tt^,
and the hei"ht from the floor of the engine room is 9 ft.
The panels are of polished black slate mounted on a very
i^bstantk steel framework, and the «hole ot the construc-
lonaf work a^d apparatus weighs nearly 49 tons. Among tha
chTef features of the main board are two double^Pole o^e^i
circuit breakers, designed to operate at 3,000 amp. inew

Vol.87. No. 2,246, Dbcembke 10, 1920. THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

765

control interconnecting trunk mains linking up the Carnaby
Street works with the company's Mason Yard sub-station.
On another panel two double-pole busbar-coupling switches
are mounted, constructed to carry a maximum current of
4,000 amp. These couple up the three sections into which
the busbar.s are divided when the load is light and higher
pressures are not required. The three sections of the busbars
are designated " A," " B," and " C." The " A " section
suppHes the district in the immediate vicinity of the station,
while " B " and " C " are generally kept at a higher poten-
tial to serve consumers in more remote districts. All the
instruments, of which there is a great number, were manu-
factured by Messrs. Ernest P. Moy. Ltd., and are of the
moving coil type. The construction of the busbars themselves

British Thomson-Houston Co.. Ltd. This section is '20 ft. in
length. The middle wire board is situated separately frona
the main and battery boards. The out-of-balance current is
recorded on eleven separate connections by 16-in. circular
scale meters, manufactured by Messrs. Moy, which facilitate
the detection of faults in the middle wire. The balance of
the system was being well maintained during our visit, the
maximum out-of-balance current on any connection being
only about '30 amp. The regulating board is situated in the
centre of the switch room. The main features of this part
of the installation are four double-pole, '2.'<-way, pilot switches
with connections to the various districts supplied by Carnaby
Street: the usual recording voltmeters for each side of the
system, and circular scale ammeters for the " B " and " C "

Rg. '2. — A Larob Switchboard at Carnaby Street Station.

is of interest. They are built up of four sections of copper
6 in. wide and ^ in. thick. Wherever it was found possible,
all angles and connections were made by interleaving the
sections and bolting them rigidly together. In this way
ample air space is provided in the bars, which goes a long
way to prevent overheating. Some idea of the amount of
copper employed in the construction of the main board may
be. gained from the fact that the total weight of this
item is about I'i tons. We must not omit to mention that
one of the panels of the main board is devoted to inter-
connecting switches, &c., between the busbars and a board
in No. 2 engine room, which was erected by Messrs. Moy
'ii years ago. That the work was well done is substantiated
by the fact that the board is still employed in the same
position, controlUng the output of two oOO-kw. steam-driven
generators. A notable feature of the installation is that the
cables, instead of being brought un the back of the board
to the various switches and other points, arc, wherever pos-
sible, jointed to drop connections to the bars. Where it has
been necessary to make higher connections the cables are con
nected to copper rods totally enclosed in red fibre tubes. All
small wires, such as voltmeter and ammeter-shunt leads, arc
protected in drawn-brass tubes. In this way the risk of
damage to the board by outbreaks of fire is reduced to a
minimum. The part of the installation erected in 1914 was
the battery and feeder board. This controls a large battery
comprising 14.5 cells with a maximum discharge rate of 7,800
amp. for one minute, and a normal rate of 4,000 amp. for an
hour. The charging and discharging indicating instruments are
by Messrs. Ferranti. Ltd , and the recordinc wattmeters by the

busbar balancers. Tlie board i.s sulistantially constructed, the
frame being of hollow cast iron.

The illustrations (figs. 1 and 2) will give our readers some
idea of the appearance of the board, which was designed
throughout by Mr. Ernest F. Moy.

Trade with New Zealand Recovering. — Accordiog to The

Tiniest' W'ellington (ts.'L.) correspondent, the British share of
the import trade of the Dominion is rapidly regaining its pre-
war proportions. Last year there had been improvement, but
importers experienced such difficulty in obtaining requirements
that they were compelled to patronise America, Australia, and
Japan. Orders came more freely this year, and the British
share of the total import trade for the first three quarters is
47 per cent., against 41 per cent. last year. The American
share fell from '20 to 17 per cent., and the Japanese from
4^ to 2 per cent. The September quarter imports have quad-
rupled over last year's. Before the war Britaiu had 67 per
cent, of New Zealand's competitive trade. kt the present
time that proportion is practicalty re-established, and with
careful handling the market may be improved, as the war
period did not enable other countries to establish a ba,sis of
p<?rmanent trade. Commenting on these figures the British
Trade Commissioner, Mr. Dalton, expresses satisfaction at the
proof of increased British competitive ability, despite the ab-
normal difficulties of reorganisation, and he emphasises th^
fact that Briti,sh mi^rchants are anxious to meet the needs oi
New Zealanii.

766

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,246, decembeb lo, 1920,

THE DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY.

Discussion at Manchester.
At Manchester. Mi'. W. B. Woodhouse's paper on the above
.subject, which was abstracted in our issue of December 3rd,
\\a.s read and discussed before the North-Western Centre of
the Institution ov Electuical Engi.neeks.

Mr. H. S. Katclifke thought that the paper invited dis-
cussion in every paragraph, ihe reference to the time element
in relation to capital ana expenditure on development was an
I'xtremely desiranle one in view of the fanta.stic schemes which
were put forward from time to time. Judging from some of
those schemes one would afmost think that a 'iWJ-mile trans-
mission line was regarded as a desirable adjunct to a generat-
ing station, whereas transmission " was not a vii'tue, but an
expensive necessity " at the present time; a very expensive
necessity. With regard to protective gear, at tne moment
they appeared to be approaching a state of development when
they would require super-protective gear to protect the pro-
tective gear. ±le held that the interconnection of networks
should be, as much as possible, through the medium of the
extra-high-pressm'e transmission mains, and that the inter-
mediat^-pressiu'e and low-pressui'e mains should be as far as
possible isolated. He could not understand the author's re-
mark to the effect that the cost of overhead lines was propor-
tional to the pressure; it did not se«m right from the figures
which the speaker had gone into, but if it was so he was not
sure what tne saving was, except in the transmission losses,
by adopting higher pressure. The effect of the load factor on
the copper losses was not always quite appreciated as it should
be ; not only were they a peak load loss, but they also had a
load factor which might be very appreciably lower than the
load factor alone. A 16 per cent, difference had been cited,
but he had known a very much larger difference than that.
That was to say the cost incurred in generating energy which
disappeared in those losses was very high, and they ought to
be charged up at a figure quite as high as, or probably higher
than, the maximum charge for energy. Further, since they
were a peak load loss and had a load factor much lower than
the load factor alone, they had the effect of reducing the
equivalent total load factor, bringing tha load down, and
raising the generating cost all round. So they were the most
expensive losses. The iron losses in transformers and
dielectic losses in cables, which were practically constant within
certain ilmits, could be put at rock bottom prices. His
formula respecting the cost of load factor losses was; / = f"-,
where / = load factor of losses, and F = load factor of the load.
The author's suggestion that with the higher pressures the
carrying capacity of the cables was reduced owing to the in-
creased thickness of the dielectric might be true to a certain
extent, but it w:is only a very .small extent; the true reason
for the reduced current density at the higher pressures was
the very rapid increase in the dielectric losses which varied
somewhat in the order of the square of the pressure. The
temperature gradient in a cable was really made up of two
gradients, the temperature gradient within and that outside
the cable. By increasing the thickness of the dielectric the
overall dimensions of the cable were increased, improving the
radiating or conducting properties, but the sum total effect
was very small indeed. It was possible, in certain circum-
stances, by putting more dielectric upon the cable, to reduce
the temperature of the conductor ; the dielectric loss caused
the increase in those cases without a doubt. Concerning the
current-carrying capacity of cables, where 33,000-volt, .3-phase.
paper-insulated cable was used : i= V a d, where a = sectional
area of conductor per phase in sq. in. and d = diameter over
the lead covering in inches. The dielectric losses were not
only proportional to the capacity and voltage, but unfor-
tunately also proportional to the temperature of the cable and
to the power factor of the dielectric regarded as capacity.
That power factor, unfortunately, was at times very high,
dependent upon the characteristics of the cable ; it might rise
very rapidly with temperature, or comparatively slowly. What
they wanted for high-pressure work was a cable in which the
power factor only varied slowly with increases of temperature.
That had a very special value, and cables of that description
were now obtainable. There were always two sides to a ques-
tion, and dielectric losses had their advantages. There was no
obvious reason why the dielectric loss should increase with
ihe square of the pressure: it would increase at a rather lower
rate, but so far he had not been able to get the cable makers
to accept that opinion. '

Mr. S. J. Watson pointed out that the author rightly
liifferentinted between the value of the losses where the genera-
tion was by means of water power and where it was by means
of stoam plant. Once the water power plant was established
the losses, either in ceneration or in transmission, were sub-
stintially nef ligible ; in fact, thev did not cost anything at all
whereis in the case of steam plant one had to purchase conl
in order to meet those losses. There was a very real differ-
ence between the two methods which sometimes was not fully
appreciated. With regard to the supply of power at a dis-
tTnce to large communities in dense areas, particulars which
the speaker had collected showed that the ultimate reouire-
ments for industrial purposes amounted to something of the

order of i h.p. per inhabitant, and in a larger Manchester
with a miUion inhabitants the ultimate demand was bound to
reach, and possibly exceed that figure. That was a somewhat
rough and ready rule, but none the less it gave results which
were approximately corr^t. He thought it was certain that
they could not generate at a great distance from a load centre,
and he could not see the shghtest possibility of a 50.GO0-K.V.A.
cable being brought into conmiercial use; "ii^OUO KW., or even
half that amount, was quite sulhcient to use by reason of the
tremendous inconvenience and loss it would occasion. On
those grounds it was exceedingly improbable that 10.000 or
'2(.l,000 would ever be exceeded. To some extent he agreed
that higher pressures would probably be adopted, but they
could not overlook the fact that if they had one pressure, say,
10,000 volts or upwards, a second pressure of 2,000 volts, and
a third of 400 volts, they might in certain cases appreciably
increase the losses in effecting transformation. Where a
second pressure was adopted it would have to be used entirely
in the form of the intermediate pressure, say, 2,000 volts, for
fairly large motors in industrial works. They must pay the
greatest possible attention to losses ; they were out to give the
cheapest possible supply, and any additional transformation
must mean some loss, and, therefore, the prices must be suffi-
' ciently high to reimburse them. Interconnection between
power stations was of practical importance at the present time,
and he entii'ely agreed with Mr. Ratcliffe's remarks that it
w'as only the main transmission Une which should be inter-
connected with the second network. The production costs
wanted dividing at least into three. Tliere were the costs at
the power station with a certain load factor ; then the main
transmission lines, which might have quite a different diver-
sity load factor; and lastly the distributing work, which again
might have quite a different load factor to the main trans-
mission Une and to the power station. In order to properly
cost out the charge per unit delivered to the consumers it was
essential to separate the power station, main transmission, and
the distributing costs. Main transmission lines must have no
tappings; they must run straight through from station to
station so that there be no intermediate tappings, weak spots,
or gear which was Likely to cause trouble in operation. Over-
head lines would continue to be extremely useful as secondary
lines, but they were not sufficiently safe, i.e., they were sub-
ject to interruptions which a well-made underground cable
was not subject to. The main transmission lines and the main
interconnecting lines should not be constructed on overhead
lines, but for secondary purposes they might still -be used to
the extent which they deserved.

Mr. W. B. WooDHOOSE, in his reply, stated that he had
included in the cost of the underground cable the cost of the
pilot wu'e, but not so in the case of the overhead Line. He
had hoped in that particular district to have heard more from
the cable makers. He had rather stressed the idea of using
cables for the transmission lines because they all knew the
advantages and disadvantages of overhead lines; all the big
transmission systems in the world were on overhead lines, and
he wanted to explain the possibilities, in this country at all
events, of putting transmission cables underground. Difficul-
ties of wayleaves were quite considerable, and the difficulties
of getting away from the station w-ere almost as great as those
of getting the heat away from the cable, but he thoroughly
agreed with Mr. Watson that the use of overhead lines for
general power distribution would increase enormously. As
time went on weaknesses were eliminated, and they were
steadily developing a construction that was quite dependable
for distribution. There was no doubt from experience in
other countries that one got a very fair degree of reliability
for transmission, but always subject to weather conditions, and
it was just a question whether they could afford to make a
town, such as Manchester, for example, dependent for its
activities on whether a thunderstorm occurred or not. The
proposal that the Ciovernment .should lend the industry money
free of interest for an unlimited number of years would be
disastrous. It was a very rapidly growing industry, and he
was sure that if they followed the old sound commercial prin-
ciple of proving each step and seeing that they could make
it pay, in the long run they would be better oft'.
When speaking of the variation of the cost of an overhead
line with the pressure, he meant on any particular cross-
section; of course it increased with the pressure, but not as
riipidly as the .square of the pressure. With regard to di-
electric los.ses. they were very much at the mercy of the tem-
perature, and they wanted a irreat deal more information.
There seemed a prospect irf getting high-pressure cables for
something like 40.000. .50,0(¥). or 60.000 volts, with a low loss
at low temperatures; they had. therefore, to see that they did
not overheat those cables, and that the dielectric losses did
not run up to a dangerous figure. -A i H.P. per inhabitant did
not sound very much, but it worked out to something like
700 units per head per .innum. Tliere were very few dis-
tricts in this country which had got to the 300 mark, .so they
had still a good long w.iy to go. Tn the mining industry the
use of power was something like 2 h.p. per man em-
ployed, and per inhabitpnt appnrently it worked out to
something like i h.p. They could not frame a general
expression for co.st of supnlv to all users: these roust
be divided into classes. There was the detail distri-
bution class in which the capital charges were possibly
twice or three times the working costs: then the average
power user for whom the capital charges and the working

Vol.87. No. 2,216, dbcbmbkb 10. 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

767

cDsts were about equal, and there was the larger user for
whom the capital cost possibly dropped to half the working
costs. As to not tapping transmission lines between stations,
Mr. Watson's view was to connect the stations by a ring
main, which had many- advantages but great disadvantages.
Often instead of putting a ring round an area it was more
economical to put, so to speak, a spinal main or a backbone
through it, and to do all the control and all regulation at the
central point. He did not want to minimise the value of
overhead lines, but if possible to have some discussion on the
possibilities of underground cables.

LEGAL.

Carriers and Delivery to Bdvers.

Judge Graham. K.C. gave a considered judgment of consider-
able importance to traders who dispatch goods by carriage
or through the post, in the Bow County Court, on December
1st. The plaintiffs in the action were Messrs. J. Evershed
and Co., of Fairfield Road, Bow, printers and stationers,
and they sued a number of firms all over the country for
outstanding accounts. The Registrar of the Court refused to
accept as proof of delivery, physically, to the buyers, the
carriers' receipts produced by the plaintiffs. Judge Graham
delivered the following judgment ; —

" Section 32 of the Sale of Goods Act says that where in
pursuance of a contract of sale the seller is authorised or
required to send the goods to the buyer, delivery of the goods
to the carrier for the purpose of transmission to the buyer
is prima facie deemed to be a delivery of the goods to the
buyer. This section does not say that the authority must
1)0 in writing, or must have been given in any particular
wav, and in my view it may be presumed to have been given
if the facts justify such an a.ssuraption. In these cases before
me. the buvers carried on business at considerable distances
from the sellers, and in such cases it is the practice to deliver
the goods to the carrier, and I think the buyer, in the absence
of any instruction to the contrary, must be nresumed to have
intended the goods to be sent to him in the usual manner,
and have given bis authority. The goods were in fact de-
livered to carriers, and as delivery to the carrier is deliverv
to the buyer, both by.reason of the above section, and accord-
ing to well-settled law, there must be judgment for the
plaintiffs, with costs."

I'^LEPHCNE Contract Dispute.

In the City of London Court, on November 30th, before
Deputy Judge Sir John Paget, K.C. the Intercommunicat-
ing Telephone Co. sued Robert Hitchin & Co!, cloth manu-
facturers, for f'21, balance due for rent and installation
charges in respect of a number of intercommunication tele-
phones.

Ijord Tiverton, for the plaintiffs, said that in addition to
rent, the defendants contracted to pay 3d. ner'ft. for all
additional wire above TOO ft., the latter to be based on single
wire, not on cable. This eventually led to a charge of 3d.
per foot on an excess of 2.940 ft., which the defendants thought
was too much. Defendants had asserted that the contract
was not explained to them, and also that they had been
induced to enter the contract by mi.srepresentation. They
stated that 700 ft. of wire was all that was necessary for
the work, and had raised a counter-claim.

Mr. PovSER, for the defendants, said that he had seen the
contract, and would, therefore, withdraw the counter-claim,
and submit to judgment for the plaintiffs.

A Fatal Practical Joke.

TuE seauel to a fatal practical joke was heard in Linlithgow
Slieriff Court on November 2.5th, when a voung miner, James
r)ocherty. pleaded guilty to having in the bothy of a shale
mine at Bathgate, held a piece of electric cable in such a
way as to make a connection between a fuse controlling the
electric lights in the bothy and an iron handle on the door
nf the bothy, whereby another miner received an electric
shock while in the act of opening the door, from which he
died immediately.

.\n agent, on behalf of accused, .said on the Sunday pre-
vious to the occurrence the accused himself had got an electric
shock, and that had suggested to the lad that he might also
give some of his comrades a shock. In doing so there was
no malicious intent.

Sheriff Mofkatt. in passing sentence, said he acquitted the
accused entirely of wilful intent to do serious harm to anyone,
but he could not acquit him of malicious intention in playing
a practical joke. He fined the accused .£20.

the Corporation of Stoke Newington at certain prices and on
specified terms be suspended or annulled on the ground that,
owing to the alteration of trading conditions due to the war,
they could not be enforced without serious hardship on the
plaintiffs, was resumed by Mr. Justice P. O. Lawrence in the
Chancery Division on Wednesday, December 1st.

Mr. Tyldesley Jones, K.C, contmued for the plaintiffs the
address which he had not concluded at the previous hearing.
After dealmg with the evidence on affidavit which had been
hied on behalf of the defendants, he said that if his clients
had got to keep on supplying the defendants at a price which
was below cost, it meant that ether customers would have to
bear their proportion of the cost. If his Lordship annulled
the agreement, the position would then be that the plaintiffs
would lose the defendants as consumers, and that would mean
that they would be saved the extra cost of generating that
energy, and that they would be able to sell 838,000 units to
other people at a proper commercial price. On the figures
submitted, whether on behalf of the plaintiffs or the defen-
dants, he said that the prospect for the former was one of
serious loss if the agreement was continued. In 1916, he pro-
ceeded, the plaintiffs' paid-up capital was i'840,000, and by 1919
that had been increased by i;30U,000. The net revenue for
1916 was ^71,000. In 1918 it dropped to £53,<X)0, and in 1919
It went up to i'62,000. Sums were put to reserve in 1916-17-18,
but nothing for 1919. The preference dividend was paid in
tuU each year. The ordinary dividend was 10 per cent, in
1916 and 1917; in 1918 nothing was paid, and for 1919 4i per
cent, was paid, but at the expense of the reserve fund. The
point made by the defendants that the undertaking was making
a profit and that that was a material matter to consider was
really an attempt to appropriate for their benefit the profit the
plaintiffs were making on otiier people's contracts. The effect
of the defendants' contract was cumulative.

Mr. Jenkins, K.C. on behalf of the defendants, said his first
contention was that upon the true construction of the Act the
soaring prices of coal and labour were not an alteration of
trading conditions within its meaning. His second was that
the alteration was not one that was caused by the war. The
third point was whether in the circumstances of the case there
was serious hardship. Upon that there were subsidiary ques-
tions as to what his Lordship was entitled to consider in deal-
ing with the question of hardship. The fourth point arose
only if his Lordship was against him on the other three, and
that was that no reasonable offer had ever been made to the
defendants. He submitted that the Court would only annul
the contract if it thought that the insisting party was demand-
ing his pound of flesh and would not be reasonable. In the
last resort he would ask the Court to say to the plaintiff's :
" You can't treat these people as if they had got no contract
at all. You must make them an offer of something which,
having regard to their strong position, it is reasonable should
be made." "The rise in the cost of labour and material could no
longer be said to be occasioned by the " present war " within
the meaning of the statute, but was due to the working of
economic forces in times of what was really peace, although
technically the war had not yet been entirely concluded. It
was not serious hardship that the plaintiffs should go on supply-
ing the defendants at a loss because they had other business
which brought them in a profit.

At this point the hearing was adjourned.

On Thursday, Mr. .Jenkins said the object of Mi-. Hann's
figures was to show by results that this was an improvident
bargain on the part of the plaintiffs from the first, and that on
their own showing there was a loss on it from the first and
the defendants suggested that the plaintiffs were now, at the
defendants' expense, seeking to make that certain which was
before probable, namely, to get rid of the contract and if neces-
sary to make a new bargain on their own terms based on what
they considered was the trading profit to be aimed at

Mr. Tyldesley Jones, in his reply, referring to the off'er to
.supply on revised terms, said the defendants had full power to
increa.se their charges to consumers. It was the ultimate basis
of political economy that the consumer must bear the extra
cost.

His I;ORDSHir .said he would consider his judgment.

Theft.

At Hampstead Police Court, on December 4th. Leonard
Marriott, 41. an electrician, of Lyme Terrace, Camden Town,
pleaded " Guilty " to breaking into 8, Ro.s.slyn Hill, Hamp-
stead, and steaUng a navy blue coat, gloves, silk, and brooches,
and 15 £1 Treasury notes, the property of Mrs. Esmond
Addington. A remand was ordered.— T/ic Times.

An Electricity Supply Contract. Api'Ltcation to Annul.
The hearing of the summons taken out by the North Metro-
politan Electric Power Supply Co.. asking for an order that
four agreements made for the supply of electrical energy to

East Anolun Electricitv. Ltd.
A petition to confirm a reorganisation of the capital of this
company was before Mr. Justice P. O. Lawrence in the Chan-
cery Division on Tuesday, November 30th.

Mr. A. C. Clanson, K.C. for the company, said there were
99,300 ordinary shares and 200 founders' shares, and the only
thing that it was required to do was to turn the founders'
shares into 200 ordinary shares and consolidate them with
the 99,300 ordinary shares, so as to make them all one class.
The point was that the company had attempted to do this by
issuing 3.000 ordinary shares to the 200 founders on the footing
of 1.5 ordinary shares to one founder's share. That had caused

768

THE ELECTKICAL EEVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,246, December lO, 1920.

some diiBculty, and the result -was that a rather complicated
agreement had to be made to put the matter right. Meetings
of shareholders had been held which had .sanctioned the altera-
tion. The same meetings also dealt with the workmen's shares,
the rights of which had had to be altered because they were
issued in a somewhat informal way.

His Lordship gave his approval to the scheme of reorganisa-
tion as asked.

.\ntiseptic Telephones.
In the City of London Court, on November 30th, a claim was
made by Livermore & Knight, Ltd., 180, Fleet Street, against
Mr. R. J. Kirby, North Finchley, for £G 17s. C^ balance of
account for antiseptic telephone mouthpieces supplied for the
front of telephone instruments.

Sir JoH.\ Paget, K.C, Deputy .Judge, found for the plaintiiTs
for the amount claimed with co.sts.

Interference with a Meter.
At Birmingham Police Court, on December 3rd, Alfred
Downes, trading as the Aston Electrical Company, of 1'24, New
.Avenue, Acocks (!ree.n, was fined 40s. for unlawfully connecting
a meter with an electric line without having given 48 hours'
notice of his intention to the Birmingham Klectric Supply
Department. Mr. Minsh.4LL, of the Town Clerk's Department,
who prosecuted, stated that defendant's supply of electric cur-
rent was cut off because he had not paid his account. It was
found when a representative of the department went to remove
the meter that the supply had been reconnected.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compili^l expressly for Ihis journal by Messus. Seftos-Josks, O'Dell

Ch.-ii

\-<l r.itcin .\ge:lts, 28J, Hiyh Holborn, London, W.C. 1-

32.834. ■' Sp.irking plugs." H. E. .Ashdown. November iSnJ.

33,83(i. ■• Wind-power electric lighting plnnt." H. \'Mlenline. Novenib.r
22 nd.

:j2,838. "Selector switches." I. H. Parsons. Novemlvr 22nd.

32,S65. " Mechanisms for step-bv-step devices, S:c." .Automatic Telephone
Manufacturing Co. November 22nd.

32,869. " Electric switches, fuses, controllers, &o." W. L. Barber. Novem-
ber 22nd.

32.8i)0. " Electric luminous discharge lamps." J. Pinls.h .Akl.-Cies. Novem-
ber 22nd. (Germany, November 2Ist, 1!)19.)

32,838. " Spark plugs." Champion Ignition Co. November 32nd. (U.S..
November 22nd. 1919.)

32,909. " Tramway rails and tracks." R. Iladd./n I.Xtlantis .•\kt.-Ges.).
November 22nd.

32,934. " Means for bonding and fixing metal-covered electric cables and
wires." Edison Swan Electric Co. and P. C. Raphat-I. November 22nd.

32.936. " Electric switches." H. Garde. November 22nd.

32.937. " Spark plug." Ignition Co. and A. A. Thornton (Ignition Co.).
November 22nd.

32.940. " Electric power transmission from fluid pressure engine to driving
shaft or axle." J. D. Roots. November 22nd.

32,962. " Domestic electrical apparatus." J. E. Klurton. November 23rd.

32,976. " Renewal of filaments of valve.s for wireless telegraphy, X:c." S.
Coxon and W. A. Williams. November 23rd.

32,981. " Focusing vehicle electric lamps." P. L. A. Letondu. November
23rd.

32,992. " Electric overhead lines. R. C. Horn and H. F. Tessmann.
November 23rd.

32,995. " Insulated tubes." Western Electric Co. (Western Electric Co.).
November 23rd.

33,002. " Device for use with gear cases of electric tramcars, &c." J.
Wilson. November 23rd.

33,004. " Electromagnet arrangements." R. Fiedler and K. Hopfner.
November 23rd. (Germany. February 5th.)

33,015. " Control of electric generating plant, and switches therefor."
W. J. bransom and H. ,1. Read. November 23rd.

33,017. " Controlling circuits of electromagnets." .\. West Sr Co. and
W. L. Wise. November 23rd.

83,028. " Push-button control electric lifts. Src." Otis Elevator Co. and
Waygood-Otis, Ltd. (Otis Elevator Co.). November 23rd.

33,048. " Electric speed regulator systems." Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical
Co. November 23rd. (U.S., January' 12th.)

33.056. " Wireless transmission of signals." E. C. Hanson. November
23rd. (U.S., August 2"th, 1917.)

33.057. "Wireless phonographs, &c." E. C. Hanson. .November 23rd.
(U.S., June 4th, 1918.)

33.058. " Directing and controlling self-propelled torpedoes, &c." E. C
Hanson. November 23rd. (U.S., Jane 4th, 1918.)

33.059. " Radio-signalling systems for life boats." E. C. Hanson. Novem-
ber 33rd. (U.S., February 20th, 1919.)

33.060. " Locating ore bodies by electrical means." E. C. Hanson. Novem-
ber 23rd. (U.S., May 7th, 1919.)

33.061. " Electro-therapeutic apparatus." E. C. Hanson. November 23rd.
(U.S., July 12th, 1919.)

33.062. "Telephone apparatus for the deaf." E. C. Hanson November
23rd. (U.S., June Ilth, 1919.)

33.063. " W'ireless transmission of speech." E. C, Hanson. Novemb-r
23rd. (U.S.. June 18lh, 1917.)

33,068. " Electric lighting, heating, and power installations." W. J.
Branson and H. J. Read. November 23rd.

33,093. " Electric switches for ships' use." G. P. Dennis. November 24th.

33,099. " Connecting fittings for electric lights, &c." F I Tregoninff
November 24th. j s k

cycles, cars, &c." F. Hammer.

, ^•^^■. '.' Electric arc lamps." F. Raven. November 24th. (Germany,
July 12th.) '

33,117. " Sparking plug." R. B. Elliott. November 24th.

33,122. " Electric (use contact." R. Timmins. November 24th.

33,133. " .-Vutomatic electric switch." C. Donovan. November 24th.

33.158. " Electrical starting mechanism for internal-combustion engines."
H. Lucas and W. C. Turner. November 24th.

33.160. " -Accumulators for starting and operating internal-combustion en-
gines, &c." S. Z. de Ferranti. November 24th.

33,169. " Mounting brush-holders upon electric motors." B. Platschick.
November 24lh. (France, December 24th, 1919.)

33,188. " Means for recording telephone calls." A. W. Wood. November
24th.

33.192. " Portable electric light and power plant." C. H. Ferguson.
November 24th.

33.267. " Typing by wireless." C. H. Keeling. November 25lh.

33,289. " Aerials for wireless signalling." H. T. Ellis. November 25th.

33.292. " Electric junction boxes, &c." W. H. Ainsworth, H. Bailev, and
H. Hopkinson. November 25th.

33,.303. " Recording and reproducing sound waves." C. H. A. Bennett
and L. T. M. Gray. November 25th.

33.319. " Train lighting, &c., dynamos." W. Heaton and J. Stone it Co.
(Heaton). November 25th.

33,.342. " Sound recording and reproducing machines," F. Adams. Novem-
ber 25th. (U.S., January 31st.)

33,364. " Devices for testing sparking plugs and mai'tletos." E. Hammond.
November 26th.

33.369. " Electric iron." E. Bassett. November 26th.

33.393. "Alternating current generators." H. Church. Crompton & Co.,
and W. G. Smith. .November 26th.

33,397. " Electric window cleaner." W. C. Comber. November 26th.

33,441. "Spark plugs." Champion Ignition Co. November 26th. (U.S.,
"November 26th. 1919.)

33,471. " Giving liquids an electrical discharge." E. E. Litllefield. Novem-
ber 26th.

33,478. " Contrivance to ensure secrecy of conversations by telephone."
A. C. Ingle (Sp<>ighl) and R. Speight. November 26th.

33,48:). " Direction-finding for sound waves, &c." T. G. Hodgkinson.
Novcmbir 20th.

33.5(10. " Fitting for mechanical or electric horns." W. S. Adams. Novem-
ber 27th.

33,509. " High-tension electric ignition devices for intervial-combustion en-
gines." R. Bosch Akt.-Ges. November 27th. (Germany. February 19th.)

33.51.'i. " Electric lamp and switch holder." A. N. Haddow and A. P.
Ruth.-rford. November 27th.

33,523. "Control of electrical heating appara:us." R. J. Barker. E. C.
Moore, and F. Wilde. November 27th.

33.533. " Chain for driving dynamos, &c." E Lycett. November 27th.

33,546. " Electric accumulator^. Sec." H. /.eitner. November 27th.

33,556. " .Sparking plugs, &c." G. Bradshaw. D. D. Esson, and G, A.
Henshaw. November 27th.

33.562. " Electric batteries." D- Pepper. November 27th. (U.S., November
29th, 1919.)

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

nted and abridged, and

ubsi^quent proceedings

" W. Cross (D. S.
Co. and S. R. Wright.

5.881- " Electric radiators." C. O. Poole. R. G. .Manifold, and A. R.
Huntington. September 2Dth, 1918. (1.53.334.)

X9X9.

11.554. " Automatic telephone line-finder
Hulfish). May 8th. 1919. (153,340.)

16.705. " Coll winding machines." Igranic
July 3rd. 1919. (153.350.)

18.458. " Electric signalling systems." Western Electric Co. (Western
Electric Co.). July 24th, 1919. (153,357.)

18,918. " Electrical heating elements." E. J. Hazelton. July 30lh, 1919.
(153,368.)

18,975. " Electric motors." A. Heurtebise. July 31st, 1919. (153,370.)

19.014. " Electric lamp holders for the lamps of motor and other vehicles."
R. F. Rowe. July 13th, 1919. (153,376.)

19,056. '* Electric heaters." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General Electric
Co.). August 1st, 1919. (153,378.)

19,102. " Electric switches." A. Pouchain. August 14lh, 1918. (131,283.)

19,284. " Magneto-electric machines." American Bosch Magneto Corpora-
tion. September 27th, 1918. (133.025.)

20,343. " Sparking plugs." W. Miller. August 19th. 1919. a53,401.)

20,531. " Alternating current relay." Automatic Telephone Manufacturing
Co. and G. W. Flynn. August 21st, 1919. (Addition to 121,383.) (133.405.)

20,760. " Senderless automatic telephone satellite svstems." Western Elec-
tric Co. and G. Deakin. August 23rd, 1919. (153.4()7.)

21,120. " Flywheel magneto devices for internal-combustion engines." Vll-
liers Engineering Co. and F. Pountney. August 2eih, 1919. (153,411.)

21,293. *• Regulating systems for electric circuits." British Thomson-Houston
Co. (General Electric Co.). .August 29th, 1919. (153,412.)

31,548. " .Automatic time switches or interrupters for use in electrical
circuits." J. J. Bjerregaard. July 13th. 1917. 032.255.)

22.589. " Electric incandescent lamps." G. Calvert. September 13lh, 1919.
(153,421.)

23.096. " Device for securing electric cables." Crompton & Co. and W. F.
Jones. September 19th, 1919. (153,431.)

28,628. " Safety controlling gear for electrically-propelled vehicles." R.
Garrett & Sons and F. Garrett. November 19th, 1919. (Addition to 103,617.)
(153,467.)

30,113. " Adjustable connection for electric light fittings." H. Hubencr.
December 2nd, 1919. 0-53,471.)

isao.

S.737. " Electricallv-operated sound generators," .M. I. Pupir. Februarv
4th, 1918, (139.4,97.) '

5,925. '* Telephone systems." -Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co. May
2nd, 1919, (142.793,)

7.831. " Electric switches." Igranic Electric Co. (Cutler Hammer Manu-
facturing Co.), March 16th, 1920. (153.624,)

8.801. " Searchlights," Siemens & Co,, Geb, August 1st, 1917, 040,799,)

12,225. " Devices for controlling electric discharges through vapours, and
methods of operating said devices." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.). April 15th, 1915. (Divided application on 5,684/15.) (153,532.)

17,048, " Tvpe printing telegraphs," Siemens & Halske Akt,-Ges, December
16th, 1918, (146.123,)

7ZXS

EIjEOTI?/ICJLZj I^E1"7"IE"W-

Vol. LXXXYII.

DECEMBEK 17, 1920.

No. 2,247

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

▼ol. LXXXVII,] CONTENTS: December 17, 1920.

[Mo. 3,

German Competition in the Electrical Trades

The Whitley Scheme

Employment Abroad

New Piccadilly Railway Boiling Stock Qillus.')
Electricity in Minss ... ... ...

WestcTn Electric Telegraph and Telephone Systems (tW«j(.) ..

The Distribution of BUectricity

Tramway Finance and Statistics

Oonespondence —

The Crisis in Electricity Supply

Shop Displays

The Jurisdiction of the Electricity Commissioners

An Engineers' Ciub for London

Under-run Gas-filled Lamps...

A Generator Problem

Legal

Baainess Notes

Notes

City Notes

Stocks and Shares

Market Quotations ...

Extra High-Tension Distribution by Underground Cable, by

R. 0. Kapp (iUus.')

The National Physical Laboratory

New Zealand : A Promising Market

The British Electrical and Allied Industries Research Associa

tion ... ...

The Rapid Submersible Ship-Cleaner

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (.illus.')

New Patents Applied for. 1920

AbstraotB of Published Specifioationt

Oontraotors' Column Advertisement page

347.

Page
769
770
770
771
772
774
775

777
777
778
778
778
778
779
779
187
790
791
792

793
795
796

797
798
799
800
800
xxvi

GERMAN COMPETITION IN THE
ELECTRICAL TRADES.

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Evert day brings evidence of the fact tliat Germany is
making another bid for the manufacturing trade of
this country.

Till' Board of Trade returns recently published show-
that : (1) The imports of manufactured and partly
manufactured goods from Germany for nine months in
l!)13 amounted to 41 million pounds. (2) The imports
from the same source, for the same period of the pre-
sent j-ear (1920) totalled 17 million pounds.

The full significance of these figures can be realised
by a reference to past history. Memories are proverbi-
ally short, and it may not be amiss to recall what the
position was before the war and after the war started.
Before the war Germany by her policy of "" peaceful
penetration " had managed to secure something like
80 per cent, or 90 per cent, of the British trade in
electrical accessories. This had been accomplished by
dumping immense quantities of these goods at prices
which made the production of such articles unprofitable
to British manufacturers. This naturally had the
anticipated and hoped-for result of discouraging or
freezing-out would-be makers, leaving a few old-estab-
lished firms to share amongst them the small balance
of business obtainable from those (unfortunately now
so few) who had a preference for good-class British-
made goods. Then came the war !

When the war started the Government of this country
soon found that British makers of electrical accessories
were quite unable to furnish sufficient of these articles
to meet urgent war requirements. British makers were
immediately urged to " get a move on," and other firms
decided to take up the manufacture, helped no doubt to
that decision by the Government promise of protection
after the war. The whole countrj- seemed to be fully
alive to the fact that our pre-war policj- of allowing
Germany to get the trade into her hands was wrong.
Never more ! said the Government, must this thing
happen. After the war we will bring in a Bill to
prevent it. Never more ! echoed the Press. One comic
paper (very comic it appears now) published a cartoon
of " the bravest man in this world,"' depicting a Ger-
man traveller about to land on these shores.

And now, in this year of grace and peace, how do
we stand? The Bill that was to prevent the British
manufacturer from losing his trade to Germany has been
postponed to next session, but the Government is still
(two years after the war) "giving the matter anxious
consideration."

The Press now appears to be undecided ; one Birming-
ham paper a few days ago expressed the view that " we
must approach this question (of trading with Germany)
svmpathetically, in view of the increase in unemploy-
ment,"' the implication being that by importing German
goods we should reduce unemployment ; and so, no
doubt, we should — in Germany.

In a recent issue of the Electrical Review we re-
ported that " all the electrical works in Germany are
full of work, and have heavy and pressing orders on
hand, including large orders from England, etc."

We have recently received from correspondents par-
ticulars of electricity meters offered by a Swedish fi^m.
of German manufacture, and motors and generators
offered by a company with an English naroe btit foreign
directorate, di-piniriled in London, these maehines also
being of German make, the prices in both oases being
extremely low; doubtless there are m.iny other channels
bywhich German products re.ich this country. . _,;,i;^
9] IkJM

770

THE ELECTKICAL EEVIEW. LVoi.87. no. 2,247, dbokmbm 1 7, 1920.

Meanwhile the British manufacturer views with dis-
may his empty order book, dismisses the workpeople for
whom he can no longer find employment, and wonders
how long he can continue to stock the goods for which
he has no sale.

The German traveller, who was to have been met by
the Britisher with a dog-whip in one hand and a replica
of the Lusitania medal in the -other, is with us once
again, and plentiful supplies of German-manufactured
goods are on sale in every large town in England.

Whilst British workpeople are walking the streets
looking for work that has gone to Germany, English-
men (?), many of whom just escaped internment during
the war, are planning trips to the Fatherland with the
intention of handing over the balance of British trade
to their friends. The firms these good people represent
(or misrepresent) are not feeling any slump — of course
not. Whilst the war was on they supported the British
manufacturer (and duly advertised the fact), but they
now have no further use for him.

From the Board of Trade figures referred to at the
commencement of this article, it will be seen that the
Germans have alreadj' got back over 40 per cent, of
their pre-war total of British trade, and it seems
fairly certain that by the end of another year, the
. remaining 60 per cent, will fall into their hands. Thus
the Englishman's "nevermore " can be translated into
a term of about three years. As a German said : " We
Germans can never be gentlemen, and Englishmen will
always be fools."

The present time is probably a crucial
The Whitley one in the history of the electricity
Scheme. supply business. The industry is

faced at the present moment with the
task of giving the Whitley scheme its final form. The
industrial future of the industry will, in a great mea-
sure, be governed by what shajie is now given to tlie
scheme. There are two main questions outstanding : one
is the formation of District Joint Boards for the stafi
(in conjunction with the National Joint Board); and
the other, the relationship which, in future, is to be
maintained between the four employers' associations and
the Joint Boards and Industrial Councils.

At present the position is that the Whitley report has
been followed with regard to the construction of the
National Board and the National Council, but has not
lieen followed with regard to the construction of the Dis-
trict Councils. There is consequently an anomaly wliirli
has given rise to proposals to amend the present arrange-
ment. The Whitley report suggests that the representa-
tion of the employers on both the National Council and
the District Councils should be by members appointed
directly by the employers' associations. Now, the
National Council and the National Board have been com-
posed in this way. But the employers' representatives
on the District Councils have been appointed direct, by
the. local undertakings, without reference to the em-
ployers' associations. The question has now been raised
as to direct representation of the District Councils on
the National Council. If this were done, that is, if
the National Council were elected by the District Coun-
cils, all direct control by the employers' associations
would be al)andoned. If the representation of the Dis-
trict Councils on the National Council is partial, then
to that extent the direct influence of the associations
will be diminished. Whatever is done in this way in
connection with the District Councils will necessarily
follow in tlio construction of the District Boards, and
vk-e. verm. The effect of the National Council being
derived directly from the District Councils would be
that the Councils as a whole would become independent
of any other organised body. That is, the final autho-
rity, the National Council, ^vould be reached by the
individual undertaking only thnuigh the District Coun-
cil. In other words, the power of the individual uuder-
takings would be greatly reduced, and the power of the
Councils as a whole correspondingly augmented,

The recent dispute over the recommendations issued
liy the National Joint Board with regard to technical
staffs raised amongst other things, this issue. An
individual undertaking denmrred (we put it mildly)
to acceptance, saying that the award was issued by a
body in the constituting of which it had had no direct
voice, and that it had had no opportunity of presenting
its views as to adjustnient to local conditions — in a
word, that there was no District Board.

The completion of the organisation of the Whitley
sihenie is thus obviously a matter of immense moment to
the industry, and one demanding the most serious delibe-
ration. An ill-organised set of Councils and Boards is
clearly a danger. On the other hand, once soundly
(uganised on a permanent basis, they will form a power-
ful factor for good if it be true that cordial co-opera-
tion between employed and employers is possible. But
everything depends on their equipment.

At the present moment, the weaknesses of their anoma-
lous organisation are Ijeing felt in the lack of co-ordina-
tion in policy between the various District Councils of
the country. The fact that the employers' associatious
liave no direct representation on the District Councils
means that at present there are no means by which suiii
co-ordination is possible. Any co-ordination by way
of the National Council is debarred by the fact already
mentioned, that the District Councils have no direct
representation on tlie National Council.

The foregoing, then, are some of the elements in the
]irol)lem with which the industry is faced The
alternative courses open to the employers' side are: —
One, to let things settle themselves haphazard ; the other,
wliich, if it is to be done at all, nmst be done imme-
diately, is to decide on a definite and comprehensive
policy.

Tni; vduiiij: cny:iiieer wlio is tempted
Lmployraent to accept service abroad, whether under
Abroad. the Secretary of State for India or a
Colonial Government, should take a
legal opinion before he signs his contract. The import-
ance of doing this was emphasised in the case of Den-
iiinff V. the Secretary of State for India, which was
lieard before Mr. Justice Bailhache on November !j9th.
It was there decided that a Crown servant, against whom
no misconduct is alleged is liable to dismissal at the
[)leasure of the Crown without notice, even if the form
iif agreement under which he has been engaged implies
that, except in the case of misconduct, the engagement
can be terminated only by notice. The facts of the case
(as reported in The Times) were such as to induce the
learned judge to say that he sj-mpathised with the plain-
tiff, and to suggest that those who advised the Secretary
of State should adopt a form of contract which would
lie less misleading. It appears that the plaintiff signed
a contract in writing on September 30th, 1909, under
which he was employed \>y the Secretary of State as
superintendent of industries and inspector of technical
.ind industrial institutions in Bengal for five years from
his reporting his arrival in Calcutta. He commenced
\Vork in 1910, but on January 8th, 1913, his employ-
ment was terminated on purely medical grounds.
There was no suggestion of misconduct. AVe anticipate
that it will be a surprise to some lawyers and to most
laymen to be informed that when a contract to serve
a definite term with the Crown is put into writing, and
that writing specifically states that there may be dis-
missal for misconduct." the rule that a Crown servant
niav be dismissed at His Majesty's pleasure is still to
be applied ! That such a rule is sound in its general
application may be admitted, but we venture to agree
with the learned judge that " no one who was not fami-
liar with the law on reading the contract could suppose
that the person engaged was liable to dismissal without
notice at the pleasure of the Crown." That he was of
opinion that the plaintiff was liarshly treated appears
from the fact that Mr. Justice Bsilhoche dismissed the
action.. but without costs.

Vol 87. No.2,247, DKCEMBEuiT, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REYIEW.

771

NEW PICCADILLY RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK.

On Wednesday, December 8th, a party consisting of repre-
sentatives of the Press, and others interested, took part in
an inspection and trial run of the first of a series of new
trains being placed in use on the Piccadilly (TiOndon
Electric) Railway.

Forty of these cars were ordered from Messrs. Cammell,
Laird & Co., Ltd., in I'.'ll), and delivery was promised by
the middle of the present year. Owing to labour troubles
and the diflBculty of obtaining materials, however, delivery
has only just commenced, but it is hoped to complete four
per fortnight, and so the whole of the cars should be in
service early next year. The cost of the order amounts to
about £120,000.

The length of the new car (fig. 1) is 50 ft. overall, and a

giving a mellow reflection. The alteration of the roof to
an elliptical shape from the usual clerestory type gives a
more efficient reflecting surface ; roof advertisements are to
be restricted. Emergency lighting is supplied from a
storage battery, and comes into operation automatically
immediately a failure occurs, in the ordinary lighting.
The door arrangements are a new departure in electric oar
construction. The car has single sliding doors at one end
and double doors in the centre, and it will be seen from the
illustration (fig. 3) that ample means of ingress and egresg
are provided. The whole of the doors are controlled by the
guard of the train. They are opened and closed by com-
pi-essed-air apparatus, electrically controlled. Should
a passenger be caught in a door while it is
being closed, the door will immediately return to
the " open " position. The cruard, by looking along

Fig. 1.— Gknebal View of Exterior of New Car.

Fio. 2.— View of Interior of Car.

Fig. ;!. — Sliding Double-doors

number of new features have been embodied in its con-
struction. The seats, which are arranged parallel to the
length of the car, accommodate 44 passengers, and are made
more comfortable by giving them a backward inclination.
They are upholstered in imitation leather. The corridor
is much more ample in this type owing to an extra 10 in.
in the width of the car. Straps are not provided for
standing passengers, but the usual rails are brought a little
lower for use as hand-rails, while vertical rails fitted
between the seats and the roof are provided in addition.

The lighting is extremely good, as the view of the car
interior (fig. 2) will show. It will be seen that the lights
are arranged in pairs at frequent intervals. Above the
waist of the car "the interior is painted cream colour,

the train, can see if all doors are closed, by means of
indicators (seen in fig. 3) which close in when the doors
are shut. The motorman cannot receive his starting signal
until all the doors are closed.

It is intended to run these new cars in trains of six, and
the old cars thus released will be added to the existing five-
car trains in order to make a continuous six-car service.
This will mean an all-round strengthening of the services
and a relief of the present congestion. It is stated that
the new cars represent an addition of over 26 per cent, to
the existing car strength of the Piccadilly line. The new
trains will make about 12 journeys during the " rush
hours "of the day, and will, therefore, provide additional
accommodation for 21,120 passengers daily.

772

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. No. 2,247, decembee k, 1920.

ELECTRICITY IN MINES.

From the recently-issued reports of H.M. Inspectors of
Mines, we learn that the total quantity of coal obtained
in the year 1919 was 229,779,517 tons, which includes
an amount of 36,389 tons obtained from open quarries.
The total obtained in 1918 was 227,748,654 tons, so
that there is an increase of over two million tons, which
whilst satisfactory, is very far below the output for the
year 1913, which was 287,411,869 tons. The total
inineral output for the year 1919 was 239,600,939 tons,
which includes coal, fireclay, ironstone, oil shale, and
other minerals, but in each case the output is very
considerably below that for the year 1913, when the
total mineral output reached 301,611,353 tons, being
the highest output on record in this country. The
miners, however, are working one hour per day less,
which — in spite of all the assurances from the miners
and others who thought they knew all about the miner
and coal getting, that output would not be reduced —
will account for much of the reduction, as in 1913 there
were emplojed under the Coal Mines Act 1,127,890 per-
sons, and in 1919, 1,191,313, or 63,423 more employes
for 62,010,414 tons less output. This is very far
from being satisfactory, and it is to be hoped that both
coal owners and miners will not only settle their differ-
ences at the conferences now taking place, but will
investigate thoroughly the reasons for the smallness of
the output, and devise means and methods for increasing
it. A plentiful supply of coal is vital to the life of this
country.

With regard to fatal accidents, it is satisfactory to
record that the year 1919, though not the lowest, was the
lowest but one in the death rate, this being 4.67 per
1,000,000 tons raised, 0.3 more than the lowest
record, which was in the year 1914. Still it is very
sad to know that coal-getting cost 1,118 valuable lives
in 1919, and it is the sincere wish of everyone con-
nected with the industry that this dreadful yearly toll
of human lives may be reduced. On this point it is
stated by Mr. Wilson, Divisional Inspector for the
North of England, that " taking the fatalities as a whole,
45 per cent, of them were avoidable by ordinary care and
precaution." Again, Mr. J. Dyer Lewis, in referring
to fatal accidents due to the use of explosives, saj-s :
" I regret to report that all the fatal accidents resulted
from breaches of the regulations, or want of ordinary
care." Again, with reference to shaft accidents, we
read: "It is singular that pitmen will not use life-belts
or other appliances provided for their use when examin-
ing or repairing shafts."

With regard to coal-cutting machinery, it is satisfac-
tory to note that its use is still increasing. In the Scot-
land Division the inspector reports : " There was an
increase of 108 in the number of coal-cutting machines at
work, and of 177,364 tons in the quantity of mineral
obtained by them, compared with the figures for 1918.
The total quantity of mineral cut by mechanical coal-
cutters was 10,379,495 tons, of which 9.507,912 tons were
got by machines driven by electricity, and 871,583 tons
by machines driven by compressed air. A comparison
with the figures for 1913 shows that 313 more machines
were employed and 1,044,043 tons more obtained by this
means in 1919 than in 1913, and 40 fewer driven by
compressed air. Tlie number of mechanical conveyors
in operation at the working face during the year was
105, compared with 125 in I9I3."

In the Northern Division the inspector reports:
" The use of coal-cutting machines has made some head-
way during the last five years, and probably would have
made more progress if the machines themselves, and
more particularly the air compressors lor generating
the power, had been available.

" During the -year 1914. the last year for which the
figures were given, 3,574,312 tons of coal, 6.8 per cent,
of the total output, were obtained by the use of 702
coal-cutting machines. In 1919 the quantity so wrought
had increased to 4,380,693 tons, or 10 per cent, of the

total output, and the number of machines had gone
up to 1,025 ; the greater increase by far is in compressed
air machines. The number has advanced from 546 in
1914 to 854 in 1919, a jump of 56 per cent.; whereas
electrically-driven machines have advanced only from
156 to 171, or 9.6 per cent. The application of coal
conveyors has not made the same strides; the number in
use in 1919 was only 87, as compared with 68 in the
year 1914.

" There is not much doubt but that greater develop-
ments in these labour-saving appliances will take place
in the future, as the diminishing quantity of hand-got
coal will compel the resort to every known device for sup-
plementing the output."

In the York and North Midland Division the inspector
reports : " The quantity of coal obtained by coal-cutting
machines was 6,979,454 tons. The coal-cutting machines
employed numbered 880, made up of 269 disk, 110 bar,
334 chain, 162 percussive, 5 rotary heading. The
number of mechanical conveyors in use was 162."

In the Lancashire, North Wales, and Ireland Division
the inspector reports: "The quantity of coal obtained
by coal-cutting machines was 2,780,092 tons, of which
2,456,794 tons were got with machines worked by com-
liressed air, and 323,298 tons by electrical coal cutters.
There were 737 nachines worked by compressed air
and 58 worked by electricity. There were 45 coal con-
veyors at work in the division."

In the South Wales Division the inspector reports:
" The cj[uantity of coal obtained by coal-cutting
machines was 897,047 tons. The number of disk
machines in use was four, the number of bar machines
in use was 38, the number of chain machines in use
was 104, and the number of percussive machines in
use was 36. The number of mechanical conveyors at
the working face was 285. The above machines were
used in 56 mines. The figures show an increase of 26
coal-cutters, and an increase of 73,243 tons of mineral
cut over that of the preceding year. There was an
increase of 71 conveyors."

In the Midland and Southern Division the inspector
reports: " The quantities of mineral obtained by coal-
cutting machines were: Cpal, 2,243,389 tons; fireclay,
800 tons; and ironstone, 401,475 tons. The coal-cutting
machines employed numbered 411, comprising 39 disk,
26 bar, 206 chain, 136 percussive, four rotary heading.
The number of mechanical conveyors in use was 28."

The following tables give particulars relating to the
use of coal-cutting machinery: — •

1918 1919

Number of coHieries where machines are

at work 69S 729

Number of machines 4,041 4.483

Work by electricity 1,797 1.9.50

Work by compressed an- 3,244 '2, .532

Mineral obtained 27,873,646 28,081,017

Number of conveyors at coal face ... 613 713

Coal-cutting machines driven by electricity : disk,
876; bar, 489; chain, 573; percussive, 7; rotary head-
ing. 5 ; total, 1,950.

Coal-cutting machines driven by compressed air : Disk,
388: bar, 128; chain. 400; percussive, 1,598; rotary
heading, 18; total. 2,532.

Gross total in 1918, 4,041 ; gross total in 1919, 4.482.

The extent of application of electricity to mining
machinery is shown in the following table for the coal
mines, which number 1,492: —

Surface. — Winding, 51,968 h.p. ; ventilation, 77,176;
lia\ilage, 44,714; coal washing and screening. 75.011;
miscellaneous, 193,764; total, 440,633 h.p.

Underground. — Haulage, 241,123 h.p.; pumping,
270,486; portable machinerv, 55,791; miscellaneous,
19,921 ; total, 587,321 h.p.

Gross total, 1,027,954 h.p.

The extent of application of electricity to mining
machinery is shown in the following table for the metal-
liferous mines, nuraberinjr 77: —

Vol.87. No. 2,247, dkckmbkb 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

778

Surface. — Winding, 1,120.5 h.p.; ventilation, 9;
haulagn, 904.5; miscellaneous, 7,857.5; total, 10,633.5
H.p. (including 742 h.p. not detailed).

Undergrovnd. — Haulage, 1,383.5 h.p.; pumping,
7,392.5; portable machinery, 18.5 ; miscellaneous, 1,039;
total, i0,2S2.5 h.p. (including 449 h.p. not detailed).

Gross total, 20,916 h.p.

The next table shows the increase in the growth of
the use of electricity for all purposes : —

1918. Per cent,

H.p. on previous y
Surface ... 416,775 GiJH

Underground 548,592 512

1919. Percent.

^H.r. on previous year.
441,606 6'96

587,321 7-06

Total

965,367

5-66

!,!I27

6'5S

The number of electrically-driven coal-cutting
machines in use at the end of 1919 was 1,950, an in-
crease of 153 over the number in use at the end of 1918.
The increase was 8.5 per cent., as against an increase
for the previous year of 3.3 per cent. onl}'.

During the year 1919 there were in all nine fatal
accidents at mines definitely due to electricity which
were investigated by H.M. inspectors of Mines. These
nine accidents caused nine deaths. In addition elec-
tricity was suspected to be a contributory cause in an
accident whereby an explosion of firedamp and air
resulted in the death of six persons and serious injury
to sis others.

Of the nine electric shock accidents above referred to,
three took place on the surface and six below ground.
The figure for electric shock accidents below ground is
the same as in the previous year.

Number of persons killed by electric shock below
ground in coal mines: 1907, 10; 1908, 12; 1909, 13-;
1910, 15; 1911, 9; 1912, 7; 1913, 13; 1914, 4; 1915, 8;
1916, 4; 1917, 2; 1918, 6; 1919, 6.

The following are short details of the circumstances
relating to the accidents: —

1 . Deceased received a fatal shock from the framework
of a coal cutter when the machine was running. The
accident was due to joining together two lengths of
trailing cable, by which the frame of the coal-cutting
machine was connected to the inner (live) core of the
concentric cable instead of to the outer (dead) core ;
also to a fault in using a trailing cable with a break
in the earth connection.

2. Deceased, a by-worker, pulled the pomel of a 4-core
trailing cable out of a conveyor motor starter with the
current on. Through a defect the pomel became elec-
trically charged, and the neutral point of the 500-volt,
3-phase system being earthed, he received a fatal shock.

3. A haulage motor having refused to start, the fire-
man opened the door of the switchbox to see if anything
was wrong, and deceased, who was standing by him,
suddenly put his hand into the box, and touching the
live terminals, was killed.

4. Deceased was killed by an electric shock from the
haulage rope of a coal-cutting machine. The supply
wa.s alternating current at 440 volts; the machine cas-
ing and the rope became alive owing to the trailing
cable becoming jammed under the machine, and being
damaged to such an extent that there was direct con-
tact between the machine and one of the power leads
in the cable.

5. While engaged in cutting the coal a "short"
developed on the machine, and owing to the pin con
necting the earthing system to the machine becoming
loose and defective, a man received so severe a shock that
it immediately killed him.

6. Deceased removed an electric lamp from the holder
in the blacksmiths' shop at the surface, and whilst
tampering with the live terminals of the lamp holder, he
received a fatal electric shock.

7. Deceased was found beside a switch, which he had
just opened to stop a motor. The switchboarQ was
bolted to a light iron frame and subject to great vibra-
tion ; the switchI)ox had been partly pulled away from
its fastenings, and the connection to the earth conductoi'
was broken,

8. Deceased was killed by leakage of current from a
coal-cutting machine. The cause or source of the leakage
could not be discovered ; the protective earth circuit was,
however, defective. The bat connector at the gate end
box had not been properly fixed, and the holding bolt
was not screwed home. The connection to earth, there-
fore, at this point depended entirely upon contact
Ijetween the metal surface of the bat and the box or
socket into which it was fitted. It was found afterwards
that through corrosion of the metal of the bat and ac-
cumulated dirt upon it, the conductance of its surface
was nearly nil.

9. Some electric lighting cables with merely a braided
covering, and carrying a current at 220 volts, were
held up by a temporary pole where they crossed a con-
veyor. The chain of the conveyor got out of its runners,
and whilst it was being replaced, deceased, although
warned, touched one of the cables and received a fatal
.shock.

Although there was no increase from the previous
year, and the record is satisfactory to that extent,
consideration of the details of each accident given above
shows that without exception all might have been
avoided by attention to simple and well-established safe-
guards. The fact that five of the six fatalities occurred
to persons engaged in operating coal-cutting machinery
is significant of the necessity for better supervision and
maintenance of this form of plant. All were due to
defects in the earthing circuit. The following gene-
ralised remarks by Mr. Horsley, the Electrical Inspector
of Mines, on the subject of trailing cables and connectors
should be carefully noted and considered oy the manage-
ment of mines at which electricity is used with portable
motors for coal-cutting or other purposes.

" One point emerges with cumulative insistence, and
that is the urgent need for radical improvement in the
design of the connectors, termed bats or pomels, used
with trailing cables in order to secure and maintain
adequate earthing of the portable apparatus.

" It does not appear to have been sufficiently realised
that conductivity and reliability of the earth continuity
device is of even greater importance than the correspond-
ing features of the live circuit. Any discontinuity in
the live circuit is self-advertising, but a break or in-
crease of resistance in the earthing circuit can only be
detected by inspection and test. Excellence of design,
however, will be of little avail, unless methodical main-
tenance is carried out.

" There is scope also for development in the design
of trailing cable. Reasonable mechanical protection is
afforded by cab-tire sheathing, now in almost universal
use, but a risk remains. In case of abrasion or incision
a live conductor may be exposed and brought into con-
tact with persons, or with conducting material from
which a dangerous shock may be received. It is also
possible that the earthing conductor of a tliree- or four-
core cable mrt\' be severed while the live conductors
remain intact. A design of trailing cable in which the
live cores and the principal earthing core are enveloped
by a supplemental flexible earthed conductor would ap-
proximate more nearly to the condition of safety from
shock which is attained by the use of an armoured cable
for the main circuits."

With regard to safety lamps, the numbers of oil and
electric lamps in use were: Oil, 636,158 (previous vear
590,185); electric, 197.722 (previous year 156,521)".

The number of shots fired bv electricity was
2ti.953,674.

The total number of horses used underground in
mines was 66,574. We are firmly of the opinion that
electrical machinery could take the place of most of these
animals.

A Polish Cable Factory.— The A.G. Kable PoJski

is reported to have been formed at Bromberg with the object
of rendering Poland independent of cables from Germany,
the share capital being 20,000,0(X) PoUah marks. _ The technical
luauager. who is a Pole, was formerly assnoiated with the
Deutsche Kabelwerke of BerUn-Lichtenberg.

774

IHE ELECTRICAL KEVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,247, decembeb 17,1920.

WESTERN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE SYSTEMS.

As briefly mentioned in our last i»sue, we recently had the
privilege of witnessing a demonstration of the latest approved
models of the Western Electric Co.'s multiplex and " Start-
Stop " printing telegraph systems, including a repeater of
the rotary type with provision for extending arms both at
the repeater and at a terminal station. Fig. 1 shows in
schematic form the equipment included in this demonstration.

Between station A and station B was an artificial line of
3,000 ohms. Between station B and station C a line was
provided by using one wire of a telephone pair, on the " Com-
posite " or modified Van Rysselberg system. Telephones were
connected at both ends of this line, so that the noise pro-
duced by telegraph signals might be listened for.

The extensions to the " start-stop " sets were made by two
wires. If duplex balancing sets were provided at stations
D and E. and additional balancing sets at stations B and C,
it would be possible to operate to stations D and E over one
conductor only in each case. Where the distance between

Fig. 1. — Diagrammatic Illdstratio.n of the L'sk or
" Start-Stop " Printing Telegraph Ai'parati's.

stations B and D and between stations C and E exceeded
two or three miles, it would be preferable to introduce duplex
balancing .sets and separate line batteries. With the arrange-
ments shown in the demonstration no line batteries are re-
quired at stations D and E.

The lower portion of fig. 1 shows the traffic-carrying facili-
ties provided. Many other combinations are possible; the
demonstration only showed the fundamental idea of the
scheme.

At the repeater station B, the incoming .signals from A
actuate two polar relays alternately, storing up each impulse
for sufficient time to permit of its repetition in the direction
B to C by means of brush tran.smi.ssion. This ensures that,
although the incoming signals at station B are distorted, the
outgoing signals are perfect. The .same applies to the signals
going in the opposite direction. The repeater station is the
" pace-setting " station. Line lag is taken up at the two
terminal stations, so that the repeater station is free from
all adjustments of orientation.

The two " start-stop " distributors are adju.sted to run at
a higher speed than the multiplex distributors, and have ii
wide margin in this respect; for instance, if the multiplex dis-
tributors are rotating at 240 revolutions per minute, the
start-stop distributors may be adjusted to run at any speed
between 260 and 360 revolutions per minute. If the stnrt-stop
distributors are adjusted for .320 revolutions, the mi'liiplex
distributors may he adjusted to any speed between ±ln and
300 revolutions without changing the speeds of the start-stop
sets. Further, with .^tart-stop .?et.<i connected thrnugli a
multiplex as shown in the demonstration, one set niav be
adjusted for 260 revolutions and the other for 3lXl revolutions.

Switching arrangements are provided for operating the two
start-stop sets as straight duplex over the " cnnipo.silr
circuit, the duplex balancing sets at station "B and (' beiii^;
usf-d for lialancinp.

I'nder these conditiiins one start-stop distributor n):iy bo
running about '> per cent, faster than the other and give
l>erfect operation. By providing two start-stop tables fur
duplex working with two operators it is possible to receive
on table No. 1 and tfiiusmit from table No. 2, or switch over
und receive on table No. 2 and transmit on table No. 1. .^t
small stations, where reserve apparatus must be installed
ready for use, this provides means for ensuring uninterrupted
service.

Start-stop sets can be adjusted to operate at any speed
between about 2o and 60 words per minute. Large speed
changes are effected bv turning a switch which re-arrnnges
the motor circuit; small spetd changes ar« sffected by adjust-

ment of the motor jovernur. This is done by means of a lever
at the side of the distributor set. Either tape or direct key-
board transmission may be used. To change from the one
to the other it is necessary only to turn a cam switch con-
veniently mounted on the table. .

The apparatus on the distributor table is mounted m a
very compact and yet convenient manner; the relays and the
fork are mounted on swinging shelves, which swing under
the main top of the table clear of all risk of mterference.
The fork base has rubber feet, so that the vibrations are
damped out, and are not carried to the shelf on which the
relays are mounted. • , , ,

All the switches are of the telephone switchboard type;
these have been used in the United States for some years
and have been found to give satisfaction.

In the distribution box beneath the fork shelf the wirmg
from the four operating tables is brought to four porcelain
panels, suitably lettered and numbered. Fixed resistances,
condenisers, fuses, &c., are all suitably
°3t't<,.,!'""^'°'" mounted and easily got at.

The distributor is of novel construc-
tion, providing for the quick replace-
ment of worn segments.

So far as the multiplex apparatus
units are concerned, the multiplex may
be operated up to a speed of about
52 words per minute per channel. This
is the equivalent of 208 words per
minute in each direction, or 416 words
per minute for the circuit. Line condi-
tions, however, may prevent such speed
of working; therefore the vibrating fork
which drives the impulse motor ol the
distributor is provided with weights, so
that its rate of vibration may be varied
to give any working speed between 25
and 52 words per minute per channel.

In cases where the traffic is practically
all in one direction, such as private
newspaper wires, it is not necessary to
equip both ends of the circuit alike. For
instance, in one direction there may be
lonr cliannels each operating at 52 words
per minute (total 208 words), and in the
rm-; other direction only one channel. This

makes for a more economical in.stallation.
Ihe start-stop may be operated either
simplex or duplex. Far over a year a start-stop duplex circuit
has been in operation between New York and Chicago, nearly
],0(lf> miles in length, with one female operator at each end;
this circuit is provided by superimposing on a telephone line.
The average daily load for nine hours is over 22,000 words, or
about 1,001) messages. The transmitters are set at 35 words
per minute in each direction. This slow speed gives the
operator so much spare time in the preparation of perforated
tape, that she is able to check the received messages as well.

LINE WEST

Fi(i. 2.-

lii.iTHo.Ni: j-;i:pK.\TFi; CincriT (Simplified
Dur.iiAM).

It is pos.sible to provide intercommunication between a
number of offices by niejiis of tlic start-stop when operated
.simplex; it is possible also to associate with the start-stop
sets selectors by means of which any one of a number of
stations may he cnlleil, the printers at the other stations
remaining idle.

To meet the ueed for an absolutely secret telegraph system,
the cniiipany has designed » system which may be used witli
either wire or wireless transmission. Two transmitters of the
type used in the multiplex and start-stop printer systems are
mtcrconnectcd throufili a local rotating distributor to a re-
perforating mathine. In one transmitter is placed a con-
linuous tape of any suitable length, perforated with a dummy
me.ssage or with a .series of random signals: this is termed
the " scrambling tape." In the other transmitter is placed
a tape perforated with the message which is to be dispatched.
When the two transmitters are started off together, the signals
from both tapes act upon the electromagnets of the reper-
forator, producing a perforated tape which is unintelligible to
anyone. This tape is then used for transmi.ssion over a
Telegraph circuit using the same fundamental code (5 unit).

I

Vol. 87. No. 2,247, December 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

775

At the receiving end of the line the message is received
as a perforated tape, identical with that fed into the trans-
mitter at the sending end.

This received tape is then fed into one transmitter of a
local deciphering set comprising two transmitters, a distributor
and a printer. At the same time a tnpe identical with the
" scrambling tape " used at the sending end is fed into the
second transmitter, the signals from the two tapes acting
together upon the printer. The printer prints the real
message exactly as prepared at the sending station.

The enciphering and deciphering can be done at the rate
of 50 words per minute, and the whole process need not cause
one minute's delay more than would be incurred in transmit-
ting a message in the ordinary way.

.Amongst the many advantages claimed for the latest type
of the Western Electric multiplex printing telegraph system,
as compared with the Baudot .system, are the following : —

Owing to the elimination of correcting impulses, a gain in
carrying capacity (words per minute) is obtained when the
speed of transmission in cycles per second is the same.

UNE: west output 1 TRANSrORMER I

REPEATER NO.
REPEATS EAST

TKr.FPHONE Bepeatkr Circuit (Simplified
Dhor.am).

in one direction; the difficulty ari.ses when speech, as usual,
lias to be transmitted in both directions. A simple form of
balanced bridge circuit is shown in fig. '2. Energy entering
the repeater from the " line west " divides into two parts, of
which one goes into the output circuit of the repeater and
is there lost, while the other part goes into the input circuit.
If the circuit is ideally proportioned, no energy is transmitted
directlii to " line east." The energy entering the input circuit
is amplified and fed out into both lines in series, the half
going east being the desired amplified transmis.siou.

If the hne impedances are nnt identical, potentials due to
the output energy are set up in the input circuit and ream-
plified, and sustained o.scillations called " singing " may be
.set up. which make the device inoperative as a telephone
repeater.

The repeater circuit most commonly used in commercial
service is the two-way, two-element circuit shown in fig. 3.
Here a separate repeater element is provided for transmis-
sion in each direction, and in each bridge circuit each line
is balanced by an artificial line called a " network," instead
of the other line.

Here again the telephone currents from " line west "
divide : the output of repeater element No. 1 is transmitted
through the second transformer to " line east," and its balanc-
ing network, and if the balance is good, no potentials due to
unbalance are applied to the input of repeater No. 2. If, how-
ever, the balance is inadequate, such potentials are set up.
amplified, and fed back to " line west," and oscillations may
be produced.

The 4-wire repeater circuit is a more recent development,
which is rapidly coming into commercial use. Two distinct
line circuits are required, of which one is used for trans-
mission in one direction and the second for, transmission in
the other direction. This device grows out of fig. .3 at once
if it is assumed (hat the upper and lower halves of the figure
are hundreds of miles apart, so that the four wires connecting
them become the four line wires of two lines, each having a
repeater element at an intermediate point. Each output
transformer is then a junction point between a '2-wire and u
4-wire transmission circuit. Each 2-wire line carries speech
energy in one direction only.

amounting with double duplex to 20 per cent. The speed of
operation over the line can be changed in a few minutes.
No synchronism is required between the rotating bru.shes of
the distributor and the printers, and no adjustment ot the
printers is necessary when the speed of working is changed.
The transmitting operators do not work to a cadence. No
line time is lost between messages. Detecting errors at the
sending end can be obliterated. No special training of opera-
tors is required; a typist can handle traffic the first day.

The new type also possesses many advantages over the old
apparatus of the company, including greater facihties for
speed checking and phase finding, the elimination of line lag
as a factor to be considered, .self-starting of the impulse motor,
and the use of standard duplex sets.

The multiplex set can be switched over to an already
balanced duplex set, in the event of the usual line becoming
faulty, without losing time in obtaining a new duplex balance.
The improved printer is of the mechanical type, with
standard typewriter typeba.sket mechanism ; it has a stationary
paper carriage, the typebasket sliding along the paper. This
results in less eye-strain to the operator, and al.so permits of
the easy feeding of individual blank forms by hand, or the
use of a continuous roll. Carbon copies may be made and
stencils can be cut. The maximum speed is about 100 words
per minute, but all tensions have been let down to limit the
maximum speed to alwut 70 words per minute ; this makes
for lower maintenance costs.

The telephone demonstration was equally interesting. The
exhibit comprised a two-wire circuit and a four-wire circuit,
each having two repeater stations in tandem and equipped
with .signalling facilities. These are the two chief types of
repeater involved in long trunk cable and aerial systems. The
artificial lines with which the repeaters were .shown had
total tran.smission losses of :is and 72 standard miles respec-
tively. The apparatus showed the form and assembly of the
company's latest commercial designs, as well as their physical
performance.

The repeaters were of the Audion type, using the special
valves which have been developed by the company from the
forms resulting from the inventions of Dr. Fleming and Dr.
Lee de Forest. These thermionic valves have been so greatly
improved that they are now as thoroughly standardised as
incandescent lamps, have a long life, and can be replaced by
spares as readily as lamps. The repeater consists essentially
of step-up and step-down transformers and amplifiers, together
with potentiometer and regulating resistances and the neces-
sary batteries. The amplifier is of the oxide-coated filament
type, having a filament current of 1.2 to 1.3 amperes, plate
potential 130 volts, plate current 0 to 12 milliamperes, and
grid potential 9 volts negative. Tlie filament works at a low
temperature, and the internal structure of the valve is of
large size, which facilitates uniformity in manufacture. The
average period of service is over 1,000 hours. The valve has
a very large margin of energy-carrying capacity over that
necessary for transmitting speech without appreciable distor-
tion.
No great difficulty is experienced in repeating conversation

Fir.. 1.— Simplified Diagr.im of the " 22-type " Telephone
Eepe.ateh.

On this system sufficient amplification can be used to annul,
theoretically, the whole transmission loss in the 4-wire portion
of the circuit, so that very small conductors can be used
compared with those necessary for a two-wire transmission,
and a much greater gain per repeater is possible.

Fig. 4 shows the general arrangement of the circuits of the
repeater.

{To be concluded.)

THE DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY.

Discussion in London.
On Decemlier 0th the adjourned discussion by the Institution
OF Electrical Engineers on Mr. W. B. NVoodhouse's paper,
which was abstracted in our issue of December 3rd. and on
Mr. R. O. Kapp's paper, which is abstracted on pp. 793-79.')
of (his issue, was continued by Mr. Ll. B. Atkinson,
President, who explained a method of finding the final tem-
perature curve of a cable from its load curve squared by
mechanical means. The particular instrument used for the
purpose was the invention of Mr. Baker, of University Col-
lege, and had been borrowed from the Imperial College of
Science and Technology. The president, after explaining its
construction and demonstrating its use, said that there were
several similar instruments in exi.stence, some being in the
South Kensington Museum.

Mr. C. J. Be.wer, referring to Mr. Woodhouse's remarks
on H.P. cables, said that it would have been preferable to
use the word " advisable " in place of " necessary " in the
statement that " a minimum section of 0.05 sq. in. appears
necessary for pressures above 10,0(10 volts." With regard to
the limiting factors in the manufacture of large cables, he
thought that the weight limit would be reached long before

776

THE ELECTKICAL EEVIEW. [Volst. No. 2,247. decbmbeb it, 1920.

the liability of cracking the insulation in handling the cable
beca,me a serious factor. His opinion concerning an increase
of working pi'essure involving an increased thickness of dielec-
tric, was that for a given voltage the thickness would generally
decrease. Further, he could not agree that the permissible
current density in a single-core cable designed for a particular
pressure must be reduced as the area of the conductor in-
creased; it was rather the reverse. The opinion that present
methods of construction limited the size of conductor to 0.2.5
sq. in. section for the highest pressure, was wrong, inasmuch
as they were now making cable of 0.3 sq. in. section. He
pointed out the importance of providing a substantial lead
covering for such cables as there now was a tendency to cut
down the lead sheathing to a dangerous extent. As regarded
protective apparatus, the whole conditions had changed, and,
therefore, the entire subject required revision. He inquired
whether Mr. Kapp had allowed for one or two cables in his
figure showing the cost per k.v..a. per mile of 6,600-volt cable,
and pointed out that the losses in two small cables would be
something like 70 per cent, greater than that in a smgle larger
cable ; he concluded by emphasising the importance of research
into cable problems.

Mr. P. DUNSHE.WH alluded to dielectric loss problems, and
exhibited curves to illustrate the fact that the dielectric loss
gradually decreased until a certain point on the curve vyas
reached, when it commenced to rise again. The losses varied
in themselves, but they were neghgible in comparison with
the magnitude of the c"r losses when considering, say, 33,(XX)-
volt cables.

Mr. P, EosLrxG inquired whether there were any prospects
of pressures being standardised, They could easily give the
user definite information about the temperatures to which
cables would rise, but they could not say anything about what
.current.s they should carry, because they had no idea ot the
conditions under which the cables would have to work.
That was the real difficulty; local conditions under which the
cable was laid, temperatures of adjacent objects, such as thi'
earth, other neighbouring cables, &c.. influenced the perform-
ance of a cable very largely. He .suggested that if records of
the cable temperature at a number of points along its length
were taken regularly and tabulated, the extra work involved
would be well repaid by the information that would be made
available. Under such conditions the temperature readings
would give good indication of h(]\\ the cable should be loaded
up. He thought that the bending test to which cables were
suTiJected was not a good one; it was much too severe.

Mr. S. W. Melsom explained that heating and cooling curves
he had prepared himself confirmed Mr. Kapp's assumption
that the rates of heating and cooling of cables were equal.
He had greatly enjoyed the president's contribution to the
discussion because he had tackled the problem of drawing the
temperature cm've in what might be described as a non-
electrical manner. But to arrive at a correct estimate of the
temperature of the cable it was essential to have knowledge
of the actual local conditions under which the cable operated,
and he personally had used an electrical method. He described
with the aid of "diagiams an instrument which he had devised
for the purpose, and expressed the opinion that eventually
an instrument would be available which when connected to
the cable would record directly on a chart the actual tem-
perature of the core of the cable. They might use thermo-
couples in the lead sheath, or even measure the resistance of
the sheath ; those methods, however, would not give very
accurate results on account of the " time lag " which Mr.
Kapp had drawn attention to. Messrs. Kapp and Woodhouse
had both employed Kelvin's law correctly in their own par-
ticular ways, but Mr. Woodhouse had erred slightly in not
making sufficient allowance for depreciation of the cable.
The temperature was not, therefore, the only factor to be
taken into consideration, the questions of the cost of the cable
and its depi'eciation should also be included.

Mr. G. V. Twiss was unable to be present, but sent a
written contribution to the discussion in ^hich he took excep-
tion to Mr. Woodhouse's statement that " the transmission of
electricity is. from an economic point of view, not a virtue
but an expensive necessity." It was the right means of
realising the full advantages of centralised generation. Among
the advantages he claimed for overhead transmission lines
were that they would do the same work as and at the same
time they were cheaper than cables. Air-insulated, high-pres-
sure, overhead transmission lines would sooner or later come
into their own; at the same time each system liad its own
particular sphere of usefulness.

Mr. G. L. Addesbbooke pointed out that when he was pre-
paring the series of lectures which he delivered before the
Institution early in 1919. he found it advisable, indeed neces-
sary, to make a considerable historical survey of the subject.
The same could he said with regard to most of the new
problems which were presenting themselves for solution. Gor-
don's book on ■■ Elechicity and Magnetism " was an excellent
work which had gone out of fashion, but it contained refer-
ences to Cavendish's and Maxwell's work on dielectrics which
Gordon was able to translate into modern language and figures.
It was the speaker's opinion that if they were going to
attempt to solye the new problems which were cropping up.
one of the first things they should do was to refer back to and
cnniiult the work of the early workers who. considering the
piiniitivc apparatus at their disposal, did really wonderful
work.

Mr. H. Beazil, referring to the current-carrying capacity
of cables, said that users could not afford to work cables at a
current density of 1,00IJ amps, per sq. in. to-day, and certainly
not at the higher figure permitted by the I.E.E. rules. Mr.
Beaver had mentioned that it was not long since the Board
of Trade had fixed the maximum current in a cable at not
more than 1.0(J0 amp., and in America higher temperatures
were permitted than in this country. The maximum tem-
perature was the figure with which they should deal, and
not the temperatur,' rise. He understood that a ground tem-
perature of 15 deg. V. could be taken as constant, which
figure would decrease in the winter time when more current
was required to be carried. They should endeavour to fix
some more definite figure than they had at present for the
maximum temperature; generators and motors were now
being run at higher temperatiuvs than they used to be, and
there was no reason why cables should not be worked at
higher temperatures also. It was a fact that joints could
carry much heavier currents than the cables themselves could ;
they were not the weak spots.

Mr. W. M. Selvey drew attention to several paragraphs in
Mr. Woodhouse's paper which, he pointed out, were no less
profound bex-ause the idea was expressed in simple language.
'There was the danger of losing sight of the main considerations
by devoting too much attention to details. " They could not
see the forest for the trees." For instance, the pressure of
'2.000 volts which Mr. Woodhouse had introduced in York-
shire was an extremely useful one, and he had done immense
good by making that pressure available for use. There were
very few things that could not be done with 2.000 volts, with
its high pressure and .small current. Motors were obtainable
of a small size which would run on 2,CKJU volts and stand a
20.000-volt flash test successfully. Recently the speaker came
across a case where it was proposed to in.stall all the plant in
a certain works for a pressure of .500 volts. When he sug-
gested that the public supply would probably be at 100 volts,
he was informed that even so the saving in cables that would
result from the use of 500 instead of 400 volts would amount
to several thousand pounds, and to-day they could not get
away from the question of costs. In the statement that : " A
number of interconnected stations being assumed, the problem
of distribution is much simplified because the transmission
mains may be utilised to provide additional feeding points on
their loutes between stations " — he did not think Mr. Wood-
house intended the words " transmission mains " to convey
their usually accepted meaning, becau.se they did not do so.
They suii'ered from a lack of words to suitably express the
new meaning which certain terms and expressions were assum-
ing in the new problems which were arising.

Mr. J. R. Beard was interested in Mr. Woodhouse's re-
marks about a step-by-step development of a distribution
system being consistent with economy, and was pleased that
he had again emphasised the importance of giving attention
to the variation of losses with load factor; it was diflicult to
convince some engineers that the losses cost as much as they
actually did. In his opinion the cm-rent density was inde-
pendent of the working pressure of the cable. The assumption
that Mr. Kapp had abandoned Kelvin's law, at any rate for
the lower voltages, was not justified. It was necessary to
provide protective gear for large interconnected networks;
most opei'ating engineers held that opinion, and it was in-
teresting to note that the problem was a British development.
Abroad they were only now beginning to realise the economies
that resulted from interconnection.

Major A. M. Tavlor. who did not speak, has sent us the
following remarks which he had intended to make. He was
fully convinced that single-phase cables would establish their
superiority over three-phase cables. Their use enabled the
pressure to be raised from 30.000 to 55,tKX) volts, and the
results of tests which the speaker had made gave him the
opinion that working up to a current density of l.atK.) amperes
per sq. in. the losses in the lead sheathing due to the rotatuig
field were 50 pet cent, of those due to the C'R copper losses,
while the losses in the .sheathing due to the pulsations in the
current were only of the order of 12 per cent. These figures,
which were taken at 25 periods, would at least be doubled
at 50 periods. With single-phase cables, the lo.sses due to the
rotating field would lie enthely elimmated. and at hi) period*
that Would mean, at 1.50(1 amperes per sq. in., that a lo.?s
approximately equal to the whole c°r copper loss in the eabl»
would be saved. He had also found thst the effect of remov-
ing the armouring — the figures given alxive referred t-(.i cables
without armouring — was to contidcmhly reduce the loss due
tfl the pulsations of the current and, therefore, in sinale-phase
cables armouring should certainly not be employed. Clark
and Shanklin's tests on nnarnioured single-phase cables bor«
out the tests which the speaker had made as regarded the
law losses in the lead sheathing under the.se conditions. The
means adopted, whereby the c'R losses in the cable were
differentiated from those due to the rotating field and the
pulsating field, were to note the temperature rise on a given
calile under given conditions when ti'aversed by u.c. and
then to pass such a three-pha.se current through the cable
as would give exactly the .same total c'r loss in the copper.
and again note the rise in temperature in a iiiven time: and
lastly, to pass a single-phase A.c. through the cable of the
same c'r conper-honting value, and note the temperature
rise under this condition. The tests were very simple tu c;irry
sut, aud appeared te be very conclusive. Incid«utaUy. they

I

Vol.87. No. 2,247, decembeb IT, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

777

provided a " case " for '25-period long-distance transmission,
as against 50 periods.

Mr. W. B. WOODHOUSE, in reply, expressed pleasure at the
assurance that cable makers could tackle the manufacture of
higher voltage cables. The standardisation ol pressures was
at the present time receiving attention. The suggestion that
the 'temperature of a cable should be observed and recorded
periodically was a good one, but the economical current
density was below that indicated by the heating limit; con-
siderations of cost prevented them from loading a cable up
to its full possible limit at the present time. It was erroneous
to assume that he favoured the use' of low pressures; he
had only attempted to warn them against the adoption of the
highest possible pressure at the outset — they comd not do so
at the present price of money. If they were provided with
an unlimited amount of money by. say. the Government, they
could, of course, do so, but no one would suggest that that
was a desirable course to follow. He had no intention of
condemning overhead transmission, his idea was rather to
explore the possibilities of the use of underground cables.

Mr. R. O. Kapp, in his reply, said that he did not think
Mr. Sayers was quite so distressed as some had thought by his
(the speaker's) attitude towards Kelvin's law. Even for 6.600
volts that law would indicate a current density of over 2,000
amps, per sq. in., but it was a question of local working condi-
tions, heat dissipation. &c., which considerations also applied
in estimating the cost per k.v.a. per mile of 6,600-volt cable.
His remarks on the equivalent continuous load would not have
been criticised, he thought, had there been no confusion of
thought. Tlie heat dissipation influenced the continuous
loading considerably, and also the factor of safety ; the latter
should he a real factor of safety and not one of ignorance or
laziness. Protective gear was a misnomer, because it did
not come into action until after the fault had developed. It
would not be used extensively in the future because of the
increased reliability of cables. It was a matter of personal
opinion whether the " protection " afforded would justify the
expenditure for the provision of the apparatus.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letter! received ly u$ after 5 P.M. ON TnESDAY cannot appear until
the following week. Correspondents should forward their communi-
cations at th« earliest possible nwrnent. No letter can be published
unless we hare the writer's iiame and address in our possession.

TRAMWAY FINANCE AND STATISTICS.

The White Paper relating to Tramways, Light Railways and
RaillesB Trolley Undertakings, formerly issued by the Board of
Trade, but suspended owing to the war since the year 1913-14. has
now been compiled by the Ministry of Transport, in respect of the
year ended December Hist, 1918. for companies, and March 31st,
1919, for local authorities, and is on sale at the Government
Stationery Offices, or may be obtained through any bookseller.

The delay in the re-issue of this Government publication is due
to difficulties arising out of the war, many undertakings not being
able to complete their accounts within the usual period, following
the close of their financial year. Returns for the year ended
December 31st. 1919, and March 31st, 1920, are now in hand, and
it is anticipated that the White Paper covering this period will be
issued early next year.

The White Paper now issued embraces some features which
have not hitherto been published. In addition to the net receipts
from the operation of tramways, particulars are now given of the
income derived from other sources, and the total net income which
is available for distribution. The income and expenditure, on
revenue account, of tramways which are not worked by the owning
companies or authorities are also included for the first time.

The statistical tables have been separated from the accounts and
considerably amplified to include for each undertaking the average
number of cars in use, traffic revenue per oar-mile, miles run
per car per day, working expenses per car-mile, fare per passenger,
distance passengers are conveyed for each fare, fare per mile,
number of units of electrical energy used per car-mile, &c.

The total capital expenditure on tramways in the United .
Kingdom to the end of the financial year 1918-19 waa £82,842,722,
an increase of £1,864,881, or 2'3 per cent, compared with the year
1913-11. The total gross receipts during the year 1918-19 were
£24,635.266, and the total working expenditure £17.751.277,
leaving net receipts amounting to £6,883,989. It must be borne
in mind that the maintenance and renewal work undertaken during
the year 1918-19 was, owing to war conditions, inadequate, but in
spite of this the ratio of working expenses to receipts was 72 06
per cent., as compared with 64'35 per cent, in 1913-14.

The number of car-mUes run during 1918-19 was 9'.')9 per cent,
less than in 1913-14, but the number of passengers carried increased
by no less than 33 per cent., as shown in the following tables : —

Cab-miles Run.

Local authorities 244,162,588 262,675,163 18,512,575 TOU
Companies ... 76,2l.'j,788 91,704,509 15,488,721 16'89

Totelt... 330,378,376 354,379,672 34,001,396 9-59

Passsknueks Cabbieh.

I'Jls-ia. 1918-n. Iiforeaie.

Number. Number. Number. %,

Local authorities 3,632,526,882 2,696,769,061 935,766,818 Sl'TO

Companies ... 925,114,196 729,714,123 195,400,068 2678

Totj^... 4,557,640,078 3,426,473,192 1,131,166,886 33'01

The Crisis in Electricity Supply.

I shall be obliged if you will allow me to answer a letter
written by " Electricity Undertaking." and printed in your
issue of December 3rd. Everyone is entitled to his own
opinions, however foolish they may appear to others, and I
do not wish to criticise the major portion of this letter; the
latter remarks, however, concerning junior engineers are. I
think, untrue and certainly uncalled for.

It would not be surprising, however, if thev were triie, for
what attraction is there in a profession of which its members,
upon attaining the pinnacle of their ambition fmention it
with bated breath—" a chief "), promptly desert their less
fortunate colleagues and, in fact, use their influence against
them? "Electricity Undertaking" says :" Some of the
junior engineers in .smaller provincial stations should also
remember that their training and qualifications are not all
that can be desired." These remarks are just what one might
exnect from a man who. since 1914, has been sheltering
behind, and gaining experience in, his profession; whilst the
sHghted junior members have been gaining their experience
in the hell of Fl.nnder.s and elsewhere. Evidently " Electricity
TTndertaking " fails to realise that four or five years .spent
in fighting for one's conntrv is not exactly the best means of
gaining addition-nl qualifications in one's civilian calling.

Fortunately, there are some wntlemen in our profession,
and they do not endeavour to hinder the progress^ of their
juniors — let ns hone that the coming generation will follow
their example rather than that set by " Electricity Under-
taking."

Junior Engineer.

December Ifh. 19-20.

[The letter referred to was not written by an engineer.^
Eds. Elec. Rev.]

Shop Displays.

Nineteen years! and the electrical contractinT industry in
a worse state than ever as far as " pirate trading " is con-
cerned. Daily one finds new instances.

Nineteen vears ! nn(\ the influence of anv existing organisa-
tion unfelt l.>y trade. T do not think th.nt any further^ argu-'
ment is wanted for forming n really live combination of
contractors to endeavour tn put the industry on a proner basis.'
and to make electrical shops worth while. If the matter could'
he dealt with by any existing organisation so much the better.'
but I doubt it. Live men with well-defined aims and a clear'
conceotion of the existin.T evils and their remedv are wanted.'
and the sooner men of this class get together the sooner will
the great possibilities of the industry be developed. The
motor-car industry is a piuch younger one, but it seems to'
have the trade well protected, and the electrical contractors
can do the same. '

I certainly think a meeting should be called, and the neces-
sary steps discussed to ston this "pirate tradins." and stop
" backyard, no-responsibilitv " men from imfairlv trading: to'
determine who are retailers and who are entitled to a 'fu}t>'
discount: tn determine who are pi'rch-nsers in a lar.Te sense
.and entitled to snme discount; and when the .^.ssociation is
in working condition there are manv other nnints that reeu're
attention, one of which is to see th-at conditions imposed by'
trade unions and others are not of a class to throttle the'
indn.stry. In mv opinion, two-thirds nf the middle-class work
that employed thousands of men before the war has been
completely cut off by certain conditions.

There are many other points with which it would not be
fair to take up vour valuable snace. T thank the editors for
publishing my two letters, and also for their courtesy in
doing so when T raised this subject in pre-war days. The
great thing no-s\- is for men of the tradeto meet.

The Retailer.

London, ' '

Drremher Rth. 19-20.

The remarks by " Provinces " in this week's issue amount
to this : That if " Retailer " and the like become members
of the R.C..^-. all our trouble is over — perhaps ! I think I
should be safe in saying that if " Provinces " could con-
scientiously prove that a successful effort had been under-
taken to stop the unfair and iviurions practices at present
adopted, the E.C..^. would swell in numbers beyond anticipa-
tion. I should be glad to l)ecome one of a united body to
try and put a finish to the unfair practices that now exist,
nrovided that I could be assured that at least something would
be attempted by the united body: and another bona, fidf
electrical contractor would join with me. .

T my.self have been up against men who are wiremen in.
the daytime, electrical contractors at night: also trade terma
civen to sunposed builders' merchants, ironmongers, feu.
Keep the ball rolling; exchange of opinion will do good.

Injured.

778

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.s;. No. 2,247, decembeb 17, 1920.

The Jurisdiction of the Electricity Commissioners.

In stating (p. 742) that the " Commissioners have no power
to authorise a Joint Electricity Authority to supply in the
district," has not your legal contributor overlooked Section
12 (3) of the 1919 Act? This section enables the Commis-
sioners to " impose on any .Joint Electricity Authority an
obligation to supply electricity in such circumstances, such
areas, and on such terms and conditions as to price and other-
wise as may be specified in the order."

This seems to meet such a case as your contributor supposes
may arise, and. if so, greatly abbreviates his argument.

I may point out, too, that the schedule to the 1899 (Clauses)
Act, from which he quotes Section i (2). i.s not exactly a
general Act.

Henry M. Sayers.

London.
December llth, 1920.

With reference to the above letter, our Legal Contributor
writes : —

" I ani obliged to your correspondent for drawing my atten-
tion to S. 12 (3) of the Act, but I had not overlooked it. If
he will be so good as to refer to it once more he will find
that it begins with the words " Subject to the limitations
hereinbefore contained on the powers of a joint authority to
supply electricity, &c." One of these limitations is that they
may not supply within the area of a power company without
the consent of that body. This is a matter to which I alluded
in an earlier part of my article. That a power company would
' consent ' in order to help the Commissioners to act under
S. 14 (1) is not very likely.

" As regards the schedule to the 1899 (Clauses) Act, I do not
quite know what is meant by the phrase ' a general Act.' The
schedule in question is part of a public .Act (62 and 63 Vict. c.
19) by S. 1 of which ' the provision.s contained in the .schedule
to this .\ct shall be incorpomted with and form part of
every Provisional Order made by the Board of Trade aftei'
the commencement of this Act under the Electric Lighting
Acts, &c.' Personally, I do not know of any undertakers who
are not working under clauses .similar to those contained in
the schedule referred to. In particular clause 4 (2) is (so
far as I know) of general application." — Ens. Et.kc. Rev.

An Engineers' Club tor London.

Your action in opening your columns to a discussion of
the need for an engineers' club in Ijondon is timely, and likelv
to be of considerable use. I do not suppose that anvone is
more keenly alive to the desirability of promoting social inter-
course among members of the Institntion of Electrical En-
gineers than myself, and I regard an engineers' club as one
of the best means of effectina this, and also the wider and
equally desirable purpose of bringing engineers of all classes
together. Because I have taken so ereat an interest in the
matter I am aware of some of the difficulties in the way of
achieving the object in view.

First with regard to the use of the T.E.E. building: the value
of the space is very high, and in excess of that necessary for
the premises of a successful club, .\part from this, even if
a portion of the building itself were utilised such portion
would have to emnloy a separate entr.nnce. and be completely
cnt off physically from the nortion retained by the Institution.
otherwise a great deal of unnecessary taxation would be
incurred by the Institution.

London nossesi;pR manv clubs attractive for various reasons
to different groups of members of the T.E.E. and other en-
gineering institutions, and unless the Engineers' Club could
compete on its merits in regard to cntnfort cuisine, amenities
and convenience with the first-rate West End clubs, it would
have but a poor chance of success. It is no light matter to
run a club successfullv in London, and even old-established
clnbs. with their furniture and nnpointments boii"ht at pre-
war prices. »nd with a large member.sbin are finding it hard
to make ends meet, even with sub.ocriptions increased bv 50
per cent, or more on pre-war rates. A new club with furniture
and equinment to buy at inflated prices. r>nd with a moderate
membership for some time to come, would hnve to imnose a
prohibitive subscription if it were to he financially sound.

Pinallv. there is iust a doubt whether the club would be
sufficiently sunported even if a good ''lub at a moderate sub-
scrintion could be established. The London engineers cover
a much wider range than those in a provincial town, they are
not brought so much into ind'vidual contact with one another
in business, and I greatlv fear that the notorious absence
of Ksprit ^e cnrpa among Londoners generallv. ns compared
with provincial citizens, ■^ould also militate against success.
On the whole, however, I .nm convinced that an engineers'
club for Tendon is a verv desirable thing, .nnd I am one of
those with whom von associate vourselves in your Editorial
note following " M.I.E.E.'s " letter in your issue of the
•Srd inst., and believe that, to an engineer esneciallv. the
existence of difficulties is and should be an incentive to over-
come them T shall watch the correspondence with interest,
and hope that something practical may ensue from it.

An Engjnaers' Club in London has always seemed to me to
be a necessity. I have often asked members of this [Man-
chester] Club resident in London why they did not form an
Engineers' Club in London. The replies have been varied,
nearly all being strongly in favour, but one or two were of
opinion that all clubable engineers were already members of
other clubs, or that London is too large to ensure success.

Since I moved to London it has been my intention to ask
the members of this Club resident in London, of whom there
are between 50 and 60, to foregather to consider whether an
Engineers' Club in London is desirable, and if so, possible. I
only received the names and addresses yesterday, and only
to-day have seen the letter from " M.I.E.E." in your issue of
the 3rd. " M.I.E.E." is not quite correct in his version of the
origin of this Club, the official account of w'hich appears in the
current book of rules. It was more or less spontaneous, as the
want was keenly felt.

If a similar want is evident in London there seems to be no
reason why a successful Club should not be formed.

To be successful, it must embrace in its membership all
classes and all grades of engineers — civil, mechanical, electrical,
mining, chemical, automobile, &c., professional, technical and
commercial. This is one of the reasons of the success of the
Manchester Club. A purely Electrical Engineers' Club would
not. I think, be a success. The difficulties are, of course, great,
but so they are in any such project, and I for one would like
to see what can be done. The Manchester Club and com-
mittee will, I know, be willing to give any assistance which
they can, and I believe would like to see some working arrange-
ment whereby membership might be interchangeable between
the Manchester Club and the London Club, and it is hoped also
between other Engineers' Clubs in each engineering centre.

This must be no parochial effort, but must be strongly sup-
ported from all sides before anything is definitely launched. I
am writing the members of this Club resident in London to
ascertain their views, and shall be pleased if you will add my
name to vour list of supporters.

n. T. Wilkinson.

Manchester.
December &th, 1920.

[Replies from correspondents all heartily supporting the pro-
posal continue to arrive, and it has become apparent that the
idea has been under consideration in several quarters. We
learn from Mr. D. K. Dunlop that a good many members of
the Beama would probably support the scheme, and no doubt
the action taken by Mr. II. T. Wilkinson, late hon. secretary
of the Engineers' Club, Manchester, will bring in many more
names. We shall be glad to receive further communications. —
Eds. Elec. Rev.]

Westminster.
December Sth, 1990.

C. R. 'Wordlngham.

Under=run GasflUed Lamps.

Can you give me any information regarding the efficiency
of under-run " half-watt " lamps'.' While vacuum-type tung-
sten lamps are made for practically any voltage up to 260,
gasfilled lamps are only made for standard voltages. To take
a case in point : .\ factory has its own lighting supply at
80 volts, and usfes 80-volt, 60-watt vacuum-type lamps. If
gasfilled lamps were to be used, the nearest standard size is
100 volts (unless the wiring were rearranged to use 25-volt
lamps in series). If 100-volt, l(X)-watt gasfilled lamps were
used on the 80-volt supply, they would absorb about 60 watts
each. How would they compare, as regards illumination,
with the 80-volt, 60-watt vacuum lamps?

-41so, at what percentage of its rated voltage would a gas-
filled lamp operate at the same efficiency (in lumens per
watt) as a vacuum lamp working at its full rated voltage,
and taking the same power as the gasfilled lamp?

Possibly some of your readers may have data on the subject.

Lnmen.

A Generator Problem.

A small motor-generator was installed by our company
about 12 months ago for kinematograph projector purposes.
Shunt wound motor, 480 v., 8.5 a., 1.100 r.p.m., direct coupled
to compound, long-shunt generator. 60 v., 50 a. Upon con-
necting it was found that the generator would not excite;
exciting was tried in series with the motor fields, and then
in parallel. It was found that the rating 60 v., 50 a., could be
obtained by having both fields in parallel. Our custorner.
having bought this machine second-hand, and not being
satisfied with our explanation that it was probably built to
be separately excited, called in a consulting engineer, who
reported : " Although this machine appears to be self-exciting,
it runs satisfactorily separately excited."

I may say that while testing. 240 v. was accidentally
switched on this generator, and it ran as a motor.

Recently I was called to this machine for a small fault upon
the brush pear. I again tried self-exciting but failed. My
problem is, if this is a self-exciting machine : —

1. What is the reason for the compound winding?

2. Why does it run as a motor, and not as a generator'.'

3. Why not have the fields permanently connected across
the bedplate, instead of leaving it to the electrician who
installs to loop from terminal boxes?

WIreman.

i

Vol.87. No. 2,247, December 17, 1920. THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

779

LEGAL.

Theft from Power Station.
An electrical shift engineer employed by the Warrington
Corporation pleaded guilty at the local police court to stealing
from the Warrington power station a bicycle, value £i. the
property of the Corporation.

It was stated that eight or nine months ago the bicycle,
which was used as an emergency machine, to enable men to
arrive rapidly at the scene of a breakdown, disappeared from
the power station. \ notice was exhibited in the works stat-
ing that unless it was returned the fact would be reported
to the police. Subsequently the bicycle was seen against a
wall near the power station, and the police, upon making
inquiries, found that it had been sold to a resident of Stockton
Heath for 10s. Accused said that the machine was out of
use, and he had to fit accessories before parting with it. The
Chief Constable said defendant earned from i'250 to £300 a
year.

A fine of £5 was imposed or a month's imprisonment.

Damages Against Tramway Company.
At Pontefract County Court, on December 7th, the York-
shire (West Riding) Electric Tramways Co., Ltd., was sued
by Louis Green, carter, for £oi damages to a cart as a result
of a colhsion. His Honour Judge McCarthy held that during
fhe time the heavily laden cart — which the complainant said
he signalled was about to cross the street — was getting half-
way across the tramway driver must have had ample time
to pull up his car. The plaintiff was awarded £So for damage
and £1 10s. for expenses in cart hire, with costs.

Extension op Patent.
On December 9th an application was heard by Mr. Justice
Sargant in the Chancery Division for the extension of the
term of two patents for electrical capstans, in the names of
Mr. W. Dixon and Mr. G. H. Baxter, of Glasgow. The patents,
Nos. 20,314 and '31,413 of 1904, were both for the same inven-
tion, and the inventors joined hands and shared the royalties.
Owing to the war manufacture wa.s suspended. No opposition
was raised, and an extension of four years was granted.

BUSINESS NOTES.

Christmas Holidays. — Our Advertising Department
announces that alterations to existiner Trade advertisementa (with
blocks) for our issue of December Slat, should be received not later
than Wednesday, Decembar 22nd.

Bantirnptcy Proceedings. — W. H. S. Ward, electrical

ensrineer, 56. High Street. Acton. Middlesex. — The public ex.amina-
tion of this debtor was held on December 7th, at the Court House,
Brentford. Debtor stated that his liabilities amounted to £851,
afrainst assets £275. The Sheriff had taken .€150 worth, which
had realised £10, while the stock at the date of the receiving
order, which had been estimated to realise £75, had produced only
£13. He first became aware of his position in August, and in
September called his creditors together. The meeting was
adjourned for 21 days in order to find out if he could make a cash
offer of 58. in the £. After the meeting he received goods from
creditors. The examination was adjourned.

J. Skinner, electric fittings dealer (Foster, Skinner & Co.),
6, South Castle Street, Liverpool. — The public examination of
thia debtor was Iheld recently at the Court House, Liverpool.
The statement of affairs showed liabilities amounting to
£1,103, against assets of £147. Debtor stated that he entered
into 'partnership with another gentleman, who provided £400
capital. The partnership was later dissolved, and the debtor
agreed to pay his partner £300 in instalmeirts. Less than £40 of
this amount had been paid. He was questioned with regard to a
retail business atarted on behalf of his wife. The Official Receiver
said that there must be a further investigation, and the accounts
must b3 amended. The examination was adjourned.

