falls to zero? I confess I am not posted on the rate of demagnetisation of iron, but I am informed that in an ordinary converter the iron will actually become demagnetised something like 20,000 times a minute. I would like to get some information on that. If that is so, and you use a current having a less number of reversals than that, would not the magnetism actually become zero between each of those successive impulses or waves? Instead

of being a continuous current, would not the current actually vary from a certain maximum to actual zero ?

Lieut. PATTEN: I would suggest that you call upon others to answer these questions of general information. I would simply say in reply to that that so far as my experience is concerned I have seen magnets that change their magnetism as slowly as 15 times a second and retain enough to act as small dynamos; that is very slow as compared with 133 reversals which are used in this country, and down as low as 50 on the other side. But there undoubtedly is an approach to zero in the magnetic field, and there is at the same time a period of zero current in the armature. You can have an iron field that will not give up its magnetism in the one hundred and thirty-third part of a second, and you can have one that will give it up in much less time, and you can have one that will retain it one-fifteenth of a second.

Mr. REED: Would not your laminated field be an objection, that it would tend to have the magnetism actually become zero at each reversal?

Mr. MAILLOUX: I think we can throw some light on this point. I do not think that the magnetism would necessarily come to zero, simply because we are not dealing here with a simple magnetic circuit. If we were dealing with a simple magnetic circuit in which there is no reaction against the lines of force in collapsing, then you would doubtless get a very quick collapse of the magnetism, and possibly absolute zero of magnetism in the interval between the two pulsations. You might explain this by taking an ordinary magnetic circuit-a ring for instance-with a magnetising coil, the ring consisting of very finely divided wire. Now, if there is no reaction (Foucault currents, &c.) against the flow of lines of force; if we assume the ring to be fully magnetised and the magnetism suddenly released, and if we even eliminate the self-induction of the magnetising coil itself, then we will readily see that the magnetism will fall almost instantly. There are experiments which go to show that the fall of magnetism would take place in an inconceivably small space of time under such circumstances. But if we interpose in the path of the lines of force as they move, while rising or falling, a closed circuit or some other form that would tend to produce reaction, then we get what we call "Lenz effects," and in that case we cannot get such a rapid rise and fall. Now, in this machine, the armature itself, the cord and conductors, are in the magnetic circuit; they form a part of it. Consequently at the time the magnetism is falling or rising, there would have to be considered the reaction due to the conductors wound around the magnetic field itself, and also the conductors wound around the armature, and the currents induced in these conductors by either the rise or fall, would necessarily tend to retard both the magnetising and the demagnetising process, and I should think that it would be possible to so regulate the self-induction of the different portions of the circuit as to control that. I, at first, thought that the demagnetisation would take place very rapidly. I still believe that there will be a great fluctuation, but I do not think that necessarily the magnetism would fall to zero, as further thought seems to indicate that although it would fall, yet it would probably come considerably short of absolute zero. There would be a certain amount of residual magnetism during the intervals between the current waves.

Mr. E. T. BIRDSALL: I think one point has been overlooked, and that is the action of different sizes of the machine. In small machines we know that in breaking the magnetic circuit, the magnet loses its power very quickly. In large machines of 20 or 30 horse-power it is known that magnets will not lose their magnetism for from two to three seconds, where the cores are very large and have a large amount of iron in them. In that case we might arrive at a mean degree of lamination, which would not produce too much heating. We might arrive at a size which would be a mean size of machine, and which would give the best effect. It also struck me, in regard to the magnetism falling, that possibly, although I have not thought it out, it does not matter so much whether the magnetism does fall, because everything else is zero at the same time the magnetism is zero.

The CHAIRMAN: There is one gentleman with us this evening who has had considerable experience in the manufacture of converters, and also in their use, who I think could enlighten us on two or three of the points which have just been raised, incidentally and directly. I refer to Mr. Gutmann. I think he might favour us with one or two practical remarks on the subject.

