The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-10-12 00:00:00

ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

Upon the subject of Electric Lighting, which at the present
time is attracting considerable attenti9n, The Times has pub-
lished the following letters :

Sir,—The subject of lighting by means of electricity
being one that is now occupying much attention I trust
will excuse my requesting the insertion of the follow-
ing observations.
Much has been written about this mode of lighting
and views have been expressed that would show either
ignorance or a mistaken idea of the rapid strides that
have been made in Paris towards perfecting this
admirable mode of illumination.

When lately in Paris, 1 had the opportunity of ex-
amining the method adopted, and of receiving every
information in connection with it. As an engineer, and
having had some experience in lighting towns with
gas, I felt an additional interest in my inquiries.
There are now many large establishments in Paris
where electricity is employed as the means of lighting,
but the more important example of its use is at the
Place de l'Opera, the Avenue de l'Opera, and the Place
du Thdiltre Francais—the three forming one continu-
ous thoroughfare. There are here 46 electric lamps
taking the place of 400 gasburners. The illumination
is most effective, the light is pleasant and agreeable
to the eye, and is so distributed that the street is
equally illuminated with a soft, though brilliant light.
At the Magasins du Louvre the light is equally satis-
factory, and 16 electric lamps have been substituted
for 200 gasburners. It is also employed at the Hotel
du Louvre, the Hotel Continental, and many other
places, and at the latter hotel it forms part of the light-
ing of the drawing room. As a lighting medium the
success is undoubted.

Now, as regards the cost. At establishments such
as hotels it is difficult to arrive at the exact amount,
as the electric machine would probably be worked
from a steam engine on the premises, and attended to
by a man employed on other work; but the Societ6
Generals, that conducts the lighting of the Avenue de
l'Opera, gave me the detail coat, which I find amounts
to 6.25 pence per lamp per hour. This does not in-
clude interest on capital or repairs. I was informed
that the actual price paid by the Municipality was
138 pence per lamp per hour.
The nominal value claimed for the illuminating
power of each of these electric lights is that of 100 gas
burners, each consuming 140 litres, or five cubic feet of
gas per hour. Practically, however, a much lower
value must be taken for lighting streets and open
spaces, otherwise the lighting would be very unequal.
To compare the cost with gas on the basin of this
illuminating power would not give a correct practical
result; but let us take a street as an example, such as
Sloane-street in London, which in a recent report is
said to cost 25. 1.0. per hour to light with gas. '1 here
are 42 lamps, and if for these we substitute eight
electric lights the cost would be 4s. 2d. per hour, or
adding interest on capital and maintenance, about ss.
per hour. At the price paid by the raris municipality
the cost would be Os. 2d. per hour. The street, I need
hardly say, would be better lighted than at present.
From this it appears clear that the cost of electric
lighting is greater than by the present mode of gas,
but improvements are being made which will diminish
this cost, especially that of the burner, if it may be so
termed, which is now the principal item of expense.
As electricity cannot be employed for ordinary domestic
use as is gas, and it is too expensive for street illumi-
nation, except in speeial cases, there is no present
danger of its affecting to any serious extent the kite
rests of gas companies. What may be the results of
further experience and of scientific research it is impos•
ible to foretell, but that electric lighting will pass away
with the Paris Exhibition, as has been stated, no one
can seriously suppose. The fact is already established
that the light can and is made pleasant to the eye,
and as a means of illumination is practically easy of
execution. For special situations where effective il-
lumination is requisite it is eminently adapted, and for
large establishments, workshops, railway stations, and
such like places, it is not only well-suited, but could
with advantage be adopted. One important element
the electric light possesses is its purity; it gives off no
smell, nor does it heat or contaminate the air, and with
this light colours appear in their true tints. Lighting
and extinguishing are instantanenus, and the risk of
fire or explosion is done away with. I trust our public
bodies will not be behind similar institutions abroad,
but will give their attention to this interesting and im-
portant subject.—l remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
JOHN BLOUNT, M.I.C.E,
114, Albany-street, Piccadilly, Oct. 1.

Sir.—ln your article of this day you refer to the
electric light for illuminating purposes and to the diffi-
culty of using-it for household purposes. I have just
been informed by the American Commissioners that
Edison, the inventor of the phonograph, has succeeded
in dividing the electric light, so as to apply it to the
existing gas fixtures at a considerable reduction in
price. Patents are now being applied for.—Yours
truly, S. R. TISRBAULT,

Paris, October 5.

