, 1879-07-09
ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

ELEOINlC "LlUIlVlNG.
a Parliamentary Report on It's EucccSs and
It's utn In tho Euturp.
.. Lorttson Ttnlts 1ans 10.
The Select Committee Of tho t1ouso Of Com
mons appointed Ito consider whether It Is de.
sirahie 10 authorize municipal corporations or
other locnl authorities 10 nlopt any schcmos for
lighting by electricity md to consider 'how far
and under what conditions, It at ali, Gas orotller
public companies shuull be authorized to sup
MY 1!gnt by electricity" have agreed to The FOX
lowing report:
The general nature of the electric light has
been we'll cxpla!ncd tn the evidence Of Prof.
md others. II Is an evolution Ut scientific dis
cosery which has bcea In active psourcss during
thu Whole OF this century. Essentially The cleo
tElc light ~ rroascd , BY s.e !,asI etnns,orma.
mechanical mcans. Tho energy may t>s de-
rived from natural force, ns,> for instance,
waterfall, or through combustion ot .
ii fiei in a furnace. The energy being convert
Cd into an electric current NAV be usctl to man
ifcst electric light BY passing between carbon
points, or, By rendering. inc.'ldssseut solid
Of the elcctrlc Hight Ia That It produces trans
formation Of energy In q singularly complete
manner. Thus tile encrgv Of onc'horso power
may be converted into gasl'Eht. and yis'ds Z
tho sxn,c amount Of energy transforinea
tnto electric light produces 1.bu0-cnnlie
rowc1. It Is not, therefore, surprising n,at
white p.nstsa Witnesses 'ss s ssro"s M GILL;
light to useful purposes Of illumination. tho
scientific witnesses see In thts ccotio'ny Of foEca
tho means ot great industrial Development, and
believe that in The future 1t Is dcstincd 70 sakna
leading part In pub,c IND private illumination.
Tserc ts QUO point gu wh'ctt ali w!tncsscs con
Cured. that Its would produce 1tttle Of tint
yltiatcA ar which ts larutly formed by the
proiucss Of combustion Of ordinary !1!umuants.
Scientific witnesses also considered tiIt IN tho
future tho electric current might be extensively
nsed to transmit powcr rs well rs tight to con-
siderable distances, SO that tie l'owcr applied 10
mechanical purposes during tle daY might be
made avatlable for light during ,t1o night. Your
Committee only mention these opinions aa
showing tic in,portnuce Of allowing. full derci-
oplt1ent to practical application OF electricity,
which Is believed by competent witnesses to
lIaVe future important bearings IN Industry.
So far Us the practical application OF the clec-
trio light has afrcady gunc, there seems to be
for lighthouse illumination and u Fitted to ilu-
mine large symmetrical !,lacos, such IA SQUARES,
public halls, railway .statfutls, and workshors.
It Is used In Paris for lighting shops which re-
distinguished, und las rrccntly. beer, ubcd IT.
England for the same purpose with satisfactory
results, Many trtnia hayc been made tor street
Illumination With greater or lcss succoas.
Illumination does not get appear to be conciu
siYc'y established. Although in sot1lo cases tho
relative economy for c4uai cArt!1c-poWeF II on
tho side Of the eectriesliEht. yGt.tn other easGs
vantage. Unquesttonably The electric light has
not nado that progress which would enable It
In its present condition to ctster into general
With snn gas or nfro m 9'9
the motors necessary to produeu tl!e electric
Hight may bo readily provided, but so far ne We
havo received evidence no system OF ccntral
1noderate sIzo hns hitherto becn established.
In considering how far ihu l.cgIsaturo should
inturvene IN the presunt condition, OF electric
lighting, your Committee would obserVe Ee4-
orally Tint In system which - dcvc!oninE with
remarkable rapidlty It would be laMcntab!o II
there were auy Legislative rcstr]ctione ca!cu-
lated to Interfere With tllat development, Your
Committee. however, arc not Ill posluon to
make recommendations for conditions which
mar hereafter arast, but at present do not exist,
as to the distribution Of olectrit currents for
lighting prlvatc houses from central source OF
enable larco establishments, s.ach ns theatres,
hafIs, or workshops, to generate electricity for
II corporations and other local authorities
tahc up strects Ant! lay wires for street lighting
OF other public uao OF the cloctrio light, your
Committee think that aH,p1o poMer should ho
gtyen them fur th!s purpoac. 1jcra aeetna TO
existing poKcrs are sufficient or not. But even
In regard 10 local authorities It would bu ncccs-
eary to impose RESTRICTIONS upon placing tho
wires too near tho tctcgrapl-wiros used by tic
post- Once, % tho transmitting power Of the
lntteE would DO tniurIoualy Infected By tbs too
close proximity Of The powerful eteetrccurrcnts
Tor producing Hight.
Gat companies in the opinion Of your COM
mittce, havo no special claims 10 be Considered
a. The futuro distributors OF electric light. They
possess no monopoly OF lighting pubttu streets
or private houses beYond that which is given to
them bY their power Of laylug pipcs In tic
streets. Electric light committed to tlIeir caro-
might have allow teyeiontuout. Nesilca,
thourh ras companies aro likely to benefit by
tie sllDply Of gas to gas engines which arc welt
suited AZ MACHINES Tor prOaucln. electric light,
thn general processes Of Kas manufacture aud
supply arc quite unlike those needed fur Tho
production of electricity az tuotor or iliumin-
Your CommIttce, however do not consider
that tllo ttno has yot arrived to elvo general
powers to priyatp electric companies to break
up ths stroeta, uniesa BY consent OF the local
authorities. II Il, however, Desirable that local
.tonI1 ri fncI1itfA4