Mr. LUDWIG GUTMANN: I think the motor just described is a very ingenious one, but we cannot discuss the motor itself as it stands alone. We have, of course, to consider it in connection with the circuit, because we want to transmit power. Synchronous motors generally cannot be thoroughly successful, because they will not answer all purposes. The same speed is not required in all cases. This motor of course is a step forward because it can be so arranged as to permit the introduction of motors of different speeds on the same circuit. Nevertheless, the motor is of the constant speed type, while in practice a variable speed is often desirable. I see one serious objection to the motor, and that is that it has the high potential current in the motor armature itself, and in case of any trouble arising the consumer who has to handle it is immediately exposed to the danger of the medium or hightension current in the main wires. That is the most serious trouble

that I find with it. Otherwise I believe it would answer many purposes, because I think the motor will do its work well. It appears the motor would not start from state of rest with any load on it, and would need a loose pulley so as to get up to synchronism before the load could be thrown on. This, of course, would be a weakness, but not objectionable; but the first mentioned objection I think is a serious one-as the machine requires a high potential. I do not think that this motor can be worked with low tension currents, because, especially to produce three or four horse-power or more, the self-induction in those coils in connection with the mass of iron is great. If such a motor should be placed on an ordinary alternating current circuit used here now having about 1,000 to 1,500 volts, and there is any sliding connection and commutators to get loose, or brushes to wear out, we should always have to send practical and experienced men to the spot, and they are exposed to the thousand volt currents, and on this ground I do not see. that it would quite answer the purpose-I mean that it would not be a solution of the problem, but a decided step in that direction. Lieut. PATTEN: With reference to the point of high potential of the machine, of course in the general description I have given, the source of alternating current is represented as any source of alternating current of high or low potential, and so no special reference is made to its use as a high potential machine, on the direct mains from the station. The source of alternating current is presumably one of suitable character to meet the conditions in which it is to be used. With reference to the further difficulty mentioned, accidents will happen with any kind of machine, either direct or alternating, while the other forms of motor have some advantages in having ring contacts and sliding brushes that require no attention. The disadvantages that are introduced by bringing in the use of brushes are incident as well to the ordinary forms of motors with which we are familiar. We are not so familiar with the kind that have no commutators that we have got used to their ease and simplicity of working. The second set of brushes are not, as I said before, brushes in the ordinary sense, and do not require adjustment and care. If a high potential machine is used, of course the ordinary precautions will have to be taken. It is not quite within the province of the alternating current motor to make the alternating current safe for everybody who uses it.

Mr. GUTMANN: I wish to point out that alternating current motors have this drawback, that the coils surrounding the iron core need a certain pressure to make any current flow through those coils-to get any power out of the motor we have to force the current through. Now to produce 5 or 10 horse-power we need an exciting power, we need a certain number of ampère turns in the field. To have this certain number of ampère turns we must have a considerably higher pressure than might be supposed. We must have an armature to perform the work and to obtain the torque. Consequently I think it is impossible to realise a large amount of power without using medium or high-tension currents for alternating current motors. Another point is that we have to consider that alternating current motors will not always be placed in the hands of scientists, but will have to be used by inexperienced men, consequently I think this is a weakness in the motor if we have loose or sliding connections in a high potential circuit. I should prefer to have a motor, for instance, like Prof. Thomson's, in which the high tension current is fixed-no rubbing contactand I think Mr. Tesla has shown us one way in which to construct a motor without any aommutator or brushes, and I believe there are many electricians hard at work to get something similar without a commutator, which is far preferable, but we will have to wait some time before we shall get that. Anyhow Thomson, for instance, has given us a motor in which the field alone is in the high tension circuit. This is the main drawback that I find in this motor. If we had no rubbing contact in these motors, it would be a great advantage. As it stands, the armature is in series, or is in connection with the field, and consequently we have an increased self-induction, and we need a greater power and greater tension for this class of motor than we would if we had only to energise one of the two parts, either the armature or the field with the current, and that is the reason I said that there is a serious difficulty in introducing it into ordinary use.

The CHAIRMAN: There being no other speaker we should be glad to hear from Lieut. Patten in reply and in conclusion, though I think his replies have already been numerous and in most cases almost conclusive.

Lieut. PATTEN: I think the alternating current motor might be left for the present. In general reply to all it might be said that as to making a rival to the direct current motor, no attempt is made in that direction. The object is not to make a machine which has less weight and more efficiency at the outset than one that has been improved by the ablest talent of the world for the last five or six years. The question is radically whether or not we can make an alternating current motor at all. If we could, the question might be put, what are you going to do with your current 10 miles from here if you cannot get an alternating current motor? I think if the efficiency of such a machine drops to 60 per cent. it would not be a vital question in the problem with reference to the great importance of the transmission of power to great distances.

