had been stated, there was not a single member of the committee prepared to go on with his scheme. He contended that Dr. Porter had formed his opinion on narrow premises, and concluded by stating that the committee believed that the scheme would pay its way.

On the amendment being put to the meeting, 10 voted for it and 19 against. The motion was then agreed to.

On the motion of Alderman Finch, seconded by Councillor Vinter, it was decided to appoint Prof. W. Garnett electrical engineer for carrying out the scheme.

It was also decided: "That in the event of their report of 1st May being adopted by the Council, they be authorised to conclude contracts for the carrying out of the electric lighting of the town on the general lines of that report, it being understood that the total cost shall not exceed £26,500, and that the installation shall suffice for 5,000 lights of 16 c.p. or their equivalent."

COMPANIES' MEETINGS.

CITY AND SOUTH LONDON RAILWAY. The adjourned general meeting of this Company, to consider the question of raising further capital, was held on Tuesday at Winchester House, Mr. G. C. Mott (chairman) presiding. A report of the proceedings which gave rise to this adjournment will be found in our issue for June 19.

The Chairman said they would remember that at the meeting held on June 16 it was agreed that in the interval the Directors should have a conference with some of the larger shareholders of the Company to see whether any method could be devised for raising the additional capital in a better and more economical way than had been proposed. That conference had been held, and the matter had been very fully and carefully discussed; and in the result it was agreed by all of them, he thought, that the recommendation made to them by the Directors was the best and most economical way of raising the money. It was proposed to slightly modify the resolution, and this quite met the view of the Directors themselves-namely, that although they created £150,000 of preference shares, they should be authorised at the present moment to issue only 5,000 of themthat was £50,000. It had also been thought desirable that the preference shares should carry with them the ordinary voting power, the same as the ordinary shareholders had. He concluded by proposing: "That the resolution passed at the general meeting of the Company, held on August 12th, 1890, relating to the creation of the new capital authorised by the City and South London Railway Act, 1890, be, and the same is hereby, cancelled and annulled, except as to the creation or issue of 5,000 ordinary shares of £10 each, part of the total number of 20,000 shares authorised by the said resolution." This was simply cancelling what they did nearly a year ago in creating all the balance as ordinary capital. They must cancel this before they could create the preference shares.

The motion was seconded by Mr. S. Hanbury, and carried unanimously.

The Chairman then proposed the following resolution: "That £150,000 of the share capital, being the balance of the £200,000 authorised to be created by the City and South London Railway Act, 1890, be, and the same is hereby, created in 15,000 preference shares of £10 each, bearing interest at the rate of £5 per cent. per annum, and that the Directors be, and that they are hereby, authorised to issue 5,000 of such preference shares, in such amounts, at such times, and on such terms and conditions as they may think fit. The holders of the preference shares hereby created shall be entitled to vote on the same scale of voting as the holders of ordinary shares."

Mr. Hanbury seconded the resolution.

A Shareholder asked whether the interest was cumulative. The Chairman said that they could not make it cumulative under their Act. The shares were, in fact, ordinary shares, having a priority as regarded interest. They must remember that the amount of preference capital they created was very small in proportion to the ordinary capital-much smaller than in the case of any other railway company.

The resolution was carried unanimously.

COMPANIES' REPORTS.

NATIONAL TELEPHONE COMPANY.

The report of the Directors for the year ending April 30 states that there is a balance to the credit of net revenue account of £194,821. 88. Id., after providing, among other charges, for the expenses of issuing new debenture stock, and the accrued interest thereon to April 30, 1891. Of this amount the sum of £62,973 has been absorbed by the payment of an interim dividend on the preference shares at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum, and on the ordinary shares at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum for the first six months of the year. The Directors propose to pay a further dividend on the preference shares at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum, and on the ordinary shares at the rate of 7 per cent. per annum for the last half of the year, which will absorb a further sum of £86,365. 19s., leaving a balance of £45,482. 9s. 1d. Out of this amount they propose, under article 113 of the articles of asso

