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Report of Electrical Trades Section London Chamber of Commerce.-Overhead Wires.-Three meetings of the committee were held, and Major Cardew was consulted on several occasions by the correspondent and by other members of the committee about the interpretation and modification of the rules. A letter was written to Mr. Courtenay Boyle, asking for certain minor changes. The alterations effected by the action of the Chamber were in the definition of "low pressure," which was altered from 300 volts to 600 volts if the system be earthed in the middle; and in the definition of the materials to be used for insulation, the word "India-rubber" being omitted. It is believed that the Board of Trade are instituting tests of silicium and other bronze wires, with the view of granting further concessions, if possible, for wires taking their own weight, without bearers; but at a full meeting of the Council of the Institution of Electrical Engineers on the 25th inst. it was decided that they were not at present prepared to recommend any alteration of rule 12.

British Association Screw Thread.-186 circulars were sent out, and only 20 replies were received. These came to hand just before the meeting of the British Association at Newcastle, and as the Association exists practically for only one week in each year, except for purposes connected with its own organisation, a letter was written to the secretary of the Mechanical Section giving an analysis of the replies, in the hope that the Association might take some steps to popularise the matter. It appears, however, that as the Screw Thread committee has been dissolved, and the committee of the section is merely constituted to arrange the papers to be read at the meetings, no notice was taken of the communication. When the Post Office decided to adopt the B.A. thread in the construction of its instruments, Mr. Th. Lehmann, of 28, Hampshire Street, Torriano Avenue, N.W., was appointed to manufacture the taps, screw-plates, and dies, and to supply them to the Post Office. Of Mr. Lehmann, whose name is not familiar in engineering circles, it is sufficient to say that he was formerly manager to Mr. Stroh, and superintended the construction of the most accurate work on the instruments for the Telegraph Department of the Post Office. At the invitation of the correspondent, a box containing a set of tools is exhibited by Mr. Lehmann. Mr. Preece has kindly lent a sample set of tools, and a case containing a sample of every kind of screw used by the Post Office. Messrs. Davis and Timmins also exhibit samples of screws.

Standardising Laboratory.-At the request of the Board of Trade, 212 circulars were sent out, and 13 replies containing returns, together with six blank forms with letter explaining reasons for not replying, were received. The totals were as follows: House meters, 1890, 6,160: 1891, 13,100. Ammeters, 1890, 400; 1891, 581. Voltmeters, 1890, 556; 1891, 891. A letter containing these totals was forwarded to the Board of Trade, calling attention to the fact that only two supply companies had been able to estimate their requirements. With regard to the establishment of a laboratory, it is believed that Her Majesty's Treasury continues to give the matter its most careful consideration.

Employers and Workmen.-It is said the Thomson Electric Welding Company, of America, has requested every man in their employ to sign an agreement to assign any patents they may obtain to the company, the men receiving a substantial recompense.

Prize for Electric Time Signals.-The American Naval Observatory has been awarded a Grand Prize for its exhibit of electric time signals at the Paris Exposition.

The Western Union Telegraph Company of America. -The official figures show that in ten years the company has increased its mileage 115 per cent., its messages 116 per cent., its offices 116 per cent., and its res 206 per cent. Revenue for the year ending June an increase of over one million dollars.

[NOVEMBER 1, 1889.

A Grievance.-An inhabitant of Victoria Street writes to Truth as follows:-"In other parts of London electric companies are laying electric wires. Here nothing is being done. Our parish authorities must be up and doing. Either the company or companies which have acquired powers to light us must at once lay wires, or the parish authorities ought to take the matter in hand themselves. It is absurd to suppose that we can await the good pleasure of speculators. I am one of those who have always regretted that electric lighting has been allowed to fall into the hands of private companies. It seems likely to prove a remunerative business, and it would have been far better if it had been undertaken by the parishes. To erect a central station, and to run wires under the pavement, is no very huge undertaking. I would have the company or companies concerned notified that, if they are not prepared to give a guarantee that all will be ready in-say, two months-the parish will itself do the job."

