JULY 5, 1889.]

and regulations are the same as in the nine preceding companies. The signatories are also the same, with the exception of W. G. Bingham, C.E., instead of whom P. A. Latham, of 15, St. Helen's Place, E.C., is substituted. Registered 26th ult. by Slaughter & May, 18, Austin Friars.

Western House-to-House Electricity Company, Limited.-Capital, £100,000 in £5 shares. Objects: To form centres in the Western Counties for the generation, accumulation and distribution of electricity. The signatories are the same as in the preceding company, and the regulations for the management are the same as in the ten preceding companies. Registered 26th ult. by Slaughter & May, 18, Austin Friars, E.C.

Cambridge University and Town Electric Lighting Company, Limited.-Capital £50,000, in £5 shares. Objects: To carry on at Cambridge and elsewhere the business of an electric light company in all its branches. Signatories (with 1 share each): F. C. Ware, Mayor of Cambridge; C. Geldard, M.A., C. Armstrong, J. N. Pryor, E. Barrett, W. M. Fawcett, M.A., Arthur Barrett (electrical engineer), all of Cambridge. The signatories are to appoint the first directors; qualification, £250 in shares; the company in general meeting will decide remuneration. Registered 28th ult. by Walter T. Bowman, 2, Earl Street, Cambridge.

South-Western District and Thames Valley Electricity Supply Company, Limited.-Capital £100,000, in £10 shares. Objects: To erect station for creating and storing electricity for supplying the parishes and districts of Wandsworth, Putney (including Roehampton), Barnes, Mortlake, Kew, Richmond, Petersham, Ham, Kingston, Norbiton, Surbiton, New Malden, Coombe, Wimbledon, and other places in the counties of Surrey, Middlesex, Berks, or Bucks. Signatories (with 1 share each): D. de Castro, 6, New Square, Lincoln's Inn; C. Hood, 53, Balcorne Street, N.E.; F. A. Williams, 4, Shirlock Road; G. A. Best, Little Ilford; L. B. Maskell, 38, Manor Place, Hackney; G. B. Leech, Upper Tooting; G. Duggan, Plumstead. The signatories are to nominate the first directors; the company in general meeting will determine remuneration. Registered 28th ult. by Trinders & Co., 47, Cornhill.

Croydon Electric Supply Company, Limited. Capital, £5,000 in £5 shares. Objects: To carry on at Croydon or elsewhere the business of electricians, mechanical engineers, and suppliers of electricity. Signatories (with 1 share each): F. H. Rocke, Norbury Park, Streatham; G. Hardy, Holly Park, Crouch Hill; W. Gilbert, 61, Cheapside; J. B. Verity (electrical engineer), 31, King Street, Covent Garden; J. E. H. Gordon, 23, Collingham Place, S.W.; Major J. T. Wright, R.E., 16, Carlisle Mansions; A. O. Miles, 28, King Street, Cheapside. Registered 28th ult., without articles of association, by Saxelby and Faulkner, 7 and 8, Ironmonger Lane, E.C.

Capital,

Chili Telephone Company, Limited. £250,000 in £5 shares. Objects: To enter into an agreement with Wm. Arthur Pittman, and to construct and work lines of telegraph, telephones, or other means of communication with Chili and the adjoining countries, and generally to carry on the business of a telephone, telegraph, and electric light, heat and power supply company. Signatories (with 1 share each): W. Capel Slaughter, 18, Austin Friars; W. A. Pittman, 7, St. Helen's Gardens, North Kensington; H. Mann, 12, Woburn Place; T. Bolter, 31, Ampton Street, W.C.; E. Griggs, Bromley, Kent: J. R. Carter, 2, Steele's Road, Haverstock Hill; H. Livesey Cole, 14, King's Arms Yard, E.C. The signatories are to nominate the first directors; qualification, £1,000 in shares; the company in general meeting will determine remuneration. Registered 28th ult. by Slaughter and May, 18, Austin Friars.

Devon and Cornwall Electricity Supply Company, Limited.-Capital £100,000 in £5 shares, 100 being founders' shares. Objects: To establish centres in Devon and Cornwall for the generation, storage and

17

distribution of electricity for all purposes. Signatories (with one share each): W. T. Spearman, Coryndon Matthews, J. Walling, Hy. Matthews, C. H. Radford, C. C. Boolds, J. May Grose, all of Plymouth; S. Graves, Devonport; Robt. Hammond (electrical engineer), 117, Bishopsgate Street. The signatories are to nominate the first directors; qualification, £250 of share capital; remuneration, £500 per annum and, in addition, one-tenth of the surplus profits remaining after payment of 7 per cent. on the ordinary shares, provided that the whole remuneration shall not exceed £1,000 per annum. Registered 28th ult. by Slaughter and May, 18, Austin Friars.

