THE ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF PARIS, ITS SUCCESS AND COST.

THE voting of the Budget of the City of Paris, at the Municipal Council, led to an interesting discussion as to the conditions of the electric lighting of that city, the gist of which we append below:-The agenda paper gave notice of a discussion on the report (which has been printed and distributed) presented by M. Paul Brousse, on Articles 30 and 31 of chap. 16 of expenses (Improvement of the lighting by gas; Improvement of the lighting by the electric lighting). The proceedings were opened by

M. PAUL BROUSSE (the reporter on the report), who said: Gentlemen, The Administration places on the Budget for 1891 the two following credits: Chapter 16, Article 30. Improvement of the lighting by gas, 50,000 francs. Article 31. Improvement of the lighting by the electric light, 100,000 francs. These are the figures for 1890. As to the motives and developments, the Administration accompanies these two credits by some explanations. As far as concerns Article 30, it says: “A large number of the Paris streets are yet only provided with a very mediocre lighting, the improvement of which is loudly called for." As far as concerns Article 31, it announces that it intends this credit to provide for the expenses "which will be necessitated by the substitution of lighting by clectricity for gas in the different streets, promenades," &c. We will make a short observation apropos cf Article 30: We perfectly admit the necessity of improving the lighting in the streets where it is medic cre. But we hold that for this alone we should not use the credit cf 50,000 francs which we consent to place to Article 30 cf the Budget. If gentlemen will refer to the plan which accompanies my report on public lighting they will see that several streets are still lighted by oil. A portion of the credit will therefore be employed in substituting gas for oil lighting. The credit of 100,000 francs which we insert by agreement with the Administration in Article 31 will claim our attention for a longer time. The Rue Auber and the Rue des Halles are lighted by andelabra furnished with incandescent lamps, and a fraction of the Avenue de Clichy, that which touches on the wall of the enceinte, is Lighted by means of arc lamps. Now the experiment has been made, it is proper to consider the results. I have been enabled to observe day by day the excellent effects which have resulted for the public safety from the lighting by arc lamps from that part of the Avenue de Clichy which borders the fortifications. But as that portion of the Avenue is situated entirely in the district which I have the honcur to represent at the Council, I fear that my opinion might appear to be influenced by the very natural care for the local interests, the defence of which is confided to me. Thus, I resolved to simply ask the opinion of the commissary of police of the district. This opinion has Come to me by the hierarchic route, under the form of a letter which the Prefect of Police has addressed to me, and which will be found among the appendices to the report. From this it will be seen that the results are excellent, since from the avowal of the Prefect, caturally disposed to reckon on the vigilance of his agents, this light bas driven away suspected individuals who formerly took up their positions in the lower portion of this avenue, and since neither nocturnal assaults nor serious accidents have been reported. The Prefect insists strongly on the necessity of still continuing in the way we have entered upon. The trial cf public lighting by means of candelabra supplied with incandescent lamps took place in the Rue Auber and the Rue des Halles. The lighting cf the Rue Auber was banded over to a company by an agreement, which comes to an end on March 31st next. That of the Rue des Halles has been supplied from our municipal station In the Rue Auber the working of the service has been very good. The effect which has resulted from it has been a lighting similar to that produced by gas-same intensity, same colour. From a technical point of view, success has been complete. That is what we called for when we prepared our report last week. The lighting of the Rue des Halles has been subjected to the some illuminating and extinguishing exigencies as the old lighting by as, and here also, as in the Rue Auber-better, perhaps the working has been excellent. There remains the question cf price. From calculations supplied by the Administration, it appears that the electric lighting of the Rue Auber gives rise to an annual expense drable that of lighting by gas, and that the electric lighting of the Rue des Halles has led to a double expense for a lighting increased ly by three-quarters. From the two trials of the Rue Auber and the Rue des Halles it must be considered that, in the present pesithen of lighting by incandescence, that lighting is too dear to be used the public thoroughfares. There must be substituted for it either ughting by gas or lighting by the arc lamp. We propose, therefore, to suspend, from March 31st, the date of the expiry of the agreement, the lighting of the Rue Auber by incandescence. We have more esitation as regards the lighting of the Rue des Halles. There we have an available electrical energy which is not yet consumed by our bscribers, and which remains without being utilised. It may be ed till we receive a new order to light the Rue des Halles. But it seems to us that the Administration will be able to put it to a better to the lighting of the square, for example. From trials which we have made, two things have become apparent: the utility of electric lighting by are lamps, to assure the public safety on the banks of our canals and in those of our streets which touch upon the fortifications, and the high price of the lighting of our streets by incandescent lamps. For these reasons, gentlemen, we ask you to grant the administration the two credits which it asks.

