The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-30
LIGHT FOR LONDON.


light IN actual use III ScNerAl places. bul Wnen
the report came that Mr.. Edison had succeeded
in dividing the new light and making it more
available for ordinary street lighting pur-
poses. public interest started into a genuine
blaze and gas shures tumbled. The
newspapers are full Of the now subject.
and this morning nearly every one of the lend
ing London papers gives II an editorial. Among
the new companies registered last week were
three which propose 10 devote themselves to
electric lighting. One has among its promoters
Baron Emile Eramgcr. Sir Philip Rose. and Sir
Leonard lawson. and has u share capital OF
s50O000 Another has also q share capital OF
$500 600; and a third. $4,000.
The Metropolitan Board Of Works yesterday
took important action in the matter. and de-
cided TO give the electric light an immediate
trial The Victoria Embankment il to be light
ed with the new light throughout its entire
length OF about a mile and quarter, and the
trn Ia to continue three months. II was Mt first
objected by some that the matter was not suf-
Recently developed ms yet. and that 1t would be
wise to await the progress Of events for little
time. To this II was replied that II they waited
upon others the new light might never come.
and that London might ms well be in the van in
30 important n matter. The proposition was ut
length adopted unanimously. Everything
seems to point to the probability OF success. and
the Times this morning intimates that the
days Of lighting by gas are about as good as
numbered. and that we nre about to have bet
ter and purer light. Gas shares have long been
among those securities which huctunte very
little II ut ALL but in the first three days OF last
week they fell on an average fully twelve per
cent.
The dark age" Of London was previous to
l7i6. Up 10 that time there were no street lights
at all. except those carried by the night watch
men or police. About that time IN enactment
was made which required every householder.
under penalty Of one shilling for each cnsc OF
neglect. TO hang light before his door from
10 IL p. NJ. on moonless nights. There
was TO be cotton wicI. enough to last
empowered 10 erect and maintain street
lamps at public, expense. This was
great stcp forward, and London soon was re-
puted to be the best lighted capital in all Europe;
In the early part OF the present century. coal
gas began to be used for illuminating purposes,
use. Tho. Chartered Gas Company was
started with a capital Of sl000.o9o. The
OF the present gas companies-is an out;
growth Of the old Chartered Company and
city Of London Gas Company also took the
field. This WINS assigned the same territory as
the ether company. namely, London. West;
competition Mt once begun. In 1921. the I'm
psrinl Company entered tho field aud at first
was assigned Il distinct territory beyond that Of
sive rights In that territory, This privilege.
however. was very soon withdrawn. aud the
whole Metropolis again thrown open 10 ALL
A gas war now ensued. Companies multi
piled rapidly. and each struggled hard for the
up without mercy by rival companies. and rs
many as twelve gas mains were laid In single
street. The public got shenp gas. but the waste
SsSS''GSiSa sr.gra% CIV 5G'sf fo9 dom
them T pSrmssion to divide The a." territory
upon which they were working. but they were
Unsuccessful, In the same year, however. four
companies-the City. Of London. South Metro.
rolltan, PhTniX. and Surrey. Consumers did
divide their territory and without an act a. all;
TO work only in the allotted territory. Compe-
tition ceased, hutthe price ofcns NJ once wentup
from flourish llings 10 four hilinCs and slxpence
Der .pul cubic feet Some time previous; when
the Surrey Consumers came into the field, the
price ~ gaa had suddenly dropped from Gs. to
MES MISC divided their territory by mutual con
sent. and this was also followed by an increase
in the price OF gas. The lighting OF the streets
eompctiiion was going on the Lighting was LEI
proposals for the lighting of It's streets. and
instead OF several bid as had been
only one, and that at an Increased rate ate
Further legislation now became necessary.
The division OF territory r"ceived the
put under restraint as TO the prices charged
Tor gas; Doubtless 1t was well that their
and though the London gas companies are to
some extent grevous monopolies. and though
the price Of gas is here higher than in most
other large towns 81 the kingdom yet there has
been n steady reduction. aud the price IL now
lower than ever before.
Thore has rs yet been no reduction by reason
OF the progress OF electric lighting. II may be
relied upon. however, that the gas companies
Will leave no stone nnturned 10 emhnrrass the
progress Of the new light. Nearly all towns Of
the United Kingdom are supplied with gas by
private companies with, chartered rights. A
few, however, have bought up their gas COM
panies rights. and. now furnish their
| own gns. Among these nrc Manchester
Shenield. NOTTINGHAM. Leeds. and Rochdae. In
1884. the people Of Lreds paid four billings
and sxpence per 900 feet for gas. Eight
years ago the property Of the. gas companies
was bought up 10y the town. and at present the
cost is but two shillings and sixpence per |. 900
cubic beet. and within the present week the
Town Council of that place has decided further
| 70 reduce the price 10 two shllings and two
pence-nbou, "a cents-per 1000 feet As the
law at present stands. no gas company may de;
clare dividend above ten per cent. on old
stock and seven per cent on new stock
Above half dozen companies supply London
w sd s ga oo6 Hnq b heF aSgregat9 s9pa Is above
| charge 80. %. per 600 feet TO consumers. and
the South Metropolitan only 81. Those are tho
| charge per 900 feet in London Il about o.. Cd.
| ~ cents. for l6-randle gas. II Is estimated
! tlHt III Tue entire Kingdom not TAT from 5000
| OOOOOO IL invested in gas shares. | mention
| this 10 show how great an amount OF wealth
stands In danger OF depreciation by the success
OF the electric light. Its complete success would
| be q great calamity 10 the holders OF such
| stocks.
| But few weeks ago some Of the gas com "a e
| MES were confidently asserting that their shares
were In no danger. and elaborate calculations
| were made to show that the new light must cost
at least two or three times as much ms gas. Tn.
fortunately for them. they based their figures
| very largely upon an experiment which Is con-
fessedly one OF the most costly of the kind that
! Of the Avenue de POpcrA In Paris. The electric
| light. however. is in usN in many places in
| France. whore the cost hns proven e. Dee lee :
than that OF gas But IN England the COS. II
gas is very much lower than In France. aud the
| contest must proceed on very different To- 81 is.
| In the event OF the supersedure Of ~ for ordi-
| nary lighting purposes. new uses may possibly
| be found for II. or increased use for purposes
| where now used only in limited degree Gas
| stoves for heating and cooking havr now con-
! siderable use hero. and faw needed improve
| ments in gas stoves might make their use quite
| general, This is n possible future for gas.
The electric light II now IN successful use in
several places in iondon. Mr., John Holdings
! head the lessee Of the Gayety Theatre was the
pioneer. For some months the new light has
| bcamcd upon the Strand from the front Of tho
! Ghyety Theatre. md the two rows Of gas lamps
| give but sickly yellow light in comparison.
The two electric lights there geRm like two
comets, and attract crowds Of people 20 see the