Belgian Exhibition in London, 1890.-It has been decided that the fourth in the series of National Exhibitions at Earl's Court, London, shall be a Belgian one. The work of organisatian connected with the first two of the series, the American in 1887 and the Italian in 1888, devolved principally upon the initiator of these useful and instructive exhibitions, Mr. John R. Whitley. After careful examination Mr. Whitley, who is accompanied by his friend and colleague, Mr. Vincent A. Applin, has come to the conclusion that the support offered by the Belgian Government, and the enthusiasm shown by Belgian manufacturers and artists, will ensure a greater prospective success for an exhibition of Belgian art, industries and products than that of any other nationality. Mr. Whitley has already invited Colonel J. T. North to be President of the Reception Committee which will be constituted, and arrangements are being completed to take over to London some of the best Belgian exhibits from the present Paris Universal Exhibition, and the paintings from the celebrated Wiertz Gallery in Brussels.

A Disputed Electrical Contract.-At the Torrington County Court, on Monday week, Messrs. Walter Robotham and Co.. electric lighting engineers of Manchester, sued Mr. Thomas Fry, miller, of Wear Gifford, Devon, for the recovery of £30 14s. 6d., being the balance due on a contract, having reference to the electric lighting of his house and mill. The action was originally commenced in the High Court, but had been remitted to the County Court for trial. Defendant set up a counter claim of £15, viz., £10 damages, sustained by himself owing to plaintiffs' servant absenting himself from the work, whereby defendant's business was interrupted, and £5 123., representing money paid by the defendant to workmen to assist the plaintiffs' servant. The case was heard by Judge Paterson and a jury. A verdict was returned for the plaintiffs of £9 on their claim of £30, and a verdict of £3 for the defendant on his counter claim.

A Physical Society for Liverpool.-It is proposed to form a Physical Society in Liverpool, which will hold its meetings at University College, and Prof. Oliver Lodge has consented to be nominated as first president. The preliminary meeting will be held in the Physics Theatre of the University College, at eight o'clock, on Wednesday evening, November 6th, Prof. Oliver Lodge in the chair. Local students and all others interested in the subject are invited to be present. The Secretary (pro tem), is Mr. Thomas Tarleton, 1, Hyde Road, Waterloo, Liverpool.

Birmingham Exhibition.-It is said the awards which have been issued by the judges are giving the greatest dissatisfaction.

NOVEMBER 1, 1889.]

Adjustable Contact Switches. Nicholson and nnings's patent switches have been specially designed. overcome a fault which exists in every form of vitch now in use, viz., that when the contact surfaces quire adjusting, the act of screwing throws the conets more or less out of parallelism, and thereby minishes the surfaces, and causes heating. They are justed by tightening screws, which may be used hile the switch is in use, the slots being so arranged at automatic parallelism of adjustment is certain. 3 introduced by Messrs. Nalder Bros., they have onite handles, and are mounted on polished serpenle bases, and are thoroughly mechanical in construcon and well finished.

New Light Standard.-A new pattern of the Violle ght Standard has recently been devised by M. arpentier. In the new arrangement, the fusion of the atinum is effected by a jet of mixed illuminating gas id oxygen, which plays upon the platinum ingot aced in a hollow in a block of lime. This block is two parts, the upper part (through which the gas jet isses) being movable by means of a handle. The wer part of the block is arranged so that it can be slid om under the upper block to a position beneath a ield with a hole in the centre, whose area is 1 square entimetre. An inclined mirror above this shield nables the surface of the glowing platinum to be seen : right angles to the same. The handle enables the pper half of the block to be moved aside, so that it an be seen if the platinum is melted. The whole rrangement seems well adapted for the purpose, and would not be expensive in first cost, nor difficult to anipulate. The use of oxygen gas is now so common or lanterns, &c., that a supply in iron cylinders is Iways purchaseable, and therefore the employment of ne melting jet is practically a simple matter.

Electric Railways.-According to a German return he number of electric railways in Europe at the end f last year was 11, of which the oldest, the LitchterfeldBerlin Railway, was opened in 1881, being 1 mile in ength, with one motor and car, and carrying yearly 00,000 passengers. The latest is that opened at Brussels ast year, with five motors and cars. The other lines, heir year of opening, length, and number of passengers arried by them, are :-From Frankfurt to Offenbach 1884), four miles, with a maximum number of passeners in one year of 990,000; at Brighton (1883), one nile, 1,000,000 passengers in all; at Portrush (1883), ix miles, 100,000 passengers a year; from Moedling to Hinterbruche (1884), 2.8 miles, 340,000 passengers; at Blackpool (1884), two miles, 300,000 passengers; at Ressbrook (1885), three miles, 300,000 passengers and 0,000 tons of goods annually; and, finally, at Hamburg, pened last year, and for which there are as yet no eturns. It is added that at New York the working xpenses of horses are 5d. per mile, against 3d. per nile when the cars are driven by electric accumulators.