M. LYON-ALEMAND: I want a slight alteration made. It has been proved that lighting by incandescence has not given good results, and is dearer than arc lamps. I ask you, therefore, to decide on lighting the Rue des Halles by arc lamps, and I beg to propose the following olation: The lighting by incandescence of the Rue des Halles shall be replaced by lighting by are lamps.

M. PAUL BROUSSE (reporter): I ask for a reference to the committee, for, without wishing to prejudice anything, it may be that the electricity can be better utilised in lighting the Halles Square

M. LYON-ALEMAND's resolution was referred to the Third Commission. Article 30 was fixed at 50,000 francs, and Article 31 at 100,000 francs.

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTRICAL STATION.

The business paper also contained a notice calling for a discussion on the report presented by M. Paul Brousse on behalf of the Budget and Control Committee on Article 27 of Chapter 16 (Expenses of the Municipal Station). That report has been printed and distributed. M. PAUL BROUSSE: On the Budget project for 1890, the Administration asked us to place a sum of 377,750 francs. We agreed to that, merely remarking that it was a question of an industrial affair at its start, and that from a Budget point of view we had no basis of calculation. We announced that in twelve months it should bring us the balance sheet, and should thus have a basis of operation. This year we have received a very complete report on the working of the municipal station. The sum asked by the Administration for 1891 is 361,350 francs. Last year it was 377,750 francs. There is therefore a saving of 16,400 francs. This increase is only apparent, however. The expenses of the staff to look after the electric lighting (12,400 francs) and other expenses (4,000 francs), which were found in this article in the last Budget, have been taken therefrom and attached, the first to Chapter 3, Article 1 (300 francs), and the second to Chapter 12, Article 2 (306 francs). The Municipal Council has decided that the municipal station shall have autonomous accounts. If then, under pretext that these are staff expenses, there disappears from this Article 26 a sum of 16,400 francs, a cause of error will be created in the Budgets of previous years. You have been able to see in my report the division of the expenses proposed by the Administration, and which amount to 361,350 francs. These expenses must be covered by receipts estimated at 460,500 francs. This product is based on hope "It is admitted" that the station will deliver 60 per cent. of its power to private service. But I do not insist on that here; the reading of the appendices which accompany this report is sufficient to enlighten you. Before concluding these short observations, your reporter protests most energetically against the conditions of labour imposed upon the workmen at our municipal station. The length of the day at the municipal station is eleven hours, from 7 to 7, day and night. Rest, cne hour. And a week of night work per month without increase of wages. I must also add that when the men pass from day work to night, they work 24 hours without rest. It will be agreed that these conditions of working are inadmissible, and that we must break with these practices which makes the City of Paris the worst of masters. In conclusion, we propose the following credits to you:-Proposals of the Administration, Article 27, 361,250 francs. Proposals of the committee, Article 37, 361,350 francs. Article 27 bis (expenses written down to the staff), 16,400 francs.

M. MARSOULAN: It is certain that some of the men work too long. They have 24 hours' work nearly every day, and receive almost derisive wages. I have, therefore, the honour to propose the following resolution--The undersigned propose: That the wages paid to conducteurs and piqueurs of the electricity station, which were 80 francs per month for the conducteurs and C0 francs for the piqueurs, be raised to 150 francs per month for the conducteur and to 125 francs per month for each piqueur, which represents a total sum of 525 francs, an increase of 269 francs on the present proposal.-Signed, LyonAlemand, Marsoulan, Delhomme.

M. LYON-ALEMAND: Even though the men should accept, or, rather, should prefer an increase in wages, it would be necessary to mcdify the conditions under which they work, which are truly intolerable. The ventilation is insufficient, and I hope the Administration will profit, in order to improve the service, by the reorganisation which it will be forced to make when the entirety is in working.