The Electric Light in Dundee Mills.-Messrs. Kinmond, spinners, have had the electric light installed in the whole of their large works, and on Friday evening last the entire place was illuminated for the first time.

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ELECTRIC LIGHTING IN LONDON.

WORKS APPROVED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

THE London County Council, at their usual weekly meeting at the Guildhall last Tuesday (the Earl of Rosebery in the chair), approved of various works proposed to be carried out by electric lighting companies.

Mr. A. H. HAGGIS (the chairman of the Highways Committee) submitted the report of that body, who stated that they had considered the following notices, given to the Council, of works under electric lighting orders, together with reports by the engineer thereon:

'(a) Three, each dated 20th September, 1889, from the London Electric Supply Corporation, of its intention to lay distributing mains under the footways (1) in Trafalgar Square, Spring Gardens, Haymarket, Cockspur Street, Coventry Street (part of), Pall Mall East, Carlton House Terrace; (2) Pall Mall, Piccadilly (part of), St. James's Street (part of), Charles Street, St. James's Square, King Street (part of), York Street, Regent Street (part of), Haymarket, Duke Street (part of); (3) St. James's Street (part of), Piccadilly (part of), as shown upon a plan accompanying the notices.

"(b) 3rd October, 1889, from the Kensington and Knightsbridge Electric Lighting Company, of its intention to lay mains and straining-up and service boxes in certain thoroughfares in Knightsbridge and Kensington."

The committee stated that the works referred to in the notices of the London Electric Supply Corporation appeared to be unobjectionable, and they recommended:-"That the Council do approve such works, subject to the condition that the mains crossing the carriage-way of side streets be laid under the concrete."

This recommendation was agreed to without discussion.

The Highways Committee further reported that the Council on the 1st instant, on the committee's recommendation, signified its disapproval of the works referred to in two notices given by the Kensington and Knightsbridge Company. The principal cause of objection had now been removed, as with the present amended notice the company had sent in plans showing that the sizes of the strainingup and service boxes to be used had been considerably reduced. The committee recommended, and it was resolved:-"That the Council do signify its approval of the works referred to in the notice of the Kensington and Knightsbridge Electric Lighting Company, dated 3rd October, 1889."

NOTES.

Electric Lighting at Bournemouth.-The Bournemouth Improvement Commissioners at their last sitting had before them applications by three different elec tric lighting companies for the Commissioners' sanction to provisional orders which they sought to obtain from the Board of Trade, authorising them to supply electricity for public and private purposes in Bournemouth. The Clerk said he had written to the three companies asking for particulars and plans of their respective schemes, but only the House-to-House Electric Light Company had forwarded the information asked for. The question was again adjourned in order that the Lighting Committee might make enquires and report accordingly.

Electric Lighting at Cowes.-At the last sitting of the East Cowes Local Board, the Clerk reported the receipt of a communication from the Secretary of the Municipal Electric Lighting Corporation requesting the sanction of the Board to an application which the Corporation proposed making to the Board of Trade for a provisional order to supply Cowes with the electric light. Nothing was done in the matter.

Electric Lighting in Brisbane.-The Queenslander gives a short description of the installation at the Brisbane Newspaper Company's office. There are in use two of the Brush Company's Victoria compound dynamos, with an E.M.F. of 110 volts, one being capable of running 450, and the other 600 incandescent lamps of 20 candle-power. Everything seems to work well, and electric lamps are in use in every corner of the place. The lamps used are of the Swan type, but the holders are arranged to take either Swan or Edison lamps. A complete system of electric bells is also fitted up.

[OCTOBER 11, 1889.

Electric Lighting at Hastings.-At a meeting of the Hastings Town Council on Friday, Alderman Hennat (secretary to the Local Electric Light Company) wr asking for the Council's consent to an application t the Board of Trade for a provisional order, authorising the company to supply electricity in Hastings. Th letter intimated that in the event of the permission being granted the application of another company would not be proceeded with. Councillor Jenne moved, and Councillor Bryant seconded, that the desired consent should be given. The motion wa carried. Subsequently the Deputy Town Clerk statel that consent could not be accorded at that meeting. and the matter was eventually referred to the Counc in Committee for consideration and report.