Kingston-upon-Hull Electric Lighting and Supply Company, Limited.-Capital £1,000, in £1 shares. Object: To carry on at Kingston-upon-Hull the business. of an electric light company in all branches. Signatories (with 1 share each): J. Daniell, Brough, East Yorkshire; E. J. Hill, 6, Westminster Chainbers; V. W. Hill, Llansaint, Herne Hill, S.E.; T. Hayzew, 3, Lanskert Street, Hull; D. P. Birkenshaw, 4, Parliament Street, Hull; G. Bohn, C.E., Hessle; G. J. Stewart, 6, King Street, Hull. Registered 29th ult., without articles of association, by F. B. Moss, of the Outer Temple.

Leicester Electric Light and Power Company, Limited. Capital £1,000, in £10 shares. Objects: To carry on the business of an electric light and power company in all branches. Signatories (with 1 share each) J. H. Cooper, T. Fieiding Johnson, J.P., J. G. F. Richardson, J.P., L. Turner, J. Lorrimer, A. Ross, Wm. Barfoot, J.P., all of Leicester. Registered, without articles of association, 29th ult. by Walter Webb & Co., 23, Queen Victoria Street.

Dutton and Company, Limited.-Capital, £60,000 in £10 shares. Objects: To acquire the business and goodwill of Dutton & Co. To carry on business as mechanical engineers and electricians, manufacturers of railway and other signals, locking, safety, and detecting apparatus and appliances, electrical and other lamps, dynamos, machines, and all other kinds of electrical and magnetic apparatus. Signatories (with 1 share each): *S. T. Dutton, C.E., Marl Bank, Worcester; *S. J. Cockran, Britannia Square, Worcester; Wm. Buck, C.E., 17, Hemstall Road, West Hampstead; *C. A. Scott Murray, J.P., Henley-on-Thames; R. H. C. Nevile, J.P., Grantham; T. H. Burroughs, 3, Lincoln's Inn Fields; *C. J. Cockran, 12, Whittingstall Road, Munster Park, S.W. The signatories denoted by an asterisk are the first directors; remuneration £50, to be divided as they may determine. Registered 29th ult. by Bircham & Co., 46, Parliament Street, S.W. Schoth's Electro Medical Apparatus Company, Limited. Capital £10,000 in £10 shares, 5,500 of which are 10 per cent. preference shares. Objects: To take over and carry on the business of Gustave Adolph Schoth, of Euston Road, manufacturer of electro-medical, scientific, and surgical instruments. Signatories (with 1 share each): G. A. Schoth, 230, Euston Road, electrician; A. H. S. Daniell, 49, Moorgate Street; G. E. Pullen, 8, Janson Road, Stratford ; O. Frederica, Muswell Hill; J. W. Gaze, Oak Hall, East Ham; L. W. Mercier, 76, Finsbury Pavement. Registered 26th ult., without articles of association, by

OFFICIAL RETURNS OF ELECTRICAL

COMPANIES.

Series Electrical Traction Syndicate, Limited.—At an extraordinary meeting of this syndicate, held at 11, Queen Victoria Street, on the 28th May, it was resolved to wind up voluntarily, Mr. Stephen Hy. West, of Tanfield Court, Temple, being appointed liquidator for the purpose. Authority was given to the liquidator to dispose of the business and property of the syndicate to a new company, called the Series and General Electric Traction Company, Limited. The resolution was con

18

firmed on June 17th, and was duly registered on June 25th.

Blockley Electric Lighting and Manufacturing Company, Limited.-The annual return of this company, made up to the 22nd ult., was filed on the 28th ult. The nominal capital is £20,000, in £5 shares. 386 shares are taken up, and the full amount has been called and paid thereon, the paid up capital thus being £1,930.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING AT PORTSMOUTH.

Ar a meeting of the Portsmouth County Council on Tuesday, the Town Hall Committee reported that they had had the question of the lighting of the interior of the Town Hall under consideration, and their report was now submitted. They recommended that this report should be adopted, and that they should be authorised to incur the expenditure mentioned. In view of the desire frequently expressed by the Council that some of the principal apartments should be lighted by electricity, the sub-committee had resolved to recommend that the library, reading room, the great hall, the principal corridors, the Mayor's apartments, and the reception room should be thus lighted, leaving the other portions to be lit by gas, the mains for which had been already laid all over the building by the contractors. They had had professional advice on the matter, but the report did not quite accord with their view, and they proposed to take further opinion. From all they could learn they were of opinion that the library and reading room, which would be in daily need of light, could be most economically supplied from the engine, which would be constantly in use for warming and ventilating the building. The other portions of the building to be lit by electricity would only be required at intervals, so they were advised it would be more economical and less costly at first to set up a separate installation for that; and to effect this, and to carry out the whole arrangement, they now asked their sanction, promising not to undertake any plan without having first obtained the best advice procurable on the subject. If they were permitted to carry out those views, they felt satisfied they would be enabled to light the building to the satisfaction of all concerned, to do it efficiently and well, and in such a manner as to obtain results in the working of which no wasteful expenditure would be made. They were able, however, from the information now in their possession to calculate that an outlay of about £3,500 would be needed to carry out effectually the entire work of lighting, it being borne in mind that in dealing with electric lighting, whilst great economy might properly be used in the fittings, yet in the installation and the method of generating the light, especial care must be exercised that none but tried electrical engineers and men of known experience should be employed if the result was to be satisfactory.