M. CHAUVIERE: The most robust workmen in the cellars of the Halles fall ill; some have had to stop work. I therefore ask that the observations of M. Brousse be considered.

The DIRECTOR OF WORKS: Gentlemen, in this question I have acted as referendum. I have called the men together, and have asked them whether they would prefer a rise of wages or the creation of a new staff. In reality, their work is only to look after apparatus―― M. MARSOULAN: Very delicate, however.

The DIRECTOR OF WORKS: Yes; but there is no expenditure of strength. They therefore preferred a rise of wages. The ventilation has, moreover, been improved, and since, the illnesses, which were formerly so frequent, have almost completely disappeared. What is, then, the position of affairs? Dces the Council wish to reduce the hours to eight, and to create a new staff? If it does, it will either have to lower the present wages or to considerably increase the credit.

M. PAUL BROUSSE: We must consider the question as a whole, and not in the particular case of the Halles. There, as elsewhere, the City of Paris is the first to viclate the conditions of labour voted by the Council. I persist, therefore, in my demand for an inquiry. Still, I do not see any inconvenience in voting the resolution of MM. LyonAlemand and Marsoulan.

M. LYON-ALEMAND: I do not absolutely ask for the creation of a third staff. I understand very well that the work being rather an overlooking than an effective work, the men may exceed eight hours' presence. But I insist that, from the time of the reorganisation, the day be reduced from 11 or 12 hours to 9 or 10.

The PRESIDENT: I put to the vote MM. Lyon-Alemand and Marsoulan's amendment, tending to increase by 525 francs the credit to be inscribed on Article 27.

The amendment was adopted. Consequently, Article 27 was fixed at 361,875 francs. Article 27 bis was fixed at 16,400 francs, and Article 25 at 360,000 francs. Article 26 was adopted without opposition, and the proceedings terminated.

284

REVIEW.

First Principles of Electrical Engineering. By C. H. W. BIGGS. London: Biggs & Co.

This is a work professing to deal with electrical engineering. If the preface should by any mischance be taken seriously, it will undoubtedly cause dismay in the heart of many a writer whose efforts have hitherto been accepted as worthy expositions of elementary electrical science, and whom, indeed, the author with elegant directness and empty egotism characterises as "fools." We, however, nervously heave a sigh of relief after the author's intimation that "there is very little in the book that will clash with the views of workers like Crompton, Hughes, Hopkinson, Kapp, &c. ;" and further that "there is no attack or disparagement meant in regard to theorists like Sir William Thomson, Clerk Maxwell, Professors Lodge, Rowland, &c." How thankful we are to receive this modest declaration after observing how far the author goes out of his way to vilify writers of all the elementary text books!

This is a book in which there is much cry, but littledreadfully little-wool. We are told, in effect, that it will not deal with the "thoughtless iteration of Thales," but with the supplying of a "working foundation to students whose hope is to become practical inen;" presumably, from the title, electrical engineers. Yet, will it be credited, a large portion of it is taken up with considerations of frictional electricity-the Wimshurst machine, Leyden jar, condensers for telegraph working, tangent galvanometer, Daniell, Grove, and Leclanché batteries, elementary proposition's in graphic statics, &c., all of which will be found treated in a much clearer and much more reliable fashion in many of the well-known elementary text books denounced by the author in such unsparing terms, as "the sooner their contents are forgotten the better." The construction and action of arc and incandescent lamps are, however, left undescribed, and there is not a single decent detailed illustration of a complete practical dynamo, transformer, secondary, battery, or volt and ammeter, or any illustration whatever of an electric

motor..

The book is full of mistakes (far more mistakes than there are pages), not only in regard to printer's errors, bad English, and careless revision of proofs, but also in regard to first principles and well known data. In fact, should a beginner read this book before he has studied any other on this important subject, he will find it difficult to recover from the many erroneous impressions thus first implanted in his mind. Let it, however, be put into the hands of an advanced electrical engineering student, and he will find it far more amusing than any novel he ever read, for, on every other page he will have the pleasure of detecting the most outrageous and flagrant errors ever printed since electricity became a practical science, and he will close the book with a feeling of wonder and amusement at the assurance of the author in having issued such a crude, careless production. He will, in fact, agree with the concluding remarks of the author's preface, that should it not realise what is required it "had better be burnt by the common hangman than put into the hands of students."