Lighting of Omnibuses.-Mr. Still asks us to state hat the batteries used in the omnibuses mentioned in recent issue are the Schanschieff, purchased by is firm for Mr. James Willing, and are found the best For the purpose up to the present.

The Reduction of Hungarian Telegraph Tariffs.-The Financial News says the reduction of telegraph charges in Hungary to a penny for 10 words looks as if the Hungarians find the post or the carrier's cart quite quick enough for the transmission of their ideas. The all force of this concession cannot be understood until the length of some of the words in the language is remembered. As one word can be made to carry a sentence, 10 words should be able to carry a leading article.

503

The Electric Light in the West Indies.-The British Acting Consul-General at Havana states that in December last the Spanish-American Gas Company made arrangements with the Westinghouse Electric Company, of Pittsburg, to purchase from them an electric lighting plant, or, as Her Brittannic Majesty's representative somewhat quaintly styles it, "an electric light outfit." The plant consisted, in the first instance, of three vertical steam boilers, of 150 horse-power; one compound condensing engine, of 135 horse-power; and one 75 horse-power; one alternating current dynamo, of 1,500 16-candle-power incandescent lamps, and two arc light dynamos. Considerable extension of lighting is contemplated during the present year, the demand for the new light being great, and a local government order, requiring that all theatres and places of amusement shall be lighted by electricity in the course of the autumn.

Club Lighting.-Mr. T. White, of 9, Mill Street, Hanover Square, W.C., has received the order to fit up the electric installation at the Hurst Park Club, West Molesey, Hampton Court, comprising about 300 incandescent lamps, 16 C.P.; 3 Sunbeams, 1,000 C.P.; 7 arc lamps, 4,000 C.P. Power is to be supplied by the Immisch Company from their charging station at Hampton Court, on the opposite side of the river.

The Electric Light and Water-Colours.-A gentleman writes as follows to the St. James's Gazette :-Now that the electric light is being generally introduced into our houses, it may be well to caution those possessing valuable water-colour paintings against placing the electric lamps in close proximity to their pictures, as I have found, after three years' experience of the electric (incandescent) light in my own home, that so placed, the new illuminant is sufficiently powerful to cause some of the more delicate pigments to fade to a greater or lesser degree. Water-colours that are safe in diffused daylight are certainly not always so when exposed night after night, for many hours, to the active white light of electricity close at hand. In reply to this a correspondent to the Standard writes :-"It may be of interest to know that when daylight and an incandescent lamp of equal intensity, as measured by the shadow test, are compared for active power, daylight is far more powerful. Two sheets of sensitive (chloride of silver) paper for photographic prints were exposed, one to weak diffused daylight on a wall and the other immediately under an incandescent lamp (16 candle) with an opal reflector on the top of it. The lamp was adjusted to give about the same depth of shadow as the daylight. The half of each paper was protected from the light for comparison. After four hours the one exposed to weak daylight was considerably coloured on the exposed half, and the other paper under the electric light showed absolutely no difference between the exposed and the protected parts. It is, therefore, surprising to hear that the light from an incandescent lamp is more dangerous than diffused daylight to water-colour paintings; it is certainly less active to photographic paper. Chloride of silver paper can be toned and finished under a bright light from an incandescent lamp, without being in the slightest degree affected by it."

The per

Social. The first of a series of concerts to be held this winter was given at the Edison and Swan Company's works, Ponder's End, on Wednesday evening, 23rd ult. A good programme was provided, concluding with an interesting comedietta. formances of the several ladies and gentlemen were much appreciated by the work people and their friends, who attended in large numbers, encores being frequently asked for. Mr. Edward Gimingham, who is interesting himself in the social welfare of the workpeople, acts as secretary to the concert committee.