ciation, to transfer to reserve account £40,000, bringing up the amount of the reserve fund to £93,500. There will then remain £5,482. 9s. Id. to be carried forward to next year. The extension of the Company's business during the last year has been so large that notwithstanding the heavy reduction of rates which the Directors thought it wise to make in the provinces, in view of the expiration of some of the Company's most important patents, the gross revenue, which last year stood at £411,114. 14s. Id., reached £418,560. 78. 8d. on April 30, 1891, and is still steadily increasing. The number of exchange and private line subscribers over the whole of the Company's system, including the South of England district, which last year was 29,257, was on April 30, 1891, 35,440, an increase of 6,183 subscribers during the year, and the number of subscribers is still increasing. The Directors are still acting upon the conviction that it is of vital importance to continue the policy of developing and improving the Company's system, and of giving greater facilities to the public. The accrued rental for the year ending April 30, 1890, was £363,704. 17s. 5d. For the present year it is £422,378. 6s. 2d. The working expenses for the year ending April 30, 1890, amounted to £148,457. 08. 9d., being 407 per cent. on the accrued rental, whilst the working expenses of this year amount to £184,056. 92. 6d., being at the rate of 43.5 per cent. on the accrued rental. The Directors have taken over the business of the South of England Telephone Company, Limited, which is now merged in this Company. On the amalgamation, in July, 1889, of the three principal companies, it was thought desirable that the customary annual retirement of onethird of the Directors should not take place at the end of the first year, in order that the numerous arrangements rendered necessary by the amalgamation and reorganisation of the Company might not be interfered with. These having been now completed, and two of the provincial companies-the Northern and South of England Telephone Companies-having been absorbed, the Directors think they ought all, at this meeting, to place their offices at the disposal of the shareholders, and submit themselves for their approval. They, therefore, now all retire, and being eligible, offer themselves for re-election. The auditors, Messrs. Welton, Jones, and Co., retire, and are eligible for re-election.

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED.

Babcock and Wilcox, Limited.-Registered by Hollams, Sons, Coward, and Hawksley, Mincing lane, E.C., with a capital of £240,000 in 10,000 preference shares of £10 each and 14,000 ordinary shares of £10 each. Object: to acquire the undertaking heretofore carried on in London, Glasgow, and elsewhere, other than in the United States of America and the Island of Cuba, by the Babcock and Wilcox Company of New York, in accordance with an agreement expressed to be made between the Babcock and Wilcox Company of New York of the one part and the Company of the other part, and to carry on business as manufacturers of water-tube steam boilers, and generally the business of engineers and manufacturers of machinery of every description. The first subscribers are:

C. A. Knight, 114, Newgate-street, E. C.

Shares.

1 1

1

1

1 1

W. Shaw, Upper Highlever-road, North Kensington.. H. P. Smith, 1, Farley-terrace, Wilna-road, Earlsfield | J. E. Slack, 24, Parkhurst-road, Holloway, N.. W. Reavell, 114, Newgate-street, E. C. R. Maurice, 114, Newgate-street, E.C. E. Stinton, 114, Newgate-street, E. C. There shall not be less than three nor more than seven Directors. The first are Andrew Stuart, Sir William Arrol, Arthur Telford Simpson, J. G. Mair Rumley, Charles Albert Knight, James Hermann Rosenthall, and Henry Faustin Knight. Qualification, £2,000. Remuneration, £2,000, divisible.

Bournemouth Lighting Company.—With a capital of £50,000 in shares of £5 each, the Bournemouth and District Electric Supply Company, Limited, has been formed to undertake the supply of electric light and power in Bournemouth, and for that purpose to take over the central station, business, and undertaking, under provisional orders, of the Brush Electrical Engineering Company in Bournemouth. The arrangements under which the Company is to acquire the undertaking and property provide for the payment of £17,275, at the option of the Company, either wholly in cash or in shares, or partly in cash and partly in shares. A minimum dividend, at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, upon the paid-up capital is guaranteed by the Brush Company for the first three years.

Gloucester Electricity Supply Company, Limited.-Registered by Sydney Morse, 4, Fenchurch-avenue, E.C., with a capital of £100 in £1 shares. Object: to carry on business as electrical engineers, electricians, etc.

Middlesbrough Electricity Supply Company, Limited. — Registered by Sydney Morse, 4, Fenchurch-avenue, E. C., with a capital of £100 in £1 shares. Object: to carry on generally the business of electrical and mechanical engineers, etc.

Queen Anne's-mansions Lighting and Heating Company, Limited. This Company has been formed, with a share capital of £60,000 in 3,000 four and a half per cent. cumulative preference shares of £10 each and 3,000 ordinary shares of £10 each, for the purpose of taking over and working a contract for the heating and supplying electric light and hydraulic power to Queen Anne'smansions and other houses and buildings in the neighbourhood,

and for the distribution and purification of the water supply thereto, together with a lease of the basement of the premises. Rochdale Electricity Supply Company, Limited. Registered by Sydney Morse, 4, Fenchurch-avenue, E. C., with a capital of £100 in £1 shares. The objects of this Company are sufficiently indicated by the title.