J. W. Layton, electrician, 5, Nobles Bank, Hendon, Sunderland. —
First meeting, December 17th, at Official Be3eiver's offices, Sunder-
land. Public examination, December 23rd, at the Court House,
Sunderland.

Company Liquidations.— Cannor Motor and Elec-
trical Works, Ltd. — Meeting of creditors, December 2uth, at
4<;. Old Steine, Brighton. Liquidator, Mr. P. George.

Electrical Engineering Society, Ltd. (late Electrical and
Mechanical Co-operative Trading Society, Ltd.). — Meeting of
creditors, December 2l8t, at 5, Cook Street, Liverpool. Particulars
of claima must be sent to the liquidator, Mr. A. .1. Glass, 5, Cook
Street, Liverpool, by January 17th, 1921.

Westinohoose Electric Co., Ltd. — Meeting of members is
called for January 17th, 1921, at 4, Central Buildings, Westminster,
S.W., to hear an account of the winding-up from the liquidator,
Mr. A, E, Scanes.

Dissolntion of Partnersliip.— Howarth Bros, and

Worth, electrical and motor engineers, 457a, Stockport Road,
longaight, Manchester. — Messrs. A. and E. Howarth and P. J.
Worth have dissolved partnership. Mr. A. Howarth will attend to
debts and continue the business.

Catalogues and Lists.— Tue Piggott Conduits and

Cable Co , 24, New Bridge Street, EC. 4. — A leaflet giving a fully
priced and detailed list of D.c. motors for sale.

Hick Diesel Oil Engines. Ltd., 70, Queen Street, E.G. 4. — An
illustrated leaflet giving particulars of the " Ballot"' 1-KW. electric
lighting set.

London Electric Stores, 39, Fumival Street, Holborn, E.G. 1.
— Price list (8 pp.) of electrical accessories, including adapters,
bella, cable, cut-outs, dry cells, fuseboards, switchgear, &c.

John Armstrong & Co., Lancaster Buildings, Barton Square,
St. Ann's Street, Manchester. — A blotter bearing a black and
white design which embodies illustrations of generating sets, a
motor, an electric fire, i;c., typifying the variolas classes of work
carried out by the firm.

Tomlinson-Haas, Ltd., 6, St. Mary's Gate, Manchester. — An
illustrated pamphlet giving an illustration and details of the
" Simplex " drying machine in which the fan is the only moving
part.

The Stanton Ironworks Co., Ltd., near Nottingham. —
Monthly stock list of cast-iron pipes with full dimensions and
weights. Illustrated by photographs of works.

The Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd., Ponder's End, Middle-
sex.— Catalogue Section A. A well-Ulustrated price list 'of X-ray
coils, transformers, interrupters, switchboards, &c.

The General Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Queen Victoria Street.
E.G. 4. —Leaflet No. 0 2.275. illustrating the new "Handilite"
magneto flash lamp. Also Folder No. H 2.387 Ulustrating the
adaptability of the " Magnet " ppdestal heater to various uses.

Bilbie. Hobson & Co., 106, Queen Victoria Street, E.G. 4.— An
illustrated descriptive catalogue (16 pp.) of " Monitor ' patent
safety devices for gas and oil engines, air compressors, pumping
machinery, &c.

W. T. Henley's Telegraph Vv'orks Co.. Ltd.. Blomfield Street,
London Wall, E.G. 2. -List W,A. 1. A well-illustrated price list
(26 pp.) of distribution pillars (unit type) and components ;
includes various arrangements of glands for use with sealing
chambers.

Siemens Bros.& Co., Ltd., Caxton House, Westminster, S.W. 1. —
Publicity matter dealing with Siemens's dry battery lighting sets,
including Leaflets 538 A — for side-car lamps and rear lamps on
motor bicycles, .538 Ij — for bicycles, and a show-card in dull red,
black and white, illustrating the sets applied to various vehicles.
The leafleta are fully illustrated and priced.

The British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., Mazda House,
77, Upper Thames Street, E.G. 4. — Two illustrated and priced
folders, one dealing with " Tungar " rectifiers (Elec. Rev., 17/9/20,
p. 382), and the other with the " Pyrotip " electric lead burners
(Elec. Rev., 23/7/20, p. 122).

Trade Announcements. — Capt. W. H. Marshall, con-
suiting and mechanical engineer, 2, King's Terrace, Portsmouth,
will be glad to receive catalogues and price lists of electrical plant
and apparatus, also of steam plants, oil engines, ic.

The Hillbar Press, 72, Finsbury Pavement, E.G. 2, announces
that it has installed a complete box-making plant for the dry
battery and accumulator trades, and can deliver all cartons used by
these trades immediately.

The new showrooms of the Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd., at
38-35, School Lane, Liverpool, were opened on Dec. 6th. A very
representative gathering of contractors -was present, all of whom
expressed their satisfaction with the arrangements of the new
premises. These showrooms are purely for the " trade." and
private customers can only make use of them upon an introduction
from their contractors.

Foreign Trade. — November Figures. — The following

are the values of imports and exports of eleotricall goods and
machinery in November : —

Xoremher. Inc. or 11 >«<)«< A«, 1920,

1920. dec. Inc. or dec.

Imports. £ £ £

Electrical goods, &o. ... 243,308 -f 193,549 + 480,638

Machmery 1,608,418 + 822,766 + 4,925,977

Exports.

Electrical goods, &c. ...1,218,698 + 534,136 -f 5,187,858

Machinery 7,788,243 4-4,307,348 +28,970,440

Re-expobts.

Electrical goods, &o. ... 14,915 + 10,467 -f 44,469

Machinery 164,740 + 56,888 + 721,121

Brnssels. — Commercial Fair, 1921. — The second
official commercial fair at Brussels is fixed for April 4th to 30th,
l'.)21, and wDl be held in the Park and at the Halle du Cinqnan-
tenaire. Group 8 is reserved for the electrical industry (apparatus,
heating, lighting, motive power, telephony and telegraphy).
Group 4 will be devoted to the metal working and mechanical
industries, and Group 21 to instruments of precision. 1,602 firms
took part in the first fair, and it is expected that the second will
repeat the former success.

780

THE. ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,247, d^cembeb n, 1920.

Book Notices. — " Transitions of the South African
Institute of Electrical Eng-ineers." Vol. XI. Part 10. October.
1 920. Price 23. Includes '' Notes on the Electrical Equipment of
.Johannesburg: Municipal Tramways," by Mr. L. Ralston, several
discussions on other papers, and accounts of proceedings.

" Journal of the South African Institute of Engineers."
Vol. XIX. No. i. November, 1920. 20 pp. Includes a paper on
'■ New Shaft and Development Lay-oat at Randfontein Central,
&c.. " by G. H. Beatty, and disciissions of previous papers.

" The Metropalitan-Vickers Gazette." Vol. V. No. 92. November,
1920. A number of interesting articles appear in the present issue
of the " Gazette." including notes on developments of the Trafford
Park Works, Manchester (illustrated) ; " A Few Considerations
on Continental Switchgear Practice " (illustrated") ; " Three-phase
Transformers for Rotary Converters with Reactance Control " :
" The Measurement of the Slip of Induction Motors," &c.

" Unity,' the organ of the National Alliance of Employers and
Employed. Vol.11. No. 2 3. 16 pp. Price 2d. The cover of the
present issue bears a map of England and Wales showing the
divisions in which the various federations act. Notes and articles
by a number of labour leaders and employers make very interesting
reading.

Scientific Paper No. 395 of the U.S. Bureau of Standards,
"Relation of the Hieh-Temperature Treatment of High-Speed
Steel to Secondary Hardening and Red Hardness.' (16 pp.)
Waahingcon : Government Printing Office. Price KJ cents.
Accounts of experimental work illustrated by photographs.

" Electrical Scientific and Telegraph Instruments of British
Manufacture." Pamphlet issued by the British Electrical and
Allied Manufacturers' Association on behalf of the Scientific and
Telegraph Instrument Section ('■ Beama Satis"). Free to overseas
technical colleges, on application to the Association.

The Enropean Glow-Lamp Convention. — During the

course of the war a price convention was formed between makers
of glow lamps in European countries in order to prevent dumping
from one country into another at prices below the cost of pro-
duction. The convention was composed of German and Dutch
makers, Austro-Hungarian firms, and makers in other countries,
and had a currency of six months, which was renewable.
Apparently the convention has been renewed on various occasions
in the past, and it has now, it is stated, again been prolonged for
six months.

A District Joint Board for Technical Staffs. — At a

meeting of the Home Counties (No. 9 Area) Joint Industrial
Council held on December 8th, at the Ministry of Labour, it was
resolved that a District Joint Board should beset up for the purpose
of dealing with matters relating to the conditions of employment
and remuneration of technical staffs. The following gentlemen
were elected to act as the employers' side of the District Board : —

Municipal :—klAexmB.n A. Wilkinson. Luton; Alderman Geo.
Radford, Southend ; Councillor Legg, J. P., Reigate ; Mr. R. X.
Torpy, M.Inst.C.E., borough electrical engineer, Tunbridge Wells ;
Mr. Robt. W. L. Phillips, borough electrical engineer, Bedford ;
Mr. 0. A. Blascheck, chief electrical engineer, Canterbury.

Oim/«j«v .—Messrs. G. W. Spencer Hawes, Reading Electric
Supply Co., Ltd ; T. Hesketh, Folkestone Electricity Supply Co. ;
J. Eustace, Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd. ; W. E. Brandreth,
Wycombe (Borough) Electric Light and Power Co. ; A. J. Wray,
Banbury and District Electric Supply Co. ; G. W. F. Horner,
Leatherhead and District Electricity Co.

Excess Profits Duty.— The United River Plate Tele-
phone Co., Ltd., having made application to the Commissioners of
Inland Revenue for an increase of statutory percentage as regards
the business of supplying telephone service in the Argentine
Republic, the Board of Referees has ordered that the statutory
percentage shall be increased : —

(1) In the case of any trade or business carried on or owned by
a company or other body corporate to 8 per cent.

(2) In the case of any other trade or business : —

(a) For accounting periods ending prior to January^l8t,'19I7, to
."^ per cent, plus 1 per cent.

(*) For accounting periods ending after December 31st,'1916, to
8 per cent, plus 2 per cent. ; except that for the purposes of
Sub-Sec. (2) of Sec. 4 1 of the principal Act the statutory percentage
shall be 8 per cent, plus 1 per cant. ; with the addition, in cases
1 and 2 (^/), for the purposes of Sub-Sec. (1) of Sec. 41 of, and
paragraph 4 of Part II of the Fourth Schedule to, the principal
Act, of 3 per cent, for accounting periods ending after December
31st, 1916, and before Jaruary 1st, 1930, and of 5 per cent, for
accounting periods ending after December 3l8t, 1919.

New Company Law in Greece. — The Commercial Secre-
tary to H M. Legation at Athens has forwarded a copy of the
Greek Government (iazette of September 19th, containing Law
No. 2,190, concerning limited companies in Greece. A translation
of the Law accompanies the Government (ia:ette, and both may be
consulted on application to the Department of Overseas Trade,
35, Old Queen Street, Westminster, S.W. \.~ Hoard of Trade Jmirnal.

A Trade-Union Grievance. — Under this heading, Mr.

Will Thorne, M.P., contributes an article to " Unity," showing
that under the Trade Union Amendment Act of 1917, Trade Unions
are prevented from combining unless recording a 20 per cent,
majority in favour of amalgamation when 50 per cent, of the
members of the Unions concerned are voting. On the other hand,
the amilgamation of big business concerns, tending to the
diminution of competition, is not barred by special legislation. He
states that such obstacles placed in the way of Labaur do not tend
to iHftke for peace between the two chief fivotorg of industry.

An Ediswan Concert. — The EdLswan Staff Association,
which is under the patronage of the managing director, Mr. C. E.
Hunter, and one of the directors, Mr. E. A. Gimingham. has now
been in existence about 18 months, and is making great efforts to
fulfil the object for which it was formed — to promote social
intercourse between the members of the staff. A series of whist
drives, concerts, &c., has been arranged for the winter months, and
a concert was held on December 4th at St. James's Hall. Ponders
End. when an excellent programme was provided by " TheMauves,"
a concert party consisting of members of the staff. The hit of the
evening was undoubtedly the burlesque of a music hall, with ita
caricature impressions of serios, comedians, &c., and a thrilling
drama, " Darkness to Dawn." Other items deserving of mention
were the songs of Miss M. Young, the duets of Miss E. Barker and
Mr. L. Wiuterflood. the recitation of Miss A. Barker, and the fine
singing of Mr. S. Barker. The broad;comedy side was well handled
by Mr. E. C. Penibury.

New French Companies. — Under the style of Bouillat

et Ujnadieu there has been formed at Lyons (11 bis, Chemin de
Saint Gervais) a company, with 170,00ii fr. capital, for the manu-
facture of electrical heating apparatus.

At Montreuil-sou3-Bois has been embodied as a company
' Coutelier et Cie., with a capital of 140,000 fr., for the working of a
porcelain factory for electrical products and kindred uses. Its
offices are at 94, Boulevard Arago.

There has been formed at Paris (28, Avenue Felix-Faure). the
Societo Regionale de Distribution d'Electricite, with a capital of
600,000 fr., for the study, installation, and working of electric dis-
tribution installations for public bodies or private individuals, and
other kindred operations.

With a capital of 125.000 fr. the Mecanique et Electricite Indus-
trielles has been embodied as a company at Paris (11, Rue Saint
Fargeau) for objects indicated by its title.

Electricity Supply Rifle League.— The following are the

results of the matches in November : — Central, 562 — Hackney,
533 ; Metropolitan, 579— City Co., 578 ; Brompton, 570— Metro-
politan, 506 ; Shoreditch, 580— Hackney, 542 ; Shoreditch. 583—
Brompton, .")61 ; Brompton, 571 — St. James's,548. The positions of
the teams are as follows : — Shoreditch. 24 points ; Metropolitan, 20 ;
City Co.. 16 ; Central, 16 ; Brompton, 10 ; Hickney, 10 ; Hampstead,
4 ; St. James's, 2 ; Poplar, 2. The eighth annual distribution of
priz3S and concert took p'ace on December 3rd, at the Town Hall.
Hackney, preceded by a whist drive. Councillor E A. Little (vice-
chairman of the Electricity Committee) presided, supported by
Mr. L. L. Robinson, M.Irst.C.E.. borough electrical engineer. The
following prizes were presented : May Cup and Club Championship,
A. G. Hilling ; Mayor's Cup, C. Turner ; Bottomley Shield. E.
Mathews; John Bull Cup. A. T. Atkins: Smith Trophy for
ex-service men, A. G. Hilling ; Robinson Cup, W. F. Harrison ;
Leag'Je Cup, E. S. Marriott ; Disk Competition, H. D. Pratchett
Bell Medal, H. D. Pratchett ; Roberts Medal, H. D. Pratchett :
Dailii Express Medal, W. F. Harrison ; Daily Tele,iraph Certificate,
H. D. Pratchett ; Daily Mail Certificate, W. F. Harrison.

Australian Customs Judgment.— The Melbourne High

Court judgment in the case, on December 6th, of Stewarts '■. The
Customs Department, laying down that the calculation of duty on
foreign goods should be based on the commercial rate of exchange,
and not on the par value of the currency of the country of origin,
is expected to have a far-reaching effect, as many importers of
goods may claim refunds of duty paid. — Hauler's Trade Serrire
(Melbourne).

Deed of Assignment. — C. W. Dixon, electrical engineer,
lA, Clark's Buildings, Shaftesbury Avenue. — Claims must be sent
to the trustee. Mr. W. A. J. Osborne, Bilfour House, Finsbu.-y
Pavement, E.G., by December 23rd.

New Spanish Company. — The Sociedad Electrica de

Orense has been formed at Bilbao, with a capital of 1,500.000
pesetas, for the generation, supply, and distribution of electrical
energy.

Debts to Germans. — In reply to questions in Parliament,
Lord Sonierleyton, for the Board of Trade, stated that the German
Government had paid about £9.000,000. which had been used in
paying to British creditors their debts at pre-war rates of exchange.
In addition, the proceeds of the sale of British property which was
liquidated in Germany during the war had been remitted to the
amount of over £5,000,030.— r/zc Times.

A New Belting. — Messrs. Dieny * Ldcas, 329, High

Holborn, W.C. 1, send us a report of tests made at the National
Physical Laboratory upon samples of "Pieuvre" belting — the
invention of a Frenchman, M. Henri Guillon. For each belt the
coefficient of friction was determined for three values of the
maximum tension in the belt corresponding to the values of 42, 75.
and 115 lb. par inch of width respectively. The results given sure
very high cjmpared with the values for most, or all. other types of
belting.

industrial Content. — We have received from the
Industrial Publicity Bureau, Penarth, Cardiff, a booklet bearing
the above title addressed to industrial managers, recommending to
their attention a series of " PayTJay Talks," the first of which is
enclosed. No. 1 is' a talk upon the present chaotic state of Russia,
with reasons for it.

Inquiry. — Makers of china parts for electrical aoceasorie«
»re asked for.

Vol.87. No. 2,24 7, decembeb 17, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

781

Electrical Plant in New Zealand.— His Majesty's

Trade Commissioner in New Zealand (Mr. R. W. Dalton) has on
many oecasions drawn attention to the rapid electrical develop-
ments in various parts of New Zealand, and to the increasing
application of hydro-electric power to various industrial and com-
mercial uses. He also points out that in view of the large number
of such small schemes (that is, up to £50,000 in value) the amount
of business represented by contracts is considerable in the total,
but the time g-iven for tendering is often too short to allow of
offers being sent from home. It is, therefore, highly desirable
that firms should have proper agents who can terder on the spot
in New Zealand, as American firms are well placed in this respect,
and a good deal of business in the smaller contracts is going to
America in consequence.

The D-^partment of Overseas Trade (35, Old Queen Street, West-
miaster, S.W. 1) is in a position to supply names of agents in New
Zealand, and any United Kingdom firms not already represented in
that Dominion, who may desire to act on the above suggestions,
are invited to approach the Department upon the matter.

A Soburban Electrical Exhibition,— I^ast week an elec-
trical exhibition was held at "Electric House," 181, Peckham
Rye, S.E. 22, where Mr. W. M. Williamson established offices and
showrooms a year ago. The exhibition was opened to the public
for a week, and many thousands of invitations were circulated in
advance. An excellent display of electrical apparatus had been got
together, covering practically the whole range of domestic appli-
cations of electricity, and comprising, therefore, a grfat variety of
lighting fittings, various types of radiators, electric irons, fans,
suction cleaners, washing machines, cooking apparatus, the Tungar
rectifier, bed-warming devices, .fee. Demonstrations of the uses of
these apparatus were given, and on the occasion of our visit, it was
clear that the public were keenly interested in the exhibits. Mr.
Williamson, who is an electrical engineer and contractor, has used
electric lighting, heating, and cooking in his own house for many
years, consuming only about four tons of coal a year, although he
has a large family ; he is, therefore, well qualified to testify to the
advantages of electrical methods. We tender him our hearty con-
gratulations on his enterprise and on the admirable collection of
interesting apparatus which he brought together, and trust tb at
the results will prove as gratifying as he could wish. We venture
to commend this praiseworthy example to the notice of other con-
tractors ; exhibitions of this kind should go far towards educating
the local residents with regard to the comforts and convenience of
the electric house.

Lead Report. — Messrs. G. Gawsox & Co. report

(December 11th) : —

" The lead market this week has continued unsatisfactory, and
prices after opening fairly steady have sagged all round. Arrivals
during the week have been fairly heavy, in fact, heavier than the
market could comfortably digest. Some lead arriving rather
nnfxpectedly. and sooner than was anticipated. Sold down
to £25. Furthermore, it is a very bad time in the year to have
unsold arrivals coming on the market, as consumers endeavour to
clear their stocks at the end of December, and to carry as little as
possible into the new year. Closing prices are : — Prompt and
December, £25 lOs. to £25 15s. ; January, £26 to £2(i 58. ;
February and March, £26 5s. to £26 lOs."

Messrs. James Foe.ster & Co. reporting on December lltb,
say : —

" On Monday's market the only business done was for March at
£27 to £27 10s., with buyers over at £27 5s. The next day values
were lOs. lower for all positions, December selling at £26 5s., and
March at £26 158. On Wednesday the tone was somewhat firmer,
December selling at £26 "is., and March at £27. Thursday and
yesterday, however, were again easier, the close being slightly
firmer at above figures. Consumers have bought little or nothing,
the bulk of the butiness done being professional. Board of Trade
Returns for November are : — Imports, 17,279 tons ; exports, 'A,9H
tens; leaving l.S,:!t5 tons for home absorption. The total avail-
able for home consumption for the 11 months January 1st to
November 30th, was 81,382 tons- -a monthly average of 7,400 tons.
There can be no question that the consumption in this country is
far in excess of this figure. General conditions are too unsettled
to expect anything like steady markets, but for the present, at any
rate, it looks as if we may have a recovery in lead values,"

A Lock for Gssfilled Lamps.— Messrs. Lamlok, Ltd.,

inform us that they have now devised, and are putting on the
market, a slight variation of the well-known Lamlf k lirg to suit
certain types of G E.S. holders, thus prt venting large gasfilled
lamps with G.E S. screw caps being removed from their holders.
Details will be published within a few weeks.

Electricity Supply Commercial Association. — The West

of Er gland Division of the Electricity Supply Commercial Associa-
tion held their annual meeting, on December 10th, at Bristol.
The meeting was preceded by tea. and there was a splendid attend-
ance of members. Mr. A. N. Allen (Gloucester) having resigned
the seoTetaryphip cf the Divis;on, was heartily thanked for his
whole-hearted services during the past two years, and Mr. C.
Hancock (Bristol), was elected to fill the vacancy. The following
members have been elected to the Divisional Council for the
ensuing yfar : —Messrs. R. H. Mcrris (Bath), A. N. Allen (Glou-
cester), Tripp (Cornwall), Toutt (Plymouth). W. Hounsell (Mine-
head), T. H. Gait, C. Hancock, E. Macvitie (Bristol), W. P, Short
(Taunton), and Miss Radford (Bristol). The business meeting was
followed by a musical programme arranged by the Bristol members,
und a most enjoyable eveningf was spent

Catalogues lor Reval.— The Department of Overseas
Trade informs us that H.M. Consul at Reval suggests, in a recent
dispatch, that United Kingdom firms interested in trade with
Esthonia might find it useful to forward copies of their catalogues
to the British Consulate for use in dealing with inquiries as to the
names of manufacturers and suppliers of particular goods, and for
distribution amongst the leading local firms and the Manufacturerb'
Association in Reval, The Consul states that the Consulate is well
supplied with particulars as to the goods British firms can offer,
but very few catalogues with details from the firms themselves are
available. Catalogues should be addressed to His Majesty's Consul,
British Consulate, Reval. The Department would like to be
notified of any action taker.

EsTHONiAN Trade Credits. — Gold specie to the value_ of
£500,000 arrived in this country from Reval, on the 9th inst , being
consigned by the Bank of Esthonia to the Bank of England for the
purpose of establishing trade credits in this country.

Three-Shift System.— The arrangement^ made at a special
conference between the Engineering and National Employers'
Federation and representatives of the Amalgamated Engineering
Union, which terminated at York last week, with reference to the
inauguration of a shift system for the absorption of the unem-
ployed in the industry, provide that it shall be applicable
nationally, but that the system will be the subject of consultation
with the Works Committees in each case. Each shift is to have a
half-hour break for a meal. The first shift's week will consist of
43 hours, for which 47 hours will be paid ; theeecondof 37i hours,
for which 47 hours will be paid ; and the third of 31 i hours, for
which 50 hours will be paid. — The Times.

The Daili/ JleraUl states that a body of 100 Woolwich
unemployed marched to the Western Electric Co.'s works at
North Woolwich to press for the introduction of the three-shift
system, as a means of absorbing some of the unemployed in the
district. The men, after being conducted over the factory, were
informed that, owing to an accident to a power generator, some of
the machinery could only be used at night, with the result that
the company, though in favour of the three-shift system, could not
put it into force at present.

Applications for British Trade Marks.— In our issue

of December 23rd, on p. 719, the word "Sartax" appears under
this head ; this is incorrect, and should read "Saitax,"

" Cooperite." — Mr. Sydney Wertheimer, secretary of
Zirconium Alloys Syndicate, writes to The Times with reference to
' Cooperite, " a new cutting medium for machining metal, an
account of which appeared in the daily Press last week : — " It is
not the property of any Sheffield firm, but is owned by the
Zirconium Alloys Syndicate, of 64, Victoria Street, Westminster.
An official test was carried out at works in Sheffield on November
30th, where the tools were manufactured, and one of these tools
was tested at the Sheffield Testing Works, Ltd., on December 1st,
in the presence of technical representatives of interested firms,
and my syndicate, with the result that our Cooperite tool at the
same feed and speed removed the same weight of material per
minute from a steel bar as the best high-speed steel, but whereas
the high-speed steel tool was done up in 2 minutes 20 seconds, our
Cooperite tool lasted 21 minutes 21 seconds."

International Patents Convention. — The Rumanian

Government has signified its adherence to the international con-
vention for the protection of industrial property as relating to
trade marks and patents. — Financier.

New Italian Electrical Companies.— There has been

formed at Milan a company, styled Officine Meccaniche Tesaari e
Roux, for the manufacture of electrical and other apparatus. Its
capital is 1,000,000 lire.

The Anonima Italiana Materiale Elettrico is the title of a com-
pany established at Milan (Corso Venezia, 14), With a capital of
250,000 lire, as electrical agents.

At Novi Ligure has been established the Societa Anonima Radius,
with a capital of 150,000 lire, for the manufacture of electric
lamps.

With a capital of 250,000 lire the Societa Anonima Materiale
Elettricas has been launched at Milan for the representation of the
Ohio Brass Co., of Mansfield, U.S.A.

At Milan the Societa Anonima Splendor has been embodied, to
trade in the Arno patents for electrical and mechanical apparatus.
Capital, 200,000 lire.

There has been constituted at Rivello the Societa, Idroelettrica
R'vallese, with a 'capital of 1,000,000 lire, for the production and
distribution of electric energy.

At Turin a company has been established, Fratelli Mosso e
Ca., with a capital of 250,000 lire, for electrolytic production.

The Societa Italiana Pubblicita Luminosa S.I.P.L. has been
rfg'stered at Turin, with a capital of 125,CC0 lire, for the utilisa-
tion of electric apparatus for the display of written luminous
phrases.

With a capital of 375,000 lire, the Societa Contatori Elettrici di
Ing. Falco, Vitale e Ca. has been constituted at Turin for the
manufacture of electric and other meters and instruments of
precision.

Patents in Greece. — A copy of a Law (No. 2,527)

relative to Patents in Greece, published recently in the Greek
Government (layette, may be consulted by United Kingdom firms
interested on application to the Inquiry Office of the Department
of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen i Street, Westminster, S.W. 1. —
Board of Trade .fournal.

782

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. No. 2,247, decembeb n, 1920.

The Crisis in Electricity Supply. — In a long letter

received too late I'or our last issue, Mr. W. A. Jones, general
secretary ot the Electrical Power Engineers' .Association,
replied to some of the points raised in the letter from " Elec-
tricity Undertaking," which appeared in our issue of Deceni-
lier 3rd. The following are extracts from the letter ; —

In the first place, we desire emphatically to demur to your
correspondent's statement that the National Joint Board is
a .self-constituted body. As a matter of fact, it was set up
with the cognisance, and in many cases, with the definite
approval of the electricity undertakings throughout the
country, and of the various associations A^hich represented
them.

The E.P.E.A., in view of its failure to secure representation
on the N.J.I.C., was pressing for the formation of a separate
Whitley Council for the technical staffs, and finally it was
agreed, on the advice of the Ministry of Labom-, that a
National Joint Board should be formed con.sisting on the
employers' side of representatives of the four Employers'
-Associations. That this board was not .set up without the
consent of these associations can be amply demonstrated. On
December 30th, 1919, a letter was received by the E.P.E.A.
from the secretary of the I.M.E.A. intimating that the Council
of the I.M.E..\. approved of the formatiun of an Industrial
Council representative on the employes' side of those mem-
bers of the staffs " ivho are not eligible for representation
on the trade union side of the existing Joint Industrial
Council," and authorising the I.M.E.A. representatives to
serve on the National Joint Board.

On March 10th. 19-20, a letter was sent to all undertakings
notifying them of the constitution of the board, and recom-
mending them to agree to accept the findings of the board on
all questions affecting members of the staff. Many under-
takings replied in the affirmative ; some, however, ignored the
communication. This, in the case of the members of the
I.M.E.A.. was followed on -April 1.5th by a circular letter ex-
plaining the procedure which had been adopted in the setting-
up of the Joint Board, and specifically stating that the board
was considering matters relating to .salaries and conditions
of employment. The circular concluded that " the recom-
mendations of these bodies should be ctjnsidered as more
or less morally binding on undertakings belonging to this
Association."

It is not necessary to go any further and reiterate the state-
ment regarding the resolution which was unanimously passed
at the annual meeting of the I.M.E.-A. on June 21st. Sufli-
cient has been said to show conclusively that it is quite
inaccurat* for undertakings to plead at this time of the day.
that " they were not consulted and had no voice directly, or
indirectly, in drawing up the schedule, nor knew that it was
being prepared." They certainly had an opportunity of
making their wishes known, and if they did not choose to
avail themselves of it, the responsibility does not lie at the
door of the E.P.E.A.

With regard to his contention that the length of service is
not taken into account in the schedule, we would remind
him that the figures laid down are minimum salaries, and
there is no reason why undertakings which consider that
lengfh of service .should be rewarded should not make suitable
increa.ses to the schedule figures.

■We are .sorry to note that your correspondent takes up the
position that it is doubtful whether undertakings are likely to
permit of interference by outside bodies. Surely he rnust
recognise that so long as salaries and wages are determined
as they have been in the past, solely by the unregulated
operation of the law of supply and demand, or by individual
bargaining between the staff and the employer, strikes will"
become the usual feature in the supply industry and not the
exception.

The tilt which your correspondent makes at the doubtful
qualifications possessed by junior engineers in the smaller
stations is very superficial. It must surely have occurred to
him that the deterioration in the personnel in the electricity
supply industry — the truth of which no one will deny — has
been almost entirely due to inadequate remuneration. Is it
to be wondered at that efficient and highly trained men
cannot be secured at the intolerably low salaries usually
offered by such undertakings?

The Secretary of the Ministry of Labour makes the following
announcement : —

The National Joint Board (Electricity Supply Industry) met
representatives of the Ministry of Labour, on December 13th, and
intimated that the following resolution had been adopted : — " The
National Joint Board having done all that is possible to secure the
acceptance of the schedule, and having obtained the adherence of
undertakings supplying upwards of 90 per cent, of the total elec-
trical output of the country, decide to report to the Ministry of
Labour that there are still certain undertakings which have
not accepted the schedule, and to ask the Ministry to
enter into negotiations with respect to these under-
takings." In accordance with this resolution the representatives
of the Ministry of Labour subsequently met the Executive of the
E.P.E.A., when it was agreed that, as the Ministry are about to
enter into negotiations with the outstanding undertakings
(negotiations which would necessarily occupy time, the E.P.E.A.
should suspend the notices against these undertakings, pending
the negotiations. So far as regards the undertakings that have
already accepted the schedule in its entirety, and those under-
takings which, as a result of the negotiations, also accept the

schedule, it was agreed that the Ministry might intimate that the
notioes against sued undertakings are withdrawn. Arrangements
will now be made to hold conferences under the auspices of the
Ministry for the purposes of ttie further negotiations.

The latest information received from the E.P.E.A. indicated
tlmt l^sl.i undertakings had accepted thi- .'-cbedule. Meetings
were being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Labour,
on December IBth, for the dissenting provincial undertakings,
and on December 30th for those in the Greater Ijondon area.

Mr. Norman Wyld, general secretary of tue Society of
Technical Engineers, in a letter to The Timen, while expressing
sympathy with the aims of the E.P.E.A., considers that tin/
employers' side of the Joint Board was armed with incomplete
authority and, in the case of the municipalities, uimecessarily
incomplete.
Deflation in the United States.— In the Boanl oj Trwh

Journal for November 18th H.M. Amba.ssador at Washington
describes the commercial and industrial situation in detail.
-After recounting the .series of reductions in prices which have
taken place during recent months in connection with food
and clothing, &c., he states that unemployment has not yet
grown to large enough dimensions to constitute a serious
problem, but the possibility of its extension appears to be
producing a sobering effect on labour, the strike record shows
comparatively few disturbances, and the general labour out-
look at the moment seems to be not too unfavourable. There
is, as yet, no tendency on the part of manufacturers to foi;ce
wages down. It would probably be impossible for them to
do so until the cost of living has substantially decreased, and
it must be remembered that the decline in prices has, so
far, been confined, in the main, to transactions at wholesale.
Nevertheless, the general trend of things is towards lower
wage rates, and by next spring new contracts at lower figures
may be possible.

U.S.A. Trade Aims. — Mr. Colby is asking Congress
for an increase of nearly £'60O,(NJ0 in the appropriation for
the State Department, says the Daily Mail, which explains
that the United States is finding itself in keen commercial
competition with other nations which, reviving after the war,
are intensifying their efforts to gain fresh foreign markets,
to seize the markets formerly controlled by enemy Powers,
and to attain a higher degree of economic production, and
that, therefore, an adequate staff of technical experts is needed
in the foreign service of the United States. Formal steps are
being taken in Chicago for the formation of a Foreign Trade
Financing Corporation under the Edge Law (introduced by
Senator W. E. Edge to stabilise the exchange), with a capital
of £25,000.000, the object of which will be to reorganise the
-American export trade, now stagnant through the inability
of European countries to pay for the goods they require from
this country. It is proposed on the basis of the authorised
capital to issue £250,000,000 worth of debentures covered by
securities transferred to the corporation liy foreign purchasers
of American goods. The same journal announces that over
200 bankers a^ssembled at Chicago and launched the organisa-
tion on December 11th, and states that the corporation is
backed by some of the greate.st -American financers. and
will, it is understood, be ready to begin operations by the
New Year. The report of the organising committee is some-
what significantly worded. It is recommended, for instance.
" that the extension of credit by the corporation be confined
to countries where there is stable government and where
there is an assurance of integrity of purpose." with the further
proviso that the operations of the corporation be limited " to
financing for the benefit of the future foreign trade." The
committee appointed to supervise the floating of the corpora-
tion includes Mr. Herbert Hoover. Mr. John McHugh. chair-
man of the Marine Commerce Committee of the .American
Bankers' Association. Chas. H. Sabin. president of the Guar-
anty TVust Co., and Mr. Paul W^arburg.
Trade with the Argentine RepnbHc— According to

information received in the Department of Overseas Trade, from
H.M. Commercial Secretary at Buenos Aires, it is announced by
the Ministry of Public Works that in all departments of the
Ministry, registers shall be compiled of local firms known as
Importers, or makers of, or dealers in, materials of the kind usually
required by the various departments, so that each firm may be
invited to present offers in cases of private calls for tenders. Aa
regards public invitations for tenders, it will be necessary for each
offer to be accompanied by a public document proving the right to
represent the firm concerned in any case where the firm itself does
not directly make an offer. This measure has been taken owing to
cases having occurred of two parties offering goods manufactured
by the same principals. These decisions affect offers which may
be made to offices under the control of the Ministry of Poblio
Works only.

Wages in Australia. — The recommendations of the
Federal Basic Wage Commission provide for a minimum wage
which varies in the different capitals of the Commonwealth. The
highest is that proposed for Sydney, where the weekly minimum
wage suggested is £5 ITs., and the lowest is that for Brisbane
£6 6s. 2d. If put into force these recommendations will increase
the wages bill of the Commonwealth by from 70 to 100 millions
sterling, the present weekly average wage being £3 16s. Employers
and the Government are alike gravely concerned, and it is believed
that a modification of the recommendations will be sought.^
Jitiiter'x Trade .Service (Melbourne).

Vol.87. No. 2,217, dbobmbbb 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

783

A Cricket Clab Dinner. — The annual dinner of the
Elliott Cricket Club (Elliott Bros., Ltd.) was held on Decem-
ber 10th. The preaident of the club CMr. L. W. Smith) occupied
the chair, supported by Sir Keith Elphinstone, K.B.E. (vice-
president), and Mr. E. J. Griffin (chairman of committee). After_
full justice had been done to the excellent repast put before the'
company by the hostess, Mrs. Baker, the toasts of the evening
were honoured. During the evening the musical programme was
well Buatained by Messrs. W. E. Currans, Bert Jones. E. J. Griffin,
W. NicoUe and various members, while Sir Keith Elphinstone
delighted the company with his Scotch yarns.

For Sale. — By order of the Disposals Board, Ministry of
Munitions, Mb. C. D. Phillips will sell by auction, on Tuesday,
January 1 1th, at the Subscription Rooms, Stroud, Gloucestershire,
and on Wednesday, January 12th, at No. 86, C.S. Depot, Rotherwas,
Hereford, a quantity of machine tools, several generating sets,
motors, oil engines, kc, lying at Minohinhampton, Leighterton,
and Kendcombe (Glos.) and Hereford. For particulars see our
advertisement pages to-day.

Vickers Norweigan Company. — An announcement

published in a Norwegian newspaper intimates that the name
of Weatinghouse Norsk Elektrisk A.S.. has been changed to that
of Vickers Norsk A.S. of Christiania.

LIQHTINQ AND POWER N0TE5.

Accrington. — New Plant Proposed. — Alderman

Higham, chairman of the Electricity Committee, reports that the
electrical engineer has been instructed to proceed with a scheme
to complete the station, now capable of holding plant to take a
constant load of 20,000 h.p. At present the load varies from 5,000
to 6,000 H.p. They were installing further plant to give a load
of 8,000 H.p. Unless they secured immediate borrowing powers
they would pass through a period of the year very favourable for
installing new plant.

Barrow-in-Furness, — Loan Sanctioned. — The Elec-
tricity Commissioners have given formal consent to the borrowing
of £34,193 in connection with the electricity undertaking.

Wateb-Poweb Schemes. — The Town Council is contemplating
a scheme for generating electricity by means of water power at the
Backbarrow Falls of the River Leven. The scheme is estimated to
cost £80,000, though there is a larger scheme for the whole of
Furness, Cartmel, and South Cumberland, estimated to cost
£500,000. Further details of the waterfall scheme are to be
obtained and considered by the Council before being put before the
Commissioners.

Belfast. — Breakdown. — On December 6th a stoppage at
the electricity works put a large amount of factory machinery out
of action, while the whole of the tramway services were held up.

Bolton. — Year's Working. — The accounts of the elec-
tricity department for the year ended March Slst last, show a
total revenue of £200,56y, compared with £138,672 in 1918-19.
Working expenses amounted to £140,248, against £91,623, leaving
a gross profit of £60,321 (£47,049). The payment of capital
charges reduced this to a debtor balance of £2,671, which, how-
ever, was more than covered by the surplus of £4,432 brought
forward from the last period. The number of units sold rose from
23.715,040 to 24,944,906, and the price obtained per unit from r06d.
to l-26d.

Bourne End. — Provisional Order.— The Bourne End

and District Electricity Corporation, Ltd., is applying to the
Electricity Commissioners for a provisional order to supply elec-
tricity to the parishes of Woodburn, Little Marlow, and Hedsor, 4:3.

Buckingham. — Proposed Municipai. Undertaking. —

The Town CounoQ has instructed the Lighting Committee to con-
sider the question of establishing a municipal electricity under-
taking.

Canada. — Toronto Purchase. — An agreement has been

reached between the interests represented by Sir William Mackenzie,
the City of Toronto, and the Ontario Hydro-Electric Commission,
by which the City of Toronto and the Hydro-IUectric Commission
acquire the Electrical Development Co., which operates the trans-
mission service between Toronto and Niagara Falls, the Toronto
Electric Light Co., which competes with the civic electric plant,
and the Metropolitan, Scarborough, and Port Credit Radial Railway,
which terminates in Toronto. The total price for the Metropolitan
Radial Railway, the Electrical Development Co., and the Toronto
Electric Light Co. is S32,734,000 (£8,183,500). The city con-
tributes to the purchase §7,811,000 (£1,953,000), for which it
acquires the Toronto Electric Light Co. and the Radial Railways
centring in the city. The balance of the amount is assumed by
the Hydro -EUectric Commission, with the approval of the Ontario
Government. — The Times.

Cannock. — Bulk Supply. — It was reported at a meeting
of the Urban District Council that a draft agreement had been
approved with the Wolverhampton Corporation for the supply of
electricity in bulk to the Cannock area. A site for a transformer
station is to be obtain 3d on the Cannock side of the area.

Ceyion- — Hydro-electric Development. — It is re-
ported that the Government of Ceylon is about to take up
vigorously the matter of hydro-electric development in the island.
Conversion from steam to electrical operation is contemplated on
the railways, and an early beginning is to -be made on part of the
system, and also with several of the local industries. Ceylon has
ample sources of hydro-electric power and a good command of
labour, and should soon become a highly-developed industrial
centre. — Indian Engineering.

Clieriton, — Street Lighting The Urban District

Council has accepted the offer of the Folkestone Electricity Supply
Co., Ltd., to convert 27 gas lamps to electricity.

Crieff. — Water Power. — The Town Council is applying
to the Electricity Commissioners for a Special Order to authorise
the generation and distribution of electricity locally. The scheme
is to harness the water power of Loch Turret. Mr. J. E. MacEwan,
A.M.Inst.C.E., is consulting engineer.

Continental. — France. — Paris shopkeepers and hotel
proprietors are much perturbed by an application made by the
electricity companies of Paris to the Prefect of Police to permit
them to reduce the power supplied to commercial establishments
between two and five o'clock in the afternoon. The companies
admit that they are not short of fuel, but point out that the con-
dition of their plant, which badly needs renewing, makes it
impossible for them to supply the necessary power when both the
factories and shops are drawing heavily upon it. — neuter's Trade
Se-rrice (Paris).

Denmark. — The Danish Ministry for Public Works has
appointed a committee to investigate the question of the possibility
of utilising water powers for hydro-electric works other than
those already in use or in progress.

Sweden. — A new electric power company is being formed at
Stockholm for the purpose of utilising the power of certain West
Norrland waterfalls. The minimum share capital of the company
has been fixed at 230,000 kr. Among the founders of the new
concern are Messrs. Curt Hirstroem, Tor Ludwigs and Victor
Aangman. — Renter's Trade Servire (Stockholm)

Norway. — A committee has been appointed by the Norwegian
Government to consider the possibility of transmitting electrical
power from Norway to Denmark. It is reported that a similar
committee has been appointed by the Danish Government, and that
the two committees will discuss the question, first separately, and
afterwards jointly, if there appears to be any possibility of realising
the scheme. Two alternative lines of transmission are mentioned,
namely, ria Goteborg across the Cattegat to Fredrikshavn, and from
the'South of Norway to Hirtshals. — Finaneial Times.

Switzerland. — At the meetings in June of the Swiss Elektro-
technische Verein and the Verband Schweitzer Elektricitiitswerke,
agreement was come to for the standardisation of supply voltages.
Two series of pressures had been previously proposed :— (1) AC. at
115, 220, or 350 volts, and D.c. at 110, 220, 440 volts ; (2) A.c, at
145, 250, 440 volts, and D.C. at 125, 250, and 500 volts. By a small
majority, the first system was declared preferable, and was finally
unanimously adopted by the two societies. These voltages are,
therefore, declared normal, and firms are asked to conform thereto
for new, as well as old, undertakings. These figures stand for the
voltages at the terminals of the consumer's apparatus, under a
normal load. New rules will shortly be issued for transmission
line pressures.

Water power is scarce in Switzerland, says The Times, owing
to the fact that there has been no rain for many weeks and
that the mountain lakes are frozen ; Berne municipal authorities
announce that electricity may not be used for heating purposes
from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Italy. — The Department of Overseas Trade states that the
Commercial Counsellor to His Majesty's Embassy in Rome has
forwarded to the Department of Overseas Trade the following
particulars of the great reservoir and hydro-electric power works
which are at present under construction near Palermo, Sicily, by
an Italian firm. The particulars are taken from the Giornale di
Sicilia, which states that the main reservoir, which will be situated
at Piana dei Greci, 17 km. from Palermo, will be rendered possible
by the construction of a dam 34 m. high, built dry (160,000 cb. m.
of masonry), and 400 m. long. This will entail the submersion of
over 3,000,000 sq. m. of arable land, which is situated at an
altitude of 612 m. above the sea level. The " utilisable capacity " of
the reservoir will be 15,000,000 cb. m. The water of the basin will be
taken by means of a canal of an approximate length of 13 km., of
which 6 km. is tunnelled through the mountain, and aqueducts,
which lead into a reservoir cut into the rook, having a capacity of
50,000 cb. m., at a height of 370 m. above sea level. The water
will then flow into a tunnel, roughly 1 km. in length, at a slope
of 2 per 1,000, and thence be conducted into a pipaway to a
level of 406 m. It will thus fall 474 m., and will be used for
actuating three groups of turbines, each developing 3,500 KW.
Two km. of discharge canal will then take the water to the River
Oreto. The works were initiated in June, 1919, and it is hoped to
finish them in April, 1921. It is anticipated that the completed
work will cost 40,000,000 lire. An overhead line 4 km. in length
will carry energy at 10,000 volts from the central station to the
outskirts of Palermo, and thenoe underground to distributing
centres. A second cable will supply the industrial quarter of the
city at 2,000 volts.

Following upon a disagreement on a question of wages between
the Rome Municipal Electric Services Authorities and the elec-
tricians, the latter proclaimed a strike, tc take effect as from
November 30th. The Municipal Authorities > teps to assure

784

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,247, December n, 1920,

reduced Hslilibg arrang'ementB and reatficted tramway services
by drawin'g: upou the resources uf the Rome Gas Co., which serves
most of the houses and public buildings.

A later message states that the strike is at an end. The questions
at issue are to be decided by arbitration, which will be conducted by
the Minister of Labour, Signor Labriota. The men will not receive
wages for the days during which they were on strike. — Ittt/ter's
'/'rude Service (Rome).

Turkey.— E-XTENSioN of Concession. — The Societe Ottomane
d'Electricite, which has recently arranged with the Turkish
Government for the prolongation of its concession for a further
33 year.5 — that is. until the end of 19.J3 — is arranging for a large
extension of its generating plant. At the present time two new
boilers and a 10,0Cii-KW. steam turbine and generator are being
installed, and it is expected that the latter will result in a'con-
siderable economy in coal consumption.

Doncaster. — Electricity /•. Gas The Watch Com-
mittee has been considering alternative electricity and gas schemes
for improved street lighting, but has decided not to take any
further action in the matter at present.

Faversham.^LoAN. — The Town Council has applied for
a loan of £17,000 for electricity purposes.

• Glasgow. — Breakdown. — A breakdown of one of the

new 16 000-KW. turbo-alternators at the Dalmarnock power station
has caused much interruption of the electricity supply. Another
new alternator is being connected up.

Grays. — Electricity in Houses The electrical engi-
neer has been instructed to . prepare alternative estimates for
electric lighting and for electric lighting and cooking in the houses
being erected by the Council. A new tjpe of electrical cooker is
being experimented with.

Harrogate. — Loan. — Ou December 7th an inquiry
was made by a Ministry of Transport inspector into the circum-
stances in which the Corporation desires to borrow £22,000 for
electricity works extensions. Mr. G. Wilkinson pointed out that
more boiler power was required to meet increased demands for elec-
tricity. The Inspector asked questions regarding condensing water,
and was informed that a main from the town waterworks ran
near the station and could probably supply sufficient water for
condensing purposes.

Hereford. — Rural Electricity. — During the war

the War Office opened a large shell-filling factory at Hereford, and
plant was erected for the supply of a large amount of electric
power. After the armistice, the factory was closed down, and waa
about to be dismantled when the Corporation took it over. The
city's capacity to supply electric power has thus been largely
increased. Many villages and country houses are now lighted
electrically, and the number of farmers who employ electricity
for power increases every week. It is used for threshing, grinding
corn, chaff cutting, and daily work, and its scope seems to be
unlimited. The scheme was criticised at the meeting of the City
Council on December 8th. In reply, the chairman of the Elec-
tricity Committee pointed out that the citizens had the benefit of
a modern plant worth £100,000 at no cost to themselves, and that
it enabled them to obtain electrical power at a cost of only 60 per
cent, over pre-war prices, instead of 100 per ceLt. He mentioned
that they hoped by Easter to' be able to supply the northern part
of the county, comprising Leominster, Weobley, and Kington.

Heston and Isleworth.— Bulk Sui-ply.— The new

transformer and switchgear which is being provided to enable the
Urban District CouncU to take a bulk supply of electricity from the
Twickenham and Teddington Electric Supply Co., Ltd., has been
installed.

HoDghton-le-Spring. — Electricity Scheme. — The

Urban District Council has been recommended by a Sub-Committee
to consider the question of lighting the district by electricity.

Iceland. — Water Power. — The Government is to lay
31 Bills before the Altinget in February next, one of the most
important of which is that relating to the utilisation of water
power. — Jieuter's Tniiie Serrice (Copenhagen).

Lurgan. — Electricity Scheme. — It was reported at an
Urban Council meeting that the plans for the new electricity
scheme were almost completed.

Maidenhead. — Maximum Price Order. — The Town

Council having applied for an order to increase the charges for
electricity, the Ministry of Transport has replied that a maximuai
. of lOd. per unit, instead of Is., as suggested, should prevent a
loss. The Cocncil has decided to press for the Is. maximum.

Mersey Power Co.— ^e^^' Plant.— The new additional
generating plant of the Mersey Power Co. is nearing completion at
Weston Point, near Runcorn, and it is probable that the company
will arrange to extend the area of its supply.

Morecambe. — Loan. — The Town Council has applied
for a loan of .■*;3,0C0 for mains, services, and meters, in connection
with the housing scheme.

Nelson. — Re&'I'riction of Lighting. — Shopkeepers have
been asked to restrict electric lighting up to 5.30 p.m., as the plant
is running with from 30 to 36 per cent, overload.

Perth.— N^EW Plant Del.\yed. — It is complained that
the Corporation's scheme for the development and improvement of
the electrical undertaking is being held up. The scheme involves the

installation of additional plant at the works, and when the matter
came before the Electricity Commissioners for approval, they were
not satisfied that the proposed scheme was the only satisfao' ory
method of dealing with the future demands for electricity in the
J'erth area. They have now informed the Corporation Electricity
Committee, that in view of the proposed development of elec-
tricity schemes in Perthshire, they desire an interview with the
city electrical engineer. The Committee, however, is asking in
the first place for the Commissioners' views in writing.

Portrush. — Loan Sanctioned. — It was reported at a
meeting of the Urban Council, relative to th'e application for per-
mission to borrow £15,000 for the purpose of the Council's elec-
tricity undertaking, that the Electricity Commissioners Intimated
sanction to the borrowing of £11,986, further consideration to be
given to items not covered by this amount.

South Wales.— Strike Settled. — The recent strike of
the 200 stokers employed by the South Wales Power Distribution
Co. was provisionally settled by granting the men 3d. an hour extra
pending the decision of the J.N.I.C. which is to consider the case
today (December 17th). The claim made was for 3Jd. per hour
increase. The strike deprived several collieries in the Pontypool
district of power, although sufficient was supplied to keep the
pumps and fans working.

St. Annes. — New Boilers Proposed. — The electrical
engineer has drawn the attention of his Committee to the fact that
the maximum demand for electricity considerably exceeds the
highest yet recorded, and it will, therefore, be necessary to consider
increasing the boiler plant before next winter. The limit of the
generating plant is also being reached, but he does not propose
taking any steps until the position with regard to national elec-
tricity supply is a little clearer.

St. Mellons. — Supply Declined. — The Rural District
Council has refused to agree to the proposal of the Newport
(Mon.) Corporation to extend its electricity supply into the district.

Twicfaenham. — Price Increase. — The charges for elec-
tricity supplied by the Twickenham and Teddington Electric Supply
Co., Ltd., have been revised. The company recently sought power
to charge Is. per unit for lighting, and consumers using slot meters
are being asked to pay an extra 3d., making a total of 9d. in the Is.
The unsteadiness of the voltage, combined with the high charges,
is driving private consumers to adopt other means of lighting
their premifes.

Tollamore. — Electricity Scheme.— Over 11,220 £1
shares have been applied for in the Tullamore Electric Light and
Power Co., out of a total of £25,000. Contracts have been entered
into and suitable buildings purchased.

United States. — Hydro - Electric Scheme. — The

National Electric Light Association Bulletin states that plans to
develop hydro-electric energy sufficient to supply light and power
demands of 1 7 cities of the size of Los Angeles have been announced
by the Southern California Edison Co. These, according to a
statement made by the general manager, contemplate the expendi-
ture of $200,000,000 for the construction of hydro-electric plant
on the waters of the Kern and San Joaquin Rivers, Big Creek,
Huntington Lake, Shaver Lake and Florence Lake, with an
ultimate generating capacity of 760,000 H.p. The programme of
the company contemplates the construction of generating plant
over a period of 1.") years, bringing into service 50,000 h.p. per
year. This, according to estimates based on authentic Chamber of
Commerce figures, will be necessary to meet the demands for irriga-
tion of agricultural lands and for supplying power to new industries
within the territory covered by the Edison service in 10 counties of
Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley, which are equal
in area to the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New
Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Delaware.

New Yokk. — The New York Edison Co. is to erect a new power
house, to cost 85.500,000, in the Port Morris section of the city. —
Renter's Trade Serrice (New York).

Warrington. — New Plant. — In seconding the accep-
tance of a tender for two turbo-alternators, each of 6,000 KW.
capacity. Sir Robert Peacock explained to the Town Council that
it had already sanctioned the purchase of three, but the Ministry
of Transport had only authorised two. Deliverv would take 16
months, and meanwhile the Council was unable to supply 6,C00 KW..
for which it had applicants, but was negotiating in respsot of
4,C00 KW. The Council has given sanction to an application to
borrow £20,351 to cover capital expenditure for the next three
years, instead of borrowing the money in small amounts.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Blacbpool.— Loans Sanctioned. — The Corporation has
received sanction to borrow the following amounts : — Reconstruction
of sections of the tiamwajs, £202,246 for 16 years; new boilers
for the electricity works, £42,250 for 15 years.

Brazil.— liio de Janeiro.— Owing to the sudden failure
of electricity on Dec. llth in Rio de Janeiro, the town was plunged
into darkness. The tramway traffic was completely paralysed, but
police motors and firemen assisted in conveying suburban
inhabitants to their homes. — Momiiiq Post.

Vol.87. No. 2,247, December 17, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL KEVIEW,

785

Continental.- iTAiiV. — Various tramway companies, in-
cluduiff those in Boloffna, Florence, Leghorn, Milan, Palermo, Turin,
Verona, and various small Italian towns, are financially embarrassed,
owirg to the wage demands of their: perxunnel. and have formed a
combine wliich proposes to hand over the tramways to the Italian
Government or the municipalities. The scheme is being examined
by the Minister of Public Work?, but the Government is inclined to
reject the proposal, not wishing to make a precedent for similar
Italian undertakings. — Ernnomic lleriew.

France. — Compulsory good manners should result from by-laws
which are proposed by the Seine Departmental Council for all
tramway-cars and omnibuses working in the district; The new
regulation will compel men always to give up thf ir seats to elderly
women or mothers with children. — Daily Mit'd.

Sweden. — It was recently mentioned that the Stockholm Tram-
way Co. had ordered a total of 50 tramcars from two German firms.
the oars beint;' said to weigh from 20 to 25 tons each. It has now been
discovered that the bridges in Stockholm are only able to bear
weights of up to 12 tons. An inquiry has now been instituted by
the managing director of the tramway company for the purpose
of ascertaining how to overcome the difficulty and how such an
oversight as to the carrying capacity of the bridges could have
oconrred before placing the orders.

Dnblin.— Effect OF " Cdrfew " Order. — The extended
" Curfew " regulations in Dublin having curtailed the tramway
service for about 2i hours nightly, the Corporation had decided to
dispense with about 60 " spare '" men — but, on consideration, and
in the hope that the "Curfew" hours might be changed, the pro-
visional notices have been withdrawn for the present. The tram-
way receipts have suffered badly as a result of the enforced closing
down of the service at 9.30 p.m. It is said that the recent increase
in the fares has proved ineffective, and that the half-yearly
returns, which are due shortly, will compare unfavourably with
those of last year.

L. & Y. Railway. — Electrification Deferred. —

Replying to the Oldham Corporation as to the suggested electrifica-
tion of the Manchester to Oldham and Rochdale line, the
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Co. points out that the present
is not the time to embark on the expenditure which such a scheme
would entail, but adds that the matter has not been lost sight of.

Liverpool. — High-Speed Track. — The construction of
a high-speed track at the side of Prince's Road is estimated to
cost £29,795. It is stated that to reconstruct the existing tram-
ways for the same length with paved surfaces would cost £31,556.

At a later meeting of the Tramways, &c.. Committee, it was
decided to take no further action in connection with the scheme
for the present.

London. — Fare Ikcrease. — The revised fares on the
London L^nited Tramways system came into force last week, the
fares for the longer journeys being those chieHy affected.

Chabino Cboss Improvements. — At Charing Cress Under-
ground station a new subway, stairways, and booking offices were
opened on December 6th.

New stairways lead down from both the East-bound and West-
bound platforms to a subway which runs close beneath the
District Railway tracks, and the effect is to provide separate
entrances and exits for passengers moving between the District
platforms and the Tubs escalators. By this means congestion will
be greatly relieved, if not entirely eliminated. It is reckoned that
a daily average of about 130,000 persons use the communications
between the District Railway and the Tubes at Charing Cross. To
round off the scheme it is intended as soon as possible to construct
a footbridge providing a new way out to the Embankment, as well
as additional means of crossing from one District platform to the
other. — Daily Telegraph.

Christmas Arrangements. — At a meeting of the London
County Council on December 7th, Mr. W. J. Squires, chairman of
the Highways Committee, stated that last year's arrangements with
regard to the running of the tramcars on Christmas Day and Boxing
Day would be followed. The tramcars would cease to run at four
o'clock in the afternoon on Christmas Day, but the services would
be maintained throughout Boxing Day.

Special late tramway services would be run on New Year's Eve
as usual. — Daily Telegraph.

Application fob Time E.ytension. — The London Electric
Railway Co. has applied to the Ministry of Transport for an order
granting an extension of time for the construction of the author-
ised railway which will link up Edgware and Hendon with the
Golders Green and Charing Cross line. — The Times.

Newport (Mon.). — Heavy Deficit. — It is stated that
during the first seven or e)!^'ht months of the present financial year
a loss of £ 10,000 has been incurred in connection with the tramways;
£1,000 of this sum represents an actual loss on working, but the
renewal of track has necessitated the expenditure of £9 nQO out of
revenue, owing to the failure of the Corporation to set aside reserves
for depreciation and renewals. An application is being made for
permission to increase fares by 50 per cent.

Nelson. — Wage Demand. — At a meeting of the Town
Council, on December sth, the chairman of the Electricity and
Tramways Committee said the application of the Municipal Tram-
ways Association for advances in wages would involve i; l,2i<i; per
annum, making a total loss of £2,046. The pie;ent tramway track
wanted renewing, and would have to be relaid at a cost of about
£37,500. For the undertaking to meet its liabilities, 4d. per car-
mile would have to be charged.

Stockton-on-Tees. — Proposed Tramway Purchase. —

The Town Council, on December 7th, again considered the question
of joint tramway control with Middlesbrough and Thomaby. A
report bearing on the special case lodged by the three Corporations
against certain terms of the tramways arbitration award (with-
drawn because Middlesbrough decided not to proceed) was
submitted by the Town Clerk. He quoted the decision recently
given in the case of the Oldham, Ashton, and Hyde Electric Tram-
ways Co . Ltd.. I . the Corporations of Ashton-under-Lyne and the
Audenshaw and Denton Urban District Councils. Amongst
the points stated were three analogous to the points in the
special case set down by the Middlesbrough, Stockton, and
Thomaby Corporations — viz., (a) as to the allowance for engin-
cei ing ; (.A) as to cost of raising capital ; (c) as to whether the
tramway company was entitled to receive a sum for interest on
capital during construction.

UiS.A. — New York. — The cars recently put into service
on the New York subways are in many respects similar to those
rec3ntly delivered to the London Electric Railway, described on
another page of this issue. Jndian Engineering a&ya : — There are
fixed seats for 78 passengers and folding seats for 12 more, the latter
being used only in the slack hours, as they block some of the
doors ; at other times they are folded back to free the doors and
give standing room. The car is 67 ft. long and 10 ft. wide ; it has
four doors on each side — two are doui)le and two single ones
placed closed together. A separate push-button is provided for
opening each door, but there is another single button for closing
all doors simultaneously. All buttons are placed on the panel
between the two single doors within convenient reach of the gate-
man, who stands in the middle of the car. Near the doors there
are vertical poles and also white enamelled hand grips for enabling
standing passengers to support themselves. .

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

Brazl'. — Xtu" Cable. — Santos is, according to The
Times, being connected with Monte 'Video by means of a new
submarine cable.

Foreign Telegraph Rates.— The rates per word for tele-
grams to Algeria, Republic of Andorra, Belgium, France, Holland,
Tahiti, Belgian Congo, and certain 'West African French colonies
and possessions have been revised.

German Cables.— Dispute Settled. — The differences
over the disposition of the German cables were smoothed over at a
plenary session of the members of the International Communica-
tions Conference sitting at Washington, on December 13th. The ,
negotiations will, therefore, continue, but the basis of the
prospective agreement has not yet been disclosed. — Benter's Trjde
.^rrice (Washington).

Italy. — Automatic Telephones. — The plans have been

prepared for the conversion of the telephone network of Rome to
the automatic system, with the cables laid underground. For this
purpose the city has been divided into seven zones, each to be served
with its own exchange. Two of these zones are to be taken in
hand at once. The scheme is a part of a general plan to reform
the telephone system in all the large towns of the peninsula.

The work has already been begun on the construction of the
new urban telephone network in Venice. Some 14,0C0 metres of
cable are to be laid underground, and, in view of the peculiar
nature of the soil, topographical conditions, and the narrow and
tortuous streets, the work represents an unique task. The cables
will be laid in wooden troughs filled with asphalt at a mean depth
of 60 cm. The 6 OOO pairs of conductors will be carried from the
underground cables to the most suitable points of the city by
means of 33 rising columns, and branched off by aerial cables in all
directions for the service of existing subscribers as of those foreseen
from the extension of the network up to the year 1930. It is
anticipated that the completion of the installation will take at
least 15 months.

Sweden. — New Cables. — According to the Elektra-
tei-hm.iehe /.eitung^ihe Swedish telephone administration, in order
to meet the growth of telephone traffic, is to install telephone cables
between Stockholm and Gothenburg, Stockholm and Malm 6, and
between Falkoping and Jonkoping. The Swedish Government has
voted the funds for the first part of the installation, Stcckholm
and Gothenburg, in order that it may be ready for the projected
electric railway line. The cable will be erected along the national
highway and furnished with additional plant in five intermediate
stations. This will consist of the conductors required for the
traffic, both from the intermediate stations and from Stcckholm to
(iothenburg. To increase the clearness of transmission, Prpin
ceils will be fitted at every 267 km. The number of the con-
ductors, which differ on the several sections, has been calcuUtcd
on the estimated traffic for the year 1931 ; but on the first installa-
tion, the Pupin coils, will correspond to the demand in the jear
1926. and the additions to the immediate demand. The contiact
has been given to the General Electric Co. Tie line is about
600 km. long.

786

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,217, deobmbbbi7,i9iio.

Switzerland. — Wireless TELEPHom'. — An interesting

demonstratioa of wireless telephony was made between Chelmsford,
Enffland, and Geneva on December 12th, before a {jroup of journa-
lists, who are attending the assembly of the League of Nations, at
the Halle de la Reformation. At Geneva the messages were inter-
cepted by the aerial at the recently erected Marconi receiving
station, and carried over several miles of landline to the Conference
Hall of the League. Messages were spoken by several persons,
including Mr. A. Graham Bell, who used an ordinary desk telephone
at Marconi House, London, which instrument was connected by a
post-office line direct to the Marconi wireless transmitting station
at Chelmsford ; the messages were automatically relayed to
Geneva, where ordinary telephone receivers were used to listen to
the messeiges. A " Stentorphone " was also used, which consists
of a magnifying trumpet from which sound is projected by means
of a pneumatic fan.

Telephone Call Recorder.— It ia repoi-ted that Mr. A. AV.
Wood has provisionally patented an apparatus designed to record
the number of unanswered telephone calls. The function of the
device is to utilise the energy of the ringing bell to register, by
means of a moving tape and self-inking pen, each call that is not
answered. If the exchange operator knew the Moise code she
could register the number of the caller if he received " no reply. '

Telephones.— Sale of Lines. — In a written answer to
a question in the House of Commons, on whether he was aware
that persons possessing telephones were advertising the sale of
their lines, the Postmaster-General stated that the benefit of a
contract for telephone service could not be assigned to another
person without the consent of the Postmaster-General. Should
it be discovered that an attempt was being made to transfer an
installation to a new subscriber under the guise of a removal, the
transaction was at once stopped. The allocation of surrendered
lines rested with the Post Office, and not with the ceasing
subscriber.

United States. — International Communications Con-
ference.— The delegates to the International Communications
Conference have made a technical recommendation for submission
to a general conference of all nations to be held later. The
recommendations of the Conference advocate the desirability
of increased cables between North America and the Orient, and
between America and Australia, and of a cable connecting North
America and Italy,

It is proposed that the telegraph and wireless conventions
formerly governing international communications shall be
amalgamated. Another suggestiun is that a Universal Electrical
Communications Union shall be established, having for its
object the international reciprocal exchange of telegraphic
and telephonic communication by laud-line, cable, wireless, and
all other forms of signalling, as well as the extension and improve-
ment of such means of communication. It is further proposed
that an Electrical Communications Council shall be established
consisting of representatives of Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan
and the United States, and four representatives eelected by the other
Powers sending delegates to the General Communications Con-
ference. Such Council would meet frequently, its chief function
being to encourage the improvement of communication facilities.
The Conference also recommends the adoption of the wireless
protocol provisionally adopted by the Allies during the war. —
Heutei-'.i Trade Service (Washington).

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(Tht date given in parentheses at the end of the paragraph indicates
the issue of the Elkoteioai Eeview in which the " Official
Notice " appeared.)

OPEN.

Australia. — Melbooene. — February 24th. Electricity
Commissioners. Plant for the Morwell power scheme — 25,000-
12,500-KW. turbo-alternators, 600-KW. turbo-alternators, condensing
plant, circulating pumps, transformers, and switchgear, copper
cable, steel transmission towers, kc. (November 2(;th.)

Queensland, — January 26th, 1921, P.M.G.'s Department,
Telephone apparatus and parts. Schedule 509, (December 10th,)

Sydney, — January Slst, Municipal CounoU. h.t. and L.T.
cable (specification No. 628). Electric Lighting Department,
Town Hall, Sydney.

Beiginni. — Antwerp. .lanuary 11th. Installation of
electric light in the bonded warehouses at Antwerp. Copy of the
specification in French can be seen up to December 24th, at the
Department of Overseas Trade (Room i»). after which date it will
be available for loan to firms in the provinces,

Blackpool. — December 31st. Borough Council. Elec-
trical wiring and fitting of the houses on two sites in connection
with the municipal housing scheme; 164 houses on the Layton
Estate, 246 houses on the St, John's Estate, (See this issue,)

India. — Meerit. — January 17th, 1921. Government
of United Provinces hydro-eleotrioal installation. Generating
station equipment, including workshop equipment, H.T, trans-
mission and distribution (overhead equipment, including poles),
Bub-atation equipment, pumping station equipment and piping. &c.
Mr, 6. McHoey, sanitary engineer to the Government, United
Provinces, AllaJiabad. — Heuler's Trade Service (Bombay)

Leyton. — January 11th, 1921. Urban District Council.
Electric wiring of 142 houses on the Barclay estate. (December 10th,)

Liverpool. — December 20th. I'.oard of Guardiarw.
Electrical supplies for three months for the institutions of the
Toxteth Park Guardians. Mr. R. Albart James, clerk to the
Guardians, 1."), High Park Street, Liverpool,

London, — Batteesea. — January 5th. Borough Council
Electricity Department, Pipework for a .5,000-KW. turbo-alter-
nator. (See this issue.)

New Zealand. — Napiee. — January 1 7th. Borough

CouncU. One .oOO-KW. electric generating set. Copies of the
specifications and blue prints may be seen at the Department of
Overseas Trade, 3.5, Old Queen Street, S,W.

Auckland. February 22nd, 1921. City Council, One 3,000- KW.
H.T. turbo-alternator ; two 5,O0O-K\v. H.T, turbo-altematora ; four
1,5U0-KW. rotary converters ; four oOO-KW. rotary converters,
switchgear and transformers ; four water-tube boilers, conveyor,
pumps, pipework, H. and L,T, cables. (See this issue.)

Paisley. — December 27th. Town Council. The electric
lighting work in connection with the Whitehaugh housing scheme.
Master of Works, 13, Gilmour Street.

Portrush. — January 1st, 1921. Urban District
Council Electricity Department. Gas plant, engines and dynamos,
booster and balancer, switchboard, aocumulatora, overhead and
underground cables. (See this issue.)

Rhodesia. — Salisbury. — January 13th. Municipal

CouncU. Electric generating plant, switchgear, cable and con-
verters. Specification (£3 38.) from the Council's Consulting
Engineer, Royal Chambers, Johannesburg.

South Africa Johannesburg.— January 18th, 1921.

Rand Water Board. Supply and erection of steam boiler, super-
heater, stoker, eoouomisers, &c., steam turbo driven centrifugal
pumps, condenser, &c,, for the Swart Kopjes pumping station.
Copies of the specifications, kc , and forms of tender can be seen
on application to the Machinery Section, Department of Overseas
Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, S.W.

CLOSED.
Aldershot. — Urban District Council : —

Burch & Vertue, — E.L. installations at houses, with flexible wire and
lampholders, f 342.

Bradford. — Electricity Committee : —

40-ton lifting beam.— T. Broadbent & Sons, Ltd.

One 48-in, retaining valve for water circulating system.— J. Blakeborougb

and Sans, Ltd.
Runway for riddling hoppers to three boilers. — Herbert Morris, Ltd.
Two E,H,'r. transformer switchgear cubicles at Midland Mills, — Ferguson,

Pailin, Ltd.
E.H.T, switchgear for two feeders (Odsal sub-station), — Ferguson, Pailin, Ltd,
Two cooling towers, — Davenport Engineering Co,, Ltd,
Insulating covering for three boilers.— Hornby & Partners, Ltd.
Cast-iron pipes for turbo-generator and test-tant. — Warlh, Mackenzie and

Co., Ltd.
One year's supply of a.c, meters. — Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co.,

Ltd., and Landis & Gyr, Ltd.

Tramway Committee : —
One white-metal melting furnace (500 lb. capacity). — Minometer Mann-

facturing Co., Ltd.
One automatic release bolt screwing and nut tapping machine, — Thomas

Chatwin, Ltd,

Doncaster. — Electricity Committee : —

760-KW. rotary converter, f 6,628.— Met.-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.

Dundee. — The electric lighting contracts in connection
with 1 8U houses for the Corporation have been allocated as follows :

Ponsford A MacHardy.— 11 blocks, £634 ; 11 blocks, £675 ; H blocks, £319.
Lowden Bros,— 11 blocks, £619.

Glossop. — Town Council : —

E,L, wiring of houses.— J. Bwainson & Co. (£16 IDs. per house),

London. — St. Marylebone. Electricity Committee.

Underground cables ; —
Comparative prices of 1,000 yd. of 19 sizes scheduled were

obtained.

Johnson & Phillips, Ltd ... £U,S7i

W, T, Glover & Co,, Ltd 16,689

British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd. (reoommended),, 14,366

Siemens Bros, A Co., Ltd 14,717

Western Electric Co,, Ltd 14,664

W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co., Ltd 14,688

Union Cable Co,, Ltd 16,373

Pirelli-General Cable Co,, Ltd Notcompleta

Callender's Cable and Construction Co., Ltd. .. .. .. 14,861

Two l,00O-K,v,A. Scott-connected transformers : —

Metropolian-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd £8,484 1 Oil-

BritisD Electric Transformer, Co,, Ltd, .. .. 3,'187f coaled.

Do. Do. (reoommended) 3,416 Air-cooled

Perranti, Ltd 3,1661 ,,,,

Johnson ,4 Phillips, Ltd 8,166 cooled.

J>o. Do. . . . . 8,887

Vol.87. No. 2,247, dkobmber 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

787

One 8-in. and two 31-in. oast-iron valves required to complete
one rotary water strainer and circulating water-pipe connections : —
J. Blakeborough i Sons.— fl80 eaoli tor 81 in., and fl3 each tor 8 in.—
Hecommendod.

Ten extra cells for the battery at the penerating- station :

Tudor Accumnlator Co., Ltd £210 Slightly ■smaller'

Do. Do. 232 Do. larger.

Hart Accnmulator Co., Ltd 216 About the same.

Do. Do. 330 SliKhtly larger.

D. P. Accumulator Co., Ltd 222^

Premier Accumulator Co., Ltd 228 [ Same

Pritcbett & Gold & E.P.S. Co., Ltd. (recom- 230 1 capacity,
mended) j

South Crosland. — District Council. Accepted : —

Electrician's work tor ten houses.— Mr.iGuy V. Laycock.

Snnderland. — Corporation : —

Jos. Thompson ,V- Co.— 560 vd. troughing ; 150 jointing collars,
PireIhGeneral Cable Works, Ltd., and EnHeld Ediswan Cable Works, Ltd.
— 1..T. cable.

Winchester. — Town Council : —

Coal conveyor tor the electricity works.— C. H. .Johnson .i Sons, Ltd., i'209.

FORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

Institntion ot Mecbanical Engineers.— Friday, December 17th. At the
Institution, Storey's Gate. At 6 p.m. Paper on " Thermodynamic Cycles
in relation to the Design and Future Development ot Internal-combustion
Motors," by Mr. W. J. Walker.

Junior Institntion of Engineers.— Friday, December 17th. At the Royal
United Services Institution, Whitehall, 8.W. At 7.30 p.m. Presidential
address, by the Right Hon. Lord Weir of Eastwood, on " Some Rillections
on our Industrial Situation."

Edlnbargb Electrical Society.— Friday, December 17th. At the Philo-
sophical Institute. .\t 8 p.m. Electrical Questions and Answers.

Electro-Harmonic Society.— Friday, December nth. At the Cannon Street
Hotel. At 8 p.m. Smoking concert.

Institute of Marine Engineers.- Tuesday, December 31st. At the Institute,
Minories, E. At 6.30 p.m. Paper on " Some Notes on the Management
ot Marine Diesel Engmes," by H. McCririck.

Paisley Association of Electrical Engineers.— Wednesday, December 22nd.
At the Technical College, George Sti-eet. At 7.80 p.m. Paper on " Some
Remarks on Industrial Motors." Bv J. B. Tannahill.

NOTES.

I.E.E. Subscriptions. — To-night the meeting of
Corporate Members to confirm the resolution adoptiner the
Council's proposals for the increase of subscriptions will be held,
and proxies have again been issued, in view of Mr. Purse's declared
intention of opposing the confirmation of the resolution. It is to
be hoped, however, that the opposition wDl not be pushed to
extremes, as the overwhelming majority in favour of the proposals
at the previous meeting leaves no doubt as to the outcome in this
case also. Unfortunately, the meeting falls on a very unsuitable
evening, as several other events are fixed for the same date,
including the meetings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers,
the Junior Institution of Engineers, the Electro-Harmonic
Society, and a dinner of the Batti-VVallahs' Society : but
the proceedings should not last very long unless a poll is
demanded, so that the members will probably not be put to
inconvenience.

Summer Time. — Sir J. Baird, Under Secretary to the
Home Department, in reply to a question in the House of
Commons, on December 7th, said it was proposed to introduce the
Daylight Saving BUI in the next session of Parliament.

Service Notes. — Commander R. H. C. Hallifax has been
appointed to the cruiser //awl,in.i, flagship of the China Station,
for wireless telegraphic service on the staff of the Commander-in-
Chief. A number of ex-officers of various electric light companies
have been posted to the Territorial Reserve of Officers in their
former ranks.

Halifax War Memorial. — On December 15th, the Mayor

of Halifax (Alderman T, Hey) unveiled a memorial to the employes
of the Corporation Electricity and Tramways Departments who tell
in the war. The memorial is a very large frame, containing the
photographs of the 52 men who lost their lives. The unveiling
ceremony took place under the auspices of the Electricity and
Tramways Employes' Social Athletic and Benevolent Society, at the
Society's club-rooms.

London Electrical Engineers Old Comrades' Association.

—It has been decided to affiliate the London Branch R.E. Old
Comrades' Association and the Old Comrades' Associations of the
let and 2nd London Divisional Engineers and the London Electrical
Engineers. R.E. Old Comrades should apply to the Secretaries of
either of these Associations at 10, Victoria Park Square, E. 2 ; the
Duke of York's H.Q., King's Road, Chelsea, or 108, Heathwood
Gardens, Charlton, S.E. 7, in case of need.

Tlie New Electricity Supply Bill. — On Tuesday last

Mr. Arthur Neal, M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of
Transport, explained to a meeting of representatives ot the Press
the circumstances under which it had been decided to drop the
Bill now bifore Parliament, and to bring in a new Bill early next
session. The present Bill comprises practically the same clauses
as were jettisoned last year. The Commissioners have advised the
Minister that the provision of powers to enable them to issue
Electricity Stock up to a limit of 25 millions sterling which waa
included in last year's Bill, should at least be postponed until the
effect of the voluntary formation of Joint Authorities, including
their own financing by local and other means, has been given a
fair trial. The Government, therefore, has decided to withdraw
the contentious parts of the Bill, and to substitute a shorter Bill,
which it is hoped will receive general assent, and will contain
essential provisions without which the Commissioners cannot
complete the work of establishing even voluntarily-formed Joint
Authorities.

In last year's Act there were no financial provisions included
which would enable a Joint Electricity Authority to raise the
necessary capital. The new Bill will confer upon the joint autho-
rities the necessary financial powers, including those borrowing for
money, and will enable local authorities and electrical under-
takers and others in the electricity district to lend money to the
Joint Authority, or to assist financially in other ways, such as by
guaranteeing interest on loans. Until these financial clauses are
passed into law it is not possible for the Commissioners to make
the necessary orders establishing Joint Electricity Authorities.
Inasmuch as schemes have already been received from three of
the districts out of 13 provisionally determined by the Commis-
sioners, and schemes from all the remaining digcricts must be
lodged .with the Commissioners before April 30th next, and all
these schemes are being prepared on the assumption that the
necessary financial powers will be granted by Parliament, it is
appirent that further powers are urgently required.

Provision is also made in the new Bill to enable the Ministry to
revise the maximum charges at intervals of three years instead of
five, and to make this power apply to all companies, as well as to
all local authorities.

Finally, power is taken to enable the owners of large railway
and tramway power stations to dispose of surplus power for
general use. The text of the Bill is now available.

Appointments Vacant. — Assistant electrical engineer
(£600) -f war bonus = £1,033 per annum, for the L.C.C. Tram-
ways Department ; shift engineer (i:322), for the Borough of
Warrington Electricity Department ; switchboard attendant (£90),
for the Redditch Urban District Council Electricity Works ;
meter assistant for the Motherwell and Wishaw Burgh Electricity
Works ; engineer manai;er(£.500), for the Electric Light and Power
Co.. Beliz.', British Honduras; telegraph mechanician (£440), for
the Posts and .Telegraphs Department, Government of the Gold
Coast ; shift engineer for the Kilmarnock Corporation Electricity
Supply. See our advertisement pages to-day.

Educational. — Kr. Garrard, of the (reneral Electric Co.,
Witton, spoke on " Engineering Education " at a meeting of the
Association of Teachers in Technical Institutions, South Midland
Branch, at Birmingham, on December 11th. He urged the
re-establishment of the apprenticeship system in workshops, and
said the primary condition for the success of the engineering
industry was the existence of a sufficient number of weU-trained
and contented artisans. He advocated a standard scheme for the
engineering industry, and favoured the abolition of premiums, on
the ground that advancement should be independent of any
pecuniary position, and should depend upon the pupil's own
ability.

We have received from the Principal of the Technical College,
Loughborough, a nicely-produced calendar for 1921. A sheet is
devoted to each month, and on every sheet appears a photograph
of examples ot work done at the institution, indicating a very wide
scope in engineering and other work.

Parliamentary. — The AVomen and Young Persons
(Employment in Lead Processes) Bill was read a third time in the
House of Lords on December 6th.

Electro- H armonic Society. — The programme for to-night's
concert includes songs by Messrs. Dan Jones, Charles Tree, T. 0. S.
Bennett, and W. James, in duets with .Joe Pearson. Other items are
banjo solos by Mr. J. Bull, and a humorous entertainment by Mr.
W. Montague. The chair will be taken by Mr. S. B. Donkin,
M.Inst.C.B.

National Tramways Dispute. — The Secretary of the
Ministry of Labour announces that a special meeting of the Joint
Industrial Council for the Tramways Industry was held on
December 15th, to discuss the possibilities of a settlement of the
workers' claim for an increase of wages. The employers' side
found themselves unable to accept arbitration. The Minister of
Labour has, therefore, decided to establish a Court of Inquiry under
Part II. ol the Industrial Courts Act, 1919.

Drake & Gorham Notes. — As we go to press, we learn
that the issue of 7-year notes, mentioned in our last issue, was over-
subscribed before going to allotment, most of the amount being
subscribed by the company's clientele. In view of the diffioulty of
raising capital nowadays, this result is naturally very gratifying to
the directors.

788

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,247, dkcembeb i:, 1920,

The Proposed Severn Barrage. — 'he third inDenm

report (Tidal Power) of the Water Power Resources Com-
mittee w'as issued on the lath lust, by the Board of Traae, in
which prominence is given to the possibility of utilising the
tides in the Severn estuary for power purposes. The report
(Cmd. 1,079, price '2d.) states that of the various schemes
which have been brought to the committee's notice, by far
the greater number show no recognition of the very serious
technical difficulties involved in harnessing the tides, and
few have been worked out in any detail. The committee has,
however, had under consideration two tidal pow'er scuemes
for the Severn estuary, which, although of a prelimmary
character, were based on investigation of the actual conditions
of the site, and were accompanied by estimates of cost. The
evidence received was of such promise as to warrant a careful
consideration of the possibility of utilising the tides in the
Severn estuary for power purposes. The committee adds, that
" as a safeguard against undue optimism, it was thought desir-
able to carry out an independent preliminary examination of
the subject on broad Unes. A sub-committee consisting of two
of our colleagues. Sir Philip Dawson and Prof. A. H. Gibson,
was constituted for this purpo.se," and approached several
leading firms of manufacturers of turbines and electric genera-
tors throughout the world with the object of obtaining par-
ticulars concerning low-head and variable-head turbines and
electric generators suitable for tidal power schemes to enable
them to frame an estimate. While the assistance obtained
in this manner was considerable, it soon became clear that
the whole problem was so novel that manufacturers and
designers were not in a position to express final and definite
opinions on the various questions w'hich were addressed to
them. Under these circura-stances estimates prepared by the
sub-committee, although based on information supphed by the
most authoritative sources, were inevitably tentative in char-
acter, and in forming an opinion of the scheme it was
necessary to make allowance for a considerable margin of
error. The committee feels, therefore, that no useful purpose
would be served by endeavouring to give any estimate of the
cost of the scheme. While on the information before the
committee it is not in a position to recommend the Severn
.scheme as a practical proposition, it is in unanimous agree-
ment that it certainly cannot be dismissed as impracticable,
and that a further and more detailed technical inquiry into
the subject of tidal pow'er is amply ju.stified and should be
initiated without delay. Preliminary estimates indicate, how-
ever, that if the Severn tides were used, energy could be
generated and utilised at a favourable rate, and that the power
obtainable throughout an industrial day of ten hours would
be of the order of 260,000 KW., and the consequent saving
of coal would be from li to 2J million tons annually. This
energy, approximating to 1,000 million Board of Trade units
per annum, might be utilised by industrial organisations in
the Midlands and South W'ales, in railway electrification, and
by undertakings established on the banks of the Severn near
the site of the power development. The committee recom-
mends that, in order to give effect to its conclusions the
Board of Trade, in consultation with the Minister of Trans-
port, should set up a special Technical Commission to inves-
tigate the possibility, from a commercial standpoint, of utilis-
ing the tides for power purposes, with special reference to the
Severn esfuary.

Ampere-Hour Meteis for Use on Electric Vehicles. —

The Electric Vehicle Committee recommends that ampere-
hour meters for use on electric vehicles should comply with
the following general requirements : —

1. The following capacities in amperes to be recognised as
standard : 30, 40, 60, 80, 100.

2. The meter should be capable of withstanding without
injury a 400 per cent, overload for one minute (the normal
load being the rated capacity of the meter as marked thereon),
and should record any current flowing in excess of 5 per
cent, of the normal current rating. The passage of an over-
load current (it being permissible to pass lower overloads for
a proportionately longer time than one minute) should not
cause oxidation of the mercury wherever such is employed
in the meter.

3. The meters for use on road electric vehicles should be
provided with a dial not less than 3^ in. in diameter. Meters
intended for use on industrial electric trucks and tractors
should have dials not less than '2i in. in diameter. The scale
should be marked in divisions representing either 1, 5, or 10
ampere-hours per division. The main divisions of the scale
and the figures should be so clearly formed that they can
be read without difficulty by a person possessing normal
eyesight at a distance of 5 ft. The standard dial ranges should
be 100. 150, '200, 300, 400, and 500 ampere-hours.

4. The pointer should rotate clockwise on discharge ajid
counter-clockwise on charge, the pointer standing at zero
when the battery is fully charged.

5. The needle should have a pointed end. A resetting ar-
rangement should be provided and so constructed that it
cannot be interfered with by an unauthorised person.

6. The meter should read correctly on discharge, but slow
on charge, the percentage slowness being adjustable (from
inside the case) withfn the limits of 0 to 30 per cent.

7. The meter should be provided with contacts arranged to
close a circuit which will trip an automatic circuit-breaker
for the purpose of interrupting the flow of the charging cur-

rent to the battery when the needle of the meter has returned
to zero during the charging (iperations. The trip CQil contacts
shall be capable of carrying n current of one ampere.

8. The error of a meter when tested should not exceed 5
per cent at any part of the range from one-tenth of full
load up to 'M) per cent, in excess of the full-load current.
Full load is to be construed as meaning the normal rating
of the meter in amperes. The error referred to above shall
mean the variation from the true ampere-hours in the case
of discharge, and in the ca.se of charge the variation from the
figure representing the true ampere-hours less the percentage
slow-ness at which the meter has been set to work on charge.
The temperature at which a meter is calibrated shall be that
given in the British Standards Specification (No'. 37) for
electricity meters, i.e., 15 deg. C.

9. The ca.se of the meter and the terminals should be of
substantial construction, the former being so made that it
will effectively prevent the ingress of dust, water, or moisture.
No holes should be left through which moisture or dust could
enter. If keyholes be necessary to fulfil the requirements they
should be provided with covers.

10. The normal rating of each meter in amperes should be
clearly -yortori .|non the meter.

INSTITUTION NOTES.

Diesel Engine Users' Association. — At the November meeting
of the Association, Mr. Napier Prentice suggested that it was
opportune for again considering the question of fuel-oil snpplies,
and urged the importance of using, if possible, home-produced
creosote as a Diesel-engine fuel in place of fuel oil imported from
abroad. Even if it was not possible to obtain a sufBciency of
suitable home-produced fuel oil, he thought that ueers in this
country should take some action to endeavour to secure for them-
selves suitable supplies at a reasonable price by co-operation or by
supporting any concern that was based on the principle of
co-operation between the users, British tar and oil distillers, and
other British interests. The National Fuel Oil Co. was essentially
a British concern, whose objects were those which the Association
itself approved, but was unable to carry out. In the discussion which
followed, several members expressed their surprise that, as it had
been considered of national interest to restrict the exportation of
coal from the country at the present time, it should not equally
have been considered in the national interest to prevent the
exportation of creosote oO. The discussion on Mr. A. J. Wilson's
paper on " The Recovery of Lubricating Oil," adjournea from the
previous meetius, was continued.

King's College Engineering Society. —An interesting afternoon
was spent by the Society, on December 8th, when the members
visited the works of Messrs. Automatfc and Electric Furnaces, Ltd.,
and witnessfd demonstration's of the WOd-Baifield automatic steel-
hardening furnaces.

Society of Engineers. — A mettirg was held, on December 3rd,
to consiuer, as an extraordinary resolution, the increasing of the
subscriptions of all classes of members. The resolution was passed
unanimously, and is to be placed before a meeting for confirmation
o 1 Monday, December ?Oth.

Barrow and District Association ot Engineers.— At a meeting
of the Association, last week, Mr. H. G. Leivesley, A.M.I.E.E.,
delivered a lecture for apprentices on " Electrical Measurements
and Electrical Measuring Instruments," Mr. H. B. Weeks,
president of the Association, occupying the chair. Mr. Leivesley
dealt with his subject chiefly in relation to the application of
electrical measurements to indiistrial engineerirg. He defined
various electrical units, explained how they were used, and des-
cribed the various indicating and recording instruments in daUy
use by electrical engineers. The lecturer provided a large exhibit
of instruments, and, with the aid of two assistants, gave a number
of interesting demonstrations.

Birmingham and District Electric Club. — At the annual
meeting of the Club, on December Uth, Mr. A. C. Wynne was
elected oresident. The vice-presidents are Messrs. H. F. Sheventon
and N. Deykin ; Mr. J. W. Mayall was elected secretary. The
Club membership is 141, a slight increase on last year's figures.

Institution of Civil Engineers On December Uth, Sir K. A.

Hadfield, Bart., and Mr. Sydney A. Main, B Sc, presented a paper
on " Shook Tests and their Standardisation : Including the Effect
of High Velocities on Impact up to 2,870 ft. per second.'

Liverpool Engineering Society. — On Wednesday, January 5th,
1921, Mr. W. J. E. Binnie, B.A., &c., will read a paper on " Water-
Power Problems. " Mr. Binnie is a partner in the firm of Sir
Alexander Binnie. Son & Deacon, and has recently been engaged on
the investieation of the water-power resources of this country.

Institution of Electrical Engineers (Scottish Centre).— A
smoking concert was held in Glasgow, on December 11th, when
Mr. ,1. E. Sayers presided over a large assembly. An interestinft
and varied programme was provided,

Chelmsford Engineering Society On December 9th. Mr. W. G.

Smith read a paper on " Ether Waves. " The paper brie fly outlined
the controversy between Newton and Huyghens concerning the
nature of light, and how JIaxwell was led to the conviction that
there should be electro-magnetic waves in the ether. X-rays
were described, and their production explained.

Rontgen Society. — The adjourned conjoint meeting of the
Society with the Institution of Electrical Engineers and the
Electro-Therapeutic Section of the Royal Society of M«dicin«
has been fixed for February 10th. lUai

Vol.87. No. 2,247, decembeb 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

789

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

Tkt Editors iwoitt tleotrioal tngineeri, whsthrr conmoUd witK the
tiohnical or tht oommeroial tide of the proftstw-n and induttry,
alto eleotrio tramway arid railway officials, to keep readert of the
EliBOTBICA-L Review posted as to their itvyvements.

Captain W. H. U. Marshall, R,E. (T.). M.I.E.E.,
M.I.Mech.E., after having been on war service tor five years,
has reopened his office at 2, King's Terrace, Portsmouth, as
consulting electrical and mechanical engineer, and is also
undertaking the inspection and testing of electrical and steam
plant.

Mr. N. J. YoDNG, general manager of Newport (Mon.) Cor-
poration Tramways, has been appointed an employers' repre-
sentative on the Welsh National Joint Industrial Council.

Mr. J. E. MacEwe.n', A.M.I.E.E., has been appointed con-
sulting engineer in connection with the electricity schemes
at Crieff and Dunblane.

Mr. A. P. Edtherfobd, late electrical engineer to the Leith
Town Council, has been presented by the employes -s-sith a
revolving office chair.

Swindon T.C. has decided to increase the salary of the
electrical engineer, Mr. F. Newey, from ±'450 a year to ±'500
as from October 1st. The recommendation of the Finance
and Law Committee was that the increase should be from
£450 to £600, by £100 from April 1st and £50 from i^pril 1st
next, but an amendment w'as carried making the increase
£.50 only from October 1st.

St. Helens T.C. has increased the salary of the electrical
engineer from £600 to £800 per year, and that of the tramways
manager from £575 to £050.

At the annual meeting of the LoureuQO Marques Develop-
ment Corporation, Ltd., it was stated that Mr. W. M. Mordey,
M.I.E.E.. was leaving England for Louren^o Marques on
December 24th as the special representative of the company
in their negotiations with the Louren^o Marques Municipality
for an increase in their water rates and tramway fares.

Mr. J. Gray, M.C, M.A., Fellow of King's, and the son
of Mr. James Gray, of the Electric Construction Co., Ltd.,
has been elected to the Balfour studentship for research in
biology at Cambridge University. The value of the student-
ship is £200 a year for three years.

Sir Thos. Williams, general manager of the L. & N.W. Rail-
way, will retue at the end of the year, and will join the board.
Mr. A. Watson, general manager of the L. & Y. Railway,
has been appointed to succeed Sir Thos. Williams, and will
continue as general manager of the L. it Y. Railway.

Mr. C. C- Macrae, the deputy chainnan of the L.B. and
S.C. Railway Co., has been elected chairman in succession
to the late Earl of Bessborough, and Lord Henry Nevill
deputy chairman.

Pulham B.C. Electricity and Lighting Committee recom-
mends that as from July 1st, 1920, the remuneration of the
borough electrical engineer be adjusted in accordance with
the minimum scale of salaries for chief electrical engineers of
authorised electricity supply undertakings issued by the
.'V.M.E.E. (Great Britain and Ireland) the increase amounting
to £1,373 per annum.

Mr. R. Blackmore, A.M.I.E.E., has been engaged to report
on the Birkenhead electricity undertaking.

Mr. R. Hoggard, traffic superintendent of the Wigan Cor-
poration Tramways, has been appointed traffic manager to
the City of Lincoln Tramways and Motor 'Bus Department,
and takes up his duties at Lincoln in the new year. Before
being appointed to W'igan in February last, Mr. Hoggard
was for 19 years on the staff of the Sheffield Corporation.

Mr. A. H. Darker, chief engineer and manager of the
electrical department of Messrs. J. Stone & Co., Ltd., Dept-
ford. has now returned to London after concluding a business
tour round the world, occupying some two years and nine
months.

Mr. C. R. Webb, of the Cable & Line Construction Depart-
ment. Western Electric Co., Ltd., North Woolwich, has ac-
cepted the appointment of assistant mains superintendent to
Shanghai Municipal Council. As a token of their appreciation
and good wishes for his future success, his colleagues have
presented him with a travelling clock, silver pencil, and
autogr.Tph album. Mr. Webb was married on December Ist,
and sails for the East on the 18th of this month.

Mr. H. Fraseu (Stratford-nn-.\vnn) has re.sigued his position
with the Walsall Hardware Manufacturing Co.. Ltd.. and has
been appointed representative for the Birmingham district of
the Electrical Engineering and Equipment Co.. Ltd.. Bank
Buildings, 109/111, New Oxford Street, W.C.I.

Obituary. — Mr. F. Moore.— The death has taken place, at
the age of 31 years, of Mr. F. Moore, chief electrician at the
Markham Main CoUierv. .^nnthorpe, Doncaster.

Mr. G. L. Black.— The death is reported of Mr. George L.
Black, assistant engineer to the Corporation Electricity De-
partment, Glasgow. After acting as district mains superin-
tendent. Mr. Black became mains superintendent, and on the
recent transfer of Mr. Lackie to Ijondon he wai pronooted
assistant to the present manager.

Dr. Ale.xa.nder Muirhead.— We greatly regret to record the
death of Dr. Alexander Muirhead on Monday last.

Wills. — The late Mr. Charles HopKiNspN, consulting en-
gineer, of Manchester, left £50,701.

Dr. Frederick Rutherfoord H.arris, of Llangibby Castle.
near Newport, Mon,, a friend and confidential agent of the
late Cecil Rhodes, formerly one of Kimberley's representatives
in the Cape Parhament, a director of the Cape Electric Tram-
ways Co., and other companies, who died on September 1st,
aged 64, has left property of the gro.ss value of £71,949, the
net personalty being £7,056. — Timrii.

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED.

G. J. Thornton, Alder & Co., Ltd. (171,811).— Private

company. Registered December 3rd. Capital, £2,000 in £1 shares. To carry
on the business of electrical and general engineers and contractors, manu-
facturers, agents and dealers in all kinds of electrical, mechanical and general
engineering appliances, builders' and decorators' manufacturers, &c. The first
directors are: G. W. Alder. 9, Richmond Gardens, Shepherd's Bush, \'V.12;
T. D. Clapham. Suffolk House. Worple Road. Epsom. Qualification, £300.
Secretary : G. VV. Mier. Registered office : 53, Victoria Street, S.W.I.

Airedale Electrical and Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (171,825).

—Private company. Registered December 3rd. Capital, £1,300 in £1 shares.
To carry on the business of electricians, electrical, motor, mechanical, tele-
phone, heating, welding and general engineers, founders, manufacturers of
electrical apparatus, S:c. The permanent directors are: J. E. L. Blythe, Lyttle
Dean, Derbyshire Lane, Stretford, Lanes., electrical engineer; R, V. Broberg,
Main Street, Crossbills, Yorks., electrical engineer; L. E. Wood, 14, London
Road. Grays, Essex, electrical engineer. Registered office : 153, Ryan Street,
Bowling, Bradford. Y'orks.

Thos. Rigbv, Ltd. (171,820).— Private company. Regis-
tered December 3rd. Capital, £1.000 in fl shares. To adopt an agreement
with T. Rigbv. and to carry on the business of electtncal engineers and con-
tractors. The first directors are: T. Rigby, " Lyndene," Thorner, near Leeds;
G. Scholefield, 65. Brudenell Grove. Hyde Park, Leeds; Mrs. A. D. Rigby,
" Lvndene," Thorner, near Leeds. Registered office: 134a, Woodhouse Lane,
Leeds.

Manchester Private Telephone and Electric Lighting Co.,
Ltd. (171,817). — Private company. Registered December

3rd, Capital, £20.000 in £1 shares. To carry on the business indicated by the
title. The subscribers (each with one share) are : W. Hilton, 8, Edenhall
Avenue, Levenshulme, cashier; J. Cliffe, 8, Cecil Street, Greenheys, Man-
chester, accountant. The subscribers are to appoint the first directors. Quali-
fication. 1 share. Secretary: W. Hilton. Registered office: 25, Cooper Street,
Manchester.

North''Western AngIo=Swedish Electric 'Welding Co., Ltd.

(171,795).— Private company. Registered December 2nd. Capital. £50.000 in
£1 shares. To carry on business as indicated bv the title. The subscribers
(each with one share) are: VV. ]. Robson, Merthyr House, .James Street.
CardiS, engineer and shipowner; E. H. N. Moxon, 101, Leadenhall Street,
EC, 3. shipbroker. C. G, Moreland signs as director and manager. Regis-
tered office : 340, Liver Buildings. Liverpool.

Medway's Safety Lift Co., Ltd. (171,903).— Private com-
pany. Registered December Sth, Capital. £40,000 in £1 shares. To carry
on the business of manufacturers and builders of lifts, elevators.

■ing

and

lilar

appa

whether electrical, hydraulic, manual or otherwise, to acquire the business
carried on bv E. M. Medway and A. S, Medway as " Medwav's Safety Lift
Co." The first directors are: E. M. Medway. 20, Dalrymple Road. Brocklev.
S.E. (director. Surrey Engineering Co.. Ltd,, and H, C. Iverson & Co.. Ltd.);
A, S. Medway. 27. Kilmore Road. Forest Hill. S.E, (director. H. C. Iverson
& C:o.. Ltd.); A. G, Mickleburgh. 26. Shorncliffe Road. Folkestone (joint man-
aging director, Tilling-Stevens Motors. Ltd.); P. H. F. Smith. Westborough.
London Road. Maidstone (joint managing director. Tilling-Stevens Motors,
Ltd,): B, T. Rumble, 30. Piccadilly. W. (director, Tilling-Stevens Motors. Ltd.,
and Submersible Motors, Ltd.). Secretary: J. Thomas. Registered office:
Victoria Works. St, Peter Street, Maidstone.

London Batterv and Cable Co., Ltd. (171.816).— Private

company. Registered December 3rd. Capital. £5,000 in £1 shares. To take
over the business of electrical and general engineers, makers of accumulators
and batteries, teleobone, telegraph, and electric wires, cables and appliances
and carbon carried on as the " London Battery Co." The subscribers (each
with one share) are: E. W. Clarke. Beechcote, Vicarage Lane. East Ham,
electrical engineer; J. Noone, 16. Dunkeld Road. Goodmayes. electrical engi-
neer. E. W. Clarke is the first director and secretary. Registered office :
Hesketh Road. Forest Gate. E.T.

A. Munday, Ltd. (171.846). — Private company. Registered

December fith. "Capital, £5,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the business of
-\ectric lighting, heatinp and gas engineers, dealers in electrical appliances
nd electrical and g,is fittings. &c,. and to adopt an agreement with A. !,
Munday. The subscribers (each with one share) are : A I. Munday, H,azelea.
Welcomes Road. Kenlev. electrical engineer: Mrs. J. E. Munday. Haielea,
Welcomes Road, Kenlev, v A, I, Munday is permanent governing director.
Registered office: 59, Watling Street, E,C.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Rushmores (1919). Ltd.— Particulars of .£150,000 autho-
rised November 25th. 1920; present issue. £111.000; charged on the company"!
undertaking and property, present and future, including uncalled capital.

Calcutta Electric SupoW Corporation. Ltd. — Particulars of

f.lOO.OOO debentures authorised July 14th. and covered by trust deed d.iled
November 17th 1920. whole amount issued : charged on the company s under-
taking and property, present and future, including uncalled capital. Trustees:
Metropolitan TrustCo,. Ltd.

General Cable Manufacturing Co.. Ltd.— Satisfaction in

full on December 3rd, 1920. debenture d,.ted November 6lh. 1917. '«"""«
£1 500 notified Also narticulors of £6.000 debentures authorised December 3rd,
1920, whole amount issued; charged on the company'! undertaking and pro.
perty, present and future. Including unolled capital.

790

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,247, decembeb 17, 1920.

Electric Car and Accessories Co., Ltd Debenture dated

November 21st, 1920, to secure £500, charged on the company's undertaking
and progeny, including uncalled capital (if any). Holder : I-'. C. Macaskie,
Trinity btreel, Leeds.

Pinkney & Forster, Ltd.— Satisfaction in full on June 7th

of charge dated March 1st, 1920, securing all moneys due or to become due
from the company to bankers.

Chepstow Electric Lighting and Power Co., Ltd. — Parti-
culars of £3,000 debentures authorised October 29th, 1904, of which £2,000
were issued on November 15th, 1920, charged on the company's undertaking
and property, present and future, including uncalled capital.

Engineering Equipment Co. (1919), Ltd.— Satisfaction in

full on November 301h, 1920, of debentures dated June 3rd, 1919, and March
17th, 1920. securing £25,000.

Watford Electric and Alanufacturlng Co., Ltd. (formerly

Thomas Kesnor & Co., Ltd.).— Satisfaction in lull on October 1st, 1918 of
mortgage dated December 28th, 1911, securing all moneys due or to become
due from the company to bankers. (.Votified December 3rd, 1920.)

Cryseico, Ltd.— Satisfaction to the extent of^8,800 (being

amount issued) on June 30th, 1920, of debenture stock dated .May 20th, 1915,
securing £10,000.

Essex Light Railway and Property Co., Ltd.— Memoran-
dum of deposit on Detembir 1st, 1920. to secure all monevs due or to become
due from the company to Barclay's Bank,' Ltd., charged on 273, Ashburton
Road, Canning Town, Ii.