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The Electric Tramcar System in Birmingham.The Birmingham Daily Gazette says:-A public trial of the first of a dozen electric cars, which the Birmingham Central Tramways Company hope to adopt upon the Bristol Road route, was made on Wednesday afternoon on the Sparkbrook line. The experiment had been anticipated with interest, not only by a considerable section of the public in Birmingham, but also by a large body of specialists in electrical science and tramway management. It is described as the outcome of a recent union of interests between the Julien, the Sprague, and the Electric Power Storage systems. The degree of success already attained, which is the best promise of further development, is due to a happy combination of electricity with mechanical science. The gentlemen who have taken the most prominent part in solving this problem are Mr. Thomas Parker (Elwell-Parker, Limited, Wolverhampton), and Mr. Alfred Dickinson (consulting mechanical engineer to the Tramways Company). The electrical energy is obtained from a dynamo machine, driven by gas or steam; and there is a motor on the front bogie of the car, and the accumulators in which the electrical energy is stored are placed under the seats, entirely out of sight. These accumulators will be charged at the central depot to be constructed for the purpose, and placing them in the car from the outside will occupy no more time than a change of horses. The gearing appliances have been introduced and patented by Mr. Alfred Dickinson, and it is claimed that their adaptability to electrical motive power is one of the secrets of Wednesday's success. They are on the helicon principle, and by an ingenious system the car is enabled to travel smoothly round the sharpest curves on the Birmingham tramways. The running was perfectly smooth and quiet, and in every respect the new car satisfied, if it did not exceed, the most sanguine expectations. The route taken was a severe test for an electric car, but the success with which the journey was accomplished removed all doubt as to the difficulty of ascending steep inclines by electric motive power. The hill in Bradford Street has the steepest gradient on the tramcar in Birmingham, being 1 in 17, and the new car ascended it without the slightest hitch. On level ground a speed of eight miles an hour can be attained; beyond that it will be impossible to exceed, because at that point the motor becomes a charging dynamo, and uses the energy of the car to set up an opposite current. Experiments made several times, particularly in coming down Bradford Street, showed that the car can be stopped in less than its own length. The car has been built by the Midland Railway Carriage and Waggon Company at Shrewsbury, and is of light construction. It is lighted with electricity; it is capable of running 70 miles with a single charge of electricity, and the accumulated energy is only exhausted by the motion of the car. Thus the motivepower expended in Wednesday's trip was placed in the car several days ago.

An

Birmingham Exhibition.-This Exhibition closed yesterday after a most successful run. On the evening of the 29th a supper was given by the firms exhibiting to the electrical and engineering staff, when 75 sat down and spent a pleasant evening together. eccentric programme of songs was prepared by Mr. Aspinall, one of the electric light engineers at the Exhibition. Recollecting the vagaries of the electric crane when first erected, it strikes us as very appropriate that the representative of Messrs. Crompton & Co. should be put down to sing, "Let me Down Gently; Mr. E. W. Lancaster was also appropriately given the "China, Real China." Probably the other items song, of the programme were equally suggestive to those who were well acquainted with the history of the show.

A Russian Exhibition.-It is said there is to be at Warsaw this month an exhibition of the various Edison inventions.

[NOVEMBER 1, 183

The Patent Office.-The following letter from * | ventor" has arrived too late for our corresponde columns :-" Could you or any of your readers inf me if, and where, I can obtain or peruse abstrac electrical patents from the beginning of 1883 up t present time, indexed. Up to 1883 the patents b been most carefully and intelligently abstracted br Lloyd Wise in that valuable book of reference, 'E tric Illumination.' It seems to me that if the Pr Office and its regulations had been designed view to prevent the would-be inventor from ascen ing whether his ideas had or had not been anticipate.) efficiency could not possibly be called into account as it was, I believe, ostensibly founded to assist hi cannot but think its usefulness is of a negative racter. For instance, what use is the Office to a ca who has to work hard all the day, if it is close 4 o'clock; and the hours ought rather to be suite! this man's convenience than to those of the mat leisure, who merely pays his patent agent so golden guineas to search for him. Again, th lie on the tables of the Patent library what r called 'indexes,' but which are really noth more than lists. There is an index for each p and if you look-under 'Electrical,' for ins -you will find a list of patents with num attached, and if you require information about at special instruments, such as 'generators,' you obliged to read through the whole list and note dis the numbers of the patents which you think are litto interest you on a slip of paper which is genera provided for you. I enquired at the publishing of up to what date abstracts of electrical patents had made, and was told there were not any later than 15 The abstracts published in your paper every week. excellent, but, of course, are not indexed or arrange any systematic way, which is obviously imposs in a weekly journal. Do you not think it is high tr for engineers and patentees generally to combine. awaken these slumberers, compared with whom Seven Sleepers were but as after-dinner dozers? hope you will insert this letter, and also give y opinion upon this very important subject."