Stoke-on-Trent Electricity Supply Company, Limited. Registered by Sydney Morse, 4, Fenchurch-avenue, E. C., with a capital of £100 in £1 shares. Object: to carry on the business of an electrical engineer in all its branches.

CITY NOTES.

Brazilian Submarine Telegraph Company.-The receipts for last week were £5,653.

Eastern Extension Telegraph Company.-The Company has declared an interim dividend for the quarter ended March 31 last of 2s. 6d. per share, payable on the 15th inst.

Bell's Asbestos Company.--The Directors have declared an interim dividend of 2s. 6d. per share, free of income tax, for the half-year ended June 30, being at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum.

City and South London Railway. The receipts for the week ending 27th inst. were £697, against £721 for the preceding week. The total receipts for the four weeks ending June 27 were £3,054. Western and Brazilian Telegraph Company.-The receipts for the week ended June 26, after deducting 17 per cent. of the gross receipts payable to the London Platino-Brazilian Telegraph Company, were £3,833.

St. James's Electric Lighting Company.-An interim dividend at the rate of 7 per cent. per annum has been declared on the ordinary shares for the half-year ending June 30th. The transfer books will be closed from July 1st to July 10th, both days inclusive.

Young v. The American Telephone Company. On the application of two of the defendants in this case (the American Telephone Company and Mr. Mason, the president of the Company) Mr. Justice Kekewich last week stayed all further proceedings in the action on the ground that they were frivolous and vexatious, and that the matter had been disposed of in two previous actions.

10636. Improvements in electric telegraph printing. Marshall Arthur Wier, Fairview, Kingston-on-Thames.

10664. Improvements in or connected with the insulation of electrical conductors. Herbert Tom Harris, 433, Strand, London.

10697. An improved method of and apparatus for protecting dynamo-electric generators and other apparatus from the effects of lightning. Henry Harris Lake, 45, Southampton-buildings, London. (The Thomson-Houston International Electric Company, United States.) (Complete specification.)

10703. Improvements in the manufacture of the arms or attachments of telegraph poles for carrying insulators. Howard Cochrane Jobson, 7, Staple-inn, London. 10704. Electric directing apparatus for use in cabs, carriages, or on boats, railway trains, and the like. Arthur Douglass, 13, Southampton-street, Pentonville Hill, London. JUNE 24.

10729. Dynamo or electromotor ring armature construction. Gilbert Betteley Lückhoff and Emil Henri Hungerbühler, 214, Whitehorse-road, Croydon, London.

10762. Improvements in call boxes or like electrical communicators. George Thomas Cashmore, 6, Livery-street, Birmingham. 10778. Improvements in electric arrangements and apparatus for locking railway signal and point levers, also applicable for other purposes. John Audley Frederick Aspinall and Henry Albert Hoy, 45, Southampton-buildings, London.

10787. Improvements in materials for insulating electric conducting wires, and for carbons and incandescent filaments for electric lighting. Gustave Adolphe Cannot, 35, Southampton-buildings, London.

and Rawson United, Limited, 88, Queen Victoria-street, London. (Ernest Preschlin, Germany.)

10838. Improvements relating to the lighting of trains by electricity. William Brew, 4, South-street, Finsbury, London.

10839. Improvements relating to dynamo-electric machines, and to electromotors. William Brew, 4, South-street, Finsbury, London.

10843. Improvements in apparatus for regulating electric currents. Jules Ferrand, 46, Lincoln's-inn-fields, London. 10860. Improvements in means or mechanism for regulating the lighting intensity of electric lamps. Robert James Spreadbury, 37, Chancery-lane, London. JUNE 26.

10877. Improvements in or connected with means of connecting ropes or cords, and hauling electric or other cables. Arthur Annesley Voysey, 15, Water-street, Liverpool.

10887. An apparatus for lighting by electricity large numbers of gas burners simultaneously and cheaply, as compared with existing methods. James Walker and Joseph Hampshire, 2, Union-street, Dewsbury.

10894. Electrometers. Charles Vernon Boys, 11, Alexandersquare, London.

10932. Improvements in apparatus for repairing commutators of dynamos Arthur Bernard Gill, Shirley House, The Avenue, Grove Park, Lee.