Electrical Industries, Ltd. — Debenture dated December

1st, 1920, to secure £1,050, charged on the company's undertaking and pro-
perty, present and future, including uncalled capit.il. Holders: Industrial
Debenture Corporation, Ltd., Itj, King Street, E.C.2.

Accumulators of Woking, Ltd. — Debenture dated Novem-
ber 30th, 1920, to secure £12,000 charged on the company's undertaking and
property, present and future, including uncalled capital. Holders : London
County, Westminster and Parr's Bank, Ltd.

Barsi Light Railway Co., Ltd. (44,589c).— Return dated

October 29th. 19-20. Capital, £300,000 in £10 shares; '26,000 shares taken up
and £•260,000 paid. Mortgages and charges, £119,300. Latur Extension deben-
ture, part of £135,000 issued, £5,700 having been rede.med.

Fors Accumulator Foreign Patents, Ltd. (108,151).— Re-
turn datp.l January lltli. I<f20 (filed .September 8th). Capital, £3,000 in £1
shares (952 preferred and 2,048 ordinary); 584 preference and 2,048 ordinarv
shares taken up; £133 paid and £2,."i00 considered as paid. Mortgages anil
charges, £1'25.

Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd. (52,036).— Return dated

October 2Sth, 1920. Capital, £2.>0,000 in £5 shares; 42,000 shares taken up
and £175,000 paid; £35,000 considered as paid. Mortgages and charges.
£154,914.

Wardle Engineering Co., Ltd. — Mortgage dated Novem-
ber 19th, 1930. to secure £4,000 charged on certain land and buildings in
Stretford, Lanes. Holders: Mrs. Evelvn Maude and Miss Ellen Marv Wilkin-
son, Thornlield, Old Trallord, Lanes. '

eiTY N0TE5.

The annual meeting was held on Decem-
Ferranti, Ltd. ber 10th. The chairman, in moving the
adoption of the report, said that at the
annual meeting last year the du'ectors were unable to
aubmit any accounts, the reason being that there were
still many outstanding matters to be settled with the
Government on munitions contracts, and also on matters
of taxation with regard to munitions levy and excess
profits duty. Considerable progress had been made sinci^
that time, and now all outstanding matters in respect
of munitions contracts had been definitely settled, and the
cornpany was just upon the point of making tinal payment,
which would close all accounts between the company and the
Government. With regard to taxation, considerable progress
had been made. They now submitted the profit and loss
accounts for the two years to June 30th, 1919, and June 30th,
1920. The accounts showed that the net profit for the year
to June 30th, 1919, after providing for all expenses and charg-
ing interest on debenture stcwk, notes and loans, and making
the usual allocation to depreciation reserve and provision for
taxation, amounted to il8,'2.51 ; while the profit for the year
to June 30th, 1920. after making similar provision, was £36,622,
which was double the profit for the year to June. 1919.
Tlie year to June 30th, 19'20, was the first full year of the
frial of the policy to produce three definite lines of manufac-
tures— namely, meters, power transformers, and measuring
instruments. The results on the whole, considering the diffi-
culties which had had to be overcome, might be regarded as
satisfactory, and the output, in measure of quantity as well
as monetary value, showed a very large increase on the figures
of any previous year, excluding, of course, the munitions
period. Turning tn the jmsition as shown by the balance
sheet at June 30th, 1920. the lea.sehold land and buildings,
plant and machinery, were valued by Messrs. G. H. I.armuth
and Sons in April, 1919. The figures in the valuation had
been adopted as the book value of these a.ssets upon that date,
and all capital additions since that time have been added
thereto. In consequence of the figures brought out by the
valuation, £.50,000 had been transferred from the depreciation
resA've account to the general reserve account, increasing the
latter to £72,000. Schemes of reorganisation of the capital
account had been very carefully considered by the board from
time to tune, and they felt that it was desirable to postpone
submitting a definite scheme until general monetary conditions
were more favourable for raising additional capital. In con-
sequence of this decision, the dirt^'tors had decided to recom-
mend that two years' arrears on the preference shares should
be paid. With regard to the present year the order book was
in a satiefactory condition.

The report of the directors of the A. E.G.
Allgemeine of Berlin has been issued in reference to

Elektrizitats the year ended on June 30th, 1920. It does

Gesellschaft. not give any clear insight as to the actual
influx uf capital resulting from the various
financial operations carried out during the 12 mouths; nu
information is given concerning labour conditions, wages, and
salaries; the foreign business is only briefly mentioned,' and
the comphcated transaction in the Lausitz glass tube (for
bulbs) industry, although of later date than the end of the
financial year but of previous date to the circulation of the
report, is also ignored.

Dealing with the capital transactions, the report recalls
the issue of 4J per cent, tiebentures for 100,000,000 marks in
November, 1919, and the increase of 100,000,0(JO marks in the
ordinary share capital in May, 1920, of which 42,000,000 marks
served for an interchange of shares in thi- Felten & Guil-
leaume Co. for '2.S,IX)0,000 marks. The balance of u.s.(.l0(i.000
marks was issued to the bank.-,, and of this amount the sum
of 25,000,000 marks was taken up in the United States as a
firm holding under " adequate precautionary measures." It
is further mentioned that the emission of 6 per cent, prefer-
wiee shares for 250,000,000 marks as from September, 1920,
has been completed.

Coming to consider the coui'se of business during the year,
the report states that the orders, of which no figures are given,
were abundant, and reached undesirable dimensions during
the period when raw materials were scarce. ITie problems
confronting the industry were all the more dilticult as the
fixing of prices was tlependent upon raw materials, excnauge.
and the labour market. Sales were quantitatively greater than
in the preceding year, and the values were very much higher
according to the changed conditions of currency. The amal-
gamation of the glow-lamp factories of the .V.E.G., the Auer
(German Incandescent Gas Light Co.), and Siemens & Haiske
in the form of the Osram Co., seemed to have stood the test.
During the first half of the year the production of the .A. E.G.
suffered from strikes, the lack of coal, and the scarcity of
electric power, but in the later months a certain regularity
and increased disposition to work were mttnifested. In the
apparatus factory manufacturing extensions had to be under-
taken as a consequence of the exceptional activity which
prevailed, and a brisk turnover also took place in installation
materials and meters.

The report proceeds to state that double shifts had to be
worked to a large extent in the machine works; sites and
buildings of the Oberschonweide Engineering Works were
purchased to meet the requirements in the matter of addi-
tional room, and a repairing shop was also estabUshed at
Mulheim, Ruhr. The Oberspree cable factory resumed the
working up of copper on a greater scale. In the case of
the turbine department, a number of large machines for
ships was constructed, especially oil engines; and in the
export trade increasing interest was manifested in special
types for the delivery or reception of low-pressure steam.
The report then mentions that a demand developed in direct
trade with Belgium, England, and France for large machine
units for industrial power stations, the driving of rolling mills,
and the complete electrical equipment of industrial works.
.\fter enumerating various orders received in this direction,
it is stated that contracts for tramway requirements experi-
enced a considerable decline owing to the unfavourable W'ork-
ing of the tramways from a financial point of view, and new
lines were jjractically out of consideration. On the other
hand, bu.siness in the electric railway department began to
ilevelop, particularly in relation to other countries, and a
large number of electric locomotives for Sweden had been
partly delivered and were partly on order. The department
for steam locomotives received orders for new locomotives
besides undertaking repairs for the German railways. It is
further stated that work on the Berlin high-speed railway —
the A. E.G. SchneUbahn — was suspended as a legal dispute
had arisen with the City of Berlin.

The report further refers to the portfolio holdings, and
states that new shares were acquired in the National Auto-
mobile Co., the ordinary shares in the Auguste Ugnite mine
near Bitterfeld were absorbed, and the company also par-
ticipated in the new issue of share capital by the Deutsche
Werft, of Hamburg, which is designed to be the largest ship-
building yard on the C-ontinent. In the case of the re-
organisation of the Zurich Bank for Electrical TTndertakings,
the report merely mentions that provision had been made
in so- far as the reconstruction affected the shares held by
the A. E.G. The following table .shows, the financial results
in thq past two years, together with the corresponding figures
for the pre-war year : —

1913-14 1918-19 1919-20

Marks Marks Marks

Share capital lo5.0<XI.OOO 2(X).000,000 300.000.000

(iross profits '22.640.000 .38.306,000 80,295.000

Dein-eciation ... SSO.IKXI 1.185.000 3,418,000

\el profits 18.1(iO,oa) '2.5.990,0(K1 44.675,000

Divitlend ... I5..'ill0.000 20.000.1X10 i'^.OlXl.OOO

per cent. ... 10 10 14

The orthnary share capital participating in the thstribution
Inr 1919-20 is' 200,000,000 marks, although the total amount
divided represents only n percentage of that paid on a gold
basis for 1913-14. The sum appropriated for bonuses to officials

Vol. 87. No. 2,247, Dbcembeb 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

791

and workmen, pension funds, and war benevolent funds totals
16,000,000 marks, and compares with 5,.50O.0OO marks in
1918-19, and ^.iiO.lXK) marks for bonuses and pension funds
in 1913-14. In addition to the ordinary share capital of
300.000,000 marks the loans now reach -jJ-i.OSO.UOO marks, as
contrasted with l(i::i..53(.i,000 marks a year ago. The ordinary
reserve fund remains without change at 74,560,000 marks, and
a special reserve fund is shown for '20,000,000 marks.

India=Rubber, tiutta=Percha & Telegraph AV'orks Co., Ltd.

— The accounts for the year ended September 30th, lyiO. show-
that after making provision for doubtful debts and excess
profits duty the net profit was £73,'299. plus iB100,368 brought
forward. The dividend on the preference .shares paid in
January and .July required fl'2,500, and the interim dividend
on the ordLuary shares paid in July i618,7o0. leaving a dis-
posable balance of £142,417. The warrants for the half-yearly
uividend on the preference shares will be paid on 1st prox.
With regard to the ordinary shares, although the accounts
show a disposable book balance amply sutficient to pay the
usual dividend, the duectors feel obliged to defer recommend-
ing the payment of a further dividend owing to the present
scarcity of cash. This has been brought about by the large
cash payments they have been compelled to make to the
Government for excess profits duty and income tax, and also
by the higher costs of materials and labour which have gone
lo form the present stoc'ks. The directors hope that it may be
possible later to pay a six months' dividend to the ordinary
shareholders out of the balance shown at the end of the year.
Annual meeting, December '21st.

Te«s Power Station Co. — The directors' report for the
year ended October 1st states that capital expenditure in
respect of the power station amounted at that date to
;e842,61'2. During the year •25,'20» additional fully-paid ordi-
nary shares were allotted to the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Electric
Supply Co.. Ltd. The total paid-up capital is now ±"269,7-50.
The Financier states that after considerable delay, owing to
the late delivery of material and plant, a section of the power
station has been completed, and is about to run on commercial
load. It is anticipated that the remainder of the plant will
also be brought into operation in January next. The total
amount received up to the end of the year from the Newcastle
company representing 6 per cent, on the company's paid-up
share capital is £15,142, and the duectors recommend a
dividend of oi per cent, on the shares, carrying forward £306.

BrRish Mannesmann Tube Co., Ltd. — The report for the
year ended June 30th, 19'20, states that the manufacturing
profit, including excess profits duty adjustment to June 30th,
1919, and after deducting work.s charges and depreciation,
amounts to £197,064, which, with interest and dividends,
royalties and rents £6,6'27, transfer fees £738. and balance
brought forward £72,769, makes £'276.188. less administrative
expenses (including bank interest) £66,174, leaving £'220,013 ;
against this has been charged debenture interest £'20,061, in-
come tax (balance), and reserve for corporation tax £37,300,
and employes' pension fund £3,033, and there has been
transferred to reserve £10,000. A final dividend is proposed
of 4 per cent, and a bonus of 1 per cent., making 8 per cent,
per annum, plus bonus of 1 per cent., less tax, carrying for-
ward £76,318.

New Issues. — Barcelona Traction Debenture Issue. — Accord-
ing to the financial Press, the proportion to be taken up by the
underwriters of the recent offer of £1,050,000 8 per cent,
secured debentures of the Barcelona Traction, Light & Power
Co. amounts to 90 per cent.

English Electric Co., Ltd. — Ijetters of allotment have been
posted in respect of the recent issue of £1.'250,0(X) 8 per cent,
secured notes. It is understood that the underwriters will be
left with about 75 per cent, of the issue.

West African Telegraph Co., Ltd.— The report for 1919
states that revenue amounted to £75,041, ordinary expenses
£23,525, cost of maintenance of cables, payments to staff, and
other war expenses £37,'264, leaving balance, including £90
brought forward, of £14.343. £4,000 has been transferred to
reserve, and a dividend at the rate of 4 per cent, has been paid,
carrying forward £1.039.

Stock Exchange Notice. — Application has been made to
the Committee to allow the undermentioned to be officially
quoted : —

Johnson Matthey & Co. — £250,000 8 per cent, .seven-year
notes.

Coventry Chain Co., Ltd. — Six per cent, per annum on
preference shares for six months ended ."August 31st ; on ordi-
nary 7 per cent, per annum, making with interim dividend of
3 per cent., 10 per cent, for the year, and a bonus of 2i
per cent,, all less tax.

Anglo^Argentine Tramways Co.. Ltd. — The direclors hav<>
declared arrears of dividend for year to June 3(lth, ]9'20, of
5b. 6d. per share, together with six months' dividend U\
December 31et of '2s. 9d. per share, less tax.

Chile Telephone Co., Ltd. — Interim dividend at the rate
of 6 per cent, per annum, free of tax.

Westinghouse Brake & Saxby Signal Co., Ltd. — Interim
dividend of 21 per cent., less tax, on the ordinary shares.

Power Gas Corporation, Ltd. — Profit for the year ended
September 30th, 1920, £43,477, plus £10.996 brought forward.
£7,000 is placed to reserve. Dividend of 8 per cent., less tax.
is recommended. £'23,504 is carried forward.

Cape Town Consolidated Tramways & Land Co., Ltd

According to the Financial Times, the accounts for the year
1919 show a loss of £8'2o, which increases the debit balance
to be carried forward to .£13,4'22.

Lancashire Dynamo & Motor Co., Ltd. — Interim dividend
of 93. per share, free of tax, on the ordinary shares.

Richardsons, Westgarth & Co., Ltd. — Dividend of 6 per

cent., less tax, on preference shares on account of arrears.

Cape Electric Tramways, Ltd. — Dividend of o per cent.,
less tax.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

TuESD.tY Evening.
The approach of the end of this year is not anticipated with
the cheerfulness usually associated with the last days of
December. The Stock Exchange is apprehensive of financial
trouble developing during the last days of the year, when
commitments fall due in various markets, mainly those con-
cerned with commodities and other matters outside the Stock
Exchange walls, the settlement of which may engage ditfi-
culty and possibly a fresh outburst of liquidation. Of course,
the Stock Exchange theory is that plenty of advance trouble-
talk frecjuently means that when the event actually arrives, it
is discovered to be less terrible than anticipation painted
it. and in this c(m.sideration there rests a source of hope that
the various settlements which will have to be made in a fort-
night's time may be negotiated with greater ease than is ex-
pected. The uncertainty, however, lies like one of the current
fogs over the markets of the Stock Exchange, and has the
effect of reducing business to very meagre proportions.

English Electric Notes were left m the hands of the under-
writers to the extent of 75 per cent. It is a sign of the times
that this result was received with qualified satisfaction, for
some had been talking about the public taking less than a
quarter of the total amount offered. The price opened at
i—3 discount, and has kept fairly steady at this level. As the
underwriters received 2 per cent, commission, they can get
out comparatively cheaply if they choose to do so. Those who
undertook to accept the stock firm, and underwrote on this
agreement, were paid 2i per cent. The price of the shares is
15s. 6d. Edisons are 15s., and the first preference have gone
back to '20s. Last year, both classes received 10 per cent,
dividends. The company's 5 per cent, debenture stock is 2i
lower at 72.

Something of a shock has been caused to the market as a
whole by the announcement that the India-Rubber, Gutta-
percha & Telegraph Vi'orks' directors feel obliged to defer re-
commending payment of a further dividend, owing to the pre-
sent scarcity of cash. The directors say that this position has
been brought about by the large cash payments they have been
compelled to make to the Government for Excess Profits Duty
and Income Tax. and also by the higher costs of raw material
and labour which have gone to form present stocks. The
accounts show an ample balance for payment of the usual
dividend, but owing to the conditions just mentioned, the pro-
prietors will have to go without. It is not as though the India-
Rubber Company were one of the mushroom concerns that
have sprung up so freely during the war and after-war period.
It was established in 1864, and the fact of such a company
asking its proprietors to forgo their dividend is sharper criti-
cism to the mind of the business man than columns of
clamour in the popular papers.

This announcement from the India-Rubber Company has had
the effect of causing heaviness in various other companies of
the same class. Callender's weakened to If. Siemens are dull
at a guinea, and the new shares at 10s., with l'2s. paid.
Nominal quotations scarcely represent the true state of the
market, for in some cases it is exceedingly difficult to get even
the lower price of the two quoted. Electric Construction
4 per cent, debenture is 2 lower at 51. MetropoUtan-Vickers
preference are flat at 33s. 9d., and the ordinary at 16s. 3d.
■The former changed hands the other day as low as 30s. 7id.

The .same cause is debited as being the rea-son for the dulness
in Eastern Extensions. Globe Telegraph & Trust ordinary and
Western shares. The prices have got back to the round £15
again. Evidently the necessity for raising money has caused
these shares to be turned out amongst others of the purely
investment cla.ss that are being realised by those who are
obliged to find capital at the present time. They have been
held as first-class investments, but the India-Rubber announce-
ment comes as a blow to confidence, and sellers have appeared
in the cable market, which, for a long time past, has been
about the only firm spot round the Hou.ce. The flatness is
accentuated by rumours, which probably contain a certain
amount of truth, as to financial failures in New York and in
Paris.

792

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,247, decembbb 1-, 1920.

Falls in electricity supply shares have left Charing Cross
ordinary 3i, Metropolitan ordinary 'if. and Westminsters 4^.
St. .Janaes's and Pall Mall are still dat at 6i. County of Loudon
preference receded to 8, business lieing done at 7 15-10. In
Westminsters, a transaction is recorded at 4 11-16. Cromptons
fell back to 16s. 6d. ; General Electrics at 14 have regained
their dechne of last week.

Foreigners are heavy with the rest. Anglo-Argentine Tram-
ways 5 per cent, debenture stock is 3J lower at 53, oifering a
yield of 9J per cent, on the money. British Columbia Electric
Railway issues are 1 to 3 points down. BraziUan Tractions
and Mexico Tramways first mortgage bonds are both easier
at 40. Rio Tramways Seconds gave way to 63, and Sao Paulo
ConsoUdated debenture stock to 58^. Nearly all the securities
connected with India and the Far East are unfavourably
affected by the slump in silver and by the exchange compli-
cations caused thereby.

Marconis have lost the benefit which they derived at the
beginning of the month from the cheerful statements made by
Mr. Godfrey Isaacs upon his return from the United States.
The price is 3-16 lower at 21, and Marconi Marines have re-
ceded in sympathy to 25s., Canadian Marconis to 7s.

The feature in the Home Railway list is a drop of 2i in
Metropolitan Districts, which has carried down the price to
15i. Underground Income Bonds are 2 lower at 64J, the £10
shares and shilling shares showing losses of 5s. and of 6d. at
2 and 5s. 6d. respectively. Steam stocks have mostly followed
the same direction. In the Armament group, Vickers have
gone a shade below 20s. Amongst rubber shares, the tendency
is again heavy, with the produce at a farthing above Is. per lb.
A critical settlement jn tlie raw produce is in course of nego-
tiation this week ; both the Mincing Lane and Stock Exchange
rubber markets will breathe a trifle more freely when it is
concluded.

SHARE LIST OF ELECTRICAL OOMPANIBS.

Home Eleotricitt Companies.

Dividend Price

, • . Dec. 14 Yield

1918. 1919. 1920. Rise or (all. p.o.

Brompton Ordinary 8 12 6 — £10 0 0

Charing Cross Ordinary .. .. 4 7 8jJ — J 10 74

do. do. do. liPref. .. 4J 4J 2^ — 8 3 8

Chelsea 3 4 34 — 6 8 0

Citv of London 8 10 IJ — 8 17 10

do. do. 6per cent. Pref. .. 6 6 17/6 — 6 17 2

County of London 7 8 74 - 10 13 4

do. do. fi per cent. Pref. 6 6 8 -J 7 10 0

Kensington Ordinary ....6 7 3J — 906

London Electric Nil 2J | — 10 0 0

do. do. 6 percent. Pref. .66 2} - 10 18 3

Metropolitan 5 6 2| —\ 11 8 8

do. 44 per cent. Pref. .. 4^ 4^ '2^ ^ 800

St. James' and Pall Mall .... 10 12 6^ — 9 12 0

South London 5 6 ii^ — 9 12 0

South Metropolitan Pref 7 7 16/3 - 8 12 8

Westminster Ordinary .. .. 8 10 43 —J 10 10 6
Teleoraphs and Telephones.

Anglo-Am. Tel. Pref 6 6 76* — 7 16 10

do. Jef. ,. .. 33/6 IJ 16f - 9 10 6

Chile Telephone 8 6 fij — "8 « 1

Cuba Sub. Ord 7 7 7' — -10 0 0

Eastern E.xtension 8 10 . 15 —J -6 13 4

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 IS?* - '6 11 4

Globe Tel. and T. Ord. .. .. 8 10 1.5* — J '6 19 4

do. do. Pref 6 6 8i - \ 7 12

Groat Northern Tel 22 22 20$ — 10 14 8

Indo-European 13 10 £0" - 8 6 8

Marconi 25 26 i% — ^, 10 10 6

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 12 a| — '4 18 4

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 6 — •» 13 4

West India and Panama .... 1/3 Nil ij - Nil

Western Telegraph , 8 10 15 —J 'e 13 4

Home Rails,

Central London Ord. Assented ..4 4 43A — 9 4 0

Metropolitan 1 1} i.o" - 6 6 0

do. District .. .. Nil Nil 15A - 2i Nil

Underifround ElectricOrdinary .. Nil Nil 2" — j Nil

do. do. "A" .. Nil Nil 6/- - 6d. Nil

do. do. Income ..5 4 61^ -2 —
FOKEION Tkaus, fto,

Anglo- Arg. Trams, First Pref. .. Nil 64 3 — 9 3 4

do. do. and Pret. .. Nil Nil SJ — Nil

ao, do. 5 % Deb. ..6 6 63 — 8J 9 8 8

Brazil Tractions Nil Nil 40 -1 Nil

British Columbia Elec. Rly.Pfce. 5 5 58 - 8 12 4

do. do, Preferrea 24 5 66A —1 *6 6 2

do, do. Deterred Nil 3 534 -3 'e 10 10

do. do. Deb. .. 41 4J 66? — 7 10 6

Mexico Trams 5 percent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 40' —2 Nil

do. 6 per cent. Bonds . Nil Nil iv. — Nil

Mexican Light Common .. .. Nil Nil 16 — Nil

do. Pref Nil Nil as* - 1 Nil

do. 1st Bonds.. .. Nil Nil t6A — Nil
Manufactdrinq Companies,

Baboook i Wilcox 16 15 1\ — J >7 1 2

British Alomlninm Ord 10 10 18/- — 11 10 a

British Insulated Ord 12* 15 IJ — 9 4 8

Callenders 25" 15 Ig - J 10 18 2

ejPref 64 Hi lS/9 — 6 18 8

Castner-Kellner 20 17 3 — 5 13 4

Crompton Ord. .. ..• .. 10 10 16/6 - !/■ 12 2 6

Edison-Swan . ..10 10 15/- — IB 6 8

do. do. 6 per cent. Deb. ..5 5 72 — 2A 6 I'.t 0

Electric Conatruotion .. ., 10 10 16/6 — 11 8 6

lien. Eleo. Pref 04 64 18/- — 7 4 6

do. Ord lU 10" 1+ + J, '8 0 0

Henley 26 15 ' li - 9 4 8

do. 4JPre( 44 4* SJ — 7 4 0

IndiaRubber 10 lo' I — ,^, •8 8 0

Met. -Vickers Pret — 8 ij,i — }' '.i <l 4

Siemens Ord 10 10 \X —A •;) 8 2

Telegraph Con. ... 20 20 ai — 'h\K 8
• Dividends paid free of Inooma T»i.

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

It ghonld be remembered, in making tue of the figure* appearing
in the following list, that in gome cases the prioei are only general,
and they may vary according to quantitie* and other oiroumstancet.

Tuesday, December 14th.

CHEMICALS. Sua.

latest

Prioe.

Fortnight's
Inc, or Deo,

a Acid, Oxalic

per lb.

1/10

a Ammoniac Sal

per ton

£110

a Ammonia, Muriate (large crystal]

,,

<99

a Bisulphide of Carbon

a Borax

£41

a Copper Sulphate

£4a

a Potash, Chlorate

per'lb.

1/-

a „ Perchlorate

1^

o Shellac

per owl.

£23

i-adV).

a Sulphate of Magnesia

per ton

£18

a Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers

£34

a 1, Lump

£30

a Soda, Chlorate

per lb.

6d.

a „ Crystals

a Sodium Bichromate, casks

per ton

£ia

per lb.

z

METALS. &c.

p Babbitt's Metal Ingots

per ton

£95 to £800

c Braes (rolled metal 2" to 12" basis)

per lb.

1/1 i

c „ Tubes (solid drawn)

,,

1/4 to 1.4i

c „ Wire, basis

,,

1/2J

c Copper Tubes (solid drawn)

„

l/6i

c „ Bars (best selected)

per ton

£139

£3mc.

c ,, Sheet

,,

£139

£3 inc.

c „ Rod

,,

£139

£3 inc.

d „ (Electrolytic) Bars

,,

£91

£2 inc.

d „ „ Sheets

,,

£143

J „ „ Wire Bods.,

,,

£107

£2'iiic.

d „ „ H.C, Wire,.

per lb.

i/ia

id. inc.

f Ebonite Rod

,,

8/6

f „ Sheet

3/-

n German Silver Wire

,,

8/-

h Gatta-percha, fine

,,

14/. to 16/-

A India-rubber, Para fine

,,

1/2

I Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ...

per ton

Nom,

/ „ Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual,

,,

£51

g Lead, English Pig

£26

£3"dec.

g Mercury

per bol.

i-l4

J6/- to 30/- dec.

e Mica (in original oases) small ...

per lb.

6d, to 4/6

e ,, ,1 II medium .,

,,

6/- to 10/-

e ., n It large ...

ia/6 to 25/- & up

p Phosphor Bronze, plain castings

,,

1/6 to 1/11

p II „ rolled bars and rods

„

2/5 to 2/8

p ,, ,, rolled strip & sheet

,,

2/5 to 2/9

d Silicium Bronze Wire

per lb.

1/11

r Steel, Magnet, in bars

1/8

n Tin, Block (EngUsh)

per ton

£ai3toi214

£6to"£7inc.

n „ Wire, Nos. 1 to 16

per lb.

4/9

p White Antifriction Metals

per ton

£78 to £800

(Quotations supplied by—

a G, Boor & Co.

g James & Shakespeare,

e Tbos, Bolton & Sons, Ltd,

h Edward Till & Co,

d Frederick Smith & Co,

1 Boiling & Lowe,

« F. Wiggms & Sons.

/ Richard Johnson t Nepbtw, Ltd

f India-Rubber, Gutta-Percha and

n P. Ormiston & Sons.

Telegraph Works Co., Ltd.

r W. F

Dennis & Co,

Trade with India. — In the course of an article in the
B.O.T. Journal deaUng with trade between the United King-
dom and India, Mr. 'i'. M. Ainscough, O.B.E., H.M. Senior
Ti'ade Commissioner in India and Ceylon, gives a number of
useful notes on the present state ot affairs. He says that
owing to labour dissatisfaction, for which neither employers
nor the employed are wholly to blame, the prices of British
goods are steadily rising, enabling American, Belgian and
even German goods to iind an easy market. The longer this
fontinues. the greater will be these inroads in our trade
throughout the «orld and the greater will be the efforts re-
quired to dislodge our rivals. India is passing through a very
difficult ixjriod of financial stringency and trade depression.
India emerged from the war in a more prosperous condition
than ever, and the increased cost of living was largely offset
by the enhanced prices obtained for produce. This boom
reached its height in 1919, but the early months of the present
year witnessed a decided set-back, and the last few months
have been almost entirely dominated by the tiuctuations of
exchange. Large amouuts of Indian capital were forthcoming
last year for industrial adventures of all kinds, and the prices
of shares rose to absurdly high levels. The inevitable reaction
has taken place, and very many ojierators find that they are
financially crippled. Credit is severely restricted, and the
banks in India are forced to curtail their advances until there
is a freer liquidation of goods. Throughout the whole of the
East, from Bombay to Yokohama, there is at present a very
serious state of congestion of trade and great financial strin-
gency. In the meantime the greatest care should be exer-
cised by exporters in this country not to add to the present
difficulties by shipping goods which they are not sme of dis-
posing of and to modify financial conunitmenta until the posi-
tion improves. Regarding the fiuancial status of importers,
Mr. Ainscough says that India is one of the most dangerous
countries in the world to fradc with unless ji firm has either
good agents in the country or maintains its own travelling
representatives. Greatest caution in dealing with small Indian
companies ia urged upon British expm'ters.

Vol.87. No. 2,247, Decbmbkr 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

793

EXTRA-HIQH-TENSION DISTRIBUTION BY UNDERGROUND CABLE.

By REGINALD O. KAPP, B.Sc, A.M.I.E.E.

(Abstract of paper read before the Institdtion of Electrical E.ncineers.;

Electricity is to be had at a lower cost at the power house
busbars in a super-station than in a smaller power house.
On the other hand, the cost of the extra-high-tension distribu-
tion system increases steadily as more power is concentrated
in a single power house. Therefore, there is a limiting size of
power house for any neighbourhood for which the cost per
unit to the consumer will be a minimum. It is quite likely
that, in many cases, this most economical size will be exceeded
by the super-power houses of the future, as other questions,
such as a plentiful supply of water for condensing purposes,
coaling facilities, &c., are more likely to dictate the size of
power house than the question of minimum cost. The result
of this is that the capital charges on the e.h.t. distribution
system of a suijer-power scheme will be comparable with
the coal bill, and may even exceed it.

(a) One power hfiuse In centre of load

(oTwo power houses, one it each end ot lodd

Fig. 1.— When Load is
Evenly Distbibuted.

'1 power houses

Fig. 2.— When Load Diminishes

Evenly krom Middle to End

OP Supply Area.

Cost op e.h.t. Distribution with Different Positions
OF Power House.

Whereas in the past by far the great<;st amount of thought
was given to the problem of making the most economical use
of coal, we may in the near future expect a greater reduction
in the cost of electricity to come from methods for cheapening
the distribution system than from increases in generating
efficiency.

fore, the remarks in this paper are only partly applicable to
overhead transmis.sion problems.

Choice of Position.— Voc a given voltage-drop the cheapest
cable lay-out occurs when the power houseis at the centre
of gravity of the load. But the cheapest cable lay-out is not
necessarily at the centre of gravity of the load when heating
of cables determines their size. There is little or no gam m
supplying a town from two power houses.

Figs. 1 to 5 show graphically the relative costs of the dis-
tribution system with various positions of the power house
tor the special case of an area of which the width is small
compared with the length. The ordinates of the curves re-
present the total power flowing across a section of the town,
and the total shaded areas represent approximately the total
cost of cable. The thin line on each diagram represents the
density of demand across a .section of the town. If the area in
fig. 1 (a) is taken as unity, the areas of the remaining figures
are as follows : —

Diaaram ... 1 {a) 1 (b) 1 [c) 2 (a) 2 (b) 2 (c)
Shaded area 1 2 1 J 2 i

The choice of the number and position of power houses will
rarely be much affected by considerations of the cost of dis-
tribution. The supply of coal and condensing water will
generally be the determining factors. But, if the power house
is far enough away, it pays to have a transformer house within
the boundaries of the town which is supplied at a high voltage,
say, 30,000 volts, from which the power for the town is stepped
ilown to, say, 6.600 volts. A question of interest then is to
determine the most suitable position for the transformer house.
Fig. 3 shows the expenditure on cable theoretically required
when the load is evenly distributed over the town.

The limits of the supply area are a and b, and the trans-
former hou.se is situated at c. The length of the town is /.
which is divided in the ratio p/q by the transformer house;
u represents the cost per yard of 6,600-vnlt cable, and /> the
cost per yard of 30.tX)0-volt cable needed to supply the whole
of the town load. The whole of the horizontally and vertically
shaded areas between A and B represent the total cost of cable
within the hmits of the town.

This area is ap' l-M+a{l- p)- /il + bp. a/b is the ratio of the
cost per yard per kilovolt-ampere of 6.600-volt to 30,000-volt
cable. If we make this ratio = c we find that for minimum
cost of distribution system p/;=(c-l)2c.

Fig. 4 shows a similar diagram for a town in which the
density of demand is a maximum at the centre and becomes
gradually and evenly reduced to zero at the outskirts. The
saving in cost of cable is theoretically a maximum when

pll = iV [0-l)/a]
The ratio h/a is about 3 if allowance is made for stand-by
cable in both cases, and the greater amount of switchgear
required on a 6,600- volt network is taken into account. Fi-om
this it follows that p should theoretically be equal to J ab
if the load is evenly distributed throughout the town as in
fig. 3. and 0.4 ab if the load diminishes evenly from the
centre to the fringes of the town as in fig. 4. Various prac-
tical factors make these theoretical figures only approximately
correct. It would be better to place the transformer houses

3o,oou volt cable

Fig. 3.— Cost ok e.h.t. Distribution

with Transformer House at
Point c and Lo\d Evenly Distributed.

Fig. 4.— Cost of e.h.t. Distribution
with Teansformeb House, and Load
DniiNiSHiNG Evenly from Middle to End
of Supply Area.

Fig. 5.— Economical Position
OF Transformer House on a
Mixed-voltage System, with
Ix)ad Evenly Distributed.

»

The object of this paper is to state some of the problems
which it appears worth while to discuss in this connection.

The principal point on which e.h.t. distribution differs from
low-tension distribution is that, in the former case the limit
to the capacity of the cables is almost always .set by heating,
whereas in the latter case it is more usually set by voltage-drop.
Where overhead transmission is used, higher voltages than for
cables can be safely adopted, and therefore large quantities
of power can often be sent more cheaply in bulk over a long
distance. On the other hand, overhead line work is not as
cheap as cables when small quantities of power have to be
distributed to isolated points of a complicated network. There-

nearer the fringe of the t<j\\n than in the positions given l)>
the above theoretical figures.

If the power house itself is on the fringe of the town, ami
the town is a large one, it may be economical to supply the
distant parts at 30,000 volts." The question having been
determined, how gieat an area is to be supplied through the
transformer house at the opposite side of the town to tin;
power house, the best position of the transformer house within
this area is found by the above formula to be about one-third
of the distance across the area. Fig. 5 illu.strates the cost
of cable for such a scheme.

In this ca.se the voltage at the transformer bouse must

79 i

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.S?. No. 2,247, December U, mo.

be so arranged that the point X in fig. 8 shall be the point
of lowest potential on the system. The simplest way of fixing
the transformer house voltage and, therefore, ftie position of
the point X, is by means of transformer tappings. The usual
transformer tappings of H and 5 per cent, up and down give
too coarse a regulation for a mixed voltage system. To get
a good range of voltage in small .steps with the least possible
number of tappings, the author has adopted a scheme with
tappings at different points on the step-up and step-down
transformers. If, for instance, the step-up transformers have
li per cent, tappings up and down, and the step-down trans-
formers 2J and 5 per cent, up and down, the following per-
centage voltage variations up and down from the normal
are possible : —

0, 1. li, 2§, 3h i, 5, and 6| per cent.

That gives us 15 possible ratios.

In the case of e.h.t. cables, heating and not voltage-drop
is always the determining factor. For this reason the mo.5t
economical site for the power. house is not at the centre of
gravity of the load. This fact is worth emphasising. The
most economical site for the power house is roughly such that
the sum of the product of each load into its distance shall
be a minimum. For the centre of gravity the sum of the
product of each load into the square of its distance would
be a minimum.

The author has not succeeded in finding an analytical method
of determining the most economical position of a power house
except for the special case of a long, narrow area dealt with
already. .A.n ingenious way of solving the problem has, how-
ever, been suggested by Mr. C. G. Carrothers. Imagine a
map of the supply area to be pasted on a horizontal board
and a hole drilled" through the board wherever an important
load is .shown. Bring a .string up through each hole and tie
all the strings together in a single knot, or fast<^n them all

The author would be inclined to adopt a 30,000-volt trans-
mission with a fi,(5f)0-volt delivery for distances somewh.it lego
than that given by the point of intersection of the curves
shown. , . . L, ,

Cahle Lay-out.— The problem of designmg cable lay-out
schemes depends so much on individual cases that generalisa-
tions do not apply to it. Howevei-, a few guiding principles
can be stated.

1. The system should be so arranged that failure ol any
one feeder does not cause any other feeder to become over-
loaded. . , . ^, , ,1

'2. Unless some device such as that suggested in the follow-
ing section is adopted, link feeders will only carry a small
amount of power compared wdth their load capacity, as the
difference in potential between the ends of a link feeder is
not great. Therefore, their usefulness as stand-by cables is
frequentlv illusory.

8. Link feeders must not short-circuit any current-kmitmg
reactances that may be installed between busbar sections at
the jiower house.

4. If a consumer is situated between the power bouse and
a sub-station, and is supplied by a cable from the latter, the
cost of cable for supplying him is about twice the cost of
cable between the sub-station and the consumer, as the power
has to make a double journey. Unless the existing cables to
the sub-stations are likely to suffice for both loads in future,
it may be more economical to lay a new cable from the
power house direct to the new consumer, even though that
involves a greater immediate outlay.

.5. If power is tapped off a feeder, the possible future load
that may safely be taken off the end of the cable is reduced
liv the power tapped off nearer the power hou.se. Unless the
cro.ss-section is reduced beyond the tapping point, feeders
should only be tapped after the probable future growth of the
load lias l)een dulv considered.

/

/

/

/

-^

^

^

-'

pi

y

.^

^

r

^

X

"^

r

J

/

^

"^

3

10

Distance of power house I rem supply point i

Fig. 6. — Cost of e.h.t.
Transmission in Bdlk.

Square olioad'27

36

M

57

55

55

M

69 1 65 I 56 1 112 1 61 i 60 1 A2 1 27

IS

u. 1 10

10 1 6

e

7

7

lo-io'

66«1D«

70«-

60«-

50«-

40.-

30>'

10--
0-.

te

constant = 2 ho

irs =

l-^

nch

_j

tl

-'

\

—

--

,

.V

=J

S-

■^

\,

—

"

\

£'' -

)f

r '

\,

^r

>

iin

N

0

\'

/ ^

^'

V

s.

a

/

E

(juiv

1

Jent coritiau

1 1 1
)U6 load to give same

V

K

1

/

ceBiperature nse = V61.000000 = S.OOOKW

1

'^

■^

^

.

'/

M

1

Fig. 7.— Temperatuhi: Chakt or Cables on September 2.5th, 1919.

to one small ring. To the loose end of each string attach a
weight proportional to the cost per yard of cable for supplying
the load at the point of the map through which its string
pa.sses. On the map one will now see a number of strings
meeting at one point, their other ends passing through holes
to the weights beneath. The potential energy of the system
of strings visible on the map is the sum of the product of the
tension in each string into the distance between the knot
and the hole in the board. The system will automatically
adjust itself so that its potential energy becomes a minimum.
That is to say, the knot will take up that position on the map
which represents the^ most economical site for the power
house.

If the site of the power house is fixed, and the problem is
to determine the most economical position of a step-down
transformer house, the same method can be used. A hole
must be made through the map where the power house is
shown, and the weight on the string through this hole must
be proportional to the cost per yard of supplying the trans-
former house from the power house at 3U.U00 volts. The
knot will then take up the most economical position for the
transformer house.

YoUagc.—'Vae, cost of cable per kilovolt-ampere transmitted
is less the higher the voltage, and so it would pay in most
systems to have the voltage as high as convenient. If in-
crease in the voltage involves the use of transformers, their
cost and that of their switchgear must be charged to the
E.h.t. distribution, and this makes the cost per kilovolt
ampere greater than that for a lower voltage, unless the
transmission distance is great enough to make the saving in
cable pay for the cost in transformers and switchgear. There-
fore, the highest safe voltage for a given set of conditions is
the right one to select, and circumstances may call for the
selection of the highest voltage at which (a) one can sell
power; (h) one can generate power; (c) one can transmit
power. Other voltages cannot be justified.

The author has assumed these to be 6,600, 11,000, and 30,000
volts respectively. Fig. 6 shows the cost of transmission. The
actual cost of distribution is higher than that given by the
curves.

6. On a ring main the cross-section of cojiiicr .should be
reduced on the feeders furthest from the power house.

7. When the power has parallel paths through feeders of
unequal cross-section of copper it will divide so as to givo
the same current density in each feeder. Advantage cannot,
therefore, be taken of the circumstance that the feeder of
.smaller cross-section may safely be worked at a higher current
density than the other.

S. Ihe curves of cost per kilovolt-ampere per mile of 6,fi00-
volt cable show that there is little to be gained by increasing
the cross-section above 0.07.5 sq. in.

Equalising the Load. — Full use can hardly ever be made of
all the cables leaving the power house. The total load capacity
is limited by the load on that cable which will be most
heavily loaded when any of the other cables are out of service.

Link feeders are used to equalise the load between radial
feeders as far as possible, but, under purely ohmic conditions
of pressure drop on the system, these link feeders do their
work very imperfectly.

It appears that boosting transformers or induction regula-
tors on the link feeders would most cheaply and efficiently
increase the available network capacity, with a considerable
saving in capital cost. For an actual case worked out by
the author on an existing undertaking, the load capacity of
the distribution system could be increased by an extra cable
at a cost of ilO^O per kilovolt-ampere, or by induction re-
gulators at a cost of £i.'2 per kilovolt-ampere.

LiHul Capucitii of Cables.— It is not so easy to say when a
cable under working conditions is loaded up to the safe limit
as might at first sight appear. The mains engineer knows
what continuous load his cables can stand. The question that
interests him is whether the actual varying load is producing
at any time during the day a dangerously high temperature
in his cables. The problem may be formulated thus : What
is the continuous load equivalent to a given varying load?

One must take account of the progressive heating effect of
the varying load during 24 hours or more. Fortunately, this is
not such a laborious operation as one might think. Let fig.
7 be a temperature chart of the cable during 24 hours' heating
under a varying load. The abscissae represent time, and the

Yol. 87. No. 2,247, Decembbb 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRO" CAL REVIEW.

795

ordinatea temperature. The temperature scale is not actually
shown. The smooth logarithmic curve on the same diagram
is a heatinti curve corresponumg to that steady load wtiich,
if appUed luug enough, would give the same maximum tem-
perature as the actual varymg load. The temperature chart
is drawn on the assumption that the load remains constant
during the period of one hour. Kach part of the temperature
chart is, theretore, a small portion ol a heating or cooling
curve, similar to the smooth logarithmic curve. One such
heating curve is continued with dotted hnes to show how it
forms a portion of such a logarithmic curve. This shows
how the cable temperature would have varied with time if
the load had been the same throughout the period as it was
between '2 p.m. and 3 p.m. It would then have reached a
final temperature, given by its asymptote which is the dotted
horizontal line.

When the load is such that it would maintain the cable at
a constant temperature lower than the temperature of the
cable at the time when the load is applied, the cable will
cool. The cooling curve is of the same shape as the heating
curve, but it approaches the asymptote from above. The
horizontal scale depends on a constant which can be defined
as the tune taken by the cable to reach 63 per cent, of its
final temperature, and is called the " time constant." This
constant has different values for different cables, and also
depends on how the cable is laid.

The method involves little calculation. The whole tempera-
ture chart is traced by the manipulation of a piece of tracing
paper. The most comphcated part is the determination of
the average load figures and their squares. The remaining
work of tracing the charts for various time-constants could
be done by an intelligent switchboard attendant, and each
chart would take about 10 minutes. Fig. 7 shows a tem-
perature chart constructed in this way. The greater the
time-constant of the cable, the smaller is the equivalent con-
tinuous load. The average value of the load for the day in
question was 5.830 kw., and the root mean square is 3,090 kw.
Hence the load factor was 50 per cent.

In the case of transformers, the final temperature is not
proportional to the square of the load. It is proportional to
the losses, which are made up of a copper loss that is pro-
portional to the square of the load, and an iron loss that is
independent of the load. The equivalent continuous load
for transformers is less than that for cables. Therefore, where
an E.H.T. feeder and its step-up and step-down transformers
are controlled as one unit, their continuous load capacity
should not be the same. If the same safety of working is
required both for the cables and for the transformers, the
former must be rated higher than the latter. The heat capacity
of an overhead line is so low that the equivalent continuous
load is very. near the maximum peak load. Transformers
working on overhead transmission might, therefore, safely
be rated very much lower than the capacity of the line.

The present state of our knowledge about time-constants is
too slight to enable us safely to make full use of the method of
determining temperature rise described above. Since, how-
ever, a scientific consideration of the actual load conditions
may result in a saving of 15 to 25 per cent, of the cost of the
distribution system, money spent on research in this connec-
tion W'ould be well invested. The capital charges on this
saving might represent a charge per unit many times the
saving in the cost per unit due to the use of economisers.

Tariffs. — Tariffs designed to obtain the best use from the
E.H.T. distribution system will be of greater importance on
super-power schemes than they have been in the past. Dis-
criminating tariffs are only justified if they ultimately re.sult
in cheapening the cost of energy to the average consumer.
If they do not have this effect, a flat rate is preferable.

For a moderately large system a fair average figure for the
cost of generators, transformers, and distribution system may
be taken to be £15 per kilovolt-ampere of maximum load.
At a power factor of 0.8 this becomes £18.75 per kilowatt. An
improvement of the power factor from 0.8 to unity would
represent a capital saving of £3.75 per kilowatt of maximum
demand. The average cost of apparatus or machinery for
improving the power factor would come to very much less
than this, and so power-factor improvement would very de-
cidedly be an economic proposition on sucli a system. Load-
factor improvement often costs nothing at all. It merply
entails a little care in starting up heavy machinery.

If the distribution system is to have the full benefit of power-
factor improvement, the apparatus or machinery must be
installed on the consumer's premises. The cheapest method
is generally that by which phase advancers are installed on
each individual large motor. The drawbacks of divided re-
sponsibility and difficulty of supervision make it impracticabli'
for the .supply authority to install these, so n tariff di.scriminat-
ing enough to make it worth the con.suiuer's while to improve
botli his load and bis power factor best meets the case. In
the author's opinion the tariff of a large supply undertaking
ought iuvariably to discriminate between a good and a bad
power factor. For small undertakings u discriminating tariff'
is rarely worth while. Wherever the nature of an industrial
load is such that the consumer can improve his load factor,
the tariff should also be based on maximum demand, that is,
should discriminate between good and bad load factors.

The time has come when electricity supply undertakings
should have pubhcity departments run by a well-paid staff.
These departments should supply readable literature and

personal help and advice. Among other things, it would
be the duty of such a department to advise consumers how
to keep down excessive peaks by adjusting the times of
working of heavy machinery, and by exercising care in start-
ing It up. It would also advise them on the best methods
of improving the power factor in each particular case. It is
to the interest of the consumer, the supply undertaking, and
the industries of the country generally that electricity should
be used to the best advantage, and the supply engineer is
the man in the best position to help towards this end. The
cost of giving free advice to power consumers and generally
keeping them informed of the possibiUties of reducing their
electricity bills would be a small item in the budget of a
large supply undertaking, and would ultimately result, not
in a reduced, but an increased revenue.

THE NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY.

On Wednesday evening, the yth inst., the optics, thermo-
metry, heat, and radiology divisions of the Physics Department
of the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington were, by
the kind permission of the director, Sir Joseph Petavel, open
for the inspection of a number of interesting exhibits of ap-
paratus. Doubtless the perversity of the weather may be
credited with the responsibility for the paucity of the number
of visitors. Nevertheless those of Sir Joseph's guests who
availed themselves of the opportunity afforded for witnessing
the various demonstrations that had been arranged, considered
themselves well repaid. Those who have been privileged to
take part in the annual visit of in.spection to the Laboratory
will find these pleasant evening (or in the summer time after-
noon) gatherings a welcome means of prolonging the all too
brief time that is afforded for the public inspection of the
wonderful collection of plant and apparatus that is housed in
Bushy House and its surrounding buildings. Moreover, public
knowledge of the raison d'etre and importance of the Labora-
tory and its fascinating work is none too extensive, and any
innovation that is calculated to stimulate interest in its
activities should be encouraged.

On the occasion of our visit last week the first department
inspected was the Heat Division where visitors were initiated
into the method of calibrating an optical pyrometer at the
melting points of gold and palladium. The pyrometer is
sighted into a black body furnace, consisting of a long re-
fractory tube with a resister winding of platinum foil. This
tube is surrounded by a coaxial tube also wound with platinum
foil, the whole being fixed in a well lagged case. By raising
the outer tube to a temperature of 1,300 deg. C. it is found
possible to reach a temperature of 1,5.50 deg. C within the
inner tube, which is within 200 deg. of the melting point of
platinum. In the centre of the inner tube a small plug is
fixed, which has the junction of a thermocouple exposed on it,
and also a short length of gold or palladium wire. The ends
of the latter are connected to a millivoltmeter by two platinum
wires. A small e.m.f. is applied and the rupture of the
circuit on the melting of the gold or palladium is indicated
by a movement of the pointer. A reading of the thermocouple
is taken at the melting point, and this enables the furnace
to be kept steady while a series of observations is made with
the optical pyrometer.

The next piece of apparatus examined was that used for
investigating the convection currents in granular materials,
and the effect of horizontal bafifles thereon. It consists of a
vertical surface built up of a number of plates. Each plate
contains a flat heating coil, the energy dissipation of which
can be measured, and on either .side of the hot plate two
cold plates are fixed and the interspace packed with granulated
cork. Coefficients for the heat transmission are obtained for
each element of the surface, and the marked influence of the
convection current set up demonstrated. Horizontal baffles of
cardboard have the effect of diminishing the values of the
coefficient for the bottom portion of the wall, and increasing
it for the upper part. Typical curves were exhibited.

With the apparatus used for determining the heat loss by
convection from a vertical cylinder of known height, measure-
ments are made of the electrical energy which has to be
supplied to maintain the surface temperature of the cylinder
at constant value. The temperature is determined by thermo-
couples, and corrections are made for radiation and for con-
(kiction along supports, &c. The combined anemometer and
thermometer employed to determine the velocity and tem-
perature distribution of the air stream near a hot vertical
plate consists essentially of a fine platinum wire in one arm
of a Wheatstone bridge which, with a small current in the
bridge, acts as a resistance thermometer ; and with a large
current as a hot-wire anemometer. In the vertical hot-air
channel, for use in calibrating the anemometer, air is drawn
by a fan through an electric heater into a wide vertical channel,
provided with a honeycomb grid and layers of wire gauze at
the entrance, to break up eddies and ensure vertical flow.
The anemometer wire is placed in the large channel and the
air velocity is deduced from Pitot-tube readings of the swifter
flow in a subsequent Venturi neck.

In the potentiometer room was exhibited a duplex reversal
key designed for reversing in one movement the battery and

796

THE ELECTEIOAL EE VIEW. [voi. 87. No. 2,247, deckmbkb 17, 1920.

thermoelement connections to a potentiometer. To the bottom
of the Icey four amalgamated copper cups are fixed, and to
the ebonite cover four plungers; midway between the cups
and plungers is a moving platform carrying four cups with
plunger prolongations. Movement of the handle in one direc-
tion brings the bottom of the movable cups up against the
fixed plungers, whilst the reverse motion causes the plunger
prolongations of the movable cups to come into contact with
the bottom cups. A spring is so arranged as to keep the
surface pressed together in both positions of the contacts.

A simple form of apparatus for determining coefficients
of expansion at high temperatures is based on the measure-
ment of the diil'erential expansion of fused silica and the
specimens under test, and the expansion is measured by means
of a dial indicator commonly used in engineering work. This
form of measuring apparatus has an advantage over micro-
meters which are liable to force out the bottom of the tube if
accidentally left screwed down when the temperature is raised.
An alternative method of measuring expansion coeflicients
was also shown in addition to the method of standardising
an optical pyrometer by use of a tungsten arc, and
various types of apparatus for measuring the humidity of the
air in cold stores. Two novel instruments were shown for the
latter purpose. The first type is based on the evolution of
heat in dry cotton when brought into a moist atmosphere.
Two similar coils of nickel wire are wound on a frame, and
are both cotton-covered, but one is shellac-varnished to render
it imjjervious to moisture. The coils form two arms of a
\Vhe?.tstone bridge, which is balanced, and when the frame
is brought from a dry to a moist atmosphere heat is evolved
in the uncovered cotton, which causes a rise in temperature
of the nickel wire, and throw-s the bridge out of balance. The
deflection of the galvanometer gives a measure of the
humidity. The second type of instrument is based on the
change of the refractive index of a glycerine film according
to the amount of moisture ab.sorbed from the air. A cigarette
paper dipped in glycerine is placed on the prism of an Abbr
refractometer. and when the glycerine has attained equih-
brium with the air, the humidity can be deduced from the
refractive index. Modified forms of the dew-point, wet- and

dry-bulb hygrometers, and an absorption hygrometer were
also on view, w'hile in the basement the refrigerating plant
and cold storage room were examined, and thermal conductivity
tests of good insulators wer(> watched with much interest.

In the Thermometry Division considerable pains were taken
to explain to visitors the various methods of testing meteoro-
logical types of thermometers as carried out in water com-
parison baths, and also of clinical and precision thermometers.
For comparing the latter type of instruments sent to be tested
with the Laboratory standards baths employing water, oil,
or fused .salts are made use of.

In the Radiology Division an oscillograph used for the
examination of the potential wave form of induction coils
was shown in operation. Other apparatus exhibited in this
section consisted of that used for the determination of the
intensity of X-rays; for testing radium by the Rutherford
direct and Rutherford and Chadw'ick balance methods; and
for testing the definition of X-ray tubes. An X-ray spectro-
meter and a display of radiographs were other interesting
exhibits, while the screen demonstration of the X-ray examina-
tion of materials afforded the ladies amusement by revealing
the contents of their hand-bags.

, The last department to be visited was the Optics Division ;
in this building, owing to alterations in progress, the middle
floor was not open, but in the sextant room the collimator
lienches for testing the scale errors of sextants were examined
as were also the spectacle-lens testing bench, and the photo-
meter bench for determining the loss of light in optical in-
struments, &c. A simple arrangement for measuring the
reflecting power of polished surfaces was show'n, and on the
top floor was .seen interference apparatus for investigating
the defects of optical parts such as prisms, lenses, plane
parallel plates, &c. ; photographic shutter testing ; apparatus
used in some of the work in progress on the sensitivity and
personal equation error of various types of optical setting ; auto-
collinating apparatus for testing telescope objectives ; apparatus
for measuring coefficients of linear expansion of optical glass
up to about 550 deg. 0. : test for defective polishing or silvering
in mirrors, and polarisation apparatus for the detection of
strain in glass.

NEW ZEALAND: A PROMISING MARKET.

The United Kingdom's share of the import trade of New
Zealand has contmued to decline since the signature of the
armistice. Xow that the reorganisation of industries at home
has had ample opportunity of completion, the time has come
to consider what steps can be taken to effect a recovery.
The directions in which such efforts should be made (and
indeed are already being made) are dealt with in the recently-
issued report b\' H.M. Ti-ade Commissioner in New Zealand
(Mr. R. W. Dalton),* a summary of whose remarks, in so far
as they are of interest to the electrical and allied trades, is
given below. It is gratifying to find mention of the attention
which is being devoted by British electrical engineers to the
important enterprises on foot in New Zealand for the genera-
tion of electricity from water power.

Machinery and metals are the next most important goods,
after textiles, purchased by New Zealand from abroad. Great
Britain's share in the metal trade declined between 1918 and
J919 from 76 per cent, to 50 per cent., and in the machinery
trade from 59 per cent, to 25 per cent.

.\n examination of the details of imports under these head-
ings gives a good deal of ground for optimism regarding the
possibilities of recovery of British trade. While there are
weaknesses evident in certain classes of goods, weaknesses
many of which existed before the war, the increase in foreign
trade in the main has been spread over most of the import
lines, and is a natural increase due to the inability of British
manufactm'ers to supply goods. Tliis being so, it should be
possible for British firms to recover ground rapidly once
given the opportunity of making satisfactory dehveries. So
far as metal manufactui'ers particularly are concerned, one
may look forward to recovery to a position closely approximat-
ing that existing before the war. So far as machinery is
concerned, the British position in this trade was unsatisfactory
before the war, compared with the position in other trades.
With the development wliich has taken place at home since
the war. there can be no re.i-son why British firms should not
secure even a greater share than they had before the war.
It is satisfactory to note that H.M. Ti'ade Commissioner sees
indications that ground will be rapidly recovered in this
trade once the pressure on firms in the T'nited Kingdom is
relieved.

Looking at the position generally, there is cause for a good
deal of satisfaction, first, that the position at present is no
worse, and next, that the possibilities of recovery are so
great. Active endeavouis. hcjwever, will have to be made
to effect that recovery.

The following table shows the total imports of machinei-y,
together with the shares of the countries named : —

• Qmd. 1008. Price 4d.

United Kingdom 222,767 440,476 — — 222,767 440,476

Auscialia ... S2,a7ti 85,844 — — B2.976 85,844

Canada .■?4,I83 39,656 — — - 34,183 39,656

United states ... 463,969 812,972 — — 463,969 812.972

J. pan 39,U1U .52,053 — — 39,010 52,653

Other count.-ies. 58,248 94,375 — — 58,248 94,375

Totals ... Snl,153 1.525,976 — — 901,153 1.525,976

The following table is interesting as showing the proportion

of the total imports from each of the above countries in the

two years under review ; —

Cuimtries of origin.

L'nited Kingdom

.\ustralia

Canada

United States

Japan

Other Countries

1J18.

1919.

r ci-nt

Per CL-.

■24.7

28.9

9.2

5.6

3.6

•2.6

51.5

53.3

4.3

3.5

(3.5

6.1

100.0

100.0

The share of the United Kingdom in this important class
declined in 1918 to its lowest point since the pre-war year,
but a slight increa.se was experienced in 1919. The share of
the United States, which has gradually increased during the
past five years, accounted, in 1918 and 1919, for about 50
per cent, of the total trade in this class.

Approximately hah' of the total imports from the United
Kingdom and the United States in 1919 consisted of " elec-
trical machinery " and " agricultural machinery and mate-
rials." Under the former heading the share of the United
Kingdom increased from £71.116 in 1918 to i;175,130 in 1919,
while the share of the United States increased from il98,3.'^4
in 191S to £298,577 in 1919. Although, as the above figures
show, the bulk of this trade emanated from America in the
case of " electrical machinery." it may be mentioned that thi-
large proportion of " insulated cable and wuv " importi-il
during 1919 came from the United Kingdom, the value of
imports from the United Kingdom being £69,9.59, and from
the United States £8,746. Imports of this nature from Japan,
(hiring the same year, amounted to £39,884. Many of the
goods w^hich have been introduced since the war have l)een
unsatisfactory, and some of the methods of foreign competitors
have been unacceptable. Many of the gtKjds which have been
import<'d from other sources have, however, proved satis-
factory, and even in the case of goods which \\ere originally
unsatisfactory conaideiable improvement has been shown;
in short, the chanDel of trade to New Zealand has suffered

Vol.87. No. 2,247, deckmbbe 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

797

by diversion in certain respects, with the result that the
Linited Ivingdom's position on the market is not as strong as it
formerly was. On the other hand, the preference of New
Zealand buyers for British goods, if it has changed at all, has
strengthened. It will not be sufdcient, however, to rely on
the strengthening of this preference for British goods to
effect an entire recovery of British trade with New Zealand.
Prior to the war, for reasons stated, active organisation in
this market on the part of British manufacturers was probably
not as necessary as it was in the case of foreign firms. The
position during the war changed so materially, however, that
it is thought a very active organisation will now be necessary
if United Kingdom manufacturers are to recover ground whicli
has been lost. There are indications that many manufacturers
at home are fully realising this necessity, and it is to be hoped
that before very long they will be able to carry their ideas
into practice.

The greatest need will be found to be a
Active more active personal touch with the mar- ^

Organisation ket. There may not be any reason why
Needed. the main channels of trade should be

altered, but that manufacturers should be
in a position to have first-hand knowledge of conditions, and
also to have representing them agents whose prime interest
IS to sell the goods of particular firms. In some trades buyers
will naturally revert to British sources of supply as soon as
they find that their demands can be met. In others, it is
feared that new sources of supply discovered since the war
will retain their hold unless active steps are taken by British
manufacturers to reintroduce their goods. There is a third
class of goods, that is, goods now manufactured in the United
Kingdom on a greater scale, which were practically unknown
in New Zealand prior to the war, on behalf of which even
greater activities will be required if foreign goods, strongly es-
tablished there prior to the war, are to be removed from their
pre-eminent position. It is Mr. Dalton's belief that the
accredited agent of the manufacturer working on commission,
provides the best means of introducing goods. In view of the
changes which have taken place during the war, he is more
than ever convinced that personal representation of manu-
facturers is necessary.

He sees no reason why the system of having accredited
representatives of manufacturers .should not be carried on side
by side with the system of shipping through London houses.
This method of shipping to New Zealand has been a common
one for a great many years, and it is a method which has
been in the main entirely satisfactory.

.\gents of British manufacturers, during
Encouragement the last few years, have been working
of Agents. under very great difficulties, and it is ques-

tionable whether their difficulties are now
any less than they have been. It says a great deal for many
of the agents in that country that during the war, and since
the war, they have remained loyal, in the main, to their
British principals. Opportunities have by no means been
wanting by which agents could have taken up goods of
foreign manufacture, and could have made very considerable
profits, and H.M. Ti-ade Commissioner has been surprised at
the number of cases in which agents have refused to take
advantage of such opportunities, preferring to wait until their
British principals have been in a position to give delivery of
goods. Manufacturers are urged to realise the position and,
in future, to reciprocate in their treatment of their agents
for the loyalty which those agents have shown during a very
difficult period.

In cases ^\■here agents are personally known to their prin-
cipals there has been an understanding of the actual position,
but in many cases agents are unknown, except by correspond-
ence, to their principals. In those cases there is, in the minds
of the manufacturers, a feeling that the agent has only his
own purpose to serve in carrying their goods, and they fail
to realise that he is the employe of the manufacturer, serving,
at the same time, his own ends and those of his principal.
There are numbers of cases in which agents have toured the
whole of the Dominion soliciting business and have received
large orders, of which probably only one-tenth were actually
accepted. While it is admitted that this state of affairs must
be unavoidable under present conditions, it should be clear
in the minds of manufacturers that the agent has been in-
curring as much expense in time and trouble as would have
been neces.sary in pre-war years in return for a ^erv small
percentage of the commission which he would formerly have
received. In some cases the agent's journey through New
Zealand has been carried out at an actual lo.ss by the agent.
kt the present time it may not matter much to manufacturers
whether they receive large orders from New Zealand or not,
but when the time of depression comes it will matter to them
very considerably that their agents, during the war period,
have maintained an interest in their goods. Complaints there
on this subject have been very many, and it has been very
difiicult to convince agents that the difficulties to be met
with at home by manufactitrers were ro great that in a
considerable number of cases no better treatnient could have
been given.

Mr. Dalton has found a lack of informa-
Want of tion in the Dominion regarding home

Propaganda. manufacturing developmeiits, and he pleads
for a more active dissemination of up-to-
date catalogues.

The most serious matter which British trade has to deal
with in the New Zealand market is the fear m the mmds of
nnporters and agents that they are not being treated fairly
by British firms on the question of deliver}'. A feeling exists
that advantage is being taken of New Zealand's patriotism
in respect of her purchases, to the detriment of her nnporters.
Some very active propaganda work is necessary in this con-
nection. Although New Zealand may not really believe that
British firms are neglecting her market with the idea that
the patriotic preference for British goods will always be an
assurance for recovery of trade there when the demands of
other markets fall, undoubtedly a feeling of irritation and un-
certainty exists, wliich ought to be removed.

In connection with the important elec-

Public Works. trical schemes, particulars of which have
from time to time appeared in these
columns, it is interesting to note that although American
firms had practically a monopoly of the electrical work of the
Dominion during the war and were able to consolidate their
position to a very important extent, it seems not at all
unlikely that British firms will .secure a very large part of
the contracts for the big works which are forthcoming. Sigu.^
have not been wanting of a very much increased interest in
this mai-ket on the part of British electrical firms. One firm
has already established a New Zealand company, and another
firm has recently sent out an important representative to
examine conditions on the spot very fully. There is room
for a good deal of optimism, therefore, in this branch of the
business in which British firms have not previously been as
prominent as they might have been. In addition to the
electrical works in the North Island, a fairly large scheme is
proposed in Southland, further exten.sions to the Lake Cole-
ridge scheme are mooted, and it is also proposed to electrify
the Otira railway tunnel. The carrying out of all these works
will necessitate the supply of a good deal of plant, and the
conclusion of the schemes will create a large market for small
motors and other electric appliances.

The new Public Works Minister has been very actively
engaged during the last few months carefully examining the
general needs of the country, particularly with regard to roads
and railways. He has also stated that the Government will
carry out an active policy for meeting, as rapidly as possible,
the transport needs of the Dominion, dealing first with those
works which are most urgently needed irrespective of other
considerations. Side by side with this development there
must be a continuous active public works policy. The topo-
graphy of the country is such that no extensive development
can take place without extensive engineering work being
involved. This being so, it is highly important that Britisli
engineering firms should closely watch the progress of events
in this Dominion.

In addition to the works which are in the hands of the

Government, proposals are also on foot on the part of the

Harbour Boards and the municipal authorities for extensive

works of various kinds.

THE BRITISH ELECTRICAL AND ALLIED
INDUSTRIES RESEARCH ASSOCIATION.

The Electrical Research Committee, formed by the Institution
of Electrical Engmeers and the British Electrical and AlUed
Manufactm'ers' Association, which for three years was re-
sponsible for the co-operative research instituted by those
bodies, has now completed arrangements with the Researcli
Department and with the British Electrical and kWied Manu-
facturers' .Association, and is incorporated as a Research
Association under the Department of Scientific and Industrial
Research.

The Association has a guaranteed minimum income of
£16,000 per annum for five years, of which one half is con-
tributed by the Government, which has undertaken to con-
tribute pound for pound against further subscriptions from
manufacturers, up to twice the above figure, which would
give an income of i;3'2,000 from these sources alorie.

The Association has obtained wide powers to promote
research and other scientific work, in universities, laboratories,
workshops, and elsewhere, and to obtain the co-operation of
persons and bodies interested directly or indkectly. Whilst
the work already undertaken has been coftfined to problems
urgently requiring investigation, the .Association should be
able by its po.sition to render valuable service to the com-
munity in the collection and dissemination of technical data,
and in other like ways.

The character of the work already undertaken gives some
indication of the wide field which may be covered. There
are included problems of primary importance to manufac-
turers, such as a comprehensive investigation into composite
and fibrous insulating materials, porcelain, and mica._ and
inquiries into particular classes of apparatus, such as mining
switchgear. The present programme includes also investiga
tions of primary interest to the user, snch as research on
sludging in in.siilating oils, the preparation of data for stan-
dard specifications for the purchase of these and other insulat-
ing materials, and a research on the heating of buried cables,
which should furnish data of thefir.'^t importance to engmeers

■J 98

THE ELECTRICAL KEVILW. [Voi.87. No. 2,247, deoembeb n, i»2o.

engaged in electric power distribution. A preliminary report
on this last mentioned research is about to be discussed at
meetings of the Institution of Electrical Engineers in all parts
of the country. Prior to the initiation of thf work now
under review, there was no provision for undertaking costly
researches of primary importance to the user as distinguished
from the manufacturer. Work of this character has long
been urgently required by power supply engineers, consulting
engineers, and large users of electric power.

Close co-operation has been established with the British
Engineering Standards Association and the National Physical
Laboratory, and about a hundred experts, drawn from the
universities. Government departments, manufacturers' organi-
sations, and elsewhere, are assisting through the committees
of the Association.

Members are being enrolled as follows :—r

Ordinary Members.— Members of manufacturers' associa-
tions, joining the Research Association under agreements
made with the manufacturers' associations.

Trade Metnbers. — British manufacturers not able to enter
as members of manufacturers' associations, joining in their
individual capacity on payment of an entrance fee of f -50.

Associate Mcmhcrs.— British subjects, representative of
capital, management, science, or skilled labijur, likely to
assist in furthering the objects of the Association.

Honorarii Members.— Elected for special reasons.

It is hoped to pool the larger portion of the research work
of the Association, but special provision is made for conduct-
ing researches for groups of members in ca.ses where a group
of members desires to secure the results to itself. In such
a case the cost is borne by the group, but the group secures
the benefit of the Government contribution. Private researches
for individual members may be carried out at their sole cost.

Associate members will pay a small annual subscription,
in return for which they will be given certain facilities for
obtaining technical data, the loan of recent technical works,
co-operation with other workers, and, as the scheme develops,
all other facilities obtainable only through a central organisa-
tion.

The management is vested in the Council, which is elected
in the usual manner, save that powers are given to the In-
stitution of Electrical Engineers to nominate a certain number
of members. The present membership is as follows : —

Nominated by the Institution of Electrical Engineers. — Mr.
C H Wordingham, C.B.E. (chairman), Mr. LI. B. Atkinson,
Dr. C. C. Garrard, Messrs. J. S. Highfield, C. C. Paterson,
U.B.E., Roger T. Smith, and C. P. Sparks, C.B.E.

Nominated by the British Electrical and Allied Uanujac-
turers' Association. — Messrs. D. N. Dunlop, A. E. Everest,
A. P. M. Fleming, C.B.E., E. S. New, W. O. Smith, E. B.
Vignoles, and A. D. Williamson.

Nominated by the Department of Scientific and Industriid
Hesearch.—Tioi. W. H. Eccles and Sir J. E. Petavel, F.R.S..
K.B.E.

Arrangements are in hand for rapidly extending the pro-
gramme of research and the various other activities of the
Association. Conmiunications should be addressed to Mr.
E. B. Wedmore. 19, Tothill Street, Westminster, S.\y. 1, the
Secretary and Direx:tor of Research, who will welcome inquiries
and suggestions.

THE RAPID SUBMERSIBLE SHIP-CLEANER.

In the early spring of 1914 we mentioned a new apparatus
ilesigned to clean ships' hulls, without the necessity for dry
docking them, which was introduced from Melbourne, and
demonstrated in this country. Ijater in the same year (May
•29th) we published some technical details and illustrations
of the device.

Although retaining m;iny features of its original design,
the apparatus has been recently developed and improved, as
«as shown by a preliminary trial of the plant on the hull
of the s.s. Australia, of the British India Line, at the
Millwall Dock last month. By the courtesy of the Rapiil
Submersible Ship Cleaner Co., Ltd.. a large party of niivnl
tiflarhcs, engineers, and others witnessed a second deimmstrii-
tion of the apparatus which took place on the 7th inst. at llic
Surrey Commercial Docks of the Port of I>ondon.

Tlie complete plant comprises a steel boat, the liavid I.
which is divided into three main compartments by bulkheads.
The forward compartment is arranged as a cabin for the crew,
lomplcte with berths, and all necessities for their comfort.
The a midship portion of the vessel is occupieil by the winch
and controlling gear for operating the submersible electrical
scrubbing machine, and the after part of the vessel fonns the
engine room, where an engine drives an electric generator, and
also provides the power for propelling the boat. The whole
installation is very compact, and the vessel is equipped with
electric light throughout, including clusters for working at
night.

The electrical scrubbmg apparatus consists of a .-^teel frame
to which a 1'2-b.h.p. submersible electric motor is bolted. This
fraine also carries the scrubbing brush which is circular in
section, and 5 ft. long: it is made of coirfibre and brushes of
varying degrees of stiffness can be used according to the
condition of the vessel operated on. The brush is revolved by

the motor through suitable gearing; the motor also drives
a bronze propeller which is situated at the rear of the brush,
thus when the complete machine is lowered into the water at
the side of a ship and the power switched on, the circular
brush revolves and is pressed firmly to the side of the vessel
by the thrust of the propeller. The whole machine is then
lowered to the required depth and raised, brushing as it
descends and rises, a strip 5 ft. wide on the side of the ship.
When the brush emerges the boat carrying the cleaning gear
is moved 4 ft. and the operation is repeated, until the whole
length of the vessel has been scrubbed.

The scrubbing machine is raised and lowered by a specially
ilc-signed electrically-driven winch with barrels for the steel
suspension wires and electric cable. The whole is simply
controlled by one operator stationed near the boat's side.
The scrubber is capable, it is claimed, of removing any de-
scription of marine growth from the immersed part of a
vessel, and will do so without removing or injuring the paint
on the vessel. If necessary, of course, a special scrubber can
be used, and the whole of the ve.s.sel can he scaled of marine
growths, paint, rust. &c., and left jierfectly smooth and clean
ready for repainting; thus the lengthy and costly operation
of h:ind scaling is obviated.

The plant is capable, it is said, of cleaning a steamer of from
seven to eight thou.siind tons deadweight in about eight hours.
The cleaning operation can be done whilst the vessel is taking
or discharging cargo, waiting at the buoys, o rat any other
time, without in any way inconveniencing the usual working
of the ship. The boats carrying the cleaning gear are self-
jiropelled and able to be quickly transferred from place to
place.

The power plant comprises one four -cylinder paraffin engine
developing 4.5 b.h.p. at about l,(XX) r.p.m. The engine is fitted
^\ith forced lubrication to all bearings and the ignition is by
high-tension magneto. A centrifugal governor prevents the
speed varying more than 3 to 4 per cent, from full to no load.
The engine is direct coupled to a weatherproof electric gene-
rator of the revolving-field, d.c. exciter armature pattern, de-
veloping an output of '22 k.v.a. at 1(X) volts, 50 periods, 3-phase.
when running at 1,(X)0 r.p.m. The machine supphes the cur-
rent for the submersible brush motor and the electric winch.
The brushing gear consists of one of the Submersible Motor
Co.'s 12-B.H.P. motors running at 1,420 r.p.m. The motor
shaft at the fore end is connected to a mild steel worm driv-
ing a phosphor-bronze worm wheel, which in turn drives the
brush through steel sprocket wheels and roller chains. The
current is conducted through a C.T.S. three-core submersible
cable, and an oil immersed auto transformer starter is provided.

The winch for raising and lowering the brushing gear is
ibiven by a slip-ring, 760 r.p.m., totally-enclosed motor of
■U B.H.P. continuous rating, and capable of delivering 6 b.h.p.
I(ir short periods, driving the winch barrels through a totaUy-
eiu-lused worm gear.

.\n indicator dial is fitted to the w'inch which indicates the
depth of the brush below the surface of the water.

The switcbgear for the motors is of the three-pole ironclad,
watertight type, fitted within ea.sy reach of the operator.
'Ihe switchboard is mounted on an iron frame, efficiently
earthed, and fitted in the engine room of the vessel. The cables
are three-core, lead-covered between the switchboard and alter-
nat<3r, and all wiring in exposed po.sitions is well protected.

The boat was built by Messrs. Tom Taylor A' Sons: the oil
engine is of the well-known Aster marine type. The alternator
and the submersible and winch motors were manufactured
and erected by Messrs. Submersible Motors. Ltd., and the
winch and its fittings by Messrs. Hammond A- Champness; the
switchi>oaid. wii'ing, and electric lighting installation were
c;irried nu( l,v Mr. F. H. Wheeler.

The German Lamp lodastry. — Ai the danger has arieen

tliat glass works in the district of Lausitz may pass into
tiireign ownership, and thus threaten the interests of the
makers of glow lamps, the Berlin .'V.E.G. and the Siemens
and Halske Co. have decided to make an offer for the absorp-
liim of the glass undertakings of the luited Lausitz Glass
Woiks Co.. of Bei'lin and Weisswa.ssei-, D.L.. which turn out
important intermediate products for the manufacture of glow
1.1 mps. It is proposed to connect the latters departments witli
the O.sram Co. in so far as they are of importance for the
coiistruction of glow lamps, whilst the remainder of the pro-
pertv will be jointlv taken over bv the \.E.(1. and Siemens
and Halske Co.

New Ore Conversion Process. — A Xorweisran firm

A/S Norsk Staai (Elektrisk-Gas-Reduktion). says the Journal
of the Royal Society of Arts, estabUshed during the war, a
general process for reducing tungsten acid into tungsten powder
and molybdenum sulphide into metallic molybdenum- It
claims, according to Commerce Reports, that the final products,
which are in the form of small tablets, are of the most superior
quality, being completely free from sulphur, carbon, or oxygen.
It also says that the price for converting the ores into metal
is lower than by any other method known by it. It is at
present projecting a plant for the reduction of tnngstic acid in
Norway. The firm is located at Dronningenfgt. 22. Christiania,
Norwav.

Vol.87. No. 2,247, dkokmbbb 17, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

799

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

Headers are ineited to submit varticulars of new or improved devices and apparatus, which will be published
if considered of sufficient interest.

Domestic Electrical Appliances.

We recently paid a visit to the sho\\rocm;>- of the
Western Electric Co., Ltd., at 60-62, Finsbury Pave-
ment, E.C. '2, where a number of domestic electrical
appliances manufactured by the firm were shown us
and demonstrated. The washing machine, which is
made at the firm's Hawthorn factory, Canada, possesses a
number of features leading to ease and safety of operation.
This washer has a light but sub.-itantial body of copper or
galvanised iron with a dull grey finish. The cylinder in which

Fic. ]. — Western Electric Suction Sweeper.

the articles to be washed are placed, is of smooth-grained
wood. This cylinder is reversed at each 6i revolutions b>
an ingenious bar and pin device to ensure thorough cleansing.
The mot(jr is of about J H.r.. and a slipping clutch is provided
nn a shaft working at right angles to the motor shaft to act
in' cast' of overloading or obstruction. k\\ moving parts are
entirely enclosed, preventing danger to the operator or to
children, and the motor is rendered immune from trouble
due to the entry of -water by the provision of a splash-proof
rover. The wringer is fitted with a neutral and two-direction
control, and can be swivelled through an angle of ilfl deg.

fitted and upon the other is a worm reducing gear, which
drives the brush shaft (fig. 1). This enables the brushes to
be driven at a moderate speed, although the fan is revolving
very quickly to give a high vacuum. A small mechanical
switch is fitted which enables the brushes t<3 be switched on or
off at will. The au.xiliary suction tube is fitted in a very
simple manner, merely involving the removal of a plate which
is kept in position over the suction orifice by a small spring-
wire clip, and slipping in the tube connection and replacing
the clip. The working of the sweeper is practically noiseless,
the motor being efficiently lubricated and the pinion driving
the brushes being of rawhide. A vacuum of over 12 in. can
be obtained with the fan running at 9.000 R.P.^f., while the
brush gear is driven at 1,6C»0 r.p.m. The Western Electric
sewing machine was also seen, k positive drive, is imparted
to the wheel of the machine by a small motor through a
rubber cone. The motor is controlled by a pedal switch.

A Pulpit Lighting Fitting.

The usual methods adopted for the lighting of pulpits, &c.,
result in a constant glare either in the speaker's eyes or in
those of his hearers. The " Classic " pulpit, lectern or desk
fitting has been designed by the Isis Electrical Co., .57.

t

I'm. 2.--Thi: " Cussic " I'ci.i'it Fitting.

.Mbert licjad, .\stoii. Birmingham, to remedy this. As will
be seen from the illustration (fig. 2) this is an unobtrusive
device which confines the light to a small area by means of
a cylindrical reflector. This reflector is about 2 in. in dia-
meter and from 10 to 18 in. long. The shade is adjustable,
and it is possible to raise the whole fitting from a height of
l\ in. to 6i in. by means of the screws at the sides. The
fitting is strongly made in brass, with jointed feet to suit the
slope of any desk.

A Portable Rail Grinder.
Mr. H. Humphries, tramway engineer to the Birmingham
and Midland Tramways .Joint Committee, has designed and
constructed a portable apparatus for grinding the rail head
after arc welding dished joints.

^^^^^^^^^^^^H^^hH^I^H^II^^^^k' ji^~' ^^i

i

"^^^^^^

Pigs. 3 and i.—.K Port.\ble Rail Grinder.

away from the washer. X pulley is provided on the motor
shaft in order that the motor may provide a belt drive to
any other apparatus when the washing machine is not in use.
"The Western Electric vacuum sweeper is provided with n
shaft on which brushes are fitted in various positions. The
motor is fixed horizontally so that it is possible to use both
ends of the armature shaft. On one end the suction fan is

Fig. 3 shows the grmder m operation with a screw adjust-
ment (1) to the grinding wheel. The travel is given (2) by
means of a short bar inserted in holes in the periphery of the
rear wheel, and as the adjusting screw (1) is round headed
and goes into the rail groovs a rery satisfactory and steady
cut can be obtained.

Fig. 4 shows the grinder being run along the rail from joint

800

THE ELECTEICAL EEVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,247, Decembeb n, i9io.

to joint. A pule and hook is provided for trolley wire con-
nection, the frame of the machine and rail giving the negative
return.

The Bissell Suction Cleaner.

The Bissell electric suctiun cleaner is not new ; it has been
working actively for a period of over eight years in the
t^.S.A., it being a product of the Bissell Motor Co., of
Toledo, Ohio, but it is a newcomer to this country, being
imported by Messrs. M. K. Coopee & Co.. of 15-21. Chapel
Walks, South Castle Street. Liverpool. The machine, as
will be seen from fig. 5, is larger than, and differs in design
from, the familiar type nf domestic cleaner. We. recently
had an opportunity of seeing the machine in operation under
ordinary conditions, and the claims made for it appear to
be borne out in fact. The machine is supplied complete

Bissell jZiLLCTBic Suction Cleanfr.

with various tools and attachments; it is compact, portable.
and efficient in operation. Because the operator uses only a
light aluminium tool on a iibre tube and a light hose the
Bissell cleaner is not only easy to operate, but easy to operate
carefully. The J-h.p. motor, running at 8.00() r.p.m., draws
80 cu. ft. of air through the tool at a velocity of over a mile
per minute, thus making it an easy matter to remove even
such things as tin tacks and nails frqm a carpet. As will
be seen from the illustration, the cleaner is mounted on
three wheels, which are fitted with ball bearings, so that it
will run round as the user moves about quite easily. The
machine may also be used for power purposes, provision
having been made for attaching to the motor shaft such
attachments as gi-inding and polishing wheels, &c.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

Compiled expressly for this journal
Stephens. Chartered Patent .\ge

es." T. A. Carter.
D. G. McCaa. November 27th.
H. V. Owen, F. G. Quance, and
0. (General Electric

33,566. " Emergency brake and switch for
November 27th.

33,570. '• Electrical communicatior
(U.S., December 4th, 1919,)

.■13,626. " Electric wiring systems.'
M, J. Railing. November 29th.

33.648. " Electric meters." British Thomson-Ho
Co. I and General Electric Co. November 29th.

33.649. " Motor control systems." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.) and General Electric Co. .Vovember 29th.

33.662. " Spark plugs." Champion Ignition Co. November 29th. (t'nited
Slates. December 26th. 1919.1

33.663. "Spark plugs." Champion Ignition Co. November 29th. (United
Slates. .April 10th.) ■

33.664. "Spring contact! (or electric fuse carriers, ic." W. T. Henley's
Telegraph Works Co. and W'. S. Wakefield. November a9th.

33,687. "Sparking plugs." C, \. Cook (Frieg) and F. Frieg. November

on of. tides." A.! 'Detour. . November

•29th

.13.703. " Electrf-m6chani<
«9th.

33.773. "Dynamo-electric machine," W, R. Cooper. November SOlh.

33.796. " Systems for controlling electric motors.'' G. H. Fletcher .ind
Metropolitan-'Vickers Electrical Co. November 30th.

33.799. " Electric lamp fitting!!." -X, .\. Barron. November 30th.

33,805. " Electric switches," G. Comboni. November 30th.

33.806. " Electric arc welding,
November 30th.

33.831. " Motor control." Igi
turing Co.). November 30th.

33.832. " Electro-magnetic rel;
igranir Electric Co. (Cutler-Hi

33.833. " .Motor controllers.'
Igranic Electric Co. iCutler-Ha

33,839. " Burgla

nd electrodes therefor." C. J. Holslag.
Co. (Cutler-Hammer Manulac-

El

Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing Co. ar
Manufacturing Co.). November 30th.
Cutler-Hammer .Manufacturing Co. an

imer Manufacturing Co.). .November 30th.

systems," S. G. .Adams. November 30th.

:tro-magnetic naves,
and H. Wade (Mills).
December Isl.
Callender.

33,846. " Electrically operated door latch control and
N. Fienberg and W. L. VVakeham. November 30th.

33,849. " Determining direction of propagation of elec
J. Erskine-Murray and J. Robinson. November 30th.

33,853. " Wireless electrical signalling." H. S. Mills
November 30th.

33,874. " Electric resistance welding." R. F. Woodburn.

33,878. " Sparking plug." A. Kanisay. December 1st.

33,897. " Electric light fi.tings." L. Callender and T.
December 1st.

33,903. " Fuses for electric circuil-i." G. Turnock. December 1st.

33,933. " Telephone systems." .Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co.
December 1st. (U.S., December 3rd. 1919.)

33,941 ." Electric soldering irons." F. Holden. December Isl.

33,942. " Methods of protecting transformers." British Thomson-Houston
Co. and H. S. Holbrook. December 1st.

33.951. " Electrically controlled signal operating mechanism for railways,
\c." Compagnie G^n^rale Signalisation & McKenzie, Hplland, and Westing-
Imuw Power Signal Co. (Compagnie G^n^rale de Signalisation), December Isl.

33.953. " Incandescent ga^ or electric lamps, &c." E. J. Shaw. Decem-

1st.

33.955. " Employment cil retroactively-coupled thi
Hrydnn. December 1st.

33.965. " Electrical Iransfortliers
(Westinghouse Electric X Manulacti
.Manufacturing Co. December 1st.

33.966, " Electro-plating metallic bodies.'
Electric switches." C. .A. Da
Wireless directiAi-finding appa

33-,994.
34,017.
her 1st.
34,019.
34,022,

34.028^

ber 2nd.

34,033.

tubes, &c," S.

, Melropolitan-\ickers Electrical Co.
g Co.) and Westinghouse Electric and

S. Groff. December Isl.
December 1st.
" R. Widdington. Decem-

' Electric torch or
' Electrical ceiling

Burl

hand lamp, &c

F. J. Lilliecrap. Decem-
box." W. Bull. December

34.039. " Sparking plug." P. Marshall and W. .A. Stirling. December 2nd.

34.040. " Speed regulation of induction motors." E. Kohn. December 2nd.
(Germanv, December 20th, 1919.)

34.041. " Electric relays for telephone systems." .Automatic Electric Co.
and Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co. (.Automatic Electric Co.). Decem-

ber 2nd.

34.042. " Telephone systems." Automatic Telepho
P. N. Roseby. December 2nd.

34.068. " Sparking plugs." J. E. Barrows and W. J. Spicer. December

ufacluring Co. and

2nd.

34.092. " Electric lighting
December 2nd.

34,105. " Protective apparatus for i
direction of electrical eneroy varies."
2nd. (Germany, December 2nd, 1919.)

34.108. " Incandescent electric bulb

for motor cycles, &c." C. J. Boswell.

December 2nd.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

ers in parentheses are thos
abridge 1, and all subsequ

X918.

for

Lewis". July 4th, 1919
ontrol systems." British

8th. 1919. (153.6'26.)
." J. B. Tucker and J

and the like." Ran-
(153.623.)
Thomson-Houston Co.

16,763. " Limit switch m
somes & Rapier and R. S.

17,066. " Electric motor i
(General Electric Co.). .lulv

19,327. " Electric switch.-
August 6th. 1919. (153,643.)

19,404. " Electric switches." M. Compare. August 6th. 1919. (153,651.)

19,636. " Electric heating units." British Thomson-Houston Co. (General
Electric Co.). August 9th, 1919, (1.53,661.)

19,799. " Electric signalling systems specially applicable to multiple carrier
current systems." Western Electric Co. (Western Electric Co.). August 12th.
1919. (153,672.)

20.052, "Wireless receiving svstems," J. Scott-Taggarl. August 14th,
1919. (153,681.)

20,197. " Electrical batteries." W. T. Coulson and Oplalyte, Ltd. August
16th, 1919. ( 153,687.)

20.284. " Controlling apparatus for electricallv operated hoisfing mechanism
and the like." British Thomson-Houston Co. and R. D. Given. .August 18th,
1919. (153.689.)

20.288. " Wireless reception apparatus." J. Robinson. .A. K. Macrorie.
G. P. Grenfell, and H. Morris-Airey. August 18th. 1919. (153,690.)

•20.380. " Machine (or popping corn by electric heat." G. Tattersall.
August 19lh, WL9. (153.693.)

20,662. " Electric hoisting or winding apparatus." British Thomson-Hous-
ton Co. (Compagnie Francaise Thomson-Houston). August 2-2nd, 1919.
(153,700.)

20 688. " Heatifig elements for electric furnaces." E. L. Smalley. .August
22nd. 1919. (153.701.)

22,091. " Control devices for electrically-driven lifts, cranes, winches, and
like apparatus for dealing with variable loads." .A. We^t & Co and V.
Breeze. September 8lh, 1919. (153,723.)

26,859. " Electrical contact makers for magnetos." F. McLoughlin.
November 1st, 1919. (153,765.)

■27,871. '■ Carriers for electric storage batteries." J. C. Blake and W.
McNaught. November 11th. 1919. (153,775.)

29.984 " Electric switches." I. Cah-ete. December 1st, 1919. (153,787.)

1,468. " Sparking plugs and methods of making . the same." British
Thomson-Houlton Co. (General Electric Co.). January 16th. 1920. 053.808.)

1 529. " Electric distributing switches." L. E. Hodges. January 17lh.
1920. (153,809.)

1.982. " Spark plugs (or internal combustion motors." J. O. Brock.
March 9th, 1916. (138,108.)

4,260. " Eleclric switches." J. M. Vavre. .March 20th. 1919. (140.379.)

6.090 " Rotary electric hand drills." Siemens-Schuckortwerke. June Mth,
1914. 1139.521.)

6 106 "Printing telegraph svstems." Western Electric Co. (Weslero Elec-
tric Co.i. February '28111, 1920.' (153.825.)

13.039. " Telephone systetns " Western Electric Co. June Sth, 1819.

14'.59-2. " \aiiable electric condensers." A. W, Iscnthal. October 28tl>,
7519. (Divided application on 8.628. 1917.) 1153.858.1

2'2,'237. " Electrical discharge gap apparatus." Metropolitan-Vickers Elec-
trical Co. -Vugust 15th. 1919. (.Addition to 1'23.064.) (149.618.)

22.238. "Electrical discharge gap apparatus," Metropohtan.\ ickers Elec-
trical Co. August !5th. 1919. (149.619,1

7ZZS

eiliEot:e?.i:oj^X4 i?,e-vze"W.

Vol.. LXXXVII.

DECEMBEK 24, 1920.

No. 2,248.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

THE HEATING OF BUKIED CABLES.

Tol. LXXXVII.] CONTENTS: December 24, 1920.

The Heatinsr of Buried Cables ...

Relief from Onerous Contract

The Xew Electricity Supply Bill

The Inshes Hydro- Electric Installation (illus.)
A Symposium on Electroplating'

[Mo. 3,348.
Page

... 801
... 802
... 802
... 803

... 804

Exparta and Imports of Electrical Goods for November, 1920 806

The British Electrical Development Association (Inc.) ... 80t>

Import Trade of Australia 8)7

Western Electric Telegraph and Telephone Systems (jW««.)

(concludeiT) ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 807

The West of England Electricity Autharity Si'.i

Legal 809

Ooriespondenoe —

A Curious Phenomenon 811

Power Factor 811

The Severn Barrage ' 811

The Position of the E.S.O.A. ... 8W

The Salaries of Works' Eagineers ,. ... 812

German Competition in the Electrical Trades 812

The Jurisdiction of the Electricity Commissioners ... 812

Shop Displays 812

Boainess Notes ... ,t, 813

Notes ■ 819

City Notes ... ... 822

Stocks and Shares „ ... 824

Pulveri-:ed Coal and Colloidal Fuel, by ''Imperial" 825

The Lighting of Machine Shops, by F. J. Mjffett 826

Wirelpfs Telegraphy, by W. H. Eccles (,Uliis.) 827

The Eleclrical Trades Benevolent Institution 830

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant {iUug.) 831

New Patents Applied for, 1920 ... 832

Abatraots of Published Speoifioations 832

Contracton' Column

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[801]

We desire to take the earliest opportunity of offering our
congratulations to the British Electrical and Allied In-
dustries Research Associatioix on the promptitude with
which it has issued a Preliminary Report oii this sub-
ject, and to the Institution of Electrical Engineers for
the facilities which it has afforded for the circulation
and discussion of it. While the Report only purports to
be of a preliminarj- nature, it eoatains much matter of
value both to the manufacturers and to the users of
power cables. The inclusion of this Report in the
Journal of the I.E.E. will do much to remove the
reproach that the Journal contains only a very small
number of contributions dealing with cables, while the
(juality of the Report and the programme of outstanding
work permit us to draw the conclusion that the final
Ileport will be of an epoch-making character.

The present publication will do much to let the world
know that British engineers are not lagging behind their
confreres in America and elsewhere in their determina-
tion to increase the sum of knowledge regarding power
cables. Already, for any given set of conditions of in-
tended working, it is possible to indicate closely the per-
formance which may be expected from any cable or
group of cables, and it seems probable that during the
next two or three years all the factors will be known
which will enable engineers to take account of all the
chief variables.

These variable conditions in connection w-ith cable
work tend to make the designing and installation of a
cable network and transmission system an occupation for
an expert. It is being realised that the old rule-of -thumb
metliods must go. The sums to be invested in cables
during the next 10 years are so large that it is impera-
tive, in the best interests of the electricitj- supply in-
dustry, that the closest consideration of the expert should
be given to all new cable lay-outs, and, fortunately, these
experts exist and are quite well known. We were much
impressed with a remark in the discussion to the effect
tliat the progress of the research had been delayed
through lack of funds, among a variety of reasons. We
venture to express the hope that the interest of cable
users and of the Electricity Commissioners will be so
much stimulated by the Report and by the need for
l)ressing on with the remaining investigations that funds
in abundance will be forthcoming. Is it too much to
hope that the Councils of the I.M.E.A. and of the
l.A.E.P.C. will spontaneously suggest to their con-
stituents the advisability of offering effective help to the
B.E.A.I.R.A. for this investigation?

The attendance at the London meeting was so sparse
that we can only assume that cable users are satisfied
with the products of the British cable makers, and with
the composition of the strong and representative Com-
mittee which has this investigation in hand. This view
is supported by the absence of any serious criticisms —
other tiiaii loiistructive ones. In our view, therefore, the
Committee may feel assured that it carries the confi-
dence of the whole industry in the dillicult. and valuable
work wliich it has undertaken and which must take a few
years still to comph'te. Having regard to the iujmen.se
sums tube laid out in c;tl>les in every country, we would
strongly urge- the Conmiittee and the Association to press

802

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,248, dbcbmbee 24, 1920.

forward the remainder of the work with all possible
speed, and to issue, as early as possible, a further
interim Report dealing with the important subject of the
dielectric losses in modern 3-core cables for 20,000 and
30,000 volts. Allied to this is the problem of the use of
single-core cables for extra-high-pressure a.c. work, and
we trust that the terms of reference to the Committee
may be extended to cover an investigation of this matter.

The case of the North Metropolitan
Relief from Electric Power Supply Company u.
Onerous Mayor of Stoke Newington, which is
Contract. reported elsewhere in this issue, in-
volved a point of great imjioi'tance
to supply companies which have found it difficult
to perform contracts entered into before the war.
In the year 1917 an Act was passed by which in the case
of a contract entered into before January 1st, 1917, if
the Court is satisfied that owing to the alteration of trade
conditions occasioned by the war the contract cannot be
enforced according to its terms without serious hardship,
the Court may, after considering all the circumstances of
the case and the position of all parties to the contract
and any offer which may have been made by any party
for a variation of the contract, suspend or annul, or,
with the consent of the parties, amend the contract on
such terms as the Court may think fit.

The facts of the case were very simple. Under contracts
made in 1904, 1906, and 1911 the plaintiff company were
bound to supply electricity in bulk to the Borough of
Stoke Newington. They sought relief on the ground
that owing to the war they could not supply on the agreed
terms except at a heavy loss. It was shown that coal had
risen from 17s. 6d. a ton in 1914 to 58s. lO^d. a ton at
the present time, and that the wages of engine drivers
had risen from 7id. an hour in 1914 to over 2s. an
hour. Mr. Justice Lawrence pointed out that the
plaintiffs had to satisfy him that there had been an
alteration in trade conditions affecting the supply of elec-
trical energy; that such alteration was caused by the
war, and that by reason of such alteration the enforce-
ment of the agreement or agreements sought to have
annulled \vould cause serious hardship. He found all
three points in favour of the plaintiff company, and it is
interesting to notice that the fact that the alteration of
trade conditions was caused by the war was proved to his
satisfaction, not by tlie plaintiffs, but by an affidavit filed
on beJialf of the defendants ! On the question of serious
hardship he accepted figures put forward by the company
which showed an annual loss of £2,622 at the present
time. Having regard to the figures given for 1914, the
company were entitled to expect to be making a profit
in.stead of a loss in 1920, and they were making a loss,
although the demand in 1919 was nearly double what it
was in 1914. In these circumstances he felt justified in
exercising the power conferred upon him by the legis-
lature and directed that the contracts should be annulled.
" I believe," he said, " that this is the first occasion on
which the legislature has conferred such an arbitrary
power upon the Court. It must, however, be remem-
bered that this power is an emergency power conferred
only because of the great dislocation of almost all com-
mercial transactions caused by the greatest war in which
England has ever been engaged." It appears from the
report of his Lordship's judgment that certain offers had
been made by the defendants, but it is apparent that
they were not, in his opinion, such as the plaintiffs were
bound to accept. While Mr. Justice Lawrence was cer-
tainly correct in saying that this was the first case of its
kind, it should be remembered that for a long time
County Court judges have been exercising an arbitrary
jurisdiction in setting aside contracts between landlord
and tenant.

The case under review will serve as a useful reminder
of the fact that electrical energy is a commodity
which is costly to produce : that production has been
rendered more expensive by rises in the price of coal and

large increases in wages, and that electric supply com-
panies are not philanthropic institutions. While it is
probable that this case will lead to applications of a
similar nature, Mr. Justice Lawrence was careful to
point out that each case must be decided on its own facts.
At the same time, those who hold any supply company
bound by a contract entered into before the j'ear 1917
should give the most careful consideration to any sugges-
tion which may be made by the company to relieve them
of some of the burden. As regards the relations between
companies and individual consumers, it is probable that
tlie principles underlying this judgment can have no
ajjplication, Ijecause the vast majority of such contracts
are of comparatively short duration, and there are
few now current which ^vere entered into prior to Janu-
ary, 1917.

We congratulate the Ministry of
The New Transport, or the Electricity Commis-
Electricity sioners, or whoever was responsible for
Supply Bill. the reception of the Press on Tuesday
last week, when the Parliamentary
Secretary of the Ministry of Transport explained the
situation as regards the old and new Electricity Bills.
It was an excellent idea, and calculated to be of great
help all round, especially to the lay Press. It is no
easy matter to get the purport and incidence of a Bill
from a hasty reading, and to fit it into j^roper relation-
.ship with existing legislation. Technical Bills especially
may easily give rise to misconception. But no one
could listen to Mr. Neal's ten minutes' explanation of
the new Bill without having a perfectly clear idea of
the whole affair; and when, in addition, full opportunity
was given for questions to be asked, the situation was
surely an ideal one for the journalist. On that occasion
indeed, there was almost a pontifical impressiveness in
the array of ministerial Olympians genially condescend-
ing to the interrogations of the humble pressman. The
quintessence of electrotechnical wisdom was "on tap."
So, if the purport of the new Bill was not reflected accu-
rately in the Press, it was not the fault of the Ministry
or the Electricity Commissioners.

The present Bill, which had been on the Order Paper
all this year, has been withdrawn, and its place is taken
by a new Bill, of which the chief object is to confer upon
the Joint Electricity Authorities the necessary powers
to enable them to raise the capital they require. Until
such financial clauses are made law, the Electricity
Commissioners cannot make the orders establishing the
Authorities. The Electricity Commissioners have now-
done everything possible to assist in the formation of
such authorities, so it is up to the undertakers in the
various areas to take full advantage of these legislative
powers. As we have previously remarked, the hetero-
geneous composition of such Authorities does not favour
their speedy establishment. Whether wiser counsels will
now prevail, and the old rivalries and insensate jealou-
sies between the various local authorities and others
be abandoned in the common interest, remains to be
seen. If the Commissioners do succeed in welding
together these hitherto intractable • elements in the
various districts delimited, the feat will certainly re-
flect the greatest credit on their admihiiitration and
powers of conciliation.

So much for the main feature of the Bill. To existing
undertakings individually there is granted a very wel-
come concession ^vith regard to the intervals at which
they may apply for a revision of their maximum
charges. At present this is every five years : the new
Bill reduces this period to three years. Further, com-
panies which have not hitherto come under the clause
governing such powers of revision will now be brought
in, and local authorities will also rank /w;/ passu with
the companies with regard to all such privileges (which
is not the case untler the present electric lighting law).
These provisions, together with others calculated to
facilitate the relief and reconstruction of the electricity
supply industry, are wholly desirable, and ^ve trust that
tlic Bill will ])(> cnrrieil through at the earliest possible
opportunity.

Tol 87. No. 2,248, December 24, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

803

THE INSHES HYDRO-ELECTRIC INSTALLATION.

An Interesting 50-kw. Water-Power Scheme.

The possibilities of harnessing the water-power of small
streams in Scotland were exemplified at a pleasant ceremony
on October 2nd last, when the hydro-electric plant
described below was successfully inaugurated. Incidentally,
the scheme shows what can be done in this direction at a
moderate cost, and it may be pointed out that it is unique
inasmuch as there is no other similar plant in this country

Fig. 1. — Pipe Line and Ovbbhead Transmission Lines,
Inshes Hydro-electric Scheme.

which feeds surplus energy into a town's public supply net-
work. Small as the supply from this source is, it has
proved, as explained below, of considerable value to the
liurgh electricity supply undertaking, and has been the
means of effecting considerable economies in the working
of the undertaking ; this feature of the
scheme is of considerable significance.

Early last year the estate of Inshes,
which lies about 2.\ miles to the south-
west of Inverness, Scotland, was purchased
by a well-known Highlander, Mr. R. L.
MacKintosh, who ordered extensive addi-
tions to the Mansion House of In^h s,
and wished to introduce electric lighting
and power. Mr. MacKintosh propose),
if possible, to install an electrical plai t
which would be useful to his neighbours
as well as to himself, and investigations
were accordingly made into the possibili-
ties of utilising water power on the
estate.

Rising in the moorland above the
600-ft. contour line on the south of the
estate is the small Millburn, which from
its source to its out-fall into the sea is
only about 2^ miles in len{.'th, but many
years ago it had no fewer than six mills
on its banks. The mills were all operated
by water wheels, four of them of the
overshot type, giving a combined total
output of about 40 h.p. At the present
day only one of the wheels remains in use, hut near the
mouth of the burn is a small turbine of about 8 h.p. at the
Millburn Distillery. The burn is fed from springs, and
the flow is very regular, readings taken over six months
of last year giving an average of 120 cb. ft. per minute,
the minimum being 90 cb. ft.

It was decided to utilise the burn to its fullest possible
extent and to feed the surplus energy, after the require-
ments of Inshes House and the other houses on the hillside
had been met, into the local town underground cable net-
work, 1] miles distant (as shown in fig. 1). It was esti-
mated that surplus energy up to a maximum of 20 kw.
could be absorbed in this network, and the plant installed
was, therefore, of such a capacity as to utilise the maximum
flow of the burn.

