Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-09
ELECTRIC LIGHTING
How It is Applied to Public and Pri-
vate Conveyances.
AN INTERESTING CONSULAR REPORT
Its Use in Paris and the Purposes
It Serves.
FACTS AS TO COST, EFT c

Electric lighting Of carriages" is the
subject of an interesting report to the
State Department by Mr.. c. w. Chancellor,
consul at Havre, France. According to
this report, gas lighting, which was com
mon in London as early as 1910, was not
introduced into Paris until 1919, and more
than twenty years elapsed before its use
as an illuminant became general in France.
"On the other hand says Mr.. Chancellor,
when we turn to the subject of electric
lighting it must be admitted that France
has taken a foremost rank among Euro
pean nations in adopting the electric light.
I'm Paris electrically-ht private carriages
have for the last five years, been extern
siveIy patronzed by the atfluent classes,
but only recently has this process OF hgnt-
ing been applied to private carriages IN
London and Berlin. The Prince of Wales
was the first to adopt Ii in LONDON, ana
now we learn that the German emperor
has brought the resources of his active
mind to bear Oh the subject of lighting
carriages, and, as a consequence, the cOui |
carriages in Berlin are now lit by elec-
tricity, not only by outside lanterns, but
also in the interior. which is Illuminated
by a series of accUEUlatorS carried IN the
vehicles. All over the harness are placed
what the Germans call Gluhlampe, or
small, colored lights, which glow like lire
flies when the carriage is in motion
All Conveyances Should BE illuminate
There seems no valid reason why all
public conveyances, cabs, omnibuses, tram
cars, etc. as well private carriages,
should not be Illuminated by electricity. 1t
would certainly largely enhance not only
the comfort, but the safety of locomotion
in the thoroughfares of large cities. In
deed it has been found that in carriage
supplied with a properly arranged electro
light, the most formidab bic OF outdoor Toes
the dense fogs of European cities, might
almost be defied, while the brilliant
searching electric light would enable pas
sengers 10 amuse themselves by reading
books and newspapers 1t is, moreover
obvious that the adoption, on an extended
scale, of electricity as an Illuminating
agent in private and public vehicles would
serve & double purpose-flrst. one OF a dis
tinctIy practical usefulness; next. that of
increasing the brightness and cheerfuinesS
OF the streets, which would materially aid
in the identifying of a city. Again. it has
been ascertained that the more the on1ni-
bus and tram car companies make their
vehicles attractive, the greater Will be
their traffic.
I'm private carriages the electric lamp
is placed inside. III the center of the roof,
and the twin lights, for there are two.
glasses, are shielded by circular glass
plate rather larger than the 'bull's-eye' of
an ordinary search light, but neither con-
veX nor conca"e AT the back of the lamp
there is dome beil-shaped enameied
reflector. The horseshoe carbon filamentS,
which become incandescent, are very d.
niinutive, and the current is conveyed to
them by platinum wires In order 10 econ
orlZe space the fiat vacuum glasses are
not hung vertically in the bell protector,
but lie horizontally. and in order TO pre-
vent the wires dropping dowrwards when
hot q little glass silt is added to supp rt
them. In this way the roof of hrougham
is filled with a light diffuser which will
not interfere with a persons head entering
the vehicle. Each OF these lamps give a
light equal to seven candles.
I'm the first attempts to light carriages
in this manner the moving of the carriage
was apt to jar the lamps, often causing
n breakdown, and steel springs were not
found sufficient to prevent this The plan
now adopted is to suspend the complete
lamp in sheet of rubber, which is at
tached to the interior OF the carriage
neutralizing the vibration. It is only neces-
sary to press button in order to switch
the current on, and by u second push it is
turned off again.