10933. Improvements in commutators of dynamo-electric machines. Arthur Bernard Gill, Shirley House, The Avenue, Grove Park, Lee.

10934. Improvements in dynamo-electric machinery, and in the regulation thereof. John Augustine Kingdon and Arthur Bernard Gill, 29, Marlborough-hill, London. JUNE 27.

10939. Improvements in conductors for electric lighting, electric bell circuits, and like purposes. Henry Alexander Mavor, William Arthur Coulson, and Sam Mavor, 62, St. Vincentstreet, Glasgow.

10969. Dynamo-electric machines. side Bank, Sheffield.

William Aldred, 5, Bright

India Rubber, Gutta Percha & Telegraph Co.
House-to-House

Metropolitan Electric Supply
London Electric Supply
Swan United

St. James'

National Telephone

Electric Construction..

Westminster Electric.......

Paid.

Price Wednes day

31

10

94

24

6474

NOTES.

Dr. Louis Duncan, of Johns Hopkins University, has sailed from America for England.

were presented by Prof. Knott on "The Electric Resistance of Cobalt at High Temperature" and "The Thermo-electric Position of Cobalt and Bismuth."

Carlsbad was lighted by electricity for the first time.

Mica.-An extensive deposit of mica, so largely used for insulating purposes, has been discovered at Mario, North Carolina.

Water Power in California.—In a few months Yreka, California, will be lighted by electricity obtained from water power.

Silent Engine.-Why was the gas engine used in a certain testing institution not a hundred miles from Charing Cross, called a "silent" gas engine?

Balloon Struck. The balloon recently imported to the Chicago Exhibition was struck by lightning on Monday, and the two aeronauts were severely injured.

Electric Drilling. An Edison electric drill has recently demonstrated its utility by drilling a 2in. hole through 20ft. of solid granite in four hours.

Bootle.-The Finance Committee of the Bootle Town Council thinks that they ought to have the electric light as soon as possible. They have two boilers but no engines. Exhibition at Paris.-The exposition which opens in the Palais d'Industrie on the 23rd of this month at Paris promises to have some interesting electrical exhibits.

Electric Carriage.-Chas. Reitz, of Indianapolis, has built an electric carriage driven by a motor and 30 cells, which will be shortly on the streets. The outfit weighs 500lb., and runs 8 to 10 hours.

Institution Laboratories.-The Belgian Société des Electriciens have in contemplation the establishment of an electrical laboratory similar to that of the Société Internationale des Electriciens at Paris.

The Telautograph.-The writing telegraph was tested on June 21st over 1,030 miles of ordinary telegraph line, and a number of messages were sent (by an expert of their own) successfully over this distance.

Morley. At the meeting of the Morley Town Council, on Monday, it was resolved that the Council would be prepared to receive estimates as to the cost of establishing and carrying on a supply of electric light within the borough.

Railway Dynamos Struck.-Four of the dynamos at the power-house of the electric street railway at Richmond, Virginia, were recently struck by lightning and the armatures destroyed. Several cars were also struck, but no one was injured.

York. The new municipal buildings in York, just opened, are lighted throughout with gas, but electric light wires have been laid through the whole building, so that the electric light can be introduced as soon as an installation is provided in the city.

Development of Telegraphy.-An interesting paper was read before the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers by Mr. D. H. Keeley, of Ottawa, on "Developments in Telegraphy-Wires Multiplexed and Interchangeable," published in pamphlet form.

Royal Society of Edinburgh.-At the meeting of the Scottish Royal Society, on Monday, communications

Rhyl Pavilion.-A splendid new pavilion is being erected at Rhyl, to be completed by Aug. 15th. At the meeting of the directors, on Saturday, the question of electric lighting the new pavilion and the whole of the pier was discussed, and tenders are invited for carrying out the

same.

Eastbourne.-The town clerk of Eastbourne has submitted the recommendation passed at the last meeting of the Eastbourne Town Council as to the lighting of the borough by oil or electricity, that the borough surveyor make enquiries from other boroughs upon the matter, and report fully thereon.

Water Power in Australia.-The proposal to utilise the River Yarra, at Warrandyte, near Melbourne, for generating electricity, has, it is said, taken definite form. A water license has been granted to Alcock and Co. for 15 years, and a company, according to the Australasian Manufacturer, is to be floated in London.

