The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-06-21 00:00:00

ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

The report •Iff the 5;707-mmittee of the Home of
Commons on Electric Eighth,
follows : g has been issued and is as

The general nature of the electric light has been
well explained in the evidence of Professor Tyndall,
Sir William Thomson, Dr. Siemens, Dr. Hopkinson,
, and others. It is an evolution of scientific discovery
which has been in active progress during the whole of
this century. Essentially the electric light is produced by
the transformation of energy either through chemical or
mechanical means. The energy may be derived from a
natural force, as for instance, a waterfall, or through
combustion of a material in the cells of a voltaic
battery, or of fuel in a furnace. The energy being
converted into an electric current, may be used to
manifest electric light by passing between carbon
points, or by rendering incandescent solid bodies,
such as iridium. A remarkable feature of the electric
light is, that it produces a tranformation of energy
in a singularly complete manner. Thus the energy
of one-horse power may be converted into gaslight,
and yields a luminosity equal to 12-candle power.
But the same amount of energy • transf )rmed
into electric light produces 1,600-candle power.
It is not therefore surprising that while many practi-
cal witnesses see serious difficulties in the speedy
adaptation of the electric light to useful purposes of
illumination, the scientific witnesses see in this eco-
nomy of force the means of great industrial develop.
ment, and believe that in the future it is destined to
take a leading part in public and private illumination.
There is one point on which all witnesses concurred,
that its use would produce little of that vitiated air
which is largely formed by the products of combustion
of ordinary illuminants.

Scientific witnesses also considered that in the future
the electric current might be extensively used to
transmit power as well as light to considerable dis-
tances, so that the power applied to mechanical pur-
poses during the day might be made available for light
during the night. The co.mmittee only mention these
opinions as showing the importance of allowing full
development to a practical application of electricity,
which is believed by competent witnesses to have
future important bearings on industry.
So far as the practical application of the electric
light has already gone, there seems to be no reason to
doubt that it has established itself for lighthouse
illumination, and is fitted to illumine large symmetrical
places, such as squares, public halls, railway stations,
and workshops. It is used in Paris for lighting shops
which require a light by which different colours may
be distinguished, and has recently been used in England
for the same purpose with satisfactory results. Many
trials have been made for street illumination with
greater or less success.
Compared with gas, the economy for equal illumina-
tion does not yet appear to be conclusively established.
Although in some cases the relative economy for equal
candle power is on the side of the electric light, yet,
in other cases, gas illumination of equal intensity has
the advantage. Unquestionably, the electric light has
not made that progress which would enable it in its
present condition to enter into general competition
with gas for the ordinary purposes of domestic supply.
In large establishments the motors necessary to pro-
duce the electric light may be readily provided, but,
so far as we have received evidence, no system of cen-
tral origin and distribution suitable to houses of
moderate size has hitherto been established.
In considering how far the Legislature should inter-
vene in the present condition of electric lighting, the
committee would observe, generally, that in a system
which is developing with remarkable rapiiity, it would
be lamentable if there were any legislative restrictions
calculated to interfere with that development. The
committee, however, are not in a position to make
recommendations for conditions which nay hereafter
arise, but at present do not exist, as to the distribution
of electric currents for lighting private houses from a
central source of power. No legislative powers are re-
quired to enable large establishments, such as theatre!,
halls, or workshops, to generate electricity for their
own use.

If corporations and ether local authorities have not
power under existing statutes to take up streets and
lay wires for street lighting and other public uses of
the electric light, your committee think that ample
power should be given them for this purpose. There
seems to be some conflict of evidence as to whether
the existing powers are sufficient or not. But even in
regard to local authorities it would be necessary to im-
pose restrictions upon placing the wires too near the
telegraph wires used by the Post Office, as the trans-
mitting power of the latter would be injuriously
affected by the too close proximity of the powerful
electric currents needed for producing light.
G 943 companies, in the opinion of the committee have
no special claim to be considered as the future distri-
butors of electric light. They possess no monopoly of
lighting public streets or private houses beyond that
which is given to them by their power of laying pipes
in streets. Electric light committed to their care
might have a slow development. Besides, though gas
companies are likely to benefit by the supply of gas to
gas engines which are well suited as machines for pro-
ducing electric light, the general processes of gas
manufacture and supply are quite unlike those needed
for the production of electricity as a motor or illu-
minant.

The committee, however, do not consider that the
time has yet arrived to give general powers to private
electric companies to break up the streets, unless by
consent of the local authorities. It is, however, desir-
able that local authorities should have power to give
facilities to companies or private individuals to conduct
experiments. When the progress of invention brings a
demand for facilities to transmit electricity as a source
of power and light from a common cent, e for manu-
facturing and domestic purposes, then, no doubt,
the public must receive compensating advantages for a
monopoly of the use of the streets. As the time for this
has not arrived, the committe; do not enter into this
subject further in detail than to say that in such a case
it might be expedient to give to the municipal autho-
rity a preference during a limited period to control the
distribution and used the electricjight, and failing their
acceptance of such a preference, thht any monopoly given
to a private company should be restricted to the short
period required to remunerate them for the undertaking,
with a reversionary right in the municipal authority to
purchase the plant and machinery on easy terms.
But at the present time the committee do not consider
that any further specific recommendation is necessary
than that the local authorities should have full powers
to use the electric light for purposes of public illumi-
nation, and that the Legislature should show its wil-
lingness, when the demand arises, to give all reasonable
powers for the full development of electricity as a
source of power and light.