Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-27
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING.

Its Recent and Rapid Development
Upon the Continent.
From the Providence Journal.
Before a recent meeting Of the American
Institute Of Electrical Engineers Mr.. H.
Ward Leonard delivered an interesting ad-
dress upon electrical engineering develop
ments in France and England as contrasted
with those in America. In its commercial
development of electricity America Is
placed first; In fact, far in advance of the
old world countries, but considered from an
engineering standpoint Mr.. Leonard thinks
the United States is losing the lead it has
thus far held. He lays the responsibility
for this condition of affairs almost entirely
at the door Of the great electrical monopo.
lies, which have stood in the way of pro-
gress and particularly in preventing the
trial Of devices and systems of which Eu-
rope presents varieties unknown to us. He
questions what has been done in this coun-
try in the way of electrical engineering
development since Edison started his three
wire lightning distribution at Sunbury Pa.
in 1888 and Westinghouse established his
alternating system with 1,000-volt primary
and 6O-volt secondary few years later.
and Sprague started the Richmond electric
railroad in 1887. There has, of course been
great extension Of installation along these
lines.
We have, Mr.. Leonard says, the best
world, also the best alternating system.
converting from 1000 to 90 volts, but we
have practically no other kind of central
station to point to. We are operating 500
volt continuous current electric railways at
distances for which 1000 volts should be
used instead of 500, and after investing
more money In copper per car than the
entire cost of the electrical equipment we
still lose twice as much energy as is COM
mercial In the line. In England in alter
mating systems a three-wire secondary is
used with 100 volts on each side, and. &C.
cordiug to Mr.. Leonard's view. there was
two-wlre secondary originally, and mono
save the inertia and prejudice of large
corporation for continuing to put in the
two-wire secondary today. Rotary trans
formers are used In several stations in
England for a continuous current, high
potential multiple arc distribution, the sec
ondary being a thres-wire system, and
some American inventions not patented in
England are found to have been utilized
in central stations there, while they have
been neglected in the land of their incep-
ton.
The United States is undoubtedly ahead
of England and France in the designing Of
engines and dynamos Engines were found
running over in that country with what We
that is, with slow-acting throttling COVER
nors. The steam turbines, both OF the
Parsons and De Laval make, are consider
ed interesting by reason of their simplicity
and efficiency. The Parsons machines run
at high speed In some English stations
without vibration ard were not even bolt
ed down. The steam turbine, 1t is now
thought, is likely to become an important
factor in the electrical field. In both rheo-
stats and electrical instruments, Mr.
Leonard says we are ahead of the foreign
practice. He thinks the craze for storage
batteries as the universal panacea for
electrical troubles is on the wsne. The
Electrical Engineer, however, In comment
ing upon Mr.. Leonard's address, says no
c
this subject who has not studied II upon
the ground In Germany, which is the only
country in which the storage battery has
been given any extended trial in large
number CT stations AS illustrating the
wide diversity Of opinions upon this sub
ject 1t states that President insult OF the
Chicago Edison Company recently return
ed from Europe with his mind made up
against any extension in Europe with the
aid of the storage battery, while Mr.. Ed
gar of the Boston Edison Company was
placing an order for prompt delivery for
the biggest station battery outht In the