Sir WM. KING, in moving the adoption of the report. said that there was a general desire that the electric light should be introduced to the new Town Hall. The committee had consulted two people of eminence, but neither of the reports was altogether satisfactory. The mode of distributing the light was not susceptible of further improvement, but the same remark did not apply to the mode of generating it. Consequently it was not proposed at present to recommend any definite scheme, but the readingroom and library should be lighted immediately; the machinery required for producing the light in those apartments would be required to work the heating and ventilating apparatus. There were, however, magnificent apartments and corridors which would have also to be lighted, and the estimate varied from £1,200 to £6,900. Economy was not the only point to be considered, and before they proceeded further they would have to consult the most experienced men in the profession. The Council had entrusted the committee with the expenditure of £100,000 for the building of the Town Hall, and they now asked to be entrusted with the expenditure of £3,500 on the electric light, but nothing would be done until they had carefully watched the developments that were taking place in the machinery for the production of the light. Mr. DEAN seconded.

Mr. T. SCOTT FOSTER expressed himself strongly in favour of the electric light. It was desirable to lay down the wires now, but it would be soon enough to erect the machinery when they wanted it. In the meantime they could find out which was the most suitable.

Sir WM. KING, in answer to a question, said that if it were found necessary to incur more than £3,500, they would come again to the Council.

The recommendation was then adopted.

THE ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROPOSALS IN

LEEDS.

ICK moved, at the meeting of the Town Council that the Council authorise the lighting by elections of the Town Hall and Municipal Buildings report of the Electric Lighting Committee (the

[JULY 5, 1889.

substance of which has already been published), at an estimated expenditure of £3,000.

This was seconded by Alderman SPARK.

In the course of some discussion it was pointed out that £3,000 seemed a very large sum, inasmuch as the Fine Art Gallery and the Free Library were already lighted by electricity, and that the Corporation possessed the plant which was required for the more extensive installation contemplated.

Mr. WILLEY said that the actual expenditure might not be more than £2,500, whereupon

Mr. GILSTON observed that it seemed to him that the committee had no very clear idea as to what it was about to do.

Mr. HARDWICK, replying, said that all that was required were the additional lamps and the wires, &c., for the proposed extension. The resolution was unanimously adopted.

Mr. LEE HARDWICK next moved the following resolution :"That the council apply to the Board of Trade for a provisional order under the authority of Electric Lighting Acts, 1882 and 1888,' authorising the Corporation, as the local authority under the Acts, to provide and supply electricity for public and private lighting purposes within the area referred to in the report, at an estimated total capital expenditure of £68,000, and that the Town Clerk, in conjunction with the electric lighting committee, be authorised and empowered to take all necessary legal and other proceedings, and to give notices on behalf of the council, which may be necessary in connection with the application to the board for and obtaining such provisional order." He explained the great advantages which the electric light possessed over gas lighting, and said that lighting by electricity had now reached a stage which warranted them undertaking the step proposed. The question was whether the Corporation was to undertake to supply the electric light, or was to allow companies to come in to do so instead.

Mr. BATTLE moved an amendment to the effect that it was not desirable for the Corporation to supply electricity for public or private lighting purposes, as in the opinion of the Council such supply could be advantageously provided by private enterprise. He pointed to the large amount of money which had been invested in electric lighting, and which had been practically lost. He could not, in fact, understand intelligent business men undertaking such a scheme for a moment.

After considerable discussion the amendment was lost, whereupon Mr. KETTLEWELL moved another to the effect that the question be referred back to the committee to report further, especially as to the annual cost of the present installation, and as to the cost in other towns where the electric light had been adopted. This having been seconded, was adopted.

CITY NOTES, REPORTS, MEETINGS, &c.

The Amalgamation of the Telephone Companies.

MEETINGS OF THE UNITED TELEPHONE AND NATIONAL TELEPHONE COMPANIES.

EXTRAORDINARY meetings were held yesterday at Cannon Street Hotel. The proceedings were of a purely formal character, and were for the purpose of confirming resolutions passed at the ordinary meetings, full reports of which appeared in a former

issne.