Electric Lighting in the Royal Navy.-On Friday evening a brilliant ball was given by the officers of H.M.S Excellent, at Portsmouth, to nearly 600 guests The ship was lighted by close upon 400 small incar descent lamps in honour of the occasion, the instal lation having been carried out by the electrical staff ei H.M.S. Vernon.

Reading. At the last meeting of the Reading Town Council, the Highways, Streets and Public Lights Committee reported that they had considered the subject of arranging with Messrs. Laing, Wharton and Down, for the lighting of a district of the Borough with elec tricity, and thought it was not advisable to proceed with it at present, the chief reason assigned being that the entire subject of electric lighting, especially in relation to local authorities, was in a state of transition. and under the circumstances the supply of electricity to any district before statutory powers had been obtained was undesirable; moreover, nearly the whol of the regulations issued by the Board of Trade referre: to matters not provided for in the agreement between the Corporation and Messrs. Laing, Wharton and Down, whose business appeared to be now carried on by a syndicate. The Council adopted the recommendation of the Committee.

Nottingham and the Electric Light.-The Town Council is about to apply for a provisional order for the lighting of the town.

Electric Lighting of Theatres.-The Metropolitan Electric Supply Company are now lighting the Gaiety, Garrick and Avenue Theatres.

Electric Lighting in the City.-Although there was a notice on the agenda paper of the City Commissioners of Sewers to resume the debate of the Streets Committee's report as to!!the tender for electric lighting, when the matter came before them on Tuesday last the special report ordered to be printed was not ready. The Chairman (Mr. George Manners), in answer several of the members, stated that all he could say was that the report was not ready. He was assured by the engineer that it was impossible to have it printed in time for the meeting. After some further discussion it was decided that the debate should be again adjourned, and that when the report was ready the Chairman should appoint a special day for its consider ation.

Electric Lighting at Bognor.-At the last sitting of the Bognor Local Board, Mr. Gregory asked what steps had been taken with regard to the lighting of the town by electricity. The Chairman replied that two com panies had sent in notices stating their intention t apply to the Board of Trade for provisional orders to introduce the electric light into Bognor. He had long been of the opinion that the lighting arrange ments of the town were very defective. They wanted more and better light, and that was only to be obtained, as far as he could see, by introducing the new illumi nant into Bognor. Mr. Gregory concurred, and the subject was dropped on the understanding that th matter would be pressed forward.

A Sacred Spot.-Some dispute has recently arisen between the electric lighting company at Exeter and the Municipal Surveyor, owing to a proposal by the former to affix an electric lighting pole on the summit of the Guildhall. The borough surveyor has risen in arms against what he evidently regards as a would-be act of desecration, and suggests that the wires should be carried underground for a short distance, so as to obviate the necessity for anything of the kind.

The Electric Light at Exeter Theatre.-On Monday night the new theatre at Exeter, which has been erected from the plans of Mr. Darbyshire, of Manchester, was opened for the first time to a crowded house. As our readers are aware, the electric light plays a very important part in the interior economy of the new play house, which is thus the first among West of England theatres to adopt the improved mode of illumination. The installation has been carried out by the Exeter Electric Lighting Company, and passed with signal success the somewhat trying ordeal of a first night. The current comes from a couple of Mordey Victoria alternating current dynamos in the company's works, each capable of feeding 4,000 incandescent lamps. The Thomson-Houston system is used for the supply of arc lamps, and the two dynamos in use at the works are capable of supplying 35 arc lights of 1,200 C.P. each. On Monday night the lighting arrangements evoked universal admiration, some 350 incandescent lamps of 16 C.P. each being employed in the illumination of the stage. From the centre of the dome depends a fine 50light electrolier, and the walls of the dress circle are adorned by 2-light copper and brazen brackets of tasteful and artistic design, while in the saloons use is made of 3 and 5-light pendants. The total number of lamps burning in the theatre is 510, and the whole of these are controlled by a group of switches placed on the same side of the stage as the prompter. On the whole the introduction of the electric light into the abode of the drama in Exeter is likely to add greatly to its popularity.