The scheme comprises a pipe- line, a view of which,
looking towards the power house, is shown in fig. 3, of
12-in. cast-iron pipes, 1,640 yards in length (which was
constructed during the winter season so as not to interfere
with agricultural work), a gross head of 320 ft. being
obtained at the power house, where is installed a " Turgo "
impulse turbine by Messrs. Gilkes & Co., of Kendal. This
machine, fig. 2, on a net head of 310 ft. and taking
IK; cb. ft. of water per minute, gives 34 b.h.p., the loss due
to friction head being then only 9"7 ft. ; taking 224 cb. ft.
per minute, it will give .s,s-3 h.p., the loss due to friction
head then being 53 ft. The turbine is fitted with a sensi-
tive shaft governor, a slipper deflector, and a spear regu-
lating nozzle ; the regulating nozzle is adjusted by hand
so as to utilise all the water available in the bum, there
being no storage. The pipe-line intake is shown in fig. 4.

Coupled to either side of the turbine is a compound-
wound protected type generator, each being of 22-kw.
capacity at 250 volts, and to the shafts of these machines
are attached two line boosters capable of dealing with the
whole output of the generators. The boosters are shunt-
wound and hand-regulated, the speed of the set being
950 R.p.M. The generators and boosters were made by
Messrs. Electromotors, Ltd.

On the switchboard, by Messrs. Whipp & Bourne, is
mounted only the minimum number of instruments, and
very simple switchgear. It is fitted with a change-over
switch, so that if the turbine is stopped for cleaning, the
local circuits can be fed from the town network. The
whole of the plant is housed in a neat power house of brick
with a pavilion roof of slate, the internal dimensions being
only 24 ft. x 12 ft. (fig. 5).

Between the power house and the town network is a pole

Fiu. .'.— Tukuu-Ge.neratoks and Boosters.

line, the terminal poles of which are illustrated in
figs. 5 and f>, 1| miles in length, carrying two 0-1 eq. in.
outer conductors, with two No. ti neutral wires. The
current on this line can be given a boost of 90 volts, if
necessary. Running alongside of the hill in a westerly direc-
tion is another pole line conveying the supply to Insheg House,

804

THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW. [Volst. No. 2,2*8, DjwafBEB 24, 1920.

1,000 yards distant, with an extension of 200 yards of
underground cable across the park, and a further 400 yards
of pole line to Castle Hill House.

At Inshes House the lighting installation consists of
about 150 30-watt lamps, and there are connections for a
number of heating points for intermittent use (the house
being kept warm with a central heating system), a cooker
in the kitchen, a hot plate in the dining-room, and a
washing machine and irons in the laundry.

At Castle Hill the lighting installation consists of about
70 30-watt lamps, and there are connections for a few
heating points, a washing machine, and irons. At this
house there is also an 8-h.i'. motor to drive the farm
machinery.

Eastwards from the power house there is a pole line 600
yards in length to the Parks of Inthes farmhouse and

A SYMPOSIUM ON ELECTROPLATING.

Fig. 3.— PiPE-LisE.

Fig. 4. — Pipe-Line Intake,

the farm buildings. Here the lighting of the house and
farm buildings consists of about 10 0 30-watt lamps. There
are also connections for a numberrof heating points in the
house, and the farm machinery is d iven by a 10-h.p. motor.
This line is being extended to supply another private
house and farmhouse and farm buildings, about half a mile
distant.

The plant has now been in operation for two months, and
has in every way fulfilled expectations. The
machinery runs constantly night and day,
and is visited once daily by an atten-
dant from the local electricity works. It
has been stopped for a few minutes once a
week, so that the governor can be lubricated.
The supply from the scheme has enabled the local
electricity works to dispense with a Sunday
morning shift of two men, and it has also
reduced the running hours of the steam plant
by at least one hour per day, it being possible to
start up half-an-hour later in the morning, and
shut down at least half-an-hour earlier at night.

The scheme was prepared and carried out by
Mr. E. J. AVilliaras, manager for Scotland for
Messrs. Edmundson's Electricity Corporation,
Ltd., who have 87 branches throughout (ireat
Britain, and who have in hand a number of
other hydroelectric installations in the north
of Scotland — evidence that the high cost of
coal and oil is at last directing attention
to the value of water - power in Britain.
Th? North of Scotland Electric Light and
Power Co., Ltd., cf which Mr. Williams is also manager,
is the company which purchases the surplus energy from
the Inshes scheme.

Discussion at Sheffield before the Faraday Society and the

Institdte of Metals.
On March 19th the Faraday Society and the Sheffield section
of the Institute of Metals met jointly in the Mappin Hall of
the University to receive and di.scuss a series of papers dealing
with some of the problems that confront or interest the electro-
plater. Conferences of this kind have frequently Yteen held
in America, but this is proliably the first meetinc of its kind
in tliis country, where it must be confessed electroplating is
often rarried out by men who have no scientific understanding
of their art, and by methods frequently so iDefhcient that they
«<>iild have been discarded a generation ago in many another
branch of electrotechnics. Apart, therefore, from the (Urect
v;ilLie of the papers and discussions, and these were by no
means inconsiderable, the meeting should be productive of
even more indirect benefit by the stimulus it has undoubtedly
given to a deeper regard for the scientific aspects of an in-
dustry so little addicted to oi)en debate,
and in which so much u.seless and indeed
mi.schievous secrecy and reticence stilt
reside — always a symptom, be it noted,
not of knowledge, but of ignorance.

In the afternoon .session papers
dealing with electroplating generally
were brought forward. Prof. C. H.
Desch presided over this session. In the
evening, when Mr. E. A. Smith was in
the chair, discussion was entuely de-
voted to silver plating, an industry
which is largely centred in the city of
Shefiield.

Electroplating.
Dr. I^eslie Aitchison opened the pro-
ceedings of Part I with a general paiier
discussing how electroplating is and can
be applied for the prevention of corro-
sion. The protection of iron and steel
against rust was the matter chiefly dealt
with, and it was .shown that the protec-
tive coating must not only itself l)e
able to resist attack by oxygen and moisture, weak
acids, and electrolytes, but must be mechanically impervious
to the pas.sage of these agents. Leaving aside paints and
varnishes, by far the most important metallic protective
coatings are tin and zinc applied hot, in tinplate and gal-
vanised iron. Nevertheless, electroplating has manifold ad-
vantages in special eases, particularly where application mu8t
lie made in the cold so as not to injure the base article, and
we find, therefore, that where a regulated weight of deposit
is needed, or a superior appearance desired, electro-depositing

Fig. 5. — PowBK House and
Terminal Pole.

Fig. 6 — Tebminal Pole with
Meteb Box at Town Netwobk.

Electric Heating and Cooking in France. — French

manufacturers of electric heating and cooking apparatus have
formed themselves into a syndicate, with a board of management
and Paris offices, their object being not only the defence of their
professional interests, but the development, by common action, of
the use of electricity for heating and cooking, for which a wide
field is foreseen with the growing multiplication of hydro- electric
central stations throughout France. Experience obtained abroad,
they aver, shows that these appliances and processes are now
absolutely dependable,

is the- most satisfactory method of procedure. Zinc plating
is now largely employed to protect aircraft parts, and a
coating less than a thousandth of an inch in thickness can
be applied so uniformly that it affords adequate resistance to
corrosion under aircraft conditions. In such cases, apart from
the possibility of depositing so thin a coating, only a cold
process could be employed, for hot tinning or galvanising
would destroy entirely the heat treatment condition of these
special steel aircraft parts. Other protective metals in com-
mon use for iron and steel are nickel, tin, and copper. Theo-
retically zinc, which is electro positive to iron, should protect
it completely, while copper. T\hich is electro negative to it.
should accelerate corrosion of the base, for in the case of an
iron-zinc couple the zinc will dissolve, while with an iron-
copper couple the iron will be attacked. In practice, how-
ever, when the protective coating is pierced the iron corrodes
whether the covering be of zinc or copper, although it oorrcjes

Toi. 87. No. 2,248, dbcembeb 24, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW,

805

muth less in the former case. This curious fact is probably
due to want of homogeneity in the iron itself, and the con-
sequent formation of minute local couples, the action of
which is, however, retarded by the proximity of the more
electro-positive zinc, but accelerated by the proximity of
copper.

Closely allied to the subject of this paper was that by Mr.
S. Field, A.R.C.S., on "The Commercial Electrolysis of Zinc
Sulphate Solutions." Practically all cold galvanising is
effected with these solutions, hence the practical importance
of the subject. But a still more important use of zinc sulphate
solutions is in the recovery by the wet method of zinc from
zinc ores, a method that has recently been developed to a great
extent in America and Tasmania, and whiih liids fair in the
end to supersede the scientifically-barbarous distillation
method. In the wet method the leaching of the ore gives rise
to zinc sulphate in solution, and after purification of the
solution, the zinc is recovered by electroly.sis, using a lead
anode and an aliuninium cathode. The solution may contain
to begin with some 8 per cent, of zinc and 3 per cent, free
sulphuric aCid; as electrolysis proceeds the percentage of acid
of course rises. Mr. Field in his paper discussed the question
of the maximum current density it is pos.sible to employ so
that the efficiency .shall not fall below such a point that an
increased expenditure of energy is no longer economical. He
also considered other factors that affect the current efficiency,
such as the amount of zinc in solution, t'emperature. and im-
purities. The latter point was particularly emphasised, and it
was stated that the effects of the presence in solution of a
few parts in a miUion ol nickel and cobalt affect disastrously
the mechanical properties and even the pliysical continuity of
the zinc deposits. The nickel and cobalt remain in solution,
and must be got rid of before electrolysis. The addition of
certain colloids improves the deposit^ but only temporarily.
Traces of nickel and cobalt may increase the power consimip-
tion from some 3,0(10 kilowatt-hours per ton of zinc to over
4,000.

In electro galvanising the effect of using impure anodes is
similarly harmful. In most cases the mechanical properties
of the deposit must be of high quality ; it never must flake,
frequently it must be possible to bend the galvanised article
without cracking or removing the deposit. In such cases the
presence of impurities in the zinc is fatal, for such deposits are
invariably brittle.

.'\nother commentary on the opening paper was that by
Capt. \V. A. Th.iin, A.M.I.C.E., dealing with " Applications
of Electro Pepo.siting in .Aeronautical Engineering." The
paper dealt w'ith the use of copper only, and di-scussed —

(1} Tlie u.se of copper depositing as a protection against
carburisation in ca.se-hardening ;

{'2) Copper depositing on aero-engine cylinder surfaces to in-
crease the thermal conductivity ;

(3) Tlie Imilding up of definite constructive units by copper
deposition — for example, the copper water-jacket of the Beard-
more aero-engine cylinder.

A considei'able amount of useful information relating to the
preparation of iron and steel articles for the plating bath and
the best conditions for getting good deposits w-ill be found in
the paper when it is published. Unfortunately it was not
possible to have it in type at the meeting.

Mr. Byro.v Carr described his researches on " Colialt Plat-
ing," and set forth the conditions he had found best for secur-
ing good and reliable deposits. Cobalt plating as a substitute
for nickel plating, or perhaps even steel facing, is likely to
have a future. Some years ago some Canadian investigators
drew attention to the extraordinarily high current densities
that can be used in cobalt plating, thus enabling a sound
facing deposit to l)e thrown down in a very few minutes.
Later researches have confirmed this striking fact, but they
have also made it clear that it is only under very limited con-
ditions that the deposits are regular, .sound and bright.
Using a bath cont.iining 4J Ih. of cohalt sulphate, .5 oz. of
boric acid, and 2^ oz. of .sodium chloride per gallon and work-
ing at .34° C. current densities of 1-50 amps, per sq. ft. can be
employed. Mr. Carr's woik is a valuable contribution to our
knowledge of these conditions, and is the first study of cobalt
plating that has appeared in this country.

\ communication by Mr. W. R. Hughes on " The Use of
Colloids in the Electro-deposition of Metals " drew attention
to a fascinating section of electroplating that is hardlv under-
stood at all. in which such knowledge as we have is purely
empirical, and where svstematic research is urgently called
for. It is well known that some metals, such as lead, cannot
lie deposited at all in a coherent form unless a colloid be in
the solution. In other cases, siich as zinc or copi^er deposi-
tion, the quality of the metal mav be greatly imnroved. In
some ca.ses. such as silver, a briuht instead of a dull deposit
may be precipitated. Manv addition-salts can be made to act
in the same wav as colloids. The phenomenon bristles with
obscurities. In Mr. Hughes's opinion the effect of the colloid
is to diminish the size of the crystal grain in the denosited
metal. It is a pity that this matter was not discussed — per-
haps it is rather a matter for the * pure ' electrochemists — but
anyhow it is of value to have drawn more attention to a matter
of which the elucidation is so desirable.

El.F.CTRO SlI.VRP Pr..ATINn.

Discussion in this section was opened bv Mr, \V. R.
B.AHCI.AV. and it centred largelv round tlie quality of bath that
yields the best deposits, and the important question of current

density. Mr. Barclay recommended a bath containing oi o/..
double cyanide of silver and potassium per gallon and 3J iiz.
free cyanide, worked at 17 to "Si" C. with a current density of
about 3 ami)S. jier sq. ft. The discussion emphasised the
necessity for further experimental study as to the precise
reason tor the beneficial effects — or the reverse — of such addi-
tion agents to the ordinary double cyanide bath of salts such
as potassium chloride, sulphate, cyanate and formate, most
of which are found m commercial baths. A considerable
amount of empirical and trade knowledge exists on these
matters, but at present its scientific beaiing is hardly under-
stood.

Much such information has been collected and tabulated in
a valuable paper presented by Mr. G. B. Brook and Mr. L.
\V. Holmes, entitled " The Chemical Composition of Old
Silver-plating Solutions with Observations on their Working
Properties." It is difficult to summarise this paper because
its chief value lies in its tabular analyses of some tiO solutions
collected from various works in Shelfield and el.sewhere, some
of which have been in use for nearly 50 years. Side by side
with the analyses are given the conductivities and the work-
ing properties of these solutions. Only a practical electro-
chemist or a skilled plater can appraise this mass of co-
ordinated material at its true value and appreciate, its useful-
ness. At present, however, the w'ork is incomplete, for while
determinations have been made of the amount of silver, double
cyanide, free cyanide, and potassium carbonate in solution,
the authors have not yet found time to determine the rarer
impurities, such as cyanates and thiocyanates.

For the present the general conclusion reached was that the
best solutions — as well as the most economical from the cur-
rent consumption standpoint — were those of highest conduc-
tivity, and that cotwluctivity was largely a function of potas-
sium carbonate content. Now this impurity is the very one
chiefly foimd in the old solutions, resulting both from the
impure cyanide used a generation ago and from the long-
continued absorption of carbonic aeid gas from the air. It is
therefore the presence of carbonate that gives superiority to
the old solutions, a result which was confirmed in Mr.
Barclay's paper and by the independent and perhaps prior
evidence of Brunner anil his own experiments.

The value of potassium carbonate in a silver bath in a direc-
tion other than improving the quality of the deposit was
brought out in Mr. Fr.ank M.ason's pajwr. " A New Maximum
Current Density in Commercial Silver Plating." In the solu-
tion normally used fOr plating, if a high current-den.sity — say,
exceeding 3 or 4 amperes per sq. ft. — be used the deposit is
of a large crystalline grain, so much so that a high finish
cannot be obtained, on account of its hardness, anyhow with-
out undue expenditure of labour. If the current density
greatly exceeds the above figures, the ileposit is liable to lie
" burnt " and be entirely useless. Mr. Mason has discovered —
or let us say re-discovered, so as to meet criticism on the
score of priority — that from a solution containing more free
cyanide than is the u.sual practice, and also potassium carbon-
ate in quantities far larger than those accidentally pi-esent in
many commercial solutions, silver can be deposited nt a cur-
rent density at least double the present rates, and that even
so the deposit is of an exceptionally fine texture and takesi a
brilliant finish. A commercial bath containing —

Silver 26.14 grammes per litre

Pi'ee cyanide ... 47.2.5 grammes per litre

Potassium carbonate 165.00 grammes per litre
was worked under ordinary conditions, but with a current
density of 8 amps, per sq. ft., and after depositing S.OlKI ozs.
of silver the crystalline structure of the deposit and its finish
after burnishing was found to be indistinguishable from a.
first-rate deposit made from an ordinary coimnercial liath. If
substantiated by experience, and in spite of some timorous
adverse criticism it W'ould appear that Mr. Mason's claim is
a valid one, the r-esul! sliould be of considerable import-
ance to the electroplating industry, for it will be possible to
double the capacity of existing plating baths and thus almost
halve the overhead charges on electroplating.

Mr. G. B. Brook read a .second paper, in which he set out
to explain a trouble common in the electroplating trade,
namely, the occasional appearance of a peculiar cloudy effect
upon burnished silver which is intensified by rough polishing,
and which in that case takes the form of red patclies. Mr.
Brook ascribes this to the result of using too high a current
density. He showed that in these circumstances individual
silver crystals of an acicular or needle form tend to be de-
posited. The burnishing process lays down these crystals, but
in the interstices .so left the polishing material lodges, and
hence the reddish patehes referred to. Other speakers dis-
agreed with Mr. Brook's explanation, but their critici.sm did
not seem conclusive to us, and it is of course possible that
causes other than this may lead to the effect described.

The last paper on the programme was by Mr. S. Fielii. and
it described an experimental study of the deposition of gold
silver alloys, a subject, strange to say. which has scarcely been
investigated previously by the electrochemist. .\part from its
intrinsic interest, the deposition of gold-.silver alloys has some
indu-^trial hearing, for tlie well-known "green gold" deposit
consists of one of these alloys. Mr. Field, who is a past-
master on the subject of depositing alloys, has studied the in-
fluence of varying conditions on tlie composition of thi"
deposit, which in the absence of hydrogen deposition caji be
calculated from the ratio of its total mass to that of the

806

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. No. 2,248, decimbeb 24, 1920.

copper deposited in a coulomb meter in the circuit. In a
cyanide solution, which naturally was used, gold is more posi-
tive than silver. It was found that the higher the current
density and the more dilute the solution, the greater was the
percentage of gold deposited. In the somewhat dilute solution
ordinarily used for depositing " green " gold, the proportion
of gold thrown down is almost constant at about 77 per cent,
over a wide range of current densities. Profes.sor Desch
pointed out that the deposit is a .solid solution of gold and
silver.

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS OF ELECTRICAL
GOODS FOR NOVEMBER, 1920.

The official returns of our foreign electrical trade for the past
month show very satisfactory totals, the exjiort values of electrical
material and machinery for November being £1,G78,940, an
increase of £357,688 over the previous month, and £293,146 more
than the June, 1920, total of £1,386,794, the previous record
figures. Nearly all the export items show increased values, the
principal increase occurring in electrical machinery, £220,C00,
whilst higher export values are also recorded in electrical goods,
£55,000 ; insulated wire, £86,000 ; glow lamps, £10.000 ; batteries,
£9,000; and meters, £10,000; electric telegraph and telephone
material and apparatus exports fell off to the extent of £20,000,
and carbons, £13,000.

The electrical imports for November are lower by £47 000 than
in the previous month, the total being £385,963 ; electrical machinery
import totals recorded a falling-off of over £60,000, slightly
increased values occurring in the imports of electrical goods and
insulated wire.

The re-exports of foreign and colonial electrical material for the
month at £18,546 are £4,000 less than in the previous month of
October.

Values of Electrical Exports and Imports for
November, 1920.

Exports, Imports. Re-exports,

Electrical goods and apparatus £280,941 £106,519 £8,094
(unenumerated)

Insulated wire 398,187 23,546 29

Glow lamps 50,083 12,692 2,591

Arc lamps and parts 3,801 5,322 22

Batteries 80,557 22,618 —

Meters 41,059 12,704 1,340

Carbons 13,399 15,045 736

Electrical machitwri/ : —

Railway and tramway motors ... 2,419 — —

Other motors and generators ... 216,198 — —

Electrical machinery (unenu- 251,225 142,655 3,631

merated)

Switchboards (not telegraph or 20.497 1,191 —

telephone)

Telegraph and telepliotie calAe
a)id material : —

Telegraph and telephone wire 130,596 9,537 —

and cable (not submarine)

Submarine telegraph and tele- 81,609 — —

phone cable

Telegraph and telephone instru- 108,369 34,234 2,103

ments and apparatus

Totals £1,678,940 £385,963 £18,646

THE BRITISH ELECTRICAL DEVELOPMENT
ASSOCIATION (INC.),

.\NKD.4L Lu.N'CHEOX.

On Friday last, after tlie annual general meeting of the Elec-
trical Development As.sociatiou, the annual hniclieon took
place at the Hotel Cecil. The President, Mr. Hugo Hirst,
occupied the chair, and there was a large gathering of mem-
bers and friends. Amongst the guests were Sir .Ichn Snell.
Sir Harry Haward, Messrs, \Y. W. Lackie, A. Page. H. Bootli
I.l. B. Atkin.son. C. H. Wordingham. H. H. Berrv, 0. o'.
Bastian, Sir T. O. Callender, Me.s.srs. R. A. Chattock, D. N.
Dunlop, F. Espir, S. E. Fedden, H. C. Levis C. H. Mer/,
11. Marryatt, .). R. Orr, (',. Scott Ram, — . Carnage, Dr. .\.
liussell, Dr. R. M. Walm.sley, and Aid. Walkei-.

.After the loyal toast, the CJHArnMAN gave the toast of " Elec-
tricity, the Electricity Commis.sionors, and the Institution of
Electrical Engineers." Remarking tliat he was usually an
optimist, he said he could not help feeling that the prospects
of development were not at present encouraging; they were
passing through an industrial crisis, money was .short, goods
were short. Half the world wanted goods l)ut could not adord
to buy them: the other half was producing goods at a rate
and a price for which only a limited market could be found,
with the result that unemployment was rife. In a few months
values had fallen .50 per cent., and men of sub.stance were
looking anxiously at the black clouds and wondering whether
the storm would break. However, whatever happened, the

world would go on, and electricity would play a large part in
its reconstruction. Before the war it was left to the con-
tractor to tell the public of the advantages of electricity ; that
could not continue. Manufacturer.s had entered the field, and
their collective wares should be presented to the public by a
duly qualified association. E.D.A. could instruct the pubUc
in the merits of electric lamps and heating apparatus, indus-
trial motors, &c. He knew something of the British public ;
they would not carry the public with them if they conducted
the propaganda on too low a plane. They must interest and
fa.scinate the public, show it what a wonderful part electricity
must play in future transport, explain how coal conservation
and electricity went hand in hand, demonstrate the utility of
water power, show how electricity would raise up industries in
villages, assist agriculture, cheapen the cost of hving, increase
the yield of crops, and heal the .sick. Ijct them appeal to the
imagination — but they must not rely on engineers to do that;
they needed men like Wells and Kipling to touch the imagina-
tion. There were other avenues for development, too; the
Association could educate legislators, and improve the patent
laws, which at present always worked against the patentee.
In a recent case three judges of appeal agreed that an inven-
tion was, meritorious, liut quashed the patent on the ground
of faulty wording. Industry was built up on patents, and
.some firms had started research departments, but meritorious
inventions must not be sacrificed to technicalities — the in-
ventor must have his reward. In coupling with the toast the
names of Sir John Snell and Mr. LI. B. .Atkinson, Mr, Hirst
said the Electricity Commissioners had been received with
favour In' the public, and the Institution this year had a Pre-
sident who was not only expert in .science but also a leader in
industry.

Sir .loHX Snell, in reply, said the objects of the Association
were the same as those of the Comniis.sioners — the develop-
ment iif electricity; but whereas the former had complete free-
(limi, the latter were shackled by the law. Their policy was to
get into liaison with the important associations of the industry
as directly as possible. They welcomed the formation of the
Electrical Research Association. The Institution had helped
them materially in redrafting the " Board of Trade Regula-
uons," which would .soon be completed. They had not yet
had time to set up the .Advisory Committees, but the as.socia-
tions were efficient substitutes. Since the appointment of the
Electricity Commissioners in May loans had been sanctioned
for 13 millions sterling, half of which sum was devoted to big
power stations, such as those which had been designed by Mr.
Pearce for Manchester at Barton and by Mr. Wordingham for
Leicester. A sum of 4^ millions had been applied to trans-
mission and distribution, and 2| millions to extensions of small
power stations, work which would not have been sanctioned
if the Joint Authorities had been in existence — but it was
unavoidable, if development was not to be brought to a stop.
Anxious thought had been given to the question of increasing
maximum charges for supply; all costs had gone up, and the
jire-war charges had become inadequate. But under the
Statutory Increase of Charges .Act they were restricted to in-
creases enabling the undertakers to pay only three-quarters of
their former dividends, and under the .Act of 1899 certain com-
panies and all local authorities were unable to benefit. Tlio.se
matters would be put right by the new Bill. The Commis-
sioners felt that the well-being of the smaller undertakings
especially depended on wi.se decisions regarding these appli-
cations, of which -Xi) had been received. Delays were caused,
t(X), by the statutory necessity of publi.shing certain notices
months in advance. Tliey had provisionally determined 13
areas, and the inquiries would begin on January llth. Not
only the local authorities but also the companies had shown
themselves willing to enter into .schemes with enthusiasm, and
the Commissioners had been able to inform the Ministry of
Tran.sport that compulsory powers could be dispen.sed with for
a time, to give existing undertakers full scope for voluntary
work. If, however, the schemes were not forthcoming, they
would have to go to Parliament with good cause, and would
secure the powers. A few .small undertakings thought they
could do better on their own, but there was no .shadow of
doubt that develoiiment on a big scale was the right thing for
the industrial development of this country. The new Bill
would enable Joint .Authorities to borrow and their constituents
to lend money, would provide for the revision of maximum
charges at intervals of three years instead of five, and would
enaWe railway companies with surplus power to supply the
public bv con.sent of the authorised undertakers. Electrifica-
tion of the railways would be rapid when the financial .situa-
Mon improved, and would carry electrii-ity supply into areas
not now .served. General co-operation of electrical interests
fliroughout the country would help industrial development;
elxtiicity supply was undoubtedly a key industry, and tlicy
lor)ked forward to ever-increasing co-oi'eration with this most
important .Association.

Mr. l.r.. B. .Atkinson, also replying, referred to the eloquent
and remarkable speech of the President, which, he felt sure,
was uttered under a passing wave of pessimism. The Institu-
tion was one of the youngest of its kind, but was the most
vigorous, the largest in numbers, and the most progressive that
ever existed. Its interests cover nl an immense range, and it.s'
mysteries fa.scinated the lay mind, which was fond of the
saying " Electricity is still in its infancy " — yet the public
did not notice that " Gas was in its dotage." Tliey also said that
no one knew what electricity was ; in point of fact, more was

Vol. 87. No. 2,248, deoembkb 24, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

807

known about electricity than most people knew about their own
boots. Unfortunately, there was no electrical sense, so that
the great public knew neither the extent to which electricity
already entered into their lives nor how niuch it ought to enter
into them. It was the function of E.D.A. to tell mankind all
about electricity, which for half a century had been developed
only in a half-hearted way. It must be brought into every
house, as it was in Amsterdam, and E.D.A. would promote a
vigorous propaganda to that end. They had a tirst-class com-
modity, and by forcing it on the consumer they would benefit
him as well as themselves. Half the dullness, half the work,
and half the dirt of life would be abolished if electricity were
fully utilised.

Mr. A. P. Berry (Chairman of E.D.A.) proposed " The
Guests," and welcomed the optimistic note of Mr. Atkinson.
He asked the Press not to. lead people to think that electricity
was something to be afraid of. The Association had worked
hard to spread the gospel of electricity. Mr. Cordon Self ridge
was a good example of a man who used electricity all day and
for HVcrything.

Replying to the toast, Mr. Selfridge declared that Mr. Hirst
was not really a pessimist. It was the duty of the Electrical
Development Association to remove the conservatism that
reigned in people's minds with regard to the necessity of using
electricity freely in every way. Even some of the producers
of electricity seemed to suffer from that spirit of conservatism.
The .Association would remove it by the power of publicity,
with which, wisely directed, anything whatever could be
achieved. He could imagine no more delightful undertaking
than that of exercising the imagination in- bringing home to
people the fact that electricity was an ab.solute necessity to
them all.

.1/r /(111!/) carbons.

Total

From United Kingdom
,, United States

Arc lamps, carbon in bloch
and recording instrnme

Total

From United Kingdom
United States

1917-18 1918-19 Inc. or dec.

£ £ £

... lO.im ]9,(K1(I + 9.IIIIII

3,("KK) 1,(XKI - '2,000

3,000 17.000 -f 14,000

s, racnum tubes, mranKrinti
nt.'i, insulating tape.

... -iK.tKKi iia.ooti + 9.5,aiu

19,00<J 31,(KJ0 + I'i.OOO

... ■£^.i.m 99,00*.) -I- 7ti,000

Lamps and Uunpwurc.

Total ...

iii.tm

170.000

+ 62,000

From United Kingdom

'27,000

'25,000

- 2,00tl

•lapan

19,(XI0

■27,000

-1- ,S,(KHI

., United States

(U.tHK.)

108,0(K)

+ 47,000

Cubic and wire, covered.

Total ...

... Tons

920

4,000

-f 3,080

£

181,000

Cl'2,000

+4Sum

From United Kingdom

... Tons

1.50

8'2o

+ 675

£

34,000

147,000

-fr23,(KI0

,, Canada

... Tons

3

450

-1- 447

£

1,000

49,000

+ 48.000

Japan

... Tons

coo

1,700

+ l.HK)

£

1'24,000

293,000

-t-l(J9,(KHI

,, United States

... Tons

105

970

+ 8115

£

3'2,000

1'23,0(IO

+ 91,i«wi

IMPORT TRADE OF AUSTRALIA.

The following figures, showing the values of the imports of
electrical and allied goods into Australia in 1918-19, are taken
from the recently published official trade returns. For pur-
poses of comparison the figures for 1917-18 are given, and notes
of increases or decreases are made. Only in the case of cables
is it pos.sible to indicate any unit other than value.

1917-18 1918-19 Inc. or dec.
£ £ £

100,1 KHj i4],o(h;> -1- 4i,aio

12,<KX) -2.5,1 K 10 -I- 13,t)00

9,000 10,OtHJ

77,000 106,000

fiteani engines (direct coupled).

3,(X)0 1,000 - 2,000

3,000 1,000 - 2,000

Gas and oil engines.

Total ...
From United Kingdom
,, Canada

United States

-t- 1,000
+ 29,000

High-speed Teciprocati}ig

Total ...
From United Kingdom

Steam turbines, cconor

Total ...
From United Kingdom
United States

(£-c.

80,000
74,000
5,000

nisers, superheaters,

£ 74,tK»

... 69,000

4,tKX)

Dgnamo-electric macJiines, static transformers, induction
coils, electric fans and parts thereof.

Total 277,000 501,000

From United Kingdom 75,1 H 10 182,«)0

„ Ignited States 189.0tK) 308,000

6,000
5,000
1,(XI0

-t-'2'24,0(lO
-l-107,<XHl
+119,0ttt

Regulating, starting and controlling apparatus.

Total -58,000 93,(KX)

I>om United Kingdom 23,000 '26,000

„ United States 35,000 06,000

Electric fittings, viz.. su-itches, fuses and lightning arresters.

Total 50.(Xio 112,000 -I- 62,000

From United Kingdom lo,o<A» 30,0(X)

„ United States •22,aW 64,(K10

Japan 1-^,000 16,000

Electric heating and ciwhing appliances.

+ 35,000
-t- 3,000
+ 31,000

-t- 15,000
+ 42,000
+ 4,000

Total

From United Kingdom

,, United States

Electrical appliances, other.

Total

From United Kingdom

„ United States

,, Japan ...•

,, Netherlands

Telephone apparatus.

Total

From United Kingdom

United States

Accumulators or storage batteries.

Total

From United Kingdom

United States

13.000
|;,(KH1
7,000

2:33,rHHi
47,iHiii
82.000
34,tKiO
08.000

15,000

7,000
,S,(VIO

421.000
5S,0IK)

loy.ooo
54.CKJ0
140,000

-I- 2.000
+ 1,000
+ 1,0(X)

-fl,S8,0<Kl
+ 11,(HHI
-I- .S6,(KIII
+ '20,000
-t- 72,(XHI

.57,000 81.000 -1-34,000
14,000 9,000 - 5,000
42,000 70,(100 -I- 28,000

49,(Kl0 119,(X)0 + 70,000

9,(H») 11,0(H1 + 2,0(X»

39,000 107,000 + 68,000

WESTERN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH AND
TELEPHONE SYSTEMS.

(Concluded from page 775.)
The uniformity of the amplifying efficiency of a Western
Electric repeater of the latest type is well showir in fig. 5.
Curves .^i, a,, and A3 show typical gain characteristics, as a
function of .frequency, for three adjustments — high, medium,
and low amplification. " Miles gain " represents miles of
standard cable for a frequency of 800 cycles. The curve is
almost t\at between 135 and 2.600 cycles, and its shape is
practically the same in each case — a very important matter,
as 10 to 20 sets may be connected in tandem. Fig. 6 shows
the repeater element.
The demonstration was designed to show the two chief

2i

io

?,

f^

\

1,

\

J

„

\,

5

10 /■

Aj

\

1

J

\

— N

?

i

\

ij

\,

"

♦2 f

*1_J

\

0/

4

00

8

00

,2

00

>e

00

^0

00

24

00

\

800

■!

.;, 2

00

6

00

10

00

"•

00

IB

00

22

00

ae

00 S

<

4

\,

e

S

s

TREauENCY — CYCLES PER SECOMO

Fig. 5.— TvncAL Telei'hone Kei'E.mek Tkaxsmissuin
Characteristics.

types of repeater and terminal equipment involved in long
trunk cable and aerial systems, i.e., the '2'2-tyiie ('2-element,
2-way repeater for 2-w-ire use) and the 4-wire equipment.
Artificial lines were used which attenuated the transmission
by amounts corresponding to average practice in the spacing
of each tvpe of repeater.

Tlie 2-wire repeaters were of the '2'2-type. similar in design
to those which have recently been installed on a non-loaded
aerial No. .S B.W.Ct. (435 lb. per mile or 4.2 mm.) line between
New York and San Fi-ancisco. Twelve of these repeaters are
employed on this backbone route, and of course others are
used when the circuit is extended appreciably at either end.

The demonstration circuit was terminated at each end with
a locaT batterv set. The first section of line had an equivalent
of five .standard miles, leading to the apparatus used in a
long-distance central office; from this there was a line, equiva-
lent to seven standard miles, to the first repeater. Between
the repeaters there was a line of 14 standard miles, and beyond
the second repeater the make up of the circuit was similar to
that leading up to the first. The repeater sets were adjusted
t(1 give 12 standard miles gain each, in both directions. This
was possible because of the good balance between Ime and
network which could be obtained with artificial lines, and
corresponded to an equivalent between te.stboards at the ter-

808

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol. 87. No. 2,248, December 24, 1920

miiials of only lour miles. Higher gains might easily be
obtained, but thoy would bear no particular relation to
practical conditions. The sets were capable of giving about
•22 miles gain at their maximum adjustment. A figure con-
siderably below this is usually adopted in deciding on the
location of repeaters.

The repeater sets were of the panel type, designed to be
mounted in relay rack bays, as shown in fig. 7. An adjacent
demonstration rack contained the monitoring and talking
panel, and the signalling panel, which was specially arranged
for the demonstration with the various kinds of equipment
necessary to illustrate three types of signalling : 16-cycle
relayed, 135-cycle relayed, and 135-cycle amplified. One panel
of testing equipment was shown which included such ap-
paratus as might be common to a large group of repeaters,
namely, the motor panel for testing the power supply voltages

the input of the first one-way amplifier, which was set at
34 standard miles gain; then through 31 standard miles equiva-
lent to the second repeater, adjusted U) give the same gain
as the first. From the output of this anij/lifier the circuit led
through 15.5 standard miles to the 4-wire terminating set at
the far end, and finally over a short '2-wire line of 5 standard
miles to a local battery set.

With these gain settings the equivalent of the 4-wire circuit
proper between the 2-wire lines was practically zero. With
good balance against the 2-wire lines, .short 4-wire circuits
may actually be used to give a gain in transmission.

Arrangements w-ere aiso provided for connecting the two
systems in tandem, so as to talk through two 2-wire and two
4-wire repeaters, six tubes in all.. The two sys-tems were
switched together at the points normally connecting to the
local battery sets, and on account rf the long length of line

1

G. — Y\<'^I•^r Tyit, TELErnoxi: REPEATrj: Element,
Without Bui.d, .\nj) Comi'lete.

-TnUciL-fiH-I.IXE VACIT\r-TriiE TEEEriloNE, ItEPEMII!

Set (2-wiitE Circuit).

and currents, two types of gain-measuring equipment, and
a vibrator for supplying 135 cycles for signalling.

Sliecial mention should be made of the indicating type of
gain-meai5uring set (fig. 8). This set will measure (with a
suitable auxiliary speech-frequency oscillator) the actual am-
plification introduced liy a repeater set between two artificial
lines to an accuracy of i mile. An amplifier-rectifier is em-
ployed who.se output is recorded on a small indicating galvano-
meter. This amplifier-rectifier lias its high impedance input
thrown alt<'rnately across certain resistances in the input and
output artificial lines by a quick-acting switch. Tlie attenua-
tion of the input artificial line is varied by adju.sting dials
controlling shimts, and when this added attenuation is
neutralised by the repeater gain, the deflections in the two

between the adjacent 2-wire and 4-wire repeaters the gain
of the 2-wire sets was increased to IG miles each. The total
line equivalent was then 110 standard miles, and the net
equivalent of the circuit with repeaters w'as reduced to about
17 miles between .subscribers' sets.

On trunk circuits enormous economies are possible by the
use of repeaters, and on the longest circuits coniniereial
transmission would he impossible without them. On trunk
circuits of moderate length, conmiercial .speech tran.smission
is obtained with the aid of repeaters, on conductors having
only a small fr-action of the copper that would otherwise be
required. With regard to the present possibilities of wire
communication, it is stated that the repeater makes it possible
to talk'fo any earth distance where land lines can be installed.

-Meter Tvpe Tr.^nsmisstox Gain-
Measuring Unit.

Fig. 9.— Thkouuh-i.ine Vmitm-tube Telephone Repeater Set
(oxe-halk) for one Way oe one I-wire Circuit of Loaded Cable.

positions of the switch are equal, and the gain is read directly
from the dial settings. Gains at any frequency froin 100 to
30.000 cycles and of any magnitude from 0 to 46 miles may
ue measured. The set may be used with either two-wire or
four-wire repeaters.

The four-wire repeater sets were similar, in design to those
eniployed in the United States for four-wire trunk cables of
moderate length. Such cables are generally loaded with
medium coils (.175 H.), on heavy spacing (C.fKH) ft.).
Starting from the local battery set, the circuit led through
a 2-wire line of 5 standard miles equivalent, to the 4-wire
terminating set, with an additional loss of 3 miles. This set
serve'd to transform the circuit from 2-wire to 4-wire, and
also to change the local 16-cyclc signalling to the 135-cycles
u.sed on tlie long-distance caljle. From this, on tlie outgoing
^de, the line went through 15.5 standard miles equivalent to

The v.liole of (he demonstrations, both telegraph and tele-
phone, were exceedingly interesting, and the results obtained
bore out the statements made by the engineers by whom
they were carrieil out. The contrast between the faint, haidly
audible speech over the long artificial line without aniplilica-.
tion, and the strong clear .speech which came through, directly
the repeaters were switched into circuit, was very impressive.
Perhaps the most striking observation was the fact that these
apparatus were clearly not in the experimental stage or subject
to rule-of-thurab methods; accurate mrasiircniciit was the
key-note throughout, demonstrating the fact that telephone
reix\Tter syst<'ms had been established on a sure scientific
basis, and that the results that would be obtained were as
certain as the methods by which they were .secured.

We believe that the apparatus will remain installed in
London, and can be seen on application to the company.

Vol.87. No. 2,248, deckmbbb 24. 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

809

[THE WEST OF ENGLAND ELECTRICITY
AUTHORITY.

Whereas Section 5 of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, hai
enabled the Electricity Commissioners to provisionally de-
limit thirteen electricity districts for the purposes of the Act,
no Joint Electricity Authority has as yet been constituted for
any of the districts, although a number of schemes for the
formation of such authorities have been prepared.

The first area to be provisionally constituted a separate
electricity district was that known as the West of England,
or Lower Severn, District. On January 11th next the Elec-
tricity Commissioners are to hold a local inquiry at Bristol
with reference to the area to be included in the proposed
district, and to consider a scheme which ha.s been submitted
for effecting an improvement in the existing organisation for
the supply of electricity in, and the formation of a Joint
Electricity Authority for, the district.

The scheme to be submitted for the approval of the Com-
missioners provides that the Electricity Authority shall con-
sist of representatives of any or all of the authorised under-
takers, county councils, local authorities, and such companies,
bodies, or persons being large consumers of electricity,
within the district. The voting rights of a local authority
shall be retained notwithstanding the transfer of all or part
of its undertaking or purchase rights to the Joint Authority.
A company loses its voting rights when it ceases to be au
authorised undertaker exercising rights in the district.

If the rights to purchase the whole or part of the under-
taking of any authorised undertaker is at any time transferred
to the Electricity Authority, such undertaker shall have
voting rights as from the date of such transfer.

The county councils shall appoint three of the members of
the Electricity Authority and the rest of the members shall
be appointed piu rata with the number of units of electricity
sold per annum within the area of supply of the local autho-
rity, company, body, or person, and shall include the units
used by local authorities for street lighting, tramways, and
.■-ijiular pill pi .-.i .1.

Any two or more local authorities, companies, bodies, or
persons may aggregate the units so sold, and agree on the
exercise of the voting power thus secured.

Every member of the Electricity Authority (other than a
member appointed by the county councils) shall have one
vote only upon any question, and members appointed by
county councils shall have a similar vote when the council
or councils appointing them assumes financial responsibility
commensurate therewith. In case of an equahty of votes the
chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

The persons first appointed members of the Electricity
Authority shall hold office for a period of three years from
January 1st next following the date of the approval of this
scheme, at the expiration of which term the voting power
for the appointment of members shall be again ascertained,
and the same shall be so re-ascertained every six years there-
after. Members of the Electricity Authority may lie members,
officers, or servants of any county council, local authority,
company, or otherwise. No person other than one who has
his usual place of residence or place of business w^ithin the
district shall be appointed a member. All members shall hold
office for a period of three years. Ten members shall con-
stitute a quorum at any meeting uf the Electricity Authority.
The Electricity Authority shall have, and may exercise, all
powers and duties as are or mav be conferred upon a Joint
Authority by the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1919 (?),
and may, wrth the consent of the Electricity Commissioners,
borrow money for any purpose, which money, and the interest
thereon, shall be a first charge either on the whole or part
of the property, real and personal, which is vested in the
Electricity Authority at the time at which the money is
borrowed, or on the revenues of the Electricity Authority.
The Electricity Commissioners may, for the purpose of en-
abling the Electricity Authority to raise money, authori.w the
Electricity Authority to issue stock bearing interest. The
Electricity Authority may. instead of borrowing money on
mortgage or issuing stock, issue and renew bills and bonds.

The total amount of any such bills outstanding at any one
time shall not in the aggregate exceed the sum of one million
pounds, except by the amount payable on bills issued shortly
before .my other bills fall due in order to pay off those bills.
The Electricity .\uthority may obtain temporary loans, pro-
vided that the total amount so advanced and outftanding at
any one time shall not exceed one million pounds or such
larger sum not exceeding two million pounds as the Electricity
Commissioners may sanction.

For the purpose of defraying expenditure on capital account
the Electricity .\uthoritv may, instead of raising moneys,
employ anv mnnevs for the time being standing to the credit
of any sinking or redemption funds establi.shed under this
scheme. No such moneys shall be so employed unless pro-
vision is made for .securing that any deficiency (including
lo.ss of interest) occasioned in any such fund by reason of so
employing such moneys shall be made good at the date (if
any) on which such moneys are required for the purpose in
respect of which they were originally provided.

Any authorised undertaker whose area of supply is wholly
or partly within the district of, and any authority, company,
or person receiving or intending to receive a supply of elec-

tricity from, and the council of any county or borough or
county district wholly or partly within the district of the
Electricity Authority, shall have power to give financial asaist-
ance in any form to the Electricity Authority on such terms,
including the payment of consideration for the assistance
given, and subject to such conditions as the authority, com-
pany or person giving such financial assistance thinks fit.
Provided that in the case of the council of a county or borough
or county district, whether or not the council is an authorised
undertaker or receives or intends to receive a supply of elec-
tricity from the authority, such powers as aforesaid shall not
be exercised without the consent of the Minister of Health.

The Electricity Authority may at any time enter into an
agreement for the immediate surrender or transfer of any
right vested in any local authority (including a county council)
to purchase the whole or part of an undertaking; the terms
of such agreement shall be subject to the approval of the
Commissioners.

If the Electricity .Authority is satisfied that its receipts
oh revenue account in any year are likely to be insufficient
to meet the charges payable out of revenue the deficiency
shall be apportioned amongst the county councils, local autho-
rities, companies, bodies, or persons entitled to appoint repre-
sentatives upon the Electricity Authority in proportion to
their voting power.

The Electricity Authority shall consist of 30 members,
provided that the number shall not be altered unless agreed
by a special re.solution carried by a majority consisting of at
least two-thirds of the members of the Electricity Authority
having voting power, and shall be subject to tha approval
of the Commissioners. The chairman may be paid such
remuneration for his services as the Electricity Authority may
determine, and shall (if the Electricity Authority by resolu-
tion also so determines) be deemed to be an officer of the
Electricity Authority entitled to the receipt of a pension or
gratuity on retirement. The Electricity Authority may ap-
point oflicers and servants, and they shall be paid salaries
and remuneration, and on retirement pensions or gratuities,
as the Electricity Authority may determine, and any expenses
incurred by the Electricity Authority in the exercise and
performance of its powers and duties may be defrayed out
of the fund established under Section 28 of the Electricity
(Supply) Act, 1919. The Electricity .Authority may delegate
with or without restriction to committees of the authority
any of the powers or duties conferred upon it, and may pay
out of the revenues of the authority travelling and subsistence
expenses of members of the authority, and reasonable com-
pensation for loss of remunerative time-
In this scheme the schedule to the Electric Lighting
(Clauses) Act, 1899. shall be incorporated subject to certain
exceptions and modifications.

The prices charged for electricity shall be fixed by the
Electricity Authority and subject to the approval of the Elec-
tricity Commissioners. The voting power for the appointment
of members of the Electricity Authority other than members
appointed by county councils shall be one vote for every
.50.000 units of electricity sold per annum up to .500,000 units
(ten votes) : then one vote for every 55.556 units sold up to
1,000,000 (19 votes); then one vote for every 62,.50O units
sold up to 1,500.000 (27 votes); then one vote for every 71,428
units up to 2.000,000 (34 votes) ; then one vote for everv
83,334 units sold up to 2,500,000 (40 votes), and for each
additional 100,000 units one additional vote, provided that no
single body or pooled votes shall be entitled at any time to
exercise voting power in excess of 45 per cent, of the votes
held bv all other bodies.

LEGAL.

An Electricity Supply Contract. Application* to .Axndl.
In the Chancery Division, on December 16th, Mr. Justice
P. O. IjAWrence delivered his considered judgment upon the
application of the North Metropolitan Electric Power Supply
Co., Ltd.. for an order annulling four agreements for the
supply of electric power to the Stoke Newington Corporation.
The case was reported in our issues of November 26th and
December 10th.

Tne agreements, said his Lordship, were dated December,
1904, January. 1906. March. 1908. and October. 1911; three
had to be considered, that of 1908 being immaterial so far as
rejiarded the question at issue. The agreements might be
determined by the Corporation, but the company had no
power to determine them. The company alleged that they
were now^ making a heavy loss instead of a profit, and that
the agreements could not be enforced without .serious hard-
ship fo them. They further alleged that this loss had been
brought about owing to the alteration of trading conditions
occasioned by the war. and they asked that the agreements
be annulled. The companv had proved that the price of coal
and wages had risen, and they contended that these rises
made it impossible for them to manufacture the energy except
at a heavv loss, and that this constituted an alteration of
trade conditions within the meaning of Section 1. Sub-section
1 , of the Courts Emergency Powers Act, 1919. The Corpora-
tion did not dispute that the rise had taken place, but they

810

THE ELECTRICAL BEVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,2^8, DEOMiBEB,24, 1920.

denied that it came within the meaning of the section. His
Lordship held that the rise in the cost of coal and wages had
brought about an alteration in the trading conditions under
■wnicn the company manufactured and suppUed electrical
energy.

The next question was whether this alteration had been
occasioned by the war, and he was assisted in that by the
evidence of Mr. Gilbert Stone, on behalf of the Corporation,
who had proved that the rise in the price of coal was occa-
.sioned by the war. But Mr. Jenkins, for the Corporation, had
argued that although the rise might have been caused by war
conditions, yet these obstacles had all been removed, and the
price of coal and labour was still on the up grade ; it could
not, therefore, be said that the alteration of trading con-
ditions was due to the war. There again the affidavit of Mr.
Stone afforded the answer, viz., that the purchasing power
of the pound had fallen owing to the war, and that this was
really tne main cause for the demand for higher wages and
for the high prices. In his Lordship's opinion the deprecia-
tion in the purchasing value of money and the alteration of
trading conditions which the country was now experiencing
was caused by the war within the meaning of the section.
The third question was whether, owing to the above, the
agreements in question could be enforced without serious
hardship on the company. His conclusion was that although
there was great force in the Corporation's contention that
Mr. Murray had placed the actual annual loss of the company
at too high a figure, yet the only practical way in which the
company could ascertain whether the manufacture and supply
of a given quantity of electricity to their customers was being
carried on at a profit or loss was by attributing to the energy
supplied to those customers the proper proportion of the
total cost. If the company were to be held bound by the
agreements he held that they could only supply the energy
at a heavy annual loss.

Mr, Jenkins's contention that the scale of charges agreed
tn by the company was the result of cutting the price owing
to competition, that the price was deliberately fixed by the
company at such a low figure, and as a result the company
were inevitably bound to suffer a loss, and that any hardship
in this respect was not caused by an alteration of trading
conditions, but by the company having agreed to too low
charges was not borne out by the evidence, which also
showed that Mr. Murray was right in ignoring the cost of
the Hackney supply in calculating the cost.

In his Lordship's judgment, the heavy pecuniary loss of
the company in carrying out the terms of the agreements,
which agreements they were unable to determine, amounted
to a serious hardship within the meaning of the section, and,
therefore, the Court bad the jurisdiction to annul the agree-
ments in question. He proceeded to consider whether the
Court ought to exercise that jurisdiction in the present case,
but he could not help feeling much embarassed by having
to exercise so arbitrary a power. It was an emergency power
conferred owing to the great dislocation in commercial trans-
actions caused by the war, and it was obvious that under
the jurisdiction thus conferred it would be highly inexpedient
to lay down any general principles upon which the Court
should act in all cases; he did not intend to do any such
thing. The parties not having agreed to the agreements
being amended, the question was whether the Court should
annul the whole of them. Having come to the above con-
clusion, he conceived It to be in accordance with the spirit
of the section that the Court should annul the agreements
unless the circumstances of the case, or the position of the
liarlies, should afi'ord some good reason to the contrary, or
unless the company were proved to be unreasonable in not
accepting the offer of the Corporation to vary the agreements.
Both parties were public bodies; and the Corporation were
unuer a statutory obligation to supply sufficient electricity
to customers, and the nunimuiii price they were authorised to
cliarge was fixed. The charge they made had. generally
speakinr;, remained unaltered during the war — although in
most of the other matropolitan boroughs there had been a
hrge increase— and it was still much below the price that
iliey v.'cre entitled to charge. (.)n the annulment of the agree-
ments the Corporation would be entitled to demand from
the company, and the company would be bound to give, a
sufficient supply at a price to be fixed ; there was. therefore,
no question of the Corporation being left at the mercy of
the company.

Turning to the position of the company, his Lordship said
that the f.eKislature had recognised that the undertaking
was one of public and local advantage, and had conferred
large powers on them, but it had also imposed on them
.certain obligations. He doubted whether, in considering the
1 ard.shin on the company if the agreements remained in
f irce, he ought to take into consideration any profits derived
from other sources. The supply of electricity was a matter
of public and local importance, and it was essential that the
company .should be able to earn sufficient profiis to induce
investors to t;'ke up capital in the concern, otherwise the
company woulO soon find itself in difficulties. Judged from
that standpoint it appeared to tiim that during the last two
^•?ars the profits of the company luid reached a dangerously
Tjw level, and any contract which was to decrease those
profits must nece.ssarily jeopardise the position of the com-
pany. He was of opinion that t)ie Corporation's coptehtiop
on tliat head failed.

There remained to be considered the company's offer, made
on February 19th 1919, to vary the agreements by mserting
a coal clause, wnich provided for a variation in the rate
of charge per unit in accordance with the rise or fall in
the price of coal. That offer had never been withdrawn up
to the present time, but the Corporation had not accepted it,
nor had they commented on it in any way, and at the
Tiearing it was definitely declined by Mr. Jenkins. On the
evidence before him he did not think that the company was
unreasonable in refusing the counter offer that was made,
viz., a payment of £'6l'2. per annum, being half of the deficit
of i'744, which would be inadequate.

Finally, his conclusion was that the company had made out
a case for the annulment of the agreements in question.
There would be an order to the effect that the agreements
be annulled as from the date of that order, but if the Cor-
poration desired it he would stay the operation of the order
to give them the opportunity of taking the case to the Court
of Appeal. If they decided not to do so he would stay the
order so that they could have an opportunity of obtaining
a supply elsewhere if they thought it desirable, .^s regarded
the costs of the application, the attitude taken up by the
Corporation was not unreasonable. .\a a public body it was
tlieir duty to look after the interests of the ratepayers and
consumers ; relief ought to be granted only on the condition
of the company paying the costs of this application, and he
made an order accordingly. He stayed the operation of the
order until the first day of the Easter sittings, the Corporation
undertaking to pay on the basis of the coal clause in the
meantime.

What is a Reasonable Profit?
Before Mr. Justice Acton, in the King's Bench Division, on
Tuesday last week, the Electrical Contracts and Maintenance
Co., Ltd., of Tothill Street, Westminster, were plaintiffs in
an action against Mr. O. P. Davies, proprietor of the Hotel
Somerset, Orchard Street, W. Plaintiffs sought to recover
i6141 12s. 4d., balance of account for work done at Hotel
Qiueliec. Bryanston Street. W.

Mr. Croom-Johnson was counsel for the plaintiffs, and Mr.
Hawke. K.C, and Mr. Bray appeared for the defendant.

Mr. CnooM-JoHNSON said that the point to be decided was
what _was the true construction of the contract, and whether
a certain charge which had been made for establishment
charges and profit was either within the terms of the contract,
or, otherwise, fair and reasonable.

Mr. J. J. LvEYLAND Newlands. a director of the plaintiff
company, said the work related to the installation of electric
light and bells, and the charges were in accordance with
plaintiffs' usual scale.

Mr. Leonard G. Tate, secretary of the National Electrical
Contractors' Trading Association, gave evidence, stating that
he considered the addition of 1.5 per cent, for establishment
charges and 2.5 per cent, for profit fair and reasonable.

Mr. F. C. Gibbons, accountant, said he had audited the
accounts of the plaintiff' company and the establishment
charges for the year ending December 31st, 1918, amounted
to 43 per cent. Cross-examined, witness said that during
1918 plaintiffs were unable to do sufficient trade to clear
establishment cliarges.

Mr. Hawke submitted that a profit of 10 per cent., plus
10 per cent., was a generous one in substantial undertakings.

Mr. John D. Scott, architect, of Bedford Row, who super-
vised the work on behalf of the defendants, said that at the
time of the contract an ample percentage would have been
between 5 and 10.

His Lordship described the case as a lamentable one —
lamentable becau*? the amount involved was entirely out
of proportion to tne labour, ingenuity, and expense lavished
upon it. He had come to the conclusion that 15 per cent,
was a reasonable charge for establishment charges and that
'25 per cent, was a reasonable profit in work of this kind.
He accordingly entered judgment for the plaintiffs for £44 5s.,
judgment having already been given for £92.

Theit by Finding.
Simon Park, 26, an electrician, was charged on remand at
the Guildhall, on December 14th. with stealing by finding a
Bank of England note for f 100. The defendant admitted he
bad found the note and had made no effort to trace the owner.
His father had made restitution, and he was bound over in
j;50 to come up for conviction if called upon within the
coming six months. The £100 note was lost in February
last, and Park was arrested at the Baid< of England on the
4th inst.. when he attempted to cash it. — Tlie Times.

Additional Factory Inspectors. —The Home Secretary

ii about to appoint two additional Electrical Insppctors of Factories
tn undertake plectHcal inspection unHer the direction of the Senior
Electrical Innpector of Factories. The ocale of ealary. exclusive of
war bnnua will be £400 per annum, rieintr bv annual increments
of £20 tn £6.'i0 p°r snnum. The war bonna at preee"t payable on
the initial salary is £S26 odd. The appointments will be for five
years certain (snbjpct to a year's probation), and will be capable of
renewal at the expiration of that period. Reapopaible experience
in large modern extra hi?h-teliBioD elegtrioit7 supply uadertakinsri
will carry ipeblal weigfbt,

Vol.87. No. 2,248, Dkobmbkb 24, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

811

COtjRESPONDENCE.

Letttri received by us after 5 P.M. ON Tdesdat cannot appear ii/ntil
the following week. C'urretpondents should forward their communi-
cations at the earlisst possible nuiment. No letter can be published
unless we have the writer's name atui address in our possession.

A Curious Phenomenon.

The curious phenomenon observed by your correspondent
" J. Knowles Haesall," ia probably due to acoustical and not
electrical causes. The sound produced by the telephone bell.s
would appear to be such as to cause resonance at the gas
burners, the dimensions and general conditions of which would
seem to be just right for producing the phenomenon called
the chemical harmonicon. This phenomenon was investigated
by Prof. Tyndall, many years ago. The results of his experi-
ments were published in his " Lectures on Sound."

Your correspondent will probably find that, if he muffles the
bells, the gas pressure will be no longer affected by the tele-
phones. On the other hand, if he strikes the bells with a
piece of metal he will possibly cause the lights to jump or
flicker. I would like to suggest to your correspondent that
earth wires should not be connected to gas pipes.

T. A. Robertson.

Glasgow.
December loth, 19'30.

Power Factor.

The recent discussion on power factor has served to draw
attention to the question, and it has, therefore, served a good
purpose. Mr. Stubbings has dealt adequately with certain
of the points raised and I do not propose to add to his state-
ment.

My first article dealt with the problem of explaining power
factor to business men but as it became clear that there was
a good deal of diversity of opinion among electrical men as
to what power factor really is, I wrote at some length, en-
deavouring to explain it in a simple manner. I have the
opinion of good authorities that the explanations given were
satisfactory, and trust that some readers have found them of
service.

The banking analogy has come in for criticism. Some
critics appear to have expected too much from an analogy,
but really an analogy can be good without covering every
point 1 My idea of a conversation between a salesman and
a business man is somewhat like this : The salesman explains
that more money must be charged for current at low p.i'.,
although the meter does not register anything extra. The
business man asks why he should be expected to pay for
current which he does not use. To this the salesman points
out that the business man pays large cheques into his banking
account and draws the money out shortly afterwards, or it
may be the same day, and (he banker charges for such accom-
modation, even if the payments into the account balance the
withdrawals.

" Quite so," says the business man, " the banker charges
for turnover because he requires a staff of clerks and incurs
expenses to deal with the money, even if I do not have an
overdraft."

" And," says the salesman, " if you have motors which take
from our mains far more current than they need and then
return the surplus energy to our system, like the banker,
we must incur expenses for the accommodation. It is true
the meter credits you with the current returned to the system,
but we have had to enlarge our system to deal not only with
the energy which you consume, but also with the energy
which you draw out of the mains and pay back again. It is
like the cheques which you pay into the bank and draw out
soon afterwards to pay your expenses."

" Tlien," says the business man. " can I not do anything
to reduce this current which o.scillates to and fro between
my motors and your system which you say would not be
required if I had a different type of motor? "

The salesman has gained his point, and can now drop the
analogy and quote for apparatus which will reduce the watt-
less, or oscillating current. Whether this be condensers, or
the installation of over-excited synchronous motors, or some
other method, must depend on circumstances. It is the busi-
ness of the salesman to put forward his case, and if the cost
of such apparatus be too great, then the buyer of electricitv
must be prepared to pay the extra cost of supplying him with
current of low power factor. I have put the suggestion before
men who have had great experience in dealing with business
>nen, and they have approved of it. Of course, tact and some
'••i'ains are required to mike an explanation acceptable on these
.,.ies. but I do not doubt that thev will be forthcoming among
the technical-commercial staff of our electric power autho-
rities.

Once more let me quote from " Glover's Calendar." The
editor appears to have foreseen this discussion, and has put
in several items which illu.sfrate the points in an admirable
manner. Under date November 17th he s.tvs : —

" In one large manufacturing plant it was found on nn
engineering survey of the motor ratings and loads that the
induction motors were in most cases at least 2.5 per cent, too
large, and in some instances 160 per cent, larger than neces-
sary. The average of the tests showed 37 per cent, excess

capacity in motors. . . . The power factor of the shops was
60 per cent. The motors were found to be working under
average loads of about 30 per cent, of their normal capacity,
with an average motor efficiency of about 79 per cent. Had
the motor loads averaged between half and full load, the
efficiency would have increased to about 86 per cent, and the
power factor would have increased to 78 to 88 per cent. At
the tmie of the tests very little had been done towards in-
stalling synchronous motors to miprove the power factor."

The state of matters outlined here is by no means uncom-
mon, and I think is sufficient to show that it is not possible
to solve the problem satisfactorily by estimating the power
factor in advance, as has been .suggested by some correspon
dents.

C. Turnbull.

Electricitv Works, Tvnemouth.
November llth, 1920.

The Severn Barrage.

I notice that in its third interim report the Water Power
Kfsouvces Committee still refrains from giving any estimate
of the capital cost of the Severn estuary scheme. As interest
and depreciation will constitute the greater part of the power
cost, I fail to see why it should decline to give the estimated
expenditure on which the estimated cost of generation is
based.

W. M. Sandison.

Warrington.
December loth, 1920.

The Position of the E.S.C.A.

April Ut, 1920.— •4;i Fools' Day— The date settled upon by
the National Joint Board for payment of the salaries to the
commercial and clerical staffs, according to its recoimnenda-
tion. The commercial and clerical staffs realise what a most
appropriate day this was, and are now waking up to the i^^i
that the joke has gone far enough.

The country is crying out against heavy taxation and rates,
unemployment, &c., and the people managing electrical
aft'au's find this a very suitable argument to use against the
poor commercial man, who is struggling bravely to keep up
some semblance of decency. If he contrives to save a few
pounds for a short annual holiday, it usually happens that
he decides to pay his proportion of the rates and taxes, and
stays at home.

I agree with " Outdoor Representative's " letter published
in your issue of the 10th inst.. that members of the E.P.E.A.
would cease to exist to some extent if consumers were not
" obtained " and " retained " by the commercial side of the
undertaking.

Further than that, if the necessary oils, waste, fuel, &c.,
were not ordered or accounts were not promptly dealt with
and settled a great deal of trouble would arise. One can also
imagine what would happen if the hourly-paid worker was
told on payday that owing to the office staff being on strike
no wages had "been made up for him. Now, members of the
E.P.E.A., just bring pres.sure to bear upon your representatives
with a view to arriving at a working agreement with the
E S C .\,

The majority of the E.P.E.A. are now in receipt of the
demands recognised by the same National Joint Board that
decided the E.S.C.A. schedule, and it is to be hoped that the
appeal for alliance will not fall on deaf ears.

The employers' side of the National Joint Board have not
carried out their part of the compact, and great unrest and
dissatisfaction has resulted. Members of the E.S.C.A. should
resign from all local guilds as the National Association of
Local Government Officers will claim the right to represent
their interests unless they do. Their unswerving support and
every ounce of their strength are requked if they expect to
obtain the reward they are entitled to.

The E.S.C.A. is adopting the same attitude to timekeepers
and storekeepers that it is condemning the E.P.E.A. for,
and a section ought to be formed taking those in who are
occupying responsible positions, as this is a cla.ss that has
no proper representation at present. Commercial staffs in
tramway undertakings who are separated from the light and
power department should also be invited into the E.S.C.A,.
for remember that " unity is strength," and snobbery amongst
our representatives must not be fostered.

Fair Play.
December loth. 1920.

The Salaries of Works Engineers.

Attention is at present focused on the E.P.E.A. question of
salaries which has drawn a surprisingly sympathetic attitude
from ttie technical Press. It seems, however, to escape the
notice of the technical Press that the conditions of employ-
ment of ti-ained engineers in manufacturing and contracting
firms will, bv settlement of this matter, be thereby .shown up
in sorry contrast. The writer was a shift man until some
years ago. when not being satisfied with prospects, which
point of view will be fully appreciated, he with considerable
difficultv entered the manufacturing end, and now finds that
his position would haVe been considerably improved had be

812

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,248, deobmbeb 24, isao.

remained in central station work. To put it briefly, the
manufacturing end offered better conditions and prospects as
compared with central stations a few years ago. whereas now
the reverse is notoriously the case. What is required is an
organisation of sav, trained engineers in the employment of
B.E.A.M.A. firms on similar Imes to the E.P.E.A., or some
such collective steps, so that conditions of employment in the
respective branches of the electrical industry may he to some
extent equalised. Who will take the lead? and would the
technical Press be equally sympathetic in a crusade against
joint-stock companies as against (mostly) municipalities?

Testbed, A.M.I.E.E.

LIf our correspondent read the technical Press more closely
he would know that his question was superfluous; the Press
will stand for justice, as it always has done. His inattention
to our pages is further evidenced by his suggestion that an
organisation be formed to protect the interests tif the engi-
neers on works' staffs; has he never heard of the Society of
Technical Engineers, of which Mr. Xorman Wyld is the secre-
tary (10'2, Belgrave Eoad, S.W. 1)? It is true that the Society
has not as vet taken a prominent part in affairs; but it holds
the field, and will no doubt make its influence felt when its
organisation is complete.— Eds. Elec^^fv.]

German Competition in the Electrical Trades.

You are quite correct in stating that " Germany is making
another bid for the manufacturing trade of this country," and
you might have added " of the world "; but we cannot stoj)
this bv Acts of Parliament !

Germany has to pay her war debts, and the more she sends
to us as our share the better. By '■ us " I mean the nation,
for we are not all makers of things electrical ; and let us face
the facts— not go about whining.

If our manufacturers cannot hold their own in the home
market, how can they hope to compete successfully in the
world markets? Every mother's son of us must work harder
and produce, better and cheaper stuff than the Germans are
offering, or we " go under."

The first things to abolish are " rings," by which prices are
now being kept up with the idea of protecting our industries,
whereas the actual result is that they are killed.

W. H. M.

December 18th, 1930.

The Jurisdiction of the Electricity Commissioners.

Your " Legal Contributor " does not quite see my meaning,
probablv my fault. The words he used are capable of the
interpretation that the Commissioners have no power to oblige
a. Joint Authority to supply a particular area. That seemed to
need correction. It is clear that the Commissioners have
general powers to impose such an obligation. Whether the
limitations to which this power is subject do or do not apply
in the case which was under discussion seems to be the essen-
tial point which your contributor omits to argue. With respect
to consent of the power company, the proviso to sub-section (1)
of section 12 enables the Ministry of Transport on the recom-
mendation of the Commissioners to dispense with that consent.
So that the contingency of some part of an area being left
without a supply becau.se the authorised undertakers or power
company cannot or will not supply, and will not consent to the
Joint Authority supplying, can hardly arise, assummg that
there is a genuine demand in the area.

As to the ■■ general " character of the schedule to the
Clauses Act of 1899. that schedule is, in effect, a " Model
Order." The passing of the Act did not make that schedule
general law for all supply undertakings, or for any particular
undertaking. It does not apply to any undertaking authorised
by Orders or special Acts made before October 1st. 1899. And
as to Orders and special Acts since that date. Section 1 of
the Clauses Act expressly permits of variations or exceptions
in the schedule as incorporated in such Orders or Acts. It is
therefore not safe to quote the schedule as if it were general
law applying to all undertakings. It onlv appUes so far as it
is incorporated in the Act or Order authorising a particular
undertaking. I agree that most of the clauses of the schedule
have been incorporated in the Orders or Acts passed since the
date of the Act, but there are numerous exceptions. It is
particularly unsafe to assume that any clause in the 1899 sche-
dule is contained in an .-Vet or Order of earlier date than 1899.
There may be some technical term for an Act of this kind,
^•hich only becomes operative by incorporation, or partial
incorporation, with subsequent Acts; in my ignorance I can
only say that it is not exactly a general Act.

Henry M. Savers.

London, S.W.

December 18th. 1920.

in London and organising a real Live Association. I do not,
however, think that a new Association is really necessary.
What is wanted is for the present Association to " get a move
on," and thus increase its sphere of usefulness and largely
extend its scope. My suggestion, therefore, is an appeal to
the Contractors' Association to call general meetings in
Ijondon and m all the large industrial centres, such as Man-
chester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle-on-Tyne, itc. these
meetings to be thrown open to all bonorfide electrical con-
tractors, and held in each centre simultaneously. I feel .sure
that the opinions ventilated at these meetings would result in
the E.G. A. enormously increasing its membership, and putting
the ."Association upon such a footing as would be a real benefit
to the trade.

Among the chief points to be considered, in ray opinion,
are; —

1. The registration of all electrical contractors by the local
supply authority.

2. Negotiations with the manufacturers and wholesale
houses for a proper understanding regarding trade terms, and
to whom such trade terms are to applv.

3. A properly organised advertising scheme to appeal to
users to deal only with registered contractors, both for wiring
work and the supply of electrical goods.

4- ,The Association to combine in making a dead set against
the " private firms " which offer trade terms to all and sundry.

I feel sure that the aims of the Association would meet with
the approval and hearty support of all supply authorities and
wholesale suppliers, and the result would be to the benefit of
all concerned, including the consumers themselves.

I think that our thanks are due to " Retailer " and your
other correspondents for bringing the subject forward, and to
you. Sirs, for your cordial support, and it now remains for the
E.C.-^. to justify its existence or leave it to us to .start a new
organisation.

R. .Marshall Carr.

Macclesfield.
Drcemhfr ISth. 1920.

With reference to the correspondence under the heading
" Shop Displays," my .\f5sociation is constantly settling com-
plaints as to trade discounts being incorrectly allowed, and
when satisfactory settlement cannot be reached, strong action
is taken.

The .Association is always prepared to receive new members,
and to investigate any instance of trade abuses. Full infor-
mation both with regard to the Association and its work
can he obtained by applying to me.

Leonard G. Tate,

General Secretary.
The Electrical Contractors' Association {Inc.).
London.
December 20th, 1920.

[Several letters have been received too late for inclusion in
this issue.— Eds. Elec. Rev.]

Shop Displays.

I arn very much interested in the letters which have been
appearing in your columns signed by " Retailer " and others,
and t certainly think that it is time some steps were taken to
protect the interests of contractors on much broader fines than
the E.C..\. has hitherto been able to bring about, and gener-
ally to raise the Btattie of contractors.

" Retstiler " FUggfesis the contractors being brought together

" S. p. D.," a SubstitDte lor E.P.D. — Sir Charles

Mandleberg, in a recent issue of the Manchester Guardian
Co7nmercial, made an interesting proposal for a substitute
tax for E.P.D. Granting that a tax on profits is necessary
in the first instance, he says such a tax should not be so
great as to interfere with a regular flow of capital into in-
dustry. The simplest way would appear to be to impose
a flat-rate tax on the net profits of all concerns, public and
private, after providing for a fixed percentage on capital
employed ; with a proviso that reserves and undistributed
profits at the beginning of a particular year should be
treated as " capital employed " for the purposes of arriving
at the total allowance on capital, and that remuneration for
management, depreciation, &c., shall be deducted before arriv-
ing at the net profits.

Having regard to the difficulty of obtaining new capital, he
sjiys, the rate of interest to be allowed on the capital employed
should not be less than 8 per cent. .\n authoritative estimate
of the countrv's trading profit for 1920 made recently puts the
figure at £.546.000,000, or 13 per cent, on a capital of
i'4,2fK),OOii,(KJ0. On this basis there would be £210,000,000
that could be subjected to the surplus profits tax suggested
above after allowing 8 per cent, on capital. The point in
which this scheme differs from existing taxes on profits is
that it is based on a sound principle — namely, that every form
of capital has a right to a return before it is taxed for surplus
profits. The need of the hour is to try to devise some scheme
which will vield as good a return as possible without unduly
liampering business. It is claimed that a surplus profit duty
on the lines indicated would seciu-e a fair recognition of the
richt of capital to a return, and so would be less Ukely than
other forms of direct ' taxation to turn fresh capital into
channels other than tho.se of indu.stry.

Engineers' Clubs for London and Birmingham. —

Whilst goin<r to press, we learn that a movement towards formin?
an Engineers' Club in Birmingham has progressed so far that an
option has been exercised on premises for the purpose.

The London movement is also developing satisfactorily ; wc
shall be glad to hear from -those interested.

Vol.87. No. 2,248, deckmbeb 24, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

813

BUSINESS NOTES.

Bankruptcy Proceedings. — J. W. Layton, electrician,

5, Nobles Bank, Hendon, Sunderland. The first meeting of the
creditors of the above was held on December 17th, at the Official
Receiver's Offices, 3, Manor Place, Sunderland. There was not a
quorum of creditors present, and no resolutions were passed, the
Official Receiver remaining trustee of the estate. The statement of
aflfairs showed gross liabilities of £.506, of which £460 were
unsecured and expected to rank for dividend. There were fully
secured creditors for £44. The assets consisted of furniture esti-
mated at £50, book debts estimated to realise £6, a surplus of £13
from the securities in the hands of the fully secured creditors. The
debtor attributed his position to losses on contracts caused by the
rise in the price of platinum.

A. E. Chanson, H. Stanton and C. U. ChAnnon (A. B.
Channon & Co.), electrical engineers, Cheltenham. — Last day for
receiving proofs, December 30th. Trustee, Mr. T. Easton (Official
Receiver), 26, Baldwin Street, Bristol.

Company Liquidations. — Electrical Engineering

Society, Ltd. (late the Electrical and Mechanical Co-operative
Trading Society). — Winding up voluntarily. Liquidator, Mr. A.
Glass, 5, Cook Street, Liverpool.

RooEB Dawson, Ltd.— Mr. A. Niabet, of 3, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
W.C. 2, ceased to act as receiver or manager on December 6th,
1920.

Cannon Motor and Electrical Works, Ltd.— Winding up
voluntarily. Liquidator, Mr. P. G. Clegg, 10, Cannon Lane,
Brighton.

RoTASPHEBE, LTD. — Particulars of claims must be sent to the
liquidator, Mr. E. H. Hawkins, 4, Charterhouse Square, B.C., by
January 14th.

Alliance Electrical Co., Ltd. — Meeting of members is called
for January 14th, at 32, King Street, Covent Garden, W.C, to hear
an account of the winding up from the liquidator, Mr. E.
Mc Arthur.

Catalogues and Lists. — Boving & Co., Ltd., 56, Kings-
way, W.C. 2. — Leaflet No. 101, a detailed and illustrated description
of standard low-lift pumps suitable for direct or belt drive

The Midland Electric Power Installation Co., Old Mill
Street, Wolverhampton. — An illustrated booklet dealing with the
objects and accomplishments of the firm. The illustrations show
various departments of the works. A calendar is embodied in the
booklet.

The Edison Swan Electric Co., Ltd., Ponders End, Middlesex. —
A folder, illustrated by photographs, describing the "Lazilite"'
telephone extension arm. Prices for various styles are given.
Also Leaflet No. B B 197, a priced leaflet illustrating the
" Ediswan-Acme " portable hand-lamp.

The Wholesale Fittings Co., Ltd., 23-27, Commercial
Street, E. 1. — Supplement E 97, a comprehensive illustrated price
list (16 pp.) of lighting fittings, including bowl fittings, standards,
lanterns, and pendants. Also deals with " Victory," " Heola," and
" Champion " electric fires.

R. A. Evans, Ltd., Prospect Road, Leicester.— A list (12 pp.) of
lifts and lift engines. The illustrations are very good, two being
in colour.

The Sun Electrical Co., Ltd, 118 and 120, Charing Cross
Road, W.C. 2.— Catalogue No. 316, "High-Efficiency Lighting"
(28 pp.), illustrating many types of lanterns and reflectors— exten-
sive, intensive, angle, indirect, and semi-indirect — bowl fittings of
various reflecting and refracting materials, and gaafilled tungsten
lamps. Prices are given very fully.

The Mabconi Scientific Instbhment Co., Ltd., 21-25, St.
Anne's Court, Dean Street, Soho W. 1.- Abridged catalogue of wire-
less and laboratory apparatus (16 pp.), illustrating and describing
variable air condensers, potentiometers, resistances, ico. Also an
illustrated list dealing with amplifiers, tuning units, valves, ic.
Both lists are fully priced.

Millars' Timber and Trading Co., Ltd., Pinners' Place, E.G. 2.
— An illustrated folder describing the " Schramm " portable petrol-
driven air compressor.

Trade Announcements. — Vekner Time Switches, Ltd.,

have removed their works and offices to much larger premises at
45, Horseferry Road, Westminster, S W. 1.

English Elkctric & Siemens Supplies, Ltd. — The sales
department of this company (also of Messrs. Siemens Brothers
and Co., Ltd ), formerly of Central House, New Street, Birmingham,
has removed to new premises, and in future its address wUl be
English Electric & Siemens Supplies, Ltd., White House, 111, New
Street, Birmingham. Telephone, Midland 964 ; telegrams, Siemens,
Birmingham.

Enterprise Manufacturing Co., Ltd., has appointed the Isis
Electrical Co., of 57, Albert Road, Aston, Birmingham, its agents
for the Birmingham district.

Swedish General Electric. Ltd., has appiinted Mr. A. N.
Douglas, of 4 Pembroke Terrace, Queen Street, Cardiff, its agent in
the South Walts district.

Messrs. Wilson Habtnell & Co., Ltd., 11, New Station Street,
Leeds, announce that owing to a fire at their works, on December
17th, difficulty is being experienced in carrying on the business for
a few days.

Inquiries. — The name and address of makws of " Oarabon "
insulating material, of a non-automatic s.p, cut-out for battery

charging switchboards, of an electrically perfect cement to with-
stand 1,000° C, and of composition connectors for electric heating
appliances, are asked for.

New Welsli Mines.— The Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron, and
Coal Co. haa commenced to sink two shafts for a new colliery at
Aberbeeg, near Newport, to be worked entirely by electricity
generated at the company's works at Ebbw Vale. It is expected
that within the next 10 years employment will thus be provided
for 2,500 men, and that the output will be about a million tons per
annum, the area of coal available being about 1,200 acres. The
shafts will be 20 ft. in diameter, and wUl be sunk to the old coal
seam, an estimated depth of 500 yards. — Daily Telegraph.

Boolf Notices. — " The Electrical Power Engineer."
Vol. II. No. 5. November, 1920. 24 pp. Price 4d. — This number
of the official organ of the B.P.E.A. contains a full account of the
Southern Division dinner, ani proceedings of the various divisions
and sections.

Scientific Paper No. 400 of the U.S. Bureau of Standards,
" Ionization and Resonance Potentials of some Non-Metallic
Elements." 32 pp. Washington : Government Printing Office.
Price 5 cents. The elements treated of are phosphorus, iodine
sulphur, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen.

"B.B.C. MitteUungen." Vol. VII. No. 9. September, 1920.
26 pp. Baden (Switz.) : Brown, Boveri & Cie.

" The National Physical Laboratory. Collected Researches."
Vol. XIV. 1920. 307 pp. London : H.M. Stationery Office.
Price 25s. net. The amount of work in optical research repre-
sented by this volume is enormous. Methods of measuring
refractive indices, dispersion, &c., in various types of glass and
work on telescopic objectives of many descriptions make up the
bulk of the volume, adding valuable data to the resources of the
science. In production the work is an excellent example of the
printer's art.

"L'Bclairage Electrique." By L. BarbiUon and P. Bergeon.
160 pages, 87 figs. Paris : A. Michel. 15 fr.

" Science Abstracts." A and B. Vol.XXIIL Part 10. No. 274.
October Slat, 1920. London : E. and F. N. Spon, Ltd. Price 2i. 6d.
each,

Utreclit Industries Fair. — Holland's Fifth Industries
Fair, which is to be held at Utrecht from September 6th to 16th
next year, is the first of the series to be made " international." Its
representation for the United Kingdom haa now been taken over
by the Federation of British Industries, in the belief that its
success in its more restricted " national " character will be even
greater now that it is thrown open to the exhibits of all nations.
It is hoped that British goods will bulk largely at the fair next
year, and that both members of the Federation and other manu-
facturers will take advantage of the new opportunities offered.
The fair was started in 1917, when the war was stiU raging, and
this and other factors made it necessary to confine exhibits to
Dutch products. This restricted beginning, however, made it
possible to perfect the organisation of the fair much more easily
than has been the case with the majority of similar enterprises,
and Dutch thoroughness is visible both in attention to detail and
grasp of essentials. — Financier.

B.T.H. Operatic Society. — Following upon their success
with ''lolanthe," the members of the B.T.H. Amateur Operatic
Society produced " Patience " on December 13th, and it ran for the
whole of last week at the Hippodrome, Rugby. We have received
a souvenir programme showing a splendid " cast " and full chorus.
The future arrangements of the Society provide for the production
of " The Gondoliers," " The Mikado,' and " The Yeoman of the
Guard."

E.D.A. Activities. — We are pleased to see that encourage-
ment is being given by the E.D.A. to organisers of local electrical
exhibitions. These bring the residents of the districts in which
they are held into much closer touch with the possibilities of
electrical aid than the larger central exhibitions. In this connec-
tion the E.D A., in a circular letter to managers of electricity under-
takings, offers its aid in publicity and other directions, and it is to
be hoped that full advantage will be taken of this opportunity of
obtaining expert assistance.

Among the new publications of the Association recently received
are many of high " attention-drawing " power. A postcard
depicting a smiling female face reflected in the polished bottom of
an electric iron bears the title ; "The Reflection of a Housewife
with an Electric Iron." A folder headed : " Just a Turn of the
Switch," illustrates a number of domestic appliances, and draws
attention to their advantages and simplicity. " A Present Problem
Solved" is a leaflet suggesting a way out of the worry which
usually attends the selection of suitable presents at this time of the
year. The attraction of the electric fire, shown in a leaflet,
" Healthy Radiant Heat for the Office, Home, and Factory," seems
to be irresistible to a couple of business men who are postd before
it. The interior of this pamphlet contrasts heating by raw fuel
and electric heat.

The pamphlet E.D.A. 108, giving notes on the statutory provi-
visions and regulations for protection of the meters, terminals, and
fuses of public electricity suppliers is of great value to electrical
contractors, the essential points being simply and briefly stated.

These and the other publicity matter should prove powerful
agents in the electrical ednoation of the public.

814

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,248, dbc3i;mbbb 24, 1920.

Calendars.— Mr. AV. U. Harris Burland, 63, Queen
Victoria Street, E.C. 4, agent for Mesirg. R A. Evans, Ltd , Leicester,
has sent us two calendars of high artistic merit. One, showing
some horses enjoying a rest from their labours, ia entitled " Sunday
Evening." The other, " A Breezy Morning," depicts a man and
his dog on some high ground, while grey clouds are flying over a
town in the distance.

Messrs. J. H. Woolliscroft & Co , of New Quay. Liverpool,
have issued a calendar, with daily slips printed in red. mounted on
a stout card base.

Messrs. Mawdslet's, Ltd., Zone Works, Dursley, Glos., have
issued to their friends a most acceptable wall calendar. The subject
is a study of a lady, holding a bunch of flowers, looking over a
wall, with the wording at foot, " Between You and Me." The
dat-^-slips are quite unobtrusive.

The Industrial League and Council, of 82, Victoria Street,
has sent us a pocket dtary which will be of use with regard to
Labour organisations.

Hudson's Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd., has produced a
wall calendar with bi-monthly slips illustrated by Cecil Alden.

For Sale. — Farnworth Urban District Electricity
Department invites offers for one two-flued Lancashire boiler, no
fire boxes, 30 ft. x 8 ft. 6 in., 200 lb. pressure. See our advertise-
ment pages to-day.

The Crisis in Eleclrlcity Supply.— The stiike notices

served by the E.P.E.A. on those undertakings which have failed to
agree with the award of the National Joint Board have been
deferred until December 30th, at the request of the Minister of
Labour. It is understood that in the London district, Finchley,
Hornsey, Hackney and Ilford are still standing out.

There is to be no strike of electrical engineers in the East
Midlands, a settlement having been arranged at a meeting of
representatives of municipal and privately-owned electricity under-
takings and the Electrical Power Engineers' Association, held at
the Guildhall, Nottingham, on December 16th.

The towns affected by the negotiations included Nottingham,
Derby, Loughborough, Mansfield, Long Eiton, Kettering, North-
ampton, and Bnrton-on-Trent.

After deliberations extending over three hours, the following
resolution was agreed to : —

" In view of the fact that the electrioity undertakings repre-
sented at this conference have agreed to adopt the schedule and
conditions, save that where the conditions vary they are equal to or
better than the conditions proposed, this conference recommends
that these undertakings be classed under Group ' A.' It is further
agreed that steps be taken to make the Joint Board fully repre-
sentative of all electricity undertakings."

Submarine Apparatus for Monte Video.— The Depart-
ment of Overseas Trade has received an inquiry from a firm of
marine and mining pngineers in Monte Video, which desires to be
placed in touch with manufacturers of the following plant : —
Submarine apparatus for submersion to depths of over 150
metres ; under-water telephone and electric light apparatus ;
centrifugal electric pumps to work under water for marine
purposes ; air pumps for divers ; waterproof canvas for diving
suits ; salvage tugs ; deep-water lighters of small tonnage, con-
structed of either wood or iron and driven by crude petroleum or
naphtha engines ; and all salvage apparatus in general. The
firm desires to receive catalogues and prices, with a view to
purchasing in this country ; its name and address may be obtained
from the D.O.T.,at 35, Old Queen Street, S.W. 1.

Electrical Trade in Jugo-Slavia.- By a recent Govern-
ment decision the following, among other, goods are admitted
duty free : — Motors and their parts, transmission lines, trans-
formers, condensers, accumulators, electrodes weighing less than
five kilogrammes, cables and other electric conductors, material
for electric conduits, accessory material for the chemical industry,
and electric rolling stock.

New Italian Company. — A company, which should
attract the attention of English manufacturers, has just been
formed in Milan, under the style of Societa Anonima Importazione
Fornitura Industriali, with s, capital of 100,000 lire, with the object
of facilitating the importation into Italy of material and special
articles, not obtainable in Italy, required in the electrical industry.
The demand created by the great development of hydro- electric
works is more particularly in the minds of the promoters, but
railway conversion, telephone and telegraph reforms are not
excluded. The new company is really an cffshoot and department
of the firm of Boneschi, Milan, and has been embodied as a distinct
company with a capital of its own, with a view to carrying out its
programme more fully.

Local Exiiibitions. — A local electrical exhibition is being

held in Cardiff at the end of January next.

Mr. TurnbuU, borough electrical engineer, is organising an
exhibition of electrical goods at Aylesbury from February 14th to
16th, 1921.

Copper and Lead Prices. — Messrs. F. Smith & Co.

report, December 2l8t :— Copper (electrolytic) bars, £87, £7
decrease ; ditto sheets, no change ; ditto wire rods, £105, £2
decrease; ditto H C. wire, le. IJd., Jd. decrease ; silicium bronza
wire. Is. lOd., Id. decrease.

Messrs. James & Shakespeare report, December 21st : —
Copper bars (best selected), sheets and rods, £134, £6 decrease.
English pig lead, no change on last week's prices.

Annual Dinners. — The annual dinner of Messrs. Wilson
Hartnell & Co., Ltd., was held on December 11th, at the Hotel
Metropole, Leeds, and wag followed by an enjoyable smoking
concert.

A large number of the oflScials and employes of Messrs. i.lRey-
roUe & Co., Ltd., Hebburn-on-Tyne, spent a very enjoyable
evening on the occasion of the annual dinner of thf company's
fire brigade, on Saturday, the 11th ingt., at the Station Hotel,
Hebburn, Mr. N. Merz presiding.

New French Companies. — Under the style of La Lampe

Phillips has been formed at Paris (8, Cit6 Paradis) a company,
with a capital of 2,000,000 fr., for the manufacture of the Phillips
lamp.

■With a capital of 100,000 fr. has been embodied at Paris
(122, Avenue de la Republique) the Soclete Anonyme Framjaise
" Synergie," for the manufacture and sale in France, her colonies
and protectorates, of machines, tools, and instruments of precision.
The Socittu des Grands Reseaux Electriques — great electric
networks company — hag been embodied at Paris (8, Rue Laraen-
nais),with acapital otl,000,C00fr. inoOO-fr. shares, of which 168 are
allotted to the Societo des Grandes Enterprises M^ridionales, 168 to
M. Theveninel, and 166 to the Society des Constructions M^tal-
liqueg. Names of oflBcials of the Fonts et ChausBees Department
are on the strong board of directors.

Under the title of Auvray et Berger has been formed at Paris
(5, Passage St. Pierre Amelot) a company, with 100,000 fr., to
carry out electrical undertakings.

With a capital of 700,000 fr. hag been constituted the Electrifica-
tion Industrielle (Lousteau Petit et Cie.). M. Lonsteau receiving
3,000 100-fr. shares for his assets. The offices of the company are
at 12, Boulevard du Temple, Paris.

At St. Andr^ de Cubzao (Gironde) has been formed the Society
d'Energie Electrique Cubziguaise, with a capital of 500,000 fr.

There has been established at Paris (15, Rue C6sar Franok) the
Soci^te d'Applications Eleotro-mecaniques, with a capital of
500,000 fr.

A new company has just been formed in Paris (5, Rue Blanche),
with a capital of 12,000,000fr. and the title La Society de« Forces
Motrices de I'Ariege, to establish a large electricity generating
station in the Ariege district.

There has been formed at Ile-et-Vilaine, Reunes (2 t. Boulevard
de la L'b3rt6), the Sooi^t^ d'Enterprises Hjdrauliques et d'XJtiliea-
tion Industrielle des Marees, whose objects are the survey and
carrying out of electric generation works, utilising the force of the
tides for the purpose. Among the directors is M. Parisot, well
known in connection with the Ranee River tidal scheme. The
company's capital is 500,000 fr.

New Belgian Company. — There has been established at
Brussels (5, Rue des Colonies), the Societo Anonyme Horlogerie-
Contr61e-EIectricit6, with a capital of 200,000 fr., for the purchase,
sale, manufacture, and installation of all kinds of electrlcad and
mechanical apparatus.

The Debt of Honour.— The monthly chart issued by the
Labour Ministry showing the progress of reabsorption into civilian
life of disabled and fit ex-officers and men gives the position at the
beginning of December as follows : —

Disnhled Men.—IO.ihl unemployed (November, 18,881).

E.i-Service .il/fn.— 230.798 unemployed (November, 217,359).

•OfHcers. — 11,924 unemployed (November, 11,719).

The King's Roll. — 22 820 Arms in the national scheme (November,
22,418).

To the above unemployment figures substantial additions should
be made to cover cases not on the Ministry's registers.

Dr. Macnamara states ; — " The position disclosed by the chart
is not a very satisfactory one. No one can pretend that, while the
facts are as disclosed, the nation's debt of honour to these men has
been anything like requited. It is true, so far as the number of
ex-Service men registered as unemployed are concerned, that the
numbers on the registers at the beginning of December are less
than they were in .January, February, and March of the present
year. But in those months demobilifation was proceeding at an
accelerated pace, and every man returning from the Army auto-
matically registered at the Employment Exchanges. The progress
made month by month up till September was continuous and
steady, the numbers having decreased from 388, 13s in January to
130,137 in August. Since then the barometer began to fall, and,
I am sorry to say, the downward tendency still continues. Many
of the men already settled in industry are being thrown back on
the unemployment registers, and this applies not only to the
fit ex-Service men, but to the disabled and ex-ofiicers. — The Times.

Lead Report. — Messrs. G. Cawson & Co., writing on
December 18th, say : — Closing prices yesterday were : — December,
£22 10s. to £22 158.; January, £23 6s. to £23 10s.; February, £23 lOs.
to £23 15s. ; March, £24 to £24 5s. The heavy arrivals pressing on
the market seem now to be pretty well cleared, and there is a good
inquiry for next year's deliveries. Electrical works continue to
take lead in fair quantities. With regard to supplies, there is now
likely to be a considerable falling off in arrivals. London at present
is the dumping ground of all the surplus lead in the world, and
prices here are decidedly lower than in any other country. The
outlook now seems rather clearer, and we are inclined to look for a
steady improvement.

Electric Dish Washer Wanted.— To meet the scarcity of

servants in Italy, the Societa Piemontese d'Igiene has decided to
award a prize of 1,000 lire to the inventor of a cheap electrical
apparatus for the automatic washing of kitchen utensils.

Vol.87. No. 2,248, dbctmbeb 24, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

815

Railway Maoagemeat. — Proposals as to the future
working of the railways have been made by the F.B.I, in response
to the Bohemea outlined in a White Paper (Cmd. 787), dealinsr with
this subject, recently issued by the Ministry of Transport.
Referrintf to the sugj^ested groupinfi: of systems, the Federation
thinks that any such combination should be one of management
rather than of ownership, and should also be of a voluntary nature.
It is recommended that not more than 11 shareholders' directors,
and at least four traders' directors should be included in the com-
position of the suggested group boards of 21 directors. Excess
profits, it is stated, should be used to lower charges, instead of
going to the National Exchequer, or to a development fund. The
appointment of a technical aidviser to the Minister of Transport is
called for ; also a Finance Tribunal to fix fares and rates. It is
suggested that this tribunal be composed of three members, and
that it take the place of the Railway and Canal Commission. The
report also deals with wages, which, it says, should be fixdd with
due regard to the effect upon the general wage level of the country,
and not solely from the point of view of the railways.

Finland's Industrial Prodactioa. — The Commercial and
Industrial Administration of Finland has published statistics con-
cerning the value of the country's production in 1919. Given in
Finnish marks, the figures show that the value of the output of the
engineering works wag 266,300,000 marks, that of the machine
industry 1,000,000 marks, and that of the electrical industry
51,300,000 marks.

Japanese Commercial Depression. — A report on the

above subject has just been received by the Department of Over-
seas Trade from Mr. E. F. Crowe, C.M.G., Commercial Counsellor to
His Majesty's Embassy in Tokio. Mr. Crowe states that he has
recently paid visits to Kobe ana Osaka, where the situation is even
more acute than in the north, and after interviews with many
leading business men, both Japanese and foreign, he has formed
the following impressions : — " The general opinion seems to be
that matters will grow worse before the end of the year, and that
there is no hope of improvement before Spring. Any improve-
ment which may then be forthcoming will be dependent on con-
ditions in America. The latest trade figures for the period up to
the end of August show a total of 1,897,000,000 yen imports, and
1,467,000,000 yen exports. The returns for trade with the United
Kingdom for a similar period stand at about 160,000,000 yen
imports, and 75,000,000 yen exports. Notwithstanding the heavy
adverse balance, the yen to-day is worth nearly 3s., instead of
28. Oid., the par rate of exchange. This fact, coupled with the
large and steady imports of gold, which exceed 120,000,000 yen
since the commencement of the year, proves that Japan's finances
are on a sound basis.

" One of the largest items in the import trade is that of metals.
Daring the war large fortunes were realised by the importers, a"d
the shortage of iron and steel was so great that many new iron
works were commenced, and big sums were expended on the pur-
chase of the necessary plant, it is said that to-day not one of the
new iron works is paying its way, several have had to close, and
the others are carrying on at a heavy loss. There are two factors
of special interest connected with the metal trade ; one is the heavy
importation of galvanised sheets and tin plates by concerns whion
were inexparienced in the b"sine88, and now find themselves
burdened with enormous stocks which have depreciated in value.
In normal years Japan exports about 40,000 tons of copper, and
imports none. For the first half of this year she exporttd only
3,5o0 tons, and imported 20,000 tons. There was no domestic
demand to justify such figures, and naturally a heavy drop ensued
with the result that the copper has had to be re-exported at a
serious loss, and the speculators are on the verge of bankruptcy."

The Swedish Electrical Industry. — The Swedish

Association of the Electrical Industry (Elektro Industri Fore-
ning) has presented a petition to the Government pointing
out that the situation of the industry has become more un-
favourable during the past six months, and renewing a pre-
vious application for the accommodation of the import duties
charged according to weight to the depreciation of money so
as thereby to restore the Customs protection which was
granted to the industry by the rates introduced in 1911. It ia
stated in this connection that the imports of electrical pro-
ducts in certain branches have assumed such dimensions as
to tend to paralyse the native manufacturers, the expired
months of the present year having already recorded imports
of the value of 11,330.01X1 kr., a.s compared with export.s of
6.000,000 kr. in the same period. It is submitted that through
its trading departments the State possesses the possibility of
supporting the national electrical industry, but the State seems
to carry on a contrary policy. If through a scarcity of orders
the industry is compelled to restrict working, the Association
considers that it is a question whether the Government autho-
rities will not have to pay out as unemployed grants a
sum greater than the difference in prices resulting from
purchases from other countries. In the opinion of the Associa-
tion the action of the State under the existing extraordinary
circumstances should not be considered from a narrow-minded
point of view, but should he regarded in connection with its
consequences to the general community — the more so as the
State's taxation policy has materially contributed towards
the diminution in the industry's power of endurance in face
of the strains of the present times. As an instance of the
dimensions assumed by the irnports, it is mentioned that
the glow lamp makers now have stocks on hand sufficient
(or the requirements of the country for one year, and they,

therefore, look forward to the future with some concern. The
production of electrical measuring apparatus, which has been
in course of favourable development, is now confronted with
a scarcity of work, as appreciable orders have recently been
placed in other countries; while the production of installation
materials is declared to have practically ceased in consequence
of the large imports. In conclusion, the Association points
out that the value of the output of the electrical industry
last year amounted to 130,000. (XX> kr., so that it represents
a not immaterial factor in the national economy. On the
other hand, Mr. Edstrom, manager of the AUmanna Svenska
Elektriska A.B., is reported to have stated that foreign com-
petition has hitherto not caused the company — the largest
in Sweden — any serious concern. The inland sales have not
diminished, while the company's exports have experienced
an increase. He added that the company has managed to
meet foreign rivalry for 40 years, and has reason for hoping
also to be successful in the future.

Maiket lor Machinery in the Trieste District.— Long

before the end of the war nearly all the industries in
Trieste and its hinterland had closed down except mines,
transportation, and public utilities' service, and factories en-
gaged in the production of military supplies. In the district
of Gorizia many industries were destroyed during the
numerous battles in that region. During the war very httle
new machinery was introduced, and much of the existing
machinery became antiquated, worn out, or defective. Hence,
there is an extensive market for up-to-date machinery in this
region. According to the United States Consul at Trieste,
the material chiefly in demand includes electric apparatus
and appliances, water meters, turbines, tools, cranes, steam
and oil engines, equipment for shipbuilding, mining, and
textile machinery. The steam and electric railways are also
in great need of equipment and supplies. Jugoslavia, German-
Austria, Hungary, and other countries of the hinterland are
in need of locomotives and rolling stock on account of the
great losses and deterioration in consequence of the war.

Among the new projects which will create a considerable
demand for machinery is the' plan to connect up the hydro-
electric plant of the Celina in the Veneto with the Isonzo
plant at Monfalcone and the hydroelectric plant of the Eecina
with the hydroelectric plants of the Celina and the Isonzo.
Plants especially in need of new equipment and machinery
are textile mills in German-Austria and Jugoslavia ; the coal
mines of Istria and Dalmatia; the tramways of Trieste, Pola,
and Gorizia ; and the shipyards of Trieste and Monfalcone.

Competitors to be Met.—Ihe machinery manufacturers of
Italy have not as yet placed any considerable quantity of
their products in this territory. Italian machinery sold here
consists principally of oil-burning engines, lathes, and engines
for motor cars. Italian cranes and steam engines do not seem
to have made any headway in this market. British-made
machinery sold here consists chiefly of winches for ships,
boilers, and turbines. Before the wai- most of the machinery
in use in this region was made either in Austria or Germany,
owing to the high tariff duties imposed on the imports from
other countries. Now Austrian and German manufacturers
must compete on equal terms with other countries.

Pending the restoration of normal conditions in the coun-
tries formerly constituting the Austro-Hungarian monarchy
no extensive improvements or large investments of capital
in productive enterprises have been made. For the present
such projects are at a standstill, but those interested will no
doubt promote them as soon as conditions are more favourable
and the required capital is available. In the meantime manu-
facturers of machinery should organise their export business
so that they will be able to compete in this territory. It
would be advisable to study conditions on the spot and to
form connections with good local technical or engineering
firms which have the facilities for exhibiting, handling, and
installing machinery. Ample stocks of machines, spare parts,
and supplies would thus always be available for the prompt
filling of orders and exrecution of contracts.

A German Steel and Electrical Combination. — As was

briefly mentioned in a recent issue, the Siemens and Schuc-
kert group proposes to enter into an agreement with a great
coal and steel combination which before the war controlled an
annual production of over 15,000,000 tons of coal, the object
m view being to reduce the costs of production and enhance
the export possibilities in manufactures.

An official communication that has been issued states that
the directors of the Siemens & Haleke Co. and of the Nurem-
berg Schuckert Electricity Co.. subject to the confirmation
of the shareholders at forthcoming meetings, have decided
to enter into a community of interests with the Gelsenkirchen
Mining & Ironworks Co. The agreement already concluded
a short time ago between the latter and the Deutsch-Luxem-
burg Co. for a period of 80 years through the formation of the
Rhine-Elbe Union, aims not only at improving the methods
of working, but also at cheapening them. The Siemens-
Schuckert group associates itself with this fundamental idea,
and is endeavouring to carry it out to its final results in highly
developed manufactures. The economic situation of Germany
renders it necessary to strengthen the exi.=;ting individual
undertakings and seek out new ways which lead to the highest
technical and economic efficiency in the production of manu-
factures. For this purpose the electrical industry must obtain

816

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,248, dbcmbbb h. 1920,

influence to the eitent that the raw materials and •emi-
finished products offered to it are of such a quality as not
only to cheapen the methods of working, but also to raise
the value of .the manufactures to a higher lev»l.

'Hie communication proceeds to state that th« industry
must also render itself free from the oppressing anxiety in
the matter of obtaining raw materials, and assure itself a
smooth course of working which, by the avoidance of all
unnecessary transport, will place it in the position substan-
tially to reduce the time occupied in manufacturing. The
new combination ensures the poBsibiUty of exporting, in
place of raw materials and semi-finished products, finished
manufactures in the production of which large amounts are
paid in wages. It will be possible materially to curtail the
amount of stocks held, avoid roundabout ways of production,
and effect a considerable economy in capital. The combina-
tion forms a counter-balance against the injurious effects of
the fluctuations in the situation of trade for all the parties
concerned, and promotes a more uniform degree of employ-
ment for the workmen and the .staff'. It is intended to con-
clude the agreeinent on the same principles as the agreement
of the Rhine-Elbe Union, and the independence of the elec-
trical firms interested remains untouched, while the adhesion
of the Nuremberg Schuckert Co. secures for Bavarian industry
the desirable influence in the supply of coal and iron and
steel which is now lacking.

It will be seen that the communication is not accompanied
by any details. This leads to the assumption that for the
moment only a fundamental agreement exists, and that the
details of the contemplated association of interests will only
be brought forward in time for the general meetings. The
firms concerned in the first place are the Siemens & Halske
Ck). and the Schuckert Co., of Nuremberg. As is known,
the former chiefly produces apparatus for weak currents, and
has interests in German and foreign works engaged both in
the heavy and light electrical engineering branches. On the
other hand, the latter is mainly concerned with the manu-
facture of electric welding apparatus and electrochemical
plant, and at the same time has considerable interests in
power, tramway, and hydro-electric works.

