Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-04-02

certain English capitalists Is carried
 out to successful conclusion Darkest
 Africa will become Lightest Africa.
 for with the unlimited power of Vic.
 toria falls on the Zambesia harnessed
 and transmitted into electrical energy
 there will be no limit to the possibili-
 ties resulting therefrom. The breadth
 of the falls is 5,400 feet and the fall of
 the water is 330 feet to the gorge be-
 low. This energy now going to waste
 as to be utilized and the electricity
 generated transmitted over 600 miles
 to the gold mines at Johannesburg.
 How bold such plan is can be appre-
 ciated when 1t Is stated that the long
 est transmission of electrical current
 up to the present time is only little
 over 150 miles. And so if the project
 succeeds 1t will not only mark a
 marvellous development in the hand.
 ling of the electrical current, but the
 labor problem of the Rand will find
 easy solution. The firm of Sir Doug
 las Fox and partners are the en.
 gineers-in-chief of the enterprise,
 known as the Victoria Falls Power
 company, Limited, the advisory board
 Including such eminent scientists as
 Lord Kelvin, M. Andre Blondel, of
 Paris. Dr. Klingenberg, professor at
 the Royal Technical college of Berlin, and Dr. E. Tissot, of Bale, amongst the engineers associated with them
 being Mir. Ralph D. Mershon, of New
 York. who has a worldwide reputa- tion in connection with longdistance electrical transmission, and Mir. Ar thur Wright, consulting electrical en. gineer to the boroughs of Brighton. Marylebone and Stepney; while also connected with the project are such well-known names as Sir Lewis Nit. chell. general manager of the Stand. ard Bank of South Africa. and Mir. H. Wilson Fox. manager of the Chartered company. and originator of the power scheme. The Victoria falls lend them selves admirably to the generation of electricity by hydraulic power. and the construction of the proposed works offers no great engineer ing difficulties. To begin with, cleo trical plant for the production of 50.. 900 horse power will be installed. though the intake and the canal will be made large enough for double that capacity. The intake will be on the left or northern bank of the river, above the falls. and the canal will con. duct the water to a spot near the top of the gorge at the first bend below the falls. Hence 1t will be delivered through steel tubes to the power. house near the waters edge $50 feet below. By high tension electric cur. rent the power will be conveyed to the Rand, and at the main receiving station a system of hydraulic storage will be installed. The object of this is to store the energy not immediate ly wanted by pumping water to the top of high hill. whence 1t is re- leased. as required, for the production of fresh electrical power. Coupled with this hydraulic storage will be a steam-driven reserve station, with of 10000 horsepower. as standby in case of temporary inter. ruption of the current from the falls, | another guarantee that users of the | supply will have absolute security for | its continuity. It is well to remember that the enterprise will in no way in. terfere with the beauty of the falls, for the British South Africa company has fenced off large area as a pub He park. extending some miles along both banks. The Victoria Falls Pow. CT company will have total capital | of 330.000.000. The first instalment of the work will be completed in two years. and the company will effect saving of s5.000. 900 per annum in the cost of working the mines.
 Mr. H. Wilson Fox. the manager of the company. Is enthusiastic over the project and in explanation of the plans to the English capitalists inter. ested he declared that the dificulty which had been suggested that the kafirs might climb the cable towers md cut the wires was too absurd sven to mention |
 The objection has also been made" said Mr. Fox. that white ants nay eat the coverings of the cables. put the reply to that is that the cables will not be covered Ants will not .limb 50 feet to eat metal. and. if suf- lcientIy athletic to make the attempt.