Mr. James Brand presided at the meeting of the United Company, and briefly referred to the letters written by the PostmasterGeneral to the secretary, and which had appeared in the Times. The directors felt they had the best of the correspondence. They thought it better to leave the matter entirely to the judgment of the public as to whether the telephone companies were doing what they had a perfect right to do, viz., seeking to make themselves stronger-financially and otherwise-and furthermore to enable them to give a better and cheaper service to the public. The resolutions were confirmed.

At the meeting of the National Telephone Company, Colonel R. R. Jackson occupied the chair. After the minutes had been read, the chairman said he was not going into the reasons in favour of the resolutions which would be submitted. They had been amply discussed at the ordinary meeting on June 14th. He would therefore propose the resolutions in succession and ask for their adoption. The resolutions were for the transfer of the properties of the United and the Lancashire and Cheshire Telephone Companies to the National Telephone Company, for the increase of the capital of the company by the sum of £3,250,000, and for the alteration of the articles of association. In order to give effect to the regulations of the company, all the directors holding office prior to their adoption would be removed from office, and the names substituted on the notice before them.

The resolutions were then formally put to the meeting and carried unanimously.

Crompton and Company, Limited.

THE first report of the directors, to be presented at the annual general meeting of the shareholders on Thursday, July 11th, states that the account made up to March 31st last includes a

JULY 5, 1889.]

record of the business done during the period of four months prior to the formation of the company-a period when electrical work generally was not brisk, and when, moreover, the attention of the proprietors was occupied in the negotiations for the formation of the company.

Notwithstanding this drawback, and the fact that the benefit of the increased capital was only beginning to be felt during the financial year comprised in the accounts, it is satisfactory to report that the net profits are in excess of the average of the previous six years, and admit of the payment of dividends both on the preferred and ordinary shares.

After payment of the interim dividend in January last, and providing for vendors' interest and other payments shown in the accounts, there remains a surplus of £5,433 2s. 7d. which the directors propose to dispose of as follows:-1. To carry to a suspense account a sum of £1,500, as a provision for doubtful debts and contingencies. 2. To place a sum of £568 to a reserve fund for equalising future dividends. 3. To declare a dividend of 7 per cent. per annum on the preference shares. 4. To pay the managing directors their fees of £1,000 according to the articles of association. 6. To declare a dividend of per cent. per annum on the ordinary shares.

The sum of £4,594 11s. 6d. has been expended upon enlargement of the works at Chelmsford, and for additions to plant and fixtures. The works are thus rendered much more efficient for economical manufacture, and when the new offices, which are in course of construction, are completed much time and expense will be saved in the management of the business.

Contracts for lighting have been agreed with the Corporations of Folkestone and Chelmsford, and orders for central stations for several provincial towns are practically arranged for. The company is receiving the benefit of the fresh start which has been made in electric lighting, and the works are consequently busy; there appears, therefore, every reason to anticipate that the present year will be a prosperous one.

The business of the company with the Australian Colonies is rapidly increasing, so much so that the company's agents, Messrs. Harrisson and Whiffen, have requested that additional capital may be provided by means of a separate company to which they would themselves largely subscribe. An Australian company has accordingly been registered, and a circular on this subject will shortly be forwarded to the members of this company.

The auditors, Messrs. Duncan Bryce & Co., offer themselves for re-election.

The West African Telegraph Company, Limited. In the report presented at the general meeting the gross receipts, including the balance brought down from last account (£1,215 9s. 11d.), amount to £56,530 12s. 11d., the general expenditure being £20,016 0s. 7d. There remains a balance of 236,514 12s. 4d., which has been applied by the directors in the following manner : — - After providing for debenture interest £15,000 paid and accrued, £5,000 has been carried to repairs and renewal account, and it has also been considered advisable to write down the preliminary expenses by £259 23. 8d. These deductions leave an available balance of £16,255 93. 8d., from which the directors propose to carry £5,600 to the debenture redemption account, and recommend the payment of a dividend for the year 1888 of 53. per share, free of income tax, absorbing £5,777 5s., leaving £4,878 43. 8d. to be carried forward to the next year's

account.

The company's cables are in good working order, the BolamaBissao cable referred to in the last report having been repaired. Since the last report, this company has laid a cable (202 knots in length) between Bonny and Prince's Island at a cost of £24,200, which will appear in the accounts for 1889. Cables have been laid by the Eastern and South African Telegraph Company between Loanda and Cape Town, thus completing telegraphic communication along the West Coast of Africa, and establishing duplicate and alternative routes to the principal stations of the company and to the Cape. The laying of these cables adds greatly to the security of the system in point of interruption of traffic. Arrangements have been made between the companies interested for working South African traffic in friendly alliance.