Just to observe one or two of the many hundred mistakes in the book, we find at page 133 the following statement: "Taking that every pound of coal consumed in the furnace of the boiler should give 10,000,000 heat units, what part of this energy is obtained in the working circuit as given by the formula (R?" This must be "Heaven-born" coal! Or, perhaps Mr. Biggs has just returned from the infernal regions, where the everlasting fuel employed by his Satanic majesty uever dies out! Any ordinary British engineer is only too glad if he obtains little more than Tooth of the above mentioned calorific value applied to his boilers.

=

In many places the author confounds between work, energy, and power, e.g., at page 96, he says, "the watt (unit of work?) volt x ampere (cx E) 746 watts = one horsepower." At page 78 the text is quite unintelligible when compared with the accompanying figure, for the all important letters, N, 8, and R, are omitted. Besides which the author is entirely wrong in asserting that the maximum E.M.F. is generated when the armature coils of a dynamo are moving parallel to the lines of magnetic force between the poles of the dynamo!

[FEBRUARY 27, 1891

Ix many cases that occur in practical and experimental w it is highly important to know the specific gravity of acid at different degrees of concentration.

Kolb's tables have been almost universally trusted when value of the specific gravity has been required; but in sequence of the discovery of many errors in these tabi has become desirable that fresh determinations be made. These have been undertaken for sulphuric acid b Lunge and M. Isler (ride Zeitschrift für angewandte 1890, p. 129).

The table, of which the following is an abstract. obtained by the method of graphic interpolation: in original it is given for intervals of 0005 (1 Twaddl the specific gravity:

FEBRUARY 27, 1891.]

285

engine house at an adjoining colliery, and consists of a 25unit Mordey alternator with its exciter coupled direct to the shaft and driven by belting from a horizontal engine. The dynamo supplies current to 100 lamps of 16 C.P., placed underground, partly in the Golborne Colliery and partly in an adjoining pit; and to lamps of various candle-powers put up in the engine houses, workshops, screens, offices, yards and sidings. In addition to these, about 150 16 C.P. lamps are installed at Golborne Park, where the residence, stables, outhouses, &c., are lighted electrically. The current is conveyed here mainly by overhead conductors from the generating station, and the pressure is reduced in both places by means of hedgehog transformers. This installation has been carried out by Messrs. Mercier, Corlett & Co., of Wigan. . The installation at Hamstead Colliery, Great Bar, has been put up by Messrs. Chamberlain and Hookham, of Birmingham. It is arranged on the series system in conjunction with Bernstein incandescent lamps. The engine and dynamo are arranged in a special building on the surface, and the supply of steam is obtained from the boilers furnishing steam to the colliery engines. From the boilers the steam passes to the engine, which is of the Willans E type, and which actuates, by means of a short belt, a Hookham dynamo giving 10 ampères at an E.M.F. of 500 volts. The dynamo is fitted with an electrical governor for varying the number of lamps in use. From the dynamo the current passes to the switchboard, and from there by means of overhead conductors to two circuits, one for underground lighting and the other for the surface. These two circuits are connected in series at night time so that the engine rooms, decks, &c., above ground may also be lighted, but during the daytime the surface circuit is cut out and the underground lamps only are in use. The bottom decks, office, main roads and stables are electrically illuminated, but no lamps have been placed in the workings. The shaft is 670 yards deep, and the length of the circuit is 3 miles. There are in all lamps installed equivalent to 50 of 16-C.P. Norton Cannock Colliery is lighted on the same system, but only 30 lamps are in use. This installation has also been carried out by the same firm.

rewed on and off, and that the shade when made of a le substance cannot be broken by the overscrewing of ut since it keeps flying back whenever overwound.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF COLLIERIES.

Ta subject of lighting collieries by electricity appears to be ting more attention at present than has obtained some time past, and the most recent installations are pat up at Golborne Colliery in Lancashire, Hamstead allery, near Birmingham, and Norton Cannock Colliery, Bloxwich. In the first case, the plant is located in an

NEW PATENTS-1891.