It is, however, not these particular interests — it is asserted —
which are inducing the two companies to enter into the
projected community of interests, but the necessities of their
subsidiary in the form of the Siemens-Schuckert Works of
Berlin, to which both companies transferred their heavy elec-
trical departments quite a number of years ago. The new
association will not only place at the disposition of the elec-
trical firms interested supplies of coal and iron and steel, but
also to some extent brass and aluminium and freight accom-
modation through the Stinnes group^ which is the author
of the Rhine-Elbe Union, and the moving spirit in the present
scheme.

It should be added that the Rhine-Elbe Union is based
upon the pooling of profits, the Gelsenkirchen Co. and the
Deutsch-Luxemburg Co. each having a share capital of
130,000,000 marks. The share capital of the Siemens & Halske
Co. is now 126,000,000 marks, and will probably be increased
by 4,000,000 marks so as to bring it to the level of that of the
other two companies, while that of the Schuckert Co. is
70,000,000 marks, and if the capital remains at this figure the
company will not enter the combination on an equality with
the other three partners.

LIQHTINQ AND POWER NOTES.

^ Barnes. — Loan. — The Lighting Committee recommends
application to the Electricity Commiasioners for sanction to borrow
£10,000, which is the estimated cost of mains and services for the
ensuing three years.

Beckenhatn. — House Lighting. — The Electricity Com-
mittee reported at a recent meetinff of the Council that the
estimated cost of cable extensions and house wirln? for the Elmers
End housingr scheme was £5,700. It was resolved to apply for
sanction to borrow this amount.

Bootle. — ELECxaiciTY Scheme. — The Bootle Corporation
has approved of the electricity scheme for the Merseyside and West
Lancashire area, but it was pointed out at a recent Council meet-
ing at which this decision was reached, that the consumers would
be better served by an extension of their own electricity under-
taking as was proposed in 1917. It was stated that the opposition
of Birkenhead and Wallasey was not to the scheme, but to the
area ; Southport had not yet decided whether it wished to be
grouped with Liverpool or with Preston ; similarly. Warrington
halted between Liverpool and Manchester, whilst St. Helens affreed
to the scheme and the area. A plea is being male for the
extension of the local electricity works and for fioancial safe-
guards.

BridliDgtoD. — Proposed Price Lvcrease. — The Elec-
tricity Committee has decided to apply for an Order to increase
the statnlory maximum charge for electricity supplied under the
Bridlington Electric Lighting Order (19001 from 8d. to Is. per unit,
or such other amount which will be sufficient, so far as can be
estimated, to enable the undertaking to be carried on without loss.

Chester. — Bulk Supply Necessary. — At a recent
meeting of the City Council the chairman of the Electricity Com-
mittee outlined the scheme for the North Wales and Chester
Electricity District under the Electricity (Supply) Act of 1919. At
the present time the capacity ot the plant, both in Chester and
Wrexham, was taxed to its utmost, and there was little likelihood
of the needs of the district being adequately catered for for two or
three years unices they obtained an independent bulk supply.
Negotiations had been in progress for 12 months with the Govern-
ment with a view to utilising for this purpose H.M. factory at
Queen's Ferry, which was capable of d^veloping 5.500 KW., bat no
decision had been arrived at so far. The Council had received a
letter from the War Office saying that the matter wag under
consideration.

Continental. — Russia. — The generation and distribution
of electric power in Russia is under the control of the Soviet Depart-
ment for Electricity. This Department manages 10 nationalised
power plants, 45 nationalised factories for electrical machinery,
telephones, and telegraphs, and 19 works not yet nationalised. The
aims of the Soviet Government are to build new power plants and
to supply electricity to farmers, sawmills, mines, and to all the
larger foodstuff producers. A statement issued by the Govern-
ment re raiding the future of the electrical industry in Russia ii
full of optimism, and goes so far as to saj that all the hjdro-electric
resources of the country will be utilised to bring the country
to a state of prosperity unparalleled in its history. The figures
showing the power production of the Moscow and Petrcgrad
plants from January to April, lii20, show, however, that practical
conditions are very far behind these aims of the Soviet Govern-
ment. In Moscow only three of the existing five power plants
were running in January ; the other two were put to work later
on, with insignificant results. Only 8,(i00,000 KW. -hours are produced
in Moscow per month. In Petrograd the power production is still
less, and was in March at its highest point, with 6,800 OCO
KW.-hours. In these two cities nine of the ten nationalised power
plants are situated. The electricity works in the provinces, such
as exist, are still in private hands, but are mostly shut down for
want of fuel. — Pouyer.

Bulgaria. — A BUI has been introduced into the Bulgarian
Legislative Chamber for the utilisation of water power and irriga-
tion works ; also a draft Bill relating to syndicates for water
undertakings. Surveys have been made for the utilisation of the
rivers Topolnica, Kritchin, Luda-Yana, f>trema, Eli-Dere, Tchai,
Tundja, Vinkos, and Suttica. They show that 1,0C0,0C0 H.p. may be
utilised in Bulgaria, of which the railways and various industries
could consume 130,000-150,000, tha rest being available for agri-
culture and irrigation and the supply of drinking water by electric
pumps to dry districts. The works wUl be undertaken either by
the State or private corporations. A Water Board will be set up at
the Ministry of Agriculture.

Austria. — H.M. Consul at Vienna reports that, according to tihe
Reich jHid . the construction of the Strubklamm power station wag
recently commenced. The completion of the work is contemplated
for December, 1921. The total cost will be 64 million crowns,
which will be covered by a loan of the municipality of Salzburg,
amounting to 80 million crowns.

Czecho-Slovakia. — The State Council of Electricity Works
has drawn up regulations determining the conditions of
utilisation of natural sources of power and the type of electric
current to be used in the establishment of power stations (pro-
duction and distribution). — Economic Beciew,

Norway. — The Financial Department of the Norwegian Govern-
ment recommends the raising of a loan for the account of the
State, either in the home or foreign markets, to yield a total of
50,000,000 kronen for the purpose of placing the funds at the
disposal of the communal authorities so as to enable them to
complete their respective electricity supply works. The local
authorities will have to reimburse the State the expenses of the
proposed issue, and the interest and redemption charges. It is
pointed out by the Department that applications have been
received from a number of communes asking for loans for elec-
tricity works, the total amounting to 140,UC0,000 kronen (about
£7,000,000). Some of the applications refer to works which are
not yet begun, and they consequently do not come within the scope
of the assistance which was contemplated by the Government, and
from which the Department does not propose to depart.

France. — There has just been set up in the Department of Pny-
de-D6me an Office des Forces Hydrauliqnes, whose duty, among
other things, is the preparation of a hydroelectric map of the
department and neighbourhood showing all the existing water-
falls. The important rivers of this Department are the Dordogne,
the Bave, and the AUaynon, and on the first-named the Societe de
I'Energie Industrielle has just been granted a conceision to buUd a
dam, which will supply from 2 000 to 6,000 H p., the installation
being estimated to coat 10,000,000 fr. Another concession, on the
Upper Dordogne. has juat been accorded to the Force et LumiJre
company. On the Bave, the Omnium K^gionale d'Elleotrioit6 has
just secured a concession for a waterfall yielding from 1.200 up to
4,000 HP., to be utilised to supply various communes, and the
Charbonnier and M^gecoate mines.

SwKDKN. — Sven.ilta DiigblaSet learns that the Sydsvenska Kraft
Aktiebolaget (South Swedish Power Co.) inte-dj to erect a new
power station at Skogaby on the River Lagan in the parish of
Ysby, which will provide about 12,000 h.p. — Rmter's Trade
Service (Stockholm).

Doncaster.— Extension of Supply.— The Electricity

Committee, having leosived an applioavion from the Bentley-with-

Vol.87. No. 2,248, decembbr 24, 1920. THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

817

Arksey Urban CounoQ for a supply of electricity to a housing site
at Arksey Lane, hus recommended that the borough electrical engi-
neer be authorised to comply, subject to the Btntley CouncLl'a
undertaking to provide and connect up the necessary low- tension
cables to the houEes Irom a transformer sub station on the site.

Galashiels.— Proposed New Station. — The Town

Council will hold a conference to discuss the question of a central
electricity supply station for that district of the Borders. Messrs.
Buchan & Partners, consulting electrical engineers, Edinburgh,
have prepared a scheme.

Harrogate. — Breakdown. — The electricity supply
failel on Ddoember 13th in the late afternoon and the town was
plunged in darkness. This was the second breakdown within a
week. The Corporation's overloaded plant is being extended.

Hull.— Proposed Extexsions. — The Electricity Com-
mittee is faced with the necessity of extending the undertaking,
particularly with regard to railway sidings, coal storage accommo-
dation, and plant. At a special meeting, JUajor H. Bell, the
electrical engineer, was instructed to prepare a scheme for the
extension of the electricity works.

Kingstown. — L. & N.W. Railwat Improvements. —

In connection with the taking up of the Kingstown and Holyhead
Boyal Mad service, under Government contract, by the London and
North- Western Railway Co , considerable improvements are to be
made at Carlisle Pier and the railway station in Kingstown, a
feature being the iutroduction of electrically-controlled apparatus
for the handling of the mail bags, baskets, &c.

Kirkcaldy. — Sale of Undertaking. — The Town
Council's negotiations with the Fife Electric Power Co for the
sale of the municipal electricity undertaking to the company have
been temporarily suspended— apparently because the Council is
waiting to see what arrangements are to be made in connection with
the formation of a Joint Electricity Board in Fife.

Liverpool. — Dock Electrification. — Considerable pro-
gress has been made with the electrification of certain parts of the
Liverpool docks. The Hornby to Sandon Dock section, the first
part of the scheme for general electrification, will be completed
I liortly. All the main cables are laid, and the Canada sub-station
i^ ready for connection with the Corporation mains. The erection
c f the Hornby station is completed, and the erection of converters,
&o., is well advanced. The wiring of the sheds on the dock quays
is now in progresa, and about half the work is completed reaoy lor
use. The electrification of the Gladstone Dock system has been
decided upon, and the necessary contracts have been placed.

London. — St. Marylebone. — In connection with the
provision of h.t. equipment and cables to the new premises of
Messrs. Selfridge, the Electricity Commissioners have now sanc-
tioned the borrowing of sums of £2,^00 for mains and £4,400 for
transformers and switchgear. The amount sanctioned represents
approximately 80 per cent, of the sum applied for texcluding con-
tingenoiesj, and the Ccmmiesioners state they will be prepared to
consider the borrowing of any further sum which ira? be required
when the actusLl cost of the works has been ascerta ned.

Street Lighting. — On grounds of economy, the City Cor-
poration is being asked to authorise the reduction if the number of
lights in the principal City thoroughfares.

Midlands. — Breakdown. — The Midland Electric
Corporation for Power Distribution, Ltd., whose generating
station is at Ocker Hill, issued a notice, on December 14th,
to power consumers, stating that owing to a serious break-
down at the station, involving two of the largest genera-
tors, they were compelled to curtail supply. Power, they
intimated, would not be available in Tipton, James Bridge,
Brierley HUl, Quarry Bank, Lye, Stourbridge, Wednesbury, and
other districts on Friday. December 17th, and Wednesday, the
22nd, between 7.45 a.m. and 5 p.m. A covering letter stated that
the plant had been fully loaded for some time past, and new plant
had been ordered to meet the increased demand. The new plant
should have been delivered some months ago, but owing to strikes,
it had not been received. A further accident took place at the
works on December 15th. curtailing still more the supply of energy
to works in parts of the Black Country. Another letter was issued
to consumers informing them that if they would agree to use
only one-half of their motors, it would be possible for a con-
tinuous supply to be given each day during the hours of 7.30 a.m.
and 5.30 p m. It was announced by the company on December 18th
that a large majority of consumers having agreed to reduce the
motors in use by 50 per cent., the daily supply of electricity would
be resumed to that extent on December 2uth.

Nottingham.— Report on Extensions Adopted. — The

Goiporation, at its last meeting, adopted a report of the Elec-
tricity Committee, under which it is proposed to expend £1,193,000
in carrying out the first portion of an extended scheme of local
electricity supply, according to plans prepared by Mr. J. H. Rider.
It was propost-d that, in addition to the sum mentioned for the
new plant. £30,000 should also be borrowed for the extension of
nndergrounl mains and outside service connections, it being
explain! d thit the annual amount allocated for such work had
already le n exp?n'led, extra-hightension mains having been laid
to several large factories and warehouses. — Alderman A. Ball,
Depmty Mavor, a?ked for an assurance that all the plant would be
of British manufacture, as several municipal authorities had
recently departel from this principle. Alderman Huntsman
promised that the paint should be very carefully considered.

Plymonth. — Loan. — The Electricity Committee is
applying to the Electricity Commissioners for sanction to borrow
£20,8(j0, including the following items ;^1,0(jO-kw. converter
with foundations, &c., £8,700; DC. switchgear, £1020; B.H.T.
switchgear. £2,460 ; H.T. switchgear, £2,400 ; new switchboard at
Prince Rock, £4,000.

Presielgn. — Poblic Lighting. — The Urban District
Council has rejected a motion to rescind the Ks Intion of August
Kth. giving permission to the Electric Light Co. to carry elec-
tricity services into the town. The proposer of the motion
asserted that the company had not offered to supply electricity for
public lighting, but a letter from the company stated that it would
do so as soon as it was able to give the supply.

Salford. — Proposed Large Station. — A one and a
quarter million pounds' scheme for the extension of the Corporation
electricity undertaking was approved at a meeting of the Council
on December 15th, and authorisation was given to the promotion
of a Bill in Parliament to obtain statutory powers to carry out the
scheme. The Electricity Committee has purchased land on the
banks of the river Irwell, where it is intended to build a large
station. The tcheme for the extensions has been prepared by the
borough electrical engineer, Mr. J. A. Robertson, and has received
the general approval of the Electricity Commissioners. The
station will take three years to build.

SoDthport. — Protest Against Price Differences. —

At a meeting of the local branch of the Middle Classes Union a
resolution wa« passed calling the attention of the Stuthport Cor-
poration to the fact that considerable differences exist in the
charges for electric lighting between one trade interest and
another, and protesting emphatically against such differences. A
copy of the resolution has been sent to the town olerk.

SpenboroDgh. — Loan Sanctioned. — At last week's
Council meeting it was announced that sanction had been received
for the borrowing of £7,200 for electricity development purposes.

Stourbridge. — Electricity District. — On behalf of

Stourbridge and Lye an objection has been lodged against a
suggestion made by the Worcestershire County Council that these
districts should be included in the South- West Midlands Electricity
District, It was pointed out that the present frequency of the
a.c. supply in the district was 50 cycles, whereas the supply pro-
posed was 25 cycles ; this would mean an enormous amount of
alteration of plant.

Swansea. — Extensions. — At a meeting of the Elec-
tricity Committee the town clerk reported that arrangements
between the Gellyceidrim Colliery Co., Ltd., and the NewCwmgorse
Colliery Co., Ltd., were almost ready for completion, and that it
was necessary to obtain the consent of the Electricity Commis-
sioners to the construction of a main transmission line from the
generating station to the Amman 'Valley. The borough electrical
engineer submitted ( stimates and tenders for the construction of
the necessary works, and it was resolved that application be made
to the Electricity Commissioners for their consent to the airange-
ments, and to the construction of a main transmission line from
the generating station to the Amman Valley ; and for their consent
to the borrowing of the sum of £40,000 for the construction of the
worka.

Todmorden. — Breakdown. — One of the largest generators
in the Corporation electricity works broke down on December 16th
owing to faulty insulation. It was stated that it would take at
least a week to repair the machine. Several mills had to close
down, while others could only run on alternate days, as the output
of the rest of the plant was not suiBcient to meet ordinary
requirements.

Tonon.- Lighting Contract.— Messrs. Wilson Hartnell
and Co., Ltd., Leeds, have received the official order from the Urban
District Council to carry out cable extensions and street lighting
schemes to the extent of upwards of £20,000.

Walsall.— Loan. — At the meeting of the Town Council,
on December 13th, it was decided to borrow £20,400 in respect of
the electricity undertaking.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY N0TE5.

Bradford. — Allocation of Profits. — At a recent
City Council meeting, a resolution from the Society of Locomotive
Engineers and Firemen objecting to the profits of the tramway
undertaking being used for the relief of the rates, was read ;
they favoured the profits being used for the reduction of fares
and extension of the present tramway system. The matter was
referred to the Tramways Committee.

Brazil. — Railway Electrification. — According to a
cable received by the Department of Oversea? Trade from the
Commercial Secretary to H.M. Embassy in Rio de Janeiro, Congress
has authorised the expenditure of 60, ( 00 contos (at present exchange
approximately £2,y'i0.0u0) on the electrification of the Central of
Brazil Railway, which is owned and operated by the Brazilian
Government. No details are at present available, but United
Kingdom firms requiring fuither particulars are recommended to
get into touch with the Inspectoria Federal das Estradas, Ministerio
da Viacao e Obras Pablioas, Hio de Janeiro, or with the Commercial
Secretary to H.M. Embassy at Rio de Janeiro.

818

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,248, decembeb24 1920.

Continental.— Italy. — By the inauguration, on Novem-
ber 9Dh, of the Turin-BnsBoleno section, the entire line from
Turin to Modena, begun in 1912, has been completely electrified.
It ig now po»BibIe to travel electrically through the Simplon Tunnel
direct from Rome to Paris. International communications will be
still further advanced when the sections Turin-Genoa-Spezia, now
actively under way, are completed.

Recent progress made in the use of continuous current at high
pressure, and the results achieved abroad, induced Italian engineers
to study a system hitherto unknown in Italy, and the first electric
railway designed and started since the conclusion of the Armistice,
ai also the first electric railway on the continuous-current sjstem
in Italy, is now in active construction, but will not be working
before the summer or autumn of 1922. It is the Rome to New
Ostia Electric Railway. The length of the railway line is 243 km.,
with a branch line of 4'3 km. Continuous current at 2,400 volts is
supplied to the raUway. The choice of 2,400 volts was made
because considered sufficient to feed the whole network from a single
sub-station without any considerable fall of pressure on the lines.
The snb-station is situated centrally about 15'8 km. from Rome,
and at about the highest point of the track. The energy will be
supplied in the form of three-phaae alternating current at 30,000
volts and 40 cycles. The rolling stock will consist of trains of six
coaches drawn by locomotives, with supplementary trailers and
auto-motors for periods of slack traffic and the winter season.
The motor cars will be like those on the Torino-Lanzo Cerea line, of
a total power of 920 h.p , with a mean speed of 60 km. per hour
on the level. The auto-motors will have a power of 96 H.P., having,
with two trailers, a speed of 60 km per hour on the flat. Both
locomotives and auto- motors will be fitted with pantograph current
collectors, automatic adjustable brakes, and other security
apparatus. The special features of the installation, says V Elec-
troternica, make it an excellent model for the much-debated
electrification scheme of the Italian railways.

Sweden. — The special Committee appointed to investigate the
question of the electrification of the Swedish railways is expected
to conclude its labours about the beginning of February next yetr,
and the actual work will probably begin during the same year. —
Renter's Trade Service (Stockholm').

Cork. — Tramcar Destroyed. — During the recent

incendiarism in the city, a tramcar which had been abandoned in
one of the streets affected was destroyed by fire. The accumulation
of dibrU on this ronte caused a suspension of traffic for a consider-
able time.

Dorham. — Protest Against Transport Scheme. —

Under the auspices of the Middle Classes Union, a public meeting
wM recently held at Durham to protest against excessive expendi-
ture by local public bodies, the Durham County Council in particular.
The Council's big passenger transport scheme came in for severe
criticism, being strongly condemned as unnecessary and extravagant.

Edtabnrgh.— Supply Kefused to Tramway Co. —

The Electricity Committee, after considering an application from the
Musselburgh Tramways Co. for a supply of electric power, decided,
in view of the present demands of the city, that it could not grant
the request at present.

Lancaster. — Breakdown. — Owing to the breakdown
of a generator at the Corporation electricity works, it was found
necessary to suspend temporarily the tramway services between the
hours of 3.80 and B.30 p.m.

London. — New Metropolitan Traixs. — A new train

was brought into service on the Metropolitan Railway, on
December 16th. In this train— the first of a number actually
under construction— the company is dispensing entirely with the
end vestibule, and is utilising the space thus saved to give added
seating accommodation, and providing in lieu three sets of
wide double doors, evenly distributed along the car. Each car
contains seats for 50 p^'iengers, arranged transversely on both
■ides of a spacious a lie. Strap-hanging has been completely
abolished, and in its pace 'steadying rails" are conveniently
placed. Another innovaiiuu i^ a glass ccreen flanking each door,
which, in addition to giving paseengers immunity from draught,
has the effect of breaking the car up into a series of semi-compart-
ments. The heating, ventilation, and smooth running show a
marked improvement on previous types, and special features include
the dome roof and the softening of lights, obtained by the use of
opal reflactors. Delivery of further cars will be made at regular
intervals, and from now onwards there will be a gradual approach
to the company's objective of increasing the present seating
accommodation by 20 per cent., which, based on present traffic,
will approximate over 100,000 additional seats daily. — Dailii
Telegraph,

New Bakerloo Rolling Stock. — On December 20th eight
new cars were put into service on the " Bakerloo " Under-
ground Railway. It is stated that an additional 4,888 seats per day
will thus be provided.

Manchester. — Christmas Stoppage. — Manchester, for

the third year in succession, is likely to have no tramcar service
on Christmas Day. The employ^ have refused to work on that
day, and even offers of double jay for a five-hour shift have failed
to tempt them to alter their decision.

Pern.— Storage-Battery Tramway. — The Peruvian

Government has granted a 60-year concession for the constrnotion
and operation of a standard-gauge electric tramway, which will

run from Lima to La Punta, a distance of seven miles. The cars
to be used will be of the storage-battery type. It is stated that
the new company will have a capitalisation of about $1,000,000, all
of which h&^ b;en subjcribed by Peruvians. — Electrical Review
Chicago).

Rochdale.— L. & Y. Railway Electrification.— The

General Purposes Committee of the Town Council has decided to
support the Oldham Corporation in its efforts to induce the
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Co. to electrify its line from
Rochdale through Oldham to Manchester.

Snnderland. — Arrangement with Company. — The

Town Council has agreed to an arrangement with the District
Tramway Co. for through-running of the company's cars over the
Corporation route to the centre of the town. Workmen's fares are
to be abolished, despite an appeal on behalf of the workmen for a
compromise by increasing workmen s fares 50 per cent.

Walsall. — New Cars. — The Tramways Committee
recommends that application be made to the Ministry of Transport
for sanction to borrow £22,558, the cost of 10 new tramcars.

Wimbledon and Sutton Railway.— The :\rinitter of

Transport has extended the time until Ju'y, 1922, of the Metro-
politan District Railway Act, 1915. for the construction of the
railways and works authorised by the Wimbledon and Sutton Railway
Act, 1910.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

France. — The large Lafayette wireless station at Croix
d'Hiues, near Bordeaux, which was bailt by the U.S. Navy during
the war, and which was handed over to France some time ago, aa
already reported in this column, was formally presented to the
French Government on December 18th by Admiral Mayruder, on
behalf of the American Ambassador. The station has a radius of
7,000 miles, and consists of a central transmitting station and eight
receiving towers over 800 ft. high arranged over an area of
100 acres. — The Times.

Italy. — Ntw Wireless Station. — The plans afe in
course of preparation for the erection of a high-power wireless
station at Fiume, and the work of erection is expected to be taken
in hand very shortly.

Ships' Wireless. — At a recent meeting of the Commission
nominated to report on the obligation imposed during the war on
certain ships of the Mercantile Marine to carry wireless apparatu",
the advisability of extending the regulation to embrace almost
all merchant ships was urged. The obligatory uee of wireless
stations and the carrying of skilled wireless operators, in the
numbers prescribed by the International Convention of London,
1912 and 1914, were also advocated.'

The Italian Government Decree 243. of February 9th,
1919, is steadily remedying defic'enoies in the matter of tele-
phone facilities. The decree gives the right to communed, or ;
sections of communes with populations not under 1,000, to t
claim installations. The Provinces of Bergamo, Aquila, and (
Teramo, through their officials, are among the latest appli-
cants, and the plans are now being drafted.

Telephone Ra'es. — Select Committee's Report

The Select Committee of the House of Commons that was appjinted
to consider the rei'lsion of telephone rates has completed its report.
According tj the Monning Pnx', the Committee has adopted in the
main the recommendatiions of the Departmental Committee. The
view is accepted that payment for the telephone service should be
proportionate to the use made of it, and the Committee
thinks this can be beat carried ou': by an annual rent, plus
a rate charge for each call. The rentals suggested vary
according to the character of the area, but are generally
about £7 or £8, and a charge of Ijd. for each call is proposed.
No difference is to be made between the telephones in private
houses and telephones on businefs premiaen. The Committee, ■
in recommenling the abolition of the unlimi-ed message, or flit, ■
rate for the hire of telephones, has added, tays the Daily Mail, ^
a proposal that an instrument to record the number of calls made
should be attached to each telephone, so that the subscriber may
have an effective check on the number of calls for which he is
charged. In answer to a question, the Assistant Postmaster-
General informed the House of Commons that, as a preliminary
step to the introduction of revised telephone charges, eaoh existing
contract would be determined by three months' notice. Each
subscriber would receive a full statement of the new rates, and a
fresh form of agreement for consids ration some weeks at least
before his present agreement expired.

Trans-Atlantic Wireless. — Increased Rates. — On

account of the increased landline rates in this country and in
North America, Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd., will raise
its charges for ordinary full-rate trans- Atlantic wireless telegrams
by Id. per word as from January 1st next. Press rates will remain
unaltered.

Vol. 87. No. 2,248, dbotmber 24, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

819

United States. — Communications Conference. — While

the Oommunicationg Conference hai Bohieved nothing as far aa the
future disposition of the ex-German cable* ii concerned, a modus
Vivendi, under which the present handling of the cables will con-
tinue until March 15th next, was reached on December 13th, a*
announced in our last issue. Meanwhile, deliberations wUl con-
tinue, the respective Ambassadors of the participating countries
replacing the delegates, who wDl return and report to their
Governments. It was also agreed that as from January 1st, 1921,
careful accounting may be kept of profits or losses of the cables
affected, so that such should be divided proportionately among the
five Powers according to the terms of whatever agreement is finally
reached. — Renter's Trade Serrire (Washington).

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(JTn date given in parentheset at the end of the paragraph indicattt
tlu ittue of the Eleotrioai. Beteew in whieh the " Official
Notice " appeared.')

OPEN.

Anstralla. — Qoeensland. — January 26th, 1921
P.M.G.'a Department. Telephone apparatus and parts. Schedule
509. (December 10th.)

Sydney. — January 3Igt. Municipal Council, h.t. and l.t.
cable (specification No. 6?8). Electric Lighting Department,
Town Hall, Sydney.

Belgiam. — Antwebp. January Uth. Installation of
electric light in the bonded warehouses at Antwerp. Copy of the
specification in French can be seen up to December 24th, at the
Department of Overseas Trade (Room 48), after which date it will
be available for loan to firms in the provinces.

December 27th. The mnnioipbl authorities of Sohaerbeek,
Brussels. For the supply of 122 section-boxes and 2?0 junction-
boxes in connection with the local electricity supply undertaking.

Blackpool. — December 3l8t. Borough Council. Elec-
trical wiring and fitting of the houses on two sites in connection
with the municipal housing scheme ; 164 houses on the Layton
Estate, 24G houses on the St. John's Estate. (December 17th.)

India. — Meerut. — January 17th, 1921. Government
of United Provinces hydro-electrical installation. Generating
station equipment, including workshop equipment, h.t. trans-
mission and distribution (overhead equipment, including poles),
sub-station equipment, pumping station equipment and piping, ic.
Mr. 6. McHoey, sanitary engineer to the Government, United
Provinces, Allahabad. — Reuler's Trade Service (Bombay).

Leyton. — January 11th, 1921. Urban District Council,
Electric wiring of 142 houses on the Barclay estate. (December lOth.)

London. — Battersea. — January 5th. Borough Council
Electricity Department. Pipework for a 5,000-KW. turbo-alter-
nator. (December 17ch.)

H.M. Office of Works. January 6th. Six months' supply of
electric wire and cable. (.See this iesue.)

Manchester. — January 24th. Electricity Committee.
Six motor-driven circulating water pumps ; three motor-driven
boiler feed pumps and one mo'or driven pump for weight-tank
sump. (See this issue.)

Natal. — Durban. — January 26th. Corporation. Supply
of telephone cable, paper sleeves, concrete pipes, and various
telephone and miscellaneous accessories and materials.

February 16th. One l.COO-KW. rotary converter with trans-
formers and switchgear. Specifications of the above may be
consulted on application to the Department of Overeeas Trade, 35,
Old Queen Street, E.G.

New Zealand. — Napier. — January 17th. Borough

CounoU. One 500-KW. electric generating set. Copies of thi
specifications and blue prints may be seen at the Department of
Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, S.W.

Auckland. February 22nd, 1921. City Council. One 3,000-kw.
H.T. turbo- alternator ; two 5,000-KW. H.T. turbo-alternators ; four
1,500-KW. rotary converters ; four 500-KW. rotary converters,
switchgear and transformers ; four water-tube boilers, conveyor,
pumps, pipework, H. and L.T. cables. (December 17th.)

Paisley. — December 27th. Town Council. The electric
lighting work in connection with the Whitehangh housing scheme.
Master of Works, 13. Gilmour Street.

Portrush, — January 1st, 1921. Urban District
Council Electricity Department. Gag plant, engines and dynamos,
boDster and balancer, switchboard, aocumulatora, overhead and
underground cables. (December HUh.)

Rhodesia. — Salisbury. — January 18th. Municipal
Council. Electric generating plant, switchgear, cable and con-
verters. Specification (£3 3s.) from the Council's Consulting
Engineer, Royal Chambers, Johannesburg.

South Africa Johannesburg.— January ISth, 1921.

Rand Water Board. Supply and erection of steam boiler, super-
heater, stoker, economisers, &c., steam turbo-driven centrifugal
pumps, condenser, fcc, for the Swart Kopjes pumping station.
Copies of the specifications, &c , and forms of tender can be seen
on application to the Machinery Section, Department of Overseai
Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, S.W.

CLOSED.

Dublin. — Great Northern Railway Company of
Ireland. Contract for six months for Schedule No. 15, items 11,
12, 13. lead-covered wire. Items 23 to 26 (inclusive) of overhead
line wire and tinned copper combined wire. — The Edison Swan
Electric Co., Ltd.

London. — Battersea. — Electricity Undertaking Com-
mittee. Two 450-KW. mercury vapour rectifiers for the Nine Elms
sub-statioD, £7,903. — Power Rectifiers, Ltd., recommended.

Hammersmith. Electricity Committee recommended bulk
supply to Ohiswick Electricity Supply Corporation, Ltd.

375 yd. '075 sq. in. e.h.t. cable.

Western Eladric Co., Ltd. (reoommended) £635

Callender's Cable and Construction Co , Ltd. 651

Stoke Newington. — Electric Lighting Committee recom-
mended additional converting plant : —
600-KW. converter and transformer.

Power Rectiflers Ltd £7,443

B uoe Peebles 4 Co., Ltd 6,069

Metrrpolitan-VickerB Electrical Co., Ltd 4.059

General Electric Co.. Ltd. (recommended) 4,051

English Electric Co., Ltd 3,955

South Africa. — Johannesburg. — Municipal Council.

Accepted : —

Three ICO-KW. transformers and one set ot spare coils, f 1,277. Six 160 kv'

transformers and two sets of spare coils, £2,485. Six lOO-Kw. trans'

formers, £1,661.— Battle & Co.
1,600 sets of 25-amp., 250-v., cat-outs, £953.— W. T. Hen'ey's (9.A.) Telegraph

Works Co., Ltd.
160 sets of 60.amp.. 480-v., out outs.— British Agencies, Ltd.
50 sets 100-amp., 460-v., cut.outs, £55.-9. Thompson.
Owing to the failure of the Oriffiu Engineering Oo. to fulfil the contract

for unarmoured cable at £7,f^Sl, the Council has accepted the next

lowest tender of £7,671 of the Teleg.aph Manufacturing Co.

FORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

Boyal InBtltatlon of Great Britain.— At Albemarle Street. W. At 8 p m.

Christmaa Lectures— " The Haunts of Life"— by Pcof. J. Arthur

Thomson :—

Tharaday, December 30th.—*' The School of the Shore."
Saturday, January Ist.— " The Open Sea."
Tuesday, January 4th. — "The Great Deeps."
Thursday, January 6th. — "The Fresh Waters."
Saturday, January 8th.—" The Conquest of the Land."
Tuesday, January llth.— " The Mastery of the Air."
Junior Instltnllon of Engineers.— Friday, December 31st, At Caxton Hall,

Westminster, S.W. At 8 p.m. Lecturette on ''Drying Plant," by Mr.

E. A. Alliott.

NOTES.

A Happy Christmas to Onr Readers.— (Jranted that

diffionlties and dangtra beset this country on every hand, and that
1921 will open with lowering clonds over our indostries and onr
State — are we down-hearted .' A thousand times. No I So far, we
have Buoce«sfully mastered each new trouble, and we shall in like
manner triumph over those which yst are to come. A nation which
could rise to the heights of determination and devoted service by
which it won the great war will never go down before a minor
threat. Let us " count our blessings," and look forward to the
time when peace shall reign within and without our borders
" among men of good will " ; and in that mood 1ft us put aside our
troubles and secure for ourselves a happy Christmas, by the
simple, but effective, method — that of striving to make happy those
around us.

Artificial Daylight. — Following upon an article dealing
■with the " Sheringham " device for producing a light approxi-
mating to daylight, Mr. M. Luokiesh, of Nela Park, Cleveland, Ohio,
writes to the editor of the Electrical .Yewn, of Toronto, depre-
cating the idea. He states that he tried this method abont eight
years ago, but abandoned it in favour of the straightforward
method of modifying the light by selective transmission. Mr.
Luokiesh's company has had on the market a so-called artificial
"north sky light" colour-matching unit for the last seven years,
and millions have been manufactured and installed.

In connection with this subject it is of interest to note that a
number of ' Sheringham " daylight reflectors were ueed at the
recent Advertising Exhibition, for the purpose of exhibiting in
their true colours advertising posters on certain stands.

U.S.A. War Laws. — The American House of Repre-
sentatives has passed the Volstead resolution by which the war
laws are repealed ; it does not, however, terminate the state of war
which still exists between the U.S.A. and Germany.

820

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,218, dkckmbeb 24, 1920.

Transport of Refrigerated Prodace.— For the transport

by rosd of refrigerated produce, eepecially meat. Mr. H. M.
Dunkerley, addreseinir a meeting of the Cold Storage and Ice
A«»ooiation at the Royal Society of Arts on December 17th,
strongly advocated the use of electrically propelled vehicles,
especially in view of the present high cost of petrol. Admitting
that the accumulator vehicle had very definite limitations, he con-
sidered it the most economic and suiiable for distribution in towns.
It could not travel with the speed of a petrol lorry, it could not
operate over a bigger radius than 12 miles, and it could not do
more than 35 miles in one day unless it returned to its base for a
freshly charged accumulator ; but this was only a five minutes'
job with properly arranged, self-lifting trolleys to take oft the old
battery and bring up the new. At the same time, it was very
handy in traffic ; it was the simplest vehicle to drive ; the insula ace
charges were lower than for any other vehicle of like capacity, and.
if intelligently looked after, the battery was good for five years'
continuous use when of the lead type and for eight or ten years
when of the nickel type. — Morning Post.

Educational. — The annual report on the 124th session
of the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, has just been published.
The first part of the report pays a tribute to those members of the
College who gave their lives in the service of the Empire, and an
illustration showing one side of the beautiful war memorial erected
forms the frontispiece ; 287 officers and 328 N.CO.'s and men who
were students or members of the staff made the sacrifice, as far as
is known, surely a splendid record. A list of 609 war honours
awarded is shown in detaO, and three 'V.C.s head the list. Lists of
degrees and diplomas, enrolments, donations to the New Develop-
ment and other funds, gifts of apparatus and material, &o., are
given in full.

Finsbury Technical College, which the City and Guilds of London
Institute proposes to close next July through want of funds, is
steadily gathering strength. The Defence Committee has already
secured more than 6,000 signatures to the petition for reconsider-
ation of the matter. Prominent employers in the engineering and
chemical industries are in favour not only of retaining t he College,
but of its better endowment and equipment. A conference of
these gentlemen with well-known men of science was held
recently, and their views will be laid before the Institute
authorities.

The Councils of the Institutions of Mechanical and Electrical
Engineers are also considering the subject, and it is likely that a
public statement of the claims of the College will shortly be
issued. — Morning Post.

The Long-suffering Lampholder.— A month or two ago

we protested in a " leaderette." bearing the above heading against
the increasing practice of employing lampholdera to supply power
to a multiplicity of domestic appliances. In the U.S.A., in spite of
tho Society for Electrical Development and " condulets," '' out-
lets" and other means of easing the lampholder's burden, little by
little the load is increasing. The last Cbut by no means the least)
of these " straws " should prove effective in breaking many a lamp-
holder's " back." This device, described in the Electrical News, of
Toronto, is being placed on the market by an American firm. It is
quite a new idea, but this feature is hardly suflicient to secure its
redemption ; it is a pendant heater designed " especially for chilly
rooms," constructed with heavy mica insulation and a nickel case.
Its weight and size are not given, but it has a 060-watt loading,
which indicates a weight of a pound or two. Thus in addition to
the electrical load, which is quite severe enough, there is also the
weight of the heater to be borne. It is users of this sort of
apparatus who condemn the lampholder (and incidentally the
suppliers') as wortyess if it breaks down under a load which it was
not made to bear. This example will serve to awaken dealers in
electrical goods to the necessity for urging upon customers the
proper use of the lampholder, instead of remaining indifferent so
long as the goods are sold.

Service Note. — A wireless telegraphy course for officers
of the Royal Corps of Signals will assemble at the Signal Training
Centre, Maresfield, on February 7th, and terminate on April 4th.
The course is intended for captains and subalterns who have not
attended a short wireless telegraphy course or the wireless tele-
graphy portion of the Royal Corps of Signal Officers' qualifying
course. Applications for vacancies should be forwarded by Com-
mands to the War Office as early as possible. — Morning Post.

' Static Electricity in Belts.— A correspondent of Power
reports a case of excessive static electricity occurring in a textile
factory. The machine concerned was a 15-h.p. motor fixed to a
platform suspended from a wooden ceiling. The frame of the
motor was not earthed, the only electrical connection being that
of the leads. It was observed that flashing between the stator and
rotor took place at intervals of from four to ten minutes, and on
dry days was very pronounced. The motor was tested for ordi-
nary faults, but nothing was found out of order. Finally, the
fiaahing affected the stator insu'ation, and the motor was burned
out. A spare motor was fitted immediately, but still there was
the same amount of flashing ; but when at last the frame of the
machine was earthtd, the trouble ceased. The writer then pro-
cpeded to devise a means of collecting and disposing of the "static"
from the belt. This was effected by installing a comb consisting
of fine springs, which rested lightly on the belt and collected the
accumulated charge and conveyed it through an earth wire to the
ground. This device is now generally installed in the plant
mentioned by the writer, and is a very effective substitute for the usual
hii*nid fying plant.

Relation or Coincidence ?— Mr. C»rl Bering, writing to

Science, announces that he has discovered that if the present
connecting link between chemical and electrical quantities, the
electrochemical equivalent of silver 0'00ill8u0 gramme per
couiomo, were only about 3 of 1 per cent, higher, the following
curious relation would be true for all the elements : — Grammes x g
■= 10 X coulombs x atomic weight/^ in which y is the acceleration
due to gravity, 980'697. The faraday (.the number of coulombs per
gramme ion) would then be equal to g^jlO = 96,167. now generally
taken as 96,500. It was thougut that perhaps the elimination of
all terrestrial factors such as atmospheric pressure, temperature, &c.,
from the value of tha electrochemical constant might laiie its
value by this small amount of "i of 1 per cent., but reliable
authorities do not consider this probable. Mr. Hering says :
' Unless this very slight discrepancy can be adjusted, it would
seem that this curious relation is a mere accidental coincidence of
numbers." but he thinks it not unreasonable to believe that new
aad unexpected relations may be found to exist between mechanical.
electrical, and chemical constants.

Fatality. — On December 17th, John Chapman, an
employe at the Ardenrigg Colliery, near Airdrie, received a fatal
electric shock from a coal-cutting machine. While disconnecting the
machine Irom its circuit, he came into contact with a " live " part.

Parliamentary. — In the House of Lords on Tuesday,
December 14th, the Women, Young Persons, and ChUdren's (Em-
ployment) Bill was read a third time and passed.

Appointments Vacant. — Electrical inspector (£5 + ), for

the City o£ York Electricity and Tramway Department ; plumber-
jointer, for the Salford Corporation Klectriciiy Department ; meter
fixer tester 1,94s.), for the Bacup Corporation Eiei^triuity Depart-
ment ; shitt engineer, for the i'alkirk Burgh Jilectricity Works ;
overhead linesman (90s.), for the ttawtenstall Corporation Tram-
ways. See our advertisement pages to-day.

Correction. — With regard to his contribution to the
I.E.E. London discussion on Mr. Woodhouse's paper. Major A. M.
Taylor informs us that an error crept into his statement relating
to the anticipated eddy-current losses due to the rotating field ac
50 periods (.see p. 776 of our December 17th issue). He now with-
draws his remarks, having indicated tne coriect results of the
tests at the Birmingham discussion. It may ako be explained
that the tests referred to were not carried out by himseif, but
at his suggestion, and he was permitted to mention the results
achieved.

Centralising British Research.— The scheme to centralise

the Country s reoouiccs in onemicai knowledge and research and to
apply these to its needs, which has been slowly devdopmg for
about two years, will shortly be set in motion, when an appeal lor
financial support, already Ocawn up and approved and at present
in the hauus of Lord Moulton, until lately Dircijtor General of
Explosive Supplies, will be circulated among all the chemical firms
in the country and to private individuals who recognise the impor-
tance of chemistry to the building up of the industries of the
Empire. The sum requued is i:5uu,U00, and it is proposed to devote
it to the building and equipment of a Central House to accommodate
the principal chemical organisations in the countiy, of which the
chiet are the aociety ot Chemical Industry, the Institute of
Chemistry, and the Chemical Society, and to produce and distribute
literature. It is proposed that tne Central House shall be in
London, — T/ie Times.

Civil Aviation. — The third report on the progress of
civil aviation covering the six-monthly period from .\pril Ist
to September 30th, iy'20, which was issued as a White Paper
on December luth, signed by Sir F. H. Sykes, controUer-
general of civil aviation, shows that our air organisation has
been improved to meet the steady increase in commercial air
traffic. The total number of machine miles, tJyj.bOO, is a
large increase on the figure for the previous six months. The
aggregate machine mileage since May, I9I9, is well over a
million miles. Similarly the number of passengers carried has
increased to 32,345 ; goods have increased from 25J to S6i tons,
while the number of departures apd arrivals to and from the
Continent has risen from 734 to '2,445, the value of imports
from itl31,615 to £376,606, and of exports from £'63.743 to
£168,3(XI. The number of letters carried since the inaugura-
tion of the mail service shows a steady increase, especially on
the London-Amsterdam service, and an efficiency of 76 per
cent., 94 per cent., and 84 per cent, each has been obtained
on the London-Paris. London-Brussels, and London-.'Vmster-
dam services respectively. The experimental lighthouse at
Croydon has proved of value; two more are to be installed,
one at Lympne and one midway between London and Folke-
stone. The civil aerodromes at Castle Bromwich, Manchester,
and Renfrew will be similarly equipped.

The wireless direction-finding apparatus installed at Croydon
has proved its value, and the equipment of aircraft with
wireless telephone apparatus is extending. Electric landing
lights for indicating the direction for landing are being in-
stalled at the Croydon aerodrome, and trials are being made
at the same aerodrome to test the value of powerful search-
lights as a means of helping pilots to locate the aerodrome.
The installation of ground stations for wireless telephony and
telegraphy has been continued. Investigations have been
carried out to secure the illumination of landing grounds, a*
well as into the question of obtaining electrical instrument*
For indicating accurately to the pilot nis position in relation
to the aerodrome and his height above the ground.

1

Vol. 87. No. 2,248, dbcembkb 24, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVTEW.

821

An A.C. Mercury-Vaponr Lamp.— A new form of high-
voltage alternatiDg-current meroury lamp developed by Henri
Georges was described recently in the Bevue Gene rale <U I' Elec-
trieite. In ordinaTj circumstanees it is only possible to ran such
lamps on an alteruatingr supply by the use of special electrodes,
M. Georges, however, overcomes the difficulty by introducing neon
gas into the tube, which is of quartz.

The lamp is connected to a 110/.?,000-volt transformer and when
first switched on exhibits the characteristic spectrum of lumi-
nescent neon. This, however, is quickly replaced by the meroury
spectrum as the meroury volatilises, and in seven minutes the
lamp attains a steady state. There is tuen a drop of 125 volts per
inch (50 volts per cm.") of tube, and an internal temperature of
l,3uO"F. (700° C.) is attained. The present lamp takes 1 ampere at
2,250 volts, but it is hoped to construct lamps taking up to 10 KW.
and furnishing the most powerful source of ultra-violet light
known. — Electrical World,

INSTITUTION NOTES.

iDStltution of Electrical Engineers. — At the last meeting of the
Institution, the President, Mr. LI. B. Atkinson, announced that Mr.
Andr6 Blondel had been elected an hon. member, and that
at the second informal meeting, which is to be held towards
the end of January, certain suggestions and propositions con-
nected with the activities of the Institution, which were raised
at the special meeting when the subscription increases were
considered, are to be discussed ; the President has promised to be
present.

The Council's proposals for the increase of subscription rates
which were passed after full discussion by a large majority at a
special general meeting held on the 2nd inst. (see pp. TiS and 764
of our December 10th issue) were confirmed at a second meeting
held on December 17th. In view of the announcement that the
resolution already passed at the first meeting would be further
opposed, a second set of proxy papers was issued to members, but
no serious opposition was raised at the confirmatory meeting. The
cost of issuing the two sets of proxy papers was stated to have
been £120.

Bbkevolent Fund. — The Council of the Tnetitution has received
from Mr. E. M. Hnghman, of Bombay, an offer of a donation of £250
to the Benevolent Fund of the Institution, on condition that 19
similar doaations are received before March 31st, 1921. The Com-
mittee of Maragement of the Fund earnestly hopes that the 19
donations specified will be forthcoming, as the Fund wUl thereby
be benefited to the extent of £5,000. All communications should
be addressed to the Secretary of the Institution at 1 , Albemarle
Street, London, W. 1.

Royal Society. — At the ordinary meeting held on December 9th,
the following papers were read : — " Double Refraction and
Crystalline Structure of Silica Glass," by Lord Rayleigh, F.R.S. ;
'' The Efftct of Asymmetry on Wave-Length Determinations," by
Prof. J. W. Nicholson, F.R.S., and Prof. T. R. Merton, M.A ; "The
Effect of Concentration on the Spectra of Luminous Gases," by
Prof. T. R. Merton, MA, ; '"The Measurement of Low Magnetic
SnsceptibUity by an Instrument of New Type," communicated by
Prof. J. W. Nicholson, F.R.S. ; " The Internal Energy of Inflam-
mable Mixtures of Coal-Gas and Air after Explosion," communi-
cated by Sir Dugald Clerk, F.B.S. ; and " Multenions and Differential
Invariants," communicated by Mr. W. B. Hardy, Sec. R.S.

Instltntlon of Post Office Electrical Engineers Mr. E. H.

Shaughnessy lectured to the Institution on the 13th inst. on "The
Developments of Wireless Telegraphy," features of the lecture
being experiments with the Duddell singing arc, and a singing
three-electrode oscillating valve. The lecturer mentioned that
outside Great Britain, which had moved rather slowly in the
matter, the development of the arc had been very great, and its
utiliaaticn considerable. Unless they in this country progressed
more rapidly, they might be too late to avail themselves of the
opportunities which presented themselves.

Glasgow and District Radio Club.— A meeting of the club was
held on December 15th. The chairman announced that a meeting
would be held on Januiry 5th. 19^1, when he (Mr. Dewar) would
give a short address on " Wireless Telegraph Procedure," givi.jg
examples of messages using Morse code records on a gramophone.

Illuminating Engineering Society. — Mr. J. Herbert Parsons,
C.B.E.. F.K.C.S., M.B., D Sc, has been elected jiresident of the
society in succession to Mr. A. P. Trotter. Mr. Parsons was the
first Chairman of Council of the society, and has taken a leading
part in the sections of its work dealing with the influence of light
on vision. He is a member of various departmental and other
Committees concerned with lighting and its effect upon eyesight.

The Physical Society of London and the Optical Society

The Societies' annual exhibition, which is to be held on January 5th
and 6th, 1921, at the Imperial College of Science, South Kengington,
will be open in both the afternoon (from 3 to 6 pm.) and the
evening (from 7 to 10 pm.). Sir W. H. Bragg, K.B.E., F.R S.,
will give a discourse on " Sounds in Nature," at 4 p m. on January
5th. Emeritus Prof. Archibald Barr, D.Sc, LL D., will give a dis-
course on the " Optophone— an instrument which enables the totally
blind to read ordinary print, " at 8 p m. on January 5th, and 4 p.m.
on January 6th. After the discourse, a demonstration will be

given by a totally blind person. At 8 p.m. on January 6th, Prof.
C. R. Darling will give a discourse on ''Some Unusual Surface
Tension Phenomena. " All the lectures will be illustrated by experi-
ments. About 60 firms will be exhibiting, and a number of
experimental demonstrations have been arranged. Invitationi
have been sent to the Institutions of Electrical and Mechanical
Engineers, the Chemical Society, the Faraday Society, and the
Wireless Society of London, and the Rootgen Society. Members of
the Societies mentioned desiring to attend the Exhibition should
apply to the Secretary of their Society. Others interested should
apply direct to Mr. F. E. Smith, F.R.S., Hon. Secretary of the
Physical Society, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, S.W.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

The Editors invUe eUotrioal engintert, whtthtr oonntottd with th»
technical or the commercial lid* of the profession and indtittryt
also electric tramway and railway officials, to keep readers of the
ElJlOTBlOAL Review posted as to their movements.

Stoke Nbwington Borough Council Electricity Committee ha-
had under consideration the salary of the borough electrical engis
neer (Me. Hann), whose present remuneration under the formula
adopted by the Council on July 15th, 1919, amounted to £517 per
annum ; the Committee recommends that Mr. Hann's salary be
increased by the substitution of £500 for £350 in such formula, to
take effect as from Apiil 1st last.

In connection with the proposed extensions, the Committee
recommends that the borough electrical engineer supervise the
work and that he receive as remuneration 2i per cent, on the cost
of the works carried out under his super 7ision.

The Finance Committee of the Perth Town Council has recom-
mended that the salary of Mr. J. Lambert, Corporation electrical
engireer, be increased by £50.

Lieut.-Col. A. F. H. S. Simpson, C.M.6., R.E. (retired), late
Director of Wireless, Indian Government, has been appointed to a
seat on the Boards of Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co,, Ltd,, and
the Marconi International Marine Communication Co., Ltd, He
has also been appointed a joint general manager of both companies
in addition to the present joint general managers — Mr. H. W. Allen,
F.C.I.S , and Mr. W. W. Bradfield, C.B.E.

At a complimentary dinner given on the 14th inst., students of
the Engineering Department of the University College of South
Wales and Monmouthshire presented Pbof. F. Bacon with a
handsome solid silver rose bowl, as a token of affection and esteem
on the occasion of his departure for Swansea. Speeches eulogising
the work done by the Professor during the seven years he has
occupied the Chair of Engineering at Cardiff, were made by
Mr. J. Dyer Lewis, President of the South Wales Institute of
Engineers ; Mr. David E. Roberts, President of the Cardiff Students'
Association, and Mr. Arthur Ellis, last year's chairman of the
Western Section of the Inbtitution of Electrical Engineers.

At Preston last week Me. J. Connor, consulting mechanical
engineer to Messrs. Dick, Kerr & Co., was presented with a silver
tea and coffee service, hot water bottle and stand, and silver tray,
in recognition of his services for 19 years as works manager. Mr.
J. Taylor presided, supported by Mr. W. Rutherfoid, managing
director ; Mr. R, Livingstone, manager of the Preston Works ; Mr.
H. B, Player, commercial superintendent ; Mr, A. D. Salisbury,
general foreman, &c. Mr. Rutherford, in msiking the presentation,
mentioned that Mr. Connor was now transferring his services to
the English Electric Co.

Mb. a. Forstee, tramway works manager at Stockton-on-Tees,
who has been appointed general manager of the Stockton and
Thornaby- on-Tees section of the route under the two Corporations,
has been presented by the employes with a silver rose bowl, with
a pair of vases for Mrs. Forster.

Mr, J, Gardner, formerly with Messrs. Evershed A: Vignoles,
London, and Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., blswick, has
been appointed assistant electrical engineer in the installation
department of the Sunderland Forge and Engineering Co., Ltd.

Obituary. — Dr. A. Muirhead. — Dr. Alexander Muirhead, whose
death was recorded in our last issue, was born on May 26th, 1848,
biing the second son of John Muirhead, of East Lothian. On the
rejjoval of his father to London, he was educated at University
College School, where, in spite of the handicap of deafness, he
carried off many prizes Proceeding to University College, he
studied under Prof. De Morgan, and afterwards became a pupil of
Dr. Matthiessen and worked in his laboratory at St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, also assisting Latimer Clark in work on electrical
standards. In 186'J he took his D.Sc. degree of London University,
choosing elect) icity in prelerence to chemistry. Prof. Carey Foster
was one of the examiners, and afterwards became a close friend.
In 1870 he was made a fellow of the Chemical Society. In 1874
he carried out, in conjunction with the late Mr. Herbert Taylor,
experiments to solve the problem of duplexing long submarine
cables, and in 1S75 he and Ivlr. Taylor took out a joint patent tor an
artificial line. During the next few years he succes-fuUy estab-
lished duplex working on many long cables, using the MarseUles-
Bona in 1875 and the Marseilles-Malta ri/i. Bona cables in 1876
for trial purposes. The cable from BallinskeUiga Bay, Ireland, to
Torbay, Nova Scotia, belonging to the Direct United States CableCo..
was the first ocean cable to which the system of duplex working was
applied. This was done with complete success by Dr. Muirhead
and Mr. Taylor in 1878. The working speed on this cable was
about luO letters per minute each way — nearly twice the speed of aim-

822

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,248, deckmbeb 24, 1920.

olex workiiig The receiver wai the mirror (f alvanometer. After
the death of his father in 1885, he took up ooniultinfr work^ In
1893 he married Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. WOliam Blom-
fleld of Upper Norwood, and settled at Shortlands, Kent. About
1896 he became a»800iat«d with Sir Oliver Lodge, and was
iointly responsible for the Lodge Muirhead system of wireless
telegraphy. In 1904 he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society.
In later years Dr. Muirhead took an active part in solving the
problems in connection with transmission, retransmission, and
reception on submarine cables, and a large number of patents
dealing with this subject stand in his name ; he filed over 40
patents in all, either alone or jointly, all dealing with electrical

Mb. C. F. Pabkinson.— The death occurred, on December 15th,
of Mr. Charles F. Parkinson, of Morecambe, at the age of 56 years.
He was the first electrical engineer to the Morecambe Corporation,
from 1898 to 1901, and was then appointed in a like capacity at
Paisley, where he served tUl 1918, resigning on account of failing
health. _,

Mb W. Abboue.— The death occurred at Newcastle-on-Tyne,
last week, following an operation, of Mr. William Arbour, chief
electrician at Easington Colliery (County Durham).

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED.

United Lamp-Black Works, Ltd. (171,969).— Private

rnmnanv Rtoistered DKember 11th. Capital, /150.000 in «1 sharM (75,000
•• A " ordinary and 75,000 '■ B " ordinary). Objects : To carry on the hujin^M
ol manufacturers and seller. o( and dealers in oU lamp black and other
kindred products and by-product«
factories and works for the manu
oroducts; and to acquire, on the terms ol two agreements (l) w.tn ine
SZTral Electric Co., Ltd., and (2) ^ith the Columbian Carbon Co., the
Binnev & Smith Co., and the L. ' Martin Co.. the leases of the existing
factori^es or works, goodwills of businesses, and other assets referred to therein.
The subac iber, .re :' T. Settle. 67, Queen Victoria Street. E.C.i, electrical
encineer (1 "A" aharc); G. W. Holding, «-7. Stonecutter Street, E.C. 4,
Son manager to'Binney & Smith Co ^'ew Jersey (1 - B." share). The
first directors are to be nominees of and persons interested in the General
Electric Co., Ltd., or the Columbian Carbon Co.. and the L. Martin Co.
(who are the vendors and promoters). The first directore are: M. Soloman,
Beaconstone, Burkes Road. Beaconsfield (managing director, Pirelli General
Cable Works, Ltd.. and director of Park Hall Pottery Co., Ltd); T. Settle.
30 Gloucester Square, W.2 (director of Radiator Tubes. Ltd.. and The
Di'recl Copper Production Syndicate, Ltd.); G. W. Holding. 57, Goring Road.
Bowes Park. N. 11 (London manager of Binnev 8: Smith Co.. New Jersey),
G C. Lewis, New Dorp. Stalen Island, New York (secretary of L. Martin
Co., New Jersey). The two first named represent holders of " A " ord'n^O
•nd the two last n.imed holders of "B " ordinary shares. Solicitors: Wild.
Collins & Crosse. Kennan's House, Crown Court, Cheapside, E.C. Registered
office : «7, Queen Victoria Street. EC. 4.

Dawfon Electrical Installations, Ltd. (171 ,999). —Private

company. Registi-red necemb..'r 14th. Capital. /3,000 in 11 shares. To take
over the business of an electrical engineer and contractor carried on by
Joseph Dawson at 7, Henshaw Street. Oldham. The permanent directors are :
J. Dawson, 91. Egerton Street. Oldham; J. Jackson, 173. Chadderton Road.
Oldham. Secretary: J. Jackson. Registered office; 7a. Henshaw Street,
Oldham.

Oliver Pell Control, Ltd. (171,946).— Registered Decem-
ber lOth. Capital, *100.000 in £1 shares (!5,000 8 per cent, parlicipating
preference and 75,000 ordinarv). To acquire certain asset, of OITver Pell
Electric and Manufacturing Co., Ltd.. and the Varley Magnet Co., Ltd., and
to carry on the business of electrical, constructional, consulting, telegraph,
telephone and mechanical engineers, founders, smiths, machinists. &c. Mini,
mum cash subscription, 7 shares. The first directors are : C. Oliver (chair-
man). 3. Shepherd's Bush Green, Chislehurst, Kent; W. M. D. Pell. Viggory
Me,id, Horsell, Woking; C. H. Barclay, The Chummerv. Abbotsbrook. Bourne
End- H Denton. 60', Venner Road, Svdenham: B. Varlev. The Laurela.
Littleover. near Derbv. Qualification, f.WW. Secretary: W. M. D. Pell.
Registered office: Cambridge Place. Burr.nge Road, Woolwich. S.E.

Dalton, Downes & Co., Ltd. (171,937).— Private com-
pany. Registered December 10th. *5.000 in 200 preference shares of £10
each and 3,000 ordinary shares of £1 each. To take over the business carried
on at 37a. Fountain Street. Manchester, by Amedee A. H. Papillon ai
" Dalton. Down.'s & Co.." and to carry on the business of manufacturers,
exporters and importers of and wholesale and retail dealer^: in electrical and
general vacuum cleaners, electrical apparatus, lamps and accessories, ic. The
permanent directors are: Amedee A. H. Papillon, 20, Bournville Avenue,
Heaton Norris; P. Trotman. 14.''>, Washwav Road. Brooklands. Cheshire; R.
Hall. 13S. Ford's Lane. Bramhall. Cheshire. The two first named are joint
managing directors. Secretary : R. Hall. Registered office : 37a, Fountain
Street, Manchester.

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Baily Grundy & Barrett, Ltd. — Mortgage debenture dated

December 7th, 1920". to secure all mone.vs due or to become due from com-
pany to Lloyd's Bank, charged on the company's undertaking and property,
present and 'future, including uncalled capital, subject to exitting first mort-
gage debentures.

Rlcardo & Co., Engineers, Ltd. — Particulars of ^£11,000

debentures, authorised December Ist. 1930: whol« amount issued; charged on
company's property, present and future, including uncalled capital, subject as
to certain properties in Kingston.gn.Sea and Lancing to axisting mortgages.

Runbaken Magneto Co., Ltd.— Particulars of ^10,000 de-
bentures, authoris-d November S7lh, 1920, whole amount issued; ch.Trged on
the comp.nnv's undertaking and prop»rty, present and future, including un-
called capital.

"White, Jacobv & Co.. Ltd. (52.494).— Capitnl, J7,.500 in

fl shares Return "dated October Ut, 19*0. .1,794 .hares t,-.l:rn up, £3.437
paid, £2,357 contlilered as paid. MorlgBges and charges: £1,330.

KalCoorlie Electric Power & Liflhtin); Corporation, Ltd.

(91 819).— Capital, £925.000 In 175.000 preference shares of £1 and 100.000
ordinarv of Is. Return dat»d July Bth, 19S0. 150,000 preference and 100.000
ordinarv takijn up. £S lOs-. paid up on 7 onllnary, «iM.I)98 10s. considerea
at paid on fh's remainder. Mon'ili^el and eh'ar'jrei : £15,0»0,

Delta Electrical and General Engineering Co., Ltd.—

Particular* of £1.000 debenturea, authorised November 16th. 1920; whole

• mount isiued; charged on the company's undertaking mnd property, present
and future, including uncalled capital.

Hobart Manufacturing Co., Ltd.— Mortgage dated De-
cember 7th. 19J0, to secure all money, due or to become due from company
to Lloyd's Bank, Ltd., not exceeding £7.000, charged on Etna Works. Albert
Road. Hendon. Holders: Lloyd's Bank, Ltd., Holborn Circus. E.C.

United Electric Tramways Co., Caracas, Ltd. (89,642).—

Capital, «00,000 in £1 shares. Return dated November 16th, 1920; 170,000
•hares Wken up and £7 paid; £169,893 considered a. paid. Mortgages and
charges, £148,600,

Railway Finance and Construction Co., Ltd. (72,015).- I

Capital. £100,000 in £1 shares. Return dated November lOlh. 1920; 92,-292 1
share, taken up and £1 per .share called up on 657 and it. per share on 1
•i9,595; £6,576 paid: £85.716 considered as paid, being £1 per shjre on 62,040

• nd 16i. per share on 29,595. Mortgages and charges, ml.

Pacific and European Telegraph Co., Ltd. (36,683).—

Capital, £100,000 in £10 iharet. Return dated November 16th. 1920. All
•hares taken up; £4 per •hare called up and £40,000 paid. Mortgage, and
.barges, £66.800.

CITY NOTES.

Eastern

Extension,

Australasia

and China

Telegraph

Co., Ltd.

The ordinary general meeting of the ••
Eastern Extension Australasia and China
Telegraph Co., jLtd., was held on December
14th, at Electra House, E.G.. Sir John
Denison-Pender, chairman, in moving the
adoption of the report and accounts, said
it was hoped to hold the nest meeting at
a much earlier date. The enforced delay
this vear did not prevent the payment at the usual time of
the final dividend for 1919, the total distribution being 10 per
cent., free of income tax, against 8 per cent, for 1918. Com-
pared with the pre-war year. 1913. the revenue of the past
year showed an increase of over 300 per cent., but there had
been a considerable addition to the working and other ex-
penses. The principal items of increased expenditure were
£109,000 in payments to the staff and other expenses con-
nected with the war, ^,000 attending the maintenance of
cables, and i'llS.OlXI for war taxation in the Netherlands
Indies. The last of these items covered six years— 1914 to 1919
inclusive — but in connection with this taxation there was
£70,000 of relief from excess profits duty in England and
£13.000 for income tax at 6s., making the net payment for
Netherlands Indian war tax only £31,000. They proposed to
transfer £3.50,000 to general reserve fund, to make a further
provision of £'20,000 on account of investment fluctuations,
making up the depreciation shown at the end of 1919 within a.
few thousand pounds, and to carry forward £'23'2,000. The re-
tention of this large sum was due to the uncertainty regardiiig
their taxation liability and the large expenditure required in
the near future for developing and improving the company's
service in the Far East. The additional cable they had ar-
ranged to lay between Madras and Singapore was now in
manufacture, and was expected to be laid and opened for
traffic early next year. The Great Northern Telegraph Ckt.'a
through route to the Far East materially assisted in carrying
the China and Japan traffic up to 1914, when it became in-
terrupted and it was not yet restored. (Consequently the com-
pany's cables were still carrying this traffic in addition to the
large increase in other directions, and additional capacity
w»g now much needed. When the Great Northern
route was again working they would be relieved of some of
the traffic, but in any case the new cable would benefit the
telegraphing public. They had therefore no hesitation in in-
curring the expenditure for the additional cable between
Madras and Singapore. The resolution was unanimously
adopted; the usual formal business was transacted, and a vote
of thanks to the chairman and directors concluded the pro-
ceedings.— financial Timet.

The 87th ordinary general meeting of
Western the Western Telegraph Co., Ltd., was held

Telegraph on December 15th at Electra House. E.C.

Co., Ltd. Sir John Denison-Pender, the chairman, in

the course of his address, said that the
revenue from all sources had increased by a little over £719,0(X)
and this represented a greater volume of traffic with all thel
States of South .America which were served by the company's!
system of telegraphic cables. .\ new cable from North Brazil]
to the Island of Barbados was laid in September last. A short
time before an expedition had started to lay the connecting
cable owned bv the Western Union. Cable Co.. from Barbados
to Florida, there to join up with the vast landline system of
the latter company in the United States. At almost the last
moment, however, the .American Government had refused to
permit the Westwrn Union Co. to land its cable on American
soil, the objection being that the Western Union intended
tvorkin? in conjunction with the Western Telegraph Co.. ft
British- company heldins exclusivs rights from the Govern-
ment nf Br.Tzil" for submarine cable communication. A re-
grettable feature of this unfortunate incident was the active
opposition of the British Minister at Washington, who, went
even further than the United States Government, and issued
instructions to the commander of the British ship chartered
by the Western Union Co. to lay this cable, not to proceea
\fHh the Work. Ho-w^ver, these instruBtions *-ere not »up-

Vol.87. No. 2,248, dbokmbeb 2i, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

828

ported by the Foreign Ofl&ce, and the cable was laid, witli the
end buoyed outside the United States territorial waters, at a
position agreed upon with the United States Government. It
was hoped that communication would shortly be made, but it
might not be by the route originally contemplated- At the last
general meeting the contmued interruption of the original
cable between St. Vincent, Cape Verde Islands, and Pernam-
buco was referred to ; there were two cables connecting these
points — a large portion, amounting to nearly 1,000 miles, was
last month very successfully renewed, and the cable was
again in good working order. In the near future additional
cables were to be laid on the Brazilian coast between Per-
nambuco and Maraham. Pernambuco and Maceio, Victoria
and Rio de Janeiro, and Kio de Janeiro and Santos. It was
intended also to afford additional facilities to Santa Catharina
and Rio Grande do Sul. An order had been placed for the
necessary cable to renew the older section between Lisbon
and Madeira; the existiiig cable had been laid some years,
and would have been renewed before had not the war in-
tervened. This programme, with cable for stock, would entail
a further expenditure of close on £1,000,000. The report and
accounts were unanimously adopted, the retiring directors and
the auditors were re-elected, and the proceedings concluded
with a vote of thanks tu the chairman, directors, and staff.^
The 89th ordmary general meeting of the
Eastern Eastern Telegraph Co.. Ltd., was held on

Telegraph December 1.5th at Electra House, Finsbury

Co., Ltd. Pavement. B.C. Sir John Denison-Pender,

the chairman, in the course of his speech,
said that the gross revenue had reached a figure considerably
in excess of any previous year in the history of the company,
and was no less than £l,438,0t)0 more than the pre-war year
1913 ; the gross revenue shown in the accounts exceeded
that of lasf year by ^£694.000. the total of the year under
review having amounted to i4.059.000. This large income
had not been earned without a very considerable increase in
the' working expenses, which were approximately f 653 000
more than for the year 1918. Abnormal conditions still pre-
vailed, and expenses had not yet become so stabilised as tney
were before the war. The bulk of the increase was due to
extra payments made to the staff, partly in the form of per-
manent augmentations of the scales of pay and partly in the
shape of temporary payments to meet to some extent the
present abnormal conditions of life, but the earnings had
enabled the firm to deal generously with its staff. As fore-
shadowed at the last meeting, a heavy programme of cable
laying and renewals was contemplated. During the current
year about jEl.'200,flOO had been expended on additional cables
ifrom Malta to Alexandria and from Aden to Bombay, part
of which would be charged to capital expenditure, as the new
capital was specially provided for this purpose; but when the
whole of the present programme was carried out a considerable
sum would be charged against the gener.Tl reserve fund
according to the usual policy. Securities in which the reserve
funds were invested showed a further heavy depreciation, in
common with other concerns holding gilt-edged securities,
and it had been consider^'d advisable to allocate a further sum
of £''200.000 from the general reserve fund to the special fund
set aside as a provision for this depreciation, which now
amounted to £840,(X)0. During the war regular customers had
been subjected to many restrictions in consequence of which
their commercial service had been hampered, and their tele-
grams had been, and were still, suffering serious delay. Every
effort had been made to re-establish such a service for com-
toercial correspondence as was generally acknowledged to be
second to none in speed, secrecy ,and freedom from errors in
transmission. A great improvement had already taken place,
and when the whole of the additional cables ordered by the
company and the Eastern Extension Co. were laid and work-
ing it was fully anticipated that the public service would be
even better than- it was before the war. No better proof
could be found of the wisdom of continuing the policy of
maintaining a substantial reserve fund than from the example
given, whereby large expenditure for new cable. &c., had
been provided for without increasing the capital to any serious
extent. Every effort was being made to overcome the shortage
of staff, so as to relieve present employes. The school had
been transferred to Hampstead. where the company had been
able to more than double the accommodation for the training
iif young men in the particular requirements of the service.
Two hundred probationers could be accommodated and trained
at a time, and as they qualified and passed out to stations,
others were engaged to keep the figure constantly up to that
number. X pension fund for the staff was established some
years ago. to which the company and the staff contributed
annually an equal percentage on the salaries. In order to
assist the staff the company had relieved them of this burden,
and now contributed the whole amount — the annual cost
appearing under the heading " st.iff pension fund " in the
revenue account, beincr £35,552, or over £12.000 more than
last rear. By the desire of a larcc number of the staff an
associated companies' widows' pension fund was also in process
of formation. Tt would be supported by annual contributions
by the staff themsclve?. The boards had decided to assist
those members of the staff who elected to ioin the scheme by
making an initial payment of £38.000 to the fund, the com-
pany's proportion beinc £a).OIX). With n view to furthering
the welfare of the staff the principal associated companies had
decided to install a clubhoiise and recreation ground. A free-

hold property with grounds of about ten acres «ttached, on
the bank of the Thame's at Twickenham, was secured some
time ago and converted into a suitable clubhouse. Over 16
acres of freehold land had been laid out as a sports ground.
The capital sum to inaugurate the clubhouse and recreation
ground, about £5'2,0OO, had been contributed by the three
principal companies, the Eastern Telegraph Co. having agreed
to find one-half the cost. The chairman proposed the re-elec-
tion of the retiring directors, Mr. J. C. Denison-Pender, M.P.,
and the Rt. Hon. F. Huth Jackson, which was seconded by
Lord Pirrie and unanimously agreed to. The auditors, Messrs.
Deloitte, Plender, Griffiths & Co., were reappointed, snd a vote
of thanks to the chairman, directors, and staff concluded the
proceedings. — Financial Times.
Financial Timet.

The shareholders in Brown. Boveri and
Increases in Co., of Mannheim, have sanctioned an
German Capital, augmentation in the share capital of
35,000,000 marks to 75,000,000 marks by
the issue of 30,000,W0 marks in 6 per cent, preference shares
with single voting powers, and 5,000,000 marks of 6 per cent.
registered preference shares each having 15 votes. The latter
shares have been taken over by a banking and metallurgical
group, and an embargo has been fixed on transfers to the
end of 1930. . „ . ».

The Elektrizitats A.G. vorm. SehucUert d Co., of t<iUTem-
herg, proposes to make an issue of preference shares m
connection with the projected community of interests with
the Deutsch-Luxemburg Mining & Ironworks Co., the Gelsen-
kirchen Collierv Co., and the Siemens & Halske Co. At
present the ordinary share capital of the Nuremberg company
is 70,000,000 marks, and the issue of 6 per cent, preference'
shares is also to amount to 70,000,000 marks, the shares
carrying simple votes and being of the cumulative type. So
long, however, as preference shares remain in the possession
of the community participation in the profits will be sus-
pended. J ••, J
Ihe directors of the Siemens i Halske Co. have decided
to raise the share capital by 134,000.000 marks to 260,000,000
marks for the purpose of csrr.ving into effect the contemplated
community of interests under the title of the Siemens-Rhine-
Elbe-Schuckert Union. The new issue is divided into
130,000.000 marks of preference shares and 4,000.000 marks
of ordinarv shares, the latter bringing the amount of the
ordinary capital up to 130.000.000 marks, or the equivalent
of the ordmary share capital of the Deutsch-Luxemburg Co.,
which forms one of the community. As in the case of the
preference issue of the Schuckert Co., the preference shares
in the Siemens & Halske Co. will be exchanged between the
members of the community ; they are of the 6 per cent, type,
and will not share in the profit distribution so long as they
remain in the hands of the community.

The French Cable Co. — The report for 1919 of the Com-
pagnie des Cables Telegraphiques states that the receipts
increased from 13.154.000 fr. in 1918 to 17.716,000 fr. last year.
The year benefited from the restoration of two cables on the
one hand, and on the other, from the placing in service on
March 1st, 1919, of the former German cable between Emden,
Fayal, and New York, which was now between Brest, Fayal,
and New York. Among the securities in portfolio the report
mentions 9.72.5 shares in the Compagnie Geni^rale de
Telegraphie sans Fil, and 5,000 shares in the Compagnie de
TClegraphie sans Fil of no specified value. The payment to
be made to the State for the use of the former German cable
was entered at 453.000 fr., but as the State methods of calcula-
tion tended to be higher the sum of 440.000 fr. hud been set
aside out of the credit balance of 6,597,000 fr. for 1919. with
the object of harmonising with the Ministerial accounts of
December 9th. 19'30. It has been decided to pay a dividend
at the rate of 28.63 fr. per ordinary share, 37.65 fr. on series 1
shares, and 4.32 fr. on series 2 shares.

Waygood=Otis, Ltd. — The directors announce that the
results of the trading for the year ended Septembet 30th are
quite satisfactory, but owing to general financial stringency
they deem it undesirable to distribute an interim dividend
on "the ordinary shares. — Financier.

Manx Electric Railway Co., Ltd.— For the year ended
September 30th, 19'20. the gross receipts totalled £89,780,
and gross expenditure £48.870, leavmg £40,910. after deduct-
ing £.'i.910 the debit balance brought forward, interest on
debenture stock £9.000, interest paid on second mortgage de-
bentures from October Ist. 1915. to March 30th. 19'20. £5,072
accrued to September 30th. 1920. £1.216, first mortgage de-
benture stock £1.000, a balance of £15.712 remains. Prefer-
ence share dividend for two years ended September. lOlo, £3o.
is recommended, carrying forward £1,390.— Findiu-icr.

British Vacuum Cleaner Co., Ltd.— Report for the vear
to September 30th 1020. shows net profit, after writing off
depreciation of plant, kc. £1.140. and loss on realisation of
war stock investment £578. of £1.066. plus £777 brought for-
ward. £1.250 has been placed to reserve, and £562 carried
forward.

Cromptoa & Co., Ltd.— Interim dividend at the rate of
7 per cent, on the preferwice shares fbr the six months
ended Seplember 80th, 1920.

824

THE ELEOTEICAL KEVIEW. [voi. 87. No. 2,248, deckmbbb 24, 1920.

stock Exchange Notices. — Dealings in the following hav«
been specially allowed by the Committee under Temporary
Regulation 4 (3) :—

Radio Corporation of America. — Preferred stock, 5,000,000
shares of $5 each, American and foreign certificates; and
Common stock, 5,0(X),iX)0 shares without nominal or par value,
American and foreign certificates.

The Eastern Telegraph Co., Ltd. — Dividend at the rate
of 3J per cent, per annum, less income tax, on the preference
stock for the quarter ending December .Slst, 1920; and the
third quarterly interim dividend of 2J per cent, on the ordmary
stock free of income tax.

Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd. — The directors
announce a dividend of 7 per cent., less tax, on the 7 per cent,
cumulative participating preference shares, and an interim
dividend of .5 per cent., less tax, on the ordinary shares.

Manila Electric Railroad & Lighting Corporation. — Divi-
dend of li per cent, for the qunrter ending December 31st.
1920. on the common stock.

The Eastern Extension, Australasia & China Telegraph
Co., Ltd. — Interim dividend for the three months ended
September 30th, 1920, of 5s. per share, free of income tax.

International Light & Power Co. — Dividend of IJ per
cent., less British tax, on the preference shares for the
quarter ending December 31st.

Marconi International Marine Communication Co., Ltd. —

Interim dividend of 5 per cent., equal to Is. per shar-e, less
income tax.

New Issue. — Bolckow, Vaughan rf Co. — The recent issue
of ^1,000,000 first mortgage debentures has been heavily over-
subscribed.

Shawinigan Water & Power Co. — Dividend of IJ per cent,
on common stock for the quarter ending December 31st.

Kaministiquia Power Co. Stbck.-

$100 share.

-Dividend of $13i per

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Monday Evening.

Stock Exchange conditions go from bad to worse. Each day
that brings nearer the end of the year also brings with it fur-
ther liquidation. The failure of Faxrow's Bank led to acute
flatness in \Yar Stock and other gilt-edged issues. People
with money — Christmas is a time of charitable assumption —
are not spending it in stocks and shares, and every seller
seems to be accompanied by two or more others. The only
rise recorded m our lists tuis week is one of IJ points in
Anglo-.^gentine Ti'amways 5 per cent, debenture stock.
Attention was directed to its cheapness in this column last
week.

The West of England has already taken practical steps in
the direction of establishing an Electricity Authority on the
lines recommended by the Commissioners. The suggested
arrangements are worth studying by those who are interested
in the subject, but there are no public companies concerned
whose shares the London Stock Exchange deals in. The
London Companies' issues are heavy, without showing quot-
able alterations. To sell in any amount would prove a matter
of considerable difficulty.

Marconis slumped from 3| to 1 15/16 on the declaration of
an interim dividend of 5 per cent, as against 10 per cent, a
year ago. The market hope is that this reduction does not
necessarily imply the previous year's dividend of 25 per cent,
being cut in half. Apologists maintain that the final dividend
may even be 20 per cent., but rosy-hued glasses are required
to foresee such a result. The bulls of ilarconis are dis-
..ppointed. and their pressure to sell, in the absence of buyers,
made the whole Marconi market weak and flat.

It was an unfortunate coincidence that at this very time
dealings should begin in the common and preferred shares of
the Kadio Corporation. The last bargain recorded in Ameri-
can Marconis was at 30s. 9d. last March, and to-day the two
Radios, given in exchange for one American ilarconi, are
worth about 13s. 9d., being 7s. 6d. for the preferred and 6s. 3d.
for the common. In due course, a further certificate will he
given _for what are called the assets, and " another few shil-
lings " is the rather contemptuous valuation set upon the.se
in the Stock Exchange. Holders of American Marconis mav
justly feel resentful at the way in which their long-tried
patience has been rewarded. But it must be admitt«-d that a
worse time could hardly have been chosen for the re-introduc-
tion of the shares to an active market. To sell them now
would certainly appear to be throwing the shares away.

All the pother that has arisen in coimection with the Ameri-
can Cable controversy is havmg no effect upon stocks and
shares in the telegraph department. Anglo-Americans are
unchanged. Globes and Westerns are ex dividend at 14i.
The recent meetmgs of the Eastern group of companies pro-
duced illummatmg speeches, .\ccording to the schedule of
its investments, lately published, the Eastern Telegraph holds
large quantities of War Loan, Funding Stock, Victory bonds,
and other such descriptions upon which the depreciation thig
month has been extensive. But the companies are all in a
very strong financial position.

Edisons are easier at 14s. 6d. Babcock & Wilcox, nominally
24 middle, can be bought at this price, or perhaps a little
lower. Siemens new shares, 12s. paid, stand at 9s. 3d., equal
to 2s. 9d. discount. English Electric new notes are 4J dii-
count. India-Rubbers remain at 20s., on the passing of the
final dividend. Other industrials are heavy. The rubber
share market has approached near to demoralisation, on the
price of the produce falling below Is. per lb. A sharp slump
in Vickers, followed by a drop in Armstrongs, aroused uneasi-
ness with regard to the armament .shares.

Underground incomes are down 3 to 61i. and both classes
(if shares are lower than they appear to be from the official
Stock Exchange quotations. Foreign tractions come under
the same harrow of depression. Brazil Tractions shed 31
points, in spite of earnest counsel to buy the shares from a
Montreal house. Only Anglo-Argentine 5 per cent, debenture
stock is better, as already mentioned. British Columbia
stocks have gone back a little. It is no cheerful Christmas
message to write, and a Stock Exchange scribe is bound to
feel ashamed at recording such conditions as might be best
summed up in " Least said, soonest (we hope) mended."

SHARE LIST OF ELECTRICAL COMPANIES.

Home Elzotbicity Coufanies.

Dividend Price

/ • ^ Deo. 21, Yield

iei8. 1919. 1930. RiseorfftU. p.o.

Brompton Ordinary 8 13 6 — il9 1 0

Charing Cross Ordinary ....4 7 Bf — 10 74

do. do. do. 4i Pref. ..4)4^ 2| — S 8 8

Chelsea 8 4 Si — B 8 0

CiW of London 8 10 Ij — R n in

do. do. 6peroent. Prel. .. 6 8 17/6 — 6 17 a

Coonty of London 7 8 71 — 10 13 4

do. do. fi per cent. Pref. 6 6 8 — 7 10 »

Kensington Ordinary .... 6 7 8| — 906

London Electric Nil 2i | — 10 0 0

do. do. 6 percent. Prel... 6 6 2| — 10 18 S

Metropolitan 6 6 93 — 11 8 8

do. 4i per cent. Pref, .. 4^ 4), 3^ — 8 0 0

St. James' and Pall Mall .. .. 10 12 6^ — 9 13 0

South London ..... 6 6 3* — 9 13 0

South Metropolitan Pref 7 7 16/3 — 8 13 8

Westminster Ordinary .... 8 10 4j — 10 10 6

TKLXaslfHS IHD TlLIPBOHXa.

Anglo-Am. Tel. Pref. .... 6 6 "m — 7 16 II

do. iJef 83.6 1} 163 — 9 10 «

Chile Ti-lpphone 8 6 />| — 'B » 1

Cuba Sub. Ord 7 7 7 — '10 0 0

Eastern Extension 8 10 16 — •a 18 4

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 15)J — '6 H 4

Globe Tel. and T. Ord. .. .. 8 10 H| xd — '6 15 7

do. do. Pref 6 6 8* xd — 7 13

Oroat Northern Tel 23 33 39} — 10 14 »

Indo-European 18 10 80 — 8 6 8

Maroonl 36 36 m — A 13 17 8

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 13 3$ — '4 IH 4

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 6| — J •« 16 4

West India and Panama .. .. 1/3 Nil fj — Nil

Western Telegraph 8 10 143 -xd — "e 15 7

HoMx Rails.

Central London Ord. Assented ..4 4 43^ — 9*0

Metropolitan 1 1} M — 860

do. District .. .. Nil Nil 16* — Nil

UnderCTOund Electric Ordinary Nil Nil 3 — • Nil

do. do. "A" .. Nil NU 6'- — Nil

do. do. Income ..6 4 61^ —3 —

FoRBioM Trams, Ac.

Anglo-Arg. Trams, First Pref. ., Nil 6i 3 — B 8 4

do. do. and Prel. .. Nil NU 34 — Nil

uo. do. 6% Deb. ..6 6 64i +]i 9 6 6

Brazil Tractions .. ..Nil Nil 87* -2^ Nil

British Columbia Elec. RIy. Pfce. 6 6 58' — 8 19 4

do, do. PrelerreQ 2* 5 66* — •6 8 9

do. do, Deferred Nil 3 53* - 1 '6 10 10

do. do. DRh .. 4i 4^ 665 — 7 10 S

Mexico Trams 5 percent. Bonds., Nn Nil 40 — Nil

do. 6 percent. Bonds.. Nil Nil 81* — Nil

Mexican Light Common .. .. Nil Nil J6' — Nil

do. Pref Nil Nil m — Nil

do. 1st Bonds.. .. NU Nil I6i — Nil

MANnFAornMNO Cokpasms.

Babcock & Wilcox 16 16 JJ — '7 19

Briiish MnmloiDm Ord 10 10 18/. — 11 10 1

British Insulated Ord 12^ 15 U — 9 4 8

Callenders 25 15 1| — 10 13 9

6^ Pref 6* t^S 18/9 — 8 18 8

Castner Kellner 30" 17' 3 — 6 18 4

Crompton Ord 10 10 16/6 — 19 3 6

Edison-tiwan . .. 10 10 14/6 -6d. 18 15 10

do. do. 6 per cent. Deb. ..6 5 72 — 6 19 0

Electric Construction .. .. 10 10 16/6 — 11 d 6

Gen. Elec. Pref 6* 6* 18'. — 7 4 G

do. Ord 10" 10' U — •8 0 0

Henley 25 15 IS — 9 4 8

do. 4JPref IJ 4J sj - — 7 4 0

IndiaRubber 10 10 1 — '8 8 0

Met..Vickers Prof — S HJ — 9 9 4

Siemens Ord 10 10 l^'g — 'g 8 1

Telegraph Con 90 30 31 — 'S 14 I

* DividendB paid free of Income Tax.

V.l. 87. No. 2,248, Decembeb 2t, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

825

PULVERISED COAL AND COLLOIDAL FUEL.

- By "IMPERIAL."

It must very often happen that brilliant ideas are born
in the minds of those who completely lack the gift of
self-exj^ression, so that epoch-making fundamental prin-
ciples are lost, and the world's advancement is retarded.
Furtheriuore, many who should be classed with the great
lueii of the era must perish as mute, inglorious units.
Others there are who can conceive a great principle, can
appreciate fully at least its true value, and can put it
into execution — as a principle. They lack attention to
iletail, and while their own enthusiasm carries them on,
and enables theni to see visions of a, new world created
by tiieir efforts, theii- lack of practical succe.ss does not
give them the power to carry their fellowmen with them.
Such are usually called dreamers or charlatans, accord-
ing to the charity of their critics; they may even be
contejiiptuously referred to as scientists. Yet a third
class tlieie is which, even after njountainous labour, is
incai)al>le of l)ringing forth anything greater than a
imiuse, yet its members can assimilate, more or less
superticially, tiie iileas of others, and make a great
braying noise about themselves.

It is often the unfortunate fate of a good principle
to fall on such thorny ground. In the one case it is
lo.st, in the others it is damned.

The principle of the burning of pulverised coal is
old and obvious. The inventor of the poker was prob-
abh- its first progenitor, although presumably his for-
bears may have used a stone or the heel of a boot for
the same purpose. Since the combustion of coal consists
of the condjination of oxygen from the air with carbon,
it is necessarily a surface action ; therefore, rapid and
efficient combustion will be most easily obtained when
the ratio of surface to volume is greatest. As Mr.
Leonard Harvey quotes in his well-known " Report on
Pulverised Coal Systems in America," a cube of coal
with a one inch face has a surface of (! sij. in. If this is
divided into cubes of one-hundredth of an inch face,
the total surface area is GOO sq. in., and provided that
this surface is all exposed to the air, combustion will be
very rapid and very complete. The thorough admixture
of coal with air necessitate.s a special design of furnace,
more (if the nature of a gas-combu.stion chamber than
of the old coal furnace. Under the forcing influence of
the stress of war, this system was widely aihipted in
America, and its good points were greatly enqihasised :
with quite insufficient experience, and by dint of a
persevering l^liiidness to bad features, the system was
hailed as a great step forward,' and quite impo.ssible
hopes were raised in our breasts. Some of these were
easily pricked, and in the conseijuent deflation there
seems to be .some- fear that the system will be as unde-
servedly condemned as it has previously been praised.
Mr. Harvey saw a large number of installations of
pulverised coal plant at work, and was told of their
results, perhaps in the usual forceful American style.
One would say. moreover, that Mr. Harvey went to
Amefica with a belief in. and consequently a bias
towards, pulverised coal ; further, he returned as the
European representative of one of the foremost sj-stems.
While he is scrupulously fair in his comparison of the
different systems with one another, and certainly does
not exalt the Fuller system beyond its competitors, it is
open to doubt whether he regards the efficiency of pul-
verised coal as critically and dispassionately as would.
say. a mechanical stoker expert. The arguments and
facts in favour of the use of pulverised coal deserve
much closer and more critical examination and exposi-
tion than have been given them. A more accurate state-
ment of the case would at the same time be inore con-
vincing.

For instance, on page 12 of the report, for No. 1
plant, the charges for interest and taxes are shown as
,£5 12s. O.od. [ler month, which works out at O.G per

cent, per annum of the capital charge for such an
installation, as shown on page 10. Elsewhere (i.O per
cent, is assumed, and apparently a correction should
be made, increasing the cost by Is. Ijd. per ton. On
page 13, Table III shows the cost of electrical energy to
be lid. per ton of fuel, whereas with the previous plant
it is 4s. lid. per ton. For No. 3 plant, on page 13, no
cost of energj' is included at all. Moreover, in Table III,
the cost of electrical energy is shown to average lid. per
ton, and the cost of repairs to electrioal plant to average
S<1. Tills is surely an extravagant figure, which is the
more amazing since the cost of repairs to mechanical
ge.ar, where -wear is expected and provided for, is less
than 8d. per ton.

Then again, the opinions of users quoted at the end
of the report are not exact in their statements, nor is
it clear to what plant each j^aragraph refers — in fact,
there is a general atmosphere of haziness. Regarded as
a critical examination, one finds it biased; considered
as ])ropaganda, one is forced to say that a scientific
system cannot be established in the public favour by a
course of windy verbiage more suited to the advertise-
ment of Beechani's pills or Bovril. Furthermore, in
the spring of 1919, there was a meeting of the
Iron and Steel Institute at which Mr. Harvey read a
most important paper, without substantially plagiaris-
ing his report, which had just been published. Conse-
quently, to obtain the full benefit of Mr. Harvey's
publications, one has to read two papers, each some 60
pages in length, and each dealing more or less com-
pletely with the subject; what is in one is not in the
other, and the consequent amount of cross-referencing
is enormous. We believe that a new edition of the report
is under consideration ; may we suggest that a totally
new work shouldbe published, incorporating the matter
of l)oth the above-mentioned pamphlets, and that it
should be most carefully revised with regard to facts and
figures? We do not ask for an .absence of bias, but
merely for an exact, easily sidistantiated statement of
resTilts obtained.

It must be said that Mr. Harvey's description of tiie
plant .'and the various methods of preparation for.
use of pulverised coal is excellent. The importance,
and the various methods, of drying are fully dealt witli.
as well as the methods of grinding, and the relative
advantages of air-separation and screening to separate
the powdered coal from the coarser particles-. -If the
subject matter from the report and the Iron and Steel
Institute paper -were incorporated in one volume, there
would be an exposition of engineering practice which,
'while it would be super.seded in time, would be of ever-
lasting historical interest, and a constant source of re-
ference.

But wJiat shall be said of colloidal fuel'.' (.)n Novcni-
l)er lOtli Mr. Lindon Bates and his assistant, Mr. Hay-
lett O'Neill, who claim to be the godfathers of colloidal
fuel, occupied an hour and a half of the time of the
Institute of Petroleum ' Technologists in reading two
papers which, according to a distingiiished speaker in
the discussion, contained nothing that could not have
been told to an audience of average intelligence in two
minutes. We are not endorsing this statement; it cer-
tainly took this speaker fully ten minutes to demon-
strate how little had been said. However, there was
certainly no detail given about the method of prepara-
tion, no statement of results achieved, and the greater
part of the paper was taken up with a demonstration
of the method of determining the calorific value of a
composite, given that of the components. Besides this
there are wide visions of world-redemption resulting
from the economies of labour and shipping, and frorii
the increased safety from fire conse(|uciit n]ion the
universal adoption of colloidal fuel.

826

THE ELECTEICAL EEVIEW. [Voi.s?, No. 2,248, decembeb 24, 1920.

One speaker in tlie discussion asked (and from the
lack of information in the paper was justified in asking)
■what improvement was to he expected from tlie admixture
of the finest combustible in the world, namely, oil, with
an inferior combustible — coal. Unfortunately, although
Mr. Bates and Mr. O'Neill gave some theoretical figures
.showing that the calorific value of the composite was
greater than that of either of the constituents, the prac-
tical advantages were not specifically urged, tlie main
points being higher b.th.u. per cubic foot, and greater
safety from fire, since the colloid was heavier than
water. Perhaps the word " colloid " should not be used,
for one great point of di.ssension is whether the com-
posite fuel is a colloidal solution or a mechanical
mixture.

All of which is most unfortunate for us. We do not.
as fuel consumers, care twopence whether it is a colloid
— if we know what that is. We mainly want to know
what has been done, what can be done, and whether the
practical difficulties outweigh the theoretical advantages.

We already know, as Mr. Bates remarked during a
momentary break into a viscous flow of commonplace,
that "the fuel problem continues to be the fundamental
national and international problem of the world," and
we are only too well acquainted with the "labour and
industrial difficulties wliich still sorely lieset the world."

Mr. Bates came to England with a reputation as an
expert on colloidal fuel. His paper has been discussed
by petroleum technologists from one point of view. It
would be most interesting if he would tell one of the
engineering societies something of the subject of which
he is a master, and give engineers in England an oppor-
tunity of gaining some information on a most important
development.

THE LIGHTING OF MACHINE 5H0PS.

By frank J. MOFFETT, B.A., M.I.E.E.

In a modern machine shop there is frequently difficulty
with the lighting s}-stem.

When the machines are first fixed, the lighting system
being designed for the lay-out gives satisfaction, but
as soon as alterations are made in the positions of
machines, it is necessary to make use of all kinds of
expedients to enable the men operating the machines
to obtain sufficient light on their work.

With the usual method of enclosing the wires in
screwed steel conduit it is a somewhat costly and diffi-
cult matter to make alterations or extensions, and when
these become necessary it is very common for works
electricians to abandon the conduit system and use tem-
porary connections of flexible cord slung up without
regard to appearance, and connected to the nearest
lampholder.

After some experience of this kind in a large en-
gineering works, it occurred to me that it should not
be impossible to devise a lighting system wliich would
be sufficiently flexible to provide for any altered lay-out
of the machine tools in the shop, and it may be of interest
to describe the system briefly.

It was decided to effect the lighting of each machine
tool by means of a jointed fitting which was bolted
to the machine, and wliich should form part of it. If a
machine is shifted, the lighting fitting is moved with
it, and it is only necessarj' to connect it up to the wiring.

The fitting selected is provided with a 10-watt lamp
in a vitreous enamelled reflector of the focusing tj'pe,
and the fitting is capable of sufficient latitude of move-
ment to enable a beam of light to be directed on to any
part of the machine where it is required. The lamp-
holder used is fitted with a key switch.

The wiring of the shops is carried out in the usual
way with V.I.R. cable in steel conduit, but in place of
ceiling roses, multiple-way connection points are pro-
vided. Each of these points consists of three lamp-
holders mounted on the cover of an ordinary oblong
inspection box, so that three pairs of leads can be con-
nected to the system at each point.

The connection is effected by means of flexible cord,
which may be either of the workshop or cab-tire-slieathed
pattern. Each end of the length of flexible terminates
in an adapter, one of which is in.serted in a lampholder
forming the terminal of the machine fitting.

When a machine shop is wired a sufficient number of
these multiple-way boxes are fixed at intervals in the
roof to allow of the connection of the fittings on as many
machines as the floor of the shop is capable of accom-
modating.

The flexible lead is supported by means of insulating
eyes fixed in the ceiling, and is arranged to drop verti-
cally over the base of the fitting.

When a rearrangement of the machines in the shop
is required, and the machines are moved, it is only
necessary to run the flexible cord to the nearest multiple-
way box, and fix a few insulating eyes.

The adapter was adopted as the readiest method of
coupling the flexible from the machine to the wiring
system. It has the advantage over a two-pin plug that
it will not pull out of its socket, and the current taken
by the machine lamps is so small that there is no risk
of trouble from overheating.

The pressure at the terminals of the lamps was fixed
at 25 volts, this pressure being obtained by the use of
double-circuit transformers reducing the voltage of the
supply, which is alternating. The low pressure was
decided on to avoid any danger of shock, and to secure
the advantage of a lamp with a robust filament. Lamps
of the railway type are used, and these withstand well
the vibration on the machines, which in some cases is
excessive.

One pole of the secondary circuit of the transformer
is earthed, so that there is no possibility of the pressure
above earth exceeding 25 volts.

There are two indirect advantages obtained by the
use of 25-volt lamps : First, it is found that the stealing
of lamps does not take place, as lamps of such low
voltage cannot be so readily used or disposed of as
100-200-volt lamps; and secondly, as only lO-watt, 25-
volt lamps are used for individual lighting, lamps of
higher c.p. cannot be substituted.

For the lighting of gangways and open spaces, a
separate system of general lighting is installed, this con-
sisting of 60- or 100-watt. 110-volt lamps, which are
connected to circuits entirely distinct from those supply-
ing current to the machine lights.

As would be expected, this system of lighting lends
itself to a considerable economy in electrical energj-.
Instead of a 30- or 40-watt lamp, a 10-watt lamp only
is required, and owing to the ease with which a powerful
beam of light can be thrown on the point requiring
illumination, the lighting effect with the small lamps
is as good as with larger lamps which are used in
fittings incapable of the same amount of adjustment.

From the point of view of the eyesight of the work-
people there is also an advantage, the lamp being en-
tirely enclosed in the reflector does not dazzle with its
direct rays, the only light that reaches the eyes of the
operator being that reflected from the machine.

The World's Industrial Development. — The British

Engineers' Afisociation, in its monthly Bulletin, states that reports
from the overseas Dominions and foreign countries indicate the
determination of those countries to develop their own manu-
facturing industries, and to treat their own natural resources, at
any rate, to an extent that will provide for their local need*.
Though the establishment of those local industries and the imposi-
tion of tariffs for their protection in early days may increase
competition with British exporters, it should be borne in mind that
the tendency to self-development is opening up a considerable new
market for British manufacturing engineers.

The propaganda work carried on by the British Engineers'
Association brings many inquiries for machinery and plant from
all parts of the world to its offices, and. to a certain extent, these
may be regarded as an index to the world's industrial development.
Many of the inquiries are from people abroad who are anxious to
develop local industries or to start new ones, but do not quite
know who to get to help them.

Obviously manufacturers would be well advised to keep in touch
with organisations such as the B.E.A., whose object is to put them
in communication with these new markets.

Vol.87. No. 2,248, Dbohmbhr 24, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

827

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.

By Dr. W. H. ECCLES.

In his inaugural address, as chairman of the Section, to the
Wireless Section of the Institotion of Electrical Engineers,
Dr. W. H. EccLES reviewed the circumstances under which
the Section was formed and its work, and recorded the
development during the war period of the practice and theory
of wireless telegraphy and telephony. What follows is an
abstract of the address : —

Of the progress made since the beginning of the war we
can find a fairly complete chronicle in the lectures and papers
read before this Section. Progress has not been so great with
regard to the transmitting plant as with the apparatus for
reception, though a paper by Mr. M. Latour gave a glimpse
of recent developments regarding some of the alternators being
installed in long-range stations. As regards progress in
methods and apparatus for reception and in small transmitting
sets we obtained a very perfect account from Col. Cusens,
who dealt with designs of apparatus evolved for use in the
army, and from Major Erskine Murray, who dealt with the
designs of apparatus for the Air Force. In addition. Major
Prince dealt with wireless telephony on aeroplanes, and Capt.
Eckersley with duplex wireless telephony. A complete theo-
retical and practical account of amplifiers as developed for
use in the Navy was given by Prof. Fortescue, and that
remarkable instrument the oscillatory valve relay was de-
scribed by its inventor, Capt. L. B. Turner. All these papers
may be regarded as records of finished achievements com-
plete in themselves: certain other papers are in the nature of
unfinished symphonies.

On the whole, the outstanding feature of development is
the three-electrode thermionic tube .sometimes called the plio-
tron, audion, or three-electrode valve, but which I call a
triode. This instrument is in somewhat the same stage of
development as the dynamo electric machine was 50 years
ago. Now as then, in order that it may be developed to the
limit of its possibilities, its characteristics must be studied,
endless measurements must be taken, and its theory built up.

ments. The reason for the variation of the voltage factor
arises out of the unevenness of the temperature of the fila-
ment to some extent, but chiefly out of the drop of voltage
along the filament. For instance, if the grid be connected to
the negative terminal of the filament the grid is -5 volts below
the positive end of the filament in potential. Therefore,
when a rather large negative voltage of, say, from two to
four volts is applied in making the measurements, or in actual
use, this end may be put out of action with consequent lower-
ing of the average voltage factor utilised. Again, if the fila-
ment current be increased the difference of potential between
the grid and the positive end of the filament also increases,
with the result that the average voltage factor may again be
lowered. Further, if the filament current be considerably
reduced, the ends of the filament may become saturated, and
the effective voltage factor again reduced. These matters lead
to apparent anomalies in the behaviour of triodes applied to
other purposes than the reception of faint wireless signals.

Variation of the average value of the voltage factor as the
filament current is altered (figs. '2 and 3) bears a striking
likeness to the curves depicting the results of some measure-
ments made liy Dr. Vincent m 1918 on the change of the
wavelength of the oscillation.s generated by a triode under
certain conditions. Perhaps the changes usually occurring
in the wave length generated as the filament battery runs
down owe their origin to variations in the average value of
the voltage factor. By availing oneself of the flat part of the
curves the filament current may be set so that the inevitable
.slight running down of the filament current will for a long
time produce no change in the wave length. This matter of
constancy of wave length will become of growing importance
as the world becomes crowded with wireless stations, in fact
crowding of wave lengths is continually receiving international
attention now. Methods of transmitting within very narrow
ranges of wave length may have to be devised, and in con-
sequence receiving antennse and apparatus with sharp tuning

^

^^

"^

\

/

"

\

\,

/

„

/

CONST
CORR

'.m =

LAMEN

/

'i

GRID VOITS

ilia. 1.

LAMENT CURRENT

Fig. 2.

As in the case of the dynamo and motor, theory and practice
must proceed together, and we may almost say " useless each
without the other." The design of these tubes for reception,
and many of their properties, were discussed in a paper by
Mr. B. S. Gossling, and valuable data concerning the filaments
were communicated to the Journal of the In.stitution by Mr.
Stead.

Certain results not yet fully discussed arise in the use of
the.se tubes, even in respect of such a fundamental parameter
as the voltage factor. The voltage factor is the ratio of the
free electromotive force appearing in the anode circuit in
respon.se to that which is applied in the grid circuit. In
certain modes of using the tube, for instance in the tubes
occurring in the later stage's of a many-stage amplifier, the
value of the voltage factor reali.sed is disappointing with certain
adju.stments. I have had mea.surements made on many tubes
on which a rather large voltage was applied to the grid, the
results are shown in fig. 1, in which the ordinates give the
voltage factor, and the abscis.sa? are the voltage of the battery
permanently connected in the grid circuit, the filament current
being constant.

Another set of results .showing how the voltage factor varies
with the filament current is given in fig. '3, and for an entirely
different tube in fig. S. These measurements were made by
the following students at the Finsbury Technical College :
Messrs. C. W. Cosgiwe, C. A. Wilck. ,1. L. Hewitt. W.
Owynne, R. L. Dawson, and E. M. Walden.