The following description of Mr. Edison's alleged
invention is taken from the New York Sun :
"Mr. Edison says that he has discovered how to make
electricity a cheap and practicable substitute for illuminating
gas. Many scientific men have worked assiduously in that
direction, but with little success. A powerful electric light
was the result of these experiments, but the problem of its
division into many small lights was a puzzler. Gramme,
Siemens, Brush, Wallace, and others produced at mat ten
lights from a single machine, but a single one of them was
found to be impracticalale for lighting aught save large
foundries, mills, and workshops. It has been reserved for
Mr. Edison to solve the difficult problem desired. This, he
says, he has none within a few days. His experience with
the telephone, however, has taught him to be cautious, and
he is exerting himself to protect the new scientific marvel,
which, he says, will make the use of gas for illumination a
thing of the past.
"While on a visit to William Wallace, the electrical ma-
chine manufacturer in Ansonia, Connecticut, he was shown
the lately perfected dynamo-electric machine for transmit-
ting power by electricity. When power is applied to this
machine it will not only reproduce it, but will turn it into
light. Although said by Edison to be more powerful than
any other machine of the kind known, it will divide
the light of the electricity produced into but ten
separate lights. These being equal in power to 4,000
candles, their impracticability for general purposes is ap-
parent. Each of these lights is in a substantial metal
frame, capable of holding in a horizontal position two car-
bon plates, each 121 n. long, 2iin. wide, and lin. thick. The
upper and lower parts of the frame are insulated from each
other, and one of the conducting wises is connected with
each carbon. In the centre, and above the upper carbon,
is an electro-maguet in the circuit, with an armature, by
means of which the upper carbon is separated from the
lower as far as desired. Wires from the source of electricity
are placed in the binding posts. The carbon being together,
the circuit is closed, the electro-magnet acts, raising and
lowering the upper carbon enongh to give a bright light.
The light moves towards the opposite end from which it
starts, then changes and goes back, always moving towards
the place where the carbons are nearest together. If from
any cause the light goes out, the circuit is broken, and the
electric magnet ceases to act. Instantly the upper magnet
falls, the circuit is closed, it relights, and separates the
carbon again.
"Edison on returning home after his visit to Ansonia
studied and experimented with electric lights. On Friday
last his efforts were crowned with success, and the project
that has filled the minds of many scientific men for years
was developed.
" • I have it now I' he said, on Saturday, while vigorously
turning the handle of a Ritchie inductive colt in his labora-
tory at Menlo-park, 'and, singularly enough, I have obtained
it through an entirely different process than that from which
scientific men have ever sought to secure it. They have all
been working in the same groove, and when it is known how
I have accomplished my object, everybody will wonder why
they have never thought of it—it is so simple. When ten
lights have been produced by a single electric machine, it
has been thought to be a great triumph of scientific skill.
With the process I have just discovered I can produce 1,000
—ay, 10,000—from one machine. Indeed, the number may
be said to be infinite. When the brilliancy and cheap-
ness of the lights are made known to the public—which
will be in a few weeks, or just as soon as I can
thoroughly protect the process—illumination by carbu-
retted hydrogen gas will he discarded. With 15 or 20
of these dynamo-electric machines recently perfected by
Mr. Wallace I can light the entire lower part of
New York City, using a 500-horse power engine. I purpose
to establish one of these light centres in Nassau-street,
whence wires can be run up town as far as the Cooper
Institute, down to the Battery, and across to both rivers.
These wires must be insulated, and laid in the ground in the
same manner as gas-pipes. I also propose to utilize the gas
burners and chandelTrs now in use. In each house I can
place a light meter, whence these wires will pass through
the house, tapping small metallic contrivances that may be
placed over each burner. Then housekeepers may turn off
their gas and send the meters back to the companies whence
they came. Whenever it is desired to light a jet it will only
be necessary to touch a little spring near it. No matches
are required.
" ' Again, the same wire that brings the light to you, Mr.
Edison continued, will also bring power and heat. With
the power you can run an elevator, a sewing machine, or
any other mechanical contrivance that requires a motor,
and by means of the heat you may cook your food. To
utilise the heat, it will only be necessary to have tne ovens
or stoves properly arranged for its reception. This can be
done at trifling coat. Tne dynamo-electric machine, called
a telemaohon, and which has already Sten described, may
be run by water or steam power at a distance. When used
in a large city the machine would of necessity be run by
steam power. I have computed the relative coat of the
light, power, and heat generated by the electricity trans-
mitted to the telemachon to be but a fraction of the cost
where obtained in the ordinary way. By a battery or steam-
power it is 48 times cheaper, and by water-power probably
95 per cent. cheaper.'