What's in a Name?-Mr. Chas. Heinrichs, who formerly well known in London, is now a notor character in New York. He has, at one fell sw sprung from comparative obscurity into being the abused man in the States, and through his connect with the high tension current controversy, he has be given the high sounding title of "busybody Heinric Evidently the advocates of 2,000 to 10,000 volts electric lighting purposes do not love him.

No Dynamos, no Steam Engines!-We would like to know whether Mr. Bridgman, who achie such notoriety at the recent discussion amongst ": members of the City Electric Lighting Committee. his reference to a scheme for producing the light w out the aid of engines and dynamos, alluded to t Perreur-Lloyd system. If 80, we could poss.** enlighten his colleagues as to the real nature of t

venture.

A Courageous Telegraph Messenger.-At the We ing Police Court, before the ordinary business c menced, the Chairman, Major Gaisford, publicly p sented to a telegraph messenger, named Lucas, parchment testimonial awarded him by the R Humane Society for saving the life of a boy, na Cartwright, nine years, the son of a gentleman living the town. The boy slipped off a groine into 6 feet water, and would have been drowned but for promptitude displayed by Lucas, whom Major Gaist complimented on his courage and presence of mind

OVEMBER 1, 1889.]

Le Taunton Electric Lighting Company.-As will een elsewhere, the Taunton Company have decided eate 2,000 new shares at £5 each, necessitated by increase in the demand for the light.

ectropathic Quackery.-We have been made the pient of a letter which shows how a gentleman mulcted in the sum of ten guineas for an electroic belt warranted to cure his ailments. Unfortuly the guarantee was but a verbal one, and still e sad to relate the guileless patient derived no efit from a prolonged and patient application of his chase. The story is too lengthy to relate, but it is 7 one example amongst thousands which go to prove truth of that famous dictum of the Claimant to the borne estates, who philosophised somewhat as :-"Some people have brains and no money; ers have money and no brains. Surely the people a money and no brains were made for those with ns and no money?" The Claimant's axiom is still orce, and in no quarter is it better shown than in relations which exist between a certain section of much-to-be-pitied British public and the gentry › vend the quack goods dubbed electropathic belts.

ured by the Dynamo.- A cure was effected, we are told. by the use of a dynamo a few s ago at Westgate-on-Sea. Mr. E. Brown, of aces Terrace, Westgate, was fitting a false bottom a grate, and while chipping it to make it fit, ery small splinter of iron flew off and struck man in the eye. A well-known electrical engineer Westgate (Mr. Storr) meeting the man, and hearing the accident, took him to the dynamo, which was n running at his establishment. Brown placed his as close as possible to the machine, when it was and that the magnetic attraction was sufficiently ense to withdraw the splinter of iron from the eye, ich was instantly relieved, and the man is now pertly well and at work.

The Electro-Harmonic Society.-The second smoking cert of the season will take place to-night, for ich a very excellent programme has been arranged. e vocal artistes are Messrs. T. W. Page, Arthur ompson, Musgrove Tufnail, and Frederic Upton. e instrumental portion will be divided between essrs. T. E. Gatehouse and Alfred Izard, who will form on the violin and pianoforte respectively..

Incandescent Lamps.-We understand that an incanscent lamp of German manufacture is being tested London, and report credits it with being about the ual of an Edison-Swan of the same voltage and candlewer. The chief recommendation of the new arrival pears to lie in the claim that the filament does not me within the scope of Edison's patents.

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED.

Llanelly Electric Light and Power Company, mited.-Capital £15,000 in £1 shares. Objects: To nerate, produce, store, accumulate, and distribute ectricity, electromotive force or other similar agency r public and private lighting, and for the supplying otive power or heating. Signatories (with 1 share ch): J. C. Howell (electrical engineer), J. P. Evans, F. Clans, A. Burton (electrical engineer), Oliver illiams, A. Ingram, J. S. Griffiths. The signatories e to appoint the first directors. Qualification, £250

505

in shares. The company in general meeting will appoint remuneration. Registered 26th October by Waterlow and Sons, London Wall.