Fig. 4 shows the variation of the voltiige factor with the volt-
age on the grid at various filament currents. Anode current
' constant at .50 volts; filament current is constant on each cur.'e.
These curves were made by Messrs. Everitt and Newman. The
voltage factor undergoes great variation when the tubes are
used for magnifying rather larger changes of voltage than
are applied to them in the bulk of wireless telegraph experi-

ll^OS

^

V,

/

'^

i

r"

V7i>j:

'^

:

FILAMENT

Fig. 3

Fig. 4.

may become essential. There are other reasons for this latter
tendency, namely, the fact that sharp tuning and low losses
go together. Important problems will then arise concerning
the increased capital expenditure for building low-resistance
antennae and apparatus, and the interest and depreciation
will have to be compared with a possible saving of energy
and the value of the other advantages of precise tuning. A
paper read before this Section by Prof. Howe on the high-
frecjuency resistance of wires has an important bearing on
these pi'oblems.

Among other insufficiently investigated properties of the
triode are those associated with certain portions of the charac-
teristic surfaces which may be used to represent all the
principal properties of the tube. When the filament current
and voltage are kept constant there remain four principal
varial)les, namely, the anode current I'a, the grid current i\,
the anode voltage Po, and the grid voltage c g If we represent
anode current and grid current separately each of these must
be regarded as a function of the two independent variables
i\ and i-g. Fig. (3 shows three lines at right angles, the
horizontal line marked Ca is the axis of anode voltage, that
marked Cg is also horizontal, and is drawn perpendicularly
through the page away from the reader to represent grid
voltages. Tlic line marked i is vertical, and represents either
grid or anode current. Upon these axes we may erect sur-
faces to represent tlie current flowing in a triode at any
assigned values of the two voltages by measuring off to scale
these voltages along the appropriate axes and erecting at the
point so determined a vertical line with two ordinates equal
in value to the ob.served currents. When this is done we
obtain for the anode current such a surface as is shown in
fig. 10. The flat top represents the saturation values, the
concave sloping surface at the right-hand side follows in the
ideal case the three-halves power law, and normally only a

828

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,248, deckmbeb 24, isao.

smnU part of this area on the extreme ring-hand of the picture
is utilised. On tlie left-hand, where the .'surface de.scenda
in a kind of cliff to the axis of the grid voltage, we have a
region little investigated and scarcely utilised as yet. This
surface was constructed from curves such as those of fig. 5,
which are. in fact, sections of the surface made by vertical
planes parallel to the axis of anode voltage, and represent
w'hat happens to the anode current, at various constant grid
voltages, as the anode voltage is increased. At low anode'
voltages the anode current rises very rapidly. In fig. 11, which
is a photograph of a model of a grid-current surface, at low
anode voltages the grid current falls rapidly as the anode
voltage is increased from zero. On the left-hand of the sharp
ridge are represented values of grid current when the anode
voltage is negative, that is to say, when practically no anode
current is flowing. The concave sloping part obeys the three-
halves power law, and the flat top repre.sents saturation.
Fig. 9 shows shapes of the grid characteristics from which
such a surface as that of fig. 11 is prepared. All the familiar
characteristics noted in hooks and papers can be obtained from
these surfaces by making sections.

The rapid rise of anode < inient and accompanying fall of
grid current in the region df low anode voltages requires

i

/'.o

/

^

^

1

/

4

/

/

/

/

//

/

^

y

^

/

y

A

y

^■

L<

^

L^

^^

■^

"^

y^

s '"

—-^

f^

-^

^

\ \

r^

"^

V

_^

>,

--

_^ — 1

— '

V

1 1

Fig. 5.

Fig. 9.

explanutiun. Figs. 7 and 8 indicate possible paths of elec-
trons when the grid is slightly positive and the anode at zero
voltage. A being the anode, G a grid wire in section, and F the
cathode. Electrons starting from the cathode with consider-
able normal velocity may perform wide orbits round the grid
wire, but are finally drawn into it : but if the anode is shghtly
pu.sitive many of the electrons not pa.ssing too near the grid
wire end their career on the anode. It may be shown that
the grid ciu'rent has the value : —

'g = a' O'a + V feV- C'-p I — a\' (CaVg^;,.
and that the anode current is given by : —
log(l + <a''-.) = aV(ra/«g)
at low voltages, when i- is the voltage factoi- and A ' and o are
constants that are difi'erent for each tulie ; for ordinary recep-
tion triodes a =1.3 approximatt>ly.

These con.siderations call attention to a fact that does not
appear to have_ received adequate notice, namely, that the
grid in a triode may exert two distinct tyjjes of action. The
type just described, which is characterised by having the Ijulk
of the grid current contributed by electrons that have suffered
great lateral deflections, may be called a snatching action ;
the other type of action, which is that usually utilised in
triodes. is of tlie nature of an acceleration or deceleration of
the motion of the electrons from the cathode to the anode : in
brief, one type of action by the grid is mainly lateral attrac-
tion of electrons, and the other is mainly a longitudinal effect
in the direction of motion. The steep surfaces near the axes
of grid voltage in figs. 10 and 11 are due to the snatching
action.

In fig. 13 is shown a .surface representing by its ordinates
both the grid and anode curi'ents of an ordinary form of triode.
The snatching action that goes on between the grid and the
anode at low anode voltages produces a gully separating the
two surfaces. The question immediately arises : What is
there beyond the region embraced by this figure? Very
little published information is available, but I have had parties
of students studying the geography of the gully and the
plateau .seen in fig. 13; in particular I have to mention the
work of Messrs. L. Grinstead and T. W. Price in this con-
nection. As a result I am able to give in'fig. 12 a photograph
of a su;£ace r-jpresenting most of the properties of ordinary

tnode.,. The gully noticed in figure 13 is seen to take
a sharp turn ; on the extreme right of the mcjdel a seirtion
taken at a fixed and fairly high anode voltage is seen, and
this "section is, therefore, the characteristic curve of the grid
and anode currents as the grid voltage varies. On following
the curve of section from front to back the anode current
is seen to rise from zero to a maximum as the grid voltage
rises to remain nearly constant till the gully is reached and
there to de.scend suddenly ; during this descent the grid current
rises and becomes greater than the anode cmTent; the plateau
beyond the gully belongs to the grid current. This is not
strictly what happens in an ordinary reception triode, but
certain types of tube gives such a surface with fair exactitude.
A form of triode described by Major Erskine Murray gives a
charactt>ristic very like that shown by this section of the
model. These models relate to somewhat ideal tubes; in
actual tubes, for the reasons already stated, the edges seen on
the surfaces are rounded off considerably.

Ix?t us now turn to Capt. H. .T. Round's paper on directive
telegraphy. It was soon found that false directions were
obtained during sunset and sunrise, the errors often ranging
over 30 degiees of arc. Throughout the night, too, false
directions. are given erratically, and, moreover, the sharpness
of the minimum is often spoiled. Capt.
P. P. Eckersley has suggested that much
of the directional error might arise from
the rotation of the plane of polarisation
of the signal-bearing waves by reflec-
tion at non-level portions of the Heavi-
side layer l^etween the sending and
, receiving stations. The whole matter

' !, provokes inquiry if only because the

■"■"s \ phenomena affords another mode of

""\ gaining knowledge about the upper

«, ■ c^.. i atmosphere. To sjaow the errors caused

': i i i by such rotation, however produced, I

_i ■ i_^ have here a model of a receiving frame

''^ ' ' '•> a aerial movable about a vertical axis and

a ray of electromagnetic radiation inci-
dent upon the frame. The ray is repre-
sented by a straight rod, and this is
fixed at an inchnation to the horizontal
because it is abundantly proved that
rays bending round the globe follow a
curved trajectory resembling that of a
projectile; for example, Capt. Eckersley
has shown that a horizontal loop can
receive signals. In the daytime these
rays have their magnetic force hori-
zontal. In this model the magnetic
force of the wave is represented by a
wooden bar fixed perpendicularly to the
end of the rod representing the ray; and
when the rod is pushed so that its end
and the bar touch the frame the latter
assumes the position in which an actual
frame aerial must be placed to receive
no signals, that is, so as to have none of the magnetic
force of the -Raves linking with it. But suppose that at night
the plane of polarisation is rotated in any manner ; we mimic
that by rotating the rod and its perpendicular bar \vhile keep-
ing both in contact with the vertical frame aerial. It is
observed that the frame must rotate also,' that is to say, the
apparent direction of the source of tlif radiation, namely, the
perpendicular to the frame aerial, is erroneous. If 7 repre-
sents the error, a the inclination of the ray to the horizontal,
and /i tlie rotation of the plane of polarisation, then : —

tan 1 = Bin a tan /3.

Thus, if it be true that the trajectory of the ray always lies
in a vertical plane through both stations, the error in azimuth
enables us to compute the angle at which the ray descends
to the receiving station.

But there still remains the problem of the cau.se of the
rotation of the plane of polarisation. Those who have thought
about the behaviour of an ionised atmosphere towards electric
waves passing through it will see at once that the earth's
magnetic field will iutrotluce obliquity into the motion of
ions proijelled by the electric force of the waves. Whether
the obliquity so introduced can be of appreciable magnitude
is decided by an easy calculation. I have made this calcula-
tion on the assumption that the waves traversing the upper
ioni.sed atmosphere have an electric field of the order of one
volt per kilometre. Waves passing over any particular ion
evidently impart to it a to-and-fro motion of the same period
as tliat of the waves, but lagging behind the electric fori-e
of the waves by about a quarter period on account of inertia.
Now the ion when moving in the earth's magnetic field is
deflected by that field, and so acquires an oblique component
of velocity. Tlie question is : What magnitude of magnetic
field is required to produce an oblique component of velocity
of the same order of magnitude as that produced by the
electric force of the waves'? On taking the case of an oxygen
ion I find that a magnetic field of 1,700 c.g.s. units is re- .
quired; for a hydrogen atom HVt units, for an electron 0.06
unit. Now the earth's magnetic field at the surface has a
horizontal component of about O.bS unit. Therefore, we con-
clude that a rotation .such as is demanded liy the observed
facts of directive wireless telegraphy could be furnished by

Vol. 87. No. 2,248, December 24, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

829

the passage uf the waves throuj^h a space cuntaiuiug free
electrons.

The next step is to see how this motion of the electrons
affects reception. In the fir.st place, the setting of the
electrons in motion absorbs energy from the waves, and,
in fact, may extinguish them, but every vibrating electron
is itself a small Hertzian oscillator, and the accumulated effect
of the sunultaneous oscillation of a whole cloud of electrons
may produce an effect at the receiver; the cloud is, in fact,
lighted up by the waves, and then the cloud acts as it it were
a source. .A. plane of polarisation of this secondary radia-
tion is the same as that of the motion of the electrons. In
these latitudes the vertical electric force of wireless waves
will, in conjunction with the earth's magnetic field, cause an
electronic vibration in a line descending from the north-east
point to the south-west point. Hence the radiation from a
cloud of such electrons will arrive at a receiving station due

north of the cloud with the niaguetic field dipping from west
to east, at a station due south with the dip also from west
to east, and at .stations due cast and due west with the dip
from south to north. These dipping magnetic fields at the
receiving aerial will cause errf)rs of direction as already ex-
plained ; and if part of the primary waves from the sending
station' get through as well, the minimum will be ill marked,
in fact, the simultaneous reception of the primary waves an<l
the .secondary waves in time quadrature will be equivalent to
reception of c Hiptirally-polarised waves. leaving aside the
primary wave, which does not neces.sarily cau.se any directional
error, we see that waves travelling from the south through a
high layer of free electrons should give rise to a v.^esterly
error if the above conclusions are con-ect : waves from the
north give also a westerly error; waves from the east and
from the west give southerly errors. It ought to he possible
to test these conclusions by observations.

The information gained from observations made ^ith direc-
tive aerials must be coml>ined with the knowledge furnished
by the analysis of the records of magnetic variations and
magnetic storms. Prof. Chapman read a, paper before the
Institution setting forth the conclusions he di-ew from such
an analysis. Magnetic storms, he considered, were mainly
due to currents in the auroral layers, and the latter never
come lower than about fCK) kilometres above the earth's sur-
face. Below this is a layer about 5(1 kilometres thick in which
How the currents causing much of the dimnal variation of
the magnetic elements; the conductivity of this layer is pro-
duced by the sun's action, but remains throughout the night.
Magneticians do not require any other conducting layers in
the atmosphere, and this is in sharp contrast with the require-
ments of the wu"eless ob.server; for the enormous difference
between day and night signals absolutely demands diurnal
ionisation and deionisation of some of the upper layers. Prof.
Chapman suggested that the auroral layer was conducting
chieHy because of the presence of alpha particles that had
come from the sun ; I think that wireless investigators would
suggest that the layer beneath the auroral layer is occupied
by electrons that have come as beta rays from the sun. The
atmospheric pressure at above .50 kilometres height is only
about a millionth of an atmosphere, the mean free path of the
electrons is, therefore, long, and they may possibly remain
permanently free in large numbers.

It would seem that the base of this region charged with
free electrons must be regarded as the ceiling usually known
as the Heaviside layer. .A.nd consequently the diurnal varia-
tions of the range <if wireless signals must be due to the kind
of ionisation of gases familiar in laboratory work with X-rays
and the ganuna rays from radium. In fact. I suggest that this
diurnally ionised layer below about .50 kilometres is ioni.sed
by the gamma and other ultra-violet rays from the sun, and
involves the splitting of electrons from molecules to make
positive ions; and at the gas pressures in fairly low levels

Fig. 13.

many of the electrons will combine with neutral molecules
to form negative ions. Both positive and negative ions of
molecular size give rise to ionic refraction, and the arched
trajectory of the Hertzian rays, and incidentally to absorption
also. Prof. Watson's solution of the daylight propagation
problem takes account, at least partially, of such a layer of
conducting gas, and from his result we may deduce that if
the ionisation is effective down to 2.5 kilometres the conduc-
tivity need not be a quarter as great as that of .sea-water in
oi-ili>r to ensui-r results such as are summarised in the .Au.stin-
Cohen empirical formula.

Dr. .\. Clraham Bell, whom we are so glad to welcome
here to-night, and who has address*^! us .so invigoratingly, has
told us that this Section of the Institution repres«^nts to him
the advance guard of the British electrical world. Whatever
the fa.scination is due to. it seems to me to be the expression
of a true instinct that in our subject we live nearer the grow-
ing edge of electrical science than in other branches of en-
gineering ; there is infinite scope for knowledge, discovery,
invention, and imagination, and T am delighted to know that
Dr. (iraham Bell is also of that opinion. Along some of the
avenues of our particular technology we may catch glimpses of
the radiant expanse of the dawning electrical age. The
thermionic vacuum tube in itself contains for the engineer
of vision some of the most resplendent of the.«e vistas. For
from the glowing filament the most subtle and potent of all
the ga.ses is evaporated, namely, the gas made up of pure
electrons, which must take its turn as a servant of man. .And
the people of that age will look back and wonder why we in
the twilight of the age of steam were so lonr; content to poke
slow floods of electricity through the crowded atoms of. copp^T
cables, .' . - . "!'..-..

880

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,248, December 24, 1920.

THE ELECTRICAL TRADES BENEVOLENT
INSTITUTION.

Annual Festival.
On Wednesday, last week, the annual festival of the Elec-
trical Trades Benevolent Institution was held at the Con-
naught Rooms, under the chairmanship of Mr. E. Manville,
M.P., who was supported by the vice-presidents Messrs.
LI. B. Atkinson and W. 0. Smith and members of the com-
mittee. Amongst those present were ; Sir James Devonshire,
Capt. R. J. Wallis-Jones. Messrs. H. Hirst, W. B. Esson, J. E.
Edgecombe, R. W. Hughman. F. Rosling, J. T. Fletcher,
J W. Elliott, L. Ci. Tate, W. B. Lane, W. R. Eawlings, C.
Wilson, H. Bevis, F. C. Raphael, F. H. Nalder, and F. B. O.
Hawes (secretary). Letters of regret were received from
Sir David Salomons (president), Messrs. G. Sutton, W. Ruther-
ford, Dane Sinclair. E. G. Byng. A. A. Campbell-Swinton.
S Z. de Ferranti, H. ^^■. Clothier, W. L. Madgen. C. H.
Wordingham, Capt. H. Riall Sankey, and other well-known
supporters of the Institution.

After the loyal toast, Mr. Manville, proposing " Success to
fue Electricaf Trades Benevolent Institution," expressed his
appreciation of the honour conferred upon him, one of the
oldest members of the industry, but regretted that the fund
did not increase as quickly as it should. Its slow progress
did not reflect credit on the industry, which m 3o
years bad become one of the key industries upon
which all others depended. Was it right that so httle
should have been done to provide for the time, which
would soon come, when provision would have to be made for
those who had failed in the battle of life? It was the duty
of the leaders of the industry to .see that those who were
connected with it .should not come to want. Some few firms
had made adequate provision for their staffs; those firms also
were the first to come forward and subscribe to funds such as
mis The smaller concerns could not do much to provide tor
the 'future. The staff had at least as strong a claim on the
directors as their machinery ; the renewal of the latter was
provided foi-but what about the former? There_ was an
absolute moral obligation on all employers to do what could
be done for those, who were not able to provide^ for themselves^
There had been few claims on the fund, as the mdustry had
prospered, and many had not reached the age of ceasmg work;
hence there was a grand opportunity ot accumulatmg funds
in readiness for future needs. So far, only £14,780 had been
invested. In other industues, of less importance than the
electrical industry, better results were shown. The motor
iudustrv quite a voung one, in 1914 received &,.30O, expended
i3 356 in belief, and had a fund of i;l9,0U0. In 1919 the fagures
were respectively £&,m, ^5,479, and i;36 o88, and in he
lurrent vear the receipts were no less than il7,2b8, the
expenditure *8,(K.Kf. and the fund f 44,000. Farther suins_ had
been added, and altogether there was rom ibO.OOO to ±8.o,000
available, putting the comparatively old electrical industry to
shame. The Institution of Civil Engineers had accumulated
over flOO.OOO. . ...

The local advisory committees were proving very useful in
advising on reliefs and as sources of revenue; one was now
being formed in Manchester, which would show what Lanca-
shire could do. One of the best ways of- raising money was
the appointment of collectors; if the heads would take a
little more interest in this, much could be done. He W'ould
head the subscription li.st with 100 preference shares in an
electrical uudertakmg which would produce about A'b a year,
and he pointed out that those who presented capital benefited
the Institution more than if they kept it and presented the
interest after deduction of income tax, from which the Institu-
tion was exempt. ,

Mr. Ll. B. Atkinson supported the toast m a humorous
speech, in the course of which he discussed the chahman as
' a ■■ w^a(i)ster," and hoped he was not wastmg his time by
vain appeals. Other allusions were to the sad cases of the
contractor who could not get more than £6 a point, resulting
in starvation and cannibalism when he had to E.T.U. ; ot
lamp makers attacked by a profiteering committee; turbine
l)uilders who fell exhausted into a vacuum, and cable makers
whose dielectric losses made them sink into the trenches dug
for their own cables. He ended with a serious appeal to the
audience on behalf of those who fell by the way.

Mr. W. O. Smith, confessing that he was a hardened sinner
who had never sub,scribed to the fund, declared his conversion,
and sought redemption as a Life Governor, expressing the
hox'e that many other hardened sinners would do likewise.
The fact that only four applications for relief were received
Tast year he ascribed to the youth of the industry ; the pioneers
had not had time to grow old, but that time would come.
Those who retired before the war on modest savings had to
face the enhanced cost of living and must be living on capital;
their pensions would die with them, and their dependents
would need help. Tliose who returned from the war with
impaii-ed health would age prematurely, and great demands

would be made on the funds of the Institution. They should
accumulate large sums so that they need turn no one away.

"r. J. Y. Flktchi:i!, jiroposing the health of the chairman,
said that the Motor Trades' fKO.OWJ was a reproach to th»
electrical industry. The fund was resting on too few sup-
porters— there must be thousands of men who could contribute
to it. He proposed a conference with the secretary of the
Motor Trades' fund to get the benefit of his advice. Mr.
Manville's name was well know'n to him as that of one who
cared for the needy.

The toast was accorded musical honours, and in his reply
Mr. Manville expressed gratification at the result of the
festival; beginning with £604, they ended with over £'1,(B1,
including an additional subscription from Mr. Hirst of £3 for
each year of their personal friendship (£10.5).

In response to urgent calls for a speech, Mr. Hirst remarked
that success in anything depended upon energy in three
dimensions — movement, mass, and direction. He commended
the fact to their consideration.

During the evening Me.s.srs. Royce and Howell, accompanied
by Mr. Bernard Flanders, entertained the company with songs,
which were greatly appreciated.

LIST OF CONTBIBUnONS IN CONNECnON WITH THE
ANNUAL FESTIVAL DINNER.

' 'J'/ii.i list is inrompUte. I

Mr. H. BEVIS'S COLLECTION—
{cont.i. i =. (I.

Heilbut, .'.vmons & Co. ... 10 0 0

Smith, K.; & Co i 2 I)

General Rubber Co., Lul. ... i 2 U

CHAIRMAN'S I.ISl

li. Manville, M.P.

De

J^

Salomons, Sir David, I!a

Bishop, O. H

Wallis, E. C

Seaman, A. G

Madgen, \V. L.

Peache, J. C

Paul. K. \V

Ferguson, Pailin, Ltd.
Carmichael, T.
Price, E. L., & Co. ...
Crapper, Thomas, S: Co.

Mi<

J. \. ILL'ICHLK'S
■COLLLCTION.

F. J.

-Hous

Co.,

Holme
Butler.
Electric Cons

Ltd.
British Thomso:

Ltd

Babcock & Wilcos, Ltd.
Cash, H. J., & Co., Ltd. ...

Cish, H. J

Berkeley, A

Kemnal, J.

Wireless Tul./,c;raph

110
1 1 0
110

10 10 0
10 10 0
18 10 0

Co., Ltd.

Roslii

VV. B.

Capt.

Wallis-Jo

O.B.E.
Electrical Wholesale

Federation
Sutton, George

Bertr:
Renlr

, Tho
, T. R.

CARDIFF AND DISIRICT LOCAL
ADVISORY COM.Mrn EL.

Beaver, F.
Chapman, \V. ...

lies, H.

Denning, \V. J.
Laivkr, H.
Levy Langfield, G.
Morgan Kees, D.
Wayne Morgan, J.
Morlcy New, G. (
James, Jno.
Thomson, G. H.
Bache. Walter J.

Farthing, J. H 110

Crawford, F 110

Smith, i. 1 u 0

Winder, E. F 0 10 0

Jepson. A. E 110

rioyes, F. 110

Sims, P. J. , 110

Wink, J. 110

jle^l, t. C 110

Richards, W. L 1 1 0

chevne, A. J 0 10 0

Boyd, W. R, E 110

Holt, L. C 110

Railing, Dr 1 1

Collection at Works Commit-
tee Dinner, Connaught
Rooms 8 0

Mk. \ . F. HOLT'S COLLECTION

Farnan, H. F., & Co., Ltd. ... 2 2

Douglas, H. D., & Co. ... 1 1

Anderson & Robertson, Ltd. .i a

Anchor Chemical Co.. Ltd. ... 1 1

McConnell & Co., Ltd. ... 2 2

Morris Ashbv, Ltd 1 1

British Oil i Turpentine Coi-

poration 3 3

Hoare, Marr & Co 1 1

Svmonds. R. H

John Bill, Dresser & Co., Ltd.
Pric

Hasia

S. B.

Stretton, T.
General Electric

(Cardiff)
Bowman, J. M,.
Eastwood, J. W.
Lewis, J. E. ..
National Engine

Co

Besley, C. A. ..
Simplex Conduits

Smith, A. H

Cooper, R. G

Electra Contr,icting Co.
Santon Engineering Co.

Hill, Sidney

Lake. Fred

1 1 0

0 10 6

1 1 0

■25 0 0

1 1 0

0 10 fi

1 1 0

, Ltd.

Black, T. F

Victoria Rubber Co. ..
Smith. Frederick, & Co

Lindsay & Williams

Stromwall. T

Rvlands Bros., Ltd

Broomhall. P. B., Ltd.
Johnson, R.. & Nephew, Ltd.
Christopherson, Clifford & Co.

Ogden, John, S: Co

Cooper, Dennison & Co., Ltd.
Winter. H. W.. & Co.
Lankester & Son, Ltd.
Burgess, Ledward & Co., Ltd.

1 1 0

:; 1' 0

1 1 0

5 0 U

Solo

Ma

Ltd.

W. A

lals". H. C.

Tredegar .Associated Collieries

Co "r ■-

Hobbs, W. E 1 I

Fletcher, R. Howard -■ '-

Stibbs, F 0 !«

Togetmeier, Norman « lo

Mk. H. BEVIS'S COLLECTION.

Gorton & Halliday

Stott Brothers

Cawson, C. & Co

Driver & Co

Hearl. Heaton 4 Sons. Ltd

10 10 0

F., Ltd

Tavlor Bros. & Co., Ltd. ...

Tvpke 8; King. Ltd

Langlev. Smith & Co.
Helvetia Leather Co., I.lil. ...

Wood it Fairweather

Robertson, W. H. A., it Co..

. Ltd

Watson, R. & W

Prior, Allen & Co

East Indies Crude Rubber Co.

Hill, Craven S: Hay

Shropshire Iron Co

Smith, .\lfred. Ltd

Mr. C. E.

HCNTER'S COLLEl HON.
... 1 1 0

Saxonia Electric Wire Ct

Lawton. John, & Sons.

Locke, Lancaster, & W

& K. Johnson & Sons

Parker, R. H

Brabv Frederick, & Co.,
Barwell. C. J

1 1 0

Ste

& Kn

Mk. W. E. WARRILOW'S
COLLECTION.

Ten Contributions W 10 0

Mr. L. G. T.^VTE'S COLLECTION.
Riggs, W. (Girdlestone & Co.) 5 jj 0
Drake S: Gorham. Ltd. ... 3 J 0

(To be coniinucd.)

Vol. 87. No. 2,248, dbcembeb 2i, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

831

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

Headers are incited to avbmit partievlurs of new or improred devices and apparatus, which will be published
if considered of sufficient inttrest.

A Universal Motor.

In Klcktiische Kraftbciriebe und Bahurii for November
4th and December 4th, an account is given of the manifold
applications of a portable electric drill. Apart from the cus-
tomary uses of the device, special interest attaches to the
numerous other processes to which the machine can be
adapted; these include sawing, the saw being moved and the
work fixed ; turning and drilling, the machine being converted
into a lathe for either metal or wood turning with the aid
of a few simple attachments; grinding and sawing at the
bench, &c. In fact, the little machine fulfils the same func-
tions in the workshop as the " Electrical Mary Ann " house-
hold motor of Mr. Borlase Matthews was designed to fulfil
in the domestic household. Further particulars are to appear

A Turbo^pump Control Switch.

The November issue of The Mining Electrical Enyineer
gives details of an automatic control switch which is claimed
by the makers, Messrs. Nohkixgtox & L.4.\don, Ltd., to be
the only one of its type on the market. This patent oil-break
switch combination (fig. 7) has been evolved to meet a special
requirement. It is a unit supplied in connection with a mine
turbo pump. Colliery engineers have found that these turbo
pumps frequently run away from their water, and when they
do so, the wat^r in the pump is revolved and churned, ail'
trouble is developed, and usually the bearings seize, causing
stoppage and loss of money ; not infrequently very expensive
rotors are burned out as a result of the seizure.

Fiu. 1.— .\ New Electric Fu

F'lus. 'M'l. — Sm.all Motu;; used koh Duillinu, Sawing, Tlk.m.ng a-nd CiRiNDiNG.

Fig. 2.— Fire Adapted for Boiling.

Fio.

-.V TLHiiu-ru.Mr Control Switch.

in a later instalment of the article. We illustrate herewith
ifigs. 3-(j) some of the appUcations referred to.

A New Electric Fire.

.\. portable electric tire of a somewhat rujvel type is
lieing placed t>n the market by Messrs. Baxendale li:
Co., Ltd., Miller Street, Manchester. The fire has a
polished copjwr reflector and frame, and is fitted with
a 750 watt circular element over which a small guard
or rail is fitted (fig. 1). The principal feature of the
fire is that the back leg is fitted with a spring hinge,
and by a slight pres.sure on the handle the fire sinks back
to such a position that the element and the guard for it are
both horizontal, and a kettle or pan can then be placed
over the element for boiling water or heating milk, &c.
(fig. 2). When this operation has been performed, lifting
up the fire by means of the handle causes the leg at the
back to spring up again, and the fire returns to its original
position. It is quite reasonable in price.

The combination switch is a three-in-one, and whilst doing
the ordinary duties of a main switch, prevents any such
trouble arising ; it is, further, able to take care of itself if sub-
jected to impropef usage at the hands of rough labour. When
the pump loses its water the gear of the switch acts and cuts
oil the supply, the motor is shut down, and with it the
pump. If rough labour sees the pump standing and attempts
to switch in (if the pump is still without its water) nothing
results. If the pump has got its water, the operation of
switching in and starting up can be completed. The switch
has, apart from any usual automatic features, an armature
which is brought into a given position w^hen putting the
switch in. If the water is there and the current valve is right,
this armature is drawn up to a magnet pole face and releases
a detent, which allows the armature to return should
the pump lose its water; otherwise the switch holds in, and
the pump runs as long as it has any duty to perform, that is,
water to pump. A very clear mechanical indicating device,
showing the " on " and " off " position, is provided.

832

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,248, decembeb 2t, mo-

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR

{NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

1920.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

^- S^^^^ •-r^n'^^^^H^^ --"•--- ^^-^

The number, in parenthe
)rintetl and abridged, and

..^ those under which the .peciBcationf will be
"subsequent proceedings will be taken.

' Elc

(or tie

34 117. " Ek-ctrolyl-^ ---
■„ December 2nd. (United Siuit
■■°J4 120. "Electric hoists, lifls.
,nd VVaygood-Otis, Ltd. (Olii. tie

'54 129. " Thermionic valve
3nd.

.lytic cells." Metropolitiin-Vickerb_
cs December 9lh, 1919.)

inclincJ railways, &c. Otis Elev
itor Co.). December 2nd.

!•■ Reynolds and Silica Syndicate.

De
M.

2^ ::i^^^^^^"^-"'/t^^^^^^ "h'

34 157 "Means lor locking and unlocking electric switch plu^s. J.

'^SlV'^-ElSri^'-radiator." ,A. Worrall. l?,--''-^3rd.

kl69. " Magneto-electric ignition machines. K. bo.ch Akt. Oes. U

""^34 m '.^Waritus^Tor'ming'- rSing, and checking telephone calls."
J.'G'"su,he;irf and W C Sutoland. J^— nbej^^^' December 3rd.
^ ::it"trrsJl°che^""T-Halt.^Co'^Tnd G. F. Os.ins. December

3,142.

Hth,-t919. (153,924.)

1.1,229. " Methoil of ;ind ii
iiiunicaturl bv radiant energy.
M. Comp.irc.' June 17th, 1919

17,803. " riates -lor electric t
.\ccuinulators. Ltd., and II. d

il steering gear." J. Mac

jsh and M. Walker. Augus

ans lor delecting impulses or waves com.
Coniparri \Virele» Control Syndicate -ami
(153.932.) . „ ,, .

umulators or secondary batlerns. Universal
Martis. July I4th, 1918. (153.935.)
. , lor telephone plants." R.la) .\uIoinalic

1919. (141,657.)

20,034. " Electric lurnaces. U.

(1.)3,95X.) .. u ■

211.195. " EUctro-magnetic switches.

(t;

3rd

Co. (General Elu

34 "18 " Electric switches." British Thomson-Hous
trie Co) and General Electric Co. December 3rd ..„„Pnt, " Soc

'u-Vse "Means lor regulating frequency ol alteroating currents. boc.
K ncnhe RadttElec°rique December 3rd. (France, December 0th. 1919.

M238 " Electric heating element." .-Automatic & Electric 1-urnaccs, .

''"tl^^-^t^.^^'tZ^'^ Electric Co. December 3rd. (United
'■Ss^'-'^^cSctl Snent o, lerrcus metals during casting." J. H.
"^^k " EfeTt'lc heaters." C. A. Xardell. December 4,h. (United States.
'"'34^1.''" Electro-magnetically operated time-lag devices." K. Amberton.
'^'-■Um' "Means for rendering electric light switches, lamp-holders. &c.,

■ u'l ;'r, ih,. Hnrk " W Emmersen. December 4ln.
"34 315 '"Relay devices «•-•" J- Sco.t-Taggart. December *'h-

34,316. "Radio communication signalling systems." J. Scott-laggart.

December 4th ,-!,.,.„;, s " I Wamson and W. de Renzie.

■ 34.366. "Fuses lor electric circuits. J. .loan, on

'^'^'Sm'' "'riectric lamp holder." E.S.Anderson. December 6th.
"S'.-rn^rruptersV induction coils.^&c." H. E. Donnithorne. Decem-

6lh.

H,

E. Donnithorne. December 6th.
n ol materials by X-rays." H.

Halske

December 0th.
Akl.-Ges. December

34.409. " Electric s'

34.410. " Stand for
thorne. December 6th. „

34.411. " Electric heating .apparatus. E
34,123. " Amplifying devices." Siemens

"''i4 4ir"Dynar:!^.^Hc•'mach?n";'y." H. F. Joe. December 6.h..,

34:450! "Combined ligliting and ignition system for motor cycles.
■^'■•i4"i69°""' G^n'raaJn of continuous waves for wireless telegraphy ^"d tele-
phony " H Morris-Airey, C. L. Fortcscuc, L, G. Preston, and G. Shearing.
"34 im' "Making and breaking contacts of electric switches." G. Turnock.

December 7th. , „ Mauboranc December

34.306. "-Radio apparatus." L. Cohen and J. U. MauDor^nc.

7th.

O. HolTn

De

iibei

-th. (Ge.
ngements i

J.

34.523. " Electric pocket '.
many. November 4th. 1919.) . ■, „a „

34523. " High and low frequency shunt circuits and a
„lreess telcer.aoh receivers." N. V. Hinton. December 7th
"3;!o'36. •' fpa'^king plugs." F. Monin. December 7th. (beig
bi-r 8l!i, 1919.) ... ri„„„ nM-pmher 7th.

^. ;:|l:c;r!r\igr&."^B^I;&-=;;^Co. .Oeneral
Flectric Co.) and General Electric Co. December 7th
' 34.554. " Electric heating or resistance elem.-nts
Macdonough. Dixembcr 7lh. .•„„„„.: r,.rrent motors " Oestcrre

,^^ Si^^.^.:^:^' D^mb^r^^-^^ur- January 29th

"Sb- :;i?CT'^:^^ia^crt='^f:: :^uS;^ i^s^'^f^'^iectn

veWcl-s" MaXenfab'rlk Oerlikrn. Decembe? 7,h. (Switzerland, Decern
"^i^^l. "Dynamos and motors." F. Bryan and G. H. Tatham. Decetr
^"sJmf, " Limit switch rheostatic brake." A. Davis December 8th.

^•,^23. ",S;;i^ki^g P;"«^;«i„«Ve?«Ur'r^,1oandTeTaU:e 'direction .

34,651. " APP-f^\";,,fl,,t.^rS-f„,;'=^S;7D"nams & Motor Co. Decemb,

8th

, of

Electric Heating & Hardv
Linslow and A. Re

Ltd.

and F. J.
I. Decem-

British Thomson-
Co. December 8th.
December 8th.
therefor." V. Hope.

H. Whiting.

ai EleJtHc Co.)'' August 16th. 1919. (153.96*.)

Campbell. August Mlh. IMS.
British Thomson-Houston Co.

A. Poucha'in. -August 18th, 1919. (Addition

nlv by knowledge of a secltet
"\V."Lecd"e. August 26th. 1919. (153,98d.)

circuits

20.325. " Electric switche
to 131.283.) (153,972.)

20,946. " Switch for clo
rn.tihin-ition ol symbols." ii. r. vv. ueeue. .»u(;«^. -v.... — -. '-.-,-'"-,^,^
combination osj _^ ^^^ ..^^ signalling systems and caWes Ije^

for.-' Western Electric Co. (Western Electric Co.). September ard. 1919.
(153,995.)

■ Electric l.ms."

21,992.

(154,003.)

22.423.

Pudumjee. September 6lh. 1919.

apparatus and the like." T. F.

o 126,654.) (154,009.)

trie machines." G. A.. Juhlin and
t^o aepiember 18th, 1919. (154,021.)
Crompton & Co. an<l W. F. Jones. September

Electric Co.

and Mather

(J. B. Regan).
November 19lh.

December 3Ut,

34^655. " Electric ovens.
Wiaeberg. December 8th.
34,-fi77. " Electric switches.

her 8th. . .... . „,.,i,;^vi:nHer fas engines." T. Mohn

34.698. " High-tension ignition for multi-cylinder gas en^
and National Gas Engine Co. December 8th.

Q^Toa " Pooiilntin^ systems for electric circuii-
Houston Co (General Electric Co.) and General Electr

34738 "'Welding electrodes." A. P. Strphmenger

'34',768. " Electric lamp holders, and shade carrier
December 9th. s^ " v Tones Dece

.34 784. "Electrical plug switches, ic. l. jone.. ^

34.787. " Generation of electricity for ships, ic

ufacturing Co.

H. Richard.

-34!^ "Ele^ric mo^r^or^.^^ Bnu^Th^^^^ Co. ,Ge

'^'34;SiV^•■•Ve5;%re"|■sg^^• Automatic Telephone M.
^^^47ir2hai^-^V'^s^ern';".orele^^Jfc^nd gas lights

'^sTsk.'^ "Electric horn switches for automobile

ber 9th. . ■ ,„ „„,>nrtini. aas and electrical fitting, pen-

34,8-17. "Fastening device for supporting ga.
.lants &c " G. H. Tonks. December 10th.
'^stsfis''"" Electric cut-outs." R. P-^-g.^^Xr^anS R. L. M. Belleaud.

:U.883. "Mercurv electric 'amp. J- Barroll.cr and
n-^' ^'^„^airior^;fS:.e^l:;n elecnc cable." A. J. H. EKerson.
■"mMs" ""Mercurv switches for electrical apparatus." K. Kaisser. Decem-
l>,r 'ioth. (Germany. December 15th. IflS'' . engines." Fabriques des
34,905. " Magnetos .for ■">""»' .■^°^^j'if^"„„"e!"^nith G. Favre-Jacot
Montres Zenith, successeur de h ibriques "^ " °""^"
et Cie. December 10th. (Switzerlatyd. \pn\. ^% December lOih.

^^^ :;^^^^r:;=S^or^.4^rric-cables..' O. Martinez
"i;:S-"^^^^n^t;^g:^-^^ ,^^:^.^^M. Nicklin, and W^ V.
Riilter. IVcrmber nth. runwivs "' D. C- Patterson. December

:U.!I68. "Switches lor overhead runways. i^. >-.

llih.'

' Submarine sound signalling

Wali. September 12lh. 1919. {.Mdition t

22 977. " Commulauirs lor dynamo-elec
Metropolitan-Vickers El.crical Co. Sept

23.099. " Electric swit
19th, 1919. (154,022.) . . .,„,.. ive.;!,

33.576. "Telephonic and !■"« t^-''?™'^^'"" ,">'^ nS'ba? T
(Western Electric Co.). September 2ath, 1919. (l'»;"=-'i' „h„

23 7.50 " Bi-polar electrode electrolysers. O. G. nepnu
and 'Platt. September 26th 1919. (154.039.) _,

•'7 567 " Electricallv-conductivc ramp rails. R. Madoa
November 7th, 1919. (154,060.) . ,. „ . ,-„„„:„Bh-.m

28,725. " Hollow base electric winches. A. cunningnam
1919'. (154,063.) .... ,. „ j„„:,.p. •• F W Le Tall (Wesling-

30,799. " Electric circuit '"''^'•rupting devices. K " j„'-'',i54 'pyj ,
hous'e Electric 5: Manufacturing Co.V Dg:embr 9th 1919^^ (^^^^^^^^^^

312.53. "Storage battery cells. D.F. Battery y o. aim j.
her iSth, 1919. (154.083.)

32 789. "Indicators for electrolyt
1919. (154,089.) ^^^^_

,,504. "Magnetos." J. H. Tournayre Fe^Hruary,JJ^ ^i^^L

■3 7S1 " Soeed contro arrangements for dynamo-eiecini.
me-nSchuckTtweJce. July 3rd^ 1917 a38.m ^ ^„„,„g,,

402s "Electrode holders for "«'=,?" *',™"=
CB Waters. February 11th 1920 (154.104.) ^^ ,„d ,;„,."

5,549. " Process for the electro-deposition "f =»°>^ PP

S. b. Cowper-Coles. Ff,'>'-1="-y 24th 1920 154 108.)

9,799. "Spark plugs." V E. ^%"„,„bv ApH M'*"- ^'"^^ *"^-'*'-' ••

11,733. " toy electric .'"°'°"- . /^i^^nks'ol relavs and other apparatus."

15,089. " Mounting and protecting ol banks o' «^ ■ ,
Western Electric. Co. November 24th "l^' t|f^f,V'" Philipps Akt.-Ges.

21876 "Magneto-electric machines ot smaii
July' 21st, 1919. (149,346.)

Pyailwaj Co. s s>btem. j-i c- % ^j ^ ^^^ company s

by electricity was »l'f\\°^'^t^.J"^i'tndtbe branches leading
lines from l^^rdes to Monti ejcau ana ^^^ ^

to the Pyrenean valle>s at ^ P,*;^. ';„,,■ Tee^raj^h Adminis-
was notinauguratedbecau.se t'^-iP^'^'^^'rv measures for the
trstion had i^o* ""•^'^'-t^'ken t^e necessar^^^m^^^^^^^ ^^^

protection of telegraph ^\^^;^ > ^^^^^ penn^ss on' necessary
company was. tbf'-'^f^f ■■ 'X ,tK wefl known, the directors
to start the trafiic. -^.^ ''^^" [^ .';!,^^..,„ the Orleans, and the
of the Pans, Lyons i. ^l"i't^"i'°'i^°^ j^ eonvert to el.-ctnc
Midi Railway C'^npaj^^^ hax^ '^f ;X^°., ,ommencing with
traction a length f ;^,f ' r' J„°%rav«Ving the mountainaus
the lines passmg a t^e s de ot "^la <: ^j^'^, ^^ t„ yield the
heights from which tti<^ '"'*^''',-^-',"°t„n,.,.ti,,u with the work
hydi-o-electric power ^ b^^^^ '^^^ ,' ! c^^s applied
ing of the railways. The t)i eans i^«y -^ ^ Dordogne
for water power concessions " *^%^,r, h, „ ■ is available,
and Its tributaries, ^^l^^'^^. ^^''"L-'t.o p^^
although the power ^^Xn^rf a out T^^I miles of line. In

the case of the Pans, '^^'j'"^.'^ fed is l.S-iO miles. The
the length ot railway ^ ,';''. ^"V/^^'^stablsh hvdroH^lectrio
company does nut propose t e t to e u ^^ ^^ ^^^^^

works in the -\lps. .b"* .*V I^V'^^/'f^i^^/ij^^a for official s;i.ic-
the existing companies ^l^'^^P, ^h en irging the productive
tinn schemes for very, ^'"n^''^''/'^''^^^"' - ;„t„r= nf the Midi

to schemes for very o^nsirt^ o.J^eu.a^^^^^^. ^^^ ^^.^.
capacity ot their ^^'>^t«g.;;."'teating the .W^^tion of electric
Co', have for >«'-^'^.","Vvid '4 miles in operation m 1914
traction, and wouW h..\.' .'"^ ''hv as rre.vi<yuslv mentioned,
if it had not been for official ' '»- • ='^,.^'^a f^rthe working

Besides the by^';"--!';.^- ":/Hnt thf c. m^v P"'^^^ 'tree
of the Lourdes-'NI.mtiejeau int. t e ."J I ^ pVincipal wat«-r-

other works, and has >'<;'■'"' 1 ?Tet, '1 l<"nStli to be ctin-
talls available in the 1 vn^iee . H^^ t tW tansformation
verted is 1 ^^W miles. I ll'^j^'-^^*^^;, mentioned ^^ill result

to electric traction of V'' ,,.,'■:,,,, nfinsr to •2.tKHl,0(K) tons per
in an economv in coal alone ^moun^^^ programme is ex-

pS'noT tot"eted Wfore the lapse of '20 years.

71X1^

EZjEOTI?,IO-A.Ij I5/E"VIE"W.

Vol. LXXXVII.

DECEMBER 31, 1920.

No. 2,249.

ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

MERE MECHANISM.

▼ol, LXXXVII.] CONTENTS: December 31, 1920, [No. S,a4'J.

Page

Mere Mechanism ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 833

Enffineera' Clubs 834

Electric Supply Agrreements with Local Authorities 834

The Telephone Report 834

The Quality of Industrial Coal Supplies, by J. S. Evenden ... 835

Synthetic Insulating Materials, by B. W. Kennedy 836

Some Lighting Economies, by " Voltman " 836

The Trade Situation in Western Europe 837

New District Railway Rolling Stock OWw,?.) 838

Telephone Charges 839

New Electrical Devices, Fittings and Plant (illus.') 8'(0

The Heating of Buried Cables (i^^jM.) 841

Legal 844

The Electricity (Supply) (No. 2) Bill 844

Business Notes 844

Notes 861

City Notes 854

Stock* and Shares 855

Market Quotations 856

Generating-Station Expedients in War-time 867

The Distribution of Electricity 8.58

Reviews 860

The South Wales Electricity District 861

The Electrical Trades Benevolent Institution 862

Oonespondenoe —

A Generator Problem ... „■ 863

German Competition in the Electrical Trades 863

An Engineer's Club for London 863

The Cost of Living in India 863

Shop Displays 863

A Curious Phenomenon , ... 864

Information Wanted 864

New Patents Applied for, 1920 861

Abstracts of Published Specifications 864

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PiioFE.ssoR AiiTHUH Dkxdt, Speaking before the Eugenics
Eiliicatioii A.ssoeiation on the 14th inst., remarked tliat
we had approached very near slavery to " mere mechan-
ism," and he proceeded to question the advantages of
science and mechanical progress from the point of view
of humanity; he appears to have come to the conclusion
that primitive conc}itions were superior. In fact he
seems to have spoken as though the disfigurement of the
luuntry by railway tracks and slag heaps, the use of
motor cars, aeroplanes, tube trains, and the provision
of "gin palaces," and crowded theatres, could be
lumped together in a heap as one great curse, and
abolished with advantage to the human race.

We have not forgotten the remarks of that great
teacher, Ruskin, in a somewliat similar strain in con-
demnation of railways and other apparatus which inter-
fered with the enjoyment of Nature. And we recall a
remark of another philosopher, John Stuart Mill, who
declared that ail the improvements of civilisation had
not lightened the toil of one human being.

These sporadic attacks which are made from time to
time, by great thinkers, lipon the advancement of
science, are in our opinion misdirected.

The real fact is that the onlj' lines upon which ad-
vancement of the human race is at present discernible
are the lines of scientific research, discovery, and
mechanical application. In no other branch of human
activity have such results been obtained. Improvements
in systems of Government, and in morals and manners,
ajipear to be considerably less rapid.

The gifts which science has presented with both hands
to liumanity since James Watt put steam engineering
upon a scientific basis, and which are, generally speali-
ing, within the reach of the mass of civilised popula-
tions, are such as ancient kings and princes would have
given one-half of their kingdoms to obtain. To say
tiiat all human hibour has not thereby been reduced is
to state what is not correct. The inventions and im-
provements of the last hundred years have increased
the potential productivit}- of every human being tenfold,
wliile at the same time lifting from him many of the
heaviest burdens of labour altogether, and generally
increasing his comfort, improving his prospects, and
enhirging his leisure.

Unfortunately, it must be confessed that the improve-
ment is nothing like what it might have been, and wliat
it ought to have been. The scientific men and the en-
gineers have done their part, and have produced actual
results which can be repeated indefinitely, and which
tliey still improve upon from day to day, in transport
facilities, means of communication, cultivation and
production of every necessity of life, even in apparatus
for educational purpo,ses.

Rut having produced these things, unfortunately
their control ceases, and the management is taken over
by a horde of politicians, lawyers, profiteers, and car-
eerists, whose capacity for self-advancement and Self-
advertisement is in inverse ratio to their scientific
knowledge. It is the bad management and unfair dis-
tribution of all these benefits, provided by the modest
and silent slaves of science, which have produced the
slums and the waste, and the wars which from time to
time burn up in one vast conflagration all the accumu-

[833]

834

THE ELECTRICAL REVEEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,249, dbcembeb 31, im

lated stores of wealth and welfare produced by the
previous generation.

Euskin and John Stuart Mill and Prof. Dendy and
many others would have been better employed in attack-
ing the persons who are responsible for the management
of our affairs, than in depreciating the solid achieve-
ments of the real makers of civilisation. If imagination
on the part of modern philosophers is occasionally a
little lacking, we would suggest that it might be stimu-
lated by healtliy exercise undertaken, not with the pri-
mitive tools which preceded the age of steel (for that
might be carrying their argument too far), but with
the very best hand tools which can now be obtained.
They might get a little coal without the assistance of
winding engines or fans ; or if they objected to coal-
getting, as a dirty and unnecessary operation, they
might cut up their daily ration of wood fuel with a
hand saw. A trip across the Atlantic in a 50-ton sail-
ing ship would provide a useful holiday, and a walk
from Land's End to John o' Groats would enable them
to see a lot of country unspoilt by railways. Pumping
water from a well, reading by the light of an oil lamp,
and communicating with their friends by means of
letters carried by a servant on horseback, would also
assist them in going right back into the good old times.
In our opinion, it is rmfortunate that scientific and
practical men have so little to do with the control of the
world's affairs, and we are convinced that little improve-
ment will be made until such men are not only occasion-
ally called into council to deal with emergencies, but
are placed in positions of power and responsibility. The
blame for the present chaos lies entirely with men who
could be classed as non-producers ; it is they who make
war, and what sometimes appears almost to be worse,
who make peace. Thej- stand in the wav of the practical
man, sometimes in single powerful units, sometimes in
committees and battalions, but it is always they who
postpone action until too late : who spend, in waste and
foolishness, the money that ought to be used in reaping
the harvest field of labour ; who then turn round and
blame the advancement of mechanical science. It is as
though the producers presented them with a beautifully-
finished motor car capable of running on the road at
40 miles an hour ; and they jump in and proceed to
drive it over the cliff at Beachy Head. Then, when the
survivors contemplate the results, they blame the car
and its makers.

The proposal to form an Engineers'
Enfjineers' Club for London, on lines similar to
Clubs. those on which the Manchester Club has

become so firmly established, is making
good progress ; many names have been sent to the en-
gineering Press in support of the scheme, and pre-
liminary steps have been taken towards the formation nf
a provisional committee to carry out the project. Wliile
the support already received trives good reason to be-
lieve that success is practically certain, we earnestly
request those in favour of the establishment of the club
to forward their names witliout delay, to us or any of
the engineering journals. To those \vho have already
written to us we offer our thanks, and beg them to
accept this acknowledgment for the moment ; they will
be placed in communication with the organising body
when it is formed.

It is interesting— and heartening — to know that an
engineers' club is actually in course of establishment in
Birmingham, and that so much progress has been made
that an option on suitable premises 1ias been exercised.

With regard to the London club, it is generally agreed
that sleeping accommodation is a sine qua non, for the
comfort of the very numerous country members who are
certain to join in. A central situation is also a car-
dinal feature of a satisfactory scheme. It is clear, there-
fore, that the plans must be laid on an ambitious scale,
in order to command success. On the other hand, with
a sufficiently large membership there should be no in-

superable difficulty in carrying out the project, which
would have the great advantage of a good " load fac-
tor," as the Electrician has aptly pointed out, owing to
the large number of visitors from the provinces who
would maintain a continuous demand on the resources
of the club, not only during the day but also in the
evening.

We shall keep our readers informed as to any de-
velopments that take place, and again invite them to
signify their support — which, of course, does not commit
them to any liability whatever.

Theue are certain cases where elec-
HlectriC'SuppIy tricity supply companies are parties to
Agreements with agreements with their local authorities
Local Authorities, by which they agree not to charge the
ordinary consumer above a certain
price per unit. In the abnormal circumstances of the
last few years many companies have obtained statutory
orders to increase their maximum price, and such price
has been usually above the agreed amount. The com-
panies affected, therefore, have been unable to take
advantage of the higher statutory price because the
agreement with the local authority has stood in the way.
A case has recently been tried in which an agreement
of this kind came up for review. Although this was
reported (in our issue of November 5th last), it is doubt-
ful whether it has received qijite as much attention as
it should. It was particularly important, since
the County Court gave judgment first in favour of the
consumer, and later on the High Court on appeal re-
versed it. In giving the judgment, it ^vas held that
the consumer was no party to the agreement in the
sense that he could set up the contractual provisions as
a reason why he shoyld not pay the price authorised
by the Electricity Commissioners. In legal parlance,
the agreement was held to be in the strictest sense res
interalios acta. It was apparently supposed by the local
should charge private consumers. The Court held, how-
ever, that the Corporation had no trust towards its
individual burgesses to do any such thing ; it could not
be argued that the agreement was an answer to the
statutory demand of the company against the consumer.
Prima facie, therefore, this verdict woidd seem to be a
very valuable one for any other companies which are in
the same boat as the Carmarthen Co. in this respect.

The report of the House of Commons
The Telephone Select Committee on Telephone Charges,
Report. which was issued last week,, is abstracted
elsewhere in this issue. In siibstance it
does not differ greatly from what was anticipated. The
flat rate for unlimited service has gone for good, to-
gether with the " measured service '' rate, leaving only
the rational and just message rate. The Committee, in
fact, has decided that the payment shall be in propor-
tion to the value of the service rendered, precisely
in accordance with the principle of " payment by re-
sults," which is regarded by economists as the right and
just system of works management.

Already the continued advance in wages of employes
since May last has swallowed up the estimated balance
of £800,000 for the first year, and consequently there
will be a deficit in the second and succeeding years if
the Post Office estimates are realised. It is to be hoped
that this may be met by economies rather than by a
further increase in the tariff^though this is indeed a
forlorn hope.

We are pleased to see that the Committee recom-
mends the extension of research, and the liberal re^vard
of inventive genius. When we contemplate the vast
scale on which our American friends conduct their tele-
phone research, we almost despair of the possibilities of
research on the very limited lines of a Government
department in peace time. However, the public in-
sisted on nationalising the telephone service, in spite of
our warnings, and must lie on the bed it has made.

Yol.87. No. 2,2*9, December 31, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

886

THE QUALITY OF INDUSTRIAL COAL SUPPLIES.

By J. S. EVENDEN.

Whateveh Jiiay be said for or against the methods
adopted by those responsible for the management of the
British coal mining industry, it is a -well reeognised fact
that industrial users of coal for steam raising and gene-
ral manufacturing processes are experiencing increasing
difficulty owing to the almost wholly unreliable and
inconsistent nature of their coal supplies, and this
difficulty has certainly become more pronounced now
that the output of coal only barely meets the country's
requirements.

The possibility of reorganising, standardising, and
generally improving the methods employed in tlie pre-
paration of coal for the consumer does not appear to
be an attractive proposition to the colliery proprietors,
and the consistent manner in which they have always
disregarded the testing and analysis of their product
strongly suggests that they prefer the ton to the British
thermal unit as a selling basis.

There is no other industry, even approaching the
importance of coal mining, where such indifference to
the quality of the marketed article has been displayed.
.Steel manufacturers, iron founders, cement manufac-
turers, and the like all devote the closest possible atten-
tion to tiie analysis and value of their products, and it is
conunon practice to furnish the customer with guaran-
tees based upon actual tests carried out by, and at the
expense of, the manufacturer ; but the colliery people
have never been in a position to give any satisfactory
guarantee as to the nunimum calorific value or maximum
percentage of ash which the consumer might reasonably
expect his deliveries to show : indeed, it is not uncom-
mon to meet colliery agents and coal merchants who are
unable to define a British thermal unit, and are com-
]detely ignorant as to the significance of a proximate
analysis.

To afford some pnitictiun against this unfortunate
state of affairs, it lias been the practice of large con-
sumers to obtain the necessary apparatus and employ
assistants in order that they may, from time to time,
ascertain the calorific value of the coal which they re-
ceive, but although this information provides a basis
for calcidating the efficiency of the plant, it has no in-
fluence upon the quality of the deliveries, as unsatisfac-
tory fuel cannot very well be rejected, and the strongest
protest has very little effect upon the colliery people
or their merchants.

Many thousands of tons of coal containing anything
up to 35 per cent, of ash are dumped daily upon the
consumers of London alone, and when it is remembered
that this useless material is conveyed an average dis-
tance of, say, 130 miles, and that when it is received
it limits the output and impairs the efficiency of costly
plant, increases the operating costs, and involves special
machinery and additional labour and expense for its
subsequent removal, it is not an exaggeration to say
that in its effect >ipon transport and the efficiency of
industry, the question of improved coal sup]ilies is one
of fundamental national importance. It lias become
conmion practice for the cliairmen of colliery under-
takings when addressinfr their sliareholders to dwell
upon the sins of the Government and tlie Miners' Federa-
tion, and their grave effect upon colliery finance : there
is seldom, however, the slightest reference to the require-
ments of the coal consumers, or the very real need for
reformed Tuethods of washing, grading, and standardis-
ing supplies.

Assuming the colliery industry as a whole to be con-
trolled by men who regard the well-being of the country
as worthy of consideration, it should not be difficult to
effect a very big improvement m the preparation and
di.'triliution of industrial and domestic coal su)iiilics.
Each colliery would require a properly equipped

laboratory and the services of a qualified fuel analyst,
whose whole time would be devoted to continuously test-
ing and recording exact particulars as to the value of
the output of each grade of coal. This infornnition
would be of the utmost value to consumers and the col-
lieries could be called upon to furnish the test results
from time to time when forwarding invoices or accounts,
and when accepting a contract they would be in a posi-
tion to give a reasonable guarantee as to the class and
(juality of coal which would be supplied. The whole of
tne test results and the method of sampling and testing
should be open to inspection at any time by qualified
Board of Trade inspectors, and it might be found desir-
able to establish penalties which would be imposed where
it was found that any coal had been dispatched from
the pit containing an excessive amount of non-com-
bustible matter, or otherwi.se falling below standard
values which might be established with due regard to
the location of the consumer and the character of the
pit which was being worked.

The establishment of laboratories at the collieries
would provide information which would be most valuable
to some 50,000 industrial coal consumers, a very small
proportion of whom are able to undertake the work,
the majority being, tlierefore. utterly at a loss to deter-
mine the efficiency of their plant, and entirely at the
mercy of the colliery proprietors in the matter of the
(luality of the fuel with which they are supplied.

Prior to the flat-rate increases imposed during the
WAV iieriod upon all grades of fuel, the price of fine and
nutty slacks was sucli that the heat value per unit of
cost gave an apparent advantage in favour of endeavour-
ing to use low-grade fuel containing a high percentage
of ash, and since the total supply of coal is now only
approximately e(]ual to the demand (even with limited
exports) many consumers must of necessity continue to
use low-grade fuel, although any advantage in the
matter of price has long since vanished.

Tlie utilisation of low-grade fuel is, therefore, still
boomed by manufacturers of mechanical draught and
stoker plant, and in consefpience. it is still believed to
be a praiseworthy and profitable achievement to accept
and pay for 30 tons of useless rubbish in every hundred
tons delivered ; the full effect of this costly encumbrance
is seldom considered, and it is safe to say that the
national question of useless and utterly wasteful haulage
which it necessitates is practically dismissed as of no
importance.

Assuming the scientific reorganisation of the coal in-
dustry to be desirable, it should be a simple matter to
bring" about an enormous improvement in the average
calorific value of industrial coal supplies by introducing
improved and standardised methods of screening and
grading, washing, and testing, and while it is admitted
that there nnist always be a considerable residue of culm,
dross, slurry, and other varieties of colliery refuse, it
should be possible to prohibit the utilisation of this
material at great distances from the pits by arranging
for its consmiiption by power stations, bricpietting
works, and carbonisation plants in, or near, every
important colliery zone, thereby avoiding the senseless
liaulage of useless material over long distances.

After all, the purchaser of coal for every purpose
really requires thermal units, and the most carefully con-
sidered arguments, or elaborately presented test results,
cannot possibly justify the acceptance of a high per-
centage of non-combustible material if it can be shown
that it is commercially and scientifically possible to
reduce the ash content to reasonable proportions. This
is more obvious than ever now that the additional plant
and labour which the use of low-grade fuel involves is
so much more costiv to provide, and it is high time that
the consumers realised this and brought suitable pres-

836

THE ELECTKICAL EEVIEW. [voi.87. No. 2,2*9. dbc«mbeb 31, mo.

sure to bear upon tliose responsible for the present state
of affairs.

Thei-e is a grave danger that in pushing for increased
output from the collieries the question of quality will
1)6 overlooked, and in this connection the Press and
the public will be well advised to reserve some of their
criticism for those who control the mining industry
instead of concentrating it all upon the operatives.

SYNTHETIC INSULATING MATERIALS.

Aetificial Silk.

By R. W. KENNEDY.

The recent Government contract schednle for internal
telephone wire, which specified that " cellnlose silk " (not
nitro or " wood silk '") might replace real silk as an insu-
lating material, serves to direct attention to recent develop-
ments in the artificial silk industry, which should be of the
utmost importance to the electrical world.

The " cellulose silk " industry in this country has grown
out of our aerial needs during the war. One of the early
" dopes," or covering varnishes, applied to tauten and
protect the fabric on aeroplane wings, consisted practically
of a solution of celluloid (nitro-cellulose) in acetone. A
film of this material when applied to fabric and allowed to
dry, has the property of contracting and thus tautening the
fabric drum-tight on the aeroplane wing or fuselage.

As is well known, however, ordinary nitro celluloid (made
by the action of nitric acid on some convenient form of
cellulose, such as cotton wool ) is highly inflammable ; and
the introduction of a non-inflammable celluloid made from
acetyl cellulose, or cellulose acetate, provided a non-inflam-
mable dope film, which was exclusively used on our fighting
machines during the later years of the war.

Since, however, this non-inflammable celluloid also
possesses important electrical properties, and since recent
research has proved that the material is capable of pro-
viding an excellent quality of artificial silk, its prospective
utility under peace conditions would appear to be even
greater than its undoubted importance in connection with
th? war.

With regard to the use of cellulose-acetate artificial
silk for insulating purposes, a number of interesting tests
have been carried out at the National Physical liaboratory,
Teddington, on behalf of the British Cellulose and
Chemical Manufacturing Co., of Spondon, Derby. Two
samples of No. is s.w.g. copper wire were supplied,
one being covered with spun cellulose-acetate, and the other
with ordinary silk insulation.

The thickness of the spun celluloee-acetate covering was
found to be 0'2 mm., and that of the silk 0 0<; mm. Three
coils. A, K and c, each with from 40 to 50 turns, were
made up on brass tubing 1 in. in diameter : —

A, with covered silk wire ; b, with spun cellulose-acetate
covered wire : and c was a coil similar to is, but dipped in a
solution of cellulose-acetate in acetone and chloroform.

The insulation resistance between the wire and the brass
tube was measured with a pressure of 250 volts, and the
results are given below in ohms or megohms per turn : —

Temp. Humidity. Insulation resistance per turn.

C. Per cent. A. B. C.

20 0 (from 35,000,000 170,000,000 300,00(1,000

desiccator) meffohma megohms megohms

20 40 180,000 2,500.000 1 0,000. OtO

megohms megohms megohms

20 100 60,000 40ti,0C0 74

(saturated) ohms ohms megohms

The coils a, b, and c were then tested for insulation
resistance under various conditions of temperature and also
after immersion in water. The insulation resistance
between the wire and the brass tube was measured with a
pressure o^" 2.50 volts, and the results are given below in
megohms per turn : —

Insulation resistance per turn.
Temperatare. A. B. C.

30° C. ... 950 000 24,000,000 46,000,000
50° C. ...11,000,000 67,000,000 320,000,000

These observations were in each case taken after the coils
had been exposed to the specified temperature for about 24
hours.

The coila were then immersed in water for an hour, and
the insulation resistance measured : (1) Immediately after
being taken out of the water ; and (2) after drying at
ordinary air temperature for 4*8 hours. The following
results were obtained : —

Insulation resistance per turn.
A. B. C.

(1) Immediately after immersion 0 0 0

t2) 48 hours after immersion ... 4.".0,000 13,000,000 14,000,OCO

These figures speak for themselves and, at least, warrant
the careful attention of electrical engineers who happen to
be concerned with the use of silk as an insulating material.

The story does not, however, end here, since the cellulose-
acetate " dopes." or varnishes already referred to, have
important and useful electrical jiroperties. Non-inflammable
celluloid dissolved in suitable volatile solvents provides
, either thin or thick insulating varnishes for a wide variety
of electrical purposes. Applied as insulating varnishes to
armature and field coils, transformers, &c., the material is
claimed to withstand heat, oils, gases, and acid vapours.
The melting point of these varnishes is in the neighbourhood
of 194" C, but at about 180 C. the material becomes
plastic, although it suffers no other change.

Quite an interesting development of the insulating-
varnish side of this material is to be found in the prepara-
tion of a paper insulating tape. For this purpose a coil of
paper tape is mounted inside a tin box which is filled with
cellulose acetate " dope," or insulating varnish, and, as
required, strips of the paper tape may be pulled from the
box, from whence it issues completely impregnated and
covered with varnish readyforuse. Such thin paper insulating
materials have been found to break down imder the follow-
ing pressures : one layer, 250 volts ; two layers, ii60 volts ;
three layers, 2,700 volts.

Mention may finally be made of the value of non-
inflammable celluloid for accumulator eases and as a general
insulating material. Such sheets possess all the good
qualities of ordinary celluloid, but, supremely important
point, they are fire-resisting and non-inflammable even
if strongly ignited in a hot flame. Non-inflammable
celluloid sheets have a tensile strength of 28fi kg. applied
to a strip 2 cm. wide, the elongation being 55 per cent.
Plates of the following thicknesses have broken down und(r
the stated voltages :—0 '2 mm., 13,200 volts: 0"25 mm.,
15,800 volts ; 0-35 mm., 22,000 volts ; 0-45 mm., 25,000
volts : 1-0 mm., 26,000 volts ; 1-3 mm., :U,000 volts ;
and 2 mm., 35,000 volts.

HOME LIGHTING ECONOMIES.

Bt "VOLTMAN."

I:\iPORTANT as the advantages are which the tungsten
metal-filament lamp has conferred on electric lighting, it
has at least one disadvantage, which one might reasonably
add to that of high initial cost, compared with the old carbon-
filament lamp — namely, that it is impossible to obtain
small units of light on the regular supply voltages of 200-
250 volts D.c. The householder having an alternating
supply is much better off, as he can at lease use a small
transformer for low-voltage lamps of 3, -"i, and 8 c.P., and
thus obtain these desired small units of light. The writer,
whose house supply voltage is 2;!0, once noted from a lamp
maker's list that he could obtain an 11-c.p. lamp taking
15 watts. Buying one, as an experiment, by the time he
got the lamp home, a distance of 10 miles, the exceedingly
fragile filament had broken in three place.-, and bang had
gone :">s. nd. As some lighting economies had perforce to
be effected, it became necessary to think out what could be
done, as 20 or 80- watt, lamps were too powerful and
wasteful at a number of points. A look round sundry
second-hand dealers' shops brought to light a few carbon
lamps of 220 volts, and (! and 8 c.P. Reckoning the con-

Vol.87. No. 2,249, December 31, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

837

sumption at 3 watts per candle,* they were comparable
with the lowest powered unit in tungsten lamps, but the
real point in the economy of using them was that they only
cost 6d. each, as compared with 3a. i)d. or 4s. for new
tungsten lamps. The lamps of 20 and 30 watts which
they replaced, were put in reserve for renewals.

Still on the search for further economies combined with
efficiency, a simple plan was evolved to light a few
inaccessible places and dark recesses where there is usually
a risky tendency to use a taper or match. It is a plan that
works well, and would seem capable of considerable appli-
cation. A quite small and inexpensive 4- or G-volt accumu-
lator is connected in series with a convenient switch
controlling two or three of the ordinary lights. A simple
alteration to the switch always puts the accumulator on
charge at a low rate whenever the lights are switched on.
From the accumulator terminals a few circuits were tapped
off, a length of flexible, a miniature switch, a lampholder,
and a 4-c.p., 4-watt lamp being rigged up for each
individual light, thus providing a useful and safe inter-
mittent light just in those places where lights are never
installed. The back e.m.f. of the accumulator does not
appreciably diminish the main light on 230 volts.

Another point in lamp economy is that of utilising the
self-repairing property of the tungsten filament. Never
discard a burnt-out lamp without seeing if it will weld up
by giving it a smart tap with the current on. The writer
has had as many as four self-repairs on a 20-watt lamp before
it was finally " dead," the extra life being estimated at
300 hours. These over-run lamps make a very fair sub-
stitute for " half-watts," and can replace two normal lamps
during their short but merry existence.

THE TRADE SITUATION IN WESTERN
EUROPE.

[specially contributed.]

The effects produced in the shipping and dyestuffs
industries by the payments already made, and to be made,
by Germany in respect of her liabilities under the indemnity
provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, are worthy of review.
These effects, together with the allied considerations of the
bearing on the situation of the rate of exchange between
different European countries, and of the interchange of raw
materials and of manufactured products between those
countries, make it worth while to investigate the matter
with a view to arriving, if possible, at a reasonably clear
idea of what is required, what is taking place, and why
what is (or was) required is not happening, so far as that is
the case.

Wealth is goods, and money, even gold money, is merely
a token. It cannot be eaten, or worn, or used to build
houses, or to effect transport. Yet some of the talk during
the war about making Germany pay, seemed to indicate the
piint of view that Germany would be called upon to send out
2,000 trains, each of 50 trucks, and each truck containing
10 tons of gold, the total coming to between 10 and 15
thousand millions of pounds sterling. This sum was to be
divided among the belligerents responsible for Germany's
overthrow, and an era of enormous business activity was to
follow, the money being used to pay for British-built ships
to replace those sunk during the war ; to buy British coal
for export to France and other countries needing it ; and in
general to pay for any raw or manufactured material
required by any country (except Germany), and produced
by any other country (except Germany).

Set down thus, the supposed view-point is manifestly
absurd, and no one will be found to admit that he ever held
it. Some will say that Germany was to surrender her
stocks of raw material, others that Germany was to hand
over manufactured articles which she was peculiarly
qualified to produce. Of the first class, potash deposits and

* V7e should say 5 watts per candle, at normal voltage. But
cheap cirbon lamps might be over-run at a high efficiency with a
short life.— Eds. Elec. Rev.

coal were frequently mentioned. As regards the second, we
prefer not to enter upon a controversy as to whether Britain
or Germany is the better equipped or better able to produce
various classes (or any class) of manufactured products.
Opinions about pianos and toys are sufficiently divided to be
typical.

The policy of " keel for keel and ton for ton " has
resulted in the dumping of two million tons of shipping
suddenly upon the British market, and under the Treaty
the Germans are liable for 200,000 tons of new shipping
yearly for a number of years to oome. This cannot fail to
bring about a slump in shipbuilding, and to increase un-
employment in that industry. Yet from the point of view
of the owners and users of ships, it seems fair that their
losses should be replaced, and that the home shipbuilding
programme should consist of extensions to the pre-war
tonnage.

Turning now to dyestuffs, we find that the Treaty pro-
vides for the immediate acquisition by the Reparations
Commission of anything up to 50 per cent, of the total
stock of all dyestuffs and chemicals held by Germany at the
date of the Treaty's coming into force, and up to 25 per
cent, of her total production for the next four years, or until
the end of l'.)24. The dyestuffs industry, however, being
one in which the Government is considerably interested,
and. indeed, involved, has secured the passage of a Bill
through Parliament which will safeguard the interests of
that industry by a system of licensing, for the express
purpose of restricting the importation of dyestuffs into this
country ; and not all the efforts of Lancashire and the
other textile districts succeeded in obtaining any mitiga-
tion of the provisions of the measure. Yet, in spite of this,
we know that the proposed production programme in
respect of dyestuffs has been considerably curtailed, and
that the installation of the plant required to put that pro-
gramme into effect has been postponed. It would be
interesting to be informed whether this curtailment is due to
the influx of German dyes which we are to receive, or to an
apprehension that the slump in trade of which everyone is
talking is to be severe and prolonged.

We are faced with ^^ fart that as Germany cannot pay
in gold (and nobody wants paper marks), she must pay in
goods, and that the importation of any kind of goods, raw
or fiuished, for use, or even for re-export, renders unneces-
sary the production of a like amount of goods of that kind
in the country into which those goods are imported. One
gathers that the British Government is inclined to support
this view, but that the French Government regards it with
less favour. Nevertheless, an investigation of what is going
on creates a strong impression that, in spite of the attitudes
of the respective Governments, individual French firms are
trading with Germany, but that, certain notable exceptions
notwithstanding, individual British firms are not doing so.

For our own part, we do not believe that the slump in
trade will be either as severe or as prolonged as seems to be
commonly supposed. The present state of the international
exchange acts as an effective bar to the export of British
goods to many European countries. In France, with the
franc at nearly 60 to the .£, British pricei frequently appear
so fantastically high that, in spite of the congested state of
the order-books of many French factories, it is not a com-
mercial proposition for the Frenchman to buy from Great
Britain. The same ig largely true of Belgium, ^ith the
Belgian franc at 56 to the £, and Belgian customers
have recently made considerable purchases of machinery at
attractive prices and on good deliveries from Scandinavian
manufacturers. In Holland, that favoured corner of Europe
into which all the wealth appears to have been swept up,
the gulden stands at 11, instead of the normal 12 to the £,
but the slight reductiou apparently brought about in the
prioe counts for nothing with the mark at 2(iO to the £ ;
and even the pro-British sympathies professed by the Dutch
are not proof against German machinery prices at between
one-third and one-half of the corresponding British prices.
Holland is also in a position to buy from Belgium, and the
Belgians are working very hard to restore their former status.
The sentiment ignorantly expressed against America by some
Englishmen, that she has done too well out of the war, can
be heard in Belgium as well as in France with reference to
England, but this feeling will disappear, at aay rate in

838

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,249, decembeb 31. 1920.

Belgium, as the franc rises in value. The import of iron
and steel into this country from Helgium during the month
of November, 19 20, was four times what it wis in the
corresponding month of 1913. fterman coal is boosting
French and particularly Belgian industry, while its s-arcity
delays the restoration of Oerman industry.

The conclusion indicated by these facts appears to be
*hat, until the restoration of simething like normality io
the European international financial situation, it is to

British trade, at home and within the Empire, that British
manufacturers, particularly of electrical goods, must look
for their oppDrtunities of output. At some future time we
shall be able to fulfil the needs of Eirope on as vast a scale
as, or even vaster than, ever before : but now, if we have
the couraee, and go the right way al)3Ut it, we are offered
an unpirallelcd opportunity of building up such a trade con-
nection within the world-wide British Empire as will defy
all subsequent external efforts to undermine it.

NEW DISTRICT RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK.

There can be no doubt that everything that can possibly
be done to cope with the tremendous problems presented by
the congested state of the London traffic, is being done by
the Underground Ele:tric Railways Company.

A week or two ago we described a new type of car intro-
duced on the Piccadilly Railway, and now we are able to

give particulars of what may well be described as the
dernier rri in electric railway rolling stock.

This, the first of an order consisting of 100 cirs, was
delivered last week, and on December 23rd representatives
of the Press were given an opportunity of viewing the train
and experiencing its running.

^ !i, I. I . : NKiiAi, Vii;'iV ni [•;

Figs 2 & 3. — Interior of Car.

Vol.87. No. 2,249, Decbmbeb 31, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

889

The car is slightly larger than the old type, being almost
50 ft. overall, while the extra width of the car — a foot-
makes a wonderful amount of difference to the appearance
of the interior and carrying capacity. Fig. 1 illustrates
the exterior of the car. The most noticeable feature
is undoubtedly the arrangement of the doors. As will
be seen from fig. 1, there are three sets of sliding double
doors on each side, each affording entry to two persons at
a time. By this means a great deal of time will be saved
at stations, leading to a general speeding-up of the service, and
no matter in what part of the car a passenger may be
seated, he will always have a door immediately accessible.

The diameter of the wheels is 6 in. more in this new
type, making it 32 in. A new colour is used in the
exterior finish ; this is a dark red — known as "engine
lake" — which greatly improves the appearance of the
train.

■The arrangement of the doors naturally divides the
carriage into four parts. The seats in the end compart-
ments are arranged transversely, and while designed to seat
two persons, can seat three, owing to the absence of the
usual arm-rest. In the two central divisions the seats are
placed parallel to the length of the train. The seats are
upholstered in a brown imitation leather, and in con-
formity with the present accepted practice have a back-
ward tilt and convex backs. The much used (and abused)
straps have been eliminated, and vertical rails are provided
for standing passengers at the sides, and also in the centre.

Ventilation is effected by means of openings in the
arched roof, the clerestory roof of the old cars having
been dispensed with.

The lighting is excellent, being provided by lamps with
opal reflectors. The roof is painted white, to give good
reflection, while the lower part of the sides is brown, to
harmonise with the upholstering of the seats. The floor
is not of the usual wooden slab type, but is covered with
linoleum, which will add to the cleanliness of the cars.

Everything has been done to make the cars bright and
attractive, and all the fittings are very artistic, although
simple. The metal parts are of Florentine bronze, and
nickel plating has been applied to several portions of the
woik, including the hand-grip part of the vertical rail
supports. Figs. 2 and 3 are views of the interior of the car.

The weight of each car is 26 tons, as compared with the
21 tons of the earlier type, and the cost of each is £7,500.
As the cars are delivered it is proposed to put eight-car
trains into service during the " rush" hours, these trains
being made up of two selt-contained components of five and
three cars respectively, to make it easy to them divide during
the slack periods.

The motor coaches, which had not commenced to arrive
at the time of mir visit, are of higher power than their
predecessors, and will hi capable of a speed of 4.") miles per
hour for " non-stop " runs. Improved braking arrange-
ments will secure more rapid and even stopping.

The Metropjlitan Amalgamated Carriage, Finance, and
Wagon Co., Ltd., of Biimingham, is building the cars,
and the electrical equipment is being manufactured by the
British Thomson- Houston Co., Ltd., Rugby.

TELEPHONE CHARGES.

Victorian Indnstrial Expansion. —The development of

the Morwell brown coalfields, in Gippsland (Victoria), and the
rstabliehment of extensive powerhouses there, in order to augment
the present electricity supp ies in the metropolis, are already b2arinpr
fruit. The cstibhshiLfDt of a number of important industrial
enterprises between Morwell and the metropolis is mooted. The
Victorian Railways Department, with a view to meeting possible
expansion alone the Morwell line, is duplicating a portion of
the main line at a ccst of JE250,OCO. — Tteuter's Trade Uei-Hce
(Melbourne).

Children in Industry. — To-morrow (.January 1st) the

Employment of Women, Young Persons, and Children Act, which
was recently passed, comes into operation. Thenceforth it will not
be lawful to employ in an industrial occupation within the
meaning of the Act any child uoder 14 who is not already so
employed. The industrial undertakings covered by the Act include
mining and quarrying, manufacturing and allied industries,
the generation, transformation, and transmission of electricity,
civil engineering work, including telegraphic, telephonic, and
other electrical undertakings, and the transport of passengers or
goods. ,

The Select Committee's Report.
The Select Committee, appointed in June, 1920, by the House
of Commons to examine the present charges made to the
public for the use of the t-elephone service and to rep<jrt on
their revision, has issued its report in the form of a White
Paper (No. '247) dated December '2(»th. The Postmaster-
General's Departmental Committee, appointed in 1919 " to
consider what alterations in the existing telephone tariffs are
expedient, with .special reference to the necessity of placing the
telephone service on a remunerative basis," issued its report
(Cmd. 804) on June 30th last, which report formed the basis
of the present inquiry. The Select Committee's report out-
lines the history of the telephone service from 1880; existing
tariffs are then summari.sed, the finance of the system is con-
sidered, and finally its conclusions and recommendations are
recorded.

The tariffs proposed in the above-mentioned Departmental
Committee's report are considered to be justifiable and their
adoption is recommended, but it is suggested that a rebate
should be allowed to subscrit>ers making -i.OOO or more calls
per year. The proposed tariffs are : —

For an exclusive exchange line in London, annual installa-
tion rental to be i'8 10s. ; in Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool,
and Manchester, £8; and elsewhere, £1 10s., plus in each case
a charge of IJd. for each local call.

For trunk calls, in addition to local fees, each message of
three minutes' duration between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., IJd. for a
radius of from b to 7. .5 miles, increasing by IJd., 3d., and tid.,
according to the increase in the radius.

It is estimated that if these tariffs are sanctioned and are in
full operation by April 1st, 19-21. the financial effect will be : —

Financial year. Expenditure. Revenue. Balance.

£ £ £

1921-22 ... 1.5.2fH'l,(KTO ... 16.000 ,0tX) ... -f 800,000

1922-2:^ 1H,700,<KNI ... 17,3(I0,(XI0 ... 4-600,000

192:3-24 ... LS,4(Xi.(KHi ... I,s.6(i0,000 ... -t-200,0tX1

1924-25 ... 2<»,2(:ki.0<mi ... 19.7li0,(XI0 ... -.500,000

The recent fall in price of certain materials only represents a
verv small set off to the increase in wages, and the balance of
i8(i0,000 for the first year has been absorbed. Taken as a
whole the service prior to the war showed a fair margin of
profit, while the rates then existing would have been sufficient
if conditions had remained unchanged and the system had
developed on normal lines. Although etificiency was not
strictly relevant to its terms of reference: the Committee con-
siders that in many instances there is undoubted ground for
complaint. Concerning the charge that Government owner-
ship of itself produces fatal inertia, it is pointed out that owing
to the war the Department has scarcely had a fair chance.
Development depends on the small user, who should be can-
vassed, and additional revenue should be looked for from
judicious development rather than from "heavy increases in
charges which may hamper development. An increase in the
number of the little-known honorary Telephone Advisory Com-
mittees is suggested to whom sub.scribers should make their
complaints and not to the Post Office; the committees would
thus become a real link between the Department and the
subscriber. .Another recommendation is a considerable exten-
sion of the Research Department. " Inventive genius should
Ix- more liberallv encouraged, both inside and outside the
staff." ' , , "j

The discontinuance of both the fiat rate and the measured-
service rate is recommended. The message rate is the only
equitable system of pavment for service rendered. The change
from the flat rate to the message rate is estimated to brmg m
an additional i.'l,2(H),(t<K» per annum. It is hoped that the
adoption of automatic exchanges will lead to fewer complaints
with regard to charges for calls not used ; such exchanges are
alreadv'in operation in 13 towns in this country. The Post
Office is conducting experiments with a view to devismg an
instrument which will check all subscribers' calls at their end,
and the Conmiittee considers it important that a .subscriber s
check should be introduced at the earliest possible date. Pre-
sent charges for removals should not l)e increased.

The Committee concurs in the suggestion of the Post Office
that the Po.stmaster-General should be able to refuse service to
anv subscriber on whose line the number of " engaged ' calls
exceeds 2.5 per cent, of the effective incoming calls, if he refuses
to rent an additional circuit. The annual cost of handlmg
such calls is stated to be f l.OCKI.OfKI. The surcharge of f4 on
new in.stallations should he aboli-shed. Finally, the Committee
recommends that should the accounts in any year show a sub-
stantial surplus a proportion of such surplus should be returned
to subscribers by way of reduction in in.stallation rentals; and
that the question of charges should be reconsidered within the
next five years by a Parliamentary Committee. Parlianient
has not approved of the above recommendations. Subscribers
will receive a notice determining their present agreement for
telephone facilities on March 31st next, and will be required to
sign a new agreement.

840

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,249, dboembkb 31, 1920.

NEW ELECTRICAL DEVICES, FITTINGS AND PLANT.

Headers are invited to mimit particulurs of new or improced devices and apparatus, which will he publis/ied
if considered of sufficient interest.

A Magneto Flash Lamp.

Till- iisu:ii dry battery or acfiiiiiulator type ui pocket lauip
is subject t« tlie necessity of renewal, which militates
against its wider employment. A small and compact device
lias been produced by the General Electric Co., Ltd., 67,
Queen Victoria Street, E.G. 4. which eliminates the battery
by sub.stituting a small magneto, completely enclosed in a
handsome nickel-finished case, and operated through a train
of strong gear wheels by a conveniently shaped lever pivoted
to the case. As will be seen from the illustration (fig. 1).
when not in use the handle is secured to the side of the
case bv a small retaining catch. A " bull's-eve " lens is fitted

by tightening up knurled clamp nuts of ample size, enabling
the fire to be employed for heating small quantities of liquid.
The effect of the reflection of the spii'ally wound heating
element in the polished copper bowl is very striking, giving
a big red glow. The consumption of the fire is only j unit
per hour (5(K)-watt loading). The whole of the metal parts
forming the heater are pres.'ied. and mass production is therebv
facilitated.

A IKW. Lighting Set.
The " Ballot " 1-KW. electric lighting set made by HlCK-
DiE.SEL Oil Engines, Ltd., 70, Queen Street. E.G. 4, is a very
compact pbiiit measuring only -id in. (length) by IS in. (width)

Fig. 1.— The " H.^ndilite
Magneto Flash Lamp.

C, Carburetter ; D, Dynamo ; H, Lubricating Oil Tank ; L, Pulle
P, Switohboard ; R, Water and Petrol Tank ;

to give a concentrated beam, but this can be removed if a
wider beam is required. The device has been named the
" Handilite."

The " Sunglo " Electric Fire.

Among the latest types of electric fires brought out by
Electric Fires, Ltd., King Street, Norwich, is the " Sunglo "

Pig. 3. — The " Ballot " 1-kw. Lighting Set.

by '26 in. (height) overall. The set (fig. 3) consists of a single-
cylinder, four-stroke vertical petrol engine driving a totally-
enclosed 50-75-volt, D.c. dynamo through a flexible coupling.
The engine ignition is by means of an h.t. magneto, driven
by gearing. A highly sensitive governor assures smooth run-
ning and low fuel consumption. The cooling of the cylinder
is effected in a new and ingenious way by means of the fly-
wheel, which acts both as a water reservoir, water pump, and
cooler. A circular trough is attached to the flywheel, and is
fitted with radiator fins on its exterior. The centrifugal
action causes the water in the trough to rise. up a vertical pipe
leading to the cylinder jacket. After passing through the
jacket it runs back to the flywheel trough to be cooled. The
switchboard, made of white marble, carries an ammeter, a
voltmeter, a circuit breaker, and starting rheostat. .\ battery
of '28/30 cells with a capacity of 75 ampere-hours, is supplied.
The set is automatically started by a small switch, and this
same switch is arranged to cut out the battery and to stop
tlie engine when the former is fully charged, or, in <he case
of engine failure, to perform the fii-st operation. The makers
state that Messrs. Pathe Fr^res, the eminent kinematograph
firm, have adopted this set as a standard in all their kinemas
all over the world.

CoRRECTloN.—With reference to the description of the turbo
pump control switch appearing on p. 831 of our issue of
December '24th. I\lessrs. Norrington k Landon. r>td., the
makers, wish us to state that in the phrase " if the water is
there and the current valve is right," the word " valve "
should read " value."

Fig. 2.— The ■' Sunglo " Electric Fire.

(fig. '2). This is a. most effective bowl fire of artistic design
and high finish, which gives a refleited " beam " of heat. The
copper bowl is swivelled, and can be locked in any position

Overseas Trade.— Mr. Kellaway, Minister in Charge of
the Overseas Trade Department, has appointed a Committee,
consisting: of officers of the l>.;partment, for the discussion of
questions concerningr the department generally and of specific
matters of importance. The Committee will meet fortnightly. —
Board of Trade Jininial.

Vol.87. No. 2,249, decbmbbb 31, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW.

841

THE HEATING OF BURIED CABLES.

{Abstract of Report discussed before the Institotion of Electrical Engineers.)

The report is a preliminary one on the work already com-
pleted and of that contemplated in connection with the in-
vestigation which was undertaken to provide definite figures
ot current-carrymg capacity for cables laid underground in the
conditions prevailing in practice in this country. As a first
step a summary of all the hitherto published work was pub-
lished in the Journal of the I.E.E., 1914, Vol. 52, p^ 779. The
investigation has been carried on under two Committees of
the I.E.E., namely, the original Buried Cables Sub-Committee
and the North-East Coast Sub-Committee on three-core cables
and m three places. The work of the two sub-committees has
now been transferred to the British Electrical and Alhed In-
dustries Research Association.

Section I.

Report by Mr. S. W. Melsom and Miss V. Cockbnrn on Work

at the National Physical Laboratory on Paper-Insulated Cables

Laid Under Various Conditions.

The method used to determine the temperature rise was to
use the cable core as a resistance thermometer, the change in
total resistance as measured by a Kelvin double bridge giving
the average temperature rise of the hottest part of Ihe cable.
A similar method was used to determine the temperature rise
of the lead sheath. Some 47 samples of copper were tested
for temperature coefficient, the resultant values varying from
0.00377 to 0.00407 for 1 deg. C, a maximum variation between
any two samples of 8 per cent. For the purpose of the tests,
the average figure for the whole of the samples of 0.00390 at
20° C. was jised. In addition, some 230 samples of copper
were tested for resistivity, the extreme values being 0.1513
ohm per metre-gramme (101,2 per cent, conductivity), and
0.1588 ohm per metre-gramme (96.5 per cent, conductivity).
In these cases, however, the results for each cable were cor-
rected for any variation of resistance. The value of tempera-
ture coefficient obtained by Dr. Marchant (see Section III) is
0.00409 at 10° C. (0.00393 at 20° C).

For the determination of the temperature coefficient of the
lead sheath, 21 samples taken from different cables were

sence of armouring on a 10,000-volt three-core wire-armoured
cable in air is very small. The above remarks refer to armour-
ing only, and not to the diflerence between a bright lead finish
and the dull black of an armoured cable.

It would appear that the actual colour of the surface makee
little difi'erence, but that a bright surface produces a marked
change. While there is an appreciable difference between the
heating with bright lead and dull black covering respectively,
there is no marked difference between white and black.

Turning to the tests on buried cables, a complete investiga-
tion was made of the thermal conditions along the duct. Tho
results show that little reliance can be placed on any measure-
ments made by means of a thermometer pushed into a duct;
thermo-junctions proved unsatisfactory, so a cable with a
number of potential leads fixed along its length was used.
Ideal tests in air showed that the rise of temperature of the
various sections of the cable was quite uniform. When, how-
ever, the cable was drawn into the duet the temperature along
the length of the duct was not quite uniform, but rose shghtly
at each end, which was not due to heating at the ends.

The temperature conditions from one hole to another of the
duct apparently did not vary appreciably. The heating curves
of a 0.1 sq. in. cable in an upper and in a lower hole in the
duet are very nearly alike. The end effect in armoured cables
and in those laid solid in bitumen is a serious factor in con-
nection with the rating of cables under actual working condi-

TABLE I.

Current 350 amp. 450 amp.

Cable temp. -rise in grronnd .33° C. B9' 0.

Temp.-rise of last 10 ft. (5 ft. in

soil, 5 ft. in hut) 45' C. 84' C.

tions where the end of the cable is brought into a iuactieB
box or to the back of a switchboard. The extent of the differ-
ence may be judged from Table I, showing results obtained
with a 0.2 sq. in. concentric armoured cable laid direct in the
ground. The difficulty could be met in practice by joining the
cable in the ground with a tail of larger section.

* . ""

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Fio. i.— Time Taken to Attain Mas.
Temp. Rise in Am.

Pig. 2. — Comparison between 0.1 sq. in.

Concentric Cables, Carrying 200 amp.,

laid in Different Ways.

Fig. 3. — Temperaturb-rise op
Single l.t. Cables.

tested, the average temperatme coefficient at 20° C. being
0.00.385 for 1 deg. 0. The highest value obtained was 0.00404,
and the lowest 0.00373. The resistivity of the samples of lead
was determined, the average value being 2.443 ohms per metre-
gramme, equal to a relative mass conductivity of 6.2 per cent.
The extreme difference between any two samples was 6.9 per
cent., while in most cases the samples taken from the same
cable agreed to within 1 per cent. From the point of view
of consistency, both of resistivity and temperature coefficient,
the lead sheath is nearly, if not quite, as consistent as the
copper core ; moreover, observations taken on the complete
length as laid show that the resistance remains constant over
long periods. In view of this, the method of determining the
temperature of the lead sheath will be of considerable use in
practice to ascertain the approximate temperature of a cable
already laid, and especially where it is impracticable to use the
cores.

In order to provide an accurate comparison of the cables
under similar conditions and to investigate the effect of bury-
ing them in the ground under various conditions of la3ang,
preliminary tests were made on all the cables in air.

A 0.1 sq. in. low-pressure single cable attains to its maxi-
mum temperature in from 2 to 3 hours, while a 0.15 sq. in.,
three-core, b.h.p. cable requires about 8 hours, fig. 1; these
values will depend both on the size of the conductors and on'
the thickness of the dielectric. Heating curves illui^trate the
overall differences that may be obtained with cables of nomin-
ally the same type and size, the differences being due to a
number of factors. Tests were made both with a.c. at 50
cycles per second and with D.c, and there was no appreciable
difference between the two sets of results.

ITie extent of the difference in the heating due to the pre-

The effect of natural ventilation on the heating of the cablei
in the duct was also investigated. For this purpose cable*
were run with the duct holes closed up, as well as under the
normal conditions when they would be open. No difference
could be detected in the temperature rise obtained in the two
cases.

TABLE II.

/, = Current requiied to produce a given temp, rise when
tested in air.

L = Current required to produce the same temp, rise when
buried.

Calile.
0-1 Single
0-2 Single
O'l Concentric
0'2 Concentric
O'l Concentric
0'2 Concentric
01 Concentric

0 2 Concentric
05 Concentric
O'l 3. Core l.t.

01 3Core h.t.

Method of laying.
Solid in bitumen
Solid in bitumen
Solid in bitumen
Solid in bitumen
Armonred, direct in ground
Armoured, direct in ground
Drawn into stoneware ducts
Drawn into stoneware ducts
Drawn into stoneware ducts
Drawn into stoneware ducts
Drawn into stoneware dnctg

1,.

'i-

/,/r„

266

216

1-25

432

350

1-23

199

165

1-22

360

2!»3

1-23

215

176

1-22

335

275

1-21

130

133

0'98

243

252

0'9«

370

378

0-97

157

162

0-97

162

170

0-95

The effect of the different conditions of laying is best shown
by a comparison of the results obtained with the same cables
when laid in air. Table IT, for different sizes of cables. The
values of /,//, are remarkably constant for different sizes of
cables, but nearly all of them apply to low-pressure cables.
It is probable that in. the case of cables drawn into ducts, the
value of the factor for H.P. cables would be nearly the same as

I

842

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi. 87. No. 2,249, dkckmbek 31, 1920.

that for L.p. cables, but it is reasonable to assume that, com-
paring the heating of a l.p. and a h.p. cable when laid in air
and buried direct in the ground, while the l.p. cable would be
hotter than the h.p. cable when tested in air, the factor 1^1 1^
for the h.p. cable would be lower than that obtained for the
L.p. cable. This assumption is confirmed liy some results ob-
tained with a three-core 0.2 sq. in. split-conductor 20,000-volt
cable, buried direct in the ground. The value of J,//, obtained,
"however, is more nearly unity as compared with 1.21, the
figure found for a l.p. cable buried direct in the ground. Fur-
ther tests are being made with h.p. cables laid direct in the
ground, and until these are available the factors given for
cables laid direct in the ground should not be used for h.p.
cables.

A typical heating curve for concentric cables laid under
ditterent conditions is shown in fig. 3, which refers to 0.1 sq.
in. cables. The actual results are given, together with those
corrected to a common basis of thermal resistivity and nominal
conductor resistance. When thus corrected, the final tempera-
ture elevation of the armoured and solid laid cables is nearly
identical. The time required to attain to that temperature is,
however, different for the three ca.ses. .Assuming that after
100 hours the cable has attained to its maximum temperature,
Table in shows the comparative rates at which the tempera-
ture of cables rises when laid under the three systems.

TABLE III.

Per cent, of maximum increase.

Period.

Solid in

Armoured

bitumen.

direct in ground.

After 7i hours ...

9.5

88

85-5

After 20 hours ...

98

92-5

91-4

Aftsr 40 hours ...

99-0

95-5

93'1

After 60 hours ...

99-8

97-0

95-8

After 80 hours ...

99-8

98-8

97-9

After 100 hours ...

100"0

100 0

100-0

The cables in the duct reach their maximum temperature
sooner than either tho.se laid solid or direct in the ground,
although all of the cables reached to, or above, fK) per cent, of
their maximum heating in 20 hours. Fig. 2 shows that the
temperature of the armoured cable is apparently still rising,
even after 110 hours, but after CO hours the rise is so slight that
variations in the soil temperature begin to affect the results.
It is possible that the continued rise is really due to the drying
out of the surrounding soil resulting in a change in its thermal
resistivity, but actually the changes are not more rapid than
those of the soil temperature. Tjater results, in which closer
attention has been paid to the changes in temperature of the
soil, indicate that the temperature of a cable laid direct in the
ground does not increase appreciably after .50 hours.

Fig. 3 shows the values for single low-pressure cables, and
the values for concentric cables are .shown in fig. 4.

The three-core cables in fig. 5 show the most variable results.
Results with low- and medium-pres.sure cables he fairly
smoothlv on a curve. The e.h.p.' cables give results all appre-
ciably higher if the factor for l.p. cables be used. Actually.
however, the values will be below the German figures and
lower than those shown in the curve Oi.

Figs. 3 to 5 should only be considered to be prehmmary,
until the final results with the largest sized cables buried m
the ground are available, and tests for dielectric losses are
completed. , , .. _,

The results obtained with the cables already laid, and par-
ticularly those with the jute-insulated r.nble, suggested that
the thermal resistivitv of the insulating material might vary
with different cables to a larger extent than had hitherto been
supposed. This is also shown by the values obtained experi-
mentally on a three-core cable tested in air, which show
that the heating is very little greater than for a concentric
cable, although 50 per cent, more watts are being put mto

the average being about 500. Thus, for this type of cable
it appears probable that a value of 500 or so might be taken as
the normal figure, as compared with the accepted German
value of from 550 to 6-50. The current-carrying capacity of the
cable is not affected by the thermal constants to the extent
that at fir.st sight might be expected. The thermal resistivity
does not appear to be affected by temperature, within the
limits of temperature attained in the cables.

With regard to characteristics of the soil, results obtained
in midsummer and midwinter have been compared, but there
is no evidence of any difference. It is to be expected that

'::::" 'M:T'T""^i

A h^y^M's. 1

Buried calies / /i,r"^''i T'\ Solltemperaturea

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i\ HS/^"" ■ — 19" \

rv. / 1320 ^^ 1

1 1 1 1 1 M 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 !! 11 1 M 1 1 !

) Z 4 0 8 10 a H 16 18 20 K 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 .18 W i: 44 46 it » 52
Weeks

Fig. 6. — Temperature Rise of Soil .it Different Depths.

seasonal changes, involving as they do a difference of initial
temperature of about 10 deg. C., would have produced a
change in the temperature rise, but it would seem that any
such change is masked by possible variations due to rainfall,
&c. Daily observations of the temperature of the ground at
points near the cables are shown in fig. 6. For a short period
during August, 1919, at the end of a long spell of hot weather,
the temperature at a depth of 2 ft. rose to 18 deg. G. Previous
observers have shown that while there is a very large differ-
ence of thermal resistivity between dry soil and that con-
taining 5 per cent, of water, there is no very large difference
for a higher moisture content. A preliminary value already
obtained for fine soil containing 15 per cent, of moisture was
K = 106.

Regarding the actual amount of moisture present in the
soil, fhe values obtained at Teddington at a depth of 2 ft. at
different periods of the year vary from 9 to 15 per cent. In
this case the soil is sandy with water only about 12 ft. froni
the surface. Prof. Marchant found about 10 per cent, in
Liverpool, while Mr. Fawssett in Newcastle found that in
winter weather the average moisture content was never far
from 20 per cent.

(To he concluded.)

AA From (hirmah fab

esfc.rZ7 9'C.r

M M IJ J

i -

C,C, Achial detemunationi corrected (M lhnm»l' icsiistivily l.doo

A--

JUU

W

1

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1-

-*•

^

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H

r

^^

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^300

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^

^

--'

r

f

^

3

^

^

5-'

200

U

r>

100

l»'

_

_

Pio. 4. — Temperature-rise of
Concentric l.t. Cables.

it. The differences were due to the value of the thermal
resistivity not being the same for both cables.

An examination of the values of thermal resistivity obtained
shows that the higher values were more often obtained with
the L.T. cables. In the case of the six cables representing
more modem e.h.t. three-core cable, the values were all low,

Discussion at Manchester
At Manchester the report was discussed before the North-
western Centre of the Institution on December 7th. Mr.
.Jol'ds Frith occupied the chair.

Mr. Ratcliffe said that the report had been eagerly awaited
for several years, and for that reason he was afraid it would
be found rather disappointing: at the
same time it was very reassuring. As
far as he could judge from the numerous
curves and figures given all the cables
with which he had any acquaintance at
the moment were supremely safe. The
report was simply packed with informa-
tion, so much so that it was very diffi-
cult to pick out for critical analysis
exactly what they wanted, and he feared
that it did not tell them exactly what
they want to know. The statement of
the work outstanding showed that al-
though much had been done it was a
comparatively small portion in compari-
'""""'""''""'""'" son with what remained to be done.

Fig. 5.— 3-core Cables Buried Direct That being so. he suggested a rather
IN the Ground. (Preliminary.) different method of prm-cdure. namely,
to commence at the end and work
backwards. " First obtain samples of the various types
of cables and test them to desti-uctiou : find out what
they will stand." then it might be possible to indicate
the'conditions under which the danger limits were likely to be
attained in practice. In some cases it might be found that

there were other Umitations, and that in practice the danger

v.i. 87. No. 2,349, dkcembeb 31, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL review.

843

limits would never be attained. For example, in the case
oi L.T. cables economic considerations might come in long
before the cable attained a dangerous temperature, the copper
losses might become excessive. In the case ol medium-pres-
sure cables mechanical considerations would come in long
before they reach the danger point, i.e., expansion and con-
traction troubles in a very mtense degree. In that case they
need not worry very much about the temperatui-e of those
cables. The most important work at the moment was that
on the E.H.T. cables; they should make a start with those for
two reasons. One was the principle that the greater included
the lesser; the other was because thev were the cables that
they knew least about. The information given in Mr.
Pawssett's report was very valuable, because in order to obtain
room for cables they frequently had to drive headings at 10, 1-2,
even 15 ft. depth ; the streets were becoming so congested that
there would be practically no room for cables in the future.
They might have to go down somewhere to the level of the
sewers. They «ere possessors of 33,00<j-volt cables. When
they started on their specitication some three years ago they
found that there was not much information available, and
there w;as the fearful l)0gey of dielectric losses. In fact the
dielectric losses seemed to be the limiting factor with e.h.t.
cables. After consultation with the principal cable makers
and reference to all available sources of mformatiou, they
arrived at a figure of GO deg. C, for the maximum tempera-
ture of the conductor; that was a very safe figure, and they
had a margin. The next thing was how were they going
to share that total teniiJerature. It was a very big thing to
say exactly what the ground conditions were going to be
throughout a 10-niile run. They assumed outside values — the
most dangerous conditions which they could think of. lliey.
therefore, took the maximum temperature figure at 60 deg. (,'.
and roughly divided that between the inside and the outside
of the cable, and gave the cable makers a '25 deg. C. tempera-
ture gradient to do what they liked with ; they had not, in fact,
quite touched it. From tests they judged that that had been a
safe distribution of the temperature, and it only remained to
be seen whether those temperatures seriously aflect the dielec-
tric losses. In order to obtain conditions which would be on
a par with anything attained in practice they specified that
the cable should be c"<Mled on a drum, not a working drum,
but a skeleton iron drum, and that copper had to be coiled
on the drum in not more than two layers, preferably one
layer. That gave very serious conditions indeed, because they
had the two coils of the cable round each other, and the only
cooling medium was air, which was about the worst cooling
medium. Then, in order to have a factor of safety, they put
two times the working pressure on the cable so that they
had the full current and superimpo.sed a pressure of 7,000 volts,
which gave about double the normal dielectric loss. Under
those conditions the cable was heated for ten hours, because
as a rule after about nine hours the temperature conditions
became fairly steady. That gave a figure for the approximate
temperature rise. They corrected to .some extent the seasonal
variation by adopting a base t«'mperature of 2(1 deg.. and check-
ing everything to that value liy increasing or reducing the
load according to whether the ambient temperature was
greater or less than '20 deg. C. After that heat run with the
dielectric loss and the copper loss, the cable was allowed to
cool down and was then heated up again with the copper
loss only, and it was assumed that that gave a measure of
the dielectric loss expressed as a percentage of the copper
loss. In one manufacturer's works where those tests were
carried out they measured the dielectric losses, which were
found to be in extraordinarily close agreement with the results
arrived at thermally.