The Bradford Installation.--At the monthly meeting of the Bradford Town Council complaint was made that the firms who used the electric light could not obtain a supply except when the engines were running at night. The Chairman of the Committee intimated that instructions had been given to the engineers to run the engines on market days, and on days when the daylight was not good. A committee had been appointed to inquire into the use of accumulators. Their report would be ready before Christmas. The question of lighting the Town Hall and Art Galleries would stand over until the report was received.

The Hartlepools and the Electric Light.-The Corporation will apply for provisional orders for the supply of electricity for the borough.

Aberdeen Wants the Light.-The Town Council of Aberdeen has determined to apply to the Board of Trade for a provisional order for lighting a certain portion of the granite city by electricity.

The Electric Light at Scatwell.-The mansion of Scatwell, situated on the banks of the river Conon, about 10 miles from the Muir of Ord railway station, and belonging to Mr. W. J. Bell, has just been fitted up on the most complete scale with the electric light. The electricity is supplied by means of a turbine and dynamo situated about 200 yards from the house, and connected with it by cables laid underground. The work has been carried out under the direction of Mr. R. F. Yorke.

Electric Lighting at Paignton.-At this week's meeting of the Paignton Local Board, an application was read from the Electric Lighting and Power Company, Limited, asking for the sanction of the board to a provisional order which they proposed applying for from the Board of Trade, authorising them to supply electricity to the town of Paignton. The matter was referred to the lighting committee.

The Dover Corporation and the Electric Light.-At the meeting of the Dover Corporation on Tuesday, a committee was formed for the further consideration of the electric lighting of the town.

was

Telephonic Extension in Hampshire.-A few days since the trunk line connecting Southampton with Winchester was opened for the first time. A small party of gentlemen interested in the progress of telephony met at the Southampton office of the Western Counties and South Wales Telephone Company, and tested the working of the new line, which found remarkably good. Mr. H. F. Lewis, secretary and general manager of the company was present, and gave a brief outline of the telephone movement in Southampton, there being now 102 persons at present connected with the exchange. Mr. Lewis went on to say that the company intended still further extending operations, and that it was hoped to complete the trunk line between Portsmouth, Gosport, Bournemouth, Poole, Southampton and Winchester considerably before Christmas. The line from Southampton to Winchester goes by way of Portswood, Swathling, Eastleigh. Otterbourne, and thence by the main road through St. Cross to Winchester. A three minutes' conversation is allowed for 6d. The company's trunk lines have met with unqualified success in Wales, as many as 30,000 messages being sent each month.

Antilles Cable Company.-Our readers will remember that the cables connecting Cuba, Hayti, Santo Domingo, Curaçoa and Venezuela were laid by the ss. Roddam in 1888, under a concession granted to the Compagnie Télégraphique des Antilles, of Paris. The concession relating to that portion of the system uniting Curaçoa with Venezuela has been lately transferred, by authorisation of the Govenor of the island of Curaçoa, to the Société Française des Télégraphes Sous-marins, of Paris.

Concession for Costa Rica Cables.-The Government of the Republic of Costa Rica has authorised Senor Don D. V. Cuenca Creus, concessionnaire of the proposed submarine cables between Venezuela and the United States, to establish direct or indirect telegraphic communication by means of one or several submarine cables with some point on the Atlantic coast of the Republic. The system may touch at one or several points in Central and South America which are as yet unconnected by telegraph on the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica. The concessionnaire binds himself to connect his system with the Atlantic cable which it is proposed to establish between Cuba, Spain and France, via the Canary Islands. The Costa Rica Government guarantees an annual amount of £1,400, and reserves to itself the right of intervening in the arrangement of tariffs and in the service regulations.

Italian Government Cables.-The submarine cable between Milazzo and Zipari, interrupted on March 30th last, was repaired by the Eastern Telegraph Company on April 5th. It would appear, at first sight, somewhat strange that this work should not have been undertaken by the Telegraph steamer, conjointly owned by the Italian Government and Messrs. Pirelli, of Milan. On April 1st last the Eastern Telegraph Company laid a new three-conductor cable across the Straits of Messina, between Bagnara and Torrebianca, to replace the one between Cannitello and Ganzirri, which broke down on February 16th last.