1,390. "An improved incandescent electric lamp." E. BOEHM. Dated January 26th.

1,396. Improvements in arc lamps." F. M. NEWTON. Dated January 26th.

1,432. "Improved manufacture of carbon filaments for incandescent electric lamps." C. BOLLE. (Communicated by W. M. B. Keen, United States.) Dated January 27th.

1,527. "Improvements in and connected with apparatus for receiving electrical signals." T. A. GARRETT. Dated January 28th. 1,599. "Improvements in apparatus for stopping any water wheel or other motor used in generating clectricity." W. S. ELLIOT. Dated January 29th.

1,639. "Improvements in or connected with distribution of power by alternating currents with the aid cf condensers, alternate current motors, fuses, and electrostatic measuring instruments, and improvements in telephone systems." J. SWINBURNE. Dated January 29th. 1,672. "Improvements in laying or running wires for electric lighting." W. T. LORD. Dated January 29th.

1,680. A new or improved process for the manufacture of wire for transmitting electric currents." A. E. TAVERNIER. Dated January 29th.

1,741. Improvements in electric welding, and in apparatus therefor." H. HOWARD. Dated January 30th.

1,804. "An improved arrangement of shunt for electric motors." G. F. REDFERN. (Communicated by Wirth & Co., agents for W. Lahmeyer & Co., Germany.) Dated January 31st.

2,334. Improvements in and relating to electrical communicators for use on public vehicles and the like." J. W. EYRE and C. GRAHAM. Dated February 9th.

2,368. "An antiseptic mouthpiece for telephones, speaking tubes, and like purposes." G. L. ANDERS and J. R. SHEARER. Dated February 10th.

2,417. "A new or improved voltmeter and ammeter." J. MATTHEWS and G. B. CRUICKSHANK. Dated February 10th.

2.418. "Improvements in electric accumulators or storage batteries." J. MATTHEWS and G. B. CRUICKSHANK. Dated February 10th.

2,677. "Improvements in meters for measuring, registering, and recording electrical currents, in part applicable to other measuring and recording instruments." C. A. PARSONS. Dated February 14th.

2,689. "An improved ceiling rose, or connector for electrical circuits, and for the suspension of electrical fittings, and similar purposes." E. W. LANCASTER. Dated February 14th.

2,706. "Making joints and connections in coucentric cables, or mains for conveying electric currents." A. W. HEAVISIDE and R. C. JACKSON. Dated February 14th.

20,486. An improved system of distributing electricity by means of secondary generators in conjunction with underground conductors." G. E. B. PRITCHETT and H. R. Low. Dated December 20th. 6d. The inventors enclose the converters, together with the necessary safety appliances, in cases or containers of waterproof material, preferably iron, and provided with a movable cover, the ends of the primary and secondary conductors of the converter being led to a terminal board of suitable insulating material placed within the aforesaid case. These containers are placed at intervals beneath the surface of the ground and in the line of the main primary conductors, which are led through the containers, the ends of the primary con-. ductors of the converters being connected to them on the aforesaid terminal board on which also all joints in and connections from the primary conductors are made; suitable provision is made for rendering watertight the apertures through which the conductors pass. The secondary or distributing conductors are connected to the converter on the terminal board and are led out of the container in a similar manner to the primary conductors. 3 claims.

20,652. Improvements in incandescence electric lamps." J. W. EDMUNDSON and W. CLARKE. Dated December 23rd. 6d. In order to cheapen the manufacture of incandescence electric lamps, especially of the larger types, in lieu of attaching the carbon rods or filaments to platinum wires by a deposit of carbon, electrotyping or other process as heretofore has been usual, the carbon rod or filament is according to this invention connected directly with a nickel wire or strip that can be attached either directly to platinum or nickel wires which pass through the glass of the lamp or to iron wires or rods that are in turn attached to the platinum or nickel wires which pass through the glass. 5 claims. 20,974. "A system of electric supply or distribution." F. VAN RYSSELBERGHE. Dated December 31st. 8d. Consists in reducing the electric transport to a minimum, by establishing on a uniform electric canalisation a great number of electric generators which produce the electricity on the spot, these electric generators being set in motion by hydraulic motors fed by a canalisation of water at high pressure, established parallel to the electric canalisation. 3 claims.