Mr. C. J. BE.4VER was also somewhat disappointed when
he found that the reports w:ere somewhat in the nature of
progress reports without definite conclusions, -\lthough he
would not like it to go forth to the world that cable makers
w-ere entirely held up awaiting that information, he realised
that it was the kind of work that would be of a rather
cx-partc character if it were carried out by cable makers
them.selves. .\t the same time it would have been advan-
tageous if the cable makers had been more strongly represented
on the committee, from the point of view that it must be to
the general disadvantage not to lie abreast of all the progress
which was made inside the cable works. There were differ-
ences in the progress made at different cable works. The
ultimate object of the present research was presumably the
rating of all types and all sorts of conditions of laying and.
perhaps, of installations generally. He thought it .should go
even further than that, because it had been carried out on
a thoroughly scientific basis. With various investigators who
had been engaged on work of that kind the tendency had
been to do a certain amount of experimental work, and then
endeavour to convert their results into phvsical constants
which would enable them to apply them to all sorts of cables
and all sorts of conditions of laying, and the result had been
not at all siiccessful. When the work of the committee was
completed it should afford so strong a basis of experimental
evidence that it should be possible to construct formula-
which, although they might be empirical, would be on
such a sound basis that it would he possible to insert factors
and values relating to the dimensions and physical con-
stants, which would enable anybody to arrive at a tempera-
ture rise of any kind. One probable result whch he foresaw
was that it would become more and more the regular thing

for thermal tests, or tests bearmg upon the thermal propertieB,
to be embodied in the routine testmg of a cable factory, and
rightly so. The work which was outstanding was of much
greater magnitude than the work which had been already
done. With regard to the statement that it was " essential
that the Association should settle upon (a) the permissible
temperature rise," the thing that mattered was not the tem-
perature ri.se. but the maximum final temperature employed.
Instead of thermal resistivity, he personally preferred
to speak of conductivity. No reference was made any-
where to rubber insulators; from the heat dissipation point
of view, vulcanised rubber was a very favourable material.
Its resistivity varied from about 515, or thereabouts, down to
something in the neighbourhood of 325. As regarded varia-
tions between the different lengths of cable operated upon,
there was a fair amount of difference between the materials
used, and the manufactm'e would vary to some extent.
The manufacture and assembly of the component parts had
a very powerful effect especially with material of a laminated
character. The American practice referred to in the report
was quite different to anything in this country. Their allow-
ance for heating and dielectric loss on a 30,000-volt cable was
excessive in comparison with the ordinary Enghsh practice.
'■■ The amount of moisture in the soil is to be determined in
three towns over long periods " was not the best way to
get the information desired. The thermal conductivity of
the soil varied tremendously not only as between different
types of soil, but also according to the moisture. " River
sand " with 10 per cent, of moisture decreased the resistivity
by about a fom'th ; the only real method to obtain information
on that subject was to test a wide variety of soils, and then
it should be remembered that cables were laid through prob-
ably a dozen types of soil.

Mr. B. Welbuuk.ne, who has been associated with the com-
mittee for the last two and a half years, explained that the
work had been carried <iut imder the most difficult conditions,
partly under wartime conditions, and partly under post-war
conditions, which were perhaps worse, and there had been
difficulties in getting samples of cables with which to carry
out the work. It was possibly due to his pertinacity, backed
up by the president. Mr. Atkinson, that those discussions
were taking place, with the view, as Mr. Wedmore told them,
of asking for constructive criticism, and particularly in order
that they might get the views of cable users and manufac-
turers on the further points that required investigation in
the country. It was a very preUminary report; possibly the
final report would not be forthcoming for another two or
three years. There were quite a number of users of cables
who did not appreciate the fact that the armoured cable
represented the best value for the money. The results obtained
with the specimens of 17-22 were extremely uniform, and
placed them in a class quite apart from the results which had
been obtained in America and in Germany. With regard to
the indiscriminate use of the words " pressure " and " ten-
sion," the former was the only possible one to use, and he
hoped the word " tension " would be abandoned.

Mr. H. Ali-cock drew attention to the value of the report
to the Institution, it being the first fruits of the Research
Association. Con.sideriug the various methods of dissipating
the heat generated, the American journals had contained
references to the circulation of air and even water for the
purpose of dissipating that heat ; perhaps the committee could
give that idea some attention.

The CmiRM.'iN (Mr. J. Frith), with regard to the tests ot
dielectric losses, said he would have tried to get the same
temperature rise bv varying the current without the dielectric
loss rather than have the same current and measure the
different temperature rises. That seemed to him a more direct
way of doing it than the neat use of d.c. and a.c. super-
imposed for measuring resistance.

Mr. S. W. Melsom, in reply, did not agree that the cables
•should be tested to destruction. What they were really en-
deavouring to ascertain was the temperature which the cable
would stand for an indefinite period without deterioration.
The final experiment would involve at least a couple of years.
The method which Mr. Ratcliffe had used had been discussed
in committee, and the N.P.L. intended to make use of it.
Mr. Beaver's figures of the thermal resistivity with regard
to moisture in the soil agreed very closely with their own;
Dr Kennelly gave the figure of .500, if one got .something like
10 per cent.' of moisture the difference in the different types
of soil disappeared; 10 per cent, moisture meant 120, and
15 per cent, moisture meant 180. There was such a huge
difference due to the moisture that it did appear that diiterent
types of soil must fall together at the same time. In view of
what Mr Beaver had said about the thermal resistivity of
bitumen thev would check their figure thoroughly; he hoped
that Mr. Beaver's correction— 300 instead of .500— was
correct, because it would explain re.snlts which at present
thev could not explain. The problem of the thernial charac-
teristics of tiles. &c., was a matter of the nature of the surface
whether it was wet or otherwise, rather than of the actual
,-olour Mr. Beaver's suggestion that different types of paper
might "ivc different results would have to be checked experi-
mentally. The obstacles before them in carrying out that
work have been overcome. ,„ ,x ■ j *i,

Mr E Fnvssi-TT. referring to cables at 10 or 12 ft. m depth,
remarked that they had a few results of temperature rise at
that depth, but there seemed to be very little increase over

8U

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [Voi.s?. No. 2,249, decembm 31, 1920.

the i ft. With regard to moisture, tests had been made of
almost every conceivable kind of soil met with by cable
engineers in laying cables all over the North-East Coast,
ranging from fau-ly dry sand to wet chemical refuse, clays
of all .sorts, gravel, ordinary garden soil, everything they
could think of, at every time of the year, and under every
condition of rainfall, after a very dry time following a spell
of noj-th-east winds, and after several days' heavy rain, and
at depths varying from 2 in. to nearly 4 ft. The figm-es
varied from 8 to 40 per cent, on the North-East Coast; the
average on the whole set of samples was something like 20
per cent. Mr. Black at Glasgow had made another series of
tests, and, rather contrary to expectations, his figures averaged
shghtly higher than the Newcastle figures.

Prof. E. VV. M.4ECHANT, referring to the statement that
there had been no attempt to obtain any relation between
temperature rise between the core and the sheath, and between
the sheath and the earth, said they had made some attempt
to do that, and they had got a figure ior the resistivity of the
cable which was somewhere near the figure assumed by Mr.
Ratcliffe, who agreed. With a given material the loss of heat
on the cable depended upon the ratio of one diameter to the
other, and not upon the thickness.

Mr. E. B. \^'ed.more welcomed heartily the suggestion from
Mr. Beaver that they should obtain further co-operation from
the cable makers, who had already supported them most
liberally in various ways, and expressed appreciation of the
support they had received from the Department of Scientific
and Industrial Research.

LEGAL.

Charges Against German Electrical Manufacturer.
At Bow Street Pohce Court, on December 23rd, before Mr.
Chester Jones, Samuel Michael Stroock, or Struck, manufac-
turer of electrical goods, again appeared on a provisional
extradition warrant charging him with obtaining money and
goods by false pretences within the jurisdiction of the German
Government. At previous hearings counsel for the defence
had protested that the arrest of the defendant was irregular,
on the ground that he was a citizen of the United States,
which country was still technically at war with Germany.
Further charges were now preferred against him of having,
whUe an alien enemy, come into this country without the
permission of the Home Secretary, and of having made false
statements to the immigration officer at Dover and the aliens
registration ofiicer in London. Mr. Muskett, who represented
the police, said that it had now been ascertained that the
defendant was a German, born in Berlin. The American pass-
port found upon him must have been obtained by false repre-
sentation. He understood that the defendant was prepared
to plead " Guilty " to one of the new charges, and if that
were so. the police would merely ask for a recommendation
for his deportation. The magistrate remarked that the period
allowed by the Treaty for the production of the whole of the
depositions in the extradition case would expire next week.
With regard to the new charges, he would be prepared at the
next hearing to recommend the defendant for deportation. —
The Times.

THE ELECTRICITY (SUPPLY) (No. 2) BILL.

The Bill* which is to come before Parliament early in the
new session was briefly summarised in our last issue. The
following are the principal provisions: —

1. A joint electricity authority may with the consent of the
Electricity Commissioners borrow money in accordance with
regulations to be made by the Ministry of Transport, for the
purchase of generating stations and main transmission lines
or of undertakings or parts of undertakings under the Act
of 1919, for any other purpose authorised by that Act, and
for use as working capital; such money, and the interest
thereon, to be charged on the undertaking and the revenues
of the authority.

2. Sinking fund payments in respect of new works may be
suspended for not more than five years from the expenditure
on such works.

3. The Commissioners may authorise an authority to issue
stock for the above-named purposes.

4. Authorised undertakers, consumers, and local authorities
concerned may lend money, subscribe for securities, and
otherwise give financial assistance to the authority; any com-
pany or association may do likewise, notwithstanding anv
regulation under which it is constituted.

5. Provision is made for the apportionment of the expenses
of the Electricity Commissioners amongst the joint electricity
authorities and undertakers, in accordance with their output
of energy.

6. Payment to a local authority may be made by any
method approved by the Commissioners.

7. An authority may use any main transmission line by
agreement with the owners.

8. The Commissioners shall have power to order the transfer
of an undertaking in whole or part to the authority, or to
empower the authority to supply electricity, in any area
where the authorised undertakers are unable or unwiliing to
give reasonable facilities for the supply of electricity, including
the provision of new works.

9. An authority may dispose of works, land, &c., no longer
required.

10. Wayleaves that have been in force may be maintained
in operation after the termination of the agreements.

11. An authority may agree with the former owner of a
_ transferred station or line that such owner shall work and
' maintain the seme on behalf of the authority.

12. An authority may perform its duties if authorised by a
special order, through any authorised undertakers.

13. The prices charged for electricity must cover revenue
expenditure over a period of years with a margin fixed by
the Commissioners, who may impose modifications necessary
to secure the benefit of a reduction in cost due to the Act of
1919 or the present Act to consumers.

14. Maximum prices may be revised after three years.

15. Section 18 of the Act of 1919 is amended.

16. Owners of power stations for traction may supply elec-
tricity to a joint authority, authorised undertaker, or con-
sumer, with the consent of the Commissioners, who may
authorise the breaking up of roads for that purpose.

17. Provision is made for the payment-off of debenture^ on
a transferred generating station.

18. Provision is made for winding up statutory companies
whose imdertakings have been transferred to a joint authority.

19. The period of repayment of capital borrowed in future
by Scottish local authorities is extended from .30 to 60 years.

20 and 21. The Act is to apply to Scotland and Ireland.

• Bill 263. Prom H.M. Stationery Office; price ^.

BUSINESS NOTES.

Company Liquidations. — Cannon Motor and Elec-
trical Works, Ltd., Cannon Lane, Upper Russell Street,
Brighton. — A meeting of the creditors of the above was held
recently at Brighton. The statement of affairs presented by the
liquidator showed the position as at December 3rd last, and it dis-
closed total liabilities of £3,930, of which £3,878 was due to
unsecured creditors, the balance of £52 being in respect of an over-
draft at the bank. The assets were estimated to realise £1,919,
from which had to be deducted £96 for preferential claims, leaving
net assets of £1,823, The assets consisted of stock-in-trade,
£1,039; plant and utensUs, £212; furniture, &c.. £50; good
book-debts, £57S: doubtful and bad debts estimated to produce
£25; and cash in hand, £15. With regard to the unsecured
liabilities, it was stated that rather more than £3,000 was owing
to a cash creditor for money lent. The company was formed in
May, 1919, with a capital of £1,000 divided into ordinary shares of
the face value of £1 each. It was stated that an offer would be
made of a composition of 8s. in the £, and the creditors unani-
mously decided that the offer should be accepted.

Masham and District Electric Soi'1>ly Co., Ltd.— Meeting
of members is called for January 19th at the Town Hall, Masham,
to hear an account of the winding-up from the liquidator, Mr
T. E. Thwaites.

Woods Gilbert (British) Rail Gri.vdinq and Millikg
Co., Ltd. — A meeting of membars is called for January 21th at

the Woods Gilbert Rail Remodelling Co., Ltd., offices, 170, Strand,
W.C, to hear an account of the winding up from the liquidator,
Mr. A. G. Conway.

Newalls Insolation Co., Ltd. — Meeting of members is called
for January 28th at 18, Market Street, Newoastle-on-Tjne, to hear
an account of the winding up from the liquidator, Mr. F. S.
Newall.

Dissolntions of Partnersiilp.—CAiG Brothers & Jones,

electrical engineers, 61, Renshaw Street, Liverpool. — Messrs.
H. Jones, A. Caig, F. S. Green, and J. D. Caig have dissolved
partnership. Debts will be attended to by Messrs. A. Caig,
F. S. Green, and J. D. Caig, who will continue the business under
the same style.

S. & C. Electric, electrical engineers, 25. Beckenham Road, Penge.
— Messrs. C. T. Stanton and C. M. Cocking have dissolved part-
nership. Debts will be attended to by >Lr. C. T. Stanton, who will
continue business as an electrical engineer at 25, Beckenham Road,
Penge. under the style of the Southern Electric and Engineering
Co. Mr. C. M. Cocking will carry on business on his own account
as an electrical engineer at 46, Oakfield Road, Penge.

S. E. Blakenev, general and electrical engineers, 86, Sheen Lane,
Mortlake. — Messrs. S. E. Blakeney and F. Mnsson have dissolved
partnership. Mr. S. E. Blakeney will attend to debts and con-
tinue the business,

Vol.87. No. 3,249, dbcembkb 31, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

846

Bankruptcy Proceeding;. — J- Jagger (.r. Jagger & Co.\

eleotrioal engineer and contractor, 28, N'ortbfjate, Halifax. — First
and final dividend of 4s. 6d. in the £., payab'e Jan. 10th, 1921, at
9, Fountain Street, Halifax.

J. W. Layton, electrician, 5, Nobles Bank, Sunderland. — The
public examination of this debtor took plsice at the Sunderland
Bankruptcy Court, on December 23rd. The hearing was adjourned
until January 20th, the debtor to furnish an account within 14
days showing the particular losses he incurred due to the rise in
t\ie pric6 of platinum.

Receiverships. — Steel Wing Co., Ltd. (formerly

Krieger Electric Carriage Syndicate, Ltd.) — Mr. H. W. D., Saper,
uf 7, Great Winchester Street, E.G., was appointed receiver and
manager on December 7th, 1920, under powers contained in the
mortgage dated July 29th, 1920.

Catalogues and Lists. — The Photeotor Co., Ltd.,

Central Hall, Southall. — An illustrated list of domestic appliances
of French manufacture, including saucepans, irons, boilers, heating
pads, foot and bed warmers, small transformers and fires, together
with a price list of these articles.

The S0N Electrical Co., Ltd., 118 and 120, Charing Cross
Road, W.C. 2. — An Ulubtrated and fully priced catalogue (16 pp.)
of domestic electrical appliances, including irons, kettles, cookers,
vacuum cleaners, &c.

Messes. Alfred Herbert, Ltd., Coventry.— Illustrated leaflet
(Section F 1, fourth edition), dealing with a sand mixing machine
suitable for use in the foundry.

The General Electric Co., Ltd., 67, Queen Victoria Street,
E.G. 4.— Folder No. 2,421, "The Problem of the Christmas Gift."
This gives illustrations and prices of a number of useful electrical
appliances. Also Publication No. 0 2,378 (8 pp.) — an illustrated
price list of motorcar and motor-cycle electric lamps of the
" Osram " and " Geeko " patterns.

The Stanton Ironwobks Co., Ltd , Stanton-by-Dale, nr. Not-
tingham.— A list giving details of straight sp-'got and socket pipes,
straight flange pipes, cSc, in stock. The front of the list bears a
calendar for January, 1921.

Trade Announcements.— Messrs. W. H. Pease & Co.,

engineers and merchants, of Kingsgate Mansions, Bed Lion Square,
W.C, have removed to 8, Southampton Row, W,C. 1.

Engineering Supplies, Ltd., of Snifolk House, 5, Lawrence
Pountney Hill, have removed to Mansion House Chambers, 11,
Queen Victoria Street, E.C.

Mr. H. W. Sullivak, electrical and telegraph engineer. 368 and
369, Winchester House, London, E.C. 2, has appointed the following
firms agents for his wireless .ipparatus : for Newcastle and district,
Messrs. G. S. Donthwaite & Co., 25, Dean Street, Ntwcastle-on-
Tjne ; for Wales, Mr. A. E. Hay, 6, Oxford Street, Mountain Ash.

The Impbbi/ l Flectrical Works, 7-12, Imperial Mews, St.
Martin's Avenue, East Ham, asks us to state that its telephone
number is East Ham 801, not 101 as recently given.

Messrs. Alfred Herbert, Ltd., Coventry, have been appointed
sole distributors for Great Britain and Ireland, forthe f ale of the fine
precision measuring instruments manufactured by the Soc. Anon,
des Etablissements P. Roch, RoUe, SwitzerLand.

Mb. J. S. James, for 36 years with Messrs. Edwards & Armstrong,
has commenced business as anelectrical contractor at 4, Hill Street,
Trowbridge.

Mr. C. Leash has commenced business as an electrician at 126,
Adelaide Grove, East Cowes, Isle of Wight.

Calendar.0, &c. — The Key Engineering Co., Ltd.,

have sent us one of their celluloid pocket calendars for 1920.

Messrs. Pibelli, Ltd., have again issued one of their useful
wall calendars for the New Year. A block of date and engage-
ment slips, printed boldly in red, is mounted on a strong metal
base. The design appearing above shows a large Pirelli tire with
the wording : " Pirelli tires are the world's best."

Messrs. Hart Acccmclator Co., Ltd., Marahgate Lane,
Stratford, E., have issued a strongly-bound blotter (17 in. x 11 in.),
each sheet of which bears a ca'endarfor 1921 ; also a large hanging-
calendar with a sheet for every month.

The Countv of London Electric Supply Co., Ltd., have
isened a card lor recording telephone numbers, bearing a clever
blaok- and- white drawing showing a man and woman enjoying the
warmth of an electric fire upon a late return home.

We have received a useful desk memo, calendar, with daily
slips on a metal base, isi ued by the Chloride Electrical
Storage Co., Ltd., of Clifton .Tunotion, Manches'er.

The Star Electrical Engineering and Manufacturing Co.,
Ltd., of 134, Victoria Street, Grimsby, have issued two pretty wall
calendars. 'The subject of one is a lady in night attire holding a
lighted candle with the wording : 'Good Night, " at foot ; the date
slips are hidden beneath a buff card. The other calendar has monthly
slips for the year below a coloured reproduction of two pretty
children writing a letter, with the words : "To Daddy," underneath.

Messrs. Mather Bros, have sent us a wall calendar for
1921, with monthly slips printed in red; also a useful telephone
address card.

From the Davenport Engineering Co.. Ltd., of Bradford,
we have received a wall calendar, with a block of daily slips for 1921.

The Saxonia Electrical Wire Co., Ltd., of Roan Works,
Greenwich, has produced a small wall calendar with monthly slips
jjiiiited in white on a chocolate ground.
,!^essbs. Haslam & Stretton, Ltd., of Cardiff, have sent us a
handsome jvall calendar. " Peggy " is a charming and captivating
study, and her prc*nce will add brightness to suiy office or private
apartments. The date slips are quite unobtrusive.

Messrs. W. H. Sugdkn & Co., of Wakering Road, Barking, have
issued a wall calendar with reit and small monthly da^e slips
below, a view of the Gate of London thowing the Tower Bridge.

The Pirelli-General Cable Works, of 144, Queen Victoria
Street, E.G., have issued a handsome calendar with monthly date
slips, with a useful note-pad at the foot, also a loose-leaf note- book
with celluloid cover showing a view of the Southampton works.

From the General Electric Co,, Ltd., of 67, Queen Victoria
Street, we have received a wall calendar, with monthly date slips
below a coloured reproduction of one of their show cards of a hand
holding one of their Osram G.E.C. lamps with the wording : " The
lamp of established reputation."

A Trade Union Combine.— A conftrence of representatives
of four Unions, on December 21st, discussed a scheme for amalga-
mation which when completed will, it is claimed, create the largest
single Trade Union organisation in the world, with an immediate
total membership of over 1 000,000. This is only exceeded by
federations of unions. Mr. Will Thome, M.P., presided at the
conference, and among thofe present were Mr. J. R. Clynes, M.P.
(president of the National Union of General Workers), and Mr.
Arthur Hayday, M.P. The Unions affected by the amalgamation
are : National Union of General Workers. Workers' Union, Muni-
cipal Employes' Afsociation, and National Amalgamated Union of
Labour. The conference completed a draft of proposals for
amalgamation of the four Unions. This will be submitted to the
executive of each of the Unions concerned so that any amendments
they desire may be put forward. A joint meeting of the four
executives will be called early in the New Year to consider any
amendments that may be proposed to the scheme. It is expected
that at this meeting a formal agreement will be arrived at, ard
that immediately afterwards a ballot vote of the members of each
Union will be ta'ien on the acceptance or otherwise of the amalga-
mation scheme. — Daily Telegraph.

Wages in the Electricity Supply Industry.— A state-
ment issued by the Trade Union side of the East Coast Area
District Council (No. 8) says that the employers had on two
occasions moved resolutions (not specified) to which the Trade
Union representatives were unable to agree. The employers had
kept the matter in the balance so long that the patience of the
employes had been tried to breakirg point, and meetings had been
held in various centres, including Norwich, Ipswich, Yarmouth
and Lowestoft, at which it was urged that strikes be called to
enforce the men's claims.

Private Meeting.— The Electrical Maiktenance Co.,

Emco House, 140, Wardour Street, London, W.— In response to a
circular letter issued by Mr. 0. Sunderland, of 15, Bsstcheap, F.C.,
a meeting of the creditors of the above was held on December
22nd, at Winchester House, Old Broad Street, E.C. An approxi-
mate statement of affairs was presented by Mr. Sunderland,
which showed liabilities of £23,447, including a claim by a
gentleman who was at one time a partner in the business, but
severed his connection with it some months ago. The preferential
claims amounted to £572. The assets were estimated to realise
£12,080. The principal assets were : Stock estimated at £6,C00 ;
book-debts, £5,000 ; and office furniture and fittings. £400. The
deficiency was accounted for chiefly by losses on trading, together
with depreciation written off the assets. Recently there were
several suing creditors, and as one was in a position to sign
judgment, it was decided that in order to preserve the assets, a
deed of assignment should be executed with Mr. Sunderland as
trustee. The position disclosed was discussed at some length, and
eventually it was decided to confirm the deed already executed,
and a committee of the principal creditors was also appointed.

Vanadium Production Suspended.- Mr. J. Leonard

Replogle, president of the Vanadium Corporation of America, the
leading producers of this rare mineral, authorises the statement
that the American production of vanadium has been suspended.
The reason for the suspension of production in that country
is stated to be the fact that the company's Peruvian properties
are producing enough vanadium to supply the world. At
the same time the Vanadium Corporation, which controls from
90 to 95 per cent, of the world's output, is able to produce vanadium
10 to 15 per cent, purer than the American deposits, and can
deliver it at Pittsburg cheaper than similar consignments shipped
from the Colorado plant.— iJ««/er'» Trade Service (New York).

Renewal Fee Payments on Patents. — The II! m-

trated Official Journal {Patents) of December 22nd directs atten-
tion to the fact that the extension of time provided by the terms
of Article 307 of the Treaty of Peace with Germany, and also by
Rule 3 of the Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (Temporary)
Rules, 1914, will expire on January 10th next. Care should,
therefore, be taken by patentees who desire to maintain their
patents in force, to make the prescribed renewal fee payments
which may be outstanding, with as little delay as possible, and so
that they may be received at the Patent Office by January 10th,
1921. It should also be observed that in those cases where the
renewal fee which became due after January 10th, 1920, has been
paid (leaving in abeyance the fees due in preceding years), it will
be necessary that all outstanding fees should be paid not later than
January 10th, 1921.

For Sale.— By direction of the Disposal Board, Ministry
of Munitions, the Controller, Plant and Machinery section, invites
offers for one complete power station plant, comprising three
2,000-KW. generating sets, complete with boilers, pumps, &c. For
particulars see our jrivertiaement pages today.

846

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,249, Dbokmbeb ai, i9ao.

I

A Power Company's Dinner. — The 20th anniversary of

the esbabliahment of the Lancashire Electric Power Co. wajs
celebrated by a dinner in Manchester to the staff, and the chief
engineers of the undertakings with which the company is linked
up in South and East Lancashire. Dr. Parshall, chairman of the
directors, who presided, slid that from a position of cold isolation
in the county, where it was at first opposed by the municipal
authorities and treated as an interloper, the company had steadily
grown to be of such important service to the districts which it
supplied that the spirit of opposition and hostility had entirely
disappeared. The local authorities were now co-operating to the
fullest extent to make the best use of the electrical plant at their
disposal. — Manchesti r Guardian.

Book Notices. — VEdairmje Ehrtriqm. By L. Barbillion

and P. Bergeon. Pp. 160 ; figs'. 87. Paris : Albin Michel. Price
IB fr. — In this work the authors treat of the various types of
incandescent and arc lamps from both the scientific and the
practical points of view ; to the mercury vapour lamp a whole
chapter is given, and another chapter is dieted to non-electric
systems of illumination for comparative {(urposes. Finally the
subject of photometry is dealt with at considerable length. The
work is concise and clear, and is suitable especially for the illumi-
nating engineer.

" Electrical Scientific and Telegraph Instruments of British
Manufacture " (31 pp.). London : B.E.A.M.A.— This valuable
little pamphlet presents a general survey of the variety and scope
of the apparatus manufactured by the members of the Scientific
and Telegraph Instrument Section of " Beama " C" Beama Satis "),
and indicates the range of measurement and degree of accuracy
obtainable by their means. Among the apparatus dealt with are
galvanometers, oscillographs, dynamometer instruments, instrument
transformers, recording instruments, standard resistances, potentio-
meters, pyrometers, &c. It is intended to send a copy of the
pamphlet to all important overseas technical training colleges, and
" Beama Satis " will be glad to hear from any such who, desiring a
copy, have not yet received one.

" Mechanical II orUl Year Book " for 1921. Manchester : Emmott
and Co. Price 28. 6d. net. — Among the new sections introduced
into this work is one on cast-tooth gearing, giving a number of
tables, &c. The matter on chain-gearing has been re-written and
extended. Other new features are sections dealing with ball and
roller bearings, and with friction and lubrication. In the latter
section are included data on the design of friction clutches, band
brakes, &o., as well as notes on lubricants and lubricating methods.

Technologic Paper No. 176 of the U.S. Bureau of Standards,
" Pouring and Pressure Tests of Concrete " (13 pp.). Washington :
Government Printing OflSce. Price 5 cents.

" The Henley Telegraph." Vol. I, No. 4. Pp. 40. Price 6d.—
The December issue includes a number of interesting articles,
amusing notes, itc, and is very "readable."

"TheeFuture of Industry." By E. W. Petter, M.I.Mech.E.
Pp. 19. Yeovil : The Wessex Publishing Co. 1917. Price 3d.
(20s. i)er 100).— This is a reprint from the Western Chronicle of a
lecture delivered at the Guildhall, Bath, under the auspices of the
Industrial League and Council.

" The Mathematical Theory of Electricity and Magnetism."
By J. H. Jeans. Pp. vi -I- 627, 138 figs. Cambridge : University
Press. Price 24s. net.

"Science Abstracts " (A. & B.). Vol. XXEII, Part 11, No. 275.
November 30th, 1920. London : E. & F. N. Spon, Ltd. Price
28. 6d. each.

" Frmdamental Principles of Electric and Magnetic Circuits."
By F. A. Fish. Pp. xi -^ 193, figs. 106. London: McGrawHEl
Book Co. Price 16s. 6d.

Electricity Supply Rifle Club Siioot.— The Shoreditch

Electricity Supply Miniature Rifle Club enjoyed a most successful
event on December 18th, this being the occasion of its second
grand Christmas shoot.

Notwithstanding the weather conditions, there was a very large
assembly, representing all sections of the borough's electricity
supply undertaking, and including members of the Electricity
Committee, who had very sportingly entered two teams.

The following were the winners of the various competitions : —

Competition i\o. 1.— Rapid shooting at 1-in. breakable disks,
25 yards' range :— Messrs. Love, Rnnham, Bruce, and Norden.
Captained by Mr. L. Flavell.

Competition So. 2.— Rapid firing ilt i-i». breakable disks, range
25 yards ; time limit, 3 minutes : — M<!sars. Ebner (captain), Ridd,
Venables, and Dunsmore.

Competition, No. 3. --Best score on 5-bull S.M.R.C. match
targets ; —Mr. W. Weekes.

Competition -Vo. 4.— Similar competition to No. 3 :— Mr. Venables.

The prizes consisted of two silver challenge cups for the winning
teams of Competitions Nos. 1 and 2 respectively, and a very fine
assortment of individual prizes, including medals, cake dishes,
biscuit jars, walkiug sticks, tobacco pipes and pouches, &c.

Councillor J. H. Agombar, chairman of the Electricity Com-
mittee, distributed the prizes.

Messrs. Ercole Mareili & Co.'s Works.— We are

informed that a rumour has got abroad that Messrs. Ercole
Mareili & Co.'s factories at Milan have been destroyed ; there is
no foundation whatever for this supposition, the factories being
in perfect order and extremely busy. During September the works
were occupied by the workmen, like all the other large works in
Lombardy, but early in October they were handed back to the
0 .vTiers ; during the occupation work had been carried on
liractioally in a normal manner, and the plant was absolutely
Uudamaged.

Spanish Electrical ManntactQrers' Association. — The

Catalonian manufacturers of electrical material and apparatus
have formed st Barcelona a union called the Associacion Indns-
triales Electristas y Anejos de Cataluna. One of the chief objects
of the Association, apart from the protection which the manu-
facturers hope to find in the new Customs tariff, will be to obtain
facilities from the Government for the export of their products. —
Renter's Trade Service (Madrid).

New Bombay Electrical Vehicle Company. — The

formation is announced of the Transit Engineering Co., Ltd., with
a capital of 50 lacs of rupees. The registered office of the new
concern is York Buildings, Hornby Road, Bombay. The company
has been floated for the purpose of importing into India, and
dealing in, electric vehicles of all kinds, including pleasure
vehicles, lorries, and industrial trucks. — Iteuter's Trade Serrice
(Bombay).

Non-Ferrous Metals. — In view of the violent fluctuations
in the quotations of the principal non-ferrous metals which took
place on the Metal Exchange last week, the Financial Times gives
the following table showing th« stocks at London and other porta
of the United Kingdom, compiled by the London Metal Exchange
Statistical Department : —

Nov. 30th. Oct. Slat.

Tons. Tons.

Copper, refined 9,388 9,604

„ rough 2,051 3,968

unclassified ... 182 182

Total ... 11,621 13.754

Tin 4,693 4,025

Lead 14,919 15,355

Spelter 16,953 19,214

Applications for British Trade Marks. — Appended is a

summary of the recent applications for British trade marks in
respect of goods connected with the electrical trades and industries :

ElectrUac. No. 396,028. Class 1. Electrical insulating vamiah.
Arthur G. Brown, trading as the Rustnot Co., 73, Bridge Street,
Manchester. October 14th, 1919.

Vioray. No. 405,4S3. Class 13. Arc lamps. B. J. Hall & Co.,
Ltd., Peters Street, Westminster, and A. W. Penrose & Co., Ltd.,
109, Farringdon Road, London, E.C. .July 7th, 1920.

Bee Bee Sparking Plug Bruntons (lettering combined with
design). No. 404,322. Class 13. Sparking plugs. Bruntons,
Wire MiUs, Station Road, Musselburgh, N.B. May 20th, 1920.

Bern. No. 406,448. Class 13. Sparking plugs. Waddingtou
Bros., 625-7, Fulham Road, London, S.W. 6. July 26th, 1920.

Wolseley. No. 403,117. Class 6. Electric motor and generators.
Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Co,, Ltd., Alma Street, Aston,
Birmingham. April 20th, 1920.

Rubia. No. 408,002. Class 13. Sparking plugs. Pelabon, Ltd.,
Cambridge Road, Twickenham, S.W. September 20th, 1920.

Belling. No. 380,413. Class 18. Electric cooking and heating
apparatus. Chas. R. Bell, trading as Belling & Co., Derby Rostd
Works, Edmonton, London, N. August 2l8t, 1919.

New Belgian Company. — La Societe des Ateliers Electro-

Mecaniques Bauduin is the name of a new company which has
lately been formed at Marcinelle-Charleroi, with a capital of one
million francs, to carry on an electrical engineering business.

New French Company. — La Socicte Hydro-Electrique

"La Valentinoiae " is the name of a new company which has
lately been formed in Paris (5, Rue de Vienne), with a capital of
one million francs.

Swedish Trade Propaganda. — The Swedish Ministry of

Trade has appointed a Committee to inquire into and submit
recommendations regarding steps to be taken to ensure the greatest
possible uniformity and effectiveness in Swediah commercial
information. In accordance with the terms of reference, the
Committee is to be guided by the principle that existing official
and private institationa should be utilised as far as possible for the
purpose of disseminating commercial information. It is stated,
H.M. Minister at Stockholm adds, that the duties of the Com-
mittee will include the drawing up of a scheme of propaganda for
Swediah gooda abroad, aa well aa the organiaation of centres of
information regarding foreign goods suitable for the Swedish
market. — Board of Trade Journal.

Rio Tinto Copper Mines. — The strike at the Rio Tinto
mines has now been settled, the miners accepting the English
company's conditions. The strike lasted six months, and was kept
alive by foreign and native agitatora.

Australian Lead Mines. — Woik has been suspended at
the Broken Hill South Mine, on account of the fall in price of lead
and zinc.

Unemployed in the United States. — According to a

Daily Telegraph correspondent, the American Labour associations
estimate that there are nearly 2,.iOO,0(Hi unemployed in the United
States at the present time, and that the number is growing.
Owing to the high cost of living, very few saved during prosperity
for a rainy day, and many spent all they had saved, deluded by the
idea that prosperity would continue for many years.

Reduction of Wages in Sweden.— It is reported that two

big engineering works have notified their staffs that they find it
necessary to reduce wages by 22 per cent. It the workmen refuse
to accept this reduction, a large part of the staff will be dismissed,
— Reuters Trade Service (Stockholm).

Vol. 87. No. 2,349, dbckmber 31, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

847

Dalmarnock Bowling Green.— The use of ground at

Dalmarnook Gardens, Glasgow, is to be granted as a bowling green
for the employes of the Corporation electricity department, and
£400 has been granted towards the coat of making the green.

German Lamps for Russia.— It is reported in Petro-

grad that large orders for manufactured goods have been given to
Germany, including 750,000 electric lamps.

War Dnmps Sold. — The Ministry of Munitions announces
that the four largest British depots remaining in France have been
sold. The dumps in question are those at Audruicq (railway
materials), Beaurainville (railway repairs), Abancourt and Le
Havre (engineering stores), and the plant and stores include
electrical material. The purchasers are Messrs. L. Aldridge & Co.,
Ltd., and Hughes & Bolckow, of Middlesbrough ; the purchase
price is understood to be considerably over £2,000,000.

Pern's Centenary Celebrations. — The exhibition pro-
posed in connection with the Peruvian Centenary celebrations,
which seems to have hung fire at the outset, wUl take place, it is
now officially announced, at Lima from June 1st to October 31st,
1921. Though privately organised, it wUl have the direct support
of the Peruvian Government. British participation is invited and,
in fact, strongly recommended by the British Government trade
officials both at home and in Peru. This especially applies to
manufacturers of " luxury articles," which should find a ready
market. It is expested that the exhibition will attract a number
of American exhibitors. — Fiiuincier.

Rates of Exchange. — Both the Prime Minister and Sir
Robert Home informed the House of Commons on December 20th
that it was the intention of the Government to include in a Bill, to
be introduced at the beginning of the next session of Parliament,
provisions dealing with the situation caused by the importation of
goods at abnormally low prices owing to the state of certain
exchanges.

Russian Trade, — Urgent requests to resume trade with
Russia, in the hope of alleviating unemployment in this country,
were addressed to the Government by the Labour Party in the
House of . Commons on December 22nd. Sir Robert Home,
replying, said : — " The real fact is that Russia has got no com-
modities to trade with. The one commodity she has got is gold."
The Government had been eager and anxious to resume trading
relations with Russia, but it was very difficult to conduct trade
which did not depend upon an interchange of commodities.
Most definite propaganda, organised in Russia, hostile to British
interests in the East, was, he said, being conducted. On June 30th
the Soviet Government accepted the conditions with regard to
ceasing Sropaganda, and the Government proposed to insert them
into the agreement, in order that the Russian Government should
show its good faith. While believing an agreement would be
reached, he said that if it were not, British traders would be free to
trade with Russia at their own risk, as other countries were trading
with Russia. But the volume of trade with no country had reached
any considerable dimensions.

■ Annual Dinner. — On Saturday, the 18th inst., the staff
of Electrical Installations, Ltd,, held their lOth annual
dinner at the Holborn Restaurant, which was attended by some
90 members of the staff and the directors of the company, Mr.
H. F. Simon, managing director, taking the chair. The dinner was
followed by an excellent professional concert.

The Athletic and Social Club of Electrical Installations, Ltd..
which has been in existence for a number of years, has held a'con-
siderable number of concerts and successful social evenings during
the past season, which in every case have been well attended.

Tramway Wages Inquiry. — Employers and the Unions
concerned have concurred in the decision of the Ministry of Labour
to set up a court of inquiry in connection with the disputed claim
for an increase of 128. a week for tramway workers all over the
cauutry. Representatives of the Municipal Tramways Association
met in London on December 21st. and decided that they would be
represented at the inquiry. Mr. J. Beckett, secretary to the Asso-
ciation, said that he understood that the constitution of the
court and the terms of reference had not yet been decided upon
by the Ministry. The private companies represented through the
Tramways and Light Railways Association have also decided to
state their case before the court of inquiry. — Daibj Telegraph,

The National Executive Council of the United Vehicle Workers'
Union has refused to sanction the application of the Manchester
and the Salford tramway men to put in a claim for an increase
of wages of £1 a week. This decision was communicated to a
meeting of representatives of the Manchester men's branches, which
resolved that any further action should be deferred till after the
national inquiry. The Executive Council's decision was conveyed
in the following resolution :—'■ That having carefully considered
the application of the Manchester and Salford branches, and the
views put forward by the delegation tor the purpose of making a
local application for an increase of wages, the E.C. are of opinion
that such an application would be fruitless, and would have a
detrimental effect on the forthcoming inquiry." — Manchester
Guardian.

New Kinema Invention. — A new invention has been

placed on the market in Sweden and introduced in Stockholm fijm
theatres by Aktiebolaget Plantkran. The new device, which is
named " Peco," consists of an electrically-propelled fanning
appliance for keeping a film cool and doing away with the danger
from fire. If a film should take fire, it is claimed that the new
appliance immediately extinguishes the flime. — Renter's Trade
Service (Stockholm).

LIQHTINQ AND POWER NOTES.

Aldershot.— Military Undertaking. — The Secretary

of state for War, replying recently to a question put to him in the
House of Commons, stated that the area in which it was proposed
to supply electricity from the Command generating station was
outside the area in which the Aldershot Gas, Water and District
Lighting Co. had the right to supply. He also stated that the
military undertaking paid the equiv^ent of local rates, although
not legally liable.

Australia. — W.A. Government Undertaking. — It is

stated that the electricity undertaking owned and operated by the
Western Australian Government showed a profit of £4,064 for the
year ended June 30th, 1920.

Sydney. — The municipality has requested the Crovernment to
set up an indepsndent tribunal to fix the prices to be charged for
electricity. The profit on the undertaking for 1919-20 was
£19,000, but it is estimated that if prices are not increased there
will be a loss of £60,000 on the working for the current financial
year, due chiefly to enormous increases in employes' wages.

The Mobwell Scheme. — Sir John Monash, chairman of the
Victorian electricity commissioners, states that all the plans and
specifications and conditions of contract for the whole of the elec-
trical parts for the first instalment of electric power at Morwell
would shortly be lodged with the best makers in the world — both
in England and Australia. These parts would include turbo-
alternators, condensing plant, switchgear, transmission-line towers,
cables and the like. Plans and specifications for boiler plant were
also in hand, but they were not so urgent. At the present time
plans were being made for the diversion of water for condensing
purposes from the River Latrobe. The commissioners had in view
the organisation and construction of a garden township. The
township would be sewered, with a proper water supply, and would
'oe electrically lighted. — Tenders.

According to The T'une.i. coal is scarce owing to the shipping
strike, and the Federal Government has prohibited the use of gas
and electric light and power except within severely restricted
hours. In Melbourne the tramways are likely to be shut down
after sunset and on Sundays.

Banffshire.^HYDRO-ELECTRic Scheme. — At a meeting
of the County Council the Finance Committee submitted a report
dealing with the county scheme for the generation of electricity
by water power. It was decided to appoint Messrs. Balfour,
Beatty & Co. as consultants to report upon the scheme, at a
remuneration of £400. Mention was made of the intention of
certain bodies to effect a diversion of the Spey and its tributaries
for electrical purposes, and it was, therefore, resolved to ask
Parliament not to sanction such schemes, as they were prejudicial
to the county's interests.

Barnoldswick. — Proposed Electricity Supply. — The

District Council is considering the installation of an electricity
supply for the town, and has arranged meetings with the Nelson
Corporation to discuss the matter.

Barnsiey. — Lighting Failure.— On the night of

December 21st the whole of the Corporation's electric lighting
failed, causing great inconvenience to theatres and kinemas. After
over an hour's stoppage the supply was resumed.

Bedford. — Year's Working. — The accounts of the
jnunicipal electricity undertaking for the year ended March 3l8t
last record a total revenue from all sources of £61,311 ; last year's
figure was £49,983. Against this, working expenses amounted to
£43,697, compared with £38,084. leaving a gross balance of
£17,614 (£11,899). The payment of loan charges, &c., resisted in
a net profit of £2,628, being very nearly the same as in the previous
year, when the profit, was £2,791.

Bethesda (N. Wales) .—Proposed Electric Lighting

Scheme. — At a meeting of the Urban Council the question of
obtaining an electricity supply was raised. The clerk stated that
he had been in communication with the North Wales Power Co.,
and, as a result, was able to give a figure for the cost of supplying
within a radius of four mUes. This was £11,000, and a price of
2d. per unit would be asked. It was decided to proceed with the
matter.

Bexhill. — Inadequate Supply. — The load on the

Council's station is so great that new services for radiators
have to be disallowed, and no additional street lighting can be
entertained. The Council recently approEiched the Hastings
Corporation, inquiring what progress was being made with its
scheme for bulk supply ; but the position of this scheme is
unlikely to render plant extensions unnecessary at Bexhill. While
it is felt that the strain of this winter may be met with care, the Com-
mittee considers that action must be taken early in 1921. The Electric
Light Committee has decided to seek the advice of the Elec-
tricity Commissioners in the matter, to again approach Hastings
Corporation respecting the bulk supply scheme, and to obtain
information respecting the purchase of generating sets, new and
secondhand.

Bournemouth. — Lighting Contract. — At a meeting of

the Town Council the proposal of the Bournemouth and Poole Elec-
tricity Supply Co., to light the streets of the town as far as the
mains extended, was rejected. The lighting contract with the
Bournemouth Gas and Water Co. was renewed.

848

THE ELECTRICAI REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. j,249, decembkb 31, 1920.

Bromley (Kent). — Failure of Lightino.— Owing to

a defect in the main cable of the electric liffht supply at Bromley
Kent, on December 22nd, the town was in comparative darkness,
for some time. The supply failed shortly after four o'clock, and
th« local kinema houses had to curtail their programmec whilst
nearly all the shops were illuminated by oil lamps and candles.
Later the electricity supply was restored.

Bnry. — Loan Sanctioned The Electricity Committee

has received the sanction of the Electricity Commissioners to the
borrowing of £95,000 for the extension of plant at the Chamber
Hall power station.

Colwyn Bay. — IjOan. — The Electricity Commissioners
are being asked to sanction the borrowing of £48,224 by the Urban
District Council. This is required for the provision of machinery,
plant, cables, and building extensions in connection with the
bulk supply to be given by the Aluminium Corporation at
Dolgarrog.

Continental. — France.— An incident similar to that
which took place some time ago. when the Town Council of Metz,
passing over French firms, placed orders for electricity meters with
the A. EG., has occurred recently. The Societe d'Eleotricite, of
Strassburg, passing by French tendering firms, has placed its orders
for boilers with German firms. There is, however, a difEerence in
details between the two incidents, for whereas in the former the
German quotation was much below the French one, in the present
instance the reverse is the case. The former incident, when it
occurred, called forth some very natural criticism on the absence
of patriotism and gratitude, in order to make a saving of a few
hundred francs ; the latter shows no such justification, and seems a
case of sheer lack of patriotism.

Work is proceeding satisfactorily in the construction of the
high-pressure power distribution system which is to make the
devastated regions independent of direct coal supplies. It will
gave labour, benefit the small workshop owner, and eventually
reduce the country's importation of coal. It is expected that the
scheme will be completely carried out by the end of next year.
Among the towns to receive electricity when it first becomes avail-
able are Douai, Valenciennes, Lille, Cambrai, Laon, Rheims,
Epernay, Verdun, Longwy, and Nancy. All other cities and
villages will be supplied ultimately, and the North and East wUl
be linked up with Alsace and Lorraine. The principal power
station is to be at Hirson, power being supplied later from (^nne-
vUliers and stations on the Rhine. — The Times Trade Supplement.

The Gonseil- General du Pas-de-Calais has requested that nesotia-
tions be entered into with all the supply companies to the end that
electricity may be placed at the service of every commune in the
Department.

Germany.— The British Commercial Secretary at Cologne has
forwarded to the Department of Overseas Trade the following
translated extract from the Deutsche ISergweths Zeitu/i;/ of
December 2Ld: —

"Ten of the largest electricity works supplying the West-
phalian industrial and neighbouring district have united in the
Kommunalen Electrizitatswerkverband(K,E.V.), Westphalia, which
has its seat at Hagen. Eleven electricity works belong to this
union. The chief tasks of the company are the technical co-opera-
tion of the power stations at present existing in the union, the
joint building and working of new water and steam-power works
on the basis of the cheapest fuel, and to ensure a good and
sufficient supply of electricity in the future. The great question
of the day is how to supply communities and industries with
sufficient electiicity. Bituminous coal is scarce, and, conse-
quently, there is a shortage in electricity ; the coal supplied by
the State is insnfiioient, and the Association has taken certain
measures in order to supply these much-needed wants. It is to
give mutual help and support to other existing power stations ; to
extend suitable water-power stations ; and to bring large quantities
of electricity from the Rhenish brown coal district.- The Associa-
tion aUo plans for the construction of a large power station with a
coal supply of its own. The Birgwerkgesellschaft Lothrirgen,
Gerthen, near Bochum, has joined the K.E.V. in conneclion with
the coal supplies to the K.E V. The Ruhrtalspe^rverein will slso
probably join the Association for the purpose of co-operating in
building a large water-power station."

Italy. — There has been introduced into the Senate, by the
Ministry of Public Works, a draft Bill for the constitution of an
autonomous body for the development of the hydraulic forces of the
Adige and the Garda. The draft Bill authorises the Provinces of
Verona, Mantova, Modena, and Bologna to set up a corporation for
the direction and utilisation of the water resources of the b.asiiis of
the Adige and the Garda and their feeders, and otler basins of ihe
same provinces, the plants to be int tailed being as in tie Bill pre-
scribed. To the corporation may be joined other public institutions
and bodies not only of the provinces mentioned, but also of Ventzia
Tridentina. The capital of the corporation is not fixed, and it has
the power of issuing bonds. The vastneas of the river systems dealt
with makes this scheme one of great importance.

Spain. — During the recent strike riots in Seville many attempts
were made to destroy the electric supply cables, but they were
effectively frustrated by the Civic Guar(^.

Edinburgh.— New Station.— At a meeting of tie
Town Council on December 22nd, it was stated that the present
estimated cost of machinery and plant for the Portobello Station
was £633,000, an increase of £143,000 upon the estimate submitted
two years ago. Some diasatisfaction was expressed that the scheme
had not been commenced when the first estimates were presented,
but the inability of the Council to do this was said to be due to
the Government net removing the " priority " demand in January,

1910. The total cost of the Portobello scheme ia estimated at
£1,750,000. The report submitted by the engineer Jipon this
subject was " received," but not formally approved.

Electricity District. — Mersey and West LANCAbHiRE.

— In pursuance of a notice issued by the Electricity Commissioners
on July 16th. 1920, of the provisional determination by them of the
above-named district, the Commissioners give notice that they will
hold a local inquiry at the Town Hall, Liverpool, on January 26th,
1921, and following days with reference to the area to be included
in the proposed district, and the objections and representations
which have been made on account of the inclusion in or exclusion
from the district of certain areas, and to consider (j) a scheme
which has been submitted by a conference of Mersey and Wert
Lancashire Electricity Authorities for effecting an improvement of
the existing organisation for the supply of electricity in the said
district, and for the formation of a Joint Electricity Authority ;
and ('/) a scheme which has been submitted by the Corporation of
Wallasey for effecting an improvement of the existing organisation
for the supply of electricity in the Wirral District and for the
formation of a Joint Electricity Authority. Copies of the
respective schemes may be obtained (a) from Mr. E. W. Pierce,
Town Clerk's Oflice, Municipal Buildings, Liverpool, and (i) from
Mr. H. W. Cook, Town Hall, Wallasey, at a cost of 2b. 6d. each.
, Any representations or objections with regard to the said schemes
or either of them should be addressed to the Secretary, Electricity
Commission, Gwydyr House, Whitehall, London, S.W. 1, not later
than Tuesday, January 18th, 1921, and a copy of such representa-
tions or objections should at the same time be sent to Mr. E. W.
Pierce, or Mr. H. W. Cook, as the case may be, at their addresses
mentioned above.

Grimsby. — Proposed E.xtensions. — The Electricity

Committee, on December 15th, considered a scheme of exten-
sions estimated to cost £200,000. It was stated that extensions
were imperative, as the present plant was seriously overloaded.
The proposals were eventually referred to a Sub-Committee for
consideration and report.

Gnildford. — i^ALE OF Undertaking. — The Town Council

is applying for a special order to authorise the Gnildford
Electricity Supply Co., Ltd., to transfer its undertaking to the
Corporation, and for powers to generate and supply electrical
energy.

Halifax. — Year'.s Working. — The total revenue of the
electricity works for the year ended March Slst last, was £137,832,
compared with £111,574 in the previous period. Working expenses
amounted to £80,752, as against £72,293, leaving a gross profit of
£57,080 (£39,281). The net result after payment of all capital
charges, was a profit of £23,997, a considerable improvement upon
last year's balance, which was £9,033, although the number of
units sold fell from 18,029,244 to 16,161,399.

Harpenden. — Protest to Commissioners. — Until the

passing of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, it was the intention
of the Urban District Council to take a supply of electricity from
Luton Corporation. When, however, the district for that part of
the country was delimited, it was found that Harpenden was
included in the Greater London Area, while Luton was excluded.
It has, therefore, been decided to forward a protest to the Electricity
Commissioners against being supplied from any station several
miles away from Harpenden, and to point out that the most
advantageous and economical Eouroe of supply is the Luton
undertaking.

Hulyhead. — Electricity in Harbour. — The London

and North-Western Railway Cc. has decided to electrify a large
quantity of the plant at the harbour in connection with the Dublin
route improvements. Electric cranes and capstans are to be

installed.

Kilmarnock. — Year's Working. — The accounts of the

Corporation electricity department for the year ended May 15 th,
1920, show a total revenue of £78,945, as compared with £69,576
for 1918-19. The total working expense was £56,421, as
against £35,529 in the previous period, leaving a gross balance of
£22,524 (£21,047'). The payment of capital charges left a net
profit of £961. The previous year's balance was £5,858. The
number of units sold rose from 12,193,102 to 13,495,483.

Lanark. — Proposed Electricity Schemes. — Four

schemes for the supply of electricity to the town were brought
forward at a Council meeting by the Committee appointed to deal
with the question. The first of these was a bulk supply from the
Clyde Valley Power Co. This was estimated to require an initial
capital of £58,000, and working expenses, &c , would amount to
about £18,000 per annum. A scheme to utilise the power of the
Clyde was estimated to cost £45,000, with annual charges
amounting to £5,590. The other suggestions were to install
steam turbine sets at a cost of £48,000, or gas or oil engines
costing £30,000, with annual charges of £8,348 and £4,130
respectively. Mr. J. M. M. Munro, the expert appointed, suggested
that the water-power scheme should be adopted. Finally, how-
ever, the Council decided to defer the whole question on account of
the prohibitive cost of all the schemes, but the repcrt is to be sub-
mitted to the Electricity Commissioners for their informa'.iou
should they detire to provide electricity to the county.

Liverpool. — Loan Sanctioned. — The Electricity Com-
missioners have sanctioned the borrowing of £100,000 by iLe
Oorporaticn for the purpose of extending the generating plant.

Tol 87. No. 2,249, Dkcembeb 31, 1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

849

London. — Battersea. — The Borough Council is install-
insr two 450-Kn'. mercury- vapour reotiflera, at a cost of £7,903, for
the oonveraion of the supply to the Nine Elms district.

Mytholmroyd. — ELECTEiCiXY SurPLY Mr. W. Emmott,

Halifax, has been appointed consulting electrical engineer to the
Mytholmroyd Urban Council, and a committee has been deputed
to open up negotiations with the Lancashire Electric Power Co.
for the supply of •lectricity to the district.

New Zealand.— RoTOEUA Extensions. — In connection
with the Rotorua electric power scheme the demand has outgrown
the capacity of the plant, and it has been decided to increase this
capacity by the construction of a power station at the trout pool
at a suitable site about three-quarters of a mile down the Kaituna
River from Lake Rotoiti. While the plant to be inataUed there
will be sufficient to supply the immediate needs of Rotorua and
district, provision is being made for its suitable extension to the
full capacity of the site, about 10,000 h.p. A complete contour
survey has been made, enabling the access road, tunnel pipe-line,
and power house to be located, and detailed plans of the work will
be proceeded wi£h as early as possible. The power from this
source will ultimately be linked up with Arapuni or the Waikato
scheme on the west, and the Waikaremoana scheme on the
eaat, thus giving a completely connected system. — Auckland
Weekly .Yews.

. Norwich.— Sub-stations.— On December 21st the City

Council adopted a recommendation of the Electricity Committee
to purchase the necessary land for the erection of two sub-statiors.

Plymonth. — Street Lighting. — Owing to the number
of complaints received from night workers and others of the
danger of the unlighted streets in the early morning, the Elec-
tricity and Street-Lighting Committee has decided to suspend the
war regulations and maintain the lighting throughout the night.

PortsmoDtb. — Loan. — The Corporation is seeking
sanction to the borrowing of £91,000 for the purpose of extending
the generating plant. Tenders submitted by the Metropolitan-
Vickers Electrical Co. and Messrs. Babcock & Wilcox having been
approved, the firms are being asked to proceed with the work.

Scarborongh. — Breakdown.— Owing to the failure of
one of the lighting cables, the centre of the city was in darkness
for about two houis on December 20th,

Scotland. — Grampian Hydro-Electric Scheme. — The

hydro-electric scheme formulated by the Grampian Electricity
Supply Co. is fully detailed in a provisional order, a draft of which
has recently been submitted to the Private Lfgislation Procedure
Committee. An initial capital of £1,000,0C0 is provided for, and
powers to increase this to any further sum notexceeding £4,000,000
are sought. Fifteen lochs and about 100 smaller waters are
included in the area, and five generating stations to supply elec-
tricity within an area comprising the counties of Perth, Forfar,
and Kinross, and parts of the counties of Inverness, Argyle,
Stirling, and Dumbarton are to be erected.

Sontb Africa. — Bulawayo. — The new generator at the
power house in Bulawayo burst when put into commission for the
first time after undergoing the te<ts. The switchboird is partially
wrecked, and the town without electricity. The damage is
estimated at £5,000. — Renter's Tradt Serrice (Cape Town).

Sontbend. — Inadequate Lighting.— For a considerable
time the electric lighting in the town has been the subject of
complaints from tradesmen and others. It is stated that although
the plant capacity has decreased since 1914, there are nearly a
thousand more consumers. It is hoped to put a new auxiliary
generating station at Leigh into service shortly.

Swansea. — Short Strike. — The electrical fitters
employed at the municipal electricity works struck work on
December 22nd, but returned to duty the following day.

United states. — Niagara Dam. — A plan to dam the

Niagara River below the whirlpool is advocated by Dr. T. K.
Thomson, of New York, who declares that the new ICO-ft. fall thus
produced would furnish 2,000,000 n.T.—The Times.

Watford. — Change of Supply. — The Northwood
Electric Light and Power Co., Ltd., has applied to the Rural
District Council for permission to change the supply in the district
from continuous to alternating current. The Council has decided
to wait for representations from consumers before coming to any
decision on the matter.

Yeovil. — Time Extension. — The General Purposes Com-
mittee reported to the Council that it had received from the
Electricity Commission an intimation that Messrs. Fetters, Ltd,
had applied under the Special Acts (Extension of Time) Act, 191.5,
for a further extension of nine months within which to lay down
the mains for the purposes of general supply of electricity under
the Yeovil Electric Livrhting Order, 1914. The Committee had
replied that no objection was offered to such extension, but
expressed the hope that the undertakers would very shortly make
an effort to put the work under the Order in hand. — Western
liazette.

TRAMWAY AND RAILWAY NOTES.

Aastralis. — Sydney Accident. — On November 7th an
accident, which caused the death of one person and injuries to 40
others, occurred on the Marne Park section of the Sydney tramway
system. As a car was proceeding along the Anzac Parade the pole
suddenly slipped the trolley wires, putting the car in darkness.
The driver of a second car, which was following the first, was
unable to pull up in time, and a violent impact took p'aee, which
forced the disabled car a distance of several yards. The emergency
brakes on the second car failed to act, and, continuing in its course,
it struck the leading car a second time, breaking into the rear and
causing serious damage. The conductor of the first car was crushed
between the cars, while endeavouring to replace his trolley, and
was killed.

The State Government of New South Wales has decided t3
resume the construction of a tube railway system for S, dney and a
section of its suburbs, and preparatory work wOl be started for
building a bridge across the harbour at an estimated coat of
£5,0C0,000, spread over a period cf 10 years.— ZVip Times.

Belfast. — New Cars.— A new tjpe of car has been
recently introduced on the Corporation tramway system. The new
cars, of which 50 have been ordered, are larger than the existing
type, carrying 68 passengers — 26 inside and 42 outside- as against
56 by the cars in use. The high pressure signalling arrangement
is unique, and, the first of the kind to te intioduced in Europe.
The signals consist of a btzzer for the conductor and passengers,
and a single bell for the conductor only.

Blackpool. — Year's Working. — The report upon the

Corporation tramways for the year ended March Slat last, which
includes figures for the Fleetwood undertaking as from January 1st,
1920, shows a total revenue from all sources of £186,474, as com-
pared with £144,535 for 1918-19. Working expenses amounted to
£147,769, as against £93,639, leaving a gross credit balance of
£38,705 (£50,896). The payment of loan charges, &o, £23,122,
left a utt profit of £15,583, a considerable decrease from last
year's figure— £33,052. The car-mileage increased from 1,242,107
to 1,447,226.

Bradford.— Collection of Fares. — At a meeting of

the City Council a resolution for the discontinuance of the practice
of collecting fares on the platform of top-deck passengers was
proposed, but after a prolonged discussion the decision was deferred
pending a conference with the men on the question.

Continental. — Italy. — The Consiglio Superiore delle
Acque heis expressed its approval of the scheme for the electrifica-
tion of the Santhia to Biella Railway. This is one of the lines
relegated for conversion to private industry. Continuous current
at high pressure will be used.

Egyp^ — Cairo. — A novel substitute for the strike
weapon has been originated by the Cairo tramwaymen, who are
dissatisfied with working conditions. The men, however, lack
funds for a strike, so the drivers have adopted the policy of to
manipulating the switches that fusing is caused. The repair gar ga
are acting in concert with the drivers, and delay repairs to such an
extent, that a reduction of the service is necessary. The men thus
succeed in decreasing the company's returns, but retain their
normal rate of wages. — Electric Railway and Tramway Journal.

Falkirk. — Transfer of Undertaking. — It is annc unced
that a provisional agreement has been entered into between the
Falkirk District Tramway Co. and the Fife Tramway, Light and
Power Co., by which the latter is to take over the whole of the
Falkirk tramway system.

Flnchley. — Collision. — On December 19tli a tramcar
collided with a motor-car on the Great North Road, resulting in the
death of one of the occupants of the motor and the injury of two
others. It is stated that the car caught in the tramway lines,
skidded, and was thrown violently against the tramcar.

Glasgow. — Extensions. — Important extensions cf the
tramways are to be undertaken, including a route ever a new
bridge to be constructed aoroaa the Clyde.

Haddersfield. — Workmen's Tickets. — A proposal was

submitted at a recent Town Council meeting for the extension of
the hours for the purchase of workmen's return tickets to 9 a.m ,
as most of the workpeople are working much shorter hours, and
the majority not commencing work till 9 o'clock. The matter is
to be considered by the Tramways Committee.

Japan. — Tokio Underground Railway. — The Tokio
Underground Railroad Co., organised some time ago, has reot ived a
permit from the municipal authorities to purchase land and start
surveying preparatory to the construction of the projected line
between Shinagawa and Asakuca. The work was to be com-
menced on December 1st, and the tunnelling early next summer.
Negotiations to secure foreign capital from America are making
fair progress, and, if this is' forthcoming, in June next the com-
pany will increase its capitalisation from 20,000,000 yen to
80,000,000 yen. — Renter's Trade Service (Tokio).

London, — Hammersmith. — The L.C.C. has sanctioned
the borrowing of £9,93r) for the purchase of six 3i-toneedrio
vehicles for the collection of house refuse. The Couicil laving
decided to accept the tender of the Westinghonse Coopor Hew itt

850

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.s?. No. 2,249, decembkk 31, 1920.

Co. for the supply of three mercury vapour reotifiera, each capable
of charging two vehicles, application is to be made for sanction to
borrow £788 to cover the cost of these with the necessary switch-
Rear, &c.

AcciDKKT. — Six persons were injured in a tramway-car collision
a'-, Holloway, N., on Sunday last ; failure of the brakes on one of
the cars is stated to have been the cause of the accident.

L. & N.-W. Railway.— Rumour Denied. — A rumour

that the London and North-Western Railway Co. is considering a
Eoheme which is likely to result in the electrification of the
eoction of the railway between Chester and Holyhead, and that
the scheme haa some connection with the great electrical develop-
ment which is to take place in North Wales, is not substantiated
by railway officials at Chester, some of whom regard the project
a 1 being out of the question altogether.

Palestine. — Tramways Prohiisited. — Mr. Ronald

Storres, Governor of Jerusalem, in his efforts to preserve the
historical and religious features of the country, found it necessary
t ) refuse the request which was made some time ago for a con-
( ession to run tramway cars from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and the
Mount of Olives. ,

TanntOD. — Purchase Declined. — In consequence of

t he Town Council's decision to charge the Electric Traction Co.
more for its power, the company offered to transfer the under-
taking to the Council for the sum of £7,000. On the surface
this would appear to have been a remarkably reasonable figure, but
it was stated at a Council meeting that if the system was
preiiented gratis to the town the transaction would be an
unprofitable one, as under present conditions, it would be impossible
to make it pay. The capital sunk in the undertaking amounts to
£35,000. The company threatened if the offer was refused to
discontinue the service altogether.

York. — Railless C'ars. — The new trackless car service
between Pavement and Stockton Lane, Heworth, was commenced
on December 22nd. The distance is a mile and a quarter, and two
oars are running, each seating 2(> persons.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE NOTES.

France. — Telegraphists' Strike. — The telegraph
service between France and other countries, chiefly Britain, Italy,
and the East, is disorganised by a " keepto-the-rules ' strike of
telegraphists in protest against a Ministerial decree altering the
conditions of their daily duty, says the Dai/y Mail. Thousands of
urgent telegrams and cables for the Eastern Telegraph Co.'s station
at Marseilles, and messages from New York to London via the
French route were being sent on by post last week.

The Chamber of Commerce of Calais has requested the Minister
of Commerce to establish a second telephone line between Calais
and Paris.

L.C.C. Tramway Telephones. — Extensions. — The

L.C.C. is considering the provision of an improved private tele-
phone system with a view to minimising the delays which occur in
dealing with breakdowns on the Council's tramway system. The
existing system provides for only 24 "external" telephones which
are in direct communication with the central exchange, although
at 134 points there are "internal" telephones enclosed within
feeder pillars from which communication is limited to the local
sub-station. Calls cannot be received at these pillars. On a
number of sections the distance between points provided with
external telephones varies from l] to 3^ miles, and in the event of
breakdowns on these sections, delay in obtaining the necessary
assistance is sometimes caused, as the only telephone available is
one of the internal type. It is proposed that the selector telephone
control system, which is in operation on the West Ham Corpora-
tion tramway system should be installed. In addition to providing
for selector stations, which can either call or be called as in the
case of the existing " external " telephones, the system permits
the inclusion of non-selector stations which can call, but which
cannot be called from, the control office. The principle of the
system is that the controller shall be in immediate touch with, and
shall record all items of importance occurring on the system, this
information being readily accessible to those in authority. It is
suggested that the non-selector pattern of telephone, which is
cheaper than the selector type, should be provided at intermediate
traffic points. This will enable calls to be made direct to the con-
troller at the tramway offices and a non-selector station can be
connected with a selector station. The Council is of the opinion
that this system would fsicilitate the working arrangements and
would be of assistance in dealing with breakdowns, and proposes
that in the first instance the system should be installed on the
northern tramways, leaving its extension to the southern lines for
consideration at a later date. The cost is estimated not to exceed
£6,311, and the work could be completed in about nine months.
No expenditure will be incurred during the current financial year.

Tahiti, — Wireless Communication. — A wireless station

has been constructed at Mahina, Tahiti, for the purpose of
opening up communication with Bordeaux. Results up to the
|)-esent, however, have not been satisfactory, and further attempts
will be made after a more thorough survey of atmospheric
conditions haa been carried out. — Beuter's Trade Sen-ice CParis).

CONTRACTS OPEN AND CLOSED.

(The date given in parentheaet at the end of the paragraph indicatei
the iitue of the Elbotsioai. Bkvlkw in whioh the " Official
Notice " appeared,,)

OPEN.

Anstraiia. — Queensland. — January 26th, 1921.
P.M.G.'s Department. Telephone apparatus and parts. Schedule
509. (December 10th.)

Sydney. — January 31st. Municipal Council. H.T. and L.T.
cable (specification No. 628). Electric Lighting Department,
Town Hall, Sydney.

Bulgaria. — Department of State Railways. Telephone
and telegraph material, complete electrical installation and appa-
ratus for coal mines. Lists can be seen at the Enquiry Room of
the Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, S.W.I.

Edinburgh. — Corporation. Tuning and maintaining organ
in Usher Hall for three years, including motors and switches, to the
point of junction with Corporation mains, also all electric and
electro-pneumatic connections. Conditions from Town Clerk.

India. — Meerut. — January 17th, 1921. Government
of United Provinces hydro-electrical installation. Generating
station equipment, including workshop equipment, H.T. trans-
mission and distribution (overhead equipment, including poles),
sub-station equipment, pumping station equipment and piping, &c.
Mr. G. McHoey, sanitary engineer to the (Jovernment, United
Provinces, Allahabad. — Reuler's Trade Service (Bombay).

"- Leyton. — January 11th, 1921. Urban District Council.
Electric wiring of 142 houses on the Barclay estate. (December lOth.)

Manchester, — January 24th. Electricity Committee.
Six motor-driven circulating-water pumps ; three motor-driven
boiler feed pumps and one motor-driven pump for weight-tank
sump. (December 24th.)

January 11th. Tramway Committee. Electric welding equip-
ment for the welding of tramway rail joints. J, McElroy, Manager,
5B, Piccadilly.

Natal. — Durban. — January 26th. Corporation. Supply
of telephone cable, paper sleeves, concrete pipes, and various
telephone and miscellaneous accessories and materials.

February 16th. One 1,000-kw. rotary converter with trans-
formers and switchgear. Specifications of the above may be
consulted on application to the Department of Overseas Trade, 35,
Old Queen Street, E.G.

New Zealand. — Napier. — January 1 7th. Borough
Council. One 500-KW. electric generating set. Copies of the
specifications and blue prints may be seen at the Department of
Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, S.W.

Auckland. February 22nd, 1921. City Council. One 3,000-kw.
H.T. turbo-alternator ; two 5,000-K\v. h.t. turbo-alternators ; four
1, 500-KW. rotary converters ; four 500-KW. rotary converters,
switchgear and transformers ; four water-tube boilers, conveyor,
pumps, pipework, h.t. and i.t. cables. (December 17th.)

Rhodesia, — Salisbury. — January 13th. Municipal
Council. Electric generating plant, switchgear, cable and con-
verters. Specification (£3 3s.) from the Council's Consulting
Engineer, Royal Chambers, Johannesburg. A copy of the specifica-
tion may be consulted at the Department of Overseas Trade
(Room 48), 35, Old Queen Street, S.W.I.

South Africa Johannesburg.— January 18th, 1921.

Rand Water Board. Supply and erection of steam boiler, super-
heater, stoker, economisers, &c., steam turbo driven centrifugal
pumps, condenser, &c., for the Swart Kopjes pumping station.
Copies of the specifications, &c., and forms of tender can be seen
on application to the Machinery Section, Department of Overseas
Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, S.W.

CLOSED.

Aylesbury. —Town Council : —

EdiBon Swan Electric Co., Ltd.— BOO yd. of cable, ;eil6.
W. Lucy & Co. — Joint boxes, 23s. each.

Belgium, — The municipal authorities of Ougri'e (province
of Liege) recently invited tenders for the establishment and equip-
ment of a laboratory for the testing and standardisation of three-
phaae electricity meters. Only two offers were received, the lowest
being that of the Socioti' Beige pour la Fabrication des Compteurs,
of Brussels.

Bradford. — The Tramway Committee has decided to
recommend the City Council to accept the tender of a Belgian firm
for lOO steel tramway tires at a price between 40 and 50 per cent,
lower than the quotations of nine British firms.

Wrexham, — Town Council : —

Electric light wiling, Acton Park houses.— E. V. Walker & Co.

Vol.87. No. 2,249, Dbobmbeb 31, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

851

Government Contracts. — The following Government

oontracts have been placed during November, 1920 :—
;aci and Purchase Deparimenii.

Bros.

Morconi, Ltd.
d.
& Phillips, Ltd.

.MIKALTV

Automatic telephone e.vtjiange equipment —

Batteries.— D. P. Battery Co., Ltd.

Bitumen.— VV. H. Keys, Ltd.

Circuit breakers.— Whipp & Bourne, Ltd.

Klectrically driven air compressor.— Bellis i

Electric light installation.— Foot S: Milne, 1

n. and L.T. cables and switchgear.- johnso

Lamps lor night sights.— A. C. Cossor, Ltd.

Sheet mica.— .\ttwater & Sons.

Motor-driven angle bar cropping machine.-Craig & Donald.

hietnents for rad.ators.-Automalic Telephone Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Kesislances for electoic welding.— Bertram Thomas.

War Office,
Crucibles.— Morgan Crucible Co., Ltd.

Electrical equipment.— Pritchett & Gold and E.P.S. Co., Lid,
G.I. wire. — Lancashire Wire Co., Ltd.

Air Ministry.
■itch boxes.— Park Royal Engineering Works. Ltd.

Transformers. — Bri

Transfoi

Post Offici

apparatus. — Phoenix Telephon

Co., Ltd.

lelephone apparatus. — Bi
Peel Conner Telephi
Sterling Telephone &

Telegraph and teleph'

Ltd.

Ltd.

Uu

-Oa

Electric Works, Ltd.

L.M. Ericsson Manufacturing Co.,

le Works, Ltd.; Siemens Bros. & Co.

Electric Co., Ltd.; Western Electric Co.,

le cable.— Hackbridge Cable Co., Ltd.; J

Pirelli General Cable Works, Ltd.; Siemen

Ltd.; J.

Ltd.

& Co., Ltd.

Co., Ltd.

Hoe, Ltd.

is (St. Hi

Nettlefold^,

Payn

s), Ltd.

l.ench.

Pole finals.— H. Workrr

Condenser paper. — Brittains

Telephone pegs. — J. Hannar

Telegraph poles. — C. Light

Steel wire rope. — Whiteoross

Lead sleeves.- T. & W. Ear

Solder.— guirk, Barton S: Bu

Spindles. — Guest, Keei
Richards & Sons, Ltd.

l-'lexibte cord connection. — H. J. Dawes.

Bronze wire.— T. Bolton Si Sons, Ltd.; British Insulated & Helsby Cables
Ltd.; Shropshire Iron Co., Ltd.; F. Smith & Co. (incorporated wit!
the London Electric Wire Co. & Smiths, Ltd.).

M.D. copper wire.— British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd.; .R. Johnsor
.S'ephew, Ltd.

Switchboard wire.— British Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd.

Electric lift, G.P.O. (South).— Medway's Safety Lift Co., Ltd.
Laying conduits. — Dalston-Hackney ; H. Farrow. Dundee ; W. Dobson.
Streatham-Norbury ; H. Farrow. Lambeth (Borough Road), J. A.
Ewart, Ltd. East Scotland Post Office Engineering District : Siemens
Bros. & Co., Ltd. London-Barnet-Welwyn (London District): J. A.
Ewart, Ltd. Finchley (Windermere Avenue): G. J. Anderson. Pres-
ton-Blackpool (Section 111) : S. Joivett S: Sons.
Manufacture, supply, drawing in, and jointing cable.— Cardiff-Port Talbot :

Telegraph Work:
Insulated & Helsby Cables, Ltd. B
hampton : Johnson Ik Phillips, Ltd. Ma
Cable & Con • „ - .

Ltd. Derby-Nottingha

niingham-W'ednesbury-Wolvi
Iborough-Reading : Callende

Power pla
Ltd.

Telephone exchan
derland : We
to stock marl
Bros. & Co.,
charging mac

Land's End

uipment.— Hop ; Western Electric Co., Ltd. Sun-
Electric Co., Ltd. London exchanges. — Alterations
Western Electric Co., Ltd. Cambuslang : Siemens

Ltd., lor ball

Hl(

Co.M

MISSIONER FOR INDIA.

Accumulators. — Chloride Electrical Storage Co., Ltd.
Cable.— VV. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co.. Ltd.
Parts of dynamos.— J. Stone & Co., Ltd.
Generating sets. — W. H. Allen, Sons & Co., Ltd.
Motors.— Lancashire Dvnamo & Motor Co., Ltd.
Switchboards.— British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd.
Copper wire. — T. Bolton & Sons, Ltd.
Iron wire.— Rylands Bros., Ltd.
Wireless installation.— Marconi's Wireless Telegraph C:o., L«

Crown Agents for the Colonies.
Alternators. — Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Export Co., 1.1
Battery materials. — Western Electric Co.. Ltd.
Boilers and economisers. -Babcock & Wilcox, Ltd.
Cables, &c.— Siemens Bros & Co., Ltd.

conductors. — T. Bolton & Sons, Ltd.
: cables.— W. T. Glover & Co., Ltd.
; generator. — Laurence Scott 8i Co., Ltd.
: materials.— General Electric Co., Ltd.
Fans.— General Electric Co., Ltd.
Insulators, spindles, &c.— Bullers, Ltd.
Telegraph line material.— Siemens Bros. & Co., Ltd.
Telephones.— British L.M. Ericsson
Telephone switchboards. — Western
Train lighting equipment. — J. Stone & Co., Lt
Bronze and copper, &c., line wire. — Shropshii
G.l. line wire— Rylands Bros. & Co., Ltd.

Electri

Co., Ltd.

FORTHCOMINQ EVENTS.

Institute of Marine Engineers.— Tuesday, January 4th. At the Institute,
The Minories. At 6.40 p.m. Paper on " The Internal Combnstion Engine
Glaring, " by Mr. W. Pollock.

Institution of Electrical Engineers— South-Midland Centre (Students'

Section).— Tuesday, January 4th. At the Institute, Birmingham, At
7.30 p.m. Address by the President of the Institution (Mr. LI. B.
Atkinaon).

Manchester Wireless Society,— Wednesday, Janaary 5th. At the Albion
Hotel, Manchester. At 7.30 p.m. Lecture on "Inductance Coils, " by
Mr. A. Parkinson.

Physical Society of London and the Optical Society.— Annual Exhibi-
tion. Wednesday, January 5th, and Thursday, January 6th. At the
Imperial College of Science, South Kensington, S.W, From 3 to 6 p.m.
and from 7 to lU p.m.

Chelmsford Engineering Society.— Thursday, January 6tb. At the East
Anglian Institute of Agriculture. At 7 p.m. Paper on " Motor Transport
Economics, " by Mr. T. Clarkson.

Junior Institution of Engineers. —Friday, January 7tb. At the Oaxton
Hall, Westminster. At 8 p.m. Lecturette on "The Indicator; ItB Use
and Application," by Mr. H. G. Busey.

Ifoyal Institution of Great Britain.— At Albemarle Street, W. At 8 p.m.
Christmas Lectures— " The Haunts of Life"— by Prof. J. Arthur
Thomson : — Saturday, January 8th, " The Conquest 9i the Land."
— Tuesday, January lltb. "The Mastery of the Air."

NOTES,

The Electrical Engineers' Ball, 1921. — That we are

still recovering from the efifects of the war is recalled to our
mmds by the fact that since the Electrical Engineers' Ball of
1914— the eleventh of the series— that che.erful function has
lam dormant. The New Year, however, is to see it restpred
to its normal place in the events of the season, and we have
pleasure m giving below a list of the members of the Com-
mittee which is in charge of the arrangements. It will be
held at the Hotel C«cil on Fi-iday, Pebruttry 4th.

The Electrical Engineers' Ball is like no other social event;
it stands alone in providing an occasion on which the electrical
fraternity foregathers in the spirit of comradeship and old
acquamtance, detemiined to enjoy the passing moment to the
lull. It has invariably been triumphantlv successful in that
ami, and the organisers may be trusted to see to it that the
twelfth ball will leave equally pleasant memories; it will be
seen that the list embraces leading representatives of every
branch of the electrical industry, and carries a weight which
ensures a successful outcome.

Incidentally— though this forms no part of the purpose of
the function— there is usually a surplus of revenue over ex-
penditure, and it has become the custom to divide this between
the Benevolent Fund of the Institution of Electrical Engineers
and the Electrical Trades' Benevolent Institution.

General Committee.

H. Alabaster.

H. Allcock.

L B. Atkinson.

O. H. Baldwin.

Geo. Balfour, M.P.

J. H. Bowden.

Sir T. O. Callender, K.B.

R. A. Chattock.

A. C. Cramb.

A. J. Cridge,

P. F. Crinks.

Sir Jas. Devonshire, K.B.

T. C. Elder.

H. W. Falrman.

Dr. S. Z. de Ferranti.

E. ]. Fox.

E. Garcke.

T. E. Gatehouse.

Frank Gill.

Jas. Gray.

J. P. Gregory.

Col. C. C. Hardie, D.S.O.

F. B. O. Hawes.
C. W. Hill.
Hugo Hirst.

P. V. Hunter.

Sir J. Kemnal, K.B.E.

Major D. Kerr.

J. E. Kingsbury.

H. M. Leaf.

Col. F. A. Cortez Leigh.

Capt. W. S. Lonsdale.

A. R. McCullum.

J. J. McGregor.
H. T. S. MacKav.
P. V. McMahon.'
W. L. Madgen.
\V. Lee Matthews

E. W. Moss.
Lee Murray.

F. H. Nalder.
Sir Wm. Noble.

Col. W. A. J. O'Meara.

G. W. Partridge.
S. P. Pooley.
M. J. Railing.

P. F. Rowell.

W. Rutherford.

H. Scholey, C.B.E.

Sydney Sharp.

H. C. Siddeley.

A. M. Sillar.

Roger Smith.

Sir John Snell.

C. P. Sparks, C.B.E.

Geo. Sutton.

C. D. Taite.

G. M. C. Taylor.

J. Taylor.

J. M. G. Trezise.

Capt. R. J. Wallis-Jones.

Alf. H. Walton.

F. W. Willcox.

David Wilson.

C. H. Wordingham, C.B.E.

n-EE : O. H. Baldwin, E. J. Fox, C. W. Hill, J.
Lonsdale, P. V. McMahon, A. M. Sillar, C. H.

bury, Capt.

ham, C.B.E.
Hon. Secretaries : C. W. Hill, A. M. Silli
Hon. Treasurer : J. E. Kingsbury.

E. Kings.
Wording.

Woolwich Inquest. — At the adjourned inquest upon
Maurice Pettett, who was killed by a piece of metal projected
from the Woolwich power station when a turbine " raced
away " and burst, several of the station employes gave evi-
dence. William Cottle, an engine driver, who was injured by
the explosion, said that he received instructions to start up
the No. 4 .set on the day of the accident. He did this, and
the set was brought up to its nomial speed of 3,000 r.p.m.
The switchboard attendant was preparing to synchronise, and
the driver was told to lower the speed of the machine, but
as he was about to carry out the order the set began to race.
He attempted to close the stop valve, but when the valve was
about three parts closed the explosion occurred, and he was
rendered unconscious. Mr. Swann, representing the manu-
facturers of the turbine, protested against reports, which had
appeared in the Press, attributing the disaster to defects in
construction. These premature statements were calculated
to prejudice the firm's business, and he thought that another
tribunal to inquire into the technical aspect of the case should
be formed. The Coroner replied that he was not concerned
with the cause of the accident, and it was not his intention
to take any technicalities into consideration. William Stiff,
the charge engineer, corroborated the driver's evidence, stat-
ing that when he saw it was impossible to shut the machine
down he called to the driver to save himself. Frederick
Elliott, station engineer, said the piece of metal which killed
deceased had formed part of the alternator. A verdict of
" Accidental Death " was returned by the jury.

A Clab for Engineers in Birmingtiam.— For some time

past an iuHuential committee has been working in Birming-
ham, with the object of filling a long-felt want in the district,
namely, a club where engineers can meet both for business
and social purposes. Such progress has been made that
an option has been exercised on premises in the heart of the
city. Names of prospective members and promises to sub-
Bcribe to capital aj« being received, a fact which is very

852

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,249, dbcembeb 31, 1920.

gratifying to (Le ccjiiimittee after the bard work which has
been put in during the -preliminary stages.

The project is receiving the hearty support of many of the
industrial and professional leaders of the Midlands, and
the list of ofticers includes as president, Sir Hallewell
Rogers, J.P., M.P. (chairman of the B.S.A. Co., Ltd.), as
vice-presidents. Sir Gilbert Claugbton (chairman of the L. and
N.W. Railway), Mr. Hugo Hirst (chairman and managing
director of the General Electi'ic Co.), Mr. R.. A. Chattock
(cily electrical engineer, Birmingham), Mr. F. J. Dixon (chief
-engineer to the South Staffs. Waterworks Co..) Mr. J. H.
Lloyd, J.P. (director, Messrs. Stewarts & Llovd) and Mr.
Claud Tryon.

The chairman of the General Committee is Dr. Garrard ; of
the Finance and Buildings Committee, Mr. J. W. Madeley,
J.P. ; of the Rules and Propaganda Committee, Mr. R. A.
Chattock; of the Membership Committee, Mr. W. F. Higga,
and the hon. secretary is Mr. J. Fearn, of the B.S.A. Co.. Ltd.

We understand that there will be no entrance fees for the
first 500 members. The annual sub.scription is to be five
guineas, country members paying half that sum.

District Indastrial Councils : Meeting of Employerh'

Side. — At the meeting which will be held early in January
. of the employers' sides of the various District Councils, we
understand that the draft agreement between the employers
and the trade unions of No. 10 (Greater London) Area will
come up for consideration. The situation is at present that
the draft agreement has been provisionally settled by th«
Greater Ijondon Council, and awaits the final approval of the
National Council. Before the meeting at which the agreement
W'ill come up for final approval, the meeting of the employers'
sides of the District Councils will take place, and it would
appear that the action of the National Council will depend
largely upon the consensus of opinion at that meeting. We
understand that the feeling of the District Councils generally
is that the National Council should postpone approval of the
Greater Ixindon Area agreement until all the other Councils
have had an opportunity of considering the principle involved.
The agreement gives a guarantee to the employes in the
Greater London Area that wages shall rise pari passu with
the increased cost of living, and that wages shall similarly
decrease down to the point where the cost of living is 160 per
cent, above pre-war figures. If the Greater London agreement
were approved by the National Council, it is obvious that a
similar agreement would be presented to each of the District
Councils, and that the case would be entkely prejudiced if
any one Council had given unconditional assent to such agree-
ment. Further, it is felt that the principle has even a national
interest outside the electricity supply industry, since the
unions involved are also largely interested in engineering
works throughout the country. If such an agreement ori-
ginates in the electricity supply industry, and esiiecially in
an important centre like London, it would seem likely that
the trade unions would continue to use the electricity supply
' of London to force the demands in other parts of the country.
The agreement, therefore, would seem to afford a possibility
:' greater uncertainty as regards strikes in London than ever,
and .so would not fulfil the purpose of the Greater London
agreement as contained in the preamble, which was to ensure
that the supply of electricity might be .-" carried on continu-
ously without interruption." In the past successflil claims
- have been put forward by the unions that the electricity supply
liW'nptry should follow engineering awards; this was, of course.
■when the engineering industry was of crucial importance to
the country during the war, and consequently the industry
in which claims could not be resisted. Now, when the tables
are somewhat turned, the policy apparently is to make the
claims on the electricity supply industry and follow them up
by claims on the engineering or other industries.

It seems to be a question whether the undertakings in
Greater London fully appreciate the agreement to which they
are committed ; certainly it has given rise to considerable
disquiet in undertakings in other parts of the country. There
is a further important bearing on the country generally. If
the Greater Ivondon agreement is to obtain throughout all
industries, namely, that all workers are to be guaranteed for
all future time that wages shall increase exactly in proportion
to the cost of living, it is obviously a very important new
consideration. The possible increa.'ied charge on the rates in
the case of municipal undertakings and the higher prices for
power .supply will both have the same incidence, namely, in
bearing hardly on manufacturing companies, which in turn
will be still further _ thrust out of the world market, with a
resulting increase oi unemployment. The question is really
not one of increase of wages, but whether the indusfry should
be tied for all time under a legal agreement when the con-
ditions of the future are quite unknown. These are_ some ci
the considerations which, we understand, are exerci.sing the
minds of many supply undertakings throughout the country
which feel that they are being involved' in the Greater London
aareement.

Radinm for Pari?. — As a result of the visit of Mme.

Curie, the Commiaalou of the Parig Municipal Council is to reoDin-
mend the purchase of 1 gramme of radium. Costiuer 400,000 fr.
before the war, it will now, it is estimated, cost 1,000,000 fr.
(i-oughly, flGieOOI.

Educational. — Polytechnic, Regem Street, W. — A

special course of six lectures on "Alternating-Current Wave
Forms,' by Mr. P. Kemp, M.I.E.E., will be held on Friday evenines,
commenciDg January 14th; fee for the course 7a. 6d. For full
particulai s see our advertisement pages to-day.

The intimation that January 1st, 1921, wiU be the appointed
day for the operation of the sub-sections of the Education Act,
1918, providing for the abolition of the half-time system and of
the exemption from schocl of children under the age of 14, has,
says T/ie Times, been withdrawn. The Board of Education points
out that at the time when the original intimation was given it
was anticipated that the war would have terminated within the
meaning of the Termination of the Present War (Definition) Act,
1918, before January 1st, 1921, which now appears improbable.

Continued Education. — The handicap under which our
schemes for educational reform are placed by the lack of funds to
carry them into effect is well illustrated by a memorandum that
was sent to the Prime Minister by the Federation of British
Industries early this month. The Federation pointed ont that
school accommodation would be require d for 1,200,000 additional
students (age group 14-16). at a coat of £24,000,000 ; 30,000 more
teachers would be required, coating £10,000,OCO per annum, and
,the wage charge would be about £3.000,000 in the first year
(representing loss in earning capacity''. The total annual charge
on the national resources would thus be abDut £15,(00,000 if
campulsory continued education up to the age of 16 years were
established. In subsequent years the cost would be much greater
as the Act came into full operation, and students aged 16-18 were
provided for. The Federation therefore asked for the fullest con-
sideration of the question from the financial point of view.

R.A.F. Electricians' Reunion.— A Committee has been

formed, with Messrs. H. Lovelock and W. L. Turpie as joint secre-
taries, to complete arrangements for a reunion of the electrical
section, E.R.S., R.A.F., France, which will take place in London,
on Saturday, January 29th. All who served in this unit are
requested to communicate with Mr. W. L. Turpie, 318, CricKlewood
Lane, London, N.W. 2.

Appointments Vacant. — Cable jointer for the Leicester
Corporation tramways and electricity department ; electrical
draughtsman (£550) for the Electrical Engineering Department,
City and Guilds Engineering College ; thift engineer for the
Radcliffe Urban District Council tlectricity Department. See our
advertisement pages to-day.

Artificial Abrasives. — The manufacture of artificial

abrasives — silicon carbide and corundum — in the electric fur-
nace is described by C. J. Brockbank (Journal of the Society
of Chemical Industry, Transactions, 19'20, xxsix, 41-43). For
silicon carbide or carborundum, electric furnaces of 1,000 to
3,000 H.P. are used; the yield per unit is somewhat larger
in the largest furnace, but the product is somewhat inferior
in quality to that made m the .smallest furnace. The 1,000-
H.p. furnace has an inside width of 5 or 6 ft., and a length
of '20 ft. between the heads which carry the electrodes. These
heads are 40 in. thick. Each terminal has two electrodes of
graphite, 10 in. in diameter and 48 in. long. .\ resister core
of l,'20O pounds of graphite powder is placed between the
electrodes; it forms a layer 36 in. wide and 10 in. deep, and
carries the current. The charge lies below, above, and on
both sides of this core. A typical charge, using new materials,
contains 1,-500 lb. petroleum coke, •2,5"20 lb. white sand, 300 lb.
sawdust, 40 lb. salt. The saw-dust is used to make the mass
porous, facilitate escape of the carbon monoxide formed in
the reaction, and prevent formation of blowholes. The salt
aids in the elimination, as chlorides, of impurities present in
the sand and coke. The entire cliarge is not converted into
carborundum ; a portion merely serves as a heat-insulating
blanket. This unused portion is added to the next charge, which
has the following composition : Petroleum coke. 1,500 lb. ;
sand, 2,4.5.5 lb.; saw-dust. 300 lb.; old mixture, 400 lb.; salt,
40 lb. The furnace is run at a voltage between 85 and 160,
usually 85 and 100, for a period of 32 to 34 hours. Each pound
of crystalline carborundum produced vequires 5 KW. -hours of
electrical energy. The crystalline product is removed from
the furnace after cooling, is cru.shed, treated with sulphuric
acid, and then with caustic soda to remove surface impurities,
washed, dried, and screened. For abrasive wheels, it is mixed
with a porcelain bond, and fired in a pottery kiln.

In the manufacture of artificial corundum (aluminium
oxide) a tvpical furnace mixture is : Calcined bauxite ore,
1,7.50 lb. ; coke, 100 lb. ; iron borings, 3.50 lb. A layer of the
mixture 1 ft. tliick is placed on ,the. carbon hearth, a train
of graphite powder is laid from electrode to electrode, and
the furnace is started, .^s .soon as a molten path is formed,
it carries the current, and more charge is added. The usual
voltage is 100; from 4 to 5 tons of corundum are produced
in a furnace with the expenditure of 18,000 KW. -hours of
energy. Reduction is not carried too far, for traces (1 to 2
per cent.) of the oxides of iron, .silicon, and titanium increase
the toughness of the product. The iron oxide and silica
present in the charge are reduced to metal alloy, and sink to
the bottom of the furnace. Tlie iron borings in the charge
are used to keep the silicon content of this alloy below 15 per
cent., and thereby facihtate its magnetic separation from the
crushed carborundum. — Journal of the Franklin Inititutt.

Vol.87. No. 3,249, DB0BMBEB3 1,1920.] THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW.

85»

Electrically-driven Battleships. — Mr. Daniels, Secretary

of the U.S. Navy, has authorised the publioation of a statement
aooordinfr to which three new types of ships for the U.S. Navy are
now under construction. The first type comprises the six new
battleships authorised in 1916, which will probably be the largest
in the world. Next come the 3,000-ft., 2,000-ton submiriaes, which
will have sufficient speed and crnising radius to enable them to
accompany the Fleet as a part of it. The last of the trio is the
latest type of aircraft carrier, the I.anglev, which vessel is the
old electrically-driven collier Jupiter, refitted for her new rule.
With increased dimensions, displacement, and protection against
attack, all the vessels will burn oil fuel, and will be electrically
driven.

Sweden. — New Cables. — With reference to the note
under this heading on page 785 of our issue of December 17th, we
are informed that the contract, which includes loaling coils and
six Intermediate repeater stations, was awarded to the International
Western Electric, and not to the General Electric Co., as stated.

Service Notes. — Electrical artificers who are within
three years of completing time for pension, or within three years
of completing their first engagement and do not wish to reengage,
will not be required to requalify in the Torpelo School. Should
such a rating, however, subsequently decide to re-engage, he wUl
hi required to requalify in his rating before being allowed to do eo.

A new Navy Ojder states that the provisions of the monthly
order No. 2,945, of 1918, in so far as they provide for one-half of
the promotions to the rank of lientenant or equivalent rank being
made by selection from younger officers who have passed certain
examinations, are not applicable to the telegraphist branch. In
other respects, however, the provisions of the order in question
wiU apply to this branch. — The Times.

Prevention of Railway Accidents.— Major A. Mount,

R.E., reporting to the Ministry of Transport upon an accident at
Preston (L. & Y. Railway) on September 25th which resulted in
the receipt of injuries by 12 passengers, says : '' It is unlikely that
the accident would have happened had track circuits existed. The
case is a goad example of the value of the protection they aft jrd.
The company had . . . decided to install them here as part of an
extensive programme of this type of work on the system.
Difficulty, however, in obtaining material had delayed this work, as
it has elsewhere. The installation had been completed when the
inquiry was held."

INSTITUTION NOTES.

Diesel Engine Users' Association. — At the Deoembar meeting of
the Association, Mr. C. 0. Milton, A.M.I.E.E., electrical engineer to
the Borough of Maidenhead, was elected President for the ensuing
year, and Mr. Percy StUl, M.I.E.E., M.I Pet.Tech, chief engineer to
the Chelsea Electricity Supply Co., Ltd., was reelected hon.
secretary. Messrs. Napier l Prentice, M.I.E.E, and A. E. Farrow,
A.M.I.E.E., were elected members of the general committee in
place of the two members who retired. The members of the
Standing Committee on Insurance were all reelected. The hon.
secretary made his annual statement, showing that the Association
has further increased its mimbership. The Aasociation was
hopeful that the I.E.E. Council would give permission to allow the
meetings to be held in its building. The great majority of the
members were at a considerable distance from the centre where
meetings were held, scattered not only throughout this country,
but in the British Dominions and foreign countries. The right to
attend meetings was not considered the main advantage of member-
ship, but the practical information circulated by the Associa-
tion was appreciated and found helpful. The han. secretary also
made reference to the fact that he was frequently receiving
inquiries for suitable men for appointments as chief engineers,
assistant engineers and superintendents for installations having
Diesel engine plant, or for fitters and drivers, &c. ; he suggested
that members would do well to refer to him any suitable appli-
cants for such appointments.

Edinburgh Electrical Society. — Mr. James Walker's paper oa
"Electricity in the Factory" was delivered to the Society oa
December 17th. Mr. Walker dealt with the lay-out and equipment
of an AC. factory plant, and illustrated his remarks with a large
number of lantern slides. Methods and devices for the orderly
arrangement of motor control gear were given in some detail, and
experiences in dealing with breakdowns were described. At the
first meeting in the New Year, Mr. W. F. Mitchell, A.M.I.E.E. (late
Mains Department, Edinburgh Corporation), will read a paper
entitled " Some Notes on Cables. "

lastitutlon of Electrical Engineers (East Midland Snb-Centre)

On Januaiy 4 th a meeting will be held at the College, Lough-
borough, when Colonel Newton, D.S.O., will give a lecture on " The
Experiences of a State-Controlled Engineer," illustrated by lantern
slides.

Birmingham Wireless Society.— A paper, entitled " The Manu-
facture of Thermionic Valves," was read on December 16th, by
Mr. B. S. B. Staines, of the Edison Swan Electric Co , Ltd., befoie
the Society at the Midland Institute. The author dealt very fully
with the subject, and at the cojclusion of the paper great atten-
tion was attracted by a comprehensive exhibit of valves and parts
in various stages of manufacture.

OUR PERSONAL COLUMN.

The Editors inviit eleotrioal tngintert, whsthar oonnsettd uritk tht
technical or the oanneroial tide of the pro/ettion and industry,
alto eleotrio tramway aTid railway offioiaU, to keep readers of the
EtKCTBlOAli Review posted as to their movements.

It is with interest we note that Mb. John Ames, general secre-
tary of the Industrial League and Council, has baen appointed a
member of the Commercial Panel of the Appointments Department
of the Ministry of Labour.

Mr. C. J. Jewell, M.I.E.E., has resigned his position as
engineer to the Yorkshire West Riding Electric Tramways Co., Ltd.,
and has baen appointed general manager to the Norwich Electric
Tramway Co., Ltd., commencing in his new appointment on
January 3rd, 1921.

Councillor R. J. Wilso.>» has been re-elected chairman of the
Sunderland Corporation Electricity Committee, and ConNCiLLOR
T. Speeding, vice-chairman.

Messes. Kincaid, Waller, Manvillb & Dawson, consulting
engineers, have taken into partnership Mb. A. E. Jackson,
M I.E.E., and Mr. H. G. Simmonds, who have been intimately
associated with the firm as principal assistants for many years
past. The address of the firm is now St. Stephens House, Victoria
Embankaient, S.W. 1, the Government haviag reinstated them in
their former offices, which were commandeered during the war,

Mb, T. Birkett, Superintendent of Telegraphs, G,P.O., Edin-
burgh, has retired after 46 years' service. On Friday, last week, he
was presented with a gold watch from the controlling officers and
staff, and Mrs, Birkett received a gold brooch. Mr, Geo. Dawkes,
Controller of Telegraphs, made the presentation.

Mr, A. G. Beaver has joined the board of the Sun Electrical
Co., Ltd., as managing director.

Sir Adam Beck, of Ontario, Canada, arrived in London a week
ago on a private visit.

Mr, a. E. Grocott, of Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co. (Trans-
oceanic Section), has been appointed chief telegraph, telephone
and radio-telegraph engineer to the Siamese Government.

Wills. -Sir Chas. Petrie, director of the Singapore Electric
Tramways, Ltd,, left £58,067,

Sir D. W, Owen, director of the Urbaa Electric Supply Co. Lt I
and the Cornwall Electric Power Co , Ltd., left £22,745,

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED.

Superlamp, Ltd. (1-2,067).— Private company. Regis-
tered December 16th. Capital, £1,000 in £1 shares. To carry on the business
of dealers in, exporters and importers and manufacturers of electrical, gas.
oil. and lighting goods and accessories, &c. The subscribers (each with 260
shares) are : C Orgel, 111 Great Eastern Street, E.C. 2, electrical accessories
dealer; Mrs. S. Orgel, 125, Queens Road, N. 4. The subscribers are to
appoint the first directors. Secretary : S. Orgel. Registered office : 111, Great
Eastern Street, E.C. 2.

E. & C. Gates, Ltd. (172,187).— Private company. Re-
gistered December Sind. Capital, £3,000 in £1 shares (2,700 10 per cent
cumulative preference and 300 ordinary). To take over the business of an
electrical engineer and electrician carried on by C. Gates as " E. 4 C Gates "
at Arcade Street, Norwich. The first directors are : M. C. Warren (chairman),
Swardeston, Norwich (director of Claxton & Warren, Ltd., and the Norivich
Improved Pulling (^., Ltd.); C. Gates, 50, Mornington Road, Norwich.
Qualifieation : 200 shares. Registered office: Arcade Street, Norwich.

Britisli Industries Fair (Birmingham), Incorporated

(172,127).— Registered December 20th as a company limited bv guarantee,
without share capital. The company is not formed for purpose of profit, and
the word " limited " is omitted from the title by licence of the Board of
Trade. To organise and promote the fjritish fndustries Fair, Hirmingham.
The subscribers, numbering 68 or more gentlemen (all in Birminaham and

district), are named in the Articles of .Associat

to their written consent being received. The managem.

Council, to be appointed by a majority of the member;

lidge, 5, Waterloo Street, Birmingham^ Registered offic,

Birmingham.

nben
vested

ubject

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL
COMPANIES.

Oriental Telephone & Electric Co., Ltd. — Satisfaction to

the e.\tent o( £7,900, on December 7th, 1920, of trust deed dated June 28lh,
11)05, and deed of acknowledgement dated June 12lh, 1907, securing £200,000
debenture stock.

South Metropolitan Electric Light & Power Co., Ltd.

(4r,87ac).— Return dated March 10th (filed December 1st, 1920). Capital,
£500.000 in £1 shares (250.000 ordinarv. ir.0,000 7 per cent, cumulative fiis't
preference, and 100,000 6 per cent, cumulative second preference), 150,000
ordinarv 142,968 first preference, and 96,3G6 second preference shares taken ug;
£38t,40(i paid; £7,868 considered as paid. Mortgages and charges, £374,090
paid. '

Henry Bisselier, Ltd. — Salisfaction to the extent of ^£1,000

on September 7th, 1920, of debentures dated October 31st,' 1919, securing
£7,700.

Wey Engineering Co., Ltd. — Issue on December 14th,

1920. r.( £3,.'",00 debentures, part of a series already registered.

Hindhead & District Electric Light Co., Ltd.— Issue on

n«eiiil>r 7ll., V.HU. of £100 debentur. », p.ut of a 5..nes already registered.

Bolton Welding Co., Ltd.— Mortijaiie tlal<>(l November

30lh, 1920, to secure £350, charged on 42, Howard Street, Bolton, and stables
and outbuildings adjoining. Holder : T. Y. Ritson, 7, \Voo<l Street, Bolton. ,

County ol London Electric Supply Co., Ltd.— Charge oti

c.-rtain land at Barking dated Decemb.r Isl, 1920, to secure £30,000. Holders:
North British & Mercantile Insurance Co., Ltd.