#

National Electric Supply Company, Limited. — Capital £100,000 in £5 shares. Objects: To produce and supply electricity or electrical current or force for light, heat, motive power, or for telegraphic, telephonic or other means of communication or locomotion. T. V. Wentworth, 78 shares, Bruce; C. V. Wentworth, 24 shares, Wentworth Castle, Barnsley; S. D. Waddy, Q C., 54, Temple, 48 shares; Dan Rylands, Barnsley, 120 shares; C. H. Cobbold, M.E., Dodworth, 60 shares ; *Thos. Robinson, Moor-Allerton, Leeds, 60 shares; *Walter Emmott (electrical engineer), Halifax, 60 shares. The signatories denoted by an asterisk are the first directors. Qualification, 50 shares, or £250 stock. Remuneration, £200 per annum to the chairman, and £100 per annum to each director. Registered office, 12, Coleman Street. Registered 28th September by S. Learoyd and James, 12, Coleman Street.

Planet Electrical Engineering Company. Limited.— An agreement of 15th August between Roger Wm. Wallace, of 2, Harcourt Buildings, Temple, and Joseph Browne Martin, of Victoria Mansions, S.W. (the vendors) of one part, and the company of the other part, provides for the purchase by the company of the interest of the vendors in certain agreements relating to the purchase of certain provisional protection for arc lamps, electric governors, dynamo electric machines and motors, and for improvements in mechanical clutches for transmitting motive power. The purchase also includes the business of electrical engineers carried on by the vendors at Dacre Street, Westminster. The purchase consideration is £3,500 in fully paid shares.

Notting Hill Electric Lighting Company, Limited. -At an extraordinary general meeting of this company. held at 9, Austin Friars, on the 3rd October, a series of fresh regulations were submitted to the meeting, and were approved and adopted in substitution for the existing regulations, which are, therefore, annulled. The resolution was confirmed on the 18th, and duly filed on the 21st October.

The annual return of the company, made up to the 17th October, was filed on the 22nd October. The nominal capital is £100,000 in £10 shares; 141 shares have been taken up, and the full amount has been called and paid thereon.

506

in the event of the return of the capital to the members, or a distribution of assets, whether in a winding up or otherwise, the surplus assets remaining after a return of the whole of the capital paid up on all the shares of the company, shall belong, as to one moiety thereof, to the holders of the ordinary shares, and as to the other moiety to the holders of the founders' shares, and shall be divisible amongst the holders of each and such classes of shares respectively, pro rata, according to the number of shares held, and the amount called up and paid thereon, respectively, for the time being. In case any question shall at any time hereafter arise between the company, on the one hand, and the holders of the founders' shares, or any one of them, on the other, as to the amount of the net profits of the company during any period, the certificate of the auditors as to such amount shall be final and binding upon all parties.' The resolution was confirmed on the 14th October, and was duly filed on the 23rd October.

The statutory return of the company, made up to the 11th Sept.. was filed on the 25th Sept. The nominal capital is £50,000, divided into 9,900 ordinary and 100 founders' shares of £5 each. Forty-five ordinary shares have been taken up, and £2 per share has been called, the calls paid amounting to £70, and unpaid to £20.

Kensington and Knightsbridge Electric Lighting Company, Limited. The registered office is now situate at the electric lighting station, Chapel Place, Brompton Road, S.W.

Kensington Court Electric Lighting Company, Limited. The registered office is now situate at the electric lighting station, Chapel Place, Brompton Road, S.W.

CITY NOTES, REPORTS, MEETINGS, &c.

The Brazilian Submarine Telegraph Company, Limited.

THE directors submit the annexed accounts and balance sheet for the half-year ended 30th June, 1889.

The revenue for this period amounted to £113,083 63. 10d., and the working expenses to £13,329 11s. 9d. After providing £12,880 for debenture interest and sinking funds, and £1,593 8s. 6d. for income tax, there remains a balance of £85,289 6s. 7d.; to this is added £20,828 17s. 2d. brought forward from 31st December last, making a total of £106,109 3s. 9d. A quarterly interim dividend amounting to £32,500 has been paid, and £45,000 transferred to the reserve fund, increasing that fund to £259,660 9s. 8d.

The directors now recommend the declaration of a final dividend of 1s. per share, making, with the interim dividends, a total dividend of 6 per cent. for the year, and also the payment of a bonus of 33. per share, both free of income tax, which together will amount to £26,000, being a distribution in the aggregate of 7 per cent. for the year ended 30th June, 1889, leaving a balance of £2,609 3s. 9d. to be carried forward.