New Cable to the Argentine Republic. In a previous issue we referred to the scheme, which has for some time been under the consideration of French and English capitalists, for directly connecting the Argentine Republic with Europe. In the last session of Congress the President of the Republic announced that a contract had been entered into with Messrs. Bieckert and Company for the laying of a cable between Buenos Ayres and Lisbon.

420

New Chilian Cables.—The Chilian Government some time since asked for tenders for the laying of a series of cables which are to connect the land line sytem at Port Montt (Melipulli) with the penal settlement at Sandy Point in the Magellan Straits. The little colony at Sandy Point will be familiar to most of our readers in connection with the loss, off that place, some years ago, of an English gunboat. Starting from Melipulli, the cables are to touch successively at Quincavi on the eastern side of the Island of Chiloë, at the Island of Zeones at the mouth of the river Piti-Palena on the mainland, at Melinka, a sealing station in the Guaytecas islands, at Port Otway on the peninsula of Tres Montes, at Munoz Gamero, a settlement in course of formation on King William IV. Land in the main channel opposite Larga Island, and finally at Sandy Point. One of the chief motives for establishing telegraphic communication with what are all but embryo settlements, is to facilitate the navigation of the straits, and to afford speedy relief to the crews of those vessels which may meet with misadventure during the passage through very dangerous and but partially surveyed waters. The recent loss in the straits, on a hitherto unknown rock, of a large mail steamer (one of several similar casualties) has, no doubt, aroused the Chilian Government to the serious consideration of the question of establishing telegraphic communication with the points above mentioned.

A New Atlantic Cable.-Notwithstanding the number of trans-atlantic cables at present existing there is in serious contemplation a project of placing Ostend in connection with some point in North America by means of a direct cable.

A Change.-Lieut. F. B. Badt has resigned his position with the Western Electric Company of Chicago, and accepted a situation with the United Edison Manufacturing Company.

American Conventions.-The United States Military Telegraph Corps held its ninth annual convention at Chicago on September 11th, papers being presented. The Old Time Telegraphers Association met at the same place on the same day.

City and Guilds of London Central Institution.-At the termination of the last session the John Samuel Scholarship was gained by A. E. Young, and the Siemens Medal for the student of greatest merit in the department of electrical engineering by C. G. Lamb. At the entrance examination for the new session, held this month, the Cloth workers' Scholarship of £60 a year, tenable for two years and renewable for a third year, entitling the successful candidate, in addition, to free education, was gained by A. C. Haycraft; the Mitchell Scholarship of £30 a year for two years, with free education, by F. H. Hummell; the three Institute's Scholarships, of sufficient value to cover the student's fees, each tenable for three years, by R. W. Weekes, H. E. J. Taylor, and E. G. Ingold; and the Public School Scholarships, entitling the successful candidates to free education, by R. L. Jenks and C. Mills.

Edinburgh Electrical Exhibition, 1890.-The Electrical Committee, under whose management the electrical branch of the exhibition will come, has now been constituted. It consists of the following gentlemen :A. R. Bennett, General Manager, National Telephone Company; Principal Grant Ogilvie, Heriot-Watt College; Prof. G. F. Armstrong, Edinburgh University; J. Gibson, Superintending Engineer, Postal Telegraphs; A. F. Clement, Telegraph Superintendent, North British Railway; Dr. A. C. Elliott, Edinburgh University; D. A. Stevenson, Engineer to Commissioners of Northern Lights; Colonel Malcolm, Royal Engineers; J. Monteith, Carstairs House; G. Auldjo Jamieson, and Hugh Auld; the three last being gentlemen locally identified with the progress of electrical

ce.

[OCTOBER 11, 1889.

Lecture on Electrical Transmission of Power.Saturday evening, Mr. Albion T. Snell, M.IE (Messrs. Immisch & Co.), delivered a lecture in the Mining School, Wigan, on "The electrical transmissio of power as applied to mining operations." The pr ceedings were arranged by the Lancashire branch of the National Association of Colliery Managers, and every respect they passed off very successfully. There was a large audience, the school being full of collier managers, underlookers, firemen, and others interested in the development of mining matters.

