The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-25
IT IS INcoxcrrvAsLr.

AI AS ANCONORkVABLEs
 In the March issue of The St. Nich- olas Magazine is an article on the wa ter-powers of the world" from which we take the following:
 The possibilities of our small streams make the dream of the future seem un- real and fantastic. No man has dared even to try to measure or compute the world. There are thousands of streams capable of producing from 100 to 50.ooo or more horse power; a few others, like Niagara. Victoria Falls in South Africa, and innumerable falls of the Mississippi, the Colorado and the Mis- souri, with powers in this direction that seem unlimited. What Is the ut most strength of Niagara? II every part of the mighty torrent of water was harnessed, it would easily gener. ate sufficient electrical power to do all the work of this country. We could almost belt the globe with horses, aud still Niagara would stand good chance to offset their pulling strength: But Niagara is no greater than Victoria Falls in the heart of Africa-some say not so great in its unmeasured possl- bilities
 able and developable power of the waters of all the streams in the world Is manifestly futile. even if all those streams were known to civilized man, which is far from being the case. We have not the data upon which to base a statement of the loss or gain result ing from the conversion of water power into electric power. but that is imma- terial It is safe to say that the pow CT that could be developed from all the streams of the earth is incalculable, and that is all that any one can say.
 What the writer of the article from which we have quoted says of the lat ent power of Niagara is more or less guess work, but we doubt if the mat ter is at all overstated. It would be possible for modern engineering sci ence to control every foot-pound of Niagara Falls and convert it into elec- tric power, and only in that way would 1t be possible to give an answer to the question of how much is contain ed there But we know enough on the subject to be sure that all the pow CT needed by all the people of the earth can be obtained from water without consuming an ounce of fuel of any kind.
 mind an illustrated article in the March issue of The Technical World Nigga zine giving some account of still greater wonder. It is the great Vic toria Falls of the Zambesi River in Africa, a sheer fall of 400 feet. En- inent engineers who have examined this great wonder carefully estimate that at least thirty-five million horsepower could be transformed into electric pow CT from these falls. There Is now company formed for the purpose of utilizing this great power by the es- tablishment of an immense electric plant at the falls from which power Is to be sent by cable as far as Rho- desia, 600 miles distant and to various other mining regions of South Africa where mining, reducing and smelting is now carried on at great expense.
 As an evidence of what Is to be gained by this movement it is stated that at the famous Rand mines they are now paying from s125 to s2o0 per annum for each horse power used, whether that power is obtained direct ly from steam or from electricity de- veioped or generated by steam, and they use 150.000 horsepower continu- ously Those having the Victoria Falls project in hand say that they can sup ply these mines with all the power needed at a cost of not exceeding $25 year for each horse power. This shows the immense saving that will be effected by harnessing the Zambesi River, and this is but one of the many mighty projects contemplated Enthu- siastic engineers predict that the Vic- toria Falls will become the heart of a new and wonderful industrial and mining country which is to be devel- oped by and through electricity. When David Livingston, something like half a century ago, braved the demons and evil spirits which the natives asserted on them with the eyes of the first white man who had seen the great wonder, little did he think or imagine the wonders that in time would spring from that source He could not fore see that the falls contained a spirit more wonderful. powerful and friendly 10 humanity than any of the spirits conjured up by the imaginations of the ignorant blacks. He saw what was to him a great wonder of nature, but his imagination could not foresee what modern skill would do with it for the