1890.

7,867. Improvements in electric motors." H. H. LAKE. (Communicated from abroad by the Giant Electric Motor Company, of America.) Dated May 20th. 8d. Claims-1. In a multipolar motor the combination of a plurality of groups of cqual number of armature magnets arranged in a circle about a common centre, the magnets in each group being located equidistant from each other about said circle and connected permanently together as one magnet, and the several groups being connected to each other in succession; a commutator having as many segments as there are armature magnets and arranged in corresponding groups, the segments in each group being connected together as one, and each group of segments being connected with corresponding points of junction of the several groups of armature magnets, and a field magnet composed of a series of electric helices and having a plurality of both north and south pole ends, the cores and pole ends of said helices being each made up of a series of plates which extend the whole length of the core to the pole end and having its pole end expanded laterally and curved tangentially to a plane at right angles to the axis of the revoluble portion of the motor. 2. In an electric motor an armature having a series of magnet cores arranged with their magnetic axes paralled to the axis of revolution of the revoluble portion of the motor and mounted in supports made of vulcanised fibre or other suitable insulating material, whereby the several cores are insulated from each other, so that if the insulation of the wire of one coil is defective it shall not affect the other coils.

[FEBRUARY 27, 1891.

7,988. Improvements in welding metals electrically." C. L. COFFIN. Dated November 6th. (Under International Convention.) 6d. Claims-1. The described method of welding metals electrically, consisting in placing the articles to be welded in contact, connecting them with opposite poles of a generator of electricity, passing a heating current through them, simultaneously traversing the joint with an electric conductor, one end of which is connected with one pole of the generator, and the other end in contact with the joint, and finally completing the weld by pressure. 2. The described method of welding metal electrically, consisting in placing the articles to be welded in contact, connecting them with opposite poles of a generator of electricity, passing a heating current through them, simultaneously traversing the joint with a voltaic arc sprung between the joint and a conductor connected with one pole of the generator, and finally completing the weld by pressure. 3. The described method of welding metal electrically, consisting in placing the articles to be welded in contact, connecting them with opposite poles of a generator of clectricity, passing a heating current through them, simultaneously traversing the joint with a voltaic arc sprung between the joint and a conductor connected with one pole of the generator, re-enforcing the joint by supplying like metal carried by the traversing conductor and fuzed by the arc, and finally completing the weld by pressure.

7,989. Improvements in welding metals by electricity." C. L. COFFIN. Dated November 12th. (Under International Convention.) 6d. Claims-1. The described method of welding metals electrically, consisting in interposing between the surfaces to be welded a conductor of greater electrical resistance than the materials being operated upon, and passing the electric heating current through the said materials and the conductor, substantially as described. 2. The described method of welding metals electrically, consisting in bringing the surfaces to be welded in contact with a conductor of greater resistance, passing heating currents through the articles to be welded and the interposed conductor, removing said interposed conductor and completing the weld by pressure.

7,990. "Improvements in electric welding." C. L. COFFIN. Dated November 19th. (Under International Convention.) 6d. Claims-1. The described method of welding by electricity, consisting in connecting the articles to be welded with the poles of a generator of electricity in open circuit, closing the circuit by causing an electric spark to pass the break in the circuit, and bringing the articles together to form the weld when sufficiently heated. 2. The described method of welding metals by electricity, consisting in connecting one of the articles with the poles of a generator of electricity, placing a conductor connected with the other pole of the generator in proximity to the edges to be welded, leaving the circuit open, and forming a path for heating currents between one of said articles and said conductor by causing a spark from an independent source of electrical energy to pass the break in the circuit, whereby a voltaic arc is formed in the break in the circuit. 3. In an apparatus for welding metals electrically, the combination with two pieces of metal not in contact with each other of electrical conductors connecting said metal pieces with the poles of a generator of electricity, an electro-magnet included in one of said conductors; a generator of high tension currents connected with said metal pieces, and a circuit breaker in the circuit of said high tension generator controlled by said electromagnet, substantially as described.