"It has been computed that by Edison's process the IMMO
amount of light that is given by 1,000 cubic feet of the car-
buretted hydrogen gas now used in this way, and for
which from 2 dole. 50 cents to 3 dols. is paid, may be obtained
for from 12 to 15 cents. Edison will boon give a public
exhibition of his new invention."

At the half•yearly meeting of the South Metropolitan Gas
Light and Coke Company, held in London on Monday, Mr.
So GoKARI socrotary aug nem% isi4 SIAS

he did not believe that the new mode of pnblic light-
ing would ma,terially affect their property. For his part he
'would very much like to see the electric light improved and
made available for lighting large open spaces, and then. the
public would not be Satisfied with the same modicum of
light in the small side streets—they would require much
more gas. Even if the light were introduced and be-
came general he believed it would not affect their receipts
by more than from 7 to 10 per cent.—that would be about
the proportion of their supply to the public lights. The
electric was not a tit light to be in use in all streets. What
was wanted was a light not so much concentrated, but one
more diffused. What was in the minds of some was to
have very brilliant centres of light at long intervals, but
it must be remembered that the greater the distances
the greater mast be the intensity in the proportion of
ten to one. There was no doubt that more light was
wanted in our streets. He regarded the extraordinary
intensity of the electric light as insuperable, and in screening
it there would be awaste of something like 90 or 95 per cent.
of its brilliancy. Another error in connection with the
electric light was the supposition that it could be produced
on almost next to • nothing, but it required an enormous
amount of power. Mr. Hobson referred to the succesful
lighting of the Place d'Opera in Finis by means of 46 lights,
which, he said, required an engine of 20-horse power to
maintain.

The Standard of Wednesday (in a leader) observes that
Mr. Edison, the inventor of the telephone and a host of
other things, is now said to have crowned his multifarious
achievements by discovering a method whereby the electric
light, instead of being concentrated in a few dazzling foci,
can be sub-divided into almost any number of lights. This
has been the great desideratum in the art of electric illu-
mination. The importance to be attached to the startling
information is shown by the serious fall in gas shares which
took place on Tuesday. The present panic comes at a singular
juncture. The Metropolitan Gas Companies have just been
holding their half-yearly meetings, and at each of these gather-
ings the subject of the electric light has been discussed. The
directors have in all instances given the same answer—that,
however useful the electric light might prove for illumina-
tions on a large scale, there was no likelihood that it would
ever compete with gas for the multitudinous purposes in
which only a moderate amount of light was required. But if
the Edison light makes anything like a practical approach to
what is said of it, the gas companies have a perfect Goliath
to do battle with. it would not be altogether pleasant
to wake some morning to find that twelve millions of capital
expended in the works necessary for supplying London with
gas were rendered almost valueless. Probably this will not
be the case. Gas has not ruined the oil trade. Railways
have not reduced the value of horses. When Mr. Edison
brings the telemachon into the field, with all his subter-
ranean cables and electric batteries, it will perhaps be found
that there is room enough in this wide world both for elec-
tricity and gas.

PARADOXICAL PLANETS.
The Sun gives Venus very much less light
Than Mercury, yet she shines as much more bright.
Why does the darker Planet look the lighter;
The less illumined shine by far the brighter
The reason is, Astronomers declare,
Her atmosphere is dense, and his is rare.
He bath no clouds, and probably no water.
Both has the bright Orb named from Ocean's Daughter.
Vapour, indeed, the face of Venus shrouds;
But there's a silver lining to her clouds,
The side of them that's turned towards the Sun.
Of course as silver shines, so shines that one.
To Womankind it is an old objection
That they are Man's inferiors in reflection.
But Venus a superior power displays
To Mercury's, of reflecting solar rays.
There's reason—din it into Men's dull ears
In proof of Woman's wit, Strong-Minded Deare.
—Punch.