In view of these important matters, and the transfer to the Eastern and South African Telegraph Company of a large amount of the share capital of this company, the board has been reconstituted, and Sir John Pender, K.U.M.G., Sir James Anderson, and James Pender, Esq., have been appointed directors in place of three of the former directors who have retired. The meeting will be asked to confirm these appointments.

The directors who retire by rotation are Sir Henry Mance, C.I.E., and Robert Kaye Gray, Esq., and who, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election.

The meeting will also have to elect auditors for the current

year.

The fourth ordinary general meeting of the company was held at Winchester House last Tuesday, Sir John Pender in the chair. The Secretary read the notice convening the meeting, and the minutes of the last ordinary general meeting.

The Chairman then said: I presume we may take the report as read; but before I ask you to approve of the resolutions which I shall put before you I think it is right at this important meeting that I should make a few remarks, but they will be very few compared to the very great, I may say very important, work which

19

has just been completed, and probably one of the most important works that has ever been done in connection with submarine telegraphy. If you look at the map you will see we have entirely surrounded Africa by telegraph, and we have connected every part of that great continent with submarine telegraph; that is a very great work in every sense of the word; great for the future of Africa, because every one is now endeavouring to take a part in the development of what is called the dark continent, and I think we have been ahead of every other party who has been attempting to do their part in the development of that country. Now, there can be no complaint of rapid communication when I tell you that the work starting from England itself has taken a no less length of cable than 16,281 nautical miles. This has not been done by one company, but by a combination of companies, and the policy of the companies over which I have had the honour to preside for so many years, has been that union of companies gives strength to the general system, and I think the result of this union will show to the shareholders, as well as to the world at large, that this has been a great work done. This union will add strength to the system, and, what is better than all, I believe it will enable us to pay a very respectable dividend, which, if we had been acting apart, would have been very doubtful indeed. Therefore, I think, when you take this great work and understand that some of the great submarine telegraph companies have been engaged in it-the Eastern Telegraph, 3,687 miles; Eastern Southern African, 5,829 miles ; West African, 2,806 miles; the African Direct, 2,139 miles; and the Spanish National, 1,820 miles; making altogether 16,281 miles-you will see the result is satisfactory, and that a great work has been brought into one great system acting under a joint arrangement and joint powers. I think I may just close my remarks by saying that when we conceived this policy of union there were many difficulties to overcome; but I must say that we found the different companies with whom we conferred most friendly and well disposed, and that all admitted that under the general system, and having the Eastern at the head of it, it was not a bad omen for the future success of the company. With these remarks I beg to move that the report and accounts for the year ending 31st December, 1888, be adopted, and that a dividend be declared of 2 per cent. for the year 1888.

Sir Henry C. Mance, C.I.E., seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.

It was then proposed, in compliance with the articles of association, that the appointment of Sir John Pender and Sir James Anderson as directors be confirmed.

The motion was seconded and carried.

Sir John Pender: I thank you for the honour that you have done me in reappointing me. As you are aware, the company required to be reconstructed, at least the board required to be reconstructed to a certain extent, and while we regret the absence of the gentlemen who retired and whose places we have taken, I think they agree with us that such a reconstruction was necessary to work the system in perfect harmony.

Sir Henry Mance and Robert Kaye Gray were then re-elected directors of the company. Messrs. Deloitte, Dever, Griffiths & Co., were elected auditors, and a vote of thanks to the chairman brought the proceedings to a close.

The South of England Telephone Company, Limited.

At Winchester House, Old Broad Street, the sixth ordinary general meeting of this company was held on Wednesday last week, Mr. D. Owen Bateson, chairman of the company, presiding.

The Secretary, Mr. F. L. Robinson, having read the notice convening the meeting, the report and statement of accounts, as published in our issue of the 14th inst., were taken as read.

The Chairman then said: Gentlemen, since our last annual meeting we have lost one of our number. Mr. Campbell was one of our original directors, and, while his health lasted, was most regular in his attendance. His services were much valued by us as he brought to our consultations a mind of great business aptitude. His departure from among us, I assure you, was deeply deplored. Mr. Charles Billett was elected to the vacant chair, and, from our experience of his services since his election, I am quite convinced we have made no mistake in selecting him. The figures before you in the balance sheet show the progress of the company, and they are sufficiently full to require but very little explanation on my part. It will be noted that our expenditure on capital account amounted to £19,917. This exceeds last year by £3,460 53. 9d., which is accounted for, in a great measure, by the increase of business, namely, by the establishment of 451 exchanges and 114 private lines, which, I think, ought to be satisfactory to the shareholders, as it results in a substantial increase in the gross rentals. On the other hand, tending towards the increased expenditure, there has been the rise in the value of copper wire. This is now over, for the present at all events, and we are now obtaining it at much more moderate prices than during the past months. Again, a good deal of money has been spent on trunk lines in the company's district for joining the different towns in which they have exchanges, so that when the good time comes when we shall be admitted into London only short lengths will be required to enable us to join hands with the metropolitan system. The revenue account amounts to £18,752, which shows an increase of rentals over the previous year of £4,928, but of this we have been obliged to transfer £9,041, which is an increase of £2,070 to the present year. The great activity in our business being in the summer months the unearned increment is proportionately large,

