New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-01-20
WATER POWER AID
TO MUNITIONS SHOPS
Natures Force Being Used Freely
in European Countries

Paris, Jan. 2O.-Ihe water power
| of the Alps, the Pyrenees and the
central mountainous region Is playing
| big role in the military effort OF
| France and will have an even greater
share in the after-war economic
struggle, an Associated Press CORE
spondent is informed.
Many new hydraulic power plants.
born of the war needs, are turning
out shells, chemicals and other nee
essities for the army. Many others.
born of the coal famine and its les
sons will replace steam power after
the war.
France utilized thirteen per cent. of
or in 1914. She was utilizing more
than twenty per cent. in July Of this
wear and the proportion Is every
day increasing. Competent engineers
fix at 100000 horse power the
energy France could secure from it's
waterfalls at low water, while $780,,
900 horse power is the estimate for
average seasons. The total steam en-
ergy used in France before the war
was only about 100000 horse power
divided among about 1000 establish
ments
The water power Of the Alps has
given the name of the vale of Alu
minum" to the Valley of the Arc,
where $4,000 horse power is used
transforming alumine into aluminium
bars. La Romanche in the wild val
ley from Bourg d'Oisons to Pont de
Claiz is the valley Of carburet and
metallic alloys" absorbing $4,000
horse power. Electric steel plants
are concentrating in the basin Of the
Arly where one concern has installed
complete mill with electric furnaces
run by turbines of $4,000 horse pow
err. Seven important new plants are
being built in the region of Grenoble.
In the valley of Durance new plants
aggregating $4,000 horse power for
the electro chemical industry are I'M
der way, While above Modane one Of
the biggest chemical works in France
has acquired rights to about 10000
horse power Of water fall that will be
utilized speedily.
Hydraulic electrical plants in Cen
trail France have saved the family
ribbon industry of Saint Etienne. The
little home shops had begun to dis
appear-unable to compete with the
mills. Electric motors OF quarter
Of a horse power have set this do
nestle occupation going again, keep
ing at home men and women who
would otherwise be driven to the
looms of the big mills Little motors
are used all through that region for
cabinet making. Had they not exist
ed before the war, 1t would be nee
essary to invent them Or something
equivalent for the use of MANNED SOL
diers.
MI.
also to solve the problem of farm
help in regions accessible to current.
Cooperative societies are being
formed to buy current for distribution
among the members; the installation
of power station is being considered
by one Of them. A law to encourage
and help such projects is now being
considered in the chamber
Electric energy for Paris brought
from the Alps is the most ambitious
project for the future A dam IS
yards high in the Rhone at &C.
nissiat, backing the water up IA miles |
to the Swiss frontier, will furnish a
fall sufficient to operate a power sta |
ton Of $500 horse power and 24O,- |
600 kiloWatts. The energy Is to be |
transported to Paris in the form of |
an alternating current under a ten
sion Of 1900 volts. The line of
transmission will be 312 miles long.
One hundred and twenty million
francs is the estimated outlay-the
cost Of about a day and a half of
war to France.
This enterprise would alone econo-
mize 100000 tons of the 20 million
tons Of coal France imported annu-
ally before the war. Engineers
figure that current brought from the
Swiss frontier may be sold with suf1i-
cient profit in Paris at centimes
kilowatt hour: an economy Of about
SO per cent on the cost Of current
produced by steam before the war.