7,991. "Improvement in electric welding." C. L. COFFIN. Dated November 19th. (Under International Convention.) 6d. Relates to a method of electric welding especially applicable to welding together the ends of hoops or similar articles by passing a heating current through the joint, where the natnral tendency of the current is to traverse the article itself instead of the joint. 1 claim. 7,992. C. L. COFFIN Improvements in electric welding." Dated November 19th. (Under International Convention.) 6d. Claim:-The described method of welding metals electrically, consisting in separately heating the edge of each article to be welded by passing a heating current through said article in proximity to the edge to be welded and forming the weld by pressing the heated edges together.

9,125. 'Improvements in telephonic apparatus." J. E. KINGSBURY. (A communication from abroad by the Western Electric Company of Chicago.) Dated June 12th. 8d. Relates to that class of multiple switchboard circuits in which metallic telephone lines and single circuit or grounded lines are connected with the same exchange. It applies especially in the use where the operator's apparatus and circuits are so arranged as to avoid the effects of induced currents from other circuits in connection with a uniform test for all the lines. 4 claims.

9,796. Improvements in and relating to electric circuit coatrolling apparatus." E. R. GILL, jun. Dated June 24th. 8d. Relates to an escapement device controlled by electro-magnets and provided with electro contacts arranged at different distances apart for operating circuits according to the duration of electric pulsations by simple and accurately responding mechanism of the character indicated, so organised that by a simple permutation of the electrical impulses sent over the line in which a series of such instruments are connected any one of the series may be completely operated to effect any mechanical result capable of accomplishment by electrical devices, or by mechanical means which are brought into action by such device. 10 claims.

FEBRUARY 27, 1891.]

CORRESPONDENCE.

Posthumous Scientific Honours.

I have read with much pleasure the contribution and the letter published in your last impression, by Mr. Varley, and I should be most happy if I could give to the celebrated electrician an additional argument for opposing Dr. Silvanus Thompson's hasty conclusions and historical essays on electro-magnets. In his lectures, Dr. Thompson says that Mr. Sturgeon was the inventor of the electro-magnet. I refuted this assumption in an article which is published in La Lumière Electrique, and in which I have established, by quoting authentic documents, that the electro-magnet was described by Ampère and Arago, in a lecture that the first of these illustrious physicists delivered before the Academy of Sciences, at an official meeting. The sitting was not public, but all the proceedings were published in a yearly volume edited under the supervision of the perpetual secretaries, then Cuvier and Delanche, if I am not mistaken.

As it was not possible to persist in an assertion opposed by so formidable a document, Dr. Silvanus Thompson retreated somewhat, and said that Sturgeon was the inventor of the horse-shoe electro-magnet.

It is possible that I am not in a position to know that Sturgeon was the first electrician to realise a horse-shoe electro-magnet, but I contend that there is hardly any invention in this performance, as the horse-shoe magnet was known for a long period previously. The material proof of this assumption can be supplied very easily, as in King's College Museum there is to be found the Siberian natural magnet, which was used by the great Faraday for his induction researches, and this magnet is a horse-shoe one. A sketch of this was published, with a notice, a few months ago, by the Graphic, where you can find it; you could also publish it again if you think proper. It should save Dr. Silvanus Thompson the trouble of going to King's College to verify my assertion -although, the Finsbury College is not far off-and I should be glad to have his valuable time spared, and to be instrumental in ascertaining the truth, and even of convincing him.

Paris, February 22nd, 1891.

W. de Fonvielle.

I find an error has been made in the figures in the last paragraph of the above, which was somehow overlooked when correcting the proof-1882 appears erroneously for 1822, and 1821 for 1831. The sentence in which the mistakes appear should read as follows:-"The revolving star wheel of Barlow and Marsh, described by Barlow in March, 1822, and modified afterwards by Sturgeon into a complete disc, was an electromotor, and Faraday showed this was reversible in 1831; in other words, he showed that energy imparted mechanically to the Barlow-Marsh-Sturgeon motor, produced an electric current similarly as energy imparted electrically produced mechanical motion.