On the 31st July last the sum of £14,509 was transferred to pay off the 145 bonds of the 1884 issue, drawn for redemption in April last. This repayment reduces the debenture debt to £159,500.

The new cable to the Cape of Good Hope via the West Coast of Africa was opened to the public on the 4th June last. Messages to and from South Africa now pass over this company's lines between St. Vincent and Europe under the arrangement referred to in the last report. The receipts from this traffic justify the expectation of a satisfactory return on the capital invested by this company in the shares of the African Direct Telegraph Company.

The various sections of the company's line are in good working order.

The Right Honourable Viscount Monck and the Duke de Loulé, retire by rotation at this meeting, and being eligible for re-election as directors, offer themselves accordingly.

The two auditors, Mr. Henry Dever and Mr. John Gane, also offer themselves for re-election.

Taunton Electric Lighting Company.

An extraordinary meeting of the Taunton Electric Lighting Company was held on Monday evening at the Castle Hotel, for the purpose of passing a resolution to create 2,000 new shares of £5 each, necessitated by the increased demand of the electric light by consumers, to provide which new premises are being erected and new plant purchased. In the absence of the chairman of the company (Mr. W. H. Fowler), Mr. J. H. Bale (vice-chairman) presided.

[NOVEMBER 1, 1889

The Chairman, in moving the first resolution, said: The arc stances which had given rise to the necessity of calling 2. meeting would be explained to them by their managing dire Mr. Massingham, and all he would do was to propose the f ing resolution:-"That the capital of the company be intres by creating 2,000 new shares of £5 each, and that the direct empowered to offer, in the first instance, to the shareholders d' company willing to accept the same, and in proportion to several holdings, and subject thereto to issue and allot in s other manner as the directors may think expedient, all or y such new shares, at such time or times, and at any premite & generally on such terms and conditions in all respects a directors may determine."

Mr. H. G. Massingham, in seconding the adoption of the rep said he was extremely pleased that the finances of the o necessitated such a resolution being passed. It was four ye ago since the electric light was introduced into Ta They had then only one dynamo. Now they possessed dynamos, and their works would hold no more, so that at the p sent time they were obliged to refuse further customers. Th had been in that position for some months now, and the dres had to choose between two alternatives-to refuse custome increase their works. They had decided to adopt the latter alt native, and as their present works were not capable of extens the directors had purchased a plot of land, which had been w as St. James's Vicarage, and upon that they were builder entirely new depôt, which when completed he thought would a model depôt, and something worth showing those nun deputations who, during the past three or four year t visited Taunton from all parts of the United Kingdom E found that the price at which the electric light was sup in Taunton was lower than that charged in any other town int United Kingdom, with the exception of Bath and Exeter, vie it was the same. As far as he could ascertain it was lower ta had been charged anywhere on the Continent or in America fact, he believed it was the lowest in price of any place in t world. The average price of the electric light in London wa per cent. more than was charged in Taunton, even in comp with those large companies with their enormous capital greater power. He found, too, that in the case of the Eastbour Brighton, and Hastings Company the average charges were 2 per cent. more than they were charging in Taunton, so that the was no disguising the fact that Tauntonians were in a position enjoy one of the greatest products of science at a price that a other community in this country could possibly command, and sincerely hoped when they put down the new plant they sh have a large acquisition of customers.

Mr. W. Potter supported the resolution, which was put t meeting and carried unanimously.

Ar the weekly meeting last Tuesday of the London County Cont at the Guildhall (the Earl of Rosebery presiding), the High Committee reported that they had considered a notice, dan October 17th, 1889, given to the Council by the Kensington | Knightsbridge Electric Lighting Company, under the compa electric lighting order, 1889, of its intention to lay main Church Street, Kensington, and a service line at Hyde Park (Registered No. 10). The committee had received a report free! the engineer on the subject, and now recommended :-" That' Council do signify its approval of the works referred to in notice of the Kensington and Knightsbridge Electric Ligt Company, subject to the condition that the straining-up and serv boxes to be used shall be of the same size and description & previously sanctioned by the Council." The recommendation was approved.

PROPOSAL TO LIGHT WHITECHAPEL.

Mr. JOHN LLOYD had the following resolution on the s paper -"That it be referred to the Highways Committee to sider and report on the desirability of the Council applyin Parliament for power to improve the condition of the White district, and pending the production and adoption of some

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