Burton Electric Heater. The electric car heater invented by Dr. Burton is found by Lieutenant Dana Greene, who is their consulting electrician, to take a normal current of three amperes from the line, and the cost is given at 2d. a day per car. The John Scott legacy medal has been awarded to the inventor.

The World's Fair. -The finances of the Columbian World's Fair, at Chicago, are in a favourable condition, ten million dollars having been subscribed. The work of preparing the grounds of 600 acres extent is virtually completed, except the dredging of the lagoon. The contracts for many of the main buildings have been awarded.

The City of London Company.-Next week will probably see the formation of the new large company for the lighting of London, to take over the plant and contracts of the City of London (Pioneer) Electric Lighting Company. The latter shares will be taken over at a very considerable premium, and a good field of success is open for the large company.

the Rochester Town Council on July 1, the town clerk laid Rochdale. At the meeting of the Gas Committee of before the meeting a notice of the intention of the Rochdale Electricity Supply Company, Limited, to apply to the Board of Trade for a provisional order (to be confirmed by Parliament in the ensuing session) to supply electricity in the borough.

Taunton Exhibition. It was suggested at the Electrical Trades Section of the Chamber of Commerce that the Taunton Exhibition would better suit the convenience of exhibitors if held later. Mr. Massingham did not think it possible to alter the date, and as opinions were equally divided, it was finally resolved to give cordial support to the exhibition.

Demagnetisation of Watches.-Mr. J. S. Matheson, of Leith, owing to the number of watches spoilt at the Edinburgh Exhibition, has recently patented a process for thoroughly demagnetising watches so affected. We were of opinion that the system of gradually diminishing alternating magnetisations for this purpose was sufficiently practical and open to all.

Telephone in Honolulu.-The telephone is more used in Honolulu than any other place, the two rival companies cutting rates until every soda-water stand has its telephone, and all the marketing is done by this means. Even trams and railway trains are started by telephone, and men use their legs as little as possible in this hot clime with such facilities for verbal intercourse.

Steam v. Electricity.—A very suggestive occurrence has just taken place in the abandonment of the steam railway traffic on the 10-mile line between St. Paul's and Mineapolis in consequence of the competition of the electric railway. The Railway Review regards the problem as serious, and warns railway engineers that they must now be prepared to face fierce competition on the shorter lines.

Public Lighting in South London. The Deptford Public Lighting in South London. The Deptford Company have not yet received any orders for public Company have not yet received any orders for public lighting, except the small area of St. George's-circus. The corporation are, however, sanguine of eventually securing the public light over a considerable part of the district, which includes Westminster Bridge-road, Newington Causeway and Butts, Southwark-street, and Borough High-street.

Loughborough. At the monthly meeting of the Loughborough Town Council, on Monday, the Mayor, on the passing of the General Purposes Committee's minutes, said, with reference to the electric light, they would remember that a committee was appointed in anticipation of some company seeking to obtain powers. It might interest the Council to know that no application had been made by any company.

Clerkenwell.-The Clerkenwell Vestry had before them, at their meeting on Wednesday, a letter from the Brush Electric Engineering Company, giving statutory notice of their intention to apply to the Board of Trade for a provisional order to supply electricity within the area of Clerkenwell. Also similar letters from the County of London Electric Lighting Company, and the Camberwell and Islington Electric Light and Power Company.

Audenshaw (Lancs.). At the monthly meeting of the Audenshaw Local Board, Mr. Cooper said he had received a letter from an electric light company, but it was so badly written that he could scarcely read it. It was not thought necessary to read the letter. The Council felt they would have to follow the lead of greater authorities, and they could not do anything. The letter was then handed to the members for perusal.

Faraday and Sandemanian.-Referring to an extract which appeared some days ago respecting Faraday's religious and scientific opinions, the elders of the church known as Sandemanian, meeting at Barnsbury-grove, have written to the Daily Telegraph to state "that Faraday's

scientific work never came into conflict with his faith in the

Scriptures, and was never the cause of any trouble or misgiving to his church friends."

Stroud. The Stroud Board of Health are exercised

instantaneous. Dr. Daniels, on the other hand, states that the Kemmler scene was repeated. By one report two shocks each were given; another states that only one shock each was given, and no burning took place.

Incandescent Lamp Manufacture.-It is announced that Captain François Walter, captain of artillery, and professor in the technical military school at Vienna, has made an invention which will revolutionise the incandescent lamp trade, being a method of welding other metals to glass instead of platinum. This kind of vague announcement, however, is worthy of little credence at present; technical details to warrant any attention being given to it are not

to hand.