What an ingenious mortal Mr. Gilbert is, to be sure! He does warp things as no one else can, and credits me with an attempt to "kick my (notice the my) A-pole out of the earth" when I only pointed out the absurdity of his ideas, as to the use of it. Does he forget that although he claimed greater stability for the A-pole, he recommended the use of it, on straights and slight curves only, and of single poles, with single stays, on heavy curves, where any fool knows the strain is greatest. I certainly did not object to the use of Apoles. Unfortunately, they must be used, where there is not room to stay single poles thoroughly, but I still declare that, when old and partly worn, A-poles are sorry substitutes for double-stayed single poles, and experience of such poles, put up years before Mr. Gilbert adopted them, has proved this completely.

Mr. Gilbert has played many parts, but never a grosser one than in claiming the invention of the A-pole. Gentlemen

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who know even the rudiments of telegraph construction, are well aware that A-poles are a simple development of the strutted pole, and were used all over the country years before Mr. Gilbert invented them. What have other telegraph authorities to say on this point? Many could, if they don't think Mr. Gilbert too small game, help to prick the windbag.

Mr. Gilbert refers to my letter in the REVIEW of 15th February, 1889. It was mostly a quotation from a Scotch daily paper commenting on a collapse of the Highland telegraph lines, and specially those on A-poles: "Between Inverness and Colloden the double pole shaped like the letter A, have suffered as much as the single poles." That was great testimony in favour of them, was'nt it?

The

I have no wish, however, to enlarge in this direction in the meantime, as it is well known throughout the telegraph world that miles of Mr. Gilbert's "New System" of construction, largely got up on the A plan, were swept out of existence by the storm of 8th February, 1889. nor'easter which tumbled down his two-year-old A-poles, like a lot of ninepins, seems also to have blown him out of the Highlands, and my advice to him now he has touched telegraph, or rather telephone, ground again, would be to "tak' a thocht an' mend," or the next nor'easter may blow him out to the English Channel.

Jno. McDonald.

Mr. Varley's Blunder, and his way out of it.

Two weeks ago I exposed an egregious blunder which occurred in your columns. It was contained in an article on mental capacity, one of those characteristic deliverances of Mr. S. Alfred Varley which have latterly helped to elevate the tone of your paper, while filling out its columns. I am sorry if my exposure of his blunder should have depreciated the market value of any of his contributions to elegant literature. As long as he merely indulged impartially in diatribes against living members of the electrical fraternity all round, there was no need for any of them to notice his lucubrations. But when he went out of his way to charge the British Association Committee of 1862-3-4 with having so low a mental capacity as to apply to the case of variable currents a law which is only true for steady currents, it was really time to point out that the want of mental capacity did not lie with that Committee. Accordingly, I gave a reference to the precise page in the official reprint of the Reports of the Committee on Electrical Standards (p. 102), on which may be found the differential equations for the variable currents, and their solution. The original reports of 1862-3-4 having been in great demand, an official reprint was issued by Sir William Thomson, Dr. J. P. Joule, Prof. J. Clerk Maxwell, and Prof. Fleeming Jenkin. This was published in 1873 under the editorship of Fleeming Jenkin. Eighteen years have elapsed since then. Joule is dead. Maxwell is dead. Jenkin is dead. Sir William Thomson is happily still spared to be our leader. These are the men to whom a Samuel Alfred Varley dares to attribute his own incapacity of intellect. These are the men over whose supposed mistake he exultingly blew his own trumpet! And the mistake is his own.

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Detected in this error, and confronted with my simple reference to page 102 of the official reports published in 1873, what does this person do? Apologise? Acknowledge his blunder? Subside into ignominious silence? No that is not sufficient for one of such superior mental calibre. Instead of doing any of these things he takes the discreditable and incredibly mean course of intimating in no unmistakeable terms that the man who, in 1873, was deputed by his colleagues to edit the reprint of the reports altered or tampered with those reports, so that the blunders of the committees might not appear! The insinuated accusation which Mr. Samuel Alfred Varley never dared to raise during Jenkin's lifetime is wholly false. The para

graphs on page 102 of Jenkin's edition, which refute Mr. Samuel Alfred Varley's silly blunder and prove that the Electrical Standards Committee did not make the mistake which he has imputed to them, are transcribed word for word from the original report of 1863: and will be found (by those who have the mental capacity to read them) on page 169, in the volume of the B. A. reports for the year