The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-02

For many years efforts have been di-
rected TO the construction of boilers and
furnaces which would develop greater
steam power with less consumption of
fuel Since 1870 the reduction OF steam
power has been 31.5 per gent. but It is
not now expected that any arrangement
of steam making apparatus will be cvolv-
ed. where coal is burned under boilers
which will not be essentially wasteful
AS consequence, attention has been
given of late 90 experiments having for
their object the direct conversion of car
bon or fuel into electric energy without
the mechanical Intervention of the steam
engine and the dynamo Such is the
adaptablity of the electric current for
almost all power purposes that il would
Immediately supcrsede steam in a thou
sand ways if the sources of the current
were first reliable and then economical.
CcnI and Electricity.
Electricity has been produced directly
from carbon in several ways but none of
them is as yet commercially available
So far the cost of materials or apparatus,
the lack of efficiency or the labor and ex-
pense involved in operation and mainte-
nance have made this experiment only
scientific dream. How soon the task may
be accomplished it is impossible to state,
but the impression seems to prevail that
experts have less confidence in the proba-
bility of the direct transformation # coal
into electricity than they had five years
ago The difficulties in the way are not
exactly insuI eratle, but they see n TO null
tiDly as the problem nears solution
Much better results are promised in the
evolution of the gas engine. Scientific en-
gineers are directing their attention to it
in the hope of securing greater efficiency
in producing the electric current. Larger
engines are being built, and new apTara-
tus is being developed In order to bring
out type which shall be Of the highest
utility in driving the dynamo. With this
engine the saving of fuel. and, conse-
quently, of power. approaches the theo-
retic ideal. The coal is first transformed
into gas by the improved processes which
save all the by-products and the gas is
utilized in running the engine by intro
ducing it into cylinders or chambers where
its explosive force is rendered available
for power purposes II the gas engine
once enters the electrical power house
and proves itself capable of the work
quired there, a vast advance will have
been made in thermo dynamic efficiency.
Time will be required TO perfect the ap
paratus, but it is already as near COM
mercial availability as several modes Of
motion. The outlook is most promising,
automobile and proPels elevators in sky
seraping buildings in the cities is I'M
doubtedly destined for a much larger field
of usefulness in which it will come into
direct competition with steam. But until
the gas engine is more fully perfected the
fuel problem, as far as the production CT
electricity is concerned, must be consid-
cred from the standpoint of burning coal
under a boiler and the transformation
of the expansive force of steam into me-
chaniccl energy to drive dynamo. And /
this process a. best saves only 6S per cent
Of the fuel while about per cent OF .
electrical energy is lost in ultimate con
version.
Dependence on the Forces of Nature.
Reason suggests, therefore, that true
mechanical economy lies in utilizing the
forces of nature, which do not involve
any consumption of fuel The WINS. the
tides. the sunlight, and flowing rivers ere
such forces, and the Harvesting Of them
to machinery is a subject which greatly
concerns students Of power problems. The
success attending the transmission OF the
electrical current from Niagara Falls to
Buffalo: from the mountains 10 the City
of Fresno in California: from Fulsome 10
Sacramento, and from LauIen to frank
fort in Germany. with comparatively lit
tie less of energy. are proofs of magnlfl-
cent possibilities along this line. II power
in almost unlimited volume and CONNER
ciaIly cheap can lie effectively distributed
over a radius Of twenty. thirty-hye, forty,
and 100 miles, respectively. it would op-
pear that final relief TO the annual con-
sumption of coal depends upon the cYolu-
ton of mechanical apparatus to convey
the electrical current over the necessary
area to make available every waterfall
and every rushing river that has Oeen
wasting energy with lavish hand from the
beginning.
II must be considered as among the pos
sibiIities that Niagara will yet furnish
score of cities with heat. light, and power.
without burning a pound OF coal. We have
a right to expect that the current OF
every large river will not only be en-
Moved in turning turbine wheels. but that
its floods will be stored in lakes and res
eryoirs for similar use after the freshet
has subsidized and the tempests have
ceased Can anyone estimate the colossal
energy of the flowing waters OF the Mis-
sissippi? Those who live along its banks
have been frequently afforded striking
illustrations of this power in the vanish
ing levees and in the devastation OF their
possessions Now, suppose the engineer
had taken hold of this titanic force OF
Suppose he had put bounds to its might
in the form of Ievees which no Hoods
could overcome. Suppose he had arranged
a system of reservoirs from the head
waters of the Ohio and the Missouri, and
from Minnesota to the Gulf. Suppose
these to be arranged with a view to utiliz-
ing the water for power purposes, and 1t
will be seen that the floods would be
relieved from all danger, and there would
be reseryed for use sufficient energy TO
run the factories of the Mississippi Val
ley; to heat and light its cities; TO pillow
its fields; to propel its railroad trains,
and. practically. to stop the burning OF
coal in one of the largest consuming areas
on the globe.
Engineers, in fact, have not made more
than the smallest beginning toward the
use of water power in the development of
electricity. But the results already
achieved are truly remarkable. and they
hold out extrayagant expectations for the
future. 1t is certainly no exaggeration
to say that more satisfactory achieve
meat is promised in this field than in any
direct conversion of carbon into electric
fluid.
Harvesting the Tides.
Nothing has been done practically to-
ward appropriating the power of the tides
for mechanical purposes. But the few ex-
periments that have been made and the
theories that have been evolved are ex-
tremely interesting The fact has been
that by the building Of jet
ties in the form of the letter V. having
a narrow opening at the point of the
81, 1.