Spray Arrester for Secondary Batteries. - Te different methods which are now in vogue for prevent ing the nuisance occasioned by this cause are all open to more or less objections. Glass plates require constant cleaning, and only partially effect their object. liquid oil is damaging to the plates if they should a any time be removed; and paraffin wax ran over the top renders the plates altogether inaccessible. The new method, patented by Messrs. Drake and Gorham consists of floating particles of a light substance on the acid to a depth of about inch. This is perfectly harmless to the battery, and can easily be pushed asid to enable the plates to be cleaned when necessary Another advantage claimed is that the cost is considerably less than for glass slabs or paraffin wax.

The Renard Battery Lamp.-Last year a patent w taken out by Major Renard for "improvements in, and relating to, electric batteries," consisting in the employ ment of chlorochromic exciting fluid in combination with silver electrodes platinised on both surfaces by lamination, and specially arranged. This battery ba now been adapted to the purpose of a domestic portabi lamp, which is being manufactured and sold by Messrs Aron Brothers, of London and Paris. The lamp battery consists of seven glass cells, into each of which dips a pencil of zinc within a tube of platinised silver. These are enclosed in the pedestal of the lamp. The charging liquid is poured through an aperture in the cover of the pedestal, but when the charge is complete the liquid does not touch the zinc pencils. To bring the liqui up to the elements air is pumped into the vessel and the liquid is forced up into the glass cells. This is done very simply by means of an India-rubber ba and the battery is set at rest by merely releasing the air by means of a tap. With the lamp is provided a glass jar and siphon for emptying the containing vessel The height of the lamp is 33 inches, and the weight, when charged, 35 lbs. It is said to afford a light equa to 25 candles for from five to eight hours, the char (consisting of chromic acid, muriatic acid, and sulphurc acid mixed with water) costing for each charge abo two shillings. The pneumatic arrangement, although. perhaps, the owners of this battery may not be aware of it, is a very old idea, and was described and illus trated on page 269 of the ELECTRICAL REVIEW for July 1st, 1878.

Errata. In the article "A Synthetic Study of Dynamo Machines" in our last week's issue near the bottom of the first column on page 381 read :-Starting from the commutator bar immediately under the right hand one, the current flows down C and up D, the end of the section being then joined to the adjacent bar In the next section it flows down E and up F, ther from G to H, and so on, half the winding finishing oc the bar immediately above the one connected to o. The brushes rest on the two bars referred to.

Newspaper Article on Electricity.-Mr. Thomas Helsby is contributing a series of articles upon this subject to the Manchester Courier.

Worcester and Electric Lighting.-The Town Counc have decided to apply to the Board of Trade for provisional orders for the lighting of the borongh.

OCTOBER 11, 1889.]

Electric Lighting in Portsmouth.—The movenent in favour of electric lighting, which has now Decome so general, is taking root in the South of England, and the new company which, as will be een in another column, has been started at Portsnouth promises to assume the proportions of a very mportant undertaking. Some months have elapsed ince it was first announced that a powerful group was being formed with the view of introducing an improved ystem of electric lighting into the borough; and as ittle further was said about the new project until a ew days since, those who are interested in keeping up he present gas monopoly commenced to congratulate hemselves that the threatened competition had fallen hrough. During the interval of silence, however, the promoters of the new company have not been idle, having been engaged in investigating the respective merits of the different systems of electric lighting, and n arranging a thoroughly satisfactory contract for the aying down of the necessary works and plant. As a result, the directors have just entered into a contract with the House-to-House Electric Lighting Company, Limited, for the construction, of a central station, &c., at Portsmouth, under the supervision of Mr. Lowrie, who was the engineer engaged in connection with the Kensington station. The directors of the new company announce that they are fully satisfied that the system of working with alternating currents (which is about to be adopted for the electric lighting of Madrid, in which the House-to-House Company are largely interested), is far superior to any other. Some time must necessarily elapse before the new company can commence active operations; but notices have already been given of its intention to apply for Parliamentary powers, and as little time will be lost as possible. The names mentioned in connection with the new company constitute a sufficient guarantee that the want of local support, which has hitherto militated against the electric light in the largest and most important town of Hampshire, will not be felt in the present instance. The directors have, it is stated, good reasons to be satisfied with the support which has already been promised their scheme in influential quarters.