Kinetograph.-Another rival to Edison's invention of

the kinetograph is found in an English invention, the "kinesigraph" of Mr. W. Donisthorpe, a barrister, and Mr. w. C. Crofts, Westminster-chambers, 7, Victoria-street, Westminster. Like Edison, these gentlemen take a series of consecutive photographs on a continuous film of sensitive surface, and combine them on a screen by the aid of an optical lantern. The date of their patent is August 15,

1889, or nearly two years ago.

Liege. For parents thinking of sending their children abroad Liège offers many advantages. It has a fine university, with over 70 professors and 1,500 students, with new physiological, engineering, and chemical laboratories. The French spoken is the best in Belgium, and as students attend from all countries, by judicious choice of friends other languages may be learnt. Only five or six British students yet attend, but it is probable when its advantages are better known more will go.

The Phonopore. We believe these instruments are being made in some quantities for practical work and tests. Some 250 of these instruments, in Morse form, working with what may be termed the ghost or skeleton of a current, which does not affect the ordinary instruments, are being made, and we understand that a severe test is being arranged by the chief electrician of one of the large railway companies. If this highly ingenious but hitherto delusive instrument can only be made absolutely practical, the possibility of doubling or trebling the ordinary instruments on a single railway line would certainly open a large field of additional usefulness.

Telephones and Tramways.-With reference to the recent disputes as to the vested interests of telephone companies in the "earth" circuit, it is interesting to note that in the United States, before the Ohio Supreme Court, it has just been decided that, as the roads in a municipality are for the purpose of facilitating public travel, the previous use by the telephone company of this road, or part of it, as a circuit does not prevent the electric tramway using it for its proper purpose, and that the telephone, as against the tramway company, will not have a vested interest and exclusive right to the use of the ground circuit as part of the telephone system.

Electric Executions.-Four criminals were executed by electricity on Tuesday in New York. The official spectators were sworn to secrecy. Dr. Rockwell states that everything passed off quietly and expeditiously, death being

received a notice from the Brush Electrical Engineering Company of their intention to apply in the next session of Parliament for a provisional order authorising them to supply electrical energy for any public or private purposes within the City of London. Also a notice from the Laing, Wharton, and Down Construction Syndicate of their intention to apply in the next session of Parliament for a provisional order authorising the said syndicate to amend the City of London (East District) Electric Lighting Order, 1890. These communications were referred to the Streets Committee for consideration,

We understand that the

Ferranti System.-Mr. Ferranti stated at the meeting of the Municipal Engineers the other day, that highpressure electrical engineers could now guarantee that 85 per cent. of the total electricity generated in the station. could be delivered and sold to customers, and that if they could guarantee this, it was evident that in practice they could surpass this amount. Deptford station is now supplying about 30,000 lights. The districts around Blackfriars are being wired, and several installations are being supplied at Deptford and Bermondsey. At Havre, where the Ferranti system is in force, a complete new low tension network has been laid down and a new 500 h.p. dynamo added.

Primary Battery Cars.-Experiments are being made by Mr. George B. Pennock, in Peoria, with a primary battery car. Mr. Pennock was assistant to Prof. Page, in 1851, when he ran an electric car at 20 miles an hour between Washington and Blandesberg, and is still a great believer in zinc. The Pennock battery consumes lb. of zinc per horse-power per day, and even at double this he gives the cost at 11d. per horse-power a day. It is stated that in a few days the first electric locomotive in the world to be driven by primary batteries on the regular steam. railways will be at work. A company is formed with half a million dollars capital, and Mr. Pennock announces that he proposes to run a passenger train between Chicago and New York during the World's Fair.