but this sum will be for disposal during the year we have entered upon. You will notice the large sum paid for royalties, £3,450. This is a heavy tax upon our resources, really amounting to 7 per cent. on the paid up capital. With respect to this item of royalties, I notice in a very able letter of the United Company to the secretary of the Post Office, a suggestion that the public will be better served if the tax imposed on telephonic communication were to be removed. I would suggest that it would be an additional service to the public and to this company if the royalties levied by the United Company on the subsidiary companies were abolished, or at least modified. This would strengthen the hands of the United Company in their suggestion to the Post Office, and be a good example for that department to follow. I am glad to see that since our last meeting we have obtained from the Stock Exchange a quotation in the market. This will be of considerable service to us, as it will make our shares-both preference and ordinarymuch more valuable. The long-standing dispute with the United Company has been settled, and we have succeeded in reducing the claim from £1,845 to £1,265. This, I think, is a sufficient justification for your directors in having resisted what they considered to be an unfair demand. I am sorry to say we have made no progress towards connecting our district with the Metropolitan system. The demand for trunk lines from the subscribers still continues, but the United Company has not yet seen fit to grant anything in this direction, though we have constantly urged the matter upon their attention. I understand, however, that the United Company are running, as under our agreement they are undoubtedly justified in doing, lines through our district with the intention of connecting Birmingham in one direction and Bristol in another, with the metropolitan system, but why they are willing to grant accommodation to far-off towns, and refuse it to places contiguous to their own centre, and to people already subscribers, I cannot understand. We have reason to complain, too, that the United Company have been running lines, without consultation with us, as to the route they should take, so as not to interfere with our arrangements, and we think it would have been but a matter of ordinary courtesy had our views been asked before running the lines. On the whole, I think a little more regard might have been paid to the convenience of a company in whose success they have so great an interest. I hope the new management, as I expect there will be one, will put these matters on a better footing. There is another matter I should like just to refer to, namely, our relations with the Post Office. I notice there has been a good deal said, and some very hard words used, with reference to the treatment' experienced by other companies from this department. I can only say with regard to this company that we have always received the greatest courtesy at the hands of that department. We know the terms on which we hold our license that it is onerous enough-and we never try to go behind or beyond its requirements. We have never asked for anything that the Post Office has not granted, and as the terms of our license are sufficiently clear we can easily estimate the approximate value of our royalties, and having done this the cheque is forwarded without delay. I name this just to show that we have always worked without the slightest friction with the Post Office. As to the dividends, we propose to pay at the rate of 6 per cent. on the preference shares, which amounts to nearly £1,000 more than in the previous year; and we propose to pay one per cent. this year, as against half per cent. last year, on the ordinary shares. The balance of £627 1s. 2d. we intend to carry forward.

On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. Alexander MacGregor, the report and statement of accounts were adopted, after which the dividends declared by the directors and referred to by the Chairman were agreed to. The sum of £200 was also voted to the directors for their services during the year.

A Shareholder said he noticed that a trunk line had been run to Northampton, and he believed the United Company were running a trunk line to Birmingham. Were they to be connected with that line in any way, and were they going to be connected with the new Telephone Company? He understood that when the new company came out they were all to be connected with it and to form one happy family, but he had not seen anything to the effect that their company was to be connected with it. In fact, he heard that the negotiations of their company did not end satisfactorily, and he would like to ask if there was any chance of their company being amalgamated sooner or later with the larger company. The chairman of the United Company had said that the companies were uniting because the Postmaster-General was going about seeking what he might devour, and that union was strength. Would it not be better if they were also to join that company and enjoy the strength which union yielded?

The Chairman, in reply, said he rather agreed with the gentleman's remarks that union was strength, but up to the present the matter was in the hands of the United Company, and their company had never been approached on the question. Therefore, he did not know what was passing. As regards the Northampton line the United Company were certainly proposing to run a line between London and Birmingham. They had begun at the Birmingham end and had run to Northampton, but from Northampton to London nothing had yet been done as far as he knew.