A Mutual Advantage.-Our readers will remember the long article which appeared recently in these columns regarding the electric light supplanting gas and the conclusions arrived at thereupon. The views we then expressed have now, in almost every point dealt with, been confirmed, even by the President of the North of England Gas Managers' Association at their half-yearly meeting held last Friday. Mr. Bridges, of Doncaster, stated that even if the electric light should prove successful, gas managers need not be down-hearted, as wherever the electric light had been introduced the demand for gas had increased. This was, he said, probably due to the fact that where the electric light was put up people, as a set-off, were more liberal in the use of gas, or they used more for cooking, heating, and motive power purposes. This is a very candid statement.

The Western Union Cable.-The Financial News says:-"A good many people in the City are wondering why the Gould cable, broken last November, has not been repaired. For nearly a year the Western Union has been working with one cable, and on September 11th the second cable broke, leaving the company high and dry. The repairing ship will not be ready to go to sea for another month, so that it will be a considerable period before the Western Union cables will be available for the use of the public."

Quick Cable Service.-The Mackay-Bennett Commercial Cable Company distanced all other competitors in transmitting to America the result of the boat race between Searle and O'Connor, which took place recently on the Thames. The news was known in Montreal about three minutes after the completion of the struggle.

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How Lightning is Seen.-Mr. A. E. Brown, writing to Nature, gives an interesting description of a heavy thunderstorm which passed over Essex on the 2nd inst.; in many respects the accounts given by the observers afford instances of impressions which do not entirely accord with facts (a confliction which so often takes place). The special effects observed relate to the partial destruction of a windmill which was struck. The owner and a friend describes the effect as having the appearance of a mass of flame which threw off thousands of sparks, like fireworks, and after the flash a light appeared on the sail for a few seconds and the observers feared the mill would catch fire. Mr. Brown "considers it remarkable that the mill did not catch fire"; the splintered wood and cracked boards do not, however, at any attainable point show signs of charring. It seems more than possible that this and other cases of the same kind have been wrongly interpreted and that the effects observed are in the major portion due to an action on the optic nerve from the spectator himself receiving a shock. If we place pieces of zinc and copper above and below the tongue and intermittently join the free ends of the metals, each time this is done a flash appears to pass before the eyes of the experimenter, an effect due, as is known, to an action on the optic nerve. Probably if the spectators in the case in question could have been shielded from the electric influence, and, further, if the eyes had been shielded by a darkened glass the particular impressions observed would have been considerably modified and the flame and spark appearances would not have been noticed. In no phenomena we believe are optical appearances more deceptive than in the case of lightning, which afford practically no information as to what actually takes place, the mechanical effects observed are really the only indications which can be accepted as indications of what has actually occurred. The conclusion which Mr. Brown draws (from the mechanical effects noticed), viz., that a building to be well protected should have a network of conductors, seems reasonably borne out.

Increase in the Price of Gas.-The good people of Barnsley are agitating against a proposed increase in the price of gas, which is threatened by the local gas company. This seems a favourable opportunity for devising some scheme for lighting the town by electricity.

The Junior Engineering Society.-At the inaugural meeting of the ninth session, to take place this evening at the Westminster Palace Hotel, Victoria Street, S.W., the Presidential Address on "Mechanical Engineering in Electrical Industries" will be delivered by Prof. John Perry, D.Sc., F.K.S.

The Leading Lights of Leeds.-The Leeds Town Council has decided to postpone the further consideration of the electric lighting report for a period of six months. This action has been greeted with strong comments from both the Press and the public. There is just cause for complaint. The sum of £10,000 was voted to the electric lighting committee for the purpose of experimenting, and enabling it to arrive at some satisfactory conclusion respecting the value of electricity. A fair start was made, and judging by the enthusiastic manner with which the subject was taken up, there seemed a good prospect of Leeds adopting the electric light. But the money began to be exhausted, and suddenly someone suggested that electricity was only in an experimental stage. The committee became frightened, which fright extended to the Council, and with quakings and shakings the scheme is practically abandoned. Electricity in an experimental stage, forsooth! how long shall this remain as an excuse and cloak for the refuge of ignorance and weak-kneed public spirit? Truly, the members of the Leeds Town Council "have burned what they adored, and adored what they would have burned."