New Chemical.-Prof. Traube, of Breslau, has noticed the formation of a crystalline deposit on the anode when electrolysing an acid containing at least 40 per cent. of sulphuric acid. Prof. Traube assigns to this product the formula SO4, which might be written SO,O, by analogy with oxygenated water, H2O,, whose properties are of the same order. In fact, the compound SO, put into contact with oxide of lead forms sulphate of lead with disengage ment of oxygen. M. Berthelot isolated a compound, SO, by electrolysis of sulphuric acid, and named it persulphuric acid. There is reason to believe, says the Bulletin de l'Electricité, that this persulphuric acid is a combination of sulphuric anhydride and the compound SO. We may thus write-S2O7=SO, SO4

Electric Bells.-Tenders are invited by the London County Council for making perfect and maintaining in thorough repair the whole of the electric bells and wires, and the apparatus connected therewith, fixed in the land and river stations of the Fire Brigade, and in houses used as lodgings for firemen. Specification, form of tender, and particulars may be obtained on application at the County Hall, Spring-gardens. Each tender must be accompanied by a declaration that the person tendering pays the rates of wages and observes the hours of labour usually accepted as fair in the trade. Tenders, addressed to Mr. H. De la Hooke, clerk of the Council, Spring-gardens, S.W., endorsed "Tender for Maintenance of Electric Bells," are to be sent in by noon on the 14th inst. Persons tendering must have offices and workshops in the county of London. Burton. The Gas and Electric Lighting Committee of the Burton Town Council presented a report last week in which they asked permission to exercise and carry out the provisions of the Burton-upon-Trent Electric Lighting Order, 1890, to obtain a site for electric lighting works, and to advertise, subject to specifications and conditions, for tenders and proposals of electric lighting systems, the execution of works, and the supply of machinery at a fixed sum. It was also stated that it would be necessary to obtain a piece of land, 4,054 square yards in extent, adjoining the gas works, and as Mr. Fenning had consented to lease the ground at £16. 17s. 10d. ground rent on con dition that trade erections were constructed thereon to

the value of £500, the committee recommended that the land should be secured. It was determined to advertise for tenders.

"The Journal of Gas Lighting."-It would hardly be courteous to say this paper deliberately propagates falsehoods, but until it can advance proof of the following statement we shall hold that its dictum is absolutely unworthy of belief. Referring to Mr. W. H. Preece's address to the Municipal Engineers, it says: "which we (the Journal of Gas Lighting) alone, of all the technical journals, specially reported last week." The Journal of Gas Lighting has a "bee in its bonnet" so far as electricity is concerned, and according to our judgment is not unwilling to mislead its readers upon such matters. The above statement as regards reporting is absolutely false. The Electrical Engi neer and the Contract Journal, two technical papers, were represented throughout the meeting, and at all the visits to works. Not only so, but the Electrical Engineer's report was revised by the author.

The Thunderstorm.-London was visited with a very fierce and prolonged thunderstorm on Wednesday afternoon, during which the flashes of lightning and peals of thunder were almost incessant. The rain fell in torrential manner almost unsurpassed in the tropics, and 6 of an inch was registered within an hour or so. Considerable damage was done, several houses were set fire to, and a man standing under a tree at Tottenham was struck and his clothes literally torn to ribbons, though the man was fortunately not killed. For the first time in its history the Royal Botanic Society had a tree struck by lightning. In the gardens, Regent's Park, a poplar was, at 4.30, during the thunderstorm, stripped cleanly in places of huge pieces of its bark and timber. Some workmen, who were busy preparing for the society's fête, were close to the tree, but sheltered beneath the wet canvas of the adjacent tents they suffered no hurt.

Kingswood. At the meeting of the Kingswood Local Board last week, the clerk read the correspondence that had passed between himself and Messrs. Christy and Son, Chelmsford, who had tendered for the lighting of the district by the electric light. After opening the tenders, he had, in accordance with instructions received, written to Messrs. Christy asking where the members of the Board could inspect an installation laid for public lighting purposes, and also certain questions as to the decrease in the candle-power through wear. A reply had been received giving the required information, and stating that the nearest public installation laid by the firm was at Chelmsford, near London. An inspection of this service would be especially useful to the Board, because it was almost exactly similar to the requirements of Kingswood. Private installations. had been laid at Messrs. Grace Bros. and Messrs. H. H. Budgett, Bristol, which could be inspected if desired. An inspecting deputation was appointed.

High Tension Transmission in Vienna. M. Zipernowski has invented, it is stated, a combined system of utilising continuous and alternating currents, with the idea of working in Vienna an electric tramway travelling at 25 miles an hour. A generating alternatecurrent dynamo placed at some distance away, giving a current of 10,000 volts, will drive a motor in a secondary station. This motor, which has to be put into step with the generator, will drive a continuous-current dynamo, whose current will be used to feed the car motor. This system will enable those natural forces to be used which are otherwise too far away to be utilised by means of continuous currents alone. The carrying out of this scheme, if intended to be a practical project, will be watched with equal interest to the transmission of power