The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

The India Rubber, Gutta Percha and Telegraph Works Company, Limited.-The half-yearly general meeting of mpany will be held at the Cannon Street Hotel, London, rsday, the 11th instant, at 12 o'clock noon, for the purpose

[JULY 5, 1889.

of obtaining the sanction of the shareholders to the payment of an interim dividend of 5 per cent., or 103. per share, free of income tax. The company's share register will be closed from the 4th to the 11th instant, both days included.

TRAFFIC RECEIPTS.

The Direct Spanish Telegraph Company, Limited. The estimated receipts for the month of June were £1,600, against £1,690 in the corresponding period of last year.

The Eastern Extension, Australasia and China Telegraph Company, Limited. The receipts for the month of June, 1889, amounted to £29,350, as against £41,764 in the corresponding month of 1888.

The Eastern Telegraph Company, Limited. The receipts for the month of June 1889, amounted to £44,805, against £48,096 for the corresponding month of last year.

The Western and Brazilian Telegraph Company, Limited. The traffic receipts for the week ending 28th June, 1889, after deducting the fifth of the gross receipts payable to the London Platino-Brazilian Telegraph Company. Limited, were £2,017.

The West Coast of America Telegraph Company, Limited. The gross earnings for the month of June were £6,500, The West India and Panama Telegraph Company. Limited. The estimated receipts for the half-month ended the 30th June are £2,750, as compared with £2,578 in the corresponding period of 1888.

LEGAL.

United Telephone Company, Limited v. Ahern and Co.-This action came before Justice Kay on Saturday as a short cause, the defendants not having appeared.

Mr. MICKLEм appeared for the plaintiffs, and said the action was brought on two patents, the Edison and Bell, and the statement of claim stated that the validity of these two patents had come in question in a previous action, and had been established, and certificates granted. With the statement of claim had been delivered particulars of breaches, setting out the various acts of which the plaintiffs complained, and the order asked for was that the defendants might be restrained from manufacturing, selling, supplying, or using any of the telephone transmitters mentioned in the particulars of breaches or any other instruments constructed according to the specification named.

JUSTICE KAY said he could not grant the injunction in that form, the defendants not appearing. He did not think the particulars of breaches formed part of the pleadings, and, therefore, he could only grant an injunction restraining the defendants from infringing the patents mentioned in the statement of claim.

Mr. MICKLEM said the minutes further asked an order that the defendants do within seven days from service of the order deliver up on oath all infringing instruments in their possession or under their control, for an inquiry as to damages, and in order that the defendants pay such damages within 14 days after certificate, and all costs, charges and expenses as between solicitor and client, according to Section 31 of the Patent Act of 1883. HIS LORDSHIP made the order in this form.

ELECTRICITY IN AGRICULTURE.

WILL electricity for lighting or motive power purposes ever be employed to any extent in agricultural operations? This was the principal question in our minds last week, after making a careful examination of the exhibits at the Royal Agricultural Society's Show in Windsor Great Park. The exhibition was by far the largest held for several years past, there having been shown no less than 7,446 implements and machines. The exhibits germane to electric lighting were, as was shown in our last issue, very few, but even these represented more fully the science of electrical engineering than has been the case at any previous exhibition. Returning from this digression, the question raised is one which no doubt many electrical engineers who attended the show asked themselves. Indeed, in the course of our perambulations, we happened to overhear more than once the opinion expressed by different gentlemen as to what a good business might be done if only the machinery and implements exhibited could in actual working be driven by electrical power. The question naturally rises: Is there any reason why electricians should not participate in agricultural operations, in so far as lighting and motive power are concerned? The answer must be, generally speaking, in the negative; but let us see to what extent it is possible to utilise electricity for the purposes named.

In the first place, it would not be economic-in fact, we are convinced that it would be just the reverse-to

