The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-09-25 00:00:00

ELECTRIC. LIGHTING.

The Boston Herald gives the following account of an Ame-
rican experiment made on September 2 :

"A novel exhibition of powerful electric lights was
made last evening in the vicinity of the Sea Foam-
house, Nantasket Beach, and the display was wit-
nessed by quite a crowd of interested spectators. The
Northern Electric Light Company have erected three
'wooden towers, each 100 ft. high, and mounted upon
each of these a circular row of 12 electric lights of
the Weston patent, each light being estimated at
2,500-candle power. As these towers are but 500 ft.
apart and in a triangle, it will be seen that the light
of 90,000 candles was concentrated within a limited
territory. The design of the exhibition was to afford
a model of the plan contemplated for lighting cities
from overhead in vast areas, the estimate being that
four towers to a square mile of area, each mounting
lights aggregating 90,000-candle power, will suffice to
flood the territory about with a light almost equal to
midday. Last evening a motive power of 36 horses
was used in generating the electricity from three
Weston machines, and the lights, with one single slight
flicker, burned steadily and brilliantly all the evening.
It is difficult to say whether the experiment proved any-
thing or not. The light \vas sufficiently brilliant to allow
two base-ball nines to play in the centre of the field
lighted a game of nine innings, with a score of 16 to 16,
but, on account of the uncertain light (resembling that
of the moon at its full), the batting was weak and the
pitchers were poorly supported. A trip on the Nant-
asket Beach road to Point Allerton, about a mile from
the lights, showed that the rays Were diseernible even
at that distance, though the intervening territory was
but little affected beyond an eighth of a mile circuit.
The lights appeared to illuminate a larger area on the
waterside than on the land, the Sea View-house and
its surrounding buildings affording a reflecting surface
which largely increased the brilliancy of the display.
The claim put forward by the company is for an
original plan of lighting cities and towns by grouping
and elevating electric lights of any kind."

THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF
COMMONS ON FARMING.

For several years past it has been the custom for
the Speaker to preside at Glynd4 Harvest-home and
to deliver an address on the occassion. At the annual
gathering on Saturday, in responding to the toast of
his health, Mr. Brand said he had been a farmer for
about 30 years, and had always watched with keen
interest the harvest of each year. As regards
weather the harvest of 1880 was one of the best he
could remeir her, and he thought he could confidently
say that the harvest of the previous year was one of the
worst in living memory. He had with him a return of
, the rainfall, sunshine, and number of rainy days, month,
by month, from January to September for he years
1870-1880. The figures therein contained wouldtestt he
truth of his statements, and they were in many
respects very interesting. During August, 1879, there
was a rainfall of nearly six inches, Chile during last
month the quantity registered was less than an inch.
The average rainfall of the district was rather more
than two inches per month, and therefore thb disas-
trous consequences of the increased depth of rain could
easily be understood. The rieneficial effects of an
_ August like that just past could also readily be aprre-
ciated. He feared that the disastrous season of 1819
had proved a very sore trial to many persons engaged
in the cultivation of land, both owners and occupiers.
It was, • ;however, satisfactory to . know that,
while these had suffered very severe trials, the la-
bourers, the class engaged in the actual cultivation of
, the land, had suffered no diminution in their wages, and
had enjoyed the advantages of supplies of food from
all parts of the world at the cheapest rates. There
were those who thought the Eng,,lish farmer could not
compete successfully in food production with the
farmer of the Western World. He had no Misgivings
on that score, provided we were blessed with average
seasons. He admitted that it was impossible to farm
at a profit with such a season as that of 1879, but the
season just past gave sure hopes of better days, and
he trusted all those present would enjoy good health
to share the prosperity of the future.