854

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW, [voi.87. No. 2,249, d.cei.bm

31, 1920,

1920 ?„*'lecte^£?i■ooo^lhlTii^'^"'"'^*^''^'«'^ December 10th.

,ndudi„gu.call.Hi capital. Holders : ^F. W. "^ eL ''ilnd^^H. J . We u I'
England. Ud' ■ ' """'"" "' ''^""°""' P™-'"<=i^' and Onion Bank of

General Brass Fittings Co., Ltd.— Particulars of ^10,000

debentures authorised December 6th. 1920; whole amount issued; chlroed^n
the company's undertaking and property, present and future. '"""^i"" ""

CITY NOTES.

. The fifty-seventh ordinary general meet-

Ihe India- mg of this company was held on 'l"ues-

Hubber, Gutta= day, December -Zlst, at the oflices, 106.

Perchaand Cannon Street. Major l^onard Darwin

lelegraph m the chair. In proposing the adoption of

Worlts CO., Ltd. the report, the chairman said, in deahng

, with the cash position of the company, he

wished to point out that on the habihty .side of the balance

sheet was an item which included •■ Loan from Bankers."

the appearance of which should occasion little surprise

5^?n?'-,?'*°'^"l^ "^® ^^^ ^^'"^^ "''"' L'apital amounting to
±dl5,r26 6s. 3d. was introduced during the year under review
By reason of the increased cost of labour and of nearly every
kind of material, all business concerns now required at least
three times the amount of liquid capital required in pre-war
days. Such had been their experience in England and also
m their French factory, and the difficulty had been aggra-
vated by most persistent and peremptory demands by the
Inland Kevenue for payment of excess profits duty In respect
of that tax over £400,1)00 had been paid by the company
smce the beginning of the war, and of that amount £180 OOO
had been paid within the last twelve months; whilst taking
mcome tax also into account, the total sum paid amounted
to over half a million sterling. The board deemed it im-
politic at the time to attempt to increase the paid-up capital
by more than ±''250,000, prefeiTing to meet further requirements
by means of temporary loans from the bankers. Whilst thus
indebted, and until more favourable conditions existed whereby
they could show a more liquid state of their assets, the
directors were convinced that the only pohcy which could
be adopted was that of deferring their recommendation of a
further distribution to the ordinary shareholders, a pohcy they
believed to be in the best interest of all concerned. The
turnover at Silvertown for the year showed a slight increase
as compared with that of the previous year, considerable
changes having, however, taken place in the relative pro-
duction of the different departments. Owing to the practical
stoppage of all aeroplane tire and wheel work, and also to
the slackness of trade in motor and cycle tires during the
latter part of the year, the output of the tire section had
materially diminished, both in value and quantity. As a
set-off against this, the output of their general business had
gone up, with the result of a slight increase in the total
turnover. As regarded the future, the value of orders on
the books for general goods was approximately the same as
last year, but the orders for motor tires were very much
down owing to the recent slump in that market. Although
they had been free from strikes on the part of their own
workers, the strikes in other trades had seriously affected the
progress of work in their factory ; and they had been obliged
to shut down the greater part of the works early in the
financial year owing to the railway strike. A very serious
interference with their trade was also caused by the moulders'
strike, which not only greatly delayed the completion of the
work being executed in their own engineering shops, but
also caused long delays in the delivery of machinery and
appliances which were on order from other firms. The cost
of production being of such great importance, he must call
attention to the way in which it was affected by the existing
heavy taxation on industry. He had already pointed out
^at they were not getting from the worker such an increase
in output per hour as would counterbalance the effect of the
reduction in working hours, and the efforts of the manage-
ment to compensate for the consequent reduction in daily
output, by the introduction of new machinery specially de-
signed to increase the output per hour, had been greatly
hindered by the want of money which, instead of being
applied to that most necessary purpose, had had to be paid
over to the Government for excess profits duty, income tax,
and local taxation. The Persan works did good business
during the year in all directions, including tires, whilst
working under many difficulties arising chiefly from lack of
fuel, strikes, and the general dislocation of industry. At
their Burton works great and unavoidable delays took place
in changing over from war to peacetime conditions; but they
commenced turning out new lines of goods in the early part
of the year, and the rate of increase was encouraging. The
foreign branches on balance showed approximately the same
profit as last year. During the war, almost every single
British aeroplane wheel and tire was made by them. After
the war the demand for those goods fell off very greatly,
and they had to revert to a great extent to lines of trade

abandoned in favour of war work. There they found them-
selves at a disadvantage, because their opponents fessbuTy
with war work than themselves, had been abl^ in S
measure to fill the place they had formerly ^.Jpied in
those evil hnes of trade. Then agam, with the approvd
of the i-nglish Government, they picked up and relaid Ger
man cables for the French Government, who marked theL
appreciation of the work done by the award of the Legion
of Honour to their managing director. Their steamer, when
employed on that work, was sunk without warnmg by a
German submarme. For all that they had received but bare
thanks and no compensation whatever from the English
Government. The chairman felt complete confidence as
regarded the ultunate future of the company. They had
received a few letters from shareholders pointing out the
bardship that would be inflicted upon them by the with-
holdmg of dividends. He and the board felt the deepest
sympathy with those shareholders m their unfortunate posi-
tion, but it was no fault of the directors. Ihe way to face
a position of the sort they were now confronted with was
cahnly and without panic, and that was what they intended
to do. With that policy before them he had no dnrrU- that
the cash position would slowly and steadily improve The
report was adopted.

The dii-ectors' annual report states that
Vickers, Ltd. the book value of the land, buildings, ma-
chinery, &c., after taking additions' into
account and allowing for depreciation, has risen from
£5,724,486 at December 31st, 1915, to £7,314,094 at the end of
1919. On the other side, the reserves have increased from
£2,064,261 to £6,669,159. The £2at,000 shown as " Reserve
for Works Extensions " in the 1915 balance sheet has been
merged in " General Reserve," bringing that account to
£1,200,000. Interests in subsidiary and connected c9mpanies
have ri.sen from £5,448,7:34 to £17,2:36,516. Practically the
whole of this large increase is due to the puix-hase authorised
at the general meeting held on March 24th, 1919. of the shares
of the Metropolitan Carriage. Wagon and Finance Co., Ltd.,
which included a controlling share in the British Westing-
house Electrical and Manufacturing Co., Ltd., with its sub-
sidiaries, and interests in other electrical concerns. The name
of the British Westinghouse Company was changed in August,
1919, to The Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd., by
agreement with the American Westinghouse Co. The second
and third mortgage debentures of which the outstanding
balances at December 31st, 1915, amounted together to
£1,058,200 were reduced by annual redemptions and have been
finally paid off. The 4 per cent, first mortgage debenture
stock of £1,250,000 redeemable in 1937 alone remains outstand-
ing. The amount distributed in dividends in respect of the
four years ending December 31st, 1919, reached the figure of
£3,967,112. After payment of these dividends, and providing
for all Government taxation as nearly as can be estimated to
the end of the year 1914), and after adding £319,749 16s.
brought forward from 1915, the amount to be carried forw'ard
from 1919 to the credit of the current year is £846,363 14s. 2d.
A special note circulated with the report gives a summary of
the work done by the company during the war.

The Compagnie Generale Electriquc

French {Nancy) reports net profits amounting to

Companies. 1,350,000 fr. for 1919-20. and a dividend

at the rate of 8 per cent., or 40 fr. per

share.

The Societe ElectriciU de Paris reports net profits of
2,543,000 fr. for 1919-20, as compared with 2,548,000 fr. in the
preceding year. The directors recommend a dividend at the
rate of W fr. per share, as in 1918-19.

The Societe de Constructions Electriques, of Lyons, reports
gross profits and balance forward amounting to 254,000 fr..
permitting of the payment of a dividend at the rate of 11 fr.
per old share on capital of 1,000,000 fr.. and 1.5(7 fr. per
share on the new shares for 1,0CK3,000 fr.

The Compagnie Industrielle des Telephones reports net
profits and balance forward amounting to 4,119,000 fr. for
1919-20, as contrasted with 5,005,000 fr. in the previous year.
It is intended to pay a dividend at the rate of 35 fr. per share,
as in 1918-19.

The Societe des Accumidateurs Electriques {late A. Dinin]
reports that the jiroduction of batteries for various purposes
was developed during 1919-20. particularly for telephony, rail-
ways, wireless telegraphy, &c. At present the company is
devoting its efforts to the manufacture of .stationary batteries,
and expects to occupy a prominent position in thi.'j respect both
in the French and foreign markets. After making provision
for depreciation, the accounts show net profits of 998,000 fr.,
permitting the payment of a dividend at the rate of 20 fr.
gross per share, as compared with :36 fr. for the 18 months
which formed the preceding financial year.

The ordinary meeting of the Const ructions Electriques
INancy) has approved the report of the management, and
fixed the dividend at 15 per cent. It has also authorised the
raising of the capital from 2,000,(XX1 to 4.000,000 fr.

The Societe des Forces Motrices de la Vienne has just
issued 6 per cent, bonds to the amount of 10,000,000 fr. Tht'
liile .Tonrdain dam and station on the Vienne w-ill shortly be
completed, and will probably enter on working at the end
of the year. The available power anticipated is 9,000 h.p.. and
the vearlv output 25,000,000 kilowatt-hours.

Vol. 87. No. 2,249, dbokmbeb 31, 1930.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

865

The meeting of October 'iOth of The Forces Motrices du
Haut Rhen voted a dividend of 6-2 li. 50 c. per share, the
profits realised totalling -2.110,850 fr. The report states that
during the year the kilowatt-hours sold were 57,417,517, against
41,119,319 in the foregoing year.

The Compagnie Meridiunale d'Eclairagc et de Force is about
to raise its capital from 500,000 to 1,000,000 fr.

A dividend of 0 per cent, has been voted by the Societe
d EOectricitc pour la Lumiere et la Force, after having ap-
proved the accounts of the last working year.

The shareholders' meeting of Le Fil Dumimo, held at Lyons
on JSovember 6th, passed the accounts and approved of the
distribution of a dividend of 8 fr. per share, and of 7 fr. 375 c.
on the founders' shares. .\n extraordinary meeting approved
of the increase of the capital to 1,000,000 fr.

The Societe Ceiitrulc d Enterprises has decided to raise its
capital from 1,000.000 to 6,000,000 fr.

The meeting of The Appareillage Elcctrique Genteur, on
November 15th, approved the accounts for the year and
voted the distribution of a dividend of 10 per cent.

The capital of The Electrique de Vijrehagne has been raised
to 3,000,000 fr. by the issue of l.tWO 500-fr. shares. The
management has been authorised to increase the capital by
one or more operations to lO.OOO.CKX) fr.

The profits of the last working year of The Compagnie
Generate Electrique de Nancy total 1.3.50,543 fr., out of which
a dividend of 8 per cent, has been declared. This important
company has built and is building vast extensions to its
electrical and electro-mechanical establishment, it possesses
electro-chemical works, a factory for electric accumulators,
and exploits the .American Willard patent for batteries for
starting and lighting motor vehicles : it has .started a foundry
to supply its own requirements of copper and brass. In ad-
dition, it has shares in seven great companies specialising in
diverse branches of the electric industry.

The A. E.G. Unternehinungen A.G., of

German Berlin^ whose assets consist of credits and

Companies. shares held in the Berlin Electricity Works

Co., report net profits of 652,000 marks for

1919-20, as compared with 702,000 marks in the previous year.

It is intended to pay a dividend at the rate of 6 per cent, on

the share capital of 10,000,000 marks, being the same rate as

in 1918-19.

The Rheinische Elektrizitats A.G., of Mannheim, after mak-
ing provision for depreciation, reports net profits of 2,031.000
marks for 1919-20. as compared with l,tK«),000 marks in the
preceding year. It is proposed to pay a dividend at the rate
of 10 per cent., as against 7 per cent, in 1918-19, and to issue
18,000,000 marks in 6 per cent, preference shares with single
voting powers and 2,000,000 marks in 6 per cent, preference
shares each having 20 votes.

The directors of the Telephon Fabrik voTm. Berliner A.G.,
of Berlin, who recommend a dividend at th© rate of 15 per
cent, for 1919-20, as compared with 6 per cent, in the preced-
ing year, propose to increase the share capital by 5,000,000 to
17,500,000 marks. At the same time, a further augmentation,
aiming at the prevention of the majority control of the under-
taking passing into foreign hands, of 2..5(X),000 marks is in con-
templation in the form of the issue of " B " shares each carry-
ing six votes. These shares will first participate in the profits '
after the ordinary shares have received 5 per cent. ; they will
then have 5 per cent., while the profit balance remaining will
be divided between the two classes of shares according to their
nominal value.

The report for 1919-20 of the Norsk
Norwegian Hydro, Elektriske Kvaelstof A.S.. of Notod-
Nltrate den, states that operations at the works

Companies. proceeded satisfactorily, and the sales of
the company's products continued regu-
larly. Prices steadily declined in the first half of 1919. but in
the past year they experienced a fresh increase, particularly
sodium nitrate and ammonium nitrate. Constructional work
at the A.S. Tyinfaldene (Tyin Falls) was resumed in July
after a strike extending over a year. In the case of the
company's other interests, it is mentioned that the A.S.
Ejukanfos, which has 290.000 h.p. now at disposal, has de-
clared a dividend at the rate of 20 per cent, and an extra
dividend of 13.5 per cent.: and the Norsk Transport A.S. has
been able to distribute a rate of 15 per cent. The accounts
of the Nor.sk Hvdro sho%v a surplus of 24..'^55.0OO kr., and it
has been decided to pav a dividend at the rate of 15 per cent.
for 1919-20. and carry forward the sum of 16.384.000 kr.

The Societe Norvcgienne de VAzofe et de Forces Hydro
F/tctriques, whose works are situated at Svaelgfos-Notodden.
reports net profits of 18,826.000 kr. for 1918-19. and a dividend
at the rate of 12 per cent., leaving 2,614,000 kr. to be carried
forward.

Drake & (lorham, Ltd. — ^The directors announce that
payment of the dividend of 10 per cent, per annum on the
ordinary shares for the year ended .Tune .30th. 1920. which
was postponed at the annual meeting, will be made forthwith.

Stock Exchange Notice. — The undermentioned security
ba'i been ordered to be officlallv quoted: —

Calgary Power Co.. T,td.— .500' shares of 100 dollars each.

Coventry Chain Co., Ltd. — Final dividend of 7 per cent.,
making 125 per cent, for the year, less tax, and bonus of
2i per cent, on the ordinary shares, less tax.

Urban Electric Supply Co., Ltd. — The directors have
notified the shareholders that the Ministry of Transport has
decided to allow an increase on charges in all the company's
undertakings. These increased rates are, however, stated to
be under existing conditions insufficient to give an adequate
return on capital and afford no provision for making good the
deficient revenues of the past few years. Unless, therefore,
the Ministry gives a more generous recognition to the facts
of the situation, it is probable that the whole of the com-
pany's resources will for some time be required to meet pres-
sing current needs. Although the position has been materially
improved by the increased rates sanctioned, it is still far from
satisfactory.

South African Carbide & Byproducts Co., Ltd.— The re-
port for the year ended September 30th. 1920. states that it
is anticipated that the carbide factory and the power station
wUl be in full working order in six months' time. Considerable
progress has been made with the producer and low tempera-
ture sections of the plant, and a portion of this plant will be
in operation shortly after the carbide section. One of the
directors who has recently returned from South Africa, after
inspecting the works, is fully satisfied with the progress made.

Reduction of Capital. — Julius Sax d Co., Ltd., and reduced.
— An order confirming the reduction of capital of the above
company from i'18,000 to £3,600 was made by Mr. Justice
Lawrence in the High Court (Chancery Division) on Novem-
ber 30th.

"Victoria Falls & Transvaal Power Co., Ltd. — The net
earnings, including those of the Rand Mines Power Supply
Co., Ltd., for the quarter ended September 30th, 1920,
amounted to ^203. 436 before providing for taxation in South
.\frica and the United Kingdom.

North Wales Power & Traction Co., Ltd. — .\ccounts for
the year ended June 30th, 1920, show a balance at profit and
loss account of £413.

W. & T. Avery, Ltd. — Interim dividend of 5 per cent., less
tax, on the ordinary shares.

Bell Telephone Co. of Canada.— Dividend of 2 per cent.,
less tax, on capital stock.

STOCKS AND SHARES.

Tuesday Evening.
Fob this much the electricity markets can be thankful to
Nineteen Twenty— that acme of the stocks and shares have
achieved improvement. Which is more than can be said with regard
to most of the other markets round the Stock Exchange. The year
has been an unfortunate one for investors. Millions of pounds of
new capital poured out in the first few week.s. There was a glut
of new issues. Many received cordial welcome from the public.
Surprisingly little rubbish appeared. As was natural, the ratio of
temptation to the investor had to be increased with every week.
The obvious result led to depreciation of existing prices ; to the
introduction of a new standard of yield demanded from invest-
ments ; to a more exacting discrimination in the choice of
securities.

Money difficulties started soon after the Budget had been opened.
In fact, from the beginning of the year, the factor of banking
faculties has played a prominent, often a desolating, part in the
piece. The Government has wanted money for its extravagance,
and this has weighed upon industry. The aftermath of war —
declining trade, chaotic foreign exchanges, unemployment, and
such like — bears heavily upon the prices of stocks and shares.
Companies are passing, or postponing dividends, and the appeal for
fresh capital has to be backed by very strong security for it to
attain even a moderate success to-day.

This year we take the prices of the past two years, 1919and 1920,
for purposes of comparison. (The figures for 191S and I '.M 9 were
given in our issue of January 2nd, 1920, p. 23.) Twelve months
aso, every share in the list of electricity supply shares, Metropolitans
alone excepted, showed ftdls on the year. This time, however,
a quartette of advances stand out with pleasant prominence. The
City of London Company has split its £10 shares into the more
read ily -negotiable £1 denomination. Appended to the electricity
supply list is a small group of Underground Railway issues, in
which it will be noticed that the falls are relatively heavy ; —
Home Electricity Companies.

Dec.

Dec.

Rise

Dec.

Dec.

Rise

Stocks or 8l8t,

28th,

or

81st,

28th,

ori

Shares. 1919.

1920,

fall.

1919.

1920.

fall.

Brompton & Ken. 55

6

■>■ k

London . .

la

I

—

m

*- J

Metropolitan

—

3i

+ i

St. James'

City of London . . 12
County of London 91

-i/g
= 1

South London . .
Westminster

2U

5i

*i

= 1

Kensington . . 4j

Home Rails.

Cen. Ldn. Ass. Ord. 68*

HI,

-15

Underground Ord

s*

6/6
81

IS

-,«

Metropolitan . . 86
District .. ..81

20
IB*

— 5*
-6j

., (A) .
„ Inc. .

6/-
60^

— 1/tj
-20*

In the cable market, the Eastern group increased its capital by
the issue of new stocks and shares at par. This afforded sub-
stantial bonuses to the proprietors. Allowing for the rnelon-
outting, the quotations of the companies concerned are decidedly
higher on the year. J» The new stocks stand at big premiums.

856

THE ELECTEICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No. 2,249, deckmbbb 31, nao.

Apart from these, however, the various prices are lower. Marconi's
have tmdersrone violent flictuations since the rearranKement of
the capital earlier in the year. Mexicans make a mixed showing
smonget foreign tramway and traction descriptions : —

Telegh

APHS AND TeLEPHOSES.

ADg.-Amer. Prel.

?ffii

7H

-15

Indo-European . .

48*

80

-18*

Cuba Submarine

7

-s§

Marconi . .

4i

2,V

E. Extension . .

16i

143

United R. Plate..

78

5i

- w

E. Telegraph ..

168^

152*
14|

—

W. India & Pan.

14

+i

- ^

Globe Tel. Ord. ..

^

—

Western Teleg. . .

17J

141

Great Northern , ,

•204

-3

FoEEieN Tractios, &c.

A.Arg., iBtPrf. ..

^

s

-8

Men. Trams. 1st

42^

38

-4*

Brazil Traction. .

37

:'t

Mex. Light Com.

17

16

- 1

B. Col. Elec. Prf.

m

56

do. Pref.

•Ah

25i

+ *

do. Preferred..

54§

55i

+ 1

do. 1st . .

52*

60*

+ 8

The manufacturinpr section has fared badly this year, as half-a-
score of examples will illustrate : —

Manufacturing.

BabcookA Wilcox

Sf^

2*

-ll's

Elec. Construct. .

lA

^?

_ J

Brit. Aluminium

n

-1

Gen. Electric .

2

l.'V

— ^i

B. West. Pref. . .

SH"

1"

-1*

Henlevs

2i

IS

- s

Callenders

«+

u

-5/6

India-Rubber .

18i

j;

-19/-

Castner-KelLner..

si

3

-A

Telegraph Con..

2B4

21

- bi

Edison's have come down from 23s. 9d. to 10s. British Westing-
houae Preference have been changed into Metropolitan-Vickers
Preference. Dividends on a fair number of Industrial Preference
shares have been raised. Bat the labour diequietude, coming to a
head in the coal strike, seriously impeded the wheels of trade.
With this on the one hand, and fiaancial stringency on the other.
Stock Exchange prices could not hope to make a stand. Convention
calls for optimism at the opening of a New Year, and it may be
diffidently hoped that no one will quarrel with the expression of a
hearty wish for a more Prosperous New Year.

SHAEE LIST OF ELECTRICAL COMPANIES.

HoHE Electbioity Cohpanies,

Dividend Price

, • s Dec. 28, Yield

1918. 1919. 1920, Rise or faU. p.o.

Brompton Ordinary 8 13 6 — f 10 0 0

Charing Cross Ordinary .... 4 7 81 — 10 7 4

do. do. do, IJPref, ,. 4i 4J 2| — 8 3 8

Chelsea 3 4 3i — 6 8 0

City of London 8 10 Ij — 8 17 10

do. do. 6peroent. Pref. .. 6 6 17/6 — 6 17 2

County of London 7 8 7i — 10 13 4

do. do. 6 per cent. Prel, 6 6 8 — 7 10 0

Kensington Ordinary .... 67 32 — 906

London Electric NU 2J | — 10 0 0

do. do. 6 percent. Pref... 6 6 2| — 10 18 9

MetropoUtan 6 6 2| — 11 8 8

do. 44 per cent. Prel, .. 4J 4J 24j — 8 0 0

8t, James' and Pall MaU .. .. 10 13 6i — 9 12 0

South London 6 6 2* — 9 19 0

South Metropolitan Pref 7 7 16/3 — 8 12 B

Westminster Ordinary .... 8 10 4J — 10 10 6

TELEOKAPHS AHD TEI.XFH0NES.

Anglo-Am. Tel. Pref 6 6 75i -1 7 19 0

do. Oef 83.6 14 168 - i 9 12 6

Chile Telephone 8 6 64 — •6 9 1

Cuba Sub. Ord 7 7 7 — MO 0 0

Eastern Extension 8 10 14} — i '6 16 7

Eastern Tel. Ord 8 10 163* — 'e 11 4

Globe Tel. and T. Ord 8 10 14| — '6 16 7

do. do. Pref 66 8* - 712

Great Northern Tel 23 22 2»4 — 10 14 8

Indo-European 13 10 80 — 8 6 8

Marconi 26 26 2,i. -^ J — »

Oriental Telephone Ord 10 12 9,^ — iV '6 4 0

United R. Plate Tel 8 8 5i — 4 •« 16 4

West India and Panama .. .. 1/3 Nil fj — Nil

Western Telegraph 8 10 14J — »6 16 7

Horn Rails,

Central London Ord. Assented .. 4 4 434 — 9 4 0

Metropolitan 1 IJ 20 — 6 5 0

do. District .. .. Nil Nil 16* — Nil

Undermronnd Electric Ordinary Nil Nil l| — J Nil

do. do. "A" .. Nil NU 6/- — Nil

do. do. Income .. 6 4 604 —1 —

FOBEIOI) Tkahs, fto.

Anglo- Arg. Trams, First Pref. .. Nil 64 8 — 9 8 4

do. do. 3nd Pref. .. Nil NU SJ — NU

do. do. 5% Deb. ..6 6 64* — 9 6 6

Brazil Tractions NU NU 37 - 4 NU

British Columbia Elec. Rly. Pfce. 5 6 56 - 2 8 18 4

do. do. Preferred 24 6 664 — •6 6 2

do. do. Deferred Nil 8 52* - 1 •O 10 10

do. do. Deb. .. 41 41 664 — 7 10 5

Mexico Trams 5 per cent. Bonds.. Nil NU 3S —2 Nil

do. 6 percent. Bonds.. NU NU 374 -* NU

Mexican Light Common .. .. NU NU 16 — NU

do. Pref NU NU 864 — NU

do. Ist Bonds.. .. Nil NU 6O4 -f4 NU

MANUFAOTUBIMa COHFANIES.

Baboock & Wilcox 16 15 Si — >7 1 9

British Alnmlnlom Ord 10 10 | - 6d. 11 8 6

British Insulated Ord 134 15 ll — i 10 18 3

Callenders 26 16 If — 10 18 3

6* Pref 64 6J 18/9 — 6 18 8

CastnerKellner 20 17 3 — 6 IB 4

Crompton Ord 10 10 16/6 — 12 8 6

Edison-Swan 10 10 10;- -4/6 —

do. do. 6 per cent. Deb. ..6 5 72 — 6 19 0-

Electric Construction ., ., 10 10 16/G — 11 B 6

Gen. Elec. Pref CJ 64 18;- — 7 4 6

do. Old 10 10 lA — '^ '8 8 5

Henley 25 IS ii — 9 4 8

do. 44 Pref 4* 4* 8* — 7 4 0

India-Rubber 10 10' 5 — J —

Met.-Viokers Pref — 8 1[> — 9 9 4

Siemens Ord 10 10 1^ — •9 8 3

Telegraph Con 30 30 81 — •£ 14 8

• Dividends paid free ol Income Tax,

MARKET QUOTATIONS.

It thoold be remembered, in making xue of the fignre* appearini;
in the following list, that in some cages the price* are only general,
and they may vary according to quantities and other oircumstanoef .

Tuesday. December 28tb.

CHEMICALS. Ac.

I Acid, Oxalic

I Ammoniac Sal

I Ammonia, Muriate (large oryatal)
I Bisulphide of Carbon

1/10
£110
£93

a Borax

„

a £41

a Oopper Sulphate

„

:£43

a Potash, Chlorate

per lb.

1/-

a „ Perchlorate

,,

ii/a

a Shellac

per cwt,

£33

a Sulphate of Magnesia

per ton

£18

a Sulphur, Sublimed Flowers

„

£34

a 1, Lump

,,

£30

a Soda, Chlorate •

per lb.

6d,

a „ Crystals

per ton

£19

a Sodium Bichromate, casks

per lb.

.„

_

METALS. &c.

p Babbitt's Metal Ingots

per ton

£95 10 £800

c Brass (rolled metal 3" to 13" basis)

per lb.

l/U

d. dec.

c 1, Tubes (solid drawn)

1/83 to 1/4

d. dec*

c „ Wire, basis

1/13

d. dec.

c Copper Tubes (solid drawn)

„

1/6

'■i. dec.

c „ Bars (best selected)

per ton

£183

£7 de«.

c 1, Sheet

1.

£133

£7 dec.

c „ Rod

£182

£7 dec.

d II (Electrolytic) Bars

1,

£84

£7 dec.

d 1, 1, Sheets

,,

£143

d „ „ Wire Rods.,

,,

£100

£7 dec.

d ,1 „ H.C.Wire.,

per lb,

1/Oi

3d. dec.

f Bbonita Red

„

8/6

f 1, Sheet

1,

3/-

n German SUver Wire

8/-

h Gntta-percha, fine

14/- to 16/-

h India-rubber, Para fine

1/2

i Iron Pig (Cleveland Warrants) ...

per ton

Norn,

; „ Wire, galv. No. 8, P.O. qual.

,,

£64

g Lead, EngUsh Pig

,,

£24 10

IP/- dea.

g Mercury

per bot.

£14 to £14 6

e Mica (in original cases) smaU ...

per lb.

6d. to 4/6

a „ „ II medium..

,,

6/- to 10/-

e 1, M .> large ...

,,

13/6 to 35/- & up

p Phosphor Bronze, plain castings

,,

1/6 to lAl

p „ „ roUed bars and rods

„

3/5 to 3/8

p ,, „ roUed strip & sheet

„

3/5 to 3/9

d SUioium Bronze Wire

per lb.

lAO

Id. dec.

r Steel, Magnet, in bars

„

1/8

n Tin, Block (English)

per ton

£196

£17 to £18 dec.

n I, Wire, Nos. 1 to 16

p White Anti- friction Metals

per lb.

4/9

per ton

£78 to £800

Qaotations supplied by —

a a. Boor & Co.
e TbOB. Bolton & Sons, Ltd,
d Frederick Smith & Co.
• F. Wiggins & Sons.
/ India-Rubber, Gutta-Percha and
Telegraph Works Co., Ltd,

g James & Shakespeare,

h Edward TUl & (Jo.

( Boiling & Lowe.

/ Richard Johnson A Nephew. Ltd

n P. Ormiston & Sons,

W. F, Dennis & Co.

Dazzle Head Lights. — The Royal Automobile Clab

announces that its representatives have evolved a test by which
the dazzle of vehicle head-lamps can be measured, and the resnlta
obtained from different lamps compared. The testing device i>
known as the '' R.A.C. Standard Disk," which, when illaminated by
the lamps, gives information on the effective width of illumination
on the road, the effective range of the lamp, and its actual dazzling
effect on the oncoming driver or pedestrian. It is hoped the device
will constitute a standard method of determining the value of
anti-dazzle lamps.

Improving Transport. — The Morning Fust gives a short
resume ol suggestions for dealing with the London traffic
problem, made by Mr. W. Y. Lewis in a paper presented to
the London Society. Mr. Lewis stated that " no tinkering
with the present systems would do any good; the whole in-
termitlent system must be swept away." One is tempted
to wonder if the scrap value of the " underground " railways
w'ould compensate those financially interested. The report
further states: "A continuous system dispensed with much
of the delay and the high cost of present methods. Briefly,
the idea proposed by the speaker, and known as the Adkins
Lewis system, consists in the use of small cars, each accom-
modating four or five persons, and being operated so as ta
come together and slow down at stations, to allow passengers
to step on and alight. The cars would never come to a dead
stop, and between the stations they would be accelerated and
spaced out."

There is yet another idea. Tliis is "to erect the system
about '20 ft! above the streets, or even have au installation
over the roofs of offices and buildings. These elevated railway*
must not be confused with the cumbersome New York and
Liverpool undertakings."

Is "over" synonymous with "upon"? If it is, offices
would soon be '" to let," and there would be a general " back
to the land " movement on the part of city men. And why
this system should be less " cumbersome " than the New
Xork and Liverpool undertakings is difficult jto comprehend.

Vol.87. No. 2,249, dkcbmbeb 31, 1920.] THE ELECTKICAL REVIEW.

867

QENERATINQ-STATION EXPEDIENTS IN WAR-TIME.

Thf. operation and maintenance difficulties expeiieuced by
generating stations' stalls in this country during the war fade
into insignificance when compared with those experienced
by the stall' of the Society " Force Electrique " at Baku. At
the best, the Societe could not hope for delivery against its
orders in less than la months or so. and, as a niatt<'r of fact,
goods ordered in li)I5 are still undelivered owing to the
revolution in October, I'Jllj. It is to be hoped that no generat-
ing station in this country will ever be reduced to the expe-
dients employed at Baku and described by Mr. V. Scoumanne,
director of the S.F.E., in u recent issue of the Bulletin de
la Socii'fc lielyc des Klcctriciens. These expedients are, how-
ever, interesting as showing what liberties can be taken with
large central station plant, and as examples of successful
makeshifts, they may be useful to engineers in some outposts
of the Empire.*

Had Russia been spared internal strife the position of the
Baku stations_ would still have been sufficiently 'difficult, for
the Caucasus was practically isolated from the rest of the
world during the greater part of the war period. Until the
end of lilltj there was fairly regular communication with
Russia, but the only outlet to the world beyond was Archangel
— icebound for half the year, and connected with Moscow by
a single line of railway. .Although engaged in war work (the
extraction of naphtha) the Baku stations had often to wait
three or four months for transport permits, .'^part from
transport problems it was very difficult for such remote
stations to place orders for supplies, especially in view of the
fact that much of the plant was of German manufacture.

Comparatively small stocks of spares were held at the
stations themselves, and there were no local sources of general
engineering supplies, and no facilities for manufacturing them.
Under such conditions unorthodox methods had to be adopted
in practically every part of the plant.

Boilers. — The stock of boiler tubes was naturally insuffi-
cient to last through the war. but it was found possible to
obtain some good tubes slightly too small in diameter and
fiO cm. too short. These tubes, 3J in. in diameter, were
lengthened by welding on to each end a piece cut from the
uninjured portions of old boiler tubes; the welding was
done by the ordinary forge process, and gave quit* satis-
factory results.

Ordinary commercial glass tubing, bought by the yard was
used perforce in.stead of special gauge glasses. Breakages
were rather more frequent, but the overall cost was lower.
Turbines Operated without Governors. — In 1916 the governor
gearing of an S.OUO-kw., l.oCKJ r.p.m., turbine was put out of
action. This gearing ccjnsisted of a steel ring keyed to the
turbine shaft and provided with a triple thread driving a
bronze wheel on the governor shaft. When the wear in the
gearing became so great that dangerous vibration was set
up. the bronze wheel was built up with hard white metal,
but the latter was worn away in '24 hours. \ steel tube
of twice the length of the worm was then threaded-, and
one-half was u.^^ed as a hob to cut teeth in a cast phosphor
bronze wheel. The new gearing thus made, ran sweetly
at low speed, but despite repeated attempts, could not be
made to operate satisfactorily at turbine speed. This was
hardly .surpri-sing since even tnrbine builders generally obtain
these gears from firms specialising in their manufacture.

The only alternative to leaving the turbine out of com-
mission was to run it without a governor, and to rely upon
the other units in parallel to maintain speed regulation by
synchronism. Theoretically this expedient should be satis-
factory, provided that the steam admission were regulated so
that the output of the defective turbine was always well below
the total load on the generating station. This condition
was fulfilled at Baku, the total station load being nearly
constant at •20,<M) KW. There was, however, the risk that
the turbine would race in the event of a general shut down
of the station, or if the defective set fell out of step; the
runaway governor, not always infallible, remained the only
safeguard against such a mishap. The risk had to be ac-
cepted, and, after trying the turbine without a governor at
reduced speed, the set was fully loaded, and has operated
.satisfactorily ever since.

Some time afterwards the same mishap occurred to the
governor of a similar turliine in another station 25 km. away
from the main station, and connected to the latter by an
overhead '20.0(lO-volt line. The other sets in this station sup-
plied a different network, and had characteristics different
from those of the damaged turbine ; parallel operation was.
therefore, impossible. The defective machine could only be
operated in parallel with the .sets in the main station, and
this course was adopted notwithstanding the risk introduced
by the overhead line. On the occurrence of a breakdown in
the latter the change in sound of the defective turbine always
warned the attendant and enabled him to control the machine

* Perhaps also they will inspire some of the.se engineers
to recount their own difficulties and solutions thereto for the
benefit of other readers.— Eds. Elec. Rev.

before the euicigency governor came into action. (In several
occa.sions rhiring prolonged breakdown of the line between
the two stations, the isolated defective turbine was con-
trolled by hand tor 10 or 1'2 hours.

lor more than three years two of the most powerful of
the four to six sets in service were operated without
governors.

Failure of Blades in A. E.G. Turbines. — Nearly all the tur-
bines in these stations were by the .A. E.G., and were of a
mixed type, there being first a two-stage Curtis impulse
wheel and then a variable number of reaction wheels. In
leaving the nozzles in front of the impulse wheel the steam
expanded from 1'2 to 1 atmos., this wheel alone developing
about three-fourths of the total power of the turbine. Sus-
picicuis sounds were heard one day, and on opening the
turbine it was found that two of the diaphragms separating
the reaction ^\•heels had given way under the pressure differ-
ence to which they were subjected, and had thus fouled the
adjoining runner wheel. These diaphragms derived no sup-
port from the shaft which passed freely through them, and
the accident was due to breakage of the supporting guide
vanes between the diaphragms and the turbine casing. it
was found that the metal of these vanes had oxidised through-
out its thickness, and that the supporting attachments of
the remaining diaphragms were in practically the same state.
The oxide was hard and brittle and looked like tarnished
metal, but a test with a file at once revealed its true nature.
Pi'agments of the broken guide vanes having destroyed the
blading of the adjacent runner wheels there was nothing for
it but to eliminate the damaged diaphragms and runner
wheels, replacing the latter by rings on the shaft to secure
the remaining wheels. Those diaphragms which were intact
but doubtful were reinforced by steel rings. The balance of
the rotor was then checked, and the turbine was restored to
service. The output of the machine was reduced slightly,
and the steam consumption was increased con.siderably.

This trouble being due to unsatisfactory composition of the
guide vanes it was naturally experienced in other machines
of the same make. Out of six .\.E.G. turbines of from l.tXH)
to 8,000-KVi'. rating, four have lost two or three wheels in the
above manner. " A brilliant advertisement for the makers,"
says the author, " three of the turbines having been in
.service only three or four years when the failure occurred."
Condensers. — Sea water was used as the circulating water
in the condensers, and the number of tube failures was
serious, probably owing to the brass u.sed being unsuitable
for local conditions. The condensers for the four older tur-
bines gave no trouble, but all the tubes in those for the four
newer sets were attacked heavily. Attempts were made to
repair the damaged tubes by cleaning them, tinning them
all over, and then filling with solder any holes not closed by
the tinning process. The repaired tubes were tested under
air pres.sure, and when replacing them in service, that side
which had been at the bottom was placed at the top. This
method gave good results in the case of pinholes and narrow
fissures, but where there were larger holes the repaired tube
did not last long.

.attempts were made to repair the tubes by electro-deposi-
tion of copper, the tubes being kept in rotation in the plating
vat. Poor results were obtained, and eventually a supply of
short tubes was obtained, and they were lengthened by solder-
ing pieces of old tube on to them. The author thinks that
the electrolytic process might have been made successful by
running a low-melting-point substance into the tubes to form
a mandrel and metalising the surface of the mandrel at the
holes.

Alternators. — The most interesting incident in connection
with the alternators occurred when the insulation on one of
the stator bars broke down, establishing an " earth " to the
laminations. This breakdown occurred after 30.(XK) hours'
(jix'ration at full load, and was due merely to fatigue and
general deterioration of the insulation. .\s the neutral point
of the windings was not earthed the circuit breaker did not
operate, and by the time the fault ha<l been located the bar
and the laminations had fused together and formed a solid
block of nietal around the site of the fault. With a view to
saving time the stator was not unbuilt in the first instance.
Instead, the damaged bar was removed, the slot was milled,
and the block formed by fu.sion of the laminations was removed
in much the same way as a dentist removes the decayed por-
tion of a tooth. This process, owing partly to the nature of the
tcK)ls used, formed burrs which still short-circuited the lamina-
tions, although -the block of metal had been removed. In
order to investigate the extent to which these burrs would
conduct eddy currents, a dummy bar of wood was inserted
in the slot, the .stator winding was left open, and the
machine was brought up to speed. The machine was then
excited, but before the field current had been brought up to
full strength the dummy bar caught fire. No better demon-
stration of the importance of eddy currents could be desired,
and it was obvious that the stator plates would have to be
taken apart. On doing so it was found that the paper between

858

THE ELECTRICAL EEVIEW. [voi.87. No. 2,249, decembeb 31, 1920.

laminations had been charred for a considerable distance
around the fault, and this fact no doubt contributed to make
the eddy currents so serious. Sixty women, working night
and day in three shifts, took three weeks to clean and re-
paper the laminations. Meanwhile, a considerable amount
of repair work had to be done on the insulation of the bars
which had become brittle and was injured extensively in
removing the bars from the slots.

Two l'2,000-K.v..\. sets broke down in the above manner,
and the repairs took from four to six weeks in each case.

Tratisformcrs. — Several transformers of from 500 to '2.00O
K.V..4., 6,000/20,000 volts, burnt out during the war. In the
smaller units, using thin cotton covered wire, re-insulation
was impracticable without special machines, and new cotton-
covered wire was, therefore, substituted for the damaged wire.
In the larger units cotton tape was used to re-insulate the
damaged portions, and when the supply of twilled tape was
exhausted, pieces of long cloth were cut into strips 2 cm.
wide and used with perfectly satisfactory results, except that
the final appearance was not quite so neat.

In 1916 two new transformers, 2,000 k.v.a., 6,000/20,000
volts, were received without tanks. It was not practicable
to build at Baku tanks with cooling pipes or fins, &c., and
plain tanks of adequate cooling surface could not have been
accommodated in the space available. The largest pliiin
tanks which could be accommodated would not have per-
mitted more than half the rated output to be obtained from
the transformers. Circulation of oil through coils in water
tanks, or of water through coils in the oil tanks, was con-
sidered; both of these methods were already in use with
3,000 to 10,(KX)-K.v.A. transformers, but material could not
be obtained to equip the new transformers in a similar W'ay.

The transformers were, therefore, provided with plain tanks
of medium size, and these were placed in cemented wells in
the ground, slightly less deep than the height of the tanks.
Water circulation through the well was provided by a tube
entering at the bottom and an overflow at the top of the
opposite corner. The water level was lower than the level
of oil in the tank by such an amount that, in the event of
leakage, oil would flow outwards into the water, thus giving
warning of the leak and preventing ingress of water to
the tank.

Thus arranged, the transformers operated successfully for
three years carrying full-load and even overloads without
exceeding permissible temperatures, even when the surround-
ing atmosphere was at 40 deg. C. (104 deg. F.).

THE DISTRIBUTION OF ELIiCTRICITY.

Discussion at Birmingham.
At Birmingham, on December 15th, Mr. \V. B. Woodhouse's
paper, which was abstracted in our issue of December 3rd, w'as
discussed before the South-Midland Centke of the Institu-
tion OF Electrical Engineers.

The discussion was opened by Mr. E. A. Chattock, who
heartily endorsed the paper, but he thought that the formulas
used throughout the paper were not at all easy of application ;
Mr. Woodhouse did not give any idea of the probable value
of the constants that would apply in practice. He specially
emphasised the point Mr. Woodhouse raised in connection
with pressures of supply ; in a large distribution system, cer-
tainly three pressures had to be adopted, and quite likely,
four. In the Birmingham district they had the low-pressure
that was applicable to individual consumers, then a 5,000-volt,
E.H.T., 3-phase supply which was given to large consumers
and to sub-stations, and was the pressure of generation; also
there were now being installed trunk connections to outlying
districts at a pressure of 30,000 volts. Whilst this was desir-
able and suitable for large-capacity trunks, it was too high
for the smaller-capacity transmission lines which might be
required for supplying the villages and agricultural districts
within a radius of 10 or 15 miles from Birmingham; 30,00!)-
volt underground cables had, for mechanical reaisons, to con-
tain a certain size of copper conductor, which fact hmited
their minimum capacity to about 7,000 KW. Such a capacity
was too great to lay all over a country district, and on this
account it would probably be found advisable to adopt an
intermediate pressure of ] 0.000 volts for this class of supply,
and- to confine the 30,000-volt cables to transmitting large
supplies to well-defined centres. Mr. Chattock felt that inter-
connection of networks could be carried too far ; whilst the
possibility of interconnection should be provided for, the
actual connection should be broken so that the netw'orks could
be split up into easily handled units. Where .several generat-
ing stations were employed, it was essential that they should
be connected together by large-capacity trunk cables. At the
same time, it was undesirable to connect together the centres
of distribution external to the stations in a permanent manner,
as in case of a disturbance on the system, it was quite possible
that the generating stations might be disconnected on the
trunks, and that the connection on the distribution system
might remain, with the result that the latter would become
heavily overloaded, and the switches controlling such connec-
tion would be called upon to handle more than they were
probably designed to do. In order to keep the expenditure on

switchgear throughout the network, both on consumers' pre-
mises and in sub-stations, within a reasonable figure, smaller
switches would have to be employed, and the power that
could pass through them would have to be limited by react-
ance. This control also took a certain amount of strain off
the transmission and distribution cables. Mr. Woodhouse
confined himself to A.c. distribution, but most large industrial
centres were supplied with u.c, and the advantages of the
latter, both as regarded safety, tlexibility of manipulation, and
general steadiness of supply, were well recognised. 'Ite
speaker, therefore, reminded Mr. Woodhouse of the possibility
that had recently been developed of supplying d.c. to outly-
ing districts on as economical a basis as A.c. by means of
the mercury arc rectifier. This apparatus could be installed
at points along the line of an e.h.t. feeder, and could supply
D.c. to L.T. distributing cables in the same way that a static •
transformer supplied A.c. to similar networks. The heavy
cost of L.T. feeders from transformer .sub-stations was thus
done away with, and also the heavy cost of operating such
sub-stations. This method of transformation would be ulti-
mately applied to railway electrification. The apparatus was
being used in Switzerland for tramway supply, and he was
proposing to experiment with it in Birmingham on the same
lines.

Mr. W. Wilson said that electricity supply enterprises could
be divided into two classes. First, a district wherein a de-
mand for electric power had grown up, which had been par-
tially satisfied after a considerable time had elapsed, by a
purely local scheme that managed to keep a number of years
behind the requirements throughout the whole of its career.
The second class was exemplified by most hydro-electric enter-
prises. The average man with money to invest, who came
face to face with a waterfall, or even a rapidly flowing river,
immediately began to make plans for putting capital into a
development project without making any rigid inquiry about
the existence of a payable demand. When such a scheme
was carried out, from its very nature, it was undertaken on a
generous scale, and it was hence designed with every cnance
of being economical. Tliere were critics of every hydro-electric
project, yet he had never heard of a case where such a scheme
failed on account of too small a demand; given the demand,
there was no doubt about the economic success of the under-
taking.

Major A. M. Tavlor (see correction on p. 820 of our
December 24th issue) explained that he had until recently
as.sumed that the rotating field of a 3-phase current did not
induce serious eddy cuiTents in the lead sheathing of a cable.
He now believed, however, as a result of some experiments,
the nature of which he was permitted to indicate, that the
losses in the lead sheathing due to the rotating field were
very much greater than was generally realised, and far out-
weighed those due to hysteresis. By the methods adopted
by electricians for measuring the losses in their cables, it was
difficult to discriminate between those due to hysteresis and
those due to eddy currents in the lead sheathing. The experi-
ments to which he alluded were made at a frequency of 25
cycles, and the principle adopted was to take two pieces of
identical cable, but in the one case armoured and in the
other case unarmoured, to pass identically the same current
through them, and to compare their relative rises of tempera-
ture over such a time that practically constant rise was
obtained. Direct currents were first pas.sed through the cables
in series and the temperature rises noted. I'nder these con-
ditions no eddy current or hysteresis los.ses could possibly
occur; this condition represented the minimum temperature
rise. The next experiment was to pass through the two pieces
of cable, in .series, a 3-pha.se current of such a value that the
C"R losses in copper were identical with those obtaining with
the D.c. The third experiment consisted in passing a .single-
phase a.c. through the two cables, arranged to give the same
c°R losses as in the case of the d.c. This la.st experiment,
compared with the previous experiments, gave a means of
differentiating the eddy current losses in the lead sheathing
due to the rotating field from that due simply to the pulsation
of the current. The magnetic axis of the rotating field being
on a diameter of the cable and the rate of rotation of the
field being controlled by the periodicity, it followed that the
armouring of the cable formed a path for the niagnetic lines
which was normal to the direction of magnetic flux and.
therefore, the armouring had practically nn effect upon the
strength of this rotating flux. In the case of the single-phase
current, however, the armouring was ab.solutely upon the
path of the magnetic flux, and consequently very greatly
affected the strength of this flux. Tliis latter explained the
difference that would be olxserved between the behaviour of
the single-phase current in the armoured I'able and in the
unarmoured cable (see Table I). The speaker added that there
was no opportunity of hysteresis occurring in the above tests,
which were carried out at a very low voltage. The thw
principal points deducible from the tests were ; (1) That, with
3-phase current, the total losses in the armoured and un-
armoured cables were practically equal. (2) The losses in the
unarmoured cable with 3-phase currents were 62J jier cent,
greater than with D.c (3) Tlie losses in the unarmoured
cable with single-phase current were only 12^ per cent, greater
than with D.c. Since the result obtained in the case last
mentioned was included in the 62i )>er cent, for the 3-phase
losses, it followed that, of the &lh per cent, above given, no
less than 50 per cent, was due to the eddy current losses as

Vol.87. No. 2,249, dkckmbkb 31, 1920.] THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

859

caused by the rotating field, while only l'2i per c«nt. was
due simply to the pulsations of the field. From these results
he submitted that it was readily deducible that a very great
saving in the eddy current losses in the lead sheathing could
be ettected by resorting to single-phase currents in the case
of long-distance transmission, where the improvement iu
maximum voltage gradient was etVected by the use of single-
phase cables, on the lines indicated by Messrs. Clark and
Shanklin (in their paper before the .'V.I.E.K. in June, 1919) ;
also that the losses with D.c. were the ideal towards which
they should aim, and which could be reached within 12J per
cent, by u.sing single-phase cables. It was also to be exj)ected
that with a current of 50 periods the losses in the lead sheath-
ing, with single-phase cables, would be distinctly higher than
with 'J.5 periods. This, if corroborated (and experiments were
being made with this end in view) should indicate the desir-
ability of -25 periods for extremely long-distance transmission.
It was obviously not in the best int<^re.sts of the maintenance
of insulation of e.h.t. cables that there should be an unneces-
sary loss in the lead envelope amounting to 50 per cent, of
the copper loss. .Another feature deducible from the above
tests was that the practical equality of temperature rise in
the armoured and unarmoured cables with 3-phase currents,
proved conclusively that the armouring had no material effect
in this case, as in fact would be expected. It only remained
to add that in order to emphasise the results, the current
densities were increased to about 1,.500 amps, per sq. m. in
the 3-phase tests, which, however, was not in excess of that
indicated by Kelvin's law at voltages between 20,000 and
30,000. •

T.\Bl,E I.

Current

D.c.

3-phase

1-phase

No. of cores utilised

1

3

1

Current per core (amps.) ...

400

2.30

400

Class of cable

3-pha.se, fi.fiOO

v. do.

do.

Temp, rise (deg. F.), armd.

•£^

37

38

Temp, rise (deg. F.), unarmd.

'23.7

38.5

20.7

Rise % above D.c. (taken as

ideal), armd

nil

01

0.)

Rise % above D.c. (taken as

ideal), unarmd

nil

G-2.5

12..5

Hysteresis losses were negligible, and in the first and third
experiments the thermometer was tried at different points
round the cable so as to check any unequal heating.

Discussion at C.\iiDii-F.

.\t a Cardiff meeting of the Western Centre Mr. \V. B. Wood-
house's paper was discussed on December 6th.

The CuAiKM.AN (Mr. A. J. Newman, Bristol) noticed that
the author mentioned that the revenue rarely exceeded a
quarter of the capital involved; Tie could confirm this figure
at the present day, but in Bristol they had had to survive
for many years past on a very much lower ratio. The author's
system of analysing load factors and load losses was most
Illuminating; he had no idea that there was so much in the
subject, being content to use a planimeter.

Mr. .\. NiCHOLLS Moore asked whether it was desirable
to have two different high-pressure (2,000 and ll.OtH) volts)
mains to consumers. An excellent curve was given in which
was shown the cost of cables laid in ground; had the author
given another curve for one particular section of cable he
would have given some very illuminating information. The
author assumed the cost of overhead lines as proportional
to the pressure, but later he said the cost was not likely to
increase as rapidly as the working pressure. That was mis-
leading, because if in one case the cost was proportional to
the working pressure, it would increase as rapidly as the
working pressure. Apart from that the cost of overhead
lines would vary in proportion to the working pressure. The
author pointed out that the working costs were proportionate
to the load factor ; but something should be taken into account
for divi^rsity factor and stand-by charges apart from standing
charges. In the formula? it would have been of greater
advantage had he made it clearer how the different functions
were arrived at.

Mr. J. W. Burr agreed that future manufacturing pro-
sperity must depend largely on the provision of a cheap and
reliable supi>ly of electricity. If they were to run transmis-
sion lines without considering the annual cost, he did not
see how a cheap supply of electricity was possible. Trans-
mission lines involved vast sums of money, and it must be
borne in mind that in addition heavy annual capital charges
w'onld also have to be met. For many years the transmis.9ion
lines would not be remunerative, and the only way those
charges could be met was either by financial assistance
from the (lovernment. or by increasing the charges to the
consumers. The most economical method of generating elec-
tricity was not by erecting huge super-stations and distrilniting
over a wide area, but by inter-linking central stations 20 or
30 miles apart. The author raised that point in connection
with the inter-linking of mains; these mains ought not only
to be used for supplying consumers on route, but also for
taking a supply from waste heat. On his way down from
Swansea he noticed many huge jets of flame playing into
the air. If that heat were used for the generation of elec-

tricity it would be the source of a cheap supply. He supported
the author's suggestion that they should have at least three
pressures. In Swansea they had decided to use 200 volts for
small consumers, 6,000 for large ones, and 30,000 for trans-
mission purposes was being considered.

Mr. .\. Eixis thought the paper came at a very opportune
moment. The question of transmission was a very important
one ; at the moment he was dealing with three schemes where
33,000 volts had been decided upon, together with an inter-
mediate high-pressure as well as a low-pressure system. With
regard to the various forms of protection, his view was the
simpler the form the better the results obtained. Some
s\stems were so very sensitive as to make one feel almost
inclined to superimpo.se in order that the first should not
unnecessarily operate. Switehgear was the most serious item
of capital expenditure in any comprehensive scheme concern-
ing a bulk supply.

Mr. W. Nairn referred to step-by-step development, and
thought that three steps were necessary. As matters stood at
present, they had taken two of these steps — extended their
low-tension network at 440 volts, 4-wire, until it could no
longer support itself, and the second step was the super-
imposing on it of a l(),(K)0-volt network. This second pressure
had proved suitable for distribution within a 10 mile radius
from the source of supply, i.e., for an area of about 3(X)
sq. miles, but the 10,000-volt network was now being so ex-
tended and loaded that they had to consider taking the third
step. That, so far as he understood it, was to superimpose
on the 10,0(X)-volt network a still higher pressure network,
both" high-pressure networks being completely interconnected
and protected. The consumers on the third network would
be in areas of about 3tK) sq. miles. The voltage for the third
network was not yet defined. At the recent inquiry into the
London distribution a voltage of 40,000 was mentioned, and
120,(K)0 had bees mentioned in connection with the Severn
scheme, but the author's statement that a cable was now
available for a pressure of 60,000 volts gave them a good
indic;ition of what the third voltage was likely to be. In
limiting their third voltage to a value which could be carried
by a cable, they could not take advantage of the ability of
overhead lines to carry much higher pressures, but he did
not think they could make use of such in this country.
The third network would be transmitting large amounts of
power, the author mentioned a main carrying 50,0(X) k.v.a.,
and for maximum economy the mains must be carried right
into the heart of the load, which was not practicable with
overhead mains.

Mr. W. A. Chamen agreed with the general conclusions of
the author. The chief difficulty w^as that of capital, and in
laying out a distribution scheme for future development,
who was going to find the interest on the capital'' Wireless
transmission might eventually come in. Another serious ques-
tion was the very high pressures nece.s.sary in order to get
an economical supply for a large area. He was appalled at
the cost of transformers, switehgear, &c., and felt that from
the point of view of economy high pressures would not be
wanted.

Major E. Ivor David agreed that for the general system of
transmission three voltages were ideal, in fact, they were the
pioneers of the system the author had described. He did not
agree that the cost of overhead lines increased with the pres-
sure. Ijoad factor on a general system was a much more
difficult matter than that of a colliery, because in the latter
they had means of balancing the load. During the day shift
their average load factor was 96 and during the off shift
about 80 per cent., due to the fact that they had to run certain
heavy machines such as winders. When it came to load
factor per machine installed, colliery load factor was about
the worst one. They were naturally bound to put sub-stations
in colliery districts, but sub-station costs should not vary
very much over the whole country. Until the prices for
switehgear came down extension of high-tension distribution
in this country would be retarded.

Mr. I. A. D. Pedler, in a written communication, said
with regard to the area of supply that it would be as difficult
to attempt to determine the total amount of power to be
provided as it was to estimate for the heating and domestic
load of a large city, but as one would be dealing with a specific
area, reasonably large copper sections should be allowed for
(more particularly with underground trunk mains having
regard to the high excavation costs). Comparatively high
pressures should be utilised to ensure the pressure on con-
sumers' premi.ses being maintained within the Board of Trade
limits when the scheme was finally completed, bearing in
mind the abnormal pressure drop in transformers due to
poor power factors and peak loads. He was in agreement
with the author's remarks with regard to the step by step
transformation in bringing up the working pressure, &c.,
provided that the period of development was reasonably long.
If the original cables laid, or insulators installed, would be
capable of giving good service on the highest pressure which
would be ultimately applied, then switehgear, transformers.
&c.. would have to be changed, involving expense which,
added to the high cost of the original installation of under-
ground and overhead lines, w'ould probably condemn the lran.s-
formers for a short period of development. With intercon-
nected stations boosting regulators would of necessity be in-
stalled, and, provided the pressure at the distributing centres
and the consumers' premises could be maintained within the

860

THE ELEOTEICaL fiEVIEW. [Vol.87. No. 2,249, December 31, 1920.

Board of Trade limits, the proposition of feeding the distribut-
ing centres from the interconnecting lines was a good one,
otherwise care should be taken to provide apparatus at the
distributing centres to deal with the regulation problem. His
experience was that the faulty apparatus period was not yet
over, and as long as apparatus was passed out of the factories
without undergoing a more strict mechanical test, particularly
with regard to the protective portion of the gear, by specialised
engineers, they were still likely to experience considerable in-
convenience either by having to put gear right before it went
into conunission, or by regrettable experiences when in com-
mission. , , ■

Mr. W. B. WooDHODSE, in reply, stated that the chairman
had raised the vital point, namely, capital expenditure.
Although it would be very helpful from a technical point
of view to lay down a system to meet probable developments
it would be hopele.ssly uncommercial. One could only afford
to look a reasonable time ahead; that time was really deter-
mined for them. He did not think that State doles were
going to do the slightest good. Good consumers came on to
the mains slowly, when it paid them, and that was the
justification for "the intermediate voltage. The use of waste
heat was a point he was very glad to have had raised. One
big advantage was that one could pick up small amounts
of ix)wer which would be a very economical arrangement.
He regretted that the Government had put forward the Severn
scheme in such a cheap journalistic manner; it was calculated
to make every thinking man question the soundness of the
scheme. Regarding protective devices, his ow^n feeling was
in favour of simplicity; protective devices required a great
deal of maintenance, and his advice was to spend money
on improving the apparatus. When they came, however,
to the interconnection of very large power stations they must
■have protection, and he thought they would improve. The
high cost of switchgear was a very serious matter, and was
hampering development. With regard to the size of high-
pressure cables, figures had been submitted by the makers for
0.1.5 sq. in.. 60.0(XI-volt cable, with an overall diameter of 3 in.
over the lead. The reference to the transmission of 50,0(KJ
K.V..4. by one main was to an overhead line for which one
would use a pressure higher than GO.IHIO volts— not more than
20,0()0 K.v.A. on a main. He thought the current density ran
out to about 800 amperes to the sq. in., the temperature rise
was. he believed, .50 deg. C. He saw the advantage of split-
conductor. 6core cable, but, generally speaking, from the
point of view of heating, a 6-core cable was wrong; he would
have two 3-core cables in preference.

REVIEWS.

Electric Wdding : Its Tlieory, Practice, Application, and
Economies. By H. S. Marqu.^nd. Pp. '204; 90 tigs.
London : Benn Bros., Ltd. . ia'20. Price I'is. 6d. net.
The wartime and post-war developments of electric welding,
especially arc welding, have naturally led to a crop of papers,
articles, and books on the subject. The one now under review,
whilst without features of great novelty^ has its value for the
would-be welder, especially the arc welder, because it is
written by a man ^Yith extensive practical experience in that
work who" sets out in clear language many of the points to
be remembered and the methods and precautions to be ob-
.served for the satisfactory execution of various kinds of work.
The chapters which include this practical instruction are those
from Chapter Xl onwards, and one is inclined to think that
the book w'ould have been of higher quality as a manual of
instruction if the greater part of the previous chapters had
been omitted, and the later ones amplified. The object of
writing the earlier chapters was doubtless the entirely praise-
worthy one of introducing the practical part of the book by
a survey of the general principles, chemical, metallurgical,
and physical, involved in the process, and something of an
historical sketch of the better-known methods of soldering,
welding and similar ways of joining metals. The intention
is good, the execution necessarily imperfect. Space forbids
adequate treatment of so large a group of subjects. Unfor-
tunately the faults of the execution cannot be entirely ascribed
to the need for brevity. There are a number of statements
which are distinctly misleading, not only from incompleteness
or isolation. This is particularly unfortunate in a book which
seems to have for its main object the instruction in an
industrial application of scientific facts, of those who are
not necessarily well versed in the general sciences which are
to be applied.

The first chapter purports to be an historical review of
methods of making permanent metallic joints. It covers
.smith's welding, soldering, brazing, thermit welding, riveting,
blow-pipe autogenous welding, and electric welding. It might
have been made more definitely analytical with advantage.
The description of thermit welding is strangely inaccurate.
The result of filling the movh! with thermit mixture and
firing it there would not he satisfactory. It is not the method
practised. It would not be admitted liy the makers of ships,
boilers, and other riveted structures that the strength of
riveted work is subject to such rapid and great deterioration

as the author suggests. The statement is made that the
Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans attained considerable skill
in autogenous welding of soft metals with the blow-pipe.
Evidence for this statement would be very interesting. It
is not suggested that it is inaccurate.

The second chapter studies the properties of metals con-
sidered from the welding point of view. This is an exceedingly
necessary study for the understanding and development of
electric welding. It cannot be summarised in eight octavo
pages as here attempted, but one thinks that the attempt
might have had a better result with a little more care. There
is a table given of specific heats of metals, but no attempt to
show by an example how this property enters into the question
of the energy needed for welding. In fact, neither sjjecific
heat nor the unit in which the quahty is measured is explained.
The varial)le heat of fusion, equally important, is not even
mentioned. Heat conductivity and its consequences are very
slightly touched on, yet these are vital. The statement is
made that " the same power or intensity of heat is required
for welding copper of given dimensions as for steel, despite the
lower melting point of copper. " Power or intensity of heat "
is not an exact expression. If the author means the same
energy, the statement is wrong. A great deal more energy
is needed for copper, as certain cm'ves, &c., in other parts of
the book show. The equally vital subject of oxidation is
dealt with too loosely. The author .says (p. 23), " it is of
great importance that all the possible ways of neutraUsing
the oxide and cleansing the weld of its presence should be
known to the welder. Hence we shall investigate the more
common metallic oxides and describe their fundamental differ-
ences." Unfortunately the author does nothing of the kind.
Instead, thene are three short paragraphs classifying metallic
oxides in respect of (a) their weight, (b) theii- fusibility, rela-
tive to those of their parent metals, and (c) stating that some
oxides are soluble in the molten metal. But which oxides
and which metals show these characters, and the scales of
the differences, is left unsaid. The parts of this chapter dealing
with blow holes, their causes, itc, expansion and contraction,
and the mechanical qualities of welds are of a more useful
character.

There is quite a lot of information given about resistance
welding in Chapter IV, with numerous illustrations of resist-
ance welding machines. Also a description of the operations
of chain making and welding machines. The description of
the bending and link forming may be quite accurate, but it
is impossible to follow intelUgently in the absence of detailed
drawings of the machine parts, and, moreover, it has nothing
directly to do with welding. The space might have been better
used on other things. The curves (figs. 16-'30) indicating the
power and energy required for certain resistance welding
operations are useful, but some of them seem incomplete.
Fig. 18 seems to have a curve omitted, at least there is a
scale which does not apply to those included, and the legend
has a misprint. The curve does not go to 5 sq. in. of cross
section. It may be mentioned that from these curves equal
sections of copper and u'on appear to require about three
times as much power (kw.) for copper as for iron. How
this compares with the vague " power or intensity of heat "
above quoted is not certain, but it suggests wide inequality.
It always seems ungracious to pick out the faults in a
technical book where the author is trying to put his own
hard-earned experience at the service of his fellow craftsmen
— for a quite trilling remuneration — and the present reviewer
will not pursue this uncongenial line. It has only been done
so far to indicate that the book must not be taken as a short
and straight cut to the physics of electi-ic welding, nor as an
exact authority on the scientific matters involved.

There are one or two points in the more valuable part of
the work which one cannot pass over. The illustrations and
diagram of connections of welding generators are not accom-
panied by sufficient explanation of their action to be of much
value. They do not definitely state that these small steam
or petrol sets can only supply a single welder at once, and
why. Exactly what the author means on p. 8.5 by : " A
motor-generating welding set may not be continuously rated,
and gives far more pleasing operating conditions than a
steam or ix>trol set," has made the reviewer scratch his head
— metaphorically. Perhaps rather more has been done in the
design of transformers for arc welding than the author has
heard of. but he is hopeful for further improvement.

It is rather suggested than definitely stated in the bonk
that the arc welding of aluminium, copper, and some copiier
alloys is practicable, if not in common use. More light on
this very important subject would be welcome.

On p. 95. in two places and similar words the author state.i
that the " flux " coating of a metallic electrode can " be a
flux containing various constituents to give the desired
characteristics to the deposited metal and to supply to the
welded stock the elements which are liable to be eliminated
by the heat of 'the arc. The writer has concluded after a
great amount of research work that thTs system is the best
for commercial welding. . . ."

On p. 187 there is the following statement: "The author
ventures to state emphatically that no external covering of
the electrode, whether in the nature of a refractory liquid
flux, or a gaseous flux-forming substance, can in any way
influence the chemical or physical state of the weld apart
from protecting the metals in fusion from the surrounding
atmospheric gases."

Vol. 87. No. 2,249, dbcbmbbb 31, 1920.] IKE ELiDCTElCAJL KEVIEW.

861

This direct and unmistakable contradiction may well puzzle
the reader, nay, it may even puzzle the writer.

The reviewer ventures to think that the tirst statement has
the better support from practice.

There are some very good suggestions on the vexed questions
of tests of welds. Proper weight is laid on the value of
microscopic investigation, though no figures or descriptions
of good and bad structure are given (there is a figure of two
welds showing good and bad fusion, which is not the same
thing, and they are not magnified appreciably), or of the rela-
tion between working methods and such structures. Without
such examples and instructions from some one, it will be a
little difficult for the welder — as the author suggests — to
examine the test piece microscopically and recognise his
defects. The use of the microscope for the purpose is not a
recognised part of the welder's education. thout;li u would be
all to the good if it w-ere.

Tables and curves of cost and rate of cutting and welding
are given which are of considerable value, especially table 17,
which gives the actual cost to the customer of a number of
jobs illustrated in the book. Naturally they must be used
with a good deal of discretion for arriving at the probable cost
of even similar work. The illustrations of work actually done,
and those showing the methods of preparing work for welding,
with remarks as to good and le.ss good alternatives, are among
" the most valuable features of the book. This is where the
author draws on his experience to help his colleagues. The
li.st of papers and books on welding w-hich completes the text,
and the index to the illustrations are good points which entitle
the book to a place in the reference library of anyone in-
terested in the subject. — H. M. S.

.■1 Course in Electrical Engineering. Vol. I. Direct Currents.
By C. L. Dawes, S.B.. Assistant Professor of Electrical
Engineering. The Harvard Engineering School. Pp. 496+
xiv; 411 figs. The McGraw-Hill Book Co.. Inc.. London
and New York. Price '2.5s. net.

This book, the author states in his preface, is intended to
cover a preliminary course for students specialising in the
subject and to act as a stepping-stone to the study of more
advanced works: also to act as a suitable text book for students
speciali-sing in other branches of technology, and taking ele-
mentary electrical engineering as a subsidiary subject, and
for men taking industrial courses in electrical engineering,
such as are met with in evening classes.

The early chapters deal with general electrical principles,
and it is pleasing to .see the prominence nccorded to Kirchhoff's
second law, a valuable weapon for .solving problems con-
cerning the current distribution in networks, and one to
which due attention is seldom paid. The subject of electro-
statics also receives a fair share of attention.

A lengthy chapter is devoted to electrical measuring instru-
ments and their uses, and in this connection too little import-
ance seems to be attached to ammeters and voltmeters of
the moving iron type. Their rolmstness and low cost, com-
bined with an accuracy which is .sufficient for many pur-
poses, would seem to warrant a more detailed account. The
single example described dates from the very early days of
direct reading instruments, and is not at all typical of modern
designs.

Matters relating to the construction and operation of con-
tinuous current machines are described at length in a very
.satisfactory manner, many, important points which are often
dealt with .superficially being thoroughly investigated. The
final chapter gives a useful, though brief, account of the
u.sual arrangements for the transmission of power, and the
work concludes with a large number of useful examples both
of a descriptive and of a numerical nature.

The book is essentially one for students and. as such, is
quite one of the best we have .seen. It will .serve not only
as a manual in class and lecture rooms, but in the laboratory
as well, special attention being paid to methods of testing
in all branches of the subject. The book is well got up, and
the diagrams are numerous, well drawn, and useful.

The Rudimenis of Elrrirical Engineering. Bv Philip Ki:mp,
M.Sc. (Tech.), M.I.E.E. Pp. 2.55-1- viii ; 94 figs. London;
MacMillan & Co. Price 6s. net.

The author states in his preface that his book is written
for non-mathematical readers, and he hopes " that it will
serve to .spur on tho.se whose daily work lies in the midst of
electrical apparatus."

He starts with clearly written chapters on general prin-
ciples, power and energy, and magnetism. These should he
readily followed by almost anyone, and contain quite useful
elementary matter. Thereafter he deals. in nineteen chapters
with .subjects ranging from primary cells and bells to alternat-
ing currents and electricity supply. The reviewer is at a
loss to know how the space was adjudicated to the different
chapters as alternating currents are dealt with on eleven pages
w-hile six are devoted to bells. This hardlv gives a fair idea of
their relative importance, even to the artisan.

All, the descriptive chapters are only gossipy accounts of
apparatus, which is far more concisely and accurately dealt
with in almost any elementary electrical handbook.

There is practically no mention of such important and
interesting subjects as electric traction or the physiological
.effects of electricity. On the other hand, the all-conquering
kinema has a chapter to itself.

The reviewer noticed only one or two very slight arithme-
tical errors. These occurred in a table of current consump-
tions of lamps (p. 160), which in any case would have been
better omitted. It is entirely valueless to the reader if he
has gras[)ed the simple principle at all. There is a slight
grammatical error on p. 202.

The printing and reproduction of the figures are very good.
The figures themselves are mostly line diagrams of little value,
but a full page is very appropriately devoted to an illustra-
tion of a cooking stove.

The high qualifications and eminent position of the author
make it certain that there is a market for this class of book.
The reviewer, however, regrets to state that he cannot re-
commend it to anyone.

THE SOUTH WALES ELECTRICITY
DISTRICT.

A Local Conference.
A CONFERENCE was called by the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor
of Cardiff (Aid. .lames Taylor) on December 3rd, and was
held at the City Hall. Cardiff, on December 21st, to consider
the South Wales Electricity District which has been pro-
visionally determined by the Electricity Commissioners (see
p. 691 of our November oth issue), and" means of improving
the existing organisation for the supply of electricity therein.
The Lord Mayor formally welcomed the 130 odd delegates to
the conference, who represented company and municipal elec-
tricity .supply undertakings, local authorities, colheries. rail-
way and traction undertakings, and other large consumers
and interested parties, .\fter .suggesting that Mr. W. A.
Chamen. engineer and general manager of the South Wales
Electrical Power Distribution Co.. and chairman of the exist-
ing South Wales and Monmouthshire I^inking-up Committee,
should be elected to the chair, he read a letter from Mr. W.
Gaseoyne Dalziel. chairman of the South Wales Electrical
Power Distribution Co., expressing regret at the writer's
inability to attend the conference owing to absence from the
country, and setting out the principles of a co-operative scheme
which was being successfully worked by the Ti'eforest Elec-
trical Consumers Co., Ltd., which operated the South Wales
Electrical Power Di.stribution Co.'s undertaking, under statu-
tory authority, which he would have wi.shed to put before
the meeting, and which his company suggested would form
the be.st nucleus of a scheme for improving the supply of
electricity in the South Wales Electricity Di.strict.

Mr. W. A. Chamen, who was unanimously voted to the
chair, explained that the South Wales and Monmouthshire
Linking-up Committee, consisting of the engineers of the
principal statutory undertakings in the district, which came
into existence at the instance of the Board of Trade in
191S, had recently given considerable attention to the question
of the proper boundaries for the South Wales Electricity
District, and found no fault with the district as provisionally
determined by the Commissioners, except that perhaps the
two extreme eastern districts of Monmouth.shire might have
been included, though there were, perhaps, some grounds
for their inclusion in the Lower Severn District. The primary
factor in any scheme was finance, and, in the circumstances of
general financial depression and consequent clouded vision
which now obtained, it might be deemed unwise to plan
any scheme which might be warped owing to the distorted
conditions prevailing during its conception, and which might
not be at all the best scheme under the conditions which
might exist at the time it became an accomplished fact.
He doubted if the Conmiissioners would have fixed .\pril 30th.
1921, as the last date for the receipt of representations and
schemes if they had been issuing their notice in the circum-
stances which existed that day. and it might be desirable to
consider whether they .should not be asked to postpone that
date and the subsequent inquiry for a time.

Mr. .\rthur Ellis, who represented several local authorities
within the area and. particularly, the Monmouthshire County
Council, referred to the Act of 1919 as a Parliamenfciry
measure which must lie accepted as an existing fact and acted
upon, no matter whether it met with approval or not. He
suggested that the present Linking-up Committee, toge'ther
with any fresh members it might co-opt, should try and evolve
a scher&e. The Lower Severn Scheme would be accepted
by the Commissioners, regardless of any opposition, and a
good deal hinged upon the electric power station erected by
the Government at Beachley. which was acknowledged by
common consent to be a " white elephant." He objected on
principle to the kind of scheme outlined in Mr. Dalziel's letter,
because, apparently, local authorities would only be supplied
with power if they were shareholders in the co-operative
scheme and thev would have no authority in the management
of the 'concern." On behalf of the Monmouthshire County

862

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi. 87. No. 2,249, decembm 31, 1920.

Council, he strongly objected to the county being divided so
that part of it would be in the Lower Severn District and the
remainder in the South Wales District. The difficulty of
obtaining money would exist under the co-operative scheme
as under any jomt municipal or local authority's scheme. He
also referred to the legal difficulty about local authorities
investing money in companies.

The Ghairm.^n asked what alternative could be offered in
place of a co-operative arrangement, unless it were some
scheme secured on the rates, which must react primarily upon
the large industrial concerns as being the largest ratepayers.
Mr. W. .\ngus Scott (Tredegar Iron & Coal Co., and Messrs.
John Lysaght & Co.), speakmg on behalf of several large
industrial interests, said that from their point of view any
venture for raising capital upon the security of the rates would
be considered most objectionable. A scheme of his in York-
shire had increased, by linking together 1'2 installations of
mining plant, the available power by .50 per cent. He would
favour the consideration at an early date of such possibilities
in the South Wales District.

The Chairman, in reply to a question, explained that the
South Wales and Monmouthshire Linking-up Committee had
tabulated a great deal of information. The S. Wales Power
Company did not include the county of Carmarthen in
its area," but the S. Wales Electricity District would go far
beyond the limits of the power company's area. The power
company was the largest statutory undertaking in the area,
covering An area of over l.()()0 sq. miles, having some 150 miles
of transmission and distribution mains, and an output of
about 56 million units per annum. It would only form the
nucleus of a scheme, and must be taken into account just
as the Cardiff, Newport, and Swansea Corporation undertak-
ings must be taken into account. It would not, however, be
possible to attain in South Wales what was aimed at by the
Commissioners without linking together all the electricity
demands, including those supplied by private industrial under-
takings from their own plant; universal unification of the
whole of the generating plant and systems was the only means
of reaching the minimum cost of production, though, unfor-
tunately, such complete unification was not attainable in
present circumstances. He also impressed upon the Con
ference the fact that the aggregate capacity and output of the
private industrial plant in the S. Wales district far outweighed
the aggregate of all the other plant.

Mr. W. L. Madgen (Merthyr Electric Traction & Lighting
Co.) said the new Electricity Bill to be introduced in the next
session of Parliament (see pp. 802 and 844 of our December
34th and 31st issues) contained definite provision authorising
the investment of capital by local authorities. The only Lower
Severn " Scheme " so far before the Commissioners would
not be generally acceptable in South Wales. The principle
of ultimate co-ordination must surely be assumed.

Sir Walter, Nicholas (Rhondda Urban District Council)
pointed out that the Council he represented already had a
mutual and satisfactory arrangement of reciprocal supplies (ii.
connection with its refuse destructor) with the S. Wales Power
Co. The right note had been sounded by the chairman. A
sudden and serious financial change had come over the
country, and it was now necessary to " hasten " very slowly
indeed. The time was fast approaching when all sections
and classes of the community must close together in unison
to avoid threatened financial disaster. He suggested that a
representative committee be appointed to examine the whole
matter and present recommendations to a future conference.
It was accordinglv unanimously resolved : " That a comnaittee
be appointed to inquire fuUv into the whole position in the
South Wales District under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919
(and any supplementary Bills or Acts), and orders made
thereunder, and to report, to a future conference, with recom-
mendations if anv are found feasible."

The Chairman read the names of the members of the Execu-
tive Committee of the Linking-up Committee, as follows : Mr.
J. N. Bowman (Rhondda U.D.C.), Mr. J. W. Burr (Swansea
Corporation). Mr. W. A. Chamen (S. Wales Power Co.). Mr.
H HoUidav (Rhondda Tramways Co.), Mr. A. Nichols Moore
(Newport Corporation), Mr. C. G. Morley New (Cardifl Cor-
poration), Mr. J. E. Stewart (Llanelly Lighting, &c., Co.).
Mr. J. E. Tea.sdel (Pontypridd U.D.C.). Mr. G. H. Thomson
(Neath R.D.C.), Mr. Lewis W. Dixon (Merthyr Electric Trac-
tion & Lighting Co.), hon. secretary and treasurer.

It was then unanimously resolved : " That the Linkmg-up
Sub-Committee, with the inclu.sion of Mr. Arthur Elhs, be the
nucleus of the new South Wales Electricity District Com-
mittee," and : " That the nucleus committee be augmented
bv the addition of the following gentlemen, the committee
being empowered to co-opt any other person or persons whose
services it thinks it necessarv or desirable to enlist " : Sir
Walter Nicholas. Aid. J. Moxon. Aid. Col. A. Sinclair, and
Mr. L. Forestier Walker. M.P. (non-technical municipal repre-
sentatives) • Mr. G. T. Sibbering (railways) ; Sir J. Wyndhnm
Benvon. Sir L. W. Llewelyn. Messrs. E. M. Hann. W. Angus
Scott, and Beniamin Nicholas (large industrial undertakings).

It wns unanimously decided that a strong recommendatinn
he made to the Commi.s.sioners to postpone for six months the
date for receipt of objections and representations referring to
the district and the date of the subsequent inquiry. It was
left to the chairman of the conference (Mr. W. A. Charnen)
to convene the first meeting of the committee, the committee
being left to appoint its own chairman.

THE ELECTRICAL TRADES BENEVOLENT
INSTITUTION.

(Concluded from p. 8:%.)

FURTHER CONTRIBUTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE
ANNUAL FESTIVAL, 1920.

CHAIRMA.Ns LIST.

Atkins

on, Llewellyn

Ii

Photec

or Co. ...

Eck.

Justus ...

-Shirre

[■Hilton. C.

Smith

W. O. ...

Potter

W. J. ...

S.nai.

, H.

CowiP

J. R. ...

Spence

. J.

Robso

. R.

N.Tlder Bros. & Thoinpson,

l'. T. Henlev's Telcgmph
Works- Co., Ltd

Brooke-Hitching, Sir

Thomas 5 5

C

Edgecombe, J. E.

1 1

u

Spencer, P. J. ...

1 1

(1

Tegetmeier. C. G.

2 2

(1

Barrett. G. A. ...

2 2

(1

Rawlings, W\ R.

10 0

II

Crompton & Co.

5 0

0

Phillips, C. H. ...

1 0

0

MR. H. BEVIS'.S

COLLECTION

CARDIFF & DISTRICT LOCAL
ADVISORY CO.MMITTEE.

Chapo

W.

H.

Denning. VV. J.
Lawler. H.
Lew, Langheld G.
Hili, Sidney
Lake. Fred

MB. J. Y. FLETCHER'S
COLLECTION— (conf.).
G.E.C. Manchester Office £
Stiff. per Mr. F. G.
Qfance 2

Tha

strong, iM. F.

Black. A. S.

Holt, Val. F.
MR. R.

•■ Electrical Tim
Hughman, R. \
Round Table CI

Campbell
Wyld, \V.
Davy, A.
Couzens, H. W.

MR. C.

.\ettlefold & Sons
Asdell, J. H. ...
Raphael. F. C.
Child, J. S.
Elliott. J. \V. ...
Caine A. F. ...
Murphy, F.
Watson. \V.
Hiatt. Dr. C. E.
Rimmer. E. G.
Read, T. S.
Fletcher. W. H.
Clark, \V. B. .
Jones, S. G.

HOLT'S COLLECTION.
Ill

1 1 0
1 1 0
U lU b

1 1 (J

I I 0

1 1 U

1 « <J

1 1 0

1 1 «

1 1 0

0 10 b

1 I U

2 2 0
1 1 0

MR. S. D. WHITE'S COLLECTION.
Benjamin Electric Co. ... 10 10 0
Klaxon Co.. Lrd 3 3 0

MR. C. WILSON'S COLLECTION.

Fairclough. T. M., & Sons

Ltd

Strong, Allen i Co.. Ltd.

The total amount collected (up to December '34th) in con-
nection with the ."Annual Festival is £1.078 3s.

All persons who are or have been engaged in the electrical
trade in the United Kingdom as employers, managers,
teachers, iir on the engineering, designing, drawing, sjiles or
office staff, or in other similar capacities, are qualified to be
members. Only those who have been members for at least
five consecutive years are qualified to receive pensions.

The two main advantages of membership are : (a) Provision
for oneself in the event of distress through ill-health, or other
misfortune : seeing that there is now more than f lO.OOO in-
vested, a member (or a member's widow or dependents)
brought to such an unfortunate position is a.ssured of the
ability of the Institution to give adequate a-ssistance. (b) Help
for others; by becoming a member one assists towards giving
temporary financial assistance to many who either are not
qualified for pensions, or only require some financial assist-
ance to tide over difficulties.

Membership carries with it voting powers, to be exercised
when any application is made for a pension. The subscription
of members is 10s. per annum, or such larger amount as each
member is willing to give, and it may be paid in instalments.
The payment of £10 in one sum constitutes the giver a Life
Member, and of i'KK) a Life Governor.

Collecting btxiks are issued for the purpose of enabling
collectors to obtain votes as life subscribers or, if qualified,
to secure membership of the Institution. .\ny per.son collect-
ing in any year honorary contributions amounting to £10 10s.
is elicible to be a life subscriber of the Institution with one
vote for every £10 10s. so collected, without personal payment.

Copies of the rules of the Institution may be obtained free
of charge upon application at the offices nf the Institution,
and subs'-riptions and donations nve to be paid to the secretarv.
Mr. F. B. O. Hawes. IS and '21. Park Mansions, Vauxhall
Park, South Lambeth Road, London. S.W.

Commercial Travellers' Union.— The National Union

of Commercial Travellera is holding a mass meetine at the Central
Hall. Wentminpter, on .Tannary 8th. when the chair will be taken
by Mr. C, R. Mason, the obairman nf the UnioD. Amonp the
ppeakers are tn hfl the Right Hon. J. R. Clyneg, M.P., and Miss
Margaret Bondfield.

Vol.87. No. 2,219, dbcembeb 31, 1920. THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW.

863

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters received by us after 5 P.M. ON TUESDAY cannot appear witil
the following week. Correspondents should forward their commimi-
cations at the earliest possible momtni. No letter can be published
unless we have the writer's name and address in our possession,

A Generator Problem.

In reply to " Wu'eman's " letter, ixi yuur issue uf December
17th, 1 presume the generator field was connected through
a resistance to the 4«0-volt circuit. If so, has he tried the
voltage across the shunt held, while the machine was running
separately excited? If this voltage is less than that across
the generator terminals, the machine will run self-exciting,
provided the field connections and direction of rotation are
correct.

The probable reason for the generator refusing to build up
is that the shunt field was not correctly connected. Your
correspondent should, therefore, reverse the shunt leads, and
again try running the machine self-exciting. The polarity
of the generator is determined by the residual magnetism in
the iron, and will not be alt-ered by the change of connections.
If the machine builds up voltage, it will do so with the same
polarity as when running separately excited.

The compound winding is for the purpose of regulating the
voltage under varying loads. " Wireman " should satisfy
himself that the connections are correct. When the generator
is loaded and the series winding cut out or short-circuited, the
voltage across the machine terminals should be less than
when the set is sustaining the same load with the series wind-
ing in commission.

T. A. Robertson.

Glasgow.
December Ttlh. 1920.

I have read with interest the correspondence by " \Vii-e-
man," under this heading, and am of the opinion that the
generator in question is designed for separate excitation. In
many of these small sets, both for kinematograph and electric
welding purposes, it is customary to excite the generator
shunt field at the motor line voltage, the connections between
the two machines being left " open " to enable a shunt
regulator to be inserted, k comparison between the resist-
ances of the shunt circuits of the machines would reveal if this
were the case or not in the instance quoted.

C. A. Besley.
Cardiff.

German Competition in the Electrical Trades.

Your correspondent " W. H. M." overlooks the fact that
next to hard work on the part of the producer, it is quantitu
which cheapens the cost of all manufactures and so enables
the home buyer to have cheap goods, and. at the same time,
enables the manufacturer to compete successfully in the
world's markets.

Without a secured home market, free from dumped goods,
no manufacturer can successfully lay himself out for this
quantity production.

We wonder if " W. H. M.." when he meets the daily pro-
cessions of the unemployed, tells them not to " whine," but
to thank Heaven that the German goods in the shops they
pass in their weary march are helping Germany to pay her
war debts. But is " W. H. M." so simple as to think that
the wily Hun really intends to pay his war debts, whether
we trade with him or not? We have had several offers of
German electrical machinery, but we would not touch them
with the end of a barge (Xjle, and we should like to thank
you, if we may, for your splendid " Leader."

One of our latest, callers was an international Jew repre-
sentative of a German firm of motor manufacturers, his card
bearing an address at Rotterdam. The real address of the
firm is in Rhenish Prussia, and we believe they had no office
in Rotterdam before the war.

E. P. Allam & Co.
London. (E. P. .\llam).

December QAth, 19'20.

An Engineers' Club for London.

I once had an experience in connection with the formation
of a club in the Far East which may not be without interest
in this case. The premises for this club existed ; a special
committee appointed to go into the question reported unani-
mously in favour of a club, but nevertheless agreed that they
could find no way of guaranteeing its financial success, and
therefore were unable to recommend that the matter be
proceeded with, as a sufficient number of guarantors did not
appear to he forthcoming. The idea would, therefore, have
lap.sed. but a counter suggestion was mnde of placing the
premises at the disDo.<!al of one of the leadinc caterers in the
town at a nominal rental, and allowing him to charge at
schedule rates for meals, refreshments. &c. The catering firm
undertook to do this, and accented entire financial responsi-
bilitv. they themselves also undertaking to complete the fur-
nishing of the premises, supply periodicals, and give the
usual facilities.

The club was an immediate and unqualified success, both
financially and otherwise, being run economically on fijst-class
lines as a business proposition, without the comtmittee or the
members incurring any financial responsibility. .\ point of
importance was that the club subscription was very small
indeed, in fact merely nominal, in order that it might be used
very freely, but it should be stated that the membership
was confined to certain qualified persons who, because of
their interests, desired to meet socially in a club.

Ernest T. Williams.

London.
December 'JSrd, 19"20.

The Cost of Living in India.

\\ith reference to a letter in your issue of November 5th,
from " M.I.E.E.," making inquiries as to the cost of living
m India, I should be always glad to give members of the
I.E.E. all the information in my power on this subject, if
they will communicate with me. I should always be pleased
to give advice of any kind to any members proceeding to
India.

C. C. T. Eastgate,

Hon. Sec. I.E.E. for India.
Electrical Engineer's Office, Lahore.
December ith, 1920.

[We are greatly indebted to Mr. Eastgate for this offer, and
tender thanks to him on behalf of our readers. — Eds. Elec.
Rev.]

Shop Displays.

The letters apjpearing in your " Cbrrespondence " columns
under " Shop Displays," and written by " The Retailer " and
" Injured," must be interesting to a degree to hundreds of
electrical contractors throughout the country.

I likewise would welcome a real Union of Contractors, being
convinced from experience of the absolute uselessness of the
E.C..\. as at present constituted. Their various committees
all consist of the same men who do little or nothing to remedy
the all too numerous evils complained of by " Retailer " and
" Injured." It is in fact a non-representative body compar-
able but considerably inferior to the House of Lords.

I have been a member of the three Associations known as
the National Federated Electrical Association, of which E.G. A.
is a component part, and have given it what I consider a
very fair trial, and up to a certain period attended almost every
meeting to which I was called, and further taken some trouble
to raise my voice and bring to the notice of this body not
alone the matters referred to by your two writers but matters
even more vital to the interests of the contractor, but have
met with utter failure to impress them with the importance
of matters.

In one particular instance did they excel in muddling, viz..
the rights of electricity suppliers to charge for service mains,
and in consequence of this my firm were hopelessly misled, to-
gether with numerous clients. X so-called subsidy scheme is
put into force which the rank and file of the members, I
venture to suggest, never understood, and to my mind is an
imposition favourable only to a possible minority.

In conclusion. I should be w'illing to assist " Tlie RetaDer "
and possibly " Injured " to call a meeting to fully discuss
matters in general, and I am confident if it be properly adver-
tised a large hall will be necessary to accommodate those
interested.

I should add that I resigned from N.E.C.T.A. about two
months ago, and my resignation has been accepted.

May a real Union of Contractors be the result of our efforts
united in all its undertakings, and in the words of our
Prince, " pull together," which is quite impossible with the
present organisation.

For and on behalf of
Watson, Marsh & Co. (Hampstead), Ltd.

M. COHEX, Mananing Director.

London.

December QSrd, 1920.

I entirely agree with the letter of Mr. Marshall Carr in your
issue of December 24th, as to the necessary action of the
Electrical Contractors' Association, but when he assumes
that that action is not already taking place, and says that
it now remains for the E.C..\. to justify its existence or leave
it to him and his friends to start a new organisation, it be-
comes very evident that he is almost in entire ignorance as
to the activities of the E.C-.'V. and its trade association.
N.E.C.T.A., Ltd. Mr. Carr enumerates four chief points.
Taking these seriatim, the replies are as follows : —

1. Registration of Electrical Contractors.— K very strong
move was.made bv the E.C..\. in this direction immediately on
the conclusion of war. in addition to a preliminary move
during 1917. In 1919, the Board of Trade received a deputa-
tion on the matter, and expressed full sympathy, but re-
gretted that registration was at that time not possible. Further
action in the matter is already being vigorously developed by
the E.O.A.

2. Negotiations with Manufacturers and Wholesale Houses.
— Ttese have been in progress for years. Agreements in cer-

864

THE ELECTRICAL REVIEW. [Voi.87. No.2,249 dbcbmbbbsi 1920,

tain instances are already in existence, and others are still
under negotiation. Other very e/lective action is fully de-
scribed in the Editorial of the Electrical Contractor for Deceuj-
ber. 1920 (price 'id.).

'6. Appeal to Lucrs to dem' only with Registered Contractors.
— It will be obvious that this must wait until contractors are
registered.

4. The Association to combine in making a Dead Set against
Firms offering Trade Terms to all and sundry. — Mr. Carr will
tind this combination already exists in N.E.U.T.A., Ltd.. and
that Tery great progress has been and is being made.

It appears, therefore, that the Association which Mr. Carr
desires, and the action which he considers such an as.sociation
should take, are already in existence, and all that remains is
lor him and others like him to become acquainted with its
work, take up membership, and give all the assistance they
'''"^- H. J. Cash,

Past President E.C.A. and N.B.C.T.A., Ltd.

Westminster.
December 'Uth, 1920.

A Curious Phenomenon.

It seems likely from Mr. Hassall's letter that the gas
burners are sensitive to certain sounds, especially high notes,
the flame shortening and becoming more noisy when such
sounds occur in the neighbourhood. If this is the cause,
probably a bunch of keys shaken near the burners will produce
the same effect. Altering the air supply to the burners may
perhaps reduce it, but some burners are quite incurable. I
once had a small laboratory burner which could not be used,
because the flame invariably went quietly out if any high note
happened to be produced in the room.

T. H. Muras.

Ivondon.

I should be interested to know whether your correspondent
has actually tested the gas pressure referred to, and also
would advise him to wedge the hammers of the bells in
question, and then note whether there is an increase in gas
pres.sure. I think he will find that the above phenomenon
is due to sound waves, and not to any electrical conditions.
I shall be interested to know the result.

E. Rothwell.

Rochdale.
December l"th, 1920.

Information Wanted.

Can you or any of your readers recommend me some text-
book or technical articles dealing with the design of con-
tactors for motor starting for .\.c. and u.c. service'.'

Electricus.

NEW PATENTS APPLIED FOR, 1920.

(NOT YET PUBLISHED.)

13th. (.Switzer-

35,019. " Electric fuse-boards." R. W. Bill. December 13th.

35,026. " Electric ceiling-rose." S. E. Foster and 1 . Grocott. Dccetiibei
13th.

35,036. " Electrical connectors." W. J. Davis. December 13th.

35.047. "Automatic electric switch." C. Donovan. December 13lh.

35.066. " .Apparatus for measuring temperature of windings in electrica
machines, &c." Akt. Ges. Brown, Boveri et Tie. D
land. December 12th, 1919.)

35,084. " Electric-lamp sockets and switch devices." A. J. H. Gurney.
December 13th.

35,086. " Dynamo-electric machines." \V. B. Saycrs. December 13th.

35,109/10.—" Electric signalling-lamps." D. T. Tritseh. December 14th.

35.111. " Electric heaters." H. B. Butler and C. Joyner & Co. Decem-
ber 14th. ■ .

35.164. ."Sound amplifiers." VV. Lyons and J. M. Masterson. Decem-
ber 14th.'

35,175. "Safety fuses 'for electric circuits." E. .Antinoro. December 14th.

35,188. " Electric winch." J. Boost et Fils Soc. Anon. December 14th.
(Switzerland, March 1st, 1919.)

35,192. "Control ol high-frequency electrical oscillations." C. F. Elwell
and J. Mamlok. December 14th.

35,195. " Electrical motor starting systems." Metropolilan-Vickers Elec-
trical Co. December Uh. (U.S.. June 3rd.)

35.199. " Electric geysers." C. F. Peters. December 14th. (Gernianv,
May 7th.)

35,213. " Means lor jointing submarine electric cables." W. T. Henlev's
Telegraph Works Co. and E. E. Judge. December 14th.

35.225. " Thermionic valves." A. F. Sykes. December 14lh.

35,303. " Liquid, &c., electric controllers and/or starters (or electric
motors." A. West and A. West S; Co. Deceinber 15th.

35.308. " Process for feeding electric traction lines supplied wi.th direct
current." E. Sorelli. December 15th. (Italy. December 15th, 1919.)

35,316. " Telephone exchange systems." Western Electric Co. (Western
Electric Co.). December 15th.

35.319. " Manufacture of electrodes of large cross-section." Ges. fur
Teerverwertung. December 15th. (Germany, November 27th, 1919.1

35.323. " Spark plugs." Champion Ignition Co. December 15th. (U.S..
March 8th.)

35.324. " Spark-plug electrode." Champion Ignition Co. December 15th.
(U.S., August 14th.)

35.329. " Driving mechanism for hand-operated magneto generators." E.
A. Angold and A. H. Railing. December 15th.

35.336. " Wireless transmitting stations." H. J. Round. December 15th.

35.337. " .Aeriaf systems for wireless telegraphy and telephony." C. S.
Franklin. December 15th.

35.338. " Duplex telegraphy and telephony." Soc Francaisc Radio-Elec-
trique. December 15th. (France, January 16th.)

35,340. " Electric coupling devices." S. E. Smith. December 15th.

35,352. " Cord-grips for electrical apparatus." A. Kirk and R. C.
Milliken. December 15th.

35,360. " Galvanic battery containers." Sir C. S. Forbes & Lyto. Ltd.
December 15th.

35,364. " Long-distance transmission." A. M. Taylor. December 16lh.

35,378. " Dynamos for motor-cy.cles, &c." E. Halloweil. December 16lh.

35.380. " Arrangements for irxjicating position of apparatus or condiliuns
o( circuits at a distance." Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co.. j. R.
Beard, Electrical Improvements, Ltd., and A. E. Hudd. December lUth.

35.391. " Electric heaters." H. B. Butler and C. Jovner & Co. December
16lh.

35.392. " Electric heaters." E. W. N. May and Mav & Padmore. Decem-
ber 16th.

35,400. " Spherical spark-plugs." E. C. Kahn. December 16lh.

35,408. " Thermionic tubes or valves." A. A. C. Swinlon. December 16lh.

31,418. " Electric meters." Fabriques des Montres Zenith Successuer de
G. Favre-Jacol et Cie. December 16lh. (Switzerland, August 5h. 1915.)

35.420. " Plug and socket connections for electric cables." J. Mirrey and
.\. Reyrollc & Co. December 16th.

35.424. " Signalling devices." W. Jepson. December 16th.

35.436. " Electric accumulators." H. l.eitner. December 16lh.

35.438. "Safety controlling gear for eleetricillv-propelled vehicles." K.
Garrett & Sons and A. J. Serve. December 16th.

35.445. " Electricallv-wound clock." E. E. Graig. Decembe»- 16lh.

35.446. " Electric burglar and lire alarms." E. H. Bock. December I6th
35,458. " Electric stoppage, railway station. &c.. indicators." L. Fonlana.

V. F'ontana, and E. di Pietro December I6th.

35,464. " Thermionic valves for wireless telegraphy and lelephonj." T. E.
Goldup. B. Ho<lgson and L. G. Preston. December 16th.

35,469. " Supporting currents of different frequencies upon existing alter-
nating-current systems." A. M. Taylor. December 17th.

35,486. " Machines for popping barley by electrical methods." A. Crosslev.
December 17th.

35.498. " Electric lamps." C. E. P. Gabriel. December 17th.

35.510. " Insulation of electric cables." C. J. Beaver and E. A. Claremonl.
December 17th.

PUBLISHED SPECIFICATIONS.

The nurebcrfl in parentheies are thcwe under which the ipeeificationa will b«
printed and abridged, and all lubsequent proc«edingfl will be taken.

Co. (General

xsxe.

2,639. " Methods of and means for amplifying electrical variations "
British Thomson-Houston Co. (Gen.ral Electric Co.). February 22nd, 1916.
(154,232.)

19X9.

13,328. " Radio-signalling systems." British Thomson-
Electric Co.). May 27th, 1919. (154,247.)

16,125. " Methods o( and apparatus for manufacturing electric incandes-
cent lamps. British Thomson-Houston Co. (General Electric Co.). June 26lh.
1019. (154,258.)

18.411. " Dynamo-electric machinery." T. L. R. Cooper. July 24th. 1919.
(Cognate application 20.544..'19.) (154,271.)

20,193. " Motor, particularly applicable to railway signalling." ..\utomatic
Telephone Manufacturing Co. and A. E. Hudd. August 16lh. 1919. (Cognate
application 30,314/19.) (154,286.)

20,279. " Dynamo-electric machinery." Lo Thermo Patents. Ltd., and J.
W. Burleigh. August 18th, 1919. (154.290.)

20,426. " Direction communicating systems for guns, searchlights, range-
finders, torpedo tubes, and other apparatus." G. M. Ne\vbury and Evershed
& Vignoles. August 19th, 1919. (164,293.)

20,478. "'Device for securing electric cables and the like to walls and
other supports." G. H. Scholes and E. .\. Claremont. .August 20th. 1919.
(154,295.)

20.518. " Electric furnace for the continuous heating of rivets." A. Imbery.
August 21st, 1919. (154,300.)

20.548. " Electric signalling systems, especially applicable to combined tele-
graph and telephone systems." Western Electric Co. (Western Electric Co.).
August 21st. 1919. (154.303.)

20.612. " Memorandum Oeiices for use in connection viith telephones and
other purposes." J. M. Hattersley. August 22nd, 1919. (154,312.)

20,^28. " Telegraph printing systems." Automatic Telephone Manufactur-
ing Co.. H. H. Harrison, and S. K. Smith. August 22nd, 1919. (Cognate
application 25,369/19.) (154,313.)

20.855. " Hooks for electro-plating " O. Roeilel. September 4lh. 1918.
(132.244.)

21.334. " Electric storage batteries." E. R. Ro\s»on (Federal Storage Bat-
tery Co.). August 30th. 1919. (154,343.)

21.448. " Method and apparatus for detecting distant ships whereon dynamo-
electric machinery or the like is running." Q. C. A. Craufurd and L. O.
Doughtv-Wylie. September 1st, 1919. (154,347.)

21,497. " Method of varying the electric current passing through electro-
magnets or solenoids in automatic musical instruments or players causing
different degrees of loudness in the note played." H. R. .Kidner. September
2nd, 1919. (154.348.)

21,783. " Push-button controls of electric motor-starters." Igranic Electric
Co. and A. H. Mackley. September 4th. 1919. (154.360.)

22.039. "Thermionic devices." J. .Scott-Taggart. September 8th. 1919.
(154,364.)

23,118. " Electric condensers." F. G. Goldstonc and S. Brvdon. Septcm-
b<r 19lh, 1919. (154,386.)

23.586. " Electric fuses." F. A. Ross. September 25lh. 1919. (Patent of
addition not granted.) (154.390.)

38.006. " Electrically-operated diaphragm horns." W. P. 1 hompson
(L. Chollcl). November 12th. 1919. (14'i.432.)

29,414. " Electric furnaces." .\. M. Erichsen. November 25th, IMl'.l.
(154,444.)

30,494. "Thermo-electric couples." C. E. Foster. Decemb.r 5lh. 191!l.
(154.454.)

32,853. " Method for electrolysing a solution of nickel salt." C. Heberlein.
August 8th, 1919. (Divided application on 141,766.) (154.471.)

isao.

3.0011. " Telephonic transmission by high-frequency curr
Urillouin. January 31st, 1919. (138,610.)

4,991. " Magneto^vlectric machines." G M. Turner. Febri
(154,492.1

6.445. " Means in connection with carburettors (or electrically heating the
induction charge for internal<ombustion engines." R. H. Ames. March 3rd.
1920. (154.499.) . .. ^ ,,,

7.503. " Electric controlling switches." P. H. Pudumjee. March 12th.
1920. (154,503.)

12 146 " Electric valves or safety device* for the discharge of excess poten-
tials'." G. Giles. .May 1st. 1920. '(154.509.)

14,604. " Short-circuit terminals for the magncto-ignition apparatus of
internal-combustion engines." Scintilla. May 28th. 1919. (143.910.)

16.457. " Brush-gear for dynamo-electric machines." J. Stone & Co. Feb-
ruary 16th, 1917. (145,429.) , „, ,^ ,„,„

17;i32. " Electric current interrupters." C. E. Bennett. June 24th, 1919.
(146.279.)

18,018. " Electrical switch operated by a current of air." F. Krupp Akt.
Ges. December 27th, 1918. a45,730.) ,

18 726 " Means for connecting together sets of electrical conductors. M.
A Whitehead and J. M. Whilefield. Julv 5th, 1920. (154,518.)

L. N.
19lh. 1920.

TK The Electrical review

V.87

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