instal electrical machinery to be driven by steam engines, and we have arrived at this conclusion for two simple reasons-namely (1), that as the light and power would only be used upon a very limited area on account of the distance between one farming establishment and another, or one corn grinding and crushing mill and another, it would be a great loss to lay cables from one place to the next; (2) that few, if any, agriculturists would go to the expense of having an installation put up when they can manage so well with the power obtained from the steam engines now in use, and are tolerably well satisfied with their present systems of lighting. These two reasons are of themselves sufficiently weighty to demonstrate that electrical engineers have but little chance of doing business in this direction under the existing state of things. There are, however, two loopholes through which gleams of light may be seen, the first being in the utilisation of water power for driving dynamos by waterwheels or turbines. This is a very important matter. The conditions under which our agriculturists have to meet the keen competition from abroad are such that there is very little margin of profit left at the end of a business transaction, and if by any means they can place on the markets their produce at a more remunerative price by the substitution of some other power for that of steam, it is fair to suppose that they would not be long before adopting it. Now, in many of the agricultural districts throughout the United Kingdom there is available a plentiful supply of water power which is at present running to waste; but if this were used for operating turbines which would drive dynamos, both light and power could be obtained at a figure which would, comparatively speaking, doubtless be less than the cost of steam power, and oil or gas for lighting, as the case may be. Assuming that satisfactory arrangements could be made with private owners of the numerous watercourses which could yield a supply of power in this country, the matter deserves the serious consideration of our agriculturists. The second point to consider is, as to whether it is possible to make use of wind power for producing electricity. In this connection it may perhaps be well to refer our readers to a leading article entitled "Electricity produced by wind power," and which was published in our issue of May 24th last. In that article we gave some particulars concerning an electric light installation at a lighthouse near Havre, where the current is generated by a dynamo driven by a windmill or windmotor. Now, if in France such an installation, although on a small scale, has been a success, as is actually the case, there is no reason why we, in this country, should not take a leaf out of the book of our French neighbours and do likewise. It is of course impossible to form any definite idea as to what extent wind power could be employed for operating windmills or windmotors which would drive dynamos, but we are strongly of opinion that sufficient power or light could be obtained which would within, say, four or five years, fully recoup agriculturists for their initial outlay in prime movers. The objections usually advanced against the use of windmills for power purposes are the periods of calm, the irregular velocity of the wind, and the imperfect construction of the windmills. It is naturally obvious that the first objection cannot be surmounted, but the second disadvantage could be overcome by the adoption of windmotors, fitted with automatic apparatus for the opening or closing of the sails, according to the velocity of the wind, as is done in the case previously mentioned, whilst the third objection could be surmounted. It is therefore to be hoped that British agriculturists will give this matter also their serious consideration.

Let us now consider what are the machines or implements which could be driven by electrical power? Traction engines, and, in fact, all those used in the open, such as reapers, haymakers, mowers, ploughs, harrows, &c., must be considered as out of the question, as they could not be economically or easily operated from accumulators, and the idea of their being driven by motors is not feasible. Those machines or implements capable of being worked by electrical power are

thrashing, dressing, and finishing machines, elevators, pumps, hay and straw presses, corn grinding and crushing mills, &c. The advantages of the electric light would, of course, be great as compared with the present inefficient system of oil lamps, candles, or gas where it is obtainable. The fire risks would naturally be great, but installations put up by competent electricians would be perfectly safe. We must not omit to mention how extremely useful electrical power would be found in dairies for driving cream separators, milk elevators, butter printing machines and workers, &c.

In conclusion, we find that in the United Kingdom electric lighting and power could not be employed to a large extent in agriculture for the reasons already given, that the only way in which electricity could be introduced would be by driving the dynamos by water or wind power, and that these are the only ways in which it could be done economically.

REPORT ON THE FIRST SIX MONTHS' WORKING OF THE ELECTRIC AND ALLIED TRADES' SECTION OF THE LONDON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

THIS section was finally organised at a meeting of the trade held on the 22nd October, and a working committee was then elected. The committee was divided into the following sub-sections:-Telegraph Companies, Telephone Companies, Electrical Manufacturers and Contractors, Electricity Supply Companies, Consulting Electrical Engineers, and General Engineers. The electricity supply sub-section was the first to get to work; on the 16th November it met, and considered the relations between the supply companies and the local authorities in regard to licenses and provisional orders. It recommended the executive committee to memorialise the Board of Trade that the unit should be increased from 1,000 to 10,000 watt hours, also there should be united action on the part of undertakers in dealing with the question of paying the legal expenses of local authorities, as in some cases such payments had been demanded. It also asked the committee to urge all the electric supply companies to stand firm on the question of declining to sell undertakings at a shorter period than the 42 years' limit obtained under the recent Act, that supply companies should require two years as the minimum period in which compulsory work should be carried out, and that the model forms of accounts and general regulations for the electric supply companies proposed by the Board of Trade should not be issued until the supply companies had been at work for at least a couple of years, in order that these rules and forms of accounts might be issued after reasonable experience had been obtained to suggest the best form for them. These recommendations were confirmed by the committee at a subsequent meeting and communicated to those interested in the trade.

Early in the year a sub-committee was appointed to consider the proposal of pushing the question of obtaining a Government laboratory for standardising electrical measuring instruments, and it was decided to take common action with the Institute of Electrical Engineers. Accordingly a joint committee was appointed, which met several times, and eventually, on the 19th June, an influential deputation representing the Chamber of Commerce and the Institute of Electrical Engineers, attended at the Board of Trade, and laid before the President a scheme and estimate for such a laboratory. The deputation was favourably received, and there is every reason to believe that the matter will no longer be shelved.

The question of overhead wires was taken up on the 4th February by a committee appointed to examine the matter. This committee held several meetings, and eventually has succeeded in obtaining a copy of the draft regulations intended to be issued by the Board of Trade for the regulation of overhead wires. The com